The Oxford Encyclopedic English Dictionary [Standard Ed. ed.] 0198612486, 9780198612483

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THE OXFORD ENCYCLOPEDIC ENGLISH DICTIONARY

OR ee

Ss)

The

OXFORD

Encyclopedic English Dictionary

EDITED BY

JOYCE

M. HAWKINS

AND ROBERT

CLARENDON

ALLEN

PRESS : OXFORD

Oxford University Press, Walton Street, Oxford 0x2 6DP Oxford New York Toronto Delhi Bombay Calcutta Madras Karachi Kuala Lumpur Singapore Hong Kong Tokyo Nairobi Dar es Salaam Cape Town Melbourne Auckland Madrid and associated companies in Berlin Ibadan Oxford is a trade mark of Oxford University Press Published in the United States by Oxford University Press Inc., New

York

© Oxford University Press 1991 First published 1991

Reprinted 1991, 1994 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,

without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press. Within the UK, exceptions are allowed in respect of any fair dealing for the purpose of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of the licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside these terms and in other countries should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above This book ts sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Data available Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Data available ISBN 0-19-861248-6 Plain Edition ISBN

0-19-861266-4

Thumb Index Edition

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Preface.

vii

Guide to the Use of the Dictionary

THE OXFORD

ENCYCLOPEDIC

Abbreviations and Symbols

XV

ix

ENGLISH

Chronology of World Events

&

DICTIONARY

af

1687

Chronology of Scientific Developments

1728

1. Countries of the World

1732

17. Electronics: some symbols and

2. The Commonwealth 3. States of the United States of

1737

notations 18. Astronomy

1761 1762

APPENDICES

America

1739

19. Navigation

1764

4. The Soviet Union: Constituent Republics

1740

20. Geology 21. Ecology

1765 1766

5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

te 1742 1743 1744 1745

22. 23. 24. 25. 26.

1767 1768 1769 1770 1774

1746

27. Indo-European Languages

1776

1752 1755

28. Hallmarks 29. Musical Notation andthe Orchestra

Pie 1778

30. Architecture 31. Social Trends 32. Sports and Games

1780 —e ee

The The The The The

British Isles British Constitution US Constitution United Nations European Community

Bo: ae xaia

oapgiand andthe

11. Prime Ministers and Presidents 7. Weather

13. The Beaufort Scale 14. Shapes and Forms in Mathematics 15. Weights, Measures, and Notations 16. Chemical Elements MAPS

1756 = 1757 1758

/

Terms for Groups of Animals etc. The Animal Kingdom The Plant Kingdom The Body Alphabets

1760 at end

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Preface

THIS dictionary is an innovative all-in-one reference book, providing within a single volume a comprehensive dictionary of current English and a concise world encyclopedia prepared from the authoritative lexical database assembled for the Concise Oxford Dictionary and other dictionaries of current English, supplemented by the encyclopedic resources held by the Oxford English Dictionaries Department.

Lexical coverage is generous and up to date, with special attention given to scientific and technical vocabulary. Definitions are presented in a straightforward readable style with the minimum of symbols and abbreviations. There are clear explanations of grammar, usage, and word origins, and pronunciation is indicated by means of the Internationai Phonetic Alphabet. The encyclopedic articles are the fullest to appear in an English dictionary of this size. They include accounts of famous people, organizations, and institutions, a history of every major langauge, about 3,000 entries for names of countries, cities, continents, oceans, lakes, rivers, and mountains, and articles (including historical information) on a wide range of subjects. Biographical entries are given for people who are world-famous, pioneers, statesmen who were in power at a time of significant change in their country’s history, and people who have become legendary on their own spheres, together with a representative selection of lesser figures. A history of every independent country is included, and the numbers given for populations are based on the most recent statistics available.

The Appendices offer useful information that is more easily presented in a tabulated form than in an encyclopedic entry or dispersed through a number of such entries. The Chronology of World Events enables the

reader to see at a glance what was taking place in different parts of the world at any date from the palaeolithic age onwards. Throughout the work our aim has been to present as much information as possible in a clear and concise style so as to offer the maximum help and interest to the reader. March 1991

JMH

REA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. We are grateful to the following for their contributions: Dr David Munro, of Edinburgh University, selected about 3,000 names of countries, cities, rivers, mountains, etc. for inclusion and supplied information for these entries; Mr P. Teed compiled the first drafts of the Chronology of World Events and some of the Appendices, and Mr A. J. Augarde, Dr B. Blackburn, Dr A. F. D. Clayton, Dr R. Innskeep, Dr A. Sherratt, and Mr O. Stainer assisted with these; Mr A. Green, Mr K. R. Whettam, Mrs A. Willitts, and Mrs R. Winter undertook the proofreading. Illustrations are by Illustra Design and Information Design Unit. The table of the Beaufort Scale is reproduced by kind permission of the Meteorological Office (Crown Copyright).

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prayer. 2 an instance of this. 3 a prayer. 00 intercessional adj. intercessor n. intercessoria} /-se'so:riol/ adj. intercessory adj. [F intercession or L intercessio (as INTERCEDE)]

interchange v. & n. —v.tr. /,mto'tfernd3/ 1 (of two people) exchange (things) with each other. 2 put each of (two things) in the other’s place; alternate. —n. /'1nto,tfemd3/ 1 (often foll. by of) a reciprocal exchange between two people etc. 2 alternation (the interchange of woods and fields). 3 a road junction designed so that traffic streams do not intersect. 00 interchangeable adj. interchangeability /-'biliti/ n. interchangeableness n. interchangeably adv. [ME f. OF entrechangier (as INTER-, CHANGE)]

inter-city /,mto'sit/ adj. existing or travelling between cities. inter-class |,nto'kla:s/ adj. existing or conducted between different social classes.

intercollegiate

/,1ntoko'li:dzet/ adj. existing or conducted

between colleges or universities.

intercolonial

interfacial

739

/|,mtoks'lsuniel/

adj. existing

or conducted

between colonies. intercom /'nto,kom/ 1. collog. a system of intercommunication by radio or telephone between or within offices, aircraft, etc. [abbr.]}

intercommunicate

/|,ntoks'mju:nikeit/

v.intr.

1 com-

municate reciprocally. 2 (of rooms etc.) have free passage into each other; have a connecting door. 00 intercommunication /-'kerf(o)n/ n. intercommunicative |-kotrv/ adj.

intercommunion /,intoke'mju:nien/ n. 1 mutual communion. 2 a mutual action or relationship, denominations.

esp. between

Christian

intercommunity /|,ntoko'mju:niti/ n. 1 the quality of being common to various groups etc. 2 having things in common. interconnect |,ntoko'nekt/ v.tr. & intr. connect with each other. oo interconnection /-'nek/(2)n/ n.

intercontinental /,:mto,kont1'nent(9)l/ adj. connecting or travelling between continents. 00 intercontinentally adv. interconvert /,mtokon'v3:t/ v.tr. & intr. convert into each other. O0 interconversion n. interconvertible adj.

intercooling /'mto,ku:liy/ n. the cooling of gas between successive compressions, esp. in a car or truck intercool v.tr. intercooler n.

engine.

raise (a crop) among plants of a different kind, usu. in the space between rows. 00 intercropping n. intercross /,1nto'kros/ v. 1 tr. & intr. lay or lie across each other. 2 a intr. (of animals) breed with each other. b tr. cause to do this.

intercrural /,nto'kruor(a)l/ adj. between the legs. intercurrent /,nto'karont/ adj. 1 (of a time or event) intervening. 2 Med. a (of a disease) occurring during the progress of another. b recurring at intervals. 00 intercurrence n. [L intercurrere intercurrent- (as INTERCOURSE)] 3

intercut /,nto'kat/ v.tr. (-cutting; past and past part. -cut) Cinematog. alternate (shots) with contrasting shots by cutting.

interdenominational

/)1nted1nomi'nerfan(s)l/

cerning more than one (religious) denomination. denominationally adv.

interdepartmental

adj.

con-

00 inter-

/,nto,di:pa:t'ment(s)l/ adj. concerning

more than one department. 00 interdepartmentally adv.

interdepend /,ntodr'pend/ v.intr. depend on each other. 00 interdependence n. interdependency n. interdependent adj.

interdict n. & v. —n. /'mtodrkt/ 1 an authoritative prohibition. 2 RC Ch. a sentence debarring a person, or esp. a place, from ecclesiastical functions and privileges. 3 Sc. Law an injunction. —-v.tr. /\mto'drkt/ 1 prohibit (an action). 2 forbid the use of. 3 (usu. foll. by from + verbal noun) restrain (a person). 4 (usu. foll. by to) forbid (a thing) to a person. oO interdiction |-'dik{(9)n/ n. interdictory |-!diktor1/ adj. [ME f. OF entredit f. L interdictum past part. of interdicere interpose, forbid by decree (as INTER-, dicere say)|

interdigita! /,mto'didzit(2)l/ adj. between the fingers or toes. 00 interdigitally adv.

interdigitate |,mto'did31,tert/ v.intr. interlock like clasped fingers. [INTER- + L digitus finger + -ATE*]

interdisciplinary |,mto,dist'plinort/ adj. of or between more than one branch of learning. interest /'ntrast, -trist/ n. & v. —n. 1 a concern; curiosity (have no interest in fishing). b a quality exciting curiosity or holding the attention (this magazine lacks interest). 2 a subject, hobby, etc., in which one is concerned (his interests are gardening and sport). 3 advantage or profit, esp. when financial (it is in your interest to go; look after your own interests). 4 money paid for the use of money lent, or for not requiring the repayment of a debt. 5 (usu. foll. by in) a a financial stake (in an undertaking etc.). b a legal concern, title, or right (in property). 6 a a party or group having a common interest (the brewing interest). b a principle in which a party or group is concerned. 7 the selfish pursuit of one’s own welfare, self-interest. —v.tr. 1 excite the curiosity or attention of (your story interests me greatly). 2 (usu. foll. by in) cause (a person) to take a personal interest or share (can I interest you in a holiday abroad?). 3 (as interested adj.) having a private interest; not impartial or disinterested (an interested party). 0 at interest (of money borrowed) on the condition that interest is payable. declare an (or one’s) interest make known one’s financial etc. interests in an undertaking before it is discussed. in the interest (or interests) of as something that is advantageous

to. lose interest become bored or boring. with interest with increased force etc. (returned the blow with interest). oo interestedly adv. interestedness n. [ME, earlier interesse f. AF

f. med.L, alt. app. after OF interest, both f. L interest, 3rd sing. pres. of interesse matter, make a difference (as INTER-, esse be)]

oo

interesting /'intrastin, -tristiy/ adj. causing curiosity; holding

intercorrelate |,nto'kora,leit/ v.tr. & intr. correlate with one

the attention. 0 in an interesting condition archaic pregnant. OO interestingly adv. interestingness n.

another. oo intercorrelation /-'le1{(a)n/ n. intercostal /,1nto'kpst(o)l/ adj. between the ribs (of the body or a ship). 00 intercostally adv. intercounty /,into'kaunti/ adj. existing or conducted between counties. intercourse /'intoko:s/ n. 1 communication or dealings between individuals, nations, etc. 2 = sexual intercourse. 3 communion between human beings and God. [ME f. OF entrecours exchange, commerce, f. L intercursus (as INTER-, currere curs- run)] intercrop /|,1nto'krop/ v.tr. (also absol.) (-cropped, -cropping) av how

er day

ov no

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

va poor

interface /'into,fers/ n. & v. —n. 1 esp. Physics a surface forming a common boundary between two regions. 2 a point where interaction occurs between two systems, processes, subjects, etc. (the interface between psychology and education). 3 esp. Computing

an apparatus for connecting two pieces of equipment so that they can be operated jointly. —v.tr. & intr. (often foll. by with) connect with (another piece of equipment etc.) by an interface.

interfacial |,mto'fe1{(2)l/ adj. 1 included between two faces of a crystal or other solid. 2 of or forming an interface. interfacially adv. (esp. in sense 2).

aio fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

o0

interfacing

intermarriage

740

internal springs. 00 interiorize v.tr. (also -ise). interiorly adv. [L, compar. f. inter among] interject /,mto'dzekt/ v.tr. 1 utter (words) abruptly or parenthetically. 2 interrupt with. 00 interjectory adj. [L interjicere (as INTER-, jacere throw)]

interfacing /'1nto,fersiy/ n. a stiffish material, esp. buckram, between two layers of fabric in collars etc.

interfemoral |,nto'femor(s)l/ adj. between the thighs. interfere /,nto'fio(r)/ v.intr. 1 (usu. foll. by with) a (of a person) meddle; obstruct a process etc. b (of a thing) be a hindrance; get in the way. 2 (usu. foll. by in) take part or intervene, esp. without invitation or necessity. 3 (foll. by with) euphem. molest or assault sexually. 4 Physics (of light or other waves) combine so as to cause interference. 5 (of a horse) knock one leg against another. oo interferer n. interfering adj. interferingly adv. [OF s’entreferir strike each other (as INTER-, ferir f. L ferire strike)]

interjection |,:nto'dzek{(2)n/ n. an exclamation, esp. as a part of speech (e.g. ah!, dear me!). 00 interjectional adj. [ME f. OF f. L interjectio -onis (as INTERJECT)]

interknit /,mto'ntt/ v.tr. & intr. (-kmitting; past and past part. -knitted or -knit) knit together; intertwine.

interlace /,mto'lers/ v. 1 tr. bind intricately together; inter-

interference |,nto'fisrans/ n. 1 (usu. foll. by with) a the act of interfering. b an instance of this. 2 the fading or disturbance of received radio signals by the interference of waves from different sources, or esp. by atmospherics or unwanted signals. 3 Physics the combination of two or more wave motions to form a resultant wave in which the displacement is reinforced or cancelled. 00 interferential /-fo'ren{(9)l/ adj. interferometer /,ntofs'romit(a)r/ n. an instrument for measuring wavelengths etc. by means of interference phenomena. O00 interferometric /-fero'metrik/ adj. interferometrically /--fero'metrikoli/ adv. interferometry n.

interferon /|,nto'fiorpn/ n. Biochem. any of various proteins released by animal cells, usually in response to the entry of a virus, which have the property of inhibiting further development of viruses of any kind in the animal or in others of the same species. The discovery of such a protein by the virologists A. Isaacs and J. Lindenmann was announced in 1957. [INTERFERE + -ONn]

interlap |,nto'lep/ v.intr. (-lapped, -lapping) overlap. interlard /|,nto'la:d/ v.tr. (usu. foll. by with) mix (writing or speech) with unusual words or phrases. [F entrelarder (as INTER-, LARD V.)]

interleaf /'mnta)li:f] n. (pl. -leaves) an extra (usu. blank) leaf between the leaves of a book.

interleave /,nto'li:v/ v.tr. insert (usu. blank) leaves between the leaves of (a book etc.).

lines of a text. [ME f. med.L interlinearis (as INTER-, LINEAR)]

inter-

governmentally adv.

other by overlapping or by the fitting together of projections and recesses. 2 tr. (usu. in passive) lock or clasp within each other. —adj. (of a fabric) knitted with closely interlocking stitches. —n. a device or mechanism for connecting or coordinating the function of different components. 00 interlocker n.

intergradation /|,:ntogroa'deif(a)n/ n. the process of merging together by gradual change of the constituents.

intergrade /'into,greid/ v. & n. —v.intr. pass into another form by intervening grades. —n. such a grade. intergrowth /'nto,grau0/ n. the growing of things into each other.

interlocutor /,mto'lokjota(r)/ n. (fem. interlocutrix /-triks/) a

interim /'mtorim/ n., adj., & adv. —n. the intervening time (in the interim he had died). —adj. intervening; provisional, temporary. —adv. archaic meanwhile. 0 interim dividend a dividend declared on the basis of less than a full year’s results. [L, as INTER- + adv. suffix -im]

interior /1n'troro(r)/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 inner (opp. EXTERIOR). 2 remote from the coast or frontier; inland. 3 internal; domestic (opp. FOREIGN). 4 (usu. foll. by to) situated further in or within.

interlude /'inta,lu:d, -lju:d/ n. 1 a a pause between the acts of

part; the inside. 2 the interior part of a country or region. 3 a

b a department dealing with

these (Minister of the Interior). 4 a representation of the inside of a building or a room (Dutch interior). 5 the inner nature; the soul. o interior angle the angle between adjacent sides of a rectilinear figure. interior decoration (or design) the decoration or design of the interior of a building, a room, etc. interior monologue a form of writing expressing a character’s inner thoughts. interior-sprung (of a mattress etc.) with g get

hhe

jyes

person who takes part in a dialogue or conversation. oo interlocution /-lo'kju:J(a)n/ n. [mod.L f. L interloqui interlocutinterrupt in speaking (as INTER-, loqui speak)] interlocutory /,1nto'lokjuteri/ adj. 1 of dialogue or conversation. 2 Law (of a decree etc.) given provisionally in a legal action. [med.L interlocutorius (as INTERLOCUTOR)] interloper /'mtalaupa(r)/ n. 1 an intruder. 2 a person who

interferes in others’ affairs, esp. for profit. 00 interlope v.intr. [INTER- + loper as in landloper vagabond f. MDu. landlooper]

5 existing in the mind or soul; inward. 6 drawn, photographed, etc. within a building. 7 coming from inside. —n. 1 the interior

ffew

immune

interlining /'intolamm/ n. material used to interline a garment. interlink /,1nto'link) v.tr. & intr. link or be linked together. interlobular /mto'lobjula(r)/ adj. situated between lobes. interlock /,mto'lpk v., adj., & n. —v. 1 intr. engage with each

interglacial /,1nto'gler{(s)l, -stol/ adj. between glacial periods. intergovernmental |,nto,gavan'ment(s)l/ adj. concerning or

ddog

regulating

interlinear /,mto'linio(r)/ adj. written or printed between the

or more galaxies. 00 intergalactically adv.

b but

for

document etc.). 2 insert (words) in this way. 00 interlineation /-lnt'erf(a)n/ n. [ME f. med.L interlineare (as INTER-, LINE})] interline? |,mto'larn] v.tr. put an extra lining between the ordinary lining and the fabric of (a garment).

intergalactic /,1ntogo'lektik/ adj. of or situated between two

the home affairs of a country.

/|,mto'lu:kin/ n. Biochem. any of several glyco-

library loan).

with; intersperse. b blend (things) together. 2 intr. (of two things) blend with each other. oO interfusion /-'fju:3(9)n/_n. [L interfundere interfus- (as INTER-, fundere pour)]

OO

guage having features of two others, often a pidgin or dialect form.

interline! /,:nto'lam| v.tr. 1 insert words between the lines of (a

fluere interfluent- (as INTER-, fluere flow)]

governments.

interlanguage /'mto,lengwid3/ n. a language or use of lan-

interlibrary /'mntolarbrari/ adj. between libraries (esp. inter-

interfuse /,1nto'fju:z/ v. 1 tr. a (usu. foll. by with) mix (a thing)

two or more

central Switzerland, situated on the River Aare between Lake Brienz and Lake Thun; pop. (1980) 4,852.

proteins produced by leucocytes responses. [INTER- + LEUCOCYTE]

(one or more items) into an existing sequence. interflow /!nto,flou/ v. & n. —v.intr. flow into each other. —n. the process or result of this. interfluent /,nto'flu:ent/ adj. flowing into each other. [L inter-

between

LACE vV.)]

Interlaken /'1nto,la:kon/ the chief town of the Bernese Alps in

interleukin

interfibrillar /|,nto'fibrilo(r)/ adj. between fibrils. interfile /,nto'fail/ v.tr. 1 file (two sequences) together. 2file

conducted

weave. 2 tr. mingle, intersperse. 3 intr. cross each other intricately. o0 interlacement n. [ME f. OF entrelacier (as INTER-,

a play. b something performed or done during this pause. 2 a an intervening time, space, or event that contrasts with what goes before or after. b a temporary amusement or entertaining episode. 3 a piece of music played between other pieces, the verses of a hymn, etc. [ME, = a light dramatic item between the acts of a morality play, f. med.L interludium (as INTER-, ludus play)] intermarriage /,into'!mzrid3/n. 1 marriage between people of different races, castes, families, etc. 2 (loosely) marriage between near relations.

k cat

lleg

mman

nono

ppen

rred

s sit

t top

v voice

intermarry

741

intermarry /1nto'meri/ v.intr. (-ies, -ied) (foll. by with) (of Taces, castes, families, etc.) become connected by marriage.

intermediary /,1nto'mi:drort/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. ies) an intermediate person or thing, esp. a mediator. —adj. acting as mediator; intermediate. [F intermédiaire f. It. intermediario f. L intermedius (as INTERMEDIATE)]

intermediate

/,nto'mi:dist/ adj, n,

& v.

—adj. coming

between two things in time, place, order, character, etc. —n. 1 an intermediate thing. 2 a chemical compound formed by one reaction and then used in another, esp. during synthesis. —v.intr. |-di,ert/ (foll. by between) act as intermediary; mediate. O intermediate frequency the frequency to which a radio signal is converted during heterodyne reception. 00 intermediacy /-s1/ n. intermediately adv. intermediateness n. intermediation /-'e1{(2)n/ n. intermediator /-,e1ta(r)/ n. [med.L intermediatus (as INTER-, medius middle)] interment /in'ts:mont/ n. the burial of a corpse, esp. with

ceremony.

intermesh /|,1nto'mej/ v.tr. & intr. make or become meshed together. intermezzo /,mto'metsou/ n. (pl. intermezzi |-tsi/ or -os) 1a a short connecting instrumental movement in an opera or other musical work. b a similar piece performed independently. ¢ a short piece for a solo instrument. 2.a short light dramatic or other performance inserted between the acts of a play. [It. f. L intermedium interval (as INTERMEDIATE)]

interminable /in'ts:minab(e)l/ adj. 1 endless. 2 tediously long or habitual. 3 with no prospect of an end. oo interminableness n. interminably adv. [ME f. OF interminable or LL interminabilis (as 1N-!, TERMINATE)]

intermingle /,nto'ming(s)l/ v.tr. & inir. (often foil. by with) mix

together; mingle. intermission /,into'mi{(a)n/ n. 1 a pause or cessation. 2 an interval between parts of a play, film, concert, etc. 3 a period of inactivity. [F intermission or L intermissio (as INTERMIT)]

intermit /,1nto'mit/ v. (intermitted, intermitting) 1 intr. esp. Med. stop or cease activity briefly (e.g. of a fever, or a pulse). 2 tr. suspend; discontinue for a time. [L intermittere intermiss- (as INTER-, mittere let go)]

intermittent /,mts'mit(2)nt/ adj. occurring at intervals; not continuous or steady. 00 intermittence /-t(9)ns/ n. intermittency /-tons!/ n. intermittently adv. [L intermittere intermittent- (as INTERMIT)]

intermix

/|,mto'miks/

v.tr.

&

intr.

mix

together.

oo

intermixable adj. intermixture n. [back-form. f. intermixed, intermixt f. L intermixtus past part. of intermiscére mix together (as INTER-, miscére mix)]

intermolecular /,mtomo'lekjulo(r)/ adj. between molecules. intern n. &v. —n. /'mts:n/ (also interne) US a recent graduate or advanced student living in a hospital and acting as an assistant physician or surgeon. —v. 1 tr. /in'ts:n/ confine; oblige (a prisoner, alien, etc.) to reside within prescribed limits. 2 intr. /nts:n/ US serve as an intern. 00 internment n. internship n. [F interne f. L internus internal]

internal /in'ts:n(2)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or situated in the inside or invisible part. 2 relating or applied to the inside of the body (internal injuries). 3 of a nation’s domestic affairs. 4 (of a student) attending a university etc. as well as taking its examinations. 5 used or applying within an organization. 6 a of the inner nature of a thing; intrinsic. b of the mind or soul. —n. (in pl.) intrinsic qualities. 00 internal energy the energy in a system arising from the relative positions and interactions of its parts. internal evidence evidence derived from the contents of the thing discussed. internal exile see EXILE n. 1. internal rhyme a rhyme involving a word in the middle of a line and another at the end of the line or in the middle of the next. 00 internality /(neliti/ mn. internalize v.tr. (also -ise). internalization /-'ze1{(a)n/ n. internally odv. [mod.L internalis (as INTERN)]}

internal-combustion

engine a form of heat engine in

which fuel is burnt inside the cylinder of the engine instead of in a separate boiler (as used in a steam engine). The gases wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

1 ring

x loch

International Development produced attain high values of pressure and temperature, driving the piston outwards as they expand. The exhaust gases are then released and a fresh supply of air (in a diesel engine) or a mixture of air and fuel (in a spark-ignition engine) is admitted and compressed before combustion again takes place. Most engines work on a four-stroke cycle (see Orro), with four pistonstrokes for each explosion, but two-stroke engines are used where lower power is sufficient. The advantage of internalcombustion engines over external combustion is their compactness, with all processes taking place in a single mechanism, giving a high output of power for a low weight, thus making them very suitable for transport purposes; their disadvantage is the need for very specific types, of liquid or gaseous fuels, while external-combustion engines can use coal or any other fuel. Internal-combustion engines originated in the early 19th c. The first reliable one was that of J. J. £. Lenoir in Paris in 1859. It ran slowly, lacked power, and consumed large quantities of fuel, but was the first real challenge to the dominance of steam. In 1862 a French engineer, Alphonse de Rochas, described a four-stroke cycle, but his work remained theoretical and he never made an engine; the principle was reinvented by Otto. internat. abbr. international.

International n. an international Socialist organization. The First International was formed by Karl Marx in London in 1864 as an international working men’s association and was dissolved twelve years later after internal wrangling between Marxists and Anarchists. The Second International was formed in Paris in 1889 and, although gravely weakened by the First World War, still survives as a loose association of Social Democrats. The Third International, also known as the Comintern, was formed by the Bolsheviks in 1919 to further the cause of the world revolution. Active if seldom effective between the wars, it was abolished in 1943.as a gesture towards the Soviet Union’s allies. The Fourth International, a body of Trotskyist organizations, was formed in 1938 in opposition to the policies of the Stalin-dominated Third International.

international |,mto'nzfan(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 existing, involving, or carried on between two or more nations. 2 agreed on or used by all or many nations (international date-line; international driving licence). —n. 1 a contest, esp. in sport, between teams representing different countries. 2a member of such a team. O international law a body of rules established by custom or treaty and agreed as binding by nations in their relations with one another. international style see separate entry. International System of Units see separate entry. international unit a standard quantity of a vitamin etc. oo internationality /-'nzliti/ n. internationally adv.

International Atomic Energy Agency an international organization set up in 1957 to accelerate and increase the con-

tribution of atomic energy to peace, health, and prosperity throughout the world, and to ensure that assistance provided by it is not used for military purposes. Its headquarters are in Vienna.

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development an agency of the United Nations, established in 1945, and together with IDA known as the World Bank (see entry). Its headquarters are in Washington, DC.

International Civil Aviation Organization an agency of the United Nations, founded in 1947 to study problems of international civil aviation and establish standards and regulations etc. Its headquarters are in Montreal.

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions an association formed in 1949 to promote free trade unionism worldwide. Its headquarters are in Brussels.

International

Court of Justice a judicial court of the

United Nations which replaced the Cour Permanente de Justice in 1945 and meets at The Hague.

International Development Association an affiliate of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, established in 1960 to provide assistance primarily in the poorer developing countries. Its headquarters are in Washington, DC. tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

Internationale

interpret

742

ee

International Telecommunication

Internationale |,mtonz{ja'na:l/ n. 1 (prec. by the) a revolutionary hymn composed by Pierre Degeyter of Lille to words written earlier (1871) by Eugéne Pottier, a Parisian transport worker. It was adopted by French socialists and subsequently by others, and was the official anthem of the USSR until 1 Jan. 1944. 2 the International. [F, fem. of international (adj.) f. INTERNATIONAL]

ization whose purpose is to . in the use and improvement Founded at Paris in 1865 as it became an agency of the

International Energy Agency an agency founded in 1974, Finance

Corporation

an organization

2 US a general practitioner.

internode /'into,noud/ n. 1 Bot. a part of a stem between two

International Fund for Agricultural Development

of the knobs from which leaves arise. 2 Anat. a slender part between two joints, esp. the bone of a finger or toe.

an agency of the United Nations that began operations in 1977, with headquarters in Rome. Its purpose is to mobilize additional

internuclear /,nte'nju:klio(r)/ adj. between nuclei. internuncial /,nte'nan{(s)l/ adj. (of nerves) communicating

funds for agricultural and rural development in developing countries through programmes that directly benefit the poorest rural populations.

internationalism /,1nto'!nz{ano,l1z(a)m/ n. 1 the advocacy of a community of interests among nations. 2 (Internationalism) the principles of any of the Internationals. 00 internationalist n. international. 2 bring under the protection or control of two or more nations. 00 internationalization /-'ze1{(2)n/ n.

parietal bones of the skull. 00 interparietally adv. interpellate /m'ts:pe_lert/ v.tr. (in European parliaments) interrupt the order of the day by demanding an explanation from (the Minister concerned). 00 imterpellation /-'ler{(2)n/ n. interpellator n. [L interpellare interpellat- (as INTER-, pellere drive)} interpenetrate |,1nto'peni,treit/ v. 1 intr. (of two things) penetrate each other. 2 tr. pervade; penetrate thoroughly. 00 interpenetration /-'trer{(9)n/ n. interpenetrative |-tratrv/ adj. interpersonal /|,nto'ps:son(a)l/ adj. (of relations) occurring between persons, esp. reciprocally. 00 interpersonally adv.

International Maritime Association an agency of the United Nations established in 1958 for cooperation and exchange of information among governments on matters relating to international shipping. Its headquarters are in London.

Satellite Organization see

interplait /,1nto'plet/ v.tr. & intr. plait together. interplanetary /|,nto'pleniter/ adj. 1 between planets.

INMARSAT.

International

Monetary

Fund an international organ-

interplay /'mnta,pler/ n. 1 reciprocal action. 2 the operation of

DC. Established in 1945, it exists to promote international trade

two things on each other.

and monetary cooperation, and the stabilization of exchange rates. Member countries contribute in gold and in their own currencies to provide a reserve on which they may draw (on certain conditions) to meet foreign obligations during periods of deficit in their international balance of payments.

interplead |,mto'pli:d/ v. 1 intr. litigate with each other to settle a point concerning a third party. 2 tr. cause to do this. 00 interpleader n. [ME f. AF enterpleder (as INTER-, PLEAD)]

Interpol /'into,pol/ International Criminal Police Commission, an organization (founded in 1923, with headquarters in Vienna;

International Organization for Standardization an organization founded in 1946 to standardize measurements etc. for international industrial, commercial, and scientific purposes. The British Standards Institution is a member.

reconstituted after the Second World War, with in Paris) that coordinates investigations made forces of member countries into crimes with an basis. [abbr. International police] interpolate /in'ts:pa,leit/ v.tr. 1 a insert (words)

International Phonetic Alphabet a set of phonetic symbols for international use, introduced in the late 19th c. by the International Phonetic Association, based on the Roman and Greek alphabets with the addition of some special symbols and diacritical marks. associated especially with Gropius, Wright, and Le Corbusier, so called because it breached national and cultural barriers. It is characterized by the use of new building materials (especially steel and reinforced concrete), wide windows, uninterrupted interior spaces, simple lines, and strict geometric forms.

International System of Units (tr. F Systéme international d'unités), a system of physical units (together with a set of prefixes indicating multiplication or division by a power of ten) based on the metre, kilogram, second, ampere, kelvin, candela, and mole as independent basic units, with each of the derived units defined in terms of these without any multiplying factor. It was instituted in 1957.

a: arm

3: her

in a book etc.,

sation. 3 estimate (values) from known ones in the same range. 00 interpolation /-'ler{(2)n/ n. interpolative |-lotiv/ adj. interpolator n. [L interpolare furbish up (as INTER-, polire POLISH})] interpose /,1nto'psuz/ v. 1 tr. (often foll. by between) place or insert (a thing) between others. 2 tr. say (words) as an interruption. 3 tr. exercise or advance (a veto or objection) so as to interfere. 4 intr. (foll. by between) intervene (between parties). [F interposer f. L interponere put (as INTER-, POSE})]

interposition /,ntopo'zi{(a)n/ n. 1 the act of interposing. 2 a thing interposed. 3 an interference. [ME f. OF interposition or L interpositio (as INTER-, POSITION)]}

interpret

/in'ts:prit/ v. (interpreted,

interpreting)

1 tr.

explain the meaning of (foreign or abstruse words, a dream, etc.). 2 tr. make out or bring out the meaning of (creative work). 3 intr. act as an interpreter, esp. of foreign languages. 4 tr.

Satellite Cone bed

headquarters by the police international

esp. to give false impressions as to its date etc. b make such insertions in (a book etc.). 2 interject (a remark) in a conver-

international style n. an architectural style of the 20th c.,

ze cat

2

relating to travel between planets.

ization affiliated to the UN, with headquarters in Washington,

International Telecommunications sortium see INTELSAT.

interoceanic /,mtor,susi'entk/ adj. between or connecting two oceans.

interosseous /|,1ntor'psias/ adj. between bones. interparietal /,ntops'rarot(s)l/ adj. between the right and left

Organization an organization,

established with the League of Nations in 1919, that became in 1946 the first specialized agency associated with the United Nations. Its headquarters are in Geneva. Its aim is to promote lasting peace through social justice, and to this end it works for better economic and social conditions everywhere. The organization was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969.

International Maritime

between different parts of the system. [internuncio ambassador f. It. internunzio]

interoceptive /,ntorsu'septiv/ adj. Biol. relating to stimuli produced within an organism, esp. in the viscera. [irreg. f. L internus interior + RECEPTIVE] interosculate /,ntor'pskjo,leit/ v.intr. = INOSCULATE.

internationalize /,:nto'nzfono,laiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 make Labour

quarters are in Geneva.

interne US var. of INTERN n. internecine /,nto'ni:sarn/ adj. mutually destructive. [orig. =

internist /in'ts:nist/ n. Med. 1 a specialist in internal diseases.

established in 1956 as an affiliate of the World Bank to assist developing member countries by promoting the growth of the private sector of their economies.

International

Union an organ-

promote international cooperation of telecommunications of all kinds. the International Telegraph Union, United Nations in 1947; its head-

deadly, f. L internecinus f. internecio massacre f. internecare slaughter (as INTER-, necare kill)] internee |,nts:'ni:/ n. a person interned.

within the framework of the OECD, to improve energy supply and demand etc. worldwide. Its headquarters are in Paris.

International

ee

1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

a run

vu put

u: tooo

ago

ar my

interpreter

743

explain or understand (behaviour etc.) in a specified manner (interpreted his gesture as mocking). oO interpretable adj. interpretability /-to'biliti/ n. interpretation /-'ter{(s)n/ 1.

interpretational /-'te1fon(9)l/ adj. interpretative /-totrv/ adj. interpretive adj. interpretively adv. [ME f. OF interpreter or L interpretari explain, translate f. interpres -pretis explainer] interpreter /in'ts:prita(r)/ n. a person who interprets, esp. one who translates speech orally. [ME f. AF interpretour, OF interpreteur f. LL interpretator -oris (as INTERPRET)]

interprovincial /,ntapra'vin{(2)l/ adj. situated or carried on between provinces.

interracial /,nto'rer{(a)l/ adj. existing between or affecting different races. 00 interracially adv. ‘ interregnum /j,nto'regnom/ n. (pl. interregnums or interregna /-no/) 1 an interval when the normal government

is suspended, esp. between successive reigns or regimes. 2 an interval or pause. [L (as INTER-, regnum reign)]

interrelate /,tori'lert/ v.tr. relate (two or more things) to each other. 00 interrelation n. interrelationship n.

interrogate /1n'tera,gert/ v.tr. ask questions of (a person) esp. closely, thoroughly, or formally. 00 interrogator n. [ME f. L interrogare interrogat- ask (as INTER-, rogare ask)}

interrogation /1n,tera'gerf(o)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of interrogating; the process of being interrogated. 2 a question or enquiry. Dinterrogation point (or mark etc.) = question mark. 00 interrogationai adj. [ME f. F interrogation or L interrogatio (as INTERROGATE)]

interrogative /,1nto'rpgatrv/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 a of or like a question; used in questions. b Gram. (of an adjective or pronoun) asking a question (e.g. who?, which?). 2 having the form or force of a question. 3 suggesting enquiry (an interrogative tone). —n. an interrogative word (e.g. what?, why?). adv. [LL interrogativus (as INTERROGATE)]}

00 interrogatively

interrogatory /,into'rpgatari/ adj. & n. —adj. questioning; of or suggesting enquiry (an interrogatory eyebrow). —n. (pl. -ies) a formal set of questions, esp. Law one formally put to an accused person etc. [LL interrogatorius (as INTERROGATE)] interrupt /,1nto'rapt/ v.tr. 1 act so as to break the continuous progress of (an action, speech, a person speaking, etc.). 2 obstruct (a person’s view etc.). 3 break the continuity of. 00 interruptible adj. interruptien /-'rap/(a)n/ n. interruptive adj. interruptory adj. [ME f. L interrumpere interrupt- (as INTER-, rumpere break)] interrupter |,1nto'rapta(r)/ n. (also interruptor) 1 a person or thing that interrupts. 2 a device for interrupting, esp. an electric circuit. intersect /,1nto'sekt/ v. 1 tr. divide (a thing) by passing or lying across it. 2 intr. (of lines, roads, etc.) cross or cut each other. [L intersecare intersect- (as INTER-, secare cut)]

intersection /|,1nto'sek{(a)n/ n. 1 the act of intersecting. 2 a place where two roads intersect. 3 a point or line common to lines or planes that intersect. 00 intersectional adj. [L intersectio (as INTERSECT)] intersex /'into,seks/ n. 1 the abnormal condition of being intermediate between male and female. 2 an individual in this condition. intersexual /|,1nto'seksjuol/ adj. 1 existing between the sexes. 2 of intersex. 00 intersexuality /-'eliti/ n. intersexually adv. interspace /'1nto,speis/n. & v. —n. an interval of space or time. —-v.tr. put interspaces between.

interspecific /,:ntospo'sifik/ adj. formed from different species. intersperse /,nto'sp3:s/ v.tr. 1 (often foll. by between, among) scatter; place here and there. 2 (foll. by with) diversify (a thing or things with others so scattered). 00 interspersion n. [L interspergere interspers- (as INTER-, Spargere scatter)]

/|,nto'spain(o)l/ adj. (also interspinous

|-nos/)

between spines or spinous processes. interstate /'nto,stert/ adj. & n. US —adj. existing or carried on

between States, esp. of the US. —n. a motorway, esp. crossing a State boundary. au how

er day

ou no

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

va poor

interstellar /,1nto'stelo(r)/ adj. occurring or situated between

stars. interstice /in'ts:stis/ n. 1 an intervening space. 2a chink or crevice. [L interstitium (as INTER-, sistere stit- stand)]

interstitial

/jmto'stif(a)l/

adj. of, forming,

or occupying

interstices. 00 interstitially adv.

intertextuality

/,nto,tekstju'eliti/

n.

the

relationship

between esp. literary texts.

intertidal |,1nto'tard(s)l/ adj. of or relating to the area which is covered at high tide and uncovered at low tide.

a

intertribal /,nto'trarb(9)l/ adj. existing or occurring between different tribes.

intertrigo /,1nto'traigsu/ n. (pl. -os) Med. inflammation from the rubbing of one area of skin on another. [L f. interterere intertrit(as INTER-, terere rub)}

intertwine /,nto'twain/ v. 1 tr. (often foll. by with) entwine (together). 2 intr. become entwined. 00 intertwinement n.

intertwist /,nto'twist/ v.tr. twist together. interval /'intov(s)l/ n. 1 an intervening time or space. 2 Brit. a pause or break, esp. between the parts of a theatrical or musical performance. 3 the difference in pitch between two sounds. 4 the distance between persons or things in respect of qualities. 0 at intervals here and there; now and then. o0 intervallic |-'veeltk] adj. [ME ult. f. L intervallum space between ramparts, interval (as INTER-, vallum rampart)] intervene /,nto'vi:n| v.intr. (often foll. by between, in) 1 occur in time between events. 2 interfere; come between so as to prevent or modify the result or course of events. 3 be situated between things. 4 come in as an extraneous factor or thing. 5 Law interpose in a lawsuit as a third party. 00 imtervener n. intervenient adj. intervenor n. [L intervenire (as INTER-, venire come)} intervention /,1nto'ven{(s)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of intervening. 2 interference, esp. by a State in another’s affairs.

3 mediation. [ME f. F intervention or L interventio (as INTERVENE)]

interventionist

/,mto'venfonist/ n. a person who favours

intervention.

intervertebral /|,1nto'vs:trbr(2)l/ adj. between vertebrae. interview /'into,vju:/ n. & v. —n. 1 an oral examination of an applicant for employment, a college place, etc. 2 a conversation between a reporter etc. and a person of public interest, used as a basis of a broadcast or publication. 3 a meeting of persons face to face, esp. for consultation. —v.tr. 1 hold an interview with. 2 question to discover the opinions or experience of (a person). 00 interviewee /-vju:'1:/ n. interviewer n. [F entrevue f. s’entrevoir see each other (as INTER-, voir f. L vidére see: see VIEW)] interwar /|,1nto'wo:(r)/ adj. existing in the period between two wars, esp. the two world wars. interweave /|,nto'wi:v/ v.tr. (past -wove |-'wovv/; past part. -woven /-'wouv(2)n/) 1 (often foll. by with) weave together. 2 blend intimately.

interwind /|,nto'waind/ v.tr. & intr. (past and past part. -wound /-'waond/) wind together.

interseptal /,1nts'sept(s)l/ adj. between septa or partitions.

interspinal

intimacy

interwork /|,nto'ws:k/ v. 1 intr. work together or interactively. 2 tr. interweave. intestate /in'testot/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a person) not having made a will before death. —n. a person who has died intestate. O00 intestacy /-tosi/ n. [ME f. L intestatus (as IN-!, testari testatmake a will f. testis witness)]

intestine /in'testm/ n. (in sing. or pl.) the lower part of the alimentary canal from the end of the stomach to large intestine the caecum, colon, and rectum small intestine the duodenum, jejunum, collectively. 00 intestinal /also ,mte'stain(a)l/ adj. f. intestinus internal]

the anus. o collectively. and ileum [L intestinum

inthrall US var. of ENTHRAL. intifada |,mtt'fa:do/ n. the uprising and unrest amongst Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, which began towards the end of 1987. [Arab. intifada shake free]

intimacy /'intimesi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state of being intimate.

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

intimate a

extreme republicans in Cortes, ult. formed as 1N-! + L transigere transigent- come to an understanding (as TRANS-, agere act)]

2 an intimate act, esp. sexual intercourse. 3 an intimate remark; an endearment.

‘ intransitive /m'trensitrv, m'tra:n-, -zitrv/ adj. (of a verb or

intimate! /'intimot/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 closely acquainted; famil-

sense of a verb) that does not take or require a direct object (whether expressed or implied), e.g. look in look at the sky (opp.

iar, close (an intimate friend; an intimate relationship). 2 private and personal (intimate thoughts). 3 (usu. foll. by with) having sexual relations. 4 (of knowledge) detailed, thorough. 5 (of a relationship between things) close. 6 (of mixing etc.) thorough. 7 essential, intrinsic. 8 (of a place etc.) friendly; promoting close personal relationships. —n. a very close friend. 00 intimately adv. [L intimus inmost]

TRANSITIVE). 00 intransitively adv. intransitivity /-'trviti/ n. [LL intransitivus (as 1N-!, TRANSITIVE)]

intra-uterine /,mtro'ju:to,raim, -rin/ adj. within the womb. intravenous /|,ntro'vi:nas/ adj. in or into a vein or veins. 00 intravenously adv. [INTRA- + L vena vein] in-tray /'mntrei/n. a tray for incoming documents, letters, etc.

intimate? /'inti,meit/ v.tr. 1 (often foll. by that + clause) state or make known. 2 imply, hint. 00 intimater n. intimation /-'merf(2)n/ n. [LL intimare announce f. L intimus inmost] intimidate /in'timi,deit/ v.tr. frighten or overawe, esp. to subdue or influence. 00 intimidation /-'derf(2)n/ n. intimidator n. [med.L intimidare (as 1N-2, timidare f. timidus TIMID)]

intrepid /in'trepid/ adj. fearless; very brave. OO intrepidity /-trt'piditi/ n. intrepidly adv. [F intrépide or L intrepidus (as IN-', trepidus alarmed)] intricate /'intrrkot/ adj. very complicated; perplexingly detailed. 00 intricacy |-kasi/ n. (pl. -ies). intricately adv. [ME f. L intricare intricat- (as 1N-2, tricare f. tricae tricks)]

intinction /in'tinkJ(s)n/ n. Eccl. the dipping of the Eucharistic bread in the wine so that the communicant receives both together. [LL intinctio f. L intingere intinct- (as IN-?, TINGE)]

intrigant /'mntrigent/ n. (fem. intrigante) an intriguer. [F intriguant f. intriguer. see INTRIGUE]

intitule /in'titju:l/ v.tr. Brit. entitle (an Act of Parliament etc.).

intrigue

[OF intituler f. LL intitulare (as 1N-2, titulare f. titulus title)] into /'into, 'nto/ prep. 1 expressing motion or direction to a point

about (is really into art). [OE into (as IN, TO)]

intolerable /1n'tploreb(s)l/ adj. that cannot be endured.

intolerant /in'tplorant/ adj. not tolerant, esp. of views, beliefs,

introduction /,ntra'dak{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of introducing; the process of being introduced.

intoxication

|-"kerf(a)n/ n. [med.L intoxicare (as 1N-, toxicare poison f. L toxicum): see TOXIC] intra- /'intra/ prefix forming adjectives usu. from adjectives, meaning ‘on the inside, within’ (intramural). [L intra inside]

introductory /|,ntra'daktori/ adj. serving as an introduction; preliminary. [LL introductorius (as INTRODUCTION)] introit /'intrort/ n. a psalm or antiphon sung or said while the priest approaches the altar for the Eucharist. [ME f. OF f. L introitus f. introire introit- enter (as INTRO-, ire go)]

intracellular |,mtro'seljulo(r)/ adj. Biol. located or occurring within a cell or cells.

adj. within

the

skull.

oo

introjection

intracranially adv.

intractable

with. 2 difficult, stubborn. oO intractability /-'biliti/ n. intractableness n. intractably adv. [L intractabilis (as 1N-}, TRACTABLE)] intrados /in'treidns/ n. the lower or inner curve of an arch. [F (as INTRA-, dos back f. L dorsum)]

walls. 2 forming part of normal university or college studies. O00 intramurally adv. intramuscular /,ntro'!maskjulo(r)/ adj. in or into a muscle or muscles. intransigent /in'treensid3(9)nt, -zid3(2)nt/ adj. & n. —adj. uncompromising, stubborn. —n. an intransigent person. 00 intransigence /-d3(9)ns/_ n. intransigency -d3onsi/__n. intransigently adv. [F intransigeant f. Sp. los intransigentes

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

jyes

|,mtra'dzek{(9)n/

n. the unconscious

incorp-

oration of external ideas into one’s mind. [INTRO- after projection]

/in'trektob(2)l/ adj. 1 hard to control or deal

intramolecular /|,1ntroms'lekjvlo(r)/ adj. within a molecule. intramural /,ntro'mjvor(s)l/ adj. 1 situated or done within

2 a formal pre-

sentation of one person to another. 3 an explanatory section at the beginning of a book etc. 4 a preliminary section in a piece of music, often thematically different from the main section. 5 an introductory treatise on a subject. 6 a thing introduced. [ME f. OF introduction or L introductio (as INTRODUCE)]

intoxicate /in'toks1,keit/ v.tr. 1 make drunk. 2 excite or elate

|,ntro'kremrol/

intrigued,

oneself) known by name to another, esp. formally. 2 announce or present to an audience. 3 bring (a custom, idea, etc.) into use. 4 bring (a piece of legislation) before a legislative assembly. 5 (foll. by to) draw the attention or extend the understanding of (a person) to a subject. 6 insert; place in. 7 bring in; usher in; bring forward. 8 begin; occur just before the start of. 00 introducer n. introducible adj. [ME f. L introducere introduct(as INTRO-, ducere lead)]

intoxicating substance.

intracranial

(intrigues,

inside]

intoxicant /in'toksikent/ adj. & n. —adj. intoxicating. —n. an

adv.

/in'tri:g/

introduce /|,ntra'dju:s/ v.tr. 1 (foll. by to) make (a person or

2 the act of intoning. 3 accuracy of pitch in playing or singing (has good intonation). 4 the opening phrase of a plainsong melody. 00 intonational adj. [med.L intonatio (as INTONE)] intone /in'toun/ v.tr. 1 recite (prayers etc.) with prolonged sounds, esp. in a monotone. 2 utter with a particular tone. 00 intoner n. [med.L intonare (as IN-, L tonus TONE)] in toto |1n 'tavtou/ adv. completely. [L]

intoxicatingly

—v.

intro- /'introu/ comb. form into (introgression). [L intro to the

n.

intonation |,nto'ner{(2)n/ n. 1 modulation of the voice; accent.

oO

n.

urally (intrinsic value). 00 intrinsically adv. [ME, = interior, f. F intrinséque f. LL intrinsecus f. L intrinsecus (adv.) inwardly] intro /'1ntrau/ n. (pl. -os) collog. an introduction. [abbr.]

intolerableness n. intolerably adv. [ME f. OF intolerable or L intolerabilis (as 1N-!, TOLERABLE)]

self-control.

&

intrinsic /n'trinzrk/ adj. inherent, essential; belonging nat-

oo

or behaviour differing from one’s own. oO intolerance intolerantly adv. [L intolerans (as IN-!, TOLERANT)] intonate /'into,neit/ v.tr. intone. [med.L intonare: see INTONE]

v.

intriguing) 1 intr. (foll. by with) a carry on an underhand plot. b use secret influence. 2 tr. arouse the curiosity of, fascinate. —rn. /in'tri:g, 'm-/ 1 an underhand plot or plotting. 2 archaic a secret love affair. 00 intriguer /1n'tri:ga(r)/ n. intriguing adj. (esp. in sense 2 of v.) intriguingly /1m'tri:g-/ adv. [F intrigue (n.), intriguer (v.) f. It. intrigo, intrigare f. L (as INTRICATE)]

on or within (walked into a tree; ran into the house). 2 expressing direction of attention or concern (will look into it). 3 expressing a change of state (turned into a dragon; separated into groups; forced into cooperation). 4 collog. interested in; knowledgeable

beyond

introvert

744

intromit

/ntro'mit/

v.tr. (intromitted,

intromitting)

1

archaic (foll. by into) let in, admit. 2 insert. 00 intromission /-'mrf(a)n/ n. intromittent adj. [L intromittere intromiss- introduce (as INTRO-, mittere send)]

introspection |,mtro'spek{(2)n/ n. the examination or observation of one’s own mental and emotional processes etc. o0 introspective adj. introspectively adv. introspectiveness n. [L introspicere introspect- look inwards (as INTRO-, specere look)] introvert n., adj, & v. —n. /!intra,va:t/ 1 Psychol. a person predominantly concerned with his or her own thoughts and feelings rather than with external things. 2 a shy inwardly thoughtful person. —adj. /'mntro,vs:t/ (also introverted /|-t1d/) typical or characteristic of an introvert. —v.tr. /\mtro'vs:t/ 1 Psychol. direct (one’s thoughts or mind) inwards. 2 Zool. withdraw (an organ etc.) within its own tube or base, like the finger of a glove. 00 introversion /-'v3:{(a)n/ n. introversive |-'va:stv/ adj.

k cat

lleg

m man

nono

ppen r red

s sit

t top

v voice

intrude introverted adj. introvertive |-'vs:trv/ adj. [INTRO- + vert as in INVERT] intrude /in'tru:d/ v. (foll. by on, upon, into) 1 intr. come uninvited or unwanted; force oneself abruptly on others. 2 tr. thrust or force (something unwelcome) on a person. 00 intrudingly adv. [L intrudere intrus- (as 1N-2, trudere thrust)]

intruder /in'tru:do(r)/ n. a person who intrudes, esp. into a building with criminal intent. intrusion /in'tru:3(9)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of intruding. 2 an unwanted interruption etc. 3 Geol. an influx of molten rock between or through strata etc: but not reaching the surface. 4 the occupation of a vacant estate etc. to which one has no claim. 5 Phonet. the addition of a sound between words or syllables to facilitate pronunciation, e.g. the r in saw afilm (/so:rofilm/). [ME f. OF intrusion or med.L intrusio (as INTRUDE)]

intrusive /im'tru:srv/ adj. 1 that intrudes or tends to intrude. 2 characterized by intrusion. 00 intrusively adv. intrusiveness

n.

intrust var. of ENTRUST. intubate /'mntju,bert/ v.tr. Med. insert.a tube into the trachea for ventilation, usu. during anaesthesia. 00 intubation /-'be:{(3)n/ n. [IN-2 + L tuba tube]

intuit /m'tju:rt/ v. 1 tr. know by intuition. 2 intr. receive knowledge by direct perception. 00 intuitable adj. [L intueri intuitconsider (as IN-’, tueri look)}

intuition /,mtju:'1{(2)n/ n. 1 immediate apprehension by the mind without reasoning. 2 immediate apprehension by a sense. 3 immediate insight. 00 intuitional adj. [LL intuitio (as InTUIT)}

intuitionism

|,mtju:'1f2,n1z(2)m/

n. (also intuitionalism)

Philos. the theory that the perception of truth is by intuition; the theory that in perception objects are known immediately by intuition; the theory that ethical principles are matters of intuition. 00 intuitionist n.

intuitive /1n'tju:itrv/ adj. 1 of, characterized by, or possessing intuition. 2 perceived by intuition. 00 intuitiveness n. [med.L intuitivus (as INTUIT)]

intuitively

adv.

intuitivism /1n'tju:it1,v1z(9)m/ n. the doctrine that ethical principles can be established by intuition. 00 intuitivist n. intumesce /|,ntju:'mes| v.intr. swell up. 00 intumescence n. intumescent adj. [L intumescere (as IN-?, tumescere incept. of tumére swell)] intussusception |,ntosso'sep{(s)n/ n. 1 Med. the inversion of one portion of the intestine within another. 2 Bot. the deposition of new cellulose particles in a cell wall, to increase the surface area. of the cell. [F intussusception or mod.L intussusceptio f. L intus within + susceptio f. suscipere take up]

intwine var. of ENTWINE. Inuit /!mjuzit, 'mort/ n. (also Innuit) (pl. same or Inuits) aN. American Eskimo. [Eskimo inuit people] inundate /'1non,dert/ v.tr. (often foll. by with) 1 flood. 2 overwhelm (inundated with enquiries). 00 inundation /-'de1{(2)n/ n. [L inundare flow (as 1N-2, unda wave)] inure /1'njua(r)/ v. 1 tr. (often in passive; foll. by to) accustom (a person) to something esp. unpleasant. 2 intr. Law come into operation; take effect. 00 inurement n. [ME f. AF eneurer f. phr. en eure (both unrecorded) in use or practice,-f. en in + OF e(u)vre work f. L opera] in utero [in ‘ju:to,rau/ adv. in the womb; before birth. [L]

in vacuo |in 'vekjusvu| adv. in a vacuum. [L] invade /in'verd/ v.tr. (often absol.) 1 enter (a country etc.) under arms to control or subdue it. 2 swarm into. 3 (of a disease) attack (a body etc.). 4 encroach upon (a person’s rights, esp. privacy). 00 invader n. [L invadere invas- (as 1N-®, vadere go)]

invaginate /m'ved3net/ v.tr. 1 put in a sheath. 2 turn (a tube) inside out. 00 invagination /-'ne1{(2)n/ n. [IN-? + L vagina sheath]

invalid! n. & v. —n. /'invajli:d, -lid/ 1 a person enfeebled or disabled by illness or injury. 2 (attrib.) a of or for invalids (invalid car; invalid diet). b being an invalid (caring for her invalid mother). —+v. |'mvoajli:d/ (invalided, invaliding) 1 tr. (often foll. by out etc.) remove from active service (one who has become an

wwe

z zoo

inverse

745

f she

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

invalid). 2 tr. (usu. in passive) disable (a person) by illness. 3 intr. become an invalid. 00 invalidism n. [L invalidus weak, infirm (as IN-1, VALID)]}

invalid? /in'vzelid/ adj. not valid, esp. having no legal force. oo invalidly adv. [L invalidus (as INVALID})]

invalidate /in'veldeit/ v.tr: 1 make (esp. an argument etc.) invalid. 2 remove the validity or force of (a treaty, contract, etc.). oO invalidation |-'der{(9)n/ n. [med.L invalidare invalidat- (as 1N-}, validus VALID)]

invalidity |,mvo'lrditi/ n. 1 lack of validity. 2 bodily infirmity.

[F invalidité or med.L invaliditas (as INVALID})]

sia

invaluable /in'veljusb(e)l/ adj. above valuation; inestimable. Oo invaluableness n. invaluably adv. Invar /|'1nva:(r)/ n. propr. an iron-nickel alloy with a negligible coefficient of expansion, used in the manufacture of clocks and scientific instruments. [abbr. of INVARIABLE]

invariable |1n'veoriab(2)l/ adj. 1 unchangeable.

2 always the

same..3 Math. constant, fixed. 00 invariability /-'bilit1/ n. invariableness n. invariably adv. [F invariable or LL invariabilis (as IN-!, VARIABLE)]

invariant /n'veorrent/ adj. & n. —adj. invariable. —n. Math. a function which remains unchanged when a formation is applied. 00 invariance n.

specified trans-

invasion /1n've13(9)n/ n. 1 the act of invading or process of being invaded. 2 an entry ofa hostile army into a country. 00 invasive |-stv] adj. [F invasion or LL invasio (as INVADE)]

invective /in'vektrv/ n. 1 a strongly attacking words. b the use of these. 2 abusive rhetoric. [ME f. OF f: LL invectivus attacking (as INVEIGH)]

inveigh /1n'vei/ v.intr. (foll. by against) speak or write with strong hostility. [L invehi go into, assail (as IN-?, vehi passive of vehere vect- carry)]

inveigle /1n'verg(s)l, -'vi:g(9)l/ v.tr. (foll. by into, or to + infin.) entice; persuade by guile. 00 inveiglement n. [earlier enve(u)gle f. AF envegler, OF aveugler to blind f. aveugle blind prob. f. Rmc ab oculis (unrecorded) without eyes] invent /in'vent/ v.tr. 1 create by thought, devise; originate (a new method, an instrument, etc.). 2 concoct (a false story etc.). O00 inventable adj. [ME, = discover, f. L invenire invent- find, contrive (as IN-?, venire vent- come)}

invention /in'ven{(a)n/n. 1 the process of inventing. 2.a thing invented; a contrivance, esp. one for which a patent is granted. 3 a fictitious story. 4 inventiveness. 5 Mus. a short piece for keyboard, developing a simple idea. [ME f. L inventio (as INVENT)] inventive /in'ventrv/ adj. 1 able or inclined to invent; original in devising. 2 showing ingenuity of devising. 00 inventively adv. inventiveness n. [ME f. F inventif -ive or med.L inventivus (as INVENT)} inventor /in'venta(r)/ n. (fem. inventress |-tris/) a person who invents, esp. as an occupation. inventory /'nvontori/n. & v. —n. (pl. -ies) 1a complete list of goods in stock, house contents, etc. 2 the goods listed in this. 3

US the total of a firm’s commercial assets. —v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 make an inventory of. 2 enter (goods) in an inventory. [ME f. med.L inventorium f. LL inventarium (as INVENT)]

Invercargill |,tmva'ka:g1l/ a city of New Zealand, capital of Southland region, South Island; pop. (1988) 52,200. Inverness /,1nvo'nes/ a city of Scotland, in Highland region, situated at the mouth of the River Ness; pop. (1981) 40,000. inverse |'mnvs:s, -'v3:s/ adj. & n. —adj. inverted in position, order, or relation. —n. 1 the state of being inverted. 2 (often foll. by of) a thing that is the opposite or reverse of another. 3 Math. an element which, when combined with a given element in an operation, produces the identity element for that operation. 0 inverse proportion (or ratio) a relation between two quantities such that one increases in proportion as the other decreases. inverse square lawa law by which the intensity of an effect, such as gravitational force, illumination, etc., changes in inverse proportion to the square of the distance from the source. 00 inversely adv. [L inversus past part. of invertere: See INVERT] tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

inversion

involve

746

Nl

ee

Oo inviolability /-'bilit1/ n. inviolably adv. [F inviolable or L inviolabilis (as 1N-!, VIOLATE)]

inversion /in'vs:{()n/ n. 1 the act of turning upside down or inside out. 2 the reversal of a normal order, position, or relation.

4 - inviolate /in'varolot/ adj. not violated or profaned. oo inviolacy

3 the reversal of the order of words, for rhetorical effect.

the reversal of the normal variation of air temperature with altitude. 5 the process or result of inverting. 6 the reversal of direction of rotation of a plane of polarized light. 7 homosexuality. O50 inversive |-stv/ adj. [L inversio (as INVERT)] invert v. & n. —v.tr. /In'v3:t/ 1 turn upside down. 2 reverse the position, order, or relation of. 3 Mus. change the relative position of the notes of (a chord or interval) by placing the lowest note higher, usu. by an octave. 4 subject to inversion. —n. /'invs:t/ 1a homosexual. 2 an inverted arch, as at the bottom of a sewer. O inverted comma = quotation mark. inverted snob a person who likes or takes pride in what a snob might be expected to disapprove of. invert sugar a mixture of dextrose and laevulose. OO inverter /tm'vs:ta(r)/ n. invertible /1n'v3:trb(2)l/ adj. invertibility /-'brliti/ n. [L invertere invers- (as 1N-?, vertere turn)]

being invited, esp. to a social occasion.

invitingly adv. invitingness n.

in vitro |1n 'vi:trau/ adv. Biol. (of processes or reactions) taking place in a test-tube or other laboratory environment (opp. IN vivo). [L, = in glass]

tn vivo [in ‘vi:vau| adv. Biol. (of processes) taking place ina living organism. [L, = ina living thing]

invocation |,1nva'ke1{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of invoking, esp. in prayer. 2 an appeal to a supernatural being or beings, e.g. the Muses, for psychological or spiritual inspiration. 3 Eccl. the words ‘In the name of the Father’ etc. used as the preface to a sermon etc. 00 invocatory /1n'vpkatari/ adj. [ME f. OF f. L invocatio -onis (as INVOKE)]

tematic inquiry or search. 00 investigator n. investigatory |-gatert/ adj. [L investigare investigat- (as 1N-?, vestigare track)]

invoice /'1nvots/ n. & v. —n. a list of goods shipped or sent, or services rendered, with prices and charges; a bill. —v.tr. 1 make

investigation /1n,vesti'ger{(2)n/ n. 1 the process or an instance of investigating. 2 a formal examination or study.

an invoice of (goods and services). 2 send an invoice to (a person). [earlier invoyes pl. of invoy = ENVOY?]

investigative /in'vestigatrv/ adj. seeking or serving to investinto

invitation |,mvi'ter{(2)n/ n. the process of inviting or fact of

inviting /in'vaitin/ adj. 1 attractive. 2 enticing, tempting. 00

investigate /1n'vest1,geit/ v. 1 tr. a inquire into; examine; study carefully. b make an official inquiry into. 2 intr. make a sys-

intensively

acteristically or because hidden. 2 too small to be seen or noticed. 3 artfully concealed (invisible mending). 0 invisible exports (or imports etc.) items, esp. services, involving payment between countries but not constituting tangible commodities. oO invisibility /-'biliti/ n. invisibleness 1. invisibly adv. [ME f. OF invisible or L invisibilis (as IN-1, VISIBLE)]

ask (a person) courteously to come, or to do something (were invited to lunch; invited them to reply). 2 tr. make a formal courteous request for (invited comments). 3 tr. tend to call forth unintentionally (something unwanted). 4 a tr. attract. b intr. be attractive. —n. /'tnvart/ collog. an invitation. 00 invitee /-'ti:/ n. inviter n. [F inviter or L invitare]

animal) not having a backbone. 2 lacking firmness of character. —n. an invertebrate animal. [mod.L invertebrata (pl.) (as 1N-}, VERTEBRA)| invest /in'vest/ v. 1 tr. (often foll. by in) apply or use (money), esp. for profit. 2 intr. (foll. by in) a put money for profit (into stocks etc.). b collog. buy (invested in a new car). 3 tr. a (foll. by with) provide, endue, or attribute (a person with qualities, insignia, or rank). b (foll. by in) attribute or entrust (qualities or feelings to a person). 4 tr. cover as a garment. 5 tr. lay siege to. 00 investable adj. investible adj. investor n. [ME f. F investir or L investire investit- (as 1N-2, vestire clothe f. vestis clothing): sense 1 f. It. investire]

inquiring

invisible /in'vizib(e)l/ adj. 1 not visible to the eye, either char-

invite /in'vait/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. (often foll. by to, or to + infin.)

invertebrate /in'vs:tibrot, -/breit/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (of an

igate, esp. (of journalism) troversial issues.

|-las1/ n. inviolately adv. inviolateness n. [ME f. L inviolatus (as 1n-}, violare, violat- treat violently)]

con-

invoke /in'vaok| v.tr. 1 call on (a deity etc.) in prayer or as a witness. 2 appeal to (the law, a person’s authority, etc.). 3 summon (a spirit) by charms. 4 ask earnestly for (vengeance, help, etc.). 00 invocable adj. invoker n. [F invoquer f. L invocare (as IN-2, vocare call)] involucre /'invo,lu:ka(r), -;|ju:ka(r)/ n. 1 a covering or envelope.

investiture /in'vesti,tjuo(r)/ n. 1 the formal investing of a person with honours or rank, esp. a ceremony at which a sovereign confers honours. 2 (often foll. by with) the act of enduing (with

attributes). [ME f. med.L investitura (as INVEST)] investment /in'vestmont/ n. 1 the act or process of investing. 2 money invested. 3 property etc. in which money is invested. 4 the act of besieging; a blockade. 0 investment bank a US bank that fulfils many of the functions of a UK merchant bank. investment trust a trust that buys and sells shares in selected companies to make a profit for its members. inveterate /in'vetorat/ adj. 1 (of a person) confirmed in an (esp. undesirable) habit etc. (an inveterate gambler). 2 a (of a habit etc.) long-established. b (of an activity, esp. an undesirable one) habitual. 00 inveteracy /-rasi/ n. inveterately adv. [ME f. L inveterare inveterat- make old (as 1N-2, vetus veteris old)}

2 Anat. a membranous envelope. 3 Bot. a whorl of bracts surrounding an inflorescence. 00 involucral /-'lu:kr(a)l, -'lju:kr(9)l/ adj. [F involucre or L involucrum (as INVOLVE)] involuntary /in'volenteri/ adj. 1 done without the exercise of the will; unintentional. 2 (of a limb, muscle, or movement) not under the control of the will. oO involuntarily adv. involuntariness n. [LL involuntarius (as IN-1, VOLUNTARY)]

involute /'inva,lu:t, -lju:t/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 involved, intricate. 2 curled spirally. 3 Bot. rolled inwards at the edges. —n. Geom.

invidious /in'vidios/ adj. (of an action, conduct, attitude, etc.)

the locus of a point fixed on a straight line that rolls without sliding on a curve and is in the plane of that curve (cf. EVOLUTE).

likely to excite resentment or indignation against the person responsible, esp. by real or seeming injustice (an invidious position; an invidious task). 00 invidiously adv. invidiousness n. [L invidiosus f. invidia ENVY]

involuted /'invo,lu:tid, -)lju:tid/ adj. 1 complicated, abstruse. 2

invigilate /in'vid31leit/ v.intr. Brit. supervise candidates at an examination. 00 invigilation /-'ler{(9)n/ n. invigilator n. [orig. = keep watch, f. L invigilare invigilat- (as 1n-?, vigilare watch f. vigil watchful)]

invigorate /in'vigg,reit/ v.tr. give vigour or strength to. o0 invigorating adj. invigoratingly adv. invigoration /|-'re1{(9)n/ n, invigorative /-ratrv/ adj. invigorator n. [IN-? + med.L vigorare vigorat- make strong]

a:arm

e bed

3: her

part that curls upwards. 6 Math. the raising of a quantity to any power. 7 Physiol. the reduction in size of an organ in old age, or when its purpose has been fulfilled (esp. the uterus after childbirth). 00 involutional adj. [L involutio (as INvVoLVE)]

to participate, or share the experience or effect (in a situation, activity, etc.). 2 imply, entail, make necessary. 3 (foll. by in) implicate (a person in a charge, crime, etc.). 4 include or affect in its operations. 5 (as involved adj.) a (often foll. by in) concerned or interested. b complicated in thought or form. [ME f. L involvere involut- (as 1N-?, volvere roll)]

n.

inviolable /in'vaisleb(a)l/ adj. not to be violated or profaned. we cat

= INVOLUTE adj. 2.

involution /,nvo'lu:{(e)n, -'Iju:{(e)n/ n. 1 the process of involving. 2 an entanglement. 3 intricacy. 4 curling inwards. 5 a

involve /in'vplv/ v.tr. 1 (often foll. by in) cause (a person or thing)

invincible /1n'vinsrb(9)l/ adj. unconquerable; that cannot be defeated. O08 invincibility /-'biliti/ n. invincibleness invincibly adv. [ME f. OF f. L invincibilis (as 1N-1, VINCIBLE)]

[L involutus past part. of involvere: see INVOLVE]

1 sit

i: see

po hot

o: saw

Arun

o put

u:too

9 ago

ar my

involvement

IPA

747

involvement /in'volvment/ n. 1 (often foll. by in, with) the act or an instance of involving; the process of being involved. financial embarrassment. 3 a complicated affair or concern.

2

invulnerable /in'valnorab(a)I/ adj. that cannot be wounded or hurt, physically or mentally. 00 invulnerability /-'biliti/ n. invulnerably adv. [L invulnerabilis (as 1N-!, VULNERABLE)] inward |'Inwad/ adj. & adv. —adj. 1 directed toward the inside; going in. 2 situated within. 3 mental, spiritual. —adv. (also inwards) 1 (of motion or position) towards the inside. 2 in the mind or soul. [OE innanweard (as IN, -wARD)]

Ionesco |jp'neskoo/, Eugene (1912— ), Romanian birth, who settled permanently was a leading exponent of the Theatre of demonstrated in his first play La Cantatrice

Donna, 1952), and Le Roi se meurt (1962). By employing visual imagery, verbal rhythm, and balletic movement he achieves surrealistic effects and presents a disturbing world where grotesque events or objects symbolize mankind’s condition.

Tonia /at'sun1o/ the ancient Greek name for the central part of the west coast of Asia Minor. Tribes speaking the Ionic dialect of Greek left the mainland in the 11th c. Bc, according to early tradition, settling in the Aegean islands and in the coastal area of Asia Minor, later known as Ionia, which was colonized by the Greeks from about the 8th c. Bc. They retained their distinctive dialect, also spoken in Athens, and are noted for their con-

inwardly /'inwoadli/ adv. 1 on the inside. 2 in the mind or soul. 3 (of speaking) not aloud; inaudibly. [OE inweardlice (as INWARD)]

inwardness /'inwadnis/ n. 1 inner nature; essence. 2 the con-

dition of being inward. 3 spirituality.

:

inwards var. of INWARD adv. inweave /in'wi:y/ v.tr. (also enweave) (past -wove |-'wouv/; past part. -woven /-'wouv(2)n/) 1 weave (two or more things) together. 2 intermingle.

imwrap var. of ENWRAP. inwreathe var. of ENWREATHE. : inwrought /in'ro:t, attrib. 'nro:t/ adj. 1 a (often foll. by with) (of a fabric) decorated (with a pattern). b (often foll. by in, on) (of a pattern) wrought (in or on a fabric). 2 closely blended.

inyala /1n'ja:lo/ n. (also nyala /'nja:lo/) (pl. same) a large antelope, Tragelaphus angasi, native to S. Africa, with curved horns having a single complete turn. [Zulu] To /!arau/ 1 Gk Mythol. priestess of Hera, loved by Zeus who, trying to protect her from the jeaiousy of Hera, turned her into a beautiful heifer, who wandered far and wide, constantly stung by a gadfly. (See IONIAN SEA and Bosporus.) 2 Astron. a satellite of the planet Jupiter.

IOC abbr. International Olympic Committee.

French dramatist of in France in 1938. He the Absurd which he Chauve (The Bald Prima

tributions in science, poetry, and architecture. Throughout the

eastern Mediterranean ‘Yawani’ (= Ionians) became the generic word for ‘Greek’.

Ionian /a1'sunien/ n. & adj. —n. a native or inhabitant of ancient Ionia. —adj. of or relating to Ionia or the Ionians. o Ionian mode Mus. the mode represented by the natural diatonic scale CC. [L Ionius f. Gk I6nios}

Ionian Islands /a1'sunton/ a chain of islands off the western coast of Greece, of which the largest are Corfu and Cephalonia. The islands constitute a region of modern Greece; pop. (1981) 182,650.

Ionian

Sea /ai'sun1on/ the part of the Mediterranean Sea

between western Greece and southern Italy, at the mouth of the Adriatic. According to one ancient Greek tradition it is named after Io (see entry), who crossed it in her wanderings, rather

than after the Ionians.

Tonic /at'pnik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of the order of Greek archi-

iodic jat'pdtk/ adj. Chem. containing iodine in chemical combination (iodic acid). 00 iodate /'ato,dert/ n.

tecture characterized by a column with scroll-shapes on either side of the capital. 2 of the ancient Greek dialect used in Ionia. —n. the Ionic dialect. [L Ionicus f. Gk I6nikos]

iodide /'ato,dard/ n. Chem. any compound of iodine with another

ionic /ar'pnik/ adj. of, relating to, or using ions. 00 ionically

element or group.

adv.

iodinate /at'pd1,nett, 'ara-/ v.tr. treat or combine with iodine. 00 iodination /-'ne1{(2)n/ n.

iodine /‘ata,di:n, -m/ n. 1 Chem. a non-metallic element of the halogen group, forming black crystals and a violet vapour, resembling chlorine and bromine in its chemical properties. Identified as an element by Gay-Lussac in 1811, iodine has a

number of uses in chemistry; potassium iodide is used in photography. As a constituent of thyroid hormones iodine is required in small amounts in the body, and deficiency can lead to goitre. 4 Symb.: I; atomic number 53. 2a solution of this in alcohol used as a mild antiseptic. [F iode f. Gk iddés violet-like f. ion violet + -INE‘]

iodism /|,ato'd1z(2)m/ n. Med. a condition caused by an overdose of iodides.

f

iodize /'aro,darz/ v.tr. (also -ise) treat or impregnate with iodine. 00 iodization |-'ze1{(9)n/ n.

iodo- jat'sudsu/ comb. form (usu. iod- before a vowel) Chem. iodine.

iodoform

/at'suda,fo:m, -'ndo,fo:m/ n. a pale yellow volatile

sweet-smelling solid compound of iodine with antiseptic properties. § Chem. formula: CHI. [1op1NE after chloroform]

IOM abbr. Isle of Man. ion /'aran/ n. an atom or group of atoms that has lost one or more electrons (= CATION), or gained one or more electrons (= ANION). O ion exchange the exchange of ions of the same charge between a usu. aqueous solution and a solid, used in water-softening etc. ion exchanger a substance or equipment for this process. [Gk, neut. pres. part. of eimi go] -ion suffix (usu. as -sion, -tion, -xion; see -ATION, -ITION, -UTION) forming nouns denoting: 1 verbal action (excision). 2 an instance of this (a suggestion). 3 a resulting state or product (vexation; concoction). [from or after F -ion or L -io -ionis} Iona /at'suno/ an island in the Inner Hebrides, site of a monastery founded by St Columba c.563 which became a centre for Celtic Christian missions to Scotland. av how

er day

ov no

eo hair

1a near

o1 boy

ve poor

ionization |,atsonar'ze1{(a)n/ n. (also -isation) the process of producing ions as a result of solvation, heat, radiation, etc. O ionization chamber an instrument for detecting ionizing radiation.

ionize /'ato,naiz/ v.tr. & intr. (also -ise) convert or be converted into an ion or ions. oO ionizing radiation a radiation of sufficient energy to cause ionization in the medium through which it passes. 00 ionizable adj. ionizer /'ato,naizo(r)/ n. any thing which produces ionization, esp. a device used to improve the quality of the air in a room

etc.

ionosphere /ar'pna,sfio(r)/ n. an ionized region of the atmosphere above the stratosphere, extending to about 1,000 km above the earth’s surface and able to reflect radio waves for long-distance transmission round the earth (cf. TROPOSPHERE). OO ionospheric /-'sfertk/ adj.

-ior! jra(r)/ suffix forming adjectives of comparison

(senior;

ulterior). [L]

-ior? var. of -IOUR. iota /ar'svta/ n. 1 the ninth letter of the Greek alphabet (J, .). 2 (usu. with neg.) the smallest possible amount. [Gk idta]

IOU /|,atoo'ju:/ n. a signed document acknowledging a debt. [= I owe you] -iour /1a(r)/ suffix (also -ior) forming nouns (saviour; warrior). [-1(as a stem element) + -oUR?%, -oR!]

-ious /-195, -os/ suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘characterized by, full of’, often corresponding to nouns in -ion (cautious; curious; spacious). [from or after F -ieux f. L -iosus]

IOW abbr. Isle of Wight. Iowa /'arowa/ a State in the Middle West of the US, acquired as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803; pop. (est. 1985) 2,923,400; capital, Des Moines. It became the 29th State of the US in 1846.

IPA abbr. International Phonetic Alphabet (or Association).

ara fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

IPCS

Oe

Irian Jaya

748

ee

ee

Persian Gulf, traversed by the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and corresponding roughly to ancient Mesopotamia; pop. (est. 1988) 17,583,450; official language, Arabic; capital, Baghdad. Oil is the principal source of revenue, but agriculture makes a considerable contribution. The Tigris—Euphrates valley was the site of an early civilization (see MESOPOTAMIA). It was conquered by Arabia in the 7th c. and from 1534 formed part of the Ottoman empire, becoming an independent State after the First World War when the Turks were expelled. Iraq was a kingdom (at first under British administration) until a coup in 1958 overthrew the monarchy and a republic was declared. Saddam Hussein came to power as President in 1979. The country was at war with its eastern neighbour Iran in 1980-8, and in August 1990 Iraq invaded Kuwait in an attempt to obtain that country’s wealth and oilfields and to secure its own access to the sea-outlet of the Gulf; it was expelled by an international coalition of

IPCS abbr. (in the UK) Institution of Professional Civil Servants. ipecac /'1p1,kek/ n. collog. ipecacuanha. [abbr.]

ipecacuanha /|pikekjo'a:no/ n. the root of a S. American

*

shrub, Cephaelis ipecacuanha, used as an emetic and purgative. (Port. f. Tupi-Guarani ipekaaguéne emetic creeper]

Iphigenia /,1fid31'naro/ Gk legend the daughter of Agamemnon, who was obliged to offer her as a sacrifice to Artemis when the Greek fleet was becalmed at Aulis (on the coast of Greece) on its way to the Trojan War. The goddess snatched her away to Tauris in the Crimea, where she became a priestess until rescued by Orestes.

Ipiros see Epirus. Ipoh ji:'pou/ a city of Malaysia, capital of the State of Perak since 1937; pop. (1980) 300,700. ipomoea /|,1po'mi:9/ n. any twining plant of the genus Ipomoea, having trumpet-shaped flowers, e.g. the sweet potato and morning glory. [mod.L f. Gk ips ipos worm + homoios like] ips abbr. (also i.p.s.) inches per second.

forces in Jan.—Feb. 1991 (see GULF WAR).

Iraqi /r'ra:ki/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to Iraq. —n. (pl. Iraqis) 1 a a native or national of Iraq. b a person of Iraqi descent. 2 the form of Arabic spoken in Iraq.

ipse dixit |,1psi 'diksit/ n. a dogmatic statement resting merely on the speaker’s authority. Pythagoras)]

irascible

[L, he himself said it (orig. of

ipsilateral |,1pst'letor(o)l/ adj. belonging to or occurring on the same side of the body. [irreg. f. L ipse self + LATERAL]

tpsissima verba |1p,sisimo 'v3:bo/ n.pl. the precise words. [L] tpso facto |,1psav 'fektou/ adv. 1 by that very fact or act. 2 IQ abbr. intelligence quotient. Iqbal /'tkbz1/, Sir Muhammad (1875-1938), Islamic poet and

Iquitos /1'ki:tos/ the principal river port and oil exploration centre in the tropical rainforest of eastern Peru, situated on the west bank of the River Amazon; pop. (est. 1988) 247,000.

English Pale) until the Tudors succeeded in extending it over the whole of the island. Revolts against English rule, and against the imposition of Protestantism (which met with unexpectedly stubborn resistance), resulted in the ‘plantation’ of Ireland by English (and later Scottish) families on confiscated land in an attempt to anglicize the country and secure its allegiance; in Ulster particularly the descendants of such settlers retained a distinctive identity. After an unsuccessful rebellion in 1798,

ir- /1(r)/ prefix assim. form of IN-!, IN-? before r.

IRA abbr. Irish Republican Army. irade /1'ra:di/ n. hist. a written decree of the Sultan of Turkey. [Turk. f. Arab. ’irada will]

Iraklion see HERAKLION.

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

oO

cultural centre, with the monasteries fostering learning and missionary work. English invasions began in the 12th c. under Henry II, but the authority that he established was never secure and by the 16th c. was confined to an area round Dublin (the

IR abbr. infrared. Ir symb. Chem. the element iridium.

(formerly Persia). 2 of the Indo-European group of languages including Persian (Farsi), Pashto, Avestan, and Kurdish. —n. 1 a native or national of Iran. 2 a person of Iranian descent. Iraq /1'ra:k/ a country in the Middle East bordering on the

hot-tempered.

territories over which the lords of Tara exercised nominal suzerainty. Christianity reached Ireland, probably by the 4th c., to be consolidated by the work of St Patrick, and after the break-up of the Roman Empire the country became for a time a leading

-ique archaic var. of -Ic.

Iranian /1'remion/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or relating to Iran

irritable;

Great Britain. Four-fifths of it is occupied by the Republic of Ireland (pop. (est. 1988) 3,531,500; official languages, Irish and English; capital Dublin), and the remainder by Northern Ireland. The soil is fertile and the pasturage lush, swept by warm damp winds from the Atlantic; the economy relies heavily on agriculture, especially beef production and dairy farming. Settled by the Celts, the country became divided into independent tribal

philosopher, born in the Punjab in India. Writing in both Persian and Urdu he became aleader of Islamic modernism. He emphasized the international character of Islam but eventually concluded that it could find expression, in the modern world, only in the free association of Muslim States. As president of the Muslim League in 1930 he advocated the creation of a separate Muslim State in NW India.

Wa~R 1). Irangate /1'ra:ngeit/ a US political scandal of 1987, during the presidency of Ronald Reagan, involving the supplying of arms to Iran (and subsequent release of American hostages) and use of the proceeds to supply arms to the anti-Communist Contras in Nicaragua. [IRAN + (WATER)GATE]

adj.

IRBM abbr. intermediate-range ballistic missile. ire /'ato(r)/ n. literary anger. 00 ireful adj. [ME f. OF f. L ira] Ireland /'aislend/ an island of the British Isles, lying west of

thereby. [L]

Iran /1'ra:n/ a country in the Middle East lying between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf; pop. (est. 1988) 51,923,700; official language, Persian (Farsi); capital, Tehran. Oil is the chief source of revenue, otherwise the country is largely agricultural; the developing industrial output was largely curtailed by the 1979 revolution. (For its early history, see PERSIA.) The country was successively the centre of the Persian, Seleucid, Parthian, and Sassanian empires. Following the Muslim conquest in the 7th c. it was part of various Turkish, Persian, Tartar, and Mongol empires. A coup in 1925 brought the Pahlavi family to the throne, but following the overthrow of the Shah in 1979 Iran became an Islamic fundamentalist State. From 1980 to 1988 Iran was involved in war with her neighbour Iraq (see GULF

/r'resrb(a)l/

irascibility /-'brliti/ n. irascibly adv. [ME f. F f. LL irascibilis f. L irasci grow angry f. ira anger] irate /ar'rert/ adj. angry, enraged. oO irately adv. irateness n. (L iratus f. ira anger]

union of Britain and Ireland followed in 1801. In spite of genuine efforts towards its success Ireland sank deeper into destitution. A share of Britain’s industrial prosperity reached Protestant Ulster, but the rest of the island found its agricultural produce and assets dropping in value, and at the failure of the potato crop (Ireland’s staple) in the 1840s thousands died in the famine, thousands more fled abroad. The Home Rule movement, led

by Parnell, failed to achieve its aims in the 19th c. and implementation ofa bill passed in 1910 was delayed by the outbreak of the First World War. An Act of 1920 divided Ireland into two parts: Southern Ireland, later recognized as an independent State (called the Irish Free State 1921-37, Eire 1937-49, the Republic of Ireland 1949~ ), and Northern Ireland (see separate entry). Irenaeus |,aim'ni:as/, St (c.130-.200), the leading Greek theologian of the 2nd c., bishop of Lyons in Gaul from 177, and author of a detailed attack on Gnosticism. Feast day, (in the East) 23 Aug., (in the West) 28 June. irenic /at'ri:ntk/ adj. (also irenical, eirenic) literary aiming or aimed at peace. [Gk eirénikos: see EIRENICON]

irenicon var. of EIRENICON. Irian Jaya /,1rion 'dgar9/ (also West Irian) a province of eastern kcat

lleg

mman

nno

p pen

rred_s

sit

t top.

v voice,

iridaceous Indonesia comprising. the western half of the island of New Guinea together with the adjacent small islands; pop. (1980) 1,173,875; capital, Jayapura.

iridaceous /,r1'derfas/ adj. Bot. of or relating to the family Iridaceae of plants growing from bulbs, corms, or rhizomes, e.g. iris, crocus, and gladiolus. [mod.L iridaceus (as 1rIs)]

iridescent /,1r1'des(s)nt/ adj. 1 showing rainbow-like luminous or gleaming colours. 2 changing colour with position. iridescence n. iridescently adv. [L 1R1s + -ESCENT]

oo

transition series, related to platinum and resembling polished steel. One of the densest metals known, iridium has limited uses in its pure state, but alloyed with platinum it is used in jewellery, electrical contacts, and other situations where hardness and resistance to corrosion are important. It was discovered in 1803. §j Symb.: Ir; atomic number 77. [mod.L f.L iris rainbow (see IRIs), from its highly coloured salts + -1uM]

Tris /'arsris/ Gk Mythol. goddess of the rainbow. When thought of in human form she acts as messenger of the gods, presumably because the rainbow seems to touch both earth and sky.

iris /'arorts/ n. 1 the flat circular coloured membrane behind the cornea of the eye, with a circular opening (pupil) in the centre. 2 any herbaceous plant of the genus Iris, usu. with tuberous roots, sword-shaped leaves, and showy flowers. 3 (in full iris diaphragm) an adjustable diaphragm of thin overlapping plates for regulating the size of a central hole esp. for the admission of light to a lens. [ME f. Liris iridis f. Gk iris iridos rainbow, iris]

Irish /'aror1f/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to Ireland; of or like its people. —n. 1 the Celtic language of Ireland. (See below.) 2 (prec. by the; treated as pl.) the people of Ireland. o Irish bull = BULL®. Irish coffee coffee mixed with a dash of whisky and served with cream on top. Irish moss dried carrageen. Irish stew a stew of mutton, potato, and onion. Irish terrier a rough-haired light reddish-brown breed of terrier. [ME f. OE Iras

the Irish] Irish (or Erse) belongs to the Celtic family of languages and is a distinct variety of Gaelic. It was brought to Ireland by Celtic invaders c.1000 Bc, and down to the end of the 18th c. was spoken by the great majority of the people especially in areas other than the cities. Its earliest attestation is in inscriptions from the 4th c. AD, written in the Ogham script, and there has been a tradition of literature since the 6th c., with a mass of material from the 9th to 19th c. In the 19th c. English gained ground rapidly and Irish is now spoken regularly only in certain areas in the west of Ireland. Since 1922 the Irish government has organized its revival, and it is now taught in all the schools, but despite this active support and the establishment of Irish as an official language there are probably fewer than 60,000

native speakers. It is the first official language of the Irish Republic (the second is English). A few English words are derived from Irish, e.g. banshee, blarney, galore, leprechaun, and Tory.

Irishman /'aror1{mon/ n. (pl. -men) a man who is Irish by birth or descent.

Irish Republican Army the military arm of Sinn Fein, formed during the struggle for independence from Britain in 1916-21, which continues to attempt to achieve union between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in the present day. Having maintained a relatively low level of armed activity up until the late 1960s the IRA split in 1969, and the radical minority, known as the Provisional IRA, stepped up the level of violence against military and civilian targets.

Irish Sea the sea separating Ireland from England and Wales. Irish Sweepstake (also Irish Sweep) a sweepstake on the results of certain major horse-races (especially the Derby and the Grand National), authorized since 1930 by the government of the Republic of Ireland in order to benefit Irish hospitals, which receive most of the profits. It is the largest international lottery. Most of its revenue is derived from the US, though the buying and selling of sweepstake tickets is illegal there and they have to be smuggled into the country.

z zoo

J she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

n ring

Irishwoman /'aror1{,;womon/ n. (pl. -women) a woman who is Irish by birth or descent.

iritis /,a10'raitis/ n. inflammation of the iris. irk /s:k/ v.tr. (usu. impers.; often foll. by that + clause) irritate, bore, annoy. [ME: orig. unkn.] irksome |/'s:ksom/ adj. tedious, annoying, tiresome. oo irksomely adv. irksomeness n. [ME, = tired etc., f. IRK + -SOME}]

Irkutsk /1o'kutsk/ the chief city of Siberia, situated on the west-

iridium /1'ridiom/ n. Chem. a hard white metallic element of the

wwe

Iron Age

749

x loch

ern shore of Lake Baikal in the Russian SFSR; pop. (est. 1987)

609,000.

=

IRO abbr. 1 (in the UK) Inland Revenue Office. 2 International Refugee Organization.

iroko |i'roukou/ n. (pl. -os) 1 either of two African trees, Chlorophora excelsa or C. regia. 2 the light-coloured hardwood from these trees. [Ibo] iron /'aton/ n., adj., & v. —n. 1 Chem. a silver-white ductile metallic element of great strength. (See below.) 4 Symb.: Fe; atomic number 26. 2 this as a type of unyieldingness or a symbol of firmness (man of iron; will of iron). 3 a tool or implement made of iron (branding iron; curling iron). 4 a household, now usu. electrical, implement with a flat base which is heated to smooth clothes etc. 5 a golf club with an iron or steel sloping face used for lofting the ball. 6 (usu. in pl.) a fetter (clapped in irons). 7 (usu. in pl.) a stirrup. 8 (often in pl.) an iron support for a malformed leg. 9 a preparation of iron as a tonic or dietary supplement (iron tablets). —adj. 1 made of iron. 2 very robust. 3 unyielding, merciless (iron determination). —v.tr. 1 smooth (clothes etc.) with an iron. 2 furnish or cover with iron. 3 shackle with irons. O0 in irons handcuffed, chained, etc. Iron Age Archaeol. see separate entry. iron-bark any of various eucalyptus trees with a thick solid bark and hard dense timber. iron-bound 1 bound with iron. 2 rigorous; hard and fast. 3 (of a coast) rock-bound. Iron Chancellor Bismarck. Iron Cross the highest German military decoration for bravery. Iron Curtain see separate entry. Iron Duke the first Duke of Wellington. iron hand firmness or inflexibility (cf. velvet glove). iron in the fire an undertaking, opportunity, or commitment (usu. in pl.: too many irons in the fire). ironing-board a flat surface usu. on legs and of adjustable height on which clothes etc. are ironed: Iron Lady the nickname given by Soviet journalists to the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. iron lung a rigid case fitted over a patient’s body, used for administering prolonged artificial respiration by means of mechanical pumps. Such an apparatus was first devised in the US in 1929. iron maiden hist. an instrument of torture consisting of a coffin-shaped box lined with iron spikes. iron-mould (US -mold) a spot caused by iron-rust or an inkstain, esp. on fabric. iron-on able to be fixed to the surface of a fabric etc. by ironing. iron out remove or smooth over (difficulties etc.). iron pyrites see PYRITES. iron ration a small emergency supply of food. oo ironer n. ironing n. (in sense 1 of v.). ironless adj. iron-like adj. [OE iren, isern f. Gmc, prob. f. Celt.] Iron is one of the most abundant elements, widely distributed throughout the earth’s crust in the form of ores, which are easily reduced to the metal, found in its free state only in meteorites, and essential to many types of animal life as a constituent of haemoglobin. Silver-white in colour, it is strong and ductile, with magnetic susceptibility, and is the most extensively used of all metals because of its many properties. Iron was known in Egypt c.3000 Bc and was used in Europe c.1000 Bc:(see IRON AGE). When purified and alloyed with small quantities of other materials it is known as steel. Cast iron is obtained by smelting from ores. It is silvery-grey when clean, hard, brittle, crystalline in structure, and contains 2-5% of carbon and smaller quantities of sulphur, phosphorus, and silicon. Pig-iron is cast iron as first obtained from the smelting furnace, cast in long blocks (pigs) for convenience. Wrought iron, which is highly malleable, is obtained by puddling (= stirring) pig-iron when molten, nearly pure but always containing some slag in the form of filaments and thus showing a fibrous structure. Iron Age the third stage in the classification of prehistoric tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

ironclad pt

irregular

750 th

thate

Spy

Mohawk, Oneida, Seneca, Onondaga, and Cayuga), speaking Iroquoian languages, which joined in a confederacy c.1570 by the efforts of the Huron prophet Deganawida and his disciple Hiawatha. A powerful force in early colonial history, the divisions in the confederacy occasioned by conflicting support of the various contestants in the War of American Independence saw the rapid decline of the Six Nations in the late 18th c., with half the League (i.e. the Cayugas, Mohawks, and Senecas) migrating north to Canada, where they accepted grants of land as allies of the defeated Loyalists and where they continue to live today. Traditional Iroquois society revolved around matrilineal residential and social organization.

periods (see PREHISTORY), when weapons and tools were made of iron. The Hittites in Anatolia were working iron by c.1400 Bc, but ona small scale and the technique was not fully understood. « By the 12th.c. Bc its use had spread more widely; the Hebrews and Greeks knew it by 1000 Bc, but it was not in use on a large scale until two centuries later. The application of the term ends, in Europe, at the Roman period.

ironclad adj. & n. —adj. |,aton'kled/ 1 clad or protected with iron. 2 impregnable; rigorous. —n. /'aron,klzd/ hist. a wooden battleship protected by armour plating. As a result of the loss of French and British wooden battleships during the Crimean War, the French government ordered the construction of five armour-plated vessels for use in the Black Sea, and the first entered service in 1859. In 1862, during the American Civil War, the first ‘ironclad’ battle took place. The design was quickly adopted by most nations until succeeded by steel-framed Dreadnought-type battleships at the beginning of the 20th c. Iron Curtain a former barrier to the passage of persons and information at the limit of the Soviet sphere of influence. The first ‘iron curtain’ (in the literal sense) dates from the rebuilding of Drury Lane Theatre in 1794, after its destruction by a fire which started on the stage, and was designed for lowering as a protection. The figurative sense (= an impenetrable barrier) is found from about 25 years later. The first reference to such a barrier in connection with Russia dates from 1920. In 1945 the phrase occurs in its current application, and its use by W. S. Churchill in 1946 fixed it in the language.

irradiant

jr'reidiont/

adj. literary

shining

brightly.

oo

irradiance n.

irradiate /1'rerdi,ert/ v.tr. 1 subject to (any form of) radiation. 2 shine upon; light up. 3 throw light on (a subject). oo irradiative |-diatrv/ adj. [L irradiare irradiat- (as 1N-®, radiare f. radius RAY)]

irradiation /1,re1di'et{(a)n/ n. 1 the process of irradiating. 2 shining, illumination. 3 the apparent extension of the edges of an illuminated object seen against a dark background. [F irradiation or LL irradiatio (as IRRADIATE)]

irrational /1'rzfan(o)l/ adj. 1 illogical; unreasonable.

2 not

endowed with reason. 3 Math. (of a root etc.) not rational; not commensurate with the natural numbers (eg. a nonterminating decimal). oO irrationality /-'nezliti/ n. irrationalize v.tr. (also -ise). irrationally adv. [L irrationalis (as IN-1, RATIONAL)]

Iron Gate (Romanian Portile de Fier, Serbo-Croatian Gvozdena Vrata) a gorge through which asection of the River Danube flows, forming part of the boundary between Romania and Yugoslavia. Navigation was improved by means of a ship canal constructed through it in 1896, and a joint Yugoslav-Romanian project completed a dam and hydroelectric power plant in 1972.

Irrawaddy /|,1ra'wodi/ the principal river of Burma, 2,090 km

ironic /a1'rpnik| adj. (also ironical) 1 using or displaying irony.

irreconcilable /1'rekon,sarlob(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 implacably

2 in the nature of irony. 00 ironically adv. [F ironique or LL ironicus f. Gk eironikos dissembling (as 1RONY})]

(1,300 miles) long. It flows in a large delta into the eastern part of the Bay of Bengal.

irreclaimable |,1m'klermsab(s)l/ adj. that cannot be reclaimed or reformed. 00 irreclaimably adv.

hostile. 2 (of ideas etc.) incompatible. —n. 1 an uncompromising opponent of a political measure etc. 2 (usu. in pl.) any of two or more items, ideas, etc., that cannot be made to agree. 00 irreconcilability /-'biliti/ n. irreconcilableness nn. irreconcilably adv.

ironist /'arronist/n. a person who uses irony. 00 ironize v.intr. (also -ise). [Gk eirOn dissembler + -IsT] ironmaster /'aion,ma:sta(r)/ n. a manufacturer of iron. ironmonger /'aran,manga(r)/ n. Brit. a dealer in hardware etc.

irrecoverable /|,r1'kavarab(a)l/ adj. that cannot be recovered

OO ironmongery n. (pl. -ies).

or remedied. 00 irrecoverably adv.

Ironsides /'aron,saidz/ n. a man of great bravery, esp. (as pl.)

irrecusable |,1m'kju:zab(9)l/ adj. that must be accepted. [F irre-

Cromwell’s cavalry troopers during the English Civil War, so called by their Royalist opponents in allusion to their hardiness in battle. ironstone /'aton,stoon/ n. 1 any rock containing a substantial

irredeemable /|,1m1'di:mab(e)l/ adj. 1 that cannot be redeemed.

cusable or LL irrecusabilis (as 1N-1, recusare refuse)

2 hopeless, absolute. 3 a (of a government annuity) not terminable by repayment. b (of paper currency) for which the issuing authority does not undertake ever to pay coin. oo irredeemability /-'biliti/ n. irredeemably adv.

proportion of an iron compound. 2a kind of hard white opaque stoneware. ironware /'aron,weo(r)/ n. articles made of iron, esp. domestic implements.

irredentist /,1ri'dentist/ n. 1 (Irredentist) an Italian nationalist of the late 19th c. advocating the return to Italy of the Italian-speaking districts of the Austro-Hungarian empire. 2.a person holding similar views of other areas. 00 irredentism n. (It. irredentista f. (Italia) irredenta unredeemed (Italy)]

ironwork |/'aton,ws:k/ n. 1 things made of iron. 2 work in iron. ironworks /'aron,ws3:ks/ n. (as sing. or pl.) a place where iron is smelted or iron goods are made. irony! /'atrani/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 an expression of meaning, often humorous or sarcastic, by the use of language of a different or opposite tendency. 2 an ill-timed or perverse arrival of an event or circumstance that is initself desirable. 3 the use of language with one meaning for a privileged audience and another for those addressed or concerned. [L ironia f. Gk eirdneia simulated ignorance f. eirén dissembler]

irreducible /,1r1'dju:sib()l/ adj. 1 that cannot be reduced or simplified. 2 (often foll. by to) that cannot be brought to a desired condition. 00 irreducibility /-'biliti/ n. irreducibly adv.

irrefragable /1'refrogsb(2)l/ adj. 1 (of a statement, argument, or person) unanswerable, indisputable. 2 (of rules etc.) inviolable. 00 irrefragably adv. [LL irrefragabilis (as 1N-1, refragari oppose)]

irony? /'arani/ adj. of or like iron. Iroquoian /,1ra'kwoten/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a language family of

irrefrangible /,r1'fraend3ib(2)l/ adj. 1 inviolable. 2 Optics incap-

eastern N. America, including Cherokee and Mohawk. 2 a member of the Iroquois Indians. —adj. of or relating to the Iroquois or the Iroquoian language family or one of its members.

irrefutable |1'refjotob(a)l, ,1r1'fju:-/ adj. that cannot be refuted.

Iroquois /'1ra,kwo1/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. same) 1 a an American

irregular /1'regjolo(r)/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 not regular; unsym-

Indian confederacy of five peoples formerly inhabiting New York State. b a member of any of these peoples. (See below.) 2 any of

able of being refracted.

00 irrefutability /-'biliti/ n. irrefutably adv. [LL irrefutabilis (as IN-!, REFUTE)]

metrical, uneven; varying in form. 2 (of a surface) uneven. 3 contrary to a rule, moral principle, or custom; abnormal. 4 uneven in duration, order, etc. 5 (of troops) not belonging to the regular army. 6 Gram. (of a verb, noun, etc.) not inflected according to the usual rules. 7 disorderly. 8 (of a flower) having unequal petals etc. —n. (in pl.) irregular troops. oo

the languages of these peoples. —adj. of or relating to the Iroquois or their languages. [F f. Algonquin]

Iroquois is the collective designation of the League of Five (later Six) Nations

of American

ze cat

Indian

tribes

a: arm

(i. Huron,

e bed

3: her

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun ov put

u: too

9 ago

at my

irrelative

Isfahan

irregularity |-'lerrti/ n. (pl. -ies). irregularly adv. [ME f. OF irreguler f. LL irregularis (as IN-1, REGULAR)]

irrelative /1'relotrv/ adj. 1 (often foll. by to) unconnected, unrelated. 2 having no relations; absolute. 3 irrelevant. oo irrelatively adv. irrelevant |'relrv(2)nt/ adj. (often foll. by to) not relevant; not applicable (to a matter in hand). 00 irrelevance n. irrelevancy

discomfort or pain in (a part of the body). 3 Biol. stimulate (an organ) to action. oO irritatedly adv. irritating adj. irritatingly adv. irritation /-'te1{(o)n/ n. irritative /-totrv/ adj. irritator n. [L irvitare irritat-] irrupt /i'rapt/ v.intr. (foll. by into) enter forcibly or violently.

00 irruption /1'rapf(2)n/ n. [L irrumpere irrupt- (as IN-?, rumpere break)]

Irving!

n. irrelevantly adv.

irreligion /,1r1'lid3(s)n/ n. disregard of or hostility to religion. 00 irreligionist n. [F irréligion or L irreligio (as IN-1, RELIGION)]

irreligious |,1'lidgas/ adj. 1 indifferent or hostile to religion. 2 lacking a religion. 00 irreligiously adv. irreligiousness n.

irremediable /,1r1'mi:disb(2)l/ adj. that cannot be remedied. o0 irremediably adv. [L irremediabilis (as 1N-1, REMEDY)}

irremissible /,1ri'misib(2)l/ adj. 1 unpardonable. 2 unalterably obligatory. 00 irremissibly adv. [ME f. OF irremissible or eccl.L irremissibilis (as IN-!, REMISSIBLE)]

irremovable /,1r1'mu:vab(s)l/ adj. that cannot be removed, esp. from office. 00 irremovability /-'biliti/ n. irremovably adv.

irreparable /1'reporab(a)l/ adj. (of an injury, loss, etc.) that cannot be rectified or made good. oo irreparability /-'biliti/ n. irreparableness n. irreparably adv. [ME f. OF f. L irreparabilis (as IN-1, REPARABLE)]

irreplaceable /,rt'pletsab(a)l/ adj. 1 that cannot be replaced. 2 of which the loss cannct be made good. 00 irreplaceably adv.

irrepressible /,1m'prestb(s)l/ adj. that cannot be repressed or restrained. 00 irrepressibility |-'biliti/ n. irrepressibleness n. irrepressibly adv.

(1838-1905), In 1871

real name

Henry

his appearance

at

the Lyceum Theatre in the melodrama The Bells brought him immediate fame, and he was to dominate the London stage during the next 30 years. In 1874 he first played Hamlet, inaugurating his own management of the Lyceum in the same role in 1878. His tenancy (in association with Miss Ellen Terry) is mainly remembered for his productions of Shakespeare, from The Merchant of Venice in 1879 to Cymbeline in 1896. He was a good manager and his acting, in spite of mannerisms and a not particularly melodious voice, had enormous power.

Irving? /'s:vin/, Washington (1783-1859), American writer who first came into literary repute with his burlesque A History of New York (1809) by ‘Diedrich Knickerbocker’. He visited England where he met Sir Walter Scott, who encouraged him to write his celebrated The Sketch Book (1820) which contains his best tales, including ‘Rip Van Winkle’ and ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’. He later held diplomatic posts in Spain and London, and on his return to America was enthusiastically received as the first American author to have achieved international fame. His later works include a life of George Washington (1855-9). Is. abbr. 1 a Island(s). b Isle(s). 2 (also Isa.) Isaiah (Old Testament).

is 3rd sing. present of BE.

irreproachable |,1r1'prout{ab(e)l/ adj. faultless, blameless. 00 irreproachability /|-'biliti/ 1. irreproachableness irreproachably adv. [F irréprochable (as 1N-1, REPROACH)]

/'s:vin/, Sir Henry

Brodribb, English actor-manager.

1.

irresistible /,1r1'zistrb(s)i/ adj. 1 too strong or convincing to be

Isaac /'a1zok/ Hebrew patriarch, son of Abraham and Sarah and father of Jacob and Esau (Gen. 21: 3 etc.).

isagogic |,a1so'gpd31k/ adj. introductory. [L isagogicus f. Gk eisagogikos f. eisagogé introduction f. eis into + agdgé leading f. ago lead]

resisted. 2 delightful; alluring. 00 irresistibility /-'brliti/ n. irresistibleness n. irresistibly adv. [med.L irresistibilis (as 1N-}, RESIST)]

isagogics |,a1so'godziks/ n. an introductory study, esp. of the

irresolute {1'rezo,lu:t, -,lju:t/ adj. 1 hesitant, undecided. 2 lack-

Isaiah /ar'zara/ 1 a Hebrew major prophet of Judah in the 8th

ing in resoluteness. 00 irresolutely adv. irresoluteness n. irresolution /-'lu:[(2)n, -'lju:f(a)n/ n:

irresolvable /,1r1'zplvab(2)l/ adj. 1 that cannot be resolved into its components. 2 (of a problem) that cannot be solved.

irrespective /,ri'spektrv/ adj. (foll. by of) not taking into account; regardless of. 00 irrespectively adv.

irresponsible /,1r1'sppnsib(2)l/ adj. 1 acting or done without due sense of responsibility. 2 not responsible for one’s conduct. O00 irresponsibility |-'biliti/ n. irresponsibly adv.

irresponsive /,1r1'sppnstv/ adj. (often foll. by to) not responsive. 00 irresponsively adv. irresponsiveness n.

irretrievable |,r1'tri:vab(2)l/ adj. that cannot be retrieved or restored. 00 irretrievability /-'brliti/ n. irretrievably adv. irreverent /!'revsrant/ adj. lacking reverence. 00 irreverence n. irreverential /-'ren{(a)l/ adj. irreverently adv. [L irreverens (as IN-1, REVERENT)]

irreversible /,rt'vs:s1b(2)l/ adj. not reversible or alterable. 00 irreversibility /-'biliti/ n. irreversibly adv.

irrevocable /1'revakab(2)l/ adj. 1 unalterable. 2 gone beyond recall. oo irrevocability /-'biliti/ n. irrevocably adv. [ME f. L irrevocabilis (as 1N-1, REVOKE)]}

irrigate /'iri,geit/ v.tr. 1 a water (land) by means of channels. b (of a stream etc.) supply (land) with water. 2 Med. supply (a wound etc.) with a constant flow of liquid. 3 refresh as with moisture. oo irrigable adj. irrigation /-'ge1{(2)n/ n. irrigative adj. irrigator n. [L irrigare (as 1N-?, rigare moisten)]

irritable /'1ritob(2)l/ adj. 1 easily annoyed or angered. 2 (of an organ etc.) very sensitive to contact. 3 Biol. responding actively to physical stimulus. 00 irritability /-'bilit1/ n. irritably adv. [L irritabilis (as IRRITATE)]

irritant /'irit(o)nt/ adj. & n. —adj. causing irritation. —n. an irritant substance. O00 irritancy n. irritate /'1ri,teit/ v.tr. 1 excite to anger; annoy. au how

e1 day

ov no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

literary and external history of the Bible. c. BC, teaching the supremacy of the God of Israel and emphasizing the moral demands upon worshippers. His expectations for the future centred on his belief in the permanence of the Davidic throne, and the ‘Messianic’ passages in the prophecies ascribed to him were frequently referred by Christian writers to Jesus Christ. 2 a book of the Old Testament ascribed to him but now generally agreed to fall into sections of which chapters 36-66, and portions of the earlier chapters, have no real claim to be his.

isatin /'aisotin/ n. Chem. a red crystalline derivative of indole used in the manufacture of dyes. [L isatis woad f. Gk]

ISBN abbr. international standard book number. ischaemia /1'ski:mia/ n. (US ischemia) Med. a reduction of the blood supply to part of the body. 00 ischaemic adj. [mod.L f. Gk iskhaimos f. iskhd keep back] Ischia /'1skia/ an island in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the west coast of Italy, about 26 km (16 miles) SW of Naples.

ischium /'1skiom/ n. (pl. ischia /-kia/) the curved bone forming the base of each half of the pelvis. 00 ischial adj. [L f. Gk iskhion hip-joint: cf. sciatic]

-ise! suffix var. of -1ZE. |See the note at -ize. ise? /aiz, i:z/ suffix forming nouns of quality, state, or function (exercise; expertise; franchise; merchandise). [from or after F or OF -ise f. L -itia etc.]

-ise® suffix var. of -IsH2. isentropic |,aisen'tropik/ adj. having equal entropy. [Iso- + ENTROPY]

Iseult /'i:zu:1t, 1'zu:It/ (in medieval legend) the sister or daughter of the king of Ireland, and wife of King Mark of Cornwall, loved by Tristram; (in another account) the daughter of the king of Brittany, and wife of Tristram.

Isfahan /,1sfs'ha:n/ (also Esfahan, Ispahan) an industrial city 2 stimulate va poor

in west central Iran, the country’s third-largest city; pop. (1986)

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

-ish

oe Se

ee

es

SE

Ismaili

752

EE

986,750. Abbas I made it his capital city from 1598, and it became one of the largest and most beautiful cities of this period until captured and destroyed by the Afghans in 1722. -ish! /1{/ suffix forming adjectives: 1 from nouns, meaning: a having the qualities or characteristics of (boyish). b of the nationality of (Danish). 2 from adjectives, meaning ‘somewhat’ (thickish). 3 collog. denoting an approximate age or time of day (fortyish; six-thirtyish). [OE -isc]

-ish? /1{/ suffix (also -ise /atz/) forming verbs (vanish; advertise). [from or after F -iss- (in extended stems of verbs in -ir) f. L -iscincept. suffix]

Isherwood /'1{2,;wod/, Christopher William Bradshaw (1904— 86), English novelist. His novels, Mr. Norris Changes Trains (1935), about the adventures in the criminal and political underworld of double-agent Arthur Norris, and Goodbye to Berlin (1939), about eccentric witty cabaret artist Sally Bowles (dramatized as I am a Camera, 1951; as a musical, Cabaret, 1968), vividly portray Germany on the eve of Hitler’s rise to power and reflect Isherwood’s experiences in Berlin during 1929-33. He collaborated with Auden in several plays and with him left for America in 1939, becoming a US citizen in 1946. After settling in Hollywood he developed an interest in Hindu philosophy and Vedanta and translated several Hindu classics, notably the Bhagavadgita (1944). His later novels include Down there on a Visit (1962) and Christopher and his Kind (1976), a frank account of the homosexual affairs of his young manhood.

Ishmael /'1{merl/ a son of Abraham and Hagar, of whom it was prophesied ‘his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him’ (Gen. 16: 12). —n. an outcast, one at war with society. 00 Ishmaelite n. Ishtar /'1{ta:(r)/ a Babylonian and Assyrian goddess whose name and functions correspond to those of Astarte.

Isidore! |'12z1,do:(r)/ (6th c.) Greek mathematician and engineer, of Miletus in Ionia, co-architect (with Anthemius of Tralles) of Santa Sophia in Constantinople, and author of a fifteenth book of Euclid’s Elements.

Isidore? /'1z1,do(r)/, St (c.560-636), archbishop of Seville and Doctor of the Church, an encyclopedic writer whose works became a storehouse of knowledge freely used by innumerable medieval authors. Feast day, 4 April.

isinglass /'a1zin,gla:s/ n. 1 a kind of gelatin obtained from fish, esp. sturgeon, and used in making jellies, glue, etc. 2 mica. (corrupt. of obs. Du. huisenblas sturgeon’s bladder, assim. to

GLASS] Isis /'arsts/ Egyptian Mythol. a nature-goddess, wife of Osiris and mother of Horus. Her worship spread to Western Asia, Greece, and Rome, where she was identified with many and varied local goddesses, and became one of the major mystery religions, involving enactment of the myth of the death and resurrection of Osiris.

Iskenderun /[ts'kenda,ru:n/ a port and naval base of southern Turkey, on the NE coast of the Mediterranean Sea; pop. (1980) 954,900. Formerly named Alexandretta, it lies on or near the site of Alexandria ad Issum, founded by Alexander the Great in 333 Bc. The port was an important outlet for goods from Persia, India, and eastern Asia before the development of sea-routes round the Cape of Good Hope and later through the Suez Canal. Islam /|'1zla:m, -lem, -'la:m/ n. 1 the religion of the Muslims, a monotheistic faith regarded as revealed through Muhammad as the Prophet of Allah. (See below.) 2 the Muslim world. oo Islamic /1z'lemrk/ adj. Islamism n. Islamist n. Islamize v.tr. (also -ise). Islamization |-a1'ze1{(9)n/ n. [Arab. islam submission (to God) f. aslama resign oneself] The monotheistic religion founded by the Prophet Muhammad in the Arabian Peninsula in the 7th c. AD is now the professed faith of nearly one thousand million people worldwide. To become a Muslim means both to accept and affirm an individual

non-obligatory prayers), giving alms to the poor, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and performing the pilgrimage to Mecca. These ritual observances, as well as a code governing social behaviour, were given to Muhammad asaseries of revelations, codified in the Koran and supplemented by the deeds and discourse of the Prophet (see SUNNA, HapiTH). Islam is regarded by its adherents as the last of the revealed religions (following Judaism and Christianity), and Muhammad is seen as the Seal of the Prophets, building upon and perfecting the examples and teachings of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. The term Islam carries three interrelated significations: the personal individual submission to Allah; the ‘world of Islam’ 'as a concrete historical reality comprising a variety of communities which, however, share not only a common religious outlook but also a common fund of cultural legacies; and finally, the concept of an ‘ideal Muslim community’ as set forth in the Koran and supporting sources.

Islamabad /1z'la:mo,ba:d/ the capital, since 1967, of Pakistan, replacing Karachi; pop. (1981) 201,000.

Islamic Jehad /d31'hzd, -'ha:d/ a Muslim fundamentalist terrorist association.

island /'arlend/ n. 1 a piece of land surrounded by water. 2 anything compared to an island, esp. in being surrounded in some way. 3 = traffic island. 4 a a detached or isolated thing. b Physiol. a detached portion of tissue or group of cells (cf. ISLET). 5 Naut. a ship’s superstructure, bridge, etc. 0 islands area any of three administrative areas in Scotland (Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles), each consisting of a group of islands. [OE igland f.ig island + LAND: first syll. infl. by IsLE]

islander /'atlonda(r)/ n. a native or inhabitant of an island.

Islands of the Blessed a mythical abode, often located in the west, near where the sun sets, to which, in the belief of many ancient peoples, the souls of the good were conveyed to a life of bliss.

isle /atl/ n. poet. (and in place-names) an island or peninsula, esp. a small one. [ME ile f. OF ile f. L insula: later ME & OF isle after L]

Isle of Man an island in the Irish Sea which is a British Crown possession enjoying home rule, with its own legislature (the Tynwald) and judicial system; pop. (1981) 64,679; capital, Douglas. The island was part of the Norse kingdom of the Heb-

rides in the Middle Ages, passing into Scottish hands in 1266 for a time, until the English gained control in the early 15th c. Its ancient language, Manx, is still used for ceremonial purposes.

Isle of Wight /wait/ an island off the south coast of England, a county since 1974; pop. (1981) 115,400.

islet /'ailit/ n. 1 a small island.

-ism /'1z(2)m]| suffix forming nouns, esp. denoting: 1 an action or its result (baptism; organism). 2 a system, principle, or ideological movement (Conservatism; jingoism; feminism). 3 a state or quality (heroism; barbarism). 4 a basis of prejudice or discrimination (racism; sexism). 5 a peculiarity in language (Americanism). 6 a pathological condition (alcoholism; Parkinsonism). [from or after F -isme f. L -ismus f. Gk -ismos or -isma f. -iz6 -1ZE]

Ismaili /1z'maihi/ n. (pl. Ismailis) a member of a Shiite Muslim sect that seceded from the main group in the 8th c. over the question of succession to the position of imam. They regarded Ismail, eldest son of the sixth imam, as the seventh and final imam, while the rest of the Shiites supported the second son, Musa al-Kazim. The Ismaili movement (which consisted of several groups rather than one unified body) represented a revolutionary political force in its early stages, and its adherents developed an elaborate esoteric doctrine (diverging considerably from the rest of Islam) concerning the believer’s place in the cosmos and the highly structured path to spiritual fulfilment. Initiation into the group’s doctrines was a long process to which only a few were admitted, and the organization tended to be that of a very hierarchical secret society. It eventually split into

surrender to God, and to live as a member of a social community. The Muslim performs prescribed acts of worship and strives to

fulfil good works within the group; the ‘Pillars of Islam’ include profession of the faith in a prescribed form, observance of ritual prayer (five obligatory prayer sequences each day as well as

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

2 Anat. a portion of tissue

structurally distinct from surrounding tissues. 3 an isolated place. 0 islets of Langerhans Physiol. groups of pancreatic cells secreting insulin and glucagon. [OF, dimin. of isle IsLE] ism /'1z(a)m/ n. collog. usu. derog. any distinctive but unspecified doctrine or practice of a kind with a name in -ism.

k cat

lleg

mman

nno

ppen

rred

s sit

t top

v voice

isn’t

Ispahan

753

many sub-sects, of which the best known is that headed by the Aga Khan. Today Ismailis are found especially in India, Pakistan, and East Africa, with smaller groups in Syria, Iran, and some other countries.

isn’t /'1z(s)nt/ contr. is not. ISO abbr. 1 (in the UK) Imperial Service Order. 2 International Organization for Standardization. iso- /'arsou/ comb. form 1 equal (isometric). 2 Chem. isomeric, esp. of a hydrocarbon with a branched chain of carbon atoms (isobutane). [Gk isos equal] isobar /'aisou,ba:(r)/ n. 1 a line on a map connecting positions having the same atmospheric pressure at a given time or on average over a given period. 2 a curve for a physical system at constant pressure. 3 one of two or more isotopes of different elements, with the same atomic weight. 00 isobaric /-'bzrtk/ adj. [Gk isobarés of equal weight (as Iso-, baros weight)]

isocheim /'atsou,karm/ n. a line on a map connecting places

constituent of proteins and an essential nutrient. [G Isoleucin (see ISO-, LEUCINE)] isomer /'atsomo(r)/ n. 1. Chem. one of two or more compounds

with the same molecular formula but a different arrangement of atoms and different properties. 2 Physics one of two or more atomic nuclei that have the same atomic number and the same mass number but different energy states. 00 isomeric /-'mertk/ adj. isomerism /at'somo,r1z(2)m/ n. isomerize /a1'soma,raiz/ v. (also -ise). [G f. Gk isomerés sharing equally (as 1so-, meros share)] isomerous /at'spmoroas/ adj. Bot. (of a flower) having the same number of petals in each whorl. [Gk isomerés: see ISOMER] ~

isometric |,aisou'metrik/ adj. 1 of equal measure. 2 Physiol. (of muscle action) developing tension while the muscle is prevented from contracting. 3 (of a drawing etc.) with the plane of projection at equal angles to the three principal axes of the object shown. 4 Math. (of a transformation) without change of shape or size. 00 isometrically adv. isometry /a1'spmitri/ n. (in sense 4). [Gk isometria equality of measure (as ISO-, -METRY)]

having the same average temperature in winter. [Iso- + Gk kheima winter weather] :

isometrics /,a1sou'metriks/ n.pl. a system of physical exercises

isochromatic |,atssukrau'mztik/ adj. of the same colour. isochronous /at'spkranes/ adj. 1 occurring at the same time.

in which muscles are caused to act against each other or against a fixed object.

500 isochronously adv. [Iso- + Gk

isomorph /'aisov,mo:f] n. an isomorphic substance or organ-

isoclinal |,atsou'klamn(s)/ adj. (also isoclinic /-'klinrk/) 1 Geol. (of

isomorphic /|,a1ssu'mo:fik/ adj. (also isomorphous /-f2s/) 1

a fold) in which the two limbs are parallel. 2 corresponding to equal values of magnetic dip. [Iso- + CLINE]

exactly corresponding in form and relations. 2 Crystallog. having the same form. 00 isomorphism n. -ison /'1s(a)n/ suffix forming nouns, = -ATION (comparison; garrison; jettison; venison). [OF -aison etc. f. L -atio etc.: see -ATION]

2 occupying equal time. khronos time]

ism. [Iso- + Gk morphé form]

isoclinic var. of ISOCLINAL. Isocrates /a1'spkra,ti:z/ (436-338 Bc) Athenian orator. His written speeches were vehicles for his political ideals, the union of Greeks under the shared hegemony of Athens and Sparta, and later under the championship of Philip II of Macedon; he also

isophote /'a1sou,foot/ n. a line (imaginary or in a diagram) of

advocated a Panhellenic crusade against Persia. His style is elaborate and studied. His influential educational system provided a combination of philosophical and rhetorical instruction.

ing equal incidence of a meteorological feature. [Iso- + Gk plethos fullness]

isodynamiic |,a1soudar'nemuik| adj. corresponding to equal values of (magnetic) force. isoenzyme /aissu,enzaim/ n. Biochem. one of two or more enzymes with identical function but different structure. isogeotherm |,aisou'dzi:00,63:m/ n. a line or surface connecting points in the interior of the earth having the same temperature. 00 isogeothermal /-'03:m(2)l/ adj.

isogloss /'atsou,glps/ n. a line on a map marking an area having a distinct linguistic feature. isogonic /jatsou'gonik/ adj. corresponding to equal values of magnetic declination.

isohel /'atsau,hel/ n. a line on a map connecting places having the same duration of sunshine. [Iso- + Gk hélios sun] isohyet /,aisou'hautt/ n. a line on a map connecting places having the same:amount of rainfall in a given period. [Iso- + Gk huetos rain] ;

isolate /'aisa,lert/ v.tr. 1 a place apart or alone, cut off from society. b place (a patient thought to be contagious or infectious) in quarantine. 2 a identify and separate for attention (isolated the problem). b Chem. separate (a substance) from a mixture. 3 insulate (electrical apparatus). 00 isolable /'atsolob(a)l/ adj. isolatable adj. isolator n. (orig. in past part., f. F isolé f. It. isolato f. LL insulatus f. L insula island]

isolated /!aisa,lertid/ adj. 1 lonely; cut off from society or contact; remote (feeling isolated; an isolated farmhouse). 2 untypical, unique (an isolated example).

isolating /'arso,lertin/ adj. (of a language) having each element as an independent word without inflections.

isolation |,atso'ler{(a)n/ n. the act or an instance of isolating; the state of being isolated or separated. o in isolation considered singly and not relatively. isolation hospital (or ward etc.) a hospital, ward, etc., for patients with contagious or infectious diseases.

isolationism /,atso'ler{a,n1z(a)m/ n. the policy of holding aloof from the affairs of other countries or groups esp. in politics. 00 isolationist n.

isoleucine /,a1sov'lu:si:n/ n. Biochem. an amino acid that is a wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

equal brightness or illumination. [1so- + Gk phos photos light]

isopleth /'a1sou,ple6/ n. a line on a map connecting places hav-

isopod /'atsou,pod/ n. any crustacean of the order Isopoda, including woodlice and slaters, often parasitic and having a flattened body with seven pairs of legs. [F isopode f. mod.L Isopoda (as 1so-, Gk pous podos foot)]

isosceles /at'sps1,li:z/ adj. (of a triangle) having two sides equal. [LL f. Gk isoskelés (as 1so-, skelos leg)]

isoseismal |,aisou'sa1zm(sa)l/ adj. & n. (also isoseismic /-m1k/) —adj. having equal strength of earthquake shock. —n. a line on a map connecting places having an equal strength of earthquake shock. isostasy /a'spstosi/ n. Geol. the general state of equilibrium of the earth’s crust, with the rise and fall of land relative to sea. 00 isostatic /,a1sou'stztik/ adj. [Iso- + Gk stasis station]

isothere /'arsou,810(r)/ n. a line on a map connecting places having the same average temperature in the summer. [Iso- + Gk theros summer]

isotherm. /'aisou,03:m/ n. 1 a line on a map connecting places having the same temperature at a given time or on average over a given period. 2 a curve for changes in a physical system at a constant temperature. oO isothermal /-'@3:m(9)l/ adj. isothermally /-'03:mol1/ adv. [F isotherme (as 1so-, Gk thermé heat)]

isotonic /,a1sou'tonik/ adj. 1 having the same osmotic pressure. 2 Physiol. (of muscle action) taking place with normal contraction. 00 isotonically adv. isotonicity /-to'nisiti/ n. [Gk isotonos (as ISO-, TONE)] isotope /'aiso,toup/ n. Chem. any of two or more types of atom of the same element that contain equal numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei, and hence differ in atomic weight but not in chemical properties. The term was coined in 1913 by F. Soddy. Most elements consist of one stable (non-radioactive) isotope; there are also numerous radioactive isotopes, the majority of them artificially created. 00 isotopic /-'toptk/ adj. isotopically |-'toprkali/ adv. isotopy /at'sptepi/ n.

[Iso- + Gk topos place (i.e. in the periodic table of elements)] isotropic /|,aisou'tropik/ adj. having the same physical properties in all directions (opp. ANISOTROPIC). O0 isotropically adv. isotropy /ai'sptrapi/ n. [Iso- + Gk tropos turn]

Ispahan see IsFAHAN. tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

I-spy

italic

754

a ee ee SS

eee

issueless adj. issuer n. [ME f. OF ult. f. L exitus past part. of exire

I-spy /at'spat/ n. a game in which players try to identify something observed by one of them, with its initial letter as a clue.

EXIT]

Israel! /'1zre1(2)l/ 1 (also children of Israel) the Hebrew nation - -ist /1st/ suffix forming personal nouns (and in some senses or people traditionally descended from the patriarch Jacob (his alternative name was ‘Israel’), whose 12 sons became founders of the 12 tribes. 2 the northern kingdom of the Hebrews (c.930— 721 Bc, in contrast to Judah), whose inhabitants were carried away to captivity in Assyria. The name ‘Israel’ is first found on the Moabite Stone (c.850 Bc) commemorating the successes of the king of Moab against Israel. oo Israelite /'1zralart/ adj. & n. [Heb. yisra’él he that strives with God; see Gen. 32: 28]

Israel? /'1zreil/ a country in SW Asia, with the River Jordan forming part of its eastern border and with a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea; pop. (est. 1988) 4,297,400; official language, Hebrew; capital (not recognized as such by the UN), Jerusalem. Much of the country is very fertile, and since 1948 massive irrigation programmes have brought large areas of former desert under cultivation. The ‘Holy Land’ of Jews and Christians, and with Jerusalem sacred also to Muslims, it contains numerous sites that attract both pilgrims and tourists. Remains of early man were found in caves on Mount Carmel, and the country is rich in archaeological remains of all periods. Although it is the ancient and traditional home of the Jewish people, for most of its. history it was controlled by one or other of the powerful nations of each succeeding era (see ISRAEL! and PALESTINE), until following the surrender of the British mandate at the end of the Second World War the independent Jewish State of Israel was proclaimed in 1948. Conflict with the surrounding Arab States led to wars in 1948, 1956, 1967, and 1973, and resulted in Israel’s expansion to her present boundaries. In the late 1980s an extreme right-wing government, the immigration of thousands of Soviet Jews, the uprising in the occupied territories (see INTIFADA), and (in 1990-1) Palestinian support for Saddam Hussein of Iraq in the Gulf War, produced dangerous tensions. Israel has, however, emerged as one of the strongest military powers in the Middle East, and despite a high inflation rate, the development of the economy has made it the most industrialized country in the region. 00 Israeli /1z'rerl1/ adj. & n.

Israfel /'1zro,fel/ (in Muslim tradition) the angel of music, who will sound the trumpet on the Day of Judgement. Issachar /|'1soka(r)/ 1 Hebrew patriarch, son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 30: 18). 2 the tribe of Israel traditionally descended from him.

(Isthmian) to the Isthmus of Corinth in southern Greece. isthmus /'1smas, '1s6-/ n. 1 a narrow piece of land connecting two larger bodies of land. 2 Anat. a narrow part connecting two larger parts. [L f. Gk isthmos]

istle /'1stli/ n. a fibre used for cord, nets, etc., obtained from agave. [Mex. ixtli]

IT abbr. information technology. It. abbr. Italian. it! /1t/ pron. (poss. its; pl. they) 1 the thing (or occas. the animal or child) previously named or in question (took a stone and threw it). 2 the person in question (Who is it? It is I; is it a boy or a girl?). 3 as the subject of an impersonal verb (it is raining; it is winter, it is Tuesday; it is two miles to Bath). 4 as a substitute for a deferred subject or object (it is intolerable, this delay; it is silly to talk iike that; I take it that you agree). 5 as a substitute for a vague object (brazen it out; run for it!). 6 as the antecedent to a relative word (it was an owl I heard). 7 exactly what is needed (absolutely it). 8 the extreme limit of achievement. 9 collog. sexual intercourse; sex appeal. 10 (in children’s games) a player who has to perform a required feat, esp. to catch the others. o that’s it collog. that is: 1 what is required. 2 the difficulty. 3 the end, enough. this is it collog. 1 the expected event is at hand. 2 this is the difficulty. (OE hit neut. of HE] it? /1t/ n. collog. Italian vermouth (gin and it). [abbr.] i.t.a. abbr. (also ITA) initial teaching alphabet.

ital. abbr. italic (type). Italian /i'teljan/ n. & adj. —n. 1 aa

issuant /'1fu:ont, '1sju:-/ adj. Heraldry (esp. of a beast with only the upper part shown) rising from the bottom or top of a bearing. issue /'1Ju:, 'Isju:/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa giving out or circulation of shares, notes, stamps, etc. b a quantity of coins, supplies, copies of a newspaper or book etc., circulated or put on sale at one time. c an item or amount given out or distributed. d each ofa regular series of a magazine etc. (the May issue). 2 a an outgoing, an outflow. b a way out, an outlet esp. the place of the emergence of a stream etc. 3 a point in question; an important subject of debate or litigation. 4 a result; an outcome; a decision. 5 Law children, progeny (without male issue). 6 archaic a discharge of blood etc. —-v. (issues, issued, issuing) 1 intr. (often foll. by out, forth) literary go or come out. 2 tr. a send forth; publish; put into circulation. b supply, esp. officially or authoritatively (foll. by to, with: issued passports to them; issued them with passports; issued orders to the staff). 3 intr. a (often foll. by from) be derived or result. b (foll. by in) end, result. 4 intr. (foll. by from) emerge from a condition. 0 at issue 1 under discussion; in dispute. 2 at variance. issue of fact (or law) a dispute at law when the significance of a fact or facts is denied or when the application of the law is contested. join (or take) issue identify an issue for

argument (foll. by with, on). make an issue of make a fuss about; turn into a subject of contention. 00 issuable adj. issuance n.

3: her

isthmian /!1smion, '1s0-/ adj. of or relating to an isthmus, esp.

in 1982.

ISSN abbr. international standard serial number.

e bed

of Turkey, situated on the Bosporus and partly in Europe, partly in Asia, to which it is linked by two suspension bridges; pop. (1985) 5,494,900. It was formerly the Roman city of Constantinople, ancient Byzantium; most of its characteristic buildings date from the Ottoman era (1453-1923).

the world’s largest hydroelectric installations, formally opened

ish engineer and car designer, of Greek parentage. His most famous designs were the Morris Minor and the Mini motor car, a revolutionary novelty in 1959 and still in production at the time of his death.

a: arm

Istanbul /,1sten'boul/ a port and the former capital (until 1923)

Itaipu /i:'tarpu:/ a dam on the Parana River in SW Brazil, one of

Issigonis /|,1s1'gounts/, Alec Arnold Constantine (1906-88), Brit-

wz cat

related adjectives) denoting: 1 an adherent of a system etc. in -ism: see -ISM 2 (Marxist; fatalist). 2 a a member of a profession (pathologist). b a person concerned with something (tobacconist). 3 a person who uses a thing (violinist; balloonist; motorist). 4 a person who does something expressed by a verb in -ize (plagiarist). 5 a person who subscribes to a prejudice or practises discrimination (racist; sexist). [OF -iste, L -ista f. Gk -istés]

1 sit

native or national of Italy. b a person of Italian descent. 2 the official language of Italy, a Romance language which in many ways has remained closer to Latin than have the others of this group. It is spoken by some 60 million people in Italy and Switzerland, and by large numbers of speakers in the US and some in South America. —adj. of or relating to Italy or its people or language. o Italian vermouth a sweet kind of vermouth. [ME f. It. Italiano f. Italia Italy]

Italianate /i'tzljoneit/ adj. of Italian style or appearance. [It. Italianato]

Italic /1'tzelik/ adj. of ancient Italy. 0 Italic languages the Italic branch of the Indo-European family of languages, comprising Latin, Oscan, Umbrian, and the dialects of various mountain tribes of central Italy. The term is more often confined to Oscan and Umbrian, the two chief non-Latin dialects of the group. [L italicus f. Gk italikos Italian]

italic /i'teelik/ adj. & n. —adj. Printing 1 of the sloping kind of letters now used esp. for emphasis or distinction and in foreign words. The prototype of this cursive typeface was cut c.1499 for the Venetian printer Aldus Manutius (see entry). It was derived from informal sloped scripts and had numerous tied letters. The typeface was widely copied and less cramped designs superseded the original. Italic was originally used for setting complete texts, but the practice diminished and the use is now more restricted. 2 (of handwriting) compact and pointed like early

i: see

p hot

9: saw

a run

ov put

u: too

9 ago

ai my

italicize

755

Italian handwriting. [as ITALIc]

italicize

—n.

1 a letter in italic type. 2 this type.

i'tzlrsaiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) print in italics.

oo

Ivan (or minister etc.) a judge, minister, etc. travelling within a circuit. 00 itineracy n. itinerancy n. [LL itinerari travel f. L iter itiner- journey]

italicization /|-'ze1{(9)n/ n. Italiot /1'teliot/ n. & adj. —n. an inhabitant of the Greek colonies in ancient Italy. —adj. of or relating to the Italiots. [Gk Italidtés f. Italia Italy]

itinerary /ar'tmorori, 1-/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a detailed

Italo- /'ttolou/ comb. form Italian; Italian and.

a minister etc.) within a circuit. 00 itineration /-'re1{(2)n/ n. [LL itinerari: see ITINERANT] -ition /'1{(2)n/ suffix forming nouns, = -aTION (admonition; perdition; position). [from or after F -ition or L -itio -itionis]

Italy /'ttol/ a country in southern Europe comprising a peninsula that juts south into the Mediterranean Sea, and a number of offshore islands of which the largest are Sicily and Sardinia; pop. (est. 1988) 57,455,350; official language, Italian; capital, Rome. The centre of the Roman Empire, Italy was dominated by the city-states and the papacy in the Middle Ages, but fell under Spanish and Austrian rule in the 16th-17th c. Modern Italy was created by the nationalist movement of the mid-19th c., led by Garibaldi and the kingdom of Sardinia, the monarch of the latter country becoming king of Italy in 1861. Italy entered the First World War on the Allied side in 1915, but after the war the country was taken over by the Fascist dictator Mussolini; participation in support of Germany during the Second World War resulted in defeat and much devastation. A republic was established by popular vote in 1946. The country is divided between the industrialized north and the agricultural south, and by European standards has experienced a considerable degree of political instability in recent decades.

itch /it{/ n. & v. —n. 1 an irritation in the skin. 2 an impatient

route. 2 a record of travel. 3 a guidebook. —adj. of roads or travelling. [LL itinerarius (adj.), -um (n.) f. L iter: see ITINERANT]

itinerate /ai'tino,reit, 1-/ v.intr. travel from place to place or (of

-itious! /'1fas/ suffix forming adjectives corresponding to nouns in -ition (ambitious; suppositious). [L -itio etc. + -ous]

-itious? /'1fas/ suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘related to, having the nature of’ (adventitious; supposititious). [L -icius + -ous, commonly written with t in med.L manuscripts] -itis /'aitis/ suffix forming nouns, esp.: 1 names of inflammatory diseases (appendicitis; bronchitis). 2 collog. in extended uses with tef. to conditions compared to diseases (electionitis). [Gk -itis, forming fem. of adjectives in -ités (with nosos ‘disease’ implied)]

itive /'1trv/ suffix forming adjectives, = -aATIVE (positive; transitive). [from or after F -itif -itive or L -itivus f. participial stems in -it-: see -IVE]

it?Il /'1t(2)l/ contr. collog. it will; it shall. ITN abbr, (in the UK) Independent Television News. ITO abbr. International Trade Organization.

desire; a hankering. 3 (prec. by the) (in general use) scabies. —v.intr. 1 feel an irritation in the skin, causing a desire to scratch it. 2 (usu. foll. by to + infin.) (of a person) feel a desire to do something (am itching to tell you the news). 0 itching palm avarice. itch-mite a parasitic arthropod, Sarcoptes scabiei, which burrows under the skin causing scabies. [OE gycce, gyccan f. WG]

-itor /'1to(r)/ suffix forming agent nouns, usu. from Latin words

itchy /'1t{1/ adj. (itchier, itchiest) having or causing an itch. o

its /1ts/ poss.pron. of it; of itself (can see its advantages). it’s /1ts/ contr. 1 it is. 2 it has. itself /it'self] pron. emphatic and refl. form of iT. o by itself

have itchy feet collog. 1 be restless. 2 have a strong urge to travel. oo itchiness n.

it’d /'ttad/ contr. collog. 1 it had. 2 it would. ite! /art/ suffix forming nouns meaning ‘a person or thing connected with’: 1 in names of persons: a as natives of a country (Israelite). b often derog. as followers of a movement etc. (preRaphaelite; Trotskyite). 2 in names of things: a fossil organisms (ammonite). b minerals (graphite). c constituent parts of a body or organ (somite). d explosives (dynamite). e commercial products (ebonite; vulcanite). f salts of acids having names in -ous (nitrite; sulphite). [from or after F -ite f. L -ita f. Gk -ités] -ite? /ait, 1t/ suffix 1 forming adjectives (erudite; favourite). 2 forming nouns (appetite). 3 forming verbs (expedite; unite). [from or after L -itus past part. of verbs in -ére, -ere, and -ire] item /'artom/n. & adv. —n. 1 a any of a number of enumerated or listed things. b an entry in an account.2 an article, esp. one for sale (household items). 3 a separate or distinct piece of news, information, etc. —adv. archaic (introducing the mention of each item) likewise, also. [orig. as adv.: L, = in like manner, also]

(sometimes via French) (creditor). See also -or1. -itory /'1tari/ suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘relating to or involving (a verbal action)’ (inhibitory). See also -ory?. [L -itorius] -itous /'1tos/ suffix forming adjectives corresponding to nouns in -ity (calamitous; felicitous). [from or after F -iteux f. L -itosus]

apart from its surroundings, automatically, spontaneously. in itself viewed in its essential qualities (not in itselfa bad thing). {OE f. rr! + sELF, but often treated as Irs + SELF (cf. its own self)]

itsy-bitsy /,tsr'bitsi/ adj. (also itty-bitty /,1t1'brtt/) collog. usu. derog. tiny, insubstantial, slight. [redupl. of Litre, infl. by Bit]

ITU abbr. International Telecommunication Union. ITV abbr. (in the UK) Independent Television. sity /'1t1/ suffix forming nouns donating: 1 quality or condition (authority; humility; purity). 2 an instance or degree of this (a monstrosity; humidity). [from or after F -ité f. L -itas -itatis]

IU abbr. international unit. IUD abbr. 1 intra-uterine (contraceptive) device. 2 intra-uterine death (of the foetus before birth). -ium /1om/ suffix forming nouns denoting esp.: 1 (also -um) names of metallic elements (uranium; tantalum). 2 a region of the body (pericardium; hypogastrium). 3 a biological structure (mycelium; prothallium). [from or after L -ium f. Gk -ion]

itemize /'arto,maizj v.tr. (also -ise) state or list item by item. oo

TUPAC /'ju:pzk/ abbr. International Union of Pure and Applied

itemization /-'ze1J(o)n/ n. itemizer n. iterate /'ito,re1t/ v.tr. repeat; state repeatedly. /-'rerf(a)n/ n. [L iterare iterat- f. iterum again]

IV abbr. intravenous.

oo iteration

iterative /'ttoratrv/ adj. Gram. = FREQUENTATIVE. 00 iteratively adv.

Ithaca /'1@aka/ an island off the western coast of Greece, the legendary home of Odysseus.

ithyphallic /,161'feelik/ adj. Gk Hist. 1 a of the phallus carried in Bacchic festivals. b (of a statue etc.) having an erect penis. 2 lewd, licentious. 3 (of a poem or metre) used for Bacchic hymns. [LL ithyphallicus f. Gk ithuphallikos f. ithus straight, phallos PHALLUS]

-itic /'1trk/ suffix forming adjectives and nouns corresponding to nouns in -ite, -itis, etc. (Semitic; arthritic; syphilitic). [from or after F -itique f. L -iticus f. Gk -itikos: see -1C] itinerant /ar'tinoront, 1-/ adj. & n. —adj. travelling from place to place. —n. an itinerant person; a tramp. o itinerant judge

av how

e1 day

ov no

eo hair

1a near

o1 boy

vo poor

Chemistry. Ivan /'arv(a)n/ the name of several rulers of Russia: Ivan I (c.1304-41), grand duke of Muscovy 1328-40. He strengthened and enlarged the duchy, making Moscow the ecclesiastical capital. Ivan III ‘the Great’ (1440-1505), grand duke of Muscovy 14621505. He consolidated and enlarged his territory, defending it against a Tartar invasion in 1480, and established autocratic

government. Ivan IV ‘the Terrible’ (1530-84), first tsar of Muscovy 153384. Although an energetic and intelligent ruler Ivan was prone to bouts of paranoiac violence, being particularly suspicious of his own nobles, the Boyars. In the early years following the

end of the regency in 1547 Ivan carried out some important administrative reforms and pursued a successful expansionist foreign policy, but in later life his rule became disastrously

ata fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

I’ve

Iznik

756

ivy |'arvi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a climbing evergreen shrub, Hedera helix, despotic, and he was subject to fits of rage, in one of which he with usu. dark-green shining five-angled leaves. 2 any of various killed his son. Periodic pogroms, most notably those at Novgorod in 1567 and Moscow in 1572, left Russia weak and divided, * other climbing plants including ground ivy and poison ivy. [OE while most of his foreign conquests were eventually lost to the ifig] Poles. Ivy League a name applied to a group of long-established eastern US universities of high academic and social prestige, I’ve /arv| contr. I have. including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Columbia. -ive /rv/ suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘tending to, having the nature of’, and corresponding nouns (suggestive; corrosive; palliative; coercive; talkative). 00 -ively suffix forming adverbs. -iveness suffix forming nouns. [from or after F -if -ive f. L -ivus] Ives /arvz/, Charles (1874-1954), American highly original composer, strongly influenced by popular music and the sounds of everyday life and at the same time innovative and forwardlooking, developing from the experiments of his father, a town bandmaster, the use of polyrhythm, polytonality, quartertones, note-clusters, and aleatory techniques. In the two pieces for small orchestra The Unanswered Question and Central Park in the Dark (both 1906) two orchestras, each with its own conductor, play independently, never synchronizing, an effect dating back to his memories of two bands playing different marches in different streets in his home town.

IVF abbr. in vitro fertilization. ivied /'arvid/ adj. overgrown with ivy. ivory /'arvori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a hard creamy-white substance composing the main part of the tusks of an elephant, hippopotamus, walrus, and narwhal. 2 the colour of this. 3 (usu. in pl.) a an article made of ivory. b sl. anything made of or resembling ivory, esp. a piano key or a tooth. o fossil ivory ivory from the tusks of a mammoth. ivory black black pigment from calcined ivory or bone. ivory-nut the seed of a corozo palm, Phytelephas macrocarpa, used as a source of vegetable ivory for carving: also called corozo-nut. ivory tower astate of seclusion or separation from the ordinary world and the harsh realities of life. vegetable ivory a hard white material obtained from the endosperm of the ivory-nut. 00 ivoried adj. [ME f. OF yvoire ult. f. L ebur eboris]

Ivory Coast a country in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea, between Liberia and Ghana; pop. (est. 1988) 11,184,850; official language, French; capital, Abidjan. The area was explored by the Portuguese in the late 15th c., and subsequently disputed by traders from various European countries who sought the ivory from which the country takes its name, and slaves. It was made a French protectorate in 1842, and became an autonomous republic within the French Community in 1958 and afully independent republic outside it in 1960. One of the more developed of African economies, it is noted for its forest resources which make it the leading African exporter of tropical wood.

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

kcat

Iwo Jima /|,i:wou 'd3i:mo/ a small volcanic island, the largest of the Volcano Islands in the western Pacific, 1,222 km (760 miles) south of Tokyo. During the Second World War it was the heavily

fortified site of a Japanese air base, and its attack and capture in 1944-5 was one of the severest US campaigns. It was returned to Japan in 1968.

TWW abbr. Industrial Workers of the World. ixia /'tks1a/ n. any iridaceous plant of the genus Ixia of S. Africa, with large showy flowers. [L f. Gk, a kind of thistle]

Ixion /'tkston/ Gk Mythol. the Greek Cain, the first to murder one of his kin. He was purified by Zeus, but tried to seduce Hera, and was first deceived with a cloud-image of her (on which he begat the Centaurs) and afterwards was punished by being pinned to a fiery wheel that revolved unceasingly through the underworld.

izard |'1za:d/ n. a chamois. [F isard, of unkn. orig.] -ize /atz/ suffix (also -ise) forming verbs, meaning: 1 make or become such (Americanize; pulverize; realize). 2 treat in such a way (monopolize; pasteurize). 3 a follow a special practice (economize). b have a specified feeling (sympathize). 4 affect with, provide with, or subject to (oxidize; hospitalize). {The form -ize has been in use in English since the 16th c.; it is widely used in American English, but is not an Americanism. The alternative spelling -ise (reflecting a French influence) is in common use, esp. in British English, and is obligatory in certain cases: (a) where it forms part of a larger word-element, such as -mise (= sending) in compromise, and -prise (= taking) in surprise; and (b) in verbs corresponding to a noun with -s- in the stem, such as advertise and televise. 00 -ization /|-'ze1{(e)n/ suffix forming nouns. -izer suffix forming agent nouns. [from or afterF -iser f. LL -izare f. Gk

-iz6] Izmir /1z'm1a(r)/ (formerly Smyrna /'sms:no/) a seaport and naval base in western Turkey, on an inlet of the Aegean Sea; pop. (1985) 1,489,800. It is the third-largest city of Turkey. izmit /1z'mit/ a city of NW Turkey, situated on the Gulf of Izmit, an inlet of the Sea of Marmara; pop. (1985) 236,100.

Iznik /1z'nik/ a town of NW Turkey, situated to the south-east of the Sea of Marmara; pop. 14,000. Built on the site of ancient Nicaea, it has been a noted centre for the production of coloured tiles since the 16th c.

lleg

m man

nno

ppen r red sgsit

t top

v voice

J J* /dger/ n. (also j) (pl. Js or J’s) 1 the tenth letter of the alphabet. 2 (as a Roman numeral) = i ina

final position (ij; vj).

J? abbr. (also J.) 1 joule(s). 2 Judge. 3 Justice. jab /dgzb/ v. & n. —v.tr. (jabbed, jabbing) 1 a poke roughly. b stab. 2 (foll. by into) thrust (a thing) hard or abruptly. —n. 1 an abrupt blow with one’s fist or a pointed implement. 2 collog. a hypodermic injection, esp. a vaccination. [orig. Sc. var. of JoB?]

Jabalpur /,d3abel'poa(r)/ an industrial city and military post of central India, in Madhya Pradesh; pop. (1981) 758,000.

jabber /'djeba(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. chatter volubly and incoherently. 2 tr. utter (words) fast and indistinctly. —n. meaningless jabbering; a gabble. [imit.]

jabberwocky /|'d32ba,woki/ n. (pl. -ies) a piece of nonsensical writing or speech, esp. for comic effect. [title of a poerm in Lewis Carroil’s Through the Looking-Glass (1871)]}

jabiru /'d3zb1,ru:/ n. 1 a large stork, Jabiru mycteria, of Central

the genus Canis, esp. C. aureus, found in Africa and S. Asia, usu. hunting or scavenging for food in packs. 2 collog. a a person who does preliminary drudgery for another. b a person who assists another’s immoral behaviour. [Turk. cakal f. Pers. Sagal]

jackanapes /'d3zeko,nerps/ n. archaic 1 a pert or insolent fellow. 2 a mischievous child. 3 a tame monkey. [earliest as Jack Napes (1450): supposed to refer to the Duke of Suffolk, whose badge was an ape’s clog and chain]

jackaroo /,d3zeko'ru:/ n. (also jackeroo) Austral. collog. a novice on a sheep-station or cattle-station. [JAcK! + KANGAROO]

jackass /'d3zekzs/n. 1. male ass. 2 a stupid person. jackboot /'d3zkbu:t/ n. 1a large boot reaching above the knee. 2 this as a symbol of fascism or military oppression. jackbooted adj.

jackdaw

/'d3ekdo:/

n. a small

grey-headed

crow,

00

Corvus

and S. America. 2 a black-necked stork, Xenorhyncus asiaticus, of Asia and Australia. [Tupi-Guarani jabiri]

monedula, often frequenting rooftops and nesting in tall buildings, and noted for its inquisitiveness (cf. DAW). jackeroo var. of JACKAROO.

jaborandi |,d3zbe'rzndi/ n. (pl. jaborandis) 1 any shrub of

jacket /'dgzkit/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa sleeved short outer garment.

the genus Pilocarpus, of S. America. 2 the dried leaflets of this, having diuretic and diaphoretic properties. [Tupi-Guarani jaburandi]

jabot /'3ebau/ n. an ornamental frill or ruffle of lace etc. on the front of a shirt or blouse. [F, orig. = crop of a bird] jacana /'d3zkono, -seno/ n. any of various small tropical wading birds of the family Jacanidae, with elongated toes and hind-claws which enable them to walk on floating leaves etc. [Port. jacana

f. Tupi-Guarani jasand]

jacaranda |,dzeko'rendo/ n. 1 any tropical American tree of

b a thing worn esp. round the torso for protection or support (lifejacket). 2 a casing or covering, e.g. as insulation round a boiler. 3 = dustjacket. 4 the skin of a potato, esp. when baked whole. 5 an animal’s coat. —v.tr. (jacketed, jacketing) cover with a jacket. o jacket potato a baked potato served with the skin on. [ME f. OF ja(c)quet dimin. of jaque JACK?

jackfish /'dzekfi/ n. (pl. same) = PIKE}. jackfruit /'djakfru:t/ n. 1 an East Indian tree, Artocarpus heterophyllus, bearing fruit resembling breadfruit. 2 this fruit. [Port. jaca f. Malayalam chakka + FRUIT]

the genus Jacaranda, with trumpet-shaped blue flowers. 2 any tropical American tree of the genus Dalbergia, with hard scented

jackhammer /|'d3z2k,hemo(r)/ n. US a pneumatic hammer or

wood. [Tupi-Guarani jacarand4]

jackknife /'d3eknaif] n. & v. —n. (pl. -knives) 1 a large clasp-

jacinth /'dzesin6, 'dger-/ n. a reddish-orange variety of zircon used as a gem. [ME iacynt etc. f. OF iacinte or med.L jacint(h)us f. L hyacinthus HYACINTH]

jack! /d3zzk/ n. & v. —n. 1a device for lifting heavy objects, esp. the axle ofia vehicle off the ground while changing a wheel etc. 2 a court-card with a picture of a man, esp. a soldier, page, or knave, etc. 3 a ship’s flag, esp. one flown from the bow and showing nationality. 4 a device using a single plug to connect an electrical circuit. 5 a small white ball in bowls, at which the players aim. 6 a = JACKSTONE. b(in pl.) a game of jackstones. 7 (Jack) the familiar form of John esp. typifying the common man or the male of a species (I’m all right, Jack). 8 the figure of a man striking the bell on a clock. 9 sl. a detective; a policeman. 10 US sl. money. 11 = LUMBERJACK. 12 = STEEPLEJACK. 13 a device for turning a spit. 14 any of various marine perchlike fish of the family Carangidae, including the amberjack. 15 a device for plucking the string of a harpsichord etc., one being operated by each key. —v.tr. (usu. foll. by up) 1 raise with or as with a jack (in sense 1). 2 collog. raise e.g. prices. 0 every man jack each and every person. Jack Frost frost personified. jack in (or up) sl. abandon (an attempt etc.). jack-in-the-box a toy figure that springs out of a box when it is opened. jack-in-office a selfimportant minor official. jack of all trades a person who can do many different kinds of work. jack-o’-lantern 1 a will-o’-the-wisp. 2 a lantern made esp. from a hollowed pumpkin with holes for facial features. jack plane a medium-sized plane

for use in rough joinery. jack plug a plug for use with a jack (see sense 4 of n.). Jack tar a sailor. on one’s jack (or Jack Jones) sl. alone; on one’s own. [ME lakke, a pet-name for John, erron. assoc. with F Jacques James]

jack? /dzzk/ n. 1 = BLACKjACK®. 2 hist. a sleeveless padded tunic worn by foot-soldiers. [ME f. OF jaque, of uncert. orig.]

drill. knife. 2 a dive in which the body is first bent at the waist and then straightened. —v.intr. (-knifed, -knifing) (of an articulated vehicle) fold against itself in an accidental skidding

movement. jackpot /'d3zkppt/ n. a large prize or amount of winnings, esp. accumulated in a game or lottery etc. 0 hit the jackpot collog. 1 win a large prize. 2 have remarkable luck or success. [JACK! n. 2 + pot!: orig. in a form of poker with two jacks as minimum to open the pool]

jackrabbit /'d3ek,rebit/ n. US any of various large prairie hares of the genus Lepus with very long ears and hind legs.

Jack Russell /d3zek 'ras(a)l/ n. 1 a terrier of a breed with short legs. 2 this breed.

jacksnipe /'dgeksnarp/ n. a small snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus. Jackson! /'dzzks(a)n/, Andrew (1767-1845), 7th President of the US, 1829-37, known as ‘Old Hickory’. After an active early career in which he defeated a British Army at New Orleans (1815), successfully invaded Florida (1818), and waged several campaigns against the Indians, as well as serving as a Congressman, Senator, and State judge and earning a reputation as a duellist, Jackson was elected President in 1829 and initiated the spoils system while generally strengthening presidential powers. He retired in 1837 and lived out his life at his home in Tennessee.

Jackson? /'dzzks(s)n/, Michael (1958—_), American singer and songwriter, who started by performing with his brothers in the

Jackson Five and later had a very successful solo career. Jackson® Thomas Jonathan (‘Stonewall’) (1824-63), Confederate general of the American Civil War, who made his mark as a brigade commander at the first battle of Bull Run in 1861 (where a successful defensive stand earned him his nickname). As the trusted deputy of Robert E. Lee he played a crucial part in the

jackal /'d3zzk(a)l/ n. 1 any of various wild doglike mammals of

Confederate victories in Virginia in the first two years of the

wwe

tf chip

z zoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

Jacksonville

(pip

Jainism

758

aa

aa

war. Jackson died after being mistakenly shot by his own troops at the battle of Chancellorsville.

Jacksonville /'d3zkson,vil/ the largest city of Florida, named

jactitation /,djaektr'ter{(2)n/ n. 1 Med. a the restless tossing of the body in illness. b the twitching of a limb or muscle. 2 archaic the offence of falsely claiming to be a person’s wife or husband. [med.L jactitatio false declaration f. L jactitare boast, frequent. of jactare throw: sense 1 f. earlier jactation]

jackstaff /'dzzeksta:f] n. Naut. 1 a staff at the bow of a ship for jackstone /'djzkstoun/ n. 1 a small piece of metal etc. used with others in tossing-games. Also called JAck!. 2 (in pl.) aa game with aball and jackstones. b the game of jacks.

jackstraw /'d3zkstro:/ n. a spillikin. Jack the Ripper a notorious Victorian murderer, never iden-

Jacuzzi |d3o'ku:z1/ n. (pl. Jacuzzis) propr. a large bath with underwater jets of water to massage the body. [name of the inventor and manufacturers]

jade! /dzerd/ n. 1 a hard usu. green stone composed of silicates

of calcium and magnesium, or of sodium and aluminium, used for ornaments and implements. 2 the green colour of jade. [F: le jade for l’ejade f. Sp. piedra de ijada stone of the flank, ie. stone

tified, who carried out a series of grisly murders of prostitutes in the East End of London in 1888-9. In each case the body was

mutilated in a way that indicated a knowledge of anatomy. The authorities received taunting notes from a person calling himself Jack the Ripper and claiming to be the murderer, but the case remains unsolved. Jacob |'dzerkob/ a Hebrew partiarch (see IsRAEL'), the younger of the twin sons of Isaac and Rebecca. He tricked his brother Esau (see entry) out of his birthright. 0 Jacob’s ladder (with ref. to Jacob’s dream of a ladder reaching to heaven, as described in Gen. 28:12) 1 a plant, Polemonium caeruleum, with corymbs

of blue or white flowers, and leaves suggesting a ladder. 2 a rope-ladder with wooden rungs. Jacob’s staff (with ref. to the staffs used by Jacob, as described in Gen. 30:37-43) 1 a surveyor’s iron-shod rod used instead of a tripod. 2 an instrument used for measuring distances and heights. [Heb. ya'aqob following after, supplanter]

for colic (which it was believed to cure)]

jade? /dzeid/ n. 1 an inferior or worn-out horse.

Jacobin /'djzkobin/ n. 1 a hist. a member of an extreme political party during the French Revolution. Taking their name from the old Jacobin convent (see sense 2) where they held their first meetings in 1789, the Jacobins were the most radical of the large political groups formed in the wake of the revolution of 1789, advocating complete equality and democracy and willing to undertake extreme actions to realize their goals. b any extreme radical. 2 archaic a Dominican friar. 3 (jacobin) a pigeon with reversed feathers on the back of its neck like a cowl. oo Jacobinic /-'binrk/ adj. Jacobinical /-'binik(a)l/ adj. Jacobinism 1. [orig. in sense 2 by assoc. with the Rue St Jacques

in Paris: ME f. F f. med.L Jacobinus f. eccl.L Jacobus} Jacobite! /'dgzko,bait/ n. a follower of Jacobus Bardaeus (6th-c. Syrian monophysite monk). The Jacobites (not so called until 787) became the national Church of Syria; a small membership still exists. [L Jacobus (see JACOBEAN)]

Jacobite? /'dzzko,bart/ n. hist. a supporter of the deposed James Il, or of his descendants, or of the Stuarts after the Revolution of 1688, in their claim to the British throne. The Jacobites drew most of their support from Catholic clans of the Scottish Highlands, backed by France only when it suited her political convenience. Three serious attempts were launched to regain the throne in 1689-90, 1715, and 1745-6, but support finally collapsed when the clans were suppressed after the battle of Culloden. 00 Jacobitical |-'bitrk(2)l/ adj. Jacobitism n. [L Jacobus James: see JACOBEAN]

Jacobs

/'dzerkebz/, William

Wymark

(1863-1943),

English

author, remembered especially for his short stories. These fall roughly into two groups: those dealing humorously with the escapades of sailors and of country characters and rogues (as in the ‘Claybury’ stories), and tales of the macabre, such as the celebrated ‘The Monkey’s Paw’, which was dramatized with great success. jaconet /'d3zekonit/ n. a cotton cloth like cambric, esp. a dyed waterproof kind for poulticing etc. [Urdu jagannathi f. Jagannath (now Puri) in India, its place of origin: see JUGGERNAUT] Jacquard /'d3zka:d/ n. 1 an apparatus with perforated cards, fitted to a loom to facilitate the weaving of figured fabrics. 2 (in full Jacquard loom) a loom fitted with this. 3 a fabric or article we cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

2 derog. a

disreputable woman. [ME: orig. unkn.]

jaded /'dzerdid/ adj. tired or worn out; surfeited. 00 jadedly adv. jadedness n.

jadeite /'dzerdart| n. a green, blue, or white sodium aluminium silicate form of jade.

jadoube [3a:'du:b| int. Chess a declaration by a player intending to adjust the placing of a piece without making a move with it. (F, = I adjust] jaeger |'je1ga(r)/ n. (also yager) US = skua. [G Jager hunter f. jagen to hunt] Jaffa /'d3zfo/ n. a large oval thick-skinned variety of orange. [Jaffa in Israel, near where it was first grown] :

Jaffna /'d3zfno/ 1 a district at the northern tip of Sri Lanka,

Jacobean /,d3zko'bi:an/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or relating to the reign of James I of England. 2 (of furniture) in the style prevalent then, esp. of the colour of dark oak. —n. a Jacobean person. [mod.L Jacobaeus f. eccl.L Jacobus James f. Gk Iakobos Jacob]

eS

made with this, with an intricate variegated pattern. [J. M. Jacquard, Fr. inventor d. 1834]

after President Andrew Jackson; pop. (1982) 556,400.

a jack. 2a staff carrying the flag that is to show above the masthead.

aaa nS

dominated by a Hindu Tamil population; pop. (1981) 830,000. 2 its capital city; pop. (1981) 118,200.

jag! /dzeg/n. & v. —n. a sharp projection of rock etc. —v.tr. (jagged, jagging) 1 cut or tear unevenly. 2 make indentations in. oo jagger n. [ME, prob. imit.] jag? /dzeg/ n. sl. 1 a drinking bout; a spree. 2 a period of indulgence in an activity, emotion, etc. [orig. 16th c., = load for one horse: orig. unkn.] Jagannatha /|,d3zg9'na:60/ Hinduism the form of Krishna worshipped in Puri, Orissa. In the annual festival held in June or July his image is carried through the streets in a heavy chariot dragged along by devotees; some devotees are said to have thrown themselves under its wheels. [Skr., = lord of the world]

jagged /'d3

non-logical [non'lod3rk(e)l/ adj. not involving logic. § Neutral

§| Neutral in sense: see NON- 6, INEFFECTIVE.

z cat

/npn'linio(r)/ adj. not linear, esp. with regard to

|monmeg'netik/

adj. (of a substance) not

magnetic.

non-member 1 sit

i: see

pv hot

/non'memba(r)/ n. a person who is not a o: saw

arun

o put

u: too

a ago

al my

non-metal member

(of

991 a

particular

association,

non-membership n. non-metal /npn'met(s)l/ adj. non-metallic /-m1'tzltk/ adj.

not

club,

made

etc).

oO

of metal.

oo

non-militant /non'milt(a)nt/ adj. not militant.

non-verbal holder to reside at the place of work. —n. a non-resident person, esp. a person using some of the facilities of a hotel. oo non-residence n. non-residential /-'den/(2)l/ adj. non-resistance /nonri'zist(s)ns/ n. failure to resist; a lack of resistance.

non-military /non'miltori/ adj. not military; not involving armed forces, civilian.

non-returnable /,nonri'ts:nob(o)l/ adj. that may or need or

non-ministerial /,nonmimt'stisriel/ adj. not ministerial (esp.

non-rigid /non'rid3id/ adj. (esp. of materials) not rigid. non-scientific /non,saron'tiftk/ adj. not involving science or

in political senses). non-moral /non'mor(2)l/ adj. not concerned with morality. §]Neutral in sense: non-morally adv.

see

NON-

6, AMORAL,

IMMORAL.

OO

non-natural /non'netfor(a)l/ adj. not involving natural means or processes. {] Neutral in sense: see NON- 6, UNNATURAL.

non-negotiable /nvnni'goufab(s)l/ adj. that cannot be negotiated (esp. in financial senses). non-net /non'net/ adj. (of a book) not subject to a minimum selling price. non-nuclear /non'nju:klia(r)/ adj. 1 not involving nuclei or nuclear energy. 2 (of a State etc.) not having nuclear weapons. © non-observance |,nonab'z3:v(a)ns/ n. failure to observe (esp. an agreement, requirement, etc.).

will not be returned.

scientific methods. §] Neutral in sense: see NON- 6, UNSCIENTIFIC. 00 non-scientist /-'sarontist/ n. c non-sectarian /,nonsek'teorion/ adj. not sectarian. nonsense /'npns(2)ns/ n. 1 a (often as int.) absurd or meaningless words or ideas; foolish or extravagant conduct. b an instance of this. 2 a scheme, arrangement, etc., that one disapproves of. 3 (often attrib.) a form of literature meant to amuse by absurdity (nonsense verse). 00 nonsensical /-'senstk(s)l/ adj. nonsensicality /non,sensi'keliti/ n. (pl. -ies). nonsensically |-'sensikali/ adv. non sequitur |non 'sekwita(r)/ n. a conclusion that does not logically follow from the premisses. [L, = it does not follow] non-sexual /npn'seksjual, -{ual/ adj. not based on or involving sex. 00 non-sexually adv.

non-operational /nonvps'rerfan(a)l/ adj. 1 that does not oper-

non-skid /npn'skid/ adj. 1 that does not skid. 2 that inhibits

ate. 2 out of order. non-organic /|npno:'genik/

non-slip /non'slip/ adj. 1 that does not slip. 2 that inhibits

adj. not organic.

§ Neutral

in

sense: see NON- 6, INORGANIC.

nonpareil /'nonpor(s)l, nonps'rerl/ adj. & n. —adj. unrivalled or unique. —n. such a person or thing. [F f. pareil equal f. pop.L pariculus dimin. of L par]

non-participating /,nonpa:'tis1,pertin/ adj. not taking part. non-partisan /,nonpa:ti'zen/ adj. not partisan. non-party /non'pa:ti/ adj. independent of political parties. non-payment /non'permont/ n. failure to pay; a lack of

payment. non-person /'npn,p3:s(2)n/ n. a person regarded as non-existent or insignificant (cf. UNPERSON). non-personal /npn'ps:son(s)l/ adj. not personal. § Neutral in

sense: see NON- 6, IMPERSONAL. non-physical /non'fizik(s)l/

adj. not

physical.

skidding. slipping. non-smoker /non'smovks(r)/ n. 1 a person who does not smoke. 2 a train compartment etc. in which smoking is forbidden. 00 non-smoking adj. & n.

non-soluble

/non'spljub(a)l/ adj. (esp. of a substance) not

soluble. {| Neutral in sense: see NON- 6, INSOLUBLE.

non-specialist /non'spefolist/ n. a person who is not a specialist (in a particular subject).

non-specific /,nonsp1'srfik/ adj. that cannot be specified. non-standard /npn'stzendod/ adj. not standard. non-starter /non'sta:ta(r)/ n. 1 a person or animal that does not start in a race. 2 collog. a person or thing that is unlikely to succeed or be effective.

non-stick /non'strk/ adj. 1 that does not stick. 2 that does not oO

non-

physically adv. non placet |non 'pletset/ n. a negative vote in a Church or university assembly. [L, = it does not please]

non-playing /non'plemn/ adj. that does not play or take part (in a game etc.). nonplus /npn'plas/ v. & n. —v.tr. (nonplussed, nonplussing) completely perplex. —n. a state of perplexity, a standstill (at a nonplus; reduce to a nonplus). [L non plus not more] non-poisonous /non'porzones/ adj. (of a substance) not

poisonous. non-political /nonpo'litrk(9)l/ adj. not political; not involved in politics. non-porous /npn'po:ras/ adj. (of a substance) not porous. non possumus |non 'ppsjumas/ n. a statement of inability to act in a matter. [L, = we cannot]

non-productive /,nonpro'daktrv/ adj. not productive. §] Neut-

allow things to stick to it. non-stop /non'stop/ adj., adv., & n. —adj. 1 (of a train etc.) not stopping at intermediate places. 2 (of a journey, performance, etc.) done without a stop or intermission. —adv. without stopping or pausing. —n. a non-stop train etc.

non-subscriber /,nonsab'skrarba(r)/ n. a person who is not a subscriber.

nonsuch /'nansat{/ n. (also nonesuch) 1 a person or thing that is unrivalled, a paragon. 2 a leguminous plant, Medicago lupulina, with black pods. [NONE! + SUCH, usu. now assim. to NON-] nonsuit /non'sjutt, -'su:t/n. & v. Law —n. the stoppage ofa suit by the judge when the plaintiff fails to make out a legal case or to bring sufficient evidence. —v.tr. subject (a plaintiff) to a nonsuit. [ME f. AF no(u)nsuit] non-swimmer /npn'swimo(r)/ n. a person who cannot swim.

non-technical /npn'teknik(2)l/ adj. 1 not technical. 2 without technical knowledge.

00 non-productively

non-toxic /non'tokstk/ adj, not toxic. non-transferable /,nontrens'f3:rob(2)l/ adj. that may not be

/,nonpro'fefan(s)l/ adj. not professional

(esp. in status). 4] Neutral in sense: see NON- 6, UNPROFESSIONAL. non-profit /non'profit/ adj. not involving or making aprofit.

transferred. non-U /npn‘ju:/ adj. collog. not characteristic of the upper class. (See MirTFoRD.) [NON- + U?]

non-profit-making

non-uniform /npn'ju:n1,f:m/ adj. not uniform.

ral in sense: see NON- 6, UNPRODUCTIVE.

adv.

non-professional

/non'profitjmerkin/ adj. (of an enter-

prise) not conducted primarily to make a profit.

non-proliferation /nonprolifs're1{(2)n/ n. the prevention of an increase in something, esp. possession of nuclear weapons. non-racial /non'rerf(9)l/ adj. not involving race or racial factors.

non-reader /non'ri:do(r)/ n. a person who cannot read. non-resident /non'rezid(s)nt/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 not residing ina particular place, esp. (of a member of the clergy) not residing where his or her duties require. 2 (of a post) not requiring the au how

er day

a0 no

ea hair

19 near

o1 boy

vo poor

non-union /non'ju:nian/ adj. 1 not belonging to a trade union. 2 not done or produced by members of a trade union. non-usage /non'ju:z1d3, -'ju:s1d3/ n. failure to use. non-use /npn'ju:s/ n. failure to use. non-user /non'ju:za(r)/ n. Law the failure to use a right, by which it may be lost. [AF nounuser (unrecorded) (as NON-, USER)]

non-verbal /non'vs:b()l/ adj. not involving words or speech. O00 non-verbally adv.

aio fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

non-vintage

north

992

3 Geom. (of a line) at right angles, perpendicular. 4 Chem. (of a solution) containing one gram-equivalent of solute per litre. —n. 1a the normal value of a temperature etc., esp. blood-heat. b the usual state, level, etc. 2 Geom. a line at right angles. oO normal distribution Statistics a function that represents the distribution of many random variables as a symmetrical bell-shaped graph. normal school (in the US, France, etc.) a school or college for training teachers. 00 normalcy n. esp. US. normality /-'mzliti/ n. [F normal or L normalis (as NORM)]

non-vintage /non'vintid3/ adj. (of wine etc.) not vintage.

non-violence /non'vatolons/ n. the avoidance of violence, esp. as a principle. 00 non-violent adj.

non-volatile

/non'vplo,tail/ adj. (esp. of a substance) not

volatile. non-voting /non'voutm/ adj. not having or using a vote. oo

non-voter n.

non-White /non'wait/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (of a person) not White. 2 of or relating to non-White people. —n. a non-White person. non-word /'nonws:d/ n. an unrecorded or unused word. noodle! /'nu:d(s)l/ n. a strip or ring of pasta. [G Nudel] noodle? /'nu:d(3)]/ n. 1a simpleton. 2 sl. the head. [18th c.: orig.

normalize /'no:ma,laiz/ v. (also -ise) 1 tr. make normal. 2 intr. become normal. 3 tr. cause to conform. /-'zerf(o)n/ n. normalizer n.

normally /'no:moli/ adv. 1 in a normal manner. 2 usually. Norman /'no:mon/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a native or inhabitant of

unkn.] nook /nok/ n. a corner or recess; a secluded place. [ME nok(e) corner, of unkn. orig.] nooky /'noki/ n. (also nookie) sl. sexual intercourse. [20th c:: perh. f. Nook] noon /nu:n/ n. 1 twelve o’clock in the day, midday. 2 the culminating point. [OE non f. L nona (hora) ninth hour: orig. = 3 p.m. (cf. NONE?)]

Normandy. 2 a descendant of the people of mixed Scandinavian and Frankish origin established there in early medieval times. They were the dominant military power in western Europe in the 11th c., conquering England in 1066 and setting up Norman kingdoms as far afield as Sicily, Greece, and the Holy Land. 3 Norman French. 4 Archit. the style of Romanesque architecture developed by the Normans and employed in England after the Conquest, with rounded arches and heavy pillars. 5 any of the English kings from William I to Stephen. —adj. 1 of or relating to the Normans. 2 of or relating to the Norman style of architecture. 0 Norman Conquest see CONQUEST. Norman English English as spoken or influenced by the Normans. Norman French French as spoken by the Normans or (after 1066) in English lawcourts. 00 Normanesque /-'nesk/ adj. Normanism n. Normanize v.tr. & intr. (also -ise). [OF Normans pl. of Normant f. ON Northmathr (as NORTH, MAN)]}

noonday /'nu:ndei/ n. midday. no one /'nov wan] n. no person; nobody.

noontide /'nu:ntaid/ n. (also noontime /-tarm/) midday. noose /nu:s/n. & v. —n. 1a loop with a running knot, tightening as the rope or wire is pulled, esp. in a snare, lasso, or hangman’s halter. 2 a snare or bond. 3 joc. the marriage tie. —v.tr. 1 catch with or enclose in a noose, ensnare. 2 a make a noose on (a cord). b (often foll. by round) arrange (a cord) in a noose. Oo put

one’s head in a noose bring about one’s own downfall. [ME nose, perh. f. OF no(u)s f. L nodus knot] nopal /'noup(s)l/ n. any American cactus of the genus Nopalea, esp. N. cochinellifera grown in plantations for breeding cochineal. [F & Sp. f. Nahuatl nopalli cactus] nope /noup/ adv. collog. = No? adv. 1. [No?] nor /no:(r), na(r)/ conj. 1 and not; and not either (neither one thing nor the other, not a man nor a child was to be seen; I said I had not seen it, nor had I; all that is true, nor must we forget ...; can neither read nor write). 2 and no more; neither (‘I cannot go’—‘Nor can I’). Onor...nor... poet. or archaic neither... nor... [{ME, contr. f. obs. nother f. OE nawther, nahwether (as NO?, WHETHER)] nor’ /no:(r)/ n. & adj. & adv. (esp. in compounds) = NORTH (nor’ward; nor’wester). [abbr.]

noradrenalin /,no:ra'drenalin/ n. (also noradrenaline) a hormone released by the adrenal medulla and by sympathetic nerve endings as a neurotransmitter. [normal + ADRENALIN]

00 normalization

Normandy /'no:moendi/ 1 a former province of NW France with its coastline on the English Channel, now divided into the two regions of Upper Normandy (Haute-Normandie) and Lower Nor-

mandy (Basse-Normandie). It was given by Charles III of France to Rollo, first Duke of Normandy, in 912, and was contested between France and Britain throughout the Middle Ages until finally conquered by France in the mid-15thc. 2 the name of the royal house including William I and II, Henry I, and Stephen, which ruled England from 1066 until 1154. normative /'no:motiv/ adj. of or establishing a norm. oo normatively adv. normativeness n. [F normatif -ive f. L norma (see NORM)]

Norn /no:n/ n. Scand. Mythol. the personification of fate or destiny, usually in the form of a virgin goddess (Urd, Urdar, Verdandi, Skuld). [ON: orig. unkn.]

Norrk6ping /'no:kapim/ an industrial seaport on an inlet of the Baltic Sea in SE Sweden; pop. (1987) 119,000.

Nordic /'no:dik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or relating to an extremely artificial sub-racial grouping of people who, as a population, are tall, with fair colouring, and dolichocephalic. 2 of or relating to Scandinavia or Finland. 3 (of skiing) with cross-country work and jumping. —n. a Nordic person, esp. a native of Scandinavia or Finland. [F nordique f. nord north]

Norroy /'noroi/ n. (in full Norroy and Ulster) Heraldry (in the UK) the title given to the third King of Arms, with jurisdiction north of the Trent and (since 1943) in N. Ireland (cf. CLARENCEUX, King of Arms). [ME f. AF norroi (unrecorded) f. OF nord north, roi

Nordkyn /'no:kon/ a promontory in NE Norway, to the east of

Norse /no:s/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a the Norwegian language. b the

North Cape, considered to be the northernmost point of Europe.

Norfolk

Scandinavian language-group.

/'no:fok/ a county of eastern England; pop. (1981)

esp. Norway. 0 Old Norse the Germanic language of Norway and its colonies, or of Scandinavia, down to the 14th c. It is the ancestor of the Scandinavian languages and is most clearly preserved in the saga literature of Iceland. 00 Norseman n. (pl. -men). [Du. noor(d)sch f. noord north] North /no:6/, Frederick, Lord (1732-92), British Whig statesman, Prime Minister 1770-82. He was popular as a peacetime premier and in the early years of the War of American Independence

Norfolk Island /'no:fok/ an island in the Pacific Ocean to the east of Australia and the north of New Zealand, administered as an external territory of Australia; pop. (1986) 1,977. Occupied from 1788 to 1814 as a penal colony, the island was settled by the descendants of the mutineers from the Bounty in 1856. nork /no:k/ n. (usu. in pl.) Austral. sl. a woman’s breast. [20th c.: orig. uncert.]

/'no:lond/

n. Brit. a northern

region.

[contr.

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

(which he had sought to avoid), but increasing frustration at failures in America, and opposition propaganda suggesting that his ministry was being sustained in power by excessive Crown patronage and influence, brought his resignation in 1782.

of

NORTHLAND] norm /no:m/ n. 1 a standard or pattern or type. 2 a standard quantity to be produced or amount of work to be done. 3 customary behaviour etc. [L norma carpenter’s square] normal /'no:m(e)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 conforming to a standard; regular, usual, typical. 2 free from mental or emotional disorder.

2 (prec. by the; treated as pl.) a

the Norwegians. b the Vikings. —adj. of ancient Scandinavia,

710,400; county town, Norwich. o Norfolk jacket n. a man’s loose belted jacket, with box pleats.

norland

king]

north /no:6/ n., adj., & adv. —n. 1 a the point of the horizon

90° anticlockwise from east. b the compass point corresponding

to this. ¢ the direction in which this lies. 2 (usu. the North) a the part of the world or a country or a town lying to the north, kcat

1 leg

m man

nono

p pen:

rred

s sit

t top

v voice

North America

north-west

esp. = north country or Northern States. b the Arctic. ¢ the industrialized nations. 3 (North) Bridge a player occupying the position designated ‘north’. —adj. 1 towards, at, near, or facing north. 2 coming from the north (north wind). —adv. 1 towards, at, or near the north. 2 (foll. by of) further north than. 0 north and south lengthwise along a line from north to south. North Atlantic Drift see GuLF STREAM. north by east (or west) between north and north-north-east (or north-north-west). north country the northern part of England (north of the Humber). Nerth-countryman (pl. -men) a native of the north country. north light light from the north, esp. as desired by painters and in factory design. north pole see POLE. to the north (often foll. by of) in a northerly direction. [OE f. Gmc]

North America the northern half of the American land mass, connected to South America by the Isthmus of Panama, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. (See AMERICA.) The southern part of the continent was colonized by the Spanish in the 16th c., while the eastern coast was opened up by the British and French in the 17th c., rivalry between the two ending in British victory during the Seven Years War. The American colonies won their independence in the War of American Independence (1775-83), while Canada was. granted its own constitution in 1867. The 19th c. saw the gradual development of the western half of the continent, the emergence of Mexico as an independent State, and the growth of the United States as a world power. The US has progressively dominated the continent, both economically and politically, Canada having a very small population relative to its size and Mexico sharing, albeit to a much lesser extent, the problems of its Central American neighbours to the south. oo North American adj. & n.

Northamptonshire county of England; Northampton.

/no:'Qemptonfa(r)/ pop..

(1981)

an

532,500;

east

midland

county

town,

Northants /no:'9znts/ abbr. Northamptonshire. North Atlantic Treaty Organization see NATO. northbound /'no:6baund/ adj. travelling or leading northwards.

North Cape (Norwegian Nordkapp /'no:kzp/) a promontory on Magereya Island, off the north coast of Norway. Situated on the edge of the Barents Sea, North Cape is the northernmost point of the world accessible by car.

North Carolina /,kzre'lama/ a State of the US on the Atlantic

position or direction. 2 (of wind) blowing from the north. —n. (pl. -ies) (usu. in pl.) a wind blowing from the north. northern /'no:6(2)n/ adj. 1 of or in the north; inhabiting the north. 2 lying or directed towards the north. 0 Northern Cross the constellation Cygnus. Northern hemisphere the half of the earth north of the equator. northern lights the aurora borealis. Northern States the States in the north of the US. oo northernmost adj. [OE northerne (as NORTH, -ERN)]

Northern

Circars /|s3:'ka:z/ a name formerly used of the

coastal region of eastern India between the Krishna River and Orissa, now in Andhra Pradesh. ge northerner /'n:dane(r)/ n. a native or inhabitant of the north.

Northern Ireland a unit of the UK comprising the six northeastern counties of Ireland, established in 1920 when these

withdrew from the newly constituted Irish Free State (see IRELAND); pop. (est. 1987) 1,575,200. At first a self-governing province with its parliament meeting at Stormont Castle in Belfast, it was dorainated by the Ulster Unionist party, opposed by an increasing Roman Catholic minority favouring union with the Irish Republic. Discrimination against the latter group in local government, employment, and housing led to violent conflicts and (from 1969) the presence of British army units to keep the

peace. Continuing terrorist activities resulted in the suspension of the Stormont assembly and imposition of direct rule from Westminster. Attempts to organize an agreed and permanent system of government have so far met with failure.

Northern Rhodesia see Zamsia. Northern Territory aterritory in central north Australia, the administration of which was taken over from South Australia by the Commonwealth of Australia in 1911; it became self-governing within the Commonwealth in 1978; pop. (1986) 156,700; capital, Darwin.

northing /'no:61n/ n. Naut. the distance travelled or measured northward.

Northland /'no:6land/ n. poet. the northern lands; the northern part of a country. [OE (as NORTH, LAND)]

Northman /'no:6mon/ n. (pl. -men) a native of Scandinavia, esp. of Norway. [OE]

north-north-east n., adj., & adv. midway between north and north-east.

north-north-west n., adj., & adv. midway between north and north-west.

coast, settled by the English and named after Charles I; pop. (est. 1985) 5,881,000; capital, Raleigh. It was one of the original 13 States of the US (1788).

North Rhine-Westphalia (German Nordrhein-Westfalen

Northcliffe /'no:6kirf/, Alfred Charles William Harmsworth,

North Sea that part of the Atlantic Ocean between the main-

Viscount (1865-1922), British newspaper proprietor. With his younger brother Harold (later Lord Rothermere), Northcliffe built up a large newspaper empire in the years preceding the First World War, including The Times, the. Daily Mail, and the Daily Mirror. During the war he used his press empire to exercise a strong if at times erratic influence over British war policy and in 1918 was given control of overseas propaganda.

North Dakota /do'kavte/ a State in the north central US, bordering on Canada; pop. (est. 1985) 652,700; capital, Bismarck. Acquired partly by the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and partly from Britain by treaty in 1818, it became the 39th State of the US in 1889. north-east :n. 1 the point of the horizon midway between north and east. 2 the compass point corresponding to this. 3 the direction in which this lies. 4 (usu. the North-East) the part of a country or:town lying to the north-east. —adj. of, towards, or coming from the north-east. —adv. towards, at, or near the north-east. 0 North-east Passage a passage for ships along the northern coast of Europe and Asia, formerly thought of as a possible route to the East. 00 north-easterly adj. & adv. north-eastern adj.

northeaster /no:6'i:sta(r)/ n. a north-east wind. norther /'no:62(r)/ n. US a strong cold north wind blowing in autumn and winter over Texas, Florida, and the Gulf of Mexico.

northerly /'no:dol1/ adj., adv., & n. —adj. & adv. 1in a northern wwe

zzoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

/no:t,rarnvest'fa:lon/) a ‘Land’ (State) of Germany; pop. (1987) 16,672,000; capital, Dtisseldorf.

land of Europe and the east coast of Britain. Since 1960 it has become important for the exploitation of oil and gas deposits under the sea-bed.

North Star the pole star (see PoLARIs). Northumb. abbr. Northumberland. Northumberland /no:'6ambolend/ a county in the extreme north-east Morpeth.

of England;

pop.

(1981)

299,400;

county

town,

Northumbria /no:'@ambrio/ an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom extending from the Humber to the Forth. The name has been revived in ‘Northumbria Authority’, an area of police administration in NE England. 00 Northumbrian adj. & n. [obs. Northumber, persons living beyond the Humber, f. OE Northhymbre]

northward

/'no:6wad/ adj., adv, & n.

—adj. & adv. (also

northwards) towards the north. —n. a northward direction or region.

north-west n. 1 the point of the horizon midway between north and west. 2 the compass point corresponding to this. 3 the direction in which this lies. 4 (usu. the North-West) the part of a country or town lying to the north-west... —adj. of, towards, or coming from the north-west. —-adv. towards, at, or near the north-west. 0 North-west Passage a passage for ships along the northern coast of North America, formerly thought of as a possible route from the Atlantic to the Pacific and sought tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

northwester

not

994

ee

SS

ES

SS

fleshy part on the nostrils of some bats, used for echo location.

northwester /no:6'westo(r)/ n. a north-west wind. North-west Frontier Province a province of NW Pak- ; istan; pop. (1981) 11,061,000; capital, Peshawar.

Northwest Territories the part of Canada lying north of the 60th parallel, administered by the Hudson’s Bay Company from 1670 and transferred by Britain to Canada in 1870; pop. (1986) 52,200.

supplant a person. rub a person’s nose in it see RUB. see no further than one’s nose be short-sighted, esp. in foreseeing the consequences of one’s actions etc. speak through one’s nose pronounce words with a nasal twang. turn up one’s nose (usu. foll. by at) collog. show disdain. under a person’s nose collog. right before a person (esp. of defiant or unnoticed actions). with one’s nose in the air haughtily. 00 nosed adj. (also in comb.). noseless adj. [OE nosu] nosebag /'novzbeg/ n. a bag containing fodder, hung on a horse’s head. noseband /'nsuzbend/ n. the lower band of a bridle, passing

Mississippi and Ohio Rivers and the Great Lakes, acquired in 1783 after the War of American Independence.

North Yorkshire a county of NE England; pop. (1981) 676,500; county town, Northallerton. Norway /'no:wei/ a country (its name means ‘north way’) occupying the northern and western part of the Scandinavian peninsula; pop. (est. 1988) 4,190,750; official language, Norwegian; capital, Oslo. An independent if often divided kingdom in Viking and early medieval times, Norway was united with Denmark and Sweden by the Union of Kolmar in 1397, and after the latter’s departure in 1523, was reduced to little more than a Danish territory. Ceded to Sweden in 1814, it finally regained its independence in 1905, only to lose it for the period of the Nazi occupation of 1940-5. With a small population confined to a mountainous coastal strip, Norway is heavily dependent on foreign trade, although the opening up of the North Sea oil fields has recently benefited the economy greatly. 0 Norway lobster a small European lobster, Nephrops norvegicus. Norway rat the common brown rat, Rattus norvegicus.

over the horse’s nose.

nosebleed /'nsuzbli:d/ n. an instance of bleeding from the nose. nosedive /'nouzdarv/ n. & v. —n. 1 a steep downward plunge by an aeroplane. 2 a sudden plunge or drop. —v.intr. make a nosedive. nosegay /'nsuzgei/ n. a bunch of flowers, esp. a sweet-scented posy. [NOSE + Gay in obs. use = ornament] nosepipe /'nsuzpaip| n. a piece of piping used as a nozzle. nosering /'nsuzrin/ n. a ring fixed in the nose of an animal (esp. a bull) for leading it, or of a person for ornament. nosey var. of Nosy.

Norwegian /no:'wi:d3(a)n/n. & adj. —n. 1 aa native or national of Norway. b a person of Norwegian descent. 2 the official language of Norway, spoken by its 4 million inhabitants, which belongs to the Scandinavian language group. During the Middle Ages Danish gradually replaced Norwegian as the language of the upper classes in Norway, the peasants continuing to speak Norwegian, and there are still two separate forms of the modern language, Bokmdl or Riksmdl, the more widely used (also called Dano-Norwegian), a modified form of the Danish language used in Norway after its separation from Denmark (1814) following four centuries of union, and Nynorsk (= new Norwegian, formerly called Landsmdl), a literary form devised by the Norwegian philologist Ivar Aasen (d. 1896) from the country dialects most closely descended from Old Norse, and considered to be a purer form of the language than Bokmal. —adj. of or relating to Norway or its people or language. [med.L Norvegia f. ON Norvegr (as NORTH, WAY), assim. to Norway] ~ nor’-wester /no:'westo(r)/ n. 1a northwester. 2 a glass of strong liquor. 3 an oilskin hat, a sou’wester. [contr.]

nosh /npf/ v. & n. sl. —v.tr. & intr. 1 eat or drink. 2 US eat between meals. —n. 1 food or drink. 2 US a snack. 0 nosh-up

Brit. a large meal. [Yiddish] noshery /'npfari/ n. (pl. -ies) sl. a restaurant or snack bar. nosing /'nouzin/ n. a rounded edge of a step, moulding, etc., or a metal shield for it.

nosography /no'spgrofi/ n. the systematic description of diseases. [Gk nosos disease + -GRAPHY] nosology /no'spled31/ n. the branch of medical science dealing with the classification of diseases. oO nosological |nvsa'lpod31k(2)l/ adj. [Gk nosos disease + -LOGY]

nostalgia /nv'steld310, -d3a/ n. 1 (often foll. by for) sentimental yearning for a period of the past. 2 regretful or wistful memory of an earlier time. 3 severe homesickness. 00 nostalgic adj. nostalgically adv. [mod.L f. Gk nostos return home] nostoc /'npstok/ n. any gelatinous blue-green unicellular alga of the genus Nostoc, that can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere. {name invented by Paracelsus]

Norwich /'norid3, -1t{/ the county town of Norfolk; pop. (1981) 122,900.

Nos. abbr. numbers. [cf. No.]

Nostradamus /|,nostra'da:mas/ the Latinized name of Michel

nose /novuz/ n. & v. —n. 1 an organ above the mouth on the face or head of a human or animal, containing nostrils and used for smelling and breathing. 2 a the sense of smell (dogs have a good nose). b the ability to detect a particular thing (a nose for scandal).

de Nostredame (1503-66), Provencal astrologer whose extensive prophecies, decidedly apocalyptic in tone, were given extensive credence in the mid-16thc. at the French court, where he was for a time personal physician to Charles IX. nostril /'npstril/ n. either of two external openings of the nasal cavity in vertebrates that admit air to the lungs and smells to the olfactory nerves. 00 nostrilled adj. (also in comb.). [OE nosthyrl, nosterl f. nosu NOSE + thyr(e)l hole: cf. THRILL] nostrum /'npstrom/ n. 1 a quack remedy, a patent medicine, esp. One prepared by the person recommending it. 2 a pet scheme, esp. for political or social reform. [L, neut. of noster our, used in sense ‘of our own make’]

3 the odour or perfume of wine, tea, tobacco, hay, etc. 4 the open end or nozzle of a tube, pipe, pair of bellows, retort, etc. 5 a the front end or projecting part of a thing, e.g. of a car or aircraft. b = NOSING. 6 sl. an informer of the police. —v. 1 tr. (often foll. by out) a perceive the smell of, discover by smell. b detect. 2 tr. thrust or rub one’s nose against or into, esp. in order to smell. 3 intr. (usu. foll. by about, around, etc.) pry or search. 4 a intr. make one’s way cautiously forward. b tr. make (one’s or its way). 0 as plain as the nose on your face easily seen. by a nose by a very narrow margin (won the race by a nose). count noses count those present, one’s supporters, etc.; decide a question by mere numbers. cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face disadvantage oneself in the course of trying to

nosy /'novzi/ adj. & n. (also nosey) —adj. (nosier, nosiest) 1 collog. inquisitive, prying. 2 having a large nose. 3 having a distinctive (good or bad) smell. —n. (pl. -ies) a person with a large nose. O Nosy Parker esp. Brit. collog. a busybody. o0 nosily adv. nosiness n.

disadvantage another. get up a person’s nose sl. annoy a person. keep one’s nose clean sl. stay out of trouble, behave properly. keep one’s nose to the grindstone see GRINDSTONE. nose-cone the cone-shaped nose of a rocket etc. nose-flute a

e bed

3: her

nose-monkey the proboscis monkey. nose-piece 1 = NOSEBAND. 2 the part of a helmet etc. protecting the nose. 3 the part of a microscope to which the object-glass is attached. nose-rag sl. a pocket handkerchief. nose-to-tail (of vehicles) moving or stationary one close behind another, esp. in heavy traffic. nose-wheel a landing-wheel under the nose of an aircraft. on the nose 1 US sl. precisely. 2 Austral. sl. annoying. put a person’s nose out of joint collog. embarrass, disconcert, frustrate, or

Northwest Territory a region of the US lying between the

a: arm

SS

musical instrument blown with the nose in Fiji etc. nose leaf a

by Sebastian Cabot and others. 00 north-westerly adj. & adv. north-western adj.

z cat

SS SS

not /not/ adv. expressing negation, esp.: 1 (also n’t joined to a preceding verb) following an auxiliary verb or be or (in a question) the subject of such a verb (I cannot say; she isn’t there; didn’t 1 sit

i: see

pv hot

o: saw

Arun

wv put

u: too

9 ago

ai my

nota bene

notorious

you tell me?; am I not right?; aren’t we smart?). §] Use with other verbs is now archaic (I know not; fear not), except with participles and infinitives (not knowing, I cannot say; we asked them not to come).

2 used elliptically for a negative sentence or verb or phrase (Is she coming?—I hope not; Do you want it?—Certainly not!). 3 used to express the negative of other words (not a single one was left; Are

they pleased?—Not they; he is not my cousin, but my nephew). 0 not at all (in polite reply to thanks) there is no need for thanks. not but what archaic1 all the same; nevertheless (I cannot do it; not but what a stronger man might). 2 not such... orso... that... not (not such a fool but what he can see it). not half see HALF. not least with considerable importance, notably. not much see

notelet /'nsotlit/ n. a small folded sheet of paper, usu. with a decorative design, for an informal letter. notepaper /'nout,perpo(r)/ n. paper for writing letters. noteworthy /'novt,w3:61/ adj. worthy of attention; remarkable. OO noteworthiness n.

nothing /'na@in/ n. & adv. —n. 1 not anything (nothing has been done; have nothing to do). 2 no thing (often foll. by compl.: I see nothing that I want; can find nothing useful). 3 a a person or thing of no importance or concern; a trivial event or remark (was nothing to me; the little nothings of life). b (attrib.) collog. of no value; indeterminate (a nothing sort of day). 4 non-existence; what does not exist. 5 (in calculations) no amount; nought (a third of nothing is nothing). —-adv. 1 not at all, in no way (helps us nothing; is nothing like enough), 2 US collog. not at all (Is he ill?—Ill nothing, he’s dead.). O be nothing to 1 not concern. 2 not compare with. be (or have) nothing to do with 1 have no connection with. 2 not be involved or associated with. for nothing 1 at no cost; without payment. 2 to no purpose. have nothing on 1 be naked. 2 have no engagements. no nothing collog. (concluding a list of negatives) nothing at all. nothing doing collog. 1 a there is no prospect of success or agreement. b I refuse. 2 nothing is happening. nothing (or nothing else) for it (often foll. by but to + infin.) no alternative (nothing for it but to pay up). nothing (or not much) in it (or to it) 1 untrue or unimportant. 2 simple to do. 3 no (or little) advantage to be seen in one possibility over another. nothing less than at least (nothing less than a disaster). think nothing of it do not apologize or feel bound to show gratitude. [OE nan thing (as No}, THING)]

MUCH. not quite 1 almost (am not quite there). 2 noticeably not

(not quite proper). not that (foll. by clause) it is not to be inferred that (if he said so—not that he ever did—he lied). not a thing nothing at all. not very see very. [ME contr. of NOUGHT] nota bene |,navta 'benei| v.tr. (as imper.) observe what follows, take notice (usu. drawing attention to a following qualification of what has preceded). [L, = note well]

notability |,novte'biliti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state of being notable (names of no historical notability). 2 2 prominent person. [ME f. OF notabilité or LL notabilitas (as NOTABLE)] notable /'nsvtab(s)l/ adj. & n. —adj. worthy of note; striking, remarkable, eminent. -—n. an eminent person. 00 notableness n. notably adv. [ME f. OF f. L notabilis (as NOTE)] notarize /'novtoe,raiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) US certify (a document) as a notary. notary /'novteri/ n. (pl. -ies) (in full notary public) a person authorized to perform certain legal formalities, esp. to draw up or certify contracts, deeds, etc. 00 notarial /nou'teortol/ adj. notarially /nou'tearteli/ adv. [ME f. L notarius secretary (as NOTE)] notate /navu'tert/ v.tr. write in notation. [back-form. f. NOTATION] notation /nsu'ter{(s)n/ n. 1 a the representation of numbers, quantities, pitch and duration etc. of musical notes, etc. by symbols. b any set of such symbols. 2 a set of symbols used to represent chess moves, dance steps, etc. 3 US a a note or annotation. b a record. 4 = scale of notation (see SCALE). 00 notational adj. [F notation or L notatio (as NOTE)] notch /not{/ n. & v. —n. 1 a V-shaped indentation on an edge or surface. 2 a nick made onastick etc. in order to keep count. 3 collog. a step or degree (move up a notch). 4 US a deep gorge. —-v.tr. 1 make notches in. 2 (foll. by up) record or score with or as with notches. 3 secure or insert by notches. 00 notched adj. notcher n. notchy adj. (notchier, notchiest). [AF noche perh. f. a verbal form nocher (unrecorded), of uncert. orig.] note /nout/n. & v. —n. 14 brief record of facts, topics, thoughts, etc., as an aid to memory, for use in writing, public speaking, etc. (often in pl.: make notes; spoke without notes). 2 an observation, usu. unwritten, of experiences etc. (compare notes). 3 a short or informal letter. 4 a formal diplomatic or parliamentary communication. 5 a short annotation or additional explanation in a book etc.; a footnote. 6 a Brit. = BANKNOTE (a five-pound note). b a written promise or notice of payment of various kinds. 7 a notice, attention (worthy of note). b distinction, eminence (a person of note). 8 a a written sign representing the pitch and duration of a musical sound. b a single tone of definite pitch made by a musical instrument, the human voice, etc. ¢ a key of a piano etc. 9 a a bird’s song or call. b a single tone in this. 10 a quality or tone of speaking, expressing mood or attitude etc. (sound a note of warning; ended on a note of optimism). 11 a characteristic; a distinguishing feature. —v.tr. 1 observe, notice; give or draw attention to. 2 (often foll. by down) record as a thing to be remembered or observed. 3 (in passive; often foll. by for) be famous or well known (for a quality, activity, etc.) (were noted for their generosity). 0 hit (or strike) the right note speak or act in exactly the right manner. of note important, distinguished (a person of note). take note (often foll. by of) observe; pay attention (to). oO noted adj. (in sense 3 of v.). noteless adj. [ME f. OF note (n.), noter (v.) f. L nota mark] notebook /'nautbuk/ n. a.small book for making or taking notes.

notecase /'noutkers/ n. a wallet for holding banknotes.

au how

er day

ov no

ea hair

Io near

o1 boy

va poor

nothingness /'na@innis/ n. 1 non-existence; the non-existent. 2 worthlessness, triviality, insignificance. notice /'novtis/ n. & v. —n. 1 attention, observation (it escaped my notice). 2 a displayed sheet etc. bearing an announcement or

other information. 3 a an intimation or warning, esp. a formal one to allow preparations to be made (give notice; at a moment’s notice). b (often foll. by to + infin.) a formal announcement or declaration of intention to end an agreement or leave employment at a specified time (hand in one’s notice; notice to quit). 4a short published review or comment about a new play, book, etc. —-v.tr. 1 (often foll. by that, how, etc. + clause) perceive, observe; take notice of. 2 remark upon; speak of. o at short (or a moment’s) notice with little warning. notice-board Brit. a board for displaying notices. take notice (or no notice) show signs (or no signs) of interest. take notice of 1 observe; pay attention to. 2 act upon. under notice served with a formal notice. [ME f. OF f. L notitia being known f. notus past part. of noscere know]

noticeable /'novtisab(s)l/ adj. 1 easily seen or noticed; perceptible. 2 noteworthy. oo noticeably adv.

notifiable /'nsvt1,farab(2)l/ adj. (of a disease) that must be notified to the health authorities.

notify /'nout1,fat/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 (often foll. by of, or that + clause) inform or give notice to (a person). 2 make known; announce or report (a thing). 00 notification /-fi'ke1{(9)n/ n. [ME f. OF notifier f. L notificare f. notus known: see NOTICE] notion /'novJ(2)n/ n. 1 a a concept or idea; a conception (it was an absurd notion). b an opinion (has the notion that people are honest). ¢ a vague view or understanding (have no notion what you mean). 2 an inclination, impulse, or intention (has no notion of conforming). 3 (in pl.) small, useful articles, esp. haberdashery. [L notio idea f. notus past part. of noscere know]

notional /'novfean(s)l/ adj. 1 a hypothetical, imaginary. b (of knowledge etc.) speculative; not based on experiment etc. 2 Gram. (of a verb) conveying its own meaning, not auxiliary. 00 notionally adv. [obs. F notional or med.L notionalis (as NOTION)]

notochord /'naute,ko::d/ n. a cartilaginous skeletal rod supporting the body in all embryo and some adult chordate animals. [Gk nodton back + CHORD? notorious /nov'to:r1as/ adj. well known, esp. unfavourably (a notorious criminal; notorious for its climate). 00 notoriety /-to'rarat1/ n. notoriously adv. [med.L notorius f. L notus (as NOTION)]

aro fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

notornis

now

996 ee

Nova Lisboa see HuAMso. Nova Scotia /,nouve 'skoufa/ a province of SE Canada, com-

notornis /no'to:nis/ n. a rare flightless New Zealand bird, Porphyrio mantelli, with a large bill and brightly coloured plumage. Also called TAKAHE. [Gk notos south + ornis bird]

Notre-Dame

prising a peninsula projecting into the Atlantic and the adjoining Cape Breton island; pop. (1986) 873,200; capital, Halifax. Settled by the French in the early 18th c. (see Acap1A) it changed hands several times between the French and English until ceded to Britain in 1713, becoming a province of Canada in 1867. oD Nova Scotian adj. & n.

|,nvtra'da:m/ the gothic cathedral church of

Paris, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, on the Ile de la Cité (an island in the Seine), begun in 1163 and effectively finished by 1250. It is especially noted for its innovatory flying buttresses, sculptured facade, and great rose windows with 13th-c. stained glass. [F, = our lady]

Novaya

land; pop. (1981) 994,200; county town, Nottingham.

novel! /'npv(s)l/ n. 1 a fictitious prose story of book length. 2

Notts. /nots/ abbr. Nottinghamshire. notwithstanding /,notw16'stendin, -w16'staendin/ prep., adv., & conj. —prep. in spite of; without prevention by (notwithstanding your objections; this fact notwithstanding). —adv. nevertheless; all the same. —conj. (usu. foll. by that + clause) although. [ME, orig. absol. part. f. NOT + WITHSTAND + -ING?

Nouadhibou

Zemlya /'novvoja zemlt'a:/ two large uninhabited

islands in the Arctic Ocean to the north of the Taimyr Peninsula, USSR.

Nottinghamshire /'nptinomjJ10(r)/ a midland county of Eng-

/|,nwedi'bu:/ the principal port of Mauritania;

(prec. by the) this type of literature. [It. novella (storia story) fem. of novello new f. L novellus f. novus] novel? /'npv(a)l/ adj. of a new kind or nature; strange; previously unknown. 00 novelly adv. [ME f. OF f. L novellus f. novus new] novelese |/,npvo'li:z/ n. derog. a style characteristic of inferior novels.

pop. 22,000. Formerly known as Port Etienne, Nouadhibou is linked by rail to the iron-ore mines of Zouérate on the western edge of the Sahara.

novelette /,npva'let/ n. 1 a a short novel. b Brit. derog. a light romantic novel. 2 Mus. a piano piece in free form with several

Nouakchott /'nwekJot/ the capital of Mauritania; pop. (est.

novelettish /,npva'leti{/ adj. derog. in the style of a light roman-

nougat /'nu:ga:/ n. a sweet made from sugar or honey, nuts, and egg-white. [F f. Prov, nogat f. noga nut] nought /no:t/ n. 1 the digit 0; a cipher. 2 poet. or archaic (in certain phrases) nothing (cf. NAUGHT). 0 noughts and crosses a paper-and-pencil game with a square grid of nine squares, in which players seek to complete a row of three noughts or three crosses entered alternately. [OE nowiht f. ne not + owiht var. of awiht AUGHT!] Nouméa /nu:'mera/ the capital (formerly called Port de France) of New Caledonia; pop. (1983) 60,100.

novelist /'npvalist/ n. a writer of novels. o0 novelistic /-'listrk/

themes.

1985) 500,000.

tic novel; sentimental.

noun /naon/ n. Gram. a word (other than a pronoun) or group of words used to name or identify any of a class of persons, places, or things (common noun), or a particular one of these (proper noun). 00 nounal adj. [ME f. AF f. L nomen name]

nourish /'nariJ/ v.tr. 1 a sustain with food. b enrich; promote the development of (the soil etc.). ¢ provide with intellectual or emotional sustenance or enrichment. 2 foster or cherish (a feeling etc.). 00 nourisher n. [ME f. OF norir f. L nutrire] nourishing /'narif1n/ adj. (esp. of food) containing much nourishment; sustaining. 00 nourishingly adv.

nourishment /'nari{moant/ n. sustenance, food. nous /navs/ n. 1 collog. common sense; gumption. 2 Philos. the mind or intellect. [Gk]

nouveau riche |,nu:vav 'ri:{] n. (pl. nouveaux riches pronunc. same) a person who has recently acquired (usu. ostentatious) wealth. [F, = new rich]

nouvelle cuisine |,nu:vel kwi'zi:n| n. a modern style of cookery avoiding heaviness and emphasizing presentation. [F, = new cookery]

nouvelle vague |,nu:vel 'va:g/ n. a new trend, esp. in French

adj. novelize /'npvo,laiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) make into a novel. oo novelization /-'ze1{(2)n/ n. novella /no'velo/ n. (pl. novellas) a short novel or narrative story; a tale. [It.: see NOVEL] Novello /no'velau/, Ivor (real name David Ivor Davies, 1893-— 1951), Welsh born composer, actor, and playwright. In 1914 he wrote ‘Keep the Home Fires Burning’, which became one of the most popular songs of the First World War. Later he wrote, composed, and acted in the series of operettas that include Glamorous Night (1935), The Dancing Years (1939), and King’s Rhapsody (1942). novelty /'npvolti/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a newness; new character. b originality. 2 a new or unusual thing or occurrence. 3 a small toy or decoration etc. of novel design. 4 (attrib.) having novelty (novelty toys). [ME f. OF novelté (as NOVEL?)]

November

noviciate /no'vifiot/ n. (also novitiate) 1 the period of being a novice. 2 a religious novice. 3 novices’ quarters. [F noviciat or med.L noviciatus (as NOVICE)]

film-making of the early 1960s. [F, fem. of nouveau new + vague wave]

Novi Sad /,npv1 'sa:t/ an industrial city of Yugoslavia, capital

Nov. abbr. November. nova /'novvo/ n. (pl. novae /-vi:| or novas) a star showing a sudden large increase of brightness and then subsiding. The so-called ‘new stars’ of early astronomers, these are actually old stars which undergo a dramatic outburst, increasing in brightness by a factor of many thousands and returning to their original state over the space of a few months. They are classed as a type of cataclysmic variable, where material falling from a companion star to the surface of a white dwarf collects for several thousand years, increasing in density and temperature until it suddenly undergoes a runaway thermonuclear reaction, blasting much of the accumulated material back into space. Novae are often visible at peak brightness in small telescopes, and may sometimes become bright enough to be visible to the naked eye. [L, fem. of novus new, because orig. thought to be a new star]

b but

/no'vemba(r)/ n. the eleventh month of the year.

[ME f. OF novembre f. L November f. novem nine (orig. the ninth month of the Roman year)] novena /no'vi:no/ n. RC Ch. a devotion consisting of special prayers or services on nine successive days. [med.L f. L novem nine] Noverre /np've(r)/, Jean-Georges (1727-1810), French dancer, choreographer, ballet master, and dance theorist, a great reformer who stressed the dramatic mission of the ballet. novice /'npvis/ n. 1 a a probationary member of a religious order, before the taking of vows. b a new convert. 2 a beginner; an inexperienced person. 3 an animal that has not won a major prize in a competition. [ME f. OF f. L novicius f. novus new]

d dog

ffew

g get

h he

jyes

of the autonomous province of Vojvodina; pop. (1981) 257,700. Novocaine /'novvakem/ n. (also novocaine) propr. a local anaesthetic derived from benzoic acid. [L novus new + COCAINE]

Novokuznetsk /,nvvakuz'netsk/ an industrial city of the Soviet Union in the Kuznetz Basin in central Siberia; pop. (est. 1987) 589,000.

Novosibirsk /,npvosi'brosk/ a city of the Soviet Union, to the west of the Kuznetz Basin, on the Riber Ob; pop. (est. 1987) 1,423,000.

now /nav/ adv., conj., & n. —adv. 1 at the present or mentioned time. 2 immediately (I must go now). 3 by this or that time (it was now clear). 4 under the present circumstances (I cannot now agree). 5 on this further occasion (what do you want now?). 6 in the immediate past (just now). 7 (esp. in a narrative or discourse) then, next (the police now arrived; now to consider the next point).-8 k cat

lleg

mman

nno

p pen

rred s

sit

t top

v voice

nowadays

997

(without reference to time, giving various tones to a sentence) surely, I insist, I wonder, etc. (now what do you mean by that?; oh come now!). —conj. (often foll. by that + clause) as a consequence of the fact (now that I am older; now you mention it). —n. this time; the present (should be there by now; has happened before now): Q:as of now from or at this time. for now until a later time (goodbye for now),

now

and

again

(or then)

from

time

to time;

intermittently. now or never an expression of urgency. [OE ni] nowadays |'navoderz/ adv. & n. —adv. at the present time or age; in these times. —n. the present time. noway /'nsuwel/ adv. = NOWISE; (See no way). Nowel (also Nowell) archaic var. of NOEL. nowhere /'nsuweo(r)/ adv. & pron. —adv. in or to no place. —pron. no place. o be (or come in) nowhere be unplaced'in a

Trace or competition. come from nowhere be suddenly evident or successful. get nowhere make or cause to make no progress. in the middle of. nowhere collog. remote from urban life. nowhere near not nearly. [OE nahwzr (as No!, WHERE)]

nowise /'nouwaiz/ adv. in no manner; not at all. nowt /navt/ n. collog. or dial. nothing. [var. of NOUGHT] f noxious /'nvkJas/ adj. harmful, unwholesome. 00 noxiously adv. noxiousness n. [f. L noxius f. noxa harm] noyau /'nwa;jou/ n. (pl. noyaux /-javz/) a liqueur of brandy flavoured with fruit-kernels. [F, = kernel, ult. f. L nux nucis nut] nozzle /'nvz(2)l/ n. a spout on a hose etc. from which a jet issues.

[NOSE + -LE%] NP abbr. Notary Public.

Np symb. Chem. the element neptunium. n.p. abbr. 1 new paragraph. 2 no place of publication.

NPA abbr. (in the UK) Newspaper Publishers’ Association. NPL abbr. (in the UK) National Physical Laboratory. mr. abbr. near. NS abbr. 1 new style. 2 new series. 3 Nova Scotia.

NSB abbr. (in the UK) National Savings Bank. NSC abbr. (in the US) National Security Council. NSF abbr. (in the US) National Science Foundation. NSPCC abbr. (in the UK) National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

NSW abbr. New South Wales. NT abbr. 1 New Testament. 2 Northern Territory (of Australia). 3 no trumps. n’t /ent/ adv. (in comb.) = NoT (usu. with is, are, have, must, and the auxiliary verbs can, do, should, would: isn’t; mustn’t) (see also CAN’T, DON’T, WON’). [contr.]

Nth. abbr. North.

nth see N1 NTP abbr. normal temperature and pressure. nu /nju:/ n. the thirteenth letter of the Greek alphabet (N, v). [Gk] nuance /'nju:Gs/ n. & v. —n. a subtle difference in or shade of meaning, feeling, colour, etc. —v.tr. give a nuance or nuances to. [F f. nuer to shade, ult. f. L nubes cloud] nub /nabj n. 1 the point or gist (of a matter or story). 2 a small lump, esp. of coal. 3 a:stub; a small residue. 00 nubby adj. [app. var. of knub, f. MLG knubbe, knobbe KNOB]

nubble /'!nab(s)l/ n. a small knob or lump.

00 nubbly adj.

[dimin. of NuB]

Nubia /'nju:bro/ a region of southern Egypt and northern Sudan which includes the Nile valley between Aswan and Khartoum and the Nubian Desert to the east. Nubia fell under ancient Egyptian rule from the time of the Middle Kingdom, soon after 2000 Bc, and from about the 15th c. Bc was ruled by an Egyptian viceroy. The country was Egyptianized, and trade (especially in gold) flourished. By the 8th c. Bc, however, as Egypt’s centralized control disintegrated, a Nubian kingdom emerged, and for a brief period extended its power over Egypt. Much of Nubia is now drowned by the waters of Lake Nasser, formed by the building of the two dams at Aswan. Nubians constitute an ethnic minority group in Egypt. oo Nubian adj. & n.-

nubile /'nju:bal/ adj. (of a woman) marriageable or sexually wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

6 thin.

6 this

n ring

x loch

nucleic acid attractive. 00 nubility /-'brlrt1/ [L nubilis f. nubere become the wife of] nuchal /'nju:k(2)l/. adj. of or relating to the nape of the’ neck. [nucha nape f. med.L nucha medulla oblongata f. Arab. nuka’ spinal marrow]

nuci- /nju:'si/ comb. form nut. [L nux nucis nut] nuciferous /nju:'sifores/ adj. Bot. bearing nuts. nucivorous /nju:'srvaras/ adj. nut-eating. nuclear /'nju:klra(r)/ adj. 1 of, relating to, or constituting a nucleus. 2 using nuclear energy (nuclear reactor). 3 having nuclear weapons. 0 nuclear bomb a bomb involving the release of energy by nuclear fission or fusion or both. nuclear disarmament the renunciation of nuclear weapons. nuclear energy energy obtained by nuclear fission or fusion. nuclear family a couple and their children, regarded as a basic social unit. nuclear fission see separate entry. nuclear force a strong attractive force between nucleons in the atomic nucleus that holds the nucleus together. nuclear-free free from nuclear weapons, power, etc. nuclear fuel a substance that will sustain a fission chain reaction so that it can be used as a source of nuclear energy. nuclear fusion see separate entry. nuclear magnetic resonance the absorption of electromagnetic radiation by a nucleus having a magnetic moment when in an external magnetic field, used mainly as an analytical technique and in body imaging for diagnosis. {]Abbr.: NMR, nmr. nuclear physics the physics of atomic nuclei and their interactions, esp. in the generation of nuclear energy. nuclear power 1 electric or motive power generated by a nuclear reactor. 2 a country that has nuclear weapons. nuclear reactor see separate entry. nuclear umbrella supposed protection afforded by an alliance with a country possessing nuclear weapons. nuclear warfare warfare in which nuclear weapons are used. nuclear waste any radioactive waste material from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. nuclear winter obstruction of sunlight as a potential result of nuclear warfare, characterized» by extreme cold temperatures and other effects catastrophic to animal and vegetable life, caused by an -atmospheric layer of smoke and dust particles blocking the sun’s rays. [NUCLEUS + -AR}]

nuclear fission n. the splitting of an atomic nucleus ‘into smaller nuclei of roughly equal size, with consequent release of energy, discovered in 1938 by two German chemists, Otto Hahn and F. Strassmann. It can occur either spontaneously or after the impact of another particle. The principal elements capable of undergoing fission are plutonium, uranium, and thorium.

nuclear fusion n. the union of atomic nuclei to form heavier nuclei. For the lighter elements this process results in an enormous release of energy, but it can occur only at very high temperatures. The sun’s energy arises mainly from the conversion of its hydrogen into helium by fusion. This is also the principle behind the hydrogen bomb, the necessary high temperatures being created by an initial atomic explosion. Research continues into harnessing fusion so that it can be used in power stations, the major obstacle being how to contain the reacting substances, whose temperatures can rise to millions of degrees Celsius. nuclear reactor n. an assembly of fissile and other materials (e.g. moderators) in which a controlled chain reaction can take place, the peaceful application of the chain reaction that was first used in the atom bomb. The heat obtained when a reactor is in operation is continually carried away to where it can be used in a boiler to generate electrical power. Some reactors are involved in the production of radioactive material for medical and other purposes. The first atom ‘pile’ or reactor was built by the physicist Enrico Fermi at the University of Chicago in 1942. nuclease /'nju:klie1z/ n. an enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of nucleic acids. nucleate /'nju:kli,ert/ adj. & v. —adj. having a nucleus. —v.intr. & tr. form or form into a nucleus. 00 nucleation /-'et{(a)n/ n. [LL nucleare nucleat- form a kernel (as NUCLEUS)]

nuclei pl. of NUCLEUS. nucleic acid /nju:'kli:tk, -'klemk/ n. either of two complex ‘tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

nucleoorganic molecules

number

998

nugatory /'nju:gotori/ adj. 1 futile, trifling, worthless. 2 inoperative; not valid. [L nugatorius f. nugari to trifle f. nugae jests] nugget /!nagit/n. 1 aa lump of gold, platinum, etc., as found in the earth. b a lump of anything compared to this. 2 something valuable for its size (often abstract in sense: a little nugget of information). [app. f. dial. nug lump etc.] nuisance /'nju:s(a)ns/ n. 1 a person, thing, or circumstance causing trouble or annoyance. 2 anything harmful or offensive to the community or a member of it and for which a legal remedy exists. O nuisance value an advantage resulting from the capacity to harass or frustrate. [ME f. OF, = hurt, f. nuire nuis- f. L nocére to hurt]

(DNA and RNA), consisting of many nuc-

leotides linked in a long chain, and present in all living cells. nucleo/'nju:kliou/ comb. form nucleus; nucleic acid (nucleo-protein). nucleolus /nju:'kli:alas, -klr'gules/ n. (pl. nucleoli /-la1/) a small dense spherical structure within a non-dividing nucleus. 00 nucleolar adj. [LL, dimin. of L nucleus: see NUCLEUS] nucleon /'nju:kl,pn/ n. Physics a proton or neutron.

nucleonics |,nju:kl'pniks/ n.pl. (treated as sing.) the branch of science and technology concerned with atomic nuclei and nucleons, esp. the exploitation of nuclear power. 00 nucleonic adj. [NUCLEAR, after electronics] nucleoprotein |,nju:kliau'prouti:n/ n. a complex of nucleic acid and protein.

NUJ abbr. (in the UK) National Union of Journalists. nuke /nju:k/ n. & v. collog. —n. a nuclear weapon. or destroy with nuclear weapons. [abbr.]

nucleoside /'nju:klro,sard/ n. Biochem. an organic compound

—v.tr. bomb

consisting of a purine or pyrimidine base linked to a sugar, e.g. adenosine.

Nuku/’alofa /,nu:ku:o'loufa/ the capital of Tonga, situated on

nucleotide /'nju:klia,taid/ n. Biochem. an organic compound

null /nal/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (esp. null and void) invalid; not

consisting of a nucleoside linked to a phosphate group. nucleus /'nju:klias/ n. (pl. nuclei /-li,a1/) 1 a the central part or thing round which others are collected. b the kernel of an

binding. 2 non-existent; amounting to nothing. 3 having or associated with the value zero. 4 Computing a empty; having no

the island of Tongatapu; pop. (1986) 28,900.

elements (null list). b all the elements of which are zeros (null matrix). 5 without character or expression. —n. a dummy letter in a cipher. 0 null character Computing a character denoting nothing, usu. represented by a zero. null hypothesis a hypothesis suggesting that the difference between statistical samples does not imply a difference between populations. null instrument an instrument used by adjustment to give a reading of zero. null link Computing a reference incorporated into the last item in a list to indicate there are no further items in the list. [F nul nulle or L nullus none f. ne not + ullus any]

aggregate or mass. 2 an initial part meant to receive additions. 3 Astron. the solid part of a comet’s head. 4 Physics the positively charged central core of an atom that contains most of its mass. (See below.) 5 Biol. a large dense organelle of eukaryotic cells, containing the genetic material. 6 a discrete mass of grey matter in the central nervous system. [L, = kernel, inner part, dimin. of nux nucis nut] Ernest Rutherford in 1911 and afterwards established that the positive charge and most of the mass of each atom is concentrated in a volume which is about 1/10,000 of the diameter of the atom as a whole. He called this dense core the atomic ‘nucleus’ in 1912; its diameter is approximately 10-3 cm. Sub-

nullah /'nalo/ n. Anglo-Ind. a dry river-bed or ravine. [Hindi nala] nulla-nulla /'nalo,nalo/ n. (also nulla) Austral. a hardwood club used by Aborigines. [Aboriginal]

sequent research established that the nucleus consists of protons and neutrons only, bound together by very powerful forces which do not extend significantly beyond the nucleus itself. The nucleus can vibrate, rotate, and alter its shape, properties which can be recognized through energy changes and by means of various other phenomena.

nuclide /'nju:klaid/ n. Physics a certain type of atom char—n. 1a

painting, sculpture, photograph, etc. of a nude human figure; such a figure. 2 a nude person. 3 (prec. by the) a an unclothed State. b the representation of an undraped human figure as a genre in art. 0 nude contract Law = bare contract. [L nudus]

NUM abbr. (in the UK) National Union of Mineworkers. Num. abbr. Numbers (Old Testament). Numa Pompilius /,nju:ms pom'priias/ the legendary second

attract attention. 2 push gently or gradually. 3 give a gentle reminder or encouragement to (a person). —n. the act or an instance of nudging; a gentle push. 00 nudger n. [17th c.: orig. unkn.: cf. Norw. dial. nugga, nyggja to push, rub]

king of Rome, successor to Romulus, revered by the ancient Romans as the founder of nearly all their religious institutions. numb /nam| adj. & v. —adj. (often foll. by with) deprived of feeling or the power of motion (numb with cold). —v.tr. 1 make numb. 2 stupefy, paralyse. 0 numb-fish = electric ray. 00 numbly adv. numbness n. [ME nome(n) past part. of nim take: for -b cf. THUMB] numbat /'‘nambet/n.a small Australian marsupial, Myrmecobius fasciatus, with a bushy tail and black and white striped back.

nudist /'nju:dist/ n. a person who advocates or practises going unclothed. 00 nudism n.

nudity /'nju:diti/ n. the state of being nude; nakedness. Nuer /'nu:o(r)/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. Nuer) 1a member of an African people living in south-eastern Sudan. 2 the language of this people. —adj. of the Nuer or their language. [native name]

Nuevo Le6n /,nwervou let'sun/ a State of NE Mexico; pop. (est. 1988) 3,146,200; capital, Monterrey.

[Aboriginal] number /'namba(r)/ n. & v. —n.

Nuffield /'nafi:ld/, William Richard Morris, 1st Viscount (1877— 1963), the most influential British motor manufacturer, a good engineer and a good businessman. Working in Oxford, he started (like most early car-makers) by building bicycles. He made his first car in 1913 and afterwards introduced automobile mass-manufacture to Britain in his Oxford factory. In later life he devoted his considerable fortune to philanthropic purposes, and the University of Oxford in particular has benefited greatly, both in the provision of hospital buildings and in the endowment of chairs of medicine and surgery; his name is also preserved in Nuffield College which he endowed for the study of social sciences.

a: arm

e bed

3: her

idate, cancel. 00 nullification /-fi'ke1f(o)n/ n. nullifier n.

nullipara /na'lipsra/ n. a woman who has never borne a child.

ingness. b a mere nothing; a nonentity. [F nullité or med.L nullitas f. L nullus none]

nudge /nad3/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 prod gently with the elbow to

e cat

no tree]

nullify /'nali,fat/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) make null; neutralize, inval-

oO nulliparous adj. [mod.L f. L nullus none + -para fem. of -parus f. parere bear children] nullipore /'nali,po:(r)/ n. any of various seaweeds able to secrete lime. [L nullus none + PoRE}] nullity /'naliti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 Law a being null; invalidity, esp. of marriage. b an act, document, etc., that is null. 2 a noth-

acterized by the number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. 00 nuclidic /nju:'klidtk/ adj. [NucLEUS + Gk eidos form]

nude /nju:d/ adj. & n. —adj. naked, bare, unclothed.

Nullarbor Plain /'nals,bo:(r)/ a vast plain in SW Australia stretching inland from the Great Australian Bight. [L nullus arbor

1 a an arithmetical value

representing a particular quantity and used in counting and making calculations. (See below.) b a word, symbol, or figure representing this; a numeral. ¢ an arithmetical value showing position ina series esp. for identification, reference, etc. (registration number). 2 (often foll. by of) the total count or aggregate (the number of accidents has decreased; twenty in number). 3 a the study of the behaviour of numbers; numerical reckoning (the laws of number). b (in pl.) arithmetic (not good at numbers). 4 a (in sing. or pl.) a quantity or amount; a total; a count (a large number ofpeople; only in small numbers). b (in pl.) numerical preponderance 1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

o put

u: too

9 ago

al my

numberless

Nuremberg

999

(force of numbers; there is safety in numbers). 5 aa person or thing having a place inaseries, esp. a single issue of a magazine, an item in a programme, etc. b a song, dance, musical item, etc. 6 company, collection, group (among our number). 7 Gram. a the classification of words by their singular or plural forms. b a particular such form. 8 collog. a person or thing regarded familiarly or affectionately (usu. qualified in some way: an attractive little number). 9 (Numbers) the fourth boak of the Old Testament, relating the experiences of the Israelites under Moses during their wanderings in the desert. The English title is explained by its two records of a census; its Hebrew title means ‘in the wilderness’, —v.tr. 1 include (I number you among my friends). 2 assign a number or numbers to. 3 have or amount to (a specified number). 4 a count. b include. o by numbers following simple instructions (as if) identified by numbers. one’s days are numbered one does not have long to live. have a person’s number collog. understand a person’s real motives, character, etc. have a person’s number on it (of a bomb, bullet, etc.) be destined to hit a specified person. number cruncher Computing & Math. sl. a machine capable of complex calculations etc. number crunching the act or process of making these calculations. one’s number is up collog. one is finished or doomed to die. a number of some, several. § Use with a plural verb is now standard: a number of problems remain. number one n. collog. oneself (always takes care of number one). —adj. most important (the number one priority). number-plate a plate on a vehicle displaying its registration number. numbers game 1 usu. derog. action involving only arithmetical work. 2 US a lottery based on the occurrence of unpredictable numbers in the results of races etc. Number Ten 10 Downing Street, the official London home of the British Prime Minister. number two a second in command. without number innumerable. [ME f. OF nombre (n.), nombrer (v.) f. L numerus, numerare] Numbers are mathematical abstractions originally (and still mainly) used for counting and measurement. Natural numbers, also known as positive integers, are the numbers 1, 2, 3,... (sometimes 0 is also included) used in counting. Integers are natural numbers, 0, and their negatives —1, —2, —3,.... Rational numbers are the fractions p/q (where p and q are integers and q is not 0). Real numbers are the numbers used in measurement; they are limits of sequences of rational numbers; usually described by decimal expansions that go on for ever. Complex numbers are numbers of the form a + bi in which a and b are real numbers and i is an imagined square root of —1. Note the hierarchy: all natural numbers are integers, all integers are rational numbers, all rational numbers are real numbers, all real numbers are complex numbers. Algebraic numbers are those (complex numbers) that are roots of polynomial equations with integer coefficients; transcendental numbers are the complex numbers that are not algebraic. Transfinite numbers are the cardinal and ordinal numbers assigned to infinite sets in Cantor’s set theory.

numberless /'nambolis/ adj. innumerable. numbles /'namb(e)lz/ n.pl. Brit. archaic a deer’s entrails. [ME f. OF numbles, nombles loin etc., f. L lumbulus dimin. of lumbus loin: cf. UMBLES]

numerator /'nju:mo,reita(r)/ n. 1 the number above the line in a vulgar fraction showing how many of the parts indicated by the denominator are taken (e.g. 2 in 2), 2 a person or device that numbers. [F numérateur or LL numerator (as NUMBER)]

numerical /nju:'merik(s)l/ adj. (also numeric) of or relating to a number or numbers (numerical superiority). 0 numerical analysis the branch of mathematics that deals with the development and use of numerical methods for solving problems. oO numerically adv. [med.L numericus (as NUMBER)}

numerology /|,nju:mo'rplad3}/ n. (pl. -ies) the study of the supposed occult significance of numbers. 00 numerological |-ra'lpd3rk(2)l/ adj. numerologist n. [L numerus number + -Locy] numerous /'nju:moros/ adj. 1 (with pl.) great in number (received numerous gifts). 2 consisting of many (a numerous family). o0 numerously adv. numerousness n. [L numerosus (as NUMBER)}

Numidia /nju:'midio/ an ancient kingdom (later a Roman province) in North Africa, east of Mauretania and west of Carthage, now part of Algeria. 00 Numidian adj. & n.

numina pl. of NUMEN.

,

numinous /'nju:mings/ adj. 1 indicating the presence of a divinity. 2 spiritual. 3 awe-inspiring. [L numen: see NUMEN]

numismatic /,nju:miz'metik/ adj. of or relating to coins or medals. 00 numismatically adv. [F numismatique f. L numisma f. Gk nomisma -atos current coin f. nomizd use currently]

numismatics /,nju:miz'metrks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) the study of coins or medals. 00 numismatist |-'mizmotist/ n.

numismatology /nju:,mizmo'tolsd31/ n. = NUMISMATICS. nummulite /'namjo,lait/ n. a disc-shaped fossil shell of a foraminiferous protozoan found in Tertiary strata. [L nummulus dimin. of nummus coin] numnah /'namno/ n. a saddle-cloth or pad placed under a saddle. [Urdu namda: see NUMDAH] numskull /'namskal/ n. (also numbskull) a stupid or foolish person. [NUMB + SKULL] nun /nan/ n. a member of a community of women living apart under religious vows. 00 nunhood n. nunlike adj. nunnish adj. [ME f. OE nunne and OF nonne f. eccl.L nonna fem. of nonnus monk, orig. a title given to an elderly person]

nunatak /'nano,tek/ n. an isolated peak of rock projecting above a surface of land ice or snow e.g. in Greenland. [Eskimo] nun-buoy /'nanboi/ n. a buoy circular in the middle and tapering to each end. [obs. nun child’s top + Buoy]

Nunc Dimittis |nayk 'dimitis/ the canticle beginning thus (L, = ‘Lord, now let (your servant) depart’), the first words of the Song of Simeon (Luke 2: 29). nunciature /'nanfa,tjua(r)/ n. RC Ch. the office or tenure of a nuncio. [It. nunziatura (as NUNCIO)] nuncio /'nanJ1o0, -s19u/ n. (pl. -os) RC Ch. a papal ambassador. [It. f L nuntius messenger] nuncupate /'nankju:pert/ v.tr. declare (a will or testament) orally, not in writing. OO mnuncupation /-'perf(s)n/ 1. nuncupative /-potiv/ adj. [L nuncupare nuncupat- name] nunnery /'nanori/ n. (pl. -ies) a religious house of nuns; a convent.

numbskull var. of NUMSKULL. numdah /'namda:/ n. an embroidered felt rug from India etc.

NUPE

[Urdu namda f. Pers. namad carpet] numen /'nju:men| n. (pl. numina /-mimo/) a presiding deity or spirit. [L numen -minis]

nuptial /'nap{(2)l/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to marriage or

numerable

/'nju:morab(s)l/ adj. that can be counted.

oo

numerably adv. [L numerabilis f. numerare NUMBER V.] numeral /'nju:mor(a)l/ n. & adj. —n. a word, figure, or group of figures denoting a number. —adj. of or denoting a number. [LL numeralis f. L (as NUMBER)] numerate /'nju:morot/ adj. acquainted with the basic principles of mathematics. 00 numeracy n. [L numerus number + -ATE? after literate] numeration |,nju:mo're{(a)n/ n. 1 a a method or process of numbering or computing. b calculation. 2 the expression in words of a number written in figures. [ME f. L numeratio payment, in LL numbering (as NUMBER)]

au how

er day

ov no

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

ua poor

/'nju:pi/ abbr. (in the UK) National Union of Public

Employees. weddings. —n. (usu. in pl.) a wedding. [F nuptial or L nuptialis f. nuptiae wedding f. nubere nupt- wed]

NUR

abbr. (in the UK) National Union of Railwaymen. {See

RMT.

nurd var. of NERD. Nuremberg /'njusrom,b3:g/ (German Niirnberg /'nvon,beag/) a city of Bavaria in Germany; pop. (1987) 467,400. It was a leading cultural centre in the 15th and 16th centuries, and was the home of Albrecht Durer and Hans Sachs. Nazi party congresses were held here in the 1930s, as were the trials of war criminals at the end of the Second World War. After the war it was carefully reconstructed, as its cobbled streets and timbered houses had been reduced to rubble by Allied bombing.

alo fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

Nureyev

Nyasa

1000

sl. a mental home or hospital. nut-oil an oil obtained from hazelnuts and walnuts and used in paints and varnishes. nuts and bolts collog. the practical details. nut-tree any tree bearing nuts, esp. a hazel. off one’s nut sl. crazy. 00 nutlike adj. [OE

Nureyev /'njooref, njo'reref/, Rudolf (1939—_), Russian balletdancer, who defected to the West in 1961. A dancer of dazzling virtuosity and vigorous but controlled expressiveness, he has taken the leading roles of the classical and standard modern * repertory and created others, particularly in a noted partnership with Margot Fonteyn. He has also choreographed and staged a number of works. nurse /ns:s/n. & v. —n. 1a person trained to assist doctors in caring for the sick or infirm. 2 a person employed or trained to take charge of young children, 3 archaic = wet-nurse. 4 Forestry a tree planted as a shelter to others. 5 Zool. a sexually imperfect bee, ant, etc., caring for a young brood; a worker. —v. 1 a intr. work as a nurse. b tr. attend to (a sick person). ¢ tr. give medical attention to (an illness or injury). 2 tr. & intr. feed or be fed at the breast. 3 tr. (in passive; foll. by in) be brought up in (a specified condition) (nursed in poverty). 4 tr. hold or treat carefully or caressingly (sat nursing my feet). 5 tr. a foster; promote the development of (the arts, plants, etc.). b harbour or nurture (a grievance, hatred, etc.). ¢ pay special attention to (nursed the voters). 6 tr. Billiards keep (the balls) together for a series of cannons. {reduced f. ME and OF norice, nurice f. LL nutricia fem. of L nutricius f. nutrix -icis f. nutrire NOURISH]

nurseling var. of NURSLING. nursemaid /'ns:smeid/ n. 1 a woman in charge of a child

hnutu f. Gmc] nutant /'nju:t(s)nt/ adj. Bot. nodding, drooping. [L nutare nod] nutation /nju:'ter{(s)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of nodding. 2 Astron. a periodic oscillation of the earth’s poles. 3 oscillation of a spinning top. 4 the spiral movement of a plant organ during growth. [L nutatio (as NUTANT)] nutcase /'natkers/ n. sl. a crazy or foolish person. nutcracker /'nat,kreka(r)/ n. (usu. in pl.) a device for cracking nuts. o Nutcracker man a nickname for the fossil hominid Australopithecus boisei, especially the specimen discovered at Olduvai, Tanzania, in 1959. Similar remains, including the characteristic large premolar teeth, have also been found in South Africa. nutgall /'natgo::1/ n. a gall found on dyer’s oak, used as a dyestuff.

nuthatch /'nathet{/ n. any. small bird of the family Sittidae, climbing up and down tree-trunks and feeding on nuts, insects, etc. [NUT + hatch rel. to HATCH?

nutlet /'natlit/ 1. a small nut or nutlike fruit. nutmeg /'natmeg/ n. 1 an evergreen E. Indian tree, Myristica fragrans, yielding a hard aromatic spheroidal seed. 2 the seed of

or children. 2 a person who watches over or guides another carefully. nursery /'n3:sor1/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a a room or place equipped for young children. b = day nursery. 2 a place where plants, trees, etc., are reared for sale or transplantation. 3 any sphere or place in or by which qualities or types of people are fostered or bred. 4 Billiards a grouped balls (see NURSE v. 6). b (in full nursery cannon) a cannon on three close balls. 0 nursery nurse a person trained to take charge of babies and young children. nursery rhyme a simple traditional song or story in rhyme

this used as a spice and in medicine. 0 nutmeg-apple the fruit of this tree, yielding mace and nutmeg. [ME: partial transl. of OF nois mug(u)ede ult. f. L nux nut + LL muscus MUSK]

nutria /'nju:trio/ n. the skin or fur of a coypu. [Sp., = otter] nutrient /'nju:triont/ n. & adj. —n. any substance that provides essential nourishment for the maintenance of life. —adj. serving as or providing nourishment. [L nutrire nourish] nutriment /'nju:trimont/ n. 1 nourishing food. 2 an intellectual or artistic etc. nourishment or stimulus. 00 nutrimental /-'ment(a)l/ adj. [L nutrimentum (as NUTRIENT)] nutrition /nju:'tri{(a)n/ n. 1 a the process of providing or receiving nourishing substances. b food, nourishment. 2 the study of nutrients and nutrition. 00 nutritional adj. [F nutrition or LL

for children. nursery school a school for children between the ages of three and five. nursery slopes Skiing gentle slopes suitable for beginners. nursery stakes a race for two-year-old horses.

nurseryman /'n3:sorimon/ n. (pl. -men) an owner of or worker in a plant nursery. nursing /'n3:s1y/ n. 1 the practice or profession of caring for the sick as a nurse. 2 (attrib.) concerned with or suitable for nursing the sick or elderly etc. (nursing home; nursing sister). o nursing officer a senior nurse (see senior nursing officer).

nutritio (as NUTRIENT)]

nutritionist /nju:'trifanist/ n. a person who studies or is an expert on the processes of human nourishment. nutritious /nju:'trifas/ adj. efficient as food; nourishing. nutritiously adv. nutritiousness n. [L nutritius (as NURSE)]

oo

nursling /'ns:slin/ n. (also nurseling) an infant that is being

nutritive /'nju:tritrv/ adj. & n. —adj.

suckled. nurture /'n3:tfa(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 the process of bringing up or training (esp. children); fostering care. 2 nourishment. 3

nutrition. 2 serving as nutritious food. —n. a nutritious article of food. [ME f. F nutritif -ive f. med.L nutritivus (as NUTRIENT)] nuts /nats/ adj. & int. —adj. sl. crazy, mad, eccentric. —int. sl. an expression of contempt or derision (nuts to you). 0 be nuts about (or on) collog. be enthusiastic about or very fond of.

sociological factors as an influence on or determinant of personality (opp. NATURE). —v.tr. 1 bring up; rear. 2 nourish. o0 nurturer n. [ME f. OF nour(e)ture (as NOURISH)] NUS abbr. 1 (in the UK) National Union of Seamen. § See RMT. 2 (in the UK) National Union of Students. NUT abbr. (in the UK) National Union of Teachers.

nutshell /'natfel/ n. the hard exterior covering of a nut. Dina nutshell in a few words. nutter /'nato(r)/ n. Brit. sl. a crazy or eccentric person. nutty /'nati/ adj. (nuttier, nuttiest) 1 a full of nuts. b tasting like nuts. 2 sl. = NUTs adj. 00 nuttiness n.

Nut /not/ Egyptian Mythol. the sky-goddess, thought to swallow the sun at night and give birth to it in the morning. She is usually depicted as a naked woman, with her body arched above the earth which she touches with her feet and hands.

Nuuk see GoptHAs. nux vomica /naks 'vomrko/ n. 1 an E. Indian tree, Strychnos nux-vomica, yielding a poisonous fruit. 2 the seeds of this tree, containing strychnine. [med.L f. L nux nut + vomicus f. vomere vomit]

nut /nat/n. & v. —n. 1 aa fruit consisting of a hard or tough shell around an edible kernel. b this kernel. 2 a pod containing hard seeds. 3 a small usu. square or hexagonal flat piece of metal or other material with a threaded hole through it for screwing on the end of a bolt to secure it. 4 sl. a person’s head. 5 sl. a a crazy or eccentric person. b an obsessive enthusiast or devotee (a health-food nut). 6 a small lump of coal, butter, etc. 7 a a device fitted to the bow of a violin for adjusting its tension. b the fixed ridge on the neck of a stringed instrument over which the strings pass. 8 (in pl.) coarse sl. the testicles. —v.intr. (nutted, nutting) seek or gather nuts (go nutting). 0 do one’s nut sl. be extremely angry or agitated. for nuts collog. even tolerably well (cannot sing for nuts). nut cutlet a cutlet-shaped portion of meat-substitute, made from nuts etc. nut-house

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

1 of or concerned in

nuzzle /'naz(9)l/ v. 1 tr. prod or rub gently with the nose. 2 intr. (foll. by into, against, up to) press the nose gently. 3tr. (also refl.) nestle; lie snug. [ME f. NOSE + -LE4]

NV abbr. US Nevada (in official postal use). NW abbr. 1 north-west. 2 north-western. NY abbr. US New York (also in official postal use). nyala var. of INYALA. Nyasa /nat'zso/ (name means ‘lake’) (also called Lake Malawi) a lake in the south-east of central Africa, the third largest lake of Africa. It lies within Malawi and Mozambique and borders on Tanzania. :

k cat

lleg

mman

nno

p pen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

Nyasaland

Nyasaland /na1'zso,lznd/ the former name of Malawi until it gained independence in 1966.

NYC abbr. New York City. nyctalopia /,nrkto'loupi/ n. the inability to see in dim light or at night. Also called night-blindness. [LL f. Gk nuktalops f. nux nuktos night + alaos blind + dps eye]

nyctitropic

/,nrkt'trouprk/ adj. Bot. (of plant movements)

occurring at night and caused by changes in light and temperature. [Gk nukti- comb. form of nux nuktos night + tropos turn] Z mye var. of NIDE. Nyerere /nje'reort/, Julius Kambarage (1922—_), African statesman who became the first premier of Tanganyika following its independence in 1961 and President a year later. In 1964 he successfully negotiated a union with Zanzibar and remained President of the new State of Tanzania until his retirement in 1985.

nylghau /'nilgo:/ n. = nrucat. [Hind. f. Pers. nilgaw f. nil blue + gaw cow] nylon /'narlpn/ n. 1 any of various synthetic polyamide fibres having a protein-like structure, with tough, lightweight, elastic properties, used in industry and for textiles etc. (See below.) 2 a nylon fabric. 3 (in pl.) stockings made of nylon. [invented word, suggested by cotton and rayon; there is no evidence to support the derivations frequently given for this word in popular sources]

Nylon was devised by the American chemist W. H. Carothers, of the du Pont chemical company; its production was announced

wwe

zzoo

Jshe

NZ

1001

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

in 1938. Unlike natural fibres it is resistant to destruction by bacteria, fungus, insects, or rodents, and is widely used for textile fabrics and in industry. nymph /nimf] n. 1 any of various mythological semi-divine spirits regarded as maidens and associated with aspects of nature, esp. rivers and woods. 2 poet. a beautiful young woman. 3 a an immature form of some insects. b a young dragonfly or damselfly. 00 nymphal adj. nymphean /-'fi:on/ adj. nymphlike adj. [ME f. OF nimphe f. L nympha f. Gk numphe]} nymphae /'nimfi:/ 2.pl. Anat. the labia minora. [L, pl. of nympha:

see NYMPH] ey nymphet /'nimfet, -'fet/ n. 1 ayoung nymph. 2 collog. a sexually attractive young woman. nympho /'nimf2v/ n. (pl. -os) collog. a nymphomaniac. [abbr.]

nympholepsy

/'nimfalepsi/ n. ecstasy or frenzy caused by

desire of the unattainable. [yyMPHOLEPT after epilepsy]

nympholept

/'nimfalept/ n. a person inspired by violent

enthusiasm esp. for an ideal. 00 nympholeptic /-'leptrk/ adj. [Gk numpholéptos caught by nymphs (as NYMPH, lambano take)]

nymphomania /,nimfs'meinio/ n. excessive sexual desire in women. -MANIA)]

OO

nymphomaniac

n. & adj. [mod.L (as NYMPH,

Nyslott see SAvONLINNA. nystagmus /ni'stzegmos/ n. rapid involuntary movements of the eyes. 00 nystagmic adj. [Gk nustagmos nodding f. nustazo nod]

NZ abbr. New Zealand.

tf chip

dg jar

(see over for vowels)

O Oat /aut/ n. 1 a a cereal plant, Avena sativa, cultivated in cool climates. b(in pl.) the grain yielded by this, used as food. 2 any other cereal of the genus Avena, esp. the wild oat, A. fatua. 3 poet. the oat-stem used as a musical pipe by shepherds etc., usu. in pastoral or bucolic poetry. 4 (in pl.) sl. sexual gratification. o feel one’s oats collog. 1 be lively. 2 US feel self-important. oat-grass any of various grasses, esp. of the genus Arrhenatherum. off one’s oats collog. not hungry. sow one’s oats (or wild oats) indulge in youthful excess or promiscuity. 00 oaten adj. [OE ate, pl. dtan, of unkn. orig.] oatcake /'sutkerk/ n. a thin unleavened biscuit-like food made of oatmeal, common in Scotland and N. England.

O! /2u/ n. (also 0) (pl. Os or O’s) 1 the fifteenth letter of the alphabet. 2 (0) nought, zero (in a sequence of numerals esp. when spoken). 3 a human blood type of the ABO system.

O2 abbr. (also O.) Old. O83 symb. Chem. the element oxygen. O4 /2u/ int. 1 var. of oH}. 2 prefixed to a name in the vocative (0 God). [ME, natural excl.}

O? |o0, 2/ prefix of Irish patronymic names (O'Connor). [Ir. 6, ua, descendant] ? /a/ prep. of, on (esp. in phrases: o'clock; will-o’-the-wisp). [abbr.] -O /20/ suffix forming usu. sl. or collog. variants or derivatives (beano; wino). [perh. OH! as joc. suffix] -O- /90/ suffix the terminal vowel of combining forms (spectro-;

Oates

chemico-; Franco-). 4 Often elided before a vowel, as in neuralgia. orig. Gk] oaf /ouf] n. (pl. oafs) 1 an awkward lout. 2 a stupid person. 00

oafish adj. oafishly adv. oafishness n. [orig. = elf’s child, var. of obs. auf f. ON alfr elf] oak /avk/ n. 1 any tree or shrub of the genus Quercus usu. having lobed leaves and bearing acorns. 2 the durable wood of this tree, used esp. for furniture and in building. 3 (attrib.) made of oak (oak table). 4 a heavy outer door of a set of university college rooms. 5 (the Oaks) (treated as sing.) an annual race for threeyear-old fillies run at Epsom in Surrey, England, over the same course as the Derby and three days after it. It was first run in 1779, and is named after the 12th Earl of Derby’s shooting-box,

‘The Oaks’. 0 oak-apple (or -gall) an apple-like gall containing larvae of certain wasps, found on oak trees. Oak-apple Day 29 May, the day of Charles II’s restoration in 1660, on which oak-apples or oak-leaves were worn in memory of the royal-oak incident (see ROYAL). 00 oaken adj. [OE ac f. Gmc]

Oakland /'svklend/ an industrial port on the east side of San

Protestant

clergyman,

fab-

oath. take (or swear) an oath make such a declaration or undertaking. [OE ath f. Gmc] oatmeal /'su0tmi:]/ n. 1 meal made from ground oats used esp. in porridge and oatcakes. 2 a greyish-fawn colour flecked with brown.

OAU abbr. Organization of African Unity. Oaxaca /|wa'ha:ks/ a State of southern Mexico; pop. (est. 1988) 2,650,200; capital, Oaxaca de Juarez.

OB abbr. Brit. outside broadcast. Ob /pb/ the principal river of the west Siberian lowlands and one of the largest rivers in the Soviet Union. Rising in the Altai Mountains, it flows generally north and west for 5,410 km (3,481 miles) before entering the Ob Bay, an inlet of the Kara Sea, a part of the Arctic Ocean.

Francisco Bay in western California; pop. (1982) 344,650.

O. & M. abbr. organization and methods. OAP abbr. Brit. old-age pensioner. OAPEC abbr. Organization of Arab Petroleum

(1649-1705),

utterance; a curse. 0 on (or under) oath having sworna solemn

Oakley /|'sukl1/, Annie (full name Phoebe Anne Oakley Mozee, 1860-1926), American markswoman. She married Frank E. Butler, a vaudeville marksman, and in 1885 they joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, of which she became astar attraction for the next 17 years. The musical Annie Get Your Gun (1948), with music by Irving Berlin, was based on her life. oakum /'sukam/ n. a loose fibre obtained by picking old rope to pieces and used esp. in caulking. [OE &cumbe, acumbe, lit. ‘offcombings’]

/suts/, Titus

ricator of the Popish Plot (see entry), which he ‘discovered’ while serving as chaplain to the Protestant servants of the Catholic Duke of Norfolk. He was condemned and imprisoned for perjury, but subsequently released and granted a pension. oath /s06/ n. (pl. oaths /206z/) 1 a solemn declaration or undertaking (often naming God) as to the truth of something or as a commitment to future action. 2 a statement or promise contained in an oath (oath of allegiance). 3 a profane or blasphemous

ob. abbr. he or she died. [L obiit] ob- |pb/ prefix (also oc- before c, of- before f, op- before p) occurring mainly in words of Latin origin, meaning: 1 exposure, openness (object; obverse). 2 meeting or facing (occasion; obvious). 3 direction (oblong; offer). 4 opposition, hostility, or resistance (obstreperous; opponent; obstinate). 5 hindrance, blocking, or concealment (obese; obstacle; occult). 6 finality or completeness (obsolete; occupy). 7 (in modern technical words) inversely; in a direction or manner contrary to the usual (obconical; obovate). [L f. ob towards, against, in the way of]

Exporting

Countries. oar /9:(r)/ n. 1 a pole with a blade used for rowing or steering a boat by leverage against the water. 2 a rower. 0 put one’s oar in interfere, meddle. rest (US lay) on one’s oars relax one’s efforts. 00 oared adj. (also in comb.). oarless adj. [OE ar f. Gmc, perh. rel. to Gk eretmos oar]

Obad. abbr. Obadiah (Old Testament). Obadiah /|,subo'dara/ 1a Hebrew minor prophet. 2 the shortest book of the Old Testament, bearing his name.

obbligato /,pbli'ga:tau/ n. (pl. -os) Mus. an accompaniment, usu. special and unusual in effect, forming an integral part of a composition (with violin obligato). [It., = obligatory, f. L obligatus past part. (as OBLIGE)]

oarfish /|'9:fi{/ n. a ribbonfish, Regalecus glesne. oarlock /'9:1pk/ n. US a rowlock. oarsman |'9:zmon/ n. (pl. -men; fem. oarswoman, pl. -women) a rower. OO oarsmanship n. oarweed |'o:wi:d/ n. (also oreweed) any large marine alga esp. of the genus Laminaria, often growing along shores.

obconical /pb'konik(a)l/ adj. (also obconic) in the form of an

OAS

2 on active

obdurate /'pbdjurot/ adj. 1 stubborn. 2 hardened against per-

service. oasis /ou'eisis/ n. (pl. oases |-si:z/) 1 a fertile spot in a desert,

suasion or influence. o0 obduracy n. obdurately adv. obdurateness n. [ME f. L obduratus past part. of obdurare (as oB-, durare harden f. durus hard)]

abbr. 1 Organization of American States.

inverted cone.

obcordate /pb'ko:dert/ adj. Biol. in the shape of a heart and attached at the pointed end.

where water is found. 2 an area or period of calm in the midst of turbulence. [LL f. Gk, app. of Egypt. orig.] Oast /oust/ n. a kiln for drying hops. 0 oast-house a building containing this. [OE ast f. Gmc]

z cat

a:arm

e bed

3: her

OBE abbr. (in the UK) Officer of the Order of the British Empire. obeah /'subr9/ n. (also obi /'sub1/) a kind of sorceryYErasiiees esp. in the West Indies. [W. Afr.]

1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

a run

vo put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

obeche

oblige

1003

obeche /au'bi:tfi/ n. 1a West African tree, Triplochiton scleroxylon. 2 the light-coloured timber from this. [Nigerian name]

obedience /su'bi:drons/ n. 1 obeying as an act or practice or quality. 2 submission to another's rule or authority. 3 compliance with a law or command. 4 Eccl. a compliance with a monastic rule. b a sphere of authority (the Roman obedience). a in obedience to actuated by or in accordance with. [ME f. OF f. L obedientia (as OBEY)]

obedient /2u'bi:drent/ adj. 1 obeying or ready to obey. 2 (often foll. by to) submissive to another’s will; dutiful (obedient to the law). 00 obediently adv. [ME f. OF f. L obediens -entis (as OBEY)]

obeisance /sv'beis(2)ns/ n. 1 a bow, curtsey, or other respectful or submissive gesture (make an obeisance). 2 homage, submission, deference (pay obeisance). 00 obeisant adj. obeisantly adv. [ME f. OF obeissance (as OBEY)]

obeli pl. of oBELus. obelisk /'pbalisk/ n. 1 a a tapering usu. four-sided stone pillar set up as a monument or landmark etc. 6 a mountain, tree, etc., of similar shape. 2 = oBELUus. [L obeliscus f. Gk obeliskos dimin. of obelos sPit?]

obelize /'pba,laiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) mark with an obelus as spurious etc. [Gk obelizo f. obelos: see OBELISK]

obelus /'pboles/ n. (pl. obeli /-\la/) 1 a dagger-shaped reference mark in printed matter. 2 a mark (— or ~) used in ancient manuscripts to mark a word or passage, esp. as spurious. [L f. Gk obelos sPit?]

Oberammergau /|,2ubs're2ma,gau/ a village in the Bavarian Alps of SW Germany, site of the most famous of the few surviving Passion plays. It has been performed every tenth year (with few exceptions) from 1634 as a result of a vow made during an epidemic of plague, and remains entirely amateur, the villagers dividing the parts among themselves and being responsible aiso for the production, music, costumes, and

scenery. obese /su'bi:s/ adj. very fat; corpulent. 00 obeseness n. obesity n. [L obesus (as OB-, edere eat)] obey /su'ber/ v. 1 tr. a carry out the command of (you will obey me). b carry out (a command) (obey orders). 2 intr. do what one is told to do. 3 tr. be actuated by (a force or impulse). 00 obeyer n. [ME f. OF obeir f. L obedire (as oB-, audire hear)|

obfuscate /'pbfa,skert/ v.tr. 1 obscure or confuse (a mind, topic, etc.). 2 stupefy, bewilder. oo obfuscation /-'kerf(o)n/ obfuscatory adj. [LL obfuscare (as oB-, fuscus dark)]

case). O no object not forming an important or restricting factor (money no object). object-ball Billiards etc. that at which a player aims the cue-ball. object-glass the lens in a telescope etc. nearest to the object observed. object language 1 a language described by means of another language (see METALANGUAGE). 2 Computing a language into which a program is translated by means of a compiler or assembler. object-lesson a striking practical example of some principle. object of the exercise the main point of an activity. 00 objectless /'pbdgrktlis/ adj. objector /ab!dzekta(r)/ n. [ME f. med.L objectum thing presented

to the mind, past part. of L objicere (as oB-, jacere ject- throw)]

objectify /pb'dzekti,fai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) embody. 2 present as an objectification /-fi'ker{(a)n/ n.

object

of

1 make objective; perception.

oO

objection /sb!dzek/(2)n/ n. 1 an expression or feeling of opposition or disapproval. 2 the act of objecting. 3 an adverse reason or statement. [ME f. OF objection or LL objectio (as oBJECT)]

objectionable /ab!dzekfanab(a)l/ adj. 1 open to objection. 2 unpleasant, offensive. 00 objectionableness n. objectionably /-bli/ adv. }

objective /ab'dzektrv/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 external to the mind; actually existing; real. 2 (of a person, writing, art, etc.) dealing with outward things or exhibiting facts uncoloured by feelings or opinions; not subjective. 3 Gram. (of a case or word) constructed as or appropriate to the object of a transitive verb or preposition (cf. ACCUSATIVE). 4 aimed at (objective point). 5 (of symptoms) observed by another and not only felt by the patient. —n. 1 something sought or aimed at; an objective point. 2 Gram. the objective case. 3 = object-glass. oO objectival |,obdzek'tarvio)l/ adj. objectively adv. objectiveness 1. objectivity /,pbdzek'trviti/ n. objectivize /ab'dzekti,vaiz/ v.tr. (also -ise). objectivization /ab,dzektivai'ze1f(a)n/ n. [med.L objectivus (as OBJECT)]

objectivism /sb'dzekt1,v1z(2)m/ n. 1 the tendency to lay stress on what is objective. 2 Philos. the belief that certain things (esp. moral truths) exist apart from human knowledge or perception of them. 00 objectivist n. objectivistic /-'visttk/ adj.

objet dart |,pbze1 'da:/ n. (pl. objets dart pronunc. same) a small decorative object. [F, lit. ‘object of art’] objurgate /'pbdzagert/ v.tr. literary chide or scold. oo objurgation /-'ge1f{(2)n/ n. objurgatory /pb'd33:gotor1/ adj. [L objurgare objurgat- (as oB-, jurgare quarrel f. jurgium strife)]

1.

oblanceolate /ob'la:nsrolot/ adj. Bot. (esp. of leaves) lanceolate

obi! var. of oBEAH. obi? |'sub1/ n. (pl. obis) a broad sash worn with a Japanese

oblate! /'pbleit/ n. a person dedicated to a monastic or religious

with the more pointed end at the base.

kimono. [Jap. obi belt]

obit /'pbit, 'subrt/ n. collog. an obituary. [abbr.] obiter dictum |,pbito 'diktom| n. (pl. obiter dicta |-ta/) 1a judge’s expression of opinion uttered in court or giving judgement, but not essential to the decision and therefore without binding authority. 2 an incidental remark. [L f. obiter by the way + dictum a thing said]

obituary /s'bitjuori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a notice of a death or deaths esp. in a newspaper. 2 an account of the life of a deceased person. 3 (attrib.) of or serving as an obituary. 00 obituarial |-tju'eortal/ adj. obituarist n. [med.L obituarius f. L obitus death f. obire obit- die (as oB-, ire go)]

object n. & v. —n. |'pbd3rkt/ 1 a material thing that can be seen or touched. 2 (foll. by of) a person or thing to which action or feeling is directed (the object of attention; the object of our study). 3 a thing sought or aimed at; a purpose. 4 Gram. a noun or its equivalent governed by an active transitive verb or by a preposition. 5 Philos. a thing external to the thinking mind or subject. 6 derog. a person or thing of esp. a pathetic or ridiculous appearance. 7 Computing a package of information and a description of its manipulation. —v. /ab!dzekt/ 1 intr. (often foll. by to, against) express or feel opposition, disapproval, or reluctance; protest (I object to being treated like this; objecting against government policies). 2 tr. (foll. by that + clause) state as an objection (objected that they were kept waiting). 3 tr. (foll. by to, against, or that + clause) adduce (a quality or fact) as contrary or damaging (to a av how

er day

ov no

eo hair

19 near

or boy

va poor

life or work. [F f. med.L oblatus f. offere oblat- offer (as oB-, ferre bring)]}

oblate? /'pblert/ adj. Geom. (of a spheroid) flattened at the poles (cf. PROLATE). [mod.L oblatus (as OBLATE})]

oblation /sv'blerf(a)n/ n. Relig. 1 a thing offered to a divine being. 2 the presentation of bread and wine to God in the Eucharist. 00 oblational adj. oblatory /'pblotort/ adj. [ME f. OF oblation or LL oblatio (as OBLATE})]

obligate v. & adj. —v.tr. |'pbligert/ 1 (usu. in passive; foll. by to + infin.) bind (a person) legally or morally. 2 US commit (assets)

as security. —adj. /'pbligot/ Biol. that has to be as described (obligate parasite). 00 obligator n. [L obligare obligat- (as OBLIGE)]

obligation /|,pbli'ge1{(2)n/ n. 1 the constraining power of a law, precept, duty, contract, etc. 2 a duty; a burdensome task. 3 a binding agreement, esp. one enforceable under legal penalty; a written contract or bond. 4 a a service or benefit (repay an obligation). b indebtedness for this (be under an obligation). 0 day of obligation Eccl. a day on which all are required to attend Mass or Communion. of obligation obligatory. 00 obligational adj. [ME f. OF f. L obligatio -onis (as OBLIGE)}

obligatory /s'bligatori/ adj. 1 legally or morally binding. 2 compulsory and not merely permissive. 3 constituting an obligation. 00 obligatorily adv. [ME f. LL obligatorius (as oBLIGE)]

oblige /s'blaid3/ v. 1 tr. (foll. by to + infin.) constrain, compel. 2 tr. be binding on. 3 tr. a make indebted by conferring a favour.

b (foll. by with, or by + verbal noun) gratify (oblige me by leaving). c perform a service for (often absol.: will you oblige?). 4 tr. (in

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

obligee a

observer

1004 a

A

SS

I

passive; foll. by to) be indebted (am obliged to you for your help). 5 intr. collog. (foll. by with) make a contribution of a specified kind (Doris obliged with a song). 6 tr. archaic or Law (foll. by to, or to + infin.) bind by oath, promise, contract, etc. 0 much obliged an expression of thanks. 00 obliger n. [ME f. OF obliger f. L obligare (as oB-, ligare bind)]

obligee |,pbli'd3i:/ n. Law a person to whom another is bound by contract or other legal procedure (cf. OBLIGOR).

obliging /s'blaid3zin/ adj. courteous, accommodating; ready to do a service or kindness. 00 obligingly adv. obligingness n.

obligor |,vbl1'go:(r)/ n. Law a person who is bound to another by contract or other legal procedure (cf. OBLIGEE).

oblique /s'bli:k/ adj., n., & v. —adj. 1 a slanting; declining from the vertical or horizontal. b diverging from a straight line or course. 2 not going straight to the point; roundabout, indirect. 3 Geom. a (of a line, plane figure, or surface) inclined at other than a right angle. b (of an angle) acute or obtuse. ¢ (of a cone, cylinder, etc.) with an axis not perpendicular to the plane of its base. 4 Anat. neither parallel nor perpendicular to the long axis of a body or limb. 5 Bot. (of a leaf) with unequal sides. 6 Gram. denoting any case other than the nominative or vocative. —n. 1 an oblique stroke (/). 2 an oblique muscle. —v.intr. (obliques, obliqued, obliquing) esp. Mil. advance obliquely. 0 oblique oration (or speech) = reported speech (see REPORT). oblique sphere see SPHERE. OO obliquely adv. obliqueness n. obliquity /a'blikwit1/ n. [ME f. F f. L obliquus]

RE

obsceneness

obscene. 2 an obscene OBSCENE)]

obscurantism

action, word, etc. [L obscaenitas (as

/|,pbskjua'rzentiz(2)m/ n. opposition to know-

ledge and enlightenment. oo obscurant /sb'skjusrant/ 1. obscurantist n. [obscurant f. G f. L obscurans f. obscurare: see OBSCURE] , obscure /ab'skjua(r)/ adj. & v. —adj. 1 not clearly expressed or easily understood. 2 unexplained, doubtful. 3 dark, dim. 4 indistinct; not clear. 5 hidden; remote from observation. 6 a unnoticed. b (of a person) undistinguished, hardly known. 7 (of a colour) dingy, dull, indefinite. —v.tr. 1 make obscure, dark, indistinct, or unintelligible. 2 dim the glory of; outshine. 3 conceal from sight. 0 obscure vowel = indeterminate vowel. 00 obscuration /-'rer{(a)n/ n. obscurely adv. [ME f. OF obscur f. L obscurus dark]

obscurity /ab'skjuoriti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state of being obscure. 2 an obscure person or thing. [F obscurité f. L obscuritas (as OBSCURE)] obsecration /|,pbs1'krerf(2)n/ n. earnest entreaty. [ME f. L obsecratio f. obsecrare entreat (as oB-, sacrare f. sacer sacri sacred)]

obsequies /|'pbstkwiz/ n.pl. 1 funeral rites. 2 a funeral.

00

obsequial /ab'si:kwrol/ adj. [ME, pl. of obs. obsequy f. AF obsequie, OF obseque f. med.L obsequiae f. L exsequiae funeral rites (see EXEQUIES): assoc. with obsequium (see OBSEQUIOUS)]

(as OBSERVE)]

observant /sb'z3:v(a)nt/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 acute or diligent in taking notice. 2 attentive in esp. religious observances (an observant few). —n. (Observant) a member of the branch of the

oblong |'pblon/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 deviating from a square form by having one long axis, esp. rectangular with adjacent sides unequal, 2 greater in breadth than in height. —n. an oblong figure or object. [ME f. L oblongus longish (as oB-, longus long)]

Franciscan order that observes the strict rule. 00 observantly adv. [F (as OBSERVE)]

observation /,pbza'ver{(s)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of noti-

obloquy /'vblokwi/ n. 1 the state of being generally ill spoken of. 2 abuse, detraction. [ME f. LL obloquium contradiction f. L obloqui deny (as oB-, loqui speak)] obnoxious /sb'nvkfas/ adj. offensive, objectionable, disliked. O00 obnoxiously adv. obnoxiousness n. [orig. = vulnerable (to harm), f. L obnoxiosus or obnoxius (as OB-, noxa harm: assoc. with NOXIOUS)] oboe /'subau/ n. 1 a a woodwind double-reed instrument of treble pitch and plaintive incisive tone, with a range of over two-and-a-half octaves, developed in France in the 17th c. b its player. 2 an organ stop with a quality resembling an oboe. o oboe d’amore /dz'mo:re1/ an oboe with a pear-shaped bell and mellow tone, pitched a minor third below a normal oboe, commonly used in baroque music. 00 oboist /'subaurst/ n. [It. oboe or F hautbois f. haut high + bois wood: d’amore = of love]

cing; the condition of being noticed. 2 perception; the faculty of taking notice. 3 a remark or statement, esp. one that is of the nature of a comment. 4 a the accurate watching and noting of phenomena as they occur in nature with regard to cause and effect or mutual relations. b the noting of the symptoms of a patient, the behaviour of a suspect, etc. 5 the taking of the sun’s or another heavenly body’s altitude to find a latitude or longitude. 6 Mil. the watching of a fortress or hostile position or movements. 0 observation car esp. US a carriage in a train built so as to afford good views. observation post Mil. a post for watching the effect of artillery fire etc. under observation being watched. 00 observational adj. observationally adv. [ME f. L observatio (as OBSERVE)]

observatory

|ab'zs:vatori/ n. (pl. -ies) a room or building

equipped for the observation of natural, esp. astronomical or meteorological, phenomena. [mod.L observatorium f. L. observare

obol /'pb(s)l/ n. an ancient Greek coin, equal to one-sixth of a drachma. [L obolus f. Gk obolos, var. of obelos OBELUS]

(as OBSERVE)]

Obote /s'bsuti/, Apollo Milton (1924), Ugandan statesman, the first Prime Minister of his country on its independence (1962). He held office until 1966 and then assumed full power as President. Overthrown by Idi Amin in 1971, he returned from exile to resume the presidency in 1980, but failed either to restore the economy or stop corruption and tribal violence, and was again overthrown in 1985. obovate /pb'suvert/ adj. Biol. (of a leaf) ovate with the narrower end at the base. obscene /ab'si:n/ adj. 1 offensively or repulsively indecent, esp. by offending accepted sexual morality. 2 collog. highly offensive or repugnant (an obscene accumulation of wealth). 3 Brit. Law (of a publication) tending to deprave or corrupt. 00 obscenely adv.

hhe

ill-omened,

gious order. 4 archaic respect, deference. [ME f. OF f. L observantia

2 (foll. by to, of) unaware or unconscious of. 00 obliviously adv. obliviousness n. [ME f. L obliviosus (as OBLIVION)]

g get

L_ obsc(a)enus

obscenity /sb'senit1/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state or quality of being

oblivious /s'blivies/ adj. 1 (often foll. by of) forgetful, unmindful.

f few

or

obsequiously adv. obsequiousness n. [ME f. L obsequiosus f. obsequium compliance (as oB-, sequi follow)] observance /sb'z3:v(a)ns/ n. 1 the act or process of keeping or performing a law, duty, custom, ritual, etc. 2.an act ofa religious or ceremonial character; a customary rite. 3 the rule of a reli-

b disregard; an unregarded state. 2 an amnesty or pardon. 0 fall into oblivion be forgotten or disused. [ME f. OF f. L oblivio -onis f. oblivisci forget]

d dog

[F obscéne

obsequious /sb'si:kwios/ adj. servilely obedient or attentive. 00

oblivion /s'blivien/ n. 1 a the state of having or being forgotten.

b but

1.

abominable]

obliterate /s'blits,reit/ v.tr. 1 a blot out; efface, erase, destroy. b leave no clear traces of. 2 deface (a postage stamp etc.) to prevent further use. 00 obliteration /-'rer{(s)n/ n. obliterative |-ratrv/ adj. obliterator n. [L obliterare (as oB-, litera LETTER)}

a

jyes

observe /ab!zs:v/ v. 1 tr. (often foll. by that, how + clause) perceive, note; take notice of; become conscious of. 2 tr. watch carefully. 3 tr. a follow or adhere to (a law, command, method, principle, etc.). b keep or adhere to (an appointed time). ¢ maintain (silence). d duly perform (a rite). e celebrate (an anniversary). 4 tr. examine and note (phenomena) without the aid of experiment. 5tr. (often foll. by that + clause) say, esp. by way of comment. 6 intr. (foll. by on) make a remark or remarks about. 00 observable adj. observably adv. [ME f. OF observer f. L observare watch (as OB-, servare keep)] observer /sb!z3:va(r)/ n. 1.a person who observes. 2 an interested spectator. 3 a person who attends a conference etc. to note the proceedings but does not participate. 4 a a person k cat

lleg

m man

nono

ppen

rred

s sit

t top

v voice

obsess

occidental

1005

trained to notice and identify aircraft. b a person carried in an aeroplane to note the enemy's position etc. obsess /sb'ses/ v.tr. (often in passive) preoccupy, haunt; fill the mind of (a person) continually. 00 obsessive adj. & n. obsessively adv. obsessiveness n. [L obsidére obsess- (as OB-, sedére

o0 obsessional adj. obsessionalism n. obsessionally adv. [L

more than 90° and less than 180°. 4 (of pain or the senses) dull; not acute. 00 obtusely adv. obtuseness n. obtusity n. [L obtusus past part. (as OBTUND)} obverse /'pbvs:s/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a the side of a coin or medal etc. bearing the head or principal design. b this design (cf. REVERSE). 2 the front or proper or top side of a thing. 3 the counterpart of a fact or truth. —adj. 1 Biol. narrower at the base or point of attachment than at the apex or top (see oB- 7). 2 answering as the counterpart to something else. oo obversely adv. [L obversus past part. (as OBVERT)]

obsessio (as OBSESS)]}

obvert /ab'vs:t/ v.tr. Logic alter (a proposition) so as to infer

sit)] obsession |ab'se{(a)n/ n. 1 the act of obsessing or the state of being obsessed. 2 a persistent idea or thought dominating a person’s mind. 3 a condition in which such ideas are present.

obsidian /sb'sidian/ n. a dark glassy volcanic rock formed from hardened lava. [L obsidianus, error for obsianus f. Obsius, the name {in Pliny) of the discoverer of a similar stone] :

another proposition with a contradictory predicate, e.g. no men are immortal to all men are mortal. 00 obversion n. [L obvertere obvers- (as OB-, vertere turn)}

obsolescent |,vbso'les(a)nt/ adj. becoming obsolete; going out

obviate /'pbviert/ v.tr. get round or do away with (a need, incon-

of use or date. 00 obsolescence n. [L obsolescere obsolescent- (as OB-, solére be accustomed)]

obsolete /'pbsa)li:t/ adj. 1 disused, discarded, antiquated. 2 Biol. less developed than formerly or than in a cognate species; rudimentary. oo obsoletely adv. obsoleteness n. obsoletism n. [L obsoletus past part. (as OBSOLESCENT)] . obstacle /'pbstak(a)l/ n. a person or thing that obstructs progress. 0 obstacle-race a race in which various obstacles have to be negotiated. [ME f. OF f. L obstaculum f. obstare impede (as OB-, stare stand)j

obstetric /sb'stetrik/ adj. (also obstetrical) of or relating to childbirth and associated processes. oO obstetrically adv. obstetrician /-sta'tr1J(2)n/ n. {mod.L obstetricus for L obstetricius f. obstetrix midwife f. obstare be present (as oB-, stare stand)]

obstetrics /sb'stetriks/ n.pl. (treated as sing.) the branch of medicine and surgery concerned with childbirth and midwifery.

obstinate /'pbstinet/ adj. 1 stubborn, intractable.

2 firmly

adhering to one’s chosen course of action or opinion despite dissuasion. 3 inflexible, self-willed. 4 unyielding; not readily responding to treatment etc. oO obstinacy n. obstinately adv. {ME f. L obstinatus past part. of obstinare persist (as OB-, stare stand)] obstreperous /sb'strepores/ adj. 1 turbulent, unruly; noisily resisting control. 2 noisy, vociferous. 00 obstreperously adv. obstreperousness n. [L obstreperus f. obstrepere (as OB-, strepere make a noise)]

obstruct /sb'strakt/ v.tr. 1 block up; make hard or impossible to pass. 2 prevent or retard the progress of, impede. 00 obstructor n. [L obstruere obstruct- (as oB-, struere build)] obstruction /sb'strak{(2)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of blocking; the state of being blocked. 2 the act of making or the state of becoming more or less impassable. 3 an obstacle or blockage. 4 the retarding of progress by deliberate delays, esp. of Parliamentary business. 5 Sport the act of unlawfully obstructing another player. 6 Med. a blockage in a bodily passage, esp. in an intestine. 00 obstructionism n. (in sense 4). obstructionist n. (in sense 4). [L obsiructio (as OBSTRUCT)] obstructive /ob'straktrv/ adj. & n. —adj. causing or intended to cause an obstruction. —n. an obstructive person or thing. 00 obstructively adv. obstructiveness n.

obtain /sb'tern/ v. 1 tr. acquire, secure; have granted to one. 2 intr. be prevalent or established or in vogue. 00 obtainable adj. obtainability /-'biliti/n. obtainer n. obtainment n. obtention Jeb'tenf(a)n/ n. [ME f. OF obtenir f. L obtinére obtent- keep (as OB-,

tenére hold)] obtrude /ab'tru:d/ v. 1 intr. be or become obtrusive. 2 tr. (often foll. by on, upon) thrust forward (oneself, one’s opinion, etc.) importunately. 00 obtruder n. obtrusion /-'tru:3(2)n/-n. [L obtrudere obtrus- (as oB-, trudere push)] obtrusive /sb'tru:srv/ adj. 1 unpleasantly or unduly noticeable. 2 obtruding oneself. 00 obtrusively adv. obtrusiveness n. [as OBTRUDE] . obtund /ab'tand/ v.tr. blunt or deaden (a sense or faculty). [ME f. L obtundere obtus- (as oB-, tundere beat)] obtuse /ab'tju:s/ adj. 1 dull-witted; slow to understand. 2 of blunt form; not sharp-pointed or sharp-edged. 3 (of an angle)

wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

venience, etc.). 00 obviation /-'e1{(a)n/ n. [LL obviare oppose (as OB-, via way)] obvious /'pbvies/ adj. easily seen or recognized or understood; palpable, indubitable. 00 obviously adv. obviousness n. [L obvius f. ob viam in the way]

OC abbr. Officer Commanding. oc- /pk/ prefix assim. form of oB- before c. ocarina /|,pks'ri:no/ n. a small egg-shaped ceramic (usu. terracotta) or metal wind instrument with holes for the fingers. Invented c.1860, it was used mainly as a toy and sometimes nicknamed ‘sweet potato’ (as in the once-popular song Sweet Potato Piper). [It. f. oca goose (from its shape)]

OCAS abbr. Organization of Central American States. O’Casey /2v'kers1/, Sean (1880-1964), Irish playwright, born in Dublin of poor Protestant parents. He spent 9 years from 1903 as a railway labourer and developed an enthusiasm for the theatre through amateur dramatics. His three tragicomedies, The Shadow of a Gunman (1923), Juno and the Paycock (1924), and The Plough and the Stars (1926), deal realistically with the dangers of Irish patriotism, with tenement life, self-deception, and survival. He settled in England permanently in 1926. The Silver Tassie (1928) introduced the symbolic expressionist techniques which he developed in later works.

Occam’s

razor |,pkomz/ n. the principle attributed to the

English philosopher William of Occam (see entry) that the fewest possible assumptions should be made in explaining a thing. occasion /a'ke13(2)n/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa special or noteworthy event or happening (dressed for the occasion). b the time or occurrence of this (on the occasion of their marriage). 2 (often foll. by for, or to + infin.) a reason, ground, or justification (there is no occasion to be angry). 3 ajuncture suitable for doing something; an opportunity. 4 an immediate but subordinate or incidental cause (the assassination was the occasion of the war). —v.tr. 1 be the occasion or cause of; bring about esp. incidentally. 2 (foll. by to + infin.) cause (a person or thing to do something). 0 on occasion now and then; when the need arises. rise to the occasion produce the necessary will, energy, ability, etc., in unusually demanding circumstances. take occasion (foll. by to + infin.) make use of the opportunity. [ME f. OF occasion or L occasio juncture, reason, f. occidere occas- go down (as OB-, cadere

fall)] occasional /s'ke139n(2)I/ adj. 1 happening irregularly and infrequently. 2 made or meant for, or associated with, a special occasion. 3 acting on a special occasion. 0 occasional cause a secondary cause; an occasion (see OCCASION n. 4), occasional

table a small table for irregular and varied occasionality /-'nzliti/ n. occasionally adv.

use.

oo

Occident /'pksid(2)nt/ n. poet. or rhet. 1 (prec. by the) the West. 2 western Europe. 3 Europe, America, or both, as distinct from the Orient. 4 European in contrast to Oriental civilization. [ME f. OF f. L occidens -entis setting, sunset, west (as OCCASION)]}

occidental |,nks1'dent(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of the Occident. 2 western. 3 of Western nations. —n. (Occidental) a native of the Occident. 00 occidentalism n. occidentalist n. occidentalize

v.tr. (also -ise). occidentally adv. [ME f. OF occidental or L occidentalis (as OCCIDENT)} tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

occipito-

octahedron

1006

occipito= /pk'srpiteu/ comb. form the back of the head. [as OCCIPUT] occiput /'pks1,pat/ n. the back of the head. oo occipital /-'srprt(a)l/ adj. [ME f. L occiput (as oB-, caput head)] Occitan /'pksit(s)n/ n. (also attrib.) the Provengal language. 00 Occitanian /-'ternion/ n. & adj. [F: cf. LANGUE D’OC] occlude /a'klu:d/ v.tr. 1 stop up or close (pores or an orifice). 2 Chem. absorb and retain (gases or impurities). 0 occluded front Meteorol. a front resulting from occlusion. [L occludere occlus- (as oB-, claudere shut)}

adv. (also -wards). [ME f. OF occean f. L oceanus f. Gk dkeanos stream encircling the earth’s disc, Atlantic] oceanarium /|,2ufs'neariom/ n. (pl. oceanariums or -ria /-r19/) a large seawater aquarium for keeping sea animals. [OCEAN + -ARIUM, after aquarium]

Oceania |,aust'a:n1o/ the islands of the Pacific and adjacent seas. oo Oceanian adj. & n. [mod.L f. F Océanie f. L (as OCEAN)]

oceanic |,aufi'znrk, ,usi-/ adj. 1 of, like, or near the ocean. 2 (of a climate) governed by the ocean. 3 of the part of the ocean distant from the continents. 4 (Oceanic) of Oceania.

occlusion /2'klu:3(9)n/ n. 1 the act or process of occluding. 2

Oceanid /20'si:anid/ n. (pl. Oceanids or -ides /,2us1'zn1,di:z/) Gk

Meteorol. a phenomenon in which the cold front of a depression overtakes the warm front, causing upward displacement of warm air between them. 3 Dentistry the position of the teeth when the jaws are closed. 4 the blockage or closing of a hollow organ etc. (coronary occlusion). 5 Phonet. the momentary closure of the vocal passage. 00 occlusive adj. occult adj. & v. —adj. /p'kalt, 'pkalt/ 1 involving the supernatural; mystical, magical. 2 kept secret; esoteric. 3 recondite, mysterious; beyond the range of ordinary knowledge. 4 Med. not obvious on inspection. —v.tr. /p'kalt/ Astron. (of a concealing body much greater in size than the concealed body) hide from view by passing in front; conceal by being in front. 0 the occult occult phenomena generally. occulting light a lighthouse light that is cut off at regular intervals. 00 occultation /-'te1{(s)n/ n. occultism n. occultist n. occultly adv. occultness n. [L occulere occult- (as oB-, celare hide)] occupant /'pkjupont/ n. 1 a person who occupies, resides in, or is in a place etc. (both occupants of the car were unhurt). 2 a person holding property, esp. land, in actual possession. 3 a person who establishes atitle by taking possession of something previously without an established owner. 00 occupancy n. (pl. ies). [F occupant or L occupans -antis (as occuPyY)] occupation /,vkju'per{(a)n/ n. 1 what occupies one; a means of passing one’s time. 2 a person’s temporary or regular employment; a business, calling, or pursuit. 3 the act of occupying or state of being occupied. 4 a the act of taking or holding possession of (a country, district, etc.) by military force. b the state or time of this. 5 tenure, occupancy. 6 (attrib.) for the sole use of the occupiers of the land concerned (occupation road). [ME f. AF ocupacioun, OF occupation f. L occupatio -onis (as OCCUPY)]

Mythol. an ocean nymph. [Gk okeanis -idos daughter of OCEANUS] oceanography /|,svfs'nvgrofi/ n. the study of the oceans. oo oceanographer nn. oceanographic /-no'grefik/ adj. oceanographical /-no'grefik(a)l/ adj. Oceanus /|,aus1'emos/ Gk Mythol. the son of Uranus and Gaia, and father of the ocean nymphs (Oceanids) and river gods. He is the personification of the river encircling the whole world. ocellus /p'selos/ n. (pl. ocelli /-la1/) 1 each of the simple, as

occupational /,nkjo'perfan(s)l/ adj. 1 of or in the nature of an occupation or occupations. 2 (of a disease, hazard, etc.) rendered more likely by one’s occupation. 0 occupational therapy mental or physical activity designed to assist recovery from disease or injury. occupier /'pkju,pato(r)/ n. Brit. a person residing in a property as its owner or tenant. occupy /|'pkju,pai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 reside in; be the tenant of.

e bed

3: her

oche /|'pki/ n. (also hockey /'pki, 'hoki/) Darts the line behind which the players stand when throwing. [20th c.: orig. uncert. (perh. connected with OF ochen cut a deep notch in)]

ocher US var. of OCHRE. ochlocracy /pk'lpkrasi/ n. (pl. -ies) mob rule. 00 ochlocrat

|'pklo,kret/ n. ochlocratic /,pklo'krztrtk/ adj. [F ochlocratie f. Gk okhlokratia f. okhlos mob] ochone /p'xoun] int. (also ohone) Sc. & Ir. expressing regret or lament. [Gael. & Ir. ochéin] ochre |'suka(r)/ n. (US ocher) 1 a mineral of clay and ferric oxide,

used as a pigment varying from light yellow to brown or red. 2 a pale brownish yellow. 00 ochreish adj. ochreous /'sukriss/ adj. ochrous |'sukras/ adj. ochry /'sukr1/ adj. [ME f. OF ocre f. L orig. with diminutive sense (hil-uc, -oc] boorish or aggressive Australian orig. uncert.]

o’clock /a'klpk/ adv. of the clock (used to specify the hour) (6 o'clock).

office). 4 take military possession of (a country, region, town, strategic position). 5 place oneself in (a building etc.) forcibly or without authority. 6 (usu. in passive; often foll. by in, with) keep busy or engaged. [ME f. OF occuper f. L occupare seize (as OB-, capere take)] occur /a'ks:(r)/ v.intr. (occurred, occurring) 1 come into being as an event or process at or during some time; happen. 2 exist or be encountered in some place or conditions. 3 (foll. by to; usu. foll. by that + clause) come into the mind of, esp. as an unexpected or casual thought (it occurred to me that you were right). [L occurrere go to meet, present itself (as oB-, currere run)] occurrence /a'karons/ n. 1 the act or an instance of occurring. 2 an incident or event. 0 of frequent occurrence often occurring. [occurrent that occurs f. F f. L occurrens -entis (as OccuR)] ocean /'suf(a)n/ n. 1 a a large expanse of sea, esp. each of the main areas called the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and Southern (or Antarctic) Oceans. b these regarded cumulatively as the body of water surrounding the land of the globe. 2 (usu. prec. by the) the sea. 3 (often in pl.) a very large expanse or quantity of anything (oceans of time). 0 ocean-going (of a ship) able to cross oceans. ocean tramp a merchant ship, esp. a steamer, running on no regular line or route. 00 oceanward

a: arm

surrounded bya ring of a different colour on the wing of a butterfly etc. 00 ocellar adj. ocellate /'pstlot/ adj. ocellated |'pst,lertrd/ adj. [L, dimin. of oculus eye] ocelot /'ps1,lpt/ n. 1 a medium-sized cat, Felis pardalis, native to S. and Central America, having a deep yellow or orange coat with black striped and spotted markings. 2 its fur. [F, abbr. by Buffon f. Nahuatl tlalocelotl jaguar of the field, and applied to a different animal] och /px/ int. Sc. & Ir. expressing surprise or regret. [Gael. & Ir]

ochra f. Gk okhra yellow ochre] -ock /ok/ suffix forming nouns lock; bullock). [from or after OE ocker /'pka(r)/ n. Austral. sl. a (esp. as a stereotype). [20th c.:

2 take up or fill (space or time or a place). 3 hold (a position or

z cat

opposed to compound, eyes of insects etc. 2 a spot of colour

O’Connell /20'kon(a)l/, Daniel (1775-1847), Irish nationalist leader and social reformer, whose election to Parliament in 1828 forced the British government to grant Catholic emancipation in order to enable him to take his seat in the House of Commons, for which Roman Catholics were previously ineligible. In the 1840s his campaign for the repeal of union with Britain by constitutional methods was unsuccessful, and he lost the support of many nationalists and radicals.

OCR abbr. optical character recognition. Oct. abbr. October. oct. abbr. octavo.

oct- /pkt/ comb. form assim. form of ocTA-, ocTo- before a vowel. octa- /'pkta/ comb. form (also oct- before a vowel) eight. [Gk oktaf. oktd eight]

octad /'pktad/ n. a group of eight. [LL octas octad- f. Gk oktas -ados

f. okt eight] octagon /'vktogan/ n. 1 a plane figure with eight sides and angles. 2 an object or building with this cross-section. oo octagonal /-'tegan(e)l/ adj. octagonally |-'tzeganali/ adv. [L octagonos f. Gk octagonos (as ocTA-, -GoN)] octahedron /|,pktahi:dron, “hedran/ n. (pl. octahedrons or

1 sit

i: see

p hot

90: saw

Arun

o put

u: too

0 ago

al my

octal

odd

1007

octahedra /-dra/) 1 a solid figure contained by eight (esp. triangular) plane faces. 2 a body, esp. a crystal, in the form of a regular octahedron. 0 regular octahedron an octahedron contained by equal and equilateral triangles. 00 octahedral adj. [Gk oktaedron (as OCTA-, -HEDRON)]} octal /'pkt(a)l/ adj. reckoning or proceeding by eights (octal scale). octamerous /pk'temoras/ adj. 1 esp. Bot. having eight parts. 2 Zool. having organs arranged in eights. octane /'pktern/ n. a colourless inflammable hydrocarbon of the alkane series. §] Chem. formula: C,His. 0 high-octane (of fuel

used in internal-combustion engines) having good antiknock properties, not detonating readily during the power stroke. octane number (or rating) a figure indicating the antiknock properties of a fuel. [ocT- + -ANE] ; octant /'nkt(a)nt/ n. 1 an arc of a circle equal to one eighth of the circumference. 2 such an are with two radii, forming an area equal to one eighth of the circle. 3 each of eight parts into which three planes intersecting (esp. at right angles) at a point divide the space or the solid body round it. 4 Astron. a point in a body’s apparent course 45° distant from a given point, esp. a point at which the moon is 45° from conjunction or opposition. with the sun. 5 an instrument in the form ofa graduated eighth of a circle, used in astronomy and navigation. [L octans octanthalf-quadrant f. octo eight} octaroon var. of OCTOROON. octastyle /'nkta,stail/ adj. & n. —adj. having eight columns at the end or in front. —n. an octastyle portico or building. [L octastylus f. Gk oktastulos (as ocTA- + stulos pillar)] octavalent |,pkto'verlent/ adj. Chem. having a valency of eight. [ocTa- + VALENCE}] octave /|'pktrv/ n. 1 Mus. aa series of eight notes occupying the interval between (and including) two notes, one having twice or half the frequency of vibration of the other. b this interval. c each of the two notes at the extremes of this interval. d these two notes sounding together. 2 a group or stanza of eight lines; an octet. 3 a the seventh day after a festival. b a period of eight days including a festival and its octave. 4 a group of eight. 5 the last of eight parrying positions in fencing. § Brit. a wine-cask holding an eighth of a pipe. o law of octaves that formulated (1863-6) by J. A. R. Newlands, who noted that the chemical elements, when arranged in order of their atomic weights, exhibited a recurring regularity of properties after each series of 8 elements, an anticipation of the periodic law. [ME f. OF f. L octava dies eighth day (reckoned inclusively)}

Octavian

/|pk'tervion/

the

name

(Gaius

Julius

octodecimo /|,nktou'desi,mou/ n. (pl. -os) 1 a size of book or page given by folding a standard sheet into eighteen leaves. 2a book or sheet of this size. [in octodecimo f. L octodecimus eighteenth] octogenarian |,oktoud3'neorion/ n. & adj. —n. a person from 80 to 89 years old. —adj. of this age. [L octogenarius f. octogeni distributive of octoginta eighty] octopod /'pkta,pod/ n. any cephalopod of the order Octopoda, with eight arms usu. having suckers, and a round saclike body, including octopuses. [Gk oktépous -podos f. okt eight + pous foot] octopus /'pktapss/ n. (pl. -es) 1 any cephalopod mollusc of the genus Octopus having eight suckered arms, a soft saclike body, and strong beaklike jaws. 2 an organized and usu. harmful ramified power or influence. [Gk oktdpous: see OCTOPOD] octoroon |,okto'ru:n/ n. (also octaroon) the offspring of a quadroon and a White, a person of one-eighth Negro blood. [ocroafter QUADROON]

octosyllabic /,oktousr'lebik/ adj. & n. —adj. having eight syllables.

—n.

an octosyllabic verse. [LL octosyllabus (as OcTO-,

SYLLABLE)] , octosyllable /,nkta'silob(a)l/ n. & adj. —n. an octosyllabic verse or word. —adj. = OCTOSYLLABIC. octroi /'pktrwa:/ n. 1 a duty levied in some European countries on goods entering a town. 2 a the place where this is levied. b the officials by whom it is levied. [F f. octroyer grant, f. med.L

auctorizare: see AUTHORIZE] octuple /'vktjup(e)l/ adj., n., & v. —adj. eightfold. —n. an eightfold amount. —v.tr. & intr. multiply by eight. [F octuple or L octuplus (adj.) f. octo eight: cf. DOUBLE] ocular /'pkjolo(r)/ adj. & n. —adj. of or connected with the eyes or sight; visual. —n. the eyepiece of an optical instrument. o ocular spectrum see SPECTRUM. OO ocularly adv. [F oculaire f. LL ocularis f. L oculus eye]

ocularist /'pkjolorist/ n. a maker of artificial eyes. [F oculariste (as OCULAR)]} oculate /'pkjulot/ adj. = OCELLATE (see OCELLUs). [L oculatus f. oculus eye]

oculist /'pkjolist/ n. a person who specializes in the medical treatment of eye disorders or defects. 00 oculistic /-'listik/ adj. [F oculiste f. L oculus eye]

oculo- /'pkjulou/ comb. form eye (oculo-nasal). [L oculus eye] OD?! abbr. ordnance datum. OD? /su'di:/ n. & v. esp. US sl. —n. an overdose, esp. of a narcotic

Caesar

drug. —v.intr. (OD’s, OD’d, OD’ing) take an overdose. [abbr.]

Octavianus) taken by Gaius Octavius on his recognition in 43 BC as the adopted son of Julius Caesar, and by which he was known until his assumption of the title Augustus in 27 BC. octavo /pk'tervau, vk'ta:vau/ n. (pl. -os) 1 a size of book or page given by folding a standard sheet three times to form a quire of eight leaves. 2 a book or sheet of this size. §] Abbr.: 8vo. [L in octavo in an eighth f. octavus eighth] octennial /pk'tental/ adj. 1 lasting eight years. 2 occurring every eight years. [LL octennium period of eight years {as OCcT-,

od! /pd/ n. a hypothetical power once thought to pervade nature

annus year)]

octet voices group stable

/pk'tet/ n. (also octette) 1 Mus. a a composition for eight or instruments. b the performers of such a piece. 2a of eight. 3 the first eight lines of a sonnet. 4 Chem. a group of eight electrons. [It. ottetto or G Oktett: assim. to

OCT-, DUET, QUARTET] octo- |'pktau/ comb. form (also oct- before a vowel) eight. [L octo

or Gk okté eight]

October /pk'touba(r)/ n. the tenth month of the year. 0 October Revolution a revolutionary movement in Russia in 1917 (see REVOLUTION 1). October War the Yom Kippur war. [OE f. L (as octo-): cf. DECEMBER, SEPTEMBER]

Octobrist /pk'toubrist/ n. hist. a member of the moderate party in the Russian Duma, supporting the Imperial Constitutional Manifesto of 30 Oct. 1905. [OcroBeER, after Russ. oktyabrist] octocentenary /,oktousen'ti:nort/n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1. an eight-hundredth anniversary. 2 a celebration of this. —adj. of or relating to an octocentenary.

au how

er day

ov no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

wea poor

and account for various scientific phenomena. [arbitrary term coined in G by Baron von Reichenbach, Ger. scientist d. 1869]

od? /pd/ n. (as int. or in oaths) archaic = Gop. [corruption] o.d. abbr. outer diameter. odal var. of uDAL. odalisque /'sudolisk/ n. hist. an Eastern female slave or concubine, esp. in the Turkish Sultan’s seraglio. [F f. Turk. odalik f. oda chamber + lik function] odd /pd/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 extraordinary, strange, queer, remarkable, eccentric. 2 casual, occasional, unconnected (odd jobs; odd moments). 3 not normally noticed or considered; unpredictable (in some odd corner; picks up odd bargains). 4 additional; beside the reckoning (earned the odd pound). 5 a (of numbers such as 3 and 5) not integrally divisible by two. b (of things or persons numbered consecutively) bearing such a number (no parking on odd dates). 6 left over when the rest have been distributed or divided into pairs (have got an odd sock). 7 detached from a set or series (a few odd volumes). 8 (appended to a number, sum, weight, etc.) somewhat more than (forty odd; forty-odd people). 9 by which

a round number, given sum, etc., is exceeded (we have 102—what shall we do with the odd 2?). —n. Golfa handicap of one stroke at each hole. 0 odd job a casual isolated piece of work. odd job man (or odd jobber) Brit. a person who does odd jobs. odd

man out 1a person or thing differing from all the others in a group in some respect. 2 a method of selecting one of three or more persons e.g. by tossing a coin. 00 oddish adj. oddly adv.

aia fire

aua sour

(see over for consonants)

oddball

oesophagus

1008

bearing flowers with jagged edges like tooth-marks. [oDONTO-

oddness n. [ME f. ON odda- in odda-mathr third man, odd man, f. oddi angle]

+ Gk glissa tongue] odontoid |/su'dontord/ adj. toothlike.

oddball |'pdbo:1/ n. collog. 1 an odd or eccentric person. 2 (attrib.) Oddfellow /|'pdfelou/ n. a member of a fraternity similar to the

odontology |,2udon'toled3}/ n. the scientific study of the struc-

Freemasons.

ture and diseases of teeth. 00 odontological /-to'lod3rk(2)l/ adj. odontologist n.

oddity |'pditi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a strange person, thing, or occurrence. 2 a peculiar trait. 3 the state of being odd. oddment /'pdmont/ n. 1 an odd article; something left over. 2 (in pl.) miscellaneous articles. 3 Brit. Printing matter other than

odor US var. of opouR. odoriferous |,uda'rifaras/ adj. diffusing a scent, esp. an agreeable one; fragrant. 00 odoriferously adv. [ME f. L odorifer (as ODOUR)] odorous /'sudoras/ adj. 1 having a scent. 2 = ODORIFEROUS. 00 odorously adv. [L odorus fragrant (as ODOUR)} odour /'sudo(r)/ n. (US odor) 1 the property of a substance that has an effect on the nasal sense of smell. 2 a lasting quality or trace attaching to something (an odour of intolerance). 3 regard, repute (in bad odour). 00 odourless adj. (in sense 1). [ME f. AF odour, OF odor f. L odor -oris smell, scent]

the main text.

odds /pdz/ n.pl. 1 the ratio between the amounts staked by the parties to a bet, based on the expected probability either way. 2 the chances or balance of probability in favour of or against some result (the odds are against it; the odds are that it will rain). 3 the balance of advantage (the odds are in your favour; won against all the odds). 4 an equalizing allowance to a weaker competitor. 5 a difference giving an advantage (it makes no odds). 0 at odds (often foll. by with) in conflict or at variance. by all odds certainly. lay (or give) odds offer a bet with odds favourable to the other better. odds and ends miscellaneous articles or remnants. odds-on a state when success is more likely than failure, esp. as indicated by the betting odds. over the odds above a generally agreed price etc. take odds offer a bet with

Odysseus /a'disjas/ Gk legend king of Ithaca, called Ulysses by the Romans, renowned for cunning. He survived the Trojan War but Poseidon kept him from home for ten years while his wife Penelope waited. (See ODyssEY.)

Odyssey |'pdis1/ a Greek hexameter epic poem in 24 books

odds unfavourable to the other better. what’s the odds? colloq. what does it matter? [app. pl. of opp n.: cf. NEWS]

traditionally ascribed to Homer. It tells of the travels of the ever-resourceful Odysseus during his years of wandering after the sack of Troy, and of his eventual return home to Ithaca and his slaying of the evil suitors of his faithful wife Penelope. His adventures include amorous liaisons with Calypso and the witch Circe, hospitality at the court of the pleasure-loving Phaeacians, the evocation of the famous dead from the underworld, and encounters with a number of fabulous monsters, including the

ode /sud/ n. 1 a rhymed (rarely unrhymed) lyric, often. in the form of an address, generally dignified or exalted in subject, feeling, and style, but sometimes (in earlier use) simple and familiar (though less so than a song). 2 hist. a poem meant to be sung. [F f. LL oda f. Gk Gidé Attic form of aoidé song f. aeido sing]

-ode! /aud/ suffix forming nouns meaning ‘thing of the nature

Cyclops Polyphemus and Scylla and Charybdis. —odyssey n. (pl. -eys) a series of wanderings; a long adventurous journey. o0 Odyssean adj. [L Odyssea f. Gk Odusseia]

of (geode; trematode). [Gk -ddés adj. ending] -ode? /aud/ comb. form Electr. forming names of electrodes, or devices having them (cathode; diode). [Gk hodos way]

OECD

Odense /'sudonso/ a port on the island of Fiinen (Fyn), Denmark;

Jocasta. He unwittingly killed his father and married Jocasta, and when the facts were discovered went mad and put out his own eyes, while Jocasta hanged herself. [Gk = swollen foot,

Odessa /su'deso/ a Ukrainian city and seaport on the NW coast of the Black Sea; pop. (est. 1987) 1,141,000.

from the story that Laius ran a spike through the infant’s feet before leaving it to die]

Odets /su'dets/, Clifford (1906-63), American dramatist. He was a founder member in 1931 of the Group Theatre, which followed the naturalistic methods of the Moscow Art Theatre, and his reputation was made when it performed his play Waiting for Lefty (1935), about a taxi-drivers’ strike. This was followed by two other dramas of social conflict, Till the Day I Die and Awake and Sing! (both 1935). Later works include The Big Knife (1948), an attack on the corruptions of Hollywood. odeum /'sudiom/ n. (pl. odeums or odea /-dia/) a building for musical performances, esp. among the ancient Greeks and Romans. [F odéum or L odeum f. Gk dideion (as ODE)]

Oedipus complex /'i:dipas/ n. Psychol. (according to Freud etc.) the complex of emotions aroused in a young (esp. male) child by a subconscious sexual desire for the parent of the opposite sex and wish to exclude the parent of the same sex. 00 Oedipal adj.

oenology |i:'nvled3i/ n. (US enology) the study of wines. 50 oenological /,i:no'lod3rk(9)l/ adj. oenologist n. [Gk oinos wine]

Odin /'s0din/ Scand. Mythol. the supreme god and creator, god of victory and the dead, represented as an old one-eyed man of great wisdom. Wednesday is named after him. odious /'sudias/ adj. hateful, repulsive. o0 odiously adv. odiousness n. [ME f. OF odieus f. L odiosus (as ODIUM)] odium /'sudiom/ n. a general or widespread dislike or reprobation incurred by a person or associated with an action. [L, = hatred f. odi to hate] odometer /2u'domita(r)/ n. (also hodometer /hp-/) an instrument for measuring the distance travelled by a wheeled vehicle. oo odometry n. [F odometre f. Gk hodos way: see -METER] odonto- /su'dontau/ comb. form tooth. [Gk odous odont- tooth] odontoglossum /30,donta'glpsem/ n. any of various orchids hhe

j yes

and

Oedipus |'i:drpos/ Gk legend the son of Laius king of Thebes, and

1945.

g get

Cooperation

oedema /1'di:mo/ n. (US edema) a condition characterized by an excess of watery fluid collecting in the cavities or tissues of the body. Also called DRopsy. 00 oedematose adj. oedematous adj. [LL f. Gk oidéma -atos f. oided swell]

Europe. Rising in the mountains of Czechoslovakia, it flows 907 km (567 miles) north through western Poland to meet the River Neisse where it forms the border between Poland and Germany before emptying into the Baltic Sea. This frontier, known as the Oder-Neisse Line, was adopted at the Potsdam Conference in

ffew

for Economic

OED abbr. Oxford English Dictionary.

Oder /'sudo(r)/ (Czech and Polish Odra |'sudra/) a river of central

ddog

abbr. Organization

Development.

pop. (1988) 174,000. It is the birthplace of Hans Andersen.

b but

0 odontoid process a

projection from the second cervical vertebra. [Gk odontoeidés (as opoNnTo- + Gk eidos form)]

strange, bizarre.

Oenone /i:'naun1/ Gk legend a nymph of Mount Ida and lover of Paris, who deserted her for Helen. oenophile /'i:na,fatl/ n. a connoisseur of wines. 00 oenophilist ji:npfilist/ n. [as OENOLOGY]

o’er /'909(r)/ adv. & prep. poet. = oveER. [contr.] Oersted /'s:sted/, Hans Christian (1777-1851), Danish physicist, who in 1820 discovered that an effect. He noticed the deflection a wire carrying a current. The named after him (the oersted) is ampere per metre.

oesophagus

k cat

electric current has a magnetic of a compass needle placed near unit of magnetic field strength replaced in the SI system by the

|i:'svfogas/ n. (US esophagus)

(pl. oesophagi

|-dgat/ or -guses) the part of the alimentary canal from the mouth to the stomach; the gullet. oo cree Seaeaee[ispfa'dzi:al, i:sa'faedzrol/ adj. [ME f. Gk oisophagos]

lleg

m man

nno

p pen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

oestrogen

oestrogen /'i:strod3(2)n/ n. (US estrogen) 1 any of various steroid hormones developing and maintaining female characteristics of the body. 2 this hormone produced artificially for use in oral contraceptives etc. 00 oestrogenic /-'dzenrk/ adj. oestrogenically /-'dzenikali/ adv. [OESTRUS + -GEN] oestrus /'i:stras/ n. (also oestrum, US estrus, estrum) a recurring period of sexual receptivity in many female mammals; heat. 00 oestrous adj. [Gk oistros gadfly, frenzy] g@uvre |'s:vr/ n. the works of an author, painter, composer, etc., esp. regarded collectively. [F, = work, f. L opera] of /pv, ov/ prep. connecting a noun (often a verbal noun) or pronoun with a preceding noun, adjective, adverb, or verb, expressing a wide range of relations broadly describable as follows: 1 origin, cause, or authorship (paintings of Turner; people of Rome; died of malnutrition). 2 the material or substance constituting or identifying a thing (a house of cards; was built of bricks). 3 belonging, connection, or possession (a thing of the past; articles of clothing; the head of the business; the tip of the iceberg). 4 identity or close relation (the city of Rome; a pound of apples; a fool of a man). 5 removal, separation, or privation (north of the city; got rid of them; robbed us of £1000). 6 reference, direction, or respect (beware. of the dog; suspected of lying; very good of you; short of money; the selling of goods). 7 objective relation (love of music; in search of peace). 8 partition, classification, or inclusion (no more of that; part of the story; a friend of mine; this sort of book; some of us will stay). 9 description, quality, or condition (the hour of prayer, a person of tact; a girl of ten; on the point of leaving). 10 US time in relation to the following hour (a quarter of three). 0 be of possess intrinsically; give rise to (is of great interest). of all designating the (nominally) least likely or expected example (you of all people!). of all the nerve (or cheek etc.) an exclamation of indignation at a person’s impudence etc. of an evening (or morning eic.) collog. 1 on most evenings (or mornings etc.). 2 at some time in the evenings (or mornings etc.). of late recently. of old formerly; long ago. [OE, unaccented form of ef, f. Gmc]

of- /pf] prefix assim. form of oB- before f. ofay /'svfe1/ n. US sl. offens. a White person (esp. used by Blacks). [20th c.: prob. of Afr. orig.]

Off. abbr. 1 Office. 2 Officer. off /pf] adv., prep., adj., & n. —adv. 1 away; at or to a distance (drove off; is three miles off). 2 out of position; not on or touching or attached; loose, separate, gone (has come off; take your coat off). 3 so as to be rid of (sleep it off). 4 so as to break continuity or continuance; discontinued, stopped (turn off the radio; take a day off; the game is off). 5 not available as a choice, e.g. on a Menu (chips are off). 6 to the end; entirely; so as to be clear (clear off; finish off; pay off). 7 situated as regards money, supplies, etc. (is badly off; is not very well off). 8 off-stage (noises off). 9 (of food etc.) beginning to decay. 10 (with preceding numeral) denoting a quantity produced or made at one time (esp. one-off). —prep. 1 a from; away or down or up from (fell off the chair; took something off the price; jumped off the edge). b not on (was already off the pitch). 2 a (temporarily) relieved of or abstaining from (off duty; am off my diet). b not attracted by for the time being (off their food; off smoking). ¢ not achieving or doing one’s best in (offform; off one’s game). 3 using as a source or means of support (live off the land). 4 leading from; not far from (a street off the Strand). 5 at a short distance to sea from (sank off Cape Horn). —adj. 1 far, further (the off side of the wall). 2 (of a part of a vehicle, animal, or road) right (the offfront wheel). 3 Cricket designating the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) to which the striker’s feet are pointed. —n. 1 Cricket the off side. 2 the start of a race. 0 a bit off Brit. collog. 1 rather annoying or unfair. 2 somewhat unwell (am feeling a bit off). off and on intermittently; now and then. off-centre not quite coinciding with a central position. the off chance see CHANCE. off colour 1 not in good health. 2 US somewhat indecent. off the cuff see curr. off-day a day when one is not at one’s best. off-drive Cricket drive (the ball) to the off side. off one’s feet see FOOT. off form see FORM. off guard see GUARD. off one’s hands see HAND. off one’s head see HEAD. off-key 1 out of tune. 2 not quite suitable or fitting. off-licence Brit. 1 a shop selling alcoholic drink for consumption elsewhere. 2 a licence for this. off limits see LIMIT.

wwe

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f she

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off-line Computing (of a computer terminal or process) not directly controlled by or connected to a central processor. off of sl. disp. = OFF prep. (picked it off of the floor). off-peak used or for use at times other than those of greatest demand. off the peg see PEG. off-piste (of skiing) away from prepared ski runs. off the point adj. irrelevant. —adv. irrelevantly. off-putting Brit. disconcerting; repellent. off the record see RECORD. off-road attrib.adj. 1 away from the road, on rough terrain. 2 (of a vehicle etc.) designed for rough terrain or for cross-country driving. off-season a time when business etc. is slack. off-stage adj. &

adv. not on the stage and so not visible or audible to the audience. off-street (esp. of parking vehicles) other than on a street. off-time a time when business etc. is slack. off-the-wall sl. crazy, absurd, outlandish. off-white white with a grey or yellowish tinge. [orig. var. of oF, to distinguish the sense]

Offa |'pfo/ (d. 796) king of Mercia 757-96. 0 Offa’s Dyke a series of earthworks running from near the mouth of the Wye to near the mouth of the Dee, built or repaired by Offa to mark the boundary established by his wars with the Welsh. offal /'pf{o)l/ n. 1 the less valuable edible parts of a carcass, esp. the entrails and internal organs. 2 refuse or waste stuff. 3 carrion; putrid flesh. [ME f. MDu. afval f. af oFF + vallen FALL]

Offaly /'pfeli/ a county of Ireland, in the province of Leinster; pop. (est. 1986) 59,800; capital, Tullamore.

offbeat adj. & n. —adj. |'pfbi:t, pf'bi:t/ 1 not coinciding with the beat. 2 eccentric, unconventional. —n. /|'pfbi:t/ any of the unaccented beats in a bar. offcut /'pfkat/ n. a remnant of timber, paper, etc., after cutting.

Offenbach _ /'pfan,ba:x/,

Jacques

(1819-80),

German-born

French composer, Jacques Eberst, who adopted the name of the German town in which his father lived. He began composing operettas in 1853, writing no fewer than ninety in the next quarter-century. His two-act opera Orphée aux enfers (Orpheus in the Underworld) was produced in 1858, and by the 1860s his fame as a witty and satirical composer was widespread. Later he turned away from the frivolous style, which was less to the taste of the Parisian public than it had been before the war of 1870-1, and composed Les Contes d’Hoffmann (Tales of Hoffmann), based on three stories by the German writer E. T. A. Hoffmann; it was not produced until after his death. offence /s'fens/ n. (US offense) 1 an illegal act; a transgression or misdemeanour. 2 a wounding of the feelings; resentment or umbrage (no offence was meant). 3 the act of attacking or taking the offensive; aggressive action. 0 give offence cause hurt feelings. take offence suffer hurt feelings. 00 offenceless adj. [orig. = stumbling, stumbling-block: ME & OF offens f. L offensus annoyance, and ME &Foffense f. L offensa a striking against, hurt, displeasure, both f. offendere (as os-, fendere fens- strike)]

offend /o'fend/ v. 1 tr. cause offence to or resentment in; wound the feelings of. 2 tr. displease or anger. 3 intr. (often foll. by against) do wrong; transgress. oO offendedly adv. offender n. offending adj. [ME f. OF offendre f. L (as OFFENCE)]

offense US var. of OFFENCE. offensive /o'fensiv/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 giving or meant or likely to give offence; insulting (offensive language). 2 disgusting, foulsmelling, nauseous, repulsive. 3 a aggressive, attacking. b (of a weapon) meant for use in attack. —n. 1 an aggressive action or attitude (take the offensive). 2 an attack, an offensive campaign or stroke. 3 aggressive or forceful action in pursuit of a cause (a peace offensive). OO offensively adv. offensiveness n. [F offensif -ive or med.L offensivus (as OFFENCE)] offer /'pfo(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. present for acceptance or refusal or consideration (offered me a drink; was offered a lift; offer one’s services; offer no apology). 2 intr. (foll. by to + infin.) express readiness or show intention (offered to take the children). 3 tr. provide; give an opportunity for. 4 tr. make available for sale. 5 tr. (of a thing) present to one’s attention or consideration (each day offers new opportunities). 6 tr. present (a sacrifice, prayer, etc.) to a deity. 7 intr. present itself; occur (as opportunity offers). 8 tr. give an opportunity for (battle) to an enemy. 9 tr. attempt, or try to show (violence, resistance, etc.). —n. 1 an expression of readiness to do or give if desired, or to buy or sell (for a certain tf chip

dz jar

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offering

ogham

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amount). 2 an amount offered. 3 a proposal (esp. of marriage). 4a bid. o on offer for sale at a certain (esp. reduced) price. 00 offerer n. offeror n. [OE offrian in religious sense, f. L offerre (as os-, ferre bring)]

offering /'pferin/ n. 1 a contribution, esp. of money, to a Church. 2 a thing offered as a religious sacrifice or token anything, esp. money, contributed or offered. offertory /'pfotart, -tr1/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 Eccl. a the bread and wine at the Eucharist. b an anthem this. 2 a the collection of money at a religious money collected. [ME f. eccl.L offertorium offering L oblat- past part. stem of offerre OFFER]

of devotion. 3

manner. —adv. /pflhzend/ 1 in an offhand manner. 2 without preparation or premeditation. 00 offhanded adj. offhandedly adv. offhandedness n. office /'pfis/ n. 1 a room or building used as a place of business, esp. for clerical or administrative work. 2 a room or department or building for a particular kind of business (ticket office; post office). 3 the local centre of a large business (our London office). 4 US the consulting-room of a professional person. 5 a position with duties attached to it; a place of authority or trust or service, esp. of a public nature. 6 tenure of an official position, esp. that of a minister of State or of the party forming the Government (hold office; out of office for 13 years). 7 (Office) the quarters or staff or collective authority of aGovernment department etc. (Foreign Office). 8 a duty attaching to one’s position; a task or function. 9 (usu. in pl.) a piece of kindness or attention; a service (esp. through the good offices of). 10 Eccl. a an authorized form of worship (Office for the Dead). b (in full divine office) the daily service of the Roman Catholic breviary (say the office). 11 a ceremonial duty. 12 (in pl.) Brit. the parts of a house devoted to household work, storage, etc. 13 sl. a hint or signal. o the last offices rites due to the dead. office-bearer an official or officer. office block a large building designed to contain business offices. office boy (or girl) a young man (or woman) employed to do minor jobs in a business office. office hours the hours during which business is normally conducted. office of arms the College of Arms, or a similar body in another country. office-worker an employee in a business office. [ME f. OF f. L officium performance of a task (in med.L also office, divine service), f. opus work + facere fic- do] officer /'pfiso(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a person holding a position of authority or trust, esp. one with a commission in the armed services, in the mercantile marine, or on a passenger ship. 2a policeman or policewoman. 3 a holder of a post ina society (e.g. the president or secretary). 4 a holder of a public, civil, or ecclesiastical office; a sovereign’s minister; an appointed or elected functionary (usu. with a qualifying word: medical officer; probation officer, returning officer). 5 a bailiff (the sheriffs officer). 6 a member of the grade below commander in the Order of the British Empire etc. —v.tr. 1 provide with officers. 2 act as the commander of. 0 officer of arms a herald or pursuivant. [ME f. AF officer, OF officier f. med.L officiarius f. L officium: see OFFICE]

official /a'fif(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or relating to an office (see OFFICE n. 5, 6) or its tenure or duties. 2 characteristic of officials and bureaucracy. 3 emanating from or attributable to a person in office; properly authorized. 4 holding office; employed in a public capacity. 5 Med. according to the pharmacopoeia, officinal. —n. 1a person holding office or engaged in official duties. 2 (in full official principal) the presiding officer or judge of an archbishop’s, bishop’s, or esp. archdeacon’s court. O official birthday Brit. a day in June chosen for the observance of the sovereign’s birthday. official secrets confidential information involving national security. 00 officialdom n. officialism n. officially adv. [ME (as noun) f. OF f. L officialis (as OFFICE)] acteristic of official documents.

offload |'pfloud, pf'leud/ v.tr. get rid of (esp. something unpleasant) by giving it to someone else. off-price /'vfprais/ adj. US involving merchandise sold at a lower price than that recommended by the manufacturer.

offprint /'pfprint/ n. a printed copy of an article etc. originally forming part of a larger publication. offscreen /'pfskri:n/ adj. & adv. —adj. not appearing on a cinema, television, or VDU screen. —adv. 1 without use of a screen. 2 outside the view presented by a cinema-film scene. offset n. & v. —n. |'pfset/ 1 a side-shoot from a plant serving for propagation. 2 an offshoot or scion. 3 a compensation; a consideration or amount diminishing or neutralizing the effect ofa contrary one. 4Archit. a sloping ledge in a wall etc. where the thickness of the part above is diminished. 5 a mountain-spur. 6 a bend in a pipe etc. to carry it past an obstacle. 7 (often attrib.) a method of printing in which ink is transferred from a plate or stone to a uniform rubber surface and from there to paper etc. (offset litho). 8 Surveying a short distance measured perpendicularly from the main line of measurement. —v.tr. |'pfset, pf'set/ (-setting; past and past part. -set) 1 counterbalance, compensate. 2 place out of line. 3 print by the offset process.

offshoot /'pfJu:t/ n. 1 a side-shoot or branch.

2 something

derivative.

offshore |'pffo:(r)/ adj. 1 situated at sea some distance from the shore. 2 (of the wind) blowing seawards. 3 (of goods, funds, etc.) made or registered abroad.

offside adj. & n. —adj. |pf'sa1d/ Sport (of a player ina field game) in a position, usu. ahead of the ball, that is not allowed if it affects play. —n. /'pfsard/ (often attrib.) esp. Brit. the right side of a vehicle, animal, etc. (cf. NEARSIDE).

offsider /pf'saida(r)/ n. Austral. collog. a partner, assistant, or deputy.

offspring /'pfsprin/ n. (pl. same) 1 a person’s child or children or descendant(s). 2 an animal’s young or descendant(s). 3 a result. [OE ofspring f. oF from + springan SPRING v.] oft /pft/ adv. archaic or literary often (usu. in comb.: oft-recurring). 0 oft-times often. [OE] often /'vf{)n, 'pft(a)n/ adv. (oftener, oftenest) 1 a frequently; many times. b at short intervals. 2 in many instances. Oo as often as not in roughly half the instances. [ME: extended f. oFT, prob. after selden = sELDOM]

double continuous S-shaped curve. —n. an S-shaped line or moulding. 0 ogee arch an arch with two ogee curves meeting at the apex. oO ogee’d adj. [app. f. ocive, as being the usu. moulding in groin-ribs] ogham /'pgom/ n. (also ogam) 1 an ancient British and Irish

particular occasion. 2 perform a divine service or ceremony. 00

3: her

domineering. 2 intrusive or excessively enthusiastic in offering help etc.; meddlesome. 3 Diplomacy informal, unofficial. oo officiously adv. officiousness n. [L officiosus obliging f. officium: see OFFICE] offing /'pfin/ n. the more distant part of the sea in view. O in the offing not far away; likely to appear or happen soon. [perh. f. OFF + -ING}] offish /'pfif/ adj. collog. inclined to be aloof. co offishly adv. offishness n. [oFr: cf. uppish]

inhabited by Somali nomads. Successive governments of neighbouring Somalia have laid claim to this territory which they call Western Somalia. ogam var. of OGHAM. ogdoad /|'ngdou,zd/ n. a group of eight. [LL ogdoas ogdoad- f. Gk ogdoas -ados f. ogdoos eighth f. okto eight] ogee /'s0d3i:, -'d3i:/ adj. & n. Archit. —adj. showing in section a

officiant /o'fifrent/ n. a person who officiates at a religious ceremony. officiate /o'fifr,ert/ v.intr. 1 act in an official capacity, esp. on a e bed

ready for immediate dispensing. b made from the pharmacopoeia recipe (cf. MAGISTRAL). ¢ (of a name) adopted in the pharmacopoeia. 2 (of a herb or drug) used in medicine. oo officinally adv. [med.L officinalis f. L officina workshop]

Ogaden |,ngo'den, 'pg-/ a desert region in SE Ethiopia, largely

officialese /a,fiJa'li:z/ n. derog. the formal precise language char-

a: arm

service (offictum): see OFFICE]

officinal /,pfi'si:n(g)l, 9'fisin(o)l/ adj. 1 a (of a medicine) kept

officious /2'fifas/ adj. 1 asserting one’s authority aggressively;

offering of the accompanying service. b the f. LL offert- for

offhand adj. & adv. —adj. /pfthznd, 'pfhend/ curt or casual in

z cat

officiation n. officiator n. [med.L officiare perform a divine

1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

Arun

wv put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

ogive

alphabet of twenty characters, probably invented in the 4th c. AD, formed by parallel strokes on either side of or across a continuous line. 2 an inscription in this alphabet. 3 each of its characters. [Olr. ogam, referred to Ogma, its supposed inventor] ogive |'sudgarv, -dgarv/ n. 1 a pointed or Gothic arch. 2 one of the diagonal groins or ribs of a vault. 3 an S-shaped line. 4 Statistics a cumulative frequency graph. 00 ogival adj. [ME f. F, of unkn. orig.] ogle |'s0g(2)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. eye amorously or lecherously. 2 intr. look amorously. —n. an amorous or lecherous look. 00 ogier n. [prob. LG or Du.: cf. LG oegeln, frequent. of oegen look at]

OGPU

/'vgpu:/ n. (also Ogpu) a security police agency estab-

lished in 1922 as GPU and renamed after the formation of the USSR (1923). It existed to suppress counter-revolution, uncover political dissidents. and (after 1928) to enforce the collectivization of farming. The agency had its own army and a vast network of spies. It was absorbed into the NKVD in 1934. (Russ. abbr., = United State Political Directorate] ogre /|'suga(r)/ n. (fem. ogress /-gris/) 1 a man-eating giant in folklore etc. 2 a terrifying person. 00 ogreish adj. (also ogrish).[F, first used by Perrault in 1697, of unkn. orig.]

OH abbr. US Ohio (in official postal use). oh! /20/ int. (also O) expressing surprise, pain, entreaty, etc. (oh, what a mess; oh for a holiday). 0 oh boy expressing surprise, excitement, etc. oh well expressing resignation. [var. of O4]

oh? /2u/ n. = O12. o.h.c. abbr. overhead camshaft. O’Higgins /su'higinz/, Bernardo (c. 1778-1842), Chilean revolutionary leader, son of a Spanish officer of Irish origin. He put himself at the head of the independence movement in Chile and, with the help of San Martin, liberator of Argentina, led the army which triumphed over Spanish forces in 1817 and won independence for his country. For the next six years he was supreme director of Chile, but then fell from power and was obliged to live in exile in Peru for the remainder of his life.

Ohio /au'harsu/ a State in the north-eastern US, bordering on Lake Erie; pop. (est. 1985) 10,797,600; capital, Columbus. Acquired by Britain from France in 1763 and by the US in 1783, it became the 17th State of the US in 1803. Ohm /sum], Georg Simon (1789-1854), German physicist who discovered the law, named after him, that the electric current flowing through a wire is directly proportional to the potential difference (voltage) and inversely proportional to the resistance. The ohm (see entry) is named in his honour. ohm /sum/ n. Electr. the SI unit of resistance, transmitting a current of one ampere when subjected to a potential difference of one volt. § Symb.: 2. oo ohmage n. [G. S. OHM] ohmmeter /'s0m,mi:to(r)/ n. an instrument for measuring electrical resistance.

Ohm’s law /20mz/ n. Electr. a law stating that current is proportional to voltage and inversely proportional to resistance. oho |[2u'hau/ int. expressing surprise or exultation. [ME f. 04 + HO]

ohone var. of OCHONE. Ohrid /'pxrid/, Lake a lake on the frontier between Yugoslavia and Albania.

o.h.v. abbr. overhead valve. 0i /o1/ int. calling attention or expressing alarm etc. [var. of Hoy}] -oid /o1d/ suffix forming adjectives and nouns, denoting form or resemblance (asteroid; rhomboid; thyroid). 00 -oidal suffix forming adjectives. -oidally suffix forming adverbs. [mod.L -oides f. Gk -oeidés f. eidos form]

oidium /20'1diom/ n. (pl. oidia /-dio/) spores formed by the breaking up of fungal hyphae into cells. [mod.L f. Gk dion egg + -idion dimin. suffix] oil /orl/ n. & v. —n. 1 any of various thick, viscous, usu. inflammable liquids insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents. (See below.) 2 US petroleum. 3 (in comb.) using oil as fuel (oilheater). 4 a (usu. in pl.) = oil-paint. b collog. a picture painted in er day

90 no

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

oil-paints. 5 (in pl.) = O1sKIN. —v. 1 tr. apply oil to; lubricate. 2 tr. impregnate or treat with oil (oiled silk). 3 tr. & intr. supply with or take on oil as fuel. 4 tr. & intr. make (butter, grease, etc.) into or (of butter etc.) become an oily liquid. o oil-bird a guacharo. oil drum a metal drum used for transporting oil. oiled silk silk made waterproof with oil. oil engine an engine driven by the explosion of vaporized oil mixed with air. oil-fired using oil as fuel. oil a person’s hand (or palm) bribe a person. oil-lamp a lamp using oil as fuel. oil-meal ground oilcake. oil of vitriol see viTRIOL. oil-paint (or -colour) a mix of ground colour pigment and oil. oil-painting 1 the art of painting in oil-paints (Vasari attributes its invention to Jan van Eyck at the beginning of the 15thc.). 2 a picture painted in oil-paints. oil-palm either of two trees, Elaeis guineensis of W. Africa, or E. oleifera of the US, from which palm oil is extracted. oil-pan an engine sump. oil-paper a paper made transparent or waterproof by soaking in oil. oil-press an apparatus for pressing oil from seeds etc. oil rig a structure with equipment for drilling an oil well. oil-sand a stratum of porous rock yielding petroleum. oil-seed any of various seeds from cultivated crops yielding oil, e.g. rape, peanut, or cotton. oil-shale a fine-grained rock from which oil can be extracted. oil-slick a smooth patch of oil, esp. one on the sea. oil-tanker a ship designed to carry oil in bulk. oil one’s tongue say flattering or glib things. oil well a well from which mineral oil is drawn. oil the wheels help make things go smoothly. well oiled collog. very drunk. 00 oilless adj. [ME oli, oile f. AF, ONF olie = OF oile etc. f. L oleum (olive) oil f. olea olive] Oils are classified thus: (i) non-volatile fatty or fixed oils of animal or vegetable origin, used as varnishes, lubricants, illuminants, soap constituents, etc., chemically identical with fats, (ii) essential or volatile oils, chiefly of vegetable origin, giving plants etc. their scent, used in medicine and perfumery, and (iii) mineral oils, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons, thought to be the remains of tiny living organisms deposited millions of years ago and now found trapped in underground reservoirs, detectable by seismic surveys and by drilling. The modern mineral oil industry dates from 1859, when a well was bored at Titusville in Pennsylvania. (This was not the first strike; oil had been found in Ohio in 1841 during drilling for salt.) Petroleum oils are the main source of energy in developed countries for heating and transport, and are used as the basis of a whole range of chemicals, particularly plastics.

oilcake /'orlkerk/ n. a mass of compressed linseed etc. left after oil has been extracted, used as fodder or manure.

oilcan /'oiken/ n. a can containing oil, esp. one with a long nozzle for oiling machinery.

oilcloth /'skkiv6/ n. 1 a fabric waterproofed with oil. 2 an oilskin. 3 a canvas coated with linseed or other oil and used to cover a table or floor.

oiler /'s1lo(r)/ n. 1 an oilcan for oiling machinery. 2 an oil-tanker. 3 US aan oil well. b (in pl.) oilskin.

OHMS abbr. on Her (or His) Majesty’s Service.

au how

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oilfield /'stlfi:ld/ n. an area yielding mineral oil. oilman /'o1lmon/ n. (pl. -men) a person who deals in oil. oilskin /'s11skm/ n. 1 cloth waterproofed with oil. 2 a a garment made of this. b (in pl.) a suit made of this. oilstone |'o1lstoun/ n. a fine-grained flat stone used with oil for sharpening flat tools, e.g. chisels, planes, etc. (cf. WHETSTONE). oily /'o1l1/ adj. (oilier, oiliest) 1 of, like, or containing much oil. 2 covered or soaked with oil. 3 (of a manner etc.) fawning, insinuating, unctuous. O00 oilily adv. oiliness n.

oink /o1nkj v.intr. (of a pig) make its characteristic grunt. [imit.] ointment /'omtmont/ n. a smooth greasy healing or cosmetic preparation for the skin. [ME oignement, ointment, f. OF oignement ult. f. L (as UNGUENT): oint- after obs. oint anoint f. OF, past part. of oindre ANOINT]

Oireachtas /'1erex,6zs/ n. the legislature of the Irish Republic, consisting of the President, Dail, and Seanad. [Ir.]

Oisin /'sufi:n/ see Ossian.

Ojibwa /2u'dz1bwei/ n. & adj. —n. 1a member of an Algonquian people of North American Indians inhabiting the lands round Lake Superior and (more recently) certain adjacent areas. 2 their

alo fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

OK

Old Bailey

1012 ee

ea

te

ta

old /2uld/ adj. (older, oldest) (cf. ELDER, ELDEST). 1 a advanced in

language. —adj. of this people or their language. [native name, f. root meaning ‘puckered’, with ref. to their moccasins]

age; far on in the natural period of existence. b not young or near its beginning. 2 made long ago. 3 long in use. 4 worn or

OK! Jou'kei/ adj., adv., n., & v. (also okay) collog. —adj. (often as

dilapidated or shabby from the passage of time. 5 having the

int. expressing agreement or acquiescence) all right; satis- 7 factory. —adv. well, satisfactorily (that worked out OK). —n. (pl. OKs) approval, sanction. —v.tr. (OK’s, OK’d, OK’ing) give an OK to; approve, sanction. [orig. US: prob. abbr. of orl (or oll) korrect, joc. form of ‘all correct’, and first used in 1839; it was used as a slogan for a candidate from Old Kinderhook in the American election of 1840; other suggestions about its origin are without acceptable foundation]

characteristics (experience, feebleness, etc.) of age (the child has an old face). 6 practised, inveterate (an old offender, old in crime). 7 belonging only or chiefly to the past; lingering on; former (old times; haunted by old memories). 8 dating from far back; long established or known; ancient, primeval (old as the hills; old friends; an old family). 9 (appended to a period of time) of age (is four years old; a four-year-old boy; a four-year-old). 10 (of language) as used in former or earliest times. 11 collog. as a term of affection or casual reference (good old Charlie; old shipmate). 12 the former or first of two or more similar things (our old house; wants his old job back). 0 old age the later part of normal life. old-age pension (introduced in Britain by Lloyd George in

OK? abbr. US Oklahoma (in official postal use). okapi /2u'ka:pi/ n. (pl. same or okapis) a ruminant mammal, Okapia johnstoni, native to N. and NE Zaire, with a head resembling that of a giraffe and a body resembling that of a zebra, having a dark chestnut coat and transverse stripes on the hindquarters and upper legs only. It was discovered in 1900. [Central Afr, native name]

1908)

Okara /sv'ka:ra/ a commercial city in Punjab province, NE Pakistan; pop. (1981) 154,000.

Okavango |,20ke'vengsu/ a river of SW Africa rising in central Angola and flowing 1,600 km (1,000 miles) across NE Namibia into Botswana, where it drains into the extensive Okavango marshes of Ngamiland.

okay var. of OK}. okey-dokey /|,auk1'douki/ adj. & adv. (also okey-doke |-'dauk/) sl. = OK} [redupl.]

retirement

pension.

old-age

pensioner

a person

address to a girl or woman. Old Glory US the Stars and Stripes,

Okhotsk /2u'xotsk/, Sea of an inlet of the North Pacific Ocean

the US national flag. old gold a dull brownish-gold colour. Old Guard the French Imperial Guard created by Napoleon I in 1804. old guard the original or past or conservative members of a group. old hand a person with much experience. old hat collog. something tediously familiar or out of date. Old High German High German (see GERMAN) up to c.1200. Old Hickory US the nickname of Andrew Jackson (President of the US 182937), from his toughness of character. Old Kingdom a period

off the east coast of mainland USSR, bounded to the east by the Kamchatka Peninsula and to the south-east by the Kuril Islands which stretch in a long line from Kamchatka to the north-east corner of the Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Okinawa

=

receiving this. Old Bill Brit. sl. the police. old bird a wary person. old boy 1 a former male pupil of a school. 2 collog. a an elderly man. b an affectionate form of address to a boy or man. old boy network Brit. collog. preferment in employment of those from a similar social background, esp. fellow ex-pupils of public schools. the old country the native country of colonists etc. Old English see ENGLISH. old-fashioned in or according to a fashion or tastes no longer current; antiquated. Old French the French language of the period before c.1400. old fustic see rustic. old girl 1 a former female pupil of a school. 2 collog. a an elderly woman. b an affectionate term of

/|,vki'na:wa/ 1 a region of Japan, in the southern

Ryuku islands; pop. (1986) 1,190,000; capital, Naha. 2 the largest of these islands. It was captured from the Japanese in the Second World War by a US assault in April-June 1945. With its bases commanding the approaches to Japan it was a key objective,

of ancient Egyptian history (see Ecypt). old lady collog. one’s mother or wife. old lag see LAG®. Old Lady of Threadneedle Street the nickname of the Bank of England, which stands in this street (see THREADNEEDLE STREET). The term dates from the late 18th c. old maid 1 derog. an elderly unmarried woman. 2 a prim and fussy person. 3 a card-game in which players try not to be left with an unpaired queen. old-maidish like an old maid. eld man collog. 1 one’s husband or father. 2 one’s employer or other person in authority over one. 3 an affectionate form of address to a boy or man. old man’s beard a wild clematis, Clematis vitalba, with grey fluffy hairs round the seeds: also called traveller's joy (see TRAVELLER). old master 1 a great artist of former times, esp. of the 13th-17th c. in Europe. 2 a painting by such a painter. old moon the moon in its last

defended by the Japanese almost to the last man, with kamikaze air attacks inflicting substantial damage on US ships. After the war it was retained under US administration until 1972.

Okla. abbr. Oklahoma. Oklahoma |,2ukle'houmo| a State of the US lying west of Arkansas, acquired as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803; pop. (est. 1985) 3,025,500; capital, Oklahoma City. In 1834-89 it was declared Indian territory in which Europeans were forbidden to settle. It became the 46th State of the US in 1907.

okra |'sukro, 'pkra/ n. 1 a malvaceous African plant, Abelmoschus esculentus, yielding long ridged seed-pods. 2 the seed-pods eaten as a vegetable and used to thicken soups and stews. Also called GUMBO, ladies’ fingers. [W.Afr. native name]

Olaf I Tryggvason (969-1000), reigned 995-1000. According to legend he was brought up in Russia, being converted to Christianity and carrying out extensive Viking raids before returning to Norway to be accepted as king. He jumped overboard and disappeared after his fleet was defeated by the combined forces of Denmark and Sweden at the battle of Svéld, but his exploits as a warrior and his popularity as sovereign made him a national legend. Olaf II Haraldsson (c.995-1030), reigned 1016-30. Notable for his attempts to spread Christianity in his kingdom, Olaf was forced into exile by a rebellion in 1028 and killed in battle at Stiklestad while attempting to return. He was canonized in 1164 and became the patron saint of Norway. Olaf V (1903-91), reigned 1957-91, succeeding his father King Haakon VII.

quarter, before the new moon. Old Nick collog. the Devil. Old Norse see Norse. an old one a familiar joke. Old Pals Act Brit. the principle that friends should always help one another. Old Pretender see PRETENDER. old retainer see RETAINER 3b. old school 1 traditional attitudes. 2 people having such attitudes. old schooi tie Brit. 1 a necktie with a characteristic pattern worn by the pupils of a particular (usu. public) school. 2 the principle of excessive loyalty to traditional values. old soldier an experienced person, esp. in an arduous activity. old stager an experienced person, an old hand. old style of a date reckoned by the Julian calendar. Old Testament see separate entry. old-time belonging to former times. old-timer US a person with long experience or standing. old wives’ tale a foolish or unscientific tradition or belief. old woman collog. 1 one’s wife or mother. 2 a fussy or timid man. old-womanish fussy and timid. Old World Europe, Asia, and Africa, the part known by the ancients to exist (cf. New World). old-world belonging to or associated with old times. old year the year just ended or about to end. oo oldish adj. oldness n. [OE ald f. WG]

Gland /'s:laand/ a narrow island in the Baltic Sea, off the SE

Old Bailey the Central Criminal Court, formerly standing in

-ol! /pl/ suffix Chem. the termination of alcohol, used in names of alcohols or analogous compounds (methanol; phenol).

-ol? /pl/ comb. form = -ote. [L oleum oil] Olaf |'svlef/ the name of five kings of Norway:

coast of Sweden.

an ancient bailey of London city wall. The present court, trying

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Old Contemptibles

offences committed in the City and the Greater London area, and certain other offences, was built in 1903-6 on the site of Newgate Prison.

Old

Contemptibles

Olivier

1013

the veterans of the British Exped-

itionary Force sent to France in 1914, so named because of a German reference to the contemptible little army facing them.

Old Dominion a name adopted by the colony of Virginia after it had been raised to the status of Dominion by Charles II for its prompt recognition of him after his restoration to the throne in 1660.

olden /'s0ld(2)n/ adj. archaic of old; of a former age (esp. in olden times). oldie /'2uldi/ n. collog. an old person or thing.

oleometer |,uli'pmita(r)/ n. an instrument for determining the density and purity of oils,

oleo-resin /vulisu'rezin/ n. a natural or artificial mixture of essential oils and a resin, e.g. balsam.

oleum

|'suliom/ n. concentrated

sulphuric acid containing

excess sulphur trioxide in solution forming a dense corrosive liquid. [L, = oil]

O level /2u/ n. Brit. hist. = ordinary level. [abbr.] olfaction /pl'fek{(s)n/ n. the act or capacity of smelling; the sense of smell. 00 olfactive adj. [L olfactus a smell f. olére to

smell + facere fact- make]

>

olfactory /pl'feektori/ adj. of or relating to the sense of smell

oldster /'suldsta(r)/ n. an old person. [oLD +. -sTER, after youngster]

Old Testament the. first 39 books of the Bible, the Jewish scriptures containing an account of the creation, the origin of mankind, God’s covenant with the Jews, and their early history. Most of the books were written in Hebrew, some in Aramaic. They were classified by the Jews into three groups: the Law (i.e._ the Pentateuch), the Prophets (Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve Minor Prophets), and the ‘Writings’, comprising the remaining books; the canon of the Jewish scriptures was probably settled by about AD 100.

Olduvai Gorge |'pldu,vai/ a gorge 48 km (30 miles) long and up to 90 metres (300 ft.) deep, in northern Tanzania, in which the exposed strata contain numerous fossils spanning the full range of the Pleistocene period. Most importantly, the Gorge has provided the longest sequence of hominid presence and activity yet discovered anywhere in the world, with fossils, stone-tool industries, and other evidence of hominid activities that date from c.2.1-1.7 million years ago for the oldest dated deposits to c.22,000 years ago for the most recent fossil-bearing deposits. The hominids found at individual sites within the Gorge include Australopithecus boisei (the Zinjanthropus fossils), Homo habilis, and Homo erectus.

Old Vic the popular name of a London theatre, opened in 1818 as the Royal Coburg and renamed the Royal Victoria Theatre in honour of Princess (later Queen) Victoria in 1833. Its standards declined and it suffered various vicissitudes until under the management of Lilian Baylis from 1912 it gained an enduring reputation for its Shakespearian productions. -ole /2ul/ comb. form forming names of esp. heterocyclic compounds (indole). [L oleum oil] oleaceous /,2ul1'e1fas/ adj. of the plant family Oleaceae, including olive and jasmine. [mod.L Oleaceae f. L olea olive-tree]

oleaginous /|,2ul1'2d3mas/ adj. 1 having the properties of or producing oil. 2 oily, greasy. 3 obsequious, ingratiating. [F oléagineux f. L oleaginus f. oleum oil]

oleander |,sul1'znda(r)/ n. an evergreen poisonous shrub, Nerium oleander, native to the Mediterranean and bearing clusters of white, pink, or red flowers. [med.L] oleaster /,sult'zsta(r)/ n. any of various trees of the genus Elaeagnus, often thorny and with evergreen leathery foliage, esp. E. angustifolia bearing olive-shaped yellowish fruits. Also called Russian olive. [ME f. L f. olea olive-tree: see -ASTER] olecranon /sv'lekra,non, evli'krernon/ n. a bony prominence on the upper end of the ulna at the elbow. [Gk 6le(no)kranon f. Glené elbow + kranion head]

olefin /'sul:fin/ n. (also olefine) Chem. = ALKENE. [F oléfiant oilforming (with ref. to oily ethylene dichloride)}

oleic acid /20'li:1k/ n. an unsaturated fatty acid present in many fats and soaps. 00 oleate /'sulrat/ n. [L oleum oil]

(olfactory nerves). [L olfactare frequent. of olfacere (as OLFACTION)]}

olibanum /p'libonam/ n. an aromatic gum resin from any tree of the genus Boswellia, used as incense. [ME f. med.L f. LL libanus f, Gk libanos frankincense, of Semitic orig.]

oligarch /'pli,ga:k/ n. a member of an oligarchy. [Gk oligarkhés f. oligoi few + arkho to rule]

oligarchy /'pl1,ga:ki/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 government bya small group . of people. 2 a State governed in this way. 3 the members of such a government. oo oligarchic /-'ga:kik/ adj. oligarchical |"ga:kik(2)l/ adj. oligarchically |-'ga:kikali/ adv. [F oligarchie or med.L oligarchia f. Gk oligarkhia (as OLIGARCH)] oligo- |'pligsu/ comb. form few, slight. [Gk oligos small, oligoi few] Oligocene /'vligo,si:n/.adj. & n. Geol. —adj. of or relating to the third epoch of the Tertiary period, following the Eocene and preceding the Miocene, lasting from about 38 to 24.6 million years ago. It was a time of falling world temperatures. —n. this epoch or system. [as OLIGO- + Gk kainos new]

oligopoly /,vli'gopoli/ n. (pl. -ies) a state of limited competition between a small number of producers or sellers. 00 oligopolist n. oligopolistic /-'listik/ adj. [oLIGo-, after MONOPOLY]

oligosaccharide

/|,vligsu'seko,raid/

n. any

carbohydrate

whose molecules are composed ofa relatively small number of monosaccharide units.

oligotrophic /,vligou'traufik/ adj. (of a lake etc.) relatively poor in plant nutrients. 00 oligotrophy /,pli'gptrofi/ n.

olio /'sul19u/ n. (pl. -os) 1 a mixed dish; a stew of various meats and vegetables. 2 a hotchpotch or miscellany. [Sp. olla stew f. L olla cooking-pot] olivaceous /,plt'verfos/ adj. olive-green; of a dusky yellowish

green. olivary /'vlivari/ adj. Anat. olive-shaped; oval. [L olivarius (as OLIVE)}

olive /'vliv/ n. & adj. —n. 1 (in full olive tree) any evergreen tree of the genus Olea, having dark-green lance-shaped leathery leaves with silvery undersides, esp. 0. europaea of the Mediterranean, and 0. africana native to S. Africa. 2 the small oval fruit of this, having a hard stone and bitter flesh, green when unripe and bluish-black when ripe. 3 (in full olive-green) the greyish-green colour of an unripe olive. 4 the wood of the olive tree. 5 Anat. each of a pair of olive-shaped swellings in the medulla oblongata. 6 a any olive-shaped gastropod of the genus Oliva. b the shell of this. 7 a slice of beef or veal made into a roll with stuffing inside and stewed. —adj. 1 coloured like an unripe olive. 2 (of the complexion) yellowish-brown, sallow. o olive branch 1 the branch of an olive tree as a symbol of peace. 2 a gesture of reconciliation or friendship. olive crown a garland of olive leaves as a sign of victory. olive drab the dull

olive colour of US army uniforms. olive oil an oil extracted from olives used esp. in cookery. [ME f. OF f. L oliva f. Gk elaia f. elaion oil]

Oliver /'plivo(r)/ see ROLAND.

oleiferous /,2uli:'1feras/ adj. yielding oil. [L oleum oil + -FEROUS] oleo- /'pliau/ comb. form oil. [L oleum oil]

Olives /'plivz/, Mount of the highest point in the range of hills

oleograph /'suliogra:f/ oil-painting.

Olivier /s'Irvie1/, Laurence Kerr, Baron (1907-89), English actor

n. a print made

to resemble

an

oleomargarine /|,suli90,ma:d30'ri:n, -'ma:dgorm, -,ma:go'ri:n/ n. 1.a fatty substance extracted from beef fat and. often used in margarine. 2 US a margarine made from vegetable oils.

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to the east of Jerusalem. and and was His

director, famous as a Shakespearian actor and producer with a considerable career in the cinema since 1929. He director of the National Theatre for ten years from 1963. films include Wuthering Heights (1939), Rebecca (1940), and The

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(see over for vowels)

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Prince and the Showgirl (1957), but his main contribution to cinema was in Shakespeare adaptations. He produced, co-directed, and starred in Henry V (1944), and directed and starred in Hamlet | (1948) and Richard III (1955). The Olivier Theatre, part of the National Theatre, is named in his honour.

olivine /'plivi:n/ n. Mineral. a naturally occurring form of magnesium-iron silicate, usu. olive-green and found in igneous rocks.

om (esp. in Buddhism and Hinduism) a mystic syllable, considered the most sacred mantra. It appears at the beginning and end of most Sanskrit recitations, prayers, and texts. [Skr., a universal affirmation] -oma /'s0mo/ n. forming nouns denoting tumours and other abnormal growths (carcinoma). [mod.L f. Gk -6ma suffix denoting the result of verbal action]

Omagh /20'ma:;/ the county town of Tyrone, Northern Ireland; pop. (1981) 14,600. Omaha /|'o0uma,ha:/ a city in eastern Nebraska, on the Missouri

olla podrida |,plo pa'dri:da/ n. = otto. [Sp., lit. ‘rotten pot’ (as oLIo + L putridus: cf. PUTRID)]

River; pop. (1982) 328,550.

olm /plm/ n. a blind cave-dwelling salamander, Proteus anguinus, native to SE Europe, usu. transparent but turning brown in light and having external gills. [G]

Oman /90'ma:n/ a country in SW Asia at the eastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula; pop. (est. 1988) 1,265,400; official language, Arabic; capital, Muscat. An independent sultanate, known as Muscat and Oman until 1970, Oman fell increasingly under British influence in the mid-19thc., becoming a protectorate in 1891, and despite the general British withdrawal from the area in the postwar years, the sultanate still retains links with the UK. The discovery of oil in 1964 revolutionized the Oman economy, bringing wealth out of all proportion to its size and small population. 0 Gulf of Oman an inlet of the Arabian Sea, connected by the Strait of Hormuz to the Persian Gulf. 050 Omani adj. & n.

Olmec /'plmek/ n. (pl. same) 1 a member of a prehistoric people inhabiting the coast of Veracruz and western Tabasco on the Gulf of Mexico c.1200-100 Bc, who established what was probably the first developed civilization of Mesoamerica. They are noted for their sculptures, especially the massive stone-hewn heads with realistic features and round helmets, and small jade carvings featuring a jaguar. 2 a member of a native American people living in the highlands of Mexico or migrating to the Gulf coast during the 12th c. [Nahuatl, = people of the rubber(-tree) country] Olmos /'pImps/ a small town on the eastern edge of the Sechura Desert in northern Peru, which gave its name to a major irrigation project initiated in 1926 for the purpose of increasing cotton and sugar production in the arid lowlands of this region.

Omar I|'2uma:(r)/ (c.581-644) Muslim caliph, 634—44. An early opponent of Muhammad, Omar was converted to Islam in 617 and after becoming Caliph in 634 began an extensive series of conquests, adding Syria, Palestine, and Egypt to the Muslim empire before being assassinated by a Persian slave at Medina.

-ology |'plod31/ comb. form see -Locy. Olomouc /|,plo'mavts/ an industrial city on the Morava River

Omar

Olympia! /s'limpia/ the site (in the western Peloponnese) of the chief sanctuary of Zeus in ancient Greece, the venue of the pan-Hellenic Olympic Games, after which the site is named.

/a'limpro/ the capital of Washington State; pop.

(1980) 27,447.

Olympiad /s'limpi,zed/ n. 1 a a period of four years between Olympic games, used by the ancient Greeks in dating events. b a four-yearly celebration of the ancient Olympic Games. 2 a celebration of the modern Olympic Games. 3 a regular international contest in chess etc. [ME f. F Olympiade f. L Olympias Olympiad- f. Gk Olumpias Olumpiad- f. Olumpios: see OLYMPIAN,

OLymPic]

Olympian /2'limpioen/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 a of or associated with Mount Olympus. b celestial, godlike. 2 (of manners etc.) magnificent, condescending, superior. 3 a of or relating to ancient Olympia in Greece. b = Olympic. —n. 1 any of the pantheon of twelve gods regarded as living on Olympus. 2 a person of great attainments or of superhuman calm and detachment. [L Olympus or Olympia: see OLyMPIc] Olympic games. —n. (the Olympics) the Olympic games. [L Olympicus f. Gk Olumpikos of Olympus or Olympia (the latter being named from the games in honour of Zeus of OLympus)]

Games a festival of sport held at Olympia (tra-

Omdurman

Olympian Zeus, until abolished by the emperor Theodosius in

Olympus /s'limpss/, Mount a lofty mountain in NE Greece at the east end of the range dividing Thessaly from Macedonia. In Greek mythology it was the home of the gods and the court of Zeus. [pre-Greek wd, = mountain]

OM abbr. (in the UK) Order of Merit. e bed

3: her

/'pmd3:mon/ the capital of the Mahdist State of

Sudan following the British recapture of Khartoum in 1885, scene of Kitchener’s decisive victory over the Mahdi’s successor, the Khalifa, in 1898, which marked the end of the Dervish uprising. -ome /20m/ suffix forming nouns denoting objects or parts of a specified nature (rhizome; trichome). [var. of -oMA] omega /'s0migo/ n. 1 the last (24th) letter of the Greek alphabet (Q, w). 2 the last of a series; the final development. [Gk, 6 mega = great O] omelette /'pmlt/ n. (also omelet) a dish of beaten eggs cooked in a frying-pan and served plain or with a savoury or sweet filling. [F omelette, obs. amelette by metathesis f. alumette var. of alumelie f. lemele knife-blade f. L lamella: see LAMELLA]

AD 393, after Greece had lost its independence. A modern revival of this, an international athletic and sports meeting, has been held at various centres every four years since 1896 (except during the two World Wars). The initiative for this revival came from the French aristocrat Baron de Coubertin, troubled by the growing commercialism of 19th-c. sport, as an amateur championship for the world’s sportsmen.

a: arm

to investigate complaints by individuals against maladministration esp. by public authorities; spec. in the UK, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (corresp. to Swedish justitieombudsmannen). In Sweden, an ombudsman is a deputy of a group, particularly a trade union or a business concern, appointed to handle the legal affairs of the group and protect its interests generally. The office of justitieombudsmannen was instituted in Sweden in 1809. The office of ombudsman was introduced in Finland in 1919, in Denmark in 1954, and in Norway in 1962; in the UK the first one took office in 1967. [Sw., = legal representative]

ditionally from 776 Bc, every fourth year) by the ancient Greeks, with athletic, musical, and literary competitions, in honour of

z cat

/|,20ma: kai'a:m/ (d. 1123) Persian poet,

ombudsman /'pmbudzman/ n. (pl. -men) an official appointed

Olympic /s'limprk/ adj. & n. —adj. of ancient Olympia or the

Olympic

Khayy4am

mathematician, and astronomer. He is remembered for his rubais (quatrains) containing his meditations on the mysteries of existence, translated and adapted by Edward Fitzgerald in The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (1859) into a cynical yet poetic sequence, sceptical of divine providence and concentrating on the pleasures of the fleeting moment. The felicitously phrased aphorisms are frequently quoted, particularly the counsel to drink and make merry while life lasts. omasum /2u'meisom/ n. (pl. omasa |-sa/) the third stomach of a ruminant. [L, = bullock’s tripe] ombre /'pmbo(r)/ n. a card-game for three, popular in Europe in the 17th-18th c. [Sp. hombre man, with ref. to one player seeking to win the pool] ombré |'Sbre1/ adj. (of a fabric etc.) having gradual shading of colour from light to dark. [F, past part. of ombrer to shadow (as UMBER)| ombro- /'pmbrau/ comb. form rain. [Gk ombros rain-shower]

in central Czechoslovakia; pop. (1986) 106,000. oloroso |,pls'raussu/ n. (pl. -os) a heavy dark medium-sweet sherry. [Sp., lit. ‘fragrant’]

Olympia?

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omen

omen /'sumon, -men/ n. & v. —n. 1 an occurrence or object regarded as portending good or evil. 2 prophetic significance (of good omen). —v.tr. (usu. in passive) portend; foreshow. oo omened adj. (also in comb.). [L omen ominis]

omentum /su0'mentem/ n. (pl. omenta /-to/) a fold of peritoneum connecting the stomach with other abdominal organs. O00 omental adj. [L] omerta |,s0mes'ta:/ n. a code of silence, esp. as practised by the Mafia. [It., = conspiracy of silence] omicron /s'markroan/ n. the fifteenth letter of the Greek alphabet (0, o). [Gk, 0 mikron = small o] ominous /'pminoes/ adj. 1 threatening; indicating disaster or difficulty. 2 of evil omen; inauspicious. 3 giving or being an omen. 00 ominously OMEN)]

adv. ominousness

n. [L ominosus (as

omission /'mif(2)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of omitting or being omitted. 2 something that has been omitted or overlooked. 00 omissive adj. [ME f. OF omission or LL omissio (as OMIT)] omit /2'mit/ v.tr. (omitted, omitting) 1 leave out; not insert or. include. 2 leave undone. 3 (foll. by verbal noun or to + infin.) fail or neglect (omitted saying anything; omitted to say). oo

omissible adj. [ME f. L omittere omiss- (as oB-, mittere send)]

ommatidium /,pms'tidiem/ n. (pl. ommatidia /-dia/) a structural element in the compound eye of an insect. [mod.L f. Gk ommatidion dimin. of omma ommat- eye] omni- /'pmni/ comb. form ( all; of all things. 2 in all ways or places. [L f. omnis all]

omnibus /'pmnibes/ n. & adj. —n. 1 formal = Bus. 2 a volume containing several novels etc. previously published separately. —adj. 1 serving several purposes at once. 2 comprising several items. [F f. L (dative pl. of omnis), = for all}

omnicompetent /,omni'kompit(s)nt/ adj. 1 able to deal with all matters. 2 having omnicompetence n.

jurisdiction

in

all

cases.

oo

omnidirectional |,omnidi'rekfan(e)l/ adj. (of an aerial etc.) receiving or transmitting in all directions.

omnifarious /|,pomni'feorias/ adj. of all sorts or varieties. [LL omnifarius (as OMNI-): cf. MULTIFARIOUS] omnipotent /pm'nipoet(s)nt/ adj. 1 having great or absolute power. 2 having great influence. O0 omnipotence n. omnipotently adv. [ME f. OF f. L omnipotens (as OMNI-, POTENT})] omnipresent /,pmni'prez(s)nt/ adj. 1 present everywhere at the same time. 2 widely or constantly encountered. oo omnipresence n. [med.L omnipraesens (as OMNI-, PRESENT})}

omniscient /pm'nisiant, -front/ adj. knowing everything or much. 00 omniscience n. omnisciently adv. [med.L omnisciens -entis (as OMNI-, scire know)]

omnium

gatherum |jomniom 'gzeéerem/ n. collog. a mis-

cellany or strange mixture. [mock L f. L omnium of all + GATHER]

omnivorous /pm'nivsres/ adj. 1 feeding on many kinds of food, esp. on both plants and flesh. 2 making use of everything available. 00 omnivore /'pmnz,vo:(r)/ n. omnivorously omnivorousness n. {L omnivorus (as OMNI-, -VOROUS)]

adv.

omphalo- /'pmfslou/ comb. form navel. [Gk (as OMPHALOS)] omphalos /'pmfo,Ips/ n. Gk Antig. 1 a conical stone (esp. that at Delphi) representing the navel of the earth. 2 a boss on a shield. 3 a centre or hub. [Gk, = navel, boss, hub]

Omsk /pmsk/ a city of the Soviet Union on the Irtysh River in central Siberia; pop. (est. 1987) 1,134,000. on /pn| prep., adv., adj., & n. —prep. 1 (so as to be) supported by or attached to or covering or enclosing (sat on a chair, stuck on

the wall; rings on her fingers; leaned on his elbow). 2 carried with; about the person of (have you a pen on you?). 3 (of time) exactly at; during; contemporaneously with (on 29 May; on the hour, on schedule; working on Tuesday). 4 immediately after or before (I saw them on my return). 5 as a result of (on further examination I found this). 6 (so as to be) having membership etc. of or residence at or in (she is on the board of directors; lives on the continent). 7 supported financially by (lives on £50 a week; lives on his wits). 8 close to; just by (a house on the sea; lives on the main road). 9 in the av how

oncogene

1015

er day

ov no

eo hair

1a near

o1 boy

wa poor

direction of; against. 10 so as to threaten; touching or striking (advanced on him; pulled a knife on me; a punch on the nose). 11 having as an axis or pivot (turned on his heels). 12 having as a basis or motive (works on a ratchet; arrested on suspicion). 13 having as a standard, confirmation, or guarantee (had it on good authority; did it on purpose; I promise on my word). 14 concerning or about (writes on frogs). 15 using or engaged with (is on the pill; here on business). 16 so as to affect (walked out on her). 17 at the expense of (the drinks are on me; the joke is on him). 18 added to (disaster on disaster, ten pence on a pint of beer). 19 in a specified manner or style (often foll. by the + adj. or noun: on the cheap; on the run). —adv. 1 (so as to be) covering or in contact with something, esp. of clothes (put your boots on). 2 in the appropriate direction; towards something (look on). 3 further forward; in an advanced position or state (time is getting on; it happened later on). 4 with continued movement or action (went plodding on; keeps on complaining). 5 in operation or activity (the light is on; the chase was on). 6 due to take place as planned (is the party still on?). 7 collog. a (of a person) willing to participate or approve, or make a bet. b (of an idea, proposal, etc.) practicable or acceptable (that’s just not on). 8 being shown or performed (a good film on tonight). 9 (of an actor) on stage. 10 (of an employee) on duty. 11 forward (head on). —adj. Cricket designating the part of the field on the striker’s side and in front of the wicket. —n. Cricket the on side. o be on about refer to or discuss esp. tediously or persistently (what are they on about?). be on at collog. nag or grumble at. be on to 1 realize the significance or intentions of. 2 get in touch with (esp. by telephone). on and off intermittently; now and then. on and on continually; at tedious length. on-line Computing (of equipment or a process) directly controlled by or connected to a central processor. on-off 1 (of a switch) having two positions, ‘on’ and ‘off. 2 = on and off. on-stage adj. & adv. on the stage; visible to the audience. on-street (with ref. to parking vehicles) at the side of a street. on time punctual, punctually. on to to a position or state on or in contact with (cf. ONTO). [OE on, an f. Gmc] -0n /pn/ suffix Physics, Biochem., & Chem. forming nouns denoting: 1 elementary particles (meson; neutron). 2 quanta (photon). 3 molecular units (codon). 4 substances (interferon; parathion). [ION, orig. in electron] onager |'pnoga(r)/ n. 1 a wild ass, esp. Equus hemionus of Central Asia.*2 hist. an ancient military engine for throwing rocks. [ME f. L f. Gk onagros f. onos ass + agrios wild] onanism /'s0n9,n1z(2)m/ n. 1 masturbation. 2 coitus interruptus. oO onanist n. onanistic /-'n1strk/ adj. [F onanisme or mod.L onanismus f. Onan (Gen. 38:9)]

Onassis /a'nzxsis/, Aristotle Socrates (1906-75), Greek shipping magnate and international businessman, born at Smyrna (Izmir) in Turkey. He was also the founder of the Greek national airline Olympic Airways. ONC abbr. (in the UK) Ordinary National Certificate. once /wans/ adv., conj., & n. —adv. 1 on one occasion or for one time only (did not once say please; have read it once). 2 at some point or period in the past (could once play chess). 3 ever or at all (ifyou once forget it). 4 multiplied by one; by one degree. —conj. as soon as (once they have gone we can relax). —n. one time or occasion (just the once). O all at once 1 without warning; suddenly. 2 all together. at once 1 immediately. 2 simultaneously. for once on this (or that) occasion, even if at no other. once again (or more) another time. once and for all (or once for all) (done) in a final or conclusive manner, esp. so as to end hesitation or uncertainty. once (or every once) in a while from time to time;

occasionally. once or twice a few times. once-over collog. a rapid preliminary inspection or piece of work. once upon a time at some vague time in the past. [ME Gnes, Ones, genit. of ONE] oncer /'wansa(r)/ n. 1 Brit. hist. sl. a one-pound note. 2 collog. a thing that occurs only once. 3 Austral. collog. an election of an MP likely to serve only one term. onco- |'pnkau/ comb. form Med. tumour. [Gk ogkos mass] oncogene /'pnkod3i:n/ n. a gene which can transform a cell into a tumour cell. 00 oncogenic /-'dzen1k/ adj. oncogenous /"kpd3inas/ adj.

aia fire

auo sour

(see over for consonants)

oncology

onshore

1016

trilogy Mourning Becomes Electra (1931). His most important later plays were The Iceman Cometh (1946), a tragedy about a collection of bar-room derelicts, and his masterpiece Long Day’s Journey into Night (1956), a semi-autobiographical tragedy portraying mutually destructive inter-family relationships. O’Neill was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1936.

oncology /pn'kpled31/ n. Med. the study of tumours. oncoming /'pn,kamin/ adj. & n. —-adj. approaching from the

front. —n. an approach or onset. oncost /'pnkost/ n. Brit. an overhead expense.

OND abbr. (in the UK) Ordinary National Diploma. on dit |5 'di:/ n. (pl. on dits pronunc. same) a piece of gossip or hearsay. [F, = they say] one /wan/ adj.,n., & pron. —adj. 1 single and integral in number. 2 (with a noun implied) a single person or thing of the kind expressed or implied (one of the best; a nasty one). 3 a particular but undefined, esp. as contrasted with another (that is one. view; one thing after another). b collog. (as an emphatic) a noteworthy example of (that is one difficult question). 4 only such (the one man who can do it). 5 forming a unity (one and undivided). 6 identical; the same (of one opinion). —n. 1 a the lowest cardinal number. b a thing numbered with it. 2 unity; a unit (one is half of two; came in ones and twos). 3 a single thing or person or example (often referring to a noun previously expressed or implied: the big dog and the small one). 4 collog. an alcoholic drink (have a quick one; have one on me). 5 a story or joke (the one about the frog). — pron. 1 a person of a specified kind (loved ones; like one possessed). 2 any person, as representing people in general (one is bound to lose in the end). 31, me (one would like to help). {| Often regarded as an affectation. oO all one (often foll. by to) a matter of indifference. at one in agreement. for one being one, even if the only one (Ifor one do not believe it). for one thing as a single consideration, ignoring others. one another each the other or others (as a formula of reciprocity: love one another). one-armed bandit collog. a fruit machine worked by a long handle at the side. one by one singly, successively. one day 1 on an unspecified day. 2 at some unspecified future date. one-horse 1 using a single horse. 2 collog. small, poorly equipped. one-liner colloq. a single brief sentence, often witty or apposite. one-man involving, done, or operated by only one man. one-night stand 1a single performance of a play etc. in a place. 2 collog. a sexual liaison lasting only one night. one-off collog. made or done as the only one; not repeated. one or two see or!. one-piece (of a bathing-suit etc.) made as a single garment. one-sided 1 favouring one side in a dispute; unfair, partial. 2 having or occurring on one side only. 3 larger or more developed on one side. one-sidedly in a one-sided manner. one-sidedness the act or

state of being one-sided. one-time former. one-to-one with one member of one group corresponding to one of another. one-track mind a mind_ preoccupied with one subject. one-two collog. 1 Boxing the delivery of two punches in quick succession. 2 Football etc. a series of reciprocal passes between two advancing players. one-up collog. having a particular advantage. one-upmanship collog. the art of maintaining a psychological advantage. one-way allowing movement or travel in one direction only. [OE an f. Gmc] -one /sun/ suffix Chem. forming nouns denoting various compounds, esp. ketones (acetone). [Gk -oné fem. patronymic]

onefold /'wanfould/ adj. consisting of only one member or element; simple. Onega /s'ni:go/ the second-largest European lake, in the USSR, on the Finnish border.

Oneida Community /s0'naido/ a radical religious community, founded in New York State in 1848. Originally embracing primitive Christian beliefs, communal economic practices, and polygamous marital practices, the Oneida Community proved a considerable economic success, and, although it gradually gave up its radical social and economic ideas, has continued to flourish since becoming a joint-stock company (1881), carrying on various industries, especially the manufacture of silver plate,

as a commercial venture. [name of N. Amer. Indian tribe orig. inhabiting New York State]

O'Neill /av'ni:l/, Eugene Gladstone (1888-1953), American playwright. His first full-length play Beyond the Horizon (1920) won a Pulitzer Prize, and was followed by Anna Christie (1921) and many other plays, some of which powerfully and poetically criticized contemporary materialistic values. He adapted the theme of the Oresteia to the aftermath of the American Civil War in his b but

d dog

f few

g get

h he

jyes

oneiric /2'narortk/ adj. of or relating to dreams or dreaming. [Gk oneiros dream]

oneiro- /s'nairau/ comb. form dream. {Gk oneiros dream] oneiromancy /2'nairo,mensi/ n. the interpretation of dreams. oneness /'wannis/ n. 1 the fact or state of being one; singleness. 2 uniqueness. 3 agreement; unity of opinion. 4 identity, sameness. oner /'wano(r)/ n. Brit. sl. 1 one pound (of money). 2a remarkable person or thing. onerous /'pnoerses, 'sun-/ adj. 1 burdensome; causing or requiring trouble. 2 Law involving heavy obligations. 00 onerously adv. onerousness n. [ME f. OF onereus f. Lonerosus f. onus oneris burden] oneself /wan'self/ pron. the reflexive and (in apposition)

emphatic form of one (kill oneself; one has to do it oneself). onestep /'wanstep/ n. a vigorous kind of foxtrot in duple time.

onflow /|'pnflau/ n. an onward flow. onglaze |'pngleiz/ adj. (of painting etc.) done on a glazed surface.

ongoing /'pn,gsu1n/ adj. 1 continuing to exist or be operative etc. 2 that is or are in progress (ongoing discussions). 00 ongoingness n. onion /'anjon/ n. 1 a liliaceous plant, Allium cepa, having a short stem and bearing greenish-white flowers. 2 the swollen bulb of this with many concentric skins used in cooking, pickling, etc. O know one’s onions be fully knowledgeable or experienced. onion dome a bulbous dome on a church, palace, etc. onion-skin 1 the brown outermost skin or any outer skin of an onion. 2 thin smooth translucent paper. 00 oniony adj. [ME f. AF union, OF oignon ult. f. L unio -onis]

onlooker

/'pn,luka(r)/

n. a non-participating

observer;

a

spectator. 00 onlooking adj. only /'sunli/ adv., adj., & conj. —adv. 1 solely, merely, exclusively; and no one or nothing more besides (I only want to sit down; will only make matters worse; needed six only; is only a child). 2 no longer ago than (saw them only yesterday). 3 not until (arrives only on Tuesday). 4 with no better result than (hurried home only to find her gone). §|In informal English only is usually placed between the subject and verb regardless of what it refers to (e.g. I only want to talk to you); in more formal English it is often placed more exactly, esp. to avoid ambiguity (e.g. I want to talk only to you). In speech, intonation usually serves to clarify the sense. —attrib.adj. 1 existing alone of its or their kind (their only son). 2 best or alone worth knowing (the only place to eat). —conj. collog. 1 except that; but for the fact that (I would go, only I feel ill). 2 but then (as an extra consideration) (he always makes promises, only he never keeps them). 0 only-begotten literary begotten as the only child. only too extremely (is only too willing). [OE Gnlic, Znlic, ME onliche (as ONE, -LY?)] 0.n.0. abbr. Brit. or near offer. onomastic /,pno'mestik/ adj. relating to names or nomenclature. [Gk onomastikos f. onoma name] onomastics /,ono'mestrks/ n.pl. (treated as sing.) the study of the origin and formation of (esp. personal) proper names. onomatopoeia /|,pn3,mets'pi:9/ n. 1 the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named (e.g. cuckoo, sizzle). 2 the use of such words. 00 onomatopoeic adj. onomatopoeically adv. [LL f. Gk onomatopoiia word-making f. onoma -matos name + poied make] onrush /'pnraJ/ n. an onward rush. onscreen /'pnskri:n/ adj. & adv. —adj. appearing on a cinema, television, or VDU screen. —adv. 1 on or by means ofa screen. 2 within the view presented by a cinema-film scene. onset /'pnset/n. 1 an attack. 2 a beginning, esp. an energetic or determined one. onshore /|'pnJo:(r)/ adj. 1 on the shore. 2 (of the wind) blowing from the sea towards the land.

k cat

1 leg

m man

nno

ppen

rred

s sit

t top

v voice

onside

onside /'pnsaid, pn'sard/ adj. (of a player in a field game) in a lawful position; not offside. onslaught /'pnslo:t/ n.’a fierce attack. [earlier anslaight f. MDu. aenslag f. aen on + slag blow, with assim. to obs. slaught slaughter]

Ont. abbr. Ontario. -ont /pnt/ comb. form Biol. denoting an individual of a specified

type (symbiont). [Gk 6n ont- being] Ontario /pn'teoriu/ a province of south-east Canada (from 1867), settled by the French and English in the 17th c. and ceded to Britain in 1763; pop. (1986) 9,113,500; capital, Toronto. o Lake Ontario the smallest and most easterly of the Great

Lakes, lying between the province and New York State.

“

onto /'pntu:/ prep. disp. to a position or state on or in contact with (cf. on to). The form onto is still not fully accepted in the way that into is, although it is in wide use. It is however useful in distinguishing sense as between we drove on to the beach (i.e. in that direction) and we drove onto the beach (i.e. in contact with

it). ontogenesis |,vnto'dgenisis/ n. the origin and development of. an individual (cf. PHYLOGENESIS). 00 ontogenetic /-d31'netrk/ adj. ontogenetically /-d31'netikali/ adv. [formed as ONTOGENY + Gk genesis birth] ontogeny /pn'todzoni/ n. = ONTOGENESIS. OO ontogenic |-ta'dgenrk/ adj. ontogenically |-to'dzentkoli/ adv. [Gk 6n ontbeing, pres. part. of eimi be + -GENY] ontology /pn'tolad31/ n. the branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being. oo ontological /-to!lod31k(9)l/ adj. ontologically /-to'lodz1koli/ adv. ontologist n. [mod.L ontologia f. Gk 6n ont- being + -Locy] onus |'unes/ n. (pl. onuses) a burden, duty, or responsibility.

onward /|'pnwod/ adv. & adj. —-adv. (also onwards) 1 further on. 2 towards the front. 3 with advancing motion. —adj. directed onwards. onyx /'pniks/ n. a semiprecious variety of agate with different colours in layers. 0 onyx marble banded calcite etc. used as a decorative material. [ME f. OF oniche, onix f. Lf. Gk onux fingernail,

onyx] 00- |'sU9/ comb. form (US 06-) Biol. egg, ovum. [Gk dion egg] oocyte /'su9,sart/ n. an immature ovum in an ovary. oodles /'u:d(2)lz/ n.pl. collog. a very great amount. [19th-c. US: orig. unkn.] oof /u:f] n. sl. money, cash. [Yiddish ooftisch, G auf dem Tische on the table (of money in gambling)]

oofy /'u:fi/ adj. sl. rich, wealthy. 00 cofiness n. oogamous /30'pgames/ adj. reproducing by the union of mobile male and immobile female cells. 00 oogamy n. oogenesis |,:09'dzenisis/ n. the production or development of

an ovum. ooh /u:/ int. expressing surprise, delight, pain, etc. [natural exclam.]

oolite /'sua,lait/ n. 1 a sedimentary rock, usu. limestone, consisting of rounded grains made up of concentric layers. 2 = OOLITH. 00 oolitic /-'l1ttk/ adj. [F odlithe (as 00-, -LITE)]

oolith /'sv0l16/ n. any of the rounded grains making up oolite. oology /20'plad31/ n. the study or collecting of birds’ eggs. 00 oological /,a00'lpd31k(2)l/ adj. oologist n. oolong /'u:lon/ n. a dark kind of cured China tea. [Chin. wulong black dragon]

oomiak var. of UMIAK. oompah /'umpa:/ n. collog. the rhythmical sound of deep-toned brass instruments in a band. [imit.] oomph /omf] n. sl. 1 energy, enthusiasm. 2 attractiveness, esp. sexual appeal. [20th c.: orig. uncert.] -oon /u:n/ suffix forming nouns, orig. from French words in stressed -on (balloon; buffoon). {|Replaced by -on in recent borrowings and those with unstressed -on (baron). [L -o -onis, sometimes via It. -one]

wwe

z zoo

open

1017

f she

3 decision

96 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

Oops /u:ps, ups/ int. collog. expressing surprise or apology, esp. on making an obvious mistake. [natural exclam.] oosperm /'300,sp3:m/ n. a fertilized ovum.

Oostende see Ostenp. ooze! Ju:z/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. (of fluid) pass slowly through the pores of a body. 2 intr. trickle or leak slowly out. 3 intr. (of a substance) exude moisture. 4 tr. exude or exhibit (a feeling) liberally (oozed sympathy). —n. 1 a sluggish flow or exudation. 2 an infusion of oak-bark or other vegetable matter, used in tanning. 00 oozy adj. oozily adv. ooziness n. [orig. as noun (sense 2), f. OE wos juice, sap] z4 00Ze? /u:z/n. 1 a deposit of wet mud or slime, esp. at the bottom of a river, lake, or estuary. 2 a bog or marsh; soft muddy ground. oO oozy adj. [OE wase] OP abbr. 1 RC Ch. Order of Preachers (Dominican). 2 observation post. 3 opposite prompt. op /pp/ n. collog. operation (in surgical and military senses). op. /pp/ abbr. 1 Mus. opus. 2 operator. op- /pp/ prefix assim. form of oB- before p. 0.p. abbr. 1 out of print. 2 overproof. opacify /2u'pzsi,fai/ v.tr. & intr. (-ies, -ied) make or become opaque. 00 opacifier n. opacity /a'pesiti/ n. 1 the state of being opaque. 2 obscurity of meaning. 3 obtuseness of understanding. [F opacité f. L opacitas -tatis (as OPAQUE)] opah /|'supo/ n. a large rare deep-sea fish, Lampris guttatus, usu. having a silver-blue back with white spots and crimson fins. Also called Moonrisu. [W. Afr. name] opal /'sup(s)l/ n. a quartzlike form of hydrated silica, usu. white or colourless and sometimes showing changing colours, often used as a gemstone. O opal glass a semi-translucent white glass. [F opale or L opalus prob. ult. f. Skr. upalas precious stone] opalescent /,supo'les(2)nt/ adj. showing changing colours like an opal. 00 opalesce v.intr. opalescence n.

opaline /'supo,lain/ adj. & n. —adj. opal-like, opalescent, iridescent. —n. opal glass. opaque /su'perk/ adj. & n. —adj. (opaquer, opaquest) 1 not transmitting light. 2 impenetrable to sight. 3 obscure; not lucid. 4 obtuse, dull-witted. —n. 1 an opaque thing or substance. 2a substance for producing opaque areas on negatives. oO opaquely adv. opaqueness n. [ME opak f. L opacus: spelling now assim. to F] op art /pp/ n. collog. = OPTICAL ART. [abbr.]

Op. cit. abbr. in the work already quoted. [L opere citato]

OPEC

/'supek/ abbr. Organization of Petroleum: Exporting

Countries. open /'supon/ adj., v.. & n. —adj. 1 not closed or locked or blocked up; allowing entrance or passage or access. 2 a (of a room, field, or other area) having its door or gate in a position allowing access, or part of its confining boundary removed. b (of a container) not fastened or sealed; in a position or with the lid etc. in a position allowing access to the inside part. 3 unenclosed, unconfined, unobstructed (the open road; open views). 4 a uncovered, bare, exposed (open drain; open wound). b Sport (of a goal mouth or other object of attack) unprotected, vulnerable. 5 undisguised, public, manifest; not exclusive or limited (open scandal; open hostilities). 6 expanded, unfolded, or spread out (had the map open on the table). 7 (of a fabric) not close; with gaps or intervals. 8 a (of a person) frank and communicative. b (of the mind) accessible to new ideas; unprejudiced or undecided. $ a (of an exhibition, shop, etc.) accessible to visitors or customers; ready for business. b (of a meeting) admitting all, not restricted to members etc. 10 a (of a race, competition, scholarship, etc.) unrestricted as to who may compete. b (of a champion, scholar, etc.) having won such a contest. 11 (of government) conducted

in an informative manner receptive to enquiry, criticism, etc., from the public. 12 (foll. by to) a willing to receive (is open to offers). b (of a choice, offer, or opportunity) still available (there

are three courses open to us). c likely to suffer from or be affected by (open to abuse). 13 a (of the mouth) with lips apart, esp. in surprise or incomprehension. b (of the ears or eyes) eagerly tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

opencast

a

opera seria

1018 en

ee

ee

attentive. 14 Mus. a (of a string) allowed to vibrate along its whole length. b (of a pipe) unstopped at each end. ¢ (of a note) sounded from an open string or pipe. 15 (of an electrical circuit) | having a break in the conducting path. 16 (of the bowels) not constipated. 17 (of a return ticket) not restricted as to day of travel. 18 (of a cheque) not crossed. 19 (of a boat) without a deck. 20 (of a river or harbour) free of ice. 21 (of the weather or winter) free of frost. 22 Phonet. a (of a vowel) produced with a relatively wide opening of the mouth. b(of a syllable) ending in a vowel. 23 (of a town, city, etc.) not defended even if attacked. —v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become open or more open. 2 a fr. change from a closed or fastened position so as to allow access (opened the door, opened the box). b intr. (of a door, lid, etc.) have its position changed to allow access (the door opened slowly). 3 tr. remove the sealing or fastening element of (a container) to get access to the contents (opened the envelope). 4 intr. (foll. by into, on to, etc.) (of a door, room, etc.) afford access as specified (opened

on to a large garden). 5 a tr. start or establish or set going (a business, activity, etc.). b intr. be initiated; make a start (the session opens tomorrow; the story opens with a murder). ¢ tr. (of a counsel in a lawcourt) make a preliminary statement in (a case) before calling witnesses. 6 tr. a spread out or unfold (a map, newspaper, etc.). b (often absol.) refer to the contents of (a book). 7 intr. (often foll. by with) (of a person) begin speaking, writing, etc. (he opened with a warning). 8 intr. (of a prospect) come into view; be revealed. 9 tr. reveal or communicate (one’s feelings, intentions, etc.). 10 tr. make (one’s mind, heart, etc.) more sympathetic or enlightened. 11 tr. ceremonially declare (a building etc.) to be completed and in use. 12 tr. break up (ground) with a plough etc. 13 tr. cause evacuation of (the bowels). 14 Naut. a tr. get a view of by change of position. b intr. come into full view. —n. 1 (prec. by the) a open space or country or air. b public notice or view; general attention (esp. into the open). 2 an open championship, competition, or scholarship. 0 be open with speak frankly to. keep open house see HOUSE. open air

(usu. prec. by the) a free or unenclosed space outdoors. open-air (attrib.) out of doors. open-and-shut (of an argument, case, etc.) straightforward and conclusive. open-armed cordial; warmly receptive. open book a person who is easily understood. open day a day when the public may visit a place normally closed to them. open door free admission of foreign trade and immigrants, open-door adj. open, accessible, public. open the door to see DOOR. open-ended having no predetermined limit or boundary. open a person’s eyes see EYE. open-eyed 1 with the eyes open. 2 alert, watchful. open-faced having a frank or ingenuous expression. open-handed generous. open-handedly generously. open-handedness generosity. open-hearted frank and kindly. open-heartedness an openhearted quality. open-hearth process see separate entry. open-heart surgery surgery with the heart exposed and the blood made to bypass it. open house welcome or hospitality for all visitors. open ice ice through which navigation is possible. open letter a letter, esp. of protest, addressed to an individual and published in a newspaper or journal. open market an unrestricted market with free competition of buyers and sellers. open-minded accessible to new ideas; unprejudiced. open-mindedly in an open-minded manner. open-mindedness the quality of being open-minded. openmouthed with the mouth open, esp. in surprise. open out 1 unfold; spread out. 2 develop, expand. 3 become communicative. 4 accelerate. open-plan (usu. attrib.) (of a house, office, etc.) having large undivided rooms. open prison a prison with the minimum of physical restraints on prisoners. open question a matter on which differences of opinion are legitimate. open-reel (of a tape recorder) having reels of tape requiring

eee

2 make accessible. 3 reveal; bring to notice. 4 accelerate esp. a motor vehicle. 5 begin shooting or sounding. open verdict a verdict affirming that a crime has been committed but not specifying the criminal or (in case of violent death) the cause. with open arms see ARM!. oO openable adj. openness n. [OE

open] opencast /'supon,ka:st/ adj. Brit. (of a mine or mining) with removal of the surface layers and working from above, not from shafts. opener /'supanoa(r), 'supno(r)/ n. 1 a device for opening tins, bottles, etc. 2 collog. the first item on a programme etc. 3 Cricket an opening batsman. o for openers collog. to start with.

open-hearth process n. a process for making steel, in which scrap iron or steel, limestone, and molten or cold pig-iron are melted together using a shallow reverberatory furnace. First operated c.1860, the process was producing most of the world’s steel until c.1955. Although slower than the Bessemer process it is under closer control and can melt scrap and cold iron, which the Bessemer process cannot. (See STEEL.) opening /'suponm, 'supnin/ n. & adj. —n. 1 an aperture or gap, esp. allowing access. 2 a favourable situation or opportunity. 3 a beginning; an initial part. 4 Chess a recognized sequence of moves at the beginning of a game. 5 a counsel’s preliminary statement of a case in a lawcourt. —adj. initial, first. oO opening-time Brit. the time at which public houses may legally open for custom. openly /'supenli/ adv. 1 frankly, honestly. 2 publicly; without concealment. [OE openlice (as OPEN, -LY?)]

Open University a university (founded in Britain. in 1969) with no formal requirements for entry to its first-degree courses, and providing instruction by a combination of television, radio, and correspondence courses and by audiovisual

centres. openwork /'supon,ws:k/ n. a pattern with intervening spaces in metal, leather, lace, etc. opera! /'ppors, 'ppra/ n. 1 a a dramatic work in one or more acts, set to music for singers (usu. in costume) and instrumentalists. b this as a genre. (See below.) 2 a building for the performance of opera. Dopera-glasses small binoculars for use at the opera or theatre. opera-hat a man’s tall collapsible hat. opera-house a theatre for the performance of opera. It. f. L, = labour, work] Opera was born in Italy in the 16th c. Although there had previously been stage works involving music, the creation of a dramatic work to be sung throughout was a new concept, derived from theories of the nature of the music of the ancient Greeks and put into practice by a group of intellectuals based in Florence. The earliest operas involved the talents of the composers Jacopo Peri (Dafne, 1598, now lost, and Euridice, 1600, including some settings by his rival Caccini) and Giulio Caccini (Euridice, 1600-2, the first published opera), and the poet Ottavio Rinuccini; better known today are the operas of Claudio Monteverdi. The first public opera house, the Teatro San Cassiano, was opened in Venice in 1637, and since then opera has become celebrated, and among those with a puritan streak notorious, for the extravagance of its plots, the range of its emotional power, the huge sums of money needed to attract star singers (and the volatile temperament of its prima donnas), and the irresistible and inexhaustible attraction it holds for its lovers.

opera? pl. of opus. operable /'pparab(a)l/ adj. 1 that can be operated. 2 suitable for treatment by surgical operation. 00 operability /-'brliti/ n. [LL operabilis f. L (as OPERATE)]

individual threading, as distinct from a cassette. open sandwich a sandwich without a top slice of bread. open sea an

opera buffa j,opora 'bu:fa/ n. (esp. Italian) comic opera, esp.

expanse of sea away from land. open season the season when

opéra comique |ppe,ra: ko'mitk/ n. (esp. French) opera on a

with characters drawn from everyday life. [It.] light-hearted theme, with spoken dialogue. [F]

restrictions on the killing of game etc. are lifted. open secret a

operand /'pporend/ n. Math. the quantity etc. on which an

supposed secret that is known to many people. open sesame see SESAME. open shop 1a business etc. where employees do not have to be members of a trade union (opp. closed shop). 2 this system. open society a society with wide dissemination of information and freedom of belief. open up 1 unlock (premises).

z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

operation is to be done. [L operandum neut. gerundive ofoperari: see OPERATE] opera seria /,pporo 'storia/ n. (esp. 18th-c. Italian)opera on a serious, usu. classical or mythological theme. [It.] _

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

wo put

wu: too.

9 ago

ar my

operate

operate /'ppo,reit/ v. 1 tr. manage, work, control; put or keep in a functional state. 2 intr. be in action; function. 3 intr. produce an effect; exercise influence (the tax operates to our disadvantage). 4 intr. (often foll. by on) a perform a surgical operation. b conduct a military or naval action. ¢ be active in business etc., esp. dealing in stocks and shares. 5 intr. (foll. by on) influence or affect (feelings etc.). 6 tr. bring about; accomplish. 0 operating System the basic software that enables the running of a computer program. operating theatre (or room) a room for surgical operations. [L operari to work f. opus operis work] operatic /,npo'rztrk/ adj. 1 of or relating to opera. 2 resembling or characteristic of opera. 00 operatically adv. [irreg. f. OPERA}, after dramatic] operatics |,pps'retiks/ n.pl. the production and performarice of operas. operation |,pps'rer{(2)n/ n. i a the action or process or method of working or operating. b the state of being active or functioning (not yet in operation). c the scope or range of effectiveness ofa thing’s activity. 2 an active process; a discharge of a function (the operation of breathing). 3 a piece of work, esp. one in a series (often in pl.: begin operations). 4 an act of surgery performed on a patient. 5 a a strategic movement of troops, ships, etc. for military action. b preceding a code-name (Operation Overlord). 6 a financial transaction. 7 Math. the subjection of a number or quantity or function to a process affecting its value or form, e.g. multiplication, differentiation. 0 operations research = operational research. [ME f. OF f. L operatio -onis (as OPERATE)]

operational |,nps'reifan(s)l/ adj. 1 a of or used for operations. b engaged or involved in operations. 2 able or ready to function. 0 operational research the application of scientific principles to business management, providing a quantitative basis for complex decisions. 00 operationally adv. operative /'pperetiv/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 in operation; having effect. 2 having the principal relevance (‘may’ is the operative word). 3 of or by surgery. 4 Law expressing an intent to perform a transaction. —n. 1 a worker, esp. a skilled one. 2 US a private detective. 00 operatively adv. operativeness n. [LL operativus f. L (as OPERATE)] operator /'ppo,rerto(r)/ n. 1 a person operating a machine etc., esp. making connections of lines in a telephone exchange. 2 a person operating or engaging in business. 3 collog. a person acting in a specified way (a smooth operator). 4 Math. a symbol or function denoting an operation (e.g. x, +). [LL f. L operari (as OPERATE)]} operculum /2'p3:kjulom, ou'p-/ n. (pl. opercula /-lo/) 1 Zool. a a flaplike structure covering the gills in a fish. b a platelike structure closing the aperture of a gastropod mollusc’s shell when the organism is retracted. c any of various other parts covering or closing an aperture, such as a flap over the nostrils in some birds. 2 Bot. a lidlike structure of the spore-containing capsule of mosses. 00 opercular adj. operculate /-lot/ adj. operculi- comb. form. [L f. operire cover] operetta /,ppo'reto/ n. 1 a one-act or short opera. 2 a light opera. [It., dimin. of opera: see OPERA]

ophicleide /'pfi,klaid/ n. 1 an obsolete usu. bass brass wind instrument developed from the serpent. 2 a powerful organ reed-stop. [F ophicléide f. Gk ophis serpent + kleis kleidos key]

ophidian /20'fidian/ n. & adj. —n. any reptile of the suborder Serpentes (formerly Ophidia), including snakes. —adj. 1 of or relating to this group. 2 snakelike. [mod.L Ophidia f. Gk ophis snake]

ophio- |'pfiau/ comb. form snake. [Gk ophis snake] Ophir /'svfa(r)/ (in the Old Testament) an unidentified region, perhaps in SE Arabia, famous for its fine gold and precious stones.

ophthalmia /pf'0z1m1o/ n. an inflammation of the eye, esp. conjunctivitis. [LL f. Gk f. ophthalmos eye]

ophthalmic /pf'@z1lmik/ adj. of or relating to the eye and its diseases. 0 ophthalmic optician an optician qualified to prescribe as well as dispense spectacles and contact lenses. [L ophthalmicus f. Gk ophthalmikos (as OPHTHALMIA)]

av how

er day

Oppenheimer

1019

ov no

eo hair

ta near

o1 boy

va poor

ophthalmo- /pf'6zlmou/ comb. form Optics denoting the eye. [Gk ophthalmos eye]

ophthalmology |,vf0z1'mplod31/ n. the scientific study of the eye. 00 ophthalmological /-mo'lpvdz 1k(2)l/ adj. ophthalmologist n.

ophthalmoscope

/pf'@zlmaskoup/

n. an instrument

for

inspecting the retina and other parts of the eye. oo ophthalmoscopic /-'skpprk/ adj. -opia |'supro/ comb. form denoting a visual disorder (myopia). [Gk f. Ops eye] opiate adj. n., & v. —adj. /'suprat/ 1 containing opium. “2 narcotic, soporific. —n. /'suprot/ 1 a drug containing opium, usu. to ease pain or induce sleep. 2 a thing which soothes or stupefies. —v.tr. /'‘suprert/ 1 mix with opium. 2 stupefy. [med.L opiatus, -um, opiare f. L opium: see OPIUM]

Opie /'sup1/, John (1761-1807), English painter. A carpenter’s son, he was promoted on his arrival in London (1781) as the ‘Cornish wonder’ —a self-taught genius—and was made a Royal Academician in 1787. His portraiture (e.g. Mary Wollstonecraft) brought him wealth and reputation, while his history painting, especially for Boydell’s Shakespeare Gallery, was both popular and influential. opine /s0'pain| v.tr. (often foll. by that + clause) hold or express as an opinion. [L opinari think, believe] opinion /s'pinjon/ n. 1 a belief or assessment based on grounds short of proof. 2 a view held as probable. 3 (often foll. by on) what one thinks about a particular topic or question (my opinion on capital punishment). 4 a a formal statement of professional advice (will get a second opinion). b Law a formal statement of reasons for a judgement given. 5 an estimation (had a low opinion of it). a be of the opinion that believe or maintain that. in one’s opinion according to one’s view or belief. a matter of opinion a disputable point. opinion poll = GALLUP POLL. public opinion views generally prevalent, esp. on moral questions. [ME f. OF f. L opinio -onis (as OPINE)]

opinionated /2'pinjo,neitid/ adj. conceitedly assertive or dogmatic in one’s. opinions. 00 opinionatedly adv. opinionatedness n. [obs. opinionate in the same sense f. OPINION] opium /'supism| n. 1 a reddish-brown heavy-scented addictive drug prepared from the juice of the opium poppy, used in medicine as an analgesic and narcotic. 2 anything regarded as soothing or stupefying. ocopium den a haunt of opium-smokers. opium poppy a poppy, Papaver somniferum, native to Europe and E. Asia, with white, red, pink, or purple

flowers. [ME f. L f. Gk opion poppy-juice f. opos juice] Opium War the war between Britain and China (1839-42) and later (1856-60) Britain and France against China, following China’s attempt to prohibit the (illegal) importation of opium from British India into China, and Chinese restrictions on foreign trade. Defeat of the Chinese resulted in the ceding of Hong Kong to Britain and the opening of five ‘treaty ports’ to traders. opopanax /20'pppa,neks/ n. 1 a an umbelliferous plant, Opopanax chironium, with yellow flowers. b a resinous gum obtained from the roots of this plant and used in perfume. 2 = sponge tree. [ME f. L f. Gk f. opos juice + panax formed as PANACEA] Oporto |su'po:tou/ (Portuguese Porto) the principal city of northern Portugal, on the River Douro; pop. (est. 1984) 327,350. opossum /a'ppsom/ n. 1 a any mainly tree-living marsupial of the family Didelphidae, native to America, having a prehensile tail and hind feet with an opposable thumb. b (in full water opossum) an opossum, Chironectes minimus, suited to an aquatic habitat and having webbed hind feet. Also called yaPox. 2 Austral. & NZ = possum 2. [Virginian Ind. apassiim] Opp. abbr. opposite.

Oppenheimer

/'ppsnjharmo(r)/,

Julius

Robert

(1904-67),

American theoretical physicist who, as director of the laboratory at Los Alamos in New Mexico, US, led the team which designed and built the first atomic bomb during the Second World War. After the war he opposed development of the hydrogen bomb and—like a number of intellectuals of his day—fell foul of the Senate committee investigating alleged un-American activities.

aio fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

oppo

optimism

1020

en

His security clearance was withdrawn in 1953 and his advisory activities stopped; with the passing of the McCarthy era his public standing was restored. Oppo |'ppou/ n. (pl. -os) Brit. collog. a colleague or friend. [opposite number]

opponent /2'psunoent/ n. & adj. —n. a person who opposes or belongs to an opposing side. —adj. opposing, contrary, opposed. 0 opponent muscle a muscle enabling the thumb to be placed front to front against a finger of the same hand. 00 opponency n. [L opponere opponent- (as OB-, ponere place)] opportune /'ppo,tju:n/ adj. 1 (of a time) well-chosen or especially favourable or appropriate (an opportune moment). 2 (of an action or event) well-timed; done or occurring at a favourable or useful time. 00 opportunely adv. opportuneness n. [ME f. OF opportun -une f. L opportunus (as oB-, portus harbour), orig. of

the wind driving towards the harbour] opportunism /|,ppo'tju:niz(a)m, 'ppa-/ n. 1 the adaptation of policy or judgement

to circumstances

or opportunity,

esp.

regardless of principle. 2 the seizing of opportunities when they occur. 00 opportunist n. opportunistic /-'nistik/ adj. opportunistically |-'n1strkoli/ adv. [oPPORTUNE after It. oppor-

tunismo and F opportunisme in political senses] opportunity |,ppo'tju:niti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a good chance; a favourable occasion. 2 a chance or opening offered by circumstances. 3 good fortune. 0 opportunity knocks an opportunity occurs. [ME f. OF opportunité f. L opportunitas -tatis (as OPPORTUNE)]

opposable |s'psuzab(s)l/ adj. 1 able to be opposed. 2 Zool. (of the thumb in primates) capable of facing and touching the other digits on the same hand. oppose /s'psvz/ v.tr. (often absol.) 1 set oneself against; resist, argue against. 2 be hostile to. 3 take part in a game, sport, etc., against (another competitor or team). 4 (foll. by to) place in opposition or contrast. 0 as opposed to in contrast with. 00 opposer n. [ME f. OF opposer f. L opponere: see OPPONENT]

opposite /'ppozit/ adj., n., adv., & prep. —adj. 1 (often foll. by to) having a position on the other or further side, facing or back to back. 2 (often foll. by to, from) a of a contrary kind; diametrically different. b being the other of a contrasted pair. 3 (of angles) between opposite sides of the intersection of two lines. 4 Bot. (of leaves etc.) placed at the same height on the opposite sides of the stem, or placed straight in front of another organ. —n. an opposite thing or person or term. —adv. 1 in an opposite position (the tree stands opposite). 2 (of a leading theatrical etc. part) in a complementary role to (another performer). —prep. in a position opposite to (opposite the house is a tree). 0 opposite number a person holding an equivalent position in another group or organization. opposite prompt the side of a theatre

abusive. 00 opprobriously adv. [ME f. LL opprobriosus (as OPPROBRIUM)} opprobrium /|s'proubriem/ n. 1 disgrace or bad reputation attaching to some act or conduct. 2a cause of this. [L f. opprobrum (as oB-, probrum disgraceful act)] oppugn /s'pju:n| v.tr. literary call into question; controvert. 00 oppugner n. [ME f. L oppugnare attack, besiege (as oB-, L pugnare fight)} oppugnant /s'pagnont/ adj. formal attacking; opposing. oO oppugnance n. oppugnancy n. oppugnation /-'ner{(2)n/ 1.

opsimath /'pps1,mz6/ n. literary a person who learns only late in life. 00 opsimathy /-'stmo61/ n. [Gk opsimathés f. opse late + math- learn]

opsonin /'ppsonm/ n. an antibody which assists the action of phagocytes. 00 opsonic /pp'spn1k/ adj. [Gk opsénion victuals + -IN] opt /vpt/ v.intr. (usu. foll. by for, between) exercise an option; make

a choice. 0 opt out (often foll. by of) choose not to participate (opted out of the race). [F opter f. L optare choose, wish] optant /'ppt(a)nt/ n. 1 a person who may choose one of two nationalities. 2 a person who chooses or has chosen. optative /vp'tertrv, 'pptotrv/ adj. & n. Gram. —adj. expressing a wish. —n. the optative mood. 0 optative mood aset of verbforms expressing a wish etc., distinct esp. in Sanskrit and Greek. O00 optatively adv. [F optatif -ive f. LL optativus (as oPt)]

optic /'pptrk/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to the eye or vision (optic nerve). —n. 1a lens etc. in an optical instrument. 2 archaic or joc. the eye. 3 (Optic) Brit. propr. a device fastened to the neck of a bottle for measuring out spirits etc. 0 optic angle the angle formed by notional lines from the extremities of an object to the eye, or by lines from the eyes to a given point. optic axis 1 a line passing through the centre of curvature of a lens or spherical mirror and parallel to the axis of symmetry. 2 the direction in a doubly refracting crystal for which no double refraction occurs. optic lobe the dorsal lobe in the brain from which the optic nerve arises. [F optique or med.L opticus f. Gk optikos f. optos seen]

optical /'pptrk(a)l/ adj. 1 of sight; visual. 2 a of or concerning sight or light in relation to each other. b belonging to optics. 3 (esp. of a lens) constructed to assist sight or on the principles of optics. 0 optical activity Chem. the property of rotating the plane of polarization of plane-polarized light. optical art see separate entry. optical brightener any fluorescent substance used to produce a whitening effect on laundry. optical character recognition the identification of printed characters using photoelectric devices. optical disc see Disc. optical fibre thin glass fibre through which light can be transmitted. optical glass a very pure kind of glass used for lenses etc. optical illusion 1 a thing having an appearance so resembling something else as to deceive the eye. 2 an instance of mental misapprehension caused by this. optical microscope a microscope using the direct perception of light (cf. electron microscope). 00

stage usually to an actor’s right. the opposite sex women in relation to men or vice versa. 00 oppositely adv. oppositeness n. [ME f. OF f. L oppositus past part. of opponere: see OPPONENT]

opposition |,npo'z1f(a)n/ n. 1 resistance, antagonism. 2 the state of being hostile or in conflict or disagreement. 3 contrast or antithesis. 4 a a group or party of opponents or competitors. b (the Opposition) Brit. the principal parliamentary party opposed to that in office. 5 the act of opposing or placing opposite. 6 a diametrically opposite position. b Astrol. & Astron. the position of two heavenly bodies when their longitude differs by 180°, as seen from the earth. 00 oppositional adj. [ME f. OF

f. L oppositio (as OB-, POSITION)] oppress /o'pres/ v.tr. 1 keep in subservience by coercion. 2 govern or treat harshly or with cruel injustice. 3 weigh down (with cares or unhappiness). 00 oppressor n. [ME f. OF oppresser f. med.L oppressare (as OB-, PRESS!)] oppression /s'pref(2)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of oppressing; the state of being oppressed. 2 prolonged harsh or cruel treatment or control. 3 mental distress. [OF f. L oppressio (as OPPRESS)] oppressive /s'presrv/ adj. 1 oppressing; harsh or cruel. 2 difficult to endure. 3 (of weather) close and sultry. 00 oppressively adv. oppressiveness n. [F oppressif -ive f. med.L oppressivus (as OPPRESS)]

optically adv.

optical art n. a form of abstract art and visual decoration, developed in the 1960s, in which optical effects are used to provide illusions of movement in the patterns produced, or designs in which conflicting patterns emerge and overlap. Bridget Riley and Victor Vasarely are its most famous exponents.

optician /pp'tif(s)n/ n. 1 a maker or seller of optical instruments, esp. spectacles and contact lenses. 2 a person trained in the detection and correction of poor eyesight (see OPTOMETRIST). [F opticien f. med.L optica (as optic)] optics /'pptiks/ n.pl. (treated as sing.) the scientific study of sight and the behaviour of light, or of other radiation or particles (electron optics).

optima pl. of opTIMuM. optimal /'pptim(a)l/ adj. best or most favourable, esp. under a particular set of circumstances. best]

optimism /'ppti,mrz(3)m/ n. 1 an inclination to hopefulness and confidence (opp. PESSIMISM). 2 Philos. a the doctrine, esp. as set forth by Leibniz, that this world is the best of all possible

opprobrious /s'proubrias/ adj. (of language) severely scornful; b but

ddog

ffew

g get

h he

jyes

00 optimally adv. [L optimus

k cat

lleg

m man

nno

p pen

rred s sit.

t top

v voice

optimize

worlds. b the theory that good must ultimately prevail over evil in the universe. 00 optimist n. optimistic /-'mistrk/ adj. optimistically /-'mistikoli/ adv. [F optimisme f. L optImuM]

optimize /'ppti,maiz/ v. (also -ise) 1 tr. make the best or most effective use of (a situation, an opportunity, etc.). 2 intr. be an optimist. 00 optimization /-'ze1{(2)n/ n. [L optimus best]

optimum

/'pptimem/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. optima /-mo/ or

optimums) 1 a the most favourable conditions (for growth, reproduction, etc,). b the best or most favourable situation. 2 the best possible compromise between opposing tendencies. —adj. = OPTIMAL. [L, neut. (as n.) of optimus best] option /'ppf(2)n/ n. 4 a the act or an instance of choosing; a choice. b a thing that is or may be chosen (those are the options).

2 the liberty of choosing; freedom of choice. 3 Stock Exch. etc. the right, obtained by payment, to buy, sell, etc. specified stocks etc. at a specified price within a set time. 0 have no option but to must. keep (or leave) one’s options open not commit oneself. [F or f. L optio, stem of optare choose]

optional /'ppfan(s)l/ adj. being an option only; not obligatory. 00 optionality /-'nzliti/ n. optionally adv. optometer /pp'tomita(r)/ n. an instrument for testing the refractive power and visual range of the eye. 00 optometric |,ppte'metrik/ adj. optometry 1i. [Gk optos seen + -METER] optometrist /pp'tomitrist/ n. esp. US 1 a person who practises optometry. 2 = ophthalmic optician. optophone |'ppte,fsun/ n. an instrument converting light into sound, and so enabling the blind to read print etc. by ear. [Gk optos seen + -PHONE] opulent /'vpjolent/ adj. 1 ostentatiously rich; wealthy. 2 luxurious (opulent surroundings). 3 abundant; profuse. 00 opulence n,. opulently adv. [L opulens, opulent- f. opes wealth] opuntia /2u'panfia/ n. any cactus of the genus Opuntia, with jointed cylindrical or elliptical stems and barbed bristles. Also called prickly pear. [L plant-name f. Opus -untis in Locris in ancient Greece] opus |'supes, 'pp-/ n. (pl. opuses or opera |'ppora/) 1 Mus. aa separate musical composition or set of compositions of any kind. b (also op.) used before a number given to a composer’s work, usu. indicating the order of publication (Beethoven, op. 15). 2 any artistic work (cf. MAGNUM opus). 0 opus Dei /'deri:/ Eccl. 1 liturgical worship regarded as man’s primary duty to God. 2 (Opus Dei) a Roman Catholic organization of laymen and

priests founded in Spain in 1928 with the aim of re-establishing Christian ideals in society. [L, = work] opuscule /s'paskju:l/ n. (also opusculum /o'paskjulem/) (pl. opuscules or opuscula /-Jo/) a minor (esp. musical or literary) work. [F f. L opusculum dimin. of opus] OR abbr. 1 operational research. 2 US Oregon (in official postal use). 3 other ranks. or! /9:(r), a(r)/ conj. 1 a introducing the second of two alternatives (white or black). b introducing all but the first, or only the last, of any number of alternatives (white or grey or black; white, grey, or black). 2 (often prec. by either) introducing the only remaining possibility or choice given (take it or leave it; either come in or go out). 3 (prec. by whether) introducing the second part of an indirect

question or conditional clause (ask him whether he was there or not; must go whether I like or dislike it). 4 introducing a synonym or explanation of a preceding word etc. (suffered from vertigo or giddiness). 5 introducing a significant afterthought (he must know—or is he bluffing?). 6 = or else (run or you'll be late). 7 poet. each of two; either (or in the heart or in the head). 0 not Aor B not A, and also not B. one or two (or two or three etc.) collog. a few. or else 1 otherwise (do it now, or else you will have to do it tomorrow). 2 collog. expressing a warning or threat (hand over the money or else). or rather introducing a rephrasing or qualification of a preceding statement etc. (he was there, or rather I heard that he was). or so (after a quantity or a number) or thereabouts (send me ten or so). [reduced form of obs. other 'conj. (which superseded OE oththe or), of uncert. orig.] or? /o:(r)/ n. & adj. Heraldry —n. a gold or yellow colour. —adj. (usu. following noun) gold or yellow (a crescent or). [F f. L aurum gold] , wwe

zzoo

orangeade

1021

f she

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

-or! /a(r)/ suffix forming nouns denoting a person or thing performing the action of a verb, or an agent more generally (actor; escalator; tailor) (see also -ATOR, -ITOR). [L -or, -ator, etc., sometimes via AF -eour, OF -éor, -éur] -or? /a(r)/ suffix forming nouns denoting state or condition (error; horror). [L -or -oris, sometimes via (or after) OF -or, -ur] -or? /a(r)/ suffix forming adjectives with comparative sense (major; senior). [AF -our f. L -or]

-or /2a(r)/ suffix US = -our}, orache /'prit{/ n. (also orach) an edible plant, Atriplex hortensis, with red, yellow, or green leaves sometimes used as a substitute for spinach or sorrel. Also called saALTBUSH. [ME arage f. AF arasche f. L atriplex f. Gk atraphaxus] oracle /'prok(2)l/ n. 1 a a place at which advice or prophecy was sought from the gods in classical antiquity. b the usu. ambiguous or obscure response given at an oracle. ¢ a prophet or prophetess at an oracle. 2 a a person or thing regarded as an infallible guide to future action etc. b a saying etc. regarded as infallible guidance. 3 divine inspiration or revelation. 4 (Oracle) Brit. propr. a teletext service provided by Independent Television. [ME f. OF f. L oraculum f. orare speak] oracular /o'rekjolo(r)/ adj. 1 of or concerning an oracle or oracles. 2 (esp. of advice etc.) mysterious or ambiguous. 3 prophetic. 00 oracularity /-'leriti/ n. oracularly adv. [L (as ORACLE)] oracy |'9:rasi/ n. the ability to express oneself fluently in speech. [L os oris mouth, after literacy]

Oradea /p'ra:dio/ an industrial city in Western Romania; pop.

(1985) 208,500.

oral |'s:r(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 by word of mouth; spoken; not written (the oral tradition). 2 done or taken by the mouth (oral contraceptive). 3 of the mouth. 4 Psychol. of or concerning a supposed stage of infant emotional and sexual development, in which the mouth is of central interest. —n. collog. a spoken examination, test, etc. 0 oral sex sexual activity in which the genitals of one partner are stimulated by the mouth of the other. oral society a society that has not reached the stage of literacy. 00 orally adv. [LL oralis f. L os oris mouth] Oran /9:'ra:n/ (Arabic Wahran /wa:'ra:n/) a seaport on the Mediterranean coast of Algeria; pop. (1983) 663,500.

Orange! /p'ra3/ a town and principality on the Rhéne, which in the 16th c. passed to the House of Nassau, later rulers of the Netherlands. 0 House of Orange /'prind3/ the Dutch royal house. William of Orange William III. [L Arausio name of the town] Orange? |'prind3/ adj. of the extreme Protestants in Ireland, especially in Ulster, in reference to the secret political Association of Orangemen formed in 1795 for the defence of Prot-

estantism and maintenance of Protestant ascendancy in Ireland. It was probably named from the wearing of orange badges etc. as a symbol of adherence to William III, of the House of Orange, who defeated the Catholic James II at the battle of the Boyne in 1690. oo Orangeism n. orange /'prind3/ n. & adj. —n. 1 aa large roundish juicy citrus fruit with a bright reddish-yellow tough rind. b any of various trees or shrubs of the genus Citrus, esp. C. sinensis or C. aurantium, bearing fragrant white flowers and yielding this fruit. 2 a fruit or plant resembling this. 3 a the reddish-yellow colour of an orange. b orange pigment. —adj. orange-coloured; reddish-yellow. 0 orange blossom the flowers of the orange tree, traditionally worn by the bride at a wedding. orange flower water a solution of neroli in water. orange peel 1 the skin of an orange. 2 a rough surface resembling this. orange pekoe tea made from very small leaves. orange squash Brit. a soft drink made from oranges and other ingredients, often sold in concentrated form. orange-stick a thin stick, pointed at one end and usu. of orange wood, for manicuring the fingernails. orange-wood the wood of the orange tree. [ME f. OF orenge, ult. f. Arab. naranj f. Pers. narang] orangeade |,vrind3/e1d/ n. a usu. fizzy non-alcoholic drink flavoured with orange.

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

Orange Free State

ordain

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any other large sea-animal or monster. [F orque or L orca a kind of whale] lic of South Africa; pop. (1985) 1,776,900; capital, Bloemfontein. Orcadian /9:'keidion/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to the First settled by Boers trekking from Cape Colony (1836-8), it was annexed by Britain in 1848 but restored in 1854 to the © Orkney Islands. —n. a native of the Orkney Islands. [L Orcades Boers, who established the Orange Free State Republic. It was Orkney Islands} re-annexed by Britain in 1900, as the Orange River Colony, was Orcagna /9:'ka:njo/ the nickname (= archangel) of Andrea di given internal self-government in 1907, and became a province Cione (active c.1308-68), Florentine painter, sculptor, and archiof the Union of South Africa in 1910, as the Orange Free State. tect occupying a key position between Giotto and Fra Angelico. [House of ORANGE}] His painting represents a return toa hieratic brightly coloured Orangeman /'prindzmon/ n. (pl. -men) see ORANGE”. style fusing Gothic and Byzantine elements, in opposition to Giotto’s naturalism, and may have been a product of new devoOrange River the longest river in South Africa, flowing westtional attitudes in the aftermath of the Black Death (1348). His ward for 1,859 km (1,155 miles) into the Atlantic across almost sculpture follows Andrea Pisano in style (e.g. the tabernacle the whole breadth of the continent. reliefs on Or San Michele, Florence, 1359). As an architect he orangery /|'vrind3er/ n. (pl. -ies) a place, esp. a special strucworked on the cathedrals of Orvieto and Florence. He had two ture, where orange-trees are cultivated. brothers: Nardo (fl. c.1343-66) and Jacopo di Cione (fl. 1365-98) orang-utan /9:,renu:'tzen/ n. (also orang-outang /-u:'ten/) a who worked in a similar style. large red long-haired tree-living ape, Pongo pygmaeus, native to orch. abbr. 1 orchestrated by. 2 orchestra. Borneo and Sumatra, with characteristic long arms and hooked orchard /'9:t{ad/ n. a piece of enclosed land with fruit-trees. 00 hands and feet. [Malay drang iitan wild man] orchardist n. [OE ortgeard f. L hortus garden + YARD? Oranjestad /p'renjo,sta:t/ the capital of the Dutch island of orcharding /'s:tfadin/ n. the cultivation of fruit-trees. Aruba in the West Indies; pop. (1981) 20,000. orchardman /'9:t{admon/ n. (pl. -men) a fruit-grower. orate /o:'reit/ v.intr. esp. joc. or derog. make a speech or speak, esp. pompously or at length. [back-form. f. ORATION] orchestra /'s:kistra/ n. 1 a usu. large group of instrumentalists, esp. combining strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion (symoration /9:'re1{(9)n, 2-/ n. 1 a formal speech, discourse, etc., esp. phony orchestra). (See below.) 2 a (in full orchestra pit) the part when ceremonial. 2 Gram. a way of speaking; language. [ME f. L of a theatre, opera house, etc., where the orchestra plays, usu. oratio discourse, prayer f. orare speak, pray] in front of the stage and on a lower level. b US the stalls in a orator |'prota(r)/ n. 1 a a person making a speech. b an eloquent theatre. 3 the semicircular space in front of an ancient Greek public speaker. 2 (in full public orator) an official speaking for theatre-stage where the chorus danced and sang. 0 orchestra a university on ceremonial occasions. 00 oratorial /-'to:r1ol/ stalls the front of the stalls. 00 orchestral /-'kestr(a)l/ adj. adj. [ME f. AF oratour, OF orateur f. L orator -oris speaker, pleader orchestrally /-'kestrali/ adv. [L f. Gk orkhéstra f. orkheomai to (as ORATION)] dance (see sense 3)] oratorio /|,pro'to:r1au/ n. (pl. -os) a semi-dramatic work for In its modern definition the orchestra dates from the 18th c. orchestra and voices esp. on a sacred theme, performed without when the forces required for orchestral music settled into four costume, scenery, or action. The first oratorios proper were main categories with standard members: woodwind (flutes, clacomposed in the early 17th c. 00 oratorial adj. [It. f. eccl.L rinets, oboes, bassoons), brass (horns, trumpets, trombones, oratorium, orig. of musical services at church of Oratory of St tubas), percussion (drums, with many optional extras), and Philip Neri in Rome] strings (first and second violins, violas, cellos, double basses). oratory /'protori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the art or practice of formal The 19th c. saw a great increase in the number and variety of speaking, esp. in public. 2 exaggerated, eloquent, or highly instruments in the orchestra, but in the 20th c. a return has coloured language. 3 a small chapel, esp. for private worship. 4 frequently been made to smaller, chamber groups. (Oratory) RC Ch. a a religious society of priests without vows orchestrate /'9:ki,streit/ v.tr. 1 arrange, score, or compose for founded in Rome in 1564 and providing plain preaching and orchestral performance. 2 combine, arrange, or build up (elepopular services. b a branch of this in England etc. oo ments of a situation etc.) for maximum effect. oo oratorian /-'to:rion/ adj. & n. oratorical /-'tor1k(s)l/ adj. [senses orchestration /-'stre1{(a)n/ n. orchestrator n. 1 and 2 f. L ars oratoria art of speaking; senses 3 and 4 ME f. AF orchid /'s:kid/ n. 1 any usu. epiphytic plant of the family Orchoratorie, OF oratoire f. eccl.L oratorium: both f. L oratorius f. orare idaceae, bearing flowers in fantastic shapes and brilliant pray, speak] colours, usu. having one petal larger than the others and variorb /o:b/ n. & v. —n. 1 a globe surmounted by a cross esp. ously spurred, lobed, pouched, etc. 2 a flower of any of these carried by a sovereign at a coronation. 2 a sphere; a globe. 3 plants. oO orchidaceous /-'deifas/ adj. orchidist n. poet. a heavenly body. 4 poet. an eyeball; an eye. —v. 1 tr. enclose orchidology /-'dplod31/ n. [mod.L Orchid(ac)eae irreg. f. L orchis: in (an orb); encircle. 2 intr. form or gather into an orb. [L orbis see ORCHIS] ring)

Orange Free State /'prind3/ an inland province of the Repub-

orbicular /o:'brkjolo(r)/ adj. formal 1 circular and flat; disc-

orchil /'9:tf1l/ n. (also orchilla /o:'t{rlo/, archil /'a:tfrl/) 1 a red

shaped; ring-shaped. 2 spherical; globular; rounded. 3 forming a complete whole. 00 orbicularity /-'lzriti/n. orbicularly adv. [ME f. LL orbicularis f. L orbiculus dimin. of orbis ring]

or violet dye from lichen, esp. from Roccella tinctoria, often used in litmus. 2 the tropical lichen yielding this. [ME f. OF orcheil etc. perh. ult. f. L herba urceolaris a plant for polishing glass pitchers]

orbiculate /9:'brkjolot/ adj. Bot. (of a leaf etc.) almost circular. orbit /'s:bit/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the curved, usu. closed course of a planet, satellite, etc. b (prec. by in, into, out of, etc.) the state of motion in an orbit. c one complete passage around an orbited body. 2 the path of an electron round an atomic nucleus. 3 a range or sphere of action. 4 a the eye socket. b the area around the eye of a bird or insect. —v. (orbited, orbiting) 1 intr. a (of

a Satellite etc.) go round in orbit. b fly in a circle. 2 tr. move in orbit round. 3 tr. put into orbit. 00 orbiter n. [L orbita course, track (in med.L eye-cavity): fem. of orbitus circular f. orbis ring]

orbital /'s:bit(2)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 Anat., Astron., & Physics of an orbit or orbits. 2 (of a road) passing round the outside of a town. —n. Physics a state or function representing the possible motion of an electron round an atomic nucleus. o orbital sander a sander having a circular and not oscillating motion. orca /'s:ka/ n. 1 any of various whales, esp. the killer whale. 2

wz cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

orchis /'o:kis/ n. 1 any orchid of the genus Orchis, with a tuberous root and an erect fleshy stem having a spike of usu. purple or red flowers. 2 any of various wild orchids. [L f. Gk orkhis, orig. = testicle (with ref. to the shape of its tuber)]

orchitis /o:'kaitis/ n. inflammation of the testicles. [mod.L £. Gk orkhis testicle] orcin /'o:sm/ n. (also orcinol /'s:s1,nvl/) a crystalline substance, becoming red in air, extracted from any of several lichens and used to make dyes. [mod.L orcina f. It. orcello orchil] Orczy |'9:kz1/, Baroness Emmusca (1865-1947), Hungarian-born British novelist whose best-known novel is The Scarlet Pimpernel (1905), telling of the adventures of an English nobleman smuggling aristocrats out of France during the French Revolution.

ord. abbr. ordinary.

;

ordain /o:'dern/ v.tr. 1 confer holy orders on; appoint to the 1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

o put

u: too.

9 ago

al my

ordeal

ordinary

1023

Christian ministry (ordained him priest; was ordained in 1970). 2 a (often foll. by that + clause) decree (ordained that he should go). b (of God, fate, etc.) destine; appoint (has ordained us to die). oo ordainer'n. ordainment n. [ME f. AF ordeiner, OF ordein- stressed stem of ordener f. L ordinare f. ordo -inis order]

2 having the order of magnitude specified by (of the order of one ina million). on order (of goods etc.) ordered but not yet received.

order about 1 dominate; command officiously. 2 send hither and thither. order arms Mil. hold a rifle with its butt on the ground close to one’s right side. order book 1 a book in which a tradesman enters orders. 2 the level of incoming orders.

ordeal /o:'di:l/ n. 1 a painful or horrific experience; a severe

order-form a printed form in which details are entered by a

trial. 2 hist. an ancient esp. Germanic test of guilt or innocence by subjection of the accused to severe pain or torture, survival of which was taken as divine proof of innocence. 0 ordeal tree the tanghin. [OE ordal, ordél f. Gmc: cf. DEAL]

customer. Order in Council Brit. a sovereign’s order on an administrative matter given by the advice of the Privy Council.

Order of the Bath (or Garter or Merit) each of several honours conferred by the sovereign for services etc. to the State. order of the day 1 the prevailing state of things. 2 a principal topic of action or a procedure decided upon. 3 business set down for treatment; a programme. order of magnitude a class in a system of classification determined by size, usu. by powers of 10. Order! Order! Parl. a call for silence or calm, esp. by the Speaker of the House of Commons. order-paper esp. Parl. a written or printed order of the day; an agenda. order to view a house-agent’s request for a client to be allowed to inspect premises. out of order 1 not working properly. 2 not according to the rules (of a meeting, organization, etc.). take orders 1 accept commissions. 2 accept and carry out commands. 3 (also take holy orders) be ordained. 00 orderer n. [ME f. OF ordre f. L ordo ordinis row, array, degree, command, etc.]

order /'o:da(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the condition in which every part, unit, etc. is in its right place; tidiness (restored some semblance of order). b a usu. specified sequence, succession, etc. (alphabetical order, the order of events). 2 (in sing. or pl.) an authoritative command, direction, instruction, etc. (only obeying orders; gave orders for it to be done; the judge made an order). 3 a state of peaceful harmony under a constituted authority (order was restored; law and order). 4 (esp. in pl.) a social class, rank, etc., constituting a

distinct group in society (the lower orders; the order of baronets). 5 a kind; a sort (talents of a high order). 6 a a usu. written direction to a manufacturer, tradesman, waiter, etc. to supply something. . b the quantity of goods etc. supplied. 7 the constitution or nature of the world, society, etc. (the moral order; the order of things). 8 Biol. a taxonomic rank below a class and above a family. 9 (esp. Order) a fraternity of monks and friars, or formerly of knights, bound by a common rule of life (the Franciscan order; the order ofTemplars). 10 a any of the grades of the Christian ministry. b (in pl.) the status of a member of the clergy (Anglican orders). 11 a any of the styles of ancient architecture distinguished by the type of column used. The principal classical orders are the Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan, and Composite, the first three being Greek in origin and the others Roman. The simplicity or elaborateness of each influenced the overall look of the building, and their differing proportional relations determined those of the whole edifice. b any style or mode of architecture subject to uniform established proportions. 12 (esp. Order) a a company of distinguished people instituted esp. by a sovereign to which appointments are made as an honour or reward (Order of the Garter; Order of Merit). b the insignia worn by members of an order. 13 Math. a a degree of complexity of a differential equation (equation of the first order). b the order of the highest derivative in the equation. 14 Math. a the size of a matrix. b the number of elements of a finite group. 15 Eccl. the stated form of divine service (the order of confirmation). 16 the principles of procedure, decorum, etc., accepted by a meeting, legislative assembly, etc. or enforced by its president. 17 Mil. aa style of dress and equipment (review order). b (prec. by the) the position of a company etc. with arms ordered (see order arms). 18 a Masonic or similar fraternity. 19 any of the nine grades of angelic beings (seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominations, principalities, powers, virtues, archangels, angels). 20 a pass admitting the bearer to a theatre, museum, private house, etc. free or cheap or as a privilege. —v.tr. 1 (usu. foll. by to + infin., or that + clause) command; bid; prescribe (ordered him to go; ordered that they should be sent). 2 command or direct (a person) to a specified destination (was ordered to Singapore; ordered them home). 3 direct a manufacturer, waiter, tradesman, etc. to supply (ordered a new suit; ordered dinner). 4 put in order; regulate (ordered her affairs). 5 (of God, fate, etc.) ordain (fate ordered it otherwise). 6 US command (a thing) done or (a person) dealt with (ordered it settled; ordered him expelled). 0 by order according to the proper authority. holy orders the status of a member of the clergy, esp. the grades of bishop, priest, and deacon. in bad (or good etc.) order not working (or working properly etc.). in order 1 one after another according to some principle. 2 ready or fit for use. 3 according to the rules (of procedure at a meeting etc.). in

order that with the intention; so that. in order to with the purpose of doing; with a view to. keep order enforce orderly behaviour. made to order 1 made according to individual requirements, measurements, etc. (opp. ready-made). 2 exactly what is wanted. minor orders RC Ch. hist. the grades of members of the clergy below that of deacon. not in order not working properly. of (or in or on) the order of 1 approximately. au how

e1 day

ou no

eo hair

1a near

o1 boy

vo poor

orderly |'s:dali/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 methodically arranged; regular. 2 obedient to discipline; well-behaved; not unruly. 3 Mil. a of or concerned with orders. b charged with the conveyance or execution of orders. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 an esp. male cleaner in a hospital. 2 a soldier who carries orders for an officer etc. 0 orderly book Brit. Mil. a regimental or company book for entering orders. orderly officer Brit. Mil. the officer of the day. orderly room Brit. Mil. a room in a barracks used for company business. 00 orderliness n.

ordinal /'s:din(s)l/ n. & adj. —n. 1 (in full ordinal number) a number

defining a thing’s position

in a series, e.g. ‘first’,

‘second’, ‘third’, etc. (cf. CARDINAL). 2 Eccl. a service-book, esp. one with the forms of service used at ordinations. —adj. 1 a of or relating to an ordinal number. b defining a thing’s position in a series etc. 2 Biol. of or concerning an order (see ORDER n. 8). (ME f. LL ordinalis & med.L ordinale neut. f. L (as ORDER)] ordinance /'s:dinons/ n. 1 an authoritative order; a decree. 2 an enactment by a local authority. 3 a religious rite. 4 archaic = ORDONNANCE. [ME f. OF ordenance f. med.L ordinantia f. L ordinare: see ORDAIN]

ordinand /'9:dinond/ n. Eccl. a candidate for ordination. [L ordinandus, gerundive of ordinare ORDAIN]

ordinary /'s:dinori/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 a regular, normal, customary, usual (in the ordinary course of events). b boring; commonplace (an ordinary little man). 2 Brit. Law (esp. of a judge) having immediate or ex officio jurisdiction, not deputed. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 Brit. Law a person, esp. a judge, having immediate or ex officio jurisdiction. 2 (the Ordinary) a an archbishop in a province. b a bishop in a diocese. 3 (usu. Ordinary) RC Ch. a those parts of a service, esp. the mass, which do not vary from day to day. b a rule or book laying down the order of divine service. 4 Heraldry a charge of the earliest, simplest, and commonest kind (esp. chief, pale, bend, fess, bar, chevron, cross, saltire). 5 (Ordinary) (also Lord Ordinary) any of the judges of the Court of Session in Scotland, constituting the Outer House. 6 an ungeared bicycle of an early type, with a large front wheel and small rear wheel, so called for some years after the introduction of the ‘safety’ type (see BICYCLE). 7 Brit. hist. aa public meal provided at a fixed time and price at an inn etc. b an establishment providing this. 8 US a tavern. 0 in ordinary Brit. by permanent appointment (esp. to the royal household) (physician in ordinary). in the ordinary way if the circumstances are or were not exceptional. ordinary level Brit. hist. the lowest of the three levels of the GCE examination. ordinary scale = decimal scale. ordinary seaman a sailor of the lowest rank, that below able-bodied seaman. ordinary shares Brit. shares entitling holders to a dividend from net profits (cf. preference shares). out of the ordinary unusual. oO ordinarily adv. ordinariness n. [ME f. L ordinarius orderly (as ORDER)}

aro fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

ordinate

Organization of African Unity

1024

reeds; a harmonium. d = barrel-organ. 2 a a usu. self-contained part of an organism having a special vital function (vocal organs; digestive organs). b esp. joc. the penis. 3 a medium of communication, esp. a newspaper, sectarian periodical, etc. 4 archaic a professionally trained singing voice. 5 Phrenol. archaic a region of the brain held to be the seat of a particular faculty. o organ-blower a person or mechanism working the bellows of an organ. organ-grinder the player of a_barrel-organ. organ-loft a gallery in a church or concert-room for an organ.

ordinate /'s:dinit/n. Math. a straight line from any point drawn parallel to one coordinate axis and meeting the other, usually a coordinate measured parallel to the vertical (cf. ABSCISSA). [L linea ordinata applicata line applied parallel f. ordinare: see ° ORDAIN]

ordination /,9:di'nerf(s)n/ n. 1 a the act of conferring holy orders esp. on a priest or deacon. b the admission of a priest etc. to church ministry. 2 the arrangement of things etc. in ranks; classification. 3 the act of decreeing or ordaining. [ME f.

organ of Corti see CortI. organ-pipe any of the pipes on an organ. organ-screen an ornamental screen usu. between the choir and the nave of a church, cathedral, etc., on which the organ is placed. organ-stop 1 a set of pipes of a similar tone in an organ. 2 the handle of the mechanism that brings it into action. [ME f. OE organa & OF organe, f. L organum f. Gk organon

OF ordination or L ordinatio (as ORDAIN)] ordnance /'s:dnons/ n. 1 mounted guns; cannon. 2 a branch of government service dealing esp. with military stores and materials. Ooordnance datum Brit. mean sea level as defined for Ordnance Survey. Ordnance map Brit. a map produced by Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey Brit. (in the UK) an official survey organization, orig. under the Master of the Ordnance, preparing large-scale detailed maps of the whole country. [ME var. of ORDINANCE] ordonnance /|'s:donons/ n. the systematic arrangement esp. of literary or architectural work. [F f. OF ordenance: see ORDINANCE]

tool]

The organ has been associated with the church for nearly a millennium, but its invention c.246 Bc is attributed to Ktesibios, an engineer based in Alexandria. His instrument used water to pump the bellows and a row of reed pipes for making the sound. Roman interest in the organ was attested in 1931 when an instrument built in aD 228 was excavated at Aquincum in Hungary, but its importance in the West stems from a gift of one from Emperor Constantine V to Pepin, king of the Franks, in 757. In the mid-10th c. a huge organ belonging to Winchester Cathedral apparently required no fewer than 70 strong men to work the 26 bellows. Among celebrated organ builders are ‘Father’ Smith (c.1630-1708), who built instruments for the Banqueting House in Whitehall, Westminster Abbey, and Durham Cathedral, and Aristide Cavaillé-Coll (1811-98), who revolutionized the tonal design, incorporating a rich variety of orchestral stops. organdie /'s:gondi, -'gzndi/ n. (US organdy) (pl. -ies) a fine translucent cotton muslin, usu. stiffened. [F organdi, of unkn. orig.] organelle j,9:go'nel/ n. Biol. any of various organized or specialized structures which form part ofa cell. [mod.L organella dimin.;

Ordovician |):da'visian, ,o:deu'vifren/ adj. & n. Geol. —adj. of or relating to the second period of the Palaeozoic era, following the Cambrian and preceding the Silurian, lasting from about 505 to 438 million years ago. It saw both the diversification of many invertebrate groups and the appearance of the first vertebrates (jawless fish). —n. this period or system. [L Ordovices ancient British tribe in N. Wales] ordure /'s:djuo(r)/ n. 1 excrement; dung. 2 obscenity; filth; foul language. [ME f. OF f. ord foul f. L horridus: see HORRID]

Ore. abbr. Oregon. ore /9:(r)/ n. a naturally occurring solid material from which metal or other valuable minerals may be extracted. [OE Gra unwrought metal, ar bronze, rel. to L aes crude metal, bronze] 6re |'vara/ n. (also re) a Scandinavian monetary unit equal to one-hundredth of a krona or krone. [Swedish] oread /|'9:r1,2ed/ n. Gk & Rom. Mythol. a mountain nymph. [ME f. L oreas -ados f. Gk oreias f. oros mountain] Orebro |'s:ra,bru:/ an industrial city in south central Sweden; pop. (1987) 119,000.

orectic /o'rektik/ adj. Philos. & Med. of or concerning desire or appetite. [Gk orektikos f. oregé stretch out]

Oreg. abbr. Oregon. oregano /,pri'ga:nau/ n. the dried leaves of wild marjoram used as a culinary herb (cf. MARJORAM). [Sp., = ORIGANUM] Oregon /'prigon/ a State of the US, on the Pacific coast, occupied jointly by British and Americans until 1846, when it was ceded to the US; pop. (est. 1985) 2,633,150; capital, Salem. It became the 33rd State of the US in 1859. o Oregon Trail the route from the Missouri across Oregon, some 3,000 km (2,000 miles)

in length followed by settlers moving west, especially in the 1840s.

Ore Mountains /o:(r)/ (German Erzgebirge /'s:tsgobirga/) a range of mountains on the frontier between Germany and Czechoslovakia. Orenburg /'pran,bs:g/ a city of the Soviet Union in the southwestern foothills of the Ural Mountains; pop. (est. 1987) 537,000.

see ORGAN, -LE]

organic /o:'gentk/ adj. 1 a Physiol. of or relating to a bodily organ or organs. b Med. (of a disease) affecting the structure of an organ. 2 (ofa plant or animal) having organs or an organized physical structure. 3 Agriculture produced or involving production without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, etc. (organic crop; organic farming). 4 Chem. (of a compound etc.) containing carbon (opp. INORGANIC). 5 a structural, inherent. b constitutional, fundamental. 6 organized, systematic, coordinated (an organic whole). 0 organic chemistry the chemistry of carbon compounds. organic law a law stating the formal constitution of a country. 00 organically adv. [F organique f. L organicus f. Gk organikos (as ORGAN)] organism /'9:g9,n1z(3)m| n. 1 a living individual consisting of a single cell or of a group of interdependent parts sharing the life processes. 2 a an individual live plant or animal. b the material structure of this. 3a whole with interdependent parts compared to a living being. [F organisme (as ORGANIZE)] organist /'o:gonist/ n. the player of an organ.

organization /,:ganar'zer{(a)n/ n. (also -isation) 1 the act or an instance of organizing; the state of being organized. 2 an organized body, esp. a business, government department, charity, etc. 3 systematic arrangement; tidiness. o organization man a man who subordinates his individuality and his personal life to the organization he serves. 00 organizational adj. organizationally adv.

oreography var. of OROGRAPHY. Orestes /p'resti:z/ Gk legend the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. He killed his mother and her lover Aegisthus to avenge the murder of Agamemnon. Qresund /'s:ra,sond/ (English the Sound) a narrow channel between Sweden and the Danish island of Zealand.

oreweed var. of OARWEED. orfe /o:f/ n. a golden-coloured ide. [G & F: cf. L orphus f. Gk orphos sea-perch] organ. /'s:gon/ n. 1 a a usu. large musical instrument having pipes supplied with air from bellows, sounded by keys, and distributed into sets or stops which form partial organs, each with a separate keyboard (choir organ; pedal organ). (See below.) ba smaller instrument without pipes, producing similar sounds electronically. ¢ a smaller keyboard wind instrument with metal

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development an organization formed in 1961 (replacing the Organization for European Economic Cooperation) to assist the economy of its member nations and to promote world trade. Its members include the industrialized countries of Western Europe together with Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the US. Its headquarters are in Paris.

Organization of African Unity an association of African

States founded in 1963 for mutual cooperation and the elimination of colonialism in Africa. It is based in Addis Ababa.

kcat

lleg

m man

nno

ppen r red s sit

t top

v voice

Organization of American States Organization

of American

origin

1025

States an association of

oribi /'pribi/ n: (pl. same or oribis) a small S. African grazing

American countries. Originally founded in 1890 for largely commercial purposes, it adopted its present name and charter in 1948. Its aims are to work for peace and prosperity in the region and to uphold the sovereignty of member nations. Its headquarters are in Washington, DC.

antelope, Ourebia ourebi, having a reddish fawn back and white underparts. [prob. Khoisan]}

Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries an association of Arab countries, founded in 1968, to promote economic cooperation and safeguard its members’ interests and to ensure the supply of oil to consumer markets. It is based in Kuwait.

Organization of Central American

States an asso-

ciation founded in 1951 (a new charter being negotiated in 1962) for economic and political cooperation. Its members (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Costa Rica) succeeded in establishing the Central American Common Market in 1960, but cooperated in little else.

Organization

of the Petroleum

Exporting Coun-

tries an association of the thirteen major oil-producing countries, founded in 1960 to coordinate policies. Its headquarters are in Vienna. . organize |'s:g9,na1z/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 a give an orderly structure to, systematize. b bring the affairs of (another person or oneself) into order; make arrangements for (a person). 2 a arrange for or initiate (a scheme etc.). b provide; take responsibility for (organized some sandwiches). 3 (often absol.) a enrol (new members) in a trade union, political party, etc. b form (a trade union or other political group). 4 a form (different elements) into an organic whole. b form (an organic whole). 5 (esp. as organized adj.) make organic; make into a living being or tissue. o0 organizable adj. organizer n. [ME f. OF organiser f. med.L organizare f. L (as ORGAN)] organo- |'s:gonau/ comb. form 1 esp. Biol. organ. 2 Chem. organic. [Gk (as ORGAN)}

organoleptic

|jo:gonou'leptik/ adj. affecting the organs of

sense. [ORGANO- + Gk léptikos disposed to take f. lambano take]

organometallic

/o:,gznoumu'telik/

adj. (of a compound)

organic and containing a metal. organon /'9:ga,non/ n. (also organum /'s:gonom/) an instrument of thought, esp. a means of reasoning or a system of logic. [Gk organon & L organum (as ORGAN): Organon was the title of Aristotle’s logical writings, and Novum (new) Organum that of Bacon’s] organotherapy /|,0:gonou'Gerapi/ n. the treatment of disease with extracts of organs. organza /9:'gznzo/ n. a thin stiff transparent silk or synthetic dress fabric. [prob. f. Lorganza (US trade name)j organzine /'s:gon,zi:n, -'gzenzi:n/ n. a silk thread in which the main twist is in a contrary direction to that of the strands. [F organsin f. It. organzino, of unkn. orig.]

orgasm /|'o:gzz(2)m/n. & v. —n. 1 a@ the climax of sexual excitement, esp. during sexual intercourse. b an instance of this. 2 violent excitement; rage. —v.intr. experience a sexual orgasm. 00 orgasmic /|-'gezmik/ adj. orgasmically /"gzezmikoli/ adv. orgastic |-'gestik/ adj. orgastically |-'gzestikoli/ adv. [F orgasme or mod.L f: Gk orgasmos f. orga swell, be excited] orgeat /'s:d31,xt, '0:3a:/ n. a cooling drink made from barley or almonds and orange-flower water. [F f. Prov. orjat f. ordi barley

f. L hordeum]

orgiastic |,o:d31'estik/ adj. of or resembling an orgy.

o0

orgiastically adv. [Gk orgiastikos f. orgiastés agent-noun f: orgiazo hold an orgy] orgulous /'o:gjules/ adj. archaic haughty; splendid. [ME f. OF orguillus f. orguill pride f. Frank.] orgy |'o:d31/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a wild drunken festivity at which indiscriminate sexual activity takes place. 2 excessive indulgence in an activity. 3 (usu. in pl.) Gk & Rom. Hist. secret rites used in the worship of esp. Bacchus, celebrated with dancing,

drunkenness, singing, etc. [orig. pl., f. F orgies f..L orgia f. Gk orgia secret rites]

wwe

zzoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin.

6 this

yn ring

x loch

oriel /':r10l/ n. 1 a large polygonal recess built out usu. from an upper storey and supported from the ground or on corbels. 2 (in full oriel window) a any of the windows in an oriel. b the projecting window of an upper storey. [ME f. OF oriol gallery, of unkn. orig.]

orient /'s:rront/ n., adj., & v. —n. 1 (the Orient) a poet. the east. b the countries E. of the Mediterranean, esp. E. Asia. 2 an orient pearl. —adj. 1 poet. oriental. 2 (of precious stones and esp. the finest pearls coming orig. from the East) lustrous; sparkling;

precious. 3 archaic a radiant. b (of the sun, daylight, etc.) rising. —-v. |'o:r1ent, 'pr-/ 1 tr. a place or exactly determine the position of with the aid of a compass; settle or find the bearings of. b (often foll. by towards) bring (oneself, different elements, etc.) into a clearly understood position or relationship; direct. 2 tr. a place or build (a church, building, etc.) facing towards the East. b bury (a person) with the feet towards the East. 3 intr. turn eastward or in a specified direction. o Orient Express the name of a train which ran (from 1883 to 1961) between Paris and Istanbul and other Balkan cities, via Vienna, and of its successors. orient oneself determine how one stands in relation to one’s surroundings. [ME f. OF orient, orienter f. L oriens -entis rising, sunrise, east, f. oriri rise]

oriental /,o:r1'ent(a)l, ,pr-/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (often Oriental) a of or characteristic of Eastern civilization etc. b of or concerning the East, esp. E. Asia. 2 (of a pearl etc.) orient. —n. (esp. Oriental) a native of the Orient. 00 orientalism n. orientalist n. orientalize v.intr. & tr. (also -ise). orientally adv. [ME f. OF oriental or L orientalis (as ORIENT)] orientate /'prien,tert, 'o:r-/ v.tr. & intr. = ORIENT v. [prob. backform. f. ORIENTATION] orientation |,prien'ter{(2)n, ,0:r-/ n. 1 the act or an instance of orienting; the state of being oriented. 2 a a relative position. b a person’s attitude or adjustment in relation to circumstances, esp. politically or psychologically. 3 an introduction to a subject or situation; a briefing. 4 the faculty by which birds etc. find their way home from a distance. 0 orientation course esp. US a course giving information to newcomers to a university etc. O00 orientational adj. [app. f. ORIENT] orienteering /|,9:r1en'trarin, ,pr-/ n. a competitive sport in which runners cross open country with a map, compass, etc. Although ‘chart and compass’ races were held in the sports meetings of British army units in the early 20th c., orienteering is generally recognized as being of Scandinavian origin, first introduced as a sport for young people in Sweden in 1918. 00 orienteer n. & v.intr. [Sw. orientering]

orifice /'prifis/ n. an opening, esp. the mouth ofa cavity, a bodily aperture, etc. [F f. LL orificium f. os oris mouth + facere make]

oriflamme /|'pri,flem/ n. 1 hist. the sacred scarlet silk banner of St Denis given to early French kings by the abbot of St Denis on setting out for war. 2 a standard, a principle, or an ideal as a rallying-point in a struggle. 3 a bright conspicuous object, colour, etc. [ME f. OF f. L aurum gold + flamma flame] origami /,pri'ga:mi/ n. the Japanese art of folding paper into decorative shapes and figures. [Jap. f. ori fold +: kami paper] origan |'prigan/ n. (also origanum /s'rigonom)) any plant of the genus Origanum, esp. wild marjoram (see MARJORAM). [(ME f. OF origan) f. L origanum f. Gk origanon] Origen |'prid3(a)n/ (c.185-c.254) Alexandrian biblical scholar and theologian. Of his numerous works the most famous was the Hexapla, an edition of the Old Testament with six or more parallel versions. He recognized literal, moral, and allegorical interpretations of Scripture, preferring the last. Many of his writings have perished and most of the others survive only in fragments or in Latin translations, partly because of later condemnations of his teaching and partly because of the exorbitant length and diffusiveness of his work. origin /'prid3in/ n. 1 a beginning or starting-point; a derivation; a source (a word of Latin origin). 2. (often in pl.) a person’s ancestry (what are his origins?). 3 Anat. a a place at which a muscle is tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

original

firmly attached. b a place where a nerve or blood vessel begins or branches from a main nerve or blood vessel. 4 Math. a fixed point from which coordinates are measured. [F origine or f. L origo -ginis f. oriri rise]

original /2'ridzin(9)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 existing from the beginning; innate. 2 novel; inventive; creative (has an original mind). 3 serving as a pattern; not derivative or imitative; firsthand (in the original Greek; has an original Rembrandt). —n. 1 an original model, pattern, picture, etc. from which another is copied or translated (kept the copy and destroyed the original). 2 an eccentric or unusual person. 3 a a garment specially designed for a fashion collection. b a copy of such a garment made to order. 0 original instrument a musical instrument, or a copy of one, dating from the time the music played on it was composed. original print a print made directly from an artist’s own woodcut, etching, etc., and printed under the artist’s supervision. original sin (in Christian theology) the innate depravity held to be common to all human beings in consequence of the Fall. Medieval theologians were particularly occupied with its nature and transmission, but from the 18th c. onwards the influence of rationalism and natural science has attenuated the dogma, which has been given up almost completely by Liberal Protestantism and Modernism. oo originally adv. [ME f. OF original or L originalis (as ORIGIN)]

originality /s,r1d31'nzliti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the power of creating or thinking creatively. 2 newness or freshness (this vase has originality). 3 an original act, thing, trait, etc.

originate /s'rid3i,neit/ v. 1 tr. cause to begin; initiate. 2 intr. (usu. foll. by from, in, with) have as an origin; begin. 00 origination /-'nerf(2)n/ n. originative /|-notrv/ adj. originator n. [med. L originare (as ORIGIN)}

orinasal /,:r1'nerz(a)l/ adj. (esp. of French nasalized vowels) sounded with both the mouth and the nose. [L os oris mouth + NASAL] o-ring /'surin/ n. a gasket in the form of a ring with a circular cross-section.

oriole /'s:r10ul/ n. 1 any Old World bird of the genus Oriolus, many of which have brightly coloured plumage (see golden oriole). 2 any New World bird of the genus Icterus, with similar coloration. [med.L oriolus f. OF oriol f. L aureolus dimin. of aureus golden f. aurum gold]

ornithorhynchus |,:n102u'rinkes/ n. = PLATYPUS. [ORNITHO+ Gk rhugkhos bill] oro- /'s:rau/ comb. form mountain. [Gk oros mountain] orogeny /9:'rodgini/ n. (also orogenesis /\0:rau'dzenisis/) the process of the formation of mountains. oO orogenetic |,o:ra0d31'netrk/ adj. orogenic |,9:ra'dzentk/ adj. orography /p'rogrofi, 9:-/ n. (also oreography /,pr1'pgrofi/) the branch of physical geography dealing with mountains. oo orographic /-ro'grefik/ adj. orographical /-'grefik(a)l/ adj. Orontes /s'rpnti:z/ a river of SW Asia, rising near Baalbek in Lebanon and flowing through western and northern Syria before turning west and south-west through southern Turkey into the Mediterranean Sea. It is an important source of water for irrigation, especially in Syria. orotund /'pra,tand, 'o:r-/ adj. 1 (of the voice or phrasing) full, round; imposing. 2 (of writing, style, expression, etc.) pompous; pretentious. [L ore rotundo with rounded mouth] orphan /'s:f(a)n/ n. & v. —n. (often attrib.) 1 a child bereaved of a parent or usu. both parents. 2 a person bereft of previous protection, advantages, etc. —v.tr. bereave (a child) of its parents or a parent. oO orphanhood n. orphanize v.tr. (also -ise). [ME f. LL orphanus f. Gk orphanos bereaved] orphanage /'9:fonid3/ n. 1 a usu. residential institution for the care and education of orphans. 2 orphanhood.

Oriya /o'ri:a/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of Odra, an ancient region of India corresponding to the State of Orissa. 2 of Orissa (which 2 the

Indo-European language of Odra/Orissa, which is descended from Sanskrit and closely related to Bengali, spoken by some 20 million people. [Hindi, f. Odra]

Orkney Islands /'o:kni/ (also Orkneys) a group of islands off the NE tip of Scotland, colonized by the Vikings in the 9th c. and ruled by Norway and Denmark until they came into Scottish possession (together with Shetland) in 1472 as security against the unpaid dowry of Margaret of Denmark after her marriage to James III. They constitute an islands area (Orkney) of Scotland; pop. (1981) 19,300; chief town, Kirkwall. orle /o:1/ n. Heraldry a narrow band or border of charges near the edge of a shield. [F o(u)rle f. ourler to hem, ult. f. L ora edge]

e bed

3: her

ornament /'o:nomont/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa thing used or serving to adorn, esp. a small trinket, vase, figure, etc. (a mantelpiece crowded with ornaments; her only ornament was a brooch). b a quality or person conferring adornment, grace, or honour (an ornament to her profession). 2 decoration added to embellish esp. a building (a tower rich in ornament). 3 (in pl.) Mus. embellishments and decorations made to a melody. 4 (usu. in pl.) the accessories of worship, e.g. the altar, chalice, sacred vessels, etc. —v.tr. |'o:ne,ment/ adorn; beautify. 00 ornamentation /-men'te1/(2)n/ n. [ME f. AF urnement, OF o(u)rnement f. L ornamentum equipment f. ornare adorn] ornamental /,9:no'ment(s)l/ adj. & n. —adj. serving as an ornament; decorative. —n. a thing considered to be ornamental, esp. a cultivated plant. 00 ornamentalism n. ornamentalist

ornithological |-8a'lpd3rk(a)l/ adj. ornithologically [-Ga'lodgrkeli/ adv. ornithologist n. [mod.L ornithologia f. Gk ornithologos treating of birds (as ORNITHO-, -LOGY)]

capital, Bhubaneswar. -orium /'9:riom/ suffix forming nouns denoting a place for a particular function (auditorium; crematorium). [L, neut. of adjectives in -orius: see -oryY}|

a: arm

gilding)] Ormuz /'9:mvuz/ var. of HoRmuz.

birdlike (as ORNITHO-)]

Orissa /o'riso/ a State in eastern India; pop. (1981) 26,272,050;

z cat

ormer /'s:mo(r)/ n. an edible univalve mollusc, Haliotis tuberculata, having a flattened shell with a series of holes of increasing size along the outer margin. Also called sea-ear. [Channel Islands F f. F ormier f. L auris maris ear of sea] ormolu /'s:ma,lu:/ n. 1 (often attrib.) a a gilded bronze or goldcoloured alloy of copper, zinc, and tin used to decorate furniture, make ornaments, etc. b articles made of or decorated with these. 2 showy trash. [F or moulu powdered gold (for use in

ornitho- /'s:n1090/ comb. form bird. [Gk f. ornis ornithos bird] ornithology /,o:n1'9pled3i/ n. the scientific study of birds. 50

changed into a constellation at his death. The association of his name with the constellation occurs in Homer, making it an unprecedentedly early star-myth. 2 Astron. a conspicuous constellation containing many bright stars including Orion’s belt three stars in a short line. Orion’s hound Sirius. orison /'priz(s)n/ n. (usu. in pl.) archaic a prayer. [ME f. AF ureison, OF oreison f. L (as ORATION)]

1 a native of Odra.

OVER-, LEAP)]

Ormazd |'o:mazd/ see AHURA MAZDA.

ornithic /o:'n161k/ adj. of or relating to birds. [Gk ornithikos

Orion /s'raron/ 1 Gk legend a giant and hunter, said to have been

—n.

Loire, scene of Joan of Arc’s first victory over the English during the Hundred Years War; pop. (1982) 105,600. Orlon /|'9:lon/ n. propr. a man-made fibre and fabric for textiles and knitwear. [invented word, after NYLON] orlop /'s:lop/ n. the lowest deck of a ship with three or more decks. [ME f. MDu. overloop covering f. overloopen run over (as

n, ornamentally adv.

2,060 km (1,280 miles) long, flowing from the Guiana Highlands through Venezuela to the Atlantic Ocean.

from Odra).

Orleans /9:'li:anz/ (French Orléans) a French city on the River

ornate /o:'neit/ adj. 1 elaborately adorned; highly decorated. 2 (of literary style) convoluted; flowery. 00 ornately adv. ornateness n. [ME f. L ornatus past part. of ornare adorn] ornery /'s:nori/ adj. US collog. 1 cantankerous; unpleasant. 2 of poor quality. 00 orneriness n. [var. of ORDINARY]

Orinoco /,pri'nsukeu/ a river in the north of South America,

takes its name

orphanage

1026

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

a run

o put

u: too

9 ago

a my

Orphean Orphean /9:'fi:an/ adj. like the music of Orpheus; melodious; entrancing. [L Orpheus (adj.) f. Gk Orpheios f. Orpheus]

Orpheus /'o:fjas/ either a real person, founder of Orphism, or purely mythical. He appears in ancient Greek literature and art as a singer who, with his lyre, sang and played so wonderfully that wild beasts were spellbound by his music. He visited the underworld and persuaded its lord to release his wife Euridice from the dead, but lost her because he failed to obey the condition that he must not look back at her until they had reached the world of the living.

Orphic /'9:fik/ adj. 1 of or concerning Orpheus or Orphism (sense 1); oracular; mysterious. 2 = ORPHEAN. [L Orphicus f. Gk Orphikos f. Orpheus] Orphism /'9:fiz(2)m/ n. 1 a mystic religion of ancient Greece, originating in the 7th or 6th c. Bc and based in poems (now lost) attributed to Orpheus, emphasizing the mixture of good (or divine) and evil in human nature and the necessity that individuals should rid themselves of the evil part by ritual and moral purification throughout a series of reincarnations. It sank to the level of a superstition in the 5th c., though the profound thoughts which underlay it were perceived by Pindar and Plato;its high ideas were mixed up with crude myths, and misused by base priests and charlatans. 2 a short-lived art movement (c.1912) within cubism, pioneered by a group of French painters calling themselves La Section d’Or (Golden Section), which emphasized the lyrical use of colour in pure abstract designs rather than the austere intellectual cubism of Picasso, Braque, and Gris. orphrey /'9:fri/ n. (pi. -eys) an ornamental stripe or border or separate piece of ornamental needlework, esp. on ecclesiastical vestments. [ME orfreis (taken as pl.) (gold) embroidery f. OF f.

med.L aurifrisium etc. f. L aurum gold + Phrygius Phrygian, also ‘embroidered’] orpiment /'s:prmont/ n. 1 a mineral form of arsenic trisulphide, formerly used as a dye and artist’s pigment. Also called yellow arsenic. 2 (in full red orpiment) = REALGAR. [ME f. OF f. L auripigmentum f. aurum gold + pigmentum pigment] orpine /'s:pin/ n. (also orpin) a succulent herbaceous purpleflowered plant, Sedum telephium. Also called LIVELONG?. [ME f. OF orpine, prob. alt. of ORPIMENT, orig. of a yellow-flowered species of the same genus] orra |'pra/ adj. Sc. 1 not matched; odd. 2 occasional; extra. [18th c.: orig. unkn.] : orrery |'prar:/ n. (pl. -ies) a clockwork model of the solar system. [named after the fourth Earl of Orrery, for whom one was made] orris /'pris/ n. 1 any plant of the genus Iris, esp. I. florentina. 2 = ORRISROOT. O orris-powder powdered orrisroot. [16th c.: app. an unexpl. alt. of RIS] orrisroot /'pris,ru:t/ n. the fragrant rootstock of the orris, used in perfumery and formerly in medicine. ortanique /'9:to,ni:k/ n. a citrus fruit produced by crossing an orange and a tangerine. [orange + tangerine + unique] ortho- /'9:62u/ comb. form 1 a straight, rectangular, upright. b right, correct. 2 Chem. a relating to two adjacent carbon atoms in a benzene ring. b relating to acids and salts (e.g. orthophosphates) giving meta- compounds on removal of water. [Gk orthos straight]

orthocephalic

/|,:6ous'felik/ adj. having a head with a

medium ratio of breadth to height.

orthochromatic /,9:02ukrau'metik/ adj. giving fairly correct relative intensity to colours in photography by being sensitive to all except red.

orthoclase /'9:690,klers/n. a common alkali feldspar usu. occurring as variously coloured crystals, used in ceramics and glassmaking. [oRTHO- + Gk klasis breaking]

orthodontics

/|,0:00'dpntrks/

n.pl. (treated

as sing.) (also

orthodontia /-'dpntio/) the treatment of irregularities in the teeth and jaws. oo orthodontic adj. orthodontist n. [oRTHO+ Gk odous odont- tooth]

orthodox /'s:02,dvks/ adj. 1 a holding correct or currently accepted opinions, esp. on religious doctrine, morals, etc. b not independent-minded; unoriginal; unheretical. 2 (of religious av how

er day

Oruro

1027

ou no

eo hair

to near

o1 boy

vo poor

doctrine, standards of morality, etc.) generally accepted as right or true; authoritatively established; conventional. 3 (also Orthodox) (of Judaism) strictly keeping to traditional doctrine and ritual. 00 orthodoxly adv. [eccl.L orthodoxus f. Gk orthodoxos f. doxa opinion]

Orthodox Church the Eastern or Greek Church, having the Patriarch of Constantinople as its head, and the national Churches of Russia, Romania, etc. in communion with it. Separation from the Western Church came in the 4th c., originally through cultural and political factors, focused from the Sth c.

onwards on differences of doctrine and ritual, and took formal effect in 1054 when the Pope and the Patriarch of Constantinople excommunicated each other. In the latter part of the 20th c. the Orthodox Churches have taken an active part in the ecumenical movement; the mutual excommunications of 1054 were abolished in 1965.

orthodoxy |'9:02,dpksi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state of being orthodox. 2 a the orthodox practice of Judaism. b the body of orthodox Jews. 3 esp. Relig. an authorized or generally accepted theory, doctrine, etc. [LL orthodoxia f. late Gk orthodoxia sound doctrine (as ORTHODOX)] orthoepy /'s:80u,i:p1, 9:'Gaurpi/ n. the scientific study of the correct pronunciation of words. 50 orthoepic /-'eprk/ adj. orthoepist n. [Gk orthoepeia correct speech (as ORTHO-, epos word)]

orthogenesis /,0:60u'dgenisis/ n. a theory of evolution which proposes that variations follow a defined direction and are not merely sporadic and fortuitous. 00 orthogenetic /-d31'netik/ adj. orthogenetically /-d31'netikol1/ adv. orthognathous /9:'@pgna6es/ adj. (of mammals, including man) having a jaw which does not project forwards and a facial

angle approaching a right angle. [oRTHO- + Gk gnathos jaw]

orthogonal /9:'@pgen(a)l/ adj. of or involving right angles. [F f. orthogone (as ORTHO-, -GON)]

orthography /9:'6pgrofi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1a correct or conventional spelling. b spelling with reference to its correctness (dreadful orthography). ¢ the study or science of spelling. 2 a perspective projection used in maps and elevations in which the projection lines are parallel. b a map etc. so projected. 00 orthographer n. orthographic /-'grzfik/ adj. orthographical |-'grzfik(o)l/ adj. orthographically |-'grzfikoli/ adv. [ME f. OF ortografie f. L orthographia f. Gk orthographia (as ORTHO-, -GRAPHY)]} orthopaedics /|,0:09'pi:diks/ n.pl. (treated as sing.) (US -pedics)

the branch of medicine dealing with the correction of deformities of bones or muscles, orig. in children. 00 orthopaedic adj. orthopaedist n. [F orthopédie (as ORTHO-, pédie f. Gk paideia rearing of children)} orthopteran /9:'@ppteron/ n. any insect of the order Orthoptera, with straight narrow forewings, and hind legs modified for jumping etc., including grasshoppers and crickets. oo orthopterous adj. [ORTHO- + Gk pteros wing] orthoptic /9:'@nptrk/ adj. relating to the correct or normal use of the eyes. 00 orthoptist n. [oRTHO- + Gk optikos of sight: see OPTIC]

orthoptics /o:'@nptiks/ n. Med. the study or treatment of irregularities of the eyes, esp. with reference to the eye-muscles.

orthorhombic

/,0:62u'rombik/ adj. Crystallog. (of a crystal)

characterized by three mutually perpendicular axes which are unequal in length, as in topaz and talc. orthotone /|'s:6a,taun/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a word) having an independent stress pattern, not enclitic nor proclitic. —n. a word of this kind. ortolan /'s:talan/ n. (in full ortolan bunting) Zool. a small European bird, Emberiza hortulana, eaten as a delicacy. [F f. Prov., lit.

gardener, f. L hortulanus f. hortulus dimin. of hortus garden] Orton /'o:t(a)n/, John Kingsley (‘Joe’) (1933-67), English playwright, author of bizarre black comedies which include Entertaining Mr Sloane (1964), Loot (1965), and the posthumously performed What the Butler Saw (1969). Orton, a homosexual, was

murdered by his lover, who then committed suicide. Oruro /2'rusreu/ the chief mining city of western Bolivia; pop.

(1985) 178,400.

aro fire

ava sour

(seeover for consonants)

Orvieto

osmium

1028

oscillograph /a'silo,gra:f] n. a device for recording oscillations.

Orvieto /,o:v1'ertou/ a wine-producing area in Umbria in Italy.

00 oscillographic /-!grzfik/ adj. oscillography /-'lpgrofi/ n. oscilloscope /a'stlo,skoup/ n. a device for viewing oscillations 50), English novelist and essayist with socialist preoccupations, an acute observer of social deprivation and injustice. Born in * by a display on the screen of a cathode-ray tube. oo oscilloscopic /-'skoprk/ adj. Bengal, he served with the Indian Imperial Police in Burma (1922-7), and his experiences are reflected in his first novel oscine /'psin/ adj. (also oscinine /'ps1,ni:n/) of or relating to Burmese Days (1934). He resigned to escape from imperialism the suborder Oscines of passerine birds including many of the and ‘man’s dominion over man’, returning to Europe to live in songbirds. [L oscen -cinis songbird (as oB-, canere sing)] poverty as described in Down and Out in Paris and London (1933). oscitation /,pst'terf(2)n/ n. formal 1 yawning; drowsiness. 2 Subsequent works include The Road to Wigan Pier (1937), an inattention; negligence. [L oscitatio f. oscitare gape f. os mouth + impassioned documentary of unemployment and proletarian citare move] life. In the Spanish Civil War he fought on the side of the oscula pl. of oscutuM. ‘Republicans and returned, demoralized and with a throat injury oscular /'pvskjula(r)/ adj. 1 of or relating to the mouth. 2 of or that permanently impeded his speech, to criticize Communist relating to kissing. [L osculum mouth, kiss, dimin. of os mouth] beliefs in Homage to Catalonia (1939) and the satire Animal Farm osculate /'pskju,lert/ v. 1 tr. Math. (of a curve or surface) have (1945). Nineteen Eighty-four (1949) is a nightmare view of a future contact of at least the second order with; have two branches totalitarian State; Orwell wrote it in an isolated house on the with a common tangent, with each branch extending in both island of Jura in the Hebrides, financially secure with the roydirections of the tangent. 2 v.intr. & tr. joc. kiss. 3 intr. Biol. (of a alties from Animal Farm but knowing that his life was drawing species etc.) be related through an intermediate species; have to its close because of the tuberculosis from which he shortly common characteristics with another or with each other. oo died. osculant adj. osculation /-'le1{(2)n/ n. osculatory /'pskjulotert/ Orwellian /o:'welion/ adj. of or characteristic of the writings of adj. [L osculari kiss (as OSCULAR)] George Orwell, esp. with reference to the totalitarian develosculum /'pskjulam/ n. (pl. oscula /-lo/) a mouthlike aperture, opment of the State as depicted in 1984 and Animal Farm. esp. of a sponge. [L: see OSCULAR] -ory! /ori/ suffix forming nouns denoting a place for a particular -ose! jaus/ suffix forming adjectives denoting possession of a function (dormitory; refectory). 00 -orial /'o:r1ol/ suffix forming quality (grandiose; verbose). 00 -osely suffix forming adverbs. adjectives. [L -oria, -orium, sometimes via ONF and AF -orie, OF -oseness suffix forming nouns (cf. -osity). [from or after L -osus] -oire] -ose? /aus/ suffix Chem. forming names of carbohydrates (cellulose; -ory? /ori/ suffix forming adjectives (and occasionally nouns) sucrose). [after GLUCOSE] relating to or involving a verbal action (accessory; compulsory; directory). [L -orius, sometimes via AF -ori(e), OF -oir(e)] osier /'90z19(r)/ n. 1 any of various willows, esp. Salix viminalis, with long flexible shoots used in basketwork. 2 a shoot of a oryx /'priks/ n. any large straight-horned antelope of the genus willow. 0 osier-bed a place where osiers are grown. [ME f. OF: Oryx, native to Africa and Arabia. [ME f. L f. Gk orux stonemason’s cf. med.L auseria osier-bed] pickaxe, f. its pointed horns] Osiris /2'sairis/ Egyptian Mythol. a divinity originally connected OS abbr. 1 old style: 2 ordinary seaman. 3 (in the UK) Ordnance with fertility, known chiefly through the legend (made famous Survey. 4 outsize. 5 out of stock. by Plutarch) of his death (at the hands of his brother Seth) and Os symb. Chem. the element osmium. subsequent restoration to a new life as ruler of the afterlife. In Osage orange /'suseid3/ n. 1 a hardy thorny tree, Maclura the Old Kingdom he was identified with the deceased pharaoh, pomifera, of the US, bearing inedible wrinkled orange-like fruit. but eventually all the dead could claim the title ‘the Osiris’. 2 the durable orange-coloured timber from this. [name of a N. -osis /'susis/ suffix (pl. -oses /'2usi:z/) denoting a process or conAmerican Indian tribe] dition (apotheosis; metamorphosis), esp. a pathological state (acidOsaka /0'sa:ka/ a port and commercial city of Japan, capital of osis; neurosis; thrombosis). [L f. Gk -dsis suffix of verbal nouns] Kinki region on Honshu Island; pop. (1987) 2,546,00. -osity /'psiti/ suffix forming nouns from adjectives in -ose (see Osborne /'pzbo:n/, John James (1929-_), English dramatist. His -OSE}) and -ous (verbosity; curiosity). [F -osité or L -ositas -ositatis: cf. first play Look back in Anger (1956) startled contemporary taste -ITY] with the vehemence of its tirades against middle-class values, Osler /'suzlo(r)/, Sir William (1849-1919), Canadian-born physand earned him the cachet ‘angry young man’. Later plays ician and classical scholar, professor of medicine at McGill, include The Entertainer (1957) and Luther (1961). Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins, and Oxford University, whose Oscan /'pskon/n. & adj. —n. the ancient language of Campania Principles and Practice ofMedicine (1892) became the chosen clinical in Italy, related to Latin and surviving only in inscriptions in an textbook for English-speaking medical students. At Johns Hopalphabet derived from Etruscan. —adj. relating to or written kins he instituted a model teaching unit in which clinical obserin Oscan. [L Oscus]

Orwell |'s:wel/, George (pseudonym of Eric Arthur Blair, 1903—

vation was combined with laboratory research, but, in spite

Oscar /'psko(r)/ n. any of several gold statuettes awarded annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Hollywood, US) for excellence in film acting, directing, etc. Such ‘Academy awards’ have been made annually since 1928. [man’s given name; the statuette is said to have reminded Margaret Herrick, then librarian of the Academy and later its Executive Director, of her Uncle Oscar (i.e. Oscar Pierce, American wheat and fruit grower)]

of the often extravagant homage subsequently paid to Osler’s memory, medical education in the US and elsewhere has followed a different model in which medical teachers are rarely engaged in medical practice.

Osling /'s:slrn/ a region of the Ardennes Forest in the north of Luxembourg.

Oslo /'pzlsu/ the capital and chief port of Norway; pop. (est. 1988) 453,700.

oscillate /'psileit/ v. 1 intr. & tr. a swing to and fro like a pendulum. b move to and fro between points. 2 intr. vacillate;

Osman

/'pzmon/ (1259-1326) Turkish conqueror, founder of the Ottoman or Osmanli dynasty. After succeeding his father as leader of the Seljuk Turks in 1288 Osman reigned as sultan, conquering NW Asia Minor, and assumed the title of Emir in

vary between extremes of opinion, action, etc. 3 intr. Physics move with periodic regularity. 4 intr. Electr. (of a current) undergo high-frequency alternations as across a spark-gap or in a valve-transmitter circuit. 5 intr. (of a radio receiver) radiate electromagnetic waves owing to faulty operation. oo oscillation /-'le1{(a)n/ n. oscillator n. oscillatory /p'stlotort, 'psilertert/ adj. [L oscillare oscillat- swing]

oscillo- /o'stlou/ comb. form oscillation, esp. of electric current. oscillogram /s'stlo,grem/ n. a record obtained from an oscillograph.

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

1299.

Osmanili /pz'menli, ps-/ adj. & n. = Orroman. [Turk. f. Osman f. Arab. ‘utman (see Orroman) + -li adj. suffix] osmic /'pzmik/ adj. of or relating to odours or the sense of smell. 00 osmically adv. [Gk osmé smell, odour] osmium /'pzmiom/ n. Chem. a hard bluish-white transition element. It is thought to be the densest non-radioactive element,

kcat

lleg

m man

nno

ppen

rred s sit

t top.

v voice

osmosis

and was first isolated in 1804. Its main use is in alloys with platinum and related metals, where it contributes hardness; an alloy with iridium is used in fountain-pen nibs. Osmium tetroxide is commonly used for staining tissues in electron microscopy. {| Symb.: Os; atomic number 76. [Gk osmé smell (from the pungent smell of its tetroxide)] osmosis /pz'mousis/ n. 1 Biochem. the passage of a solvent from a less concentrated into a more concentrated solution through a semipermeable membrane, permeable to the solvent but not to the solute. It occurs partly because of interactions between the solute molecules and the solvent, and partly because the presence of the solute reduces the number of molecules of solvent per unit area on one side of the partition. The process continues until the pressure of the more concentrated solution exceeds that of the less concentrated; this pressure difference is known as the osmotic pressure. Osmosis was first studied by Jean Nollet (1700-70). It is now recognized as a very important mechanism in plant and animal physiology, playing a vital role in the passage of water into and out of living cells. It also has applications in the desalination of water. 2 any process by which something is acquired by absorption. 00 osmotic /-'mptrk/ adj. osmotically /-'mptrkoli/ adv. [orig. osmose, after F f. Gk dsmos push] osmund |'pzmend/ n. (also osmunda /-da/) any fern of the genus Osmunda, esp. the royal fern, having large divided fronds. [ME f. AF, of uncert. orig.]

Osnabriick /'pzno,brok/ a textile-manufacturing city in NW Germany; pop. (1987) 153,800. osprey /'psprel, -pri/ n. (pl. -eys) 1 a large bird of prey, Pandion haliaetus, with a brown back and white markings, feeding on fish. Also called fish-hawk. 2 a plume on a woman’s hat. [ME f. OF ospres app. ult. f. L ossifraga osprey f. os bone + frangere break]

Ossa! /'pso/ a lofty mountain in Thessaly, Greece, south of Olympus. (See PELION.) Ossa? /'pso/, Mount the highest mountain on the island of Tasmania, rising to a height of 1,617 m (5,305 ft.). ossein /'psiin/ n. the collagen of bones. [L osseus (as OssEOUS)] osseous /'psias/ adj. 1 consisting of bone. 2 having a bony skeleton. 3 ossified. [L osseus f. os ossis bone]

Ossian |'pfron, 'psren/ anglicized form of Oisin, a legendary Irish warrior and bard, whose name became well known internationally in 1760-3 when the Scottish poet James Macpherson published what was later discovered to be his own verse as an alleged translation of 3rd-c. Gaelic tales.

ossicle /'pstk(a)l/ n. 1 Anat. any small bone, esp. of the middle ear. 2 a small piece of bonelike substance. [L ossiculum dimin. (as OSSEOUS)}

Ossie var. of AUSSIE. ossify |'ps1,fat/ v.tr. & intr. (-ies, -ied) 1 turn into bone; harden. 2 make or become rigid, callous, or unprogressive. 00 ossific /p'siftk/ adj. ossification |-fi'ker{(2)n/ n. [F ossifier f. L os ossis bone] osso bucco /,ps9u 'bukou/ n. shin of veal containing marrowbone stewed in wine with vegetables. [It., = marrowbone] ossuary /|'psjuori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a receptacle for the bones of the dead; a charnel-house; a bone-urn. 2 a cave in which ancient bones are found. [LL ossuarium irreg. f. os ossis bone]

Ostade /p'sta:do/, Adriaen van (1610-85), Dutch painter and engraver. Trained at Haarlem, possibly in Frans Hals’s studio, his early work depicts lively scenes of peasants carousing or brawling in crowded taverns or barns, but he is known principally for his genre scenes. His brother and pupil, Isaak (1621— 49), painted for only a decade but produced genre pictures— usually outdoor peasant scenes—that hint at a great talent cut short by his early death.

osteitis /,psti'artis/ n. inflammation of the substance of a bone. [Gk osteon bone + -ITIs]

Ostend

/p'stend/

(Flemish

COostende

/au'stendo/,

French

Ostende /p'stdd/) a seaport and resort on the coast of Belgium, with ferry links to Dover.

ostensible /p'stensib(s)]/ adj. concealing the real; professed (his ostensible function was that of interpreter). 00 ostensibly adv. [F f.

wwe

z zoo

ostrich

1029

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

med.L ostensibilis f. L ostendere ostens- stretch out to view (as OB-, tendere stretch)] ostensive /p'stensrv/ adj. 1 directly demonstrative. 2 (of a definition) indicating by direct demonstration that which is signified by a term. 00 ostensively adv. ostensiveness n. [LL ostensivus (as OSTENSIBLE)]} ostensory /p'stensort/ n. (pl. -ies) RC Ch. a receptacle for displaying the host to the congregation; a monstrance. [med.L ostensorium (as OSTENSIBLE)} ostentation |,psten'terf(s)n/ n. 1 a pretentious and vulgar display esp. of wealth and luxury. 2 the attempt or intention to attract notice; showing off. oO ostentatious adj. ostentatiously adv. [ME f. OF f. L ostentatio -onis f. ostentare frequent. of ostendere: see OSTENSIBLE] osteo- /'pstiou/ comb. form bone. [Gk osteon]

osteoarthritis |,pstrava:'@raitis/ n. a degenerative disease of joint cartilage, esp. in the elderly. 00 osteoarthritic /-'Or1tik/ adj. osteogenesis /,pstiou'dgenisis/ n. the formation of bone. 00 osteogenetic /-d31'netik/ adj. ’ osteology /|,pst1'plod31/ n. the study of the structure and function of the skeleton and bony structures. 00 osteological |-o'lpd31k(e)1/ adj. osteologically |-s'lpd31koli/ adv. osteologist n.

osteomalacia /,pstisumo'lerJ19/ n. softening of the bones, often through a deficiency of vitamin D and calcium. oo osteomalacic |-'lestk/ adj. [mod.L (as osTEO-, Gk malakos soft)]

osteomyelitis /,pstrsumam'laitis/ n. inflammation of the bone or of bone marrow, usu. due to infection. osteopathy /,psti'ppo01/ n. the treatment of disease through the manipulation of bones (especially the spine) and muscles (their displacement or deformity being the supposed cause of problems). The system was founded by an American doctor, A. T. Still, who, after failing to persuade various medical schools to accept his ideas, established a new school in Missouri in 1892 to put them into practice. 00 osteopath |'pstio,px20/ n. osteopathic /,pstio'pxzOrk/ adj. osteoporosis |,vstisups'rausis/ n. a condition of brittle and fragile bones caused by loss of bony tissue, esp. as a result of hormonal changes, or deficiency of calcium or vitamin D. [osTEO- + Gk poros passage, pore]

Osterreich see AusTRIA. Ostia /'pstia/ the ancient city and harbour of Latium, said to be the first colony founded by Rome. It was buried, and its ruins were preserved, by the gradual silting up of the River Tiber. ostinato /|,pstr'na:tau/ n. (pl. -os) (often attrib.) Mus. a persistent phrase or rhythm repeated through all or part of a piece. [It., = OBSTINATE] ostler /'psla(r)/ n. Brit. hist. a stableman at an inn. [f. earlier HOSTLER, hosteler f. AF hostiler, OF (h)ostelier (as HOSTEL)]

Ostmark /'vstma:k/ n. hist. the chief monetary unit of former East Germany. [G, = east mark: see MARK?]

Ostpolitik /'vstppli,ti:k/ n. the foreign policy of many western European countries with reference to the Communist bloc. The term was used in the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) to describe the opening of relations with the Eastern bloc in the 1960s—a reversal of West Germany’s refusal to recognize the legitimacy of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). The policy was pursued with particular vigour by Willy Brandt (see entry). [G f. Ost east + Politik politics] ostracize /'pstra,saiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 exclude (a person) from a society, favour, common privileges, etc.; refuse to associate with. 2 (esp. in ancient Athens) banish (a powerful or unpopular citizen) for five or ten years by popular vote. 00 ostracism /-\s1z(2)m] n. [Gk ostrakizo f. ostrakon shell, potsherd (used to write a name on in voting)} Ostrava /'pstrova/ an industrial city in the Moravian lowlands of central Czechoslovakia; pop. (1986) 328,000.

ostrich /'pstrit{/ n. 1 a large African swift-running flightless bird, Struthio camelus, with long legs and two toes on each foot. 2 a person who refuses to accept facts (from the notion that ostriches bury their heads in the sand when pursued, believing tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

Ostrogoth

Ottoman

1030

-otic /'ptrk/ suffix forming adjectives and nouns corresponding to nouns in -osis, meaning ‘affected with or producing or resembling a condition in -osis’ or ‘a person affected with this’ (narcotic, neurotic; osmotic). 00 -otically suffix forming adverbs. [from or after F -otique f. L f. Gk -6tikos adj. suffix] otiose /'sufious, 'sut-, -30z/ adj. 1 serving no practical purpose;

that they cannot then be seen). 0 ostrich-farm aplace that breeds ostriches for their feathers. ostrich-plume a feather or bunch of feathers of an ostrich. [ME f. OF ostric(h)e f. L avis bird + LL struthio f. Gk strouthion ostrich f. strouthos sparrow, ostrich] Ostrogoth |'pstra,gp6/ n. hist. a member of the Eastern branch of the Goths, who conquered Italy in the 5th-6th c. ao Ostrogothic /-'gp@1k/ adj. [LL Ostrogothi (pl.) f. Gmc austro- (unrecorded) east + LL Gothi Goths: see Gotu]

not required; functionless. 2 archaic indolent; futile. 00 otiosely adv. otioseness n. [L otiosus f. otium leisure]

Otis /'sutrs/, Elisha Graves (1811-61), American inventor and

Oswald |'pzw(e)ld/, St (d. 992), early English churchman. A Bene-

manufacturer, who produced the first efficient elevator with a safety device (see LiF). In 1852, while working in a bedstead factory in New York, he devised a mechanical hoist for carrying machinery to the upper floors, with a device to prevent it from falling even if the lifting cable broke.

dictine monk who rose first to become Bishop of Worcester and then Archbishop of York, St Oswald, along with St Dunstan, was responsible for the revival of the Church and of learning in 10th-c. England.

OT abbr. Old Testament.

otitis /a'tartrs/ n. inflammation of the ear. [mod.L (as oTO-)]

-ot! /ot/ suffix forming nouns, orig. diminutives (ballot; chariot; parrot). [F] -ot? /at/ suffix forming nouns denoting persons (patriot), e.g. natives of a place (Cypriot). [F -ote, L -ota, Gk -otés]

oto- |'sutau/ comb. form ear. [Gk oto- f. ous dtos ear]

otolaryngology /|,svta,lerin'gpled31/ n. the study of diseases of the ear and throat. 00 otolaryngological /-ga'lod3rk(2)l/ adj. otolaryngologist n.

OTC abbr. (in the UK) Officers’ Training Corps. other /|'ada(r)/ adj., n. or pron., & adv. —adj. 1 not the same as one or some already mentioned or implied; separate in identity or distinct in kind (other people; use other means; I assure you, my reason is quite other). 2 a further; additional (a few other examples). b alternative of two (open your other eye) (cf. every other). 3 (prec. by the) that remains after all except the one or ones in question have been considered, eliminated, etc. (must be in the other pocket; where are the other two?; the other three men left). 4 (foll. by than) apart from; excepting (any person other than you). —n. or pron. (orig. an ellipt. use of the adj., now with pl. in -s) 1 an additional, different, or extra person, thing, example, etc. (one or other of us will be there; some others have come) (see also ANOTHER, each other). 2 (in pl.; prec. by the) the ones remaining (where are the others?). —ady. (usu. foll. by than) disp. otherwise (cannot react other than angrily). {| In this sense otherwise is standard except in less formal use. O no other archaic nothing else (I can do no other). of all others out of the many possible or likely (on this night of all others). on the other hand see HAND. the other day (or night or week etc.) a few days etc. ago (heard from him the other day). other-directed governed by external circumstances and trends. other half collog. one’s wife or husband. the other place Brit. joc. Oxford University as regarded by Cambridge, and vice versa. other ranks soldiers other than commissioned officers. the other thing esp. joc. an unexpressed alternative (if you don’t like it, do the other thing). other things being equal if conditions are or were alike in all but the point in question. the other woman a married man’s mistress. the other world see WORLD. someone (or something or somehow etc.) or other

some unspecified person, thing, manner, etc. [OE other f. Gmc] otherness /'adonis/ n. 1 the state of being different; diversity. 2 a thing or existence other than the thing mentioned and the thinking subject.

otolith /'sutali6/ n. any of the small particles of calcium carbonate in the inner ear. 00 otolithic /-'l161k/ adj. otology /2u'toled31/ n. the study of the anatomy and diseases of the ear. 00 otological /-ta'lod31k(a)l/ adj. otologist n. Otomi |,2vte'mi:/ n. (pl. same) 1a member of an Indian people inhabiting parts of central Mexico. 2 their language. [Sp. f. Nahuatl]

otorhinolaryngology

Sea with the Ionian Sea and separating the ‘heel’ of Italy from

River (a tributary of the St Lawrence) and the Rideau Canal; pop. (1986) 300,760. Founded in 1827, the city received its present name in 1854 and was chosen as capital (of the United Provinces of Canada) by Queen Victoria in 1858. otter /'pta(r)/ n. 1 a any of several aquatic fish-eating mammals of the family Mustelidae, esp. of the genus Lutra, having strong claws and webbed feet. b its fur or pelt. 2 = sea otter. 3 a piece of board used to carry fishing-bait in water. 4 a type of paravane, esp. as used on non-naval craft. 0 otter-board a device for keeping the mouth of a trawl-net open. otter-dog (or -hound) a dog of a breed used in otter-hunting. [OE otr, ot(t)or f. Gmc] Otto /'ptou/, Nikolaus August (1832-91), German engineer who has given his name to the four-stroke cycle on which most internal-combustion engines work. This consists of an induction stroke during which a mixture of fuel and air is drawn in; a

compression stroke, at the end of which the mixture is ignited by a spark; an expansion stroke during which hot gases force the piston up; an exhaust stroke when the cylinder contents are ejected to the atmosphere. Otto’s patent of 1876 was invalidated ten years later when it was found that Beau de Rochas had described the successful cycle earlier, so enabling other manufacturers to adopt it. otto var. of ATTAR.

Otto I/'sutau/ ‘the Great’ (912-73), German ruler. Succeeding his father Henry I as king of the Germans in 936, Otto carried out a policy of eastward expansion from his Saxon homeland and defeated the invading Hungarians in 955. He was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 962 and began to establish a strong imperial presence in Italy to rival that of the papacy. Ottoman /|'ptomon/ adj. & n. —adj. hist. 1 of or concerning the dynasty of Osman or Othman I, the branch of the Turks to

other-worldly /,,da'ws:ldli/ adj. 1 unworldly; impractical. 2 concerned with life after death etc. 00 other-worldliness n.

Othman |'p@mon| var. of OsMAN. Otho /'s0@su/, Marcus Salvius (32-69), acclaimed Roman emperor on 15 Jan. 69 after he had procured the death of Galba in a conspiracy of the Praetorian Guard. The legions of the Rhine, however, had already chosen Vitellius and Otho committed suicide on 16 Apr. after they had defeated his own troops. Otic /'sutrk/ adj. of or relating to the ear. [Gk Otikos f. ous Gtos ear]

e bed

3: her

the

Albania. ottava rima |p,ta:va 'Ti:ma/ n. a stanza of eight lines of 10 or 11 syllables, rhyming abababcc. [It., lit. eighth rhyme] Ottawa /'ptowe/ the federal capital of Canada, on the Ottawa

the circumstances other than those considered etc. (bring your umbrella, otherwise you will get wet). 2 in other respects (he is untidy, but otherwise very suitable). 3 (often foll. by than) in a different way (could not have acted otherwise; cannot react otherwise than angrily). 4 as an alternative (otherwise known as Jack). —adj. 1 (predic.) in a different state (the matter is quite otherwise). 2 archaic that would otherwise exist (their otherwise dullness). 0 and (or or) otherwise the negation or opposite (of a specified thing) (the merits or otherwise of the Bill; experiences pleasant and otherwise). [OE on dthre wisan (as OTHER, WISE2)]

a: arm

n.

Otranto /p'trentou/, Strait of a channel linking the Adriatic

otherwhere /|',69,weo(r)/ adj. archaic or poet. elsewhere. otherwise /'sdo,waiz/ adv. & adj. —adv. 1 else; or else; in

z cat

/|,svte,rainsu,lerm'gpledz1/_

study of diseases of the ear, nose, and throat. otoscope /'sute,skoup/ n. an apparatus for examining the eardrum and the passage leading to it from the ear. 00 otoscopic /-'skpprk/ adj.

which he belonged, or the empire ruled by his descendants (see OTTOMAN EMPIRE). 2 Turkish. —n. (pl. Ottomans) an Ottoman person; a Turk. o the Ottoman Porte see Porte. [F f. Arab. ‘utmani adj. of Othman (‘utman)] :

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

o put

u: too

9 ago

al my

ottoman

ottoman /'ptomon/ n. (pl. ottomans) 1 a an upholstered seat, usu. square and without a back or arms, sometimes a box with a padded top. b a footstool of similar design. 2 a heavy silken fabric with a mixture of cotton or wool. [F ottomane fem. (as OTTOMAN)]

Ottoman empire the Turkish empire, established in northern Anatolia by Osman or Othman at the end of the 13th c. and expanded by his successors to include all of Asia Minor and much of SE Europe. Ottoman power received a severe check with the invasion of Tamerlane in 1401, but expansion resumed several decades later, resulting in the capture of Constantinople in 1453. The empire reached its zenith under Suleiman in the mid-16th c., dominating the eastern Mediterranean and threatening central Europe, but thereafter it began to decline. Still powerful in the 17th c., it had, by the 19th c., become the ‘sick man of Europe’, eventually collapsing in the early 20th c. Otway |'ptwei/, Thomas (1652-85), English playwright. After failing as an actor he wrote for the stage and achieved success with his second play Don Carlos (1676), a tragedy in rhymed verse. He had a burning passion for the actress Mrs Elizabeth Barry who acted in his two great blank verse tragedies, The Orphan (1680) and Venice Preserved (1682), probably the finest tragedies of the period. He also wrote several comedies and poems.

OU abbr. Brit. 1 Open University. 2 Oxford University. Ouagadougou /|jwa:go'du:gu:/ the capital of Burkina; pop.

(1985) 442,223.

oubliette

/ju:bli'et/ n. a secret dungeon with access only

through a trapdoor. [F f. oublier forget] ouch /aot]/ int. expressing pain or annoyance. [imit.: cf. G autsch]

Oudenarde

'u:da,na:d/

(Flemish

Oudenaarde,

French

Audenarde |,20da'na:r/) a town in eastern Flanders in Belgium, scene of a Victory (1708) of allied British and Austrian troops under Mariborough and Prince Eugene over the French.

Oudh

/aud/ a region of northern India, now part of Ultar

Pradesh. Formerly an independent kingdom until it fell under Muslim rule in the 11th c. and later acquired a measure of independence in the early 18th c.; annexation by Britain (1856) was one of the causes of the Indian Mutiny in 1857. ought! /o:t/ v.aux. (usu. foll. by to + infin.; present and past indicated by the following infin.) 1 expressing duty or rightness (we ought to love our neighbours). 2 expressing shortcoming (it ought to have been done long ago). 3 expressing advisability or prudence (you ought to go for your own good). 4 expressing esp. strong probability (he ought to be there by now). 0 ought not the negative form of ought (he ought not to have stolen it). [OE ahte, past of agan OwE] ought? /o:t/ n. (also aught) collog. a figure denoting nothing; nought. [perh. f. an ought for a NOUGHT; cf. ADDER]

ought? var. of AuGHT!. oughtn’t /'o:t(a)nt/ contr. ought not. é. Ouida |'wi:do/ (pseudonym of Marie Louise de la Ramée 18391908) English novelist, who lived a lavish life mostly in Italy and wrote 45 novels, often set in a fashionable world far removed from reality. These include Under Two Flags (1867), Folle-Farine (1871), and Two Little Wooden Shoes (1874). She suffered frequent ridicule for her extravagantly portrayed heroes, miracles of strengh, courage, and beauty, but her faults were redeemed by her vigorous narrative.

Quija /'wi:d3a/ n. (in full Ouija board) propr. a board having letters or signs at its rim to which a planchette, movable pointer, or upturned glass points in answer to questions from attenders at a seance etc. [F oui yes + G ja yes]

Oulu /'avlu:/ (Swedish Uleaborg /'u:l1o:,bo:(r)/) 1a province in central Finland; pop. (1987) 433,715. 2 its capital city, a port on the Gulf of Bothnia; pop. (1987) 98,582. ounce! /auns/ n. 1 a a unit of weight of one-sixteenth of a pound avoirdupois (approx. 28 grams). {|Abbr.: oz. b a unit of one-twelfth of a pound troy or apothecaries’ measure, equal to 480 grains (approx. 31 grams). 2a small quantity. o fluid ounce Brit. 1 a unit of capacity equal to one-twentieth of a pint (approx. 0.028 litre). 2 US a unit of capacity equal to one-sixteenth of a av bow

out

1031

er day

av no

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

va poor

pint (approx. 0.034 litre). [ME & OF unce f. L uncia twelfth part of pound or foot: cf. INCH] ounce? /aons/ n. an Asian wild cat, Panthera uncia, with leopardlike markings on a cream-coloured coat. Also called mountain panther, snow leopard. [ME f. OF once (earlier lonce) = It. lonza ult. f. L lynx: see Lynx]

OUP abbr. Oxford University Press. our |'ava(r)/ poss.pron. (attrib.) 1 of or belonging to us or ourselves (our house; our own business). 2 of or belonging to all people (our children’s future). 3 (esp. as Our) of Us the king or queen, emperor or empress, etc. (given under Our seal). 4 of us, the editorial staff of a newspaper etc. (a foolish adventure in our view). 5 Brit. collog. indicating a relative, acquaintance, or colleague of the speaker (our Barry works there). OQ Our Father 1 the Lord’s Prayer. 2 God. Our Lady the Virgin Mary. Our Lord 1 Jesus Christ. 2 God. Our Saviour Jesus Christ. [OE ire orig. genit. pl. of 1st pers. pron. = of us, later treated as possessive adj.] -our! /a(r)/ suffix var. of -or? surviving in some nouns (ardour, colour, valour).

-our? /o(r)/ suffix var. of -or! (saviour).

4

ours |'avoz/ poss.pron. the one or ones belonging to or associated with us (it is ours; ours are over there). 0 of ours of or belonging to us (a friend of ours).

ourself /ausa'self] pron. archaic a word formerly used instead of myself by a sovereign, newspaper editorial staff, etc. (cf. our 3,

ourselves |/avs'selvz/ pron. 1 a emphat. form of wE or us (we ourselves did it; made it ourselves; for our friends and ourselves). b refl. form of us (are pleased with ourselves). 2 in our normal state of body or mind (not quite ourselves today). 0 be ourselves act in our normal unconstrained manner. by ourselves see by oneself. -ous /2s/ suffix 1 forming adjectives meaning ‘abounding in, characterized by, of the nature of” (envious; glorious; mountainous; poisonous). 2 Chem. denoting a state of lower valence than the corresponding word in -ic (ferrous). 00 -ously suffix forming adverbs. -ousness suffix forming nouns. [from or after AF -ous, OF -eus, f. L -osus]

ousel var. of ouzEL. oust /aust/ v.tr. 1 (usu. foll. by from) drive out or expel, esp. by forcing oneself into the place of. 2 (usu. foll. by of) Law put (a person) out of possession; deprive. [AF ouster, OF oster take away, f. L obstare oppose, hinder (as OB-, stare stand)] ouster /'austa(r)/ n. 1 ejection as a result of physical action, judicial process, or political upheaval. 2 esp. US dismissal, expulsion. out /avut/ adv., prep., n., adj., int., & v. —adv. 1 away from or not in or at a place etc. (keep him out; get out of here; my son is out in Canada). 2 (forming part of phrasal verbs) a indicating dispersal away from a centre etc. (hire out; share out; board out). b indicating coming or bringing into the open for public attention etc. (call out; send out; shine out; stand out). ¢ indicating a need for attentiveness (watch out; look out; listen out). 3 not in one’s house, office, etc. (went out for a walk). 4 to or at an end; completely (tired out; die out; out of bananas; fight it out; typed it out). 5 (of a fire, candle, etc.) not burning. 6 in error (was 3% out in my calculations). 7 collog. unconscious (she was out for five minutes). 8 a (of a tooth) extracted. b (of a joint, bone, etc.) dislocated (put his shoulder out). 9 (of a party, politician, etc.) not in office. 10 (of a jury) considering its verdict in secrecy. 11 (of workers) on strike. 12 (of a secret) revealed. 13 (of a flower) blooming, open. 14 (of a book) published. 15 (of a star) visible after dark. 16 unfashionable (turn-ups are out). 17 (of a batsman, batter, etc.) no longer taking part as such, having been caught, stumped, etc. 18 not worth considering; rejected (that idea is out). 19 collog. (prec. by superl.) known to exist (the best game out). 20 (of a stain, mark, etc.) not visible, removed (painted out the sign). 21 (of time) not spent working (took five minutes out). 22 (of a rash, bruise, etc.) visible. 23 (of the tide) at the lowest point. 24 Boxing unable to rise from the floor (out for the count). 25 archaic (of a young upper-class woman) introduced into society. 26 (in a radio conversation etc.) transmission ends (over and out). —prep. 1 out of (looked out the window). 2 archaic outside; beyond the limits of. —n. 1 collog. a

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

out-

outgrow

1032

fet

i

i

ee

SE

re

way of escape; an excuse. 2 (the outs) the political party out of office. —adj. 1 (of a match) played away. 2 (of an island) away from the mainland. —int. a peremptory dismissal, reproach, etc. (out, you scoundrel!), —v. 1 tr. a put out. b collog. eject forcibly. * 2 intr. come or go out; emerge (murder will out). 3 tr. Boxing knock out. O at outs at variance or enmity. not out Cricket (of a side or a batsman) not having been caught, bowled, etc. out and about (of a person, esp. after an illness) engaging in normal activity. out and away by far. out and out 1 thorough; surpassing. 2 thoroughly; surpassingly. out at elbows see ELBOW. out for having one’s interest or effort directed to; intent on. out of 1 from within (came out of the house). 2 not within (I was never out of England). 3 from among (nine people out of ten; must choose out of these). 4 beyond the range of (is out of reach). 5 without or so as to be without (was swindled out of his money; out of breath; out of sugar). 6 from (get money out of him). 7 owing to; because of (asked out of curiosity). 8 by the use of (material) (what did you make it out of?). 9 at a specified distance from (a town, port, etc.) (seven miles out of Liverpool). 10 beyond (something out of the ordinary). 11 Racing (of an animal, esp. a horse) born of. out of bounds see BOUND2. out of date see DATE}. out of doors see DOOR. out of drawing see DRAWING. out of hand see HAND. out of it not included; forlorn. out of order see ORDER. out of pocket see POCKET. out of the question see QUESTION. out of sorts see SORT. out of temper see TEMPER. out of this world see WORLD.

out of the way see way. out to keenly striving to do. out to lunch collog. crazy, mad. out with an exhortation to expel or dismiss (an unwanted person). out with it say what you are thinking. [OE ait, OHG iz, rel. to Skr. ud-] out- /avt/ prefix added to verbs and nouns, meaning: 1 so as to surpass or exceed (outdo; outnumber). 2 external, separate (outline; outhouse; outdoors). 3 out of; away from; outward (outspread; outgrowth). out-act /avut'zkt/ v.tr. surpass in acting or performing. outage /'avtid3/ n. a period of time during which a power-supply etc. is not operating. out-and-outer /,avtend'avte(r)/ n. sl. 1a thorough or supreme person or thing. 2 an extremist.

outback /'autbek/ n. esp. Austral. the remote and usu. unin-

era

outcome /'autkam/ n.a result; a visible effect. outcrop /'autkrop/ n. & v. —n. 1a the emergence of a stratum, vein, or rock, at the surface. b a stratum etc. emerging. 2 a noticeable manifestation or occurrence. —v.intr. (-cropped, -cropping) appear as an outcrop; crop out. outcry /'aotkrai/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the act or an instance of crying out. 2 an uproar. 3 a noisy or prolonged public protest. outdance /avt'da:ns/ v.tr. surpass in dancing.

outdare |avut'dea(r)/ v.tr. 1 outdo in daring. 2 overcome by daring.

outdated /avt'dertid/ adj. out of date; obsolete. outdistance /avt'dist(s)ns/ v.tr. leave (a competitor) behind completely. outdo /aut'du:/ v.tr. (3rd sing. present -does; past -did; past part. -done) exceed or excel in doing or performance; surpass. outdoor /'avtdo:(r)/ adj. done, existing, or used out of doors. outdoors /avt'ds:z/ adv. & n. —adv. in or into the open air; out of doors. —n. the world outside buildings; the open air. outer /!avte(r)/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 outside; external (pierced the outer layer). 2 farther from the centre or inside; relatively far out. 3 objective or physical, not subjective or psychical. —n. 1 a the division of a target furthest from the bull’s-eye. b a shot that strikes this. 2 an outer garment or part of one. 3 Austral. sl. the part of a racecourse outside the enclosure. 4 an outer container for transport or display. 0 the outer bar see BAR}. outer garments clothes worn over other clothes or outdoors.

Outer House Sc. Law the hall where judges of the Court of Session sit singly. outer man (or woman) personal appearance; dress. outer planet a planet with an orbit outside the earth’s. outer space the universe beyond the earth’s atmosphere. the outer world people outside one’s own circle. [ME f. ouT, replacing UTTER}] outermost /'avto,moust/ adj. furthest from the inside; the most far out. outerwear /|'avto,weo(r)/ n. = outer garments. outface /avut'fers/ v.tr. disconcert or defeat by staring or by a display of confidence.

outfall /'avtfo:l/ n. the mouth of a river, drain, etc., where it

habited inland districts. 00 outbacker n.

outbalance /avt'belons| v.tr. 1 count as more important than. 2 outweigh.

empties into the sea etc.

outfield /'avtfi:ld/ n. 1 the outer part of a cricket or baseball

outbid /avt'bid/ v.tr: (-bidding; past and past part. -bid) 1 bid higher than (another person) at an auction. 2 surpass in exaggeration etc.

outblaze /avt'blerz/ v. 1 intr. blaze out or outwards. 2 tr. blaze more brightly than.

outboard /'avtbo:d/ adj., adv., & n. —adj. 1 (of a motor) portable and attachable to the outside of the stern of a boat. 2 (of a boat) having an outboard motor. —adj. & adv. on, towards, or near the outside of esp. a ship, an aircraft, etc. —n. 1 an outboard engine. 2 a boat with an outboard engine.

outbound /'avtbaund/ adj. outward bound. outbrave /avt'brerv/ v.tr. 1 outdo in bravery. 2 face defiantly. outbreak /'avtbre1k/ n. 1 a usu. sudden eruption of anger, war, disease, rebellion, etc. 2 an outcrop.

outbreeding /'aot bri:din/ n. the theory or practice of breeding from animals not closely related. 00 outbreed v.intr. & tr. (past and past part. -bred).

field. 2 outlying land. 00 outfielder n.

outfight /aot'fart/ v.tr. fight better than; beat ina fight. outfit /'avtfit/ n. & v. —n. 1 a set of clothes worn or esp. designed to be worn together. 2 a complete set of equipment etc. for a specific purpose. 3 collog. a group of people regarded as a unit, organization, etc.; a team. —-v.tr. (also refl.) (-fitted, -fitting) provide with an outfit, esp. of clothes. outfitter /'avt,fito(r)/ n. a supplier of equipment, esp. of men’s clothing; a haberdasher.

outflank /avt'flenk v.tr. 1 a extend one’s flank beyond that of (an enemy).- b outmanceuvre (an enemy) in this way. 2 get the better of; confound (an opponent). outflow /'avtflou/ n. 1 an outward flow. 2 the amount that flows out.

outfly /avt'flai/ v.tr. (-flies; past -flew; past part. -flown) 1 surpass in flying. 2 fly faster or farther than.

outbuilding /'avt,bildin/ n. a detached shed, barn, garage, etc.

outfox /aot'foks/ v.tr. collog. outwit.

within the grounds of a main building; an outhouse. outburst /'avtbs:st/ n. 1 an explosion of anger etc., expressed in words. 2.an act or instance of bursting out. 3 an outcrop. outcast /'avtka:st/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a person cast out from or rejected by his or her home, country, society, etc. 2 a tramp or vagabond, —adj. rejected; homeless; friendless. outcaste n. & v. —n. /!aotka:st/ (also attrib.) 1 a person who has no caste, esp. in Hindu society. 2 a person who has lost his or her caste. —v.tr. /-'ka:st/ cause (a person) to lose his or her

outgeneral /avt'dzenor(2)l/ v.tr. (-generalled, -generalling; US -generaled, -generaling) 1 outdo in generalship. 2 get the better of by superior strategy or tactics. outgo /avt'gou/ v. & n. —v.tr. (3rd sing. present -goes; past -went; past part. -gone) archaic go faster than; surpass. —n. /'avtgsu/ (pl. -goes) expenditure of money, effort, etc.

caste. outclass /avt'kla:s/ v.tr. 1 belong to a higher class than. 2 defeat easily. b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

outgoing /'avt,gou1/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 friendly; sociable; extrovert. 2 retiring from office. 3 going out or away. —n. 1 (in pl.) expenditure. 2 the act or an instance of going out. outgrow /avt'grou/ v.tr. (past -grew; past part. -grown) 1 grow too big for (one’s clothes). 2 leave behind (a childish habit, taste, ailment, etc.) as one matures. 3 grow faster or taller than (a kcat

lleg

mman

nono

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

outgrowth

outright

1033

person, plant, etc.). Oo outgrow one’s strength become lanky and weak through too rapid growth. outgrowth /'avtgrov0/ n. 1 something that grows out. 2 an offshoot; a natural product. 3 the process of growing out. outguess /aut'ges/ v.tr. guess correctly what is intended by (another person). outgun /aot'gan/ v.tr. (-gunned, -gunning) 1 surpass in military or other power or strength. 2 shoot better than. outhouse /'avthavs/ n. 1 a building, esp. a shed, lean-to, barn, etc. built next to or in the grounds of a house. 2 US an outdoor lavatory. outing /'avtin/ n. 1a short holiday away from home, esp. of one day or part of a day; a pleasure-trip, an excursion. 2 any brief journey from home. 3 an appearance in an outdoor match, race, etc. [OUT v. = put out, go out + -ING}]

outjockey /avt'dzpki/ v.tr. (-eys, -eyed) outwit by adroitness or trickery. outjump /aot'dzamp/ v.tr. surpass in jumping.

outlander /'avt,lenda(r)/ n. a foreigner, alien, or stranger. outlandish /avt'lendi{/ adj. 1 looking or sounding foreign.

outperform /,avtpo'fo:m| v.tr. 1 perform better than. 2 surpass in a specified field or activity. 00 outperformance n. outplacement /‘avt,pletsmont/ n. the act or process of finding new employment for esp. executive workers who have been dismissed or made redundant. outplay /avot'plei/ v.tr. surpass in playing; play better than. outpoint /avt'point/ v.tr. (in various sports, esp. boxing) score more points than. outport /'avutpo:t/ n. 1 a subsidiary port. 2 Can. a small remote fishing village. outpost /'autpoust/ n. 1 a detachment set at a distance from the main body of an army, esp. to prevent surprise. 2 a distant branch or settlement. 3 the furthest territory of an (esp. the British) empire. outpouring /'avt,po:rin/ n. 1 (usu. in pl.) a copious spoken or written expression of emotion. 2 what is poured out. output /'avtpot/n. & v. —n. 1 the product of a process, esp. of manufacture, or of mental or artistic work. 2 the quantity or amount of this. 3 the printout, results, etc. supplied by a computer. 4 the power etc. delivered by an apparatus. 5 a place where. energy, information, etc. leaves a system. —v.tr. (-putting; past and past part. -put or -putted) 1 put or send out. 2 (of a computer) supply (results etc.). outrage /'avtreid3/ n. & v. —n. 1 an extreme or shocking violation of others’ rights, sentiments, etc. 2 a gross offence or indignity. 3 fierce anger or resentment (a feeling of outrage). —v.tr. 1 subject to outrage. 2 injure, insult, etc. flagrantly. 3 shock and anger. [ME f. OF outrage f. outrer exceed f. outre f. L ultra beyond] i outrageous /aut'reid3os/ adj. 1 immoderate. 2 shocking. 3 grossly cruel. 4 immoral, offensive. 00 outrageously adv. outrageousness n. [ME f. OF outrageus (as OUTRAGE)] outran past of OUTRUN. outrange /avt'remnd3/ v.tr. (of a gun or its user) have a longer range than.

2 bizarre, strange, unfamiliar. oO outlandishly adv. outlandishness n. [OE ittlendisc f. itland foreign country f. ouT + LAND] outlast /avt'la:st/ v.tr. last. longer than (a person, thing, or duration) (outlasted its usefulness). outlaw /'avtlo:/ n. & v.. —n. 1 a fugitive from the law. 2 hist. a person deprived of the protection of the law. —v.tr. 1 declare (a person) an outlaw. 2 make illegal; proscribe (a practice etc.). O outlaw strike an unofficial strike. 00 outlawry n. [OE itlaga, itlagian f. ON utlagi f. itlagr outlawed, rel. to ouT, Law] outlay /'avtlei/ n. what is spent on something. outlet /'avtlet, -lit/ n. 1 a means of exit or escape. 2 (usu. foll. by for) a means of expression (of a talent, emotion, etc.) (find an outlet for tension). 3 an agency, distributor, or market for goods (a new retail outlet in China). 4 US a power point. [ME f. out- + LET!] outlier /'avt,lara(r)/ n. 1 (also attrib.) an outlying part or member. 2 Geol. a younger rock formation isolated in older rocks. 3 Statistics a result differing greatly from others in the same sample. —

outré |'u:trei/ adj. 1 outside the bounds of what is usual or proper. 2 eccentric or indecorous. [F, past part. of outrer: see OUTRAGE]

outline /'avtlain/ n. & v. —n. 1 a rough draft of a diagram,

outreach v. & n. —v.tr. /avt'ri:t{/ 1 reach further than. 2

plan, proposal, etc. 2a a précis of a proposed novel, article, etc. b a verbal description of essential parts only; a summary. 3 a sketch containing only contour lines. 4 (in sing. or pl.) a lines enclosing or indicating an object (the outline of a shape under the blankets). b a contour. ¢ an external boundary. 5 (in pl.) the main features or general principles (the outlines of a plan). 6 the representation of a word in shorthand. —v.tr. 1 draw or describe in outline. 2 mark the outline of. 0 in outline sketched or represented as an outline.

outrank /aot'renk/ v.tr. 1 be superior in rank to. 2 take priority over.

surpass. 3 poet. stretch out (one’s arms etc.). —n. /'autri:tf/ 1a any organization’s involvement with or influence in the community, esp. in the context of social welfare. b the extent of this. 2 the extent or length of reaching out (an outreach of 38 metres).

out-relief /'avtrii:f/ n. Brit. hist. assistance given to very poor people not living in a workhouse etc.; outdoor relief.

outride /avt'raid/ v.tr. (past -rode; past part. -ridden) 1 ride

outlive /avt'lr v.tr. 1 live longer than (another person). 2 live

better, faster, or further than. 2 (of a ship) come safely through (a storm etc.).

beyond (a specified date or time). 3 live through (an experience).

outrider /'avt,raida(r)/ n. 1 a mounted attendant riding ahead

outlook /!avtlok/ n. 1 the prospect for the future (the outlook is bleak). 2 one’s mental attitude or point of view (narrow in their outlook). 3 what is seen on looking out.

of, or with, a carriage etc. 2 a motor cyclist acting as a guard in a similar manner. 3 US a herdsman keeping cattle within bounds. o0 outriding n.

outlying /!avt,lamn/ adj. situated far from a centre; remote.

outrigged /'avtrigd/ adj. (of a boat etc.) having outriggers.

outmanoeuvre /,autms'nu:va(r)/ v.tr. (US -maneuver) 1 use skill and cunning to secure an advantage over (a person). 2 outdo in manoeuvring. outmatch /avt'me2t// v.tr. be more than a match for (an opponent etc.); surpass. outmeasure /avt'meza(r)/ v.tr. exceed in quantity or extent.

outrigger /'avt,riga(r)/ n. 1a beam, spar, or framework, rigged out and projecting from or over a ship’s side for various purposes: 2 a similar projecting beam etc. in a building. 3 a log etc. fixed parallel to a canoe to stabilize it. 4 a an extension of the splinter-bar of a carriage etc. to enable another horse to be harnessed outside the shafts. b a horse harnessed in this way. 5 a an iron bracket bearing a rowlock attached horizontally to a boat’s side to increase the leverage of the oar. b a boat fitted with these. [ouT- + RIG: perh. partly after obs. (Naut.) outligger]

outmoded /avt'moudid/ adj. 1 no longer in fashion. 2 obsolete. OD outmodedly adv. outmodedness n. outmost /'autmoust/ adj. 1 outermost, furthest. 2 uttermost. [ME, var. of utmest UTMOST] outnumber /avt'namboa(r)/ v.tr. exceed in number. outpace /avut'peis/ v.tr. 1 go faster than. 2 outdo.in a contest. out-patient /'avt,pe1f(a)nt/n. a hospital patient who is resident at home but attends regular appointments in hospital.

wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

90 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

outright adv. & adj. —adv. /avt'rait/ 1 altogether, entirely (proved outright). 2 not gradually, nor by degrees, nor by instalments (bought it outright). 3 without reservation, openly (denied the charge outright). —adj. /'autrart/ 1 downright, direct, complete (their resentment turned to outright anger). 2 undisputed, clear (the outright winner). 00 outrightness n. tf chip

dz jar — (see over for vowels)

outrival

outwear

1034

Te ee ne EE Ee OE

outspoken /aut'spoukon/ adj. given to or involving plain speak-

outrival /aut'rarv(a)|/ v.tr. (-rivalled, -rivalling; US -rivaled,

ing; frank in stating one’s opinions.

-rivaling) outdo asa rival.

00 outspokenly adv.

outspokenness n.

outrode past of ouTRIDE. outrun v. & n. —v.tr. jaot'ran/ (-running; past -ran; past part. ©

-run) 1 a run faster or farther than. b escape from. 2 go beyond (a specified point or limit). —n. /'autran/ Austral. a sheep-run distant from its homestead.

outrush /'autraJ/n. 1 a rushing out. 2 a violent overflow. outsail /avt'serl/ v.tr. sail better or faster than. outsat past and past part. of ouTSIT.

outsell /aut'sel/ v.tr. (past and past part. -sold) 1 sell more than. 2 be sold in greater quantities than. outset /'avtset/ n. the start, beginning. 0 at (or from) the outset from the beginning. outshine /avt'fain/ v.tr. (past and past part. -shone) shine brighter than; surpass in ability, excellence, etc.

outshoot /avt'fu:t/ v.tr. (past and past part. -shot) 1 shoot better or further than (another person). 2 esp. US score more goals, points, etc. than (another player or team).

outside n., adj., adv., & prep.

—n. /aut'said, 'autsard/ 1 the

external side or surface; the outer parts (painted blue on the outside). 2 the external appearance; the outward aspect of a building etc. 3 (of a path) the side away from the wall or next to the road. 4 (also attrib.) all that is without; the world as distinct from the thinking subject (learn about the outside world; viewed from the outside the problem is simple). 5 a position on the outer side (the gate opens from the outside). 6 collog. the highest computation (it is a mile at the outside). 7 an outside player in football etc. 8 (in pl.) the outer sheets of a ream of paper. —adj. |'autsaid/ 1 of or on or nearer the outside; outer. 2 a not of or belonging to some circle or institution (outside help; outside work). b (of a broker) not a member of the Stock Exchange. 3 (of a chance etc.) remote; very unlikely. 4 (of an estimate etc.) the greatest or highest possible (the outside price). 5 (of a player in football etc.) positioned nearest to the edge of the field. —adv. Javt'sard/ 1 on or to the outside. 2 in or to the open air. 3 not

within or enclosed or included. 4 sl. not in prison. —prep. /avt'satd/ (also disp. foll. by of) 1 not in; to or at the exterior of (meet me outside the post office). 2 external to, not included in, beyond the limits of (outside the law). o at the outside (of an

outdo in thinking.

out-thrust adj., v., & n. —adj. /'aut@rast/ extended; projected (ran forward with out-thrust arms). —v.tr. /avt'@rast/ (past and past part. -thrust) thrust out. —n. /'aut@rast/ 1 the act or an instance of thrusting forcibly outward. 2 the act or an instance of becoming prominent or noticeable. out-top /avt'top/ v.tr. (-topped, -topping) surmount, surpass in height, extent, etc. out-tray /'avttrei/ n. a tray for outgoing documents, letters,

greater value than. outvote /avt'vaut/ v.tr. defeat by a majority of votes.

outwalk /avt'wo:kj v.tr. 1 outdo in walking. 2 walk beyond. outward /'avtwod/ adj., adv., & n. —adj. 1 situated on or dir-

party, profession, etc. b an uninitiated person, a layman. 2 a person without special knowledge, breeding, etc., or not fit to mix with good society. 3 a competitor, applicant, etc. thought to have little chance of success. outsit /aot'sit/ v.tr. (-sitting; past and past part. -sat) sit longer than (another person or thing). outsize /'avtsaiz/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 unusually large. 2 (of garments etc.) of an exceptionally large size. —n. an exceptionally large person or thing, esp. a garment. 00 outsizeness n. outskirts /!avtsks:ts/ n.pl. the outer border or fringe of a town, district, subject, etc. outsmart /avt'sma:t/ v.tr. collog. outwit, be cleverer than.

outsold past and past part. of OUTSELL. outspan /'autspen| v. & n. S.Afr. —v. (-spanned, -spanning) 1 tr. (also absol.) unharness (animals) from a cart, plough, etc. 2 intr. break a wagon journey. —n. a place for grazing or encampment. [S.Afr. Du. uitspannen unyoke] outspend /avt'spend/ v.tr. (past and past part. -spent) spend more than (one’s resources or another person).

3: her

out-think /aut'@mkj v.tr. (past and past part. -thought) outwit;

outvalue /avt'velju:/ v.tr. (-values, -valued, -valuing) be of

outsider /avt'saido(r)/ n. 1 a a non-member of some circle,

e bed

ning etc. 2 surpass in competition or relative progress or ability. out-swinger /'avt,swino(r)/ n. a ball that swings away from the batsman. out-take /'autterk/ n. a length of film or tape rejected in editing. out-talk /aut'to:k/ v.tr. outdo or overcome in talking.

out-turn /'avtts:n/ n. 1 the quantity produced. 2 the result of a process or sequence of events.

together. outside in = inside out. outside interest a hobby; an interest not connected with one’s work or normal way of life. outside seat a seat nearer the end of a row. outside track the outside lane of a sports track etc. which is longer because of the curve.

a: arm

etc.). outstep /aut'step/ v.tr. (-stepped, -stepping) step outside or beyond. outstretch /'autstretf, aut'stret]/ v.tr. 1 (usu. as outstretched adj.) reach out or stretch out (esp. one’s hands or arms). 2 reach or stretch further than. outstrip /avt'strip/ v.tr. (-stripped, -stripping) 1 pass in run-

etc.

estimate etc.) at the most. get outside of sl. eat or drink. outside and in outside and inside. outside broadcast Brit. a broadcast made on location and not in a studio. outside edge (on an ice-skate) each of the edges facing outwards when both feet are

z cat

outspread adj. & v. —adj. /aut'spred, 'autspred/ spread out; fully extended or expanded. —v.tr. & intr. /aut'spred/ (past and past part. -spread) spread out; expand. outstanding /aut'stzndin/ adj. 1 a conspicuous, eminent, esp. because of excellence. b (usu. foll. by at, in) remarkable in (a specified field). 2 (esp. of a debt) not yet settled (£200 still outstanding). 00 outstandingly adv. outstare /avut'steo(r)/ v.tr. 1 outdo in staring. 2 abash by staring. outstation /'aut,sterf(o)n/ n. 1 a branch of an organization, enterprise, or business in a remote area or at a considerable distance from headquarters. 2 esp. Austral. & NZ part of a farming estate separate from the main estate. outstay /aut'stel/ v.tr. 1 stay beyond the limit of (one’s welcome, invitation, etc.). 2 stay or endure longer than (another person

1 sit

ected towards the outside. 2 going out (on the outward voyage). 3 bodily, external, apparent, superficial (in all outward respects). 4 archaic outer (the outward man). —adv. (also outwards) in an outward direction; towards the outside. —n. the outward appearance of something; the exterior. 0 outward bound 1 (of a ship, passenger, etc.) going away from home. 2 (Outward Bound) (in the UK) a movement to provide adventure training, naval training, and other outdoor activities for young people. outward form appearance. outward things the world around us. to outward seeming apparently. 00 outwardly adv. [OE iitweard (as OUT, -WARD)]

outwardness /'avtwodnis/ n. 1 external existence; objectivity. 2 an interest or belief in outward things, objective-mindedness.

outwards var. of ouTWARD adv. outwash /'autwof/ n. the material carried from a glacier by melt water and deposited beyond the moraine. outwatch /avt'wot/ v.tr. 1 watch more than or longer than. 2 archaic keep awake beyond the end of (night etc.). outwear v. & n. —v.tr. jaut'wea(r)/ (past -wore; past part. -worn) 1 exhaust; wear out; wear away. 2 live or last beyond the duration of. 3 (as outworn adj.) out of date, obsolete. —n. |'aotwee(r)/ outer clothing. 2

i: see

p hot

0: saw

arun

vo put

u: too

9 ago

al my

outweigh outweigh /avt'wel/ v.tr. exceed in weight, value, importance, or influence. outwent past of ouTco. outwit /avt'wit/ v.tr. (-witted, -witting) be too clever or crafty for; deceive by greater ingenuity.

outwith /avt'wi0/ prep. Sc. outside, beyond. outwore past of OUTWEAR. outwork /'avtws:k/ n. 1 an advanced or detached part of a fortification. 2 work done outside the shop or factory which supplies it. 00 outworker n. (in sense 2). outworn past part. of OUTWEAR. ouzel /'u:z(a)l/ n. (also ousel) 1 = ring ouzel (see RING). 2 = water ouzel. 3 archaic a blackbird. [OE Osle blackbird, of unkn. orig.) _ ouzo /'u:zou/ n. (pl. -os) a Greek aniseed-flavoured spirit.

{mod.Gk] Ova pl. of ovuM. oval |'suv(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 egg-shaped, ellipsoidal. 2 having the outline of an egg, elliptical. —n. 1 an egg-shaped or elliptical closed curve. 2 any object with an oval outline. 3 Austral. a ground for Australian Rules football. o Oval Office the office~ of the US President in the White House. oo ovality /-'vzeliti/ n. ovally adv. ovalness n. [med.L ovalis (as ovuM)}

Ovamboland /s0'vembeu,lendj the homeland of the Ovambo people of northern Namibia. ovary |'suvori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 each of the female reproductive organs in which ova are produced. 2 the hollow base of the carpel of a flower, containing one or more ovules. 00 ovarian /o'vearton/ adj. ovariectomy /-r1'ektom1/ n. (pl. -ies) (in sense 1). ovariotomy /-r1'ptemi/ n. (pl. -ies) (in sense 1). ovaritis /-'rartrs/ n. (in sense 1). [mod.L ovarium (as ovuM)] ovate /'suveit/ adj. Biol. egg-shaped as a solid or in outline; oval. [L ovatus (as ovuM)] ovation /su'verf(s)n/ n. 1 an enthusiastic reception, esp. spontaneous and sustained applause. 2 Rom. Antiq. a lesser form of triumph. oO standing ovation prolonged applause during which the crowd or audience rise to their feet. 00 ovational adj. [L ovatio f. ovare exult] oven /'av(a)n/ n. 1 an enclosed compartment of brick, stone, or metal for cooking food. 2 a chamber for heating or drying. 3 a small furnace or kiln used in chemistry, metallurgy, etc. o oven-ready (of food) prepared before sale so as to be ready for immediate cooking in the oven. [OE ofen f. Gmc]

ovenbird /'av(2)n,bs:d/ n. any Central or S. American bird of the family Furnariidae, many of which make domed nests. ovenproof /'av(2)n,pru:f/ adj. suitable for use in an oven; heat-resistant. ovenware /'av(2)n,wea(r)/ n. dishes that can be used for cooking food in the oven. over |'su0va(r)/ adv., prep., n., & adj. —adv. expressing movement or position or state above

or beyond

something

stated or

implied: 1 outward and downward from a brink or from any erect position (knocked the man over). 2 so as to cover or touch a whole surface (paint it over). 3 so as to produce a fold, or reverse a position; with the effect of being upside down. 4 a across a street or other space (decided to cross over; came over from America). b for a visit etc. (invited them over last night). 5 with transference or change from one hand or part to another (went over to the enemy; swapped them over). 6 with motion above something; so as to pass across something (climb over; fly over; boil over). 7 from beginning to end with repetition or detailed concentration (think it over; did it six times over). 8 in excess; more than is right or required (left over). 9 for or until a later time (hold it over). 10 at an end; settled (the crisis is over; all is over between us). 11 (in full over to you) (as int.) (in radio conversations etc.) said to indicate that it is the other person’s turn to speak. 12 (as int.) Cricket an umpire’s call to change ends. —prep. 1 above, in, or to a position higher than; upon. 2 out and down from; down from the edge of (fell over the cliff). 3 so as to cover (a hat over his eyes). 4 above and across; so as to clear (flew over the North Pole; a bridge over the Thames). 5 concerning; engaged with; as a result of; while av how

e1 day

overbear

1035

ov no

eo hair

Io near

o1 boy

va poor

occupied with (laughed over a good joke; fell asleep over the newspaper). 6 a in superiority of; superior to; in charge of (a victory over the enemy; reign over three kingdoms). b in preference to. 7 divided by. 8 a throughout; covering the extent of (travelled over most of Africa; a blush spread over his face). b so as to deal with completely (went over the plans). 9 a for the duration of (stay over Saturday night), b at any point during the course of (I'll do it over the weekend). 10 beyond; more than (bids of over £50; are you over 187). 11 transmitted by (heard it over the radio). 12 in comparison with (gained 20% over last year). 13 having recovered from (am now over my cold; will get over it in time). —n. Cricket 1 a sequence of balls (now usu. six), bowled from one end of the pitch. 2 play resulting from this (a maiden over). —adj. (see also OVER-). 1 upper, outer. 2 superior. 3 extra. Oo begin (or start etc.) over US begin again. get it over with do or undergo something unpleasant etc. so as to be rid of it. give over (usu. as int.) collog. stop talking. not over not very; not at all (not over friendly). over again once again, again from the beginning. over against in an opposite situation to; adjacent to, in contrast with. over-age over a certain age limit. over all taken as a whole. over and above in addition to; not to mention (£100 over and above the asking price). over and over so that the same thing or the same point comes up again and again (said it over and over; rolled it over and over). over the fence Austral. & NZ sl. unreasonable; unfair; indecent. over one’s head see HEAD. over the hill see HILL. over the moon see MOON. over-the-top collog. (esp. of behaviour, dress, etc.) outrageous, excessive. over the way (in a street etc.) facing or opposite. [OE ofer f. Gmc] over-= |'suva(r)/ prefix added to verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs, meaning: 1 excessively; to an unwanted degree (overheat; overdue). 2 upper, outer, extra (overcoat; overtime). 3 ‘over’ in various senses (overhang; overshadow). 4 completely, utterly (overawe; overjoyed).

over-abundant /,uvere'band(a)nt/ adj. in excessive quantity. o0 over-abound /-'baund/ v.intr. over-abundance abundantly adv.

n. over-

overachieve /|,avuvere'tfi:v/ v. 1 intr. do more than might be expected (esp. scholastically). 2 tr. achieve more than (an expected goal or objective etc). oo overachievement 1. overachiever n. overact /suvor'ekt/ v.tr. & intr. act in an exaggerated manner. over-active |,suvar'ektiv/ adj. excessively active. 00 overactivity /-'trviti/ n. overage /|'suvorid3/ n. a surplus or excess, esp. an amount greater than estimated.

overall adj., adv., & n. —adj. |'suvar,a:1/ 1 from end to end (overall length). 2 total, inclusive of all (overall cost). —adv. |avvar'o:l/ in all parts; taken as a whole (overall, the performance was excellent). —n. |'suver,:l/ 1 Brit. an outer garment worn to keep out dirt, wet, etc. 2 (in pl.) protective trousers, dungarees, or a combination suit, worn by workmen etc. 3 Brit. closefitting trousers worn as part of army uniform. 00 overalled |'sovar,o:ld/ adj.

overambitious

|,svvarem'bifas/ adj. excessively ambitious.

00 overambition n. overambitiously adv.

Over-anxious /,s0var'enkJas/ adj. excessively anxious. 00 over-anxiety /-2n'zauti/ n. over-anxiously adv. overarch |,:vver'a:t{/ v.tr. form an arch over. 00 overarching adj. overarm /'2uvor,a:m/ adj. & adv. 1 Cricket & Tennis etc. with the hand above the shoulder (bowl it overarm; an overarm service). 2 Swimming with one or both arms lifted out of the water during a stroke. overate past of OVEREAT. overawe |,uvar's:/ v.tr. 1 restrain by awe. 2 keep in awe.

overbalance |,svve'belons/'v. & n. —v. 1 tr. cause (a person or thing) to lose its balance and fall. 2 intr. fall over, capsize. 3 tr. outweigh. —n. 1 an excess. 2 the amount of this.

overbear |,20va'bea(r)/ v.tr. (past -bore; past part. -borne) 1 (as overbearing adj.) a domineering, masterful. b overpowering. 2 bear down; upset by weight, force, or emotional pressure. 3

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

overbid ARRAE eT

ORRIN

1036

eee

put down or repress by power or authority. 4 surpass in importance etc., outweigh. 00 overbearingly adv. overbearingness n.

overbid v. & n. —v. |,auva'bid/ (-bidding; past and past part. -bid) 1 tr. make a higher bid than. 2tr. (also absol.) Bridge a bid more on (one’s hand) than warranted. b overcall. —n. /'suvabid/ a bid that is higher than another, or higher than is justified. 00 overbidder n. overblouse /'suva,blauz/ n. a garment like a blouse, but worn without tucking it into a skirt or trousers.

overblown |,suva'bleun/ adj. 1 excessively inflated or pretentious. 2 (of a flower or a woman’s beauty etc.) past its prime.

overboard /'suva,bo:d/ adv. from on a ship into the water (fall overboard). 0 go overboard 1 be highly enthusiastic. 2 behave immoderately; go too far. throw overboard abandon, discard.

overbold |,2vva'bauld/ adj. excessively bold. overbook |,auva'bok/ v.tr. (also absol.) make too many bookings for (an aircraft, hotel, etc.). overboot /'suva,bu:t/ n. a boot worn over another boot or shoe.

overbore past of OVERBEAR. overborne past part. of OVERBEAR. overbought past and past part. of OVERBUY. overbrim |,suve'brim| v. (-brimmed, -brimming) 1 tr. flow over the brim of. 2 intr. (of a vessel or liquid) overflow at the brim.

overbuild /,auve'brid/ v.tr. (past and past part. -built) 1 build over or upon. 2 place too many buildings on (land etc.). overburden /|,2uva'bs:d(a)n/ v. & n. —v.tr. burden (a person, thing, etc.) to excess. —n. 1 rock etc. that must be removed prior to mining the mineral deposit beneath it. 2 an excessive burden. 00 overburdensome adj.

Overbury /|'svuvaberi/, Sir Thomas (1581-1613), English poet and courtier, remembered for his ‘Characters’, on the model of those of Theophrastus. He was sent to the Tower on the pretext of his refusal of a diplomatic post, where he was poisoned to death by the agents of Lady Essex whose marriage to his patron Robert Carr (afterwards Earl of Somerset) he had opposed. The subsequent prosecution of the conspirators was conducted by Francis Bacon. The whole business is a historical mystery.

overbusy |,suve'biz1/ adj. excessively busy. overbuy |,2v0ve'bal/ v.tr. & intr. (past and past part. -bought) buy (a commodity etc.) in excess of immediate need. overcall y. & n. —v.tr. |;auva'ko:l/ (also absol.) Bridge 1 make a higher bid than (a previous bid or opponent). 2 Brit. = OVERBID v, 2a. —n. |'s0va,ko:l/ an act or instance of overcalling. overcame past of OVERCOME. overcapacity |,suvaks'pesiti/ n. a state of saturation or an excess of productive capacity.

overcapitalize /,:0va'kezpito,laz/ v.tr. (also -ise) fix or estimate the capital of (a company etc.) too high.

overcareful

|,uva'keoful/

adj.

excessively

careful.

oo

overcarefully adv.

overcast adj., v., & n. —adj. |'suva,ka:st/ 1 (of the sky, weather, etc.) covered with cloud; dull and gloomy. 2 (in sewing) edged with stitching to prevent fraying. —v.tr. /,;auve'ka:st/ (past and past part. -cast) 1 cover (the sky etc.) with clouds or darkness. 2 stitch over (a raw edge etc.) to prevent fraying. —n. /'s0va,ka:st/ a cloud covering part of the sky. overcautious |,:uva'ko:fas/ adj. excessively cautious. oo overcaution n. overcautiously adv. overcautiousness n.

overcharge |,20vo't{a:d3/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 a charge too high a price to (a person) or for (a thing). b charge (a specified sum) beyond the right price. 2 put too much charge into (a battery, gun, etc.). 3 put exaggerated or excessive detail into (a description, picture, etc.). —n. an excessive charge (of explosive, money, etc.).

overcheck /'suva,t{ek/ n. 1 a combination of two different-sized check patterns. 2 a cloth with this pattern.

overcloud |,avvo'klaud/ v.tr. 1 cover with cloud. 2 mar, spoil, b but

d dog

f few

g get

h he

jyes

over-emotional er rr

or dim, esp. as the result of anxiety etc. (overclouded by uncertainties). 3 make obscure. overcoat |'su0va,kout/ n. 1 a heavy coat, esp. one worn over indoor clothes for warmth outdoors in cold weather. 2 a protective coat of paint etc. overcome |,2uve'kam| v. (past -came; past part. -come) 1 tr.

prevail over, master, conquer. 2 tr. (as overcome adj.) a exhausted, made helpless. b (usu. foll. by with, by) affected by (emotion etc.). 3 intr. be victorious. [OE ofercuman (as OVER-, COME)] overcompensate /,suva'kompen,seit/ v. 1 tr. (usu. foll. by for) compensate excessively for (something). 2 intr. Psychol. strive for power etc. in an exaggerated way, esp. to make allowance or amends for a real or fancied grievance, defect, handicap, etc. 00 overcompensation /-pen'ser{(a)n/ n. overcompensatory [sertort/ adj. overconfident /|,suva'konfid(a)nt/ adj. excessively confident. o0 overconfidence n. overconfidently adv. overcook /|,auve'kuk/ v.tr. cook too much or for too long. oo overcooked adj.

overcritical /,suva'kritik(a)l/ adj. excessively critical; quick to find fault. overcrop /|,suvs'krop| v.tr. (-cropped, -cropping) exhaust (the land) by the continuous growing of crops. overcrowd /|,20va'kraud/ v.tr. fill (a space, object, etc.) beyond what is usual or comfortable. 00 overcrowding n. i over-curious |,:0va'kjuories/ adj. excessively curious. 00 over-curiosity /,20vo,kjuarr'psiti/ n. over-curiously adv.

over-delicate

|,auve'delikat/ adj. excessively delicate.

oo

over-delicacy n.

overdevelop /|,2uvedr'velap| v.tr. (-developed, -developing) 1 develop too much. 2 Photog. treat with developer for too long. overdo |,suva'du:| v.tr. (3rd sing. present -does; past -did; past part. -done) 1 carry to excess, go too far, exaggerate (I think you overdid the sarcasm). 2 (esp. as overdone adj.) overcook. 0 overdo it (or things) exhaust oneself. [OE oferdon (as OVER-, DO})] overdose |'suva,dous/ n. & v. —n. an excessive dose (of a drug etc.). —v.tr. give an excessive dose of (a drug etc.) or to (a person). 00 overdosage |,suve'dousid3/ n.

overdraft /'suva,dra:ft/ n. 1 a deficit ina bank account caused by drawing more money than is credited to it. 2 the amount of this.

overdraw |,suva'dro:/ v. (past -drew; past part. -drawn) 1 tr. a draw a sum of money in excess of the amount credited to (one’s bank account). b (as overdrawn adj.) having overdrawn one’s account. 2 intr. overdraw one’s account. 3 fr. exaggerate in describing or depicting. 00 overdrawer n. (in senses 1 & 2).

overdress v. & n. —v. |,suva'dres/ 1 tr. dress with too much display or formality. 2 intr. overdress oneself. —n. /!suva,dres/ a dress worn over another dress or a blouse etc.

overdrink |/,svva'drink| v.intr. & refl. (past -drank; past part. -drunk) drink too much.

overdrive /|'suvo,drarv/ n. 1 a. a mechanism in a motor vehicle providing a gear ratio higher than that of the usual gear. ban additional speed-increasing gear. 2 (usu. prec. by in, into) a state of high or excessive activity.

overdub v. & n. —v.tr. |;a0va'dab/ (-dubbed, -dubbing) (also absol.) impose (additional sounds) on an existing recording.

—

n. /'‘suva,dab/ the act or an instance of overdubbing. overdue |,2uva'dju:/ adj. 1 past the time when due or ready. 2 not yet paid, arrived, born, etc., though after the expected time. 3 (of a library book etc.) retained longer than the period allowed. overeager §|,avuvar'i:ga(r)/ adj. excessively eager. oO overeagerly adv. overeagerness n.

overeat /,suvar'i:t/ v.intr. & refl. (past -ate; past part. -eaten) eat too much.

overelaborate |,suvai'lzberoat/ adj. excessively elaborate. oo overelaborately adv.

over-emotional — /,vvar'moufan(e)l/

adj.

excessively

emotional. 00 over-emotionally adv. k cat

lleg

m man

nono

ppen r red

s sit

t top

v voice

overemphasis overemphasis

|,uver'emfosis/ n. excessive emphasis.

oO

overemphasize /-fo,saiz/ v.tr. & intr. (also ise).

overenthusiasm

overlap

1037

/vverin'@ju:z1,2z(2)m,

-!@u:z1,2ez(3)m)_

n.

excessive enthusiasm. 00 overenthusiastic /-'stik/ adj. overenthusiastically /-'stikoli/ adv. overestimate |,2vuver'esti,mert/ v. & n. —v.tr. (also absol.) form too high an estimate of (a person, ability, cost, etc.). —n. too high an estimate. 00 overestimation /-'merf(o)n/ n. overexcite |jsuvorik'sait/ v.tr. excite excessively. oo overexcitement n. over-exercise |,suvar'ekso,saiz/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. use or exert {a part of the body, one’s authority, etc.) too much. 2 intr. take too much exercise; overexert oneself. —n. excessive exercise. Overexert /ovorig'z3:t/ v.tr. & refl. exert too much. oo overexertion /-1g'z3:{(a)n/ n. Overexpose |,suverik'spawz/ v.tr. (also absol.) 1 expose too much, esp. to the public eye. 2 Photog. expose (film) for too long a time. OO overexposure n. overextend /|,suvertk'stend/ v.tr. 1 extend (a thing) too far. 2 (also refl.) take on (oneself) or impose on (another person) an excessive burden of work. overfall /'suva,fo:1/ n. 1 a turbulent stretch of sea etc. caused by a strong current or tide over a submarine ridge, or by a meeting of currents. 2 a place provided on a dam, weir, etc. for the overflow of surplus water.

overfamiliar |,svvefa'milia(r)/ adj. excessively familiar. overfatigue |,auvefe'ti:g/ n. excessive fatigue. overfeed |,suva'fi:d/ v.ir. (past and past part. -fed)

feed

excessively.

overfill |;a0ve'fil/ v.tr. & intr. fill to excess or to overflowing. overfine |,s0ve'fain/ adj. excessively fine; too precise. overfish /,o0va'fif/ v.tr. deplete (a stream etc.) by too much fishing. :

overfiow v. & n. —-v. /,auva'flau/ 1 tr. a flow over (the brim, limits, etc.). b flow over the brim or limits of. 2 intr. a (of a receptacle etc.) be so full that the contents overflow it (until the cup was overflowing). b (of contents) overflow a container. 3tr. (of a crowd etc.) extend beyond the limits of (a room etc.). 4 tr. flood (a surface or area). 5 intr. (foll. by with) be full of. 6 intr. (of kindness, a harvest, etc.) be very abundant. —n. /'suva,flou/ (also attrib.) 1 what overflows or is superfluous (mop up the overflow; put the overflow audience in another room). 2 an instance of overflowing (overflow occurs when both systems are run together). 3 (esp. in a bath or sink) an outlet for excess water etc. 4 Computing the generation of a number having more digits than the assigned location. 0 overflow meeting a meeting for those who cannot be accommodated at the main gathering. [OE oferflowan (as

overground /'3uvo,graund/ adj. 1 raised above the ground. 2 not underground. overgrow |,2uvo'grau| v.tr. (past -grew; past part. -grown) 1 (as overgrown adj. /suva'groun, 'suvo,groun/) @ abnormally large (a great overgrown child). b wild; grown over with vegetation (an overgrown pond). 2 grow over, overspread, esp. so as to choke (nettles have overgrown the pathway). 3 grow too big for (one’s strength etc.). 00 overgrowth n.

overhand /'su0va,hend/ adj. & adv. 1 (in cricket, tennis, baseball, etc.) thrown or played with the hand above the shoulder. 2 Swimming = OVERARM. 3 a with the palm of the hand downward or inward. b with the hand above the object held. 0 overhand knot a simple knot made by forming a loop and passing the free end through it. overhang v. & n. —-v. |,avuva'hen/ (past and past part. -hung) 1 tr. & intr. project or hang over. 2 tr. menace, preoccupy, threaten. —n. |'suva,jhen/ 1 the overhanging part of a structure or rockformation. 2 the amount by which this projects. overhaste /|,svuva'herst/ n. excessive haste. 00 overhasty adj. overhastily adv. : overhaul vy, & n. —v.tr. |auva'ho:l/ 1 a take to pieces in order to examine. b examine the condition of (and repair if necessary). 2 overtake. —n. /'ouva,ho:l/ a thorough examination, with repairs if necessary. [orig. Naut., = release (rope-tackle) by slackening]

overhead adv., adj., & n. —adv. |,uva'hed/ 1 above one’s head. 2 in the sky or in the storey above. —adj. /'s0vahed/ 1 (of a driving mechanism etc.) above the object driven. 2 (of expenses) arising from general running costs, as distinct from particular business transactions. —n. |'suvajhed/ (in pl. or US in sing.) overhead expenses. overhear |,svuva'hia(r)/ v.tr. (past and past part. -heard) (also absol.) hear as an eavesdropper or as an unperceived or unintentional listener. overheat |,suvalhi:t/ v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become too hot; heat to excess. 2 tr. (as overheated adj.) too passionate about a matter.

Overijssel /,2vvar'ats(a)l/ a province of the east central Netherlands, north of the Ijssel River; pop. (1988) 1,010,000; capital, Zwolle.

overindulge |,s0varin'dald3/ v.tr. & intr. indulge to excess. 00 overindulgence n. overindulgent adj.

OVER-, FLOW)] , overfly |,:uve'flat/ v.tr. (-flies; past -flew; past part. -flown) fly over or beyond (a place or territory). 00 overflight /'ouva,flart/

overinsure |,suverin'fua(r)/ v.tr. insure (property etc.) for more than its real value; insure excessively. 00 overinsurance n. overissue |,a0ver'tfu:, -'Isju:/ v. & n. —v.tr. (-issues, -issued, -issuing) issue (notes, shares, etc.) beyond the authorized amount, or the ability to pay. —n. the notes, shares, etc., or the amount so issued. overjoyed |,2u0va'dzo1d/ adj. (often foll. by at, to hear, etc.) filled with great joy.

n.

overkill n. & v. —n. |'suvakil/ 1 the amount by which destruc-

:

overfold |!suvs,fauld/ n. a series of strata folded so that the middle part is upside down. overfondé /,20va'fond/ adj. (often foll. by of) having too great an affection or liking (for a person or thing) (overfond of chocolate; an overfond parent). 00 overfondly adv. overfondness n.

overfulfil /uvafol'fil/ v.tr. (US -fulfill) (-fulfilled, -fulfilling) fulfil (a plan, quota, etc.) beyond expectation or before the appointed time. 00 overfulfilment n.

overfull |,:0va'fol/ adj. filled excessively or to overflowing. overgeneralize |,suvo'dzenora,laiz/ v. (also -ise) 1 intr. draw general conclusions from inadequate data etc. 2 intr. argue more widely than is justified by the available evidence, by circumstances, etc. 3 tr. draw an over-general conclusion from (data, circumstances, etc.). 00 overgeneralization /|-'ze1{(2)n/

n.

overlaid past and past part. of ovERLAY}. overlain past part. of OVERLIE. overland |'suvalend/ adj., adv. & v.

—adj.

& adv. /also

ove'lend/ 1 by land. 2 not by sea. —v. Austral. 1 tr. drive (livestock) overland. 2 intr. go a long distance overland.

overlander /'suva,lenda(r)/ n. Austral. & NZ 1 a person who drives livestock overland (orig. one who drove stock from New South Wales to the Colony of South Australia). 2 sl. a tramp, a sundowner.

overgenerous /,vva'ldzenoaras/ adj. excessively generous. 00 overgenerously adv. overglaze |'suva,gleiz/ n. & adj..—n. 1 a second glaze applied to ceramic ware. 2 decoration on a glazed surface. —adj. (of painting etc.) done on a glazed surface.

wwe

tion or the capacity for destruction exceeds what is necessary for victory or annihilation. 2 excess; excessive behaviour. — v.tr. & intr. /'sovakil, ove'kil/ kill or destroy to a greater extent than necessary. overladen /|,avuve'lerd(s)n/ adj. bearing or carrying too large a load.

z zoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

y ring

x loch

overlap v. & n. —v. |,uva'lep/ (-lapped, -lapping) 1 tr. (of part of an object) partly cover (another object). 2 tr. cover and extend beyond. 3 intr. (of two things) partly coincide; not be completely separate (where psychology and philosophy overlap). — n. |'s0valzp/ 1 an instance of overlapping. 2 the amount of this. t{ chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

over-large

oversee

1038

over-large |,2vva'la:d3/ adj. too large. overlay! y. & n. —v.tr. |auve'ler/ (past and past part. -laid) 1 lay over. 2 (foll. by with) cover the surface of (a thing) with (a coating etc.). 3 overlie. —n. /'suvajle1/ 1 a thing laid over another. 2 (in printing, mapreading, etc.) a transparent sheet to be superimposed on another sheet. 3 Computing a the process of transferring a block of data etc. to replace what is already stored. b a section so transferred. 4 a coverlet, small tablecloth, etc.

(see the diagram overleaf). overleap |,s0v«'li:p/ v.tr. (past and past part. -leaped or -leapt) 1 leap over, surmount. 2 omit, ignore. [OE oferhléapan (as OVER, LEAP)|

overlie |,svuve'lai/ v.tr. (-lying; past -lay; past part. -lain) 1 lie on top of. 2 smother (a child etc.) by lying on top.

overload v. & n. —v.tr. |\30va'loud/ load excessively; force (a person, thing, etc.) beyond normal or reasonable capacity. —n. |'sova,loud/ an excessive quantity; a demand etc. which surpasses capability or capacity. over-long |,20va'lon/ adj. & adv. too or excessively long.

overlord /'suvo,lo:d/ n. a supreme lord. 00 overlordship n. overly /'suvelt/ adv. esp. US & Sc. excessively; too.

overlying pres. part. of OVERLIE. overman v. & n. —v.tr. /;s0ve'mzn/ (-manned, -manning) provide with too large a crew, staff, etc. —n. /!s0va,;men| (pl. -men) 1 an overseer in a colliery. 2 Philos. = SUPERMAN. overmantel /'s0va,mznt(9)l/ n. ornamental shelves etc. over a mantelpiece. over-many /,s0va'men1/ adj. too many; an excessive number. overmaster /|,au0va'ma:sta(r)/ v.tr. master completely, conquer.

OO overmastering adj. overmastery n. overmatch /,20va'met]| v.tr. be more than a match for; defeat by superior strength etc. overmeasure /'suvo,me3a(r)/ n. an amount beyond what is proper or sufficient. over-much |,2uve'matf/ adv. & adj. —adv. to too great an extent; excessively. —adj. excessive; superabundant. over-nice /,suva'nais/ adj. excessively fussy, punctilious, particular, etc. OO over-niceness n. over-nicety n.

overnight |,suva'nait/ adv. & adj. —adv. 1 for the duration of a night (stay overnight). 2 during the course ofa night. 3 suddenly, immediately (the situation changed overnight). —adj. 1 for use overnight (an overnight bag). 2 done etc. overnight (an overnight stop).

overnighter /,suvo'naita(r)/ n. 1 a person who stops at a place

of by cunning or artifice. 0 overreach oneself 1 strain oneself by reaching too far. 2 defeat one’s object by going too far. overreact |,suvar'ekt/ v.intr. respond more forcibly etc. than is justified. 00 overreaction n. overrefine |,:uvart'fain| v.tr. (also absol.) 1 refine too much. 2 make too subtle distinctions in (an argument etc.).

override

v. & n.

—v.tr. |s0va'raid/ (past -rode; past part.

-ridden) 1 have or claim precedence or superiority over (an overriding consideration). 2 a intervene and make ineffective. b interrupt the action of (an automatic device) esp. to take manual control. 3 a trample down or underfoot. b supersede arrogantly. 4 extend over, esp. (ofa part ofa fractured bone) overlap (another part). 5 ride over (enemy country). 6 exhaust (a horse etc.) by hard riding. —n. /'s0va,raid/ 1 the action or process of suspending an automatic function. 2 a device for this.

overrider /'suva,raida(r)/ n. Brit. each of a pair of projecting pieces on the bumper ofa car. overripe |,s0ve'rarp/ adj. (esp. of fruit etc.) past its best; excessively ripe; full-blown.

overrode past of OVERRIDE. overruff v. & n. —v.tr. |,a0ve'raf] (also absol.) overtrump. —n. /'sove,raf] an instance of this. overrule |,svve'ru:l/ v.tr. 1 set aside (a decision, argument, proposal, etc.) by exercising a superior authority. 2 annul a decision by or reject a proposal of (a person) in this way. overrun v. & n. —v.tr. /,a0va'ran/ (-running; past -ran; past part. -run) 1 (of vermin, weeds, etc.) swarm or spread over. 2

conquer or ravage (territory) by force. 3 (of time, expenditure,

overnight. 2 an overnight bag.

production, etc.) exceed (a fixed limit). 4 Printing carry over (a word etc.) to the next line or page. 5 Mech. rotate faster than. 6 flood (land). —n. /'s0va,ran/ 1 an instance of overrunning. 2 the amount of this. 3 the movement of a vehicle at a speed greater than is imparted by the engine. [OE oferyrnan (as OVER-, RUN)]

overpaid past and past part. of OVERPAY. overparted |,:0va'pa:tid/ adj. Theatr. having too demanding a part to play; cast beyond one’s ability. over-particular /,a0vape'tikjula(r)/ adj. excessively particular or fussy. overpass n. & v. —n. |/'s0va,pa:s/ a road or railway line that passes over another by means of a bridge. —v.tr. |,auva'pa:s/ 1 pass over or across or beyond. 2 get to the end of; surmount. 3 (as overpassed or overpast adj.) that has gone by, past. overpay |,svva'pel/ v.tr. (past and past part. -paid) recompense (a person, service, etc.) too highly. 00 overpayment n.

oversailing /,svvo'serlin/ adj. (of a part of a building) projecting beyond what is below. [OVER +Fsaillir saLLy!] Oversaw past of OVERSEE. overscrupulous |,sovo'skru:pjulas/ adj. excessively scrupulous or particular. overseas adv. & adj. —adv. |,2uva'si:z/ (also oversea) abroad (was sent overseas for training; came back from overseas). —adj. |'s0ve,Si:z/ (also oversea) 1 foreign; across or beyond the sea. 2 of or connected with movement or transport over the sea (overseas postage rates). oversee |,20ve'si:/ v.tr. (-sees; past -saw; past part. -seen) officially supervise (workers, work, etc.). [OE oferséon look at from above (as OVER-, SEE})] ,

overpitch |,svva'pit{/ v.tr. 1 Cricket bowl (a ball) so that it pitches or would pitch too near the stumps. 2 exaggerate. overplay |,:vve'plei/ v.tr. play (a part) to excess; give undue importance to; overemphasize. 0 overplay one’s hand 1 be unduly optimistic about one’s capabilities. 2 spoil a good case by exaggerating its value.

3: her

overprint vy. & n. —v.tr. |a0ve'print/ 1 print further matter on (a surface already printed, esp. a postage stamp). 2 print (further matter) in this way. 3 Photog. print (a positive) darker than was intended. 4 (also absol.) print too many copies of (a work). —n. |'sovaprint/ 1 the words etc. overprinted. 2 an overprinted postage stamp. overproduce |,suvepra'dju:s/ tr. (usu. absol.) 1 produce more of (a commodity) than-is wanted. 2 produce to an excessive degree. 00 overproduction n. overproof |'suva,pru:f] adj. containing more alcohol than proof spirit does. for a particular job etc.). overran past of OVERRUN. overrate |,auve'reit/ v.tr. assess too highly. overreach /|,avve'ri:t{/ v.tr. circumvent, outwit; get the better

condone (an offence etc.), 2 have a view from above, be higher than. 3 supervise, oversee. 4 bewitch with the evil eye. —n. |'s0vo,luk/ US a commanding position or view. 00 overiooker |'sova,loka(r)/ n.

e bed

|,vve'popjujlertid/ adj. having too large a

population. 00 overpopulation /-!le1{(2)n/ n. overpower |,20va'pava(r)/ v.tr. 1 reduce to submission, subdue. 2 make (a thing) ineffective or imperceptible by greater intensity. 3 (of heat, emotion, etc.) be too intense for, overwhelm. 00 overpowering adj. overpoweringly adv.

overqualified |,avuva'kwoli,faid/ adj. too highly qualified (esp.

overlook v. & n. —v.tr. |jsvvo'luk/ 1 fail to notice; ignore,

a: arm

overpopulated

overprice |,auva'prais| v.tr. price (a thing) too highly.

overlay? past of OvERLIE. overleaf |,2uva'li:f] adv. on the other side of the leaf (of a book)

wz cat

overplus /'suva,plas/ n. a surplus, a superabundance. [ME, partial transl. of AF surplus or med.L su(pe)rplus]

1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

vo put

u: too

oa ago

ai my

overseer

overseer |'suva,si:a(r)/ m. a person who supervises others, esp. workers. 0 overseer of the poor Brit. hist. a parish official who administered funds to the poor. [OVERSEE] oversell |,auvo'sel/ v.tr. (past and past part. -sold) (also absol.) 1 sell more of (a commodity etc.) than one can deliver. 2 exaggerate the merits of. over-sensitive |,svvo'sensitrv/ adj. excessively sensitive; easily hurt by, or too quick to react to, outside influences. oo over-sensitiveness n. over-sensitivity /-'trviti/ n. overset /,suvoa'set/ v.tr. (-setting; past and past part. -set) 1 overturn, upset. 2 Printing set up (type) in excess of the available

space. oversew /|'su0v2,s9u/ v.tr. (past part. -sewn or -sewed) 1 sew (two edges) with every stitch passing over the join. 2 join the sections of (a book) by a stitch of this type. oversexed |,suvo'sekst/ adj. having unusually strong sexual desires. overshadow /|,suva'Jzdou/ v.tr. 1 appear much more prominent or important than. 2 cast into the shade; shelter from the sun. [OE ofersceadwian (as OVER-, SHADOW)] overshoe /'2uva,Ju:/ n. a shoe of rubber, felt, etc., worn over another as protection from wet, cold, etc. overshoot v. & n. —v.tr. /\aovs'su:t/ (past and past part. -shot) 1 pass or send beyond (a target or limit). 2 (of an aircraft) fly beyond or taxi too far along (the runway) when landing or taking off. —n. /'suva,fu:t/ 1 the act of overshooting. 2 the amount of this. 0 overshoot the mark go beyond what is intended or proper; go too far. overshot wheel a waterwheel operated by the weight of water falling into buckets attached to its periphery. overside /,suva'said/ adv. over the side of a ship (into a smaller boat, or into the sea).

oversight /'suva,sait/ n. 1 a failure to notice something. 2 an inadvertent mistake. 3 supervision.

oversimplify /,20va'simpli,fat/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) (also absol.) distort (a problem etc.) by stating it in too simple terms. 00 oversimplification /-fi'ker{(a)n/ n. Oversize |'suvo,satz/ adj. (also -sized |-,sa1zd/) of more than the usual size. overskirt /'suv2,sks:t/ n. an outer or second skirt.

oversilaugh /|'suva,slo:/ n. & v. —n. Brit. Mil. the passing over of one’s turn of duty. —v.tr. 1 Brit. Mil. pass over (one’s duty) in consideration of another duty that takes precedence. 2 US pass over in favour of another. 3 US omit to consider. [Du. overslag (n.) f. overslaan omit (as OVER, slaan strike)] oversleep /|,2vva'sli:p/ v.intr. & refl. (past and past part. -slept) 1 continue sleeping beyond the intended time of waking. 2 sleep too long. oversleeve /'suva,sli:v/ n. a protective sleeve covering an erdin-

ary sleeve. oversold past and past part. of OVERSELL. oversolicitous |,uvasa'lisites/ adj. excessively

worried, anxious, eager, etc. 00 oversolicitude n. oversoul /'2uva,soul/ n. God as a spirit animating the universe and including all human souls.

overspecialize |,2uve'spefa,laiz/ v.intr. (also -ise) concentrate too much on one aspect or area. 00 overspecialization /-'zerJ(2)n/ n. overspend /,20va'spend] v. (past and past part. -spent) 1 intr. & refl. spend too much. 2 tr. spend more than (a specified amount). overspill /'suvaspil/ n. 1 what is spilt over or overflows. 2 the surplus population leaving a country or city to live elsewhere. overspread /|,s0ve'spred/ v.tr. (past and past part. -spread) 1 become spread or diffused over. 2 cover or occupy the surface of. 3 (as overspread adj.) (usu. foll. by with) covered (high mountains overspread with trees). [OE ofersprédan (as OVER-, SPREAD)] overstaff /,auva'sta:f] v.tr. provide with too large a staff.

overstate /,auvo'steit/ v.tr. 1 state (esp. a case or argument) too strongly. 2 exaggerate. 00 overstatement n. av how

er day

overtrump

1039

ov no

eo hair

Io near

or boy

va poor

overstay /|,auvo'stei/ v.tr. stay longer than (one’s welcome, a time limit, etc.). oversteer /'suvo,stia(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. (of a motor vehicle) have a tendency to turn more sharply than was intended. —n. this tendency. overstep /,auva'step/ v.tr. (-stepped, -stepping) 1 pass beyond (a boundary or mark). 2 violate (certain standards of behaviour etc.).

overstock /|,s0va'stok/ v.tr. stock excessively. overstrain |,2vva'strem/ v.tr. strain too much. overstress /,,uvo'stres/ v. & n. —v.tr. stress too much. —n. an excessive degree of stress. overstretch /|,s:vvo'stret{/ v.tr. 1 stretch too much. 2 (esp. as overstretched adj.) make excessive demands on (resources, a person, etc.). overstrung adj. 1 /,auva'stran/ (of a person, disposition, etc.) intensely strained, highly strung. 2 /'suva,stran/ (of a piano) with strings in sets crossing each other obliquely. overstudy /,s0va'stadi/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 study beyond what is necessary or desirable. 2 (as overstudied adj.) excessively deliberate; affected. overstuff /,auvo'staff v.tr. 1 stuff more than is necessary. 2 (as overstuffed adj.) (of furniture) made soft and comfortable by thick upholstery.

oversubscribe |,2uvasab'skraib| v.tr. (usu. as oversubscribed adj.) subscribe for more than the amount available of (a commodity offered for sale etc.) (the offer was oversubscribed).

oversubtle /,avva'sat(s)l/ adj. excessively subtle; not plain or clear. oversupply |,svvese'plai/ v. & n. —v.tr, (-ies, -ied) supply with too much. —n. an excessive supply.

oversusceptible

|,suvaso'septib(s)l/ adj. too susceptible or

vulnerable. overt /a0'v3:t, 's0v3:t/ adj. unconcealed; done openly. 00 overtly adv. overtness n. [ME f. OF past part. of ovrir open f. L aperire]

overtake |,suva'terk/ v.tr. (past -took; past part. -taken) 1 (also absol.) catch up with and pass in the same direction. 2 (of a storm, misfortune, etc.) come suddenly or unexpectedly upon. 3 become level with and exceed (a compared value etc.). overtask |,suva'ta:sk/ v.tr. 1 give too heavy a task to. 2 be too heavy a task for. overtax |,ouvo'teks/ v.tr. 1 make excessive demands on (a person’s strength etc.). 2 tax too heavily. overthrow v. & n. —v.tr. |,auva'@rau/ (past -threw; past part. -thrown) 1 remove forcibly from power. 2 put an end to (an institution etc.). 3 conquer, overcome. 4 knock down, upset. —n. |'s0va,8rou/ 1 a defeat or downfall. 2 Cricket a a fielder’s return of the ball, not stopped near the wicket and so allowing further runs. b such a run. 3 Archit. a panel of decorated wrought-iron work in an arch or gateway. overthrust /'suva,6rast/ n. Geol. the thrust of esp. lower strata on one side of a fault over those on the other side. overtime /'3uvo,taim] n. & adv. —n. 1 the time during which a person works at a job in addition to the regular hours. 2 payment for this. 3 US Sport = extra time. —adv. in addition to regular hours. overtire |/,v0ve'tais(r)/ v.tr. & refl. exhaust or wear out (esp. an invalid etc.). overtone |'90va,toun/ n. 1 Mus. any of the tones above the lowest in a harmonic series. 2 a subtle or elusive quality or implication (sinister overtones). [OVER- + TONE, after G Oberton] overtop |,20va'tpp/ v.tr. (-topped, -topping) 1 be or become higher than. 2 surpass. overtrain /,svva'trein/ v.tr. & intr. subject to or undergo too much (esp. athletic) training with a consequent loss of proficiency.

overtrick /'suvatrik/ n. Bridge a trick taken in excess of one’s contract. overtrump /,20ve'tramp/ v.tr. (also absol.) play a higher trump than (another player).

aio fire

aua sour

(see over for consonants)

overture

a

a

a

owing

1040

a

a

from the ovary. oO oviducal /-'dju:k(s)l/ adj. oviductal overture /'suva,tjua(r)/ n. 1 an orchestral piece opening an [-'dakt(a)l/ adj. opera etc. 2 a one-movement composition in this style. 3 (usu. in pl.) a an opening of negotiations. b a formal proposal or offer Oviedo |,pvi'etdou/ a city of NW Spain, capital of Asturias (esp. make overtures to). 4 the beginning of a poem etc. [ME f. OF - region; pop. (1986) 190,650. f. L apertura APERTURE] oviform |'suvi,fo:m| adj. egg-shaped. overturn v. & n. —v. |,ouva'ta:n/ 1 tr. cause to fall down or ovine /'suvarn| adj. of or like sheep. [LL ovinus f. L ovis sheep] over; upset. 2 tr. reverse; subvert; abolish; invalidate. 3 intr. oviparous /2u'viperes/ adj. Zool. producing young by means fall down; fall over. —n. /'suva,ts:n/ a subversion, an act of of eggs expelled from the body before they are hatched (cf. upsetting. VIVIPAROUS). 00 oviparity /-'periti/ n. oviparously adv. overuse v. & n. —v.tr. /,auva'ju:z/ use too much. —n. /auvelju: oviposit |,uvi'pozit/ v.intr. (oviposited, ovipositing) lay an s/ excessive use. egg or eggs, esp. with an ovipositor. 00 oviposition /-po'z1f(2)n/ overvalue |,svva'velju:/ v.tr. (-values, -valued, -valuing) n. [ovi-! + L ponere posit- to place] value too highly; have too high an opinion of. ovipositor /,uvi'ppzita(r)/ n. a pointed tubular organ with overview |'suvajvju:/ n. a general survey. which a female insect deposits her eggs. [mod.L f. ovi-! + L positor f. ponere posit- to place] overweening /|,20ve'wi:nin/ adj. arrogant, presumptuous, conceited, self-confident. 00 overweeningly adv. overovoid /'suvoid/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (of a solid or of a surface) weeningness n. egg-shaped. 2 oval, with one end more pointed than the other. —n. an ovoid body or surface. [F ovoide f. mod.L ovoides (as ovUM)] overweight adj.,n., & v. —adj. |,20va'wert/ beyond an allowed or suitable weight. —n. /'suva,weit/ excessive or extra weight; ovolo /'suva,leu/ n. (pl. ovoli) /-li:/ Archit. a rounded convex preponderance. —v.tr. /,avva'wert/ (usu. foll. by with) load moulding. [It. dimin. of ovo egg f. L ovuM] unduly. ovotestis |/,suva'testis/ n. (pl. -testes /-ti:z/) Zool. an organ prooverwhelm |,2vva'welm] v.tr. 1 overpower with emotion. 2 ducing both ova and spermatozoa. [ovuM + TESTIS] (usu. foll. by with) overpower with an excess of business etc. 3 Ovoviviparous |,20vauvi'vipsras/ adj. Zool. producing young by bring to sudden ruin or destruction; crush. 4 bury or drown means of eggs hatched within the body (cf. OvIPAROUS, beneath a huge mass, submerge utterly. VIVIPAROUS). 00 ovoviviparity |-!pzriti/n. [OVUM + VIVIPAROUS] overwhelming /|,20v2'welmin/ adj. irresistible by force of numovulate /'pvju,leit/ v.intr. produce ova or ovules, or discharge bers, influence, amount, etc. 00 overwhelmingly adv. them from the ovary. 00 ovulation /-'ler{(a)n/ n. ovulatory adj. overwhelmingness n. {mod.L ovulum (as OVULE)]} overwind v. & n. —v.tr. /,s0va'waind/ (past and past part. ovule /'suvju:l/ n. the part of the ovary of seed plants that -wound) wind (a mechanism, esp. a watch) beyond the proper contains the germ cell; an unfertilized seed. o0 ovular adj. [F stopping point. —n. /'s0vo,warnd/ an instance of this. f. med.L ovulum, dimin. of ovuM] overwinter /,:0va'winta(r)/ v. 1 intr. (usu. foll. by at, in) spend ovum /|'s0vem/ n. (pl. ova /'s0va/) 1 a mature reproductive cell the winter. 2 intr. (of insects, fungi, etc.) live through the winter. of female animals, produced by the ovary. 2 the egg cell of 3 tr. keep (animals, plants, etc.) alive through the winter. plants. [L, = egg] overwork /|,s0ve'w3:k/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. work too hard. 2 tr. Ow /avu/ int. expressing sudden pain. [natural exclam.] cause (another person) to work too hard. 3 tr. weary or exhaust Owe /20/ v.tr. 1 a be under obligation (to a person etc.) to pay or with too much work. 4 tr. make excessive use of. —n. excessive repay (money etc.) (we owe you five pounds; owe more than I can pay). work. b (absol., usu. foll. by for) be in debt (still owe for my car). 2 (often overwound past and past part. of OVERWIND. foll. by to) render (gratitude etc., a person honour, gratitude, overwrite |,svva'rait/ v. (past -wrote; past part. -written) 1 tr. etc.) (owe grateful thanks to). 3 (usu. foll. by to) be indebted to a write on top of (other writing). 2 tr. Computing destroy (data) in person or thing for (we owe to Newton the principle of gravitation). (a file etc.) by entering new data. 3 intr. (esp. as overwritten 0 owe a person a grudge cherish resentment against a person. adj.) write too elaborately or too ornately. 4 intr. & refl. write owe it to oneself (often foll. by to + infin.) need (to do) sometoo much; exhaust oneself by writing. 5 tr. write too much thing to protect one’s own interests. [OE agan (see OUGHT!) f. about. 6 intr. (esp. as overwriting n.) in shipping insurance, Gmc] accept more risk than the premium income limits allow. Owen! /'sum/, Robert (1771-1858), British socialist and philoverwrought |,vvo'ro:t/ adj. 1 overexcited, nervous, anthropist. A pioneer socialist thinker, Owen attempted to put distraught. 2 overdone; too elaborate. his ideas into action in the New Lanark cotton mills and in a overzealous |,a0va'zelos/ adj. too zealous in one’s attitude, series of cooperative communities. Although these ideas did not behaviour, etc.; excessively enthusiastic. 00 overzeal /-!zi:l/ n. always work well in practice, they had an important long-term ovi-! /'su0vi/ comb. form egg, ovum. [L ovum egg] effect on the development of British socialist thought and on the practicé of industrial relations. Ovi-? |'s0v1/ comb. form sheep. [L ovis sheep]

ovibovine |,0vi'bouvain) adj. & n. Zool. —adj. having char-

Owen? |'su1m/, Wilfrid (1893-1918), English poet of the First

acteristics intermediate between a sheep and an ox. —n. such an animal, e.g. a musk-ox.

World War. He was invalided out of the army in 1917 and in hospital met Siegfried Sassoon who encouraged him to speak out against the war; on returning to the trenches he found his Own voice as a poet. Only five of his poems appeared in his lifetime and his reputation has grown since Sassoon’s edition of his poems in 1920 and Edmund Blunden’s in 1931; among the most famous are ‘Strange Meeting’ and ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’. Owen adopted technical experiments using assonantal rhyme to produce bleak realism and indignation at the horrors of war and pity for its victims—of whom he became one, killed in action in the last hours of the war.

Ovid /'pvid/ (Publius Ovidius Naso, 43 Bc-c.aD 17) the youngest and most productive of the great Roman poets who wrote under Augustus. His wit and fluency are most clearly seen in his elegiac poems on love: the Amores (Loves), three books of personal lovepoems, the Heroides (Heroines), imaginary letters from legendary heroines to their absent lovers, the Ars Amatoria (Art of Love) and the Remedia Amoris (Remedies for Love), mock-didactic poems on the art of falling in and out of love. The Metamorphoses is a hexameter epic, a kaleidoscopic retelling of Greek and Roman myths arranged in roughly chronological order. His irreverent attitudes offended Augustus, and in aD 8, possibly after a scandal involving the latter’s daughter Julia, he was exiled to Tomis (modern Constanza) on the Black Sea, from where he continued to write elegiac poems describing his plight and unsuccessfully seeking pardon.

oviduct /'s0v1,dakt/ n. the tube through which an ovum passes b but

ddog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

Owen Glendower /|,2u01m glen'dava(r)/ see GLENDOWER. Owens /'sv1nz/, James Cleveland (Jesse) (1913-80), American athlete of track and field events, who in 1935 equalled or broke six world records in 45 minutes, and in 1936 won four gold medals at the Olympic Games in Berlin, equalling or breaking twelve Olympic records. owing /'su01/ predic.adj. 1 owed; yet to be paid (the balance owing).

k cat

lleg

m man

nno:

ppen

rred

s sit

t top

v voice

owl

2 (foll. by to) a caused by; attributable to (the cancellation was owing to ill health). b (as prep.) because of (trains are delayed owing to bad weather). owl /avl/ n. 1 any nocturnal bird of prey of the order Strigiformes, with large eyes and a hooked beak, including barn owls, tawny owls, etc. 2 collog..a person compared to an owl, esp. in looking solemn or wise. 0 owl-light dusk, twilight. owl-monkey (pl. -eys) a douroucouli. oo owlery n. (pl. -ies). owlish adj. owlishly adv. owlishness n. (in sense 2): owl-like adj. [OE ile f. Gmc] ; owlet /'avlit/ n. a small or young owl. Own /20n/ adj. & v. —adj. (prec. by possessive) 1 a belonging to oneself or itself; not another's (saw it with my own eyes). b individual, peculiar, particular (a charm all of its own). 2 used to emphasize identity rather than possession (cooks his own meals). 3 (absol.) a private property (is it your own?). b kindred (among my own). —v. 1 tr. have as property; possess. 2 a tr. confess; admit as valid, true, etc. (own their faults; owns he did not know). b intr. (foll. by to) confess to (owned to a prejudice). 3 tr. acknowledge paternity, authorship, or possession of. 0 come into one’s own 1 receive one’s due. 2 achieve recognition. get one’s own back (often foll. by en) collog. get revenge. hold one’s own maintain one’s position; not be defeated or lose strength. of one’s own belonging to oneself alone. on one’s own 1 alone. 2 independently, without help. own brand (often attrib.) goods manufactured specially for a retailer and bearing the retailer’s name. own goal 1 a goal scored (usu. by mistake) against the scorer’s own side. 2 an act or initiative that has the unintended effect of harming one’s own interests. own up (often foll. by to) confess frankly. 00 -owned adj. (in comb.). [OE agen, agnian: see OWE] owner /'sune(r)/ n. 1a person who owns something. 2 sl. the captain of a ship. 0 owner-occupier a person who owns the house etc. he or she lives in. 00 ownerless adj. ownership n. owt /avt/ n. collog. or dial. anything. [var. of AUGHT}] ox /pks/ n. (pl. oxen |'pks(a)n/) 1 any bovine animal, esp. a large usu. horned domesticated ruminant used for draught, for supplying milk, and for eating as meat. 2 a castrated male of a domesticated species of cattle, Bos taurus. 0 ox-fence a strong fence for keeping in cattle, consisting of railings, a hedge, and often a ditch. ox-pecker any African bird of the genus Buphagus, feeding on skin parasites living on animals. [OE oxa f. Gmc] Ox- var. of Oxy-?. oxalic acid /pk'szlrk/ n. Chem. a very poisonous and sour acid found in sorrel and rhubarb leaves. {| Chem. formula: (COOH). oo oxalate /'pksa,lert/ n. [F oxalique f. L oxalis f. Gk oxalis wood sorrel] oxalis /'pksalis/ n. any plant of the genus Oxalis, with trifoliate leaves and white or pink flowers. [L f. Gk f. oxus sour]

oxbow /|'pksbou/ n. 1 a U-shaped collar of an ox-yoke. 2 a a loop formed by a horseshoe bend in a river. b a lake formed when the river cuts across the narrow end of the loop.

Oxbridge /'pksbrid3/ n. Brit. 1 (also attrib.) Oxford and Cambridge universities regarded together, esp. in contrast to newer institutions. 2 (often attrib.) the characteristics of these universities. [portmanteau word f. Ox(ford) + (Cam)bridge] oxen pl. of ox.

oxer |'pkso(r)/ n. an ox-fence. ox-eye /|'pksai/ n. a plant with a flower like the eye of an ox. o ox-eye daisy n. a daisy, Leucanthemum vulgare, having flowers with white petals and a yellow centre: also called white ox-eye. 00 ox-eyed adj.

Oxf. abbr. Oxford. Oxfam /'pksfzem/] abbr. Oxford Committee for Famine Relief. Oxford /'pksfod/ a midland city on the River Thames, the seat of a major English university organized as a federation of colleges; pop. (1981) 99,200. A university (studium generale) was organized there soon after 1167, perhaps_as a result of a migration of students from Paris. The first colleges were founded in the 13th c.—University (1249), Balliol (1263), and Merton (1264)—and Oxford rose to equal status with the great European wwe

oxygen

1041

z zoo

f she

3 decision

0 thin

.6 this

yn ring

x loch

medieval universities, numbering among its scholars the philosopher and scientist Roger Bacon, and Sir Thomas More; Erasmus lectured there. A centre of royalism during the 17th c., Oxford declined during the 18th c. but was revived in the 1800s, particularly as a result of a renaissance in religious thought. The University includes the Bodleian Library (see entry). The first women’s college, Lady Margaret Hall, was founded in 1878. In 1988-9 there were 10,005 undergraduates in residence (6,004 men, 4001 women) and 3,613 postgraduates (2,410 men, 203 women). 0 Oxford bags wide baggy trousers. Oxford blue dark blue, sometimes with a purple tinge. Oxford English Dictionary see Murray®. Oxford Group a religious move~ ment founded at Oxford in 1921, with discussion of personal problems by groups.

Oxford Movement a movement (1833-45), centred at Oxford and led by Keble, Newman, and Pusey, which aimed at restoring traditional Catholic teaching within the Church of England; its principles were set out in the Tracts for the Times. The Movement emphasized ceremonial, set up the first Anglican religious communities, and contributed to social work and scholarship. At first it met with much hostility, but its concern for a higher standard of worship has ultimately influenced most groups within the Church of England and even many Nonconformists.

Oxfordshire /|'pksfod,fro(r)/ a SE midland county of England; pop. (1981) 542,700; county town, Oxford.

oxherd /|'pkshs:d/ n. a cowherd. oxhide /'nkshard/ n. 1 the hide of an ox. 2 leather made from this. oxidant /'pksid(9)nt/ n. an oxidizing agent. 00 oxidation |-'derf(a)n/ n. oxidational |-'derfon(a)l/ adj. oxidative /-,dertrv/ adj. [F, part. of oxider (as OxIDE)] oxide /|'pksaid/ n. a binary compound of oxygen. [F f. oxygéne OXYGEN + -ide after acide ACID]

oxidize /|'pks1,daiz/ v. (also -ise) 1 intr. & tr. combine or cause to combine with oxygen. 2 tr. & intr. cover (metal) or (of metal) become covered with a coating of oxide; make or become rusty. 3 intr. & tr. undergo or cause to undergo a loss of electrons. 0 oxidized silver the popular name for silver covered with a dark coat of silver sulphide. oxidizing agent Chem. a substance that brings about oxidation by being reduced and gaining electrons. O00 oxidizable adj. oxidization /-'ze1{(2)n/ n. oxidizer n.

oxlip /'pkslip/ n. 1 a woodland primula, Primula elatior. 2 (in general use) a natural hybrid between a primrose and a cowslip. Oxon. /'vks(s)n/ abbr. 1 Oxfordshire. 2 of Oxford University or the diocese of Oxford. [abbr. of med.L Oxoniensis f. Oxonia: see OXONIAN]

Oxonian /pk'ssunien/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to Oxford or Oxford University. —n. 1a member of Oxford University. 2 a native or inhabitant of Oxford. [Oxonia Latinized name of Ox(en)ford]

oxtail /'pksterl/ n. the tail of an ox, often used in making soup. oxter /'pksto(r)/ n. Sc. & N.Engl. the armpit. [OE ohsta, oxta] oxtongue /'pkstan/ n. 1 the tongue of an ox, esp. cooked as food. 2 any composite plant of the genus Picris, with bright yellow flowers. oxy-! /'pks1/ comb. form denoting sharpness (oxytone). [Gk oxu- f. oxus sharp] oxy-?|'pks1/ comb. form (also ox- /pks/) Chem. oxygen (oxyacetylene).

[abbr.] oxyacetylene /,pksia'seti,li:n/ adj. of or using a mixture of oxygen and acetylene, esp. in cutting or welding metals (oxyacetylene burner). oxyacid |'pks1,zs1d/ n. Chem. an acid containing oxygen. oxygen /'pksidz(3)n/ n. Chem. a colourless tasteless odourless gaseous element, essential to plant and animal life. (See below.) 4] Symb.: O; atomic number 8. 0 oxygen mask a mask placed over the nose and mouth to supply oxygen for breathing. oxygen tent a tentlike enclosure supplying a patient with air rich in oxygen. 00 oxygenous /pk'sid3inas/ adj. [F oxygéene acidifying principle (as oxy- 2): it was at first held to be the essential principle in the formation of acids] tJ chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

oxygenate

Ozzie

1042

public crier or a court officer to command silence and attention. [ME f. AF, OF oiez, oyez, imper. pl. of oir hear f. L audire] oyster /'o1sta(r)/ n. 1 any of various bivalve molluscs of the the most abundant element in the earth’s crust. It exists in - family Ostreidae or Aviculidae, esp. an edible kind, Ostrea edulus, two forms: atmospheric oxygen, which consists of diatomic of European waters. 2 an oyster-shaped morsel of meat in a molecules, and ozone (see entry). Oxygen is essential to plant fowl’s back. 3 something regarded as containing all that one and animal life. It is a constituent of most of the compounds desires (the world is my oyster). 4 (in full oyster-white) a white found in living organisms, and the processes of respiration and colour with a grey tinge. 0 oyster-bank (or -bed) a part of the combustion involve its ability to combine readily with other sea-bottom where oysters breed or are bred. oyster-catcher elements. Water is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen. Indusany usu. coastal wading bird of the genus Haematopus, with a trially, pure oxygen is obtained by distillation of liquefied air; strong orange-coloured bill, feeding on shellfish. oyster-farm it is used in the steel-making and chemical industries, and in an area of the seabed used for breeding oysters. oyster-plant medicine. 1 = SALSIFY. 2a blue-flowered plant, Mertensia maritima, growing on beaches. [ME & OF oistre f. L ostrea, ostreum f. Gk ostreon] oxygenate /'pksid3a,nert, pk's1-/ v.tr. 1 supply, treat, or mix with oxygen; oxidize. 2 charge (blood) with oxygen by respiration. Oz |p2/ n. Austral. sl. Australia. [abbr.] O0 oxygenation /-'ne1J(a)n/ n. [F oxygéner (as OxYGEN)] oz. abbr. ounce(s). [It. f. onza ounce] Oxygen was discovered in 1774 by Joseph Priestley (see entry). It forms about 20 per cent of the earth’s atmosphere by volume. Many rocks are formed chiefly of oxygen compounds, and it is

oxygenator /'pksid3o,nerto(r)/ n. an apparatus for oxygenating

Ozark Mountains /|'suza:k/ (also Ozarks) a plateau dissected

the blood.

by rivers, valleys, and streams, lying between the Missouri and Arkansas rivers and within Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Illinois. ozocerite /2u'zauka,rait/ n. (also ozokerite) a waxlike fossil paraffin used for candles, insulation, etc. [G Ozokerit f. Gk 0z0 smell + kéros wax] ozone |'s0z20n/ n. 1 Chem. a colourless unstable gas with a pungent odour and powerful oxidizing properties, used for bleaching etc. It can be formed by passing an electrical discharge through oxygen, and is present in the air after a thunderstorm. The greatest concentration of ozone is in the upper atmosphere, where it forms as a result of the interaction of oxygen and ultraviolet rays from the sun (the ozone layer; see below). §]Chem. formula: O3. 2 collog. a invigorating air at the seaside etc. b exhilarating influence. 0 ozone-friendly (of manufactured articles) containing chemicals that are not destructive to the ozone layer. ozone layer a layer of ozone in the stratosphere that absorbs most of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. OO ozonic /2u'zpntk/ adj. ozonize v.tr. (also -ise). ozonization |-'zerJ(2)n/ n. ozonizer n. [G Ozon f. Gk, neut. pres. part. of 0z6

oxygenize |'pksid32,na1z, vk's1-/ (also -ise) v.tr. = OXYGENATE. oxyhaemoglobin /|,pks1,hi:ma'gloubim| n. Biochem. a bright red complex formed when haemoglobin combines with oxygen. oxymoron /|,oksi'mo:rpn/ n. rhet. a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g. faith unfaithful kept him falsely true). [Gk oxumoron neut. of oxumdros pointedly foolish f. oxus sharp + m@ros foolish] oxytocin /,pksr'tousin/ n. 1 a hormone released by the pituitary gland that causes increased contraction of the womb during labour and stimulates the ejection of milk into the ducts of the breasts. 2 a synthetic form of this used to induce labour etc. [oxytocic accelerating parturition f. Gk oxutokia sudden delivery (as oxy-}, tokos childbirth)]} oxytone /'pksi,toun/ adj. & n. —adj. (esp. in ancient Greek) having an acute accent on the last syllable. —n. a word of this kind. [Gk oxutonos (as oxy-}, tonos tone)]

oyer and terminer |)10(r) and 'ts:mino(r)/ n. hist. a commission issued to judges on a circuit to hold courts. [ME f. AF oyer et terminer f. L audire hear + et and + terminare determine]

smell]

Ozzie var. of AussIE.

oyez /au'jes, -'jez/ int. (also oyes) uttered, usu. three times, by a

we cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

Arun

wo put

u: too

9 ago

al my

P P! /pi:/ n. (also p) (pl. Ps or P’s) the sixteenth letter of the

P? abbr. (also P.) 1 (on road signs) parking. 2 Chess pawn. 3 Physics poise (unit). 4 (also ®) proprietary.

P® symb. Chem. the element phosphorus. P abbr. (also p.) 1 Brit. penny, pence. 2 page. 3 pico-. 4 piano (softly). : PA abbr. 1 personal assistant. 2 public address (esp. PA system). 3 Press Association. 4 US Pennsylvania (in official postal use). Pa symb. Chem. the element protactinium. pa /pa:/ n. collog. father. [abbr. of PAPA] p.a. abbr. per annum.

Paarl /pa:l/ a town in the south-west of Cape Province, South — Africa, at the centre of a famous wine-producing region.

pabulum /'pzbjulom| n. food, esp. for the mind (mental pabulum). [L f. pascere feed]

PABxX abbr. Brit. private automatic branch exchange. PAC abbr. Pan-African Congress. paca |'peko/ n. any tailless rodent of the genus Cuniculus, esp. the spotted cavy of S. and Central America. [Sp. & Port., f. Tupi] pace! /peis/n. & v. —n. 1 aa single step in walking or running. b the distance covered in this (about 75 cm or 30 in.). ¢ the

distance between two successive stationary positions of the same foot in walking. 2 speed in walking or running. 3 Theatr. & Mus. speed or tempo in theatrical or musical performance (played with great pace). 4 a rate of progression. 5 a a manner of walking or running; a gait. b any of various gaits, esp. of a trained horse etc. (rode at an ambling pace). —v. 1 intr. a walk (esp. repeatedly or methodically) with a slow or regular pace (pacing up and down). b (of a horse) = AMBLE. 2 fr. traverse by pacing. 3 tr. set the pace for (a rider, runner, etc.). 4 tr. (foll. by out) measure (a distance) by pacing. 0 keep pace (often foll. by with) advance at an equal rate (as). pace bowler Cricket a bowler who delivers the ball at high speed without spin. pace-setter 1 a leader. 2 = PACEMAKER 1. put a person through his (or her) paces test a person’s qualities in action

etc. set the pace determine the speed, esp. by leading. stand (or stay) the pace be able to keep up with others. 00 -paced adj. pacer n. [ME f. OF pas f. lL passus f. pandere pass- stretch] pace? |'pa:tfer, 'persi/ prep. (in stating a contrary opinion) with due deference to (the person named). [L, ablat. of pax peace] pacemaker /'peis,merka(r)/ n. 1a competitor who sets the pace in a race. 2 a natural or artificial device for stimulating the heart muscle and determining the rate of its contractions.

pacha var. of PASHA. pachinko /po't{1nkoeou/ n. a Japanese form of pinball. [Jap.]

pacific /po'sifik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 characterized by or tending to peace; tranquil. 2 (Pacific) of or adjoining the Pacific Ocean. —n. (the Pacific) the Pacific Ocean. 0 Pacific Ocean the world’s largest ocean, covering one-third of the earth’s surface (181,300,000 sq. km, 70 million sq. miles), separating Asia and Australia from North and South America and extending from Antarctica in the south to the Bering Strait (which links it to the Arctic Ocean) in the north. It was named by its first European navigator, Magellan, because he experienced calm weather there. Pacific Time the standard time used in the Pacific region of Canada and the US. oo pacifically adv. [F pacifique or L pacificus f. pax pacis peace] er day

00 no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

va poor

f. L pacificatio -onis (as PACIFY)] pacifier /'pzxsi,fata(r)/ n. 1a person or thing that pacifies. 2 US a baby’s dummy. i pacifism /'pzsi,fiz(s)m/ n. the belief that war and violence are morally unjustified and that all disputes can be settled by peaceful means. 00 pacifist n. & adj. [F pacifisme f. pacifier PACIFY]

pacify /'pzs1,fai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 appease (a person, anger, etc.). 2 bring (a country etc.) to a state of peace. [ME f. OF pacifier or L pacificare (as PACIFIC)]

pack! /pek/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa collection of things wrapped up or tied together for carrying. b = BACKPACK. 2 a set of items packaged for use or disposal together. 3 usu. derog. a lot or set (of similar things or persons) (a pack of lies; a pack of thieves). 4 Brit. a set of playing cards. 5 a a group of hounds esp. for foxhunting. b a group of wild animals, esp. wolves, hunting together. 6 an organized group of Cub Scouts or Brownies. 7 Rugby Football a team’s forwards. 8 a a medicinal or cosmetic substance applied to the skin; = face-pack. b a hot or cold pad of absorbent material for treating a wound etc. 9 = pack ice. 10 a quantity of fish, fruit, etc., packed in a season etc. 11 Med. a the wrapping of a body or part of a body in a wet sheet etc. ba sheet etc. used for this. —v. 1 tr. (often foll. by up) a fill (a suitcase, bag, etc.) with clothes and other items. b put (things) together in a bag or suitcase, esp. for travelling. 2 intr. & tr. come or put closely together; crowd or cram (packed a lot into a few hours; passengers packed like sardines). 3 tr. (in passive; often

foll. by with) be filled (with); contain extensively (the restaurant was packed; the book is packed with information). 4 tr. fill (a hall, theatre, etc.) with an audience etc. 5 tr. cover (a thing) with something pressed tightly round. 6 intr. be suitable for packing. 7 tr. collog. a carry (a gun etc.). b be capable of delivering (a punch) with skill or force. 8 intr. (of animals or Rugby forwards) form a pack. o pack-animal an animal for carrying packs. pack-dril! a military punishment of marching up and down carrying full equipment. packed lunch a lunch carried in a bag, box, etc., esp. to work, school, etc. packed out collog. full, crowded. pack ice an area of large crowded pieces of floating ice in the sea. pack it in (or up) collog. end or stop it. pack off send (a person) away, esp. abruptly or promptly. pack-rat US a large hoarding rodent. pack-saddle a saddle adapted for supporting packs. pack up collog. 1 (esp. of a machine) stop functioning; break down. 2 retire from an activity, contest, etc. send packing collog. dismiss (a person) summarily. oo packable adj. [ME f. MDu., MLG pak, pakken, of unkn. orig.]

pack? /peky v.tr. select (a jury etc.) or fill (a meeting) so as to

pachisi /po't{i:z1/ n. a four-handed Indian board-game with six cowries used like dice. [Hindi, = of 25 (the highest throw)] pachyderm /'pzki,ds3:m/ n. any thick-skinned mammal, esp. an elephant or rhinoceros. 00 pachydermatous /-'d3:motos/ adj. [F pachyderme f. Gk pakhudermos f. pakhus thick + derma -matos skin]

au how

pacification |,pzsifi'ker{(o)n/ n. the act of pacifying or the process of being pacified. 00 pacificatory /po'sifiketort/ adj. [F

alphabet.

secure a decision in one’s favour. [prob. f. obs. verb pact f. PACT] package /'pekid3/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa bundle of things packed. b a parcel, box, etc., in which things are packed. 2 (in full package deal) a set of proposals or items offered or agreed to

as a whole. 3 Computing a piece of software suitable for various applications rather than one which is custom-built. 4 collog. = package holiday. —v.tr. make up into or enclose in a package. O package holiday (or tour etc.) a holiday or tour etc. with all arrangements made at an inclusive price. 00 packager n. [PACK! + -AGE]

packaging /'pekid3in/ n. 1 a wrapping or container for goods. 2 the process of packing goods. packer /|'pzxko(r)/ n. a person or thing that packs, esp. a dealer who prepares and packs food for transportation and sale.

packet /'pzkit/ n. 1 a small package. 2 collog. a large sum of money won, lost, or spent. 3 (in full packet-boat) hist. a mailboat or passenger ship. [PACK! + -ET] packhorse |'pekho:s/ n. a horse for carrying loads.

ara fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

packing ee

1044

packing /'pzkin/ n. 1 the act or process of packing. 2 material used as padding to pack esp. fragile articles. 3 material used to seal a join or assist in lubricating an axle. 0 packing-case a case (usu. wooden) or framework for packing goods in.

packthread |'pzk@red/ n. stout thread for sewing or tying up packs. pact /pekt/ n. an agreement or a treaty. [ME f. OF pact(e) fr pactum, neut. past part. of pacisci agree] pad! |pzd/n. & v. —n. 1 piece of soft material used to reduce friction or jarring, fill out hollows, hold or absorb liquid, etc. 2 a number of sheets of blank paper fastened together at one edge, for writing or drawing on. 3 = ink-pad. 4 the fleshy underpart of an animal's foot or of a human finger. 5 a guard for the leg and ankle in sports. 6 a flat surface for helicopter take-off or rocket-launching. 7 colloq. a lodging, esp. a bedsitter or flat. 8 the floating leaf of a water lily. —v.tr. (padded, padding) 1 provide with a pad or padding; stuff. 2 (foll. by out) lengthen or fill out (a book etc.) with unnecessary material. o padded cell a room with padded walls in a mental hospital. [prob. of LG or Du. orig.]

pad? /ped/ v. & n. —v. (padded, padding) 1 intr. walk with a soft dull steady step. 2 a tr. tramp along (a road etc.) on foot. b intr. travel on foot. —n. the sound of soft steady steps. [LG padden tread, pad PATH] Padang /pz'den/ a seaport of Indonesia, capital of West Sumatra province; pop. (1980) 480,900.

padding /'pzdin/ n. soft material used to pad or stuff with. paddle! |'pzd(e)l/ n. & v. —n. 1a short broad-bladed oar used without a rowlock. 2 a paddle-shaped instrument. 3 Zool. a fin or flipper. 4 each of the boards fitted round the circumference of a paddle-wheel or mill-wheel. 5 the action or a spell of paddling. —v. 1 intr. & tr. move on water or propel a boat by means of paddles. 2 intr. & tr. row gently. 3 tr. esp. US collog. spank. 0 paddle-boat (or -steamer etc.) a boat, steamer, etc., propelled by a paddle-wheel. paddle-wheel a wheel for propelling a ship, with boards round the circumference so as to press backwards against the water. oo paddler n. [15th c.: orig. unkn.]

paddle? /'pzxd(s)l/ v. & n. —v.intr. walk barefoot or dabble the feet or hands in shallow water. —n. the action or a spell of paddling. 00 paddler n. [prob. of LG or Du. orig.: cf. LG paddeln tramp about]

eee

padre /'pa:dri, -dre1/ n. a chaplain in any of the armed services. [It., Sp., & Port., = father, priest, f. L pater patris father] padsaw /'pzdso:/ n. a saw with a narrow blade, for cutting curves.

Padua /'pazdju:o/ (Italian Padova /'padovo/) a city in NE Italy,

pop. (1981) 234,700. It was the birthplace of the Roman historian Livy and the artist Mantegna; Dante lived in Padua, and St Antony of Padua is buried there. Galileo taught at its university (founded in 1222). paean |'pi:on/ n. (US pean) a song of praise or triumph. [L f.

Doric Gk paian hymn of thanksgiving to Apollo (under the name

of Paian)]

paederast var. of PEDERAST. paederasty var. of PEDERASTY. paediatrics |pi:di'etriks/ n.pl. (treated as sing.) (US pediatrics) the branch of medicine dealing with children and their diseases. 00 paediatric adj. paediatrician |-o'tri{(2)n/ n. [PAEDO- + Gk iatros physician] paedo- |'pi:dou/ comb. form (US pedo-) child. [Gk pais paid- child]

paedophile /'pi:ds,farl/ n. (US pedophile) a person who displays paedophilia.

paedophilia |,pi:do'filra/ n. (US pedophilia) sexual desire directed towards children.

paella /par'elo, pa:-/ n. a Spanish dish of rice, saffron, chicken, seafood, etc., cooked and served in a large shallow pan. [Catalan f. OF paele f. L patella pan] paeon /'pi:on/ n. a metrical foot of one long syllable and three short syllables in any order. 00 paeonic /pi:'pnrk/ adj. [L f. Gk paion, the Attic form of paian PAEAN] paeony var. of PEONY. pagan /|'peigon/ n. & adj. —n. a person not subscribing to any of the main religions of the world, esp. formeriy regarded by Christians as unenlightened or heathen. —adj. 1 a ofor relating to or associated with pagans. b irreligious. 2 identifying divinity or spirituality in nature; pantheistic. oO paganish adj. paganism n. paganize v.tr. & intr. (also -ise). [ME f. L paganus villager, rustic f. pagus country district: in Christian L = civilian, heathen]

Paganini |,pxzge'ni:ni/, Niccolé (1782-1840), Italian violinist and composer, who lived an extraordinary life as a travelling violinist. He possessed a brilliant technical skill, a personal Magnetism, and a mephistophelean appearance that mesmerized his audiences (particularly the female members) and

paddock /'pzdok/ n. 1 a small field, esp. for keeping horses in. 2 a turf enclosure adjoining a racecourse where horses or cars are assembled before a race. 3 Austral. & NZ a field; a plot of land. [app. var. of (now dial.) parrock (OE pearruc): see PARK]

led some critics to speak of diabolical powers. He did not confine

his skills to playing the violin but took up the guitar during a love affair in the 1830s; he also commissioned Berlioz to write

Paddy /'pzdi/ n. (pl. -ies) collog. often offens. an Irishman. [petform of the Irish name Padraig (= Patrick)]

a viola concerto for him (which, however, he never played), and his own compositions for the violin bear witness to his prowess.

paddy! |'pzdi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 (in full paddy-field) a field where rice is grown. padi]

2 rice before threshing or in the husk. [Malay

Page /peid3/, Sir Frederick Handley (1885-1962), English aircraft designer, founder of Handley Page Ltd. (1909), the first British aircraft manufacturing company. He was responsible for the design and. construction of many famous aircraft including Handley Page bombers of the First World War, Hannibal airliners, Hampdenand Halifax bombers ofthe Second World War, and many postwar aircraft. In 1919 he formed Handley Page Transport Ltd., operating London—Paris and London— Brussels—Switzerland flights until 1924. He was also famous for his design of the slotted aerofoil.

paddy? /'pzedi/ n. (pl. -ies) Brit. collog. a rage; a fit of temper. [PADDY]

pademelon /'pzdi,melon/ n. any small wallaby of the genus Thylogale, inhabiting the coastal scrub of Australia. [corrupt. of an Aboriginal name]

Paderewski

|,pa:do'refski/, Ignacy Jan (1860-1941),

Polish

pianist, composer, and statesman. He became one of the most famous international pianists and also received acclaim for his compositions, which include a piano concerto, a symphony, and the opera Manru (1901). Always a fervent nationalist, he became the first prime minister of an independent Poland (1919) but resigned after only 10 months in office and resumed his musical

career. padlock /|'pzdlpk/ n. & v. —n. a detachable lock hanging by a pivoted hook on the object fastened. —v.tr. secure with a padlock. [ME f. Lock": first element unexpl.]

Padma /'pzdmo a river of southern Bangladesh, formed by the meeting of the Ganges and Brahmaputra near Rajbari.

padouk /po'du:k/ n. 1 any timber tree of the genus Pterocarpus,

page! /peid3/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa leaf of a book, periodical, etc. b each side of this. ¢ what is written or printed on this. 2 a anepisode that might fill a page in written history etc.; a record. b a memorable event. —v.tr. paginate. [F f. L pagina f. pangere fasten] page? /peid3/n. & v. —n. 1a boy or man, usu. in livery, employed to run errands, attend to a door, etc, 2 a boy employed as a personal attendant of a person of rank, a bride, etc. 3 hist. a boy in training for knighthood and attached to a knight’s service. —v.tr. 1 (in hotels, airports, etc.) summon by making an

announcement or by sending a messenger. 2 summon by means of a pager. 0 page-boy 1 = PAGE? n. 2. 2a woman’s hairstyle with the hair reaching to the shoulder and rolled. under at the

esp. P. indicus. 2 the wood of this tree, resembling rosewood. [Burmese]

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

jyes

page

k cat

lleg

m man

nno

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

pageant

ends. [ME f. OF, perh. f. It. paggio f. Gk paidion, dimin. of pais paidos boy] pageant /'pzed3(o)nt/ n. 1 a a brilliant spectacle, esp. an elaborate parade. b a spectacular procession, or play performed in the open, illustrating historical events. ¢ a tableau etc. on a fixed stage or moving vehicle. 2 an empty or specious show.

[ME pagyn, of unkn. orig.] pageantry /'pedzontri/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 elaborate or sumptuous show or display. 2 an instance of this. ; pager /|'perd3a(r)/ n. a radio device with a bleeper, activated from a central point to alert the person wearing it.

paginal /'pedzin(o)l/ adj. 1 of pages (of books etc.). 2 corresponding page for page. PAGE))]

00 paginary adj. [LL paginalis (as ;

paginate /'pzd31,neit/ v.tr. assign numbers to (the pages of a book etc.). 00 pagination /-'nerf(a)n/ n. [F paginer f. L pagina PAGE!] pagoda /po'goudo/ n. 1 a Hindu or Buddhist temple or sacred building, esp. a many-tiered tower, in India and the Far East. 2 an ornamental imitation of this. 0 pagoda-tree any of various trees, esp. Sophora japonica, resembling a pagoda in shape. [Port. pagode, prob. ult. f. Pers. butkada idol temple] pah /pa:/ int. expressing disgust or contempt. [natural utterance]

Pahang /po'hen/ a State of Malaysia, on the Malay Peninsula; pop. (1980) 798,800; capital, Kuantan.

Pahlavi /'pa:lovi/ n. (also Pehlevi /'perlovi/) the ianguage of Persia spoken from the 3rd c. Bc until the 10th c. ap, the official language of the Sassanian empire. It was closely related to Avestan and was written in a version of the Aramaic script. o0 Pahlavi dynasty the Iranian dynasty founded by Reza Khan (1878-1944), an army officer who became shah of Iran 1925-41. He was succeeded by his son, who was overthrown in 1979 (see TRAN). [Pers. pahlawi f. pahlav f. parthava Parthia]

paid past and past part. of pay}. pail /perl/ n. 1 a bucket. 2 an amount contained in this. o00 pailful n. (pl. -fuls). [OE pzgel gill (cf. MDu. pegel gauge), assoc. with OF paelle: see PAELLA]

Pailin /'perlin/ a ruby-mining town in western Cambodia, close to the frontier with Thailand.

paillasse var. of PALLIASSE. paillette /pz'ljet, par'jet/ n. 1 a piece of bright metal used in enamel painting. 2 a spangle. [F, dimin. of paille f. L palea straw, chaff] pain /pern/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the range of unpleasant bodily sensations produced by illness or by harmful physical contact etc. b a particular kind or instance of this (often in pl.: suffering from stomach pains). 2 mental suffering or distress. 3 (in pl.) careful effort; trouble taken (take pains; got nothing for my pains). 4 (also pain in the neck) collog. a troublesome person or thing; a nuisance. —v.tr. 1 cause pain to. 2 (as pained adj.) expressing pain (a pained expression). O in pain suffering pain. on (or under) pain of with (death etc.) as the penalty. [ME f. OF peine f. L poena penalty]

Paine /pein/, Thomas (1737-1809), English writer and political theorist, who lost his job as an excise officer in 1774 after agitating for higher wages in the service and went to America, where he became involved in the political controversies which led to independence. His pamphlet Common Sense (1776) influenced the American Declaration of Independence and provided the arguments to justify it. He returned to England, and in 1791— 2 he published The Rights of Man in support of republicanism, a reply to Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France. His radical views alarmed the British government and he fled to France. There he supported the Revolution but opposed the execution of Louis XVI. He was imprisoned for a year, and narrowly escaped the guillotine. While in prison he completed The Age of Reason, a provocative attack on Christianity. In 1802 he returned to America.

Paine Towers |'patnei/ a group of spectacular granite peaks z zoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

painful /'pemnfol/ adj. 1 causing bodily or mental pain or distress. 2 (esp. of part of the body) suffering pain. 3 causing trouble or difficulty; laborious (a painful climb). 00 painfully adv. painfulness n.

painkiller /'pem,kio(r)/ n. a medicine or drug for alleviating pain. 00 painkilling adj. painless /'peinlis/ adj. not causing or suffering pain. painlessly adv. painlessness n.

x loch

oo

painstaking /'peinz,terkiy/ adj. careful, industrious, thorough. O00 painstakingly adv. painstakingness n. paint /pemt/ rn. & v. —n. 1 a colouring matter, esp. in liquid form for imparting colour to a surface. b this as a dried film or coating (the paint peeled off). 2 joc. or archaic cosmetic make-up, esp. rouge or nail varnish. —v.tr. 1 a cover the surface of (a wall, object, etc.) with paint. b apply paint of a specified colour to (paint the door green). 2 depict (an object, scene, etc.) with paint; produce (a picture) by painting. 3 describe vividly as if by painting (painted a gloomy picture of the future). 4 joc. or archaic a apply liquid or cosmetic to (the face, skin, etc.). b apply (a liquid to the skin etc.). 0 painted lady an orange-red butterfly, esp. Cynthia cardui, with black and white spots. paint out efface with paint. paint shop the part of a factory where goods are painted, esp. by spraying. paint-stick a stick of water-soluble paint used like a crayon. paint the town red collog. enjoy oneself flamboyantly. 00 paintable adj. [ME f. peint past part. of OF peindre f. L pingere pict- paint] paintbox /'pemntbpks/ n. a box holding dry paints for painting pictures.

paintbrush /'pemntbraj/ n. a brush for applying paint. painter! /'peinta(r)/ n. a person who paints, esp. an artist or decorator. [ME f. OF peintour ult. f. L pictor (as PAINT)]

painter? /'pernta(r)/ n. a rope attached to the bow of a boat for tying it to a quay etc. [ME, prob. f. OF penteur rope from a masthead: cf. G Pentertakel f. pentern fish the anchor] painterly /'perntali/ adj. 1 a using paint well; artistic. b characteristic of a painter or paintings. 2 (of a painting) lacking clearly defined outlines.

painting /'perntin/ n. 1 the process or art of using paint. 2a painted picture. paintwork /'peintws:k/ n. 1 a painted surface or area in a building etc. 2 the work of painting. painty /'pernti/ adj. (paintier, paintiest) 1 of or covered in paint. 2 (of a picture etc.) overcharged with paint. pair /peo(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1a set of two persons or things used together or regarded as a unit (a pair of gloves; a pair of eyes). 2 an article (e.g. scissors, trousers, or pyjamas) consisting of two joined or corresponding parts not used separately. 3 a an engaged or married couple. b a mated couple of animals. 4 two horses harnessed side by side (a coach and pair). 5 the second member ofa pair in relation to the first (cannot find its pair). 6 two playing cards of the same denomination. 7 Parl. either or both of two MPs etc. on opposite sides absenting themselves from voting by mutual arrangement. —v.tr. & intr. 1 (often foll. by off) arrange or be arranged in couples. 2 a join or be joined in marriage. b (of animals) mate. 3 Parl. form a pair. 0 in pairs in twos. pair production Physics the conversion of a radiation quantum into an electron and a positron. pair royal a set of three cards of the same denomination. [ME f. OF paire f. L paria neut. pl. of par equal] paisa |'paiza/ n. (pl. paise |-ze1 or -za/) a coin and monetary unit of India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh, equal to onehundredth of a rupee or taka. [Hindi]

Paisley /'peizli/ a town in Strathclyde region in central Scotland; pop. (1981) 84,800. —n. (often attrib.) 1 a distinctive detailed pattern of curved feather-shaped figures. 2 a soft woollen garment having this pattern.

pajamas US var. of PYJAMAS. pakeha /|'pa:kijha:/ n. NZ a White person as opposed to a Maori. [Maori]

Paki |'pzki/ n. (pl. Pakis) Brit. sl. offens. a Pakistani, esp. an immigrant in Britain. [abbr.]

in southern Chile, rising to a height of 2,668 m (8,755 ft.). wwe

Paki

1045

tf chip

d3 jar

(see over for vowels)

Pakistan

pale

1046

Be ee EE See

Pakistan

the study of life in the geological past. 00 palaeontological |-ta'lpd3rkel/ adj. palaeontologist n. [PALAEO- + Gk onta neut. pl: of on being, part. of eimi be + -LoGy]

|,pa:ki'sta:n, jp2k-/ a country in southern Asia,

bordered by Afghanistan to the north and India to the east; pop. (est. 1988) 107,467,450; official language, Urdu; capital,

« Palaeozoic

Islamabad. Part of the Indian subcontinent, Pakistan was cre-

palais |'pzlet/ n. collog. a public hall for dancing. [F palais (de danse) (dancing) hall]

palanquin |,pz!on‘ki:n/-n. (also palankeen) (in India and the East) a covered litter for one passenger. [Port. palanquim: cf. Hindi palki f. Skr. palyanka bed, couch]

palatable /'pzlotsb(a)l/ adj. 1 pleasant to taste. 2 (of an idea,

pop. 44,800.

pal /pzx]/n. & v. —n. collog. a friend, mate, or comrade. —v.intr. (palled, palling) (usu. foll. by up) associate; form a friendship. [Romany = brother, mate, ult. f. Skr. bhratr BROTHER] palace /'pelis/ n. 1 the official residence of a sovereign, president, archbishop, or bishop. 2 a splendid mansion; a spacious building. 0 palace revolution (or coup) the (usu. non-violent) overthrow of a sovereign, government, etc. at the hands of senior officials. [ME f. OF palais f. L Palatium Palatine (hill) in Rome where the house of the emperor was situated]

Palace of Westminster see WESTMINSTER.

or feudal lord) having local authority that elsewhere belongs only to a sovereign (Count Palatine). 2 (of a territory) subject to this authority. 0 Count Palatine (in the later Roman Empire) a count (comes) attached to the imperial palace and having supreme judicial authority in certain causes; (under the German emperors) a count having supreme jurisdiction in his fief; (in English history) an Earl Palatine, the proprietor of a County Palatine, now applied to the earldom of Chester and duchy of Lancaster, dignities which are attached to the Crown. County Palatine (in England) a county of which the earl formerly had royal privileges, with exclusive jurisdiction (now Cheshire and Lancashire, formerly also Durham, Pembroke, Ely, etc.). [ME f. F palatin -ine f. L palatinus of the PALACE]

Palaeocene /'pzlis,si:n/ adj. & n. (US Paleocene) Geol. —adj. of or relating to the earliest epoch of the Tertiary period, following the Cretaceous period and preceding the Eocene epoch, lasting from about 65 to 54.9 million years ago. The sudden diversification of the mammals is a notable feature of the epoch. —rn. this epoch or system. [PALAEO- + Gk kainos new]

/,pzlisu,klarma'toled31, ;perliau-/ n. (US

palatine? /'pzlo,tarn/ adj. & n. —adj. of or connected with the palate. —n. (in full palatine bone) each of two bones forming

paleoclimatology) the study of the climate in geologically past times.

,perlisu-/

nm.

and splendid. 00 palatially adv. [L (as PALACE)] Count Palatine.

parts of the old world. [PALAEO- + ARCTIC] palaeo- /|'pzlrou, 'petlisu/ comb. form (US paleo-) ancient, old; of ancient (esp. prehistoric) times. [Gk palaios ancient] palaeobotany |,pzlisu'boten!/ n. the study of fossil plants.

|,pzelioodz3i'pgrofi,

palatial /po'ls1f(a)l/ adj. (of a building) like a palace, esp. spacious

palatine! /'pzlo,tarn/ adj. (also Palatine) hist. 1 (of an official

Palaearctic /|,pzli'a:ktik/ adj. Zool. of the Arctic and temperate

palaeogeography

suggestion, etc.) acceptable, satisfactory. 00 palatability /-'biliti/ n. palatableness n. palatably adv. palatal /'pzlot(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of the palate. 2 (of a sound) made by placing the surface of the tongue against the hard palate (e.g. y in yes). —n. a palatal sound. oo palatalize v.tr. (also -ise). palatalization /-'ze1{(a)n/ n. palatally adv. [F (as PALATE)] palate /'pzlot/ n. 1 a structure closing the upper part of the mouth cavity in vertebrates. 2 the sense of taste. 3 ¢ mental taste or inclination; liking. [ME f. L palaturn]}

palatinate /po'letineit/ n. territory under the jurisdiction of a

paladin /'pzlodin/ n. hist. 1 any of the twelve peers of Charlemagne’s court, of whom the Count Palatine was the chief. 2 a knight errant; a champion. [F paladin f. It. paladino f. L palatinus: see PALATINE}]

palaeoclimatology

|,peliou'zourk/ adj. & n. (also Paleozoic) Geol

—adj. of or relating to the geological era between the Precambrian and the Mesozoic. The era comprises the Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, and Permian periods. It lasted from about 590 to 248 million years ago, beginning with the first appearance of fossils bearing hard shells and ending with the rise to dominance of the reptiles. —n. this era (cf. CENOzOIC, MESOZOIC). [PALAEO- + Gk 268 life, 260s living] palaestra /po'li:stra, -‘laistra/ n. (also palestra |-'lestra/) Gk & Rom. Antig. a wrestling-school or gymnasium. [ME f. L palaestra f. Gk palaistra f. palaio wrestle]

ated as a separate country, comprising the territory to the NE and NW of India in which the population was predominantly Muslim, following the British withdrawal in 1947. East Pakistan became the independent State of Bangladesh in 1972 after war between India and Pakistan in December 1971; Pakistan withdrew from the Commonwealth as a protest against the decision of Britain, Australia, and New Zealand to recognize Bangladesh, but rejoined in 1989. Pakistan’s history since independence has been characterized by border disputes with India over Kashmir, the involvement of the army in politics, and recently by the threat to its northern frontier caused by the war in Afghanistan. The economy is predominantly agricultural, wheat, cotton, and rice being the principal crops. 00 Pakistani adj. & n. [Punjab, Afghan Frontier, Kashmir, Baluchistan, lands where Muslims predominated] pakora |po'ko:ra/ n. a piece of cauliflower, carrot, or other vegetable, coated in seasoned batter and deep-fried. [Hind.] Pakse /'pzkse1/ a town in southern Laos, on the Mekong River;

the hard palate. [F palatin -ine (as PALATE)]

(US

Palau /po'lav/ (also Belau /bo'lau/) a group of islands in the

paleogeography) the study of the geographical features at periods in the geological past.

western Pacific Ocean, part of the US Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands from 1947 and internally self-governing since

palaeography |,pzl1'pgrofi/ n. (US paleography) the study of

1980; pop. (est. 1988) 14,100; capital, Koror. palaver /po'la:va(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 fuss and bother, esp. prolonged and tedious. 2 profuse or idle talk. 3 cajolery. 4 collog. an affair or business. 5 esp. hist. a parley between African or other natives and traders. —v. 1 intr. talk profusely. 2 tr. flatter, wheedle. [Port. palavra word f. L (as PARABLE)]

writing and documents from the past. 00 palaeographer n.

palaeographic |-o'grefik/ adj. palaeographical /-o'grzefik(s)l/ adj. palaeographically |-o'grzfikoli/ adv. [F paléographie f. mod.L palaeographia (as PALAEO-, -GRAPHY)]

palaeolithic /,pzlrou'liO1k/ adj. & n. (US paleolithic)

—adj.

Archaeol. of or relating to the earlier part of the Stone Age, when primitive stone implements were used. —n. this period, which extends from the first appearance of artefacts, some 2.5 million years ago, to the end of the last ice age c.10,000 Bc. It has been divided into the lower palaeolithic, with the earliest forms of mankind and the presence of hand-axe industries, ending c.80,000 Bc, middle palaeolithic (or Mousterian), the era of Neanderthal man, ending c.33,000 Bc, and upper palaeolithic, which saw the development of Homo sapiens. [PALAEO- + Gk lithos stone]

palaeomagnetism

/|,pzlisu'mezgnitiz(s)m/

Palawan /po'la:won/ a long narrow island in the western Philippines, separating the Sulu Sea from the South China Sea; pop. (1980) 371,800.

pale! jpeil/ adj. & v. —adj. 1 (of a person or complexion) of a

whitish or ashen appearance. 2 a (of a colour) faint; not dark or deep. b faintly coloured. 3 of faint lustre; dim. —v. 1 intr. & tr. grow or make pale. 2 intr. (often foll. by before, beside) become feeble in comparison (with). 00 palely adv. paleness n. palish adj. [ME f. OF pale, palir f. L pallidus f. pallére be pale] pale? /petl/ n. 1 a pointed piece of wood for fencing etc.; a stake. 2a boundary. 3 an enclosed area, often surrounded by a palisade or ditch. 4 Heraldry a vertical stripe in the middle ofa shield. 0

n. (US paleo-

magnetism) the study of the magnetism remaining in rocks. palaeontology |,pzlinn'toled3i, ,perli-/ n. (US paleontology)

e cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

i: see

pv hot

0: saw

arun

ov put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

palea beyond the pale outside the bounds of acceptable behaviour.

the English Pale hist. 1 the small area round Calais, the only part of France remaining in English hands after the Hundred Years War until its loss in 1558. 2 (also the Pale) that part of Ireland over which England exercised jurisdiction, varying in extent at different times from the reign of Henry II until the full conquest of Ireland under Elizabeth I. in pale Heraldry arranged vertically. [ME f. OF pal f. L palus stake] palea /'peilia/ n. (pl. paleae /-l1,i:/) Bot. a chafflike bract, esp. ina flower of grasses. [L, = chaff]

paled@ /perld/ adj. having palings. paleface /'perlfeis/ n. a name supposedly used by the N. American Indians for the White man.

Palembang Indonesia,

/pa:'lemba:y, ,pa:lam'ba:n/ a deepwater port of

capital of South

Sumatra

province;

pop.

(1980)

787,200.

Palenque /po'lenker/ a Mayan city of c.300-900 in southern Mexico. Its ancient name is lost and it is named after a neighbouring village.

paleo- comb. form US var. of PALAEO-. Paleocene US var. of PALAEOCENE. Paleozoic US var. of PALAEOZOIC. Palermo /po'ls:mou/ the capital cf Sicily, a seaport on the north coast of the island; pop. (1981) 701,800.

Palestine /'pzlistain/ a territory in SW Asia on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, which in biblical times comprised the kingdom of Isreal and Judah (see IsRAEL’). There have been many changes in the frontiers in the course of history. The land was controiled at various times by the Egyptian, Assyrian, Persian, and Roman empires before being conquered by the

Arabs in AD 634. It remained in Muslim hands, except for a brief hiatus during the Crusades (1098-1197), until the First World War, being part of the Ottoman empire from 1516 to 1917, when Turkish and German forces were defeated by the British at Megiddo. The name ‘Palestine’ was revived as an official political title for the land west of the Jordan mandated to Britain in 1920. Jewish immigration, encouraged by the Balfour Declaration of 1917, became quite heavy, and Palestine ceased to exist as a

political entity in 1948 when the State of Israel was established. The name continues to be used, however, to describe a geographical entity, particularly in the context of Arab aims for the resettlement of people who left the area when the State of Israel was established, or in subsequent struggles. 00 Palestinian /,pel'stinron/ adj. & n. [Gk Palaistiné (used in early Christian writing), L (Syria) Palaestina (name of Roman

province), f. Philistia land of the Philistines]

Palestine Liberation

Organization a politico-military

body formed in 1964 to unite various Palestinian Arab groups. From 1967 it was dominated by the Al Fatah group led by Yasser Arafat, and was soon active in guerrilla activities against Israel. The activities of radical factions of the movement caused trouble with the host country Jordan, and following a brief civil war in 1970 it moved to Lebanon and Syria. In 1974 the organization was recognized by the Arab nations as the representative of all Palestinians and in 1976 was invited to take part in a UN debate. The Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 disorganized its military power and caused serious strains within its political superstructure. Having regrouped, at first in Libya, it eventually (in 1986) transferred its headquarters to Baghdad. From 1986 Jordan ceased to recognize it as representative of the Palestinians living in Israeli-occupied territories.

palestra var. of PALAESTRA. Palestrina |,pzle'stri:no/, Giovanni Pierluigi da (1525/6-1594), Italian composer, who took his name from his birthplace, a small hill town near Rome. He composed several madrigals but is known for his sacred music, and his flowing style came to represent the lost purity of Roman Catholic music for worship in the years after instruments were admitted into church services. palette /'pzlit/ n. 1 a thin board or slab or other surface, usu. with a hole for the thumb, on which an artist lays and mixes colours. 2 the range of colours used by an artist. o au how

Palladio

1047

e1 day

ov no

eo hair

1a near

o1 boy

va poor

palette-knife 1 a thin steel blade with a handle for mixing colours or applying or removing paint. 2 a kitchen knife with a long blunt round-ended flexible blade. [F, dimin. of pale shovel f. L pala spade] palfrey /'po:lfri/ n. (pl. -eys) archaic a horse for ordinary riding, esp. for women. [ME f. OF palefrei f. med.L palefredus, LL paraveredus f. Gk para beside, extra, + L veredus light horse, of Gaulish orig.]

Pali /'pa:li/ n. an Indic language, closely related to Sanskrit, in which the sacred texts of Theravada Buddhism are written. It was spoken in northern India in the 5th-2nd c. Bc. As the language of a large part of the Buddhist scriptures it was brought to Sri Lanka and Burma, and, though not spoken there, became the vehicle of a large literature of commentaries and chronicles. [Skr. pali-bhasa f. pali canon + bhasa language] palimony /‘pzlimoni/ n. esp. US collog. an allowance made by one member of an unmarried couple to the other after separation. [PAL + ALIMONY]

palimpsest /'pzlimp,sest/ n. 1 a piece of writing-material or manuscript on which the original writing has been effaced to make room for other writing. 2 a monumental brass turned and re-engraved on the reverse side. [L palimpsestus f. Gk palimpséstos f. palin again + pséstos rubbed smooth]

palindrome /'pzlin,draum/ n. a word or phrase that reads the same backwards as forwards (e.g. rotator, nurses run). O00 palindromic /-'dromrk/ adj. palindromist n. [Gk palindromos running back again f. palin again + drom- run]

paling /'perlin/ n. 1 a fence of pales. 2 pale. palingenesis /,pzlin'dgenisis/ n. Biol. the exact reproduction of ancestral characteristics in ontogenesis. 00 palingenetic /-d3e'nettk/ adj. [Gk palin again + genesis birth, GENESIS]

palinode /'pzli,noud/ n. 1 a poem in which the writer retracts a view or sentiment expressed in a former poem. 2a recantation. [F palinode or LL palinodia f. Gk palindidia f. palin again + didé song]

palisade |,pzli'setd/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa fence of pales or iron railings. b a strong pointed wooden stake used in a close row for defence. 2 US (in pl.) a line of high cliffs. —v.tr. enclose or provide with a palisade. 0 palisade layer Bot. a layer of elongated cells below the epidermis. [F palissade f. Prov. palissada f. palissa paling ult. f. L palus stake]

Palisades /,pzlt'serdz/ a district of New Jersey, west of the Hudson River, dominated by a long ridge of basalt.

Palissy /'pzlisi/, Bernard (c.1510-90), French master potter, who enjoyed court patronage and became famous for his richly coloured ware ornamented in relief with snakes, lizards, frogs, fish, foliage, etc., cast from the life, for which he was given the title ‘inventor of the king’s rustic pottery’. Wares of this type continued to be produced regionally in France for some two centuries after his death.

Palk Strait /polk/ a channel separating Sri Lanka from the southern tip of India, north of Adam’s Bridge.

pall! /po:l/ n. 1 a cloth spread over a coffin, hearse, or tomb. 2a shoulder-band with pendants, worn as an ecclesiastical vestment and sign of authority. 3 a dark covering (a pall of darkness; a pall of smoke). 4 Heraldry a Y-shaped bearing charged with crosses representing the front of an ecclesiastical pall. [OE pzll, f. L:pallium cloak]

pall? /po:l/ v. 1 intr. (often foll. by on) become uninteresting (to). 2 tr. satiate, cloy. [ME, f. APPAL]

palladia pl. of paLLapium?2. Palladian /po'leidion/ adj. Archit. in the neoclassical style of Palladio. The term is applied to a phase of English architecture

from c.1715, when a revival of interest in the ideas and designs of Palladio and his English follower, Inigo Jones, led to a reaction against the baroque. 00 Palladianism n.

Palladio /po'la:di,au/, Andrea (1508-80), Italian architect, born in Padua, who was one of the most important architect/theorists of 16th-c. Italy. He went to Rome in 1540-1 and published a guide to the antiquities of that city, and this interest in classical harmony of proportion permeates all his own works. Among his

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architectural designs were villas for use as summer residences, their facades often having the appearance of an antique temple. His palace designs often show classical influence and he executed much distinctive work on Venetian churches. He pub- ° lished a philosophical and visual analysis of his work, I Quattro Libri dell’Architettura (1570), which was very influential and was the main source of inspiration for the English Palladian movement.

palladium! |po'leidiam/ n. Chem. a white ductile metallic element chemically related to platinum. First isolated in 1803, palladium is important as a catalyst, and the metal and its alloys are used in electrical contacts, precision instruments, and jewellery. §| Symb.: Pd; atomic number 46. [mod.L f. Pallas, an asteroid discovered (1803) just before the element, + -1uM; cf. CERIUM]

palladium? /po'leidiom/ n. (pl. palladia /-dro/) a safeguard or source of protection. [ME f. L f. Gk palladion image of Pallas (Athene), a protecting deity]

Pallas |'pzles/ Gk Mythol. one of the names (of unknown meaning) of Athene. pallbearer /|'po:1,besra(r)/ n. a person helping to carry or officially escorting a coffin at a funeral.

palm off 1 (often foll. by on) a impose or thrust fraudulently

(on a person). b cause a person to accept unwillingly or unknowingly (palmed my old typewriter off on him). 2 (often foll. by with) cause (a person) to accept unwillingly or unknowingly (palmed him off with my old typewriter). 00 palmar |'pzelmo(r)/ adj. palmed adj. palmful n. (pl. -fuls). [ME paume f. OF paume f. L palma: later : assim. to L] Palma /'pzlm2/ (in full Palma de Mallorca) an industrial port, resort, and capital of the Balearic Islands, chief town of the island of Majorca; pop. (1986) 321,100.

palmate /'pzImeit/ adj. 1 shaped like an open hand. 2 having lobes etc. like spread fingers. [L palmatus (as PALM?)]

palmer /'pa:mo(r)/ n. 1 hist. a a pilgrim returning from the Holy Land with a palm branch or leaf. b an itinerant monk under a vow of poverty. 2a hairy artificial fly used in angling. 3 (in full palmer-worm) a destructive hairy caterpillar of a European moth, Euproctis chrysorrhoea. [ME f. AF palmer, OF palmier f. med.L palmarius pilgrim]

Palmerston /'pa:mest(a)n/, Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount (1784-1865), British statesman. Foreign Secretary between 1830 and 1841, and again from 1846 to 1851, Palmerston actively pursued liberal policies in all spheres of British influence, supporting Belgian independence, sustaining Turkey against Russian expansionism, and declaring the Opium War against China. As Prime Minister (1855-8 and 1859-65) Palmerston was the dominant political figure of the mid-19th c., overseeing the successful conclusion of the Crimean War, the suppression of the Indian Mutiny, and the maintenance of neutrality during the American Civil War.

pallet! /'pelit/ n. 1a straw mattress. 2. a mean or makeshift bed. [ME pailet, paillet f. AF paillete straw f. OF paille f. L palea]

pallet? /'pzelit/ n. 1 a flat wooden blade with a handle, used in ceramics to shape clay. 2 = PALETTE. 3 a portable platform for transporting and storing loads. 4 a projection transmitting motion from an escapement to a pendulum etc. 5 a projection on a machine-part, serving to change the mode of motion of a wheel. oo palletize v.tr. (also -ise) (in sense 3). [F palette: see PALETTE]

pallia pl. of pattium. palliasse /'pzlizs/ n. (also paillasse) a straw mattress. [F paillasse f. It. pagliaccio ult. f. L palea straw] palliate /'pzlrert/ v.tr. 1 alleviate (disease) without curing it. 2 excuse, extenuate. 00 palliation /-'e1f(o)n/ n. palliator n. [LL palliare to cloak f. pallium cloak]

palliative |'pzliotiv/ n. & adj. —n. anything used to alleviate pain, anxiety, etc. —adj. serving to alleviate. 00 palliatively adv. [F palliatif -ive or med.L palliativus (as PALLIATE)]

pallid /'pzlid/ adj. pale, esp. from illness. 00 pallidity /-!Ilidrt1/ n. pallidly adv. pallidness n. [L pallidus PALE}]

Palmerston North |'pa:mast(a)n/ a city on North island, New Zealand; pop. (1988) 67,700. palmette /pzl'met/ n. Archaeol. an ornament of radiating petals like a palm-leaf. [F, dimin. of palme PALM?] palmetto /pz1'metau/ n. (pl. -os) a small palm tree, e.g. any of various fan palms of the genus Sabal or Chamaerops. [Sp. palmito, dimin. of palma PALM}, assim. to It. words in -etto]

palmiped /'pzlm1,ped/ adj. & n. (also palmipede |-,pi:d/) — adj. web-footed. —n. a web-footed bird. [L palmipes -pedis (as PALM2, pes pedis foot)]

palmistry /'pa:mistri/ n. the pseudo-science of divination by the lines and swellings of the hand. It can be traced back to ancient China and flourished in classical Greece and medieval

pallium /'pzliom/ n. (pl. palliums or pallia /-l1o/) 1 an ecclesiastical pall, esp. that sent by the Pope to an archbishop as a symbol of authority. 2 hist. a man’s large rectangular cloak esp. as worn in antiquity. 3 Zool. the mantle of a mollusc or brachiopod. [L]

Christendom. The parts of the hand were held to correspond to various parts of the body, traits of personality, and to the heavenly bodies. There was a close link between palmistry and astrology, both claiming the ability to predict the future; one practitioner is said to have foretold the election of Pope Leo X by reading his palm. Palmistry enjoyed a considerable vogue in Renaissance Europe, often associated with physiognomy and other forms of divination; English writers in this field drew heavily on the Continental tradition. Simple cheap guides brought the basic rules to a vast audience. Palmistry was always a controversial subject: while practitioners claimed support from Scripture, other contemporaries denounced it as diabolic, and it was condemned by papal bulls in 1586 and 1631. After a long decline it enjoyed a certain revival in the 19th c., linked to the renewed interest in physiognomy. 00 palmist n. [ME (orig. palmestry) f. PALM™: second element unexpl.]

pall-mall /pz!'mzl, pel'mel/ n. hist. a 16th- and 17th-c. game in which a boxwood ball was driven with a mallet through an iron ring suspended at the end of a long alley. The street Pall Mall in London was on the site of a pall-mall alley, whence its name. fobs. F pallemaille f. It. pallamaglio f. palla ball + maglio mallet] pallor /'pzlo(r)/ n. pallidness, paleness. [L f. pallére be pale] pally /'pzli/ adj. (pallier, palliest) collog. like a pal; friendly. palm! /pa:m/ n. 1 any usu. tropical tree of the family Palmae, with no branches and a mass of large pinnate or fan-shaped leaves at the top. 2 the leaf of this tree as a symbol of victory. 3 a supreme excellence. b a prize for this. 4a branch of various trees used instead of a palm in non-tropical countries, esp. in celebrating Palm Sunday. 0 palm oil oil from the fruit of any of various palms. Palm Sunday the Sunday before Easter, on which Christ’s entry into Jerusalem is celebrated by processions in which branches of palms are carried. palm wine an alcoholic drink made from fermented palm sap. oO palmaceous /pzl'merfas/ adj. [OE palm(a) f. Gmc f. L palma PALM?, its leaf being likened to a spread hand] palm? /pa:m/ n. & v. —n. 1 the inner surface of the hand between the wrist and fingers. 2 the part of a glove that covers this. 3 the palmate part of an antler. —v.tr. conceal in the hand. O in the palm of one’s hand under one’s control or influence. b but

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Palm Springs a fashionable desert oasis and resort city in SE California; pop. (1980) 32,350. palmy /|'pa:m1/ adj. (palmier, palmiest) 1 of or like or abounding in palms. 2 triumphant, flourishing (palmy days).

Palmyra /pzl'maira/ the Greek name for the Semitic Tadmor (= city of palms), an oasis settlement in the Syrian desert, known from the 1st c. Bc first as an independent State and then, after AD 18, as a Roman dependency which flourished between the 1st-3rd c. AD, supplanting Petra as the leading caravan city on the east-west trade route. Built mainly during the 1st c. AD on the model of a Roman city, Palmyra briefly regained its kcat

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palmyra independence in the 260s as the capital of the dynasts Oeleanthus, Vaballath, and Queen Zenobia who dominated SyriaPalestine as far as Egypt before being defeated by Aurelian who destroyed Palmyra in 273. palmyra /pz!'marsro/ n. an Asian palm, Borassus flabellifer, with fan-shaped leaves used for matting etc. [Port. palmeira palm-tree,

assim. to PALMYRA] | Palomar /'pzls,ma:(r)/, Mount a mountain peak in southern California, rising to a height of 1,867 m (6,126 ft.), on which is located an astronomical observatory having a 5-metre (200-inch) reflector. Its Mexican name means ‘place of the pigeons’.

palomino j,pzle'mi:nou/ n. (pl. -os) a golden or cream-coloured horse with a light-coloured mane and tail, orig. bred in the south-western US. [Amer. Sp. f. Sp. palomino young pigeon ’f. paloma dove f. L palumba]

paloverde |,pzlou'vs:di/ n. any yellow-flowered thorny tree of the genus Cercidium in Arizona etc. [Amer. Sp., = green tree] palp /pzlp/ n. (also palpus /'pzlpes/) (pl. palps or palpi |-pai/) a segmented sense-organ at the mouth of an arthropod; a feeler. o0 palpal adj. [L palpus f. palpare feel]

palpable /'pzlpob(s)l/ adj. 1 that can be touched or felt. 2” readily perceived by the senses or mind. 00 palpability /-'biltt1/ n. palpably adv. [ME f. LL palpabilis (as PALPATE)] palpate /pzl'pert/ v.tr. examine (esp. medically) by touch. 00 palpation /-'perf(o)n/ n. [L palpare palpat- touch gently]

palpebral /'pz|pibr(s)l/ adj. of or relating to the eyelids. [LL palpebralis f. L palpebra eyelid]

palpitate /'pzlpi,teit/ v.intr. 1 pulsate, throb. 2 tremble. oo palpitant adj. [L palpitare frequent. of palpare touch gently]

palpitation |,pzIp'te1{(2)n/ n. 1 throbbing, trembling. 2 (often in pl.) increased activity of the heart due to exertion, agitation, or disease. [L palpitatio (as PALPITATE)}

palpus var. of PALp. palsgrave |'po:lzgrerv/ 7. a Count Palatine. [Du. paltsgrave f. palts palatinate + grave count] palstave |'po:Isterv/ n. Archaeol. a type of chisel made of bronze etc. shaped to fit into a split handle. [Da. paalstav f. ON pdlstavr f. pall hoe (cf. L palus stake) + stafr sTAFF"] palsy /'po:lz1, 'ppl-/ n. & v. —n. (pl. =ies) 1 paralysis, esp. with involuntary tremors. 2 a a condition of utter helplessness. b a cause of this. —v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 affect with palsy. 2 render helpless. [ME pa(rjlesi f. OF paralisie ult. f. L paralysis: see PARALYSIS] palter /|'po:lta(r), 'ppl-/ v.intr. 1 haggle or equivocate. 2 trifle. oo palterer n. [16th c.: orig. unkn.]} paitry /'po:ltri, 'pol-/ adj. (paltrier, paltriest) worthless, contemptible, trifling. 00 paltriness n. [16th c.: f. paltry trash app. f. palt, pelt rubbish + -ry (cf. trumpery): cf. LG paltrig ragged]

paludal /po'lju:d(2)l, 'pel-/ adj. 1 of a marsh. 2 malarial. oo paludism 1. (in sense 2). [L palus -udis marsh + -AL] paly /'perli/ adj. Heraldry divided into equal vertical shapes. [OF palé f. pal PALE?

palynology |,pzxli'nvlod3i/ n. the study of pollen, spores, etc., for rock-dating and the study of past environments. oO palynological |-no'lod31k(s)l/ adj. palynologist n. [Gk palund sprinkle + -Locy] Pamirs /po'mioz/ a mountain system of central Asia, partly in the USSR and extending into China and Afghanistan. pampas /'pempos/ n.pl. large treeless plains in S. America. 0 pampas-grass a tall grass, Cortaderia selloana, from S. America, with silky flowering plumes. [Sp. f. Quechua pampa plain]

pamper /'pzmpo(r)/ v.tr. 1 overindulge (a person, taste, etc.), cosset. 2 spoil (a person) with luxury. 00 pamperer n. [ME, prob. of LG or Du. orig.] pampero /pem'peorsu/ n. (pl. -os) a strong cold SW wind in S. America, blowing from the Andes to the Atlantic. [Sp. (as PAMPAS)]

pamphlet /'pemfiit/n. & v. —n.a small, usu. unbound booklet or leaflet containing information or a short treatise. —v.tr. (pamphleted, pamphleting) distribute pamphlets to. [ME f. wwe

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Pamphilet, the familiar name of the 12th-c. Latin love poem Pamphilus seu de Amore} pamphleteer |,pemfl'tio(r)/ n. & v. —n. a writer of (esp. political) pamphlets. —v.intr. write pamphlets.

Pamphylia /pem'filie/ the ancient name for the southern coastal region of Asia Minor, between Lycia and Cilicia.

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Pamplona /pem'plouno/ the capital of the former kingdom and modern region of Navarre in nothern Spain; pop. (1986) 183,700. The city is noted for its fiesta of San Fermin in July, celebrated with the running of bulls through the city streets. ~

Pamporovo |,pempo'revveu/ a skiing resort in the Rhodope Mountains of southern Bulgaria. Pan |pen/ Gk Mythol. a god of flocks and herds, native to Arcadia, thought of as loving mountains, caves, and lonely places, and as musical (his instrument being the pan-pipes), capable of causing ‘panic’ terror like that of a frightened and stampeding herd. He is represented with the horns, ears, and legs of a goat on a man’s body. [Gk, prob. = the feeder (i.e. herdsman); the ancients regularly associated his name with Gk pas or pan = all, interpreting this as implying a ‘universal’ god, but this has nothing to do with his native worship or any normal developments of it] pan! /pen/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa vessel of metal, earthenware, or plastic, usu. broad and shallow, used for cooking and other domestic purposes. b the contents of this. 2 a panlike vessel in which substances are heated etc. 3 any similar shallow container such as the bowl of a pair of scales or that used for washing gravel etc. to separate gold. 4 Brit. the bowl of a lavatory. 5 part of the lock that held the priming in old guns. 6 a hollow in the ground (salt-pan). 7 a hard substratum of soil. 8 US sl. the face. —v. (panned, panning) 1 tr. collog. criticize severely. 2 a tr. (foll. by off, out) wash (gold-bearing gravel) in a pan. b intr. search for gold by panning gravel. ¢ intr. (foll. by out) (of gravel) yield gold. 0 pan out (of an action etc.) turn out in a specified way. 05 panful n. (pl. -fuls). panlike adj. [OE panne,

perh. ult. f. L patina dish] pan? /pen/ v. & n. —v. (panned, panning) 1 tr. swing (a cinecamera) horizontally to give a panoramic effect or to follow a moving object. 2 intr. (of a cine-camera) be moved in this way. —n. a panning movement. [abbr. of PANORAMA] pan? /pa:n/ n. Bot. 1 a leaf of the betel. 2 this enclosing lime and areca-nut parings, chewed in India etc. [Hindi f. Skr. parna feather, leaf] pan- /pzn/ comb. form 1 all; the whole of. 2 relating to the whole or all the parts of a continent, racial group, religion, etc. (pan-American; pan-African; pan-Hellenic; pan-Anglican). [Gk f. pan neut. of pas all] panacea |,peno'si:a/ n. a universal remedy. 00 panacean adj. [L f. Gk panakeia f. panakés all-healing (as PAN-, akos remedy)] panache /ps'neJ/ n. 1 assertiveness or flamboyant confidence of style or manner. 2 hist. a tuft or plume of feathers, esp. as a head-dress or on a helmet. [F f. It. pennacchio f. LL pinnaculum dimin. of pinna feather] panada /po'na:do/ n. 1 a thick paste of flour etc. 2 bread boiled to a pulp and flavoured. [Sp. ult. f. L panis bread]

Pan-African Congress a South African political movement, formed in 1959, that was a militant offshoot of the African National Congress (see entry). It was outlawed in 1960.

Panaji /pz'na:d31/ a city in western India, capital of the State of Goa; pop. (1981) 76,800. Panama |,peno'ma:/ a country in Central America, situated on the isthmus which connects North and South America; pop. (est. 1988) 2,323,600; official language, Spanish; capital, Panama City. Colonized by Spain in the early 16th c., Panama was freed from imperial control in 1821 and briefly joined the Federation of Grand Colombia before becoming a Colombian province. It gained full independence in 1903, although the construction of the Panama Canal and the leasing of the zone around it to the US until 1977 split the country in two. The economy is largely tf chip

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agricultural, although shipping registration and newly discovered copper deposits also provide important sources of income. 00 Panamanian /-'meinion/ adj. & n. panama /'pzno,ma:;/ n. a hat of strawlike material made from © the leaves of a pine-tree. [Panama in Central America]

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Canal a canal about 81 km (51 miles) long, across

the isthmus of Panama, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It was begun by Ferdinand de Lesseps in 1882, abandoned through bankruptcy in 1889, and built by the US in 1904-14 in territory (the Panama Canal Zone) that was ceded in perpetuity from the Republic of Panama; by a treaty of 1977 this territory reverted to Panamanian jurisdiction. Control of the Canal itself remains with the US until 1999, after which it will be ceded to Panama.

Panama City the capital of Panama; pop. (1980) 386,400. panatella /,peno'telo/ n. a long thin cigar. [Amer. Sp. panatela, = long thin biscuit f. It. panatella dimin. of panata (as PANADA)]} Panay /pz'nai/ an island in the central Philippines; pop. (1980) 2,595,300; chief city, Iloilo.

pancake /'penkerk, 'pen-/ n. & v. —n. 1 a thin flat cake of batter usu. fried and turned in a pan and rolled up with a filling. 2a flat cake of make-up etc. —v. 1 intr. make a pancake landing. 2 tr. cause (an aircraft) to pancake. o flat as a pancake completely flat. Pancake Day Shrove Tuesday (on which pancakes are traditionally eaten). pancake landing an emergency landing by an aircraft with its undercarriage still retracted, in which the pilot attempts to keep the aircraft in a horizontal position throughout. [ME f. PAN! + CAKE] panchayat /pan'tfarat/ n. a village council in India. [Hindi f. Skr. pancha five]

Panchen Lama /'pent{(2)n ,la:mo/ n. a Tibetan lama ranking next after the Dalai lama. [Tibetan panchen great learned one]

panchromatic /,penkrou'mettk/ adj. Photog. (of a film etc.) sensitive to all visible colours of the spectrum. pancreas /'penykrias/ n. a gland near the stomach supplying the duodenum with digestive fluid and secreting insulin into the blood. o0 pancreatic /-'zttk/ adj. pancreatitis /-'tartis/ n. [mod.L f. Gk pagkreas (as PAN-, kreas -atos flesh)] pancreatin /'penkriotim| n. a digestive extract containing pancreatic enzymes, prepared from animal pancreases. panda /'pendo/ n. 1 (also giant panda) a large bearlike mammal, Ailuropoda melanoleuca, native to limited mountainous forested areas in China and Tibet, having characteristic black and white markings. First described by the French missionary Armand David (d. 1900) in 1869, it was known as the parti-

coloured bear until its zoological relationship to the red panda (see sense 2) was established in 1901. 2 (also red panda) a Himalayan racoon-like mammal, Ailurus fulgens, with reddishbrown fur and a long bushy tail. 0 panda car Brit. a police patrol car (orig. white with black stripes on the doors). [Nepali name] pandect /'pendekt/ n. (usu. in pl.) 1 a complete body of laws. 2 hist. a compendium in 50 books of the Roman civil law made by order of Justinian in the 6th c. [F pandecte or L pandecta pandectes f. Gk pandektés all-receiver (as PAN-, dektés f. dekhomai receive)] pandemic /pen'demrk/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a disease) prevalent over a whole country or the world. —n. a pandemic disease. [Gk pandémos (as PAN-, démos people)]

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/|,pendi'mouniem/ n. 1 uproar; utter confu-

sion. 2 a scene of this. [mod.L (place of all demons in Milton’s Paradise Lost) f. PAN- + Gk daimon DEMON] pander /'pendo(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. (foll. by to) gratify or indulge a person, a desire or weakness, etc. —n. 1 a go-between in illicit love affairs; a procurer. 2 a person who encourages coarse desires. [Pandare, a character who acted as go-between for the lovers in Boccaccio and in Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde, f. L Pandarus f. Gk Pandaros]

pandit var. of puNDIT 1. P. & O. abbr. Peninsular and Oriental Shipping Company (or Line).

Pandora /pen'do:ra/ Gk Mythol. in Hesiod’s tale, Zeus punished wz cat

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mankind in general by creating woman to their confusion. The first woman was called Pandora, because she had ‘all gifts’ from the gods (she is probably, in reality, an earth-goddess, the Allgiver). Prometheus’ simple brother, Epimetheus (= Afterthinker) married her despite his brother’s warnings, and she let out all the evils from the store-jar where they were kept; hope alone remained to assuage the lot of mankind. The tale is a piece of satire against women (compare the part played by Eve in the Hebrew myth). 0 Pandora’s box a process that once activated will generate many unmanageable problems. [Gk Pandora all-gifted (as PAN-, doron gift)]

p. & p. abbr. Brit. postage and packing. pane /pein/ n. 1 a single sheet of glass in a window or door. 2a rectangular division of a chequered pattern etc. [ME f. OF pan f. L pannus piece of cloth] panegyric /,pzeni'dzirtk/ n. a laudatory discourse; a eulogy. 00 panegyrical adj. [F panégyrique f. L panegyricus f. Gk panégurikos of public assembly (as PAN-, éguris = agora assembly)] panegyrize |'pznid31,raiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) speak or write in praise of; eulogize. 00 panegyrist /-'dzirist/ n. [Gk panégurizd (as PANEGYRIC)]

panel /'pzn(s)l/ n. & v. —n.

1 a a distinct, usu. rectangular,

section of a surface (e.g. of a wall, door, or vehicle). b a control

panel (see CONTROL n. 5). ¢ = instrument panel. 2 a strip of material as part of a garment. 3 a group of people forming a team in a broadcast game, discussion, etc. 4 Brit. hist. a list

of medical practitioners registered in a district as accepting patients under the National Insurance Act. 5 aa list of available jurors; a jury. b Sc. a person or persons accused of a crime. —-v.tr. (panelled, panelling; US paneled, paneling) 1 fit or provide with panels. 2 cover or decorate with panels. o panel-beater one whose job is to beat out the metal panels of motor vehicles. panel game a broadcast quiz et or metal or glass for holding liquids or solids or for cooking in. 2 aa coffee-pot, flowerpot, glue-pot, jam-pot, teapot, etc. b = chimney-pot. ¢ = lobster-pot. 3 a drinking vessel of pewter etc. 4 the contents of a pot (ate a whole pot ofjam). 5 the total amount of the bet in a game etc. 6 collog. a large sum (pots of money). 7 sl. a vessel given as a prize in an athletic contest, esp. a silver cup. 8 = pot-belly. —v.tr. (potted, potting) 1 place in a pot. 2 (usu. as potted adj.) preserve in a sealed pot (potied shrimps). 3 sit (a young child) on a chamber pot. 4 pocket (a ball) in billiards etc. 5 shoot at, hit, or kill (an animal) with a pot shot. 6 seize or secure. 7 abridge or epitomize (in a potted version; potted wisdom). 0 go to pot collog. deteriorate; be ruined. pot-bellied having a pot-belly. pot-belly (pl. -ies) 1 a protruding stomach. 2 a person with this. 3 a small bulbous stove. pot-boiler 1 a work of literature or art done merely to make the writer or artist a living. 2 a writer or artist who does this. pot-bound (of a plant) having roots which fill the flowerpot, leaving no room to expand. pot cheese US cottage cheese. pot-herb any herb grown in a kitchen garden. pot-hook 1 a hook over a hearth for hanging a pot etc. on, or for lifting a hot pot. 2 a curved stroke in handwriting, esp. as made in learning to write. pot-hunter 1 a person who hunts for game at random. 2 a person who takes part in a contest merely for the sake of the prize. pot luck whatever (hospitality etc.) is available. pot of gold an imaginary reward; an ideal; a jackpot. pot pie a pie of meat etc. or fruit with a crust baked ina pot. pot plant a plant grown in a flowerpot. pot roast a piece of meat cooked slowly in a covered dish. pot-reast v.tr. cook (a piece of meat) in this way. pot-shot 1 a random shot. 2 a shot aimed at an animal etc. within easy reach. 3 a shot at a game-bird etc. merely to provide a meal. pot-valiant courageous because of drunkenness. pot-valour this type of courage. 00 potful n. (pl. -fuls). [OE pott, corresp. to OFris., MDu., MLG pot, f. pop.L] pot? /pot/ n. sl. marijuana. 0 pot-head one who smokes this. [prob, f. Mex. Sp. potiguaya]

pot? /ppt/ n. & v. Austral. & NZ —n. a dropped goal in rugby football. —v.tr. (potted, potting) score (a dropped goal). [perh.

f. pot-shot]

potable /'psvtab(a)l/ adj. drinkable. 00 potability /-'brliti/ n. [F potable or LL potabilis f. L potare drink] potage /pp'ta:3/ n. thick soup. [F (as poTTaGE)]

potamic

/po'temrik/

adj.

of

rivers.

oO

potamology

|,pote'molid31/ n. [Gk potamos river] : potash /'pptezJ/ n. an alkaline potassium compound, usu. potassium carbonate or hydroxide. [17th-c. pot-ashes f. Du. pot-asschen (as pot}, asH}): orig. obtained by leaching vegetable ashes and evaporating the solution in iron pots] potassium /po'tesiom/ n. Chem. a soft silver-white metallic element first isolated by Sir Humphry Davy in 1807. It is essential to life. The metal itself is very reactive and has few uses, but its compounds are widely used in the manufacture of fertilizers, wwe

z zoo

f she

pothole

1133

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

soaps, glass, etc. | Symb.: K; atomic number 19. 0 potassium

chloride a white crystalline solid used as a fertilizer and in photographic processing. potassium cyanide a highly toxic solid that can be hydrolysed to give poisonous hydrogen cyanide gas: also called CYANIDE. potassium iodide a white crystalline solid used as an additive to table salt to prevent iodine deficiency. potassium permanganate a purple crystalline solid that is used in solution as an oxidizing agent and disinfectant. 00 potassic adj. [POTASH + -IUM] potation /po'ter{(2)n/ n. 1a drink. 2 the act or an instance of drinking. 3 (usu. in pl.) the act or an instance of tippling. 05 potatory /pou'tertort/ adj. [ME f. OF potation or L potatio f. potare drink] potato /po'teitau/ n. (pl. -oes) 1 a starchy plant tuber that is cooked and used for food. 2 the plant, Solanum tuberosum, bearing this. Now one of the main food crops of the world, the potato was introduced into Europe c.1570 by the Spaniards who had encountered it in their explorations of South America. 3 colloq. a hole in (esp. the heel of) a sock or stocking. 0 potato chip = CHIP n. 3. potato crisp Brit. = crisp n. 1. [Sp. patata var. of S.

Amer. Indian batata]

;

pot-au-feu |,potou'fo/ n. 1 a large cooking pot of the kind common in France. 2 the soup or broth cooked in it. 3 the traditional French recipe associated with this. [F, = pot on the fire] potch /potf/ n. an opal of inferior quality. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] poteen /pp'ti:n/n. (also potheen /-'tfi:n/) Ir. alcohol made illicitly, usu. from potatoes. [Ir. poitin dimin. of pota pot]

Potemkin /ps'temkin/, Grigori Alexandrovich (1739-91), Russian soldier and statesman. The chief favourite of Catherine the Great from 1771, he was responsible for considerable Russian expansion towards the south.

Potemkin |pa'temkin/ the battleship whose crew mutinied in the Russian revolution of 1905 when in the Black Sea, bombarding Odessa before seeking asylum in Romania. The incident persuaded the emporer to agree to a measure of reform. potent! /'psut(s)nt/ adj. 1 powerful; strong. 2 (of a reason) cogent; forceful. 3 (of a male) capable of sexual erection or orgasm. 4 literary mighty. 00 potence n. potency n. potently adv. [L potens -entis pres. part. of posse be able} potent? /'psut(a)nt/ adj. & n. Heraldry —adj. 1 with a crutch-head shape. 2 (of a fur) formed bya series of such shapes. —n. this fur. [ME f. OF potence crutch f. L potentia power (as POTENT)} potentate /'pouton,tert/ n. a monarch or ruler. [ME f. OF potentat or L potentatus dominion (as POTENT?)]

potential /po'ten{(2)l/ adj. & n. —adj. capable of coming into being or action; latent. —n. 1 the capacity for use or development; possibility (achieved its highest potential). 2 usable resources. 3 Physics the quantity determining the energy of mass in a gravitational field or of charge in an electric field. o potential barrier a region of high potential impeding the movement of particles etc. potential difference the difference of electric potential between two points. potential energy a body’s ability to do work by virtue of its position relative to others, stresses within itself, electric charge, etc. oo potentiality /-fi'eliti/ n. potentialize v.tr. (also -ise). potentially adv. [ME f. OF potencial or LL potentialis f. potentia (as POTENT})} potentiate /po'tenft1eit/ v.tr. 1 make more powerful, esp. increase the effectiveness of (a drug). POTENT! after SUBSTANTIATE]

2 make

possible. [as

potentilla /,pooten'tila/ n. any plant or shrub of the genus Potentilla; a cinquefoil. [med.L, dimin. of L potens POTENT] potentiometer /ps,tenf1'pmita(r)/ n. an instrument for measuring or adjusting small electrical potentials. oo potentiometric /-{1o'metrik/ adj. potentiometry /-J1'pmitri/ n.

potheen var. of PoTEEN. pother /'ppdo(r)/ n. & v. literary —n. a noise; commotion; fuss. —-v. 1 tr. fluster, worry. 2 intr. make a fuss. [16th c.: orig. unkn.]

pothole /'pothaol/ n. & v. —n. 1 Geol. a deep hole or system of caves and underground river-beds formed by the erosion of rock tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

potion

pounce

1134

op

esp. by the action of water. 2 a deep hole in the ground or a river-bed. 3 a hole in a road surface caused by wear or subsidence. —v.intr. Brit. explore potholes. oo potholer n. potholing n. potion /'pous(s)n/ n. a dose or quantity of medicine, a drug, poison, etc. [ME f. OF f. L potio -onis f. potus having drunk]

Potiphar /'ppt1,fa:(r)/ an Egyptian officer whose wife tried to seduce Joseph and then falsely accused him of attempting to rape her (Gen. 39). potlatch /'pptletf/ n. (among N. American Indians) a ceremonial giving away or destruction of property to enhance status. [Chinook f. Nootka patlatsh gift] Potomac /ps'touomek/ a river of the US flowing into Chesapeake Bay and forming part of the northern boundary of Virginia. potoroo |,pote'ru:/ n. Austral. any small marsupial of the genus Potorus, native to Australia and Tasmania; a rat kangaroo. [Aboriginal]

Potosi |,ppteu'si:| the chief mining city of southern Bolivia;

the opening up of the direct sea-route in the 16th c., though these wares were not without influence on the Islamic pottery of the Near East. In medieval times pottery was little used at table but by the 18th c. there was an immense demand for table and ornamental wares of all kinds, and new factories appeared in many countries. In Britain, where the Industrial Revolution was beginning, the rise of Staffordshire as the pottery centre saw technical and practical innovations which culminated, during the life of Josiah Wedgwood, in the change from craft to industry.

potting shed /'pptin/ n. a building in which plants are potted and tools etc. are stored. pottle /'ppt(2)l/ n. 1 a small punnet or carton for strawberries etc. 2 archaic a a measure for liquids; a half gallon. b a pot etc. containing this. [ME f. OF potel (as PoT?)] potto /'pptsu/ n. (pl. -os) 1 a W. African lemur-like mammal, Perodicticus potto. 2 a kinkajou. [perh. f. Guinea dial.]

Pott’s fracture /pots/ n. a fracture of the lower end of the fibula, usu. with dislocation of the ankle. [P. Pott, Engl. surgeon d. 1788]

pop. (1985) 113,000. Situated at an altitude of about 4,205 m (13,780 ft.) it is one of the highest cities in the world. pot-pourri /pou'puari, -'ri:/ n. 1 a mixture of dried petals and spices used to perfume a room etc. 2 a musical or literary medley. [F, = rotten pot] potrero /pp'tresrau/ n. (pl. -os) 1 (in the south-western US and S. America) a paddock or pasture for horses or cattle. 2 (in the south-western US) a narrow steep-sided plateau. [Sp. f. potro colt, pony]

potty! /'ppt1/ adj. (pottier, pottiest) Brit. sl. 1 foolish or crazy. 2 insignificant, trivial (esp. potty little). 00 pottiness n. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] potty? /'ppti/ n. (pl. -ies) collog. a chamber-pot, esp. for a child. pouch /pavot)/ n. & v. —n. 1a small bag or detachable outside pocket. 2 a baggy area of skin underneath the eyes etc. 3aa

pocket-like receptacle in which marsupials carry their young during lactation. b any of several similar structures in various

Potsdam /'pptsdem/ a city in Germany, situated just west of

animals, e.g. in the cheeks of rodents. 4 a soldier’s leather

Berlin; pop. (est. 1990) 95,000. In July-August 1945 it was the site of a conference of US, Soviet, and British leaders, following the end of the war in Europe, which established principles for the Allied occupation of Germany. During its session an ultimatum was sent to Japan demanding unconditional surrender.

ammunition bag. 5 a lockable bag for mail or dispatches. 6 Bot. a baglike cavity, esp. the seed-vessel, in a plant. —v.tr. 1 put or make into a pouch. 2 take possession of; pocket. 3 make (part of a dress etc.) hang like a pouch. 00 pouched adj. pouchy adj. [ME f. ONF pouche: cf. POKE?]

pouf var. of Poor.

potsherd /'pptfs:d/ n. a broken piece of ceramic material, esp. one found on an archaeological site. pottage /|'pptid3/ n. archaic soup, stew. [ME f. OF potage (as pot})] Potter/'ppta(r)/, (Helen) Beatrix (1866-1943), English writer for children. The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1901) was the first in a series of animal stories, charmingly illustrated in water-colour by the author. potter! /'ppota(r)/ v. (US putter /'pato(r)/) 1 intr. a (often foll. by about, around) work or occupy oneself in a desultory but pleasant manner (likes pottering about in the garden). b (often foll. by at, in) dabble in a subject or occupation. 2 intr. go slowly, dawdle, loiter (pottered up to the pub). 3 tr. (foll. by away) fritter away (one’s time etc.). 00 potterer n. (frequent. of dial. pote push f. OE potian] potter? /'ppta(r)/ n. a maker of ceramic vessels. Oo potter’s field a burial place for paupers, strangers, etc. (after Matt. 27: 7). potter’s wheel a horizontal revolving disc to carry clay for moulding in making pots. The wheel probably came into use during the 4th millennium sc. At first it was turned by hand (the ‘slow wheel’), later by a foot-operated wheel. Known in Mesopotamia by c.3500 Bc, over a period of centuries it spread to Egypt and other parts of the Near East and to India, reaching Crete and China by about 2000 Bc, Europe at varying dates, and southern Britain in the mid-1st c. Bc. It was unknown in America until the arrival of European conquerors and settlers. [OE pottere (as PoT})] pottery /'pptori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 vessels etc. made of fired clay. (See below.) 2 a potter’s work. 3 a potter’s workshop. Oo the Potteries a district in N. Staffordshire, where the English pottery industry is centred. [ME f. OF poterie f. potier POTTER?] The shaping and baking of clay vessels is among the oldest and most widely practised of all the crafts: earthenware pottery dating from about 9,000 years ago has been found on the Anatolian plateau of Turkey. At first it was shaped entirely by hand, and many centuries passed before the introduction of the potter’s wheel (see POTTER’). The brilliant achievements of the Chinese and their neighbours, especially in the field of glazed stoneware and porcelain, were almost unknown in Europe until

z cat

a: arm

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1 sit

pouffe /pu:f/ n. (also pouf) a large firm cushion used as a low seat or footstool. [F pouf; ult. imit.] poulard@ /pu:'la:d/ n. a domestic hen that has been spayed and fattened for eating. [F poularde f. poule hen] Poulenc /'pu:l@k/, Francis (1899-1963), French composer, a member of the group dubbed ‘Les Six’. In his lightness of touch, wit, and adoption of the idioms of popular music (music-hall, jazz, café music, etc.) he was a true disciple of Satie and Cocteau, but his works are also characterized by a lyricism and an almost romantic charm, at its most attractive in his many songs and in such instrumental works as the sonatas for flute (1957), oboe (1962), and clarinet (1962). His works for the theatre include the ballet Les Biches (1923) and the large-scale religious opera Dialogues des Carmélites (1957) based on events of the French Revolution.

poult! /poolt/ n. a young domestic fowl, turkey, pheasant, etc. (ME, contr. f. PULLET] poult? /pu:lt/n. (in full poult-de-soie /,pu:do'swa:/) a fine corded silk or taffeta, usu. coloured. [F, of unkn. orig.] poulterer /'psultara(r)/ n. a dealer in poultry and usu. game. [ME poulter f. OF pouletier (as PULLET)] poultice /'poultis/ n. & v. —n. a soft medicated and usu. heated mass applied to the body and kept in place with muslin etc., for relieving soreness and inflammation. —v.tr. apply a poultice to. [orig. pultes (pl.) f. L puls pultis pottage, pap, etc.] poultry /'povltri/ n. domestic fowls (ducks, geese, turkeys, chickens, etc.), esp. as a source of food. [ME f. OF pouletrie (as POULTERER)] pounce! /pauns/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 spring or swoop, esp. as in capturing prey. 2 (often foll. by on, upon) a make a sudden attack. b seize eagerly upon an object, remark, etc. (pounced on what we said). —n. 1 the act or an instance of pouncing. 2 the claw or talon of a bird of prey. 00 pouncer n. [perh. f. PUNCHEON}] pounce? /paons/n. & v. —n. 1 fine powder formerly used to prevent ink from spreading on unglazed paper. 2 powdered charcoal etc. dusted over a perforated pattern to transfer the

i: see

p hot

o: saw

Arun

o put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

pouncet-box

design to the object beneath. —v.tr. 1 dust with pounce. 2 transfer (a design etc.) by use of pounce. 3 smooth (paper etc.) with pounce or pumice. 00 pouncer n. [F ponce, poncer f. L pumex PUMICE] pouncet-box /'paunsit/ n. archaic a small box with a perforated lid for perfumes etc. [16th c.: perh. orig. erron. f. pounced (= perforated) box]

Pound /paund/, Ezra Weston Loomis (1885-1972), American poet and critic, who left for Europe in 1908 and in London became a leader of the imagist movement. To this period belong Ripostes (1912), ‘Homage to Sextus Propertius’, and Hugh Selwyn Mauberley (1920). Gradually he moved away from imagism, using a wide range of reference including Chinese, Old English, Provengal, Greek, and Latin towards the multicultural world of the Cantos (1917-70) on which his reputation rests. He settled in Italy in 1925 where his preoccupation with economics led to anti-Semitism and support for Mussolini; he made antidemocratic broadcasts on Italian radio during the Second World War and in 1945 was charged with treason but adjudged insane and committed to a mental institution until 1958. The tragedies of his later years obscured his reputation, but he is widely accepted as a master of verse form and as the regenerator of the poetic idiom of his day.

pound! /paund/ n. 1a unit of weight equal to 16 oz. avoirdupois (0.4536 kg), or 12 oz. troy (0.3732 kg). 2 (in full pound sterling) (pl. same or pounds) the chief monetary unit of the UK and several other countries. 0 pound cake a rich cake containing a pound (or equal weights) of each chief ingredient. pound coin (or note) a coin or note worth one pound sterling. pound of flesh any legitimate but crippling or morally offensive demand (with allusion to Shylock’s demand for a pound of Antonio’s flesh, pledged as security for a loan, in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice). pound Scots hist. 1s. 8d. pound sign the sign £, representing a pound. [OE pund ult. f. L pondo Roman pound weight of 12 ounces]

pound? /paund/ v. 1 tr. a crush or beat with repeated heavy blows. b thump or pummel, esp. with the fists. ¢ grind to a powder or pulp. 2 intr. (foll. by at, on) deliver heavy blows or gunfire. 3 intr. (foll. by along etc.) make one’s way heavily or clumsily. 4 intr. (of the heart) beat heavily. 0 pound out produce with or as if with heavy blows. 500 pounder n. [OE pinian, rel. to Du. puin, LG ptin rubbish]

pound? /paond/n. & v. —n. 1 an enclosure where stray animals or Officially removed vehicles are kept until redeemed. 2 a place of confinement. —v.tr. enclose (cattle etc.) in a pound. 0 pound lock a lock with two gates to confine water and often a side

reservoir to maintain the water level. [ME f. OE pund- in pundfald: see PINFOLD] poundage /'paundid3/ n. 1 a commission or fee of so much per pound sterling or weight. 2 a percentage of the total earnings ofa business, paid as wages. 3 a person’s weight, esp. that which is regarded as excess.

poundal /'paund(s)l/ n. Physics a unit of force equal to the force required to give a mass of one pound an acceleration of one foot per second per second. [POUND! + -al perh. after quintal] pounder /'paunda(r)/ n. (usu. in comb.) 1 a thing or person weighing a specified number of pounds (a five-pounder). 2a gun carrying a shell of a specified number of pounds. 3 a thing worth, or a person possessing, so many pounds sterling. pour /po:(r)/ v. 1 intr. & tr. (usu. foll. by down, out, over, etc.) flow or cause to flow esp. downwards in a stream or shower. 2 tr. dispense (a drink, e.g. tea) by pouring. 3 intr. (of rain, or with it as subject) fall heavily. 4 intr. (usu. foll. by in, out, etc.) come or go in profusion or rapid succession (the crowd poured out; letters poured in; poems poured from her fertile mind). 5 tr. discharge or send freely (poured forth arrows). 6 tr. (often foll. by out) utter at length or in a rush (poured out their story; poured scorn on my attempts). O it never rains but it pours misfortunes rarely come singly. pour cold water on see COLD. pour oil on the waters (or on troubled waters) calm a disagreement or disturbance, esp. with conciliatory words. 00 pourable adj. pourer n. [ME: orig. unkn.] au how

ei day

9u0 no

power

1135

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

va poor

pourbotire |pus'bwa:(r)/ n. a gratuity or tip. [F, = pour boire (money) for drinking]

Poussin

/pu:'s#/,

Nicolas

(1594-1665),

French

painter.

Although considered the chief representative of French classicism in art, his work could almost be seen as part of the development of painting in Italy from where he took all his inspiration and where he chose to live for thirty-nine of the last forty-one years of his life. At first influenced by Italian mannerist and baroque painting, his study of the antique and the paintings of Raphael and Titian led him to a cogent and lucid style suffused

with a rich and vibrant colour sense. His subject-matter ranged over biblical scenes (The Entombment), classical mythology (Arcadia), and, particularly towards the end of his life, historical landscapes. poussin /'pu:s#/ n. a young chicken bred for eating. [F] pout! /paot/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. a push the lips forward as an expression of displeasure or sulking. b (of the lips) be pushed forward. 2 tr. push (the lips) forward in pouting. —n. 1 such an action or expression. 2 (the pouts) a fit of sulking. 00 pouter n. poutingly adv. pouty adj. [ME, perh. f. OE putian (unrecorded) be inflated: cf. pouT?]

pout? /paot/ n. 1 = Bis! 3. 2 = EELPOUT. [OE -puta in 2lepitta eelpout, f. WG] pouter /'pavto(r)/ n. 1 a person who pouts. 2 a kind of pigeon able to inflate its crop considerably. poverty /'ppvoti/ n. 1 the state of being poor; want of the necessities of life. 2 (often foll. by of, in) scarcity or lack. 3 inferiority, poorness, meanness. 4 Eccl. renunciation of the right to individual ownership of property. 0 poverty line the minimum income level needed to secure the necessities of life. poverty-stricken extremely poor. poverty trap a situation in which an increase of income incurs a loss of State benefits, making real improvement impossible. [ME f. OF poverte, poverté f. L paupertas -tatis f.. pauper poor]

POW abbr. prisoner of war. pow

/pau/ int. expressing the sound of a blow or explosion.

[imit.] powder /'pavda(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1a substance in the form of fine dry particles. 2 a medicine or cosmetic in this form. 3 = GUNPOWDER. —Vv.tr. 1 a apply powder to (powder one’s nose). b sprinkle or decorate with or as with powder. 2 (esp. as powdered adj.) reduce to a fine powder (powdered milk). o keep one’s powder dry be cautious and alert. powder blue pale blue. powder-flask hist. a small case for carrying gunpowder. powder-keg 1 a barrel of gunpowder. 2 a dangerous or volatile situation. powder metallurgy the production of metal as fine powders to make objects. powder-monkey hist. a boy employed on board ship to carry powder to the guns. powder-puff a soft pad for applying powder to the skin, esp. the face. powder-room a women’s cloakroom or lavatory in a public building. powder snow loose dry snow on a ski-run etc. take a powder sl. depart quickly. 00 powdery adj. [ME f. OF poudre f. L pulvis pulveris dust]

Powell /pou(e)l/, Anthony Dymoke (1905—_), English novelist, whose initial reputation as a satirist and comedian rests on five

pre-war books beginning with Afternoon Men (1931). After the war he embarked on his ambitious sequence of 12 novels (A Dance to the Music of Time) beginning with A Question of Upbringing (1951) and ending with Hearing Secret Harmonies (1975); the whole is seen through the detached eyes of narrator Nicholas Jenkins, whose generation grew up in the shadow of the First World War to find their lives dislocated by the Second, and gives a rich and broad panorama, part humorous, part melancholy, of English life. power /'pavo(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 the ability to do or act (will do all

in my power, has the power to change colour). 2 a particular faculty of body or mind (lost the power of speech; powers of persuasion). 3 a government, influence, or authority. b political or social ascendancy or control (the party in power; Black Power). 4 authorization; delegated authority (power of attorney; police powers). 5 (often foll. by over) personal ascendancy. 6 an influential person, group, or organization (the press is a power in the land). 7 a military strength.

aio fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

powerboat

Prado

1136

a

SS

b a State having international influence, esp. based on military strength (the leading powers). 8 vigour, energy. 9 an active property or function (has a high heating power). 10 collog. a large number or amount (has done me a power of good). 11 the capacity * for exerting mechanical force or doing work (horsepower). 12 mechanical or electrical energy as distinct from hand-labour (often attrib.: power tools; power steering). 13 a a public supply of (esp. electrical) energy. b a particular source or form of energy (hydroelectric power). 14 a mechanical force applied e.g. by means of a lever. 15 Physics the rate of energy output. 16 the product

ee

p-p. abbr. (also pp) per pro. PPE abbr. Brit. philosophy, politics, and economics (as a degree course at Oxford University). p-p-m. abbr. parts per million.

PPS abbr. Brit. 1 Parliamentary Private Secretary. 2 additional postscript. PR abbr. 1 public relations. 2 proportional representation. 3 US

Puerto Rico.

Pr symb. Chem. the element praseodymium.

obtained when a number is multiplied by itselfa certain number of times (2 to the power of 3 = 8). 17 the magnifying capacity of a lens. 18 aa deity. b (in pl.) the sixth order of the ninefold celestial

pr. abbr. pair. PRA abbr. (in the UK) President of the Royal Academy. praam var. of PRAM”. practicable /'prektikob(s)l/ adj. 1 that can be done or used. 2

hierarchy. —v.tr. 1 supply with mechanical or electrical energy. 2 (foll. by up, down) increase or decrease the power supplied to (a device); switch on or off. 0 in the power of under the control

possible in practice. oO practicability /-'brlit/ 1. practicableness n. practicably adv. [F praticable f. pratiquer put into practice (as PRACTICAL)]

of. more power to your elbow! an expression of encouragement or approval. power behind the throne a person who asserts authority or influence without having formal status. power block a group of nations constituting an international political force. power cut a temporary withdrawal or failure of

practical /'prektrk(9)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or concerned with

an electric power supply. power-dive n. a steep dive of an aircraft with the engines providing thrust. —v.intr. perform a power-dive. power line a conductor supplying electrical power,

function well. 4 a that is such in effect though not nominally

practice or use rather than theory. 2 suited to use or action; designed mainly to fulfil a function (practical shoes). 3 (of a person) inclined to action rather than speculation; able to make things (for all practical purposes). b virtual (in practical control). 5 feasible; concerned with what is actually possible (practical politics). —n.

esp. one supported by pylons or poles. power of attorney see ATTORNEY. power pack 1 a unit for supplying power. 2 the equipment for converting an alternating current (from the mains) to a direct current at a different (usu. lower) voltage. power play 1 tactics involving the concentration of players at a particular point. 2 similar tactics in business, politics, etc., involving a concentration of resources, effort, etc. power point Brit. a socket in a wall etc. for connecting an electrical device to the mains. power politics political action based on power or influence. power-sharing a policy agreed between parties or within a coalition to share responsibility for decision-making and political action. power station a building where electrical power is generated for distribution. the powers that be those in authority (Rom. 13:1). power stroke the stroke of an internal-combustion engine, in which the piston is moved downward by the expansion of gases. 00 powered adj. (also in comb.). [ME & AF poer etc., OF poeir ult. f. L posse be able] powerboat /'pava,bsut/ n. a powerful motor boat. powerful /'pavo,ful/ adj. 1 having much power or strength. 2 politically or socially influential ooOF powerfully adv. powerfulness n. powerhouse /'pavahaus/ n. 1 = power station. 2 a person or thing of great energy. powerless /'pavolis/ adj. 1 without power or strength. 2 (often foll. by to + infin.) wholly unable (powerless to help). oo powerlessly adv. powerlessness n. powerplant /'pavo,pla:nt/ n. an apparatus or an installation which provides power for industry, a machine, etc. Powwow |/|'pavwau/ n. & v. —n. a conference or meeting for discussion (orig. among N. American Indians). —-v.tr. hold a powwow. [Algonquian powah, powwaw magician (lit. ‘he dreams’)] Powys /'poors, '‘pavis/ an inland county of Wales; pop. (1981) 110,500; county town, Llandridod Wells. pox /ppks/ n. 1 any virus disease producing a rash of pimples that become pus-filled and leave pock-marks on healing. 2 collog. = SYPHILIS. 3 a plant disease that causes pocklike spots. 0 a pox on archaic an exclamation of anger or impatience with (a person). [alt. spelling of pocks pl. of Pock] poxy /'ppksi/ adj. (poxier, poxiest) 1 infected by pox. 2 sl. of poor quality; worthless.

Poznan /poz'nenj an industrial city in western Poland; pop.

(1985) 553,000.

pozzolana /|,pptso'la:n9/ n. (also puzzolana) a volcanic ash used for mortar or hydraulic cement. [It., f, pozz(u)olano (adj.) of Pozzuoli near Naples] PP abbr. pianissimo. Pp. abbr. pages.

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

a practical examination or lesson. 0 practical joke a humorous trick played on a person. practical joker a person who plays practical jokes. oO practicality /-'keliti/ n. (pl. -ies). practicalness n. [earlier practic f. obs. F practique or LL practicus

f. Gk praktikos f. prass6 do, act]

practically /'prektikoli/ adv. 1 virtually, almost (practically nothing). 2 in a practical way. practice /'prektis/ n. & v. —n. 1 habitual action or performance (the practice of teaching; makes a practice of saving). 2a habit or custom (has been my regular practice). 3 a repeated exercise in an activity requiring the development of skill (to sing well needs much practice). b a session of this (time for target practice). 4 action or execution as opposed to theory. 5 the professional work or business of a doctor, lawyer, etc. (has a practice in town). 6 an established method of legal procedure. 7 procedure generally, esp. of a specified kind (bad practice). —v.tr. & intr. US var. of PRACTISE. 0 in practice 1 when actually applied; in reality. 2 skilful because of recent exercise in a particular pursuit. out of practice lacking a former skill from lack of recent practice. put into practice actually apply (an idea, method, etc.). [ME f. PRACTISE, after advice, device]

practician /prek'tif(a)n/ n. a worker; a practitioner. [obs. F practicien f. practique f. med.L practica f. Gk praktiké fem. of praktikos: see PRACTICAL] practise /'prektis/ v. (US practice) 1 tr. perform habitually; carry out in action (practise the same method; practise what you preach). 2 tr. & (foll. by in, on) intr. do repeatedly as an exercise to improve a skill; exercise oneself in or on (an activity requiring skill) (had to practise in the art of speaking; practise your reading). 3 tr. (as practised adj.) experienced, expert (a practised liar; with a practised hand). 4 tr. a pursue or be engaged in (a profession, religion, etc.). b (as practising adj.) currently active or engaged in (a profession or activity) (a practising Christian; a practising lawyer). 5 intr. (foll. by on, upon) take advantage of; impose upon. 6 intr. archaic scheme, contrive (when first we practise to deceive). 00 practiser n. [ME f. OF pra(c)tiser or med.L practizare alt. f. practicare (as PRACTICAL)]

practitioner /prek'tifana(r)/ n. a person practising a profession, esp. medicine (general practitioner). [obs. practitian = PRACTICIAN] Prado /'pra:dou/ the Spanish national art gallery, in Madrid. Established in 1818 by Ferdinand VII and Isabella of Braganza, it houses the greatest collection in the world of Spanish masters— Velazquez, el Greco, Zurbaran, Ribera, Murillo, Goya—as well as important examples of Flemish and Venetian art collected as a result of political ties with these countries in the reign of Charles V, Philip Il, and Philip IV. Work produced after 1850 is deemed ineligible for inclusion.

k cat

1 leg

m man

n no

p pen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

praeprae- /pri:/ prefix = pRE- (esp. in words regarded as Latin or relating to Roman antiquity). [L: see PRE-] praectpe |'pri:srpi/ n. 1 a writ demanding action or an explanation of non-action. 2 an order requesting a writ. [L (the first

word of the writ), imper. of praecipere enjoin: see PRECEPT] praecocial /pri'ksu{(2)l/ adj. & n. (US precocial) —adj. (of a bird) having young that can feed themselves as soon as they are hatched. —n. a praecocial bird (cf. atrRictAL). [L praecox -cocis (as PRECOCIOUS)] praemunire |pri:mu:'nrar/ n. hist. a writ charging a sheriff to summon a person accused of asserting or maintaining papal jurisdiction in England. [med.L, = forewarn, for L praemonére (as PRAE-, monére warn): the words praemunire facias that you warn (a person to appear) occur in the writ] praenomen /pri:'noumen/ n. an ancient Roman’s first or personal name (e.g. Marcus Tullius Cicero). [L f. prae before + nomen name] praepostor /pri'ppsta(r)/ n. (also prepostor) Brit. (at some public schools) a prefect or monitor. [praepositor alt. f. L praepositus past part. of praeponere set over (as PRAE-, ponere posit- place)]

praesidium var. of PRESIDIUM. praetor /'pri:ta(r), -to:(r)/ n. (US pretor) Rom. Hist. each of two ancient Roman magistrates ranking below consul. oo praetorial /-'to:r1ol/ adj. praetorship n. [ME f. F préteur or L praetor (perh. as PRAE-, ire it- go)]

praetorian /pri:'to:rion/ adj. & n. (US pretorian) Rom.Hist. —adj. of or having the powers of a praetor. —n. a man of praetorian rank. 0 praetorian guard the bodyguard of the Roman emperor. [ME f. L praetorianus (as PRAETOR)} pragmatic /preg'metik/ adj. 1 dealing with matters with regard to their practical requirements or consequences. 2 treating the facts of history with reference to their practical lessons. 3 hist. of or relating to the affairs of a State. 4 (also pragmatical) a concerning pragmatism. b meddlesome. c dogmatic. oO pragmatic sanction hist. an imperial or royal ordinance issued as a fundamental law, esp. regarding a question of royal succession. (See below.) oO pragmaticality /-'keliti/ n. pragmatically adv. [LL pragmaticus f. Gk pragmatikos f. pragma -matos deed] The term Pragmatic Sanction refers specifically to a document drafted by the Emperor Charles VI after the birth of his daughter Maria Theresa in 1717 to allow her to succeed to all his territories should he die without a son. The Sanction was accepted by the Diets of Austria, Hungary, and the Austrian Netherlands in 1720-3, but the campaign to have it recognized by the rest of Europe dominated the international diplomatic scene for two decades afterwards, and, on Charles’s death in 1740, led to the War of the Austrian Succession. pragmatics /preg'metiks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) the branch of linguistics dealing with language in use. pragmatism /‘pregmo,tiz(a)m/ n. 1 a pragmatic attitude or procedure. 2 a philosophy that evaluates assertions solely by their practical consequences and bearing on human interests. 00 pragmatist n. pragmatistic /-'tistik/ adj. [Gk pragma: see PRAGMATIC] pragmatize /'preegma,taiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 represent as real. 2 rationalize (a myth). Prague /pra:g/ (Czech Praha /|'pra:ho/) the capital of Czechoslovakia, situated on the River Vltava; pop. (1986) 1,194,000. It first achieved prominence in the 13th c., when the kings of Bohemia established it as their capital. Its university, founded in 1348 by the future emperor Charles IV, is among the oldest in Europe. o Prague Spring the attempted democratization of Czech political life in 1968 (see DuBCEK).

prahu var. of PROA.

Praia /'praro/ the capital of the Cape Verde Islands, situated on the island of Sao Tiago; pop. (1980) 37,500. prairie /'preort/ n. a large area of usu. treeless grassland esp. in N. America. 0 prairie chicken (or hen) a N. American grouse, Tympanuchus cupido. prairie dog any N. American rodent of the genus Cynomys, living in burrows and making a barking sound.

wwe

pratique

1137

z zoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

prairie oyster a seasoned raw egg, swallowed without breaking the yolk. prairie schooner US a covered wagon used by the

19th-c. pioneers in crossing the N. American prairies. prairie wolf = coyore. [F f. OF praerie ult. f. L pratum meadow] praise /preiz/v. & n. —v.tr. 1 express warm approval or admiration of. 2 glorify (God) in words. —n. the act or an instance of praising; commendation (won high praise; were loud in their praises). O praise be! an exclamation of pious gratitude. sing the praises of commend (a person) highly. o00 praiseful adj. praiser n. [ME f. OF preisier price, prize, praise, f. LL pretiare f. L pretium price: cf. PRIZE] ay praiseworthy _ |'preiz,ws:61/ adj. worthy of praise; commendable. 00 praiseworthily adv. praiseworthiness n.

Prakrit /'pra:krit/ n. any of the (esp. ancient or medieval) vernacular dialects of North and Central India existing alongside or derived from Sanskrit, [Skr. prakrta unrefined: cf. SANSKRIT]

praline /'pra:li:n/ n. a sweet made by browning nuts in boiling sugar. [F f. Marshal de Plessis-Praslin, Fr. soldier d. 1675, whose cook invented it]

pralltriller /'pra:1,trila(r)/ n. a musical ornament consisting of one rapid alternation of the written note with the note immediately above it. [G f. prallen rebound + Triller TRILL} pram! /prem)/ n. Brit. a four-wheeled carriage for a baby, pushed by a person on foot. [abbr. of PERAMBULATOR] pram2 /pra:m/ n. (also praam) 1 a flat-bottomed gunboat or Baltic cargo-boat. 2 a Scandinavian ship’s dinghy. [MDu. prame, praem, MLG pram(e), f. OSlav. pramii] prana |'pra:no/ n. 1 (in Hinduism) breath asalife-giving force. 2 the breath; breathing. [Skr.] prance /pra:ns/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 (of a horse) raise the forelegs and spring from the hind legs. 2 (often foll. by about) walk or behave in an elated or arrogant manner. —n. 1 the act of prancing. 2 a prancing movement. oO prancer n. [ME: orig. unkn.]

prandial /'przendiol/ adj. formal or joc. of dinner or lunch. [L prandium meal]

Prandtl

/'prent(9)l/, Ludwig (1875-1953), German physicist

with a worldwide reputation for his studies on both aerodynamics and hydrodynamics. His work established the existence of a boundary layer (see BOUNDARY) and he made important studies on streamlining. Design of efficient shape, weight, and mass of aircraft and ships owes much to his work. prang /prep/ v. & n. Brit. sl. —v.tr. 1 crash or damage (an aircraft or vehicle). 2 bomb (a target) successfully. —n. the act or an instance of pranging. [imit.] prank /prenk/ n. a practical joke; a piece of mischief. oo prankful adj. prankish adj. pranksome adj. [16th c.: orig. unkn.] prankster |'preyksto(r)/ n. a person fond of playing pranks. prase /preiz/ n. a translucent leek-green type of quartz. [F f. L prasius f. Gk prasios (adj.) leek-green f. prason leek] praseodymium |preizio'dimiam/ n. Chem. a soft silvery metallic element of the lanthanide series, occurring naturally in various minerals, discovered in 1885. The metal is a component of certain alloys and its compounds are used for colouring glass and ceramics. {Symb.: Pr; atomic number 59. [G Praseodym f. GK prasios (see PRASE) from its green salts, + G Didym DIDYMIUM] prat /pret/ n. sl. 1 Brit. a silly or foolish person. 2 the buttocks. {16th-c. cant (in sense 2): orig. unkn.] prate /preit/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. chatter; talk too much. 2 intr. talk foolishly or irrelevantly. 3 tr. tell or say in a prating manner. —n. prating; idle talk. 00 prater n. prating adj. [ME f. MDu., MLG praten, prob. imit.]

pratfall /'pretfo:1/ n. US sl. 1 a fall on the buttocks. 2 a humiliating failure. pratie /'preiti/ n. esp. Ir. a potato. [corrupt.]

pratincole /'prztin,koul/ n. any of various birds of the subfamily Glareolinae, inhabiting sandy and stony areas and feeding on insects. [mod.L pratincola f. L pratum meadow + incola inhabitant]

pratique /pre'ti:k/ n. a licence to have dealings with a port, tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

prattle

granted to a ship after quarantine or on showing a clean bill of

health. [F, = practice, intercourse, f. It. pratica f. med.L practica: see PRACTICIAN] prattle /'pret(s)l/ v. & n.

childish way.

precession

1138

—n.

—v.intr.

& tr. chatter or say in a *

1 childish chatter. 2 inconsequential talk.

00 prattler n. prattling adj. [MLG pratelen (as PRATE)] prau var. of PROA. prawn /pro:n/ n. & v. —n. any of various marine crustaceans, resembling a shrimp but usu. larger. —v.intr. fish for prawns. 0 come the raw prawn see RAW. [ME pra(y)ne, of unkn. orig.] praxis /'preksis/ n. 1 accepted practice or custom. 2 the practising of an art or skill. [med.L f. Gk, = doing, f. prassd do}

Preb. abbr. Prebendary. prebend /'prebsand/ n. 1 the stipend of a canon or member of chapter. 2 a portion of land or tithe from which this is drawn. 00 prebendal adj. [ME f. OF prebende f. LL praebenda pension, neut.pl. gerundive of L praebére grant f. prae forth + habére hold]

prebendary /'prebondori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the holder of a prebend.

Praxiteles /prek'sito,li:z/ (mid-4th c. Bc) Athenian sculptor. He and Phidias were the greatest Greek sculptors of their age. The Hermes (Olympia) is considered a fine example (or copy) of work that justifies his renown, with its physical repose qualified by submerged undercurrents of latent energy—a subtlety that is lost in the copies of his Sauroctonus (Apollo slaying a lizard) and Cnidos Aphrodite (the first important female nude). pray /prei/ v. (often foll. by for or to + infin. or that + clause) 1 intr. (often foll. by to) say prayers (to God etc.); make devout supplication. 2 a tr. entreat, beseech. b tr. & intr. ask earnestly (prayed to be released). 3 tr. (as imper.) archaic & formal please (pray tell me). O praying mantis see MANTIS. [ME f. OF preier f. LL precare f. L precari entreat] prayer! /'preo(r)/ n. 1 a a solemn request or thanksgiving to God or an object of worship (say a prayer). b a formula or form of words used in praying (the Lord’s prayer). ¢ the act of praying (be at prayer). d a religious service consisting largely of prayers (morning prayers). 2 a an entreaty to a person. ba thing entreated or prayed for. 0 not have a prayer US collog. have no chance (of success etc.). prayer-book a book containing the forms of prayer in regular use, esp. the Book of Common Prayer. prayer-mat a small carpet used by Muslims when praying. Prayer of Manasses /mo'nesi:z/ a book of the Apocrypha consisting of a penitential prayer put into the mouth of Manasseh, king of Judah (2 Kings 21: 1-18). prayer-wheel a revolving cylindrical box inscribed with or containing prayers, used esp. by Tibetan Buddhists. 00 prayerless adj. [ME f. OF preiere ult. f. L precarius obtained by entreaty f. prex precis prayer] prayer? /'prero(r)/ n. a person who prays.

prayerful /'pres,fol/ adj. 1 (of a person) given to praying; devout. 2 (of speech, actions, etc.) characterized by or expressive of prayer. 00 prayerfully adv. prayerfulness n. pre- /pri:/ prefix before (in time, place, order, degree, or importance). [from or after L prae- f. prae (adv. & prep.)] preach /pri:t/ v. 1 a intr. deliver a sermon or religious address. b tr. deliver (a sermon); proclaim or expound (the Gospel etc.). 2 intr. give moral advice in an obtrusive way. 3 tr. advocate or inculcate (a quality or practice etc.). 00 preachable adj. [ME f. OF prechier f. L praedicare proclaim, in eccl.L preach (as PRAE-, dicare declare)] preacher |'pri:tfa(r)/ n. a person who preaches, esp. a minister of religion. [ME f. AF prech(o)ur, OF prech(e)or f. eccl.L praedicator (as PREACH)]

preachify /'pri:t{1,fat/ v.intr. (-ies, -ied) collog. preach or moralize tediously.

preachment

|‘pri:t{mont/ n. usu. derog. preaching, sermonizing. preachy /'pri:t{1/ adj. (preachier, preachiest) collog. inclined to preach or moralize. 00 preachiness n. preadolescent |,pri:zdo'les()nt/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (of a child) having nearly reached adolescence. 2 of or relating to the two or three years preceding adolescence. —n. a preadolescent child. 00 preadolescence n.

3: her

Precambrian /pri:'kembrion/ adj. & n. Geol. —adj. of or relating to the earliest era of geological time, preceding the Cambrian period and Palaeozoic era. The Precambrian era includes the whole of the earth’s history from its origin about 4,600 million years ago to the beginning of the Cambrian about 590 million years ago. Fossils of animals with hard skeletons are absent from Precambrian rocks, and the era was once considered to be devoid of organic life, but it is now known that a variety of organisms did exist during that time. The oldest known Precambrian rocks on earth are about 3,800 million years old. —n. this era. precarious /pri'keortos/ adj. 1 uncertain; dependent on chance (makes a precarious living). 2 insecure, perilous (precarious health). 00 precariously adv. precariousness n. [L precarius: see PRAYER!] precast /pri:'ka:st/ adj. (of concrete) cast in its final shape before positioning. precative /'prekotiv/ adj. (of a word or form) expressing a wish or request. [LL precativus f. precari pray] precaution /pri'ko:J(a)n/ n. 1 an action taken beforehand to avoid risk or ensure a good result. 2 (in pl.) collog. the use of contraceptives. 00 precautionary adj. [F précaution f. LL praecautio -onis f. L praecaveére (as PRAE-, cavére caut- beware of)] precede /pri'si:d/ v.tr. 1 a come or go before in time, order, importance, etc. (preceding generations; the preceding paragraph; sons of barons precede baronets). b walk etc. in front of (preceded by our guide). 2 (foll. by by) cause to be preceded (must precede this measure by milder ones). [OF preceder f. L praecedere (as PRAE-, cedere cess- go)] precedence /'presid(a)ns/ n. (also precedency) 1 priority in time, order, or importance, etc. 2 the right of preceding others on formal occasions. 0 take precedence (often foll. by over, of) have priority (over). precedent n. & adj. —n. /'prestd(s)nt/ a previous case or legal decision etc. taken as a guide for subsequent cases or as a justification. —adj. /prt'si:d(e)nt, 'presi-/ preceding in time, order, importance, etc. oo precedently /'pri:sidonth, 'presi-/ adv. [ME f. OF (n. & adj.) (as PRECEDE)]

precedented

/'presidentid/ adj. having or supported by a

precedent. precent /pri'sent/ v. 1 intr. act as a precentor. 2 tr. lead the singing of (a psalm etc.). [back-form. f. PRECENTOR] precentor /pri'senta(r)/ n. 1 a person who leads the singing or (in a synagogue) the prayers of a congregation. 2a minor canon who administers the musical life of a cathedral. oo precentorship n. [F précenteur or L praecentor f. praecinere (as PRAE-, Canere sing)]

preceptor

/pri'septo(r)/

n. a teacher

or instructor.

oo

preceptorial /,pri:sep'to:riol/ adj. preceptorship _n. preceptress /-tris/ n. [L praeceptor (as PRECEPT)] precession /pri'sef(2)n/ n. the slow movement of the axis of

preamplifier /pri:'emplt,faro(r)/ n. an electronic device that e bed

n. [ME f. med.L

past part. of praecipere praecept- warn, instruct (as PRAE-, capere take)]

introduction. 2 the introductory part of a statute or deed etc. 0 preambular /-'embjola(r)/ adj. [ME f. OF preambule f. med.L praeambulum f. LL praeambulus (adj.) going before (as PRE-, AMBLE)] pre-amp |'pri:emp/ n. = PREAMPLIFIER. [abbr.]

a: arm

2 an honorary canon. 00 prebendaryship praebendarius (as PREBEND)]

precept /'pri:sept/ n. 1 a command; a rule of conduct. 2 moral instruction (example is better than precept). 3 a a writ or warrant. b Brit. an order for collection or payment of money under alocal rate. 00 preceptive /pri'septrv/ adj. [ME f. L praeceptum neut.

preamble /pri:'emb(o)l, 'pri:-/ n. 1 a preliminary statement or

ze cat

amplifies a very weak signal (e.g. from a microphone or pickup) and transmits it to a main amplifier. 00 preamplified adj. prearrange |,pri:o'reind3/ v.tr. arrange beforehand. oo prearrangement n. preatomic |,pri:o'tomrk/ adj. existing or occurring before the use of atomic energy.

1 sit

i: see

p hot

90: saw

arun

v put

u: too

o ago

ar my

pre-Christian

a spinning body around another axis. o precession of the equinoxes 1 the slow retrograde motion of equinoctial points along the ecliptic. 2 the resulting earlier occurrence of equinoxes in each successive sidereal year. As the Earth rotates about its axis it responds to the gravitational attraction of the sun upon its equatorial bulge, so that its axis of rotation describes a circle in the sky. The celestial equator moves backward along the sun’s apparent path (the ecliptic), and the points where these two great circles intersect, which define the sun’s position at the equinoxes, therefore travel through the constellations of the zodiac once in a period of about 26,000 years. The equinoctial position of the sun at the time of Hipparchus (c.125 BC) was a point in the constellation of Aries; the corresponding position, although now in Pisces, is still known as the First Point of Aries. 00 precessional adj. [LL praecessio (as PRECEDE)]

pre-Christian /pri:'kristran/ adj. before Christ or the advent of Christianity. precinct /'pri:sinkt/ n. 1 an enclosed or clearly defined area, e.g. around a cathedral, college, etc. 2 a specially designated area in a town, esp. with the exclusion of traffic (shopping precinct). 3 (in . pl.) a the surrounding area or environs. b the boundaries. 4 US a a subdivision of a county, city, etc., for police or electoral purposes. b (in pl.) a neighbourhood. [ME f. med.L praecinctum neut. past part. of praecingere encircle (as PRAE-, cingere gird)]

preciosity /,prefi'psiti/ n. overrefinement in art or language, esp. in the choice of words. [OF préciosité f. L pretiositas f. pretiosus (as PRECIOUS)] precious /'preJas/ adj. & adv. —adj. 1 of great value or worth. 2 beloved; much prized (precious memories). 3 affectedly refined, esp. in language or manner. 4 collog. often iron. a considerable (a precious lot you know about it). b expressing contempt or disdain (you can keep your precious flowers). —adv. collog. extremely, very (tried precious hard; had precious little left). 0 precious metals gold, silver, and platinum. precious stone a piece of mineral having great value esp. as used in jewellery. 00 preciously adv. preciousness n. [ME f. OF precios f. L pretiosus f. pretium price] precipice /'presipis/ n. 1 a vertical or steep face of a rock, cliff, mountain, etc. 2 a dangerous situation. [F précipice or L praecipitium falling headlong, precipice (as PRECIPITOUS)]

precipitant /pri'sipit(a)nt/ adj. & n. —adj. = PRECIPITATE adj. —n. Chem. a substance that causes another substance to precipitate. 00 precipitance n. precipitancy n. [obs. F precipitant pres. part. of précipiter (as PRECIPITATE)

precipitate v., adj. & n. —v.tr. /pri'sipi,tert/ 1 hasten the occurrence of; cause to occur prematurely. 2 (foll. by into) send rapidly into a certain state or condition (were precipitated into war). 3 throw down headlong. 4 Chem. cause (a substance) to be deposited in solid form from a solution. 5 Physics a cause (dust etc.) to be deposited from the air on a surface. b condense (vapour) into drops and so deposit it. —adj. /pr1'srpitat/ 1 headlong; violently hurried (precipitate departure). 2 (of a person or act) hasty, rash, inconsiderate. —n. /pri'sipitet/ 1 Chem. a substance

precipitated from a solution.

2 Physics moisture condensed

from vapour by cooling and depositing, e.g. rain or dew. 00 precipitable /pri'sipitob(s)l/ adj. precipitability [pristpito'biliti/ n. precipitately /pri'sipitotli/ adv. precipitateness /pri'sipitotnis/ n. precipitator /pri'srpi,terta(r)/ n. [L praecipitare praecipitat- f. praeceps praecipitis headlong (as PRAE-, caput head)]

precipitation /pri,sipr'terf(a)n/ n. 1 the act of precipitating or the process of being precipitated. 2 rash haste. 3 a rain or snow etc, falling to the ground. b a quantity of this. [F précipitation or L praecipitatio (as PRECIPITATE)] precipitous /pri'srpitos/ adj. 1 a of or like a precipice. b dangerously steep. 2 = PRECIPITATE adj. 00 precipitously adv. precipitousness n. [obs. F précipiteux f. L praeceps (as PRECIPITATE)] précis /'preisi:/ n. & v. —n. (pl. same /-si:z/) a summary or abstract, esp. of a text or speech. —-v.tr. (précises |-si:z/; précised /-si:d/; précising /-si:1/) make a précis of. [F, = PRECISE (as n.)} au how

er day

ou no

predacious

1139

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

vo poor

precise /pri'sats/ adj. 1 a accurately expressed. b definite, exact. 2 punctilious; scrupulous in being exact, observing rules, etc. 3 identical, exact (at that precise moment). 00 preciseness n. [F précis -ise f. L praecidere praecis- cut short (as PRAE-, caedere cut)] precisely /pri'saisli/ adv. 1 in a precise manner; exactly. 2 (as a reply) quite so; as you say. precisian /pri's13(2)n/ _n. a person who is rigidly precise or punctilious, esp. in religious observance. 00 precisianism n.

precision /pr1's13(2)n/ n. 1 the condition of being precise; accuracy. 2 the degree of refinement in measurement etc. 3 (attrib.) marked by or adapted for precision (precision instruments; precision timing). 00 precisionism n. precisionist n. [F précision or L praecisio (as PRECISE)]

preclassical /pri:'klestk(9)l/ adj. before a period regarded as classical, esp. in music and literature.

preclinical /pri:'klinik(2)l/ adj. 1 of or relating to the first, chiefly theoretical, stage of a medical education. 2 (of a stage in a disease) before symptoms can be identified. preclude /pri'klu:d/ v.tr. 1 (foll. by from) prevent, exclude (precluded from taking part). 2 make impossible; remove (so as to preclude all doubt). 00 preclusion /-'klu:3(9)n/ n. preclusive /-"klu:srv/ adj. [L praecludere praeclus- (as PRAE-, claudere shut)]

precocial US var. of PRAECOCIAL. precocious /pri'ksufas/ adj. 1 often derog. (of a person, esp. a child) prematurely developed in some faculty or characteristic. 2 (of an action etc.) indicating such development. 3 (of a plant) flowering or fruiting early. oOF precociously adv. precociousness n. precocity /-'kpsiti/ n. [L praecox -cocis f. praecoquere ripen fully (as PRAE-, coquere cook)]

precognition |pri:kog'n1{(2)n/ n. 1 (supposed) foreknowledge, esp. of a supernatural kind. 2 Sc. the preliminary examination of witnesses etc., esp. to decide whether there is ground for a trial. 00 precognitive |-'kognitrv/ adj. [LL praecognitio (as PRE-, COGNITION)]

precoital /pri:'kourt(9)l/ adj. preceding sexual intercourse. oo precoitally adv.

pre-Columbian

/|pri:ko'lambian/ adj. of or relating to the

period before the discovery of America by Columbus. preconceive |,pri:kan'si:v/ v.tr. form (an idea or opinion etc.) beforehand. preconception |,pri:kon'sep/(o)n/ n. 1 a preconceived idea. 2a prejudice. preconcert /,pri:kon's3:t/ v.tr. arrange or organize beforehand.

precondition /|,pri:kon'dif(a)n/ n. & v. —n. a prior condition, that must be fulfilled before other things can be done. —-v.tr. bring into a required condition beforehand. preconize /'pri:ko,na1z/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 proclaim or commend publicly. 2 summon by name. 3 RC Ch. (of the Pope).approve publicly the appointment of (a bishop). 00 preconization |-'zerf(a)n/ n. [ME f. med.L praeconizare f. L praeco -onis herald] preconscious /pri:'konfas/ adj. & n. Psychol. —adj. 1 preceding

consciousness. 2 of or associated with a part of the mind below the level of immediate conscious awareness, from which memories and emotions can be recalled. —n. this part of the mind. OO preconsciousness n.

precook /pri:'kokj v.tr. cook in advance.

precool /pri:'ku:]/ v.tr. cool in advance. precordial /pri:'ko:drol/ adj. in front of or about the heart. precostal /pri:'kost(2)l/ adj. in front of the ribs. precursor /pri:'k3:so(r)/ n. 1 a a forerunner. b a person who precedes in office etc. 2 a harbinger. 3 a substance from which another is formed by decay or chemical reaction etc. [L praecursor f. praecurrere praecurs- (as PRAE-, currere run)] precursory /pri'ks:sor1/ adj. (also precursive /-stv/) 1 preliminary, introductory. 2 (foll. by of) serving as a harbinger of. [L praecursorius (as PRECURSOR)] precut /pri:'kat/ v.tr. (past and past part. -cut) cut in advance.

predacious /pri'de1{as/ adj. (also predaceous) 1 (of an animal) predatory. 2 relating to such animals (predacious instincts). 00

ata fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

preen

1140 predate a

(but not in the old dog) and house in there is a large house (opp. ATTRIBUTIVE). 2 that predicates. 00 predicatively adv. [L praedicativus (as PREDICATE)] predict /pri'dikt/ v.tr. (often foll. by that + clause) make a statement about the future; foretell, prophesy. 00 predictive adj. predictively adv. predictor n. [L praedicere praedict- (as PRAE-, dicere say)}

predaciousness n. predacity |-'dzsit1/ n. [L praeda booty: cf. audacious] predate /pri:'deit/ v.tr. exist or occur at a date earlier than.

predation /pri'derf(a)n/ n. 1 (usu. in pl.) = DEPREDATION. 2Zool. the natural preying of one animal on others. [L praedatio -onis taking of booty f. L praeda booty] predator /'predata(r)/ n. 1 an animal naturally preying on others.

predictable /pri'drktab(e)l/ adj. that can be predicted or is to

2 a person, State, etc., compared to this. [L praedator

plunderer

f. praedari seize as plunder

be expected. 00 predictability |-'biliti/ n. predictably adv.

f. praeda booty (as

PREDACIOUS)] predatory /'predotori/ adj. 1 (of an animal) preying naturally upon others. 2 (of a nation, State, or individual) plundering or exploiting others. 00 predatorily adv. predatoriness n. [L praedatorius (as PREDATOR)] predecease |,pri:d1'si:s/ v. & n. —v.tr. die earlier than (another person). —n. a death preceding that of another. predecessor /'pri:d1,sesa(r)/ n. 1 a former holder of an office or position with respect to a later holder (my immediate predecessor). 2 an ancestor. 3 a thing to which another has succeeded (the new plan will share the fate of its predecessor). [ME f. OF predecesseur f. LL praedecessor (as PRAE-, decessor retiring officer, as DECEASE)]

pre-decimal /,pri:'desim()l/ adj. of or relating to a time before the introduction of a decimal system, esp. of coinage.

prediction /pri'dik{(2)n/ n. 1 the art of predicting or the process of being predicted. 2 a thing predicted; a forecast. [L praedictio -onis (as PREDICT)] predigest |,pri:dar'dzest/ v.tr. 1 render (food) easily digestible before being eaten. 2 make (reading matter) easier to read or understand. 00 predigestion |-'dzest{(a)n/ n.

predikant |jpreidi:'ka:nt/ n. S.Afr. a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church. [Du. (as PREDICANT)]

:

predilection |pri:d1'lek{(2)n/ n. (often foll. by for) a preference or special liking. [F prédilection ult. f. L praediligere praedilectprefer (as PRAE-, diligere select): see DILIGENT] predispose |,pri:di'spouz/ v.tr. 1 influence favourably in advance. 2 (foll. by to, or to + infin.) render liable or inclined beforehand. o00 predisposition /-pa'z1f(2)n/ n.

predella /pri'dels/ n. 1 an altar-step, or raised shelf at the back

prednisone /'predni,zoun/ n. a synthetic drug similar to cor-

of an altar, 2 a painting or sculpture on this, or any picture forming an appendage to a larger one esp. beneath an altarpiece. [It., = stool]

predominant /pri'dpmmont/ adj. 1 predominating. 2 being

tisone, used to relieve rheumatic and allergic conditions and to treat leukaemia. [perh. f. pregnant + diene + cortisone] the strongest or main predominantly adv.

predestinarian /pridesti'neorton/ n. & adj. —n. a person who believes in predestination. predestination.

—adj.

of

or

relating

to

PREDOMINANT). [rare predominate (adj.) = PREDOMINANT]

trine) the divine foreordaining of all that will happen, esp. with regard to the salvation of some and not others. [ME f. eccl.L praedestinatio (as PREDESTINATE)| predestine /pri:'destin/ v.tr. 1 determine beforehand. 2 ordain in advance by divine will or as if by fate. [ME f. OF predestiner or eccl.L praedestinare PREDESTINATE V.]

predoom /pri:'du:m/ v.tr. doom beforehand. predorsal /pri:'do:s(a)l/ adj. in front of the dorsal region. predynastic |,pri:di'nzstik/ adj. of or relating to a period before the normally recognized dynasties (esp. of ancient Egypt).

pre-echo |pri:'ekau/ n. (pl. -oes) 1 a faint copy heard just before an actual sound in a recording, caused by the accidental transfer of signals. 2 a foreshadowing.

1 determine or decree

beforehand. 2 predestine. oO predeterminable adj. predeterminate /-not/ adj. predetermination /-'ne1{(9)n/ n. [LL praedeterminare (as PRAE-, DETERMINE)]

pre-eclampsia |pri:'klempsia/ n. a condition of pregnancy characterized by high blood pressure and other symptoms associated with eclampsia. 00 pre-eclamptic adj. & n.

predial /'pri:dial/ adj. & n. hist. —adj. 1 a of land or farms. b

pre-elect |,pri:1'lekt/ v.tr. elect beforehand. pre-election /|,pri:1'lek/(s)n/ n. 1 an election held beforehand.

rural, agrarian. c (of a slave, tenant, etc.) attached to farms or the land. 2 (of a tithe) consisting of agricultural produce. —n. a predial slave. [med.L praedialis f. L praedium farm]

2 (attrib.) (esp. of an act or undertaking) done or given before an election. pre-embryo /pri:'embrisu/ n. Med. a human embryo in the first fourteen days after fertilization. 00 pre-embryonic

predicable /|'predikab(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. that may be predicated or affirmed. —n. 1 predicable thing. 2 (in pl.) Logic the five classes to which predicates belong: genus, species, difference, property, and accident. 00 predicability /-'brliti/n. [med.L praedicabilis that may be affirmed (as PREDICATE)] predicament /pri'dikomont/-n. 1 a difficult, unpleasant, or embarrassing situation. 2 Philos. a category in (esp. Aristotelian) logic. [ME (in sense 2) f. LL praedicamentum thing predicated: see PREDICATE]

|“vntk/ adj.

predicant |'predikont/ adj. & n. —adj. hist. (of a religious order, —n. 1 hist. a pre-

dicant person, esp. a Dominican friar. 2 S.Afr. = PREDIKANT. [L praedicans part. of praedicare (as PREDICATE)} predicate v. & n. —v.tr. |'predi,kert/ 1 assert or affirm as true or existent. 2 (foll. by on) found or base (a statement etc.) on. —n. |'prediket/ 1 Gram. what is said about the subject of a sentence etc. (e.g. went home in John went home). 2 Logic a what is

predicated. b what is affirmed or denied of the subject by means of the copula (e.g. mortal in all men are mortal). 00 predication /-'kerf(2)n/ n. [L praedicare praedicat- proclaim (as PRAE-, dicare declare)]

predicative /pri'dikotrv/ adj. 1 Gram. (of an adjective or noun) forming or contained in the predicate, as old in the dog is old

b but

ddog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

n.

predominately /pri'dpmmetli/ adv. = PREDOMINANTLY (see

predestination /pri:desti'ne1{(a)n/ n. Theol. (as a belief or doc-

esp. the Dominicans) engaged in preaching.

predominance

exert control. 2 be superior. 3 be the strongest or main element; preponderate (a garden in which dahlias predominate). [med.L praedominari (as PRAE-, DOMINATE)]

—adj. /pri'destinot/ predestined. [ME f. eccl.L praedestinare praedestinat- (as PRAE-, destinare establish)]

|pri:di'ts:mm/ v.tr.

oO8F

predominate /pri'dpmineit/ v.intr. 1 (foll. by over) have or

predestinate v. & adj. —v.tr. /pri'destineit/ = PREDESTINE.

predetermine

element.

pre-eminent /pri:'emment/ adj. 1 excelling others. 2 outstanding; distinguished in some quality. 00 pre-eminence n. pre-eminently adv. [ME f. L praeeminens (as PRAE-, EMINENT)] pre-empt /pri:'empt/ v. 1 tr. a forestall. b acquire or appropriate in advance. 2 tr. prevent (an attack) by disabling the enemy. 3 tr. obtain by pre-emption. 4 tr. US take for oneself (esp. public land) so as to have the right of pre-emption. 5 intr. Bridge make a pre-emptive bid. 00 preemptor n. preemptory adj. [back-form. f. PRE-EMPTION] pre-emption /pri:'emp{(a)n/ n. 1 a the purchase or appropriation by one person or party before the opportunity is offered to others. b the right to purchase (esp. public land) in this way. 2 prior appropriation or acquisition. [med.L praeemptio (as PRAE-, emere empt- buy)] pre-emptive /pri:'emptrv/ adj. 1 pre-empting; serving to preempt. 2 (of military action) intended to prevent attack by disabling the enemy (a pre-emptive strike). 3 Bridge (of a bid) intended to be high enough to discourage further bidding. preen /pri:nj v.tr. & refl. 1 (of a bird) tidy (the feathers or itself)

kcat

lleg

m man

nno

ppen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

pre-engage with its beak. 2 (of a person) smarten or admire (oneself, one’s hair, clothes, etc.). 3 (often foll. by on) congratulate or pride (oneself). 0 preen gland a gland situated at the base of a bird’s tail and producing oil used in preening. 00 preener n. [ME, app. var. of earlier prune (perh. rel. to PRUNE”): assoc. with Sc. & dial. preen pierce, pin] pre-engage /,pri:in'ge1d3/ v.tr. engage beforehand. oo pre-engagement n.

pre-exist /,pri:ig'zist/ v.intr. exist at an earlier time. pre-existence n. pre-existent adj. pref. abbr. 1 prefix. 2 preface. 3 a preference. b preferred.

oo

prefab /'pri:feeb/ n. Brit. collog. a prefabricated building, esp.a small house. [abbr.]

prefabricate /pri:'fbri,kert/ v.tr. 1 manufacture sections of (a building etc.) prior to their assembly on a site. 2 produce in an artificially standardized way. 00 prefabrication /-'ke1{(3)n/ n. preface |'prefas/n. & v. —n. 1 an introduction to a book stating its subject, scope, etc. 2 the preliminary part of a speech. 3 Eccl. the introduction to the central part of the Eucharistic service. —-v.tr. 1 (foll. by with) introduce or begin (a speech or event) (prefaced my remarks with a warning). 2 provide (a book etc.) with a preface. 3 (of an event etc.) lead up to (another). oo prefatorial /-'to:r1al/ adj. prefatory /-tor1/ adj. [ME f. OF f. med.L praefatia for L praefatio f. praefari (as PRAE-, fari speak)] prefect /'pri:fekt/n. 1 the chief administrative officer of certain departments, esp. in France. 2 esp. Brit. a senior pupil in a school etc. authorized to enforce discipline. 3 Rom. Antiq. a senior magistrate or military commander. 00 prefectoral |-'fektor(a)l/ adj. prefectorial /-'to:r1al/ adj. [ME f. OF f. L praefectus past part. of praeficere set in authority over (as PRAE-, facere make)] prefecture /'pri:fektjua(r)/ n. 1 a district under the government of a prefect. 2 a a prefect’s office or tenure. b his official residence. 00 prefectural /pri'fektfor(a)l/ adj. [F préfecture or L praefectura (as PREFECT)] prefer /pri'fs:(r)/ v.tr. (preferred, preferring) 1 (often foll. by to, or to + infin.) choose rather; like better (would prefer to stay; prefers coffee to tea). 2 submit (information, an accusation, etc.) for consideration. 3 promote or advance (a person). 0 preferred shares (or stock) = preference shares or stock. [ME f. OF preferer f. L praeferre (as PRAE-, ferre lat- bear)]

/'preforab(o)l/ adj.

1 to be preferred.

2 more

desirable. 00 preferably adv. preference /'preforans/ n. 1 the act or an instance of preferring or being preferred. 2 a thing preferred. 3 a the favouring of one person etc. before others. b Commerce the favouring of one country by admitting its products at a lower import duty. 4 Law a prior right, esp. to the payment of debts. 0 in preference to as a thing preferred over (another). preference shares (or stock) Brit. shares or stock whose entitlement to dividend takes priority over that of ordinary shares. [F préférence f. med.L praeferentia (as PREFER)]

preferential /,prefs'renJ(2)l/ adj. 1 of or involving preference (preferential treatment). 2 giving or receiving a favour. 3 Commerce (of a tariff etc.) favouring particular countries. 4 (of voting) in which the voter puts candidates in order of preference. o0 preferentially adv. [as PREFERENCE, after differential]

preferment /pri'fs:mont/ n. promotion to office. prefigure /pri:'figo(r)/ v.tr. 1 represent beforehand by a figure or type. 2 imagine beforehand. oo prefiguration /-'re1{(2)n/ n. prefigurative /-rotrv/ adj. prefigurement n. [ME f. eccl.L praefigurare (as PRAE-, FIGURE)] prefix« /'pri:fiks/ n. & v. —n. 1 a verbal element placed at the beginning of a word to adjust or qualify its meaning (e.g. ex, non-, re-) or (in some languages) as an inflectional formative. 2 a title placed before a name (e.g. Mr). —v.tr. (often foll. by to) 1 add as an introduction. 2 join (a word or element) as a prefix. OO prefixation /-'ser{(o)n/ n. prefixion /-'fik{(a)n/ n. [earlier as verb: ME f. OF prefixer {as PRE-, FIX): (mi.) f. L praefixum]

preflight /'pri:flart/ attrib.adj. occurring or provided before an z zoo

prefrontal /pri:'frant(s)l/ adj. 1 in front of the frontal bone of the skull. 2 in the forepart of the frontal lobe of the brain.

impregnable. [ME f. OF prenable takable: see IMPREGNABLE!] pregnancy /'pregnsns}/ n. (pl. -ies) the condition or an instance

of being pregnant. pregnant /'pregnont/ adj. 1 (of a woman or female animal) having a child or young developing in the uterus. 2 full of meaning; significant or suggestive (a pregnant pause). 3 (esp. of a person’s mind) imaginative, inventive. 4 (foll. by with) plentifully provided (pregnant with danger). 0 pregnant construction Gram. one in which more is implied than the words express (e.g. not have a chance implying of success etc.). 00 pregnantly adv. (in sense 2). [ME f. F prégnant or L praegnans -antis, earlier praegnas (prob. as PRAE-, (g)nasci be born)]

preheat /pri:‘hi:t/ v.tr. heat beforehand. prehensile /pri:'hensatl/ adj. Zool. (of a tail or limb) capable of grasping. oo prehensility /-'s1lit1/ n. [F préhensile f. L prehendere prehens- (as PRE-, hendere grasp)]

prehension /pri‘henf(o)n/ n. 1 grasping, seizing. 2 mental apprehension. [L prehensio (as PREHENSILE)]

prehistoric /,pri:hi'storik/ adj. 1 of or relating to the period before written records. (See below.) 2 colloqg. utterly out of date. 00 prehistorian |-'sto:rion/ n. prehistorically adv. prehistory /"htstert/ n. [F préhistorique (as PRE-, HISTORIC)] The prehistoric era is conventionally divided into a Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age, on the basis of the material used for weapons and tools. The system was devised by Christian Thomsen (1788-1865) as a means of classifying the collections in the National Museum of Denmark, of which he was curator. It was later elaborated and refined, and confirmed (at least for European areas) by stratification of finds, but is neither a guide to absolute dates nor an essential evolutionary sequence: not all its stages are represented in all parts of the world, and there is often a considerable time-lag between the first appearance of metal artefacts and a fully developed metal-working technology in an area. Until its invention, however, there was no framework into which archaeological discoveries could be fitted, and it remains a convenient terminology. prehuman /pri:'hju:mon/ adj. existing before the time of man.

pre-ignition /|,pri:1g'n1f(a)n/ n. the premature firing of the explosive mixture in an internal-combustion engine. prejudge /pri:'d3ad3/ v.tr. 1 form a premature judgement on (a person, issue, etc.). 2 pass judgement on (a person) before a trial or

proper

enquiry.

oO

prejudgement

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

n. prejudication

|-\d3u:di'kerf(9)n/ n.

prejudice /'predgudis/n. & v. —n. 1 aa preconceived opinion. b (foll. by against, in favour of) bias or partiality. 2 harm or injury that results or may result from some action or judgement (to the prejudice of). —v.tr. 1 impair the validity or force of (a right, claim, statement, etc.). 2 (esp. as prejudiced adj.) cause (a person) to have a prejudice. 0 without prejudice (often foll. by to) without detriment (to any existing right or claim). [ME f. OF prejudice f. L praejudicium (as PRAE-, judicium judgement)]

prejudicial

/,predzu'dif(s)l/

adj.

causing _ prejudice;

detrimental. 00 prejudicially adv. [ME f. OF prejudiciel (as PREJUDICE)] prelacy /'prelosi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 church government by prelates. 2 (prec. by the) prelates collectively. 3 the office or rank of prelate.

[ME f. AF prelacie f. med.L prelatia (as PRELATE)]

prelapsarian |,pri:lep'seorron/ adj. before the Fall of man. [PRE- + L lapsus (as LAPSE)] prelate /'prelot/n. 1 a high ecclesiastical dignitary, e.g. a bishop. 2 hist. an abbot or prior. 00 prelatic /pri'lettk/ adj. prelatical /pri'leetrk(o)l/ adj. [ME f. OF prelat f. med.L praelatus past part.: see PREFER]

aircraft flight. wwe

preform /pri:'fo:m/ v.tr. form beforehand. 00 preformation /-‘merf(e)n/ n. preformative /pri:'fo:motrv/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 forming beforehand. 2 prefixed as the formative element of a word. —n. a preformative syllable or letter.

preglacial /pri:'glerf(a)l, -stol/ adj. before a glacial period. pregnable /'pregnob(a)l/ adj. able to be captured etc.; not

pre-establish /,pri:1'stzeblr{/ v.tr. establish beforehand.

preferable

prelate

1141

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

prelature

preparedness

1142

ee

ee

8

price. 2 scarce and in demand. Premium Bond (or Savings Bond) Brit. a government security without interest but with a draw for cash prizes, issued since 1956. put a premium on 1 provide or act as an incentive to. 2 attach special value to. [L praemium booty, reward (as PRAE-, emere buy, take)]

prelature /'prelotjuo(r)/ n. 1 the office of prelate. 2 (prec. by the) prelates collectively. [F prélature f. med.L praelatura (as PRELATE)]

prelim /'pri:lrm, pri'lim/ n. collog. 1 a preliminary examination, esp. at a university. 2 (in pl.) the pages preceding the text of a book. [abbr.]

preliminary /pri'limmori/ adj., n., & adv. —adj. introductory, preparatory. —n. (pl. -ies) (usu. in pl.) 1 a preliminary action or arrangement (dispense with the preliminaries). 2 a preliminary trial or contest. —adv. (foll. by to) preparatory to; in advance of (was completed preliminary to the main event). 00 preliminarily adv. [mod.L praeliminaris or F préliminaire (as PRE-, L limen liminis threshold)}

preliterate /pri:'litorat/ adj. of or relating to a society or culture

.

premolar /pri:'moulo(r)/ adj. & n. —adj. in front of a molar tooth. —rn. (in an adult human) each of eight teeth situated in pairs between each of the four canine teeth and each first molar.

premonition

Premonstratensian

play)) tions) occurring before marriage. 00 premaritally adv. premature /'premo,tjvo(z), -'tjva(r)/ adj. 1 a occurring or done before the usual or proper time; too early (a premature decision). b too hasty (must not be premature). 2 (of a baby, esp. a viable one) born (esp. three or more weeks) before the end of the full term of gestation. OO prematurely adv. prematureness 1. prematurity /-'tjuoriti/ n. [L praematurus very early (as PRAE-, MATURE)]}

premaxillary |,pri:mzk'silori/ adj. in front of the upper jaw.

,pri-/ n. a forewarning;

a

/prijmonstro'tension/

adj. & n. hist.

—adj. of or relating to an order of regular canons founded at Prémontré in France in 1120, or of the corresponding order of

prelude /'prelju:d/ n. & v. —n. (often foll. by to) 1 an action,

premarital /pri:'mzrit(o)l/ adj. existing or (esp. of sexual rela-

/,premo'ni{(2)n,

presentiment. 00 premonitor /pri'mpnito(r)/ n. premonitory [pri'mpnitari/ adj. [F prémonition or LL praemonitio f. L praemonere praemonit- (as PRAE-, monére warn)]

that has not developed the use of writing. event, or situation serving as an introduction. 2 the introductory part of a poem etc. 3 a an introductory piece of music, often preceding a fugue or forming the first piece of a suite or beginning an act of an opera. b a short piece of music of a similar type, esp. for the piano. —v.tr. 1 serve as a prelude to. 2 introduce with a prelude. 00 preludial /pri'lju:drol/ adj. [F prélude or med.L praeludium f. L praeludere praelus- (as PRAE-, ludere

ee

nuns.

—n. a member of either of these orders. [med.L Prae-

monstratensis f. Praemonstratus the abbey of Prémontré (lit. = foreshown)] premorse /pri:'mo:s/ adj. Bot. & Zool. with the end abruptly terminated. [L praemordére praemors- bite off (as PRAE-, mordére bite)] prenatal /pri:'neit(o)l/ adj. of or concerning the period before childbirth. 00 prenatally adv. prentice /'prentis/n. & v. archaic —n. = APPRENTICE. —v.tr. (as prenticed adj.) apprenticed. 0 prentice hand an inexperienced hand. o0 prenticeship n. [ME f. APPRENTICE] preoccupation /pri:,pkju'per{(a)n/ n. 1 the state of being pre-

occupied. 2 a thing that engrosses the mind. [F préoccupation or L praeoccupatio (as PREOCCUPY)] preoccupy /pri:'pkju,pal/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 (of a thought etc.) dominate or engross the mind of (a person) to the exclusion of other thoughts. 2 (as preoccupied adj.) otherwise engrossed;

premed /pri:'med/ n. collog. 1 = PREMEDICATION. 2 a premedical course or student. [abbr.]

mentally distracted. 3 occupy beforehand. [PRE- + Occupy, after L praeoccupare seize beforehand} preocular /pri:'pkjulo(r)/ adj. in front of the eye.

premedical /pri:'medrk(s)l/ adj. of or relating to study in pre-

preordain|pri:o:'dern| v.tr. ordain or determine beforehand.

paration for a course in medicine.

premedication /,pri:medi'ker{(9)n/ n. medication to prepare for an operation or other treatment.

premeditate /pri:'medi,tert/ v.tr. think out or plan (an action) beforehand (premeditated murder). 00 premeditation /-'te1J(2)n/ n. [L praemeditari (as PRAE-, MEDITATE)]

(goods) on the site of production or before retail.

premenstrual /pri:'menstruol/ adj. of, occurring, or experienced before menstruation (premenstrual tension). oo premenstrually adv.

premier /'premio(r)/ n. & adj. —n. (orig. short for premier minister; see PRIME MINISTER) a prime minister or other head government. —adj. 1 first in importance, order, or time. 2 earliest creation (premier earl). 00 premiership n. [ME f. OF first, f. L (as PRIMARY)] premi€re /'prem1jeo(r)/ n. & v. —n. the first performance showing of a play or film. —-v.tr. give a premiére of. [F, fem. premier (adj.) (as PREMIER)]

of of = or of

premillennial /,pri:mr'lentol/ adj. existing or occurring before the millennium, esp. with reference to the supposed second coming of Christ. 00 premillennialism n. premillennialist n. premise n. & v. —n. |'premis/ 1 Logic = PREMISS. 2 (in pl.) aa house or building with its grounds and appurtenances. b Law houses, lands, or tenements previously specified in a document etc. —-v.tr. /pri'maiz/ say or write by way of introduction. 0 on the premises in the building etc. concerned. [ME f. OF premisse f. med.L praemissa (propositio) (proposition) set in front f. L praemittere praemiss- (as PRAE-, mittere send)] J premiss /'premis/ n. Logic a previous statement from which another is inferred. [var. of PREMISE] premium |/'pri:miom/ n. 1 an amount to be paid for a contract of insurance. 2 a a sum added to interest, wages, etc.; a bonus. basum added to ordinary charges. 3 a reward or prize. 4 (attrib.) (of a commodity) of best quality and therefore more expensive. O at a premium 1 highly valued; above the usual or nominal

z cat

prep /prep/ n. collog. 1 Brit. a the preparation of school work by a pupil. b the period when this is done. 2 US a student in a preparatory school. [abbr. of PREPARATION] prep. abbr. preposition. prepack /pri:'pek/ v.tr. (also pre-package |-'pekid3/) pack

a: arm

e bed

3: her

prepaid past and past part. of PREPAY. preparation /,prepo'rerf(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of preparing; the process of being prepared. 2 (often in pl.) something done to make ready. 3 a specially prepared substance, esp. a food or medicine. 4 work done by school pupils to prepare for a lesson. 5 Mus. the sounding of the discordant note in a chord in the preceding chord where it is not discordant, lessening the effect of the discord. [ME f. OF f. L praeparatio -onis (as PREPARE)] preparative /pri'perotiv/ adj. & n. —adj. preparatory. —n. 1 Mil. & Naut. a signal on a drum, bugle, etc., as an order to make ready. 2 a preparatory act. 00 preparatively adv. [ME f. OF preparatif -ive f. med.L praeparativus (as PREPARE)] preparatory /pri'perotori/ adj. & adv. —adj. (often foll. by to) serving to prepare; introductory. —adv. (often foll. by to) in a preparatory manner (was packing preparatory to departure). o preparatory school a usu. private school preparing pupils for a higher school or US for college or university. oo preparatorily adv. [ME f. LL praeparatorius (as PREPARE)] prepare /pri'peo(r)/ v. 1 tr. make or get ready for use, consideration, etc. 2 tr. make ready or assemble (food, a meal, etc.) for eating. 3 a tr. make (a person or oneself) ready or disposed in some way (prepares students for university; prepared them for a shock). b intr. put oneself or things in readiness, get ready (prepare to jump). 4 tr. make (a chemical product etc.) by a regular process. 5 tr. Mus. lead up to (a discord). 0 be prepared (often foll. by for, or to + infin.) be disposed or willing to. 00 preparer n. [ME f. F préparer or L praeparare (as PRAE-, parare make ready)] preparedness /pri'peoridnis/ n. a state of readiness, esp. for war.

1 sit

i: see

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v put

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9 ago

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prepay

prescription

1143

prepay /pri:'pei/ v.tr. (past and past part. prepaid) 1 pay (a charge) in advance. 2 pay postage on (a letter or parcel etc.) before posting. 00 prepayable adj. prepayment n. prepense /pri'pens/ adj. (usu. placed after noun) esp. Law deliberate, intentional (malice prepense). 00 prepensely adv. [earlier prepensed past part..of obs. prepense (v.) alt. f. earlier purpense f. AF & OF purpenser (as PUR-, penser): see PENSIVE] preplan /pri:'plen/ v.tr. (preplanned, preplanning) plan in advance. . preponderant /pri'ponderent/ adj. surpassing in influence, power, number, or importance; predominant, preponderating. 00 preponderance n. preponderantly adv. preponderate /pr1'ponda,ret/ v.intr. (often foll. by over) 1 a be greater in influence, quantity, or number. b predominate. 2 a be of greater importance. b weigh more. [L praeponderare (as PRAE-, PONDER)]

young English artists and writers, the major figures being Holman Hunt, Millais, and Rossetti. Abhorring the slickness and sentimentality of much Victorian painting they sought to purify art by a return to the truth and seriousness of the early Renaissance, adopting a minutely detailed method of study from nature and painting in bright colours over a wet white ground. Much criticized for their espousal of ‘ugliness’, they were defended by Ruskin. The movement began to dissipate in the early 1850s: Millais eloped with Ruskin’s wife and became a successful Royal Academician, Rossetti retreated into the world of medieval romance, Hunt went to Palestine to paint biblical scenes, but the style they had created was continued by a number of inferior imitators. pre-record /|,pri:ri'ko:d/ v.tr. record (esp. material for broadcasting) in advance.

prerequisite /pri:'rekwizit/ adj. & n. —adj. required as a pre-

condition. —n. a prerequisite thing. prerogative /pri'rogotiv/ n. 1 a right or privilege exclusive to preceding) a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to an individual or class. 2 (in full royal prerogative) Brit. the another word or element, as in: ‘the man on the platform’, ‘came after dinner’, ‘what did you do it for?’ 00 prepositional adj._ right of the sovereign, theoretically subject to no restriction. [ME f. OF prerogative or L praerogativa privilege (orig. to vote first) prepositionally adv. [ME f. L praepositio f. praeponere praepositf. praerogativus asked first (as PRAE-, rogare ask)] (as PRAE-, ponere place)]

preposition /,preps'z1{(a)n/ n. Gram. a word governing (and usu.

prepositive /pri:'ppzitrv/ adj. Gram. (of a word, particle, etc.) that should be placed before or prefixed. [LL praepositivus (as PREPOSITION)] prepossess /,pri:pa'zes/ v.tr. 1 (usu. in passive) (of an idea, feeling, etc.) take possession of (a person); imbue. 2 a prejudice (usu. favourably and spontaneously). b (as prepossessing adj.) attractive, appealing. 00 prepossession /-'ze[(a)n/ n. preposterous /pri'ppsteras/ adj. 1 utterly absurd; outrageous.

2 contrary to

nature,

reason,

or

common

sense.

oO

preposterously adv. preposterousness n. [L praeposterus reversed, absurd (as PRAE-, posterus coming after)]

prepostor var. of PRAEPOSTOR. prepotent /pri'pout(a)nt/ adj. 1 greater than others in power, influence, etc. 2 a having a stronger fertilizing influence. b dominant in transmitting hereditary qualities. 00 prepotence n. prepotency n. [ME f. L praepotens -entis, part. of praeposse (as PRAE-, posse be able)] preppy

/'prepi/ n. & adj. US collog.

—n.

(pl. -ies) a person

attending an expensive private school or who looks like such a person (with short hair, blazer, etc.). —adj. (preppier, preppiest) 1 like a preppy. 2 neat and fashionable. [PREP (SCHOOL) + -yY]

preprandial /pri:'prendztol/ adj. formal or joc. before dinner or

Pres. abbr. President.

presage n. & v. —rn. |'presid3/ 1 an omen or portent. 2 a presentiment or foreboding. —v.tr. /'presid3, pri'serd3/ 1 portend, foreshadow. 2 give warning of (an event etc.) by natural means. 3 (of a person) predict or have a presentiment of. 00 presageful /pri'seid3ful/ adj. presager n. [ME f. F présage, présager f. L praesagium f. praesagire forebode (as PRAE-, sagire perceive keenly)]

presbyopia /,prezbr'supia/ n. long-sightedness caused by loss of elasticity of the eye lens, occurring esp. in middle and old age. 00 presbyopic /-'pprk/ adj. [mod.L f. Gk presbus old man + Ops Gpos eye] presbyter /'prezbito(r)/ n. 1 an elder in the early Christian Church. 2 (in the Episcopal Church) a minister of the second order; a priest. 3 (in the Presbyterian Church) an elder. oo presbyteral /-'bitor(a)l/ adj. presbyterate /-'bitorat/ 1. presbyterial /-'troriol/ adj. presbytership n. [eccl.L f. Gk presbuteros elder, compar. of presbus old] Presbyterian /|,prezbr'tiarian/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a church) governed by elders all of equal rank, esp. with reference to the national Church of Scotland. —n. 1a member of a Presbyterian Church. 2 an adherent of the Presbyterian system. oo Presbyterianism 1. [eccl.L presbyterium (as PRESBYTERY)] presbytery

/'prezbitori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the eastern part of a

lunch. [PRE- + L prandium a meal] pre-preference /pri:'preforans/ adj. Brit. (of shares, claims, etc.) ranking before preference shares etc. preprint /'pri:print/ n. a printed document issued in advance of general publication. ‘ preprocessor /pri:'prousesa(r)/ n. a computer program that modifies data to conform with the input requirements of another program. prep school /prep/ n. = PREPARATORY SCHOOL. [abbr. of PREPARATORY]

chancel beyond the choir; the sanctuary. 2 a a body of presbyters, esp. a court next above a Kirk-session. b a district represented by this. 3 the house of a Roman Catholic priest. [ME f. OF presbiterie f. eccl.L f. Gk presbuterion (as PRESBYTER)] preschool /'pri:sku:, pri:'sku:1/ adj. of or relating to the time before a child is old enough to go to school. 00 preschooler |-"sku:la(r)/ n. prescient /'presiont/ adj. having foreknowledge or foresight. O0 prescience n. presciently adv. [L praescire praescient- know beforehand (as PRAE-, scire know)]

prepublication /|,pri:pabli‘kerf(a)n/ adj. & n. —attrib.adj. pro-

prescind /pri'sind/ v. 1 tr. (foll. by from) cut off (a part from a

duced or occurring before publication. —n. publication in advance or beforehand. prepuce /'pri:pju:s/ n. 1 = FORESKIN. 2 the fold of skin surrounding the clitoris. 00 preputial /pri:'pju:{(2)l/ adj. [ME f. L

whole), esp. prematurely or abruptly. 2 intr. (foll. by from) leave out of consideration. [L praescindere (as PRAE-, scindere cut)]

praeputium] prequel /'pri:kw(2)l/ n. a story, film, etc., whose events or concerns precede those of an existing work. [PRE- + SEQUEL]

Pre-Raphaelite /pri:'rzfo,latt/ n. & adj. —n. a member of a group of English 19th-c. artists, emulating the work of Italian artists before the time of Raphael. (See below.) —adj. 1 of or relating to the Pre-Raphaelites. 2 (pre-Raphaelite) (esp. of a woman) like a type painted by a Pre-Raphaelite (e.g. with long thick curly auburn hair). 0 Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood the chosen name of the Pre-Raphaelites. 00 pre-Raphaelitism n. The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was founded in 1848 by seven av how

er day

av no

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

va poor

prescribe /pri'skraib/ v. 1 tr. a advise the use of (a medicine etc.), esp. by an authorized prescription. b a benefit (prescribed a change of scenery). 2 tr. authoritatively. 3 intr. (foll. by to, for) assert or claim. 00 prescriber n. [L praescribere

recommend, esp. as lay down or impose a prescriptive right praescript- direct in

writing (as PRAE-, scribere write)] prescript /'pri:skript/ n. an ordinance, law, or command.

[L

praescriptum neut. past part.: see PRESCRIBE]

prescription /pri'skrip{(9)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of prescribing.

2 a a doctor’s (usu. written) instruction for the

composition and use of a medicine. b a medicine prescribed. 3 (in full positive prescription) uninterrupted use or possession from time immemorial or for the period fixed by law as giving

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ava sour

(see over for consonants)

prescriptive

presidium

1144 a

ee

a title or right. 4 a an ancient custom viewed as authoritative. b a claim founded on long use. 0 negative prescription the

time limit within which an action or claim can be raised. [MEf. OF f. L praescriptio -onis (as PRESCRIBE)] prescriptive /pri'skriptrv/ adj. 1 prescribing. 2 Linguistics concerned with or laying down rules of usage. 3 based on prescription (prescriptive right). 4 prescribed by custom. oO prescriptively adv. prescriptiveness n. prescriptivism 1. prescriptivist n. & adj. [LL praescriptivus (as PRESCRIBE)] preselect /,pri:si'lekt/ v.tr. select in advance. 00 preselection n. preselective |,pri:si'lektrv/ adj. that can be selected or set in advance. preselector |pri:s1'lekta(r)/ n. any of various devices for selecting a mechanical or electrical operation in advance of its execution, e.g. of a gear-change in a motor vehicle. presence /'prez(a)ns/n. 1 the state or condition of being present (your presence is requested). 2 a place where a person is (was admitted to their presence). 3 a a person’s appearance or bearing, esp. when imposing (an august presence). b a person’s force of personality (esp. have presence). 4 a person or thing that is present (the royal presence; there was a presence in the room). 5 representation for reasons of political influence (maintained a presence). 0 in the presence of in front of; observed by. presence chamber a room in which a monarch or other distinguished person receives visitors. presence of mind calmness and selfcommand in sudden difficulty etc. [ME f. OF f. L praesentia (as PRESENT?)] present! /'prez(a)nt/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (usu. predic.) being in the place in question (was present at the trial). 2 a now existing, occurring, or being such (the present Duke; during the present season). b now being considered or discussed etc. (in the present case). 3 Gram. expressing an action etc. now going on or habitually performed (present participle; present tense). —n. (prec. by the) 1 the time now passing (no time like the present). 2 Gram. the present tense.

O at present now. by these presents Law by

this document (know all men by these presents). for the present 1 just now. 2.as far as the present is concerned. present company excepted excluding those who are here now. present-day adj. of this time; modern. [ME f. OF f. L praesens -entis part. of praeesse be at hand (as PRAE-, esse be)] present? /pri'zent/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 introduce, offer, or exhibit, esp. for public attention or consideration. 2 a (with a thing as object, foll. by to) offer or give as a gift (to a person), esp. formally or ceremonially. b (with a person as object, foll. by with) make available to; cause to have (presented them with a new car, that presents us with a problem). 3 a (of a company, producer, etc.) put (a form of entertainment) before the public. b (of a performer, compére, etc.) introduce or put before an audience. 4 introduce (a person) formally (may I present my fiancé?; was presented at court). 5 offer, give (compliments etc.) (may I present my card; present my regards to your family). 6 a (of a circumstance) reveal (some quality etc.) (this presents some difficulty). b exhibit (an appearance etc.) (presented a rough exterior). 7 (of an idea etc.) offer or suggest itself. 8 deliver (a cheque, bill, etc.) for acceptance or payment. 9 a (usu. foll. by at) aim (a weapon). b hold out (a weapon) in a position for aiming. 10 (refl. or absol.) Med. (of a patient or illness etc.) come forward for or undergo initial medical examination. 11 (absol.) Med. (of a part of a foetus) be directed toward the cervix at the time of delivery. 12 (foll. by to) Law bring formally under notice, submit (an offence, complaint, etc.). 13 (foll. by to) Eccl. recommend (a clergyman) to a bishop for institution to a benefice. —n. the position of presenting arms in salute. o present arms hold arifle etc. vertically in front of the body as a salute. present oneself 1 appear. 2 come forward for examination etc. 00 presenter n. (in sense 3 of v.). [ME f. OF presenter f. L praesentare (as PRESENT})] present? /'prez(s)nt/ n. a gift; a thing given or presented. o make a present of give as a gift. [ME f. OF (as PRESENT), orig. in phr. mettre une chose en present a quelqu’un put a thing into the presence of a person] presentable /pri'zentab(s)l/ adj. 1 of good appearance; fit to be presented to other people. 2 fit for presentation. oo b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

presentability /-'brliti/n. presentablenessn. presentably adv. presentation |,prezon'terf(2)n/ n. 1 a the act or an instance of , presenting; the process of being presented. b a thing presented. 2 the manner or quality of presenting. 3 a demonstration or display of materials, information, etc.; a lecture. 4 an exhibition or theatrical performance. 5 a formal introduction. 6 the position of the foetus in relation to the cervix at the time of delivery. 00 presentational adj. presentationally adv. [ME f. OF f. LL praesentatio -onis (as PRESENT®)]

presentationism /,prezon'te1fo,n1z(2)m/ n. Philos. the doctrine that in perception the mind has immediate cognition of the object. 00 presentationist n. presentative /pri'zentotrv/ adj. 1 Philos. subject to direct cognition. 2 hist. (of a benefice) to which a patron has the right of presentation. [prob. f. med.L (as PRESENTATION)] presentee /,prezon'ti:/ n. 1 the recipient ofa present. 2 a person presented. [ME f. AF (as PRESENT?)] presentient /prt'sen{(a)nt, -'zen{(2)nt/ adj. (often foll. by of) having a presentiment. [L praesentiens (as PRAE-, SENTIENT)] presentiment /pr'zentimont, -'sentiment/ n. a vague expectation; a foreboding (esp. of misfortune). [obs. F présentiment (as PRE-, SENTIMENT)] presently /'prezontli/ adv. 1 soon; after a short time. 2 esp. US & Sc. at the present time; now. presentment /pri'zentmoent/ n. the act of presenting information, esp. a statement on oath by a jury of a fact known to them. [ME f. OF presentement (as PRESENT?)] preservation |,preza'verf(s)n/ n. 1 the act of preserving or process of being preserved. 2 a state of being well or badly preserved (in an excellent state of preservation). [ME f. OF f. med.L praeservatio -onis (as PRESERVE)]

preservationist |,prezo'verfonist/ n. a supporter or advocate of preservation, esp. of antiquities and historic buildings. preservative /pri'zs:votiv/ n. & adj. —n. a substance for preserving perishable foodstuffs, wood, etc. —adj. tending to preserve. [ME f. OF preservatif -ive f. med.L praeservativus -um (as PRESERVE)]

preserve /pri'z3:v/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 a Keep safe or free from harm, decay, etc. b keep alive (a name, memory, etc.). 2 maintain (a thing) in its existing state. 3 retain (a quality or condition). 4 a treat or refrigerate (food) to prevent decomposition or fermentation. b prepare (fruit) by boiling it with sugar, for longterm storage. 5 keep (game, a river, etc.) undisturbed for private use. —n. (in sing. or pl.) 1 preserved fruit; jam. 2 a place where game or fish etc. is preserved. 3 a sphere or area of activity regarded as a person’s own. O well-preserved (of an elderly person) showing little sign of ageing. 00 preservable adj. preserver n. [ME f. OF preserver f. LL praeservare (as PRAE-, servare

keep)] pre-set /pri:'set/ v.tr. (-setting; past and past part. -set) 1 set or fix (a device) in advance of its operation. 2 settle or decide beforehand. preshrunk /pri:'frank/ adj. (of a fabric or garment) treated so that it shrinks during manufacture and not in use.

preside /pri'zaid/ v.intr. 1 (often foll. by at, over) be ina position of authority, esp. as the chairperson or president ofa meeting. 2 a exercise control or authority. b (foll. by at) collog. play an instrument in company (presided at the piano). [F présider f. L praesidére (as PRAE-, sedére sit)]

presidency /'prezidonsi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the office of president. 2 the period of this. [Sp. & Port. presidencia, It. presidenza f. med.L praesidentia (as PRESIDE)]

president /'prezid(s)nt/ n. 1 the elected head of a republican State. 2 the head ofa society or council etc. 3 the head of certain colleges. 4 US a the head of a university. b the head of a company, etc. 5. a person in charge of a meeting, council, etc. O00 presidential /-'den{(2)l/ adj. presidentially /-\denfalr/ adv. presidentship n. [ME f. OF f. L (as PRESIDE)]

presidium /pri'sidiom, -'z1dram/ n. (also praesidium) a stand-

k cat

ing executive committee in a Communist country, esp. that of the Supreme Soviet in the Soviet Union which functions as lleg

m man

nono

ppen

rred

s sit.

t top

v voice

Presley

the ultimate legislative authority when the Soviet itself is not sitting. [Russ. prezidium f. L praesidium protection etc. (as PRESIDE)]

Presley /'prezli/, Elvis Aaron (1935-77), American singer, the dominant personality (known as ‘the King’) of early rock and roll from the mid-1950s, noted for the vigour and frank sexuality of his style. presocratic |,pri:so'kretrk/ adj. (of philosophy) of the time before Socrates. ~ press! /pres/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. apply steady force to (a thing in contact) (press a switch; pressed the two surfaces together). 2 tr. a compress or apply pressure to a thing to flatten, shape, or smooth it, as by ironing (got the curtains pressed). b squeeze (a fruit etc.) to extract its juice. ¢ manufacture (a gramophone record etc.) by moulding under pressure. 3 tr. (foll. by out of, from, etc.) squeeze (juice etc.). 4 tr. embrace or caress by squeezing (pressed my hand). 5 intr. (foll. by on, against, etc.) exert pressure. 6 intr. be urgent; demand immediate action (time was pressing). 7 intr. (foll. by for) make an insistent demand. 8intr. (foll. by up, round, etc.) form a crowd. 9 intr. (foll. by on, forward, | etc.) hasten insistently. 10 tr. (often in passive) (of an enemy etc.) bear heavily on. 11 tr. (often foll. by for, or to + infin.) urge or entreat (pressed me to stay; pressed me for an answer). 12 tr. (foll. by on, upon) a put forward or urge (an opinion. claim, or course of action). b insist on the acceptance of (an offer, a gift, etc.). 13 tr. insist on (did not press the point). 14 intr. (foll. by on) produce a strong mental or moral impression; oppress; weigh heavily. 15 intr. Golf try too hard for a long shot etc. and so strike the ball imperfectly. —n. 1 the act or an instance of pressing (give it a slight press). 2 a a device for compressing, flattening, shaping, extracting juice, etc. (trouser press; flower press; wine press). b a machine that applies pressure to a workpiece by means of a tool, in order to punch shapes, bend it, etc. 3 = printing-press. 4 (prec. by the) a the art or practice of printing. b newspapers, journalists, etc., generally or collectively (read it in the press; pursued by the press). 5 a notice or piece of publicity in newspapers etc. (got a good press). 6 (Press) a a printing house or establishment. b a publishing company (Athlone Press). 7 a crowding. b a crowd (of people etc.). 8 the pressure of affairs. 9 esp. Ir. & Sc. a large usu. shelved cupboard for clothes, books, etc., esp. in a recess. O at (or im) press (or the press) being printed. be pressed for have barely enough (time etc.). go (or send) to press go or send to be printed. press agent a person employed to attend to advertising and press publicity. press-box a reporters’ enclosure esp. at a sports event. press the button 1 set machinery in motion. 2 collog. take a decisive initial step. press-button adj. = push-button. press conference an interview given to journalists to make an announcement or answer questions. press gallery a gallery for reporters esp. in a legislative assembly. press-on (of a material) that can be pressed or ironed on. press release an official statement issued to newspapers for information. press-stud a small fastening device engaged by pressing its two halves together. press-up an exercise in which the prone downward-facing body is raised from the legs or trunk upwards by pressing down on the hands to straighten the arms. [ME f. OF presser, presse f. L pressare frequent. of premere press-] press? /pres/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 hist. force to serve in the army or navy. 2 bring into use as a makeshift (was pressed into service). —n. hist. compulsory enlistment esp. in the navy. [alt. f. obs. prest (v. & n.) f. OF prest loan, advance pay f. prester f. L praestare furnish (as PRAE-, stare stand)] press-gang /'presgen/ n. & v. —n. 1 hist. a body of men employed to press men into service in the army or navy. 2 any group using similar coercive methods. —v.tr. force into service. pressie /'prezi/ n. (also prezzie) collog. a present or gift. [abbr.] pressing /'presin/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 urgent (pressing business). 2a urging strongly (a pressing invitation). b persistent, importunate (since you are so pressing). —n. 1 a thing made by pressing, esp. a gramophone record. 2 a series of these made at one time. 3 the act or an instance of pressing a thing, esp. a gramophone record or grapes etc. (all at one pressing). 00 pressingly adv. wwe

z zoo

presume

1145

f she

3 decision

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pressman /'presmon/ n. (pl. -men) 1 a journalist. 2 an operator of a printing-press. pressmark /'presma:k/ n. a library shelf-mark showing the location of a book etc. pressure |'prefa(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the exertion of continuous force on or against a body by another in contact with it. b the force exerted. ¢ the amount of this (expressed by the force on a unit area) (atmospheric pressure). 2 urgency; the need to meet a deadline etc. (work under pressure). 3 affliction or difficulty (under financial pressure). 4 constraining influence (if pressure is brought to bear). —v.tr. 1 apply (esp. moral) pressure to. 2 a coercey b (often foll. by into) persuade (was pressured into attending). o pressure-cook

cook in a pressure-cooker. pressure-cooker

an airtight pan for cooking quickly under steam pressure. The earliest vessel of this kind was described by its French inventor, Denis Papin, in 1681, and called by him ‘Papin’s Digester’; the diarist John Evelyn describes a supper prepared in it. pressure gauge a gauge showing the pressure of steam etc. pressure group a group or association formed to promote a particular interest or cause by influencing public policy. pressure point 1 a point where an artery can be pressed against a bone to inhibit bleeding. 2 a point on the skin sensitive to pressure. 3 a target for political pressure or influence. pressure suit an inflatable suit for flying at a high altitude. [ME f. L pressura (as PREsS})] pressurize |'pref2,ra1z/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 (esp. as pressurized adj.) maintain normal atmospheric pressure in (an aircraft cabin etc.) at a high altitude. 2 raise to a high pressure. 3 pressure (a person). O pressurized-water reactor a nuclear reactor in which the coclant is water at high pressure. 00 pressurization /-'zerf(a)n/ n. Prestel /'prestel/ n. propr. (in the UK) the computerized visual information system operated by British Telecom. [pREss! +

TELECOMMUNICATION] Prester John /'presto(r)/ (ie. ‘Presbyter’ John) a legendary medieval Christian king of Asia, said to have defeated the Muslims and to be destined to bring help to the Holy Land. The legend spread in Europe in the mid-12th c. He was later identified with a real king of Ethiopia; another theory identifies him with a Chinese prince who defeated the sultan of Persia in 1141. The legend may contain a nucleus of historical fact.

prestidigitator |,presti'did3i,terta(r)/ n. formal a conjuror. oo prestidigitation /-'te1{(2)n/ n. [F prestidigitateur f. preste nimble (as PRESTO) +L digitus finger] prestige /pre'sti:3/ n. 1 respect, reputation, or influence derived from achievements, power, associations, etc. 2 (attrib.) having or conferring prestige. 00 prestigeful adj. [F, = illusion, glamour, f. LL praestigium (as PRESTIGIOUS)]

prestigious /pre'stid3as/ adj. having or showing prestige. o0 prestigiously adv. prestigiousness n. [orig. = deceptive, f. L praestigiosus f. praestigiae juggler’s tricks]

prestissimo /pre'stisi,mau/ adv. & n. Mus.

—adv. in a very

quick tempo. —n. (pl. -os) a movement or passage played in this way. [It., superl. (as PRESTO 1)] presto /'prestou/ adv. & n. —adv. 1 Mus. in quick tempo. 2 (in a conjuror’s formula in performing a trick) quickly (hey presto!). —n. (pl. -os) Mus. a movement to be played in a quick tempo. [It. f. LL praestus f. L praesto ready] Prestonpans |,preston'pznz/ a village just east of Edinburgh, near which the first major engagement of the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 took place. A small Hanoverian army under Sir John Cope was routed by the Highlanders of the equally small Jacobite army, leaving the way clear for the Young Pretender’s subsequent invasion of England. prestressed /pri:'strest/ adj. strengthened by stressing in advance, esp. of concrete by means of stretched rods or wires put in during manufacture.

Prestwick /'prestwik/ an international airport near Ayr on the west coast of Scotland.

presumably

/pri'zju:mobli/

adv.

as

may

reasonably

be

presumed. presume /pr1'zju:m/ v. 1 tr. (often foll. by that + clause) suppose tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

presuming

Previn

1146 a

es eS

EEE EE

EE

ees

preternatural |,pri:to'netfor(2)l/ adj. outside the ordinary to be true; take for granted. 2 tr. (often foll. by to + infin.) a course of nature; supernatural. 00 preternaturalism 1. take the liberty; be impudent enough (presumed to question their preternaturally adv. authority). b dare, venture (may I presume to ask?). 3 intr. be presumptuous; take liberties. 4 intr. (foll. by on, upon) take ’ pretext /'pri:tekst/n. 1 an ostensible or alleged reason or intenadvantage of or make unscrupulous use of (a person’s good tion. 2 an excuse offered. o on (or under) the pretext (foll. by nature etc.). 00 presumable adj. presumedly adv. [ME f. OF of, or that + clause) professing as one’s object or intention. [L presumer f. L praesumere praesumpt- anticipate, venture (as PRAE-, praetextus outward display f. praetexere praetext- (as PRAE-, texere sumere take)] weave)] presuming /pr1'zju:min/ adj. presumptuous. 00 presumingly pretor US var. of PRAETOR. adv. presumingness n.

Pretoria /pri'to:r1o/ the capital of Transvaal and administrative

presumption /pri'zamp)(s)n/ n. 1 arrogance; presumptuous behaviour. 2 a the act of presuming a thing to be true. ba thing that is or may be presumed to be true. 3a ground for presuming (a strong presumption against their being guilty). 4 Law an inference from known facts. [ME f. OF presumpcion f. L praesumptio -onis (as PRESUME)] presumptive /pri'zamptiv/ adj. giving grounds for presumption (presumptive evidence). 00 presumptively adv. [F presomptif -ive f. LL praesumptivus (as PRESUME) presumptuous /pri'zamptjuas/ adj. unduly or overbearingly confident and presuming. oO presumptuously adv. presumptuousness n. [ME f. OF presumptueux f. LL praesumptuosus, -tiosus (as PRESUME)] presuppose |)pri:so'powz/ v.tr. (often foll. by that + clause) 1 assume beforehand. 2 imply. [ME f. OF presupposer, after med.L praesupponere (as PRE-, SUPPOSE)] presupposition /pri:sapo'z1{(9)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of presupposing. 2 a thing assumed beforehand as the basis of argument etc. [med.L praesuppositio (as PRAE-, supponere as SUPPOSE)] pre-tax /pri:'teks, 'pri:teks/ adj. (of income or profits) before the deduction of taxes. pre-teen /pri:'ti:n/ adj. of or relating to a child before the age of thirteen. pretence /pri'tens/n. (US pretense) 1 pretending, make-believe. 2 aa pretext or excuse (on the slightest pretence). b a false show of intentions or motives (under the pretence offriendship; under false pretences). 3 (foll. by to) a claim, esp. a false or ambitious one (has no pretence to any great talent). 4 a affectation, display. b pretentiousness, ostentation (stripped of all pretence). [ME f. AF pretense ult. f. med.L pretensus pretended (as PRETEND)] pretend /pri'tend/ v. & adj. —v. 1 tr. claim or assert falsely so as to deceive (pretend knowledge; pretended that they were foreigners). 2 tr. imagine to oneself in play (pretended to be monsters; pretended it was night). 3 tr. a profess, esp. falsely or extravagantly (does not pretend to be a scholar). b (as pretended adj.) falsely claim to be such (a pretended friend). 4 intr. (foll. by to) a lay claim to (a right or title etc.). b profess to have (a quality etc.). —adj. colloq. pretended; in pretence (pretend money). [ME f. F prétendre or f. L (as PRAE-, tendere tent-, later tens- stretch)] pretender /pri'tendo(r)/ n. 1 a person who claims a throne or title etc. 2 a person who pretends. pretense US var. of PRETENCE. pretension /pri'tenJ(a)n/ n. 1 (often foll. by to) a an assertion of a claim. b a justifiable claim (has no pretensions to the name; has some pretensions to be included). 2 pretentiousness. [med.L praetensio, -tio (as PRETEND)]}

pretentious /pri'ten{as/ adj. 1 making an excessive claim to great merit or importance. 2 ostentatious. 00 pretentiously adv. pretentiousness n. [F prétentieux (as PRETENSION)] preter- /'pri:to(r)/ comb. form more than. [L praeter (adv. & prep.), = past, beyond] preterite /'pretorit/ adj. & n. (US preterit) Gram. —adj. expressing a past action or state. —n. a preterite tense or form. [ME f. OF preterite or L praeteritus past part. of praeterire pass (as PRETER-, ire it- go)] preterm /pri:'ts:m/ adj. & adv. born or occurring prematurely. pretermit /|,pri:to'mit/ v.tr. (pretermitted, pretermitting) formal 1 omit to mention (a fact etc.). 2 omit to do or perform;

a: arm

e bed

3: her

pretorian US var. of PRAETORIAN. prettify /'prit,fat/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) make (a thing or person) pretty esp. in an affected way. 00 prettification /-fi'ker{(9)n/ n. prettifier n. pretty /'priti/ adj., n., v.. & adv. —adj. (prettier, prettiest) 1 attractive in a delicate way without being truly beautiful or handsome (a pretty child; a pretty dress; a pretty tune). 2 fine or good of its kind (a pretty wit). 3 iron. considerable, fine (a pretty penny; a pretty mess you have made). —adv. collog. fairly, moderately (am pretty well; find it pretty difficult). —n. (pl. -ies) a pretty person (esp. as a form of address to a child). —-v.tr. (-ies, -ied) (often foll. by up) make pretty or attractive. 0 pretty much (or nearly or well) collog. almost; very nearly. pretty-pretty too pretty. sitting pretty colloq. in a favourable or advantageous position. Oo prettily adv. prettiness n. prettyish adj. prettyism n. [OE prettig f. WG] pretzel /'prets(a)l/ n. (also bretzel /'bret-/) a crisp knot-shaped or stick-shaped salted biscuit. [G]

prevail /pri'veil/ v.intr. 1 (often foll. by against, over) be victorious or gain mastery. 2 be the more usual or predominant. 3 exist or occur in general use or experience; be current. 4 (foll. by on, upon) persuade. 0 prevailing wind the wind that most frequently occurs at a place. 00 prevailingly adv. [ME f. L praevalére (as PRAE-, valére have power), infl. by AVAIL]

prevalent /'prevalant/ adj. 1 generally existing or occurring. 2 predominant. 00 prevalence n. prevalently adv. [as PREVAIL] prevaricate /pri'verikeit/ v.intr. 1 speak or act evasively or misleadingly. 2 quibble, equivocate. {Often confused with procrastinate. 00 prevarication /-'ker{(o)n/ n. prevaricator n. [L praevaricari walk crookedly, practise collusion, in eccl.L transgress (as PRAE-, varicari straddle f. varus bent, knock-kneed)] prevenient /pri'vi:niant/ adj. formal preceding something else. [L praeveniens pres. part of praevenire (as PREVENT)] prevent /pri'vent/ v.tr. 1 (often foll. by from + verbal noun) stop from happening or doing something; hinder; make impossible (the weather prevented me from going). 2 archaic go or arrive before, precede. 00 preventable adj. (also preventible). preventability /-to'biliti/ n. (also preventibility). preventer n. prevention n. [ME = anticipate, f. L praevenire praevent- come before, hinder (as PRAE-, venire come)]

preventative

/pri'ventotiv/ adj. & n. =

PREVENTIVE.

OO

preventatively adv.

preventive /pri'ventiv/ adj. & n. —adj. serving to prevent, preventing disease, breakdown, etc. (preventive medicine; ventive maintenance). —n. a preventive agent, measure, drug, O preventive detention the imprisonment of a criminal corrective training etc. 00 preventively adv.

esp. preetc. for

preview /'pri:vju:/ n. & v. —n. 1 the act of seeing in advance. 2 a the showing of a film, piay, exhibition, etc., before it is seen by the general public. b (US prevue) a film trailer. —v.tr. see or show in advance. Previn /'previn/, André George (born Andreas Ludwig Priwin, 1929— ), German-born American pianist, conductor, and composer. Once a jazz pianist, he later worked in Hollywood as a composer and arranger of film music. He has composed musicals and orchestral and chamber works but is most famous as a conductor, notably with the London Symphony- Orchestra (1968-79) and the Pittsburg Symphony Orchestra (1976-86),

neglect. 3 leave off (a custom or continuous action) for a time. 00 pretermission /-'m1J(2)n/ n. [L praetermittere (as PRETER-, mittere miss- let go)]

wz cat

capital of the Republic of South Africa; pop. (1985) approx. 443,000. [A. W. J. Pretorius (1799-1853), S.Afr. Boer leader, one of the founders of Transvaal]

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

Arun

o put

u: too_oago

at my

previous

priestess

1147

and has won popularity as a presenter of classical music on television. previous /'pri:vios/ adj. & adv. —adj. 1 (often foll. by to) coming before in time or order. 2 done or acting hastily. —adv. (foll. by to) before (had called previous to writing). 0 previous question Parl. a motion concerning the vote on a main question. 00 previously adv. previousness n. [L praevius (as PRAE-, via way)] previse /pri'vaiz/ v.tr. literary foresee or forecast (an event etc.). OO prevision /-'v13(9)n/ n. previsional /-'vrzan(9)l/ adj. [L praevidére praevis- (as PRAE-, vidére see)]

Prévost /pre'vau/, Antoine-Frangois, l’Abbé (‘Prévost d’Exiles’) (1696-1763), French novelist, successively Jesuit novice, professional soldier, and Benedictine priest. Unfitted for the cloister he fled in 1728 and took refuge in Holland and England. He is remembered for his novel Manon Lescaut (1731), the story of a mutually destructive passion between a noble man and a demi-mondaine, which inspired operas by Massenet and Puccini. He wrote many novels and translations of Richardson’s Major novels which introduced his countrymen to English life and literature. prevue US var. of PREVIEW n. 2b. pre-war /pri:'wo:(r), 'pri:wo:(r)/ adj. existing or occurring before a war (esp. the most recent major war). prey /prei/n. & v. —n. 1 an animal that is hunted or killed by another for food. 2 (often foll. by to) a person or thing that is influenced by or vulnerable to (something undesirable) (became a prey to morbid fears). 3 Bibl. or archaic plunder, booty, etc. —+v.intr. (foll. by on, upon) 1 seek or take as prey. 2 make a victim of. 3 (of a disease, emotion, etc.) exert a harmful influence (fear preyed on his mind). o beast (or bird) of prey an animal (or bird) which hunts animals for food. 00 preyer n. [ME f. OF preie f. L praeda booty]

prezzie var. of PRESSIE. Priam /'prarem/ Gk legend the king of Troy at the time of its

priceless /'pratslis/ adj, 1 invaluable; beyond price. 2 collog. very amusing or absurd. O00 pricelessly adv. pricelessness n. pricey /'pratsi/ adj. (also pricy) (pricier, priciest) colloq. expensive. OO priciness n.

prick /prik/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. pierce slightly; make a small hole in, 2 tr. (foll. by off, out) mark (esp. a pattern) with small holes or dots. 3 tr. trouble mentally (my conscience is pricking me). 4 intr. feel a pricking sensation. 5 intr. (foll. by at, into, etc.) make a thrust as if to prick. 6 tr. (foll. by in, off, out) plant (seedlings etc.) in small holes pricked in the earth. 7 tr. Brit. archaic mark off (a name inalist, esp. to select a sheriff) by pricking. 8 tr. archaic spur or urge on (a horse etc.). —n. 1 the act or an instance of pricking. 2 a small hole or mark made by pricking. 3 a pain caused as by pricking. 4 a mental pain (felt the pricks of conscience). 5 coarse sl. a the penis. b derog. (as a term of contempt) a person. 4] Usually considered a taboo use. 6 archaic a goad for oxen. 0 kick against the pricks persist in futile resistance. prick up one’s ears 1 (of a dog etc.) make the ears erect when on the alert. 2 (of a person) become suddenly attentive. 00 pricker n. [OE prician (v.), pricca (n.)}

pricket /'prikit/ n. 1 Brit. a male fallow deer in its second year, having straight unbranched horns. 2 a spike for holding a candle. [ME f. AL prikettus -um, dimin. of PRICK]

prickle /'prik(s)l/ n. & v. —n.

1 aa small thorn.

b Bot. a

thornlike process developed from the epidermis of a plant. 2 a hard-pointed spine of a hedgehog etc. 3 a prickling sensation. —-v.tr. & intr. affect or be affected with a sensation as of pricking. [OE pricel prick: (v.) also dimin. of PRICK]

prickly /'prikli/ adj. (pricklier, prickliest) 1 (esp. in the names of plants and animals) having prickles. 2 (of a person) ready to take offence. 3 tingling. 0 prickly heat an itchy inflammation of the skin, causing a tingling sensation and common in hot countries. prickly pear 1 any cactus of the genus Opuntia,

native to arid regions of America, bearing barbed bristles and large pear-shaped prickly fruits. 2 its fruit. prickly poppy a

destruction by the Greeks under Agamemnon. He was slain by Neoptolemus, son of Achilles.

tropical poppy-like plant, Argemone mexicana, with prickly leaves and yellow flowers. 00 prickliness n.

priapic /prat'zprk/ adj. phallic. [Priapos (as PRIAPISM) + -IC] priapism /'prais,piz(2)m/ n. 1 lewdness, licentiousness. 2 Med.

pricy var. of PRICEY. pride /praid/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa feeling of elation or satisfaction

persistent erection of the penis. [F priapisme f. LL priapismus f. Gk priapismos f. priapizo be lewd f. Priapos PRIAPUS]

Priapus |'pri:apes/ Gk Mythol. a god of fertility, whose symbol was the phallus. He was originally worshipped in the Hellespont area and nis cult spread to Greece after Alexander’s conquest, and thence to Italy. By this time the Greeks had outgrown the more crudely naturalistic worship and Priapus seems to have been found broadly funny. He was adopted as a god of gardens, where his statue (a misshapen little man with enormous genitals) was a sort of combined scarecrow and guardian deity. price /prais/n. & v. —n. 1 a the amount of money or goods for which a thing is bought or sold. b value or worth (a pearl of great price; beyond price). 2 what is or must be given, done, sacrificed, etc., to obtain or achieve something. 3 the odds in betting (starting price). —v.tr. 1 fix or find the price of (a thing for sale). 2 estimate the value of. 0 above (or beyond or without) price so valuable that no price can be stated. at any price no matter what the cost, sacrifice, etc. (peace at any price). at a price ata high cost. price-fixing the maintaining of prices at a certain level by agreement between competing sellers. price-list a list of current prices of items on sale. price on a person’s head a reward for a person’s capture or death. price oneself out of the market lose to one’s competitors by charging more than customers are willing to pay. price-ring a group of traders acting illegally to control certain prices. price tag 1 the label on an item showing its price. 2 the cost of an enterprise or undertaking. price war fierce competition among traders cutting prices. set a price om declare the price of. what price ...? (often foll. by verbal noun) collog. 1 what is the chance of . . .? (what price your finishing the course?). 2 iron. the expected or much boasted . .. proves disappointing (what price your friendship now?). 00 priced adj. (also in comb.). pricer n. [(n.) ME f. OF pris f. L pretium: (v.) var. of prise = PRIZE]

au how

er day

90 no

es hair

1 near

or boy

va poor

at achievements or qualities or possessions etc. that do one credit. b an object of this feeling. 2 a high or overbearing opinion of one’s worth or importance. 3 (in full proper pride) a proper sense of what befits one’s position; self-respect. 4 a group or company (of animals, esp. lions). 5 the best condition; the prime. —v.refl. (foll. by on, upon) be proud of. 0 my, his, etc. pride and joy a thing of which one is very proud. pride of the morning a mist or shower at sunrise, supposedly indicating a fine day to come. pride of place the most important or prominent position. take pride (or a pride) in 1 be proud of. 2 maintain in good condition or appearance. 00 prideful adj. pridefully adv. prideless adj. [OE prytu, pryte, pryde f. prid PROUD]

Pride’s Purge /praidz/ the exclusion or arrest of about 140 Members of Parliament by soldiers under the command of Colonel Pride when, in December 1648, the army, seeking a trial of the captive Charles I, decided to remove those Members likely to vote against it. Following the purge, the remaining Members, known as the Rump Parliament, voted for the trial which resulted in Charles being executed.

prie-dieu

/pri:'dj3:/ n. (pl. prie-dieux

pronunc.

same)

a

kneeling-desk for prayer. [F, = pray God] priest /pri:st/ n. 1 an ordained minister of the Roman Catholic or Orthodox Church, or of the Anglican Church (above a deacon and below a bishop), authorized to perform certain rites and administer certain sacraments. 2 an official minister of a nonChristian religion. Oo priest’s hole hist. a hiding-place for a Roman Catholic priest during times of religious persecution. oo priestless adj. priestlike adj. priestling n. [OE préost, ult. f. eccl.L presbyter: see PRESBYTER]

priestcraft /'pri:stkra:ft/ n. usu. derog. the work and influence of priests. priestess /'pri:stis/n. a female priest of a non-Christian religion.

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

priesthood

primeval

1148

primary school a school where young children are taught,

priesthood /'pri:sthud/ n. (usu. prec. by the) 1 the office or

esp. below the age of 11. 00 primarily /'prarmortlr, -'meorili/ adv. [ME f. L primarius f. primus first]

position of priest. 2 priests in general.

Priestley! |'pri:stli/, John Boynton (1894-1984), English novel-

primate /'prarmert/ n. 1 any animal of the order Primates, the

ist, playwright, and critic. His good-humoured optimistic novels include The Good Companions (1929). Some of his plays, such as Time and the Conways (1937), are influenced by the time theories of J. W. Dunne. Priestley was a popular broadcaster, known for his forthright down-to-earth comments. His prodigious literary output earned him a fortune and popular esteem, but critical acclaim was more sparing.

highest order of mammals, including tarsiers, lemurs, apes, monkeys, and man. 2 an archbishop. 0 Primate of All England the Archbishop of Canterbury. Primate of England the Archbishop of York. 00 primatial /-'mer/(2)l/ adj. primatology |-ma'tpled31/ n. (in sense 1). [ME f. OF primat f. L primas -atis (adj.)

of the first rank f. primus first, in med.L = primate] primavera |pri:mo'vero/ n. 1 a Central American tree, Cybistax

Priestley? /'pri:stli/, Joseph (1733-1804), English chemist, nat-

donnellsmithii, bearing yellow blooms. 2 the hard light-coloured timber from this. [Sp., = spring (the season) f. L primus first + ver SPRING]

ural philosopher, and theologian, author of about 150 books, mostly theological or educational. He was introduced to the study of electricity (electrostatics) by Franklin, but his most important work was done in ‘pneumatic’ chemistry (the study of gases), in which, by means of improved techniques, he managed to isolate a number of gases, including ammonia, sulphur dioxide, and nitrous oxide and nitrogen dioxide, but his most significant discovery was of ‘dephlogisticated air’ in 1774, which he reported to Lavoisier who gave it the modern name of oxygen. He demonstrated the importance of oxygen to animal life, and that plants require sunlight and yield this gas. In his theology he espoused what eventually became known as Unitarianism. His support of the French Revolution provoked so much hostility that he left Birmingham in 1794 and settled in America.

priestly

/'pri:stli/ adj. of or associated

with priests.

prime! /praim] adj. & n. —adj. 1 chief, most important (the prime agent; the prime motive). 2 (esp. of cattle and provisions) first-rate, excellent. 3 primary, fundamental. 4 Math. a (of a number) divisible only by itself and unity (e.g. 2, 3, 5, 7, 11). b (of numbers) having no common factor but unity. —n. 1 the state of the highest perfection of something (in the prime of life). 2 (prec. by the; foll. by of) the best part. 3 the beginning or first age of anything. 4 Eccl. a the second canonical hour of prayer, appointed for the first hour of the day (i.e. 6 a.m.). b the office of this. ¢ archaic this time. 5 a prime number. 6 Printing a symbol (') added to a letter etc. as a distinguishing mark, or to a figure as a symbol for minutes or feet. 7 the first of eight parrying positions in fencing. 0 prime cost the direct cost of a commodity in terms of materials, labour, etc. prime meridian 1 the meridian from which longitude is reckoned, esp. that passing through Greenwich. 2 the corresponding line on a map. prime minister see separate entry. prime mover 1 an initial natural or mechanical source of motive power. 2 the author of a fruitful idea. prime rate the lowest rate at which money can be borrowed commercially. prime time the time at which a radio or television audience is expected to be at its highest. prime vertical the great circle of the heavens passing through the zenith and the E. and W. points of the horizon. oo primeness n. [(n.) OE prim f. L prima (hora) first (hour), & MF f. OF prime: (adj.) ME f. OF f. L primus first]

oo

priestliness n. [OE préostlic (as PRIEST)] prig /prig/ n. a self-righteously correct or moralistic person. 00 priggery n. priggish adj. priggishly adv. priggishness n. [16th-c. cant, = tinker: orig. unkn.] prim /prim/ adj. & v. —adj. (primmer, primmest) 1 (of a person or manner) stiffly formal and precise. 2 (of a woman or girl) demure. 3 prudish. —v.tr. (primmed, primming) 1 form (the face, lips, etc.) into a prim expression. 2 make prim. 00 primly adv. primness n. [17th c.: prob. orig. cant f. OF prin prime excellent f. L primus first]

prima ballerina |,pri:mo ,bels'ri:no/ n. the chief female dancer in a ballet or ballet company. [It.] primacy /'praimasi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 pre-eminence. 2 the office of a primate. [ME f. OF primatie or med.L primatia (as PRIMATE)]

prime? /praim/ v.tr. 1 prepare (a thing) for use or action. 2 prepare (a gun) for firing or (an explosive) for detonation. 3 a pour (a liquid) into a pump to prepare it for working. b inject petrol into (the cylinder or carburettor of an _internalcombustion engine). 4 prepare (wood etc.) for painting by applying a substance that prevents paint from being absorbed. 5 equip (a person) with information etc. 6 ply (a person) with food or drink in preparation for something. [16th c.: orig. unkn_]

prima donna|pri:mo 'dono/ n. (pl. prima donnas) 1 the chief female singer in an opera or opera company. 2 a temperamentally self-important person. 00 prima donna-ish adj. [It.]

primaeval var. of PRIMEVAL. prima facie /,prarmo 'ferfi:/ adv. & adj. —adv. at first sight; from a first impression (seems prima facie to be guilty). —adj. (of evidence) based on the first impression (can see a prima facie reason for it). [ME f. L, fem. ablat. of primus first, facies FACE]

primal

/'praim(s)l/

adj.

1 primitive,

primeval.

prime minister n. the head of the executive branch of government in countries with a parliamentary system. In Britain the term was originatly merely descriptive and unofficial. In the early 18th c. (perhaps from its prior application to the sole minister of a despotic ruler) it was regarded as odious; it was applied opprobriously to Sir Robert Walpole and disowned by him, as later by Lord North. It was little used in the later part of the 18th c., ‘premier’ (also ‘first minister’) being often substituted, but by the middle of the 19th c. it had become usual and began to creep into official use from 1878. In 1905 it was fully recognized and the precedence of the prime minister defined by King Edward VII. In current use, the terms ‘premier’ and ‘prime minister’ are synonomous in Britain, but in Canada and Australia the government of a Province or State is headed by a premier, that of the Federal government by a prime minister. In countries such as France, where the President has an executive function, the prime minister is in a subordinate position.

2 chief,

fundamental. 00 primally adv. [med.L primalis f. L primus first] primary /'praimori/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 a of the first importance; chief (that is our primary concern). b fundamental, basic. 2 earliest, original; first in a series. 3 of the first rank in a series; not derived (the primary meaning of a word). 4 designating any of the colours red, green, and blue, or for pigments red, blue, and yellow, from which all other colours can be obtained by mixing. 5 (of a battery or cell) generating electricity by irreversible chemical reaction. 6 (of education) for young children, esp. below the age of 11. 7 (Primary) Geol. of the lowest series of strata. 8 Biol. belonging to the first stage of development. 9 (of an industry or source of production) concerned with obtaining or using raw materials. 10 Gram. (of a tense in Latin and Greek) present,

future, perfect, or future perfect (cf. HISTORIC). —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a thing that is primary. 2 (in full primary election) (in the US) a preliminary election to appoint delegates to a party conference or to select the candidates for a principal (esp. presidential) election. 3 = primary planet. 4 (Primary) Geol. the Primary period. 5 = primary feather. 6 = primary coil. 0 primary coil a coil to which current is supplied in a transformer. primary feather a large flight-feather of a bird’s wing. primary planet a planet that directly orbits the sun (cf. secondary planet).

b but

ddog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

primer! /'prarma(r)/ n. 1 a substance used to prime wood etc. 2 a cap, cylinder, etc., used to ignite the powder of a cartridge

etc. primer? /'praima(r)/ n. 1 an elementary textbook for teaching children to read. 2 an introductory book. [ME f. AF f£ med.L primarius -arium f. L primus first]

primeval /prar'mi:v()l/ adj. (also primaeval) 1 of or relating k cat

lleg

m man

nno

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

primigravida to the first age of the world. 2 ancient, primitive. primevally adv. [L primaevus f. primus first + aevum age]

primigravida

|pri:mrgrevido,

prammr/

oo

on.

(pl.

primigravidae /|-,di:/) a woman who is pregnant for the first time. [mod.L fem. f. L primus first + gravidus pregnant: see GRAVID]

priming! /'prarmin/ n. 1 a mixture used by painters for a preparatory coat. 2 a preparation of sugar added to beer. 3 a gunpowder placed in the pan of a firearm. b a train of powder connecting the fuse with the charge in blasting etc.

priming? /'prarmm/ n. an acceleration of the tides taking place from the neap to the spring tides. [prime (v.) f. PRIME! + -ING}]

primipara /|,prat'mipors/ n. (pl. primiparae /-,ri:/) a woman who is bearing a child for the first time. 00 primiparous adj. {mod.L fem. f. primus first + -parus f. parere bring forth]

primitive /'primitrv/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 early, ancient; at an early stage of civilization (primitive man). 2 undeveloped, crude, simple (primitive methods). 3 original, primary. 4 Gram. & Philol. (of words or language) radical; not derivative. 5 Math. (of a line, figure, etc.) from which another is derived, from which some construction begins, etc. 6 (of a colour) primary. 7 Geol. of the earliest period. 8 Biol. appearing in the earliest or a very early stage of growth or evolution. —n. 1 a a painter of the period before the Renaissance. b a modern imitator of such. ¢ an untutored painter with a direct naive style. da picture by such a painter. 2 a primitive word, line, etc. 0 the Primitive Church the Christian Church in its earliest times. 00 primitively adv. primitiveness n. [ME f. OF primitif -ive or L primitivus first of its kind f. primitus in the first place f. primus first]

primitivism /'primiti,viz(s)m/ n. 1 primitive behaviour.

2

belief in the superiority of what is primitive. 3 the practice of primitive art. 00 primitivist n. & adj. primo /'pri:moo/ n. (pl. -os) Mus. the leading or upper part ina duet etc.

primogenitor |,prarmou'dzenitoa(r)/ n. 1 the earliest ancestor of a people

etc.

2 an

ancestor.

[var. of progenitor,

after

PRIMOGENITURE] primogeniture /,prarmou'dzenitfa(r)/ n. 1 the fact or condition of being the first-born child. 2 (in full right of primogeniture) the right of succession belonging to the first-born, esp. the feudal rule by which the whole real estate of an intestate passes to the eldest son. 00 primogenital adj. primogenitary adj. [med.L primogenitura f. L primo first + genitura f. gignere genitbeget]

primordial /prat'mo:drol/ adj. 1 existing at or from the beginning, primeval. 2 original, fundamental. 00 primordiality /'zliti) n. primordially adv. [ME f. LL primordialis (as PRIMORDIUM)] primordium /prat'mo:diom] 2. (pl. primordia |-dia/) Biol. an organ or tissue in the early stages of development. [L, neut. of primordius original f. primus first + ordiri begin]

Primorve /'pri:mo:ja/ a territory of the Russian SFSR in SE Siberia; pop. (1985) 2,136,000; capital, Vladivostock. primp /primp/ v.tr. 1 make (the hair, one’s clothes, etc.) tidy. ‘2 refl. make (oneself) smart. [dial. var. of PRIM] primrose /'primrsuz/ n. 1 a any plant of the genus Primula, esp. P. vulgaris, bearing pale yellow flowers. b the flower of this. 2 a pale yellow colour. 0 Primrose Day the anniversary of the death of Disraeli (19 Apr. 1881). Primrose League a political association, formed in memory of Disraeli (whose favourite flower was supposedly the primrose) in 1883, to promote and sustain conservative principles in Britain. It is still in existence today. primrose path the pursuit of pleasure, esp. with disastrous consequences (with ref. to Shakesp. Hamlet 1. iii. 50). [ME primerose, corresp. to OF primerose and med.L prima rosa, lit. first rose: reason for the name unkn.]

primula /'primjulo/ n. any plant of the genus Primula, bearing primrose-like flowers in a wide variety of colours during the spring, including primroses, cowslips, and polyanthuses. [med.L, fem. of primulus dimin. of primus first]

primum mobile |,pra1mom 'moubili/ n. 1 the central or most important source of motion or action. 2 Astron. in the medieval

wwe

zzoo

f she

Princeton

1149

3 decision

90 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

version of the Ptolemaic system, an outer sphere supposed to move round the earth in 24 hours carrying the inner spheres with it. [med.L, = first moving thing] Primus /'prarmes/ n. propr. a brand of portable stove burning vaporized oil for cooking etc. [L (as PRIMUS)} primus /'prarmas/ n. the presiding bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church. [L, = first] primus inter pares |,pri:mes nto 'pa:ri:z/ n. a first among equals; the senior or representative member of a group. [L] prince /prins/ n. (as a title usu. Prince) 1 a male member of a royal family other than a reigning king. 2 (in full prince of the blood) a son or grandson of a British monarch. 3 a ruler of a small State, actually or nominally subject to a king or emperor. 4 (as an English rendering of foreign titles) a noble usu. ranking next below a duke. 5 (as a courtesy title in some connections) a duke, marquis, or earl. 6 (often foll. by of) the chief or greatest (the prince of novelists). 0 prince consort the husband ofa reigning female sovereign who is himself a prince. The title was conferred on Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, to avoid the word ‘king’ as Albert was not regnant. Prince of Darkness Satan. Prince of Peace Christ. Prince of Wales see separate entry. Prince Regent a prince who acts as regent, esp. George (afterwards IV) as regent 1811-20. prince royal the eldest son of the reigning monarch. prince’s feather a tall plant, Amaranthus hypochondriacus, with feathery spikes of small red flowers. prince’s metal a brasslike alloy of copper and zinc. oo princedom n. princelet n. princelike adj. princeship n. [ME f. OF f. L princeps principis first, chief, sovereign f. primus first + capere take]

Prince Charming afairy-tale hero. The name is a partial translation of the French Roi Charmant, the name of the hero of the Comtesse d’Aulnoy’s L’Oiseau Bieu (The Blue Bird, 1697). In English it first appears as that of the hero of Planché’s King Charming or Prince Charming, and was later adopted for the hero of various fairy-tale pantomimes.

Prince Edward

Island the smallest province of Canada

(from 1873), an island in the Gulf of St Lawrence, captured by the British from the French settlers in 1758; pop. (1986) 126,600; capital, Charlottetown.

Prince Imperial Napoléon Eugéne Louis Jean Joseph (1856— 79), son of Napoleon III. Trained as a soldier in Britain after his father’s overthrow, he was allowed, at his own request, to join the British forces in the Zulu War and was killed in a skirmish in Zululand.

princeling /'prinslin/ n. a young or petty prince. princely /'prinsli/ adj. (princelier, princeliest)

1 a of or

worthy of a prince. b held by a prince. 2 sumptuous, generous, splendid. 00 princeliness n.

Prince of Wales atitle, formerly adopted by various Welsh rulers, usually conferred (since 1301; see EDWARD II) on the heir apparent to the English (later the British) throne.

Prince Rupert’s Land see Rupert’s LAND. Princes in the Tower the young sons of Edward IV, supposedly murdered in the Tower of London. Edward, Prince of Wales, and Richard, Duke of York, were housed in the royal apartments of the Tower of London following the death of their father and the seizure of the throne by Richard III. They disappeared soon after their arrival there in 1483, and although many theories as to their fate were subsequently advanced, it is generally assumed that they were murdered, either by their uncle Richard III or by Henry Tudor (later Henry VII). princess /prin'ses/ n. (as a title usu. Princess /'prinses/) 1 the wife of a prince. 2 a female member of a royal family other than a reigning queen. 3 (in full princess of the blood) a daughter or granddaughter of a British monarch. 4 a pre-eminent woman or thing personified as a woman. O Princess Regent 1 a princess who acts as regent. 2 the wife of a Prince Regent. Princess Royal a monarch’s eldest daughter, as a title conferred by the monarch. [ME f. OF princesse (as PRINCE)]

Princeton |'prinst(s)n/ a town in the west of New Jersey, named in 1724 in honour of William III, Prince of Orange-Nassau; pop. tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

principal

mind or memory). 9 transfer (a coloured or plain design) from paper etc. to the unglazed or glazed surface of ceramic ware. 0

(1980) 12,000. It is the site of the fourth-oldest US university, founded in 1746.

principal /'prinsip(s)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (usu. attrib.) first in rank or importance; chief (the principal town of the district). 2 ~ main, leading (a principal cause of my success). 3 (of money) constituting the original sum invested or lent. —n. 1 a head, ruler, or superior. 2 the head of some schools, colleges, and universities. 3 the leading performer in a concert, play, etc. 4a capital sum as distinguished from interest or income. 5 a person for whom another acts as agent etc. 6 (in the UK) a civil servant of the grade below Secretary. 7 the person actually responsible for a crime. 8 a person for whom another is surety. 9 each of the combatants in a duel. 10 a a main rafter supporting purlins. ba main girder. 11 an organ stop sounding an octave above the diapason. 12 Mus. the leading player in each section of an orchestra. 0 principal boy the leading male part in a pantomime, usually played by a woman. principal girl the leading female part in a pantomime. principal clause Gram. a clause to which another clause is subordinate. principal in the first degree a person directly responsible for a crime as its actual perpetrator. principal in the second degree a person directly responsible for a crime as aiding in its perpetration. principal parts Gram. the parts of a verb from which all other parts can be deduced. oo principalship n. [ME f. OF f. L principalis first, original (as PRINCE)]

principality |,prinsr'pezliti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a State ruled by a prince. 2 the government ofa prince. 3 (in pl.) the fifth order of the ninefold

prism

1150

celestial hierarchy.

4 (the Principality)

Brit.

Wales. [ME f. OF principalité f. LL principalitas -tatis (as PRINCIPAL)] principally /'prinsipoli/ adv. for the most part; chiefly.

principate /'prinsipot/ n. 1 a State ruled by a prince. 2 Rom.Hist. the rule of the early emperors during which some republican forms were retained. [ME f. OF principat or L principatus first place]

principle /'prinsip(e)l/ n. 1 a fundamental truth or law as the basis of reasoning or action (arguing from first principles; moral principles). 2 a a personal code of conduct (a person of high principle). b (in pl.) such rules of conduct (has no principles). 3 a general law in physics etc. (the uncertainty principle). 4 a law of nature forming the basis for the construction or working of a machine etc. 5 a fundamental source; a primary element (held water to be the first principle of all things). 6 Chem. a constituent of a substance, esp. one giving rise to some quality, etc. oO in principle as regards fundamentals but not necessarily in detail. on principle on the basis ofa moral attitude (Irefuse on principle). (ME f. OF principe f. L principium source, (in pl.) foundations (as PRINCE)|

appear in print have one’s work published. in print 1 (of a

book etc.) available from the publisher. 2 in printed form. out of print no longer available from the publisher. printed circuit an electric circuit with thin strips of conductor on a flat insulating sheet, usu. made by a process like printing. 00 printable adj. printability /-to'bilit1/ n. printless adj. (in sense 1 of n.). [ME f. OF priente, preinte, fem. past part. of preindre press f. L premere] printer /'printo(r)/ n. 1 a person who prints books, magazines, advertising matter, etc. 2 the owner of a printing business. 3 a device that prints, esp. as part of a computer system. O printer’s devil an errand-boy in a printer’s office. printer’s mark a device used as a printer’s trade mark. printer’s pie =

PIE? n. printery /'printori/ n. (pl. -ies) US a printer’s office or works.

printhead

/'printhed/ n. the component

in a printer (see

PRINTER 3) that assembles and prints the characters on the

paper. printing /'printin/1n. 1 the production of printed books etc. (See below.) 2 a single impression of a book. 3 printed letters or writing imitating them. 0 printing-press a machine for printing from types or plates etc. Printing involves transferring any number of times an image, or group of images, from an original master to a receptive substrate such as paper, board, or cloth. It is most commonly achieved by inking a suitable form of the master image (i.e. printers’ type, a rubber stamp, or litho plate) and trarisferring the ink to the substrate by flat or rolling pressure. The process originated in China in about the 8th c. and spread to Europe in the 15th c. A major advance was Johann Gutenberg’s invention of movable type by which each letter is cast separately, allowing words and spaces to be formed into lines and pages, which in turn form relief master images for inking and impressing on to paper. This method has been largely superseded by photographic image-forming techniques and faster rotary printing. Film is now the most universal master-image material, through which the printing-surface is selectively sensitized and etched, ready for the modern rotary printing-press. Multicolour images are formed by superimposing one printed colour upon another in register. A growing method of printing is that whereby master images are held by computer in digital form, and then output on to a suitable substrate by plotting, xerographic, ink-jet, or laser techniques.

printmaker /'print,merka(r)/ n. a person who makes print. 00 printmaking n.

principled /'prinsip(s)ld/ adj. based on or having (esp. praise-

printout /'printavt/ n. computer output in printed form.

worthy) principles of behaviour.

printworks /'printwa:ks/ n. a factory where fabrics are printed.

prink /prink/ v. 1 tr. (usu. refl.) a make (oneself etc.) smart. b (foll. by up) smarten (oneself) up. ¢ (of a bird) preen. 2 intr. dress oneself up. [16th c.: prob. f. prank dress, adorn, rel. to MLG prank pomp, Du. pronk finery] print /print/n. & v. —n. 1 an indentation or mark on a surface left by the pressure of a thing in contact with it (fingerprint; footprint). 2 a printed lettering or writing (large print). b words in printed form, ¢ a printed publication, esp. a newspaper. d the quantity of a book etc. printed at one time. e the state of being printed. 3 a picture or design printed from a block or plate. 4 Photog. a picture produced on paper from a negative. 5 a printed cotton fabric. —v.tr. 1 a produce or reproduce (a book, picture, etc.) by applying inked types, blocks, or plates, to paper, vellum, etc. b (of an author, publisher, or editor) cause (a book or manuscript etc.) to be produced or reproduced in this way. 2 express or publish in print. 3 a (often foll. by on, in) impress or stamp (a mark or figure on a surface). b (often foll. by with) impress or stamp (a soft surface, e.g. of butter or wax, with a seal, die, etc.). 4 (often absol.) write (words or letters) without joining, in imitation of typography. 5 (often foll. by off, out) Photog. produce (a picture) by the transmission of light through a negative. 6 (usu. foll. by out) (ofa computer etc.) produce output in printed form. 7 mark (a textile fabric) with a decorative design in colours. 8 (foll. by on) impress (an idea, scene, etc. on the ze cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

prior /'prato(r)/ adj., adv., & n. —adj. 1 earlier. 2 (often foll. by to) coming before in time, order, or importance. —adv. (foll. by to) before (decided prior to their arrival). —n. 1 the superior officer of a religious house or order. 2 (in an abbey) the officer next under the abbot. o0 priorate /-rat/ n. prioress n. priorship n. [L, = former, elder, compar. of OL pri = L prae before]

priority /prar'priti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the fact or condition of being earlier or antecedent. 2 precedence in rank etc. 3 an interest having prior claim to consideration. 00 prioritize v.tr. (also -ise). prioritization /-ta1'ze1f(a)n/ n. [ME f. OF priorité f. med.L prioritas -tatis f. L prior (as PRIOR)] priory /'pratori/ n. (pl. -ies) a monastery governed by a prior or a nunnery governed by a prioress. [ME f. AF priorie, med.L prioria (as PRIOR)]

Priscian /'prifien/ (Priscianus, 6th c.) Byzantine grammarian. His Latin Grammatical Institutions was one of the standard grammatical works in the Middle Ages. prise /praiz/ v. & n. (also prize) —v.tr. force open or out by leverage (prised up the lid; prised the box open). —n. leverage, purchase. [ME & OF prise levering instrument (as pRIzE!)] prism /'priz(2)m/ n. 1 a solid geometric figure whose two ends are similar, equal, and parallel rectilinear figures, and whose sides are parallelograms. 2 a transparent body in this form, usu.

i: see

pv hot

0: saw

arun

o put

u: too

9 ago

al my

prismatic triangular with refracting surfaces at an acute angle with each other, which separates white light into a spectrum of colours. oO prismal |'prizm()l/ adj. [LL prisma f. Gk prisma prismatos thing sawn f. priz6 to saw]

prismatic /priz'mztrk/ adj. 1 of, like, or using a prism. 2 a (of colours) distributed by or as if by a transparent prism. b (of light) displayed in the form of a spectrum. 00 prismatically adv. [F prismatique f. Gk prisma (as PRISM)]

prismoid /'prizmoid/ n. a body like a prism, with similar but unequal parallel polygonal ends. 00 prismoidal /-'mo1d(s)l/ adj. prison /'priz(a)n/ n. & v. —n. 1 a place in which a person is kept in captivity, esp. a building to which persons are legally committed while awaiting trial or for punishment; a jail. (See below.) 2 custody, confinement (in prison). —v.tr. poet. (prisoned, prisoning) put in prison. oO prison-breaking escape from prison. prison camp a camp for prisoners of war or of State. [ME f. OF prisun, -on f. L prensio -onis f. prehensio f. prehendere prehens- lay hold of] There have been prisons at all periods of history. Originally imprisonment was not a mode of punishment but a means of holding offenders awaiting trial or execution; it was used also as a means of extorting payment of money, and even by the 19th c. a high proportion of prisoners were debtors. The modern idea of prison grew from the ‘house of correction’, a place which, in the 16th c., was used for housing beggars and vagrants who threatened the peace of the community, and for setting them to work. By the mid-16th c. such places, modelled on and named after the Bridewell organized in London, were established in every county under the local justices (a similar movement sprang up on the Continent); their original functions were superseded by that of imprisoning petty offenders. Bad insanitary surroundings, oppression, cruelty, and lack of supervision made prison conditions notorious and towards the end of the 18th c. John Howard began a vigorous crusade for reform; this was only one aspect of a European

government prisons was penological punishment

movement.

In 1878 the

assumed control of all prisons. Thinking about affected then and thereafter by the development of theory, particularly stressing the individualism of and criticizing imprisonment as not suitable in all

cases. prisoner /'prizna(r)/ n. 1 a person kept in prison. 2 (in full prisoner at the bar) a person in custody on a criminal charge and on trial. 3 a person or thing confined by illness, another's grasp, etc. 4 (in full prisoner of war) a perscn who has been captured in war. 0 prisoner of conscience see CONSCIENCE. prisoner of State (or State prisoner) a person confined for political reasons. prisoner’s base a game played by two groups of children who each occupy a distinct base or home. It was played as a street game in France in the Middle Ages. In England it was prohibited in the avenues of the Palace of Westminster during sessions of Parliament in the reign of Edward III because it interfered with the passage of members. take prisoner seize and hold as a prisoner. [ME f. AF prisoner, OF prisonier (as PRISON)] prissy /'prisi/ adj. (prissier, prissiest) prim, prudish. oo prissily adv. prissiness n. [perh. f. PRIM + SISSY]

Pristina /pris'ti:no/ the capital of the autonomous province of Kosovo, Yugoslavia; pop. (1981) 210,000. pristine /'pristi:n, 'pristarn/ adj. 1 in its original condition; unspoilt. 2 disp. spotless; fresh as if new. 3 ancient, primitive. [L pristinus former]

Pritchett /'prit;it/, Sir Victor Sawdon (1900—_), English writer and critic, famous especially for his short stories. His works include two volumes of much-praised autobiography, The Cab at the Door (1968; the title refers to his household’s frequent removals), and Midnight Oil (1971). prithee /'pridi:/ int. archaic pray, please. [= I pray thee] privacy /'privosi, 'prai-/ n. 1 a the state of being private and undisturbed. ba person’s right to this. 2 freedom from intrusion or public attention. 3 avoidance of publicity.

private /'pratvot, -vit/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 belonging to an individual; one’s own; personal (private property). 2 confidential; not to be disclosed to others (private talks). 3 kept or removed from au how

er day

privilege

1151

ov no

eo hair

10 near

ot boy

va poor

public knowledge or observation. 4 a not open to the public. b for an individual’s exclusive use (private room). 5 (of a place) secluded; affording privacy. 6 (of a person) not holding public office or an official position. 7 (of education or medical treatment) conducted outside the State system, at the individual’s expense. —n. 1a private soldier. 2 (in pl.) collog. the genitals. o0 in private privately; in private company or life. private bill a parliamentary bill affecting an individual or corporation only. private company Brit. a company with restricted membership

and no issue of shares. private detective a detective engaged privately, outside an official police force. private enterprise 1 a business or businesses not under State control. 2 individual initiative. private eye collog. a private detective. private first class US a soldier ranking above an ordinary private but below officers. private hotel a hotel not obliged to take all comers.

private house the dwelling-house of a private person, as distinct from a shop, office, or public building. private law a law relating to individual persons and private property. private life life as a private person, not as an official, public performer, etc. private means income from investments etc., apart from earned income. private member a member of a_legislative body not holding a government office. private member’s bill a bill introduced by a private member, not part of government legislation. private parts the genitals. private patient Brit. a patient treated by a doctor other than under the National Health Service. private practice Brit. medical practice that is not part of the National Health Service. private press a printing establishment operated by a private person or group not primarily for profit and usu. on a small scale. private school 1 Brit. a school supported wholly by the payment of fees. 2 US a school not supported mainly by the State. private secretary a secretary dealing with the personal and confidential concerns of a businessman or businesswoman. private sector the part of the economy free of direct State control. private soldier an ordinary soldier other than the officers (and US other than recruits). private view the viewing of an exhibition (esp. of paintings) before it is open to the public. private war 1 a feud between persons or families disregarding the law of murder etc. 2 hostilities against members of another State without the sanction of one’s own government. private wrong an offence against an individual but not against society as a whole. 00 privately adv. [ME f. L privatus, orig. past part. of privare deprive] privateer |,prarvo'tia(r)/ n. 1 an armed vessel owned and officered by private individuals holding a government commission and authorized to use it against a hostile nation, especially in the capture of merchant shipping. 2 a a commander of such a vessel. b (in pl.) its crew. 00 privateering n. [PRIVATE, after volunteer] privateersman |pratvo'tiozmon/ n. (pl. -men) = PRIVATEER 2.

privation /prat'ver{(2)n/ n. 1 lack of the comforts or necessities of life (suffered many privations). 2 (often foll. by of) loss or absence (of a quality). [ME f. L privatio (as PRIVATE)] privative |'privatrv/ adj. 1 consisting in or marked by the loss or removal or absence of some quality or attribute. 2 (of a term) denoting the privation or absence of a quality etc. 3 Gram. (of a particle etc.) expressing privation, as Gk a- = ‘not’. oo privatively adv. [F privatif -ive or L privativus (as PRIVATION)}

privatize /'prarvo,taiz, -v1,ta1z/ v.tr. (also -ise) make private, esp. assign (a business etc.) to private as distinct from State control or ownership; de-nationalize. 00 privatization /-'ze1{(9)n/ n. privet /'prrvit/ n. any evergreen shrub of the genus Ligustrum, esp. L. vulgare bearing small white flowers and black berries, and much used for hedges. [16th c.: orig. unkn.]

privilege /'privilid3/ n. & v. —n.

1 a a right, advantage, or

immunity, belonging to a person, class, or office. b the freedom of members ofa legislative assembly when speaking at its meetings. 2 a special benefit or honour (it is a privilege to meet you). 3 a monopoly or patent granted to an individual, corporation, etc. 4 US Stock Exch. an option. —v.tr. 1 invest with a privilege. 2 (foll. by to + infin.) allow (a person) as a privilege (to do something). 3 (often foll. by from) exempt (a person froma liability etc.). oo privileged adj. [ME f. OF privilege f. L privilegium bill or law affecting an individual, f. privus private + lex legis law]

ara fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

privity

problematic

1152

privity /'priviti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 Lawa relation between two parties that is recognized by law, e.g. that of blood, lease, or service. 2 (often foll. by to) the state of being privy (to plans etc.). [ME f. OF priveté f. med.L privitas -tatis f. L privus private] privy |'privi/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (foll. by to) sharing in the secret of (a person’s plans etc.). 2 archaic hidden, secret. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 US or archaic a lavatory. 2 Law a person having a part or interest in any action, matter, or thing. 0 privy purse Brit. 1 an allowance from the public revenue for the monarch’s private expenses. 2 the keeper of this. privy seal (in the UK) a seal formerly affixed to documents that are afterwards to pass the Great Seal or that do not require it. 00 privily adv. [ME f. OF privé f. L privatus PRIVATE]

proa /'prave/ n. (also prau, prahu /'pra:u:/) a Malay boat, esp. with a large triangular sail and a canoe-like outrigger. [Malay prai, prahil]

proactive /prau'zktrv/ adj. 1 (of a person, policy, etc.) creating or controlling a situation by taking the initiative. 2 of or relating to mental conditioning or a habit etc. which has been learned. oO proaction |-lekj(s)n/ n. proactively adv. proactivity /-'trviti/ n. [PRO-2, after REACTIVE]

probability /,probo'brliti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state or condition of being probable. 2 the likelihood of something happening. 3 a probable or most probable event (the probability is that they will come). 4 Math. the extent to which an event is likely to occur, measured by the ratio of the favourable cases to the whole number of cases possible. 0 in all probability most probably. [F probabilité or L probabilitas (as PROBABLE)]

Privy Council 1 (in the UK) a body of advisers appointed by the sovereign (now chiefly on an honorary basis and including present and former government ministers etc.). (See below.) 2 usu. hist. a sovereign’s or governor-general’s private counsellors. O privy counsellor (or councillor) a private adviser, esp. a member of a Privy Council. In Britain, the Privy Council originated in the Curia Regis (king’s council) of the Norman kings. This took two forms: a large council of the realm (which grew into the parliament), and a select body of officials who met regularly to carry on everyday government, becoming known in the 14th c. as the Privy (= private) Council, with political, judicial, and administrative functions. In the 18th c. the importance of the Cabinet increased and the Privy Council’s functions became chiefly formal, except in certain judicial capacities. It now consists of about 300 members, chosen by the sovereign (usually as a personal honour) and includes those who hold or have held high political, legal, or ecclesiastical office in the UK or Commonwealth. It is summoned as a body only to sign the proclamation of the accession of a new sovereign, and when the sovereign announces an intention to marry.

probable /'probob(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. (often foll. by that + clause) that may be expected to happen or prove true; likely (the probable explanation; it is probable that they forgot). —n. a probable candidate, member of a team, etc. 00 probably adv. [ME f. OF f. L probabilis f. probare prove]

proband /'proubend/ n. a person forming the starting-point for the genetic study of a family etc. [L probandus, gerundive of probare test] probang /'prouben/ n. Surgery a strip of flexible material with a sponge or button etc. at the end for introducing into the throat. [17th c. (named provang by its inventor): orig. unkn., perh. alt. after probe] probate /'praubert, -bat/ n. & v. —n. 1 the official proving of a will. 2 a verified copy of a will with a certificate as handed to the executors. —v.tr. US establish the validity of (a will). [ME f. L probatum neut. past part. of probare PROVE]

probation /pro'ber{(2)n/ n. 1 Law a system of suspending the sentence on an offender subject to a period of good behaviour under supervision. 2 a process or period of testing the character or abilities of a person in a certain role, esp. of a new employee. 3 a moral trial or discipline. 0 on probation undergoing probation, esp. legal supervision. probation officer an official supervising offenders on probation. oO probational adj. probationary adj. [ME f. OF probation or L probatio (as PROVE)]

prize! /praiz/ n. & v. —n. 1 something that can be won in a competition or lottery etc. 2 a reward given as a symbol of victory or superiority. 3 something striven for or worth striving for (missed all the great prizes of life). 4 (attrib.) a to which a prize is awarded (a prize bull; a prize poem). b supremely excellent or outstanding of its kind. —-v.tr. value highly (a much prized possession). 0 prize-giving an award of prizes, esp. formally at a school etc. prize-money money offered as a prize. prize-ring 1 an enclosed area (now usu. a square) for prizefighting. 2 the practice of prizefighting. [(n.) ME, var. of PRICE: (v.) ME f. OF prisstem of preisier PRAISE] prize? /praiz/ n. & v. —n. 1 a ship or property captured in naval warfare. 2 a find or windfall. —v.tr. make a prize of. o prize-court a department of an admiralty court concerned with prizes. [ME f. OF prise taking, booty, fem. past part. of prendre f. L prehendere prehens- seize: later identified with PRIZE]

prize? var. of PRISE. prizefight /'praizfait/

n.

a

boxing-match

fought

for

prize-money. 00 prizefighter n. prizeman /'praizmon/ n. (pl. -men) a winner ofa prize, esp. a specified academic one.

prizewinner

/'praizjwinoa(r)/ n. a winner

of a prize.

oo

prizewinning adj.

PRO abbr. 1 Public Record Office. 2 public relations officer. pro! /prau/ n. & adj. collog. —n. (pl. -os) a professional. —adj. professional. 0 pro-am involving professionals and amateurs. [abbr.] pro? /prau/ adj.,n., & prep. —adj. (of an argument or reason) for; in favour. —n. (pl. -os) a reason or argument for or in favour. — prep. in favour of. 0 pros and cons reasons or considerations for and against a proposition etc. [L, = for, on behalf of] pro-! /prau| prefix 1 favouring or supporting (pro-government). 2 acting as a substitute or deputy for (proconsul). 3 forwards (produce). 4 forwards and downwards (prostrate). 5 onwards (proceed; progress). 6 in front of (protect). [L pro in front (of), for, on behalf of, instead of, on account of] pro-? /prau/ prefix before in time, place, order, etc. (problem; proboscis; prophet). [Gk pro before]

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

jyes

probationer /pro'berfana(r)/ n. 1 a person on probation, e.g. a newly appointed nurse, teacher, etc. 2 an offender on probation. Oo probationership n.

probative /'praubstrv/ adj. affording proof; evidential. [L probativus (as PROVE)] probe /proub/ n. & v. —n. 1a penetrating investigation. 2 any small device, esp. an electrode, for measuring, testing, etc. 3 a blunt-ended surgical instrument usu. of metal for exploring a wound etc. 4 (in full space probe) an unmanned exploratory spacecraft transmitting information about its environment. —v.tr. 1 examine or enquire into closely. 2 explore (a wound or part of the body) with a probe. 3 penetrate with a sharp instrument. 00 probeable adj. prober n. probingly adv. [LL proba proof, in med.L = examination, f. L probare test] probit /'probit/ n. Statistics a unit of probability based on deviation from the mean of a standard distribution. [probability unit]

probity /'proubiti, 'pro-/ n. uprightness, honesty. [F probité or L probitas f. probus good]

problem /'problom/ n. 1 a doubtful or difficult matter requiring a solution (how to prevent it is a problem; the problem of ventilation). 2 something hard to understand or accomplish or deal with. 3 (attrib.) a causing problems; difficult to deal with (problem child). b (of a play, novel, etc.) in which a social or other problem is treated. 4 a Physics & Math. an inquiry starting from given conditions to investigate or demonstrate a fact, result, or law. b Geom. a proposition in which something has to be constructed (cf. THEOREM). 5 a (in various games, esp. chess) an arrangement of men, cards, etc., in which the solver has to achieve a specified result. b a puzzle or question for solution. [ME f. OF probleme or L problema f. Gk probléma -matos f. proballo (as pRo-2, ballo throw)|

problematic kcat

lleg

m man

|,proble'!metik/ adj. (also problematical) nono

ppen

rred s sit

t top

1

v voice

proboscidean

attended by difficulty. 2 doubtful or questionable. 3 Logic enunciating or supporting what is possible but not necessarily true. 00 problematically adv. [F problématique or LL problematicus f. GK problématikos (as PROBLEM)]

proboscidean |,probs'sidian/ adj. & n. (also proboscidian) —adj. 1 having a proboscis. 2 of or like a proboscis. 3 of the mammalian order Proboscidea, including elephants and their extinct allies. —n. a mammal of this order. [mod.L Proboscidea (as PROBOSCIS)} proboscis /prou'bpsis/ n. 1 the long flexible trunk or snout of some mammals, e.g. an elephant or tapir. 2 the elongated mouth parts of some insects. 3 the sucking organ in some worms. 4 joc. the human nose. oO proboscis monkey a monkey, Nasalis larvatus, native to Borneo, the male of which has a large pendulous nose. oO proboscidiferous /-si'diferes/ adj. proboscidiform /|-'s1di,fo:m/ adj. [L proboscis -cidis f. Gk proboskis f. probosk6 (as PRO-2, bosko feed)] procaine /'provkei/ n. (also procain) a synthetic compound used as a local anaesthetic. [PRO-! + COCAINE] procaryote var. of PROKARYOTE. procedure /pro'si:dja(r), -dza(r)/'n. 1a way of proceeding, esp. a mode of conducting business or a legal action. 2 a mode of performing a task. 3 a series of actions conducted in a certain order or manner. 4 a proceeding. 5 Computing = SUBROUTINE. O00 procedural adj. procedurally adv. [F procédure (as PROCEED)} proceed /pra'si:d, prau-/ v.intr. 1 (often foll. by to) go forward or

on further; make one’s way.

2 (often foll. by with, or to +

infin.) continue; go on with an activity (proceeded with their work; proceeded to tell the whole story). 3 (of an action) be carried on or continued (the case will now proceed). 4 adopt a course of action (how shall we proceed?). § go on to say. 6 (foll. by against) start a lawsuit (against a person). 7 (often foll. by from) come forth or originate (shouts proceeded from the bedroom). 8 (foll. by to) Brit. take the degree of (MA etc.). [ME f. OF proceder f. L procedere process(as PRO-}, cedere go)} proceeding /pro'si:din/ n. 1 an action or piece of conduct (a high-handed proceeding). 2 (in pl.) (in full legal proceedings) an action at law; a lawsuit. 3 (in pl.) a published report of discussions or a conference. proceeds /'prousi:dz/ n.pl. money produced by a transaction or other undertaking. [pl. of obs. proceed (n.) f. PROCEED] process! /'prauses/n. & v. —n. 4 a course of action or proceeding, esp. a series of stages in manufacture or some other operation. 2 the progress or course of something (in process of construction). 3 a natural or involuntary operation or series of changes (the process ofgrowing old). 4 an action at law; a summons or writ. 5 Anat., Zool., & Bot. a natural appendage or outgrowth on an organism. —v.tr. 1 handle or deal with by a particular process. 2 treat (food, esp. to prevent decay) (processed cheese). 3 Computing operate on (data) by means of a program. 0 in process of time as time goes on. process server a sheriffs officer who serves writs. 00 processable adj. [ME f. OF proces f. L processus (as PROCEED)]| process? /prau'ses/ v.intr. walk in procession. [back-form. f. PROCESSION] procession /pro'sef(a)n/ n. 1 a number of people or vehicles etc. moving forward in orderly succession, esp. at a ceremony, demonstration, or festivity. 2 the movement of such a group (go in procession). 3 a race in which no competitor is able to overtake another. 4 Theol. the emanation of the Holy Spirit. oo processionist n. [ME f. OF f. L processio -onis (as PROCEED)] processional /pro'sefoan()l/ adj. & n.. —adj. 1 of processions. 2 used, carried, or sung in processions. —n. Eccl. an office-book of processional hymns etc. [med.L processionalis (adj.), -ale (n.) (as PROCESSION)] processor /'prauseso(r)/ 1. a machine that processes things, esp.: 1 = central processor. 2 = food processor.

procés-verbal |,proserva:'ba:l/ n. (pl. procés-verbaux |-'bou/) a written report of proceedings; minutes. [F] prochronism /'prookra,niz(2)m/ n. the action of referring an event etc. to an earlier date than the true one. [PRO-? + Gk khronos time]

wwe

z zoo

Jf she

procurator

1153

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

proclaim

/pro'klerm/ v.tr. 1 (often foll. by that + clause)

announce or declare publicly or officially. 2 declare (a person) to be (a king, traitor, etc.). 3 reveal as being (an accent that proclaims you a Scot) oO proclaimer n. proclamation |,proklo'merf(a)n/ n. proclamatory /-'klemator1/ adj. [ME proclame f. L proclamare cry out (as PRO-!, CLAIM)]

proclitic /pra'kiitik/ adj. & n. Gram. —adj. (of a monosyllable) closely attached in pronunciation to a following word and having itself no accent. —n. such a word, e.g. at in at home. oo proclitically adv. [mod.L procliticus f. Gk proklind lean forward, after LL encliticus: see ENCLITIC]

proclivity /pra'kirviti/ n. (pl. -ies) a tendency or inclination. [L proclivitas f. proclivis inclined (as PRo-}, clivus slope)] Procne |'prokni/ Gk Mythol. the sister of Philomel (see entry). proconsul /prou'kons(s)l/. n. 1 Rom.Hist. a governor of a province, in the later republic usu. an ex-consul. 2 a governor of a modern colony etc. 3 a deputy consul. 00 proconsular |-sjolo(r)/ adj. proconsulate /-sjulot/ n. proconsulship n. [ME f. L, earlier pro consule (one acting) for the consul]

Procopius

/pro'koupies/ (born c.500), Byzantine Greek his-

torian from Caesarea in Palestine, who accompanied Justinian’s general Belisarius on his compaigns between 527 and 540. In 562 he was made Prefect of the city of Constantinople. His principal works are the History of the Wars of Justinian, written from first-hand experience, and On Justinian’s Buildings, which is panegyric in tone and contains lucid architectural descriptions. The authenticity of another work, the Secret History, has often been doubted but is now generally accepted; it is a virulent attack on the whole policy of Justinian, based on court gossip, and also contains scurrilous comments on the dubious morals of the empress Theodora.

procrastinate /prou'krxsti,neit/ v.intr. defer action; be dilatory. § Often confused with prevaricate. 00 procrastination /"nerf(a)n/ n. procrastinative /-notiv/ adj. procrastinator n. procrastinatory adj. [L procrastinare procrastinat- (as PRO-}, crastinus of tomorrow f. cras tomorrow)] procreate /'proukrijert/ v.tr. (often absol.) bring (offspring) into existence by the natural process of reproduction. 00 procreant |'proukriont/ adj. procreative adj. procreation /-ler{(9)n/ n. procreator n. [L procreare procreat- (as PRO-}, creare create)]

Procrustean /prsu'krastion/ adj. seeking to enforce uniformity by forceful or ruthless methods. [PROCRUSTES] Procrustes /prau'krasti:z/ Gk legend a robber who forced travellers to lie on a bed and made them fit it by stretching their limbs or cutting bits off. Theseus killed him in like manner. [Gk, Prokroustés, lit. stretcher, f. prokroud beat out. proctology /prok'tolod31/ n. the branch of medicine concerned with the anus and rectum. 00 proctological /-ta'lod31k(s)l/ adj. proctologist n. [Gk proktos anus + -LoGy] proctor /|'prokto(r)/ n. 1 Brit. an officer (usu. one of two) at certain universities, appointed annually and having mainly disciplinary functions. 2 US a supervisor of students in an examination etc. 3 Law a person managing causes in a court (now chiefly ecclesiastical) that administers civil or canon law. 4 a representative of the clergy in the Church of England convocation. 0 Queen’s (or King’s) Proctor (in the UK) an official who has the right to intervene in probate, divorce, and nullity cases when collusion or the suppression of facts is alleged. 00 proctorial |-'to:r1ol/ adj. proctorship n. [ME, syncopation of PROCURATOR] proctoscope /'proktoskoup/ n. a medical instrument for inspecting the rectum. [Gk proktos anus + -scoPE] procumbent /pro'kambont/ adj. 1 lying on the face; prostrate. 2 Bot. growing along the ground. [L procumbere fall forwards (as pRo-!, cumbere lay oneself)] procuration |,prokjo'rer{(0)n/ n. 1 formal the action of procuring, obtaining, or bringing about. 2 the function or an authorized action of an attorney. [ME f. OF procuration or L procuratio (as PROCURE)] procurator /'prokju,reito(r)/ n. 1 an agent or proxy, esp. one who has power of attorney. 2 Rom.Hist. a treasury officer in an imperial province. o procurator fiscal an officer of a sheriffs tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

procure

profile

1154

great annoyance). 00 productively adv. productiveness n. productif -ive or LL productivus (as PRODUCT)] productivity |,prodak'trviti/ n. 1 the capacity to produce. the quality or state of being productive. 3 the effectiveness productive effort, esp. in industry. 4 production per unit effort.

court in Scotland, acting as public prosecutor of a district and with other duties similar to those of a coroner. oO procuratorial /-ra'to:r1al/ adj. procuratorship n. [ME f. OF procurateur or L procurator administrator, finance-agent (as PROCURE)] procure /pro'kjuo(r)/ v.tr. 1 obtain, esp. by care or effort; acquire (managed to procure a copy). 2 bring about (procured their dismissal). 3 (also absol.) obtain (women) for prostitution. 00 procurable

song)]

Prof. abbr. Professor. prof /proff n. collog. a professor. [abbr.] profane /pra'fern/ adj. & v. —adj. 1 not belonging to what is sacred or biblical; secular. 2 irreverent, blasphemous. 3 (of a rite etc.) heathen. 4 not initiated into religious rites or any esoteric knowledge. —v.tr. 1 treat (a sacred thing) with irreverence or disregard. 2 vioiate or pollute (what is entitled to respect). 00 profanation /,profo'nerf(a)n/ n. profanely adv. profaneness n. profaner n. [ME prophane f. OF prophane or med.L prophanus f. L profanus before (i.e. outside) the temple, not sacred (as PRo-!, fanum temple)]

prod /prod/ v. & n. —v. (prodded, prodding) 1 tr. poke with the finger or a pointed object. 2 tr. stimulate to action. 3 intr. (foll. by at) make a prodding motion. —n. 1 a poke or thrust. 2 a stimulus to action. 3 a pointed instrument. o0 prodder n. {16th c.: perh. imit.]

prodigal /'prodig(2)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 recklessly wasteful. 2 (foll. by of) lavish. —n. 1 a prodigal person. 2 (in full prodigal son) a repentant wastrel, returned wanderer, etc. (Luke 15: 11— 32). 00 prodigality |-'gzliti/ n. prodigally adv. [med.L prodigalis f. L prodigus lavish] prodigious /pra'did3os/ adj. 1 marvellous or amazing. 2 enormous. 3 abnormal. oO prodigiously adv. prodigiousness n. [L prodigiosus (as PRODIGY)] prodigy /'prodid3}/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a person endowed with exceptional qualities or abilities, esp. a precocious child. 2 a marvellous thing, esp. one out of the ordinary course of nature. 3 (foll. by of) a wonderful example (of a quality). [L prodigium portent] prodrome /'proudraum, 'prodraum/ n. 1 a preliminary book or treatise. 2 Med. a premonitory symptom. 00 prodromal |'prodraum(o)l/ adj. prodromic /pro'dromik/ adj. [F f. mod.L f. Gk prodromos precursor (as PRO-?, dromos running)] produce v. & n. —v.tr. /pro'dju:s/ 1 bring forward for consideration, inspection, or use (will produce evidence). 2 manufacture (goods) from raw materials etc. 3 bear or yield (offspring, fruit, a harvest, etc.). 4 bring into existence. 5 cause or bring about (a reaction, sensation, etc.). 6 Geom. extend or continue (a line). 7 a bring (a play, performer, book, etc.) before the public. b supervise the production of (a film, broadcast, etc.). —n. |'prodju:s/ 1 a what is produced, esp. agricultural and natural products collectively (dairy produce). b an amount of this. 2 (often foll. by of) a result (of labour, efforts, etc.). 3 a yield, esp. in the assay of ore. 00 producible /pro'dju:stb(9)l/ adj. producibility /pro,dju:si'brlit1/ n. [ME f. L producere (as PRo-}, ducere duct- lead)] producer /pro'dju:sa(r)/ n. 1 Econ. a person who produces goods or commodities. 2 a a person generally responsible for the production of a film or play (apart from the direction of the acting). b Brit. the director of a play or broadcast programme. O producer gas a combustible gas formed by passing air, or air and steam, through red-hot carbon. product /'prodakt/ n. 1 a thing or substance produced by natural process or manufacture. 2 a result (the product of their labours). 3 Math. a quantity obtained by multiplying quantities together. [ME f. L productum, neut. past part. of producere PRODUCE]

profanity /pro'feniti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a profane act. 2 profane language; blasphemy. [LL profanitas (as PROFANE)]

profess /pro'fes/ v. 1 tr. claim openly to have (a quality or feeling). 2 tr. (foll. by to + infin.) pretend. 3 tr. declare (profess ignorance). 4 tr. affirm one’s faith in or allegiance to. 5tr. receive into a religious order under vows. 6 tr. have as one’s profession or business. 7 a tr. teach (a subject) as a professor. b intr. perform the duties of a professor. [ME f. L profitéri profess- declare’ publicly (as PRo-}, fatéri confess)]

professed /pro'fest/ adj. 1 self-acknowledged (a professed Christian). 2 alleged, ostensible. 3 claiming to be duly qualified. 4 (of a monk or nun) having taken the vows of a religious order. 00 professedly /-sidl1/ adv. (in senses 1, 2). profession /pro'fef(a)n/ n. 1 a vocation or calling, esp. one that involves some branch of advanced learning or science (the medical profession). 2 a body of people engaged in a profession. 3 a declaration or avowal. 4 a declaration of belief in a religion. 5 a the declaration or vows made on entering a religious order. b the ceremony or fact of being professed in a religious order. oO the oldest profession collog. or joc. prostitution. oO professionless adj. [ME f. OF f. L professio -onis (as PROFESS)]

production /pra'dakj(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of producing; the process of being produced. 2 the process of being manufactured, esp. in large quantities (go into production). 3 a total yield. 4 a thing produced, esp. a literary or artistic work, a film, play, etc. 0 production line a systematized sequence of mechanical or manual operations involved in producing a commodity. 00 productional n. [ME f. OF f. L productio -onis (as PRODUCT)]

3: her

to or connected with a profession. 2 a having or showing the skill of a professional, competent. b worthy of a professional (professional conduct). 3 engaged in a specified activity as one’s main paid occupation (cf. AMATEUR) (a professional boxer). 4 derog. engaged in a specified activity regarded with disfavour (a professional agitator). —n. a professional person. o professional foul a deliberate foul in football etc., esp. to prevent an opponent from scoring. 00 professionally adv.

professionalism /pro'fefano,l1z(3)m/ n. the qualities or typical features of a profession or of professionals, esp. competence, skill, etc. 00 professionalize v.tr. (also -ise). professor /pro'feso(r)/ n. 1 a (often asa title) a university aca-

demic of the highest rank; the holder of a university chair. b US a university teacher. 2 a person who professes a religion. 00 professorate n. professorial /,profi'so:r1al/ adj. professorially |profi'so:rrolt/ adv. professoriate |,profi'so:riot/ —_n. professorship n. [ME f. OF professeur or L professor (as PROFESS)] proffer /'profo(r)/ v. & n. —v.tr. (esp. as proffered adj.) offer (a gift, services, a hand, etc.). —n. literary an offer or proposal. [ME f. AF & OF proffrir (as pRo-!, offrir OFFER)]

adept, expert. —n. a person who is proficient. 00 proficiency [-s1/ n. proficiently adv. [L proficiens proficient- (as PROFIT)]

profile /'proofarl/ n. & v. —n. 1 a an outline (esp. of a human

of goods. 2 producing much (productive soil; a productive writer). 3 Econ. producing commodities of exchangeable value (productive labour). 4 (foll. by of) producing or giving rise to (productive of

e bed

professional /pro'fefan(e)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or belonging

proficient /pro'fif(a)nt/ adj. & n. —adj. (often foll. by in, at)

productive /pro'daktrv/ adj. 1 of or engaged in the production

a: arm

2 of of

proem /'provim/ n. 1 a preface or preamble to a book or speech. 2 a beginning or prelude. 00 proemial /-'i:mrol/ adj. [ME f. OF proeme or L prooemium f. Gk prooimion prelude (as PRO-?, oimé

adj. procural n. procurement n. [ME f. OF procurer f. L procurare take care of, manage (as PRO-!, curare see to)] procurer /pra'kjuora(r)/ n. (fem. procuress /-ris/) a person who obtains women for prostitution. [ME f. AF procurour, OF procureur f. L procurator. see PROCURATOR]

ez cat

[F

1 sit

face) as seen from one side. b a representation of this. 2 a short biographical or character sketch. 3 Statistics a representation by a graph or chart of information (esp. on certain characteristics) recorded in a quantified form. 4 a characteristic personal manher or attitude. 5 a vertical cross-section of a structure. 6a flat

i: see

pv hot

9: saw

arun

vo put

u: too

9 ago

army

profit

outline piece of scenery on stage. —v.tr. 1 represent in profile. 2 give a profile to. o in profile as seen from one side. keep a low profile remain inconspicuous. oO profiler n. profilist n. [obs. It. profilo, profilare (as PRo-}, filare spin f.L filare f. filum thread)] profit /'profit/n. & v. —n. 1. an advantage or benefit. 2 financial gain; excess of returns over outlay. —v. (profited, profiting) 1 tr. (also absol.) be beneficial to. 2 intr. obtain an advantage or benefit (profited by the experience). 0 at a profit with financial gain. profit and loss account an account in which gains are credited and losses debited so as to show the net profit or loss at any time. profit margin the profit remaining in a business after Costs have been deducted. profit-sharing the sharing of profits esp. between employer and employees. profit-taking the sale of shares etc. at a time when profit will accrue. 00 profitless adj. [ME f. OF f. L profectus progress, profit f. proficere profect- advance (as PRO-', facere do)]

profitable /'profiteb(a)i/ adj. 1 yielding profit; lucrative. 2 beneficial; useful. 00 profitability /-'biliti/ n. profitableness n. profitably adv. [ME f. OF (as PRoFIt)]

profiteer /,profi'tio(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. make or seek to make excessive profits, esp. illegally or in black market conditions.

—n. a person who profiteers. profiterole /pro'fito,raul/ n. a small hollow case of choux pastry usu. filled with cream and covered with chocolate sauce. [F, dimin. of profit PROFIT]

profligate /'profligot/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 licentious; dissolute. 2 recklessly extravagant. —n. a profligate person. oO profligacy [-gost/ n. profligately adv. [L profligatus dissolute, past part. of profligare overthrow, ruin (as PRo-', fligere strike down)] pro forma /prou 'fo:mo/ adv., adj., & n. —adv. & adj. as or being a matter of form. —n. (in full pro-forma invoice) an invoice sent in advance of goods supplied. [L]

profound

/pro'faund/

adj.

&

n.

—adj.

(profounder,

profoundest) 1 a having or showing great knowledge or insight (a profound treatise). b demanding deep study or thought (profound doctrines). 2 (of a state or quality) deep, intense, unqualified (a profound sleep; profound indifference). 3 at or extending to a great depth (profound crevasses). 4 (of a sigh) deep-drawn. 5 (of a disease) deep-seated. —n. (prec. by the) poet. the vast depth (of the ocean, soul, etc.). O50 profoundly adv. profoundness n. profundity [pro'fanditi/ n. (pl. -ies). [ME f. AF & OF profund, profond f. L profundus deep (as pro-}, fundus bottom)]} \ profuse /pro'fju:s/ adj. 1 (often foll. by in, of) lavish; extravagant (was profuse in her generosity). 2 (of a thing) exuberantly plentiful;

abundant (profuse bleeding; a profuse variety). 00 profusely adv. profuseness n. profusion /pra'fju:3(o)n/ n. [ME f. L profusus past part. of profundere profus- (as PRO-', fundere fus- pour)}

progenitive /preu'dgenitiv/ adj. capable of or connected with the production of offspring. progenitor /prou'dzenito(r)/ n. 1 the ancestor of a person, animal, or plant. 2 a political or intellectual predecessor. 3 the origin of a copy. oO progenitorial /-'to:rial/ adj. progenitorship n. [ME f. OF progeniteur f. L progenitor -oris f. progignere progenit- (as pRo-!, gignere beget)] progeniture /prou'dgenitjua(r)/ n. 1 the act or an instance of procreation. 2 young, offspring. progeny /'prod3mi/ n. 1 the offspring of a person or other organism. 2 a descendant or descendants. 3 an outcome or issue. [ME f. OF progenie f. L progenies f. progignere (as PROGENITOR)] progesterone /prou'dzesto,roun/ n. a steroid hormone released by the corpus luteum which stimulates the preparation of the uterus for pregnancy (see also PROGESTOGEN). [progestin (as PRO-?, GESTATION) + luteosterone f. CORPUS LUTEUM + STEROL] progestogen /prou'dzested3zm/ n. 1 any of a group of steroid hormones (including progesterone) that maintain pregnancy and prevent further ovulation during it. 2 a similar hormone produced synthetically. proglottis /prou'glotis/ n. (pl. proglottides /-,di:z/) each segment in the strobile of a tapeworm that contains a complete reproductive system. [mod.L f. Gk proglissis (as PRO-?, glossis f. glossa, glotta tongue), from its shape]

au how

prohibit

1155

er day

ou no

eo hair

1a near

ot boy

vo poor

prognathous /prog'ne19es, 'prognoGes/ adj. 1 having a projecting jaw. 2 (of a jaw) projecting. 00 prognathic /prog'nx61k/ adj. prognathism n. [PRo-? + Gk gnathos jaw] prognosis /prog'nousis/ n. (pl. prognoses /-si:z/) 1 a forecast; a prognostication. 2 a forecast of the course of a disease. [LL f. Gk prognosis (as PRO-?, gigndsko know)] prognostic /prog'npstik/ n. & adj. —n. 1 (often foll. by of) an advance indication or omen, esp. of the course of a disease etc. 2a prediction; a forecast. —adj. foretelling; predictive (prognostic of a good result). 00 prognostically adv. [ME f. OF pronostique f. L prognosticum f. Gk prognostikon neut. of progndstikos (as

PROGNOSIS)]

i

prognosticate /prog'npsti,keit/ v.tr. 1 (often foll. by that + clause) foretell; foresee; prophesy. 2 (of a thing) betoken; indicate (future events etc.). 00 prognosticable |-kab(a)l/ adj. prognostication /-'ke1{(9)n/ n. prognosticative |-kotrv/ adj. prognosticator (as PROGNOSTIC)]

n. prognosticatory

adj. [med.L prognosticare

programme |'praugrem/ n. & v. (US program) —n. 1 a usu. printed list of a series of events, performers, etc. at a public function etc. 2a radio or television broadcast. 3 a plan of future events (the programme is dinner and an early night). 4 a course or series of studies, lectures, etc.; a syllabus. 5 (usu. program) a series of coded instructions to control the operation of a computer or other machine. —v.tr. (programmed, programming; US programed, programing)

1 make a pro-

gramme or definite plan of. 2 (usu. program) express (a problem) or instruct (a computer) by means of a program. o programme music a piece of music intended to tell a story, evoke images, etc. 00 programmable adj. programmability /-'biliti/ n. programmatic /-gro'‘metik/ adj. programmatically /-gro'metikoli/ adv. programmer n. [LL programma

f. Gk programma -atos f. prographo write publicly (as pRo-2, grapho write): spelling after F programme] progress /'prougres/ n. & v. —n. 1 forward or onward movement towards a destination. 2 advance or development towards completion, betterment, etc.; improvement (has made little progress this term; the progress of civilization). 3 Brit. archaic a State journey or official tour, esp. by royalty. —v. 1 intr. /pra'gres/ move or be moved forward or onward; continue (the argument is progressing). 2 intr. /pro'gres/ advance or develop towards completion, improvement, etc. (science progresses). 3 tr. cause (work etc.) to make regular progress. 0 in progress in the course of developing; going on. progress-chaser a person employed to check the regular progress of manufacturing work. progress report an account of progress made. [ME f. L progressus f. progredi (as PRo-!, gradi walk: (v.) readopted f. US after becoming obs. in Brit. use in the 17th c.] progression /pro'gref(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of progressing (a mode of progression). 2 a succession; a series. 3 Math. a = arithmetic progression. b = geometric progression. ¢ = harmonic progression. 4 Mus. passing from one note or chord to another. 00 progressional adj. [ME f. OF progression or L progressio (as PROGRESS)]

progressionist /pro'grefanist/ n. 1 an advocate of or believer in esp. political or social progress. 2 a person who believes in the theory of gradual progression to higher forms of life. progressive /pro'gresrv/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 moving forward (progressive motion). 2 proceeding step by step; cumulative (pregressive drug use). 3 a (of a political party, government, etc.) favouring or implementing rapid progress or social reform. b modern; efficient (this is a progressive company). 4 (of disease, violence, etc.) increasing in severity or extent. 5 (of taxation) at rates increasing with the sum taxed. 6 (of a card-game, dance, etc.) with periodic changes of partners. 7 Gram. (of an aspect) expressing an action in progress, e.g. am writing, was writing. 8 (of education) informal and without strict discipline, stressing individual needs. —n. (also Progressive) an advocate of progressive political policies. O56 progressively adv. progressiveness n. progressivism n. progressivist n. & adj. [F progressif -ive or med.L progressivus (as PROGRESS)]

pro hac vice |,prav ha:k 'varsi/ adv. for this occasion (only). [L] prohibit /pre'hibit/ v.tr. (prohibited, prohibiting) (often foll.

aro fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

prohibition

prologize

1156

The Love for Three Oranges (1921), and the Lieutenant Kijé suite (1934), stand in contrast to the opera War and Peace (begun 1941), the later symphonies including the deeply pessimistic Sixth (1945-7), and the romantic and widely popular ballet music for Romeo and Juliet (1935-6). Peter and the Wolf (1936) is perhaps his best-known work, an enduring, touching, and instructive young persons’ guide to the orchestra.

by from + verbal noun) 1 formally forbid, esp. by authority. 2 prevent; make impossible (his accident prohibits him from playing football). o prohibited degrees degrees of blood relationship within which marriage is forbidden. oo prohibiter n. prohibitor n. [ME f. L prohibére (as pro-}, habére hold)]

prohibition

/,provhr'bif(9)n, ,provi'b-/ n.

1 the act or an

instance of forbidding; a state of being forbidden. 2 Law a an edict or order that forbids. b a writ from a superior court forbidding an inferior court from proceeding in a suit deemed to be beyond its cognizance. 3 (usu. Prohibition) the prevention by law of the manufacture and sale of alcohol, esp. as established in the US from 1920, after a long campaign, by the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, and repealed in 1933 by the 21st Amendment. oo prohibitionary adj. prohibitionist n. [ME f. OF prohibition or L prohibitio (as PROHIBIT)]

prolactin

prohibitive /prou'hibitiv/ adj. 1 prohibiting. 2 (of prices, taxes, etc.) so high as to prevent purchase, use, abuse, etc. (published at a prohibitive price). 00 prohibitively adv. prohibitiveness n. prohibitory adj. [F prohibitif -ive or L prohibitivus (as PROHIBIT)} project n. & v. —n. |'prodzekt/ 1a plan; a scheme. 2 a planned undertaking. 3 a usu. long-term task undertaken by a student to be submitted for assessment. —v. /pra'dgekt/ 1 tr. plan or

ferre carry)]

a predication, e.g. go (prolative infinitive) in you may go.

prole /proul/ adj. & n. derog. collog. —adj. proletarian.

—n. a

proletarian. [abbr.] proleg /'pravleg/ n. a fleshy abdominal limb of a caterpillar or other larva. [PRo-! + LEG] prolegomenon /|,prouli'gomimon/ n. (pl. prolegomena) (usu. in pl.) an introduction or preface to a book etc., esp. when critical or discursive. 00 prolegomenary adj. prolegomenous adj. [L f. Gk, neut. passive pres. part. of prolego (as PRO-, lego say)]

prolepsis /prou'lepsis, -'li:psis/ n. (pl. prolepses /-si:z/) 1 the anticipation and answering of possible objections in rhetorical speech. 2 anticipation. 3 the representation of a thing as existing before it actually does or did so, as in he was a dead man when he entered. 4 Gram. the anticipatory use of adjectives, as in paint the town red. oO proleptic adj. [LL f. Gk prolépsis f. prolamband anticipate (as pRo-?, lamban6 take)] proletarian |,proul'tearian/ adj. & n. —adj. of or concerning the proletariat. —n. a member of the proletariat. oo proletarianism n. proletarianize v.tr. (also -ise). [L proletarius one who served the State not with property but with offspring

(proles)] proletariat /,prouli'teariot/ n. (also proletariate)

1 a Econ.

wage-earners collectively, esp. those without capital and dependent on selling their labour. b esp. derog. the lowest class of the community, esp. when considered as uncultured. 2 Rom.Hist. the lowest class of citizens. [F prolétariat (as PROLETARIAN)]

projection /pro'dgekj(2)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of projecting; the process of being projected. 2 a thing that projects or obtrudes. 3 the presentation of an image etc. on a surface or screen. 4 a a forecast or estimate based on present trends (a projection of next year’s profits). b this process. 5 a a mental image or preoccupation viewed as an objective reality. b the unconscious transfer of one’s own impressions or feelings to external objects or persons. 6 Geom. the act or an instance of projecting a figure. 7 the representation on a plane surface of any part of the surface of the earth or a celestial sphere (Mercator projection). 00 projectionist n. (in sense 3). [L projectio (as PROJECT)]

released from the

prolative /pro'leitrv/ adj. Gram. serving to continue or complete

contrive (a course of action, scheme, etc.). 2 intr. protrude; jut out. 3 tr. throw; cast; impel (projected the stone into the water). 4 tr. extrapolate (results etc.) to a future time; forecast (I project that we shall produce two million next year). 5 tr. cause (light, shadow, images, etc.) to fall on a surface, screen, etc. 6 tr. cause (a sound, esp. the voice) to be heard at a distance. 7 tr. (often refl. or absol.) express or promote (oneself or a positive image) forcefully or effectively. 8 tr. Geom. a draw straight lines from a centre or parallel lines through every point of (a given figure) to produce a corresponding figure on a surface or a line by intersecting it. b draw (such lines). ¢ produce (such a corresponding figure). 9 tr. make a projection of (the earth, sky, etc.). 10 tr. Psychol. a (also absol.) attribute (an emotion etc.) to an external object or person, esp. unconsciously. b (refl.) project (oneself) into another’s feelings, the future, etc. [ME f. L projectum neut. past part. of projicere (as PRO-}, jacére throw)] projectile /pro'dzektarl/ n. & adj. —n. 1a missile, esp. fired by a rocket. 2 a bullet, shell, etc. fired from a gun. 3 any object thrown as a weapon. —adj. 1 capable of being projected by force, esp. from a gun. 2 projecting or impelling. [mod.L projectilis (adj.), -ile (n.) (as PROJECT)}

/proo'lektin/ n. a hormone

anterior pituitary gland that stimulates milk production after childbirth. [PRo-! + LACTATION] prolapse /'provleps/ n. & v. —n. (also prolapsus /-'lepsos/) 1 the forward or downward displacement of a part or organ. 2 the prolapsed part or organ, esp. the womb or rectum. —v.intr. undergo prolapse. [L prolabi prolaps- (as pRo-', labi slip)] prolate /'provleit/ adj. 1 Geom. (of a spheroid) lengthened in the direction of a polar diameter (cf. OBLATE?). 2 growing or extending in width. 3 widely spread. 4 Gram. = PROLATIVE. 00 prolately adv. [L prolatus past part. of proferre prolong (as PRO-,

pro-life /provu'larf] adj. in favour of preserving life, esp. in opposing abortion.

proliferate /pra'lifa,rert/ v. 1 intr. reproduce; increase rapidly in numbers; grow by multiplication. 2 tr. produce (cells etc.) rapidly. 00 proliferation /-'re1{(a)n/ n. proliferative /-rotrv/ adj. [back-form. f. proliferation f. F prolifération f. prolifére (as PROLIFEROUS)]}

projective /pra'dgektiv/ adj. 1 Geom. a relating to or derived by

proliferous /pro'liferes/ adj. 1 (of a plant) producing many leaf

projection. b (of a property of a figure) unchanged by projection. 2 Psychol. mentally projecting or projected (a projective imagination). 0 projective geometry the study of the projective properties of geometric figures. 00 projectively adv. projector /pro'dzekta(r)/ n. 1 a an apparatus containing a source of light and a system of lenses for projecting slides or film on to a screen. b an apparatus for projecting rays of light. 2a person who forms or promotes a project. 3 archaic a promoter of speculative companies. prokaryote /prou'kzriot/ n. (also procaryote) an organism in which the chromosomes are not separated from the cytoplasm by a membrane; a bacterium (cf. EUKARYOTE). 00 prokaryotic [-'ptrk/ adj. [PRO-? + KARYO- + -ote as in ZYGOTE]

or flower buds; growing luxuriantly. 2 growing or multiplying by budding. 3 spreading by proliferation. [L proles offspring + -FEROUS]

Prokofiev /proa'kofi,ef], Sergei Sergeevich (1891-1953), Russian composer. His gifts as a composer revealed themselves early, together with a talent for iconoclasm which brought him both fame and a certain notoriety. The wit and vigour of his opera b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

prolific /pro'lifik/ adj. 1. producing many offspring or much output. 2 (often foll. by of) abundantly productive. 3 (often foll. by in) abounding, copious. 00 prolificacy n. prolifically adv. prolificness n. [med.L prolificus (as PROLIFEROUS)] prolix /'prouliks, pra'liks/ adj. (of speech, writing, etc.) lengthy; tedious. 00 prolixity /-'Irksrt1/ n. prolixly adv. [ME f. OF prolixe or L prolixus poured forth, extended (as pRo-1, liquére be liquid)] prolocutor /'provla,kjota(r), pra'lok-/ n. 1 Eccl. the chairperson esp. of the lower house of convocation of either province of the Church of England. 2 a spokesman. oo prolocutorship n. [ME f. L f. proloqui prolocut- (as PRo-}, loqui speak)]

prologize /'provlp,gatz/ v.intr. (also prologuize, -ise) write or speak a prologue. [med.L prologizare f. Gk prologizd speak prologue (as PROLOGUE)] :

kcat

lleg

m man

nno

ppen

rred s sit

t top vvoice

prologue

prologue /'provlog/ n. & v. —n. 1 a a preliminary speech, poem, etc., esp. introducing a play (cf. EPILOGUE). b the actor speaking the prologue. 2 (usu. foll. by to) any act or event serving as an introduction. —-v.tr. (prologues, prologued, prologuing) introduce with or provide with a prologue. [ME prolog f. OF prologue f. L prologus f. Gk prologos (as PRo-2, logos speech)] prolong /pro'lon/ v.tr. 1 extend (an action, condition, etc.) in time or space. 2 lengthen the pronunciation of (a syllable etc.). 3 (as prolonged adj.) lengthy, esp. tediously so. 00 prolongation |,proulon'gerf(a)n/ n. prolongedly |-1dli/ adv. prolonger n. [ME f. OF prolonger & f. LL prolongare (as pRo-!, longus long)]

prolusion /pro'lju:3(2)n, -!lu:3(2)n/ n. formal 1 a preliminary essay or article. 2 a first attempt. 00 prolusory /-sort/ adj. [L prolusio f. proludere prolus- practise beforehand (as PRo-', ludere lus- play)] prom /prom/ n. collog. 1 Brit) = PROMENADE n. 1a. 2 Brit. = promenade concert. 3 US = PROMENADE 7. 3. [abbr.] promenade /,proms'na:d/ n. & v. —n. 1 a Brit. a paved public walk along the sea front at a resort. b any paved public walk. 2 a walk, or sometimes a ride or drive, taken esp. for display, social intercourse, etc. 3 US a school or university bali or dance. 4 a march of dancers in country dancing etc. —v. 1 intr. make a promenade. 2 tr. lead (a person etc.) about a place esp. for display. 3 tr. make a promenade through (a place). o promenade concert a concert at which the audience, or part of it, can stand, sit on the floor, or move about. The most famous series of such concerts is the annual BBC Promenade Concerts (‘the Proms’), instituted by Sir Henry Wood, and held (since the Second World War) in the Albert Hall. promenade deck an

upper deck on a passenger ship where passengers may promenade. [F f. se promener walk, refi. of promener take for a walk] promenader /|,promea'na:do(r)/ n. 1 a person who promenades. 2 Brit. a person who attends a promenade concert, esp. regularly.

promethazine /prov'me@9,zi:n/ n. an antihistamine drug used to treat allergies, motion sickness, etc. [PROPYL + dimethylamine + phenothiazine]

Promethean

/pro'mi:610n/

adj. daring

or inventive

like

Prometheus.

Prometheus

/pro'mi:619s/ Gk Mythol. a demigod, one of the

Titans, who was worshipped by craftsmen. The two principal tales told of him are (i) that when Zeus hid fire away from man Prometheus stole it by trickery and brought it to earth again, (ii) to punish him Zeus chained him to a rock where an eagle fed each day on his liver which (since he was immortal) grew again each night; he was rescued by Hercules. promethium /pro'mi:619m/ n. Chem. a radioactive metallic element of the lanthanide series. Not found in nature, it was first synthesized in a nuclear reactor in the 1940s. Its radiation has been used to power miniature batteries. {{ Symb.: Pm; atomic

number 61. [Prometheus: see PROMETHEAN] prominence /'prominons/ n. 1 the state of being prominent. 2 a prominent thing, esp. a jutting outcrop, mountain, etc. 3 Astron. a stream of incandescent gas projecting above the sun’s chromosphere. [obs.F f. L prominentia jutting out (as PROMINENT)]

prominent /'promiont/ adj. 1 jutting out; projecting. 2 conspicuous. 3 distinguished; important. 00 promimency n. prominently adv. [L prominére jut out: cf. EMINENT] promiscuous /pra'miskjuos/ adj. 1 a (of a person) having frequent and diverse sexual relationships, esp. transient ones. b (of sexual relationships) of this kind. 2 of mixed and indiscriminate composition or kinds; indiscriminate (promiscuous hospitality). 3 collog. carelessly irregular; casual. 00 promiscuity /-'skju:rti/ n. promiscuously adv. promiscuousness n. [L promiscuus (as pRrO-}, miscére mix)] promise /'promis/n. & v. —n. 1 an assurance that one will or will not undertake a certain action, behaviour, etc. (a promise of help; gave a promise to be generous). 2 a sign or signs of future achievements, good results, etc. (a writer of great promise). —v.tr. 1 (usu. foll. by to + infin., or that + clause; also absol.) make (a person) a promise, esp. to do, give, or procure (a thing) (I promise you a fair hearing; they promise not to be late; promised that he would be there; cannot positively promise). 2 a afford expectations of (the

wwe

z zoo

pronaos

1157

f she

3 decision

9 thin

6 this

yn Ting

x loch

discussions promise future problems; promises to be a good cook). b (foll. by to + infin.) seem likely to (is promising to rain). 3 collog. assure, confirm (Ipromise you, it will not be easy). 4 (usu. in passive) archaic betroth (she is promised to another). 0 the promised land 1 Bibl. Canaan, promised by God to Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 12:7, 17:8, etc.). 2 any desired place, esp. heaven. promise oneself look forward to (a pleasant time etc.). promise well (or ill etc.) hold out good (or bad etc.) prospects. 00 promisee /'si:] n. esp. Law. promiser n. promisor n. esp. Law. [ME f. L promissum neut. past part. of promittere put forth, promise (as PRO-!, mittere send)}

promising /'promisin/ adj. likely to turn out well; hopeful; full of promise (a promising start). 00 promisingly adv. promissory /|'promisori/ adj. 1 conveying or implying a promise. 2 (often foll. by of) full of promise. 0 promissory note a signed document containing a written promise to pay a stated sum to a specified person or the bearer at a specified date or on demand. [med.L promissorius f. L promissor (as PROMISE)] promo /'proumou/ n. & adj. colloqg. —n. (pl. -os) 1 publicity, advertising. 2 a trailer for a television programme. —adj. promotional. [abbr.] : promontory /'promontoeri/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a point of high land jutting out into the sea etc.; a headland. 2 Anat. a prominence or protuberance in the body. [med.L promontorium alt. (after mons montis mountain) f. L promunturium (perh. f. pRo-!, mons)] promote /pra'mout/ v.tr. 1 (often foll. by to) advance or raise (a person) to a higher office, rank, etc. (was promoted to captain). 2 help forward; encourage; support actively (a cause, process, desired result, etc.) (promoted women’s suffrage). 3 publicize and sell (a product). 4 attempt to ensure the passing of (a private act of parliament). 5 Chess raise (a pawn) to the rank of queen etc. when it reaches the opponent’s end of the board. oo promotable adj. promotability /-'biliti/ n. promotion /-'moauf(a)n/ n. promotional /-'movufon(a)l/ adj. promotive adj. [ME f. L promovére promot- (as PRO-}, movére move)] promoter /pro'moavta(r)/ n. 1 a person who promotes. 2 a person who finances, organizes, etc. a sporting event, theatrical production, etc. 3 (in full company promoter) a person who promotes the formation of a joint-stock company. 4 Chem. an additive that increases the activity of a catalyst. [earlier promotour f. AF f. med.L promotor (as PROMOTE)] prompt /prompt/ adj., adv., v., & n. —adj. 1 a acting with alacrity; ready. b made, done, etc. readily or at once (a prompt reply). 2 a (of a payment) made forthwith. b (of goods) for immediate delivery and payment. —adv. punctually (at six o'clock prompt). —v.tr. 1 (usu. foll. by to, or to + infin.) incite; urge (prompted them to action). 2 a (also absol.) supply a forgotten word, sentence, etc., to (an actor, reciter, etc.). b assist (a hesitating speaker) with a suggestion. 3 give rise to; inspire (a feeling, thought, action, etc.). —n. 1 a an act of prompting. b a thing said to help the memory of an actor etc. ¢c= PROMPTER 2. d Computing an indication or sign on a VDU screen to show that the system is waiting for input. 2 the time limit for the payment of an account, stated on a prompt note. 0 prompt-book a copy of a play for a prompter’s use. prompt-box a box in front of the footlights beneath the stage where the prompter sits. prompt-note a note sent to a customer as a reminder of payment due. prompt side the side of the stage where the prompter sits, usu. to the actor’s left. o0 prompting n. promptitude n. promptly adv. promptness n. [ME f. OF prompt or L promptus past part. of promere prompt- produce (as PRO-!, emere take)] prompter /'promptoa(r)/ n. 1 a person who prompts. 2 Theatr. a person seated out of sight of the audience who prompts the actors. promulgate /'promal,geit/ v.tr. 1 make known to the public; disseminate; promote (a cause etc.). 2 proclaim (a decree, news, etc.). 00 promulgation /-'ge1{(9)n/ n. promulgator n. [L promulgare (as PRo-}, mulgére milk, cause to come forth)} promulge /proo'mald3/ v.tr. archaic = PROMULGATE. [PROMULGATE] pronaos /prov'neips/ n. (pl. pronaoi /-'nero1/) Gk Antiq. the space tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

pronate

propellent

1158

ee

in front of the body of a temple, enclosed by a portico and

projecting side walls. [L f. Gk pronaos hall of a temple (as PRO-?, NAOS)] pronate /'prooneit/ v.tr. put (the hand, forearm, etc.) into a prone position (with the palm etc. downwards) (cf. SUPINATE). oo pronation |-'ne1{(a)n/ n. [back-form. f. pronation (as PRONE)] pronator /prov'neito(r)/ n. Anat. any muscle producing or assisting in pronation. prone /proun/ adj. 1 a lying face downwards (cf. SUPINE). b lying flat; prostrate. c having the front part downwards, esp. the palm of the hand. 2 (usu. foll. by to, or to + infin.) disposed or liable, esp. to a bad action, condition, etc. (is prone to bite his nails). 3 (usu. in comb.) more than usually likely to suffer (accident-prone). 4 archaic with a downward slope or direction. 00 pronely adv. proneness /'praunnis/ n. [ME f. L pronus f. pro forwards] proneur |proo'ns:(r)/ n. a person who extols; a flatterer. [F proneur f. proner eulogize f. préne place in church where addresses were delivered] prong /pron/n. & v. —n. each of two or more projecting pointed parts at the end of a fork etc. —v.tr. 1 pierce or stab with a fork. 2 turn up (soil) with a fork. 0 prong-buck (or -horn or -horned antelope) a N. American deerlike ruminant, Antilocapra americana, the male of which has horns with forward-pointing prongs. three-pronged attack an attack on three separate points at once. 00 pronged adj. (also in comb.). [ME (also prang), perh. rel. to MLG prange pinching instrument] pronominal /prav'nomin(2)I/ adj. of, concerning, or being, a pronoun.

00 pronominalize

f. nuntius messenger)] pronounced /pra'naonst/ adj. 1 (of a word, sound, etc.) uttered. 2 strongly marked; decided (a pronounced flavour, a pronounced limp). 00 pronouncedly /-'naunsidli/ adv. pronto /'prontou/ adv. colloq. promptly, quickly. [Sp. f. L (as PROMPT)}

is pronounced, esp. with reference to a standard. 2 the act or an instance of pronouncing. 3 a person’s way of pronouncing words etc. [ME f. OF prononciation or L pronuntiatio (as PRONOUNCE)] proof /pru:f/ n., adj., & v. —n. 1 facts, evidence, argument, etc. establishing or helping to establish a fact (proof of their honesty; no proof that he was there). 2 Law the spoken or written evidence in a trial. 3 a demonstration or act of proving (not capable of

proof; in proof of my assertion). 4 a test or trial (put them to the proof, the proof of the pudding is in the eating). 5 the standard of strength of distilled alcoholic liquors. 6 Printing a trial impression taken

[PROPANE + -IC] propanone /'proupa,noun/ n. Chem. = ACETONE. [PROPANE -ONE]

signature is added. 9 a photographic print made for selection etc. 10 Sc. Law a trial before a judge instead of by a jury. —adj. 1 impervious to penetration, ill effects, etc. (proof against the severest weather, his soul is proof against corruption). 2 (in comb.) able to withstand damage or destruction by a specified agent (soundproof, childproof). 3 being of proof alcoholic strength. 4 (of armour) of tried strength. —v.tr. 1 make (something) proof,

3: her

propagate |'propo,gert/ v.tr. 1 a breed specimens of (a plant, animal, etc.) by natural processes from the parent stock. b (refl. or absol.) (of a plant, animal, etc.) reproduce itself. 2 disseminate; spread (a statement, belief, theory, etc.). 3 hand down (a quality etc.) from one generation to another. 4 extend the operation of, transmit (a vibration, earthquake, etc.). 00 propagation |-'gerJ(2)n/ n. propagative adj. [L propagare propagat- multiply plants from layers, f. propago (as PpRo-!, pangere fix, layer)] propagator |'propa,gerta(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that propagates. 2 a small box that can be heated, used for germinating seeds or raising seedlings. propane /'proupem]/ n. a gaseous hydrocarbon of the alkane series used as bottled fuel. (Chem. formula: C3Hs. [PROPIONIC (ACID) + -ANE]

propanoic acid /,praups'nourk/ n. Chem. = PROPIONIC ACID.

from type or film, used for making corrections before final printing. 7 the stages in the resolution of a mathematical or philosophical problem. 8 each of a limited number of impressions from an engraved plate before the ordinary issue is printed and usu. (in full proof before letters) before an inscription or

e bed

introduction to higher study; introductory. —n. (esp. in pl.) preliminary learning; a propaedeutic subject, study, etc. 00 propaedeutical adj. [pRo-? + Gk paideutikos of teaching, after Gk propaideud teach beforehand] propaganda |,prope'gendo/ n. 1 a an organized programme of publicity, selected information, etc., used to propagate a doctrine, practice, etc. b usu. derog. the information, doctrines, etc., propagated in this way. 2 (Propaganda) RC Ch. a committee of cardinals responsible for foreign missions. [It. f. mod.L congregatio de propaganda fide congregation for propagation of the faith] propagandist |,propo'gendist/ n. a member or agent of a propaganda organization; a person who spreads propaganda. 00 propagandism n. propagandistic /-'disttk/ adj. propagandistically /-'distrkali/ adv. propagandize v.intr. & tr. (also -ise).

pronunciation /pro,nansi'er{(a)n/ n. 1 the way in which a word

a: arm

action of propping. —v. (propped, propping) 1tr. (often foll. by against, up, etc.) support with or as if with a prop (propped him against the wall; propped it up with a brick). 2 intr. esp. Austral. (of a horse etc.) come to a dead stop with the forelegs rigid. [ME prob. f. MDu. proppe: cf. MLG, MDu. proppen (v.)] prop? /prop/ n. Theatr. collog. 1 = PROPERTY 3. 2 (in pl.) a property man or mistress. [abbr.] prop? /prop/ n. collog. an aircraft propeller. o prop-jet a turboprop. [abbr.] prop. abbr. 1 proprietor. 2 proposition.

propaedeutic |,proupr'dju:trk/ adj. & n. —adj. serving as an

v.tr. (also -ise). pronominally

adv. [LL pronominalis f. L pronomen (as PRO-}, nomen, nominis noun)] pronoun /'provnaun/ n. a word used instead of and to indicate a noun already mentioned or known, esp. to avoid repetition (e.g. we, their, this, ourselves). [PRO-!, + NOUN, after F pronom, L pronomen (as PRO-}, nomen name)] pronounce /pro'nauns| v. 1 tr. (also absol.) utter or speak (words, sounds, etc.) in a certain way. 2 tr. a utter or deliver (a judgement, sentence, curse, etc.) formally or solemnly. b proclaim or announce officially (I pronounce you man and wife). 3 tr. state or declare, as being one’s opinion (the apples were pronounced excellent). 4 intr. (usu. foll. by on, for, against, in favour of) pass judgement; give one’s opinion (pronounced for the defendant). 00 pronounceable /-sab(a)1/ adj. pronouncement n. pronouncer n. [ME f. OF pronuncier f. L pronuntiare (as PRO-}, nuntiare announce

z cat

esp. make (fabric) waterproof. 2 make a proof of (a printed work, engraving, etc.). O above proof (of alcohol) having a stronger than standard strength. proof-plane a small flat conductor on an insulating handle for measuring the electrification of a body. proof positive absolutely certain proof. proof-sheet a sheet of printer’s proof. proof spirit a mixture of alcohol and water having proof strength. 00 proofless adj. [ME prof prove, earlier pref etc. f. OF proeve, prueve f. LL proba f. L probare (see PROVE); adj. and sometimes v. formed app. by ellipsis f. phr. ofproof = proved to be impenetrable] proofread /'pru:fri:d/ v.tr. (past and past part. -read |-red/) read (printer’s proofs) and mark any errors. oO proofreader n. proofreading n. prop! /prop/ n. & v. —n. 1 a rigid support, esp. one not an integral part of the thing supported. 2 a person who supplies support, assistance, comfort, etc. 3 Rugby Football a forward at either end of the front row of a scrum. 4 esp. Austral. a horse’s

1 sit

+

propel /pro'pel/ v.tr. (propelled, propelling) 1 drive or push forward. 2 urge on; encourage. o propelling pencil a pencil with a replaceable lead moved upward by twisting the outer case. [ME, = expel, f. L propellere (as PRo-}, pellere puls- drive) propellant /pro'pelont/ n. 1 a thing that propels. 2 an explosive that fires bullets etc. from a firearm. 3 a substance used as a reagent in a rocket engine etc. to provide thrust. propellent /pro'pelont/ adj. propelling; capable of driving or pushing forward. :

i: see

p hot

o: saw

a run

wv put

u: too

9 ago

al my

propeller

propeller /pro'pela(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that propels. 2 a revolving shaft with blades, esp. for propelling a ship or aircraft (cf. screw-propeller). O propeller shaft a shaft transmitting power from an engine to a propeller or to the driven wheels of a motor vehicle. propeller turbine a turbo-propeller. propene /'praupi:n/ n. Chem. = PROPYLENE. [PROPANE + ALKENE] propensity /prs'pensiti/ n. (pl. -ies) an inclination or tendency (has a propensity for wandering). [propense f. L propensus inclined, past part. of propendére (as pRo-!, pendére hang)] proper /'propo(t)/ adj., adv., & n. —adj. 1 a accurate, correct (in the proper sense of the word; gave him the proper amount). b fit, suitable, right (at the proper time; do it the proper way). 2 decent; respectable, esp. excessively so (not quite proper). 3 (usu. foll. by to) belonging or relating exclusively or distinctively (with the respect proper to them). 4 (usu. placed after noun) strictly so called; real; genuine (this is the crypt, not the cathedral proper). 5 collog. thorough; complete (had a proper row about it). 6 (usu. placed after noun) Heraldry in the natural, not conventional, colours (a peacock proper). 7 archaic (of a person) handsome; comely. 8 (usu. with possessive pronoun) archaic own (with my proper eyes). —adv. Brit. dial. or collog. 1 completely; very (felt proper daft), 2 (with reference to speech) in a genteel manner (learn to talk proper). —n. Eccl. the part of a service that varies with the season or feast. O proper fraction a fraction that is less than unity, with the numerator less than the denominator. proper motion

Astron. the part of the apparent motion of a fixed star etc. that is due to its actual movement in space relative to the sun. proper noun (or name) Gram. a name used for an individual person, place, animal, country, title, etc., and spelt with a capital letter, e.g. Jane, London, Everest. proper psalms (or lessons etc.) psalms or lessons etc. appointed for a particular day. oo properness n. [ME f. OF propre f. L proprius one’s own, special] properly /'propoli/ adv. 1 fittingly; suitably (do it properly). 2 accurately; correctly (properly speaking). 3 rightly (he very properly refused). 4 with decency; respectably (behave properly). 5 collog. thoroughly (they were properly ashamed).

propertied /'propotid/ adj. having property, esp. land. Propertius /pro'ps:fas/, Sextus (c.50—after 16 Bc), Roman poet from Assisi. His four books of elegies are largely concerned with the joys and sufferings of his love affair with Cynthia, though the later poems also deal with mythological and historical themes. He is noted for the intensity of his love-poems and for the energetic wit and occasional obscurity of his style. property /'propoti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a something owned; a possession, esp. a house, land, etc. b Law the right to possession, use, etc. ¢ possessions collectively, esp. real estate (has money in property). 2 an attribute, quality, or characteristic (has the property of dissolving grease). 3 a moveable object used on a theatre stage, ina film, etc. 4 Logic a quality common to a whole class but not necessary to distinguish it from others. 0 common property a thing known by most people. property man (or mistress) a man (or woman) in charge of theatrical properties. property qualification a qualification for office, or for the exercise of a right, based on the possession of property. property tax a tax levied directly on property. [ME through AF f. OF propriété f. L proprietas -tatis (as PROPER)] prophase /'provfeiz/ n. Biol. the phase in cell division in which chromosomes contract and each becomes visible as two chromatids. [PRO-? + PHASE] prophecy /'profisi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1. aa prophetic utterance, esp. Biblical. b a prediction of future events (a prophecy of massive inflation). 2 the faculty, function, or practice of prophesying (the gift of prophecy). [ME f. OF profecie f. LL prophetia f. Gk prophéteia (as PROPHET)] prophesy /'profi,sat/ v. (-ies, -ied) 1 tr. (usu. foll. by that, who, etc.) foretell (an event etc.). 2 intr. speak as a prophet; foretell future events. 3 intr. archaic expound the Scriptures. oo prophesier /-,sara(r)/ n. [ME f. OF profecier (as PROPHECY)] prophet /'profit/ n. (fem. prophetess /-tis/) 1a person regarded as a teacher or interpreter of the will of God. 2 any of the prophetical writers in the Old Testament; the Prophets their writings. major prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel. av how

er day

proportional

1159

ov no

eo hair

Io near

o1 boy

va poor

minor prophets Hosea to Malachi, whose surviving writings are not lengthy. 3 a a person who foretells events. b a person who advocates and speaks innovatively for a cause (a prophet of

the new order). 4 (the Prophet) a Muhammad. b Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormons, or one of his successors. ¢ (in pl.) the prophetic writings of the Old Testament. 5 collog. a tipster. 00 prophethood n. prophetism n. prophetship n. [ME f. OF prophete f. L propheta, prophetes f. Gk prophétés spokesman (as PRO-?, phetés speaker f. phémi speak)]

prophetic /pro'fetrk/ adj. 1 (often foll. by of) containing a prediction; predicting. 2 of or concerning a prophet. oo prophetical adj. prophetically adv. propheticism /-s1z(3)m/ n. [F prophétique or LL propheticus f. Gk prophétikos (as PROPHET)]

prophylactic |profi'lektik/ adj. & n. —adj. tending to prevent disease. —n. 1 a preventive medicine or course of action. 2 esp.

US a condom. [F prophylactique f. Gk prophulaktikos f. prophulass6 (as PRO-2, phulasso guard)}

prophylaxis

|,profi'leksis/ n. (pl. prophylaxes |-si:z/) pre-

ventive treatment against disease. [mod.L f. PRo-? + Gk phulaxis act of guarding]

propinquity /pra'pinkwiti/ n. 1 nearness in space; proximity. 2 close kinship. 3 similarity. [ME f. OF propinquité or L propinquitas f. propinquus near f. prope near to]

propionic acid /,proupr'pnik/ n. a colourless sharp-smelling liquid carboxylic acid used for inhibiting the growth of mould in bread. Chem. formula: C,H;COOH. Also called PROPANOIC ACID. 00 propionate /|'proupto,neit/ n. [F propionique, formed as PRO-2 + Gk pion fat, as being the first in the series of ‘true’ fatty acids]

propitiate /pro'p1f1,ert/ v.tr. appease (an offended person etc.). OO propitiator n. [L propitiare (as PROPITIOUS)]

propitiation /pro,prft'er{(a)n/ n. 1 appeasement. 2 Bibl. atonement, esp. Christ’s. 3 archaic a gift etc. meant to propitiate. [ME f. LL propitiatio (as PROPITIATE)]

propitiatory /pro'pifiotari/ adj. serving or intended to propitiate (a propitiatory smile). 00 propitiatorily ady. [ME f. LL propitiatorius (as PROPITIATE)]

propitious /pro'pifas/ adj. 1 (of an omen etc.) favourable.

2

(often foll. by for, to) (of the weather, an occasion, etc.) suitable. 3 well-disposed (the fates were propitious). 00 propitiously adv. propitiousness n. [ME f. OF propicieus or L propitius]

propolis /'propolis/ n. a red or brown resinous substance collected by bees from buds for use in constructing hives. [L f. Gk propolis suburb, bee-glue, f. PRO-? + polis city] proponent /pro'pounent/ n. & adj. —n. a person advocating a motion, theory, or proposal. —adj. proposing or advocating a theory etc. [L proponere (as PROPOUND)]

Propontis

/pra'ppntis/ the ancient

name

for the Sea of

Marmara.

proportion /pro'po:{(9)n/ n. & v. —n. 1 a a comparative part or share (a large proportion of the profits). b a comparative ratio (the proportion of births to deaths). 2 the correct or pleasing relation of things or parts of a thing (the house has fine proportions; exaggerated out of all proportion). 3 (in pl.) dimensions; size (large proportions). 4 Math. a an equality of ratios between two pairs of quantities, e.g. 3:5 and 9:15. b a set of such quantities. c Math. = rule of three; see also direct proportion, inverse proportion. —-v.tr. (usu. foll. by to) make (a thing etc.) proportionate (must proportion the punishment to the crime). 0 in proportion 1 by the same factor. 2 without exaggerating (importance etc.) (must get the facts in proportion). 00 proportioned adj. (also in comb.). proportionless adj. proportionment n. [ME f. OF proportion or L proportio (as PRO-!, PORTION)]

proportionable /pro'po:{anab(a)l/ adj. = PROPORTIONAL.

OO

proportionably adv.

proportional /pro'po:{an(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. in due proportion; comparable (a proportional increase in the expense; resentment proportional to his injuries). —n. Math. each of the terms of a proportion. 0 proportional representation an electoral system in which all parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for them. proportionally adv.

aia fire

ava sour

oO

proportionality

(see over for consonants)

/-'nzliti/ n.

proportionalist proportionalist

/pra'po:Jonolist/

n. an

advocate

of pro-

portional representation.

proportionate

/pro'po:Jonot/

adj.

=

PROPORTIONAL.

OO

proportionately adv. proposal /pro'psuz(s)l/ n. 1 a the act or an instance of proposing something. b a course of action etc. so proposed (the proposal was never carried out). 2 an offer of marriage. propose /pro'psuz/ v. 1 tr. (also absol.) put forward for consideration or as a plan. 2 tr. (usu. foll. by to + infin., or verbal

noun) intend; purpose (propose to open a restaurant). 3 intr. (usu. foll. by to) offer oneself in marriage. 4 tr. nominate (a person) as a member of a society, for an office, etc. 5 tr. offer (a person’s health, a person, etc.) as a subject for a toast. OO proposer n. [ME f. OF proposer f. L proponere (as PROPOUND)]

proposition |,propo'zif(a)n/ n. & v. —n.

1 a statement or

assertion. 2 a scheme proposed; a proposal. 3 Logic a statement consisting of subject and predicate that is subject to proof or disproof. 4 collog. a problem, opponent, prospect, etc. that is to be dealt with (a difficult proposition). 5 Math. a formal statement of a theorem or problem, often including the demonstration. 6 a an enterprise etc. with regard to its likelihood of commercial etc. success. b a person regarded similarly. 7 collog. a sexual proposal. —v.tr. collog. make a proposal (esp. of sexual intercourse) to (he propositioned her). 0 not a proposition unlikely to succeed. 00 propositional adj. [ME f. OF proposition or L propositio (as PROPOUND)] propound /pra'paund| v.tr. 1 offer for consideration; propose. 2 Law produce (a will etc.) before the proper authority so as to establish its legality. 00 propounder n. [earlier propoune, propone f. L proponere (as PRO-}, ponere posit- place): cf. compound, expound] proprietary /pro'prarstori/ adj. 1 a of, holding, or concerning property (the proprietary classes). b of or relating to a proprietor (proprietary rights). 2 held in private ownership. 0 proprietary medicine any of several drugs, medicines, etc. produced by private companies under brand names. proprietary name (or term) a name of a product etc. registered by its owner as a trade mark and not usable by another without permission. [LL proprietarius (as PROPERTY)} proprietor /pro'prarata(r)/ n. (fem. proprietress) 1 a holder of property. 2 the owner of a business etc., esp. of a hotel. oo proprietorial /-'to:riol/ adj. proprietorially /-'to:rioli/ adv. proprietorship n.

propriety /pro'prariti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 fitness; rightness (doubt the propriety of refusing him). 2 correctness of behaviour or morals (highest standards of propriety). 3 (in pl.) the details or rules of correct conduct (must observe the proprieties). [ME, = ownership, peculiarity f. OF propriété PROPERTY] proprioceptive |,proupria'septiv/ adj. relating to stimuli produced and perceived within an organism, esp. relating to the position and movement of the body. [L proprius own + RECEPTIVE] proptosis /prop'tousis/ n. Med. protrusion or displacement, esp. of an eye. [LL f. Gk proptisis (as pRo-2, pipto fall)] propulsion /pro'palf(2)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of driving or pushing forward. 2 an impelling influence. 00 propulsive |-'palsrv/ adj. [med.L propulsio f. L propellere (as PROPEL)] propulsor /pro'palso(r)/ n. a ducted propeller which can be swivelled to give forward, upward, or downward flight to an airship. [as PROPULSION] propyl /'provpil/ n. Chem. the univalent radical of propane. §] Chem. formula: C;H;-. [PROPIONIC (ACID) + -YL]

propyla pl. of propyLon. propylaeum

/|,propr'li:om/ n. (pl. propylaea

|-'li:/)

1 the

entrance to a temple. 2 (the Propylaeum) the entrance to the

Acropolis at Athens. [L f. Gk propulaion (as pRo-?, pulé gate)] propylene /'proupijli:n/ n. Chem. a gaseous hydrocarbon of the alkene series used in the manufacture of chemicals. {| Chem. formula: C3Hg. [PROPYL +-ENE] propylon /'propylon/ n. (pl. propylons or propyla |-lo/) = PROPYLAEUM. [L f. Gk propulon (as PRo-, pulé gate)]

b but

prosify

1160

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

jyes

pro rata |prev 'ra:ta, 'reito/ adj. & adv. —adj. proportional. —adv. proportionally. [L, = according to the rate] prorate /prau'reit, 'prou-/ v.tr. allocate or distribute pro rata. 00 proration n. prorogue /pra'roug/ v. (prorogues, prorogued, proroguing) 1 tr. discontinue the meetings of (a parliament etc.) without dissolving it. 2 intr. (of a parliament etc.) be prorogued. oo prorogation |-ra'ger{(2)n/ n. [ME proroge f. OF proroger, -guer f. L prorogare prolong (as PRo-!, rogare ask)] pros- /pros/ prefix 1 to, towards. 2 in addition. [Gk f. pros (prep.)] prosaic /pra'zeuk, prov-| adj. 1 like prose, lacking poetic beauty. 2 unromantic; dull; commonplace (took a prosaic view of life). oo prosaically adv. prosaicness n. [F prosaique or LL prosaicus (as PROSE)] prosaist /'prouzeust/ n. 1 a prose-writer. 2 a prosaic person. OO prosaism 7. [F prosaiste f. L prosa PROSE] proscenium /pro'siniom, prav-/ n. (pl. prosceniums or proscenia /-nio/) 1 the part of the stage in front of the drop or curtain, usu. with the enclosing arch. 2 the stage of an ancient theatre. [L f. Gk proskénion (as PRO-’, skéné stage)] prosciutto /prou'fu:tou/ n. (pl. -os) Italian ham, esp. cured and eaten as an hors-d’ceuvre. [It.]

proscribe /proa'skraib/ v.tr. 1 banish, exile (proscribed from the club). 2 put (a person) outside the protection of the law. 3 reject or denounce (a practice etc.) as dangerous etc. 00 proscription

/-'skripf(a)n/ n. proscriptive /|-'skriptrv/ adj. [L proscribere (as PRO-1, scribere script- write)] prose /prouz/ n. & v. —n. 1 the ordinary form of the written or spoken language (opp. POETRY, VERSE) (Milton’s prose works). 2 a passage of prose, esp. for translation into a foreign language. 3 a tedious speech or conversation. 4 a plain matter-of-fact quality (the prose of existence). 5 Eccl. = SEQUENCE 8. —v. 1 intr. (usu. foll. by about, away, etc.) talk tediously (was prosing away about his dog). 2 tr. turn (a poem etc.) into prose. 0 prose idyll a short description in prose of a picturesque, esp. rustic, incident, character, etc. prose poem

(or poetry) a piece of

imaginative poetic writing in prose. 00 proser n. [ME f. OF f. L prosa (oratio) straightforward (discourse), fem. of prosus, earlier prorsus direct] prosector /pro'sekta(r)/ n. a person who dissects dead bodies in preparation for an anatomical lecture etc. [LL = anatomist, f. prosecare prosect- (as PRO-1, secare cut), perh. after F prosecteur] prosecute /'prosi,kju:t/ v.tr. 1 (also absol.) a institute legal proceedings against (a person). b institute a prosecution with reference to (a claim, crime, etc.) (decided not to prosecute). 2 follow up, pursue (an inquiry, studies, etc.). 3 carry on (a trade, pursuit, etc.). OO prosecutable adj. [ME f. L prosequi prosecut- (as PRo-}, sequi follow)] prosecution /,prosi'kju:{(a)n/ n. 1 a the institution and carTying on of a criminal charge in a court. b the carrying on of legal proceedings against a person. ¢ the prosecuting party in a court case (the prosecution denied this). 2 the act or an instance of prosecuting (met her in the prosecution of his hobby). [OF prosecution or LL prosecutio (as PROSECUTE)]} prosecutor /'prosi,kju:ta(r)/ n. (fem. prosecutrix /-triks/) a person who prosecutes, esp. in a criminal court. 00 prosecutorial [-'to:rral/ adj. proselyte /'prosi,lart/ n. & v. —n. 1 a person converted, esp. recently, from one opinion, creed, party, etc., to another. 2 a Gentile convert to Judaism. —v.tr. US = PROSELYTIZE. 00 proselytism /-li,t1z(s)m/ n. [ME f. LL proselytus f. Gk proséluthos stranger, convert (as PROs-, stem éluth- of erkhomai come)] proselytize /'prosil1,taz/ v.tr. (also -ise) (also absol.) convert (a person or people) from one belief etc. to another, esp. habitually. OO proselytizer n. prosenchyma /pro'senkimo/n. a plant tissue of elongated cells with interpenetrating tapering ends, occurring esp. in vascular tissue. 00 prosenchymal adj. prosenchymatous /-"kimatas/ adj. [Gk pros toward + egkhuma infusion, after parenchymal] Proserpine /pro's3:pini/ the Roman name for Persephone.

prosify /'prowzi,fai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 tr. turn into prose. 2 tr. make prosaic. 3 intr. write prose. k cat

lleg

mman

nno

p pen

: rred s sit

t top

v voice

prosit prosit |'prouzit/ int. an expression used in drinking a person’s health etc. [G f. L, = may it benefit] prosody /'prosodi/ n. 1 the theory and practice of versification; the laws of metre. 2 the study of speech-rhythms. 00 prosodic [pro'spdrk] adj. prosodist n. [ME f. L prosodia accent f. Gk prosdidia (as PROS-, ODE)}

prosopography

|,pross'pogrofi, prosou-/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a

description of a person’s appearance, personality, social and family connections, career, etc. 2 the study of such descriptions, esp. in Roman history. O00 prosopographer nn. prosopographic _/-po'grefik/ adj. ~“prosopographical |-po'greefik(a)l/ adj. [mod.L prosopographia f. Gk prosdpon face, person] Pprosopopoeia |,prosaps'pi:a/ n. the rhetorical introduction of a pretended speaker or the personification of an abstract thing. {L f. Gk prosdpopoiia f. prosdpon person + poied make] prospect /'prospekt/ n. & v. —n. 1 a (often in pl.) an expectation, esp. of success in a career etc. (his prospects were brilliant; offers a gloomy prospect; no prospect of success). b something one has to look forward to (don’t relish the prospect of meeting him). 2 an extensive view of landscape etc. (a striking prospect). 3 a mental picture (a new prospect in his mind). 4 a a place likely to yield mineral deposits. b a sample of ore for testing. ¢ the resulting yield. 5 a possible or probable customer, subscriber, etc. —v. [pra'spekt/ 1 intr. (usu. foil. by for) a explore a region for gold etc. b look out for or search for something. 2 tr. a explore (a region) for gold etc. b work (a mine) experimentally. c (of a mine) promise (a specified yield). 0 prospect well (or ill etc.) (of a mine) promise well (or ill etc.). 00 prospectless adj. prospector /pra'spekta(r)/ n. [ME f. L prospectus: see PROSPECTUS]

prospective /pra'spektrv/ adj. 1 concerned with or applying to the future (implies a prospective obligation) (cf. RETROSPECTIVE). 2 some day to be; expected; future (prospective bridegroom). ou prospectively adv. prospectiveness n. [obs. F prospectif -ive or LL prospectivus (as PROSPECTUS)] prospectus /proa'spektos/ n. a printed document advertising or describing a school, commercial enterprise, forthcoming book, etc. [L, = prospect f. prospicere (as PRO-}, specere look)] prosper |'prospo(r)/ v. 1 intr. succeed; thrive (nothing he touches prospers). 2 tr. make successful (Heaven prosper him). [ME f. OF prosperer or L prosperare (as PROSPEROUS)] prosperity /pro'speriti/ n. a state of being prosperous; wealth

or success. prosperous /'prospores/ adj. 1 successful; rich (a prosperous merchant). 2 flourishing; thriving (a prosperous enterprise). 3 auspicious (a prosperous wind). OO prosperously adv. prosperousness 1. [ME f. obs. F prospereus f. L prosper(us)] Prost /prost/, Alain (1955—__), French racing driver. He was the first Frenchman to win the Formula One world championship (1985) and has since won more Grands Prix than any other champion in motor racing.

prostaglandin

|,prosta'glendm/

n. any of a group

of

hormone-like substances causing contraction of the muscles in mammalian (esp. uterine) tissues etc. [G f. PROSTATE + GLAND? + -IN] prostate /'prostert/ n. (in full prostate gland) a gland surrounding the neck of the bladder in male mammals and releasing a fluid forming part of the semen. oo prostatic /-'stzetik/ adj. [F f. mod.L prostata f. Gk prostatés one that stands before (as PRO-, statos standing)]

prosthesis /'pros@isis, -'9i:sis/ n. (pl. prostheses /-,si:z/) 1a an artificial part supplied to remedy a deficiency, e.g. a false breast, leg, tooth, etc. b the branch of surgery supplying and fitting prostheses. 2 Gram. the addition of a letter or syllable at the beginning of a word, e.g. be- in beloved. 00 prosthetic /-'Getik/ adj. prosthetically /-'Getrkali/ adv. [LL f. Gk prosthesis f. prostithemi (as PROS-, tithémi place)]

prosthetics /pros'@etiks/ n.p!. (usu. treated as sing.) = PROsTHESIS 1b. prostitute /'prosti,tju:t/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa woman who engages in sexual activity for payment. b (usu. male prostitute) a man or boy who engages in sexual activity, esp. with homosexual

wwe

z zoo

protector

1161

f she

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

n ting

x loch

men, for payment. 2 a person who debases himself or herself for personal gain. —v.tr. 1 (esp. refl.) make a prostitute of (esp. oneself). 2 a misuse (one’s talents, skills, etc.) for money. b offer (oneself, one’s honour, etc.) for unworthy ends, esp. for money. O00 prostitution /-'tju:{(o)n/ n. prostitutor n. [L prostituere prostitut- offer for sale (as PRo-}, statuere set up, place)] prostrate adj. & v. —adj. |'prostreit/ 1 a lying face downwards, esp. in submission. b lying horizontally. 2 overcome, esp. by grief, exhaustion, etc. (prostrate with self-pity). 3 Bot. growing

along the ground. —-v.tr. /pro'streit, pro-/ 1 lay (a person etc.) flat on the ground. 2 (refl.) throw (oneself) down in submission etc. 3 (of fatigue, illness, etc.) overcome; reduce to extreme physical weakness. 00 prostration /pro'stre1f(o)n, pra-/ n. [ME f. L prostratus past part. of prosternere (as PRO-!, sternere strat- lay flat)] prostyle /'praustarl/ n. & adj. —n. a portico with not more than four columns. —adj. (of a building) having such a portico. [L prostylos having pillars in front (as PRO-®, STYLE)] prosy |'provzi/ adj. (prosier, prosiest) tedious; commonplace; dull (prosy talk). 00 prosily adv. prosiness n. Prot. abbr. 1 Protectorate. 2 Protestant.

protactinium /,prootek'tiniom/ n. Chem. a naturally-occurring radioactive metallic element, first discovered in 1913. It is so named because one of its isotopes decays to form actinium. 4 Symb.: Pa. [G (as PROTO-, ACTINIUM)] protagonist /prov'tegonist/ n. 1 the chief person in a drama, story, etc. 2 the leading person in a contest etc.; a principal performer. 3 (usu. foll. by of, for) disp. an advocate or champion of a cause, course of action, etc. (a protagonist of women’s rights). [Gk protagonistés (as PROTO-, agonistés actor)] protamine /'proots,mi:n/ n. any of a group of proteins found in association with chromosomal DNA in the sperm of birds and fish. [PROTO- + AMINE] protasis /'protosis/ n. (pl. protases |-\si:z/) the clause expressing the condition in a conditional sentence. 00 protatic /-'tztik/ adj. {L, f. Gk protasis proposition (as PRO-2, teind stretch)] protea |'prautia/ n. any shrub of the genus Protea native to S. Africa, with conelike flower-heads. [mod.L f. PRotEus, with ref. to the many species] protean /|'prootion, -'ti:on/ adj. 1 variable, taking many forms. 2 (of an artist, writer, etc.) versatile. [after Proteus: see PROTEUS] protease /'prauti,eis/ n. any enzyme able to hydrolyse proteins

and peptides by proteolysis. [PROTEIN + -ASE] protect /pro'tekt/ v.tr. 1 (often foll. by from, against) keep (a person, thing, etc.) safe; defend; guard (goggles protected her eyes from dust; guards protected the queen). 2 Econ. shield (home industry) from competition by imposing import duties on foreign goods. 3 Brit. provide funds to meet (a bill, draft, etc.). 4 provide (machinery etc.) with appliances to prevent injury from it. [L protegere protect- (as PRO-}, tegere cover)] protection /pra'tek{(a)n/ n. 1 a the act or an instance of protecting. b the state of being protected; defence (affords protection against the weather). c a thing, person, or animal that provides protection (bought a dog as protection). 2 (also protectionism /--niz(2)m/) Econ. the theory or practice of protecting home industries. 3 colloqg. a immunity from molestation obtained by payment to. gangsters etc. under threat of violence. b (in full protection money) the money so paid, esp. on a regular basis. 4 = safe conduct. 5 archaic the keeping of a woman.as a mistress. OO protectionist n. [ME f. OF protection or LL protectio (as PROTECT)] protective /pro'tektiv/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 protecting; intended or intending to protect. 2 (of food) protecting against deficiency diseases. —n. something that protects, esp. a condom. o protective clothing clothing worn to shield the body from dangerous substances or a hostile environment. protective colouring colouring disguising or camouflaging a plant or animal. protective custody the detention of a person for his orherownprotection. 00 protectivelyadv.protectivenessn. protector /pro'tekta(r)/ n. (fem. protectress /-tris/) 1a a person who protects. b a guardian or patron. 2 hist. a regent in charge of a kingdom during the minority, absence, etc. of the sovereign. tf chip

dg jar

(see over for vowels)

protectorate 3 (often in comb.) a thing or device that protects (chest-protector). 4 (Protector) (in full Lord Protector of the Commonwealth) hist. the title taken by Oliver Cromwell during his government of Britain in 1653-8 and passed on to his son Richard Cromwell 1658-9. (See PROTECTORATE.) OO protectoral adj. protectorship n. [ME f. OF protecteur f. LL protector (as PROTECT)] protectorate /pra'tektorot/ n. 1 a a State that is controlled and protected by another. b such a relation of one State to another. 2 hist. a the office of the protector of a kingdom or State. b the period of this, esp. in England under the Cromwells 1653-9. Oliver Cromwell was appointed Lord Protector in December 1653 at the behest of the army and retained the position until his death in September 1658. Although the Protectorate achieved considerable success in foreign wars, it depended almost entirely on its leader’s personality at home and was continually threatened by the unstable relationship between the Protector, Parliament, and the army. After the elder Cromwell’s death his son Richard proved incapable of holding the regime together, and its subsequent collapse led to the restoration of Charles II.

protégé /'proti,3e1, -te,ze1, 'prou-/ n. (fem. protégée pronunc. same) a person under the protection, patronage, tutelage, etc. of another. [F, past part. of protéger f. L protegere PROTECT] protein /'provti:n/ n. any of a class of large molecules which form an essential part of all living things. They have many different functions. Some form strong fibres and hold the skeleton together, others are enzymes (see ENZYME), others again are antibodies which prevent disease. Proteins are made from about twenty amino acids which are arranged in different orders in long chains. One or a small number of such chains make one protein molecule, which may be of fibrous or globular shape depending on the type and order of the amino acids present. The information needed for the synthesis of particular proteins comes from the DNA ina cell’s nucleus. 00 proteinaceous /-'netfas/ adj. proteinic /-'ti:n1k/ adj. proteinous /-'ti:nos, -'ti:inas/ adj. [F protéine, G Protein f. Gk proteios primary] pro tem /proau 'tem/ adj. & adv. collog. = PRO TEMPORE. [abbr.] pro tempore |prau 'tempari/ adj. & adv. for the time being. [L]

proteolysis /,provti'plisis/ n. the splitting of proteins or peptides by the action of enzymes esp. during the process of digestion. 00 proteolytic /-9'littk/ adj. [mod.L f. PROTEIN + -LYSIS]

Proterozoic /,provtersu'zaurk| adj. & n. Geol. —adj. of or relating to the later part of the Precambrian era, characterized by the oldest forms of life. —n. this time. [Gk proteros former + 20@ life, zoos living] protest n. & v. —n. /'prautest/ 1 a statement of dissent or disapproval; a remonstrance (made a protest). 2 (often attrib.) a usu. public demonstration of objection to government etc. policy (marched in protest; protest demonstration). 3 a solemn declaration. 4 Law a written declaration, usu. by a notary public, that a bill has been presented and payment or acceptance refused. —v. /pra'test/ 1 intr. (usu. foll. by against, at, about, etc.) make a protest against an action, proposal, etc. 2 tr. (often foll. by that + clause; also absol.) affirm (one’s innocence etc.) solemnly, esp. in reply to an accusation etc. 3 tr. Law write or obtain a protest in regard to (a bill). 4 tr. US object to (a decision etc.). 0 under protest

unwillingly.

proton

1162

OO

protester

n.

protestingly

adv.

protestor n. [ME f. OF protest (n.), protester (v.), f. L protestari (as PRO-}, testari assert f. testis witness)] Protestant /'protist(a)nt/n. & adj. —n. 1a member or follower of any of the western Christian Churches that are separate from the Roman Catholic Church in accordance with the principles of the Reformation (16th c.; see below). 2 (in pl.) hist. those German princes and free cities who made a declaration (Protestatio) of dissent from the decision of the Diet of Spires (1529) which reaffirmed the edict of the Diet of Worms against the Reformation. 3 (protestant) /'protist(9)nt, pro'test(a)nt/ a protesting person. —adj. 1 of or relating to any of the Protestant Churches or their members etc. 2 (protestant) /also pra'testont/ protesting. 00 Protestantism n. Protestantize v.tr. & intr. (also -ise). [mod.L protestans, part. of L protestari (see PROTEST)] In the 16th c., the name ‘Protestant’ was generally taken in

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Germany by the Lutherans, while the Swiss and French called themselves ‘Reformed’. In England the use has varied with time and circumstances. In the 17th c., ‘Protestant’ was generally accepted and used by members of the Established Church, and was even so applied to the exclusion of Presbyterians, Quakers, and Separatists; it was primarily opposed to ‘papist’. Later, it was opposed to ‘Roman Catholic’ or to ‘Catholic’, and was viewed with disfavour by those who laid stress on the claim of the Anglican Church to be equally Catholic with the Roman.

protestation /|,proti'ster{(a)n/ n. 1 a strong affirmation. 2 a protest. [ME f. OF protestation or LL protestatio (as PROTESTANT)]

Proteus /'provtios, -tju:s/ Gk Mythol. a minor sea-god with the power of assuming different shapes. —n. 1 a changing or inconstant person or thing. 2 (proteus) a any bacterium of the genus Proteus, usu. found in the intestines and faeces of animals. b = OLM.

prothalamium

/|,prov9e'lermiom/ n. (also prothalamion

/-mton/) (pl. prothalamia /-mia/) a song or poem to celebrate a forthcoming wedding. [title of a poem by Spenser, after epithalamium] prothallium /prou'§zliom/ n. (pl. prothallia |-l10/) = PRoTHALLUS. [mod.L f. Ppro-2 + Gk thallion dimin. of thallos: see PROTHALLUS]

prothallus /prov'8zles/ n. (pl. prothalli /-la1/) Bot. the gametophyte of certain plants, esp. a fern. [mod.L f. pro-2 + Gk thallos green shoot]

prothesis /'pro@1s1s/ n. (pl. protheses /-,si:z/) 1 Eccl. a the placing of the Eucharistic elements on the credence table. b a credence table. ¢ the part of a church where this stands. 2 Gram. = PROSTHESIS 2. 00 prothetic /pro'@etik/ adj. [Gk f. protithémi (as PRO-*, tithémi place)]

prothonotary var. of PROTONOTARY. protist /'proutist/ n. any usu. unicellular organism of the kingdom Protista, not distinguished as animals or plants, including bacteria, algae, and protozoa. oO protistology /-'tplod31/ n. [mod.L Protista f. Gk protista neut. pl. superl. f. protos first] protium /'provtiom/ n. the ordinary isotope of hydrogen as distinct from heavy hydrogen (cf. DEUTERIUM, TRITIUM). [mod.L f. PROTO- + -IUM] proto- /'prautou/ comb. form 1 original, primitive (proto-Germanic; proto-Slavic). 2 first, original (protomartyr; protophyte). [Gk proto- f. protos first] protocol |,provte'kol/ n. & v. —n. 1 a official, esp. diplomatic, formality and etiquette observed on State occasions etc. b the Tules, formalities, etc. of any procedure, group, etc. 2 the original draft of a diplomatic document, esp. of the terms of a treaty agreed to in conference and signed by the parties. 3 a formal statement of a transaction. 4 the official formulae at the beginning and end of a charter, papal bull, etc. 5 US a record of experimental observations etc. —v. (protocolled, protocolling) 1 intr. draw up a protocol or protocols. 2 tr. record in a protocol. [orig. Sc. prothocoll f. OF prothocole f. med.L protocollum f. Gk protokollon flyleaf (as proto-, kolla glue)] protomartyr /,provteu'ma:ta(r)/ n. the first martyr in any cause, esp. the first Christian martyr St Stephen. proton /'pravtpn/ n. Physics a stable elementary particle with a positive electric charge, equal in magnitude to that of an electron, and occurring in all atomic nuclei. The charge on the proton is equal and opposite to the charge on the electron, although the mass of the proton is 1,836 times greater. The atom of each chemical element has a characteristic number of protons in the nucleus; the common isotope of hydrogen has a nucleus consisting of a single proton. Protons are approximately 10-8 cm in diameter, although their size is not sharply defined. The atomic number of each atom is the number of protons it contains and this, together with an equal number of electrons, determines the chemical properties of the corresponding element. Protons, or positively charged ions, are partly responsible for heat radiation, for the conduction of electricity in electrolytes and in hot gases, and also for the gamma radiation from excited nuclei. High-velocity protons are used in particle accelerators to probe the structure of atomic nuclei.

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protonotary Protons were identified by W. Wien in 1898 and J. J. Thomson in 1910; they were named ‘protons’ by Rutherford in 1920. oo protonic /pro'tonik/ adj. [Gk, neut. of protos first, reflecting their character as primitive constituents of all atomic nuclei; also perhaps suggested by the name of William Prout (d. 1850), English chemist and physician, who suggested that hydrogen was a constituent of all the elements] protonotary /||provto'novtori, pro'tpne-/ n. (pl. -ies) (also prothonotary /,prov0-, pro'@pno-/) a chief clerk in some law courts, orig. in the Byzantine court. 0 Protonotary Apostolic (or Apostolical) a member of the college of prelates who register papal acts, direct the canonization of saints, etc. [med.L protonotarius f. late Gk protonotarios (as PROTO-, NOTARY)]

protopectin |,proots'pektin/ n. = PECTOSE. protophyte /'provtafait/ n. a unicellular plant bearing gametes. protoplasm /'pravta,plez(2)m/ n. the material comprising the living part of a cell, consisting of a nucleus embedded in membrane-enclosed cytoplasm. In the 19th c. protoplasm was thought of as a complex but essentially homogeneous form of matter having the basic properties of life such as irritability and metabolism. With the realization, especially after the invention of the electron microscope, that there is a complex structural organization within cells, the concept of protoplasm as a special substance has lost much of its significance. oo protoplasmal /-'plezm(o)l/ adj. proteplasmatic /-'mztik/ adj. protoplasmic /-'plezmik/ adj. [Gk protoplasma (as PROTO-, PLASMA)] protoplast /'provte,plest/ n. the protoplasm of one cell. 00 protoplastic /-'plzstik/ adj. [F protoplaste or LL protoplastus f. Gk protoplastos (as PROTO-, plassd mould)]

prototherian /|,pravtou'61or10n/ n. & adj. —n. any mammal of the subclass Prototheria, including monotremes. —adj. of or relating to this subclass. [PROTO- + Gk thér wild beast] prototype /'provto,tarp/ n. 1 an original thing or person of which or whom copies, imitations, improved forms, representations, etc. are made. 2 a trial model or preliminary version of a vehicle, machine, etc. 00 prototypal adj. prototypic /-'trprk/ adj. prototypical /-'trprk(a)i/ adj. prototypically /-'trpikoli/ adv. [F prototype or LL prototypus f. Gk prototupos (as PROTO-, TYPE)] protozoan |,provte!zoven/ n. & adj. —n. (also protozoon |-'zounn/) (pl. protozoa |-'zave/ or protozoans) any usu. unicellular and microscopic organism of the subkingdom Protozoa, including amoebae and ciliates. First observed by Leeuwenhoek in the 17th c., protozoa are ubiquitous in aquatic and damp habitats and there are numerous parasitic species, among them the trypanosomes which cause sleeping sickness, and the malaria parasite. Protozoa display a great variety of form; important groups include the flagellates, amoebas, and ciliates, and some bear shells, the residue of which forms a significant proportion of some limestone rocks. —adj. (also protozoic |-'zau1k/) of or relating to this phylum. 00 protozoal adj. [mod.L (as PRoTO-, Gk zéion animal)]

protract /pro'trekt/ v.tr. 1 prolong or lengthen in space or esp. time (protracted their stay for some weeks). 2 draw (a plan of ground etc.) to scale. 00 protractedly adv. protractedness n. [L protrahere protract- (as PRO-1, trahere draw)]

protractile /pra'trektaul/ adj. (of a part of the body etc.) capable of being protruded or extended. protraction /pra'trek{(2)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of pro- tracting; the state of being protracted. 2 a drawing to scale. 3 the action of a protractor muscle. [F protraction or LL protractio (as PROTRACT)] protractor /pro'trekto(r)/ n. 1 an instrument for measuring angles, usu. in the form of a graduated semicircle. 2 a muscle serving to extend a limb etc. protrude /pro'tru:d/ v. 1 intr. extend beyond or above a surface; project. 2 tr. thrust or cause to thrust forth. 00 protrudent adj. protrusible adj. protrusion /-3(2)n/ n. protrusive adj. [L protrudere (as PRo-1, trudere trus- thrust)] av how

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provender

1163

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vo poor

protrusile /pro'tru:sarl/ adj. (of a limb etc.) capable of being thrust forward. [PRO-! + EXTRUSILE: see EXTRUDE] protuberant /pro'tju:borant/ adj. bulging out; prominent (protuberant eyes; a protuberant fact). 00 protuberance n. [LL protuberare (as PRO-!, tuber bump)] proud /praod/ adj. 1 feeling greatly honoured or pleased (am proud to know him; proud of his friendship). 2 a (often foll. by of) valuing oneself, one’s possessions, etc. highly, or esp. too highly; haughty; arrogant (proud of his ancient name). b (often in comb.) having a proper pride; satisfied (house-proud; proud of a job well done). 3 a (of an occasion etc.) justly arousing pride (a proud day for us; a proud sight). b (of an action etc.) showing pride (a proud wave of the hand). 4 (of a thing) imposing; splendid. 5 slightly projecting from a surface etc. (the nail stood proud of the plank). 6 (of flesh) overgrown round a healing wound. 7 (of water) swollen in flood. o do proud collog. 1 treat (a person) with lavish generosity or honour (they did us proud on our anniversary). 2 (refl.) act honourably or worthily. proud-hearted haughty; arrogant. 00 proudly adv. proudness n. [OE prit, prid f. OF prud, prod oblique case of pruz etc. valiant, ult. f. LL prode f. L prodesse be of value (as PRO-}, esse be)] :

Proudhon

/pru:'d3/, Pierre Joseph (1809-65), French social

reformer, largely self-educated, whose writings argue that property is theft and that for a just society orderly anarchy should replace government. Proust /pru:st/, Marcel (1871-1922), French novelist, essayist, and critic. In the 1890s he moved in the most fashionable Paris circles. Severe asthma precluded any regular profession; his neurotic disposition, aggravated by efforts to conceal his homosexuality, made him a virtual recluse in his later years. He published a collection of essays, poems, and stories, Les Plaisirs et les jours (1896), translations of Ruskin whose artistic ideas influenced his own; he was also influenced by the philosophy of Bergson. Proust explored his own literary aesthetic in Contre Sainte-Beuve (1954) where he defines the artist’s task as the releasing of creative energies of past experience from the unconscious, an aesthetic which found its most developed literary expression in his novel A la recherche du temps perdu (191327) which occupied him from c.1907 until his death. Prov. abbr. 1 Proverbs (Old Testament). 2 Province. 3 Provengal. prove /pru:v/ v. (past part. proved or proven /'pru:v(a)n, 'prov-/) 1 tr. (often foll. by that + clause) demonstrate the truth of by evidence or argument. 2 intr. a (usu. foll. by to + infin.) be found (it proved to be untrue). b emerge incontrovertibly as (will prove the winner). 3 tr. Math. test the accuracy of (a calculation). 4 tr. establish the genuineness and validity of (a will). 5 intr. (of dough) rise in bread-making. 6 tr. = PROOF 6. 7 tr. subject (a gun etc.) to a testing process. 8tr. archaic test the qualities of, try. O not proven (in Scottish Law) a verdict that there is insufficient evidence to establish guilt or innocence. prove oneself show one’s abilities, courage, etc. 00 provable adj. provability /-'biliti/ n. provably adv. [ME f. OF prover f. L probare test, approve, demonstrate f. probus good] provenance /|'prpvinons/ n. 1 the place of origin or history, esp. of a work of art etc. 2 origin. [F f. provenir f. L provenire (as PRO-!, venire come)]

Provengal |,provan'sa:l, prova'szl/ adj. & n. —adj. of or concerning the language, inhabitants, landscape, etc. of Provence. —n. 1 native of Provence. 2 a the dialect of French used in Provence. b a Romance language of this region, closely related to French, Italian, and Catalan. In the 12th—-14th c. it was the language of the troubadours and cultured speakers of southern France, but the subsequent spread of the northern dialects of French led to its gradual decline despite attempts to revive it. [F (as PROVINCIAL f. L provincia (see PROVENCE)] Provence /pro'vds/ a district and former province of SE France east of the lower Rh6ne, which contains the French Riviera, now part of the region of Provence-Céte d’Azur; pop. (1982) 3,965,200; capital, Marseilles. [L provincia province, as L colloq. name for southern Gaul, which was the first Roman province to be established outside Italy] provender /'provindo(r)/ n. 1 animal fodder. 2 joc. food for

aio fire

aus sour

(see over for consonants)

provenience

benefice not yet vacant (cf. PROVIDE 5). —v.tr. supply (an expedition etc.) with provisions. 00 provisioner n. provisionless adj. provisionment n. [ME f. OF f. L provisio -onis (as PROVIDE)]

human beings. [ME f. OF provendre, provende ult. f. L praebenda (see PREBEND)]

provenience /pro'vi:nions/ n. US = PROVENANCE. [L provenire f. venire come] proverb /'provs:b/ n. 1 a short pithy saying in general use, held to embody a general truth. 2 a person or thing that is notorious (he is a proverb for inaccuracy). 3 (Proverbs or Book of Proverbs) a didactic poetic Old Testament book of maxims attributed to Solomon and others. [ME f. OF proverbe or L proverbium (as PpRo-}, verbum word)]

. provisional /proa'vizen(e)l/ adj. & n. —adj.

etc.) as well-known as a proverb; notorious (his proverbial honesty). 2 of or referred to in a proverb (the proverbial ill wind). oo proverbiality /-bi'zliti/n. proverbially adv. [ME f. L proverbialis (as PROVERB)] provide /pro'vaid/ v. 1 tr. supply; furnish (provided them with food; provided food for them; provided a chance for escape). 2 intr. a (usu. foll. by for, against) make due preparation (provided for any eventuality; provided against invasion). b (usu. foll. by for) prepare for the maintenance of a person etc. 3 tr. (also refl.) equip with necessities (they had to provide themselves). 4 tr. (usu. foll. by that) stipulate in a will, statute, etc. 5 tr. (usu. foll. by to) Eccl. hist. a

provisor /pra'vaiza(r)/ n. Eccl. 1 a deputy of a bishop or archbishop. 2 hist. the holder of a provision (see PROVISION n. 4). [ME f. AF provisour f. L provisor -oris (as PROVIDE)} provisory /pro'vaizari/ adj. 1 conditional; having a proviso. 2 making provision (provisory care). 00 provisorily adv. [F provisoire or med.L provisorius (as PROVISOR)] Provo |'pravveu/ n. (pl. -os) collog. a member of the Provisional IRA. [abbr.] provocation |,prova'kerf(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of provoking; a state of being provoked (did it under severe provoc-

appoint (an incumbent) to a benefice. b (of the Pope) appoint (a successor) to a benefice not yet vacant. [ME f. L providére (as pRo-}, vidére vis- see)]

ation). 2 a cause of annoyance. 3 Law an action, insult, etc. held

provided /proa'vaidid/ adj. & conj. —adj. supplied, furnished.

to be likely to provoke physical retaliation. [ME f. OF provocation

—conj. (often foll. by that) on the condition or understanding (that).

or L provocatio (as PROVOKE)]

provocative /pro'vokotiv/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (usu. foll. by of)

Providence |'provid(a)ns/ the capital of the State of Rhode

tending to provoke, esp. anger or sexual desire. 2 intentionally annoying. —n. a provocative thing. 00 provocatively adv. provocativeness n. [ME f. obs. F provocatif -ive f. LL provocativus (as PROVOKE)]

Island; pop. (1980) 156,800.

providence /'provid()ns/ n. 1 the protective care of God or nature. 2 (Providence) God in this aspect. 3 timely care or preparation; foresight; thrift. Oo special providence a particular instance of God’s providence. [ME f. OF providence or L providentia (as PROVIDE)]

provoke /pro'vouk/ v.tr. 1 a (often foll. by to, or to + infin.) rouse or incite (provoked him to fury). b (as provoking adj.) exasperating; irritating. 2 call forth; instigate (indignation, an inquiry, a storm, etc.). 3 (usu. foll. by into + verbal noun) irritate or stimulate (a person) (the itch provoked him into scratching). 4 tempt; allure. 5 cause, give rise to (will provoke fermentation). o0 provokable adj. provokingly adv. [ME f. OF provoquer f. L provocare (as PRO-}, vocare call)] provost /'prpvast/ n. 1 Brit. the head of some colleges esp. at Oxford or Cambridge. 2 Eccl. a the head of a chapter in a cathedral. b hist. the head of a religious community. 3 Sc. the head of a municipal corporation or burgh. 4 the Protestant minister of the principal church of a town etc. in Germany etc. 5 US a high administrative officer in a university. 6 = provost marshal. 0 provost guard US a body of soldiers under a provost marshal. provost marshal 1 the head of military police in camp or on active service. 2 the master-at-arms of a ship in which a court-martial is to be held. 00 provostship n. [ME f. OE profost & AF provost, prevost f. med.L propositus for praepositus:

/'provid(s)nt/ adj. having or showing foresight;

thrifty. o Provident Society Brit. = providently adv. [ME f. L (as PROvIDE)]

Friendly Society.

oo

providential |,provi'den{(a)l/ adj. 1 of or by divine foresight or interposition. 2 opportune, lucky. 00 providentially adv. [PROVIDENCE + -IAL, after evidential etc.]

provider /pro'vaido(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that provides. 2 the breadwinner of a family etc.

providing /pro'vaidin/ conj. = PROVIDED conj. province /'provins/ n. 1 a principal administrative division of a country etc. 2 a (the provinces) the whole of a country outside the capital, esp. regarded as uncultured, unsophisticated, etc. b (the Province) (in recent use) Northern Ireland. 3 a sphere of action; business (outside my province as a teacher). 4 a branch of learning etc. (in the province of aesthetics). 5 Eccl. a district under

an archbishop or a metropolitan. 6 Rom.Hist. a territory outside Italy under a Roman governor. [ME f. OF f. L provincia charge, province]

see PRAEPOSTOR]

provincial /pro'vin{(o)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 a of or concerning a province. b of or concerning the provinces. 2 unsophisticated or uncultured in manner, speech, opinion, etc. —n. 1 an inhabitant of a province or the provinces. 2 an unsophisticated or uncultured person. 3 Eccl. the head or chief of a province or of a religious order in a province. 00 provinciality /-f1'zeliti/ n. provincialize v.tr. (also -ise). provincially adv. [ME f. OF f. L provincialis (as PROVINCE)]

provincialism

/pro'vinfa,l1z(2)m/ n. 1 provincial manners,

fashion, mode of thought, etc., esp. regarded as restricting or narrow. 2 a word or phrase peculiar to a provincial region. 3 concern for one’s local area rather than one’s country. 00 provincialist n.

provision /pro'vi3(9)n/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the act or an instance of providing (made no provision for his future). b something provided (a provision of bread). 2 (in pl.) food, drink, etc., esp. for

an expedition. 3 a a legal or formal statement providing for something. b a clause of this. 4 Eccl. hist. an appointment to a b but

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j yes

1 providing for

immediate needs only; temporary. 2 (Provisional) designating the unofficial wing of the IRA established in 1970, advocating terrorism to achieve its aims. The name is taken from the ‘Provisional Government of the Republic of Ireland’ which was declared in 1916. —n. (Provisional) a member of the Provisional wing of the IRA. oo provisionality /-'nzliti/ n. provisionally adv. provisionalness n. proviso /pro'vaizau/ n. (pl. -os) 1 a stipulation. 2 a clause of stipulation or limitation in a document. [L, neut. ablat. past part. of providére pRrovipE, in med.L phr. proviso quod it being provided that]

proverbial /pro'vs:bial/ adj. 1 (esp. of a specific characteristic

provident

proximal

1164

prow /pravu/ n. 1 the fore-part or bow of a ship adjoining the stem. 2 a pointed or projecting front part. [F proue f. Prov. proa or It. dial. prua f. L prora f. Gk proira] prowess /'prauis/ n. 1 skill; expertise. 2 valour; gallantry. [ME f. OF proesce f. prou valiant] prowl /pravl/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. roam (a place) in search or as if in search of prey, plunder, etc. 2 intr. (often foll. by about, around) move about like a hunter. —n. the act or an instance of prowling. o on the prowl moving about secretively or rapaciously, esp. in search of sexual contact etc. prowl car US a police squad car. 00 prowler n. [ME prolle, of unkn. orig.] Prox. abbr. proximo. Prox. acc. abbr. proxime accessit. proxemics /prok'si:miks/ n. Sociol. the study of socially conditioned spatial factors in ordinary human relations. [PROXIMITY + -emics: cf. phonemics]

proximal /'proksim(e)l/ adj. situated towards the centre of the body or point of attachment. nearest]

kcat

lleg

m man

nono

00 proximally adv. [L proximus

ppen

rred s sit

t top.

v voice

proximate

pseudo-

1165

proximate /|'proksimot/ adj. 1 nearest or next before or after (in place, order, time, causation, thought process, etc.). 2 approximate. 00 proximately adv. [L proximatus past part. of proximare draw near (as PROXIMAL)] proxime accesstit |\proksim1 ok'si:sit/ n. 1 second place inan examination etc. 2 a person gaining this. [l, = came very near]

proximity /prok'simiti/ n. nearness in space, time, etc. (sat in close proximity to them). 0 proximity fuse an electronic device causing a projectile to explode when near its target. proximity of blood kinship. [ME f. F proximité or L proximitas (as PROXIMAL)] proximo /'proksi,m9o0/ adj. Commerce of next month (the third proximo). [L proximo mense in the next month] proxy |'proksi/ n. (pl. -ies) (also attrib.) 1 the authorization given to a substitute or deputy (a proxy vote; was married by proxy). 2a person authorized to act as a substitute etc. 3 a a document giving the power to act as a proxy, esp. in voting. b a vote given by this. [ME f. obs. procuracy f. med.L procuratia (as PROCURATION)]

PRS abbr. 1 (in the UK) President of the Royal Society. 2 Performing Rights Society. prude /pru:d/ n. a person having or affecting an attitude of extreme propriety or modesty esp. in sexual matters. a0 prudery n. (pl. -ies). prudish adj. prudishly adv. prudishness n. [F, back form. f. prudefemme fem. of prud’homme good man and true f. prou worthy] prudent /'‘pru:d(o)nt/ adj. 1 (of a person or conduct) careful to avoid undesired consequences; circumspect. 2 discreet. 00 prudence n. prudently adv. [ME f. OF prudent or L prudens =

providens PROVIDENT]

Prussian the language spoken in Prussia until the 17th c. Prussian blue a deep blue pigment, ferric ferrocyanide, used in painting and dyeing.

prussic /'prastk/ adj. of or obtained from Prussian blue.

o

prussic acid hydrocyanic acid. [F prussique f. Prusse Prussia] Prut /pru:t/ (also Pruth) a river separating Romania from the Soviet Republic of Moldavia, rising in the Carpathian Mountains

and flowing south-east to meet the Danube near Reni. pry! /prai/ v.intr. (pries, pried) 1 (usu. foll. by into) inquire impertinently (into a person’s private affairs etc.). 2 (usu. foll. by into, about, etc.) look or peer inquisitively. 00 prying adj.

pryingly adv. [ME prie, of unkn. orig.]

a

pry? /prai/ v.tr. (pries, pried) US (often foll. by out of, open, etc.) = PRISE. [PRISE taken as pries 3rd sing. pres.] PS abbr. 1 Police Sergeant. 2 postscript. 3 private secretary. 4 prompt side.

Ps. abbr. (pl. Pss.) Psalm, Psalms (Old Testament). psalm /sa:m/ n. 1 a (also Psalm) any of the sacred songs contained in the Book of Psalms, esp. when set for metrical chanting ina service. b (the Psalms or the Book of Psalms)

the book of the Old Testament containing psalms, used in both Jewish and Christian worship. The popular belief that David was the author of the whole Psalter can no longer be sustained, but many of the psalms date from the early years of the monarchy in Israel. 2 a sacred song or hymn. 0 psalm-book a book containing the Psalms, esp. with metrical settings for worship. 00 psalmic adj. [OE (p)sealm f. LL psalmus f. Gk psalmos song sung to a harp f. psallo pluck]

prudential /pru:'den{(o)l/ adj. & n. —adj. of, involving, or

psalmist /'sa:mist/ n. 1 the author or composer of a psalm. 2

marked by prudence (prudential motives). —n. (in pl.) 1 prudential considerations or matters.. 2 US minor administrative or financial matters. oOF prudentialism n. prudentialist 1. prudentially adv. [PRUDENT + -IAL, after evidential etc.] pruinose /'pru:1,nsus/ adj. esp. Bot. covered with white powdery granules; frosted in appearance. [L pruinosus f. pruina hoar-frost] prune! /pru:n/ n. 1 a dried pium. 2 collog. a silly or disliked person. [ME f. OF ult. f. L prunum f. Gk prou(m)non plum] prune? /pru:n/ v.tr. 1 a (often foll. by down) trim (a tree etc.) by cutting away dead or overgrown branches etc. b (usu. foll. by off, away) lop (branches etc.) from a tree. 2 reduce (costs etc.) (must try to prune expenses). 3 a (often foll. by of) clear (a book etc.) of superfluities. b remove (superfluities). 0 pruning-hook a long-handled hooked cutting tool used for pruning. 00 pruner n. [ME prouyne f. OF pro(o)ignier ult. f. L rotundus ROUND]

(the Psalmist) David or the author of any of the Psalms. [LL psalmista (as PSALM)]

prunella! /pru:'nelo/ n. any plant of the genus Prunella, esp. P. vulgaris, bearing pink, purple, or white flower spikes, and formerly thought to cure quinsy. Also called sELF HEAL. [mod.L, = quinsy: earlier brunella dimin. of med.L brunus brown]

prunella? /pru:'nelo/ n. a strong silk or worsted fabric used formerly for barristers’ gowns, the uppers of women’s shoes, etc. [perh. f. F prunelle, of uncert. orig.] prurient /'prvorient/ adj. 1 having an unhealthy obsession with sexual matters. 2 encouraging such an obsession. oO prurience n. pruriency n. pruriently adv. [L prurire itch, be

wanton] prurigo /pros'raigou/ n. a skin disease marked by severe itching. 00 pruriginous /proo'ridzinas/ adj. [L prurigo -ginis f. prurire to itch] pruritus /proo'raitas/ n. severe itching of the skin. 00 pruritic /-rittk/ adj. [L, = itching (as PRURIGO)]

Prussia /'prafo/ a former German kingdom, originally centred in NE Europe along the south coast of the Baltic. Prussia rose to prominence in the 17th c. under the Electors of Brandenburg and became the pre-eminent German military power under Frederick the Great in the mid-18th c. Its territory was expanded southwards and westwards by conquest and treaty and in 1866— 70 served as the nucleus for the new German empire created by Bismarck under the king of Prussia. Most of the original Prussian territories are now in Poland or the Soviet Union. Prussian |'praf(o)n/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to Prussia or its rigidly militaristic tradition. —n. a native of Prussia. 0 Old wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

psalmody /'sa:modi, 'szl-/ n. 1 the practice or art of singing psalms, hymns, etc., esp. in public worship. 2 a the arrangement of psalms for singing. b the psalms so arranged. 00 psalmodic |sel'modik/ adj. psalmodist n. psalmodize v.intr. (also -ise). [ME f. LL psalmodia f. Gk psalmdidia singing to a harp (as PSALM, did2 song)] psalter /'so:Ita(r), 'spl-/ n. 1 a the Book of Psalms. b a version of this (the English Psalter; Prayer-Book Psalter). 2. a copy of the Psalms, esp. for liturgical use. [ME f. AF sauter, OF sautier, & OE (p)saltere f. LL psalterium f. Gk psaltérion stringed instrument (psallé pluck), in eccl.L Book of Psalms]

psalterium /so:!'trariom, spl-/ n. the third stomach of a ruminant, the omasum. [L (see PSALTER): named from its booklike form] psaltery /'so:ltort, 'spl-/ n. (pl. -ies) an ancient and medieval instrument like a dulcimer but played by plucking the strings with the fingers or a plectrum. [ME f. OF sauterie etc. f. L (as

PSALTER)]

PSBR abbr. Brit. public sector borrowing requirement. psephology /se'folad31, pse-/ n. the statistical study of elections, voting, etc. o0 psephological _ |-fa'lodgik(a)l/ adj. psephologically |-fa'lod31keli/ adv. psephologist n. [Gk pséphos pebble, vote + -Locy] pseud /sju:d/ adj. & n. colloq. —adj. intellectually or socially pretentious; not genuine. —n. such a person; a poseur. [abbr. of PSEUDO]

pseud- var. of psEUDO-. pseudepigrapha /|,sju:di'pigrofa/ n.pl.

1 Jewish writings

ascribed to various Old Testament prophets etc. but written during or just before the early Christian period. 2 spurious writings.

OO » pseudepigraphal

adj.

pseudepigraphic

|-'grefik/ adj. pseudepigraphical /-'grzfik(s)l/ adj. [neut. pl. of Gk pseudepigraphos with false title (as PSEUDO-, EPIGRAPH)] pseudo /|'sju:dou/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 sham; spurious. 2 insincere. —n. (pl. -os) a pretentious or insincere person. [see PSEUDO-] pseudo- |'sju:dou/ comb. form (also pseud- before a vowel) 1 supposed or purporting to be but not really so; false; not genuine (pseudo-intellectual; pseudepigrapha). 2 resembling or imitating (often in technical applications) (pseudo-language; pseudo-acid). [Gk f. pseudés false, pseudos falsehood]

tl chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

pseudocarp

psychometry

1166

TS

/-ka'zetrik(o)l/ adj. psychiatrically — /-kr'ztrrkoli/ adv. psychiatrist n. [as PSYCHE + iatreia healing f. iatros healer] psychic /'sarkrk/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 a (of a person) considered to have occult powers, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, etc. b (of a faculty, phenomenon, etc.) inexplicable by natural laws. 2 of the soul or mind. 3 Bridge (of a bid) made on the basis of a hand not usually considered strong enough to support it. —n. 1a person considered to have psychic powers; a medium. 2 Bridge a psychic bid. 3 (in pl.) the study of psychic phenomena. [Gk psukhikos (as PSYCHE)]

pseudocarp |'sju:dou,ka:p/ n. a fruit formed from parts other than the ovary, e.g. the strawberry or fig. [PsEUDO- + Gk karpos fruit]

pseudomorph /'sju:do,mo:f/ n. 1 a crystal etc. consisting of one mineral with the form proper to another. 2 a false form. O00 pseudomorphic |-'mo:fik/ adj. pseudomorphism /-'mo: f1z(2)m/ n. pseudomorphous |-'mo:fas/ adj. [PsEUDO- + GK morphe form] pseudonym |'sju:donim/ n. a fictitious name, esp. one assumed by an author. [F pseudonyme f. Gk pseuddnymos (as PSEUDO-, -On-

psychical /'sarkik(2)l/ adj. 1 concerning psychic phenomena or

umos f. onoma name)] pseudonymous /sju:'dpnimos/ adj. writing or written under a false name. 00 pseudonymity |-'n1miti/n. pseudonymously adv. pseudopod |'sju:dou,pod/ n. = PSEUDOPODIUM. [mod.L (as PSEUDOPODIUM)}

faculties (psychical research). 2 of the soul or mind. oo psychically adv. psychicism /-1,s1z(2)m/ n. psychicist /-1,sist/

n. psycho /|'sarkau/ n. & adj. collog. —n. (pl. -os) a psychopath. — adj. psychopathic. [abbr.] psycho- |'sarkou/ comb. form relating to the mind or psychology. [Gk psukho- (as PSYCHE)]

pseudopodium /|,sju:dou'poudiom/ n. (pl. pseudopodia /|-dia/) (in amoeboid cells) a temporary protrusion of protoplasm for movement, feeding, etc. [mod.L (as PSEUDO-, PODIUM)]

psychoactive |,satkou'ektrv/ adj. affecting the mind. psychoanalysis /,satkove'nelisis/ n. 1 a therapeutic method,

pseudo-science |/'sju:dou,satons/ n. a pretended or spurious science. 00 pseudo-scientific /-'trftk/ adj. pshaw /pJo:, Jo:/ int. archaic an expression of contempt or impatience. [imit.] pSi /psai/ n. 1 the twenty-third letter of the Greek alphabet (¥, ws). 2 supposed parapsychological faculties, phenomena, etc. regarded collectively. [Gk] p-S.i. abbr. pounds per square inch.

originated by Sigmund Freud (see entry) of treating disorders of personality or behaviour by investigating the interaction of conscious and unconscious elements in the mind and bringing repressed fears and conflicts into the conscious mind, e.g. through the free association of ideas, and the analysis and interpretation of dreams, helping the patient to understand his or her condition. 2 a theory of personality and psychical life derived from this, based on concepts of the ego, id, and superego, the conscious, pre-conscious, and unconscious levels of the mind, and the repression of the sexual instinct. oO psychoanalyse /-'zn9,laiz/ v.tr. psychoanalyst /-'enolist/ n. psychoanalytic /-eno'litrk/ adj. psychoanalytical /-eeno'litrk(a)l/ adj. psychoanalytically /-,;enoa'litikeli/ adv.

psilocybin /|,silo'sarbin/ n. a hallucinogenic alkaloid found in Mexican mushrooms of the genus Psilocybe. [Psilocybe f. Gk psilos bald + kubé head]

psilosis /sat'lousis/ n. = sPpRUE?. [Gk psilisis f. psilos bare] psittacine /'sito,samm/ adj. of or relating to parrots; parrot-like. [L psittacinus f. psittacus f. Gk psittakos parrot]

psychobabble /|'sarkou,beb(e)l/ n. US collog. derog. jargon used

psittacosis |,s1to'kousis/ n. a contagious viral disease of birds

in popular psychology.

transmissible (esp. from parrots) to human beings as a form of pneumonia. [mod_L f. L psittacus (as PSITTACINE) + -OSIS] psoas |'souas/ n. either of two muscles used in flexing the hip joint. [Gk, accus. pl. of psoa, taken as sing.]

psychodrama |'sarksu,dra:ma/ n. 1 a form of psychotherapy in which patients act out events from their past. 2 a play or film etc. in which psychological elements are the main interest.

psoriasis /so'raissis/ n. a skin disease marked by red scaly

psychodynamniics /|,satkouda1'nemiks/ n.pl. (treated as sing.)

patches. 00 psoriatic /\so:r1'zetrk/ adj. [mod.L f. Gk psoriasis f. psoriad have an itch f. psora itch] psst /pst/ int. (also pst) a whispered exclamation seeking to attract a person’s attention surreptitiously. [imit.]

psychogenesis |,sarkou'd3zenists/ n. the study of the origin of

PST abbr. US Pacific Standard Time. PSV abbr. Brit. public service vehicle.

psychokinesis /,satkouki'ni:sis/ n. the movement of objects

the study of the activity of and the interrelation between the various parts of an individual’s personality or psyche. oo psychodynamic adj. psychodynamically adv. the mind’s development.

supposedly by mental effort without the action of natural

psych /sark v.tr. collog. 1 (usu. foll. by up; often refl.) prepare (oneself or another person) mentally for an ordeal etc. 2 a (usu. foll. by out) analyse (a person’s motivation etc.) for one’s own advantage (can’t psych him out). b subject to psychoanalysis. 3 (often foll. by out) influence a person psychologically, esp. negatively; intimidate, frighten. 0 psych out break down mentally; become confused or deranged. [abbr.]

forces.

psycholinguistics |,sarkoolm'gwistiks/ n.pl. (treated as sing.) the study of the psychological aspects of language and language-learning. 00 «psycholinguist § /-'lmgwist/ n. psycholinguistic adj.

psychological /,satka'lod3rk(s)l/ adj. 1 of, relating to, or arising

Psyche /'sarki/ Gk mythol. the soul personified as female, or

psyche /'sarki/ n. 1 the soul; the spirit. 2 the mind. [L f. Gk psukhé breath, life, soul]

in the mind. 2 of or relating to psychology. 3 collog. (of an ailment etc.) having a basis in the mind; imaginary (her cold is psychological). 0 psychological block a mental inability or inhibition caused by emotional factors. psychological moment the most appropriate time for achieving a particular effect or purpose. psychological warfare a campaign directed at reducing an opponent’s morale. 00 psychologically adv.

psychedelia /,sarki'di:l19/ n.pl. 1 psychedelic articles, esp. post-

psychology /sai'kvlad3}/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the scientific study of the

sometimes represented as a butterfly. She is associated with Eros, either in quiet harmony or being tormented by him as the seat of passions. The allegory of Psyche’s love for Cupid is told in the ‘Golden Ass’ of Apuleius. [as psycHE]

ers, paintings, etc. 2 psychedelic drugs.

psychedelic |,sarki'delrk/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 a expanding the mind’s awareness etc., esp. through the use of hallucinogenic drugs. b (of an experience) hallucinatory; bizarre. ¢ (of a drug) producing hallucinations. 2 collog. a producing an effect resembling that of a psychedelic drug; having vivid colours or designs etc. b (of colours, patterns, etc.) bright, bold and often abstract. —n. a hallucinogenic drug. 00 psychedelically adv. [irreg. f. Gk (as PSYCHE, délos clear, manifest)]

psychiatry /sai'karotri/ n. the study and treatment of mental disease.

oO

psychiatric

/-ki'etrik/

e cat

adj.

a: arm

psychiatrical

e bed

3: her

1 sit

human mind and its functions, esp. those affecting behaviour in a given context. 2 a treatise on or theory of this. 3 a the mental characteristics or attitude of a person or group. b the mental factors governing a situation or activity (the psychology of crime). 00 psychologist n. psychologize v.tr. & intr. (also -ise). [mod.L psychologia (as PSYCHO-, -LOGY)]

psychometrics /,sarkou'metriks/ n.pl. (treated as sing.) the science of measuring mental capacities and processes. psychometry /sa'komitri/ n. 1 the supposed divination of facts about events, people, etc., from inanimate objects associated with them. 2 the measurement of mental abilities. 00 i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

o put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

psychomotor

public

1167

psychometric |/-ko'metrrk/ adj. psychometrically /-ko'metrikoli/ adv. psychometrist n. psychomotor /'sarkov,mavta(r)/ adj. concerning the study of movement resulting from mental activity.

psychoneurosis /,satkounjus'rausis/ n. neurosis, esp. with the indirect expression of emotions. psychopath /'saiko,px6/ n. 1 a person suffering from chronic mental disorder esp. with abnormal or violent social behaviour. 2a mentally or emotionally unstable person. 00 psychopathic |-'pzeOrk/ adj. psychopathically /-'pxz@rkoli/ adv.

psychopathology /|,satkeups'8pled3i/ n. 1 the scientific study of mental disorders. 2 a mentally or behaviourally disordered state. 00 psychopathological |-px@o'lpd31k(a)l/ adj.

psychopathy /|sai'kopo61/ n. psychopathic or psychologically abnormal behaviour.

psychophysics /|,sarksu'fiziks/ n. the science of the relation

pteropod /'tero,pod/ n. a marine gastropod with the middle part of its foot expanded into a pair of winglike lobes. [PTERO+ GK pous podos foot] pterosaur /'tero,so:(r)/ n. any of a group of extinct flying reptiles with large bat-like wings, including pterodactyls. [prERo- + Gk saura lizard]

pteroylglutamic acid /,terou,arlglu:'temrk/ n. = FOLIC ACID. [pteroic acid + -YL + GLUTAMIC (ACID)] pterygoid process /'ter1,go1d/ adj. each of a pair of processes from the sphenoid bone in the skull. [Gk pterux -ugos wing]

PTFE abbr. polytetrafluoroethylene. ptisan /'tiz(2)n, t'zen/ n. a nourishing drink, esp. barley water. [ME & OF tizanne etc. f. L ptisana f. Gk ptisané peeled barley]

PTO abbr. please turn over. Ptolemaic /,toli'menk/ adj. hist. 1 of or relating to Ptolemy (ProLemy?) or his theories. 2 of or relating to the Ptolemies, Macedonian rulers of Egypt from the death of Alexander the Great (323 Bc) to the death of Cleopatra (30 Bc). (See ProLEMy}.) oO Ptolemaic system the theory that the earth is the stationary centre of the universe (cf. COPERNICAN SYSTEM). [L Ptolemaeus f. Gk Ptolemaios]

between the mind and the body. 00 psychophysical adj.

psychophysiology |,satkou,fizt'pled3i/ n. the branch of physiology dealing with mental phenomena. oo psychophysiological /-z19'lod31k(a)l/ adj. psychosexual |,satkou'seksjual, -'sekfuol/ adj. of or involving the psychological aspects of the sexual impulse. oo psychosexually adv. psychosis /sai'kousis/ n. (pl. psychoses |-si:z/) a severe mental derangement, esp. when resulting in delusions and loss of contact with external reality. [Gk psukhdsis f. psukhod give life to (as PSYCHE)]

psychosocial |,sarkau'sau{(s)l/ adj. of or involving the influence of social

factors

or

human

interactive

behaviour.

oo

psychosocially adv.

Ptolemy! /'tolami/ the name of all the Macedonian kings of Egypt, a dynasty founded by Ptolemy, the close friend and general of Alexander the Great, who took charge of Egypt after his master’s death and declared himself king in 304 Bc. The dynasty ended with the death of Cleopatra in 30 Bc. Under the Ptolemies their capital, Alexandria, became a leading commercial and cultural centre of the Greek world. Ptolemy? /'tolomi/ (2nd c.) Greek astronomer and geographer,

who worked in Alexandria. His major work, known by its Arabic title the Almagest, was a complete textbook of astronomy based on the geocentric system of Hipparchus. His teachings had

psychosomatic /|,satkouso'metik/ adj. 1 (of an illness etc.) caused or aggravated by mental conflict, stress, etc. 2 of the mind and body together. 00 psychosomatically adv. psychosurgery /|,satkou'ss:dgori/ n. brain surgery as a means of treating mental disorder. 00 psychosurgical adj. psychotherapy |,satkou'Serapi/ n. the treatment of mental disorder by psychological means. oO0 psychotherapeutic /-'pju:tik/ adj. psychotherapist n.

psychotic /sai'kotsk/ adj. & n. —adj. of or characterized by a psychosis. —n. a person suffering from a psychosis. psychotically adv.

00

psychotropic /,satkou'tropik/ n. (of a drug) acting on the mind. [psycHo- + Gk tropé turning: see TROPIC] psychrometer /sai'kromitoa(r)/ n. a thermometer consisting of a dry bulb and a wet bulb for measuring atmospheric humidity. [Gk psukhros cold + -METER]

PT abbr. physical training. Pt symb. Chem. the element platinum. pt. abbr. 1 part. 2 pint. 3 point. 4 port. PTA abbr. 1 parent-teacher association. 2 Passenger Transport Authority.

enormous influence on medieval thought, the geocentric view of the cosmos being adopted as Church doctrine until the late Renaissance, Besides placing the Earth at the centre of the universe and explaining the motions of the planets by combining individual circular motions, the Almagest included detailed tables of lunar and solar motion with eclipse predictions, and a star catalogue giving the positions and magnitudes (graded from 1 to 6) of 1022 stars. Ptolemy’s Geography, giving lists of places with their longitudes and latitudes, was also a standard work for centuries, despite its inaccuracies. ptomaine /'toumem) n. any of various amine compounds, some toxic, in putrefying animal and vegetable matter. 0 ptomaine poisoning archaic food poisoning. [F ptomaine f. It. ptomaina irreg. f. Gk ptoma corpse] ptosis /'tausis/ n. a drooping of the upper eyelid due to paralysis etc. OO ptotic /'toutik/ adj. [Gk ptosis f. pipto fall]

Pty. abbr. Austral., NZ, & S.Afr. proprietary. ptyalin /'taralin/ n. an enzyme which hydrolyses certain carbohydrates and is found in the saliva of humans and some other animals. [Gk ptualon spittle]

Ptah /ta:/ Egyptian Mythol. an ancient deity of Memphis, ori-

Pu symb. Chem. the element plutonium.

ginally a god of artisans (the Greeks called him Hephaestus) and creator of the universe. He acquired a solar character and became one of the chief deities of Egypt. ptarmigan /'ta:migon/ n. any of various game-birds of the genus Lagopus, esp. L. mutus, with grouselike appearance and black or grey plumage in the summer and white in the winter. [Gael. tarmachan: p- after Gk words in pt-]

pub /pab/ n. collog. 1 Brit. a public house. 2 Austral. a hotel. o pub-crawil Brit. collog. a drinking tour of several pubs. [abbr.] puberty /'pju:bot:/ n. the period during which adolescents reach sexual maturity and become capable of reproduction. 0 age of puberty the age at which puberty begins, in law usu. 14 in boys and 12 in girls. 00 pubertal adj. [ME f. F puberté or L pubertas f. puber adult] pubes! |'pju:bi:z/ n. (pl. same) the lower part of the abdomen at the front of the pelvis, covered with hair from puberty. [L]

PT boat n. US a motor torpedo-boat. [Patrol Torpedo] Pte. abbr. Private (soldier). pteridology |,tert'dplod3i/ mn. the study of ferns.

oo

pteridological |-do'lod31k(a)l/ adj. pteridologist n. [Gk pteris -idos fern + -LOGY]

pteridophyte /'terido,fart/ n. any flowerless plant of the divi-

pubes? pl. of pusis. pubescence /pju:'bes(a)ns/ n. 1 the time when puberty begins. 2 Bot. soft down on the leaves and stems of plants. 3 Zool. soft down on various parts of animals, esp. insects. 00 pubescent adj. [F pubescence or med.L pubescentia f. L pubescere reach puberty]

sion Pteridophyta, including ferns, club-mosses, and horsetails. [Gk pteris -idos fern + phuton plant] ptero- /'terou/ comb. form wing. [Gk pteron wing]

pubic /|'pju:bik/ adj. of or relating to the pubes or pubis. pubis /'pju:bis/ n. (pl. pubes /-bi:z/) either of a pair of bones

pterodactyl /,tera'dektil/ n. a large extinct flying birdlike reptile with a long slender head and neck.

public /'pablik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or concerning the people

au how

er day

ov no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

va poor

forming the two sides of the pelvis. [L os pubis bone of the PuBES]

aio fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

publican

pucker

1168

publicize /'pabli,saiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) advertise; make publicly

as a whole (a public holiday; the public interest). 2 open to or shared by all the people (public baths; public library; public meeting). 3 done or existing openly (made his views public; a public protest). 4 a (of a service, funds, etc.) provided by or concerning local or central government (public money; public records; public expenditure). b (of a person) in government (had a distinguished public career). 5 well-known; famous (a public institution). 6 Brit. of, for, or acting for, a university (public examination). —n. 1 (as sing. or pl.) the community in general, or members of the community. 2 a section of the community having a particular interest or in some special connection (the reading public; my public demands my loyalty). 3 Brit. collog. a = public bar. b = public house. 0 go public become a public company. in public openly, publicly. in the public domain belonging to the public as a whole, esp. not subject to copyright. in the public eye famous or notorious. public act an act of legislation affecting the public as a whole. public-address system loudspeakers, microphones, amplifiers, etc., used in addressing large audiences. public bar Brit. the least expensive bar in a public house. public bill a bill of legislation affecting the public as a whole.

known.

public school n. 1 Brit. a private fee-paying secondary school, esp. for boarders. (See below.) 2 US, Austral., & Sc. etc. any non-fee-paying school. In England, public schools had their origin in the grammar schools of the Tudor period or earlier, endowed for the use or benefit of the public and carried on under some kind of public management or control; they were contrasted with ‘private

schools’ which were carried on at the risk and for the profit of their proprietors, and with education at home under a tutor. In the 19th c. there was a surge of expansion, as well-to-do members of the middle class sought for their sons the education that they had not had themselves, and of reform, under the influence of headmasters such as Butler of Shrewsbury and Arnold of Rugby, who set new standards of work and behaviour. Among the foremost are Winchester (founded in 1382), Eton (1440), Shrewsbury (1552), Westminster (1560), Rugby (1567), Harrow (1571), and Charterhouse (1611).

publish /'pablrJ/ v.tr. 1 (also absol.) (of an author, publisher, etc.) prepare and issue (a book, newspaper, engraving, etc.) for public

public company Brit. a company that sells shares to all buyers on the open market. public enemy a notorious wanted criminal. public figure a famous person. public health the provision of adequate sanitation, drainage, etc. by government. public house 1 Brit. an inn providing alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. 2 an inn. public law 1 the law of relations between individuals and the State. 2 = public act. public lending right the right of authors to payment when their books etc. are lent by public libraries. public libel a published libel. public nuisance 1 an illegal act against the public generally. 2 collog. an obnoxious person. public opinion views, esp. moral, prevalent among the general public. public

ownership the State ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange. public prosecutor a law officer conducting criminal proceedings on behalf of the State or in the public interest. Public Record Office an institution keeping official archives, esp. birth, marriage, and death certificates, for public inspection. public relations the professional maintenance of a favourable public image, esp. by a company, famous person, etc. public relations officer a person employed by a company etc. to promote a favourable public image. public school see separate entry. public sector that part of an economy, industry, etc., that is controlled by the State. public servant a State official. public spirit a willingness to engage in community action. public-spirited having a public spirit. public-spiritedly in a public-spirited manner. public-spiritedness the quality of being public-spirited. public transport buses, trains, etc., charging set fares and running on fixed routes, esp. when State-owned. public utility an organization supplying water, gas, etc. to the community. public works building operations etc. done by or for the State on behalf of the community. public wrong an offence against society as a whole. 00 publicly adv. [ME f. OF public or L publicus

f. pubes adult]

publican /'pablikon/ n. 1 a Brit. the keeper of a public house. b Austral. the keeper of a hotel. 2 Rom.Hist. & Bibl. a tax-collector or tax-farmer. [ME f. OF publicain f. L publicanus f. publicum public revenue (as PUBLIC)]}

publication /,pabli'ker{(2)n/ n. 1 a the preparation and issuing of a book, newspaper, engraving, music, etc. to the public. ba

book etc. so issued. 2 the act or an instance of making something publicly known. [ME f. OF f. L publicatio -onis (as PUBLISH)]

publicist /'pablisist/ n. 1 a publicity agent or public relations officer. 2 a journalist, esp. concerned with current affairs. 3 archaic a writer or other person skilled in international law. 00 publicism n. publicistic /-'ststtk/ adj. [F publiciste f. L (jus) publicum public law]

sale. (See below.) 2 make generally known. 3 announce (an edict etc.) formally; read (marriage banns). 4 Law communicate (a libel etc.) to a third party. 00 publishable adj. [ME puplise etc.

f. OF puplier, publier f. L publicare (as PUBLIC)] The trade in books is now shared by the publisher (who takes the commercial risks on a book’s production, and the responsibility for marketing it to booksellers and the public), the printer (who prints the book to a publisher’s order), and the bookseller (who offers it to the buying public). Before the invention of printing, texts were ‘published’ by being read aloud to an audience. In the early days of printing the printer was also publisher and bookseller, but during the 15th-16th c. these functions began to separate and developed into separate trades. Technological developments in the printing industry in the 19th c. dramatically increased output and reduced prices. In the 20th c. the introduction of paperbacks, pioneered in the Penguin series in 1935, tapped a wider market by offering books at an unprecedentedly low price, and after the Second World War social and economic changes, and the spread of university education, resulted in an increased demand for books of all kinds. The advent of computers has changed many aspects of publishing in a technological revolution as important as the invention of printing.

publisher /'pablifa(r)/ n. 1 a person or esp. a company that produces and distributes copies of a book, newspaper, etc. for sale. 2 US a newspaper proprietor. publishes.

Puccini /po'tfi:n1/, Giacomo (1858-1924), Italian composer. He decided to devote his musical gifts to opera after seeing Verdi’s Aida in 1876, but his first major success did not come until 1893 when Manon Lescaut was produced at Turin. His most famous operas followed soon after: La Bohéme in 1896, Tosca in 1900, Madama Butterfly in 1904, and La Fanciulla del West in 1910. These works, among the most popular in the repertory, are saved from cloying sentimentality by Puccini’s sense of the dramatic, his great melodic gift, and the skill and effectiveness of his handling of the orchestra. puce /pju:s/ adj. & n. dark red or purple-brown. [F, = flea(-colour) f. L pulex -icis] Puck /pak/ 1 a merry mischievous sprite or goblin believed, especially in the 16th and 17th c., to haunt the English countryside. He was also called Robin Goodfellow or Hobgoblin. 2 (in earlier superstition) an evil demon. —n. (puck) any of a class of mischievous or evil sprite. 2 a mischievous child. 00 puckish adj. puckishly adv. puckishness n. pucklike adj. [OE

pica: cf. Welsh pwea, Ir. ptica] puck /pak/ n. a rubber disc used as a ball in ice hockey. [19th c.:

publicity /pab'lsiti/ n. 1 a the professional exploitation of a product, company, person, etc., by advertising or popularizing. b material or information used for this. 2 public exposure; notoriety. 0 publicity agent a person employed to produce or heighten public exposure. [F publicité (as PUBLIC)]

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

3 a person or thing that

orig. unkn.]

pucka var. of puKKA. pucker /'pako(r)/ v. & n. —v.tr. & intr: (often foll. by up) gather or cause to gather into wrinkles, folds, or bulges (puckered her eyebrows; this seam is puckered up). —n. such a wrinkle, bulge, kcat

1leg

m man

n no

Pp pen

rred s

sit

t top

v voice

pud >

1169

fold, etc. 00 puckery adj. [prob. frequent., formed as POKE?, POCKET (cf. PURSE)]

pud /pod/ n. collog. = puppinc. [abbr.] pudding /'podin/ n. 1 a any of various sweet cooked dishes (plum pudding; rice pudding). b a savoury dish containing flour, suet, etc. (Yorkshire pudding; steak and kidney pudding). c the sweet course of a meal. d the intestines of a pig etc. stuffed with oatmeal, spices, blood, etc. (black pudding). 2 collog. a person or thing resembling a pudding. 3 (Naut. puddening /'pudontn/) a pad or tow binding to prevent chafing etc. 0 in the pudding club sl. pregnant. pudding-cloth a cloth used for tying up some puddings for boiling. pudding face collog. a large fat face. pudding-head coilog. a stupid person. pudding-stone a conglomerate rock consisting of rounded pebbles ina siliceous

matrix. 00 puddingy adj. [ME poding f. OF boudin black pudding ult. f. L botellus sausage: see BOWEL]

puddle /'pad(s)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a small pool, esp. of rainwater on a road etc. 2 clay and sand mixed with water and used as a watertight covering for embankments etc. 3 a circular patch of disturbed water made by the blade of an oar at each stroke. — v. 1 tr. a knead (clay and sand) into puddle. b line (a canal etc.) with puddle. 2 intr. make puddle from clay etc. 3 tr. stir (molten iron) to produce wrought iron by expelling carbon. (See Corr.) 4 intr. a dabble or wallow in mud or shallow water. b busy oneself in an untidy way. 5 tr. make (water etc.) muddy. 6tr. work (mixed water and clay) to separate gold or opal. oo puddler n. puddly adj. [ME podel, puddel, dimin. of OE pudd

ditch] pudency /'pju:densi/ n. literary modesty; shame. [LL pudentia (as PUDENDUM)]

pudendum /pju:'dendam/ n. (pl. pudenda /-do)) (usu. in pl.) the genitals, esp. of a woman. 00 pudendal adj. pudic |'pju:drk/ adj. [L pudenda (membra parts), neut. pl. of gerundive of pudére be ashamed] pudgy /'pad3}/ adj. (pudgier, pudgiest) collog. (esp. of a person) plump, thickset. 05 pudge n. pudgily adv. pudginess 71. [cf. PODGY]

Pudovkin /po'dpfkin/, Vsevolod Tarionovich (1893-1953), Russian film director whose works were consistently successful in the USSR. His three major films Mother (1926), The End of St: Petersburg (1927), and The Heir to Ghenghis Khan (1928) have a warmth that contrasts with the contemporaneous work of Eisenstein. His editing aimed at supporting the narrative by linking images in a meaningful way, the montage drawing the audience along a smooth narrative line.

Puebla /'pwebio/ a State of SE central Mexico; pop. (est. 1988)

is known as the Anasazi culture. [PUEBLO]

pueblo /'pweblou/ n. (pl. -os) a town or village in Latin America, esp. an Indian settlement. [Sp., = people, f. L populus]

puerile /'pjooranl/ adj. 1 trivial, childish, immature. 2 of or like a child. 0 puerile breathing breathing characterized by a loud pulmonary murmur as in children, a sign of disease in an adult. oo puerilely adv. puerility /-'riliti/ n. (pl. -ies). [F puéril or L puerilis f. puer boy] puerperal /pju:'s:por(s)l/ adj. of or caused by childbirth. o puerperal fever fever following childbirth and caused by uterine infection. [L puerperus f. puer child + -parus bearing] Puerto Cortés |,pws:tov ko:'tez/ the principal port of Honduras, on the Caribbean coast; pop. (1986) 40,000.

Puerto Plata /,pws:too 'pla:to/ the principal beach resort of the Dominican Republic, with a deep-water harbour for cruise liners; pop. (1986) 96,500.

Puerto Rico /,pws:too 'ri:kau/ an island of the Greater Antilles in the West Indies; pop. (est. 1988) 3,358,900; official language, Spanish; capital, San Juan. Discovered in 1493 by Christopher Columbus, the island was one of the earliest Spanish settlements in the New World. It was ceded to the US in 1898 after the Spanish-American war, and was established as a Commonwealth with full powers of locai government in 1952. In z zoo

f she

3 decision

0 thin:

recent decades there has been considerable progress in industrialization and welfare. o Puerto Rico Trench the deepest section of the North Atlantic, forming a trench that extends in an east-west direction to the north of Puerto Rico and the Leeward Islands. It reaches a depth of 9,220 m (28,397 ft.). oo Puerto Rican adj. & n. puff /paf/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa short quick blast of breath or wind. b the sound of this; a similar sound. ¢ a small quantity of vapour, smoke, etc., emitted in one blast (went up in a puff of smoke). 2 a cake etc. containing jam, cream, etc., and made of light esp. puff pastry. 3 a gathered mass of material in a dress etc. (puff sleeve). 4 a rolled protuberant mass of hair. 5 aan extravagantly enthusiastic review of a book etc., esp. in a newspaper. b an advertisement for goods etc., esp. in a newspaper. 6 = powder-puff. 7 US an eiderdown. 8 collog. one’s life (in all my puff). —v. 1 intr. emit a puff of air or breath; blow with short blasts. 2 intr. (usu. foll. by away, out, etc.) (of a person smoking, a steam engine, etc.) emit or move with puffs (puffing away at his cigar, a train puffed out of the station). 3 tr. (usu. in passive; often foll. by out) put out of breath (arrived somewhat puffed; completely puffed him out). 4 intr. breathe hard; pant. 5 tr. utter pantingly (‘No more,’ he puffed). 6 intr. & tr. (usu. foll. by up, out) become or cause to become inflated; swell (his eye was inflamed and puffed up; puffed up the balloon). 7 tr. (usu. foll. by out, up, away) blow or emit (dust, smoke, a light object, etc.) with a puff. 8 tr. smoke (a pipe etc.) in puffs. 9 tr. (usu. as puffed up adj.) elate; make proud or boastful. 10 tr. advertise or promote (goods, a book, etc.) with exaggerated or false praise. 0 puff-adder a large venomous African viper, Bitis arietans, which inflates the upper part of its body and hisses when excited. puff and blow = sense 4 of v. puff-ball any of various fungi having a ball-shaped spore case. puff pastry light flaky pastry. puff-puff Brit. a childish word for a steam-engine or train. puff up = sense 9 of v. [ME puf, puffe, perh. f. OE, imit. of the sound of breath] puffer /'pafa(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that puffs. 2 = puff-puff. O puffer-fish = globe-fish. puffin /'pafin/ n. any of various sea birds of the family Alcidae native to the N. Atlantic and N. Pacific, esp. Fratercula arctica, having a large head with a brightly coloured triangular bill, and black and white plumage. [ME poffin, pophyn, of unkn. orig.]

puffy /'pafi/ adj. (puffier, puffiest).1 swollen, esp. of the face etc. 2 fat. 3 gusty. 4 short-winded; puffed out. 00 puffily adv. puffiness n.

pug! /pag/ n. 1 (in full pug-dog) a a dwarf breed of dog like a bulldog with a broad flat nose and deeply wrinkled face. ba dog of this breed. 2 a fox. 3 Brit. a small locomotive for shunting etc. 0 pug-nose a short squat or snub nose. pug-nosed having

4,068,000; capital, Puebla de Zaragoza.

Pueblo /'pweblou/ n. (pl. -os) a member of certain Indian peoples occupying a pueblo settlement. Their prehistoric period

wwe

Pugin

6 this

n ring

x loch

such a nose. 00 puggish adj. puggy adj. [16th c.: perh. f. LG or Du.] pug? /pag/ n. & v. —n. loam or clay mixed and prepared for making bricks, pottery, etc. —v.tr. (pugged, pugging) 1 prepare (clay) thus. 2 pack (esp. the space under the floor to deaden

sound) with pug, sawdust, etc. 0 pug-mill a mill for preparing pug. 00 pugging n. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

pug? /pag/ n. sl. a boxer. [abbr. of PUGILIST] pug?/pag/n. & v. —n. the footprint ofan animal. —v.tr. (pugged, pugging) track by pugs. [Hindi pag footprint] puggaree /'pagor/ n. 1 an Indian turban. 2 a thin muslin scarf tied round a sun-helmet etc. and shielding the neck. [Hindi pagr turban]

pugilist

/'pju:dzilist/ n. a boxer, esp. a professional.

oo

pugilism n. pugilistic /-'listtk/ adj. [L pugil boxer]

Pugin /'pju:d3m/, Augustus Welby Northmore (1812-52), English architect, theorist, and designer, whose qualities can be seen in his furniture and decorations for the houses of Parliament designed by Sir Charles Barry. His chief importance lies in his proselytizing zeal as apologist for the Gothic revival in England. Converted to Roman Catholicism in 1835, he championed the Gothic case in Contrasts (1836), where medieval Christian society and architecture were favourably compared with the inadequacies of their contemporary equivalents. Other works, e.g. Principles (1841) and Apology (1843), continued this

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

Puglia

Oe

a

Puglia see APuLIA. pugnacious /pag'neif2s/ adj. quarrelsome; disposed to fight. 00 pugnaciously adv. pugnaciousness n. pugnacity /-'neesrti/

n. [L pugnax -acis f. pugnare fight f. pugnus fist] puisne /'pju:ni/ adj. Law denoting a judge of a superior court inferior in rank to chief justices. [OF f. puis f. L postea afterwards

+ né born f. L natus: cf. PUNY] puissance /'pju:is(o)ns, 'pwis-/ n. 1 /also pwi:'sds/ a test of a horse’s ability to jump large obstacles in showjumping. 2 archaic great power, might, or influence. [ME (in sense 2) f. OF (as PUISSANT)]} puissant /'pju:1s(a)nt, 'pwi:s-, 'pwis-/ adj. literary or archaic having great power or influence; mighty. 00 puissantly adv. [ME f. OF f. L posse be able: cf. POTENT}] puja /'pu:dzo/ n. (also pooja) a Hindu rite of worship; a prayer. [Skr. puke /pju:k/ v. & n. sl. —v.tr. & intr. vomit. —n. vomit. 00 pukey adj. [16th c.: prob. imit.]

pukeko /'pu:ke,kou/ n. (pl. -os) Austral. & NZ a rail, Porphyrio porphyrio, with blue, black, and white plumage. [Maori] pukka /'pako/ adj. (also pukkah, pucka) Anglo-Ind. 1 genuine. 2 of good quality; reliable (did a pukka job). 3 of full weight. [Hindi pakka cooked, ripe, substantial]

/'palkritju:d/

1.

literary _ beauty.

pulley /'poli/ n. & v. —n. (pl. -eys) 1 a grooved wheel or set of wheels for a cord etc. to pass over, set in a block and used for

oo

pulchritudinous /-'tju:dinos/ adj. [ME f. L pulchritudo -dinis f. pulcher -chri beautiful] pule /pju:l/ v.intr. literary cry querulously or weakly; whine, whimper. [16th c.: prob. imit.: cf. F piauler]

Pulitzer /'politso(r)/), Joseph (1847-1911), American newspaper-owner and editor, of Hungarian origin, one of the

(unrecorded) pivot, dimin. of polos POLE?]

/'pulmon/ n. 1 a railway carriage or motor coach

head and covering the top half of the body.

pullulate /'paljo,lert/ v.intr. 1 (of a seed, shoot, etc.) bud, sprout, germinate.

2 (esp. of an animal) swarm, throng; breed pro-

lifically. 3 develop; spring up; come to life. 4 (foll. by with) abound. oo pullulant adj. pullulation /-'le1{(a)n/ n. [L pullulare sprout f. pullulus dimin. of pullus young of an animal] pulmonary /'palmonori/ adj. 1 of or relating to the lungs. 2 having lungs or lunglike organs. 3 affected with or susceptible to lung disease. 0 pulmonary artery the artery conveying blood from the heart to the lungs. pulmonary tuberculosis a form of tuberculosis caused by inhaling the tubercle bacillus into the lungs. pulmonary vein the vein carrying oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart. 00 pulmonate /-not/ adj. [L pulmonarius f. pulmo -onis lung]

pulmonic /pal'monikj adj. = putMonary 1. [F pulmonique or f. mod.L pulmonicus f. L pulmo (as PULMONARY)]

pulp /palp/ n. & v. —n. 1 the soft fleshy part of fruit etc. 2 any soft thick wet mass. 3 a soft shapeless mass derived from rags, wood, etc., used in paper-making. 4 (often attrib.) poor quality (often sensational) writing orig. printed on rough paper (pulp fiction). 5 vascular tissue filling the interior cavity and root

canals of a tooth. 6 Mining pulverized ore mixed with water. —v. 1 tr. reduce to pulp. 2 tr. withdraw (a publication) from the market, usu. recycling the paper. 3 tr. remove pulp from. 4 intr. become pulp. 00 pulper n. pulpless adj. pulpy adj. pulpiness n. [L pulpa]

pulpit /'polpit/ n. 1a raised enclosed platform in a church etc. from which the preacher delivers a sermon. 2 (prec. by the) preachers or preaching collectively. [ME f. L pulpitum scaffold, platform]

pulpwood /'palpwod/ n. timber suitable for making pulp.

roughly. 2 pull from side to side. pull apart (or to pieces) = take to pieces (see PIECE). pull back retreat or cause to retreat. pull-back n. 1 a retarding influence. 2 a withdrawal of troops. pull down 1 demolish (esp. a building). 2 humiliate. 3 collog.

3: her

—v.tr. (-eys, -eyed) 1 hoist or work with a pulley. 2 provide

with a pulley. [ME f. OF polie prob. ult. f. med. Gk polidion

pullover /'pol,sova(r)/ n. a knitted garment put on over the

2 tr. cause to move in this way (pulled it nearer; pulled me into the room). 3 intr. exert a pulling force (the horse pulls well; the engine will not pull). 4 tr. extract (a cork or tooth) by pulling. 5 tr. damage (a muscle etc.) by abnormal strain. 6 a tr. move (a boat) by pulling on the oars. b intr. (of a boat etc.) be caused to move, esp. in a specified direction. 7 intr. (often foll. by up) proceed with effort (upa hill etc.). 8 tr. (foll. by on) bring out (a weapon) for use against (a person). 9 a tr. check the speed of (a horse), esp. so as to make it lose the race. b intr. (of a horse) strain against the bit. 10 tr. attract or secure (custom or support). 11 tr. draw (liquor) from a barrel etc. 12 intr. (foll. by at) tear or pluck at. 13 intr. (often foll. by on, at) inhale deeply; draw or suck (on a pipe etc.). 14 tr. (often foll. by up) remove (a plant) by the root. 15 tr. a Cricket strike (the ball) to the leg side. b Golf strike (the ball) widely to the left. 16 tr. print (a proof etc.). 17 tr. collog. achieve or accomplish (esp. something illicit). —n. 1 the act of pulling. 2 the force exerted by this. 3 a means of exerting influence; an advantage. 4 something that attracts or draws attention. 5 a deep draught of liquor. 6 a prolonged effort, e.g. in going up a hill. 7 a handle etc. for applying a pull. 8 a spell of rowing. 9 a printer’s rough proof. 10 Cricket & Golf a pulling stroke. 11 a suck at a cigarette. o pull about 1 treat

e bed

shaft and turned byabelt, used esp. to increase speed or power.

affording special comfort. 2 a sleeping-car. [G. M. Pullman, Amer. designer d. 1897]

move it to oneself or the origin of the force (stop pulling my hair).

a: arm

changing the direction of a force. 2 a wheel or drum fixed ona

Pullman

founders of American sensational journalism. His object was the remedy of abuses and the reform of social and economic inequalities by the exposure of striking instances and by the vigorous expression of democratic opinion. The success of this appeal to the emotions found many imitators among journalists not actuated by the same creditable motives. 0 Pulitzer prize (also /'pju:-/) any of a group of money prizes established under his will and offered annually to American citizens for work in music, journalism, American history and biography, poetry, drama, and fiction. pull /pul/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. exert force upon (a thing) tending to

z cat

es earn (a sum of money) as wages etc. pull a face assume a distinctive or specified (e.g. sad or angry) expression. pull a fast one see FAST!. pull in 1 (of a bus, train, etc.) arrive to take passengers. 2 (of a vehicle) move to the side of or off the road. 3 earn or acquire. 4 collog. arrest. pull-in n. Brit. a roadside café or other stopping-place. pull a person’s leg deceive a person playfully. pull off 1 remove by pulling. 2 succeed in achieving or winning. pull oneself together recover control of oneself. pull the other one collog. expressing disbelief (with ref. to pull a person’s leg). pull out 1 take out by pulling. 2 depart. 3 withdraw from an undertaking. 4 (of a bus, train, etc.) leave with its passengers. 5 (of a vehicle) move out from the side of the road, or from its normal position to overtake. pull-out n. something that can be pulled out, esp. a section of a magazine. pull over (of a vehicle) pull in. pull the plug on collog. defeat, discomfit. pull one’s punches avoid using one’s full force. pull rank take unfair advantage of one’s seniority. pull round (or through) recover or cause to recover from an illness. pull strings exert (esp. clandestine) influence. pull the strings be the real actuator of what another does. pull together work in harmony. pull up 1 stop or cause to stop moving. 2 pull out of the ground. 3 reprimand. 4 check oneself. pull one’s weight do one’s fair share of work. pull wires esp. US = pull strings. oo puller n. [OE (4)pullian, perh. rel. to LG piilen, MDu. polen to shell] pullet /'polit/ n. a young hen, esp. one less than one year old. [ME f. OF poulet dimin. of poule ult. fem. of L pullus chicken]

theoretical assault. His practical schemes, however, although accurate in revivalist detail, appear flimsy overall, indicating perhaps that for all his functionalist justification of Gothic architecture his inspiration was visual rather than structural.

pulchritude

pulque

1170

a

pulque /'polkei, 'pulki/ n. a Mexican fermented drink made from the sap of the maguey. 0 pulque brandy a strong intoxicant made from pulque. [17th c.: Amer. Sp., of unkn. orig.]

1 sit

i see

p hot

9: saw

a run

o put

u: too

2 ago

ar my

pulsar

punchball

1171

pulsar /'palsa:(r)/ n. Astron. a cosmic source from which light or radio waves are emitted in short bursts with great regularity.

When discovered in 1968, this regularity was at first attributed to signals from intelligent beings, but is now believed to be due to the interaction of the magnetic field of a rapidly rotating neutron star with circumstellar material, accelerating electrons which radiate energy in a beam; as this beam sweeps past the observer up to hundreds of times a second, the characteristic ‘pulsations’ in signal strength are noted. [pulsating star, after quasar] pulsate /pal'seit, 'pal-/ v.intr. 1 expand and contract rhythmically; throb. 2 vibrate, quiver, thrill. o0 pulsation /-'ser{(o)n/ n. pulsator /-'serta(r)/ n. pulsatory /'palsotort/ adj. [L pulsare frequent. of pellere puls- drive, beat]

pulsatile /'palso,tatl/ adj. 1 of or having the property of pulsa-

into a pump to prepare it for working. 2 esp. US the of commerce etc. by investment. pump room 1 a fuel pumps etc. are stored or controlled. 2 a room where medicinal water is dispensed. [ME pumpe,

stimulation room where at a spa etc. pompe (orig.

Naut.): prob. imit.] pump? /pamp/ n. 1 a plimsoll. 2 a light shoe for dancing etc. 3 US a court shoe. [16th c.: orig. unkn.]

pumpernickel /'pampo,nik(s)l, 'pu-/ n. German wholemeal rye bread. [G, earlier = lout, bumpkin, of uncert. orig.]

pumpkin /'pampkin/ n. 1 any of various plants of the genus Cucurbita, esp. C. maxima, with large lobed leaves and tendrils. 2 the large rounded yellow fruit of this with a thick rind and edible flesh, used as a vegetable and (in the US) a filling for pies. {alt. f. earlier pompon, pumpion f. obs. F po(m)pon f. L pepo -onis f. Gk pepon large melon: see PEPO]

tion. 2 (of a musical instrument) played by percussion. [med.L pulsatilis (as PULSATE)] pulsatilla /,palso'tilo/ n. any plant of the genus Pulsatilla, esp. the pasque-flower. [mod.L dimin. of pulsata fem. past part. (as PULSATE), because it quivers in the wind]

pun! /pan/ n. & v. —n. the humorous use of a word to suggest different meanings, or of words of the same sound and different meanings. —v.intr. (punned, punning) (foll. by on) make a pun or puns with (words). 00 punningly adv. [17th c.: perh. f. obs.

pulse! /pals/ n. & v. ——n. 1 a a rhythmical throbbing of the

pun? /panj v.tr. (punned, punning) Brit. consolidate (earth or

arteries as blood is propelled through them, esp. as felt in the wrists, temples, etc. b each successive beat of the arteries or heart. 2 a throb or thrill of life or emotion. 3 a latent feeling. 4 a single vibration of sound, electric current, light, etc., esp. as a signal. 5 a musical beat. 6 any regular or recurrent rhythm, e.g. of the stroke of oars. —v.intr. 1 pulsate. 2 (foll. by out, in, etc.) transmit etc. by rhythmical beats. 0 pulse code coding information in pulses. pulse code modulation a pulse modulation technique of representing a signal by a sequence of binary codes. pulse modulation a type of modulation in which pulses are varied to represent a signal. 00 pulseless adj. [ME f. OF pous f. L pulsus f. pellere puls- drive, beat] pulse? /pals/ n. (as sing. or pl.) 1 the edible seeds of various leguminous plants, e.g. chick-peas, lentils, beans, etc. 2 the plant or plants producing this. [ME f. OF pols f. L puls pultis porridge of meal etc.]

pulsimeter /pal'simito(r)/ n. an instrument for measuring the rate or force of a pulse.

pulverize /'palvo,raiz/ v. (also -ise) 1 tr. reduce to fine particles. 2 tr. & intr. crumble to dust. 3 collog. tr. a demolish. b defeat utterly. oO pulverizable adj. pulverization /-'ze1{(a)n/_n. pulverizator n. pulverizer n. [ME f. LL pulverizare f. pulvis pulveris dust]

pulverulent /pal'verolont/ adj. 1 consisting of fine particles; powdery. 2 likely to crumble. [L pulverulentus (as PULVERIZE)] puma /'pju:mo/ n. a wild American cat, Felis concolor, usu. with a plain greyish-black coat. Also called COUGAR, PANTHER, mountain lion. [Sp. f. Quechua]

pumice /'pamis/ n. & v. —n. (in full pumice-stone) 1 a light porous volcanic rock often used as an abrasive in cleaning or polishing substances. 2 a piece of this used for removing hard skin etc. —v.tr. rub or clean with a pumice. 00 pumiceous [pju:'mifas/ adj. [ME f. OF pomis f. L pumex pumicis (dial. pom-): cf. POUNCE?]

pummel

/'pam(o)l/

v.tr.

(pummelled,

pummelling;

US

pummeled, pummeling) strike repeatedly esp. with the fist. {alt. f. POMMEL] pump! /pamp/ n. & v. —n. 1 a machine, usu. with rotary action or the reciprocal action of a piston, for raising or moving liquids, compressing gases, inflating tyres, etc. 2 an instance of pumping; a stroke of a pump. —v. 1tr. (often foll. by in, out, into, up, etc.) raise or remove (liquid, gas, etc.) with a pump. 2 tr. (often foll. by up) fill (a tyre etc.) with air. 3 tr. remove (water etc.) with a pump. 4 intr. work a pump. 5tr. (often foll. by out) cause to move, pour forth, etc., as if by pumping. 6tr. elicit information from (a person) by persistent questioning. 7 tr. a move vigorously up and down. b shake (a person’s hand) effusively. 0 pump-brake a handle of a pump, esp. with a transverse bar for several people to work at. pump-handle collog. shake (a person’s hand) effusively. pump iron collog. exercise with weights. pump-priming 1 introduce fluid etc.

av how

er day

ov no

eo hair

to near

or boy

us poor

pundigrion, a fanciful formation] rubble) by pounding or ramming.

j 00 punner n. {dial. var. of

POUND2|

puna /'pu:no/ n. 1 a high plateau in the Peruvian Andes. 2 = mountain sickness. [Quechua, in sense 1] Punch /pantf/ a grotesque hook-nosed hump-backed buffoon, the English variant of a stock character derived from Italian popular comedy (Pulcinella; in France Polichinelle; in England Punchinello or Punch). The name is now preserved chiefly as the title of an English humorous weekly periodical (founded in 1841) and in ‘Punch and Judy’. o as pleased or proud as Punch showing great pleasure or pride. Punch and Judy an English puppet-show of uncertain origin, probably introduced into England from the Continent in the 17th c. (Pepys saw a show in 1662). It is presented on the miniature stage ofa tall collapsible booth traditionally covered with striped canvas, and was once a familiar sight in large cities and can still be seen in seaside towns. In the standard version of the play Punch, with his humped back and hooked nose, is on the manipulator’s right hand, remaining on stage all the time, while the left hand provides a series of characters—baby, wife (Judy), priest, doctor, policeman, hangman—for him to nag, beat, and finally kill. His live dog, Toby, sits on the ledge of the booth. [abbr. Punchinello, f. Neapolitan dial. Polecenella, It. Pulcinella, perh. dimin. of It. pollecena young turkey-cock (with hooked beak which the nose of Punch’s mask resembles) f. pulcino chicken ult. f. L pullus; the name of Punch’s wife (Judy) is of later date]

punch! /pant{/ v. & n. —v. & tr. 1 strike bluntly, esp. with a closed fist. 2 prod or poke with a blunt object. 3 a pierce a hole in (metal, paper, a ticket, etc.) as or with a punch. b pierce (a hole) by punching. 4 US drive (cattle) by prodding with a stick etc. —n. 1 a blow with afist. 2 the ability to deliver this. 3 collog. vigour, momentum; effective force. oO punch (or punched) card (or tape) a card or paper tape perforated according to a code, for conveying instructions or data to a data processor etc. punch-drunk stupefied from or as though from a series of heavy blows. punching-bag US a suspended stuffed bag used as a punchball. punch-line words giving the point of a joke or story. punch-up Brit. collog. a fist-fight; a brawl. 00 puncher n. [ME, var. of POUNCE!] punch? /pant{/ n.°1 any of various devices or machines for punching holes in materials (e.g. paper, leather, metal, plaster). 2 a tool or machine for impressing a design or stamping a die on a material. [perh. an abbr. of PUNCHEON}, or f. PUNCH}] punch? /pant// n. a drink of wine or spirits mixed with water, fruit juices, spices, etc., and usu. served hot. 0 punch-bow!l 1 a bowl in which punch is mixed. 2 a deep round hollow in a hill. [17th c.: orig. unkn.]

punch? /pant// n. (in full Suffolk punch) a short-legged thickset draught horse. [prob. as PUNCH]

punchball /'pantfbo:l/ n. 1 a stuffed or inflated ball suspended or mounted on a stand, for punching as a form of exercise. 2

alo fire

aus sour

(see over for consonants)

punched card

punt

1172 ee

8

US a ball game in which a rubber ball is punched with the fist or head.

punched card n. a card perforated according to a specified code, used in recording and analysing data. Such cards (introduced by the American engineer Hollerith) were first used in the US census of 1890, and thereafter found widespread use in business and later for scientific and technical purposes. Early computers were often fed with information from punched cards of the Hollerith type.

having a sharp point.

Punchinello |,pantfi'nelou/ n. (pl. -os) 1 see PUNCH. 2 a short

2 inflict a penalty for (an offence). 3 collog. inflict severe blows on (an opponent). 4 a tax severely; subject to severe treatment. b abuse or treat improperly. 00 punishable adj. punisher n. punishing adj. (in sense 4a). punishingly adv. [ME f. OF punir f. L punire = poenire f. poena penalty]

punchy /'pantf1/ adj. (punchier, punchiest) having punch or vigour; forceful. 00 punchily adv. punchiness n.

punishment /'pani{mont/ n. 1 the act or an instance of punishing; the condition of being punished. 2 the loss or suffering inflicted in this. 3 collog. severe treatment or suffering. [ME f. AF & OF punissement f. punir]

POINT)]

punctilio /pank'tiliau/ n. (pl. -os) 1 a delicate point of ceremony or honour. 2 the etiquette of such points. 3 petty formality. [It. puntiglio & Sp. puntillo dimin. of punto POINT]

punctilious

/pank'trios/ adj.

pundit /'pandit/ n. 1 (also pandit) a Hindu learned in Sanskrit and in the philosophy, religion, and jurisprudence of India. 2 often iron. a learned expert or teacher. 00 punditry n. [Hind. pandit f. Skr. pandita learned] Pune |'pu:no/ (formerly Poona) a city of western India, in Maharashtra State; pop. (1981) 1,685,000. pungent /'pand3(a)nt/ adj. 1 having a sharp or strong taste or smell, esp. so as to produce a pricking sensation. 2 (of remarks) penetrating, biting, caustic. 3 mentally stimulating. 4 Biol. b but

d dog

punitive /'pju:nitrv/ adj. (also punitory /-tort/) 1 inflicting or intended to inflict punishment. 2 (of taxation etc.) extremely severe. 3 Law (of damages etc.) = VINDICTIVE. 00 punitively adv. [F punitif -ive or med.L punitivus (as PUNISHMENT)]

1 attentive to formality or

etiquette. 2 precise in behaviour. 00 punctiliously adv. punctiliousness n. [F pointilleux f. pointille f. It. (as PUNCTILIO)] punctual /'panktjuol/ adj. 1 observant of the appointed time. 2 neither early nor late. 3 Geom. of a point. 00 punctuality /'zeliti] n. punctually adv. [ME f. med.L punctualis f. L punctum POINT] punctuate /'panktju,eit/ v.tr. 1 insert punctuation marks in. 2 interrupt at intervals (punctuated his tale with heavy sighs). [med.L punctuare punctuat- (as PUNCTUAL)] punctuation /|,panktju'er{(2)n/ n. 1 the system or arrangement of marks used to punctuate a written passage. 2 the practice or skill of punctuating. 0 punctuation mark any of the marks (e.g. full stop and comma) used in writing to separate sentences and phrases etc. and to clarify meaning. Before the invention of printing, texts were ‘published’ by being read aloud to an audience from manuscript, and punctuation marks, consisting of simple ‘points’ or stops, were used to indicate to the reader the pauses which mark off the sense units (phrases, clauses, and sentences) in the spoken language. Since these pauses frequently correlate with a rise or fall in voice pitch, punctuation marks, particularly in liturgical manuscripts, also seem to have been used to indicate changes of intonation, i.e. as a primitive form of musical notation. When printing made the written language directly available to the literate without the intervention of the reader’s voice, new punctuation marks were introduced (e.g. brackets, question marks, exclamation and quotation marks) to provide visual clarification of the text. [med.L punctuatio (as PUNCTUATE)]} punctum /'panktom/ n. (pl. puncta /-to/) Biol. a speck, dot, spot of colour, etc., or an elevation or depression on a surface. [L, = POINT] puncture /'panktfo(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 prick or pricking, esp. the accidental piercing of a pneumatic tyre. 2a hole made in this way. —v. 1 tr. make a puncture in. 2 intr. undergo puncture. 3 tr. prick or pierce. [ME f. L punctura f. pungere punct- prick]

f few

g get

hhe

jyes

adv. [L

punish /'paniJ/ v.tr. 1 cause (an offender) to suffer for an offence.

stout person of comical appearance.

puncta pl. of PUNCTUM. punctate /'panktert/ adj. Biol. marked or studded with points, dots, spots, etc. 00 punctation /-'terf(o)n/ n. [L punctum (as

n. pungently

of power which was not endangered for centuries afterwards. In the first (264-241 Bc) Rome secured Sicily from Carthage and established herself as a naval power; in the second (218-201 Bc) the defeat of Hannibal (largely through the generalship of Fabius Cunctator and Scipio) put an end to Carthage’s position as a Mediterranean power; the third (149-146 Bc) ended in the total destruction of the city of Carthage. [L Punicus, Poenicus f. Poenus f. Gk Phoinix Phoenician]

puncheon! /'pant{(2)n/ n. 1 a short post, esp. one supporting a roof in a coal-mine. 2 = PUNCH. [ME f. OF poinson, po(i)nchon, ult. f. L pungere punct- prick] puncheon? /'pant{(o)n/ n. hist. a large cask for liquids etc. holding from 72 to 120 gallons. [ME f. OF poinson, po(i)nchon, of unkn. orig. (prob. not the same as in PUNCHEON})]

00 pungency

pungent- pres. part. of pungere prick] Punic /'pju:ntk/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to ancient Carthage in N. Africa. —n. the language of Carthage, related to Phoenician. o Punic faith treachery. Punic Wars three wars between Rome and Carthage, which led to the unquestioned dominance of Rome in the western Mediterranean, a position

Punjab /pan'dga:b, 'pandza:b/ 1 hist. (also the Punjab) a former State (later a province; see RANJIT SINGH) of British India, divided in 1947 between Pakistan and India. Its name is derived from Hindustani pafij five, Gb waters, referring to the five rivers Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej, tributaries of the Indus, which lay within it. 2 a province of Pakistan; pop. (1981) 47,292,000; capital, Lahore. 3 a State of India; pop. (1981) 16,669,750; capital, Chandigarh. 00 Punjabi adj. & n. punk /pank/ n. & adj. —n. 1 aa worthless person or thing (often as a general term of abuse). b nonsense. 2 a (in full punk rock) a loud fast-moving form of rock music with crude and aggressive effects. b (in full punk rocker) a devotee of this. 3 US a hoodlum or ruffian. 4 US a passive male homosexual. 5 US an inexperienced person; a novice. 6 soft crumbly wood that has been attacked by fungus, used as tinder. —adj. 1 worthless, rotten. 2 denoting punk rock and its associations. 00 punky adj. [18th c.: orig. unkn.: cf. SPUNK]

punkah /|'panko/ n. 1 (in India) a fan usu. made from the leaf of the palmyra. 2 a large swinging cloth fan on a frame worked by acord or electrically. 0 punkah-wallah a person who works a punkah. [Hindi pankha fan f. Skr. paksaka f. paksa wing] punnet /'panit/ n. Brit. a small light basket or container for fruit or vegetables. [19th c.: perh. dimin. of dial. pun PouND}] punster /'pansto(r)/ n. a person who makes puns, esp.

habitually. punt! /pant/ n. & v. —n. a long narrow flat-bottomed boat, square at both ends, used mainly for pleasure on rivers and propelled by a long pole. Formerly used for transporting goods and cattle, such boats are now used for pleasure and sometimes for racing. —v. 1 tr. propel (a punt) with a pole. 2 intr. & tr. travel or convey in a punt. 00 punter n. [ME f. MLG punte, punto & MDu. ponte ferry-boat f. L ponto Gaulish transport vessel] punt? /pant/ v. & n. —v.tr. kick (a ball, esp. in rugby) after it has dropped from the hands and before it reaches the ground. —n. such a kick. 00 punter n. [prob. f. dial. punt push forcibly: cf. BUNT®] punt? /pant/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 (in some card-games) lay a stake against the bank. 2 Brit. collog. a bet on a horse etc. b speculate in shares etc. —n. 1 a bet. 2 a point in faro. [F ponter f. ponte player against the bank f. Sp. punto PoINT]

punt? /punt/ n. the chief monetary unit of the Republic of Ireland. [Ir., = pound] k cat

1 leg

m man

nono

ppen

rred

s sit

t top

v voice

Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas |,punts a'rerngs/ the capital of Magallanes province in southern Chile; pop. (est. 1987) 111,700. It is the southernmost city in the world and the only city on the Strait of Magellan. punter /'panto(r)/ n. 1a person who gambles or lays a bet. 2a collog. a customer or client; a member of an audience. b sl. a prostitute’s client. 3 a point in faro. puny /'pju:ni/ adj. (punier, puniest) 1 undersized. 2 weak, feeble. 3 petty. oo punily adv. puniness n. [phonetic spelling of PUISNE] pup /pap/ n. & v. —n. 1 a young dog. 2 a young wolf, rat,

seal, etc. 3 Brit. an unpleasant or arrogant young man.

—v.tr.

(pupped, pupping) (also absol.) (of a bitch etc.) bring forth (young). 0 in pup (of a bitch) pregnant. sell a person a. pup swindle a person, esp. by selling something worthless. [back-

form. f. puppy as if a dimin. in -y?] pupa |'pju:po/ n. (pl. pupae /-pi:/) an insect in the stage of development between larva and imago. 00 pupal adj. [mod.L f. L pupa girl, doll] pupate /pju:'pert/ v.intr. become a pupa. 00 pupation n.

pupil! /'pju:pul, -p(e)l/ n. 1 a person who is taught by another, esp. a schoolchild or student in relation to a teacher. 2 Sc. Law a boy less than 14 or a girl less than 12 years in age. oo pupillage n. (also pupilage). pupillary adj. (also pupilary). (ME, orig. = orphan, ward f. OF pupille or L pupillus, -illa, dimin.

of pupus boy, pupa girl] pupil? /'pju:prl, -p(e)l/ n. the dark circular opening in the centre of the iris of the eye, varying in size to regulate the passage of light to the retina. 00 pupillar adj. (also pupilar). pupillary adj. (also pupilary). [OF pupille or L pupilla, dimin. of piipa doll (as PUPIL): so called from the tiny images visible in the eye] pupiparous /pju:'prpsras/ adj. Entomol. bringing forth young which are already in a pupal state. fmod.L pupipara neut. pl. of pupiparus (as PUPA, parere bring forth)] puppet /'pap:t/ n. 1 a small figure representing a human being or animal and moved by various means as entertainment. (See below.) 2 a person whose actions are controlled by another. o puppet State a country that is nominally independent but actually under the control of another power. 00 puppetry n. [later form of POPPET] Puppetry as a form of theatre is probably as old as the theatre itself. There are hand or glove puppets, rod puppets, marionettes or string puppets, and the flat puppets of the shadowshow. Famous hand puppets include the English Punch, the French Guignol, and the Italian Pulcinella, but the true home of puppetry is the Far East and Eastern Europe, where its uses range from elementary education to cabaret shows. puppeteer /|,papz'tia(r)/ n. a persoa who works puppets. puppy /'papi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a young dog. 2 a conceited or arrogant young man. 0 puppy-fat temporary fatness of a child or adolescent. puppy love = calf-love (see CALF). oO puppyhood n. puppyish adj. [ME perh. f. OF po(u)pee doll, plaything, toy f. Rmc (as POPPET)] pur- /ps:(r)/ prefix = PRo-! (purchase; pursue). [AF f. OF por-, pur-, pour- f. L por-, pro-] Purana /pu:'ra:no/ n. any of a class of Sanskrit sacred writings on Hindu mythology, folklore, etc., of varying date and origin. The most ancient dates from the 8th c. 00 Puranic adj. (Skr. purana ancient legend, ancient, f. pura formerly]

Purbeck marble /|'ps:bek/ n. (also Purbeck stone) Archit. a hard usu, polished limestone from Purbeck in Dorset, used in pillars, effigies, etc.

purblind /'ps:blaind/ adj. 1 partly blind; dim-sighted. 2 obtuse, dim-witted. 00 purblindness n. [ME pur(e) blind f. puRE orig. in sense ‘utterly’, with assim. to PuUR-]

Purcell /Xps:s(a)l/, Henry (1659-95), the first English opera composer. His Dido and Aeneas (1689) moved away from the tradition of the masque, breaking new dramatic ground and accomtmodating a wide emotional range. His versatility enabled him to feel equally at home in the composition of religious, occasional, and purely instrumental music. The aptness of Purcell’s wwe

zzoo

f she

purine

1173

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

treatment of the English language in his vocal music has inspired and influenced British song composers of the 20th c. purchase |/'ps:tfis, -tfas/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 acquire by payment; buy. 2 obtain or achieve at some cost. 3 Naut. haul up (an anchor etc.) by means ofa pulley, lever, etc. —n. 1 the act or an instance of buying. 2 something bought. 3 Law the acquisition of property by one’s personal action and not by inheritance. 4 aa firm hold on a thing to move it or to prevent it from slipping; leverage. b a device or tackle for moving heavy objects. 5 the annual rent or return from land. 0 purchase tax Brit. hist. a tax on goods bought, levied at higher rates for non-essential or luxury goods. oo purchasable “adj. purchaser n. [ME f. AF purchacer, OF pourchacier seek to obtain (as PUR-, CHASE})]

purdah /'ps:do/ n. Ind. 1 a system in certain Muslim and Hindu societies of screening women from strangers by means of a veil or curtain. 2 a curtain in a house, used for this purpose. [Urdu & Pers. pardah veil, curtain] pure /pjoo(r)/ adj. 1 unmixed, unadulterated (pure white; pure alcohol). 2 of unmixed origin or descent (pure-blooded). 3 chaste. 4 morally or sexually undefiled; not corrupt. 5 guiltless. 6 sincere. 7 mere, simple, nothing but, sheer (it was pure malice). 8 (of a sound) not discordant, perfectly in tune. 9 (of a subject of study) dealing with abstract concepts and not practical application. 10 a (of a vowel) not joined with another in a diphthong. b (of a consonant) not accompanied by another. o pure science a science depending on deductions from demonstrated truths (e.g. mathematics or logic), or one studied without practical applications. 00 pureness n. [ME f. OF pur pure f. L purus] purée /'pjusrei/ n. & v. —n. a pulp of vegetables or fruit etc. reduced to a smooth cream.

—v.tr. (purées, puréed) make a

purée of. [F] purely /'pjuoli/ adv. 1 in a pure manner. 2 merely, solely, exclusively. purfle /'ps:f{(2)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 an ornamental border, esp. on a violin etc. 2 archaic the ornamental or embroidered edge of a garment. —v.tr. 1 decorate with a purfle. 2 (often foll. by with) ornament (the edge of a building). 3 beautify. 00 purfling n. [ME f. OF porfil, porfiler ult. f. L filum thread] purgation /ps:'ger{(0)n/ n. 1 purification. 2 purging of the bowels. 3 spiritual cleansing, esp. (RC Ch.) of a soul in purgatory. 4 hist. the cleansing of oneself from accusation or suspicion by an oath or ordeal. [ME f. OF purgation or L purgatio (as PURGE)] purgative /'ps:gotiv/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 serving to purify. 2 strongly laxative. —n. 1 a purgative thing. 2 a laxative. [ME f. OF purgatif -ive or LL purgativus (as PURGE)] purgatory |'ps:gotori/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 the condition or supposed place of spiritual cleansing, esp. (RC & Orthodox Ch.) of those dying in the grace of God but having to expiate venial sins etc. 2 a place or state of temporary suffering or expiation. —adj. purifying. 00 purgatorial /-'to:riol/ adj. [ME f. AF purgatorie, OF -oire f. med.L purgatorium, neut. of LL purgatorius (as PURGE)] purge /p3:d3/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 (often foll. by of, from) make physically or spiritually clean. 2 remove by a cleansing process. 3 rid (an organization, party, etc.) of persons regarded as undesirable. 4 a empty (the bowels). b empty the bowels of. 5 Law atone for or wipe out (an offence, esp. contempt of court). —n. 1 the act or an instance of purging. 2 a purgative. o0 purger n. [ME f. OF purg(i)er f. L purgare purify f. purus pure]

purify /'pjoorifai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 (often foll. by of, from) cleanse or make pure. 2 make ceremonially clean. 3 clear of extraneous elements. oO purification /-fi'kerf(a)n/ 1. purificatory /|-fi,keitori/ adj. purifier n. [ME f. OF purifier f. L purificare (as PURE)]

Purim

/'pjoorim, pju:'ri:m/ n. a Jewish spring festival com-

memorating the defeat of Haman’s plot to massacre the Jews (Esth. 9). [Heb., pl. of piir, perh. = Lor n. 2] purine /'puori:n/ n. 1 Chem. an organic nitrogenous base forming uric acid on oxidation. 2 any of a group of derivatives with purine-like structure, including the nucleotide constituents tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

purist

adenine and guanine. [G Purin L purus pure + uricum uric acid + -in -INE4] purist /'pjoorist/ n. 1 a stickler for or advocate of scrupulous purity, esp. in language. 2 (Purist) an adherent of Purism, an early 20th-c. movement in painting arising out of a rejection of cubism and characterized by a return to the representation of recognizable objects, with emphasis on purity of geometric form. The movement was founded by Le Corbusier and Amédée Ozenfant, launched theoretically in their book After Cubism (1918); their pictures, chiefly still-lifes of machine-made objects, are painted in cool muted tones and have the impersonality of the engineer’s blueprint. 00 purism n. puristic /-'ristik/ adj. [F puriste f. pur PURE]

Puritan

pursue

1174

/'pjuorit(s)n/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a member of the more

extreme English Protestants who, dissatisfied with the Elizabethan settlement, sought a further purification of the Church from supposedly unscriptural forms. At first they attacked church ornaments, vestments, organs, etc.; from 1570 the more extreme attacked the institution of episcopacy itself. Puritans were one of the main targets of Archbishop Laud. The Civil War of 1642 and after led to the temporary triumph of Puritanism but also to its proliferation into sects, and the term ‘Puritan’ ceased to be applicable. —adj. of the Puritans. [LL puritas (as puRITY) after earlier Catharan (see CATHAR)] puritan /'pjuorit(a)n/ n. & adj. —n. 1a purist member of any party. 2 a person practising or affecting extreme strictness in religion or morals. —adj. scrupulous and austere in religion or morals. 00 puritanism n. [PURITAN]

puritanical |,pjoort'tenrk(a)l/ adj. often derog. practising or affecting strict religious or moral behaviour. 00 puritanically adv. purity /'pjooriti/ n. 1 pureness, cleanness. 2 freedom from physical or moral pollution. [ME f. OF pureté, with assim. to LL puritas -tatis f. L purus pure]

purl /ps:l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a knitting stitch made by putting the needle through the front of the previous stitch and passing the yarn round the back of the needle. 2 a cord of twisted gold or silver wire for bordering. 3 a chain of minute loops; a picot. 4 the ornamental edges of lace, ribbon, etc. —-v.tr. (also absol.) knit with a purl stitch. [orig. pyrle, pirle f. Sc. pirl twist: the knitting sense may be f. a different word] purl? /ps:l/ v. & n. —v.intr. (of a brook etc.) flow with a swirling motion and babbling sound. —n. this motion or sound. [16th c.: prob. imit.: cf. Norw. purla bubble up] purler /'ps:lo(r)/ n. Brit. collog. a headlong fall. [purl upset, rel. to PURL}]

purlieu /'ps:lju:/ n. (pl. purlieus) 1 a person’s bounds or limits. 2 a person’s usual haunts. 3 Brit. hist. a tract on the border of a forest, esp. one earlier included in it and still partly subject to forest laws. 4 (in pl.) the outskirts; an outlying region. [ME purlew, prob. alt. after F lieu place f. AF purale(e), OF pourallee a going round to settle the boundaries f. po(u)raler traverse]

purlin /'ps:lin/ n. a horizontal beam along the length of a roof, resting on principals and supporting the common rafters or boards. [ME: orig. uncert.] purloin /po'lom| v.tr. formal or joc. steal, pilfer. 00 purloiner n. [ME f. AF purloigner put away, do away with (as pur,, loign far f. L longe)] purple /'ps:p(a)l/ n., adj, & v. —n. 1 a colour intermediate between red and blue. 2 (in full Tyrian purple) a crimson dye obtained from some molluscs. 3 a purple robe, esp. as the dress of an emperor or senior magistrate. 4 the scarlet official dress of a cardinal. 5 (prec. by the) a position of rank, authority, or privilege. —adj. of a purple colour. —v.tr. & intr. make or become purple. 0 born in the purple 1 born into a reigning family. 2 belonging to the most privileged class. [tr. L porphyrogenitus, orig. used of one born of the imperial family at Constantinople and (it is said) in a chamber called the Porphyra] purple emperor a large butterfly, Apatura iris, with purple wings. purple heart Brit. collog. a heart-shaped stimulant tablet, esp. of amphetamine. Purple Heart (in the US) a decoration for those wounded in action. purple passage (or

z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

patch) 1 an ornate or elaborate passage in a literary composition. 2 Austral. collog. a piece of luck or success. 00 purpleness

n. purplish adj. purply adj. [OE alt. f. purpure purpuran f. L purpura (as PURPURA)} purport v. & n. —v.tr. /pa'po:t/ 1 profess; be intended to seem (purports to be the royal seal). 2 (often foll. by that + clause) (of a document or speech) have as its meaning; state. —n. /'p3:po:t/ 1 the ostensible meaning of something. 2 the sense or tenor (of a document or statement). 00 purportedly /po'po:tidli/ adv. [ME f. AF & OF purport, porport f. purporter f. med.L proportare (as PRO-!, portare carTy)] purpose /'ps:pas/n. & v. —n. 1 an object to be attained; a thing intended. 2 the intention to act. 3 resolution, determination. —v.tr. have as one’s purpose; design, intend. 0 on purpose intentionally. purpose-built (or -made) built or made for a specific purpose. to no purpose with no result or effect. to the purpose 1 relevant. 2 useful. [ME f. OF porpos, purpos f. L proponere (as PROPOUND)]

purposeful /'ps:pes,ful/ adj. 1 having or indicating purpose. 2 intentional. 3 resolute. 00 purposefully adv. purposefulness

n.

purposeless

/'ps:paslis/ adj. having no aim or plan.

oO

purposelessly adv. purposelessness n.

purposely /'ps:posli/ adv. on purpose; intentionally. purposive /'ps:pasrv/ adj. 1 having or serving a purpose. 2 done with a purpose. 3 (of a person or conduct) having purpose or resolution; purposeful. 00 purposively adv. purposiveness n. purpura |'p3:pjura/ n. 1 a disease characterized by purple or livid spots on the skin, due to internal bleeding from small blood vessels. 2 any mollusc of the genus Purpura, some of which yield a purple dye. 00 purpuric /-'pjuortk/ adj. [L f. Gk porphura purple] purpure |'p3:pjua(r)/ n. & adj. Heraldry purple. [OE purpure & OF purpre f. L purpura (as PURPURA)} purpurin /'ps:pjorm| n. a red colouring-matter occurring naturally in madder roots, or manufactured synthetically. purr /p3:(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. (of a cat) make a low vibratory sound expressing contentment. 2 intr. (of machinery etc.) make a similar sound. 3 intr. (of a person) express pleasure. 4 tr. utter or express (words or contentment) in this way. —n. a purring sound. [imit.] purse /ps:s/ n. & v. —n. 1 a small pouch of leather etc. for carrying money on the person. 2 US a handbag. 3 a receptacle resembling a purse in form or purpose. 4 money, funds. 5 a sum collected as a present or given as a prize in a contest. — v. 1 fr. (often foll. by up) pucker or contract (the lips). 2 intr. become contracted and wrinkled. o hold the purse-strings have control of expenditure. the public purse the national treasury. [OE purs f. med.L bursa, byrsa purse f. Gk bursa hide, leather] purser /'ps:sa(r)/ n. an officer on a ship who keeps the accounts, esp. the head steward in a passenger vessel. 00 pursership n. purslane /'ps:slin/ n. any of various plants of the genus Portulaca, esp. P. oleracea, with green or golden leaves, used as a herb and salad vegetable. [ME f. OF porcelaine (cf. PORCELAIN) alt. f. L porcil(l)aca, portulaca] pursuance /po'sju:ons/ n. (foll. by of) the carrying out or observance (of a plan, idea, etc.). pursuant /po'sju:ant/ adj. & adv. —adj. pursuing. —adv. (foll. by to) conforming to or in accordance with. 00 pursuantly adv. [ME, = prosecuting, f. OF po(u)rsuiant part. of po(u)rsu(iv)ir (as PURSUE): assim. to AF pursuer and PURSUE] pursue /po'sju:/ v. (pursues, pursued, pursuing) 1 tr. follow with intent to overtake or capture or do harm to. 2 tr. continue or proceed along (a route or course of action). 3 tr. follow or

engage in (study or other activity). 4 tr. proceed in compliance with (a plan etc.). 5 tr. seek after, aim at. 6 tr. continue to investigate or discuss (a topic). 7 tr. seek the attention or acquaintance of (a person) persistently. 8 tr. (of misfortune etc.) persistently assail. 9 tr. persistently attend, stick to. 10 intr. go

i: see

pv hot

9: saw

arun

o put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

pursuit

put

1175

in pursuit. 00 pursuable adj. pursuer n. [ME f. AF pursiwer, -suer = OF porsivre etc. ult. f. L prosequi follow after] pursuit /po'sju:t/ n. 1 the act or an instance of pursuing. 2 an occupation or activity pursued. 0 in pursuit of pursuing. [ME f. OF poursuite (as PUR-, SUIT)] pursuivant /'ps:srv(o)nt/ n. 1 Brit. an officer of the College of Arms ranking below a herald. 2 archaic a follower or attendant. [ME f. OF pursivant pres. part. of pursivre (as PURSUE)] pursy |/'ps:st/ adj. 1 short-winded; puffy. 2 corpulent. oo pursiness n. [ME, earlier pursive f. AF porsif f. OF polsif f. polser breathe with difficulty f. L pulsare (as PULSATE)] purulent /'pju:rolont/ adj. 1 consisting of or containing pus. 2 discharging pus. 00 purulence n. purulency n. purulently adv. [F purulent or L purulentus (as Pus)] ; purvey /po'ver/ v. 1 tr. provide or supply (articles of food) as one’s business. 2 intr. (often foll. by for) a make provision. b act

as supplier. 00 purveyor n. [ME f. AF purveier, OF porveiir f. L providére PROVIDE] purveyance /po'veiens/ n. 1 the act of purveying. 2 Brit. hist. the right of the sovereign to provisions etc. at a fixed price. [ME f. OF porveance f. L providentia PROVIDENCE] purview /'ps:vju:/ n. 1 the scope or range of a document, scheme, etc. 2 the range of physical or mental vision. [ME f. AF purveii, OF porveii past part. of porveiir (as PURVEY)] pus /pas/ n. a thick yellowish or greenish liquid produced from

pushing /'pofin/ adj. 1 pushy; aggressively ambitious. 2 colloq. having nearly reached (a specified age). 00 pushingly adv.

Pushkin /'pofkim/, Alexander Sergeevich (1799-1837), the first national poet of Russia, born in Moscow and educated in St Petersburg, but was expelled from the Lyceum in 1820 for writing revolutionary epigrams. He was also expelled from the Civil Service for atheistic writings, and his subsequent seclusion at his mother’s estate prevented him from partaking in the unsuccessful revolt of 1825. One of the most influential Russian writers, he wrote prolifically in many genres, including lyric and narrative verse and an epic poem The Bronze Horseman (1833). His great verse novel Eugene Onegin (1823-31) formed the basis of Tchaikovsky’s opera (1879), and his blank-verse historical drama Boris Godunov (1825) that of Mussorgsky’s opera (1874). He was fatally wounded in a duel with his wife’s admirer, Baron Georges D’Anthés. pushover /'puJ,suva(r)/ n. collog. 1 something that is easily done. 2 a person who can easily be overcome, persuaded, etc.

pushrod |'pofrod/ n. a rod operated by cams, that opens and closes the valves in an internal-combustion engine.

Pushtu /'paftu:/n. & adj. = Pasuto. [Pers. pusti] pushy /'poJ1/ adj. (pushier, pushiest) collog. 1 excessively or unpleasantly self-assertive. 2 selfishly determined to succeed. oo pushily adv. pushiness n.

pusillanimous |pju:st'lenimes/ adj. lacking courage; timid. O00 pusillanimity /-lo'nimiti/ n. pusillanimously adv. [eccl.L pusillanimis f. pusillus very small + animus mind]

infected tissue. [L pus puris] Pusan /pu:'sxzn/ a seaport on the SE coast of Korea; pop. (1985) 3,516,700.

Pusey /'pju:z1/, Edward Bouverie (1800-82), leader of the Oxford Movement after the withdrawal of J. H. Newman (1841). He was Professor of Hebrew at Oxford from 1828. push /poJ/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. exert a force on (a thing) to move it away from oneself or from the origin of the force. 2 tr. cause to move in this direction. 3 intr. exert such a force (do not push against the door). 4 intr. & tr. a thrust forward or upward. b project or cause to project (pushes out new roots; the cape pushes out into the sea). 5 intr. move forward by force or persistence. 6 tr. make (one’s way) by pushing. 7 intr. exert oneself, esp. to surpass others. 8 tr. (often foll. by to, into, or to + infin.) urge or impel. 9 tr. tax the abilities or tolerance of; press (a person) hard. 10 tr. pursue (a claim etc.). 11 tr. promote the use or sale or adoption of, e.g. by advertising. 12 intr. (foll.. by for) demand persistently (pushed hard for reform). 13 tr. collog. sell (a drug) illegally. —n. 1 the act or an instance of pushing; a shove or thrust. 2 the force exerted in this. 3 a vigorous effort. 4a military attack in force. 5 enterprise, determination to succeed. 6 the use of influence to advance a person. 7 the pressure of affairs. 8 a crisis. 0 be pushed for collog. have very little of (esp. time). get the push collog. be dismissed or sent away. give a person the push collog. dismiss or send away a person. push along (often in imper.) collog. depart, leave. push around colloq. bully. push-bike Brit. collog. a bicycle worked by pedals. push-button 1 a button to be pushed esp. to operate an electrical device. 2 (attrib.) operated in this way. push one’s luck 1 take undue risks. 2 act presumptuously. push off 1 push with an oar etc. to get a boat out into a river etc. 2 (often in imper.) collog. go away. push-pull 1 operated by pushing and pulling. 2 Electr. consisting of two valves etc. operated alternately. push-start n. the starting of a motor vehicle by pushing it to turn the engine. —v.tr. start (a vehicle) in this way. push through get (a scheme, proposal, etc.) completed or accepted quickly. push-up = press-up. [ME f. OF pousser, pou(l)ser f. L pulsare (as PULSATE)]

pushcart /'puska:t/ n. a handcart or barrow. pushchair /'poJtfeo(r)/ n. Brit. a folding chair on wheels, for pushing a child in. pusher /'pofJa(r)/ n. 1 collog. an illegal seller of drugs. 2 collog. a pushing or pushy person. 3 a child’s utensil for pushing food onto a spoon etc.

‘pushful

/'pusfol/ adj. pushy; arrogantly self-assertive.

pushfully adv. au how

er day

ou no

ea hair

10 near

o1 boy

vo poor

oo

Puskas /'puskezs/, Ferenc (1927—__), Hungarian footballer, captain of his national team in their successful years in the 1950s. In 1956 he left Hungary and continued his playing career with further successes for Real Madrid. Always a prolific goal-scorer, he was famous for his left-footed shot. puss /pus/ n. collog. 1 a cat (esp. as a form of address). 2 a playful or coquettish girl. 3 a hare. 0 puss moth a large European moth, Cerura vinula. [prob. f. MLG pis, Du. poes, of unkn. orig.] pussy /'pus1/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 (also pussy-cat) collog. a cat. 2 coarse sl. the vulva. {| Usually considered a taboo use. 0 pussy willow any of various willows, esp. Salix discolor, with furry catkins. pussyfoot /'pusi,fot/ v.intr. 1 move stealthily or warily. 2 act cautiously or noncommittally. 00 pussyfooter n.

pustulate

v. & adj.

—v.tr.

& intr. /'pastjo,lert/ form into

pustules. —adj. |-lot/ of or relating to a pustule or pustules. 00 pustulation /-'le1{(o)n/ n. [LL pustulare f. pustula: see PUSTULE] pustule /'pastju:l/ n. a pimple containing pus. 00 pustular adj. pustulous adj. [ME f. OF pustule or L pustula] put! /pot/ v. & n. —v. (putting; past and past part. put) 1 tr.

move to or cause to be in a specified place or position (put it in your pocket; put the children to bed; put your signature here). 2 tr. bring into a specified condition, relation, or state (puts me in great difficulty; an accident put the car out of action). 3 tr. a (often foll. by on) impose or assign (put a tax on beer, where do you put the blame?). b (foll. by on, to) impose or enforce the existence of (put a veto on it; put a stop to it). 4 tr. a cause (a person) to go or be, habitually or temporarily (put them at their ease; put them on the right track). b refl. imagine (oneself) in a specified situation (put yourself in my shoes). 5 tr. (foll. by for) substitute (one thing for another). 6 intr. express (a thought or idea) in a specified way (to put it mildly). 7 tr. (foll. by at) estimate (an amount etc. at a specified amount) (put the cost at 60). 8 tr. (foll. by into) express or translate in (words, or another language). 9tr. (foll. by into) invest (money in an asset, e.g. land). 10 tr. (foll. by on) stake (money) on (a horse etc.). 11 tr. (foll. by to) apply or devote to a use or purpose (put it to good use). 12 tr. (foll. by to) submit for consideration or attention (let me put it to you another way; shall now put it to a vote). 13 tr. (foll. by to) subject (a person) to (death, suffering, etc.). 14 tr. throw (esp. a shot or weight) as an athletic sport or exercise. 15 tr. (foll. by to) couple (an animal) with (another of the opposite sex) for breeding. 16 intr. (foll. by back, off, out, etc.) (of a ship etc.) proceed or follow a course in a specified direction. 17 intr. US (foll. by in, out of) (of a river) flow in a specified direction. —n. 1 a throw of the shot or weight. 2 Stock Exch. the option of selling stock at a fixed price at a

ara fire

aua sour

(see over for consonants)

put Per pnts

1176 cg

nn

given date. o not know where to put oneself feel deeply embarrassed. put about 1 spread (information, rumour, etc.). 2 Naut. turn round; put (a ship) on the opposite tack. 3 trouble, distress. put across 1 make acceptable or effective. 2 express in an understandable way. 3 (often in put it (or one) across) achieve by deceit. put away 1 put (a thing) back in the place where it is normally kept. 2 lay (money etc.) aside for future use. 3a confine or imprison. b commit to a home or mental institution. 4 consume (food and drink), esp. in large quantities. 5 put (an old or sick animal) to death. put back 1 restore to its proper or former place. 2 change (a planned event) to a later date or time. 3 move back the hands of (a clock or watch). 4 check the advance of. put a bold etc. face on it see FACE. put the boot in see BooT. put by lay (money etc.) aside for future use. put down 1 suppress by force or authority. 2 collog. snub or humiliate. 3 record or enter in writing. 4 enter the name of (a person) on alist, esp. as a member or subscriber. 5 (foll. by as, for) account or reckon. 6(foll. by to) attribute (put it down to bad planning). 7 put (an old or sick animal) to death. 8 preserve or store (eggs etc.) for future use. 9 pay (a specified sum) as a deposit. 10 put (a baby) to bed. 11 land (an aircraft). 12 stop to let (passengers) get off. put-down n. collog. a snub or humiliating criticism. put an end to see END. put one’s foot down see FOOT. put one’s foot in it see FOOT. put forth 1 (of a plant) send out (buds or leaves). 2 formal submit or put into circulation. put forward 1 suggest or propose. 2 advance the hands of (a clock or watch). 3 (often refl.) put into a prominent position; draw attention to. put in 1 a enter or submit (a claim etc.). b (foll. by for) submit a claim for (a specified thing). 2 (foll. by for) be a candidate for (an appointment, election, etc.). 3 spend (time). 4 perform (a spell of work) as part of a whole. 5 interpose (a remark, blow, etc.). put a person in mind of see MIND. put it to a person (often foll. by that + clause) challenge a person to deny. put one’s mind to see MIND. put off 1 a postpone. b postpone an engagement with (a person). 2 (often foll. by with) evade (a person) with an excuse etc. 3 hinder or dissuade. 4 offend, disconcert; cause (a person) to lose interest in something. put on 1 clothe oneself with. 2 cause (an electrical device, light, etc.) to function. 3 cause (transport) to be available. 4 stage (a play, show, etc.). 5 advance the hands of (a clock or watch). 6 a pretend to be affected by (an emotion). b assume, take on (a character or appearance). c (put it on) exaggerate one’s feelings etc. 7 increase one’s weight by (a specified amount). 8 send (a cricketer) on to bowl. 9 (foll. by to) make aware of or put in touch with (put us on to their new accountant). put-on n. collog. a deception or hoax. put out 1 a (often as put out adj.) disconcert or annoy. b (often refl.) inconvenience (don’t put yourself out). 2 extinguish (a fire or light). 3 cause (a batsman or side) to be out. 4 dislocate (a joint). 5 exert (strength etc.). 6 lend (money) at interest. 7 allocate (work) to be done off the premises. 8 blind (a person’s eyes). put over 1 make acceptable or effective. 2 express in an understandable way. 3 US postpone. 4 US achieve by deceit. put a sock in it see sock. put store by see sTORE. put through 1 carry out or complete (a task or transaction). 2 (often foll. by to) connect (a person) by telephone to another subscriber. put to flight see FLIGHT. put together 1 assemble (a whole) from parts. 2 combine (parts) to form a whole. put under render unconscious by anaesthetic etc. put up 1 build or erect. 2 raise (a price etc.). 3 take or provide accommodation (friends put me up for the night). 4 engage in (a fight, struggle, etc.) as a form of resistance. 5 present (a proposal). 6 a present oneself for election. b propose for election. 7 provide (money) as a backer in an enterprise. 8 display (a notice). 9 publish (banns). 10 offer for sale or competition. 11 cause (game) to rise from cover. 12 put (a sword) back in its sheath. put-up adj. fraudulently presented or devised. put upon collog. make unfair or excessive demands on; take advantage of (a person). put a person up to 1 inform or instruct a person about. 2 (usu. foll. by verbal noun) instigate a person in (put them up to stealing the money). put up with

pycnic

a

put? var. of puTT. putative /'pju:totrv/ adj. reputed, supposed (his putative father). 00 putatively adv. [ME f. OF putatif -ive or LL putativus f. L putare think] putlog /'patlog/n. (also putlock /-Ivk/) a short horizontal timber projecting from a wall, on which scaffold floorboards rest. [17th

c.: orig. uncert.] put-put /'patpat/ n. & v. —n. the rapid intermittent sound of a small petrol engine. —v.intr. (put-putted, put-putting) make this sound. [imit.]

putrefy /'pju:tri,fai/ v. (-ies, -ied) 1 intr. & tr. become or make putrid; go bad. 2 intr. fester, suppurate. 3 intr. become morally corrupt. oo putrefacient /-'ferf(a)nt/ adj. putrefaction |-\faek{(2)n| n. putrefactive |-'fektrv/ adj. [ME f. L putrefacere f.

puter putris rotten] putrescent /pju:'tres(2)nt/ adj. 1 in the process of rotting. 2 of or accompanying this process. 00 putrescence n. [L putrescere incept. of putrére (as PUTRID)] putrid /'pju:trid/ adj. 1 decomposed, rotten. 2 foul, noxious. 3 corrupt. 4 sl. of poor quality; contemptible; very unpleasant. oo putridity /-'riditi/ n. putridly adv. putridness n. [L putridus f. putrére to rot f. puter putris rotten] putsch /potj/ n. an attempt at political revolution; a violent uprising. [Swiss G, = thrust, blow] putt /pat/ v. & n. (also put) —v.tr. (putted, putting) strike (a golf ball) gently to get it into or nearer to a hole on a puttinggreen. —n. a putting stroke. 0 putting-green (in golf) the smooth area of grass round a hole. [differentiated f. put] puttee /'pati/ n. 1 a long strip of cloth wound spirally round the leg from ankle to knee for protection and support. 2 US a

leather legging. [Hindi patti band, bandage] putter! /'pato(r)/ n. 1 a golf club used in putting. 2 a golfer who

putts. putter? /'pato(r)/ n. & v. = PUT-PUT. [imit.] putter? US var. of PoTTER}. putto /'potou/ n. (pl. putti /-t1/) a representation of a naked child (esp. a cherub or a cupid) in (esp. Renaissance) art. [It., = boy, f. L putus] putty /'pati/n. & v. —n. (pl. -ies) 1a cement made from whiting and raw linseed oil, used for fixing panes of glass, filling holes in woodwork, etc. 2 a fine white mortar of lime and water, used in pointing brickwork, etc. 3 a polishing powder usu. made from tin oxide, used in jewellery work. —v.tr. (-ies, -ied) cover, fix, join, or fill up with putty. o putty in a person’s hands someone who is overcompliant, or easily influenced. [F potée, lit. potful] puy /pwi:/ n. a small extinct volcanic cone, esp. in the Auvergne, France. [F, = hill, f. L podium: see poDIuM] puzzle /'paz(e)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a difficult or confusing problem; an enigma. 2 a problem or toy designed to test knowledge or ingenuity. —v. 1 tr. confound or disconcert mentally. 2 intr. (usu. foll. by over etc.) be perplexed (about). 3 tr. (usu. as puzzling adj.) require much thought to comprehend (a puzzling situation). 4 tr. (foll. by out) solve or understand by hard thought. 00 puzzlement n. puzzlingly adv. [16th c.: orig. unkn.] puzzler /'pazlo(r)/ n. a difficult question or problem.

puzzolana var. of PozZOLANA. PVA abbr. polyvinyl acetate. PVC abbr. polyviny] chloride.

Pvt. abbr. 1 private. 2 US private soldier. PW abbr. policewoman. P.w. abbr. per week.

PWR abbr. pressurized-water reactor. PX< abbr. US post exchange.

endure, tolerate; submit to. put the wind up see wINnD!. put a person wise see WISE. put words into a person’s mouth see MOUTH. 00 putter n. [ME f. an unrecorded OE form putian, of

pyaemia /par'i:m1o/ n. (US pyemia) blood-poisoning caused by the spread of pus-forming bacteria in the bloodstream from a source of infection. 40 pyaemic adj. [mod.L f. Gk puon pus + haima blood]

unkn. orig.]

Pycnic var. of PYKNIC. b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

jyes

k cat

lleg

mman

nno

p pen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

pye-dog pye-dog /'paidpg/ n. (also pie-dog, pi-dog) a vagrant mongrel, esp. in Asia. [Anglo-Ind. pye, paé, Hindi pahi outsider + Doc]

pyelitis /,paro'laitis/ n. inflammation of the renal pelvis. [Gk puelos trough, basin + -1TIS]

Pyemiia US var. of pyAEMIA. Pygmalion! /pigmerlion/ Gk legend a legendary king of Cyprus who (according to Ovid) fashioned an ivory statue of a beautiful woman and loved it so deeply that at his prayer Aphrodite gave it life. The woman (at some point named Galatea) bore him a daughter, Paphos.

Pygmalion? /pig'meilion/ a legendary king of Tyre, brother of Elissa (Dido), whose husband he killed in the hope of obtaining his fortune. Pygmy /'pigm:/ n. (also pigmy) (pl. -ies) 1 a member of a population whose average male height is not greater than 150 cm (4 ft. 11 in.), e.g. the Bambuti of tropical central Africa (the term ‘Negrito’ is used of similar populations of SE Asia). 2 a very small person, animal, or thing. 3 an insignificant person. 4 (attrib.) a of or relating to pygmies. b (of a person, animal, etc.) dwarf. 00 pygmaean /-'mi:on/ adj. pygmean /-'mi:on/ adj. (ME f. L pygmaeus f. Gk pugmaios dwarf f. pugmé the length from elbow to knuckles, fist] pyjamas /pi'd3a:moz, po-/ n.pl. (US pajamas) 1 a suit of loose trousers and jacket for sleeping in. 2 loose trousers tied round the waist, worn by both sexes in some Asian countries. 3 (pyjama) (attrib.) designating parts of a suit of pyjamas (pyjama jacket; pyjama trousers). [Urdu pa(é)jama f. Pers. pae, pay leg + Hindi jama clothing]

pyknic /'prknik/ adj. & n. (also pycnic) Anthropol. —adj. characterized by a thick neck, large abdomen, and relatively short limbs. —n. a person of this bodily type. [Gk puknos thick]

pylon /'pailon, -lnn/ n. 1 a tall structure erected as a support (esp. for electric-power cables) or boundary or decoration. 2 a gateway or gate-tower, esp. the monumental gateway to an Egyptian temple, usually formed by two truncated pyramidal towers connected by a lower architectural member containing the gate. 3 a structure marking a path for aircraft. 4 a structure supporting an aircraft engine. [Gk pulon f. pulé gate] pylorus /pa1'lo:ras/ n. (pl. pylori /-rai/) Anat. the opening from the stomach into the duodenum. o0 pyloric /-'Iprik/ adj. [LL f. Gk puloros, pulouros gatekeeper f. pulé gate + ouros warder]

Pyongyang /pjan'ja:n/ the capital of North Korea; pop. (est. 1984) 2,639,400.

pyorrhoea |,paro'ri:a/ n. (US pyorrhea) 1 a disease of periodontal tissue causing shrinkage of the gums and loosening of the teeth. 2 any discharge of pus. [Gk puo- f. puon pus + rhoia flux f. rhed flow] pyracantha /|,parora'ken6o/ n. any evergreen thorny shrub of the genus Pyracantha, having white flowers and bright red or yellow berries. [L f. Gk purakantha]

pyramid /'piremid/ n. 1a monumental structure, usu. of stone, with a square base and sloping sides meeting centrally at an apex, esp. an ancient Egyptian royal tomb. (See below.) 2 a solid of this type with a base of three or more sides. 3 a pyramid-shaped thing or pile of things. 4 (in pl.) a game played on a billiard-table with (usu. 15) coloured balls and a cue-ball. O pyramid selling a system of selling goods in which agency rights are sold to an increasing number of distributors at successively lower levels. oO pyramidal /-'remid(2)l/ adj. pyramidaily /-'remidoli/ adv. pyramidic |-'midtk/ adj. (also pyramidical /-'midrk(2)l/). pyramidically |-'midikoli/ adv. pyramidwise adj. [ME f. L pyramis f. Gk puramis -idos] The pyramid is the characteristic tomb built for Egyptian kings from the 3rd Dynasty (c.2649 Bc) until c.1640 Bc. There are two principal types: the step pyramid (e.g. that of Djoser at Saqqara), consisting of several stepped levels rising to a flat top, and the true pyramid, which developed from this and was introduced in the 4th Dynasty (c.2575 Bc, e.g. at Giza). The pyramid was the focal point of a vast funerary complex, including a temple at its side, linked by a causeway to a lower temple near the cul-

tivated land and flood-waters of the river. The internal structure of most true pyramids consists of a series of stepped buttresses wwe

z zoo

pyrogenic

1177

Jf she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

surrounding the central core; these were packed with rubble and finished with casing blocks: Inclined ramps were used in the building process, but the exact procedure, and the mathematical calculations involved, remain (like the reason for the choice of the pyramidal shape) unknown. The hallmark of Egypt, the pyramids are imposing in their austere simplicity; those at Giza were one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Monuments of similar shape are associated with the civilizations of Mesoamerica and South America c.1200 BC-AD 750. They were built by the Aztecs and Mayas as centres of worship, usually as one component in a complex of courtyards, platforms, and temples. Pyramus /'piramoas/ Rom. legend a Babylonian youth, lover of Thisbe. Their story is almost unknown except from Ovid. Forbidden to marry by their parents, who were neighbours, the lovers conversed through a chink in the wall and agreed to meet at a tomb outside the city. There, Thisbe was frightened away by a lioness coming from its kill, and Pyramus, seeing her bloodstained cloak and supposing her dead, stabbed himself. Thisbe, finding his body when she returned, threw herself upon his sword. Their blood stained a mulberry-tree, whose fruit has ever since been black when ripe, in sign of mourning for them. pyre /'pato(r)/ n. a heap of combustible material esp. a funeral pile for burning a corpse. [L pyra f. Gk pura f. pur fire] Pyrenees |,pira'ni:z/ a range of mountains rising to over 3,380 m (11,000 ft.), separating France from the Iberian Peninsula. 00 Pyrenean /-'ni:on/ adj.

pyrethrin /par'ri:@ri/ n. any of several active constituents of pyrethrum flowers used in the manufacture of insecticides. pyrethrum /par'ri:6rom/ n. 1 any of several aromatic chrysanthemums of the genus Tanacetum, esp. T. coccineum. 2 an insecticide made from the dried flowers of these plants, esp. Tanacetum cinerariifolium. [L f. Gk purethron feverfew] pyretic /par'retik, pr-/ adj. of, for, or producing fever. [mod.L pyreticus f. Gk puretos fever] Pyrex /'paroreks/ n. propr. a hard heat-resistant type of glass, often used for cookware. [invented word]

pyrexia /par'reksio, pr-/ n. Med. = FEVER.

00 pyrexial adj.

pyrexic adj. pyrexical adj. [mod.L f. Gk purexis f. puressd be feverish f. pur fire]

pyridine /'piro,di:n/ n. Chem. a colourless volatile odorous liquid, formerly obtained from coal tar, used as a solvent and in chemical manufacture. {{ Chem. formula: C;H;N. [Gk pur fire + -1p4 + -INE‘4]

pyridoxine |pirt'dpksin/ n. a vitamin of the B complex found in yeast, and important in the body’s use of unsaturated fatty acids. Also called vitamin Be. [PYRIDINE + OXx- + -INE4]

pyrimidine /pi'rimidi:n/ n. 1 Chem. an organic nitrogenous base. 2 any of a group of derivatives with similar structure, including the nucleotide constituents uracil, thymine, and cytosine. [G Pyrimidin f. Pyridin (as PYRIDINE, IMIDE)]

pyrite /'parorait/ n. = pyrites. [F pyrite or L (as pyRITES)] pyrites /par'raiti:z/ 7. (in full iron pyrites) a yellow lustrous form of iron disulphide. 00 pyritic /-'r1ttk/ adj. pyritiferous /-ri'trferas/ adj. pyritize |'pairitaiz/ v.tr. (also -ise). pyritous |‘pairitas/ adj. [L f. Gk purités of fire (pur)] pyro |'pararau/ n. colloqg. = PYROGALLIC ACID. pyro- |'parsrau/ comb. form 1 denoting fire. 2 Chem. denoting a new substance formed from another by elimination of water (pyrophosphate). 3 Mineral. denoting a mineral etc. showing some property or change under the action of heat, or having a fiery red or yellow colour. [Gk puro- f. pur fire]

pyroclastic |,parsrau'klestik/ adj. (of rocks etc.) formed as the result of a volcanic eruption. 00 pyroclast n.

pyroelectric |,patsrsur'lektrik/ adj. having the property of becoming electrically charged pyroelectricity /-'trisiti/ n.

when

heated.

oo

pyrogallic acid |,patorav'gzlik/ n. a weak acid used as a developer in photography, etc.

pyrogallol /,patsrau'gzlp1/ n. = PYROGALLIC ACID. pyrogenic tf chip

d3 jar

|,paiorsu'dzentk/ (see over for vowels)

adj.

(also

pyrogenous

pyrography

pzazz

1178

pyruvic acid /pai'ru:vik/ n. an organic acid occurring as an

|pat'rodzines/) 1 a producing heat, esp. in the body. b producing fever. 2 produced by combustion or volcanic processes.

intermediate in many stages of metabolism. [as PYRo- + L uva

grape]

pyrography /pai'rogrofi/ n. = poker-work (see POKER?). pyroligneous |,parorsu'lignios/ adj. produced by the action of

‘ Pythagoras /pat'8zgoras/ (late 6th c. Bc) Greek philosopher, founder of a religious, political, and scientific society at Croton in southern Italy. No writings by him survive, his achievements

fire or heat on wood. pyrolyse /'parora,laiz/ v.tr. (US pyrolyze) decompose by pyrolysis. [PyRoLysis after analyse]

were early confused with those of his followers, and his life is obscured by legend. The Pythagoreans held that the soul is

pyrolysis /pai'rplisis/ n. chemical decomposition brought about by heat. 00 pyrolytic /,patra'litik/ adj. pyromania /|,parorau'meinia/ n. an obsessive desire to set fire

condemned to a cycle of reincarnation, from which it may escape by attaining a state of purity. Pythagoras is said to have discovered the numerical ratios determining the principal intervals of the musical scale, whence he was led to interpret the world as a whole through numbers, the systematic study of which he thus originated. He is the probable discoverer (though not in its Euclidean form) of the geometrical theorem named after him—that the square on the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides. In astronomy, his analysis of the courses of the

to things. 00 pyromaniac n. pyrometer /pa1'rpmito(r)/ n. an instrument for measuring high temperatures, esp. in furnaces and kilns. 00 pyrometric /-ra'metrrk/ adj. pyrometrically /-ra'metrikoli/ adv. pyrometry /-mutri/ n. Pyrope /'paioroup/ n. a deep red variety of garnet. [ME f. OF pirope f. L pyropus f. Gk pur6pos gold-bronze, lit. fiery-eyed, f. pur fire + dps eye]

sun, moon, and stars into circular motions was not set aside until the 17th c. (see KEPLER). 00 Pythagorean /-'ri:on/ adj. &

pyrophoric |,patorau'forik/ adj. (of a substance) liable to ignite spontaneously on exposure to air. [mod.L pyrophorus f. Gk purophoros fire-bearing f. pur fire + pherd bear] pyrosis /par'rousis/ n. Med. a burning sensation in the lower part of the chest, combined with the return of gastric acid to the mouth. [mod.L f. Gk purésis f. purod set on fire f. pur fire]

n. Pythia /'pi@1o/ the priestess of Apollo at Delphi in ancient

pyrotechnic |,parsrou'teknik/ adj. 1 of or relating to fireworks.

o Pythian games those celebrated by the ancient Greeks every four years at Delphi. [L Pythius f. Gk Puthios f. Puthd, an older name of Delphi]

Greece, who delivered the oracles. [as PYTHIAN]

Pythian /'p1619n/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to Delphi or its ancient oracle of Apollo. —n. Apollo or his priestess at Delphi.

2 (of wit etc.) brilliant or sensational. 00 pyrotechnical adj. pyrotechnist n. pyrotechny /|'pairau-/ n. [PYRo- + Gk tekhné art]

Pythias see Damon.

pyrotechnics |,parsrau'tekniks/ n.pl. 1 the art of making fire-

python /'pa16(a)n/ n. any snake of the family Pythonidae, esp. of the genus Python, found throughout the tropics in the Old World. It kills its prey by compressing and asphyxiating it. 00 pythonic /-'@pnrk/ adj. [L f. Gk Puthon a huge serpent or monster killed near Delphi (cf. PYTHIAN) by Apollo in myth]

works. 2 a display of fireworks. 3 any brilliant display. Pyroxene /pai'rpksi:n/ n. any of a group of minerals commonly found as components of igneous rocks, composed of silicates of calcium, magnesium, and iron. [PyRo- + Gk xenos stranger (because supposed to be alien to igneous rocks)]

pythoness /'pai@onis/ n. 1 the Pythian priestess. 2 a witch. [ME

pyroxylin /par'roksilin/ n. a form of nitrocellulose, soluble in

f. OF phitonise f. med.L phitonissa f. LL pythonissa fem. of pytho f. Gk puthén soothsaying demon: cf. PYTHON] pyuria /par'juorta/ n. Med. the presence of pus in urine. [Gk puon pus + -URIA]

ether and alcohol, used as a basis for lacquers, artificial leather, etc. [F pyroxyline (as pyRo-, Gk xulon wood)}

Pyrrha /'pira/ Gk Mythol. the wife of Deucalion (see entry). pyrrhic! /'pirtk/ adj. (of a victory) won at too great a cost to be of use to the victor. [Pyrrhus of Epirus, who defeated the Romans at Asculum in 279 Bc, but sustained heavy losses] pyrrhic? /'pirtk/ n. & adj. —n. a metrical foot of two short or unaccented syllables. —adj. written in or based on pyrrhics. [L pyrthichius f. Gk purrhikhios (pous) pyrrhic (foot)] Pyrrhonism /'pira,niz(2)m/ n. 1 the philosophy of Pyrrho of Elis (c.300 Bc), maintaining that certainty of knowledge is unattainable. 2 scepticism; philosophic doubt. 500 Pyrrhonist n. [Gk Purrhon Pyrrho]

Pyx< /piks/ n. (also pix) 1 Eccl. the vessel in which the consecrated bread of the Eucharist is kept. 2 (in the UK) a box at the Royal Mint in which specimen gold and silver coins are deposited. o trial of the pyx an annual test of specimen coins at the Royal Mint by a group of members (called a jury) of the Goldsmith’s Company. [ME f. L (as Pyxis)]

pyruvate /pai'ru:veit/ n. Biochem. any salt or ester of pyruvic acid.

e cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

pyxidium /prk'sidiom/ n. (pl. pyxidia |-dra/) Bot. a seed-capsule with a top that comes off like the lid of a box. [mod.L f. Gk puxidion, dimin. of puxis: see pyxIs] pyxis /'prksis/ n. (pl. pyxides /-,di:z/) 1 a small box or casket. 2 = PYXIDIUM. [ME f. L f. Gk puxis f. puxos BOx3] PZazz var. of PIZAzZz.

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

v put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

Q Q! /kju:/ n. (also q) (pl. Qs or Q’s) the seventeenth ietter of

Quadragesima /|,kwodro'dgesima/ n. the first Sunday in Lent.

the alphabet, derived from a Phoenician Jetter representing a guttural k sound. The letter, followed by v, was used in Latin to represent the double sound kw-, and qu- is used in English to represent this sound in many native English words as well as in those derived from Latin, even when these have now the pronunciation k- (as in words derived through French).

[LL, fem. of L quadragesimus fortieth f. quadraginta forty, Lent having 40 days]

Q? abbr. (also Q.) 1 Queen, Queen’s. 2 question. Qantas /'kwontos/ n. the international airline of Australia. [abbr. of Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services]

QARANC

abbr. Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps.

Qatar /'kezta:(r), 'gz-/ a sheikdom on a peninsula on the west coast of the Persian Gulf; pop. (est. 1988) 328,000; official language Arabic; capital, Doha. The country became a British protectorate in 1916, and until 1971 (when it became a sovereign independent State) was in special treaty relations with Britain. Oil is the chief source of revenue. 00 Qatari adj. & n.

Qattara Depression /ka'ta:ra/ a desert basin in the Libyan desert in NE Africa that drops to 133 m (436 ft.) below sea level, the lowest point in Africa.

QB abbr. Queen’s Bench. QC abbr. Law Queen’s Counsel. QED abbr. quod erat demonstrandum. Q fever [kju:/ n. a mild febrile disease caused by rickettsiae. [Q

= query] qibla var. of KIBLAH.

Qin /t{in/ (also Ch’in) the name of a dynasty that ruled China 221-206 BC. Qinghai /tf1n'ha1/ (also Tsinghai) a mountainous province in west central China; pop. (est. 1986) 4,120,000; capital, Xining

(Sining).

Qld. abbr. Queensland. QM< abbr. quartermaster. QMG abbr. Quartermaster General. QMS abbr. Quartermaster Sergeant. QPM abbr. (in the UK) Queen’s Police Medal. qr. abbr. quarter(s).

Q-ship /'kju:frp/ n. an armed and disguised merchant ship used as a decoy or to destroy submarines. [Q = query]

qt. abbr. quart(s). q.t. n. collog. quiet (esp. on the q.t.). [abbr] qu. abbr. 1 query. 2 question. qua /kwa:/ conj. in the capacity of; as being (Napoleon qua general), [L, ablat. fem. sing. of qui who (rel. pron.)]

quack! /kwek/ v. & n. —n. the harsh sound made by ducks. —-v.intr. 1 utter this sound. 2 collog. talk loudly and foolishly. [imit.: cf. Du. kwakken, G quacken croak, quack]

quack? /kwek/ n. 1 a an unqualified practiser of medicine. b (attrib.) of or characteristic of unskilled medical practice (quack cure). 2 a charlatan. 3 sl. any doctor or medical officer. 00 quackery n. quackish adj. [abbr. of quacksalver f. Du. (prob. f. obs. quacken prattle + salf SALVE})]

quad! /kwnd/ n. collog. a quadrangle. [abbr.] quad? /kwnd/ n. collog. = QUADRUPLET 1. [abbr.]

quad? /kwod/n. & adj. —n. quadraphony. —adj. quadraphonic. [abbr.] quadragenarian |,kwodrod3i'neorton/ n. & adj. —n. a person from 40 to 49 years old. —adj. of this age. [LL quadragenarius f. quadrageni distrib. of quadraginta forty] ou no

eo hair

to near

ot boy

thing, esp. a graduated strip of metal, shaped like a quartercircle. b an instrument graduated (esp. through an arc of 90°) for taking angular measurements. 00 quadrantal /-'drent(s)l/ adj. [ME f. L quadrans -antis quarter f. quattuor four]

quadraphonic |,kwodro'fonik/ adj. (also quadrophonic) (of sound

reproduction)

using four transmission

channels.

oo

quadraphonically adv. quadraphonics n.pl. quadraphony /-"rofeni/ n. [QUADRI- + STEREOPHONIC] quadrat /'kwodrot/ n. Ecol. a small area marked out for study. [var. of QUADRATE] quadrate adj.,n., & v. —adj. |'/kwodrot/ esp. Anat. & Zool. square or rectangular (quadrate bone; quadrate muscle). —n. |'kwodrot/ 1 a quadrate bone or muscle. 2 a rectangular object. —v. /kwo'drert/ 1 tr. make square. 2 intr. & tr. (often foll. by with)

conform or make conform. [ME f. L quadrare quadrat- make square f. quattuor four]

quadratic /kwo'dretik/ adj. & n. Math. —adj. 1 involving the second and no higher power of an unknown quantity or variable (quadratic equation). 2 square. —n. 1 a quadratic equation. 2 (in pl.) the branch of algebra dealing with these. [F quadratique or mod.L quadraticus (as QUADRATE)] quadrature /'kwodrotfa(r)/ n. 1 Math. the process of constructing a square with an area equal to that ofa figure bounded by a curve, e.g. a circle. 2 Astron. a each of two points at which the moon is 90° from the sun as viewed from earth. b the position of a heavenly body in relation to another 90° away. [F quadrature or L quadratura (as QUADRATE)] every four years. 00 quadrennially adv. [as QUADRENNIUM] quadrennium /kwo'dreniom/ n. (pl. quadrenniums or quadrennia /-nio/) a period of four years. [L quadriennium (as QUADRI-, annus year)] :

quadri- /'kwodri/ comb. form denoting four. [L f. quattuor four] quadric /'kwodrik/ adj. & n. Geom. —adj. (of a surface) described by an equation of the second degree. —n. a quadric surface. [L quadra square]

quadriceps /'kwodri,seps/ n. Anat. a four-headed muscle at the front of the thigh. [mod.L (as QUADRI-, BICEPS)]

quadrifid /'kwodrifid/ adj. Bot. having four divisions or lobes. [L quadrifidus (as QUADRI-, findere fid- cleave)]

quadrilateral |,kwodrt'letor(2)l/ adj. & n. —adj. having four sides. —n. a four-sided figure. [LL quadrilaterus (as QUADRI-, latus lateris side)]

quad? /kwod/ n. Printing a piece of blank metal type used in spacing. [abbr. of earlier QUADRAT]

er day

Lent) lasting forty days. 2 Lenten. quadrangle /'kwod,reng(s)l/ n. 1 a four-sided plane figure, esp. a square or rectangle. 2 a a four-sided court, esp. enclosed by buildings, as in some colleges. b such a court with the buildings round it. 00 quadrangular /-'rengjolo(r)/ adj. [ME f. OF f. LL quadrangulum square, neut. of quadrangulus (as QUADRI-, ANGLE})] quadrant /'kwodrent/ n. 1 a quarter of a circle’s circumference. 2 a plane figure enclosed by two radii of a circle at right angles and the arc cut off by them. 3 a quarter of a sphere etc. 4aa

quadrennial /kwo'dren1ol/ adj. 1 lasting fouryears. 2 recurring

QSO abbr. quasi-stellar object, quasar.

au how

quadragesimal |,kwodro'dzesim(s)l/ adj. 1 (of a fast, esp. in

va poor

quadrille! /kwo'dril/ n. 1 a square dance containing usu. five figures. 2 the music for this. [F f. Sp. cuadrilla troop, company f. cuadra square or It. quadriglia f. quadra square]

quadrille? /kwo'dril/ n. a card game for four players with forty cards (i.e. an ordinary pack without the 8s, 9s, and 10s), fashionable in the 18th c. [F, perh. f. Sp. cuartillo f. cuarto fourth, assim. to QUADRILLE!]

aia fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

quadrillion

Quant

1180

quadrillion /kwo'driljan/ n. (pl. same or quadrillions) a thou-

quaich /kwerx/ n. (also quaigh) Sc. a kind of drinking-cup, usu.

sand raised to the fifth (or formerly, esp. Brit., the eighth) power (1015 and 10% respectively). [F (as QUADRI-, MILLION)]

Quai d’Orsay /ker do:'se1/ a riverside street on the left bank

of wood and with two handles. [Gael. cuach cup, prob. f. L caucus]

expression of four algebraic terms. —adj. of or being a quadrinomial. [QUADRI- + GK nomos part, portion]

of the Seine in Paris. The name is often used to denote the French ministry of foreign affairs, which has its headquarters there.

quadripartite /,kwodr1'pa:tart/ adj. 1 consisting of four parts.

quail! /kwerl/ n. (pl. same or quails) any small migratory bird

quadrinomial

|kwodri'noumrel/ n. & adj. Math.

—n.

an

of the genus Coturnix, with a short tail and allied to the partridge. [ME f. OF quaille f. med.L coacula (prob. imit.)]

2 shared by or involving four parties.

quadriplegia /|,kwodr1'pli:d31a, -d3a/ n. Med. paralysis of all four limbs. 00 quadriplegic adj. & n. [mod.L (as QUADRI-, Gk plégé blow, strike)]

quail? /kweil/ v.intr. flinch; be apprehensive with fear. [ME, of

quadrivalent |/,kwodrr'verlant/ adj. Chem. having a valency of

quaint /kwernt/ adj. 1 piquantly or attractively unfamiliar or

unkn. orig.] old-fashioned. 2 daintily odd. 00 quaintly adv. quaintness n. [earlier senses ‘wise, cunning’: ME f. OF cointe f. L cognitus past part. of cognoscere ascertain] ;

four.

quadrivium /kwo'drivism/ n. hist. a medieval university course of arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music. [L, = the place where four roads meet (as QUADRI-, via road)] quadroon /kwo'dru:n/ n. the offspring of a White person and a mulatto; a person of one quarter Negro blood. [Sp. cuarterén f. cuarto fourth, assim. to QUADRI-]

quake /kwerk/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 shake, tremble. 2 rock to and fro. 3 (of a person) shake or shudder (was quaking with fear). —n. 1 collog. an earthquake. 2 an act of quaking. 0 quaking-grass any grass of the genus Briza, having slender stalks and trembling in the wind: also called dodder-grass. 00 quaky adj. (quakier, quakiest). [OE cwacian]

quadrophonic var. of QUADRAPHONIC. quadrumanous /kwo'dru:manas/ adj. (of primates other than humans) four-handed, i.e. with opposable digits on ail four limbs. [mod.L quadrumana neut. pl. of quadrumanus (as QUADRI-,

Quaker /'kwerko(r)/ n. a member of the Society of Friends (see entry). 00 Quakerish adj. Quakerism n. [QUAKE + -ER}]

qualification /,kwolifi'ker{(2)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of qualifying. 2 an accomplishment fitting a person for a position

L manus hand)]

quadruped /|'kwodru,ped/ n. & adj. —n. a four-footed animal,

or purpose. 3 a a circumstance, condition, etc., that modifies or limits (the statement had many qualifications). b a thing that detracts from completeness or absoluteness (their relief had one qualification). 4 a condition that must be fulfilled before a right can be acquired etc. 5 an attribution of a quality (the qualification of our policy as opportunist is unfair). 00 qualificatory /'kwolifi \kertort/ adj. [F qualification or med.L qualificatio (as QUALIFY)]

esp. a four-footed mammal. —adj. four-footed. oo quadrupedal /-'ru:pid(2)l/ adj. [F quadrupéde or L quadrupes -pedis f. quadru- var. of QUADRI- + L pes ped- foot]

quadruple /'kwodrup(s)l/ adj. n., & v. —adj. 1 fourfold. 2 a having four parts. b involving four participants (quadruple alliance). 3 being four times as many or as much. 4 (of time in music) having four beats in a bar. —n. a fourfold number or amount. —v.tr. & intr. multiply by four; increase fourfold. o Quadruple Alliance an alliance of four powers, (1) that formed in 1718 when Austria joined Britain, the Dutch Republic, and France against Spain (who had seized Sicily and Sardinia); (2) that of 1813 (renewed in 1815) when Britain, Russia, Austria, and Prussia united to defeat Napoleon and to maintain the international order established in Europe by the Peace of Paris at the end of the Napoleonic Wars; (3) that of 1834 between Britain, France, Spain, and Portugal to expel pretenders from the last two named countries. 00 quadruply adv. [F f. L quadruplus (as QUADRI-, -plus as in duplus DUPLE)]

qualify /'kwoli,fa/ v. (-ies, -ied) 1 tr. make competent or fit for a position or purpose. 2 tr. make legally entitled. 3 intr. (foll. by for) (of a person) satisfy the conditions or requirements (for a position, award, competition, etc.). 4 tr. add reservations to; modify or make less absolute (a statement or assertion). 5 tr. Gram. (of a word, esp. an adjective) attribute a quality to another word, esp. a noun. 6tr. moderate, mitigate; make less severe or extreme. 7 tr. alter the strength or flavour of. 8 tr. (foll. by as) attribute a specified quality to, describe as (the idea was qualified as absurd). 9 tr. (as qualifying adj.) serving to determine those that qualify (qualifying examination). oo qualifiable adj. qualifier n. [F qualifier f. med.L qualificare f. L qualis such as] qualitative /'kwolitotry, -,tertrv/ adj. concerned with or depending on quality (led to a qualitative change in society). 0 qualitative analysis Chem. detection of the constituents, as elements, functional groups, etc., present in a substance (opp. quantitative analysis). 00 qualitatively adv. [LL qualitativus (as QUALITY)]}

quadruplet /'kwodruplit, -'dru:plit/ n. 1 each of four children born at one birth. 2 a set of four things working together. 3 Mus. a group of four notes to be performed in the time of three. (QUADRUPLE, after triplet]

quadruplicate adj. & v. —adj. [kwo'dru:pliket/ 1 fourfold. 2 of which four copies are made. —v.tr. /kwo'dru:pli,kert/ 1 multiply by four. 2 make four identical copies of. o in quadruplicate in four identical copies. 00 quadruplication |-'ker{(2)n/ n. [L quadruplicare f. quadruplex -plicis fourfold: cf. QUADRUPED, DUPLEX]

quadruplicity /,kwodru:'plisiti/ n. the state of being fourfold. [L quadruplex -plicis (see QUADRUPLICATE), after duplicity] quaestor /'kwi:sta(r)/ n. either of two ancient Roman magistrates with mainly financial responsibilities. o0 quaestorial -'sto:r1ol/ adj. quaestorship n. [ME f. L f. quaerere quaesit- seek]

quaff /kwof, kwa:f] v. literary 1 tr. & intr. drink deeply. 2 tr. drain

(a cup etc.) in long draughts. 00 quaffable adj. quaffer n. (16th c.: perh. imit.] quag /kweg, kwog/ n. a marshy or boggy place. 00 quaggy adj. [rel. to dial. quag (v.) = shake: prob. imit.] quagga /'kwego/ n. an extinct zebra-like mammal, Equus quagga, formerly native to S. Africa, with yellowish-brown stripes on the head, neck, and forebody. [Xhosa-Kaffir iqwara] quagmire /'kwog,mato(r), 'kweg-| n. 1 a soft boggy or marshy area that gives way underfoot. 2 a hazardous or awkward situation. [QUAG + MIRE]

quahog /|'kwo:hpg/ n. (US quahaug |-ho:g/) any of various edible clams of the Atlantic coast of N. America. [Narraganset Indian]

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

quality /'kwoliti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the degree of excellence of a

thing (of good quality; poor in quality). 2 a general excellence (their work has quality). b (attrib.) of high quality (a quality product). 3a distinctive attribute or faculty; a characteristic trait. 4 the rel-

ative nature or kind or character of a thing (is made in three qualities), 5 the distinctive timbre of a voice or sound. 6 archaic high social standing (people of quality). 7 Logic the property of a proposition’s being affirmative or negative. 0 quality control a system of maintaining standards in manufactured products by testing a sample of the output against the specification. [ME f. OF qualité f. L qualitas -tatis f. qualis of what kind] qualm /kwa:m, kwo:m/ n. 1a misgiving; an uneasy doubt esp. about one’s own conduct. 2 scruple of conscience. 3 a momentary faint or sick feeling. o0 qualmish adj. [16th c:: orig. uncert.] quandary /'kwondor!/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a state of perplexity. 2a difficult situation; a practical dilemma. [16th c.: orig. uncert.] quango /'kwengou/ n. (pl. -os) a semi-public body with financial support from and senior appointments made by the government. The term came into use c.1973 (its full form is found in 1967) in the US. [abbr. of quasi (or quasi-autonomous) nongovernment(al) organization]

Quant

/kwont/, Mary (1934—

), English fashion designer,

whose most famous innovation was the miniskirt (1965). She kcat

lleg

m man

nno

p pen

rred s sit

t top vvoice

quant

was one of the first to design for the ready-to-wear market, and her styles, created especially for the young, did much to make London a leading fashion centre in the 1960s. quant /kwont/ n. & v. —n. Brit. a punting-pole with a prong at the bottom to prevent it sinking into the mud, as used by Norfolk bargemen etc. —v.tr. (also absol.) propel (a boat) with a quant. [15th c.: perh. f. L contus f. Gk kontos boat-pole] quanta pl. of QUANTUM. quantal /'kwont(s)l/ adj. 1 composed of discrete units; varying in steps, not continuously. 2 of or relating to a quantum or quantum theory. 00 quantally adv. [L quantus how much] quantic /'kwontik/ n. Math. a rational integral homogeneous function of two or more variables. :

quantify /'kwontz,fai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 determine the quantity of. 2 measure or express as a quantity. 3 Logic define the application of (a term or proposition) by the use ofall, some, etc., e.g. ‘for all x if x is A then x is B’. 00 quantifiable adj. quantifiability /-e'brliti/ n. quantification /,kwontrfi'ke1{(2)n/ n. quantifier n. [med.L quantificare (as QUANTAL)] quantitative /'kwontitetry, -,tertrv/ adj. 1 a concerned with quantity. b measured or measurable by quantity. 2 of or based on the quantity of syllables. 0 quantitative analysis Chem. measurement of the amounts of the constituents of a substance (opp. QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS). 00 quantitatively adv. [med.L quantitativus (as QUANTITY)]

quantitive /'kwontitrv/ adj. = QUANTITATIVE. 00 quantitively adv. quantity /'kwontiti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the property of things that is measurable, 2 the size or extent or weight or amount or number. 3 a specified or considerable portion or number or amount (buys in quantity; the quantity of heat in a body). 4 (in pl.) large amounts or numbers; an abundance (quantities of food; is found in quantities on the shore). 5 the length or shortness of vowel sounds or syllables. 6 Math. a a value, component, etc. that may be expressed in numbers. b the figure or symbol representing this. 0 quantity mark a mark put over a vowel etc. to indicate its length. quantity surveyor a person who measures and prices building work. quantity theory the hypothesis that prices correspond to changes in the monetary supply. [ME f. OF quantité f. L quantitas -tatis f. quantus how much] quantize /'kwonta1z/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 form into quanta. 2 apply quantum mechanics to. 00 quantization /-'ze1/(2)n/ n. quantum /'kwontom/ n. (pl. quanta /-ta/) 1 Physics a a discrete quantity of energy proportional in magnitude to the frequency of radiation it represents. b an analogous discrete amount of any other physical quantity. (See below.) 2 a a required or allowed amount. b a share or portion. 0 quantum jump (or leap) 1 a sudden large increase or advance. 2 Physics an abrupt transition in an atom or molecule from one quantum state to another. quantum mechanics a mathematical form of quantum theory dealing with the motion and interaction of (esp. subatomic) particles and incorporating the concept that these particles can also be regarded as waves. quantum theory Physics the body of theory based on the existence of quanta of energy. [L, neut. of quantus how much] The development of quantum theory in the 20th c. has, along with the theory of relativity, revolutionized our understanding of the physical world. The first step occurred in 1900 when Max Planck accounted for certain puzzling characteristics of the electromagnetic radiation given off by hot bodies by postulating that energy could be emitted only in discrete ‘lumps’ rather than as a continuum—a radical break with traditional views. In 1905 Einstein took this idea further by suggesting that light itself, along with other electromagnetic radiation, could be regarded as consisting of discrete particles or quanta of energy. (These particles are now called photons.) In 1913 Niels Bohr proposed a model of the atom that incorporated quantum theory: electrons are postulated to circle round a central nucleus, but are restricted to particular orbits which correspond to possessing discrete amounts of energy. In 1924 L. de Broglie conjectured that, just as light waves possess some of the attributes of particles, perhaps particles such as electrons also had the

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z zoo

quarryman

1181

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

properties of waves. This idea was taken up and over the rest of the decade was developed by Schrédinger, Heisenberg, and others into a more sophisticated theory of atomic structure called quantum mechanics, in which the fixed orbits of Bohr’s model are replaced by more diffuse ‘orbitals’, reflecting the dual nature of the electron as behaving both like a wave and like a particle. This ‘wave-particle duality’ appeared paradoxical to many, as did the so-called ‘uncertainty principle’ enunciated by Heisenberg in 1927, which set a definite theoretical limit to the accuracy with which properties of a particle, such as position and momentum, can be measured simultaneously. Philosophical debate has continued about whether the uncertainty principle means that there is after all some ‘spontaneity’ in the physical world, in the sense that not every event is completely determined by previous events. In 1928 quantum mechanics was further refined by P. A. M. Dirac, who incorporated into it the principles of relativity. Since then the ideas of quantum mechanics have been extended to include nuclear physics and the properties of electromagnetic fields. Quantum theory also explains certain properties of solids such as superconductivity, and overall continues to be an extremely successful and accurate account of the fundamental structure of the physical world. quaquaversal |,kwerkwoe'vs:s(2)l/ adj. Geol. pointing in every direction. [LL quaquaversus f. quaqua wheresoever + versus towards] quarantine /'kworon,ti:n/ n. & v. —n. 1 isolation imposed on persons or animals that have arrived from elsewhere or been exposed to, and might spread, infectious or contagious disease. 2 the period of this isolation. —v.tr. impose such isolation on, put in quarantine. [It. quarantina forty days f. quaranta forty]

quark! /kwa:k/ n. Physics any of a group of (originally three) postulated components of elementary particles. Quarks are held to carry a charge one-third or two-thirds that of the proton. Many predictions of this theory have been corroborated by

experiments but free quarks have yet to be observed. In a sense, quark theory recapitulates at a deeper level efforts earlier this century to explain ali atomic properties in terms of electrons, protons, and neutrons. [coined by M. Gell-Mann, 1964, from phrase ‘Three quarks for Muster Mark!’ in James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake (1939)}

quark? /kwa:k/ n. a type of low-fat curd cheese. [G] quarrel! /'kwor(s)l/ n..& v.. -—n. 1 a violent contention or altercation between individuals or with others. 2 a rupture of friendly relations. 3 an occasion of complaint against a person, a person’s actions, etc. —v.intr. (quarrelled, quarrelling; US quarreled, quarreling) 1 (often foll. by with) take exception; find fault. 2 fall out; have a dispute; break off friendly relations. oO quarreller n. [ME f. OF querele f. L querel(l)a complaint f. queri complain]

quarrel? /'kwor(a)l/ n. hist. a short heavy square-headed arrow or bolt used in a crossbow or arbalest. [ME f. OF quar{r)el ult. f. LL quadrus square] quarrelsome /'kworalsom/ adj. given to or characterized by quarrelling. 00 quarrelsomely adv. quarrelsomeness n.

quarrian /'kworisn/ n. (also quarrion) a cockatiel. [prob. Aboriginal] quarry! /‘kwori/n. & v. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 an excavation made by taking stone etc. for building etc. from its bed. 2 a place from which stone etc. may be extracted. 3 a source of information, knowledge, etc. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 tr. extract (stone) from a quarry. 2 tr. extract (facts etc.) laboriously from books etc. 3 intr. laboriously search documents etc. [ME f. med.L quare(r)ia f. OF quarriere f. L quadrum square] quarry? |'kwori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the object of pursuit by a bird of prey, hounds, hunters, etc. 2 an intended victim or prey. [ME f. AF f. OF cuiree, couree (assim. to cuir leather and curer disembowel) ult. f. L cor heart: orig. = parts of deer placed on hide and given to hounds] quarry? /'kwor1/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a diamond-shaped pane of glass as used in lattice windows. 2 (in full quarry tile) an unglazed floor-tile. [a later form of QUARREL? in the same sense] quarryman /'kworimon/ n. (pl. -men) a worker in a quarry.

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

quart

quatercentenary

1182

quart /'kwo:t/ n. 1 a liquid measure equal to a quarter of a gallon; two pints. 2 a vessel containing this amount. 3 US a unit of dry measure, equivalent to one-thirty-second of a bushel (1.1 litre). 4 /ka:t/ (also quarte) the fourth of eight parrying positions in fencing. 0 a quart into a pint pot 1 a large amount etc. fitted into a small space. 2 something difficult or impossible to achieve. [ME f. OF quarte f. L quarta fem. of quartus fourth f. quattuor four] quartan /'kwo:t(a)n/ adj. (of a fever etc.) recurring every fourth day. [ME f. OF quartaine f. L (febris fever) quartana f. quartus fourth] quarte var. of QUART 4. quarter /'kwo:ta(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 each of four equal parts into which a thing is or might be divided. 2 a period of three months, usu. for which payments become due on the quarter day. 3 a point of time 15 minutes before or after any hour. 4 a school or US university term. 5 a 25 US or Canadian cents. b a coin of this denomination. 6 a part of a town, esp. as occupied by a particular class or group (residential quarter). 7 a a point of the compass. b a region at such a point. 8 the direction, district, or source of supply etc. (help from any quarter; came from all quarters). 9 (in pl.) a lodgings; an abode. b Mil. the living accommodation of troops etc. 10 a one fourth of a lunar month. b the moon’s position between the first and second (first quarter) or third and fourth (last quarter) of these. 11 a each of the four parts into which an animal’s or bird’s carcass is divided, each including a leg or wing. b (in pl.) hist. the four parts into which a traitor etc. was cut after execution. c (in pl.) = HINDQUARTERS. 12 mercy offered or granted to an enemy in battle etc. on condition of surrender. 13 a Brit. a grain measure equivalent to 8 bushels. b one-fourth of a hundredweight (28 Ib. or US 25 Ib.). 14 a each of four divisions on a shield. b a charge occupying this, placed in chief. 15 either side of a ship abaft the beam. 16 (in American and Australian football) each of four equal periods into which a match is divided. —v.tr. 1 divide into quarters. 2 hist. divide (the body of an executed person) in this way. 3 a put (troops etc.) into quarters. b station or lodge in a specified place. 4 (foll. by on) impose (a person) on another as a lodger. 5 cut (a log) into quarters, and these into planks so as to show the grain well. 6 (esp. of a dog) range or traverse (the ground) in every direction. 7 Heraldry a place or bear (charges or coats of arms) on the four quarters of a shield’s surface. b add (another’s coat) to one’s hereditary arms. c (foll. by with) place in alternate quarters with. d divide (a shield) into four or more parts by vertical and horizontal lines. 0 quarter-binding the type of bookbinding in which the spine is bound in one material (usu. leather) and the sides in another. quarter day any of the four days on which quarterly payments are due, tenancies begin and end, etc. (in England 25 March, 24 June, 29 Sept., 25 Dec.; in Scotland 2 Feb., 15 May, 1 Aug., 11 Nov.). quarter-final a match or round preceding the semifinal. quarter-hour 1 a period of 15 minutes. 2 = sense 3 of n. quarter-light Brit. a window in the side of a motor vehicle, closed carriage, etc. other than the main door-window. quarter-line Rugby Football a space enclosed by a line across the ground 22 metres from the goal-line, quarter note esp. US Mus. a crotchet. quarter-plate 1 a photographic plate or film 8.3 x 10.8 cm. 2 a photograph reproduced from it. quarter sessions hist. (in the UK) a court of limited criminal and civil jurisdiction and of appeal, usu. held quarterly. quarter-tone Mus. half a semitone. [ME f. AF quarter,

OF quart(e)ron f. QUART fourth or quartier QUARTER]

quarterstaff /'kwo:to,sta:f] n. hist. a stout pole 6-8 feet long, formerly used as a weapon. quartet /kwo:'tet/ n. (also quartette) 1 Mus. a a composition for four voices or instruments. b the performers of such a piece. 2 any group of four. [F quartette f. It. quartetto f. quarto fourth f. L quartus]

quartic /'kwa:tik/ adj. & n. Math. —adj. involving the fourth and no higher power of an unknown quantity or variable. —n. a quartic equation. [L quartus fourth]

quartile /'kwo:tarl/ adj. & n. —adj. Astrol. relating to the aspect of two celestial bodies 90° apart. —n. 1 a quartile aspect. 2 Statistics one of three values of a variable dividing a population into four equal groups as regards the value of that variable. {med.L quartilis f. L quartus fourth] quarto /'kwo:tau/ n. (pl. -os) Printing 1 the size given by folding a (usu. specified) sheet of paper twice. 2 a book consisting of sheets folded in this way. § Abbr.: 4to. 0 quarto paper paper folded in this way and cut into sheets. [L (in) quarto (in) the fourth (of a sheet), ablat. of quartus fourth] quartz /kwo:ts/ n. a mineral form of silica that crystallizes as hexagonal prisms. 0 quartz clock a clock operated by vibrations of an electrically driven quartz crystal. quartz lamp a quartz tube containing mercury vapour and used as alight source. [G Quarz f. WSlav. kwardy] quartzite /'kwo:tsait/ n. a metamorphic rock consisting mainly of quartz. quasar /'kweiza‘(r), -sa:(r)/ n. Astron. any of a class of point-like sources of light visible in large telescopes, often associated with intense radio emission. Their spectra show large red-shifts, suggesting great remoteness and high velocities of recession. If they are indeed at such distances, they must be emitting exceptionally large amounts of energy, the nature of which is not fully understood. [quasi-stellar] quash /kwoj/ v.tr. 1 annul; reject as not valid, esp. by a legal procedure. 2 suppress; crush (a rebellion etc.). [ME f. OF quasser, casser annul f. LL cassare f. cassus null, void or f. L cassare frequent. of quatere shake] quasi /'kweizat, 'kwa:z1/ adv. (introducing an exclamation) that is to say; as it were. [L, = as if, almost] quasi- /'kweizai, 'kwa:z1/ comb. form 1 seemingly; apparently but not really (quasi-scientific). 2 being partly or almost (quasiindependent). [L quasi as if, almost]

/kwersi'msudsu/ the deformed bell-ringer of

/kwa:zi'moudsuj,

Salvatore (1901-68), Italian

poet, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1959. His early work was influenced by the symbolist movement; his

later work is more extrovert and concerned with social issues.

who directs attacking play.

Some of his best poetry is inspired by his Sicilian background, for which he felt a nostalgic tenderness. quassia /'kwoJo/ n. 1 an evergreen tree, Quassia amara, native to S. America. 2 the wood, bark, or root of this tree, yielding a bitter medicinal tonic and insecticide. [G. Quassi, 18th-c. Surinam slave, who discovered its medicinal properties] quatercentenary |,kwetosen'ti:nori/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a four-hundredth anniversary. 2 a festival marking this. —adj. of this anniversary. [L quater four times + CENTENARY]

quarterdeck /'kwo:to,dek/ n. 1 part of a ship’s upper deck near the stern, usu. reserved for officers. 2 the officers of a ship or the navy. quartering /'kwo:tor1n/ n. 1 (in pl.) the coats of arms marshalled on a shield to denote the alliances of a family with the heiresses of others. 2 the provision of quarters for soldiers. 3 the act or an instance of dividing, esp. into four equal parts. 4 timber sawn into lengths, used for high-quality floor-boards etc.

3: her

quartermaster. quartern /'kwo:t(a)n/ n. Brit. archaic a quarter of a pint. O quartern loaf a four-pound loaf. [ME, = quarter f. AF quartrun,

Quasimodo?

quarterback /'kwo:tobek/ n. a player in American football

e bed

charge of quartering, rations, etc. 2 a naval petty officer in charge of steering, signals, etc. 0 Quartermaster General the head of the army department in charge of quartering etc. quartermaster sergeant a sergeant assisting an army

Notre Dame in Victor Hugo’s Notre Dame de Paris (1831).

fourth] quarterage /'kwo:torid3/n. 1a quarterly payment. 2 a quarter’s wages, allowance, pension, etc.

a: arm

ring once every quarter of a year. 2 (of a shield) quartered. —adv. 1 once every quarter of a year. 2 in the four, or in two diagonally opposite, quarters of a shield. —n. (pl. -ies) a quarterly review or magazine. quartermaster /'kwo:to,ma:sta(r)/ n. 1 a regimental officer in

Quasimodo!

OF quartier f. L quartarius fourth part (of a measure) f. quartus

wz cat

quarterly /'kwo:tali/ adj., adv., & n. —adj. 1 produced or occur-

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun ov put

u: too

a ago

ar my

quaternary quaternary /kwo'ts:nori/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 having four parts. 2 (Quaternary) Geol. of or relating to the second and most recent period in the Cenozoic era, comprising the Pleistocene and Holocene (Recent) epochs and extending from about 2 million years ago to the present. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a set of four things. 2 (Quaternary) Geol. the Quaternary period or system. [ME f. L quaternarius f. quaterni distrib. of quattuor four] quaternion /kwo'ts:nion/ n. 1 a set of four. 2 Math. a complex number of the form w + xi + yj + zk, where w, x, y, z are real numbers and i, j, k are imaginary units that satisfy certain conditions. [ME f. LL quaternio -onis (as QUATERNARY)] quatorzain /'ketoa,zein/ n. any fourteen-line poem; an irregular sonnet. [F quatorzaine f. quatorze fourteen f. L quattuordecim] quatorze /ko'to:z/ n. a set of four aces, kings, queens, or jacks, in one hand at piquet, scoring fourteen. [F: see QUATORZAIN] quatrain /'kwotrern/ n. a stanza of four lines, usu. with alternate rhymes. [F f. quatre four f. L quattuor]

quatrefoil /'kztra,forl/ n. a four-pointed or four-leafed figure, esp. aS an ormament in architectural tracery, resembling a flower or clover leaf. [ME f. AF f. quatre four: see FOIL] . quattrocento /|,kwetrou'tfentou/ n. the style of Italian art of the 15th c. 00 quattrocentist n. [It., = 400 used with reference to the years 1400-99] quaver /'kwervo(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. a (esp. of a voice or musical sound) vibrate, shake, tremble. b use trills or shakes in singing. 2 tr. a sing (a note or song) with quavering. b (often foll. by out) say in a trembling voice. —n. 1 Mus. a note having the time value of an eighth of a semibreve or half a crotchet and represented by a large dot with a hooked stem. Also called eighth note. 2 a trill in singing. 3 a tremble in speech. 00 quaveringly adv. [ME f. quave, perh. f. OE cwafian (unrecorded: cf. cwacian QUAKE)]} quavery |/'kwervori/ adj. (of a voice etc.) tremulous. oo quaveriness n. quay /ki:/ n. a solid stationary artificial landing-place lying alongside or projecting into water for loading and unloading ships. 00 quayage n. [ME key(e), kay f. OF kay f. Gaulish caio f.

/kwi:n/ n. archaic an impudent or ill-behaved girl or

woman. [OE cwene woman: cf. QUEEN] queasy /'kwi:z1/ adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 a (of a person) feeling nausea. b (of a person’s stomach) easily upset, weak of digestion. 2 (of the conscience etc.) overscrupulous, tender. 00 queasily adv.

queasiness n. [ME queysy, coisy perh. f. AF & OF, rel. to OF coisir hurt]

Quebec /kwi'bek/ 1 a province of eastern Canada (from 1867), settled by the French and ceded to (1986) 6,540,300. Its culture remains its capital city, on the St Lawrence French by a British force in 1759 (see

the British in 1763; pop. predominantly French. 2 river, captured from the PLAINS OF ABRAHAM).

Quechua /'ket{w9/ 1. (also Quichua /'kr-/) (pl. same) 1a member of an Indian people of Peru and neighbouring parts of Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador. 2 the language (actually a group of related languages) spoken by this people. It is one of the two official languages of Peru (the other being Spanish). oo Quechuan adj. & n. [Sp. f. Quechua, = plunderer, despoiler] Queen /kwi:n/, Ellery. The pseudonym of American authors Frederic Dannay (1905-82) and Manfred Lee (1905-71), under which they wrote many detective novels, the first of which was The Roman Hat Mystery (1929) and edited Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine (1941- ). queen /kwi:n/ n. & v. —n. 1 (as a title usu. Queen) a female sovereign etc., esp. the hereditary ruler of an independent State. 2 (in full queen consort) a king’s wife. 3 a woman, country, or thing pre-eminent or supreme in a specified area or of its kind (tennis queen; the queen of roses). 4 the fertile female among ants, bees, etc. 5 the most powerful piece in chess. 6 a court card with a picture of a queen. 7 sl. a male homosexual, esp. an effeminate one. 8 a an honoured female, e.g. the Virgin Mary au how

er day

9u no

eo hair

to near

ot boy

va poor

(Queen of Heaven). b an ancient goddess (Venus, Queen of love). 9a belle or mock sovereign on some occasion (beauty queen; queen of the May). 10 a person’s sweetheart, wife, or mistress. 11 (the Queen) (in the UK) the national anthem when there is a female sovereign. —v.tr. 1 make (a woman) queen. 2 Chess convert (a

pawn) into a queen when it reaches the opponent’s side of the board. o Queen-Anne in the style of English architecture, furniture, etc., in or about Queen Anne’s time, the early 18th c. Queen Anne’s lace cow-parsley. queen bee 1 the fertile female in a hive. 2 the chief or controlling woman in an organization or social group. queen-cake a small soft cake often with raisins etc. queen dowager the widow of a king. queen it play the queen. queen mother the dowager who is mother of the sovereign. queen of the meadows meadowsweet. queen of puddings a pudding made with bread, jam, and meringue. queen-post one of two upright timbers between the tie-beam and principal rafters of a roof-truss. Queen’s bench see BENCH. queen’s bishop, knight, etc. Chess (of pieces which exist in pairs) the piece starting on the queen’s side of the board. Queen’s bounty see BOUNTY. Queen’s colour see COLOUR. Queen’s Counsel see COUNSEL. the Queen’s English see ENGLISH. Queen’s evidence see EVIDENCE. Queen’s Guide see GUIDE. Queen’s highway see HIGHWAY. queen-size (or -sized) of an extra-large size, usu. smaller than king-size. Queen’s Messenger see MESSENGER. queen’s pawn Chess the pawn in front of the queen at the beginning of a game. Queen’s Proctor see PROCTOR. Queen’s Scout see scouT!. Queen’s speech see SPEECH. queen’s-ware cream-coloured Wedgwood. ao queendom n. queenhood n. queenless adj. queenlike adj. queenship n. [OE cwén f. Gmc; cf. QUEAN]

queenie |'kwi:n1/ n. sl. = QUEEN n. 7. queenly /'kwi:nli/ adj. (queenlier, queenliest)

1 fit for or

appropriate to a queen. 2 majestic; queenlike. 00 queenliness

n. Queen Charlotte Islands /'fa:lot/ an island group off the coast of British Columbia, noted for its timber and fishing

resources. Queen Maud Land /mo:d/ that part of Antarctica claimed by Norway since 1939. Queens /kwi:nz/ a borough of New York City, at the west end of Long Island; pop. (1980) 1,891,300.

OCelt.]

quayside /'ki:said/ n. the land forming or near a quay. Que. abbr. Quebec. quean

quench

1183

Queensberry

Rules /'kwi:nzbori/ n.pl. the standard rules,

esp. of boxing, drafted in 1867 under the name and patronage of the Marquess of Queensberry. They formed the basis of modern glove-fighting as distinct from earlier bare-knuckle contests. The rules called for the wearing of gloves, and rounds of 3 minutes’ duration interspersed with a minute’s rest, and prohibited wrestling.

Queensland

/'kwi:nzlond/

a State comprising

the north-

eastern part of Australia; pop. (1986), 2,649,600; capital, Brisbane. Originally established in 1824 as a penal settlement, it was constituted a separate colony in 1859, having previously formed part of New South Wales, and was federated with the other States of Australia in 1901. 0 Queenslander n. queer /kwio(r)/ adj., n., & v. —adj. 1 strange; odd; eccentric. 2 shady; suspect; of questionable character. 3 a slightly ill; giddy; faint. b Brit. sl. drunk. 4 derog. sl. (esp. of a man) homosexual. —n. derog. sl. a homosexual. —-v.tr. sl. spoil; put out of order. 0 in Queer Street sl. in a difficulty, in debt or trouble or disrepute. queer a person’s pitch spoil a person’s chances, esp. secretly or maliciously. 00 queerish adj. queerly adv. queerness n. [perh. f. G quer oblique (as THWART)]

quell /kwel/ v.tr. 1 a crush or put down (a rebellion etc.). b reduce (rebels etc.) to submission. 2 suppress (fear, anger, etc.). oo queller n. (also in comb.). [OE cwellan kill f. Gmc]

quench /kwent// v.tr. 1 satisfy (thirst) by drinking. 2 extinguish (a fire or light etc.). 3 cool, esp. with water (heat, a heated thing). 4 esp. Metallurgy cool (a hot substance) in cold water, air, oil, etc. 5 a stifle or suppress (desire etc.). b Physics & Electronics inhibit or prevent (oscillation, luminescence, etc.) by counteractive means. 6 sl. reduce (an opponent) to silence. 00 quenchable adj. quencher n. quenchless adj. [ME f. OE -cwencan causative f. -cwincan be extinguished]

azo fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

quenelle

quickstep

1184

quenelle /ko'nel/ n. a seasoned ball or roll of pounded fish or meat. [F, of unkn. orig.] Quercia /'kws:Jo/, Jacopo della (1374-1438), Italian sculptor, a native of Siena. His achievement has been overshadowed by his contemporaries, Ghiberti and Donatello, with whom he worked on the Siena Baptistry reliefs (1417-31). His biblical reliefs for

coverts. 2 the chief monetary unit of Guatemala. [Sp. f. Aztec f. quetzalli the bird’s tail-feather]

. Quetzalcéatl |,ketsalkov'a:t(a)l/ the Plumed Serpent of the Toltec and Aztec civilizations, traditionally known as the god of the morning and evening star, later as the patron of priests, inventor of books and of the calendar, and as the symbol of death and resurrection. His worship involved human sacrifice. Legend said that he would return in another age, and when Montezuma, last king of the Aztecs, received news of the landing of Cortés and his men in 1519, his first thought was that Quetzalcoatl had indeed returned.

the portal of S. Petronio, Bologna (1425) are reckoned to constitute his masterpiece and reveal the pungency and vigour of his mature style.

Querétaro /ke'reita,rau/ 1 a State of central Mexico; pop. (est. 1988) 952,900. 2 its capital city; pop. (1980) 293,590. querist /'kwiorist/ n. literary a person who asks questions; a questioner. [L quaerere ask] quern /kw3:n/ n. 1 a simple apparatus for grinding corn, consisting of two hard stones, the upper of which is rubbed to and fro, or rotated, on the lower one. 2 a small hand-mill for pepper etc. [OE cweorn(e) f. Gmc] querulous /'kwerules/ adj. complaining, peevish. oo querulously adj. querulousness n. [LL querulosus or L querulus f. queri complain] query /'kwiori/n. & v. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a question, esp. expressing doubt or objection. 2 a question mark, or the word query spoken or written to question accuracy or as a mark of interrogation. —-v. (-ies, -ied) 1 tr. (often foll. by whether, if, etc. + clause) ask or inquire. 2 tr. call (a thing) in question in speech or writing. 3 tr. dispute the accuracy of. 4 intr. put a question. [Anglicized form of quaere f. L quaerere ask, after INQUIRY] quest /kwest/n. & v. —n. 1 a search or the act of seeking. 2 the thing sought, esp. the object of a medieval knight’s pursuit. —-v. 1 intr. (often foll. by about) a (often foll. by for) go about in search of something. b (of a dog etc.) search about for game. 2 tr. poet. search for, seek out. O in quest of seeking. 00 quester n. questingly adv. [ME f. OF queste, quester ult. f. L quaerere quaestseek] question /'kwestf(s)n/ n. & v. —n..1 a sentence worded or expressed so as to seek information. 2 a doubt about or objec-

queue /kju:/n. & v. esp. Brit. —n. 1a line or sequence of persons, vehicles, etc., awaiting their turn to be attended to or to proceed. 2 a pigtail or plait of hair. —v.intr. (queues, queued, queuing or queueing) (often foll. by up) (of persons etc.) form a queue; take one’s place in a queue. 0 queue-jump Brit. push forward out of turn in a queue. [F f. L cauda tail]

Quezon

Qufu /tfu:'fu:/ a small town in Shandong province in eastern China, where Confucius was born (551 Bc) and lived for much of his life.

quibble /'kwib(a)l/ n. & v. —n. insubstantial

questionnaire

quicken /'kwrkon/ v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become quicker; accelerate. 2 tr. give life or vigour to; rouse; animate; stimulate. 3 intr. a (of a woman) reach a stage in pregnancy when movements of the foetus can be felt. b (of a foetus) begin to show signs of life. 4 tr. archaic kindle; make (a fire) burn brighter. 5 intr. come to life.

quickie /'kwrki/ n. collog. 1 a thing done or made quickly or hastily. 2 a drink taken quickly.

quicklime /'kwiklarm/ n. = LIME! n. 1. quicksand /'kwiksend/ n. 1 loose wet sand that sucks in anything placed or falling into it. 2 a bed of this.

|,kwestfa'neo(r), |kestjo-/ n. 1 a formulated

series of questions, esp. for statistical study. 2 a document containing these. [F f. questionner QUESTION + -aire -ARY!] Quetta /'kweta/ a city in western Pakistan, the capital of Baluchistan province; pop. (1981) 285,000. The city was severely damaged by an earthquake in 1935. quetzal /'kwetz(o)l/ n. 1 any of various brilliantly coloured birds of the family Trogonidae, esp. the Central and S. American Pharomachrus mocinno, the male of which has long green tail

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

relies on an ambiguity etc.

quick worker). 2 arriving after a short time, prompt (quick action; quick results). 3 with only a short interval (in quick succession). 4 lively, intelligent. 5 acute, alert (has a quick ear). 6 (of a temper) easily roused. 7 archaic living, alive (the quick and the dead). —adv. 1 quickly, at a rapid rate. 2 (as int.) come, go, etc., quickly. —n. 1 the soft flesh below the nails, or the skin, or a sore. 2 the seat of feeling or emotion (cut to the quick). o be quick act quickly. quick-fire 1 (of repartee etc.) rapid. 2 firing shots in quick succession. quick-freeze 1 freeze (food) rapidly so as to preserve its natural qualities. 2 this process. quick march Mil. 1a march in quick time. 2 the command to begin this. quick one collog. a drink taken quickly. quick step Mil. a step used in quick time (cf. QUICKSTEP). quick time Mil. marching at about 120 paces per minute. quick trick Bridge 1 a trick in the first two rounds of a suit. 2 the card that should win this. quick with child archaic at a stage of pregnancy when movements of the foetus have been felt. 00 quickly adv. quickness n. [OE cwic(u) alive f. Gmc]

questionableness n. questionably adv.

QUESTIONNAIRE.

which

quiche /ki:{/ n. an open flan or tart with a savoury filling. [F] Quichua var. of QUECHUA. quick /kwik/ adj., adv., & n. —adj. 1 taking only a short time (a

questionable /'kwestfanob(s)l/ adj. 1 doubtful as regards truth

questionary /'kwestfonori/ n. (pl. -ies) = [med.L quaestionarium or F (as QUESTIONNAIRE)]

argument

—v.intr. use quibbles. oof quibbler n. quibbling adj. quibblingly adv. [dimin. of obs. quib prob. f. L quibus dative & ablat. pl. of qui who (familiar from use in legal documents)]}

happen sooner or later. beyond all question undoubtedly. come into question be discussed; become of practical importance. in question that is being discussed or referred to (the person in question). is not the question is irrelevant. out of the question too impracticable etc. to be worth discussing; impossible. put the question require supporters and opponents of a proposal to record their votes, divide a meeting. question mark a punctuation mark (?) indicating a question.

or quality. 2 not clearly in accordance with honesty, honour, wisdom, etc. OO questionability /,kwestfono'brliti/ 1.

1 a petty objection; a trivial

point of criticism. 2 a play on words; a pun. 3 an evasion; an

tion to a thing’s truth, credibility, advisability, etc. (allowed it without question). b the raising of such doubt etc. 3 a matter to be discussed or decided or voted on. 4 a problem requiring an answer or solution. 5 (foll. by of) a matter or concern depending on conditions (it’s a question of money). —v.tr. 1 ask questions of; interrogate. 2 subject (a person) to examination. 3 throw doubt upon; raise objections to. 4 seek information from the study of (phenomena, facts). 0 be a question of time be certain to

question-master Brit. a person who presides over a quiz game etc. question time Parl. a period during parliamentary proceedings when MPs may question ministers. 00 questioner n. questioningly adv. questionless adj. [ME f. AF questiun, OF question, questionner f. L quaestio -onis f. quaerere quaest- seek]

City /'kerspn/ a city on the island of Luzon in the

northern Philippines; pop. (1980), 1,165,900. Situated on the outskirts of Manila, Quezon City was established in 1940 and named after Manuel Luis Quezon, the first President of the republic. From 1948 to 1976 it was the capital of the Philippines.

quickset /'kwikset/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a hedge) formed of slips of plants, esp. hawthorn set in the ground to grow. —n. 1 such slips. 2 a hedge formed in this way.

quicksilver /'kwikilva(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 mercury. 2mobility of temperament or mood. amalgam of tin.

—v.tr. coat (a mirror-glass) with an

quickstep /'kwikstep/n. & v. —n. a fast foxtrot (cf. quick step). —v.intr. (-stepped, -stepping) dance the quickstep.

kcat

1 leg

m man

n no

Pp pen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

quickthorn quickthorn

/'kwrk@o:n/ n. a common

hawthorn, Crataegus

monogyna. quick-witted /kwik'witid/ adj. quick to grasp a situation, make repartee, etc. 00 quick-wittedness n.

quid! /kwid/ n. (pl. same) Brit. sl. one pound sterling. 0 not the full quid Austral. sl. mentally deficient. quids in sl. in a position of profit. [prob. f. quid the nature of a thing f. L quid what, something]

quid? /kwid/ n. alump of tobacco for chewing. [dial. var. of cup] quiddity /'kwiditi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 Philos. the essence of a person or thing; what makes a thing what it is. 2 a quibble; a trivial objection. [med.L quidditas f. L quid what] quidnunce /'kwidnaykj n. archaic a newsmonger, a person given to gossip. [L quid what + nunc now] quid pro quo /|kwid prev 'kwau/ n. 1 a thing given as compensation. 2 return made (for a gift, favour, etc.). [L, = something for something] quiescent /kwr'es(a)nt/ adj. 1 motionless, inert. 2 silent, dormant. 00 quiescence n. quiescency n. quiescently adv. [L

quiescere f. quies QUIET] quiet /'kwarot/ adj., n., & v. —adj. (quieter, quietest) 1with little or no sound or motion. 2 of gentle or peaceful disposition. 3 (of a colour, piece of clothing, etc.) unobtrusive; not showy. 4 not overt; private; disguised (quiet resentment). 5 undisturbed; uninterrupted; free or far from vigorous action (a quiet time for prayer). 6 informal; simple (just a quiet wedding). 7 enjoyed in quiet (a quiet smoke). 8 tranquil; not anxious or remorseful. —n. 1 silence; stillness. 2 an undisturbed state; tranquillity. 3 a state of being free from urgent tasks or agitation (a period of quiet at work). 4 a peaceful state of affairs (could do with some quiet). —v. 1 tr. sooth, make quiet. 2 intr. (often foll. by down) become quiet or calm. 0 be quiet (esp. in imper.) cease talking etc. keep quiet 1 refrain from making a noise. 2 (often foll. by about) suppress or refrain from disclosing information etc. on the quiet unobtrusively; secretly. 00 quietly adv. quietness n. [ME f. AF quiete f. OF quiet(e), quieté f. L«quietus past part. of quiescere: see QUIESCENT]

quieten /'kwarot(s)n/ v.tr. & intr. Brit. (often foll. by down) = QUIET v. quietism /'kwaio,tiz(2)m/ n. 1 a passive attitude towards life, with devotional contemplation and abandonment of the will, as a form of religious mysticism. 2 the principle of non-resistance. O00: quietist n. & adj. quietistic |-'tisttk/ adj. [It. quietismo (as QUIET)]

quietude /'kwai1,tju:d/ n. a state of quiet. quietus /kwar'i:tos/ n. 1 something which quiets or represses.

2 discharge or release from life; death, final riddance. [med.L quietus est he is quit (QuiET) used as a form of receipt] quiff /kwif/ n. Brit. 1a man’s tuft of hair, brushed upward over the forehead. 2 a curl plastered down on the forehead. [20th c.: orig. unkn.]

quill /kwil/ n. & v. —n. 1 (in full quill-feather) a large feather in a wing or tail. 2 the hollow stem of this. 3 (in full quill pen) a pen made ofa quill. 4 (usu. in pl.) the spines of a porcupine. 5a

musical pipe made of a hollow stem. —v.tr. form into cylindrical quill-like folds; goffer. 0 quill-coverts the feathers covering the base of quili-feathers. 00 quilling n. [ME prob. f. (M)LG quiele]

quilt! /kwilt/ n. & v. —n. 1 a bed-covering made of padding enclosed between layers of cloth etc. and kept in place by cross lines of stitching. 2 a bedspread of similar design (patchwork quilt). —v.tr. 1 cover or line with padded material. 2 make or join together (pieces of cloth with padding between) after the manner of a quilt. 3 sew up (a coin, letter, etc.) between two layers of a garment etc. 4 compile (a literary work) out of extracts or borrowed ideas. 00 quilter n. quilting n. [ME f. OF coilte, cuilte f. L culcita mattress, cushion]

quilt? /kwilt/ v.tr. Austral. sl. thrash; clout. [perh. f. quit] quim /kwim/ n. coarse sl. the female genitals. [18th c.: orig. unkn.] quin /kwm) n. esp. Brit.~ebtlotg a quintuplet. [abbr.] wwe

z zoo

fshe

quint

1185

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

quinacrine /'‘kwingkri:n, -krm/ n. an anti-malarial drug derived from acridine. [quinine + acridine] quinary /'kwainor1/ adj. 1 of the number five. 2 having five parts. [L quinarius f. quini distrib. of quinque five] quinate /'kwaineit/ adj. Bot. (of a leaf) having five leaflets. [L quini (as QUINARY)]} quince /kwins/ n. 1 a hard acid pear-shaped fruit used as a preserve or flavouring. 2 any shrub or small tree of the genus Cydonia, esp. C. oblonga, bearing this fruit. [ME, orig. collect. pl. of obs. quoyn, coyn, f. OF cooin f. L cotoneum var. of cydoneum pe) of Cydonia in Crete] quincentenary |,kwinsen'ti:nor/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1a five-hundredth anniversary. 2 a festival marking this. —adj. of this anniversary. 00 quincentennial /-'tentol/ adj. & n. [irreg. f. L quinque five + CENTENARY] quincunx /'kwinkanks/ n. 1 five objects set so that four are at the corners of a square or rectangle and the fifth is at its centre, e.g. the five on dice or cards. 2 this arrangement, esp. in planting trees. OO quincuncial /kwin'kan{(o)l/ adj. quincuncially [-'kanfoli/ adv. [L, = five-twelfths f. quinque five, uncia twelfth]

Quine /kwain], Willard Van Orman (1908—_

), American philo-

sopher and logician, who developed and revised the work on the foundations of mathematics begun by Frege and Russell. Many of his broader philosophical concerns can be seen as reactions against Carnap, by whom he was greatly influenced. He has argued against the sentence-by-sentence analysis of language, claiming that theories were to be treated as wholes, to which adjustment was to be made on pragmatic grounds. He has been sceptical about the significance of the concepts of meaning and necessity, and raised again traditional questions of existence, claiming that what we take to exist depends upon our choice of language, and that that choice should be made to provide the simplest expression of physics.

quinella /kwi'nelo/ n. a form of betting in which the better must select the first two place-winners ina race, not necessarily in the correct order. [Amer. Sp. quiniela]

quinine /'kwini:n, -'ni:n/ n. 1 an alkaloid found esp. in cinchona bark. 2 a bitter drug containing this, used as a tonic and to reduce fever. [quina cinchona bark f. Sp. quina f. Quechua kina bark]

quinol /'kwinpl/ n. = HYDROQUINONE. quinoline /'kwina|li:n/ n. Chem. an oily amine obtained from the distillation of coal tar or by synthesis and used in the preparation of drugs etc. quinone /'kwinown, -'noun| n. Chem. 1 a yellow crystalline derivative of benzene with the hydrogen atoms on opposite carbon atoms replaced by two of oxygen. 2 any ina class of similar compounds. quinquagenarian |,kwinkwod3!'neorian| n. & adj. —n. a person from 50 to 59 years old. —adj. of or relating to this age. [L quinquagenarius f. quinquageni distrib. of quinquaginta fifty]

Quinquagesima

_||kwinkwo'dgesimo/_—sn.~—Ss

(in

_~_—sfullll

Quinquagesima Sunday) the Sunday before the beginning of Lent (fifty days before Easter). [med.L, fem. of L quinquagesimus fiftieth f. quinquaginta fifty, after QUADRAGESIMA] quinque- |'kwinkwi/ comb. form five. [L f. quinque five]

quinquennial /kwin'kwen1al/ adj. 1 lasting five years. 2 recurring every five years. 00 quinquennially adv. [L quinquennis (as QUINQUENNIUM)]

quinquennium /kwin'kweniom] n. (pl. quinquenniums or quinquennia /-nio/) a period of five years. [L f. quinque five + annus year] quinquereme /'kwinkwi,ri:m| n. an ancient Roman galley with five files of oarsmen on each side. [L quinqueremis (as QUINQUE-, remus oar)]

quinquevalent /|'kwmnkwo,verlont/ adj. having a valency of five. quinsy /'kwinzi/ n. an inflammation of the throat, esp. an abscess in the region around the tonsils. 00 quinsied adj. [ME f. OF quinencie f. med.L quinancia f. Gk kunagkhé f. kun- dog + agkho throttle] quint /kwint/ n. 1 a sequence of five cards in the same suit in tf chip.

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

quintain

Qumran

1186

quisling /'kwizlin/n. 1 a person cooperating with an occupying

piquet etc. 2 US a quintuplet. 0 quint major a quint headed by an ace. [F quinte f. L quinta fem. of quintus fifth f. quinque five]

quintain /‘kwintin/ n. hist. 1a post set up as a mark in tilting, | and often provided with a sandbag to swing round and strike an unsuccessful tilter. 2 the medieval military exercise of tilting at such a mark. [ME f. OF quintaine perh. ult. f. L quintana camp market f. quintus (manipulus) fifth (maniple)]

quintal /'kwint(2)l/ n. 1 a weight of about 100 lb. 2 a hundredweight (112 lb.), 3 a weight of 100 kg. [ME f. OF quintal, med.L quintale f. Arab. kintar] quintan /'kwint(s)n/ adj. (of a fever etc.) recurring every fifth day. [L quintana f. quintus fifth]

enemy; a collaborator or fifth-columnist. 2 a traitor. oO quislingite adj. & n. [V. Quisling, renegade Norwegian Army officer d. 1945] quit /kwit/ v. & adj. —v.tr. (quitting; pest and past part. quitted or quit) 1 (also absol.) give up; let go; abandon (a task etc.). 2 US cease; stop (quit grumbling). 3 a leave or depart from (a place, person, etc.). b (absol.) (of a tenant) leave occupied premises (esp. notice to quit). 4 (refl.) acquit; behave (quit oneself well). —predic.adj. (foll. by of) rid (glad to be quit of the problem). 0 quit hold of loose. [ME f. OF quitte, quitter f. med.L quittus f. L quietus QUIET]

quitch /kwitf/ n. (in full quitch-grass) = CouCcH?. [OE cwice,

Quintana Roo {ki:n,ta:no 'rau/ a State of SE Mexico, on the Yucatan peninsula; pop. (est. 1988) 393,400; capital, Chetumal. quinte /k&t/ n. the fifth of eight parrying positions in fencing. [F: see QUINT] quintessence /kwin'tes(a)ns/ n. 1 the most essential part of any substance; a refined extract. 2 (usu. foll. by of) the purest and most perfect, or most typical, form, manifestation, or embodiment of some quality or class. 3 (in Ancient Philosophy) a fifth substance (beside the four elements) forming heavenly bodies and pervading all things. oO quintessential |kwinti'senf()l/ adj. quintessentially |,kwintt'senJol1/ adv. [ME (in sense 3) f. F f. med.L quinta essentia fifth ESSENCE] quintet /kwin'tet/ n. (also quintette) 1 Mus. a a composition for five voices or instruments. b the performers of such a piece. 2 any group of five. [F quintette f. It. quintetto f. quinto fifth f. L quintus]

Quintilian /kwin'tilien/ (Marcus Fabius Quintilianus, c.30-.96) Roman rhetorician. A famous teacher, whose chief work is his Education of an Orator, a comprehensive treatment of the art of rhetoric and of the training of the orator, inspired by a humanist educational ideal of combined technical and moral proficiency. The work was highly influential in the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

quintillion /kwin'tiljan/ n. (pl. same or quintillions) a thousand raised to the sixth (or formerly, esp. Brit., the tenth) power (1038 and 10™ respectively). 00 quintillionth adj. & n. [L quintus fifth + MILLION]

quintuple /'kwintjop(s)l/ adj., n., & v. —adj. 1 fivefold; con-

perh. rel. to QUICK] quite /kwait/ adv. 1 completely; entirely; wholly; to the utmost extent; in the fullest sense. 2 somewhat; rather; to some extent. 3 (often foll. by so) said to indicate agreement. 0 quite another (or other) very different (that’s quite another matter). quite a few collog. a fairly large number of. quite something a remarkable thing. [ME f. obs. quite (adj.) = Quit]

Quito /'ki:tau/ the capital of Ecuador, situated at an altitude of 2,850 m (9,350 ft.) at the foot of the Pichincha volcano; pop.

(1982) 1,110,250. quits /kwits/ predic.adj. on even terms by retaliation or repayment (then we'll be quits). 0 call it (or ery) quits acknowledge that things are now even; agree not to proceed further in a quarrel etc. [perh. collog. abbr. of med.L quittus: see QUIT] quittance /'kwit(9)ns/ n. archaic or poet. 1 (foll. by from) a release. 2 an acknowledgement of payment; a receipt. [ME f. OF quitance f. quiter Quit]

quitter /'kwito(r)/ n. 1 a person who gives up easily. 2 a shirker. quiver! /'kwiva(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. tremble or vibrate with a slight rapid motion, esp.: a (usu. foll. by with) as the result of emotion (quiver with anger). b (usu. foll. by in) as the result of air currents etc. (quiver in the breeze). 2 tr. (of a bird, esp. a skylark) make (its wings) quiver. —n. a quivering motion or sound. oo quiveringly adv. quivery adj. [ME f. obs. quiver nimble: cf. QUAVER] quiver? /'kwiva(r)/ n. a case for holding arrows. 0 have an arrow (or shaft) left in one’s quiver not be resourceless. [ME f. OF quivre f. WG (cf. OE cocor)]

quiverful /'kwiva,fol/ n. (pl. -fuls) 1 as much as a quiver can

sisting of five parts. 2 involving five parties. 3 (of time in music) having five beats in a bar. —n. a fivefold number or amount. —v.tr. & intr. multiply by five; increase fivefold. 00 quintuply adv. [F quintuple f. L quintus fifth, after QUADRUPLE]

hold. 2 many children of one parent (Ps. 127: 5). [QUIVER?]

qui vive ki: 'vi:v/ n. 0 on the qui vive on the alert; watching for something to happen. [F, = lit. ‘(long) live who?’, i.e. on

quintuplet /'kwintjuplit, -'tju:plit/ n. 1 each of five children

whose side are you?, as a sentry’s challenge]

born at one birth. 2 a set of five things working together. 3 Mus. a group of five notes to be performed in the time of three or

Quixote /'kwikssut/, Don. The hero of a romance (1605-15) by Cervantes, written to ridicule books of chivalry. [Sp. quixote

four. [QUINTUPLE, after QUADRUPLET, TRIPLET]

thigh armour]

quintuplicate adj. & v. —adj. /kwin'tju:plikot/ 1 fivefold. 2 of

quixotic /kwik'sptik/ adj. 1 extravagantly and romantically

which five copies are made. —-v.tr. & intr. /kwim'tju:plikert/ multiply by five. 0 in quintuplicate 1 in five identical copies. 2 in groups of five. [F quintuple f. L quintus fifth, after QUADRUPLICATE] quip /kwip/n. & v. —n. 1a clever saying; an epigram; a sarcastic remark etc. 2 a quibble; an equivocation. —v.intr. (quipped, quipping) make quips. 00 quipster n. [abbr. of obs. quippy perh. f. L quippe forsooth] quipu /'ki:pu:, 'kwi:pu:/ n. the ancient Peruvians’ substitute for writing by variously knotting threads of various colours. [Quechua, = knot] quire /'kwaia(r)/ n. 1 four sheets of paper etc. folded to form eight leaves, as often in medieval manuscripts. 2 any collection of leaves one within another in a manuscript or book. 3 25 (also 24) sheets of paper. o in quires unbound; in sheets. [ME f. OF qua(ijer ult. f. L quaterni set of four (as QUATERNARY)]

chivalrous; regardless of material interests in comparison with honour or devotion. 2 visionary; pursuing lofty but unattainable ideals. 00 quixotically adv. quixotism /'kwikso,t1z(3)m/_n. quixotry /'kwiksotr1/ n. [Don QuIXxOTE] quiz! /kwiz/n. & v. —n. (pl. quizzes) 1 a test of knowledge, esp. between individuals or teams as a form of entertainment. 2 an interrogation, examination, or questionnaire. —yv.tr. (quizzed, quizzing) examine by questioning. 0 quiz-master a person who presides over a quiz. [19th-c. dial.: orig. unkn.] quiz? /kwiz/ v. & n. archaic —v.tr. (quizzed, quizzing) 1 look curiously at; observe the ways or oddities of; survey through an eyeglass. 2 make sport of; regard with a mocking air. —n. (pl. quizzes) 1 a hoax, a thing done to burlesque or expose another’s oddities. 2 a an odd or eccentric person; a person of ridiculous appearance. b a person given to quizzing. 00 quizzer n. [18th c.: orig. unkn.]

quirk /kws:k/ n. 1 a peculiarity of behaviour. 2 a trick of fate; a

quizzical /'kwizik(2)l/ adj. 1 expressing or done with mild or

freak. 3 a flourish in writing. 4 (often attrib.) Archit. a hollow in

amused perplexity. 2 strange; comical. oO quizzicality /-'keeliti/ n. quizzically adv. quizzicalness n. Qum /kom/ a holy city of Shiite Muslims, in central Iran; pop.

a moulding. 00 quirkish adj. quirky adj. (quirkier, quirkiest). quirkily adv. quirkiness n. [16th c.: orig. unkn.]

(1983) 424,000

quirt /kws:t/ n. & v. —n. a short-handled riding-whip with a braided leather lash. —v.tr. strike with this. [Sp. cuerda corp] z cat

a: arm e

bed

3: her

Qumran /kom'ra:n/ a region on the western shore of the Dead I sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

Arun

vo put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

quod Sea, now in Israel, site of caves in which the Dead Sea scrolls (see entry) were found and of the settlement of an ancient Jewish community to whom these manuscripts belonged.

quod /kwod/ n. Brit. sl. prison. [17th c.: orig. unkn.] quod erat demonstrandum |kwod eret demon'strendum| (esp. at the conclusion of a proof etc.) which was the thing to be proved. {|Abbr.: QED. [L] quodlibet /'kwodli,bet/ n. 1 hist. a a topic for philosophical or theological discussion. b an exercise on this. 2 a light-hearted medley of well-known tunes. 00 quodlibetarian /-br'teorion/ n. quodlibetical /-'betik(s)l/ adj. quodlibetically /-'betrkoli/ adv. [ME f. L f. quod what + libet it pleases one]

quod vide |kwod ‘vi:der/ which see (in cross-references etc.). §] Abbr.: q.v. [L] ; quoin /komn/ n. & v. —n. 1 an external angle of a building. 2a stone or brick forming an angle; a cornerstone. 3 a wedge used for locking type in a forme. 4 a wedge for raising the level of a gun, keeping the barrel from rolling, etc. —v.tr. secure or raise with quoins. 00 queining n. [var. of COIN] quoit /kort/n. & v. —n. 1a heavy flattish sharp-edged iron ring thrown to encircle an iron peg or to land as near as possible to the peg. 2 (in pl.) a game consisting of aiming and throwing these. It was a well-known game from at least the reign of Richard II, when it was included among the many sports and pastimes that were forbidden because they diverted servants, apprentices, and labourers from recreations of a more warlike character (e.g. archery) at a time of recurring wars against the French. Such edicts were conspicuously unsuccessful. 3 a ring of rope, rubber, etc. for use in a similar game. 4a the flat stone of a dolmen. b the dolmen itself. —v.tr. fling like a quoit. [ME: orig. unkn.]}

quokka /'kwoko/ n. a small Australian short-tailed wallaby, Setonix brachyurus. [Aboriginal name] quondam /'kwondzm| attrib.adj. that once was; sometime; former. [L (adv.), = formerly] Quonset /'kwonsit/ n. US propr. a prefabricated metal building with a semicylindrical corrugated roof. [Quonset Point, Rhode Island, where it was first made] quorate /'kwo:rot, -reit/ adj. Brit. (of a meeting) attended by a quorum. [QUORUM] quorum /'kwo:ram/ n. the fixed minimum number of members that must be present to make the proceedings of an assembly or society valid. [L, = of whom (we wish that you be two, three, etc.), in the wording of commissions] quota /'kwouta/ n. 1 the share that an individual person or company is bound to contribute to or entitled to receive from a

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total. 2 a quantity of goods etc. which under official controls must be manufactured, exported, imported, etc. 3 the number of yearly immigrants allowed to enter a country, students allowed to enrol for a course, etc. [med.L quota (pars) how great (a part), fem. of quotus f. quot how many]

quotable /'kwovtoeb(s)l/ adj. worth, or suitable for, quoting. 50 quotability /-'brliti/ n. quotation /kwoo'ter{()n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of quoting or being quoted. 2 a passage or remark quoted. 3 Mus. a short passage or tune taken from one piece of music to another. 4 Stock Exch. an amount stated as the current price of stocks or commodities. 5 a contractor’s estimate. 0 quotation mark each of a set of punctuation marks, single (‘’) or double (“ ”), used to mark the beginning and end of a quoted passage, a book title, etc., or words regarded as slang or jargon. [med.L quotatio (as QUOTE)] quote /kwout/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 cite or appeal to (an author, book, etc.) in confirmation of some view. 2 repeat a statement by (another person) or copy out a passage from (don’t quote me). 3 (often absol.) a repeat or copy out (a passage) usu. with an indication that it is borrowed. b (foll. by from) cite (an author, book, etc.). 4 (foll. by as) cite (an author etc.) as proof, evidence, etc. 5 a enclose (words) in quotation marks. b(as int.) (in dictation, reading aloud, etc.) indicate the presence of opening quotation marks (he said, quote, ‘I shall stay’). 6 (often foll. by at) state the price of (a commodity, bet, etc.) (quoted at 200 to 1). 7 Stock Exch. regularly list the price of. —n. collog. 1 a passage quoted. 2 a price quoted. 3 (usu. in pl.) quotation marks. [ME, earlier ‘mark with numbers’, f. med.L quotare f. quot how many, or as Quota]

quoth /kwav9 v.tr. (only in 1st and 3rd person) archaic said. [OE cweth past of cwethan say f. Gmc]

quotidian /kwo'tidion/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 daily, of every day. 2 commonplace, trivial.

—n. (in full quotidian fever) a fever

recurring every day. [ME f. OF cotidien & L cotidianus f. cotidie daily] quotient /'kwouf(s)nt/ n. a result obtained by dividing one quantity by another. [ME f. L quotiens how many times f. quot how many, by confusion with -ENT]

Qur’an var. of KorAN. q.v. abbr. quod vide.

Qwaquwa

/|'kwekwg/ a tribal homeland of the South Sotho

people in South Africa; pop. (1985) 183,000. qwerty /|'kws:ti/ attrib.adj. denoting the standard keyboard on English-language typewriters, word processors, etc., with q, w, e, r,t, and y as the first keys on the top row of letters. qy- abbr. query.

aio fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

R and Cinquiéme Livre (1562-4) which is of doubtful authenticity. Linked together by a narrative thread the whole provides a vivid panorama of contemporary society through which the author reveals his own humanism, his hatred of asceticism, and his contempt for scholasticism. His command of the vernacular, sustained by an encyclopedic vocabulary, extends beyond French to a dozen contemporary languages. The work was officially condemned for its insulting reference to theologians, and Rabelais is often censured for his lapses into obscenity and coarse wit, but his work gained wide popularity and remains a unique expression of Renaissance energy and plenitude.

R! /a:(r)/ n. (also r) (pl. Rs or R’s) the eighteenth letter of the alphabet. 0 the r months the months with r in their names (September to April) as the season for oysters. the three Rs see

THREE. R? abbr. (also R.) 1 Regina (Elizabeth R). 2 Rex. 3 River. 4 (also ®) registered as a trademark. 5 (in names of societies etc.) Royal. 6 Chess rook. 7 Railway. 8 rand. 9 Regiment. 10 Réaumur. 11 radius. 12 roentgen. r. abbr. (also r) 1 right. 2 recto. 3 run(s). 4 radius.

RA abbr. 1 a (in the UK) Royal Academy. b (in the UK) Royal Academician. 2 (in the UK) Royal Artillery. 3 right ascension.

Rabelaisian /,rebe'lerzien/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or like Rabelais

Ra! /ra:/ Egyptian Mythol. the sun-god (or initially the sun itself),

or his writings. 2 marked by exuberant imagination and language, coarse humour, and satire. —n. an admirer or student of Rabelais.

a notable deity to whom other gods could be assimilated. He is often portrayed with a falcon’s head bearing the solar disc. He appears travelling in his ship with other gods, crossing the sky by day and journeying through the underworld of the dead at night. From earliest times he was associated with the king.

rabid /'rzbid, 'rer-/ adj. 1 furious, violent (rabid hate). 2 unreasoning; headstrong; fanatical (a rabid anarchist). 3 (esp. of a dog) affected with rabies; mad. 4 of or connected with rabies. oo rabidity /roa'biditi/ n. rabidly adv. rabidness n. [L rabidus f. rabere rave]

Ra? symb. Chem. the element radium. RAAF abbr. Royal Australian Air Force. Rabat /|ra'bet/ the capital and an industrial port of Morocco, on the Atlantic Coast; pop. (1982) 518,620.

rabies /'rerbi:z/ n. a contagious and fatal viral disease of dogs and other warm-blooded animals, which produces paralysis or a vicious excitability and in man causes a fatal encephalitis with convulsions and with throat spasm on swallowing; hydrophobia. [L f. rabere rave]

Rabaul /ro'bavl/ the chief town and port of the island of New Britain, Papua New Guinea; pop. (1980) 14,950.

rabbet /'rzbit/n. & v. —n. a step-shaped channel etc. cut along the edge or face or projecting angle of a length of wood etc., usu. to receive the edge or tongue of another piece. —v.tr. (rabbeted, rabbeting) 1 join or fix with a rabbet. 2 make a rabbet in. Oo rabbet plane a plane for cutting a groove along an edge. [ME f. OF rab(b)at abatement, recess f. rabattre REBATE]

rabbi /'rzbai/ n. (pl. rabbis) 1 a Jewish scholar or teacher, esp. of the law. 2 a person appointed as a Jewish religious leader. o Chief Rabbi the religious head of the Jewish communities in Britain. 00 rabbinate /'rebinot/ n. [ME & OE f. eccl.L f. Gk rhabbi f. Heb. rabbi my master f. rab master + pronominal suffix]

rabbinical /ra'binrk(s)l/ adj. (also rabbinic) of or relating to rabbis, or to Jewish law or teaching. 00 rabbinically adv.

rabbit /'rebit/ n. & v. —n.

1 a any of various burrowing

gregarious plant-eating mammals of the hare family, esp. Oryctolagus cuniculus, with long ears and a short tail, varying in colour from brown in the wild to black and white, and kept as a pet or for meat. b US a hare. c the fur of the rabbit. 2 Brit. collog. a poor performer in any sport or game. —-v. intr. (rabbited, rabbiting) 1 hunt rabbits. 2 (often foll. by on, away) Brit. colloq. talk excessively or pointlessly; chatter (rabbiting on about his holiday). 0 rabbit punch a short chop with the edge of the hand to the nape of the neck. rabbit warren an area in which rabbits have their burrows, or are kept for meat etc. 00 rabbity adj. (ME perh. f. OF: cf. F dial. rabotte, Walloon robéte, Flem. robbe]

rabble! /'rzb(s)l/ n. 1 a disorderly crowd; a mob.

2 a con-

temptible or inferior set of people. 3 (prec. by the) the lower or disorderly classes of the populace. 0 rabble-rouser a person who stirs up the rabble or a crowd of people in agitation for social or political change. rabble-rousing adj. tending to arouse the emotions of a crowd. —n. the act or process of doing this. [ME: orig. uncert.]

rabble? /'rzb(o)l/ n. an iron bar with a bent end for stirring

RAC abbr. 1 (in the UK) Royal Automobile Club. 2 (in the UK) Royal Armoured Corps. raccoon var. of RACOON. race! jreis/ n. & v. —n. 1 a contest of speed between runners, horses, vehicles, ships, etc. 2 (in pl.) a series of these for horses, dogs, etc. at a fixed time on a regular course. 3 a contest between persons to be first to achieve something. 4 a a strong or rapid current flowing through a narrow channel in the sea or a river (a tide race). b the channel of a stream etc. (a mill-race). 5 each of two grooved rings in a ball-bearing or roller bearing. 6 Austral. a fenced passageway for drafting sheep etc. 7 a passageway along which football players etc. run to enter the field. 8 (in weaving) the channel along which the shuttle moves. 9 archaic a the course of the sun or moon. b the course of life (has run his race). —v. 1 intr. take part in a race. 2 tr. have a race with. 3 tr. try to surpass in speed. 4 intr. (foll. by with) compete in speed with. 5 tr. cause (a horse, car, etc.) to race. 6 a intr. go at full or (of an engine, propeller, the pulse, etc.) excessive speed. b tr. cause (a person or thing) to do this (raced the bill through the House). 7 intr. (usu. as racing adj.) follow or take part in horse-racing (a racing man). 0 not in the race Austral. sl. having no chance. race meeting a sequence of horse-races at one place. racing car a motor car built for racing on a prepared track. (ME, = running, f. ON ras] race? /rers/ n. 1 each of the major divisions of mankind, having distinct physical characteristics. The term is often used imprecisely; even among anthropologists there is no generally accepted classification or terminology. (See below.) 2 a tribe, nation, etc., regarded as of a distinct ethnic stock. 3 the fact or concept of division into races (discrimination based on race). 4 a genus, species, breed, or variety of animals, plants, or micro-organisms. 5 a group of persons, animals, or plants connected by common descent. 6 any great division of living creatures (the feathered race; the four-footed race). 7 descent; kindred (of noble race; separate in language and race). 8 a class of persons etc. with some common feature (the race of poets). O race relations relations between members of different races usu. in the same country. race riot an outbreak of violence due to racial antagonism. [F f. It. razza, of unkn. orig.] The term has been applied to various national or cultural as well as physical groupings (including ‘human race’ for the entire

molten metal etc. [F rable f. med.L rotabulum, L rutabulum fireshovel f. ruere rut-rake up}

Rabelais /'rzba,le1/, Francois (c.1494-1553), French humanist, satirist, and physician, who became successively a monk, priest, bishop’s secretary, and Bachelor of Medicine. He travelled in France and Italy, acquiring a widespread reputation for his erudition and medical skill, and enjoyed ecclesiastical and royal patronage. He is remembered for his five great books: Pantagruel (1532/3), Gargantua (1534), Tiers Livre (1546), Quart Livre (1548-52),

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species of mankind). For centuries geographical races were identified by the most observable physical differences, especially the colour of the skin, hair, and eyes. The reason for human variation has been a subject of interest and speculation since antiquity. Christian tradition of the unity of mankind, descended from a common ancestor, became scientific orthodoxy in medieval Europe, with national genealogies traced to a descendant of Noah, but from the time of Paracelsus onwards a diversity of human origins was argued. In the 19th c. a combination of European overseas migration and the heightening of national consciousness strengthened interest in the differences between human groups, generally with the underlying assumption that the ‘races’ were once separate and that subsequent obscuring of pure racial types had occurred. In the early 20th c. Franz Boas put forward the theory that racial typing on a purely physical basis was arbitrary and argued the cultural origin of mental differénces, His approach became dominant, though the Nazis burned his book. Human variation continues to be studied but the notion of ‘race’ as a rigid classification or genetic system has largely been abandoned. race? /reis/ n. a ginger root. [OF rais, raiz f. L radix radicis root] _

racecard /'retska:d/ n. a programme of races. racecourse /'re1sko:s/ n. a ground or track for horse-racing. racegoer /'rets,goua(r)/ n. a person who frequents horse-races. racehorse /'reisho:s/ n. a horse bred or kept for racing. racemate /'resi,meit/ n. Chem, a racemic mixture. raceme /ro'si:m/ n. Bot. a flower cluster with the separate flowers attached by short equal stalks at equal distances along a central stem (cf. cyme). [L racemus grape-bunch] racemic /ro'si:mik, -'semrk/ adj. Chem. composed of equal numbers of dextrorotatory and laevorotatory molecules of a compound. o00 racemize /'resi,maiz/ v.tr. & intr. (also ise). [RACEME + -IC, orig. of tartaric acid in grape-juice] racemose /'rzs1,mous/ adj. 1 Bot. in the form of a raceme. 2 Anat. (of a gland etc.) clustered. [L racemosus (as RACEME)] racer /'retso(r)/ n. 1a horse, yacht, bicycle, etc., of a kind used for racing. 2 a circular horizontal rail along which the traversing-platform of a heavy gun moves. 3 a person or thing that races.

racetrack

/'reistrek/ n.

1 =

RACECOURSE.

2 a track for

motor-racing. raceway /'reiswei/ n. 1 a track or channel along which something runs, esp.: a a channel for water. b a groove in which ball-bearings run. c a pipe or tubing enclosing electrical wires. 2 esp. US a a track for trotting, pacing, or harness racing. b a

racecourse. rachis /'rerkis/ n. (pl. rachides /-ki,di:z/) 1 Bot. a a stem of grass etc. bearing flower-stalks at short intervals. b the axis of a compound leaf or frond. 2 Anat. the vertebral column or the cord from which it develops. 3 Zool. a feather-shaft, esp. the part bearing the barbs. oo rachidial /ra'kidiel/ adj. [mod.L f. Gk rhakhis spine: the E pl. -ides is erron.]

rachitis /re'kartis/ n. rickets. 00 rachitic /-'kittk/ adj. [mod.L f. Gk rhakhitis (as RACHIS)] Rachmaninov /rek'mznrnpf], Sergei Vasilyevich (18731943), Russian composer. He was a celebrated pianist and his

works for the instrument overshadow in fame, if not in importance, his songs, choral works including The Bells (1913), and three symphonies. From 1897 he held a conducting post with a private opera company in Moscow (the then unknown Chaliapin was among its members), but in 1917 left Russia for America; until 1933 his music was banned in his native country after he signed a letter attacking the Soviet regime.

Rachmanism /'rekms,n1z(2)m/ n. Brit. the practices of landlords who buy, at a low price, properties where rents are controlled, and then use unscrupulous methods to evict the tenants (e.g. by intimidating them). This has the effect of removing the legal controls on the properties, which can then be sold at a huge profit. It is named after a London landlord, Peter Rachman (1919-62), who practised it in the early 1960s.

racial /'re1{(2)l/ adj. 1 of or concerning race (racial diversities; wwe

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racial minority). 2. on the grounds of or connected with difference in race (racial discrimination; racial tension). 00 racially adv.

racialisma /'re1{9,11z(2)m/ n. = RACISM 1. OO racialist n. & adj. Racine /rz'si:n/, Jean (1639-99), French dramatist, one of the greatest figures of the French classical period. He was admitted to the Académie in 1673 and became historiographer to Louis XIV in 1677. His tragedies derive from various sources; from Greek and Roman literature (Andromaque 1667, Iphigénie 1674, Phédre 1677), from Roman history (Britannicus 1669, Bérénice 1670, and Mithridate 1673), from contemporary Turkish history (Bajazet 1672), and from the Bible (Esther 1689, Athalie 1691); his one

comedy Les Plaideurs (1668) was drawn from Aristophanes. Central to the majority of his tragedies is a perception of the blind folly of human passion. racism /'re1siz(2)m/ n. 1 a a belief in the superiority of a particular race; prejudice based on this. b antagonism towards other races, esp. as a result of this. 2 the theory that human abilities etc. are determined by race. 00 racist n. & adj. rack! jrek/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa framework usu. with rails, bars, hooks, etc., for holding or storing things. b a frame for holding animal fodder. 2 a cogged or toothed bar or rail engaging with a wheel or pinion etc., or using pegs to adjust the position of something. 3 hist. an instrument of torture stretching the victim’s joints by the turning of rollers to which the wrists and ankles were tied. —v.tr. 1 (of disease or pain) inflict suffering on. 2 hist. torture (a person) on the rack. 3 place in or on a rack.

4 shake violently. 5 injure by straining. 6 oppress (tenants) by exacting excessive rent. 7 exhaust (the land) by excessive use. 0 on the rack in distress or under strain. rack one’s brains make a great mental effort (racked my brains for something to say). rack-railway a railway with a cogged rail between the bearing rails. rack-rent n. 1 a high rent, annually equalling the full value of the property to which it relates. 2 an extortionate rent. —v.tr. exact this from (a tenant) or for (land). rack-renter a tenant paying or a landlord exacting an extortionate rent. rack-up US achieve (a score etc.). rack-wheel a cog-wheel. [ME rakke f. MDu., MLG rak, rek, prob. f. recken stretch] rack? /rek/ n. destruction (esp. rack and ruin). [var. of WRACK, WRECK]

rack? /rek/ n. a joint of lamb etc. including the front ribs. [perh. f. RACK]

rack? /rek; v.tr. (often foll. by off )draw off (wine, beer, etc.) from the lees. [ME f. Prov. arracar f. raca stems and husks of grapes, dregs]

rack? /rek/ n. & v. —n. driving clouds. —v.intr. (of clouds) be driven before the wind. [ME, prob. of Scand. orig.: cf. Norw. and Sw. dial. rak wreckage etc. f. reka drive] rack® /rek/ n. & v. —n. a horse’s gait between a trot and a canter. —v.intr. progress in this way.

racket! /'rzkit/ n. (also racquet) 1 a bat with a round or oval frame strung with catgut, nylon, etc., used in tennis, squash, etc. 2 (in pl.) a ball game for two or four persons played with rackets in a plain four-walled court. Each player strikes the ball in turn and tries to keep it rebounding from the end wall of the

court. The game in its modern form developed in England in the 19th c., but its origins may be traced to medieval handball. It was played in open courts in the backyards of inns and taverns; the rackets court in the Fleet debtors’ prison in London is depicted by Rowlandson and described by Dickens. Indoor courts were built at the Prince’s Club, London, in 1853, a development which speeded up the game and (because it was now more expensive to play) altered its social character. The extension of the game to other parts of the world was due largely to the influence of the British Army and the Royal Navy. 3 a snow shoe resembling a racket. 0 racket-ball a small hard orig.

kid-covered ball of cork and string. racket-press a press for keeping rackets taut and in shape. racket-tail a S. American humming-bird, Loddigesia mirabilis, with a racket-shaped tail. [F racquette f. It. racchetta f. Arab. raha palm of the hand] racket? /'rakit/ n. 1 a a disturbance; an uproar; a din. b social excitement; gaiety. 2 sl. a a scheme for obtaining money or attaining other ends by fraudulent and often violent means. b tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

racketeer

radio

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a dodge; a sly game. 3 collog. an activity; a way of life; a line of business (starting up a new racket). 00 rackety adj. [16th c.: perh. imit.] racketeer /|,reki'tio(r)/ n. a person who operates a dishonest « business. 00 racketeering n. racon /'rerkon/ n. esp. US a radar beacon that can be identified and located by its response to a radar signal from a ship etc. [radar + beacon] raconteur |,rekon'ts:(r)/ n. (fem. raconteuse /-'t3:z/) a teller of anecdotes. [F f. raconter relate, RECOUNT] racoon |ra'ku:n/ n. (also raccoon) 1 any greyish-brown furry N. American nocturnal flesh-eating mammal of the genus Procyon, with a bushy tail and sharp snout. 2 the fur of the racoon. [Algonquian dial.] racquet var. of RACKET}. racy /'rersi/ adj. (racier, raciest) 1 lively and vigorous in style. 2 risqué, suggestive. 3 having characteristic qualities in a high degree (a racy flavour). 00 racily adv. raciness n. [RACE? + -Y}]

radiant /'rerdiont/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 emitting rays of light. 2 (of eyes or looks) beaming with joy or hope or love. 3 (of beauty) splendid or dazzling. 4 (of light) issuing in rays. 5 operating radially. 6 extending radially; radiating. —n. 1 the point or object from which light or heat radiates, esp. in an electric or gas heater. 2 Astron. a radiant point. 0 radiant heat heat transmitted by radiation, not by conduction or convection. radiant heater a heater that works by this method. radiant point 1 a point from which rays or radii proceed. 2 Astron. the apparent focal point of a meteor shower. 00 radiance n. radiancy n. radiantly adv. [ME f. L radiare (as RADIUS)]

radiate v. & adj. —v. /'rerdi,ert/ 1 intr. a emit rays of light, heat, or other electromagnetic waves. b (of light or heat) be emitted in rays. 2 tr. emit (light, heat, or sound) from a centre. 3tr. transmit or demonstrate (life, love, joy, etc.) (radiates happiness). 4 intr. & tr. diverge or cause to diverge or spread from a centre. 5 tr. (as radiated adj.) with parts arranged in rays. —adj. |'redrat/ having divergent rays or parts radially arranged. 00 radiately |-otli/ adv. radiative |-atrv/ adj. [L radiare radiat- (as RADIUS)]

rad! /rzd/ n. (pl. same) radian. [abbr.]

radiation |,reidr'e1{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of radiating;

rad? |rzd/ n. sl. a political radical. [abbr.] rad? /rad/ n. Physics a unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation, corresponding to the absorption of 0.01 joule per kilogram of absorbing material. [radiation absorbed dose]

the process of being radiated. 2 Physics a the emission of energy as electromagnetic waves or as moving particles. b the energy transmitted in this way, esp. invisibly. 3 (in full radiation therapy) treatment of cancer and other diseases using radiation, such as X-rays or ultraviolet light. 0 radiation chemistry the study of the chemical effects of radiation on matter. radiation sickness sickness caused by exposure to radiation, such as X-rays or gamma rays. oO radiational adj. radiationally adv. [L radiatio (as RADIATE)] radiator /'reid1,erta(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that radiates. 2a a device for heating a room etc., consisting of a metal case through which hot water or steam circulates. b a usu. portable oil or electric heater resembling this. 3 an engine-cooling device in a motor vehicle or aircraft with a large surface for cooling circulating water. Oo radiator grille a grille at the front of a motor vehicle allowing air to circulate to the radiator.

RADA |'ra:do/ abbr. (in the UK) Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. radar /|'reida:(r)/ n. 1 a system for detecting the presence of objects at a distance, or ascertaining their position and motion,

by transmitting short radio waves and detecting or measuring their return after they are reflected; a similar system in which the return signal consists of radio waves that a suitably equipped target automatically transmits when it receives the outgoing waves. (See below.) 2 an apparatus or installation used for this system. 0 radar trap an arrangement using radar to detect vehicles etc. travelling faster than the speed limit. [radio detection and ranging]

The principle of radar was established when Heinrich Hertz showed (in 1886) that radio waves could be reflected from solid objects, but use of this remained chiefly theoretical until 1922 when Marconi suggested that radio echoes could be used for the detection of ships in bad visibility, and the idea was tested experimentally in the US. Radar systems were developed in Britain, France, Germany, and the US in the 1930s, and used by both sides in the Second World War. They are now widely employed in sea and air navigation.

radical /'redik(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj.

RADC abbr. (in the UK) Royal Army Dental Corps. Radcliffe /'rzdklif], Mrs Ann Ward (1764-1823), English writer, the leading exponent of the Gothic novel (see entry). Her works include The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794).

raddle /'rzd(s)l/ n. & v. —n. red ochre (often used to mark sheep). —v.tr. 1 colour with raddle or too much rouge. 2 (as raddled adj.) worn out; untidy, unkempt. [var. of RUDDLE]

Radha |'ra:da:/ Hinduism wife of a cowherd, she was the favourite mistress of the god Krishna, and an incarnation of Lakshmi. In devotional religion she represents the longing of the human soul for God. [Skr., = prosperity] radial /'reidiol/ adj. & n.. —adj. 1 of, concerning, or in rays. 2a arranged like rays or radii; having the position or direction of a radius. b having spokes or radiating lines. ¢ acting or moving along lines diverging from a centre. 3 Anat. relating to the radius (radial artery). 4 (in full radial-ply) (of a vehicle tyre) having the core fabric layers arranged radially at right angles to the circumference and the tread strengthened. —n. 1 Anat. the radial nerve or artery. 2 a radial-ply tyre. 0 radial engine an engine having cylinders arranged along radii. radial symmetry symmetry occurring about any number of lines or planes passing through the centre of an organism etc. radial velocity esp. Astron. the speed of motion alonga radial line, esp. between astar etc. and an observer. 00 radially adv. [med.L

radicchio /ro'di:ki9u/ n. (pl. -os) a variety of chicory with dark red-coloured leaves. [It., = chicory]

radices pl. of RADIX. radicle /'rzdrk(a)l/ n. 1 the part ofa plant embryo that develops into the primary root; a rootlet. 2 a rootlike subdivision of a nerve or vein. OO radicular /ra'dikjulo(r)/ adj. [L radicula (as RADIX)]

radii pl. of RADIUs. radio /'reidiou/ n. & v. —n. (pl. -os) 1 (often attrib.) a the transmission and reception of sound messages etc. by electromagnetic waves of radio-frequency, without a connecting wire, pioneered by Marconi (see entry and cf. wIRELESs). b an apparatus for receiving, broadcasting, or transmitting radio signals. ¢ a message sent or received by radio: 2 a sound

radialis (as RADIUS)]

radian /'reidion/ n. Geom. a unit of angle, equal to an angle at the centre of a circle the arc of which is equal in length to the radius. [RADIUS + -AN]

ze cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 of the root or roots;

fundamental (a radical error). 2 far-reaching; thorough; going to the root (radical change). 3 a advocating thorough reform; holding extreme political views; revolutionary. b (of a measure etc.) advanced by or according to principles of this kind. 4 forming the basis; primary (the radical idea). 5 Math. of the root of a number or quantity. 6 (of surgery etc.) seeking to ensure the removal of all diseased tissue. 7 of the roots of words. 8 Mus. belonging to the root of a chord. 9 Bot. of, or springing direct from, the root. 10 hist. belonging to an extreme section of the Liberal Party. 11 US hist. seeking extreme anti-South action at the time of the Civil War. —n. 1 a person holding radical views or belonging to a radical party. 2 Chem. aafree radical. b an element or atom or a group of these normally forming part of a compound and remaining unaltered during the compound’s ordinary chemical changes. 3 the root of a word. 4 a fundamental principle; a basis. 5 Math. a a quantity forming or expressed as the root of another. b a radical sign. o radical sign \/, V, etc., indicating the square, cube, etc., root of the number following. 00 radicalism n. radicalize v.tr. & intr. (also -ise). radicalization /-'ze1f(2)n/ n. radically adv. radicalness n. [ME f. LL radicalis f. L radix radicis root]

1 sit

i: see

pv hot

9: saw

arun

wo put

uw: too

9 ago

al my

radio-

radio telescope

1191

broadcasting in general (prefers the radio). b a broadcasting station or channel (Radio One). —v. (-oes, -oed) 1 tr. a send (a

radiochemistry |,reidisu'kemistri/ n. the chemistry of radio-

message) by radio. b send a message to (a person) by radio. 2 intr. communicate or broadcast by radio. 0 radio astronomy see separate entry. radio cab (or car) a cab or car equipped

radio-controlled /,reidiauken'trauld/ adj. (of a model aircraft

with a two-way radio. radio fix the position of an aircraft, ship, etc., found by radio. radio galaxy a galaxy emitting radiation in the radio-frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum. radio ham see HAM. radio star a small star etc. emitting strong radio waves. radio telescope see separate entry. [short for radio-telegraphy etc.] radio- /'reidisu/ comb. form 1 denoting radio or broadcasting. 2 a connected with radioactivity. b denoting artificially prepared radioisotopes of elements (radio-caesium). 3 connected with rays or radiation. 4 Anat. belonging to the radius in conjunction with some other part (radio-carpal). [RADIUS + -O- or f. RADIO]

radioactive |,retdisu'ektrv/ adj. of or exhibiting radioactivity. |,retdisvek'trviti/

n. the

spontaneous

dis-

integration of atomic nucleii, with the emission of usu. penetrating radiation or particles. Radioactivity was discovered in 1896 by Becquerel, who found that uranium salt crystals affected a photographic emulsion. Studies by Rutherford and others from 1898 onwards showed that there are three main types of radiation emitted by radioactive substances: alpha rays, which are identical with nuclei of the element helium; beta rays, which are fast-moving electrons; and gamma radiation, which is electromagnetic radiation of very high energy. Naturally cccurring radioactive minerals such as uranium and thorium are believed to be largely responsible for the heating of the earth’s core and for volcanic heat; they are also responsible for a large proportion of the background radiation experienced at the surface of the earth. Other contributions come from the radioactivity released in nuclear expiosions and in the waste products of nuclear reactors. Although mankind has evolved in an environment which has always had background radiation, severe damage can be caused to living tissue by dosages which are significantly in excess of this background.

radio-assay |,rerdisuo'sei/ n. an analysis of a substance based on radiation from a sample. radio astronomy r. the branch of astronomy which monitors radio emission from celestial objects. Long-wavelength radiation originates in such objects as pulsars and super-novae remnants, and radio galaxies and quasars, where poorly understood processes involving large amounts of energy operate. The discovery in 1965 that a uniform background of radiation existed throughout the universe at microwave wavelengths is now believed to be a direct observation of the remnant of radiation from the ‘big bang’ associated with the formation of the universe. (See RADIO TELESCOPE.)

a: arm

e bed

10!2 Hz.

radiogenic |,reidiau'dzenik/ adj. 1 produced by radioactivity. 2 suitable for broadcasting by radio. 00 radiogenically adv. — radio-goniometer /|,re1disv,gaun!'pmita(r)/ n. an instrument for finding direction using radio waves.

radiogram /'reidisu,grem/ n. 1 Brit. a combined radio and record-player. 2 a picture obtained by X-rays, gamma rays, etc. 3 a radio-telegram. [RADIO- + -GRAM, GRAMOPHONE]

ing the intensity of radiation. 2 = RADIOGRAM 2. —-v.tr. obtain a picture of by X-ray, gamma ray, etc. 00 radiographer |-'ngrefa(r)/ n. radiographic /-dio'grzfik/ adj. radiographically |-dio'greefikoli/ adv. radiography |-'pgrofi/ n.

radioimmunology |,reidisu,1mju:'npled3i/ n. the application of radiological techniques in immunology.

radioisotope /|,retdiou'aiso,taup/ n. a radioactive isotope. 00 radioisotopic /-'toprk/ adj. radioisotopically /-'toprkol1/ adv.

radiolarian |,reidiau'leorion/ n. any marine protozoan of the order Radiolaria, having a siliceous skeleton and radiating pseudopodia. [mod.L radiolaria f. L radiolus dimin. of RADIUS]

radiology |,retdr'pled3i/ n. the scientific study of X-rays and other high-energy radiation, esp. as used in medicine. o0 radiologic |-o'lodzik/ adj. radiological |-a'lod31k(a)l/ adj. radiologist n. radiometer |,reidi'pmito(r)/ n. an instrument for measuring the intensity or force of radiation. 00 radiometry n.

radiometric |,re1diou'metrtk/ adj. of or relating to the measurement of radioactivity. 0 radiometric dating a method of dating geological specimens by determining the relative proportions of the isotopes of a radioactive element present in a sample.

radionuclide |,reidiau'nju:klaid/ n. a radioactive nuclide.

radiophonic |,retdisu'fonik/ adj. of or relating to synthetic

isotope of

3: her

[|'reidisu,fri:kwansi/ n. (pl. -ies) the fre-

quency band of telecommunication, ranging from 104 to 101 or

radiopaque |,reidisu'perk/ adj. (also radio-opaque) opaque to X-rays or similar radiation. 00 radiopacity /-'pzsiti/ n. [RADIO+ OPAQUE]

carbon, especially carbon 14 which has been used since the late 1940s in a technique of assigning absolute dates to ancient organic material. All living things absorb carbon, either from the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere or by eating plants etc. that contain it. Once they are dead, the proportion of carbon 14 in their remains falls at a steady rate, and by measuring the concentration of this isotope the approximate date of death of the specimen can be calculated. The figure for the half-life of carbon 14 is usually given as 5568 + 30 years (that is, after 5568 years one haif of the C14 will have been lost, after another 5568 years one half of the remainder will have gone, and so on); this figure is subject to correction. The amount of carbon 14 in the atmosphere, however, has not remained constant throughout all time, and carbon 14 dates have been calibrated against dates based on dendrochronology in efforts to produce a secure chronological framework. zw cat

radio-frequency

and interpretation of radiation believed to be emitted from substances, esp. as a form of diagnosis. [RADIO- + -onics, after ELECTRONICS]

the effects of radiation on organisms and the application in biology of radiological techniques. 00 radiobiological |-o'lnd3rk(o)l/ adj. radiobiologically |-o'!lodzrkeli/ adv. radiobiologist n.

|,reidiou'ka:ban/ n. a radioactive

|,reidisu'elimont/ n. a natural or artificial

radioactive element or isotope.

radionics |,reidi'pniks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) the study

radiobiology |,retdisuba1'plod3}/ n. the biology concerned with

radiocarbon

etc.) controlled from a distance by radio.

radio-element

radiograph /'reidisu,gra:f] n. & v. —n. 1 an instrument record-

oO radioactively adv.

radioactivity

active materials. 00 radiochemical adj. radiochemist n.

1 sit

sound, esp. music, produced electronically. radioscopy |,reidi'pskap1/ n. the examination by X-rays etc. of objects opaque to light. 00 radioscopic /-a'skopik/ adj. radiosonde /'reidisu,sond/ n. a miniature radio transmitter broadcasting information about pressure, temperature, etc., from various levels of the atmosphere, carried esp. by balloon. [RADIO- + G Sonde probe] radio-telegram /|,reidisu'teligrem/ n. a telegram sent by radio, usu. from a ship to land.

radio-telegraphy |,retdisutr'legrofi/ n. telegraphy using radio transmission. 00 radio-telegraph /-'teli,gra:f] n.

radio-telephony |,reidrsuti'lefeni/ n. telephony using radio transmission. 00. £radio-telephone = /-'telifoun/ radio-telephonic /-,teli'fontk/ adj.

_—_n.

radio telescope n. an instrument used to detect radio emissions from the sky, whether from natural celestial objects or from artificial satellites. Most familiar as large dish antennae, like the fully steerable reflector at Jodrell Bank, they may also be constructed as linear arrays of aerials, or as grids of sensitive detectors distributed over large areas of the countryside. Radio signals from outside the Earth’s atmosphere were first detected in 1932 by an American radio engineer, Karl Jansky. A few years later Grote Reber, an Illinois engineer, built an apparatus with i; see

p hot

0: saw

arun

v put

u: too

9 ago

al my

radiotelex

ragged

1192

a parabolic reflector to detect and focus radio waves; the development of radio astronomy had begun.

Raffles! /'rzf{a)lz/, A. J.,.a debonair cricket-loving gentleman

radiotelex |,re1disu'teleks/ n. a telex sent usu. from a ship to

Raffles? |'rzf{2)lz/, Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley (1781-1826),

burglar in novels (1899 onwards) by E. W. Hornung. English colonial administrator, founder of Singapore. Although forced to retire early from the East India Company by ill health, Raffles was responsible for one of the Company’s most momentous decisions, persuading it to purchase the undeveloped Singapore Island and then undertaking much of the preliminary work for turning it into an important international port and

land.

radiotherapy /|,reidisu'Serapi/ n. the treatment of disease by X-rays or other forms of radiation. 00 radiotherapeutic /-'pju: tik/ adj. radiotherapist n.

radish /'redif/n. 1a cruciferous plant, Raphanus sativus, with a fleshy pungent root. 2 this root, eaten esp. raw in salads etc. [OE redic f. L radix radicis root] radium |'retdrom/ n. Chem. a radioactive metallic element, discovered in pitchblende in 1898 by Pierre and Marie Curie. Because of its radioactive properties it was formerly used extensively in the treatment of tumours and in luminous materials, but it has now been largely replaced by other substances for these purposes. §] Symb.: Ra; atomic number 88. 0 radium bomb a container holding a large quantity of radium and used in radiotherapy as a source of gamma rays. radium emanation = RADON. radium therapy the treatment of disease by the use of radium. [L radius ray]

centre of commerce. raft! /ra:ft/ n. & v. —n. 1 flat floating structure of timber or other materials for conveying persons or things. 2 a lifeboat or small (often inflatable) boat, esp. for use in emergencies. 3 a floating accumulation of trees, ice, etc. —v. 1 tr. transport as or on a raft. 2 tr. cross (water) on a raft. 3 tr. form into a raft. 4 intr. (often foll. by across) work a raft (across water etc.). [ME f. ON raptr RAFTER]

raft? /ra:ft/ n. collog. 1 a large collection. 2 (foll. by of) a crowd. [raff rubbish, perh. of Scand. orig.]

rafter! /'ra:fta(r)/ n. each of the sloping beams forming the framework of a roof. 00 raftered adj. [OE refter, rel. to RAFT]

radius /'reidios/ n. & v. —n. (pl. radii |-di,a1/ or radiuses) 1

rafter? /'ra:fto(r)/ n. 1 a person who rafts timber. 2 a person

Math. aa straight line from the centre to the circumference of a circle or sphere. b a radial line from the focus to any point of a curve. c the length of the radius of a circle etc. 2 a usu. specified distance from a centre in all directions (within a radius of 20 miles; has a large radius of action). 3 a the thicker and shorter of the two bones in the human forearm (cf. ULNA). b the corresponding bone in a vertebrate’s foreleg or a bird’s wing. 4 any of the five arm-like structures of a starfish. 5 a any of a set of lines diverging from a point like the radii of a circle. b an object of this kind, e.g. a spoke. 6 a the outer rim of a composite flower-head, e.g. a daisy. b a radiating branch of an umbel. —-v.tr. give a rounded form to (an edge etc.). 0 radius vector Math. a variable line drawn from a fixed point to an orbit or other curve, or to any point as an indication of the latter’s position. [L, = staff, spoke, ray] radix /'reidiks/ n. (pl. radices /-di,si:z/) 1 Math. a number or symbol used as the basis of a numeration scale (e.g. ten in the decimal system). 2 (usu. foll. by of).a source or origin. [L, = root] radome /'reidsum/ n. a dome or other structure, transparent to radio waves, protecting radar equipment, esp. on the outer surface of an aircraft, [radar + dome] radon /'reidpn/ n. Chem. a gaseous radioactive inert element arising from the disintegration of radium, and used in radiotherapy. §] Symb.: Rn. [RADIUM after argon etc.] radula /'redjola/ n. (pl. radulae /-)i:/) a filelike structure in molluscs for scraping off food particles and drawing them into the mouth. 00 radular adj. [L, = scraper f. radere scrape]

Raeburn

/'rerbs:n/, Sir Henry (1756-1823), Scottish portrait

painter. After moving to London (1784) and travelling in Italy he returned to Edinburgh in 1787 and established a successful portrait practice there, portraying the local intelligentsia and Highland chieftains in a broad and distinctive bravura style. His rising fame was marked by several honours, and he is often considered to be the Scottish equivalent of Sir Joshua Reynolds.

RAF abbr. |collog. reef] (in the UK) Royal Air Force. Rafferty’s rules /'rzfatiz/ n. Austral. & NZ collog. no rules at all, esp. in boxing. [E dial. corrupt. of refractory] raffia /'rzfio/ n. (also raphia) 1 a palm-tree, Raphia ruffia, native to Madagascar, having very long leaves. 2 the fibre from its leaves used for making hats, baskets, etc., and for tying plants etc. [Malagasy]

raffinate /'refi,neit/ n. Chem. a refined liquid oil produced by solvent extraction of impurities. [F raffiner + -aTE}]

raffish /'refif/ adj. 1 disreputable; rakish.

2 tawdry.

oo

raffishly adv. raffishness n. [as RAFT? + -ISH}]

raffle? /'rzef{o)l/ n. & v. —n. a fund-raising lottery with goods as prizes. —-v.tr. (often foll. by off ) dispose of by means of a raffle. [ME, a kind of dice-game, f. OF rafif)le, of unkn. orig.]

raffle? /'rzef{o)l/ n. 1 rubbish; refuse. 2 lumber; debris. [ME, perh. f. OF ne rifle, ne rafle nothing at all]

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

who travels by raft. raftsman |/'ra:ftsmon/ n. (pl. -men) a worker on a raft. rag! /reg/n. 1 aa torn, frayed, or worn piece of woven material. b one of the irregular scraps to which cloth etc. is reduced by wear and tear. 2 (in pl.) old or worn clothes. 3 (collect.) scraps of cloth used as material for paper, stuffing, etc. 4 derog. aa newspaper. ba flag, handkerchief, curtain, etc. 5 (usu. with neg.) the smallest scrap of cloth etc. (not a rag to cover him). 6 an odd scrap; an irregular piece. 7 a jagged projection, esp. on metal. O in rags 1 much torn. 2 in old torn clothes. rag-and-bone man Brit. an itinerant dealer in old clothes, furniture, etc. rag-bag 1 a bag in which scraps of fabric etc. are kept for use. 2a miscellaneous collection. 3 sl. a sloppily-dressed woman. rag bolt a bolt with barbs to keep it tight when it has been driven in. rag book a children’s book made of untearable cloth. rag doll a stuffed doll made of cloth. rag paper paper made from rags. rag-picker a collector and seller of rags. rags to riches poverty to affluence. rag trade collog. the business of designing, making, and selling women’s clothes. [ME, prob. back-form. f. RAGGED] rag? /reg/ n. & v. —n. Brit. 1a fund-raising programme of stunts, parades, and entertainment organized by students. 2 collog. a prank. 3 a a rowdy celebration. b a noisy disorderly scene.

—v. (ragged, ragging) 1 tr. tease; torment; play rough

jokes on. 2 tr. scold; reprove severely. 3 intr. Brit. engage in rough play; be noisy and riotous. [18th c.: orig. unkn.: cf. BALLYRAG] rag® /reg/ n. 1 a large coarse roofing-slate. 2 any of various kinds of hard coarse sedimentary stone that break into thick slabs. [ME: orig. unkn., but assoc. with RAG}] rag?‘ /rag/ n. Mus. a ragtime composition or tune. [perh. f. RAGGED: see RAGTIME] raga /'ra:ga/ n. (also rag /ra:g/) Ind. Mus. 1 a pattern of notes used as a basis for improvisation. 2 a piece using a particular raga. [Skr., = colour, musical tone] ragamuffin /'rego,mafin/ n. a person in ragged dirty clothes, esp. a child. [prob. based on raG!: cf. 14th-c. ragamoffyn the name of a demon] rage /reid3/n. & v. —n. 1 fierce or violent anger. 2 a fit of this

(flew into a rage). 3 the violent action of a natural force (the rage of the storm). 4 (foll. by for) a a vehement desire or passion. b a widespread temporary enthusiasm or fashion. 5 poet. poetic, prophetic, or martial enthusiasm or ardour. 6sl. a lively frolic. —v.intr. 1 be full of anger. 2 (often foll. by at, against) speak furiously or madly; rave. 3 (of wind, battle, fever, etc.) be violent; be at its height; continue unchecked. 4 Austral. sl. seek enjoyment; go on a spree. 0 all the rage popular, fashionable. [ME f. OF rager ult. f. L RABIES] ragee |'ra:gi:/ n. (also raggee) a coarse cereal, Eleusine coracana, forming a staple food in parts of India etc. [Hindi ragi] ragged /'rzgid/ adj. 1 (of clothes etc.) torn; frayed. 2 rough;

kcat

1leg

mman

n no

p pen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

raggee

rain

1193

shaggy; hanging in tufts. 3 (of a person) in ragged clothes. 4 with a broken or jagged outline or surface. 5 faulty; imperfect. 6 lacking finish, smoothness, or uniformity (ragged rhymes). 7 exhausted (esp. be run ragged). 0 ragged robin a pink-flowered

rail? /reil/ v.intr. (often foll. by at, against) complain using abusive

campion, Lychnis flos-cuculi, with tattered petals. 00 raggedly adv. raggedness n. raggedy adj. [ME f. ON roggvathr tufted]

marshes, esp. the corncrake and water rail. [ME f. ONF raille f. Rmc, perh. imit.] railcar /'rerlka:(r)/ n. a railway vehicle consisting of a single powered coach.

raggee var. of RAGEE. raggle-taggle /'regol,teg(2)l/

adj. (also wraggle-taggle)

ragged; rambling, straggling. [app. fanciful var. of RAGTAG] raglan /'rzglon/ n. (often attrib.) an overcoat without shoulder seams, the sleeves running up to the neck. o raglan sleeve a sleeve of this kind. [Lord Raglan, Brit. commander in the Crimea d. 1855]

Ragnar6k /'rzgnorok/ n. Scand. Mythol. the great battle between the gods and the powers of evil, the Scandinavian equivalent of the Gétterddmmerung, the twilight of the gods (see TWILIGHT). [tr. Icel. ragna rokr (rokr twilight) altered from the original ragna rok (= the history or judgement of the gods)} ragout /re'gu:/ n. & v. —n. meat in small pieces stewed with vegetables and highly seasoned. —v.tr. cook (food) in this way. [F ragoiit f. ragotiter revive the taste of] ragstone /'regstoun/ n. = RAG? 2. ragtag /'regteg/ n. (in full ragtag and bobtail) derog. the rabble or common people. [earlier tag-rag, tag and rag, f. RAG! + TAG] ragtime /'regtaim/ n. & adj. —n. music characterized by a syncopated melodic line and _ regularly-accented accompaniment, evolved by American Black musicians in the 1890s and played esp. on the piano. It was the immediate precursor of jazz. —adj. sl. disorderly, disreputable, inferior (a ragtime army). [prob. f. RAG4] raguly /'rzegju:li/ adj. Heraldry like a row of sawn-off branches. [perh. f. RAGGED after nebuly] Ragusa /rz'gu:zo/ the Italian name (until 1918) of Dubrovnik. It is the probable source of the word ‘argosy’ (see entry), referring to the large and richly-freighted merchant ships of Ragusa in the 16th c.

ragweed /|'rzgwi:d/ n. 1 = RAGworRT. 2 US any plant of the genus Ambrosia, with allergenic pollen. ragwort /|'rzgws3:t/ 1. any yellow-flowered ragged-leaved plant of the genus Senecio. rah /ra:/ int. esp. US collog. an expression of encouragement, approval, etc. [shortening of HURRAH]

Rahman see ABDUL RAHMAN. rah rah /ra: ra:/ n. & adj. US sl. —n. a shout of support and encouragement as for a college team. —adj. (as rah-rah) marked by the type of enthusiasm or excitement generated in

cheer-leading. 0 rah rah skirt a short flounced skirt similar to those worn by cheer-leaders in the US,

raid /reid/ n. & v. —n.

1 a rapid surprise attack, esp.: a by

troops, aircraft, etc. in warfare. b to commit a crime or do harm. 2 a surprise attack by police etc. to arrest suspected persons or

seize illicit goods. 3 Stock Exch. an attempt to lower prices by the concerted selling of shares. 4 (foll. by on, upon) a forceful or insistent attempt to make a person or thing provide something. —v.tr. 1 make a raid on (a person, place, or thing). 2 plunder, deplete. 00 raider n. [ME, Sc. form of OE rad RoAD}]

rail! /reil/ n. & v. —n. 1

level or sloping bar or series of bars:

a used to hang things on. b running along the top of a set of banisters. ¢ forming part of a fence or barrier as protection against contact, falling over, etc. 2 a steel bar or continuous line of bars laid on the ground, usu. as one of a pair forming a railway track. 3 (often attrib.) a railway (send it by rail; rail fares). 4 (in pl.) the inside boundary fence of a racecourse. 5 a horizontal piece in the frame of a panelled door etc. (cf. sTILE?). —v.tr. 1 furnish with a rail or rails. 2 (usu. foll. by in, off) enclose with rails (a small space was railed off). 3 convey (goods) by rail. 0 off the rails disorganized; out of order; deranged. over the rails over the side of a ship. rail fence esp. US a fence made of posts and rails. rail gun an electromagnetic projectile launcher used esp. as an anti-missile weapon. oo railage n. railless adj. [ME f. OF reille iron rod f. L regula RULE] wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

language; rant. 00 railer n. railing n. & adj. [ME f. F railler f. Prov. ralhar jest, ult. f. L rugire bellow]

rail® /rerl/ n. any bird of the family Rallidae, often inhabiting

railcard |'rerlka:d/ n. Brit. a pass entitling the holder to reduced rail fares.

railhead /'reilhed/ n. 1 the furthest point reached bya railway under construction. 2 the point on a railway at which road transport of goods begins. railing /'reilin/ n. 1 (usu. in pl.) a fence or barrier made of rails. 2 the material for these.

raillery /'rerlori/n. (pl. -ies) 1 good-humoured ridicule; rallying. 2 an instance of this. [F raillerie (as RAIL”)]

railman /'retlmon/ n. (pl. -men) = RAILWAYMAN. railroad /'reilraud/ n. & v. —n. esp. US = RAILWAY.’ —V.tr. 1 (often foll. by to, into, through, etc.) rush or coerce (a person or thing) (railroaded me into going too). 2 send (a person) to prison by means of false evidence. railway /|'rerlwei/n. 1 a track or set of tracks made of steel rails upon which goods trucks and passenger trains run. (See below.) 2 such a system worked by a single company (Great Western Railway). 3 the organization and personnel required for its working. 4 a similar set of tracks for other vehicles etc. o railway-yard the area where rolling-stock is kept and made up into trains. When a workable steam locomotive was first evolved the idea of a well-laid track of wooden or iron rails on which a ‘train’ of wagons could be drawn by a horse with less effort than on a rough-surfaced road was already familiar. Such tracks had long been used at collieries, and it was on one of these that Richard Trevithick’s steam locomotive ran in 1804, After the success of George Stephenson’s definitive Rocket in 1830, railways were proposed for many parts of the country. Development was rapid, though opposed by private landowners (who demanded vast payments for a route over their land), and by canal companies (who feared loss of business), but urged by manufacturers and traders who wanted this new form of quick and reliable transport. Railways played a large part in the growing industrial power of Britain in the 19th c., and until the 1860s were an exclusively British industry. By 1920 Britain had 36,800 km (23,000 miles) of track, but after that the railways ceased to grow and road transport began to expand; in recent decades many of the less used lines have been abandoned. Steam locomotives have largely given way to diesel-electric, in which an engine-driven generator supplies power to a number of electric motors driving several axles, and speeds of up to 200 kilometres an hour (125 m.p.h.) are used on main lines. Many busy routes are now electrified, using either insulated overhead wires or an insulated third rail to supply electricity to the motors of the train. Such a system will allow nuclear power to supply the system even when fossil fuels are scarce. railwayman |'retlwermon/ n. (pl. -men) a railway employee. raiment /'rermont/ n. archaic clothing. [ME f. obs. arrayment (as ARRAY)] rain /remn/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the condensed moisture of the atmosphere falling visibly in separate drops. b the fall of such drops. 2 (in pl.) a rainfalls. b (prec. by the) the rainy season in tropical countries. 3 a falling liquid or solid particles or objects. b the rainlike descent of these. ¢ a large or overwhelming quantity (a rain of congratulations). —v. 1 intr. (prec. by it as subject) rain falls (it is raining; ifit rains). 2 a intr. fall in showers or like rain (tears rained down their cheeks; blows rain upon him). b tr. (prec. by it as subject) send in large quantities (it rained blood; it is raining invitations). 3 tr. send down like rain; lavishly bestow (rained benefits on us; rained blows upon him). 4 intr. (of the sky, the clouds, etc.) send down rain. o rain cats and dogs see cart. rain check US 1 a ticket given for later use when a sporting fixture or other outdoor event is interrupted or postponed by

tf chip»

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

rainbird

rale

1194 a

eS

SS

ES

rain. 2 a promise that an offer will be maintained though deferred. rain-cloud a cloud bringing rain. rain forest lux-

SS

rare

one’s eyes see EYE. raise from the dead restore to life. raise one’s glass to drink the health of. raise one’s hand to make

as if to strike (a person). raise one’s hat (often foll. by to) remove uriant tropical forest with heavy rainfall. rain dance a dance performed bya tribal group etc. in the hope of summoning rain. . it momentarily as a gesture of courtesy or respect. raise hell collog. make a disturbance. raise a laugh cause others to laugh. rain-gauge an instrument measuring rainfall. rain-making raise a person’s spirits give him or her new courage or the action of attempting to increase rainfall by artificial means. cheerfulness. raise one’s voice speak, esp. louder. raise the rain off (or US out) (esp. in passive) cause (an event etc.) to be wind Brit. procure money for a purpose. 00 raisable adj. [ME terminated or cancelled because of rain. rain or shine whether f. ON reisa, rel. to REAR?] it rains or not. rain-shadow aregion shielded from rain by mountains etc. rain-wash 1 loose material carried away by raisin /'re1z(2)n/ n. a partially dried grape. 00 raisiny adj. [ME rain. 2 the movement of this. rain-worm the common f. OF ult. f. L racemus grape-bunch] earthworm. O00 rainless adj. raintight adj. [OE regn, rén, regnian raison d étre |,re123 'detr/ n. (pl. raisons d’étre pronunc. same) f. Gmc] a purpose or reason that accounts for or justifies or originally rainbird /'rembs:d/ n. a bird said to foretell rain by its cry, esp. caused a thing’s existence. [F, = reason for being] the green woodpecker. raj /ra:d3/ n. (prec. by the) hist. British sovereignty in India. [Hindi

rainbow /'rembou/ n. & adj. —n. 1 an arch of colours (con-

ventionally red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) formed in the sky (or across a cataract etc.) opposite the sun by reflection, twofold refraction, and dispersion of the sun’s rays in falling rain or in spray or mist. 2 a similar effect formed by the moon’s rays. —adj. many-coloured. 0 rainbow lorikeet a small brightly coloured Polynesian parrot, Trichoglossus haematodus. rainbow trout a large trout, Salmo gairdneri, orig. of the Pacific coast of N. America. secondary rainbow an additional arch with the colours in reverse order formed inside or outside a rainbow by twofold reflection and twofold refraction. [OE regnboga (as RAIN, BOW})]

raj reign]

raja /'ra:d39/ n. (also rajah) hist. 1 an Indian king or prince. 2a petty dignitary or noble in India. 3 a Malay or Javanese chief. oo rajaship n. (Hindi raja f. Skr. rajan king]

Rajasthan

|,ra:dza'sta:n/ a State in NW India; pop. (1981)

34,102,900; capital, Jaipur. Oo Rajasthani adj. & n. raja yoga |'ra:d39/ n. a form of yoga intended to achieve control over the mind and emotions. [Skr. f. rajan king + yoca]

Rajput /'ra:dzpot, -pu:t/ n. (also Rajpoot) a member of a Hindu soldier caste claiming Kshatriya descent. [Hindi rajpit f. Skr. rajan king + putrd son]

Rainbow Bridge the world’s largest bridge of natural rock,

Rajputana /|,radzpu'ta:no/ a region of India consisting of a col-

situated in San Juan county in southern Utah. Its span is 86m

lection of former States which united to form the Stat¢ of Rajasthan in 1948.

(278 ft.). raincoat /'remkout/ n. a waterproof or water-resistant coat.

Rajshahii /ra:d3'fa:j1, 'ra:dz-/ a port on the Ganges River in

raindrop /'remdrop/ n. a single drop of rain. [OE regndropa] rainfall /'reinfo:]/ n. 1 a fall of rain. 2 the quantity of rain falling

western Bangladesh; pop. (1981) 253,700. rake! /re1k/ n. & v. —n. 1 a an implement consisting of a pole with a crossbar toothed like a comb at the end, or with several tines held together by a crosspiece, for drawing together hay etc. or smoothing loose soil or gravel. b a wheeled implement for the same purpose. 2 a similar implement used for other purposes, e.g. by a croupier drawing in money at a gaming-table. —v. 1 tr. collect or gather or remove with or as with a rake. 2 tr. make tidy or smooth with a rake (raked it level). 3 intr. use a rake. 4 tr. & intr. search with or as with a rake, search thoroughly, ransack. 5 tr. a direct gunfire along (a line) from end to end. b sweep with the eyes. ¢ (of a window etc.) have a commanding view of. 6 tr. scratch or scrape. 0 rake in collog. amass (profits etc.). rake-off collog. a commission or share, esp. in a disreputable deal. rake up (or over) revive the memory of

within a given area in a given time.

Rainier /'remnio(r), Mount the highest volcanic peak in the Cascade Range in SW Washington, rising to a height of 4,395 m

(14,410 ft.).

rainproof /'reinpru:f] adj. (esp. of a building, garment, etc.) resistant to rainwater. rainstorm /'reinsto:m/ n. a storm with heavy rain. rainwater /'re1n,wo:to(r)/ n. water obtained from collected rain, as distinct from a well etc. rainy /'remi/ adj. (rainier, rainiest) 1 (of weather, a climate, day, region, etc.) in or on which rain is falling or much rain usually falls. 2 (of cloud, wind, etc.) laden with or bringing rain. O rainy day a time of special need in the future. 00 rainily adv. raininess n. [OE rénig (as RAIN)] raise /reiz/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 put or take into a higher position. 2 (often foll. by up) cause to rise or stand up or be vertical; set upright. 3 increase the amount or value or strength of (raised their prices). 4 (often foll. by up) construct or build up. 5 levy or collect or bring together (raise money; raise an army). 6 cause to be heard or considered (raise a shout; raise an objection). 7 set going or bring into being; rouse (raise a protest; raise hopes). 8 bring up; educate. 9 breed or grow (raise one’s own vegetables). 10 promote to a higher rank. 11 (foll. by to) Math. multiply a quantity to a specified power. 12 cause (bread) to rise with yeast. 13 Cards a bet more than (another player). b increase (a stake). ¢ Bridge make a bid contracting for more tricks in the same suit as (one’s partner); increase (a bid) in this way. 14 abandon or force an enemy to abandon (a siege or blockade). 15 remove (a barrier or embargo). 16 cause (a ghost etc.) to appear (opp. Lay! 6b). 17 collog. find (a person etc. wanted). 18 establish contact with (a person etc.) by radio or telephone. 19 (usu. as raised adj.) cause (pastry etc.) to stand without support (a raised pie). 20 Naut. come in sight of (land, a ship, etc.). 21 make a nap on (cloth). 22 extract from the earth. —n. 1 Cards an increase in a stake or bid (cf. sense 13 of v.). 2 esp. US an increase in salary. 0 raise Cain see CAIN. raised beach Geol. a beach lying above water level owing to changes since its formation. raise the devil collog. make a disturbance. raise a dust 1 cause turmoil. 2 obscure the truth. raise one’s eyebrows see EYEBROW. raise

w cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

(past quarrels, grievances, etc.). 00 raker n. [OE raca, racu f. Gmc, partly f. ON raka scrape, rake] rake? /reik/ n. a dissolute man of fashion. 0 rake’s progress a progressive deterioration, esp. through self-indulgence (the title of a series of engravings by Hogarth 1735). [short for archaic rakehell in the same sense]

rake? /reik/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & intr. set or be set at a sloping angle. 2 intr. a (of a mast or funnel) incline from the perpendicular towards the stern. b (of a ship or its bow or stern) project at the upper part of the bow or stern beyond the keel. —n. 1 raking position or build. 2 the amount by which a thing rakes. 3 the slope of the stage or the auditorium in a theatre. 4 the slope of a seat-back etc. 5 the angle of the edge or face of a cutting tool. [17th c.: prob. rel. to G ragen project, of unkn. orig.] raki /ro'ki:, 'reeki/ n. (pl. rakis) any of various spirits made in E. Europe and the Middle East. [Turk. raqi]

rakish! /'rerki{/ adj. of or like a rake (see RAKE?); dashing; jaunty. 00 rakishly adv. rakishness n.

rakish? /'rerki{/ adj. (of a ship) smart and fast-looking, seemingly built for speed and therefore open to suspicion of piracy. [RAKE3, assoc. with RAKE?] raku /'ra:ku:/ n. a kind of Japanese earthenware, usu. leadglazed. [Jap., lit. enjoyment] rale /ra:l/ n. an abnormal rattling sound heard in the auscultation of unhealthy lungs. [F f. rdler to rattle]

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

vo put

u: too

a ago

al my

Raleigh Raleigh! /'ra:li/ the capital of North Carolina; pop. (1980) 150,255.

and courtier, a favourite of Elizabeth I who conferred a knighthood upon him. He organized several voyages of exploration and colonization to North America, including the first unsuccessful attempt to settle Virginia (now North Carolina); from his expeditions he brought back the potato and the tobacco plant. Raleigh was imprisoned in 1603 by the new king James I on a flimsy charge of conspiracy; while in the Tower of London he wrote his History of the World. Released to undertake an expedition in search of the fabled land of El Dorado, he became involved in military action with the Spanish, and on his return emptyhanded was executed on the original charge of conspiracy.

rall. /rzl/ adv. & adj. & n. = RALLENTANDO. [abbr.] rallentando |,rzlen'tendov| adv., adj., & n. Mus. —adv, & adj. with a gradual decrease of speed. —n. (pl. -os or rallentandi |-dt/) a passage to be performed in this way. [It.]

ralli car /'reli/ n. (also ralli cart) hist. a light two-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle for four persons. [Ralli, name of the first purchaser 1885]

ralline /'rzlain/ adj. of the bird-family Rallidae (see a [mod.L rallus RAIL]

rally! /'reli/ v. & n. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 tr. & intr. (often foll. by round, behind, to) bring or come together as support or for concentrated action. 2 tr. & intr. bring or come together again after a rout or dispersion. 3 a intr. renew a conflict. b tr. cause to do this. 4 a tr. revive (courage etc.) by an effort of will. b tr. rouse (a person or animal) to fresh energy. ¢ inir. pull oneself

5 intr. recover after illness or prostration or fear,

regain health or consciousness, revive. 6 intr. (of share-prices etc.) increase after a fall. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 an act of reassembling

forces or renewing conflict; a reunion for fresh effort. 2 a recovery of energy after or in the middle of exhaustion or illness. 3 a mass meeting of supporters or persons having a common interest. 4 a competition for motor vehicles, usu. over public roads. 5 (in lawn tennis etc.) an extended exchange of strokes between players. o rally-cross motor racing over roads and cross-country. 00 rallier n. [F rallier (as RE-, ALLY})]

rally? /'rzli/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) subject to good-humoured ridicule. [F railler: see RAIL?]

RAM abbr. 1 (in the UK) Royal Academy of Music. 2 Computing random-access memory. ram /rem/n. & v. —n. 1 an uncastrated male sheep, a tup. 2 (the Ram) the zodiacal sign or constellation Aries. 3 hist. a = battering ram (see BATTER!). b a beak projecting from the bow of a battleship, for piercing the sides of other ships. c a battleship with such a beak. 4 the falling weight of a pile-driving machine. 5 aa hydraulic water-raising or lifting machine. b the piston of a hydrostatic press. ¢ the plunger of a force-pump. —v.tr. (rammed, ramming) 1 force or squeeze into place by pressure. 2 (usu. foll. by down, in, into) beat down or drive in by heavy blows. 3 (of a ship, vehicle, etc.) strike violently, crash against. 4 (foll. by against, at, on, into) dash or violently impel. 0 ram home stress forcefully (an argument, lesson, etc.). 00 rammer n. [OE ram(m), perh. rel. to ON rammr strong] Rama /'ra:mo/ the hero of the Indian epic the Ramayana. He is the Hindu model of the ideal man, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu (see entry) and is widely venerated, by some sects as the supreme god. [Skr., = black, dark]

Ramadan /'remoden/ n. (also Ramadhan /-,zen/) the ninth month of the Muslim year, during which strict fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset. This is one of the five ‘Pillars of the Faith’ or basic ritual duties. The fast (which entails abstinence from food, water, tobacco, and sexual intercourse) takes place from dawn to sundown every day of the month, and Muslims are enjoined to perform devotions (prayer, reading of the Koran) in addition to the usual five daily ritual sequences of prayer. Emphasis is on Allah’s forgiveness and the atonement of sins. Those fasting are expected to live in especial simplicity during the month and to provide more than usual for the needy avo how

members of the community. [Arab. ramadan f. ramada be hot;

reason for name uncert.]

Raleigh? /'ra:lr, 'ro:i, ,r3l1/, Sir Walter (c.1552-1618), explorer

together.

Rameses

1195

er day

ov no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

va poor

Ramakrishna

|,ra:mo'krifno/ Gadadhar Chatterji (1836-86),

Indian Hindu mystic. He condemned lust, greed for money, and the caste system, and in his meditations became convinced that all religions are in essence the same and that all are true. His teachings were spread widely in the US and Europe by his most notable disciple Vivekananda (see entry). ramal /'rerm(a)l/ adj. Bot. of or proceeding from a branch. [L ramus branch] Raman /'ra:mon/, Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata (1888-1970), Indian physicist, discoverer of the Raman effect, that there is a change in the wavelength of light scattered within a substance (e.g. a liquid). His discovery, for which he was awarded the 1930 Nobel Prize for physics, was important for the study of molecular structure. Ramayana /ra:'marona/ n. a Sanskrit epic of India, composed c.300 Bc. It describes how Rama, aided by his brother and the monkey Hanuman, rescued his wife Sita from the clutches of Ravana, the ten-headed demon king of Lanka (according to some, modern Sri Lanka). [Skr., = exploits of Rama]

Rambert

/'ra:mbe(r)/, Dame Marie (1888-1982), real name

Cyvia Rambam, then Miriam Ramberg, Polish-British dancer, teacher, and ballet director. She opened a ballet school in London in 1920, the company being originally called Marie Rambert Dancers, then Ballet Club from 1930 and Ballet Rambert from 1935. One of the pioneers of modern British ballet, she discovered many young choreographers and dancers.

ramble /'remb()]/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 walk for pleasure, with or without a definite route. 2 wander in discourse, talk or write disconnectedly. —n. a walk taken for pleasure. [prob. f. MDu. rammelen (of an animal) wander about in sexual excitement, frequent. of rammen copulate with, rel. to RAM] rambler /'rembla(r)/ n. 1 a person who rambles. 2 a straggling or climbing rose (crimson rambler).

rambling

/'remblin/ adj. 1 peripatetic, wandering.

2 dis-

connected, desultory, incoherent. 3 (of a house, street, etc.) irregularly arranged. 4 (of a plant) straggling, climbing. 00 ramblingly adv.

Rambo /'rembou/ the hero of David Morrell’s novel First Blood (1972, popularized in films), a Vietnam war veteran popularly thought of as macho, self-sufficient, and bent on violent retribution.

rambunctious /rem'bankJos/ adj. US collog. 1 uncontrollably exuberant. 2. unruly. oO rambunctiously adv. rambunctiousness n. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] rambutan /rem'bu:t()n/ n. 1 a red plum-sized prickly fruit. 2 an East Indian tree, Nephelium lappaceum, that bears this. [Malay rambitan f. rambut hair, in allusion to its spines}

RAMC abbr. (in the UK) Royal Army Medical Corps. Rameau _/ra:'moo/, Jean-Philippe (1683-1764),

French

composer, best remembered for his stage works. His first opera was composed in 1733, when he was 50, but the 25 or so such works which followed mark him as a worthy successor to Lully and an important predecessor to Gluck.

ramekin /'remikim/ n. 1 (in full ramekin case or dish) a small dish for baking and serving an individual portion of food. 2 food served in such a dish, esp. a small quantity of cheese baked with breadcrumbs, eggs, etc. [F ramequin, of LG or Du. orig.] Rameses /'rzmsi:z/ the name of 11 Egyptian pharaohs: Rameses II ‘the Great’ (1290-1224 Bc, 19th Dynasty), famed for his numerous self-aggrandizing monuments which are a testimony to Egypt’s wealth at the time. For practical reasons, early in his reign he established a new capital in the eastern part of the Nile delta. His major foreign campaign was his offensive against the Hittites, leading his troops in person; the campaign ended indecisively but a treaty followed. Having outlived much of his family Rameses was succeeded by his thirteenth son, Merneptah. Rameses III (1194-1163 Bc, 20th Dynasty), the last great imperial pharaoh. He fought decisive battles against the Libyans and the Sea Peoples who attempted invasions, thus salvaging

ato fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

ramie

randy

1196

Ramsay? /'remz1/, Sir William (1852-1916), Scottish chemist,

Egypt’s integrity until the Persian period. After his death the power of Egypt declined steadily. ramie /'rem1/ n. 1 any of various tall East Asian plants of the genus Boehmeria, esp. B. nivea. 2 a strong fibre obtained from this, woven into cloth. [Malay rami}

discoverer of the rare gases of the atmosphere, for which he was awarded the 1904 Nobel Prize for chemistry. This work was - initiated after a discussion with Lord Rayleigh (see entry) in 1892 about why nitrogen prepared in the laboratory should be slightly less dense than when isolated from the air, a pheramification |,rzmuifi'ker{(2)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of nomenon already observed by Cavendish in 1785; Ramsay ramifying; the state of being ramified. 2 a subdivision of a decided that atmospheric nitrogen must be contaminated by a complex structure or process comparable to a tree’s branches. heavier gas. Between 1894 and 1903 he discovered the existence [F f. ramifier: see RAMIFY] of five chemically inert gases: argon, helium and, with the help ramify /'rzm1,fai/ v. (-ies, -ied) 1 intr. form branches or subof the chemist Morris William Travers (1872-1961), neon, divisions or offshoots, branch out. 2 tr. (usu. in passive) cause to krypton, and xenon, and determined their atomic weights and branch out; arrange in a branching manner. [F ramifier f. med.L places in the periodic table. In 1910 with Soddy and Sir Robert ramificare f. L ramus branch] Whytlaw-Gray (1877-1958) he identified the last member of the Ramillies /'rzemuliz/ a village in Belgium, scene of a battle in rare (or noble) gases, radon, the product of radioactive decay. 1706 (see MARLBOROUGH). ramshackle /'rem,Jzk(s)l/ adj. (usu. of a house or vehicle) ramin /re'mi:n/ n. 1 any Malaysian tree of the genus Gonystylus, tumbledown, rickety. [earlier ramshackled past part. of obs. ranesp. G. bancanus. 2 the light-coloured hardwood obtained from sackle RANSACK] this tree. [Malay] ramsons /'rzms(9)nz/ n. (usu. treated as sing.) 1 a broad-leaved ramjet /'rzemdzet/ n. a type of jet engine in which air is drawn garlic, Allium ursinum, with elongate pungent-smelling bulbous in and compressed by the forward motion of the engine. roots. 2 the root of this, eaten as a relish. [OE hramsan pl. of rammer see RAM. hramsa wild garlic, later taken as sing.] rammy /|'rzmi/ n. (pl. -ies) Sc. sl. a brawl, a fight (esp. between RAN abbr. Royal Australian Navy. gangs); a quarrel. [perh. f. Sc. rammle row, uproar, var. of RAMBLE] ran past of RUN.

Ram6on

y Cajal /ra'moon i: ko'ha:l/, Santiago (1852-1934),

ranch /ra:nt{/n. & v. —n. 1 aa cattle-breeding establishment esp. in the US and Canada. b a farm where other animals are

Spanish histologist who was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1906 (jointly with Golgi) for establishing that the neurone or nerve cell is the fundamental unit of the nervous system. ramose /'rzmous, 'ret-/ adj. branched; branching. [L ramosus f. ramus branch]

bred (mink ranch).

ramp! /remp/n. & v. —n. 1 slope or inclined plane, esp. for joining two levels of ground, floor, etc. 2 movable stairs for entering or leaving an aircraft. 3 an upward bend inastair-rail. 4 Brit. a transverse ridge in a road to control the speed of vehicles. —v. 1 tr. furnish or build with a ramp. 2 intr. aassume or be in a threatening posture. b (often foll. by about) storm, rage, rush. ¢ Heraldry be rampant. 3 intr. Archit. (of a wall) ascend or descend to a different level. [ME (as verb in heraldic sense) f. F rampe f. OF ramper creep, craw]] ramp? /remp)/ n. & v. Brit. sl. —n. a swindle or racket, esp. one conducted by the levying of exorbitant prices. —v. 1 intr. engage in a ramp, 2 tr. subject (a person etc.) to a ramp. [16th c.: orig. unkn.] rampage /rem'peid3/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 (often foll. by about) Tush wildly or violently about. 2 rage, storm. —n. /often 'raem-/ wild or violent behaviour. 0 on the rampage rampaging. 00 rampageous adj. rampager n. [18th c., perh. f. RAMP] rampant /'rempont/ adj. 1 (placed after noun) Heraldry (of an

animal) standing on its left hind foot with its forefeet raised, right higher than left, facing dexter (lion rampant). 2 unchecked, flourishing excessively (rampant violence). 3 violent or extravagant in action or opinion (rampant theorists), 4 rank, luxuriant. OO rampancy n. rampantly adv. [ME f. OF, part. of ramper: see RAMP!] rampart /'rempa:t/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa defensive wall with a broad top and usu. a stone parapet. b a walkway on top of such a wall. 2 a defence or protection. —v.tr. fortify or protect with or as with a rampart. [F rempart, rempar f. remparer fortify f. emparer take possession of, ult. f. L ante before + parare prepare] rampion /'rempion/ n. 1a bellflower, Campanula rapunculus, with white tuberous roots used as a salad. 2 any of various plants of the genus Phyteuma, with clusters of hornlike buds and flowers. [ult. f. med.L rapuncium, rapontium, prob. f. L rapum RAPE?| ramrod /'remrpd/ n. 1 a rod for ramming down the charge of a muzzle-loading firearm. 2 a thing that is very straight or rigid. Ramsay! /'ramz1/, Allan (1713-84), Scottish portrait painter. The grace and sensitivity of his style, particularly in his portraits of women (e.g. his wife, Margaret Lindsay, 1755) was much sought after and he was aserious rival to Reynolds in the 1750s. However, in the 1760s he increasingly delegated work to his studio assistants to leave him free to pursue the literary and archaeological interests that dominated his last years. b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

2 US a single-storey or split-level house.

—-v.intr. farm on a ranch. [Sp. rancho group of persons eating together] rancher /|'ra:ntfa(r)/ n. 1 a person who farms on a ranch. 2 US a modern single-storey house. ranchero /ra:n't{earau/ n. (pl. -os) a person who farms or works on a ranch, esp. in Mexico. [Sp. (as RANCH)]

Ranchi /'ra:ntf1/ the summer capital of Bihar State in India; pop. (1981) 501,000.

rancid /'rensid/ adj. smelling or tasting like rank stale fat. o0 rancidity /-'siditi/ n. rancidness n. [L rancidus stinking] rancour /'renko(r)/ n. (US rancor) inveterate bitterness, malignant hate, spitefulness. 00 rancorous adj. rancorously adv. [ME f. OF f. LL rancor -oris (as RANCID)]

Rand /rend, ra:nt/, the = WITWATERSRAND. rand! /rend, ra:nt/ n. 1 the chief monetary unit of South Africa and some neighbouring countries. 2 S_Afr. a ridge of high ground on either side of a river. [Afrik., = edge, rel. to RAND2: sense 1 f. the RAND] rand? /rend| n. a levelling-strip of leather between the heel and sides of a shoe or boot. [OE f. Gmc]

R & B abbr. (also R. & B.) rhythm and blues. R & D abbr. (also R. & D.) research and development. Randers /'ra:noz/ a port of Denmark, on the east coast of the Jutland peninsula; pop. (1988) 61,150. random. /'rendom| adj. 1 made, done, etc., without method or conscious choice (random selection). 2 Statistics a with equal chances for each item. b given by a random process. 3 (of masonry) with stones of irregular size and shape. 0 at random without aim or purpose or principle. random-access Computing (of a memory or file) having all parts directly accessible, so that it need not read sequentially. random error Statistics an error in measurement caused by factors which vary from one measurement to another. 00 randomize v.tr. (also -ise). randomization /-'ze1{(9)n/ n. randomly adv. randomness n. [ME f. OF randon great speed f. randir gallop]

R and Rabbr. (also R. and R.) 1 rescue and resuscitation. 2 rest and recreation. 3 rock and roll.

Randstad /'ro:nsta:t/ a conurbation in the north-west of The Netherlands that stretches in a horseshoe shape from Dordrecht and Rotterdam round to Utrecht and Amersfoort via The Hague, Leiden, Haarlem, and Amsterdam. The majority of the people of The Netherlands live in this area. Its Dutch name means ‘Ting of towns’. randy /'rendi/ adj. (randier, randiest)

kcat

lleg

m man

n no

Pp pen

1 lustful; eager for

rred s sit

t top

v voice

ranee

sexual gratification. 2 Sc. loud-tongued, boisterous, lusty. oo randily adv. randiness n. [perh. f. obs. rand f. obs. Du. randen, ranten RANT] ranee /'ra:ni/ n. (also rani) hist. a raja’s wife or widow; a Hindu queen. [Hindi rani = Skr. rajni fem. of rajan king] rang past of RING. rangatira /,reengo'ti:ra/ n. NZ a Maori chief or noble. [Maori] range /reind3/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the region between limits of variation, esp. as representing a scope of effective operation (a voice of astonishing range; the whole range of politics). b such limits. c a limited scale or series (the range of the thermometer readings is about 10 degrees). 2 the area included in or concerned with something. 3 a the distance attainable by a gun or projectile (the enemy are out of range). b the distance between a gun or projectile and its objective. 4 a row, series, line, or tier, esp. of mountains or buildings. 5 a an open or enclosed area with targets for shooting. b a testing-ground for military equipment. 6 aa fireplace with ovens and hotplates for cooking. b US an electric or gas cooker. 7 the area over which a thing, esp. a plant or animal, is distributed (gives the ranges of all species). 8 the distance that can be covered by a vehicle or aircraft without refuelling. 9 the distance between a camera and the subject to be photographed. 10 the extent of time covered by a forecast etc. 11 a a large area of open land for grazing or hunting. ba tract over which one wanders. 12 lie, direction (the range of the strata is east and west). —v. 1 intr. a reach; lie spread out; extend; be found or occur over a specified district; vary between limits (ages ranging from twenty to sixty). b run in a line (ranges north and south). 2 tr. (usu. in passive or refl.) place or arrange in a row or ranks or in a specified situation or order or company (ranged their troops; ranged themselves with the majority party; trees ranged in ascending order of height). 3 intr. rove, wander (ranged through the woods; his thoughts range over past, present, and future). 4 tr. traverse in all directions (ranging the woods). 5. Printing a tr. Brit. make (type) lie flush at the ends of successive lines. b intr. (of type) lie flush. 6 intr. a (often foll. by with) be level. b (foll. by with, among) rank; find one’s right place (ranges with the great writers). 7 intr. a (of a gun) send a projectile over a specified distance (ranges over a mile). b (of a projectile) cover a specified distance. c obtain the range of a target by adjustment after firing past it or short of it. O ranging-pole (or -rod) Surveying a pole or rod for setting a straight line. [ME f. OF range row, rank f. ranger f. rang RANK] rangé |ra'3e1/ adj. (fem. rangée) domesticated, orderly, settled. rangefinder /'reind3,famndo(r)/ n. an instrument for estimating the distance of an object, esp. one to be shot at or photographed. ranger /'remnd3o(r)/ n. 1 a keeper of a royal or national park, or of a forest. 2 a member of a body of armed men, esp.: aa mounted soldier. b US a commande. 3 (Ranger) Brit. a senior Guide. (See Girt GUIDES ASSOCIATION.) 4 a wanderer. oO rangership n. Rangoon /ren'gu:n/ (also Yangon /jzn'g9:n/) from 1989 called Yangon, the capital and a seaport of Burma, on the Rangoon river, one of the mouths of the Irrawaddy; pop. (1983) 2,458,712. rangy /'rernd31/ adj. (rangier, rangiest) (of a person) tall and slim.

rani var. of RANEE. Ranjit Singh /'rendz1t 's1n/ (1780-1839), Sikh ruler, who made the Punjab the most powerful State in India and earned himself the nickname ‘Lion of the Punjab’. Succeeding his father at the age of 12, he seized Lahore from the Afghans in 1799 and secured the holy city of Amritsar in 1802. By agreement with the British authorities the eastern boundary of his State remained on the Sutlej River, but with his large army, trained by French officers, he expanded his rule westwards, took control of Kashmir, and annexed Peshawar. At the end of the Sikh Wars following his death most of his territory was taken by Britain.

Rank /renk/, Joseph Arthur, 1st Baron (1888-1972), English industrialist and film executive, who built up the Rank Organization, a film production, distribution, and exhibition company, which he founded in 1946. While working in his father’s prosperous flour business (Rank Hovis McDougall Ltd.) wwe

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ranunculus

1197

f she

3 decision

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x loch

he became interested in films when, as a Methodist Sunday School teacher, he realized that they could be an ideal medium for spreading the Gospel. In addition, his patriotic sense was offended by American domination of the British film industry. By the late 1940s the Rank Organization, whose trademark was a muscular man beating an outsize gong, owned or controlled the leading British studios. A shrewd financier, Rank was quick to diversify his interests when cinema output dwindled in the 1950s.

rank! /renk/ n. & v. —n. 1 @a position in a hierarchy, a grade of advancement. b a distinct social class, a grade of dignity or achievement (people of all ranks; in the top rank of performers).°c high social position (persons of rank). da place in a scale. 2a row or line. 3 a single line of soldiers drawn up abreast. 4 Brit. a place where taxis stand to await customers. 5 order, array. 6 Chess a row of squares across the board (cf. FILE?). —v. 1 intr. have rank or place (ranks next to the king). 2 tr. classify, give a certain grade to. 3 tr. arrange (esp. soldiers) in a rank or ranks. 4US a tr. take precedence of (a person) in respect to rank. b intr. have the senior position among the members of a hierarchy etc. O break rank fail to remain in line. close ranks maintain solidarity. keep rank remain in line. other ranks soldiers other than commissioned officers. rank and fashion high society. rank and file ordinary undistinguished people (orig. = the ranks). the ranks the common soldiers, i.e. privates and corporals. rise from the ranks 1 (of a private or a noncommissioned officer) receive a commission. 2 (of a self-made man or woman) advance by one’s own exertions. [OF ranc, renc, f. Gmc, rel. to RING!] rank? /ryk/ adj. 1 too luxuriant, coarse; choked with or apt to produce weeds or excessive foliage. 2 a foul-smelling, offensive. b loathsome, indecent, corrupt. 3 flagrant, virulent, gross, complete, unmistakable, strongly marked (rank outsider). 00 rankly adv. rankness n. [OE ranc f. Gmc] ranker /'rznko(r)/ n. 1 a soldier in the ranks. 2 a commissioned officer who has been in the ranks. ranking /'renkin/n. & adj. —n. ordering by rank; classification. —adj. US having a high rank or position. rankle /'renk(s)l/ v.intr. 1 (of envy, disappointment, etc., or their cause) Cause persistent annoyance or resentment. 2 archaic (of a wound, sore, etc.) fester, continue to be painful. [ME (in sense 2) £..OF rancler f. rancle, draoncle festering sore f. med.L ¢ ‘anculus, dracunculus dimin. of draco serpent] ransack /'renszkj v.tr. 1 pillage or plunder (a house, country, etc.). 2 thoroughly search (a place, a receptacle, a person’s pockets, one’s conscience, etc.). 00 ransacker n. [ME f. ON rannsaka f. rann house + -saka f. seekja seek] ransom /'rensom/ n. & v. —n. 1 a sum of money or other payment demanded or paid for the release of a prisoner. 2 the liberation of a prisoner in return for this. —v.tr. 1 buy the freedom or restoration of; redeem. 2 hold to ransom. 3 release for a ransom. OO ransomer n. (in sense 1 of v.). [ME f. OF ransoun(er) f. L redemptio -onis REDEMPTION]

Ransome

/'rensomj, Arthur

Michell

(1884-1967),

English

writer. As a journalist he covered the revolution in Russia, and he published a successful collection of Russian legends and fairy stories. His second wife, Eugenia Shelepin, had been Trotsky’s secretary. Ransome is remembered chiefly for his novels for children, beginning with Swallows and Amazons (1930) and ending with Great Northern? (1947), which reflect his keen interest in sailing, fishing, and the countryside. rant /rent/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. use bombastic language. 2 tr. & intr. declaim, recite theatrically. 3 tr. & intr. preach noisily. —n. 1 piece of ranting, a tirade. 2 empty turgid talk. 00 ranter n. rantingly n. [Du. ranten rave]

ranunculaceous /ra,nankju'lerfas/ adj. of or relating to the family Ranunculaceae of flowering plants, including clematis and delphiniums. ranunculus /ra'nankjules/ n. (pl. ranunculuses or ranunculi /-lai/) any plant of the genus Ranunculus, usu. having bowlshaped flowers with many stamens and carpels, including buttercups and crowfoots. [L, orig. dimin. of rana frog] tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

RAOC

rare earth

1198

raphia var. of RAFFIA.

RAOC abbr. (in the UK) Royal Army Ordnance Corps.

raphide /'rerfaid/ n. a needle-shaped crystal of an irritant subrap! /rep/n. & v. —n. 1a smart slight blow. 2 a knock, a sharp stance such as oxalic acid formed in a plant. [back-form. f. tapping sound. 3 sl. blame, censure, or punishment. 4 sl. a conversation. 5 a a rhyming monologue recited rhythmically . raphides pl. of raphis f. Gk rhaphis -idos needle] rapid /'repid/ adj. & n. —adj. (rapider, rapidest) 1 quick, to prerecorded music. b (in full rap music) a style of rock music swift. 2 acting or completed in a short time. 3 (of a slope) with a pronounced beat and words recited rather than sung. descending steeply. 4 Photog. fast. —n. (usu. in pl.) a steep —v. (rapped, rapping) 1 tr. strike smartly. 2 intr. knock; make descent in a river-bed, with a swift current. o rapid a sharp tapping sound (rapped on the table). 3 tr. criticize eye-movement a type of jerky movement of the eyes beneath adversely. 4 intr. sl. talk. 0 beat the rap US escape punishment. closed eyelids during sleep, associated with periods of dreaming. rap on (or over) the knuckles a reprimand or reproof. rap out rapid-fire (attrib.) fired, asked, etc., in quick succession. rapid 1 utter (an oath, order, pun, etc.) abruptly or on the spur of the transit (attrib.) denoting high-speed urban transport of moment. 2 Spiritualism express (a message or word) by raps. passengers. 00 rapidity /ro'piditi/ n. rapidly adv. rapidness take the rap suffer the consequences. 00 rapper n. [ME, prob. n. [L rapidus f. rapere seize] imit.] rapier /'rerpra(r)/ n. a light slender sword used for thrusting. rap? /rep/ n. a small amount, the least bit (don’t care a rap). [Ir. [prob. f. Du. rapier or LG rappir, f. F rapiére, of unkn. orig.] ropaire Irish counterfeit coin] rapine /'rzpain, -pin/ n. rhet. plundering, robbery. [ME f. OF or rapacious /rs'peifas/ adj. grasping, extortionate, predatory. 00 f. L rapina f. rapere seize] rapaciously adv. rapaciousness n. rapacity /ro'pesiti/ n. [L rapax -acis f. rapere snatch] rapist /'rerpist/ n. a person who commits rape. rapparee |,repo'ri:/ n. hist. a 17th-c. Irish irregular soldier or RAPC abbr. (in the UK) Royal Army Pay Corps. freebooter. [Ir. rapaire short pike] rape! /reip/n. & v. —n. 1 a the act of forcing a woman to have rappee /rz'pi:/ n. a coarse kind of snuff. [F (tabac) rapé rasped sexual intercourse against her will. b forcible sodomy. 2 (often (tobacco)] foll. by of) violent assault, forcible interference, violation. 3 poet. carrying off (esp. of a woman) by force. 4 an instance of rape. rappel /re'pel/ n. & v.intr. (rappelled, rappelling; US —v.tr. 1 commit rape on (a person, usu. a woman). 2 violate, rappeled, rappeling) = aBsEIL. [F, = recall, f. rappeler (as RE-, assault, pillage. 3 poet. take by force. [ME f. AF rap(er) f. L rapere APPEAL)] seize] rapport /rz'po:(r)/ n. 1 relationship or communication, esp. rape? /rerp/ n. a plant, Brassica napus, grown as food for sheep when useful and harmonious (in rapport with; establish a rapport). and for its seed, from which oil is made. Also called co1za, 2 Spiritualism communication through a medium. [F f. rapporter COLE. 0 rape-cake rape-seed pressed into a flat shape after the (as RE-, AP-, porter f. L portare carry)] extraction of oil and used as manure or cattle food. rape-oil rapporteur /,repo:'ts:(r)/ n. a person who prepares an account an oil made from rape-seed and used as a lubricant and in of the proceedings of a committee etc. for a higher body. [F (as foodstuffs. [ME f. L rapum, rapa turnip] RAPPORT)| rape? /reip/ n. hist. (in the UK) any of the six ancient divisions rapprochement |rz'pro{m4G/n.the resumptionofharmonious of Sussex. [OE, var. of rap ROPE, with ref. to the fencing-off of relations, esp. between States. [F f. rapprocher (as RE-, APPROACH)] land] rapscallion /rep'skezljan/ n. archaic or joc. a rascal, scamp, or rape? /rerp/ n. 1 the refuse of grapes after wine-making, used rogue. [earlier rascallion, perh. f. RASCAL] in making vinegar. 2 a vessel used in vinegar-making. [F rape, rapt /rzpt/ adj. 1 fully absorbed or intent, enraptured (listen with med.L raspa] rapt attention). 2 carried away with feeling or lofty thought. 3 Raphael! /'rzfe1(2)l/ one of the seven archangels enumerated carried away bodily. 00 raptly adv. raptness n. [ME f. L reptus in the Book of Enoch. He is said to have ‘healed’ the earth when past part. of rapere seize] it was defiled by the sins of the fallen angels. [Heb., = God has raptor /'repto(r)/ n. any bird of prey, e.g. an owl, falcon, etc. [L, healed] = ravisher, plunderer f. rapere rapt- seize] Raphael?

Italian

raptorial /rzp'to:risl/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a bird or animal)

painter whose refined elegant style epitomizes the humanistic spirit of the High Renaissance, influenced by Perugino, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo. By the age of 25 his reputation was

//'rzfex(s)l/ Raffaello

Sanzio

(1483-1520),

adapted for seizing prey; predatory. —n. 1 = RAPTOR. 2a predatory animal. [L raptor: see RAPTOR] rapture /'rzptfa(r)/ n. 1 a ecstatic delight, mental transport. b

sufficiently established for him to be entrusted with frescos for one of the papal rooms in the Vatican, and in 1514 he was appointed as chief architect of St Peter’s. Raphael’s numerous versions of the Virgin and Child showaserenity of expression and sense of deep inner integrity; in Rome (probably in 1512) he painted his greatest altarpiece, the Sistine Madonna, where Mother and Child appear among the clouds, still triumphantly and splendidly human but transcending the earthly conditions in which he had earlier represented them. His influence was widely spread: he became ‘the divine painter’, the model of all academies, and through a long tradition his forms and motifs have been used with a steady diminution of their values. In much 20th-c. criticism his naturalism and religious feeling have been at a discount, but his place is secure: in the technical ability to render rounded forms on a two-dimensional surface he remains an unrivalled executant, and he used his great formal sensibility to create memorable symbols of the traditional doctrines of the Christian Church. As well as his frescoes and oil paintings Raphael produced designs for tapestries, mosaics, and architectural projects, including a survey of ancient Rome. His important achievements as an architect, undertaken in later life, should not be underrated, and the elegant classicism of a building such as the Villa Madama has been no less influential on future generations than his painting. Raphael died in Rome in 1520, aged only 37 and at the height of his powers. wz cat

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(in pl.) great pleasure or enthusiasm or the expression of it. 2 archaic the act of transporting a person from one place to another. 0 go into (or be in) raptures be enthusiastic; talk enthusiastically. OOF rapturous adj. rapturously adv. rapturousness n. [obs. F rapture or med.L raptura (as RAPT)] rara@ avts |,reare levis, ,ra:ta 'evis/ n. (pl. rarae aves |-r1 -vi:z/) a rarity; a kind of person or thing rarely encountered. [L, = rare

bird] rare! /rea(r)/ adj. (rarer, rarest) 1 seldom done or found or occurring, uncommon, unusual, few and far between. 2 exceptionally good (had a rare time). 3 of less than the usual density, with only loosely packed substance (the rare atmosphere of the mountain tops). 0 rare bird = RARA AVIS. rare earth see separate entry. rare gas = noble gas. oO rareness n. [ME f. L rarus] rare? /rea(r)/ adj. (rarer, rarest) (of meat) underdone. [var. of obs. rear half-cooked (of eggs), f. OE hrér]

rarebit /'reobrt/ n. = Welsh rabbit. [RARE! + BIT] rare earth n. any of a class of 17 chemically similar metallic elements or their oxides, including scandium, yttrium, and the lanthanides (the term is sometimes applied to the lanthanides alone). These elements are not in fact ‘rare’ compared with many better-known metals, but they tend to occur together in nature and are difficult to separate from one another. It took over a century for all the elements to be identified after the oxide 1 sit

i: see

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raree-sShow

of the first, yttrium, was isolated in 1794. Nowadays mixtures of rare earths, as well as purified individual elements, have a wide variety of specialized uses, notably as industrial catalysts and in alloys. raree-show /'reori:,Jau/ n. 1 a show or spectacle. 2 a show carried about in a box; a peep-show. [app. = rare show as pronounced by Savoyard showmen] rarefy /'reart,fai/ v. (-ies, -ied) 1 tr. & intr. make or become less dense or solid (rarefied air). 2 tr. purify or refine (a person’s nature etc.). 3 tr. make (an idea etc.) subtle. 00 rarefaction /-'fek{(a)n/ n. rarefactive /-'fektrv/ adj. rarefication /-fi'ke1{(9)n/ n. [ME f. OF rarefier or med.L rarificare f. L rarefacere f. rarus rare + facere make] rarely /'reoli/ adv. 1 seldom; not often. 2 in an unusual degree; exceptionally. 3 exceptionally well. raring /'reorin/ adj. (foll. by to + infin.) collog. enthusiastic, eager (raring to go). [part. of rare, dial. var. of ROAR Or REAR?] rarity /'reoriti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 rareness. 2 an uncommon thing, esp. one valued for being rare. [F rareté or L raritas (as RARE})]

Ras al Khaimah |ra:s 21 'karma/ 1 one of the seven member states of the United Arab Emirates; pop. (1980) 116,470. 2 its capital city (Port Saqr); pop. (1980) 73,880. rascal /'ra:sk(o)l/ n. often joc. a dishonest or mischievous person, esp. a child. 00 rascaldom n. rascalism n. rascality /-'skelit1/ n. (pl. -ies). rascally adj. [ME f. OF rascaille rabble, prob. ult. f. L radere ras- scrape] rase var. of RAZE.

rash! /rzJ/ adj. reckless, impetuous, hasty; acting or done without due consideration. 00 rashly adv. rashness n. [ME, prob. f. OE resc (unrecorded) f. Gmc] rash? /rzf/ 1. 1 an eruption of the skin in spots or patches. 2 (usu. foll. by of) a sudden widespread phenomenon, esp. of something unwelcome (a rash of strikes). [18th c.: prob. rel. to OF ra(s)che eruptive sores, = It. raschia itch] rasher /'rzfa(r)/ n. a thin slice of bacon or ham. [16th c.: orig. unkn. rasp /ra:sp/ n. & v. —n. a coarse kind of file having separate teeth. —v. 1 tr. a scrape with a rasp. b scrape roughly. c(foll. by off, away) remove by scraping. 2 a intr. make a grating sound. b tr. say gratingly or hoarsely. 3 tr. grate upon (a person or a person’s feelings), irritate. 00 raspingly adv. raspy adj. [ME f. OF raspe(r) ult. f. WG] raspberry /'ra:zbori/ n.-(pl. -ies) 1 a a bramble, Rubus idaeus, having usu. red berries consisting of numerous drupels on a conical receptacle. b this berry. 2 any of various red colours. 3 collog. a a sound made with the lips expressing dislike, derision, or disapproval (orig. raspberry tart, rhyming sl. = fart). b a show of strong disapproval (got a raspberry from the audience). oO raspberry-cane a raspberry plant. raspberry vinegar a kind of syrup made from raspberries. [16th-c. rasp (now dial.) f. obs. raspis, of unkn. orig., + BERRY] ; rasper /'ra:spa(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that rasps. 2 Hunting a high difficult fence.

Rasputin /res'pu:tin/, Grigori Efimovich (1871-1916), Russian religious fanatic who came to exert great influence over Tsar Nicholas II and his family during the First World War by claiming miraculous powers to heal the heir to the throne, who suffered from haemophilia. A libertine and mystic, Rasputin was responsible in a large measure for the Tsar’s failure to respond to the rising tide of discontent which eventually resulted in the Russian Revolution. He was murdered by a group of nobles.

Rasta /'resto/ n. & adj. = RASTAFARIAN. [abbr.] Rastafarian |,resto'feorion/ n. & adj. —n. a member of the Rastafari sect, of Jamaican origin, which believes that Blacks are the chosen people, that the late Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia was God Incarnate, and that he will secure their repatriation to their homeland in Africa. —adj. of or relating to this sect. o0 Rastafarianism n. [the title and name Ras Tafari (Amharic, ras chief) by which Haile Selassie was known from 1916 until his accession in 1930] av how

er day

ov no

rate

1199

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to near

ot boy

uo poor

raster /'rzstoa(r)/ n. a pattern of scanning lines for a cathode-ray tube picture. [G, = screen, f. L rastrum rake f. radere ras- scrape] rat /ret/ n. & v. —n. 1 a any of several rodents of the genus Rattus (brown rat). b any similar rodent (muskrat; water-rat). 2 a deserter from a party, cause, difficult situation, etc.; a turncoat (from the superstition that rats desert a sinking ship). 3 colloq.

an unpleasant person. 4 a worker who refuses to joina strike, or who blacklegs. 5 (in pl.) sl. an exclamation of contempt, annoyance, etc. —v.intr. (ratted, ratting) 1 (of a person or dog) hunt or kill rats. 2 collog. desert a cause, party, etc. 3 (foll. by on) a betray; let down. b inform on. 0 rat-catcher a person who rids buildings of rats etc. rat kangaroo Austral. any of various small ratlike marsupials of the family Potoroidae, having kangaroo-like hind limbs for jumping. rat race a fiercely competitive struggle for position, power, etc. rat’s tail a thing shaped like a rat's tail, e.g. a tapering cylindrical file. rat-tail 1 the grenadier fish. 2 a horse with a hairless tail. 3 such atail. rat-tail (or -tailed) spoon a spoon with a tail-like moulding from the handle to the back of the bowl. [OE ret & OF rat] rata /'ra:to/ n. any large tree of the genus Metrosideros, esp. M. robusta of New Zealand, with crimson flowers and hard red wood. [Maori]

ratable var. of RATEABLE. ratafia |,rzto'fi:o/ n. 1 a liqueur flavoured with almonds or kernels of peach, apricot, or cherry. 2 a kind of biscuit similarly flavoured. [F, perh. rel. to TAFIA] ratan var. of RATTAN.

Ratana /'ra:tano/, Tahupotiki Wiremu (1870-1939), Maori political and religious leader. He attacked the traditional fears of the power of the spirit-world and sorcery and sought to introduce a heterodox belief in the Christian Trinity. Politically he sought advancement of Maori rights through recognition of the Treaty of Waitangi. Both the religious and the political aspects of this movement survived Ratana’s death.

rataplan |reto'plen/ n. & v. —n. a drumming sound.

—v.

(rataplanned, rataplanning) 1 tr. play (a tune) on or as on a drum. 2 intr. make a rataplan. [F: imit.] ratatat (also rat-a-tat) var. of RAT-TAT.

ratatouille /,rzto'tu:1, -'twi:/ n. a vegetable dish made of stewed onions, courgettes, tomatoes, aubergines, and peppers. [F dial.] ratbag /'rztbzg/ n. sl. an unpleasant or disgusting person. ratch /ret{/n. 1a ratchet. 2 a ratchet-wheel. [perh. f. G Ratsche: cf. RATCHET] ratchet /'rztfit/ n. & v. —n. 1 set of teeth on the edge of a bar or wheel in which a device engages to ensure motion in one direction only. 2 (in full ratchet-wheel) a wheel with a rim so toothed. —v. (ratcheted, ratcheting) 1 tr. a provide with a ratchet. b make into a ratchet. 2 tr. & intr. move as under the control of a ratchet. [F rochet blunt lance-head, bobbin, ratchet, etc., prob. ult. f, Gmc] rate! /reit/n. & v. —n. 1a stated numerical proportion between two sets of things (the second usu. expressed as unity), esp. as a measure of amount or degree (moving at a rate of 50 miles per hour) or as the basis of calculating an amount or value (rate of taxation). 2 a fixed or appropriate charge or cost or value; a measure of this (postal rates; the rate for the job). 3 rapidity of movement or change (travelling at a great rate; prices increasing at a dreadful rate). 4 class or rank(first-rate). 5 Brit. a an assessment levied by local authorities at so much per pound of the assessed value of buildings and land owned or leased. b (in pl.) the amount payable by this. Liability to rates originated in the Poor Relief Act of 1801. Domestic rates were replaced in 1989-90 by the community charge. —v. 1 tr. a estimate the worth or value of (I do not rate him very highly). b assign a fixed value to (a coin or metal) in relation to a monetary standard. c assign a value to (work, the power of a machine, etc.). 2 tr. consider; regard as

(I rate them among my benefactors). 3 intr. (foll. by as) rank or be rated. 4 tr. Brit. a subject to the payment of a local rate. b value for the purpose of assessing rates. 5 tr. be worthy of, deserve. 6 tr. Naut. place in a specified class (cf. RATING). 0 at any rate in any case, whatever happens. at this (or that) rate if this example is typical or this assumption is true. rate-capping

aia fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

rate

rationale |,rzfo'na:l/ n. 1 (often foll. by of) the fundamental

Brit. the imposition of an upper limit on the rate leviable by a local authority. [ME f. OF f. med.L rata f. L pro rata parte or portione according to the proportional share f. ratus past part. of reri reckon] rate? /rert/ v.tr. scold angrily. [ME: orig. unkn.]

reason or logical basis of anything. 2 a reasoned exposition; a statement of reasons. [mod.L, neut. of L rationalis: see RATIONAL]

rationalism /'reJono,l1z(2)m/ n. 1 Philos. the theory that reason

is the foundation of certainty in knowledge (opp. EMPIRICISM (see EMPIRIC), SENSATIONALISM). 2 Theol. the practice of treating reason as the ultimate authority in religion. 3 a belief in reason rather than religion as a guiding principle in life. oo rationalist n. rationalistic /-'listtk/ adj. rationalistically /lustikali/ adv. rationalize /'rzfono,laiz/ v. (also -ise) 1 a tr. offer or subconsciously adopt a rational but specious explanation of (one’s behaviour or attitude). b intr. explain one’s behaviour or attitude in this way. 2 tr. make logical and consistent. 3 tr. make (a business etc.) more efficient by reorganizing it to reduce or eliminate waste of labour, time, or materials. 4 tr. (often foll. by away) explain or explain away rationally. 5 tr. Math. clear of surds. 6 intr. be or act as a rationalist. 00 rationalization /-'zerf(o)n/ n. rationalizer n.

rate? var. of RET. rateable /'reitab(s)l/ adj. (also ratable) 1 Brit. liable to payment of rates. 2 able to be rated or estimated. 0 rateable value the value at which a house etc. is assessed for payment of rates. 00 rateability /-'biliti/ n. rateably adv. ratel /'rert(a)l, 'ra:-/ n. an African and Indian nocturnal flesheating burrowing mammal, Mellivora capensis. Also called honey-

badger. [Afrik., of unkn. orig.] ratepayer /'reit,pero(r)/ n. Brit. a person liable to pay rates. rathe /re1d/ adj. poet. coming, blooming, etc., early in the year or day. 0 rathe-ripe 1 ripening early. 2 precocious. [OE hreth, hred f. Gmc] rather /'ra:da(r)/ adv. 1 (often foll. by than) by preference; for choice (would rather not go; would rather stay than go). 2 (usu. foll. by than) more truly; as a more likely alternative (is stupid rather than honest). 3 more precisely (a book, or rather, a pamphlet). 4 slightly; to some extent; somewhat (became rather drunk; I rather think you know him). 5 /ra:'63:(r)/ Brit. (as an emphatic response) indeed, assuredly (Did you like it?—Rather!). o had rather would rather. [ME f. OE hrathor, compar. of hrethe (adv.) f. hreth (adj.): see RATHE]

Rathlin

rattling

1200 ee i

ratite /'retait/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a bird) having a keelless breastbone, and unable to fly (opp. CARINATE). —n. a flightless bird, e.g. an ostrich, emu, cassowary, etc. [L ratis raft]

ratline /'rztlin/ n. (also ratlin) (usu. in pl.) any of the small lines fastened across a sailing-ship’s shrouds like ladder-rungs. [ME: orig. unkn.] ratoon /ro'tu:n/ n. & v. —n. a new shoot springing from a root of sugar cane etc. after cropping. [Sp. retofio sprout]

Island /'rz6lin/ an island off the north coast of

Antrim, Northern Ireland.

ratsbane /'rztsbern/ n. anything poisonous to rats, esp. a plant. rattan /ro'tzn/ n. (also ratan) 1 any East Indian climbing palm of the genus Calamus etc. with long thin jointed pliable stems. 2 a piece of rattan stem used as a walking stick etc. [earlier

rathskeller /|'ra:ts,kela(r)/ n. US a beer-saloon or restaurant in a basement. [G, = (restaurant in) town-hall cellar]

ratify /'rzt1,fa1/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) confirm or accept (an agreement

rot(t)ang f. Malay rotan prob. f. raut pare] rat-tat /ret'tet/ n. (also rat-tat-tat /rettet'tet/, ratatat, rat-a-tat /,reto'tet/) a rapping sound, esp. of a knocker. [imit.] ratter /'rzta(r)/ n. 1 a dog or other animal that hunts rats. 2 sl. a person who betrays a cause, party, friend, etc.

made in one’s name) by formal consent, signature, etc. 00 ratifiable adj. ratification /-fi'ke1{(9)n/ n. ratifier n. [ME f. OF ratifier f. med.L ratificare (as RATE})]

rating! /'reitin/ n. 1 the act or an instance of placing in a rank or class or assigning a value to. 2 the estimated standing of a person as regards credit etc. 3 Naut. a Brit. a non-commissioned

Rattigan /'rztigon/, Sir Terence Marvyn (1911-77), English

sailor. b a person’s position or class on a ship’s books. 4 Brit.

dramatist. His first West End success, the comedy French Without Tears (1936), was followed by many other works, including The

an amount fixed as a local rate. 5 the relative popularity of a broadcast programme as determined by the estimated size of

Winslow Boy (1946), The Browning Version (1948), and Ross (1960), which was based on the life of T. E. Lawrence. In the 1950s and 1960s there was a reaction against the middle-class middlebrow nature of his plays, but later they were again in favour and are still performed. rattle /'rzt(s)l/ v. & n. —v. 1a intr. give out a rapid succession

the audience. 6 Naut. any of the classes into which racing yachts are distributed by tonnage.

rating? /'rertin/ n. an angry reprimand. ratio /'re1f10u/ n. (pl. -os) the quantitative relation between two similar magnitudes determined by the number of times one contains the other integrally or fractionally (in the ratio of three to two; the ratios 1:5 and 20:100 are the same). [L (as RATE?)]

ratiocinate

of short sharp hard sounds. b tr. make (a chair, window, crockery, etc.) do this. ¢ intr. cause such sounds by shaking something (rattled at the door). 2 a intr. move with a rattling noise. b intr. drive a vehicle or ride or run briskly. ¢ tr. cause to move quickly (the bill was rattled through Parliament). 3 a tr. (usu. foll. by off) say or recite rapidly. b intr. (usu. foll. by on) talk in a lively thoughtless way. 4 tr. collog. disconcert, alarm, fluster, make nervous, frighten. —n. 1 rattling sound. 2 an instrument or plaything made to rattle esp. in order to amuse babies or to give an alarm.

|,reti'psineit, ,refi-/ v.intr. literary go through

logical processes, reason, esp. using syllogisms. oo ratiocination /-'ner{(a)n/ n. ratiocinative j|-notiv/ adj. ratiocinator n. [L ratiocinari (as RATIO)] ration /'rz{(o)n/ n. & v. —n. 1a fixed official allowance of food, clothing, etc., in a time of shortage. 2 (foll. by of )a single portion of provisions, fuel, clothing, etc. 3 (usu. in pl.) a fixed daily allowance of food, esp. in the armed forces (and formerly of forage for animals). 4 (in pl.) provisions. —v.tr. 1 limit (persons or provisions) to a fixed ration. 2 (usu. foll. by out) share out (food etc.) in fixed quantities. 0 given out with the rations Mil. sl. awarded without regard to merit. ration book (or card) a document entitling the holder to a ration. [F f. It. razione or Sp. raci6n f. L ratio -onis reckoning, RATIO]

3 the set of horny rings in a rattlesnake’s tail. 4 a plant with seeds that rattle in their cases when ripe (red rattle; yellow rattle). 5 uproar, bustle, noisy gaiety, racket. 6 a a noisy flow of words. b empty chatter, trivial talk. 7 archaic a lively or thoughtless incessant talker. 0 rattle the sabre threaten war. 00 rattly adj. [ME, prob. f. MDu. & LG ratelen (imit.)]

rattlebox /'rzt(2)l\boks/ n. 1 a rattle consisting of a box with

rational /'rzfan(2)l/ adj. 1 of or based on reasoning or reason. 2 sensible, sane, moderate; not foolish or absurd or extreme. 3 endowed with reason, reasoning. 4 rejecting what is unreasonable or cannot be tested by reason in religion or custom. 5

Math. (of a quantity or ratio) expressible as a ratio of whole numbers. 0 rational dress hist. a style of dress adopted by some women in the late 19th c., including bloomers or knickerbockers. rational horizon see HORIZON 1c. oO rationality /-'nzliti/ n. rationally adv. [ME f. L rationalis (as RATION)}

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

—v.intr. send up ratoons.

objects inside. 2 a rickety old vehicle etc. rattler /'rztlo(r)/ n. 1 a thing that rattles, esp. an old or rickety vehicle. 2 collog. a rattlesnake. 3 sl. a remarkably good specimen of anything. rattlesnake /'ret(2)l,snerk/ n. any of various poisonous American snakes of the family Viperidae, esp. of the genus Crotalus or Sistrurus, with a rattling structure of horny rings in its tail.

rattletrap /'ret(a)l,trep/ n. & adj. collog. —n. a rickety old vehicle etc: —adj. rickety. rattling /'retlin/ adj. & adv. kcat

1leg

m man

nno

ppen

—adj.

1 that rattles. 2 brisk,

red s sit

t top

v voice

ratty

vigorous (a rattling pace). —adv. remarkably (a rattling good story). ratty /'rzti/ adj. (rattier, rattiest) 1 relating to or infested with rats. 2 collog. irritable or angry. 3 collog. wretched, nasty. oo rattily adv. rattiness n. raucous /'ro:kes/ adj. harsh-sounding, loud and hoarse. o0 raucously adv. raucousness n. [L raucus] raunchy /'ro:nt{1/ adj. (raunchier, raunchiest) collog. 1 coarse, earthy, boisterous; sexually provocative. 2 esp. US slovenly, grubby. 00 raunchily adv. raunchiness n. [20th c.: orig. unkn.] ravage |'rzvid3/ v. & n. —v.tr. & intr. devastate, plunder. —n. 1 the act or an instance of ravaging; devastation, damage. 2 (usu. in pl.; foll. by of) destructive effect (survived the ravages of winter). 00 ravager n. [F ravage(r) alt. f. ravine rush of water] rave! /reiv/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. talk wildly or furiously in or as in delirium. 2 intr. (usu. foll. by about, of, over) speak with rapturous admiration; go into raptures. 3 tr. bring into a specified state by raving (raved himself hoarse). 4 tr. utter with ravings (raved their grief). 5 intr. (of the sea, wind, etc.) howl, roar. 6 tr. & intr. collog. enjoy oneself freely (esp. rave it up). —n. 1 (usu. attrib.) collog. a highly enthusiastic review of a film, play, etc. (a rave review). 2 sl. an infatuation. 3 (also rave-up) collog. a lively party. 4 the sound of the wind etc. raving. [ME, prob. f. ONF raver, rel. to (M)LG reven be senseless, rave] rave? /retv/ n. 1 a rail of a cart. 2 (in pl.) a permanent or removable framework added to the sides of a cart to increase its capacity. [var. of dial. rathe (15th c., of unkn. orig.)]

Ravel /rz'vel/, Maurice (1875-1937), French composer. The best-known of Debussy’s contemporaries, he was equally influenced by the Oriental music brought to Paris in the 1889 World Exhibition and by impressionism, but combined his love of apt descriptive sonorities with a cool classicism and a recognition of Liszt’s legacy of brilliance and vigour. His works span all genres: opera, ballet, orchestral music, and song. Among his later works were the two great piano concertos (both 1931); the first is for left hand only, composed for Paul Wittgenstein who lost his right arm in the First World War. ravel /'rev(a)l/ v. & n. —v. (ravelled, ravelling; US raveled, raveling) 1 tr. & intr. entangle or become entangled or knotted. 2 tr. confuse or complicate (a question or problem). 3 intr. fray out. 4 tr. (often foll. by out) disentangie, unravel, distinguish the separate threads or subdivisions of. —n. 1 a tangle or knot. 2 a complication. 3 a frayed or loose end. [prob. f. Du. ravelen tangle, fray out, unweave]

ravelin /'rzvlim/ n. hist. an outwork of fortifications, with two faces forming a salient angle. [F f. obs. It. ravellino, of unkn. orig.] ravelling /'rzvalin/ n. a thread from fabric which is frayed or unravelled. raven! |'rerv(a)n/ n. & adj. —n. a large glossy blue-black crow, Corvus corax, feeding chiefly on carrion etc., having a hoarse cry.

—adj. glossy black (raven tresses). [OE hrefn f. Gmc] raven? /'rzv(s)n/ v. 1 intr. a plunder. b (foll. by after) seek prey or booty. c¢ (foll. by about) go plundering. d prowl for prey (ravening beast). 2 a tr. devour voraciously. b intr. (usu. foll. by for) have a ravenous appetite. c intr. (often foll. by on) feed voraciously. [OF raviner ravage ult. f. L rapina RAPINE] Ravenna /ro'veno/ a city near the Adriatic coast in NE central Italy; pop. (1981) 138,030. An important centre in Roman times, Ravenna became the capital of the Ostrogothic kingdom of Italy in the 5th c. and afterwards served as capital of the Byzantine Empire of Italy. The richest mosaics of the early Christian period are found there. It became an independent republic in the 13th c. and then a papal possession in 1509, remaining in papal hands until 1859. ravenous |'rzvones/ adj. 1 very hungry, famished. 2 (of hunger, eagerness, etc., or of an animal) voracious. 3 rapacious. 00 ravenously adv. ravenousness 7. [ME f. OF ravineus (as RAVEN®)] raver |'rerva(r)/ n. 1 collog. an uninhibited pleasure-loving person. 2 a person who raves; a madman or madwoman. Ravi /'ra:vi/ a river that rises in the Himalayas in northern India and flows south-west into Pakistan, where it meets the Chenab River. It is one of the ‘five rivers’ that gave Punjab its name.

wwe

Ray

1201

zzoo

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

ravin /'revin/ n. poet. or rhet. 1 robbery, plundering. 2 the seizing and devouring of prey. 3 prey. 0 beast of ravin a beast of prey. [ME f. OF ravine f. L rapina RAPINE] ravine /ro'vi:n/ n. a deep narrow gorge or cleft. 00 ravined adj. [F (as RAVIN)] raving |'rervin/ n., adj., & adv. —n. (usu. in pl.) wild or delirious talk. —adj. delirious, frenzied. —adj. & adv. collog. as an intensive (a raving beauty; raving mad). 00 ravingly adv.

ravioli /,rzvt'soli/ n. small pasta envelopes containing minced meat etc. [It.] ravish /'rzv:{/ v.tr. 1 commit rape on (a woman). 2 enrapture; fill with delight. 3 archaic a carry off (a person or thing) by force. b (of death, circumstances, etc.) take from life or from sight. 00 ravisher n. ravishment n. [ME f. OF ravir ult. f. L rapere seize]

ravishing

/'revifin/

adj.

entrancing,

delightful.

oo

ravishingly adv. raw |ro:/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (of food) uncooked. 2 in the natural state; not processed or manufactured (raw sewage). 3 (of alcoholic spirit) undiluted. 4 (of statistics etc.) not analysed or processed. 5 (of a person) inexperienced, untrained; new to an activity (raw recruits). 6 a stripped of skin; having the flesh exposed. b sensitive to the touch from having the flesh exposed. 7 (of the atmosphere, day, etc.) chilly and damp. 8 crude in artistic quality; lacking finish. 9 (of the edge of cloth) without hem or selvage. 10 (of silk) as reeled from cocoons. 11 (of grain) unmalted. —n. a raw place on a person’s or horse’s body. 0 come the raw prawn Austral. sl. attempt to deceive. in the raw 1 in its natural state without mitigation (life in the raw). 2 naked. raw-boned gaunt and bony. raw deal harsh or unfair treatment. raw material that from which the process of manufacture makes products. raw sienna a brownish-yellow ferruginous earth used as a pigment. raw umber umber in its natural state, dark yellow in colour. touch on the raw upset (a person) on a sensitive matter. 00 rawish adj. rawly adv. rawness n. [OE hréaw f. Gmc]

Rawalpindi /ro:l'prndi/ a city in northern Pakistan, in the foothills of the Himalayas; pop. (1981) 928,000. A former military station, it was the interim capital of Pakistan 1959-67 while Islamabad was being built.

rawhide /'ro:haid/ n. 1 untanned hide. 2 a rope or whip of this. Rawlplug /'ro:lplag/ n. propr. a thin cylindrical plug for holding a screw or nail in masonry. (Rawlings, name of the engineers who introduced it]

Rawls /raols/, John (1921-

_),American philosopher, author of

A Theory of Justice (1972) which presents a systematic moral theory in opposition to utilitarianism. The central claim of the book is that a system is just if and only if it accords with the principles which would be agreed upon by rational people making a kind of social contract. Rawls argues for principles which give weight to basic liberties and improvement for the worst off, in preference to any form of utilitarianism. Rawson |'ro:s(2)n/ a city of southern Argentina, on the Patagonian coast, capital of Chubut province; pop. (1980) 13,000.

Ray! /re1/, John (1627-1705), English naturalist who developed early systematic classifications of plants and animals. His principal interest was botany, and his major work, the Historia Plantarum, appeared in three volumes between 1686 and 1704, Ray toured Europe in search of specimens. He was the first to classify flowering plants into monocotyledons and dicotyledons, and he established the species as a basic taxonomic unit.

Ray? /re1/, Man (1890-1976), American painter, designer, and photographer, a prominent figure in the Dada and surrealist movements and a friend of Duchamp. He developed the photographic technique of placing objects directly on sensitized paper and exposing them to light; translucent objects in particular produced striking results. His real name may have been Emanuel Rabinovitch or Rudnitsky; the origin of his pseudonym is unknown. Ray? /ri:/, Satyajit (1921), Indian film director, who won an award for his first film Pather Panchali (On the Road, 1955), which was made in his spare time and with very limited resources, then completed the trilogy with Aparijito (The Unvanquished, 1956) tf chip

d3 jar

(see over for vowels)

ray

react

1202

and Apur Sansar (The World of Apur, 1959). His other films include Kanchenjunga (1962), Days and Nights in the Forest (1977) and The Home and the World (1984). His films have a sensitivity towards eastern and western values that assures him of an audience in both cultures. Music was an important element, and he composed background music himself. ray! |ret/ n. & v. —n. 1 single line or narrow beam of light from a small or distant source. 2 a straight line in which radiation travels to a given point. 3 (in pl.) radiation of a specified type (gamma rays; X-rays). 4 a trace or beginning of an enlightening or cheering influence (a ray of hope). 5 a any ofa set of radiating lines or parts or things. b any of a set of straight lines passing through one point. 6 the marginal portion of a composite flower, e.g. a daisy. 7 a a radial division of a starfish. b each of a set of bones etc. supporting a fish’s fin. —v. 1 intr. (foll. by forth, out) (of light, thought, emotion, etc.) issue in or as if in rays. 2 intr. & tr. radiate. O ray gun (esp. in science fiction) a gun causing injury or damage by the emission of rays. 00 rayed adj. rayless adj. raylet n. [ME f. OF rai f. L radius: see RADIUS] ray? /rei/ n. a large cartilaginous fish of the order Batoidea, with a broad flat body, winglike pectoral fins and a long slender tail, used as food. [ME f. OF raie f. L raia] ray? /re1/ n. (also re) Mus. 1 (in tonic sol-fa) the second note of a major scale.. 2 the note D in the fixed-doh system. [ME re f. L resonare: see GAMUT]

RCMP abbr. Royal Canadian Mounted Police. RCN abbr. 1 (in the UK) Royal College of Nursing.

* RCP abbr. (in the UK) Royal College of Physicians. RCS abbr. (in the UK): 1 Royal College of Scientists. 2 Royal

Rayleigh /'reil1/, John William Strutt, 3rd Baron (1842-1919), English physicist who made significant contributions to several branches of the science. In 1877-8 he published a major work

on acoustics, The Theory of Sound. He studied the scattering of light by small particles, thereby explaining why the sky is blue. In 1879-84 he was director of the Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge, succeeding James Clerk Maxwell. His researches included the establishment of electrical units of resistance, current, and electromotive force. A brilliant and successful exper-

Decoration.

Rd. abbr. Road (in names). RDC abbr. Brit. hist. Rural District Council. RDF abbr. radio direction-finder. RE abbr. 1 (in the UK) Royal Engineers. 2 religious education. Re! /rei/ var. of Ra. Re? symb. Chem. the element rhenium. re! /ret, ri:/ prep. 1 in the matter of (as the first word in a heading, esp. of a legal document). 2 collog. about, concerning. [L, ablat. of res thing]

re? var. of RAY?. re- |ri:, 1, re/ prefix 1 attachable to almost any verb or its derivative, meaning: a once more; afresh, anew (readjust; renumber). b back; with return to a previous state (reassemble; reverse). 4A hyphen is normally used when the word begins with e (re-enact), or to distinguish the compound from a more familiar one-word form (re-form = form again). 2 (also red- before a vowel, as in redolent) in verbs and verbal derivatives denoting: a in return; mutually (react; resemble). b opposition (repel; resist). ¢ behind or after (relic; remain). d retirement or secrecy (recluse; reticence). e off, away, down (recede; relegate; repress). f frequentative or intensive force (redouble; refine; resplendent). g negative force (recant; reveal). [L re-, red-, again, back, etc.]

n. reaccept /,ri:ok'sept/ v.tr. accept again. 00 reacceptance n. reaccustom |,ri:o'kastom/ v.tr. accustom again.

their accurate measurement of the constituent gases of the atmosphere led to the discovery of argon and other inert gases. In 1904 Rayleigh was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics and Ramsay that for chemistry. rayon /'re1pn/ n. any of various textile fibres or fabrics made from cellulose. [arbitrary f. RAY] raze /re1z/ v.tr. (also rase) 1 completely destroy; tear down (esp. raze to the ground). 2 erase; scratch out (esp. in abstract senses). [ME rase = wound slightly f. OF raser shave close ult. f. L radere ras- scrape] razor |'re1zo(r)/ n. & v. —n. an instrument with a sharp blade used in cutting hair esp. from the skin. —v.tr. 1 use a razor on. 2 shave; cut down close. 0 razor-back an animal with a sharp ridged back, esp. a rorqual. razor-bill an auk, Alca torda, with a sharp-edged bill. razor-blade a blade used in a razor, esp. a flat piece of metal with a sharp edge or edges used in a safety razor. razor-cut a haircut made with a razor. razor- (or razor’s) edge 1 a keen edge. 2 a sharp mountain-ridge. 3 a critical situation (found themselves on a razor-edge). 4 a sharp line of division. razor-fish (or -shell) any of various bivalve molluscs of the family Solenidae, with a shell like the handle of a cutthroat razor. [ME f. OF rasor (as RAZE)] razz |rez/ n. & v. US sl. —n. = RASPBERRY 3. —v.tr. tease, ridicule. [razzberry, corrupt. of RASPBERRY]

reach /[ri:tJ/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. & tr. (often foll. by out) stretch out; extend. 2 intr. stretch out a limb, the hand, etc.; make a reaching motion or effort. 3 intr. (often foll. by for) make a motion or effort to touch or get hold of, or to attain (reached for his pipe). 4 tr. get as far as; arrive at (reached Lincoln at lunch-time; your letter reached me today). 5 tr. get to or attain (a specified point) on a scale (the temperature reached 90°; the number of applications reached 100). 6 intr. (foll. by to) attain to; be adequate for (my income will not reach to it). 7 tr. succeed in achieving; attain (have reached agreement). 8 tr. make contact with the hand etc., or by telephone etc. (was out all day and could not be reached). 9 tr. succeed in influencing or having the required effect on (could not manage to reach their audience). 10 tr. hand, pass (reach me that book). 11 tr. take with an outstretched hand. 12 intr. Naut. sail

with the wind abeam or abaft the beam. —n. 1 the extent to which a hand etc. can be reached out, influence exerted, motion carried out, or mental powers used. 2 an act of reaching out. 3 a continuous extent, esp. a stretch of river between two bends, or the part of a canal between locks. 4 Naut. a distance traversed in reaching. 0 out of reach not able to be reached or attained. reach-me-down ready-made. 00 reachable adj. reacher n. [OE rzcan f. WG]

reacquaint /,ri:o'kwemt/ v.tr. & refl. (usu. foll. by with) make (a person or oneself) acquainted again. 00 reacquaintance n. reacquire |,ri:o'kwata(r)/ v.tr. acquire anew. 00 reacquisition /-eekwt'z1f(a)n/ 1. react /ri'zkt/ v. 1 intr. (foll. by to) respond to a stimulus; undergo a change or show behaviour due to some influence (how did they react to the news?). 2 intr. (often foll. by against) be actuated by

razzle-dazzle /'rzzal,dzz(2)l/ n. (also razzle) sl. 1a glamorous excitement; bustle. b a spree. 2 extravagant publicity. [redupl. of DAZZLE] razzmatazZz |rezmo'tez/ n. (also razzamatazz /,rezomo-/) collog. 1 = RAZZLE-DAZZLE. 2 insincere actions; humbug. [prob. alt. f. RAZZLE-DAZZLE]

repulsion to; tend in a reverse or contrary direction. 3 intr. (often foll. by upon) produce a reciprocal or responsive effect; act upon the agent (they react upon each other). 4 intr. (foll. by with) Chem. & Physics (of a substance or particle) be the cause of activity or interaction with another (nitrous oxide reacts with the metal). 5 tr. (foll. by with) Chem. cause (a substance) to react with another.

Rb symb. Chem. the element rubidium. RC abbr. 1 Roman Catholic. 2 Red Cross. 3 reinforced concrete. RCA abbr. 1 (in the UK) Royal College of Art. 2 (in the US) Radio Corporation of America.

RCAF abbr. Royal Canadian Air Force. RCM abbr. (in the UK) Royal College of Music. a: arm

College of Surgeons. 3 Royal Corps of Signals.

RCVS abbr. (in the UK) Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. RD abbr. 1 refer to drawer. 2 (in the UK) Royal Naval Reserve

reabsorb |,ri:ab'so:b, -'zo:b/ v.tr. absorb again. 00 reabsorption

imentalist, he worked with Sir William Ramsay from 1894, and

z cat

2 Royal

Canadian Navy.

6 intr. Mil. make a counter-attack. 7 intr. Stock Exch. (of shares) e bed

3: her

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

a run

v put

u: too

9 ago

ai my

re-act

fall after rising. [RE- + AcT or med.L reagere react- (as RE-, L agere do, act)] re-act /ri:'zkt/ v.tr. act (a part) again. reactance /ri'ekt()ns/ n. Electr. a component of impedance in an AC circuit, due to capacitance or inductance or both. reactant /ri'ekt(a)nt/ n. Chem. a substance that takes part in, and undergoes change during a reaction. reaction /ri'ek{(o)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of reacting; a responsive or reciprocal action. 2 a a responsive feeling (what was your reaction to the news?). b an immediate or first impression. 3 the occurrence of a (physical or emotional) condition after a period of its opposite. 4 a bodily response to an external stimulus, e.g. a drug. 5 a tendency to oppose change or to advocate return to a former system, esp. in politics. 6 the interaction of substances undergoing chemical change. 7 propulsion by emitting a jet of particles etc. in the direction opposite to that of the intended motion. on reactionist n. & adj. [REACT + -ION or med.L reactio (as RE-, ACTION)] reactionary /ri'ekJonori/ adj. & n. —adj. tending to oppose (esp. political) change and advocate return to a former system. —n. (pl. -ies) a reactionary person. ‘ reactivate /ri'ekti,vert/ v.tr. restore to a state of activity; bring into action again. OO reactivation /-'ver{(a)n/ n. reactive /r'zktrv/ adj. 1 showing reaction. 2 of or relating to reactance. O00 reactivity /-'trviti/ n. reactor /ri'ekto(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that reacts. 2 = NUCLEAR REACTOR. 3 Electr. a component used to provide reactance, esp. an inductor. 4 an apparatus for the chemical reaction of substances. 5 Med. a person who has areaction to a drug etc. read |ri:d/ v. & n. —v. (past and past part. read /red/) 1 tr. (also absol.) reproduce mentally or (often foll. by aloud, out, off, etc.) vocally the written or printed words of (a book, author, etc.) by following the symbols with the eyes orfingers. 2 tr. convert or be able to convert into the intended words or meaning (written or other symbols or the things expressed in this way). 3 tr. interpret mentally. 4 tr. deduce or declare an (esp. accurate) interpretation of (read the expression on my face). 5 tr. (often foll. by that + clause) find (a thing) recorded or stated in print etc. (I read somewhere that you are leaving). 6 tr. interpret (a statement or action) in a certain sense (my silence is not to be read as consent). 7 tr. (often foll. by into) assume as intended or deducible from a writer’s words; find (implications) (you read too much into my letter). 8 tr. bring into a specified state by reading (read myself to sleep). 9 tr. (of a meter or other recording instrument) show (a specified figure etc.) (the thermometer reads 20°). 10 intr. convey meaning in a specified manner when read (it reads persuasively). 11 intr. sound or affect a hearer or reader as specified when read (the book reads like a parody). 12 a tr. study by reading (esp. a subject at university). b intr. carry out a course of study by reading (is reading for the Bar). 13 tr. (as read /red/ adj.) versed in a subject (esp. literature) by reading (a well-read person; was widely read in law). 14 tr. a (of a computer) copy or transfer (data). b (foll. by in, out) enter or extract (data) in an electronic storage device. 15 tr. a understand or interpret (a person) by hearing words or seeing signs, gestures, etc. b interpret (cards, a person’s hand, etc.) as a fortune-teller. ¢ interpret (the sky) as an astrologer or meteorologist. 16 tr. Printing check the correctness of and emend (a proof). 17 tr. (of an editor or text) give as the word or words probably used or intended by an author. —n. 1a spell of reading. 2 collog. a book etc. as regards its readability (is a really good read). 0 read between the lines look for or find hidden meaning (in a document etc.). read-in the entry of data in an electronic storage device. read a person like a book understand a person’s motives etc. read-only memory Com-

puting a memory read at high speed but not capable of being changed by program instructions. read out 1 read aloud. 2 US expel from a political party etc. read-out information retrieved from a computer. read up make a special study of (a subject). read-write Computing capable of reading existing data and accepting alterations or further input (cf. read-only memory). [OE rédan advise, consider, discern f. Gmc]

readable /'ri:dab(s)l/ adj. 1 able to be read; legible. 2 interesting au how

ready-made

1203

er day

ou no

ea hair

10 near

o1 boy

vo poor

or pleasant to read. 00 readability /-'biliti/ n. readableness n. readably adv. readapt |,ri:o'dzpt/ v.intr. & tr. become or cause to become adapted anew. 00 readaptation /ri:,edzp'ter{(9)n/ n.

readdress /|,ri:o'dres/ v.tr. 1 change the address of (a letter or parcel). 2 address (a problem etc.) anew.

3 speak or write to

anew. Reade Jri:d/, Charles (1814-84), English dramatist and novelist who wrote several propagandist novels on social reform, successful stage works, and is chiefly remembered for his historical romance The Cloister and the Hearth (1861), set in the 15th c. and relating the adventures of Gerard, whose son became the future Erasmus. reader /'ri:do(r)/ n. 1 a person who reads or is reading. 2 a book of extracts for learning, esp. a language. 3 a device for producing an image that can be read from microfilm etc. 4 Brit. a university lecturer of the highest grade below professor. 5 a publisher's employee who reports on submitted manuscripts. 6 a printer’s proof-corrector. 7 a person appointed to read aloud, esp. parts of a service in a church. 8 a person entitled to use a particular library. [OE (as READ)}

readership /'ri:dofrp/ n. 1 the readers of a newspaper etc. 2 the number or extent of these.

readily /'redili/ adv. 1 without showing reluctance; willingly. 2 without difficulty.

reading /'ri:din/ n. 1 a the act or an instance of reading or perusing (the reading of the will). b matter to be read (have plenty of reading with me). c the specified quality of this (it made exciting reading). 2 (in comb.) used for reading (reading-lamp; reading-room). 3 literary knewledge (a person of wide reading). 4 an entertainment at which a play, poems, etc., are read (poetry reading). 5 a figure etc. shown by a meter or other recording instrument. 6 an interpretation or view taken (what is your reading of the facts?). 7 an interpretation made (of drama, music, etc.). 8 each of the successive occasions on which a bill must be presented to a legislature for acceptance (see also first reading, second reading, third reading). 9 the version of a text, or the particular wording, conjectured or given by an editor etc. 0 reading age reading ability expressed as the age for which the same ability is calculated as average (has a reading age of eight). [OE (as READ)]

readjust |,ri:a'd3ast/ v.tr. adjust again or to a former state. 00 readjustment n.

readmit

|,ri:od'mit/ v.tr. (readmitted, readmitting) admit

again. 00 readmission n. readopt |,ri:o'dopt/ v.tr. adopt again. 00 readoption n.

ready /'redi/ adj., adv., n., & v. —adj. (readier, readiest) (usu. predic.) 1 with preparations complete (dinner is ready). 2 ina fit state (are you ready to go?). 3 willing, inclined, or resolved (he is always ready to complain; I am ready for anything). 4 within reach; easily secured (a ready source of income). 5 fit for immediate use (was ready to hand). 6 immediate, unqualified (found ready acceptance). 7 prompt, quick, facile (is always ready with excuses; has a ready wit). 8 (foll. by to + infin.) about to do something (a bud just ready to burst). 9 provided beforehand. —adv. 1 beforehand. 2 so as not to require doing when the time comes for use (the cases are ready packed). —n. (pl. -ies) sl. 1 (prec. by the) = ready money. 2 (in pl.) bank notes. —v.tr. (-ies, -ied) make ready; prepare. 0 at, the ready ready for action. make ready prepare. ready-mix (or -mixed) (of concrete, paint, food, etc.) having some or all of the constituents already mixed together. ready money 1 actual coin or notes. 2 payment on the spot. ready reckoner a book or table listing standard numerical calculations as used esp. in commerce. ready, steady (or get set), go the usual formula for starting a race. 00 readiness n. [ME redi(g), re(a)di, f. OE rede f. Gmc]

ready-made adj. & n. —adj. (also ready-to-wear) (esp. of clothes) made in a standard size, not to measure. —n. a type of art-form invented (and named) by Marcel Duchamp, consisting

of a mass-produced article selected a work of art. His first ready-made on a kitchen stool; other examples urinal entitled Fountain and signed

aia fire

aua sour

(see over for consonants)

at random and displayed as was a bicycle wheel placed include a bottle rack, and a R. Mutt.

reaffirm

rearguard

1204

realize /'riolarz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 (often foll. by that + clause)

reaffirm |,ri:o'fs:m/ v.tr. affirm again. oO reaffirmation /-,zefa'merf(a)n/ n. reafforest |,ri:a'forist/ v.tr. replant (former forest land) with trees. 00 reafforestation /-'ste1{(2)n/ n.

Reagan /'reigan/, Ronald Wilson (1911-

be fully aware of; conceive as real. 2 understand clearly. 3 present as real; make realistic; give apparent reality to (the story

was powerfully realized on stage). 4 convert into actuality, achieve (realized a childhood dream). 5 a convert into money. b acquire

), 40th President of

(profit). ¢ be sold for (a specified price). 6 Mus. reconstruct (a part) in full from a figured bass. oo realizable adj. realizability /-'biliti/ n. realization /-'ze1{(a)n/ n. realizer n. reallocate /[ri:'zlo,kert/ v.tr. allocate again or differently. 00 reallocation /-'ker{(s)n/ n.

the US 1981-9. A film actor before entering politics, he was governor of California 1966-74. During his presidency taxes and social services were reduced and the national budget deficit rose to record levels. His interventionist policy towards Central American politics was revealed in 1987 (see IRANGATE). Reagan supported the Strategic Defence Initiative (or ‘Star Wars’), but towards the end of his term in office successful summit meetings with the Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, led to a reduction in holdings of nuclear weapons. reagency /ri:'e1dzons1/ n. reactive power or operation. reagent /ri:'e1d3(9)nt/ n. Chem. 1 a substance used to cause a

reallot j,ri:o'lot/ v.tr. (reallotted, reallotting) allot again or differently. 00 reallotment n. really /'riali/ adv. 1 in reality; in fact. 2 positively, assuredly (really useful). 3 (as a strong affirmative) indeed, I assure you. 4 an expression of mild protest or surprise. 5 (in interrog.) (expressing disbelief) is that so? (They're musicians.—Really?). realm /relm/ n. 1 formal esp. Law a kingdom. 2 a sphere or domain (the realm of imagination). [ME f. OF realme, reaume, f. L regimen -minis (see REGIMEN): infl. by OF reiel ROYAL]

reaction, esp. to detect another substance. 2 a reactive substance

or force. [RE- + AGENT: cf. REACT] real! /ri:l/ adj. & adv. —adj. 1 actually existing as a thing or occurring in fact. 2 genuine; rightly so called; not artificial or merely apparent. 3 Law consisting of or relating to immovable property such as land or houses (real estate) (cf. personal property). 4 appraised by purchasing power; adjusted for changes in the value of money (real value; income in real terms). 5 Philos. having an absolute and necessary and not merely contingent existence. 6 Math. (of a quantity) having no imaginary part (see IMAGINARY 2). 7 Optics (of an image etc.) such that light actually passes through it. —adv. Sc. & US collog. really, very. 0 for real colloq. as a serious or actual concern; in earnest. real ale beer regarded as brewed in a traditional way, with secondary fermentation in the cask. real life that lived by actual people, as distinct from fiction, drama, etc. real live (attrib.) often joc. actual; not pretended or simulated (a real live burglar). the real McCoy see McCoy. real money current coin or notes; cash. real tennis

realpolittR |rei,a:lpplr'ti:k/ n. politics based on realities and material needs, rather than on morals or ideals. [G] realtor /'ri:alto(r)/ n. US a real-estate agent, esp. (Realtor) a member of the National Association of Realtors.

realty /'ri:alt1/ n. Law real estate (opp. PERSONALTY). ream! /ri:m/ n. 1 twenty quires or 500 (formerly 480) sheets of paper (or a larger number, to allow for waste). 2 (in pl.) a large quantity of paper or writing (wrote reams about it). [ME rem, rim f. OF raime etc., ult. f. Arab. rizma bundle] ream |ri:m| v.tr. 1 widen (a hole in metal etc.) with a borer. 2 turn over the edge of (a cartridge-case etc.). 3 Naut. open (a seam) for caulking. 4 US squeeze the juice from (fruit). 00 reamer n. [19th c.: orig. uncert.]

reanimate /ri:'en1,meit/ v.tr. 1 restore to life. 2 restore to activity or liveliness. 00 reanimation /-'me1{(2)n/ n. reap [ri:p/ v.tr. 1 cut or gather (a crop, esp. grain) as a harvest. 2 harvest the crop of (a field etc.). 3 receive as the consequence of one’s own or others’ actions. [OE ripan, reopan, of unkn. orig.] reaper /'ri:pa(r)/ n. 1 a person who reaps. 2 a machine for reaping crops. A crude corn-reaping machine was in use in Roman Gaul in the 1st c. AD, but the first machines of any efficiency date from the early 19th c. 0 the Reaper (or grim Reaper) death personified. reappear /,ri:o'pia(r)/ v.intr. appear again or as previously. 00

the original form of tennis played on an indoor court. the real thing (of an object or emotion) genuine, not inferior. real time the actual time during which a process or event occurs. real-time (attrib.) Computing (of a system) in which the response

time is of the order of milliseconds, e.g. in an airline booking system. oO realness n. [AF = OF reel, LL realis f. L res thing] real? /rer'a:l/ n. hist. a former coin and monetary unit of various Spanish-speaking countries. [Sp., noun use of real (adj.) (as ROYAL)] realgar /ri'zlgo(r)/ n. a mineral of arsenic sulphide used as a pigment and in fireworks. [ME f. med.L f. Arab. rahj al-gar dust of the cave]

reappearance n. reapply |,ri:0'plar/ v.tr. & intr. (-ies, -ied) apply again, esp. submit a further application (for a position etc.), 00 reapplication |ri:zepli'kerf(a)n/ n. reappoint /,ri:a'pornt/ v.tr. appoint again to a position previously held. 00 reappointment n.

realign /|,ri:o'lam/ v.tr. 1 align again. 2 regroup in politics etc. oo realignment n.

realism /'ri:o,l1z(2)m/ n. (usu. opp. IDEALISM) 1 the practice of regarding things in their true nature, and dealing with them as they are; practical views and policy. 2 fidelity of representation, truth to nature, insistence upon details; the showing of life as it is without glossing over what is ugly or painful. 3 Philos. a the medieval theory that universals or general ideas have objective existence (cf. NOMINALISM, CONCEPTUALISM). b belief that matter as an object of perception has real existence (in the 20th c. the term has been applied to philosophical theories reacting against 19th-c. idealism which, while they agree in affirming that external objects exist independently of the mind, differ in their accounts of appearance, perception, and illusion); the theory that the world has a reality that transcends the mind’s analytical capacity, and hence that propositions are to be assessed in terms of their truth in reality rather than in terms of their verifiability. 00 realist n.

realistic /rio'listrk/ adj. 1 regarding things as they are; following a policy of realism. 2 based on facts rather than ideals. oo realistically adv.

reality /ri'zliti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 what is real or existent or underlies appearances. 2 (foll. by of) the real nature of (a thing). 3 real existence; the state of being real. 4 resemblance to an original (the model was impressive in its reality). 0 im reality in fact. [med.L realitas or F réalité (as REAL)}

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

reapportion |,ri:s'po:{(a)n/ v.tr. apportion again or differently. O00 reapportionment n.

reappraise |,ri:o'preiz/ v.tr. appraise reappraisal n.

or assess

again.

oO

rear! /ria(r)/ n. & adj. —n. 1 the back part of anything. 2 the space behind, or position at the back of, anything (a large house with a terrace at the rear). 3 the hindmost part of an army or fleet. 4 collog. the buttocks. —adj. at the back. o bring up the rear come last. in the rear behind; at the back. rear admiral a naval officer ranking below vice admiral. rear commodore a yacht-club officer below vice commodore. rear-lamp (or -light) a usu. red light at the rear of a vehicle. rear sight the sight nearest to the stock on a firearm. rear-view mirror a mirror fixed inside the windscreen of a motor vehicle enabling the driver to see traffic etc. behind. take in the rear Mil. attack from behind. [prob. f. (in the) REARWARD OF REARGUARD] rear? /ria(r)/ v. 1 tr. a bring up and educate (children). b breed and care for (animals). ¢ cultivate (crops). 2 intr. (of a horse etc.) raise itself on its hind legs. 3 tr. a set upright. b build. ¢ hold upwards (rear one’s head). 4 intr. extend to a great height. o0 rearer n. [OE réran f. Gmc] rearguard /'riaga:d/ n. 1 a body of troops detached to protect

kcat

lleg

m man

nno

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

rearm the rear, esp. in retreats. 2 a defensive or conservative element in an organization etc. 0 rearguard action 1 Mil. an engagement undertaken by a rearguard. 2 a defensive stand in argument etc., esp. when losing. [OF rereguarde (as RETRO-, GUARD)] rearm /[ri:'a:m/ v.tr. (also absol.) arm again, esp. with improved weapons.

00 rearmament n.

rearmost /'riomoust/ adj. furthest back. rearrange |,ri:o'reind3/ v.tr. arrange again in a different way. 00 rearrangement n. rearrest |,ri:o'rest/ v. & n. —v.tr. arrest again. —n. an instance

of rearresting or being rearrested. rearward /'riswad/ n., adj., & adv. —n. rear, esp. in prepositional phrases (to the rearward of, in the rearward). —adj. to the rear. —ady. (also rearwards) towards the rear. [AF rerewarde = REARGUARD] reascend /j,ri:o'send/ v.tr. & intr. ascend again or to a former position. 00 reascension n. reason /'ri:z(a)n/ n. & v. —n. 1 a motive, cause, or justification (has good reasons for doing this; there is no reason to be angry). 2 a fact adduced or serving as this (I can give you my reasons). 3 the intellectual faculty by which conclusions are drawn from premisses. 4 sanity (has iost his reason). 5 Logic a premiss of a syllogism, esp. a minor premiss when given after the conclusion. 6 a faculty transcending the understanding and providing a priori principles; intuition. 7 sense; sensible conduct; what is right or practical or practicable; moderation. —v. 1 intr, form or try to reach conclusions by connected thought. 2 intr. (foll. by with) use an argument (with a person) by way of persuasion. 3 tr. (foll. by that + clause) conclude or assert in argument. 4 tr. (foll. by why, whether, what + clause) discuss; ask oneself. 5 tr. (foll. by into, out of) persuade or move by argument (I reasoned them out of their fears). 6 tr. (foll. by out) think or work out (consequences etc.). 7 tr. (often as reasoned adj.) express in logical or argumentative form. 8 tr. embody reason in (an amendment etc.). oO by reason of owing to. in (or within) reason within the bounds of sense or moderation. it stands to reason (often foll. by that + clause) it is evident or logical. listen to reason be persuaded to act sensibly. see reason acknowledge the force of an argument. with reason justifiably. OO reasoner n. reasoning n. reasonless adj. [ME f. OF reisun, res(o)un, raisoner, ult. f. L ratio -onis f. réri rat- consider]

reasonable /'ri:zanob(s)l/ adj. 1 having sound judgement; moderate; ready to listen to reason. 2 in accordance with reason; not absurd. 3 a within the limits of reason; not greatly less or more than might be expected. b inexpensive; not extortionate. ¢ tolerable, fair. 4 archaic endowed with the faculty of reason. oO0 reasonableness n. reasonably adv. [ME f. OF raisonable (as REASON) after L rationabilis]

reassembie |,ri:o'semb(a)l/ v.intr. & tr. assemble again or into a former state. 00 reassembly n. reassert |,ri:o's3:t/ v.tr. assert again. 00 reassertion n. reassess |,riso'ses/ v.tr. assess again, esp. differently. reassessment n. reassign |,ri:o'sain/ v.tr. assign again or differently.

oo oo

reassignment n.

reassumoe |,ri:o'sju:m/ v.tr. take on oneself or undertake again. OO reassumption /-'samp{(a)n/ n. reassure |,ri:o'Juo(r)/ v.tr. 1 restore confidence to; dispel the apprehensions of. 2 confirm in an opinion or impression. 00 reassurance fn. reassurer 1. reassuring adj. reassuringly adv. reattach |,i:a'tet{/ v.tr. attach again or in a former position. OO reattachment n. reattain /|,ri:o'tern/ v.tr. attain again. 00 reattainment n. reattempt |,ri:o'tempt/ v.tr. attempt again, esp. after failure. Réaumiur /|,re1ou'mjuoa(r)/, René Antoine Ferchault de (16831757), French entomologist, one of the greatest naturalists of his age, who was put in charge of compiling a list of France’s arts, industries, and professions. As a consequence, he suggested improvements in several manufacturing processes, including the making of porcelain, mirrors, tinplate, iron, and steel, but

wwe

rebuke

1205

zzoo

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

he is chiefly remembered for his thermometer scale, now obsolete. The traditional Réaumur scale has eighty divisions between 0° (the melting-point of ice) and 80° (the boiling-point of water), but the original alcohol thermometer had only one fixed point, that of melting ice, and its divisions were marked volumetrically rather than lineally. reave |ri:v/ v. (past and past part. reft /reft/) archaic 1 tr. a (foll. by of) forcibly deprive of. b (foll. by away, from) take by force or carry off, 2 intr. make raids; plunder; = REIVvE. [OE réafian f. Gmc: cf. ROB] reawaken |,ri:a'werkon/ v.tr. & intr. awaken again.

rebarbative /ri'ba:botrv/ adj. literary repellent, unattractive. [F rébarbatif -ive f. barbe beard] rebate! /'ri:beit/ n. & v. —n. 1a partial refund of money paid. 2 a deduction from a sum to be paid; a discount. —v.tr. pay back as a rebate. 00 rebatable adj. rebater n. [earlier = diminish: ME f. OF rabattre (as RE-, ABATE)] rebate? /'ri:bert/ n. & v.tr. = RABBET. [respelling of RABBET, after REBATE}] rebec /'ri:bek/ n. (also rebeck) Mus. a medieval usu. threestringed instrument played with a bow. [F rebec var. of OF rebebe rubebe f. Arab. rabab] rebel n., adj., & v. —n. |'reb(a)l/ 1a person who fights against, resists, or refuses allegiance to, the established government. 2a person or thing that resists authority or control. —adj. /'reb(a)l/ (attrib.) 1 rebellious. 2 of or concerning rebels. 3 in rebellion. —-v.intr. /ri'bel/ (rebelled, rebelling; US rebeled, rebeling) (usu. foll. by against) 1 act as a rebel; revolt. 2 feel or display repugnance. [ME f. OF rebelle, rebeller f. L rebellis (as RE-, bellum war)]

rebellion /ri'beljan/ n. open resistance to authority, esp. organized armed resistance to an established government. [ME f. OF

f. L rebellio -onis (as REBEL)]

rebellious /ri'beljas/ adj. 1 tending to rebel, insubordinate. 2 in rebellion. 3 defying lawful authority. 4 (of a thing) unmanageable, refractory. 00 rebelliously adv. rebelliousness n. [ME f. REBELLION + -ous or f. earlier rebellous + -10US]

rebid /'ri:bid/ v. & n. —v. /also ri:'bid/ (rebidding; past and past part. rebid) Cards 1 intr. bid again. 2 tr. bid (a suit) again at a higher level. —n. 1 the act of rebidding. 2 a bid made in this way.

rebind /ri:'baind/ v.tr. (past and past part. rebound) bind (esp. a book) again or differently.

rebirth /ri:'b3:6, 'ri:-/ n. 1a new incarnation. 2 spiritual enlightenment. 3 a revival (the rebirth of learning). oO reborn [ri:'bo:n/ adj. reboot /ri:'bu:t/ v.tr. (often absol.) Computing boot up (a system) again. rebore v. & n. —v.tr. /ri:'bo:(r)/ make a new boring in, esp. widen the bore of (the cylinder in an internal-combustion engine). —n. |'ri:bo:(r)/ 1 the process of doing this. 2 a rebored engine.

rebound! y, & n. —v.intr. /ri'baund/ 1 spring back after action or impact. 2 (foll. by upon) (of an action) have an adverse effect upon (the doer). —n. /'rizbaund/ 1 the act or an instance of rebounding; recoil. 2 a reaction after a strong emotion. 0 on the rebound while still recovering from an emotional shock, esp. rejection by a lover. 00 rebounder n. [ME f. OF rebonder, rebondir (as RE-, BOUND})]

rebound? /ri:'baond/ past and past part. of REBIND. rebroadcast /ri:'bro:dka:st/ v. & n. —v.tr. (past rebroadcast or rebroadcasted; past part. rebroadcast) broadcast again. —n. a repeat broadcast. rebuff /ri'baf/ n. & v. —n. 1 a rejection of one who makes advances, proffers help or sympathy, shows interest or curiosity, makes a request, etc. 2 a repulse; a snub. —v.tr. give a rebuff to. [obs. F rebuffe(r) f. It. ribuffo, ribuffare, rabbuffo, rabbuffare (as RE-, buffo puff)]

rebuild /ri:'brld/ v.tr. (past and past part. rebuilt) build again or differently.

rebuke /ri'bju:k/ v. & n. —v.tr. reprove sharply; subject to protest or censure. —n. 1 the act of rebuking. 2 the process of tJ chip

d3 jar

(see over for vowels)

rebury

receptive

1206

receipt /rr'si:t/ n. & v. —n. 1 the act or an instance of receiving

being rebuked. 3 a reproof. 00 rebuker n. rebukingly adv. [ME f. AF & ONF rebuker (as RE-, OF buchier beat, orig. cut down wood f. busche log)]

or being received into one’s possession (will pay on receipt of the goods). 2a written acknowledgement of this, esp. of the payment of money. 3 (usu. in pl.) an amount of money etc. received. 4 archaic a recipe. —v.tr. place a written or printed receipt on (a bill). [ME receit(e) f. AF & ONF receite, OF regoite, recete f. med.L recepta fem. past part. of L recipere RECEIVE: -p- inserted after L] receive /r1'si:v/ v.tr. 1 take or accept (something offered or given) into one’s hands or possession. 2 acquire; be provided with or given (have received no news; will receive a small fee). 3 accept delivery of (something sent). 4 have conferred or inflicted on one (received many honours; received a heavy blow on the head). 5 a stand the force or weight of. b bear up against; encounter with opposition. 6 consent to hear (a confession or oath) or consider (a petition). 7 (also absol.) accept or have dealings with (stolen property knowing of the theft). 8 admit; consent or prove able to hold; provide accommodation for (received many visitors). 9 (of a recept-

rebury /ri:'beri/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) bury again. 00 reburial n. rebus /'ri:bas/ n. 1 an enigmatic representation of a word (esp. a name), by pictures etc. suggesting its parts. 2 Heraldry a device suggesting the name of its bearer. [F rébus f. L rebus, ablat. pl. of res thing] rebut /ri'bat/ v.tr. (rebutted, rebutting) 1 refute or disprove (evidence or a charge). 2 force or turn back; check. oo rebutment n. rebuttable adj. rebuttal n. [ME f. AF rebuter, OF rebo(u)ter (as RE-, BUTT?)] rebutter /ri'bata(r)/ n. 1 a refutation. 2 Law a defendant’s reply to the plaintiffs surrejoinder. [AF rebuter (as REBUT)]

recalcitrant /r'kelsitrant/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 obstinately disobedient. 2 objecting to restraint. —n. a recalcitrant person. 00 recalcitrance n. recalcitrantly adv. [L recalcitrare (as RE-, calcitrare kick out with the heels f. calx calcis heel)] oo recalculate [ri:'kelkjujlert/_ v.tr. calculate again.

acle) be able to hold (a specified amount or contents). 10 greet

or welcome, esp. in a specified manner (how did they receive your offer?). 11 entertain as a guest etc. 12 admit to membership of a society, organization, etc. 13 be marked more or less permanently with (an impression etc.). 14 convert (broadcast signals) into sound or pictures. 15 Tennis be the player to whom the server serves (the ball). 16 (often as received adj.) give credit

recalculation /-'le1{(a)n/ n. recalesce |,ri:ko'les/ v.intr. grow hot again (esp. of iron allowed to cool from white heat, whose temperature rises at a certain point for a short time). 00 recalescence n. [L recalescere (as RE-, calescere grow hot)]

to; accept as authoritative or true (received opinion). 17 eat or drink (the Eucharistic bread and wine). o be at (or on) the receiving end collog. bear the brunt of something unpleasant. received pronunciation (or Received Standard) the form of spoken English based on educated speech in southern England used (with local variations) by the majority of educated English-speaking people. receiving-order Brit. an order of a court authorizing a receiver {see RECEIVER 3) to act. oO0 receivable adj. [ME f. OF receivre, recoivre f. L recipere recept- (as RE-, capere take)] receiver /ri'si:va(r)/ n. 1a person or thing that receives. 2 the part of a machine or instrument that receives sound, signals, etc. (esp. the part of a telephone that contains the earpiece). 3 (in full official receiver) a person appointed by a court to administer the property of a bankrupt or insane person, or property under litigation. 4 a radio or television receiving apparatus. 5 a person who receives stolen goods. 6 Chem. a vessel for collecting the products of distillation, chromatography, etc.

recall /ri'‘ko:1/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 summon to return from a place

or from a different occupation, inattention, a digression, etc. 2 recollect, remember. 3 bring back to memory; serve as a reminder of. 4 revoke or annul (an action or decision). 5 cancel or suspend the appointment of (an official sent overseas etc.). 6 revive, resuscitate. 7 take back (a gift). —n. /also 'ri:kol/ 1 the act or an instance of recalling, esp. a summons to come back. 2 the act of remembering. 3 the ability to remember. 4 the possibility of recalling, esp. in the sense of revoking (beyond recall). 5 US removal of an elected official from office. 00 recallable adj. recant /ri'kent/ v. 1 tr. withdraw and renounce (a former belief or statement) as erroneous or heretical. 2 intr. disavow a former

opinion, esp. with a public confession of error. 00 recantation |,ri:keen'te1f(0)n/ n. recanter n. [L recantare revoke (as RE-, cantare sing, chant)] recap /'ri:kep/ v. & n. colloq. —v.tr. & intr. (recapped, recapping) recapitulate. —n. recapitulation. [abbr.]

receivership /ri'si:vafip/ n. 1 the office of official receiver. 2 the state of being dealt with by a receiver (esp. in receivership). recension /ri'sen{(2)n/ n. 1 the revision of a text. 2 a particular form or version of a text resulting from such revision. [L recensio f. recensére revise (as RE-, censére review)] recent /'ri:s(a)nt/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 not long past; that happened, appeared, began to exist, or existed lately. 2 not long established; lately begun; modern. 3 (Recent) Geol. = HOLOCENE.

recapitalize /ri:'kepito,larz/ v.tr. (also -ise) capitalize (shares etc.) again. 00 recapitalization /-'ze1{(9)n/ n.

recapitulate |,ri:ko'pitjo,leit/ v.tr. 1 go briefly through again; summarize. 2 go over the main points or headings of. oo recapitulative /-lotrv/ adj. recapitulatory /-lotort/ adj. [L recapitulare (as RE-, capitulum CHAPTER)]

recapitulation /|,ri:ko,pitju'ler{(o)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance

—n. (Recent) Geol. = HOLOCENE. 00 recency n. recently adv. recentness n. [L recens recentis or F récent] receptacle /ri'septok(a)l/ n. 1 a containing vessel, place, or space. 2 Bot. a the common base of floral organs. b the part of a leaf or thallus in some algae where the reproductive organs are situated. [ME f. OF receptacle or L receptaculum (as RECEPTION)] reception /ri'sep{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of receiving or the process of being received, esp. of a person into a place or group. 2 the manner in which a person or thing is received (got a cool reception). 3 a social occasion for receiving guests, esp.

of recapitulating. 2 Biol. the reappearance in embryos of successive type-forms in the evolutionary line of development. 3 Mus. part of a movement, esp. in sonata form, in which themes from the exposition are restated. [ME f. OF recapitulation or LL recapitulatio (as RECAPITULATE)] recapture /ri:'kzpt{a(r)/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 capture again; recover by capture. 2 re-experience (a past emotion etc.). —n. the act or an instance of recapturing. recast /ri:'ka:st/ v. & n. —v.tr. (past and past part. recast) 1 put into a new form. 2 improve the arrangement of. 3 change the cast of (a play etc.). —n. 1 the act or an instance of recasting. 2 a recast form. recce /'reki/ n. & v. collog. —n. a reconnaisance. —v.tr. & intr. (recced, recceing) reconnoitre. [abbr.]

after a wedding. 4 a formal or ceremonious welcome. 5 a place where guests or clients etc. report on arrival at a hotel, office, etc. 6 a the receiving of broadcast signals. b the quality of this (we have excellent reception).

recd. abbr. received. recede /ri'si:d/ v.intr. 1 go or shrink back or further off. 2 be left at an increasing distance by an observer’s motion. 3 slope backwards (a receding chin). 4 decline in force or value. 5 (foll. by from) withdraw from (an engagement, opinion, etc.). 6 (of a man’s hair) cease to grow at the front, sides, etc. [ME f. L recedere (as RE-, cedere cess- go)] re-cede /ri:'si:d/ v.tr. cede back to a former owner.

z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

0 reception order an order

authorizing the entry of a patient into a mental hospital. reception room a room available or suitable for receiving company or visitors. [ME f. OF reception or L receptio (as RECEIVE)] receptionist /ri'sepfanist/ n. a person employed in a hotel, Office, etc., to receive guests, clients, etc. receptive /ri'septiv/ adj. 1 able or quick to receive impressions or ideas. 2 concerned with receiving stimuli etc. 00 receptively adv. receptiveness n. receptivity /,ri:sep'trviti/ n. [F réceptif -ive or med.L receptivus (as RECEPTION)]

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

a run

wo put

u: too

9 ago

al my

receptor

receptor /ri'septa(r)/ n. (often attrib.) Biol. 1 an organ able to respond to an external stimulus such as light, heat, or a drug, and transmit a signal to a sensory nerve. 2 a region of a cell, tissue, etc., that responds to a molecule or other substance. [OF receptour or L receptor (as RECEPTIVE)] recess /ri'ses, 'ri:ses/ n. & v. —n. 1a space set back in a wall; a niche. 2 (often in pl.) a remote or secret place (the innermost recesses). 3 a temporary cessation from work, esp. of Parliament, or US of a lawcourt or during a school day. 4 Anat. a fold or indentation in an organ. 5 Geog. a receding part of a mountain chain etc. —v. 1 tr. make a recess in. 2 tr. place in a recess; set back. 3 US a intr. take a recess; adjourn. b tr. order a temporary cessation from the work of (a court etc.). [L recessus (as RECEDE)} recession /ri'sef(a)n/ n. 1 a temporary decline in economic activity or prosperity. 2 a receding or withdrawal from a place or point. 3 a receding part of an object; a recess. oO recessionary adj. [L recessio (as RECESS)] recessional /r1'sefan(s)l/ adj. & n. —adj. sung while the clergy and choir withdraw after a service. —n. a recessional hymn. recessive /ri'sesrv/ adj. 1 tending to recede. 2 Phonet. (of an accent) falling near the beginning of a word. 3 Genetics (of an inherited characteristic) appearing in offspring only when not masked by a dominant characteristic inherited from one parent. 00 recessively adv. recessiveness n. [RECESS after excessive]

Rechabite /'reks,bait/ n. 1 a member of a Jewish family, descended from Jonadab son of Rechab, who refused to drink wine or live in houses (Jer. 35: 2-19). 2 a total abstainer; a member of the Independent Order of Rechabites, a benefit society founded in 1835.recharge v. & n. —v.tr. /ri:'t{a:d3/ 1 charge again. 2 reload. —n. /'ri:tfa:d3/ 1 a renewed charge. 2 material etc. used for this. 00 rechargeable /ri:'t{a:dzab(o)l/ adj.

réchauffé |r'faofer/ n. 1a warmed-up dish. 2 a rehash. [F past part. of réchauffer (as RE-, CHAFE)]

recheck v. & n. —v.tr. & intr. |ri:'t{ek/ check again. —n. /'ri:tfek/ a second or further check or inspection. recherché |ro'feafer/ adj. 1 carefully sought out; rare or exotic. 2 far-fetched, obscure. [F, past part. of rechercher (as RE-, chercher seek)]

rechristen /ri:‘kris(s)n/ v.tr. 1 christen again. 2 give a new name to. recidivist /ri'stdrvist/ n. a person who relapses into crime. 00 recidivism n. recidivistic |-'visttk/ adj. [F récidiviste f. récidiver f. med.L recidivare f. L recidivus f. recidere (as RE-, cadere fall)]

Recife /ro'si:fe1/ (formerly Pernambuco /,p3:nem'bu:kau/) a port on the Atlantic coast of NE Brazil; pop. (1980) 1,183,400. recipe /'resrpi/n. 1a statement of the ingredients and procedure required for preparing cooked food. 2 an expedient; a device for achieving something. 3 a medical prescription. [2nd sing. imper. (as used in prescriptions) of L recipere take, RECEIVE] recipient /r'sipront/ n. & adj. —n. a person who receives something. —adj. 1 receiving. 2 receptive. 00 recipiency n. [F récipient f. It. recipiente or L recipiens f. recipere RECEIVE]

reciprocal /ri'siprak(s)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 in return (offered a reciprocal greeting). 2 mutual (their feelings are reciprocal). 3 Gram. (of a pronoun) expressing mutual action or relation (as in each other). 4 inversely correspondent; complementary (natural kindness matched bya reciprocal severity). —n. Math. an expression or function so related to another that their product is unity (4 is the reciprocal of 2). 00 reciprocality /-'keliti/ n. reciprocally adv. [L reciprocus ult. f. re- back + pro forward] reciprocate /ri'sipro,kert/ v. 1 tr. return or requite (affection etc.). 2 intr. (foll. by with) offer or give something in return (reciprocated with an invitation to lunch). 3 tr. give and receive mutually; interchange. 4 a intr. (of a part of a machine) move backwards and forwards. b tr. cause to do this. 0 reciprocating engine an engine using a piston or pistons moving up and down in cylinders. 00 reciprocation /-'kerf(2)n/ n. reciprocator n. [L reciprocare reciprocat- (as RECIPROCAL)] reciprocity |,resi'prositi/1n. 1 the condition of being reciprocal. 2 mutual action. 3 give and take, esp. the interchange of privileges between countries and organizations. [F réciprocité f. réciproque f. L, reciprocus (as RECIPROCATE)] av how

et day

recognizance

1207

ou no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

va poor

recirculate /ri:'s3:kju,lert/ v.tr. & intr. circulate again, esp. make available for reuse. 00 recirculation /-'le1{(9)n/ n.

recital /ri'sait(s)]/ n. 1 the act or an instance of reciting or being recited. 2 the performance of a programme of music by a solo instrumentalist or singer or by a small group. 3 (foll. by of) a detailed account of (connected things or facts); a narrative. 4 Law the part of a legal document that states the facts. oo recitalist n.

recitation |,resi'te1{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of reciting. 2 a thing recited. [OF recitation or L recitatio (as RECITE)}

recitative /,resito'ti:v/ n. 1 musical declamation of the kind usual in the narrative and dialogue parts of opera and oratorio. 2 the words or part given in this form. [It. recitativo (as RECITE)] recite /ri'sart/ v. 1 tr. repeat aloud or declaim (a poem or passage) from memory, esp. before an audience. 2 intr. give a recitation. 3 tr. mention in order; enumerate. 00 reciter n. [ME f. OF reciter or L recitare (as RE-, CITE)]

reck /rek| v. archaic or poet. (only in neg. or interrog.) 1 tr. (foll. by of) pay heed to; take account of; care about. 2 tr. pay heed to. 3 intr. (usu. with it as subject) be of importance (it recks little). [OE reccan, rel. to OHG ruohhen] reckless /'reklis/ adj. disregarding the consequences or danger etc.; lacking caution; rash. 00 recklessly adv. recklessness n. [OE recceléas (as RECK)} reckon |/'rekan/ v. 1 tr. count or compute by calculation. 2 tr. (foll. by in) count in or include in computation. 3 tr. (often foll. by as or to be) consider or regard (reckon him wise; reckon them to be beyond hope). 4 tr. a (foll. by that + clause) conclude after calculation; be of the considered opinion. bcollog. (foll. by to + infin.) expect (reckons to finish by Friday). 5 intr. make calculations; add up an account or sum. 6intr. (foll. by on, upon) rely on, count on, or base plans on. 7intr. (foll. by with) a take into account. b settle accounts with. 0 reckon up 1 count up; find the total of. 2 settle accounts. to be reckoned with of considerable importance; not to be ignored. [OE (ge)recenian f. WG]

reckoner /'rekano(r)/ n. = ready reckoner. reckoning /'rekonin/ n. 1 the act or an instance of counting or calculating. 2 a consideration or opinion. 3 a the settlement of an account. b an account. Oo day of reckoning the time when something must be atoned for or avenged.

reclaim /ri'klerm/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 seek the return of (one’s property). 2 claim in return or as a rebate etc. 3 bring under cultivation, esp. from a state of being under water. 4 a win back or away from vice or error or a waste condition; reform. b tame, civilize. —n. the act or an instance of reclaiming; the process of being reclaimed. oO reclaimable adj. reclaimer n. reclamation |,reklo'mer{(o)n/ n. [ME f. OF reclamer reclaim- f. L reclamare cry out against (as RE-, clamare shout)]

reclassify

/ri:'klesi,fai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) classify again or

differently. 00 reclassification /-fi'kerf(2)n/ n.

reclinate /'rekli,neit/ adj. Bot. bending downwards. [L reclinatus, past part. of reclinare (as RECLINE)]

recline /m'klain/ v. 1 intr. assume or be in a horizontal or leaning position, esp. in resting. 2 tr. cause to recline or move from the vertical. 00 reclinable adj. [ME f. OE recliner or L reclinare bend back, recline (as RE-, clinare bend)} recliner /ri'klaino(r)/ n. 1 a comfortable chair for reclining in. 2 a person who reclines.

reclothe /ri:'kloudj v.tr. clothe again or differently. recluse /ri'klu:s/ n. & adj. —n. a person given to or living in seclusion or isolation, esp. as a religious discipline; a hermit. —adj. favouring seclusion; solitary. 00 reclusion /r1'klu:3(2)n/ n. reclusive adj. [ME f. OF reclus recluse past part. of reclure f. L recludere reclus- (as RE-, claudere shut)]

recognition /|,rekog'n1{(a)n/ n. the act or an instance of recognizing or being recognized. 00 recognitory /ri'kognitori/ adj. [L recognitio (as RECOGNIZE)] recognizance /ri'kogniz(9)ns/ n. 1 a bond by which a person undertakes before a court or magistrate to observe some condition, e.g. to appear when summoned. 2 a sum pledged as surety for this. [ME f. OF recon(n)issance (as RE-, COGNIZANCE)]

ais fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

recognizant

record

1208

recondite /'rekon,dait, ri'kon-/ adj. 1 (of a subject or knowledge)

recognizant /ri‘kogniz(a)nt/' adj. (usu. foll. by of) 1 showing recognition (of a favour etc.). 2 conscious or showing consciousness (of something). recognize /|'rekog,naiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 identify (a person or thing) as already known; know again. 2 realize or discover the nature of. 3 (foll. by that) realize or admit. 4 acknowledge the existence, validity, character, or claims of. 5 show appreciation of; reward. 6 (foll. by as, for) treat or acknowledge. 7 (of a chairperson etc.) allow (a person) to speak in a debate etc. 00 recognizable adj. recognizability /-o'biliti/ n. recognizably adv. recognizer n. [OF recon(n)iss- stem of reconnaistre f. L recognoscere recognit- (as RE-, cognoscere learn)] recoil /ri'ko1l/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 suddenly move or spring back in fear, horror, or disgust. 2 shrink mentally in this way. 3 rebound after an impact. 4 (foll. by on, upon) have an adverse reactive effect on (the originator). 5 (of a gun) be driven backwards by its discharge. 6 retreat under an enemy’s attack. 7 Physics (of an atom etc.) move backwards by the conservation of momentum on emission of a particle. —n. /also 'ri:korl/ 1 the act or an instance of recoiling. 2 the sensation of recoiling. [ME f. OF reculer (as RE-, L culus buttocks)] recollect /,reka'lekt/ v.tr. 1 remember. 2 succeed in remembering; call to mind. [L recolligere recollect- (as RE-, COLLECT})] re-collect |,ri:ko'lekt/ v.tr. 1 collect again. 2 (refl.) recover control of (oneself).

recollection |,reko'lek/(o)n/ n. 1 the act or power of recollecting. 2 a thing recollected. 3 a a person’s memory (to the best of my recollection). b the time over which memory extends (happened within my recollection). 00 recollective adj. [F recollection or med_L recollectio (as RECOLLECT)]

abstruse; out of the way; little known. 2 (of an author or style) dealing in abstruse knowledge or allusions; obscure. oO reconditely adv. reconditeness n. [L reconditus (as RE-, conditus

past part. of condere hide)]

recondition /|,ri:kon'd1{(2)n/ v.tr. 1 overhaul, refit, renovate. 2 make usable again. 00 reconditioner n. reconfigure |,ri:kon'figoa(r)/ v.tr. configure again or differently. 00 reconfiguration /-go're1{(a)n/ n. reconfirm |,ri:kon'fs:m/ v.tr. confirm, establish, or ratify anew. 00 reconfirmation /-konfe'merf(a)n/ n. reconnaissance /ri'kpnis(9)ns/ n. 1 a survey of a region, esp. a military examination to locate an enemy or ascertain strategic features. 2 a preliminary survey or inspection. [F (earlier -oissance) f. stem of reconnaitre (as RECONNOITRE)] reconnect |,ri:ks'nekt/ v.tr. connect again. 00 reconnection n.

reconnoitre /|,reka'norta(r)/ v. & n. (US reconnoiter) —v. 1 tr. make a reconnaissance of (an area, enemy position, etc.). 2 intr. make a reconnaissance. —n. a reconnaissance. [obs. F reconnoitre f. L recognoscere RECOGNIZE] reconquer /|ri:'kpnka(r)/ v.tr. conquer again. 00 reconquest n. reconsider |,ri:kan's1do(r)/ v.tr. & intr. consider again, esp. for a possible change of decision. 00 reconsideration /-'re1{(2)n/

n. reconsign |,ri:kon'sain/ v.tr. consign again or differently.

00

reconsignment n.

reconsolidate |,ri:kan'spli,dert/ v.tr. & intr. consolidate again. oO0 reconsolidation /|-'de1{(2)n/ n.

reconstitute /ri:'konsti,tju:t/ v.tr. 1 build up again from parts;

recolonization /-'ze1{(o)n/ n. recolour /Jri:'kalo(r)/ v.tr. colour again or differently. recombinant [ri:'kombinent/ adj. & n. Biol. —adj. (of a gene etc.) formed by recombination. —n. a recombinant organism or cell. oOrecombinant DNA DNA that has been recombined using constituents from different sources.

reconstruct. 2 reorganize. 3 restore the previous constitution of (dried food etc.) by adding water. 00 reconstitution /-'tju: S(a)n/ n. reconstruct |,ri:kan'strakt/ v.tr. 1 build or form again. 2 a form a mental or visual impression of (past events) by assembling the evidence for them. b re-enact (a crime). 3 reorganize. o0 reconstructable adj. (also reconstructible). reconstructive adj. reconstructor n.

recombination /ri:kombr'nerf(3)n/ n. Biol. the rearrangement,

reconstruction |,ri:kon'strak[(a)n/ n. 1 the act or a mode of

esp. by crossing over in chromosomes, of nucleic acid molecules forming a new sequence of the constituent nucleotides.

constructing. 2 a thing reconstructed. 3 US hist. the reorganization of the Southern States (1865-77) in the aftermath of the American Civil War. Reconstruction Acts passed by the US Congress required the giving of the vote to Blacks and ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment (1868), which extended US citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the US, as conditions for readmittance to the Union. reconvene /,ri:kon'vi:n/ v.tr. & intr. convene again, esp. (of a meeting etc.) after a pause in proceedings. reconvert /,ri:Kon'v3:t/ v.tr. convert back to a former state. 00

recolonize /ri:'kplo,naiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) colonize again.

recombine

|jri:kom'bain/

v.tr.

& intr. combine

again

o0

or

differently. recommence /,ri:ko'mens/ v.tr. & intr. begin again. oo recommencement n. recommend |,reko'mend/ v.tr. 1 suggest as fit for some purpose or use. 2 (often foll. by that + clause or to + infin.) advise as a course of action etc. (I recommend that you stay where you are). 3 (of qualities, conduct, etc.) make acceptable or desirable. 4 (foll. by to) commend or entrust (to a person or a person’s care). 00 recommendable adj. recommendation /-'de1J(s)n/ n. recommendatory /-dotor1/ adj. recommender n. [ME (in sense 4) f. med.L recommendare (as RE-, COMMEND)]

recommit |,ri:ko'mit/ v.tr. (recommitted, recommitting) 1 commit again. 2 return (a bill etc.) to a committee for further consideration. 00 recommitment n. recommittal n. recompense /'rekom,pens/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 make amends to (a person) or for (a loss etc.). 2 requite; reward or punish (a person or action). —n. 1 a reward; requital. 2 retribution; satisfaction given for an injury. [ME f. OF recompense(r) f. LL recompensare (as RE-, COMPENSATE)] recompose /,ri:kom'povz/ v.tr. compose again or differently.

reconcile /'rekon,sail/ v.tr. 1 make friendly again after an estrangement. 2 (usu. in refl. or passive; foll. by to) make acquiescent or contentedly submissive to (something disagreeable or unwelcome) (was reconciled to failure). 3 settle (a quarrel etc.). 4a harmonize; make compatible. b show the compatibility of by argument or in practice (cannot reconcile your views with the facts). oo reconcilable adj. reconcilability — /-o'biliti/_—_n. reconcilement n. reconciler n. reconciliation /-sil1'er{(9)n/ n. reconciliatory /|-kon'stlrotor1/ adj. [ME f. OF reconcilier or L reconciliare (as RE-, conciliare CONCILIATE)]

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

jyes

reconversion n. record n. & v. —n. |'reko:d/ 1 a a piece of evidence or information constituting an (esp. official) account of something that has occurred, been said, etc. b a document preserving this. 2 the state ofbeing set down or preserved in writing or some other permanent form (is a matter of record). 3 a (in full gramophone record) a thin plastic disc carrying recorded sound in grooves on each surface, for reproduction by a record-player. b a trace made on this or some other medium, e.g. magnetic tape. 4a an official report of the proceedings and judgement in a court of justice. b a copy of the pleadings etc. constituting a case to be decided by a court (see also court of record). 5 a the facts known about a person’s past (has an honourable record of service). b a list of a person’s previous criminal convictions. 6 the best performance (esp. in sport) or most remarkable event of its kind on record (often attrib.: a record attempt). 7 an object serving as a memorial of a person or thing; a portrait. 8 Computing a number of related items of information which are handled as a unit. —-v.tr. /r1'ko:d/ 1 set down in writing or some other permanent form for later reference, esp. as an official record. 2 convert (sound, a broadcast, etc.) into permanent form for later reproduction. 3 establish or constitute a historical or other record of. 0 break (or beat) the record outdo all previous performances etc. for the record as an official statement etc.

k cat

lleg

m man

nono

ppen r red

s sit

t top

v voice

recorder

go on record state one’s opinion or judgement openly or officially, so that it is recorded. have a record be known as a criminal. a matter of record a thing established as a fact by being recorded. off the record as an unofficial or confidential statement etc. on record officially recorded; publicly known. put (or get or set etc.) the record straight correct a misapprehension. recorded delivery a Post Office service in which the dispatch and receipt of a letter or parcel are recorded. recording angel an angel that supposedly registers each person’s good and bad actions. record-player an apparatus for reproducing sound from gramophone records. (See GRAMOPHONE.) O00 recordable adj. [ME f. OF record remembrance, recorder record, f. L recordari remember (as RE-, cor cordis heart)] recorder /ri'ko:do(r)/ n. 1 an apparatus for recording, esp. a tape recorder. 2 a a keeper of records. b a person who makes an official record. 3 Brit. a a barrister or solicitor of at least ten years’ standing, appointed to serve as a part-time judge. bhist.

a judge in certain courts. 4 Mus. a woodwind instrument like a flute but blown through the end and having a more hollow tone. 00 recordership n. (in sense 3). [ME f. AF recordour, OF recordeur & f. RECORD (in obs. sense ‘practise a tune’)]

recording /ri‘ko:din/ n. 1 the process by which audio or video signals are recorded for later reproduction. 2 material or a programme recorded. recordist /ri'ko:dist/ n. a person who records sound. recount /ri'kaunt/ v.tr. 1 narrate. 2 tell in detail. [ONF & AF reconter (as RE-, COUNT®)] re-count v. & n. —v.tr. /ri:‘kaunt/ count again. —n. /'ri:kaunt/ a re-counting, esp. of votes in an election. recoup /r'ku:p/ v.tr. 1 recover or regain (a loss). 2 compensate or reimburse for a loss. 3 Law deduct or keep back (part of a sum due). 0 recoup oneself recover a loss. 00 recoupable adj. recoupment n. [F recouper (as RE-, couper cut)] recourse /ri'ko:s/ n. 1 resorting to a possible source of help. 2 a person or thing resorted to. 0 have recourse to turn to (a person or thing) for help. without recourse a formula used by the endorser of a bill etc. to disclaim responsibility for payment. [ME f. OF recours f. L recursus (as RE-, COURSE)] recover /ri'kava(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. regain possession or use or control of, reclaim. 2 intr. return to health or consciousness or to a normal state or position (have recovered from my illness; the country never recovered from the war). 3 tr. obtain or secure (compensation etc.) by legal process. 4 tr. retrieve or make up for (a loss, setback, etc.). 5 refl. regain composure or consciousness or control of one’s limbs. 6 tr. retrieve (reusable substances) from industrial waste. —n. the recovery of a normal position in fencing etc. 00 recoverable adj. recoverability /-bilitt/ n. recoverer n. [ME f. AF recoverer, OF recovrer f. L recuperare RECUPERATE] re-cover [ri:'kava(r)/ v.tr. 1 cover again. 2 provide (a chair etc.) with a new cover. recovery /ri'kAvori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the act or an instance of recovering; the process of being recovered. 2 Golfa stroke bringing the ball out of a bunker etc. [ME f. AF recoverie, OF reco(u)vree (as RECOVER)] recreant /'rekriont/ adj. & n. literary —adj. 1 craven, cowardly. 2 apostate. —n. 1 a coward. 2 an apostate. 00 recreancy n. recreantly adv. [ME f. OF, part. of recroire f. med.L (se) recredere yield in trial by combat (as RE-, credere entrust)] re-create |,ri:kri'ert/ v.tr. create over again. 00 re-creation n. recreation /|,rekri'e1{(2)n/ n. 1 the process or means of refreshing or entertaining oneself. 2 a pleasurable activity. o recreation-ground public land for games etc. oO recreational adj. recreationally adv. recreative /'rekri,eitrv/ adj. [ME f. OF f. L recreatio -onis f. recreare create again, renew] recriminate /ri'kriminet/ v.intr. make mutual or counter accusations. oO recrimination /-'ner{(a)n/ n. recriminative |-natrv/ adj. recriminatory /-notor1/_adj. [med.L recriminare (as RE-, criminare accuse f. crimen CRIME)] recross /ri:'krps/ v.tr. & intr. cross or pass over again. recrudesce |,ri:kru:'des, ,rek-/ v.intr. (of a disease or difficulty wwe

z zoo

recuperate

1209

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

etc.) break out again, esp. after a dormant period. oo recrudescence n. recrudescent adj. [back-form. f. recrudescent, -ence f. L recrudescere (as RE-, crudus raw)] recruit /r'kru:t/ n. & v. —n. 1 a serviceman or servicewoman newly enlisted and not yet fully trained. 2 a new member of a society or organization. 3 a beginner. —v. 1 tr. enlist (a person) as a recruit. 2 tr. form (an army etc.) by enlisting recruits. 3 intr. get or seek recruits. 4 tr. replenish or reinvigorate (numbers, strength, etc.). 00 recruitable adj. recruiter n. recruitment n. [earlier = reinforcement, f. obs. F dial. recrute ult. f. F recroitre increase again f. L recrescere]

recrystallize /ri:'kristalaiz/ v.tr. & intr. (also -ise) crystallize again. 00 recrystallization /|-'ze1{(o)n/ n. recta pl. of RECTUM. rectal /'rekt(s)l/ adj. of or by means of the rectum. O00 rectally ady. rectangle /'rek,tzng(s)l/ n. a plane figure with four straight sides and four right angles, esp. one with the adjacent sides unequal. [F rectangle or med.L rectangulum f. LL eee fsL rectus straight + angulus ANGLE}] rectangular /rek'tengulo(r)/ adj. 1 a shaped like a rectangle. b having the base or sides or section shaped like a rectangle. 2 a placed at right angles. b having parts or lines placed at right angles. 0 rectangular coordinates coordinates measured along axes at right angles. rectangular hyperbola a hyperbola with rectangular asymptotes. 00 rectangularity /|-'leriti/ n. rectangularly adv.

recti pl. of RECTUS. rectifier /'rekti,faio(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that rectifies. 2 Electr. an electrical device that allows a current to flow preferentially in one direction by converting an alternating current into a direct one.

rectify /'rekt1,fa1/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 adjust or make right; correct, amend. 2 purify or refine, esp. by repeated distillation. 3 find a straight line equal in length to (a curve). 4 convert (alternating current) to direct current. 00 rectifiable adj. rectification |-f'kerJ(o)n/ n. [ME f. OF rectifier f. med.L rectificare f. L rectus right]

rectilinear

/|,rekti'lmto(r)/ adj. (also rectilineal

/-nial/)

1

bounded or characterized by straight lines. 2 in or forming a straight line. 00 rectilinearity /|-'zriti/ n. rectilinearly adv. [LL-rectilineus f. L rectus straight + linea LINE}] rectitude /'rekti,tju:d/n. 1 moral uprightness. 2 righteousness. 3 correctness. [ME f. OF rectitude or LL rectitudo f. L rectus right] recto /'rektou/ n. (pl. -os) 1 the right-hand page of an open book. 2 the front of a printed leaf of paper or manuscript (opp. VERSO). [L recto (folio) on the right (leaf)] rector /'rekto(r)/ n. 1 (in the Church of England) the incumbent of a parish where all tithes formerly passed to the incumbent (cf. vicar). 2 RC Ch. a priest in charge of a church or religious institution. 3 a the head of some schools, universities, and colleges. b (in Scotland) an elected representative of students on a university's governing body. oo rectorate /-rot/ n. rectorial |-'to:r1ol/ adj. rectorship n. [ME f. OF rectour or L rector ruler f. regere rect- rule] rectory /'rektort/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a rector’s house. 2 (in the Church of England) a rector’s benefice. [AF & OF rectorie or med.L rectoria (as RECTOR)] rectrix /'rektrrks/ n. (pl. rectrices /-r1,si:z/) a bird’s strong tailfeather directing flight. [L, fem. of rector ruler: see RECTOR] rectum /'rektom/ n. (pl. rectums or recta /-to/) the final section of the large intestine, terminating at the anus. [L rectum (intestinum) straight (intestine)] rectus /'rektas/ n. (pl. recti /-ta1/) Anat. a straight muscle. [L, = straight]

recumbent

/m'kambent/

adj. lying down;

reclining.

oo

recumbency n. recumbently adv. [L recumbere recline (as RE-, cumbere lie)] recuperate /ri'ku:pa,reit/ v. 1 intr. recover from illness, exhaustion, loss, etc. 2 tr. regain (health, something lost, etc.). 00 recuperable adj. recuperation /-'re1{(o)n/ n. recuperative |-ratrv/ adj. recuperator n. [L recuperare recuperat- recover] tf chip

dg jar

(see over for vowels)

recur a

et

a

i

le

recur /ri'ks:(r)/ v.intr. (recurred, recurring) 1 occur again; be repeated. 2 (of a thought, idea, etc.) come back to one’s mind. 3 (foll. by to) go back in thought or speech. 0 recurring decimal a decimal fraction in which the same figures are repeated indefinitely. [L recurrere recurs- (as RE-, currere run)] recurrent /rm'karant/ adj. 1 recurring; happening repeatedly. 2 (of a nerve, vein, branch, etc.) turning back so as to reverse direction. 00 recurrence n. recurrently adv. recursion /ri'ks:{(9)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of returning. 2 Math. the repeated application of a procedure or definition to a previous result to obtain a series of values. 0 recursion formula Math. an expression giving successive terms ofa series etc. OO recursive adj. [LL recursio (as RECUR)} recurve /ri'ks:v/ v.tr. & intr. bend backwards. 00 recurvate |-vat/ adj. recurvature n. [L recurvare recurvat- (as RE-, curvare bend)] recusant /'rekjuz(o)nt/ n. & adj. —n. a person who refuses submission to an authority or compliance with a regulation, esp. hist. one who refused to attend services of the Church of England. —adj. of or being a recusant. 00 recusance n. recusancy n. [L recusare refuse] recycle /ri:'sark(s)l/ v.tr. return (material) to a previous stage of a cyclic process, esp. convert (waste) to reusable material. 00 recyclable adj. red /red/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or near the colour seen at the least-refracted end of the visible spectrum, of shades ranging from that of blood to pink or deep orange. 2 flushed in the face with shame, anger, etc. 3 (of the eyes) bloodshot or red-rimmed with weeping. 4 (of the hair) reddish-brown, orange, tawny. 5 involving or having to do with bloodshed, burning, violence, or revolution. 6 colloq. communist or socialist. 7 (Red) Russian, Soviet (the Red Army). 8 (of wine) made from dark grapes and coloured by their skins. —n. 1 a red colour or pigment. 2 red clothes or material (dressed in red). 3 collog. a communist or socialist. 4 a a red ball, piece, etc., in a game or sport. b the

sion, editing, rearrangement. 3 a new edition. 00 redactional adj. [F rédaction f. LL redactio (as REDACT)] redan /ri'den/ n. a fieldwork with two faces forming a salient angle. [F f. redent notching (as RE-, dent tooth)]

Red Army 1 the armed forces of the USSR; orig. the Russian Bolshevik army. 2 the army of China and other (esp. Communist) countries. 3 a left-wing extremist terrorist organization in

atively recently.

Red Brigades a left-wing terrorist organization based in Italy, who carried out kidnappings, murders, and sabotage from the 1970s onwards. The former Prime Minister of Italy, Aldo Moro, was one of their victims (1978).

redbud /'redbad/ n. any American tree of the genus Cercis, with pale pink flowers. redcap /'redkzp/ n. 1 Brit. a member of the military police. 2 US a railway porter. redcoat /'redkaut/ n. hist. a British soldier (so called from the scarlet uniform of most regiments).

red-hot 1 heated until red. 2 highly exciting. 3 (of news) fresh; completely new. 4 intensely excited. 5 enraged. red-hot poker any plant of the genus Kniphofia, with spikes of usually red or yellow flowers. Red Indian offens. an American Indian, with reddish skin. red lead a red form of lead oxide used as a pigment. red-letter day a day that is pleasantly noteworthy or memorable (orig. a festival marked in red on the calendar). red light 1 a signal to stop on a road, railway, etc. 2 a warning or

3: her

oo redactor n. [L redigere redact- (as RE-, agere bring)]

redaction /ri'dek/(s)n/ n. 1 preparation for publication. 2 revi-

redbrick /'redbrik/ adj. esp. Brit. (of a university) founded rel-

herring. 2 a misleading clue or distraction (so called from the practice of using the scent of red herring in training hounds).

e bed

refusal. red-light district a district containing many brothels. red man = Red Indian. red meat meat that is red when raw (e.g. beef or lamb). red mullet a marine fish, Mullus surmuletus, valued as food. red pepper 1 cayenne pepper. 2 the ripe fruit of the capsicum plant, Capsicum annuum. red rag something that excites a person’s rage (so called because red is supposed to provoke bulls). red rattle a pink-flowered marsh plant, Pedicularis palustris. red roan see ROAN!. red rose the emblem of Lancashire or the Lancastrians. red shift the displacement of spectral lines towards longer wavelengths (the red end of the spectrum) in radiation from distant galaxies etc., interpreted as a Doppler shift arising from a velocity of recession. red spider any of various mites of the family Tetranychidae infesting hothouse plants esp. vines. red squirrel a native British squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris, with reddish fur. Red Star the emblem of some Communist countries. red tape excessive bureaucracy or adherence to formalities esp. in public business. red-water 1 a bacterial disease of calves, a symptom of which is the passing of reddish urine. 2 a mass of water made red by pigmented plankton, esp. Gonyanlax tamarensis. 00 reddish adj. reddy adj. redly adv. redness n. [OE réad f. Gmc] redact /ri'dzkt/ v.tr. put into literary form; edit for publication.

redbreast /'redbrest/ n. collog. a robin.

star. red ensign see ENSIGN. red-eye 1 = RUDD. 2 US sl. cheap whisky. red-faced embarrassed, ashamed. red flag see separate entry. red fox a native British fox, Vulpes vulpes, having a characteristic deep red or fawn coat. red giant see separate entry. red grouse a subspecies of the willow grouse, native to Britain and familiar as a game-bird. red gum 1a teething-rash in children. 2 a a reddish resin. b any of various kinds of eucalyptus yielding this. red-handed in or just after the act of committing a crime, doing wrong, etc. red hat 1 a cardinal’s hat. 2 the symbol of a cardinal’s office. red-headed 1 (of a person) having red hair. 2 (of birds etc.) having a red head. red heat 1 the temperature or state of something so hot as to emit red light. 2 great excitement. red herring 1 dried smoked

a: arm

emg

Japan. o Red Army Faction an urban guerrilla group in former West Germany, active from 1968 onwards, hostile to US forces and to capitalist society. It was originally led by Andreas Baader (1943-77) and Ulrike Meinhof (1934-76), after whom it was sometimes called the Baader-Meinhof Group.

player using such pieces. 5 the debit side of an account (in the red). 6 a red light. o red admiral a butterfly, Vanessa atalanta, with red bands on each pair of wings. red bark a red kind of cinchona. red biddy collog. a mixture of cheap wine and methylated spirits. red-blooded virile, _— vigorous. red-bloodedness vigour, spirit. red card Football a card shown by the referee to a player being sent off the field. red carpet privileged treatment of an eminent visitor. red cedar an American juniper, Juniperus virginiana. red cell (or corpuscle) an erythrocyte. red cent US the smallest (orig. copper) coin; a trivial sum. red cross 1 St George’s cross, the national emblem of England. 2 the Christian side in the Crusades. Red Cross see separate entry. red deer a deer, Cervus elaphus, with a rich red-brown summer coat turning dull-brown in winter. red duster Brit. collog. = red ensign. red dwarf an old relatively cool

ze cat

rede

1210

a

Red Crescent an organization that is the equivalent of the Red Cross in Muslim countries.

Red Cross an organization set up, at the instigation of the Swiss philanthropist Henri Dunant (d.1910), according to the Geneva Convention of 1864 for the treatment of the sick and wounded in war and those suffering by large-scale natural disasters. The international organization (which operates through national societies) has twice won the Nobel Peace Prize (1917, 1944). Its headquarters are at Geneva in Switzerland, and its emblem, a red cross on a white ground, is the Swiss flag with its colours reversed. Its national branches include the British Red Cross Society (incorporated in 1908), which undertakes first-aid and welfare work as well as participating in relief work abroad. Muslim countries have adopted a red crescent as their emblem for an equivalent organization.

redcurrant /'red,karont/ n. 1 a widely cultivated shrub, Ribes rubrum. 2 a small red edible berry of this plant.

redd /red/ v.tr. (past and past part. redd) dial. 1 clear up. 2 arrange, tidy, compose, settle. [ME: cf. MLG, MDu. redden] redden /'red(a)n/ v.tr. & intr. make or become red.

reddle /'red(o)l/ n. red ochre; ruddle. [var. of RUDDLE] rede /ri:d/ n. & v. archaic —n. advice, counsel.

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

vo put

u: too

—v.tr. 1 advise.

9 ago

al my

redecorate

2 read (a riddle or dream). [OE réd f. Gmc, rel. to READ (of which the verb is a ME var. retained for archaic senses)} redecorate /ri:'deko,rert/ v.tr. decorate again or differently. 00 redecoration /-'re1{(a)n/ n. redeem /ri'di:m/ v.tr. 1 buy back; recover by expenditure of effort or by a stipulated payment. 2 make a single payment to discharge (a regular charge or obligation). 3 convert (tokens or bonds etc.) into goods or cash. 4 (of God or Christ) deliver from sin and damnation. 5 make up for; be a compensating factor in (has one redeeming feature). 6 (foll. by from) save from (a defect). 7 refl. save (oneself) from blame. 8 purchase the freedom of (a person). 9 save (a person’s life) by ransom. 10 save or rescue or reclaim. 11 fulfil (a promise). 00 redeemable adj. [ME f. OF redimer or L redimere redempt- (as RE-, emere buy)] ; redeemer /ri'di:ma(r)/ n. a person who redeems. o the Redeemer Christ.

redefine

|,ri:di'fam/ v.ir. define

again or differently.

oo

redefinition /-defi'n1{(9)n/ n.

redemption

/ri'demp{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of

redeeming; the process of being redeemed. 2 man’s deliverance from sin and damnation. 3 a thing that redeems. oo redemptive adj. [ME f. OF f. L redemptio (as REDEEM)]

redeploy /,ri:dr'plo1/ v.tr. send (troops, workers, etc.) to a new place or task. 00 redeployment n.

redesign |,ri:di'zain/ v.tr. design again or differently. redetermine |,ri:di'ts:mrn/ v.tr. determine again or differently. Oo redetermination /-'ne1/(a)n/ n. redevelop |,ri:di'velop/ v.tr. develop anew (esp. an urban area, with new buildings). o0 redeveloper n. redevelopment n.

redfish /'redfif/ n. 1 a male salmon in the spawning season. 2 a rose-fish-

red flag n. 1 a symbol of danger. 2 the symbol of socialist revolution. 0 The Red Flag a socialist song (1889) composed by James Connell, secretary to the Workmen’s Legal Friendly Society.

Redford /'redfad/, Robert (1936-

_),American film actor, who

co-starred with Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and The Sting (1973), and played the title role in The Great Gatsby (1974).

red giant n. an extended star of high luminosity and low surface temperature, generally understood to be in a late stage of evolution when no further hydrogen remains in the central regions to undergo nuclear fusion, but reactions involving hydrogen may continue in a spherical shell. The radius may exceed 150 million km, so that the entire orbit of Earth about the sun could be fitted inside the star’s envelope. Temperatures may be as low as 3,000 °C, but the enormous emitting area renders such a star many times more luminous than the sun. Typical examples are Betelgeuse in Orion and Aldebaran in Taurus.

Redgrave /'redgrerv/, Sir Michael Scudamore (1908-

_), Eng-

lish actor, a major figure in the theatre, who has also appeared in films, including The Browing Version (1951) and The Go-Between (1971). His daughter Vanessa (1937— ) was a successful stage actress before appearing in films that include Julia (1976), for which she received an Academy Award. She has also been active in left-wing politics.

Red Guard any of various radical groups and their members, esp. (i) an organized detachment of workers during the Russian Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, (ii) a militant youth movement during the Cultural Revolution in China, 1966-76.

redhead |'redhed/ n. a person with red hair. redial /ri:'datol/ v.tr. & intr. (redialled, redialling; US redialed, redialing) dial again.

redid past of REDO. rediffusion |,ri:di'fju:3(2)n/ n. the relaying of broadcast programmes esp. by cable from a central receiver. redingote /'redin,gsut/ n. a woman’s long coat with a cutaway front or a contrasting piece on the front. [F f. E riding-coat] redintegrate /ri'dintigreit/ v.tr. 1 restore to wholeness or unity. 2 renew or re-establish in a united or perfect state. o0 au how

er day

redstart

1211

9u no

ea hair

1a near

o1 boy

va poor

redintegration /-'gre1{(a)n/ n. redintegrative adj. [ME f. L redintegrare (as RE-, INTEGRATE)] redirect |,ri:dai'rekt, -di'rekt/ v.tr. direct again, esp. change the address of (a letter). 00 redirection n. rediscover |,ri:di'skava(r)/ v.tr. discover again. 00 rediscovery n. (pl. -ies).

redissolve

|,ri:di'zplv/

v.tr.

&

intr.

dissolve

again.

oo

redissolution /|-,disa'lu:{(a)n/ n.

redistribute /|,ri:di'stri,bju:t, disp. ri:'dis-/ v.tr. distribute again or differently. 00 redistribution /-'bju:J(2)n/ n. redistributive [/tribjotrv/ adj.

redivide

|,ri:dr'vaid/ v.tr. divide

again or differently.

oo

redivision |-'v13(2)n/ n.

redivivus |,redi'vi:vas/ adj. (placed after noun) come back to life. [L (as RE-, vivus living)]

Redmond /'redmond/, John Edward (1856-1916), Irish statesman who led the Parnellites after Parnell’s death. During his leadership the Irish obtained control of local government, and the statutory establishment of an Irish parliament. His aim was to establish a free Ireland within the British Empire, but his moderate approach lost the confidence of his country which passed into the control of extreme nationalists under de Valera. redneck /'rednek/ n. US often derog. a working-class White in the southern US, esp. a politically conservative one. redo /|ri:'du:/ v.tr. (3rd sing. present redoes; past redid; past part. redone) 1 do again or differently. 2 redecorate.

redolent /'redolont/ adj. 1 (foll. by of, with) strongly reminiscent or suggestive or mentally associated. 2 fragrant. 3 having a strong smell; odorous. 00 redolence n. redolently adv. [ME f. OF redolent or L redolére (as RE-, olére smell)}

redouble [ri:'dab(s)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & intr. make or grow greater or more intense or numerous; intensify, increase. 2 intr. Bridge double again a bid already doubled by an opponent. —n. Bridge the redoubling of a bid. [F redoubler (as RE-, DOUBLE)]

redoubt /ri'davt/ n. Mil. an outwork or fieldwork usu. square or polygonal and without flanking defences. [F redoute f. obs. It. ridotta f. med.L reductus refuge f. past part. of L reducere withdraw (see REDUCE): -b- after DOUBT (cf. REDOUBTABLE)]

redoubtable

/ri'davtob(s)l/

adj. formidable,

esp.

as

an

opponent. co redoubtably adv. [ME f. OF redoutable f. redouter fear (as RE-, DOUBT)]

redound /ri'daundj v.intr. 1 (foll. by to) (of an action etc.) make a great contribution to (one’s credit or advantage etc.). 2 (foll. by upon, on) come as the final result to; come back or recoil upon. (ME, orig. = overflow, f. OF redonder f. L redundare surge (as RE-, unda wave)} redox |'redoks, 'ri:-/ n. Chem. (often attrib.) oxidation and reduction. [reduction + oxidation]

redpoll /'redpaul/ n. a finch, Acanthis flammea, with a red forehead, similar to a linnet. redraft /ri:'dra:ft/ v.tr. draft (a writing or document) again. redraw |ri:'dro:/ v.tr. (past redrew; past part. redrawn) draw again or differently. redress /ri'dres/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 remedy or rectify (a wrong or grievance etc.). 2 readjust; set straight again. —n. 1 reparation for a wrong. 2 (foll. by of) the act or process of redressing (a grievance etc.). O redress the balance restore equality. 00 redressable adj. redressal n. redresser n. (also redressor). [ME f. OF redresse(r), redrecier (as RE-, DRESS)] re-dress /|ri:'dres/ v.tr. & intr. dress again or differently.

Red

River a river that rises in southern China and flows

1,175 km (730 miles) south-east through northern Vietnam to the Gulf of Tonkin.

Red Sea a long narrow land-locked sea separating Africa from the Arabian Peninsula, connected to the Arabian Sea by the Gulf of Aden and to the Mediterranean Sea by the Suez Canal.

redshank |'red{znk/ n. either of two sandpipers, Tringa totanus and T. erythropus, with bright-red legs. redskin /'redskin/ n. collog. offens. an American Indian. redstart /'redsta:t/ n. 1 any European red-tailed songbird of the

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

reduce

re-enact

1212

vost ese ge

ee

genus Phoenicurus. 2 any of various similar American warblers of the family Parulidae. [RED + OE steort tail] reduce /ri'dju:s/ v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become smaller or less. 2 tr. (foll. by to) bring by force or necessity (to some undesirable state or action) (reduced them to tears; were reduced to begging). 3 tr. convert to another (esp. simpler) form (reduced it to a powder). 4 tr. convert (a fraction) to the form with the lowest terms. 5tr. (foll. by to) bring or simplify or adapt by classification or analysis (the dispute may be reduced to three issues). 6 tr. make lower in status or rank. 7 tr. lower the price of. 8 intr. lessen one’s weight or size. 9 tr. weaken (is in a very reduced state). 10 tr. impoverish. 11 tr. subdue; bring back to obedience. 12 intr. & tr. Chem. a combine or cause to combine with hydrogen. b undergo or cause to undergo addition of electrons. 13 tr. Chem. convert (oxide etc.) to metal. 14 tr. a (in surgery) restore (a dislocated etc. part) to its proper position. b remedy (a dislocation etc.) in this way. 15 tr. Photog. make (a negative or print) less dense. 16 tr. Cookery boil off excess liquid from. 0 reduced circumstances poverty after relative prosperity. reduce to the ranks demote (an NCO) to the rank of private. reducing agent Chem. a substance that brings about reduction by oxidation and losing electrons. 00 reducer n. reducible adj. reducibility /-'brliti/ n. [ME in sense ‘restore to original or proper position’, f. L reducere reduct- (as RE-, ducere bring)]

2 make (straw) into reed. 3 fit (a musical instrument) with a reed. 4 decorate with a moulding of reeds. 0 reed bunting a small brown bird, Emberiza schoeniclus, frequenting reed-beds. reed-mace atall reedlike water-plant, Typha latifolia, with straplike leaves and a head of numerous tiny red-brown flowers. reed-organ a harmonium etc. with the sound produced by metal reeds. reed-pipe 1 a wind instrument with sound produced by a reed. 2 an organ-pipe with a reed. reed-stop a reeded organ-stop. reed-warbler any bird of the genus Acrocephalus, esp. A. scirpaceus, frequenting reed-beds. [OE hréod f. WG] reed? /ri:d/ n. the fourth stomach of a ruminant; the abomasum. [OE réada]

reductio

reedy /'ri:di/ adj. (reedier, reediest) 1 full of reeds. 2 like a

ad absurdum |r daktiou ed 2xb'z3:dem/ n. a

method of proving the falsity of a premiss by showing that the logical consequence is absurd; an instance of this. [L, = reduction to the absurd]

reduction /ri'dak{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of reducing; the process of being reduced. 2 an amount by which prices etc. are reduced. 3 a reduced copy ofa picture etc. 4 an arrangement of an orchestral score for piano etc. 00 reductive adj. [ME f. OF reduction or L reductio (as REDUCE)]

reductionism /r'dakfa,n1z(9)m/ n. 1 the tendency to or principle of analysing complex things into simple constituents. 2 often derog. the doctrine that a system can be fully understood in terms of its isolated parts, or an idea in terms of simple concepts. 00 reductionist n. reductionistic /-'n1stik/ adj.

redundant /ri'dand(s)nt/ adj. 1 superfluous; not needed. 2 that can be omitted without any loss of significance. 3 (of a person) no longer needed at work and therefore unemployed. 4 Engin. & Computing (of a component) not needed but included in case of failure in another component. 00 redundancy n. (pl. -ies). redundantly adv. [L redundare redundant- (as REDOUND)]

reduplicate /ri'dju:plikeit/ v.tr. 1 make double. 2 repeat. 3 repeat (a letter or syllable or word) exactly or with a slight change (e.g. hurly-burly, see-saw). 00 reduplication /-'ker{(a)n/ n. reduplicative /-kotrv/ adj. [LL reduplicare (as RE-, DUPLICATE)]

redwing /'redwin/ n. a thrush, Turdus iliacus, with red under-

reedbuck /'ri:dbak/ n. an antelope, Redunca redunca, native to W. Africa.

reeded /'ri:did/ adj. Mus. (of an instrument) having a vibrating reed.

reeding /'ri:din/ n. Archit. a small semicylindrical moulding or ornamentation (cf. REED! n. 7).

re-edit

v.tr.

(-edited,

-editing)

edit

again

or

reedling /'ri:dlin/ n. a bearded tit. [REED}] re-educate /ri:'edju,kert/ v.tr. educate again, esp. to change a person’s views or beliefs. 00 re-education /-'kerf(2)n/ n. reed, esp. in weakness or slenderness. 3 (of a voice) like a reed instrument in tone; not full. 00 reediness n. reef! /ri:f] n. 1 a ridge of rock or coral etc. at or near the surface of the sea. 2 a a lode of ore. b the bedrock surrounding this. (earlier riffie) f: MDu., MLG rif, ref, f. ON rif RIB] reef? /ri:f] n. & v. Naut. —n. each of several strips across asail, for taking it in or rolling it up to reduce the surface area in a high wind. —v.tr. 1 take in a reef or reefs of (a sail). 2 shorten (a topmast or a bowsprit). 0 reefing-jacket a thick close-fitting double-breasted jacket. reef-knot a double knot made symmetrically to hold securely and cast off easily. reef-point each of several short pieces of rope attached to a sail to secure it when reefed. [ME riff, refe f. Du. reef, rif f. ON rif R1B, in the same sense: cf. REEF] reefer /'ri:fo(r)/ n. 1 sl. a marijuana cigarette. 2 = reefing-jacket (see REEF’). 3 aa person who reefs. b collog. a midshipman. [REEF (in sense 1, = a thing rolled) + -ER}] reek /ri:k/ v. & n. —v.intr. (often foll. by of) 1 smell strongly and unpleasantly. 2 have unpleasant or suspicious associations (this reeks of corruption). 3 give off smoke or fumes. —n. 1 a foul or stale smell. 2 esp. Sc. smoke. 3 vapour; a visible exhalation (esp. from a chimney). 00 reeky adj. [OE réocan (v.), réc (n.), f. Gmc]

reel jri:l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a cylindrical device on which thread, silk, yarn, paper, film, wire, etc., are wound. 2 a quantity of thread etc. wound on areel. 3 a device for winding and unwinding a line as required, esp. in fishing. 4 a revolving part in various machines. 5 a a lively folk or Scottish dance, of two or more couples facing each other. b a piece of music for this. —v. 1 tr. wind (thread, a fishing-line, etc.) on a reel. 2 tr. (foll. by in, up) draw (fish etc.) in or up by the use ofa reel. 3 intr. stand or walk or run unsteadily. 4 intr. be shaken mentally or physically. 5 intr. rock from side to side, or swing violently. 6

wings showing in flight. redwood /'redwud/ n. 1 an exceptionally large Californian conifer, Sequoia sempervirens, yielding red wood. 2 any tree yielding red wood.

reebok /'ri:bok/ n. (also rhebok) a small S. African antelope, Pelea capreolus, with sharp horns. [Du., = roebuck] re-echo /|ri:'ekou| v.intr. & tr. (-oes, -oed) 1 echo. 2 echo repeatedly; resound.

Reed |ri:d/, Sir Carol (1906-76), English film director, whose

|ri:'edit/

differently. 00 re-edition /-1'dif(2)n/ n.

best-known films include Odd Man Out (1947), The Third Man (1949), The Fallen Idol (1948), and the popular musical Oliver!

intr. dance a reel. O reel off say or recite very rapidly and without apparent effort. 00 reeler n. [OE hréol, of unkn. orig,] re-elect /,ri:t'lekt/ v.tr. elect again, esp. to a further term of office. 00 re-election /-1'lek{(a)n/ n. re-eligible /-!elid31b(a)1/ adj.

reed! /ri:d/ n. & v. —n. 1 a any of various water or marsh plants

re-embark /,ri:1m'ba:kj v.intr. & tr. go or put on board ship

(1968).

with a firm stem, esp. of the genus Phragmites. b a tall straight stalk of this. 2 (collect.) reeds growing in a mass or used as material esp. for thatching. 3 Brit. wheat-straw prepared for thatching. 4 a pipe of reed or straw. 5 a the vibrating part of the mouthpiece of some wind instruments, e.g. the oboe and clarinet, made of reed or other material and producing the sound. b(esp. in pl.) a reed instrument. 6 a weaver’s comblike

implement for separating the threads of the warp and correctly positioning the weft. 7 (in pl.) a set of semicylindrical adjacent mouldings like reeds laid together. —v.tr. 1 thatch with reed.

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

again. 00 re-embarkation /-'ker{()n/ n. re-emerge /,ri:1'm3:d3/ v.intr. emerge again; come back out. oo

re-emergence n. re-emergent adj. re-emphasize |ri:'emfo,saiz/ v.tr. place renewed emphasis on. o0 re-emphasis /-'emfosts/ n. re-employ |,ri:1m'plo1/ v.tr. employ again. 00 re-employment

n. re-enact

/jri:'nekt/

re-enactment

kcat

lleg

mman

v.tr.

act

out

(a past

n.

event).

oo

f

nono

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

re-enlist

reflection

1213

re-enlist j,ri:1n'list/ v.intr. enlist again, esp. in the armed services. 00 re-enlister n. re-enter /ri:'ento(r)/ v.tr. & intr. enter again; go back in. oo re-entrance /-'entrons/ n. re-entrant /ri:'entront/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 esp. Fortification (of an angle) pointing inwards (opp. SALIENT). 2 Geom. reflex. —n. a re-entrant angle. re-entry /ri:'entri/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the act of entering again, esp. (ofa spacecraft, missile, etc.) re-entering the earth’s atmosphere. 2 Law an act of retaking or repossession.

re-equip /,ri:'kwip/ v.tr. & intr. (-equipped, -equipping) provide or be provided with new equipment. re-erect /,ri:1'rekt/ v.tr. erect again.

re-establish |,ri:'steeblif/ v.tr. establish again or anew.

uO

re-establishment n. re-evaluate |,ri:1'velju,ert/ v.tr. evaluate again or differently. OO re-evaluation /-'e1{(a)n/ n. reeve! /ri:v/ n. 1 hist. a the chief magistrate of a town or district. b an official supervising a landowner’s estate. c any of various minor local officials. 2 Can. the president of a village or town

council. [OE (ge)réfa, girefa]

;

reeve? /ri:vj v.tr. (past rove /rauv/ or reeved) Naut. 1 (usu. foll. by through) thread (a rope or rod etc.) through a ring or other aperture. 2 pass a rope through (a block etc.). 3 fasten (a rope

or block) in this way. (prob. f. Du. réven REEF]

reeve? /ri:v/ n. a female ruff (see RUFF). [17th c.: orig. unkn.]

reference /'reforans/ n. & v. —n. 1 the referring of a matter for decision or settlement or consideration to some authority. 2 the scope given to this authority. 3 (foll. by to) a a relation or respect or correspondence (success seems to have little reference to merit). b an allusion (made no reference to our problems). ca direction to a book etc. (or a passage in it) where information may be found. d a book or passage so cited. 4 a the act of looking up a passage etc. or looking in a book for information. b the act of referring to.a person etc. for information. 5 a a written testimonial supporting an applicant for employment etc. b a person giving this. —v.tr. provide (a book etc.) with references to authorities. 0 reference book a book intended to be consulted for information on individual matters rather than read continuously. reference library a library in which the books are for consultation not loan. with (or in) reference to regarding; as regards; about. without reference to not taking account of. 00 referential /-'ren{(a)l/ adj. referendum |,refs'rendom/ n. (pl. referendums or referenda |-do/) 1 the process of referring a political question to the electorate for a direct decision by general vote. 2 a vote taken by referendum, [L, gerund or neut. gerundive of referre: see REFER] referent /'refarant/ n: the idea or thing that a word etc. symbolizes. [L referens (as REFERENDUM)]

referral /ri'fs:r(2)l/ n. the referring of an individual to an expert or specialist for advice, esp. the directing of a patient by a GP to a medical specialist.

refill v. & n. —v.tr. /ri:'fil/ 1 fill again. 2 provide a new filling

re-examine /ri:1g'zemm)j v.tr. examine again or further (esp. a witness after cross-examination). OO re-examination

/-'nerf(a)n/ n. re-export v. & n. —-v.tr. |,ri:tk'spo:t/ export again (esp. imported goods after further processing or manufacture). —n. |rilekspo:t/ 1 the process of re-exporting. 2 something re-exported. 00 re-exportation /-'terf(2)n/ n. re-exporter |,ri:tk 'spo:ta(r)/ 1.

ref /ref] n. collog. a referee in sports. [abbr.] ref. abbr. 1 reference. 2 refer to. reface /ri:'fers/ v.tr. put a new facing on (a building).

refashion /ri:'fe{(o)n/ v.tr. fashion again or differently. refection /r'fek{(2)n/ n. literary 1 refreshment by food or drink

(we took refection). 2 a light meal. [ME f. OF f.L refectio -onis f. reficere (as REFECTORY)] refectory /r'fektori, 'refiktori/ n. (pl. -ies) a room used for communal meals, esp. in a monastery or college. 0 refectory table a long narrow table. [LL refectorium f. L reficere refresh (as RE-, facere make)] refer /ri'fs:(r)/ v. (referred, referring) (usu. foll. by to) 1 tr. trace or ascribe (to a person or thing as a cause or source) (referred their success to their popularity). 2 tr. consider as belonging (to a certain date or place or class). 3 tr. send on or direct (a person, or a question for decision) (the matter was referred to arbitration; referred him to ner previous answer). 4 intr. make an appeal or have recourse to (some authority or source of information) (referred to his notes). 5 tr. send (a person) to a medical specialist etc. 6 tr. (foll. by back to) send (a proposal etc.) back to (a lower body, court, etc.). 7 intr. (foll. by to) (of a person speaking) make an allusion or direct the hearer’s attention (decided not to refer to our other problems). 8 intr. (foll. by to) (of a statement etc.) have a particular relation; be directed (this paragraph refers to the events of last year). 9 tr. (foll. by to) interpret (a statement) as being directed to (a particular context etc.). 10 tr. fail (a candidate in an examination). Oo referred pain pain felt in a part of the body other than its actual source. refer to drawer a banker’s note suspending payment of a cheque. oo referable [ri'f3:rab(o)l, 'refor-/ adj. referrer n. [ME f. OF referer f. L referre carry back (as RE-, ferre bring)]

for. —n. /'ri:fil/ 1 a new filling: 2 the material for this. o0

refillable /-'filob(o)l/ adj. refine /ri'fain/ v. 1 tr. free from impurities or defects; purify, clarify. 2 tr. & intr. make or become more polished or elegant or cultured. 3 tr. & intr. make or become more subtle or delicate in thought, feelings, etc. 00 refinable adj. [RE- + FINE! v.] refined /ri'faind/ adj. characterized by polish or elegance or subtlety. refinement /ri'faimment/ n. 1 the act of refining or the process of being refined. 2 fineness of feeling or taste. 3 polish or elegance in behaviour or manner. 4 an added development or improvement (a car with several refinements). 5 a piece of subtle reasoning. 6 a fine distinction. 7 a subtle or ingenious example or display (all the refinements of reasoning). [REFINE + -MENT, after F raffinement] refiner /ri'famno(r)/ n. a person or firm whose business is to refine crude oil, metal, sugar, etc. refinery /ri'farnori/ n. (pl. -ies) a place where oil etc. is refined.

refit v. & n. —v.tr. & intr. /ri:'fit/ (refitted, refitting) make or become fit or serviceable again (esp. of a ship undergoing renewal and repairs). —n. /'ri:fit/ the act or an instance of refitting; the process of being refitted. 00 refitment n. reflag /ri:'fleg| v.tr. (reflagged, reflagging) change the national registration of (a ship). reflate /ri:'flert/ v.tr. cause reflation of (a currency or economy etc.). [RE- after inflate, deflate]

reflation /ri:'fle1f(o)n/ n. the inflation of a financial system to

referee /|,refo'ri:/ n. & v. —n. 1 an umpire esp. in football or

restore its previous condition after deflation. [RE- after inflation, deflation] reflect /r1'flekt/ v. 1 tr. a (of a surface or body) throw back (heat, light, sound, etc.). b cause to rebound (reflected light). 2 tr. (of a mirror) show an image of; reproduce to the eye or mind. 3 tr. correspond in appearance or effect to; have as a cause or source (their behaviour reflects a wish to succeed). 4 tr. a (of an action, result, etc.) show or bring (credit, discredit, etc.). b (absol.; usu. foll. by on, upon) bring discredit on. 5 a intr. (often foll. by on. upon) meditate on; think about. b tr. (foll. by that, how, etc. + clause) consider; remind oneself. 6 intr. (usu. foll. by upon, on) make disparaging remarks. 0 reflecting telescope = REFLECTOR. [ME f. OF reflecter or L reflectere (as RE-, flectere flex- bend)]

boxing. 2 a person whose opinion or judgement is sought in some connection, or who is referred to for a decision in a dispute etc. 3 a person willing to testify to the character of an applicant for employment etc. —v. (referees, refereed) 1 intr. act’as referee. 2 tr. be the referee of (a game etc.).

instance of reflecting; the process of being reflected. 2 a reflected light, heat, or colour. ba reflected image. 3 reconsideration (on reflection). 4 (often foll. by on) discredit or a thing bringing discredit. 5 (often foll. by on, upon) an idea arising in the mind;

wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

9 thin

6 this

yn Ting

x loch

reflection /ri'flek{(2)n/ n. (also reflexion)

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

1 the act or an

reflective a comment or apophthegm. o angle of reflection Physics the angle made by a reflected ray with a perpendicular to the reflecting surface. 00 reflectional adj. [ME f. OF reflexion or LL reflexio (as REFLECT), with assim. to reflect] reflective /ri'flektrv/ adj. 1 (of a surface etc.) giving a reflection or image. 2 (of mental faculties) concerned in reflection or thought. 3 (of a person or mood etc.) thoughtful; given to meditation. 00 reflectively adv. reflectiveness n. reflector /r'flekto(r)/ n. 1 a piece of glass or metal etc. for reflecting light in a required direction, e.g. a red one on the back of a motor vehicle or bicycle. 2 a a telescope etc. using a mirror to produce images. b the mirror itself. reflet |ra'fle/ n. lustre or iridescence, esp. on pottery. [F f. It. riflesso reflection, REFLEX] reflex /'ri:fleks/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (of an action) independent of the will, as an automatic response to the stimulation of a nerve (e.g. a sneeze). 2 (of an angle) exceeding 180°. 3 bent backwards. 4 (of light) reflected. 5 (of a thought etc.) introspective; directed back upon itself or its own operations. 6 (of an effect or influence) reactive; coming back upon its author or source. —n. 1a reflex action. 2 a sign or secondary manifestation (law isa reflex of public opinion). 3 reflected light or a reflected image. 4 a word formed by development from an earlier stage of a language. o reflex arc Anat. the sequence of nerves involved in a reflex action. reflex camera a camera with a ground-glass focusing screen on which the image is formed by a combination of lens and mirror, enabling the scene to be correctly composed and focused. 00 reflexly adv. [L reflexus (as REFLECT)]

reflexible /ri'fleksib(s)]/ adj. capable of being reflected.

oo

reflexibility /-'biliti/n.

reflexion Brit. var. of REFLECTION. reflexive /ri'fleksrv/ adj. & n. Gram. —adj. 1 (of a word or form) referring back to the subject of a sentence (esp. of a pronoun, e.g. myself). 2 (of a verb) having a reflexive pronoun as its object (as in to wash oneself). —n. a reflexive word or form, esp. a pronoun. oo reflexively adv. reflexiveness n. reflexivity [-'srviti/ n. reflexology |,ri:flek'splad31/ n. 1 a system of massage through reflex points on the feet, hands, and head, used to relieve tension and treat illness. 2 Psychol. the scientific study of reflexes. 00 reflexologist n.

refloat /ri:'flout/ v.tr. set (a stranded ship) afloat again. refluent /'refluant/ adj. flowing back (refluent tide). 00 refluence n. [ME f. L refluere (as RE-, fluere flow)] reflux /'ri:flaks/n. & v. —n. 1a backward flow. 2 Chem. a method of boiling a liquid so that any vapour is liquefied and returned to the boiler. —v.tr. & intr. Chem. boil or be boiled under reflux. refocus [ri:'foukas/ v.tr. (refocused, refocusing or refocussed, refocussing) adjust the focus of (esp. a lens).

reforest

/ri:'forist/ v.tr. =

refrain

1214

REAFFOREST.

OO

reforestation

/-'sterf(a)n/ n. reforge |ri:'fo:d3/ v.tr. forge again or differently. reform /ri'fo:m/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become better by the removal of faults and errors. 2 tr. abolish or cure (an abuse or malpractice). 3 tr. US correct (a legal document). 4 tr. Chem. convert (a straight-chain hydrocarbon) by catalytic reaction to a branched-chain form for use as petrol. —n. 1 the removal of faults or abuses, esp. of a moral or political or social kind. 2 an improvement made or suggested. 0 Reform Acts measures of electoral reform undertaken in Britain in the 19th c. The first Reform Bill (1832) disenfranchised various rotten boroughs, redistributed their seats among the counties and newly grown towns, and widened the electorate by about 50 per cent to include most of the upper middle class. The second (1867) carried out a further redistribution of seats and doubled the electorate (to two million) by lowering the property qualification. The third (1884) extended the franchise approved for the towns by the second to cover the entire country, increasing the electorate to about five million. Reformed Church any of the Protestant Churches which have accepted the principles of the Reformation, esp. those following Calvinist rather than Lutheran doctrines (see PROTESTANT). Reform Jew an adherent

wz cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

of Reform Judaism. Reform Judaism a liberalizing movement, initiated in Germany by the philosopher Moses Mendelssohn (1729-86), to accommodate the Jewish faith to European intellectual enlightenment. reform school an institution to which young offenders are sent to be reformed. 00 reformable adj. [ME f. OF reformer or L reformare (as RE-, FORM)]

re-form [ri:'fo:m/ v.tr. & intr. form again. 00 re-formation /-'merJ(a)n/ n. reformat /ri:'fo:mzt/ v.tr. (reformatted, reformatting) format anew. reformation |,refo'merf(a)n/ n. the act of reforming or process of being reformed, esp. a radical change for the better in political or religious or social affairs. 0 the Reformation the movement that led to the division of Western Christendom in the 16th c. Pressure for the reform of medieval Christendom came from many quarters: unease at the political power of the Italian papacy, distress at the externality of much medieval religion, a sense of the gulf between contemporary theology and religious life and that found in the New Testament and Patristic period, made increasingly evident by the access provided by the humanists, especially Erasmus, to the original text of the New Testament and the Fathers. Reluctance by the papacy to allow a reforming council meant that Luther’s protest against indulgences led to schism. A parallel movement in Switzerland, led by Zwingli, effected a still more complete break with medieval religion, and the Reformation, influenced in the second generation especially by Calvin, spread to most European countries. All Protestants rejected the authority of the papacy, both religious and political, and found authority in the original text of the Scriptures, made available to all in vernacular translation. The authority of the clergy and the sacramental system was weakened in varying degrees, and the way opened for religious individualism. 00 Reformational adj. [ME f. OF reformation or L reformatio (as REFORM)]|

re-formation |,ri:fo:'merJ(2)n/ n. the process or an instance of forming or being formed again.

reformative /ri'fo:motiv/ adj. tending or intended to produce reform. [OF reformatif -ive or med.L reformativus (as REFORM)]

reformatory /ri'fo:motari/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) US & hist. = reform school. —adj. reformative. reformer /ri'fo:mo(r)/ n. a person who advocates or brings about (esp. political or social) reform. reformism /ri'fo:miz(2)m/ n. a policy of reform rather than abolition or revolution. 00 reformist n. reformulate [ri:'fo:mjo,lert/__v.tr. formulate again or differently. 00 reformulation /-'le1{(s)n/ n. refract /r'frekt/ v.tr. 1 (of water, air, glass, etc.) deflect (a ray of light etc.) at a certain angle when it enters obliquely from another medium. 2 determine the refractive condition of (the eye). [L refringere refract- (as RE-, frangere break)] refraction /ri'frek{(s)n/ n. the process by which or the extent to which light is refracted. 0 angle of refraction the angle made bya refracted ray with the perpendicular to the refracting surface. [F réfraction or LL refractio (as REFRACT)]

refractive

/m'frektrv/

adj. of or involving

refraction.

o

refractive index the ratio of the velocity of light in a vacuum to its velocity in a specified medium.

refractometer /,frek'tomito(r)/ n. an instrument for measuring a refractive index. 00 refractometric /-ta'metrrk/ adj. refractometry n. refractor /ri'frekta(r)/ n. 1 a refracting medium or lens. 2 a telescope using a lens to produce an image.

refractory /ri'frekteri/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 stubborn, unmanageable, rebellious. 2 a (of a wound, disease, etc.) not yielding to treatment. b (of a person etc.) resistant to infection. 3 (of a substance) hard to fuse or work. —n. (pl. -ies) a substance especially resistant to heat, corrosion, etc. oO refractorily adv. refractoriness n. [alt. of obs. refractary f. L refractarius (as REFRACT)]

refrain! /ri'frem/ v.intr. (foll. by from) avoid doing (an action) (refrain from smoking). 0 refrainment n. [ME f. OF refrener f. L refrenare (as RE-, frenum bridle)] 1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

ov put

u: too

9 ago

al my

refrain

regardant

1215

refrain? /ri'frem/ n. 1 a recurring phrase or number of lines, esp. at the ends of stanzas. 2 the music accompanying this. [ME f. OF refrain (earlier refrait) ult. f. L refringere (as RE-, frangere break), because the refrain ‘broke’ the sequence]

refrangible /ri'freendg3rb(s)l/ adj. that can be refracted.

country from war or persecution or natural disaster. [F réfugié past part. of (se) réfugier (as REFUGE)]

refulgent /r1'fald3(2)nt/ adj. literary shining; gloriously bright. o0 refulgence n. refulgently adv. [L refulgére (as RE-, fulgére shine)]}

oo

refrangibility /-'brliti/ n. [mod.L refrangibilis f. refrangere = L refringere: see REFRACT] refreeze /ri:'fri:z/ v.tr. & intr. (past refroze; past part. refrozen) freeze again.

refund v. & n. —v. /ri'fand/ tr. (also absol.) 1 pay back (money

refresh /ri'fref/ v.tr. 1 a (of food, rest, amusement, etc.) give

back’, f. OF refonder or L refundere (as RE-, fundere pour), later assoc.

fresh spirit or vigour to. b (esp. refl.) revive with food, rest, etc. (refreshed myself with a short sleep). 2 revive or stimulate (the memory), esp. by consulting the source of one’s information. 3 make cool. [ME f. OF refreschi(e)r f. fres fresche FRESH]

refresher /ri'frefa(r)/ n. 1 something that refreshes, asp: a drink. 2 Law an extra fee payable to counsel in a prolonged case. O refresher course a course reviewing or updating previous studies.

or expenses). 2 reimburse (a person). —rn. /'ri:fand/ 1 an act of refunding. 2 a sum refunded; a repayment. 00 refundable [r1'fandob(2)l/ adj. refunder /r1'fando(r)/ n. [ME in sense ‘pour with FUND]

refurbish

/ri:'fs:bif/ v.tr.

1 brighten

up.

2 restore

and

redecorate. 00 refurbishment n.

refurnish /ri:'fs:nr{/ v.tr. furnish again or differently. refusal /ri'fju:z(s)l/ n. 1 the act or an instance of refusing; the state of being refused. 2 (in full first refusal) the right or privilege of deciding to take or leave a thing before it is offered to others.

refreshing /ri'frefin/ adj. 1 serving to refresh. 2 welcome or stimulating because sincere or untypical (refreshing pee oo refreshingly adv.

“-

re-fund /ri:'fand/ v.tr. fund (a debt etc.) again.

refuse! /ri'fju:z/ v. 1 tr. withhold acceptance of or consent to (refuse an offer; refuse orders). 2 tr. (often foll. by to + infin.) indicate unwillingness (I refuse to go; the car refuses to start; I refuse!). 3 tr. (often with double object) not grant (a request) made by (a person) (refused me a day off; I could not refuse them). 4 tr. (also absol.) (of a horse) be unwilling to jump (a fence etc.). 00 refusable adj. refuser n. [ME f. OF refuser prob. ult. f. L recusare (see RECUSANT) after refutare REFUTE]

refreshment /r'fre{mont/ n. 1 the act of refreshing or the process of being refreshed in mind or body. 2 (usu. in pl.) food or drink that refreshes. 2 something that refreshes or stimulates the mind. [ME f. OF refreschement (as REFRESH)]

refrigerant /ri'fridgarent/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a substance used for refrigeration. 2 Med. a substance that cools or allays fever. —adj. cooling. [F réfrigérant or L refrigerant- (as REFRIGERATE)] refrigerate /r'fridgo,rert/ v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become cool or cold. 2 tr. subject (food etc.) to cold in order to freeze or

refuse? /'refju:s/n. items rejected as worthless; waste. [ME, perh.

preserve it. oo refrigeration /-'re1{(a)n/ n. refrigerative /-rativ/ adj. [L refrigerare (as RE-, frigus frigoris cold)]

refusenik /ri'fju:znik/ n. a Jew in the Soviet Union who has

refrigerator /r'frid3a,rerta(r)/ n. a cabinet or room in which food etc. is refrigerated. A refrigerator contains a chamber that is kept cooler than its surroundings by making use of the cooling effect produced when a liquid is made to evaporate. The liquid (often a fluorine compound) is pumped through a valve that causes it to expand and become a vapour; this vapour is made to condense back to a liquid outside the refrigerator, where it gives up the heat it acquired from the interior when it became a vapour. Ice-cooled pits or cellars were known in ancient Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome, and the principle continued in use up to the 19th c.; ice was collected in winter from frozen rivers, and lasted into the summer without melting, while food stored in it stayed fresh for several months. In the mid-19th c. ice was used to cool the air in railway wagons for transporting meat in the US, and by the 1880s refrigerating machines had been developed for use in ships, transporting meat successfully on sea journeys of two or three months. A cooling apparatus had long been used in the brewing industry, and it was from this that the first mechanically operated domestic refrigerator was developed c.1880, powered by a small steam pump. Electric refrigeration was a development of the 1920s. refrigeratory /ri'fridgorateri/ adj. & n. —adj. serving to cool. —n. (pl. -ies) hist. a cold-water vessel attached to astill for condensing vapour. {mod.L refrigeratorium (n.), L refrigeratorius (adj.) (as REFRIGERATE)]

refringent

/ri'frind3(a)nt/

adj.

Physics

refracting.

oo

refringence n. refringency n. [L refringere: see REFRACT]

refroze past of REFREEZE.

refrozen past part. of REFREEZE. reft past part. of REAVE. refuel /ri:'fju:ol/ v. (refuelled,

refuelling;

US refueled,

refueling) 1 intr. replenish a fuel supply. 2 tr. supply with more

fuel. refuge /'refju:d3/ n. 1 a shelter from pursuit or danger or trouble. 2 a person or place etc. offering this. 3 a person, thing, or course resorted to in difficulties. 4 a traffic island. [ME f. OF f. L refugium (as RE-, fugere flee)] refugee |,refju'd3i:/ n. a person taking refuge, esp. in a foreign au how

e1 day

ov no

eo hair

io near

or boy

va poor

f. OF refusé past part. (as REFUSE)] re-fuse /ri:'fju:z/ v.tr. fuse again; provide with a new fuse. been refused permission to emigrate to Israel. [REFUSE! + -NIK] refute /ri'fju:t/ v.tr. 1 prove the falsity or error of (a statement etc. or the person advancing it). 2 rebut or repel by argument. 3 disp. deny or contradict (without argument). {] Often confused in this sense with repudiate. 00 refutable adj. refutal n refutation /,refju'terf(o)n/ n. refuter n. [L refutare (as RE-: cf. CONFUTE)] reg /red3/ n. collog. = registration mark. [abbr.] regain /r1'gern| v.tr. obtain possession or use of after loss (regain consciousness). [F regagner (as RE-, GAIN)] regal /'ri:g(2)l/ adj. 1 royal; of or by a monarch or monarchs. 2 fit for a monarch; magnificent. 00 regally adv. [ME f. OF regal or L regalis f. rex regis king] regale /ri'geil| v.tr. 1 entertain lavishly with feasting. 2 (foll. by with) entertain or divert with (talk etc.). 3 (of beauty, flowers, etc.) give delight to. 00 regalement n. [F régaler f. OF gale pleasure]

regalia /ri'geil1o/ n.pl. 1 the insignia of royalty used at coronations. 2 the insignia of an order or of civic dignity. [med.L, = royal privileges, f. L neut. pl. of regalis REGAL]

regalism /'ri:go,l:z(a)m/ n. the doctrine of a sovereign’s ecclesiastical supremacy.

regality /ri'gzliti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state of being a king or queen. 2 an attribute of sovereign power. 3 a royal privilege.

[ME f. OF regalité or med.L regalitas (as REGAL)]

regard /ri'ga:d/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 gaze on steadily (usu. in a specified way) (regarded them suspiciously). 2 give heed to; take into account; let one’s course be affected by. 3 look upon or contemplate mentally in a specified way (I regard them kindly; I regard it as an insult). 4 (of a thing) have relation to; have some connection with. —n. 1 a gaze; a steady or significant look. 2 (foll. by to, for) attention or care. 3 (foll. by for) esteem; kindly feeling; respectful opinion. 4 a respect; a point attended to (in this regard). 5 (in pl.) an expression of friendliness in a letter etc.; compliments (sent my best regards). 0 as regards about, concerning; in respect of. in (or with) regard to as concerns; in respect of. [ME f. OF regard f. regarder (as RE-, garder GUARD)] regardant /ri'ga:d(a)nt/ adj. Heraldry looking backwards. [AF & OF (as REGARD)]

aio fire

aus sour

(see over for consonants)

regardful

mn

1216

A

regardful /ri'ga:dfol/ adj. (foll. by of) mindful of; paying attention to.

regarding /ri'ga:din/ prep. about, concerning; in respect of. regardless /rr'ga:dlis/ adj. & adv. —adj. (foll. by of) without regard or consideration for (regardless of the expense). —adv. without paying attention (carried on regardless). 00 regardlessly adv. regardlessness n. regather /|ri:'gze6a(r)/ v.tr. & intr. 1 gather or collect again. 2

meet again. regatta /ri'gzto/ n. a sporting event consisting of a series of boat or yacht races. [It. (Venetian)]

regd. abbr. registered. regelate /,ri:dgr'leit, ,red3-/ v.intr. freeze again (esp. of pieces of ice etc. frozen together after temporary thawing of the surfaces). O00 regelation /-'le1{(a)n/ n. [RE- + L gelare freeze] regency |'ri:dgansi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the office of regent. 2 a commission acting as regent. 3 a the period of office of a regent or regency commission. b (Regency) a particular period of a regency, esp. the period of 1811-20 in Britain when George, Prince of Wales, acted as regent, or 1715-23 in France with Philip, Duke of Orleans, as regent (often attrib.: Regency costume). (ME f. med.L regentia (as REGENT)] regenerate v. & adj. —v. /ri'dgena,rert/ 1 tr. & intr. bring or come into renewed existence; generate again. 2 tr. improve the moral condition of. 3 tr. impart new, more vigorous, and spiritually greater life to (a person or institution etc.). 4 intr. reform oneself. 5 tr. invest with a new and higher spiritual nature. 6 intr. & tr. Biol. regrow or cause (new tissue) to regrow to replace lost or injured tissue. 7 tr. & intr. Chem. restore or be restored to an initial state of reaction or process. —adj. [ri'dgenorat/ 1 spiritually born again. 2 reformed. oo regeneration /-'reif(a)n/ nm. regenerative |-rativ/ adj. regeneratively /-ra,tivli/ adv. regenerator n. [L regenerare (as RE-, GENERATE)]} regent /'ri:d3(a)nt/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a person appointed to administer a State because the monarch is a minor or is absent or incapacitated. 2 US a member of the governing body of a State university. —adj. (placed after noun) acting as regent (Prince

registration A Regina /r1'dgarno/ the capital of Saskatchewan, situated at the

centre of the wheat-growing plains of central Canada; pop. (1986) 175,000. Named in 1882 in honour of Queen Victoria, it : was the administrative headquarters of the North West Territories until 1905 and the headquarters of the North West (later Royal Canadian) Mounted Police until 1920.

Regina |ri'dzaino| n. the reigning queen (following a name or

in the titles of lawsuits, e.g. Regina v. Jones the Crown versus Jones). [L, = queen f. rex regis king] region /'ri:d3(2)n/ n. 1 an area of land, or division of the earth’s surface, having definable boundaries or characteristics (a mountainous region; the region between London and the coast). 2 an administrative district esp. in Scotland. 3 a part of the body round or near some organ etc. (the lumbar region). 4 a sphere or realm (the region of metaphysics). 5 a a separate part of the world or universe. b a layer of the atmosphere or the sea according to its height or depth. o in the region of approximately. 00 regional adj. regionalism n. regionalist n. & adj. regionalize v.tr. (also -ise). regionally adv. [ME f. OF f. L regio -onis direction, district f. regere direct] regisseur /,rer31's3:(r)/ n. the director of a theatrical production, esp. a ballet. [F régisseur stage-manager]

register /'red3isto(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 an official list e.g. of births, marriages, and deaths, cf shipping, of professionally qualified persons, or of qualified voters in a constituency. 2 a book in which items are recorded for reference. 3 a device recording speed, force, etc. 4 (in electronic devices) a location in a store of data, used for a specific purpose and with quick access time. 5

a the compass ofa voice or instrument. b a part of this compass (lower register). 6 an adjustable plate for widening or narrowing an opening and regulating a draught, esp. in a fire-grate. 7aa set of organ pipes. b a sliding device controlling this. 8 = cash register (see CASH), 9 Linguistics each of several forms of a language (colloquial, formal, literary, etc.) usually used in particular circumstances. 10 Printing the exact correspondence of the position of printed matter on the two sides ofa leaf. 11 Printing & Photog. the correspondence of the position of colourcomponents in a printed positive. —v. 1 tr. set down (a name, fact, etc.) formally; record in writing. 2 tr. make a mental note of; notice. 3 tr. enter or cause to be entered in a particular register. 4 tr. entrust (a letter etc.) to a post office for transmission by registered post. 5 intr. & refl. put one’s name on a register, esp. as an eligible voter or as a guest in a register kept ‘by a hotel etc. 6 tr. (of an instrument) record automatically; indicate. 7 a tr. express (an emotion) facially or by gesture (registered surprise). b intr. (of an emotion) show in a person’s face or gestures. 8 intr. make an impression on a person’s mind (did not register at all). 9 intr. & tr. Printing correspond or cause to correspond exactly in position. 0 registered nurse a nurse

Regent). oregent-bird an Australian bower bird, Sericulus chry-

socephalus. [ME f. OF regent or L regere rule] regerminate /ri:'d33:mi,neit/ v.tr. & intr. germinate again. oo regermination /-'ne1{(a)n/ n. reggae /'regei/ n. a kind of music, of Jamaican origin, characterized by a strongly accentuated subsidiary beat and often a prominent bass. [orig. unkn.; perh. rel. to Jamaican English rege-rege quarrel, row]

regicide /'red31,said/ n. 1 a person who kills or takes part in killing a king, 2 the act of killing a king. 0 the Regicides those involved in trying and executing Charles I of England or Louis XVI of France. 00 regicidal /-'sard(a)l/ adj. [L rex regis king + -CIDE]

with a State certificate of competence. registered post a postal

procedure with special precautions for safety and for compensation in case of loss. register office Brit. a State office where civil marriages are conducted and births, marriages, and

regild /ri:'gild/ v.tr. gild again, esp. to renew faded or worn gilding. regime /ret'3i:m/ n. (also régime) 1 a a method or system of government. b derog. a particular government. 2 a prevailing order or system of things. 3 the conditions under which a scientific or industrial process occurs. [F régime (as REGIMEN)] regimen /'red3z1,men/ n. 1 esp. Med. a prescribed course of exercise, way of life, and diet. 2 archaic a system of government. (L f. regere rule] regiment n. & vy. —n. /'redzimont/ 1 a a permanent unit of an army usu. commanded by a colonel and divided into several

companies or troops or batteries and often into two battalions. b an operational unit of artillery etc. 2 (usu. foll. by of) a large array or number. 3 archaic rule, government. —v.tr. |'redg1,yment/ 1 organize (esp. oppressively) in groups or according to a system. 2 form into a regiment or regiments. oo regimentation /-'ter{(9)n/ n. [ME (in sense 3) f. OF f. LL regimentum (as REGIMEN)] regimental /,red3i'ment(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to a

regiment.

deaths are recorded with the issue of certificates. {The name

in official use, and generally preferred to registry office. oo registrable adj. [ME & OF regestre, registre or med.L regestrum, registrum, alt. of regestum f. LL regesta things recorded (as RE-, L gerere gest- carry)] registrar |,red31s'tra:(r), 'red3-/ n. 1 an official responsible for keeping a register or official records. 2 the chief administrative officer in a university. 3a middle-ranking hospital doctor undergoing training as a specialist. 4 (in the UK) the judicial and administrative officer of the High Court etc. no Registrar General a government official responsible for holding a population census. OO registrarship n. [med.L registrarius f. registrum REGISTER] registrary /‘redzistrari/ n. (pl. -ies) the registrar of Cambridge University.

registration /,red31'stre1{(a)n/ n. the act or an instance of registering; the process of being registered. Oo registration mark (or number) a combination of letters and figures identifying a motor vehicle etc. [obs. F régistration or med.L registratio (as REGISTRAR)]

—n. (in pl.) military uniform, esp. of a particular

regiment. 00 regimentally adv.

b but

ddog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

kcat

lleg

mman

nno

p pen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

registry

registry /'redzistri/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a place or office where registers or records are kept. 2 registration. 0 registry office = register office. [obs. registery f. med.L registerium (as REGISTER)]

Regius professor /'ri:d31as/ n. Brit. the holder of a chair founded by a sovereign (esp. one at Oxford or Cambridge instituted by Henry VIII) orfilled by Crown appointment. [L,= royal, f. rex regis king] reglaze |ri:'gle1z/ v.tr. glaze (a window etc.) again. reglet /'reglit/ n. 1 Archit. a narrow strip separating mouldings. 2 Printing a thin strip of wood or metal separating type. [F réglet dimin. of régle (as RULE)] regnal /'regn(s)l/ adj. of a reign. o regnal year a year reckoned from the date or anniversary of a sovereign’s accession. ee regnalis (as REIGN)] regnant /'regnont/ adj. 1 reigning (Queen regnant). 2 (of ae qualities, etc.) predominant, prevalent. [L regnare REIGN]

regolith /'regoli0/ n. Gecl. unconsolidated solid material covering the bedrock of a planet. [erron. f. Gk rhégos rug, blanket + -LITH] regorge /ri'go:d3/ v. 1 tr. bring up or expel again after swallowing. 2 intr. gush or flow back from a pit, channel, etc. [F regorger OT RE- + GORGE] regrade |ri:'greid/ v.tr. grade again or differently. regress v. & n. —-v. /ri'gres/.1 intr. move backwards, esp. (in abstract senses) return to a former state. 2 intr. & tr. Psychol. return or cause to return mentally to a former stage of life, esp. through hypnosis or mental illness. —n. /'ri:gres/ 1 the act or an instance of going back. 2 reasoning from effect to cause. [ME (as n.) f. L regressus f. regredi regress- (as RE-, gradi step)]

regression /ri'gref(2)n/ n. 1 a backward movement, esp. a return to a former state. 2 a relapse or reversion. 3 Psychol. a return to an earlier stage of development, esp. through hypnosis or mental illness. 4 Statistics a measure of the relation between the mean value of one variable (e.g. output) and corresponding values of other variables (e.g. time and cost). [L regressio (as REGRESS)] regressive /ri'gresrv/ adj. 1 regressing; characterized by regression. 2 (of a tax) proportionally greater on lower incomes. O00 regressively adv. regressiveness n.

regret /ri'gret/ v. & n. —v.tr. (regretted, regretting) (often foll. by that + clause) 1 feel or express sorrow or repentance or distress over (an action or loss etc.) (I regret that I forgot; regretted your absence). 2 (often foll. by to + infin. or that + clause) acknowledge with sorrow or remorse (I regret to say that you are wrong; regretted he would not be attending). —n. 1 a feeling of sorrow, repentance, disappointment, etc., over an action or loss etc. 2 (often in pl.) an (esp. polite or formal) expression of disappointment or sorrow at an occurrence, inability to comply, etc. (refused with many regrets; heard with regret of her death). 0 give (or send) one’s regrets formally decline an invitation. [ME f. OF regreter bewail] regretful /r'gretful/ adj. feeling or showing regret. oo regretfully adv. regretfulness n.

regrettable /ri'gretob(a)l/ adj. (of events or conduct) undesirable, unwelcome; deserving censure. 00 regrettably adv.

Oo regrowth n.

Regt. abbr. Regiment. regulable /'regjolob(a)l/ adj. able to be regulated. regular /'regjulo(r)/ adj. & n.. —adj. 1 conforming to a rule or principle; systematic. 2 (of a structure or arrangement) harmonious, symmetrical (regular features). 3 acting or done or recurring uniformly or calculably in time or manner; habitual, constant, orderly. 4 conforming to a standard of etiquette or procedure; correct; according to convention. 5 properly constituted or qualified; not defective or amateur; pursuing an occupation as one’s main pursuit (cooks as well as a regular cook; has no regular profession). 6 Gram. (of a noun, verb, etc.) following z zoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

the normal type of inflection. 7 collog. complete, thorough, absolute (a regular hero). 8 Geom. a (of a figure) having all sides and all angles equal. b (of a solid) bounded by a number of equal figures. 9 Eccl. (placed before or after noun) a bound by religious rule. b belonging to a religious or monastic order (canon regular). 10 (of forces or troops etc.) relating to or constituting a permanent professional body (regular soldiers; regular police force). 11 (of a person) defecating or menstruating at predictable times. 12 Bot. (of a flower) having radial symmetry. —n. 1 a regular soldier. 2 colloq. a regular customer, visitor, etc. 3 Eccl. one of the regular clergy. 4 collog. a person permanently employed. o keep regular hours do the same thing, esp. going to bed and getting up, at the same time each day. 00 regularity /-'lerit1/ n. regularize v.tr. (also -ise). regularization |-'ze1{(a)n/ n regularly adv. [ME reguler, regular f. OF reguler f. L regularis f. regula RULE]

regulate /'regju,leit/ v.tr. 1 control by rule. 2 subject to restrictions. 3 adapt to requirements. 4 alter the speed of (a machine or clock) so that it may work accurately. 00 regulative /-lotrv/ adj. regulator n. regulatory /-lotor1/ adj. [LL regulare ee f.L regula RULE] regulation /|,regjo'le1{(2)n/ 7. 1 the act or an instance of regulating; the process of being regulated. 2 a prescribed rule; an authoritative direction. 3 (attrib.) a in accordance with regulations; of the correct type etc. (the regulation speed; a regulation tie). b collog. usual (the regulation soup). regulo /'regju,lou/ n. (usu. foll. by a numeral) each of the numbers of a scale denoting temperature in a gas oven (cook at regulo 6). [Regulo, propr. term for a thermostatic gas oven control] regulus /'regjolos/ n. (pl. reguluses or reguli |-,la1/) Chem. 1 the purer or metallic part of a mineral that separates by sinking on reduction. 2 an impure metallic product formed during the smelting of various ores. 00 reguline /-,larin/ adj. [L, dimin. of rex regis king: orig. of a metallic form of antimony, so called because of its readiness to combine with gold] regurgitate /ri'g3:d3i,tert/ v. 1 tr. bring (swallowed food) up again to the mouth. 2 tr. cast or pour out again (required by the exam to regurgitate facts). 3 intr. be brought up again; gush back. 00 regurgitation /-'te1{(a)n/ n. [med.L regurgitare (as RE-, L gurges gurgitis whirlpool)]

rehab /'ri:heb/ n. collog. rehabilitation. [abbr.] rehabilitate |,ri:ho'bili,tert/ v.tr. 1 restore to effectiveness or normal life by training etc., esp. after imprisonment or illness. 2 restore to former privileges or reputation or a proper condition. oo rehabilitation |-'ter{(o)n/ n. rehabilitative |-totrv/ adj. [med.L rehabilitare (as RE-, HABILITATE)]

rehandle /ri:'hend(o)l/ v.tr. 1 handle again. 2 give a new form or arrangement to. rehang |ri:'‘hzn/ v.tr. (past and past part. rehung) hang (esp. a picture or a curtain) again or differently.

rehash v. & n. —v.tr. /ri:'‘hef/ put (old material) into a new form without significant change or improvement. —n. /'ri:zhe{/ 1 material rehashed. 2 the act or an instance of rehashing. rehear [ri:'hio(r)/ v.tr. (past and past part. reheard /ri:'hs:d/) hear again.

rehearsal /ri‘h3:s(9)l/ n. 1 the act or an instance of rehearsing.

regroup /[ri:'gru:p/ v.tr. & intr. group or arrange again or differently. 00 regroupment n. regrow |ri:'grou/ v.intr. & tr. grow again, esp. after an interval.

wwe

Rehoboam

1217

x loch

2 a trial performance or practice of a play, recital, etc. rehearse /ri‘ha:s/ v. 1 tr. practise (a play, recital, etc.) for later public performance. 2 intr. hold a rehearsal. 3 tr. train (a person) by rehearsal. 4 tr. recite or say over. 5 tr. give a list of; enumerate: oo rehearser n. [ME f. AF rehearser, OF reherc(i)er, perh. formed as RE- + hercer to harrow f. herse harrow: see HEARSE] reheat v. & n. —-v.tr. /ri:hi:t/ heat again. —n. /'ri:hi:t/ the process of using the hot exhaust to burn extra fuel in a jet engine and produce extra power. 00 reheater /-'hi:ta(r)/ n,

reheel /ri:'hi:]/ v.tr. fit (a shoe etc.) with a new heel. Rehoboam /|,ri:ha'bousm] (10th c. Bc) son of Solomon. He succeeded his father as king of Israel, but the northern tribes broke away from his rule and set up a new kingdom under Jeroboam, after which Rehoboam continued as the first king of Judah (1 Kings 11-14).

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

rehoboam

rejuvenesce

1218

reinforcement |,ri:1n'fo:smont/ n. 1 the act or an instance of

rehoboam |,ri:ha'bovam/ n. a wine bottle of about six times

reinforcing; the process of being reinforced. 2 a thing that reinforces. 3 (in pl.) reinforcing personnel or equipment etc.

the standard size. [REHOBOAM]

rehouse /ri:'hauz/ v.tr. provide with new housing. rehung past and past part. of REHANG. rehydrate /|,ri:hai'dreit/ v. 1 intr. absorb water again after

- Reinhardt /'rarnha:t/, Max (1873-1943), real name Goldmann,

dehydration. 2 tr. add water to (esp. food) again to restore to a palatable state. 00 rehydratable adj. rehydration /|-'dre1{(2)n/

n. Reich /rarx/ n. the German State or commonwealth, especially during the period 1871-1945. o Third Reich the regime under the rule of Hitler and the Nazi party, 1933-45. The German expression was coined with allusion to the former Holy Roman Empire (962-1806) and the Hohenzollern empire (1871-1918). Apart from Third Reich, such collocations with an ordinal do not constitute recognized English historical terminology. [G, = kingdom, realm, State]

Reichstag /'raixsta:g/ n._

1 the supreme legislature of the

former German Empire and of the Republic. 2 the building in Berlin in which this met, burnt down on the Nazi accession to power (1933). [G]

reify /'ri:1,fai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) convert (a person, abstraction, etc.) into a thing; materialize. 00 reification /-fi'ke1{(o)n/ n. reificatory /-fi'kettort/ adj. [L res thing + -Fy] reign /rein/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 hold royal office; be king or queen. 2 prevail; hold sway (confusion reigns). 3 (as reigning adj.) (of a

winner, champion, etc.) currently holding the title etc. —n. 1 sovereignty, rule. 2 the period during which a sovereign rules. [ME f. OF reigne kingdom f. L regnare f. rex regis king] reignite |,ri:1g'nait/ v.tr. & intr. ignite again.

Reilly var. of Rey. reimburse /,ri:1m'bs:s/ v.tr. 1 repay (a person who has expended money). 2 repay (a person’s expenses). 00 reimbursable adj. reimbursement n. reimburser n. [RE- + obs. imburse put in a purse f. med.L imbursare (as IM-, PURSE)] reimport v. & n. —v.tr. |,ri:1m'po:t/ import (goods processed from exported materials). —n. /ri:'tmpo:t/ 1 the act or an instance of reimporting. 2 a reimported item. oo reimportation /-'te1{(2)n/ n. reimpose |,ri:1m'pouz/ v.tr. impose again, esp. after a lapse. 00 reimposition /-pa'z1f(o)n/ n.

Austrian director and impresario, who dominated the stage in Berlin during the first two decades of the 20th c., mainly as owner of the Deutsches Theater. His integrated productions established the director’s pre-eminence, especially in works of symbolism and impressionism. No stage was too big for him, two of his most remarkable productions being Sophocles’ Oedipus the King (1910) and Vollmdller’s The Miracle (1911). reinsert |,ri:1n'ss:t/ v.tr. insert again. 00 reinsertion /-'s3:{(s)n/ n. reinstate /|,ri:1n'stert/ v.tr. 1 replace in a former position. 2 restore (a person etc.) to former privileges. 00 reinstatement n. reinsure |,ri:1n'Juo(r)/ v.tr. & intr. insure again (esp. of an insurer securing himself by transferring some or all of the risk to another insurer). 00 reinsurance n. reinsurer n.

reintegrate /ri:'ntigreit/ v.tr. 1 = REDINTEGRATE. 2 integrate back into society. 00 reintegration /-'gre1f(a)n/ n. reinter /|,ri:1n'ts:(r)/ v.tr. inter (a corpse) again. 00 reinterment

n. reinterpret

|,ri:rn‘ta:prit/

v.tr.

reinterpreting) interpret again reinterpretation /-'te1{(2)n/ n.

reintroduce

|,ri:intro'dju:s/

v.tr.

or

(reinterpreted, differently.

introduce

again.

oo

oo

reintroduction /-'dak{(a)n/ n.

reinvest |,ri:1n'vest/ v.tr. invest again (esp. money in other property etc.). 00 reinvestment n.

reinvigorate /,ri:1n'viga,reit/ v.tr. impart fresh vigour to. 00 reinvigoration /-'re1{(o)n/ n. reissue /ri:'1fu:, -sju:/ v. & n. —v.tr. (reissues, reissued, reissuing) issue again or in a different form. —n. a new issue,

esp. of a previously published book. reiterate /ri:'1to,rert/ v.tr. say or do again or repeatedly. oo reiteration /-'re1{(2)n/ n. reiterative /-rotrv/ adj. [L reiterare (as RE-, ITERATE)]

Reith/ri:6/, John Charles Walsham, 1st Baron Reith (1889-1971),

rein /rein/n. & v. —n. (in sing. or pl.) 1a long narrow strap with each end attached to the bit, used to guide or check a horse etc.

first General Manager and later first Director-General (1927-38) of the BBC. An uncompromising idealist, closely associated with the development of radio broadcasting in Britain, Reith later served in various Cabinet posts during the Second World War. reive |ri:v/ v.intr. esp. Sc. make raids; plunder. 00 reiver n. [var. of REAVE]

in riding or driving. 2 a similar device used to restrain a young

reject v. & n. —v.tr. /ri'dzekt/ 1 put aside or send back as not

Reims /ri:mz/ (also Rheims) an ancient cathedral city of northern Fance, capital of Champagne-Ardenne region; pop. (1982) 182,000.

to be used or done or complied with etc. 2 refuse to accept or

child. 3 a means of control. —v.tr. 1 check or manage with reins. 2 (foll. by up, back) pull up or back with reins. 3 (foll. by in) hold in as with reins; restrain. 4 govern, restrain, control. o draw rein 1 stop one’s horse. 2 pull up. 3 abandon an effort. give free rein to remove constraints from; allow full scope to. keep a tight rein on allow little freedom to. 00 reinless adj. [ME f. OF rene, reigne, earlier resne, ult. f. L retinére RETAIN] reincarnation |,ri:inka:'ner{(a)n/ n. (in some beliefs) the rebirth of a soul in a new body. 00 reincarnate /-'ka:neit/ v.tr. reincarnate /-'ka:not/ adj. reincorporate |,ri:in'ko:po,reit/ v.tr. incorporate afresh. o0 reincorporation /-'re1{(9)n/ n.

believe in. 3 rebuff or snub (a person). 4 (of a body or digestive system) cast up again; vomit, evacuate. 5 Med. show an immune response to (a transplanted organ or tissue) so that it fails to survive. —n. /'ri:dgekt/ a thing or person rejected as unfit or below standard. oo rejectable /ri'dzektab(a)l/ adj. rejecter [rt'dgekto(r)/ n. (also rejector). rejection /r1'dzek{(a)n/_n. rejective adj. [ME f. L rejicere reject- (as RE-, jacere throw)] rejig /ri:'dzig/ v.tr. (rejigged, rejigging) 1 re-equip (a factory etc.) for a new kind of work. 2 rearrange.

rejoice /r1'dgors/ v. 1 intr. feel great joy. 2 intr. (foll. by that + clause or to + infin.) be glad. 3 intr. (foll. by in, at) take delight. 4 intr. celebrate some event. 5 tr. cause joy to. oO rejoicer n. rejoicingly adv. [ME f. OF rejoir rejoiss- (as RE-, JOY)]

reindeer /'reindio(r)/ n. (pl. same or reindeers) a subarctic deer, Rangifer tarandus, of which both sexes have large antlers, used domestically for drawing sledges and as a source of milk, flesh, and hide. 0 reindeer moss an arctic lichen, Cladonia rangiferina, with short branched stems growing in clumps. [ME f. ON hreindyri f. hreinn reindeer + dyr DEER]

reinfect

|,ri:n'fekt/

v.tr.

infect

again.

oo

rejoin! /ri:'dzom/ v. 1 tr. & intr. join together again; reunite. 2 tr. join (a companion etc.) again.

rejoin? /ri'dgom/ v. 1 tr. say in answer, retort. 2 intr. Law reply to a charge or pleading in a lawsuit. [ME f. OF rejoindre rejoign(as RE-, JOIN)]

reinfection

|ri:sm'fekf(o)n/ n.

rejoinder /ri'd3oindo(r)/ n. 1 what is said in reply. 2 a retort. 3 Law a reply by rejoining. [AF rejoinder (unrecorded: as REJOIN?)] rejuvenate /ri'd3u:vinert/ v.tr. make young or as if young again. 00 rejuvenation /-'nei{(2)n/ n. rejuvenator n. [RE- + L juvenis

reinforce /,ri:1n'fo:s/ v.tr. strengthen or support, esp. with additional personnel or material or by an increase of numbers or quantity or size etc. 0 reinforced concrete concrete with metal bars or wire etc. embedded to increase its tensile strength. oo reinforcer n. [earlier renforce f. F renforcer]

x cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

young]

rejuvenesce /r1d3u:vi'nes/ v. 1 intr. become young again. 2 1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

Arun

wv put

u: too

9 ago

al my

rekindle

re-lay

1219

Biol. a intr. (of cells) gain fresh vitality. b tr. impart fresh vitality to (cells). 00 rejuvenescent adj. rejuvenescence n. [LL rejuvenescere (as RE-, L juvenis young)]

the ratio of the average mass of one molecule of an element or compound to one-twelfth of the mass of an atom of carbon-12: also called molecular weight. 00 relatival /-'tarv(s)l/ adj. (in sense 3 of n.). relatively adv. relativeness n. [ME f. OF relatif -ive or LL relativus having reference or relation (as RELATE)}

rekindle /ri:'kind(s)I/ v.tr. & intr. kindle again. -rel /r(9)l/ suffix with diminutive or derogatory force (cockerel; scoundrel). [from or. after OF -erel(le)]

relabel /ri:'le1b(a)I/ v.tr. (relabelled, relabelling; US relabeled, relabeling) label (esp. a commodity) again or differently.

relapse /r'leps/v. & n. —v.intr. (usu. foll. by into) fall back or sink again (into a worse state after an improvement). —n. /also 'ri:-/ the act or an instance of relapsing, esp. a deterioration in a patient’s condition after a partial recovery. 0 relapsing fever a bacterial infectious disease with recurrent periods of fever. oo relapser n. [L relabi relaps- (as RE-, labi slip)] 5 relate /r'leit/ v. 1 tr. narrate or recount (incidents, a story, etc.). 2 tr. (in passive; often foll. by to) be connected by blood or marriage. 3 tr. (usu. foll. by to, with) bring into relation (with one another); establish a connection between (cannot relate your opinion to my own experience). 4 intr. (foll. by to) have reference to; concern (see only what relates to themselves). 5 intr. (foll. by to) bring oneself into relation to; associate with. 00 relatable adj. [L referre relat- bring back: see REFER]

related /r1'lertid/ adj. connected, esp. by blood or marriage. 00 relatedness n. relater /ri'lerta(r)/ n. (also relator) a person who relates something, esp. a story; a narrator.

relation /ri'le1{(s)n/ n. 1 a what one person or thing has to do with another. b the way in which one person stands or is related to another. ¢ the existence or effect of a connection, correspondence, contrast, or feeling prevailing between persons or things, esp. when qualified in some way (bears no relation to

the facts; enjoyed good relations for many years). 2 a relative; a kinsman or kinswoman. 3 (in pl.) a (foll. by with) dealings (with others). b sexual intercourse. 4 = RELATIONSHIP. 5 a narration (his relation of the events). b a narrative. 6 Law the laying of information. 0 in relation to as regards. [ME f. OF relation or L relatio (as RELATE)]

relational /r'lerfan(a)l/ adj. 1 of, belonging to, or characterized by relation. 2 having relation. 0 relational database Computing a database structured to recognize the relation of stored items of information. -

relationship /r'lerf{anf1p/ n. 1 the fact or state of being related. 2 collog. a a connection or association (enjoyed a good working relationship). b an emotional (esp. sexual) association between two people. 3 a condition or character due to being related. 4

kinship. relative /'relotiv/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 considered or having significance in relation to something else (relative velocity). 2 (foll. by to) having existence only as perceived or considered by (beauty is relative to the eye of the beholder). 3 (foll. by to) proportioned to (something else) (growth is relative to input). 4 implying comparison or contextual relation (‘heat’ is a relative word). 5 comparative; compared one with another (their relative advantages). 6 having mutual relations; corresponding in some way; related to each other. 7 (foll. by to) having reference or relating (the facts relative to the issue). 8 involving a different but corresponding idea (the concepts of husband and wife are relative to each other). 9 Gram. a (of a word, esp. a pronoun) referring to an expressed or implied antecedent and attaching a subordinate clause to it, e.g. which, who. b (of a clause) attached to an antecedent by a relative word. 10 Mus. (of major and minor keys) having the same key signature. 11 (of a service rank) corresponding in grade to another in a different service. 12 pertinent, relevant; related to the subject (need more relative proof). —n. 1 a person connected by blood or marriage. 2 a species related to another by common origin (the apes, man’s closest relatives). 3 Gram. a relative word, esp. a pronoun. 4 Philos. a relative thing or term. oO relative atomic mass the ratio of the average mass of one atom of an element to one-twelfth of the mass of an atom of carbon-12: also called atomic weight. relative density Chem. the ratio of the density of a substance.to the density of a standard, usu. water for a liquid or solid, and air for a gas. relative molecular mass au how

er day

ov no

eo hair

toa near

o1 boy

va poor

relativism /'reloti,v1z(a)m/ n. the doctrine that knowledge is relative, not absolute. 00 relativist n.

relativistic |,reloti'vistrk/ adj. Physics (of phenomena etc.) accurately

described

only

by

the

theory

of

relativity.

oo

relativistically adv.

relativity |,relo'trviti/ n. 1 the fact or state of being relative.2 Physics a (special theory of relativity) a theory based on the principle that all motion is relative and that light has constant velocity, regarding space-time as a four-dimensional continuum, and modifying previous conceptions of geometry. (See below.) b (general theory of relativity) a theory extending this to gravitation and accelerated motion. (See GRAVITATION.) The special theory of relativity is largely the outcome of experimental and theoretical efforts late last century to produce a coherent theory of electromagnetism. The chief architect of the theory was Einstein, whose investigations led him to reject the idea of a stationary ‘ether’ pervading space, and the notions of absolute space and time as a common framework of reference for all bodies in the universe. Special relativity places great importance on distinguishing systematically between the viewpoint or framework of the observer and that of the object or process being observed. Fundamental principles of the theory, well confirmed by experiment, are that the measured velocity of every beam of light is the same for all observers, whatever their mutual velocities, and that the mathematical form of those laws of physics which apply to moving objects or systems is independent of the motion of the framework of the observer, provided the latter motion is uniform. Although mathematically the theory is surprisingly uncomplicated its results are far-reaching, changing the basis of physics and undermining intuitive commonsense notions. Among its consequences are the following: nothing can go faster than the speed of light in a vacuum; the mass of a body increases and its length (in the direction of motion) shortens as its speed increases; the time interval between two events occurring in a moving body appears (to a stationary observer) to increase; and mass and energy are equivalent and interconvertible. All of these are well attested by experiment. Their explanation, however, quite eludes modern physics and they tend to be regarded as a basic datum of nature. relator /r'leito(r)/ n. 1 var. of RELATER. 2 Law a person who makes a relation (see RELATION 6). [L (as RELATE)] relax /ri'leks/ v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become less stiff or rigid or tense. 2 tr. & intr. make or become less formal or strict (rules were relaxed). 3 tr. reduce or abate (one’s attention, efforts, etc.). 4 intr. cease work or effort. 5 tr. (as relaxed adj.) at ease; unperturbed. oo relaxedly ady. relaxedness n. relaxer n. [ME f. L relaxare (as RE-, LAX)] relaxant /ri'leks(a)nt/ n. & adj. —n. a drug etc. that relaxes and reduces tension. —adj. causing relaxation.

relaxation |ri:lek'serf(o)n/ n. 1 the act of relaxing or state of being relaxed. 2 recreation or rest, esp. after a period of work. 3 a partial remission or relaxing of a penalty, duty, etc. 4a lessening of severity, precision, etc. 5 Physics the restoration of equilibrium following disturbance. [L relaxatio (as RELAX)] relay /'ri:let/ n. & v. —n. 1 a fresh set of people or horses substituted for tired ones. 2a gang of workers, supply of material, etc., deployed on the same basis (operated in relays). 3 = relay race. 4 a device activating changes in an electric circuit etc. in response to other changes affecting itself. 5 aa device to receive, reinforce, and transmit a telegraph message, broadcast programme, etc. ba relayed message or transmission. —v.tr. /'ri:le1, ri'ler/ 1 receive (a message, broadcast, etc.) and transmit it to others. 2 a arrange in relays. b provide with or replace by relays. O relay race a race between teams of which each member in turn covers part of the distance. [ME f. OF relai (n.), relayer (v.) (as RE-, laier ult. f. L laxare): cf. RELAX] re-lay [ri:'le1/ v.tr. (past and past part. re-laid) lay again or differently.

ala fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

relearn

rely

1220

road taking traffic around a congested (esp. urban) area. [ME f. AF relef, OF relief (in sense 6Frelief f. It. rilievo) f. relever: see RELIEVE]

relearn /ri:'13:n/ v.tr. learn again. release |ri'li:s/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 (often foll. by from) set free; liberate, unfasten.

2 allow to move from a fixed position. 3

a make (information, a recording, etc.) publicly or generally available. b issue (a film etc.) for general exhibition. 4 Law a remit (a debt). b surrender (a right). ¢ make over (property or money) to another. —n. 1 deliverance or liberation from a restriction, duty, or difficulty. 2 a handle or catch that releases part of a mechanism. 3 a document or item of information made available for publication (press release). 4 a a film or record etc. that is released. b the act or an instance of releasing or the process of being released in this way. 5 Law a the act of releasing (property, money, or a right) to another. b a document effecting this. 00 releasable adj. releasee /-'si:/ n. (in sense 4 of v.). releaser n. releasor n. (in sense 4 of v.). [ME f. OF reles (n.), relesser (v.), relaiss(i)er f. L relaxare: see RELAX] relegate /'reli,geit/ v.tr. 1 consign or dismiss to an inferior or less important position; demote. 2 transfer (a sports team) to a lower division of a league etc. 3 banish or send into exile. 4 (foll. by to), a transfer (a matter) for decision or implementation. b refer (a person) for information. 00 relegable adj. relegation |-'gerf(a)n/ n. [L relegare relegat- (as RE-, legare send)} relent /ri'lent/ v.intr. 1 abandon a harsh intention. 2 yield to compassion. 3 relax one’s severity; become less stern. [ME f. med.L relentare (unrecorded), formed as RE- + L lentare bend f. lentus flexible]

‘ relieve /ri'li:v/ v.tr. 1 bring or provide aid or assistance to. 2 alleviate or reduce (pain, suffering, etc.). 3 mitigate the tedium or monotony of. 4 bring military support for (a besieged place). 5 release (a person) from a duty by acting as or providing a substitute. 6 (foll. by of) take (a burden or responsibility) away from (a person). 7 bring into relief; cause to appear solid or detached. 0 relieve one’s feelings use strong language or vigorous behaviour when annoyed. relieve oneself urinate or defecate. 00 relievable adj. reliever n. [ME f. OF relever f. L relevare (as RE-, levis light)]

relieved /|ri'li:vd/ predic.adj. freed from anxiety or distress (am very relieved to hear it). oO relievedly adv.

relievo /ri'li:vau/ n. (also rilievo /ri:'ljervau/) (pl. -os) = RELIEF 6. [It. rilievo RELIEF 6]

relight /ri:'lart/ v.tr. light (a fire etc.) again. religio- /ri'ligiou, r1'lid319u/ comb. form 1 religion. 2 religious. religion /r1'lid3(2)n/ n. 1 the belief in a superhuman controlling power, esp. in a personal God or gods entitled to obedience and worship. 2 the expression of this in worship. 3 a particular system of faith and worship. 4 life under monastic vows (the way of religion). 5 a thing that one is devoted to (football is their religion). 0 freedom of religion the right to follow whatever religion one chooses. 00 religionless adj. [ME f. AF religiun, OF religion f. L religio -onis obligation, bond, reverence]

relentless /ri'lentlis/ adj. 1 unrelenting; insistent and uncompromising. 2 continuous; oppressively constant (the pressure was relentless). 00 relentlessly adv. relentlessness n. re-let /ri:'let/ v.tr. (-letting; past and past part. -let) let (a property) for a further period or to a new tenant. relevant /'relrv(2)nt/ adj. (often foll. by to) bearing on or having reference to the matter in hand. 00 relevance n. relevancy n. relevantly adv. [med.L relevans, part. of L relevare RELIEVE]

religionism /r'lid3o,n1z(a)m/ n. excessive religious zeal. 00 religionist n.

religiose /ri'lidzious/ adj. excessively religious. [L religiosus (as RELIGIOUS)]

religiosity /rijlid31'psiti/ n. the condition of being religious or religiose. [ME f. L religiositas (as RELIGIOUS)]

religious /ri'lidzas/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 devoted to religion; pious,

reliable /ri'larob(a)l/ adj. 1 that may be relied on. 2 of sound

devout. 2 of or concerned with religion. 3 of or belonging toa monastic order. 4 scrupulous, conscientious (a religious attention to detail). —n. (pl. same) a person bound by monastic vows. oo religiously adv. religiousness n. [ME f. AF religius, OF religious f. L religiosus (as RELIGION)]

and consistent character or quality. 00 reliability /-'brliti/ n. reliableness n. reliably adv.

reliance /ri'larons/ n. 1 (foll. by in, on) trust, confidence (put full reliance in you). 2 a thing relied upon. o0 reliant adj.

relic /'relik/ n. 1 an object interesting because of its age or association. 2 a part of a deceased holy person’s body or belongings kept as an object of reverence. 3 a surviving custom or belief etc. from a past age. 4 a memento or souvenir. 5 (in pl.) what has survived destruction or wasting or use. 6 (in pl.) the dead body or remains of a person. [ME relike, relique, etc. f. OF relique f. L reliquiae: see RELIQUIAE]

relict /'relrkt/ n. 1 a a geological or other object surviving in its primitive form. b an animal or plant known to have existed in the same form in previous geological ages. 2 (foll. by of) archaic a widow. [L relinquere relict- leave behind (as RE-, linquere leave): sense 2 f. OF relicte f. L relicta}

relief /r'li:f/ n. 1 a the alleviation of or deliverance from pain, distress, anxiety, etc. b the feeling accompanying such deliverance. 2 a feature etc. that diversifies monotony or relaxes tension. 3 assistance (esp. financial) given to those in special need or difficulty (rent relief). 4 a the replacing of a person or persons on duty by another or others. b a person or persons replacing others in this way. 5 (usu. attrib.) a thing supplementing another in some service, esp. an extra vehicle providing public transport at peak times. 6 a a method of moulding or carving or stamping in which the design stands out from the surface, with projections proportioned and more (high relief) or less (low relief) closely approximating to those of the objects depicted (cf. ROUND n. 9). b a piece of sculpture etc. in relief. ¢ a representation of relief given by an arrangement of line or colour or shading. 7 vividness, distinctness (brings the facts out in sharp relief). 8 (foll. by of) the reinforcement (esp. the raising of a siege) of a place. 9 esp. Law the redress of a hardship or grievance. O relief map 1 a map indicating hills and valleys by shading etc. rather than by contour lines alone. 2 a map-model showing elevations and depressions, usu. on an exaggerated relative scale. relief printing = LETTERPRESS 2. relief road a

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

reline /ri:'lam/ v.tr. renew the lining of (a garment etc.). relinquish /ri'linkw1J/ v.tr. 1 surrender or resign (a right or possession). 2 give up or cease from (a habit, plan, belief, etc.). 3 relax hold of (an object held). o0 relinquishment n. [ME f. OF relinquir f. L relinquere (as RE-, linquere leave)] reliquary /'relikwari/ n. (pl. -ies) esp. Relig. a receptacle for relics. [F reliquaire (as RELIC)]

reliquiae |r'likw1,i:| n.pl. 1 remains. 2 Geol. fossil remains of animals or plants. [L f. reliquus remaining, formed as RE- + linquere liq- leave]

relish /'relif/ n. & v. —n. 1 (often foll. by for) a great liking or enjoyment. b keen or pleasurable longing (had no relish for travelling). 2 a an appetizing flavour. b an attractive quality (fishing loses its relish in winter). 3 a condiment eaten with plainer food to add flavour, esp. a piquant sauce, pickle, etc. 4 (foll. by of) a distinctive taste or tinge. —v.tr. 1 a get pleasure out of; enjoy greatly. b look forward to, anticipate with pleasure (did not relish what lay before her). 2 add relish to. 00 relishable adj. [alt. (with assim. to -1sH?) of obs. reles f. OF reles, relais remainder f. relaisser: see RELEASE] relive /ri:'lrv/ v.tr. live (an experience etc.) over again, esp. in the imagination. reload /ri:'loud/ v.tr. (also absol.) load (esp. a gun) again.

relocate |,ri:lou'keit/ v. 1 tr. locate in a new place. 2 tr. & intr. move to a new place (esp. to live or work). /-'kerfon/ n.

oO relocation

reluctant /ri'lakt(2)nt/ adj. (often foll. by to + infin.) unwilling or disinclined (most reluctant to agree). oO reluctance n. reluctantly adv. [L reluctari (as RE-, luctari struggle)} rely /r1'lai/ v.intr. (-ies, -ied) (foll. by on, upon) 1 depend on with confidence or assurance (am relying on your judgement). 2 be dependent on (relies on her for everything). [ME (earlier senses

k cat

lleg

m man

nono

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

REM

remission

1221

‘rally, be a vassal of) f. OF relier bind together f. L religare (as RE-, ligare bind)]

is a supreme master. His work is represented in almost all the major art galleries of the Western world.

REM abbr. rapid eye-movement.

REME /'ri:mi:/ abbr. (in the UK) Royal Electrical and Mechanical

rem /rem/ n. (pl. same) a unit of effective absorbed dose of ionizing radiation in human tissue, equivalent to one roentgen of X-rays. [roentgen equivalent man]

Engineers. remeasure

remade past and past part. of REMAKE. remain /ri'mem] v.intr. 1 be left over after others or other parts have been removed or used or dealt with. 2 be in the same place or condition during further time; continue to exist or stay; be left behind (remained at home; it will remain cold). 3 (foll. by compl.) continue to be (remained calm; remains President). [ME f. OF remainstressed stem of remanoir or f. OF remaindre ult. f. L remanére (as RE-, manére stay)] ,

remainder /ri'memda(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a part remaining or left over. 2 remaining perscns or things. 3 a number left after division or subtraction. 4 the copies of a book left unsold when demand has fallen. 5 Law an interest in an estate that becomes effective in possession only when aprior interest (devised at the same time) ends. —v.tr. dispose of (a remainder of books) at a reduced price. [ME (in sense 5) f. AF, = OF remaindre: see REMAIN} remains /ri'memz/ n.pl. 1 what remains after other parts have been removed or used etc. 2 relics of antiquity, esp. of buildings (Roman remains). 3 a person’s body after death. 4 an author's (esp. unpublished) works left after death.

remake v. & n. —v.tr. /ri:'merk} (past and past part. remade) make again or differently. —n. /'rizmertk/ a thing that has been remade, esp. a cinema film. reman /ri:'mzn| v.tr. (remanned, remanning) 1 equip (a fleet etc.) with new personnel. 2 make courageous again. remand /[ri'‘ma:nd/ v. & n. —v.tr. return (a prisoner) to custody, esp. to allow further inquiries to be made. —n. a recommittal to custody. 0 on remand in custody pending trial. remand centre (in the UK) an institution to which accused persons are remanded pending trial. [ME f. LL remandare (as RE-, mandare commit)] remanent /'remonont/ adj. 1 remaining, residual. 2 (of magnetism) remaining after the magnetizing field has been removed. 00 remanence n. [ME f. L remanére REMAIN] remark /r'ma:k/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. (often foll. by that + clause) a say by way of comment. b take notice of; regard with attention. 2 intr. (usu. foll. by on, upon) make a comment. —n. 1 a written or spoken comment; anything said. 2 a the act of noticing or observing (worthy of remark). b the act of commenting (let it pass without remark). [F remarque, remarquer (as RE-, MARK?)]

remarkable /ri'ma:kab(a)l/ adj. 1 worth notice; exceptional. 2 striking, conspicuous. 00 remarkableness n. remarkably adv. [F remarquable (as REMARK)] remarry /ri:'meri/ v.intr. & tr. (-ies, -ied) marry again. oO remarriage n.

;

remaster /ri:'ma:sta(r)/ v.tr. make a new master of (a recording), esp. to improve the sound quality. rematch /'ri:met{/ n. a return match or game.

Rembrandt /'rembront/ (full name Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn, 1606-69), the greatest of Dutch painters. The son of a miller, he worked at first in Leyden but from 1632 established himself in Amsterdam. His initial success owed much to highlyfinished society portraits, strongly lit in the manner of Caravaggio, and some financial independence came with his marriage to the well-to-do Saskia in 1634. By 1642, when she died, his style was evolving as his art became ever more searching and profound. The great Night Watch (1642) transformed the traditional Dutch portrait convention into a haunting mystery. Though his worldly affairs now decayed (he was bankrupted in 1656), yet his imaginative power became ever richer. The emotional resonance of his later work, his ability to paint human flesh as if lit from within by the spirit, in the surrounding darkness, surpasses at its finest the power of any painter in history. The great series of over 60 self-portraits is a unique autobiography in paint, but he found his subjects in genre, religion, and landscape, and in drawing and etching he wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

pn ring

x loch

/ri:'me3o(r)/ v.tr. measure again. OO remeasure-

ment n. remedial /ri'mi:dtol/ adj. 1 affording or intended as a remedy (remedial therapy). 2 (of teaching) for slow or backward children. o0 remedially adv. [LL remedialis f. L remedium (as REMEDY)]

remedy /'remidi/ n. & v. —n. (pl. -ies) (often foll. by for, against) 1 a medicine or treatment (for a disease etc.). 2 a means of counteracting or removing anything undesirable. 3 redress; legal or other reparation. 4 the margin within which coins as minted may differ from the standard fineness and weight. —v.tr. (-ies, -ied) rectify; make good. oO remediable [ri'mi:drab(9)l/ adj. [ME f. AF remedie, OF remede or L remedium (as RE-, medéri heal)} remember /ri'memba(r)/ v.tr. 1 keep in the memory; not forget. 2 a (also absol.) bring back into one’s thoughts, call to mind (knowledge or experience etc.). b (often foll. by to + infin. or that + clause) have in mind (a duty, commitment, etc.) (will you remember to lock the door?). 3 think of or acknowledge (a person) in some connection, esp. in making a gift etc. 4 (foll. by to) convey greetings from (one person) to (another) (remember me to your mother). 5 mention (in prayer). 0 remember oneself recover one’s manners or intentions after a lapse. oo rememberer n. [ME f. OF remembrer f. LL rememorari (as RE-, L memor mindful)] remembrance /ri'membrons/ n. 1 the act of remembering or process of being remembered. 2 a memory or recollection. 3 a keepsake or souvenir. 4 (in pl.) greetings conveyed through a third person. OoRemembrance Day 1 = Remembrance Sunday. 2 hist. Armistice Day. Remembrance Sunday (in the UK) the Sunday nearest 11 Nov., when those who were killed in the First and Second World Wars and in later conflicts are commemorated. [ME f. OF (as REMEMBER)] remex /'ri:meks/ n. (pl. remiges /'rem1,dzi:z/) a primary or secondary feather in a bird’s wing. [L, = rower, f. remus oar]

remind /ri'maindj v.tr. 1 (foll. by of) cause (a person) to remember or think of. 2 (foll. by to + infin. or that + clause) cause (a person) to remember (a commitment etc.) (remind them to pay their subscriptions).

reminder /ri'mamnda(r)/ n. 1 a thing that reminds, esp. a letter or bill. 2 (often foll. by of) a memento or souvenir.

remindful

/ri'mamdfol/ adj. (often foll. by of) acting as a

reminder; reviving the memory.

reminisce

|,remi'nis/ v.intr. indulge in reminiscence.

oo

reminiscer n. [back-form. f. REMINISCENCE]

reminiscence /,remi'nis(a)ns/ n. 1 the act of remembering things past; the recovery of knowledge by mental effort. 2aa past fact or experience that is remembered. b the process of narrating this. 3 (in pl.) a collection in literary form of incidents and experiences that a person remembers. 4 Philos. (esp. in Platonism) the theory of the recovery of things known to the soul in previous existences. 5 a characteristic of one thing reminding or suggestive of another. 00 reminiscential |'senJ(a)l/ adj. [LL reminiscentia f. L reminisci remember]

reminiscent /,remr'nis(9)nt/ adj. 1 (foll. by of) tending to remind one of or suggest. 2 concerned with reminiscence. 3 (of a person) given to reminiscing. 00 reminiscently adv. remise /ri'mi:z/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 Law surrender or make over (a right or property). 2 Fencing make a remise. —n. Fencing a second thrust made after the first has failed. [F f. remis, remise past part. of remettre put back: cf. REMIT] remiss /r1'mis/ adj. careless of duty; lax, negligent. 00 remissly adv. remissness n. [ME f. L remissus past part. of remittere slacken: see REMIT]

remissible /ri'misib(s)l/ adj. that may be remitted. [F rémissible or LL remissibilis (as REMIT)]

remission /r1'mif(s)n/ n. 1 the reduction of a prison sentence on account of good behaviour.

tf chip

d3 jar

2 the remitting of a debt or

(see over for vowels)

remit

Renault

1222

ne EES

penalty etc. 3 a diminution of force, effect, or degree (esp. of disease or pain). 4 (often foll. by of) forgiveness (of sins etc.). 00 remissive adj. [ME f. OF remission or L remissio (as REMIT)]

remit v. & n. —v. /ri'mit/ (remitted, remitting) 1 tr. cancel

«

or refrain from exacting or inflicting (a debt or punishment etc.). 2 intr. & tr. abate or slacken; cease or cease from partly or entirely. 3 tr. send (money etc.) in payment. 4 tr. cause to be conveyed by post. 5 tr. a (foll. by to) refer (a matter for decision etc.) to some authority. b Law send back (a case) to a lower court. 6 tr. a (often foll. by to) postpone or defer. b (foll. by in, into) send or put back into a previous state. 7 tr. Theol. (usu. of God) pardon (sins etc.). —n. /'ri:mit, rt'mit/ 1 the terms of reference of a committee etc. 2 an item remitted for consideration. 00 remittable /r1'mitob(s)l/ adj. remittal /ri'mit(2)l/ n. remittee [rimu'ti:/ n. remitter /r1'mito(r)/ n. [ME f. L remittere remiss- (as RE-, mittere send)] remittance /ri'mit(a)ns/ n. 1 money sent, esp. by post, for goods or services or as an allowance. 2 the act of sending money. o remittance man hist. an emigrant subsisting on remittances from home. remittent /ri'mit(o)nt/ adj. (of a fever) that abates at intervals. [L remittere (as REMIT)] remix v. & n. —v.tr. /ri:'miks/ mix again. —n. /'ri:m1ks/ a sound recording that has been remixed. remnant /'remnont/ n. 1 a small remaining quantity. 2 a piece of cloth etc. left when the greater part has been used or sold. 3 (foll. by of) a surviving trace (a remnant of empire). [ME (earlier remenant) f. OF remenant f. remenoir REMAIN]

remodel

|ri:'mod(a)l/_v.tr.

remodeled, reconstruct.

remodify

remodeling)

(remodelled,

remodelling;

US

1 model again or differently.

2

/ri:'modi,fat/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) modify again.

oo

remodification /-fi'kerf(2)n/ n.

remold US var. of REMOULD. remonetize /ri:'mani,tatz/ v.tr. (also -ise) restore (a metal etc.) to its former position as legal tender. 00 remonetization [-'zerf(a)n/ n. remonstrance /ri'mopnstrons/ n. 1 the act or an instance of remonstrating. 2 an expostulation or protest. 3 (Remonstrance) a document drawn up in 1610 by the Arminians of the Dutch Reformed Church, presenting the differences between their doctrines and those of the strict Calvinists. 0 Grand Remonstrance that presented by the House of Commons to the Crown in 1641. 00 Remonstrant n. [ME f. obs. F remonstrance or med.L remonstrantia (as REMONSTRATE)] remonstrate /'remon,streit/ v. 1 intr. (foll. by with) make a protest; argue forcibly (remonstrated with them over the delays). 2 tr. (often foll. by that + clause) urge protestingly. 00 remonstrant [/rt'mpnstront/ —_ adj. remonstration _/-'streif(a)n/ _n. remonstrative /ri'monstrotrv/ adj. remonstrator n. [med.L remonstrare (as RE-, monstrare show)] remontant /ri'mont(a)nt/ adj. & n. —adj. blooming more than once a year. —n. a remontant rose. [F f. remonter REMOUNT] remora /'remoro/ n. Zool. any of various marine fish of the family Echeneidae, which attach themselves by modified sucker-like fins to other fish and to ships. [L, = hindrance (as

RE-, mora delay, from the former belief that the fish slowed ships down)] remorse /ri'mo:s/ n. 1 deep regret for a wrong committed. 2 compunction; a compassionate reluctance to inflict pain (esp. in without remorse). [ME f. OF remors f. med.L remorsus f. L remordére remors- vex (as RE-, mordére bite)]

remorseful

/ri'mo:sfol/

adj. filled with

repentance.

oo

remorsefully adv.

remorseless /ri'mo:slis/ adj. without compassion or compunction. 00 remorselessly adv. remorselessness n. remortgage /ri:'mo:g1d3/ v. & n. —v.tr. (also absol.) mortgage again; revise the terms of an existing mortgage on (a property). —n. a different or altered mortgage. remote /ri'mout/ adj. (remoter, remotest) 1 far away in place or time. 2 out of the way; situated away from the main centres

we cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

eee

of population, society, etc. 3-distantly related (a remote ancestor). 4 slight, faint (esp. in not the remotest chance, idea, etc.). 5 (of a person) aloof; not friendly. 6 (foll. by from) widely different; separate by nature (ideas remote from the subject). 0 remote control control of a machine or apparatus from a distance by means of signals transmitted from a radio or electronic device. remote-controlled (of a machine etc.) controlled at a distance. 00 remotely adv. remoteness n. [ME f. L remotus (as REMOVE)]

remould v. & n. (US remold) —v.tr. /ri:'mould/ 1 mould again; refashion. 2 re-form the tread of (a tyre). —n. /'ri:mould/ a remoulded tyre. remount v. & n. —-v. /ri:'maunt/ 1 a tr. mount (a horse etc.) again. b intr. get on horseback again. 2 tr. get on to or ascend (a ladder, hill, etc.) again. 3 tr. provide (a person) with a fresh horse etc. 4 tr. put (a picture) on a fresh mount. —n. /'ri:maont/ 1 a fresh horse for a rider. 2 a supply of fresh horses for a regiment. removal /ri'mu:v(s)l/ n. 1 the act or an instance of removing; the process of being removed. 2 the transfer of furniture and other contents on moving house. remove /ri'mu:v/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. take off or away from the place or position occupied (remove the top carefully). 2 tr. a move or take to another place; change the situation of (will you remove the tea things?). b get rid of; eliminate (will remove all doubts). 3 tr. cause to be no longer present or available; take away (all privileges were removed). 4 tr. (often foll. by from) dismiss (from office). 5 tr. collog. kill, assassinate. 6 tr. (in passive; foll. by from) distant or remote in condition (the country is not far removed from anarchy). 7 tr. (as removed adj.) (esp. of cousins) separated by a specified number of steps of descent (a first cousin twice removed = a grandchild of a first cousin). 8 formal a intr. (usu. foll. by from, to) change one’s home or place of residence. b tr. conduct the removal of. —n. 1 a degree or remoteness; a distance. 2 a stage in a gradation; a degree (is several removes from what I expected). 3 Brit. a form or division in some schools. 00 removable adj. removability /-'biliti/ n. remover n. (esp. in sense 8b of v.). [ME f. OF removeir f. L removére remot- (as RE-, movére move)]

remunerate /ri'mju:no,rert/ v.tr. 1 reward; pay for services rendered. 2 serve as or provide recompense for (toil etc.) or to (a person). 00 remuneration /-'re1f(2)n/ n. remunerative |-ratrv/ adj. remuneratory /-rator1/ adj. [L remunerari (as RE-, munus muneris gift)] Remus /'ri:mos/ Rom. legend the twin brother of Romulus (see entry).

Renaissance /ri'ners(a)ns, ra'n-, -sds/ n. 1 the revival of art and learning under the influence of classical models which began in Italy in the late Middle Ages and reached its peak at the end of the 15th c. before spreading northwards into the rest of Europe. 2 the period of this. 3 the culture and style of art, architecture, etc. developed during this era. 4 (renaissance) any similar revival. [F renaissance (as RE-, F naissance birth f. L nascentia or F naitre naiss- be born f. Rmc: cf. NASCENT)] renal /'ri:n(a)l/ adj. of or concerning the kidneys. [F rénal f. LL renalis f. L renes kidneys] rename /ri:'nerm]/ v.tr. name again; give a new name to. Renan /ra'nd/, Ernest (1823-92), French historian and philologist,. He was educated for the priesthood but his scepticism of the divine inspiration of the Bible and the fundamental doctrines of orthodox religion found him unable to take his vows. His controversial Vie de Jésus (1863) rejects the supernatural element in Jesus’ life. Through the persuasive force of his reasoning and his erudition he became a major representative of 19th-c. French thought. His belief that the future of the world lay in the progress of science found expression in L’Avenir de la science (1890). renascence /r'nzs(a)ns/ n. 1 rebirth; renewal. 2 = RENAISSANCE. [RENASCENT] renascent /ri'nzs(a)nt/ adj. springing up anew; being reborn. [L renasci (as RE-, nasci be born)]

Renault /'renou/, Mary (pseudonym of Mary Challans, 1905-

83), British novelist, born in South Africa, known especially for her historical novels set in ancient Greec or Asia Minor. They

1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

wo put

u: too

9 ago

al my

rencontre

include The King must Die (1958) and The Bull from the Sea (1962), both recalling the legend of Theseus, and the Alexander trilogy — Fire from Heaven (1970), The Persian Boy (1972), and Funeral Games (1981) — set in the time of Alexander the Great.

Rendell /'rend(s)l/, Ruth (1930-—

), English writer of crime

thrillers and short stories, for which she has won many awards.

Her novels, often portraying characters with sick or weak minds, include From Doon with Death (1964), the grim A Judgement in Stone (1977), and The Bridesmaid (1989). render /'renda(r)/ v.tr. 1 cause to be or become; make (rendered us helpless). 2 give or pay (money, service, etc.), esp. in return or as a thing due (render thanks; ~endered good for evil). 3 (often foll. by to) a give (assistance) (rendered aid to the injured man). b show (obedience etc.). ¢ do (a service etc.). 4 submit; send in; present (an account, reason, etc.). 5 a represent or portray artistically, musically, etc. b act (a role); represent (a character, idea, etc.) (the dramatist’s conception was well rendered). ¢ Mus. perform; execute. 6 translate (rendered the poem into French). 7 (often foll. by down) melt down (fat etc.) esp. to clarify; extract by melting. 8 cover (stone or brick) with a coat of plaster. 9 archaic a give back; hand over; deliver, give up, surrender (render to Caesar the things that are Caesars). b show (obedience). O render-set v.tr. (-setting; past and past part. -set) plaster (a wall etc.) with two coats. —n. a plastering of two coats. —adj. of two coats. oo renderer n. [ME f. OF rendre ult. f. L reddere reddit- (as RE-, dare

give)] rendering /'rendorin/ n. 1 a the act or an instance of performing music, drama, etc.; an interpretation or performance (an excellent rendering of the part). b a translation. 2 a the act or an instance of plastering stone, brick, etc. b this coating. 3 the act or an instance of giving, yielding, or surrendering. rendezvous /'rondi,vu:, -detvu:/ n. & v. —n. (pl. same |-;vu:z/) 1 an agreed or regular meeting-place. 2 a meeting by arrangement. 3 a place appointed for assembling troops, ships, etc. —v.intr. (rendezvouses_ /-\vu:z/; rendezvoused /-vu:d/; rendezvousing /|-\vu:1n/) meet at a rendezvous. [F rendez-vous present yourselves f. rendre: see RENDER]

rendition /ren'dif(2)n/ n. (often foll. by of) 1 an interpretation or rendering of a dramatic role, piece of music, etc. 2 a visual representation. [obs. F f. rendre RENDER] . renegade /'reni,geid/ n. & v. —n. 1 a person who deserts a party or principles. 2 an apostate; a person who abandons one religion for another. —v.intr. be a renegade. [Sp. renegado f. med.L renegatus (as RE-, L negare deny)]

renegado |,reni'gerdou/ n. (pl. -oes) archaic = RENEGADE. [Sp. (as RENEGADE)] renege /ri'ni:g, -'neg, -'ne1g/ v. (also renegue) 1 intr. a go back on one’s word; change one’s mind; recant. b (foll. by on) go back on (a promise or undertaking or contract). 2 tr. deny, renounce, abandon (a person, faith, etc.). 3 intr. Cards revoke. 00 reneger n. reneguer n. [med.L renegare (as RE-, L negare deny)] renegotiate |,ri:n1'gouJiert/ v.tr. (also absol.) negotiate again or on different terms. 00 renegotiable adj. renegotiation |“'ex§(e)n/ 1. renew /ri'nju:/ v.tr. 1 revive; regenerate; make new again; restore to the original state. 2 reinforce; resupply; replace. 3 repeat or re-establish, resume after an interruption (renewed our acquaintance; a renewed attack). 4 get, begin, make, say, give, etc. anew. 5 (also absol.) grant or be granted a continuation of or continued validity of (a licence, subscription, lease, etc.). 6 er day

ov no

eo hair

Io near

o1 boy

va poor

recover (one’s youth, strength, etc.). oO renewable renewability /-s'biliti/ n. renewal n. renewer n.

adj.

reniform /'ri:ni,fo:m/ adj. esp. Med. kidney-shaped. [L ren kidney + -FORM]

rencontre /ren'kpnto(r)/ n. archaic = RENCOUNTER. [F (as RENCOUNTER)] rencounter /ren'kaunta(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 an encounter; a chance meeting. 2 a battle, skirmish, or duel. —v.tr. encounter; meet by chance. [F rencontre(r) (as RE-, ENCOUNTER)] rend /rendj v. (past and past part. rent /rent/) archaic or rhet. 1 tr. (foll. by off, from, away, etc.; also absol.) tear or wrench forcibly. 2 tr. & intr. split or divide in pieces or into factions (a country rent by civil war). 3 tr. cause emotional pain to (the heart etc.). o rend the air sound piercingly. rend one’s garments (or hair) display extreme grief or rage. [OE rendan, rel. to MLG rende]

av how

rent

1223

Rennes /ren/ an industrial city of Brittany in NW France; pop.

(1982) 200,400.

rennet /'renit/ n. 1 curdled milk found in the stomach of an unweaned calf, used in curdling milk for cheese, junket, etc. 2 a preparation made from the stomach-membrane of a calf or from certain fungi, used for the same purpose. [ME, prob. f. an OE form rynet (unrecorded), rel. to RUN]

Rennie /'ren1/, John (1761-1821), Scottish civil engineer, much of whose work can still be seen. He built some distinguished bridges, including three in London, the Waterloo, Southwark, and New London bridges, of which Southwark remains, and many docks including some in London, Hull, Malta, and Bermuda, while his great breakwater at Plymouth (1811-48) is an enduring monument. rennin /'renin/ n. Biochem. an enzyme secreted into the stomach of unweaned mammals causing the clotting of milk. [RENNET + -IN] ‘

Renoir!

/ra'nwa:(r),

'ren-/, Jean

(1894-1979),

French

film

director, second son of Pierre Auguste Renoir. His fame is based chiefly on the deeply moving films that he made in France in the 1930s, including La Grande Illusion (1937) and his masterpiece La Reégle du Jeu (1939). All his works are notable for their humanity, grace, and style.

Renoir? /ro'nwa:(r), 'ren-/, Pierre Auguste (1841-1919), French impressionist painter, a close friend of Monet and Sisley. He introduced the so-called ‘rainbow palette’ restricted to pure tones at maximum intensity with no use of black, and a more thorough use of divisionism and the subordination of outline. The human figure played a larger part in his painting than in that of his colleagues, and he delighted in the intrinsic charm of lovely women, children, flowers, and beautiful scenes; nowhere in his landscape is there a suggestion of sadness or melancholy. His later subjects are mostly female nudes of a fine fleshiness and sensuality. Among his best-known works are Les grandes baigneuses (1885-7), Les grandes laveuses (1912), and Le jugement de Paris (c.1914). renominate /ri:'npmynert/ v.tr. nominate for a further term of office. OO renomination /-'ne1{(2)n/ n. renounce /ri'nauns/ v. 1 tr. consent formally to abandon; surrender; give up (a claim, right, possession, etc.). 2 tr. repudiate; refuse to recognize any longer (renouncing their father’s authority). 3 tr. a decline further association or disclaim relationship with (renounced my former friends). b withdraw from; discontinue; forsake. 4 intr. Law refuse or resign a right or position esp. as an heir or trustee. 5 intr. Cards follow with a card of another suit when having no card of the suit led (cf. REVOKE). 0 renounce the world abandon society or material affairs. oo renounceable adj. renouncement n. renouncer n. [ME f. OF renoncer f. L renuntiare (as RE-, nuntiare announce)] renovate /'rens,vert/ v.tr. 1 restore to good condition; repair. 2 make new again. 00 renovation /-'vei{(a)n/ n. renovative adj. renovator n. [L renovare (as RE-, novus new)] renown /ri'naun/ n. fame; high distinction; celebrity (a city of great renown). [ME f. AF ren(o)un, OF renon, renom f. renomer make famous (as RE-, L nominare NOMINATE)]

renowned /ri'naund/ adj. famous; celebrated. rent! /rent/ n. & v. —n. 1 a tenant’s periodical payment to an owner or landlord for the use of land or premises. 2 payment

for the use of a service, equipment, etc. —v. 1 tr. (often foll. by from) take, occupy, or use at a rent (rented a cottage from the local farmer). 2 tr. (often foll. by out) let or hire (a thing) for rent. 3 intr. (foll. by at) be let or hired out at a specified rate (the land rents at £100 per month). O for rent US available to be rented. rent-a- (in comb.) often joc. denoting availability for hire (rent-a-van; rent-a-crowd). rent-boy a young male prostitute. rent-free with exemption from rent. rent-roll the register of a landlord’s lands etc. with the rents due from them; the sum of one’s income from rent. [ME f. OF rente f. Rmc (as RENDER)]

aio fire

aus sour

(see over for consonants)

rent

repellent

1224 a

a

rent? /rent/ n. 1 a large tear in a garment etc. 2 an opening in clouds etc. 3 a cleft, fissure, or gorge. [obs. rent var. of REND]

rent? past and past part. of REND. rentable /'rentob(s)l/ adj. 1 available or suitable for renting. 2 giving an adequate ratio of profit to capital. 00 rentability /"bilrti/ n. rental /'rent(s)l/ n. 1 the amount paid or received as rent. 2 the act of renting. 3 an income from rents. 4 US a rented house etc. O rental library US a library which rents books for a fee. [ME f. AF rental or AL rentale (as RENT})] renter /'rento(r)/ n. 1 a person who rents. 2 Cinematog. (in the UK) a person who distributes cinema films. 3 sl. a male prostitute. rentier |'rati,e1/ n. a person living on dividends from property, investments, etc. [F f. rente dividend] renumber /ri:'nambo(r)/ v.tr. change the number or numbers given or allocated to.

repairman /r'peomon/ machinery etc.

n. (pl. -men)

a man

who repairs

repand /ri'pznd/ adj. Bot. with an undulating margin; wavy. [L . repandus (as RE-, pandus bent)] repaper [ri:'perpo(r)/ v.tr. paper (a wall etc.) again. reparable /'repsrab(s)l/ adj. (of a loss etc.) that can be made good. 00 reparability /-'biliti/ n. reparably adv. [F f. L reparabilis (as REPAIR})] reparation |,repo'rer{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of making amends. 2 a compensation. b (esp. in pl.) compensation for war damage paid by the defeated State. 3 the act or an instance of repairing or being repaired. oo reparative /'reporotiv, ri'peeratry/ adj. [ME f. OF f. LL reparatio -onis (as REPAIR)] repartee /,repa:'ti:/ n. 1 the practice or faculty of making witty retorts; sharpness or wit in quick reply. 2 a a witty retort. b witty retorts collectively. [F repartie fem. past part. of repartir start again, reply promptly (as RE-, partir PART)]

renunciation /rinansi'er{(s)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of

repartition /,ri:pa:'t1f(2)n/ v.tr. partition again.

renouncing or giving up. 2 self-denial. 3 a document expressing renunciation. oO renunciant /ri'nansiont/ n. & adj. renunciative /ri'nansiotrv/ adj. renunciatory /ri'nanfotori/ adj. (ME f. OF renonciation or LL renuntiatio (as RENOUNCE)] renvot |ra'vwaj n. Law the act or an instance of referring a case, dispute, etc. to a different jurisdiction. [F f. renvoyer send back] reoccupy [ri:'nkju,pat/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) occupy again. oo reoccupation /-'pe1f(a)n/ n. reoccur /|,r1:0'k3:(r)/ v.intr. (reoccurred, reoccurring) occur again or habitually. o0 reoccurrence /-'karons/ n. reopen [ri:'9upon] v.tr. & intr. open again. reorder [ri:'9:do(r)/ v. & n. —v.tr. order again. —n. a renewed or repeated order for goods. reorganize [ri:'9:ga,naiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) organize differently. 00 reorganization /-'ze1{(2)n/ n. reorganizer n. reorient /ri:'9:ri,ent, -'prient/ v.tr. 1 give a new direction to (ideas etc.); redirect (a thing). 2 help (a person) find his or her bearings again. 3 change the outlook of (a person). 4 (refl., often foll. by to) adjust oneself to or come to terms with something. reorientate /ri:'o:r1on,tert/ v.tr. = REORIENT. 00 reorientation [-'texf(a)n/ n. Rep. abbr. US 1 a Representative in Congress. 2 a Republican. rep! /rep/ n. collog. a representative, esp. a commercial traveller. [abbr.] rep? |/rep/ n. collog. 1 repertory. 2a repertory theatre or company. [abbr.] rep® /rep/ n. (also repp) a textile fabric with a corded surface, used in curtains and upholstery. [F reps, of unkn. orig.] rep‘ /rep/ n. US sl. reputation. [abbr.]

repass |ri:'pa:s/ v.tr. & intr. pass again, esp. on the way back. (ME f. OF repasser] repast /ri'pa:st/ n. formal 1 a meal, esp. of a specified kind (a light repast). 2 food and drink supplied for or eaten at a meal. (ME f. OF repaistre f. LL repascere repast- feed] repat /'ri:pet, ri:'pzt/ n. colloq. 1 a repatriate. 2 repatriation. {abbr.] repatriate /ri:'petriert/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. restore (a person) to his or her native land. 2 intr. return to one’s own native land. —n. a person who has been repatriated. oO repatriation |-'erf(2)n/ n. [LL repatriare (as RE-, L patria native land)} repay /ri:'pet/ v. (past and past part. repaid) 1 tr. pay back (money). 2 tr. return (a blow, visit, etc.). 3 tr. make repayment to (a person). 4 tr. make return for; requite (a service, action, etc.) (must repay their kindness; the book repays close study). 5 tr. (often foll. by for) give in recompense. 6 intr. make repayment. 00 repayable adj. repayment n. [OF repaier (as RE-, PAY})] repeal /ri'pi:l/ v. & n. —v.tr. revoke, rescind, or annul (a law, act of parliament, etc.). —n. the act or an instance of repealing. o0 repealable adj. [ME f. AF repeler, OF rapeler (as RE-, APPEAL)] repeat /ri'pi:t/ v. & n. —yv. 1 tr. say or do over again. 2 tr. recite, rehearse, report, or reproduce (something from memory) (repeated a poem). 3 tr. imitate (an action etc.). 4 intr. recur; appear again, perhaps several times (a repeating pattern). 5 tr. used for emphasis (am not, repeat not, going). 6 intr. (of food) be tasted intermittently for some time after being swallowed as a result of belching or indigestion. 7 intr. (of a watch etc.) strike the last quarter etc. over again when required. 8intr. (of a firearm) fire several shots without reloading. 9 intr. US illegally vote more than once in an election. —n. 1 a the act or an instance of repeating. b a thing repeated (often attrib.: repeat prescription). 2 a repeated broadcast. 3 Mus. aa passage intended to be repeated. b a mark indicating this. 4 a pattern repeated in wallpaper etc. 5 Commerce a a consignment similar to a previous one. b an order given for this; a reorder. O repeating decimal a recurring decimal. repeat itself recur in the same form. repeat oneself say or do the same thing over again. 00 repeatable adj. repeatability /-'biliti/ n. repeatedly adv. [ME f. OF repeter f. L repetere (as RE-, petere seek)] repeater /ri'pi:to(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that repeats. 2 a firearm which fires several shots without reloading. 3 a watch or clock which repeats its last strike when required. 4 a device for the automatic re-transmission or amplification of an electrically transmitted message. 5 a signal lamp indicating the state of another that is invisible.

repack /ri:'pzk/ v.tr. pack again. repackage /[ri:'paekid3/ v.tr. 1 package again or differently. 2 present in a new form. 00 repackaging n. repaginate /ri:'pzed31,neit/ v.tr. paginate again; renumber the pages of. 00 repagination /-'ne1{(a)n/ n.

repaid past and past part. of REPAY. repaint v. & n. —v.tr. /ri:'pernt/ 1 paint again or differently. 2 restore the paint or colouring of. —n. /'ri:pernt/ 1 the act of repainting. 2 a repainted thing, esp. a golf ball.

repair! /ri'peo(r)/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 restore to good condition after damage or wear. 2 renovate or mend by replacing or fixing parts or by compensating for loss or exhaustion. 3 set right or make amends for (loss, wrong, error, etc.). —n. 1 the act or an instance of restoring to sound condition (in need of repair; closed during repair). 2 the result of this (the repair is hardly visible). 3 good or relative condition for working or using (must be kept in repair; in good repair). 00 repairable adj. repairer n. [ME f. OF reparer f. L reparare (as RE-, parare make ready)] repair? /ri'peo(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. (foll. by to) resort; have recourse; go often or in great numbers or for a specific purpose (repaired to Spain). —n. archaic 1 resort (have repair to). 2 a place of frequent resort. 3 popularity (a place of great repair). [ME f. OF repaire(r) f. LL repatriare REPATRIATE]

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

jyes

repéchage |,rep'Ja:3/ n. (in rowing etc.) an extra contest in which the runners-up in the eliminating heats compete for a place in the final. [F repécher fish out, rescue] repel /ri'pel/ v.tr. (repelled, repelling) 1 drive back; ward off: repulse, 2 refuse admission or approach or acceptance to (repel an assailant). 3 be repulsive or distasteful to. o0 repeller n. [ME f. L repellere (as RE-, pellere puls- drive)] repellent /ri'pelont/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 that repels. 2 disgusting, k cat

lleg

mman

nno

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

repent

reportage

1225

repulsive. —n. a substance that repels esp. insects etc. o0 repellence n. repellency n. repellently adv. [L repellere (as REPEL)}

with. 2 stuffed; gorged; sated. 00 repleteness n. repletion n. (ME f. OF replet replete or L repletus past part. of replére (as RE-, plére plet- fill)]

repent! /ri'pent/ v. 1 intr. (often foll. by of) feel deep sorrow about one’s actions etc. 2 tr. (also absol.) wish one had not done, regret (one’s wrong, omission, etc.); resolve not to continue (a wrongdoing etc.) 3 refl. (often foll. by of) archaic feel regret or penitence about (now I repent me). 00 repentance 1. repentant adj. repenter n. [ME f. OF repentir (as RE-, pentir ult. f. L paenitére)] repent? /'ri:pant/ adj. Bot. creeping, esp. growing along the ground or just under the surface. [L repere creep] repeople /ri:'pi:p(s)l/ v.tr. people again; increase the population of. repercussion |,ri:pa'kaJ(a)n/ n. 1 (often foll. by of) an indirect effect or reaction following an event or action (consider the repercussions of moving). 2 the recoil after impact. 3 an echo or reverberation. 00 repercussive /|-'kastv/ adj. [ME f. OF repercussion or L repercussio (as RE-, PERCUSSION)] repertoire /'repo,twa:(r)/ n. 1 a stock of pieces etc. that a company or a performer knows or is prepared to give. 2 a stock of regularly performed pieces, regularly used techniques, etc. (went through his repertoire of excuses). [F repertoire f. LL (as REPERTORY)] repertory /|'repotori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 = REPERTOIRE. 2 the theatrical performance of various plays for short pericds by one company. 3 a a repertory company. b repertory theatres regarded collectively. 4 a store or collection, esp. of information,

replevin /ri'plevin/.n. Law 1 the provisional restoration or recovery of distrained goods pending the outcome of trial and judgement. 2 a writ granting this. 3 the action arising from this process. [ME f. AF f. OF replevir (as REPLEVY)] replevy /ri'plevi/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) Law recover by replevin. [OF replevir recover f. Gmc]

instances, etc.

0 repertory company a

theatrical company

that performs plays from a repertoire. [LL repertorium f. L reperire repert- find] repetend /'repi,tend/ n. 1 the recurring figures of a decimal. 2 the recurring word or phrase; a refrain. [L repetendum (as REPEAT)] répétiteur |re,pett'ts:(r)/ n. 1 a tutor or coach of musicians, esp. opera singers. 2 a person who supervises ballet rehearsals etc. [F]

repetition |,repr'tr{(a)n/ n. 1 a the act or an instance of repeating or being repeated. b the thing repeated. 2 a copy or replica. 3 a piece to be learned by heart. 4 the ability of a musical instrument to repeat a note quickly. 00 repetitional adj. repetitionary adj. [F répétition or L repetitio (as REPEAT)}

replica /'repliko/ n. 1 a duplicate of a work made by the original artist. 2 a facsimile, an exact copy. 3 a copy or model, esp. on a

smaller scale. [It. f. replicare REPLY] ee replicate v., adj., & n. —v.tr. /'replikert/ 1 repeat (an experiment etc.), 2 make a replica of. 3 fold back. —adj. /'replrkot/ Bot. folded back on itself. —n. /'replikat/ Mus. a tone one or more octaves above or below the given tone. 00 replicable |'replikob(a)l/ adj. (in sense 1 of v.). replicability /,replrko'brlit1/ n. (in sense 1 of v.). replicative /'repliketrv/ adj. [L replicare (as RE-, plicare fold)|

replication /,repli'ker{()n/ n. 1 a reply or response, esp. a reply to an answer. 2 Law the plaintiffs reply to the defendant’s plea. 3 a the act or an instance of copying. b a copy. c the process by which genetic material or a living organism gives rise to a copy of itself. [ME f. OF replicacion f. L replicatio -onis (as REPLICATE)] reply /ri'plai/ v. & n. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 intr. (often foll. by to) make an answer, respond in word or action. 2 tr. say in answer (he replied, ‘Please yourself). —n. (pl. =ies) 1 the act of replying (what did they say in reply?). 2 what is replied; a response. 3. Law = REPLICATION. O reply coupon a coupon exchangeable for stamps in any country for prepaying the reply to aletter. reply paid 1 hist. (of a telegram) with the cost of a reply prepaid by the sender. 2 (of an envelope etc.) for which the addressee undertakes to pay postage. 00 replier n. [ME f. OF replier f. L (as REPLICATE)]

repoint /ri:'pomt/ v.tr. point (esp. brickwork) again.

repolish /ri:'poli{/ v.tr. polish again. repopulate /ri:'popju,leit/ v.tr. populate again or increase the population of. 00 repopulation /-'le1{(2)n/ n.

replenish /ri'pleni{/ v.tr. 1 (often foll. by with) fill up again. 2

report /ri'po:t/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. a bring back or give an account of. b state as fact or news, narrate or describe or repeat, esp. as an eyewitness or hearer etc. ¢ relate as spoken by another. 2 tr. make an official or formal statement about. 3 tr. (often foll. by to) name or specify (an offender or offence) (shall report you for insubordination; reported them to the police). 4 intr. (often foll. by to) present oneself to a person as having returned or arrived (report to the manager on arrival). 5 tr. (also absol.) take down word for word or summarize or write a description of for publication. 6 intr. make or draw up or send in a report. 7 intr. (often foll. by to) be responsible (to a superior, supervisor, etc.) (reports directly to the managing director). 8 tr. Parl. (of a committee chairman) announce that the committee has dealt with (a bill). 9 intr. (often foll. by of) give a report to convey that one is well, badly, etc. impressed (reports well of the prospects). —n. 1 an account given or opinion formally expressed after investigation or consideration. 2 a description, summary, or reproduction of a scene or speech or law case, esp. for newspaper publication or broadcast. 3 common talk; rumour. 4 the way a person or thing is spoken of (I hear a good report of you). 5 a periodical statement on (esp. a school pupil’s) work, conduct, etc. 6 the sound of an explosion. 0 report back deliver a report to the person, organization, etc. for whom one acts etc. reported speech the speaker’s words with the changes of person, tense, etc. usual in reports, e.g. he said that he would go (opp. direct speech). report progress state what has been done so far. report stage (in the UK) the debate on a bill in the House of Commons or House of Lords after it is reported. 00 reportable adj. reportedly adv. [ME f. OF reporter f. L reportare (as RE-, portare bring)]

renew (a supply etc.). 3 (as replenished adj.) filled; fully stored or stocked; full. oo replenisher n. replenishment n. [ME f. OF replenir (as RE-, plenir f. plein full f. L plenus)] replete /ri'pli:t/ adj. (often foll. by with) 1 filled or well-supplied

reportage /|,repo:'ta:3/ n. 1 the describing of events, esp. the reporting of news etc. for the press and for broadcasting. 2 the typical style of this. 3 factual presentation in a book etc. [REPORT, after F]

repetitious /,repr'tifos/ adj. characterized by repetition, esp. when unnecessary repetitiousness n.

or

tiresome.

OO

repetitiously

adv.

repetitive /ri'petitrv/ adj. = REPETITIOUS. OO repetitively adv. repetitiveness n. rephrase |ri:'fre1z/ v.tr. express in an alternative way. repine /ri'pam/ v.intr. (often foll. by at, against) fret; be discontented. [RE- + PINE?, after repent]

repique /r'pi:k/ n. & v. —n. (in piquet) the winning of 30 points on cards alone before beginning to play. —v. (repiques, repiqued, repiquing) 1 intr. score repique. 2 tr. score repique against (another person). [F repic (as RE-, PIQUE?)] replace /ri'plets/ v.tr. 1 put back in place. 2 take the place of; succeed; be substituted for. 3 find or provide a substitute for. 4 (often foll. by with, by) fill up the place of. 5 (in passive, often foll. by by) be succeeded or have one’s place filled by another; be superseded. o0 replaceable adj. replacer n. replacement /ri'pleismont/ n. 1 the act or an instance of replacing or being replaced. 2 a person or thing that takes the

place of another. replan /[ri:'plen/ v.tr. (replanned, replanning) plan again or differently. replant /ri:'pla:nt/ v.tr. 1 transfer (a plant etc.) to.a larger pot, a new site, etc. 2 plant (ground) again; provide with new plants. replay v. & n. —v.tr. /ri:'ple1/ play (a match, recording, etc.) again. —n. /'ri:plet/ the act or an instance of replaying a match, a recording, or a recorded incident in a game etc.

wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

reporter epee

a

representative |,repri'zentotiv/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 typical of a

reporter /ri'po:ta(r)/ n. 1 a person employed to report news etc. for newspapers or broadcasts. 2 a person who reports.

reportorial |,ripo:'to:r1al/ adj. US of newspaper reporters. 00 reportorially adv. [REPORTER, after editorial]

repose! /ri'pouz/ n. & v. —n.

1 the cessation of activity or

excitement or toil. 2 sleep. 3 a peaceful or quiescent state; stillness; tranquillity. 4 Art a restful effect; harmonious combination. 5 composure or ease of manner. —v. 1 intr. & refl. lie down in rest (reposed on a sofa). 2 tr. (often foll. by on) lay (one’s head etc.) to rest (on a pillow etc.). 3 intr. (often foll. by in, on) lie, be lying or laid, esp. in sleep or death. 4tr. give rest to; refresh with rest. 5 intr. (foll. by on, upon) be supported or based on. 6intr. (foll. by on) (of memory etc.) dwell on. oo reposal n. reposeful adj. reposefully adv. reposefulness n. [ME f. OF repos(er) f. LL repausare (as RE-, pausare PAUSE)] repose? /ri1'pauz/ v.tr. (foll. by in) place (trust etc.) in. 00 reposal n. [RE- + POSE! after L reponere reposit-] reposition |,ri:po'z1f(a)n/ v. 1 tr. move or place in a different position. 2 intr. adjust or alter one’s position. repository /ri'ppzitori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a place where things are stored or may be found, esp. a warehouse or museum. 2 a receptacle. 3 (often foll. by of) a a book, person, etc. regarded as a store of information etc. b the recipient of confidences or secrets. [obs. F repositoire or L repositorium (as REPOSE?)] repossess /,ri:po'zes/ v.tr. regain possession of (esp. property or goods on which repayment of a debt is in arrears). oO repossession n. repossessor n. repot /ri:'ppt/ v.tr. (repotted, repotting) put (a plant) in another, esp. larger, pot. repoussé /ra'pu:se1/ adj. & n. —adj. hammered into relief from the reverse side. —n. ornamental metalwork fashioned in this way. [F, past part. of repousser (as RE-, pousser PUSH)] repp var. of REP®. repped /rept/ adj. having a surface like rep. repr. abbr. 1 represent, represented, etc. 2 reprint, reprinted. reprehend |,repri'hend/ v.tr. rebuke; blame; find fault with. 00 reprehension n. [ME f. L reprehendere (as RE-, prehendere seize)]

reprehensible

reproduce

1226 eee

|,repri'hensib(a)l/ adj. deserving censure or

rebuke; blameworthy. oo reprehensibility /-'biliti/ 1. reprehensibly adv. [LL reprehensibilis (as REPREHEND)] represent /,repri'zent/ v.tr. 1 stand for or correspond to (the comment does not represent all our views). 2 (often in passive) be a specimen or example of; exemplify (all types of people were represented in the audience). 3 act as an embodiment of; symbolize (the sovereign represents the majesty of the State; numbers are represented by letters). 4 call up in the mind by description or portrayal or imagination; place a likeness of before the mind or senses. 5 serve or be meant as a likeness of. 6 a state by way of expostulation or persuasion (represented the rashness of it). b (foll. by to) try to bring (the facts influencing conduct) home to (represented the risks to his client). 7 (often foll. by as, to be) describe or depict as; declare or make out (represented them as martyrs; not what you represent it to be). 8 (foll. by that + clause) allege. 9 show, or play the part of, on stage. 10 fill the place of; be a substitute or deputy for; be entitled to act or speak for (the Queen was represented by the Princess of Wales). 11 be elected as a member of Parliament, a legislature, etc. by (represents a rural constituency). oo representable adj. representability /-'biliti/ n. [ME f. OF representer or f. L repraesentare (as RE-, PRESENT?)] representation /,reprizen'te1f(s)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance

of representing or being represented. 2 a thing (esp. a painting etc.) that represents another. 3 (esp. in pl.) a statement made by way of allegation or to convey opinion. [ME f. OF representation or L repraesentatio (as REPRESENT)]}

representational /,reprizen'te1fan(2)l/ adj. of representation. O representational art art seeking to portray the physical appearance of a subject. oO representationalism n. representationalist adj. & n. representationism /|,reprizen'terfa,n1z(o)m/ n. the doctrine that perceived objects are only a representation of real external objects. 00 representationist n.

ze cat

a:arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

class or category. 2 containing typical specimens of all or many classes (a representative sample). 3 a consisting of elected deputies etc. b based on the representation of a nation etc. by such deputies (representative government). 4 (foll. by of) serving as a portrayal or symbol of (representative of their attitude to work). 5 that presents or can present ideas to the mind (imagination is a representative faculty). 6 (of art) representational. —n. 1 (foll. by of) a sample, specimen, or typical embodiment or analogue of. 2 a the agent of a person or society. b a commercial traveller. 3 a delegate; a substitute. 4 a deputy in a representative assembly. 5 (of art) representational. 0 House of Representatives see CONGRESS. OO representatively adv. representativeness n. [ME f. OF representatif -ive or med.L repraesentativus (as REPRESENT)] repress /ri'pres/ v.tr. 1 a check; restrain; keep under; quell. b suppress; prevent from sounding, rioting, or bursting out. 2

Psychol. actively exclude (an unwelcome thought) from conscious awareness. 3 (usu. as repressed adj.) subject (a person) to the suppression of his or her thoughts or impulses. 00 represser n. repressible adj. repression /|-'pref(a)n/ n. repressive adj. repressively adv. repressiveness n. repressor n. [ME f. L reprimere (as RE-, premere PRESS})]

reprice /ri:'prais/ v.tr. price again or differently. reprieve /ri'pri:v/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 remit, commute, or postpone the execution of (a condemned person). 2 give respite to. —n. 1 a the act or an instance of reprieving or being reprieved. ba warrant for this. 2 respite; a respite or temporary escape. [ME as past part. repryed f. AF & OF repris past part. of reprendre (as RE-, prendre f. L prehendere take): 16th-c. -v- unexpl.]

reprimand /'repri,ma:nd/ n. & v. —n. (often foll. by for) an official or sharp rebuke (for a fault etc.). —v.tr. administer this to. [F réprimande(r) f. Sp. reprimenda f. L reprimenda neut. pl. gerundive of reprimere REPRESS] reprint v. & n. —v.tr. /ri:!prmt/ print again. —n. /'ri:prmt/ 1 the act or an instance of reprinting a book etc. 2 the book etc. reprinted. 3 the quantity reprinted. 00 reprinter n.

reprisal /r'praiz(s)l/ n. 1 an act of retaliation. 2 hist. the forcible seizure of a foreign subject or his or her goods as an act of retaliation. [ME (in sense 2) f. AF reprisaille f. med.L reprisalia f. repraehensalia (as REPREHEND)]} reprise /ri'pri:z/ n. 1 a repeated passage in music. 2 a repeated item in a musical programme. [F, fem. past part. of reprendre (see REPRIEVE)] repro /'ri:prau/ n. (pl. -os) (often attrib.) a reproduction or copy.

{abbr.] reproach /ri'provutf/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 express disapproval to (a person) for a fault etc. 2 scold; rebuke; censure. 3 archaic rebuke (an offence). —n. 1 a rebuke or censure (heaped reproaches on them). 2 (often foll. by to) a thing that brings disgrace or discredit (their behaviour is a reproach to us all). 3 a disgraced or discredited state (live in reproach and ignominy). 4 (in pl.) RC Ch. a set of antiphons and responses for Good Friday representing the reproaches of Christ to his people. 0 above (or beyond) reproach perfect. 00 reproachable adj. reproacher n. reproachingly adv. [ME f. OF reproche(r) f. Rmc (as RE-, L prope near)]

reproachful /ri'prout/fol/ adj. full of or expressing reproach. OO reproachfully adv. reproachfulness n. reprobate /'reprabeit/ n., adj.. & v. —n. 1 an unprincipled person; a person of highly immoral character. 2 a person who is condemned by God. —adj. 1 immoral. 2 hardened in sin. —v.tr. 1 express or feel disapproval of; censure. 2 (of God) condemn; exclude from salvation. 00 reprobation /-'be1{(2)n/ n. [ME f. L reprobare reprobat- disapprove (as RE-, probare approve)] reprocess /ri:'prouses/ v.tr. process again or differently. reproduce j|,ri:pra'dju:s/ v. 1 tr. produce a copy or representation of. 2 tr. cause to be seen or heard etc. again (tried to reproduce the sound exactly). 3 intr. produce further members of the same species by natural means. 4 refl. produce offspring (reproduced itself several times). 5 intr. give a specified quality or result when copied (reproduces badly in black and white). 6 tr. Biol. form afresh (a lost part etc. of the body). 00 reproducer n.

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

ov put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

reproduction reproducible adj. reproducibility /-'biliti/ n. reproducibly adv.

reproduction /|,ri:pro'dak{(2)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of reproducing. 2 a copy ofa work of art, esp. a print or photograph of a painting. 3 (attrib.) (of furniture etc.) made in imitation of a certain style or of an earlier period. 00 reproductive adj. reproductively ddv. reproductiveness n. reprogram (/[ri:'proogrem/ v.tr. (also reprogramme) (reprogrammed,

reprogramming;

US

reprogramed,

reprograming) program (esp. a computer) again or differently. OO reprogrammable adj. (also reprogramable). reprography /ri'progrofi/ n. the science and practice of copying documents by photography, xerography, etc. oO reprographer 1. reprographic = /|jri:pro'grefik/ adj. reprographically /,ri:pro 'grefikoli/ adv. [REPRODUCE + -GRAPHY]

reproof!

/ri'pru:f] n. 1 blame (a glance of reproof). 2 a rebuke;

words expressing blame. [ME f. OF reprove f. reprover REPROVE]

reproof? /ri:'pru:f] v.tr. 1 render (a coat etc.) waterproof again. 2 make a fresh proof of (printed matter etc.). reprove /ri'pru:y/ v.tr. rebuke (a person, a person’s conduct, etc.). 00 reprovable adj. reprover n. reprovingly adv. [ME f. OF reprover f. LL reprobare disapprove: see REPROBATE] reptant /'rept(a)nt/ adj. (of a plant or animal) creeping. [L reptare reptant- frequent. of repere crawl] reptile /'reptail/ n. & adj. —n. 1 any cold-blooded scaly animal of the class Reptilia, including snakes, lizards, crocodiles, turtles, and tortoises. Reptiles, which first appeared in the Carboniferous period, probably evolved from amphibians, but they differ from them in several important respects. They breathe air all their lives, they are protected from desiccation by a scaly skin, and their eggs have shells, so that they can be laid on land without drying up; the young when hatched resemble their parents and do not undergo metamorphosis. Present-day reptiles are cold-blooded; there are about 6,000 living species, but there were formerly many more, especially in the Mesozoic era (284-265 million years ago), when dinosaurs dominated the earth. The closest living relatives of the now extinct dinosaurs are the crocodiles and the birds, which descended from one group of bipedal dinosaurs. 2 a mean, grovelling, or repulsive person. —adj. 1 (of an animal) creeping. 2 mean, grovelling. oo reptilian /-'trlron/ adj. & n. [ME f. LL reptilis f. L repere reptcrawl]

Repton /'rept(a)n/, Humphry (1752-1818), English landscape gardner. Repton’s reconstructions of estates often used regular bedding and straight paths close to the house but his parks were carefully informal, like those of ‘Capability’ Brown, his acknowledged master, From about 1795 to 1803 he joined forces with the architect John Nash. The park at Cobham in Kent is a fine example of a Repton landscape, but his most complete creation is Sheringham Hall, Norfolk, and its surroundings (1812).

republic /ri'pablik/ n. 1 a State in which supreme power is held by the people or their elected representatives or by an elected or nominated president, not by a monarch etc. 2 a society with equality between its members (the literary republic). o Republic Day the day on which the foundation of a republic is com-

memorated; in India 26 January. [F république f. L respublica f. res concern + publicus PUBLIC]

republican /ri'pablikon/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or constituted as a republic. 2 characteristic of a republic. 3 advocating or supporting republican government. —n. 1 a person advocating or supporting republican government. 2 (Republican) (in the US) a member or supporter of the Republican Party. 3 an advocate of a united Ireland. 00 republicanism n.

Republican Party one of the two chief political parties in the US (the other being the Dernocratic Party). It was formed in 1854 to resist the extension of slave territory; Abraham Lincoln was the first of its leaders to become President. It is now chiefly identified with business interests and favours restrictions on central power. av how

er day

require

1227

ov no

eo hair

io Near

o1 boy

va poor

republish /ri:'pablif/ v.tr. (also absol.) publish again or in a new edition etc. 00 republication /-'ke1{(o)n/ n. repudiate /ri'pju:dieit/ v.tr. 1 a disown; disavow; reject. b refuse dealings with. ¢ deny. 2 refuse to recognize or obey (authority or a treaty). 3 refuse to discharge (an obligation or debt). 4 (esp. of the ancients or non-Christians) divorce (one’s wife). 0 repudiable adj. repudiation /-'e1{(2)n/ n. repudiator n. [L repudiare f. repudium divorce] repugnance /ri'pagnons/ n. (also repugnancy) 1 (usu. foll. by to, against) antipathy; aversion. 2 (usu. foll. by of, between, to, with) inconsistency or incompatibility of ideas, statements, etc. [ME (in sense 2) f. F répugnance or L repugnantia f. repugnare oppose (as RE-, pugnare fight)] repugnant /ri'pagnont/ adj. 1 (often foll. by to) extremely distasteful. 2 (often foll. by to) contradictory. 3 (often foll. by with) incompatible. 4 poet. refractory; resisting. 00 repugnantly adv. [ME f. F repugnant or L (as REPUGNANCE)} repulse /ri'pals/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 drive back (an attack or attacking enemy) by force of arms. 2 a rebuff (friendly advances or their maker). b refuse (a request or offer or its maker). 3 be repulsive to, repel. 4 foil in controversy. —n. 1 the’act or an instance of repulsing or being repulsed. 2 a rebuff. [L repellere repuls- drive back (as REPEL)|

repulsion /ri'pal{(2)n/ n. 1 aversion; disgust. 2 esp. Physics the force by which bodies tend to repel each other or increase their mutual distance (opp. ATTRACTION). [LL repulsio (as REPEL)]

repulsive /ri'palsrv/ adj. 1 causing aversion or loathing; loathsome, disgusting. 2 Physics exerting repulsion. 3 archaic (of behaviour etc.) cold, unsympathetic. oo repulsively adv. repulsiveness n. [F répulsif -ive or f. REPULSE] repurchase |ri:'ps:tJ1s/ v. & n. —v.tr. purchase again. —n. the act or an instance of purchasing again.

repurify

/ri:'!pjoortfat/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) purify again.

oo

repurification /-fi'ke1{(9)n/ n.

reputable /'repjutob()l/ adj. of good repute; respectable. oo reputably adv. [obs. F or f. med.L reputabilis (as REPUTE)] reputation |,repju'ter{(a)n/ n. 1 what is generally said or believed about a person’s or thing’s character or standing (has a reputation for dishonesty). 2 the state of being well thought of; distinction; respectability (have my reputation to think of). 3 (foll. by of, for + verbal noun) credit or discredit (has the reputation of driving hard bargains). [ME f. L reputatio (as REPUTE)] repute /ri'pju:t/ n. & v. —n. reputation (known by repute). —-v.tr. 1 (as reputed adj.) (often foll. by to + infin.) be generally considered or reckoned (is reputed to be the best). 2 (as reputed adj.) passing as being, but probably not being (his reputed father). O00 reputedly adv. [ME f. OF reputer or L reputare (as RE-, putare think)} request /ri'kwest/n. & v. —n. 1 the act or an instance of asking for something; a petition (came at his request). 2 a thing asked for. 3 the state of being sought after; demand (in great request). 4a letter etc. asking for a particular record etc. to be played on a radio programme, often with a personal message. —v.tr. 1 ask to be given or allowed or favoured with (request a hearing; requests your presence). 2 (foll. by to + infin.) ask (a person) to do something (requested her to answer). 3 (foll. by that + clause) ask that. o by (or on) request in response to an expressed wish. request programme a programme composed of items requested by the audience. request stop a bus-stop at which a bus stops only on a passenger’s request. 00 requester n. [ME f. OF requeste(r) ult. f. L requaerere (as REQUIRE)} requiem /'rekwi,em/ n. 1 (Requiem) (also attrib.) chiefly RC Ch. a mass for the repose of the souls of the dead. 2 Mus. the musical setting for this. [ME f. accus. of L requies rest, the initial word of the mass] requiescat /,rekwi'esket/ n. a wish or prayer for the repose of a dead person. [L, = may he or she rest (in peace)] require /ri‘kwaia(r)/ v.tr. 1 need; depend on for success or fulfilment (the work requires much patience). 2 lay down as an imperative (did all that was required by law). 3 command; instruct (a person etc.). 4 order; insist on (an action or measure). 5 (often foll. by of, from, or that + clause) demand (of or from a person)

alo fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

requisite

re-serve

1228

2

ee

eee

ee

as a right. 6 wish to have (is there anything else you require?). 00 requirer n. requirement n. [ME f. OF requere ult. f. L requirere (as RE-, quaerere seek)]

requisite /'rekwizit/ adj. & n. —adj. required by circumstances;

colour of mignonette flowers. [L, perh. f. imper. of resedare assuage, with ref. to its supposed curative powers]

reselect

requisition order. 0 under (or in) requisition being used or applied. 00 requisitioner n. requisitionist n. [F réquisition or L requisitio (as REQUIRE)] requite /ri'kwait/ v.tr. 1 make return for (a service). 2 (often foll. by with) reward or avenge (a favour or injury). 3 (often foll. by for) make return to (a person). 4 (often foll. by for, with) repay with good or evil (requite like for like; requite hate with love). oo requital n. [RE- + quite var. of QUIT] reran past of RERUN. reread [ri:'ri:d/ v. & n. —v.tr. (past and past part. reread |-'red/) read again. —n. an instance of reading again. 00 re-readable adj. reredos /'riodps/ n. Eccl. an ornamental screen covering the wall at the back of an altar. [ME f. AF f. OF areredos f. arere behind + dos back: cf. ARREARS] re-release |,ri:ri'li:s/ v. & n. —v.tr. release (a record, film, etc.) again. —n. a re-released record, film, etc. re-route /[ri:'ru:t/ v.tr. (-routeing) send or carry by a different

route. rerun /ri:'ran/ v. & n. —v.tr. (rerunning; past reran; past part. rerun) run (a race, film, etc.) again. —n. /'ri:ran/ 1 the act or an instance of rerunning. 2 a film etc. shown again. resale /ri:'setl/ n. the sale of a thing previously bought. 0 resale price maintenance a manufacturer’s practice of setting a minimum resale price for goods. 00 resalable adj. resat past and past part. of RESIT.

reschedule /ri:'fedju:l, -'skedgzual/ v.tr. alter the schedule of; replan. rescind /ri'sind/ v.tr. abrogate, revoke, cancel. 00 rescindable adj. rescindment n. rescission |-'s13(a)n/ n. [L rescindere resciss(as RE-, Scindere cut)} rescript /ri:'skript/ n. 1 a Roman emperor’s written reply to an appeal for guidance, esp. on a legal point. 2 RC Ch. the Pope’s decision on a question of doctrine or papal law. 3 an official edict or announcement. 4 a the act or an instance of rewriting. b the thing rewritten. [L rescriptum, neut. past part. of rescribere rescript- (as RE-, scribere write)] rescue /'reskju:/ v. & n. —v.tr. (rescues, rescued, rescuing) 1 (often foll. by from) save or set free or bring away from attack, custody, danger, or harm. 2 Law a unlawfully liberate (a person).

b forcibly recover (property). —n. the act or an instance of rescuing or being rescued; deliverance. O rescue bid Bridge a bid made to get one’s partner out of a difficult situation. 00 rescuable adj. rescuer n. [ME rescowe f. OF rescoure f. Rmce, formed as RE- + L excutere (as Ex-!, quatere shake)] reseal /ri:'si:1/ v.tr. seal again. 00 resealable adj. research /r1's3:tJ, disp. 'ri:sa:t{/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the systematic investigation into and study of materials, sources, etc., in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. b (usu. in pl.) an endeavour to discover new or collate old facts etc. by the scientific study of a subject or by a course of critical investigation. 2 (attrib.) engaged in or intended for research (research assistant). —v. 1 tr. do research into or for. 2 intr. make researches. 0 research and development (in industry etc.) work directed towards the innovation, introduction, and improvement of products and processes. 00 researchable adj. researcher n. [obs. F recerche (as RE-, SEARCH)] reseat /ri:'si:t/ v.tr. 1 (also refl.) seat (oneself, a person, etc.) again.

2 provide with a fresh seat or seats. resect /ri'sekt/ v.tr. Surgery 1 cut out part of (a lung etc.). 2 pare b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

|,ri:sr'lekt/ v.tr. select

again

or differently.

oo

reselection n.

requisition |,rekw1'z1J(a)n/n. & v. —n. 1 an official order laying claim to the use of property or materials. 2 a formal written demand that some duty should be performed. 3 being called or put into service. —v.tr. demand the use or supply of, esp. by

ee

down (bone, cartilage, etc.). 00 resection n. resectional adj. resectionist n. [L resecare resect- (as RE-, secare cut)] reseda |'resida/ n. 1 any plant of the genus Reseda, with sweetscented flowers, e.g. a mignonette. 2 /also 'rez-/ the pale green

necessary to success etc. —n. (often foll. by for) a thing needed (for some purpose). 00 requisitely adv. [ME f. L requisitus past part. (as REQUIRE)]

ee

resell /ri:'selj v.tr. (past and past part. resold) sell (an object etc.) after buying it.

resemblance /ri'zemblons/ n. (often foll. by to, between, of) a likeness or similarity. RESEMBLE)]}

00

resemblant

adj. [ME f. AF (as

resemble /r1'zemb(2)l/ v.tr. be like; have a similarity to, or features in common with, or the same appearance as. O00 resembler n. [ME f. OF resembler (as RE-, sembler f. L similare f. similis like)] resent /ri'zent/ v.tr. show or feel indignation at; be aggrieved by (a circumstance, action, or person) (we resent being patronized). [obs. F resentir (as RE-, L sentire feel)]

resentful /ri'zentful/ adj. feeling resentment. 00 resentfully adv. resentfulness n. resentment /ri'zentmont/ n. (often foll. by at, of) indignant or bitter feelings; anger. [It. risentimento orF ressentiment (as RESENT)] reserpine /ri's3:pi:n/ n. an alkaloid obtained from plants of the genus Rauwolfia, used as a tranquillizer and in the treatment of hypertension. [G Reserpin f. mod.L Rauwolfia (f. L. Rauwolf, Ger. botanist d. 1596) serpentina] reservation |,rezo'ver{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of reserving or being reserved. 2 a booking (of a room, berth, seat, etc.). 3 the thing booked, e.g. a room in a hotel. 4 an express or tacit limitation or exception to an agreement etc. (had reservations about the plan). 5 Brit. a strip of land between the carriageways of a road. 6 an area of land reserved for occupation by American Indians, African Blacks, or Australian Aboriginals, etc. 7 a a right or interest retained in an estate being conveyed. b the clause reserving this. 8 Eccl. a the practice of retaining for some purpose a portion of the Eucharistic elements (esp. the bread) after celebration. b RC Ch. the power of absolution reserved to a superior. c RC Ch. the right reserved to the Pope of nomination to a vacant benefice. [ME f. OF reservation or LL reservatio (as RESERVE)] reserve /r1'z3:v/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 postpone, put aside, keep back for a later occasion or special use. 2 order to be specially retained or allocated for a particular person or at a particular time. 3 retain or secure, esp. by formal or legal stipulation (reserve the right to). 4 postpone delivery of (judgement etc.) (reserved my comments until the end). —n. 1 a thing reserved for future use; an extra stock or amount (a great reserve of strength; huge energy reserves), 2 a limitation, qualification, or exception attached to something (accept your offer without reserve). 3 a self-restraint; reticence; lack of cordiality (difficult to overcome his reserve). b (in artistic or literary expression) absence from exaggeration or ill-proportioned effects. 4 a company’s profit added to capital. 5 (in sing. or pl.) assets kept readily available as cash or at a central bank, or as goid or foreign exchange (reserve currency). 6 (in sing. or pl.) a troops withheld from action to reinforce or protect others. b forces in addition to the regular army, navy, airforce, etc., but available in an emergency. 7 a member of the military reserve. 8 an extra player chosen to be a possible substitute in a team. 9 a place reserved for special use, esp. as a habitat for a native tribe or for wildlife (game reserve; nature reserve). 10 the intentional suppression of the truth (exercised a certain amount of reserve). 11 (in the decoration of ceramics or textiles) an area which still has the original colour of the material or the colour of the background. o im reserve unused and available if required. reserve grade Austral. a second-grade team. reserve price the lowest acceptable price stipulated for an item sold at an auction. with all (or all proper) reserve without endorsing. 00 reservable adj. reserver n. [ME f. OF reserver f. L reservare (as RE-, servare keep)] re-serve |ri:'s3:v/ v.tr. & intr. serve again. k cat

lleg

mman

nono

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

reserved

reserved /ri'z3:vd/ adj. 1 reticent; slow to reveal emotion or opinions; uncommunicative, 2 a set apart, destined for some use or fate. b (often foll. by for, to) left by fate for; falling first or only to. o reserved occupation an occupation from which a person will not be taken for military service. 00 reservedly |-vidli/ adv. reservedness n. reservist /ri'z3:vist/ n. a member of the reserve forces. reservoir /'rezo,vwa:(r)/ n. 1 a large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply. 2 a any natural or artificial receptacle esp. for or of fluid. b a place where fluid etc. collects. 3 a part of a machine etc. holding fluid. 4 (usu. foll. by of) a reserve or supply esp. of information. [F réservoir f. réserver RESERVE] reset /ri:'set/ v.tr. (resetting; past and past part. reset) set (a broken bone, gems, a mechanical device, etc.) again or differently. 00 resettable adj. resettability /-'biliti/ n. resettle /ri:'set(s)l/ v.tr. & intr. settle again. 00 resettlement n. reshape /ri:'ferp/ v.tr. shape or form again or differently.

reshuffle [ri:'Jaffa)l/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 shuffle (cards) again. 2 interchange the posts of (government ministers etc.). —n. the act or an instance of reshuffling. 5;

reside [ri'zaid/ v.intr. 1 (often foll. by at, in, abroad, etc.) (of a person) have one’s home, dwell permanently. 2 (of power, a right, etc.) rest or be vested in. 3 (of an incumbent official) be in residence. 4 (foll. by in) (of a quality) be present or inherent in. [ME, prob. back-form. f. RESIDENT infl. by F résider or L residére (as RE-, sedére sit)]

residence /'rezid(e)ns/ n. 1 the act or an instance of residing. 2 a the place where a person resides; an abode. b a mansion; the official house of a government minister etc. c a house, esp. one of considerable pretension (returned to their London residence). O in residence dwelling at a specified place, esp. for the performance of duties or work. [ME f. OF residence or med_L residentia f. L residére: see RESIDE]

residency /'rezidonsi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 = RESIDENCE 1, 2a. 2 US a period of specialized medical training; the position ofa resident. 3 hist. the official residence of the Governor-General’s representative or other government agent at an Indian native court; the territory supervised by this official. 4 a musician’s regular engagement at a club etc. 5 a group or organization of intelligence agents in a foreign country.

resident /'rezid(a)nt/ n. & adj. —n.

1 (often foll. by of) aa

permanent inhabitant (of a town or neighbourhood). b a bird belonging to a species that does not migrate. 2 a guest in a hotel etc. staying overnight. 3 hist. a British government agent in any semi-independent State, esp. the Governor-General’s agent at an Indian native court. 4 US a medical graduate engaged in specialized practice under supervision in a hospital. 5 an intelligence agent in a foreign country. —adj. 1 residing; in residence. 2 a having quarters on the premises of one’s work etc. (resident housekeeper; resident doctor). b’ working regularly in a particular place. 3 located in; inherent (powers of feeling are resident in the nerves). 4 (of birds etc.) non-migratory. oo residentship n. (in sense 3 of n.). [ME f. OF resident or L: see RESIDE]

residential |,rezi'den{(2)l/ adj. 1 suitable for or occupied by private houses (residential area). 2 used as a residence (residential hotel). 3 based on or connected with residence (the residential qualification for voters; a residential course of study). oO residentially adv.

residentiary |,rezi'denfari/ adj. & n. —adj. of, subject to, or requiring, official residence. —n. (pl. -ies) an ecclesiastic who must officially reside in a place. [med residentiarius (as RESIDENCE)]

residua pl. of RESIDUUM. residual |ri'zidjuol/ adj. & n. —adj.

1 remaining; left as a

residue or residuum. 2 Math. resulting from subtraction. 3 (in calculation) still unaccounted for or not eliminated. —n. 1a quantity left over or Math. resulting from subtraction. 2 an error

in calculation not accounted for or eliminated. o0 residually adv. wwe

z zoo

resistivity

1229

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

residuary /r1'zidjuori/ adj. 1 of the residue of an estate (residuary bequest). 2 of or being a residuum; residual; still remaining.

residue /'rezi,dju:/n. 1 what is left over or remains; a remainder; the rest. 2 Law what remains of an estate after the payment of charges, debts, and bequests. 3 esp. Chem. a residuum. [ME f. OF residu f. L residuum: see RESIDUUM]

residuum /ri'zidjuom/ n. (pl. residua /-djuo/) 1 Chem. a substance left after combustion or evaporation. 2 a remainder or residue. [L, neut. of residuus remaining f. residére: see RESIDE] resign /ri'zain/ v. 1 intr. a (often foll. by from) give up office, one’s employment, etc. (resigned from the Home Office). b (often

foll. by as) retire (resigned as chief executive). 2 tr. (often foll. byfo, into) relinquish; surrender; hand over (a right, charge, task, etc.). 3 tr. give up (hope etc.). 4 refl. (usu. foll. by to) a reconcile (oneself, one’s mind, etc.) to the inevitable (have resigned myself to the idea). b surrender (oneself to another’s guidance). 5 intr. Chess etc. discontinue play and admit defeat. 00 resigner n. [ME f. OF resigner f. L resignare unseal, cancel (as RE-, signare sign, seal)]

re-sign /ri:'sain/ v.tr. & intr. sign again. resignation |,rezig'ner{(s)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of resigning, esp. conveying this uncomplaining med.L resignatio

from one’s job or office. 2 the document etc. intention. 3 the state of being resigned; the endurance of a sorrow or difficulty. [ME f. OF f. (as RESIGN)]

resigned /ri'zaind/ adj. (often foll. by to) having resigned oneself; submissive, acquiescent. oOfF resignedly /-nidli/ adv. resignedness n. resile /ri'zail/ v.intr. 1 (of something stretched or compressed) recoil to resume a former size and shape; spring back. 2 have or show resilience or recuperative power. 3 (usu. foll. by from) withdraw from a course of action. [obs. F resilir or L resilire (as RE-, salire jump)]}

resilient /r'zilront/ adj. 1 (of a substance etc.) recoiling; springing back; resuming its original shape after bending, stretching, compression, etc. 2 (of a person) readily recovering from shock, depression, etc.; buoyant. oO resilience n. resiliency n. resiliently adv. [L resiliens resilient- (as RESILE)] resin /'rezin/n. & v. —n. 1 an adhesive inflammable substance insoluble in water, secreted by some plants, and often extracted by incision, esp. from fir and pine (cf. GuM?). 2 (in full synthetic resin) a solid or liquid organic compound made by polymerization etc. and used in plastics etc. —v.tr. (resined, resining) rub or treat with resin. 00 resinate /-not/ n. resinate /-mett/ v.tr. resinoid adj. & n. resinous adj. [ME resyn, rosyn f. L resina & med.L rosina, rosinum] resist /ri'zist/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. withstand the action or effect of: repel. 2 tr. stop the course or progress of; prevent from reaching, penetrating, etc. 3 tr. abstain from (pleasure, temptation, etc.). 4 tr. strive against; try to impede; refuse to comply with (resist arrest). 5 intr. offer opposition; refuse to comply. —n. a protective coating of a resistant substance, applied esp. to parts of calico that are not to take dye or to parts of pottery that are not to take glaze or lustre. 0 cannot (or could not etc.) resist 1 (foll. by verbal noun) feel obliged or strongly inclined to (cannot resist teasing me about it). 2 is certain to be amused, attracted, etc., by (can’t resist children’s clothes). 00 resistant adj. resister n. resistible adj. resistibility /-'biliti/ n. [ME f. OF resister or L resistere (as RE-, sistere stop, redupl. of stare stand)] resistance /ri'zist(9)ns/ n. 1 the act or an instance of resisting; refusal to comply. 2 the power of resisting (showed resistance to wear and tear). 3 Biol. the ability to withstand adverse conditions. 4 the impeding, slowing, or stopping effect exerted by one material thing on another. 5 Physics a the property of hindering the conduction of electricity, heat, etc. b the measure of this in a body. §]Symb.: R. 6 a resistor. 7 (in full resistance movement) a secret organization resisting authority, esp. in a conquered or enemy-occupied country. [ME f. F résistance, résistence f. LL resistentia (as RESIST)]

resistive /ri'zistrv/ adj. 1 able to resist. 2 Electr. of or concerning resistance.

resistivity |,rizis'trviti/ n. Electr. a measure of the resisting power of a specified material to the flow of an electric current. tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

resistless

respect

1230

resistless /ri'zrstlis/ adj. archaic poet. 1 irresistible; relentless. 2 unresisting. 00 resistlessly adv. resistor /ri'zista(r)/ n. Electr. a device having resistance to the passage of an electrical current. resit v. & n. —v.tr. /ri:'sit/ (resitting; past and past part. resat) sit (an examination) again after failing. —n. /'ri:sit/ 1 the act or an instance of resitting an examination. 2 an examination held specifically to enable candidates to resit. re-site /ri:'sart/ v.tr. place on another site; relocate.

resold past and past part. of RESELL. resoluble /ri'zpljub(2)l/ adj. 1 that can be resolved.

resonance. oO resonantly adv. [F résonnant or L resonare resonant-

2 (foll.

by into) analysable. [F résoluble or L resolubilis (as RESOLVE, after soluble)]

re-soluble /ri:'spljub(o)]/ adj. that can be dissolved again. resolute /'rezo,lu:t, -,lju:t/ adj. (of a person or a person’s mind or action) determined; decided; firm of purpose; not vacillating. ao resolutely adv. resoluteness n. [L resolutus past part. of resolvere (See RESOLVE)]

resolution /|,rezo'lu:S(a)n, -'Iju:J(a)n/ n. 1 a resolute temper or character; boldness and firmness of purpose. 2 a thing resolved on; an intention (New Year's resolutions). 3 a a formal expression of opinion or intention by a legislative body or public meeting. b the formulation of this (passed a resolution). 4 (usu. foll. by of) the act or an instance of solving doubt or a problem or question (towards a resolution of the difficulty). 5 a separation into components; decomposition. b the replacing of a single force etc. by two or more jointly equivalent to it. 6 (foll. by into) analysis; conversion into another form. 7 Mus. the act or an instance of causing discord to pass into concord. 8 Physics etc. the smallest interval measurable by a scientific instrument; the resolving power. 9 Med. the disappearance of inflammation etc. without suppuration. 10 Prosody the substitution of two short syllables for one long. [ME f. L resolutio (as RESOLVE)}

resolutive /'reza,lu:tiy, -lju:trv/ adj. Med. having the power or ability to dissolve. O resolutive condition Law a condition whose fulfilment terminates a contract etc. [med.L resolutivus (as RESOLVE)] resolve /ri'zplv/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. make up one’s mind; decide firmly (resolve to do better). 2 tr. (of circumstances etc.) cause (a person) to do this (events resolved him to leave). 3 tr. (foll. by that + clause) (of an assembly or meeting) pass a resolution by vote (the committee resolved that immediate action should be taken). 4 intr. & tr. (often foll. by into) separate or cause to separate into constituent parts; disintegrate; analyse; dissolve. 5 tr. (of optical or photographic equipment) separate or distinguish between closely adjacent objects. 6 tr. & intr. (foll. by into) convert or be converted. 7 tr. & intr. (foll. by into) reduce by mental analysis into. 8 tr. solve; explain; clear up; settle (doubt, argument, etc.). 9 tr. & intr. Mus. convert or be converted into concord. 10 tr. Med. remove (inflammation etc.) without suppuration. 11 tr. Prosody replace (a long syllable) by two short syllables. 12 tr. Mech. replace (a force etc.) by two or more jointly equivalent to it. —n. 1 aa firm mental decision or intention; a resolution (made a resolve not to go). b US a formal resolution by a legislative body or public meeting. 2 resoluteness; steadfastness. o resolving power an instrument’s ability to distinguish very small or very close objects. 00 resolvable adj. resolvability [-'biliti/ n. resolver n. [ME f. L resolvere resolut- (as RE-, SOLVE)] resolved /ri'zplvd/ adj. resolute, determined. o0 resolvedly [-vidli/ adv. resolvedness n.

resolvent /r'zplv(a)nt/ adj. & n. esp. Med. —adj. (of a drug, application, substance, etc.) effecting the resolution of a tumour etc. —n. such a drug etc. resonance /'rezonons/ n. 1 the reinforcement or prolongation of sound by reflection or synchronous vibration. 2 Mech. a condition in which an object or system is subjected to an oscillating force having a frequency close to its own natural frequency. 3 Chem. the property of a molecule having a structure best represented by two or more forms rather than a single structural formula. 4 Physics a short-lived elementary particle that is an excited state of a more stable particle. [OF f. L resonantia echo (as RESONANT)|

# cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

resonant /'rezonont/ adj. 1 (of sound) echoing, resounding; continuing to sound; reinforced or prolonged by reflection or synchronous vibration. 2 (of a body, room, etc.) tending to reinforce or prolong sounds esp. by synchronous vibration. 3 (often foll. by with) (of a place) resounding. 4 of or relating to

1 sit

(as RE-, sonare sound)] resonate /'rezanert/ v.intr. produce or show resonance; resound. [L resonare resonat- (as RESONANT)] resonator /'reza,nerta(r)/ n. Mus. 1 an instrument responding to a single note and used for detecting it in combinations. 2 an appliance for giving resonance to sound or other vibrations. resorb /r'so:b/ v.tr. absorb again. 00 resorbence n. resorbent adj. [L resorbére resorpt- (as RE-adj., sorbére absorb)] resorcin /r1'zo:sin/ n. = RESORCINOL. [RESIN + ORCIN] resorcinol /ri'zo:s1,npl/n. Chem. a crystalline organic compound usu. made by synthesis and used in the production of dyes, drugs, resins, etc. resorption /r1'zo:p{(o)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of resorbing; the state of being resorbed. 2 the absorption of tissue within the body. 00 resorptive /-t1v/ adj. [RESORB after absorption] resort /r1'zo:t/n. & v. —n. 1a place frequented esp. for holidays or for a specified purpose or quality (seaside resort; health resort). 2 aa thing to which one has recourse; an expedient or measure (a taxi was our best resort). b (foll. by to) recourse to; use of (without resort to violence). 3 a tendency to frequent or be frequented (places of great resort). —v.intr. 1 (foll. by to) turn to as an expedient

(resorted to threats). 2 (foll. by to) go often or in large numbers to. O in the (or as a) last resort when all else has failed. oo resorter n. [ME f. OF resortir (as RE-, sortir come or go out)] re-sort /ri:'so:t/ v.tr. sort again or differently. resound /ri'zaund/ v. 1 intr. (often foll. by with) (of a place) ring or echo (the hall resounded with laughter). 2 intr. (of a voice, instrument, sound, etc.) produce echoes; go on sounding; fill the place with sound. 3 intr. a (of fame, a reputation, etc.) be much talked of. b (foll. by through) produce a sensation (the call resounded through Europe). 4 tr. (often foll. by of) proclaim or repeat loudly (the praises) of a person or thing (resounded the praises of Greece). 5 tr. (of a place) re-echo (a sound). [ME f. RE- + souND! v., after OF resoner or L resonare: see RESONANT] resounding /ri'zaundin/ adj. 1 in senses of RESOUND. 2 unmistakable; emphatic (was a resounding success). 00 resoundingly adv. resource /r1'so:s, -'zo:s/ n. 1 an expedient or device (escape was their only resource). 2 (usu. in pl.) a the means available to achieve an end, fulfil a function, etc. b a stock or supply that can be drawn on. ¢ US available assets. 3 (in pl.) a country’s collective wealth or means of defence. 4 a leisure occupation (reading is a great resource). 5 a skill in devising expedients (a person of great resource). b practical ingenuity; quick wit (full of resource). 6 archaic the possibility of aid (lost without resource). O one’s own resources one’s own abilities, ingenuity, etc. 00 resourceful adj. resourcefully adv. resourcefulness n. resourceless adj. resourcelessness n. [F ressource, ressourse, fem. past part. of OF dial. resourdre (as RE-, L surgere rise)]

respect /ri'spekt/n. & v. —n. 1 deferential esteem felt or shown towards a person or quality. 2 a (foll. by of, for) heed or regard. b (foll. by to) attention to or consideration of (without respect to the results). 3 an aspect, detail, particular, etc. (correct except in this one respect). 4 reference, relation (a morality that has no respect to religion). 5 (in pl.) a person’s polite messages or attentions (give my respects to your mother). —v.tr. 1 regard with deference, esteem, or honour. 2 a avoid interfering with, harming, degrading, insulting, injuring, or interrupting. b treat with consideration. c refrain from offending, corrupting, or tempting (a person, a person’s feelings, etc.). 0 im respect of as concerns; with reference to. in respect that because. with (or with all due) respect a mollifying formula preceding an expression of disagreement with another’s views. 00 respecter n. [ME f. OF respect or L respectus f. respicere (as RE-, specere look at) or f. respectare frequent. of respicere] 4 i: see

p hot

o: saw

a run

o put

u: too

a ago

ar my

respectability

rest

1231

respectability /rispekto'bilit/ n. 1 the state of being respectable. 2 those who are respectable.

respectable /ri'spektob(9)l/ adj. 1 deserving respect. 2 a of fair social standing. b having the qualities necessary for such standing. 3 honest and decent in conduct etc. 4 of some merit or importance. 5 tolerable, passable, fairly good or competent (a respectable try). 6 (of activities, clothes, etc.) presentable; befitting a respectable person. 7 reasonably good in condition or appearance. 8 appreciable in number, size, amount, etc. 9 primly conventional. 00 respectably adv. respectful /ri'spektful/ adj. showing deference (stood ata respectful distance). 00 respectfully adv. respectfulness n. respecting /ri'spektin/ prep. with reference or regard to; concerning. respective /ri'spektrv/ adj. concerning or appropriate to each of several individually; proper to each (go to your respective places). [F respectif -ive f. med.L respectivus (as RESPECT)]

response /ri'sppns/ n. 1 an answer given in word or act; a reply. 2 a feeling, movement, change, etc., caused by a stimulus or influence. 3 (often in pl.) Eccl. any part of the liturgy said or sung in answer to the priest; a responsory. 4 Bridge a bid made in responding. [ME f. OF respons(e) or L responsum neut. past part.

of respondére RESPOND]

responsibility /r1,spons1'biliti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a (often foll. by for, of) the state or fact of being responsible (refuses all responsibility for it; will take the responsibility of doing it). b authority; the ability to act independently and make decisions (a job with more responsibility). 2 the person or thing for which one is responsible (the food is my responsibility). 0 on one’s own responsibility without authorization.

responsible /ri'sppnsib(a)l/ adj. 1 (often foll. by to, for) liable to be called to account (to a person or for a thing). 2 morally accountable for one’s actions; capable of rational conduct. 3 of good credit, position, or repute; respectable; evidently trustworthy. 4 (often foll. by for) being the primary cause (a short circuit was responsible for the power failure). 5 (of a ruler or government) not autocratic. 6 involving responsibility (a responsible

respectively /ri'spektivli/ adv. for each separately or in turn, and in the order mentioned (she and I gave £10 and £1 respectively).

respell /ri:'spel/ v.tr. (past and past part. respelt or See spell again or differently, esp. phonetically. Respighi /re'spi:g1/, Ottorino (1879-1936), Italian composer, string-player, and pianist. His highly popular suites Fountains of Rome (1914-16) and Pines of Rome (1923-4) reveal his gifts for bright evocative orchestration, which can be seen also in his arrangements of other composers’ music. In his operas he reacted against the ‘realism’ of Puccini, but some of his most tender and exquisite work is to be found in his shorter vocal pieces.

respirable /'resporab(a)l, ri'spairab()l/ adj. (of air, gas, etc.) able or fit to be breathed. [F respirable or LL respirabilis (as RESPIRE)] respirate /'respi,rert/ v.tr. subject to artificial respiration. [back-form. f. RESPIRATION] respiration |,respr'rer{(a)n/ n. 1 a the act or an instance of breathing. b a single inspiration or expiration; a breath. 2 Biol. in living organisms, the process involving the release of energy and carbon dioxide from the oxidation of complex organic substances. [ME f. F respiration or L respiratio (as RESPIRE)] respirator /'resp1,reita(r)/ n. 1 an apparatus worn over the face to prevent poison gas, cold air, dust particles, etc., from being inhaled. 2 Med. an apparatus for maintaining artificial respiration. respire /r'spaio(r)/ v. 1 intr. breathe air. 2 intr. inhale and exhale air. 3 intr. {of a plant) carry out respiration. 4 tr. breathe (air etc.). 5 intr. breathe again; take a breath. 6 intr. get rest or respite; recover hope or spirit. 00 respiratory /ri'spiratort, 'respo,rertor1/ adj. [ME f. OF respirer or f. L respirare (as RE-, spirare breathe)] respite /'respait, -pit/n. & v. —n. 1 an interval of rest or relief. 2 a delay permitted before the discharge of an obligation or the suffering of a penalty. —v.tr. 1 grant respite to; reprieve (a condemned person). 2 postpone the execution or exaction of (a sentence, obligation, etc.). 3 give temporary relief from (pain or care) or to (a sufferer). [ME f. OF respit f. L respectus RESPECT]

resplendent /ri'splend(a)nt/ adj. brilliant, dazzlingly or gloriously bright. oo resplendence n. resplendency 1. resplendently adv. [ME f. L resplendére (as RE-, splendére glitter)] respond /ri'sppnd/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. answer, give a reply. 2 intr. act or behave in an answering or corresponding manner. 3 intr. (usu. foll. by to) show sensitiveness to by behaviour or change (does not respond to kindness). 4 intr. (of a congregation) make answers to a priest etc. 5 intr. Bridge make a bid on the basis of a partner’s preceding bid. 6 tr. say (something) in answer. —n. 1 Archit. a haif-pillar or half-pier attached to a wall to support an arch, esp. at the end of an arcade. 2 Eccl. a responsory; a response to a versicle. 00 respondence n. respondency n. responder n. [ME f. OF respondre answer ult. f. L respondére respons- answer (as RE-, spondére pledge)] respondent /ri'sppnd(a)nt/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a defendant, esp. in an appeal or divorce case. 2a person who makes an answer or defends an argument etc. —adj. 1 making answer. 2(foll. by to) responsive. 3 in the position of defendant. au how

et day

ou no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

va poor

job). 00 responsibleness n. responsibly adv. [obs. Ff. L respondére: see RESPOND] responsive /ri'sppnsiv/ adj. 1 (often foll. by to) responding readily (to some influence). 2 sympathetic; impressionable. 3 a answering. b by way of answer. 4 (of a liturgy etc.) using responses. 00 responsively adv. responsiveness n. [F responsif -ive or LL responsivus (as RESPOND)]} responsory /ri'sponsor1/ n. (pl. -ies) an anthem said or sung by

a soloist and choir after a lesson. [ME f. LL responsorium (as RESPOND)} respray v. & n. —v.tr. /ri:'spre1/ spray again (esp. to change the colour of the paint on a vehicle). —n. /'ri:spre1/ the act or an instance of respraying. rest! /rest/v. & n. —v. 1 intr. cease, abstain, or be relieved from exertion, action, movement, or employment; be tranquil. 2 intr.

be still or asleep, esp. to refresh oneself or recover strength. 3 tr. give relief or repose to; allow to rest (a chair to rest my legs). 4 intr. (foll. by on, upon, against) lie on; be supported by; be spread out on; be propped against. 5 intr. (foll. by on, upon) depend, be based, or rely on. 6intr. (foll. by on, upon) (of a look) alight or be steadily directed on. 7 tr. (foll. by on, upon) place for support or foundation. 8 intr. (of a problem or subject) be left without further investigation or discussion (let the matter rest). 9 intr. a

lie in death. b (foll. by in) lie buried in (a churchyard etc.). 10 tr. (as rested adj.) refreshed or reinvigorated by resting. 11 intr. US conclude the calling of witnesses in a law case (the prosecution rests). 12 intr. (of land) lie fallow. 13 intr. (foll. by in) repose trust in (am content to rest in God). —n. 1 repose or sleep, esp. in bed at night (get a good night’s rest). 2 freedom from or the cessation of exertion, worry, activity, etc. (give the subject a rest). 3. a period of resting (take a 15-minute rest). 4 a support or prop for holding or steadying something. 5 Mus. a an interval of silence of a specified duration. b the sign denoting this. 6 a place of resting or abiding, esp. a lodging place or shelter provided for sailors, cabmen, etc. 7 a pause in elocution. 8 a caesura in verse. 0 at rest not moving; not agitated or troubled; dead. be resting Brit. euphem. (of an actor) be out of work. rest-baulk a ridge left unploughed between furrows. rest one’s case conclude one’s argument etc. rest-cure a rest usu. of some weeks as a medical treatment, rest-day 1 a day spent in rest. 2 = day of rest. rest (or God rest) his (or her) soul may God grant his (or her) soul repose. rest-home a place where old or frail people can be cared for. rest-house Ind. a house for travellers to rest in. resting-place a place provided or used for resting. rest mass Physics the mass of a body when at rest. rest on one’s laurels see LAUREL. rest on one’s oars see OAR. rest room esp. US a public lavatory in a factory, shop, etc. rest up US rest oneself thoroughly. set at rest settle or relieve (a question, a person’s mind, etc.). 00 rester n. [OE rest, rest (n.), restan, restan (v.)] rest? /rest/ n. & v. —n. (prec. by the) 1 the remaining part or parts; the others; the remainder of some quantity or number (finish what you can and leave the rest). 2 Brit. Econ. the reserve fund, esp. of the Bank of England. 3 hist. a rally in tennis.

aro fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

restart

resurrection

1232

—-v.intr. 1 remain in a specified state (rest assured). 2 (foll. by with) be left in the hands or charge of (the final arrangements rest with you). 0 and all the rest (or the rest of it) and all else that might be mentioned; etcetera. for the rest as regards anything else. [ME f. OF reste rester f. L restare (as RE-, stare stand)] restart v. &n. —v.tr. & intr. /ri:'sta:t/ begin again. —n. /'ri:sta:t/ a new beginning. restate /ri:'stert/ v.tr. express again or differently, esp. more clearly or convincingly. 00 restatement n. restaurant /'resto,rpnt, -,rd/ n. public premises where meals or refreshments may be bought and eaten. 0 restaurant car Brit. a dining-car on a train. [F f. restaurer RESTORE] restaurateur |,restoro'ts:(r)/ n. a restaurant-keeper. [F (as RESTAURANT)] restful /'restful/ adj. 1 favourable to quiet or repose. 2 free from disturbing influences. 3 soothing. oo restfully adv. restfulness n. rest-harrow /'rest,;hzrou/ n. any tough-rooted plant of the genus Ononis, native to Europe and the Mediterranean. [obs. rest (v.) = ARREST (in sense ‘stop’) + HARROW] restitution /,resti'tju:{(a)n/ n. 1 (often foll. by of) the act or an instance of restoring a thing to its proper owner. 2 reparation for an injury (esp. make restitution). 3 esp. Theol. the restoration of a thing to its original state. 4 the resumption of an original shape or position because of elasticity. oO restitutive /'resti,tju:trv/ adj. [ME f. OF restitution or L restitutio f. restituere restitut- restore (as RE-, statuere establish)] restive /'restiv/ adj. 1 fidgety; restless. 2 (of a horse) refusing to advance, stubbornly standing still or moving backwards or sideways; jibbing; refractory. 3 (of a person) unmanageable; rejecting control. 00 restively adv. restiveness n. [ME f. OF restif -ive f. Rmc (as REST?)] restless /'restlis/ adj. 1 finding or affording no rest. 2 uneasy; agitated. 3 constantly in motion, fidgeting, etc. 00 restlessly adv. restlessness n. [OE restléas (as REST, -LESS)] restock /ri:'stok/ v.tr. (also absol.) stock again or differently. restoration /|,rests'rer{(9)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of restoring or being restored. 2 a model or drawing representing the supposed original form of an extinct animal, ruined building, etc. 3 a the re-establishment of a monarch etc. b the period of this. 4 (Restoration) hist. a (prec. by the) the re-establishment of the Stuart monarchy in Britain with the return of Charles II to the throne in 1660. After the death of Oliver Cromwell in 1658, his son Richard proved incapable of maintaining the Protectorate, and, with no other viable form of government possible, a faction led by General Monck organized the King’s return from exile. b (often attrib.) the literary period following this (Restoration comedy). [17th-c. alt. (after RESTORE) of restauration, ME f. OF restauration or LL restauratio (as RESTORE)]

restorative /ri'stpratrv/ adj. & n. —adj. tending to restore health or strength. —n. a restorative medicine, food, etc. (needs a restorative). 00 restoratively adv. [ME var. of obs. restaurative f. OF restauratif -ive (as RESTORE)] restore /ri'sto;(r)/ v.tr. 1 bring back or attempt to bring back to the original state by rebuilding, repairing, repainting, emending, etc. 2 bring back to health etc.; cure. 3 give back to the original owner etc.; make restitution of. 4 reinstate; bring back to dignity or right. 5 replace; put back; bring back to a former condition. 6 make a representation of the supposed original state of (a ruin, extinct animal, etc.). 7 reinstate by conjecture (missing words in a text, missing pieces, etc.). 00 restorable adj. restorer n. [ME f. OF restorer f. L restaurare] restrain /ri'strem| v.tr. 1 (often refl., usu. foll. by from) check or hold in; keep in check or under control or within bounds. 2 repress; keep down. 3 confine; imprison. 00 restrainable adj. restrainer n. [ME f. OF restrei(g)n- stem of restreindre f. L restringere restrict- (as RE-, stringere tie)]

re-strain /ri:'strern/ v.tr. strain again. restrainedly /ri'stremidli/ adv. with self-restraint. restraint /ri'stremt/ n. 1 the act or an instance of restraining or being restrained. 2 a stoppage; a check; a controlling agency

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

or influence. 3 a self-control; avoidance of excess or exaggeration. b austerity of literary expression. 4 reserve of manner. 5 confinement, esp..because of insanity...6 something which _ restrains

or holds in check.

o im restraint

of in order to

restrain. restraint of trade action seeking to interfere with free-market conditions. [ME f. OF restreinte fem. past part. of restreindre: see RESTRAIN] restrict /r'strrkt/ v.tr. (often foll. by to, within) 1 confine, bound, limit (restricted parking; restricted them to five days a week). 2 subject to limitation. 3 withhold from general circulation or disclosure. O restricted area 1 Brit. an area in which there is a special speed limit for vehicles. 2 US an area which military personnel are not allowed to enter. oo restrictedly adv. restrictedness n. [L restringere: see RESTRAIN]

restriction /rm'strrk{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of restricting; the state of being restricted. 2 a thing that restricts. 3 a limitation placed on action. 00 restrictionist adj. & n. [ME f. OF restriction or L restrictio (as RESTRICT)]

restrictive

/ri'striktrv/

adj.

imposing

restrictions.

oO

restrictive clause Gram. a relative clause, usu. without surrounding commas. restrictive practice Brit. an agreement to limit competition or output in industry. 00 restrictively adv. restrictiveness n. [ME f. OF restrictif -ive or med.L restrictivus (as RESTRICT)]

restring /ri:'strin/ v.tr. (past and past part. restrung)

1 fit (a

musical instrument) with new strings. 2 thread (beads etc.) on a new string. restructure /ri:'straktfa(r)/ v.tr. give a new structure to; rebuild; rearrange.

restudy [ri:'stadi/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) study again. restyle /ri:'starl/ v.tr. 1 reshape; remake in a new style. 2 give a new designation to (a person or thing). result /ri'zalt/ n. & v. —n. 1 a consequence, issue, or outcome

of something. 2 a satisfactory outcome; a favourable result (gets results). 3 a quantity, formula, etc.; obtained by calculation. 4 (in pl.) a list of scores or winners etc. in an examination or sporting event. —v.intr. 1 (often foll. by from) arise as the actual consequence or follow as a logical consequence (from conditions, causes, etc.). 2 (often foll. by in) have a specified end or outcome (resulted in a large profit). O without result in vain; fruitless. 50 resultful adj. resultless adj. [ME f. med.L resultare f. L (as RE-, saltare frequent. of salire jump)] resultant /ri'zalt(o)nt/ adj. & n. —adj. resulting, esp. as the total outcome of more or less opposed forces. —n. Math. a force

etc. equivalent to two or more acting in different directions at the same point. resume /r'zju:m/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & intr. begin again or continue after an interruption. 2 tr. & intr. begin to speak, work, or use again; recommence. 3 tr. get back; take back; recover; reoccupy (resume one’s seat). —n. = REsUME£. 00 resumable adj. [ME f. OF resumer or L resumere resumpt- (as RE-, sumere take)] résumé /'rezjo,mei/ n. 1 a summary. 2 US a curriculum vitae. [F past part. of résumer (as RESUME)] resumption /r1'zamp{(a)n/ n. the act or an instance of resuming (ready for the resumption of negotiations). 00 resumptive adj. [ME f. OF resumption or LL resumptio (as RESUME)] resupinate /m'sju:pmot/ adj. (of a leaf etc.) upside down. [L resupinatus past part. of resupinare bend back: see SUPINE] resurface |ri:'ss:fis/ v. 1 tr. lay a new surface on (a road etc.). 2 intr. rise or arise again; turn up again. resurgent /r1's3:d3(2)nt/ adj. 1 rising or arising again. 2 tending to rise again. 00 resurgence n. [L resurgere resurrect- (as RE-, surgere rise)]

resurrect /,rezo'rekt/ v. 1 tr. collog. revive the practice, use, or memory of. 2 tr. take from the grave; exhume. 3 tr. dig up. 4 tr. & intr, raise or rise from the dead. [back-form. f. RESURRECTION] resurrection |,reza'rek{(2)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of rising from the dead. 2 (Resurrection) a Christ’s rising from the dead. b the rising of the dead at the Last Judgement. 3 a revival after disuse, inactivity, or decay. 4 exhumation. 5 the unearthing of a lost or forgotten thing; restoration to vogue or

kcat

lleg

m man

n no

Pp pen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

resurvey

memory. 0 resurrection plant any of various plants, including clubmosses of the genus Selaginella and the Rose of Jericho, unfolding when moistened after being dried. oo resurrectional adj. [ME f. OF f. LL resurrectio -onis (as RESURGENT)] resurvey v. & n. —v.tr. |,ri:s3:'ver/ survey again; reconsider. —n. /ri:'s3:ver/ the act or an instance of resurveying. resuscitate /ri'sAsi,tert/ v.tr. & intr. 1 revive from unconsciousness or apparent death. 2 return or restore to vogue, vigour, or vividness. oO resuscitation /-'ter{(o)n/ n. resuscitative adj. resuscitator n. [L resuscitare (as RE-, suscitare raise)} ret /ret/ v. (also rate /reit/) (retted, retting) 1 tr. soften (flax, hemp, etc.) by soaking or by exposure to moisture. 2 intr. (often as retted adj.) (of hay etc.) be spoilt by wet or rot. [ME, rel. to

ROT]

:

ret. abbr. retired; returned.

retable /ri'terb(a)l/ n. 1 a frame enclosing decorated panels above the back of an altar. 2 a shelf. [F rétable, retable f. Sp. retablo f. med.L retrotabulum rear table (as RETRO-, TABLE)] retail /'ri:texl/ n., adj.,adv., & v. —n. the sale of goods in relatively small quantities to the public, and usu. not for resale (cf. WHOLESALE). —adj. & adv. by retail; at a retail price (do you buy wholesale or retail?). —v. /also r1'terl/ 1 tr. sell (goods) in retail trade. 2 intr. (often foll. by at, of) (of goods) be sold in this way (esp. for a specified price) (retails at 4.95). 3 tr. recount; relate details of. Oo retail price index an index of the variation in the prices of retail goods. o0 retailer n. [ME f. OF retaille a piece cut off f. retaillier (as RE-, TAIL?)} retain /ri'tem/ v.tr. 1 a keep possession of; not lose; continue to have, practise, or recognize. b not abolish, discard, or alter. 2 keep in one’s memory. 3 keep in place; hold fixed. 4 secure the services of (a person, esp. a barrister) with a preliminary payment. 0 retaining fee a fee paid to secure a person, service, etc. retaining wali a wall supporting and confining a mass of earth or water. 00 retainable adj. retainability /-'brliti/ n. retainment n. [ME f. AF retei(g)n- f. stem of OF retenir ult. f. L retinére retent- (as RE-, tenére hold)] retainer /ri'temoa(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that retains. 2 Law a fee for retaining a barrister etc. 3 a hist. a dependant or follower of a person of rank. b joc. an old and faithful friend or servant (esp. old retainer). 4 Brit. a reduced rent paid to retain accommodation during a period of non-occupancy. retake v. & n. —v.tr. /ri:'terk/ (past retook; past part. retaken) 1 take again. 2 recapture. —n. /'ri:terk/ 1 a the act or an instance of retaking. b a thing retaken, e.g. an examination. 2a'the act or an instance of filming a scene or recording music etc. again. b the scene or recording obtained in this way.

retaliate /ri'tzli,ert/ v. 1 intr. repay an injury, insult, etc., in kind; attack in return; make reprisals. 2 tr. a (usu. foll. by upon) cast (an accusation) back upon a person. b repay (an injury or insult) in kind. oo retaliation /-'erf(o)n/ n. retaliative /-'teeljotrv/ adj. retaliator n. retaliatory /-'teljotori/ adj. [L retaliare (as RE-, talis such)] retard /ri'ta:d/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 make slow or late. 2 delay the progress, development, arrival, or accomplishment of. —n. retardation. oO in retard delayed, in the rear. 00 retardant adj. & n. retardation /,ri:ta:'deif(o)n/ n. retardative adj. retardatory adj. retarder n. retardment n. [F retarder f. L retardare (as RE-, tardus slow)} retardate /ri'ta:deit/ adj. & n. US —adj. mentally retarded. —n. a mentally retarded person. [L retardare: see RETARD]

retarded

/[ri'ta:did/ adj. backward

in mental or physical

development. retch /retf, ri:t{/ v. & n. —v.intr. make a motion of vomiting esp. involuntarily and without effect. —n. such a motion or the sound of it. [var, of (now dial.) reach f. OE hrécan spit, ON hrekja f. Gmc, of imit. orig.]

retd. abbr. 1 retired. 2 returned. rete /'ri:t1/ n. (pl. retia /-t1o, -Jro/) Anat. an elaborate network or plexus of blood vessels and nerve cells. [L rete net] reteach /ri:'ti:t{/ v.tr. (past and past part. retaught) teach again

or differently. wwe

z zoo

retired

1233

3 decision

different version. retention /ri'ten{(9)n/ n. 1 a the act or an instance of retaining; the state of being retained. b the ability to retain things experienced or learned; memory. 2 Med. the failure to evacuate urine or another secretion. [ME f. OF retention or L retentio (as RETAIN)]

retentive /ri'tentrv/ adj. 1 (often foll. by of) tending to retain (moisture etc.). 2 (of memory or a person) not forgetful. 3 Surgery (of a ligature etc.) serving to keep something in place. oo retentively adv. retentiveness n. [ME f. OF retentif -ive or med.L retentivus (as RETAIN)] retexture /ri:'tekstfa(r)/ v.tr. treat (material, a garment, etc.) so as to restore its original texture.

rethink v. & n.. —v.tr. /ri:'@1nk/ (past and past part. rethought) think about (something) again, esp. with a view to making changes. —n. /'ri:61nk/ a reassessment; a period of rethinking.

Rethymnon /'re$im,npn/ a port on the north coast of Crete;

pop. (1981) 17,700.

retia pl. of RETE. retiarius /,reti'a:rias/ n. (pl. retiarii /-r1,a1/) a Roman gladiator using a net to trap his opponent. [L f. rete net] reticence /'retis(2)ns/n. 1 the avoidance of saying all one knows or feels, or of saying more than is necessary; reserve in speech. 2 a disposition to silence; taciturnity. 3 the act or an instance of holding back some fact. 4 abstinence from overemphasis in art. OO reticent adj. reticently adv. [L reticentia f. reticére (as RE-, tacére be silent)]

reticle /'retrk(9)l/ n. a network of fine threads or lines in the focal plane of an optical instrument to help accurate observation. [L

reticulum: see RETICULUM] reticula pl. of RETICULUM. reticulate v. & adj. —v.tr. & intr. |ri'trkju,leit/ 1 divide or be divided in fact or appearance into a network. 2 arrange or be arranged in small squares or with intersecting lines. —adj. /rt'trkjolot/ reticulated. oo reticulately /ri'trkjolotl/ adv. reticulation /-'ler{(o)n/ nm. [L reticulatus reticulated (as RETICULUM)]

reticule /'reti,kju:l/ n. 1 = RETICLE. 2 usu. hist.a woman’s netted or other bag, esp. with a drawstring, carried or worn to serve the purpose of a pocket. [F réticule f. L (as RETICULUM)]

reticulum /ri'trkjulam/ n. (pl. reticula /-lo/) 1 a netlike structure; a fine network, esp. of membranes etc. in living organisms. 2 a ruminant’s second stomach. ‘00 reticular adj. reticulose adj. {L, dimin. of rete net]

retie /ri:'tai/ v.tr. (retying) tie again. retiform /'ri:ti,fo:m/ adj. netlike, reticulated. [L rete net + -FORM] retina /'retino/ 1. (pl. retinas, retinae /-,ni:/) a layer at the back of the eyeball sensitive to light, and triggering nerve impulses via the optic nerve to the brain where the visual image is formed. Oo retinal adj. [ME f. med.L f. L rete net]

retinitis /,reti'naitis/ n. inflammation of the retina. retinol /'retinol/ n. a vitamin found in green and yellow vegetables, egg-yolk, and fish-liver oil, essential for growth and vision in dim light. Also called vitamin A. [RETINA + -CL}] retinue /'retinju:/ n. a body of attendants accompanying an important person. [ME f. OF retenue fem. past part. of retenir RETAIN]

retiral /rr'taror(9)l/ n. esp. Sc. retirement from office etc. retire /ri'taio(r)/ v. 1 a intr. leave office or employment, esp. because of age (retire from the army; retire on a pension). b tr. cause (a person) to retire from work. 2 intr. withdraw; go away; retreat. 3 intr. seek seclusion or shelter. 4 intr. go to bed. 5 tr. withdraw (troops). 6 intr. & tr. Cricket (of a batsman) voluntarily end or be compelled to suspend one’s innings (retired hurt). 7 tr. Econ. withdraw (a bill or note) from circulation or currency. Oo retire from the world become a recluse. retire into oneself become uncommunicative or unsociable. retiring age the age at which most people normally retire from work. 00 retirer n. [F retirer (as RE-, tirer draw)]

retired /ri'tarad/ adj. 1 a having retired from employment (a

é f she

retell /ri:'tel/ v.tr. (past and past part. retold) tell again or ina

0 thin

6 this

y Ting

x loch

tf chip

dg jar

(see over for vowels)

retirement

retrospection

1234

ee

|,retr'bju:{(a)n/ n. requital usu. for evil done;

retired teacher). b relating to a retired person (received retired pay). 2 withdrawn from society or observation; secluded (lives a retired life). 00 retiredness n. retirement /ri'taromont/ n. 1 a the act or an instance of retiring. b the condition of having retired. 2 a seclusion or privacy. b a secluded place. o retirement pension Brit. a pension paid by the State to retired people above a certain age.

retribution

or alterations. —-n. the act or an instance of retouching. 00 retoucher n. [prob. f. F retoucher (as RE-, TOUCH)]} retrace /ri'trets/ v.tr. 1 go back over (one’s steps etc.). 2 trace back to a source or beginning. 3 recall the course of in one’s memory. [F retracer (as RE-, TRACE})] retract /ri'trekt/ v. 1 tr. (also absol.) withdraw or revoke (a statement or undertaking). 2 a tr. & intr. (esp. with ref. to part of the body) draw or be drawn back or in. b tr. draw (an undercarriage etc.) into the body of an aircraft. 00 retractable adj. retraction n. retractive adj. [L retrahere or (in sense 1) retractare (as RE-, trahere tract- draw)]

retrod past of RETREAD. retrodden past part. of RETREAD.

vengeance. 00 retributive /m'tribjutrv/ adj. retributory [rt'tribjotar1/ adj. [ME f. LL retributio (as RE-, tribuere tribut- assign)] - retrieve |ri'tri:v/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 a regain possession of. b recover by investigation or effort of memory. 2 a restore to knowledge or recall to mind. b obtain (information stored in a computer etc.). 3 (of a dog) find and bring in (killed or wounded game etc.). 4 (foll. by from) recover or rescue (esp. from a bad retiring /ri'tarorin/ adj. shy; fond of seclusion. 00 retiringly state). 5 restore to a flourishing state; revive. 6 repair or set adv. right (a loss or error etc.) (managed to retrieve the situation). —n. retold past and past part. of RETELL. the possibility of recovery (beyond retrieve). oo retrievable adj. retook past of RETAKE. retrieval n. [ME f. OF retroeve- stressed stem of retrover (as RE-, retool /ri:'tu:]/ v.tr. equip (a factory etc.) with new tools. trover find)] retort! /ri'to:t/ n. & v. —n. 1 an incisive or witty or angry reply. retriever /ri'tri:va(r)/ n. 1 aa dog of a breed used for retrieving 2 the turning of a charge or argument against its originator. 3 game. bthis breed. 2 a person who retrieves something. a piece of retaliation. —v. 1 a tr. say by way of a retort. b intr. retro- /'retrau/ comb. form 1 denoting action back or in return make a retort. 2 tr. repay (an insult or attack) in kind. 3 tr. (often (retroact; retroflex). 2 Anat. & Med. denoting location behind. [L foll. by on, upon) return (mischief, a charge, sarcasm, etc.) to its retro backwards] originator. 4tr. (often foll. by against) make (an argument) tell retroact |,retrou'ekt/ v.intr. 1 operate in a backward direction. against its user. 5 tr. (as retorted adj.) recurved; twisted or bent 2 have a retrospective effect. 3 react. oO retroaction n. backwards. [L retorquére retort- (as RE-, torquére twist)] retroactive |,retrau'ektrv/ adj. (esp. of legislation) having retretort? /ri'to:t/ n. & v. —n. 1 vessel usu. of glass with a long rospective effect. oO retroactively adv. retroactivity /|-'trviti/ recurved neck used in distilling liquids. 2 a vessel for heating n. mercury for purification, coal to generate gas, or iron and carretrocede /|,retrav'si:d/ v. 1 intr. move back; recede. 2 tr. cede bon to make steel. —v.tr. purify (mercury) by heating ina retort. back again. 00 retrocedence n. retrocedent adj. retrocession [F retorte f. med.L retorta fem. past part. of retorquére: see RETORT'] |'sef(a)n/ n. retrocessive |-'sesrv/ adj. [L retrocedere (as RETRO-, retortion /ri'to:{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of bending cedere cess- go)] back; the condition of being bent back. 2 retaliation by a State retrochoir /'retrau,kwaio(r)/ n. the part of a cathedral or large on the subjects of another. [RETORT!, perh. after contortion] church behind the high altar. [med.L retrochorus (as RETRO-, retouch jri:'tat{/v. & n. —v.tr. improve or repair (a composition, CHOIR)] picture, photographic negative or print, etc.) by fresh touches

retractile /r'trektail/ adj. capable of being retracted.

—_-s'mit,

Ti:tra:n-/

—_-v.tr.

(retransmitted, retransmitting) transmit (esp. radio signals or broadcast programmes) back again or to a further distance. 00 retransmission /-'m1J(2)n/ n.

retread

v. & n.

—v.tr.

/ri'tred/ (past retrod;

retroflex< /'retra,fleks/ adj. (also retroflexed) 1 Anat., Med., & Bot. turned backwards. 2 Phonet. = CACUMINAL. 00 retroflexion |-'flekf(a)n/ n. [L retroflectere retroflex- (as RETRO-, flectere bend)]

retrogradation |,retrougra'de1{(a)n/ n. Astron. 1 the apparent backward motion of a planet in the zodiac. 2 the apparent motion of a celestial body from east to west. 3 backward movement of the lunar nodes on the ecliptic. [LL retrogradatio (as RETRO-, GRADATION)]

oo

retractility /-'trlti/ n. [RETRACT, after contractile] retractor /ri'trekta(r)/ n. 1 a muscle used for retracting. 2 a device for retracting. retrain /ri:'tremn/ v.tr. & intr. train again or further, esp. for new work. retral /'ri:tr(2)l/ adj. Biol. hinder, posterior; at the back. [RETRO+ -AL] retranslate |,ri:trenz'lert, -s'lert, ,ri:tra:n-/ v.tr. translate again, esp. back into the original language. 00 retranslation n.

retransmit = |,ri:trenz'mit,

retrofit /'retrooufit/ v.tr. (-fitted, -fitting) modify (machinery, vehicles, etc.) to incorporate changes and developments introduced after manufacture. [RETROACTIVE + REFIT]

past part.

retrodden or (in sense 2) retreaded) 1 tread (a path etc.) again. 2 put a fresh tread on (a tyre). —n. /'ri:tred/ a retreaded tyre. retreat /ri'tri:t/ v. & n. —v. 1 a intr. (esp. of military forces) go back, retire; relinquish a position. b tr. cause to retreat; move back. 2 intr. (esp. of features) recede; slope back. —n. 1 a the act or an instance of retreating. b Mil. a signal for this. 2 withdrawal into privacy or security. 3 a place of shelter or seclusion. 4 a period of seclusion for prayer and meditation. 5 Mil. a bugle-call at sunset. 6 a place for the reception of the elderly or others in need of care. [ME f. OF retret (n.), retraiter (v.) f. L retrahere: see RETRACT] retrench /ri'trent{/ v. 1 a tr. reduce the amount of (costs). b intr. cut down expenses; introduce economies. 2 tr. shorten or abridge. oo retrenchment n. [obs. F retrencher (as RE-, TRENCH)]

retrograde /'retra,greid/ adj., n., & v. —adj. 1 directed backwards; retreating. 2 reverting esp. to an inferior state; declining. 3 inverse, reversed (in retrograde order). 4 Astron. in or showing retrogradation. —n. a degenerate person. —v.intr. 1 move backwards; recede, retire. 2 decline, revert. 3 Astron. show retrogradation. 00 retrogradely adv. [ME f. L retrogradus (as RETRO-, gradus step, gradi walk)] retrogress /,retra'gres/ v.intr. 1 go back; move backwards. 2 deteriorate. 00 retrogressive adj. [RETRO-, after PROGRESS v.] retrogression |,retra'gre{(2)n/ n. 1 backward or reversed movement. 2 a return to a less advanced state; a reversal of development; a decline or deterioration. 3 Astron. = RETROGRADATION. OO retrogressive /-stv/ adj. [RETRO-, after progression] retroject /'retrau,dzekt/ v.tr. throw back (usu. opp. PROJECT). [RETRO-, after PROJECT v.]

retro-rocket /'retrou,rokit/ n. an auxiliary rocket for slowing down a spacecraft etc., eg. when re-entering the earth’s atmosphere. retrorse /ri'tro:s/ adj. Biol. turned back or down. 00 retrorsely adv. [L retrorsus = retroversus (as RETRO-, versus past part. of vertere

turn)

retrospect /'retra,spekt/ n. 1 (foll. by to) regard or reference to precedent or authority, or to previous conditions. 2 a survey of past time or events. O in retrospect when looked back on. [RETRO-, after PROSPECT n.] retrospection /,retra'spek{(a)n/ n. 1 the action of looking back esp. into the past. 2 an indulgence or engagement in retrospect. [prob. f. retrospect (v.) (as RETROSPECT)]

retrial /ri:'tratal/ n. a second or further (judicial) trial. ze cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

v put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

retrospective

revenge

1235

a

retrospective |,retra'spektrv/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 looking back on or dealing with the past. 2 (of an exhibition, recital, etc.) showing an artist’s development over his or her lifetime. 3 (of a statute etc.) applying to the past as well as the future; retroactive. 4 (of a view) lying to the rear. —n. a retrospective exhibition, recital, etc. 00 retrospectively adv.

retrosternal |,retrau'sts:n(a)l/ adj. Anat. & Med. behind the breastbone. retroussé /ro'tru:se1/ adj. (of the nose) turned up at the tip. [F, past part. of retrousser tuck up (as RE-, TRUSS)] retrovert /'retrou,vs:t/ v.tr. 1 turn backwards. 2 Med. (as retroverted adj.) (of the womb) having a backward inclination. 00 retroversion /-'v3:{(a)n/ n. [LL retrovertere (as RETRO-, vertere vers- turn)] g retrovirus /'retrou,varsras/ n. Biol. any of a group of RNA viruses which form DNA during the replication of their RNA. [mod.L f. initial letters of reverse transcriptase + vIRUS] retry /ri:'trai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) try (a defendant or lawsuit) a second or further time. oo retrial n. retsina /ret'si:no/ n. a Greek white wine flavoured with resin. [mod. Gk] 3 retune /ri:'tju:n/ v.tr. 1 tune (a musical instrument) again or differently. 2 tune (a radio etc.) to a different frequency.

returf /ri:'ts:f] v.tr. provide with new turf. return /ri'ts:n/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. come or go back. 2 tr. bring or put or send back to the person or place etc. where originally belonging or obtained (returned the fish to the river; have you returned my scissors?). 3 tr. pay back or reciprocate; give in response (decided not to return the compliment). 4 tr. yield (a profit). 5 tr. say in reply; retort. 6 tr. (in cricket or tennis etc.) hit or send (the ball) back after receiving it. 7 tr. state or mention or describe officially, esp. in answer to a writ or formal demand. 8tr. (of an electorate) elect as an MP, government, etc. 9 tr. Cards a lead (a suit) previously led or bid by a partner. b lead (a suit or card) after taking a trick. 10 tr. Archit. continue (a wall etc.) in a changed direction, esp. at right angles. —n. 1 the act or an instance of coming or going back. 2 a the act or an instance of giving or sending or putting or paying back. b a thing given or sent back. 3 (in full return ticket) esp. Brit. a ticket for a journey to a place and back to the starting-point. 4 (in sing. or pl.) a the proceeds or profit of an undertaking. b the acquisition of these. 5 a formal report or statement compiled or submitted by order (an income-tax return). 6 (in full return match or game) a second match etc. between the same opponents. 7 Electr. a conductor bringing a-current back to its source. 8 Brit. a sheriffs report on a writ. 9 esp. Brit. a a person’s election as an MP etc. ba returning officer’s announcement of this. 10 Archit. a part receding from the line of the front, e.g. the side of a house or of a window-opening. Oo by return (of post) by the next available post in the return direction. in return as an exchange or reciprocal action. many happy returns (of the day) a greeting on a birthday. return crease Cricket each of two lines joining the popping-crease and bowling-crease at right angles to the bowling-crease and extending beyond it. returning officer Brit. an official conducting an election in a constituency and announcing the results. return thanks express thanks esp. in a grace at meals or in response to a toast or condolence. 00 returnable adj. returner n. returnless adj. [ME f. OF returner (as RE-, TURN)] returnee /rits:'ni:/ n. a person who returns home from abroad, esp. after war service. retuse /ri'tju:s/ adj. esp. Bot. having a broad end with a central depression. [L retundere retus- (as RE-, tundere beat)]

retying pres. part. of RETIE.

a a

possession since 1638, the island became an overseas department of France in 1946 and an administrative region in 1974.

reunion /ri:'ju:njon, -nron/ n. 1 a the act or an instance of reuniting. b the condition of being reunited. 2 a social gathering esp. of people formerly associated. [F réunion or AL reunio f. L reunire unite (as RE-, UNION)] reunite /,ri;ju:'nait/ v.tr. & intr. bring or come back together.

reupholster

j,ri:ap'houlsto(r)/

v.tr.

upholster

anew.

oo

reupholstery n. reuse v. & n. —v.tr. /ri:'ju:z/ use again or more than once. —n. [ri:'ju:s/ a second or further use. 00 reusable /-'ju:zob(a)l/ adj. Reuter /'ro:1ta(r)/, Paul Julius, Baron von (1816-99), pioneer in

the use of the telegraph for international news. In 1851 he established in London the headquarters of a press service (Reuters) which still operates throughout the world.

reutilize /ri:'ju:tilatz/ v.tr. (also -ise) utilize again or for a different purpose. 00 reutilization /-'ze1{(9)n/ n. Rev. abbr. 1 Reverend. 2 Revelation (New Testament). rev /rev/ n. & v. collog. —n. (in pl.) the number of revolutions of an engine per minute (running at 3,000 revs). —v. (revved, revving) 1 intr. (of an engine) revoive; turn over. 2 tr. (also absol.; often foll. by up) cause (an engine) to run quickly. 0 rev counter = revolution counter. [abbr.] revaccinate [ri:'veksi,nert/ _ v.tr. vaccinate again. oo revaccination /-'ne1{(a)n/ n. revalue /ri:'velju:/ v.tr. (revalues, revalued, revaluing) Econ.

give a different value to, esp. give a higher value to (a currency) in relation to other currencies or gold revaluation /-'e1{(2)n/ n. revamp /ri:'vemp) v.tr. 1 renovate, revise, [RE- + VAMP!] revanchism /ri'ventfiz(2)m/ 1. Polit. a retaliate, esp. to recover lost territory. 00 [F revanche (as REVENGE)]

(opp. DEVALUE).

00

improve. 2 patch up. policy of seeking to revanchist n. & adj.

revarnish /[ri:'va:niJ/ v.tr. varnish again. Revd abbr. Reverend. reveal! /ri'vi:l/ v.tr. 1 display or show; allow to appear. 2 (often as revealing adj.) disclose, divulge, betray (revealed his plans; a revealing remark). 3 tr. (in refl. or passive) come to sight or knowledge. 4 Relig. (esp. of God) make known by inspiration or supernatural means. oO revealed religion a religion based on revelation (opp. natural religion). 00 revealable adj. revealer n. revealingly adv. [ME f. OF reveler or L revelare (as RE-, velum veil)] reveal? /ri'vi:l/ n. an internal side surface of an opening or recess, esp. of a doorway or window-aperture. [obs. revale (v.) lower f. OF revaler f. avaler (as RE-, VAIL)]

reveille /ri'vel, ri'veli/ n. a military waking-signal sounded in the morning on a bugle or drums etc. [F réveillez imper. pl. of réveiller awaken (as RE-, veiller f. L vigilare keep watch)] revel /'rev(a)l/ v. & n. —v. (revelled, revelling; US reveled, reveling) 1 intr. have a good time; be extravagantly festive. 2 intr. (foll. by in) take keen delight in. 3 tr. (foll. by away) throw away (money or time) in revelry. —n. (in sing. or pl.) the act or an instance of revelling. 00 reveller n. revelry n. (pl. -ies). [ME f. OF reveler riot f. L rebellare REBEL v.]

revelation /,reva'ler{(2)n/ n. 1 a the act or an instance of revealing, esp. the supposed disclosure of knowledge to humankind bya divine or supernatural agency. b knowledge disclosed in this way. 2 a striking disclosure (it was a revelation to me). 3 (Revelation or collog. Revelations) (in full the Revelation of St John the Divine) the last book of the New Testament (see APOCALYPSE 1) describing visions of heaven. 00 revelational adj. [ME f. OF revelation or LL revelatic (as REVEAL})]

retype /ri:'tarp/ v.tr. type again, esp. to correct errors.

revelationist |,reva'le1fanist/ n. a believer in divine revelation.

Reuben |/'ru:bon/ 1 a Hebrew patriarch, eldest son of Jacob and

revelatory |,revo'leitari/ adj. serving to reveal, esp. something significant. [L revelare: see REVEAL] revenant /'revanont/ n. a person who has returned, esp. supposedly from the dead. [F, pres. part. of revenir: see REVENUE] revenge /ri'vend3/ n. & v. —n. 1 retaliation for an offence or injury. 2 an act of retaliation. 3 the desire for this; a vindictive feeling. 4 (in games) a chance to win after an earlier defeat.

Leah (Gen. 29: 32). 2 the tribe of Israel traditionally descended from him. reunify /ri:'ju:n1,far/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) restore (esp. separated territories) to a political unity. 00 reunification /-fi'ke1J(2)n/ n.

Réunion /|,reru:n'j5/ an island in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar; pop. (est. 1988) 557,400; capital, Saint-Denis. A French au how

er day

ou no

eo hair

to near

o1 boy

va poor

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

revengeful

gear a gear used to make a vehicle etc. travel backwards. reversing light a white light at the rear of a vehicle operated when the vehicle is in reverse gear. reverse Polish notation

—v. 1 tr. (in refl. or passive; often foll. by on, upon) inflict retaliation for an offence. 2 tr. take revenge for (an offence). 3 tr. avenge (a person). 4 intr. take vengeance. 00 revenger n. [ME f. OF revenger, revencher f. LL revindicare (as RE-, vindicare lay claim to)]

revengeful

revive

1236

ri'vend3ful/

adj.

eager

for

revenge.

. see Polish notation. reverse

oO

revengefully adv. revengefulness n. revenue /'reva,nju:/n. 1 a income, esp. of a large amount, from any source. b (in pl.) items constituting this. 2.a State’s annual income from which public expenses are met. 3 the department of the civil service collecting this. o revenue tax a tax imposed to raise revenue, rather than to affect trade. [ME f. OF revenu(e) past part. of revenir f. L revenire return (as RE-, venire come)] reverb [ri'va:b, 'ri:v3:b/ n. Mus. collog. 1 reverberation. 2 a device to produce this. [abbr.] reverberate /rt'va:bo,reit/ v. 1 a intr. (of sound, light, or heat) be returned or echoed or reflected repeatedly. b tr. return (a sound etc.) in this way. 2 intr. (of a story, rumour, etc.) be heard much or repeatedly. 0 reverberating furnace a furnace constructed to throw heat back on to the substance exposed to it. OO reverberant adj. reverberantly adv. reverberation /-'rerf(a)n/ n. reverberative /-rotrv/ adj. reverberator 1. reverberatory /-ratori/ adj. [L reverberare (as RE-, verberare lash f. verbera (pl.) scourge)] Revere /ri'vio(r)/, Paul (1735-1818), American patriot, famous for his midnight ride from Charlestown to Lexington in April 1775 to warn fellow American revolutionaries of the approach of British troops from Boston. revere /r1'via(r)/ v.tr. hold in deep and usu. affectionate or religious respect; venerate. [F révérer or L reveréri (as RE-, veréri fear)] reverence /'revorons/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the act of revering or the state of being revered (hold in reverence; feel reverence for). b the capacity for revering (lacks reverence). 2 archaic a gesture showing that one reveres; a bow or curtsy. 3 (Reverence) a title used of or to some members of the clergy. —v.tr. regard or treat with reverence. [ME f. OF f. L reverentia (as REVERE)] reverend /'revorend/ adj. & n. —adj. (esp. as the title of a clergyman) deserving reverence. —n. collog. a clergyman. oO Most Reverend the title of an archbishop or an Irish Roman Catholic bishop. Reverend Mother the title of the Mother Superior of a convent. Right Reverend the title of a bishop. Very Reverend the title of a dean etc. [ME f. OF reverend or L reverendus gerundive of reveréri: see REVERE] reverent /'revorant/ adj. feeling or showing reverence. 00 reverently adv. [ME f. L reverens (as REVERE)]

revertible /ri'vs:trb(e)l/ adj. (of property) subject to reversion. revet /ri'vet/ v.tr. (revetted, revetting) face (a rampart, wall, etc.) with masonry, esp. in fortification. [F revétir f. OF revestir f. LL revestire (as RE-, vestire clothe f. vestis)]

revetment /ri'vetmont/ n. a retaining wall or facing. [F revétement (as REVET)] review /ri'vju:/ n. & v. —n. 1 a general survey or assessment of a subject or thing. 2 a retrospect or survey of the past. 3 revision or reconsideration (is under review). 4 a display and formal inspection of troops etc. 5 a published account or criticism of a book, play, etc. 6 a periodical publication with critical articles on current events, the arts, etc. 7 a second view. —v.tr. 1 survey or look back on. 2 reconsider or revise. 3 hold a review of (troops etc.). 4 write a review of (a book, play, etc.). 5 view again. O court of review a court before which sentences etc. come for revision. 00 reviewable adj. reviewal n. reviewer n. [obs. F reveue f. revoir (as RE-, voir see)]

revile /r'vatl/ v. 1 tr. abuse; criticize abusively. 2 intr. talk abusively; rail. 00 revilement n. reviler n. reviling n. [ME f. OF reviler (as RE-, VILE)] revise /ri'vaiz/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 examine or re-examine and improve or amend (esp. written or printed matter). 2 consider and alter (an opinion etc.). 3 (also absol.) Brit. read again (work learnt or done) to improve one’s knowledge, esp. for an examination. —n. Printing a proof-sheet including corrections made in an earlier proof. o Revised Standard Version the revision published in 1946, 1952, 1957 of the American Standard Version (the latter was based on the English RV and published in 1901). Revised Version the revision published in 1881, 1885, 1895 of the Authorized Version of the Bible. 00 revisable adj. revisal n. reviser n. revisory adj. [F réviser look at, or L revisere (as RE-, visere intensive of vidére vis- see)]

reverential /,reva'ren{(a)l/ n. of the nature of, due to, or characterized by reverence. 00 reverentially adv. [med.L reverentialis (as REVERE)| reverie /'revari/ n. 1 a fit of abstracted musing (was lost in a reverie). 2 archaic a fantastic notion or theory; a delusion. 3 Mus. an instrumental piece suggesting a dreamy or musing state. [obs. F resverie f. OF reverie rejoicing, revelry f. rever be delirious, of unkn. orig.] revers /r1'vio(r)/ n. (pl. same /-'vroz/) 1 the turned-back edge of a garment revealing the under-surface: 2 the material on this surface. [F, = REVERSE] reverse /r1'vs:s/ v., adj., & n. —v. 1 tr. turn the other way round or up or inside out. 2 tr. change to the opposite character or effect (reversed the decision). 3 intr. & tr. travel or cause to travel backwards. 4 tr. make (an engine etc.) work in a contrary direction. 5 tr. revoke or annul (a decree, act, etc.). 6 intr. (of a dancer, esp. in a waltz) revolve in the opposite direction. —adj. 1 placed

or turned in an opposite direction or position. 2 opposite or contrary in character or order; inverted. —n. 1 the opposite or contrary (the reverse is the case; is the reverse of the truth). 2 the contrary of the usual manner. 3 an occurrence of misfortune; a disaster, esp. a defeat in battle (suffered a reverse). 4 reverse gear or motion. 5 the reverse side of something. 6 a the side of a coin or medal etc. bearing the secondary design. b this design

(cf: OBVERSE). 7 the verso of a leaf. o reverse arms hold a rifle with the butt upwards. reverse the charges Brit. make the recipient of a telephone call responsible for payment. reverse b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

strata Geol. a fault in which the

overlying side of a mass of rock is displaced upward in relation to the underlying side. 00 reversal n. reversely adv. reverser n. reversible adj. reversibility |-'biliti/ n. reversibly adv. [ME f. OF revers (n.), reverser (v.), f. L revertere revers- (as RE-, vertere turn)] reversion /rr'v3:{(a)n/ n. 1 a the legal right (esp. of the original owner, or his or her heirs) to possess or succeed to property on the death of the present possessor. b property to which a person has such a right. 2 Biol. a return to ancestral type. 3 a return to a previous state, habit, etc. 4a sum payable on a person’s death, esp. by way of life insurance. 00 reversional adj. reversionary adj. [ME f. OF reversion or L reversio (as REVERSE)] revert /r1'v3:t/ v. 1 intr. (foll. by to) return to a former state, practice, opinion, etc. 2 intr. (of property, an office, etc.) return by reversion. 3 intr. fall back into a wild state. 4 tr. turn (one’s eyes or steps) back. 00 reverter n. (in sense 2). [ME f. OF revertir or L revertere (as REVERSE)]

revision /rr'viz(2)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of revising: the process of being revised. 2 a revised edition or form. oo revisionary adj. [OF revision or LL revisio (as REVISE)] revisionism /r1'viz9,n1z(2)m/ n. often derog. a policy of revision or modification, esp. of Marxism on evolutionary socialist (rather than revolutionary) or pluralist principles. oo revisionist n. & adj.

revisit /ri:'vizit/ v.tr. (revisited, revisiting) visit again. revitalize /ri:'varto,laiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) imbue with new life and Vitality. 00 revitalization /-'zer{(a)n/ n. revival /rr'varv(s)l/ n. 1 the act or an instance of reviving; the process of being revived. 2 a new production of an old play etc.

3 a revived use of an old practice, custom, etc. 4aa reawakening of religious fervour. ba series of evangelistic meetings to promote this. 5 restoration to bodily or mental vigour or to life or

consciousness. revivalism /rt'varvoliz(2)m/ n. belief in or the promotion of a

revival, esp. of religious fervour. 00 revivalist n. revivalistic /"lustrk/ adj. revive /ri'varv/ v.intr. & tr. 1 come or bring back to consciousness k cat

1leg

m man

nino

p pen

rred

s sit

t top

v voice

reviver

Rhadamanthus

1237

or life or strength. 2 come or bring back to existence, use, Notice, etc. 00 revivable adj. [ME f. OF revivre or LL revivere (as RE-, L vivere live)] reviver /ri'varva(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that revives. 2 collog. a stimulating drink. 3 a preparation used for restoring faded colours etc.

revulsion /ri'valf(s)n/ n. 1 abhorrence; a sense of loathing. 2 a

revivify /rt'vivi,fai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) restore to animation, activ-

—n. a revulsive substance. reward /rt'wo:d/ n. & v. 1 aa return or recompense for service or merit, b requital for good or evil; retribution. 2 a sum offered for the detection of a criminal, the restoration of lost property, etc. —v.tr. give a reward to (a person) or for (a service etc.). oO rewardless adj. [ME f. AF, ONF reward = OF reguard REGARD]~

ity, vigour, or life. o0 revivification /-fi'ke1{()n/ n. [F revivifier or LL revivificare (as RE-, VIVIFY)] revoke /ri'vavk/ v. & n. —v. 1 ir. rescind, withdraw, or cancel (a decree or promise etc.). 2 intr. Cards fail to follow suit when able to do so. —n. Cards the act of revoking. 00 revocable |'revokab(9)l/ adj. revocability /,revaks'biliti/ n. revocation |,feva 'kerf(2)n/ n. revocatory /'revakatori/ adj. revoker n. [ME f. OF revoquer or L revocare (as RE-, vocare call)] revolt /ri'vault/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. a rise in rebellion against authority. b (as revolted adj.) having revolted. 2 a tr. (often in passive) affect with strong disgust; nauseate (was revolted by the thought of it). b intr. (often foll. by at, against) feel strong disgust. —n. 1 an act of rebelling. 2 a state of insurrection (in revolt). 3 a sense of loathing. 4 a mood of protest or defiance. [F révolter f. It. rivoltare ult. f. L revolvere (as REVOLVE)]

revolting /ri'voultin/ adj. disgusting, horrible. 00 revoltingly adv. revolute /'reva,lu:t/ adj. Bot. etc. having a rolled-back edge. [L revolutus past part. of revolvere: see REVOLVE] revolution /|,revo'lu:{(2)n/ n. 1 a the forcible overthrow of a government or social order, in favour of a new system; (in English history) the Glorious Revolution of 1688 (see GLORIOUS); (in American history) the overthrow of British supremacy (see WAR OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE); (in French history) the French Revolution (see separate entry); (in Russian history) a series of revolutionary movements in Russia in 1917, beginning with a revolt of workers, peasants, and soldiers in March (February Old Style, whence ‘February Revolution’) and the formation of a provisional government, and culminating in the Bolshevik Revolution in November (October Old Style, whence ‘October Revolution’) which led to the establishment of the USSR. b (in Marxism) the replacement of one ruling class by another; the class struggle which is expected to lead to political change and the triumph of communism. 2 any fundamental change or reversal of conditions. 3 the act or an instance of revolving. 4 a motion in orbit or a circular course or round an axis or centre; rotation. b the single completion of an orbit or rotation. ¢ the time taken for this. 5 a cyclic recurrence. 0 revolution counter a device for indicating the number or rate of revolutions of an engine etc. 00 revolutionism n. revolutionist n. [ME f. OF revolution or LL revolutio (as REVOLVE)} revolutionary /|,revo'lu:fanort/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 involving great and often violent change. 2 of or causing political revolution. 3 (Revolutionary) of or relating to a particular revolution, esp. the War of American Independence. —n. (pl. ~ies) an instigator or supporter of political revolution.

revolutionize |,rev2'lu:{a,naiz/_v.tr. (also -ise) introduce fundamental change to. revolve /ri'volv/ v. 1 intr. & tr. turn or cause to turn round, esp. on an axis; rotate. 2 intr. move in a circular orbit. 3 tr. ponder (a problem etc.) in the mind. o revolving credit credit that is automatically renewed as debts are paid off. revolving door a door with usu. four partitions turning round a central axis. 00 revolvable adj. [ME f. L revolvere (as RE-, volvere roll)] revolver /ri'volva(r)/ . a pistol with revolving chambers enabling several shots to be fired without reloading. revue /rt'vju:/ n. a theatrical entertainment of a series of short items—songs, dances, sketches, monologues—which are normally unrelated. The players reappear in various items throughout the programme, and the material is usually topical. In France revues were seen in the 1820s, but it was not until the end of the 19th c. that they spread to England and America. The genre declined largely because satirical programmes on television were able to achieve a topicality impossible in the theatre. [F, = REVIEW n.]

wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

9 thin.

6 this

yn ring

x loch

sudden violent change of feeling. 3 a sudden reaction in taste, fortune, trade, etc. 4 Med. counterirritation; the treatment of one disordered organ etc. by acting upon another. [F revulsion or L revulsio (as RE-, vellere vuls- pull)]

revulsive /ri'valstv/ adj. & n. Med. —adj. producing revulsion.

rewarding /ri'wo:din/ adj. (of an activity etc.) well worth doing; providing satisfaction. 00 rewardingly adv. rewarewa |'rerwo'rerwa/ n. a tall red-flowered tree, Knightia excelsa, of New Zealand. [Maori]

rewash [ri:'woj/ v.tr. wash again. reweigh /ri:'wel/ v.tr. weigh again. rewind /ri:'waind/ v.tr. (past and past part. rewound) wind (a film or tape etc.) back to the beginning. 00 rewinder n. rewire [ri:'wara(r)/ v.tr. provide (a building etc.) with new wiring. O00 rewirable adj. reword [ri:'ws:d/ v.tr. change the wording of.

rewound past and past part. of REWIND. rewrap [ri:'rep/ v.tr. (rewrapped, rewrapping) wrap again or

differently.

rewrite

v. & n.

—v.tr. /ri:'rait/ (past rewrote; past part.

rewritten) write again or differently. —n. /'ri:rart/ 1 the act or an instance of rewriting. 2 a thing rewritten. Rex |reks/ n. the reigning king (following a name or in the titles of lawsuits, e.g. Rex v. Jones the Crown versus Jones). [L] Rexine /'reksi:n/ n. propr. an artificial leather used in upholstery, bookbinding, etc. [20th c.: orig. unkn.]

Reykjavik /'retkjovik/ the capital of Iceland; pop. (1987) 93,245. Reynard /'rena:d, 'rer-/ n. a fox (esp. as a proper name in stories). 0 Reynard the Fox the central character in the Roman de Renart, a series of popular satirical fables written in France at various times c.1175-1250.

Reynolds /'ren(s)ldz/, Sir Joshua (1723-92), English painter and first President of the Royal Academy. He spent three years in Italy (1749-52) studying antique, Renaissance, and Baroque art, and laying the foundations for the philosophy of art that he would develop practically in his portraits and theoretically in the Discourses delivered at the Royal Academy between 1769 and 1790—the lofty calling of the artist and the intellectual nobility of painting. These concerns are evident in his formal portraits where the dignity of history painting adds an extra dimension of solemnity to the sitter (e.g. Mrs Siddons as the Tragic Muse). As President of the Royal Academy and a member of London’s intellectual circle he did a great deal to advance the whole profession of painting in England.

Reynolds number /'renoldz/ n. Physics a quantity indicating the degree of turbulence of flow past an obstacle etc. [O. Reynolds, Engl. physicist d. 1912] Rf symb. Chem. the element rutherfordium.

r.f. abbr. radio frequency. RFA abbr. (in the UK) Royal Fleet Auxiliary. REC abbr. 1 Rugby Football Club. 2 hist. Royal Flying Corps. RGS abbr. Royal Geographical Society. Rh! symb. Chem. the element rhodium. Rh? abbr. 1 Rhesus. 2 Rhesus factor. rh. abbr. right hand. RHA abbr. (in the UK) Royal Horse Artillery. rhabdomancy /'rebda,mensi/ n. the use of a divining-rod, esp. for discovering subterranean water or mineral ore. [Gk rhabdomanteia f. rhabdos rod: see -MANCY]

Rhadamanthine

|,redo'!men@ain/

adj. stern

and_ incor-

ruptible in judgement, like Rhadamanthus.

Rhadamanthus

|,redo!mznOos/ Gk Mythol. the son of Zeus

and Europa, and brother of Minos. He did not die but went to tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

Rhaeto-Romance

a

en

ph A

rhizopod

1238

A

IEA

|j,ri:toorsu'mens/

adj.

&

nn.

(also

‘rhetorician /,reta'ri{(2)n/ n. 1 an orator. 2 a teacher of rhetoric.

Rhaeto-Romanic /-'mznik/) —adj. of or in any of the Romance dialects of SE Switzerland and Tyrol, esp. Romansh and Ladin. —n. any of these dialects. [L Rhaetus of Rhaetia in the Alps + ROMANIC] rhapsode /'rzpsoud/ n. a reciter of epic poems, esp. of Homer in ancient Greece. [Gk rhapsdidos f. rhapto stitch + didé song, ODE]

3 a rhetorical speaker or writer. [ME f. OF rethoricien (as RHETORICAL)] rheum /[ru:m/ n. a watery discharge from a mucous membrane, esp. of the eyes or nose. [ME f. OF reume ult. f. Gk rheuma -atos stream f. rhed flow]

rheumatic /ru:'mettk/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of, relating to, or

rhapsodist /'rzpsodist/ n. 1 a person who rhapsodizes. 2 =

suffering from rheumatism. 2 producing or produced by rheumatism. —n. a person suffering from rheumatism. o rheumatic fever a non-infectious fever with inflammation and pain in the joints. 00 rheumatically adv. rheumaticky adj. collog. [ME f. OF reumatique or L rheumaticus f. Gk rheumatikos (as RHEUM)]

RHAPSODE.

rhapsodize

|'rzpso,daiz/

Ta A

question a question asked not for information but to produce an effect, e.g. who cares? for nobody cares. 00 rhetorically adv. [ME f. L rhetoricus f. Gk rhétorikos (as RHETOR)]

Elysium where he is represented as a ruler and judge of the dead, renowned for his justice.

Rhaeto-Romance

A

v.intr. (also -ise) talk or write

rhapsodies.

rhapsody /'rzpsodi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 an enthusiastic or extravagant utterance or composition. 2 Mus. a piece of music in one extended movement, usu. emotional in character. 3 Gk Antiq. an epic poem, or part of it, of a length for one recitation. 00 rhapsodic /rzp'spdik/ adj. rhapsodical /rep'spdik(2)l/ adj. (in senses 1, 2). [L rhapsodia f. Gk rhapsdidia (as RHAPSODE)] rhatany /'retoni/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 either of two American shrubs, Krameria trianda and K. argentea, having an astringent root when dried. 2 the root of either of these. [mod.L rhatania f. Port. ratanha, Sp. ratania, f. Quechua ratana]

rheumatics /ru:'mztrks/ n.pl. (treated as sing.; often prec. by

Rhea |'ri:o/ Gk Mythol. one of the Titans, wife of Cronus and

rheumatology

the) collog. rheumatism.

rheumatism

rheumatoid

n. any

disease

marked

by

/'ru:mo,toid/

adj. having

the

character

of

rheumatism. 0 rheumatoid arthritis a chronic progressive disease causing inflammation and stiffening of the joints.

mother of Zeus, Demeter, Poseidon, and Hades. rhea /'ri:o/ n. any of several S. American flightless birds of the family Rheidae, like but smaller than an ostrich. [mod.L genus name f. L f. Gk RHEA]

|,ru:mo'tpled31/ n. the study of rheumatic

diseases. 00 rheumatological /-to'lodzk(2)l/ adj. rheumatologist n. RHG abbr. (in the UK) Royal Horse Guards.

rhinal /'rar(g)l/ adj. Anat. of a nostril or the nose. [Gk rhis rhin-:

rhebok var. of REEBOK. Rheims see REIMs. Rhein see RHINE. Rhenish /'ri:nif, 'ren-/ adj. & n. —adj. of the Rhine and the

see RHINO-]

Rhine /rain/ (German Rhein) a river of Western Europe flowing from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea in The Netherlands. Most of its course (1,320 km, 820 miles) lies within western Germany and it forms part of an important inland waterway network.

regions adjoining it. —n. wine from this area. [ME rynis, rynisch etc., f. AF reneis, OF r{a)inois f. L Rhenanus f. Rhenus Rhine]

Rhineland /'rainlend/ the region of western Germany through

Rhenish Slate Mountains a mountainous region of the

which the Rhine flows, especially the part to the west of the river. The area was demilitarized as part of the Versailles Treaty in 1919 but was reoccupied by Hitler in 1936. 0 RhinelandPalatinate (German Rheinland-Pfalz /-felts/) a ‘Land’ (State) in the west of Germany; pop. (1987) 3,606,000; capital, Mainz.

Rhineland-Palatinate on the western frontier of Germany.

rhenium

|/'ru:mo,tiz(a)m/

inflammation and pain in the joints, muscles, or fibrous tissue, esp. rheumatoid arthritis. [F rhumatisme or L rheumatismus f. Gk rheumatismos f. rheumatizo f. rheuma stream]

/'ri:nrom/ n. Chem. a rare metallic element of the

manganese group, discovered in 1925. It is not found uncombined in nature. The metal and its alloys have a number of specialized uses, including in the manufacture of superconducting alloys. {{ Symb.: Re; atomic number 75. [mod.L f. L Rhenus Rhine]

rhinestone /'rainstoun/ n. an imitation diamond. [Rhine, river and region in Germany + STONE]

rhinitis /rai'naitis/ n. inflammation of the mucous membrane

rheology |ri:'plad3i/ n. the science dealing with the flow and

of the nose. [Gk rhis rhinos nose]

deformation of matter. oO rheological /|-a'lodzik(a)l/ adj. rheologist n. [Gk rheos stream + -LOGY] rheostat /'ri:o,stet/ n. Electr. an instrument used to control a current by varying the resistance. oO rheostatic /-'stztik/ adj. [Gk rheos stream + -STAT] rhesus /'ri:sos/ n. (in full rhesus monkey) a small catarrhine monkey, Macaca mulatta, common in N. India. 0 rhesus baby an infant with a haemolytic disorder caused by the incompatibility of its own rhesus-positive blood with its mother’s rhesus-negative blood. rhesus factor an antigen occurring on the red blood cells of most humans and some other primates (as in the rhesus monkey, in which it was first observed). rhesus negative lacking the rhesus factor. rhesus positive having the rhesus factor. [mod.L, arbitrary use of L Rhesus f. Gk Rhésos, mythical king of Thrace] rhetor /'ri:to(r)/ n. 1 an ancient Greek or Roman teacher or professor of rhetoric. 2 usu. derog. an orator. [ME f. LL rethor f. L rhetor f. Gk rheétor]

rhino! /'rarnou/ n. (pl. same or -os) collog. a rhinoceros. [abbr.] rhino? /'rarnoo| n. Brit. sl. money. [17th c.: orig. unkn.] rhino- /'rainsu/ comb. form Anat. the nose. [Gk rhis rhinos nostril, nose]

rhinoceros /rai'npsaras/ n. (pl. same or rhinoceroses) any of various large thick-skinned plant-eating ungulates of the family Rhinocerotidae of Africa and S. Asia, with one horn or in some cases two horns on the nose and plated or folded skin. o rhinoceros bird = ox-pecker. rhinoceros horn a mass of keratinized fibres, reputed to have medicinal or aphrodisiac powers. OO rhinocerotic /rainoso'rptik/ adj. [ME f. L f. Gk rhinokerds (as RHINO-, keras horn)]

rhinopharyngeal /,ramovfs'r1nd3r0l/ adj. of or relating to the nose and pharynx.

rhinoplasty /'rainsu,plesti/ n. plastic surgery of the nose. 00 rhinoplastic adj.

rhizo- /'ra1zau/ comb. form Bot. a root. [Gk rhiza root]

rhetoric /'retortk/ n. 1 the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing. 2 language designed to persuade or impress (often with an implication of insincerity or exaggeration etc.). [ME f. OF rethorique f. L rhetorica, -ice f. Gk rhétoriké (tekhné) (art) of rhetoric (as RHETOR)]

rhizocarp /'raizov,ka:p/ n. a plant with a perennial root but stems that wither. [RHIzo- + Gk karpos fruit]

rhizoid /'raizoid/ adj. & n. Bot. —adj. rootlike. —n. a root-hair or filament in mosses, ferns, etc.

rhetorical /r1'torik(2)l/ adj. 1 expressed with a view to per-

rhizome /'raizaum/ n. an underground rootlike stem bearing

suasive or impressive effect; artificial or extravagant in language. 2 of the nature of rhetoric. 3 a of or relating to the art of rhetoric. b given to rhetoric; oratorical. o rhetorical

rhizopod /'raizsu,pod/ n. any protozoa of the class Rhizopodea,

we cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

both roots and shoots. [Gk rhizoma f. rhizod take root (as RHIZO-)| forming rootlike pseudopodia.

1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

a run

A

vo put

u: tooo

ago

al my

rho

rho /rau/ n. the seventeenth letter of the Greek alphabet (P, p).

[Gk]

are equal. [F rhomboide or LL rhomboides f. Gk rhomboeidés (as RHOMB)]

rhomboideus /rom'bordias/ n. (pl. rhomboidei |-di,a1/) Anat. a

rhodamine /'raudomin/ n. Chem. any of various red synthetic dyes used to colour textiles. [RHODO- + AMINE]

Rhode Island /raud/ a State in the north-eastern US, on the Atlantic coast, settled from England in the i7th c.; pop. (est. 1985) 947,150; capital, Providence. It was one of the original 13 States of the US. 0 Rhode Island Red an orig. American breed

of reddish-black domestic fowl. Rhodes! /raudz/ the largest of the Dodecanese Islands in the SE Aegean, off the Turkish coast, acquired by Italy from Turkey in 1912 and returned to Greece in 1947; pop. (1971) 66,606.

Rhodes? /raudz/, Cecil John (1853-1902), South African statesman. Born in Britain, Rhodes went to South Africa for reasons of health and made a huge fortune in diamond mining. A convinced imperialist, he was instrumental in extending British territory in South Africa and in the development of Rhodesia, and served as Premier of the Cape Colony from 1890 until forced to resign in 1896 as a result of implication in the Jameson Raid. Much of his fortune was used to set up the system of Rhodes Scholarships to allow students from the Empire, the United States, and Germany to study at Oxford University.

Rhodes? /roudz/, Wilfred (1877-1973), English all-round cricketer, who played for Yorkshire and for England in a career that extended from 1898 to 1930. He achieved the ‘double’ of 1000 tuns and 100 wickets in the same season a record number of sixteen times between 1903 and 1926.

Rhodesia

/rav'di:[o/ 1 the former name of a large area of

southern Africa south of Zaire, divided into Northern Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia. The region was developed by Sir Cecil Rhodes and the British South Africa Company, which administered it until Southern Rhodesia became a self-governing British colony in 1923 and Northern Rhodesia a British protectorate in 1924. From 1953 to 1963 Northern and Southern Rhodesia were united with Nyasaland (now Malawi) to form the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. 2 the name adopted by Southern Rhodesia when Northern Rhodesia left the Federation in 1963 to become the independent republic of Zambia. For its subsequent history see ZIMBABWE. 00 Rhodesian adj. & n. rhodium /'rsudiem| n. Chem. a hard white metallic element of the platinum group, usually found associated with platinum. It is chiefly used in alloys with platinum, where it increases hardness, but the pure metal is used in electroplating for decorative purposes and to form reflecting surfaces. {{ Symb.: Rh; atomic number 45. [Gk rhodon rose (from the colour of the solution of its salts)]

rhodo- /|'raudsu/ comb. form esp. Mineral. & Chem. rose-coloured. [Gk rhodon rose]

rhodochrosite |,rsu0deu'krousait/ n. a mineral form of manganese carbonate occurring in rose-red crystals. [Gk rhodokhrous rose-coloured] ;

rhododendron

|,rsude'dendran/ n. any evergreen shrub of

the genus Rhododendron, with large clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers. [L, = oleander, f. Gk (as RHODO-, dendron tree)]

Rhodope Mountains /'rodopi/ a range of mountains on the frontier between Bulgaria and Greece, rising to a height of 2,925 m (9,596 ft.) at Musala.

rhodopsin /rau'dppsm/ n. = visual purple. [Gk rhodon rose + opsis sight] rhodora /ro'do:ra/ n. a N. American pink-flowered shrub, Rhodora canadense. [mod.L f. L p!ant-name f. Gk rhodon rose]

rhomb /rom/ n. = RHoMBUS. 00 rhombic adj. [F rhombe or L rhombus}

rhombi pl. of RHomBus. rhombchedron |,romb=hi:dran/ n. (pl. -hedrons or -hedra |-dro/) 1 a solid bounded by six equal rhombuses. 2 a crystal in this form. 00 rhombohedral adj. [RHomBus, after polyhedron etc.]

rhomboid

/'romboid/ adj. & n.

—adj. (also rhomboidal

|-'bord(a)l/) having or nearly having the shape of a rhombus. —n. a quadrilateral of which only the opposite sides and angles

av how

rhythm

1239

er day

ov no

ea hair

10 near

ot boy

vo poor

muscle connecting the shoulder-blade to the vertebrae. [mod.L rhomboideus RHOMBOID] rhombus /'rpmbgs/ n. (pl. rhombuses or rhombi |-ba1/) Geom. a parallelogram with oblique angles and equal sides. [L f. Gk rhombos]

Rhondda /|'rondo/ a district of Mid Glamorgan, South Wales, formerly noted for the mining district which extended along the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach valleys.

Rh6ne /roon/ a river rising in the Swiss Alps and flowing west and south 812 km (505 miles) through France to the Mediterranean Sea. The cities of Geneva, Lyons, and Avignon lie along its course.

RHS

abbr. 1 Royal Historical Society. 2 Royal Horticultural

Society. 3 Royal Humane Society.

rhubarb /'ru:ba:b/ n. 1 a any of various plants of the genus Rheum, esp. R. rhaponticum, producing long fleshy dark-red leafstalks used cooked as food. b the leaf-stalks of this. (See below.) 2 aa root of a Chinese and Tibetan plant of the genus Rheum. b a purgative made from this. 3 a collog. a murmurous conversation or noise, esp. the repetition of the word ‘rhubarb’ by crowd actors. b sl. nonsense; worthless stuff. 4 US sl. a heated dispute. [ME f. OF r(e)ubarbe, shortening of med.L r(h)eubarbarum, alt. (by assoc. with Gk rhéon rhubarb) of rhabarbarum foreign ‘rha’, ult. f. Gk rha + barbaros foreign] The earliest use of rhubarb was medicinal; the dried rootstock, principally of Chinese species imported via Russia and the Levant, was employed as a purgative. Culinary use of the leafstalks (the plants now used are of hybrid origin) dates only from the mid-18th c., and it did not become popular until the introduction of forced rhubarb in the early 19th c. rhumb /ram/ n. Naut. 1 any of the 32 points of the compass. 2 the angle between two successive compass-points. 3 (in full rhumb-line) a a line cutting all meridians at the same angle. b the line followed by a ship sailing in a fixed direction. [F rumb prob. f. Du. ruim room, assoc. with L rhombus: see RHOMBUS]

rhumba var. of RUMBA. rhyme /raim] n. & v. —n. 1 identity of sound between words or the endings of words, esp. in verse. 2 (in sing. or pl.) verse having rhymes. 3 a the use of rhyme. b a poem having rhymes. 4 a word providing a rhyme. —-v. 1 intr. a (of words or lines) produce a rhyme. b (foll. by with) act as a rhyme (with another). 2 intr. make or write rhymes; versify. 3 tr. put or make (a story etc.) into rhyme. 4tr. (foll. by with) treat (a word) as rhyming with another. o rhyming slang slang that replaces words by rhyming words or phrases, e.g. stairs by apples and pears, often with the rhyming element omitted (as in TITFER). without rhyme or reason lacking discernible sense or logic. oo rhymeless adj. rhymer n. rhymist n. [ME rime f. OF rime f. med.L rithmus, rythmus f. L f. Gk rhuthmos RHYTHM] rhymester /'rarmsto(r)/ n. a writer of (esp. simple) rhymes.

rhyolite /'rara,latt/ n. a fine-grained volcanic rock of granitic composition. {G Rhyolit f. Gk rhuax lava-stream + lithos stone] Rhys /ri:s/, Jean (Ella Gwendolen Rees Williams, 71890-1970), British novelist and writer of short stories, born in Dominica. Hex novels include Voyage in the Dark (1934) and Wide Sargasso Sea (1966). The latter, set in Dominica and Jamaica in the 1830s, presents the life of the mad Mrs Rochester from Charlotte Bronté’s Jane Eyre, ending with her imprisonment in the attic in Thornfield Hall.

rhythm /'r1d(2)m/ n. 1 a measured flow of words and phrases in verse or prose determined by various relations of long and short or accented and unaccented syllables. 2 the aspect of musical composition concerned with periodical accent and the duration of notes. 3 Physiol. movement with a regular succession of strong and weak elements. 4 a regularly recurring sequence of events. 5 Art a harmonious correlation of parts. o rhythm and blues popular music with a blues theme and a strong rhythm. rhythm method birth control by avoiding sexual intercourse when ovulation (which recurs regularly) is likely to

alo fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

rhythmic

Richard

1240

characterized by rhythm. 2 regularly occurring. oo rhythmically adv. [F rhythmique or L rhythmicus (as RHYTHM)]

Spagnoletto tainted his brush with all the blood of all the Sainted’; his later paintings show a softer style and have a spiritual quality. ‘ riboflavin |,rarbou'flervin/ n. (also riboflavine /-vi:n/) a vitamin of the B complex, found in liver, milk, and eggs, essential for energy production. Also called vitamin B,. [RIBOSE + L flavus yellow]

rhythmicity /r6'misiti/ n. 1 rhythmical quality or character.

ribonucleic acid |,rarbonju:'kli:rk/ n..a nucleic acid yielding

occur. rhythm section the part of a dance band or jazz band mainly supplying rhythm, usu. consisting of piano, bass, and drums. oo rhythmless adj. [F rhythme or L rhythmus f. Gk rhuthmos, rel. to rhéo flow]

rhythmic /'riémrk/ adj. (also rhythmical)

1 relating to or

ribose on hydrolysis. It is present in all cells and has several functions, one of which is to act as a ‘messenger’ carrying instructions from DNA for controlling the synthesis of proteins

2 the capacity for maintaining a rhythm.

RI abbr. 1 King and Emperor. 2 Queen and Empress. 3 US Rhode Island (also in official postal use). 4 Royal Institute or Institution. [sense 1 f. L rex et imperator: sense 2 f. L regina et imperatrix] ria |'rto/ n. Geog. a long narrow inlet formed by the partial submergence of a river valley. [Sp. ria estuary]

(see DNA). In some viruses it is RNA, not DNA, that carries the genetic information. § Abbr.: RNA. [RIBOSE + NUCLEIC ACID]

ribose |'rarbous/ n. a sugar found in many nucleosides and in several vitamins and enzymes. sugar]

rial /'ri:a:1/ n. (also riyal) the monetary unit of Iran, equal to 100 dinars. [Pers. f. Arab. riyal f. Sp. real ROYAL]

ribosome /'ratbo,soum|-n. Biochem. each of the minute particles

Rialto /ri'zltau/ an island and district of Venice, containing the

consisting of RNA and associated proteins found in the cytoplasm of living cells, concerned with the synthesis of proteins. 00 ribosomal adj. [RIBONUCLEIC (ACID) + -SOME%]

old mercantile quarter. The Rialto Bridge, completed in 1591, crosses the Grand Canal in a single span between Rialto and San Marco islands.

ribwort /'ribws:t/ n. a kind of plantain (see PLANTAIN?) with long

rib /rib/ n. & v. —n. 1 each of the curved bones articulated in

narrow ribbed leaves. rice /rats/ n. & v. n. 1a swamp grass, Oryza sativa, cultivated in marshes, esp. in Asia. 2 the grains of this, used as cereal food. —v.tr. US sieve (cooked potatoes etc.) into thin strings. oO rice-bowl an area producing much rice. rice-paper edible paper made from the pith of an oriental tree and used for painting and in cookery. 00 ricer n. [ME rys f. OF ris f. It. riso, ult. f. Gk oruza, of oriental orig.] ricercar |,ri:Jeo'ka:(r)/ n. (also ricercare |-'ka:re/) an elaborate contrapuntal instrumental composition in fugal or canonic style, esp. of the 16th—18th c. [It., = seek out]

pairs to the spine and protecting the thoracic cavity and its organs. 2 a joint of meat from this part of an animal. 3 a ridge or long raised piece often of stronger or thicker material across a surface or through a structure serving to support or strengthen it. 4 any of a ship’s transverse curved timbers forming the framework of the hull. 5 Knitting a combination of plain and purl stitches producing a ribbed somewhat elastic fabric. 6 each of the hinged rods supporting the fabric of an umbrella. 7 a vein of a leaf or an insect’s wing. 8 Aeron. a structural member in an aerofoil. —v.tr. (ribbed, ribbing) 1 provide with ribs; act as the ribs of. 2 collog. make fun of; tease. 3 mark with ridges. 4 plough with spaces between the furrows. 00 ribless adj. [OE rib, ribb f. Gmc]

rich /rit{/ adj. 1 having much wealth. 2 (often foli. by in, with) splendid, costly, elaborate (rich tapestries; rich with lace). 3 valuable (rich offerings). 4 copious, abundant, ample (a rich harvest; a rich supply of ideas). 5 (often foll. by in, with) (of soil or a region etc.) abounding in natural resources or means of production; fertile (rich in nutrients; rich with vines). 6 (of food or diet) containing a large proportion of fat, oil, eggs, spice, etc. 7 (of the mixture in an internal-combustion engine) containing a high proportion of fuel. 8 (of colour or sound or smell) mellow and deep, strong and full. 9 a (of an incident or assertion etc.) highly amusing or ludicrous; outrageous. b (of humour) earthy. oo richen v.intr. & tr. richness n. [OE rice f. Gmc f. Celt., rel. to L rex king: reinforced in ME f. OF riche rich, powerful, of Gmc orig.]

RIBA abbr. Royal Institute of British Architects. ribald /'rib(a)ld/ adj. & n. —adj. (of language or its user) coarsely or disrespectfully humorous; scurrilous. —n. a user of ribald language. [ME (earlier sense ‘low-born retainer’) f. OF ribau(l)d f. riber pursue licentious pleasures f. Gmc]

ribaldry /'ribaldri/ n. ribald talk or behaviour. riband /'ribend/ n. a ribbon. [ME f. OF riban, prob. f. a Gmc compound of BAND}]

Ribatejo |,ri:bo'te1d3au/ a fertile province of central Portugal in the lower valley of the Tagus River. The region is celebrated for its horses and fighting-bulls.

Richard /'ritfad/ the name of three kings of England:

ribbed /ribd/ adj. having ribs or riblike markings. Ribbentrop /'ribon,trop/, Joachim von (1893-1946), German

Richard I (1157-99), son of Henry Il, reigned 1189-99. Richard’s military exploits won him the nickname ‘Coeur de Lion’ (Lionheart) and made him a medieval legend, but he was absent from his kingdom too frequently to govern effectively. In his youth he twice rebelled against his father and soon after succeeding him he left to take part in the Third Crusade. He defeated Saladin at Arsuf, but failed to capture Jerusalem, and was captured on his way home by Duke Leopold of Austria. Held captive at the behest of the Emperor Henry VI, Richard was released in 1194 only after the payment of a huge ransom. After staying in England for little more than a matter of weeks he embarked on a campaign against Philip II Augustus of France, eventually dying from wounds received at the siege of the castle of ChAlus.

Nazi: politician, a close associate of Hitler. He was Foreign Minister 1938-45.

ribbing /'rbrn/ n. 1 ribs or a riblike structure. 2 collog. the act or an instance of teasing. ribbon /'ribon/ n. 1 a a narrow strip or band of fabric, used esp. for trimming or decoration. b material in this form. 2 a ribbon of a special colour etc. worn to indicate some honour or membership of a sports team etc. 3 a long narrow strip of anything, e.g. impregnated material forming the inking agent in a typewriter. 4 (in pl.) ragged strips (torn to ribbons). 0 ribbon development the building of houses along a main road, usu. one leading out of a town or village. ribbon worm a nemertean. o0 ribboned adj. [var. of RIBAND]

ribbonfish /'ribonfif/ n. any of various long slender flat fishes of the family Trachypteridae. ribcage |'ribke1d3/ n. the wall of bones formed by the ribs round the chest.

Ribera /'ri:bora/, José (Jusepe) de (1591-1652), Spanish painter and etcher. In 1616 he settled in Naples (at that time a Spanish possession) where because of his small stature he gained the sobriquet Il Spagnoletto (the little Spaniard). His early paintings, chiefly of religious subjects and scenes of everyday life, show dramatic chiaroscuro effects, and his penchant for martyrdoms and the realistic depiction of torture prompted Byron’s line ‘Il b but

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Richard II (1367-1400), son of the Black Prince, reigned 1377— 99. Though Richard behaved bravely when still a minor during the Peasants’ Revolt, he proved a weak king, heavily dependent on favourites and on his uncle John of Gaunt. In 1386-8 noble opponents of his administration, known as the Lords Appellant, successfully removed many of the King’s confidants. Ten years later Richard exacted revenge, executing or banishing most of his former opponents, but when he confiscated John of Gaunt’s estate after the latter’s death, the dispossessed heir returned from exile to overthrow Richard and reign in his place as Henry IV. Richard died in prison in Pontefract Castle, apparently of starvation. Richard III (1452-85), brother of Edward IV, reigned 1483-5. lleg

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Richards He succeeded his brother after the latter’s heir Edward V had been declared (on dubious grounds) to be illegitimate. Historical opinion on the popular picture of Richard as a bloodthirsty usurper is still divided; what is certain is that, after suppressing several plots in the early months of his reign, he ruled with some success for a brief period before being defeated and killed at Bosworth in 1485 by Henry Tudor, who then took the throne as Henry VII.

Richards /'rit{adz/, Sir Gordon (1904-86), English jockey, who between 1925 and 1953 was champion jockey 26 times.

Richardson /'ritfads(2)n/, Samuel (1689-1761), English novelist, of humble background, who became a prosperous printer. A request by two booksellers for a series of model letters on the problems and concerns of everyday life resulted in his first novel Pamela (1740-1) which, in spite of his rival Fielding’s stinging parodies, was a successful and pioneering novel in epistolary form. This technique he further developed in his masterpiece, Clarissa Harlowe (1747-8), about a heroine of rare beauty and

virtue, and in his final novel, Sir Charles Grandison (1754), an attempted portrayal of the ideal Christian gentleman. In these works he explored, with psychological intensity, moral issues in a detailed social context, and greatly influenced the development of future fiction.

Richelieu /'ri:{ljs:/ (Armand Jean du Plessis, 1585-1642), French Cardinal and statesman. Chief minister of Louis XIII from 1624 until his death in 1642, Richelieu completely dominated French government, establishing a strong central government at home, and pursuing an aggressive foreign policy, particularly against Spain, which made France indisputably the strongest nation in Europe.

riches /'ritfiz/ n.pl. abundant means; valuable possessions. [ME richesse f. OF richeise f. riche RicH, taken as pl.]

richly /'ritflr/ adv. 1 in a rich way. 2 fully, thoroughly (richly deserves success).

Richmond

#/'rit{mend/ the capital of Virginia; pop. (1980)

219,215. During the American Civil War it was made the Confederate capital from 1861 until its capture in 1865.

Richter /'rikta(r), 'rrx-/, Johann Friedrich, see JEAN PAUL. Richter scale /'rikto/ n. a scale of 0 to 10 for representing the strength of an earthquake. [C. F. Richter, Amer. seismologist d.

1985]

ricin /'rism/ 1. a toxic substance obtained from castor oil beans

and causing gastroenteritis, jaundice, and heart failure. [mod.L ricinus communis castor oil]

rick! /rik/ n. & v. —n. a stack of hay, corn, etc., built into a regular shape and usu. thatched. ricks. [OE hréac, of unkn. orig.]

rick? /rik/ n. & v. (also wrick)

—v.tr. form into a rick or

—n. a slight sprain or strain.

—-v.tr. sprain or strain slightly. [ME wricke f. MLG wricken move about, sprain]

rickets /'rikits/ n. (treated as sing. or pl.) a disease of children with softening of the bones (esp. the spine) and bow-legs, caused by a deficiency of vitamin D. [17th c.: orig. uncert., but assoc. by medical writers with Gk rhakhitis RACHITIS]

rickettsia /ri'kets1o/ n. a parasitic micro-organism of the genus Rickettsia causing typhus and other febrile diseases. oo rickettsial adj. [mod.L f. H. T. Ricketts, Amer. pathologist d. 1910] rickety /'rikiti/ adj. 1 a insecure or shaky in construction; likely to collapse. b feeble. 2 a suffering from rickets. b resembling or of the nature of rickets. 00 ricketiness n. [RICKETS + -Y!]

rickey /'riki/ n. (pl. -eys) a drink of spirit (esp. gin), lime-juice, etc. [20th c.: prob. f. the surname Rickey]

rickrack var. of RICRAC. rickshaw |'rikfo:/ n. (also ricksha /-f9/) a light two-wheeled hooded vehicle drawn by one or more persons. [abbr. of jinricksha, jinrikshaw f. Jap. jinrikisha f. jin person + riki power + sha

esp. a shell or bullet, in rebounding off a surface. 2 a hit made after this. —v.intr. (ricocheted /-,Je1d/; ricocheting |-,Jerin/ or ricochetted /-,fetid/; ricochetting /-,fetin/) (of a projectile) rebound one or more times froma surface. [F, of unkn. orig.]

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ricotta /ri'kota/ n. a soft Italian cheese. [It., = recooked, f. L recoquere (as RE-, coquere cook)} ricrac /'rikrek/ n. (also rickrack) a zigzag braided trimming for garments. [redupl. of RACK}]

RICS abbr. Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. rictus /'riktos/ n. Anat. & Zool. the expanse or gape of a mouth or beak. o0 rictal adj. [L, = open mouth f. ringi rict- to gape]

rid /rid/ v.tr. (ridding; past and past part. rid or archaic ridded) (foll. by of) make (a person or place) free of something unwanted. QO be (or get) rid of be freed or relieved of (something unwanted); dispose of. [ME, earlier = ‘clear (land etc.)’ f. ON rythja] “a

riddance /'rid(s)ns/ n. the act of getting rid of something. o good riddance welcome relief from an unwanted person or thing.

ridden past part. of RIDE. riddle! /'rid(e)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a question or statement testing ingenuity in divining its answer or meaning. 2 a puzzling fact or thing or person. —-v. 1 intr. speak in or propound riddles. 2 tr. solve or explain (a riddle). 00 riddler n. [OE r&dels, rédelse opinion, riddle, rel. to READ] :

riddle? /'rid(a)l/ v. & n. —v.tr. (usu. foll. by with) 1 make many holes in, esp. with gunshot. 2 (in passive) fill; spread through; permeate (was riddled with errors). 3 pass through a riddle. —n. a coarse sieve. [OE hriddel, earlier hrider. cf. hridrian sift]

riddling

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in riddles; puzzling.

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riddlingly adv. ride /raid/ v. & n. —v. (past rode /roud|; past part. ridden |‘r1d(a)n/) 1 tr. travel or be carried on (a bicycle etc.) or esp. US in (a vehicle). 2 intr. (often foll. by on, in) travel or be conveyed (on a bicycle or in a vehicle). 3 tr. sit on and control or be carried by (a horse etc.). 4 intr. (often foll. by on) be carried (on a horse etc.). 5 tr. be carried or supported by (the ship rides the waves). 6 tr. a traverse on horseback etc., ride over or through (ride 50 miles; rode the prairie). b compete or take part in on horseback etc. (rode a good race). 7 intr. a lie at anchor; float buoyantly. b (of the moon) seem to float. 8 intr. (foll. by in, on) rest in or on while moving. 9 tr. yield to (a blow) so as to reduce its impact. 10 tr. give a ride to; cause to ride (rode the child on his back). 11 tr. (of a rider) cause (a horse etc.) to move forward (rode their horses at the fence). 12 tr. a (in passive; foll. by by, with) be oppressed or dominated by; be infested with (was ridden with guilt). b (as ridden adj.) infested or afflicted (usu. in comb.: a rat-ridden cellar). 13 intr. (of a thing normally level or even) project or overlap. 14 tr. mount (a female) in copulation. 15 tr. US annoy or seek to annoy. —n. 1 an act or period of travel in a vehicle. 2 a spell of riding on a horse, bicycle, person’s back, etc. 3 a path (esp. through woods) for riding on. 4 the quality of sensations when riding (gives a bumpy ride). 0 let a thing ride leave it alone; let it take its natural course. ride again reappear, esp. unexpectedly and reinvigorated. ride down overtake or trample on horseback. ride for a fall act recklessly risking defeat or failure. ride herd on see HERD. ride high be elated or successful. ride out come safely through (a storm etc., or a danger or difficulty). ride roughshod over see ROUGHSHOD. ride to hounds see HOUND. ride up (of a garment, carpet, etc.) work or move out of its proper position. take for a ride collog. hoax or deceive. o0 ridable adj. [OE ndan|]

rider /'raida(r)/ n. 1 a person who rides (esp. a horse). 2 a an additional clause amending or supplementing a document. b Brit. Parl. an addition or amendment to a bill at its third reading. c a corollary. d Brit. a recommendation etc. added to a judicial verdict. 3 Math. a problem arising as a corollary of a theorem etc. 4a piece in a machine etc. that surmounts or bridges or works on or over others. 5 (in pl.) an additional set of timbers or iron plates strengthening a ship’s frame. 00 riderless adj. [OE ridere (as RIDE)]

ridge /rid3/n. & v. —n. 1 the line of the junction of two surfaces

vehicle]

ricochet /'riko,fer, -fet/ n. & v. —n. 1 the action of a projectile,

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sloping upwards towards each other (the ridge of a roof). 2 a long narrow hilltop, mountain range, or watershed. 3 any narrow elevation across a surface. 4 Meteorol. an elongated region of high barometric pressure. 5 Agriculture a.raised strip of arable land, usu. one of a set separated by furrows. 6 Hort. a raised tf chip

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1242

hotbed for melons etc. —v. 1 tr. mark with ridges. 2 tr. Agriculture break up (land) into ridges. 3 tr. Hort. plant (cucumbers etc.) in ridges. 4 tr. & intr. gather into ridges. 0 ridge-piece (or -tree) a beam along the ridge of a roof. ridge-pole 1 the horizontal pole of a long tent. 2 = ridge-piece. ridge-tile a tile used in making a roof-ridge. 00 ridgy adj. [OE hrycg f. Gmc]

rifleman /'rarf{2)lmon/ n. (pl. -men) 1 a soldier armed with a rifle. 2 a small yellow and green New Zealand bird, Acanthisitta chloris.

* rifling /'rarflmn/ n. the arrangement of grooves on the inside of

ridgeway |'rid3zwel/ n. a road or track along a ridge. ridicule /'ridi,kju:l/ n. & v. —n. subjection to derision or mockery. —v.tr. make fun of; subject to ridicule; laugh at. [F or f. L ridiculum neut. of ridiculus laughable f. ridére laugh]

ridiculous /ri'dikjules/ adj. 1 deserving or inviting ridicule. 2 unreasonable, absurd. 00 ridiculously adv. ridiculousness n. [L ridiculosus (as RIDICULE)}

riding! /'raidin/ n. 1 in senses of RIDE v. 2 the practice or skill of riders of horses. 3 = RIDE n. 3. O riding-light (or -lamp) a light shown by a ship at anchor. riding-school an establishment teaching skills in horsemanship.

riding? /'raidin/ n. 1 each of three former administrative divisions (East Riding, North Riding, West Riding) of Yorkshire. 2 an electoral division of Canada. [OE thriding (unrecorded) f. ON thrithjungr third part f. thrithi THIRD: th- was lost owing to the preceding -t or -th of east etc.]

Ridley /'ridli/, Nicholas (c.1500-55), English Protestant martyr. One of Archbishop Cranmer’s chaplains, he rose to become successively Bishop of Rochester and of London and one of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation in the reign of Edward VI. He opposed the Catholic policies of Edward’s sister and successor Mary I and was imprisoned and eventually burnt for heresy at Oxford. Riemann /'ri:monj, (Georg Friedrich) Bernhard (1826-66), German mathematician whose achievements are characterized by their outstandingly imaginative character. Riemann surfaces are the modifications of the complex number plane required for a proper understanding of algebraic and other many-valued functions; Riemannian geometry is the study of intrinsic properties of curved space, now fundamental to the relativistic description of our universe. His name is attached to several other concepts and theorems in mathematics, of which the most famous is an assertion about the complex numbers which are roots of a certain transcendental equation. This assertion, known as the Riemann hypothesis, has many deep implications, particularly about the distribution of prime numbers, but after more than 100 years it remains one of the greatest of the unsolved problems of mathematics.

Riesling /'ri:zlin, -slin/ n. 1 a kind of dry white wine produced in Germany, Austria, and elsewhere. 2 the variety of grape from which this is produced. [G] rife /ratf] predic.adj. 1 of common occurrence; widespread. 2 (foll. by with) abounding in; teeming with. oo rifeness n. [OE ryfe prob. f. ON rifr acceptable f. reifa enrich, reifr cheerful]

riff /rif] n. & v. —n.a short repeated phrase in jazz etc. —v.intr. play riffs. [20th c.: abbr. of RIFFLE n.] riffle /'rif{o)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. a turn (pages) in quick succession. b shuffle (playing-cards) esp. by flexing and combining the two halves of a pack. 2 intr. (often foll. by through) leaf quickly (through pages). —n. 1 the act or an instance of riffling. 2 (in gold-washing) a groove or slat set in a trough or sluice to catch gold particles. 3 US a a shallow part of a stream where the water flows brokenly. b a patch of waves or ripples on water. [perh. var. of RUFFLE]

riff-raff /'rifrzt] n. (often prec. by the) rabble; disreputable or undesirable persons. [ME riff and raff f. OF rif et raf]

rifle! /'rarffo)l/ n. & v. —n. 1a gun with a long rifled barrel, esp. one fired from shoulder-level. 2 (in pl.) riflemen. —v.tr. make spiral grooves in (a gun or its barrel or bore) to make a bullet spin. O rifle bird any dark green Australian bird of paradise of the genus Prtiloris. rifle-range a place for rifle-practice. rifle-shot 1 the distance coverable by a shot from a rifle. 2a shot fired with a rifle. [OF rifler graze, scratch f. Gmc]

rifle? /'rarf{o)l/ v.tr. & (foll. by through) intr. 1 search and rob, esp. of all that can be found. 2 carry off as booty. [ME f. OF rifler graze, scratch, plunder f. ODu. riffelen]

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Rif Mountains /rif/ (also Er Rif) a mountain range of northern Morocco, running parallel to the Mediterranean for about 290 km (180 miles) from Tangier to near the Algerian frontier.

rift /rift/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa crack or split in an object. b an opening in a cloud etc. 2 a cleft or fissure in earth or rock. 3a disagreement; a breach in friendly relations. —v.tr. tear or burst apart. o rift-valley a steep-sided valley formed by subsidence of the earth’s crust between nearly parallel faults. 00 riftless adj. rifty adj. [ME, of Scand. orig.]

rig! /rig/ v. & n. —v.tr. (rigged, rigging) 1 a provide (a sailing ship) with sails, rigging, etc. b prepare ready for sailing. 2 (often foll. by out, up) fit with clothes or other equipment. 3 (foll. by up) set up hastily or as a makeshift. 4 assemble and adjust the parts of (an aircraft). —n. 1 the arrangement of masts, sails, rigging, etc., of a sailing ship. 2 equipment for a special purpose, e.g. a radio transmitter. 3 = oil rig. 4a person’s or thing’s look as determined by clothing, equipment, etc., esp. uniform. 0 in full rig collog. smartly or ceremonially dressed. rig-out Brit. collog. an outfit of clothes. 00 rigged adj. (also in comb.). [ME, perh. of Scand. orig.: cf. Norw. rigga bind or wrap up] rig? /rig/ v. & n. —v.tr. (rigged, rigging) manage or conduct fraudulently (they rigged the election). —n. 1 a trick or dodge. 2a way of swindling. o rig the market cause an artificial rise or fall in prices. 00 rigger n. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] Riga /'ri:go/ a port on the Baltic Sea, capital of the republic of Latvia; pop. (est. 1987) 900,000.

rigadoon /|,riga'du:n/ n. 1 a lively dance in duple or quadruple time for two persons. 2 the music for this. [F rigodon, rigaudon, perh. f. its inventor Rigaud]

Rigel /'raig(s)l/ the seventh-brightest star in the sky, found in the constellation Orion. Its name is derived from an Arabic phrase meaning ‘left leg of the Great One’. Blue in colour, it is a supergiant star nearly sixty thousand times as luminous as our sun. rigger /'rigo(r)/ n. 1 a person who rigs or who arranges rigging. 2 (of a rowing-boat) = OUTRIGGER 5a. 3 a ship rigged in a specified way. 4 a worker on an oil rig.

rigging /'rigin/ n. 1 a ship’s spars, ropes, etc., supporting and controlling the sails. 2 the ropes and wires supporting the structure of an airship or biplane.

right /ratt/ adj., n., v., adv., & int. —adj. 1 (of conduct etc.) just, morally or socially correct (it is only right to tell you; I want to do the right thing). 2 true, correct; not mistaken (the right time; you were right about the weather). 3 less wrong or not wrong (which is the right way to town?). 4 more or most suitable or preferable (the right person for the job; along the right lines). 5 in a sound or normal condition; physically or mentally healthy; satisfactory (the engine doesn’t sound right). 6 a on or towards the side of the human body which corresponds to the position of east if one regards

oneself as facing north. b on or towards that part of an object which is analogous to a person’s right side or (with opposite sense) which is nearer to a spectator’s right hand. 7 (of a side of fabric etc.) meant for display or use (turn it right side up). 8 collog. or archaic real; properly so called (made a right mess of it; a

right royal welcome). —n. 1 that which is morally or socially correct or just; fair treatment (often in pl.: the rights and wrongs of the case). 2 (often foll. by to, or to + infin.) a justification or fair claim (has no right to speak like that). 3 a thing one may legally or morally claim; the state of being entitled to a privilege or immunity or authority to act (a right of reply; human rights). 4 the right-hand part or region or direction. 5 Boxing a the right hand. ba blow with this. 6 (often Right) Polit. a a group or section favouring conservatism (orig. the more conservative section of a continental legislature, seated on the president’s right). b such conservatives collectively. 7 the side of a stage which is to the right of a person facing the audience. 8 (esp. in marching) the right foot. 9 the right wing of an army. —v.tr. 1

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(often refl.) restore to a proper or straight or vertical position. 2 a correct (mistakes etc.); set in order. b avenge (a wrong or a wronged person); make reparation for or to. ¢ vindicate, justify, rehabilitate. —adv. 1 straight (go right on). 2 collog. immediately; without delay (I'll be right back; do it right now). 3 a (foll. by to, round, through, etc.) all the way (sank right to the bottom; ran right round the block). b (foll. by off, out, etc.) completely (came right off its hinges; am right out of butter). 4 exactly, quite (right in the middle). 5 justly, properly, correctly, truly, satisfactorily (did not act right; not holding it right; ifI remember right). 6 on or to the right side. 7 archaic very; to the full (am right glad to hear it; dined right royally). —int. collog. expressing agreement or assent. oO as right as rain perfectly sound and healthy. at right angles placed to form a right angle. by right (or rights) if right were done. do right by act dutifully towards (a person). in one’s own right through one’s own position or effort etc. in the right having justice or truth on one’s side. in one’s right mind sane; competent to think and act. of (or as of) right having legal or moral etc. entitlement. on the right side of 1 in the favour of (a person etc.). 2 somewhat less than (a specified age). put (or set) right 1 restore to order, health, etc. 2 correct the mistaken impression etc. of (a person). put (or set) to rights make correct or well ordered. right about (or about-turn or about-face) 1 a right turn continued to face the rear. 2a reversal of policy. 3 a hasty retreat. right and left (or right, left, and centre) on all sides. right angle an angle of 90°, made by lines meeting with equal angles on either side. right-angled 1 containing or making a right angle. 2 involving right angles, not oblique. right arm one’s most reliable helper. right ascension see ASCENSION. right away (or off) immediately. right bank the bank of a river on the right facing downstream. right bower see BOWER’, right field Baseball the part of the outfield to the right of the batter as he faces the pitcher. right hand 1 = right-hand man. 2 the most important position next to a person (stand at God's right hand). right-hand adj. 1 on or towards the right side of a person or thing (right-hand drive). 2 done with the right hand (right-hand blow). 3 (of a screw) = RIGHT-HANDED 4b. right-hand man an indispensable or chief assistant. Right Honourable Brit. a title given to certain high officials, e.g. Privy Counsellors. right-minded (or -thinking) having sound views and principles. right of search Naut. see SEARCH. right of way 1 a right established by usage to pass over another’s ground. 2 a path subject to such a right. 3 the right of one vehicle to proceed before another. right oh! (or ho!) = RIGHTO. right on! collog. an expression of strong approval or encouragement. a right one Brit. colloq. a silly or foolish person. Right Reverend see REVEREND. rights of man = human rights (see HUMAN). The phrase is associated with the declaration of the rights of man and of the citizen adopted by the French National Assembly in 1789 and serving as a preface to the French Constitution of 1791. Other declarations to the same effect include the American Declaration of Independence. right sphere Astron. see SPHERE. right turn a turn that brings one’s front to face as one’s right side did befure. right whale any large-headed whale of the family Balaenidae, rich in whalebone and easily captured. right wing 1 the right side of a football etc. team on the field. 2 the conservative section of a political party or system. right-wing adj. conservative or reactionary. right-winger a person on the right wing. right you are! collog. an exclamation of assent. she’s (or she’ll be) right Austral. collog. that will be all right. too right sl. an expression of agreement. within one’s rights not exceeding one’s authority or entitlement. oo rightable adj. righter n. rightish adj. rightless adj. rightlessness n. rightness n. [OE riht (adj.), rihtan (v.), rihte (adv.)]

righten /'rait(s)n/ v.tr. make right or correct. righteous /'rait{as/ adj. (of a person or conduct) morally right; virtuous, law-abiding. 00 righteously adv. righteousness n. [OE rihtwis (as RIGHT n. + -WISE OF RIGHT adj. + WISE?), assim. to bounteous etc.]

rightful /'raitfol/ adj. 1 a (of a person) legitimately entitled to (a position etc.) (the rightful heir). b (of status or property etc.) that one is entitled to. 2 (of an action etc.) equitable, fair. 00 rightfully adv. rightfulness n. [OE rihtful (as RIGHT n.)] av how

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ot boy

wa poor

right-handed /rait'hendid/ adj. 1 using the right hand by preference as more serviceable than the left. 2 (of a tool etc.) made to be used with the right hand. 3 (of a blow) struck with the right hand. 4 a turning to the right; towards the right. b (of a screw) advanced by turning to the right (clockwise). 00 right-handedly adv. right-handedness n.

right-hander /rait'hzndo(r)/ n. 1 a right-handed person. 2 a right-handed blow.

rightism /'raitiz(2)m/ n. Polit. the principles or policy of the right. 00 rightist n. & adj.

rightly /'raitli/ adv. justly, properly, correctly, justifiably. rightmost /'raitmoust/ adj. furthest to the right. righto /'raitau, rar'tou/ int. Brit. collog. expressing agreement or

assent. rightward |'raitwad/ adv. & adj.

—adv. (also rightwards

|-wodz/) towards the right. —adj. going towards or facing the right.

rigid /'rid3id/ adj. 1 not flexible; that cannot be bent (a rigid frame). 2 (of a person, conduct, etc.) inflexible, unbending, strict, harsh, punctilious (a rigid disciplinarian; rigid economy). 00 rigidity /-'dziditi/ n. rigidly adv. rigidness n. [F rigide or L rigidus f. rigére be stiff]

rigidify /ri'd31di,fat/ v.tr. & intr. (-ies, -ied) make or become rigid. rigmarole /'rigma,raul/ n. 1 a lengthy and complicated procedure. 2 a a rambling or meaningless account or tale. b such talk. [orig. ragman roll = a catalogue, of unkn. orig.]

rigor! /'riga(r), 'raigo:(r)/ n. Med. 1 a sudden feeling of cold with shivering accompanied by a rise in temperature, preceding a fever etc. 2 rigidity of the body caused by shock or poisoning etc. [ME f. L f. rigére be stiff]

rigor? US var. of RIGOUR. rigor mortis |,r1go 'mo:trs/ n. stiffening of the body after death. [L, = stiffness of death] rigorous /'rigoras/ adj. 1 characterized by or showing rigour; strict, severe. 2 strictly exact or accurate. 3 (of the weather) cold, severe. 00 rigorously adv. rigorousness n. [OF rigorous or LL rigorosus (as RIGOR})} rigour /'riga(r)/ n. (US rigor) 1 a severity, strictness, harshness. b (in pl.) harsh measures or conditions. 2 logical exactitude. 3 strict enforcement of rules etc. (the utmost rigour of the law). 4 austerity of life; puritanical discipline. [ME f. OF rigour f. L rigor (as RIGOR})]

Rig-Veda /|rig'verds, -'vi:da/ n. a collection of hymns in Old Sanskrit used in the Vedic religion by the priest in charge of invoking the gods at the ritual sacrifice. Composed in the 2nd millenium Bc, this is the oldest and most important of the four Vedas. [Skr. rigvéda f. ric praise + véda VEDA]

Rijeka /ri:!eko/ (Italian Fiume /fi'u:mei/) the largest port of Yugoslavia, situated on the Adriatic coast of Croatia; pop. (1981) 193,000.

Rijksmuseum

/'ratksmu,zerom/ the national gallery of The

Netherlands, in Amsterdam. Established in the late 19th c. and developed from the collection of the House of Orange, it now contains the most representative collection of Dutch art in the world.

Rila Mountains /'ri:lo/ a range of mountains in western Bulgaria, forming the NW part of the Rhodope Mountains. rile /raul/ v.tr. 1 collog. anger, irritate. 2 US make (water) turbulent or muddy. [var. of ROIL]

Riley! /'raili/ n. (also Reilly) o the life of Riley collog. a carefree existence. [20th c.: orig. unkn.] Riley? /'rarli/, Bridget Louise (1931—_ ), English painter, whose work belongs to the category known as op art. Her earlier works are in black and white (e.g. Movement in Squares, 1961; Fall, 1963), and through graded greys she advanced to colour compositions which arrived at similar effects.

rilievo var. of RELIEVO. Rilke /'rilko/, Rainer Maria (1875-1926), German lyric poet, born in Prague. He visited Russia, where he met Tolstoy, and travelled in Europe; in 1901 he married a pupil of the French sculptor

aio fire

aua sour

(see over for consonants)

rill

ringer

1244

a

Rodin, and became the latter's secretary for a time, then after further travels he settled in Switzerland. Rilke’s Duino Elegies, begun shortly before the First World War and completed afterwards, arose from his endeavour to discover a satisfactory spiritual position amid the decay of reality, and his Sonnets to Orpheus (1923) are the jubilant outcome of that endeavour. His poetry

b (prec. by the) bookmakers collectively. ¢ a roped enclosure for boxing or wrestling. 7 a a group of people or things arranged in a circle. b such an arrangement. 8 a combination of traders, - bookmakers, spies, politicians, etc. acting together usu. illicitly for the control of operations or profit. 9 a circular or spiral course. 10 = gas ring. 11 Astron. aa thin band or disc of particles etc. round a planet. b a halo round the moon. 12 Archaeol. a circular prehistoric earthwork usu. of a bank and ditch. 13 Chem. a group of atoms each bonded to two others in a closed sequence. 14 Math. a set of elements with two binary operations, addition and multiplication, the second being distributive over the first and associative. —v.tr. 1 make or drawacircle round. 2 (often foll. by round, about, in) encircle or hem in (game or cattle), 3 put a ring on (a bird etc.) or through the nose of (a pig, bull, etc.). 4 cut (fruit, vegetables, etc.) into rings. 0 ring-binder a loose-leaf binder with ring-shaped clasps that can be opened to pass through holes in the paper. ring circuit an electrical circuit serving a number of power points with one fuse in the supply to the circuit. ring-dove 1 the woodpigeon. 2 the collared dove. ringed plover either of two small plovers,

has been translated into many languages. rill /ril/ n. 1 a small stream. 2 a shallow channel cut in the surface of soil or rocks by running water. 3 var. of RILLE. [LG ril, rille]

rille /ril/ n. (also rill) Astron. a cleft or narrow valley on the moon’s surface. [G (as RILL)] rim /rim/n. & v. —n. 1 aa raised edge or border. b a margin or verge, esp. of something circular. 2 the part of a pair of spectacles surrounding the lenses. 3 the outer edge of a wheel, on which the tyre is fitted. 4 a boundary line (the rim of the horizon), —v.tr. (rimmed, rimming) 1 a provide with a rim. b be a rim for or to. 2 edge, border. 0 rim-brake a brake acting on the rim of a wheel. oo rimless adj. rimmed adj. (also in comb.). [OE.rima edge: cf. ON rimi ridge (the only known cognate)]

Charadrius hiaticula and C. dubius. ring finger the finger next to

Rimbaud /'rembeu/, Arthur (1854-91), French poet of precocious genius, who at the age of 17 had written his most famous poem ‘Le bateau ivre’. In the same year he began a passionate relationship with the poet Paul Verlaine and the pair led a dissolute life in Brussels and London until they quarrelled violently. He undertook a programme of ‘disorientation of the senses’ in an attempt to become a visionary, and his prose poems Une Saison en enfer (1873) and Les Illuminations (1886) explored the possibilities of this. By the age of 19 his poetic career was over and he succumbed to a vagabond life in Europe and in NE Africa, but he had become one of the most revolutionary figures in 19th-c. literature, whose verse was fiercely independent of religious, political, and literary orthodoxy.

rime! /rarm/ n. & v. —n. 1 frost, esp. formed from cloud or fog. 2 poet. hoar-frost. —v.tr. cover with rime. [OE hrim]

rime? archaic var. of RHYME. Rimmon /'rimonj a deity worshipped in ancient Damascus (2 Kings 5: 18). 0 bow down in the house of Rimmon compromise one’s convictions. rimose /'rarmouz/ adj. (also rimous /-mas/) esp. Bot. full of chinks or fissures. [L rimosus f. rima chink]

Rimsky-Korsakov

|,r1mski'ko:so,kof/, Nikolai Andreievich

(1844-1908), Russian composer. Born of an aristocratic family he attended the Corps of Naval Cadets in St Petersburg, at the same time pursuing his interest in. music which, though he lacked formal training, was keen enough to lead him to compose a much acclaimed First Symphony in 1861-5. He was appointed professor of composition at the St Petersburg Conservatory in 1871 and followed his early success with such works as the symphonic suite Scheherazade (1888). In 1905 his involvement with revolutionary students led to temporary suspension from the Conservatory; his attitude to autocracy found expression in his opera The Golden Cockerel (1909), after Pushkin’s poem. He was a fine orchestrator, but today his versions of such works as Mussorgsky’s Khovanshchina and Boris Godunov find less favour than do the originals. rimu /'ri:mu:/ n. NZ a softwood tree, Dacrydium cupressinum, native to New Zealand. [Maori] rimy /'rarm1/ adj. (rimier, rimiest) frosty; covered with frost. rind /raind/ n. & v. —n. 1 the tough outer layer or covering of fruit and vegetables, cheese, bacon, etc. 2 the bark of a tree or plant. —v.tr. strip the bark from. 00 rinded adj. (also in comb.). rindless adj. [OE rind(e)]

rinderpest /'rinda,pest/ n. a virulent infectious disease of ruminants (esp. cattle). [G f. Rinder cattle + Pest Pest]

ring! /rin/n. & v. —n. 1

circular band, usu. of precious metal,

worn on a finger as an ornament or a token of marriage or betrothal. 2 a circular band of any material. 3 the rim of a cylindrical or circular object, or a line or band round it. 4a mark or part having the form ofa circular band (had rings round his eyes; smoke rings). 5 = annual ring. 6 a an enclosure for a circus performance, betting at races, the showing of cattle, etc.

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

the little finger, esp. of the left hand, on which the wedding ring is usu. worn. ring main 1 an electrical supply serving a series of consumers and returning to the original source, so that each consumer has an alternative path in the event ofa failure. 2 = ring circuit. ring-neck any of various ring-necked birds esp. a type of pheasant, Phasianus colchicus, with a white neck-ring. ring-necked Zool. having a band or bands of colour round the neck. ring ouzel a thrush, Turdus torquatus, with a white crescent across its breast. ring-pull (of a tin) having a ring for pulling to break its seal. ring road a bypass encircling a town. ring-tailed 1 (of monkeys, lemurs, racoons, etc.) having a tail ringed in alternate colours. 2 with the tail curled at the end. run (or make) rings round collog. outclass or outwit (another person). 00 ringed adj. (also in comb.). ringless adj. [OE hring f. Gmc] ring? /rin/ v. & n. —-v. (past rang /ren/; past part. rung /ran/) 1 intr. (often foll. by out etc.) give a clear resonant or vibrating sound of or as of a bell (a shot rang out; a ringing laugh; the telephone rang). 2 tr. a make (esp. a bell) ring. b (absol.) call for service or attention by ringing a bell (you rang, madam?). 3 tr. (also absol.; often foll. by up) Brit. call by telephone (will ring you on Monday; did you ring?). 4 intr. (usu. foll. by with, to) (of a place) resound or be permeated with a sound, or an attribute, e.g. fame (the theatre rang with applause). 5 intr. (of the ears) be filled with a sensation of ringing. 6 tr. a sound (a peal etc.) on bells. b (of a bell) sound (the hour etc.). 7 tr. (foll. by in, out) usher in or out with bell-ringing (ring in the May; rang out the Old Year). 8 intr. (of sentiments etc.) convey a specified impression (words rang hollow). —n. 1 a ringing sound or tone. 2 a the act of ringing a bell. b the sound caused by this. 3 collog. a telephone call (give me a ring). 4 a specified feeling conveyed by an utterance (had a melancholy ring). 5 a set of esp. church bells. 0 ring back make a return telephone call to (a person who has telephoned earlier). ring a bell see BELL. ring the changes (on) see CHANGE. ring down (or up) the curtain 1 cause the curtain to be lowered or raised. 2 (foll. by on) mark the end or the beginning of (an enterprise etc.). ring in 1 report or make contact by telephone. 2 Austral. & NZ sl. substitute fraudulently. ring in one’s ears (or heart etc.) linger in the memory. ringing tone a sound heard by a telephone caller when the number dialled is being rung. ring off Brit. end a telephone call by replacing the receiver. ring true (or false) convey an impression of truth or falsehood. ring up 1 Brit. call by telephone. 2 record (an amount etc.) on a cash register. 00 ringed adj. (also in comb.). ringer n. ringing adj. ringingly adv. [OE hringan]

ringbark /'rmba:kj v.tr. cut a ring in the bark of (a tree) to kill it or retard its growth and thereby improve fruit production.

ringbolt /'rinbolt/ n. a bolt with a ring attached for fitting a rope to etc. ringer /'ripo(r)/ n. sl. 1a esp. US an athlete or horse entered in a competition by fraudulent means, esp. as a substitute. b a person’s double, esp. an imposter. 2 Austral. a the fastest shearer

kcat

lleg

mman

nno

ppen

rred ssit

t top

v voice

ringhals

rise

1245

in a shed. b a stockman or station hand. 3 a person who rings, esp. a bell-ringer. 0 be a ringer (or dead ringer) for resemble (a person) exactly. [RING? + -ER}]

ringhals /'rinhels/ n. a large venomous snake, Hemachatus hemachatus, of southern Africa, with a white ring or two across the neck. [Afrik. rinkhals f. ring RING! + hals neck]

ringleader /'ripjli:do(r)/ n. a leading instigator in an illicit or illegal activity. ringlet /'rinlit/ m. 1 a curly lock of hair, esp. a long one. 2 a butterfly, Aphantopus hyperantus, with spots on its wings. o00 ringleted adj. ringlety adj. ringmaster /'rij,ma:sta(r)/ n. the person directing a circus performance. !

ripped the book up). 2 tr. a make (a hole etc.) by ripping. b make a long tear or cut in. 3 intr. come violently apart; split. 4 intr. rush along. —n. 1a long tear or cut. 2 an act of ripping. o let rip collog. 1 act or proceed without restraint. 2 speak violently. 3 not check the speed of or interfere with (a person or thing). rip-cord a cord for releasing a parachute from its pack. rip into attack (a person) verbally. rip off collog. defraud, steal. rip-off n. collog. 1 a fraud or swindle, 2 financial exploitation. (ME: orig. unkn.]}

rip? /rip/ n. a stretch of rough water in the sea or ina river, caused by the meeting of currents. 0 rip current (or tide) Ta strong surface current from the shore; 2 a state of conflicting

psychological forces. [18th c.: perh. rel. to RIP?)

ringside /'rinsaid/ n. the area immediately beside a boxing ring

rip? /rip/ n. 1a dissolute person. 2 a rascal: 3 a worthless horse.

or circus ring etc. (often attrib.: a ringside seat; a ringside view). 00 ringsider n. ringster /'rinsta(r)/ n. a person who participates in a political or commercial ring (see RING! n. 8). ringtail /'rinte/ n. 1 a ring-tailed opossum, lemur, or phalanger. 2a golden eagle up to its third year. 3 a female hen-harrier. ringworm /'rinws:m/ n. any of various fungous infections of the skin causing circular inflamed patches, esp. on a child’s scalp. rink /rink/ n. 1 an area of natural or artificial ice for skating or the game of curling etc. 2 an enclosed area for roller-skating. 3 a building containing either of these. 4 Bowls a strip of the green used for playing a match. 5 a team in bowls or curling. [ME (orig. Sc.), = jousting-ground: perh. orig. f. OF renc RANK] rinse /rins/ v. & n. —v.tr. (often foll. by through, out) 1 wash with clean water. 2 apply liquid to. 3 wash lightly. 4 put (clothes etc.) through clean water to remove soap or detergent. 5 (foll. by out, away) clear (impurities) by rinsing. —n. 1 the act or an instance of rinsing (give it a rinse). 2 a solution for cleansing the mouth. 3 a dye for the temporary tinting of hair (a blue rinse). O50 rinser n. [ME f. OF rincer, raincier, of unkn. orig.]

[perh. f. rep, abbr. of REPROBATE] riparian /rar'peorian/ adj. & n. esp. Law —adj. of or on a riverbank (riparian rights). —n. an owner of property on a river-bank. [L riparius f. ripa bank] ripe /raip/ adj. 1 (of grain, fruit, cheese, etc.) ready to be reaped or picked or eaten. 2 mature; fully developed (ripe in judgement; a ripe beauty). 3 (of a person’s age) advanced. 4 (often foll. by for) fit or ready (when the time is ripe; land ripe for development). 5 (of the complexion etc.) red and full like ripe fruit. o0 ripely adv.

ripen /'rarpon/ v.tr. & intr. make or become ripe.

Rio de Janeiro /'ri:au da d3a'nia,rau/ the chief port, second-

ripple! /'rip(a)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a ruffling of the water’s surface,

largest city, and former capital of Brazil; pop. (1980) 5,094,396.

a small wave or series of waves. 2 a gentle lively sound that rises and falls, e.g. of laughter or applause. 3 a wavy appearance in hair, material, etc. 4 Electr. a slight variation in the strength of a.current etc. 5 ice-cream with added syrup giving a coloured ripple effect (raspberry ripple). 6 US a riffle in a stream. —v. 1a intr. form ripples; flow in ripples. b tr. cause to do this. 2 intr. show or sound like ripples. o ripple mark a ridge or ridged surface left on sand, mud, or rock by the action of water or wind. o0 ripplet n. ripply adj. [17th c.: orig. unkn.]

Rio de la Plata /'ri:au do la: 'pla:ta/ the River Plate. Rio de Oro /'ri:au di: 's:rau/ the southern region of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara). Its chief town is Dakhla.

Rio Grande |jri:ov 'grend/ a river of North America which rises in Colorado and flows 3,030 km (1,880 miles) SE to the Gulf of Mexico. Ic forms the US—Mexico frontier from El Paso to the

sea,

Rioja /ri:'s0xa/, La an autonomous region of northern Spain, in the wine-producing valley of the River Ebro; pop. (1986) 262,600; capital, Logrono.

Rio Muni j,ri:ou 'mu:n1/ the part of Equatorial Guinea that lies on the mainland of West Africa. Its chief town is Bata. riot /'rarot/ n. & v. —n. 1.a a disturbance of the peace by a crowd; an occurrence of public disorder. b (attrib.) involved in suppressing riots (riot police; riot shield). 2 uncontrolled revelry; noisy behaviour. 3 (foll. by of) a lavish display or enjoyment (a riot of emotion; a riot of colour and sound). 4 collog. a very amusing thing or person. —v.intr..1 make or engage in a riot. 2 live wantonly; revel. o read the Riot Act insist that noise or insubordination etc. must cease. Riot Act an Act passed in 1715 by the Whig government in the wake of anti-Hanoverian rioting, which made it a felony for an assembly of more than twelve people to refuse to disperse after being ordered to do so, with a specified portion of the Act being read, by lawful authority. It was repealed in 1967. run riot 1 throw off all restraint. 2 (of plants) grow or spread uncontrolled. 00 rioter n. riotless

adj. [ME f. OF riote, rioter, rihoter, of unkn. orig.] riotous /'ratstas/ adj. 1 marked by or involving rioting. 2 characterized by wanton conduct. 3 wildly profuse. 00 riotously adv. riotousness n. [ME f. OF (as R10T)]

RIP abbr. may he or she or they rest in peace. [L requiescat (pl. requiescant) in pace] rip! /rip/ v. & n. —v.tr. & intr. (ripped, ripping) 1 fr. tear or cut (a thing) quickly or forcibly away or apart (ripped out the lining;

wwe

z zoo

J she

3 decision

9 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

ripeness n. [OE ripe f. WG]

ripieno /ri'pjemou/ n. (pl. -os or ripieni /-ni/) Mus. a body of accompanying instruments in baroque concerto music. [It. (as RE-, pieno full)] riposte /ri'ppst/ n. & v. —n. 1 a quick sharp reply or retort. 2 a quick return thrust in fencing. —v.intr. deliver a riposte. [F ri(s)poste, ri(s)poster f. It. risposta RESPONSE] ripper /'ripo(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that rips. 2 a murderer who rips the victims’ bodies.

ripping /'ripiy/ adj. Brit. archaic collog. very enjoyable (a ripping good yarn). oO rippingly adv.

ripple? /'rip(e)l/n. & v. —n, a toothed implement used to remove seeds from flax:,—v.tr. treat with a ripple. [corresp. to MDu. & MLG repel(en), OHG riffila, rifilon] riprap /'riprep/ n. US a collection of loose stone as a foundation for a structure. [redupl. of RAP}]

rip-roaring /|'rrp,ro:rin/ adj: 1 wildly noisy or boisterous. 2 excellent, first-rate. 00 rip-roaringly adv. ripsaw |'ripso:/n. a coarse saw for sawing wood along the grain. ripsnorter /'rip,sno:to(r)/ n. collog. an energetic, remarkable, or excellent person or thing. 00 ripsnorting adj. ripsnortingly adv.

Rip van Winkle /'wink(2)l/ the good-for-nothing hero of a story (1820) by Washington Irving. He fell asleep in the Catskill Mountains north-west of New York, and awoke after 20 years to find the world completely changed. rise /raiz/ v. & n. —v.intr. (past rose /rauz/; past part. risen |'rrz(2)n/) 1 move from a lower position to a higher one; come or go up. 2 grow, project, expand, or incline upwards; become higher. 3 (of the sun, moon, or stars) appear above the horizon. 4 a get up from lying or sitting or kneeling (rose to their feet; rose from the table). b get out of bed, esp. in the morning (do you rise early?). 5 recover a standing or vertical position; become erect (rose to my full height). 6 (ofa meeting etc.) cease to sit for business; adjourn (Parliament rises next week; the court will rise). 7 reach a higher position or level or amount (the flood has risen; prices are rising). 8 develop greater intensity, strength, volume, or pitch tf chip

dg jar

(see over for vowels)

riser

Riviera

1246

rit. /rit/ abbr. Mus. ritardando. ritardando |,rita:'dendsu| adv. & n. Mus. (pl. -os or ritardandi

(the colour rose in her cheeks; the wind is rising; their voices rose with excitement). 9 make progress; reach a higher social position (rose from the ranks). 10 a come to the surface of liquid (bubbles rose from the bottom; waited for the fish to rise). b (of a person) react to provocation (rise to the bait). 11 become or be visible above the surroundings etc., stand prominently (mountains rose to our right). 12 a (of buildings etc.) undergo construction from the foundations (office blocks were rising all around). b (of a tree etc.) grow to a (usu. specified) height. 13 come to life again (rise from the ashes; risen from the dead). 14 (of dough) swell by the action of yeast etc. 15 (often foll. by up) cease to be quiet or submissive; rebel (rise in arms). 16 originate; have as its source (the river rises in the mountains). 17 (of wind) start to blow. 18 (of a person’s spirits) become cheerful. 19 (of a barometer) show a higher atmospheric pressure. 20 (of a horse) rear (rose on its hind legs). 21 (of a bump, blister, etc.) form. 22 (of the stomach) show nausea. —n. 1 an act or manner or amount of rising. 2 an upward slope or hill or movement (a rise in the road; the house stood on a rise; the rise and fall of the waves). 3 an increase in sound or pitch. 4 a an increase in amount, extent, etc. (a rise in unemployment). b Brit. an increase in salary, wages, etc. 5 an increase in status or power. 6 social, commercial, or political advancement; upward progress. 7 the movement of fish to the surface. 8 origin. 9 a the vertical height of a step, arch, incline, etc. b = RISER 2. 0 get (or take) a rise out of collog. provoke an emotional reaction from (a person), esp. by teasing. on the rise on the increase. rise above 1 be superior to (petty feelings etc.). 2 show dignity or strength in the face of (difficulty, poor conditions, etc.). rise and shine (usu. as imper.) collog. get out of bed smartly; wake up. rise in the world attain a higher social position. rise to develop powers equal to (an occasion). rise with the sun (or lark) get up early in the morning. [OE risan f. Gmc] riser /'raiza(r)/ n. 1 a person who rises esp. from bed (an early riser), 2 a vertical section between the treads of a staircase. 3 a vertical pipe for the flow of liquid or gas.

|-di/) = RALLENTANDO. [It.] rite /rat/ n. 1 a religious or solemn observance or act (burial rites). 2 an action or procedure required or usual in this. 3 a body of customary observances characteristic of a Church or a part of it (the Latin rite). 0 rite of passage (often in pl.) a ritual

or event marking a stage of a person’s advance through life, e.g. marriage. 00 riteless adj. [ME f. OF rit, rite or L ritus (esp. religious) usage] ritenuto /|,rito'‘nu:tou/ adv. & n. Mus. —adv. with immediate reduction of speed. —n. (pl. -os or ritenuti /-t1/) a passage

played in this way. [It.]

ritornello /,rito:'nelau/ n. Mus. (pl. -os or ritornelli /-l1/) a short instrumental refrain, interlude, etc., in a vocal work. [It., dimin. of ritorno RETURN] ritual /'ritjual/ n. & adj. —n. 1a prescribed order of performing rites. 2 a procedure regularly followed. —adj. of or done as a ritual or rites (ritual murder). 00 ritualize v.tr. & intr. (also -ise). ritualization |-'ze1{(2)n/ n. (also -isation). ritually adv. [L ritualis (as RITE)] ritualism /'ritjuo,l1z(2)m/ n. the regular or excessive practice of ritual. 00 ritualist n. ritualistic /-'listik/ adj. ritualistically /-lustrkali/ adv. ritzy /'ritz1/ adj. (ritzier, ritziest) collog. 1 high-class, luxurious. 2 ostentatiously smart. oo ritzily adv. ritziness n. [Ritz, the name of luxury hotels f. C. Ritz, Swiss hotel-owner d. 1918]

rival /'rarv(s)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a person competing with another for the same objective. 2 a person or thing that equals another in quality. 3 (attrib.) being a rival or rivals (a rival firm). —v.tr. (rivalled, rivalling; US rivaled, rivaling) 1 be the rival of or comparable to. 2 seem or claim to be as good as. [L rivalis, orig. = using the same stream, f. rivus stream]

rivalry /'rarvalri/ n. (pl. -ies) the state or an instance of being rivals; competition. rive /rarv| v. (past rived; past part. riven |'rrv(a)n/) archaic or poet. 1 tr. split or tear apart violently. 2 a tr. split (wood or stone). b intr. be split. [ME f. ON rifa] river /'rrva(r)/ n. 1. a copious natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea or a lake etc. 2 a copious flow (a river of lava; rivers of blood). 3 (attrib.) (in the names of animals, plants, etc.) living in or associated with the river. o river blindness a tropical disease of the skin caused by a parasitic worm, the larvae of which can migrate into the eye and cause blindness. river capture the diversion of the upper headwaters of a mountain stream into a more powerful one. sell down the river collog. betray or let down. o© rivered adj. (also in comb.). riverless adj. [ME f. AF river, rivere, OF riviere river or river-bank ult. f. L riparius f. ripa bank] Rivera /ri'vera/, Diego (1886-1957), Mexican painter, the most celebrated figure in the revival of monumental fresco painting that is Mexico’s most distinctive contribution to modern art. His most ambitious scheme, in the National Palace, portrays the history of Mexico; begun in 1929 and left unfinished at his death, it contains some of his most magnificent work, frankly didactic and intended to inspire a sense of nationalist and socialist identity.

rishi /'rif1/ n. (pl. rishis) a Hindu sage or saint. [Skr. risi] risible /'riz1b(9)l/ adj. 1 laughable, ludicrous. 2 inclined to laugh. 3 Anat. relating to laughter (risible nerves). 00 risibility /-'brliti/ n. risibly adv. [LL risibilis f. L ridére ris- laugh]

rising /'raizin/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 going up; getting higher. 2 increasing (rising costs). 3 advancing to maturity or high standing (the rising generation; a rising young lawyer). 4 approaching a spe-

cified age (the rising fives). 5 (of ground) sloping upwards. —n. a revolt or insurrection. 0 rising damp moisture absorbed from the ground into a wall.

risk /risk/ n. & v. —n. 1 a chance or possibility of danger, loss, injury, or other adverse consequences (a health risk; a risk offire). 2 a person or thing causing a risk or regarded in relation to risk (is a poor risk). —v.tr. 1 expose to risk. 2 accept the chance of (could not risk getting wet). 3 venture on. O at risk exposed to danger. at one’s (own) risk accepting responsibility, agreeing

to make no claims. at the risk of with the possibility of (an adverse consequence). put at risk expose to danger. risk capital money put up for speculative business investment. risk one’s neck put one’s own life in danger. run a (or the) risk (often foll. by of) expose oneself to danger or loss etc. take (or run) a risk chance the possibility of danger etc. [F risque, risquer f. It. risco danger, riscare run into danger]

riverine /'riva,rain/ adj. of or on a river or river-bank; riparian. riverside /'rrva,sard/ n. the ground along a river-bank.

risky /'riski/ adj. (riskier, riskiest) 1 involving risk. 2 = RISQUE. 00 riskily adv. riskiness n.

Risorgimento /r1,so:d31'mentau/ n. hist. a movement for the unification and independence of Italy (achieved in 1870). It is associated with the names of Cavour, Mazzini, and Garibaldi. {It., = resurrection] risotto /ri'zptov/ n. (pl. -os) an Italian dish of rice cooked in stock with meat, onions, etc, [It.] risqué /'risker, -'ke1/ adj. (of a story etc.) slightly indecent or liable to shock. [F, past part. of risquer RISK] rissole /'risaul/ n. a compressed mixture of meat and spices, coated in breadcrumbs and fried. [F f. OF ruissole, roussole ult. f. LL russeolus reddish f. L russus red]

wz cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

rivet /'rivit/n. & v. —n.a nail or bolt for holding together metal plates etc., its headless end being beaten out or pressed down when in place. —v.tr. (riveted, riveting) 1 a join or fasten with rivets. b beat out or press down the end of (a nail or bolt). ¢ fix; make immovable. 2 a (foll. by on, upon) direct intently (one’s eyes or attention etc.), b (esp. as riveting adj.) engross (a person or the attention). 00 riveter n. [ME f. OF f. river clench, of unkn. orig.]

Riviera |,rrvi'esro/

1 that part of the Mediterranean coastal

region of southern France and northern Italy extending from Nice to La Spezia, famous for its scenic beauty, fertility, and mild climate, and with many fashionable resorts. 2 a region resembling this. [It., = sea-shore] i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

ov put

wu: too

9 ago

ai my

riviére

rob

1247

riviére /ri:v'jea(r), 'rrviea(r)/ n.a gem necklace. [F, = RIVER]

roadblock /'roudblok/ n. a barrier or barricade on a road, esp.

rivulet /'rrvjolit/ n. a small stream. [obs. riveret f. F, dimin. of riviére RIVER, perh. after It. rivoletto dimin. of rivolo dimin. of rivo f. L rivus stream]

one set up by the authorities to stop and examine traffic. roadie /'raudi/ n. collog. an assistant employed by a touring band of musicians to erect and maintain equipment. roadman /'raudmon/ n. (pl. -men) a man employed to repair or maintain roads.

Riyadh /ri'a:d/ the capital of Saudi Arabia; pop. (est. 1986) 1,500,000.

>

riyal var. of RIAL. RL abbr. Rugby League. rly. abbr. railway.

roadroller /'!ravd,rovla(r)/ n. a motor vehicle with a heavy

RM< abir. 1 (in the UK) Royal Marines. 2 Resident Magistrate. 3 (in the UK) Royal Mail. rm. abbr. room.

RMA abbr. Royal Military Academy. ¥r.m..S. abbr. Math. root-mean-square.

RMT

abbr. (in the UK) National Union of Rail, Maritime and

Transport Workers. {| Formed in 1990 by a merger of the NUR and NUS (sense 1).

RN abbr. 1 (in the UK) Royal Navy. 2 (in the UK) Registered Nurse. Rn symb. Chem. the element radon. . RNA abbr. ribonucleic acid (see entry). RNAS abbr. (in the UK) Royal Naval Air Service (or Station). RNLI abbr. (in the UK) Royal National Lifeboat Institution. RNZAF abbr. Royal New Zealand Air Force. RNZN abbr. Royal New Zealand Navy. roach! /rsot}/ n. (pl. same) a small freshwater fish, esp. Rutilus rutilus, allied to the carp. [ME f. OF roc(h)e, of unkn. orig.]

roach? /raotf/ n. 1 US collog. a cockroach. 2 sl. the butt of a marijuana cigarette. [abbr.] roach? /root{/ n. Naut. an upward curve in the foot of a square sail. [18th c.: orig. unkn.] road! /roud/ n. 1 a a path or way with a specially prepared surface, used by vehicles, pedestrians, etc. b the part of this used by vehicles (don’t step in the road). 2 one’s way or route (our road took us through unexplored territory). 3 an underground passage in a mine. 4 US a railway. 5 (usu. in pl.) a partly sheltered piece of water near the shore in which ships can ride at anchor. O by road using transport along roads. get out of the (or my etc.) road collog. cease to obstruct a person. in the (or my etc.) road collog. obstructing a person or thing. one for the road collog. a final (esp. alcoholic) drink before departure. on the road travelling, esp. as a firm’s representative, itinerant performer, or vagrant. road fund Brit. hist. a fund for the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges. road fund licence Brit. a disc displayed on a vehicle certifying payment of road tax. road-hog collog. a reckless or inconsiderate road-user, esp. a motorist. road-holding the capacity of a moving vehicle to remain stable when cornering at high speeds etc. road-house an inn or club on a major road. road hump = sleeping policeman (see SLEEP). road-manager the organizer and supervisor of a musicians’ tour. road-map a map showing the roads of a country or area. road-metal broken stone used in road-making or for railway ballast. road semse a person’s capacity for safe behaviour on the road, esp. in traffic. road show 1 a a performance given by a touring company, esp. a group of pop musicians. b a company giving such performances. 2 a radio or television programme done cn location. road sign a sign giving information or instructions to road users. road tax a periodic

tax payable on road vehicles. road test a test of the performance of a vehicle on the road. road-test v.tr. test (a vehicle) on the road. the road to the way of getting to or achieving (the road to London; the road to ruin). road train a large lorry pulling one or more trailers. rule of the road the custom or law regulating which side of the road is to be taken by vehicles (also riders or ships) meeting or passing each other. take the road set out. oo roadless adj. [OE rad f. ridan RIDE]

road? /raud/ v.tr. (also absol.) (of a dog) follow up (a game-bird) by the scent of its trail. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

roadbed /'raudbed/ n. 1 the foundation structure of a railway. 2 the material laid down to form a road. 3 US the part of a road on which vehicles travel. av how

er day

av no

ea hair

io near

or boy

va poor

roller, used in road-making. roadrunner /'raud,rana(r)/ n. a bird of Mexican and US deserts, Geococcyx californianus, related to the cuckoo, and a poor flier but fast runner.

roadside /'raudsaid/ n. the strip of land beside a road. roadstead /'raudsted/ n. = ROAD! 5. [ROAD! + stead in obs. sense ‘place’] roadster /'roudsta(r)/ n. 1 an open car without rear seats. 2 a horse or bicycle for use on the road.

Road Town the capital of the British Virgin Islands, situated on the island of Tortola; pop. (1980) 3,000. roadway /'roudwei/ n. 1 a road. 2 = ROAD! 1b. 3the part of a bridge or railway used for traffic.

roadwork /'raudwa:k/ n. 1 (in pl.) the construction or repair of roads, or other work involving digging up a road surface. 2 athletic exercise or training involving running on roads.

roadworthy /'raud,ws:61/ adj. 1 fit to be used on the road. 2 (of a person) fit to travel. o0 roadworthiness n. roam /raum/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. ramble, wander. 2 tr. travel unsystematically over, through, or about. —n. an act of roaming; a ramble. 00 roamer n. [ME: orig. unkn.] roan! /roon/ adj. & n. —adj. (of an animal, esp. a horse or cow) having a coat of which the prevailing colour is thickly interspersed with hairs of another colour, esp. bay or sorrel or

chestnut mixed with white or grey. —n. a roan animal. 0 blue roan adj. black mixed with white. —n. a blue roan animal. red roan adj. bay mixed with white or grey. —n. a red roan animal. strawberry roan adj. chestnut mixed with white or grey. —n. a strawberry roan animal. [OF, of unkn. orig.] roan? /roun| n. soft sheepskin leather used in bookbinding as a substitute for morocco. [ME, perh. f. Roan, old name of ROUEN] roar /ro:(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a loud deep hoarse sound, as made by a lion, a person in pain or rage or excitement, thunder, a loud engine, etc. 2 a loud laugh. —v, 1 intr. a utter or make a roar. b utter loud laughter. ¢ (of a horse) make a loud noise in breathing as a symptom of disease. 2 intr. travel in a vehicle at high speed, esp. with the engine roaring. 3 tr. (often foll. by out) say, sing, or utter (words, an oath, etc.) in aloud tone. 00 roarer n. [OE rarian, of imit. orig.] roaring /'ro:r1n/ adj. in senses of ROAR v. 0 roaring drunk very drunk and noisy. roaring forties stormy ocean tracts between lat. 40° and 50° S. roaring trade (or business) very brisk trade or business. roaring twenties the decade of the 1920s (with ref. to its postwar buoyancy). 00 roaringly adv. roast /roust/ v., adj.. & n. —v. 1 tr. a cook (food, esp. meat) in an oven or by exposure to open heat. b heat (coffee beans) before grinding. 2 tr. heat (the ore of metal) in a furnace. 3 tr. a expose (a torture victim) to fire or great heat. b tr. & refl. expose (oneself or part of oneself) to warmth. 4 tr. criticize severely, denounce. 5 intr. undergo roasting. —attrib.adj. (of meat or a potato, chestnut, etc.) roasted. —n. 1 a roast meat. ba dish of this. ca piece of meat for roasting. 2 the process of roasting. 3 US a party where roasted food is eaten. [ME f. OF rost, rostir, f. Gmc] roaster /'rausta(r)/ 1. 1 a person or thing that roasts. 2 a an oven or dish for roasting food in. b an ore-roasting furnace. ¢ a coffee-roasting apparatus. 3 something fit for roasting. roasting /'raustin/ adj. & n. —adj. very hot. —n. 1 in senses of ROAST v. 2 a severe criticism or denunciation. rob /rob/ v.tr. (robbed, robbing) (often foll. by of) 1 take unlawfully from, esp. by force or threat of force (robbed the safe; robbed her of her jewels). 2 deprive of what is due or normal (was robbed of my sleep). 3 (absol.) commit robbery. 0 rob Peter to pay Paul take away from one to give to another, discharge one debt by incurring another. [ME f. OF rob(b)er f. Gmc: cf. REAVE]

aro fire

auoa sour

(see over for consonants)

robber

eT

i

Rob Roy

1248

ee

de (1758-94), French revolutionary. A lawyer of some distinction, Robespierre entered politics in the early days of the French

robber /'rpb(r)/ n. a person who commits robbery. 0 robber baron 1 a plundering feudal lord. 2 an unscrupulous plutocrat. [ME f. AF & OF (as RoB)]

Revolution, and, although initially a moderate, drifted gradually towards the extreme left. Allying himself with the radical Jacobins, he purged the more moderate Girondins and instituted the Terror to rid himself of political opponents. As the pace of executions quickened, many of Robespierre’s Revolutionary colleagues began to fear that he had gone mad and eventually they rose against him, sending him to the guillotine in July 1794.

robbery /'rpberi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a the act or process of robbing, esp. with force or threat of force. b an instance of this. 2 excessive financial demand or cost (set us back £20—it was sheer robbery). [ME f. OF roberie (as RoB)]

Robbia /'rpbro/, della. The name of a family of Florentine sculptors and ceramists of whom Luca (1400-82) is the most famous. His Singing Gallery for Florence Cathedral (1431-8) reinterpreted in marble relief antique motifs of singing and dancing youths with a delightful tenderness and sympathy, and it is this quality in his work that characterizes his output, particularly his half-length Madonna and Child in glazed white terracotta on blue ground. His nephew Andrea (1435-1525) carried on the family business; the roundels of infants on the Foundling Hospital in Florence (1463-6) have been attributed to him.

Robbins /'robinz/, Jerome (1918— ), American choreographer and director, originally a dancer. His adaptation of his first

Robey /'roubi/, Sir George (1869-1954), the name adopted by George Edward Wade, British music-hall comedian, who became known as ‘the Prime Minister of mirth’. robin /'rpbin/ n. 1 (also robin redbreast) a small brown European bird, Erithacus rubecula, the adult of which has a red throat and breast. 2 US a red-breasted thrush, Turdus migratorius. 3 a bird similar in appearance etc. to either of these. [ME f. OF, familiar var. of the name Robert]

Robin Goodfellow |,robin 'gudfelou/ see Puck. Robin Hood /|,rvbin 'hud/ a semi-legendary English medieval

ballet Fancy Free (1944) as the musical On the Town led to a long series of successful musicals including The King and I (1951), West Side Story (1957), Funny Girl (1964), and Fiddler on the Roof (1964).

Though much of his work draws on jazz and modern dance he has also created a number of ballets with music by classical composers. robe /roub/ n. & v. —n. 1a long loose outer garment. 2 esp. US a dressing-gown. 3 a baby’s outer garment esp. at a christening. 4 (often in pl.) a long outer garment worn as an indication of the wearer’s rank, office, profession, etc.; a gown or vestment. 5 US a blanket or wrap of fur. —v. 1 tr. clothe (a person) in a robe; dress. 2 intr. put on one’s robes or vestments. [ME f. OF f. Gmc (as ROB, orig. sense ‘booty’)]

Robert /'rpbot/ the name of three kings of Scotland: Robert I ‘the Bruce’ (1274-1329), reigned 1306-29. One of several competitors for the Scottish throne, Bruce eventually took up the leadership of the struggle against the English after the death of Sir William Wallace. Initially he suffered a series of defeats at the hands of Edward I and various Scottish rivals, but after several years as a fugitive he returned to lead a successful campaign against Edward II, culminating in his great victory at Bannockburn. He then went on to re-establish Scotland as a kingdom in its own right and to force the Plantagenets, at least temporarily, to give up their claim to overlordship. Robert II ‘the Steward’ (1316-90), grandson of Robert the Bruce, reigned 1371-90. The first of the Stuart line, he succeeded his uncle David II at an advanced age and proved incapable of strong government. By the time of Robert’s death the lawlessness of the Scottish nobility, which was to dominate the country’s affairs for more than a century, had already become a serious problem. Robert III (c.1337—1406), illegitimate son of Robert II, reigned 1390-1406, he changed his name from John to Robert on coming to the throne. Like his father, Robert III was senescent by the time he became king and proved unable to check the spread of noble lawlessness, in which his own brother Alexander, ‘the Wolf of Badenoch’, was a prime culprit. He described himself on his deathbed as ‘the worst of kings and most miserable of men’. Roberts /'robats/, Frederick Sleigh, 1st Earl Roberts of Kandahar (1832-1914), British military leader, whose career spanned the great age of British imperialism. He won a Victoria Cross during

the Indian Mutiny and in 1880 commanded the British army which ended the Second Afghan War with a victory at Kandahar. In 1899 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief in South Africa and planned the successful march on the Boer capital of Pretoria.

outlaw, reputed to have robbed the rich and helped the poor. Although generally associated with Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire in the legends which sprang up around him, it seems likely that the real Robin Hood operated further north, in Yorkshire, most probably in the early decades of the 13th c.

robinia /ro'binra/ n. any N. American tree or shrub of the genus Robinia, e.g. a locust tree or false acacia. [mod.L, f.J. Robin, 17th-c. French gardener] Robinson! /'robins(a)n/, Edward G. (real name Emanuel Goldenberg, 1893-1972), Romanian-born American actor. After playing the part of a gangster in Little Caesar (1930) he became particularly associated with racketeer or tough-guy characters

in the 1930s, but later played a wider range of roles.

Robinson? /'rpbins(2)n/, Sugar Ray (real name Walker Smith, 1920-89), American boxer, world welterweight champion 1946— 51 and middleweight champion five times between 1951 and 1960.

Robinson Crusoe /|,robins(a)n 'kru:sou/ the hero of a novel (1719) by Defoe, based on an adventure of Alexander Selkirk who lived alone on the uninhabited Pacific Island of Juan Fernandez for five years (1704—9).

roborant /'rauberent, 'rpb-/ adj. & n. Med. —adj. strengthening. —n.a strengthening drug. [L roborare f. robur -oris strength] robot /'roubpt/ n. 1 a machine with a human appearance or functioning like a human. 2 a machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. 3 a person who works mechanically and efficiently but insensitively. 4 S._Afr. an automatic traffic-signal. 00 robotic /-'bptrk/ adj. robotize v.tr. (also ~ise). [Czech (in K. Capek’s play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) 1920), f. robota forced labour] robotics /rau'botiks/ n.pl. the study of robots; the art or science of their design, construction, operation, and application. The term originated in the science fiction stories of Isaac Asimov, American scientist and writer, but is now used of automatic processes in industry. The discipline is concerned with building robots, programmable devices consisting of fixed or mobile mechanical manipulators and sensory organs, which are linked to a computer. Simple robots are widely used in production engineering, especially where a variety of goods is to be produced with minimum changeover time. Such robots have very little (if any) sensory capability and follow a fixed but reprogrammable sequence of instructions. Important goals of robot-

ics research in artifical intelligence are (i) to program robots off line using a high-level computing language, especially including a degree of automatic planning and recovery from errors, and (ii) to provide the robot with sensors—typically a television camera—and to use sensory perception to guide it in a flexible manner. Goals of robotic research in mechanical and production engineering are to improve dynamic performance and to design robot systems able to handle the assembly of complex objects.

Robeson /'raubs(2)n/, Paul Bustill (1898-1976), American Black actor and singer. His singing of ‘Ole Man River’ in the London production of Show Boat (1928) first revealed his superb bass voice, and he gave many recitals of Negro spirituals. He did much to further the interests of Blacks but his visit to Russia in 1963 as an avowed Communist aroused much controversy.

Rob Roy /rob 'roi/ (Robert MacGregor, 1671-1734), Scottish highland bandit, popularized in Sir Walter Scott’s novel of the same name, who was heavily involved in blackmail and cattle

Robespierre /'raubzpjea(r)/, Maximilien Francois Marie Isidore b but

d dog

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j yes

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t top

v voice

Robsart theft in the area north of Loch Lomond. He proclaimed his support for the Old Pretender in 1715, but failed to commit his men to battle.

Robsart /'robsa:t/, Amy (1532-60), the first wife of Robert Dudley (later Earl of Leicester), a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. Her mysterious death at Cumnor Place, a country house near Oxford, aroused suspicions that her husband had had her killed (with or without Elizabeth’s connivance) so that he could be free to marry the Queen: Sir Walter Scott’s novel Kenilworth (1821) is based on the tradition of her tragic fate.

Robson /'robs(2)n/, Dame Flora (1902-85), English actress, an outstanding tension.

player of parts demanding

controlled

nervous

robust /rou'bast/ adj. (robuster, robustest) 1 (of a person, animal, or thing) strong and sturdy, esp. in physique or construction. 2 (of exercise, discipline, etc.) vigorous, requiring strength. 3 (of intellect or mental attitude) straightforward, not given to nor confused by subtleties. 4 (of a statement, reply, etc.) bold, firm, unyielding. 5 (of wine etc.) full-bodied. oo robustly adv. robustness n. [F robuste or L robustus firm and hard f. robus, robur oak, strength]

ROC abbr. (in the UK) Royal Observer Corps. roe /rok/ n. a gigantic bird of Eastern legend. [Sp. rocho ult. f. Arab ruk] rocaille /rau'kai/ n. 1 an 18th-c. style of ornamentation based on rock and shell motifs. 2 a rococo style. [F f. roc (as ROCK})]

rocambole

rocket

1249

/'rokem,boul/ n. an alliaceous plant, Allium sco-

rodoprasum, with a garlic-like bulb used for seasoning. [F f. G Rockenbolle]

roche moutennée |,rof mu:'tpnei/ n. Geol. a small bare outcrop of rock shaped by glacial erosion, with one side smooth and gently sloping and the other steep, rough and irregular. [F, = fleecy rock]

Rochester /'rotJrsta(r)/, John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of (1647-80), English poet, one of the ‘court wits’ surrounding Charles II. According to Samuel Johnson he ‘blazed out his youth and health in lavish voluptuousness’; at the end of his short life he had moved towards religious conversion. His poems (often erotic and sometimes pornographic) combine a brilliant wit with an emotional complexity, and with his social and literary verse satires he was one of the first Augustans. These works include his tough self-dramatization ‘The Maimed Debauchee’, the grimly funny ‘Upon Nothing’, and the Satyr against Mankind

(1675).

of pipit, Anthus spinoletta, frequenting rocky shores. rock-plant any plant growing on or among rocks. rock python any large snake of the family Boidae, esp. the African python Python sebae. rock-rabbit any of several species of hyrax. rock rose any plant of the genus Cistus, Helianthemum, etc., with rose-like

flowers. rock-salmon 1 any of several fishes, esp. Brit. (as a commercial name) the catfish and dogfish. 2 US an amberjack. rock-salt common salt as a solid mineral. rock-wool inorganic material made into matted fibre esp. for insulation or soundproofing. 00 rockless adj. rocklet n. rocklike adj. Lio i OF ro(c)que, roche, med.L rocca, of unkn. orig.] rock? /rpk/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. move gently to and fro in or as ifin a cradle; set or maintain such motion (rock him to sleep; the ship was rocked by the waves). 2 intr. be or continue in such motion (sat rocking in his chair; the ship was rocking on the waves). 3 a intr. sway from side to side; shake, oscillate, reel (the house rocks). b tr. cause to do this (an earthquake rocked the house). 4 tr. distress, perturb. 5 intr. dance to or play rock music. —n. 1 a rocking movement (gave the chair a rock). 2.a spell of rocking (had a rock in his chair). 3 a = rock and roll. b any of a variety of types of modern popular music with a rocking or swinging beat, derived from rock and roll. (See below.) 0 rock and (or rock ’n’) roll a type of popular dance-music originating in the 1950s, characterized by a heavy beat and simple melodies, often with a blues element. rock and (or rock ’n’) roller a devotee of rock and roll. rock the boat collog. disturb the equilibrium of a situation. rocking-chair a chair mounted on rockers or springs for gently rocking in. rocking-horse a model of a horse on rockers or springs for a child to rock on. rocking-stone a poised boulder easily rocked. rock-shaft a shaft that oscillates about an axis without making complete revolutions. [OE roccian, prob. f. Gmc] Rock and roll, developed in the 1950s, was an amalgam of the styles of American White country music and Black rhythm and blues; its most famous figure was Elvis Presley (see entry), and its established format was the short (three-minute) song. In the 1960s and 1970s styles became more diverse, with much improvisation and experimentation, with emphasis on themes of youth protest and sometimes with cryptic references to hallucinogenic drugs. Amplified singing, electric instruments, and a prominent rhythm section have been elements throughout, ina style intended to encourage people to dance, and its appeal is chiefly to the young. The term ‘rock’ applies strictly to the style that emerged in the mid-1960s, but is used more widely to include ‘rock and roll’ too, and now frequently encompasses most modern popular music (‘pop’) with a rocking or swinging beat.

rochet /'rptfit/ n. a vestment resembling a surplice, used chiefly by bishops and abbots. [ME f. OF, dimin. f. Gmc]

rockabilly /'roko,bili/ n. a type of popular music combining

rock! /rpk/ n. 1 a the hard material of the earth’s crust, exposed

roll and hill-billy] Rockall /'rpko:1/ a rocky islet in the North Atlantic, about

on the surface or underlying the soil. b a similar material on other planets. 2 Geol. any natural material, hard or soft (e.g. clay), consisting of one or more minerals..3 a a mass of rock projecting and forming a hill, cliff, reef, etc. b (the Rock) Gibraltar. 4a large detached stone. 5 US a stone of any size. 6 a firm and dependable support or protection. 7 a source of danger or destruction. 8 Brit. a hard usu. cylindrical stick of confectionery made from sugar with flavouring esp. of peppermint. 9 (in pl.) US sl. money. 10 sl. a precious stone, esp. a diamond. 11 sl. a solid form of cocaine. 12 (in pl.) coarse sl. the testicles. o get one’s rocks off coarse sl. 1 achieve sexual satisfaction. 2 obtain enjoyment. on the rocks collog. 1 short of money. 2 broken down. 3 (of a drink) served undiluted with ice-cubes. rock-bed a base of rock or a rocky bottom. rock-bottom adj. (of prices etc.) the very lowest. —n. the very lowest level. rock-bound (of a coast) rocky and inaccessible. rock-cake a small currant cake with a hard rough surface. rock-candy US = sense 8 ofn. rock cress = ARABIS. rock-crystal transparent

colourless quartz usu. in hexagonal prisms. rock-dove a wild dove, Columba livia, frequenting rocks, supposed ancestor of the domestic pigeon. rock-face a vertical surface of natural rock. rock-fish a rock-frequenting goby, bass, wrasse, catfish, etc. rock-garden an artifical mound or bank of earth and stones planted with rock-plants etc.; a garden in which rockeries are the chief feature. rock-pigeon = rock-dove. rock-pipit a species

wwe

zzoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

elements of rock and roll and hill-billy music. [blend of rock and

400 km (250 miles) north-west of Ireland.

rockburst /'rokbs:st/ n. a sudden rupture or collapse of highly stressed rock in a mine.

Rockefeller /'roko,fela(r)/, John Davison (1839-1937), American industrialist. One of the first to recognize the industrial possibilities of oil, Rockefeller established the Standard Oil Company and by the end of the 1870s exercised a virtual monopoly over oil refining and transportation in the US. Early in the 20th c. he handed over his business interests to his son and devoted his immense private fortune to various philanthropic projects. rocker /'roko(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that rocks. 2 a curved bar or similar support, on which something can rock. 3 a rocking-chair. 4 Brit. a young devotee of rock music, characteristically associated with leather clothing and motor cycles. 5 a skate with a highly curved blade. 6 a switch constructed on a pivot mechanism operating between the ‘on’ and ‘off’ positions. 7 any rocking device forming part of a mechanism. O off one’s rocker sl. crazy. rockery /'rokori/‘n. (pl. -ies) a heaped arrangement of rough stones with soil between them for growing rock-plants on.

rocket! /'rpkit/ n. & v. —n. 1 a cylindrical projectile that can be propelled to a great height or distance by combustion of its contents, used esp. as a firework or signal. 2 an engine using a tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

rocket

similar principle but not dependent on air intake for its operation. 3 a rocket-propelled missile, spacecraft, etc. (See below.) 4 Brit. sl. a severe reprimand. —v. (rocketed, rocketing) 1 tr. bombard with rockets. 2 intr. a move rapidly upwards or away. b increase rapidly (prices rocketed). [F roquette f. It. rochetto dimin. of rocca ROCK?, with ref. to its cylindrical shape] The use of rockets (probably of the fireworks type) as a weapon of war dates from the 13th c. in both China and Europe. They were developed and used in warfare over the centuries, but by the mid-19th c. could not compete with improved artillery. In

1926 the work of the American physicist R. H. Goddard resulted in the launching of the first rocket to use liquid fuel, an important development in the history of rocketry. The Germans devoted considerable effort towards rocket research and experimentation

rogation

1250

in the 1930s, and used both guided and ballistic

missiles (the V1 and V2) during the Second World War, after which von Braun and others of the German research team were recruited by the Americans to assist in the development of rockets which eventually launched vehicles into space.

rocket? /'rokit/ n. 1 (also sweet rocket) any of various fastgrowing plants, esp. of the genus Hesperis or Sisymbrium. 2 a cruciferous annual plant, Eruca sativa, grown for salad. o wall-rocket a yellow-flowered weed, Diplotaxis muralis, emitting a foul smell when crushed. yellow rocket winter cress. [F roquette f. It. rochetta, ruchetta dimin. of ruca f. L eruca downy-

stemmed plant] rocketeer /,roki'tia(r)/ n. 1 a discharger of rockets. 2 a rocket expert or enthusiast. rocketry /'rokitri/ n. the science or practice of rocket propulsion.

rockfall /'rokfo:1/ n. 1 a descent of loose rocks. 2 a mass of fallen rock.

Rockhampton /rok'hempt(s)n/ a town in Queensland, Australia, the centre of Australia’s largest beef-producing area; pop.

(est. 1987) 60,400.

rockhopper /'rok,hopa(r)/ n. a small penguin, Eudyptes crestatus, of the Antarctic and New Zealand, with a crest of feathers on the forehead. rockling /'roklin/ n. any of various small marine fish of the cod family, esp. of the genus Ciliata and Rhinomenus, found in pools among rocks. or abounding in rock or rocks (a rocky shore). 00 rockiness n.

rocky? /'roki/ adj. (rockier, rockiest) collog. unsteady, tottering. oo rockily adv. rockiness n. [ROCK?|

He collaborated with Lorenz Hart on musical shows such as The Girl Friend (1926). After Hart’s death in 1943, Oscar Hammerstein II became his lyric-writer and together they produced such triumphs as Oklahoma! (1943), Carousel (1945), South Pacific (1949), The King and I (1951), and The Sound of Music (1959).

rodham /'rpdem/ n. a raised bank in the Fen district of E. Anglia, formed on the bed of a dry river-course. [20th c.: orig. uncert.] Rodin /'raud#/, Auguste (1840-1917), the most celebrated sculptor of the French Romantic school, primarily a modeller rather than a carver in spite of being deeply influenced by

Michelangelo. His sketchy unfinished figures are reminiscent of contemporary impressionist paintings. Rodin began as a mason, but visited Italy in 1875, and first became known with alife-sized nude called Bronze Age (1877). Like that of his most famous work, the huge Gate of Hell (1880, unfinished), the title is virtually meaningless (the latter derives from Ghiberti’s Door of Paradise); it is actually a collection of nude figures, including one reused as The Thinker (1904). His works exist in many replicas; there are large collections in Paris (Musée Rodin), London, and Philadelphia. bragging talk or behaviour. 2 an instance of this. —adj. boastful or bragging. —v.intr. brag, talk boastfully. [F f. obs. It. rodomontada f. F rodomont & It. rodomonte f. the name of a boastful character in the Orlando epics] roe? /rau/ n. 1 (also hard roe) the mass of eggs in a female fish’s ovary. 2 (also soft roe) the milt of a male fish. 0 roe-stone oolite. 00 roed adj. (also in comb.). [ME row(e), rough, f. MLG,

roebuck /'raubak/ n. a male roe.

4,300 m (14,000 ft.).

rococo /re'koukou/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of a late baroque style of

decoration prevalent in 18th-c. continental Europe, with asymmetrical patterns involving scroll-work, shell motifs, etc. 2 (of literature, music, architecture, and the decorative arts) highly ornamented, florid. —n. the rococo style. [F, joc. alt. f. ROCAILLE] rod /rod/ n. 1 a slender straight bar esp. of wood or metal. 2 this as a symbol of office. 3 a a stick or bundle of twigs used in caning or flogging. b (prec. by the) the use of this. 4a = fishing-rod. b an angler using a rod. 5 aa slender straight round stick growing as a shoot on atree. b this when cut. 6 (as a measure) a perch or square perch (see PERCH! and GUNTER). 7

US sl. = hot rod. 8 US sl. a pistol or revolver. 9 Anat. any of numerous rod-shaped structures in the eye, detecting dim light.

Oo make a rod for one’s own back act in a way that will bring one trouble later. 00 rodless adj. rodlet n. rodlike adj. [OE rodd, prob. rel. to ON rudda club]

rode! past of RIDE. rode? /raud/ v.intr. 1 (of wildfowl) fly landwards in the evening. 2 (of woodcock) fly in the evening during the breeding season. [18th c.: orig, unkn.]

rodent /'rovd(2)nt/ n. & adj. —n. any mammal of the order Rodentia with strong incisors and no canine teeth, e.g. rat,

3: her

Rodgers /'rod3oz/, Richard (1902-79), American song-writer.

roe? /rau/ n. (pl. same or roes) (also roe-deer) a small European and Asian deer, Capreolus capreolus. [OE ra(ha)]

of western North America extending from the US—Mexico border to the Yukon Territory of Canada. Several peaks rise to over

e bed

rodeo /'raudisu, ra'detsu/ n. (pl. -os) 1 an exhibition or entertainment involving cowboys’ skills in handling animals. Rodeo was born in the southern States of the US after the Civil War, when Texan cowboys, driving their cattle to the north and west in search of new markets, had to find their own amusements. They did so with riding and roping contests, which presently became public entertainments. 2 an exhibition of other skills, e.g. in motor cycling. 3 a a round-up of cattle on a ranch for branding etc. b an enclosure for this. [Sp. f. rodear go round ult. f. L rotare ROTATE}]

MDu. roge(n), OHG rogo, rogan, ON hrogn]

Rocky Mountains (also Rockies) the great mountain system

a: arm

rodenticide /ra'denti,sa1d/ n. a poison used to kill rodents.

rodomontade |,rodompn'teid/ n., adj., & v. —n. 1 boastful or

rocky! /'roki/ adj. (rockier, rockiest) 1 of or like rock. 2 full of

x cat

mouse, squirrel, beaver, porcupine. —adj. 1 of the order Rodentia. 2 gnawing (esp. Med. of slow-growing ulcers). 0 rodent officer Brit. an official dealing with rodent pests. 00 rodential |-'den{(a)l/ adj. [L rodere ros- gnaw]

1 sit

roentgen /'rantjan/ n. a unit of ionizing radiation, the amount

producing one electrostatic unit of positive or negative ionic charge in one cubic centimetre of air under standard conditions. O roentgen rays X-rays. [W. C. RONTGEN]

roentgenography

|,rantjo'nvgrofi/

n. photography

using

X-rays.

roentgenology |,rantja'npled31/ n. = RADIOLOGY. Roeselare |,ru:so'lzra/ (French Roulers /ru:'lea(r)/) a textilemanufacturing town in Belgium, 12 km (20 miles) south-west of Bruges; pop. (1988) 52,160. rogation /rou'ger{(2)n/ n. (usu. in pl.) Eccl. a solemn supplication consisting of the litany of the saints chanted on the three Rogation days before Ascension day. 0 Rogation Days certain days prescribed in the Western Church for prayer and fasting, on which intercession is made especially for the harvest. The Major Rogation (25 Apr.) is a Christianized version of pagan ritual processions through the cornfields to pray for the preservation of the crops from mildew. The Minor Rogations are kept on the three days before Ascension Day, and originated in 5th-c. Gaul to protect the land against earthquakes and other perils; these days (only) are prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer. In England the traditional ceremony of beating the parish bounds

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roger

is associated with this observance. Rogation Sunday the Sunday before Ascension Day. 00 rogational adj. [ME f. L rogatio f. rogare ask] roger |'rod3o(r)/ int. & v. —int. 1 your message has been received and understood (used in radio communication etc.). 2 sl. lagree. —v. coarse sl. 1 intr. have sexual intercourse. 2 tr. have sexual intercourse with (a woman). [the name Roger, code for R] rogue /rsug/n. & v. —n. 1a dishonest or unprincipled person. 2 joc. a mischievous person, esp. a child. 3 (usu. attrib.) a a wild animal driven away or living apart from the herd and of fierce temper (rogue elephant). b a stray, irresponsible, or undisciplined person or thing (rogue trader). 4 an inferior or defective specimen among many acceptable ones. —v.tr. remove rogues (sense 4 of n.) from. O rogues’ gallery a collection of photographs. of known criminals etc., used for identification of suspects. [16th-c. cant word: orig. unkn.] roguery /'rovgeri/ n. (pl. -ies) conduct or an action characteristic of rogues.

roguish /‘raug1f/ adj. 1 playfully mischievous. 2 characteristic of rogues. 50 roguishly adv. roguishness n.

roil /roi/ v.tr. 1 make (a liquid) turbid by agitating it. 2 US = RILE 1. [perh. f. OF ruiler mix mortar f. LL regulare regulate] roister /'rorsta(r)/ v.intr. (esp. as roistering adj.) revel noisily; be uproarious. 00 roisterer n. roistering n. roisterous adj. [obs. roister roisterer f. F rustre ruffian var. of ruste f. L rusticus RUSTIC]

Roland /'raulend/ the most famous of Charlemagne’s paladins, hero of the Chanson de Roland (12th c.) and other (esp. French and Italian) medieval romances. He is said to have become a friend of Oliver, another paladin, after contending with him in single combat in which neither won. Roland was killed in a rearguard action at Roncesvalles (see entry). 0 a Roland for an Oliver -1 an effective retort. 2 a well-balanced combat or exchange. role /roul/ n. (also réle) 1 an actor’s part ina play, film, etc. 2a person’s or thing’s characteristic or expected function {the role of the tape recorder in language-learning). 0 role model a person looked to by others as an example in a particular role. role-playing an exercise in which participants act the part of another character, used in psychotherapy, language-teaching, etc. [F réle and obs. F roule, rolle, = ROLL n.] roll /roul/ v. & n. —v. 1 a intr. move or go in some direction by turning over and over on an axis (the ball rolled under the table; a barrel started rolling). b tr. cause to do this (rolled the barrel into the cellar). 2 tr. make revolve between two surfaces (rolled the clay between his palms). 3 a intr. (foll. by along, by, etc.) move or advance on or (of time etc.) as if on wheels etc. (the bus rolled past; the pram rolled off the pavement; the years rolled by). b tr. cause to do this (rolled the tea trolley into the kitchen). ¢ intr. (of a person) be conveyed in a vehicle (the farmer rolled by on his tractor). 4 a tr. turn over and over on itself to form a more or less cylindrical or spherical shape (rolled a newspaper). b tr. make by forming material into a cylinder or ball (rolled a cigarette; rolled a huge snowball). ¢ tr. accumulate into a mass (rolled the dough into a ball). d intr. (foll. by into) make a specified shape of itself (the hedgehog rolled into a ball). 5 tr. flatten or form by passing a roller etc. over or by passing between rollers (roll the lawn; roll pastry; roll thin foil). 6 intr. & tr. change or cause to change direction by rotatory movement (his eyes rolled; he rolled his eyes). 7 intr. a wallow, turn about in a fluid or a loose medium (the dog rolled in the dust). b (of a horse etc.) lie on its back and kick about, esp. in an attempt to dislodge its rider. 8 intr. a (of a moving ship, aircraft, or vehicle) sway to and fro on an axis parallel to the direction of motion. b walk with an unsteady swaying gait (they rolled out of the pub). 9 a intr. undulate, show or go with an undulating surface or motion (rolling hills; rolling mist; the waves roll in). b tr. carry or propel with such motion (the river rolls its waters to the sea). 10 a intr. (of machinery) start functioning or moving (the cameras rolled; the train began to roll). b tr. cause (machinery) to do this. 11 intr. & tr. sound or utter with a vibratory or trilling effect (words rolled off his tongue; thunder rolled in the distance; he rolls his rs). 12 US sl. a tr. overturn (a car etc.). b intr. (of a car etc.) overturn. 13 tr. US throw (dice). 14 tr. sl. rob (esp. a helpless victim). —n. 1 a rolling motion or gait; undulation (the roll of

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or boy

va poor

the hills). 2 a a spell of rolling (a roll in the mud). b a gymnastic exercise in which the body is rolled into a tucked position and turned in a forward or backward circle. ¢ (esp. a roll in the hay) collog. an act of sexual intercourse or erotic fondling. 3 the continuous rhythmic sound of thunder or a drum. 4 Aeron. a complete revolution of an aircraft about its longitudinal axis. 5 a a cylinder formed by turning flexible material over and over on itself without folding (a roll of carpet; a roll of wallpaper). b a filled cake or pastry of similar form (fig roll; sausage roll). 6 aa small portion of bread individually baked. b this with a specified filling (ham roll). 7 a more or less cylindrical or semicylindrical straight or curved mass of something (rolls offat; a roll of hair). 8 a an Official list or register (the electoral roll). b the total numbers on this (the schools’ rolls have fallen). ¢ a document, esp. an official record, in scroll form. 9 a cylinder or roller, esp. to shape metal in a rolling-mill. 10 Archit. a a moulding of convex section. b a spiral scroll of an Ionic capital. 11 US & Austral. money, esp. as

banknotes rolled together. o be rolling collog. be very rich. be rolling in collog. have plenty of (esp. money). on a roll US sl. experiencing a bout of success or progress; engaged in a period of intense activity. roll back US cause (esp. prices) to decrease. roll-back n. a reduction (esp. in price). roll bar an overhead metal bar strengthening the frame of a vehicle (esp. in racing) and protecting the occupants if the vehicle overturns. roll-call a process of calling out a list of names to establish who is present. rolled gold gold in the form of a thin coating applied to a baser metal by rolling. rolled into one combined in one person or thing. rolled oats oats that have been husked and crushed. roll in arrive in great numbers or quantity. rolling barrage = creeping barrage. rolling drunk swaying or staggering from drunkenness. rolling-mill a machine or factory for rolling metal into shape. rolling-pin a cylinder for rolling out pastry, dough, etc. rolling-stock 1 the locomotives, carriages, or other vehicles, used on a railway. 2 US the road vehicles of a company. rolling stone a person who is unwilling to settle for long in one place. rolling strike industrial action through a series of limited strikes by consecutive groups. roll-neck (of a garment) having a high loosely turned-over neck. roll of honour a list of those honoured, esp. the dead in war. roll on v.tr. 1 put on or apply by rolling. 2 (in imper.) collog. (of a time, in eager expectation) come quickly (roll on Friday’). roll-on (attrib.) (of deodorant etc.) applied by means ofa rotating ball in the neck of the container. —n. a light elastic corset. roll-on roll-off (of a ship, a method of transport, etc.) in which vehicles are driven directly on at the start of the voyage and off at the end of it. roll over 1 send (a person) sprawling or rolling. 2 Econ. finance the repayment of (maturing stock etc.) by an issue of new stock. roll-over n. 1 Econ. the extension or transfer of a debt or other financial relationship. 2 collog. the overturning of a vehicle etc. roll-top desk a desk with a flexible cover sliding in curved grooves. roll up 1 collog. arrive in a vehicle; appear on the scene. 2 make into or form a roll. 3 Mil. drive the flank of (an enemy line) back and round so that the line is shortened or surrounded. roll-up (or roll-your-own) n. a hand-rolled cigarette. roll up one’s sleeves see SLEEVE. strike off the rolls debar (esp. a solicitor) from practising after dishonesty etc. 00 rollable adj. [ME f. OF rol(l)er, rouler, ro(u)lle f. L votulus dimin. of rota wheel]

Rolland /rp'la/, Romain (1866-1944), French writer and critic of art.and music, who published an Histoire de V’opéra (1895) and

achieved success with a lyrically written life of Beethoven (1903) and similar studies on Michelangelo (1908) and Tolstoy (1911). His stage works include three dramas of the Revolution; his best-known work Jean-Christophe (1906-12) is a roman-fleuve about a German composer. Rolland’s pamphlet Au-dessus de la mélée (1915) was an appeal to both sides to agitate for peace in place of fanatical patriotism; it aroused resentment in many quarters. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1915.

rollaway /'ravla,wei/ adj. US (of a bed etc.) that can be removed on wheels or castors.

roller /'ravla(r)/ n. 1 a a hard revolving cylinder for smoothing the ground, spreading ink or paint, crushing or stamping, rolling up cloth on, hanging a towel on, etc., used alone or as a

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

rollerball

Romanesque

1252

an epistle of St Paul to the Church at Rome. o Roman candle a firework discharging a series of flaming coloured balls and sparks. Roman Catholic adj. of the Roman Catholic Church (see separate entry). —n. a member of this Church. Roman Catholicism the beliefs and practice of this Church. Roman Empire see separate entry. Roman holiday enjoyment derived from others’ discomfiture. Roman law the law-code developed by the ancient Romans and forming the basis of many modern codes. Roman nose one with a high bridge; an aquiline nose. roman numeral any of the Roman letters representing numbers:I = 1,V = 5,X = 10,L = 50, C = 100, D = 500,M = 1000. [ME f. OF Romain (n. & adj.) f. L Romanus f. Roma Rome]

rotating part of a machine. ba cylinder for diminishing friction when moving a heavy object. 2 a small cylinder on which hair is rolled for setting. 3 a long swelling wave. 4 (also roller bandage) a long surgical bandage rolled up for convenient application. 5 a kind of tumbler-pigeon. 6 a any brilliantly plumaged bird of the family Coraciidae, with characteristic tumbling display-flight. b a breed of canary with a trilling song. o roller bearing a bearing like a ball-bearing but with small cylinders instead of balls. roller-coaster n. a switchback at a fair etc. —adj. that goes up and down, or changes, suddenly and repeatedly. —v.intr. (or roller-coast) go up and down or change in this way. roller-skate see sKATE!. Although a primitive form of roller-skate was known in The Netherlands from the 18th c., the first practical four-wheel skate was patented in the US in 1863. Its original purpose was to enable ice-skaters to practise when there was no natural ice, but roller-skating quickly developed as an independent sport. roller-skater a person who roller-skates. roller towel a towel with the ends joined, hung on aroller.

roman-a-clef /rav,ma:na:'klei/ n. (pl. romans-a-clef pronunc. same) a novel in which real persons or events appear with invented names. [F, = novel with a key]

Roman Catholic Church that part of the Christian Church which acknowledges the pope as its head, especially that which has developed since the Reformation. It has an elaborately organized hierarchy of bishops and priests, basing its claims on the power entrusted by Christ to his Apostles, particularly to St Peter, whose successors the popes are traditionally regarded as being. In doctrine, it is characterized by strict adherence to tradition combined with acceptance of the living voice of the Church and belief in its infallibility. The classic definition of its position was made in response to the Reformation at the Council of Trent (1545-63). During the Enlightenment the Church increasingly saw itself as an embattled defender of ancient truth, something that culminated in the proclamation of Papal Infallibility in 1870. The 20th c. has seen a great change as the Church has become more open to the world, a change given effect in the decrees of the 2nd Vatican Council (1962-5). Romance /rau'mens/ adj. & n. —adj. of the group of European languages descended from Latin. —n. this group, of which the main languages are French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Romanian. With the spread of the Roman Empire, Latin was introduced as the language of administration; with its decline the languages of separate areas began to develop in different ways, and the Latin from which they developed seems to have been not the classical Latin of Rome but the informal Latin of the soldiers. [ME f. OF romanz, -ans, -ance, ult. f. L Romanicus

rollerball /'ravlo,bo:1/ n. a ball-point pen using thinner ink than other ball-points.

rollick /'rolik/ v. & n. —v.intr. (esp. as rollicking adj.) be jovial or exuberant, indulge in high spirits, revel. —n. 1 exuberant gaiety. 2 a spree or escapade. [19th-c., prob. dial.: perh. f. ROMP + FROLIC]

Rolling Stones, the an English group playing rock music, formed in 1962-3, whose members include the vocalist Mick Jagger (1943—__). They became noted for their defiance of established social conventions and for the exhibitionism which was a feature of their performances and of other groups who sought to emulate them. rollmop /'raulmop/ n. a rolled uncooked pickled herring fillet. [G Rollmops] Rolls /ravlz/, Charles Stewart (1877-1910), English motoring and aviation pioneer, one of the founder members of the Royal Automobile Club and the Royal Aero Club. In 1906 he and Royce (see entry) formed the company Rolls-Royce Ltd. with Royce as chief engineer and Rolls himself as demonstrator-salesman. He was the first Englishman to fly across the English Channel, and made the first double crossing in 1910 shortly before he was killed in an air crash, the first English victim of aviation. roly-poly /,ravli'pouli/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 (also roly-poly pudding) a pudding made ofa strip of suet pastry covered with jam etc., formed into a roll, and boiled or baked. 2 US a tumbler toy. 3 Austral. a bushy plant, esp. Salsola kali, that breaks off and is rolled by the wind. —adj. (usu. of a child) podgy, plump. [prob. formed on ROLL]

ROMANIC)] romance /rou'mens/ n. & v. —n. | also disp. 'rau-/ 1 an atmosphere or tendency characterized by a sense of remoteness from or idealization of everyday life. 2 a a prevailing sense of wonder or mystery surrounding the mutual attraction in a love affair. b sentimental or idealized love. ¢ a love affair. 3 a a literary genre with romantic love or highly imaginative unrealistic episodes forming the central theme. b a work of this genre. 4 a medieval tale, usu. in verse, of some hero of chivalry, of the kind common in the Romance languages. 5 a exaggeration or picturesque falsehood. b an instance of this. 6 Mus. a short informal piece. —v. 1 intr. exaggerate or distort the truth, esp. fantastically. 2 tr. court, woo. [ROMANCE] romancer /rau'mznsa(r)/ n. 1 a writer of romances, esp. in the medieval period. 2 a liar who resorts to fantasy.

ROM /rom| n. Computing read-only memory. [abbr.] Rom /rom/ n. (pl. Roma man, husband]

/'roma/) a male gypsy. [Romany,

=

Rom. abbr. Romans (New Testament). rom. abbr. roman (type).

Roma see RoE. Romaic /rov'meuk/ n. & adj. —n. the vernacular language of modern Greece. —adj. of or relating to this language. [Gk Rhomaikos Roman (used esp. of the Eastern Empire)] romaine /ra'mem/ n. US a cos lettuce. [F, fem. of romain (as RoMAN)]

romaji /'roumod3i/ n. a system of Romanized spelling used to transliterate Japanese. [Jap.] Roman /'raumon/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 a of ancient Rome or its territory or people. b archaic of its language. 2 of medieval or modern Rome. 3 of papal Rome, esp. = ROMAN CATHOLIC. 4 of a kind ascribed to the early Romans (Roman honesty; Roman virtue). 5 surviving from a period of Roman rule (Roman road). 6 (roman) (of type) of a plain upright kind used in ordinary print (opp. Gothic or black letter, and italic). 7 (of the alphabet etc.) based on the ancient Roman system with letters A-Z. —n. 1 a a citizen of the ancient Roman republic or Empire. b a soldier of the Roman Empire. 2 a citizen of modern Rome. 3 = ROMAN CATHoLic. 4 (roman) roman type. 5 (in pl.) the Christians of ancient Rome; (Epistle to the) Romans a book of the New Testament,

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Empire the period of ancient Roman history from

27 Bc, when Octavian took power as what was effectively a constitutional monarch with the title of Augustus, until the barbarian invasions of the 4th-5th c. (which followed the death of Constantine) ended with the deposition of the last Roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus, in 476. At its greatest extent Roman rule or influence extended from Armenia and Mesopotamia in the east to the Iberian peninsula in the west, and from the Rhine and Danube in the north to Egypt and provinces on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa. The empire was divided by Theodosius (aD 395) into the Western or Latin and Eastern or Greek Empire, of which the Eastern lasted until 1453 and the Western, after lapsing in 476, was revived in 800 by Charlemagne and continued to exist as the Holy Roman Empire until 1806. Romanesque |,rauma'nesk/ n. & adj. —n. a style of architecture prevalent in Europe c.900-1200, with massive vaulting and round arches. Although disseminated throughout Europe,

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roman-fleuve the style reached its fullest development in central and northern France; the English version is usually termed Norman. —adj. of the Romanesque style of architecture. [F f. roman ROMANCE]

roman-fleuve |,rs0mG'fls:v/ n. (pl. romans-fleuves pronunc. same) 1 a novel featuring the leisurely description of the lives of members of a family etc. 2 a sequence of self-contained novels. [F, = river novel]

Romania /rov'memio/ (also Rumania /ru:-/) a country in SE Europe with the USSR on its northern frontier and a coastline on the Black Sea; pop. (est.1988) 23,040,900; official language, Romanian; capital, Bucharest. In Roman times Romania formed the imperial province of Dacia, and in the Middle Ages the principalities of Walachia and Moldavia, each of which was swallowed up by the Ottoman empire in the 15th-16th c. The two principalities were unified in 1859 and gained independence in 1878, and although conquered in 1916 by the Central Powers, Romania emerged from the peace settlement with fresh territorial gains in Bessarabia and Transylvania. The present boundaries are a result of the Second World War (its oilfields were of vital importance to Germany, which it supported), after which Romania became a Communist State under Soviet influence. The end of 1989 saw the fall of Communism with virtual civil war, but the previous governmental structure survived elections held in May 1990.

Romanian

/rsu'memren/ n. & adj. (also Rumanian

/ru:-/)

—n. 1 aa native or national of Romania. b a person of Romanian descent. 2 the official language of Romania, the only Romance language spoken in eastern Europe, which developed from the Latin introduced by Trajan when he conquered the area in the 2nd c. ap and has kept its Latin character, being lightly influenced by the Slavonic languages. It is spoken by over 23 million people in Romania itself and by the majority of the population of the Moldavian SSR. —adj. of or relating to Romania or its people or language.

Romanic /rou'mentk/ n. & adj. —n. = ROMANCE n. 6. —adj. 1 a ofor relating to Romance. b Romance-speaking. 2 descended from the ancient Romans or inheriting aspects of their social or political life. [L Romanicus (as RoMAN)]

Romanism /'ra3uma,n1z(2)m/ n. Roman Catholicism. Romanist /'raumoenist/ n. 1 a student of Roman history or law or of the Romance languages. 2 a a supporter of Roman Catholicism. b a Roman Catholic. [mod.L Romanista (as ROMAN)] romanize /'raumo,naiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 make Roman or Roman Catholic in character. 2 put into the Roman alphabet or into roman type. 00 romanization /-'ze1{(2)n/ n. Romano /rov'ma:nau/ n. a strong-tasting hard cheese, orig. made in Italy. [It.,= ROMAN]

Romano-

/rao'ma:nsu/

comb. form

Roman;

Roman

and

(Romano-British).

Romanov /'rovma,npf] the name of a dynasty that ruled in Russia from the accession of Michael Romanov in 1613 until the overthrow of the last tsar, Nicholas II, in 1917.

Romansh /rov'menf, -'ma:nJ/ n. & adj. (also Rumansh /ru:-/) —n. the Rhaeto-Romanic dialects, esp. as spoken in the Swiss canton of Grisons. —adj. of these dialects. [Romansh Ruman(t)sch, Roman(t)sch f. med.L romanice (adv.) (as ROMANCE)]

romantic /rov'mentik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of, characterized by, or suggestive of an idealized, sentimental, or fantastic view of reality; remote from experience (a romantic picture; a romantic setting). 2 inclined towards or suggestive-of romance in love (a romantic woman; a romantic evening; romantic words). 3 (of a person) imaginative, visionary, idealistic. 4 a (of style in art, music, etc.) concerned more with feeling and emotion than with form and aesthetic qualities; preferring grandeur or picturesqueness to finish and proportion. b (also Romantic) of or relating to the 18th-19th-c. romantic movement or style in the European arts. (See below.) 5 (of a project etc.) unpractical, fantastic. —n. 1a romantic person. 2 a romanticist. 3 (also Romantic) a composer etc. in the Romantic style. 00 romantically adv. [romant tale of chivalry etc. f. OF f. romanz ROMANCE] . The Romantic movement originated in the 18th c. It was a wwe

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ring

x loch

reaction to the Enlightenment, with its rejection of authoritarianism, and recognized the claims of passion and emotion and the sense of mystery in life; the critical was replaced by the creative spirit, and wit by humour, pathos, and gentle melancholy. In music, the period embraces much of the 19th c., with Weber, Schubert, Schumann, Liszt, and Wagner (some critics would include Beethoven). In literature, the movement is usually dated from the publication of Lyrical Ballads (1798) by Wordsworth and Coleridge; other writers include Byron, Shelley, Keats, and Scott. In Germany the Romantic writers included Goethe, Schiller, and the philosophical criticism of A. W. Schlegel, and in France, where the tone of Romanticism was shaped by Rousseau’s Julie (1761), they included Chateaubriand and Victor Hugo. A state of mind rather than astyle, it included, in painting, such stylistically diverse artists as Blake, Turner, Delacroix, and Goya. In its implications for the idea of an artist as an isolated misunderstood genius the Romantic movement has not yet ended.

romanticism

/rov'menti,siz(a)m/ n. (also Romanticism)

adherence to a romantic style in art, music, etc. romanticist /rov'mentisist/ n. (also Romanticist) a writer or artist of the romantic school.

romanticize /rov'mentt,saiz/-v. (also -ise) 1 tr. a make or render romantic or unreal (a romanticized account of war). b describe or portray in a romantic fashion. 2 intr. indulge in romantic thoughts or actions. 00 romanticization /-'ze1{(9)n/

n.

Romany /'romeni, 'reu-/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1a Gypsy. 2 the distinctive language of the Gypsies, which shares common features with Sanskrit and the later Indian languages (indicating an origin in the Indian subcontinent), with regional variations reflecting the incorporation of loanwords and other local linguistic features absorbed in their travels. —adj. 1 of or concerning Gypsies. 2 of the Romany language. [Romany Romani fem. and pl. of Romano (adj.) (Rom)]

Romberg /'rombs:g/, Sigmund (1887-1951), Hungarian-born composer who settled in New York in 1913. He wrote a succession of popular operettas, including Maytime (1917), The Student Prince (1924), The Desert Song (1926), and New Moon (1928). Rome /raum] (Italian Roma /'rauma/ the capital of Italy, situated on the River Tiber about 25 km (16 miles) inland; pop. (1981) 2,830,569. The name is used allusively of the ancient Roman republic (see below) and Empire, and (as the see of the pope) of the Roman Catholic Church. The ancient city, traditionally founded by Romulus in 753 Bc, was ruled by kings until the expulsion of Tarquin the Proud in 510 Bc. An aristocratic republic was established, and its history in the next 250 years was marked by internal class-struggle and external conflict with the surrounding peoples. By the mid-2nd c. Bc Rome had subdued the whole of Italy; her power brought her into conflict with Carthaginian interests in the western Mediterranean and with the Hellenistic world in the east. Success in the Punic Wars gave Rome her first overseas possessions, and the Macedonian wars eventually left her dominant over Greece and much of Asia Minor. From about 135 Bc provincial unrest, and dissatisfaction at home with the Senate’s control of. gov-

ernment, brought a series of ambitious military leaders to the fore in. open rivalry, each able to count.on the support of a devoted soldiery, until civil wars culminated in the defeat of Pompey by Julius Caesar. Caesar’s brief dictatorship established the principle of personal autocracy, and after his assassination by republican conspirators another round of civil war ended with Octavian’s assumption of authority as a kind of constitutional monarch. (See ROMAN Empire.) During the Middle

Ages Rome emerged as the seat of the papacy and the spiritual capital of western Christianity, and became a centre of the Renaissance. It remained under papal control until 1871 when it was made the capital of a unified Italy. 0 Treaty of Rome a treaty signed at Rome on 25 March 1957, setting up the European Economic Community. Romeo /'raumi,9u/_ n. (pl. -os) a passionate male lover or seducer, [the hero of Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy Romeo and

Juliet] tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

romer

romer /'rauma(r)/ n. a small piece of plastic or card marked with scales along two edges meeting at a right angle, or (if transparent) bearing a grid, used for measuring grid references on a map. [name of C. Romer (d.1951), British barrister, its inventor]

Romish /'raumiJ/ adj. usu. derog. Roman Catholic. Rommel /'rpm(e)l/, Erwin (1891-1944), German general, best known for his victories as commander of the Afrika Korps in the Second World War. The Italian army had been all but defeated in its attempt to secure Egypt and the Suez Canal when Rommel assumed command in 1941. The Arabs saw him asaliberator, and his audacious attacks earned him his enemies’ respect and the nickname of the ‘Desert Fox’. He drove the Allied forces east to 96 km (60 miles) from Alexandria, only to be defeated there at El Alamein (1942) and forced to withdraw, handicapped by the difficulty of maintaining his supply lines for so great a distance from friendly territory when the Allies held superiority in the air; in 1943 he was withdrawn from Africa to assume command of the Channel coastline. A professional soldier, he saw the inevitability of Germany’s defeat. The discovery of his involvement with the conspirators who unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate Hitler in 1944, and who would have had Rommel succeed him as head of State, led to his enforced suicide.

Romney

room

1254

/'romni/,

George

(1734-1802),

English

portrait

painter. He left his north country practice for London in 1762 and worked there for most of his professional life. In his day he was almost as popular as Reynolds and Gainsborough, and the elegance of his pictures with their lucid presentation and delicate colour was a distinctive contribution to 18th-c. portraiture. romneya /'romnio/ n. any shrub of the genus Romneya, bearing poppy-like flowers. [T. Romney Robinson, Brit. astronomer d.

1882]

romp /romp/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 play about roughly and energetically. 2 (foll. by along, past, etc.) collog. proceed without effort. —n. a spell of romping or boisterous play. 0 romp in (or home) collog. finish as the easy winner. 00 rompingly adv. rompy adj. (rompier, rompiest). [perh. var. of RAMP!] romper /'rompa(r)/ n. (usu. in pl.) (also romper suit) a young child’s one-piece garment covering legs and trunk.

Romulus /'romjolas/ Rom. legend the founder of Rome, one of the twin sons of Mars by the Vestal Virgin Rhea Silvia, exposed at birth with his brother Remus and found and suckled by a she-wolf. He was worshipped after his death as Quirinus.

Roncesvalles /'ronsovel/ (also Roncevaux |-\vou/) a moun-

thatched conical roof. 2 a similar building, esp. as a holiday cottage, or as an outbuilding on a farm etc. [Afrik. rondawel] ronde /rond/ n. 1a dance in which the dancers move inacircle. 2a course of talk, activity, etc. [F, fem. of rond ROUND adj.] rondeau /'rondov/ n. (pl. rondeaux pronunc. same or |-0uz/) a poem of ten or thirteen lines with only two rhymes throughout and with the opening words used twice as a refrain. [F, earlier rondel: see RONDEL]

rook? /ruk/ n. a chess piece with its top in the shape of a

rondel /'rpnd(2)l/ n. a rondeau, esp. one of special form. [ME f. OF f. rond ROUND: cf. ROUNDEL]

rondo /'rondou n. (pl. -os) Mus. a form with a recurring leading theme, often found in the final movement of a sonata or concerto etc, [It. f. F rondeau: see RONDEAU]

Rond6nia /ron'donja/ a State of NW Brazil; pop. (est. 1987) 981,800; capital, Pérto Velho. rone /roun/ n. Sc. a gutter for carrying off rain from a roof. ronin /'roonim| n. hist. (in feudal Japan) a lordless wandering samurai; an outlaw. [Jap.]

R6ntgen /'rantjon/, Wilhelm Conrad von (1845-1923), German physicist, the discoverer of X-rays, for which he was awarded

e bed

3: her

mid-16th c. [OE rod] roof /ru:f] n. & v. —n. (pl. roofs or disp. rooves /ru:vz/) 1 a the upper covering of a building, usu. supported by its walls. b the top of a covered vehicle. ¢ the top inner surface of an oven, refrigerator, etc. 2 the overhead rock in a cave or mine etc. 3 the branches or the sky etc. overhead. 4 (of prices etc.) the upper limit or ceiling. —v.tr. 1 (often foll. by in, over) cover with or as with a roof. 2 be the roof of. 0 go through the roof collog. (of prices etc.) reach extreme or unexpected heights. hit (or go through or raise) the roof collog. become very angry. roof-garden a garden on the flat roof of a building. roof of the mouth the palate. a roof over one’s head somewhere to live. roof-rack a framework for carrying luggage etc. on the roof of a vehicle. roof-tree the ridge-piece of a roof. under one roof in the same building. under a person’s roof in a person’s house (esp. with ref. to hospitality). 00 roofed adj. (also in comb.). roofless adj. [OE hrof] roofage /'ru:fid3/ n. the expanse of a roof or roofs. roofer /'ru:fo(r)/ n. a person who constructs or repairs roofs. roofing /'ru:fin/ n. 1 material for constructing a roof. 2 the process of constructing a roof or roofs. roofscape /|'ru:fskerp/ n. a scene or view of roofs. rooftop /'ru:ftop/ n. 1 the outer surface of a roof. 2 (esp. in pl.) the level of a roof. Aspalathus, with leaves used to make tea. 2 a shrub or small tree, Combretum apiculatum, with spikes of scented yellow flowers. [Afrik., = red bush] rooinek /'romek, 'rau-/ n. S.Afr. sl. offens. a British or Englishspeaking South African. [Afrik., = red-neck] rook! /ruk/ n. & v. —n. 1 a black European and Asiatic bird, Corvus frugilegus, of the crow family, nesting in colonies in treetops. 2 a sharper, esp. at dice or cards; a person who lives off inexperienced gamblers etc. —v.tr. 1 charge (a customer) extortionately. 2 win money from (a person) at cards etc. esp. by swindling. [OE hroc]

rondavel /ron'da:vel/ n. S.Afr. 1 a round tribal hut usu. with a

a: arm

rood |ru:d/ n. 1 a crucifix, esp. one raised on a screen or beam at the entrance to the chancel. 2 a quarter of an acre. 0 rood-lofta gallery on top of a rood-screen. rood-screen a wooden or stone carved screen separating the nave from the chancel in a church, found in England and on the Continent especially in the 14th—

rooibos /'roibps/ n. S.Afr. 1 an evergreen shrub of the genus

tain pass in the Pyrenees, scene of the defeat of the rearguard of Charlemagne’s army by native tribesmen in 778 and of the heroic death of one of his nobles, Roland, an event much celebrated in medieval literature.

wz cat

the first Nobel Prize for physics in 1901. Rontgen was trained as a mechanical engineer before taking up an academic career in physics, and he was a skilful experimenter. He worked on a variety of topics but the two pieces of research for which he is famous were outside his normal scope. In 1888 he demonstrated the existence of a magnetic field caused by the motion of electrostatic charges, predicted by Maxwell’s electromagnetic theory and important for future electrical theory; then in 1895 he observed by chance that a fluorescent screen began to glow brightly as soon as a current was passed through a Crookes’ vacuum tube some distance away. He investigated the properties of this invisible radiation, which he called X-rays because of their unknown origin, and startled the world with the photograph of the bones of his wife’s hand, taken on 22 Dec. 1895. The roentgen (see entry) was named in his honour. rontgen etc. var. of ROENTGEN etc. roo /ru:/ n. (also ’roo) Austral. collog. a kangaroo. [abbr.]

1 sit

battlement. {ME f. OF roc(k) ult. f. Arab. rukk, orig. sense uncert.] rookery /'rokari/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a a colony of rooks. ba clump of trees having rooks’ nests. 2 a colony of sea birds (esp. penguins) or seals. rookie /'roki/ n. sl. 1 a new recruit, esp. in the army or police. 2 US a new member of a sports team. [corrupt. of recruit, after ROOK!] room /ru:m, rum/ n. & v. —n. 1 a space that is or might be occupied by something; capaciousness or ability to accommodate contents (it takes up too much room; there is plenty of room; we have no room here for idlers). b space in or on (houseroom; shelf-room). 2 a a part of a building enclosed by walls or partitions, floor and ceiling. b (in pl.) a set of these occupied by a person

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

v put

u: too

9 ago

al my

roomer or family; apartments or lodgings. ¢ persons present in a room (the room fell silent). 3 (in comb.) a room or area for a specified purpose (auction-room). 4 (foll. by for, or to + infin.) opportunity or scope (room to improve things; no room for dispute). —-v.intr. US have a room or rooms; lodge, board. 0 make room (often foll. by for) clear a space (for a person or thing) by removal of others; make way, yield place. not (or no) room to swing a cat a very confined space. rooming-house a lodging house. room-mate a person occupying the same room as another. room service

(in a hotel etc.) service of food or drink taken to a guest’s room. O00 -roomed adj. (in comb.). roomful n. (pl. -fuls). [OE rim f. Gmc] roomer /'ru:mo(r), 'roma(r)/ n. US a lodger occupying a room or rooms without board. : roomette /ru:'met, ru-/ n. US 1 a private single compartment in a sleeping-car. 2 a small bedroom for letting.

roomie /'ru:mi/ 1. US collog. a room-mate. roomy /'ru:mi/ adj. (roomier, roomiest) having much room, spacious. 00 roomily adv. roominess n.

Roosevelt! /'rauzo,velt/, Franklin Delano (1882-1945), 32nd President of the US 1933-45. His New Deal (see entry) suc-

cessfully lifted the US out of the Great Depression, and after the American entry into the Second World War he played a vital part in the coordination of the Allied war effort. In 1940 he became the first President to be elected for a third term in office, and four years later he was once again successful at the polls, but died of a cerebral haemorrhage several months later.

Roosevelt? /'rauzavelt/, Theodore (1858-1919), 26th President of the US 1901-8. After a varied early career in politics, Roosevelt won national fame for his service in the Spanish-American War. Elected Vice-President in 1900, he succeeded McKinley following the latter’s assassination in 1901 and won re-election in 1904. At home he was notable for his antitrust.activities; while abroad, he successfully engineered the American bid to build the Panama Canal and won a Nobel Peace Prize for bringing the RussoJapanese War to an end. He retired temporarily from politics in 1908 and was unsuccessful in his attempt to regain the Presidency in 1912 at the head of his own ‘Bull Moose’ party. The ‘teddy-bear’ is named after him, with allusion to his bearhunting activities. roost! /ru:st/. & v. —n. 1a branch or other support on which a bird perches, esp. a place where birds regularly settle to sleep. 2 a place offering temporary sleeping-accommodation. —v. 1 intr. a (of a bird) settle for rest or sleep. b (of a person) stay for the night. 2'tr. provide with a sleeping-place. 0 come home to roost (of a scheme etc.) recoil unfavourably upon the originator. [OE hrost] roost? /ru:st/ n. a tidal race in the Orkneys and Shetlands. [ON rost] rooster /'ru:sta(r)/ n. esp. US a domestic cock. root! /ru:t/n. &v. —n. 1a the part ofa plant normally below the ground, attaching it to the earth and conveying nourishment to it from the soil. b (in pl.) such a part divided into branches or fibres. c the corresponding organ of an epiphyte; the part attaching ivy to its support. d the permanent underground stock of a plant. e any small plant with a root for transplanting. 2 a any plant, e.g. a turnip or carrot, with an edible root. b such a root. 3 (in pl.) the sources of or reasons for one’s'long-standing emotional attachment to a place, community, etc. 4 a the embedded part of a bodily organ or structure, e.g. hair, tooth, nail, etc. b the part of a thing attaching it to a greater or more fundamental whole. ¢ (in pl.) the base of a mountain etc. 5 a the basic cause, source, or origin (love of money is the root of all evil; has its roots in the distant past). b (attrib.) (of an idea etc.) from which the rest originated. 6 the basis of something, its means of continuance or growth (has its root(s) in selfishness; has no root in the nature of things). 7 the essential substance or nature of something (get to the root of things). 8 Math. a a number or quantity that when multiplied by itselfa usu. specified number

of times gives a specified number or quantity (the cube root of eight is two). b a square root. ¢ a value of an unknown quantity satisfying a given equation. 9 Philol. any ultimate unanalysable au how

er day

TOpy

1255

ov no

ea hair

10 near

o1 boy

ua poor

element of language; a basis, not necessarily surviving as a word in itself, on which words are made by the addition of prefixes or suffixes or by other modification. 10 Mus. the fundamental note of a chord. 11 Bibl. a scion, an offshoot (there shall be a root of Jesse). 12 Austral. & NZ coarse sl. a an act of sexual intercourse. b a (female) sexual partner. —v. 1 a intr. take root or grow roots. b tr. cause to do this (take care to root them firmly). 2 tr. a fix firmly; establish (fear rooted him to the spot). b (as rooted adj.) firmly established (her affection was deeply rooted; rooted objection to). 3 tr. (usu. foll. by out, up) drag or dig up by the roots. 4 tr. Austral. coarse sl. a have sexual intercourse with (a woman). b exhaust, frustrate. 0 pull up by the roots 1 uproot. 2 eradicate; destroy. put down roots 1 begin to draw nourishment from the soil. 2 become settled or established. root and branch thorough(ly), radical(ly). root beer US an effervescent drink made from an extract of roots. root-mean-square Math. the square root of the arithmetic mean of the squares of a set of values. root out find and get rid of. root sign Math. = radical sign. strike at the root (or roots) of set about destroying. strike (or take) root 1 begin to grow and draw nourishment from the soil. 2 become fixed or established. 00 rootage n. rootedness n. rootless adj. rootlet n. rootlike adj. rooty adj. [OE rot f. ON rot, rel. to WORT & L radix: see RADIX] root? /ru:t/ v. 1 a intr. (of an animal, esp. a pig) turn up the ground with the snout, beak, etc., in search of food. btr. (foll. by up) turn up (the ground) by rooting. 2 a intr. (foll. by around, in, etc.) rummage. b tr. (foll. by out or up) find or extract by rummaging. 3 intr. (foll. by for) US sl. encourage by applause or support. 00 rooter n. (in sense 3). [earlier wroot f. OE wrotan & ON rota: rel. to OE wrot snout]

rootle /'ru:t(a)l/ v.intr. & tr. Brit. = Root? 1, 2. [RooT rootstock /'ru:tstok/ n. 1 a rhizome. 2 a plant into which a graft is inserted. 3 a primary form from which offshoots have arisen. rooOvesSs see ROOF.

rope /raup/n. & v. —n. 1 a stout cord made by twisting together strands of hemp, sisal, flax, cotton, nylon, wire, or similar material. b a piece of this. ¢ US a lasso. 2 (foll. by of) a quantity of onions, ova, or pearls strung together. 3 (in pl., prec. by the) a the conditions in some sphere of action (know the ropes; show a person the ropes). b the ropes enclosing a boxing- or wrestling-ring or cricket ground. 4 (prec. by the) a a halter for hanging a person. b execution by hanging. —v. 1 tr. fasten, secure, or catch with rope. 2 tr. (usu. foll. by off, in) enclose (a space) with rope. 3 Mountaineering a tr. connect (a party) with a rope; attach (a person) to a rope. b (absol.) put on a rope. ¢ intr. (foll. by down, up) climb down or up using a rope. O give a person plenty of rope (or enough rope to hang himself or herself) give a person enough freedom of action to bring about his or her own downfall. on the rope Mountaineering roped together. on the ropes 1 Boxing forced against the ropes by the opponent’s attack. 2 near defeat. rope in persuade to take part. rope into persuade to take part in (was roped into doing the washing-up). rope-ladder two long ropes connected by short crosspieces, used as a ladder. rope-moulding a moulding cut spirally in imitation of rope-strands. rope of sand delusive security. rope’s end hist. a short piece of rope used to flog (formerly, esp. a sailor) with. rope-walk a long piece of ground where ropes are made. rope-walker a performer on a_ tightrope. rope-walking the action of performing on a tightrope. rope-yard a rope-making establishment. rope-yarn 1 material obtained by unpicking rope-strands, or used for making them. 2 piece of this. 3 a mere trifle. [OE rap f. Gmc]

ropeable /'raupab(2)l/ adj. (also ropable) 1 capable of being roped. 2 Austral. & NZ sl. angry. ropemanship /'raupmoenjrp/ n. skill in rope-walking or climbing with ropes.

ropeway /'roupwel/ n. a cable railway. roping /'roupin/ n..a set or arrangement of ropes. ropy /'raupi/ adj. (also ropey) (ropier, ropiest) 1 Brit. collog. poor in quality. 2 (of wine, bread, etc.) forming viscous or gelatinous threads. 3 like a rope. 00 ropily adv. ropiness n.

aro fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

roque

rosella

1256

Roscommon /ros'kpmoen/ 1 a county in the province of Con-

roque /raok/ n. US croquet played on a hard court surrounded by a bank. [alt. form of ROQUET] Roquefort /'rokfo:(r)/ n. propr. 1 a soft blue cheese originally made at Roquefort, a town in southern France, usually from ° ewes’ milk and ripened in limestone caves, with a strong characteristic flavour. 2a salad-dressing made of this. roquet /'rooker, -ki/ v. & n. Croquet —v. (roqueted, roqueting) 1 tr. a cause one’s ball to strike (another ball). b (of a ball) strike (another). 2 intr. strike another ball thus. —n. an instance of roqueting. [app. arbitr. f. CROQUET v., orig. used in the same sense] Roraima /ro:'rarmo/ the highest peak of the Guiana Highlands, South America, rising to a height of 2,774 m (9,094 ft.) at the junction of the frontiers of Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana. ro-ro /'ravreu/ adj. roll-on roll-off. [abbr.] rorqual /'ro:kw(2)l/ n. any of various whales of the family Balaenopteridae esp. Balaenoptera musculus, having a dorsal fin. Also called fin-back, fin whale. [F f. Norw. royrkval f. Olcel. reythr the specific name + hvalr WHALE}

naught, Republic of Ireland; pop. (1986) 54,550. 2 its capital city; pop. (1981) 1,673. rose! /rauz/ n., adj., & v. —n. 1 any prickly bush or shrub of the genus Rosa, bearing usu. fragrant flowers generally of a red, pink, yellow, or white colour. 2 this flower. 3 any flowering plant resembling this (Christmas rose; rock rose). 4 aa light crimson colour, pink. b (usu. in pl.) a rosy complexion (roses in her cheeks). 5 a a representation of the flower in heraldry or decoration (esp. as the national emblem of England). b a roseshaped design, e.g. on a compass card or on the sound-hole of a lute etc. 6 the sprinkling-nozzle of a watering-can or hose. 7 a circular mounting on a ceiling through which the wiring of an electric light passes. 8 a a rose diamond. b a rose-window. 9 (in pl.) used in various phrases to express favourable circumstances, ease, success, etc. (roses all the way; everything’s roses). 10 an excellent person or thing, esp. a beautiful woman (English rose; rose between two thorns; not the rose but near it). —adj. = rose-coloured 1. —v.tr. (esp. as rosed adj.) make (one’s face, a snow-slope, etc.) rosy. O rose-apple 1a tropical tree of the genus Eugenia, cultivated for its foliage and fragrant fruit. 2 this fruit. rose-bush a rose plant. rose-chafer a green or coppercoloured beetle, Cetonia aurata, frequenting roses. rose-colour the colour of a pale red rose, warm pink. rose-coloured 1 of rose-colour. 2 optimistic, sanguine, cheerful (takes rose-coloured views). rose comb aflat fleshy comb of a fowl. rose-cut cut as a rose diamond. rose diamond a hemispherical diamond with the curved part cut in triangular facets. rose-engine an appendage to a lathe for engraving curved patterns. rose-fish a bright red food fish, Sebastes marinus, of the N. Atlantic. rose geranium a pink-flowered sweet-scented pelargonium, Pelargonium graveolus. rose-hip = HIP’. rose-leaf (pl. -leaves) 1 a petal of a rose. 2 a leaf of a rose. rose madder a pale pink pigment. rose-mallow = HIBISCUS. rose nail a nail with a head shaped like a rose diamond. rose of Jericho a resurrection plant, Anastatica hierochuntica. rose of Sharon 1 a species of hypericum, Hypericum calycinum, with dense foliage and golden-yellow flowers: also called AARON’S BEARD. 2 Bibl. a flowering plant of unknown identity. rose-pink = rose-colour, rose-coloured. rose-point a point lace with a design of roses. rose-red adj. red like a rose, rose-coloured. —n. this colour. rose-rsot a yellow-flowered plant, Rhodiola rosea, with roots, smelling like a rose when dried or bruised. rose-tinted = _ rose-coloured. rose-tree a rose plant, esp. a standard rose. rose-water perfume made from roses. rose-window acircular window, usu. with roselike or spokelike tracery. see through rose-coloured

Rorschach test /'ro:Ja:k/ n. Psychol. a type of personality test in which a standard set of ink-blots is presented one by one to the subject, who is asked to describe what they suggest or resemble. [H. Rorschach, Swiss psychiatrist d. 1922, who first devised suchatest] rort /ro:t/ n. Austral. sl. 1 a trick, a fraud; a dishonest practice. 2 a wild party. [back-form. f. RORTY] rorty /'ro:t1/ adj. (rortier, rortiest) Brit. sl. 1 splendid; boisterous, rowdy (had a rorty time). 2 coarse, earthy. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] Rosa /'rauza/, Salvator (1615-73), Italian painter and etcher,

born in Naples but active chiefly in Rome. His wide artistic abilities—including music and poetry—coupled with his colourful and dramatic life made him the epitome of the Romantic artist for the 18th and 19th c. His reputation now rests on his invention of a type of landscape, often peopled with bandits and containing scenes of violence, whose form and atmosphere blend together to create an overall feeling of sublime terror. These landscapes were, with those of Claude and Poussin, one

of the determinants of 18th-c. taste and had a profound influence on Romantic art in England. rosace |'rauzeis/ n. 1 a rose-window. 2 a rose-shaped ornament or design. [F f. L rosaceus: see ROSACEOUS] rosaceous /rou'zerfos/ adj. Bot. of the large plant family Rosaceae, which includes the rose. [L rosaceus f. rosa rose] rosaline /'rauzo,li:n/ n. a variety of fine needlepoint or pillow lace. [prob. F]

(or -tinted)

derived from aniline. b a red dye obtained from this. 2 fuchsine. [ROSE! + ANILINE] rosarian /ro'zeorion| n. a person who cultivates roses, esp. professionally. [L rosarium ROSARY] Rosario /rou'sa:r1,20/ a port on the Parana River in east central Argentina; pop. (1980) 954,600. rosarium /ra'zesriom| n. a rose-garden. [L (as ROSARY)] rosary /'rouzort/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 RC Ch. a a form of devotion in which five (or fifteen) decades of Hail Marys are repeated, each

decade preceded by an Our Father and followed by a Glory Be. b a string of 55 (or 165) beads for keeping count in this. ¢ a book containing this devotion. According to a tradition current since the 15th c., the devotion was founded by St Dominic, but in fact it seems to have developed gradually. 2 a similar form of bead-string used in other religions. 3 a rose-garden or rosebed. [ME f. L rosarium rose-garden, neut. of rosarius (as ROSE})] Roscius /'rpskios/ (Quintus Roscius Gallus, d. 62 Bc) the most

famous Roman actor of his day, whose talents brought him wealth and the friendship of the great (including Cicero). His name became synonymous with all that was best in acting. Shakespeare referred to him in Hamlet, and many outstanding actors were nicknamed with reference to him (the African, Scottish etc. Roscius). roscoe /'rosksu/ n. US sl. a gun, esp. a pistol or revolver. [the name Roscoe]

b but

ddog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

spectacles

regard

unfounded favour or optimism. under pledge of secrecy. Wars civil wars between Yorkists with Lancastrians with a red rose. o0 f. OE rose f. L rosa]

rosaniline /rao'zeni)li:n, -lin, -lam/ n. 1 a an organic base

(circumstances

etc.) with

under the rose in confidence; of the Roses hist. the 15th-c. a white rose as an emblem and roseless adj. roselike adj. [ME

rose? past of RISE. rosé |'ravzer/ n. any light pink wine, coloured by only brief contact with red grape-skins. [F, = pink] roseate /'rauziot/ adj. 1 = rose-coloured (see ROSE). 2 having a partly pink plumage (roseate spoonbill; roseate tern). [L roseus rosy (as ROSE})] Roseau /rov'z0u/ the capital of Dominica in the West Indies; pop. (est. 1981) 20,000.

rosebay

/'rauzbei/

1.

an

oleander,

rhododendron,

or

willow-herb.

Rosebery /'rauzbori/, Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of (1847-1929), British Liberal statesman, who was briefly Prime Minister in 1894-5 at the wish of Queen Victoria rather than of the Liberal Party. His support for British imperialism alienated many Liberal supporters. rosebowl] /'rauzbau]/ n. a bowl for displaying cut roses. rosebud /'rauzbad/n. 1a bud ofa rose. 2a pretty young woman. rosella /ra'zelo/ n. 1 any brightly coloured Australian parakeet of the genus Platycercus. 2 Austral. an easily-shorn sheep. {corrupt. of Rosehill, NSW, where the bird was first found]

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rosemaling

rosemaling /'rovzo,ma:lin, -,mo:lm/ n. the art of painting wooden furniture etc. with flower motifs. [Norw., = rose painting] rosemary /'roauzmori/ n. an evergreen fragrant shrub, Rosmarinus officinalis, with leaves used as a culinary herb, in perfumery, etc., and taken as an emblem of remembrance. [ME, earlier rosmarine ult. f. L ros marinus f. ros dew + marinus MARINE, with assim. to ROSE! and Mary name of the Virgin] roseola /rov'zi:olo/ n. 1 a rosy rash in measles and similar diseases. 2 a mild febrile disease of infants. 00 roseolar adj. roseolous adj. [mod. var. of RUBEOLA f. L roseus rose-coloured] rosery /'rouzor/ n. (pl. -ies) a rose-garden. Rosetta stone /rou'zeta/ an inscribed stone found near Rosetta on the western mouth of the Nile by one of Napoleon’s officers in 1799. Its text, a decree commemorating the accession of Ptolemy V (reigned 205-189 8c) is written in two languages and three scripts: hieroglyphic and demotic Egyptian, and Greek.

The decipherment of the Egyptian parts of the inscription by J-F. Champollion in 1822 led to the interpretation of all the other early records of Egyptian civilization. The stone is now in the British Museum. . rosette /rou'zet/ n. 1 a rose-shaped ornament made usu. of ribbon and worn esp. as a supporter’s badge, or as an award or the symbol of an award in a competition, esp. by a prizewinning animal. 2 Archit. a a carved or moulded ornament resembling or representing a rose. b a rose-window. 3 an object or symbol or arrangement of parts resembling a rose. 4 Biol. a a roselike cluster of parts. b markings resembling a rose. 5a rose diamond. Oo rosetted adj. [F dimin. of rose ROSE] rosewood /'rauzwud/ n. any of several fragrant close-grained woods used in making furniture.

Rosk Hashana /rof ,ha:fa:'na:, reuf ho'faunou/ n. (also Rosh Hashanah) the Jewish New Year. [Heb., = beginning (lit. ‘head’) of the year]

Roshi /'rovfi/ n. (pl. Roshis) the spiritual leader of a community of Zen Buddhist monks. [Jap.]

Rosicrucian /|,rsuz1'kru:J(a)n/ n. & adj. —n. 1 hist. a member of certain secret societies who venerated the emblems of the Rose and the Cross as twin symbols of Christ’s Resurrection and Redemption. Early in the 17th c. two anonymous writings were published in Germany relating the fabulous story of one Christian Rosenkreutz, who having learnt the wisdom of the Arabs founded a secret society devoted to the study of the hidden things of nature. The books were meant to be satirical but were taken seriously, and a number of societies with alchemistic tendencies sprang up under this title. 2 a member of any of several later organizations deriving from this. —adj. of or relating to the Rosicrucians. 00 Rosicrucianism n. [mod.L rosa crucis (or crux), as Latinization of G Rosenkreuz] rosin /'rpzin/ n. & v. —n. resin, esp. the solid residue after distillation of oil of turpentine from crude turpentine. —v.tr. (rosined, rosining) 1 rub (esp. the bow ofa violin etc.) with rosin. 2 smear or seal up with rosin. 00 rosiny adj. [ME, alt. f. RESIN] Rosinante /|,rosi'nznti/ the name of Don Quixote’s horse.

Roskilde /'roskrla/ a port of Denmark, on the island of Zealand; pop. (1981) 39,650. It was the seat of Danish kings from c.1020 and the capital of Denmark until 1443.

rosolio /ra'zouliau/ n. (also rosoglio) (pl. -os) a sweet cordial of spirits, sugar, and flavouring. [It., f. mod.L ros solis dew of the sun]

3

RoSPA |/'rosps/ abbr. (in the UK) Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

Ross! /rps/, Sir James Clark (1800-62), English polar explorer. A nephew ofSir John Ross, he served his apprenticeship as a polar explorer in the 1820s under both Parry and his uncle. In 1831 he discovered the north magnetic pole and in 1838 undertook a magnetic survey of the United Kingdom. Between 1839 and 1843 Ross commanded the Erebus and the Terror on an expedition to the Antarctic (where Ross Sea, Ross Barrier, and Ross Island all now bear his name), for which he was knighted. Ross? /ros/, Sir John (1777-1856), Scottish polar explorer. After

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serving with distinction in the Napoleonic Wars, Ross led an expedition to Baffin Bay in 1818 and another in search of the North-west Passage between 1829 and 1833, during which he surveyed King William Land, Boothia Peninsula, and the Gulf of Boothia (the last two named in honour of the expedition’s patron, Sir Felix Booth (d. 1850), head of a firm of distillers).

Ross Dependency that part of Antarctica explored by Sir James Ross and claimed by New Zealand.

Rossellini /,rpse'li:n1/, Roberto (1906-77), Italian film director, noted for his ‘neo-realist’ style. Among his most successful films are those on the theme of the Italian resistance movement during the German occupation — Open City (1945), which incorporated documentary material filmed during the Second World War, and General Della Rovere (1959).

Rossetti! /ra'zeti/, Christina Georgina (1830-94), English poet, sister of D. G. Rossetti (see entry). She was deeply influenced by the Oxford Movement and her devotion to the Anglican faith is reflected in the religious poetry which constitutes the greater part of her prolific output. Marked by recurrent themes of melancholy, frustrated love and premature resignation, and great technical virtuosity, her work includes poems of fantasy, love lyrics, and poems for the young. Her first published work Goblin Market and other Poems (1862) shows a literary expression of Pre-Raphaelite ideals.

Rossetti?

/ra'zeti/, Dante

Gabriel

(Gabriel Charles

Dante

Rossetti, 1828-82), English poet and painter, son of a cultured Italian patriot. A founder-member of the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood (1848), he contributed something of the mystic religiosity of quattrocento painting to the movement. Some of his poems appeared in the Pre-Raphaelite journal The Germ in 1850, including ‘The Blessed Damozel’ which was the subject of a later painting. Poems (1870) was attacked for its impurity and obscenity, but some readers have enjoyed the erotic and emotional power of his poetry.

Rossini /ro'si:n1/, Gioachino Antonio (1792-1868), Italian composer, a precociously musical child who by the age of 31 was a successful enough opera composer for Stendhal (admittedly a partial witness) to declare ‘The glory of the man is limited only by the limits of civilization’. Almost all of his works were written in the first half of his life. His combination of deft sophisticated humour and brilliant orchestral writing was to find its finest expression in The Barber of Seville (1816). Ranking equally with this work, however, is the grand opera William Tell (1829), a powerful recounting of the William Tell legend. A fine cook, Rossini also left to posterity a recipe for fillet steaks with artichoke hearts, foie gras, truffles, and Madeira sauce—tournedos Rossini.

Rosslare /|ros'leo(r)/ a ferry port in County Wexford in the Republic of Ireland.

Rostand /ro'sta/, Edmond (1868-1918), French playwright, who won sudden fame with his poetic drama Cyrano de Bergerac (1897) which remains his most popular and successful work, reviving in romantic guise the 17th-c. soldier and duellist of the title. roster /'rosto(r), 'rausto(r)/ n. & v. —n. a list or plan showing turns of duty or leave for individuals or groups esp. of a military force. —v.tr. place on a roster. [Du. rooster list, orig. gridiron f. roosten ROAST, with ref. to its parallel lines]

Rostock /'rpstok/ an industrial port on the Baltic coast of Ger-

many; pop. (1986) 245,600.

Rostov-on-Don /'rostof] a city of the Soviet Union on the River Don near its point of entry into the Sea of Azov; pop. (est.

1987) 1,004,000.

rostra pl. of ROSTRUM. rostral /'rostr(9)l/ adj. 1 Zool. & Bot. of or on the rostrum. 2 Anat. a nearer the hypophysial area in the early embryo. b nearer the region of the nose and mouth in post-embryonic life. 3 (of a column etc.) adorned with the beaks of ancient war-galleys or with representations of these. 00 rostrally adv.

rostrated /ro'strertid/ adj. 1 Zool. & Bot. having or ending in a rostrum. 2 = ROSTRAL 3. [L rostratus (as ROSTRUM)] rostrum /'rostram/ n. (pl. rostra |-stra/ or rostrums)

1 aa

platform for public speaking. b a conductor’s platform facing tf chip

dg jar

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the orchestra. ¢ a similar platform for other purposes, e.g. for supporting a film or television camera. 2 Zool. & Bot. a beak, stiff snout, or beaklike part, esp. of an insect or arachnid. 3 Rom. Antig. the beak of a war-galley. oo (all in sense 2) rostrate |-strot/ adj. rostriferous /-'striforas/ adj. rostriform adj. [L, = beak f. rodere ros- gnaw: orig. rostra (pl., in sense 1a) in the Roman forum adorned with beaks of captured galleys] rosy |'rauzi/ adj. (rosier, rosiest) 1 coloured like a pink or red rose (esp. of the complexion as indicating good health, of a blush, wine, the sky, light, etc.). 2 optimistic, hopeful, cheerful (a rosy future; a rosy attitude to life). 00 rosily adv. rosiness n. rot /rot/ v., n., & int. —v. (rotted, rotting) 1 intr. a (of animal or vegetable matter) lose its original form by the chemical action of bacteria, fungi, etc.; decay. b (foll. by off, away) crumble or drop from a stem etc. through decomposition. 2 intr. a (of society, institutions, etc.) gradually perish from lack of vigour or use. b (of a prisoner etc.) waste away (left to rot in prison); (of a person) languish. 3 tr. cause to rot, make rotten. 4tr. Brit. sl. tease, abuse, denigrate. 5 intr. Brit. sl. joke. —n. 1 the process or state of rotting. 2 sl. nonsense; an absurd or foolish statement, argument, or proposal. 3 a sudden series of (usu. unaccountable) failures; a rapid decline in standards etc. (a rot set in; we must try to stop the rot). 4 (often prec. by the) a virulent liver-disease of sheep. —int. expressing incredulity or ridicule. 0 rot-gut sl. cheap harmful alcoholic liquor. [OE rotian (v.): (n.) ME, perh. f. Scand.: cf. Icel., Norw. rot] rota /'routa/ n. 1 esp. Brit. a list of persons acting, or duties to be done, in rotation; a roster. 2 (Rota) RC Ch. the supreme ecclesiastical and secular court. [L, = wheel]

Rotarian /rou'tesrian/ n. & adj. —n. a member of Rotary. —adj. of Rotary. [ROTARY + -AN] rotary /'rovteri/ adj. & n. —adj. acting by rotation (rotary drill; rotary pump). —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a rotary machine. 2 USa traffic roundabout. 3 (Rotary) (in full Rotary International) a worldwide society for business and professional men having as its aim the promotion of unselfish service and international goodwill. Its name derives from the fact that the first local group, formed at Chicago in 1905, met at each member’s premises in rotation. 0 Rotary Club a local branch of Rotary. rotary-wing (of an aircraft) deriving lift from rotary aerofoils. [med.L rotarius (as ROTA)] rotate! /rov'tert/ v. 1 intr. & tr. move round an axis or centre, revolve. 2 a tr. take or arrange in rotation. b intr. act or take place in rotation (the chairmanship will rotate). 00 rotatable adj. rotative /'routativ/ adj. rotatory /'ravtotort, -'tertor1/ adj. [L rotare f. rota wheel]

rotate? /'routert/ adj. Bot. wheel-shaped. [formed as Rota] rotation /rov'ter{(9)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of rotating or being rotated. 2 a recurrence; a recurrent series or period; a regular succession of various members of a group in office etc. 3 a system of growing different crops in regular order to avoid exhausting the soil. 00 rotational adj. rotationally adv. [L rotatio]

rotator /rovu'teita(r)/ n. 1 a machine or device for causing something to rotate. 2 Anat. a muscle that rotates a limb etc. 3 a revolving apparatus or part. [L (as ROTATE})] Rotavator /'routo,veita(r)/ n. (also Rotovator) propr. a machine with a rotating blade for breaking up or tilling the soil. oo rotavate v.tr. [ROTARY + CULTIVATOR] rote /ravt/ n. (usu. prec. by by) mechanical or habitual repetition (with ref. to acquiring knowledge). [ME: orig. unkn.] rotenone /'raute,noun/ n. a toxic crystalline substance obtained from the roots of derris and other plants, used as an insecticide. [Jap. rotenon f. roten derris] Roth /rov6/, Philip (1933-_), American novelist, whose complex relationship with his Jewish background is reflected in many of his works. His best-known novel is Portnoy’s Complaint (1969), which records the intimate confessions of Alexander Portnoy to his psychiatrist.

Rothko /'ro@kou/, Mark (born Marcus Rothkovich, 1903-70), American painter, born in Latvia of Russian-Jewish parents. After about 1948 he became a leading figure in the abstract

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expressionist movement, his characteristic idiom being large rectangular bands of colour arranged parallel to each other, usually in a vertical format. The edges of these shapes are softly uneven, giving them a hazy pulsating quality, as if they were suspended and floating on the canvas. The overall effect of these often enormous canvases is one of calmness and contemplation, as opposed to the frenzied energy of the action painters.

Rothschild /'rp@stfarld/ the name of a famous Jewish bankinghouse, first established in Frankfurt at the end of the 18th c. and eventually spreading its operations all over western Europe.

rotifer /'rsutifo(r)/ n. any minute aquatic animal of the phylum Rotifera, with rotatory organs used in swimming and feeding.

[mod.L rotiferus f. L rota wheel + -fer bearing]

rotisserie /rou'tisori/ n. 1 a restaurant etc. where meat is roasted or barbecued. 2 a cooking appliance with a rotating spit for roasting and barbecuing meat. [F rotisserie (as ROAST)] rotogravure |,rsutegra'vjua(r)/ n. 1 a printing system using a rotary press with intaglio cylinders, usu. running at high speed. 2 a sheet etc. printed with this system. [G Rotogravur (name of a company) assim. to PHOTOGRAVURE] rotor /'ravuta(r)/ n. 1 a rotary part of a machine, esp. in the distributor of an internal-combustion engine. 2 a set of radiating aerofoils round a hub on a helicopter, providing lift when rotated. [irreg. for ROTATOR] Rotorua |,revte'ru:a/ a health resort on North Island, New Zealand, at the centre of a region of thermal springs and geyers;

pop. (1988) 53,000.

Rotovator var. of ROTAVATOR. rotten /'rpt(s)n/ adj. (rottener, rottenest) 1 rotting or rotted; falling to pieces or liable to break or tear from age or use. 2 morally, socially, or politically corrupt. 3 sl. a disagreeable, unpleasant (hada rotten time). b (of a plan etc.) ill-advised, unsatisfactory (a rotten idea). c disagreeably ill (feel rotten today). o rotten borough hist. (before 1832) an English borough able to elect an MP though having very few voters. rotten-stone decomposed siliceous limestone used as a powder for polishing metals. 00 rottenly adv. rottenness n. [ME f. ON rotinn, rel. to ROT, RET]

rotter /'rpto(r)/ n. esp. Brit. sl. an objectionable, unpleasant, or reprehensible person. [ROT] Rotterdam /'rpto,dzmj a city and the principal port of The Netherlands, on the River Meuse; pop. (1987) 574,300.

Rottweiler /'rot,varla(r), -;wartlo(r)/ n. 1 a dog of a tall blackand-tan breed. 2 this breed. [G f. Rottweil in SW Germany] rotund /rov'tand/ adj. 1 a circular, round. b (of a person) large and plump, podgy. 2 (of speech, literary style, etc.) sonorous, grandiloquent. 00 rotundity n. rotundly adv. [L rotundus f. rotare ROTATE!] rotunda /rav'tanda/ n. 1 a building with a circular ground-plan, esp. one with a dome. 2acircular hall or room. [earlier rotonda f. It. rotonda (camera) round (chamber), fem. of rotondo round (as ROTUND)]

rouble /'ru:b(2)l/ n. (also ruble) the chief monetary unit of the USSR. [F f. Russ. rubl’] roué /'ru:e1/ n. a debauchee, esp. an elderly one; a rake. [F, past part. of rouer break on wheel, = one deserving this] Rouen /ru:'d/ a port on the River Seine in NW France, capital of the region of Upper Normandy (Haute-Normandie); pop. (1982) 105,100. It was in English possession from the time of the Norman Conquest (1066) until captured by the French in 1204, returning briefly to English rule (1419-49) after its capture by Henry V. Joan of Arc was tried and burnt at the stake here in 1431.

rouge /ru:3/ n. & v. —n. 1 a red powder or cream used for colouring the cheeks. 2 powdered ferric oxide etc. as a polishing agent esp. for metal. —v. 1 tr. colour with rouge. 2 intr. a apply rouge to one’s cheeks. b become red, blush. 0 rouge-et-noir /ru:zer'nwa;(r)/ a gambling game using a table with red and black marks, on which players place stakes. [F, = red, f. L rubeus, rel. to RED] rough /raf] adj., adv., n., & v. —adj. 1a having an uneven or

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irregular surface, not smooth or level or polished. b Tennis applied to the side of a racket from which the twisted gut projects. 2 (of ground, country, etc.) having many bumps, obstacles, etc. 3 a hairy, shaggy. b (of cloth) coarse in texture. 4a (ofa person or behaviour) not mild or quiet or gentle; boisterous, unrestrained (rough manners; rough play). b (of language etc.) coarse, indelicate. ¢ (of wine etc.) sharp or harsh in taste. 5 (of the sea, weather, etc.) violent, stormy. 6 disorderly, riotous (a rough part of town). 7 harsh, insensitive, inconsiderate (rough words; rough treatment). 8 a unpleasant, severe, demanding (had a rough time). b unfortunate, unreasonable, undeserved (had rough luck). ¢ (foll. by on) hard or unfair towards. 9 lacking finish, elaboration, comfort, etc. (rough lodgings; a rough welcome). 10 incomplete, rudimentary (a rough attempt; a rough makeshift). 11 a inexact, approximate, preliminary (a rough estimate; a rough sketch). b (of stationery etc.) for use in writing rough notes etc. 12 collog. a ill, unwell (am feeling rough). b depressed, dejected. —adyv. in a rough manner (the land should be ploughed rough; play rough). —n. 1 (usu. prec. by the) a hard part or aspect of life; hardship (take the rough with the smooth). 2 rough ground (over rough and smooth). 3 a rough or violent person (met a bunch of roughs). 4 Golf rough ground off the fairway between tee and. green. 5 an unfinished or provisional or natural state (have written it in rough; shaped from the rough). 6 (prec. by the) the general way or tendency (is true in the rough). —v.tr. 1 (foll. by up) ruffle (feathers, hair, etc.) by rubbing against the grain. 2a (foll. by out) shape or plan roughly. b (foll. by in) sketch roughly. 3 give the first shaping to (a gun, lens, etc.). 0 rough-and-ready rough or crude but effective; not elaborate or over-particular. rough-and-tumble adj. irregular, scrambling, disorderly. —n. a haphazard fight; a scuffle. rough breathing see BREATHING. rough coat a first coat of plaster applied to a surface. rough copy 1a first or original draft. 2 a copy of a picture etc. showing only the essential features. rough deal hard or unfair treatment. rough diamond 1 an uncut diamond. 2 a person of good nature but rough manners. rough-dry (-dries, -dried) dry (clothes) without ironing. the rough edge (or side) of one’s tongue severe or harsh words. rough-handle

treat or handle roughly. rough-hew (past part. -hewed or -hewn) shape out roughly; give crude form to. rough-hewn uncouth, unrefined. rough house sl. a disturbance or row; boisterous play. rough-house v. sl. 1 tr. handle (a person) roughly. 2 intr. make a disturbance; act violently. rough it do without basic comforts. rough justice 1 treatment that is approximately fair. 2 treatment that is not at all fair. rough passage 1 a crossing over rough sea. 2 a difficult time or experience. rough ride a difficult time or experience. rough-rider a person who breaks in or can ride unbroken horses. rough stuff collog. boisterous or violent behaviour. rough tongue a habit of rudeness in speaking. rough trade sl. a tough or sadistic element among male homosexuals. rough up sl. treat (a person) with violence; attack violently. rough work 1 preliminary or provisional work. 2:collog. violence. 3 a task requiring the use of force. sleep rough sleep outdoors, or not in a proper bed. 00 roughness n. [OE rih f. WG}

roughage

|'rafid3/ n. 1 coarse material with a high fibre

content, the part of food which stimulates digestion. 2 coarse fodder. [ROUGH + -AGE 3] roughcast /'rafka:st/ n., adj. & v. —n. plaster of lime and gravel, used on outside walls.

—adj. 1 (of a wall etc.) coated

with roughcast. 2 (of a plan etc.) roughly formed, preliminary. —v.tr. (past and past part. -cast) 1 coat (a wall) with roughcast. 2 prepare (a plan, essay, etc.) in outline.

roughie /'rafi/ n. dial. sl. 1a rough; a hooligan. 2 Austral. a an outsider. b an unfair or unreasonable act.

roughish /'rafi{/ adj. somewhat rough. roughly /'rafli/ adv. 1 in a rough manner. 2 approximately (roughly 20 people attended). oroughly speaking in an approximate sense (it is, roughly speaking, a square). roughneck /'rafnek/ n. collog. 1 a rough or rowdy person. 2 a worker on an oil rig. er day

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roughshod /'raf{pd/ adj. (of a horse) having shoes with nailheads projecting to prevent slipping. 0 ride roughshod over treat inconsiderately or arrogantly.

roughy /'rafi/ n. (pl. -ies) Austral. & NZ a fish, Arripis georgianus, of the perch family. [perh. f. RouGH] roulade /ru:'la:d/ n. 1a dish cooked or served in the shape of a roll, esp. a rolled piece of meat or sponge with a filling. 2 a florid passage of runs etc. in solo vocal music, usu. sung to one syllable. [F f. rouler to roll] rouleau /'ru:lou/ n. (pl. rouleaux or rouleaus |-9uz/) 1 a cylindrical packet of coins. 2 a coil or roll of ribbon etc., esp. as

trimming. [F f. réle ROLL n.] Roulers see ROESELARE.

a

roulette /ru:'let/ n. 1 a gambling game using a table in which a ball is dropped on to a revolving wheel with numbered compartments, players betting on the number at which the ball comes to rest. Its origins are obscure but probably French; it was only in the late 18th or early 19th c. that it became a fashionable attraction in the casinos of Europe. 2 Math, a curve generated by a point on a curve rolling on another. 3 aa revolving toothed wheel used in engraving. b a similar wheel for making perforations between postage stamps in a sheet. 00 rouletted adj. (in sense 3b). [F, dimin. of rouelle f. LL rotella dimin. of L rota wheel]

Roumelia /ru:'mi:lro/ (also Rumelia) hist. the European territory of the Ottoman empire, including Macedonia, Thrace, and Albania. [Turk. Rumeli land of the Romans] round /raund/ adj., n., adv., prep., & v. —adj. 1 shaped like or approximately like a circle, sphere, or cylinder; having a convex or circular outline or surface; curved, not angular. 2 done with

or involving circular motion. 3 a entire, continuous, complete (a round dozen); fully expressed or developed; all together, not broken or defective or scanty. b (of a sum of money) considerable. 4 genuine, candid, outspoken; (of a statement etc.) categorical, unmistakable. 5 (usu. attrib.) (of a number) expressed for convenience or as an estimate in fewer significant numerals or with a fraction removed (spent £297.32, or in round figures £300). 6 a (of a style) flowing. b (of a voice) not harsh. 7 Phonet. (of a vowel) pronounced with rounded lips. —n. 1 a round object or

form. 2 a a revolving motion, a circular or recurring course (the earth in its yearly round). b a regular recurring series of activities or functions (one’s daily round; a continuous round of pleasure). c a recurring succession or series of meetings for discussion etc. (a new round of talks on disarmament). 3 a a fixed route on which things are regularly delivered (milk round). b a route or sequence by which people or things are regularly supervised or inspected (a watchman’s round; a doctor’s rounds). 4 an allowance of something distributed or measured out, esp.: a a single provision of drinks etc. to each member of a group. b ammunition to fire one shot; the act of firing this. 5 aa slice across a loaf of bread. b a sandwich made from whole slices of bread. ¢ a thick disc of beef cut from the haunch as a joint. 6 each of a set or series, a sequence of actions by each member of a group in turn, esp. a one spell of play in a game etc. b one stage in a competition. 7 Golf the playing of all the holes in a course once. 8 Archery a fixed number of arrows shot from a fixed distance. 9 (the round) a form of sculpture in which the figure stands clear of any ground (cf. RELIEF 6a). 10 Mus. a canon for three or more unaccompanied voices singing at the same pitch or in octaves. 11 (in pl.) Mil. a a watch that goes round inspecting sentries. b a circuit made by this. 12 a rung of a ladder. 13 (foll. by of) the circumference, bounds, or extent of (in all the round of Nature). —adv. 1 with circular motion (wheels go round). 2 with return

roughen |'raffo)n/ v.tr. & intr. make or become rough.

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to the starting-point or an earlier state (summer soon comes round). 3 a with rotation, or change to an opposite position (he turned round to look). b with change to an opposite opinion etc. (they were angry but I soon won them round). 4 to, at, or affecting all or many points of a circumference or an area or the members of a company etc. (tea was then handed round; may I look round?). 5 in every direction from a centre or within a radius (spread destruction round; everyone for a mile round). 6 by a circuitous way (will you jump over or go round?; go a long way round). 7 a to a person’s

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1260

roundhouse /'raundhavs/ n. 1 a circular repair-shed for railhouse etc. (ask him round; will be round soon). b to a more promway locomotives, built round a turntable. 2 sl. a a blow given inent or convenient position (brought the car round). 8 measuring with a wide sweep of the arm. b US Baseball a pitch made with (a specified distance) in girth. —prep. 1 so as to encircle or enclose (tour round the world; has a blanket round him), 2 at or - a sweeping sidearm motion. 3 hist. a prison; a place of detention. 4 Naut. a cabin or set of cabins on the after part of the quarto points on the circumference of (sat round the table). 3 with terdeck, esp. on a sailing-ship. successive visits to (hawks them round the cafés). 4 in various roundly /'raundli/ adv. 1 bluntly, in plain language, severely directions from or with regard to (towns round Birmingham; shells (was roundly criticized; told them roundly that he refused). 2 in a bursting round them). 5 having as an axis of revolution or as a thoroughgoing manner (go roundly to work). 3 in a circular way central point (turns round its centre of gravity; write a book round an event). 6 a so as to double or pass in a curved course (go round (swells out roundly). the corner). b having passed in this way (be round the corner). ¢ in roundsman /'raundzmonj n. (pl. -men) 1 Brit. a tradesman’s the position that would result from this (find them round the employee going round delivering and taking orders. 2 US a corner). 7 so as to come close from various sides but not into police officer in charge ofa patrol. 3 Austral. a journalist covering contact. —v. 1 a tr. give a round shape to. b intr. assume a a specified subject (political roundsman). round shape. 2 tr. double or pass round (a corner, cape, etc.). 3 roundworm /'raundw3;:m| n. a worm, esp. a nematode, with a tr. express (a number) ina less exact but more convenient form rounded body. (also foll. by down when the number is decreased and up when roup! /raup/ n. & v. Sc. & N.Engl. —n. an auction. —v.tr. sell by it is increased). 4 tr. pronounce (a vowel) with rounded lips. o auction. [ME ‘to shout’, of Scand. orig.] go the round (or rounds) (of news etc.) be passed on from roup? /ru:p/ n. an infectious poultry-disease, esp. of the resperson to person. in the round 1 with all features shown; all piratory tract. 00 roupy adj. [16th c.: orig. unkn.] things considered. 2 Theatr. with the audience round at least rouse /ravz/ v. 1 a tr. (often foll. by from, out of) bring out of three sides of the stage. 3 (of sculpture) with all sides shown; sleep, wake. bintr. (often foll. by up) cease to sleep, wake up. 2 not in relief. make the round of go round. make (or go) one’s (often foll. by up) a tr. stir up, make active or excited, startle out rounds take a customary route for inspection etc. round about of inactivity or confidence or carelessness (roused them from their 1 in a ring (about); all round; on all sides (of). 2 with a change complacency; was roused to protest). b intr. become active. 3 tr. to an opposite position. 3 approximately (cost round about £50). provoke to anger (is terrible when roused). 4 tr. evoke (feelings). 5 round and round several times round. round-arm Cricket (of tr. (usu. foll. by in, out, up) Naut. haul vigorously. 6 tr. startle bowling) with the arm swung horizontally. round the bend see (game) from a lair or cover. 7 tr. stir (liquid, esp. beer while BEND}. round brackets brackets of the form (). round dance 1 brewing). O rouse oneself overcome one’s indolence. 00 a dance in which couples move in circles round the ballroom. rousable adj. rouser n. [orig. as a hawking and hunting term, 2 a dance in which the dancers form one large circle. round so prob. f. AF: orig. unkn.] down see sense 3 of v. round off (or out) 1 bring to a complete rouseabout /'rauzo,baut/ n. Austral. & NZ an unskilled labourer or symmetrical or well-ordered state. 2 smooth out; blunt the or odd jobber, esp. on a farm. corners or angles of. round on a person make a sudden verbal attack on or unexpected retort to a person. round out = round rousing /'rauzin/ adj. 1 exciting, stirring (a rousing cheer; a rousing song). 2 (of a fire) blazing strongly. 00 rousingly adv. off 1. round peg in a square hole = square peg in a round hole (see PEG). round robin 1 a petition esp. with signatures written Rousse see RusE. in a circle to conceal the order of writing. 2 US a tournament Rousseau! /'ru:sau/, Henri Julien (1844-1910), French painter in which each competitor plays in turn against every other. known as ‘Le Douanier’ from his job as a Parisian toll-inspector. round-shouldered with shoulders bent forward so that the He began painting in 1885 in a naive style that was to appeal back is rounded. Round Table 1 the table at which King Arthur to Apollinaire’s circle (including Jarry and Picasso) in its often and his knights sat so that none should have precedence. 2 an dreamlike intensity and simplicity of vision. The unique stylinternational charitable association which holds discussions, ization and authority of his pictures—e.g. Sleeping Gypsy (1897) debates, etc., and undertakes community service. 3 (round and Tropical Storm with Tiger (1891)—have caused him to be table) an assembly for discussion, esp. at a conference (often considered a modern master and the doyen of all naive painters. attrib.: round-table talks). round trip a trip to one or more places Rousseau? /'ru:ssu/, Jean-Jacques (1712-78), philosopher and and back again (esp. by a circular route). round the twist see novelist, born in Geneva. Lacking in stability of character he led TWIsT. round up collect or bring together, esp. by going round an unsettled life, sometimes aided by benefactors (including (see also sense 3 of v.). round-up n. 1 a systematic rounding up Hume) whose kindness he ill repaid, sometimes occupying of people or things. 2 a summary; a résumé of facts or events. humble situations, as footman or music-master, living for O00 roundish adj. roundness n. [ME f. OF ro(u)nd- stem of ro(o)nt, twenty-five years with a kitchen-maid and (she claimed) deposreont f. L rotundus ROTUND] iting their five babies at the Foundling Hospital. He came into roundabout /'raunda,baot/ n. & adj. —n. 1 Brit. a road junction notice by the works in which he expounded his revolt against at which traffic moves in one direction round a central island. the existing social order. Believing in the original goodness of 2 Brit. a a large revolving device in a playground, for children human nature he considered that the rise of property and to ride on. b = MERRY-GO-ROUND 1. —adj. circuitous, cirhuman pride (amour propre) had corrupted the ‘noble savage’. cumlocutory, indirect. His novel Emile (1762) lays down principles for a new scheme of education in which the child is to be allowed full scope for roundel /'raund(s)l/ n. 1 a small disc, esp. a decorative medalindividual development in natural surroundings, shielded from lion. 2 a circular identifying mark painted on military aircraft, the harmful influences of civilization. His most important work, esp. the red, white, and blue of the RAF. 3 a poem of eleven lines the Social Contract (1762) set forth the theory that society is in three stanzas. [ME f. OF rondel(le) (as ROUND)] founded on a contract: the people sacrifice their natural rights roundelay /'raundijle1/ n. a short simple song with a refrain. to the general will in return for protection, and the head of the [F rondelet (as RONDEL), with assim. to Lay? or virelay] State is their mandatary not their master. These views had an rounder /'raunda(r)/ n. 1 (in pl.; treated as sing.) a game with a effect on the American Declaration of Independence and were bat and ball in which players after hitting the ball run through wildly acclaimed during the French Revolution, when his body a round of bases. 2 a complete run of a player through all the was brought to Paris and reburied with pomp in the Panthéon. bases as a unit of scoring in rounders.

Roundhead /'raundhed/ n. hist. a member of the party (also

Rousseau?

known as Parliamentarians) opposing the king (Charles I) in the

English Civil War, so called because of the style in which the Puritans, who were an important element in the forces, wore their hair.

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

/'ru:sou/, Théodore (1812-67), French landscape

painter. His fruitless attempts to get his pictures accepted in the French Academy—an opponent of his plein-air aesthetic and bold handling—earned him the nickname of ‘Le Grand Refusé’, but the more liberal circumstances following the 1848 revolution saw the beginning of public recognition. In that year he kcat

1 leg

m man

n no

Pp pen

rred s sit

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v voice

roust settled at Barbizon in Fontainebleau Forest and worked in the company of others of the Barbizon school. His style ranged between luminous realism and deeply felt responses to the melancholy of nature. roust /raust/ v.tr. 1 (often foll. by up, out) a rouse, stir up. b root out. 2 US sl. jostle, harass, rough up. 0 roust around rummage. [perh. alt. of ROUSE] roustabout /'rausto,bavt/ n. 1 a labourer on an oil rig. 2 an unskilled or casual labourer. 3 US a dock labourer or deck hand. 4 Austral. = ROUSEABOUT. rout! /ravt/n. & v. —n. 1a disorderly retreat of defeated troops. 2 a an assemblage or company esp. of revellers or rioters. b Law an assemblage of three or more persons who have made a move towards committing an illegal act. 3 riot, tumult, disturbance, clamour, fuss. 4 Brit. archaic a large evening party or reception. —v.tr. put to rout. O put to rout put to flight, defeat utterly. [ME f. AF rute, OF route ult. f. L ruptus broken] rout? /ravt/ v. 1 intr. & tr. = RooT?. 2 tr. cut a groove, or any

pattern not extending to the edges, in (a wooden or metal surface). 0 rout out force or fetch out of bed or from a house or hiding-place. [var. of ROOT?] : route /ru:t, Mil. also raut/ n. & v. —n. 1 a way or course taken (esp. regularly) in getting from a starting-point to a destination. 2 US a round travelled in delivering, selling, or collecting goods. 3 Mil. archaic marching orders. —v.tr. (routeing) send or forward or direct to be sent by a particular route. 0 route man

US = ROUNDSMAN 1. route march a training-march for troops. [ME f. OF r(o)ute road ult. f. L ruptus broken] router /'ravuto(r)/ n. a type of plane with two handles used in routing. routine /ru:'ti:n/ n., adj., & v. —n. 1 a regular course or procedure, an unvarying performance of certain acts. 2 a set sequence in a performance, esp. a dance, comedy act, etc. 3 Computing a sequence of instructions for performing a task. —adj. 1 performed as part of a routine (routine duties). 2 of a customary or standard kind. —v.tr. organize according to a routine. oo routinely adv. [F (as ROUTE)]

routinism /ru:'ti:niz(2)m/ n. the prevalence of routine.

oo

routinist n. & adj. routinize /ru:'ti:natz/ v.tr. (also -ise) subject to a routine; make into a matter of routine. 00 routinization /-'ze1J(2)n/ n. roux /ru:/ n. {pl. same) a mixture of fat (esp. butter) and flour used in making sauces etc. [F, = browned (butter): see RUSSET]

Rovaniemi |,roven'jermi/ the principal town of Finnish Lap-

land; pop. (1987) 32,911.

rove! /ravv/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. wander without a settled destination, roam, ramble. 2 intr. (of eyes) look in changing directions. 3 tr. wander over or through. —n. an act of roving (on the rove). 0 rove-beetle any long-bodied beetle of the family Staphylinidae, usu. found in decaying animal and vegetable matter. roving commission authority given to a person or persons conducting an inquiry to travel as may be necessary. roving eye a tendency to ogle or towards infidelity. [ME, orig. a term in archery = shoot at a casual mark with the range not determined, perh. f. dial. rave stray, prob. of Scand. orig.]

rove? past of REEVE?. rove? /rauv/ n. & v. —n. a sliver of cotton, wool, etc., drawn out and slightly twisted. —v.tr. form into roves. [18th c.: orig. unkn.] rove? /rouv/ n. a small metal plate or ring for a rivet to pass

through and be clenched over, esp. in boat-building. [ON 16, with excrescent v] rover! /'rauva(r)/ n. 1a roving person; a wanderer. 2 Croquet a

a ball that has passed all the hoops but not pegged out. b a player whose ball is a rover. 3 Archery a a mark chosen at undetermined range. b a mark for long-distance shooting. 4 (Rover) Brit. a senior Scout. {Now called Venture Scout. (See ScouT ASSOCIATION.)

rover? /'rauva(r)/ n. a sea robber, a pirate. [ME f. MLG, MDu. rover f. roven rob, rel. to REAVE] rover? /'rauva(r)/ n. a person or machine that makes roves of fibre.

wwe

z zoo

Rowntree

1261

f she

3 decision

9 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

row! /rou/ n. 1.a number of persons or things in a more or less straight line. 2 a line of seats across a theatre etc. (in the front row). 3 a street with a continuous line of houses along one or each side. 4a line of plants ina field or garden. 5 a horizontal line of entries in a table etc. 0 a hard row to hoe a difficult task. in a row 1 forming a row. 2 collog. in succession (two Sundays in a row). row-house US a terrace house. [ME raw, row, f. OE f. Gmc] row? /rou/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. propel (a boat) with oars. Rowing dates back to ancient times when it provided motive power for warships. The earliest literary reference to rowing as a sport occurs in Virgil’s Aeneid, at the funeral games arranged by Aeneas in honour of his father. 2 tr. convey (a passenger) in a boat in this way. 3 intr. propel a boat in this way. 4 tr. make (a stroke) or achieve (a rate of striking) in rowing. 5 tr. compete in (a race) by rowing. 6 tr. row a race with. —n. 1 a spell of rowing. 2 an excursion in a rowing-boat. 0 row-boat US = rowing-boat. row down overtake in a rowing, esp. bumping, race. rowing-boat Brit. a small boat propelled by oars. rowing-machine a device for exercising the muscles used in rowing. row out exhaust by rowing (the crew were completely rowed out at the finish). row over complete the course of a boat race with little effort, owing to the absence or inferiority of competitors. 00 rower n. [OE rowan f. Gmc, rel. to RUDDER, L remus oar] row? /rau/ n. & v. collog. —n. 1a loud noise or commotion. 2a fierce quarrel or dispute. 3 a a severe reprimand. b the condition of being reprimanded (shall get into a row). —v. 1 intr. make or engage in a row. 2 tr. reprimand. 0 make (or kick up) a row 1 raise a noise. 2 make a vigorous protest. [18th-c. sl.: orig. unkn.] rowaa /|'raven, 'rau-/ n. (in full rowan-tree) 1 Sc. & N.Engl. the mountain ash. 2 US a similar tree, Sorbus americana, native to America. 3 (in full rowan-berry) the scarlet berry of either of these trees. [Scand., corresp. to Norw. rogn, raun, Icel. reynir]

rowdy |'raudi/ adj. & n. —adj. (rowdier, rowdiest) noisy and disorderly. —n. (pl. -ies) a rowdy person. 00 rowdily adv. rowdiness n. rowdyism n. [19th-c. US, orig. = lawless backwoodsman: orig. unkn.] Rowe /rou/, Nicholas (1674-1718), English dramatist, who abandoned the legal profession for the theatre. His best-known tragedies were The Fair Penitent (1703) and Jane Shore (1714), both of which provided Mrs Siddons with celebrated roles, and Tamerlane (1701). They are marked by pathos and female suffering, and their strong moral tone is in sharp contrast to the licentiousness of the drama of the preceding 50 years. rowel /'ravol/ n. & v. —n. 1 a spiked revolving disc at the end of a spur. 2 a circular piece of leather etc. with a hole in the centre inserted between a horse’s skin and flesh to discharge an exudate. —v.tr. (rowelled, rowelling; US roweled, roweling) 1 urge with a rowel. 2 insert a rowel in. [ME f. OF roel(e) f. LL rotella dimin. of L rota wheel] rowen /|'ravan| n. (in sing. or pl.) US a second growth of grass, an aftermath. [ME f. OF regain (as GAIN)] Rowlandson /'rsvlands(2)n/, Thomas (1756-1827), English draughtsman and print-maker. He trained at the Royal Academy in the 1770s and set up in London as a portrait painter in 1777, but he is remembered today as one of the finest and most acute commentators on contemporary English mores, satirizing the manners, morals, and occupations of English society, e.g. in Vauxhall Gardens (1784) and his illustrations to William Combe’s Tours of Dr Syntax (1812-20). His style was essentially illustrative, a combination of graceful outline and delicate colour washes.

rowlock /'rolok, 'ralok/ n. a device on a boat’s gunwale, esp. a pair of thole-pins, serving as a fulcrum for an oar and keeping it in place. [alt. of earlier OARLOCK, after ROW?| Rowntree /'rauntri:/, Joseph (1801-59), English businessman and philanthropist. A Quaker, he founded the family cocoa and chocolate manufacturing firm in York. He had three sons, of whom Joseph Rowntree (1836-1925) was also distinguished for his philanthropy and for his care of employees’ welfare; Benjamin Seebohm Rowntree (1871-1904) is known for his surveys of poverty in York and for his studies of management. tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

Rowton house

RSV

1262

responsible for the manufacture of British coins. Set up in 1810 in a building near the Tower of London, it moved in 1968 to for poor men, providing better conditions than a common Llantrisant in South Wales. It also mints coins on behalf of lodging-house. [Lord Rowton, English social reformer d. 1903] royal /'roral/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or suited to or worthy ofa .- certain foreign and Commonwealth governments, as well as medals, decorations, and seals. Since 1869 the office of Master king or queen. 2 in the service or under the patronage of a king Worker and Warden of the Mint has been nominally held by the or queen. 3 belonging to the king or queen (the royal hands; the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who has control of the royal anger). 4 of the family of a king or queen. 5 kingly, majestic, establishment. stately, splendid. 6 on a great scale, of exceptional size or Royal Navy the British navy, whose origin dates from the fleet quality, first-rate (gave us royal entertainment; in royal spirits; had a of warships created by King Alfred to defend the southern coast royal time). —n. 1 collog. a member of the royal family. 2 a royal of England against Viking invaders in the 9th c. (see NAvy). sail or mast. 3 a royal stag. 4 a size of paper, about 620 x 500 mm (25 x 20 in.), 5 (the Royals) the Royal Marines. o royal Royal Society the oldest and most prestigious scientific sociassent see ASSENT. royal blue Brit. a deep vivid blue. royal ety in Britain, formed to promote scientific discussion especially burgh hist. (in Scotland) a burgh holding a charter from the in the physical sciences. Such societies had stormy beginnings Crown. Royal Commission see COMMISSION. royal duke see in 16th-c. Italy, for scientific discoveries, such as those of Galileo, DUKE. royal family the family to which a sovereign belongs. contradicted the accepted ideas of the time and were frowned royal fern a fern, Osmunda regalis, with huge spreading fronds. on by the Church. The Royal Society, which received its charter royal flush see FLUSH®. royal icing a hard white icing made from Charles II in 1662, had originated privately among the from icing sugar and egg-whites. royal jelly a substance followers of Francis Bacon, and numbered among its members secreted by honey-bee workers and fed by them to future queen such famous scientists as Boyle, Wren, and Newton, who was bees. royal mast a mast above a topgallant mast. royal oak a its president from 1703 to 1727. Its Philosophical Transactions, sprig of oak worn on 29 May to commemorate the restoration of founded in 1665 and still published, is the earliest scientific Charles II (1660), who hid in an oak after the battle of Worcester journal. (1651). royal plural the first person plural ‘we’ used by a single royalty /'roralti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the office or dignity or power of person. royal road to way of attaining without trouble. royal a king or queen, sovereignty. 2 a royal persons. b a member of sail a sail above a topgallant sail. royal stag a stag with a head a royal family. 3 a sum paid to a patentee for the use of a patent of 12 or more points. royal standard a banner bearing royal or to an author etc. for each copy of a book etc. sold or for each heraldic arms. royal tennis real tennis. Royal Victorian public performance of a work. 4 a a royal right (now esp. Chain (in the UK) an order founded by Edward VII in 1902 over minerals) granted by the sovereign to an individual or and conferred by the sovereign on special occasions. Royal corporation. b a payment made by a producer of minerals, oil, Victorian Order (in the UK) an order founded by Queen Vicor natural gas to the owner of the site or of the mineral rights toria in 1896 and conferred usu. for great service rendered to over it. [ME f. OF roialté (as ROYAL)] the sovereign. royal warrant a warrant authorizing a traRoyce /rois/, Sir Frederick Henry (1863-1933), English engine desperson to supply goods to a specified royal person. oo designer who founded the company of Rolls-Royce Ltd. with C. royally adv. [ME f. OF roial f. L regalis REGAL] S. Rolls in 1906, after having started his own successful electrical Royal Academy of Arts (London) an institution established manufacturing business in 1884 and designing and building his with the sanction of George III in 1768. Its original purpose was own car and engine in 1903. He became famous as the designer to cultivate and improve the arts of painting, sculpture, and of the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost motor car (produced 1906-25). architecture; this implied raising the artist’s social and ecoHis first aircraft engine was the Eagle, used extensively in the nomic status by demonstrating the seriousness of his calling—a First World War, and subsequent designs included the Merlin, task that Reynolds, its first President, emphasized in his annual used in Spitfires and Hurricanes of the Second World War. A lectures. Like most 18th-c. academies its schools instructed stugenius as an engineer, he was noted for his extraordinary moddents in drawing from life and the antique, and an annual esty and remarkable memory. The symbol ‘RR’ on the front open exhibition selected by its own jury was established as a of Rolls-Royce motor cars was originally in maroon, but was showcase for artistic talent. Its premises were successively in changed to black because this often clashed with the colour Pall Mall, Somerset Palace (1780), and with the National Gallery scheme ordered by buyers. The decision to make the change in Trafalgar Square from 1837, moving to Burlington House, had been taken shortly before Royce died but the fact that it Piccadilly, in 1867. Although it became increasingly unrepwas implemented after his death gave rise to the legend that resentative of modernist tendencies (and often at odds with new the change was made in mourning. talent), it is now seen as the repository of mainstream art in rozzer /'rpzo(r)/ n. Brit. sl. a policeman. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] England and its annual summer exhibition (May—August) is something of a social event. The Royal Scottish Academy RP abbr. received pronunciation. received its royal charter in 1838 as a regional focus for Scottish RPI abbr. retail price index. art but has never matched its English counterpart in prestige. r.p.m. abbr. 1 revolutions per minute. 2 resale price Royal Air Force the British air force, formed in 1918 by maintenance. amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps (1912) and the Royal RPO abbr. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Naval Air Service (1914).

Rowton house /'ravt(a)n/ n. Brit. hist. a type of lodging-house

RR abbr. US 1 railroad. 2 rural route. RS abbr. 1 (in the UK) Royal Society. 2 US Received Standard. 3

Royal British Legion a national association of ex-members of the British armed forces, founded in 1921.

Royal Canadian Mounted

(in. the UK) Royal Scots.

Police the Canadian police

Rs. abbr. rupee(s). RSA abbr. 1 (in the UK) Royal Society of Arts. 2 Royal Scottish Academy; Roya! Scottish Academician. RSC abbr. 1 (in the UK) Royal Shakespeare Company. 2 (in the

force, founded in 1873 as the North West Mounted Police.

Royal Engineers the engineering branch of the British Army. Royal Institution a society founded in London in 1799 for the dissemination of scientific knowledge. royalist /'roralist/ n. 1 a a supporter of monarchy. b hist. (also Royalist) a supporter of the royal side in the English Civil War. 2 US a reactionary, esp. a reactionary business tycoon. 00

UK) Royal Society of Chemistry.

RSFSR abbr. Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. RSJ abbr. rolled steel joist. RSM abbr. Regimental Sergeant-Major. RSPB abbr. (in the UK) Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. RSPCA abbr. (in the UK) Royal Society for the Prevention of

royalism n.

Royal Marines a British armed service founded in 1664 for service on land and at sea. It is primarily a military force trained also for naval and amphibious operations and providing commandos, landing-craft and crews, frogmen, etc.

Royal

Mint

Cruelty to Animals.

the establishment (since 1850, the only one) z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

RSV abbr. Revised Standard Version (of the Bible). 1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

vo put

u: too

9 ago

al my

RSVP

RSVP abbr. (in an invitation etc.) please answer. [F répondez s'il vous plait] RT abbr. 1 radio telegraphy. 2 radio telephony. rt. abbr. right.

Rt. Rt. RU Ru

Rubik’s cube

1263

rubberneck /'rabo,nek/ n. & v. collog. —n. a person who stares inquisitively or stupidly. —v.intr. act in this way.

rubbing /'rabin/ n. 1 in senses of RuB! v. 2 an impression or copy made by rubbing (see RuB! v. 10).

rubbish /'rabif/n. & v. —n. esp. Brit. 1 waste material; debris,

Hon. abbr. Brit. Right Honourable. Revd. abbr. (also Rt. Rev.) Right Reverend. abbr. Rugby Union. symb. Chem. the element ruthenium.

rub! /rab/ v. & n. —v. (rubbed, rubbing) 1 tr. move one’s hand or another object with firm pressure over the surface of. 2 tr. (usu. foll. by against, in, on, over) apply (one’s hand etc.) in this way. 3 tr. clean or polish or make dry or bare by rubbing. 4tr. (often foll. by over) apply (polish, ointment, etc.) by rubbing. 5 tr. (foll. by in, into, through) use rubbing to make (a substance) go into or through something. 6 tr. (often foll. by together) move or slide (objects) against each other. 7 intr. (foll. by against, on) move with contact or friction. 8 tr. chafe or make sore by rubbing. 9 intr. (of cloth, skin, etc.) become frayed or worn or sore or bare with friction. 10 tr. reproduce the design of (a sepulchral brass or a stone) by rubbing paper laid on it with heelball or coloured chalk etc. 11 tr. (foll. by to) reduce to powder etc. by rubbing. 12 ©

intr. Bowls (of a bowl) be slowed or diverted by the unevenness of the ground. —n. 1 spell or an instance of rubbing (give it a rub). 2 a an impediment or difficuity (there’s the rub). b Bowls an inequality of the ground impeding or diverting a bowl; the diversion or hindering of a bowl by this. 0 rub along collog, cope or manage without undue difficulty. rub down dry or smooth or clean by rubbing. rub-down n. an instance of rubbing down. rub elbows with US = rub shoulders with. rub one’s hands rub one’s hands together usu. in sign of keen

refuse, litter. 2 worthless material or articles; trash. 3 (often as int.) absurd ideas or suggestions; nonsense. —-v.tr. collog. 1 criticize severely. 2 reject as worthless. 00 rubbishy adj. [ME f. AF rubbous etc., perh. f. RUBBLE]

rubble /'rab(2)l/ n. 1 waste or rough fragments of stone or brick etc. 2 pieces of undressed stone used, esp. as filling-in, for walls. 3 Geol. loose angular stones etc. as the covering of some rocks. 4 water-worn stones. 00 rubbly adj. [ME robyl, rubel, of uncert. orig.: cf. OF robe spoils]

Rubbra

/'rabra/, Edmund (1901-86), English composer and

pianist. Recognition came with the performance of his first symphony (1935-7). His prolific output includes ten symphonies, a piano concerto, a viola concerto, choral works, songs, and chamber music; among these is a large amount of religious music. His symphonies have a musical substance and spiritual grandeur which have still not been fully appreciated. rube /ru:b/ n. US collog. a country bumpkin. [abbr. of the name Reuben] rubefy /'ru:b1,fa1/ v.tr. (also rubify) (-ies, -ied) 1 make red. 2 Med. (of a counterirritant) stimulate (the skin etc.) to redness. 00 rubefacient /-'fe1f(2)nt/ adj. & n. rubefaction /,ru:b1'fekJ(a)n/ n.

[ME f. OF rubifier, rubefier f. med.L rubificare f. L rubefacere f. rubeus red]

rubella /ru:'bels/ n. Med. an acute infectious virus disease with a red rash; German measles. [mod.L, neut. pl. of L rubellus reddish]

satisfaction, or for warmth. rub it in (or rub a person’s nose in it) emphasize or repeat an embarrassing fact etc. rub noses

rubellite /'ru:ba,lait/ n. a red variety of tourmaline. [L rubellus

rub one’s nose against another’s in greeting. rub off 1 (usu. foll. by on) be transferred by contact, be transmitted (some of his attitudes have rubbed off on me). 2 remove by rubbing. rub of (or on) the green Golf an accidental interference with the course or position of a ball. rub on collog. = rub along. rub out 1 erase with a rubber. 2 esp. US sl. kill, eliminate. rub shoulders with

Rubens /'ru:binz/, Sir Peter Paul (1577-1640), Flemish painter,

associate or come into contact with (another person). rub up 1 polish (a tarnished object). 2 brush up (a subject or one’s memory). 3 mix (pigment etc.) into paste by rubbing. rub-up n. the act or an instance of rubbing up. rub up the wrong way

irritate or repel as by stroking a cat against the lie of its fur. [ME rubben, perh. f. LG rubben, of unkn. orig.]

rub? /rab/ n. = RUBBER2. [abbr.] rubato |ru:'ba:tou/ adj. & n. Mus. —n. (pl. -os or rubati /-t1/) the temporary disregarding of strict tempo. —adj. performed

with a flexible tempo. [It., = robbed]

rubber! /'raba(r)/ n. 1 a tough elastic polymeric substance made from the latex of plants or synthetically. 2 esp. Brit. a piece of

this or another substance for erasing pencil or ink marks. 3 collog. a condom. 4 (in pl.) US galoshes. 5 a person who rubs; a masseur or masseuse. 6 a an implement used for rubbing. b part of a machine operating by rubbing. 0 rubber band a loop of rubber for holding papers etc. together. rubber plant 1 an evergreen plant, Ficus elastica, with dark-green shiny leaves, often cultivated as a house-plant. 2 (also rubber tree) any of various tropical trees yielding latex, esp. Hevea brasiliensis. rubber solution a liquid drying to a rubber-like material, used esp. as an adhesive in mending rubber articles. rubber stamp 1 a device for inking and imprinting on a surface. 2 a a person who mechanically copies or agrees to others’ actions. b an

indication of such agreement. rubber-stamp v.tr. approve automatically without proper consideration. 00 rubbery adj. rubberiness n. [RUB! + -ER}, from its early use to rub out pencil marks] rubber? /'rabo(r)/ n. 1a match of three or five successive games between the same sides or persons at whist, bridge, cricket, lawn tennis, etc. 2 (prec. by the) a the act of winning two games in a rubber. b a third game when each side has won one. [orig. unkn.: used as a term in bowls from c.1600]

rubberize /'rabo,raiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) treat or coat with rubber. au how

er day

ov no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

ua poor

reddish] the supreme master of northern baroque. He trained in Antwerp, but in Italy (1600-8) and Spain studied profoundly the work of Italian old masters, especially Titian. Based in Antwerp from 1609, his output from a superbly organized workshop was prodigious—in fresh departures in portraiture, in landscape, in religious subjects no less than historical or mythological scenes. His appetite for the female nude was robustly large, and he defined an enduringly valid type of feminine beauty (of his wives ‘Isabella Brant, and secondly Héléne Fourment). In person sophisticated, handsome, of a learned but deftly worldly intelligence, he served also as a diplomat in Spain and in England: a prince amongst painters. The ease and vitality, the copious but sinuous rush of his strokes, are inexhaustibly influential, while his work is to be found amongst almost all the major galleries of the world.

rubeola |ru:'bi:alo/ n. Med. measles. [med.L f. L rubeus red] Rubicon /'ru:b1,kon/ a stream in NE Italy marking the ancient boundary between Italy and Cisalpine Gaul. By taking his army across it (i.e. outside his own province) in 49 Bc Julius Caesar

committed himself to war against the Senate and Pompey. —n. 1 a boundary which once crossed betokens irrevocable commitment; a point of no return. 2 (rubicon) the act of winning a game in piquet before an opponent has scored 100.

rubicund /'ru:bi,kand/ adj. (of a face, complexion, or person in these respects) ruddy, high-coloured. oo rubicundity /-"kanditi/ n. [F rubicond or L rubicundus f. rubére be red]

rubidium /|ru:'bidiom] n. Chem. a soft silvery element occurring naturally in various minerals and as the radioactive isotope rubidium-87. First discovered spectroscopically by R. W. Bunsen and G. R. Kirchhoff in 1861, it has few commercial uses. {| Symb.: Rb; atomic number 37. [L rubidus red (with ref. to its spectral lines)}

rubify var. of RUBEFY. rubiginous /ru:'bid3inos/ adj. formal rust-coloured. [L rubigoinis rust]

Rubik’s cube /'ru:brks/ n. a puzzle in which the aim is to restore the faces of a composite cube to single colours by rotating layers of constituent smaller cubes. [E. Rubik, its Hungarian

inventor]

ato fire

aua sour

(see over for consonants)

Rubinstein

plough). 3 primitive or uneducated (rude chaos; rude simplicity). 4 abrupt, sudden, startling, violent (a rude awakening; a rude reminder). 5 collog. indecent, lewd (a rude joke). 6 vigorous or hearty (rude health). o be rude to speak impolitely to; insult. o0 rudely adv. rudeness n. rudery n. rudish adj. [ME f. OF f. L rudis unwrought] ruderal /'ru:dor(s)l/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a plant) growing on or in rubbish or rubble. —n. a ruderal plant. [mod.L ruderalis f. L

Rubinstein /'ru:bin,starn/, Anton Grigorievich (1829-94), Russian composer and pianist, who founded the St Petersburg Conservatory in 1862 and was its director 1862-7 and 1887-91. Tchaikovsky was among his pupils. Rubinstein composed sym- . phonies, operas, songs, and piano music, including the popular Melody in F (1852). His brother Nikolai (1835-81), pianist and composer, was likewise a key figure in Moscow’s musical life and a close friend of Tchaikovsky.

ruble var. of ROUBLE. rubric /!ru:brik/ n. 1 a direction for the conduct of divine service

rudera pl. of rudus rubble}

rudiment /'ru:dimont/ n. 1 (in pl.) the elements or first prin-

inserted in a liturgical book. 2 a heading or passage in red or special lettering. 3 explanatory words. 4 an established custom. 00 rubrical adj. [ME f. OF rubrique, rubrice or L rubrica (terra) red (earth or ochre) as writing-material, rel. to rubeus red]

ciples of a subject. 2 (in pl.) an imperfect beginning of something “undeveloped or yet to develop. 3 a part or organ imperfectly developed as being vestigial or having no function (e.g. the breast in males). [F rudiment or L rudimentum (as RUDE, after elementum ELEMENT)] rudimentary /|,ru:di'mentor1/ adj. 1 involving basic principles; fundamental. 2 incompletely developed; vestigial. oo rudimentarily /-'mentor:l1/ adv. rudimentariness /-'mentertnis/ n.

rubricate /'ru:bri,keit/ v.tr. 1 mark with red; print or write in red. 2 provide with rubrics. 00 rubrication /-'ke1{(a)n/ n. rubricator n. [L rubricare f. rubrica: see RUBRIC] ruby /'ru:bi/ n., adj., & v. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a rare precious stone consisting of corundum with a colour varying from deep crimson or purple to pale rose. 2 a glowing purple-tinged red colour. —adj. of this colour. —v.tr. (-ies, -ied) dye or tinge ruby-colour. Q ruby glass glass coloured with oxides of copper, iron, lead, tin, etc. ruby-tail a wasp, Chrysis ignita, with a ruby-coloured hinder part. ruby wedding the fortieth anniversary of a wedding. [ME f. OF rubi f. med.L rubinus (lapis) red (stone), rel. to L rubeus red]

Rudolf /'ru:dolff, Lake the former name of Lake Turkana in NW Kenya.

Rudra /'rudra/ 1 (in the Rig-Veda) a minor god, associated with the storm, father of the Maruts. A destructive force, his arrows brought disease and disaster. 2 Hinduism one of the names of Siva, who may have evolved from the earlier deity. [Skr., = howler (rud howl, roar)] rue! /ru:/ v. & n. —v.tr. (rues, rued, rueing or ruing) repent of; bitterly feel the consequences of; wish to be undone or non-existent (esp. rue the day). —n. archaic 1 repentance; dejection at some occurrence. 2 compassion or pity. [OE hréow, hréowan] rue? /ru:/ n. a perennial evergreen shrub, Ruta graveolens, with bitter strong-scented leaves formerly used in medicine. [ME f.

RUC abbr. Royal Ulster Constabulary. ruche /ru:J/ n. a frill or gathering of lace etc. as a trimming. 00 ruched adj. ruching n. [F f. med.L rusca tree-bark, of Celt. orig.]

ruck! /rakj n. 1 (prec. by the) the main body of competitors not likely to overtake the leaders. 2 an undistinguished crowd of persons or things. 3 Rugby Football a loose scrum with the ball on the ground. 4 Austral. Rules a group of three mobile players. [ME, = stack of fuel, heap, rick: app. Scand., = Norw. ruka in the same senses] ruck? /rak/ v. & n. —v.tr. & intr. (often foll. by up) make or become creased or wrinkled. —n. a crease or wrinkle. [ON

OF f. Lruta f. Gk rhut@]

rueful /'ru:fol/ adj. expressing sorrow, genuine or humorously affected. 00 ruefully adv. ruefulness n. [ME, f. RUE}] rufescent /ru:'fes(s)nt/ adj. Zool. etc. reddish. 00 rufescence n. [L rufescere f. rufus reddish] ruff! /raf] n. 1 a projecting starched frill worn round the neck esp. in the 16th c. 2 a projecting or conspicuously coloured ring of feathers or hair round a bird’s or animal’s neck. 3 a domestic pigeon like a jacobin. 4 (fem. reeve /ri:v/) a wading bird, Philomachus pugnax, of which the male has a ruff and ear-tufts in the breeding season. 00 rufflike adj. [perh. f. ruff = RouGH] ruff? /raf] n. (also ruffe) any of various fish, esp. a perch-like freshwater fish, Gymnocephalus cernua, found in European lakes and rivers. [ME, prob. f. ROUGH]

hrukka] ruckle /'rak(a)l/ v. & n. Brit. = RUCK?. rucksack /'rakszk, 'ruk-/ n. a bag slung by straps from both shoulders and resting on the back. [G f. rucken dial. var. of Riicken back + Sack sack!] ruckus /'rakas/ n. esp. US a row or commotion. [cf. RUCTION, RUMPUS] ruction /'rakj(2)n/ n. collog. 1 a disturbance or tumult. 2 (in pl.) unpleasant arguments or reactions. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] rudaceous /|ru:'derfas/ adj. (of rock) composed of fragments of relatively large size. [L rudus rubble]

ruff? /raff v. & n. —v.intr. & tr. trump at cards. —n. an act of

rudbeckia /rad'bek1o/ n. a composite garden plant of the genus

ruffing. [orig. the name of a card-game: f. OF roffle, rouffle, = It. ronfa (perh. alt. of trionfo TRUMP})]

Rudbeckia, native to N. America. [mod.L f. O. Rudbeck, Sw. botanist

d. 1740]

rudd

Rugby

1264

ruffian /'rafian/ n. a violent lawless person. 00 ruffianism n.

/rad/ n. (pl. same) a freshwater fish, Scardinius eryth-

ruffianly adv. [F ruf(fjian f. It. ruffiano, perh. f. dial. rofia scurf] ruffle /'raffo)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. disturb the smoothness or tranquillity of. 2 tr. upset the calmness of (a person). 3 tr. gather (lace etc.) into a ruffle. 4 tr. (often foll. by up) (of a bird) erect (its feathers) in anger, display, etc. 5 intr. undergo ruffling. 6 intr. lose smoothness or calmness. —n. 1 an ornamental gathered or goffered frill of lace etc. worn at the opening of a garment esp. round the wrist, breast, or neck. 2 perturbation, bustle. 3 a rippling effect on water. 4 the ruff of a bird etc. (see RUFF! 2). 5 Mil. a vibrating drum-beat. [ME: orig. unkn.] rufous /'ru:fos/ adj. (esp. of animals) reddish-brown. [L rufus red, reddish]

rophthalmus, resembling a roach and having red fins. [app. rel. to rud red colour f. OE rudu, rel. to RED]

rudder /'rado(r)/ n. 1 aa flat piece hinged vertically to the stern of a ship for steering. b a vertical aerofoil pivoted from the tailplane of an aircraft, for controlling its horizontal movement. 2 a guiding principle etc. 00 rudderless adj. [OE rother f. WG rothra- f. the stem of Row?]

ruddle /'rad()}/ n. & v. —n. a red ochre, esp. of a kind used for marking sheep. —v.tr. mark or colour with or as with ruddle. [rel. to obs. rud: see RUDD]

ruddock /'radok/ n. dial. the robin redbreast. [OE rudduc (as RUDDLE)]

ruddy /'radi/ adj. & v. —adj. (ruddier, ruddiest) 1 a (of a person or complexion) freshly or healthily red. b (of health, youth, etc.) marked by this. 2 reddish. 3 Brit. collog. bloody, damnable. —v.tr. & intr. (-ies, -ied) make or grow ruddy. oo ruddily adv. ruddiness n. [OE rudig (as RUDD)] rude /ru:d/ adj. 1 (ofa person, remark, etc.) impolite or offensive. 2 roughly made or done; lacking subtlety or accuracy (a rude

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

rug /rag/ n. 1 a floor-mat of shaggy material or thick pile. 2 a thick woollen coverlet or wrap. 0 pull the rug from under deprive of support; weaken, unsettle. [prob. f, Scand.: cf. Norw. dial. rugga coverlet, Sw. rugg ruffled hair: rel. to RAG}] Rugby /'ragbr/ n. (in full Rugby football) a form of football played with an oval ball which may be carried as well as kicked. It is named after Rugby School in Warwickshire where it was developed, though the exact date when the distinctive practice

kcat

lleg

m man

n no

p pen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

Rugen

originated (in 1823 or later) of running while carrying the ball is in dispute. The oval ball owes its shape to the inflated pig’s bladder which was used in ball games for many centuries before being given (by the 16th c.) a leather outer cover. o Rugby League a partly professional form of the game with teams of 13. It dates from 1895 when a group of northern clubs, exasperated by repeated refusals of the ruling body to allow them to compensate players for money lost by taking time off from work to play football, decided to break away from the Rugby Union. Rugby Union an amateur form with teams of 15.

Riigen /'ru:gon/ an island in the Baltic Sea to the north of the German port of Rostock, linked to the mainland by a causeway. rugged /'ragid/ adj. 1 (of ground or terrain) having a rough uneven surface. 2 (of features) strongly marked; irregular in outline. 3 a unpolished; lacking gentleness or refinement (rugged grandeur). b harsh in sound. ¢ austere, unbending (rugged honesty). d involving hardship (a rugged life). 4 (esp. of a machine) robust, sturdy. 00 ruggedly adv. ruggedness n. [ME, prob. f. Scand.: cf. RUG, and Sw. rugga, roughen] rugger /'raga(r)/ n. Brit. collog. Rugby football. rugose /'ru:gous, -gauz/ adj. esp. Biol. wrinkled, corrugated. 00 rugosely adv. rugosity /-'gpsit1/ n. [L rugosus f. ruga wrinkle]

Ruhr /rue(r)/ a tributary of the Rhine in the west of Germany, which has given its name to this region of coalmining and heavy industry. ruin /'ru:in/ n. & v. —n. 1a destroyed or wrecked state. 2 a person’s or thing’s downfall or elimination (the ruin of my hopes). 3 a the complete loss of one’s property or position (bring to ruin). b a person who has suffered ruin. 4 (in sing. or pl.) the remains of a building etc. that has suffered ruin (an old ruin; ancient ruins). 5 a cause of-ruin (will be the ruin of us). —v. 1 tr. a bring to ruin (your extravagance has ruined me). b utterly impair or wreck (the rain ruined my hat). 2 tr. (esp. as ruined adj.) reduce to ruins. 3 intr. poet. fall headlong or with a crash. O in ruins 1 in a state of ruin. 2 completely wrecked (their hopes were in ruins). [ME f. OF ruine f. L ruina f. ruere fall]

ruination /,ru:1'ne1{(2)n/ n. 1 the act of bringing to ruin. 2 the act of ruining or the state of being ruined. [obs. ruinate (as RUIN)] ruinous /'ru:mos/ adj. 1 bringing ruin; disastrous (at ruinous expense). 2 in ruins; dilapidated. 00 ruinously adv. ruinousness n. [ME f. L ruinosus (as RUIN)]

Ruisdael /'ro1sda:l/, Jacob Isaacksz van (1628/9-82), the most important Dutch landscape painter of the 17th c. Born in Haarlem, he painted the surrounding landscape from the mid1640s until his move to Amsterdam in 1657, where he spent the rest of his life. His subdued palette suited his typical subjectmatter of low horizons, dominant cloudscapes, and wind-blown silvery atmosphere. His painting demonstrates the possibilities of investing landscape with an emotional quality that ranges from the subtlest intimations of mood toa sense of tragedy and transcendence (e.g. Jewish Cemetery, 1660s). Hobbema was his most famous pupil. His influence continued as far as the 18th and 19th c. affecting, among others, Gainsborough, Constable, and the Barbizon school.

Ruiz

de Alascén

y Mendoza

/[ru:'i:6 di ela:'kon

i:

mein'deu8e/, Juan (1580-1639), Spanish playwright, born in Mexico City. His most famous play, the moral comedy La verdad sospechosa (The suspicious Truth, published in 1630) was the basis of Corneille’s Le menteur (The Liar). rule /ru:l/n. & v. —n. 1a principle to which an action conforms or is required to conform. 2 a prevailing custom or standard; the normal state of things. 3 government or dominion (under British rule; the rule of law). 4 a graduated straight measure used in carpentry etc.; a ruler. 5 Printing a a thin strip of metal for separating headings, columns, etc. b a thin line or dash. 6 a code of discipline of a religious order. 7 Law an order made by a judge or court with reference to a particular case only. 8 (Rules) Austral. = Australian Rules. —v. 1 tr. exercise decisive influence over; keep under control. 2 tr. & (foll. by over) intr. have sovereign control of (rules over a vast kingdom). 3 tr. (often foll. by that + clause) pronounce authoritatively (was ruled out

wwe

z zoo

rummage

1265

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn Ting

x loch

of order). 4 tr. a make parallel lines across (paper). b make (a straight line) with a ruler etc. 5 intr. (of prices or goods etc. in regard to price or quality etc.) have a specified general level; be for the most part (the market ruled high). 6 tr. (in passive; foll. by by) consent to follow (advice etc.); be guided by. 0 as a rule usually; more often than not. by rule in a regulation manner; mechanically. rule of the road see ROAD}. rule of three a method of finding a number in the same ratio to one given as exists between two others given. rule of thumb a rule for general guidance, based on experience or practice rather than theory. rule out exclude; pronounce irrelevant or ineligible. rule the roost (or roast) be in control. run the rule over examine cursorily for correctness or adequacy. 00 ruleless adj. (ME f. OF reule, reuler f. LL regulare f. L regula straight stick] ruler /'ru:lo(r)/ n. 1a person exercising government or dominion. 2 a straight usu. graduated strip or cylinder of wood, metal, etc., used to draw lines or measure distance. 00 rulership n.

ruling /'ru:lin/ n. & adj. —n. an authoritative decision or announcement. —adj. prevailing; currently in force (ruling prices). 0 ruling passion a motive that habitually directs one’s actions. f rum! /ram/ n. 1 a spirit distilled from sugar-cane residues or molasses. 2 US intoxicating liquor. 0 rum baba see BABA. [17th c.: perh. abbr. of contemporary forms rumbullion, rumbustion, of unkn. orig.] rum? /ram/ adj. Brit. collog. 1 odd, strange, queer. 2 difficult, dangerous. 0 rum go (or start) collog. a surprising occurrence or unforeseen turn of affairs. 00 rumly adv. rumness n. [16thc. cant, orig. = fine, spirited, perh. var. of Rom] Rumania, RUMANIAN see ROMANIA, ROMANIAN.

Rumansh var. of ROMANSH. rumba /'rambo/ n. & v. (also rhumba)

—n.

1 a ballroom

dance of Cuban origin, danced on the spot with a pronounced movement of the hips. 2 the music for it. —v.tr. (rumbas, rumbaed /-bod/ or rumba’d, rumbaing /-bo1n/) dance the rumba. [Amer. Sp.]

rumble /'ramb(s)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. make a continuous deep resonant sound as of distant thunder. 2 intr. (foll. by along, by, past, etc.) (of a person or vehicle) move with a rumbling noise. 3 tr. (often foll. by out) utter or say with a rumbling sound. 4 tr. Brit. sl. find out about (esp. something illicit). —n. 1 a rumbling sound, 2 US sl. a street-fight between gangs. 0 rumble seat US an uncovered folding seat in the rear of a motor car. oO rumbler n. [ME romble, prob. f. MDu. rommelen, rummelen (imit.)]

rumbustious

/ram'bastfas/

adj. collog. boisterous,

noisy,

uproarious. 00 rumbustiously adv. rumbustiousness [prob. var. of robustious boisterous, ROBUST]

1.

Rumelia see RouMELIA. rumen /'ru:men/ n. (pl. rumens or rumina /-mino/) the first stomach of a ruminant, in which food, esp. cellulose, is partly digested by bacteria. [L rumen ruminis throat] Rumi /'ru:mi:/, Jalal al-Din (1207-73), Persian Islamic poet and mystic, also called Meviana or Maulana, founder of the whirling dervishes (see DERVISH). He was born in Balkh (in modern Afghanistan), but lived for most of his life at Konya in Turkey, where he is buried.

ruminant /'ru:mmont/ n. & adj. —n. an animal that chews the cud regurgitated from its rumen. —adj. 1 of or belonging to ruminants. 2 contemplative; given to or engaged in meditation. [L ruminari ruminant- (as RUMEN)]

ruminate /'ru:mineit/ v. 1 tr. & (foll. by over, on, etc.) intr. meditate, ponder. 2 intr. (of ruminants) chew the cud. oo rumination /-'neif(a)n/ 1. ruminative j/-notiv/ adj. ruminatively /-notrvli/ adv. ruminator n. rummage /'ramid3/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & (foll. by in, through, among) intr. search, esp. untidily and unsystematically. 2 tr. (foll. by out, up) find among other things. 3 tr. (foll. by about) disarrange; make untidy in searching. —n. 1 an instance of rummaging. 2 things found by rummaging; a miscellaneous accumulation. 0 rummage sale esp. US a jumble sale. 00 rummager n. [earlier as noun in obs. sense ‘arranging of casks

tf chip

dz jar

(seeover for vowels)

rumimer

run

1266 a

ee

etc. in a hold’: OF arrumage f. arrumer stow (as AD-, run ship’s hold f. MDu. ruim Room)] rummer /'ramo(r)/ n. a large drinking-glass. [rel. to Du. roemer, LG rémer f. roemen praise, boast] rummy! /'rami/ n. a card-game played usu. with two packs, in which the players try to form sets and sequences of cards. [20th c.: orig. unkn.]}

rummy? /'ram1/ adj. Brit. collog. = RUM?. rumozur /'ru:moa(r)/ n. & v. (US rumor) —n. 1 general talk or hearsay of doubtful accuracy. 2 (often foll. by of, or that + clause) a current but unverified statement or assertion (heard a rumour that you are leaving). —v.tr. (usu. in passive) report by way of rumour (it is rumoured that you are leaving; you are rumoured to be leaving). [ME f. OF rumur, rumor f. L rumor -oris noise] rump /ramp/ n. 1 the hind part of a mammal, esp. the buttocks. 2 aa small or contemptible remnant of a parliament or similar body. b (the Rump) hist. the Rump Parliament. o Rump Parliament that part of the Long Parliament which continued to sit after Pride’s Purge in 1648. Dissolved by Cromwell in 1653, the Rump was briefly reconvened in 1659 but voted its own dissolution early in 1660. rump steak a cut of beef from the rump. 00 rumpless adj. [ME, prob. f. Scand.] rumple /'ramp(s)l/ v.tr. & intr. make or become creased or ruffled. oo rumply adj. [obs. rumple (n.) f. MDu. rompel f. rompe wrinkle] rumpus /'rampos/ n. collog. a disturbance, brawl, row, or uproar. O rumpus room US a room in the basement of a house for games and play. [18th c.: prob. fanciful] run /ran/v. & n. —v. (running; past ran /ren/; past part. run) 1 intr. go with quick steps on alternate feet, never having both or all feet on the ground at the same time. 2 intr. flee, abscond. 3 intr. go or travel hurriedly, briefly, etc. 4 intr. a advance by or as by rolling or on wheels, or smoothly or easily. b be in action or operation (left the engine running). 5 intr. be current or operative; have duration (the lease runs for 99 years). 6 intr. (of a bus, train, etc.) travel or be travelling on its route (the train is running late). 7 intr. (of a play, exhibition, etc.) be staged or presented (is now running at the Apollo). 8 intr. extend; have a course or order or tendency (the road runs by the coast; prices are running high). 9a intr. compete in a race. b intr. finish a race in a specified position. ¢ tr. compete in (a race). 10 intr. (often foll. by for) seek election (ran for president). 11 a intr. (of a liquid etc. or its container) flow or be wet; drip. b tr. flow with. 12 tr. a cause (water etc.) to flow. b fill (a bath) with water. 13 intr. spread rapidly or beyond the proper place (ink ran over the table; a shiver ran down my spine). 14 intr. Cricket (of a batsman) run from one wicket to the other in scoring a run. 15 tr. traverse or make one’s way through or over (a course, race, or distance). 16 tr. perform (an errand). 17 tr. publish (an article etc.) in a newspaper or magazine. 18 a tr. cause (a machine or vehicle etc.) to operate. b intr. (of a mechanism or component etc.) move or work freely. 19 tr. direct or manage (a business etc.). 20 tr. own and use (a vehicle) regularly. 21 tr. take (a person) for a journey in a vehicle (shall I run you to the shops?). 22 tr. cause to run or go in a specified way (ran the car into a tree). 23 tr. enter (a horse etc.) for a race. 24 tr. smuggle (guns etc.). 25 tr. chase or hunt. 26 tr. allow (an account) to accumulate for a time before paying. 27 intr. Naut. (of a ship etc.) go straight and fast. 28 intr. (of salmon) go up river from the sea. 29 intr. (of a colour in a fabric) spread from the dyed parts. 30 a intr. (of a thought, the eye, the memory, etc.) pass in a transitory or cursory way (ideas ran through my mind). b tr. cause (one’s eye) to look cursorily (ran my eye down the page). 31 intr. (of hosiery) ladder. 32 intr. (of a candle) gutter. 33 intr. (of an orifice, esp. the eyes or nose) exude liquid matter. 34 tr. sew (fabric) loosely or hastily with running stitches. 35 tr. turn (cattle etc.) out to graze. —n. 1 an act or spell of running. 2 a short trip or excursion, esp. for pleasure. 3 a distance travelled. 4 a general tendency of development or movement. 5 a rapid motion. 6 a regular route. 7 a continuous or long stretch or spell or course (a metre’s run of wiring; had a run of bad luck). 8 (often foll. by on) aa high general demand (for a commodity, currency, etc.) (a run on the dollar). b a sudden demand for repayment by a large number of customers of (a bank). 9 a quantity produced in one we cat

a: arm

e bed

3; her

period of production (a print run). 10 a general or average type or class (not typical of the general run). 11 a Cricket a point scored by the batsmen each running to the other's wicket, or an equi. valent point awarded for some other reason. b Baseball a point scored usu, by the batter returning to the plate after touching the other bases. 12 (foll. by of) free use of or access to (had the run of the house). 13 a an animal’s regular track. b an enclosure for fowls. c a range of pasture. 14 a ladder in hosiery. 15 Mus. a rapid scale passage. 16 a class or line of goods. 17 a batch or drove of animals born or reared together. 18 a shoal of fish in motion. 19 a trough for water to run in. 20 US a small stream or brook. 21 a a single journey, esp. by an aircraft. b (of an aircraft) a flight on a straight and even course at a constant speed before or while dropping bombs. ¢ an offensive military operation. 0 at a (or the) run running. on the run 1 escaping, running away. 2 hurrying about from place to place. run about 1 bustle; hurry from one person or place to another. 2 (esp. of children) play or wander without restraint. run across 1 happen to meet. 2 (foll. by to) make a brief journey ora flying visit (to a place). run after 1 pursue with attentions; seek the society of. 2 give much time to (a pursuit etc.). 3 pursue at a run. run against happen to meet. run along collog. depart. run around 1 Brit. take from place to place by car etc. 2 deceive or evade repeatedly. 3 (often foll. by with) sl. engage in sexual relations (esp. casually or illicitly). run-around n. (esp. in phr. give a

1 sit

person the run-around) deceit or evasion. run at attack by

charging or rushing. run away 1 get away by running; flee, abscond. 2 elope. 3 (of a horse) bolt. run away with 1 carry off (a person, stolen property, etc.). 2 win (a prize) easily. 3 accept (a notion) hastily. 4 (of expense etc.) consume (money etc.). 5 (of a horse) bolt with (a rider, a carriage or its occupants). run a blockade see BLOCKADE. run down 1 knock down or collide with. 2 reduce the strength or numbers of (resources). 3 (of an unwound clock etc.) stop. 4 (of a person or a persen’s health) become feeble from overwork or underfeeding. 5 discover after a search. 6 disparage. run-down n. 1 a reduction in numbers. 2 a detailed analysis. —adj. 1 decayed after prosperity. 2 enfeebled through overwork etc. run dry cease to flow, be exhausted. run for it seek safety by fleeing. a run (or a good run) for one’s money 1 vigorous competition. 2 pleasure derived from an activity. run foul of collide or become entangled with (another vessel etc.). run the gauntlet see GAUNTLET”. run a person hard (or close) press a person severely in a race or competition, or in comparative merit. run high 1 (of the sea) have a strong current with a high tide. 2 (of feelings) be strong. run in 1 run (a new engine or vehicle) carefully in the early stages. 2 collog. arrest. 3 (of a combatant) rush to close quarters. 4 incur (a debt). run-in n. 1 the approach to an action or event. 2 a quarrel. run in the family (of a trait) be common in the members ofa family. run into 1 collide with. 2 encounter. 3 reach as many as (a specified figure). 4 fall into (a practice, absurdity, etc.). 5 be continuous or coalesce with. run into the ground collog. bring (a person) to exhaustion etc. run it fine see FINE}, run its course follow its natural progress; be left to itself. run low (or short) become depleted, have too little (our tea ran short; we ran short of tea). run off 1 flee. 2 produce (copies etc.) on a machine. 3 decide (a race or other contest) after a series of heats or in the event ofa tie. 4 flow or cause to flow away. 5 write or recite fluently. 6 digress suddenly. run-off n. 1 an additional competition, election, race, etc., after a tie. 2 an amount of rainfall that is carried off an area by streams and rivers. 3 NZ a separate area of land where young animals etc. are kept. run off one’s feet very busy. run-of-the-mill ordinary, undistinguished. run on 1 (of written characters) be joined together. 2 continue in operation. 3 elapse. 4 speak volubly. 5 talk incessantly. 6 Printing continue on the same line as the preceding matter. run out 1 come to an end; become used up. 2 (foll. by of) exhaust one’s stock of. 3 put down the wicket of (a batsman who is running). 4 escape from a containing vessel. 5 (of rope) pass out; be paid out. 6 jut out. 7 come out of a contest in a specified position etc. or complete a required score etc. (they ran out worthy winners). 8 complete (a race). 9 advance (a gun etc.) so as to project. 10 exhaust oneself by running. run-out n. the dismissal of a batsman by being run out. run out on collog. i: see

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al my

runabout desert (a person). run over 1 overflow. 2 study or repeat quickly.

3 (of a vehicle or its driver) pass over, knock down or crush. 4 touch (the notes of a piano etc.) in quick succession. 5 (often foll. by to) go quickly by a brief journey or for a flying visit. run ragged exhaust (a person). run rings round see RING). run

riot see RIOT. run a (or the) risk see RISK. run the show collog. dominate.in an undertaking etc. run a temperature be feverish. run through 1 examine or rehearse briefly. 2 peruse. 3 deal successively with. 4 consume (an estate etc.) by reckless or quick spending. 5 traverse. 6 pervade. 7 pierce with a sword etc. 8 draw a line through (written words). run-through n. 1a tehearsal. 2 a brief survey. run to 1 have the money or ability for. 2 reach (an amount or number). 3 (of a person) show a tendency to (runs to fat). 4 a be enough for (some expense or undertaking). b have the resources or capacity for. 5 fall into (ruin). run to earth 1 Hunting chase to its lair. 2 discover after a long search. run to meet anticipate (one’s troubles etc.). run to seed see SEED. run up 1 accumulate (a debt etc.) quickly. 2 build or make hurriedly. 3 raise (a flag). 4 grow quickly. 5 rise in price. 6 (foll. by to) amount to. 7 force (a rival bidder) to bid higher. 8 add up (a column of figures). 9 (foll. by to) go quickly by a brief journey or for a flying visit. run-up n. 1 (often foll. by to) the period preceding an important event. 2 Golf a low approach shot. run up against meet with (a difficulty or difficulties), run upon (of a person’s thoughts etc.) be engrossed by; dwell upon. run wild grow or stray unchecked or undisciplined or untrained. 00 runnable adj. [OE rinnan] runabout /'rano,baot/ n. a light car or aircraft. runaway /'rano,wel/ n. 1 a fugitive. 2 an animal or vehicle that is running out of control. 3 (attrib.) a that is running away or out of control (runaway inflation; had a runaway success). b done or performed after running away (a runaway wedding).

runcible spoon /'rans1b(9)l/ n. a fork curved like a spoon, with three broad prongs, one edged. [nonsense word used by E. Lear, Engl. humorist d. 1888, perh. after rouncival large pea] runcinate /'ransinot/ adj. Bot. (of a leaf) saw-toothed, with lobes pointing towards the base. [mod.L runcinatus f. L runcina PLANE? (formerly taken to mean saw)]

rune /ru:n/ n. 1 any of the letters of the earliest Germanic alphabet used by Scandinavians and Anglo-Saxons from about the 3rd c. and formed by modifying Roman or Greek characters to suit carving. 2 any letter of a similar alphabet used by 8th-c. Mongolian Turks. 3 a similar mark of mysterious or magic significance. 4 a Finnish poem or a division of it. 0 rune-staff 1 a magic wand inscribed with runes. 2 a runic calendar. 00 runic adj: [ON rin (only in pl. rinar) magic sign, rel. to OE rin] rung! /ran/ n. 1 each of the horizontal supports of a ladder. 2a strengthening crosspiece in the structure of a chair etc. 00 runged adj. rungless adj. [OE hrung]

rung? past part. of RING?. runlet /'ranlit/ n. a small stream. runnel /'ran(s)l/ n. 1 a brook or rill. 2a gutter. [later form (assim. to RUN) of rinel f. OE rynel (as RUN)]

runner /'rano(r)/ n. 1 a person who runs, esp. in a race. 2aa creeping plant-stem that can take root. b a twining plant. 3 a rod or groove or blade on which a thing slides. 4 a sliding ring ona rod etc. 5 a messenger, scout, collector, or agent for a bank etc.; a tout. 6 hist. a police officer. 7 a running bird. 8aa smuggler. b = blockade-runner. 9.a revolving millstone. 10 Naut. a rope in a single block with one end round a tackle-block and the other having a hook. 11 (in full runner bean) Brit. a twining bean plant, Phaseolus multiflorus, with red flowers and long green seed pods. Also called scarlet runner. 12 each of the long pieces on the underside of a sledge etc. that forms the contact in sliding. 13 a roller for moving a heavy article. 14 a long narrow ornamental cloth or rug. o do a runner sl. leave hastily; flee. runner-up (pl. runners-up or runner-ups) the competitor or team taking second place.

running /'ranin/n. & adj. —n. 1 the action of runners in a race etc. 2 the way a race etc. proceeds. —adj. 1 continuing on an essentially continuous basis though changing in detail (a running battle). 2 consecutive; one after another (three days running). au how

er day

Rupert’s Land

1267

ou no

eo hair

to near

or boy

vo poor

3 done with a run (a running jump). 0 in (or out of) the running (of a competitor) with a good (or poor) chance of winning. make (or take up) the running take the lead; set the pace. running account a current account. running-board a footboard on either side of a vehicle. running commentary an oral description of events as they occur. running fire successive shots from a line of troops etc. running gear the moving or running parts of a machine, esp. the wheels and suspension of a vehicle. running hand writing in which the pen etc. is not lifted after each letter. running head (or headline) a heading printed at the top of a number of consecutive pages of a book etc. running knot a knot that slips along the rope etc. and changes the-size of a noose. running light 1 = navigation light. 2 each of a small set of lights on a motor vehicle that remain illuminated while the vehicle is running. running mate US 1 a candidate for a secondary position in an election. 2 a horse entered in a race in order to set the pace for another horse from the same stable which is intended to win. running repairs minor or temporary repairs etc. to machinery while in use. running rope a rope that is freely movable through a pulley etc. running sore a suppurating sore. running stitch 1 a line of small nonoverlapping stitches for gathering etc. 2 one of these stitches. running water water flowing in a stream or from a tap etc. take a running jump (esp. as int.) sl. go away. runny /'rani/ adj. (runnier, runniest) 1 tending to run or flow. 2 excessively fluid. Runnymede /'rani,mi:d/ a meadow at Egham on the south bank of the Thames near Windsor, famous for its association with Magna Carta which was signed byKing John in the meadow or on the island near by. runt /rant/ n. 1 a small pig, esp. the smallest in a litter. 2a weakling; an undersized person. 3 a large domestic pigeon. 4a small ox or cow, esp. of various Scottish Highland or Welsh breeds. 00 runty adj. [16th c.: orig. unkn.] runway /'ranweli/n. 1 a specially prepared surface along which aircraft take off and land. 2a trail to an animals’ watering-place. 3 an incline down which logs are slid. 4 a raised gangway in a theatre, fashion display, etc.

Runyon /'ranjon/, (Alfred) Damon (1884-1946), American journalist and sports writer, famous also for his short stories about New York City’s Broadway and underworld characters, written in a highly individual style with much use of colourful slang idiom. His stories were the inspiration for the musical comedy Guys and Dolls (1950). rupee /ru:'pi:/ n. the chief monetary unit of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Mauritius, and the Seychelles. (Hind. ripiyah f. Skr. riipya wrought silver] Rupert /'ru:pot/, Prince (1619-82), a Royalist general of the English Civil War, son of the Elector Palatine and nephew of Charles I. Rupert was one of the most innovative and accomplished soldiers of his day, with a particular reputation as a dashing leader of cavalry. After being victorious in a series of engagements in the early years of the war, he was defeated by superior Parliamentarian forces at Marston Moor (1644) and Naseby (1645) and finally dismissed by the King for surrendering Bristol. Banished by Parliament, he led a series of expeditions against English shipping from the Low Countries before returning to Britain with Charles II to become one of the admirals in the Restoration Navy. Rupert was an active dilettante of science and the arts; an amateur etcher, he introduced mezzotint engraving to England. o Prince Rupert’s drops pear-shaped drops of glass with a long tail, made by dropping melted glass into water, and remarkable for the property, due to internal strain, of disintegrating explosively into powder when the tail is broken off or the surface scratched. Prince Rupert’s metal a gold-coloured alloy of about three parts copper and one part zinc.

Rupert’s Land (also Prince Rupert’s Land) an area of northern and western Canada, granted in 1670 by Charles II to Hudson’s Bay Company and purchased from it by the Dominion of Canada in 1869. It is named after Prince Rupert, the first governor of the Company.

aia fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

rupiah

Russia

1268

of South Dakota, noted for its giant busts of four US presidents —Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt—

rupiah /ru:'pi:s/ n. the chief monetary unit of Indonesia. [as RUPEE] rupture /'raptfo(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 the act or an instance of breaking; a breach. 2 a breach of harmonious relations; a disagreement and parting. 3 Med. an abdominal hernia. —v. 1 tr. break or burst (a cell or membrane etc.). 2 tr. sever (a connection). 3 intr. undergo a rupture. 4 tr. & intr. affect with or suffer a hernia. 00 rupturable adj. [ME f. OF rupture or L ruptura f. rumpere rupt- break] rural /'ruar(s)l/ adj. in, of, or suggesting the country (opp.

carved (1927-41) under the direction of the sculptor Gutzon - Borglum.

rusk /rask/ n. a slice of bread rebaked usu. as a light biscuit, esp. as food for babies. [Sp. or Port. rosca twist, coil, roll of bread]

Ruskin /'raskin/, John (1819-1900), English art and social critic. His voluminous writings profoundly influenced 19th-c. opinion and the development of the Labour movement. He was a champion of the painter Turner, who was then a controversial figure, and of Gothic architecture, which he saw as a religious expression of the piety of the Middle Ages: The Stones of Venice (1851— 3), in its attacks on ‘the pestilent art of the Renaissance’, led on to his later attacks on capitalism in his lectures on The Political Economy of Art’ (1857), and on utilitarianism in Unto This Last (1860). His Fors Clavigera (1871-8) or ‘Letters to the Workmen and Labourers of Great Britain’ was an attempt to spread his notions of social justice, coupled with aesthetic improvement; his religious and philanthropic instincts also expressed themselves in the founding of the Guild of St George in 1871, a major contribution to the Arts and Crafts movement, and in other public causes. His unfinished autobiography Praeterita (1885-9) was written in his final years of mental infirmity and semi-isolation.

URBAN); pastoral or agricultural (in rural seclusion; a rural constituency). O rural dean see DEAN}. rural district Brit. hist. a group of country parishes governed by an elected council. 00 ruralism n. ruralist n. rurality /-'reliti/ n. ruralize v. (also -ise). ruralization /-la1'zet{(a)n/ n. rurally adv. [ME f. OF rural or LL ruralis f. rus ruris the country]

Rurik /'ru:rik/ the name of a dynasty that ruled in Russia from the 9th c. until 1598, reputedly founded by a Varangian chief who settled in Novgorod in 862. The Ruriks established themselves as rulers of the principality of Moscow and gradually extended their dominions into the surrounding territory.

Ruritania /,rvort'ternia/ an imaginary Central-European kingdom used as a fictional background for court romances with chivalry and intrigue in a modern setting, as in the novels of

Sir Anthony Hope (Hawkins) The Prisoner of Zenda (1894) and Rupert of Hentzau (1898). 00 Ruritanian adj. & n. [as RURAL,

Russell! /'ras(o)l/, Bertrand Arthur William (1873-1970), 3rd Earl (though he rejected the title), British philosopher, mathematician, and reformer, important especially for his work on mathematical logic, which had great influence on symbolic logic and on set theory in mathematics. In Principia Mathematica (1910-13), written with A. N. Whitehead, he followed Frege in seeking to provide a secure foundation for mathematics by showing how its axioms could be deduced from those of logic. Although his philosophical views underwent continual development and revision, he remained constant in his admiration of physics and his belief that science provides the best understanding of all that exists. Kept from a traditional academic career by his radical views, he became widely known to the general public through campaigns and writings in favour of progressive views in politics, morals, education, and religion. He campaigned for women’s suffrage, opposed the First World War, ran a progressive school, and demonstrated in favour of nuclear disarmament. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1950, and retained his lucidity and wit to the end of his long life.

after Lusitania]

rusa /'ru:so/ n. any of various E. Indian deer of the genus Cervus. esp a sambur. [mod.L f. Malay] Ruse /'ru:ser/ (also Rousse /'ru:so/) an industrial city on the Danube in northern Bulgaria; pop. (1987) 190,450. ruse /ru:z/ n. a stratagem or trick. [ME f. OF f. ruser drive back, perh. ult. f. L rursus backwards: cf. RUSH]

rush! /raJ/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. go, move, or act precipitately or with great speed. 2 tr. move or transport with great haste (was rushed to hospital). 3 intr. (foll. by at) a move suddenly and quickly towards. b begin impetuously. 4 tr. perform or deal with hurriedly (don’t rush your dinner; the bill was rushed through Parliament). 5 tr. force (a person) to act hastily. 6 tr. attack or capture by sudden assault. 7 tr. sl. overcharge (a customer). 8 tr. US pay attentions to (a person) with a view to securing acceptance of a proposal. 9 tr. pass (an obstacle) with a rapid dash. 10 intr. flow, fall, spread, or roll impetuously or fast (felt the blood rush to my face; the river rushes past). —n. 1 an act of rushing; a violent advance or attack. 2 a period of great activity. 3 (attrib.) done with great haste or speed (a rush job). 4 a sudden migration of large numbers. 5(foll. by on, for) a sudden strong demand for a commodity. 6 (in pl.) collog. the first prints of a film after a period of shooting. 7 Football a a combined dash by several players

Russell? /'ras(o)l/, George William (1867-1935), Irish poet who wrote under the pseudonym ‘AE’. He met W. B. Yeats in 1886 and became interested in theosophy and mysticism, evident in his volume of verse, Homeward; Songs by the Way (1894). After the performance of Deirdre (1902) he became an established figure

in the Irish literary revival. His interests extended to public affairs and he successfully edited The Irish Homestead (1905-23) and The Irish Statesman (1923-30).

with the ball. b US the act of carrying the ball. o rush one’s fences act with undue haste. rush hour a time each day when traffic is at its heaviest. 00 rusher n. rushingly adv. [ME f. AF russher, = OF ruser, russer: see RUSE]

Russell /'ras(a)l/, John, 1st Earl Russell (1792-1878), British

rush? /raf/ n. 1 a any marsh or waterside plant of the family Juncaceae, with naked slender tapering pith-filled stems (prop-

erly leaves) formerly used for strewing floors and still used for making chair-bottoms and plaiting baskets etc. b a stem of this. ¢ (collect.) rushes as a material. 2 archaic a thing of no value (not worth a rush). O rush candle a candle made by dipping the pith of a rush in tallow. 00 rushlike adv. rushy adj. [OE rysc, rysce, corresp. to MLG, MHG rusch]

Rushdie /'rafdi/, (Ahmed) Salman (1947—_), Indian-born British novelist, author of ‘magic realist’ novels. His prizewinning Midnight's Children (1981) views the development of modern India

through the eyes of a telepathic child born at the very moment of the country’s independence. The publication of his novel The Satanic Verses (1988), an ambitious fantasy on good and evil and

on the migrant experience, gave rise to an international crisis; regarded by many Muslims as blasphemous, it led to an Islamic fatwa which was in effect a death sentence.

rushlight /'raflart/ n. a rush candle. Rushmore /'raJmo:(r)/, Mount a mountain in the Black Hills b but

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Whig statesman who introduced the Reform Bill of 1832 into Parliament. He was Prime Minister 1846-52 and 1865-6. His government was overshadowed by the dominant personality of his Foreign Secretary, Lord Palmerston. russet /'rasit/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 reddish-brown. 2 archaic rustic, homely, simple. —n. 1 a reddish-brown colour. 2 a kind of rough-skinned russet-coloured apple. 3 hist. a coarse homespun reddish-brown or grey cloth used for simple clothing. oo

russety adj. [ME f. AF f. OF rosset, rousset, dimin. of roux red f.

Prov. ros, It. rosso f. L russus red] Russia /'raJo/ a country in northern Asia and eastern Europe. The modern State originated from the expansion of Muscovy under the Rurik and Romanov dynasties, westwards towards Poland and Hungary, southwards to the Black Sea, and eastwards to the Pacific Ocean. Russia played an increasing role in Europe from the time of Peter the Great in the early 18th c. and pursued imperial ambitions in the east in the second half of the 19th c. Social and economic problems, exacerbated by the First World War, led to the overthrow of the Tsar in 1917 and the establishment of a Communist government. (See UNION OF

k cat

1lleg

m man

n no

Pp pen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

Russian SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS.) O Russia leather a durable bookbinding leather from skins impregnated with birch-bark oil.

Russian /'raJ(a)n/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a a native or national of Russia or the Soviet Union. b a person of Russian descent. 2 the language of Russia and the official language of the Soviet Union, the most important of the Slavonic languages, spoken in the

USSR as a first language by about 142 million people and by another 42 million as a second language. It is written in the Cyrillic alphabet. —adj. 1 of or relating to Russia. 2 of or in Russian. c Russian boot a boot that loosely encloses the calf. Russian olive = OLEASTER. Russian roulette 1 an act of daring in which one (usu. with others in turn) squeezes the trigger of a revolver held to one’s head with one chamber loaded, having first spun the chamber. 2 a potentially dangerous enterprise.

Russian

salad

a salad

of mixed

diced vegetables

with

mayonnaise. 00 Russianize v.tr. (also -ise). Russianization /-nat'ze1J(2)n/ n. Russianness n. [med.L Russianus]

Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic the largest and most important of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union; pop. (est. 1987) 145,311,000; capital, Moscow. It occupies more than three-quarters of the total area of the Union, contains more than half its population, and consists of twelve autonomous republics and numerous provinces.

Russify /'ras1,fat/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) make Russian in character. oo Russification /-fi'ker{(a)n/ n.

Russki /'raski/ n. (also Russky) (pl. Russkis or -ies) often offens. a Russian or Soviet. [RUSSIAN after Russ. surnames ending in -ski] Russo- /'rasau/ comb. form Russian; Russian and. o RussoJapanese War a war of 1904-5, caused by conflict of Russian and Japanese interests in Manchuria and Korea. Russia suffered a series of defeats, and by the peace settlement Japan gained the ascendancy in that region.

Russophile /'rassu,fail/ n. a person who is fond of Russia or the Russians. rust /rast/n. & v. —n. 1 aa reddish or yellowish-brown coating formed on iron or steel by oxidation, esp. as a result of moisture. b a similar coating on other metals. 2 a any of various plantdiseases with rust-coloured spots caused by fungi of the order Uredinales. b the fungus causing this. 3 an impaired state due to disuse or inactivity. —v. 1 tr. & intr. affect or be affected with rust; undergo oxidation. 2 intr. (of bracken etc.) become rust-coloured. 3 intr. (of a plant} be attacked by rust. 4 intr. lose quality or efficiency by disuse or inactivity. 00 rustless adj. [OE rist f. Gmc] rustic /'rastik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 having the characteristics of or associations with the country or country life. 2 unsophisticated, simple, unrefined. 3 of rude or country workmanship. 4 made of untrimmed branches or rough timber (a rustic bench). 5 (of lettering) freely formed. 6 Archit. with rough-hewn or roughened surface or with sunk joints. 7 archaic rural. —n. a person from or living in the country, esp. a simple unsophisticated one. 00 rustically adv. rusticity /-'tisit1/ n. [ME f. L rusticus f. rus the country] rusticate /'rasti,kert/ v. 1 tr. send down (a student) temporarily from university. 2 intr. retire to or live in the country. 3 tr. make rural. 4 tr. mark (masonry) with sunk joints or a roughened surface. 00 rustication /-'kerf(a)n/ n. [L rusticari live in the country (as RUSTIC)] rustle /'ras(2)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. & tr. make or cause to make a gentle sound as of dry leaves blown in a breeze. 2 intr. (often foll. by along etc.) move with a rustling sound. 3 tr. (also absol.) steal (cattle or horses). 4 intr. US collog. hustle. —n. a rustling sound or movement. oO rustle up collog. produce quickly when needed. oo rustler n. (esp. in sense 3 of v.). [ME rustel etc. (imit.):

cf. obs. Flem. ruysselen, Du. ritselen] ceptible to corrosion by rust. —v.tr. make rustproof. rustre /'rasto(r)/ n. Heraldry a lozenge with a round hole. [F] rusty /'rasti/ adj. (rustier, rustiest) 1 rusted or affected by rust. 2 stiff with age or disuse. 3 (of knowledge etc.) faded or impaired by neglect (my French is a bit rusty). 4 rust-coloured. 5 (of black

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Jf she

3 decision

clothes) discoloured by age. 6 a of antiquated appearance. b antiquated or behind the times. 7 (of a voice) croaking or creaking. 00 rustily adv. rustiness n. [OE ristig (as RusT)] rut! jrat/ n. & v. —n. 1a deep track made by the passage of wheels. 2 an established (esp. tedious) mode of practice or procedure. —v.tr. (rutted, rutting) mark with ruts. 0 in a rut following a fixed (esp. tedious or dreary) pattern of behaviour that is difficult to change. oo rutty adj. [prob. f. OF rote (as ROUTE)] rut? /rat/ n. & v. —n. the periodic sexual excitement of a male deer, goat, ram, etc. —v.intr. (rutted, rutting) be affected with

rut. 00 ruttish adj. [ME f. OF rut, ruit f. L rugitus f. rugire roar] rutabaga |,ru:to'ba:go/ n. a swede. [Sw. dial. rotabagge]

Ruth! /ru:6/ a book of the Old Testament telling the story of Ruth, a Moabite woman, who married her husband’s kinsman Boaz. King David (and therefore Christ, Matt. 1: 5) are descended from them.

Ruth? /ru:6/, George Herman (‘Babe’) (1895-1948), American professional baseball player, the most famous player during the period between the two World Wars. :

Ruthenia /ru:6i:n19/ a region of central Europe that is now part of the Ukrainian SSR. Ruthenian adj. & n.

ruthenium /ru:'§i:ntom/ n. Chem. a rare hard white metallic transition element, chemically related to platinum. First isolated in the pure state in the 1840s, the metal is used in powdered form as a catalyst, and in alloys to increase the hardness of

platinum and palladium. {/Symb.: Ru; atomic number 44. [med.L Ruthenia Russia (from its discovery in ores from the Urals)]

Rutherford! /'radofed/, Sir Ernest, 1st Baron Rutherford of Nelson (1871-1937), British physicist, born in New Zealand, successively professor at Montreal, Manchester, and Cambridge, widely regarded as the founder of nuclear physics, his researches having led to major discoveries concerning the nature of the atom. An experimental genius with a strategic approach to research, Rutherford had an unrivalled capacity for isolating a problem until there were only a small number of possible explanations, and then devising a series of simple experiments until all but one possibility had been eliminated. While studying radioactivity he established the nature of alpha and beta particles, and (with Soddy) proposed the laws of radioactive decay. From further experiments he concluded that the positive charge in an atom, and virtually all its mass, is concentrated in a central nucleus with negatively charged electrons in orbit round it; in essence his view is still held today. In 1919, after spending the war years developing means of detecting German submarines, Rutherford announced the first artificial transmutation of matter—an experiment which caught the public imagination: he bombarded nitrogen gas with alpha particles produced by natural radioactive substances, and found that the disruption of the nuclei had changed the nitrogen atoms into oxygen. For his considerable services to science he received many honours, including the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1908, a knighthood in 1914, and a peerage in 1931. The artificial element rutherfordium is named in his honour.

Rutherford? /'radafad/, Dame Margaret (1892-1972), English stage and film actress, noted for her roles as a formidable but jovial eccentric. She played Miss Prism in The Importance of Being Earnest (1939, 1952) and the bicycling medium in Blithe Spirit (1941, 1945), and is remembered especially for her later films which include Passport to Pimlico (1949), several films of Agatha Christie novels in which she played the elderly dectective, Miss Marple, and The VIPs (1963), for which she won an Academy Award.

rutherfordium |,rado'fo:diam/ n. Chem. the American name

rustproof /'rastpru:f/ adj. & v. —adj. (of a metal) not sus-

wwe

ruthless

1269

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

for an artificially made transuranic metallic element produced by bombarding an isotope of californium. {| Symb.: Rf; atomic number 104. Also called KURCHATOVIUM. The preferred name for it is now unnilquadium. [E. Rutherford, Engl. physicist d. 1937] ruthless /'ru:@lis/ adj. having no pity or compassion. oo ruthlessly adv. ruthlessness n. [ME, f. ruth compassion f. RUE] tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

rutile

Ryukyu Islands

1270

rutile /'ru:tarl/ n. a mineral form of titanium dioxide. [F rutile or G Rutil f. L rutilus reddish]

Ruwenzori |,ru:en'zo:ri/ a national park in the Rift Valley of SW Uganda, established in 1952 as the Queen Elizabeth National Park.

RV abbr. Revised Version (of the Bible). Rwanda /ru:'endo/ a country of central Africa east of Zaire; pop. (est. 1988) 7,058,350; official languages, Rwanda (a Bantu language) and French; capital, Kigali. The area was claimed by Germany from 1890, and after the First World War it became part of a Belgian trust territory, gaining independence as a republic in 1962. 00 Rwandan adj. & n.

Ry. abbr. Railway. -ry /ri/ suffix = -ERy (infantry; rivalry). [shortened f. -ERy, or by analogy] Ryazan /ris'zen/ a city of the Soviet Union, situated to the south-east of Moscow on the River Oka; pop. (est. 1987) 508,000.

Ryder Cup /'raido(r)/ a golf tournament played between teams of men professionals of the US and of Great Britain and Ireland (and, since 1979, other European players), held every second year in September, alternately in the US and Great Britain, from 1927; the trophy for this, donated by Samuel Ryder, a British seed-merchant. rye /rai/ n. 1 a a cereal plant, Secale cereale, with spikes bearing florets which yield wheatlike grains. b the grain of this used for bread and fodder. 2 (in full rye whisky) whisky distilled

Ryle? /ratlj, Gilbert (1900-76), English philosopher, professor of * metaphysical philosophy at Oxford 1945-68. His most famous work The Concept of Mind (1949) is a strong attack on the mindand-body dualism of Descartes, referred to by Ryle as ‘the dogma of the Ghost in the Machine’, which postulates that mental events exist alongside physical events but in a non-material mental ‘world’. He was a cousin of the astronomer Sir Martin Ryle (see RYLE?).

Ryle? /rarl/, Sir Martin (1918-84), English physicist and astronomer, noted for his work on radio astronomy in the 1950s. His surveys played an important role in the current cosmological debates, helping to establish the ‘big bang’ as opposed to ‘steady state’ theory of the universe. Ryle was Astronomer Royal 1972— 82 and was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics in 1974, the first astronomer to be so honoured. ryokan /ri'sukon/ n. a traditional Japanese inn. [Jap.] ryot /'rarot/ n. an Indian peasant. [Urdu ra‘tyat f. Arab. ra‘tya flock, subjects f. ra“4 to pasture] Rysy /'risi:/ the highest mountain in Poland, a peak in the Tatra

Mountains which rises to a height of 2,499 m (8,197 ft.). Ryukyu Islands /ri'u:kju:/ a chain of islands in the western Pacific, stretching for about 960 km (600 miles) from the southern tip of Kyushu Island, Japan, to Taiwan. The islands were placed under US military control in 1945 and returned to Japan

from fermented rye. [OE ryge f. Gmc]

z cat

ryegrass /'raigra:s/ n. any forage or lawn grass of the genus Lolium, esp. L. perenne. [obs. ray-grass, of unkn. orig.]

in 1972.

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

i: see

pv hot

9: saw

a run

vo put

u: too

9 ago

al my

S S! Jes/ a. (also s) (pl. Ss or S’s /'es1z/) 1 the nineteenth letter of the alphabet. 2 an S-shaped object or curve.

S? abbr. (also S.) 1 Saint. 2 siemens. 3 Society. 4 South, Southern. S° symb. Chem. the element sulphur. S. abbr. 1 second(s). 2 shilling(s). [orig. f. L solidus: see sotipus] 3 singular. 4 son. 5 succeeded. *s |s; z after a vowel sound or voiced consonant/ abbr. 1 is, has (he’s; it’s;John’s; Charles's). 2 us (let’s). 3 collog. does (what’s he say?). -s!/s; z after a vowel sound or voiced consonant, e.g. ways, bags/ suffix denoting the plurals of nouns (cf. -Es!). [OE -as pl. ending] -s? /s; z after a vowel sound or voiced consonant, e.g. ties, begs/ suffix forming the 3rd person sing. present of verbs (cf. -Es?). [OE dial., prob. f. OE 2nd person sing. present ending -es, -as] -s3 /s; z after a vowel sound or voiced consonant, e.g. besides/ suffix 1 forming adverbs (afterwards; besides). 2 forming possessive pronouns (hers; ours). [formed as -’s}] -s‘ /s; z after a vowel sound or voiced consonant/ suffix forming nicknames or pet names (Fats; ducks). [after -s}] -s’ /s; z after a vowel sound or voiced consonant/ suffix denoting the possessive case of plural nouns and sometimes of singular nouns ending in s (the boys’ shoes; Charles’ book). [as -’s4]

*s- |s, z| prefix archaic (esp. in oaths) God’s (’sblood; ’struth). [abbr.] ~-’s!/s; z after a vowel sound or voiced consonant] suffix denoting the possessive case of singular nouns and of plural nouns not ending in -s (John’s book; the book’s cover, the children’s shoes). [OE genit. sing. ending]

Sunday as a Christian day of abstinence from work and play. 2 (in full witches’ sabbath) a supposed general midnight meeting of witches with the Devil. [OE sabat, L sabbatum, & OF sabbat, f. Gk sabbaton f. Heb. Sabbat f. Sabat to rest]

sabbatical /so'betrk(s)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or appropriate to the sabbath. 2 (of leave) granted at intervals to a university teacher for study or travel, orig. every seventh year. —n. a period of sabbatical leave. 0 sabbatical year 1 Bibl. every

seventh year, prescribed by the Mosaic law to be observed as a ‘sabbath’, during which the land was allowed to rest. 2 a year’s sabbatical leave. 00 sabbatically adv. [LL sabbaticus f. Gk sabbatikos of the sabbath]

Sabellian! /so'belian/ n. & adj.

—n. a member of a group of

tribes in ancient Italy (including Sabines, Samnites, Campanians, etc.), or their language or dialects. —adj. of or relating to the Sabellians or their language or dialects. [L Sabellus]

Sabellian? /so'belran/ n. & adj. —n. a holder of the doctrine of Sabellius (3rd c.), African heretic, that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are merely aspects of one divine Person. —adj. of or relating to the Sabellians.

saber US var. of SABRE. Sabian /'seibron/ n. & adj. —n. 1 an adherent ofa religious sect

-’s? |s; z after a vowel sound or voiced consonant] suffix denoting the plural of a letter or symbol (S’s; 8's}. [as -s4]

mentioned in the Koran and by later Arabian writers. In the Koran, the Sabians are classed with Muslims, Jews, and Christians as believers in the true God. On account of the toleration extended to them by Muslims the name of Sabians, was some centuries after Muhammad, assumed not only by a half-Christian Gnostic sect, the Mandaeans (whose religion was perhaps akin to that of true Sabians), but also by certain actual polythesists. 2a member

SA abbr. 1 Salvation Army. 2 sex appeal. 3 a South Africa. b

of a group of Syrian pagan star-worshipers. —adj. of or relating

South America. ¢ South Australia. 4 hist. Sturmabteilung (the paramilitary force of the Nazi party; see BROWNSHIRTS). Saar /sa:(r)/ (French Sarre) a river of western Europe, rising in

sabicu /'szeb1,ku:/n. 1 a W. Indian tree, Lysiloma latisiliqua, grown

the Vosges Mountains in eastern France and flowing 240 km (150 miles) to join the Moselle River in Germany.

Saarland /'sa:lend/ a ‘Land’ (State) in the west of Germany, through which the River Saar flows; pop. (1987) 1,041,000; capital, Saarbriicken.

Saba /'sa:ba/ the smallest island of the Netherlands Antilles; pop. (1981) 963; chief town, Leverock.

sabadilla |,sebo'drle/ n. 1 a Mexican plant, Schoenocaulon officinale, with seeds yielding veratrine. 2 a preparation of these seeds, used in medicine and agriculture. [Sp. cebadilla dimin. of cebada barley] '

Sabaean |so'bi:on/ n. & adj. —n. a member of a Semiticspeaking people who by the 3rd c. ap had established an elaborate system of government and succeeded in uniting southern Arabia into a single State, overthrown by the Abyssinians in AD 525. —adj. of or relating to the Sabaeans. [L Sabaeus f. Gk Sabaios,

ult. f. Heb. Sheba people of Yemen (see SHEBA)]

Sabah |'sa:ba:/ a State of Malaysia, comprising North Borneo and some offshore islands pop. (1980) 998,800; capital, Kota Kinabalu. A British protectorate from 1888, it gained independence and joined Malaysia in 1963.

Sabaoth |sz'berv0, 'sz-/ n.pl. Bibl. heavenly hosts (see Host! 2) (Lord of Sabaoth). [ME f. LL f. Gk Sabadth f. Heb. s‘badt pl. of saba host (of heaven)}

Sabbatarian |,szbe'tearian/ n. & adj. —n. 1

strict sabbath-

keeping Jew. 2 a Christian who favours observing Sunday strictly as the sabbath. 3 a Christian who observes Saturday as the sabbath. —adj. relating to or holding the tenets of Sabbatarians. 00 Sabbatarianism n. [LL sabbatarius f. L sabbatum: see SABBATH]

sabbath /|'szbo6/ n. 1 (in full sabbath day) aa religious rest-day appointed for Jews on the last day of the week (Saturday).

av how

er day

ov no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

vo poor

b

to the Sabians. f. [Arab. sabi’, prob. as Heb. saba host] for timber. 2 the mahogany-like wood of this tree. [Cuban Sp. sabici]

Sabin /'serbin/, Albert Bruce (1906-—__), Russian-born American microbiologist who in 1955 developed an orally administered vaccine, named after him, against poliomyelitis.

Sabine /|'szbain/ n. & adj. —n. a member of a people of ancient Italy of the area NE of Rome, renowned in antiquity for their frugal and hardy character and their superstitious practices, finally conquered by Rome in 290 Bc. The (unhistorical) legend of the Rape of the Sabine Women (said to have been carried off by the Romans at a spectacle to which the Sabines had been invited) reflects the early intermingling of Romans and Sabines; some Roman religious institutions were said to have a Sabine origin. —adj. of or relating to the Sabines. [L Sabinus]

sable! /'serb(a)l/ n.

1 a a-small brown-furred

flesh-eating

mammal, Martes zibellina, of N. Europe and parts of N. Asia, related to the marten. b its skin or fur. 2 a fine paintbrush made of sable fur. [ME f. OF f. med.L sabelum f. Slav.]

sable? /'serb(o)l/ n. & adj. —n.

1 esp. poet. black. 2 (in pl.)

mourning garments. 3 (in full sable antelope) a large stouthorned African antelope, Hippotragus niger, the males of which are mostly black in old age. —adj. 1 (usu. placed after noun) Heraldry black. 2 esp. poet. dark, gloomy. 00 sabled adj. sably adv. [ME f. OF (in Heraldry): gen. taken to be identical with SABLE}, although sable fur is dark brown] sabot /'szbout, 'sebau/ n. 1 a kind of simple shoe hollowed out from a block of wood. 2 a wooden-soled shoe. 3 Austral. a small snub-nosed yacht. oo saboted |'szeboud/ adj. [F, blend of savate shoe + botte boot] sabotage /'szba,ta:3/ n. & v. —n. deliberate damage to productive capacity, esp. as a political act. —v.tr. 1 commit sabotage on. 2 destroy, spoil; make useless (sabotaged my plans). [F f. saboter make a noise with sabots, bungle, wilfully destroy: see sABOT]

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

saboteur

Ta

te

a

I

a

saboteur /|,sebo'ts:(r)/ n. a person who commits sabotage. [F] sabra |'sebro/ n. a Jew born in Israel. [mod. Heb. sabrah opuntia fruit] sabre |'serbo(r)/ n. & v. (US saber) —n. 1 a cavalry sword with a curved blade. 2 a cavalry soldier and horse. 3 a light fencing-

sword with a tapering blade. —v.tr. cut down or wound with a sabre. 0 sabre-bill any S. American bird of the genus Campylorhamphus with a long curved bill. sabre-cut 1 a blow with a sabre. 2 a wound made ora scar left by this. sabre-rattling a display or threat of military force. sabre-toothed designating any of various extinct mammals having long sabre-shaped upper canines. sabre-wing a S. American humming-bird, Campylopterus falcatus, with curved wings. [F, earlier sable f. G Sabel, Sabel, Schabel f. Pol. szabla or Magyar szablya] sabretache /'szbo,tz{/ n. a flat satchel on long straps worn by some cavalry officers from the left of the waist-belt. [F f. G Sdbeltasche (as SABRE, Tasche pocket)] sabreur /sz'brs:(r)/ n. a user of the sabre, esp. a cavalryman. [F f. sabrer SABRE V.]

SAC abbr. (in the UK) Senior Aircraftman. sac /szk/ n. 1 a baglike cavity, enclosed by a membrane, in an animal or plant. 2 the distended membrane surrounding a hernia, cyst, tumour, etc. [F sac or L saccus SACK}] saccade /sz'ka:d/ n. a brief rapid movement of the eye between fixation points. 00 saccadic /so'kedrk/ adj. [F, = violent pull, f. OF saquer, sachier pull] saccate |'szkert/ adj. Bot. 1 dilated into a bag. 2 contained in a sac.

saccharide /'szko,raid/ n. Chem. = suGAR 2. [mod.L saccharum sugar + -IDE]

saccharimeter

sacrifice

1272

|,seko'rimita(r)/ n. any instrument, esp. a

polarimeter, for measuring the sugar content of a solution. [F saccharimétre (as SACCHARIDE)] saccharin /'sekorm/ n. a very sweet substance used as a nonfattening substitute for sugar. [G (as SACCHARIDE) + -IN]

saccharine |'seko,ri:n/ adj. 1 sugary. 2 of, containing, or like sugar. 3 unpleasantly over-polite, sentimental, etc. saccharo- |'sz2karau/ comb. form sugar; sugar and. [Gk sakkharon sugar] saccharogenic |,sekorau'dzentk/ adj. producing sugar. saccharometer /|,seks'rpmita(r)/ n. any instrument, esp. a hydrometer, for measuring the sugar content of a solution. saccharose /'seko,raus, -,rauz/ n. sucrose. [mod.L saccharum sugar + -OSE?] sacciform /'szks1,fo:m/ adj. sac-shaped. [L saccus sac + -FORM] saccule /|'sekju:l/ n. a small sac or cyst. 00 saccular adj. [L sacculus (as SAC)]

contained ina sack. 2 (prec. by the) collog. dismissal from employment. 3 (prec. by the) US sl. bed. 4a a woman’s short loose dress with a sacklike appearance. b archaic or hist. a woman’s loose gown, or a silk train attached to the shoulders of this. 5 a man’s or woman’s loose-hanging coat not shaped to the back. —v.tr.

1 put into a sack or sacks. 2 collog. dismiss from employment.

0 sack race a race between competitors in sacks up to the waist or neck. oo sackful n. (pl. -fuls). sacklike adj. [OE sacc f. L saccus f. Gk sakkos, of Semitic orig.] sack? /sek/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 plunder and destroy (a captured town etc.). 2 steal valuables from (a place). —n. the sacking of

a captured place. orig. as noun, f. F sac in phr. mettre a sac put

to sack, f. It. sacco SACK]

sack? /sek/ n. hist. a white wine formerly imported into Britain

from Spain and the Canaries (sherry sack). [16th-c. wyne seck, fF vin sec dry wine] sackbut /'szkbat/ n. an early form of trombone. [F saquebute, earlier saqueboute hook for pulling a man off a horse f. saquer pull, boute (as BUTT]

sackcloth /'sekklp@/ n. 1 a coarse fabric of flax or hemp. 2 clothing made of this, formerly worn as a penance or in mourning (esp. sackcloth and ashes).

sacking /|'szekin/ n. material for making sacks; sackcloth. Sackville-West |,szkvil'west/, Hon. Victoria (Mary) (18921962), English novelist and poet. Her poem The Land (1927) is a fine evocation of the English countryside. She is said to be portrayed in her friend Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando (1928). sacra pl. of SACRUM. sacral |'serkr(s)l/ adj. 1 Anat. of or relating to the sacrum. 2 Anthropol. of or for sacred rites. [E or L sacrum: see SACRUM] sacrament /'sekramont/ n. 1 a religious ceremony or act of the Christian Churches regarded as an outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace. The term is applied by the Eastern, pre-Reformation Western, and Roman Catholic Churches to the seven rites of baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, penance, extreme unction, ordination, and matrimony, but restricted by most Protestants to baptism and the Eucharist. 2 a thing of mysterious and sacred significance; a sacred influence, symbol, etc. 3 (also Blessed or Holy Sacrament) (prec. by the) a the Eucharist. b the consecrated elements, esp. the bread or Host.

4 an oath or solemn engagement taken. [ME f. OF sacrement f. L sacramentum solemn oath etc. f. sacrare hallow f. sacer SACRED, used in Christian L as transl. of Gk mustérion MYSTERY?]

sacramental |,sekra'ment(s)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or of the nature of a sacrament or the sacrament. 2 (of a doctrine etc.) attaching great importance to the sacraments. —n. an observance analogous to but not reckoned among the sacraments, e.g.

the use of holy water or the sign of the cross.

sacerdotal |,seko'dout(s)l/ adj. 1 of priests or the priestly office; priestly. 2 (of a doctrine etc.) ascribing sacrificial functions and supernatural powers to ordained priests; claiming excessive authority for the priesthood. oO sacerdotalism 1. sacerdotalist n. sacerdotally adv. [ME f. OF sacerdotal or L sacerdotalis f. sacerdos -dotis priest] sachem |/'seit{am/ n. 1 the supreme chief of some American Indian tribes. 2 US a political leader. [Narraganset, = SAGAMORE]

sachet /|'szfei/ n. 1 a small bag or packet containing a small portion of a substance, esp. shampoo. 2 a small perfumed bag. 3 a dry perfume for laying among clothes etc. b a packet of this. [F, dimin. of sac f. L saccus]

Sachs /szks, zeks/, Hans (1494-1576), German writer, by trade a shoemaker of Nuremberg, prolific author of verse and some 200 plays. He became renowned in the Guild of Meistersinger, writing many songs using their elaborate technique, and celebrated Luther in a poem and the Protestant cause in prose dialogues. Despised in the 17th c., he was restored to fame by Goethe in his poem Hans Sachsens poetische Sendung (1776), and Wagner raised him to legendary status in Die Meistersinger von

Niirnberg (1868).

sack! /sek/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa large strong bag, usu. made of hessian, paper, or plastic, for storing or conveying goods. b (usu. foll. by of) this with its contents (a sack of potatoes). c a quantity

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

h he

jyes

00 sacra-

mentalism n. sacramentalist n. sacramentality /-'tzlit1/ n. sacramentally adv. [ME f. F sacramental or LL sacramentalis (as SACRAMENT)]

Sacramento /|,sekro'mentou/ the capital of California, situated 115 km (72 miles) north-east of San Francisco, on the Sacramento River; pop. (1980) 274,100. sacrarium /|so'kreoriem/ n. (pl. sacraria /-r13/) 1 the sanctuary

of a church. 2 RC Ch. a piscina. 3 Rom. Antiq. a shrine; the room (in a house) containing the penates. [L f. sacer sacri holy] sacred /'serkrid/ adj. 1 a (often foll. by to) exclusively dedicated or appropriated (to a god or to some religious purpose). b made holy by religious association. ¢ connected with religion; used for a religious purpose (sacred music). 2 a safeguarded or required by religion, reverence, or tradition. b sacrosanct. 3 (of writings etc.) embodying the laws or doctrines of a religion. 0 Sacred College RC Ch. the body of cardinals. sacred cow collog. an idea or institution unreasonably held to be above criticism (with ref. to the Hindus’ respect for the cow as a holy animal). Sacred Heart RC Ch. the heart of Christ (or of Mary) as an object of devotion. sacred number a number associated with religious symbolism, e.g. 7. OO sacredly adv. sacredness n. [ME, past part. of obs. sacre consecrate f. OF sacrer f. L sacrare f. sacer sacri holy]

sacrifice /'sekrifars/ n. & v. —n. k cat

lleg

mman

nno

ppen

1 a the act of giving up

rred

s sit

t top

v voice

sacrilege

something valued for the sake of something else more important or worthy. b a thing given up in this way. c the loss entailed in this. 2 a the slaughter of an animal or person or the surrender of a possession as an offering to a deity. b an animal, person, or thing offered in this way. 3 an act of prayer, thanksgiving, or penitence as propitiation. 4 Theol. a Christ’s offering of himself in the Crucifixion. b the Eucharist as either a propitiatory offering of the body and blood of Christ or an act of thanksgiving. 5 (in games) a loss incurred deliberately to avoid a greater loss or to obtain a compensating advantage. —v. 1 tr. give up (a thing) as a sacrifice. 2 tr. (foll. by to) devote or give over to. $ tr. (also absol.) offer or kill as a sacrifice. 00 sacrificial

[-'fif(a)l/ adj. sacrificially /-'fifali/ adv. [ME f. OF f. L sacrificium f. sacrificus (as SACRED)] 9 sacrilege |'szkriid3/ n. the violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred. oo sacrilegious |-'lidzas/ adj. sacrilegiously /-'lidzasli/ adv. [ME f. OF f. L sacrilegium f. sacrilegus stealer of sacred things, f. sacer sacri sacred + legere take possession of] sacring /'serkrin/ n. archaic 1 the consecration of the Eucharistic elements. 2 the ordination and consecration of a bishop, sovereign, etc. O sacring bell a bell rung at the elevation of the elements in the Eucharist. [ME f. obs. sacre: see SACRED] sacristan /'sekrist(2)n/n. 1 a person in charge of a sacristy and its contents. 2 archaic the sexton ofa parish church. [ME f. med.L sacristanus (as SACRED)]} sacristy /'szkrist1/ n. (pl. -ies) a room in a church, where the vestments, sacred vessels, etc., are kept and the celebrant can prepare for a service. [F sacristie or It. sacrestia or med.L sacristia (as SACRED)} sacro- |'serkrau/ comb. form denoting the sacrum (sacro-iliac). sacrosanct /'sekrau,senkt/ adj. (of a person, place, law, etc.) most sacred; inviolable. 00 sacrosanctity /-'senktit1/ n. [L sacrosanctus f. sacro ablat. of sacrum sacred rite (see SACRED) + sanctus

(as SAINT)} sacrum /'setkram/ n. (pl. sacra /-kro/ or sacrums) Anat. a triangular bone formed from fused vertebrae and situated between the two hip-bones of the pelvis. [L os sacrum transl. Gk hieron osteon sacred bone (from its sacrificial use)]

SACW abbr. (in the UK) Senior Aircraftwoman. SAD abbr. seasonal affective disorder. sad |szd/ adj. (sadder, saddest) 1 unhappy; feeling sorrow or regret. 2 causing or suggesting sorrow (a sad story). 3 regrettable. 4 shameful, deplorable (is in a sad state). 5 (of a colour) dull,

neutral-tinted. 6 (of dough etc.) heavy, having failed to rise. o sad-iron a solid flat-iron. sad sack US collog. a very inept person. oo saddish adj. sadly adv. sadness n. [OE sed f. Gmc, rel. to L satis] Sadat

/sz'dzt/, Muhammad Anwar al- (1918-81), Egyptian statesman, President of Egypt 1970-81. By 1972 he had dismissed the Soviet military mission to Egypt, installed by President Nasser, and in 1974 he recovered the Suez Canal zone from Israel. For his efforts to negotiate peace in the Middle East he, together with Menachem Begin, Prime Minister of Israel, was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize (1978), but opposition within the Arab world led to his assassination in 1981.

Saddam Hussein see Hussein’. sadden |'szd(2)n/ v.tr. & intr. make or become sad. saddle |'szd(a)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 seat of leather etc., usu. raised at the front and rear, fastened on a horse etc. for riding. 2a seat for the rider of a bicycle etc. 3 a joint of meat consisting of the two loins. 4 a ridge rising to a summit at each end. 5 the part of a draught-horse’s harness to which the shafts are attached. 6 a part of an animal’s back resembling a saddle in shape or marking. 7 the rear part of a male fowl’s back. 8 a support for a cable or wire on top of a suspension-bridge, pier, or telegraph-pole. 9 a fireclay bar for supporting ceramic ware in a kiln. —v.tr. 1 put a saddle on (a horse etc.). 2 a (foll. by with) burden (a person) with a task, responsibility, etc. b (foll. by on, upon) impose (a burden) on a person. 3 (of a trainer) enter (a horse) for a race. O in the saddle 1 mounted. 2 in office or control. saddle-bag 1 each of a pair of bags laid across a horse wwe

z zoo

safe

1273

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

etc. behind the saddle. 2 a bag attached behind the saddle of a bicycle or motor cycle. saddle-bow the arched front or rear of a saddle, saddle-cloth a cloth laid on a horse’s back under the saddle. saddle-horse a horse for riding. saddie-sore chafed by riding on a saddle. saddle stitch a stitch of thread or a wire staple passed through the centre of a magazine or booklet. saddle-tree 1 the frame of a saddle. 2 a tulip-tree (with saddleshaped leaves). 00 saddleless adj. [OE sadol, sadul f. Gmc]

saddleback |'szd(2)l,bek/ n. 1 Archit. a tower-roof with two opposite gables. 2 a hill with a concave upper outline. 3 a black pig with a white stripe across the back. 4 any of various birds with a saddle-like marking esp. a New Zealand bird, Philesturnus carunculatus. 00 saddlebacked adj.

saddler /|'szedla(r)/ n. a maker of or dealer in saddles and other equipment for horses.

saddlery /'szdlori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the saddles and other equipment of a saddler. 2 a saddler’s business or premises.

Sadducee /'szdju,si:/ n. a member of a Jewish sect or party of the time of Christ that denied the resurrection of the dead,

the existence of spirits, and the obligation of oral tradition, emphasizing acceptance of the written Law only. (Cf. PHARISEE, EssENE.) 00 Sadducean /-'si:on/ adj. [OE sadducéas f. LL Sadducaeus f. Gk Saddoukaios f. Heb. s‘diiki, prob. = descendant of Zadok (2 Sam. 8: 17)} Sade /sa:d/, Donatien-Alphonse-Francois, Comte (known as Marquis) de (1740-1814), French novelist and pornographer. His career as a cavalry officer was destroyed by the criminal debauchery of his life. During his prolonged periods of impris-

onment for sexual offences he wrote his licentious novels Justine ou les Maiheurs de la vertu (1791), La philosophie dans le boudoir (1795), and Nouvelle Justine (1797). Their obsession with the minutiae of sexual pathology and their hedonistic nihilism have persuaded recent critics that they anticipate Nietzsche and Freud. The word ‘sadism’ owes its origin to his name, referring to the sexual perversions which he described. sadhu /|'sa:du:/ n. (in India) a holy man, sage, or ascetic. [Skr., = holy man]

Sadi /'sa:di/ Muslih ibn abd Allah (late 13th c.), Persian poet, whose principal works were the collections of verse known as the ‘Gulistan’ or Rose Garden, and the ‘Bustan’ or Tree Garden. sadism |'seidiz(2)m/ n. 1 a form of sexual perversion characterized by the enjoyment of inflicting pain or suffering on others (cf. MASOCHISM). 2 collog. the enjoyment of cruelty to others. 00 sadist n. sadistic /so'distik/ adj. sadistically /sa'distrkal1/ adv. [F sadisme f. Count or ‘Marquis’ de SADE]

Sadler’s Wells Theatre /'szedloz welz/ a London theatre so called because in 1683 Thomas Sadler discovered a medicinal spring in his garden and established a pleasure-garden which became known as Sadler’s Wells. A wooden music room built there in 1685 became a theatre in 1753, whose stone-built successor remained in use until 1906. In 1927 Lilian Baylis took over the derelict building, erecting a new theatre which opened in 1931. At first drama, ballet, and opera productions alternated between Sadler’s Wells and the Old Vic, but from 1934 Sadler’s Wells became the home only of opera and ballet. In 1946 the ballet company moved to Covent Garden, and in 1990 to Birmingham, becoming known as the Birmingham Royal Ballet; opera remained until 1968, when the company moved to the Coliseum as the English National Opera. The theatre has since housed visiting companies.

sado-masochism. |,se1rdou'mzs2,kiz(2)m/ n. the combination of sadism and masochism in one person. 00 sado-masochist n. sado-masochistic /-'kistik/ adj. S.a.e€. abbr. stamped addressed envelope.

safari /so'fa:ri/n. (pl. safaris) 1 a hunting or scientific expedition, esp. in E. Africa (go on safari). 2 a sightseeing trip to see African animals in their natural habitat.

o safari park an enclosed

area where lions etc. are kept in relatively open spaces for public viewing from vehicles driven through. safari suit a lightweight suit usu. with short sleeves and four pleated pockets in the jacket. [Swahili f. Arab. safara to travel] safe /serf] adj. & n. —adj. 1 a free of danger or injury. b (often

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

safeguard

said

1274

foll. by from) out of or not exposed to danger (safe from their enemies), 2 affording security or not involving danger or risk (put it in a safe place). 3 reliable, certain; that can be reckoned on (a safe catch; a safe method; is safe to win). 4 prevented from escaping or doing harm (have got him safe). 5 (also safe and sound) uninjured; with no harm done. 6 cautious and unenterprising; consistently moderate. —n. 1 a strong lockable cabinet etc. for valuables. 2 = meat safe. 0 on the safe side with a margin of security against risks. safe bet a bet that is certain to succeed. safe-breaker (or -blower or -cracker) a person who breaks open and robs safes. safe conduct 1 a privilege of immunity from arrest or harm, esp. on a particular occasion. 2a document securing this. safe deposit a building containing strongrooms and safes let separately. safe house a place of refuge or rendezvous for spies etc. safe keeping preservation ina safe place. safe light Photog. a filtered light for use in a darkroom. safe period the time during and near the menstrual period when conception is least likely. safe seat a seat in Parliament etc. that is usually won with a large margin by a particular party. safe sex sexual activity in which precautions are taken to reduce the risk of spreading sexually transmitted diseases, esp. Aids. 00 safely adv. safeness n. [ME f. AF saf, OF sauf f. L salvus uninjured: (n.) orig. save f. SAVE]

safeguard |'serfga:d/ n. & v. —n.

1a proviso, stipulation,

quality, or circumstance, that tends to prevent something undesirable. 2 a safe conduct. —-v.tr. guard or protect (rights etc.) by a precaution or stipulation. [ME f. AF salve garde, OF sauve garde (as SAFE, GUARD)] safety /|'serfti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the condition of being safe; freedom from danger or risks. 2 (attrib.) a designating any of various devices for preventing injury from machinery (safety bar; safety lock). b designating items of protective clothing (safety helmet). o safety-belt 1 = seat-belt. 2 a belt or strap securing a person to prevent injury. safety-catch a contrivance for locking a gun-trigger or preventing the accidental operation of

machinery. safety curtain a fireproof curtain that can be lowered to cut off the auditorium in a theatre from the stage.

safranine /'sefra,ni:n/ n. (also safranin /-nin/) any of a large group of mainly red dyes used in biological staining etc. [F

safranine (as SAFFRON): orig. of dye from saffron] * sag |seg/v. & n. —v.intr. (sagged, sagging) 1 sink or subside under weight or pressure, esp. unevenly. 2 have a downward bulge or curve in the middle. 3 fall in price. 4 (of a ship) drift from its course, esp. to leeward. —n. 1 a the amount that a rope etc. sags. b the distance from the middle of its curve to a straight line between its supports. 2 a sinking condition; subsidence. 3 afall in price. 4 Naut. a tendency to leeward. 00 saggy adj. [ME f. MLG sacken, Du. zakken subside] saga |'sa:go/ n. 1 a long story of heroic achievement, esp. a medieval Icelandic or Norwegian prose narrative. 2 a series of connected books giving the history of a family etc. 3 a long involved story. [ON, = narrative, rel. to saw*] sagacious /|so'ge1{(2)s/ adj. 1 mentally penetrating; gifted with discernment; having practical wisdom. 2 acute-minded, shrewd. 3 (of a saying, plan, etc.) showing wisdom. 4 (of an animal) exceptionally intelligent; seeming to reason or deliberate. 00 sagaciously adv. sagacity /so'gesiti/ n. [L sagax sagacis] sagamore |'szgo,mo:(r)/ n. = SACHEM 1. [Penobscot sagamo] sage! |se1d3/ n. 1 an aromatic herb, Salvia officinalis, with dull greyish-green leaves. 2 its leaves used in cookery. 0 sage and onion (or onions) a stuffing used with poultry, pork, etc. sage Derby (or cheese) a cheese made with an infusion of sage which flavours and mottles it. sage-green the colour of sage-leaves. sage tea a medicinal infusion of sage-leaves. 00 sagy adj. [ME f. OF sauge f. L salvia healing plant f. salvus safe] sage? |se1d3/ n. & adj. —n. 1 often iron. a profoundly wise man. 2 any of the ancients traditionally regarded as the wisest of their time. —adj. 1 profoundly wise, esp. from experience. 2 of or indicating profound wisdom. 3 often iron. wise-looking; solemn-faced. 00 sagely adv. sageness n. sageship n. [ME f. OF ult. f. L sapere be wise] sagebrush /|'seidgbraJ/1n. 1a growth of shrubby aromatic plants of the genus Artemisia, esp. A. tridentata, found in some semi-arid

regions of western N. America. 2 this plant.

safety factor (or factor of safety) 1 the ratio of a material’s risks. safety film a cinematographic film on a slow-burning or non-flammable base. safety first a motto advising caution.

saggar |'sega(r)/ n. (also sagger) a protective fireclay box enclosing ceramic ware while it is being fired. [prob. contr. of SAFEGUARD]

safety fuse

sagittal /'szedzit(a)l/ adj. Anat. 1 of or relating to the suture

strength to an expected strain. 2 a margin of security against 1 a fuse (see FUSE?) containing a slow-burning

between the parietal bones of the skull. 2 in the same plane as this, or in a parallel plane. [F f. med.L sagittalis f. sagitta arrow]

composition for firing detonators from a distance. 2 Electr. a protective fuse (see FUSE!). safety glass glass that will not splinter when broken. safety harness a system of belts or restraints to hold a person to prevent falling or injury. safety lamp a miner’s lamp so protected as not to ignite firedamp. safety match a match igniting only on a specially prepared surface. safety net a net placed to catch an acrobat etc. in case of a fall. safety pin see separate entry. safety razor a razor with a guard to reduce the risk of cutting the skin. safety-valve 1 (ina steam boiler) a valve opening automatically to relieve excessive pressure. 2 a means of giving harmless vent to excitement etc. safety zone US an area of a road marked off for pedestrians etc. to wait safely. [ME sauvete f. OF sauveté f. med.L salvitas -tatis f. L salvus (as SAFE)]

Sagittarius

Nov. —n. a person born when the sun is in this sign. 00 Sagittarian adj. & n. [ME f. L, = archer, f. sagitta arrow] sagittate /'szed31,tert/ adj. Bot. & Zool. shaped like an arrowhead. sago /'setgou/ n. (pl. -os) 1 a kind of starch, made from the powdered pith of the sago palm and used in puddings etc. 2 (in full sago palm) any of several tropical palms and cycads, esp.

Cycas circinalis and Metroxylon sagu, from which sago is made. [Malay sagi (orig. through Port.)] saguaro /sz'gwa:rou/ n. (also sahuaro /sz'wa:rau/) (pl. -os) a giant cactus, Carnegiea gigantea, of the SW United States and Mexico. [Mex. Sp.]

and can be held in a guard so that the user may not be pricked nor the pin come out unintentionally. Fasteners made on the same principle, consisting of a single length of metal wire coiled on itself at its middle point so as to form a spring, are known from the Bronze Age (13thc. Bc) and seem to have been a European invention. The modern type (with a clasp) was reinvented and patented in the US by Walter Ireland Hunt in 1849.

Saguia el Hamra |so'gi:o el 'heemro/ 1 a river in the north of Western Sahara. 2 the region through which it flows.

Sahara /|so'ha:ro/ a great desert of North Africa, the largest in the world, covering an area of about 9,065,000 sq. km (3,500,000 square miles) from the Atlantic to the Red Sea. In recent years it has been increasing its southerly extent. 0 Western Sahara see separate entry. [Arab., = desert]

safflower /|'szflavo(r)/ n. 1 a a thistle-like plant, Carthamus tinctorius, yielding a red dye. b its dried petals. 2 a dye made from these, used in rouge etc. [Du. saffloer or G Safflor f. OF saffleur f. obs. It. saffiore, of unkn. orig.] saffron |'szfron/n. & adj. —n. 1 an orange flavouring and food colouring made from the dried stigmas of the crocus, Crocus

2 the colour of this.

saffron-coloured.

00

saffrony

3 =

meadow

saffron.

1 a constellation, traditionally

sign of the zodiac (the Archer), which the sun enters about 22

safety pin n. a pin with a point that is bent back to the head

sativus.

|,sedz3r'teorios/

regarded as contained in the figure of an archer. 2 the ninth

Sahel /so'hel/ the belt of dry savannah south of the Sahara in West Africa, comprising parts of Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, and Chad. oo Sahelian /sa'hi:lion/ adj.

sahib /sa:b, 'sa:hib/ n. 1 hist. (in India) a form of address, often placed after the name, to European men. 2 collog. a gentleman (pukka sahib). [Urdu f. Arab. sahib friend, lord]

—adj.

adj. [ME f. OF safran f. Arab.

za faran]

said past and past part. of say}. z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

o put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

Saida Saida see Sipon. saiga |'saigo, 'ser-/ n. an antelope, Saiga tatarica, of the Asian

steppes. [Russ.]

Saigon /sar'gon/ the former name of Ho Chi Minh City. sail /serl/ n. & v. —n. 1a piece of material (orig. canvas, now usu. nylon etc.) extended on rigging to catch the wind and propel a boat or ship. 2 a ship’s sails collectively. 3 a a voyage or excursion in a sailing-ship. b a voyage of specified duration. 4 a ship, esp. as discerned from its sails. 5 (collect.) ships in a squadron or company (a fleet of twenty sail). 6 (in pl.) Naut. a sl.a maker or repairer of sails. b hist. a chief petty officer in charge of rigging. 7 a wind-catching apparatus, usu. a set of boards, attached to the arm of a windmill. 8 a the dorsal fin of a sailfish. b the tentacle of a nautilus. ¢ the float of a Portuguese man-of-war. —v. 1 intr. travel on water by the use of sails or engine-power. 2 tr. a navigate (a ship etc.). b travel on (a sea). 3 tr. set (a toy boat) afloat. 4 intr. glide or move smoothly or in a stately manner. 5 intr. (often foll. by through) collog. succeed easily (sailed through the exams). 0 sail-arm the arm ofa windmill. sail close to (or near) the wind 1sail as nearly against the wind as possible. 2 come close to indecency or dishonesty; risk overstepping the mark. sail-fluke = MEGRIM?. sailing-boat (or -ship or -vessel) a vessel driven by sails. sailing-master an officer navigating a ship, esp. Brit. a yacht. sailing orders instructions to a captain regarding departure, destination, etc. sail into collog. attack physically or verbally with force. take in sail 1 furl the sail or sails of a vessel. 2 moderate one’s ambitions. under sail with sails set. 00 sailable adj. sailed adj. (also in comb.). sailless adj. [OE segel f. Gmc]

sailboard |'serlbo:d/ n. a board with a mast and sail, used in windsurfing. 00 sailboarder n. sailboarding n.

sailboat_'serlbaut/ n. US a boat driven by sails. sailcloth /'serlklp@/ n. 1 canvas for sails. 2 a canvas-like dress material.

sailer /'sexla(r)/ n. a ship of specified sailing-power (a good sailer).

sailfish /'serlfif/ n. 1 any fish of the genus Istiophorus, with a large dorsal fin. 2 a basking shark.

sailor /'serla(r)/ n. 1 a seaman or mariner, esp. one below the rank of officer. 2 a person considered as liable or not liable to seasickness (a good sailor). 0 sailor hat 1 a straw hat with a straight narrow brim and flat top. 2 a hat with a turned-up brim in imitation of a sailor’s, worn by women and children. oo sailoring n. sailorless adj. sailorly adj. [var. of SAILER]

sailplane /'serlplem/ n. a glider designed for sustained flight. Saimaa Canal /'sarma:/ a waterway linking Lake Saimaa in SW Finland with the Gulf of Finland.

sainfoin /'sernfom, 'szen-/ n. a leguminous plant, Onobrychis viciifolia, grown for fodder and having pink flowers. [obs. F saintfoin f. mod.L sanum foenum wholesome hay (because of its medicinal properties)]

Sainsbury

|'semzbori/, John James (1844-1928),

English

founder of the grocery and provision firm that bears his name. saint /seimnt, before a name usu. sont/n. & v. —n. (abbr. St or S; pl. Sts or SS) 1 a holy person, one declared (in the Roman Catholic or Orthodox Church) worthy of veneration, whose intercession may be publicly sought. (See below, and under names of individual saints.) 2 (Saint or St) the title of such a person or of an archangel, hence used in the name of a church etc. (St Paul’s) or in the name of a church not named after a saint (St Saviour’s, St Cross), or (often with the loss of the apostrophe) in the name ofa town etc. (St Andrews; St Albans). 3. a very virtuous person; a person of great real or affected holiness (would try the patience of a saint). 4a member of the company of heaven (with all the angels and saints). 5 (Bibl., archaic, and used by Puritans, Mormons, etc.) one of God’s chosen people; a member of the Christian Church or one’s own branch of it. —v.tr. 1 canonize; admit to the calendar of saints. 2 call or regard as a saint. 3 (as sainted adj.) sacred; of a saintly life; worthy to be regarded as a saint. O my sainted aunt see AUNT. saint’s day a Church festival in memory of a saint. 00 saintdom n. sainthood n. saintlike adj. saintling n. saintship n. [ME f. OF seint, saint f. L sanctus holy, past part. of sancire consecrate] au how

St Helena

1275

e1 day

ov no

eo hair

19 near

or boy

va poor

The original ideal of the saint (in sense 1) in Christianity was the martyr. The cessation of persecution in the 4th c. led to the transformation of this ideal: the monk tended to take the place of the martyr. A saint in this sense is one who is close to God and can therefore intercede with God on behalf of other Christians, and one through whom divine power is therefore manifest. A cult of the saints, focused on their physical remains, has early attestation (e.g. Polycarp, 2nd c.), and developed rapidly from the 4th c. onwards. Procedures for the approval of such veneration (called canonization) were gradually formalized, being eventually vested in the papacy in the West and episcopal synods in the East: miracles and a life of heroic sanctity are the criteria for canonization. At the Reformation the cult of the saints was attacked as blurring the unique status of Christ and as the occasion of deplorable religious commercialization. The persecution of Christians in some countries in the 20th c. has to an extent restored the primitive ideal of the saint as martyr.

St Andrews /'endru:z/ a town in east Scotland, on the coast of Fife; pop. (1981) 11,350. Its university, founded in 1411, is the oldest in Scotland. St Andrews Royal and Ancient Golf Club is the ruling authority on the game of golf. :

St Andrew’s cross /'e2ndru:z/ n. an X-shaped cross. St Anthony cross /'zntoni/ 7. (also St Anthony’s cross |'znteniz/) a T-shaped cross.

St Anthony’s fire /'zntoniz/ n. erysipelas or ergotism. St Bernard /'bs:nod/ n. (in full St Bernard dog) 1 a very large dog of a breed orig. kept to rescue travellers by the monks of the Hospice on the Great St Bernard pass in the Alps. (See BERNARD®,) 2 this breed.

St Christopher and Nevis see St Kitts AND NEVIS. St Croix /kroi/ an island in the West Indies, the largest of the US Virgin Islands; pop. (1980) 49,000; chief town, Christiansted (formerly the capital of the Danish West Indies).

Saint-Denis /s#do'ni:/ the capital of the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean; pop. (1982) 109,000.

Sainte-Beuve /s#t'bs:v/, Charles-Augustin (1804-69), French critic, who studied medicine before turning to literature. His modest creative output included volumes of verse, a novel Volupté (1834), and love poems addressed to Victor Hugo’s wife Adéle with whom he fell in love. Port-Royal (1840-59) is a remarkable study of Jansenism, and Causeries du lundi (1851-62) a collection of weekly critical and biographical essays. He is one of the founders of modern criticism and these works illustrate the range of his reading and the breadth of his views. His approach to criticism was objective and re-creative rather than dogmatic, believing that formative influences on the authors’ characters be considered before reaching any conclusions.

St Elmo’s fire /'elmouz/ n. a corposant. St Emilion /s#t e'mi:ljon/ a small town situated to the north of the Dordogne River in SW France, that gives its name to a group of Bordeaux wines. St-Etienne |,\s#t etr'en/ an industrial city in SE central France;

pop. (1982) 206,700.

Saint Eustatius /ju:'ster{as/ a small island in the Caribbean Sea forming part of the Netherlands Antilles; pop. (1981) 1,428; chief town, Oranjestad.

St George’s /'d30:d31z/ the capital of the island of Grenada in the West Indies; pop. (1981) 29,369.

St George’s Channel a channel linking the Irish Sea with the Atlantic Ocean Britain.

and separating Ireland from mainland

St George’s cross /!d39:d31z/ n. a +-shaped cross, red on a white background.

St Gottard Pass /'gpta:d/ a high Alpine pass linking Switzerland and Italy. Beneath it is a railway tunnel (constructed in 1872-80) and a road tunnel (opened in 1980). The route is believed to be named after a former chapel and hospice built on the summit, dedicated to St Godehard or Gotthard (d. 1038), bishop of Hildesheim in Germany.

St Helena /hi'li:no/ a solitary island in the South Atlantic, a British dependency, famous as the place of Napoleon’s exile

alo fire

ava sour . (see over for consonants)

St Helens

St Sophia

1276

ee

en

eo

eee

ee

saintly /'sernthi/ adj. (saintlier, saintliest) very holy or virtuous.

(1815-21) and death; pop. (est. 1988) 8,620; official language, English; capital, Jamestown. The island was discovered by the Portuguese in 1502 on 21 May, feast day of St Helena, mother of Constantine.

OO saintliness n.

St Mark’s Cathedral /ma:ks/ the church in Venice, its cath* edral church since 1807, built in the 9th c. to house the relics

of St Mark brought from Alexandria, and rebuilt in the 11th c. It is lavishly decorated with mosaics (11th—13th c.) and sculptures.

St Helens /'helinz/, Mount an active volcano in the Cascade Range, SW Washington, US. A dramatic eruption in May 1980 killed 100 people and reduced the height of the mountain from

Saint Martin /s# ma:'t#/ a small island in the Caribbean Sea,

St Helier /'helra(r)/ a resort town and capital of the Channel

of which the southern section (Dutch Sint Maarten) forms part of the Netherlands Antilles and the larger northern section forms part of the French overseas department of Guadeloupe; pop. (1982); chief town, Philipsburg, situated in the south of the

2,950 m (9,578 ft.) to 2,560 m (8,312 ft.).

Islands, on the island ofJersey; pop. (1981) 25,700.

St James’s Palace /'dze1mziz/ the old Tudor palace of the

island.

monarchs of England in London, built by Henry VIII on the site of an earlier leper hospital dedicated to St James the Less. The palace was the chief royal residence in London from 1697 (when Whitehall was burnt down) until Queen Victoria made Buckingham Palace the monarch’s London residence. 0 Court of St James’s the official title of the British court, to which ambassadors from foreign countries are accredited.

St Martin’s summer /'ma:tinz/ n. Brit. see MARTIN. St Moritz /s2 mo'ri:ts/ a resort and winter sports centre in SE Switzerland. The Winter Olympics of 1928 and 1948 were held here.

St Nazaire /s@ nz'zea(r)/ a seaport and industrial town in NW France, at the mouth of the River Loire; pop. (1982) 68,970.

St John /d3pn/ an island in the West Indies, one of the three

Saint Nicolas /'ntkales/ (Flemish Sint Niklaas /s:nt 'ntkla:s/)

principal islands of the US Virgin Islands; pop. (1980) 2,360.

St John Ambulance nursing, ambulance, HOSPITALLERS.)

an industrial town in East Flanders, whose market square is the largest in Belgium; pop. (1988) 68,000.

an organization providing first aid, and

welfare

services.

(See

KNIGHTS

St Paul /po:l/ the capital of Minnesota, on the Mississippi River;

St John’s! /d3pnz/ the capital of Newfoundland; pop. (1986)

saintpaulia /sont'po:lio/ n. any plant of the genus Saintpaulia,

pop. (1980) 270,230.

161,900. In 1901 the first transatlantic wireless message was received at St John’s (see MARcon!) and from here the first transatlantic flight was made in 1919 (see BRown}).

esp. the African violet. [Baron W. von Saint Paul, Ger. soldier d. 1910, its discoverer]

St Paul’s Cathedral /po:lz/ a cathedral on Ludgate Hill,

St John’s? /dzpnz/ the capital of Antigua and Barbuda, situated

London, built between 1675 and 1711 by Sir Christopher Wren to replace a medieval cathedral largely destroyed in the Great Fire.

on the island of Antigua; pop. (1982) 30,000.

St John’s wort /d3pnz/ n. any yellow-flowered plant of the genus Hypericum, esp. H. androsaemum.

St Peter’s Basilica /'pi:toz/ the Roman Catholic basilica in

St Kilda /'kilds/ a group of five uninhabited islands of the Outer

the Vatican City, Rome, the largest church in Christendom. The present 16th-c. building replaced a much older basilican structure, erected by Constantine on the supposed site of St Peter’s crucifixion. A succession of architects (Bramante, Raphael, Peruzzi, Sangallo) in turn made drastic changes in the design; the dome closely follows a design of Michelangelo. The building was consecrated in 1626.

Hebrides group in the Atlantic Ocean, 64 km (40 miles) west of Lewis and Harris. They are the most westerly group of islands in Scotland. The last inhabitants left the island in 1930.

St Kitts and Nevis /kits, 'ni:vis/ a State in association with Britain (who has responsibility for defence and foreign affairs) consisting of two adjoining islands (St Kitts and Nevis) of the Leeward Islands in the West Indies; pop. (St Kitts) 35,000, (Nevis) 9,300; official language, English; capital, Basseterre (on St Kitts). St Kitts was discovered in 1493 by Columbus. He named it after his patron saint, St Christopher, but the name was shortened by settlers from England who arrived in 1623 and established the first successful English colony in the West Indies. Nevis, which consists almost entirely of a mountain, gained its name from the resemblance of the clouds around its peak to snow (Sp. las nieves the snows). A union between St Kitts, Nevis, and Anguilla was created in 1967, but Anguilla seceded within three

St Petersburg /'pi:toz,b3:g/ see LENINGRAD. St Pierre and Miquelon /s# pr'eor, 'mi:ka,]5/ a group of eight small islands in the north Atlantic, south of Newfoundland, which form the last remnants of the once extensive French possessions in North America; pop. (1988) 6,400. Since 1985 the islands have been a Territorial Collectivity of France. The chief settlement is St Pierre.

Saint-Saéns /|s#'sa/, Camille (1835-1921), French composer, pianist, and organist. Born in Paris, he became an important

figure in musical life there. He devoted much time and energy to the composition of opera (notably Samson et Dalila, 1877) and oratorio, but is best known today for his Third Symphony (with organ, 1886), the symphonic poem Danse macabre (1874), and the light, witty Carnaval des animaux (1886).

months.

St Laurent /s& lo:'rd/, Yves (1936-_), French couturier, who was Dior’s partner from 1954 and later succeeded him, opening his own establishment in 1962.

St Lawrence /'lvrans/ a river of North America flowing from

Saint-Simon! |,s&si:'m3/, Claude-Henri de Rouvroy, Comte de

Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean. The St Lawrence Seaway, which includes a number of artificial sections to bypass rapids, was inaugurated by Canada and the US in 1959 and enables large vessels to navigate the entire length of the river. St Leger /'led3o(r)/ an annual horse-race for 3-year-old colts and fillies, held in September at Doncaster, S.Yorks, instituted by Lieutenant-General St Leger in 1776.

(1760-1825), French social scientist. An aristocrat (his father was a cousin of the Duc de Saint-Simon), reduced to poverty by profligacy, Saint-Simon devoted the last twenty years of his life to writing, promulgating a new theory of social organization in reaction to the chaos engendered by the French Revolution, arguing that society ought to be organized in an industrial order, controlled by leaders of industry and given spiritual direction by scientists. Such works as L’Industrie (1816), Du systéme industriel (1821), and Nouveau Christianisme (1825) were of great influence on later French social thinkers, earning Saint-Simon a reputation as the founder of French socialism.

St Louis /!lu:1/ a city and port that is a major transportation centre on the Mississippi River in eastern Missouri; pop. (1982)

437,350. Founded as a fur-trading post in 1763, the city was dedicated to Louis XV of France by Pierre Laclede who named it after his ‘name’ saint, Louis IX of France. St Lucia /'lu:Jo/ an island of the West Indies, one of the Windward Islands; pop. (1988) 146,600; official language, English; capital, Castries. Possession of the island was long disputed with France, and it did not pass finally into British hands until the early 19th c. Since 1979 it has been an independent State within the Commonwealth. o0 St Lucian adj. & n.

Saint-Simon? /,szsi:m3/, Louis de Rouvroy, Duc de (16751755), French writer. His Mémoires describe people and events of the latter years of Louis XIV’s reign in graphic detail, although they are not the work ofa critical and accurate historian.

St Sophia /so'fi:a, -'faro/ a church at Constantinople (now Istanbul), dedicated to the ‘Holy Wisdom’ (i.e. the Person of Christ), built by order of Justinian (532-7) and inaugurated in 537. The key monument of Byzantine architecture, its chief feature is the

St Luke’s summer /lu:ks/ n. Brit. see LUKE. b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

kcat

1leg

m man

nno

ppen

rred ssit

t top

v voice

St Stephens

salary

1277

enormous dome, supported by piers, arches, and pendentives and pierced by 40 windows, which crowns the basilica. In 1453,

Chiropotes, native to S. America, having coarse fur and a long non-prehensile tail. [F f. Tupi gahy]

on the day of the Turkish invasion, orders were given for its

Sakta /'{a:kto/ n. a member of a Hindu sect worshipping the

conversion into a mosque; the mosaics which adorned its interlor were covered and partly destroyed, and minarets were added. It was used as a mosque until 1935, when Atattirk converted it into a museum.

St Stephens /'sti:vonz/ the House of Commons, so called from the ancient chapel of St Stephen, Westminster, in which the House used to sit (1537-1834).

St Thomas /'tomss/ an island in the West Indies, the secondlargest of the US Virgin Islands; pop. (1980) 44,200.

St Trinian’s /'trmienz/ the name of a girls’ school invented by the cartoonist Ronald Searle (1920- ) in 1941, whose pupils are characterized by hoydenish behaviour, ungainly appearance, and unattractive school uniform. (Searle’s daughters attended St Trinnean’s school in Edinburgh.)

St Tropez /s@ trau'pei/ a fishing port and resort on the Cote d'Azur in southern France; pop. (1985) 6,250.

St Vincent /'vins(2)nt/ an island State in the Windward islands in the West Indies, consisting of the island of St Vincent and some of the Grenadines; pop. (est. 1988) 107,400; official language, English; capital, Kingstown. The French, Dutch, and British all made attempts at settlements in the 18thc., and it finally fell to British possession early in the 19thc. The State obtained full independence with a limited form of membership of the Commonwealth in 1979. It is the world’s chief producer of arrowroot.

St Vitus’s dance /'vaitasiz/n. = Sydenham’s chorea (see CHOREA and St Vitus).

saith /se0/ archaic 3rd sing. present of sav}. saithe /se10/ n. Sc. a codlike fish, Pollachius virens, with skin that soils fingers like wet coal. Also called COALFISH, COLEY, POLLACF. [ON seithr]

Sakai /sa:'kai/ an industrial city of Japan, on the east coast of Osaka Bay, Honshu Island; pop. (1987) 808,000.

sake! /serk/ n. (esp. for the sake of or for one’s sake) 1 out of consideration for; in the interest of; because of; owing to (for my own sake as well as yours). 2 in order to please, honour, get, or keep (for the sake of uniformity). o for Christ’s (or God’s or goodness’ or Heaven’s or Pete’s etc.) sake an expression of urgency, impatience, supplication, anger, etc. for old times’ sake in memory of former times. [OE sacu contention, charge, fault, sake f. Gmc]

sake? |'sa:ki/ n. a Japanese alcoholic drink made from rice. [Jap.] saker /'serka(r)/ n. 1 a large falcon, Falco cherrug, used in hawking, esp. the larger female bird. 2 hist. an old form of cannon. [ME f. OF sacre (in both senses), f. Arab. sakr]

Sakhalin /,sa:xo'li:n/ an island in the Sea of Okhotsk, separated by the Tatar Strait from the east coast of the Soviet Union. In 1875 it was ceded to Russia by Japan in exchange for the Kuril Islands; between 1905 and 1946 the island was again occupied by Japan.

Sakharov /'szko,rof/, Andrei Dmitrievich (1921-89), Russian nuclear physicist, a man of immense intellectual achievement and moral courage. Having played a decisive role in developing the Soviet hydrogen bomb (1953), after 1958 he campaigned against nuclear proliferation and called for Soviet-American cooperation. He fought courageously for reform and human rights in the USSR at a time when such an approach was extremely dangerous, and in recognition of his efforts he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975. His international repute as a scientist kept him out of jail, but in 1980 he was banished to Gorky and kept under police surveillance. Freedom came eventually with the new spirit of ‘glasnost’, and at his death he was honoured in his own country as well as in the West.

Saki /'sa:ki/ pseudonym of Hector Hugh Munro (1870-1916), a writer known principally for his short stories. He was killed in France in the First World War. His stories include the satiric, comic, macabre, and supernatural, and show a marked interest in the use of animals-as agents of revenge upon mankind. saki /'sa:ki/ n. (pl. sakis) any monkey of the genus Pithecia or wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

Sakti. [(Skr. sakta relating to power or to the SAKTI]

Sakti /'Jzkti/ n. (also sakti) Hinduism 1 the power of the male god, usually Siva, personified as a goddess. 2 the goddess as supreme deity (Devi). 00 Saktism n. [Skr. Sakti power, divine energy]

sal /sa:l/ n. a N. Indian tree, Shorea robusta, yielding teaklike timber and dammar resin. [Hindi sal] salaami /so'la:m/ n. & v. —n. 1 the oriental salutation ‘Peace’. 2 an Indian obeisance, with or without the salutation, consisting of a low bow of the head and body with the right palm on the forehead. 3 (in pl.) respectful compliments. —v. 1 tr. make a salaam to (a person). 2 intr. make a salaam. [Arab. salam]

salable var. of SALEABLE. salacious /so'lerfas/ adj. 1 lustful; lecherous. 2 (of writings, pictures, talk, etc.) tending to cause sexual desire. oO salaciously adv. salaciousness n. salacity /sa'lesiti/ n. [L salax

salacis f. salire leap] salad |'szlod/ n. 1 a cold dish of various mixtures of raw or cooked vegetables or herbs, usu. seasoned with oil, vinegar, etc. 2 a vegetable or herb suitable for eating raw. 0 salad cream creamy salad-dressing. salad days a period of youthful inexperience. salad-dressing a mixture of oil, vinegar, etc., used with salad. [ME f. OF salade f. Prov. salada ult. f. L sal salt]

salade var. of sALLET. Saladin /'szlodin/ (1137-93), sultan of Egypt, who successfully invaded the Holy Land and reconquered Jerusalem from the Crusaders before fighting off the Third Crusade, the leaders of which included Richard I. Saladin won a reputation not only for military skill but for honesty and chivalry, and was generally a match for his European opponents.

Salam /|so'la:m/, Abdus (1926-_), Pakistani physicist, noted for his work on interaction of elementary particles. In 1979 he received a Nobel Prize for physics, the first person from his country to win a Nobel Prize.

Salamanca /|,szlo'!mznko/ a city in western Spain, scene of a victory of the British under Wellington over the French in 1812, during the Peninsular War; pop. (1981) 153,980.

salamander |'szlo,mznda(r)/ n. 1 Zool. any tailed newtlike amphibian of the order Urodela, esp. the genus Salamandra, once thought able to endure fire. 2 a mythical lizard-like creature credited with this property. 3 US = GOPHER! 1. 4 an elemental spirit living in fire. 5 a red-hot iron used for lighting pipes, gunpowder, etc. 6 a metal plate heated and placed over food to brown it. 00 salamandrian /-'mendrion/ adj. salamandrine /-'mzendrin/ adj. salamandroid /|-'mzndroid/ adj. & n. (in sense 1). [ME f. OF salamandre f. L salamandra f. Gk salamandra]

salami /so'la:mi/ n. (pl. salamis) a highly-seasoned orig. Italian sausage often flavoured with garlic. [It., pl. of salame, f. LL salare (unrecorded) to salt]

Salamis /'szlomis/ an island in the Saronic Gulf in Greece. In the straits between it and the western coast of Attica the Greek fleet crushingly defeated the Persian fleet of Xerxes in 480 Bc.

sal ammoniac

|,sz] 9'mount,ek/ n. ammonium chloride, a

white crystalline salt. [L sal ammoniacus ‘salt of Ammon’, said to have been made from camels’ dung near the Roman temple of Ammon in N. Africa]

Salang Pass |'sa:len/ a high-altitude route across the Hindu Kush mountain range in Afghanistan. The Salang Pass and tunnel were built by the Soviet Union during the 1960s in an attempt to improve the supply route from the Soviet frontier to Kabul.

salariat |so'leortat/ n. the salaried class. [F f. salaire (see SALARY), after prolétariat] salary |'selori/ n. & v. —n. (pl. -ies) a fixed regular payment, usu. monthly or quarterly, made by an employer to an employee, esp. a professional or white-collar worker (cf. WAGE n. 1). —v.tr. (-ies, -ied) (usu. as salaried adj.) pay a salary to. [ME f. AF salarie, OF salaire f. L salarium orig. soldier’s salt-money f. sal salt]

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

sale

Sallust

1278

eevee ey

salicylate /so'lis1,lert/ n. [salicyl its radical f. F salicyle (as SALICIN)]

sale |serl/ n. 1 the exchange of a commodity for money etc.; an act or instance of selling. 2 the amount sold (the sales were

enormous). 3 the rapid disposal of goods at reduced prices for a period esp. at the end of a season etc. 4 a an event at which goods are sold. b a public auction. 0 on (or for) sale offered for purchase. sale of work an event where goods made by parishioners etc. are sold for charity. sale or return an arrangement by which a purchaser takes a quantity of goods with the right of returning surplus goods without payment. sale-ring a circle of buyers at an auction. sales clerk US a salesman or saleswoman in a shop. sales department etc. the section of a firm concerned with selling as opposed to manufacturing or dispatching goods. sales engineer a salesperson with technical knowledge of the goods and their market. sales resistance the opposition or apathy of a prospective customer etc. to be overcome by salesmanship. sales talk persuasive talk to promote the sale of goods or the acceptance of an idea etc. sales tax a tax on sales or on the receipts from sales. [OE sala f. ON]

salient /'serliant/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 jutting out; prominent; conspicuous, most noticeable. 2 (of an angle, esp. in fortification) : pointing outwards (opp. RE-ENTRANT). 3 Heraldry (of a lion etc.) standing on its hind legs with the forepaws raised. 4 archaic a leaping or dancing. b (of water etc.) jetting forth. —n. a salient angle or part of a work in fortification; an outward bulge in a line of military attack or defence. 0 salient point archaic the initial stage, origin, or first beginning. 00 salience n. saliency n. saliently adv. [L salire leap]

salientian |,serli'enf(a)n/ adj. & n. = ANURAN. [mod.L Salientia (as SALIENT)]}

Salieri /,szl'ear1/, Antonio (1750-1825), Italian composer, who wrote over forty operas, four oratorios, much church music, and many vocal and instrumental pieces. He taught Beethoven, Schubert, and Liszt. Salieri was hostile to Mozart but there is no truth in the legend that he poisoned him.

saliferous /sa'lrferas/ adj. Geol. (of rock etc.) containing much

saleable |'serlsb(a)l/ adj. (also salable) fit to be sold; finding purchasers. 00 saleability /-'bilrt1/ n.

Salem! /'setlom/ the capital of Oregon; pop. (1980) 58,220. Salem? /'serlom/ a city and port in NE Massachusetts; pop. (1980)

salt. [L sal salt + -FEROUS]

salina /so'laino/ n. a salt lake. [Sp. f. med.L, = salt pit (as SALINE)] saline /'serlam/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (of natural waters, springs, etc.) impregnated with or containing salt or salts. 2 (of food or drink etc.) tasting of salt. 3 of chemical salts. 4 of the nature of a salt. 5 (of medicine) containing a salt or salts of alkaline metals or magnesium. —n. 14 salt lake, spring, marsh, etc. 2a salt-pan or salt-works. 3 a saline substance, esp. a medicine. 4 a solution of salt in water. oo salinity /so'lmiti/ n. salinization |,slinar'zerf(o)n/ n. salinometer /,sel1'npmitoa(r)/ n. [ME f. L sal salt]

38,300. It was the scene ofa series of witchcraft trials in 1692, and was the birthplace of Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Salem! |'serlom/ an industrial city in Tamil Nadu in southern

India; pop. (1981) 515,000.

salep /'szlop/ n. a starchy preparation of the dried tubers of various orchids, used in cookery and formerly medicinally. [F f. Turk. salep f. Arab. (kusa-’1-) ta‘lab fox, fox’s testicles] saleratus /|,szlo'reitos/ n. US an ingredient of baking powder consisting mainly of potassium or sodium bicarbonate. [mod.L

Salinger /'szlind3o(r)/, Jerome David (1919-_), American novelist and writer of short stories, best known for his novel of adolescence The Catcher in the Rye (1951). His other works include Franny and Zooey (1961).

sal aeratus aerated salt]

saleroom |'serlru:m, -rom/ n. esp. Brit. a room in which items are sold at auction.

Salisbury! /'so:lzbor1/ a town in Wiltshire, noted for its 13th-c.

salesgirl /'se1lzg3:1/ n. a saleswoman. Salesian /|so'li:3(a)n/ n. & adj. —n. a member of an educational

cathedral whose spire is the highest in England; pop. (1981) 37,830.

religious order within the RC Church, founded near Turin in 1859, named after St Francis de Sales (d. 1622), French bishop of Geneva. —adj. of or relating to this order.

Salisbury? /'so:lzbor1/ the former name of Harare. Salisbury? |'so:lzbori/, Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoigne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of (1830-1903), British Conservative statesman, Prime Minister 1885-6, 1886-92, and 1895-1902. In foreign

saleslady /'serlz,letdi/ n. (pl. -ies) a saleswoman. salesman |'serlzmon/ n. (pl. -men; fem. saleswoman, pl. -women) 1 a person employed to sell goods in a shop, or as an agent between the producer and retailer. 2 US a commercial traveller.

salesmanship |/'serlzmonfip/ n. 1 skill in selling. 2 the techniques used in selling. salesperson |'se1lz,p3:s(2)n/ n. a salesman or saleswoman (used

affairs he supported the policies which resulted in the second Boer War (1899-1902).

saliva |so'larva/ n. liquid secreted into the mouth by glands to provide moisture and facilitate chewing and swallowing. o saliva test a scientific test requiring a saliva sample. o00 salivary /so'lar-, 'seli-/ adj. [ME f. L]

salivate |'szliveit/ v. 1 intr. secrete or discharge saliva esp.

as a neutral alternative). salesroom /'serlzru:m, -rum/n. US = SALEROOM.

in excess or in greedy anticipation. 2 tr. produce an unusual secretion of saliva in (a person) usu. with mercury. oO salivation /,szli'verf(2)n/ n. [L salivare (as SALIVA)]

Salian /'serlion/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to the Salii, a 4th-c. Frankish people living near the River IJssel, from which the Merovingians were descended. —n. a member of this people. [LL Salii]

Salk vaccine /so:1k/ n. the first vaccine developed against polio-

Salic /'szlik, 'se1-/ adj. = SALIAN. Oo Salic law hist. 1 a Frankish

sallee |'szli:/ n. (also sally) (pl. -ees or -ies) Austral. any of

law-book extant in Merovingian and Carolingian times. 2 a law excluding females from dynastic succession, especially an alleged fundamental law of French monarchy (based on a quotation, not referring to such succession, from the law-book). In the 14th c. Edward III’s claim to the French throne, based on descent from his mother, a Capetian princess, was denied by the French on the authority of this law and brought on the Hundred Years War. [F Salique or med.L Salicus f. Salii (as SALIAN)]

several eucalypts and acacias resembling the willow. [Aboriginal] sallet /'szlit/ n. (also salade /so'la:d/) hist. a light helmet with an outward-curving rear part. [F salade ult. f. L caelare engrave f. caelum chisel]

myelitis, named after J. E. Salk (1914— developed the vaccine in 1954.]

sallow! /'selou/ adj. & v. —adj. (sallower, sallowest) (of the skin or complexion, or of a person) of a sickly yellow or pale brown. —v.tr. & intr. make or become sallow. 00 sallowish adj. sallowness n. [OE salo dusky f. Gmc]

salicet /'szlisit/ n. an organ stop like a salicional but one octave higher. [as SALICIONAL]

sallow? /'szlou/ n. 1 a willow-tree, esp. one of a low-growing or

salicin /'szlisin/ n. (also salicine |-jsi:n/) a bitter crystalline

shrubby kind. 2 the wood or a shoot of this. 00 sallowy adj. [OE salh salg- f. Gmc, rel. to OHG salaha, ON selja, L salix]

glucoside with analgesic properties, obtained from poplar and willow bark. [F salicine f. L salix -icis willow]

Sallust /'szlost/ (Gaius Sallustius Crispus, 86-35 Bc) Roman

salicional /so'lifon(a)l/ n. an organ stop with a soft reedy tone

historian, who retired to write after an unsuccessful political career. He is a moralizing historian, with a pessimistic view of the political and moral decline of Rome, a process which he dates from the fall of Carthage.

like that of a willow-pipe. [G f. L salix as sALICIN]

salicylic acid /,szli'silik/ n. a bitter chemical used as a fungicide and in the manufacture of aspirin and dyestuffs.

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Sally

salt

1279 a ee

Sally /'szeli/ n. (pl. -ies) collog. 1 (usu. prec. by the) the Salvation Army. 2 a member of this. [abbr.]

sally! /'szeli/ n. & v.

sally? /'szeli/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the part of a bell-rope prepared with inwoven wool for holding. 2 a the first movement of a bell when set for ringing. b the bell’s position when set. 0 sally-hole the hole through which the bell-rope passes. [perh. f. satLy! in sense ‘leaping motion’)

sally? var. of sALLEE. Sally Lunn j\szt: 'lan/ n. Brit. a sweet light teacake, properly served hot. [perh. f. the name of a woman selling them at Bath

c.1800]

‘

salmagundi |,selms'gandi/ n. (pl. salmagundis) 1 a dish of chopped meat, anchovies, eggs, onions, etc., and seasoning. 2a general mixture; a miscellaneous collection of articles, subjects, qualities, etc. [F salmigondis of unkn. orig.] salmanazar /|,seimo'neiza(r)/ n. a wine bottle of about 12 times the standard size. [Shalmaneser king of Assyria (2 Kings 17-18)]

salmii /'szlmy/ n. (pl. salmis) a ragout or casserole esp. of partly roasted game-birds. [F, abbr. formed as sALMAGUNDI] salmon /'semon/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. same or (esp. of types) salmons) 1 any anadromous fish of the family Salmonidae, esp. of the genus Salmo, much prized for its (often smoked) pink flesh. 2 Austral. & NZ the barramundi or a similar fish. —adj. salmon-pink. co salmon-ladder (or -leap) a series of steps or other arrangement incorporated in a dam to allow salmon to pass upstream. salmon-pink the colour of salmon flesh. salmon trout a large silver-coloured trout, Salmo trutta. oo salmonoid adj. & n. (in sense 1). salmony adj. [ME f. AF sa(u)moun, OF saumon f. L salmo -onis]

salmonella /,selmo'nels/ n. (pl. salmonellae /-li:/) 1 any bacterium of the genus Salmonella, esp. any of various serotypes causing food poisoning. 2 food poisoning caused by infection with salmonellae. 00 salmonellosis /-'lousis/ n. [mod.L f. D. E. Salmon, Amer. veterinary surgeon d. 1914]

Salome /so'loum1/ the name given by Josephus to the daughter of Herodias, who is mentioned but not named in the Gospels. She danced before Herod Antipas, and St John the Baptist was beheaded at her request.

Salon /'sz13/ the name given to the exhibitions of the French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture founded in the 17th c. by Colbert and Lebrun. The name derived from the fact that exhibitions were held in the Salon d’Apollon in the Louvre. Even after its reorganization in 1881 it retained its traditional hostility to new and creative artists. salon /'szlpn, -15/ n. 1 the reception room ofa large, esp. French or continental, house. 2 a room or establishment where a hairdresser, beautician, etc., conducts trade. 3 hist. a meeting of eminent people in the reception room of a (esp. Parisian) lady of fashion. 0 salon music light music for the drawing-room etc. [F: see SALOON]

Salonica

/|so'lonikse/ (Greek Thessaloniki /,@esalv'ni:ki/, the

ancient Thessalonica) a seaport in NE Greece, the capital of Macedonia and second-largest city of Greece; pop. (1981) 706,100. It was the scene of a campaign in the First World War by the French and British in support of Serbia, during which they occupied Salonica (Oct. 1915). saloon /so'lu:n/ n. 1 a a large room or hall, esp. in a hotel or public building. b a public room or gallery for a specified purpose (billiard-saloon; shooting-saloon). 2 (in full saloon car) a motor car with a closed body and no partition behind the driver. 3 a public room on a ship. 4 US a drinking-bar. 5 (in full saloon bar) Brit. the more comfortable bar in a public house. 6 (in full av how

er day

ov no

saloon car) Brit. a luxurious railway carriage serving as a lounge etc. O saloon deck a deck for passengers using the saloon. saloon-keeper US a publican or bartender. saloon pistol (or rifle) a pistol or rifle adapted for short-range practice in a shooting-saloon. [F salon f. It. salone augment. of sala hall]

—n. (pl. -ies) 1a sudden charge from a

fortification upon its besiegers; a sortie. 2 a going forth; an excursion. 3 a witticism; a piece of banter; a lively remark esp. by way of attack upon a person or thing or of a diversion in argument. 4 a sudden start into activity; an outburst. 5 archaic an escapade. —v.intr. (~ies, -ied) 1 (usu. foll. by out, forth) go for a walk, set out on a journey etc. 2 (usu. foll. by out) make a military sally. 3 archaic issue or come out suddenly. o sally-port an opening in a fortification for making a sally from. [F saillie fem. past part. of saillir issue f. OF salir f. L salire leap]

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Salopian /|so'loupron/ n. & adj. —n. a native or inhabitant of Shropshire. —adj. of or relating to Shropshire. [AF Salopesberia f. ME f. OE Scrobbesbyrig Shrewsbury]

salpiglossis /,szlpi'glosis/ n. any solanaceous plant of the genus Salpiglossis, cultivated for its funnel-shaped flowers. {mod.L, irreg. f. Gk salpigx trumpet + gléssa tongue] J salping- /'szlp1n/ comb. form Med. denoting the Fallopian tubes. [Gk salpigx salpiggos, lit. ‘trumpet’] salpingectomy |,szlpin'dzektomi/ n. (pl. -ies) Med. the surgical removal of the Fallopian tubes.

salpingitis |,szlpin'dgaitis/ n. Med. inflammation of the Fallopian tubes. salsa /'szlso/n. 1 a kind of dance music of Latin American origin, incorporating jazz and rock elements. 2 a dance performed to this music. [Sp. (as SAUCE)] ;

salsify /'szelsifi, -,far/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a European plant, Tragopogon porrifolius, with long cylindrical fleshy roots. 2 this root used as a vegetable. o black salsify scorzonera. [F salsifis f. obs. It. salsefica, of unkn. orig.]

SALT

/so:lt, splt/ abbr. Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (or

Treaty), organized from 1968 onwards and involving esp. the US and the Soviet Union, aimed at the limitation or reduction of nuclear armaments. salt /so:lt, splt/ n., adj., & v. —n. 1 (also common salt) sodium chloride; the substance that gives sea water its characteristic taste, got in crystalline form by mining from strata consisting

of it or by the evaporation of sea water, and used for seasoning or preserving food, or for other purposes. 2 a chemical compound formed from the reaction of an acid with a base, with all or part of the hydrogen of the acid replaced by a metal or metal-like radical. 3 sting; piquancy; pungency; wit (added salt to the conversation). 4 (in sing. or pl.) aa substance resembling salt in taste, form, etc. (bath salts; Epsom salts; smelling-salts). b (esp. in pl.) this type of substance used as a laxative. 5 a marsh, esp. one flooded by the tide, often used as a pasture or for collecting water for salt-making. 6 (also old salt) an experienced sailor. 7 (in pl.) an exceptional rush of sea water up river. —adj. 1 impregnated with, containing, or tasting of salt; cured or preserved or seasoned with salt. 2 (of a plant) growing in the sea or in salt marshes. 3 (of tears etc.) bitter. 4 (of wit) pungent. —v.tr. 1 cure or preserve with salt or brine. 2 season with salt. 3 make (a narrative etc.) piquant. 4 sprinkle (the ground etc.) with salt esp. in order to melt snow etc. 5 treat with a solution of salt or mixture of salts. 6 (as salted adj.) (of a horse or person) hardened or proof against diseases etc. caused by the climate or by special conditions. 0 eat salt with be a guest of. in salt sprinkled with salt or immersed in brine as a preservative. not made of salt not disconcerted by wet weather. put salt on the tail of capture (with ref. to jocular directions given to children for catching a bird). salt an account sl. set an extremely high or low price for articles. salt-and-pepper (of materials etc. and esp. of hair) with light and dark colours mixed together. salt away (or down) sl. put money etc. by. salt the books sl. show receipts as larger than they really have been. salt-cat a mass of salt mixed with gravel, urine, etc., to attract pigeons and keep them at home. salt dome a mass of salt forced up into sedimentary rocks, salt fish W.Ind. preserved cod. salt-glaze a hard stoneware glaze produced by throwing salt into a hot kiln containing the ware. salt-grass US grass growing in salt meadows or in alkaline regions. salt horse Naut. sl. 1 salt beef. 2 a naval officer with general duties. salt lake a lake of salt water. salt-lick 1a place where animals go to lick salt from the ground. 2 this salt. salt-marsh = sense 5 of n. salt meadow a meadow subject to flooding with salt water. salt a mine sl. introduce extraneous ore, material, etc., to make the source seem rich. the salt of the earth a person or people of great worthiness, reliability, honesty, etc.; those whose qualities keep society wholesome (Matt. 5: 13). salt-pan a vessel, or a depression near the sea,

aio fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

saltarello

salvia

1280 Ee

eee

used for getting salt by evaporation. salt-shaker US a container of salt for sprinkling on food. salt-spoon a small spoon usu. with a short handle and a roundish deep bowl for taking table salt. salt water 1 sea water. 2 sl. tears. salt-water adj. of or living in the sea. salt-well a bored well yielding brine. salt-works a place where salt is produced. take with a pinch (or grain) of salt regard as exaggerated; be incredulous about; believe only part of. worth one’s salt efficient, capable. oO saltish adj. saltless adj. saltly adv. saltness n. [OE s(e)alt s(e)altan, OS, ON, Goth. salt, OHG salz f. Gmc]

saltarello |,szlto'relou/ n. (pl. -os or saltarelli /-l1/) an Italian and Spanish dance for one couple, with sudden skips. [It. salterello, Sp. saltarelo, rel. to It. saltare and Sp. saltar leap, dance f. L saltare (as SALTATION)] saltation /szl'ter{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of leaping or dancing; a jump. 2 a sudden transition or movement. oo saltatory /'szltotor1/ adj. saltatorial /,szlto'to:r1al/ adj. [L saltatio f. saltare frequent. of salire salt- leap]

salutatorian /-'to:rian/ n. (in sense of n.). [L salutatorius (as SALUTE)] _salute /so'lu:t, -‘lju:t/n. & v. —n. 1a gesture of respect, homage, or courteous recognition, esp. made to or by a person when arriving or departing. 2 a Mil. & Naut. a prescribed or specified movement of the hand or of weapons or flags as a sign of respect or recognition. b (prec. by the) the attitude taken by an individual soldier, sailor, policeman, etc., in saluting. 3 the discharge of a gun or guns as a formal or ceremonial sign of respect or celebration. 4 Fencing the formal performance of certain guards etc. by fencers before engaging. —v. 1 a tr. make asalute to. b intr. (often foll. by to) perform a salute. 2 tr. greet; make a salutation to. 3tr. (foll. by with) receive or greet with (a smile etc.). 4 tr. archaic hail as (king etc.). 0 take the salute 1 (of the highest officer present) acknowledge it by gesture as meant for him. 2 receive ceremonial salutes by members of a procession. go saluter n. [ME f. L salutare f. salus -utis health]

Salvador! |,szlva'do:(r)/ (also Bahfa /ba:'i:a/) a port on the Atlantic coast of NE Brazil; pop. (1980) 1,491,600. It was the capital of the Portuguese colony from 1549, when it was founded, until 1763, when the seat of government was transferred to Rio de Janeiro. During the colonial period it was a major port of entry for slaves shipped from Africa.

saltbush /|'so:Itbuf, 'splt-/ n. = ORACHE. salt-cellar /'so:It,selo(r), 'splt-/ n. 1a vessel holding salt for table use. 2 collog. an unusually deep hollow above the collarbone, esp. found in women. [SALT + obs. saler f. AF f. OF salier salt-box f. L (as SALARY), assim. to CELLAR]

Salvador?, El see Et Satvapor. oo Salvadorean /,szlva'do:

salter /|'so:lto(r), 'spl-/ n. 1 a manufacturer or dealer in salt. 2a workman at a salt-works. 3 a person who salts fish etc. 4 = dry-salter. [OE sealtere (as SALT)} saltern /'so:lt(a)n, 'spl-/ n. 1 a salt-works. 2 a set of pools for the natural evaporation of sea water. [OE sealtern (as SALT, ern

Tran/ adj. & n. salvage /'szlvid3/ n. & v. —n. 1 the rescue of a ship, its cargo, or other property, from loss at sea, destruction by fire, etc. 2 the property etc. saved in this way. 3 a the saving and utilization of waste paper, scrap material, etc. b the materials salvaged. 4 payment made or due to a person who has saved a ship or its cargo. —v.tr. 1 save from a wreck, fire, etc. 2 retrieve or preserve (something favourable) in adverse circumstances (tried to salvage some dignity). 00 salvageable adj. salvager n. [F f. med.L salvagium f. L salvare SAVE}]

building)] saltigrade /'szlti,greid/ adj. & n. Zool. —adj. (of arthropods) moving by leaping or jumping. —n. a saltigrade arthropod, e.g. a spider, sand-hopper, etc. [mod.L Saltigradae f. L saltus leap f. salire salt- + -gradus walking]

salting /'so:ltrn, 'spl-/ n. 1 in senses of SALT v. 2 (esp. in pl.) Geol.

salvation /szl'ver{(a)n/ n. 1 the act of saving or being saved;

a salt marsh; a marsh overflowed by the sea.

preservation from loss, calamity, etc. 2 deliverance from sin and its consequences and admission to heaven, brought about by Christ. 3 a religious conversion. 4 a person or thing that saves (was the salvation of). 00 salvationism n. salvationist n. (both nouns esp. with ref. to the Salvation Army). [ME f. OF sauvacion, salvacion, f. eccl.L salvatio -onis f. salvare SAVE}, transl. Gk sotéria]

saltire /'so:],taro(r)/ n. Heraldry an ordinary formed by a bend and a bend sinister crossing like a St Andrew’s cross. O in saltire arranged in this way. 00 saltirewise adv. [ME f. OF sau(l)toir etc. stirrup-cord, stile, saltire, f. med.L saltatorium (as SALTATION)]

Salt Lake City the capital and largest city of Utah; pop. (1980) 163,000. Founded in 1847 by Brigham Young for the Mormon community, the city is the world headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. saltpetre /,splt'pi:to(r), ,so:lt-/ n. (US saltpeter) potassium nitrate, a white crystalline salty substance used in preserving meat and as a constituent of gunpowder. [ME f. OF salpetre f. med.L salpetra prob. for sal petrae (unrecorded) salt of rock (i.e. found as an incrustation): assim. to SALT] saltus /'szltos/ n. literary a sudden transition; a breach of continuity. [L, = leap] saltwort /'so:ltwa:t, 'splt-/ n. any plant of the genus Salsola; glasswort. salty /'so:lti, 'spl-/ adj. (saltier, saltiest) tasting of, containing, or preserved with salt. 00 saltiness n.

Salvation

Army

an international organization for evan-

gelistic and social work, founded in 1865 by William Booth. It is organized on a military basis, headed by a General, and exacts unquestioning obedience from its members, who wear a distinctive uniform on public occasions. Public worship consists of open-air meetings marked by brass bands and banners. The Army is active in all kinds of social work, including the care of criminals and drunkards, soup kitchens, workers’ hostels, and night shelters. Its headquarters are in London.

salve! |selv, sa:v/ n. & v. —n. 1 a healing ointment. 2 (often

(of surroundings etc.) pleasant; agreeable. 00 salubriously adv. salubriousness n. salubrity n. [L salubris f. salus health]

foll. by for) a thing that is soothing or consoling for wounded feelings, an uneasy conscience, etc. 3 archaic a thing that explains away a discrepancy or palliates a fault. —v.tr. 1 soothe (pride, self-love, conscience, etc.), 2 archaic anoint (a wound etc.). 3 archaic smooth over, make good, vindicate, harmonize, etc. [OE s(e)alffe), s(e)alfian f. Gmc; senses 1 and 3 ofv. partly f. L salvare SAVE}]

saluki /so'lu:ki/ n. (pl. salukis) 1 a tall swift slender dog of a

salve? /szlv/ v.tr. 1 save (a ship or its cargo) from loss at sea. 2

salubrious /|so'lu:brigs, sa'lju:-/ adj. 1 health-giving; healthy. 2

silky-coated breed with large ears and a fringed tail and feet. 2 this breed. [Arab. saliikt] salutary |'szljotari/ adj. 1 producing good effects; beneficial. 2 archaic health-giving. [ME f. F salutaire or L salutaris f. salus -utis health] salutation /,szlju:'te1{(a)n/ n. 1 a sign or expression of greeting or recognition of another’s arrival or departure. 2 words spoken or written to enquire about another’s health or well-being. 00 salutational adj. [ME f. OF salutation or L salutatio (as sALUTE)} salutatory /so'lju:totort, so'lu:-/ adj. & n. —adj. of salutation. —n. (pl. -ies) US an oration, esp. as given by a member of a graduating class, often the second-ranking member. oo

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

save (property) from

fire.

00

salvable

adj. [back-form.

f.

SALVAGE]

salver |'szlvo(r)/ n. a tray usu. of gold, silver, brass, or electroplate, on which drinks, letters, etc., are offered. [F salve tray for presenting food to the king f. Sp. salva assaying of food f. salvar SAVE: assoc. with platter]

Salve Regina /,selver ra'dgi:no/ n. 1 a Roman Catholic hymn or prayer said or sung after compline and after the Divine Office from Trinity Sunday to Advent. 2 the music for this. [f. the opening words salve regina hail (holy) queen] salvia /'selvio/ n. any plant of the genus Salvia, esp. S. splendens with red or blue flowers. [L, = sAGE}]

kcat

lleg

mman

nno

ppen

rred s sit

t top vvoice

Salvo

samite

1281

Salvo /'szlvau/ n. (pl. -os) Austral. sl. a member of the Salvation Army. [abbr.] salvo! /'szlvau/ n. (pl. -oes or -os) 1 the simultaneous firing of artillery or other guns esp. as a salute, or in a sea-fight. 2 a number of bombs released from aircraft at the same moment. 3 a round or volley of applause. [earlier salve f. F f. It. salva salutation (as SAVE})] salvo? /'szelvau] n. (pl. -os) 1 a saving clause; a reservation (with an express salvo of their rights). 2 a tacit reservation. 3 a quibbling evasion; a bad excuse. 4 an expedient for saving reputation or soothing pride or conscience. [L, ablat. of salvus saFE as used in salvo jure without prejudice to the rights of (a person)]

sal volatile /,se1 vo'letili/ n. ammonium carbonate, esp. in the form of a flavoured solution in alcohol used as smelling-salts. [mod.L, = volatile salt] salvor |'szlva(r)/ n. a person or ship making or assisting in salvage. [SALVE?| Salween /'szwi:n, szl'wi:n/ a river of SE Asia which rises in Tibet and flows south-east and south through Burma to the Gulf of Martaban, an inlet of the Andaman Sea. ¢

Salyut /szl'ju:t, 'sae-/ any of a series of Soviet manned space stations, of which the first was launched into Earth orbit in 1971.

Salzburg /'sz1tsba:g, 'sa:-/ 1 a province of central Austria; pop. (1981) 441,842. 2 its capital city (pop. 139,400), noted for its music festivals, one of which is dedicated to the composer Mozart who was born in the city.

SAM< abbr. surface-to-air missile. Sam. abbr. Samuel (Old Testament). samadhi /so'ma:di/ n. Buddhism & Hinduism 1 a state of concentration induced by meditation. 2 astate into which a perfected holy man is said to pass at his apparent death. [Skr. samadhi contemplation] Samar /'sa:ma:(r)/ the third-largest island of the Philippines;

pop. (1980) 2,717,215.

samara /'semorsa, so'ma:-/ n. Bot. a winged seed from the sycamore, ash, etc. [mod.L f. L, = elm-seed]

Samaria /so'meorio/ 1 the ancient capital of the northern kingdom of the Hebrews (see IsRAEL! 2). In 721 BC it was captured by the Assyrians and resettled with pagans from other parts of their empire (2 Kings 17, 18). 2 the region surrounding this, west of the Jordan, bounded by Galilee and Judaea.

Samarinda |,semso'rinde/ a city of Indonesia, capital of the province of East Kalimantan; pop. (1980) 264,700.

Samaritan /so'mzrit(s)n/n. & adj. —n. 1 (in full good Samar-

legend in the West. It was destroyed again by Genghis Khan in 1221 but later became the capital of Tamerlane’s empire. By 1700 it was almost deserted, but in 1868 it was taken by Russia and in 1924 was incorporated into the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic, briefly becoming its capital. Samarra /|so'mzro/ a city of Iraq, on the River Tigris, north of Baghdad. It is a place of Shiite pilgrimage.

Sama-Veda

|\sa:mo'veids, -'vi:do/ n. one of the four Vedas, a

collection of liturgical chants in Old Sanskrit used in the Vedic religion by the priest in charge of chanting aloud at the sacrifice. Its material is drawn largely from the Rig-Veda. [Skr. samaveda f. sama chant + véda VEDA] samba /|'sembo/ n. & v. —n. 1 a Brazilian dance of African origin. 2 a ballroom dance imitative of this. 3 the music for this. —v.intr. (sambas, sambaed /|-bod/ or samba’d, sambaing |-ba1n/) dance the samba. [Port., of Afr. orig.]

sambar /'semba(r)/ n. (also samba, sambhar) either of two large deer, Cervus unicolor or C. equinus, native to S. Asia. [Hindi sa(m)bar|

Sambo /'s2mbou/ n. (pl. -os or -oes) 1 sl. offens. a Black person. 2 (sambo) hist. a person of mixed race esp. of Negro and Indian or Negro and European blood. [Sp. zambo perh. = zambo bandylegged; sense 1 perh. a different word f. Foulah sambo uncle]

Sam Browne |sem ‘braun/ n. (in full Sam Browne belt) a belt with a supporting strap that passes over the right shoulder, worn by commissioned officers of the British Army and also by members of various police forces etc. [Sir Samuel J. Browne, its inventor, Brit. military commander d. 1901] same /sei1m/ adj., pron., & adv. —adj. 1 (often prec. by the)

identical; not different; unchanged (everyone was looking in the same direction; the same car was used in another crime; saying the same thing over and over). 2 unvarying, uniform, monotonous (the same old story). 3 (usu. prec. by this, these, that, those) (of a person or thing) previously alluded to; just mentioned; aforesaid (this same man was later my husband). —pron. (prec. by the) 1 the same person or thing (the others asked for the same). 2 Law or archaic the person or thing just mentioned (detected the youth breaking in and apprehended the same). —adv. (usu. prec. by the) similarly; in the same way (we all feel the same; I want to go, the same as you do). O all (or just) the same 1 emphatically the same. 2 in spite of changed conditions, adverse circumstances, etc. (but you should offer, all the same). at the same time 1 simultaneously. 2 notwithstanding; in spite of circumstances etc. be all (or just) the same to an expression of indifference or impartiality (it’s all the same to me what we do). by the same token see TOKEN. same here collog. the same applies to me. the same to you! may you do, have, find, etc., the same thing; likewise. the very same emphatically the same. 00 sameness n. [ME f. ON sami, sama, with Gmc cognates] samey |'sermi/ adj. (samier, samiest) collog. lacking in variety;

itan) a charitable or helpful person (with ref. to Luke 10:33 etc.). 2 a member of an organization (the Samaritans) founded in 1953 by the Revd Chad Varah to enable help, compassion, and friendship to be given (especially through the telephone service) to the suicidal and despairing. 3 a native of Samaria. According to Jewish tradition, the Samaritans were descendants of the pagan settlers established by the Assyrians in 721 Bc; the hostility of the Jews to them was proverbial. A few still survive, living near Nablus (now in Israel), and bear a striking resemblance to the Assyrians depicted on ancient monuments. 4 the Aramaic dialect formerly spoken in Samaria. ‘5 an adherent of the Samaritan religious system, accepting only the Samaritan Pentateuch. —adj. of Samaria or the Samaritans. 0 Samaritan Pentateuch a recension used by Samaritans of which the MSS are in archaic characters. 00 Samaritanism n. [LL Samaritanus f. Gk Samareités f. Samareia Samaria] samarium /so'meosriom/ n. Chem. a soft silvery metallic element of the lanthanide series, first discovered in 1879. The pure metal is used as a catalyst and its compounds are used: in computer hardware, some types of electrode, special glasses, etc. {| Symb.: Sm; atomic number 82. [samarskite the mineral in which its spectrum was first observed, f. Samarski name of a 19th-c. Russ. official]

Samos 2 (in full Samian pottery or ware) a kind of glossy red pottery made in Gaul in the 1st-4thc. and common on archaeological sites of this period. It is also called terra sigillata; ‘Samian’ is a misnomer, deriving from a supposed but nonexistent connection with Samos. —adj. of Samos. 0 Samian ware fine red pottery from various parts of the Roman Empire, esp. Gaulish pottery often found on Roman sites in Britain. [L Samius f. Gk Samios Samos] samisen /'semism/ n. a long three-stringed Japanese guitar, played with a plectrum. {Jap. f. Chin. san-hsien f. san three + hsien string]

Samarkand

/,sema:'kendj a city in central Asia. Destroyed

samite /'szemait, 'ser-/ n. hist. a rich medieval dress-fabric of silk

by Alexander the Great in 329 Bc, Samarkand later rose to fame as the centre of the silk trade, becoming the subject of much

occas. interwoven with gold. [ME f. OF samit f. med.L examitum f. med. Gk hexamiton f. Gk hexa- six + mitos thread]

wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn ving

x loch

monotonous.

00 sameyness n.

samfu /'semfu:/ n. a suit consisting of a jacket and trousers, worn by Chinese women and sometimes men. [Cantonese]

Samhain /saon, 'savm| n. Brit. 1 Nov., celebrated by the Celts as a festival marking the beginning of winter. [Ir. Samhain]

Samian /'sermion/ n, & adj. —n. 1a native or inhabitant of

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

samizdat samizdat /|'semiz,det, -'det/ n. a system of clandestine publication of banned publishing house]

sanctuary

1282

literature

in the USSR.

[Russ.,

=

self-

of loyalty, bravery, and endurance. The samurai dominated Japanese society until the demise of the feudal order in the 19th c.

Uap.]

Samnite /'semnait/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a member of a people of

san /szen/n. = SANATORIUM 2. [abbr.]

ancient Italy often at war with republican Rome. 2 the language of this people. —adj. of this people or their language. [ME f. L Samnites (pl.), rel. to Sabinus SABINE] Samoa |so'mou2/ a group of Polynesian Islands of which the eastern part is a US territory. 0 Western Samoa see separate entry. 00 Samoan adj. & n. Samos |'sermps/ a Greek island in the Aegean Sea; pop. (1981)

Sana’a /sz'na:, 'sa:no/ the capital of the Yemeni Republic and of

40,500.

samosa /so'mauso/ n. a triangular pastry fried in ghee or oil, containing spiced vegetables or meat. [Hind.] samovar /'sz2mo,va:(r)/ n. a Russian urn for making tea, with an internal heating tube to keep water at boiling-point. [Russ., = self-boiler]

Samoyed /'szema,jed/ n. 1 a member of a people of northern Siberia. 2 the language of this people. 3 (also samoyed) a a dog of a white Arctic breed. b this breed. [Russ. samoed]

Samoyedic |,szmo'jedik/ n. & adj. —n. the language of the Samoyeds. —adj. of or relating to the Samoyeds. samp /semp/ n. US 1 coarsely-ground maize. 2 porridge made of this. [Algonquin nasamp softened by water] sampan /'sempzn/ n. a small boat used on the rivers and coasts of China, Japan, and neighbouring islands, rowed with a scull (or two sculls) from the stern and usually having a sail of matting and an awning. [Chin. san-ban f. san three + ban board] samphire /'sem,faro(r)/ n. 1 an umbelliferous maritime rock plant, Crithmum maritimum, with aromatic fleshy leaves used in pickles. 2 the glasswort. [earlier samp(i)ere f. F (herbe de) Saint Pierre St Peter(’s herb)]

sample /'sa:mp(2)l/ n. & v. —n.

1 a small part or quantity

intended to show what the whole is like. 2 a small amount of fabric, food, or other commodity, esp. given to a prospective customer. 3 a specimen, esp. one taken for scientific testing or

analysis. 4 an illustrative or typical example. —v.tr. 1 take or give samples of. 2 try the qualities of. 3 get a representative experience of. 0 sample bag Austral. an (orig. free) bag of advertisers’ samples. [ME f. AF assample, OF essample EXAMPLE] sampler! /'sa:mplo(r)/ n. a piece of embroidery worked in various stitches as a specimen of proficiency (often displayed on a wall etc.). [OF essamplaire (as EXEMPLAR)] sampler? /'sa:mplo(r)/ n. 1 a person who samples. 2 US a collection of representative items etc. samsara /som'sa:ro/ n. Ind. Philos. the endless cycle of death and rebirth to which life in the material world is bound. oo samsaric adj. [Skr. samsadra a wandering through] samskara |son'ska:ro/ n. Ind. Philos. 1 a purificatory ceremony or rite marking an event in one’s life. 2 a mental impression, instinct, or memory. [Skr. samskara a making perfect, preparation] Samson /'sems(2)n/ (prob. 11th c. Bc) an Israelite leader famous for his strength (Judges 13-16). He confided to a woman, Delilah, that his strength lay in his hair, and she betrayed him to the Philistines. They cut off his hair while he slept and captured and blinded him, but when his hair grew again his strength returned and he pulled down the pillars of a house, destroying himself and a large concourse of Philistines —n. a person of great strength or resembling Samson in some respect. oO Samson- (or Samson’s-) post 1 a strong pillar passing through the hold of a ship or between decks. 2 a post in a whaleboat to which a harpoon rope is attached.

3: her

San Andrés /sen zn’'dreis/ a small Colombian island in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Nicaragua.

San Antonio /sen zn'toun1,9u/ an industrial city in south central Texas, site of the Alamo (see entry); pop. (1982) 819,000. sanative |'sznotrv/ adj. 1 healing; curative. 2 of or tending to physical or moral health. [ME f. OF sanatif or LL sanativus f. L sanare cure] sanatorium /|,seno'to:r1om/ n. (pl. sanatoriums or sanatoria /-r190/) 1 an establishment for the treatment of invalids, esp. of convalescents and the chronically sick. 2 Brit. a room or building for sick people in a school etc. [mod.L (as SANATIVE)]

San Carlos de Bariloche /sen 'ka:lps det ,bert'loutf1/ the principal Andean skiing resort of Argentina, situated in the province of Rio Negro; pop. (1980) 48,200.

Sanchi /'sa:ntJ1/ the site in central India, in Madhya Pradesh, of several well-preserved Buddhist stupas. The largest of these was probably begun by the emperor Asoka in the 3d c. Bc.

Sancho Panza |,senkavu 'penza/ the squire of Don Quixote (see entry), who accompanies the latter on his adventures. He is an ignorant and credulous peasant but has a store of proverbial

wisdom, and is thus a foil to his master.

sanctify /'sznkt1,fai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 consecrate; set apart or observe as holy. 2 purify or free from sin. 3 make legitimate or binding by religious sanction; justify; give the colour of morality or innocence to. 4 make productive of or conducive to holiness. 00 sanctification /-fi'ke1{(2)n/ n. sanctifier n. [ME f. OF saintifier f. eccl.L sanctificare f. L sanctus holy]

sanctimonious /,senkti'mounties/ adj. making a show of sanctity or piety. 00 sanctimoniously adv. sanctimoniousness n. sanctimony /'senktrmonz/ n. [L sanctimonia sanctity (as sAINT)] sanction /'senkj(2)n/ n. & v. —n. 1 approval or encouragement given to an action etc. by custom or tradition; express permission. 2 confirmation or ratification of a law etc. 3 a a penalty for disobeying a law or rule, or a reward for obeying it. b a clause containing this. 4 Ethics a consideration operating to enforce obedience to any rule of conduct. 5 (esp. in pl.) military or esp. economic action by a State to coerce another to conform to an international agreement or norms of conduct. 6 Law hist. a law or decree. —v.tr. 1 authorize, countenance, or agree to (an action etc.). 2 ratify; attach a penalty or reward to; make binding. 00 sanctionable adj. [F f. L sanctio -onis f. sancire sanctmake sacred] tudo (as SAINT)]

samurai /|'semu,rat, -ju,rai/ n. (pl. same) 1 a Japanese army officer. 2 hist. a member of the feudal warrior class of Japan which was bound by the code of bushido, emphasizing qualities

e bed

course and is ascribed to movement of two sections of the earth’s crust—the eastern Pacific plate and the North American plate—which abut against each other in this region (see PLATE TECTONICS). The city of San Francisco lies close to the fault, and such movement caused the devastating earthquake of 1906 and a further convulsion in 1989.

sanctity /'seenktiti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 holiness of life; saintliness. 2 sacredness; the state of being hallowed. 3 inviolability. 4 (in pl.) sacred obligations, feelings, etc. [ME f. OF sain(c)tité or L sanctitas (as SAINT)] sanctuary /'senktjuori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a holy place; a church, temple, etc. 2 a the inmost recess or holiest part of a temple etc. b the part of the chancel containing the high altar. 3 a place where birds, wild animals, etc., are bred and protected. 4 a place of refuge, esp. for political refugees. 5 a immunity from arrest. b the right to offer this. 6 hist. a sacred place where a fugitive from the law or a debtor was secured by medieval Church law against arrest or violence. 0 take sanctuary resort

ites after their defeat by the Philistines and became their ruler. 2 either of two books of the Old Testament covering the history of Israel from Samuel’s birth to the end of the reign of David.

a: arm

the earth’s crust extending for some 965 km (600 miles) through the length of California. Seismic activity is common along its

sanctitude /'szenkti,tju:d/ n. archaic saintliness. [ME f. L sancti-

Samuel /'semju(s)l/ 1 a Hebrew prophet who rallied the Israel-

z cat

the former Yemen Arab Republic (1967-90); pop. (1986) 427,150.

San Andreas fault /sen en'dretos/ a fault line or fracture of

1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

o put

u: tooo ago

ar my

sanctum to a place of refuge. [ME f. AF sanctuarie, OF sanctuaire f. L sanctuarium (as SAINT)] sanctum /'szenktom/ n. (pl. sanctums) 1 a holy place. 2 collog. a person’s private room, study, or den. O sanctum sanctorum /seenk'to:rom/ 1 the holy of holies in the Jewish temple. 2 =

sense 2 of n. 3 an inner retreat. 4 an esoteric doctrine etc. [L,

neut. of sanctus holy, past part. of sancire consecrate: sanctorum genit. pl. in transl. of Heb. kodes hakkodasim holy of holies] sanctus /|'sznktos/ n. (also Sanctus) 1 the prayer or hymn (from Isa. 6: 3) beginning ‘Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus’ or ‘Holy, holy, holy’, forming the conclusion of the Eucharistic preface. 2 the music for this. 0 sanctus bell a handbell or the bell in the turret at the junction of the nave and the chancel, rung at the sanctus or at the elevation of the Eucharist. [ME f. L, = holy]

Sand

Sandringham House

1283

/saj/, George (pseudonym of Amandine-Aurore

Lucille

Dupin, Baronne Dudevant, 1804-76), French novelist, who left her husband to lead an independent literary life in Paris. She wrote romantic novels portraying women’s struggles against conventional morals, including Indiana (1832) and Lélia (1833), and idyllic works of rustic life such as La mare au diable (1846) and Frangois le champi (1850). Elle et lui (1859) is a fictionalized account of her affair with Alfred de Musset; Un hiver a Majorque (1841) describes an unhappy episode during her passionate liaison with Chopin. sand /send/n. & v. —n. 1 loose granular substance resulting from the wearing down of esp. siliceous rocks and found on the seashore, river-beds, deserts, etc. 2 (in pl.) grains of sand. 3 (in pl.) an expanse cr tracts of sand. 4 a light yellow-brown colour like that of sand. 5 (in pl.) a sandbank. 6 US collog. firmness of purpose; grit. —v.tr. 1 smooth or polish with sandpaper or sand. 2 sprinkle or overlay with, or bury under, sand. 3 adulterate (sugar etc.) with sand. 0 sand bar a sandbank at the mouth of a river or US on the coast. sand-bath a vessel of heated sand to provide uniform heating. sand-bed a stratuin of sand. sand-cloud driving sand in a simoom. sand-crack 1 a fissure in a horse’s hoof. 2 a crack in the human foot from walking on hot sand. 3 a crack in brick due to imperfect mixing. sand dollar US any of various round flat sea urchins, esp. of the order Clypeasteroida. sand-dune (or -hill) a mound or ridge of sand formed by the wind. sand eel any eel-like fish of the family Ammodytidae or Hypotychidae: also called LAUNCE. sand-flea a chigoe or sand-hopper. sand-glass = HOURGLASS. sand-groper Austral. 1 a gold-rush pioneer. 2 joc. a Western Australian. sand-hill a dune. sand-hopper any of various small jumping crustaceans of the order Amphipoda, burrowing on the seashore. sand-martin a swallow-like bird, Riparia riparia, nesting in the side of a sandy bank etc. the sands are running out the allotted time is nearly at an end. sand-shoe a shoe with a canvas, rubber, herap, etc., sole for use on sand. sand-skipper = sand-hopper. sand-yacht a boat on wheels propelled along a beach by wind. o0 sander n. sandlike adj. [OE sand f. Gmc] y

sandal! |'szend(e)l/ n. & v. —n. 1a light shoe with an openwork upper or no upper, attached to the foot usu. by straps. 2 a strap for fastening a low shoe, passing over the instep or around the ankle. —v.tr. (sandalled, sandalling; US sandaled, sandaling) 1 (esp. as sandalled adj.) put sandals on (a person, his feet). 2 fasten or provide (a shoe) with a sandal. [ME f. L sandalium f. Gk sandalion dimin. of sandalon wooden shoe, prob. of Asiatic orig.]

sandal? /'szend(a)l/ n. = SANDALWOOD. O sandal-tree any tree yielding sandalwood, esp. the white sandalwood, Santalum album, of India. [ME f. med.L sandalum, ult. f. Skr. candana]

sandalwood /|'sznd(2)l,wud/ n. 1 the scented wood of a sandaltree. 2 a perfume derived wood from either cf two and Pterocarpus santalinus, dye. sandalwood oil a sandal-tree.

from this. 0 red sandalwood the red SE Asian trees, Adenanthera pavonina used as timber and to produce a red yellow aromatic oil made from the

sandbag |'sendbzg/n. & v. —n. a bag filled with sand for use: 1 (in fortification) for making temporary defences or for the protection of a building etc. against blast and splinters or floodwaters. 2 as ballast esp. for a boat or balloon. 3 as a weapon to inflict a heavy blow without leaving a mark. 4 to stop a draught from a window or door. —v.tr. (-bagged, -bagging) 1 barricade or defend. 2 place sandbags against (a window, chink, etc.). 3 fell with a blow from a sandbag. 4 US coerce by harsh means. 00 sandbagger n.

sandbank |'szendbenk/ n. a deposit of sand forming a shallow place in the sea or a river.

sandblast /'sendbla:st/ v. & n. —v.tr. roughen, treat, or clean with a jet of sand driven by compressed air or steam. —n. this jet. 00 sandblaster n.

sandbox /'sendbpks/ n. 1 Railways a box of sand on a locomotive for sprinkling slippery rails. 2 Golfa container for sand used in teeing. 3 a sandpit enclosed in a box. 4 hist. a device for sprinkling sand to dry ink.

sandboy /'szendboi/ n. o happy as a sandboy extremely happy or carefree. [prob. = a boy hawking sand for sale]

~

sandcastle /'szend,ka:s(9)l/ n. a shape like a castle made in sand, usu. by a child on the seashore.

sanderling /'szndolin/ n. a small wading bird, Calidris alba, of the sandpiper family. [perh. f. an OE form sandyrthling (unrecorded, as SAND + yrthling ploughman, also the name ofa bird)] sanders /'szendoz/ n. (also saunders /'so:-/) sandalwood, esp. red sandalwood. [ME f. OF sandre var. of sandle SANDAL?|

sandfly /'sendflai/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 any midge of the genus Simulium. 2 any biting fly of the genus Phlebotomus transmitting the viral disease leishmaniasis.

sandhii /'szendi/ n. Gram. the process whereby the form of a word changes as a result of its position in an utterance (e.g. the change from a to an before a vowel). [Skr. samdhi putting together]

sandhog /'szendhpg/ n. US a person who works underwater laying foundations, constructing tunnels, etc.

Sandhurst /'szndhs:st/ (in full ‘The Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst’) a training college, now at Camberley, Surrey, officers for the British Army. It was formed in 1946 from amalgamation of the Royal Military College at Sandhurst Berkshire (founded 1799) and the Royal Military Academy Woolwich, London (founded 1741).

for an in at

San Diego /szn di'e1g9u/ an industrial city and US naval port on the Pacific coast of southern California; pop. (1982) 916,000.

Sandinista /,send1'ni:sto/ n. a member of a revolutionary Nicaraguan guerrilla organization founded by the nationalist leader A. C. Sandino (1893-1934), or of a similar organization founded in his name and in power from 1979.

sandiver /'szendiva(r)/ n. liquid scum formed in glass-making. [ME app. f. F suin de verre exhalation of glass f. suer to sweat] sandlot /'sendlpt/ n. US a piece of unoccupied sandy land used for children’s games. sandman /|'sendmznj n. the personification of tiredness causing children’s eyes to smart towards bedtime.

sand-painting n. 1 an American Indian ceremonial art form, using coloured sands, also called dry painting. 2 an example of this. Although sand-painting had largely died out by the early 20th c., it continues to be an important ritual among the Navajos {where it is associated with healing practices) and the Pueblos. The designs are executed with traditional gestures; the gods are represented in conventionalized form; the colours used are traditional, and the greater part of the design follows patterns handed down from memory, each sand-painting being destroyed after the ceremony.

sandpaper

/'sznd,perpo(r)/ n. paper with sand or another

abrasive stuck to it for smoothing or polishing.

sandpiper /'szend,parpa(r)/ n. any of various wading birds of the

Sandalwood Island see Sumsa. sandarac |'sendo,rek/ n. (also sandarach) 1 the gummy resin

family Scolopacidae, frequenting moorland and coastal areas.

of a N. African conifer, Tetraclinis articulata, used in making

sandpit /'sendpit/ n. a hollow partly filled with sand, usu. for

varnish. orig.]

Sandringham House /|'sendrinom/ a holiday residence of

av how

2 = REALGAR. [L sandaraca f. Gk sandaraké, of Asiatic

er day

ov no

ea hair

Io near

or boy

va poor

children to play in.

aio fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

sandsoap

Sanskrit

1284

the Royal Family, NE of King’s Lynn in Norfolk. The estate was acquired in 1861 by Edward VII, then Prince of Wales. sandsoap |'sendsosup/ n. heavy-duty gritty soap.

sandstock /'szndstpk/ n. brick made with sand dusted on the

Sanicula, esp. S. europaea, formerly believed to have healing properties. [ME ult. f. med.L sanicula perh. f. L sanus healthy] sanify /'szeni,fat/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) make healthy; improve the * sanitary state of. [L sanus healthy]

sanitarium /,seni'tesriom/ n. (pl. sanitariums or sanitaria

surface. sandstone /'sendstoun/ n. 1 any clastic rock containing particles visible to the naked eye. 2 a sedimentary rock of consolidated sand commonly red, yellow, brown, grey, or white. sandstorm |'szndsto:m/ n. a desert storm of wind with clouds of sand.

|-r1o/) US = sANATORIUM. [pseudo-L f. L sanitas health] sanitary |'senitori/ adj. 1 of the conditions that affect health, esp. with regard to dirt and infection. 2 hygienic; free from or designed to kill germs, infection, etc. 0 sanitary engineer a person dealing with systems needed to maintain public health. sanitary towel (US napkin) an absorbent pad used during menstruation. sanitary ware porcelain for lavatories etc. 00 sanitarian /-'teorion/ n. & adj. sanitarily adv. sanitariness n. [F sanitaire f. L sanitas: see SANITY] sanitation /,seni'te1{(a)n/ n. 1 sanitary conditions. 2 the maintenance or improving of these. 3 the disposal of sewage and refuse from houses etc. 00 sanitate /'szeni,tert/ v.tr. & intr. sanitationist n. [irreg. f. SANITARY]

sandwich |'sznwid3, -wit{/n. & v. —n. 1 two or more slices of usu. buttered bread with a filling of meat, cheese, etc., between them. 2 a cake of two or more layers with jam or cream between (bake a sponge sandwich). —v.tr. 1 put (a thing, statement, etc.) between two of another character. 2 squeeze in between others (sat sandwiched in the middle). 0 sandwich-board one of two advertisement boards carried by a sandwich-man. sandwich course a course of training with alternate periods of practical experience and theoretical instruction. sandwich-man (pl. -men) a man who walks the streets with sandwich-boards hanging before and behind. [4th Earl of Sandwich, Engl. nobleman d. 1792, said to have eaten food in this form so as not to leave the gaming-table for 24 hours] sandwort /'sendws:t/ n. any low-growing plant of the genus Arenaria, usu. bearing small white flowers.

sanitize /'szeni,taiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 make sanitary; disinfect. 2 US collog. render (information etc.) more acceptable by removing improper or disturbing material. 00 sanitizer n.

sanity /'szeniti/ n. 1 a the state of being sane. b mental health. 2 the tendency to avoid extreme views. [ME f. L sanitas (as SANE)]

San José! /sen xau'ze1, hov-/ the capital and chief port of Costa Rica; pop. (1984) 241,450.

sandy /'szndi/ adj. (sandier, sandiest) 1 having the texture of

San José? /sen xou'zer, hou-/ a city in western California at the

sand. 2 having much sand. 3 a (of hair) yellowish-red. b (of a person) having sandy hair. oO sandy blight Austral. conjunctivitis with sandlike grains in the eye. 00 sandiness n. sandyish adj. [OE sandig (as sAND)] sane /sein/ adj. 1 of sound mind; not mad. 2 (of views etc.) moderate; sensible. 00 sanely adv. saneness n. [L sanus healthy]

centre of ‘Silicon Valley’; pop. (1982) 659,200. San Juan |sen 'xwa:n, 'hwa:n/ the capital and chief port of Puerto Rico; pop. (est. 1986) 431,200.

sank past of sink. San Luis Potosi /sen lu:'i:s ,pptau'si:/ 1 a State of north central Mexico; pop. (est. 1988) 2,020,700. 2 its capital, a silvermining city; pop. (1980) 406,630.

San Francisco /fren'siskau/ a city and seaport on the coast of California, with a magnificent land-locked harbour entered by a channel called the Golden Gate; pop. (1983) 3,250,630. sang past of sING. sangar |'sznga(r)/ n. (also sanga /'saengoa/) a stone breastwork

San Marino /sen mez'ri:nou/ a small landlocked republic near the Adriatic near Rimini, Italy, with a capital of the same name; pop. (est. 1988) 23,000; official language, Italian. It is perhaps Europe’s oldest State, claiming to have been independent almost continuously since its foundation in the 4th c.

round a hollow. [Pashto sangar] sangaree |,sengo'ri:/ n. a cold drink of wine diluted and spiced. (Sp. sangria SANGRIA]

San Martin /sen ma:'ti:n/, José de (1778-1850), South American soldier and statesman. Having assisted in the liberation of Argentina from Spanish rule (1812-13) he went on to liberate Chile (1817-18) and Peru (1820-1), and was appointed Protector of Peru in 1821. He resigned a year later, having refused to oppose the ambitions of the other great liberator Bolivar, who, because of San Martin’s retiring ways, has always received a disproportionate share of the credit for liberating South America. sannyasi /san'ja:si/ n. (also sanyasi) (pl. same) a Hindu religious mendicant. [Hindi & Urdu sannyasi f. Skr. samnyasin laying aside

sang-froid /sd'frwa:/ n. composure, coolness, etc., in danger or under agitating circumstances. [F, sangha /'sa:no/ n. the Buddhist monks, nuns, and novices. [Hind. munity f. sam together + han come

= cold blood] monastic order, including sangha f. Skr. samgha comin contact]

sangrail /sen'gretl/ n. = Gratt. [ME f. OF saint graal (as sAINT, GRaIL)] sangria /|szp'gri:a/ n. a Spanish drink of red wine with lemonade, fruit, etc. [Sp., = bleeding: cf. saNGAREE] sanguinary /'sengwinori/ adj. 1 accompanied by or delighting in bloodshed. 2 bloody; bloodthirsty. 3 (of laws) inflicting death

f. sam together, ni down, as throw]

San Pedro Sula |sen ,pedrou 'su:lo/ the second-largest city in Honduras; pop. (1986) 399,700. Sams /senz, s/ prep. archaic or joc. without. [ME f. OF san(z), sen(s)

freely. 00 sanguinarily adv. sanguinariness n. [L sanguinarius f. sanguis -inis blood] sanguine /'sengwin/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 optimistic; confident. 2 (of the complexion) florid; bright; ruddy. 3 hist. of a ruddy

complexion with a courageous and hopeful amorous disposition. 4 hist. of the temperament in which blood predominates over the other humours. 5 Heraldry or literary blood red. 6 archaic bloody; bloodthirsty. —n. 1 a blood-red colour. 2 a crayon of chalk coloured red or flesh with iron oxide. 00 sanguinely adv. sanguineness n. (both in sense 1 of n.). [ME f. OF sanguin -ine

blood-red f. L sanguineus (as SANGUINARY)] Sanguineous /sen'gwinias/ adj. 1 sanguinary. 2 Med. of or relating to blood. 3 blood-red. 4 full-blooded; plethoric. [L san-

ult. f. L sine, infl. by L absentia in the absence of]

San Salvador /sen 'szlvado:(r)/ the capital of El Salvador;

pop. (1984) 452,600.

sansculotte /,senzkjo'lot, ,sdikju-| n. 1 hist. a republican of the poorer classes in Paris during the French Revolution. 2 an extreme republican or revolutionary. 00 sansculottism n. [F, lit. = without knee-breeches; usu. explained as one wearing trousers instead of the knee-breeches of the aristocracy]

sanserif /sen'serif] n. & adj. (also sans-serif) Printing —n. a form of type without serifs. —adj. without serifs. (app. f. SANS + SERIF]

guineus (as SANGUINE)]

Sanskrit /'senskrit/ n.& adj. —n. the ancient language of

Sanhedrin /'szenidrinj n. (also Sanhedrim /-rim/) the highest court of justice and the supreme council at Jerusalem in New Testament times, with 71 members. It pronounced sentence of death on Christ. [late Heb. sanhedrin f. Gk sunedrion (as syn-, hedra seat)] sanicle /'szenik(o)l/ n. any umbelliferous plant of the genus

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

kcat

Hindus in India, belonging to a branch of the Indo-European family of languages. It flourished in India as the language of learning for more than three millenniums, well into the 19th c., but has been gradually eclipsed by English and the modern Indian languages (e.g. Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati) to which, as a spoken language, it gave rise, and is now used only forreligious lleg

m man

n no

p pen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

Sansovino

purposes. It is written in the Devanagari script. —adj. of or in this language. 00 Sanskritic /-'skritrk/ adj. Sanskritist n. [Skr. samskrta composed, elaborated, f. sam together, kr make, -ta past part. ending]

Sansovino

Sapporo

1285

/|,senso'vi:nov/, Jacopo Tatti (1486-1570), Italian

sculptor and architect, city architect of Venice from 1529, where his buildings include St Mark’s Library, the Loggia of the Campanile, and the Palazzo Corner, all of which show the influence of his early training in Rome and the development of antique architectural style for contemporary use. His sculpture includes reliefs for the Campanile Loggia and the sacristy doors of St Mark’s, and the colossal Mars and Neptune for the staircase of the Ducal Palace. Santa Ana |,sento 'zno/ 1 the second-largest city in El Salvador. 2 the highest volcano in El Salvador, situated south-west of the city, rising to a height of 2,381 m (7,730 ft.).

approach to a fortified place; a covered siege-trench. 2 an insidious or slow undermining of a belief, resolution, etc. —v. (sapped, sapping) 1 intr. a dig a sap or saps. b approach by a sap. 2 tr. undermine; make insecure by removing the found-

ations. 3 tr. destroy insidiously. [ult. f. It. zappa spade, spadework, in part through F sappe sap(p)er, prob. of Arab. orig.] sap? /szp/ n. sl. a foolish person. [abbr. of sapskull f. sap} = sapwood + SKULL]

sapanwood var. of saPPANWOOD.

to bring children presents on the night before Christmas. (See FATHER CHRISTMAS.) [orig. US f. Du. dial. Sante Klaas St Nicholas]

sapele |so'pi:li/ n. 1 any of several large W. African hardwood trees of the genus Entandrophragma. 2 the reddish-brown mahogany-like timber of these trees. [W. Afr. name] sapid /'szepid/ adj. literary 1 having (esp. an agreeable) flavour; savoury; palatable; not insipid. 2 literary (of talk, writing, etc.) not vapid or uninteresting. 00 sapidity /so'piditi/ n. [L sapidus f. sapere taste] sapient |'serpront/ adj. literary 1 wise. 2 aping wisdom; of fancied Sagacity. 00 sapience n. sapiently adv. [ME f. OF sapient or L part. stem of sapere be wise]

Santa Cruz |)sento 'kru:z/ a leading commercial city in the

sapiential /|,serpr'en{(a)l, se-/ adj. literary of or relating to

Santa Claus /,sents 'kls:z/ n. (also collog. Santa) a person said

agricultural central region of Bolivia; pop. (1985) 441,700.

Santa Fé /|,sento 'fer/ the capital of New Mexico; pop. (1980)

wisdom. [ME f. F sapiential or eccl.L sapientialis f. L sapientia wisdom]

Sapir |'sepio(r)/, Edward (1884-1939), American

48,950.

Santander /|,sentzn'deoa(r)/ the principal ferry port of northern Spain, capital of the region of Cantabria; pop. (1986) 188,500.

Santiago de Compostela /,senti'a:gau det |kompp'stela/ a city of NW Spain, capital of Galicia region; pop. (1986) 104,000. It is named after St James the Great (Spanish Sant Iago) whose relics were said to have been brought here (see JAMES? 1). During the 10th-16th centuries his tomb was the principal centre of Christian pilgrimage after Jerusalem and Rome; from c.1100 the city became the centre of the national and Christian movement against Spain’s Muslim rulers.

Santiago

de Cuba

|jsentr'a:gou de 'kju:ba/ the second-

largest city on the island of Cuba; pop. (est. 1986) 358,800.

Santo Domingo /,sentsv do'mingou/ the capital and chief port of the Dominican Republic; pop. (1981) 1,550,739. Founded in 1496 by a brother of Christopher Columbus, it is the oldest city in the New World. santolina /,sento'li:no/ n. any aromatic shrub of the genus Santolina, with finely divided leaves and small usu. yellow flowers. [mod.L, var. of SANTONICA]

santonica /sen'toniko/ n. 1 a shrubby wormwood plant, Artemisia cina, yielding santonin. 2 the dried flower-heads of this used as an anthelmintic. [L f. Santones an Aquitanian tribe] santonin /'sentonm/ n. a toxic drug extracted from santonica and other plants of the genus Artemisia, used as an anthelmintic. [SANTONICA + -IN]

Santorini /,szento:'ri:n1/ (Greek Thera or Thira /'@r1oro/) a volcanic island in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea. It is named after St Irene of Salonica who died here in exile in 304.

sanyasi var. of SANNYASI. Saéne /soun/ a river rising in the Vosges Mountains in eastern France and flowing 430 km (268 miles) south-west to join the Rhone near Lyons.

Sado Paulo /sav 'pavlou/ the largest city in Brazil and second-

linguistics

scholar and anthropologist who, like Bloomfield, had an important role in the creation of American linguistic structuralism. He was immensely learned in a number of subjects and left important works on American-Indian languages and linguistic theory (e.g. his book Language, 1921). His approach is characterized by constant awareness of the links between language and culture, language and psychology, etc.

sapling /'szplin/ n. 1 a young tree. 2 a youth. 3 a greyhound in its first year.

sapodilla /,szpo'dilo/ n. a large evergreen tropical American tree, Manilkara zapota, with edible fruit and durable wood, and sap from which chicle is obtained. 0 sapodilla plum the fruit

of this tree. [Sp. zapotillo dimin. of zapote f. Aztec tzdpotl] saponaceous |,sepo'nerfas/ adj. 1 of, like, or containing soap; soapy. 2 joc. unctuous; flattering. [mod.L saponaceus f. L sapo -onis soap]

saponify /so'pon1,fai/ v. (-ies, -ied) 1 tr. turn (fat or oil) into soap by reaction with an alkali. 2 tr. convert (an ester) to an acid and alcohol. 3 intr. become saponified. 00 saponifiable adj. saponification /-fi'kerf(2)n/ n. [F saponifier (as SAPONACEOUS)] saponin /'seponin/ n. any of a group of plant glycosides, esp. those derived from the bark of the tree Quillaja saponaria, that foam when shaken with water and are used in detergents and fire extinguishers. [F saponine f. L sapo -onis soap] sapor /|'serpo:(r)/ n. 1 a quality perceptible by taste, e.g. sweetness. 2 the distinctive taste of a substance. 3 the sensation of taste. [ME f. L sapere taste] sappanwood /'szpon,wod/ n. (also sapanwood) the heartwood of an E. Indian tree, Caesalpinia sappan, formerly used as a source of red dye. [Du. sapan f. Malay sapang, of S. Indian orig.] sapper |'szpo(r)/ n. 1 a person who digs saps. 2 Brit. a soldier of the Royal Engineers (esp. as the official term for a private).

Sapphic /'szfik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or relating to Sappho or

Sao Tomé and Principe /sav to'mer, 'prinsipi/ a country

her poetry. 2 lesbian. —n. (in pl.) (sapphics) verse in a metre associated with Sappho. [F sa(p)phique f. L Sapphicus f. Gk Sapphikos f. Sappho]

consisting of two islands in the Gulf of Guinea, formerly an

sapphire |'szfato(r)/n. & adj. —n. 1a transparent blue precious

overseas province of Portugal; pop. (est. 1988) 117,400; official language, Portuguese; capital, Sido Tomé. The islands became independent in 1975. Cacao is the main product. sap! /sep/ n. & v. —n. 1 the vital juice circulating in plants. 2 vigour; vitality. 3 = sapwoop. 4 US sl. a bludgeon (orig. one made from a sapling). —v.tr. (sapped, sapping) 1 drain or dry (wood) of sap. 2 exhaust the vigour of (my energy had been sapped by disappointment). 3 remove the sapwood from (a log). 4 US sl. hit with a sap. 0 sap-green n. 1 the pigment made from buckthorn berries. 2 the colour of this. —adj. of this colour. oo sapful adj. sapless adj. [OE sep prob. f. Gmc] sap? /sep/n. & v. —n. 1a tunnel or trench to conceal assailants’

stone consisting of corundum. 2 precious transparent corundum of any colour. 3 the bright blue of a sapphire. 4 a humming-bird with bright blue colouring. —adj. of sapphire blue. osapphire wedding a 45th wedding anniversary. 00 sapphirine /'szfi,ramn/ adj. [ME f. OF safir f. L sapphirus f. Gk sappheiros prob. = lapis lazuli]

largest in South America; pop. (1980) 7,032,500.

wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

98 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

Sappho |'szfau/ (early 7th c. Bc) Greek lyric poetess from the island of Lesbos. The fragments of her poems, written in her local dialect, are chiefly on personal subjects; many concern young girls in her circle, and her affection and love for them. Sapporo |so'po:rou/ a city in northern Japan, the capital of Hokkaido region; pop. (1987) 1,555,000. tf chip

dg jar

(see over for vowels)

sappy

eee

sappy |'szpi/ adj. (sappier, sappiest) 1 full of sap. 2 young and vigorous. 00 sappily adv. sappiness n. sapro- |'seprou/ comb. form Biol. rotten, putrefying. [Gk sapros putrid] saprogenic |,sepro'dzenik/ adj. causing or produced by putrefaction. saprophagous |sz'prpfagas/ adj. feeding on decaying matter.

saprophile

|'szpro,fail/ n. a bacterium

sarcoplasm |'sa:ka,plzez(2)m/ n. Anat. the cytoplasm in which muscle fibrils are embedded. [Gk sarx sarkos flesh + PLASMA] sarcous |'sa:kas/ adj. consisting of flesh or muscle. [Gk sarx sarkos flesh] sard /sa:d/ n. a yellow or orange-red cornelian. [ME f. F sarde or Lsarda = LL sardius f. Gk sardios prob. f. Sardo Sardinia]

inhabiting putrid

Sardanapalus

sardine! /sa:'di:n/ n. a young pilchard or similar young or small herring-like marine fish. o like sardines crowded close together (as sardines are in tins). [ME f. OF sardine = It. sardina f. L f. sarda f. Gk, perh. f. Sardo Sardinia]

for this or in its rhythm, usu. in triple time often with a long note on the second beat of the bar. [F sarabande f. Sp. & It. zarabanda] Saracen /|'szros(a)n/ n. & adj. hist. —n. 1 an Arab or Muslim at the time of the Crusades. 2 a nomad of the Syrian and Arabian desert. —adj. of the Saracens. 0 Saracen corn Brit. archaic buckwheat. Saracen’s head the head of a Saracen or Turk as a heraldic charge or inn-sign. 00 Saracenic /,szra'sentk/ adj. [ME f. OF sar(r)azin, sar(r)acin f. LL Saracenus f. late Gk Sarakénos perh. f. Arab. Sarki eastern] Saragossa |,sero'gpso/ (Spanish Zaragoza /|,Oxro'gn8a/) a city of northern Spain, the capital of Aragon region; pop. (1986) 596,000. 0 Maid of Saragossa Maria Augustin, noted for her heroism in the siege of Saragossa by the French (1808-9) during the Peninsular War. Her exploits are described in Byron’s poem ‘Childe Harold’.

sardine? /'sa:dain/ n. a precious stone mentioned in Rev. 4: 3. [ME f. LL sardinus f. Gk sardinos var. of sardios SARD]

Sardinia

Sardis /'sa:dis/ an ancient city that was the capital of Lydia.

sardios sard]

sardonic /sa:'dontk/ adj. 1 grimly jocular. 2 (of Jaughter etc.) bitterly mocking or cynical. 00 sardonically adv. sardonicism /-;s1z(a)m/ n. [F sardonique, earlier sardonien f. L sardonius f. Gk sardonios of Sardinia, substituted for Homeric sardanios (epithet of bitter or scornful laughter) because of belief that eating a Sardinian plant could result in convulsive laughter ending in death] sardonyx |'sa:doniks/ n. onyx in which white layers alternate with sard. [ME f. L f. Gk sardonux (prob. as SARD, ONYX)]

it.)

the Balkan province of Bosnia, now capital of the republic of Bosnia and Hercegovina; pop. (1981) 448,500. In this city the Archduke Franz Ferdinand (heir to the Austrian throne) and his wife were assassinated on 28 June 1914, an event which triggered off the First World War. The city was a centre of Slav opposition to Austrian rule, and connections between Bosnian nationalists and Serbian agents were used by the Austrians as a pretext for war with Serbia. Each side was supported by its European allies, so that within a few weeks most of the Continent was at war. sarangi /so'rengi/ n. (pl. sarangis) an Indian stringed instrument played with a bow. [Hindi sarangi] sarape var. of SERAPE. Saratoga |,sera'touga/ a city and spa in New York State; pop. (1980) 23,900. Near this city two battles were fought (1777) in the War of American Independence. The Americans were victorious in both, and in the second battle the British forces, under General Burgoyne, were decisively defeated. The defeat encouraged French support of the Americans and destroyed the best British opportunity to end the rebellion. Saratov |so'retpof/ an industrial city of the Soviet Union, on the River Volga; pop. (est. 1987) 918,000. Sarawak |so'ra:wak/ a State of Malaysia on the NW coast of Borneo; pop. (1980) 1,307,600; capital, Kuching. sarcasm /'sa:kzz(2)m/ n. 1 a bitter or wounding remark. 2 a taunt, esp. one ironically worded. 3 language consisting of such remarks. 4 the faculty of using this. 00 sarcastic /sa:'kestik/ adj. sarcastically /sa:'kzstikali/ adv. [F sarcasme or f. LL sarcasmus f. late Gk sarkasmos f. Gk sarkaz6 tear flesh, in late Gk gnash the teeth, speak bitterly f. sarx sarkos flesh] sarcenet var. of SARSENET. sarcoma /sa:'koumd/ n. (pl. sarcomas or sarcomata /-moto/) a malignant tumour of connective or other non-epithelial tissue.

3: her

/sa:'dernja/) a large

sardius /'sa:dias/ n. Bibl. etc. a precious stone. [ME f. LL f. Gk

Sarajevo |,szra'jervau/ a city in Yugoslavia, formerly capital of

e bed

|sa:'dinio/ (Italian Sardegna

island in the Mediterranean Sea west of Italy, which became part of the kingdom of Italy in 1861; pop. (1981) 1,594,200; capital, Cagliari. 00 Sardinian adj. & n.

Sarah /'sesra/ the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac (Gen.

a: arm

/|,sa:do'nzpoles/ the name given by ancient

Greek historians to the last king of Assyria (died c.626 BC), portrayed as being notorious for his wealth and sensuality. It may not represent a specific historical person. [Gk Sardanapalos] sardelle /sa:'del/ n. any of several fish resembling the sardine. [It. sardella dimin. of sarda f. L (as SARDINE})]

saraband /|'szra,bend/ n. 1a stately old Spanish dance. 2 music

we cat

—————————————————

oo sarcomatosis |-'tousis/ n. sarcomatous adj. [mod.L f. Gk sarkoma f. sarkod become fleshy f. sarx sarkos flesh] _ Sarcophagus |sa:'kpfages/ n. (pl. sarcophagi /-,gat, -\d3zar/) a stone coffin, esp. one adorned with a sculpture or inscription. [L f. Gk sarkophagos flesh-consuming (as SARCOMA, -phagos -eating)]

matter. 00 saprophilous /-'profilas/ adj. saprophyte /'szpro,fait/ n. any plant or micro-organism living on dead or decayed organic matter. 00 saprophytic /-'fitik/ adj. sapwood |'szpwud/ n. the soft outer layers of recently formed wood between the heartwood and the bark. Saqqara |so'ka:ra/ a vast necropolis of ancient Memphis, with monuments dating from the early dynastic period (3rd millennium Bc) to the Graeco-Roman age, including the step pyramid of King Djoser (c.2700 Bc), the earliest type of pyramid and the first known building entirely of stone.

Ae

Sargon II

1286

saree var. of SARI.

sargasso |sa:'gzsau/ n. (also sargassum) (pl. -os or -oes or sargassa) any seaweed of the genus Sargassum, with berry-like air-vessels, found floating in island-like masses, esp. in the Sargasso Sea. Also called GULFWEED. [Port. sargaco, of unkn. orig.]

Sargasso

Sea |sa:'gesou/ a region of the western Atlantic

Ocean between the Azores and the West Indies, around latitude 35 °N, so called because of the prevalence in it of floating sar-

gasso seaweed. It is the breeding-place of eels from the rivers of Europe and eastern North America. sarge /sa:d3/ n. sl. sergeant. [abbr.]

Sargent /'sa:d3(o)nt/, John Singer (1856-1925), American portrait painter. Born in Florence, he travelled and studied widely in Europe as a youth. In the 1870s he painted some impressionist landscapes, but it was in portraiture that he developed the loaded brush and bravura handling typical of his style. A painterly painter—he had profited from studying Manet, Hals, and Velazquez—his virtuoso technique was much in demand in Parisian circles, but the scandal over the supposed eroticism of Madame Gautreau (1884) made him move to London, where he dominated society portraiture for over twenty years. In about 1910 he produced a small number of water-colour landscapes and later worked as an official war artist, revealing an unexpected side to his talents in the enormous Gassed (1918) which has remarkable tragic power and is one of the greatest pictures inspired by the First World War. Sargodha |sa:'gauda/ a city in northern Pakistan, on the lower Jhelum Canal; pop. (1981) 294,000. Sargon /|'sa:gpn/ (2334-2279 Bc) the S@nblegendagys founder of the ancient kingdom of Akkad.

Sargon II /'sa:gon/ (d. 705 sc) king of Assyria 722-705 Bc, who 1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

wo put

u: tooo

ago

at my

sari adopted the name of Sargon of Akkad (see entry) and is famous for his conquest of a number of cities in Syria and Palestine. sari /'sari:/ n. (also saree) (pl. saris or sarees) a length of cotton or silk draped round the body, traditionally worn as a main garment by Indian women. [Hindi sar(h)i] sark /sa:k/ n. Sc. & N.Engl. a shirt or chemise. [ME serk f. ON serkr f. Gmc] sarking |'sa:kin/ n. boarding between the rafters and the roof. [SARK + -ING}] sarky /'sacki/ adj. (sarkier, sarkiest) Brit. sl. sarcastic. o0 sarkily adv. sarkiness n. [abbr.] Sarmatia /sa:'meifa/ the name in ancient times of a region north of the Black Sea inhabited by ancestors of the Slavs, used occasionally by English poets to signify Poland. 00 Sarmatian adj. & n. sarmentose /'sa:mon,taus/ adj. (also sarmentous /-'mentos/) Bot. having long thin trailing shoots. [L sarmentosus f. sarmenta (pl.) twigs, brushwood, f. sarpere to prune] sarnie /'sa:ni/ n. Brit. collog. a sandwich. [abbr.] sarong /so'rpn/ n. 1 a Malay and Javanese garment consisting of a long strip of (often striped) cloth worn by both sexes tucked round the waist or under the armpits. 2 a woman’s garment resembling this. [Malay, lit. ‘sheath’] saros |'sa:rps/ n. Astron. a period of about 18 years between repetitions of eclipses. [Gk f. Babylonian Sar(u) 3,600 (years)]

Sarre see SAAR. sarrusophone /so'ru:sa,faun/ n. a metal wind instrument played with a double reed like an oboe. [Sarrus, 19th-c. Fr. inventor] sarsaparilla |,sa:sapo'rila/ n. 1 a preparation of the dried roots of various plants, esp. smilax, used to flavour some drinks and medicines and formerly as a tonic. 2 any of the plants yielding this. [Sp. zarzaparilla f. zarza bramble, prob. + dimin. of parra vine] sarsen |'sa:s(3)n/ n. Geol. a sandstone boulder carried by ice during a glacial period. [prob. var. of SARACEN] sarsenet /'sa:sonit/ n. (also sarcenet) a fine soft silk material used esp. for linings. [ME f. AF sarzinett perh. dimin. of sarzin SARACEN after OF drap sarrasinois Saracen cloth]

sartorial /sa:'to:riol/ adj. 1 of a tailor or tailoring. 2 of men’s clothes. 00 sartorially adv. [L sartor tailor f. sarcire sart- patch] sartorius /sa:'to:rias/ n. Anat. the long narrow muscle running across the front of each thigh. [mod.L f. L sartor tailor (the muscle being used in adopting a tailor’s cross-legged posture)] Sartre /sa:tr/, Jean-Paul (1905-80), French philosopher, novelist, dramatist, and critic, a nephew of Albert Schweitzer. During the Second World War he was a prisoner of war and an active member of the Resistance. In his philosophy and literature, which established him as the leading figure in the existentialist movement, he set out to show that the human situation is characterized by lack of a permanent nature, essence, or divinely bestowed destiny, and as a result possesses a terrifying freedom of choice. His later philosophy, cast in a Marxist mould, explores the social setting of human relationships conditioned by material scarcity. His works include the treatise Being and Nothingness (1943), the novels Nausea (1938) and the trilogy Les Chemins de la liberté (Roads to Freedom, 1945-9), and the plays Les Mouches (The Flies, 1943) and Huis clos (No Exit, 1944). In 1964 he was offered but refused the Nobel Prize for literature. The novelist Simone de Beauvoir was his friend and lover throughout much of his life. Sarum |/'sesram/ the ecclesiastical name of Salisbury, Wilts., and its diocese. 0 Old Sarum ahill 3 km (2 miles) from Salisbury on which a Norman castle and town were built, now deserted. Sarum use the form of liturgy used in the diocese of Salisbury from the 11th c. to the Reformation. [med.L, perh. f. misreading of abbreviated form of L Sarisburia Salisbury]

SAS abbr. (in the UK) Special Air Service, a special section of the armed forces trained in commando techniques of warfare. (Cf. SBS.) : s.a.S.e. abbr. US self-addressed stamped envelope. av how

Satanism

1287

er day

ov no

eo hair

Ia near

o1 boy

va poor

sash! /|szJ/ n. a long strip or loop of cloth etc. worn over one shoulder usu. as part of a uniform or insignia, or worn round the waist, usu. by a woman or child. 00 sashed adj. [earlier shash f. Arab. Sa5 muslin, turban] sash? /sz{/n. 1a frame holding the glass in a sash-window and usu. made to slide up and down in the grooves of a window aperture. 2 the glazed sliding light of a glasshouse or garden frame. 0 sash-cord a strong cord attaching the sash-weights to a sash. sash-tool a glazier’s or painter’s brush for work on sash-windows. sash-weight a weight attached to each end of a sash to balance it at any height. sash-window a window with one or two sashes of which one or each can be slid vertically over the other to make an opening. O00 sashed adj. [sashes corrupt. of CHASSIS, mistaken for pl.] sashay |'szfer/ v.intr. esp. US collog. walk or move ostentatiously, casually, or diagonally, [corrupt. of cHass£]

sashimi /'sxefimi/ n. a Japanese dish of garnished raw fish in thin slices. [Jap.]

sasin |'szesin/ n. = BLACKBUCK. [Nepali] sasine |'sesin/ n. Sc. Law 1 the possession of feudal property. 2 an act or document granting this. [var. of sEISIN]

Sask. abbr. Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan /|so'skztJrwon/ 1 a province of central Canada (from. 1905), settled by the Hudson’s Bay Company; pop. (1986) 1,010,200; capital, Regina. 2 a river of Canada, flowing from the Rocky Mountains to Lake Winnipeg. Saskatoon |,sesko'tu:n/ an industrial city in south central Saskatchewan, at the heart of the great plains of central Canada; pop. (1986) 177,600; metropolitan area pop. 200,650. sasquatch /|'seskwet{/ n. a supposed yeti-like animal of NW America. [Amer. Ind.] sass /szs/ n. & v. US collog. —n. impudence, cheek. —v.tr. be impudent to, cheek. [var. of SAUCE] sassaby |'szsobi/ n. (pl. -ies) a S. African antelope, Damaliscus lunatus, similar to the hartebeest. [Tswana tsessébe, -abi] sassafras |'szso,fres/n. 1 a small tree, Sassafras albidum, native to N. America, with aromatic leaves and bark. 2 a preparation of oil extracted from the leaves, or from its bark, used medicinally or in perfumery. [Sp. sasafras or Port. sassafraz, of unkn. orig.]

Sassanian /|sz'seinion/ n. & adj. (also Sassanid /'sesonid/) —n. a member of (esp. a king) of the dynasty ruling the Persian empire from 224 until driven from Mesopotamia by the Arabs (637-51). —adj. of or relating to this dynasty. [Sasan, grandfather of the first Sassanian, Ardashir] Sassenach |'szsanex, -nek/ n. & adj. Sc. & Ir. usu. derog. —n. an English person. —adj. English. [Gael. Sasunnoch, Ir. Sasanach f. L Saxones Saxons] Sassoon /so'su:n/, Siegfried Louvain (1886-1967), English poet and prose writer, remembered for his starkly realistic poems written in the trenches during the First World War. In hospital, recovering from shell-shock, he met and inspired the poet Wilfred Owen. After the war his poetry became increasingly religious and he became a successful prose writer with Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man (1928), Memoirs of an Infantry Officer (1930), Sherston’s Progress (1936), three volumes of autobiography, and an important biography of George Meredith (1948). His later works reflect his attachment to the countryside. sassy |'szest/ adj. (sassier, sassiest) esp. US collog. = saucy. 00 sassily adv. sassiness n. [var. of SAUCY] sastrugi /sz'stru:gi/ n.pl. wavelike irregularities on the surface of hard polar snow, caused by winds. [Russ. zastrugi small ridges]

Sat. abbr. Saturday. sat past and past part. of sir. Satan |'seit(2)n/ the Devil; Lucifer. [OE f. LL f. Gk f. Heb. satan lit. ‘adversary’ f. Satan oppose, plot against] satanic /so'tzenrk/ adj. 1 of, like, or befitting Satan. 2 diabolical, hellish. 00 satanically adv.

Satanism /'seito,n1z(2)m/ n. 1 the worship of Satan, with a travesty of Christian forms. 2 the pursuit of evil for its own

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

Satanology

sake. 3 deliberate wickedness. 00 Satanist n. Satanize v.tr. (also -ise). Satanology /|,serto'nplod31/ n. 1 beliefs concerning the Devil. 2 a history or collection of these. satay /'szte/ n. (also satai, saté) an Indonesian and Malaysian dish consisting of small pieces of meat grilled on a skewer and usu. served with spiced sauce. [Malayan satai sate, Indonesian sate]

SATB

saturate

1288

abbr. Mus. soprano, alto, tenor, and bass (as a com-

bination of voices).

satchel /'szt/(a)l/ n. a small bag usu. of leather and hung from the shoulder with a strap, for carrying books etc. esp. to and from school. [ME f. OF sachel f. L saccellus (as sACK})] sate /sert/ v.tr. 1 gratify (desire, a desirous person) to the full. 2 cloy, surfeit, weary with over-abundance (sated with pleasure). 00 sateless adj. poet. [prob. f. dial. sade, OE sadian (as sAD), assim.

satinflower /'sztin,flava(r)/ n. 1 any plant of the genus Clarkia, with pink or lavender flowers. 2 = HONESTY 3.

satinwood /'sztin,wod/ n. 1 a (in full Ceylon satinwood) a . tree, Chloroxylon swietenia, native to central and southern India and Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon). b (in full West Indian satinwood) a tree, Fagara flava, native to the West Indies, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and southern Florida. 2 the yellow glossy timber of either of these trees. satire /'sztaro(r)/ n. 1 the use of ridicule, irony, sarcasm, etc., to expose folly or vice or to lampoon an individual. 2 a work or composition in prose or verse using satire. 3 this branch of literature. 4 a thing that brings ridicule upon something else. 5 Rom. Antiq. a poetic medley, esp. a poem ridiculing prevalent vices or follies. [F satire or L satira later form of satura medley]

satiric /so'tirik/ adj. 1 of satire or satires. 2 containing satire (wrote a satiric review). 3 writing satire (a satiric poet). [F satirique or LL satiricus (as SATIRE)]

to SATIATE]

satirical /so'tirik(a)l/ adj. 1 = satiric. 2 given to the use of

sateen /sz'ti:n/ n. cotton fabric woven like satin with a glossy surface. [satin after velveteen]

satire in speech or writing or to cynical observation of others; sarcastic; humorously critical. 00 satirically adv. satirist /'sztorist/n. 1 a writer of satires. 2 a satirical person.

satellite /'szetoait/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a celestial body orbiting the Earth or another planet. 2 an artificial body placed in orbit round the Earth or other planet for purposes of observation, research, navigation or communications. The first artificial satellite (Sputnik I) was launched by the USSR on 4 Oct. 1957, but the idea had been put forward much earlier, e.g. in Jules Verne’s

satirize /'szt1,raiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 assail or ridicule with satire. 2 write a satire upon. 3 describe satirically. 00 satirization |-'zerf(2)n/ n. [F satiriser (as SATIRE)]

satisfaction /|,sztis'fek{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of satisfying; the state of being satisfied (heard this with great satisfaction). 2 a thing that satisfies desire or gratifies feeling (is a great satisfaction to me). 3 a thing that settles an obligation or pays a debt. 4 a (foll. by for) atonement; compensation (demanded satisfaction). b Theol. Christ’s atonement for the sins of mankind. 0 to one’s satisfaction so that one is satisfied. [ME f. OF f. L satisfactio -onis (as SATISFY)]

Begum’s Fortune (tr. 1880). 3 a follower; a hanger-on. 4 an underling; a member of an important person’s staff or retinue. 5 (in

full satellite State) a small country etc. nominally independent but controlled by or dependent on another. —adj. 1 transmitted by satellite (satellite communications; satellite television). 2 esp. Computing secondary; dependent; minor (networks of small satellite computers). O satellite dish a concave dish-shaped aerial for receiving broadcasting signals transmitted by satellite. satellite town a small town economically or otherwise dependent on a nearby larger town. o0 satellitic /-'litik/ adj. satellitism n. [F satellite or L satelles satellitis attendant]

satisfactory /,sztis'fektori/ adj. 1 adequate; causing or giving satisfaction (wasa satisfactory pupil). 2 satisfying expectations or needs; leaving no room for complaint (a satisfactory result). oo satisfactorily adv. satisfactoriness n. [F satisfactoire or med.L satisfactorius (as SATISFY)]

Sati /'soti:/ Hinduism the wife of Siva, reborn as Parvati. Accord-

satisfy |'szetis,fai/ v. (-ies, -ied) 1 tr. a meet the expectations

ing to some accounts, she died by throwing herself into the sacred fire, hence the custom woman, chaste wife]

of suttee.

[Skr.,

=

virtuous

sati var. of SUTTEE. satiate /'serf1,ert/ adj. & v. —adj. archaic satiated. —v.tr. = SATE. 00 satiable /-fab(a)l/ adj. archaic. satiation /|-'e1{(o)n/ n. [L satiatus past part. of satiare f. satis enough] Satie /|'sa:t1/, Erik (1866-1925), French composer. He formed the centre of an irreverent avant-garde artistic set, associated not only with the composers of the group known as Les Six but also with Cocteau, Dadaism, and surrealism. He was fond of giving facetious titles to his short irresistibly naive works: the Trois Piéces en forme de poire (1903), for example, is in fact a set of six pieces. One of his few large-scale works is the symphonic drama Socrate (1919) to a libretto based on Plato and scored for four sopranos and orchestra.

satiety /so'tarti/ n. 1 the state the feeling of having too much cloyed dislike of. 0 to satiety desired. [obs. F sacieté f. L satietas

of being glutted or satiated. 2 of something. 3 (foll. by of) a to an extent beyond what is -tatis f. satis enough]

satin /'szetin/ n., adj., & v. —n. a fabric of silk or various manmade fibres, with a glossy surface on one side produced by a twill weave with the weft-threads almost hidden. —adj. smooth as satin. —-v.tr. (satined, satining) give a glossy surface to

or desires of; comply with (a demand). b be accepted by (a person, his taste) as adequate; be equal to (a preconception etc.). 2 tr. put an end to (an appetite or want) by supplying what was required. 3 tr. rid (a person) of an appetite or want in a similar way. 4 intr. give satisfaction; leave nothing to be desired. 5 tr. pay (a debt or creditor). 6 tr. adequately meet, fulfil, or comply with (conditions, obligations, etc.) (has satisfied all the legal conditions). 7 tr. (often foll. by of, that) provide with adequate information or proof, convince (satisfied the others that they were right; satisfy the court of their innocence). 8 tr. Math. (of a quantity) make (an equation) true. 9 tr. (in passive) a (foll. by with) contented or pleased with. b (foll. by to) demand no more than or consider it enough to do. o satisfy the examiners reach the standard required to pass an examination. satisfy oneself (often foll. by that + clause) be certain in one’s own mind. oO satisfiable adj. satisfiability /-o'biliti/ n. satisfiedly adv. satisfying adj. satisfyingly adv. [ME f. OF satisfier f. L satisfacere satisfact- f. satis enough] satori /so'to:r1/ n. Buddhism sudden enlightenment. [Jap.] satrap /'sztrep/ n. 1 a provincial governor in the ancient Persian empire. 2 a subordinate ruler, colonial governor, etc. [ME f. OF satrape or L satrapa f. Gk satrapés f. OPers. xSathra-pavan country-protector] satrapy /'sztropi/ n. (pl. -ies) a province ruled over by a satrap.

(paper). O satin finish 1 a polish given to silver etc. with a metallic brush. 2 any effect resembling satin in texture produced on materials in various ways. satin paper fine glossy writing paper. satin spar a fibrous variety of gypsum. satin stitch a long straight embroidery stitch, giving the appearance of satin. satin white a white pigment of calcium sulphate and alumina. oO satinized adj. (also -ised). satiny adj. [ME f. OF f.

satsumia /'setsuma/ n. 1 /also set'su:mo/ a variety of tangerine orig. grown in Japan. 2 (Satsuma) (in full Satsuma ware) cream-coloured Japanese pottery. [Satsuma a province in Japan] saturate /'sztfo,reit, -tju,rert/ v.tr. 1 fill with moisture; soak thoroughly. 2 (often foll. by with) fill to capacity. 3 cause (a

Arab. zaytint of Tseutung in China] satinette /,szti'net/ n. (also satinet) a satin-like fabric made partly or wholly of cotton or synthetic fibre.

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

kcat

substance, solution, vapour, metal, or air) to absorb, hold, or

combine with the greatest possible amount of another substance, or of moisture, magnetism, electricity, etc. 4 cause (a substance) to combine with the maximum amount of another substance. 5 supply (a market) beyond the point at-which the 1leg

m man

n no

Pp pen

rred

s sit

t top

v voice

saturation

demand for a product is satisfied. 6 (foll. by with, in) imbue with or steep in (learning, tradition, prejudice, etc.). 7 overwhelm (enemy defences, a target area, etc.) by concentrated bombing. 8.(as saturated adj.) a (of colour) full; rich; free from an admixture of white. b (of fat molecules) containing the greatest number of hydrogen atoms. 00 saturate /-rat/ adj. literary. saturable /-rab(2)l/ adj. saturant /-ront/ n. & adj. [L saturare f. satur full] saturation |,setfo'rer{(2)n, -tju'rerf(o)n/ n. the act or an instance of saturating; the state of being saturated. 0 saturation point the stage beyond which no more can be absorbed or accepted. Saturday /'seta,der, -di/ n. & adv. —n. the seventh day of the week, following Friday. —adv. collog. 1 on Saturday. 2 (Saturdays) on Saturdays; each Saturday. [OE Szxtern(es) deg transl. of L Saturni dies day of Saturn] 5 Saturn /'szt(2)n/ 1 Rom. Mythol. an ancient god whose festival was 17 Dec., often interpreted (but not with certainty) as a god of agriculture, and also identified with the Greek Cronus (see entry). In historical times his festival was the merriest of the year, when slaves were allowed temporary liberty to do as they liked and presents were exchanged. By about the 4th c. AD much

of this had been transferred to what was then New Year’s Day, and so became one of the elements in the traditional celebrations of Christmas. 2 a Astron. a ringed planet of the solar system, sixth in distance from the sun, with a mean orbital radius of 1,427 million km. The planet has a radius of 60,000 km, but the rings, extending out to a distance twice as great, make this planet a glorious sight in any moderate to large telescope. Galileo recognized from his observations that the planet departed from sphericity, but could not provide the explanation. We

now know that several thousand individual rings, composed of small icy particles, occupy a wide band of orbits, broken here and there by the so-called ‘gaps’, which are not true gaps in the particle distribution, but only regions of smaller particle density. The planet itself has a dense hydrogen-rich atmosphere, similar to that of Jupiter, but with more vigorous atmospheric circulation. There are at least fifteen moons, ranging in radius from the 2,560 km of Titan, which itself has a dense atmosphere of methane, to the few kilometres radius of the small moons which travel close to the outermost thin ring, ‘shepherding’ it into place. b Astrol. Saturn as a supposed astrological influence on those born under its sign, characterized by coldness and gloominess. —n. Alchemy the metal lead. 00 Saturnian /so't3:nran/ adj. saturnalia /,seto'nerlr9/ n. (pl. same or saturnalias) 1 (usu. Saturnalia) Rom.Hist. the festival of Saturn in December, characterized by unrestrained merrymaking for all, the predecessor of Christmas. 2 (as sing. or pl.) a scene of wild revelry or tumult; an orgy. 00 saturnalian adj. [L, neut. pl. of Saturnalis (as SATURN)] saturnic /so'ts:n1k/ adj. Med. affected with lead-poisoning. 00 saturnism /'szto,n1z(2)m/ [SATURN 2]

saturniid /sz'ts:nid/ n. any large moth of the family Saturniidae, including emperor moths. [mod.L] saturnine /'sztonain/ adj. 1 a of a sluggish gloomy temperament. b (of looks etc.) dark and brooding. 2 archaic a of the metal lead. 6 Med. of or affected by lead-poisoning. oO saturninely adv. [ME f. OF saturnin f. med.L Saturninus (as SATURN)] satyagraha |sat'ja:gra,ha:/ n. Ind. 1 hist. a policy of passive resistance to British rule advocated by Gandhi. 2 passive resistance as a policy. [Skr. f. satya truth + agraha obstinacy] satyr |'szto(r)/ n. 1 Gk Mythol. any of a class of woodland spirits, bestial in their desires and behaviour, in Hellenistic art and poetry, associated with Dionysus. In Greek art of the pre-Roman period they are represented with the tail and ears of a horse. Roman sculptors assimilated the satyr in some degree to the faun of their native mythology, giving it the ears, tail, and legs of a goat, with budding horns. 2 a lustful or sensual man. 3 = SATYRID. [ME f. OF satyre or L satyrus f. Gk saturos] satyriasis /,sezti'ratosis/ n. Med. excessive sexual desire in men. [LL f. Gk saturiasis (as SATYR)] satyric /so'tirtk/ adj. (in Greek mythology) of or relating to wwe

z zoo

f she

sausage

1289

3 decision

9 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

satyrs. O satyric drama a kind of ancient Greek comic play with a chorus of satyrs. [L satyricus f. Gk saturikos (as SATYR)]

satyrid /so'tirid/ n. any butterfly of the family Satyridae, with distinctive eyelike markings on the wings. [mod.L Satyridae f. the genus-name Satyrus (as SATYR)]

sauce |so:s/ n. & v. —n. 1 any of various liquid or semi-solid preparations taken as a relish with food; the liquid constituent of a dish (mint sauce; tomato sauce; chicken in a lemon sauce). 2 something adding piquancy or excitement. 3 collog. impudence, impertinence, cheek. 4 US stewed fruit etc. eaten as dessert or used as a garnish. —v.tr. 1 collog. be impudent to; cheek. 2 archaic a season with sauce or condiments. b add excitemént

to. 0 sauce-boat a kind of jug or dish used for serving sauces etc. sauce for the goose what is appropriate in one case (by implication appropriate in others). 00 sauceless adj. [ME f. OF ult. f. L salsus f. salere sals- to salt f. sal salt] saucepan /'so:spon/ n. a usu. metal cooking pan, usu. round with a lid and a long handle at the side, used for boiling, stewing, etc., on top of a cooker. 00 saucepanful n. (pl. -fuls). saucer /|'so:sa(r)/ n. 1a shallow circular dish used for standing a cup on and to catch drips. 2 any similar dish used to stand a plant pot etc. on. 00 saucerful n. (pl. -fuls). saucerless adj. [ME, = condiment-dish, f. OF saussier(e) sauce-boat, prob. f. LL salsarium (as SAUCE)} saucy |'so:si/ adj. (saucier, sauciest) 1 impudent, cheeky. 2 collog. smart-looking (a saucy hat). 3 collog. smutty, suggestive. 00 saucily adv. sauciness n. [earlier sense ‘savoury’, f. SAUCE]

Saudi /'saudi/n. & adj. (also Saudi Arabian) —n. (pl. Saudis) 1 aa native or national of Saudi Arabia. b a person of Saudi descent. 2 a member of the dynasty founded by King Saud. —adj. of or relating to Saudi Arabia or the Saudi dynasty. [A. Ibn-Saud, Arab. king d. 1953]

Saudi Arabia /\savdi 2'rerbra/ a country in SW Asia occupying most of the Arabian peninsula; pop. (est. 1988) 15,452,100; official language, Arabic; capital, Riyadh. The birthplace of Islam, Saudi Arabia emerged from the Arab revolt against the Turks during the First World War to become an independent kingdom in 1932. Since the Second World War the economy has been revolutionized by the exploitation of the area’s oil resources, the export of oil now accounting for 85% of the government’s revenue and making Saudi Arabia the largest oil producer in the Middle East. Ruled along traditional Islamic lines, the country has exercised a conservative influence over Middle Eastern politics, although the position of the ruling house of Saud was severely threatened by the brief seizure of the Great Mosque in Mecca by Islamic fanatics in 1979. In 1987 violence in Mecca during an Iranian political demonstration in which over 400 people were killed and many others injured led to strained relations with Iran. 00 Saudi Arabian adj. & n. sauerkraut /'savo,kravut/ n. a German dish of chopped pickled cabbage. [G f. sauer sour + Kraut vegetable] sauger |'so:ga(r)/ n. US a small American pike-perch. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

Saul /so:l/ 1 the first king of Israel (11th c. Bc). 2 (also Saul of Tarsus) the original name of St Paul. sauna |'so:no/ n. 1 a Finnish-style steam bath. 2 a building used for this. [Finn.]

saunders var. of SANDERS. saunter /'so:nta(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 walk slowly; amble, stroll. 2 proceed without hurry or effort. —n. 1 a leisurely ramble. 2 a slow gait. 00 saunterer n. (ME, = muse: orig. unkn.] saurian /|'so:rion/ adj. of or like a lizard. [mod,L Sauria f. Gk saura lizard] sauropod /'so:rau,pod/ n. any of a group of plant-eating dinosaurs with a long neck and tail, and four thick limbs. [Gk saura lizard + pous pod- foot] saury |'so:r1/ n. (pl. -ies) a long-beaked marine fish, Scomberesox saurus, of temperate waters. [perh. f. LL f. Gk sauros horse-mackerel]

sausage |'spsid3/ n. 1 a minced pork, beef, or other meat seasoned and often mixed with other ingredients, encased in tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

Saussure

savoury

1290 a

ee

cylindrical form in a skin, for cooking and eating hot or cold. b a length of this. 2 a sausage-shaped object. 0 not a sausage collog. nothing at all. sausage dog Brit. collog. a dachshund. sausage machine 1 a sausage-making machine. 2a relentlessly uniform process. sausage meat minced meat used in sausages or as a stuffing etc. sausage roll Brit. sausage meat enclosed in a pastry roll and baked. [ME f. ONF saussiche f. med.L salsicia f. L salsus: see SAUCE]

Saussure /|sp'sjua(r), sou-/, Ferdinand de (1857-1913), Swiss linguistics scholar often treated as the founder of modern linguistics. The contrast he established between a synchronic and a diachronic approach to language and the priority he gave to the former also allowed him to treat language as a system in which each element is defined in terms of the other elements (see STRUCTURALISM). In his lifetime he published works of fundamental importance for Indo-European studies, but his theoretical work, Cours de linguistique générale, appeared posthumously (1916) and was put together from lecture-notes. sauté |'souter/ adj., n., & v. —adj. (esp. of potatoes etc.) quickly fried in a little hot fat. —n. food cooked in this way. —v.tr. (sautéd or sautéed) cook in this way. [F, past part. of sauter

jump] Sauternes /sou'ts:n/ n. a sweet white wine from Sauternes in the Bordeaux region of France.

Sauveterrian |souv'terion/ adj. & n. —adj. of an early mesolithic industry of France and western Europe, named after the type-site at Sauveterre-la-Lemance, France. —n. this industry. savage |'szvid3/ adj., n., & v. —adj. 1 fierce; cruel (savage persecution; a savage blow). 2 wild; primitive (savage tribes; a savage animal). 3 archaic (of scenery etc.) uncultivated (a savage scene). 4 collog. angry; bad-tempered (in a savage mood). 5 Heraldry (of the human figure) naked. —n. 1 Anthropol. derog. a member of a primitive tribe. 2 a cruel or barbarous person. —v.tr. 1 (esp. of a dog, wolf, etc.) attack and bite or trample. 2 (of a critic etc.) attack fiercely. 00 savagedom n. savagely adv. savageness n. savagery n. (pl. -ies). [ME f. OF sauvage wild f. L silvaticus f. silva a wood] savannah |so'veno/ n. (also savanna) a grassy plain in tropical

and subtropical regions, with few or no trees. [Sp. zavana perh. of Carib orig.]

Savannakhet |,seveno'ket/ a town in southern Laos on the Mekong River, close to the Thailand frontier; pop. 50,700. savant /'szv(o)nt, sz'va/ n. (fem. savante /'szev(o)nt or se'vat/) a learned person, esp. a distinguished scientist etc. [F, part. of savoir know (as SAPIENT)] savate /so'va:t/ n. a form of boxing in which feet and fists are used. [F, orig. a kind of shoe: cf. SABOT] save! |serv/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. (often foll. by from) rescue, preserve, protect, or deliver from danger, harm, discredit, etc. (saved my life; saved me from drowning). 2 tr. (often foll. by up) keep for future use; reserve; refrain from spending (saved up £150 for a new bike; likes to save plastic bags). 3 tr. (often refl.) a relieve (another person or oneself) from spending (money, time, trouble, etc.); prevent exposure to (annoyance etc.) (saved myself £50; a word processor saves time). b obviate the need or likelihood of (soaking saves scrubbing). 4 tr. preserve from damnation; convert (saved her soul). 5 tr. & refl. husband or preserve (one’s strength, health, etc.) (saving himself for the last lap; save your energy). 6 intr. (often foll. by up) save money for future use. 7 tr. a avoid losing (a game, match, etc.). b prevent an opponent from scoring (a goal etc.). c stop (a ball etc.) from entering the goal. —n. 1 Football etc. the act of preventing an opponent’s scoring etc. 2 Bridge a sacrifice-bid to prevent unnecessary losses. 0 save-all 1 a device to prevent waste. 2 hist. a pan with a spike for burning up candle-ends. save appearances present a prosperous, respectable, etc. appearance. save-as-you-earn Brit. a method of saving by regular deduction from earnings at source. save one’s breath not waste time speaking to no effect. save a person’s face see FACE. save the situation (or day) find or provide a solution to difficulty or disaster. save one’s skin (or neck or bacon) avoid loss, injury, or death; escape from danger. save the tide get in or out (of port etc.) while it lasts. save the

z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

SS

SS

trouble avoid useless or pointless effort. 00 savable adj. (also saveable). [ME f. AF sa(u)ver, OF salver, sauver f. LL salvare fal salvus SAFE] - save? |serv/ prep. & conj. archaic or poet. —prep. except; but (all save him). —conj. (often foll. by for) unless; but; except (happy save for one want; is well save that he has a cold). [ME f. OF sauf sauve f. L salvo, salva, ablat. sing. of salvus SAFE] saveloy /'szvo,lo1/ n. a seasoned red pork sausage, dried and smoked, and sold ready to eat. [corrupt. of F cervelas, -at, f. It. cervellata (cervello brain)] saver |'servo(r)/ n. 1 a person who saves esp. money. 2 (often in comb.) a device for economical use (of time etc.) (found the short cut a time-saver). 3 Racing sl. a hedging bet.

Savery

|'serveri/, Thomas

(‘Captain’) (c.1650-1715), English

inventor of a partially successful engine for raising water ‘by the Impellent Force of Fire’, patented in 1698. It was described as being suitable for raising water from mines, supplying towns with water, and operating mills. Its use of high-pressure steam made it very dangerous, but the patent covered the type of engine developed by Thomas Newcomen, who was therefore obliged to join Savery in its exploitation. savin /'szevin/ n. (also savine) 1 a bushy juniper, Juniperus sabina, usu. spreading horizontally, and yielding oil formerly used in the treatment of amenorrhoea. 2 US = red cedar. [OE f. OF savine f. L sabina (herba) Sabine (herb)] saving /'servin/ adj., n., & prep. —adj. (often in comb.) making economical use of (labour-saving). —n. 1 anything that is saved. 2 an economy (a saving in expenses). 3 (usu. in pl.) money saved. —prep. 1 with the exception of; except (all saving that one). 2 without offence to (saving your presence). 0 saving clause Law a clause containing a stipulation of exemption etc. saving grace 1 the redeeming grace of God. 2 a redeeming quality or characteristic. savings account a deposit account. savings bank a bank receiving small deposits at interest and returning the profits to the depositors. savings certificate Brit. an interest-bearing document issued by the Government for the benefit of savers. [ME f. save!: prep. prob. f. sAVE? after touching] saviour |'servjo(r)/ n. (US savior) 1 a person who saves or delivers from danger, destruction, etc. (the saviour of the nation). 2 (Saviour) (prec. by the, our) Christ. [ME f. OF sauvéour f. eccl.L salvator -oris (transl. Gk sdtér) f. LL salvare SAVE]

savoir faire |,sz2vwa: 'fea(r)/ n. the ability to act suitably in any situation; tact. [F, = know how to do]

Savonarola

|,sevons'reuls/,

Girolamo

(1452-98),

Italian

preacher and reformer. A Dominican monk and severe ascetic, in 1482 he moved to Florence, where he attracted great attention as a preacher by his passionate denunciations of the immorality of the people of Florence and of the clergy, and by his apocalyptic prophecies. He became virtual ruler of Florence in 1494-5, but his severity made him many enemies, and in 1495 the Pope forbade him to preach and summoned him to Rome. His refusal to comply with these orders led to his excommunication in 1497; he was hanged as a schismatic and heretic.

Savonlinna |,sa:von'li:no/ (Swedish Nyslott /'ni:slpt/) a town in Mikkeli province, SE Finland; pop. (1987) 28,510. Once a resort of the Russian tsars, the town is now famous for its annual opera festival. savor US var. of SAVOUR. savory! /'servori/ n. (pl. -ies) any herb of the genus Satureia, esp. S. hortensis and S. montana, used esp. in cookery. [ME saverey, perh. f. OE szxtherie f. L satureia]

savory? US var. of savoury. savour |'serva(r)/ n. & v. (US savor) —n. 1 a characteristic taste, flavour, relish, etc. 2 a quality suggestive of or containing a small amount of another. 3 archaic a characteristic smell. —v. 1 tr. a appreciate and enjoy the taste of (food). b enjoy or appreciate (an experience etc.). 2 intr. (foll. by of) a suggest by taste, smell, etc. (savours of mushrooms). b imply or suggest a specified quality (savours of impertinence). 00 savourless adj. [ME f. OF f. L sapor -oris f. sapere to taste] savoury |'servori/ adj. & n. (US savory) —adj. 1 having an appetizing taste or smell. 2 (of food) salty or piquant, not sweet

1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

Arun

o put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

Savoy

(a savoury omelette). 3 pleasant; acceptable. —n. (pl. -ies) Brit. a savoury dish served as an appetizer or at the end of dinner. oo savourily adv. savouriness n. [ME f. OF savouré past part. (as SAVOUR)] Savoy /so'vor/ a former duchy of SE France bordering on NW Italy, ruled by the counts of Savoy from the 11th c. although frequently invaded and fought over by neighbouring States. In 1720 Savoy was formed with Sardinia and Piedmont into the Kingdom of Sardinia. In the mid-19th c. Sardinia served as the nucleus for the’ formation of a unified Italy, but at the time of unification (1860) Savoy itself was ceded to France. Savoy /so'voi/ n. a hardy variety of cabbage with wrinkled leaves. {Savoy in SE France] Savoyard /so'vora:d, szevor'a:d/ n. & adj. —n. a native of Savoy in SE France. —adj. of or relating to Savoy or its people etc. [F f. Savoie Savoy]

Savu Sea |'sa:vu:/ part of the Indian Ocean lying to the south of the island of Flores, Indonesia. Savvy |'szvi/ v., n., & adj. sl. —v.intr. & tr. (-ies, -ied) know. —n. knowingness; shrewdness; understanding. —adj. (savvier, savviest) US knowing; wise. [orig. Black & Pidgin E after Sp. sabe usted you know] saw! |so:/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa hand tool having a toothed blade used to cut esp. wood with a to-and-fro movement. b any of several mechanical power-driven devices with a toothed rotating disk or moving band, for cutting. 2 Zool. etc. a serrated organ or part. —v. (past part. sawn /so:n/ or sawed) 1 tr. a cut (wood etc.) with a saw. b make (boards etc.) with a saw. 2 intr. use a saw. 3 a intr. move to and fro with a motion as of a saw or person sawing (sawing away on his violin). b tr. divide (the air etc.) with gesticulations. 0 saw-doctor a machine for making the teeth of a saw. saw-edged with a jagged edge like a saw. saw-frame a frame in which a saw-blade is held taut. saw-gate = saw-frame. saw-gin = cotton-gin. saw-horse a rack supporting wood for sawing. sawn-off (US sawed-off) 1 (of a gun) having part of the barrel sawn off to make it easier to handle and give a wider field of fire. 2 collog. (of a person) short. saw-pit a pit in which the lower of two men working a pit-saw stands. saw-set a tool for wrenching saw-teeth in alternate directions to allow the saw to work freely. saw-wort a composite plant, Serratula tinctoria, yielding a yellow dye from its serrated leaves. Oo sawlike adj. [OE saga f. Gmc]

saw? past of sEE!. saw? |so:/ 1. a proverb; a maxim (that’s just an old saw). [OE sagu f. Gmc, rel. to say: cf. SAGA]

sawbill /'so:bil/ n. a merganser. sawbones |'so:bounz/ n. sl. a doctor or surgeon. |'so:dast/ n. powdery particles of wood produced in F

sawfish /|'so:fif/ n. any large marine fish of the family Pristidae, with a toothed flat snout used as a weapon. sawfly /'so:flai/ n. (pl. -flies) any insect of the superfamily Tenthredinidae, with a serrated ovipositor, the larvae of which are injurious to plants.

sawmill /'so:mil/ n. a factory in which wood is sawn mechanically into planks or boards.

sawn past part. of saw}. sawtooth |'so:tu:6/ adj. 1 (also sawtoothed /-tu:6t/) (esp. of a roof, wave, etc.) shaped like the teeth of a saw with one steep and one slanting side. 2 (of a wave-form) showing a slow linear rise and rapid linear fall. sawyer |'so:ja(r)/ n. 1 a person who saws timber professionally. 2 US an uprooted tree held fast by one end in a river. 3 NZa large wingless horned grasshopper whose grubs bore in wood. [ME, earlier sawer, f. saw] sax! /seks/ n. collog. 1 a saxophone. 2 a saxophone-player. o0 saxist n. [abbr.] sax? /szks/ n. (also zax /zaks/) a slater’s chopper, with a point for making nail-holes. [OE seax knife f. Gmc] au how

er day

ov no

ea hair

19 near

o: boy

va poor

saxatile /'szekso,tarl, -t1l/ adj. living or growing on or among rocks. [F saxatile or L saxatilis f. saxum rock]

saxboard |'seksbo:d/ n. the uppermost strake of an open boat. [SAx? + BOARD] saxe /szks/ n. (in full saxe blue) (often attrib.) a lightish blue colour with a greyish tinge. [F, = Saxony, the source of a dye of this colour]

Saxe-Coburg-Gotha /'szks,koubs:g'gau89/ the name of the British royal house from the accession of Edward VII (1901), whose father Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, was a prince of the German duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. In 1917, with anti-German feeling running high during the First World War, George V changed the family name to Windsor. saxhorn /|'seksho:n/ n. any of a series of different-sized brass wind instruments with valves and a funnel-shaped mouthpiece, used mainly in military and brass bands usually held with its mouth upwards. It was evolved by the Belgian instrumentmaker A. Sax (d. 1894) and patented by him in 1846. [Sax + HORN]

saxicoline /szk'sika,lain/ adj. (also saxicolous) Biol. = SAXATILE. [mod.L saxicolus f. saxum rock + colere inhabit]

saxifrage |'seks1,freid3/ n. any plant of the genus Saxifraga, growing on rocky or stony ground and usu. bearing small white, yellow, or red flowers. [ME f. OF saxifrage or LL saxifraga (herba) f. Lsaxum rock + frangere break] Saxon |'seks(a)n/ n. & adj. —n. 1 hist. a a member of a north German tribe, originally inhabitants of the area round the mouth of the Elbe, one branch of which, along with the Angles and the Jutes, conquered and colonized much of southern Britain in the 5th and 6th centuries. b (usu. Old Saxon) the language of this people. 2 = ANGLO-SAXON. 3 a native of modern Saxony. 4 the Germanic (as opposed to Latin or Romance) elements of English. —adj. 1 hist. of or concerning the Saxons. 2 belonging to or originating from the Saxon language or Old English. 3 of or concerning modern Saxony or Saxons. 0 Saxon architecture the form of Romanesque architecture preceding the Norman in England. Saxon blue a solution of indigo in sulphuric acid as a dye. 00 Saxondom n. Saxonism n. Saxonist n. Saxonize /-,naiz/ v.tr. & intr. (also -ise). [ME f. OF f. LL Saxo -onis f. Gk Saxones (pl.) f. WG: cf. OE Seaxan, Seaxe (pl.)] Saxony /'szksoni/ 1 a former province of east central Germany on the upper reaches of the Elbe, earlier part of the large Kingdom of Saxony. 2 a ‘Land’ (State) of Germany; pop. (est. 1990) 5,000,000; capital, Dresden. o Lower Saxony a‘Land’ (State) of NW Germany; pop. (est. 1987) 7,189,000; capital, Hanover. saxony /'szksoni/ n. 1 a fine kind of wool. 2 cloth made from this. [Saxony in Germany f. LL Saxonia (as Saxon)]

Saxony-Anhalt /'a:nha:lt/ a ‘Land’ (State) of Germany on the

sawbuck /'so:bak/ n. US 1a saw-horse. 2 sl. a $10 note. sawdust sawing.

say

1291

plains of the Elbe and the Saale rivers; pop. (est. 1990) 3,000,000; capital, Magdeburg. saxophone |'sekso,faon/ n. 1 a keyed brass reed instrument in several sizes and registers, used esp. in jazz and dance music. It was invented c.1840 by A. Sax (see SAXHORN) and patented in 1846. 2 a saxophone-player. 00 saxophonic /-'fonrk/ adj. saxophonist /-'spfonist, -so,faonist/ n. [Sax (as SAXHORN) + -PHONE] Say /sei/ v. & n. —v. (3rd sing. present says /sez/; past and past part. said /sed/) 1 tr. (often foll. by that + clause) a utter (specified words) in a speaking voice; remark (said ‘Damn’; said that he was satisfied). b put into words; express (that was well said; cannot say what I feel). 2 tr. (often foll. by that + clause) a state; promise or prophesy (says that there will be war). b have specified wording; indicate (says here that he was Killed; the clock says ten to six). 3 tr. {in passive; usu. foll. by to + infin.) be asserted or described (is said to be 93 years old). 4 tr. (foll. by to + infin.) collog. tell a person to do something (he said to bring the car). 5 tr. convey (information) (spoke for an hour but said little). 6 tr. put forward as an argument or excuse (much to be said in favour of it; what have you to say for yourself?). 7 tr. (often absol.) form and give an opinion or decision as to (who did it I cannot say; do say which you prefer). 8 tr. select, assume, or take as an example or (a specified number etc.) as near enough (shall we say this one?; paid, say, £20). 9 tr. a speak

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

SAYE

scale

1292

the words of (prayers, Mass, a grace, etc.). b repeat (a lesson etc.); recite (can’t say his tables). 10 tr. Art etc. convey (inner meaning or intention) (what is the director saying in this film?). 11 intr. a speak; talk. b (in imper.) poet. tell me (what is your name, say!). 12 tr. (the said) Law or joc. the previously mentioned (the said witness). 13 intr. (as int.) US an exclamation of surprise, to

attract attention, etc. —n. 1 a an opportunity for stating one’s opinion etc. (let him have his say). b a stated opinion. 2 a share in a decision (had no say in the matter). 0 how say you? Law how do you find? (addressed to the jury requesting its verdict). I etc. cannot (or could not) say I etc. do not know. I’ll say collog. yes indeed. I say! Brit. an exclamation expressing surprise, drawing attention, etc. it is said the rumour is that. not to say and indeed; or possibly even (his language was rude not to say offensive). said he (or I etc.) collog. or poet. he etc. said. say for oneself say

scabious /'skerbras/ n. & adj. —n. any plant of the genus Scabiosa, Knautia, etc., with pink, white, or esp. blue pincushion-

shaped flowers. —adj. affected with mange; scabby. [ME f. med.L . scabiosa (herba) formerly regarded as a cure for skin disease: see SCABIES] scabrous /'skerbras/ adj. 1 having a rough surface; bearing short stiff hairs, scales, etc.; scurfy. 2 (of a subject, situation, etc.) requiring tactful treatment; hard to handle with decency. 3 a indecent, salacious. b behaving licentiously. 00 scabrously adv. scabrousness n. [F scabreux or LL scabrosus f. L scaber rough] scad /skzd/ n. any fish of the family Carangidae native to tropical and subtropical seas, usu. having an elongated body and very large spiky scales. [17th c.: orig. unkn.] scads /|skedz/ n.pl. US collog. large quantities. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]}

by way of conversation, oratory, etc. say much (or something)

for indicate the high quality of. say no refuse or disagree. say out express fully or candidly. says I (or he etc.) colloq. I, he, etc., said (used in reporting conversation). say-so 1 the power of decision. 2 mere assertion (cannot proceed merely on his say-so). say something make a short speech. says you! colloq. I disagree. say when collog. indicate when enough drink or food has been given. say the word 1 indicate that you agree or give permission. 2 give the order etc. say yes agree. that is to say 1 in other words, more explicitly. 2 or at least. they say it is rumoured. to say nothing of = not to mention (see MENTION). what do (or would) you say to? would you like? when all is said and done after all, in the long run. you can say that again! (or you said it!) collog. 1 agree emphatically. you don’t say so collog. an expression of amazement or disbelief. 00 sayable adj. sayer n. [OE secgan f. Gmc]

Scafell Pike /sko:'fel/ the highest peak in England, in the Lake District in Cumbria, rising to a height of 978 m (3,210 ft.).

scaffold /'skzfould, -fla)ld/ n. & v. —n. 1 a hist. a raised wooden platform used for the execution of criminals. b a similar platform used for drying tobacco etc. 2 = SCAFFOLDING. 3 (prec. by the) death by execution. —v.tr. attach scaffolding to (a building). 00 scaffolder n. [ME f. AF f. OF (e)schaffaut, earlier escadafaut: cf. CATAFALQUE]

scaffolding /|'skzfauldin, -faldin/ n. 1 a a temporary structure formed of poles, planks, etc., erected by workmen and used by them while building or repairing a house etc. b materials used for this. 2 a temporary conceptual framework used for constructing theories etc.

scagliola /skz'ljsula/ n. imitation stone or plaster mixed with glue. [It. scagliuola dimin. of scaglia scALE}]

SAYE abbr. Brit. save-as-you-earn.

scalable /'skerlab(e)l/ adj. capable of being scaled or climbed.

Sayers /'setoz/, Dorothy Leigh (1893-1957), English writer whose detective fiction, introducing the hero amateur detective Lord Peter Wimsey, is among the classics of the genre. In this she reached her peak with Murder Must Advertise (1933) and The Nine Tailors (1934). Her religious plays showed her as a formidable theological polemicist. She left unfinished a translation of Dante’s Divine Comedy (1949-55). saying /'se1n/n. 1 the act or an instance of saying. 2 a maxim, proverb, adage, etc. o as the saying goes (or is) an expression

00 scalability /-'brlit1/ n. scalar |'skerla(r)/ adj. & n. Math. & Physics —adj. (of a quantity) having only magnitude, not direction. —n. a scalar quantity (cf. vector). [L scalaris f. scala ladder; see SCALE*]

scalawag var. of SCALLYWAG. scald! /sko:ld, skold/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 burn (the skin etc.) with

Sb symb. Chem. the element antimony. [L stibium] SBN abbr. Standard Book Number (cf. ISBN). SBS abbr. (in the UK) Special Boat Service (formerly Squadron) a

hot liquid or steam. 2 heat (esp. milk) to near boiling-point. 3 (usu. foll. by out) clean (a pan etc.) by rinsing with boiling water. 4 treat (poultry etc.) with boiling water to remove feathers etc. —n. 1 a burn etc. caused by scalding. 2 a skin disease caused esp. by air pollution etc. affecting the fruits of some plants. o like a scalded cat moving unusually fast. scalded cream a dessert made from milk scalded and allowed to stand. scalding tears hot bitter tears of grief etc. 00 scalder n. [ME f. AF, ONF escalder, OF eschalder f. LL excaldare (as Ex-1, L calidus hot)]

nautical counterpart of the land-based SAS, provided by the Royal Marines.

scald? var. of sKALD. scale! /skel/ n. & v. —n. 1 each of the small thin bony or horny

used in introducing a proverb, cliché, etc. go without saying be too well known or obvious to need mention. there is no saying it is impossible to know.

S. by E. abbr. South by East. S. by W. abbr. South by West.

overlapping plates protecting the skin of fish and reptiles. 2 something resembling a fish-scale, esp.: a a pod or husk. b a flake of skin; a scab. ¢ a rudimentary leaf, feather, or bract. d each of the structures covering the wings of butterflies and moths. e Bot. a layer of a bulb. 3 aa flake formed on the surface of rusty iron. b a thick white deposit formed in a kettle, boiler, etc. by the action of heat on water. 4 plaque formed on teeth. —v. 1 tr. remove scale or scales from (fish, nuts, iron, etc.). 2 tr. remove plaque from (teeth) by scraping. 3 intr. a (of skin, metal, etc.) form, come off in, or drop, scales. b (usu. foll. by off) (of

SC abbr. 1 US South Carolina (also in official postal use). 2 special constable.

Sc symb. Chem. the element scandium. sc. abbr. scilicet. S.C. abbr. small capitals. scab /|skeb/ n. & v. —n. 1a dry rough crust formed over a cut, sore, etc. in healing. 2 (often attrib.) collog. derog. a person who refuses to strike or join a trade union, or who tries to break a strike by working; a blackleg. 3 the mange or a similar skin disease esp. in animals. 4 a fungous plant-disease causing scablike roughness. 5 a dislikeable person. —v.intr. (scabbed, scabbing) 1 act as a scab. 2 (of a wound etc.) form a scab; heal over. 00 scabbed adj. scabby adj. (scabbier, scabbiest).

scabbiness n. scablike adj. [ME f. ON skabbr (unrecorded), corresp. to OE sceabb]

scabbard /'skzbad/ n. 1 hist. a sheath for a sword, bayonet, etc. 2 US a sheath for a revolver etc. 0 scabbard-fish any of various silvery-white marine fish shaped like a sword-scabbard, esp. Lepidopus caudatus. [ME sca(u)berc etc. f. AF prob. f. Frank.] scabies /'skerbi:z/ n. a contagious skin disease causing severe itching (cf. 1rcH). [ME f. L f. scabere scratch]

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

scales) come off. 0 scale-armour hist. armour formed of metal scales attached to leather etc. scale-board very thin wood used for the back of a mirror, picture, etc. scale-bug = scale insect. scale-fern any of various spleenworts, esp. Asplenium ceterach. scale insect any of various insects, esp. of the family Coccidae, clinging to plants and secreting a shieldlike scale as covering. scale-leaf a modified leaf resembling a scale. scale-moss a type of liverwort with scalelike leaves. scales fall from a person’s eyes a person is no longer deceived (cf. Acts 9: 18). scale-winged lepidopterous. scale-work an overlapping arrangement. 00 scaled adj. (also in comb.). scaleless /'skerllis/ adj. scaler n. [ME f. OF escale f. Gmc, rel. to SCALE] scale? /skeil/ n. & v. —n. 1 a (often in pl.) a weighing machine or device (bathroom scales). b (also scale-pan) each of the dishes

k cat

lleg

mman

nno

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

scale

on a simple scale balance. 2 (the Scales) the zodiacal sign or constellation Libra. —v.tr. (of something weighed) show (a specified weight) in the scales. o pair of scales a simple balance. throw into the scale cause to be a factor in a contest, debate, etc. tip (or turn) the scales 1 (usu. foll. by at) outweigh the opposite scale-pan (at a specified weight); weigh. 2 (of a motive, circumstance, etc.) be decisive. [ME f. ON skal bowl f. Gmc] scale? /skerl/ n. & v. —n. 1 a series of degrees; a graded classification system (pay fees according to a prescribed scale; high on the social scale; seven points on the Richter scale). 2 a (often attrib.) Geog. & Archit. a ratio of size in a map, model, picture, etc. (on a scale of one centimetre to the kilometre; a scale model). b relative dimensions or degree (generosity on a grand scale). 3 Mus. an arrangement of all the notes in any system of music in ascending or descending order of pitch (chromatic scale; major scale). In Western music the 12 notes of the chromatic scale which make up the octave have been organized as three seven-note scale types, the major and the harmonic and melodic minor, since the 17th c., superseding the modes of earlier music. 4 a a set of marks on a line used in measuring, reducing, enlarging, etc. b a rule determining the distances between these. ¢ a piece of metal, apparatus, etc. on which these are marked. 5 (in full scale of notation) Math. the ratio between units in a numerical system (decimal scale). —v. 1 tr. a (also absol.) climb (a wall, height, etc.) esp. with a ladder. b climb (the social scale, heights of ambition, etc.). 2 tr. represent in proportional dimensions; reduce to a common scale. 3 intr. (of quantities etc.) have a common scale; be commensurable. 0 economies of scale proportionate savings gained by using larger quantities. in scale (of drawing etc.) in proportion to the surroundings etc. play (or sing) scales Mus. perform the notes of a scale as an exercise for the fingers or voice. scale down make smaller in proportion; reduce in size. scaie up make larger.in proportion; increase in size. scaling-ladder hist. a ladder used to climb esp. fortress walls, esp. to break a siege. to scale with a uniform reduction or enlargement. oo scaler n. [(n.) ME (= ladder): (v.) ME f. OF escaler or med.L scalare f. L scala f. scandere climb] scalene /'skerli:n/ adj. & n. —adj. (esp. of a triangle) having sides unequal in length. —n. 1 (in full scalene muscle) = SCALENUS. 2 a scalene triangle. 0 scalene cone (or cylinder) a cone (or cylinder) with the axis not perpendicular to the base. [LL scalenus f. Gk skalénos unequal, rel. to skolios bent] scalenus /sko'li:nas/ n. (pl. scaleni /-na1/) any of several muscles extending from the neck to the first and second ribs. [mod.L: see SCALENE]

Scaliger /'skzlid3o(r)/, Julius Caesar (1484-1558), Italian classical scholar and physician. Besides polemical works directed against Erasmus (1531) he wrote a long Latin treatise on poetics, scientific commentaries on botanical works, and a philosophical treatise, all showing encyclopaedic knowledge and acute observation marred by arrogance and vanity. His son Joseph Justus Scaliger (1540-1609), the greatest scholar of the Renaissance, has been described as ‘the founder of historical criticism’. His edition of Manilius (1579) and his De Emendatione Temporum revolutionized understanding of ancient chronology by recognizing the historical material relating to the Jews, Persians, Babylonians, and Egyptians.

scallawag var. of scALLYwaG. scallion /'skzljan/ n. a shallot or spring onion; any long-necked onion with a small bulb. [ME f. AF scal(o)un = OF escalo(i)gne ult. f. L Ascalonia (caepa) (onion) of Ascalon in-anc. Palestine]

scallop /|'skzlsp, 'skol-/n. & v. (also scollop |'skol-/) —n. 1 any of various bivalve molluscs of the family Pectinidae, esp. of the genus Chlamys or Pecten, much prized as food. 2 (in full scallop shell) aa single valve from the shell of a scallop, with grooves and ridges radiating from the middle of the hinge and edged with small rounded lobes, often used for cooking or serving food. b hist. a representation of this shell worn as a pilgrim’s badge. 3 (in pl.) an ornamental edging cut in material in imitation ofa scallop-edge. 4a small pan or dish shaped like a scallop shell and used for baking or serving food. —v.tr. (scalloped, scalloping) 1 cook ina scallop. 2 ornament (an edge or material) wwe

Scandinavian

1293

z zoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

with scallops or scalloping. 00 scalloper n. scalloping n. (in sense 3 of n.). [ME f. OF escalope prob. f. Gmc]

scallywag /'skzli,weg/ n. (also scalawag, scallawag |'skzlo-/) a scamp; a rascal. [19th-c. US sl.: orig. unkn.] scalp /skelp/ n. & v. —n. 1 the skin covering the top of the head, with the hair etc. attached. 2 a hist. the scalp of an enemy cut or torn away as a trophy by an American Indian. b a trophy or symbol of triumph, conquest, etc. 3 Sc. a bare rock projecting above water etc. —v.tr. 1 hist. take the scalp of (an enemy). 2 criticize savagely. 3 US defeat; humiliate. 4 US collog. resell (shares, tickets, etc.) at a high or quick profit. 00 scalpless adj. (ME, prob. of Scand. orig.] 6

scalpel /'skzlp(a)l/ n. a surgeon’s small sharp knife shaped for holding like a pen. [F scalpel or L scalpellum dimin. of scalprum chisel f. scalpere scratch] scalper /|'skzlpo(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that scalps (esp. in sense 4 of v.). 2 (also scauper, scorper /'sko:po(r)/) an engraver’s tool for hollowing out woodcut or linocut designs. [scALP + -ER!; sense 2 also f. L scalper cutting tool f. scalpere carve] scaly /'skerli/ adj. (scalier, scaliest) covered in or having many scales or flakes. 00 scaliness n. scam /skem]| n. US sl. 1 a trick or swindle; a fraud. 2 a story or rumour. [20th c.: orig. unkn.]} scammony /|'skemoni/ n. (pl. -ies) an Asian plant, Convolvulus scammonia, bearing white or pink flowers, the dried roots of which are used as a purgative. [ME f. OF scamonee, escamonie or L scammonia f. Gk skammonia] scamp! /skemp/ n. collog. a rascal; a rogue. 00 scampish adj. [scamp rob on highway, prob. f. MDu. schampen decamp f. OF esc(h)amper (as Ex-!, L campus field)] scamp? /skemp] v.tr. do (work etc.) in a perfunctory or inadequate way. [perh. formed as scamp!: cf. SKIMP] scamper /'skempoa(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. (usu. foll. by about, through) run and skip impulsively or playfully. —n. the act or an instance of scampering. [prob. formed as scaMP!] scampi /'skemp)/ n.pl. 1 large prawns. 2 (often treated as sing.) a dish of these, usu. fried. [It.] scan /sken/ v. & n. —v. (scanned, scanning) 1 tr. look at intently or quickly (scanned the horizon; rapidly scanned the speech for errors). 2 intr. (of a verse etc.) be metrically correct; be capable of being recited etc. metrically (this line doesn’t scan). 3 tr. a examine all parts of (a surface etc.) to detect radioactivity etc. b cause (a particular region) to be traversed by a radar etc. beam. 4 tr. resolve (a picture) into its elements of light and shade in a prearranged pattern for the purposes esp. of television transmission. 5 tr. test the metre of (a line of verse etc.) by reading with the emphasis on its rhythm, or by examining the number of feet etc. 6 tr. a make a scan of (the body or part of it). b examine (a patient etc.) with a scanner. —n. 1 the act or an instance of scanning. 2 an image obtained by scanning or with a scanner. OO scamnable adj. [ME f. L scandere climb: in LL = scan verses (from the raising of one’s foot in marking rhythm)]

scandal /'skznd(o)l/ n. 1 a a thing or a person causing general public outrage or indignation. b the outrage etc. so caused, esp. as a subject of common talk. c malicious gossip or backbiting. 2 Law a public affront, esp. an irrelevant abusive statement in court. 0 scandal sheet derog. a newspaper etc. giving prominence to esp. malicious gossip. oO scandalous adj. scandalously adv. scandalousness n. [ME f. OF scandale f. eccl.L scandalum f. Gk skandalon snare, stumbling-block]

scandalize /'skznds,laiz| v.tr. (also -ise) offend the moral feelings, sensibilities, etc. of; shock. [ME in sense ‘make a scandal of f. F scandaliser or eccl.L scandaliso f. Gk skandalizo (as SCANDAL)]

scandalmonger |'skzend(2)l,manga(r)/ n. a person who spreads malicious scandal.

Scandinavian |,skendi'nervion/ n. & adj. —n. 1 aa native or inhabitant of Scandinavia. b a person of Scandinavian descent. 2 the North Germanic branch of the Indo-European family of languages, including Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, and Icelandic, all descended from Old Norse. —adj. of or relating to Scandinavia or its people or languages. [L Scandinavia] tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

scandium

scarious

1294

scar on. 00 scarless adj. [ME f. OF eschar(r)e f. LL eschara f. Gk eskhara scab] scar? /ska:(r)/ n. (also scaur /sko:(r)/) a steep craggy outcrop of a : mountain or cliff. [ME f. ON sker low reef in the sea] scarab |'skzrob/ n. 1 a the sacred dung-beetle of ancient Egypt. b = SCARABAEID. 2 an ancient Egyptian gem cut in the form of a beetle and engraved with symbols on its flat side, used as a signet etc. [L scarabaeus f. Gk skarabeios]

scandium |'skendiom] n. Chem. a rare soft silver-white metallic element occurring naturally in lanthanide ores. It was first discovered in 1879, after its existence had been predicted by Mendeleev on the basis of his periodic table. The metal and its compounds have at present few commercial uses. {| Symb.: Sc; atomic number 21. [mod.L f. Scandia Scandinavia (source of the minerals containing it)]

scannable see scan.

scarabaeid |,skezro'bi:1d/ n. any beetle of the family Scara-

scanner |'skznoa(r)/ n. 1 a device for scanning or systematically examining all the parts of something. 2 a machine for measuring the intensity of radiation, ultrasound reflections, etc., from the body as a diagnostic aid. 3 a person who scans or examines critically. 4a person who scans verse. scansion /'skzn{(o)n/ n. 1 the metrical scanning of verse. 2 the way a verse etc. scans. [L scansio (LL of metre) f. scandere scans-

baeidae, including the dung-beetle, cockchafer, etc. [mod.L Scarabaeidae (as SCARAB)| scaramouch /'skzro,mavtf/ n. archaic a boastful coward; a braggart. [It. Scaramuccia stock character in Italian farce f. scaramuccia = SKIRMISH, infl. by F form Scaramouche]

scarce /skeos/ adj. & adv. —adj. 1 (usu. predic.) (esp. of food,

climb] scant /skznt/ adj. & v. —adj. barely sufficient; deficient (with scant regard for the truth; scant of breath). —v.tr. archaic provide (a supply, material, a person, etc.) grudgingly; skimp; stint. oO scantly adv. scantness n. [ME f. ON skamt neut. of skammr short]

scantling /'skentli/ n. 1 a a timber beam of small cross-

money, etc.) rare. —adv. collog. keep scarceness see EXCERPT]

insufficient for the demand; scanty. 2 hard to find; archaic or literary scarcely. 0 make oneself scarce out of the way; surreptitiously disappear. 00 n. [ME f. AF & ONF (e)scars, OF eschars f. L excerpere:

scarcely |'skeasli/ adv. 1 hardly; barely; only just (I scarcely know him). 2 surely not (he can scarcely have said so). 3 a mild or apologetic or ironical substitute for ‘not’ (I scarcely expected to be insulted). scarcity |'skeositi/ n. (pl. -ies) (often foll. by of) a lack or inadequacy, esp. of food. scare /skeo(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. frighten, esp. suddenly (his expression scared us). 2 tr. (as scared adj.) (usu. foll. by of, or to + infin.) frightened; terrified (scared of his own shadow). 3 tr. (usu. foll. by away, off, up, etc.) drive away by frightening. 4 intr. become scared (they don’t scare easily). —n. 1 a sudden attack of

section. b a size to which a stone or timber is to be cut. 2a set of standard dimensions for parts of a structure, esp. in shipbuilding. 3 (usu. foll. by of) archaic a a specimen or sample. b one’s necessary supply; a modicum or small amount. [alt. after -LING! f. obs. scantlon f. OF escantillon sample] scanty /'skzntt/ adj. (scantier, scantiest) 1 of small extent or amount. 2 barely sufficient. 00 scantily adv. scantiness n. [obs. scant scanty supply f. ON skamt neut. adj.: see SCANT]

Scapa Flow ||ska:ps 'flou/ a stretch of sea in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, an important British naval base in the First World

fright (gave me a scare). 2 a general, esp. baseless, fear of war, invasion, epidemic, etc. (a measles scare). 3 a financial panic causing share-selling etc. 0 scaredy-cat /|'skeodi,ket/ collog. a timid person. scare-heading (or -head) a shockingly sen-

War. The entire German High Seas Fleet, which was interned here after its surrender, was scuttled in 1919 as an act of defiance against the terms of the Versailles peace settlement. In October 1939 the defences of Scapa Flow were penetrated when a German U-boat sank HMS Royal Oak. scape /skerp/ n. 1 a long flower-stalk coming directly from the root. 2 the base of an insect’s antenna. [L scapus f. Gk skapos, rel. to SCEPTRE] -scape /ske1p/ comb. form forming nouns denoting a view or a

sational newspaper headline. scare up (or out) esp. US 1 frighten (game etc.) out of cover. 2 colloq. manage to find; discover (see if we can scare up a meal). 00 scarer n. [ME skerre f. ON skirra frighten f. skjarr timid] scarecrow /'skea,krou/ n. 1 a human figure dressed in old clothes and set up in a field to scare birds away. 2 collog. a badly-dressed, grotesque-looking, or very thin person. 3 archaic an object of baseless fear. scaremonger |'skea,manga(r)/ n. a person who spreads frightening reports or rumours. 00 scaremongering n.

representation of a view (moonscape; seascape). [after LANDSCAPE] scapegoat /'skerpgout/ n. & v. —n. 1 a person bearing the blame for the sins, shortcomings, etc. of others, esp. as an expedient. 2 Bibl. a goat sent into the wilderness after the Jewish

chief priest had symbolically laid the sins of the people upon it (Lev. 16). —v.tr. make a scapegoat of. 00 scapegoater n. [scape

scarf! /ska:f] n. (pl. scarves /ska:vz/ or scarfs) a square, tri-

(archaic, = escape) + GOAT, = the goat that escapes] scapegrace /'skeipgrets/ n. a rascal; a scamp, esp. a young person or child. [scape (as SCAPEGOAT) + GRACE = one who escapes the grace of God]

angular, or esp. long narrow neck, over the shoulders, or for warmth or ornament. 0 mental device for fastening

strip of material worn round the tied round the head (of a woman), scarf-pin (or -ring) Brit. an ornaa scarf. scarf-skin the outermost

scaphoid /'skeford/ adj. & n. Anat. = NAVICULAR. [mod.L scaph-

layer of the skin constantly scaling off, esp. that at the base of

oides f. Gk skaphoeidés f. skaphos boat] scapula /'skepjolo/ n. (pl. scapulae /-jli:| or scapulas) the shoulder-blade. [LL, sing. of L scapulae] scapular /|'skepjolo(r)/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to the shoulder or shoulder-blade. —n. 1 a a monastic short cloak covering the shoulders. b a symbol of affiliation to an ecclesiastical order, consisting of two strips of cloth hanging down the breast and back and joined across the shoulders. 2 a bandage for or over the shoulders. 3 a scapular feather. 0 scapular feather a feather growing near the insertion of the wing. [(adj.) f. SCAPULA: (n.) f. LL scapulare (as SCAPULA)]

the nails. scarf-wise worn diagonally across the body from shoulder to hip. 00 scarfed adj. [prob. alt. of scarp (infl. by SCARF”) f. ONF escarpe = OF escherpe sash] scarf? /ska:f] v. & n. —v.tr. join the ends of (pieces of esp. timber,

metal, or leather) by bevelling or notching them to fit and then bolting, brazing, or sewing them together; cut the blubber of (a whale). —n. 1 a joint made by scarfing. 2 a cut on a whale made by scarfing. [ME (earlier as noun) prob. f. OF escarf (unrecorded) perh. f. ON]

scarifier /'skzri,faia(r), 'skes-/ n. 1 a thing or person that scarifies, 2a machine with prongs for loosening soil without turning it. 3 a spiked road-breaking machine.

scapulary /|'skepjolori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 = SCAPULAR n. 1. 2 = SCAPULAR n. 3. [ME f. OF eschapeloyre f. med.L scapelorium, scapularium (as SCAPULA)] scar! /ska:(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1a usu. permanent mark on the skin left after the healing of a wound, burn, or sore. 2 the lasting effect of grief etc. on a person’s character or disposition. 3 a mark left by damage etc. (the table bore many scars). 4 a mark left

scarify! /'skzeri,fat, 'skeo-/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 a make superficial

on the stem etc. of a plant by the fall of a leaf etc. —v. (scarred,

scarious /'skeorias/ adj. (of a part of a plant etc.) having a dry membranous appearance; thin and brittle. [F scarieux or mod.L scariosus] :

incisions in. b cut off skin from. 2 hurt by severe criticism etc. 3 loosen (soil) with a scarifier. 00 scarification /-fi'ker{(2)n/ n. [ME f. F scarifier f. LL scarificare f. L scarifare f. Gk skariphaomai f. skariphos stylus]

scarify? /'skeor1,fai/ v.tr. & intr. (-ies, -ied) collog. scare; terrify.

scarring) 1 tr. (esp. as scarred adj.) mark with a scar or scars (was scarred for life). 2 intr. heal over; form a scar. 3 tr. form a

we cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

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p hot

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a run

o put

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9 ago

ar my

scarlatina

scenic

1295

scarlatina /|,ska:lo'ti:no/ n. = scarlet fever. [mod.L f. It. scarlattina (febbre fever) dimin. of scarlatto scARLET]

and there for effect. scatter-shot n. & adj. US firing at random. OO scatterer n. [ME, prob. var. of SHATTER]

Scarlatti /ska:'leti/, Alessandro (1660-1725), Italian composer,

scatterbrain /'skzto,brein/ n. a person given to silly or dis-

an important and prolific composer of operas. Over 70 survive, and in them can be found the elements which carried Italian opera through the baroque period and into the classical, together with a fine sense of the dramatic in music. His son Domenico (1685-1757) is best known today for over 500 keyboard sonatas, lively invigorating pieces in one movement. scarlet /'ska:lit/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a brilliant red colour tinged with orange. 2 clothes or material of this colour (dressed in scarlet). —adj. of a scarlet colour. 0 scarlet fever an infectious bacterial fever, affecting esp. children, with a scarlet rash. scarlet hat RC Ch. a cardinal’s hat as a symbol of rank. scarlet pimpernel a small annual wild plant, Anagallis arvensis, with small esp. scarlet flowers closing in rainy or cloudy weather: also called poor man’s weather-giass. scarlet rash = ROSEOLA 1. scarlet runner 1 a runner bean. 2 a scarlet-flowered climber bearing this bean. scarlet woman derog. a notoriously promiscuous woman, a prostitute. [ME f. OF escarlate: ult. orig.

organized thought with lack of concentration. ao scatterbrained adj. scatty /|'sketi/ adj. (scattier, scattiest) Brit. collog. scatterbrained; disorganized. 00 scattily adv. scattiness n. [abbr.] scaup /sko:p/ n. any diving duck of the genus Aythya. [scaup Sc. var. of scalp mussel-bed, which it frequents] scauper var. of SCALPER 2. scaur var. of SCAR’. Pe scavenge /|'skevind3/ v. 1 tr. & intr. (usu. foll. by for) search for and collect (discarded items). 2 tr. remove unwanted products from (an internal-combustion engine cylinder etc.). [back-form. f. SCAVENGER] scavenger |'skevind3a(r)/ n. 1 a person who seeks and collects discarded items. 2 an animal, esp. a beetle, feeding on carrion, refuse, etc. 3 Brit. archaic a person employed to clean the streets etc. 00 scavengery n. [ME scavager f. AF scawager f. scawage f. ONF escauwer inspect f. Flem. scauwen, rel. to sHow: for -n- cf. MESSENGER] scazon |'sketz(a)n, 'skez-/ n. Prosody a Greek or Latin metre of limping character, esp. a trimeter of two iambuses and a spondee or trochee. [L f. Gk skazon f. skazo limp]

unkn.]

F

Scarlet Pimpernel the name assumed by the hero ofa series of novels by Baroness Orczy. He was a dashing but elusive English nobleman who rescued potential victims of the French Reign of Terror and smuggled them out of France.

scaroid |'skzroid, 'skes-/ n. & adj. —n. any colourful marine fish of the family Scaridae, native to tropical and temperate seas, including the scarus. —adj. of or relating to this family. scarp /ska:p/n. & v. —n. 1 the inner wall or slope of a ditch in a fortification (cf. COUNTERSCARP). 2a steep slope. —v.tr. 1 make (a slope) perpendicular or steep. 2 provide (a ditch) with a steep scarp and counterscarp. 3 (as scarped adj.) (of a hillside etc.) steep; precipitous. [It. scarpa] scarper /'ska:po(r)/ v.intr. Brit. sl. run away; escape. [prob. f. It. scappare escape, infl. by rhyming sl. Scapa Flow = go] scarus /|'skeoras/ n. any fish of the genus Scarus, with brightly coloured scales, and teeth fused to form a parrot-like beak used for eating coral. Also called parrot-fish. [L f. Gk skaros] scarves pl. of scARF). scariest) collog. scaring, scary |/'skeorl/ adj. (scarier, frightening. 00 scarily adv.

scat! /sket/ v. & int. collog. —v.intr. (scatted, scatting) depart quickly. —int. go! [perh. abbr. of SCATTER] scat? /sket/ n. & v. —n. improvised jazz singing using sounds imitating instruments, instead of words. —-v.inir. (scatted, scatting) sing scat. [prob. imit.] scathe |ske1d/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 poet. injure esp. by blasting or withering. 2 (as scathing adj.) witheringly scornful (scathing sarcasm). 3 (with neg.) do the least harm to (shall not be scathed) (cf. UNSCATHED). —n. (usu. with neg.) archaic harm; injury (without scathe). 00 scatheless predic.adj. scathingly adv. [(v.) ME f. ON skatha = OE sceathian: (n.) OE f. ON skathi = OE sceatha malefactor, injury, f. Gmc] scatology /skz'tolod3i/ n. 1 a a morbid interest in excrement. b a precccupation with obscene literature, esp. that concerned with the excretory functions. ¢ such literature. 2 the study of fossilized dung. 3 the study of excrement for esp. diagnosis. 00 scatological /-ta'lod31k(o)l/ adj. [Gk skér skatos dung + -LoGy] scatophagous /ske'tpfoges/ adj. feeding on dung. [as ScAToLocy + Gk -phagos -eating] scatter /'sketo(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. a throw here and there; strew (scattered gravel on the road). b cover by scattering (scattered the road with gravel). 2 tr. & intr. a move or cause to move in flight etc.; disperse (scattered to safety at the sound). b disperse or cause (hopes, clouds, etc.) to disperse. 3 tr. (as scattered adj.) not clustered together; wide apart; sporadic (scattered villages). 4 tr. Physics deflect or diffuse (light, particles, etc.). 5 a intr. (of esp. a shotgun) fire a charge of shot diffusely. b tr. fire (a charge) in this way. —n. 1 the act or an instance of scattering. 2 a small

amount scattered. 3 the extent of distribution of esp. shot. o scatter cushions (or rugs, etc.) cushions, rugs, etc., placed here au how

er day

au no

eo hair

1a near

o1 boy

ua poor

Sc.D. abbr. Doctor of Science. [L scientiae doctor] SCE abbr. Scottish Certificate of Education. scena |'Jema:/ n. Mus. 1 a scene or part of an opera. 2 an elaborate dramatic solo usu. including recitative. [It. f. L: see SCENE] scenario /s1'na:r1su, -'nesr1au/ n. (pl. -os) 1 an outline of the plot of a play, film, opera, etc., with details of the scenes, situations, etc. 2 a postulated sequence of future events. o00 scenarist n. (in sense 1). [It. (as SCENA)] scend /send/n. & v. Naut. —n. 1 the impulse given by a wave or waves (scend of the sea). 2 a plunge of a vessel. —v.intr. (of a vessel) plunge or pitch owing to the impulse of a wave. [alt. f. SEND Or DESCEND]

scene /si:n/ n. 1 a place in which events in real life, drama, or fiction occur; the locality of an event etc. (the scene was set in India; the scene of the disaster). 2 a an incident in real life, fiction, etc. (distressing scenes occurred). b a description or representation of an incident etc. (scenes of clerical life). 3 a public incident displaying emotion, temper, etc., esp. when embarrassing to others (made a scene in the restaurant). 4 a a continuous portion of a play in a fixed setting and usu. without a change of personnel; a subdivision of an act. b a similar section of a film, book, etc. 5 a any of the pieces of scenery used in a play. b these collectively. 6 a landscape or a view (a desolate scene). 7 collog. a an area of action or interest (not my scene). b a way of life; a milieu (well-known on the jazz scene). 8 archaic the stage of a theatre. 0 behind the scenes 1 Theatr. among the actors, scenery, etc. offstage. 2 not known to the public; secret. behind-the-scenes (attrib.) secret, using secret information (a behind-the-scenes investigation). change of scene a variety of surroundings esp. through travel. come on the scene arrive. quit the scene die; leave. scene-dock a space for storing scenery near the stage. scene-shifter a person who moves scenery in a theatre. scene-shifting this activity. set the scene 1 describe the location of events. 2 give preliminary information. [L scena f. Gk skéné tent, stage] scenery /'si:nort/ n. 1 the general appearance of the natural features of a landscape, esp. when picturesque. 2 Theatr. structures (such as painted representations of landscape, rooms, etc.) used on a theatre stage to represent features in the scene of the action. Stage scenery is a comparatively recent innovation, Greek plays being acted against a stage wall. Modern scenery originated with the masque, which used a decorative proscenium arch behind which sets of side scenes framed the back scene on either side. 0 change of scenery = change of scene (see SCENE). [earlier scenary f. It. SCENARIO: assim. to -ERY] scenic /'si:nrk/ adj. 1 a picturesque; impressive or beautiful (took the scenic route). b of or concerning natural scenery (flatness is the

aio fire

auo sour

(see over for consonants)

scent

schistosome

1296

main scenic feature). 2 (of a picture etc.) representing an incident. 3 Theatr. of or on the stage (scenic performances). 0 scenic railway 1 a miniature railway running through artificial scenery at funfairs etc. 2 = big dipper 1. 00 scenically adv. [L scenicus f. Gk skénikos of the stage (as SCENE)} scent /sent/n. & v. —n. 1 distinctive, esp. pleasant, smell (the scent of hay). 2 aa scent trail left by an animal perceptible to hounds etc. b clues etc. that can be followed like a scent trail (lost the scent in Paris). c the power of detecting or distinguishing smells etc. or of discovering things (some dogs have little scent; the scent for talent). 3 Brit. = PERFUME 2. 4a trail laid in a paper-chase. —v. 1 tr. a discern by scent (the dog scented game). b sense the presence of (scent treachery). 2 tr. make fragrant or foul-smelling. 3 tr. (as scented adj.) having esp. a pleasant smell (scented soap). 4 intr. exercise the sense of smell (goes scenting about). 5 tr. apply the sense of smell to (scented the air). 0 false scent 1a scent trail laid to deceive. 2 false clues etc. intended to deflect pursuers. on the scent having a clue. put (or throw) off the scent deceive by false clues etc. scent-bag a bag of aniseed etc. used to lay a trail in drag-hunting. scent-gland (or -organ) a gland in some animals secreting musk, civet, etc. scent out discover by smelling or searching. 00 scentless adj. [ME sent f. OF sentir perceive, smell, f. L sentire; -c- (17th c.) unexpl.] scepsis /'skepsis/n. (US skepsis) 1 philosophic doubt. 2 sceptical philosophy. [Gk skepsis inquiry, doubt f. skeptomai consider] scepter US var. of SCEPTRE.

—n. a schematic diagram, esp. of an rama circuit. 00 schematically adv. schematism /'ski:mo,t1z(2)m/ n. a schematic arrangement or * presentation. [mod.L schematismus f. Gk skhématismos (as SCHEMATIZE)] schematize /'ski:mo,tarz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 put in a schematic form; arrange. 2 represent by a scheme or schema. oO schematization /-!'ze1J(9)n/ 1. scheme /ski:m/ 1. & v. —n. 1 aa systematic plan or arrangement for work, action, etc. b a proposed or operational systematic arrangement (a colour scheme). 2 an artful or deceitful plot. 3 a timetable, outline, syllabus, etc. —v. 1 intr. (often foll. by for, or to + infin.) plan esp. secretly or deceitfully; intrigue. 2 tr. plan to bring about, esp. artfully or deceitfully (schemed their downfall). 00 schemer n. [L schema f. Gk (as SCHEMA)]

scheming /'ski:min/ adj. & n. —adj. artful, cunning, or deceitful. —n. plots; intrigues. 00 schemingly adv.

schemozzle var. of SHEMOZZLE. scherzando /skeo'tse2ndou/ adv., adj. & n. Mus. —adv. & adj. in a playful manner. —n. (pl. scherzandos or scherzandi |-di/) a passage played in this way. [It., gerund of scherzare to jest (as SCHERZO)] scherzo |'skea,tsou/ n. (pl. -os) Mus. a vigorous, light, or playful composition, usu. as a movement in a symphony, sonata, etc.

[It., lit. ‘jest’] Schiaparelli |,skiopo'reli/, Elsa (1896-1973), Italian-born cou-

sceptic /'skeptrk/ n. & adj. (US skeptic) —n. 1 a person inclined to doubt all accepted opinions; a cynic. 2a person who doubts the truth of Christianity and other religions. 3 hist. a person who accepts the philosophy of Pyrrhonism. —adj. = SCEPTICAL. O0 scepticism /-\siz(2)m/ n. [F sceptique or L scepticus f. Gk skeptikos (as SCEPSIS)]

turiére, who settled in Paris in the late 1920s and became a leader in haute couture. She introduced padded shoulders in her designs of 1932, and the vivid shade known as ‘shocking

pink’ in 1937. Schiller /'{1la(r)/, Johann Christoph Friedrich von (1759-1805).

sceptical /'skeptik(s)l/ adj. (US skeptical) 1 inclined to question

German dramatist and poet. His early play Die Rauber (The Robbers, 1781) established him as the leading figure of this period of German literature; Kabale und Liebe (Intrigue and Love, 1784), on which Verdi based his opera Luisa Miller, attacked contemporary society. His historical plays include Wallenstein (1799), his greatest success, Mary Stuart (1800), and Die Jungenfrau von Orleans (The Maid of Orleans, 1801); his last completed play was Wilhelm Tell (1804). These plays are concerned with the problem of freedom and responsibility either political, personal, or moral. Among his best-known poems are ‘Die Kiinstler’ (‘The Artists’), on the humanizing influence of art, ‘Das Ideal und das Leben’ (‘The Ideal and Life’), and ‘An die Freude’ (‘Ode to Joy’), which Beet hoven set to music in his 9th Symphony. His many essays on aesthetics include Uber naive und sentimentalische Dichtung (On Naive and Reflective Poetry, 1795-6), in which he contrasts his own ‘modern’ reflective style with Goethe’s more ‘antique’ un selfconscious genius.

the truth or soundness of accepted ideas, facts, etc.; critical; incredulous. 2 Philos. of or accepting the philosophy of Pyrrhonism, denying the possibility of knowledge. 00 sceptically adv. sceptre /'septa(r)/ n. (US scepter) 1 a staff borne esp. at a coronation as a symbol of sovereignty. 2 royal or imperial authority. 00 sceptred adj. [ME f. OF (s)ceptre f. L sceptrum f. Gk sképtron f. sképto lean on] sch. abbr. 1 scholar. 2 school. 3 schooner.

schadenfreude |'{a:don,froida/ n. the malicious enjoyment of another’s misfortunes. [G f. Schaden harm + Freude joy] schappe /'Jzpo/ n. fabric or yarn made from waste silk. [G, = waste silk]

schedule /'Jedju:l, 'ske-/n. & v. —n. 1 aa list or plan of intended events, times, etc. b a plan of work (not on my schedule for next week). 2 a list of rates or prices. 3 US a timetable. 4 a tabulated inventory etc. esp. as an appendix to a document. —v.tr. 1 include in a schedule. 2 make a schedule of. 3 Brit. include (a building) in a list for preservation or protection. 0 according to schedule (or on schedule) as planned; on time. behind schedule behind time. scheduled flight (or service etc.) a public flight, service, etc., according to a regular timetable. scheduled territories hist. = sterling area. 00 scheduler n. [ME f. OF cedule f. LL schedula slip of paper, dimin. of scheda f. Gk skhedé papyrus-leaf]

scheelite /'fi:lait/ n. Mineral. calcium tungstate in its mineral crystalline form. [K. W. Scheele, Sw. chemist d. 1786]

Scheherazade /{a,hero'za:d/ the female narrator of the Arabian Nights.

Scheldt /skelt/ (also Schelde (/'skelta/, French Escaut /es'kou/)

schilling /'{irp/ n. 1 the chief monetary unit of Austria. 2 a coin equal to the value of one schilling. [G (as SHILLING)]

schipperke /'skipaki, '{1p-/ n. 1 a small black tailless dog of a breed with a ruff of fur round its neck. 2 this breed. [Du. dial., = little boatman, f. its use as a watchdog on barges] schism /'s1z(2)m, 'skr-/ n. 1 a the division of a group into opposing sections or parties. any of the sections so formed. 2 a the separation of a Church into two Churches or the secession of a group owing to doctrinal, disciplinary, etc., differences. b the offence of causing or promoting such a separation. o Great Schism see separate entry. [ME f. OF s(c)isme f. eccl.L schisma f. Gk skhisma -atos cleft f. skhiz6 to split]

schismatic

/siz'mztik, skiz-/ adj. & n. (also schismatical)

a river that rises in northern France and flows 432 km (270 miles) through Belgium into The Netherlands where it meets the North Sea. The city of Antwerp lies upon it. schema /'ski:mo/ n. (pl. schemata /-moto/ or schemas) 1 a synopsis, outline, or diagram. 2 a proposed arrangement. 3 Logic a syllogistic figure. 4 (in Kantian philosophy) a conception of what is common to all members of a class; a general type or essential form. [Gk skhéma -atos form, figure]

schist /fist/ n. a foliated metamorphic rock composed of layers of different minerals and splitting into thin irregular plates. o0 schistose adj. [F schiste f. L schistos f. Gk skhistos split (as scHISM)]

schematic /skr'mztik, ski:-/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or concerning

schistosome /'{1sto,ssom/n. = BILHARZIA 1. [Gk skhistos divided

a scheme or schema. b but

2 representing objects by symbols etc. d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

—adj. inclining to, concerning, or guilty of, schism. —n. 1 a holder of schismatic opinions. 2 a member of a schismatic faction or a seceded branch ofa Church. 00 schismatically adv. [ME f. OF scismatique f. eccl.L schismaticus f. eccl.Gk skhismatikos (as SCHISM)]

(as SCHISM) + sdma body] kcat

lleg

m man

n no

p pen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

schistosomiasis

scholiast

1297

schistosomiasis |,Jistoso'matosis/ n, = BILHARZIASIS. [mod.L Schistosoma (the genus-name, as SCHISTOSOME)]

schizanthus /ski'zen9s/ n. any plant of the genus Schizanthus, with showy flowers in various colours, and finely-divided leaves. [mod.L f. Gk skhiz6 to split + anthos flower] schizo /'skitsou/ adj. & n. collog. —adj. schizophrenic. —n. (pl. -os) a schizophrenic. [abbr.] schizocarp |'skizo,ka:p/ n. Bot. any of a group of dry fruits that split into single-seeded parts when ripe. 00 schizocarpic |-'ka:pik/ adj. schizocarpous |-'ka:pas/ adj. [Gk skhiz6 to split + karpos fruit]

enthusiast, who donated a trophy, the Jacques Schneider Maritime Cup, which he presented in 1913 to the winner of an international competition for seaplanes comprising an air race and seaworthiness trials. It was contested annually (with certain exceptions) until won outright by Great Britain in 1931.

schnitzel /'{nitz(o)l/ n. an escalope of veal.

o Wiener (or

Vienna) schnitzel a breaded, fried, and garnished schnitzel. [G, = slice]

schnorkel var. of sNorKEL. schnorrer

/'{no:ro(r)/ n. esp. US sl. a beggar or scrounger; a

layabout. [Yiddish f. G Schnurrer]

’

schizoid /'skitsord/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a person or personality

Schoenberg /'{3:nbs:g/, Arnold (1874-1951), one of the most

etc.) tending to or resembling schizophrenia or a schizophrenic, but usu. without delusions. —n. a schizoid person. schizomycete |,skitso'maisi:t/ n. a former name for a bacterium. [Gk skhizo to split + mukés -étos mushroom]

influential figures in the history of music. Born in Vienna, he worked as a professor of music there and in Berlin until 1933 when, after having his music branded (together with that of his pupils Berg and Webern) ‘degenerate art’ by Hitler, he emigrated to the US. His dedication to the development of the musical language inherited from the late 19th c. led in 1908 to a break with tonal writing and the concept of atonality and, later, serialism. Such early works as the symphonic poem for string sextet Verklarte Nacht (1899) reveal the chromatic idiom being stretched to its limits; his first atonal works, the Five Orchestral Pieces, the monodrama Erwartung (both 1909), and the song cycle Pierrot lunaire (1912), are expressionist and intense in their exploration of fundamental human emotion and violence; with the serial works Schoenberg returned to classical formal moulds and a quieter manner. One of the last works written by him before leaving Germany was Moses und Aron (1930-2), an opera reflecting his concern with religion at that time (he returned to the Jewish faith of his upbringing in 1933); it was left unfinished with its central problem unresolved at his death.

schizophrenia /|,skitso'fri:nro/ n. a mental disease marked by a breakdown in the relation between thoughts, feelings, and actions, frequently accompanied by delusions and retreat from social life. o0 schizophrenic /-'frenik, -'fri:ntk/ adj. & n. {mod.L f. Gk skhizo to split + phrén mind] 7

schizothymia |,skitsov'@aimis, ,skiz-/ n. Psychol. an introvert condition with a tendency to schizophrenia. 00 schizothymic adj. [mod.L (as SCHIZOPHRENIA + Gk thumos temper)]

schlemiel /flo'mi:l/ n. US collog. a foolish or unlucky person. [Yiddish shlumiel] schlep /flep/ v. & n. (also schlepp) collog. —v. (schlepped, schlepping) 1 tr. carry, drag. 2 intr. go or work tediously or effortfully. —n. esp. US trouble or hard work. [Yiddish shlepn f. G schleppen drag]

/'flesvik/ a former duchy of the Danish Crown,

scholar /'skplo(r)/ n. 1 a learned person, esp. in language, lit-

acquired by conquest by Prussia in 1864 and incorporated into the province of Schleswig-Hoilstein. The northern part of this territory was returned to Denmark in 1920 after a plebiscite held in accordance with the Treaty of Versailles.

erature, etc.; an academic. 2 the holder of a scholarship. 3aa person with specified academic ability (is a poor scholar). b a person who learns (am a scholar of life). 4 archaic collog. a person able to read and write. 5 archaic a schoolboy or schoolgirl. o scholar’s mate see MATE”. 00 scholarly adv. scholarliness n. [ME f. OE scol(i)ere & OF escol(i)er f. LL scholaris f. L schola scHOOL']

Schleswig

Schleswig-Holstein /'hpl{tamj a ‘Land’ (State) of NW Germany; pop. (1987) 2,612,000; capital, Kiel.

Schliemann

/'fli:mon/, Heinrich (1822-90), German archae-

ologist. During the early part of his life he was very successfully engaged in commerce, and did not begin archaeological work until he was nearly 50. Convinced that if the city of Troy had existed remains of it must surely survive, he ignored the open derision of scholars and in 1871 began excavating, at his own expense, the mound of Hissarlik on the NE Aegean coast of Turkey. The remains of nine consecutive cities faced him, and (there being at that time no accepted method of scientifically excavating a complex site) he incorrectly identified the second oldest as Homer’s Troy, and romantically called a hoard of jewellery (which he smuggled out of Turkey and had photographed adorning his wife) ‘Priam’s Treasure’. He subsequently excavated at Mycenae, where he believed he had discovered Agamemnon’s tomb, and at other sites of mainland Greece. Schliemann is recognized as the discoverer of the Mycenaean civilization and the bringer of a new romance and excitement to archaeology. schlieren /'{lroran/ n. 1 a visually discernible area or stratum of different density in a transparent medium. 2 Geol. an irregular streak of mineral in igneous rock. [G, pl. of Schliere streak] schlock /flpk/ n. US collog. inferior goods; trash. [Yiddish shlak a blow]

schmaltz /f{mo:lts, [mzlts/ n. esp. US collog. sentimentality, esp. in music, drama, etc. 00 schmaltzy adj. (schmaltzier, schmiatltziest). [Yiddish f. G Schmalz dripping, lard] schmuck /{mak/ n. esp. US sl. a foolish or contemptible person. [Yiddish] schnapps /{nzps/ n. any of various spirits drunk in N. Europe. [G, = dram of liquor f. LG & Du. snaps mouthful (as snap)] schnauzer /'{naotsa(r), '{nauza(r)/ n. 1a dog of a German breed with a close wiry coat and heavy whiskers round the muzzle. 2 this breed. [G f. Schnauze muzzle, SNOUT]

Schneider wwe

z zoo

/'{naido(r)/, Jacques f she

3 decision

(1879-1928), 9 thin

6 this

French yn ring

flying x loch

scholarship /'skolof1p/ n. 1 a academic achievement; learning of a high level. b the methods and standards characteristic of a good scholar (shows great scholarship). 2 payment from the funds of.a school, university, local government, etc., to maintain a student in full-time education, awarded on the basis of scholarly achievement.

scholastic /sko'lestik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or concerning universities, schools, education, teachers, etc. 2 pedantic; formal (shows scholastic precision). 3 Philos. hist. of, resembling, or concerning the schoolmen, esp. in dealing with logical subtleties. —n. 1a student. 2 Philos. hist. a schoolman. 3 a theologian of scholastic tendencies. 4 RC Ch. a member of any of several religious orders, who is between the novitiate and the priesthood. 00 scholastically adv. [L scholasticus f. Gk skholastikos studious f. skholazo be at leisure, formed as SCHOOL}]

scholasticism /|sko'lest1,s1z(2)m| n. 1 the educational tradition of the medieval ‘schools’ (i.e. universities), especially a method of philosophical and theological speculation which aimed at a better understanding of the revealed truths of Christianity by defining, systematizing, and reasoning. Its theoretical foundations were laid by St Augustine and Boethius, and among its most famous figures were St Anselm and Abelard (who perfected the technique). Of decisive importance was the introduction of the works of Aristotle into Western Europe, and the crowning achievement of scholastic theology was the work of Aquinas, whose Summa Theologica drew the line between faith and reason with the utmost clarity. From this time scholasticism declined, undermined by the writings of William of Occam, but it never wholly lost its vitality, and interest in it revived at the end of the 19th c. 2 narrow or unenlightened insistence on traditional doctrines etc.

scholiast /'skouli,zst/ n. hist. an ancient or medieval scholar, esp. a grammarian, who annotated ancient literary texts. 00 scholiastic |-'zstik/ adj. [med.Gk skholiastés f. skholiazd write scholia: see SCHOLIUM] tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

scholium

Schumann

1298

scholium /'skavliom/ n. (pl. scholia /-l19/) a marginal note or

schoolteacher /'sku:1,ti:t{a(r)/ n. a person who teaches in a

explanatory comment, esp. by an ancient grammarian on a classical text. [mod.L f. Gk skholion f. skholé disputation: see

school. oo schoolteaching n. schooner /'sku:no(r)/ n. 1 a fore-and-aft rigged ship with two * or more masts, the foremast being smaller than the other masts. 2 a Brit. a measure or glass for esp. sherry. b US & Austral. a tall beer-glass. 3 US hist. = prairie schooner. [18th c.: orig. uncert.]

SCHOOL]

school! /sku:l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a an institution for educating or giving instruction, esp. Brit. for children under 19 years, or US for any level of instruction including college or university. b (attrib.) associated with or for use in school (a school bag; school dinners). 2 a the buildings used by such an institution. b the pupils, staff, etc. of a school. ¢ the time during which teaching is done, or the teaching itself (no school today). 3 a a branch of study with separate examinations at a university; a department or faculty (the history school). b Brit. the hall in which university examinations are held. c (in pl.) Brit. such examinations. 4 a the disciples, imitators, or followers of a philosopher, artist, etc. (the school of Epicurus). b a group of artists etc. whose works share distinctive characteristics. c a group of people sharing a cause, principle, method, etc. (school of thought). 5 Brit. a group of gamblers or of persons drinking together (a poker school). 6 collog. instructive or disciplinary circumstances, occupation, etc. (the school of adversity; learnt in a hard school). 7 hist. a medieval lectureroom. 8 Mus. (usu. foll. by of) a handbook or book of instruction (school of counterpoint). 9 (in pl.; prec. by the) hist. medieval universities, their teachers, disputations, etc. —v.tr. 1 send to school; provide for the education of. 2 (often foll. by to) discipline; train; control. 3 (as schooled adj.) (foll. by in) educated or trained (schooled in humility). 0 at (US in) school attending lessons etc. go to school 1 begin one’s education. 2 attend lessons. leave school finish one’s education. of the old school according to former and esp. better tradition (a gentleman of the old school). school age the age-range in which children normally attend school. school board US or hist. a board or authority for local education. school-days the time of being at school, esp. in retrospect. school-inspector a government official reporting on the efficiency, teaching standards, etc. of schools. school-leaver Brit. a child leaving school esp. at the minimum specified age. school-leaving age the minimum age at which a schoolchild may leave school. school-ma’m (or -marm) US collog. a schoolmistress. school-marmish collog. prim and fussy. school-ship a training-ship. school-time 1 lesson-time at school or at home. 2 school-days. school year = academic year. [ME f. OE scol, scolu, & f. OF escole ult. f. L schola school f. Gk skholé leisure, disputation, philosophy, lecture-place]

school? /sku:]/ n. & v. —n. (often foll. by of) a shoal of fish, porpoises, whales, etc. —v.intr. form schools. [ME f. MLG, MDu. schdle f. WG]

schoolable /'sku:leb(s)l/ adj. liable by age etc. to compulsory education.

schoolboy /'sku:lbo1/ n. a boy attending school. schoolchild /'sku:ltfarld/ n. a child attending school. schoolfellow /'sku:1,felou/ n. a past or esp. present member of the same school.

esp. in a village. 2 a dwelling-house adjoining a school.

schoolie /'sku:i/ n. Austral. sl. & dial. a schoolteacher. schooling /'sku:lin/n. 1 education, esp. at school. 2 training or discipline, esp. of an animal.

/'sku:lmon/ n. (pl. -men)

teacher.

schoolmistressy /'sku:],mistris1/ adj. collog. prim and fussy. schoolroom /'sku:lru:m, -rum/ n. a room used for lessons in a school or esp. in a private house.

e bed

3: her

this. [G der schottische Tanz the Scottish dance]

Schottky effect /'{otki/ n. Electronics the increase in thermionic emission from a solid surface due to the presence of an external electric field. [W. Schottky, Ger. physicist d. 1976]

Schr6dinger /'{rs:dina(r)/, Erwin (1887-1961), Austrian theoretical physicist who in the 1920s developed wave mechanics, a mathematical theory which describes the structure and properties of atoms and the particles they contain. He shared the 1933 Nobel Prize for physics with Dirac, and (an ardent antiNazi) moved to Oxford. He spent the Second World War in Dublin, and wrote a book What is Life? which was the inspiration of many physicists who became molecular biologists. oO Schrédinger equation. Physics a differential equation used in quantum mechanics for the wave function of a particle.

Schubert

/'Ju:bs:t/, Franz (1797-1828), Austrian composer.

During his short life he produced over 600 songs, 9 symphonies, 15 string quartets, and 21 piano sonatas, as well as operas, church music, and a host of single-movement pieces for piano, chamber ensemble, etc. Schubert can be considered equally the

most approachable and lovable of composers for his gift for exquisite miniatures and a master of sustained thought on a larger scale, particularly in the works of his last years. He has been criticized both for setting inferior verse and for missing the deeper implications of more serious poets, but to look for a refined literary sensibility in such a composer is to miss the

of the ‘Peanuts’ comic strip (originally entitled ‘Li’l Folks’), featuring the child Charlie Brown and the beagle hound Snoopy, which first appeared in 1950. Schumann /'Ju:mon/, Robert Alexander (1810-56), German composer, who studied law before embarking on a musical career. He had ambitions to become a concert pianist but damaged his hand with a device intended to aid finger control; in 1840 he married Clara Wieck, the daughter of his piano teacher and herselfa celebrated pianist. In 1854 Schumann attempted suicide by drowning, and his last two years were passed in a private asylum near Bonn. His most productive years were those following his marriage to Clara: in 1840 he composed the bulk of his many songs; 1841 saw the start of his symphonic writing, and in 1842 he produced much chamber music. His symphonies,

schoolmate /'sku:lmeit/ n. = scHOOLFELLOW. schoolmistress /'sku:l,mistris/ n. a head or assistant female

a: arm

schor] /fo:1/ n. black tourmaline. [G Schérl] schottische /fn'ti:{/ n. 1 a kind of slow polka. 2 the music for

Schulz /folts/, Charles (1922—_), American cartoonist, creator

1 hist. a teacher in a

medieval European university. 2 RC Ch. hist. a theologian seeking to deal with religious doctrines by the rules of Aristotelian logic. (See SCHOLASTICISM.) 3 US a male teacher. schoolmaster /|'sku:],ma:sta(r)/ n. a head or assistant male teacher. 00 schoolmasterly adj. schoolmastering __|'sku:l,ma:storm/__n. teaching. as a profession.

we cat

/'fsupen,hava(r), 'fop-/, Arthur (1788-1860),

German author of a pessimistic philosophy which is an adaptation of Kant’s and is embodied in his principal work The World as Will and Idea (1818). According to Schopenhauer the will, of which we have direct intuition, is the only reality and the means by which all other things are understood; what is real is one vast will, appearing in the whole natural world, animate and inanimate alike. This ‘cosmic will’ is a malignant thing, which inveigles us into reproducing and perpetuating life. Asceticism and chastity are the duty of man, with a view to terminating the evil. As a stage towards this goal he found a transient place of rest in the realms of poetry, art, and above all music. His theory of the predominance of the will anticipated that of Freud and later psychologists; in his ethical doctrines he was influenced by Buddhism. In private life he made no attempt to put into practice the asceticism which he extolled, but he bequeathed what material wealth he had to the relief of suffering.

essence of his genius. His response to poetry was immediate and overpowering in its intensity, allowing no time for meditation or qualification; as Richard Capell wrote in his study of the songs (1928), ‘Schubert . . . knew nothing but the rapture and poignancy of first sensations, the loss of which is the beginning of wisdom’.

schoolgirl /'sku:lgs:1/ n. a girl attending school. schoolhouse /'sku:lhaus/ n. Brit. 1 a building used as a school,

schoolman

Schopenhauer

1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

vo put

u: too

9 ago

ai my

schuss

Piano Concerto (1845), and chamber works have much to recommend them, but he was at his best on a smaller scale, as in the loosely linked miniatures for piano of Papillons (1829-31), Carnaval (1834-5), and Waldscenen (1848-9) and especially in the songs, where he reveals his sensitivity to the romanticism of

contemporary poets. schuss /fus/ n. & v. —n. a straight downhill run on skis. —v.inir. make a schuss. [G, lit. ‘shot’] Schiitz /fu:ts/,, Heinrich (1585-1672), German composer and organist, one of the greatest of Bach’s predecessors. A visit to Italy in 1609-13 for a period of study provided an important influence, seen for example in the settings of Psalmens Davids (1619), and he composed what is thought to have been the first opera by a German (Dafne, now lost). His three settings of the Passion story represent a turning towards a simple meditative style, eschewing instrumental accompaniment and relying on voices alone for his depiction of Christ’s suffering and crucifixion. schwa /{wa:, Jva:/ n. (also sheva /fa'va:/) Phonet. 1 the indistinct unstressed vowel sound as in a moment ago. 2 the symbol /9/ representing this in the International Phonetic Alphabet. [G f. Heb. wa, app. f. Saw’ emptiness]

Schwarzkopf /'{va:tskopf], Elisabeth (1915-

_),German oper-

atic soprano singer, famous especially for roles in works by Richard Strauss and Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana.

Schwarzwald see BLack Forest. Schweitzer /'{waitsa(r), '{var-/, Albert (1875-1965), theologian, musician, and physician, born in Alsace-Lorraine (then part of Germany), who devoted the early part of his life to learning and music and the remainder to the service of others. His book The Quest of the Historical Jesus (1906) ended an epoch of attempts to unearth an authentic portrait of Jesus from the Gospels by historical-critical research, showing that many such portraits were conditioned by 19th-c. ideals, and argued that Jesus was a more alien figure who had believed that the end of the world was imminent. Schweitzer was an accomplished organist and interpreter of Bach, on whom he wrote a monograph (1908). In 1913 he abandoned his academic career to become a doctor and missionary at Lambaréné in French Equatorial Africa (now Gabon). After being interned in France during the First World War he returned to restore his hospital and continue the work which embodied his ethical principle of ‘reverence for life’. One of the greatest humanitarians of the 20th c., Schweitzer was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952.

Schwerin

scintigraphy

1299

/'foeorm/

a city in NE

Germany,

capital

of

Mecklenburg-West Pomerania; pop. (est. 1990) 130,000.

Schwyz /|[vi:ts/ the capital of a canton of the same name in central Switzerland; pop. (1980) 12,100. Schwyz was one of the three original districts of the anti-Hapsburg league, formed in 1291, that developed into the Swiss Confederation. Because of its leadership in this league its name and its flag were adapted by the whole country.

specified type or on a specified subject (political science). b the pursuit or principles of this. 3 an organized body of knowledge on a subject (the science of philology). 4 skilful technique rather than strength or natural ability. 5 archaic knowledge of any kind. o science park an area devoted to scientific research or the development of science-based industries. [ME f. OF f.L scientia f. scire know]

science fiction n. a class of prose narrative which assumes an imaginary technological or scientific advance, portrays space travel or life on other planets, or depends upon a spectacular change in the human environment. Although examples exist from the time of Lucian (2nd c. ap), it was not until the end of the 19th c. that the form emerged as we know it today. The works of Jules Verne are notable examples, but the first successful English author was H. G. Wells, using themes of invasion from outer space (The War of the Worlds, 1898), biological change or catastrophe (The Food of the Gods, 1904), time travel (The Time Machine, 1895), and air warfare (The War in the Air, 1908). Since the Second World War scientific developments and their possible consequences have been reflected in fictional forms often carrying apocalyptic undertones; the destruction of thé world as a result of its own technological achievements is a favourite theme. The literary quality of the genre is extremely variable, ranging from violent strip cartoons in pulp magazines, through respectable ‘domestic’ novels, to more challenging intellectual ventures and philosophical inquiry into the nature of mankind and human behaviour. The impact of its tradition on films and television has been enormous, with products ranging from children’s programmes to cinema epics. scienter /sai'enta(r)/ adv. Law intentionally; knowingly. [L f. scire know]

sciential /sat'en{(2)l/ adj. concerning or having knowledge. [LL scientialis (as SCIENCE)]

scientific /,saion'tifik/ adj. 1 a (of an investigation etc.) according to rules laid down in exact science for performing observations and testing the soundness of conclusions. b systematic, accurate. 2 used in, engaged in, or relating to (esp. natural) science (scientific discoveries; scientific terminology). 3 assisted by expert knowledge. 00 scientifically adv. [F scientifique or LL scientificus (as SCIENCE)}

scientism /'saron,t1z(2)m/ n. 1 a a method or doctrine regarded as characteristic of scientists. b the use or practice of this. 2 often derog. an excessive belief in or application of scientific method. o0 scientistic /-'tistrk/ adj.

scientist /'sarontist/ n. 1a person with expert knowledge of a (usu. physical or natural) science. 2 a person using scientific methods.

scientology |,saian'tolod3i/ n. a religious system based on selfimprovement and promotion through grades of esp. selfknowledge. It was founded in 1951 by the American writer of science fiction, L. Ron Hubbard (1911-86). 00 scientologist n. [L scientia knowledge + -Locy]

sciagraphy /skai'zgrofi/ n. (also skiagraphy) the art of shad-

sci-fi /'sarfat, sar'fa1/ n. (often attrib.) collog. science fiction. [abbr.:

ing in drawing etc. 00 sciagram |'skaio,grem/ n. sciagraph |'skara,gra:f] n. & v.tr. sciagraphic |,skato'grefik/ adj. [F sciagraphie f. L sciagraphia f. Gk skiagraphia f. skia shadow]

scilicet /'sarl1,set, 'ski:li,ket/ adv. to wit; that is to say; namely

sciamachy /sat'emoki/ n. (also skiamachy /skai-/) formal 1 fighting with shadows. 2 imaginary or futile combat. [Gk skiamakhia (as SCIAGRAPHY, -makhia -fighting)] sciatic /sai'ztik/ adj. 1 of the hip. 2 of or affecting the sciatic nerve. 3 suffering from or liable to sciatica. 0 sciatic nerve the largest nerve in the human body, running from the pelvis to the thigh. 00 sciatically adv. [F sciatique f. LL sciaticus f. L ischiadicus f. Gk iskhiadikos subject to sciatica f. iskhion hip-joint] sciatica /sa1'ztiko/ n. neuralgia of the hip and thigh; a pain in the sciatic nerve. [ME f. LL sciatica (passio) fem. of sciaticus: see SCIATIC] science |'sarons/ n. 1 a branch of knowledge conducted on objective principles involving the systematized observation of and experiment with phenomena, esp. concerned with the material and functions of the physical universe (see also natural science). 2 a systematic and formulated knowledge, esp. of a au how

er day

9u no

eo hair

1a near

oi boy

va poor

cf. HI-FI]

(introducing a word to be supplied or an explanation of an ambiguity). [ME f. L, = scire licet one is permitted to know]

scilla /'stlo/ n. any liliaceous plant of the genus Scilla, related to the bluebell, usu. bearing small blue star-shaped or bell-shaped flowers and having long glossy straplike leaves. [L f. Gk skilla]

Scilly Islands /'s1li/ (also Scillies) a group of about 40 small islands off the western extremity of Cornwall; pop. 1,850; capital, Hugh Town (on St Mary’s). 00 Scillonian /s1'lounion/ adj. & n.

scimitar /'simito(r)/ n. an oriental curved sword usu. broadening towards the point. [F cimeterre, It. scimitarva, etc., of unkn. orig.]

scintigram /'sinti,grem| n. an image of an internal part of the body, produced by scintigraphy.

scintigraphy /sin'tigrofi/ n. the use of a radioisotope and a scintillation counter to get an image or record of a bodily organ etc. [SCINTILLATION + -GRAPHY]

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

scintilla a

Scone

1300

Be a

ee

scintilla /sin'tilo/ n. 1 a trace. 2 a spark. [L] scintillate /'sintzlert/ v.intr. 1 (esp. as scintillating adj.) talk cleverly or wittily; be brilliant. 2 sparkle; twinkle; emit sparks. 3 Physics fluoresce momentarily when struck by a charged particle etc. 00 scintillant adj. scintillatingly adv. [L scintillare (as SCINTILLA)]

scintillation /,sntr'lerf(a)n/ n. 1 the process or state of scintillating. 2 the twinkling of a star. 3 a flash produced in a material by an ionizing particle etc. o scintillation counter a device for detecting and recording scintillation.

scintiscan /'sinti,sken/ n. an image or other record showing the distribution of radioactive traces in parts of the body, used in the detection and diagnosis of various diseases. [SCINTILLATION + SCAN]

sciolist /'satolist/ n. a superficial pretender to knowledge. oo sciolism /|-'l1z(3)m/ n. sciolistic /-'listrk/ adj. [LL sciolus smatterer f. L scire know] scion /'saron/ n. 1 (US cion) a shoot of a plant etc., esp. one cut for grafting or planting. 2 a descendant; a younger member of (esp. a noble) family. [ME f. OF ciun, cion, sion shoot, twig, of unkn. orig.]

Scipio! /'skip1ou/ (Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Major, 236-184/3 Bc) Roman general and politician. His tactical reforms of the army and offensive strategy were successful in concluding the second Punic War, firstly by the defeat of the Carthaginians in Spain in 206 Bc, and then by the defeat of Hannibal in Africa in 202 8c (after which he was given the name Africanus); his victories pointed the way to Roman hegemony in the Mediterranean. His son was the adoptive father of Scipio?.

In Europe they came into domestic use in the 16th c.; large-scale production dates from 1761 when Robert Hinchcliffe of Sheffield began to use cast steel in their manufacture. ‘sciurine /'sarju,rain/ adj. 1 of or relating to the family Sciuridae, including squirrels and chipmunks. 2 squirrel-like. oo sciuroid adj. (L sciurus f. Gk skiouros squirrel f. skia shadow + oura tail] sclera /'skliara/ n. the white of the eye; a white membrane coating the eyeball. oo scleral adj. scleritis /sklis'raitis/ n. sclerotomy |-'rotemi/ n. (pl. -ies). [mod.L f. fem. of Gk skléros hard] sclerenchyma /sklis'renkimo/ n. the woody tissue found in a plant, formed from lignified cells and usu. providing support. [mod.L f. Gk skléros hard + egkhuma infusion, after parenchyma]

scleroid /'sklro,ro1d/ adj. Bot. & Zool. having a hard texture; hardened. [Gk skléros hard] scleroma /sklia'raumo/ n. (pl. scleromata /-mato/) an abnormal patch of hardened skin or mucous membrane. [mod.L f. Gk skléréma (as SCLEROSIS)] sclerometer /sklia'romita(r)/ n. an instrument for determining the hardness of materials. [Gk skléros hard + -METER]

sclerophyll /'skliarofil/ n. any woody plant with leathery leaves retaining water. 00 sclerophyllous /-'rofiles/ adj. [Gk skléros hard + phullon leaf]

scleroprotein

sctre facias |,satort 'ferf1,2s/ n. Law a writ to enforce or annul a judgement, patent, etc. [L, = let (him) know]

scirocco var. of sIROCco. scirrhus |'siras, 'skr-/ n. (pl. scirrhi /-ra1/) a carcinoma which is hard to the touch. oo scirrhoid adj. scirrhosity /si'rpsiti/ n. scirrhous adj. [mod.L f. Gk skir(rjos f. skiros hard] scissel |'skis(s)l/ n. waste clippings etc. of metal produced during

coin manufacture. [F cisaille f. cisailler clip with shears] scissile /'stsatl/ adj. able to be cut or divided. [L scissilis f. scindere

/|,skliorau'prouti:n/ n. Biochem. any insoluble

structural protein. [Gk skléros hard + PROTEIN]

sclerosed /'sklia,roust, -,rauzd/ adj. affected by sclerosis. sclerosis /sklio'rausis/ n. 1 an abnormal hardening of body tissue (see also ARTERIOSCLEROSIS, ATHEROSCLEROSIS). 2 (in full multiple or disseminated sclerosis) a chronic and progressive disease of the nervous system resulting in symptoms including paralysis and speech defects. 3 Bot. the hardening of

Scipio? |'skrp1,9u/ (Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus, 185/4-129 Bc), Roman general and politician. He achieved distinction in the third Punic War, and blockaded and destroyed Carthage in 146 Bc. His successful campaign in Spain (133 Bc) ended organized resistance in that country. Returning to Rome in triumph, he provoked a major political storm by initiating moves against the reforms introduced by his brother-in-law Tiberius Gracchus. Scipio’s sudden death at the height of the crisis gave rise to the rumour that he had been murdered.

ee

a cell-wall with lignified matter. [ME f. med.L f. Ck sklérosis f. sklérod harden]

sclerotic /sklio'rptik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or having sclerosis. 2 of or relating to the sclera. —n. = SCLERA. 00 sclerotitis /-ra'tartis/ n. [med.L sclerotica (as SCLEROSIS)] sclerous /'sklioras/ adj. Physiol. hardened; bony. [Gk skléros hard]

SCM < abbr. (in the UK) 1 State Certified Midwife.

2 Student

Christian Movement. scoff! /skof] v. & n. —v.intr. (usu. foll. by at) speak derisively, esp. of serious subjects; mock; be scornful. —n. 1 mocking words; a taunt. 2 an object of ridicule. 00 scoffer n. scoffingly adv. [perh. f. Scand.: cf. early mod. Da. skuf, skof jest, mockery] scoff? /skof] v. & n. collog. —v.tr. & intr. eat greedily. —n. food; a meal. [(n.) f. Afrik. schoff repr. Du. schoft quarter of a day (hence, meal): (v.) orig. var. of dial. scaff, assoc. with the noun]

scold /skauld/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. rebuke (esp. a child, employee,

sciss- cut]

scission /'s1{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of cutting; the state of being cut. 2 a division or split. [ME f. OF scission or LL scissio (as SCISSILE)] scissor |'s1zo(r)/ v.tr. 1 (usu. foll. by off, up, into, etc.) cut with scissors. 2 (usu. foll. by out) clip out (a newspaper cutting etc.). scissors |'sizoz/ n.pl. 1 (also pair of scissors sing.) an instrument for cutting fabric, paper, hair, etc., having two pivoted blades with finger and thumb holes in the handles, operating by closing on the material to be cut. (See below.) 2 (treated as sing.) aa method of high jumping with a forward and backward movement of the legs. b a hold in wrestling in which the opponent’s body or esp. head is gripped between the legs. 0 scissor-bill = skIMMER 4. scissor-bird (or -tail) a fork-tailed flycatcher, Tyrannus forficatus. scissors and paste a method of compiling a book, article, etc., from extracts from others or without independent research. 00 scissorwise adv. [ME sisoures f. OF cisoires f. LL cisoria pl. of cisorium cutting instrument (as CHISEL): assoc. with L scindere sciss- cut] Scissors with overlapping blades and with a C-shaped spring at the handle end (like tongs) probably date from the Bronze Age; they were used in Europe until the end of the Middle Ages, and the design survived still later for some specific purposes (e.g. sheep-shearing). Scissors pivoted between handle and blade were used in Roman Europe and the Far East 2,000 years ago.

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

or inferior). 2 intr. find fault noisily; complain; rail. —n. archaic a nagging or grumbling woman. o0 scolder n. scolding n. [ME (earlier as noun), prob. f. ON skald sKALD] scolex |'skouleks/ n. (pl. scoleces /-'li:si:z/ or scolices |-I1,si:z/) the head ofalarval or adult tapeworm. [mod_L f. Gk skoléx worm]

scoliosis /,skoli'susis/ n. an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine. 00 scoliotic /-'ptrk/ adj. [mod.L f. Gk f. skolios bent]

scollop var. of scALLop. scolopendrium /,skolo'pendriom| n. any of various ferns, esp. hart’s tongue. [mod.L f. Gk skolopendrion f. skolopendra millipede (because of the supposed resemblance)] scomber /'skpmbo(r)/ n. any marine fish of the family Scombridae, including mackerels, tunas, and bonitos. 00 scombrid n. scombroid adj. & n. [L f. Gk skombros] sconce! /skpns/ n. 1 a flat candlestick with a handle. 2.a bracket candlestick to hang on a wall. [ME f. OF esconse lantern or med.L sconsa f. Labsconsa fem. past part. of abscondere hide: see ABSCOND] sconce? /skons/ n. 1 a small fort or earthwork usu. defending a ford, pass, etc. 2 archaic a shelter or screen. (Du. schans brushwood f. MHG schanze] Scone /sku:n/ a village in Tayside, the ancient Scottish capital where their kings were crowned. 0 stone of Scone see Cor-

ONATION STONE. kcat

lleg

mman

: nno

p pen

rred ssit

t top vyvoice

scone

scone /skpn, skoun/ n. a small sweet or savoury cake of flour, fat, and milk, baked quickly in an oven. [orig. Sc., perh. f. MDu. schoon(broot), MLG schon(brot) fine (bread)] scoop /sku:p/n. & v. —n. 1 any of various objects resembling a spoon, esp.: a a short-handled deep shovel used for transferring grain, sugar, coal, coins, etc. b a large long-handled ladle used for transferring liquids. ¢ the excavating part of a diggingmachine etc. d Med. a long-handled spoonlike instrument used for scraping parts of the body etc. e an instrument used for serving portions of mashed potato, ice-cream, etc. 2 a quantity taken up by a scoop. 3 a movement of or resembling scooping. 4 a piece of news published by a newspaper etc. in advance of its rivals. 5 a large profit made quickly or by anticipating one’s competitors. 6 Mus. a singer’s exaggerated portamento..7 a scooped-out hollow etc. —v.tr. 1 (usu. foll. by out) hollow out with or as if with a scoop. 2 (usu. foll. by up) lift with or as if with a scoop. 3 forestall (a rival newspaper, reporter, etc.) with a scoop. 4 secure (a large profit etc.) esp. suddenly. o scoop-neck the rounded low-cut neck of a garment. scoop-net a net used for sweeping a river bottom, or for catching bait. 00 scooper n. scoopful n. (pl. -fuls). [ME f. MDu., MLG schope bucket etc., rel. to SHAPE] scoot /sku:t/ v. & n. collog. —v intr. run or dart away, esp. quickly. —n. the act or an instance of scooting. [19th-c. US (earlier scout): orig. unkn.] scooter /'sku:to(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a child’s toy consisting of a footboard mounted on two wheels and a long steering-handle, propelled by resting one foot on the footboard and pushing the other against the ground. 2 (in full motor scooter) a light two-wheeled open motor vehicle with a shieldlike protective front. 3 US a sailboat able to travel on both water and ice. —+v.intr. travel or ride on a scooter. 00 scooterist n. scopa /|'skaupo/ n. (pl. scopae /|-pi:/) a small brushlike tuft of hairs, esp. on the leg of a bee for collecting pollen. [sing. of L scopae = twigs, broom] scope! /sksup/ n. 1 a the extent to which it is possible to range; the opportunity for action etc. (this is beyond the scope of our research). b the sweep or reach of mental activity, observation, or outlook (an intellect limited in its scope). 2 Naut. the length of cable extended when a ship rides at anchor. 3 archaic a purpose, end, or intention. [It. scopo aim f. Gk skopos target f. skeptomai look at] scope? /skoup/ n. collog. a telescope, microscope, or other device ending in -scope. [abbr.] =scope |sksup/ comb. form forming nouns denoting: 1 a device looked at or through (kaleidoscope; telescope). 2 an instrument for observing or showing (gyroscope; oscilloscope). 00 -scopic |'skop1k/ comb. form forming adjectives. [from or after mod.L -scopium f. Gk skoped look at]

scopolamine

/sko'pplomin, -mi:n/ n. = HYOSCINE. [Scopolia

genus-name of the plants yielding it, f. G..A. Scopoli, It. naturalist d. 1788 + AMINE] scopula /'skopjolo/ n. (pl. scopulae /-,li:/) any of various small brushlike structures, esp. on the legs of spiders. [LL, dimin. of L scopa: see SCOPA] -scopy /skap1/ comb. form indicating viewing or observation, usu. with an instrument ending in -scope (microscopy). scorbutic /sko:'bju:trk/ adj. & n. —-adj. relating to, resembling, or affected with scurvy. —n. a person affected with scurvy. 00 scorbutically adv. [mod.L scorbuticus f. med.L scorbutus scurvy, perh. f. MLG schorbik f. schoren break + bik belly] scorch |sko:t{/v. & n. —v. 1 tr. a burn the surface of with flame or heat so as to discolour, parch, injure, or hurt. b affect with the sensation of burning. 2 intr. become discoloured etc. with heat. 3 tr. (as scorching adj.) collog. a (of the weather) very hot. b (of criticism etc.) stringent; harsh. 4 intr. collog. (of a motorist etc.) go at excessive speed. —n. 1a mark made by scorching. 2 collog. a spell of fast driving etc. 0 scorched earth policy the burning of crops etc. and the removing or destroying of anything that might be of use to an enemy force occupying a country. 00 scorchingly adv. [ME, perh. rel. to skorkle in the same sense]

wwe

z zoo

scorpioid

1301

f she

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

yn Ting

x loch

scorcher /|'sko:t{a(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that scorches. 2 collog. a a very hot day. b a fine specimen. score /sko:(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the number of points, goals, runs, etc., made by a player, side, etc., in some games. b the total number of points etc. at the end of a game (the score was five—nil). ¢ the act of gaining esp. a goal (a superb score there!). 2 (pl. same or scores) twenty or a set of twenty. 3 (in pl.) a great many (scores ofpeople arrived). 4 a a reason or motive (rejected on the score of absurdity). b topic, subject (no worries on that score). 5 Mus. aa usu. printed copy of a composition showing all the vocal and instrumental parts arranged one below the other. b the music composed fora film or play, esp. for a musical. 6 collog. a a piece of good fortune. b the act or an instance of scoring off another person. 7 collog. the state of affairs; the present situation (asked what the score was). 8 a notch, line, etc. cut or scratched into a surface. 9 a an amount due for payment. b a running account kept by marks against a customer’s name. 10 Naut. a groove in a block or dead-eye to hold a rope. —v. 1 tr. a win or gain (a goal, run, points, etc., or success etc.) (scored a century). b count for a score of (points in a game etc.) (a bull’s-eye scores most points). c allot a score to (a competitor etc.). d make a record of (a point etc.), 2 intr. a make a score in a game (failed to score). b keep the tally of points, runs, etc. in a game. 3 tr. mark with notches, incisions, lines, etc.; slash; furrow (scored his name on the desk). 4 intr. secure an advantage by luck, cunning, etc. (that is where he scores). 5 tr. Mus. a orchestrate (a piece of music). b (usu. foll. by for) arrange for an instrument or instruments. ¢ write the music for (a film, musical, etc.). d write out ina score. 6 tr. a (usu. foll. by up) mark (a total owed etc.) in a score (see sense 9b of n.). b (usu. foll. by against, to) enter (an item of debt to a customer). 7 intr. sl. a obtain drugs illegally. b (of a man) make a sexual conquest. 8 tr. (usu. foll. by against, to) mentally record (an offence etc.). 9 tr. US criticize (a person) severely. 0 keep score (or the score) register the score as it is made. know the score collog. be aware of the essential facts. on the score of for the reason that; because of. on that score so far as that is concerned. score-book (or -card or -sheet) a book etc. prepared for entering esp. cricket scores in. score draw a draw in football in which goals are scored. score off (or score points off) collog. humiliate, esp. verbally in repartee etc. score out draw a line through (words etc.). score under underline. 00 scorer n. scoring n. Mus. [(n.) f. OE: sense 5 f. the line or bar drawn through all staves: (v.) partly f. ON skora f. ON skor notch, tally, twenty, f. Gmc: see SHEAR] scoreboard /|'sko:bo:d/ n. a large board for publicly displaying the score in a game or match. scoria |'sko:r19/ n. (pl. scoriae /-ri,i:/) 1 cellular lava, or fragments of it. 2 the slag or dross of metals. 00 scoriaceous /-'e1fas/ adj. [L f. Gk skoria refuse f. skér dung] scorify /|'sko:r1,fai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 reduce to dross. 2 assay (precious metal) by treating a portion of its ore fused with lead and borax. 00 scorification /-fi'ke1{(0)n/ n. scorifier n. scorn /sko:n/ n. & v. —n. 1 disdain, contempt, derision. 2 an object of contempt etc. (the scorn of all. onlookers). —v.tr. 1 hold in contempt or disdain. 2 (often foll. by to + infin.) abstain from or refuse to do as unworthy (scorns lying; scorns to lie). o think scorn of despise. 00 scorner n. [ME f. OF esc(h)arn(ir) ult. f. Gmc: cf. OS skern MOCKERY]

scornful

/'sko:nfoul/ adj. (often foll. by of) full of scorn;

contemptuous. 00 scornfully adv. scornfulness n. scorper var. of SCALPER 2. Scorpio /'sko:p1,90/ 1 a constellation, traditionally regarded as contained in the figure of a scorpion. It is noteworthy for its brightest member, the red giant star Antares, and its X-ray source Sco X-1 which is the brightest object in the X-ray sky. 2 the eighth sign of the zodiac (the Scorpion, which the sun enters about 23 Oct.). —n. (pl. -os) a person born when the sun is in this sign. 00 Scorpian adj. & n. [ME f. L (as scorPIon)]

scorpioid /|'sko:pr1d/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 Zool. of, relating to, or resembling a scorpion; of the scorpion order. 2 Bot. (of an inflorescence) curled up at the end, and uncurling as the flowers develop. —n. this type of inflorescence. [Gk skorpioeidés (as SCORPIO)]

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

scorpion

Scott

1302

scorpion /'sko:pron/ n. 1 an arachnid of the order Scorpionida, with lobster-like pincers and a jointed tail that can be bent over to inflict a poisoned sting on prey held in its pincers. 2 (in full false scorpion) a similar arachnid of the order Pseudoscorpionida, smaller and without a tail. 3 (the Scorpion) the zodiacal sign or constellation Scorpio. 4 Bibl. a whip with metal points (1 Kings 12: 11). 0 scorpion fish any of various marine fish of the family Scorpaenidae, with venomous spines on the head and gills. scorpion fly any insect of the order Mecoptera, esp. of the family Panorpidae, the males of which have a swollen abdomen curved upwards like a scorpion’s sting. scorpion grass = forget-me-not. [ME f. OF f. L scorpio -onis f. scorpius f. Gk skorpios] scorzonera |,sko:zo'niera/ n. 1 a composite plant, Scorzonera

Ages, after the unification of various small Dark Age kingdoms between the 9th and 11th c. Scotland successfully resisted English attempts at domination but was amalgamated with her * southern neighbour as a result of the union of the crowns in 1603 and of the parliaments in 1707. The northern part of the country is lightly populated, but the south and south-west benefited from the Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th c., although they have suffered badly from the effects of economic

hispanica, with long tapering purple-brown roots. 2 the root used as a vegetable. [It. f. scorzone venomous snake ult f. med.L curtio] Scot /skot/ n. 1 a a native of Scotland. b a person of Scottish descent. 2 hist. a member of a Gaelic people that migrated from Ireland to Scotland around the 6th c. [OE Scottas (pl.) f. LL Scottus] scot /skot/ n. hist. a payment corresponding to a modern tax, rate, etc. O pay scot and lot share the financial burdens of a borough etc. (and so be allowed to vote). scot-free unharmed; unpunished; safe. [ME f. ON skot & f. OF escot, of Gmc orig.: cf. SHOT!)

Scotch /skotf/ adj. & n. —adj. var. of ScoTTisH or Scots. (See below.) —n. 1 var. of ScotrisH or Scots. 2 Scotch whisky. o Scotch broth a soup made from beef or mutton with pearl barley etc. Scotch cap = BONNET n. 1b. Scotch catch Mus. a short note on the beat followed by a long one. Scotch egg a hard-boiled egg enclosed in sausage meat and fried. Scotch fir (or pine) a pine tree, Pinus sylvestris, native to Europe and Asia. Scotch kale a variety of kale with purplish leaves. Scotch mist 1 a thick drizzly mist common in the Highlands. 2 a retort made to a person implying that he or she has imagined or failed to understand something. Scotch pebble agate, jasper, cairngorm, etc., found in Scotland. Scotch pine = Scotch fir. Scotch snap = Scotch catch. Scotch terrier 1 a small terrier of a rough-haired short-legged breed. 2 this breed. Scotch whisky whisky distilled in Scotland, esp. from malted barley. [contr. of SCOTTISH] In recent years the word Scotch has been falling into disuse in

England as well as in Scotland, out of deference to the Scotsman’s supposed dislike of it; except for certain fixed collocations, such as those listed above, Scottish (less frequently Scots) is now the usual adjective, and Scots (pl.) designates the inhabitants of Scotland. scotched his attempt). 2 archaic a wound without killing; slightly disable. b make incisions in; score. —n. 1 archaic a slash. 2a line on the ground for hopscotch. [ME: orig. unkn.] scotch? |skot{/ n. & v. —n. a wedge or block placed against a wheel etc. to prevent its slipping. —v.tr. hold back (a wheel, barrel, etc.) with a scotch. [17th c.: perh. = scatch stilt f. OF escache]

Scotchman /'skot{mon/ n. (pl. -men; fem. Scotchwoman, pl. -women) = SCOTSMAN. {| Scotsman etc. are generally preferred in Scotland. scoter /'skouto(r)/ n. (pl. same or scoters) a large marine duck of the genus Melanitta. [17th c.: orig. unkn.] scotia /'skoufo/ n. a concave moulding, esp. at the base of a column. [L f. Gk skotia f. skotos darkness, with ref. to the shadow produced]

Early inhabitants were the Picts, and Celtic peoples arrived from the Continent during the Bronze and early Iron Age. The limit of Roman subjugation of Britain was marked by Hadrian’s Wall except for a period of about 40 years at the more northerly line of the Antonine Wall. An independent country in the Middle

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Scots /skots/ adj. & n. esp. Sc. —adj. 1 = ScotrisH adj. 2 in the dialect, accent, etc., of (esp. Lowlands) Scotland. —n. 1 = ScoTTIsH n. 2 the form of English spoken in (esp. Lowlands) Scotland. [ME orig. Scottis, north. var. of SCOTTISH] Scotsman /'skptsmon/ n. (pl. -men; fem. Scotswoman, pl. -women) 1a native of Scotland. 2 a person of Scottish descent.

Scott! /skpt/, Sir George Gilbert (1811-78), English architect. The most prolific Gothic revivalist, he built 400 churches, 39 cathedrals, 25 university filled many private commissions. In 1858 merston over the design for the new Foreign ‘Battle of Styles’, and was compelled to adopt

or ‘improved’ over buildings, and fulhe confronted PaiOffice, the so-called a classical solution;

but his Albert Memorial (1872) reflects more accurately his preferred aesthetic. Although many of his alterations to religious buildings have been criticized for their excess, there is no

doubt as to his qualities as an architect. His grandson, Sir Giles Scott (1880-1960), also worked as a revivalist architect and is best known for Liverpool Cathedral (begun in 1903), the last Gothic building to be built in England.

Scott? /skot/, Sir Peter Markham (1909-89), English naturalist, son of the Antarctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott. He is best known for his activities in wildlife conservation and for his paintings of birds; in 1946 he founded the Wildfowl Trust, based at Slimbridge in Gloucestershire. Entering the Royal Navy in 1881, Scott commanded the National Antarctic Expedition of 1900-4, surveying the interior of the continent, charting the Ross Sea, and discovering King Edward VII Land. On a second expedition (1910-12) Scott and four companions (Wilson, Oates, Bowers, and Evans) made a journey to the South Pole by sled, arriving there in January 1912 to discover that the Norwegian explorer Amundsen had beaten them to their goal by a month. On the journey back to base Scott and his companions were hampered by bad weather and illness, the last three finally dying of starvation and exposure in March. Their bodies and diaries were discovered by a search party eight months later. Scott, a national hero, was posthumously knighted. nicknamed ‘the Wizard of the North’. Deeply influenced by the old and romantic poetry of France and Italy, and by the modern German poets, he developed an interest in the old Border tales and ballads which he collected (with imitations) in TheMinstrelsy of the Scottish Border (1802). Among his original works were the romantic poem The Lay of the Last Minstrel (1805), The Lady of the Lake (1810), and Rokeby (1813). As a poet he was eclipsed by Byron, and found expression for his wide erudition, humour, and sympathies in the historical novel. Of these the Scottish Waverley novels were his masterpieces: Waverley (1814), The Antiquary (1816), Old Mortality (1816), and The Heart of Midlothian (1818). In 1826 the firm of booksellers, James Ballantyne & Co., in which Scott was a partner, became involved in bankruptcy, and he henceforth worked strenuously and prolifically to pay off his creditors. His influence as a novelist was incalculable: he

the United Kingdom; pop. (1981) 5,130,735; capital, Edinburgh.

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ropolitan Police, situated from 1829 to 1890 in Great Scotland Yard, a short street off Whitehall in London, from then until 1967 in New Scotland Yard on the Thames Embankment, and from 1967 in New Scotland Yard, Broadway, Westminster. 2 the detective department of the London Metropolitan Police force. scotoma /skp'tauma/ n. (pl. scotomata /-mota/) a partial loss of vision or blind spot in an otherwise normal visual field. [LL f. Gk skotoma f. skotod darken f. skotos darkness]

Scott#/skot/, Sir Walter (1771-1832), Scottish novelist and poet,

Scoticism var. of ScorricisM. Scoticize var. of Scorricize. Scotland |/'skotlend/ the northern part of Great Britain and of

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Scotland

Scott? /skot/, Robert Falcon (1868-1912), English polar explorer.

scotch! /skot{/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 put an end to; frustrate (injury

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recession in the 20th c. while the discovery of North Sea oil has led to a boom on the east coast.

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Scotticism established the form of the historical novel which was imitated throughout the 19th c., as was his treatment of rural themes; he influenced the development of the short story. His other works include plays, historical, literary, and antiquarian works, and editions of Swift and Dryden.

Scotticism_

scrape

1303

/'skot1,s1z(s)m/ n. (also Scoticism)

a Scottish

phrase, word, or idiom. [LL Scot(t)icus]

Scotticize /'skot1,sarz/ v. (also Scoticize, -ise) 1 tr. imbue with or model on Scottish ways etc. 2 intr. imitate the Scottish in idiom or habits.

Scottie /'skoti/ n. collog. 1 (also Scottie dog) a Scotch terrier. 2 a Scot.

Scottish /'skot1f/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to Scotland or its inhabitants. —n. (prec. by the; treated as pl.) the people of Scotland (see also Scots). 0 Scottish National Party a political party formed in 1934 by an amalgamation of the National Party of Scotland and the Scottish Party, which seeks autonomous government for Scotland. Scottish Nationalist a member of this party. 00 Scottishness n.

scoundrel /'skaundr(s)l/ n. an unscrupulous villain; a rogue. 00 scoundreldom n. scoundrelism n. scoundrelly adj. [16th c.: orig. unkn.] scour! /'skavo(r)/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 a cleanse or brighten by rubbing, esp. with soap, chemicals, sand, etc. b (usu. foll. by away, off, etc.) clear (rust, stains, reputation, etc.) by rubbing, hard work, etc. (scoured the slur from his name). 2 (of water, or a person with water) clear out (a pipe, channel, etc.) by flushing through. 3 hist. purge (the bowels) drastically. —n. 1 the act or an instance of scouring; the state of being scoured, esp. by a swift water current (the scour of the tide). 2 diarrhoea in cattle. 3 a substance used for scouring. 0 scouring-rush any of various horsetail-plants with a rough siliceous coating used for polishing wood etc. 00 scourer n. [ME f. MDu., MLG schiiren f. F escurer f. LL excurare clean (off) (as EX-!, CURE)] scour? /|'skaua(r)/ v. 1 tr. hasten over (an area etc.) searching thoroughly (scoured the streets for him; scoured the pages of the newspaper). 2 intr. range hastily esp. in search or pursuit. [ME: orig. unkn.]} scourge /sk3:d3/ n. & v. —n. 1 a whip used for punishment, esp. of people. 2 a person or thing seen as punishing, esp. on a large scale (the scourge offamine; Genghis Khan, the scourge of Asia). —v.tr. 1 whip. 2 punish; afflict; oppress. 00 scourger n. [ME f. OF escorge (n.), escorgier (v.) (ult. as Ex-1, L corrigia thong, whip)] Scouse /skaus/ n. & adj. collog. —n. 1 the dialect of Liverpool. 2 (also Scouser /'skausa(r)/) a native of Liverpool. 3 (scouse) = LOBSCOUSE. —adj. of or relating to Liverpool. [abbr. of LOBSCOUSE] scout! /skaut/n. & v. —n. 1a person, esp. a soldier, sent out to get information about the enemy’s position, strength, etc. 2 the act of seeking (esp. military) information (on the scout). 3 =

Scoutmaster /'skavt,ma:sto(r)/ n. a person in charge of a group of Scouts. Scow /|skav/ n. esp. US a flat-bottomed boat used as a lighter etc. [Du. schouw ferry-boat] scowl /skaul/ n. & v. —n. a severe frown producing a sullen, bad-tempered, or threatening look on a person’s face. —v.intr. make a scowl. oO scowler n. [ME, prob. f. Scand.: cf. Da. skule look down or sidelong]

SCPS abbr. (in the UK) Society of Civil and Public Servants. SCR abbr. Brit. Senior Common (or Combination) Room. scr. abbr. scruple(s) (of weight).

scrabble |'skreb(s)l/ v. & n. —v.intr. (often foll. by about, at) scratch or grope to find or collect or hold on to something. —n. 1 an act of scrabbling. 2 (Scrabble) propr. a game in which players build up words from letter-blocks on a board. [MDu. schrabbelen frequent. of schrabben SCRAPE] scrag /skreg/n. & v. —n. 1 (also scrag-end) the inferior end of a neck of mutton. 2 a skinny person or animal. 3 collog. a person’s neck. —v.tr. (scragged, scragging) sl. 1 strangle, hang. 2 seize roughly by the neck. 3 handle roughly; beat up. [perh. alt. f. dial. crag neck, rel. to MDu. craghe, MLG krage] scraggly /'skrzgli/ adj. sparse and irregular. scraggy |'skregi/ adj. (scraggier, scraggiest) thin and bony. Oo scraggily adv. scragginess n.

scram /skrem] v.intr. (scrammed, scramming) (esp. in imper.) collog. go away. [20th c.: perh. f. SCRAMBLE]

scramble /|'skrzmb()l/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. make one’s way over rough ground, rocks, etc., by clambering, crawling, etc. 2 intr. (foll. by for, at) struggle with competitors (for a thing or share of it). 3 intr. move with difficulty, hastily, or anxiously. 4 tr. a mix together indiscriminately. b jumble or muddle. 5 tr. cook (eggs) by heating them when broken and well mixed with butter, milk, etc. 6 tr. change the speech frequency of (a broadcast transmission or telephone conversation) so as to make it unintelligible without a corresponding decoding device. 7 intr. move hastily. 8 tr. collog. execute (an action etc.) awkwardly and inefficiently. 9 intr. (of fighter aircraft or their pilots) take off quickly in an emergency or for action. —n. 1 an act of scrambling. 2 a difficult climb or walk. 3 (foll. by for) an eager struggle or competition. 4 Brit. a motor-cycle race over rough ground. (See MOTO-cROsS.) 5 an emergency take-off by fighter aircraft. 0 scrambled egg collog. gold braid on a military officer’s cap. [16th c. (imit.): cf. dial. synonyms scamble, cramble]

scrambler /'skremblo(r)/ n. a device for scrambling telephone

listen, earlier ascolter ult. f. L auscultare] scout? /skaut/ v.tr. reject (an idea etc.) with scorn. [Scand.: cf. ON skita, skiiti taunt]

conversations. scran /skrzn/ n. sl. 1 food, eatables. 2 remains of food. o bad scran Ir. bad luck. [18th c.: orig. unkn.] scrap! /skrzp/n. & v. —n. 1a small detached piece; a fragment or remnant. 2 rubbish or waste material. 3 an extract or cutting from something written or printed. 4 discarded metal for reprocessing (often attrib.: scrap metal). 5 (with neg.) the smallest piece or amount (not a scrap offood left). 6 (in pl.) a odds and ends. b bits of uneaten food. 7 (in sing. or pl.) a residuum of melted fat or of fish with the oil expressed. —v.tr. (scrapped, scrapping) discard as useless. 0 scrap heap 1apile of scrap materials. 2 a state of uselessness. scrap merchant a dealer in scrap. [ME f. ON skrap, rel. to skrapa SCRAPE] scrap? /skrep/ n. & v. collog. —n. a fight or rough quarrel, esp. a spontaneous one. —v.tr. (scrapped, scrapping) (often foll. by with) have a scrap. 00 scrapper n. [perh. f. SCRAPE]

Scout Association an organization (originally called the Boy

scrapbook /'skrepbuk/ n. a book of blank pages for sticking

Scouts) founded in 1908 by Lord Baden-Powell for helping boys to develop character by training them in open-air activities. Its motto ‘Be Prepared’ reflects the initials of the founder’s name; much of the uniform was adopted from the South African constabulary. The word ‘Boy’ was dropped from the Association’s title in 1967, and its sections (Wolf Cubs, Scouts, and Rover Scouts) were subsequently known as Cub Scouts (8-11 years), Scouts (11-16 years), and Venture Scouts (16-20 years). From 1990 girls were admitted as members. Scouter /'skavto(r)/ n. an adult leader in the Scout Association.

cuttings, drawings, etc., in. scrape /skrerp/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. a move a hard or sharp edge across (a surface), esp. to make something smooth. b apply (a hard or sharp edge) in this way. 2 tr. (foll. by away, off, etc.) remove (a stain, projection, etc.) by scraping. 3 tr. a rub (a

talent-scout. 4 (Scout) a member of the Scout Association (see entry). 5 a college servant, esp. at Oxford University. 6 collog. a person; a fellow. 7 a ship or aircraft designed for reconnoitring, esp. a small fast aircraft. —v. 1 intr. act as a scout. 2 intr. (foll. by about, around) make a search. 3 tr. (often foll. by out) collog. explore to get information about (territory etc.). Oo Queen’s (or King’s) Scout a Scout who has reached the highest standard of proficiency. 00 scouter n. scouting n. [ME f. OF escouter

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surface) harshly against another. b scratch or damage by scraping. 4 tr. make (a hollow) by scraping. 5 a tr. draw or move with a sound of, or resembling, scraping. b intr. emit or produce such a sound. ¢ tr. produce such a sound from. 6intr. (often foll. by along, by, through, etc.) move or pass along while almost touching

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close or surrounding features, obstacles, etc. (the car scraped through the narrow lane). 7 tr. just manage to achieve (a living, an examination pass, etc.). 8 intr. (often foll. by by, through) a barely manage. b pass an examination etc. with difficulty. 9 tr. (foll. by together, up) contrive to bring or provide; amass with difficulty. 10 intr. be economical. 11 intr. draw back a foot in making a clumsy bow. 12 tr. clear (a ship’s bottom) of barnacles etc. 13 tr. completely clear (a plate) of food. 14 tr. (foll. by back) draw (the hair) tightly back off the forehead. —n. 1 the act or sound of scraping. 2 a scraped place (on the skin etc.). 3 a thinly applied layer of butter etc. on bread. 4 the scraping of a foot in bowing. 5 collog. an awkward predicament, esp. resulting from an escapade. 0 scrape acquaintance with contrive to get to know (a person). scrape the barrel collog. be reduced to one’s last resources. [ME f. ON skrapa or MDu. schrapen]

scraper /'skrerpa(r)/ n. a device used for scraping, esp. for removing dirt etc. from a surface. scraperboard /'skrerpo,bo:d/ n. Brit. cardboard or board with a blackened surface which can be scraped off for making whiteline drawings. scrapie |'skrerpi/n. a viral disease of sheep involving the central nervous system and characterized by lack of coordination causing affected animals to rub against trees etc. for support. scraping |'skrerpin/ n. 1 in senses of SCRAPE v. & n. 2 (esp. in pl.) a fragment produced by this. scrappy |'skrzpi/ adj. (scrappier, scrappiest) 1 consisting of scraps. 2 incomplete; carelessly arranged or put together. 00 scrappily adv. scrappiness n.

scrapyard |'skrzpja:d/ n. a place where (esp. metal) scrap is collected. scratch /skret// v., n., & adj. —v. 1 tr. score or mark the surface of with a sharp or pointed object. 2 tr. a make a long narrow superficial wound in (the skin). b cause (a person or part of the body) to be scratched (scratched himself on the table). 3 tr. (also absol.) scrape without marking, esp. with the hand to relieve itching (stood there scratching). 4 tr. make or form by scratching. 5 tr. scribble; write hurriedly or awkwardly (scratched a quick reply; scratched a large A). 6 tr. (foll. by together, up, etc.) obtain (a thing) by scratching or with difficulty. 7 tr. (foll. by out, off, through) cancel or strike (out) with a pencil etc. 8 tr. (also absol.) withdraw (a competitor, candidate, etc.) from a race or competition. 9 intr. (often foll. by about, around, etc.) a scratch the ground etc. in search. b look around haphazardly (they were scratching about for evidence). —n. 1 a mark or wound made by scratching. 2 a sound of scratching. 3 a spell of scratching oneself. 4 collog. a superficial wound. 5 a line from which competitors in a race (esp. those not receiving a handicap) start. 6 (in pl.) a disease of horses in which the pastern appears scratched. 7 sl. money. —attrib.adj. 1 collected by chance. 2 collected or made from whatever is available; heterogeneous (a scratch crew). 3 with no handicap given (a scratch race). O from scratch 1 from the beginning. 2 without help or advantage. scratch along make a living etc. with difficulty. scratch one’s head be perplexed. scratch my back and I will scratch yours 1 do me a favour and I will return it. 2 used in reference to mutual aid or flattery. scratch pad 1 esp. US a pad of paper for scribbling. 2 Computing a small fast memory for the temporary storage of data. scratch the surface deal with a matter only superficially. up to scratch up to the required standard. 00 scratcher n. (ME, prob. f. synonymous ME scrat & cratch, both of uncert. orig.: cf. MLG kratsen, OHG krazzon] scratchings /'skret{1nz/ n.pl. the crisp residue of pork fat left after rendering lard (pork scratchings). scratchy /'skret{i/ adj. (scratchier, scratchiest) 1 tending to make scratches or a scratching noise. 2 (esp. of a garment) tending to cause itchiness. 3 (of a drawing etc.) done in scratches or carelessly. 00 scratchily adv. scratchiness n. scrawl /skro:l/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & intr. write in a hurried untidy way. 2 tr. (foll. by out) cross out by scrawling over. —n. 1a piece of hurried writing. 2 a scrawled note. 00 scrawly adj. [perh. f. obs. scrawl sprawl, alt. of CRAWL] scrawny /'skro:ni/ adj. (scrawnier, scrawniest) lean, scraggy.

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90 scrawniness n. [var. of dial. scranny: cf. archaic scrannel (of sound) weak, feeble] scream |skri:m] n. & v. —n. 1 a loud high-pitched piercing cry ’ expressing fear, pain, extreme fright, etc. 2 the act of emitting a scream. 3 collog. an irresistibly funny occurrence or person. —v. 1 intr. emit a scream. 2 tr. speak or sing (words etc.) in a screaming tone. 3 intr. make or move with a shrill sound like a scream. 4 intr. laugh uncontrollably. 5 intr. be blatantly obvious or conspicuous. 6 intr. collog. turn informer. [OE or MDu.] screamer /'skri:mo(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that screams. 2 any S. American goose-like bird of the family Anhimidae, frequenting marshland and having a characteristic shrill cry. 3 collog. a tale that raises screams of laughter. 4 US collog. a sensational headline. scree /skri:/ n. (in sing. or pl.) 1 small loose stones. 2a mountain slope covered with these. [prob. back-form. f. screes (pl.) ult. f. ON skritha landslip, rel. to skritha glide] screech |skri:t{/ n. & v. —n. a harsh high-pitched scream. —v.tr. & intr. utter with or make a screech. 0 screech-owl any owl that screeches instead of hooting, esp. a barn-owl or a small American owl, Otus asio. 00 screecher n. screechy adj. (screechier, screechiest). [16th-c. var. of ME scritch (imit.)] screed /skri:d/ n. 1 a long usu. tiresome piece of writing or speech. 2 a a strip of plaster or other material placed on a surface as a guide to thickness. b a levelled layer of material (e.g. cement) applied to a floor or other surface. [ME, prob. var. of SHRED] screen /skri:n/n. & v. —n. 1a fixed or movable upright partition for separating, concealing, or sheltering from draughts or excessive heat or light. 2 a thing used as a shelter, esp. from observation. 3 a a measure adopted for concealment. b the protection afforded by this (under the screen of night). 4 a a blank usu. white or silver surface on which a photographic image is projected. b (prec. by the) the cinema industry. 5 the surface of a cathode-ray tube or similar electronic device, esp. of a television, VDU, etc., on which images appear. 6 = sight-screen. 7 = WINDSCREEN. 8 a frame with fine wire netting to keep out flies, mosquitoes, etc. 9 Physics a body intercepting light, heat, electric or magnetic induction, etc., in a physical apparatus. 10 Photog: a piece of ground glass ina camera for focusing. 11 a large sieve or riddle, esp. for sorting grain, coal, etc., into sizes. 12 a system of checking for the presence or absence of a disease, ability, attribute, etc. 13 Printing a transparent finely-ruled plate or film used in half-tone reproduction. 14 Mil. a body of troops, ships, etc., detached to warn of the presence of an enemy force. —v.tr. 1 (often foll. by from) a afford shelter to; hide partly or completely. b protect from detection, censure, etc. 2 (foll. by off) shut off or hide behind a screen. 3 a show (a film etc.) on a screen. b broadcast (a television programme). 4 prevent from causing, or protect from, electrical interference. 5 a test (a person or group) for the presence or absence of a disease. b check on (a person) for the presence or absence of a quality, esp. reliability or loyalty. 6 pass (grain, coal, etc.) through a screen. O screen printing a process like stencilling with ink forced through a prepared sheet of fine material (orig. silk). screen test an audition for a part in a cinema film. 00 screenable adj. screener n. [ME f. ONF escren, escran: cf. OHG skrank barrier] screenings /'skri:n1nz/ n.pl. refuse separated by sifting.

screenplay /'skri:nplei/ n. the script of a film, with acting instructions, scene directions, etc. screenwriter /'skri:nraita(r)/ n. a person screenplay.

who

writes

a

screw /skru:/n. & v. —n. 1 thin cylinder or cone with a spiral ridge or thread running round the outside (male screw) or the inside (female screw). (See below.) 2 (in full wood-screw) a metal male screw with a slotted head and a sharp point for fastening things, esp. in carpentry, by being rotated to form a thread in wood etc. 3 (in full screw-bolt) a metal male screw with a blunt end on which a nut is threaded to bolt things together. 4 a wooden or metal straight screw used to exert pressure. 5 (in sing. or pl.) an instrument of torture acting in this way. 6 (in full screw-propeller) a form of propeller with

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v voice

screwball

twisted blades acting like a screw on the water or air. 7 one turn of a screw. 8 (foll. by of) Brit. a small twisted-up paper (of tobacco etc.). 9 Brit. (in billiards etc.) an oblique curling motion of the ball. 10 sl. a prison warder. 11 Brit. sl. an amount of salary or wages. 12 coarse sl. a an act of sexual intercourse. b a partner in this. / Usually considered a taboo use. 13 sl. a mean or miserly person. 14 sl. a worn-out horse. —v. 1 tr. fasten or tighten with a screw or screws. 2 tr. turn (a screw). 3 intr. twist or turn round like a screw. 4 intr. (of a ball etc.) swerve. 5 tr. a put psychological etc. pressure on to achieve an end. b oppress. 6tr. (foll. by out of) extort (consent, money, etc.) from (a person). 7 tr. (also absol.) coarse sl. have sexual intercourse with. § Usually considered a taboo use. 8 intr. (of a rolling ball, or of a person etc.) take a curling course; swerve. 9 intr. (often foll. by up) make tenser or more efficient. 0 have one’s head screwed on the right way collog. have common sense. have a screw loose collog. be slightly crazy. put the screws on collog. exert pressure, esp. to extort or intimidate. screw cap = screw top. serew-coupling a female screw with threads at both ends for joining lengths of pipes or rods. screw eye a screw with a loop for passing cord etc. through instead of a slotted head. screw gear an endless screw with a cog-wheel or pinion. screw hook a hook to hang things on, with a screw point for fastening it. screw-jack a vehicle jack (see JACK!) worked by a screw device. screw pine any plant of the genus Pandanus, with its leaves arranged spirally and resembling those of a pineapple. screw-plate a steel plate with threaded holes for making male screws. screw-tap a tool for making female screws. screw top (also (with hyphen) attrib.) a cap or lid that can be screwed on to a bottle, jar, etc. screw up 1 contract or contort (one’s face etc.). 2 contract and crush into a tight mass (a piece of paper etc.). 3 summon up (one’s courage etc.). 4 sl. a bungle or mismanage. b spoil or ruin (an event, opportunity, etc.). screw-up n. sl. a bungie, muddle, or mess. screw valve a stopcock opened and shut by a screw. oO screwable adj. screwer n. [ME f. OF escroue female screw, nut, f. L scrofa sow] The principle of the screw was used by the ancient Greeks in a water-raising device (see ARCHIMEDEAN SCREW), and from the 1st c. AD for exerting pressure in wine- and olive-presses. As fasteners, metal screws and nuts appear in the 16thc., turned with a box-wrench; some of those found in 16th-c. armour may have been turned with a pronged device. The metal screw for fixing various materials to wood is described by a German mining-engineer of the mid-16th c., but may have been in use for some time. The screwdriver as a hand-tool appears from c.1800.

screwball |'skru:bo:l/ n. & adj. US sl. —n. a crazy or eccentric person. —adj. crazy.

screwdriver /'skru:,drarva(r)/ n. a tool with a shaped tip to fit into the head of a screw to turn it.

screwed

scrounge

1305

/skru:d/ adj. 1 twisted.

2 sl. a ruined; rendered

ineffective. b drunk. : screwy |'skru:1/ adj. (screwier, screwiest) sl. 1 crazy or eccentric. 2 absurd. 00 screwiness n.

Scriabin var. of SkRYABIN. scribble! /'skrib(e)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & intr. write carelessly or hurriedly. 2 intr. often derog. be an author or writer. 3 intr. & tr. draw carelessly or meaninglessly. —n. 1 a scrawl. 2 a hasty note etc. 3 careless handwriting. 00 seribbler n. scribbly adj. (ME f. med.L scribillare dimin. of L scribere write]

scrimmage /'skrimid3/ n. & v. —n. 1 a rough or confused struggle; a brawl. 2 Amer. Football a sequence of play beginning with the placing of the ball on the ground with its: longest axis at right angles to the goal-line. —v. 1 intr. engage in a scrimmage. 2 tr. Amer. Football put (the ball) into a scrimmage. oo scrimmager n. [var. of SKIRMISH] scrimp /skrimp/ v. 1 intr. be sparing or parsimonious. 2tr. use sparingly. 00 scrimpy adj. [18th c., orig. Sc.: perh. rel. to SHRIMP]

scrimshank /'skrimJzpkj v.intr. Brit. sl. esp. Mil. shirk duty. oo scrimshanker n. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

F

scrimshaw /'skrimJo:/ v. & n. —v.tr. (also absol.) adorn (shells, ivory, etc.) with carved or coloured designs (as sailors’ pastime at sea). —n. work or a piece of work of this kind. [19th c.: perh. f. a surname] scrip /skrip/ n. 1 a provisional certificate of money subscribed to a bank or company etc. entitling the holder to a formal certificate and dividends. 2 (collect.) such certificates. 3 an extra share or shares instead of a dividend. [abbr. of subscription receipt] script /skript/n. & v. —n. 1 handwriting as distinct from print; written characters. 2 type imitating handwriting. 3 an alphabet or system of writing (the Russian script). 4 the text of a play, film, or broadcast. 5 an examinee’s set of written answers. 6 Law an original document as distinct from a copy. —v.tr. write a script for (a film etc.). [ME, = thing written, f. OF escri(p)t f. L scriptum, neut. past part. of scribere write]

scriptorium

/|,skrip'to:rism/

n.

(pl. scriptoria

|-rio/ or

scriptoriums) a room set apart for writing, esp. in a monastery. O0 seriptorial adj. [med.L (as scrirt)]

scriptural /'skriptfor(a)l, -tfuor(a)l/ adj. 1 of or relating to a scripture, esp. the Bible. 2 having the authority of a scripture. 00 scripturally adv. [LL scripturalis f. L scriptura: see SCRIPTURE] scripture /'skriptfa(r)/ n. 1 sacred writings. 2 (Scripture or the Scriptures) the sacred writings of the Christians (the Old and New Testaments) or the Jews (the Old Testament). (See TESTAMENT.) [ME f. L scriptura (as SCRIPT)]

scriptwriter /'skript,raito(r)/ n. a person who writes a script for a film, broadcast, etc. scrivener /'skrivana(r)/ ments. 2 a notary. 3 a scrivein f. OF escrivein ult.

00 scriptwriting n. n. hist. 1 a copyist or drafter of docubroker. 4 a moneylender. [ME f. obs. f. L (as SCRIBE)}

scrobiculate /skro'bikjulat/ adj. Bot. & Zool. pitted, furrowed. [L scrobiculus f. scrobis trench] scrod /skrod/ n. US a young cod or haddock, esp. as food. [19th c.: perh. rel. to SHRED] scrofula /'skrpfjolo/ n. archaic a disease with glandular swellings, prob. a form of tuberculosis. Also called king’s evil. 00 scrofulous adj. [ME f. med.L (sing.) f. LL scrofulae (pl.) scrofulous swelling, dimin. of L scrofa a sow]

scroll /skraul/ n. & v. —n. 1 a roll of parchment or paper esp. with writing on it. 2 a book in the ancient roll form. 3 an ornamental design or carving imitating a roll of parchment. —v. 1 tr. (often foll. by down, up) move (a display on a VDU screen) in order to view new material. 2 tr. inscribe in or like a scroll. 3 intr. curl up like paper. 0 scroll saw a saw for cutting along curved lines in ornamental work. [ME scrowle alt. f. rowle ROLL, perh. after scrow (in the same sense), formed as ESCROW]

scribble? /'skrib(2)l/ v.tr. card (wool, cotton, etc.) coarsely. [prob.

scrolled /skrauld/ adj. having a scroll ornament. scrollwork /'skravlws:k/ n. decoration of spiral lines, esp. as

f. LG: cf. G schrubbeln (in the same sense), frequent. f. LG schrubben: see SCRUB] scribe /skraib/ n. & v. —n. 1 a person who writes out documents, esp. an ancient or medieval copyist of manuscripts. 2 Bibl. an ancient Jewish record-keeper or professional theologian and jurist. 3 (in full scribe-awl) a pointed instrument for making marks on wood, bricks, etc., to guide a saw, or in sign-writing. 4 US collog. a writer, esp. a journalist. —v.tr. mark (wood etc.) with a scribe (see sense 3 of n.). OO scribal adj. scriber n. [(n.) ME f. L scriba f. scribere write: (v.) perh. f. DESCRIBE] scrim /skrim/ n. open-weave fabric for lining or upholstery etc. [18th c.: orig. unkn.]

scrounge /skraond3/ v. & n. collog. —v. 1 tr. (also absol.) obtain (things) illicitly or by cadging. 2 intr. search about to find something at no cost. —n. an act of scrounging. 0 on the scrounge engaged in scrounging. 00 scrounger n. [var. of dial. scrunge steal]

wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

cut bya scroll saw. Scrooge /skru:d3/, Ebenezer. A miserly curmudgeon in Charles Dickens’s novel A Christmas Carol (1843). —n. a mean or miserly person. scrotum |'skrootem/ n. (pl. scrota /-ta/ or scrotums) a pouch of skin containing the testicles. 00 scrotal adj. scrotitis /-'tartis/n.

[L]

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

scrub a

scupper

1306 ee

ae

a

ee

scrub! |skrab/ v. & n. —v. (scrubbed, scrubbing) 1 tr. rub hard so as to clean, esp. with a hard brush. 2 intr. use a brush in this way. 3 intr. (often foll. by up) (of a surgeon etc.) thoroughly clean the hands and arms by scrubbing, before operating. 4 tr. collog. scrap or cancel (a plan, order, etc.). 5 tr. use water to remove impurities from (gas etc.). —n. the act or an instance of scrubbing; the process of being scrubbed. Oo scrubbing-brush (US scrub-brush) a hard brush for scrubbing floors. scrub round collog. circumvent, avoid. [ME prob. f. MLG, MDu. schrobben, schrubben]

scrub? /skrab/ n. 1 a vegetation consisting mainly of brushwood or stunted forest growth. b an area of land covered with this. 2 (of livestock) of inferior breed or physique (often attrib.: scrub horse). 3 a small or dwarf variety (often attrib.: scrub pine). 4 US Sport collog. a team or player not of the first class. o scrub turkey a megapode. scrub typhus arickettsial disease of the W. Pacific transmitted by mites. 00 scrubby adj. [ME, var. of SHRUB}]

scrubber /'skraba(r)/ n. 1 an apparatus using water or a solution for purifying gases etc. 2 sl. derog. a sexually promiscuous woman. scruff! /skraf]/ n. the back of the neck as used to grasp and lift or drag an animal or person by (esp. scruff of the neck). [alt. of scuff, perh. f. ON skoft hair] scruff? /skraf] n. collog. an untidy or scruffy person. [orig. = scurF, later ‘worthless thing’, or back-form. f. SCRUFFY]

scruffy /'skrafi/ adj. (scruffier, scruffiest) collog. shabby, slovenly, untidy. 00 scruffily adv. scruffiness n. [scruff var. of SCURF + -y}] scrum /skram/ n. 1 Rugby Football an arrangement of the forwards of each team in two opposing groups, each with arms interlocked and heads down, with the ball thrown in between them to restart play. 2 colloq. a milling crowd. 0 scrum-half a half-back who puts the ball into the scrum. [abbr. of SCRUMMAGE] scrummage /'skramid3/ n. Rugby Football = SCRUM 1. [as SCRIMMAGE] scrump /skrampj v.tr. Brit. collog. steal (fruit) from an orchard or garden. [cf. scRUMPY] scrumple /|'skramp(s)l/ v.tr. crumple, wrinkle. [var. of CRUMPLE] scrumptious |'skrampfas/ adj. collog. 1 delicious. 2 pleasing, delightful. 00 scrumptiously adv. scrumptiousness n. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] scrumpy /'skrampi/ n. Brit. collog. rough cider, esp. as made in the West Country of England. [dial. scrump small apple] scrunch /skrantf/v. & n. —v.tr. & intr. 1 (usu. foll. by up) make or become crushed or crumpled. 2 make or cause to make a crunching sound. —n. the act or an instance of scrunching. [var. of CRUNCH] scruple /'skru:p(o)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 (in sing. or pl.) a regard to the morality or propriety of an action. b a feeling of doubt or hesitation caused by this. 2 Brit. hist. an apothecaries’ weight of 20 grains. 3 archaic a very small quantity. —v.intr. 1 (foll. by to + infin.; usu. with neg.) be reluctant because of scruples (did not scruple to stop their allowance). 2 feel or be influenced by scruples. [F scrupule or L scrupulus f. scrupus rough pebble, anxiety] scrupulous /'skru:pjulos/ adj. 1 conscientious or thorough even in small matters. 2 careful to avoid doing wrong. 3 punc-

Eee

scuba /'sku:bo, 'skju:-/ n. (pl. scubas) an aqualung. [acronym f. self-contained underwater breathing apparatus]

scuba-diving /'sku:bo,darvin, 'skju:-/ n. swimming underwater “using a scuba, scuba-diver n.

sport.

00

scuba-dive

v.intr.

a single rower. 2 an oar placed over the stern of a boat to propel it, usu. by a twisting motion. 3 (in pl.) a race between boats with single pairs of oars. —v.tr. propel (a boat) with sculls. [ME: orig. unkn.] sculler /'skalo(r)/ n. 1 a user of sculls. 2 a boat intended for sculling. scullery /'skalort/ n. (pl. -ies) a small kitchen or room at the back of a house for washing dishes etc. [ME f. AF squillerie, OF escuelerie f. escuele dish f. L scutella salver dimin. of scutra wooden platter]

scullion /'skaljan/ n. archaic 1 a cook’s boy. 2 a person who washes dishes etc. [ME: orig. unkn.]

sculpin /'skalpin/ n. any of numerous fish of the family Cottidae, native to non-tropical regions, having large spiny neads. [perh. f. obs. scorpene f. L scorpaena f. Gk skorpaina a fish] sculpt /skalpt/ v.tr. & intr. (also sculp) sculpture. [F sculpter f. sculpteur SCULPTOR: now regarded as an abbr.]

sculptor |'skalpto(r)/ n. (fem. sculptress /-tris/) an artist who makes sculptures. [L (as SCULPTURE)] sculpture /'skalptfa(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 the art of making forms, often representational, in the round or in relief by chiselling stone, carving wood, modelling clay, casting metal, etc. 2a work or works of sculpture. 3 Zool. & Bot. raised or sunken markings on a shell etc. —v. 1 fr. represent in or adorn with sculpture. 2 intr. practise sculpture. 00 sculptural adj. sculpturally adv. sculpturesque adj. [ME f. L sculptura f. sculpere sculpt- carve] scum /skam/n. & v. —n. 1a layer of dirt, froth, or impurities etc. forming at the top of liquid, esp. in boiling or fermentation. 2 (foll. by of) the most worthless part of something. 3 collog. a worthless person or group. —v. (scummed, scumming) 1 tr. remove scum from; skim. 2 tr. be or form a scum on. 3intr. (of a liquid) develop scum. oO scummy adj. (scummier, scummniest) adj. [ME f. MLG, MDu. schiim, OHG sciim f. Gmc]

scumble /'skamb(2)l/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 modify (a painting) by applying a thin opaque coat of paint to give a softer or duller effect. 2 modify (a drawing) similarly with light pencilling etc.

—n. 1 material used in scumbling. 2 the effect produced by scumbling. [perh. frequent. of scum v.tr.]

scuncheon

/'skant/(2)n/ n. the inside face of a door-jamb,

window-frame, etc. [ME f. OF escoinson (as Ex-1, COIN)] scunge /skand3/ n. Austral. & NZ collog. 1 dirt, scum. 2 a dirty or disagreeable person. 00 scungy adj. (scungier, scungiest). {perh. f. E dial. scrunge steal: cf. scROUNGE] scunner /'skano(r)/ v. & n. Sc. —v.intr. feel disgust or nausea. —n. 1 a strong dislike (esp. take a scunner at or against). 2 an object of loathing. [14th c.: orig. uncert.] scup /skap/ n. an E. American fish, Stenostomus chrysops, a kind of

ines something, esp. the conduct and result of a ballot.

investigation or examination of details. 3 an official examination of ballot-papers to check their validity or accuracy of counting. [ME f. L scrutinium f. scrutari search f. scruta rubbish: orig. of rag-collectors] scry /skrai/ v.intr. (-ies, -ied) divine by crystal-gazing. 00 scryer n. [shortening f. DESCRY] 3: her

a

sculduggery var. of skULDUGGERY. scull /skal/ n. & v. —n. 1 either of a pair of small oars used by

scrutinize /'skru:ti,natz/ v.tr. (also -ise) look closely at; examine with close scrutiny. 00 scrutinizer n. scrutiny /'skru:tini/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a critical gaze. 2 a close

e bed

as

straight, fast, and lightly; skim along. 2 Naut. run before the wind. —n. 1a spell of scudding. 2a scudding motion. 3 vapoury driving clouds. 4 a driving shower; a gust. 5 wind-blown spray. [perh. alt. of scut, as if to race like a hare] scuff /skaf] v. & n. —v. 1 tr. graze or brush against. 2 tr. mark or wear down (shoes) in this way. 3 intr. walk with dragging feet; shuffle. —n. a mark of scuffing. [imit.] scuffle |'skaf(a)l/ n. & v. —n. a confused struggle or disorderly fight at close quarters. —v.intr. engage in a scuffle. [prob. f. Scand.: cf. Sw. skuffa to push, rel. to SHOVE]

scrupulosus (as SCRUPLE)] scrutineer /,skru:ti'nia(r)/ n. a person who scrutinizes or exam-

a: arm

esp.

scud /skad/ v. & n. —v.intr. (scudded, scudding) 1 fly or run

tilious; over-attentive to details. 00 scrupulosity /-'lpsiti/ n. scrupulously adv. scrupulousness n. [ME f. F scrupuleux or L

z cat

See

porgy. [Narraganset mishcup thick-scaled f. mishe large + cuppi scale] scupper! /'skapa(r)/ n. a hole in a ship’s side to carry off water from the deck. [ME (perh. f. AF) f. OF escopir f. Rmc skuppire (unrecorded) to spit: orig. imit.] j

1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

vo put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

scupper

scupper? /'skpo(r)/ v.tr. Brit. sl. 1 sink (a ship or its crew). 2 defeat or ruin (a plan etc.). 3 kill. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] scurf /sks:f] n. 1 flakes on the surface of the skin, cast off as fresh skin develops below, esp. those of the head; dandruff. 2 any scaly matter on a surface. 00 scurfy adj. [OE, prob. f. ON & earlier OE sceorf, rel. to sceorfan gnaw, sceorfian cut to shreds] scurrilous /'skarilos/ adj. 1 (of a person or language) grossly or indecently abusive. 2 given to or expressed with low humour. 00 scurrility. /-riliti/ n. (pl. -ies). scurrilously adv. scurrilousness n. [F scurrile or L scurrilus f. scurra buffoon] scurry /'skari/v. & n. —v.intr. (-ies, -ied) run or move hurriedly, esp. with short quick steps; scamper. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 the act or sound of scurrying. 2 bustle, haste. 3 a flurry of rain or snow. [abbr. of hurry-scurry redupl. of HURRY] scurvy /'sks:vi/ n. & adj. —n. a disease caused by a danas of vitamin C, characterized by swollen bleeding gums and the opening of previously healed wounds, esp. formerly affecting sailors. —adj. (scurvier, scurviest) paltry, low, mean, dishonourable, contemptible. 0 scurvy grass any cresslike seaside plant of the genus Cochlearia, orig. taken as a cure for scurvy. 00 scurvied adj. scurvily adv. [scurF + -y!: noun sense by assoc. with F scorbut (cf. scoRBUTIC)] scut /skat/ n. a short tail, esp. of a hare, rabbit, or deer. [ME: orig. unkn.: cf. obs. scut short, shorten] scuta pl. of scuTUM. scutage /'skju:tid3/ n. hist. money paid by a feudal landowner instead of personal service. [ME f. med.L scutagium f. L scutum shield]

Scutari! /'sku:tori/ 1 (also Shkodér /'[kouda(r)/ a a province of NW Albania. b its capital city. 2 a lake on the frontier between NW Albania and the republic of Montenegro, Yugoslavia.

Scutari? /sku:'ta:r1/ the former name of Uskiidar, a suburb of Istanbul on the Asian side of the Bosporus. It was the British Army base during the Crimean War; a corner of the barracks was used by Florence Nightingale as a hospital. scutch /skat/ v.tr. dress (fibrous material, esp. retted flax) by beating. oO scutcher n. [OF escouche, escoucher (dial.), escousser, ult. f. Lexcutere excuss- (as Ex-1, quatere shake)]

scutcheon /'skat{(o)n/ n. 1 = ESCUTCHEON. 2 an ornamented brass etc. plate round or over a keyhole. 3 a plate for a name or inscription. [ME f. ESCUTCHEON] scute /skju:t/ n. Zool. etc. = scuTu. [L (as scuTUM)] scutellum /skjo'telom/ n. (pl. scutella /-lo/) Bot. & Zool. a scale, plate, or any shieldlike formation on a plant, insect, bird, etc., esp. one of the horny scales on a bird’s foot. 00 scutellate |'skju:telot/ adj. scutellation /,skju:to'lerf(2)n/ n. [mod.L dimin. of L scutum shield] scutter /'skato(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. collog. scurry. —n. the act or an instance of scuttering. [perh. alt. of scUTTLE7]

scuttle! /'skat(a)l/ n. 1a receptacle for carrying and holding a small supply of coal. 2 Brit. the part of a motor-car body between the windscreen and the bonnet. [ME f. ON skutill, OHG scuzzila f. L scutella dish]

scuttle? /'skat(o)l/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 scurry; hurry along. 2 run away; flee from danger or difficulty. —n. 1 a hurried gait. 2a precipitate flight or departure. [cf. dial. scuddle frequent. of scup]

scuttle? /'skat(a)l/ n. & v. —n. a hole with a lid in a ship’s deck or side. —v.tr. let water into (a ship) to sink it, esp. by opening the seacocks. [ME, perh. f. obs. F escoutille f. Sp. escotilla hatchway dimin. of escota cutting out cloth} scuttlebutt /'skat(o)l,bat/ n. 1 a water-butt on the deck of a ship, for drinking from. 2 collog. rumour, gossip. scutum /'skju:tom/ n. (pl. scuta /-to/) each of the shieldlike plates or scales forming the bony covering of a crocodile, sturgeon, turtle, armadillo, etc. 00 scutal adj. scutate adj. [L, = oblong shield]

Scylla /'stlo/ Gk Mythol. a female sea-monster who devoured men from ships when they tried to navigate the narrow channel between her cave and the whirlpool Charybdis. Later legend substituted a dangerous rock for the monster and located it on the Italian side of the Strait of Messina.

av how

er day

sea

1307

ou no

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

va poor

scyphozoan /)saifa'zoven/ n. & adj. —n. any marine jellyfish of the class Scyphozoa, with tentacles bearing stinging cells. —adj. of or relating to this class. [as scypHus + Gk zdion animal] scyphus /'sarfos/ n. (pl. scyphi |-fai/) 1 Gk Antiq. a footless drinking-cup with two handles below the level of the rim. 2 Bot. a cup-shaped part as in a narcissus flower or in lichens. 00 scyphose adj. [mod.L f. Gk skuphos] scythe /said/ n. & v. —n. a mowing and reaping implement with a long curved blade swung over the ground by a long pole with two short handles projecting from it. —v.tr. cut with a scythe. [OE sithe f. Gmc] os

Scythia /'s1d10/ the name given by the ancient Greeks to a country on the north shore of the Black Sea. Its inhabitants were an Indo-European people of Central Asian origin, skilful horsemen and craftsmen, known for their distinctive ‘animal style’ art. They were eventually absorbed by the Goths and other immigrants during the 3rd and 2ndc. Bc. 00 Scythian adj. &n. SD abbr. US South Dakota (in official postal use).

S.Dak. abbr, South Dakota. SDI abbr. Strategic Defence Initiative. SDLP abbr. Social Democratic and Labour Party, a political party in Northern Ireland, founded in 1970.

SDP abbr. hist. (in the UK) Social Democratic Party. SDR abbr. special drawing right (from the International Monetary Fund).

SE abbr. 1 south-east. 2 south-eastern. Se symb. Chem. the element selenium. se- /so, st/ prefix apart, without (seclude; secure). [L f. OL se (prep. & adv.)]

SEA abbr. Single European Act (see sINGLE). sea |si:/ n. 1 the expanse of salt water that covers most of the earth’s surface and surrounds its land masses. 2 any part of this as opposed to land or fresh water. 3 a particular (usu. named) tract of salt water partly or wholly enclosed by land (the North Sea; the Dead Sea). 4 a large inland lake (the Sea of Galilee). 5 the waves of the sea, esp. with reference to their local motion or state (a choppy sea). 6 (foll. by of) a vast quantity or expanse (a sea of troubles; a sea of faces). 7 (attrib.) living or used in, on, or near the sea (often prefixed to the name of a marine animal, plant, etc., having a superficial resemblance to what it is named after) (sea lettuce). 0 at sea 1 in a ship on the sea. 2 (also all at sea) perplexed, confused. by sea in a ship or ships. go to sea become a sailor. on the sea 1 ina ship at sea. 2 situated on the coast. put (or put out) to sea leave land or port. sea anchor a device such as a heavy bag dragged in the water to retard the drifting of a ship. sea anemone any of various coelenterates of the order Actiniaria having a polypoid body bearing a ring of tentacles around the mouth. sea-angel an angel-fish. sea bass any of various marine fishes like the bass, esp. Centropristis striatus. sea bird a bird frequenting the sea or the land near the sea. sea bream = porGy. sea breeze a breeze blowing towards the land from the sea, esp. during the day (cf. land breeze). sea buckthorn a maritime shrub, Hippophaé rhamnoides with orange berries. sea change a notable or unexpected transformation (with ref. to Shakesp. Tempest 1. ii. 403). sea-chest a sailor's storage-chest. sea coal archaic mineral coal, as distinct from charcoal etc. sea cow 1 a sirenian. 2 a walrus. sea cucumber a holothurian, esp. a béche-de-mer. sea dog an old or experienced sailor. Sea Dyak see IBAN. sea eagle any fish-eating eagle esp. of the genus Haliaétus. sea-ear = ORMER. sea elephant any large seal of the genus Mirounga, the male of which has a proboscis: also called elephant seal. sea fan any colonial coral of the order Gorgonacea supported by a fanlike horny skeleton. sea front the part of a coastal town directly facing the sea. sea-girt literary surrounded by sea. sea gooseberry any marine animal of the phylum Ctenophora, with an ovoid body bearing numerous cilia. sea-green bluish-green (as of the sea). sea hare any of various marine molluscs of the order Anaspidea, having an internal shell and long extensions from its foot. sea holly a spiny-leaved blue-flowered evergreen plant, Eryngium maritimum. sea horse 1 any of various small upright marine fish of the

ato fire

aua sour

(see over for consonants)

seabed

search

1308

family Syngnathidae, esp. Hippocampus hippocampus, having a body suggestive of the head and neck of a horse. 2 a mythical creature with a horse’s head and a tail that can be wrapped round a support. sea-island cotton a fine-quality long-stapled cotton grown on islands off the southern US. sea lavender any maritime plant of the genus Limonium, with small brightlycoloured funnel-shaped flowers. sea legs the ability to keep one’s balance and avoid seasickness when at sea. sea level the mean level of the sea’s surface, used in reckoning the height of hills etc. and as a barometric standard. sea lily any of various sessile echinoderms, esp. of the class Crinoidea, with long jointed stalks and feather-like arms for trapping food. sea lion any large, eared seal of the Pacific, esp. of the genus Zalophus or Otaria. sea loch = LOCH 2. Sea Lord (in the UK) a naval member of the Admiralty Board. sea mile = nautical mile. sea mouse any iridescent marine annelid of the genus Aphrodite. sea onion = SQUILL 2. sea otter a Pacific otter, Enhydra lutris, using a stone balanced on its abdomen to crack bivalve molluscs. sea pink a maritime plant, Armeria maritima, with bright pink flowers: also called THRIFT. sea purse the egg-case of a skate or shark. sea room clear space at sea for a ship to turn or manoeuvre in. sea salt salt produced by evaporating sea water. Sea Scout a member of the maritime branch of the Scout Association. sea serpent (or snake) 1 a snake of the family Hydrophidae, living in the sea. 2 an enormous legendary serpent-like sea monster. sea shell the shell of a salt-water mollusc. sea snail 1 a small slimy fish of the family Liparididae, with a ventral sucker. 2 any spiral-shelled mollusc, e.g. a whelk. sea squirt any marine turnicate of the class Ascidiacea, consisting of a bag-like structure with apertures for the flow of water. sea trout = salmon trout. sea urchin a small marine echinoderm of the class Echinoidea, with a spherical or flattened spiny shell. sea wall a wall or embankment erected to prevent encroachment by the sea. sea water water in or taken from the sea. [OE sz f. Gmc]

orders orders for procedure not to be opened before a specified time. sealing-wax a mixture of shellac and rosin with turpentine and pigment, softened by heating and used to make * seals. seal ring a finger ring with a seal. seals of office (in the UK) those held during tenure esp. by the Lord Chancellor or a Secretary of State. set one’s seal to (or on) authorize or confirm.

00 sealable adj. [ME f. AF seal, OF seel f. L sigillum dimin. of signum SIGN] seal? /si:l/ n. & v. —n. any fish-eating amphibious sea mammal of the family Phocidae or Otariidae, with flippers and webbed feet. —v.intr. hunt for seals. [OE seolh seol- f. Gmc] sealant /'si:lont/ n. material for sealing, esp. to make something airtight or watertight. sealer /'si:lo(r)/ n. a ship or person engaged in hunting seals.

sealery /'si:lori/ n. (pl. -ies) a place for hunting seals. sealskin /'si:lskin/ n. 1 the skin or prepared fur of a seal. 2

(often attrib.) a garment made from this.

Sealyham /'si:lrom/ 1. (in full Sealyham terrier) 1 a terrier of a wire-haired short-legged breed. 2 this breed. [Sealyham in S. Wales] seam /|si:m/n. & v. —n. 1a line where two edges join, esp. of two pieces of cloth etc. turned back and stitched together, or of boards fitted edge to edge. 2 a fissure between parallel edges. 3 a wrinkle or scar. 4 a stratum of coal etc. —v.tr. 1 join with a seam. 2 (esp. as seamed adj.) mark or score with or as with a seam. O bursting at the seams full to overflowing. seam bowler Cricket a bowler who makes the ball deviate by bouncing off its seam. 00 seamer n. seamless adj. [OE séam f. Gmc] seaman /'si:mon/ n. (pl. -men) 1 a sailor, esp. one below the rank of officer. 2 a person regarded in terms of skill in navigation (a poor seaman). 00 seamanlike adj. seamanly adj. [OE s#man (as SEA, MAN)]

seamanship /'si:monfip/ n. skill in managing a ship or boat.

seabed |'si:bed/ n. the ground under the sea; the ocean floor. seaboard |'si:bo:d/ n. 1 the seashore or coastal region. 2 the

seamstress

line of a coast. seaborne /'si:bo:n/ adj. transported by sea. seacock /'si:kok/ n. a valve below a ship’s water-line for letting water in or out. seafarer /'si:feora(r)/ n. 1 a sailor. 2 a traveller by sea.

seafaring |'si:feormn/ adj. & n. travelling by sea, esp. regularly. seafood /'si:fu:d/ n. edible sea fish or shellfish. seagoing |'si:gau1n/ adj. 1 (of ships) fit for crossing the sea. 2 (of a person) seafaring.

seagull |'si:gal/n. = GuLL!. seakale /'si:kerl/ n. a cruciferous maritime plant, Crambe mari-

who encroached on the Levant and Egypt by land and by sea in the late 13th c. Their identity is still being debated. In the Levant they are associated with destruction; the Egyptians were successful in driving them away. Some, including the Philistines, settled in Palestine. seaplane /'si:plem/ n. an aircraft designed to take off from and land and float on water, using floats instead of an undercarriage. It differs from aflying boat in that its hull does not support it in the water. seaport /'si:po:t/ n. a town with a harbour for seagoing ships.

seal! /si:l/ n. & v. —n. 1a piece of wax, lead, paper, etc., with a stamped design, attached to a document as a guarantee of authenticity. 2 a similar material attached to a receptacle, envelope, etc., affording security by having to be broken to allow access to the contents. 3 an engraved piece of metal, gemstone, etc., for stamping a design on a seal. 4 a a substance or device used to close an aperture or act as a fastening. b an amount of water standing in the trap of a drain to prevent foul air from rising. 5 an act or gesture or event regarded as a confirmation or guarantee. 6 a significant or prophetic mark (has the seal of death in his face). 7 a decorative adhesive stamp. 8 esp. Eccl. a vow of secrecy; an obligation to silence. —v.tr. 1 close securely or hermetically. 2 stamp or fasten with a seal. 3 fix a seal to. 4 certify as correct with a seal or stamp. 5 (often foll. by up) confine or fasten securely. 6 settle or decide (their fate is sealed). 7 (foll. by off) put barriers round (an area) to prevent entry and exit, esp. as a security measure. 8 apply a non-porous coating to (a surface) to make it impervious. 0 Great Seal (in the UK) the seal in the charge of the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper used in sealing important State papers. one’s lips are sealed one is obliged to keep a secret. sealed-beam (attrib.) designating a vehicle headlamp with a sealed unit consisting of the light source, reflector, and lens. sealed book see BooK. sealed

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who

Sea Peoples (also) Peoples of the Sea groups of invaders

tima, having coarsely-toothed leaves and used as a vegetable. o seakale beet = CHARD.

b but

/'semstris/ n. (also sempstress) a woman

sews, esp. professionally; a needlewoman. [OE séamestre fem. f. séamere tailor, formed as SEAM + -STER + -ESS}] seamy /'si:m1/ adj. (seamier, seamiest) 1 marked with or showing seams. 2 unpleasant, disreputable (esp. the seamy side). o0 seaminess n. Seanad /'Jznod/n. the upper House of Parliament in the Republic of Ireland, composed of 60 members, of whom 11 are nominated by the Taoiseach and 49 are elected by institutions etc. [Ir., = senate] seance |'serds/ n. (also séance) a meeting at which spiritualists attempt to make contact with the dead. [F séance f. OF seoir f. L sedére sit]

SEAQ

abbr. Stock Exchange Automated

Quotations

(com-

puterized access to share information).

seaquake |'si:kwerk/ n. an earthquake under the sea. sear /sio(r)/ v. & adj. —v.tr. 1 a scorch, esp. with a hot iron; cauterize, brand. b (as searing adj.) scorching, burning (searing pain). 2 cause pain or great anguish to. 3 brown (meat) quickly at a high temperature so that it will retain its juices in cooking. 4 make (one’s conscience, feelings, etc.) callous. 5 archaic blast, wither. —adj. (also sere) literary (esp. of a plant etc.) withered, dried up. [OE séar (adj.), séarian (v.), f. Gmc] search |ss:tf/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. look through or go over thoroughly to find something. 2 tr. examine or feel over (aperson) to find anything concealed. 3 tr. a probe or penetrate into. b examine or question (one’s mind, conscience, etc.) thoroughly.

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v voice

searchlight

4 intr. (often foll. by for) make a search or investigation. 5 intr. (as searching adj.) (of an examination) thorough; leaving no loopholes. 6 tr. (foll. by out) look probingly for; seek out. —n. 1 an act of searching. 2 an investigation. 0 in search of trying to find. right of search a belligerent’s right to stop a neutral vessel and search it for prohibited goods. search me! collog. I do not know. search-party a group of people organized to look for a lost person or thing. search warrant an official authorization to enter and search a building. 00 searchable adj. searcher n. searchingly adv. [ME f. AF sercher, OF cerchier f. LL circare go round (as CIRCUs)]

searchlight /'ss:tflait/ n. 1 a powerful outdoor electric light with a concentrated beam that can be turned in any direction. 2 the light or beam from this. ; seascape |'si:skerp/ n. a picture or view of the sea. seashore /'si:{9:(r)/ n. 1 land close to or bordering on the sea. 2 Law the area between high and low water marks.

seasick /'si:stk/ adj. suffering from sickness or nausea from the motion of a ship at sea. 00 seasickness n.

season /'si:z(2)n/ n. & v. —n. 1 each of the four divisions of the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) associated with a type of weather and a stage of vegetation. 2 a time of year characterized by climatic or other features (the dry season). 3 a the time of year when a plant is mature or flowering etc. b the time of year when an animal breeds or is hunted. 4 a proper or suitable time. 5 a time when something is plentiful or active or in vogue. 6 (usu. prec. by the) = high season. 7 the time of year regularly devoted to an activity (the football season). 8 the time of year dedicated to social life generally (went up to London for the season). 9 a period of indefinite or varying length. 10 Brit. collog. = season ticket. —v. 1 tr. flavour (food) with salt, herbs, etc. 2 tr. enhance with wit, excitement, etc. 3 tr. temper or moderate. 4 tr. & intr. a make or become suitable or in the desired condition, esp. by exposure to the air or weather; mature. b make or become experienced or accustomed (seasoned soldiers). 0 in season 1 (of foodstuff) available in plenty and in good condition. 2 (of an animal) on heat. 3 timely. season ticket a ticket entitling the holder to any number of journeys, admittances, etc., in a given period. 00 seasoner n. [ME f. OF seson f. L satio -onis (in Rmc sense ‘seed-time’) f. serere sat- sow] seasonable /'si:zaneb(a)l/ adj. 1 suitable to or usual in the season. 2 opportune. 3 meeting the needs of the occasion. 00 seasonableness n. seasonably adv. seasonal |'si:zon(9)l/ adj. of, depending on, or varying with the season. O seasonal affective disorder a depressive state associated with late autumn and winter and thought to be caused by a lack of light. 00 seasonality /-'nzliti/ n. seasonally adv. seasoning |'si:zonin/ n. condiments added to food. seat /si:t/ n. & v. —n. 1 a thing made or used for sitting on; a chair, stool, saddle, etc. 2 the buttocks. 3 the part of the trousers etc. covering the buttocks. 4 the part of a chair etc. on which the sitter’s weight directly rests. 5 a place for one person in a theatre, vehicle, etc. 6 the occupation of a seat. 7 esp. Brit. a the right to occupy a seat, esp. as a Member of the House of Commons. b a member’s constituency. 8 the part of a machine that supports or guides another part. 9 a site or location of something specified (a seat of learning; the seat of the emotions). 10 a country mansion, esp. with large grounds. 11 the manner of sitting on a horse etc. —v.tr. 1 cause to sit. 2 a provide sitting accommodation for (the cinema seats 500). b provide with seats. 3 (as seated adj.) sitting. 4 put or fit in position. 0 be seated sit down. by the seat of one’s pants collog. by instinct rather than logic or knowledge. seat-belt a belt securing a person.in the seat of a car or aircraft. take a (or one’s) seat sit down. 00 seatless adj. [ME f. ON seti (= OE gesete f. Gmc)} -seater |'si:ta(r)/ n. (in comb.) having a specified number of seats (a 16-seater bus). seating /'si:trn/n. 1 seats collectively. 2 sitting accommodation.

SEATO /'si:tou/ abbr. South-East Asia Treaty Organization. Seattle js:'zt(a)l/ a port and industrial city in the State of z zoo

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Washington,

(1982) 490,000.

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the largest city in the north-western

US; pop.

seaward |'si:wad/ adv., adj., & n. —adv. (also seawards) towards the sea. —adj. going or facing towards the sea. —n. such a direction or position. seaway /'si:wei/n. 1 an inland waterway open to seagoing ships. 2 ship’s progress. 3 a ship’s path across the sea.

seaweed |'si:wi:d/ n. any of various algae growing in the sea or on the rocks on a shore. seaworthy /'si:,w3:61/ adj. (esp. of a ship) fit to put to sea. oo seaworthiness n. ~ sebaceous /|s1'berfas/ adj. fatty; of or relating to tallow or fat. o sebaceous gland (or follicle or duct) a gland etc. secreting or conveying oily matter to lubricate the skin and hair. [L sebaceus f. sebum tallow]

Sebastian /si'bestron/, St (late 3rd c.), Roman martyr. According to legend he was sentenced by Diocletian to be shot by archers but recovered, confronted the Emperor, and was clubbed to death. Feast day, 20 Jan.

Sebastopol

seaside |'si:said/ n. the sea-coast, esp. as a holiday resort.

wwe

second

1309

/si'bestop(s)l/ (Russian

Sevastopol “/st'vz-/) a

Soviet fortress and naval base in the Crimea; pop. (est. 1987) 350,000. It was the focal point of military operations during the Crimean War, falling eventually to Anglo-French forces in September 1855 after year-long siege.

seborrhoea |,seba'r1a/ n. (US seborrhea) excessive discharge of sebum from the sebaceous glands. 00 seborrhoeic adj. [sEBUM after gonorrhoea etc.] sebum /'si:bom/ n. the oily secretion of the sebaceous glands. [mod.L f. L sebum grease]

Sec. abbr. secretary. sec |sek/ adj. (of wine) dry. [F f. L siccus]

sec! abbr. secant. sec? /sek/ n. collog. (in phrases) a second (of time). [abbr.] sec. abbr. second(s). secant /'si:kont, 'se-/ adj. & n. Math. —adj. cutting (secant line). —n. 1a line cutting a curve at one or more points. 2 the ratio of the hypotenuse to the shorter:side adjacent to an acute angle (in a right-angled triangle). { Abbr.: sec. [F sécant(e) f. L secare secant- cut] secateurs /|seko't3:z/ n.pl. esp. Brit. a pair of pruning clippers for use with one hand. [F sécateur cutter, irreg. f. L secare cut] secco /'sekou/ n. the technique of painting on dry plaster with pigments mixed in water. [It., = dry, f. L siccus] secede /s1'si:d/ v.intr. (usu. foll. by from) withdraw formally from membership of a political federation or a religious body. o0 seceder n. [L secedere secess- (as SE-, cedere go)] secession /st'se{(s)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of seceding. 2 (Secession) hist. the withdrawal of eleven southern States from the US Union in 1860, leading to the Civil War. 00 secessional adj. secessionism n. secessionist n. [F sécession or L secessio (as SECEDE)}

Sechuana var. of SETSWwANA. seclude /si'klu:d/ v.tr. (also refl.) 1 keep (a person or place) retired or away from company. 2 (esp. as secluded adj.) hide or screen from view. [ME f. L secludere seclus- (as sE-, claudere shut)]

seclusion /s1'klu;3(2)n/n. 1 a secluded state; retirement, privacy. 2a secluded place. 00 seclusionist n. seclusive |-stv/ adj. [med.L seclusio (as SECLUDE)]

second! |'sekond/ n., adj., & v. —n. 1 the position in a sequence corresponding to that of the number 2 in the sequence 1-2. 2 something occupying this position. 3 the second person etc. in a race or competition. 4 Mus. a an interval or chord spanning two consecutive notes in the diatonic scale (e.g. C to D). b a note separated from another by this interval. 5 = second gear. 6 another person or thing in addition to one previously mentioned or considered (the policeman was then joined by a second). 7 (in pl.) a goods of a second or inferior quality. b coarse flour, or bread made from it. 8 (in pl.) collog. a a second helping of food at a meal. b the second course ofa meal. 9 an attendant assisting a combatant in a duel, boxing-match, etc. 10 a a place in the second class of an examination. b a person having this. —adj. tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

second

secretion

1310 ee ee

1 that is the second; next after first. 2 additional, further; other besides one previously mentioned or considered (ate a second cake). 3 subordinate in position or importance etc.; inferior. 4 Mus. performing a lower or subordinate part (second violins). 5 such as to be comparable to; closely reminiscent of (a second Callas). —v.tr. 1 supplement, support; back up. 2 formally support or endorse (a nomination or resolution etc., or its proposer). 0 at second hand by hearsay, not direct observation etc. in the second place as a second consideration etc. second advent a supposed return of Christ to earth. second ballot a deciding ballot between candidates coming first (without an absolute majority) and second in a previous ballot. second-best adj. next after best. —n.a less adequate or desirable alternative. second cause Logic a cause that is itself caused. second chamber the upper house of a bicameral parliament. second class the second-best group or category, esp. of hotel or train accommodation or (in the UK) of postal services. second-class adj. 1 of or belonging to the second class. 2 inferior in quality, status, etc. (second-class citizens). —adv. by second-class post, train, etc. (travelled second-class), second coming Theol. the second advent of Christ on earth. second cousin see COUSIN. second-degree Med. denoting burns that cause blistering but not permanent

scars. second fiddle see FIDDLE. second floor 1 Brit. the floor two levels above the ground floor. 2-US the floor above the ground floor. second gear the second (and next to lowest) in a sequence of gears. second-generation denoting the offspring of a first generation, esp. of immigrants. second-guess collog. 1 anticipate or predict by guesswork. 2 judge or criticize with hindsight. second honeymoon aholiday like a honeymoon, taken by a couple after some years of marriage. second in command the officer next in rank to the commanding or chief officer. second lieutenant an army officer next below lieutenant or US first lieutenant. second name a surname. second nature (often foll. by to) an acquired tendency that has become instinctive (is second nature to him). second officer an assistant mate on a merchant ship. second person Gram. see PERSON. second-rate of mediocre quality; inferior. second-rater a person or thing that is second-rate. second reading a second presentation of a bill to a legislative assembly, in the UK to approve its general principles and in the US to debate committee reports. second self a close friend or associate. second sight the supposed power of being able to perceive future or distant events. second-sighted having the gift of second sight. second string an alternative course of action, means of livelihood, etc.,

invoked if the main one is unsuccessful. second teeth the teeth that replace the milk teeth in a mammal. second thoughts a new opinion or resolution reached after further consideration. second to none surpassed by no other. second wind 1 recovery of the power of normal breathing during exercise after initial breathlessness. 2 renewed energy to continue an effort. Second World War see WORLD WAR. 00 seconder n. (esp. in sense 2 of v.). [ME f. OF f. L secundus f. sequi follow] second? /'sekond/ n. 1 a sixtieth of a minute of time or angular distance. {| Symb.: ”. 2 the SI unit of time, established in 1967 for international use, the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation of a certain transition of the caesium-133 atom. Originally the second was defined as the fraction 1/86,400 of the mean solar day, exact definition of which was left to astronomers, but this was shown to be insufficiently accurate on account of irregularities in the rotation of the Earth. §] Abbr.: s. 3 collog. a very short time (wait a second). 0 second-hand an extra hand in some watches and clocks, recording seconds. [F f. med.L secunda (minuta) secondary (minute)] second? /si'kond/ v.tr. Brit. transfer (a military officer or other official or worker) temporarily to other employment or to another position. 00 secondment n. [F en second in the second rank (of officers)]

secondary /'sekondori/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 coming after or next below what is primary. 2 derived from or depending on or supplementing what is primary. 3 (of education, a school, etc.) for those who have had primary education, usu. from 11 to 18 years. 4 Electr. a (ofa cell or battery) having a reversible chemical reaction and therefore able to store energy. b denoting a device x cat

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using electromagnetic induction, esp. a transformer. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a secondary thing. 2 a secondary device or current. 0 secondary colour the result of mixing two primary colours. secondary feather a feather growing from the second joint of a bird’s wing. secondary picketing the picketing of premises of a firm not otherwise involved in the dispute in question. secondary planet a satellite of a planet (cf. primary planet). secondary sexual characteristics those distinctive of one sex but not directly related to reproduction. 00 secondarily adv. secondariness n. [ME f. L secundarius (as SECOND?)} seconde |so'k3d/ n. Fencing the second of eight parrying positions. [F, fem. of second sEcOND']

second-hand /|,sekond'hend| adj. & adv. —adj. [also 'sek-/ 1a (of goods) having had a previous owner; not new. b (of a shop etc.) where such goods can be bought. 2 (of information etc.) accepted on another’s authority and not from original investigation. —adv. 1 on a second-hand basis. 2 at second hand; not directly. secondly /'sekandli/ adv. 1 furthermore; in the second place. 2 as a second item. secondo |si'kpndou/ n. (pl. secondi /-dt1/) Mus. the second or lower part in a duet etc. [It.] secrecy /'si:krisi/n. 1 the keeping of secrets as a fact, habit, or faculty. 2 a state in which all information is withheld (was done in great secrecy). O sworn to secrecy having promised to keep a secret. [ME f. secretie f. obs. secre (adj.) or SECRET adj.] secret /'si:krit/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 kept or meant to be kept private, unknown, or hidden from all or all but a few. 2 acting or operating secretly. 3 fond of, prone to, or able to preserve secrecy. 4 (of a place) hidden, completely secluded. —n. 1a

thing kept or meant to be kept secret. 2 a thing known only to a few. 3 a mystery. 4 a valid but not commonly known or recognized method of achieving or maintaining something (what's their secret?; correct breathing is the secret of good health). 5 RC Ch. a prayer concluding the offertory of the mass. 0 in secret secretly. in (or in on) the secret among the number of those

who know it. keep a secret acting for a country. secret cast in secret. secret police for political purposes. secret concerned with espionage.

not reveal it. secret agent a spy ballot a ballot in which votes are a police force operating in secret service a government department secret society a society whose members are sworn to secrecy about it. 00 secretly adv. [ME f. OF f. L secretus (adj.) separate, set apart f. secernere secret- (as SE-, cernere sift)] secretaire /,sekri'tea(r)/ n. an escritoire. [F (as SECRETARY)] secretariat |,sekro'teoriat/ n. 1 a permanent administrative office or department, esp. a governmental one. 2 its members or premises. 3 the office of secretary. [F secrétariat f. med.L secretariatus (aS SECRETARY)] secretary /'sekritort, 'sekrotri/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a person employed by an individual or in an office etc. to assist with correspondence, keep records, make appointments, etc. 2 an official appointed by a society etc. to conduct its correspondence, keep its records, etc. 3 (in the UK) the principal assistant of a government minister, ambassador, etc. 0 secretary bird a longlegged snake-eating African bird, Sagittarius serpentarius, with a crest likened to a quill pen stuck over a writer's ear. Secretary-General the principal administrator of an organization. Secretary of State 1 (in the UK) the head of a major government department. The title occurs first during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I; it probably indicates the beginning of the development by which the monarch’s secretary (sense 1 above) became a minister invested with governing functions. 2 (in the US) the chief government official responsible for foreign affairs. 00 secretarial /-'tearral/ adj. secretaryship n. [ME f. LL secretarius (as SECRET)] secrete! |si'kri:t/ v.tr. Biol. (of a cell, organ, etc.) produce by secretion. OO secretor n. secretory adj. [back-form. f. SECRETION] secrete? /si'kri:t/ v.tr. conceal; put into hiding. [obs. secret (v.) f. SECRET] secretion /si'kri:{(2)n/n. 1 Biol. aa process by which substances i: see

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secretive are produced and discharged from a cell for a function in the organism or for excretion. b the secreted substance. 2 the act or an instance of concealing (the secretion of stolen goods). [F sécretion or L secretio separation (as SECRET) secretive /'si:kritrv/ adj. inclined to make or keep secrets; uncommunicative. 00 secretively adv. secretiveness n. [backform. f. secretiveness after F secrétivité (as SECRET)] sect /sekt/ n. 1 a a body of people subscribing to religious doctrines usu. different from those of an established Church

from which they have separated. b usu. derog. a nonconformist or other Church. ¢ a party or faction in a religious body. da religious denomination. 2 the followers of a particular philosopher or philosophy, or school of thought in politics etc. [ME f. OF secte or L secta f. the stem of sequi secut- follow] : sect. abbr. section. sectarian /sek'teorton/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or concerning a sect. 2 bigoted or narrow-minded in following the doctrines of one’s sect. —n. 1 a member of a sect. 2 a bigot. oo sectarianism n. sectarianize v.tr. (also -ise). [SECTARY] sectary /'sektori/ n. (pl. -ies) a member ofa religious or political sect. [med.L sectarius adherent (as sECT)] : section /'sek/(o)n/ n. & v. —n. 1 part cut off or separated from something. 2 each of the parts into which a thing is divided (actually or conceptually) or divisible or out of which a structure can be fitted together. 3 a distinct group or subdivision of a larger body of people (the wind section of an orchestra). 4 a subdivision of a book, document, statute, etc. 5 US a an area of land. b one square mile of land. ¢ a particular district of a town (residential section). 6 a subdivision of an army platoon. 7 esp. Surgery a separation by cutting. 8 Biol. a thin slice of tissue etc., cut off for microscopic examination. 9 a the cutting of a solid by or along a plane. b the resulting figure or the area of this. 10 a representation of the internal structure of something as if cut across along a vertical or horizontal plane. 11 Biol. a group, esp. a subgenus. —v.tr. 1 arrange in or divide into sections. 2 Brit. cause (a person) to be compulsorily committed to a psychiatric hospital in accordance with a section of a mental health act. 3 Biol. cut into thin slices for microscopic examination. 0 section-mark the sign (§) used as a reference mark to indicate the start of a section of a book etc. [F section orLsectio f. secare sect- cut]

sectional /'sekfon(a)l/ adj. 1 a relating to a section, esp. of a community. b partisan. 2 made in sections. 3 local rather than general. 00 sectionalism n. sectionalist n. & adj. sectionalize v.tr. (also -ise). sectionally adv. sector /'sekto(r)/ 1. 1 a distinct part or branch of an enterprise, or of society, the economy, etc. 2 Mil. a subdivision of an area for military operations, controlled by one commander or headquarters. 3 the plane figure enclosed by two radii of a circle, ellipse, etc., and the arc between them. 4 a mathematical instrument consisting of two arms hinged at one end and marked with sines, tangents, etc., for making diagrams etc. 00 sectoral adj. [LL, techn. use of L sector cutter (as SECTION)]

sectorial /sek'to:riol/ adj. 1 of or like a sector or sectors. 2 = CARNASSIAL. secular |'sekjula(r)/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 concerned with the affairs of this world; not spiritual or sacred. 2 (of education etc.) not

concerned with religion or religious belief. 3 a not ecclesiastical or monastic. b (of clergy) not bound bya religious rule. 4 occurring once in an age or century. 5 lasting for or occurring over an indefinitely long time. —n. a secular priest. 0 secular variation Astron. variation compensated over a long period of time. oo secularism n. secularist n. secularity /|-'leriti/ n. secularize v.tr. (also -ise). secularization /-'ze1f(a)n/ 1. secularly adv. [ME (in senses 1-3 f. OF seculer) f. L saecularis f.

saeculum generation, age] secund /si'kand/ adj. Bot. arranged on one side only (as the flowers of lily of the valley). 00 secundly adv. [L secundus (as SECOND)] secure /si'kjoa(r)/ adj. & v. —adj. 1 untroubled by danger or fear. 2 safe against attack: impregnable. 3 reliable; certain not to fail (the plan is secure). 4 fixed or fastened so as not to give way av how

er day

sedile

1311

ou no

eo hair

10 near

of boy

ua poor

or get loose or be lost (made the door secure). 5 a (foll. by of) certain to achieve (secure of victory). b (foll. by against, from) safe, protected (secure against attack). —v.tr. 1 make secure or safe; fortify. 2 fasten, close, or confine securely. 3 succeed in obtaining or achieving (have secured front seats). 4 guarantee against loss (a loan secured by property). 5 compress (a blood-vessel) to prevent bleeding. 0 secure arms Mil. hold a rifle with the muzzle downward and the lock in the armpit to guard it from rain. o0 securable adj. securely adv. securement n. [L securus (as sE-, cura care)}

Securitate /se,kjuort'ta:te1/ n. hist. the internal security force of Romania, set up in 1948 and officially disbanded during the revolution of Dec. 1989. [Romanian, = security] security /si'kjuariti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a secure condition or feeling. 2 a thing that guards or guarantees. 3 a the safety of a State, company, etc., against espionage, theft, or other danger. b an organization for ensuring this. 4 a thing deposited or pledged as a guarantee of the fulfilment of an undertaking or the payment of a loan, to be forfeited in case of default. 5 (often in pl.) a certificate attesting credit or the ownership of stock, bonds, etc. 0 on security of using as a guarantee. security blanket

1 an official sanction on information in the interest of security. 2 a blanket or other familiar object given as a comfort to a child. security guard a person employed to protect the security of buildings, vehicles, etc. security risk a person whose presence may threaten security. [ME f. OF securité or L securitas (as SECURE)]

Security Council a principal council of the UN consisting of 15 members, of which five (China, France, UK, USA, USSR) are permanent and the rest are elected for two-year terms, charged with the duty of maintaining security and peace between nations. Sedan /si'dzn/ a town on the River Meuse in NE France; pop. (1982) 24,535. It was the site of the decisive battle (1870) in the

Franco-Prussian war of 1870-1, in which the Prussian army succeeded in surrounding a smaller French army under Napoleon Ill and forcing it to surrender, opening the way for a Prussian advance on Paris and marking the end of the Second Empire. sedan /|si'den/ n. 1 (in full sedan chair) an enclosed chair for conveying one person, carried between horizontal poles by two porters, common in the 17th-18th c. 2 US an enclosed motor

car for four or more people. [perh. alt. f. It. dial., ult. f. L sella saddle f. sedére sit]

sedate! /si'dert/ adj. tranquil and dignified; equable, serious. 00 sedately adv. sedateness n. [L sedatus past part. of sedare settle f. sedére sit] sedate? /si'deit/ v.tr. put under sedation. [back-form. f. SEDATION] sedation /s1'der{(2)n/ n. a state of rest or sleep esp. produced by a sedative drug. [F sédation or L sedatio (as SEDATE})]

sedative |'sedotrv/ n. & adj. —n. a drug, influence, etc., that tends to calm or soothe. —adj. calming, soothing; inducing sleep. [ME f. OF sedatif or med.L sedativus (as SEDATE})] sedentary /'sedontori/ adj. 1 sitting (a sedentary posture). 2 (of work etc.) characterized by much sitting and little physical exercise. 3 (of a person) spending much time seated. 4 Zool. not migratory, free-swimming, etc. oO sedentarily adv. sedentariness n. [F sédentaire or L sedentarius f. sedére sit] Seder /'serdo(r)/ n. the ritual for the first night or first two nights of the Passover. [Heb. séder order] sederunt /sr'deorent/ n. Sc. a sitting of an ecclesiastical assembly or other body. [L, = (the following persons) sat f. sedére sit] sedge /sed3/ n. 1 any grasslike plant of the genus Carex with triangular stems, usu. growing in wet areas. 2 an expanse of this plant. 0 sedge-warbler (or -wren) a small warbler, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, that breeds in sedge. 00 sedgy adj. [OE secg f. Gmc]

Sedgemoor |'sedzmuo(r)/ a plain in Somerset, scene of a battle (1685) in which Monmouth, who had landed on the Dorset coast as champion of the Protestant party, was defeated by James II’s troops. Monmouth himself was captured, and was executed

soon afterwards. sedile /st'datli/ n. (pl. sedilia /-'dilio/) (usu. in pl.) Eccl. each of

ato fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

sediment

seedling

1312

usu. three stone seats for priests in the south wall of a chancel, often canopied and decorated. [L, = seat f. sedére sit] sediment /'sedimont/ n. 1 matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid; dregs. 2 Geol. matter that is carried by water or wind and deposited on the surface of the land, and may in time become consolidated into rock. 00 sedimentation /-'ter{(a)n/ n. [F sediment or L sedimentum (as SEDILE)]

sedimentary /|,sedi'mentor1/ adj. 1 of or like sediment. 2 (of rock) formed from sediment (cf. IGNEOUS, METAMORPHIC). Such rocks are characteristically laid down in strata which are initially horizontal or nearly so. It is through the study of sequences of sedimentary rocks and the fossils associated with them that the geological time-scale was established. By volume, sedimentary rocks constitute only 5 % of the known crust of the earth, igneous rocks contributing the other 95 %.

sedition /s1'dif(2)n/ n. 1 conduct or speech inciting to rebellion or a breach of public order. 2 agitation against the authority of a State. 00 seditious adj. seditiously adv. [ME f. OF sedition or Lseditio f. sed- = SE- + ire it- go] seduce /sr'dju:s/ v.tr. 1 tempt or entice into sexual activity or into wrongdoing. 2 coax or lead astray; tempt (seduced by the smell of coffee). 00 seducer n. seducible adj. [L seducere seduct- (as SE-, ducere lead)} seduction /st'dak{(s)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of seducing; the process of being seduced. 2 something that tempts or allures. [F seduction or L seductio (as SEDUCE)] seductive /si'daktiv/ adj. tending to seduce; alluring, enticing. oo seductively adv. seductiveness n. [SEDUCTION after inductive etc.]

seductress /si'daktris/ n. a female seducer. [obs. seductor male seducer (as SEDUCE)]

sedulous /'sedjulos/ adj. 1 persevering, diligent, assiduous. 2 (of an action etc.) deliberately and consciously continued; painstaking. oo sedulity /st'dju:liti/ n. sedulously adv. sedulousness n. [L sedulus zealous] sedum /'si:dom/ n. any plant of the genus Sedum, with fleshy leaves and star-shaped yellow, pink, or white flowers, e.g. stonecrop. [L, = houseleek]

see! /si:/ v, (past saw |so:/; past part. seen /si:n]) 1 tr. discern by use of the eyes; observe; look at (can you see that spider?; saw him fall over). 2 intr. have or use the power of discerning objects with the eyes (sees best at night). 3 tr. discern mentally; understand (I see what you mean; could not see the joke). 4 tr. watch; be a spectator of (a film, game, etc.). 5 tr. ascertain or establish by inquiry or research or reflection (I will see if the door is open). 6 tr. consider; deduce from observation (I see that you are a brave man). 7tr. contemplate; foresee mentally (we saw that no good would come of it; can see myself doing this job indefinitely). 8 tr. look at for information (usu. in imper. as a direction in or to a book: see page 15). 9 tr. meet or be near and recognize (I saw your mother in town). 10 tr. a meet socially (sees her sister most weeks). b meet regularly as a boyfriend or girlfriend; court (is still seeing that tall man). 11 tr. give an interview to (the doctor will see you now). 12 tr. visit to consult (went to see the doctor). 13 tr. find out or learn, esp. from a visual source (I see the match has been cancelled). 14 intr. reflect; consider further; wait until one knows more (we shall have to see). 15 tr. interpret or have an opinion of (I see things differently

now). 16 tr. experience; have presented to one’s attention (I never thoughtI would see this day). 17 tr. recognize as acceptable; foresee (do you see your daughter marrying this man?). 18 tr. observe without interfering (stood by and saw them squander my money). 19 tr. find attractive (can’t think what she sees in him). 20 intr. (usu. foll. by to, or that + infin.) make provision for; ensure; attend to (shall see to your request immediately; see that he gets home safely) (cf. see to it). 21 tr. escort or conduct (to a place etc.) (saw them home). 22 tr. be a witness of (an event etc.) (see the New Year in). 23 tr. supervise (an action etc.) (will stay and see the doors locked). 24 tr. a (in gambling, esp. poker) equal (a bet). b equal the bet of (aplayer), esp. to see the player’s cards. 0 as far as I can see to the best of my understanding or belief. as I see it in my opinion. do you see? do you understand? has seen better days has declined from former prosperity, good condition, etc. Pll be seeing you b but

d dog

f few

g get

h he

j yes kcat

collog. an expression on parting. I see I understand (referring to an explanation etc.). let me see an appeal for time to think before speaking etc. see about attend to. see after 1 take care of. 2 = see about. see the back of colloq. be rid of (an unwanted person or thing). see a person damned first collog. refuse categorically and with hostility to do what a person wants. see eye to eye see EYE. see fit see Fit. see here! = look here. see into investigate. see life gain experience of the world, often by enjoying oneself. see the light 1 realize one’s mistakes ete. 2 suddenly see the way to proceed. 3 undergo religious conversion. see the light of day (usu. with neg.) come into existence. see off 1 be present at the departure of (a person) (saw them off at Heathrow). 2 collog. ward off, get the better of (managed to see off an investigation into their working methods). see out 1 accompany out of a building etc. 2 finish (a project etc.) completely. 3 remain awake, alive, etc., until the end of (a period). 4 last longer than; outlive. see over inspect; tour and examine. see reason see REASON. see red become suddenly enraged. see a person right make sure that a person is rewarded, safe, etc. see service see SERVICE. see stars collog. see lights before one’s eyes as a result of a blow on the head. see things have hallucinations or false imaginings. see through 1 not be deceived by; detect the true nature of. 2 penetrate visually. see-through adj. (esp. of clothing) translucent. see a person through support a person during a difficult time. see a thing through persist with it until it is completed. see to it (foll. by that + clause) ensure (see to it that I am not disturbed) (cf. sense 20 of v.). see one’s way Clear to feel able or entitled to. see the world see WORLD. see you (or see you later) collog. an expression on parting. we shall see 1 let us await the outcome. 2a formula for declining to act at once. will see about it a formula for declining to act at once. you see 1 you understand. 2 you will understand when I explain. 00 seeable adj. [OE séon f. Gmc] see? /si:/ n. 1 the area under the authority of a bishop or archbishop, a diocese (the see of Norwich). 2 the office or jurisdiction of a bishop or archbishop (fill a vacant see). 0 See of Rome the papacy, the Holy See. [ME f. AF se(d) ult. f. L sedes seat f. sedére sit] seed /si:d/ n. & v. —n. 1 a a flowering plant’s unit of reproduction (esp. in the form of grain) capable of developing into another such plant. b seeds collectively, esp. as collected for sowing (is full of seed; to be kept for seed). 2a semen. b milt. 3 (foll. by of) prime cause, beginning, germ (seeds of doubt). 4 archaic offspring, progeny, descendants (the seed of Abraham). 5 Sport a seeded player. 6 a small seedlike container for the application of radium etc. 7 a seed crystal. —v. 1 tr. a place seeds in. b sprinkle with or as with seed. 2 intr. sow seeds. 3 intr. produce or drop seed. 4 tr. remove seeds from (fruit etc.). 5 tr. place a crystal or crystalline substance in (a solution etc.) to cause crystallization or condensation (esp. in a cloud to produce rain). 6 tr. Sport a assign to (a strong competitor in a knockout competition) a position in an ordered list so that strong competitors do not meet each other in early rounds (is seeded seventh). b arrange (the order of play) in this way. 7 intr. go to seed. o go (or run) to seed 1 cease flowering as seed develops. 2 become degenerate, unkempt, ineffective, etc. raise up seed archaic beget children. seed-bed 1 a bed of fine soil in which to sow seeds. 2 a place of development. seed-cake cake containing whole seeds esp. of caraway as flavouring. seed-coat the outer integument of a seed. seed-corn 1 good quality corn kept for seed. 2 assets reused for future profit or benefit. seed crystal a crystal used to initiate crystallization. seed-eater a bird (esp. a finch) living mainly on seeds. seed-fish a fish that is ready to spawn. seed-leaf a cotyledon. seed-lip a basket for seed in sowing by hand. seed money money allocated to initiate a project. seed-pearl a very small pearl. seed-plot a place of development. seed-potato a potato kept for seed. seed-time the sowing season. seed-vessel a pericarp. 00 seedless adj. [OE s&d f. Gmc, rel. to sow] seeder /'si:da(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that seeds. 2 a machine for sowing seed, esp. a drill. 3 an apparatus for seeding raisins etc. 4 Brit. a spawning fish.

seedling /'si:dlin/ n. a young plant, esp. one raised from seed and not from a cutting etc. lleg

mman

nno

ppen

rred

S sit

t top

v voice

seedsman seedsman |'si:dzmonj n. (pl. -men) a dealer in seeds.

seedy /'si:di/ adj. (seedier, seediest) 1 full of seed. 2 going to seed. 3 shabby-looking, in worn clothes. 4 collog. unwell. oo seedily adv. seediness n. seeing |'si:1n/ conj. & n. —conj. (usu. foll. by that + clause) considering that, inasmuch as, because (seeing that you do not know it yourself). —n. Astron. the quality of observed images as determined by atmospheric conditions. seek /si:k/ v. (past and past part. sought /so:t/) 1 a tr. make a search or inquiry for. b intr. (foll. by for, after) make a search or inquiry. 2 tr. a try or want to find or get. b ask for; request (sought help from him; seeks my aid). 3 tr. (foll. by to + infin.) endeavour or try. 4 tr. make for or resort to (a place or person, for advice, health, etc.) (sought his bed; sought a fortune-teller; sought the shore). 5 tr. archaic aim at, attempt. 6 intr. (foll. by to) archaic resort. 0 seek dead an order toa retriever to find killed game. seek out 1 search for and find. 2 single out for companionship, etc. sought-after much in demand; generally desired or courted. to seek (or much to seek or far to seek) deficient, lacking, or not yet found (the reason is not far to seek; an efficient leader is yet to seek). 00 seeker n. (also in comb.). [OE sécan f. Gmc] seel /si:l/ v.tr. archaic close (a person’s eyes). [obs. sile f. F ciller, siller, or med.L ciliare f. L cilium eyelid] seem /si:m/ v.intr. 1 give the impression or sensation of being (seems ridiculous; seems certain to win). 2 (foll. by to + infin.) appear or be perceived or ascertained (he seems to be breathing; they seem to have left). 0 can’t seem to collog. seem unable to. do not seem to collog. somehow do not (I do not seem to like him). it seems (or would seem) (often foll. by that + clause) it appears to be true or the fact (in a hesitant, guarded, or ironical statement). [ME f. ON sema honour f. semr fitting] seeming! |'si:mi/ adj. 1 apparent but perhaps not real (with seeming sincerity). 2 apparent only; ostensible (the seeming and the real; seeming-virtuous). 00 seemingly adv. seeming? /'si:mip/ n. literary 1 appearance, aspect. 2 deceptive

appearance.

seemly /'si:mli/ adj. (seemlier, seemliest) conforming to propriety or good taste; decorous, suitable. 00 seemliness n. [ME f. ON semiligr (as SEEM)] seen past part. of sEE!. seep /|si:p/ v. & n. —v.intr. ooze out; percolate slowly. —n. US a place where petroleum etc. oozes slowly out of the ground. {perh. dial. form of OE sipian to soak] seepage /'si:pid3/ n. 1 the act of seeping. 2 the quantity that

seeps out. seer! /'si:a(r), sta(r)/ n. 1a person who sees. 2 a prophet; a person who sees visions; a person of supposed supernatural insight esp. as regards the future. [ME f. sEE}] seer? /sta(r)/ n. an Indian (varying) measure of weight (about one kilogram) or liquid measure (about one litre). [Hindi ser] seersucker /'s13,saka(r)/ n. material of linen, cotton, etc., with a puckered surface. [Pers. Sir o Sakar, lit. ‘milk and sugar’] see-saw |'si:so:/ n., v., adj., & adv. —n. 1 aa device consisting of a long plank balanced on a central support for children to sit on at each end and move up and down by pushing the ground with their feet. b a game played on this. 2 an up-and-down or to-and-fro motion. 3.a contest in which the advantage repeatedly changes from one side to the other. —v.intr. 1 play on a see-saw. 2 move up and down as on a see-saw. 3 vacillate in policy, emotion, etc. —adj. & adv. with up-and-down or backwardand-forward motion (see-saw motion). 0 go see-saw vacillate or alternate. [redupl. of saw}] seethe /si:6/ v. 1 intr. boil, bubble over. 2 intr. be very agitated, esp. with anger (seething with discontent; I was seething inwardly). 3 tr. & intr. archaic cook by boiling. 00 seethingly adv. [OE séothan f. Gmc] segment /'segmont/ n. & v. —n. 1 each of several parts into which a thing is or can be divided or marked off. 2 Geom. a part of a figure cut off by a line or plane intersecting it, esp.: a the

part of a circie encloséd between an arc and a chord. b the part of a line included between two points. c the part of a sphere wwe

z zoo

f she

seine

1313

a

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

ny ring

x loch

I

NN

ee

cut off by any plane not passing through the centre. 3 the smallest distinct part of a spoken utterance. 4 Zool. each of the longitudinal sections of the body of certain animals (e.g. worms). —-v. jusu. -'ment/ 1 intr. & tr. divide into segments. 2 intr. Biol. (of a cell) undergo cleavage or divide into many cells. o0 segmental /-'ment(s)l/ adj. segmentalize |-'mento,la1z/ v.tr. (also ise). segmentalization /-,mentolat'zer{(a)n/ n. segmentally /-'mentoli/ adv. segmentary adj. segmentation /-'ter{(a)n/ n. [L segmentum f. secare cut] sego |'si:gau/ n. (pl. -os) (in full sego lily) a N. American plant, Calochortus nuttallii, with green and white bell-shaped flowers. [Paiute] Segovia /se'gauvio/, Andrés (1893-1987), Spanish guitarist and composer. More than any other person he is responsible for the revival of interest in the guitar as a ‘classical’ instrument, elevating it to use as a major concert instrument rather than for a small room only. segregate! /'segrigeit/ v. 1 tr. put apart from the rest; isolate. 2 tr. enforce racial segregation on (persons) or in (a community etc.). 3 intr. separate from a mass and collect together. 4 intr. Biol. (of alleles) separate into dominant and recessive groups. oo segregable /-gab(s)l/ adj. segregative adj. [L segregare (as sE-, grex gregis flock)] segregate? |'segrigat/ adj. 1 Zool. simple or solitary, not com-

pound. 2 archaic set apart, separate. [L segregatus past part. (as SEGREGATE})] segregation /|,segri'ge1{(9)n/ n. 1 enforced separation of racial groups in a community etc. 2 the act or an instance of segregating; the state of being segregated. 00 segregational adj. segregationist n. & adj. [LL segregatio (as SEGREGATE})] segue /'segwel/ v. & n. esp. Mus. —v.intr. (segues, segued, seguing) (usu. foll. by into) go on without a pause. —n. an uninterrupted transition from one song or melody to another. [It.. = follows]

seguidilla /|,segi'dilja/ n. 1 a Spanish dance in triple time. 2 the music for this. [Sp. f. seguida following f. seguir follow]

Sehnsucht |'zemzu:xt/ n. yearning, wistful longing. [G] sei /sei/ n. a small rorqual, Baiaenoptera borealis. [Norw. sejhval sei whale] seicento /ser'tfentou/ n. the style of Italian art and literature of the 17th c. 00 seicentist n. seicentoist n. [It., = 600, used with ref. to the years 1600-99]

seiche /ser{/ n. a fluctuation in the water-level of a lake etc., usu. caused by changes in barometric pressure. [Swiss F]

Seidlitz powder /'sedlits/n. (US Seidlitz powders) a laxative medicine of two powders mixed separately with water and then poured together to effervesce. [named with ref. to the mineral water of Seidlitz in Bohemia]

seif /si:f, serf] n. (in full seif dune) a sand-dune in the form of a long narrow ridge. [Arab. saif sword (from its shape)] seigneur /ser'njs:(r)/ n. (also seignior /'sernja(r)/) a feudal lord; the lord of a manor. O grand seigneur /grd/ a person of high rank or noble presence. oo seigneurial adj. seigniorial

/-'njo:rtol/ adj. [ME f. OF seigneur, seignor f. L SENIOR] seigniorage /'semnjorid3/ n. (also seignorage) 1 a a profit made by issuing currency, esp. by issuing coins rated above their intrinsic value. b hist. the Crown’s right to a percentage on bullion brought to a mint for coining. 2 hist. something claimed by a sovereign or feudal superior as a prerogative. [ME f. OF seignorage, seigneurage (as SEIGNEUR)]

seigniory |'seinjari/n. (pl. -ies) 1 lordship, sovereign authority. 2 (also seigneury) a seigneur’s domain. [ME f. OF seignorie (as SEIGNEUR)]

Seikan

Tunnel

|'serkon/ the world’s longest underwater

tunnel, linking the Japanese islands of Hokkaido and Honshu which are separated by the Tsungaru Strait. Completed in 1988, the tunnel is 51:7 km (32.3 miles) in length.

Seine /sein/ a river of northern France flowing 761 km (473 miles) from Burgundy to the English Channel near Le Havre. The cities of Paris and Rouen lie along its course. seine /sern/n. & v. —n. (also seine-net) a fishing-net for encircling fish, with floats at the top and weights at the bottom edge, tf chip

d3 jar

(see over for vowels)

seise pe

self-abuse

1314 a

ee

eS

SS

ea

of organism thrive better than others, regarded as a factor in evolution. 00 selectional adj. selectionally adv. [L selectio (as SELECT)}

and usu. hauled ashore. —v.intr. & tr. fish or catch with a seine. OO seiner n. [ME f. OF saine, & OE segne f. WG f. L sagena f. Gk sageéneé}

seise var. of SEIZE 9. seisin |'si:zm/ n. (also seizin) Law

SSS

' selective /st'lektrv/ adj. 1 using or characterized by selection. 1 possession of land by

freehold. 2 the act of taking such possession. 3 what is so held. [ME f. AF sesine, OF seisine, saisine (as SEIZE)] seismic /'sarzmrk/ adj. of or relating to an earthquake or earthquakes or similar vibrations. 0 seismic survey the use of artificially generated seismic waves to explore the structure of underground rocks etc., used in mining and in the oil and gas extraction industries. oO seismal adj. seismical —adj. seismically adv. [Gk seismos earthquake f. seid shake] seismo- |'saizmou/ comb. form earthquake. [Gk seismos] seismogram /'saizmogrem/ n. a record given by a seismograph. seismograph /'saizmogra:f/ n. an instrument that records the force, direction, etc., of earthquakes. 00 seismographic /-'greefik/ adj. seismographical /-'grzfik(2)l/ adj.

seismology /saiz'mplod3}/ n. the scientific study and recording of earthquakes and related phenomena. oO seismological /-mo'lpd3rk(a)l/ adj. seismologically /-mo'lodztkoli/ adv. seismologist n.

seize /si:z/ v. 1 tr. take hold of forcibly or suddenly. 2 tr. take possession of forcibly (seized the fortress; seized power). 3 tr. take possession of (contraband goods, documents, etc.) by warrant or legal right, confiscate, impound. 4 tr. affect suddenly (panic seized us; was seized by apoplexy; was seized with remorse). 5 tr. take advantage of (an opportunity). 6 tr. comprehend quickly or clearly. 7 intr. (usu. foll. by on, upon) a take hold forcibly or suddenly. b take advantage eagerly (seized on a pretext). 8 intr. (usu. foll. by up) (of a moving part in a machine) become stuck or jammed from undue heat, friction, etc. 9 tr. (also seise) (usu. foll. by of) Law put in possession of. 10 tr. Naut. fasten or attach by binding with turns of yarn etc. 0 seized (or seised) of 1 possessing legally. 2 aware or informed of. 00 seizable adj. seizer n. [ME f. OF seizir, saisir give seisin f. Frank. f. L sacire f. Gmc]

seizin var. of SEISIN. seizing |'si:z1n/ n. Naut. a cord or cords used for seizing (see

2 able to select, esp. (of a radio receiver) able to respond to a chosen frequency without interference from others. 0 selective service US hist. service in the armed forces under conscription. oo selectively adv. selectiveness n. selectivity /,silek'tiviti, sel-, ,Si:l-/ n. selector /si'lekta(r)/ n. 1 a person who selects, esp. one who selects a representative team in a sport. 2 a device that selects, esp. a device in a vehicle that selects the required gear.

Selene /si'li:n1/ Gk Mythol. the goddess of the moon, identified with Artemis, perhaps because both had been identified with Hecate. She has few myths (for the best known see ENDYMION) and little cult in Greece; it is the moon itself rather than the goddess that played a role in Greek magic, folklore, and poetry. [Gk seléné moon]

selenite /'selinait/ n. a form of gypsum occurring as transparent crystals or thin plates. 00 selenitic /-'n1ttk/ adj. [L selenites f. Gk selénités lithos moonstone f. seléné moon] selenium /s1'li:nrom/ n. Chem. a non-metallic element occurring

naturally in various metallic sulphide ores and characterized by the variation of its electrical resistivity with intensity of illumination. It occurs in a number of red, black, and grey allotropic forms. Selenium (which is a semiconductor) has various applications in electronics. It is used in rectifiers and photoelectric cells, and for colouring glass and ceramics. {| Symb.: Se; atomic number 34. o selenium cell a piece of this used as a photoelectric device. ooOF selenate /'selinert/ n. selenic {st'li:ntk/ adj. selenious adj. [mod.L f. Gk seléné moon + -1UuM] seleno- |s1'li:nou/ comb. form moon. [Gk seléné moon]

selenography /|)si:l'nvgrofi/ n. the study or mapping of the moon. oo selenographer n. selenographic /-no'grefik/ adj.

selenology /|,si:lt'nvlad3i/ n. the scientific study of the moon. o0 selenologist n.

Seleucid /st'lu:sid/ adj. & n. —adj. of the dynasty founded by Seleucus Nicator, one of the generals of Alexander the Great, ruling over Syria and a great part of western Asia 312-65 BC. Its

capital was at Antioch. —n. a member of this dynasty.

self /self] n. & adj. —n. (pl. selves /selvz/) 1 a person’s or thing’s

SEIZE 10). seizure /'si:30(r)/ n. 1 the act or an instance of seizing; the state

of being seized. 2:a sudden attack of apoplexy etc., a stroke. sejant /'si:d3(o)nt/ adj. (placed after noun) Heraldry (of an animal) sitting upright on its haunches. [properly seiant f. OF var. of seant sitting f. seoir f. L sedére sit]

Sekhmet /'sekmet/ Egyptian Mythol. a ferocious lioness-goddess, counterpart of the gentle cat-goddess Bastet, and wife of Ptah at Memphis. Her messengers were fearful creatures who could inflict disease and other scourges upon mankind.

Sekt |zekt/ n. a German sparkling white wine. [G] selachian /si'letkion/ n. & adj. —n. any fish of the subclass

own. individuality or essence (showed his true self). 2 a person or thing as the object of introspection or reflexive action (the consciousness of self). 3 a one’s own interests or pleasure (cares for nothing but self). b concentration on these (self is a bad guide to

happiness). 4 Commerce or collog. myself, yourself, himself, etc. (cheque drawn to self; ticket admitting self and friend). 5 used in phrases equivalent to myself, yourself, himself, etc. (his very self; your good selves). 6 (pl. selfs) a flower of uniform colour, or of the natural wild colour. —adj. 1 of the same colour as the rest or throughout. 2 (of a flower) of the natural wild colour. 3 (of colour) uniform, the same throughout. o one’s better self one’s nobler impulses. one’s former (or old) self oneself as one formerly was. [OE f. Gmc]

Selachii, including sharks and dogfish. —adj. of or relating to this subclass. [mod.L Selachii f. Gk selakhos shark] seladang |so'la:dzn/ n. a Malayan gaur. [Malay]

self- /self] comb. form expressing reflexive action: 1 of or directed

selah |'si:lo/ int. often used at the end of a verse in Psalms and Habakkuk, supposed to be a musical direction. [Heb. se-lah] Selangor /|so'lenga(r)/ a State of Malaysia, on the west coast of the Malay peninsula; pop. (1980) 1,515,500; capital, Shah Alam.

seldom /'seldom/ adv. & adj. —adv. rarely, not often. —adj.

towards oneself or itself (self-respect; self-cleaning). 2 by oneself or itself, esp. without external agency (self-evident). 3 on, in, for, or relating to oneself or itself (self-absorbed; self-confident).

self-abandon /|,selfa'bend(2)n/ n. (also self-abandonment) the abandonment of oneself, esp. to passion or an impulse. 00 self-abandoned adj.

rare, uncommon. [OE seldan f. Gmc] select /s1'lekt/ v. & adj. —v.tr. choose, esp. as the best or most suitable. —adj. 1 chosen for excellence or suitability; choice. 2 (of a society etc.) exclusive, cautious in admitting members. o select committee see COMMITTEE. 00 selectable adj. selectness n. [L seligere select- (as SE-, legere choose)]

self-abasement /,selfs'bersmont/ n. the abasement of oneself: self-humiliation; cringing. self-abhorrence /,selfob'horans/ n. the abhorrence of oneself:

selectee |,stlek'ti:/ n. US a conscript. selection /st'lek{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of selecting;

self-absorption /,selfsb'zo:p{(a)n/ n. 1 absorption in oneself.

the state of being selected. 2 a selected person or thing. 3 things from which a choice may be made. 4 Biol. the process in which environmental and genetic influences determine which types

self-abuse /\selfs'bju:s/ n. 1 the reviling or abuse of oneself. 2

z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

self-hatred.

self-abnegation /self,e2bnt'ger{(2)n/ n. the abnegation of oneself, one’s interests, needs, etc.; self-sacrifice. 2 Physics the absorption, by a body, of radiation emitted within it. oO self-absorbed /-'zo:bd/ adj.

archaic masturbation.

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

;

arun

ov put

u: too

2 ago

al my

self-accusation

self-destruct

1315

self-accusation /self,zkju:'zer{(a)n/ n. the accusing of oneself. O00 self-accusatory |-o'kju:zatar/ adj. oO

/,selfkon'si:t/

mn.

=

SELF-SATISFACTION.

OO

self-conceited adj.

self-acting /selfektin/ adj. acting without external influence or control; automatic. self-activity /-zk'trviti/ n.

self-conceit

self-action

/-'ek{(s)n/

self-condemnation /|self,kondem'ne1{(a)n/ n. 1 the blaming

n.

of oneself. 2 the inadvertent revelation of one’s own sin, crime, etc. 00 self-condemned /-kon'demd/ adj.

self-addressed /|,selfo'drest/ adj. (of an envelope etc.) having

self-confessed /,selfkon'fest/ adj. openly admitting oneself to

one’s own address on for return communication.

be (a self-confessed thief).

self-adhesive |,selfad'hi:srv/ adj. (of an envelope, label, etc.) adhesive, esp. without being moistened.

self-confidence /self'konfid(a)ns/ n. = SELF-ASSURANCE.

OO

self-confident adj. self-confidently adv.

self-adjusting ||selfa'dzastrn/ adj. (of machinery etc.) adjusting itself. 00 self-adjustment n.

self-admiration jself,edmo'rerf(o)n/ n. the admiration of oneself; pride; conceit.

self-congratulation SELF-SATISFACTION. adj.

self-conquest

self-advancement |selfod'va:nsmont/ n. the advancement of oneself. promotion of oneself. oc self-advertiser /-'zdvo,tarzo(r)/ n.

self-affirmation /self,fs'mei/(2)n/ n. Psychol. the recognition

on.

=

/self'konkwest/ n. the overcoming of one’s

worst characteristics etc.

self-conscious

self-advertisement /|,selfod'v3:tismont/ n. the advertising or

_|,selfkon,gretjo'lerf(ajn)

OO self-congratulatory /-kon'gretulotor1/

/selfkonfos/ adj. 1 socially inept through

embarrassment or shyness. 2 Philos. having knowledge of one’s own existence; self-contemplating. 00 self-consciously adv. self-consciousness n.

self-consistent /,selfkon'stst(s)nt/ adj. (of parts of the same

and assertion of the existence of the conscious self.

self-aggrandizement |,selfs'grendizmont] n. the act or process of enriching oneself or making oneself powerful. self-aggrandizing /-'greendaizim/ adj.

oo

self-analysis |,selfs'nzlasis/ n. Psychol. the analysis of oneself, one’s motives, character, etc. 00 self-analysing /-'zno,la1zip/ adj.

self-appointed /|,selfa'pointid/ adj. designated so by oneself,

whole etc.) consistent; not conflicting. 00 self-consistency n.

self-constituted /self'konst1,tju:tid/ adj. (of a person, group, etc.) assuming self-appointed.

a function

without

authorization

or right;

self-contained /|,selfkon'ternd/ adj. 1 (of a person) uncommunicative; independent. 2 Brit. (esp. of living-accommodation) complete in itself. 00 self-containment n.

self-contempt |,selfkon'tempt/ n. contempt for oneself. o0

not authorized by another (a self-appointed guardian).

self-appreciation /,selfs,pri:fr'erf(o)n/ n. a good opinion of

self-contemptuous adj.

self-content /,selfkon'tent/ n. satisfaction with oneself, one’s

oneself; conceit.

self-approbation /self,zpra'berf(a)n/ n. = SELF-APPRECIATION. self-approval /,selfs'pru:v(a)l/ n. = SELF-APPRECIATION. self-assertion |,selfs's3:{(a)n/ n. the. aggressive promotion of

life, achievements, etc. 00 self-contented adj.

self-contradiction

_/selfkontro'dik/(a)n/_n.

internal

inconsistency. 00 self-contradictory adj.

oneself, one’s views, etc. 00 self-asserting adj. self-assertive adj. self-assertiveness n.

self-control /,selfkan'traul/ n. the power of controlling one’s

self-assurance /|)selfo'fusrans/ n. confidence in one’s own abil-

self-convicted |,selfkon'viktid/ adj. = sELF-CONDEMNED (see

ities etc. 00 self-assured adj. self-assuredly adv. self-aware |,selfa'wea(r)/ adj. conscious of one’s character, feelings, motives, etc. 00 self-awareness n.

self-correcting |,selfka'rektin/ adj. correcting itself without

self-begotten |,selfb1'gpt(2)n/ adj. produced by oneself or itself;

self-created |,selfkri'e1tid/ adj. created by oneself or itself. oo

inadvertent revelation of one’s true thoughts etc.

external help.

self-critical /self'kritik(s)l/ adj. critical of oneself, one’s abilities, etc. 00 self-criticism /-\s1z(2)m/ n.

self-binder /self'bainda(r)/ n. a reaping machine with an automatic mechanism for binding the sheaves.

self-born /self'bo:n/ adj. produced by itself or oneself; not made

self-deception /|,selfd'sep{(a)n/ n. deceiving oneself esp. concerning one’s true feelings etc. oO self-deceit /-di'si:t/ n. self-deceiver /-di'si:vo(r)/ n. self-deceiving j-di'si:vin/ adj. self-deceptive adj.

externally.

self-catering /selfkertormy/ adj. (esp. of a holiday or holiday premises) providing rented accommodation with cooking facilities but without food.

self-censorship /self'sensaf1p/ n. the censoring of oneself. self-centred /self'sentod/ adj. preoccupied with one’s own personality or affairs. 00 self-centredly adv. self-centredness n.

self-certification /self,s3:trf'ker{(s)n/n. the practice by which an employee declares in writing that an absence from work was due to illness.

self-cleaning /selfkli:nin/ adj. (esp. of an oven) cleaning itself

self-defeating |,selfdr'fi:tin/ adj. (of an attempt, action, etc.) doomed to failure because of internal inconsistencies etc.

self-defence /|\selfdi'fens/ n. 1 an aggressive act, speech, etc., intended as defence (had to hit him in self-defence), 2 (usu. the noble art of self-defence) boxing. 00 self-defensive adj.

self-delight ||selfdr'lart/ n. delight in oneself or one’s existence. self-delusion /,selfdr'lu:3(a)n, -'Iju:3(2)n/ n. the act or an instance of deluding oneself.

self-denial self-denying

/,selfdi'narol/ ordinance

n.

/selfklouzin/

adj. (of a door

etc.)

closing

=

SELF-ABNEGATION.

Oo

hist. a resolution of the Long Par-

liament 1645 depriving Members

when heated etc.

of Parliament of civil and

military office. 00 self-denying adj.

self-dependence /|,selfdi'pend(s)ns/ adj. dependence only on

automatically.

self-cocking /selfkokin/ adj. (of a gun) with the hammer raised |\selfko'lektid/

oneself or itself; independence. 00 self-dependent adj.

self-deprecation /self,depri'ker{(a)n/ n. the act of disparaging

by the trigger, not by hand.

self-collected

SELF-CONDEMNATION).

self-creation /-'e1(2)n/ n.

not made externally.

self-betrayal /\selfbi'treral/ n. 1 the betrayal of oneself. 2 the

self-closing

external reactions, emotions, etc. 00 self-controlled adj.

adj.

composed,

serene,

or belittling oneself. 00 self-deprecating /-'deprikertiy/ adj. self-deprecatingly /-'depri,kertiyli/ adv.

self-assured. self-coloured /self'kalod/ adj. 1 a having the same colour throughout (buttons and belt are self-coloured). b (of material) nat-

self-despair |\selfdi'speo(r)/ n. despair with oneself. self-destroying |,selfdi'stromn/ adj. destroying oneself or

ural; undyed. 2 a (of a flower) of uniform colour. b having its colour unchanged by cultivation or hybridization.

self-destruct |,selfdr'strakt/ v. & adj. esp. US —v.intr. (of a

self-command |)selfko!ma:nd/ n. = SELF-CONTROL. self-communion /|,selfks'mju:nion/ n. meditation upon one’s own character, conduct, etc. av how

er day

ou no

eo hair

Io near

or boy

wa poor

itself. spacecraft, bomb, etc.) explode or disintegrate automatically, esp. when pre-set to do so. —aitrib.adj. enabling a thing to self-destruct (a self-destruct device).

aio fire

aus sour

(see over for consonants)

self-destruction

self-motivated

1316

self-destruction |,selfdi'strak{(a)n/ n. 1 the process or an act

self-fulfilment /|,selfful'filmont/ n. (US -fulfillment) the ful-

of destroying oneself or itself. 2 esp. US the process or an act of self-destructing. 00 self-destructive adj. self-destructively adv.

self-generating /self'dzeno,reitiy/ adj. generated by itself or

self-determination

filment of one’s own hopes and ambitions.

oneself, not externally.

self-glorification /self,glo:r1fi'ke1{(2)n/ n. the proclamation of

/|,selfdi,ts:m1'neif(o)n/ n. 1 a nation’s

right to determine its own allegiance, government, etc. 2 the ability to act with free will, as opposed to fatalism etc. o0 self-determined /-'t3:mind/ adj. self-determining /-'t3:min1p/ adj.

oneself, one’s abilities, etc.; self-satisfaction.

self-government /|self'gavonmont/ n. 1 (esp. of a former colony etc.) government by its own people. 2 = SELF-CONTROL. 00 self-governed adj. self-governing adj.

self-development /|,selfdi'velopment/ n. the development of

self-hate /selftheit/ n. = SELF-HATRED. self-hatred /selftheitrid/ n. hatred of oneself, esp. of one’s

oneself, one’s abilities, etc.

self-devotion /,selfdi'vau(2)n/ n. the devotion of oneself to a person or cause. self-discipline /self'disiplin/ n. the act of or ability to apply oneself, control one’s self-disciplined adj.

feelings,

etc;

self-control.

actual self when contrasted with one’s imagined self.

self-heal /selfthi:1/ n. any of several plants, esp. Prunella vulgaris, believed to have healing properties.

oo

self-help /selfthelp/ n. 1 the theory that individuals should

self-discovery /,selfdi'skavari/ n. the process of acquiring

provide for their own support and improvement in society. 2 the act or faculty of providing for or improving oneself.

insight into oneself, one’s character, desires, etc.

selfhood

self-disgust /,selfdis'gast/n. disgust with oneself. self-doubt /self'daut/ n. lack of confidence in oneself, one’s

|'selfhud/ n. personality,

separate and conscious

existence.

self-image /self'tmid3/ n. one’s own idea or picture of oneself, esp. in relation to others.

abilities, etc.

self-importance /|,selfim'po:t(2)ns/ n. a high opinion of one-

self-drive /selfidrarv/ adj. (of a hired vehicle) driven by the

self; pompousness. adv.

hirer.

self-educated /|self'edju:,keitid/ adj. educated by oneself by reading etc., without formal instruction. /"kerf(a)n/ 1.

oo self-important adj. self-importantly

self-imposed |,selfim'pouzd/ adj. (of a task or condition etc.)

00 self-education

imposed on and by oneself, not externally (self-imposed exile).

o0

self-improvement /,selfim'pru:vmont/ n. the improvement

self-elective /,selfi'lektrv/ adj. (of a committee etc.) proceeding

self-induced /,selfin'dju:st/ adj. 1 induced by oneself or itself.

self-effacing /|,selfi'fersn/ adj. retiring; modest; timid.

of one’s own position or disposition by one’s own efforts.

self-effacement n. self-effacingly adv.

2 Electr. produced by self-induction.

esp. by co-opting members etc.

self-inductance |,self'indakt(e)ns/ n. Electr. the property of an

self-employed /|,selftm'ploid/ adj. working for oneself, as a freelance or owner of a business etc.; not employed by an employer. 00 self-employment n.

electric circuit that causes an electromotive force to be generated in it by a change in the current flowing through it (cf.

self-esteem /,selfi'sti:m/ n. a good opinion of oneself. self-evident /self'evid(a)nt/ adj. obvious; without the need of

self-induction /|)selfin'dak{(2)n/ n. Electr. the production of an

evidence

or

further

explanation.

oo

self-evidence

mutual inductance).

electromotive force in a circuit when the current in that circuit is varied. 00 self-inductive adj.

n.

self-evidently adv.

self-examination

self-indulgent /,selfin'dald3(2)nt/ adj. indulging or tending to

|,selfig,zemr'ner{(a)n/ n. 1 the study of

indulge oneself in pleasure, idleness, etc. 00 self-indulgence

one’s own conduct, reasons, etc. 2 the examining of one’s body for signs of illness etc.

n. self-indulgently adv.

self-inflicted |,selfin'firktid/ adj. (esp. of a wound, damage, etc.)

self-executing /self'eksi,kju:tin/ adj. Law (of a law, legal clause,

inflicted by and on oneself, not externally.

etc.) not needing legislation etc. to be enforced; automatic.

self-existent

/,selfig'zist(s)nt/

adj. existing without

self-interest /selfintrast, -trist/ n. one’s personal interest or

prior

advantage. o0 self-interested adj.

cause; independent.

selfish /'selfif/ adj. 1 deficient in consideration for others; con-

self-explanatory /|,selfik'splenotor/ adj. easily understood;

cerned chiefly with one’s own personal profit or pleasure; actuated by self-interest. 2 (of a motive etc.) appealing to self-interest. 00 selfishly adv. selfishness n.

not needing explanation.

self-expression |,selfik'spref(o)n/ n. the expression of one’s feelings, thoughts, etc., esp. in writing, painting, music, etc. oo self-expressive adj.

self-justification /self,d3astrfi'kerf()n/ n. the justification or

self-faced /self'ferst/ adj. (of stone) unhewn; undressed. self-feeder |self'fi:do(r)/ n. 1 a furnace, machine, etc., that

self-knowledge /self'nolid3/ n. the understanding of oneself,

renews its own fuel or material automatically. 2 a device for supplying food to farm animals automatically. 00 self-feeding adj.

selfless /'selflis/ adj. disregarding oneself or one’s own interests;

excusing of oneself, one’s actions, etc. one’s motives, etc. unselfish. 00 selflessly adv. selflessness n.

self-loading /selfloudin/ adj. (esp. of a gun) loading itself. 00

self-fertile /self'fs:tarl/ adj. (of a plant etc.) self-fertilizing. o0

self-loader n.

self-fertility /-'trlti/ n.

self-fertilization /selfjf3:trlar'zer{(a)n/ n. the fertilization of plants by their own pollen, not from others. o0 self-fertilized [-'f3:tularzd/ adj. self-fertilizing |-'f3:t1,larzm/ adj.

self-flattery

/self'fletori/

n.

=

SELF-APPRECIATION.

self-forgetful

_|jselffa'getful/

adj.

unselfish.

oo

self-forgetfulness n.

self-fulfilling |,selfful'filin/ adj. (of a prophecy, forecast, etc.) bound to come true as a result of actions brought about by its being made.

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

self-made /'selfmeid/ adj. 1 successful or rich by one’s own effort. 2 made by oneself. self-mastery /self'ma:stort/ n. = SELF-CONTROL.

selfmate /'selfmert/ n. Chess checkmate in which a player forces the opponent to achieve checkmate.

oo

self-flattering adj.

2 Philos.

regard for one’s own well-being and happiness.

self-financing /self'famznsin/ adj. that finances itself, esp. (of a project or undertaking) that pays for its own implementation or continuation. 00 self-finance v.tr.

self-locking /selfok1/ adj. locking itself. self-love /selflav/ n. 1 selfishness; self-indulgence.

self-mocking /selfmpk1n/ adj. mocking oneself or itself. self-motion /self'mou{(s)n/ n. motion caused by oneself or itself, not externally. 00 self-moving |-'mu:vin/ adj.

self-motivated /self'mouttvertid/ adj. acting on one’s own initiative without [-'verf(a)n/ n.

kcat

lleg

m man

external

nno

pressure.

ppen

oo

rred s sit

self-motivation j t top vvoice

self-murder

sell

1317

self-murder /self'ms:doa(r)/ n. = surcipE. 00 self-murderer n. self-neglect /,selfni'glekt/ n. neglect of oneself, selfness /'selfnis/ n. 1 individuality, personality, essence. 2 selfishness or self-regard.

self-rule /self'ru:l/ n. = SELF-GOVERNMENT 1. self-sacrifice |self'szekri,fais/ n. the negation of one’s own interests, wishes, etc., in favour self-sacrificing adj.

of those

of others.

oo

selfsame /'selfserm/ attrib.adj. (prec. by the) the very same (the

self-opinionated /,selfs'prnja,nertid/ adj. 1 stubbornly adhering to one’s own opinions. 2 arrogant. 00 self-opinion n.

self-perpetuating |,selfps'petju:ertin/ adj. perpetuating itself or oneself without external agency. [exf(e)n/ n.

oO self-perpetuation

self-pity /self'piti/ n. extreme sorrow for one’s own troubles etc. 00 self-pitying adj. self-pityingly adv.

self-pollination /selfpolt'ner{(s)n/ n. the pollination of a

selfsame village).

self-satisfaction /selfjsetis'feek/(o)n/ n. excessive and unwarranted satisfaction with oneself, one’s achievements, etc.; complacency. 00 = self-satisfied self-satisfiedly /-'szetis faidl1/ adv.

_—/-'seetis,faid/

adj.

self-sealing /self'si:lin/ adj. 1 (of a pneumatic tyre, fuel tank, etc.) automatically able to seal small punctures. 2 (of an envelope) self-adhesive.

flower by pollen from the same plant. 00 self-pollinated adj. self-pollinating adj. self-pollinator n.

self-seeking /'selfjsi:kin/ adj. & n. seeking one’s own welfare

self-portrait /self'po:trit/ n. a portrait or description of an

self-selection /,selfst'lek{(2)n/ n. the act of selecting oneself or

artist, writer, etc., by himself or herself.

self-possessed

itself. 00 self-selecting adj.

|,selfpa'zest/ adj. habitually exercising self-

control; composed. 00 self-possession /-'ze{(a)n/ n.

self-praise /self'preiz/ n. boasting; self-glorification. ; self-preservation /selfprezo'ver{(2)n/ n. 1 the preservation of one’s own life, safety, etc. 2 this as a basic instinct of human beings and animals.

self-proclaimed@ /|,selfpra'klermd/ adj. proclaimed by oneself or itself to be such.

self-propagating /self'propo,gertin/ adj. (esp. of a plant) able to propagate itself.

self-propelled /,selfpra'peld/ adj. (esp. of a motor vehicle etc.) moving or able to move

without external propulsion.

oo

self-propelling adj.

self-protection

/jselfpro'tek/(o)n/ n. protecting oneself or

agent already added.

self-realization /self,rialai'zerf(a)n/ n. 1 the development of one’s faculties, abilities, etc. 2 this as an ethical principle.

self-recording |,selfri'ko:din/ adj. (of a scientific instrument etc.) automatically recording its measurements.

self-regard /|,selfri'ga:d/ n. 1 a proper regard for oneself. 2 a selfishness. b conceit.

self-regisiering |self'redzistorin/ adj. (of a scientific instrument etc.) automatically registering its measurements.

self-regulating /self'regju,leitin/ adj. regulating oneself or itself without intervention. oo self-regulation |-'le1{(o)n/ n. self-regulatory /-loteri/ adj.

self-reliance |,selfri'larons/ n. reliance on one’s own resources etc.; independence. 00 self-reliant adj. self-reliantly adv.

self-renewal |,selfri'nju:al/ n. the act or process of renewing oneself or itself.

self-renunciation /|,selfri,nansi'er{(9)n/‘n. 1 = SELF-SACRIFICE. 2 unselfishness.

self-reproach |,selfri'prout{/ n. reproach or blame directed at oneself. oo self-reproachful adj.

self-respect /,selfri'spekt/ n. respect for oneself, a feeling that one is behaving with honour, dignity, etc. 00 self-respecting

/|,selfri'stremnt)/

n.

=

SELF-CONTROL.

oo

self-restrained adj.

self-revealing |,selfrt'vi:lin/ adj. revealing one’s character, motives, etc, esp. /-,\reve'lerf(a)n/ n.

inadvertently.

0 . self-revelation

Selfridge |'selfrid3/, Harry Gordon (71864-1947), US-born businessman, founder of the shop in Oxford Street, London, that bears his name. It opened in 1909.

self-righteous /self'rait{as/ adj. excessively conscious of or insistent on. one’s. rectitude, correctness, | etc. self-righteously adv. self-righteousness n.

oo

self-righting /self'raitin/ adj. (of a boat) righting itself when ;

self-rising /self'raizin/ adj. US = SELF-RAISING. wwe

zzoo

f she

shop, restaurant, garage, etc.) where customers serve themselves and pay at a checkout counter etc. 2 (of a machine) serving goods after the insertion of coins. —n. colloq. a self-service store,

garage, etc. self-serving /self's3:vin/ adj. = SELF-SEEKING. self-slaughter /self'slo:to(r)/ n. = SUICIDE. self-sown /self'ssun/ adj. grown from seed scattered naturally.

self-starter /self'sta:ta(r)/ n. 1 an electric appliance for starting a motor vehicle engine without the use of a crank. 2 an ambitious person who needs no external motivation.

self-sterile /self'sterarl/ adj. Biol. not being self-fertile.

oo

3 decision

self-styled /'selfstarld/ adj. called so by oneself; would-be; pretended (a self-styled artist).

self-raising /self'reizin/ adj. Brit. (of flour) having a raising

capsized.

self-service /self'ss:vis/ adj. & n. —adj. (often attrib.) 1 (of a

self-sterility /-sto'riliti/ n.

itself. 00 self-protective adj.

adj. self-restraint

before that of others. 00 self-seeker n.

@ thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

self-sufficient /\selfsa'fif(a)nt/ adj. 1 a needing nothing; independent. b (of a person, nation, etc.) able to supply one’s needs for a commodity, esp. food, from one’s own resources. 2 content with one’s own opinion; arrogant. 00 self-sufficiency n. self-sufficiently adv. self-sufficing |/-so'fatsin/ adj.

self-suggestion /,selfso'dzest{(2)n/ n. = AUTO-SUGGESTION. self-supporting |,selfso'po:tin/ adj. 1 capable of maintaining oneself or itself financially. 2 staying up or standing without external aid. 00 self-support n.

self-surrender |,selfso'rendo(r)/ n. the surrender of oneself or one’s will etc. to an influence, emotion, or other person.

self-sustaining

|,selfso'stemin/ adj. sustaining oneself or

itself. 00 self-sustained adj.

self-taught /|self'to:t/ adj. educated or trained by oneself, not externally.

self-torture /self'to:t{a(r)/ n. the inflicting of pain, esp. mental, on oneself.

self-willed /selftwild/ adj. obstinately pursuing one’s own wishes. 00 self-will n. self-winding /selftwaindin/ adj. (of a watch etc.) having an automatic winding apparatus.

self-worth /self'ws:0/ n. = SELF-ESTEEM. Seljuk /'seldzok/ n. & adj. —n. a member of the Turkish dynasty which ruled Asia Minor in the 11th-13th ing the Byzantine Empire and defending the Crusaders. —adj.. of or relating Seljukian /-'dju:kion/ adj. & n. [Turk.

c., successfully invadthe Holy Land against to the Seljuks. oo seljiiq (name of their

reputed ancestor)]

Selkirk /'selks:k/, Alexander (1676-1721), Scottish sailor. While on a privateering expedition, Selkirk quarrelled with his captain and was put ashore, at his own request, on one of the uninhabited Juan Fernandez Islands in the South Pacific, where he remained from 1704 to 1709 before being rescued. His experiences later formed the basis of Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe. sell /sel/ v. & n. —v. (past and past part. sold /sould/) 1 tr. make over or dispose of in exchange for money. 2 tr. keep a stock of for sale or be a dealer in (do you sell candles?). 3 intr. (of goods) be purchased (will never sell; these are selling well). 4 intr. (foll. by at, tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

Sellafield

semiconductor

1318

for) have a specified price (sells at £5). 5 tr. betray for money or other reward (sell one’s country). 6 tr. offer dishonourably for money or other consideration; make a matter of corrupt bargaining (sell justice; sell oneself; sell one’s honour). 7 tr. a advertise or publish the merits of. b give (a person) information on the value of something, inspire with a desire to buy or acquire or agree to something. 8 tr. cause to be sold (the author's name alone will sell many copies). 9 tr. sl. disappoint by not keeping an engagement etc., by failing in some way, or by trickery (sold again!), —n. collog. 1 a manner of selling (soft sell). 2 a deception or disappointment. o sell-by date the latest recommended date of sale marked on the packaging of esp. perishable food. sell down the river see RIVER. sell the (or a) dummy see DUMMY. selling-point an advantageous feature. selling-race a horse-race after which the winning horse must be auctioned. sell one’s life dear (or dearly) do great injury before being killed. sell off sell the remainder of (goods) at reduced prices. sell out 1 a sell all one’s stock-in-trade, one’s shares in a company, etc. b sell (all or some of one’s stock, shares, etc.). 2 a betray. b be treacherous or disloyal. sell-out n. 1 a commercial success, esp. the selling of all tickets for a show. 2 a betrayal. sell the pass see pass, sell a pup see pup. sell short disparage, underestimate. sell up Brit. 1 sell one’s business, house, etc. 2 sell the goods of (a debtor). sold on collog. enthusiastic about. 00 sellable adj. [OE sellan f. Gmc]

Sellafield /'selo,fi:ld/ an industrial site near the coast of Cumbria in NW England, formerly the site of a Royal Ordnance Factory and now belonging to British Nuclear Fuels. The name was changed to Windscale in 1947 and reverted officially to Sellafield in 1981. (See WINDSCALE.)

seller /'sela(r)/ n. 1 a person who sells. 2 a commodity that sells well or badly. o seller’s (or sellers’) market an economic position in which goods are scarce and expensive.

Sellotape /|'selo,terp/ n. & v. —n. propr. adhesive usu. transparent cellulose or plastic tape. Tape of this kind was first developed in the US (where it was called Scotch tape) in 1928. —-v.tr. (sellotape) fix with Sellotape. [CELLULOSE + TAPE]

Semarang /|so'ma:ren/ a port and the capital of the province of Central Java, Indonesia; pop. (1980) 1,026,600.

semasiology

= /stmersi'pled31/_

1.

semantics.

oo

semasiological |-o'lnd31k(a)l/ adj. [G Semasiologie f. Gk sémasia meaning f. s¢maino signify] sematic /sr'mztrk/ adj. Zool. (of colouring, markings, etc.) significant; serving to warn off enemies or attract attention. [Gk séma sématos sign]

semblable /'sembleb(a)l/ n. & adj. —n. a counterpart or equal. —adj. archaic having the semblance of something, seeming. [ME f. OF (as SEMBLANCE)]

semblance /|'semblons/ n. 1 the outward or superficial appearance of something (put on a semblance of anger). 2 resemblance. [ME f. OF f. sembler f. L similare, simulare SIMULATE] semé /'sem1, 'semet/ adj. (also semée) Heraldry covered with small bearings of indefinite number (e.g. stars, fleurs-de-lis) arranged all over the field. [F, past part. of semer to sow]

semeiology var. of sEMIOLOGY. semeiotics var. of SEMIOTICS. Semele /|'semii/ Gk Mythol. the mother, by Zeus, of Dionysus. She entreated Zeus to come to her in his full majesty and the fire of his thunderbolts killed her but made her child immortal. sememe /|'semi:m, 'si:m-/ n. Linguistics the unit of meaning carried by a morpheme. [as SEMANTIC] semen /|'si:mon/ n. the reproductive fluid of male animals, containing spermatozoa in suspension. [ME f. L semen seminis seed f. serere to sow] semester /si'mesta(r)/ n. a half-year course or term in (esp. German and US) universities. [G f. L semestris six-monthly f. sex six + mensis month] semii /'sem1/ n. (pl. semis) collog. 1 Brit. a semi-detached house. 2 US a semi-trailer. [abbr.] semi- /'semi/ prefix 1 half (semicircle). 2 partly; in some degree or particular (semi-official; semi-detached). 3 almost (a semi-smile). 4 occurring or appearing twice in a specified period (semi-annual). [F, It., etc. or L, corresp. to Gk HEMI-, Skr. sami]

Selous /so'lu:/, Frederick Court (1851-1917), English hunter,

semi-annual

soldier, naturalist, and explorer in south central Africa. A game reserve named after him, in SE Tanzania, is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Africa and has the most numerous elephant population in the world. seltzer /'seltso(r)/ n. (in full seltzer water) 1 medicinal mineral water from Nieder-Selters in Germany. 2 an artificial substitute for this; soda water. [G Selterser (adj.) f. Selters]

twice a year. OO semi-annually adv. semi-automatic /,sem1,:ta'mztik/ adj. 1 partially automatic. 2 (of a firearm) having a mechanism for continuous loading but not for continuous firing. semi-basement |,semi'beismont/ n. a storey partly below ground level.

semi-bold /,sem1'bould/ adj. Printing printed in a type darker than normal but not as dark as bold.

selvage /'selvid3/ n. (also selvedge) 1 a an edging that prevents cloth from unravelling (either an edge along the warp or a specially woven edging). b a border of different material or finish intended to be removed or hidden. 2 Geol. an alteration zone at the edge of a rock mass. 3 the edge-plate of a lock with an opening for the bolt. [ME f. sELF + EDGE, after Du. selfegghe]

semibreve /'sem1)bri:v/ n. Mus. the longest note now in common use, having the time value of two minims or four crochets, and represented by a ring with no stem. Also called whole note.

semicircle /'sem1,s3:k(o)l/ n. 1 half of a circle or of its circumference. 2 a set of objects ranged in, or an object forming, a semicircle. [L semicirculus (as SEMI-, CIRCLE)]

Selvas /'selvas/ a name given to the equatorial rainforest of the

semicircular |,semr'ss:kjula(r)/ adj. 1 forming or shaped like

Amazon basin in South America.

selves pl. of sELr. semanteme /|s!'menti:m/ n. Linguistics a fundamental element expressing an image or idea. [F s¢mantéme (as SEMANTIC)] semantic /st'mentik/ adj. relating to meaning in language; relating to the connotations of words. 00 semantically adv. [F

sémantique f. Gk sémantikos significant f. sémaino signify f. séma sign]

of linguistics concerned with meaning. [-'tif(a)n/ n. semanticist /-tisist/ n.

oO

sending messages by holding the arms or two flags in certain positions according to an alphabetic code. 2 a signalling appar-

atus consisting of a post with a movable arm or arms, lanterns, etc., for use (esp. on railways) by day or night. —v.intr. & tr. signal or send by semaphore. 00 semaphoric /-!forik/ adj. semaphorically /-'fortkoli/ adv. [F semaphore, irreg. f. Gk séma sign + -phoros -PHORE]

e bed

3: her

semi-civilized /|,semt'srv,laizd/ adj. partially civilized. semicolon /,semr'kovlen, -lon/ n. a punctuation mark (;) of intermediate value between a comma and full stop. of a semiconductor. semiconductor /,semiksn'dakto(r)/ n. a solid substance that is a non-conductor when pure or at a low temperature but has a conductivity between that of insulators and that of most metals when containing a suitable impurity or at a higher temperature. Modern electronics now relies principally upon devices made of semiconductors such as silicon and germanium, and increasing miniaturization of such devices has been achieved. The significance of semiconductors lies not only in their overall degree of conductivity but also in the fact that, in comparison with metals, their conductivity is liable to be much more sensitive

semantician

semaphore /'semo,fo:(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 Mil. etc. a system of

a: arm

a semicircle. 2 arranged as or in a semicircle. 0 semicircular canal any of three fluid-filled channels in the ear giving information to the brain to help maintain balance. [LL semicircularis (as SEMICIRCLE)]

semiconducting /,semiken'daktin/ adj. having the properties

semantics /s1'mentiks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) the branch

z cat

/|,semi'znjuol/ adj. occurring, published, etc.,

1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

ov put

u: too

9 ago

al my

semi-conscious

to factors such as heat, light, applied voltage, and traces of impurities. This sensitivity means that the performance of transistors and other semiconductor devices can be very precisely controlled—control which is a prerequisite of creating electronic circuits that are able to process complicated information, as in a computer. Semiconductors are seldom used in the pure state but are normally mixed with traces of special impurities which

increase conductivity

character. semi-conscious

conscious. semicylinder

and also help to determine

/,semi'kon{9s/

/|,semt'stlida(r)/

adj. partly or

its

imperfectly

n. half of a cylinder cut

longitudinally. 00 semicylindrical /-!lindrik(9)l/ adj.

an official with the stipulation that the source should not be revealed. 00 semi-officially adv.

semiology

/|,si:m1'plod31,

,sem-/ n. (also semeiology)

=

SEMIOTICS. 00 semiological |-o'lpd31k(a)l/ adj. semiologist n. [Gk sémeion sign f. séma mark] semi-opaque /|,semiau'perk/ adj. not fully transparent.

semiotics /,si:m'ptiks, ,sem-/ n. (also semeiotics) 1 the study of signs and symbols in various fields, esp. symptomatology. 00 semiotic adj. semiotically adv. semiotician /-'t1{(a)n/ n. signs (as SEMIOLOGY)] semi-permanent /|,semi'ps:manont/ adj.

language. 2 Med. semiotical adj. [Gk sémeidtikos of rather

less than

permanent.

semidemisemiquaver /'sem1dem1sem1 ,kwerva(r)/ n. Mus. = HEMIDEMISEMIQUAVER. [SEMI- + DEMISEMIQUAVER] semi-deponent /,semidr'psonent/ adj. Gram. (of a Latin verb) having active forms in present tenses and passive forms with active sense in perfect tenses.

semi-detached /|,semidr'tetft/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a house) joined to another by a party-wall on one side only. semi-detached house.

—n. a :

semidiameter |,semidat'zemita(r)/ n. half of a diameter. [LL (as SEMI-, DIAMETER)]

semi-documentary |,sem1dokjo'mentari/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a film) having a factual background andafictitious story. —n. (pl. -ies) a semi-documentary film.

semi-dome /'semi,dsum/ n. 1 a half-dome formed by vertical section. 2 a part of a structure more or less resembling a dome.

semi-double

semi-vowel

1319

semi-permeable |,sem1'ps:miab(s)l/ adj. (of a membrane etc.) allowing small molecules, but not large ones, to pass through.

semi-plume /'sem1,plu:m/ n. a feather with a firm stem but a downy web. semiprecious /,sem1'prefas/ adj. (of a gem) less valuable than a precious stone.

semi-pro /|,semr'prou/ adj. & n. (pl. -os) US collog. = SEMI-PROFESSIONAL. semi-professional /,semipro'fefan(s)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 receiving payment for an activity but not relying on it for a living. 2 involving semi-professionals. —n. a semi-professional musician, sportsman, etc. semiquaver /'semi,kwervo(r)/ n. Mus. a note having the time value of half a quaver and represented by a large dot with a two-hooked stem. Also called sixteenth note.

/|,semr'dab(a)l/ adj. (of a flower) intermediate

Semiramis /si'miremis/ Gk legend the daughter of a Syrian

between single and double in having only the outer stamens converted to petals.

goddess. Exposed at birth, she was tended by doves until found by shepherds. Her second husband was Ninus, king of Assyria, after whose death she ruled for many years, renowned in war and (allegedly) as a builder of Babylon; at death she was changed into a dove. The historical figure behind this legend is almost certainly Sammuramat, wife of the Assyrian king Shamshi-Adad V, and herself regent 810-805 Bc during the minority of her

semifinal |,sem1'fain(s)l/ n. a match or round immediately preceding the final.

semifinalist /,semr'fainolist/ n. a competitor in a semifinal. semi-finished |,sem1'fini/t/ adj. prepared for the final stage of manufacture.

semi-fitted /,semr'fitid/ adj. (of a garment) shaped to the body but not closely fitted.

semifiuid /,sem1'flu:1d/ adj. & n. —adj. ofa consistency between solid and liquid. —n. a semifluid substance.

semi-infinite /,sem1'infinit/ adj. Math. limited in one direction and stretching to infinity in the other.

semi-invalid

|,semr'mvajli:d, -lid/ n. a person

somewhat

enfeebled or partially disabled.

semi-liquid /,semi'likwid/ adj. & n. = SEMIFLUID. semi-lunar /|,sem1'lu:na(r)/ adj. shaped like a half moon or crescent. 0 semi-lunar bone a bone of this shape in the carpus. semi-lunar cartilage a cartilage of this shape in the knee. semi-lunar valve a valve of this shape in the heart. [mod.L semilunaris (as SEMI-, LUNAR)] g

semi-metal /,semi'met(a)l/ n. a substance with some of the properties of metals. [mod.L semimetallum (as SEMI-, METAL)]

semi-monthly |,semi'man6li/ adj. & adv. —adj. occurring, published, etc., twice a month. —adv. twice a month. seminal /'semin(a)l/ adj. 1 of or relating to seed, semen, or reproduction. 2 germinal. 3 rudimentary, undeveloped. 4 (of ideas etc.) providing the basis for future development. o seminal fluid semen. 00 seminally adv. [ME f. OF seminal or L seminalis (as SEMEN)] seminar /'sem1,na;(r)/ n. 1 a small class at a university etc. for discussion and research. 2 a short intensive course of study. 3 a conference of specialists. [G (as SEMINARY)] seminary /'seminori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a training-college for priests, rabbis, etc. 2 a place of education or development. oo

seminarist n. [ME f. L seminarium seed-plot, neut. of seminarius

seminiferous /,semi'niforas/ adj. 1 bearing seed. 2 conveying

needing some training but less than for a skilled worker.

semi-smile /'sem1,smail/ n. an expression that is not quite a smile.

semi-solid /,sem1'splid/ adj. viscous, semifluid. semi-sweet sweetened.

/'semrswi:t/

than official. 2 (of communications to newspapers etc.) made by 9u no

eo hair

10 near

adj.

(of biscuits

etc.)

o1 boy

va poor

slightly

semi-synthetic /,semisin'9etrk/ adj. Chem. (of a substance) that is prepared synthetically but derives from a naturally occurring material.

Semite /'si:mait, 'sem-/ n. a member of any of the peoples supposed to be descended from Shem, son of Noah (Gen. 10: 21 ff.), including esp. the Jews, Arabs, Assyrians, and Phoenicians. 00 Semitism /'sem1,tiz(9)m/n. Semitist /'semitist/n. Semitize |'sem1,ta1z/ v.tr. (also -ise). Semitization /,semitai'ze1f(2)n/ n.

[mod.L Semita f. LL f. Gk Sém Shem] Semitic /s1'mitik/ adj. 1 of or relating to the Semites, esp. the Jews. 2 of or relating to the languages of the family that includes Hebrew, Arabic, and Aramaic, and certain ancient languages such as Phoenician, Assyrian, and Babylonian. They are closely related both in structure and in vocabulary. Almost all Semitic words are derived from verbs consisting of three consonants. [mod.L Semiticus (as SEMITE)} semitone /'semi,toun/ n. Mus. the smallest interval used in classical European music; halfa tone.

semi-trailer /,semr'treilo(r)/ n. a trailer having wheels at the back but supported at the front by a towing vehicle.

|,semu,treens'peront,

\semi,tra:n-,

-'peorant/ adj. partially or imperfectly transparent.

semi-tropics |,semi'troprks/ n.pl. = sUBTROPICS.

semen. [L semin- f. SEMEN + -FEROUS]

semi-official /,sem1o'fi{(2)l/ adj. 1 partly official; rather less er day

keel attached to a flexible gas container.

semi-skilled /,semt'skild/ adj. (of work or a worker) having or

semi-transparent

(adj.) (as SEMEN)}

au how

son.

semi-rigid |,sem1'rid3id/ adj. (of an airship) having a stiffened

00 semi-

tropical adj. semi-vowel |'semi,vavol/ n. 1 a sound intermediate between

aia fire

aus sour

(see over for consonants)

semi-weekly

a person to Coventry see CovENTRY. send up 1 cause to go up. 2 transmit to a higher authority. 3 Brit. collog. satirize or ridicule, esp. by mimicking. 4 US sentence to imprisonment. send-up n. Brit. collog. a satire or parody. send word send

a vowel and a consonant (e.g. w, y). 2 a letter representing this. [after L semivocalis]

semi-weekly |,semr'wi:kli/ adj. & adv. —adj. occurring, published, etc., twice a week. —adv. twice a week.

Semmelweis

information. 00 sendable adj. sender n. [OE sendan f. Gmc]

/'semoljvais/, Ignaz Philipp (1818-65), Austro-

Sendai /sen'da1/ a city of Japan, capital of Tohoku region, Hon-

Hungarian obstetrician who discovered the infectious septic character of puerperal fever, a major cause of maternal mortality. He demonstrated that the infection was transmitted by the hands of doctors who examined patients after carrying out work in the dissecting room, and advocated rigorous cleanliness and

shu Island; pop. (1987) 686,000.

sendal /'send(a)l/ n. hist. 1 a thin rich silk material. 2 a garment of this. [ME f. OF cendal, ult. f. Gk sindon] seneécio /s1'ni:{12u/ n. any composite plant of the genus Senecio, including many cultivated species as well as groundsel and ragwort. [L senecio old man, groundsel, with ref. to the hairy fruits]

the use of antiseptics. His results were spectacular, but though

the younger medical men accepted his discoveries the weight of authority was against him; Virchow and others rejected his views, and his involvement in the 1848 revolution hindered his career. Disheartened and depressed by the years of opposition, he died in a mental hospital. sem mit /'semit/ n. Sc. an undershirt. [ME: orig. unkn.]

Senegal /,senr'go:1/ a country on the west coast of Africa, with the River Senegal as its northern boundary and the Gambia forming a narrow strip within its territory; pop. (est. 1988) 7,281,000; official language, French; capital, Dakar. Part of the Mali empire in the 14th and i5thc., the area was colonized by the French in the second half of the 19thc. Senegal became part of French West Africa in 1895, a member of the French community in 1958, and part of the Federation of Mali in 1959 before becoming an independent republic in 1960. The economy is largely based on groundnuts, although the capital, Dakar, is

semolina |,semo'li:no/ n. 1 the hard grains left after the milling of flour, used in puddings etc. and in pasta. 2 a pudding etc. made of this. [It. semolino dimin. of semola bran f. L simila flour] sempiternal /\sempr'ts:n(9)l/ adj. rhet. eternal, everlasting. o0 sempiternally adv. sempiternity n. [ME f. OF sempiternel f. LL sempiternalis f. L sempiternus f. semper always + aeternus eternal]

industrialized. 00 Senegalese /-'li:z/ adj. & n. senesce /si'nes/ v.intr. grow old. 00 senescence n. senescent

semplice |'sempli,tfet, -t/1/ adv. Mus. in a simple style of performance. [It., = SIMPLE] sempre |'sempret, -r1/ adv. Mus. throughout, always (sempre

adj. [L senescere f. senex old]

seneschal /'sen1{(2)l/ n. 1 the steward or major-domo of a medi-

forte). [It.]

eval great house. 2 a judge in Sark. [ME f. OF f. med.L seniscalus f. Gmc, = old servant] senhor |sein'jo:(r)/ n. a title used of or to a Portuguese or Brazilian man. [Port. f. L senior. see SENIOR] senhora |sein'jo:ra/ n. a title used of or to a Portuguese woman or a Brazilian married woman. [Port., fem. of SENHOR]

sempstress var. of SEAMSTRESS. Semtex /'semteks/ n. propr. very malleable odourless plastic explosive. [prob. f. Semtin village in E. Bohemia, Czechoslovakia, where manufactured + explosive or export]

SEN abbr. (in the UK) State Enrolled Nurse. Sen. abbr. 1 Senior. 2 US a Senator. b Senate.

senhorita |,sernja'ri:ta/ n. a title used of or to a Brazilian unmar-

Senanyake /||seno'narsko/, Don Stephen (1884-1952), Sinhalese statesman, chief architect of Sri Lanka’s independence and the country’s first Prime Minister (1947-52). senarius /si'neortos/ n. (pl. senarii |-1,a1/) Prosody a verse of six feet, esp. an iambic trimeter. [L: see SENARY] senary /'si:nort, 'sen-/ adj. of six, by sixes. [L senarius f. seni distrib. of sex six] senate /'senit/n. 1 a legislative body, esp. the upper and smaller assembly in the US, France, and other countries, in the States of the US, etc. 2 the governing body of a university or (in the US) a college. 3 Rom.Hist. the State council of the republic and empire composed (after the early period) of ex-magistrates, sharing legislative power with the popular assemblies, administration with the magistrates, and judicial power with the knights. [ME f. OF senat f. L senatus f. senex old man] senator |'senota(r)/ n. 1a member of a senate. 2 (in Scotland) a Lord of Session. 00 senatorial /-'to:r1ol/ adj. senatorship n. [ME f. OF senateur f. L senator -oris (as SENATE)] send /send/ v. (past and past part. sent /sent/) 1 tr. a order or cause to go or be conveyed (send a message to headquarters; sent me a book; sends goods all over the world). b propel; cause to move (send a bullet; sent him flying). ¢ cause to go or become (send into raptures; send to sleep). d dismiss with or without force (sent her away; sent him about his business). 2 intr. send a message or letter (he sent to warn me). 3 tr. (of God, providence, etc.) grant or bestow or inflict; bring about; cause to be (send rain; send a judgement; send her victorious!). 4 tr. sl. affect emotionally, put into ecstasy. 0 send away for send an order to a dealer for (goods). send down Brit. 1 rusticate or expel from a university. 2 sentence to imprisonment. 3 Cricket bowl (a ball or an over). send for 1 summon. 2 order by post. send in 1 cause to go in. 2 submit (an entry etc.) for a competition etc. send off 1 get (a letter, parcel, etc.) dispatched. 2 attend the departure of (a person) as a sign of

respect etc. 3 Sport (of a referee) order (a player) to leave the field and take no further part in the game. send-off n. a demonstration of goodwill etc. at the departure of a person, the start of a project, etc. send off for = send away for. send on transmit to a further destination or in advance of one’s own arrival. send b but

sennight

1320

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

ried woman. [Port., dimin. of SENHORA] senile /'si:narl/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or characteristic of old age (senile apathy; senile decay). 2 having the weaknesses or diseases of old age. —n. a senile person. 00 senility /s1'nilrti/ n. [F sénile or L senilis f. senex old man]

senior /'si:nta(r)/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (often foll. by to) more or most advanced in age or standing. 2 of high or highest position. 3 (placed after a person’s name) senior to another of the same name. 4 (of a school) having pupils in an older age-range (esp. over 11). 5 US of the final year at a university, high school, etc. —n. 1a person of advanced age or comparatively long service etc. 2 one’s elder, or one’s superior in length of service, membership, etc. (is my senior). 3 a senior student. 0 senior citizen an elderly person, esp. an old-age pensioner. senior college US a college in which the last two years’ work for a bachelor’s degree is done. senior common (or combination) room Brit. a room for use by senior members of a college. senior nursing officer the person in charge of nursing services in a hospital. senior officer an officer to whom ajunior is responsible. senior partner the head ofa firm. senior service Brit. the Royal Navy as opposed to the Army. senior tutor Brit. a college tutor in charge of the teaching arrangements. 00 seniority /,si:n1'pritt/ n. [ME f. L, = older, older man, compar. of senex senis old man,

old] senna /'seno/ n. 1 a cassia tree. 2 a laxative prepared from the dried pods of this. [med.L sena f. Arab. sana]

Sennacherib

/|si'nekarib/ king of Assyria 704-681 Bc, who

rebuilt the city of Nineveh, making it his capital. He was obliged to devote much of his reign to suppressing revolts in various parts of his empire, including Babylon which he sacked in 689 Bc. In 701 Bc he put down aJewish rebellion, exacting tribute from Hezekiah and laying siege to Jerusalem but sparing it from destruction, according to 2 Kings 19: 35, after an epidemic of illness amongst his forces.

sennet! /'senrt/ n. hist. a signal call on a trumpet or cornet (in the stage directions of Elizabethan plays). {perh. var. of SIGNET]

sennet? var. of sINNET. sennight /'senart/ n. archaic a week. [OE seofon nihta seven nights] kcat

lleg

m man

nno

p pen

rred s

sit

t top

v voice

sennit

sennit /'senit/ n. 1 hist. plaited straw, palm leaves, etc., used for making hats. 2 = sINNET. [var. of SINNET] sefior /sen'jo:(r)/ n. (pl. sefiores /-rez/) a title used of or to a Spanish-speaking man. [Sp. f. L senior: see SENIOR] sefiora /sen'jo:ro/ n. a title used of or to a Spanish-speaking married woman. [Sp., fem. of SENOR] senorita /,senja'ri:to/ n. a title used of or to a Spanish-speaking unmarried woman. [Sp., dimin. of SENORA] Senr. abbr. Senior. sensate /'senseit/ adj. perceived by the senses. [LL sensatus having senses (as SENSE)] sensation /sen'se1{(9)n/ n. 1 the consciousness of perceiving or seeming to perceive some state or condition of one’s body or its parts or senses or of one’s mind or its emotions; an instance of such consciousness (lost all sensation in my left.arm; had a sensation of giddiness; a sensation of pride; in search of a new sensation). 2aa stirring of emotions or intense interest esp. among a large group of people (the news caused a sensation). b a person, event, etc., causing such interest. 3 the sensational use of literary etc. material. [med.L sensatio f. L sensus SENSE] : sensational /sen'serfan(2)l/ adj. 1 causing or intended to cause great public excitement etc. 2 of or causing sensation. 00 sensationalize v.tr. sensationally adv.

sensationalism /sen'se1{anga,l1z(9)m/ n. 1 the use of or interest in the sensational in literature, political agitation, etc. 2 Philos. the theory that ideas are derived solely from sensation (opp. RATIONALISM).

00 sensationalist

n. & adj. sensationalistic

/-ustrk] adj. sense /sens/n. & v. —n. 1 a any of the special bodily faculties by which sensation is roused (has keen senses; has a dull sense of smell). b sensitiveness of all or any of these. 2 the ability to perceive or feel or to be conscious of the presence or properties of things. 3 (foll. by of) consciousness (sense of having done well; sense of one’s own importance). 4 (often foll. by of) a quick or accurate appreciation, understanding, or instinct regarding a specified matter (sense of the ridiculous; road sense; the moral sense). b the habit of basing one’s conduct on such instinct. 5 practical wisdom or judgement, common sense; conformity to these (has plenty of sense; what is the sense of talking like that?; has more sense than to do that). 6 a a meaning; the way in which a word etc. is to be understood (the sense of the word is clear, I mean that in the literal sense). b intelligibility or coherence or possession of a meaning. 7 the prevailing opinion among a number of people. 8 (in pl.) a person’s sanity or normal state of mind. 9 Math. etc. aa direction of movement. b that which distinguishes a pair of entities which differ only in that each is the reverse of the other. —v.tr. 1 perceive by a sense or senses. 2 be vaguely aware of. 3 realize. 4 (of a machine etc.) detect. 5 US understand. 0 bring a person to his or her senses 1 cure a person of folly. 2 restore a person to consciousness. come to one’s senses 1 regain consciousness. 2 become sensible after acting foolishly. the five senses sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. in a (or one) sense if the statement is understood in a particular way (what you say is true in a sense). in one’s senses sane. make sense be intelligible or practicable. make sense of show or find the meaning of. man of sense a sagacious man. out of one’s senses

in or into a state of madness (is out of her senses; frightened him out of his senses). sense-datum (pl. -data) Philos. an element of experience received through the senses. sense of direction the ability to know without guidance the direction in which one is or should be moving. sense of humour see HUMOUR. sense-organ a bodily organ conveying external stimuli to the sensory system. take leave of one’s senses go mad. take the

sense of the meeting ascertain the prevailing opinion. under a sense of wrong feeling wronged. [ME f. L sensus faculty of feeling, thought, meaning, f. sentire sens- feel] senseless /'senslis/ adj. 1 unconscious. 2 wildly foolish. 3 without meaning or purpose. 4 incapable of sensation. oo senselessly adv. senselessness n.

sensibility /,sensi'biliti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 capacity to feel (little finger lost its sensibility). 2 a openness to emotional impressions, wwe

z zoo

sentence

1321

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

9 ring

x loch

susceptibility, sensitiveness (sensibility to kindness). b an exceptional or excessive degree of this (sense and sensibility). 3 (in pl.) a tendency to feel offended etc. [ME f. LL sensibilitas (as SENSIBLE)]

sensible /'sensrb(9)l/ adj. 1 having or showing wisdom or common sense; reasonable, judicious (a sensible person; a sensible compromise). 2 a perceptible by the senses (sensible phenomena). b great enough to be perceived; appreciable (a sensible difference). 3 (of clothing etc.) practical and functional. 4 (foll. by of) aware; not unmindful (was sensible of his peril). 0 sensible horizon see

HORIZON 1b. 00 sensibleness n. sensibly adv. [ME f. OF sensible or L sensibilis (as SENSE)]

sensitive /'sensitrv/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (often foll. by to) very open to or acutely affected by external stimuli or mental impressions; having sensibility. 2 (of a person) easily offended or emotionally hurt. 3 (often foll. by to) (of an instrument etc.) responsive to or recording slight changes. 4 (often foll. by to) a (of photographic materials) prepared so as to respond (esp. rapidly) to the action of light. b (of any material) readily affected by or responsive to external action. 5 (of a topic etc.) subject to restriction of discussion to prevent embarrassment, ensure security, etc. 6 (of a market) liable to quick changes of price. —n. a person who is sensitive (esp. to supposed occult influences). 0 sensitive plant 1 a plant whose leaves curve downwards and leaflets fold together when touched, esp. mimosa. 2 a sensitive person. 00 sensitively adv. sensitiveness n. [ME, = sensory, f. OF sensitif -ive or med.L sensitivus, irreg. f. L sentire sens- feel]

sensitivity /,sensr'trviti/ n. the quality or degree of being sensitive.

sensitize /'sens1,ta1z/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 make sensitive. 2 Photog. make sensitive to light. 3 make (an organism etc.) abnormally sensitive to a foreign substance. 00 sensitization /-'ze1{(a)n/ n. sensitizer n. sensitometer /||sensi'tpmita(r)/ n. Photog. a device for measuring sensitivity to light. sensor /'sensa(r)/ n. a device giving a signal for the detection or measurement of a physical property to which it responds. [SENsORY, after MOTOR] sensorium |sen'so:riam/ n. (pl. sensoria /-r1o/ or sensoriums) 1 the seat of sensation, the brain, brain and spinal cord, or grey matter of these. 2 Biol. the whole sensory apparatus including the nerve-system. 00 sensorial adj. sensorially adv. [LL f. L sentire sens- feel] sensory /'sensori/ adj. of sensation or the senses. 00 sensorily adv. [as SENSORIUM] sensual |'sensjuol, 'senJuol/ adj. 1 a of or depending on the senses only and not on the intellect or spirit; carnal, fleshly (sensual pleasures). b given to the pursuit of sensual pleasures or the gratification of the appetites; self-indulgent sexually or in regard to food and drink; voluptuous, licentious. c indicative of a sensual nature (sensual lips). 2 of sense or sensation, sensory. 3 Philos. of, according to, or holding the doctrine of, sensationalism. 00 sensualism n. sensualist n. sensualize v.tr. (also -ise). sensually adv. [ME f. LL sensualis (as SENSE)]

sensuality /,sensjo'zliti, ssenJu-/ 7. gratification of the senses, self-indulgence. [ME f. F sensualité f. LL sensualitas (as SENSUAL)] sensum /'sensom/ n. (pl. sensa |-so/) Philos. a sense-datum. [mod.L, neut. past part. of L sentire feel] sensuous /'sensjuos/ adj. of or derived from or affecting the senses, esp. aesthetically rather than sensually. 00 sensuously adv. sensuousness n. [L sensus sense] sent past and past part. of SEND. sentence /'sent(s)ns/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa set of words complete in itself as the expression of a thought, containing or implying a subject and predicate, and conveying a statement, question, exclamation, or command. b a piece of writing or speech between two full stops or equivalent pauses, often including several grammatical sentences (e.g. I went; he came). 2a a decision ofa lawcourt, esp. the punishment allotted to a person convicted in a criminal trial. b the declaration of this. 3 Logic a series of signs or symbols expressing a proposition in an artificial or logical language. —-v.tr. 1 declare the sentence of (a convicted

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

sentential

septillion

1322

criminal etc.). 2 (foll. by to) declare (such a person) to be condemned toa specified punishment. 0 under sentence of having been condemned to (under sentence of death). [ME f. OF f. L sententia opinion f. sentire be of opinion]

sentential /sen'ten{(2)l/ adj. Gram. & Logic of a sentence. [L sententialis (as SENTENCE)] sententious /sen'tenfas/ adj. 1 (of a person) fond of pompous moralizing. 2 (of a style) affectedly formal. 3 aphoristic, pithy, given to the use of maxims, affecting a concise impressive style. 00 sententiously adv. sententiousness n. [L sententiosus (as SENTENCE)] sentient /'sen{(a)nt/ adj. having the power of perception by the senses. 00 sentience n. sentiency n. sentiently adv. [L sentire feel] sentiment /'sentrmont/ n. 1 a mental feeling (the sentiment of pity). 2 a the sum of what one feels on some subject. b a verbal expression of this. 3 the expression of a view or desire esp. as formulated for a toast (concluded his speech with a sentiment). 4 an opinion as distinguished from the words meant to convey it (the sentiment is good though the words are injudicious). 5 a view or tendency based on or coloured with emotion (animated by noble sentiments). 6 such views collectively, esp. as an influence (sentiment unchecked by reason is a bad guide). 7 the tendency to be swayed by feeling rather than by reason. 8 a mawkish tender-

ness. b the display of this. 9 an emotional feeling conveyed in literature or art. [ME f. OF sentement f. med.L sentimentum f. L sentire feel]

sentimental /,senti'ment(s)l/ adj. 1 of or characterized by sentiment. 2 showing or affected by emotion rather than reason. 3 appealing to sentiment. 0 sentimental value the value of a thing to a particular person because of its associations. 00 sentimentalism n. sentimentalist n. sentimentality /-'tzlit1/ n. sentimentalize v.intr. & tr. (also -ise). sentimentalization /-lar'zerf(a)n/ n. sentimentally adv.

sentinel /'sentin(a)l/ n. & v. —n. a sentry or lookout.

—v.tr.

1837 by Sidi Mohammad ibn Ali es-Senussi. 2 a member of this fraternity.

Seoul /saul/ the capital of the Republic of Korea; pop. (1985) 9,645,800. It was the venue of the 1988 Olympic Games. sepal /'sep(o)l, 'si:-/ n. Bot. each of the divisions or leaves of the calyx. [F sépale, mod.L sepalum, perh. formed as SEPARATE + PETAL] separable /'separab(e)l/ adj. 1 able to be separated. 2 Gram. (of a prefix, or a verb in respect of a prefix) written as a separate word in some collocations. oo separability /-'biliti/ n. separableness n. separably adv. [F séparable or L separabilis (as SEPARATE)] separate adj.,n., & v. —adj. |'separat/ (often foll. by from) forming a unit that is or may be regarded as apart or by itself: physically disconnected, distinct, or individual (living in separate rooms; the two questions are essentially separate). —n. |'seporat/ 1 (in pl.) separate articles of clothing suitable for wearing together in various combinations. 2 an offprint. —v. /'sepo,rert/ 1 tr. make separate, sever, disunite. 2 tr. prevent union or contact of. 3 intr. go different ways, disperse. 4 intr. cease to live together as a married couple. 5 intr. (foll. by from) secede. 6 tr. a divide or sort (milk, ore, fruit, light, etc.) into constituent parts or sizes. b (often foll. by out) extract or remove (an ingredient, waste product, etc.) by such a process for use or rejection. 7 tr. US discharge, dismiss. 00 separately adv. separateness n. separative /-rativ/ adj. separatory /-rotor1/ adj. [L separare separat- (as SE-, parare make ready)]

3: her

Sephardi /s1'fa:d1/ n. (pl. Sephardim /-dim/) a Jew of Spanish or Portuguese descent (cf. ASHKENAZ!). 00 Sephardic adj. [LHeb., f.

s‘parad, a country mentioned in Obad. 20 and held in late Jewish

tradition to be Spain] sepia |'si:pro/ n. 1 a dark reddish-brown colour. 2 a a brown pigment prepared from a black fluid secreted by cuttlefish, used in monochrome drawing and in water-colours. b a brown tint used in photography. 3 a drawing done in sepia. 4 the fluid secreted by cuttlefish. [L f. Gk sépia cuttlefish] sepoy |'si:por/ n. hist. a native Indian soldier under European, esp. British, discipline. [Urdu & Pers. sipahi soldier f. sipah army]

seppuku /se'pu:ku:/ n. hara-kiri. [Jap] sepsis /'sepsis/n. 1 the state of being septic. 2 blood-poisoning. {mod.L f. Gk sépsis f. sep make rotten]

Sept. abbr. 1 September. 2 Septuagint. sept /sept/ n. a clan, esp. in Ireland. [prob. alt. of sEcT] sept- var. of SEPTI-. septa pl. of SEPTUM.

septal! /'sept(a)l/ adj. 1 of a septum or septa. 2 Archaeol. (of a stone or slab) separating compartments in a burial chamber. [SEPTUM]

septal? /'sept(s)l/ adj. of a sept or septs.

September /sep'tembo(r)/ n. the ninth month of the year. [ME f. L September f. septem seven: orig. the seventh month of the Roman year] septenarius /,septi'neortas/ n. (pl. septenarii /-r1,at/) Prosody a verse of seven feet, esp. a trochaic or iambic tetrameter catalectic. [L f. septeni distributive of septem seven] septenary /sep'ti:nort, 'septin-/ adj. & n. —adj. of seven, by sevens, on the basis of seven. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a group or set of seven (esp. years). 2 a septenarius. [L septenarius (as SEPTENARIUS)] septenate /'septinert/ adj. Bot. 1 growing in sevens. 2 having seven divisions. [L septeni (as SEPTENARIUS)]

septennial /sep'tentol/ adj. 1 lasting for seven years. 2 recurring every seven years. [LL septennis f. L septem seven + annus year] septennium /sep'teniom/ n. (pl. septenniums or septennia /-nta/) a period of seven years. septet /sep'tet/ n. (also septette) 1 Mus. a a composition for seven performers. b the performers of such a composition. 2 any group of seven. [G Septett f. L septem seven]

septfoil /'setforl/ n. 1 a seven-lobed ornamental figure. 2 archaic tormentil. [LL septifolium after CINQUEFOIL, TREFOIL] septi- /'septi/ comb. form (also sept- before a vowel) seven. [L f. septem seven] septic /'septrk/ adj. contaminated with bacteria from a festering wound etc., putrefying. Oo septic tank a tank in which the organic matter in sewage is disintegrated through bacterial activity, making it liquid enough to drain away. oo septically adv. septicity /-'tisit1/ n. [L septicus f. Gk séptikos f. sépOd make rotten]

septicaemia blood-poisoning. haima blood]

separation /,sepo'rer{(s)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of separating; the state of being separated. 2 (in full judicial

e bed

separatism n. separator /'sepo,reita(r)/ n. a machine for separating, e.g. cream from milk.

of or concerning a septcentenary.

Senussi /se'nu:si/ n. 1. a Muslim religious fraternity founded in

a: arm

three or more monochrome reproductions of a coloured picture which can combine to reproduce the full colour of the original. 0 separation order an order of court for judicial separation. [ME f. OF f. L separatio -onis (as SEPARATE)] separatist /'seporotist/n. a person who favours separation, esp. for political or ecclesiastical independence (opp. UNIONIST 2). 00

septate /'septert/ adj. Bot., Zool., & Anat. having a septum or septa; partitioned. 00 septation /-'ter{(a)n/ n. septcentenary /|,septsen'ti:nori/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1a seven-hundredth anniversary. 2 a festival marking this. —adj.

(sentinelled, sentinelling; US sentineled, sentineling) 1 station sentinels at or in. 2 poet. keep guard over or in. [F sentinelle f. It. sentinella, of unkn. orig.] sentry /'sentri/ n. (pl. -ies) a soldier etc. stationed to keep guard. 0 sentry-box a wooden cabin intended to shelter a standing sentry. sentry-go the duty of pacing up and down as a sentry. [perh. f. obs. centrinel, var. of SENTINEL]

# cat

separation or legal separation) an arrangement by which a husband and wife remain married but live apart. 3 any of

[\septr'si:mro/

n.

(US

septicemia)

00 septicaemic adj. [mod.L f. Gk séptikos +

septillion /sep'tiljan/ n. (pl. same) a thousand raised to the 1 sit

i: see

pv hot

9: saw

arun

vu put

u: too

o ago

al my

septimal eighth (or formerly, esp. Brit., the fourteenth) power (10% and 10 respectively). [F f. sept seven, after billion etc.]

septimal /'septim(a)l/ adj. of the number seven. [L septimus seventh f. septem seven] septime /'septi:m/ n. Fencing the seventh of the eight parrying positions. [L septimus (as SEPTIMAL)]

Septimius Severus /sep'trmres st'vieres/, Lucius (145/6-211), Roman emperor 193-211. After an unsuccessful invasion of Britain he died at York. He was active in reforms of the imperial administration and of the army, which he recognized as the real basis of imperial power.

septivalent /sep'tivalont/ adj. (also septavalent) Chem. having a valency of seven.

septuagenarian |\septjvod3i'neorten/ n. & adj. —n. a person from 70 to 79 years old. —adj. of this age. [L septuagenarius f. septuageni distributive of septuaginta seventy] Septuagesima |,septjuo'dzesima/ n. (in full Septuagesima Sunday) the Sunday before Sexagesima. [ME f. L, = seventieth (day), formed as SEPTUAGINT, perh. after QUINQUAGESIMA or with ref. to the period of 70 days from Septuagesima to the Saturda’ after Easter] .

Septuagint /'septjua,dzint/ n. a Greek version of the Old Testament including the Apocrypha, made for the use of Jewish communities in Egypt whose native language was Greek. It derives its name from the tradition that it was the work of about 70 translators who were said to have worked in separate cells, each translating the whole, and whose versions were found to be identical, thereby showing the work to be divinely inspired. Internal evidence shows that the work was divided between a number of translators and spread over the 3rd—2nd c. BC. The early Christian Church, whose language was Greek, used the Septuagint as its Bible, and it is still the standard version of the Old Testament in the Greek Church. [L septuaginta seventy] septum /'septom/ n. (pl. septa /-ta/) Anat., Bot., & Zool. a partition such as that between the nostrils or the chambers of a poppyfruit or of a shell. [L s(a)eptum f. saepire saept- enclose f. saepes hedge]

septuple /'septjup(s)l/ adj., n., & v. —adj. 1 sevenfold, having seven parts. 2 being seven times as many or as much. —n.a sevenfold number or amount. —v.tr. & intr. multiply by seven. [LL septuplus f. L septem seven] septuplet /'sep,tjuplit, sep'tju:plit/ n. 1 one of seven children born at one birth. 2 Mus. a group of seven notes to be played in the time of four or six. [as SEPTUPLE, after TRIPLET etc.]

sepulchral /st'palkr(s)l/ adj. 1 of a tomb or interment (sepulchral mound; sepulchral customs). 2 suggestive of the tomb, funereal, gloomy, dismal (sepulchral look). 00 sepulchrally adv. [F sépulchral or L sepulchralis (as SEPULCHRE)}

sepulchre /'sepalko(r)/ n. & v. (US sepulcher) —n. a tomb esp. cut in rock or built of stone or brick, a ‘burial vault or cave. —v.tr. 1 lay in a sepulchre. 2 serve as a sepulchre for. 0 the Holy Sepulchre the tomb in which Christ was laid. whited sepulchre a hypocrite (with ref. to Matt. 23: 27). [ME f. OF f. L sepulc(h)rum f. sepelire sepult- bury] sepulture /'sepoltfa(r)/ n. literary the act or an instance of burying or putting in the grave. [ME f. OF f. L sepultura (as SsEPULCHRE)] seq. abbr. (pl. seqq.) the following. [L sequens etc.] sequacious /si'kwerJos/ adj. 1 (of reasoning or a reasoner) not inconsequent, coherent. 2 archaic inclined to follow, lacking independence or originality, servile. 00 sequaciously adv. sequacity /si'kwesiti/ n. [L sequax f. sequi follow] sequel /'si:kw(a)l/ n. 1 what follows (esp. as a result). 2 a novel, film, etc., that continues the story of an earlier one. u in the sequel as things developed afterwards. [ME f. OF sequelle or L sequel(l)a f. sequi follow] sequela /s1'kwi:lo/ n. (pl. sequelae /-li:/) Med. (esp. in pl.) a morbid condition or symptom following a disease. [L f. sequi follow] sequence /|'si:kwons/ n. & v. —n. 1 succession, coming after or next. 2 order of succession (shall follow the sequence of events; give the facts in historical sequence). 3 a set of things belonging next to av how

er day

Serapis

1323

ov no

eo hair

Io near

o1 boy

va poor

one another on some principle of order; a series without gaps. 4 a part of a film dealing with one scene or topic. 5 a set of poems on one theme.

6a set of three or more playing-cards

next to one another in value. 7 Mus. repetition of a phrase or melody at a higher or lower pitch. 8 Eccl. a hymn said or sung after the Gradual or Alleluia that precedes the Gospel. 9 succession without implication of causality (opp. CONSEQUENCE). —v.tr. 1 arrange in a definite order. 2 Biochem. ascertain the sequence of monomers in (esp. a polypeptide or nucleic acid). sequence of tenses Gram. the dependence of the tense of a subordinate verb on the tense of the principal verb, according to certain rules (e.g. I think you are, thought you were, wrong). GO sequencer n. [ME f. LL sequentia f. L sequens pres. part. of sequi follow] sequent |'si:kwont/ adj. 1 following as a sequence or consequence. 2 consecutive. 00 sequently adv. [OF sequent or L sequens (as SEQUENCE)] sequential /si'kwen{(2)l/ adj. forming a sequence or consequence or sequela. oO sequentiality /-fi'eliti/ n. sequentially adv. [SEQUENCE, after CONSEQUENTIAL] sequester /s1'kwesto(r)/ v.tr. 1 (esp. as sequestered adj.) seclude, isolate, set apart (sequester oneself from the world; a sequestered life; a sequestered cottage). 2 = SEQUESTRATE. 3 Chem. bind (a metal ion) so that it cannot react. [ME f. OF sequestrer or LL sequestrare

commit for safe keeping f. L sequester trustee] sequestrate /si'kwestreit, 'si:kwt-/ v.tr. 1 confiscate, appropriate. 2 Law take temporary possession of (a debtor’s estate etc.). 3 Eccl. apply (the income of a benefice) to clearing the incumbent’s debts or accumulating a fund for the next incumbent.

00

sequestrable

adj.

sequestration

|,si:kw1'strerf(a)n/ n. sequestrator |'si:kw1,streita(r)/ n. [LL sequestrare (as SEQUESTER)] sequestrum /si'kwestram]/ n. (pl. sequestra |-tra/) a piece of dead bone or other tissue detached from the surrounding parts. O00 sequestral adj. sequestrotomy /)si:kwis'trotemi/ n. (pl. -ies). [mod.L, neut. of L sequester standing apart] sequin /'si:kwm/ n. 1a circular spangle for attaching to clothing as an ornament. 2 hist. a Venetian gold coin. 00 sequinned adj. (also sequined). [F f. It. zecchino f. zecca a mint f. Arab. sikka a die] sequoia /si'kwoto/ n. a Californian evergreen coniferous tree, Sequoia sempervirens, of very great height. [mod.L genus-name, f. Sequoiah, the name of a Cherokee] sera pl. of SERUM. serac /se'rek/ n. any of the tower-shaped masses into which a glacier is divided at steep points by crevasses crossing it. [Swiss F sérac, orig. the name of a compact white cheese]

seraglio /se'ra:liou, si-/ n. (pl. -os) 1a harem. 2 hist. a Turkish palace, esp. that of the Sultan with government offices etc. at Constantinople. [It. serraglio f. Turk. f. Pers. saray palace: cf. SERAI] serai /se'rai, se'ra:/ n. a caravanserai. [Turk. f. Pers. (as SERAGLIO)]

Seraing /so'r&/ an industrial town on the River Meuse in east Belgium, 7 km (4 miles) south-west of Liége; pop. (1988) 61,400. The first locomotive in Europe was built here at an ironworks

established in 1817 by an Englishman, John Cockerill.

Seram Sea see CeRaM SEA. serang /so'ren/ n. Anglo-Ind. a native head of a Lascar crew. [Hindi f. Pers. sarhang commander] serape /se'ra:pet/ n. (also sarape /sz-/, zarape /zz-/) a shawl or

blanket worn as a cloak by Spanish Americans. [Mexican Sp.] seraph |'seroaf] n. (pl. seraphim /-fim/ or seraphs) an angelic being, one of the highest order of the ninefold celestial hierarchy gifted esp. with love and associated with light, ardour, and purity. [back-form. f. seraphim (cf. CHERUB) (pl.) f. LL f. Gk seraphim f. Heb. S‘rapim]

seraphic /so'refik/ adj. 1 of or like the seraphim. 2 ecstatically adoring, fervent, or serene. 0 the Seraphic Doctor the nickname of St Bonaventura. oO seraphically adv. [med.L seraphicus f. LL (as SERAPH)}

Serapis /so'rerpis/ Egyptian Mythol. a god whose cult arose at

aio fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

seraskier

seriema

1324

and was transferred with it when it passed to another owner. Though free, he was restricted in his movements and in the disposal of his property, and was inferior in status to a free tenant. Serfdom in England lasted until the 14th or 15th c., but was not abolished in eastern Europe until the 19the. 2 an oppressed person, a drudge. oo serfage n. serfdom n. serfhood n. [OF f. L servus slave] serge /s3:d3/ n. a durable twilled worsted etc. fabric. [ME f. OF sarge, serge ult. f. L serica (lana): see sILK] sergeant /'sa:d3(2)nt/ n. 1 a non-commissioned Army or Air Force officer next below warrant officer. 2 a police officer ranking below (Brit.) inspector or (US) captain. O company sergeant-major Mil. the highest non-commissioned officer of a company. Sergeant Baker Austral. a large brightly-coloured marine fish, Aulopus purpurissatus. sergeant-fish a marine fish, Rachycentron canadum, with lateral stripes suggesting a chevron. sergeant-major Mil. 1 (in full regimental sergeant-major) Brit. a warrant-officer assisting the adjutant of a regiment or battalion. 2 US the highest-ranking non-commissioned officer. 00 sergeancy n. (pl. -ies). sergeantship n. [ME f. OF sergent f. L serviens -entis servant f. servire SERVE]

Memphis in the temple where the deceased Apis bulls were entombed. Ptolemy I sought to make this an imperial cult, a combination of the Apis with Osiris, to unite Greeks and Egyptians in a common worship. seraskier |,sera'skro(r)/ n. hist. the Turkish Commander-in-Chief and minister of war. [Turk. f. Pers. sar‘askar head of army]

Serb |s3:b/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a native of Serbia. 2 a person of Serbian descent. —adj. = SERBIAN. [Serbian Srb]

Serbia /'ss:bro/ a constituent republic of Yugoslavia, formed from a former Balkan kingdom; pop. (1981) 9,313,700; capital, Belgrade. It was conquered by the Turks in the 14thc., but with the decline of Ottoman power in the 19thc., the Serbs successfully pressed for independence, finally winning nationhood in 1878. Subsequent Serbian ambitions to found a South Slav nation State brought the country into rivalry with the Austro-Hungarian empire and eventually contributed to the outbreak of the First World War. Despite early successes against the Austrians, Serbia was occupied by the Central Powers and never regained its pre-war identity, being absorbed into the new State of Yugoslavia after the end of hostilities. 00 Serbian adj. &n.

Sergius /'s3:d310s/, St (1314-92), Russian monastic reformer and

Serbo-} |'s3:bau/ comb. form Serbian. Serbo-Croat /|,s3:bou'krovet/ n. & adj. (also Serbo-Croatian

mystic, who founded the monastery of the Holy Trinity near Moscow, and thereby re-established monasticism, which had been lost in Russia through the Tartar invasion. His influence was great: he stopped four civil wars between Russian princes, and inspired the resistance which saved Russia from the Tartars in 1380. Altogether, Sergius founded forty monasteries. He is

/-krov'erf(9)n/) —n. the language of the Serbs and Croats, generally considered to be one language (the differences between Serbian and Croatian are cultural rather than linguistic). Serbian is spoken by 10 million Serbs in Yugoslavia who belong to the Eastern Orthodox religion and so use the Cyrillic alphabet; Croat is spoken by the 5 million Croats who live in the same country and are Roman Catholic and use the Roman alphabet. Both belong to the Slavonic group of languages. —adj. of or relating to this language.

SERC

regarded as the greatest of Russian Saints. Feast day, 25 Sept.

Sergt. abbr. Sergeant. serial /'stortol/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a story, play, or film which is published, broadcast, or shown in regular instalments. 2 a periodical. —adj. 1 of or in or forming a series. 2 (of a story etc.) in the form of a serial. 3 Mus. using transformations of a fixed series of notes (see SERIES 8 and SERIAL COMPOSITION). 4 (of a publication) appearing in successive parts published usu. at regular intervals, periodical. 0 serial killer a person who murders continuously with no apparent motive. serial number a number showing the position of an item in a series. serial rights the right to publish a story or book as aserial. 00 seriality /-1'eliti/ n. serially adv. [SERIES + -AL]

abbr. (in the UK) Science and Engineering Research

Council. sere! /sta(r)/ n. a catch of a gunlock holding the hammer at half or full cock. [prob. f. OF serre lock, bolt, grasp, f. serrer (see SERRIED)]

sere? var. of SEAR adj. sere? /sto(r)/ n. Ecol. a sequence of animal or plant communities. [L serere join in a SERIES] Serein |so'r&/ n. a fine rain falling in tropical climates from a cloudless sky. [F f. OF serain ult. f. L serum evening f. serus late] serenade |,sero'neid/ n. & v. —n. 1 a piece of music sung or played at night, esp. by a lover under his lady’s window, or suitable for this. 2 = SERENATA. —v.tr. sing or play a serenade to. 00 serenader n. [F sérénade f. It. serenata f. sereno SERENE] serenata |,sero'na:to/ n. Mus. 1 a cantata with a pastoral subject. 2 a simple form of suite for orchestra or wind band. [It. (as SERENADE)]

serial composition n. a technique used in composing music

serendipity /,seron'dipiti/ n. the faculty of making happy and unexpected discoveries by accident. 00 serendipitous adj. serendipitously adv. [coined by Horace Walpole (1754) after The Three Princes of Serendip (Sri Lanka), a fairy-tale] serene /si'ri:n, so'ri:n/ adj. & n. —adj. (serener, serenest) 1 a (of the sky, the air, etc.) clear and calm. b (of the sea etc.) unruffled. 2 placid, tranquil, unperturbed. —n. poet. a serene expanse of sky, sea, etc. O all serene Brit. sl. all right. Serene Highness a title used in addressing and referring to members of some European royal families (His Serene Highness; Their Serene Highnesses; Your Serene Highness). 00 serenely adv. sereneness n. [L serenus] Serengeti /,seran'geti/ a vast plain lying to the west of the Great Rift Valley in Tanzania. In 1951 a national park was created to protect large numbers of migrating wildebeest, zebra, and Thomson’s gazelle. serenity /s1'renitt, sa'r-/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 tranquillity, being serene. 2 (Serenity) a title used in addressing and referring to a reigning prince or similar dignitary (your Serenity). [F sérénité or L serenitas (as SERENE)] serf /s3:f] n. 1 hist. a labourer who could not be removed (except by manumission) from his lord’s land on which he worked,

b but

ddog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

whereby the twelve notes of the chromatic scale are arranged in a fixed order and form the basic core of a piece, generating melodies and harmonies and, strictly speaking, subject to change only in specific ways, such as by inversion or retrograde motion. Serialism was designed to combat the potential anarchy of atonality, which overthrew the traditional harmonic thinking associated with scale and key, and the first fully serial movements appeared in 1923 in works by Schoenberg. For some composers, notably Boulez and Stockhausen, serialism remains an important concept, but in general composers have looked elsewhere for means of musical integration. serialist /'storialist/ n. a composer or advocate of serial music. OO serialism n.

serialize /'storia,laiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 publish or produce in instalments. 2 arrange in a series. 3 Mus. compose according to a serial technique. 00 serialization |-!zer{(o)n/ n. seriate adj. & v. —adj. |'storut/ in the form ofa series; in orderly sequence. —v.tr. /'startert/ arrange in a seriate manner. oo seriation /-'e1{(2)n/ n.

seriatim /,siort'eitim, ,ser-/ adv. point by point; taking one subject etc. after another in regular order (consider seriatim)..[med.L f. L series, after LITERATIM etc.]

Seric /'stortk/ adj. archaic Chinese. [L sericus; see s1LK] sericeous /s1'rifas/ adj. Bot. & Zool. covered with silky hairs. [LL sericeus silken]

sericulture /'seri,kalt{(a)r/ n. 1 silkworm-breeding. 2 the production of raw silk. oO sericultural /-'kaltfor(o)l/ adj. sericulturist /-'kaltforist/ n. [F sériciculture f. LL sericum: see SILK, CULTURE] seriema /,sert'i:mo/ n. (also cariama |keert'a:ma/) Zool. any S.

kcat

lleg

mman

nno

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

series

American bird of the family Cariamidae, having a long neck and legs and a crest above the bill. [mod.L f. Tupi siriema etc. crested] series /'stori:z, -r1z/ n. (pl. same) 1 a number of things of which each is similar to the preceding or in which each successive pair are similarly related; a sequence, succession, order, row, or set. 2 a set of successive games between the same teams. 3 a set of programmes with the same actors etc. or on related subjects but each complete in itself. 4 a set of lectures by the same speaker or on the same subject. 5 a a set of successive issues of a periodical, of atticles on one subject or by one writer, etc., esp. when numbered separately from a preceding or following set (second series). b a set of independent books in a common format or under a common title or supervised by a common general editor. 6 Philately a set of stamps, coins, etc., of different denominations but issued at one time, in one reign, etc. 7 Geol. a a set of strata with a common characteristic. b the rocks deposited during a specific epoch. 8 Mus. an arrangement of the twelve notes of the chromatic scale as a basis for serial music. 9 Electr. aa set of circuits or components arranged so that the current passes through each successively. ba set of batteries etc. having the positive electrode of each connected with the negative electrode of the next, 10 Chem. a set of elements with common properties or of compounds related in composition or structure. 11 Math. a set of quantities constituting a progression or having the several values determined by a common relation. o arithmetical (or geometrical) series a series in arithmetical (or geometrical) progression. in series 1 in ordered succession. 2 Electr. (of a set of circuits or components) arranged so that the current passes through each successively. [L, = row, chain f. serere join, connect] serif /'serrf] n. a slight projection finishing off a stroke of a letter as in T contrasted with T (cf. SANSERIF). 00 seriffed adj. [perh. f. Du. schreef dash, line f. Gmc] serigraphy /so'rigrofi/ n. the art or process of printing designs by means of a silk screen. oO serigraph /'serigra:f] n. serigrapher n. [irreg. f. L sericum sILk] serin /'serin/ n. any small yellow Mediterranean finch of the genus Serinus, esp. the wild canary S. serinus. {F, of uncert. orig.] serinette /,seri'net/ n. an instrument for teaching cage-birds to sing. [F (as SERIN)] seringa /sa'ringa/ n. 1 = syRINGA. 2 any of various rubber-trees of the genus Hevea, native to Brazil. [F (as SYRINGA)]

serio-comic /,s1arisu'kom1k/ adj. combining the serious and the comic, jocular in intention but simulating seriousness or vice versa. 00 serio-comically adv. serious |'storios/ adj. 1 thoughtful, earnest, sober, sedate, responsible, not reckless or given to trifling (has a serious air, a serious young person). 2 important, demanding consideration (this is a serious matter). 3 not slight or negligible (a serious injury; a serious offence). 4 sincere, in earnest, not ironical or joking (are you serious?). 5 (of music and literature) not merely for amusement (opp. LIGHT? 5a). 6 not perfunctory (serious thought). 7 not to be trifled with (a serious opponent). 8 concerned with religion or ethics (serious subjects). 00 seriousness n. [ME f. OF serieux or LL seriosus f. L serius] seriously /'stortasli/ adv. 1 in a serious manner (esp. introducing a sentence, implying that irony etc. is now to cease). 2 toa serious extent.

serjeant

/'sa:d3(2)nt/

n.

1 (in full serjeant-at-law,

pl.

serjeants-at-law) hist. a barrister of the highest rank. 2 Brit. (in official lists) a sergeant in the Army. 5 Common Serjeant

Brit. a circuit judge of the Central Criminal Court with duties in the City of London. serjeant-at-arms (pl. serjeants-at-

arms) 1 an official of a court or city or parliament, with ceremonial duties. 2 (in Britain) an officer of each House of Parliament with the duty of enforcing the commands of the house, arresting offenders, etc. 00 serjeantship n. [var. of SERGEANT] sermon /'s3:mon/ n. 1 a spoken or written discourse on a religious or moral subject, esp. a discourse based on a text or

passage of Scripture and delivered in a service by way of religious instruction or exhortation. 2 a piece of admonition or reproof, a lecture. 3 a moral reflection suggested by natural wwe

zzoo

serum

1325

f she

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

objects etc. (sermons in stones). 0 Sermon on the Mount the discourse of Christ recorded in Matt. 5—7. [ME f. AF sermun, OF sermon f. L sermo -onis discourse, talk] sermonette /\s3:mo'net/ n. a short sermon. sermonize /'s3:mo,naiz/ v. (also -ise) 1 tr. deliver a moral lecture to. 2 intr. deliver a moral lecture. 00 sermonizer n. serology /sis'rvlod31/ n. the scientific study of blood sera and their effects. 00 serological /-ra'lpd31k(a)l/ adj. serologist n. serosa /so'rauso/ n. a serous membrane. [mod.L, fem. of med.L serosus SEROUS] serotine /'seratin/ n. a chestnut-coloured European bat, Eptesicus serotinus. [F sérotine f. L serotinus late, of the evening, f. serus late] serotonin /,store'tounin/ n. Biol. a compound present in blood serum, which constricts the blood vessels and acts as a neurotransmitter. [SERUM + TONIC + -IN] serous /'stores/ adj. of or like or producing serum; watery. o serous gland (or membrane) a gland or membrane with a serous secretion. 00 serosity /-'rpsiti/ n. [F séreux or med.L serosus (as SERUM)] : serpent /'s3:pont/ n. 1 usu. literary. a a snake, esp. of a large kind. ba scaly limbless reptile. 2 a sly or treacherous person, esp. one who exploits a position of trust to betray it. 3 Mus. an old type of wind instrument, about 20 cm (8 inches) long and roughly S-shaped (whence its name), made of wood or sometimes of metal and giving a powerful deep note. First introduced towards the end of the 16th c. in France, where it was used in church, it became a popular military-band instrument and was used in English church bands until the mid-19th c. 4 (the Serpent) Bibl. Satan (see Gen. 3, Rev. 20). [ME f. OF f. L serpens -entis part. of serpere creep] serpentine /'s3:pon,tamn/ adj., n., & v. —adj. 1 of or like a serpent. 2 coiling, tortuous, sinuous, meandering, writhing (the serpentine windings of the stream). 3 cunning, subtle, treacherous. —n. 1a soft rock mainly of hydrated magnesium silicate, usu. dark green and sometimes mottled or spotted like a serpent’s skin, taking a high polish and used as a decorative material. 2 Skating a figure of three circles in a line. —v.intr. move sinuously, meander. 0 serpentine verse a metrical line beginning and ending with the same word. [ME f. OF serpentin f. LL serpentinus (as SERPENT)]

serpiginous /s3:'pid3inos/ adj. (of a skin-disease etc.) creeping from one part to another. [med.L serpigo -ginis ringworm f. L serpere creep]

SERPS /|ss3:ps/ abbr. (in the UK) State earnings-related pension scheme. serpula /'s3:pjulo/ n. (pl. serpulae /-li:/) any of various marine worms of the family Serpulidae, living in intricately twisted shell-like tubes. [LL, = small serpent, f. L serpere creep] serra |'sero/ n. (pl. serrae |-ri:/) a serrated organ, structure, or edge. [L, = saw]

serradilla |,sero'dilo/ n. (pl. serradillae /-li:/) a clover, Ornithopus sativus, grown as fodder. [Port., dimin. of serrado serrated] serran |'seran/ n. any marine fish of the family Serranidae. [mod.L serranus f. L serra saw] serrate v. & adj. —v.tr. /se'rert/ (usu. as serrated adj.) provide with a sawlike edge. —adj. /'sereit/ esp. Anat., Bot., & Zool. notched like a saw. 00 serration n. [LL serrare serrat- f. L serra saw]

serried |'serid/ adj. (of ranks of soldiers, rows of trees, etc.) pressed together; without gaps; close. [past part. of serry press close prob. f. F serré past part. of serrer close ult. f. L sera lock, or past part. of obs. serr f. OF serrer] serrulate /'seru,lert/ adj. esp. Anat., Bot., & Zool. finely serrate; with a series of small notches. oo serrulation /-'le1{(9)n/ n. [mod.L serrulatus f. L serrula dimin. of serra saw] serum /'siorom/ n. (pl. sera |-ra/ or serums) 1 a an ambercoloured liquid that separates from a clot when blood coagulates. b whey. 2 Med. blood serum (usu. from a non-human mammal) as an antitoxin or therapeutic agent, esp. in inoculation. 3 a watery fluid in animal bodies. 0 serum sickness a

t{ chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

serval

sesame

1326

reaction to an injection of serum, characterized by skin eruption, fever, etc. [L, = whey] serval |'ss:v(2)l/ n. a tawny black-spotted long-legged African cat, Felis serval. [F f. Port. cerval deerlike f. cervo deer f. L cervus] servant /'s3:v(a)nt/ n. 1 a person who has undertaken (usu. in return for stipulated pay) to carry out the orders of an individual or corporate employer, esp. a person employed in a house on domestic duties or as a personal attendant. 2 a devoted follower, a person willing to serve another (a servant ofJesus Christ). 0 your humble servant Brit. archaic a formula preceding a signature or expressing ironical courtesy. your obedient servant Brit. a formula preceding a signature, now used only in certain formal letters. [ME f. OF (as SERVE)] serve /s3:v/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. do a service for (a person, community, etc.). 2 tr. (also absol.) be a servant to. 3 intr. carry out duties (served on six committees). 4 intr. a (foll. by in) be employed in (an organization, esp. the armed forces, or a place, esp. a foreign country) (served in the air force). b be a member of the armed forces. 5 a tr. be useful to or serviceable for; meet the needs of, do what is required for (serve a purpose; one packet serves him for a week). b intr. meet requirements; perform a function (a sofa serving as a bed). c¢ intr. (foll. by to + infin.) avail, suffice (his attempt served only to postpone the inevitable; it serves to show the folly of such action). 6 tr. go through a due period of (office, apprenticeship, a prison sentence, etc.). 7 tr. set out or present (food) for those about to eat it (asparagus served with butter; dinner was then served). 8 intr. (in full serve at table) act as a waiter. 9 tr. a attend to (a customer in a shop). b (foll. by with) supply with (goods) (was serving a customer with apples; served the town with gas). 10 tr. treat or act towards (a person) in a specified way (has served me shamefully; you may serve me as you will). 11 tr. a (often foll. by on) deliver (a writ etc.) to the person concerned in a legally formal manner (served a warrant on him). b (foll. by with) deliver a writ etc. to (a person) in this way (served her with a summons). 12 tr. Tennis etc. a (also absol.) deliver (a ball etc.) to begin or resume play. b produce (a fault etc.) by doing this. 13 tr. Mil. keep (a gun, battery, etc.) firing. 14 tr. (of an animal, esp. a stallion etc. hired for the purpose) copulate with (a female). 15 tr. distribute (served the ammunition out; served the rations round). 16 tr. render obedience to (a deity etc.). 17 Eccl. a intr. act as a server. b tr. act as a server at (a service). 18 intr. (of a tide) be suitable for a ship to leave harbour etc. 19 tr. Naut. bind (a rope etc.) with thin cord to strengthen it. 20 tr. play (a trick etc.) on. —n. 1 Tennis etc. a the act or an instance of serving. b a manner of serving. c a person’s turn to serve. 2 Austral. sl. a reprimand. 0 it will serve it will be adequate. serve one’s needs (or need) be adequate. serve out retaliate on. serve the purpose of take the place of, be used as. serve a person right be a person’s

deserved punishment or misfortune. serve one’s time 1 hold office for the normal period. 2 (also serve time) undergo imprisonment, apprenticeship, etc. serve one’s (or the) turn be adequate. serve up offer for acceptance. [ME f. OF servir f. L servire f. servus slave] server /'s3:va(r)/ n. 1 a person who serves. 2 Eccl. a person assisting the celebrant at a service, esp. the Eucharist.

according to prescribed forms. b a form of liturgy for this. 11 a the provision of what is necessary for the installation and maintenance of a machine etc. or operation. ba periodic routine maintenance of a motor vehicle etc. 12 assistance or advice given to customers after the sale of goods. 13 a the act or process of serving food, drinks, etc. b an extra charge nominally made for this. 14 a set of dishes, plates, etc., used for serving meals (a dinner service). 15 Tennis etc. a the act or an instance of serving. b a person’s turn to serve. c the manner or quality of serving. d (in full service game) a game in which a particular player serves. —v.tr. 1 provide service or services for, esp. maintain. 2 maintain or repair (a car, machine, etc.). 3 pay interest on (a debt). 4 supply with a service. 0 at a person’s service ready to serve or assist a person. be of service be available to assist. in service 1 employed as a servant. 2 available for use. on active service serving in the armed forces in wartime. out of service not available for use. see service 1 have experience of service, esp. in the armed forces. 2 (of a thing) be much used. service area 1 an area beside a major road for the supply of petrol, refreshments, etc. 2 the area served by a broadcasting station. service-book a book of authorized forms of worship of a Church. service bus (or car) Austral. & NZ a motor coach. service charge an additional charge for service in a restaurant, hotel, etc. service dress ordinary military etc. uniform. service flat a flat in which domestic service and sometimes meals are provided by the management. service industry one providing services not goods. service line (in tennis etc.) a line marking the limit of the area into which the ball must be served. service road a road parallel to a main road, serving houses, shops, etc. service station an establishment beside a road selling petrol and oil etc. to motorists and often able to carry out maintenance. take service with become a servant to. [ME f. OF service or L servitium f. servus slave] service? /'sa:vis/ n. (in full service tree) a European tree of the genus Sorbus, esp. S. domestica with toothed leaves, creamcoloured flowers, and small round or pear-shaped fruit eaten when overripe. 0 service-berry 1 the fruit of the service tree. 2 a any American shrub of the genus Amelanchier. b the edible fruit of this. [earlier serves, pl. of cbs. serve f. OE syrfe f. Gmc surbhjon ult. f. L sorbus]

serviceable /'ss:visab(a)l/ adj. 1 useful or usable.

2 able to

render service. 3 durable; capable of withstanding difficult conditions. 4 suited for ordinary use rather than ornament. 00 serviceability /-'brliti/ n. serviceableness n. serviceably adv. [ME f. OF servisable (as SERVICE})] serviceman /'s3:vismon| n. (pl. -men) 1 a man serving in the

armed forces. 2 a man providing service or maintenance. servicewoman |'s3:vis,;womon/ n. (pl. -women) a woman serving in the armed forces. serviette /\sz:vr'et/ n. esp. Brit. a napkin for use at table. [ME f. OF f. servir SERVE]

servile /'ss:varl/ adj. 1 of or being or like a slave or slaves.

sixth king of ancient Rome (6th c. Bc). 0 Servian Wall the wall said to have been built by him round Rome.

2 slavish, fawning; completely dependent. o0 servilely adv. servility /-'viliti/ n. [ME f. L servilis f. servus slave] serving /'s3:vin/ n. a quantity of food served to one person. servitor /'ss:vit(2)r/ n. 1 archaic a a servant. b an attendant. 2 hist. an Oxford undergraduate performing menial duties in exchange for assistance from college funds. 00 servitorship n. [ME f. OF f. LL (as sERVE)]

service! /'sa:vis/n. & v. —n. 1 the act of helping or doing work

servitude /'ss:vi,tju:d/ n. 1 slavery. 2 subjection (esp. invol-

servery |'s3:vori/ n. (pl. -ies) a room from which meals etc. are served and in which utensils are kept.

Servian! /'s3:vion| adj. & n. former var. of SERBIAN. Servian? /'ss:vion/ adj. of Servius Tullius, the semi-legendary

for another or for a community etc. 2 work done in this way. 3 assistance or benefit given to someone. 4 the provision or system of supplying a public need, e.g. transport, or (often in pl.) the supply of water, gas, electricity, telephone, etc. 5 a the fact or status of being a servant. b employment or a position as a servant. 6 a state or period of employment doing work for an individual or organization (resigned after 15 years’ service). 7 a a public or Crown department or organization employing officials working for the State (civil service; secret service). b employment in this. 8 (in pl.) the armed forces. 9 (attrib.) of the kind issued to the armed forces (a service revolver). 10 a a ceremony of worship

z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

untary); bondage. 3 Law the subjection of property to an easement. [ME f. OF f. L servitudo -inis f. servus slave] servo /'s3:vau/ n. (pl. -os) 1 (in full servo-mechanism) a powered mechanism producing motion or forces at a higher level of energy than the input level, e.g. in the brakes and steering of large motor vehicles, esp. where feedback is employed to make the control automatic. 2 (in full servomotor) the motive element in a servo-mechanism. 3 (in comb.) of or involving a servo-mechanism (servo-assisted). [L servus slave] sesame /'sesomi/ n. Bot. 1 an E. Indian herbaceous plant, Sesamum indicum, with seeds used as food and yielding an edible i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

vu put

u: too

29 ago

art my

sesamoid oil. 2 its seeds. 0 open sesame a means of acquiring or achieving what is normally unattainable (from the magic words used in the Arabian Nights to cause a door to open). [L sesamum f. Gk sésamon, sésamé]

sesamoid /'sesa,mord/ adj. & n. —adj. shaped like a sesame seed; nodular (esp. of small independent bones developed in tendons passing over an angular structure such as the kneecap and the navicular bone). —n. a sesamoid bone.

Sesotho /se'su:tu:/ n. a Bantu language spoken by members of the Sotho people, one of the official languages of Lesotho. (Bantu, = language of the Sotho]

sesqui- |'seskwi/ comb. form 1 denoting one and a half. 2 Chem. (of a compound) in which there are three equivalents of a named element or radical to two others. [L (as sEMI-, -que and)] sesquicentenary |,seskwisen'ti:nort/ n. (pl. -ies) a onehundred-and-fiftieth anniversary.

sesquicentennial |,seskwisen'tenial/ n. & adj. —n. = SESQUICENTENARY. —adj. of or relating to a sesquicentennial. sess var. of cEss!. sessile /'sesarl/ adj. 1 Bot. & Zool. (of a flower, leaf, eye, etc.) attached directly by its base without a stalk or peduncle. 2 fixed in one position; immobile. 0 sessile oak = DURMAST. [L sessilis f. sedére sess- sit] session /'se(2)n/ n. 1 the process of assembly of a deliberative or judicial body to conduct its business. 2 a single meeting for this purpose. 3 a period during which such meetings are regularly held. 4 a an academic year. b the pericd during which a school etc. has classes. 5 a period devoted to an activity (poker session; recording session). 6 the governing body of a Presbyterian Church. o in session assembled for business; not on vacation. petty sessions 1 a meeting of two or more magistrates for the summary trial of certain offences. 2 = quarter sessions. 0D sessional adj. [ME f. OF session or Lsessio -onis (as SESSILE)} sesterce /'sests:s/ n. (also sestertius /se'sts:Jos/) (pl. sesterces |'sesta,si:z/ or sestertii /-'st3:[u/) an ancient Roman coin and monetary unit equal to one quarter of a denarius. [L sestertius (nummus coin) = 24 f. semis half + tertius third] sestet /ses'tet/ n. 1 the last six lines of a sonnet. 2 a sextet. [It.

sestetto f. sesto f. L sextus a sixth] sestina /ses'ti:no/ n. a form of rhymed or unrhymed poem with six stanzas of six lines anda final triplet, all stanzas having the same six words at the line-ends in six different sequences. [It. (as SESTET)] set! /set/ v. (setting; past and past part. set) 1 tr. put, lay, or stand (a thing) in a certain position or location (set it on the table; set it upright). 2 tr. (foll. by to) apply (one thing) to (another) (set pen to paper). 3 tr. a fix ready or in position. b dispose suitably for use, action, or display. 4 tr. a adjust the hands of (a clock or watch) to show the right time. b adjust (an alarm clock) to sound at the required time. 5 tr. a fix, arrange, or mount. b insert (a jewel) in a ring, framework, etc. 6 tr. make (a device) ready to operate. 7 tr. lay (a table) for a meal. 8 tr. arrange (the hair) while damp so that it dries in the required style. 9tr. (foll. by with) ornament or provide (a surface, esp. a precious item) (gold set with gems). 10 tr. bring by placing or arranging or other means into a specified state; cause to be (set things in motion; set it on fire). 11 intr. & tr. harden or solidify (the jelly is set; the cement has set). 12 intr. (of the sun, moon, etc.) appear to move towards and below the earth’s horizon (as the earth rotates). 13 tr. represent (a story, play, scene, etc.) as happening in a certain time or place. 14 tr. a (foll. by to + infin.) cause or instruct (a person) to perform a specified activity (set them to work). b (foll. by pres. part.) start (a person or thing) doing something (set him chatting; set the ball rolling). 15 tr. present or impose as work to be done or a matter to be dealt with (set them an essay). 16 tr. exhibit as a type or model (set a good example). 17 tr. initiate; take the lead in (set the fashion; set the pace). 18 tr. establish (a record etc.). 19 tr. determine or decide (the itinerary is set). 20 tr. appoint or establish (set them in authority). 21 tr. join, attach, or fasten. 22 tr. a put parts of (a broken or dislocated bone, limb, etc.) into the correct position for healing. b deal with (a fracture or dislocation) in this way. 23 tr. (in full set to music) provide (words etc.) with au how

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music for singing. 24 tr. (often foll. by up) Printing a arrange or produce (type or film etc.) as required. b arrange the type or film etc. for (a book etc.). 25 intr. (of a tide, current, etc.) have a certain motion or direction. 26 intr. (of a face) assume a hard expression. 27 tr. a cause (a hen) to sit on eggs. b place (eggs) for a hen to sit on. 28 tr. put (a seed, plant, etc.) in the ground to grow. 29 tr. give the teeth of (a saw) an alternate outward inclination. 30 tr. esp. US start (a fire). 31 intr. (of eyes etc.) become motionless. 32 intr. feel or show a certain tendency (opinion is setting against it). 33 intr. a (of blossom) form into fruit. b (of fruit) develop from blossom. c (of a tree) develop fruit. 34 intr. (in full set to partner) (of a dancer) take a position facing one’s partner. 35 intr. (of a hunting dog) take a rigid attitude indicating the presence of game. 36 intr. dial. or sl. sit. O set about 1 begin or take steps towards. 2 collog. attack. set (a person or thing) against (another) 1 consider or reckon (a thing) as a counterpoise or compensation for. 2 cause to oppose. set apart separate, reserve, differentiate. set aside see ASIDE. set back 1 place further back in place or time. 2 impede or reverse the progress of. 3 collog. cost (a person) a specified amount. set-back n. 1 a reversal or arrest of progress. 2 a relapse. set by archaic save for future use. set down 1 record in writing. 2 allow to alight from a vehicle. 3 (foll. by to) attribute to. 4 (foll. by as) explain or describe to oneself as. set eyes on see EYE. set one’s face against see FACE. set foot on (or in) see FOOT. set forth 1 begin a journey. 2 make known; expound. set forward begin to advance. set free release. set one’s hand to see HAND. set one’s heart (or hopes) on want or hope for eagerly. set in 1 (of weather, a condition, etc.) begin (and seem likely to continue), become established. 2 insert (esp. a sleeve etc. into a garment). set little by consider to be of little value. set a person’s mind at rest see MIND. set much by consider to be of much value. set off 1 begin a journey. 2 detonate (a bomb etc.). 3 initiate, stimulate. 4 cause (a person) to start laughing, talking, etc. 5 serve as an adornment or foil to; enhance. 6 (foll. by against) use as a compensating item. set-off n. 1 a thing set off against another. 2 a thing of which the amount or effect may be deducted from that of another or opposite tendency. 3 a counterpoise. 4 a counter-claim. 5 a thing that embellishes; an adornment to something. 6 Printing = OFFSET 7. set on (or upon) 1 attack violently. 2 cause or urge to attack. set out 1 begin a journey. 2 (foll. by to + infin.) aim or intend. 3 demonstrate, arrange, or exhibit. 4 mark out. 5 declare. set sail 1 hoist the sails. 2 begin a voyage. set the scene see SCENE. set store by (or on) see STORE. set one’s teeth 1 clench them. 2 summon one’s resolve. set to begin doing something vigorously, esp. fighting, arguing, or eating. set-to n. (pl. -tos) collog. a fight or argument. set up 1 place in position or view. 2 organize or start (a business etc.). 3 establish in some capacity. 4 supply the needs of. 5 begin making (a loud sound). 6 cause or make arrangements for (a condition or situation). 7 prepare (a task etc. for another). 8 restore or enhance the health of (a person). 9 establish (a record). 10 propound (a theory). 11 collog. put (a person) in a dangerous or vulnerable position. set-up n. 1 an arrangement or organization. 2 the manner or structure or position of this. set oneself up as make pretensions to being. [OE settan f. Gmc] set? /set/ n. 1a number of things or persons that belong together or resemble one another or are usually found together. 2 a collection or group. 3 a section of society consorting together or having similar interests etc. 4 a collection of implements, vessels, etc., regarded collectively and needed for a specified purpose (cricket set; teaset; a set of teeth). 5 a piece of electric or electronic apparatus, esp. a radio or television receiver. 6 (in tennis etc.) a group of games counting as a unit towards a match for the player or side that wins a defined number or proportion of the games. 7 Math. & Logic a collection of distinct entities, individually specified or satisfying specified conditions, forming a unit. 8 a group of pupils or students having the same average ability. 9 aa slip, shoot, bulb, etc., for planting. b a young fruit just set. 10 a a habitual posture or conformation; the way the head etc. is carried or a dress etc. flows. b (also dead set) a setter’s pointing in the presence of game. 11 the way, drift, or

aia fire

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tendency (of a current, public opinion, state of mind, etc.) (the set of public feeling is against it). 12 the way in which a machine, device, etc., is set or adjusted. 13 esp. Austral. & NZ collog. a grudge. 14 a the alternate outward deflection of the teeth of a saw. b the amount of this. 15 the last coat of plaster on a wall. 16 Printing a the amount of spacing in type controlling the distance between letters. b the width of a piece of type. 17 a warp or bend or displacement caused by continued pressure or a continued position. 18 a setting, including stage furniture etc., for a play or film etc. 19 a sequence of songs or pieces performed in jazz or popular music. 20 the setting of the hair when damp. 21 (also sett) a badger’s burrow. 22 (also sett) a granite paving-block. 23 a predisposition or expectation influencing a response. 24 a number of people making up a square dance. 0 make a dead set at 1 make a determined attack on. 2 seek to win the affections of. set point Tennis etc. 1 the state of a game when one side needs only one more point to win the set. 2 this point. set theory see separate entry. [sense 1 (and related senses) f. OF sette f. L secta sect: other senses f. sET] set® /set/ adj. 1 in senses of set. 2 prescribed or determined in advance. 3 fixed, unchanging, unmoving. 4 (of a phrase or speech etc.) having invariable or predetermined wording; not extempore. 5 prepared for action. 6 (foll. by on, upon) determined to acquire or achieve etc. 7 (of a book etc.) specified for reading in preparation for an examination. 8 (of a meal) served according to a fixed menu. oO set fair (of the weather) fine without a sign of breaking. set phrase an invariable or usual arrangement of words. set piece 1 a formal or elaborate arrangement, esp. in art or literature. 2 fireworks arranged on scaffolding etc. set screw a screw for adjusting or clamping parts of a machine. set scrum Rugby Football a scrum ordered by the referee. set square a right-angled triangular plate for drawing lines, esp. at 90°, 45°, 60°, or 30°. [past part. of sET}] seta /'si:ta/ n. (pl. setae |-ti:/) Bot. & Zool. stiff hair; bristle. 00 setaceous /-'te1fos/ adj. [L, = bristle] Seth /se6/ Egyptian Mythol. the personification of evil, who appears in the myth of Osiris as the wicked brother who murders Osiris and wounds Osiris’s son Horus. He was probably the beneficent deity of the people of Upper Egypt before he became absorbed into the Osiris myth. Seth is represented with the head of a beast with a long pointed snout. set theory n. the branch of mathematics which deals with sets (ie. things grouped together as forming a unit) without regard to the nature of their individual constituents. It was originated by Cantor (and, less explicitly, Dedekind) in the years 1873-1900 and now exists both as a sophisticated subject, closely related to mathematical logic, which is extensively studied for its sake, and as an excellent language in which other parts of mathematics may be easily and precisely expressed.

setiferous /si'tiforas/ adj. (also setigerous /st'trd3aras/) having bristles. [L seta bristle, setiger bristly + -FEROUS, -GEROUS] seton /'si:t(o)n/ n. Surgery a skein of cotton etc. passed below the skin and left with the ends protruding to promote drainage etc. [ME f. med.L seto, seta silk, app. f. L seta bristle] setose /|'si:tauz/ adj. Biol. bristly. [L seta bristle]

Setswana

var. of Tswana (and the preferred form for the

sett var. of set? 21, 22. settee /se'ti:/ n. a seat (usu. upholstered), with a back and usu. arms, for more than one person. [18th c.: perh. a fanciful var. of SETTLE?] setter /'seto(r)/ n. 1 a a dog of a large long-haired breed trained to stand rigid when scenting game (see sET! 35). b this breed. 2 a person or thing that sets.

setting /'setin/n. 1 the position or manner in which a thing is set. 2 the immediate surroundings (of a house etc.). 3 the surroundings of any object regarded as its framework; the environment of a thing. 4 the place and time, scenery, etc., of a story, drama, etc. 5 a frame in which a jewel is set. 6 the music to which words of a poem, song, etc., are set. 7 a set of cutlery and other accessories for one person at a table. 8 the way in which

d dog

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or level at which a machine is set to operate. 0 setting lotion lotion used to prepare the hair for being set. settle! /'set(a)l/ v. 1 tr. & intr. (often foll. by down) establish or become established in a more or less permanent abode or way of life. 2 intr. & tr. (often foll. by down) a cease or cause to cease from wandering, disturbance, movement, etc. b adopt a regular or secure style of life. c (foll. by to) apply oneself (to work, an activity, a way of life, etc.) (settled down to writing letters). 3 a intr. sit or come down to stay for some time. btr. cause to do this. 4 tr. & intr. bring to or attain fixity, certainty, composure, or quietness. 5 tr. determine or decide or agree upon (shall we settle a date?). 6 tr. a resolve (a dispute etc.). b deal with (a matter) finally. 7 tr. terminate (a lawsuit) by mutual agreement. 8 intr. a (foll. by for) accept or agree to (esp. an alternative not one’s first choice). b (foll. by on) decide on. 9tr. (also absol.) pay (a debt, an account, etc.). 10 intr. (as settled adj.) not likely to change for a time (settled weather). 11 tr. a aid the digestion of (food). b remedy the disordered state of (nerves, the stomach, etc.). 12 tr. a colonize. b establish colonists in. 13 intr. subside; fall to the

bottom or on to a surface (the foundations have settled; wait till the sediment settles; the dust will settle). 14 intr. (of a ship) begin to sink. 15 tr. get rid of the obstruction of (a person) by argument or conflict or killing. 0 settle one’s affairs make any necessary arrangements (e.g. write a will) when death is near. settle a person’s hash see HASH}. settle in become established in a place. settle up 1 (also absol.) pay (an account, debt, etc.). 2 finally arrange (a matter). settle with 1 pay all or part of an amount due to (a creditor). 2 get revenge on. settling day the fortnightly pay-day on the Stock Exchange. oo settleable adj. [OE setlan (as sETTLE?) f. Gmc] settle? /'set(a)l/ n. a bench with a high back and arms and often with a box fitted below the seat. [OE setl place to sit f. Gmc] settlement /'setolmont/ n. 1 the act or an instance of settling; the process of being settled. 2 a the colonization of a region. b a place or area occupied by settlers. c a small village. 3 aa political or financial etc. agreement. b an arrangement ending a dispute. 4 a the terms on which property is given to a person. b a deed stating these. ¢ the amount of property given. d = marriage settlement. 5 the process of settling an account. 6 subsidence of a wall, house, soil, etc. o Act of Settlement the statute of 1701 that established the Hanoverian succession to the British throne. It vested the Crown in Sophia of Hanover (granddaughter of James I of England) and her heirs; her son became George I. settler /'setla(r)/ n. a person who goes to settle in a new country or place; an early colonist. settlor /'setlo(r)/ n. Law a person who makes a settlement esp. of a property. Seurat /ss:'ra:/, Georges (1859-91), French painter, the founder of neo-impressionism. He became interested in scientific theories of colour vision and colour combination, and set himself to systematize the ‘additive’ method of juxtaposing colours to be combined through the seeing eye, a technique which had been to some extent anticipated by the impressionists and by Corot (see POINTILLISM). Among his major paintings was Un Dimanche d’été a la Grande-Jatte.

Sevastopol see SEBAsTOPOL.

language).

b but

ee

seven |'sev(2)n/ n. & adj. —n. 1 one more than six, or three less than ten; the sum of four units and three units. 2 a symbol for this (7, vii, VII). 3 a size etc. denoted by seven. 4 a set.or team of seven individuals. 5 the time of seven o'clock (is it seven yet?). 6 a card with seven pips. —adj. that amount to seven. o the seven deadly sins see DEADLY. seven-league boots (in the fairy story of Hop-o’-my-Thumb) boots enabling the wearer to go seven leagues at each stride. the seven seas the oceans of the world: the Arctic, Southern or Antarctic, N. Pacific, S. Pacific, N. Atlantic, S. Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. the Seven Sisters the Pleiades, the seven wonders of the world see separate entry. seven year itch a supposed tendency to infidelity after seven years of marriage. [OE seofon f. Gmc]

sevenfold /'sevan,fauld/ adj. & adv. 1 seven times as much or as many. 2 consisting of seven parts.

Seven Sages a traditional list (found in Plato) of seven wise

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Seven Sleepers

Greeks of the 6thc. Bc, to each of whom a moral saying is attributed. The seven are: Bias, Chilon, Cleobulus, Periander, Pittacus, Solon, Thales.

Seven Sleepers in early Christian legend, seven noble Christian youths of Ephesus who fell asleep in a cave while fleeing from the Decian persecution and awoke 187 years later. The legend was translated from the Syriac by Gregory of Tours (6th c.), and is also given by other authors; it occurs in the Koran. seventeen /,sevon'ti:n/ n. & adj. —n. 1 one more than sixteen, or seven more than ten. 2 a symbol for this (17, xvii, XVII). 3 a size etc. denoted by seventeen. —adj. that amount to seventeen. O0 seventeenth adj. & n. [OE seofontiene] seventh /'sev(a)n0/ 1. & adj. —n. 1 the position in a sequence corresponding to the number 7 in the sequence 1-7. 2 something occupying this position. 3 one of seven equal parts of a thing. 4 Mus. a an interval or chord spanning seven consecutive notes in the diatonic scale (e.g. C to B). b a note separated from another by this interval. —adj. that is the seventh. oO in seventh heaven see HEAVEN. Seventh-Day Adventist a member of a

sect of Adventists who originally expected the second coming of Christ in 1844 and still preach that his return is imminent. They are strict Protestants and are notable for observing Saturday as the Sabbath. seventh heaven 1a state of intense joy. 2 the highest of seven heavens in Muslim and some Jewish systems. 00 seventhly adv. seventy /'sevonti/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 the product of seven and ten. 2 a symbol for this (70, lxx, LXX). 3 (in pl.) the numbers from 70 to 79, esp. the years of a century or of a person’s life. —adj. that amount to seventy. o seventy-first, -second, etc. the ordinal numbers between seventieth and eightieth. seventy-one, -two, etc. the cardinal numbers between seventy and eighty. 00 seventieth adj. & n. seventyfold adj. & adv. [OE -seofontig] —

Seven Wonders of the World the seven most spectacular man-made structures of the ancient world. The earliest extant list of these dates from the 2nd c.; traditionally they comprise (1) the pyramids of Egypt, especially those at Giza; (2) the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (see HANGING); (3) the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus; (4) the temple of Diana (Artemis) at Ephesus in Asia Minor, rebuilt in 356 Bc, measuring 90 x 45 m (300 x 150 ft.) and with 127 columns; (5) the Colossus of Rhodes; (6) the huge ivory and gold statue of Zeus at Olympia in the Peloponnese, made by Phidias c.430 Bc; (7) the Pharos of Alexandria (or in

some lists, the walls of Babylon).

Seven Years War a war (1756-63) which ranged Britain, Prussia, and Hanover against Austria, France, Russia, Saxony, Sweden, and Spain. Its main issues were the struggle between Britain and France for supremacy overseas, and that between Prussia and Austria for the domination of Germany. After some early setbacks, the British made substantial gains over France abroad, capturing (under Wolfe) French Canada and (under Clive) undermining French influence in India. On the Continent, the war was most notable for the brilliant campaigns of Frederick the Great of Prussia against converging enemy armies. The war was ended by the Treaties of Paris and Hubertusburg in 1763, leaving Britain the supreme European naval and colonial power and Prussia in an appreciably stronger position than before in central Europe. sever |'seva(r)/ v. 1 tr. & intr. (often foll. by from) divide, break, or make separate, esp. by cutting. 2 tr. & intr. break off or away; separate, part, divide (severed our friendship). 3 tr. end the employment contract of (a person). 00 severable adj. [ME f. AF severer, OF sevrer ult. f. L separare SEPARATE V.]

several |'sevr(2)l/ adj. & n. —adj. & n. more than two but not many. —adj. 1 separate or respective; distinct (all went their several ways). 2 Law applied or regarded separately (opp. JOINT). O00 severally adv. [ME f. AF f. AL separalis f. L separ SEPARATE adj.]

severalty /'sevrolti/ n. 1 separateness.

2 the individual or

unshared tenure of an estate etc. (esp. in severalty). [ME f. AF severalte (as SEVERAL)] severance /'sevorons/ n. 1 the act or an instance of severing. 2 a severed state. O severance pay an amount paid to an

employee on the early termination of a contract. wwe

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severe /s1'via(r)/ adj. 1 rigorous, strict, and harsh in attitude or treatment (a severe critic; severe discipline). 2 serious, critical (a severe shortage). 3 vehement or forceful (a severe storm). 4 extreme (in an unpleasant quality) (a severe winter; severe cold). 5 arduous or exacting; making great demands on energy, skill, etc. (severe competition). 6 unadorned; plain in style (severe dress). oo severely adv. severity |-'veriti/ n. [F sévére or L severus] Severn /'sevs:n/ the longest river of Britain, rising on Mount Plynlimon in eastern Wales and flowing about 300 km (220 miles) to the Bristol Channel. severy /'sevori/ n. (pl. -ies) Archit. a space or compartment in a vaulted ceiling. [ME f. OF civoire (as CIBORIUM)]

Seville /'sevil/ (Spanish Sevilla |se'vi:lja/) a city in southern Spain, the capital of Andalusia region; pop. (1986) 668,350. o Seville orange a bitter orange used for marmalade. Sévres /servr/ n. porcelain made at Sévres, south-west of Paris. The factory founded in 1738 in the Chateau de Vincennes, east of Paris, moved to Sévres in 1756 and three years later was purchased by Louis XV to save it from closure; thereafter it became a subsidized royal venture, and its pieces display an opulence matching court life. In 1793 the French Republic took

over the factory; it created a sophisticated style at the beginning of the 19th c., but the great designs faded and the factory took to producing copies of 18th-c. wares. sew /sou/ v.tr. (past part. sewn /soun/ or sewed) 1 (also absol.) fasten, join, etc., by making stitches with a needle and thread or a sewing-machine. 2 make (a garment etc.) by sewing. 3 (often foll. by on, in, etc.) attach by sewing (shall I sew on your butions?). 0 sew up 1 join or enclose by sewing. 2 collog. (esp. in passive) satisfactorily arrange or finish dealing with (a project etc.). 3 esp. US obtain exclusive use of. 00 sewer n. [OE si(o)wan] sewage /'su:1d3, 'sju:-/ n. waste matter, esp. excremental, conveyed in sewers. 0 sewage farm (or works) a place where sewage is treated, esp. to produce manure. sewen var. of SEWIN. sewer /'su:o(r), 'sju:-/ n. a conduit, usu. underground, for carrying off drainage water and sewage. (See below.) 0 sewer rat the common brown rat. [ME f. AF sever(e), ONF se(u)wiere channel to carry off the overflow from a fishpond, ult. f. L ex- out of + aqua water]

Sewers were known in the ancient world: the earliest that survives is at Mohenjodaro in the Indus valley (c.2500 Bc) and there were elaborate domestic arrangements at the Palace of Minos in Crete (c.2000 Bc). Many Roman cities had underground sewers, but after the decline of Roman power these were allowed to deteriorate. In medieval Europe there was no proper drainage system and the water-supply was inadequate and insanitary; disease was rife. When the Industrial Revolution swelled the numbers of people living in towns it became essential to devise a system of waste-disposal. The first underground sewers were constructed at Hamburg in Germany in 1843. sewerage |'su:orid3, 'sju:-/ n. a system of or drainage by sewers. sewin |'sju:1n/ n. (also sewen) a salmon trout of Welsh etc. rivers. [16th c.: orig. unkn.] sewing |'soumm/ n. a piece of material or work to be sewn.

sewing-machine n. a machine for sewing or stitching things. The earliest patents for mechanical sewing were taken out in England by Charles Weisenthal in 1755 and Thomas Saint in 1790. The first chain-stitch machine was invented in 1829 by Barthélemy Thimonnier, a French tailor, but when (some years later) a number of these were put into operation to make French army uniforms they were smashed by rioting tailors alarmed at this threat to their livelihood. Independent efforts in the US led to the design and patenting of machines producing a lock stitch, and though the style and powering of modern machines

varies the basic principle remains the same. The success of Isaac Singer (see entry) was due not only to the worth of his machine but to the astuteness of his lawyer, who fought his patentbattles and pioneered selling by hire purchase. Gandhi, who learned to use a sewing-machine while in prison, declared that it was one of the few useful things ever invented, and exempted it from his ban on the import of Western machinery.

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raised to the seventh (or formerly, esp. Brit., the twelfth) power sewn past part. of sEw. (102 and 10% respectively) (cf. BILLION). 00 sextillionth [F f. L sex /seks/ n., adj., & v. —n. 1 either of the main divisions (male sex six, after septillion etc.] and female) into which living things are placed on the basis of their reproductive functions. 2 the fact of belonging to one of * sexto /'sekstau/ n. (pl. -os) 1 a size of book or page in which each leaf is one-sixth that of a printing-sheet. 2 a book or sheet these. 3 males or females collectively. 4 sexual instincts, desires, of this size. [L sextus sixth, as QUARTO] etc., or their manifestation. 5 collog. sexual intercourse. —adj. sextodecimo |,sekstou'desrmoau| n. (pl. -os) 1 a size of book or 1 of or relating to sex (sex education). 2 arising from a difference page in which each leaf is one-sixteenth that of a printing-sheet. or consciousness of sex (sex antagonism; sex urge). —v.tr. 1 2 a book or sheet of this size. [L sextus decimus 16th (as QUARTO)] determine the sex of. 2 (as sexed adj.) a having a sexual appetite (highly sexed). b having sexual characteristics. 0 sex act (usu. sexton /'sekst(s)n/ n. a person who looks after a church and prec. by the) the (or an) act of sexual intercourse. sex appeal churchyard, often acting as bell-ringer and gravedigger. o sexual attractiveness. sex change an apparent change of sex by sexton beetle any beetle of the genus Necrophorus, burying surgical means and hormone treatment. sex chromosome a carrion to serve as a nidus for its eggs. [ME segerstane etc., f. AF, chromosome concerned in determining the sex of an organism, OF segerstein, secrestein f. med.L sacristanus SACRISTAN] which in most animals are of two kinds, the X-chromosome and sextuple /'seks,tju:p(e)l/ adj., n., & v. —adj. 1 sixfold. 2 having the Y-chromosome. sex hormone a hormone affecting sexual six parts. 3 being six times as many or much. —n. a sixfold development or behaviour. sex kitten collog. a young woman number or amount. —v.tr. & intr. multiply by six; increase who asserts her sex appeal. sex life a person’s activity related sixfold. o0 sextuply adv. [med.L sextuplus, irreg. f. L sex six, after to sexual instincts. sex-linked Genetics carried on or by a sex LL quintuplus QUINTUPLE] chromosome. sex maniac collog. a person needing or seeking sextuplet /'seks,tjuplit, -'tju:plit/ n. 1 each of six children born excessive gratification of the sexual instincts. sex object a perat one birth. 2 Mus. a group of six notes to be played in the time son regarded mainly in terms of sexual attractiveness. of four. [sExTUPLE, after triplet etc.] sex-starved lacking sexual gratification. sex symbol a person sexual /'seksjuol, -fual/ adj. 1 of or relating to sex, or to the widely noted for sex appeal. 00 sexer fn. [ME f. OF sexe or L sexus] sexes or the relations between them. 2 Bot. (of classification) sexagenarian |,seksod3i'neor1on/ n. & adj. —n. a person from based on the distinction of sexes in plants. 3 Biol. having a sex. 60 to 69 years old. —adj. of this age. [L sexagenarius f. sexageni 0 sexual intercourse the insertion of a man’s erect penis into distrib. of sexaginta sixty] a woman’s vagina, usu. followed by the ejaculation of semen. Sexagesima |,seksa'dzesima/ n. the Sunday before Quin00 sexuality /-'zliti/ n. sexually adv. [LL sexualis (as s5x)] quagesima. [ME f. eccl.L, = sixtieth (day), prob. named loosely sexvalent var. of SEXIVALENT. as preceding QUINQUAGESIMA] sexy |'seks1/ adj. (sexier, sexiest) 1 sexually attractive or stimusexagesimal |,sekso'dzesim(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of sixtieths. lating. 2 sexually aroused. 3 concerned with or engrossed in 2 of sixty. 3 reckoning or reckoned by sixtieths. —n. (in full sex. 00 sexily adv. sexiness n. sexagesimal fraction) a fraction with a denominator equal to Seychelles /sei'felz/ a country in the Indian Ocean, a member a power of 60 as in the divisions of the degree and hour. oo State of the Commonwealth, consisting of a group of about 90 sexagesimally adv. [L sexagesimus (as SEXAGESIMA)] islands about 1,000 km (600 miles) NE of Madagascar; pop. (est. sexcentenary /|,seksen'ti:nor1/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a 1988) 68,600; official languages, English and French; capital, six-hundredth anniversary. 2 a celebration of this. —adj. 1 of Victoria. The islands are said to have been named the ‘Isles or relating to a sexcentenary. 2 occurring every six hundred of Gold’ by visiting Arab seafarers, perhaps in the 9thc. The years. Portuguese, who arrived there in the 16thc., called them the sexennial /sek'sental/ adj. 1 lasting six years. 2 recurring every ‘Seven Sisters’, by which name they were known until the French six years. [SEXI- + L annus year] annexed and settled them in the mid-18th c. They formed an sexfoil /'seksforl/ n. a six-lobed ornamental figure. [sEx1-, after excellent hide-out for pirates until these were hunted down by CINQUEFOIL, TREFOIL] the British and French. The Seychelles were captured by Britain during the Napoleonic Wars and administered from Mauritius sexi- /'seks1/ comb. form (also sex- before a vowel) six. [L sex six] before becoming a separate colony in 1903 and finally an indesexism /'seks1z(2)m/ n. prejudice or discrimination, esp. against pendent republic in 1976. Noted for their beauty, the islands women, on the grounds of sex. 00 sexist adj. & n. attract a considerable tourist trade; the economy is also supsexivalent /'seksi,verlont/ adj. (also sexvalent) Chem. having a ported by exports of copra and cinnamon. oo Seychellois valency of six. [-Sel'wa:] adj. & n. sexless /'sekslis/ adj. 1 Biol. neither male nor female. 2 lacking Seymour |'si:mo:(r)/, Jane (c.1509-37), the third wife of Henry in sexual desire or attractiveness. 00 sexlessly adv. sexlessness Vill, and mother of Edward VI. Jane Seymour finally provided n. the king with the male heir he wanted, and, although she died sexology /sek'splod3}/ n. the study of sexual life or relationships, little over a year after her wedding, probably made the ageing esp. in human beings. oo sexological /-s'lod3rk(a)l/ adj. king happier than any of his other wives. After her demise sexologist n. Henry donned mourning and ordered that she be buried beside

sexpartite /seks'pa:tart/ adj. divided into six parts. sexploitation |,seksplor'ter{(2)n/ n. collog. the exploitation of

him. SeZ /sez/ sl. says (sez you). [phonetic repr.]

sex, esp. commercially. sexpot /'seksppt/ n. collog. a sexy person (esp. a woman). sext /sekst/ n. Eccl. 1 the canonical hour of prayer appointed for the sixth daytime hour (i.e. noon). 2 the office of sext. [ME f. L sexta hora sixth hour f. sextus sixth] sextant /'sekst(a)nt/ n. an instrument with a graduated arc of 60° used in navigation and surveying for measuring the angular distance of objects by means of mirrors. The instrument was first described by Robert Hooke in 1667 and was re-invented independently by John Hadley in England (1731) and Thomas Godfrey in America. [L sextans -ntis sixth part f. sextus sixth] sextet /sek'stet/ n. (also sextette) 1 Mus. a composition for six voices or instruments. 2 the performers of such a piece. 3 any group of six. [alt. of sesTET after L sex six]

SF abbr. science fiction. sf abbr. Mus. sforzando. SFA abbr. Scottish Football Association. Sfax< /sfeeks/ a seaport on the east coast of Tunisia; pop. (1984) 231,900. The city, which is the second-largest in Tunisia, is a major centre of phosphate processing.

sforzando

a: arm

e bed

3: her

adj. adv.

& n. (also sforzato

sfumato |sfu:'ma:tav/ adj. & n. Painting —adj. with indistinct outlines. —n. the technique of allowing tones and colours to shade gradually into one another. [It., past part. ofisfumare shade off f. s- = Ex-! + fumare smoke]

sextillion /seks'tiljon/ n. (pl. same or sextillions) a thousand ze cat

/sfo:'tsendou/

-'tsa:tou/) —adj. & adv. Mus. with sudden emphasis. —n. (pl. -os or sforzandi /-di/) 1 a note or group of notes especially emphasized. 2 an increase in emphasis and loudness. [It., verbal noun and past part. of sforzare use force]

1 sit

i: see

p hot

0: saw

arun

vo put

u: too

9 ago

al my

sfz

shagreen

1331

sfz abbr. Mus. sforzando.

esp. in Egypt for drawing water from ariver etc.. [Egypt. Arab.

SG abbr. 1 US senior grade. 2 Law Solicitor-General. 3 specific gravity.

sgd. abbr. signed. sgraffito /sgra:'fi:tou/ n. (pl. sgraffiti |-t1/) a form of decoration made by scratching through wet plaster on a wall or through slip on ceramic ware, showing a different-coloured undersurface. [It., past part. of sgraffire scratch f. s- = Ex-! + graffio scratch] 3

*s-Gravenhage see The HAGUE. Sgt. abbr. Sergeant. sh int. calling for silence. [var. of HUSH]

sh. abbr. Brit. hist. shilling(s). : Shaanxi /fa:n'fi:/ (also Shensi /fen'si:/) a province in north central China; pop. (est. 1986) 30,430,000; capital, Xian.

Shaba /'fa:bo/ a copper-mining region of SE Zaire; pop. (1984) 3,874,000; capital, Lubumbashi.

shabby /'{zb1/ adj. (shabbier, shabbiest) 1 in bad repair or condition; faded and worn, dingy, dilapidated. 2 dressed in old or worn clothes. 3 of poor quality. 4 contemptible, dishonourable (a shabby trick). 00 shabbily adv. shabbiness n. shabbyish adj. [shab scab f. OE sceabb f. ON, rel. to saB]

Sadiif] shadow /'Jzdou/ n. & v. —n. 1 shade or a patch of shade. 2a dark figure projected by a body intercepting rays of light, often regarded as an appendage. 3 an inseparable attendant or companion. 4 a person secretly following another. 5 the slightest trace (not the shadow of a doubt). 6 a weak or insubstantial remnant or thing (a shadow of his former self). 7 (attrib.) Brit. denoting members of a political party in opposition holding responsibilities parallel to those of the government (shadow Home Secretary; shadow Cabinet). 8 the shaded part of a picture. 9 a substance used to colour the eyelids. 10 gloom or sadness. —-v.tr. 1 cast a shadow over. 2 secretly follow and watch the movements of. oO shadow-boxing boxing against an imaginary opponent as a form of training. 00 shadower n. shadowless adj. [repr. OE scead(u)we, oblique case of sceadu SHADE]

shadowgraph

|'Jzdou,gra:f] n. 1 an image or photograph

made by means of X-rays; = RADIOGRAM 2. 2 a picture formed by a shadow cast on a lighted surface. 3 an image formed by light refracted differently by different densities of a fluid.

shadow-show

n. a form of puppetry in which flat jointed

(foll. by up) sl. cohabit, esp. as lovers. [perh. f. Mex. jacal, Aztec xacatli wooden hut]

figures pass between a strong light and a translucent screen, while the audience, in front of the screen, sees only their shadows. It originated in the Far East, spread to Turkey and Greece, and as les Ombres Chinoises was popular in Paris for about 100 years. In the streets of London shadow-shows, known as the galanty show, were given until the end of the 19thc., usually in Punch and Judy booths. The shadow-show survives in its traditional form in Java and Bali.

shackle /'{zk(s)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a metal loop or link, closed by

shadowy /'{zdou1/ adj. 1 like or having a shadow. 2 full of

shabrack /'{zbrek/ n. hist. a cavalry saddle-cloth. [G Schabracke of E. European orig.: cf. Russ. shabrak]

shack /fek/ n. & v. —n. a roughly built hut or cabin. —v.intr.

a bolt, to connect chains etc. 2 a fetter enclosing the ankle or wrist. 3 (usu. in pl.) a restraint or impediment. —-v.tr. fetter, impede, restrain. o shackle-bolt 1 a bolt for closing a shackle. 2 a bolt with a shackle at its end. [OE sc(e)acul fetter, corresp. to LG shdkel link, coupling, ON skékull wagon-pole f. Gmc]

Shackleton /'{zk(os)lt(a)n/, Sir Ernest Henry (1874-1922), Irishborn polar explorer. A junior officer on Scott’s first polar expedition of 1900-4, Shackleton commanded an expedition of his own in 1909, getting within 155 km (97 miles) of the South Pole (the farthest south anyone had reached at that time). On a second expedition to the Antarctic (1914-16) his ship the Endurance was crushed in the ice. Extracting his crew with great difficulty, Shackleton set out with five others from Elephant Island in an open boat on an epic 1300 km (800-mile) voyage to South Georgia to get help. On a final expedition to the Antarctic in 1920-2 he died on South Georgia.

shad /fzd/ n. (pl. same or shads) Zool. any deep-bodied edible marine fish of the genus Alosa, spawning in fresh water. [OE sceadd, of unkn. orig.]

shaddock /'Jzdok/ n. Bot. 1 the largest citrus fruit, with a thick yellow skin and bitter pulp. Also called POMELO. 2 the tree, Citrus grandis, bearing these. [Capt. Shaddock, who introduced it to the W. Indies in the 17th c.]

shade /ferd/ n. & v. —n.

1 comparative darkness (and usu.

coolness) caused by shelter from direct light and heat. 2 a place or area sheltered from the sun. 3 a darker part of a picture etc. 4a colour, esp. with regard to its depth or as distinguished from one nearly like it. 5 comparative obscurity. 6 a slight amount (am a shade better today). 7 a translucent cover for a lamp etc. 8 a screen excluding or moderating light. 9 an eye-shield. 10 (in pl.) esp. US collog. sunglasses. 11 a slightly differing variety (all shades of opinion). 12 literary a a ghost. b (in pl.) Hades. 13 (in pl.; foll. by of) suggesting reminiscence or unfavourable comparison (shades of Dr Johnson!). —v. 1 tr. screen from light. 2 tr. cover, moderate, or exclude the light of. 3 tr. darken, esp. with parallel pencil lines to represent shadow etc. 4 intr. & tr. (often foll. by away, off, into) pass or change by degrees. o in the shade in comparative obscurity. 00 shadeless adj. [OE sc(e)adu f. Gmc]

shading /'Jerdin/n. 1 the representation of light and shade, e.g. by pencilled lines, on a map or drawing. 2 the graduation of

tones from light to dark to create a sense of depth.

shadoof /{s'du:f/ n. a pole with a bucket and counterpoise used au how

er day

ov no

ea hair

10 near

o1 boy

ua poor

shadows. 3 vague, indistinct. 00 shadowiness n.

shady /'ferdi/ adj. (shadier, shadiest) 1 giving shade. 2 situated in shade. 3 (of a person or behaviour) disreputable; of doubtful honesty. 00 shadily adv. shadiness n.

shaft /fa:ft/ n. & v. —n.

1 a an arrow or spear. b the long

slender stem of these. 2 a remark intended to hurt or provoke (a shaft of malice; shafts of wit). 3 (foll. by of) aa ray (of light). ba bolt (of lightning). 4 the stem or handle of a tool, implement, etc. 5 a column, esp. between the base and capital. 6 a long Narrow space, usu. vertical, for access to a mine, a lift in a building, for ventilation, etc. 7 a long and narrow part supporting or connecting or driving a part or parts of greater thickness etc. 8 each of the pair of poles between which a horse is harnessed to a vehicle. 9 the central stem of a feather. 10 Mech. a large axle or revolving bar transferring force by belts or cogs. 11 US collog. harsh or unfair treatment. —v.tr. US colloq. treat unfairly. Oo shaft grave a type of grave found in Late Bronze Age Greece and Crete in which the burial chamber is approached by a vertical shaft sometimes lined with stones and roofed over with beams, as seen in the more elaborate examples of the famous six at Mycenae. [OE sceft, sceaft f. Gmc]

Shaftesbury /'Ja:ftsbori/, Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl (1801-85), British philanthropist and social reformer. Shaftesbury was one of the dominating figures of the 19th-c. movement towards social reform, inspiring much of the legislation designed to improve the lot of the large working class created by Britain’s Industrial Revolution.

shafting /'{a:ftrn/ n. Mech. 1 a system of connected shafts for transmitting motion. 2 material from which shafts are cut.

shag! /fzg/n. 1 a rough growth or mass of hair etc. 2 a coarse kind of cut tobacco. 3 a cormorant, esp. the crested cormorant, Phalacrocorax aristotelis. [OE sceacga, rel. to ON skegg beard, OE sceaga coppice] shag? /fzg/ v.tr. (shagged, shagging) coarse sl. {|Usually considered a taboo word. 1 have sexual intercourse with. 2 (usu. in passive; often foll. by out) exhaust; tire out. [18th c.: orig. unkn.] shaggy /'Jzg1/ adj. (shaggier, shaggiest) 1 hairy, rough-haired. 2 unkempt. 3 (of the hair) coarse and abundant. 4 Biol. having a hairlike covering. 0 shaggy-dog story a long rambling story amusing only by its being inconsequential. 00 shaggily adv. shagginess n. shagreen /fz'gri:n/ n. 1 a kind of untanned leather with a

ata fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

shah i

a

a

a

rough granulated surface. 2 a sharkskin rough with natural papillae, used for rasping and polishing. [var. of CHAGRIN in the sense ‘rough skin’] shah /fa:/ n. hist. a title of the former monarch of Iran. oo shahdom nr. [Pers. sah f. OPers. ksaytiya king]

a plume. [F schako f. Magyar csaké (siiveg) peaked (cap) f. csak peak f. G Zacken spike]

d shakuhachii |,Jako'hatf1/ n. (pl. shakuhachis) a Japanese bamboo flute. [Jap. f. shaku a measure of length + hachi eight (tenths)] shaky /'Jerki/ adj. (shakier, shakiest) 1 unsteady; apt to shake; trembling. 2 unsound, infirm (a shaky hand). 3 unreliable, wavering (a shaky promise; got off to a shaky start). 00 shakily adv. shakiness n.

shaikh var. of SHEIKH. shake /ferk/ v. & n. —v. (past shook /Jok/; past part. shaken |'ferkan/) 1 tr. & intr. move forcefully or quickly up and down or to and fro. 2 a intr. tremble or vibrate markedly. b tr. cause to do this. 3 tr. a agitate or shock: b collog. upset the composure of. 4 tr. weaken or impair; make less convincing or firm or courageous (shook his confidence). 5 intr. (of a voice, note, etc.) make tremulous or rapidly alternating sounds; trill (his voice shook with emotion). 6 tr. brandish; make a threatening gesture with (one’s fist, a stick, etc.). 7 intr. collog. shake hands (they shook on the deal). 8 tr. esp. US collog. = shake off. —n. 1 the act or an instance of shaking; the process of being shaken. 2 a jerk or shock. 3 (in pl.; prec. by the) a fit of or tendency to trembling or shivering. 4 Mus. a trill. 5 = milk shake. 0 in two shakes (of a lamb’s or dog’s tail) very quickly. no great shakes collog. not very good or significant. shake a person by the hand =shake hands. shake down 1settle or cause to fall by shaking. 2 settle down. 3 become established; get into harmony with circumstances, surroundings, etc. 4 US sl. extort money from. shake the dust off one’s feet depart indignantly or disdainfully. shake hands (often foll. by with) clasp right hands at meeting or parting, in reconciliation or congratulation, or over a concluded bargain. shake one’s head move one’s head from side to side in refusal, denial, disapproval, or concern. shake in one’s shoes tremble with apprehension. shake a leg 1 begin dancing. 2 make a start. shake off 1 get rid of (something unwanted). 2 manage to evade (a person who is following or pestering one). shake out 1 empty by shaking. 2 spread or open (a sail, flag, etc.) by shaking. shake-out n. = shake-up. shake up

shale /ferl/ n. soft finely stratified rock that splits easily, consisting of consolidated mud or clay. ashale oil oil obtained from bituminous shale. 00 shaly adj. [prob. f. G Schale f. OE sc(e)alu rel. to ON skal (see SCALE®)]

shall /fzl, {(2)l/ v.aux. (3rd sing. present shall; archaic 2nd sing. present shalt as below; past should /fud, Jad/) (foll. by infin. without to, or absol.; present and past only in use) 1 (in the 1st person) expressing the future tense (I shall return soon) or (with shall stressed) emphatic intention (I shall have a party). 2 (in the 2nd and 3rd persons) expressing a strong assertion or command rather than a wish (cf. wiLL!) (you shall not catch me again; they shall go to the party). § For the other persons in senses 1, 2 see WILL}, 3 expressing a command or duty (thou shalt not steal; they shall obey). 4 (in 2nd-person questions) expressing an enquiry, esp. to avoid the form of a request (cf. wILL) (shall you go to France?). 0 shall I? do you want me to? [OE sceal f. Gmc]

shallot /fo'lt/ n. an onion-like plant, Allium ascalonicum, with a cluster of small bulbs. [eschalot f. F eschalotte alt. of OF eschaloigne: see SCALLION]

shallow /'Szlou/ adj., n., & v. —adj. 1 of little depth. 2 superficial, trivial (a shallow mind). —n. (often in pl.} a shallow place. —v.intr. & tr. become or make shallow. oo shallowly adv. shallowness n. [ME, prob. rel. to schald, OE sceald SHOAL”]

Shalmaneser III /,fzlme'ni:za(r)/ (9th c. Bc), kiag of Assyria 859-824 Bc. According to Assyrian records (though it is unmentioned in the Bible) he defeated an alliance of Syrian kings and

1 mix (ingredients) by shaking. 2 restore to shape by shaking. 3 disturb or make uncomfortable. 4 rouse from lethargy, apathy,

Ahab, king of Israel, in a battle at Qarqar on the Orontes in 853 Bc. The Black Obelisk, now in the British Museum, shows a number of kings including Jehu of Israel (or his representative) doing obeisance before Shalmaneser.

conventionality, etc. shake-up n. an upheaval or drastic reorganization. 00 shakeable adj. (also shakable). [OE sc(e)acan f. Gmc]

shakedown |'{erkdaun/ n. 1 a makeshift bed. 2 US sl. a swindle;

shalom /fa'lom/ n. & int. a Jewish salutation at meeting or parting. [Heb. 5al6m peace] shalt /fzlt/ archaic 2nd person sing. of SHALL. sham /fem] v., n., & adj. —v. (shammed, shamming) 1 intr.

a piece of extortion. 3 (attrib.) US collog. denoting a voyage, flight, etc., to test a new ship or aircraft and its crew.

shaken past part. of SHAKE. shaker /'ferko(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that shakes. 2 a container for shaking together the ingredients of cocktails etc. 3 (Shaker) a member ofan American religious sect living simply, in celibate mixed communities. 00 Shakeress n. (in sense 3). Shakerism n. (in sense 3). [ME, f. SHAKE: sense 3 from religious dances]

Shakespeare

shame

1332

a

/'ferkspro(r)/,

William

(1564-1616),

English

dramatist, born in Stratford-upon-Avon, the son of a merchant, and probably educated at the local grammar school. His wife Anne Hathaway (see entry) remained in Stratford while he pursued a successful career in London as actor, poet, and dramatist, initially under the patronage of the Earl of Southampton, to whom his Sonnets (1609) may have been dedicated. Little is known of his life but his plays, many of which were not printed in his lifetime, have subsequently made him the world’s most famous dramatist. These include early comedies such as Love's Labour’s Lost, which sparkle with verbal ingenuity; the more mature and complex comedies such as Twelfth Night and As You Like It; several highly theatrical historical plays, including Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 which introduced perhaps his best-known comic character, Falstaff; the Roman plays, which include Julius Caesar; the so-called ‘problem plays’, enigmatic comedies which include All’s Well that Ends Well and Measure for Measure; his great tragedies, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, and Antony and Cleopatra; and the group of autumnal romantic tragicomedies with which he ended his career, his last work being The Tempest, in which, like Prospero, he bids his imagined world farewell.

Shakespearian /ferk'sprorion/ adj. & n. (also Shakespearean)

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

shamble

/'femb(2)l/ v. & n.

—v.intr. walk or run with a

shuffling or awkward gait. —n. a shambling gait. [prob. f. dial. shamble (adj.) ungainly, perh. f. shamble legs with ref. to straddling trestles: see SHAMBLES]

shambles /'{zemb(2)lz/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) 1 collog. a mess or muddle (the room was a shambles). 2. a butcher’s slaughterhouse. 3 a scene of carnage. [pl. of shamble stool, stall f. OE sc(e)amul f. WG f. L scamellum dimin. of scamnum bench]

shambolic

—adj. 1 of or relating to William Shakespeare. 2 in the style of Shakespeare. —n. a student of Shakespeare’s works etc.

shako /'ferkou/ n. (pl. -os) a cylindrical peaked military hat with

feign, pretend. 2 tr. a pretend to be. b simulate (is shamming sleep). —n. 1 imposture, pretence. 2 a person or thing pretending or pretended to be what he or she or it is not. —adj. pretended, counterfeit. 00 shammer n. [perh. north. dial. var. of SHAME] shaman /'Jzmonj n. (in primitive religions) a person regarded as having direct access to, and influence in, the spiritual world which is usually manifested during a trance and empowers him or her to guide souls, cure illnesses, etc. The general pattern of beliefs, rituals, techniques, etc., associated with a shaman is found almost universally in primitive cultures at the foodgathering stage of development. 00 shamanism n,. shamanist n. & adj. shamanistic /-'n1sttk/ adj. [G Schamane & Russ. shaman f. Tungusian saman] shamateur /'{zma,t3:(r)/ n. derog. a sports player who makes money from sporting activities though classed as an amateur. 00 shamateurism n. [SHAM + AMATEUR]

/fem'bolik/

adj. collog.

chaotic,

unorganized.

[SHAMBLES, prob. after sYMBOLIC] shame /ferm/n. & v. —n. 1 feeling of distress or humiliation caused by consciousness of the guilt or folly of oneself or an

kcat

lleg

mman

nono

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

shamefaced

associate. 2 a capacity for experiencing this feeling, esp. as imposing a restraint on behaviour (has no sense of shame). 3 a state of disgrace, discredit, or intense regret. 4 a a person or thing that brings disgrace etc. b a thing or action that is wrong or regrettable. —v.tr. 1 bring shame on; make ashamed; put to shame. 2 (foll. by into, out of) force by shame (was shamed into confessing). 0 for shame! a reproof to a person for not showing shame. put to shame disgrace or humiliate by revealing superior qualities etc. shame on you! you should be ashamed. what a shame! how unfortunate! [OE sc(e)amu]

shamefaced /feim'ferst, 'ferm-/ adj. 1 showing shame. 2 bashful, diffident. co shamefacedly also -sidli/ adv. shamefacedness n. [16th-c. alt. of shamefast, by assim. to FACE]

shameful /'Jermfol/ adj. 1 that causes or is worthy of shame. 2 disgraceful, scandalous. 00 shamefully adv. shamefulness n. [OE sc(e)amful (as SHAME, -FUL)] shameless /'{ermlis/ adj. 1 having or showing no sense of shame. 2 impudent. 00 shamelessly adv. shamelessness n. [OE sc(e)amléas (as SHAME, -LESS)]

shammny /'Jzmi/ 1. (pl. -ies) (in full shammy leather) collog. = CHAMOIS 2. [repr. corrupted pronunc.] . shampoo /fem'pu:/ n. & v. —n. 1 liquid or cream used to lather and wash the hair. 2 a similar substance for washing a car or carpet etc. 3 an act or instance of cleaning with shampoo. —v.tr. (shampoos, shampooed) wash with shampoo. [Hind. chhampo, imper. of chhaémpna to press]

shamrock /'Jemrok/ n. any of various plants with trifoliate leaves, esp. Trifolium repens or Medicago lupulina, used as the national emblem of Ireland. [Ir. seamrég trefoil, dimin. of seamar clover + og young] shamus /'fermos/ n. US sl. a detective. [20th c.: orig. uncert.]

Shandong /fentan/ (also Shantung /fen'tan/) a province of eastern China; pop. (est. 1986) 77,760,000; capital, Jinan.

shandy /'fzndi/ n. (pl. -ies) a mixture of beer with lemonade or ginger beer. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

Shang /Jzn/ the name of a dynasty which ruled China during part of the 2nd millennium sc, probably 16th-11th c. Bc. The discovery of inscriptions on bone oracles confirmed literary references tc the existence of the Shang dynasty, which witnessed the invention of Chinese ideographic script and the discovery and development of bronze casting.

Shanghai /fen'hai/ a port and the largest city in China; pop. (est. 1986) 6,980,000. shanghai /fen‘hai/ v. & n. —v.tr. (shanghais, shanghaied, shanghaiing) 1 force (a person) to be a sailor on a ship by using drugs or other trickery. 2 collog. put into detention or an awkward situation by trickery. 3 Austral. & NZ shoot with a catapult. —n. (pl. shanghais) Austral. & NZ a catapult. [SHANGHAI]

Shangri La /,fengri 'la:/ a Tibetan utopia in James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon (1933). —n. an earthly paradise, a place of retreat from the worries of modern civilization. [Tibetan la mountain pass]

shank /fznkj n. 1 a the leg. b the lower part of the leg; the leg from knee to ankle. c the shin-bone. 2 the lower part of an animal’s foreleg, esp. as a cut of meat. 3 a shaft or stem. 4a the long narrow part of a tool etc. joining the handle to the working end. b the stem of a key, spoon, anchor, etc. ¢ the

straight part of a nail or fish-hook. 5 the narrow middle of the sole of a shoe. 0 shanks’s mare (or pony) one’s own legs as a means of conveyance. 00 shanked adj. (also in comb.). [OE sceanca f. WG]

Shankar /'{enka:(r)/, Ravi (1920—_), Indian sitar player and composer, who toured Europe and North America giving sitar recitals which awakened interest in Indian music. From 1951 he and the violinist Yehudi Menuhin collaborated in musical ventures, including some joint performances (1966-7).

Shannon! /|'{znon/ the chief river of Ireland, flowing 390 km Shannon? /'{znonj, Claude Elwood (1916-_), American enginpioneer

of mathematical

z zoo

f she

3 decision

Shansi see SHANxI. shan’t /fa:nt/ contr. shall not. Shantung see SHANDONG. shantung /fen'tan/ n. soft undressed Chinese silk, usu. undyed.

[SHANTUNG]

shanty! /'fznti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a hut or cabin. 2 a crudely built shack. 0 shanty town a poor or depressed area of a town, consisting of shanties. [19th c., orig. N.Amer.: perh. f. Can.F chantier]

shanty? /'Sznt/ n. (also chanty) (pl. -ies) (in full sea shanty) a song with alternating solo and chorus, of a kind orig. sung by sailors while hauling ropes etc. [prob. F chantez, imper. pl. of chanter sing: see CHANT]

Shanxi /fen'Ji:/ (also Shansi /{zn'si:/) a province of north central China; pop. (est. 1986) 26,550,000; capital, Taiyuan.

SHAPE

/ferp/ abbr. Supreme

Headquarters Allied Powers

Europe. e shape /ferp/ n. & v. —n. 1 the total effect produced by the outlines of a thing. 2 the external form or appearance of a person or thing. 3 a specific form or guise. 4 a description or sort or way (not on offer in any shape or form). 5 a definite or proper arrangement (must get our ideas into shape). 6 a condition, as qualified in some way (in good shape; in poor shape). b (when unqualified) good condition (back in shape). 7 a person or thing as seen, esp. indistinctly or in the imagination (a shape emerged from the mist). 8 a mould or pattern. 9a jelly etc. shaped in a mould. 10 a piece of material, paper, etc., made or cut in a particular form. —v. 1 tr. give a certain shape or form to; fashion, create. 2 tr. (foll. by to) adapt or make conform. 3 intr. give signs of a future shape or development. 4 tr. frame mentally; imagine. 5 intr. assume or develop into a shape. 6 tr. direct (one’s life, course, etc.). oO lick (or knock) into shape make presentable or efficient. shape up 1 take a (specified) form. 2 show promise; make good progress. shape up well be promising. 00 shapable adj. (also shapeable). shaped adj. (also in comb.). shaper n. [OE gesceap creation f. Gmc]

shapeless /'ferplis/ adj. lacking definite or attractive shape. 00 shapelessly adv. shapelessness n.

shapely /'Serpli/ adj. (shapelier, shapeliest) 1 well formed or proportioned. 2 of elegant or pleasing shape or appearance. 00 shapeliness n.

shard /fa:d/ n. 1 a broken piece of pottery or glass etc. 2 = POTSHERD. 3 a fragment of volcanic rock. 4 the wing-case of a beetle. [OE sceard: sense 3 f. shard-borne (Shakesp.) = born in a shard (dial., = cow-dung), wrongly taken as ‘borne on shards’)

share! /feo(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a portion that a person receives from or gives to a common amount. 2 aa part contributed by an individual to an enterprise or commitment. b a part received by an individual from this (got a large share of the credit). 3 partproprietorship of property held by joint owners, esp. any of the equal parts into which a company’s capital is divided entitling its owner to a proportion of the profits. —v. 1 tr. get or have or give a share of. 2 tr. use or benefit from jointly with others. 3 intr. have a share; be a sharer (shall I share with you?). 4 intr. (foll. by in) participate. 5 tr. (often foll. by out) a divide and distribute. b give away part of. o share and share alike make an equal division. share-farmer Austral. & NZ a tenant farmer who receives a share of the profits from the owner. oo shareable adj. (also sharable). sharer n. [ME f. OE scearu division, rel. to SHEAR]

share? /Jeo(r)/ n. = PLOUGHSHARE. [OE scear, scer f. Gmc] sharecropper /'{eo,kropo(r)/ n. esp. US a tenant farmer who gives a part of each crop as rent. OO sharecrop v.tr. & intr. (-cropped, -cropping).

shareholder

/'Jeo,houldo(r)/ n. an owner

of shares

in a

shariah /fa'ri:a/ n. the sacred law of Islam, including the teach-

communication

theory

(see

ings of the Koran and the traditional sayings of Muhammad, prescribing religious and other duties. [Arab. Sarva]

9@ thin

yn ring

x loch

tf chip

INFORMATION THEORY).

wwe

shanny /'fzni/ n. (pl. -ies) a long-bodied olive-green European marine fish, Blennius pholis. [19th c.: orig. unkn.: cf. 18th-c. shan]

company.

(240 miles) to its estuary on the Atlantic.

eer,

shariah

1333

6 this

dz jar » (see over for vowels)

sheaf

sharif

1334 eeeeeeeeeeee—————————— eS EE Ee

sharif /fo'ri:f] n. (also shereef, sherif)

1 a descendant of

Muhammad through his daughter Fatima, entitled to wear a green turban or veil. 2 a Muslim leader. [Arab. Sarif noble f.

Sarafa be exalted] Sharjah /'{a:dzo/ (Arabic Ash-Shariqah |,zJfa:'ri:ko/) 1 the third-largest of the member States of the United Arab Emirates; pop. (1980) 125,150. Its Arabic name means ‘The Eastern’. 2 its capital city (Port Khalid), on the Persian Gulf.

shark! /fa:k/ n. any of various large usu. voracious marine fish with a long body and prominent dorsal fin. [16th c.: orig. unkn.] shark? /fa:k/ n. collog. a person who unscrupulously exploits or swindles others. [16th c.: orig. perh. f. G Schurke worthless rogue: infl. by SHARK’]

shaveling /'fervlin/ n. archaic 1 a shaven person. 2 a monk, friar,

sharkskin /'fa:kskin/ n. 1 the skin of a shark. 2 a smooth

or priest.

dull-surfaced fabric.

shaven see SHAVE.

Sharon |'Jeoran/ a fertile coastal plain in Israel, lying between

shaver /'Jerva(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that shaves. 2 an electric razor. 3 collog. a young lad.

the Mediterranean Sea and the hills of Samaria.

Sharp /fa:p/, Cecil (James) (1859-1924), English collector of

Shavian /'fervion/ adj. & n. —adj. of or in the manner of G. B.

folk-songs and folk-dances, whose enthusiasm inspired others to emulate him. He founded the English Folk Dance Society in

Shaw, or his ideas. —n. an admirer of Shaw. [Shavius, Latinized form of Shaw]

1911.

shaving /'Jervin/ n. 1 a thin strip cut off the surface of wood

sharp /Ja:p/ adj., n., adv., & v. —adj. 1 having an edge or point able to cut or pierce. 2 tapering to a point or edge. 3 abrupt, steep, angular (a sharp fall; a sharp turn). 4 well-defined, clean-cut. 5 a severe or intense (has a sharp temper). b (of food etc.) pungent, keen (a sharp appetite). c (of a frost) severe, hard. 6 (of a voice or sound) shrill and piercing. 7 (of sand etc.) composed of angular grains. 8 (of words or temper etc.) harsh or acrimonious (had a sharp tongue). 9 (of a person) acute; quick to perceive or comprehend. 10 quick to take advantage; artful, unscrupulous, dishonest. 11 vigorous or brisk. 12 Mus. a above the normal pitch. b (of a key) having a sharp or sharps in the signature. c (C, F, etc., sharp) a semitone higher than C, F, etc. 13 collog. stylish or flashy with regard to dress. —n. 1 Mus. a a note raised a semitone above natural pitch. b the sign (#) indicating this. 2 collog. a swindler or cheat. 3 a fine sewing-needle. —adv. 1 punctually (at nine o’clock sharp). 2 suddenly, abruptly, promptly (pulled up sharp). 3 at a sharp angle. 4 Mus. above the true pitch (sings sharp). —v. 1 intr. archaic cheat or swindle at cards etc. 2 tr. US Mus. make sharp. 0 sharp end collog. 1 the bow of a ship. 2 the scene of direct action or decision. sharp practice dishonest or barely honest dealings. sharp-set 1 set with a sharp edge. 2 hungry. 00 sharply adv. sharpness n. [OE sc(e)arp f. Gmc] sharpen /'Ja:pon/ v.tr. & intr. make or become sharp. oO sharpener n.

etc. 2 (attrib.) used in shaving the face (shaving-cream).

Shavuoth

Passover and Pentecost]

moved to London in 1876 and began his literary career as a critic and unsuccessful novelist. An active member of the Fabian Society, he was already well known as a socialist and public speaker when his first play was performed in 1892. After a slow start, Shaw was soon recognized as one of the wittiest, most provocative, and prolific writers of the age, whose intellectual comedies (e.g. Man and Superman, 1903; Major Barbara, 1907; Pygmalion, 1913; Heartbreak House, 1919) attacked conventional morality and thought with epigram, paradox, and a great fertility of theatrical invention. Shaw also wrote many prose works, including the lengthy Prefaces to his plays, and generously supported many progressive causes, including feminism. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1925. Abstemious, vegetarian, and indefatigable, he continued to work until the very end of his long life. shaw /Jo:/ n. esp. Brit. the stalks and leaves of potatoes, turnips, etc. [perh. = sHow n.]

shaw] /fo:1/ n. a piece of fabric, usu. rectangular and often folded into a triangle, worn over the shoulders or head or wrapped round a baby. o shawl collar a rolled collar extended down the front of a garment without lapel notches. 00 shawled adj. (Urdu etc. f. Pers. Sal, prob. f. Shaliat in India] shawm /Jo:m/ n. Mus. a medieval double-reed wind instrument with a sharp penetrating tone. [ME f. OF chalemie, chalemel, chalemeaus (pl.), ult. f. L calamus f. Gk kalamos reed]

ern Transvaal, scene of an incident on 21 March 1960 when security forces fired on a crowd demonstrating against apartheid laws, killing 67 Africans and wounding about 180. There was widespread international condemnation.

sharpish /'Ja:pif/ adj. & adv. collog. —adj. fairly sharp. —adv.

shchi /fi:/ n. a Russian cabbage soup. [Russ.]

1 fairly sharply. 2 quite quickly.

/'{a:p,fu:to(r)/_ n. a skilled marksman.

she /fi:/ pron. & n. —pron. (obj. her; poss. her; pl. they) 1 the woman or girl or female animal previously named or in question. 2 a thing regarded as female, e.g. a vehicle or ship. 3 Austral. & NZ collog. it; the state of affairs (she'll be right). —n. 1 a female; a woman. 2 (in comb.) female (she-goat). 0 she-devil a malicious or spiteful woman. [ME scz, sche, etc., f. OE fem. demonstr. pron. & adj. sio, séo, acc. sie]

oo

sharpshooting n. & adj.

sharp-witted /{a:p'witid/ adj. keenly perceptive or intelligent. 00 sharp-wittedly adv. sharp-wittedness n.

shashlik /'fzlrk/ n. (in Asia and E. Europe) a kebab of mutton and garnishings. [Russ. shashlyk, ult. f. Turk. SiS spit, skewer: cf. SHISH KEBAB]

s/he pron. a written representation of ‘he or she’ used to indicate

Shasta /'Jzsto/ n. (in full Shasta daisy) a European plant,

both sexes. shea /fi:/ n. a W. African tree, Vitellaria paradoxa, bearing nuts containing a large amount of fat. o shea-butter a butter made from this fat. [Mandingo si, se, sye]

Chrysanthemum maximum, with large daisy-like flowers. [Shasta in California]

Shastra /'fa:stra/ n. Hindu sacred writings. [Hindi Sastr, Skr. Sastra}

sheading /'fi:drn/ n. each of the six administrative divisions of

Shatt al-Arab /fzt 21 'zrab/ a river of SE Iraq, formed by the

the Isle of Man. [sHED! + -1NG}] sheaf /{i:f] n. & v. —n. (pl. sheaves /fi:vz/) a group of things laid lengthways together and usu. tied, esp. a bundle of cornstalks tied after reaping, or a collection of papers. —v.tr. make into sheaves. [OE scéaf f. Gmc (as SHOVE)]

confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, flowing about 195 km (120 miles) south-east to the Persian Gulf.

shatter /'{zto(r)/ v. 1 tr. & intr. break suddenly in pieces. 2 tr. severely damage or utterly destroy (shattered hopes). 3 tr. greatly

wz cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

/fa'vu:ss, fa:vo'lvt/ n. (also Shavuot) the Jewish

Shaw /fo:/, George Bernard (1856-1950), Irish playwright who

sharper /'fa:po(r)/ n. a swindler, esp. at cards. Sharpeville /'Ja:pvil/ a South African Black township in south-

sharpshooter

upset or discompose. 4 tr. (usu. as shattered adj.) exhaust. ‘O00 shatterer n. shattering adj. shatteringly adv. shatter-proof adj. (ME, rel. to SCATTER] shave /ferv/ v. & n. —v.tr. (past part. shaved or (as adj.) shaven) 4 remove (bristles or hair) from the face etc. with a razor. 2 (also absol.) remove bristles or hair with a razor from the face etc. of (a person) or (a part of the body). 3 a reduce by a small amount. b take (a small amount) away from. 4 cut thin slices from the surface of (wood etc.) to shape it. 5 pass close to without touching; miss narrowly. —n. 1 an act of shaving or the process of being shaved. 2 a close approach without contact. 3 a narrow miss or escape; = close shave (see cLosE!). 4 a tool for shaving wood etc. [OE sc(e)afan (sense 4 of noun f. OE sceafa) f. Gmc]

1 sit

i: see

p hot

0: saw

Arun

v put

u: tooo

ago

ai my

shealing shealing var. of sHIELING.

shear /fra(r)/ v. & n. —v. (past sheared, archaic except Austral. & NZ shore /fo:(r)/; past part. shorn /fo:n/ or sheared) 1 tr. cut with scissors or shears etc. 2 tr. remove or take off by cutting. 3 tr. clip the wool off (a sheep etc.). 4 tr. (foll. by of) a strip bare. b deprive. 5 tr. & intr. (often foll. by off) distort or be distorted, or break, from a structural strain. —n. 1 Mech. & Geol. a strain produced by pressure in the structure of a substance, when its layers are laterally shifted in relation to each other. 2 (in pl.) (also pair of shears sing.) a large clipping or cutting instrument shaped like scissors for use in gardens etc. 00 shearer n. [OE sceran f. Gmc]

Shearer

sheila

1335

/'frora(r)/, Moira (full name

Moira

Shearer

King,

Ovis with a thick woolly coat, esp. kept in flocks for its wool or meat, and noted for its timidity. 2 a bashful, timid, or silly person. 3 (usu. in pl.) a a member of a minister’s congregation. b a parishioner. 0 separate the sheep from the goats divide into superior and inferior groups (cf. Matt. 25: 33). sheep-dip 1a preparation for cleansing sheep of vermin or preserving their wool. 2 the place where sheep are dipped in this. sheep-run an extensive sheepwalk, esp. in Australia. sheep’s-bit a plant, Jasione montana, resembling a scabious. 00 sheeplike adj. [OE scép, scp, scéap]

sheepdog /'{i:pdog/ n. 1 a dog trained to guard and herd sheep. 2 aa dog of various breeds suitable for this. b any of these breeds.

1926-—_), Scottish dancer, who became a ballerina with Sadler’s Wells ballet. She created roles in a number of ballets by Sir Frederick Ashton. Her greatest international success was her portrayal of a dedicated ballerina in the film The Red Shoes (1948). shearling /'f{1olin/ n. 1 a sheep that has been shorn once. 2 wool from a shearling. shearwater |'{12,wo:ta(r)/ n. 1 any long-winged sea bird of the genus Puffinus, usu. flying near the surface of the water. 2 = SKIMMER 4.

sheepfold /'{i:pfould/ n. an enclosure for penning sheep. sheepish /'fi:pif/ adj. 1 bashful, shy, reticent. 2 embarrassed

sheatfish /'{i:tfi{/ n. (pl. same or sheatfishes) a large freshwater

sheer! /fra(r)/ adj. & adv. —adj. 1 no more or less than; mere,

catfish, Silurus glanis, native to European waters. [earlier sheathfish, prob. after G Scheid]

sheath /fi:6/ n. (pl. sheaths /fi:6z, Ji:0s/) 1 a close-fitting cover,

through shame. o0 sheepishly adv. sheepishness n.

sheepshank

/'fi:pfznk/ n. a knot used to shorten a rope

temporarily.

sheepskin /'{i:pskin/ n. 1.a garment or rug of sheep’s skin with the wool on. 2 leather from a sheep’s skin used in bookbinding.

sheepwalk /'Ji:pwo:k/ n. Brit. a tract of land on which sheep are pastured.

unqualified, absolute (sheer luck; sheer determination). 2 (of a cliff or ascent etc.) perpendicular; very steep. 3 (of a textile) very

sheathing |'Ji:d1n/ n. a protective casing or covering.

thin; diaphanous. —adv. 1 directly, outright. 2 perpendicularly. 00 sheerly adv. sheerness n. [ME schere prob. f. dial. shire pure, clear f. OE scir f. Gmc] sheer? /fro(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 esp. Naut. swerve or change course. 2 (foll. by away, off) go away, esp. from a person or topic one dislikes or fears. —n. Naut. a deviation from a course. [perh. f. MLG scheren = SHEAR v.] sheer? /fro(r)/ n. the upward slope of a ship’s lines towards the bow and stern. [prob. f. SHEAR n.]

sheave! /fi:v/ v.tr. make into sheaves.

sheerlegs /'Jiolegz/ n.pl. (treated as sing.) a hoisting apparatus

esp. for the blade of a knife or sword. 2 a condom. 3 Bot., Anat., & Zool. an enclosing case or tissue. 4 the protective covering round an electric cable. 5 a woman’s close-fitting dress. oO sheath knife a dagger-like knife carried in a sheath. oo sheathless adj. [OE sczth, scéath]

sheathe /{i:6/ v.tr. 1 put into a sheath. 2 encase; protect with a sheath. [ME f. SHEATH]

sheave? |fi:v/ n. a grooved wheel in a pulley-block etc., for a rope to run on. [ME f. OE scife (unrecorded) f. Gmc]

SHEAR n. + LEG]

sheaves pl. of sHEAF. Sheba /'fi:ba/ the Biblical name of Saba, an ancient country in SW Arabia, famous for its trade in gold and spices. The Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon in jerusalem. The Hebrew word is the name of the people (Sabaeans), but was erroneously assumed by Greek and Roman writers to be a place-name.

shebang /fi'ben/ n. US sl. 1 a matter or affair (esp. the whole shebang). 2 a shed or hut. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

shebeen /f1'bi:n/ n. esp. Ir. an unlicensed house selling alcoholic liquor. [Anglo-Ir. sibin f. séibe mugful]

shed! /fed/n. 1 a one-storeyed structure usu. of wood for storage or shelter for animals etc., or as structure with one side open, machinery etc. 3 Austral. & NZ an ing sheep or milking cattle. [app.

a workshop. 2 a large roofed for storing or maintaining open-sided building for shearvar. of SHADE’]

shed? /fed/ v.tr. (shedding; past and past part. shed) 1 let or cause to fall off (trees shed their leaves). 2 take off (clothes). 3 reduce (an electrical power load) by disconnection etc. 4 cause to fall or flow (shed blood; shed tears). 5 disperse, diffuse, radiate (shed light). O shed light on see LIGHT. [OE sc(e)adan f. Gmc]

she’d /fr:d, Jid/ contr. 1 she had. 2 she would. shedder /'jeda(r)/ n. 1.a person or thing that sheds. 2 a female salmon after spawning.

shedhand /'{edhznd/ n. Austral. & NZ an unskilled assistant in a shearing shed.

sheela-na-gig /'fi:lono,gig/ n. a medieval carved stone female figure, sometimes found on churches or castles in Britain and Ireland, shown nude, in frontal aspect, and with the hands indicating the genitalia. [Ir. Sile na gcioch, perh. = lady of the

sheet! /fi:t/ n. & v. —n. 1a large rectangular piece of cotton or other fabric, used esp. in pairs as inner bedclothes. 2 a a broad usu. thin flat piece of material (e.g. paper or metal). b (attrib.) made in sheets (sheet iron). 3 a wide continuous surface or expanse of water, ice, flame, falling rain, etc. 4 a set of unseparated postage stamps. 5 derog. a newspaper, esp. a disreputable one. 6 a complete piece of paper of the size in which it was made, for printing and folding as part of a book. —v. 1 tr. provide or cover with sheets. 2 tr. form into sheets. 3 intr. (of rain etc.) fall in sheets. 0 sheet lightning a lightning flash with its brightness diffused by reflection. sheet metal metal formed into thin sheets by rolling, hammering, etc. sheet music music published in cut or folded sheets, not bound. [OE scéte, sctete f. Gmc]

sheet? /fi:t/ n. 1 a rope or chain attached to the lower corner of a sail for securing or controlling it. 2 (in pl.) the space at the bow or stern of an open boat. o flowing sheets sheets eased

for free movement in the wind. sheet anchor 1 a second anchor for use in emergencies. 2 a person or thing depended on in the last resort. sheet bend a method of temporarily fastening one rope through the loop of another. [ME f. OE scéata, ON skaut (as SHEET))]

sheeting /'fi:trn/ n. material for making bed linen. Sheffield /'fefiald/ an industrial city in South Yorkshire; pop. (1981) 477,250. From medieval times onwards it was noted for metal-working, and became famous especially for the manufacture of cutlery and silverware and, after the establishment of a works by Henry Bessemer (see entry), for the production of steel.

sheikh /ferk/ n. (also shaikh, sheik) 1 a chief or head of an Arab

breasts]

sheen /fi:n/ n. 1 a gloss or lustre on a surface.

2 radiance,

brightness. 00 sheeny adj. [obs. sheen beautiful, resplendent f. OE scéne: sense assim. to SHINE]

sheep /fi:p/ n. (pl. same) 1 any ruminant mammal of the genus av how

made from poles joined at or near the top and separated at the bottom for masting ships, installing engines, etc. [sheer, var. of

e1 day

ou no

eo hair

Io near

or boy

vo poor

tribe, family, or village. 2 a Muslim leader. 00 sheikhdom n. (ult. f. Arab. Sayk old man, sheikh, f. Saka be or grow old]

sheila /'fi:lo/ n. Austral. & NZ sl. a girl or young woman. [orig. shaler (of unkn. orig.): assim. to the name Sheila]

ara fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

Shenzhen

1336

shekel

Man (1826) and Lodore (1835), short stories (some with science fiction elements, others Gothic or historical), biographies, and . an edition of her husband’s poems (1830).

shekel /'fek(a)l/ n. 1 the chief monetary unit of modern Israel. 2 hist. a silver coin and unit of weight used in ancient Israel and the Middle East. 3 (in pl.) collog. money; riches. [Heb. Sekel f. Sakal weigh]

Shelley? /'feli/, Percy Bysshe (1792-1822), English poet. His pamphlet The Necessity of Atheism (1811; with T. J. Hogg) caused his expulsion from Oxford. This period of political activism, during which he married Harriet Westbrook (1811), is reflected

shelduck /'feldakj n. (pl. same or shelducks; masc. sheldrake, pl. same or sheldrakes) any bright-plumaged coastal wild duck of the genus Tadorna, esp. T. tadorna. [ME prob. f. dial. sheld pied, rel. to MDu. schillede variegated, + DUCK!, DRAKE]

in his ideological poem Queen Mab (1813). His marriage collapsed in 1814 and he eloped abroad with Mary Godwin and her stepsister ‘Claire’ Clairmont, marrying Mary in 1816 after Harriet had drowned herself. From 1818 he settled permanently in Italy where, in spite of his increasingly troubled domestic situation, he composed his greatest works, including Prometheus Unbound (1820), a lyrical drama on his aspirations and contradictions as

shelf! /felf/ n. (pl. shelves /felvz/) 1 a a thin flat piece of wood or metal etc. projecting from a wall, or as part of a unit, used to support books etc. b a flat-topped recess in a wall etc. used for supporting objects. 2 a a projecting horizontal ledge in a cliff face etc. b a reef or sandbank under water. ¢ = continental shelf. O om the shelf 1 (of a woman) past the age when she might expect to be married. 2 (esp. of a retired person) no longer active or of use. shelf-life the amount of time for which a stored item of food etc. remains usable. shelf-mark a notation on a book showing its place in a library. shelf-room available space on a shelf. 00 shelved /felvd/ adj. shelfful n. (pl. -fuls). shelflike adj. [ME f. (M)LG schelf, rel. to OE scylfe partition, scylf crag]

shelf? /felf/ n. & v. Austral. sl. —n. an informer. —v.tr. inform upon. [20th c.: orig. uncert.]

shell /fel/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the hard outer case of many marine molluscs (cockle shell). b the esp. hard but fragile outer covering of a bird’s, reptile’s, etc. egg. ¢ the usu. hard outer case of a nut-kernel, seed, etc. d the carapace ofa tortoise, turtle, etc. e the wing-case or pupa-case of many insects etc. 2 a an explosive projectile or bomb for use in a big gun or mortar. b a hollow metal or paper case used as a container for fireworks, explosives, cartridges, etc. ¢ US a cartridge. 3 a mere semblance or outer form without substance. 4 any of several things resembling a shell in being an outer case, esp.: a a light racing-boat. b a hollow pastry case. ¢ the metal framework of a vehicle body etc. d the walls of an unfinished or gutted building, ship, etc. e an inner or roughly-made coffin. f a building shaped like a conch. g the handguard of a sword. 5 a group of electrons with almost equal energy in an atom. —v. 1 tr. remove the shell or pod from. 2 tr. bombard (a town, troops, etc.) with shells. 3 tr. provide or cover with a shell or shells. 4 intr. (usu. foll. by off) (of metal etc.) come off in scales. 5 intr. (of a seed etc.) be released from a shell. 0 come out of one’s shell cease to be shy; become communicative. shell-bit a gouge-shaped boring bit. shell company an unimportant firm made the subject of a take-over bid because of its status on the Stock Exchange etc. shell egg an egg still in its shell, not dried etc. shell-heap (or -mound) hist. a kitchen midden.

shell-jacket an army officer’s tight-

fitting undress jacket reaching to the waist. shell-keep a form of Norman keep built on a mound, usually on the site of an older fortress. shell-lime fine quality lime produced by burning sea shells. shell-money shells used as a medium of exchange, e.g. wampum. shell out (also absol.) collog. 1 pay (money). 2 hand over (a required sum). shell-out n. 1 the act of shelling out. 2 a game of snooker etc. played by three or more people. shell-pink a delicate pale pink. shell-shock a nervous breakdown resulting from exposure to battle. shell-shocked suffering from shell-shock. shell suit a track suit with a soft lining and a weather-proof outer nylon ‘shell’, used for leisure wear. shell-work ornamentation consisting of shells cemented on to wood etc. oo shelled adj. shell-less adj. shell-like adj. shellproof adj. (in sense 2a of n.). shelly adj. [OE sc(i)ell f. Gmc: cf. SCALE}]

a poet and radical, The Mask ofAnarchy (1819), a poem of political protest, ‘Ode to the West Wind’ (1820), The Cenci (1819), a verse tragedy, his famous prose work The Defence of Poetry (1821), vin-

dicating the role of poetry in a progressive and Adonais (1821), an elegy on the death of drowned in a boating accident. Spectacular his intellectual courage and originality, have

industrial society, Keats. Shelley was lyric powers, and earned him a high

place among the Romantic poets.

shellfish /'felfif/ n. 1 an aquatic shelled mollusc, e.g. an oyster, winkle, etc. 2 a crustacean, e.g. a crab, shrimp, etc.

Shelta /'felto/ n. an ancient hybrid secret language used by Irish gypsies and pipers, Irish and Welsh travelling tinkers, etc. It is

composed partly of Irish or Gaelic words, mostly disguised by inversion or by arbitrary alteration of initial consonants. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] shelter /'felto(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 anything serving as a shield or protection from danger, bad weather, etc. 2 a a place of refuge provided esp. for the homeless etc. b US an animal sanctuary. 3 a shielded condition; protection (took shelter under a tree). —v. 1 tr. act or serve as shelter to; protect; conceal; defend (sheltered

them from the storm; had a sheltered upbringing). 2 intr. & refl. find refuge; take cover (sheltered under a tree; sheltered themselves behind the wall). oshelter-belt a line of trees etc. planted to protect crops from the wind. oo shelterer n. shelterless adj. [16th c.: perh. f. obs. sheltron phalanx f. OE scieldtruma (as SHIELD, truma

troop)] sheltie /'felti/ n. (also shelty) (pl. -ies) a Shetland pony or sheepdog. [prob. repr. ON Hjalti Shetlander as pronounced in Orkney]

shelve! /felv/ v.tr. 1 put (books etc.) on a shelf. 2 a abandon or defer (a plan etc.). b remove (a person) from active work etc. 3 fit (a cupboard etc.) with shelves. 00 shelver n. shelving n. [shelves pl. of SHELF]

shelve? /felv/ v.intr. (of ground etc.) slope in a specified direction (land shelved away to the horizon). [perh. f. shelvy (adj.) having underwater reefs f. shelve (n.) ledge, f. SHELVE}]

shelves pl. of sHELF. Shem /fem/ a son of Noah (Gen. 10: 21), traditional ancestor of the Semites. Shema /Je'ma:/ n. a Hebrew text forming an important part of Jewish evening and morning prayer and used as a Jewish confession of faith, beginning ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord’. [Heb., = hear]

shemozzle /f{1'moz(e)l/ n. (also schemozzle) sl. 1 a brawl or commotion. 2 a muddle. [Yiddish after LHeb. Sel-ld’-mazzal of no

luck]

Shenandoah /,Jenon'dova/ a river of West Virginia which rises on both sides of the Blue Ridge Mountains and flows about 240 km (150 miles) to enter the Potomac River at Harpers Ferry.

she'll /fi:1, {1l/ contr. she will; she shall. shellac /fo'lek/ n. & v.. —n. lac resin melted into thin flakes

shenanigan /{1'nznigon/ n. (esp. in pl.) collog. 1 high-spirited

and used for making varnish (cf. Lac). —v.tr. (shellacked, shellacking) 1 varnish with shellac. 2 US sl. defeat or thrash

behaviour; nonsense. 2 trickery; dubious manoeuvres. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

soundly. [SHELL + LAC, transl. F laque en écailles lac in thin plates]

shellback /'felbzk/ n. sl. an old sailor. Shelley! /'feli/, Mary Wollstonecraft (1797-1851), English novelist, daughter of W. Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft. She eloped with P. B. Shelley in 1814 and married him in 1816. She is chiefly remembered as the author of Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus (1818). Her other works include the novels The Last

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

Shensi see SHAANXI. Shenyang /fen'jen/

(formerly

Mukden

/'mukd(s)n/)

the

fourth-largest city in China, a former Manchu capital and now the capital of Liaoning province; pop. (est. 1986) 4,200,000.

Shenzhen /fen'zen/ an industrial city developed as a special economic zone near Canton in southern China; pop. (est. 1984) 191,400.

kcat

lleg

m man

nno

ppen

rred

sit

t top

v voice

Sheol

shieling

1337

Sheol /'fi:0l, -pl/ n. (in the Old Testament) the underworld, the abode of the dead. [Heb. 561]

the understanding of the central nervous system. For his study of the neuron he shared the 1932 Nobel Prize for medicine.

shepherd /'fepad/ n. & v. —n. 1 (fem. shepherdess /'Jepodis/)

sherry /'Jert/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a fortified wine orig. from S. Spain.

a person employed to tend sheep, esp. at pasture. 2 a member of the clergy etc. who cares for and guides a congregation. — v.tr. 1 a tend (sheep etc.) as a shepherd. b guide (followers etc.). 2 marshal or drive (a crowd etc.) like sheep. 0 the Good Shepherd Christ. shepherd dog a sheepdog. shepherd’s crook a staff with a hook at one end used by shepherds. shepherd’s needle a white-flowered common plant, Scandix pecten-veneris, with spiny fruit. shepherd’s pie a dish of minced meat under a layer of mashed potato. shepherd’s plaid 1 a small black and white check pattern. 2 woollen cloth with this pattern. shepherd’s purse a white-flowered hairy cornfield plant, Capsella bursa-pastoris, with triangular or cordate pods. [OE scéaphierde (as SHEEP, HERD)] sherardize /'fera,darz/ v.tr. (also -ise) coat (iron or steel) with zinc by heating in contact with zinc dust. [Sherard Cowper-Coles, Engl. inventor d. 1936] Sheraton /'Jerat(s)n/ n. (often attrib.) a style of furniture introduced in England c.1790, with delicate and graceful forms. [T. Sheraton, Engl. furniture-maker d. 1806]

2a glass of this. 0 sherry cobbler see COBBLER 2. sherry-glass a small wineglass used for sherry. [earlier sherris f. Sp. (vino de) Xeres (now Jerez de la Frontera) in Andalusia]

sherbet /'[3:bot/ n. 1 a a flavoured sweet effervescent powder or drink. b US a water-ice. 2 a cooling drink of sweet diluted fruit-juices esp. in Arab countries. 3 Austral. joc. beer. [Turk. serbet, Pers. Serbet f. Arab. Sarba drink f. Sariba to drink: cf. sHRUB?, SYRUP]

sherd /J3:d/ n. = POTSHERD. [var. of SHARD] shereef (also sherif) var. of SHARIF. Sheridan |'ferid(2)n/, Richard Brinsley (1751-1816), Anglo-Irish dramatist, son of an actor-manager. After eloping to France with the beautiful singer Eliza Linley whom he married in 1773, he established his reputation with The Rivals (1775) which included the famous Mrs Malaprop among its characters, and continued his success with his masterpiece The School for Scandal (1777), both comedies of manners, skilfully constructed with great wit and elegance and continuously popular. He became principal director of Drury Lane Theatre in 1776 and sole proprietor in 1779. Already politically ambitious, Sheridan became the friend and supporter of Charles James Fox; he entered Parliament in 1780, where he became a celebrated orator, held senior government posts, and won the friendship of the Prince Regent. Meanwhile financial problems associated with Drury Lane became crushing; he died in poverty, but was given a mag-

nificent funeral in Westminster Abbey. sheriff /'ferif] n. 1 Brit. a (also High Sheriff) the chief executive officer of the Crown in a county, nominally charged with keeping the peace, administering justice through the courts, executing writs by deputy, presiding over elections, etc. b an honorary officer elected annually in some towns. 2 US an elected officer in a county, responsible for keeping the peace. o sheriff court Sc. a county court. sheriff-depute Sc. the chief judge of a county or district. 00 sheriffalty n. (pl. -ies). sheriffdom n. sheriffhood n. sheriffship n. [OE scir-geréfa (as SHIRE, REEVE})]

Sherlock /'{3:lok/ n. 1 a person who investigates mysteries or shows great perceptiveness. HoiMEs]

2 a private detective. [Sherlock

Sherman /'J3:mon/, William Tecumseh (1820-91), one of the great generals of the American Civil War. In March 1864 he succeeded Grant as chief commander in the west, and crushed the Confederate forces in his march through Georgia. Ordering his troops to live off the land, by deliberate and disciplined destruction he not only wiped out the South’s sources of supply but sought to break the spirit of civilians as well as soldiers. In 1869 he became commander of the US army, a post he filled until his retirement in 1884. Sherpa /'J3:po/ n. (pl. same or Sherpas) 2 member of a Himalayan people living on the borders of Nepal and Tibet, and skilled in mountaineering. [native name]

Sherrington /'Jerint(a)n/, Sir Charles Scott (1857-1952), English physiologist whose researches opened up a new chapter in wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

*s-Hertogenbosch _ |,seotoxen'bps/

(French

Bois-le-Duc

|{bwa:lo'dju:k/) a city in The Netherlands, the capital of North Brabant; pop. (1987) 90,000. It was the birthplace of the painter Hieronymus Bosch.

she’s /fi:z, J1z/ contr. 1 she is. 2 she has. Shetland /'fetlend/ an islands area of Scotland consisting of the Shetland Islands; pop. (1981) 22,400; chief town, Lerwick. —adj. of the Shetland Islands. 0 Shetland Islands (also Shetlands) a group of about 100 Scottish islands NNE of the Orkneys, which have become important bases for the exploitation of oil and gas in the North Sea. (See also Orkney.) Shetland lace openwork woollen trimming. Shetland pony 1 a pony of a small hardy rough-coated breed. 2 this breed. Shetland sheepdog 1 a small dog of a collie-like breed. 2 this breed. Shetland wool a fine loosely twisted wool from Shetland sheep. 00 Shetlander n.

sheva var. of scHWA. shew archaic var. of sHow. shewbread |'Jaubred/ n. twelve loaves that were displayed in a Jewish temple and renewed each sabbath.

Shiah /'fi:o/ n. one of the two main branches of Islam, esp. in Iran, that rejects the first three Sunni Caliphs and regards Ali as Muhammad’s first successor. (See below.) [Arab. Sia party (of Ali, Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law)] The Shiites followed a succession of imams, whom they believed to possess a Divine Light giving them special wisdom— indeed, infallibility—in matters of the faith and community of believers. There exist several subgroups, depending on which imam they believe to be the final one, regarded as forced to go into hiding through the repressive political rule of the majority community and expected to return and to triumph over injustice. 2 a Shiite.

shiatsu /fi'etsu:/ n. a kind of therapy of Japanese origin, in which pressure is applied with the fingers to certain points of the body. [Jap., = finger pressure]

shibboleth /'{ibo,le6/ n. a long-standing formula, doctrine, or phrase, etc., held to be true bya party or sect, regarded as revealing a person’s orthodoxy (must abandon outdated shibboleths). [ME f. Heb. Sibbélet ear of corn, used as a test of nationality for its difficult pronunciation (Judg. 12: 6)]

shicer /'fatsa(r)/ n. Austral. 1 Mining an unproductive claim or mine. 2 sl. a a swindler, welsher, or cheat. b a worthless thing; a failure. [G Scheisser contemptible person] shicker |'{tka(r)/ adj. (also shickered /'{rkad/) Austral. & NZ sl. drunk. [Yiddish shiker f. Heb. Sikk6r f. Sakar be drunk]

shied past and past part. of sHy!, sHy?. shield /fi:ld/ n. & v. —n. 1 a esp. hist. a piece of armour of esp. metal, carried on the arm or in the hand to deflect blows from the head or body. b a thing serving to protect (insurance is a shield against disaster). 2 a thing resembling a shield, esp.: aa trophy in the form ofa shield. b a protective plate or screen in machinery etc. ¢ a shieldlike part of an animal, esp. a shell. da similar part of a plant. e Geol. a large rigid area of the earth’s crust, usu. of Precambrian rock, which has been unaffected by later orogenic episodes. The largest example is the Canadian shield, which occupies over two-fifths of the land area of Canada; it is drained by rivers flowing into Hudson Bay. f US a policeman’s shield-shaped badge. 3 Heraldry a stylized representation of a shield used for displaying a coat of arms etc. —v.tr. protect or screen, esp. from blame or lawful punishment. 0 shield fern 1 any common fern of the genus Polystichum, with shield-shaped indusia, 2 = BUCKLER 2. 00 shieldless adj. [OE sc(i)eld f. Gmc: prob. orig. = board, rel. to SCALE}]

shieling /'fi:lmy/ n. (also shealing) Sc. 1 a roughly constructed hut orig. esp. for pastoral use. 2 pasture for cattle. [Sc. shiel hut: ME, of unkn. orig.] tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

shier

ship

1338

b move in a similar manner. 2 shake or vibrate abnormally. shier compar. of sHy1. [20th c.: orig. uncert.] shiest superl. of sHy!. shift /fift/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. & tr. change or move or cause to . shin /fm/n. & v. —n. 1 the front of the leg below the knee. 2a change or move from one position to another. 2 tr. remove, esp. with effort (washing won’t shift the stains). 3 sl. a intr. hurry (we'll have to shift!). b tr. consume (food or drink) hastily or in bulk. c tr. sell (esp. dubious goods). 4 intr. contrive or manage as best one can. 5 US a tr. change (gear) in a vehicle. b intr. change gear. 6 intr. (of cargo) get shaken out of place. 7 intr. archaic be evasive or indirect. —n. 1 a the act or an instance of shifting. b the substitution of one thing for another; a rotation. 2 a a relay of workers (the night shift). b the time for which they work (an eight-hour shift). 3 a a device, stratagem, or expedient. b a dodge, trick, or evasion. 4 a a woman’s straight unwaisted dress. b archaic a loose-fitting undergarment. 5 a displacement of spectral lines (see also red shift). 6 (also sound shift) a systematic change in pronunciation as a language evolves. 7 a key on a keyboard used to switch between lower and upper case etc. 8 Bridge a a change of suit in bidding. b US a change of suit in play. 9 the positioning of successive rows of bricks so that their ends do not coincide. 10 US a a gear lever in a motor vehicle. b a mechanism for this. 0 make shift manage or contrive; get along somehow (made shift without it). shift for oneself rely on one’s own efforts. shift one’s ground take up a new position in an argument etc. shift off get rid of (responsibility etc.) to another. oo shiftable adj. shifter n. [OE sciftan arrange, divide, etc., f. Gmc]

shiftless /'{rftlis/ adj. lacking resourcefulness; lazy; inefficient.

shingle? /'{1ng(2)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a rectangular wooden tile used

shigella /{1'gelo/ n. any airborne bacterium of the genus Shigella,

on roofs, spires, or esp. walls. 2 archaic a shingled hair. b the act of shingling hair. 3 US a small signboard, esp. of a doctor, lawyer, etc. —v.tr. 1 roof or clad with shingles. 2 archaic a cut (a woman’s hair) very short. b cut the hair of (a person or head) in this way. [ME app. f. L scindula, earlier scandula]

some of which cause dysentery. [mod.L f. K. Shiga, Jap. bac-

teriologist d. 1957 + dimin. suffix]

shih-tzu /fi:'tsu:/n. 1 a dog of a breed with long silky erect hair and short legs. 2 this breed. [Chin. shizi lion]

Shiite /'fi:art/ n. & adj. —n. an adherent of the Shiah branch of Islam. —adj. of or relating to Shiah. 00 Shiisma |'fi:1z(2)m/ n.

Shijiazhuang /|,{i:d310'd3wen/ a city in NE central China, capital of Hebei province; pop. (est. 1986) 1,160,000.

shikar /f1'ka:(r)/ n. Ind. hunting. [Urdu f. Pers. Sikar] Shikoku /f1'ksuku:/ the smallest of the four main islands of

woman. [Yiddish shikse f. Heb. Sigsd f. sheqes detested thing + -d fem. suffix]

shill /fil/ n. US a person employed to decoy or entice others into buying, gambling, etc. [prob. f. earlier shillaber, of unkn. orig.]

shillelagh /{i'letlo, -li/ n. a thick stick of blackthorn or oak used in Ireland esp. as a weapon. [Shillelagh in Co. Wicklow, Ireland]

shilling /'frip/ n. 1 hist. a former British coin and monetary unit worth one-twentieth of a pound or twelve pence. 2 a monetary unit in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. o shilling-mark hist. = soLipus. take the King’s (or Queen’s) shilling hist. enlist as a soldier (formerly a soldier was paid a shilling on enlisting). [OE scilling, f. Gmc] shilly-shally /'f1li,Jeli/ v., adj., & n. —v.intr. (-ies, -ied) hesitate to act or choose; be undecided; vacillate. —adj. vacillating. shilly-shallyer

n.

etc. to make parts fit. —v.tr. (shimmed, shimming) fit or fill up with a shim. [18th c.: orig. unkn.]

shimmer /'{1mo(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. shine with a tremulous or faint diffused light. —n. such a light. 00 shimmeringly adv. shimmery adj. [OE scymrian f. Gmc: cf. SHINE]

ship /J1p/n. & v. —n. 1 a any large seagoing vessel. (See below.) ba sailing-vessel with a bowsprit and three, four, or five squarerigged masts. 2 US an aircraft. 3 a spaceship. 4 collog. a boat, esp. a racing-boat. —v. (shipped, shipping) 1 tr. put, take, or send away (goods, passengers, sailors, etc.) on board ship. 2 tr. a take in (water) over the side of a ship, boat, etc. b take (oars)

shimmy /'Jimi/ n. & v. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 hist. a kind of ragtime dance in which the whole body is shaken. 2 archaic collog. = CHEMISE. 3 US an abnormal vibration of esp. the front wheels of a motor vehicle. —v.intr. (-ies, -ied) 1 a hist. dance a shimmy.

e bed

3: her

nature-spirits and embodying the beliefs and attitudes that are in accordance with this. The name was applied to the indigenous polytheistic religion of Japan of the 6th c. aD to distinguish it from Buddhism. Its oral traditions are recorded in the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters) and Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan), both written c.712—20. Central to the religion is the belief in sacred power (kami) in both animate and inanimate things; in its mythology the sun-goddess was the ancestress of the imperial household. Shinto became closely associated with the State, a position that it held until after the Second World War, when it was disestablished and the Emperor Hirohito disavowed his claim to divine descent. 00 Shintoism n. Shintoist n. [Jap. f. Chin. shen dao way of the gods] with a ball and curved sticks, and taller goalposts, brought to Scotland by the invading Irish Gaels and sharing its history with hurling (see entry) until the mid-14thc. 2 a stick or ball used in shinty. [earlier shinny, app. f. the cry used in the game shin ye, shin you, shin t’ ye, of unkn. orig.] shiny /'fam1/ adj. (shinier, shiniest) 1 having a shine; glistening; polished; bright. 2 (of clothing, esp. the seat of trousers etc.) having the nap worn off. oo shinily adv. shininess n. [SHINE]

(also

-shallier). (orig. shill I, shall I, redupl. of shall I?]

a: arm

viral inflammation of the nerve ganglia, with a skin eruption often forming a girdle around the middle of the body. [ME f. med.L cingulus f. L cingulum girdle f. cingere gird] shinny /'Jinj/ v.intr. (-ies, -ied) (usu. foll. by up, down) US collog. shin (up or down a tree etc.).

shinty /'[inti/ n. (pl. -ies) Brit. 1 a game like hockey played

shily var. of sHyzy (see sHy’). shim /Jim/n. & v. —n.a thin strip of material used in machinery

z cat

shingles /'Jmg(2)lz/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) an acute painful

Shinto /'Jmtou/ n. a Japanese religion revering ancestors and

Japan; pop. (1986) 4,226,000; capital, Matsuyama.

shiksa /'{1kso/ n. often offens. (used by Jews) a gentile girl or

oO

shiner /'Jamno(r)/ n. 1 a thing that shines. 2 collog. a black eye. 3 US any of various small silvery freshwater fish, esp. of the genus

on a sea-shore. 00 shingly adj. [16th c.: orig. uncert.]

evasive; deceitful. 00 shiftily adv. shiftiness n.

vacillation.

SHINDY 1. [prob. f. SHINDY] shindy /'{indi/ n. (pl. -ies) collog. 1 a brawl, disturbance, or noise (kicked up a shindy). 2 = sHINDIG 1. [perh. alt. of SHINTY] shine /fain/ v. & n. —v. (past and past part. shone /fon/ or shined) 1 intr. emit or reflect light; be bright; glow (the lamp was shining; his face shone with gratitude). 2 intr. (of the sun, a star, etc.) not be obscured by clouds etc.; be visible. 3 tr. cause (a lamp etc.) to shine. 4 tr. (past and past part. shined) make bright; polish (shined his shoes). 5 intr. be brilliant in some respect; excel (does not shine in conversation; is a shining example). —n. 1 light; brightness, esp. reflected. 2 a high polish; lustre. 3 US the act or an instance of shining esp. shoes. 0 shine up to US seek to ingratiate oneself with. take the shine out of 1 spoil the brilliance or newness of. 2 throw into the shade by surpassing. take a shine to collog. take a fancy to; like. 00 shiningly adv. [OE scinan f. Gmc]

shingle! /'{1ng(o)l/ n. (in sing. or pl.) small rounded pebbles, esp.

shifty /'J1fti/ adj. colloq. (shiftier, shiftiest) not straightforward;

indecision;

shindig /'{indig/ n. collog. 1 a festive, esp. noisy, party. 2 =

Notropis. 4 (usu. in pl.) sl. a archaic money. b a jewel.

oo shiftlessly adv. shiftlessness n.

—n.

cut of beef from the lower foreleg. —v.tr. & (usu. foll. by up, down) intr. (shinned, shinning) climb quickly by clinging with the arms and legs. 0 shin-bone = TIBIA. shin-pad (or -guard) a protective pad for the shins, worn when playing football etc. [OE sinu]

1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

vo put

u: too

aago

ar my

-ship

from the rowlocks and lay them inside a boat. ¢ fix (a rudder etc.) in its place on a ship etc. d step (a mast). 3 intr. a take ship; embark. b (of a sailor) take service on a ship (shipped for Africa). 4 tr. deliver (goods) to a forwarding agent for conveyance. o ship-breaker a contractor who breaks up old ships. ship-broker an agent in shipping goods and insuring ships. ship burial Archaeol. burial in a wooden ship under a mound. The practice is found in Scandinavia and parts of the British Isles in the pagan Anglo-Saxon and Viking periods (6th-11th c. AD). ship-canal a canal large enough for ships to pass inland. ship (or ship’s) chandler see CHANDLER. ship-fever typhus. ship-money hist. a tax raised to provide ships for the navy in the 17th c. ship of the desert the camel. ship off 1 send or transport by ship. 2 collog. send (a person) away. ship of the line hist. a large battleship with powerful enough armament to fight in the front line of battle. ship-rigged square-rigged. ship’s articles the terms on which seamen take service on a ship. ship’s biscuit hist. a hard coarse kind of biscuit kept and eaten on board ship. ship’s boat a small boat carried on board a ship. ship’s company a ship’s crew. ship’s corporal see CORPORAL! 2. ship a sea be flooded by a wave. ship’s husband an agent appointed by the owners to see to the provisioning of a ship in port. ship’s papers documents establishing the ownership, nationality, nature of the cargo, etc., of a ship. take ship embark. when a person’s ship comes home (or in) when a person’s fortune is made. oo shipless adj. shippable adj. [OE scip, scipian f. Gmc] Ships is the generic name for sea-going vessels (as opposed to boats), originally personified as masculine but by the 16thc. almost universally expressed as feminine. Their origin is lost in the mists of antiquity, beginning when people discovered that wood and bundles of reeds would float and thought of using a river or the sea to convey themselves and their goods, probably on a roughly-constructed raft. The need to acquire additional buoyancy and stowage-space was met first by the use of a hollowed-out tree trunk, then by development of stem and stern pieces fixed to a keel, and with ribs to support the two sides. Among the most ancient vessels known are a dugout canoe found at Pese in Holland, dating from the 8th millennium Bc, and the oared funeral ship, buried beside his tomb, of the Egyptian pharaoh Cheops (4th millennium Bc). Early ships were propelled by sail, sometimes supplemented by oars. They were built of wood, but iron was introduced and then steel, which is now universal, though ships have also been made of concrete, glassreinforced plastics, and light alloy. Steamships were evolved in the 19th c. using reciprocating steam engines and later steam turbines; these in turn have been replaced by turbo-charged diesel engines or gas turbines. Modern ships are worked with small crews through extensive use of automatic control systems. The price of fuel oil and problems of its supply have led to renewed interest in the use of sail.

-ship /Jrp/ suffix forming nouns denoting: 1 a quality or condition (friendship; hardship). 2 status, office, or honour (authorship; lordship). 3 a tenure of office (chairmanship). 4 a skill in a certain capacity (workmanship). 5 the collective individuals of a group (membership). [OE -scipe etc. f. Gmc]

shipboard /'{1pbo:d/ n. (usu. attrib.) used or occurring on board a ship (a shipboard romance). 0 on shipboard on board ship.

shipbuilder /'{1p,bildo(r)/ n. a person, company, etc., that constructs ships. 00 shipbuilding n.

shiplap /'fiplep/v. & n. —v.tr. fit (boards) together for cladding etc. so that each overlaps the one below. —n. such cladding.

shipload /'{1ploud/ n. a quantity of goods forming a cargo. shipmaster /'{1p,ma:sto(r)/ n. a ship’s captain. shipmate /'J1pmerit/ n. a fellow member of a ship’s crew.

shipshape /'Jipferp/ adv. & predic.adj. in good order; trim and Neat. shipway /'{1pwei/ . a slope on which aship is built and down which it slides to be launched.

shipworm /'J1pw3:m/n. = TEREDO. shipwreck /'{iprek/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the destruction of a ship by a storm, foundering, etc. b a ship so destroyed. 2 (often foll. by of) the destruction of hopes, dreams, etc. —v. 1 tr. inflict shipwreck on (a ship, a person’s hopes, etc.). 2 intr. suffer shipwreck.

shipwright /'{iprait/n. 1a shipbuilder. 2 a ship’s carpenter. shipyard /'{ipja:d/ n. a place where ships are built, repaired, etc. / shiralee /'{ira,li:/ n. Austral. a tramp’s swag or bundle. [20th c.: orig. unkn.]

Shiraz /fro'rzz/ a city in SW central Iran, capital of Fars prov-

ince; pop. (1986) 425,800.

shire /'faro(r)/ n. Brit. 1 a county. (See below.) 2 (the Shires) aa group of English counties with names ending or formerly ending in -shire, extending NE from Hampshire and Devon. b the midland counties of England. ¢ the fox-hunting district of mainly Leicestershire and Northants. 3 Austral. a rural area with its own elected council. 0 shire-horse a heavy powerful type of draught-horse with long white hair covering the lower part of the leg, bred chiefly in the midland counties of England. shire-moot the judicial assembly of the shire in Old English times. [OE scir, OHG scira care, official charge: orig. unkn.] In pre-Norman times a shire was an administrative district made up of a number of smaller districts (‘hundreds’ or ‘wapentakes’). Under Norman rule this division was retained but the term shire was replaced by French counté (= country). Until the local government reorganization of 1974 ‘shire’ and ‘county’ were generally synonymous, indicating the major rural area of local government, but since that date the term ‘shire county’ has been applied to the non-metropolitan counties (see METROPOLITAN COUNTY). -shire /foa(r), fro(r)/ suffix forming the names of counties (Derbyshire; Hampshire).

shirk /{3:k/ v. & n. —v.tr. (also absol.) shrink from; avoid; get out of (duty, work, responsibility, fighting, etc.). —n. a person who shirks. 00 shirker n. [obs. shirk (n.) sponger, perh. f. G Schurke scoundrel] shirr /f3:(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 two or more rows of esp. elastic gathered threads in a garment etc. forming smocking. 2 elastic webbing. —v.tr. 1 gather (material) with parallel threads. 2 US bake (eggs) without shells. 00 shirring n. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

shirt /{3:t/ n. 1 a man’s upper-body garment of cotton etc., having a collar, sleeves, and esp. buttons down the front, and often worn under a jacket or sweater. 2 a similar garment worn by a woman; a blouse. 3 = NIGHTSHIRT. 0 keep one’s shirt on collog. keep one’s temper. put one’s shirt on collog. bet all one has on; be sure of. shirt blouse = sense 2 of n. shirt-dress = SHIRTWAISTER. shirt-front the breast of a shirt, esp. of a stiffened evening shirt. the shirt off one’s back collog. one’s last remaining possessions. shirt-tail the lower curved part of a shirt below the waist. 00 shirted adj. shirting n. shirtless adj. [OE scyrte, corresp. to ON skyrta (cf. skirt) f. Gmc: cf. SHORT]

shirtsleeves wearing a shirt with no jacket etc. over it.

shirtwaist /'[3:twest/ n. esp. US a woman’s blouse resembling

signment. 2 the act or an instance of shipping goods etc.

shipowner /'J1p,suno(r)/ n. a person owning a ship or ships or

a shirt.

shirtwaister /'{3:t,wersta(r)/ n. US a woman’s dress with a bod-

shares in ships.

shipper /'{1pa(r)/ n. a person or company that sends or receives goods by ship, or US by land or air. [OE scipere (as sHIP)]

ov no

eo hair

1a near

o1 boy

ve poor

ice like a shirt. [SHIRT, WAIST]

shirty /'{3:t1/ adj. (shirtier, shirtiest) collog. angry; annoyed. 00

shipping /'fiprp/ n. 1 the act or an instance of shipping goods er day

etc. 2 ships, esp. the ships of a country, port, etc. oO shipping-agent a person acting for a ship or ships at a port etc. shipping-articles = ship’s articles. shipping-bill Brit. a manifest of goods shipped. shipping-master Brit. an official presiding at the signing of ship’s articles, paying off of seamen, etc. shipping-office the office of a shipping-agent or -master.

shirtsleeve /'{3:tsli:v/ n. (usu. in pl.) the sleeve of a shirt. 0 in

shipment /'{rpment/ n. 1 an amount of goods shipped; a con-

av how

shirty

1339

shirtily adv. shirtiness n.

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

shish kebab

shook

1340 a

and vegetables cooked and served on skewers. [Turk. sis kebabt f. sis skewer, KEBAB roast meat]

disgust. 2 collog. very bad (shocking weather). —adv. collog. shockingly (shocking bad manners). 0 shocking pink a vibrant shade . of pink. 00 shockingly adv. shockingness n.

shit /frt/ v., n., & int. coarse sl. ] Usually considered a taboo word.

shockproof |'{okpru:f/ adj. resistant to the effects of (esp. phys-

shish kebab /|,J1f ki'bzb/ n. a dish of pieces of marinated meat

ical) shock.

—v. (shitting; past and past part. shitted or shit) intr. & tr. expel faeces from the body or cause (faeces etc.) to be expelled. —n. 1 faeces. 2 an act of defecating. 3 a contemptible or worthless person or thing. 4 nonsense. 5 an intoxicating drug, esp. cannabis. —int. an exclamation of disgust, anger, etc. [OE scitan (unrecorded) f. Gmc]

shod past and past part. of SHOE. shoddy /|'{ndi/ adj. & n. —adj. (shoddier, shoddiest) 1 trashy; shabby; poorly made. 2 counterfeit. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a an inferior cloth made partly from the shredded fibre of old woollen cloth. b such fibre. 2 any thing of shoddy quality. 00 shoddily adv. shoddiness n. [19th c.: orig. dial.]

shitty /'f1t1/ adj. (shittier, shittiest) coarse sl. 1 disgusting, contemptible. 2 covered with excrement.

shoe /fu:/ n. & v. —n.

Shiva var. of Siva. shivaree esp. US var. of CHARIVARI. shiver! /'{rva(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 tremble with cold, fear, etc. 2 suffer a quick trembling movement of the body; shudder. —n. 1a momentary shivering movement. 2 (in pl.) an attack of shivering, esp. from fear or horror (got the shivers in the dark). 00 shiverer n. shiveringly adv. shivery adj. [ME chivere, perh. f. chavele chatter (as JOWL)}

end ofa pole etc.) with a metal shoe. 3 (as shod adj.) (in comb.)

shiver? /'{rva(r)/ n. & v. —n. (esp. in pl.) each of the small pieces

having shoes etc. of a specified kind (dry-shod; roughshod). 0 be in a person’s shoes be in his or her situation, difficulty, etc. dead men’s shoes property or a position etc. coveted by a prospective successor. if the shoe fits US = if the cap fits (see caP). shoe-bill an African stork-like bird, Balaeniceps rex, with a large flattened bill for catching aquatic prey. shoe-buckle a buckle worn as ornament or as a fastening on a shoe. shoe-leather leather for shoes, esp. when worn through by walking. shoe-tree a shaped block for keeping a shoe in shape when not worn. where the shoe pinches where one’s difficulty or trouble is. 00 shoeless adj. [OE scoh, scdg(e)an f. Gmc]

into which esp. glass is shattered when broken; a splinter. —v.tr.

& intr. break into shivers.

0 shiver my

timbers

a

reputed piratical curse. [ME scifre, rel. to OHG scivaro splinter f. Gmc] shivoo /f1'vu:/ n. Austral. collog. a party or celebration.

shoal! /faul/ n. & v. —n. 1 a great number of fish swimming together (cf. scHooL?). 2 a multitude; a crowd (shoals of letters). —v.intr. (of fish) form shoals. [prob. re-adoption of MDu. schdle SCHOOL?]

shoal? /faul/ n., v., & adj. —n. 1 a an area of shallow water. ba submerged sandbank visible at low water. 2 (esp. in pl.) hidden danger or difficulty. —v. 1 intr. (of water) get shallower. 2 tr. (of a ship etc.) move into a shallower part of (water). —adj. archaic (of water) shallow. 00 shoaly adj. [OE sceald f. Gmc, rel. to SHALLOW] shoat /faot/ n. US a young pig, esp. newly weaned. [ME: cf. W.Flem. schote]

shock! /{ok/ n. & v. —n. 1 a violent collision, impact, tremor, etc. 2 a sudden and disturbing effect on the emotions, physical reactions, etc. (the news was a great shock). 3 an acute state of prostration following a wound, pain, etc., esp. when much blood is lost (died of shock). 4 = electric shock. 5 a disturbance in stability causing fluctuations in an organization, monetary system, etc. —v. 1 tr. a affect with shock; horrify; outrage; disgust; sadden. b (absol.) cause shock. 2 tr. (esp. in passive) affect with an electric or pathological shock. 3 intr. experience shock (I don’t shock easily). 4 intr. archaic collide violently. 0 shock absorber a device on a vehicle etc. for absorbing shocks, vibrations, etc. shock-brigade (or -workers) a body of esp. voluntary workers in the USSR engaged in an especially arduous task. shock stall excessive strain produced by air resistance on an aircraft approaching the speed of sound. shock tactics 1 sudden and violent action. 2 Mil. a massed cavalry charge. shock therapy (or treatment) Psychol. a method of treating depressive patients by electric shock or drugs inducing coma and convulsions. shock troops troops specially trained for assault. shock wave a sharp change of pressure in a narrow region travelling through air etc. caused by explosion or by a body moving faster than sound. oo shockable adj. shockability /-'biliti/ n. [F choc, choquer, of unkn. orig.]

shock? /fok/ n. & v. —n. a group of usu. twelve corn-sheaves stood up with their heads together in a field. —v.tr. arrange (corn) in shocks. [ME, perh. repr. OE sc(e)oc (unrecorded)]

shock? /{pk/ n. an unkempt or shaggy mass of hair. [cf. obs. shock(-dog), earlier shough, shaggy-haired poodle]

shocker /'{nko(r)/ n. collog. 1 a shocking, horrifying, unacceptable, etc. person or thing. 2 hist. a sordid or sensational novel etc. 3 a shock absorber. shocking /'{okin/ adj. & adv. —adj. 1 causing indignation or

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

1 either of a pair of protective foot-

coverings of leather, plastic, etc., having a sturdy sole and, in Britain, not reaching above the ankle. 2 a metal rim nailed to the hoof of a horse etc.; a horseshoe. 3 anything resembling a shoe in shape or use, esp.: a a drag for a wheel. b = brake shoe (see BRAKE}). ¢ a socket. d a ferrule, esp. on a sledge-runner. e a mast-step. f a box from which cards are dealt in casinos at baccarat etc. —v.tr. (shoes, shoeing; past and past part. shod |Sod/) 1 fit (esp. a horse etc.) with a shoe or shoes. 2 protect (the

shoeblack /'Ju:blek/ n. a person who cleans the shoes of passers-by for payment. shoebox /'Ju:bpks/ n. 1 a box for packing shoes. 2 a very small space or dwelling.

shoehorn /'fu:ho:n/ n. a curved piece of horn, metal, etc., for easing the heel into a shoe.

shoelace /'fu:lets/ n. a cord for lacing up shoes. shoemaker /'fu:,merko(r)/ n. a maker of boots and shoes. 00 shoemaking n.

shoeshine /'Ju:{am/ n. esp. US a polish given to shoes. shoestring /'Ju:strin/ n. 1 a shoelace. 2 collog. a small esp. inadequate amount of money (living on a shoestring). 3 (attrib.) barely adequate; precarious (a shoestring majority). ; shofar /'favfa(r)/ n. (pl. shofroth /'faufraut/) a ram’s-horn trum-

pet used by Jews in religious ceremonies and as an ancient battle-signal. [Heb. S6par, pl. S6parét] shogun /'Jaugon/ n. hist. any of a succession of Japanese hereditary Commanders-in-Chief and virtual rulers in feudal Japan. Because of the military power concentrated in his hands, and the consequent weakness of the nominal head of State (Mikado or Emperor), the shogun was generally the real ruler of the country until feudalism was abolished in 1867. 00 shogunate /-nat/ n. Jap., = general, f. Chin. jiang jun]

Sholapur /|,{20ls'pua(r)/ a city of western India, in the State of Maharashtra; pop. (1981) 514,000.

Shona /'Jouna/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. Shona or Shonas) 1a member of a group of Bantu peoples living in parts of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. 2 any of the languages of these peoples. —adj. of or relating to the Shona or their languages. [native name]

shone past and past part. of SHINE. shonky /'{onki/ adj. (shonkier, shonkiest) Austral. sl. unreliable, dishonest. [perh. E dial. shonk smart] shoo /fu:/ int. & v. —int. an exclamation used to frighten away birds, children, etc. —v. (shoos, shooed) 1 intr. utter the word ‘shool’. 2 tr. (usu. foll. by away) drive (birds etc.) away by shooing. 0 shoo-in US something easy or certain to succeed. [imit.]

shook! /fok/ past of sHake.

—predic.adj. collog. 1 (foll. by up)

emotionally or physically disturbed; upset. 2 (foll. by on) Austral.

kcat

1 leg

m man

n no

p pen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

shook & NZ keen on; enthusiastic about (not too shook on the English climate).

shook? /fuk/ n. US a set of staves and headings for a cask, ready for fitting together. [18th c.: orig. unkn.]

shoot /fu:t/ v., n., & int. —v. (past and past part. shot /{vt/) 1 tr. a cause (a gun, bow, etc.) to fire. b discharge (a bullet, arrow, etc.) from a gun, bow, etc. c kill or wound (a person, animal, etc.) with a bullet, arrow, etc. from a gun, bow, etc. 2 intr. discharge a gun etc. esp. in a specified way (shoots well). 3 tr. send out, discharge, propel, etc., esp. violently or swiftly (shot out the contents; shot a glance at his neighbour). 4 intr. (often foll. by out, along, forth, etc.) come or go swiftly or vigorously. 5 intr. a (of a plant etc.) put forth buds etc. b (of a bud etc:) appear. 6 intr. a hunt game etc. with a gun. b (usu. foll. by over) shoot game over an estate etc. 7 tr. shoot game in or on (coverts, an estate, etc.). 8 tr. film or photograph (a scene, film, etc.). 9 tr. (also absol.) esp. Football a score (a goal). b take a shot at (the goal). 10 tr. (of a boat) sweep swiftly down or under (a bridge, rapids, falls, etc.). 11 tr. move (a door-bolt) to fasten or unfasten a door etc. 12 tr. let (rubbish, a load, etc.) fall or slide from a container, lorry, etc. 13 intr. a (usu. foll. by through, up, etc.) (of a pain) pass witha stabbing sensation. b (of part of the body) be intermittently painful. 14 intr. (often foll. by out) project abruptly (the mountain shoots out against the sky). 15 tr. (often foll. by up) sl. inject esp. oneself with (a drug). 16 tr. US collog. a play a game of (craps, pool, etc.). b throw (a die or dice). 17 tr. Golf collog. make (a specified score) for a round or hole. 18 tr. collog. pass (trafficlights at red).°19 tr. plane (the edge of a board) accurately. 20 intr. Cricket (of a ball) dart along the ground after pitching. —n. 1 the act or an instance of shooting. 2 a a young branch or sucker. b the new growth of a plant. 3 Brit. a a hunting party, expedition, etc. b land shot over for game. 4 = CHUTE! 5a rapid in a stream. —int. collog. 1 a demand for a reply, information, etc. 2 US euphem. an exclamation of disgust, anger, etc. (see SHIT). 0 shoot ahead come quickly to the front of competitors etc. shoct one’s bolt see soLT!. shoot down 1 kill (a person) by shooting. 2 cause (an aircraft, its pilot, etc.) to crash by shooting. 3 argue effectively against (a person, argument, etc.). shoot it out sl. engage in a decisive gun-battle. shoot a line sl. talk pretentiously. shoot one’s mouth off sl. talk too much or indiscreetly. shoot-out collog. a decisive gun battle. shoot through Austral. & NZ sl. depart; escape, abscond. shoot up 1 grow rapidly, esp. (of a person) grow taller. 2 rise suddenly. 3 terrorize (a district) by indiscriminate shooting. 4 sl. = sense 15 of v. the whole shoot = the whole shooting match (see SHOOTING). 00 shootable adj. [CE scéotan f. Gmc: cf. SHEET!, SHOT}, SHUT] shooter /'fu:to(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that shoots. 2 a (in comb.) a gun or other device for shooting (peashooter, six-shooter). b sl, a pistol etc. 3.a player who shoots or is able to shoot a goal

in football, netball, etc. 4 Cricket a ball that shoots. 5 a person who throws a die or dice. shooting /'fu:tiy/ n. & adj. —n. 1 the act or an instance of shooting. 2 a the right of shooting over an area of land. b an estate etc. rented to shoot over. —adj. moving, growing, etc. quickly (a shooting pain in the arm). 0 shooting-box Brit. a lodge used to house persons taking part in the shooting-season. shooting-brake (or -break) Brit. an estate car. shooting-coat (or -jacket) a coat designed to be worn when shooting game. shooting-gallery a place used for shooting at targets with rifles etc. shooting-iron esp. US collog. a_ firearm. shooting-range a ground with butts for rifle practice. shooting star a small meteor moving rapidly and burning up on entering the earth’s atmosphere. shooting-stick a walkingstick with a foldable seat. shooting war a war in which there is shooting (opp. cold war, war of nerves etc.). the whole shooting match collog. everything.

shop /fop/ n. & v. —n. 1 a building, room, etc., for the retail sale of goods or services (chemist’s shop; betting-shop). 2 a place in which manufacture or repairing is done; a workshop (engineering-shop).. 3 a profession, trade, business, etc., esp. as a subject of conversation (talk shop). 4 collog. an institution, establishment, place of business, etc. —v. (shopped, shopping) 1 intr. a go to a shop or shops to buy goods. b US = window-shop. wwe

z zoo

short

1341

f she

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

2 tr. esp. Brit. sl. inform against (a criminal etc.). 0 all over the shop collog. 1 in disorder (scattered all over the shop). 2 in every place (looked for it all over the shop). 3 wildly (hitting out all over the shop). set up shop establish oneself in business etc. shop around look for the best bargain. shop assistant Brit. a person who serves customers in a shop. shop-boy (or -girl) an assist-

ant in a shop. shop-floor workers in a factory etc. as distinct from management. shop-soiled 1 (of an article) soiled or faded by display in a shop. 2 (of a person, idea, etc.) grubby; tarnished; no longer fresh or new. shop steward a person elected by

workers in a factory etc. to represent them in dealings with management. shop-window 1 a display window in a shop: 2 an opportunity for displaying skills, talents, etc. shop-worn = shop-soiled. 00 shopless adj. shoppy adj. [ME f. AF & OF eschoppe booth f. MLG schoppe, OHG scopf porch]

shopkeeper /'{pp,ki:pa(r)/ n. the owner and manager of a shop. oo shopkeeping n.

shoplifter /'{op,lifta(r)/ n. a person who steals goods while appearing to shop. 00 shoplifting n. shopman /'{ppmon/ n. (pl. -men) 1 Brit. a shopkeeper or shop-

keeper's assistant. 2a workmaninarepairshop. ~ shopper /'{ppa(r)/ n. 1 a person who makes purchases in a shop. 2 a shopping bag or trolley. 3 sl. an informer.

shopping /'Jopin/ n. 1 (often attrib.) the purchase of goods etc. (shopping expedition). 2 goods purchased (put the shopping on the table). 0 shopping centre an area or complex of shops, with associated facilities.

shopwalker /|'{op,wo:ko(r)/ n. Brit. an attendant in a large shop who directs customers, supervises assistants, etc. shoran /'So:rzen/ n. a system of aircraft navigation using the return of two radar signals by two ground stations. [short range navigation] shore! /{o:(r)/ n. 1 the land that adjoins the sea or a large body of water. 2 (usu. in pl.) a country; a sea-coast (often visits these shores; on a distant shore). 3 Law land between ordinary high and low water marks. 0 in shore on the water near or nearer to the shore (cf. INSHORE). on shore ashore. shore-based operating from a base on shore. shore leave Naut. 1 permission to go ashore. 2 a period of time ashore. oo shoreless adj. shoreward adj. & adv. shorewards adv. [ME f. MDu., MLG sch6re, perh. f. the root of SHEAR]

shore? /fo:(r)/ v. & n. —v.tr. (often foll. by up) support with or as if with a shore or shores; hold up. —n. a prop or beam set obliquely against a ship, wall, tree, etc., as a support. oo shoring n. [ME f. MDu., MLG schore prop, of unkn. orig.]

shore? see sHEAR. shoreline /'fo:lamn/ n. the line along which astretch of water, esp. a sea or lake, meets the shore.

shoreweed |'{o:wi:d/ n. a stoloniferous plant, Littorella uniflora, growing in shallow water.

shorn past part. of SHEAR. short /fo:t/ adj., adv., n., & v. —adj. 1 a measuring little; not long from end to end (a short distance). b not long in duration; brief (a short time ago; had a short life). c seeming less than the stated amount (a few short years of happiness). 2 of small height; not tall (a short square tower, was shorter than average). 3 a (usu. foll. by of, on) having a partial or total lack; deficient; scanty (short of spoons; is rather short on sense). b not far-reaching; acting or being near at hand (within short range). 4 a concise; brief (kept his speech short). b curt; uncivil (was short with her). 5 (of the memory) unable to remember distant events. 6 Phonet. & Prosody of a vowel or syllable: a having the lesser of the two recognized durations. b unstressed. ¢ (of an English vowel) having a sound other than that called long (cf. LonG! adj. 8). 7 a (of pastry) crumbling; not holding together. b (of clay) having poor plasticity. 8 esp. Stock Exch. a (of stocks, a stockbroker, crops, etc.) sold or selling when the amount is not in hand, with reliance on getting the deficit in time for delivery. b (of a bill of exchange) maturing at an early date. 9 Cricket a (ofa ball) pitching relatively near the bowler. b (of a fielder or his position) relatively near the batsman. 10 (ofa drink of spirits) undiluted. —adv. 1 before the natural or expected time or place; abruptly (pulled up short; tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

Shostakovich

1342

shortage

cut short the celebrations). 2 rudely; uncivilly (spoke to him short). —n. 1 collog. a short drink, esp. spirits. 2 a short circuit. 3 a short film. 4 Stock Exch. a a person who sells short. b (in pl.) short-dated stocks. 5 Phonet. a a short syllable or vowel. b a mark indicating that a vowel is short. 6 (in pl.) a mixture of bran and coarse flour. —v.tr. & intr. short-circuit. 0 be caught (or taken) short 1 be put at a disadvantage. 2 collog. urgently need to urinate or defecate. bring up (or pull up) short check or pause abruptly. come short be inadequate or disappointing. come short of fail to reach or amount to. for short as a short name (Tom for short). get (or have) by the short hairs collog. be in complete control of (a person). go short (often foll. by of) not have enough. in short to use few words; briefly. in short order US immediately. in the short run over a short period of time. in short supply scarce. in the short term = in the short run. make short work of accomplish, dispose of, destroy, consume, etc. quickly. short and sweet esp. iron. brief and pleasant. short-arm (of a blow etc.) delivered with the arm not fully extended. short back and sides a haircut in which the hair is cut short at the back and the sides. short change insufficient money given as change. short-change v.tr. rob or cheat by giving short change. short circuit an electric circuit through small resistance, esp. instead of the resistance of a normal circuit. short-circuit 1 cause a short circuit or a short circuit in. 2 shorten or avoid (a journey, work, etc.) by taking a more direct route etc. short commons insufficient food. short cut 1 a route shortening the distance travelled. 2 a quick way of accomplishing something. short date an early date for the maturing of a bill etc. short-dated due for early payment or redemption. short-day (of a plant) needing the period of light each day to fall below some limit to cause flowering. short division Math. division in which the quotient is written directly without being worked out in writing. short drink a strong alcoholic drink served in small measures. short-eared owl an owl, Asio flammeus, frequenting open country and hunting at dawn or dusk. short for an abbreviation for (‘Bob’ is short for ‘Robert’). short fuse a quick temper. short game Golf approaching and putting. short-handed undermanned or understaffed. short haul 1 the transport of goods over a short distance. 2 a short-term effort. short head Racing a distance less than the length of a horse’s head. short-head v.tr. beat by a short head. short hundredweight see HUNDREDWEIGHT. short list Brit. a

list of selected candidates from which a final choice is made. short-list v.tr. Brit. put on a short list. short-lived ephemeral; not long-lasting. short mark = BREVE 2. short measure less than the professed amount. short metre Prosody a hymn stanza of four lines with 6, 6, 8, and 6 syllables. short notice an insufficient length of warning time. short odds nearly equal stakes or chances in betting. short of 1 see sense 3a of adj. 2 less than (nothing short of a miracle). 3 distant from (two miles short of home). 4 without going so far as; except (did everything short of destroying it). short of breath panting, short-winded. short on collog. see sense 3a of adj. short order US an order ina restaurant for quickly cooked food. Short Parliament the first of two Parliaments summoned by Charles I in 1640. Owing to its insistence on seeking a general redress of grievances against the King before granting him the money he required, Charles dismissed it after only three weeks. short-pitched Cricket (of a ball) pitching relatively near the bowler. short-range 1 having a short range. 2 relating to a fairly immediate future time (short-range possibilities). short rib = floating rib. short score Mus. a score not giving all parts. short shrift curt or dismissive treatment. short sight the inability to focus except on comparatively near objects. short-sleeved with sleeves not reaching below the elbow. short-staffed having insufficient staff. short story a story with a fully developed theme but shorter than a novel. short suit a suit of less than four cards. short temper self-control soon or easily lost. short-tempered quick to lose one’s temper; irascible. short-term occurring in or relating to a short period of time. short time the condition of working fewer than the regular hours per day or days per week. short title an abbreviated form of a title of a book etc. short ton see TON. short view a consideration of the present only, not the future. short waist 1 a high or shallow waist of a dress. z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

e

—

_

a

2 a short upper body. short wave a radio wave of frequency greater than 3 MHz. short weight weight less than it is alleged to be. short whist whist with ten or five points toa game. short ‘ wind quickly exhausted breathing-power. short-winded 1 having short wind. 2 incapable of sustained effort. 00 shortish adj. shortness n. [OE sceort f. Gmc: cf. SHIRT, SKIRT]

shortage /'fo:t1d3/ n. (often foll. by of) a deficiency; an amount lacking (a shortage of 100 tons).

shortbread /'fo:tbred/ n. a crisp rich crumbly type of biscuit made with butter, flour, and sugar.

shortcake /!fo:tkerk/ n. 1 = SHORTBREAD.

2 a cake made of

short pastry and filled with fruit and cream.

shortcoming /'Jo:t,kamm/ n. failure to come up to a standard; a defect. shortcrust /'fo:tkrast/ 1. (in full shortcrust pastry) a type of crumbly pastry made with flour and fat.

shorten /'fo:t(2)n/ v. 1 intr. & tr. become or make shorter or short; curtail. 2 tr. Naut. reduce the amount of (sail spread). 3 intr. & tr. (with reference to gambling odds, prices, etc.) become or make shorter; decrease. shortening /'Jo:tonip/ n. fat used for making pastry, esp. for making short pastry.

shortfall /'{o:tfo:1/ n. a deficit below what was expected. shorthand /'fo:thend/ n. 1 (often attrib.) a method of rapid writing in abbreviations and symbols esp. for taking dictation. (See below.) 2 an abbreviated or symbolic mode of expression. oO shorthand typist Brit. a typist qualified to take and transcribe shorthand. The use of shortened handwriting dates at least from ancient Roman times: Cicero’s secretary devised a system for recording his speeches. Modern shorthand in England can be traced back to 1588 when Dr Timothy Bright published a system; it was difficult to learn, for nearly every word had its own special sign. Other systems were produced, based on the alphabet (Samuel Pepys kept his diaries in shorthand), but were gradually superseded by phonetic systems of which the best was that of Samuel Taylor (1786). Its brevity and simplicity attracted the attention of Sir Isaac Pitman (1813-97), who presently began anew on his own lines and issued his Stenographic Sound-Hand in 1837. His system is still widely used, though others are in common use; in the US the system devised in 1888 by J. R. Gregg (18671948) is the most popular. Shorthand writing has become less essential in many contexts with the technological development of recordings of various kinds. shorthorn /'{o:tho:n/ n. 1 an animal of a breed of cattle with short horns. 2 this breed.

shortie var. of SHORTY. shortly /'{o:tli/ adv. 1 (often foll. by before, after) before long; soon (will arrive shortly; arrived shortly after him). 2 in a few words; briefly. 3 curtly. [OE scortlice (as SHORT, -Ly?)] shorts /fo:ts/ n.pl. 1 trousers reaching only to the knees or higher. 2 US underpants.

short-sighted /fo:t'sartid, 'fo:t-/ adj. 1 having short sight. 2 lacking imagination or foresight.

00 short-sightedly adv.

short-sightedness n.

shortstop /'fo:tstop/ n. a baseball fielder between second and third base.

shorty /'Jo:t1/ n. (also shortie) (pl. -ies) collog. 1 a person shorter than average. 2 a short garment, esp. a nightdress or raincoat.

Shostakovich |,Josta'kouvit{/, Dmitri (1906-75), Russian composer. Born in St Petersburg, he lived there through the October

Revolution and the forming of the Soviet State. His life was marked by conflict between his desire to serve the people of his country and the volatile response of the authorities to his music. His first brush with the authorities concerned an opera, The Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, which had been praised on its first performance in 1934 but was criticized in Pravda two years later in an article entitled ‘Chaos instead of Music’. A previous opera, The Nose (1930), had found favour for its biting mockery of bureaucracy, but in The Lady Macbeth Shostakovich had portrayed the life of a Soviet woman in music of uncompromising modernity. In subsequent works he successfully attempted a less 1 sit

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formidable style, but another attack, this time on the Ninth Symphony (1945, written to celebrate the end of the war), caused a further retreat which was to end only with Stalin’s death in 1953. From then on Shostakovich produced many works in which he expressed his most personal feelings, often despairing, including the last six symphonies and, in his last year, the Viola Sonata.

shot! /fot/ n. 1 the act or an instance of firing a gun, cannon, etc. (several shots were heard). 2 an attempt to hit by shooting or throwing etc. (took a shot at him). 3 a a single non-explosive missile for a cannon, gun, etc. b (pl. same or shots) a small lead pellet used in quantity in a single charge or cartridge in a shotgun. ¢ (as pl.) these collectively. 4 a a photograph. b a film sequence photographed continuously by one camera. 5 a a stroke or a kick in a ball game. b collog. an attempt to guess or do something (let him have a shot at it). 6 collog. a person having a specified skill with a gun etc. (is not a good shot). 7 a heavy ball thrown by a shot-putter. 8 the launch of a space rocket (a moonshot). 9 the range, reach, or distance to or at which a thing will carry or act (out of earshot). 10 a remark aimed at a person. 11 collog. a a drink of esp. spirits. b an injection of a drug, vaccine, etc. (has had his shots). o like a shot collog. without hesitation; willingly. make a bad shot guess wrong. not a shot in one’s (or the) locker 1 no money left. 2 not a chance left. shot-blasting the cleaning of metal etc. by the impact of a stream of shot. shot-firer a person who fires a blasting-charge in a mine etc. shot in the arm collog. 1 stimulus or encouragement. 2 an alcoholic drink. shot in the dark a mere guess. shot-put an athletic contest in which a shot is thrown a great distance. shet-putter an athlete who puts the shot. shot-tower hist. a tower in which shot was made from molten lead poured through sieves at the top and falling into water at the bottom. oo shotproof adj. [OE sc(e)ot, gesc(e)ot f. Gmc: cf. SHOOT]

shot? /fpt/ past and past part. of sHoot.

—adj. 1 (of coloured

material) woven so as to show different colours at different angles. 2 collog. a exhausted; finished. b drunk. 3 (of a boardedge) accurately planed. 0 be (or get) shot of sl. be (or get) rid of. shot through permeated or suffused. [past part. of sHooT] shot? /{pt/ n. collog. a reckoning, a bill, esp. at an inn etc. (paid his shot). [ME, = sHotT!: cf. OE scéotan shoot, pay, contribute, and SCOT] shotgun /'Jptgan/ n. a smooth-bore gun for firing small shot at short range. o shotgun marriage (or wedding) collog. an enforced cr hurried wedding, esp. because of the bride’s

pregnancy. shotten herring /'{pt(a)n/ n. 1 a herring that has spawned. 2 archaic a weakened or dispirited person. [ME, archaic past part. of sHOOT]

should /fud, fad/ v.aux. (3rd sing. should) past of SHALL, used esp.: 1 in reported speech, esp. with the reported element in the 1st person (I said I should be home by evening). {| Cf. w1LL1, woULD, now more common in this sense, esp. to avoid implications of sense 2. 2 a to express a duty, obligation, or likelihood; = OUGHT! (I should tell you; you should have been more careful; they should have arrived by now). b (in the ist person) to express a tentative suggestion (I should like to say something). 3 a expressing the conditional mood in the 1st person (cf. WOULD) (I should have been killed ifI had gone). b forming a conditional protasis or indefinite clause (ifyou should see him; should they arrive, tell them where to go). 4 expressing purpose = MAY, MIGHT! (in order that we should not worry). :

shoulder /'Jaulde(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the part of the body at which the arm, foreleg, or wing is attached. b (in full shoulder joint) the end of the upper arm joining with the collar-bone and blade-bone. c either of the two projections below the neck from which the arms depend. 2 the upper foreleg and shoulder blade of a pig, lamb, etc. when butchered. 3 (often in pl.) a the upper part of the back and arms. b this part of the body regarded as capable of bearing a burden or blame, providing comfort, etc. (needs a shoulder to cry on). 4 a strip of land next to a metalled road (pulled over on to the shoulder). 5 a part of a garment covering the shoulder. 6 a part of anything resembling a shoulder in av how

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form or function, as in a bottle, mountain, tool, etc. —v. 1a tr. push with the shoulder; jostle. b intr. make one’s way by jostling (shouldered through the crowd). 2 tr. take (a burden etc.) on one’s shoulders (shouldered the family’s problems). 0 put (or set) one’s shoulder to the wheel make an effort. shoulder arms hold a rifle with the barrel against the shoulder and the butt in the hand. shoulder-bag a woman’s handbag that can be hung from the shoulder. shoulder-belt a bandolier or other strap passing over one shoulder and under the opposite arm. shoulderblade Anat. either of the large flat bones of the upper back; the scapula. shoulder-high up to or as high as the shoulders. shoulder-holster a gun holster worn in the armpit. shoulder-knot a knot of ribbon, metal, lace, etc. worn as part of a ceremonial dress. shoulder-length (of hair etc.) reaching

to the shoulders. shoulder loop US the shoulder-strap of an army, air-force, or marines officer. shoulder mark US the shoulder-strap of a naval officer. shoulder-note Printing a marginal note at the top of a page. shoulder-of-mutton sail = leg-of-mutton sail. shoulder-pad a pad sewn into a garment to bulk out the shoulder. shoulder-strap 1 a strip of fabric,

leather, etc. suspending a bag or garment from the shoulder. 2 a strip of cloth from shoulder to collar on a military uniform bearing a symbol of rank etc. 3 a similar strip on a raincoat. shoulder to shoulder 1 side by side. 2 with closed ranks or united effort. 00 shouldered adj. (also in comb.). [OE sculdor f.

WG]

shouldn’t /'{ud(a)nt/ contr. should not. shout /faot/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. make a loud cry or vocal sound; speak loudly (shouted for attention). 2 tr. say or express loudly; call out (shouted that the coast was clear). 3 tr. (also absol.) Austral. & NZ collog. treat (another person) to drinks etc. —n. 1 a loud cry expressing joy etc. or calling attention. 2 collog. one’s turn to order a round of drinks etc. (your shout I think). 0 all over bar (or but) the shouting collog. the contest is virtually decided. shout at speak loudly to etc. shout down reduce to silence by shouting. shout for call for by shouting. shout-up collog. a noisy argument. oo shouter n. [ME, perh. rel. to sHoot: cf. ON skiita SCOUT] shove /Jav/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. (also absol.) push vigorously; move by hard or rough pushing (shoved him out of the way). 2 intr. (usu. foll. by along, past, through, etc.) make one’s way by pushing (shoved through the crowd). 3 tr. collog. put somewhere (shoved it in the drawer). —n. an act of shoving or of prompting a person into action. 0 shove-halfpenny a form of shovelboard played with coins etc. on a table esp. in licensed premises. shove off 1 start from the shore in a boat. 2 sl. depart; go away (told him to shove off). [OE sciifan f. Gmc] shovel /'{av(a)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa spadelike tool for shifting quantities of coal, earth, etc., esp. having the sides curved upwards. b the amount contained in a shovel; a shovelful. 2 a machine or part of a machine having a similar form or function. —-v.tr. (shovelled, shovelling; US shoveled, shoveling) 1 shift or clear (coal etc.) with or as if with a shovel. 2 collog. move (esp. food) in large quantities or roughly (shovelled peas into his mouth). O shovel hat a broad-brimmed hat esp. worn by some clergymen. o0 shovelful n. (pl. -fuls). [OE scofl f. Gmc (see SHOVE)]

shovelboard /'Jav(a)l,bo:d/ n. a game played esp. on a ship’s deck by pushing discs with the hand or with a long-handled shovel over a marked surface. [earlier shoveboard f. SHOVE + BOARD]

shovelhead /'Jav(o)lhed/ n. a shark, Sphyrna tiburo, like the hammerhead but smaller. Also called BONNETHEAD.

shoveller /'Javolo(r)/ n. (also shoveler) 1 a person or thing that shovels. 2 a duck, Anas clypeata, with a broad shovel-like beak. [SHOVEL: sense 2 earlier shovelard f. -ARD, perh. after mallard] show /Jou/ v. & n. —v. (past part. shown /Jo0n/ or showed) 1 intr. & tr. be, or allow or cause to be, visible; manifest; appear (the buds are beginning to show; white shows the dirt). 2 tr. (often foll. by to) offer, exhibit, or produce (a thing) for scrutiny etc. (show your tickets please; showed him my poems). 3 tr. a indicate (one’s feelings) by one’s behaviour etc. (showed mercy to him). b indicate (one’s feelings to a person etc.) (showed him particular favour).

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sparks, etc. b a similar flurry of gifts, letters, honours, praise, 4 intr. (of feelings etc.) be manifest (his dislike shows). 5 tr. a etc. 3 (in full shower-bath) aa cubicle, bath, etc. in which one demonstrate; point out; prove (has shown it to be false; showed that stands under a spray of water. b the apparatus etc. used for he knew the answer). b (usu. foll. by how to + infin.) cause (a person) to understand or be capable of doing (showed them how - this. ¢ the act of bathing in a shower. 4 a group of particles initiated by a cosmic-ray particle in the earth’s atmosphere. 5 to knit). 6 tr. (refl.) exhibit oneself as being (showed herself to be US a party for giving presents to a prospective bride, etc. 6 Brit. fair). 7 tr. & intr. (with ref. to a film) be presented or cause to be sl. a contemptible or unpleasant person or group of people. —v. presented. 8 tr. exhibit (a picture, animal, flower, etc.) in a show. 1 tr. discharge (water, missiles, etc.) in a shower. 2 intr. use a 9 tr. (often foll. by in, out, up, etc.) conduct or lead (showed them shower-bath. 3 tr. (usu. foll. by on, upon) lavishly bestow (gifts to their rooms). 10 intr. = show up 3 (waited but he didn’t show). 11 etc.). 4 intr. descend or come in a shower (it showered on and off intr. US finish in the first three in a race. —n. 1 the act or an all day). 00 showery adj. [OE sciir f. Gmc] instance of showing; the state of being shown. 2 a a spectacle, display, exhibition, etc. (a fine show of blossom). b a collection of showerproof /'Java,pru:f] adj. & v. —adj. resistant to light things etc. shown for public entertainment or in competition rain. —v.tr. render showerproof. (dog show; flower show). 3 a a play etc., esp. a musical. b a light showgirl /'{aug3:l/ n. an actress who sings and dances in musicentertainment programme on television etc. ¢ any public enterals, variety shows, etc. tainment or performance. 4 a an outward appearance, sembshowing /'fou1n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of showing. 2a usu. lance, or display (made a show of agreeing; a show of strength). b specified quality of performance (made a poor showing). 3 the empty appearance; mere display (did it for show; that’s all show). presentation of a case; evidence (on present showing it must be 5 collog. an undertaking, business, etc. (sold the whole show). 6 true). [OE scéawung (as sHOw)] collog. an opportunity of acting, defending oneself, etc. (gave him showjumping /'{20,d3ampin/ n. the sport of riding horses over a fair show; made a good show of it). 7 Med. a discharge of blood a course of fences and other obstacles, with penalty points for etc. from the vagina at the onset of childbirth. 0 give the show errors. 00 showjump v.intr. showjumper n. (or whole show) away demonstrate the inadequacies or reveal showman /'Jaumon/ n. (pl. -men) 1 the proprietor or manager the truth. good (or bad or poor) show! collog. 1 that was well of a circus etc. 2 a person skilled in self-advertisement or (or badly) done. 2 that was lucky (or unlucky). nothing to show publicity. 00 showmanship n. for no visible result of (effort etc.). on show being exhibited. shown past part. of sHow. show business collog. the theatrical profession. show-card a card used for advertising. show one’s cards = show one’s hand. showroom /'Jsuru:m, -rum/ n. a room in a factory, office buildshow cause Law allege with justification. show a clean pair ing, etc. used to display goods for sale. of heels collog. retreat speedily; run away. show one’s colours showy |'Jou1/ adj. (showier, showiest) 1 brilliant; gaudy, esp. make one’s opinion clear. show a person the door dismiss or vulgarly so. 2 striking. 00 showily adv. showiness n. eject a person. show one’s face make an appearance; let oneself s.h.p. abbr. shaft horsepower. be seen. show fight be persistent or belligerent. show the flag shrank past of sHRINK. see FLAG!. show forth archaic exhibit; expound. show one’s shrapnel /'{rzpn(s)l/ n. 1 fragments of a bomb etc. thrown out hand 1 disclose one’s plans. 2 reveal one’s cards. show house by an explosion. 2 a shell containing bullets or pieces of metal (or flat etc.) a furnished and decorated house (or flat etc.) on a timed to burst short of impact. [Gen. H. Shrapnel, Brit. soldier d. new estate shown to prospective buyers. show in see sense 9 1842, inventor of the shell] of v. show a leg collog. get out of bed. show off 1 display shred /fred/ n. & v. —n. 1 scrap, fragment, or strip of esp. to advantage. 2 collog. act pretentiously; display one’s wealth, cloth, paper, etc. 2 the least amount, remnant (not a shred of knowledge, etc. show-off n. collog. a person who shows off. show evidence). —v.tr. (shredded, shredding) tear or cut into shreds. of force proof that one is prepared to use force. show of hands O tear to shreds completely refute (an argument etc.). [OE raised hands indicating a vote for or against, usu. without being scréad (unrecorded) piece cut off, scréadian f. WG: see SHROUD] counted. show oneself 1 be seen in public. 2 see sense 6 of v. show out see sense 9 of v. show-piece 1 an item of work shredder /'Jreda(r)/ n. 1 a machine used to reduce documents presented for exhibition or display. 2 an outstanding example to shreds. 2 any device used for shredding. or specimen. show-place a house etc. that tourists go to see. shrew /fru:/ n. 1 any small usu. insect-eating mouselike mamshow round take (a person) to places of interest; act as guide for mal of the family Soricidae, with a long pointed snout. 2 a (a person) in a building etc. show-stopper collog. a performance bad-tempered or scolding woman. 00 shrewish adj. (in sense receiving prolonged applause. show one’s teeth reveal one’s 2). shrewishly adv. shrewishness n. [OE scréawa, screwa shrewstrength; be aggressive. show through 1be visible although mouse: cf. OHG scrawaz dwarf, MHG schrawaz etc. devil] supposedly concealed. 2 (of real feelings etc.) be revealed shrewd /fru:d/ adj. 1 a showing astute powers of judgement; inadvertently. show trial esp. hist. a judicial trial designed by clever and judicious (a shrewd observer, made a shrewd guess). b (of the State to terrorize or impress the public. show up 1 make a face etc.) shrewd-looking. 2 archaic a (of pain, cold, etc.) sharp, or be conspicuous or clearly visible. 2 expose (a fraud, impostor, biting. b (of a blow, thrust, etc.) severe, hard. ¢ mischievous; inferiority, etc.). 3 collog. appear; be present; arrive. 4 collog. malicious. a0 shrewdly adv. shrewdness n. [ME, = malignant, embarrass or humiliate (don’t show me up by wearing jeans). show f. SHREW in Sense ‘evil person or thing’, or past part. of obs. shrew the way 1 indicate what has to be done etc. by attempting it to curse, f. SHREW] first. 2 show others which way to go etc. show the white shriek /Jri:k/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. a utter a shrill screeching sound feather appear cowardly (see also white feather). show willing or words esp. in pain or terror. b (foll. by of) provide a clear or display a willingness to help etc. show-window a window for blatant indication of. 2 tr. a utter (sounds or words) by shrieking exhibiting goods etc. [ME f. OE scéawian f. WG: cf. SHEEN] (shrieked his name). b indicate clearly or blatantly. —n. a highshowbiz /'{aubiz/ n. collog. = show business. pitched piercing cry or sound; a scream. O shriek out say in showboat /'faubaut/ n. US a river steamer on which theatrical shrill tones. shriek with laughter laugh uncontrollably. oo performances are given. shrieker n. [imit.: cf. dial. screak, ON skrekja, and SCREECH] showcase |'Joukeis/ n. & v. —n. 1a glass case used for exhibshrieval /'{ri:v(o)l/ adj. of or relating to a sheriff. [shrieve obs. iting goods etc. 2a place or medium for presenting (esp. attractvar. Of SHERIFF] ively) to general attention. —v.tr. display in or as if in a shrievalty /'{ri:valti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a sheriffs office or jurisshowcase. diction. 2 the tenure of this. [as SHRIEVAL + -alty as in mayoralty

showdown /'Joudaun/ n. 1 a final test or confrontation; a decis-

ive situation. 2 the laying down face up of the players’ cards in poker.

shower /'Javo(r)/ n. & v. —n. sleet, or snow. 2 aa

etc.]

shrift /{rift/ n. archaic 1 confession to a priest. 2 confession and absolution. 0 short shrift 1 curt treatment. 2 archaic little time between condemnation and execution or punishinens: [OE scrift (verbal noun) f. SHRIVE]

1 a brief fall of esp. rain, hail,

brisk flurry of arrows, bullets, dust, stones,

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shrike shrike /{ratk/ n. any bird of the family Laniidae, with a strong hooked and toothed bill, that impales its prey of small birds and insects on thorns. Also called butcher-bird. [perh. rel. to OE scric thrush, MLG schrik corncrake (imit.): cf. SHRIEK]

shrill /fril/ adj. & v. —adj. 1 piercing and high-pitched in sound. 2 derog. (esp. of a protester) sharp, unrestrained, unreasoning. —v. 1 intr. (of a cry etc.) sound shrilly. 2 tr. (of a person etc.) utter or send out (a song, complaint, etc.) shrilly. 00 shrilly adv. shrillness n. [ME, rel. to LG schrell sharp in tone or taste f.

Gmc]

i

shrimp /{rimp/ n. & v. —n. 1 (pl. same or shrimps) any of various small (esp. marine) edible crustaceans, with ten legs, grey-green when alive and pink when boiled. 2 collog. a very small slight person. —v.intr. go catching shrimps. o shrimp plant an evergreen shrub, Justicia brandegeana, bearing small white flowers in clusters of pinkish-brown bracts. 00 shrimper n. [ME, prob. rel. to MLG schrempen wrinkle, MHG schrimpfen contract, and SCRIMP]

shrine /frarn/ n. & v. —n. 1 esp. RC Ch. aa chapel, church, altar, etc., sacred to a saint, holy person, relic, etc. b the tomb of a saint etc. ¢ a casket esp. containing sacred relics; a reliquary. d a niche containing a holy statue etc. 2 a place associated with or containing memorabilia of a particular person, event, etc. 3 a Shinto place of worship —v.tr. poet. enshrine. [OE scrin f. Gmc f. L scrinium case for books etc.}

shrink /frink/ v. & n. —v. (past shrank /frenk/; past part. shrunk /Jrank/ or (esp. as adj.) shrunken /'Jrankon/) 1 tr. & intr. make or become smaller; contract, esp. by the action of moisture, heat, or cold. 2 intr. (usu. foll. by from) a retire; recoil; flinch; cower (shrank from her touch). b be averse from doing (shrinks from meeting them). 3 (as shrunken adj.) (esp. of a face, person, etc.) having grown smaller esp. because of age, illness, etc. —n. 1 the act or an instance of shrinking; shrinkage. 2sl. a psychiatrist (from ‘head-shrinker’). Oo shrinking violet an exaggeratedly shy person. shrink into oneself become withdrawn. shrink on slip (a metal tyre etc.) on while expanded

with heat and allow to tighten. shrink-resistant (of textiles etc.) resistant to shrinkage when wet etc. shrink-wrap (-wrapped, -wrapping) enclose (an article) in (esp. transparent) film that shrinks tightly on to it. 00 shrinkable adj. shrinker n. shrinkingly adv. shrink-proof adj. [OE scrincan: cf. skrynka to wrinkle]

shrinkage /'{rinkid3/ n. 1 a the process or fact of shrinking. b the degree or amount of shrinking. 2 an allowance made for the reduction in takings due to wastage, theft, etc.

shrive /frarv/ v.tr. (past shrove /frauv/; past part. shriven |'frrv(e)n/) RC Ch. archaic 1 (of a priest) hear the confession of, assign penance to, and absolve. 2(refl.) (of a penitent) submit oneself to a priest for confession etc. [OE scrifan impose as

penance, WG f. L scribere write] shrivel /'{riv(o)l/ v.tr. & intr. (shrivelled, shrivelling or US shriveled, shriveling) contract or wither into a wrinkled, folded, rolled-up, contorted, or dried-up state. [perh. f. ON: cf. Sw. dial. skryvla to wrinkle]

shriven past part. of SHRIVE. Shropshire /'f{ropfra(r)/ a west midland county of England; pop. (1981) 380,600; county town, Shrewsbury. shroud /fraud/ n. & v. —n. 1a sheetlike garment for wrapping a corpse for burial. 2 anything that conceals like a shroud (wrapped in a shroud of mystery). 3 (in pl.) Naut. a set of ropes forming part of the standing rigging and supporting the mast or. topmast. —v.tr. 1 clothe (a body) for burial. 2 cover, conceal, or disguise (hills shrouded in mist). 0 shroud-laid (of a rope) having four strands laid right-handed on a core. 00 shroudless adj. [OE scriid f. Gmc: see SHRED]

shrove past of SHRIVE. Shrovetide /'{rauvtaid/ n. Shrove Tuesday and the two days preceding it when it was formerly customary to be shriven. [ME shrove abnormally f. SHROVE]

Shrove Tuesday /fravv/ n. the day before Ash Wednesday. shrub! /frab/ n. a woody plant smaller than a tree and having a very short stem with branches near the ground. oo shrubby wwe

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1345

f she

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

y Ting

x loch

adj. [ME f. OE scrubb, scrybb shrubbery: cf. NFris. skrobb brushwood, WFlem. schrobbe vetch, Norw. skrubba dwarf cornel, and SCRUB®]

shrub? /frab/ n. a cordial made of sweetened fruit-juice and spirits, esp. rum. [Arab. Surb, Sarab f. Sariba to drink: cf. SHERBET, SYRUP]

shrubbery /'frabori/ n. (pl. -ies) an area planted with shrubs. shrug /frag/v. & n. —v. (shrugged, shrugging) 1 intr. slightly and momentarily raise the shoulders to express indifference, helplessness, contempt, etc. 2 tr. a raise (the shoulders) in this way. b shrug the shoulders to express (indifference etc.) (shrugged his consent). —n. the act or an instance of shrugging. O shrug off dismiss as unimportant etc. by or as if by shrugging. (ME: orig. unkn.]}

shrunk (also shrunken) past part. of SHRINK. shtick /ftrk/ n. sl. a theatrical routine, gimmick, etc. [Yiddish f. G Stiick piece]

shuck /fak/ n. & v. US —n. 1a husk or pod. 2 the shell of an oyster or clam. 3 (in pl.) collog. an expression of contempt or regret or self-deprecation in response to praise. —v.tr. remove the shucks of; shell. 00 shucker n. [17th c.: orig. unkn.]

shudder /'fado(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 shiver esp. convulsively from fear, cold, repugnance, etc. 2 feel strong repugnance etc. (shudder to think what might happen). 3 (of a machine etc.) vibrate or quiver. —n. 1 the act or an instance of shuddering. 2 (in pl.; prec. by the) collog. a state of shuddering. 00 shudderingly adv. shuddery adj. [ME shod(d)er f. MDu. schiideren, MLG schoderen f. Gmc]

shuffle /'Jaffo)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & intr. move with a scraping, sliding, or dragging motion (shuffles along; shuffling his feet). 2 tr. a (also absol.) rearrange (a pack of cards) by sliding them over each other quickly. b rearrange; intermingle; confuse (shuffled the documents). 3 tr. (usu. foll. by on, off, into) assume or remove (clothes, a burden, etc.) esp. clumsily or evasively (shuffled on his clothes; shuffled off responsibility). 4 intr. a equivocate; prevaricate. b continually shift one’s position; fidget. 5 intr. (foll: by out of) escape evasively (shuffled out of the blame). —n. 1 a shuffling movement. 2 the act or an instance of shuffling cards. 3 a general change of relative positions. 4 a piece of equivocation; sharp practice. 5 a quick scraping movement of the feet in dancing (see also double shuffle). oO shuffle-board = SHOVELBOARD. shuffle the cards change policy etc. 00 shuffler n. [perh. f. LG schuffeln walk clumsily f. Gmc: cf. SHOVE]

shufti /'Jofti/ n. (pl. shuftis) Brit. collog. a look or glimpse. [Arab. Saffa try to see] Shumen /'Ju:men/ a city in NE Bulgaria, noted for its 17th-c. mosque and medieval fortress; pop. (1987) 106,500. shun /fan/ v.tr. (shunned, shunning) avoid; keep clear of (shuns human company). [OE scunian, of unkn. orig.] shunt /fant/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. & tr. diverge or cause (a train) to be diverted esp. on to a siding. 2 tr. Electr. provide (a current) with a shunt. 3 tr. a postpone or evade. b divert (a decision etc.)

on to another person etc.

—n.

1 the act or an instance of

shunting on to a siding. 2 Electr. a conductor joining two points of a circuit, through which more or less of a current may be diverted. 3 Surgery an alternative path for the circulation of the blood. 4 sl. a motor accident, esp. a collision of vehicles travelling one close behind another. 00 shunter n. [ME, perh. f. sHUN]

shush /fof, faJ/ int. & v. —int. = HUSH int. —v. 1 intr. a call for silence by saying shush. b be silent (they shushed at once). 2 tr. make or attempt to make silent. [imit.] shut /fat/ v. (shutting; past and past part. shut) 1 tr. a move (a door, window, lid, lips, etc.) into position so as to block an aperture (shut the lid). b close or seal (a room, window, box, eye, mouth, etc.) by moving a door etc. (shut the box). 2 intr. become or be capable of being closed or sealed (the door shut with a bang; the lid shuts automatically). 3 intr. & tr. become or make (a shop, business, etc.) closed for trade (the shops shut at five; shuts his shop at five). 4 tr. bring (a book, hand, telescope, etc.) into a folded-up or contracted state. 5 tr. (usu. foll. by in, out) keep (a person, sound, etc.) in or out of a room etc. by shutting a door etc. (shut out the noise; shut them in). 6 tr. (usu. foll. by in) catch (a finger, tf chip»

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

Shute

we

Sibelius

1346 a

EE

EE

aS

dress, etc.) by shutting something on it (shut her finger in the door). 7 tr. bar access to (a place etc.) (this entrance is shut). O be (or get) shut of sl. be (or get) rid of (were glad to get shut of him). shut the door on refuse to consider; make impossible. shut down 1 stop (a factory, nuclear reactor, etc.) from operating. 2 (of a factory etc.) stop operating. 3 push or pull (a window-sash etc.) down into a closed position. shut-down n. the closure of a factory etc. shut-eye collog. sleep. shut one’s eyes (or ears or heart or mind) to pretend not, or refuse, to see (or hear or feel sympathy for or think about). shut in (of hills, houses, etc.) encircle, prevent access etc. to or escape from (were shut in by the sea on three sides) (see also sense 5). shut off 1 stop the flow of (water, gas, etc.) by shutting a valve. 2 separate from society etc. shut-off n. 1 something used for stopping an operation. 2 a cessation of flow, supply, or activity. shut out 1 exclude (a person, light, etc.) from a place, situation, etc. 2 screen (landscape etc.) from view. 3 prevent (a possibility etc.). 4 block (a painful memory etc.) from the mind. 5 US prevent (an opponent) from scoring (see also sense 5). shut-out bid Bridge a pre-emptive bid. shut to 1 close (a door etc.). 2 (of a door etc.) close as far as it will go. shut up 1 close all doors and windows of (a house etc.); bolt and bar. 2 imprison (a person). 3 close (a box etc.) securely. 4 collog. reduce to silence by rebuke etc. 5 put (a thing) away in a box etc. 6 (esp. in imper.) collog. stop talking. shut up shop 1 close a business, shop, etc. 2 cease business etc. permanently. shut your face (or head or mouth or trap)! sl. an impolite request to stop talking. [OE scyttan f. WG: cf. SHOOT]

Shute /fu:t/, Nevil (Nevil Shute Norway, 1899-1960), English novelist, by profession an aeronautical engineer. After the Second World War he settled in Australia, which provides the setting for a number of his novels, including A Town Like Alice (1950). In all his works, which are peopled by wholly credible characters, he excelled at showing how ordinary people act in extraordinary situations. On the Beach (1957), set in Australia and brilliantly effective in its understatement, portrays a community facing the gradual destruction of mankind in the aftermath of a nuclear war.

(a stone etc.). —n. (pl. shies) the act or an instance of shying. 0 have a shy at collog. 1 try to hit with a stone etc. 2 make an attempt at. 3 jeer at. oo shyer n. [18th c.: orig. unkn.]

Shylock /'farlok/ a hard-hearted Jewish money-lender in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. shyster /'Jarsta(r)/ n. esp. US collog. a person, esp. a lawyer, who uses unscrupulous methods. [19th c.: orig. uncert.] SI abbr. 1 (Order of the) Star of India. 2 the international system of units of measurement (F Systéme International). (See INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM OF UNITS.)

Si symb. Chem. the element silicon. si /si:/ n. Mus. = TE. [F f. It., perh. f. the initials of Sancte Iohannes: see GAMUT]

Siachen

Glacier

/s1'a:t{(2)n/ one of the world’s longest

glaciers, situated at an altitude of c.5,500 m (17,800 ft.) in the Karakoram Range of eastern Kashmir in NW India. The occupation of the glacier by Indian troops in 1984 precipitated a high-altitude armed conflict between India and Pakistan. sial |'sarol/ n. 1 the discontinuous upper layer of the earth’s crust represented by the continental masses, which are composed of relatively light rocks rich in silica and alumina and may be regarded as floating on a lower crustal layer of sima. 2 the material of which these masses are composed. [SILICON + ALUMINA]

flow of saliva. —adj. inducing such a flow. [F f. Gk sialon saliva + agodgos leading]

used to hold concrete during setting. 2 material for making shutters.

shuttle /'{at(a)l/ n. & v. —n. 1.aa bobbin with two pointed ends used for carrying the weft-thread across between the warpthreads in weaving. b a bobbin carrying the lower thread in a sewing-machine. 2 a train, bus, etc., going to and fro over a short route continuously. 3 = SHUTTLECOCK. 4 = space shuttle. —v. 1 intr. & tr. move or cause to move to and fro like a shuttle. 2 intr. travel in a shuttle. 0 shuttle armature Electr. an armature with a single coil wound on an elongated iron bobbin. shuttle diplomacy negotiations conducted by a mediator who travels successively to several countries. Henry Kissinger (see

Siam /sar'em/ the name until 1939 of Thailand.

o Gulf of

Siam = Gulf of Thailand. siamang /|'saio,mzp, 'si:o,mzp/ n. a large black gibbon, Hylobates syndactylus, native to Sumatra and the Malay peninsula. [Malay]

Siamese /|,saro'mi:z/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. same) 1 a a native of Siam (now Thailand) in SE Asia. b the language of Siam (also called Thai; see entry). 2 (in full Siamese cat) a a cat of a cream-coloured short-haired breed with a brown face and ears and blue eyes. b this breed. —adj. of or concerning Siam, its people, or language. o Siamese twins 1 identical twins that are physically conjoined at birth. The condition ranges from those joined only by the umbilical blood-vessels to those in whom the conjoined heads or trunks are inseparable. The name refers to two Siamese men (1811-74) joined bya fleshy band in the region of the waist; despite this conjunction they each married, and fathered several children. 2 any closely associated

pair.

sib /stb/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a brother or sister (cf. s1BLING). 2 a blood relative. 3 a group of people recognized by an individual as his or her kindred. —adj. (usu. foll. by to) esp. Sc. related; akin. [OE sib(b)]

Sibelius /si'berlias/, Jean (1865-1957), Finnish composer. In

entry) was a noted exponent of this system. shuttle service a train or bus etc. service operating to and fro over a short route.

[OE scytel dart f. Gmc: cf. sHooT]

shuttlecock /'{at(a)l,kok/ n. 1 a cork with a ring of feathers, or a similar device of plastic, struck to and fro with a battledore in the old game of battledore and shuttlecock, and with a racket in badminton. 2 a thing passed repeatedly back and forth. [SHUTTLE + cock}, prob. f. the flying motion] shy! /fa1/ adj., v., & n. —adj. (shyer, shyest or shier, shiest) 1 a diffident or uneasy in company; timid. b (of an animal, bird, etc.) easily startled; timid. 2 (foll. by of) avoiding; chary of (shy of his aunt; shy of going to meetings). 3 (in comb.) showing fear of or distaste for (gun-shy; work-shy). 4 (often foll. by of, on) collog. having 3: her

shy? /fa1/ v. & n. —v.tr. (shies, shied) (also absol.) fling or throw

296,000.

shuttering /'{atorin/ n. 1 a temporary structure usu. of wood,

e bed

posal etc.) in alarm. —n.a sudden startled movement. 00 shyer n. shyly adv. (also shily). shyness n. [OE sceoh f. Gmc]

sialogogue |'satslo,gpg/ n. & adj. —n. a medicine inducing the

a each ofa pair or set of panels fixed inside or outside a window for security or privacy or to keep the light in or out. b a structure of slats on rollers used for the same purpose. 3 a device that exposes the film in a photographic camera. 4 Mus. the blind of a swell-box in an organ used for controlling the sound-level. —-v.tr. 1 put up the shutters of. 2 provide with shutters. 0 put up the shutters 1 cease business for the day. 2 cease business etc. permanently. 00 shutterless adj.

a: arm

lost; short of (I’m shy three quid; shy of the price of admission). —v.intr. (shies, shied) 1 (usu. foll. by at) (esp. of a horse) start suddenly aside (at an object, noise, etc.) in fright. 2 (usu. foll. by away from, at) avoid accepting or becoming involved in (a pro-

Sialkot /st'a:lkot/ a city in Punjab province, Pakistan; pop. (1981)

shutter /'{ato(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a person or thing that shuts. 2

z cat

ee

1 sit

1885 he went to Helsinki, where he studied first law then music. He went on to further studies in Berlin and Vienna but maintained a deep feeling for his native country, revealed in his choice of the epic Kalevala as inspiration for many of his greatest works (the symphonic poem Kullervo, 1892; the four Lemminkdinen works which include The Swan of Tuonela, 1893; and Pohjola’s Daughter, 1906). His seven symphonies move towards a cool but heartfelt purity of style and form the most substantial feature of his euvre, but should not be allowed to detract from his songs (over 100), many of which set Swedish texts. The picture of him as an ascetic bleak figure is not supported by the facts of his far from austere life, nor is his music the ‘cold, forbidding’ art which some writers have portrayed. -

i: see

p hot

9; saw

Arun

vo put

u: too

2 ago

at my

Siberia Siberia /sar'brorta/ a region of the USSR in northern Asia, forming the larger part of the RSFSR. It has long been used as a place of exile for offenders. 00 Siberian adj. & n.

sibilant /'sibilent/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (ofa letter or set of letters, as s, sh) sounded with a hiss. 2 hissing (a sibilant whisper). —n.a sibilant letter or letters. 00 sibilance n. sibilancy n. [L sibilare sibilant- hiss]

sibilate /'sibi,lert/ v.tr. & intr. pronounce with or utter a hissing sound. 00 sibilation /-'le1{(s)n/ n.

sibling /'stblin/ n. each of two or more children having one or both parents in common. [s1B + -LING}]

sibship /'sbfrp/ n. 1 the state of belonging to a sib or the same sib. 2 a group of children having the same two parents.

sibyl /'srbil/ n. 1 any of the women who in ancient times acted as the reputed mouthpiece of a god, uttering prophecies and oracles, the most famous of whom was the sibyl of Cumae in south Italy who guided Aeneas through the underworld. 2 a prophetess, fortune-teller, or witch. [ME f. OF Sibile or med.L

Sibilla f. L Sibylla f. Gk Sibulla] sibylline /'stbilam/ adj. 1 of or from a sibyl. 2 oracular; prophetic. 0 the Sibylline books a collection of prophecies in Greek hexameter verses, ascribed to the sibyls, belonging to the State of ancient Rome and consulted by its magistrates for guidance in times of national calamity. They were destroyed in 83 BC in the burning of the Capitol and a new collection, from various sources, replaced them; these were later recopied (with many Jewish and Christian interpolations). The last known consultation of the books was in 363. [L Sibyllinus (as s1By1)] Sic |stk/ adv. (usu. in brackets) used, spelt, etc., as written (confirming, or calling attention to, the form of quoted or copied words). [L, = so, thus]

siccative _|'sikativ/ n. & adj. —n. a substance causing drying, esp. mixed with oil-paint etc. for quick drying. —adj. having such properties. [LL siccativus f. siccare to dry]

sice! /sais/ n. the six on dice. [ME f. OF sis f. L sex six] sice? var. of sycE. Sichuan /sitf'wa:n/ (also Szechuan /set{'wa:n/ a province of central China; pop. (est. 1986) 103,200,000; capital, Chengdu.

Sicilian Vespers the massacre of the French inhabitants of Sicily in 1282, after a riot which began near Palermo while the vesper-bell was ringing. The ensuing war resulted in the unpopular Angevin dynasty being replaced by the Spanish House of Aragon.

siciliano /|,sit{1'lja:nau/ n. (pl. -os) (also siciliana /-no/) a dance, song, or instrumental piece in 6/8 or 12/8 time, often in a minor key, and evoking a pastoral mood. [It., = Sicilian]

Sicily /'sisil1/ a large triangular island in the Mediterranean Sea, separated from the ‘toe’ of Italy by the Strait of Messina; pop. (1981) 4,906,900; capital, Palermo. Settled successively by Phoenicians, Greeks, and Carthaginians, it became a Roman province in 241 8c after the first Punic War. After various struggles Sicily and southern Italy became a Norman kingdom towards the end of the 11th c. It was conquered by Charles of Anjou in 1266, but the unpopularity of the Angevin regime led to the uprising known as the Sicilian Vespers (see entry) and the establishment in Sicily of the Spanish House of Aragon in its place; southern Italy remained under Angevin rule until reunited with Sicily in 1442. In 1816 the two areas were officially merged when the Spanish Bourbon Ferdinand styled himself King of the Two Sicilies. The island was liberated by Garibaldi in 1860 and finally incorporated into the new State of Italy. The Sicilian economy is predominantly agricultural and the island remains relatively backward in comparison with the Italian mainland. oo Sicilian /st'stljon, -lion/ adj. & n.

sick! /stk/ adj., n., & v. —adj. 1 (often in comb.) esp. Brit. vomiting or tending to vomit (feels sick; has been sick; seasick). 2 esp. US ill; affected by illness (has been sick for a week; a sick man; sick with measles). 3 a (often foll. by at) esp. mentally perturbed; disordered (the product of a sick mind; sick at heart). b (often foll. by for, or in comb.) pining; longing (sick for a sight of home; lovesick). 4 (often

foll. by of) collog. a disgusted; surfeited (sick of chocolates). b angry, esp. because of surfeit (am sick of being teased). 5 collog. (of humour au how

er day

side

1347

ou no

eo hair

ta near

o1 boy

vo poor

etc.) jeering at misfortune, illness, death, etc.; morbid (sick joke). 6 (of a ship) needing repair (esp. of a specified kind) (paint-sick). —n. Brit. collog. vomit. —v.tr. (usu. foll. by up) Brit. collog. vomit (sicked up his dinner). 0 go sick report oneself as ill. look sick collog. be unimpressive or embarrassed. sick at (or to) one’s stomach US vomiting or tending to vomit. sick-benefit Brit. an allowance made by the State to a person absent from work through sickness. sick building syndrome a high incidence of illness in office workers, attributed to the immediate working surroundings. sick-call 1 a visit by a doctor to a sick person etc. 2 Mil.a summons for sick men to attend. sick-flag a yellow flag indicating disease at a quarantine station or on ship. sick headache a migraine headache with vomiting. sick-leave leave of absence granted because of illness. sick-list a list of the sick, esp. in a regiment, ship, etc. sick-making colloq. sickening. sick nurse = NURSE. sick-pay pay given to an employee etc. on sick-leave. take sick collog. be taken ill. 00 sickish adj. [OE séoc f. Gmc]

sick? /stkj v.tr. (usu. in imper.) (esp. to a dog) set upon (a rat etc.). [19th c., dial. var. of SEEK]

sickbay /'sikbe1/ n. 1 part of a ship used as a hospital. 2 any room etc. for sick people.

sickbed /'stkbed/ n. 1 an invalid’s bed. 2 the state of being an invalid.

sicken /'stkon/ v. 1 tr. affect with loathing or disgust. 2 intr. a (often foll. by for) show symptoms of illness (is sickening for measles). b (often foll. by at, or to + infin.) feel nausea or disgust (he sickened at the sight). 3 (as sickening adj.) a loathsome, disgusting. b collog. very annoying. 00 sickeningly adv.

Sickert /'stkot/, Walter Richard (1860-1942), English painter, who was a pupil of Whistler and also worked with Degas. His subjects were mainly urban scenes and figure compositions, particularly pictures of the theatre and music hall and drab domestic interiors, avoiding the conventionally picturesque, eliciting rare beauty from the sordid, and lending enchantment to the commonplace. His most famous painting, Ennui, portrays

a stagnant marriage.

sickie /'stki/ n. Austral. & NZ collog. a period of sick-leave, usu. taken with insufficient medical reason.

sickle /'stk(a)l/ n. 1 a short-handled farming tool with a semicircular blade, used for cutting corn, lopping, or trimming. 2 anything sickle-shaped, esp. the crescent moon. 0 sickle-bill any of various curlews with a sickle-shaped bill. sickle-cell a sickle-shaped blood-cell, esp. as found in a type of severe hereditary anaemia. sickle-feather each of the long middle feathers of a cock’s tail. [OE sicol, sicel f. L secula f. secare cut]

sickly /'stkli/ adj. (sicklier, sickliest) 1 a of weak health; apt to be ill. b (of a person’s complexion, look, etc.) languid, faint, or pale, suggesting sickness (a sickly smile). ¢ (of light or colour) faint, pale, feeble. 2 causing ill health (a sickly climate). 3 (of a book etc.) sentimental or mawkish. 4 inducing or connected with nausea (a sickly taste). 5 (of a colour etc.) of an unpleasant shade inducing nausea (a sickly green). O00 sickliness n. [ME, prob. after ON sjukligr (as stck1)]

sickness /'stknis/ n. 1 the state of being ill; disease. 2 a specified disease (sleeping sickness). 3 vomiting or a tendency to vomit. o sickness benefit (in the UK) benefit paid by the State for sickness interrupting paid employment. [OE séocnesse (as sick},

-NESS)] sickroom /'sikru:m, -rom/ n. 1 a room occupied bya sick person. 2 a room adapted for sick people.

sidalcea /st'dzlsia/ n. any mallow-like plant of the genus Sidalcea, bearing racemes of white, pink, or purple flowers. [mod.L f. Sida + Alcea, names of related genera]

Siddons /'sid(a)nz/, Sarah (1755-1831), née Kemble, English actress. Her first London appearance, in 1775, was a failure, but after her second, in 1782, she was acclaimed as an incomparable tragic actress with beauty, tenderness, and nobility. She retained her pre-eminence until her retirement in 1812.

side /said/ n. & v. —n. 1 a each of the more or less flat surfaces bounding an object (a cube has six sides; this side up). b a more or less vertical inner or outer plane or surface (the side of a house; a

aio fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

sideboard

sidle

1348

mountainside). ¢ such a vertical lateral surface or plane as distinct from the top or bottom, front or back, or ends (at the side of the house). 2 a the half of a person or animal that is on the right or the left, esp. of the torso (has a pain in his right side). b the left or right half or a specified part of a thing, area, building, etc. (put the box on that side). c (often in comb.) a position next to a person or thing (grave-side; seaside; stood at my side). d a specified direction relating to a person or thing (on the north side of; came from all sides). e half of a butchered carcass (a side of bacon). 3 a either surface of a thing regarded as having two surfaces. b the amount of writing needed to fill one side of a sheet of paper (write three sides). 4 any of several aspects of a question, character, etc. (many sides to his character; look on the bright side). 5 a each of two sets of opponents in war, politics, games, etc. (the side that bats first; much to be said on both sides). b a cause or philosophical position etc. regarded as being in conflict with another (on the side of right). 6 a a part or region near the edge and remote from the centre (at the side of the room). b (attrib.) a subordinate, peripheral, or detached part (a side-road; a side-table). 7 a each of the bounding lines of a plane rectilinear figure (a hexagon has six sides). b each of two quantities stated to be equal in an equation. 8 a position nearer or farther than, or right or left of, a dividing line (on this side of the Alps; on the other side of the road). 9 a line of hereditary descent through the father or the mother. 10 (in full side spin) Brit. a spinning motion given toa billiard-ball etc. by hitting it on one side, not centrally. 11 Brit. sl. boastfulness; swagger (has no side about him). 12 Brit. collog. a television channel (shall we try another side?). —v.intr. (usu. foll. by with) take part or be on the same side as a disputant etc. (sided with his father). 0 by the side of 1 close to. 2 compared with. from side to side 1 right across. 2 alternately each way from a central line. let the side down fail one’s colleagues, esp. by frustrating their efforts or embarrassing them. on one side 1 not in the main or central position. 2 aside (took him on one side to explain). on the... side fairly, somewhat (qualifying an adjective: on the high side). on the side 1 as a sideline; in addition to one’s regular work etc. 2 secretly or illicitly. 3 US as a side dish. on this side of the grave in life. side-arms swords, bayonets, or pistols. side-band a range of frequencies near the carrier frequency of a radio wave, concerned in modulation. side-bet a bet between opponents, esp. in card-games, over and above the ordinary stakes. side-bone either of the small forked bones under the wings of poultry. side by side standing close together, esp. for

sideways. 2 a profile. side-wheeler US a steamer with paddlewheels. side-whiskers whiskers growing on the cheeks. side wind 1 wind from the side. 2 an indirect agency or influence. - take sides support one or other cause etc. 00 sideless adj. [OE side f. Gmc]

mutual support. side-car 1 a small car for a passenger or passengers attached to the side of a motor cycle. 2 a cocktail

image of a celestial body in a fixed position. [L sidus sideris star, after heliostat]

of orange liqueur, lemon juice, and brandy. 3 a jaunting car. side-chapel a chapel in the aisle or at the side of a church. side dish an extra dish subsidiary to the main course. side-door 1 a door in or at the side of a building. 2 an indirect means of access. side-drum a small double-headed drum ina jazz or military band or in an orchestra (orig. hung at the drummer’s side). side-effect a secondary, usu. undesirable, effect. side-glance a sideways or brief glance. side-issue a point that distracts attention from what is important. side-note a marginal note. side-on adv. from the side. —adj. 1 from or towards one side. 2 (of a collision) involving the side of a vehicle. side-road a minor or subsidiary road, esp. joining or diverging from a main road. side-saddle n. a saddle for a woman rider with both feet on the same side of the horse. —adv. sitting in this position on a horse. side salad a salad served as a side dish. side-seat a seat in a vehicle etc. in which the occupant has his

sideshow |/'saidjou/ n. 1 a minor show or attraction in an

back to the side of the vehicle. side-slip n. 1 a skid. 2 Aeron. a

sideways movement instead of forward. —v.intr. 1 skid. 2 Aeron. move

sideways

instead

of forward.

side-splitting

causing

sideboard /'saidbo:d/ n. a table or esp. a flat-topped cupboard at the side of a dining-room for supporting and containing dishes, table linen, decanters, etc.

sideboards |'sadbo:dz/ n.pl. Brit. collog. hair grown by a man down the sides of his face; side-whiskers.

sideburns |'saidb3:nz/ n.pl. = s1DEBOARDS. [burnsides pl. of burnside f. Amer. General Burnside d. 1881 who affected this style] sided /'saidid/ adj. 1 having sides. 2 (in comb.) having a specified side or sides (one-sided). 00 -sidedly adv. sidedness n. (also in comb.).

sidehill /'sardhrl/ n. US a hillside. sidekick /'sardk1k/ n. collog. a close associate. sidelight /'saidlait/ n. 1 a light from the side. 2 incidental information etc. 3 Brit. a light at the side of the front of a motor vehicle to warn of its presence. 4 Naut. the red port or green starboard light on a ship under way.

sideline /'saidlain/ n. & v. —n. 1 work etc. done in addition to one’s main activity. 2 (usu. in pl.) a a line bounding the side of a hockey-pitch, tennis-court, etc. b the space next to these where spectators etc. sit. —v.tr. US remove (a player) from a team through injury, suspension, etc. 0 on (or from) the sidelines in (or from) a position removed from the main action.

sidelong /'saidlpn/ adj. & adv. —adj. inclining to one side; oblique (a sidelong glance). —adv. obliquely (moved sidelong). [sideling (as SIDE, -LING?): see -LONG]

sidereal /sai'diortal/ adj. of or concerning the constellations or fixed stars. Oo sidereal clock a clock showing sidereal time. sidereal day the time between successive meridional transits of a star or esp. of the first point of Aries, about four minutes shorter than the solar day. sidereal time time measured by the apparent diurnal motion of the stars. sidereal year a year

longer than the solar year by 20 minutes 23 seconds because of precession. [L sidereus f. sidus sideris star] siderite /'sido,rart/ n. 1 a mineral form of ferrous carbonate. 2 a meteorite consisting mainly of nickel and iron. [Gk sidéros iron]

siderostat /'sidoro,stet/ n. an instrument used for keeping the

exhibition or entertainment. 2 a minor incident or issue.

sidesman /'saidzmon/ n. (pl. -men) an assistant churchwarden, who shows worshippers to their seats, takes the collection, etc.

sidestep /'saidstep/ n. & v. —n. a step taken sideways. —v.tr. (-stepped, -stepping) 1 esp. Football avoid (esp. a tackle) by stepping sideways. 2 evade. 00 sidestepper n.

sidetrack /'saidtrek/n. & v. —n.a railway siding. —v.tr. 1 turn into a siding; shunt. 2 a postpone, evade, or divert treatment or consideration. b divert (a person) from considering etc.

sidewalk /'saidwo:k/ n. US a pedestrian path at the side of a road; a pavement.

sideward /'saidwod/ adj. & adv. —adj. = sipEways. —adv. (also sidewards /-wodz/) = sIDEWAYs.

sideways |'sardweiz/ adv. & adj. —adv. 1 to or from a side (moved sideways). 2 with one side facing forward (sat sideways on the bus). —adj. to or from a side (a sideways movement). oo sidewise adv. & adj. sidewinder /'satd,waindo(r)/ n. 1 a desert rattlesnake, Crotalus cerastes, native to N. America, moving with a lateral motion. 2 US a sideways blow.

violent laughter. side-street a minor or subsidiary street. side-stroke 1 a stroke towards or from aside. 2 an incidental action. 3 a swimming stroke in which the swimmer lies on his or her side. side-swipe n. 1 a glancing blow along the side. 2 incidental criticism etc. —v.tr. hit with or as if with a side-swipe. side-table a table placed at the side of a room or apart from the main table. side-trip a minor excursion during a voyage

siding /'saidin/ n. 1 a short track at the side of and opening on

or trip; a detour. side valve a valve in a vehicle engine, operated from the side of the cylinder. side-view 1 a view obtained

timid, furtive, stealthy, or cringing manner. —n. the act or an instance of sidling. [back-form. f. sideling, siDELONG] -

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

to a railway line, used for shunting trains. 2 US cladding material for the outside of a building.

sidle /'sard(e)l/ v. & n. —v.intr. (usu. foll. by along, up) walk in a

k cat

lleg

m man

n no

Pp pen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

Sidney

siglum

1349

Sidney /'sidni/, Sir Philip (1554-86), English soldier and poet. Generally considered to represent the apotheosis of the Elizabethan courtier, Sidney was one of the leading poets of the age, his most famous work being Arcadia (1580). He died of wounds received in the Low Countries while fighting the Spanish.

Sidon /'said(o)n/ (Arabic Saida /'sardo/) a city and seaport of the Phoenicians, now in Lebanon; pop. (1980) 24,740.

Sidra /'sidro/, Gulf of (also Gulf of Sirte /'s3:t1/) a bay on the Mediterranean coast of Libya, between the towns of Benghazi and Misratah.

select or separate. 0 head like a sieve collog. a memory that retains little. 00 sievelike adj. [OE sife f. WG] siffleur |si:'fls:r/ n. (fem. siffleuse |-'fls:z/) a professional whistler. [F f. siffler whistle]

sift /s1ft/ v. 1 tr. sieve (material) into finer and coarser parts. 2 tr. (usu. foll. by from, out) separate (finer or coarser parts) from material. 3 tr. sprinkle (esp. sugar) from a perforated container. 4 tr. examine (evidence, facts, etc.) in order to assess authenticity etc. 5 intr. (of snow, light, etc.) fall as if from a sieve. o sift through examine by sifting. 00 sifter n. (also in comb.). [OE

siftan f. WG]

SIDS abbr. sudden infant death syndrome; = cot-death (see cor’).

Sig. abbr. Signor.

siege |si:d3/ n. 1 a a military operation in which an attacking force seeks to compel the surrender of a fortified place by surrounding it and cutting off supplies etc. b a similar operation by police etc. to force the surrender of an armed person. ¢ the period during which a siege lasts. 2 a persistent attack or campaign of persuasion. 0 lay siege to esp. Mil. conduct the siege of. raise the siege of abandon or cause the abandonment of an attempt to take (a place) by siege. siege-gun hist. a heavy gun used in sieges. siege-train artillery and other equipment for a siege, with vehicles etc. [ME f. OF sege seat f. assegier BESIEGE]

sigh /sai/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. emit a long deep audible breath expressive of sadness, weariness, longing, relief, etc. 2 intr. (foll. by for) yearn for (a lost person or thing). 3 tr. utter or express with sighs (‘Never!’ he sighed). 4 intr. (of the wind etc.) make a sound like sighing. —n. 1 the act or an instance of sighing. 2 a sound made in sighing (a sigh of relief). [ME sihen etc., prob. back-form. f. sihte past of sthen f. OE sican]}

Siegfried /'si:gfri:d/ the hero of the first part of the Nibelungenlied, who forged the Nothung sword, slew Fafner, the dragon guarding the stolen Rhine gold, and helped Gunther to win Brunhild. He was treacherously slain by Hagen, a Burgundian retainer, who was eventually slain with Siegfried’s sword.

Siegfried Line /'si:gfri:d/ 1 the Hindenburg Line (see entry). 2 the line of defence constructed along the western frontier of Germany before the Second World War.

Siemens /'si:monz/, Ernst Werner von (1816-92), German electrical engineer, who developed electroplating and an electric generator using an electromagnet rather than a permanent

magnetic field. He set up a factory in Berlin which manufactured telegraph systems and electric cables and pioneered electrical traction. His brother Karl Wilhelm (Charles William, 1823-83), was sent to England at the age of 20 and remained there all his life. He developed the open-hearth steel furnace, which was widely used, and designed the cable-laying steamship Faraday and one of the first electric railways in the UK, built at Portrush in Northern Ireland. A third brother Friedrich (1826-1904) worked both with Werner in Germany and with Charles in England; he applied the principles of the open-hearth furnace to glassmaking. siemens /'si:monz/ n. Electr. the SI unit of conductance, equal to one reciprocal ohm. {j Abbr.: S. [E. W. von SIEMENS]

Siena /si'ena/ a city of Tuscany in west central Italy, noted for its medieval architecture and for its school of art; which flourished in the 13th-14th centuries; pop. (1985) 60,670. oo Sienese /-'ni:z/ adj. & n. sienna /st'eno/ n. 1 a kind of ferruginous earth used as a pigment in paint. 2 its colour of yellowish-brown (raw sienna) or reddish-brown (burnt sienna). [It. (terra di) Sienna (earth of) Siena] sierra /st'era/ n. a long jagged mountain chain, esp. in Spain or Spanish America. [Sp. f. L serra saw]

Sierra Leone /s1,era lr'20n/ a country on the coast of West Africa, a member State of the Commonwealth; pop. (est. 1988) 3,963,300; official language, English; capital, Freetown. An area of British influence from the late 18thc., the district around Freetown on the coast became a colony in 1807 but the large inland territory was not declared a protectorate until 1896. Sierra Leone achieved independence in 1961 and is now a oneparty State. Its economy, though largely agricultural, benefits from iron mining and diamond exports. 00 Sierra Leonian adj. & n. siesta /st'esto/ n. an afternoon sleep or rest esp. in hot countries. [Sp. f. L sexta (hora) sixth hour] sieve /srv/ n. & v. —n. a utensil having a perforated or meshed bottom for separating solids or coarse material from liquids or

fine particles, or for reducing a soft solid to.a fine pulp. —v.tr. 1 put through or sift with a sieve. 2 examine (evidence etc.) to wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

90 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

sight /sait/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the faculty of seeing with the eyes (lost his sight). b the act or an instance of seeing; the state of being seen. 2 a thing seen; a display, show, or spectacle (not a pretty sight; a beautiful sight). 3 a way of looking at or considering a thing (in my sight he can do no wrong). 4 a range of space within which a person etc. can see or an object be seen (he’s out of sight; they are just coming into sight). 5 (usu. in pl.) noteworthy features of a town, area, etc. (went to see the sights). 6 a a device on a gun or optical instrument used for assisting the precise aim or observation. b the aim or observation so gained (got a sight of him). 7 collog. a person or thing having a ridiculous, repulsive, or dishevelled appearance (looked a perfect sight). 8 collog. a great quantity (will cost a sight of money; is a sight better than he was). —v.tr. 1 get sight of, esp. by approaching (they sighted land). 2 observe the presence of (esp. aircraft, animals, etc.) (sighted buffalo). 3 take observations of (a star etc.) with an instrument. 4 a provide (a gun, quadrant, etc.) with sights. b adjust the sight of (a gun etc.). c aim (a gun etc.) with sights. o at first sight on first glimpse or impression. at (or on) sight as soon as a person or a thing has been seen (plays music at sight; liked him on sight). catch (or lose) sight of begin (or cease) to see or be aware of. get a sight of manage to see; glimpse. have lost sight of no longer know the whereabouts of. in sight 1 visible. 2 near at hand (salvation is in sight). in (or within) sight of so as to see or be seen from. lower one’s sights become less ambitious. out of my sight! go at once! out of sight 1 not visible. 2 collog. excellent; delightful. out of sight out of mind we forget the absent. put out of sight hide, ignore. set one’s sights on aim at (set her sights on a directorship). sight for the gods (or sight for sore eyes) a welcome person or thing, esp. a visitor. sight-glass a transparent device for observing the interior of apparatus etc. sighting shot an experimental shot to guide riflemen in adjusting their sights. sight-line a hypothetical line from a person’s eye to what is seen. sight-read (past and past part. -read /-red/) read and perform (music) at sight. sight-reader a person who sight-reads. sight-screen Cricket a large white screen on wheels placed near the boundary in line with the wicket to help the batsman see the ball. sight-sing sing (music) at sight. sight unseen without previous inspection. oo sighter n. [OE (ge)sihth]

sighted /'saitid/ adj. 1 capable of seeing; not blind. 2 (in comb.) having a specified kind of sight (long-sighted).

sightless /'sartlis/ adj. 1 blind. 2 poet. invisible. 00 sightlessly adv. sightlessness n.

sightly /'sartli/ adj. attractive to the sight; not unsightly. o0 sightliness n.

sightseer /'sait,si:o(r)/ n. a person who visits places of interest; a tourist. 00 sightsee v.intr. & tr. sightseeing n.

sightworthy |'sait,w3:61/ adj. worth seeing. sigillate /'sid3rlot/ adj. 1 (of pottery) having impressed patterns. 2 Bot. having seal-like marks. [L sigillatus f. sigillum seal dimin.

of signum sign]

siglum /'siglom/ n. (pl. sigla /-lo/) a letter (esp. an initial) or tf chip

dg jar

(see over for vowels)

signor

1350

sigma

by signal; announce (signalled her agreement; signalled that the town had been taken). 0 signal-book alist of signals arranged for sending esp. naval and military messages. signal-box Brit. a building beside a railway track from which signals are controlled. signal of distress esp. Naut. an appeal for help, esp. from a ship by firing guns. signal-tower US = signal-box. 00 signaller n. [ME f. OF f. Rmc & med_L signale neut. of LL signalis f. L signum sicn]

other symbol used to denote a word in a book, esp. to refer to a particular text. [LL sigla (pl.), perh. f. singula neut. pl. of singulus single] sigma /'sigmo/ n. the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet (2,0, or, when final, s). [L f. Gk] sigmate /'sigmot/ adj. 1 sigma-shaped. 2 S-shaped.

sigmoid /'sigmoid/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 curved like the uncial sigma (C); crescent-shaped. 2 S-shaped. —n. (in full sigmoid flexure) Anat. the curved part of the intestine between the colon and the rectum. [Gk sigmoeidés (as sIGMA)] sign /sain/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa thing indicating or suggesting a quality or state etc.; a thing perceived as indicating a future state or occurrence (violence is a sign of weakness; shows all the signs of decay). b a miracle evidencing supernatural power; a portent (did signs and wonders). 2 a a mark, symbol, or device used to represent something or to distinguish the thing on which it is put (marked the jar with a sign). b a technical symbol used in algebra, music, etc. (a minus sign; a repeat sign). 3 a gesture or action used to convey information, an order, request, etc. (gave him a sign to leave; conversed by signs). 4 a publicly displayed board etc. giving information; a signboard or signpost. 5 any objective evidence of a disease, usu. specified (Babinski’s sign). 6 a password (advanced and gave the sign). 7 any of the twelve divisions of the zodiac, named from the constellations formerly situated in them (the sign of Cancer). 8 US the trail of a wild animal. 9 Math. etc. the positiveness or negativeness of a quantity. 10 = sign language. —v. 1 tr. a (also absol.) write (one’s name, initials, etc.) on a document etc. indicating that one has authorized it. b write one’s name etc. on (a document) as authorization. 2 intr. & tr. communicate by gesture (signed to me to come; signed their assent). 3 tr. & intr. engage or be engaged by signing a contract etc. (see also sign on, sign up). 4 tr. mark with a sign (esp. with the sign of the cross in baptism). 0 make no sign seem unconscious; not protest. sign and countersign secret words etc. used as passwords. sign away convey (one’s right, property, etc.) by signing a deed etc. sign for acknowledge receipt of by signing. sign language a system of communication by visual gestures, used esp. by the deaf. sign of the cross a Christian sign made in blessing or prayer, by tracing a cross from the forehead to the chest and to each shoulder, or in the air. sign off 1 end work, broadcasting, a letter, etc., esp. by writing or speaking one’s name. 2 a end a period of employment, contract, etc. b end the period of employment or contract of (a person). 3 Brit. stop receiving unemployment benefit after finding work. 4 Bridge indicate by a conventional bid that one is seeking to end the bidding. sign-off n. Bridge such a bid. sign of the times a portent etc. showing a likely trend. sign on 1 agree to a contract, employment, etc. 2 begin work, broadcasting, etc., esp. by writing or announcing one’s name. 3 employ (a person). 4 Brit. register as unemployed. sign-painter (or -writer) a person who paints signboards etc. sign up 1 engage or employ (a person). 2 enlist in the armed forces. 3 a commit (another person or oneself) by signing etc. (signed you up for dinner). b enrol (signed up for evening classes). 00 signable adj. signer n. [ME f. OF signe, signer f. L signum, signare] Signac /si:'njzek/, Paul (1863-1935), French neo-impressionist painter, an ardent disciple of the views and methods of Seurat, though his own work had aliveliness and spontaneity not altogether in keeping with these. In 1899 he published a manifesto in defence of the movement, D’Eugéne Delacroix aux néoimpressionisme.

signal! /'sign(o)l/ n. & v. —n.

signal? /'sign(2)l/ adj. remarkably good or bad; noteworthy (a signal victory). 00 signally adv. [F signalé f. It. past part. segnalato

distinguished f. segnale siGNAL] signalize /'signo,laiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 make noteworthy or remarkable. 2 lend distinction or lustre to. 3 indicate.

signalman /'sign(2)lmon/ n. (pl. -men) 1 a railway employee responsible for operating signals and points. 2 a person who displays or receives naval etc. signals. signary /'signori/ n. (pl. -ies) a list of signs constituting the syllabic or alphabetic symbols of a language. [L signum sIcn + -ary}, after syllabary] signatory /'signotori/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) a party or esp. a State that has signed an agreement or esp. a treaty. —adj. having signed such an agreement etc. [L signatorius of sealing f. signare signat- mark] signature /'signotfa(r)/ n. 1 a a person’s name, initials, or mark used in signing a letter, document, etc. b the act of signing a document etc. 2 archaic a distinctive action, characteristic, etc. 3 Mus. a = key signature. b = time signature. 4 Printing aa letter or figure placed at the foot of one or more pages of each sheet of a book as a guide for binding. b such a sheet after folding. 5 US directions given to a patient as part of a medical prescription. 0D signature tune esp. Brit. a distinctive tune used to introduce a particular programme or performer on television or radio. [med.L signatura (LL = marking of sheep), as SIGNATORY]

signboard /'sainbo:d/ n. a board with a name or symbol etc. displayed outside a shop or hotel etc. signet /'signit/ n. 1 a seal used instead of or with a signature as

authentication. 2 (prec. by the) the royal seal formerly used for special purposes in England and Scotland, and in Scotland later as the seal of the Court of Session. 0 signet-ring a ring with a seal set in it. [ME f. OF signet or med.L signetum (as sIGNn)]

significance /sig'nifikens/ n. 1 importance; noteworthiness

1 a a usu. prearranged sign

conveying information, guidance, etc. esp. at a distance (waved as a signal to begin). b a message made up of such signs (signals made with flags). 2 an immediate occasion or cause of movement, action, etc. (the uprising was a signal for repression). 3 Electr. a an electrical impulse or impulses or radio waves transmitted as a signal. b a sequence of these. 4 a light, semaphore, etc., on a railway giving instructions or warnings to train-drivers etc. 5 Bridge a prearranged mode of bidding or play to convey information to one’s partner. —v. (signalled, signalling; US signaled, signaling) 1 intr. make signals. 2 tr. a (often foll. by to + infin.) make signals to; direct. b transmit (an order, information, etc.)

ze cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

(his opinion is of no significance). 2 a concealed or real meaning (what is the significance of his statement?). 3 the state of being significant. 4 Statistics the extent to which a result deviates from a hypothesis such that the difference is due to more than errors in sampling. [OF significance or L significantia (as sIGNIFY)]

significant /sig'nifikent/ adj. 1 having a meaning; indicative. 2 having an unstated or secret meaning; suggestive (refused it with a significant gesture). 3 noteworthy; important; consequential (a significant figure in history). 4 Statistics of or relating to the significance in the difference between an observed and cal-

culated result.

o significant figure Math. a digit conveying

information about a number containing it, and not a zero used simply to fill vacant space at the beginning or end. oo significantly adv. [L significare: see SIGNIFY]

signification |,signifi'ker{(9)n/ n. 1 the act of signifying. 2 (usu. foll. by of) exact meaning or sense, esp. of a word or phrase. [ME f. OF f. L significatio -onis (as SIGNIFY)]

significative /sig'nifikotrv/ adj. 1 (esp. of a symbol etc.) signifying. 2 having a meaning. 3 (usu. foll. by of) serving as a sign or evidence. [ME f. OF significatif -ive, or LL significativus (as SIGNIFY)]

signify /'signt,fai/ v. (-ies, -ied) 1 tr. be a sign or indication of (a yawn signifies boredom). 2 tr. mean; have as its meaning (‘Dr signifies ‘doctor’). 3 tr. communicate; make known (signified their agreement). 4 intr. be of importance; matter (it signifies little). on signifier n. [ME f. OF signifier f. L significare (as s1GN)] signing /'samip/ n. a person who has signed a contract, esp. to join a professional sports team. signor |'si:njo:(r)/ n. (pl. signori |-'njo:ri:/) 1 a title or form of address used of or to an Italian-speaking man, corresponding to Mr or sir. 2 an Italian man. [It. f. L senior: see SENIOR] 1 sit

i: see

p hot

90: saw

Arun

o put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

signora

silk

1351

signora |si:'njo:ro/ n. 1 a title or form of address used of or to an Italian-speaking married woman, corresponding to Mrs or madam. 2 a married Italian woman. [It., fem. of siGNoR]

signorina /,si:nja'ri:no/ n. 1 a title or form of address used

entrusted with the education of Dionysus. He is depicted either as dignified, inspired, and musical, or as an old drunkard. Portraits of Socrates and idealized heads of Silenus show great similarity.

2 an Italian

silenus /sat'li:nos/ n. (pl. sileni /-na1/) Gk Mythol. any of a class of

signory /'si:njart/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 = SEIGNIORY. 2 hist. the gov-

woodland spirits, usually shown in art as old and with horseears, similar to the satyrs. [L f. Gk seilénos]

of or to an Italian-speaking unmarried woman. unmarried woman. [It., dimin. of sicNora]

erning body of a medieval Italian republic. [ME f. OF s(e)ignorie (as SEIGNEUR)] signpost /'sarnpoust/ n. & v. —n. 1a sign on posts erected at a crossroads or road junction, roundabout, etc., indicating the direction to and sometimes also the distance from various places. 2 a means of guidance; an indication. —v.tr. 1 provide with a signpost or signposts. 2 indicate (a course of action, direction, etc.). sika /'si:ko/ n. a small forest-dwelling deer, Cervus nippon, native to Japan. [Jap. shika]

Sikh /si:k, stk/ n. an adherent of Sikhism. There are over 10 million Sikhs, most of whom live in Punjab. 0 Sikh Wars wars between the Sikhs and the British in 1845 and 1848-9, culminating in the British annexation of the Punjab. [Hindi, = disciple, f. Skr. sishya]

Sikhism /'si:kiz(o)m, 'stk-/ n. a monotheistic religion founded in the Punjab in the 15thc. by Guru Nanak. It combines elements of Hinduism and Islam, accepting the Hindu concepts of karma and reincarnation but rejecting the caste system, and has one sacred scripture, the Adi Granth. The tenth and last of the series of gurus, Gobind Singh, prescribed the distinctive outward forms {the so-called five Ks)—long hair (to be covered by a turban) and uncut beard (kesh), comb (kangha), short sword (kirpan), steel bangle (kara), and short trousers for horse-riding (kaccha). Originating as a religion, Sikhism became a militant

political movement within the Punjab.

Sikkim /'stkim/ a State of India (since 1975) in the eastern Himalayas, previously an Indian protectorate; pop. (1981) 315,680; capital, Gangtok. 00 Sikkimese /-'mi:z/ adj. & n.

Sikorsky /si'ko:ski/, Igor Ivan (1889-1972), Russian-born aircraft designer who studied aeronautics in Paris before returning to Russia to build the world’s first large four-engined aircraft, the Grand, in 1913. After experimenting unsuccessfully with helicopters he emigrated to New York (1919), where he established the Sikorski Aero Engineering Co. (1923) and produced many famous amphibious aircraft and flying boats. In the 1930s he again turned his attention to helicopters and personally flew the prototype of the world's first mass-produced helicopter in 1939; his name is closely associated with their subsequent development. silage /'sailid3/ n. & v. —n. 1 storage in a silo. 2 green fodder that has been stored in a silo. —v.tr. put into a silo. [alt. of ENSILAGE after silo]

sild /silt/ n. a small immature herring, esp. one caught in N. European seas. [Da. & Norw.]

silence /'sarlons/ n. & v. —n. 1 absence of sound. 2 abstinence from speech or noise. 3 the avoidance of mentioning a thing, betraying a secret, etc. 4 oblivion; the state of not being mentioned. —v.tr. make silent, esp. by coercion or superior argument. o in silence without speech or other sound. reduce (or put) to silence refute in argument. [ME f. OF f. L silentium (as SILENT)]

Silesia /sar'li:zjo/ a region of central Europe (now largely in SW Poland), an ancient district and duchy, partitioned at various times between the States of Prussia, Austria-Hungary, Poland, and Czechoslovakia. 00 Silesian adj.& n.

silex /'satleks/ n. a kind of glass made of fused quartz. [L (as SILICA)}

silhouette /,silu:'et/ n. & v. —n. 1a representation of a person or thing showing the outline only, usu. done in solid black on white or cut from paper. (See below.) 2 the dark shadow or outline of a person or thing against a lighter background. —-v.tr. represent or (usu. in passive) show in silhouette. 0 in silhouette seen or placed in outline. [Etienne de Silhouette, Fr. author and politician (d. 1767), amateur maker of paper cut-outs] | The method of silhouette painting is seen in Egyptian and Greek art, but its main vogue was from the mid-18th c. to mid19th c., when such portraiture was popularized by neoclassical taste until the introduction of photography relegated it to a position of curiosity value.

silica /'stltka/ n. silicon dioxide, occurring as quartz etc. and as a principal constituent of sandstone and other rocks. o silica gel hydrated silica in a hard granular form used as a desiccant. oo siliceous /-'lifas/ adj. (also silicious). silicic /-'listk/ adj. silicify |-'lisi,fat/ v.tr. & intr. (-ies, -ied). silicification /-sfi'ke1f(a)n/ n. [L silex -icis flint, after alumina etc.]

silicate /'stli,kert/ n. any of the many insoluble compounds of a metal combined with silicon and oxygen, occurring widely in the rocks of the earth’s crust. silicon /'srliken/ n. Chem. a non-metallic element occurring widely in silica and silicates, the most abundant element in the earth’s crust after oxygen. {]Symb.: Si; atomic number 14. o silicon chip a silicon microchip. silicon carbide = CARBORUNDUM. Silicon Valley an area with a high concentration of electronics industries, esp. the Santa Clara valley south-east of San Francisco. [L silex -icis flint (after carbon, boron), alt. of earlier silicium] Silicon was first isolated and described as an element by Berzelius in 1823. It does not occur uncombined in nature, but most rocks of the earth’s crust consist primarily of silica or silicates. Pure silicon, which can exist in a dark-grey crystalline form or as an amorphous powder, is used in some alloys and (as a semiconductor) as the basis of many microelectronic devices, where it has largely replaced the chemically similar element germanium (which was used for the first transistors). Silicon compounds have for centuries been widely used: glass, pottery, and bricks are largely composed of silicate minerals.

silicone /'s1li,koun/ n. any of the many polymeric organic compounds of silicon and oxygen with high resistance to cold, heat, water, and the passage of electricity, used in polishes, paints, lubricants, etc.

silicosis |,stl'kousis/ n. lung fibrosis caused by the inhalation of dust containing silica. 00 silicotic /-'kptrk/ adj.

silencer /'satlenso(r)/ n. any of various devices for reducing the

siliqua /'silikw9] n. (also silique /st'li:k/) (pl. siliquae |-kwi:/ or

noise emitted by the exhaust of a motor vehicle, a gun, etc. silent /'sarlent/ adj. 1 not speaking; not uttering or making or accompanied by any sound. 2 (ofa letter) written but not pronounced, e.g. b in doubt. 3 (of a film) without a synchronized soundtrack. 4 (of a person) taciturn; speaking little. 5 saying or recording nothing on some subject (the records are silent on the incident). 6 (of spirits) unflavoured. 0 silent majority those of moderate opinions who rarely assert them. silent partner US = sleeping partner (see SLEEP). 00 silently adv. [L silére silent- be silent]

siliques /st'li:ks/) the long narrow seed-pod of a cruciferous plant. oo siliquose /-;kwaus/ adj. siliquous |-kwes/ adj. [L, =

Silenus /|sat'li:nos/ Gk Mythol. one of the sileni (see s1LENUs) with many weaknesses but also with intellectual talents, who was au how

er day

ov no

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

vo poor

pod] silk /silk/ n. 1 a fine strong soft lustrous fibre produced by silkworms in making cocoons. 2 a similar fibre spun by some spiders etc. 3 a thread or cloth made from silk fibre. b a thread or fabric resembling silk. 4 (in pl.) kinds of silk cloth or garments made from it, esp. as worn by a jockey in a horse-owner’s colours. 5 Brit. collog. Queen’s (or King’s) Counsel, as having the right to wear a silk gown. 6 (attrib.) made of silk (silk blouse). 7 the silky styles of the female maize-flower. oO silk cotton kapok or a similar substance. silk-fowl a breed of fowl with a silky

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

silken

silverware

1352

plumage. silk-gland a gland secreting the substance produced as silk. silk hat a tall cylindrical hat covered with silk plush. silk moth any of various large moths of the family Saturniidae, esp. Hyalophora cecropia. silk-screen printing = screen printing. take silk Brit. become a Queen’s (or King’s) Counsel. o0 silklike adj. [OE sioloc, seolec (cf. ON silki) f. LL sericum neut. of L sericus f. seres f. Gk Séres an oriental people] silken /'silkon/ adj. 1 made of silk. 2 wearing silk. 3 soft or lustrous as silk. 4 (of a person’s manner etc.) suave or insinuating. [OE seolcen (as sILK)]

Silk Road (also Silk Route) an ancient caravan route linking China with the West, used from Roman times onwards and taking its name from the silk which was a major Chinese export. By this route also Christianity and (from India) Buddhism reached China. A ‘North Road’ skirted the northern edge of the Taklimakan Desert before heading westwards into Turkestan (and thence to the Levant), while a ‘South Road’ followed a more southerly route through the high passes of the Kunlun and Pamir mountains into India. A railway (completed in 1963) follows the northern route from Xian to Urumchi.

silkworm /'silkw3:m/ n. the caterpillar of the moth Bombyx mori, which spins its cocoon of silk. silky /'stlki/ adj. (silkier, silkiest) 1 like silk in smoothness, softness, fineness, or lustre. 2 (of a person’s manner etc.) suave, insinuating. 00 silkily adv. silkiness n.

sill /s1l/ n. (also cill) 1 a shelf or slab of stone, wood, or metal at the foot of a window or doorway. 2 a horizontal timber at the bottom of a dock or lock entrance, against which the gates close. 3 Geol. a tabular sheet of igneous rock intruded between other rocks and parallel with their planar structure. [OE syll, sylle]

sillabub var. of syLLABUB. sillimanite /'s1l:mo,nait/ n. an aluminium silicate occurring in orthorhombic crystals or fibrous masses. chemist d. 1864]

Sillitoe /'stli,tov/, Alan (1928-

[B. Silliman, Amer.

silly /'stli/ adj. & n. —adj. (sillier, silliest) 1 lacking sense; or position) very close to the batsman (silly mid-off). 4 archaic innocent, simple, helpless. —n. (pl. -ies) collog. a foolish person. Q silly billy collog. a foolish person. the silly season high summer as the season when newspapers often publish trivial material for lack of important news. oo sillily adv. silliness n. [later form of ME sely (dial. seely) happy, repr. OE s#lig (recorded in unszlig unhappy) f. Gmc]

conductor. The metal is generally resistant to corrosion but

metallic silver.

silverfish /'stlvofif/ n. (pl. same or -fishes) 1 any small silvery

which green crops are pressed and kept for fodder, undergoing fermentation. 2 a pit or tower for the storage of grain, cement, etc. 3 an underground chamber in which a guided missile is kept ready for firing. —v.tr. (-oes, -oed) make silage of. [Sp. f. L sirus f. Gk siros corn-pit]

Siloam /sar'lavem/ a spring and pool of water near ancient Jerusalem, where the man born blind was bidden to wash (John 9:7):

silt /silt/ n. & v. —n. sediment deposited by water in a channel, harbour, etc. —v.tr. & intr. (often foll. by up) choke or be choked with silt. 00 siltation /-'te1{(o)n/ 7. silty adj. [ME, perh. rel. to Da., Norw. sylt, OLG sulta, OHG sulza salt marsh, formed as SALT]

from the outside of the leg.

silversmith /'stlvosm10/ n. a worker in silver; a manufacturer of silver articles. 00 silversmithing n.

third period of the Palaeozoic era, following the Ordovician and preceding the Devonian, lasting from about 438 to 408 million years ago. The first land plants and the first true fish (with jaws) appeared during this period. —n. this period or system. [L Silures, a people of ancient SE Wales] hhe

jyes

wingless insect of the order Thysanura, esp. Lepisma saccharina in houses and other buildings. 2 a silver-coloured fish, esp. a colourless variety of goldfish. silvern /'silv(a)n/ adj. archaic or poet. = sILvER adj. [OE seolfren, silfren (as SILVER)] silver-point n. the process (now largely obsolete) of drawing with a silver-pointed instrument on paper coated with a special ground of powdered bone or zinc white. Fragments of metal deposited on the paper produce a very delicate fine line that does not smudge and cannot be erased. It was widely used in the 15th and 16thc. in Italy, The Netherlands, and Germany. Points of other metals, such as lead, were also used.

silverside /'stlva,said/ n. Brit. the upper side of a round of beef

siltstone /'siltstoun/ n. rock of consolidated silt. Silurian /sat'ljvorion/ adj. & n. Geol. —adj. of or relating to the

g get

(See below.) {

Symb.: Ag; atomic number 47. 2 the colour of silver. 3 silver or cupro-nickel coins. 4 esp. Sc. money. 5 silver vessels or implements, esp. cutlery. 6 household cutlery of any material. 7 = silver medal. —adj. 1 made wholly or chiefly of silver. 2 coloured like silver. —v. 1 tr. coat or plate with silver. 2 tr. provide (a mirror-glass) with a backing of tin amalgam etc. 3 tr. (of the moon or a white light) give a silvery appearance to. 4 a tr. turn (the hair) grey or white. b intr. (of the hair) turn grey or white. D silver age a period regarded as inferior to a golden age, e.g. that of post-classical Latin literature in the early Imperial period. silver band Brit. a band playing silver-plated instruments. silver birch a common birch, Betula alba, with silver-coloured bark. silver fir any fir of the genus Abies, with the under-sides of its leaves coloured silver. silver fox 1 an American red fox at a time when its fur is black with white tips. 2 its fur. silver gilt 1 gilded silver. 2 an imitation gilding of yellow lacquer over silver leaf. silver-grey a lustrous grey. silver jubilee 1 the 25th anniversary of a sovereign’s accession. 2 any other 25th anniversary. silver Latin see LATIN. silver-leaf a fungal disease of fruit trees. silver lining a consolation or hopeful feature in misfortune. silver medal a medal of silver, usu. awarded as second prize. silver nitrate a colourless solid that is soluble in water and formerly used in photography. silver paper 1 afine white tissue-paper for wrapping silver. 2 aluminium or tin foil. silver plate vessels, spoons, etc., of copper etc. plated with silver. silver salmon a coho. silver sand a fine pure sand used in gardening. silver screen (usu. prec. by the) motion pictures collectively. silver solder solder containing silver. silver spoon a sign of future

tarnishes in air through a reaction with small quantities of hydrogen sulphide gas. Silver salts are used in photographic films as they decompose when exposed to light, depositing

silo /'sarlou/ n. & v. —n. (pl. -os) 1 a pit or airtight structure in

ffew

malleable ductile precious metallic element.

cutlery, the coatings of mirrors, and dental amalgams; a further use is in printed circuits, as silver is a very good electrical

foolish, imprudent, unwise. 2 weak-minded. 3 Cricket (of a fielder

d dog

silver /'stlva(r)/n., adj., & v. —n. Chem. 1 a greyish-white lustrous

prosperity. silver standard a system by which the value of a currency is defined in terms of silver, for which the currency may be exchanged. silver thaw a glassy coating of ice formed on the ground or an exposed surface, caused by freezing rain or a sudden light frost. silver tongue eloquence. silver wedding the 25th anniversary of a wedding. silver weed a plant with silvery leaves, esp. a potentilla, Potentilla anserina, with silver-coloured leaves. [OE seolfor f. Gmc] Silver is found in the uncombined state in nature as well as in a number of ores. It has been used for jewellery and other ornaments since ancient times and it is also used in coins,

), English writer of novels,

poems, short stories, and plays. His much-praised first novel Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1958) describes the life of a dissatisfied young nottingham factory worker. His other works include The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner (1959), portraying a rebellious and anarchic Borstal boy, and the semiautobiographical Raw Material (1972), a vivid evocation of his own family background and of working-class attitudes to the First World War and the Depression.

b but

silva var. of SYLVA. silvan var. of sYLVAN.

Silverstone

/'stlvastoun/ a motor-racing circuit near Tow-

cester in Northamptonshire, built on a disused airfield after the Second World War.

silverware |'silva,weo(r)/ n. articles made of or coated with

k cat

silver. lleg

: m man

nono

ppen r red

s sit

t top

v voice

silvery

silvery /'stlvari/ adj. 1 like silver in colour or appearance. 2 having a clear gentle ringing sound. 3 (of the hair) white and lustrous. 00 silveriness n.

silviculture /'stlvi,kaltfa(r)/ n. (also sylviculture) the growing and tending of trees as a branch of forestry. 00 silvicultural /-'kaltfor(o)l/ adj. silviculturist /-'kaltfoarist/ n. [F f. L silva a wood + F culture CULTURE] sima /'sarma/ n. the continuous basal layer of the earth’s crust, composed of relatively heavy basic rocks rich in silica and magnesia, that undeflies the sial of the continental masses and forms the crust under the oceans; the material of which it is composed. The lower limit of the sima is generally taken to be the Mohorovi¢i¢ discontinuity. [SILICON + MAGNESIUM]

Simenon /'si:mo,n3/, Georges (1903-89), Belgian-French novelist, a prolific writer, who produced some 300 works between 1920 and 1973. His popularity rests on the series of detective novels featuring Commissaire Maigret, introduced in 1931, who sets out to discover, with great insight and sensitivity to local atmosphere, the human motives behind the crime.

Simeon /'simien/ 1 Hebrew patriarch, son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29: 33). 2 the tribe of Israel traditionally descended from him.

Simeon Stylites /'srmyan star'laiti:z/, St (c.390-459) a hermit in northern Syria, the first ascetic to live on top of a pillar (Gk stulos). The pillar eventually reached 40 cubits (c.20 m) in height.

This novel form of austerity attracted many pilgrims and imitators in the East. simian /'stmron/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or concerning the anthropoid apes. 2 like an ape or monkey (a simian walk). —n. an ape or monkey. [L simia ape, perh. f. L simus f. Gk simos flat-nosed]

similar /'stmulo(r)/ adj. 1 like, alike. 2 (often foll. by to) having a resemblance. 3 of the same kind, nature, or amount. 4 Geom. shaped alike. 00 similarity /-‘lerti/ n, (pl. -ies). similarly adv. [F similaire or med.L similaris f. L similis like} simile /'srmili/ n. 1 a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another of a different kind, as an illustration or ornament (e.g. as brave as a lion). 2 the use of such comparison. (ME f. L, neut. of similis like]

similitude /s1'mili,tju:d/ n. 1 the likeness, guise, or outward appearance of a thing or person. 2 a comparison or the expression of a comparison. 3 archaic a counterpart or facsimile. [ME f. OF similitude or L similitudo (as SIMILE)}

simmer |'stma(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. & tr. be or keep bubbling or boiling gently. 2 intr. be in a state of suppressed anger or excitement. —n. a simmering condition. 0 simmer down become calm or less agitated. [alt. of ME (now dial.) simper, perh.

imit.]

Simnel /'simn(e)l/, Lambert (c.1475-1525), the son of an Irish baker, trained by Yorkists to impersonate the Earl of Warwick in an attempt to overthrow Henry VII. He was crowned in Dublin in 1487 as Edward VI but captured in the Yorkist uprising when the rebels were defeated at Stoke-on-Trent. As there was no real danger of his being taken to be the real Warwick (who was imprisoned in the Tower), he was not executed, but was given a menial post in the royal household.

simnel cake /'srmn(e)l/ n. Brit. a rich fruit cake, usu. with a marzipan layer and decoration, eaten esp. at Easter or during Lent. [ME f. OF simenel, ult. f. L simila or Gk semidalis fine flour]

Simon!

Simpson

1353

/'sarmonj/,

(Marvin)

Neil

(1927—.),

American

playwright, most of whose plays are wry comedies portraying aspects of middle-class life. They include Barefoot in the Park (1963), The Odd Couple (1965), and The Sunshine Boys (1972). He also wrote the musicals Sweet Charity (1966) and They're Playing Our Song (1978).

Simon? |'sarmonj, St (1st c. AD), one of the twelve Apostles, who

composed verse inscriptions for the fallen of Marathon and for the Spartans who died at Thermopylae.

simon-pure |,sarmon'pju2(r)/ adj. real, genuine. [(the real) Simon Pure, a character in Centlivre’s Bold Stroke for a Wife (1717)] simony /'sarmont, 'stm-/ n. the buying or selling of ecclesiastical privileges, e.g. pardons or benefices. 00 simoniac /-'mount,ek/ adj. & n. simoniacal /-'narok(a)l/ adj. [ME f. OF simonie f. LL simonia f. Simon Magus (Acts 8: 18), with allusion to his offer of money to the Apostles to purchase the power of giving the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands)} simoom /s'mu:m/ n. (also simoon |-mu:n/) a hot dry dust-laden wind blowing at intervals esp. in the Arabian desert. [Arab. samiim f. samma to poison] simp /stmp/ n. US collog. a simpleton. [abbr.]

simpatico |s1m'peti,kou/ adj. congenial, likeable. [It. & Sp. (as SYMPATHY)] simper |'stmpo(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. smile ina silly or affected way. 2 tr. express by or with simpering. —n. such a smile. 00 simperingly adv. [16th c.: cf. Du. and Scand. semper, simper, G zimp(fjer elegant, delicate] ;

simple /'srmp(e)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 easily understood or done; presenting no difficulty (a simple explanation; a simple task). 2 not complicated or elaborate; without luxury or sophistication. 3 not compound; consisting of or involving only one element or operation etc. 4 absolute, unqualified, straightforward (the simple truth; a simple majority). 5 foolish or ignorant; gullible, feeble-minded (am not so simple as to agree to that). 6 plain in appearance or manner; unsophisticated, ingenuous, artless. 7 of low rank; humble, insignificant (simple people). 8 Bot. a consisting of one part. b (of fruit) formed from one pistil. —n. archaic 1 a herb used medicinally. 2 a medicine made from it. O simple eye an eye of an insect, having only one lens. simple fracture a fracture of the bone only, without a skin wound. simple harmonic motion see HARMONIC. simple interest interest payable on a capital sum only (cf. compound interest (see COMPOUND)). simple interval Mus. an interval of one octave or less. simple machine any of the basic mechanical devices for applying a force (e.g. an inclined plane, wedge, or lever). simple sentence a sentence with a single subject and predicate. Simple Simon a foolish person (from the nursery-rhyme character). simple time Mus. a time with two, three, or four beats in a bar. 00 simpleness n. [ME f. OF f. L simplus]

simple-minded /|,simp(o)l'maindid/ adj. 1 natural, unsophisticated. 2 feeble-minded. simple-mindedness n.

oo

simple-mindedly

adv.

simpleton /'srmp(e)lt(2)n/ n. a foolish, gullible, or halfwitted person. [SIMPLE after surnames f. place-names in -ton]

simplex /|'simpleks/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 simple; not compounded. 2 Computing (of a circuit) allowing transmission of signals in one direction only. —n. a simple or uncompounded thing, esp. a word. [L, = single, var. of simplus simple]

simplicity /s1m'plisiti/ n. the fact or condition of being simple. O be simplicity itself be extremely easy. [OF simplicité or L simplicitas (as SIMPLEX)]

simplify /'srmpli,fa1/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) make simple; make easy or easier to do or understand. 00 simplification /-fi'ke1{(0)n/ n. [F simplifier f. med.L simplificare (as SIMPLE)]

simplism |'srmpliz(2)m/ n. 1 affected simplicity. 2 the unjustifiable simplification of a problem etc.

simplistic /sim'plistik/ adj. 1 excessively or affectedly simple. 2 oversimplified so as to conceal or distort difficulties. simplistically adv.

oO

Simplon /'s#pl5/ a pass in the Alps in southern Switzerland reaching an altitude of 2,028 m (6,591 ft.). The nearby railway tunnel connecting Switzerland and Italy is the longest main-line railway tunnel in the world (19 km, 12 miles).

may have been a member of the Zealots. According to one tradition he preached and was martyred in Persia along with St Jude: Feast day (with St Jude), 28 Oct.

simply /'simpli/ adv. 1 in a simple manner. 2 absolutely; with-

Simonides

lyric and

Simpson! |'srmps(2)n/, Sir James Young (1811-71), Scottish sur-

elegiac poet, admired for his sweet and harmonious style. He wrote for the ruling men in Athens, Thessaly, and Syracuse, and

geon and obstetrician who discovered the usefulness of chloroform as an anaesthetic by experimentation on himself and

wwe

z zoo

/sat'mpnz,di:z/

f she

(c.556-468 Bc) Greek

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

out doubt (simply astonishing). 3 merely (was simply trying to please).

tf chip

dg jar

(see over for vowels)

Simpson

his colleagues shortly after the first use of ether. He was active in the debate over which of the two was the best agent to use in surgery, and made a famous attack on Lister and antisepsis. Simpson was also a distinguished antiquarian and historian, publishing monographs on archaeology and the history of medicine.

Simpson? /'simps(s)n/, Wallis (born Wallis Warfield, 18961986; later Duchess of Windsor), see EDWARD VIII.

Simpson Desert /'srmps(a)n/ a desert in central Australia, situated between Alice Springs and the Channel Country to the east. It was named in 1929 after A. A. Simpson, who was President of the Royal Geographical Society of Australia at that time.

simulacrum

sing.

1354

/,simjo'lerkrom/ n. (pl. simulacra /-kra/) 1 an

image of something. 2 a a shadowy likeness; a deceptive substitute. b mere pretence. [L (as SIMULATE)]

simulate /'simjo|leit/ v.tr. 1 a pretend to have or feel (an attribute or feeling). b pretend to be. 2 imitate or counterfeit. 3 a imitate the conditions of (a situation etc.), e.g. for training. b produce a computer model of (a process). 4 (as simulated adj.) made to resemble the real thing but not genuinely such (simulated fur). 5 (of a word) take or have an altered form suggested by (a word wrongly taken to be its source, e.g. amuck). O0 simulation /-'le1{(a)n/ n. simulative /-lotrv/ adj. [L simulare f. similis like]

simulator /'simjo,lerta(r)/ n. 1a person or thing that simulates. 2 a device designed to simulate the operations of a complex system, used esp. in training.

simulcast /'simoal,ka:st/ n. simultaneous transmission of the same programme BROADCAST]

on radio and television. [SIMULTANEOUS

+

simultaneous /,simol'teintes/ adj. (often foll. by with) occurring or operating at the same time. Oo simultaneous equations equations involving two or more unknowns that are to have the same values in each equation. 00 simultaneity /-to'nemt1/ n. simultaneously adv. simultaneousness n. [med.L simultaneus f. L simul at the same time, prob. after instantaneus etc.] simurg /s1'ms:g/n. a monstrous bird of Persian myth, with the power of reasoning and speech. [Pers. simurg f. Pahlavi sin eagle + murg bird]

esp. by a conscious act. b such an act. 2 an offence against good taste or propriety etc, —v. (sinned, sinning) 1 intr. commit a sin. 2 intr. (foll. by against) offend. 3 tr. archaic commit (a sin). o as sin collog. extremely (ugly as sin). for one’s sins joc. as a judgement on one for something or other. like sin collog. vehemently or forcefully. live in sin collog. live together without being married. sin bin collog. 1 Ice Hockey a penalty box. 2 a place set aside for offenders of various kinds. 00 sinless adj. sinlessly adv. sinlessness n. [OE syn(n)]

sin? /sarn/ abbr. sine. Sinai /'sainai, -niai/ a peninsula, mostly desert, at the north end

Sind /sind/ a province of southern Pakistan, formerly part of British India after its acquisition by Britain in 1843; pop. (1981) 19,029,000; capital, Karachi.

Sindbad /'smndbexd/ (also Sinbad the Sailor) hero of one of the tales in the Arabian Nights, who relates his fantastic adventures in a number of voyages.

sindonology /|,sinds'nvlad3i/ n. study of the Holy Shroud of Turin, in which the body of Christ was reputedly wrapped. [OF or L f. Gk sind6n linen fabric, shroud + -Locy]

sine /sarn/ n. Math. 1 the trigonometric function that is equal to the ratio of the side opposite a given angle (in a right-angled triangle) to the hypotenuse. 2 a function of the line drawn from one end of an arc perpendicularly to the radius through the other. O sine curve (or wave) a curve representing periodic oscillations of constant amplitude as given by a sine function: also called sinusorp. [L sinus curve, fold of a toga, used in med.L as transl. of Arab. jayb bosom, sine] sinecure /'sarn1,kjua(r), 'sin-/ n. a position that requires little or no work but usu. yields profit or honour. 00 sinecurism n. sinecurist n. [L sine cura without care] indefinitely) with no appointed date. [L, = without day} Sine qua non |,sinet kwa: 'noun/ n. an indispensable condition or qualification. [L, = without which not] sinew /'sinju:/n. & v. —n. 1 tough fibrous tissue uniting muscle to bone; a tendon. 2 (in pl.) muscles; bodily strength; wiriness. 3 (in pl.) that which forms the strength or framework of a plan, city, organization, etc. —v.tr. poet. serve as the sinews of; sustain; hold together. 0 the sinews of war money. oo sinewless adj. sinewy adj. [OE sin(e)we f. Gmc]

sinfonia /,smfo'nia, sin'faunia/ n. Mus. 1 a symphony.

2 (in

Baroque music) an orchestral piece used as an introduction to an opera, cantata, or suite. 3 (Sinfonia; usu. in names) a small symphony orchestra. [It., = syMPHONY]

sinful /'sinfol/ adj. 1 (of a person) committing sin, esp. habitually. 2 (of an act) involving or characterized by sin. 00 sinfully adv. sinfulness n. [OE synfull (as stn, -FUL)]

2,367,600; capital, Culiacan Rosales.

sing /s1n/ v. & n. —v. (past sang /szn/; past part. sung /san/) 1 intr. utter musical sounds with the voice, esp. words with a set

Sinanthropus |sin'e2n6rapes/ n. the name formerly applied to a genus of fossil hominids now classified as a species of Homo erectus. (See PEKING MAN.) [mod.L, as StNo- Chinese (remains having been found near Peking) + Gk anthropos man]

tune. 2 tr. utter or produce by singing (sing another song). 3 intr. (of the wind, a kettle, etc.) make inarticulate melodious or humming, buzzing, or whistling sounds. 4 intr. (of the ears) be affected as with a buzzing sound. 5 intr. sl. turn informer; confess. 6 intr. archaic compose poetry. 7 tr. & (foll. by of) intr. celebrate in verse. 8tr. (foll. by in, out) usher (esp. the new or old year) in or out with singing. 9 tr. bring to a specified state by singing (sang the child to sleep). —n. 1 an act or spell of singing. 2 US a meeting for amateur singing. o sing-along a tune etc. to which one can sing in accompaniment. singing hinny see

_),American

singer and film actor, whose career spanned more than forty years. His films include From Here to Eternity (1953), for which he won an Academy Award. His many successful songs include ‘Night and Day’ and later ‘My Way’. since /sins/ prep., conj., & adv. —prep. throughout, or at a point in, the period between (a specified time, event, etc.) and the time present or being considered (must have happened since yesterday; has been going on since June; the greatest composer since Beethoven). —conj. 1 during or in the time after (what have you been doing since we met?; has not spoken since the dog died). 2 for the reason

3: her

oO sincipital /-'srprt(2)l/ adj. [L f. semi-

2 (Sinfonietta; usu. in names) a small symphony orchestra. [It.,

Sinaloa /,si:no'lova/ a State of western Mexico; pop. (est. 1988)

e bed

forehead to the crown. half + caput head]

dimin. of sinfonia: see SINFONIA]

adj.

a: arm

a formula for ending an informal letter.

sinciput /'sins1,put/ n. Anat. the front of the skull from the

sinfonietta /,sinfo'njeta/ n. Mus. 1 a short or simple symphony.

of the Red Sea, now part of Egypt. In the south is Mount Sinai where according to Exod. 19-34 the Ten Commandments and the Tables of the Law were given to Moses. 00 Sinaitic /-!1trk/

z cat

sincerely /srn'srali/ adv. in a sincere manner. 0 yours sincerely

sine die |,samni ‘dau, ser 'di:e1/ adv. (of business adjourned

sin! /smn/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the breaking of divine or moral law,

Sinatra /si'na:tra/, Francis Albert (‘Frank’) (1915—

that, because; inasmuch as (since you are drunk I will drive you home). 3 (ellipt.) as being (a more useful, since better designed, tool). —ady. 1 from that time or event until now or the time being considered (have not seen them since; had been healthy ever since; has since been cut down). 2 ago (happened many years since). [ME, reduced form of obs. sithence or f. dial. sin (f. sithen) f. OE siththon] sincere /sin's1a(r)/ adj. (sincerer, sincerest) 1 free from pretence or deceit; the same in reality as in appearance. 2 genuine, honest, frank. 00 sincereness n. sincerity /-'sertt1/ n. [L sincerus clean, pure]

HINNY*. singing saw = musical saw. sing out call out loudly; shout. sing the praises of see PRAISE. sing up sing more loudly.

00 singable adj. singer n. singingly adv. [OE singan f. Gmc]

sing. abbr. singular. 1 sit

i: see

p hot

0: saw

a run

vu put

u: too

2a ago

ai my

Singapore

sink

1355

Singapore /,singa'po:(r)/ a country in SE Asia, a member State

length.

of the Commonwealth, consisting of the island of Singapore and about 54 smaller islands, lying just north of the equator off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula to which it is linked by a causeway carrying a road and railway; pop. (est. 1988) 2,645,400; official languages, Malay, Chinese, Tamil, and English. Sir Stamford Raffles established a trading post under the East India Company in 1819, and it was incorporated with Penang and Malacca to form the Straits Settlements in 1826; these became a Crown Colony in the following year. Singapore rapidly grew, by virtue of its large protected harbour, to become the most important commercial centre and naval base in SE Asia. It fell to the Japanese in 1942, and after liberation became first a British Crown Colony in 1946 and then a self-governing State in 1959. Federated with Malaysia in 1963, it regained full independence two years later and remains a world trade and financial centre; it also has an important oil-refining industry. 00 Singaporean /-'po:rion/ adj. & n. singe /sind3/v. & n. —v.(singeing) 1 tr. & intr. burn superficially or lightly. 2 tr. burn the bristles or down off (the carcass of a pig or fowl) to prepare it for cooking. 3 tr. burn off the tips of (the hair) in hairdressing. —n. a superticial burn. 0 singe one’s wings suffer some harm esp. in a risky attempt. [OE sencgan f.

SWINGLETREE. 00 singleness n. singly adv. [ME f. OF f. L singulus,

WG]

Singer! /'sina(r)/, Isaac Bashevis (1904—_

), Polish-born Amer-

ican author of short stories and novels, written whose work portrays with colourful intensity and istic detail the lives of Polish Jews of many periods history. He was awarded a Nobel Prize for literature

in Yiddish, much realof Poland’s in 1978.

Singer? |'smna(r)/, Isaac Merrit (1811-75), American inventor, who in 1857 designed and built the first commercially successful sewing-machine (see entry).

Singh /|sin/ n. 1 a title adopted by the warrior castes of N. India. 2 a surname adopted by male Sikhs.: [Hind. singh f. Skr. sinha lion]

Singhalese var. of SINHALESE. single /'stng(o)l/ adj., n., & v. —adj. 1 one only, not double or multiple. 2 united or undivided. 3 a designed or suitable for one person (single room). b used or done by one person etc. or one set or pair. 4 one by itself; not one of several (a single tree). 5 regarded separately (every single thing). 6 not married. 7 Brit.

(of a ticket) valid for an outward journey only, not for the return. 8 (with neg. or interrog.) even one; not to speak of more (did not see a single person). 9 (of a flower) having only one circle of petals. 10 lonely, unaided. 11 archaic free from duplicity, sincere, consistent, guileless, ingenuous. —n. 1a single thing, or item in a series. 2 Brit. a single ticket. 3 a short pop record with one piece of music etc. on each side. 4 Cricket a hit for one run. 5 (usu. in pl.) a game with one player on each side. 6 an unmarried person (young singles). 7 sl. US a one-dollar note. —v.tr. (foll. by out) choose as an example or as distinguishable or to serve some purpose. 0 single acrostic see ACROSTIC. single-acting (of an engine etc.) having pressure applied only to one side of the

piston. single-breasted (of a coat etc.) having only one set of buttons and buttonholes, not overlapping. single combat a duel. single cream thin cream with a relatively low fat-content. single cut (of a file) with grooves cut in one direction only, not crossing. single-decker esp. Brit. a bus having only one deck. single entry a system of bookkeeping in which each transaction is entered in one account only. Single European Act the decree approved by the European Council in Dec. 1985, which came into force on 1 July 1987, with provisions whose objective is to make concrete progress towards European unity. single file a line of people or things arranged one behind another. single-handed adv. 1 without help from another. 2 with one hand. —adj. 1 done etc. single-handed. 2 for one hand. single-handedly in a single-handed way. single-lens reflex denoting a reflex camera in which a single lens serves the film and the viewfinder. single-line with movement

of traffic in

only one direction at a time. single parent a person bringing up a child or children without a partner. singles bar a bar for single people seeking company. single-seater a vehicle with one seat. single stick 1 a basket-hilted stick of about a sword’s au how

e1 day

ov no

eo hair

Io near

or boy

va poor

2 one-handed fencing with this. single-tree US =

rel. to simplus SIMPLE]

single-minded

/,s1ng(s)l'marndid/ adj. having or intent on

only one _ purpose. 00 8 single-mindedly adv. single-mindedness n. singlet /'singlit/ n. 1 Brit. a garment worn under or instead of a shirt; a vest. 2 a single unresolvable line in a spectrum. [SINGLE + -ET!, after doublet, the garment being unlined]

singleton /'sing(a)It(a)n/ n. 1 one card only of a suit, esp. as dealt to a player. 2 a a single person or thing. b an only child. 3 a single child or animal born, not a twin etc. [SINGLE, after simpleton]

Sing Sing /sin 'stn/ a New York State Prison, built in 1825-8 at Ossining village on the Hudson River and formerly notorious for its severe discipline. It is now called Ossining Correctional Facility.

singsong /'sinspn/ adj., n., & v. —adj. uttered with a monotonous rhythm or cadence. —n. 1 a singsong manner. 2 Brit. an informal gathering for singing. —v.intr. & tr. (past and past part. singsonged) speak or recite in a singsong manner.

singular /'singjolo(r)/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 unique; much beyond the average; extraordinary. 2 eccentric or strange. 3 Gram. (of a word or form) denoting or referring to a single person or thing. 4 Math. possessing unique properties. 5 single, individual. —n. Gram. 1 a singular word or form. 2 the singular number. 00 singularly adv. [ME f. OF singuler f. L singularis (as sINGLE)]

singularity /|\smygjo'leriti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state or condition of being singular. 2 an odd trait or peculiarity. 3 Physics & Math. a point at which a function takes an infinite value, esp. in space-time when matter is infinitely dense. [ME f. OF singularité f. LL singularitas (as SINGULAR)] singularize /'singjolo,raiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 distinguish, individualize. 2 make singular. 00 singularization /-'zer{(a)n/ n. sinh /fam, sat'nert{/ abbr. Math. hyperbolic sine. [sine + hyperbolic]

Sinhalese

/,sinho'li:z, ,smo'li:z/ n. & adj. (also Singhalese

|\s1N9g-/) —n. (pl. same) 1a member of an Aryan people deriving from northern India and forming the majority of the population in Sri Lanka. 2 their language, spoken by 9 million people in Sri Lanka. It is descended from Sanskrit and was brought by settlers from northern India in the 5th c. Bc; its alphabet resembles that of the Dravidian languages of southern India. —adj. of or relating to this people or language. [Skr. sinhalam Sri Lanka (Ceylon) + -EsE] sinister /'sinista(r)/ adj. 1 suggestive of evil; looking malignant or villainous. 2 wicked or criminal (a sinister motive). 3 of evil omen. 4 Heraldry of or on the left-hand side of a shield etc. (i.e. to the observer's right). 5 archaic left-hand. 00 sinisterly adv. sinisterness n. [ME f. OF sinistre or L sinister left]

sinistral /'sinistr(s)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 left-handed. 2 of or on the left. 3 (of a flat-fish) with the left side uppermost. 4 (of a spiral shell) with whorls rising to the left and not (as usually) to the right. 00 sinistrality /-'treliti/ n. sinistrally adv.

sinistrorse /'sini,stro:s/ adj. rising towards the left, esp. of the spiral stem of a plant. [L sinistrorsus f. sinister left + vorsus past part. of vertere turn] sink /sink/ v. & n. —v. (past sank /seenk/ or sunk /sank/; past part. sunk or sunken) 1 intr. fall or come slowly downwards. 2 intr. disappear below the horizon (the sun is sinking). 3 intr. a go or penetrate below the surface esp. of a liquid. b (of a ship) go

to the bottom of the sea etc. 4 intr. settle down comfortably (sank into a chair). 5 intr. a gradually lose strength or value or quality etc.; decline (my heart sank). b (of the voice) descend in pitch or volume. c (of a sick person) approach death. 6 tr. send (a ship) to the bottom of the sea etc. 7 tr. cause or allow to sink or penetrate (sank its teeth into my leg). 8 tr. cause the failure of (a plan etc.) or the discomfiture of (a person). 9 tr. dig (a well) or bore (a shaft). 10 tr. engrave (a die) or inlay (a design). 11 tr. a invest (money) (sunk a large sum into the business). b lose (money) by investment. 12 tr. a cause (a ball) to enter a pocket in billiards, a hole at golf, etc. b achieve this by (a stroke). 13 tr. overlook or

aio fire

aua sour

(see over for consonants)

sinker

siren

1356

forget; keep in the background (sank their differences). 14 intr. (of a price etc.) become lower. 15 intr. (of a storm or river) subside. 16 intr. (of ground) slope down, or reach a lower level by subsidence. 17 intr. (foll. by on, upon) (of darkness) descend (on a place). 18 tr. lower the level of. 19 tr. (usu. in passive; foll. by in) absorb; hold the attention of (be sunk in thought). —n. 1 fixed basin with a water-supply and outflow pipe. 2 a place where foul liquid collects. 3 a place of vice or corruption. 4 a pool or marsh in which a river’s water disappears by evaporation or percolation. 5 Physics a body or process used to absorb or dissipate heat. 6 (in full sink-hole) Geol. a cavity in limestone etc. into which a stream etc. disappears. 0 sink in 1 penetrate or make its way in. 2 become gradually comprehended (paused to let the words sink in). sinking feeling a bodily sensation caused by hunger or apprehension. sinking fund money set aside for the gradual repayment of a debt. sink or swim even at the risk of complete failure (determined to try, sink or swim). sunk fence a fence formed by, or along the bottom of, a ditch. 00 sinkable

and outward bends along the edge. [L sinuatus past part. of sinuare bend]

sinuosity /|stnju'psiti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state of being sinuous. - 2a bend, esp. in a stream or road. [F sinuosité or med.L sinuositas (as sINUOUS)] sinuous |'sinjuas/ adj. with many curves; tortuous, undulating. 00 sinuously adv. sinuousness n. [F sinueux or L sinuosus (as SINUS)]} sinus /'sarnos/ n. 1 a cavity of bone or tissue, esp. in the skull connecting with the nostrils. 2 Med. a fistula esp. to a deep abscess. 3 Bot. the curve between the lobes of a leaf. [L, = bosom, recess]

sinusitis /,samo'saitis/ n. inflammation of a nasal sinus. sinusoid /'sarno,soid/ n. 1 a curve having the form of a sine wave. 2 a small irregular-shaped blood-vessel, esp. found in the liver. 00 sinusoidal /-'so1d(a)l/ adj. [F sinusoide f. L sinus: see SINUS]

Sion var. of Z1on.

adj. sinkage n. [OE sincan f. Gmc]

sinker /'s1nka(r)/ n. 1 a weight used to sink a fishing-line or

-sion /f(2)n, 3(2)n/ suffix forming nouns (see -Ion) from Latin participial stems in -s- (mansion; mission; persuasion).

sounding-line. 2 US a doughnut.

Sioux /su:/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. same) 1 a member of a group of

Sinkiang see X1njIANG. sinner /'srna(r)/ n. a person who sins, esp. habitually.

N. American Indian peoples. 2 the language of this group. —adj. of or relating to this people or language. 00 Siouan /'su: on/ adj. & n. [F f. a native name] sip /srp/ v. & n. —v.tr. & intr. (sipped, sipping) drink in one or more small amounts or by spoonfuls. —n. 1 a small mouthful of liquid (a sip of brandy). 2 the act of taking this. 00 sipper n. [ME: perh. a modification of suP}] sipe /sarp/n. a groove or channel in the tread of a tyre to improve its grip. [dial. sipe to ooze f. OE stpian, MLG stpen, of unkn. orig.] siphon /'saif(a)n/ n. & v. (also syphon) —n. 1 a pipe or tube shaped like an inverted V or U with unequal legs to convey a liquid from a container to a lower level by atmospheric pressure. 2 (in full siphon-bottle) an aerated-water bottle from which liquid is forced out through a tube by the pressure of gas. 3 Zool. a a canal or conduit esp. in cephalopods. b the sucking-tube of some insects etc. —v.tr. & intr. (often foll. by off) 1 conduct or flow through a siphon. 2 divert or set aside (funds etc.). 00 siphonage n. siphonal adj. siphonic /-'fontk/ adj. [F siphon or L sipho -onis f. Gk siphon pipe]

sinnet /'sinit/ n. (also sennit) Naut. braided cordage made in flat or round or square form from 3 to 9 cords. [17th c.: orig. unkn.]

Sinn Fein /fin 'fem/ n. an Irish movement founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith (1872-1922), Irish journalist and politician, originally aiming at the independence of Ireland and a revival of Irish culture and language and now dedicated to the political unification of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Sinn Fein became increasingly republican with the failure of the Home Rule movement. After the failure of the Easter rising it began to win Irish seats in Parliament, its members refusing to go to Westminster and setting up their own Parliament in Ireland in 1919. The republican section of the party supported De Valera in his rejection of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, most of it joining his Fianna Fail party on its formation in 1926. The remainder of the party began to function as the political wing of the IRA, and in 1969 split like the IRA into Official and Provisional wings. 00 Sinn Feiner n. [Ir. sinn féin we ourselves]

Sino- /'sarnau/ comb. form Chinese; Chinese and (Sino-American). [Gk Sinai the Chinese]

siphonophore /|sa'fona,fo:(r)/ n. any usu. translucent marine

Sino-Japanese Wars wars fought between China and Japan. The first, in 1894-5, caused by rivalry over Korea, was ended by Treaty of Shimonoseki in Japan’s favour. Poor Chinese performance in the war was a factor in the eventual overthrow of the Manchus in 1912. The second was in 1937-45; Japanese expansionism led to trouble in Manchuria in 1931 and to the establishment of a Japanese puppet State (Manchukuo) a year later. Hostilities began in earnest in 1937, but after two years of dramatic Japanese successes degenerated into stalemate. The Japanese position was gradually eroded by Communist guerrilla successes and finally collapsed at the end of the Second World War. sinologue /'saino,log, 's1-/ n. an expert in sinology. [F, formed as SINO- + GK -logos speaking]

hydrozoan of the order Siphonophora, e.g. the Portuguese manof-war. [GK siphdno- (as SIPHON, -PHORE)] sippet /'srpit/ n. 1 a small piece of bread etc. soaked in liquid. 2 a piece of toast or fried bread as a garnish. 3 a fragment. [app. dimin. of sop] sir /s3:(r)/ n. 1 a polite or respectful form of address or mode of

reference to a man. 2 (Sir) a titular prefix to the forename of a knight or baronet. [ME, reduced form of siRE] sirdar /'s3:da:(r)/ n. Ind. etc. 1 a person of high political or military rank. 2 a Sikh. [Urdu sardar f. Pers. sar head + dar possessor] -

sire /'sato(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 the male parent of an animal, esp. a stallion kept for breeding. 2 archaic a respectful form of address, now esp. to a king. 3 archaic poet. a father or male ancestor. —v.tr. (esp. of a stallion) beget. [ME f. OF ult. f. L senior: see SENIOR]

sinology /sa1'nvlod31, si-/ n. the study of Chinese language, history, customs, etc. 00 sinological /-na'lod31k(9)l/ adj. sinologist

n. Sino-Tibetan

|,sainovti'bet(s)n/ adj. of a language group

which includes Chinese, Burmese, Tibetan, Nepalese, and Thai. They are tonal languages, but the exact relationships between them are far from clear. —n. this group of languages. sinter /'sinto(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a siliceous or calcareous rock formed by deposition from springs. 2 a substance formed by sintering. —v.intr. & tr. coalesce or cause to coalesce from powder into solid by heating. [G, = E sinder cINDER]

Sint Niklaas see Saint NicoLas. Sintra /'si:ntra/ (also Cintra) a small town in central Portugal, formerly the summer residence of the Portuguese royal family;

pop. (1981) 20,000.

sinuate /'sinjuot/ adj. esp. Bot. wavy-edged; with distinct inward

b but

ddog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

siren /'saroron/ n. 1 a a device for making a loud prolonged signal or warning sound, esp. by revolving a perforated disc over a jet of compressed air or steam. b the sound made by this. 2 Gk Mythol. any of the creatures (two or three in number) who had the power of luring seafarers to destruction on dangerous rocks by their song. (This was the original meaning. See below.) 3 a sweet singer. 4 a a dangerously fascinating woman; a temptress. b a tempting pursuit etc. 5 (attrib.) irresistibly tempting. 6 an eel-shaped tailed amphibian of the family Sirenidae. 0 siren suit a one-piece garment for the whole body, easily put on or taken off, orig. for use in air-raid shelters. [ME f. OF sereine, sirene f. LL Sirena fem. f. L f. Gk Seirén] When definite locations began to be attached to Homeric geography the sirens were associated with the coast of Italy, and

kcat

lleg

m man

n no

Pppen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

sirenian were worshipped in Naples, Sorrentum, and Sicily. Their appearance is not described by Homer, but in art they are represented as half women and half birds, though in early examples male bearded sirens preponderate. The rapacious monsters of the archaic period are ennobled in classical art to mournful beautiful beings; in Hellenistic art and literature they are representative of music.

sirenian /sar'ri:nion/ adj. & n. —adj. of the order Sirenia of large aquatic plant-eating mammals, e.g. the manatee and dugong. —n. any mammal of this order. [mod.L Sirenia (as SIREN)]} sirgang |'ss:gen/ n. an Asian magpie, Kitta chinensis, having mainly green plumage with red wings. [a name in the E. Indies]

Sirius /'sirias/ the Dog Star, alpha Canis Majoris, the brightest of the fixed stars, an unmistakable jewel in the winter sky of the northern hemisphere, apparently following on the heels of the hunter Orion. It was important to the ancient Egyptians as its heliacal rising coincided with the season of flooding of the Nile. It has a dim companion, Sirius B or the Pup, which is a white dwarf. The pronounced twinkling of Sirius, familiar to

observers in northern latitudes, arises from atmospheric refraction and is nota property of the star itself.

sirloin /'s3:lorn/ n. the upper and choicer part of a join of beef. [OF (as sur-’, LOIN)] sirocco /s1'rpkau/ n. (also scirocce) (pl. -os) 1a Saharan simoom reaching the northern shores of the Mediterranean. 2 a warm

sultry rainy wind in S. Europe. [F f. It. scirocco, ult. f. Arab. Sarik east wind]

sirrah /|'stro/ n. archaic = sir (as a form of address). [prob. f. ME siré sir] sirree /si'ri:/ int. US collog. as an emphatic, esp. after yes or no. [sIR + emphatic suffix]

Sirte, Gulf of see Gulf of SipRa. sirup US var. of syrup. SIS abbr. Secret Intelligence Service, the British Secret Service controlling overseas agents (see DI and M.1.6).

sis /sts/ n. collog. a sister. [abbr.] sisal /'sats(a)l/ n. 1 a Mexican plant, Agave sisalana, with large fleshy leaves. 2 the fibre made from this plant, used for cordage, ropes, etc. [Sisal, the port of Yucatan, Mexico]

siskin /'stskm/ n. a dark-streaked yellowish-green songbird, Carduelis spinus, allied to the goldfinch. [MDu. siseken dimin., rel. to MLG sisek, MHG ise, zisec, of Slav. origin]

Sisley |'stsli/, Alfred (1839-99), French-born painter, of English parentage. His development towards impressionism from his early Corot-influenced landscapes was gradual and greatly indebted to Monet. He is chiefly remembered for his paintings of the Seine in the 1870s, with their concentration on reflecting surfaces, tonal mastery, and careful orchestration of fluid brush

work. Sissy |'sts1/ n. & adj. (also cissy) collog. —n. (pl. -ies) an effeminate or cowardly person. —adj. (sissier, sissiest) effeminate; cowardly. ob sissified adj. sissiness n. sissyish adj. [sis + -y?] sister /'ssto(r)/ n. 1 a woman or girl in relation to sons and other daughters of her parents. 2 a (often as a form of address) a close female friend or associate. b a female fellow member of a trade union, class, sect, or the human race. 3 a senior female nurse. 4 a member of a female religious order. 5 (attrib.) of the same type or design or origin etc. (sister ship; prose, the younger sister of verse). O sister german see GERMAN. sister-in-law (pl. sisters-in-law) 1 the sister of one’s wife or husband. 2 the wife of one’s brother. 3 the wife of one’s brother-in-law. Sister of Mercy a member of an educational or charitable order of women, esp. that founded in Dublin in 1827. sister uterine see UTERINE. 00 sisterless adj. sisterly adj. sisterliness n. [ME sister (f. ON), suster etc. (repr. OE sweoster f. Gmc)]

sisterhood /'sisto,hud/ n. 1 a the relationship between sisters. b sisterly friendliness; companionship; mutual support. 2 aa society or association of women, esp. when bound by monastic vows or devoting themselves to religious or charitable work or the feminist cause. b its members collectively.

wwe

z zoo

sitar

1357

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

Sistine /'sisti:n, 'ststarn/ adj. of any of the popes called Sixtus, esp. Sixtus IV (pope 1471-84). 0 Sistine Chapel a chapel in the Vatican, built by Pope Sixtus IV, containing Michelangelo’s painted ceiling and his fresco of the Last Judgement, and also frescos by Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, and others. It is used for the principal papal ceremonies and also by the cardinals when meeting for the election of a new pope. [It. Sistino f. Sisto Sixtus] sistrum /'sistrom/ n. (pl. sistra |-tro/) a jingling metal instrument used by the ancient Egyptians esp. in the worship of Isis. [ME f. L f, Gk seistron f. seid shake]

Sisyphean /,sis1'fi:on/ adj. as of Sisyphus; endlessly laborious. Sisyphus /'sisfos/ Gk Mythol. the son of Aeolus, condemned for his misdeeds to Hades where his eternal task was to roll a large stone to the top of a hill from which it always rolled down again. sit /sit/ v. & n. —v. (sitting; past and past part. sat /szt/) 1 intr. adopt or be in a position in which the body is supported more or less upright by the buttocks resting on the ground or a raised seat etc., with the thighs usu. horizontal. 2 tr. cause to sit; place ina sitting position. 3 intr. a (of a bird) perch. b (of an animal) rest with the hind legs bent and the body close to the ground. 4 intr. (of a bird) remain on its nest to hatch its eggs. 5 intr. a be engaged in an occupation in which the sitting position is usual. b (of a committee, legislative body, etc.) be engaged in business. ¢ (of an individual) be entitled to hold some office or position (sat as a magistrate). 6 intr. (usu. foll. by for) pose in a sitting position (for a portrait). 7 intr. (foll. by for) be a Member of Parliament for (a constituency). 8 tr. & (foll. by for) intr. Brit. be a candidate for (an examination). 9 intr. be in a more or less permanent position or condition (esp. of inactivity or being out of use or out of place). 10 intr. (of clothes etc.) fit or hang in a certain way. 11 tr. keep or have one’s seat on (a horse etc.). 12 intr. act as a babysitter. 13 intr. (often foll. by before) (of an army) take a position outside a city etc. to besiege it. —n. the way a dress etc. sits on a person. o be sitting pretty be comfortably or advantageously placed. make a person sit up collog. surprise or interest a person. sit at a person’s feet be a person’s pupil. sit at home be inactive. sit back relax one’s efforts. sit by look on without interfering. sit down 1 sit after standing. 2 cause to sit. 3 (foll. by under) submit tamely to (an insult etc.). sit-down adj. (of a meal) eaten sitting at a table. sit-down strike a strike in which workers refuse to leave their place of work. sit heavy on the stomach take a long time to be digested. sit in 1 occupy a place as a protest. 2 (foll. by for) take the place of. 3 (foll. by on) be present as a guest or observer at (a meeting etc.). sit-in n. a protest involving sitting in. sit in judgement assume the right of judging others; be censorious. sit loosely on not be very binding. sit on 1 be a member of (a committee etc.). 2 hold a session or inquiry concerning. 3 collog. delay action about (the government has been sitting on the report). 4 collog. repress or rebuke or snub (felt rather sat on). sit on the fence see FENCE. sit on one’s hands 1 take no action. 2 refuse to applaud. sit out 1 take no part in (a dance etc.). 2 stay till the end of (esp. an ordeal). 3 sit outdoors. 4 outstay (other visitors). sit tight colloq. 1 remain firmly in one’s place. 2 not be shaken off or move away or yield to distractions. sit up 1 rise from a lying to a sitting position. 2 sit firmly upright. 3 go to bed later than the usual time. 4 collog. become interested or aroused etc. sit-up n. a physical exercise in which a person sits up without raising the legs from the ground. sit up and take notice collog. have one’s interest aroused, esp. suddenly. sit-upon collog. the buttocks. sit well have a good seat in riding. sit well on suit or fit. [OE sittan f. Gmc]

Sita /'si:ta:/ (in the Ramayana) the wife of Rama. She is the Hindu model of the ideal woman, an incarnation of Lakshmi [Skr., = furrow] sitar /'sita:(r), st'ta:(r)/ n. a long-necked Indian lute with movable frets, of Persian origin, one of the most important of Indian music and now well known also in the West. The name derives from the Persian sehtar, ‘three-stringed’, and originally there were three melody strings (from four to seven are now common), together with a dozen or more ‘sympathetic strings’ (made of metal and providing a special background resonance) tf chip

d3 jar

(see over for vowels)

sitcom

size

1358

and two or three drone strings. The strings are plucked with a plectrum. 00 sitarist /si'ta:rist/ n. [Hindi sitar]

sitcom /'sitkom/ n. collog. a situation comedy. [abbr.] site /sait/ n. & v. 1 the ground chosen or used for a town or building. 2 a place where some activity is or has been conducted (camping site; launching site). —v.tr. 1 locate or place. 2 provide withasite. [ME f. AF site or L situs local position]

Sitka /'sitko/ n. (in full Sitka spruce) a fast-growing spruce, Picea sitchensis, native to N. America and yielding timber. [Sitka in Alaska] sitrep /'sitrep/ n. a report on the current military situation in an area. [situation report] sits vac /sits 'vek/ abbr. situations vacant. Sittang /'sitzn/ a river that rises in east central Burma and flows south into the Bay of Bengal at the Gulf of Martaban. sitter /'sito(r)/ n. 1 a person who sits, esp. for a portrait. 2 =

the Six (chiefly as the French phrase Les Six /ler'si:s/) a Parisian group of six composers (Durey, Honegger, Milhaud, Tailleferre, Auric, and Poulenc), formed after the First World War, whose . Music represents a reaction against romanticism and impressionism. at sixes and sevens in confusion or disagreement. knock for six collog. utterly surprise or overcome (a person). the Six Counties the Ulster counties of Antrim, Down, Armagh, Londonderry, Tyrone, and Fermanagh, which since 1960 have comprised the province of Northern Ireland. Six Day(s) War an Arab-Israeli war, 5-10 June 1967 (known to the Arabs as the June War), in which Israel occupied Sinai, east Jerusalem (the Old City), the West Bank, and the Golan Heights. six-gun = six-shooter. six of one and half a dozen of the other a situation of little real difference between the alternatives. six-shooter a revolver with six chambers. [OE siex etc. f. Gmc]

sixain /'stksern/ n. a six-line stanza. [F f. six six]

BABYSITTER (See BABYSIT). 3 collog. a an easy catch or shot. b an easy task. 4a sitting hen.

sixer /'sikso(r)/ n. 1 the leader of a group of six Brownies or Cubs. 2 Cricket a hit for six runs.

sitting /'sitrn/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a continuous period of being

sixfold /'stksfould/ adj. & adv. 1 six times as much or as many.

seated, esp. engaged in an activity (finished the book in one sitting). 2 a time during which an assembly is engaged in business. 3 a session in which a meal is served (dinner will be served in two sittings). 4 Brit. Law = TERM 5c. 5 a clutch of eggs.

—adj.

2 consisting of six parts. sixpence /'stkspons/ n. Brit. 1 the sum of six pence, esp. before decimalization. 2 hist. a coin worth six old pence (24p). sixpenny /'siksponi/ adj. Brit. costing or worth six pence, esp. before decimalization. sixte /stkst/ n. Fencing the sixth of the eight parrying positions. [F f. L sextus sixth] sixteen |,stks'ti:n, 'stks-/n. & adj. —n. 1 one more than fifteen, or six more than ten. 2 a symbol for this (16, xvi, XVI). 3 a size etc. denoted by sixteen. —adj. that amount to sixteen. 0

1

having sat down. 2 (of an animal or bird) not running or flying. 3 (of a hen) engaged in hatching. o sitting duck (or target) collog. a vulnerable person or thing. sitting pretty see PRETTY. sitting-room 1 a room in a house for relaxed sitting in. 2 space enough to accommodate seated persons. sitting tenant a tenant already in occupation of premises. situate v. & adj. —v.tr. |'sttju,ert/ (usu. in passive) 1 put in a

sixteenth note esp. US Mus. = SEMIQUAVER.

certain position or circumstances (is situated at the top of a hill; how are you situated at the moment?). 2 establish or indicate the place of; put in a context. —adj. |'sttjuat/ Law or archaic situated.

00 sixteenth adj.

& n. [OE siextiene (as SIX, -TEEN)] sixteenmo /siks'ti:nmou/ n. (pl. -os) sextodecimo. reading of the symbol 16mo]

[med.L situare situat- f. L situs site] situation /,sitju'erf(a)n/ n. 1 a place and its surroundings (the house stands in a fine situation). 2 a set of circumstances; a position in which one finds oneself; a state of affairs (came out of a difficult situation with credit). 3 an employee’s position or job. 4a critical

[English

sixth /stks6/ n. & adj. —n. 1 the position in a sequence corresponding to that of the number 6 in the sequence 1-6. 2 something occupying this position. 3 any of six equal parts of a thing. 4 Mus. a an interval or chord spanning six consecutive notes in the diatonic scale (e.g. C to A). b a note separated from another by this interval. —adj. that is the sixth. 0 sixth form Brit. a form in a secondary school for pupils over 16. sixth-form college Brit. a college for pupils over 16. sixth-former a pupil in the sixth form. sixth sense 1 a supposed faculty giving intuitive or extrasensory knowledge. 2 such knowledge. oo

point or complication in a drama. O situation comedy a comedy in which the humour derives from the situations the characters are placed in. situations vacant (or wanted) headings of lists of employment offered and sought. o0 situational adj. [ME f. F situation or med.L situatio (as sITUATE)]

Sitwell /'sitwel/, Dame Edith (Louisa) (1887-1964), English poet

sixthly adv. [sIx]

and critic. Light-hearted and experimental, her early verse, like that of her brothers Osbert (1892-1969) and Sacheverell (1897— 88), marked a revolt against the prevailing Georgian style of the day; Fagade, a group of her poems in notated rhythm declaimed to music by Sir William Walton, was performed in 1923. Her later verse is graver and more profound.

Sixtine /'stksti:n, -tam/ adj. = Sistine. [mod.L Sixtinus f. Sixtus]

gods, perhaps a later development of the Vedic god Rudra. He is worshipped in many aspects: as fierce destroyer, naked ascetic, lord of the cosmic dance, lord of beasts and, most commonly, in the form of the phallus (linga). In his beneficent aspect, he lives in the Himalayas with his wife Parvati and their two sons, Ganesha and Skanda. His mount is the bull Nandi.

sixty /'stksti/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 the product of six and ten. 2 a symbol for this (60, 1x, LX). 3 (in pl.) the numbers from 60 to 69, esp. the years of a century or of a person’s life. 4a set of sixty persons or things. —adj. that amount to sixty. o sixty-first, -second, etc. the ordinal numbers between sixtieth and seventieth. sixty-fourmo /,siksti'fo:mau/ (pl. -os) 1 a size of book in which each leaf is one-sixty-fourth of a printing-sheet. 2 a book of this size (after DUO-DECIMO etc.). sixty-fourth note esp. US Mus. = HEMIDEMISEMIQUAVER. sixty-four thousand (or sixty-four) dollar question a difficult and crucial question (from the top prize in a broadcast quiz show). sixty-one, -two, etc. the cardinal numbers between sixty and seventy. oo sixtieth adj. & n. sixtyfold adj. & adv. [OE siextig (as six, -Tv?)]

Typically, Siva is depicted with a third eye in the middle of his

sizable var. of sIzEaBLE.

forehead, wearing a crescent moon in his matted hair and a necklace of skulls at his throat, entwined with live snakes, and

sizar |'saizo(r)/ n. a student at Cambridge or at Trinity College, Dublin, paying reduced fees and formerly having certain menial duties. 00 sizarship n. [sizE! = ration] size! /sarz/ n. & v. —n. 1 the relative bigness or extent of a thing, dimensions, magnitude (is of vast size; size matters less than quality). 2 each of the classes, usu. numbered, into which things otherwise similar, esp. garments, are divided according to size (is made in several sizes; takes size 7 in gloves; is three sizes too big). —v.tr. sort or group in sizes or according to size. 0 of a size having the same size. of some size fairly large. the size of as

sitz-bath /'sitsba:6/ n. a hip-bath. [partial transl. of G Sitzbad f. sitzen sit + Bad bath]

Siva |'si:vo, 'fizva/ n. (also Shiva |'fi:va/) Hinduism one of the major

carrying a trident. 00 Sivaism n. Sivaite n. & adj. [Skr. Siva, lit. the auspicious one]

Siwalik Hills /st'wa:l1k/ foothills of the Himalayas in northern India and Nepal. six /siks/ n. & adj. —n. 1 one more than five, or four less than ten; the product of two units and three units. 2 a symbol for this (6, vi, VI). 3a size etc. denoted by six. 4 a set or team of six individuals. 5 Cricket a hit scoring six runs by clearing the boundary without bouncing. 6 the time of six o'clock (is it six yet?). 7 a card etc. with six pips. —adj. that amount to six. o z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

big as. the size of it collog. a true account of the matter (that is the size of it). size-stick a shoemaker’s measure for taking the 1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

Arun

o put

u: too

9 ago

al my

size

skew

1359

length of a foot. size up 1 estimate the size of. 2 collog. form a judgement of. what size? how big? oo sized adj. (also in comb.). sizer n. [ME f. OF sise f. assise Assizz, or f. ASSIZE]

skein /skem/ n. 1 a loosely-coiled bundle of yarn or thread. 2a flock of wild geese etc. in flight. 3 a tangle or confusion. [ME f. OF escaigne, of unkn. orig.]

size? /saiz/ n. & v. —n. a gelatinous solution used in glazing

skeleton /'skelit()n/ n. 1 a a hard internal or external frame-

paper, stiffening textiles, preparing plastered walls for decoration, etc. —v.tr. glaze or stiffen or treat with size. [ME, perh. = SIZE}]

sizeable /'saizab(s)l/ adj. (also sizable) large or fairly large. 00 sizeably adv.

sizzle /'stz(2)l/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 make sound as of frying. 2 collog. be in a state ment or marked effectiveness. —n. 1a a state of great heat or excitement. oo & adv. (sizzling hot). [imit.]

a sputtering or hissing of great heat or excitesizzling sound. 2 collog. sizzler n. sizzling adj.

SJ abbr. Society of Jesus. SJAA abbr. (in the UK) St John Ambulance Association. SJAB abbr. (in the UK) St John Ambulance Brigade. Sjaelland see ZEALAND. sjambok /'{embpk/ n. & v. —n. (in S. Africa) a rhinoceros-hide whip. —v.tr. flog with a sjambok. chambok f. Urdu chabuk]

[Afrik. f. Malay sambogq, 3

SJC abbr. (in the US) Supreme Judicial Court. Skaggerak /'skzgo,rek/ a strait separating south Norway from north Denmark and linking the Baltic to the North Sea.

skald /sko:ld, skold/ n. (also scald) (in ancient Scandinavia) a composer and reciter of poems honouring heroes and their

deeds. 00 skaldic adj. [ON skdld, of unkn. orig.}

Skara Brae /|,ska:re 'brei/ a late neolithic (3rd millennium Bc) settlement on the main island (Mainland) of Orkney, consisting of stone-built rooms with slab-shelves, chests, and hearths. skat /ska:t/ n. a three-handed card-game with bidding. [G f. It. scarto a discard f. scartare discard]

skate! /skert/ n. & v. —n. 1 each ofa pair of steel blades (or of boots with blades attached) for gliding on ice. 2 (in full roller skate) each of a pair of metal frames with small wheels, fitted to shoes for riding on a hard surface. 3 a device on which a heavy object moves. —v. 1 a intr. move on skates. b tr. perform (a specified figure) on skates. 2 intr. (foll. by over) refer fleetingly to, disregard. 0 get one’s skates on Brit. sl. make haste. skate on thin ice collog. behave rashly, risk danger, esp. by dealing with a subject needing tactful treatment. skating-rink a piece of ice artificially made, or a floor used, for skating. 00 skater n. [orig. scates (pl.) f. Du. schaats (sing.) f. ONF escace, OF eschasse stilt] skate? /skeit/ n. (pl. same or skates) any cartilaginous marine fish of the family Rajidae, esp. Raja batis, a large flat rhomboidal fish used as food. [ME f. ON skata] skate? /skert/ n. sl. a contemptible, mean, or dishonest person (esp. cheap skate). [19th c.: orig. uncert.]

skateboard /'skeitbo:d/ n. & v. —n. a short narrow board on roller-skate wheels for riding on while standing. Skateboards were introduced in California in the early 1960s and later achieved worldwide popularity. —v.intr. ride on a skateboard. oo skateboarder n. [SkATE}, after surfboard] skean /ski:n, 'ski:on/ n. hist. a Gaelic dagger formerly used in Ireland and Scotland, 0 skean-dhu /-'du:/ n. a dagger worn in the stocking as part of Highland costume. [Gael. sgian knife, dubh black]

sked /sked/ n. & v. collog. —n. = SCHEDULE.

—v.tr. (skedded,

skedding) = SCHEDULE. [abbr.]

skedaddle |sk1'dzd(a)l/ v. & n. colloq. —v.intr. run away, depart quickly, flee. —n. a hurried departure or flight. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] skeet /ski:t/ n. a shooting sport in which a clay target is thrown from a trap to simulate the flight of a bird. [ON skjéta sHooT]

skeeter! /'ski:ta(r)/ n. US & Austral. sl. a mosquito. [abbr.] skeeter? var. of SKITTER. skeg /skeg/ n. 1 a fin underneath the rear of a surfboard. 2 the after part of a vessel’s keel or a projection from it. [ON skeg beard, perh. via Du. scheg(ge)] au how

er day

ov no

eo hair

1a near

o1 boy

ua poor

work of bones, cartilage, shell, woody fibre, etc., supporting or containing the body of an animal or plant. b the dried bones of a human being or other animal fastened together in the same relative positions as in life. 2 the supporting framework or structure or essential part of a thing. 3 a very thin or emaciated person or animal. 4 the remaining part of anything after its life or usefulness is gone. 5 an outline sketch, an epitome or abstract. 6 (attrib.) having only the essential or minimum number of persons, parts, etc. (skeleton plan; skeleton staff). 0 skeleton at the feast something that spoils one’s pleasure; an intrusive worry. skeleton in the cupboard (US closet) a discreditable or embarrassing fact kept secret. skeleton key a key designed to fit many locks by having the interior of the bit hollowed. o0 skeletal adj. skeletally adv. skeletonize v.tr. (also -ise). [mod.L f. Gk, neut. of skeletos dried-up f. skellé dry up]

Skeleton Coast a name given to the arid Atlantic coast of Namibia.

j

Skelton /'skelt(a)n/, John (71460-1529), English poet, who was created ‘poet-laureate’ by Oxford, Cambridge, and Louvain Universities and became tutor to the future Henry VIII. His principal works include The Bowge of Courte, a satire on the court of Henry VII, Collyn Cloute, Speke Parrot, and a morality play Magnyfycence. His satires contained attacks on Cardinal Wolsey, setting forth the evil consequences of his dominating position, and as a result Skelton was obliged to take sanctuary at Westminster, where he died. His favourite metre was designated ‘a headlong voluble breathless doggerel’, short lines with two or three stresses and quick recurring rhymes, now known as ‘skeltonic’. skep /skep/ n. 1 a a wooden or wicker basket of any of various forms. b the quantity contained in this. 2 a straw or wicker beehive. [ME f. ON skeppa]

skepsis US var. of scEpsis. skeptic US var. of scEPTic. skeptical US var. of scEPTICAL. skerrick /'skerik/ n. (usu. with neg.) US & Austral. collog. the smallest bit (not a skerrick left). [N.Engl. dial.; orig. uncert.] skerry |'skeri/ n. (pl. -ies) Sc. a reef or rocky island. [Orkney dial. f. ON sker: cf. SCAR?]

sketch /sket{/ n. & v. —n. 1 a rough, slight, merely outlined, or unfinished drawing or painting, often made to assist in making a more finished picture. 2 a brief account without many details conveying a general idea of something, a rough draft or general outline. 3 a very short play, usu. humorous and limited to one scene. 4 a short descriptive piece of writing. 5 a musical composition of a single movement. 6 collog. a comical person or thing. —v. 1 tr. make or give a sketch of. 2 intr. draw sketches esp. of landscape (went out sketching). 3 tr. (often foll. by in, out) indicate briefly or in outline. Oo sketch-book (or -block) a pad of drawing-paper for doing sketches on. sketch-map a roughly-drawn map with few details. 00 sketcher n. [Du. schets or G Skizze f. It. schizzo f. schizzare make a sketch ult. f. Gk skhédios extempore]

sketchy /'sket{1/ adj. (sketchier, sketchiest) 1 giving only a slight or rough outline, like a sketch. 2 collog. unsubstantial or imperfect esp. through haste. 00 sketchily adv. sketchiness n. skeuomorph |'skju:o0,mo:f/ n. 1.an object or feature copying the design of a similar artefact in another material. 2 an ornamental design resulting from the nature of the material used or the method of working it. 00 skeuomorphic /-'mo:fik/ adj. [Gk skeuos vessel, implement + morphé form] skew /skju:/ adj., n., & v. —adj. 1 oblique, slanting, set askew. 2 Math. a lying in three dimensions (skew curve). b (of lines) not coplanar. c (of a statistical distribution) not symmetrical. —n. 1a slant. 2 Statistics skewness. —v. 1 tr. make skew. 2tr. distort. 3 intr. move obliquely. 4 intr. twist. 0 on the skew askew. skew arch (or bridge) an arch (or bridge) with the line of the arch not at right angles to the abutment. skew chisel a chisel with an oblique edge. skew-eyed Brit. squinting. skew gear a gear

aio fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

skewback

skin

1360

mainly with a rhythmic accompaniment to a singing guitarist etc. [perh. imit.]

consisting of two cog-wheels having non-parallel, non-intersecting axes. skew-whiff /skju:'wif] Brit. collog. askew. oo skewness n. [ONF eskiu(w)er (v.) = OF eschuer: see ESCHEW]

ski-joring /'ski:d3o:rm, Ji:!ja:rm/ n. a winter sport in which a . skier is towed by a horse or vehicle. skikjoring (as sx1, kjore drive)]

skewback |'skju:bek/ n. the sloping face of the abutment on which an extremity of an arch rests.

skilful /'skilfol/ adj. (US skillful) (often foll. by at, in) having or

skewbald /'skju:bo:ld/ adj. & n. —adj. (of an animal) with irreg-

showing skill; practised, expert, adroit, ingenious. 00 skilfully adv. skilfulness n.

ular patches of white and another colour (properly not black) (cf. PIEBALD). —n. a skéwbald animal, esp. a horse. [ME skued (orig. uncert.), after PIEBALD] skewer /'skju:o(r)/ n. & v. —n. a.long pin designed for holding meat compactly together while cooking. —v.tr. fasten together or pierce with or as with a skewer. [17th c., var. of dial. skiver: orig. unkn.]

skill /skzl/ n. (often foll. by in) expertness, practised ability, facility in an action; dexterity or tact. oo skill-less adj. (archaic skilless). [ME f. ON skil distinction]

skilled /skild/ adj. 1 (often foll. by in) having or showing skill; skilful. 2 (of a worker) highly trained or experienced. 3 (of work) requiring skill or special training.

ski /ski:/ n. & v. —n. (pl. skis or ski) 1 each of a pair of long

skillet /'skilt/ n. 1 Brit. a small metal cooking-pot with a long

narrow pieces of wood etc., usu. pointed and turned up at the front, fastened under the feet for travelling over snow. (See below.) 2 a similar device under a vehicle or aircraft. 3 = WATER-SKI. 4 (attrib.) for wear when skiing (ski boots). —v. (skis, ski’d or skied /ski:d/; skiing) 1 intr. travel on skis. 2 tr. ski at (a place). 0 ski-bob n. a machine like a bicycle with skis instead of wheels. —v.intr. (-bobbed, -bobbing) ride a ski-bob. ski-bobber a person who ski-bobs. ski-jump 1 a steep slope levelling off before a sharp drop to allow a skier to leap through the air. 2 a jump made from this. ski-jumper a person who takes part in ski-jumping. ski-jumping the sport of leaping off a ski-jump with marks awarded for style and distance attained. ski-lift a device for carrying skiers up a slope, usu. on seats hung from an overhead cable. ski-plane an aeroplane having its undercarriage fitted with skis for landing on snow or ice. ski-run a slope prepared for skiing. 00 skiable adj. [Norw. f. ON skith billet, snow-shoe] The oldest skis that have been found, preserved in bogs in Sweden and Finland, date from the 3rd millennium Bc, and a rock-carving in northern Norway of two men on skis from c.2000 Bc; there are references to skis in Norse mythology. The Vikings used skis in the 10th—11th c., and ski troops were used in Scandinavia, Poland, and Russia in the 15th—-16th c. The type of ski evolved in these countries, however, was unsuited to steep Alpine mountains, and skiing was virtually unknown in central Europe until it was introduced by Scandinavian and British visitors as a sport and recreation in the mid-19th and 20th c. Competitive skiing falls into two categories: Nordic (crosscountry racing and jumping) and Alpine (downhill or straight racing, and slalom and giant slalom racing between series of set gates).

handle and usu. legs. 2 US a frying-pan. [ME, perh. f. OF escuelete dimin. of escuele platter f. LL scutella]

skillful US var. of sKILFUL. skilly /'skili/ n. Brit. 1 a thin broth or soup or gruel (usu. of oatmeal and water flavoured with meat). 2 an insipid beverage; tea or coffee. [abbr. f. skilligalee, prob. fanciful]

skim /skim/ v. & n. —v. (skimmed, skimming) 1 tr. a take scum or cream ora floating layer from the surface of (a liquid). b take (cream etc.) from the surface of a liquid. 2 tr. a keep touching lightly or nearly touching (a surface) in passing over. b deal with or treat (a subject) superficially. 3 intr. a (often foll. by over, along) go lightly over a surface, glide along in the air. b (foll. by over) = sense 2b of v. 4 a tr. read superficially, look over cursorily, gather the salient facts contained in. bintr. (usu. foli. by through) read or look over cursorily. 5 tr. US sl. conceal or divert (income) to avoid paying tax. —n. 1 the act or an instance of skimming. 2 a thin covering on a liquid (skim of ice). oOskim the cream off take the best part of. skim (or skinamed) milk milk from which the cream has been skimmed. [ME, back-form. f. SKIMMER] skimmer /'skimo(r)/ n. 1 a device for skimming liquids. 2 a person who skims. 3a flat hat, esp. a broad-brimmed straw hat. 4 any long-winged marine bird of the genus Rynchops that feeds by skimming over water with its knifelike lower mandible immersed. 5 a hydroplane, hydrofoil, hovercraft, or other vessel that has little or no displacement at speed. 6 US a sheath-like dress. [ME f. OF escumoir f. escumer f. escume scuM] skim mia /'skrm1g/ n. any evergreen shrub of the genus Skimmia, Native to E. Asia, with red berries. [mod.L f. Jap.]

skimp /skimp| v., adj., & n. —v. 1 tr. (often foll. by in) supply (a

skiagraphy var. of scIAGRAPHY. skiamachy var. of sclAMACHY. skid /skid/v. & n. —v. (skidded, skidding) 1 intr. (of a vehicle, a wheel, or a driver) slide on slippery ground, esp. sideways or obliquely. 2 tr. cause (a vehicle etc.) to skid. 3 intr. slip, slide. 4 intr. collog. fail or decline or err. 5 tr. support or move or protect or check with a skid. —n. 1 the act or an instance of skidding. 2 piece of wood etc. serving as a support, ship’s fender, inclined plane, etc. 3 a braking device, esp. a wooden or metal shoe preventing a wheel from revolving or used as a drag. 4 a runner beneath an aircraft for use when landing. 0 hit the skids collog. enter a rapid decline or deterioration. on the skids collog. 1 about to be discarded or defeated. 2 ready for launching. put the skids under collog. 1 hasten the downfall or failure of. 2

person etc.) meagrely with food, money, etc. 2 tr. use a meagre or insufficient amount of, stint (material, expenses, etc.). 3 intr. be parsimonious. —adj. scanty. —n. collog. a small or scanty thing, esp. a skimpy garment. [18th c.: orig. unkn.: cf. scRIMP]

skimpy

skiddoo /sk'du:/ v.intr. (also skidoo) (-oos, -ooed) US sl. go away; depart. [perh. f. sKEDADDLE]

skier! /'ski:o(r)/ n. a person who skis. skier? var. of SKYER. skiff /skif] n. a light rowing-boat or sculling-boat. [F esquif f. It. schifo, rel. to SHIP]

skiffle /'skif(a)l/ n. a kind of folk music played by a small group, f few

g get

hhe

j yes

skimpiest)

meagre;

not

skin /skim/n. & v. —n. 1 the flexible continuous covering of a

slippery surface prepared for vehicle-drivers to practise control of skidding. 2 a braking device. skid road US 1 a road for hauling logs along. 2 a part of a town frequented by loggers or vagrants. skid row US a part of a town frequented by vagrants, alcoholics, etc. [17th c.: orig. unkn.]

d dog

/'skimp1/ adj. (skimpier,

ample or sufficient. 00 skimpily adv. skimpiness n.

cause to hasten. skid-lid sl. a crash-helmet. skid-pan Brit. 1a

b but

00 ski-jorer n. [Norw.

human or other animal body. (See below.) 2 a the skin of a flayed animal with or without the hair etc. b a material prepared from skins esp. of smaller animals (opp. HIDE?). 3. a person’s skin with reference to its colour or complexion (has a fair skin). 4 an outer layer or covering, esp. the coating of a plant, fruit, or sausage. 5 a film like skin on the surface of a liquid etc. 6 a container for liquid, made of an animal’s whole skin. 7 a the planking or plating of a ship or boat, inside or outside the ribs. b the outer covering of any craft or vehicle, esp. an aircraft or spacecraft. 8 Brit. sl. a skinhead. 9 US Cards a game in which each player has one card which he bets will not be the first to be matched by a card dealt from the pack. 10 = gold-beater’s skin. 11 a duplicating stencil. —v. (skinned, skinning) 1 tr. remove the skin from. 2 (often foll. by over) a tr. cover (a sore etc.) with or as with skin. b intr. (of a wound etc.) become covered with new skin. 3 tr. sl. fleece or swindle. o be skin and bone be very thin. by (or with) the skin of one’s teeth by a very harrow margin. change one’s skin undergo an impossible change of character etc. get under a person’s skin collog. interest or annoy a person intensely. have a thick (or thin) skin be

kcat

lleg

m man

nno

ppen

rred

s sit

t top

v voice

skinflint

skitter

1361

insensitive (or sensitive) to criticism etc. no skin off one’s nose collog. a matter of indifference or even benefit to one. skin-deep (of a wound, or of an emotion, an impression, beauty, etc.) superficial, not deep or lasting. skin-diver a person who swims underwater without a diving-suit, usu. in deep water with an aqualung and flippers. skin-diving such swimming. skin effect Electr. the tendency of a high-frequency alternating current to flow through the outer layer only of a conductor. skin-flick sl. an explicitly pornographic film. skin-food a cosmetic intended to improve the condition of the skin. skin friction friction at the surface of a solid and a fluid in relative motion. skin game US sl. a swindling game. skin-graft 1 the surgical transplanting of skin. 2 a piece of skin transferred in this way. skin test a test to determine whether an immune reaction is elicited when a substance is applied to or injected into the skin. skin-tight (of a garment) very close-fitting. to the skin through all one’s clothing (soaked to the skin). with a whole skin unwounded. 00 skinless adj. skin-like adj. skinned adj. (also in comb.). [OE scin(n) f. ON skinn] Skin protects the rest of the body from external injury, excessive heat or cold, fluid loss, and infection, and acts as a senseorgan, providing the body with information about the environment through special nerve-endings (temperature, touch, pressure, and pain receptors). Heat and water are lost through the skin, which thus plays an important part in controlling the temperature of the body and in maintaining the balance of body fluid. The skin’s outer layer, the epidermis, itself consists of four layers, of which the innermost consists of continuously dividing cells; the other three are continually renewed as these are pushed outwards and become progressively impregnated with keratin. The outermost layer contains dead cells whose cytoplasm has been entirely replaced by keratin, and which are gradually sloughed off. The inner layer or true skin, the dermis, is a thick layer of living tissue within which are blood capillaries and lymph vessels, sensory nerveendings, sweat glands and their ducts, sebaceous glands, and smooth muscle fibres.

skinflint /'skinflint/ n. a miserly person. skinful /'skinful/ n. (pl. -fuls) collog. enough alcoholic liquor to make one drunk.

skinhead /'skinhed/ n. 1 Brit. a youth with close-cropped hair, esp. one of an aggressive gang. 2 US a recruit in the Marines.

skink /skink/ n. any small lizard of the family Scincidae. [F scinc or L scincus f. Gk skigkos]

Skinner /'skmna(r)/, Burrhus Frederic (1904-90), American psychologist, ardent promoter of the view that the proper study of psychology should be to predict, and hence be able to control, behaviour. His experiments on animals demonstrated that arbitrary responses could be obtained provided that certain outcomes (‘reinforcements’) were made contingent upon them: rewards increased the frequency of response, punishments decreased it. He applied similar techniques in both clinical and educational practice, devising (in the 1930s) one of the first teaching machines, and was involved in the development of programmed learning. Skinner also attempted to account for the nature and development of language as being a response to conditioning. skinner /'skina(r)/ n. 1 a person who skins animals or prepares skins. 2 a dealer in skins, a furrier. 3 Austral. Racing sl. a result

very profitable to bookmakers.

skinny /'skini/ adj. (skinnier, skinniest) 1 thin or emaciated. 2

print). 4 tr. collog. not participate in. 5 tr. collog. depart quickly from; leave hurriedly. 6 intr. (often foll. by out, off) collog. make off, disappear. 7 tr. make (a stone) ricochet on the surface of water. —n. 1a skipping movement or action. 2 Computing the action of passing over part of a sequence of data or instructions. 3 US collog. a person who defaults or absconds. Oo skip it sl. 1 abandon a topic etc. 2 make off, disappear. skipping-rope (US skip-rope) a length of rope revolved over the head and under the feet while jumping as a.game or exercise. skip zone the annular region round a broadcasting station where neither direct nor reflected waves are received. [ME, prob. f. Scand.] skip? /skrp/ n. 1 a large container for builders’ refuse etc. 2 a cage, bucket, etc., in which men or materials are lowered and raised in mines and quarries. 3 = sKeP. [var. of SKEP]

skip? /skip/n. & v. —n. the captain or director of a side at bowls or curling. —v.tr. (skipped, skipping) be the skip of. [abbr. of SKIPPER}]

skipjack /'skipd3zk/ n. 1 (in full skipjack tuna) a small striped Pacific tuna, Katsuwonus pelamus, used as food. 2 a click beetle. 3 a kind of sailing-boat used off the East coast of the US. [sxip! + JACK}] 4

skipper! /'skrpo(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a sea captain, esp. the master of a small trading or fishing vessel. 2 the captain of an aircraft. 3 the captain of a side in games. —v.tr. act as captain of. [ME f. MDu., MLG schipper f. schip SHIP]

skipper? /'skipa(r)/ n. 1a person who skips. 2 any brown thickbodied butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. skippet /'skrpit/ n. a small round wooden box to enclose and protect a seal attached to a document. [ME: orig. unkn.]

skirl /sks:i/ n. & v. —n. the shrill sound characteristic of bagpipes. —v.intr. make a skirl. [prob. Scand.: ult. imit.]

skirmish /'sks:m1//n. & v. —n. 1

piece of irregular or unpre-

meditated fighting esp. between small or outlying parts of armies or fleets, a slight engagement. 2 a short argument or contest of wit etc. —v.intr. engage in a skirmish. 00 skirmisher n. [ME f. OF eskirmir, escremir f. Frank.] skirr /sks:(r)/ v.intr. move rapidly esp. with a whirring sound. [perh. rel. to scour! or scouR?} skirret /'skirit/n. a perennial umbelliferous plant, Sium sisarum, formerly cultivated in Europe for its edible root. [ME skirwhit(e), perh. formed as SHEER}, WHITE] skirt /sks:t/ n. & v. —n. 1a woman’s outer garment hanging from the waist. 2 the part of a coat etc. that hangs below the waist. 3 a hanging part round the base of a hovercraft. 4 (in sing. or pl.) an edge, border, or extreme part. 5 (also bit of skirt) sl. offens. a woman regarded as an object of sexual desire. 6 (in full skirt of beef etc.) a the diaphragm and other membranes as food. b Brit. a cut of meat from the lower flank. 7 a flap of a saddle. 8 a surface that conceals or protects the wheels or underside of a vehicle or aircraft. —v. 1 tr. go along or round or past the edge of. 2 tr. be situated along. 3 tr. avoid dealing with (an issue etc.). 4 intr. (foll. by along) go along the coast, a wall, etc. O skirt-dance a dance with graceful manipulation of a full skirt. 00 skirted adj. (also in comb.). skirtless adj. [ME f. ON skyrta shirt, corresp. to OE scyrte: see SHIRT]

skirting /'sks:trn/ n. (in full skirting-board) Brit. a narrow board etc. along the bottom of the wall of a room.

skit! /skit/ n. (often foll. by on) a light, usu. short, piece of satire or burlesque. [rel. to skit move lightly and rapidly, perh. f. ON (cf. skjota sHooT)]

(of clothing) tight-fitting. 3 made of or like skin. o skinny-dipping esp. US collog. bathing in the nude. oo skinniness 1.

skit? /skit/ n. collog. 1 a large number, a crowd. 2(in pl.) heaps,

skint /skint/ adj. Brit. sl. having no money left. [= skinned, past

skite /skait/ v. & n. —v.intr. Austral. & NZ collog. boast, brag.

part. of SKIN]

skip! /skip/ v. & n. —v. (skipped, skipping) 1 intr. a move along lightly, esp. by taking two steps with each foot in turn, b jump lightly from the ground, esp. so as to clear a skipping-rope. c jump about, gambol, caper, frisk. 2 intr. (often foll. by from, off, to) move quickly from one point, subject, or occupation to another; be desultory. 3 tr. (also absol.) omit in dealing with a series or in reading (skip every tenth row; always skips the small

wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

9 thin.

6 this

yn ring

x loch

lots. [20th c.: cf. scADS] —n..1 Austral. & NZ collog. aa boaster. b boasting; boastfulness. 2 Sc. a drinking-bout; a spree (on the skite). [Sc. & N.Engl. dial., = a person regarded with contempt: cf. BLATHERSKITE] skitter /'skita(r)/ v.intr. (also skeeter /'ski:to(r)/) 1 a (usu. foll. by along, across) move lightly or hastily. b (usu. foll. by about, off) hurry about, dart off. 2 fish by drawing bait jerkily across the surface of the water. [app. frequent. of dial. skite, perh. formed as SKIT] tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

skittery skittery /'skitori/ adj. skittish, restless. skittish /'skitr/ adj. 1 lively, playful. 2 (of a horse etc.) nervous, inclined to shy, fidgety. 00 skittishly adv. skittishness n. [ME, perh. formed as skIT!]

skittle /'skit(o)l/n. & v. —n. 1a pin used in the game of skittles. 2 (in pl.; usu. treated as sing.) aa game like ninepins played with usu. nine wooden pins set up at the end of an alley to be bowled down usu. with wooden balls or a wooden disc. b (in full table

skittles) a game played with similar pins set up on a board to be knocked down by swinging a suspended ball. ¢ collog. chess not played seriously. —v.tr. (often foll. by out) Cricket get (batsmen) out in rapid succession. [17th c. (also kittle-pins): orig. unkn.]

skive /skarv/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. split or pare (hides, leather, etc.). 2 intr. Brit. sl. a evade a duty, shirk. b (often foll. by off) avoid work by absenting oneself, play truant. —n. sl. 1 an instance of shirking. 2 an easy option. 00 skiver n. [ON skifa, rel. to ME schive slice} skivvy |'skrvi/n. & v. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 Brit. collog. derog. a female domestic servant. 2 US a a thin high-necked long-sleeved garment. b (in pl.) underwear of vest and underpants —-v. (-ies, -ied) Brit. work as or like a skivvy. [20th c.: orig. unkn.]

SkRol |skol, skoul/ n. (also skoal) used as a toast in drinking. [Da. skaal, Sw. skal, f. ON skal bowl]

Alexander

(1872-1915),

Russian

composer, born in Moscow where he studied at the Conservatory before embarking on a career as a concert pianist. Much of his music is influenced by the mystic theories he

encountered in Brussels in 1908, especially the best known of his works, the symphonic poem Prometheus, or The Poem of Fire (1909-10), which is scored for orchestra, piano, optional choir, and ‘keyboard of light’ (projecting colours on to a screen) and is based on the chord he called ‘mystic’. skua /'skju:o/ n. any large predatory sea bird of the family Stercorariidae which pursues other birds and makes them disgorge the fish they have caught. [mod.L f. Faroese sktigvur, ON skiifr]

skulduggery

|skal'dagori/

on.

(also

skydiving /'skai,darvin/ n. the sport of performing acrobatic manoeuvres under free fall with a parachute. 00 skydive v.intr. skydiver n.

Skye /skai/ the largest of the Inner Hebrides in NW Scotland. Much of the island is mountainous, especially the rugged Cuillin Hills. —n. (in full Skye terrier) a small long-bodied shortlegged long-haired slate or fawn coloured variety of Scotch terrier.

skyer /'skato(r)/ n. (also skier) Cricket a high hit. skyjack |'skaid3zek/ v. & n. sl. —v.tr. hijack (an aircraft). —n. Skylab /'skarleb/ a space laboratory (Skylab 1) launched into

slavia; pop. (1981) 506,500.

[skri'a:bin/,

an imaginary colour. sky-clad sl. naked (esp. in witchcraft). sky cloth Theatr. a backcloth painted or coloured to represent the sky. sky-high adv. & adj. as if reaching the sky, very high. the . sky is the limit there is practically no limit. sky pilot sl. a clergyman. sky-rocket n. a rocket exploding high in the air. —v.intr. (-rocketed, -rocketing) (esp. of prices etc.) rise very steeply or rapidly. sky-shouting the sending of messages from an aircraft to the ground by means of a loudspeaker. sky-sign an advertisement on the roof of a building. sky wave a radio wave reflected from the ionosphere. sky-writing legible smoke-trails made by an aeroplane esp. for advertising. to the skies very highly; without reserve (praised to the skies). under the open sky out of doors. 00 skyey adj. skyless adj. [ME ski(es) cloud(s) f. ON sky]

an act of skyjacking. 00 skyjacker n. [Sky + HIJACK]

Skopje /'skopje1/ the capital of the republic of Macedonia YugoSkryabin

slack

1362

sculduggery,

skullduggery) trickery; unscrupulous behaviour. [earlier sculduddery, orig. Sc. = unchastity (18th c.: orig. unkn.)]

skulk /skalk/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 move stealthily, lurk, or keep oneself concealed, esp. in a cowardly or sinister way. 2 stay or sneak away in time of danger. 3 shirk duty. —n. 1 a person who skulks. 2 a company of foxes. 00 skulker n. [ME f. Scand.: cf. Norw. skulka lurk, Da. skulke, Sw. skolka shirk]

skull /skal/ n. 1 the bony case of the brain of a vertebrate. 2 a the part of the skeleton corresponding to the head. b this with the skin and soft internal parts removed. ¢ a representation of this. 3 the head as the seat of intelligence. 0 out of one’s skull sl. out of one’s mind, crazy. skull and crossbones a representation of a skull with two thigh-bones crossed below it as an emblem of piracy or death. skull session US sl. a discussion or conference. 00 skulled adj. (also in comb.). [ME scolle: orig. unkn.]

Earth orbit by the US in 1973, where experiments were conducted in conditions of zero gravity. It was manned until 1974 and disintegrated in the atmosphere in 1979 after its orbit had become unstable, some parts crashing to earth in the desert of Western Australia.

skylark /'skarla:k/ n. & v. —n. a lark, Alauda arvensis of Eurasia and N. Africa, that sings while hovering in flight. ~—v.intr. play tricks or practical jokes, indulge in horseplay, frolic. [sky + LARK!; (v.) with pun on LARK}, LARK?

skylight /'skarlart/ n. a window set in the plane of a roof or ceiling.

skyline /'skatlain/ n. the outline of hills, buildings, etc., defined against the sky; the visible horizon. skysail /'skaseil, -s(a)l/ n. a light sail above the royal in a squarerigged ship. skyscape |'skaiskerp/ n. 1 a picture chiefly representing the sky. 2 a view of the sky. skyscraper /|'skai,skre:pa(r)/ n. a very tall building with many storeys, especially the type of office building that dominates Manhattan Island, New York, and the centres of other large American cities. Skyscrapers were first built because of the high cost of land in congested urban areas, and subsequently also for their prestige value even when they were not economical. They were made possible technically by the development of the steelframe construction and the invention of the electric lift. Leroy S. Buffington, a Minneapolis architect, designed the first skyscraper in 1880, but the first one actually erected was the Home Insurance Building in Chicago, a 10-storey structure completed in 1885.

skullcap /'skalkep/ n. 1 a small close-fitting peakless cap. 2 the

skyward /'skarwod/ adv. & adj. —adv. (also skywards) towards

top part of the skull. 3 any plant of the genus Scutellaria, with helmet-shaped bilabiate flowers.

the sky. —adj. moving skyward. skywatch /'skarwot}/ n. the activity of watching the sky for aircraft etc. skyway /'skaiwel/ n. 1 a route used by aircraft. 2 the sky asa medium of transport.

skunk /skank/ n. & v. —n. 1 a any of various cat-sized flesheating mammals of the family Mustelidae, esp. Mephitis mephitis having a distinctive black and white striped fur and able to emit a powerful stench from a liquid secreted by its anal glands as a defence. b its fur. 2 collog. a thoroughly contemptible person.

slab /sleb/n. & v. —n. 1

—v.tr. 1 US sl. defeat. 2 fail to pay (a bill etc.). o skunk-bear US a wolverine. skunk-cabbage US a herbaceous plant, Lysichiton americanum, with an offensive-smelling spathe. [Amer. Ind. segankw, segongw] sky /skai/ n. & v. —n. (pl. skies) (in sing. or pl.) 1 the region of the atmosphere and outer space seen from the earth. 2 the weather or climate evidenced by this. —v.tr. (skies, skied) 1 Cricket etc. hit (a ball) high into the air. 2 hang (a picture) high ona wall. o sky-blue adj. & n. a bright clear blue. sky-blue pink

e cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

flat broad fairly thick usu. square or

rectangular piece of solid material, esp. stone. 2 a large flat piece of cake, chocolate, etc. 3 (of timber) an outer piece sawn from a log. 4 Brit. a mortuary table. —v.tr. (slabbed, slabbing) remove slabs from (a log or tree) to prepare it for sawing into planks. (ME: orig. unkn.]

slack! |slek/ adj., n., v., & adv. —adj. 1 (of rope etc.) not taut. 2 inactive or sluggish. 3 negligent or remiss. 4 (of tide etc.) neither ebbing nor flowing. 5 (of trade or business or a market) with little happening. 6 loose. 7 Phonet. lax. 8 relaxed, languid. —n. 1 the slack part of a rope (haul in the slack). 2 a slack time in

1 sit

i: see

p hot

0: saw

arun

o put

u: too

0 ago

al my

slack

trade etc. 3 collog. a spell of inactivity or laziness. 4 (in pl.) full-length loosely-cut trousers for informal wear. —v. 1 a tr. & intr. slacken. b tr. loosen (rope etc.). 2 intr. collog. take a rest, be lazy. 3 tr. slake (lime). —adv. 1 slackly. 2 slowly or insufficiently (dry slack; bake slack). 0 slack hand lack of full control in riding or governing. slack lime slaked lime. slack off 1 loosen. 2 lose or cause to lose vigour. slack rein = slack hand. slack suit US casual clothes of slacks and a jacket or shirt. slack up reduce the speed of a train etc. before stopping. slack water a time near the turn of the tide, esp. at low tide. take up the slack use up a surplus or make up a deficiency; avoid an undesirable lull. 00 slackly adv. slackness n. [OE slec f. Gmc]

slack? /slek/ n. coal-dust or small pieces of coal. [ME prob. f. LG or Du.] slacken /'slekon/ v.tr. & intr. make or become slack. o slacken off = slack off (see SLACK’).

slacker /'sleka(r)/ n. a shirker; an indolent person. slag /sleg/n. & v. —n. 1 vitreous refuse left after ore has been smelted, dross separated in a fused state in the reduction of ore, clinkers. 2 volcanic scoria. 3 sl. derog. a a prostitute or promiscuous woman. b a worthless or insignificant person. —-v. (slagged, slagging) 1 intr. a form slag. b cohere into a mass like slag. 2 tr. (often foll. by off) sl. criticize, insult. o slag-heapahill of refuse from a mine etc. slag-wool = mineral wool. 00 slaggy adj. (slaggier, slaggiest). [MLG slagge, perh. f.

slagen strike, with ref. to fragments formed by hammering]

slain past part. of stay}. slainte |'sla:ntfa/ int. a Gaelic toast: good health! [Gael. sldinte, lit. ‘health’]

slake /sletk/ v.tr. 1 assuage or satisfy (thirst, revenge, etc.). 2 disintegrate (quicklime) by chemical combination with water. [OE slacian f. slec SLACK] slalom /'sla:lom/ n. 1 a ski-race down a zigzag course defined by artificial obstacles. 2 an obstacle race in canoes or cars or on skateboards or water-skis. [Norw., lit. ‘sloping track’]

slam! /slem]/ v. & n. —v. (slammed, slamming) 1 tr. & intr. shut forcefully and loudly. 2 tr. put down (an object) with a similar sound. 3 intr. move violently (he slammed out of the room). 4 tr. & intr. put or come into sudden action (slam the brakes on). 5 tr. sl. criticize severely. 6tr. sl. hit. 7 tr. sl. gain an easy victory over. —n. 1a sound of or as of a slammed door. 2 the shutting of a door etc. with a loud bang. 3 (usu. prec. by the) US sl. prison. [prob. f. Scand.: cf. ON slam(b)ra] slam? /slzm/ n. Cards the winning of every trick in a game. o grand slam 1 Bridge the winning of 13 tricks. 2 the winning of all of a group of championships or matches ina sport. small (or little) slam Bridge the winning of 12 tricks. [orig. name of a card-game: perh. f. obs. slampant trickery]

slambang /|slem'ben/ adv. & adj. —adv. with the sound of a slam. —adj. collog. impressive, exciting, or energetic.

slammer |'slzmo(r)/ n. (usu. prec. by the) sl. prison. slander /'sla:nda(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a malicious, false, and injurious statement spoken about a person. 2 the uttering of such statements; calumny. 3 Law false oral defamation (cf. LIBEL). —-v.tr. utter slander about; defame falsely. 00 slanderer n. slanderous adj. slanderously adv. [ME sclaundre f. AF esclaundre, OF esclandre alt. f. escandle f. LL scandalum: see SCANDAL] slang /slen/ n. & v. —n. words, phrases, and uses that are regarded as very informal and are often restricted to special contexts or are peculiar to a specified profession, class, etc. (racing slang; schoolboy slang). (See below.) —v. 1 tr. use abusive language to. 2 intr. use such language. Oo slanging-match a prolonged exchange of insults. [18th-c. cant: orig. unkn.] Some words originally regarded as slang (e.g. clever, fun, frisky, mob, which were disliked by Dr Johnson and others in the 18th c.) have now passed into standard non-colloquial usage; others (e.g. quid = £1) have remained in the category of slang. Slang is used sometimes for fun, or to be concise or picturesque, or to express feelings and attitudes (e.g. of hostility, ridicule, or affection) better than dignified words would do; it can make light of a serious or tragic situation, or refer to it by paraphrase; it can shock or attract attention; in particular, it can identify au how

slate

1363

er day

ov no

eo hair

19 near

or boy

vo poor

its users as members of a special group. Writers such as Dryden and Swift (17th-18th c.) thought that slang words and phrases were allowed too easy an entrance to the English language and proposed an Academy on the French model which they hoped might ‘regulate’ grammar and vocabulary. The proposal, however, came to nothing. slangy |'sleni/ adj. (slangier, slangiest) 1 of the character of slang. 2 fond of using slang. 00 slangily adv. slanginess n. slant /sla:nt/ v., n., & adj. —v. 1 intr. slope; diverge from aline;

lie or go obliquely to a vertical or horizontal line. 2 tr. cause to do this. 3 tr. (often as slanted adj.) present (information) from a particular angle esp. in a biased or unfair way. —n. 1a slope; an oblique position. 2 a way of regarding a thing; a point of view, esp. a biased one. —adj. sloping, oblique. 0 on a (or the) slant aslant. slant-eyed having slanting eyes. slant height the height of a cone from the vertex to the periphery of the base. [aphetic form of ASLANT: (v.) rel. to ME slent f. ON sletta dash, throw]

slantwise /'sla:ntwaiz/ adv. aslant. slap |slep/ v., n., & adv. —v. (slapped, slapping) 1 tr. & intr. strike with the palm of the hand ora flat object, or so as to make a similar noise. 2 tr. lay forcefully (slapped the money on the table; slapped a writ on the offender). 3 tr. put hastily or carelessly (slap some paint on the walls). 4 tr. (often foll. by down) collog. reprimand or snub. —n. 1 a blow with the palm of the hand ora flat object. 2a slapping sound. —adv. 1 with the suddenness or effectiveness or true aim of a blow, suddenly, fully, directly (ran slap into him; hit me slap in the eye). 2 = slap-bang. 0 slap and tickle Brit. collog. light-hearted amorous amusement. slap-bang violently, noisily, headlong. slap-happy colloq. 1 cheerfully casual or flippant. 2 punch-drunk. slap in the face a rebuff or affront. slap on the back n. congratulations. —v.tr. congratulate. slap-up esp. Brit. collog. excellent, lavish; done regardless of expense (slap-up meal). [LG slapp (imit.)]

slapdash |'slepdeJ/ adj. & adv. —adj. hasty and careless. —adv. in a slapdash manner.

slapjack |'slepdgzek/ n. US a kind of pancake cooked on a griddle. [SLAP + JACK}]

slapstick /'slepstik/ n. 1 boisterous knockabout comedy. 2 a flexible divided lath used by a clown. [SLAP + sTICK}]

slash /sleJ/v. & n. —v. 1 intr. make a sweeping or random cut or cuts with a knife, sword, whip, etc. 2 tr. make such a cut or cuts at. 3 tr. make a long narrow gash or gashes in. 4 tr. reduce (prices etc.) drastically. 5 tr. censure vigorously. 6 tr. make (one’s way) by slashing. 7 tr. a lash (a person etc.) with a whip. b crack (a whip). —n. 1 aa slashing cut or stroke. b a wound or slit made by this. 2 an oblique stroke; a solidus. 3 Brit. sl. an act of urinating. 4 US debris resulting from the felling or destruction of trees. 0 slash-and-burn (of cultivation) in which vegetation is cut down, allowed to dry, and then burned off before seeds are planted. 00 slasher n. [ME perh. f. OF esclachier break in pieces]

slashed /|slzJt/ adj. (of a sleeve etc.) having slits to show a lining or puffing of other material. slashing /|'slz{1n/ adj. vigorously incisive or effective. slat /slzt/ n. a thin narrow piece of wood or plastic or metal, esp. used in an overlapping series as in a fence or Venetian blind. [ME s(c)lat f. OF esclat splinter etc. f. esclater split f. Rmc] slate /sleit/ n., v., & adj. —n. 1 fine-grained grey, green, or bluish-purple metamorphic rock easily split into flat smooth plates. 2 a piece of such a plate used as roofing-material. 3 a piece of such a plate used for writing on, usu. framed in wood. 4 the colour of slate. 5 US a list of nominees for office etc. —-v.tr. 1 cover with slates esp. as roofing. 2 Brit. collog. criticize severely; scold. 3 US make arrangements for (an event etc.). 4 US propose or nominate for office etc. —adj. made of slate. o on the slate Brit. recorded as a debt to be paid. slate-blue (or -black) a shade of blue (or black) occurring in slate. slate-colour a dark bluish or greenish grey. slate-coloured of this colour. slate-grey a shade of grey occurring in slate. slate-penacil a small rod of soft slate used for writing on slate. wipe the slate clean forgive or cancel the record of past

ata fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

slater

attempt at originality or development. oo slavishly adv. slavishness n.

offences. oo slating n. slaty adj. [ME s(c)late f. OF esclate, fem. form of esclat sLAT] slater |'slerta(r)/ n. 1 a person who slates roofs etc. 2a woodlouse or similar crustacean. slather /'slz6o(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 (usu. in pl.) US collog. a large amount. 2 (often open slather) Austral. & NZ sl. unrestricted scope for action. —v.tr. US collog. 1 spread thickly. 2 squander. (19th c.: orig. unkn.]

Slavonic /slo'vonik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or relating to the

slattern /'slzt(o)n/ n. a slovenly woman. o0 slatternly adj. slatternliness n. [17th c.: rel. to slattering slovenly, f. dial. slater to spill, slop, waste, frequent. of slat strike] slaughter /'slo:ta(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 the killing of an animal or animals for food. 2 the killing of many persons or animals at once or continuously; carnage, massacre. —v.tr. 1 kill (people) in a ruthless manner or on a great scale. 2 kill for food, butcher. 3 collog. defeat utterly. 00 slaughterer n. slaughterous adj. [ME slahter ult. f. ON slatr butcher’s meat, rel. to SLAY]

preserve an ancient distinction (called aspect) between actions

thought of as finished or limited in time and those regarded as continuous, and final syllables are varied to show subtle changes of meaning. The two principal alphabets used are the Cyrillic and the Latin. o Church or Old (Church) Slavonic the earli-

slaughterhouse /'slo:to,haus/ n. 1 a place for the slaughter of animals as food. 2 a place of carnage. Slav |sla:v/ n. & adj. —n. a member of a group of peoples in Central and Eastern Europe (including the Russians, Poles, Czechs, Bulgarians, Serbo-Croats, and others) speaking Slavonic

languages. —adj. 1 of or relating to the Slavs. 2 Slavonic. 00 Slavism n. [ME Sclave f. med.L Sclavus, late Gk Sklabos, & f. med.L Slavus] slave /slerv/ n. & v. —n. 1a person who is the legal property of another or others and is bound to absolute obedience, a human chattel. 2 a drudge, a person working very hard. 3 (foll. by of,

to) a helpless victim of some dominating influence (slave offashion; slave to duty). 4a machine, or part of one, directly controlled by another. —v. 1 intr. (often foll. by at, over) work very hard. 2 tr. (foll. by to) subject (a device) to control by another.

oO

slay! |sle1/ v.tr. (past slew /slu:/; past part. slain /slem/) 1 literary or joc. kill. 2 sl. overwhelm with delight; convulse with laughter. oo slayer n. [OE sléan f. Gmc]

officially replaced by Liberal Democrats. sleaze |sli:z/ n. & v. collog. —n. 1 sleaziness. 2 a person of low moral standards. —v.intr. move in a sleazy fashion. [back-form. f. SLEAZY] sleazy |'sli:z1/ adj. (sleazier, sleaziest) 1 squalid, tawdry. 2 slatternly. 3 (of textiles etc.) flimsy. 00 sleazily adv. sleaziness n. [17th c.: orig. unkn.]

usu. above the elbow. slave-born born in slavery, born of slave parents. slave-bracelet = slave-bangle. slave-drive (past -drove; past part. -driven) work (a person) hard, esp.

excessively. slave-driver 1 an overseer of slaves at work. 2a person who works others hard. slave labour forced labour. slave ship hist. a ship transporting slaves, esp. from Africa. Slave State hist. any of the southern States of the US in which slavery was legal before the Civil War. slave-trade hist. the and selling of human

est written Slavonic language, surviving as a liturgical language in the Orthodox Church. It was a South Slavonic dialect from the region of Macedonia, used in the 9th c. by St Cyril and his brother St Methodius for their missionary purposes in the Slav countries of Moravia and Pannonia. Throughout the Middle Ages it was the language of culture for the Orthodox peoples of eastern Europe, playing a role similar to that of Latin in the West. Two different alphabets were used, Glagolitic and Cyrillic. [med.L S(c)lavonicus f. S(c)lavonia country of Slavs f. Sclavus SLAv] slaw |slo:/ n. coleslaw. [Du. sla, shortened f. salade SALAD]

slay? var. of sLEY. SLBM abbr. submarine-launched ballistic missile. SLD abbr. (in the UK) Social and Liberal Democrats. §/In 1989

slave-bangle a bangle of gold, glass, etc., worn by a woman

transporting,

sled |sled/ n. & v. US —n.a sledge. —v.intr. (sledded, sledding) ride on a sledge. [MLG sledde, rel. to sLIDE]

beings, esp.

sledge! /sled3/ n. & v. —n. 1 a vehicle on runners for conveying

African Blacks, as slaves. slave-trader hist. a person engaged in the slave-trade. [ME f. OF esclave = med.L sclavus, sclava Slav

loads or passengers esp. over snow, drawn by horses, dogs, or reindeer or pushed or pulled by one or more persons. 2 a toboggan. —v.intr. & tr. travel or convey by sledge. [MDu. sleedse, rel. to SLED]

(captive): see SLAV]

slaver! /'slerva(r)/ n. hist. a ship or person engaged in the slave-trade.

slaver? /'sleva(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 saliva running from the mouth. 2 a fulsome or servile flattery. b drivel, nonsense. —v.intr. 1 let saliva run from the mouth, dribble. 2 (foll. by over) show excessive sentimentality over, or desire for. [ME prob. f. LG or Du:: cf. SLOBBER] slavery /'slervori/ n. 1 the condition ofa slave. 2 exhausting labour; drudgery. 3 the custom of having slaves. A widespread institution in ancient times, slavery had died out in England by the 12thc. The transportation of slaves from Africa to the Americas\ by European traders began on a large scale in the 16th and 17thc., and although slavery became illegal in Britain in 1772, it remained an important feature of the economy of the Empire until the 19thc., the slave-trade being abolished in 1807 and slavery itself throughout the Empire in 1833. In the American South slavery was an essential part of the cotton-based economy, and the abolition campaign waged during the first half of the 19th c. eventually led to the American Civil War and to final emancipation. In some parts of the world chattel slavery, the ownership of one person by another, continues to exist. slavey |'slervi/ n. (pl. -eys) collog. a maidservant, esp. a hard-

worked one.

Slavic /'sla:vrk/ adj. & n. = SLAVONIC. slavish |'slervif/ adj. 1 of, like, or as of slaves. 2 showing no b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

3 abject, servile, base.

- group of Indo-European languages including Russian, Polish, and Czech. 2 of or relating to the Slavs. —n. the Slavonic group of languages, a main division of the Indo-European family, including Russian, Czech, Serbo-Croat, Bulgarian, and Polish. The common Slavonic language from which they are all descended probably broke away from the main Indo-European family before Christian times. They have many characteristics in common: nouns and adjectives are highly inflected (Russian and Polish have as many as seven cases), verbs have few tenses but

slatted |'sletid/ adj. having slats.

procuring,

sleep

1364

sledge? /sled3/ n. = SLEDGEHAMMER. sledgehammer /'sled3,jhema(r)/ n. 1 a large heavy hammer used to break stone etc. 2 (attrib.) heavy or powerful (a sledgehammer blow). [OE slecg, rel. to SLAY]

sleek /sli:k/ adj. & v. —adj. 1 (of hair, fur, or skin, or an animal or person with such hair etc.) smooth and glossy. 2 looking well-fed and comfortable. 3 ingratiating. 4 (of a thing) smooth and polished. —v.tr. make sleek, esp. by stroking or pressing down. 00 sleekly adv. sleekness n. sleeky adj. [later var. of SLICK] sleep /sli:p/n. & v. —n. 1a condition of body and mind such as that which normally recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is inactive, the eyes closed, the postural muscles relaxed, and consciousness practically suspended. (See below.) 2 a period of sleep (shall try to get a sleep). 3a state like sleep, such as rest, quiet, negligence, or death. 4 the prolonged inert condition of hibernating animals. 5 a substance found in the corners of the eyes after sleep. —v. (past and past part. slept /slept/) 1 intr. a be ina state of sleep. b fall asleep. 2 intr. (foll. by at, in, etc.) spend the night. 3 tr. provide sleeping accommodation for (the house sleeps six). 4 intr. (foll. by with, together) have sexual intercourse, esp. in bed. 5 intr. (foll. by on, over) not decide (a question) until the next day. 6 intr. (foll. by through) fail to be woken by. 7 intr. be inactive or dormant. 8 intr. be dead; lie in the grave. 9 tr. a (foll. by off) remedy by

kcat

lleg

mman

nono

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

sleeper

sleeping (slept off his hangover). b (foll. by away) spend in sleeping (sleep the hours away). 10 intr. (of a top) spin so steadily as to seem motionless. o get to sleep manage to fall asleep. go to sleep 1 enter a state of sleep. 2 (of a limb) become numbed by pressure. in one’s sleep while asleep. last sleep death. let sleeping dogs lie avoid stirring up trouble. put to sleep 1 anaesthetize. 2 kill (an animal) painlessly. sleep around collog. be sexually promiscuous. sleep in 1 remain asleep later than usual in the morning. 2 sleep by night at one’s place of work. sleeping-bag a lined or padded bag to sleep in esp. when camping etc. Sleeping Beauty a fairy-tale heroine who slept for 100 years. sleeping-car (or -carriage) a railway coach provided with beds or berths. sleeping-draught a drink to induce sleep. sleeping partner a partner not sharing in the actual work of a firm. sleeping-pill a pill to induce sleep. sleeping policeman a ramp etc. in the road intended to cause traffic to reduce speed. sleeping sickness see separate entry. sleeping-suit a child’s one-piece night-garment. sleep-learning learning by hearing while asleep. sleep like a log (or top) sleep soundly. the sleep of the just sound sieep. sleep out sleep by night out of doors, or not at one’s place of work. sleep-out n. Austral. & NZ a veranda, porch, or outbuilding providing sleeping accomimodation. [OE slép, slep (n.), slépan, slépan (v.) f: Gmc] The capacity for sleep is very general. Most animals have it, and many insects show a marked difference between their daytime and night-time levels of activity. The pattern of sleep in mammals is usually related to their general habits and the importance of their different senses, with those dependent principally on vision for finding food etc. active by day and sleeping at night, but some (e.g. lions, horses, and sheep) show no clearcut rhythm and may sleep at any time. Sleep varies not only in duration but in depth. The physiology of sleep has been studied by analysing the electrical activity of the human brain: the relatively fast electrical rhythm of the waking brain disappears during sleep and is replaced by slow waves and occasional bursts of fast activity. There is evidence that electrical activity of the brain changes when a sleeper dreams, and this is associated with rapid movements of the eyes. There is no general agreement, however, about why sleep is a feature of life. sleeper /'sli:pa(r)/ n. 1 a person or animal that sleeps. 2 Brit. a wooden or concrete beam laid horizontally as a support, esp. for railway track. 3 a a sleeping-car. b a berth in this. 4 Brit. a ring worn in a pierced ear to keep the hole from closing. 5 a thing that is suddenly successful after being undistinguished. 6 a sleeping-suit. 7 a spy or saboteur etc. who remains inactive while establishing a secure position.

sleeping sickness n. any of several similar diseases caused by trypanosomes transmitted by the bite of the tsetse fly and characterized by changes in the central nervous system leading to apathy, coma, and death. Such diseases are prevalent in tropical Africa. The characteristic feature of the areas where they occur is a dense shade cast by thickly growing shrubs and small trees, such as may be found on the banks of watercourses and water-holes; there the fly flourishes, and one of the principal control methods is to eliminate such vegetation, especially around villages, fords, and other places where people

congregate. sleepless /'sli:plis/ adj. 1 characterized by lack of sleep (a sleepless night). 2 unable to sleep. 3 continually active or moving. 00 sleeplessly adv. sleeplessness n.

sleepwalk /'sli:pwo:k/ v.intr. walk or perform other actions while asleep. 00 sleepwalker n. sleepy |'sli:p1/ adj. (sleepier, sleepiest) 1 drowsy; ready for sleep; about to fall asleep. 2 lacking activity or bustle (a sleepy little town). 3 habitually indolent, unobservant, etc. o sleepy sickness encephalitis lethargica, an infection of the brain with drowsiness and sometimes a coma. o0 sleepily adv. sleepiness

sleets). 00 sleety adj. [ME prob. f. OE: rel. to MLG sloten (pl.) hail, MHG sléz(e) f. Gmc] sleeve /sli:v/ n. 1 the part of a garment that wholly or partly covers an arm. 2 the cover of a gramophone record. 3 a tube enclosing a rod or smaller tube. 4 a a wind-sock. b a drogue towed by an aircraft. 0 roll up one’s sleeves prepare to fight or work. sleeve-board a small ironing-board for pressing sleeves. sleeve-coupling a tube for connecting shafts or pipes. sleeve-link a cuff-link. sleeve-note a descriptive note on a record-sleeve. sleeve-nut a long nut with right-hand and lefthand screw-threads for drawing together pipes or shafts conversely threaded. sleeve-valve a valve in the form of-a cylinder with a sliding movement. up one’s sleeve concealed but ready for use, in reserve. oO sleeved adj. (also in comb.).

sleeveless adj. [OE sléfe, sliefe, slyf]

sleeving /'sli:vin/ n. tubular covering for electric cable etc. sleigh /sle1/ n. & v. —n. a sledge, esp. one for riding on. —v.intr. travel on a sleigh. o sleigh-bell any of a number of tinkling bells attached to the harness of a sleigh-horse etc. [orig. US, f. Du. slee, rel. to sLED]

sleight /slait/ n. archaic 1 a deceptive trick or device or movement. 2 dexterity. 3 cunning. o sleight of hand 1 dexterity esp. in conjuring or fencing. 2 a display of dexterity, esp. a conjuring trick. [ME sleghth f. ON slegth f. sloeegr sty]

slender /|'slendo(r)/ adj. (slenderer, slenderest) 1 a of small girth or breadth (a slender pillar). b gracefully thin (a slender waist). 2 relatively small or scanty; slight, meagre, inadequate (slender hopes; slender resources). 0 slender loris see LoRIs. 00 slenderly adv. slenderness n. [ME: orig. unkn.]

slenderize /'slendo,raiz/ v. (also -ise) 1 tr. a make (a thing) slender. b make (one’s figure) appear slender. oneself slender; slim.

2 intr. make

slept past and past part. of SLEEP. sleuth /slu:6/ n. & v. collog. —n. a detective. —v. 1 intr. act asa detective. 2 tr. investigate. o sleuth-hound 1 a bloodhound. 2 collog. a detective, an investigator. [orig. in sleuth-hound: ME f. sleuth f. ON sloth track, trail: cf. sLor?]

slew! /slu:/ v. & n. (also slue) —v.tr. & intr. (often foll. by round) turn or swing forcibly or with effort out of the forward or ordinary position. —n. sucha change of position. [18th-c. Naut.: orig. unkn.]

slew? past of say}. slew? /slu:/ n. esp. US collog. a large number or quantity. [Ir. sluagh] sley /slet/ 1. (also slay) a weaver’s reed. [OE slege, rel. to SLAY} slice /slais/n. & v. —n. 1 a thin broad piece or wedge cut off or out esp. from meat or bread or a cake, pie, or large fruit. 2 a share; a part taken or allotted or gained (a slice of territory; a slice of the profits). 3an implement with a broad flat blade for serving

fish etc. or for scraping or chipping. 4 Golf & Lawn Tennis a slicing stroke. —v. 1 tr. (often foll. by up) cut into slices. 2 tr. (foll. by off) cut {a piece) off. 3 intr. (foll. by into, through) cut with or like a knife. 4 tr. (also absol.) a Golf strike (the ball) so that it deviates away from the striker. b (in other sports) propel (the ball) forward at an angle. 5 tr. go through (air etc.) with a cutting motion. 0 slice of life a realistic representation of everyday experience. 00 sliceable adj. slicer n. (also in comb.). [ME f. OF esclice, esclicier splinter f. Frank. slitjan, rel. to sLiT]

slick /slik/ adj., n., & v. —adj. collog. 1 a (of a person or action) skilful or efficient; dextrous (gave a slick performance). b superficially or pretentiously smooth and dextrous. ¢ glib. 2 a sleek, smooth. b slippery. —n. 1 a smooth patch of oil etc., esp. on the sea. 2 Motor Racing a smooth tyre. 3 US a glossy magazine. 4US sl. aslick person. —v.tr. collog. 1 make sleek or smart. 2 (usu. foll. by down) flatten (one’s hair etc.). 00 slickly adv. slickness n. [ME slike(n), prob. f. OE: cf. SLEEK]

slicker /'slika(r)/ n. US 1 collog. a a plausible rogue. b a smart

n.

sleepyhead /'sli:pi,hed/ n. (esp. as a form of address) a sleepy or inattentive person. sleet /sli:t/ n. & v. —n. 1 a mixture of snow and rain falling together. 2 hail or snow melting as it falls. 3 US a thin coating of ice. —v.intr. (prec. by it as subject) sleet falls (it is sleeting; if it wwe

slide

1365

z zoo

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

and sophisticated city-dweller (cf. city slicker). 2 a raincoat of smooth material.

slide /slard/ v. & n. —v. (past and past part. slid /slid/) 1 a intr. move along a smooth surface with continuous contact on the same part of the thing moving (cf. ROLL). b tr. cause to do this

tf chip

d3 jar

(see over for vowels)

slideway (slide the drawer into place). 2 intr. move quietly; glide; go smoothly along. 3 intr. pass gradually or imperceptibly. 4 intr. glide over ice on one or both feet without skates (under gravity or with momentum got by running). 5 intr. (foll. by over) barely touch upon (a delicate subject etc.). 6 intr. & tr. (often foll. by into) move or cause to move quietly or unobtrusively (slid his hand into mine). 7 intr. take its own course (let it slide). —n. 1 a the act or an instance of sliding. b a rapid decline. 2 an inclined plane down which children, goods, etc., slide; a chute. 3 a a track made by or for sliding, esp. on ice. b a slope prepared with snow or ice for tobogganing. 4a part of a machine or instrument that slides, esp. a slide-valve. 5 aa thing slid into place, esp. a piece of glass holding an object for a microscope. b a mounted transparency usu. placed in a projector for viewing on a screen. 6 Brit. = hair-slide. 7 a part or parts of a machine on or between which a sliding part works. o let things slide be negligent; allow deterioration. slide fastener US a zip-fastener. slide-rule a ruler with a sliding central strip, graduated logarithmically for making rapid calculations, esp. multiplication and division. slide-valve a sliding piece that opens and closes an aperture by sliding across it. sliding door a door drawn across an aperture on a slide, not turning on hinges. sliding keel Naut. a centreboard. sliding roof a part of a roof (esp. in a motor car) made able to slide and so form an aperture. sliding scale a scale of fees, taxes, wages, etc., that varies as a whole in accordance with variation of some standard. sliding seat a seat able to slide to and fro on runners etc., esp. in a racing-boat to adjust the length of a stroke. 00 slidable adj. slidably adv. slider n. [OE slidan]

slideway /'slatdwei/n. = SLIDE n. 7. slight /slait/ adj., v., & n. —adj. 1 a inconsiderable; of little significance (has a slight cold; the damage is very slight). b barely perceptible (a slight smell ofgas). c not much or great or thorough, inadequate, scanty (a conclusion based on very slight observation; paid him slight attention). 2 slender, frail-looking (sawaslight figure approaching; supported by a slight framework). 3 (in superl., with neg. or interrog.) any whatever (paid not the slightest attention). —v.tr. 1 treat or speak of (a person etc.) as not worth attention, fail in courtesy or respect towards, markedly neglect. 2 hist. make militarily useless, raze (a fortification etc.). —n. a marked piece

of neglect, a failure to show due respect. Oo not in the slightest not at all. put a slight upon = sense 1 of v. oo slightingly adv. slightish adj. slightly adv. slightness n. [ME slyght, sleght f. ON sléttr level, smooth f. Gmc]

Sligo /'slaigav/ 1 a county of western Ireland, in Connaught province; pop. (est. 1986) 56,000. 2 its county town, a seaport on the Atlantic.

slily var. of sLyty (see sLy). slim /slim/ adj., v., & n. —adj. (slimmer, slimmest) 1 a of small girth or thickness, of long narrow shape. b gracefully thin, slenderly built. c not fat or overweight. 2 small, insufficient (a slim chance of success). 3 clever, artful, crafty, unscrupulous. —v. (slimmed, slimming) 1 intr. make oneself slimmer by dieting, exercise, etc. 2 tr. make slim or slimmer. —n. a course of slimming. oO slimly adv. slimmer n. slimming n. & adj. slimmish adj. slimness n. [LG or Du. f. Gmc]

slime /slaim/ n. & v. —n. thick slippery mud or a substance of similar consistency, e.g. liquid bitumen or a mucus exuded by fish etc. —v.tr. cover with slime. 0 slime mould a sporebearing micro-organism secreting slime. [OE slim f. Gmc, rel. to L limus mud, Gk limné marsh]

slimline /'slimiarn/ adj. of slender design. slimy /'slarm1/ adj. (slimier, slimiest) 1 of the consistency of slime. 2 covered, smeared with, or full of slime. 3 disgustingly dishonest, meek, or flattering. 4 slippery, hard to hold. oo slimily adv. sliminess n.

sling! /slim/n. & v. —n. 1

slip

1366

strap, belt, etc., used to support or

raise a hanging weight, e.g. a rifle, a ship’s boat, or goods being transferred. 2 a bandage looped round the neck to support an

injured arm. 3 a strap or string used with the hand to give impetus to a small missile, esp. a stone. 4 Austral. sl. a tip or bribe. —v.tr. (past and past part. slung /slAn/) 1 (also absol.) hurl (a stone etc.) from a sling. 2 collog. throw. 3 suspend with a

we cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

sling, allow to swing suspended, arrange so as to be supported from above, hoist or transfer with a sling. 0 sling-back 1 a shoe held in place by a strap above the heel. 2 (in full sling-back chair) a chair with a fabric seat suspended from a rigid frame. sling-bag a bag with a long strap which may be hung from the shoulder. sling one’s hook see HOOK. sling off at Austral. & NZ

sl. disparage; mock; make fun of. slung shot a metal ball attached by a thong etc. to the wrist and used esp. by criminals as a weapon. [ME, prob. f. ON slyngva (v.)]

sling? /slin/ n. a sweetened drink of spirits (esp. gin) and water. (18th c.: orig. unkn.]

slinger /'slina(r)/ n. a person who slings, esp. the user of a sling. slingshot /'slinfpt/ n. US a catapult. slink! /slink/ v.intr. (past and past part. slunk /slank/) (often foll. by off, away, by) move in a stealthy or guilty or sneaking manner. [OE slincan crawl]

slink? /slink/ v. & n. —v.tr. (also absol.) (of an animal) produce (young) prematurely. —n. 1 an animal, esp. a calf, so born. 2 its fiesh. [app. f. SLINK!]

slinky /'slinki/ adj. (slinkier, slinkiest) 1 stealthy. 2 (of a garment) close-fitting and flowing, sinuous. 3 gracefully slender. 00 slinkily adv. slinkiness n.

slip! /slip/ v. & n. —v. (slipped, slipping) 1 intr. slide unintentionally esp. for a short distance; lose one’s footing or balance or place by unintended sliding. 2 intr. go or move with a sliding motion (as the door closes the catch slips into place; slipped into her nightdress). 3 intr. escape restraint or capture by being slippery or hard to hold or by not being grasped (the eel slipped through his fingers). 4 intr. make one’s or its way unobserved or quietly

or quickly (just slip across to the baker's; errors will slip in). 5 intr. a make a careless or casual mistake. b fall below the normal standard, deteriorate, lapse. 6 tr. insert or transfer stealthily or casually or with a sliding motion (slipped a coin into his hand; slipped the papers into his pocket). 7 tr. a release from restraint (slipped the greyhounds from the leash). b detach (an anchor) from a ship. c Brit. detach (a carriage) from a moving train. d release (the clutch of a motor vehicle) for a moment. e (of an animal) produce (young) prematurely. 8 tr. move (a stitch) to the other needle without knitting it. 9 tr. (foll. by on, off) pull (a garment) hastily on or off. 10 tr. escape from; give the slip to (the dog slipped its collar, point slipped my mind). —n. 1 the act or an instance of slipping. 2 an accidental or slight error. 3 a loose covering or garment, esp. a petticoat or pillowcase. 4 a a reduction in the movement of a pulley etc. due to slipping of the belt.

b a reduction in the distance travelled by a ship or aircraft arising from the nature of the medium in which its propeller revolves. § (in sing. or pl.) a an artificial slope of stone etc. on which boats are landed. b an inclined structure on which ships are built or repaired. 6 Cricket a a fielder stationed for balls glancing off the bat to the off side. b (in sing. or pl.) the position of such afielder (caught in the slips; caught at slip). 7 a leash to slip dogs. 0 give a person the slip escape from or evade him or her. let slip 1 release accidentally or deliberately, esp. from a leash. 2 miss (an opportunity). 3 utter inadvertently. let slip the dogs of war poet. open hostilities. let slip through one’s fingers 1 lose hold of. 2 miss the opportunity of having. slip away depart without leave-taking etc. slip-carriage Brit. a railway carriage on an express for detaching at a station where the rest of the train does not stop. slip-case a close-fitting case for a book. slip-coach Brit. = slip-carriage. slip-cover 1 aa calico etc. cover for furniture out of use. b US = loose cover. 2a jacket or slip-case for a book. slip form a mould in which a structure of uniform cross-section is cast by filling it with concrete and continually moving and refilling it. slip-hook a hook with a contrivance for releasing it readily when necessary. slip-knot 1 a knot that can be undone by a pull. 2 a running knot. slip off depart without leave-taking etc. slip of the pen (or tongue) a small mistake in which something is written (or said) unintentionally. slip-on adj. (of shoes or clothes) that can be easily slipped on and off. —n. a slip-on shoe or garment. slip-over (of a garment) to be slipped on over the head. slipped disc a disc between vertebrae that has become displaced and causes lumbar pain. slip-ring a ring for sliding contact in a i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

ou put

u: too

9 ago

al my

slip

dynamo or electric motor. slip-road Brit. a road for entering or leaving a motorway etc. slip-rope Naut. a rope with both ends on board so that casting loose either end frees the ship from her moorings. slip sheet Printing a sheet of paper placed between newly printed sheets to prevent set-off or smudging. slip something over on collog. outwit. slip-stitch n. 1 a loose stitch joining layers of fabric and not visible externally. 2 a stitch moved to the other needle without being knitted. —v.tr. sew with slip-stitch. slip up collog. make a mistake. slip-up n. collog. a mistake,-a blunder. there’s many aslip ’twixt cup and lip nothing is certain till it has happened. [ME prob. f. MLG slippen: cf. SLIPPERY]

slip? /slrp/ n. 1 a a small piece of paper esp. for writing on. ba long narrow strip of thin wood, paper, etc. c a printer’s proof on such paper; a galley proof. 2 a cutting taken from a plant for grafting or planting, a scion. 0 slip of a small and slim (a slip of a girl). [ME, prob. f. MDu., MLG slippe cut, strip, etc.]

slip? /slrp/ n. clay in a creamy mixture with water, used mainly for decorating earthenware. 0 slip casting the manufacture of ceramic ware by allowing slip to solidify in a mould. slip-ware ware decorated with slip. [OE slipa, slyppe slime: cf. cowsLIP}

slipover /'slip,suva(r)/ n. a pullover, usu. without sleeves. slippage /'slipid3/ n. 1 the act or an instance of slipping. 2.aa decline, esp. in popularity or value. b failure to meet a deadline

or fulfil a promise; delay. slipper /'slrpa(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a light loose comfortable indoor shoe. 2 light slip-on shoe for dancing etc. —v.tr. beat or strike with a slipper. 0 slipper bath Brit. a bath shaped like a slipper, with a covered end. 00 slippered adj.

slipperwort /'sl1po,ws:t/ n. calceolaria. slippery /'sliperi/ adj. 1 difficult to hold firmly because of smoothness, wetness, sliminess, or elusive motion. 2 (of a surface) difficult to stand on, causing slips by its smoothness or muddiness. 3 unreliable, unscrupulous, shifty. 4 (ofa subject) requiring tactful handling. o slippery elm 1 the N. American red elm, Ulmus fulva. 2 the medicinal inner bark of this. slippery slope a course leading to disaster. 00 slipperily adv. slipperiness n. [prob. coined by Coverdale (1535) after Luther’s schlipfferig, MHG slipferig f. slipfern, slipfen f. Gmc: partly f. slipper slippery (now dial.) f. OE slipor f. Gmc] slippy /'slip1/ adj. (slippier, slippiest) collog. slippery. 0 look (or be) slippy Brit. look sharp; make haste. oo slippiness n.

slipshod |/'slipfpd/ adj. 1 (of speech or writing, a speaker or writer, a method of work, etc.) careless, unsystematic; loose in arrangement. 2 slovenly. 3 having shoes down at heel. slipstream /'slipstri:m/n. & v. —n. 1 a current of air or water driven back by a revolving propeller or a moving vehicle. 2 an assisting force regarded as drawing something along with or behind something else. —v.tr. 1 follow closely behind (another vehicle). 2 pass after travelling in another’s slipstream. slipway /'sirpwei/ n. a slip for building ships or landing boats. slit /slit/ n. & v. —n. 1a long straight narrow incision. 2 a long narrow opening comparable to a cut. —v.tr. (slitting; past and past part. slit) 1 make a slit in; cut or tear lengthwise. 2 cut into strips. Oo slit-eyed having long narrow eyes. slit-pocket a pocket with a vertical opening giving access to the pocket or to a garment beneath. slit trench a narrow trench for a soldier or a weapon. OO slitter n. [ME slitte, rel. to OE slitan, f. Gmc]

slither /'siida(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. slide unsteadily; go with an irregular slipping motion. —n. an instance of slithering. 00 slithery adj. [ME var. of slidder (now dial.) f. OE slid(e)rian frequent. f. slid-; weak grade of slidan sLIDE] slitty /'sliti/ adj. (slittier, slittiest) (of the eyes) long and narrow.

Sliven |'sli:vi2)n/ a commercial city in central Bulgaria; pop. (1987) 106,600.

sliver /'slrva(r), 'slarvo(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1a long thin piece cut or

split off. 2 a piece of wood torn from a tree or from timber. 3 a splinter, esp. from an exploded shell. 4 a strip of loose textile fibres after carding. —v.tr. & intr. 1 break off as a sliver. 2 break up into slivers. 3 form into slivers. [ME, rel. to slive cleave (now dial.) f. OE] au how

slope

1367

er day

ov no

eo hair

to near

o1 boy

va poor

slivovitz /'sl:vavits/ n. a plum brandy made esp. in Yugoslavia and Romania. [Serbo-Croat Sljivovica f. Sljiva plum]

Sloane! /sloun/ n. (in full Sloane Ranger) Brit. sl. a fashionable and conventional upper-class young person, esp. living in London. oo Sloaney adj. [Sloane Square, London + Lone Ranger, a cowboy hero]

Sloane? /slaun/, Sir Hans (1660-1753), English physician and naturalist. He purchased the manor of Chelsea and endowed the Chelsea Physic Garden. His collections (including a large number of books and manuscripts) were purchased by the nation and placed in Montague House (afterwards the British Museum); the geological and zoological specimens formed the basis of the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, opened in 1881. slob |slob/ n. 1 collog. a stupid, careless, coarse, or fat person. 2 Ir. muddy land. o0 slobbish adj. [Ir. slab mud f. E slab ooze, sludge, prob. f. Scand.]

slobber /|'slobo(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 slaver. 2 (foll. by over) show excessive sentiment. —n. saliva running from the mouth; slaver. 00 slobbery adj. [ME, = Du. slobbern, of imit. orig.]

sloe /slou/n. 1 = BLACKTHORN. 2 its small bluish-black fruit with a sharp sour taste. 0 sloe-eyed 1 having eyes of this colour. 2 slant-eyed. sloe-gin a liqueur of sloes steeped in gin. [OE sla(h) f. Gmc]

slog /slog/ v. & n. —v. (slogged, slogging) 1 intr. & tr. hit hard and usu. wildly esp. in boxing or at cricket. 2 intr. (often foll. by away, on) walk or work doggedly. —n. 1 a hard random hit. 2a hard steady work. b a spell of this. 00 slogger n. [19th c.: orig. unkn.: cf. sLuc?] slogan |'slovgon/ n. 1 a short catchy phrase used in advertising etc. 2 a party cry; a watchword or motto. 3 hist. a Scottish Highland war-cry. [Gael. sluagh-ghairm f. sluagh army + gairm shout} sloop /slu:p/ n. 1 a smali one-masted fore-and-aft-rigged vessel with mainsail and jib. 2 (in full sloop of war) Brit. hist. a small warship with guns on the upper deck only. 0 sloop-rigged rigged like a sloop. [Du. sloep(e), of unkn. orig.] sloosh /|slu:J/ n. & v. collog. —n. a pouring or pouring sound of water. —v.intr. 1 flow with a rush. 2 make a heavy splashing or rushing noise. [imit.] sloot /slu:t/ n. (also sluit) S.Afr. a deep gully formed by heavy rain. [Afrik. f. Du. sloot ditch]

slop! /slop/ v. & n. —v. (slopped, slopping) 1 (often foll. by over) a intr. spill or flow over the edge of a vessel. b tr. allow to do this. 2 tr. make (the floor, clothes, etc.) wet or messy by slopping, spill or splash liquid on. 3 intr. (usu. foll. by over) gush; be effusive or maudlin. —n. 1 a quantity of liquid spilled or splashed. 2 weakly sentimental language. 3 (in pl.) waste liquid, esp. dirty water or the waste contents of kitchen, bedroom, or prison vessels. 4 (in sing. or pl.) unappetizing weak liquid food. 5 Naut. a choppy sea. O slop about move about in a slovenly manner. slop-basin Brit. a basin for the dregs of cups at table. slop out carry slops out (in prison etc.). slop-pail a pail for removing bedroom or kitchen slops. [earlier sense ‘slush’, prob. rel. to slyppe: cf. COWSLIP] slop? /slop/ n. 1 a workman’s loose outer garment. 2 (in pl.) ready-made or cheap clothing. 3 (in pl.) clothes and bedding supplied to sailors in the navy. 4 (in pl.) archaic wide baggy trousers esp. as worn by sailors. [ME: cf. OE oferslop surplice f. Gmc] slope /sloup/ n. & v. —n. 1 an inclined position or direction; a state in which one end or side is at a higher level than another; a position in a line neither parallel nor perpendicular to level ground or to a line serving as a standard. 2 a piece of rising or falling ground. 3 a a difference in level between the two ends or sides of a thing (a slope of 5 metres). b the rate at which this increases with distance etc. 4 a place for skiing on the side of a hill or mountain. 5 (prec. by the) the position of a rifle when sloped. —v. 1 intr. have or take a slope; slant esp. up or down; lie or tend obliquely, esp. to ground level. 2 tr. place or arrange or make in or at a slope. 0 slope arms place one’s rifle in a

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

sloppy

sluggard

1368

slovenly /'slavanli/ adj. & adv.

sloping position against one’s shoulder. slope off sl. go away, esp. to evade work etc. [shortening of ASLOPE]

unmethodical. n.

sloppy /'slop1/ adj. (sloppier, sloppiest) 1 a (of the ground) wet

to do a thing or cover a distance (also foll. by of: slow of speech). b not quick; acting or moving or done without speed. 2 gradual; obtained over a length of time (slow growth). 3 not producing, allowing, or conducive to speed (in the slow lane). 4 (of a clock etc.) showing a time earlier than is the case. 5 (of a person) not understanding readily; not learning easily. 6 dull; uninteresting; tedious. 7 slack or sluggish (business is slow). 8 (of a fire or oven) giving little heat. 9 Photog. a (of a film) needing long exposure. b (of a lens) having a small aperture. 10 a reluctant; tardy (not slow to defend himself). b not hasty or easily moved (slow to take offence). 11 (of a cricket-pitch, tennis-court, putting-green, etc.) on which the ball bounces or runs slowly. —adv. 1 at a slow pace; slowly. 2 (in comb.) (slow-moving traffic). —v. (usu. foll. by down, up) 1 intr. & tr. reduce one’s speed or the speed of (a vehicle etc.). 2 intr. reduce one’s pace of life; live or work less intensely. o slow and sure of the attitude that haste is risky. slow but sure achieving the required result eventually. slow-down the action of slowing down; a go-slow. slow handclap slow clapping by an audience as a sign of displeasure or boredom. slow loris see LORIS. slow march the marching time adopted by troops in a funeral procession etc. slow-match a slow-burning match for lighting explosives etc. slow motion 1 the operation or speed of a film using slower projection or more rapid exposure so that actions etc. appear much slower than usual. 2 the simulation of this in real action. slow neutron a neutron with low kinetic energy esp. after moderation (cf. fast neutron (see FAST!)). slow poison a poison eventually causing death by repeated doses. slow puncture a puncture causing only slow deflation of the tyre. slow reactor Physics a nuclear reactor using mainly slow neutrons (cf. fast reactor (see FAST})). slow virus a progressive disease caused by a virus or virus-like organism that multiplies slowly in the host organism and has a long incubation period, such as scrapie or BSE. 00 slowish adj. slowly adv. slowness n. [OE slaw f. Gmc]

slosh |slpJ/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. (often foll. by about) splash or flounder about, move with a splashing sound. 2 tr. Brit. sl. hit esp. heavily. 3 tr. collog. a pour (liquid) clumsily. b pour liquid on. —n. 1 slush. 2 a an instance of splashing. b the sound of this. 3 Brit. sl. a heavy blow. 4 a quantity of liquid. [var. of sLUsH]

1 slushy. 2 sloppy,

sentimental.

slot! /slot/ n. & v. —n. 1 a slit or other aperture in a machine etc. for something (esp. a coin) to be inserted. 2a slit, groove, channel, or long aperture into which something fits or in which something works. 3 an allotted place in an arrangement or scheme, esp. in a broadcasting schedule. —v. (slotted, slotting) 1 tr. & intr. place or be placed into or as if into a slot. 2 tr. provide

with a slot or slots. 0 slot-machine a machine worked by the insertion of:a coin, esp.: 1 one for automatic retail of small articles. 2 one allowing a spell of play at a pin-table etc. 3 US = fruit machine. [ME, = hollow of the breast, f. OF esclot, of unkn. orig.] slot? /slot/n. 1 the track ofa deer etc. esp. as shown by footprints. 2 a deer’s foot. [OF esclot hoof-print of a horse, prob. f. ON sléth trail: cf. SLEUTH] sloth /slov6/ n. 1 laziness or indolence; reluctance to make an effort. 2 any slow-moving nocturnal mammal of the family Bradypodidae or Megalonychidae of S. America, having long limbs and hooked claws for hanging upside down from branches of trees. Oo sloth bear a large-lipped black shaggy bear, Melursus ursinus, of India. [ME f. slow + -TH?]

slothful

/'slou@fol/ adj. lazy; characterized

by sloth.

oo

slowcoach /|'slouksutf/ n. Brit. 1 a slow or lazy person. 2 a

slothfully adv. slothfulness n.

dull-witted person. 3 a person behind the times in opinions etc.

slouch /slaut{/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. stand or move or sit in a drooping ungainly fashion. 2 tr. bend one side of the brim of (a hat) downwards (opp. cock!). 3 intr. droop, hang down loosely. —n. 1a slouching posture or movement, a stoop. 2a downward bend of a hat-brim (opp. cock’). 3 sl. an incompetent or slovenly worker or operator or performance. 0 slouch hat a hat with a wide flexible brim. 00 slouchy adj. (slouchier, slouchiest). [16th c.: orig. unkn.]

slowpoke /|'slsupouk/ n. US = sLOWCOACH. slow-worm /'slaow3:m/ n. a small European legless lizard, Anguis fragilis, giving birth to live young. Also called BLINDWORM. [OE sla-wyrm: first element of uncert. orig., assim. to sLow]

SLR abbr. 1 Photog. single-lens reflex. 2 self-loading rifle. slub! /slab/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a lump or thick place in yarn or thread. 2 fabric woven from thread etc. with slubs. —adj. (of material etc.) with an irregular appearance caused by uneven thickness of the warp. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

slough! /slau/ n. a swamp; a miry place; a quagmire. 0 Slough of Despond 1 (in Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress) a deep miry place between the City of Destruction and the wicket gate at the beginning of Christian’s journey. 2 a state of hopeless depression. 00 sloughy adj. [OE sloh, sl6(g)]

slough? /slaf/ n. & v. —n.

slub? /slab/ n. & v. —n. wool slightly twisted in preparation for spinning. —-v.tr. (slubbed, slubbing) twist (wool) in this way. [18th c.: orig. unkn.]}

1 a part that an animal casts or

sludge /slad3/ n. 1 thick greasy mud. 2 muddy or slushy sedi-

moults, esp. a snake’s cast skin. 2 dead tissue that drops off from living flesh etc. 3 a habit etc. that has been abandoned.

ment. 3 sewage. 4 Mech. an accumulation of dirty oil, esp. in the sump of an internal-combustion engine. 5 Geol. sea-ice newly formed in small pieces. 6 (usu. attrib.) a muddy colour (sludge green). 00 sludgy adj. [cf. sLUsH]

—-v. 1 tr. cast off as a slough. 2 intr. (often foll. by off) drop off as a slough. 3 intr. cast off a slough. 4 intr. (often foll. by away, down) (of soil, rock, etc.) collapse or slide into a hole or depression. 00 sloughy adj. [ME, perh. rel. to LG slu(we) husk]

slue var. of sLEW!. slug? /slag/n. 1a small shell-less mollusc of the class Gastropoda

Slovak /'slouvek/ n. & adj. —n. 1a member ofa Slavonic people inhabiting Slovakia (formerly part of Hungary, now Republic, one of the two constituent republics slovakia). 2 the language of this people, one of the languages of Czechoslovakia. —adj. of or relating to

often destructive to plants. 2 a a bullet esp. of irregular shape. b a missile for an airgun. 3 Printing a a metal bar used in spacing. b a line of type in Linotype printing. 4 esp. US a tot of liquor. 5 a unit of mass, given an acceleration of 1 foot per second per second by a force of 1 Ib. 6 a roundish lump of metal. [ME slugg(e) sluggard, prob. f. Scand.]

the Slovak of Czechotwo official this people

or language. [Slovak etc. Slovak, rel. to SLOVENE] sloven /'slav(2)n/n. a person who is habitually untidy or careless. [ME perh. f. Flem. sloef dirty or Du. slof careless]

slug? /slag/ v. & n. US —v.tr. (slugged, slugging) strike with a hard blow, —n. a hard blow. o slug it out 1 fight it out. 2 endure; stick it out. oo slugger n. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

Slovenia /slo'vi:n1a/ a constituent republic of Yugoslavia; pop. (1981) 1,891,800; capital, Ljubljana. In Dec. 1990 the people of Slovenia voted to become an independent State unless a looser form of confederation was organized within Yugoslavia, Slovene |'slowvi:n/ adj. & n. Slovenian adj. & n.

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

00 slovenliness

* slow |slou| adj., adv., & v. —adj. 1 a taking arelatively long time

with rain; full of puddles. b (of food etc.) watery and disagreeable. ¢ (of a floor, table, etc.) wet with slops, having water etc. spilt on it. 2 unsystematic, careless, not thorough. 3 (of a garment) ill-fitting or untidy. 4 (of sentiment or talk) weakly emotional, maudlin. 5 collog. (of the sea) choppy. 00 sloppily adv. sloppiness n.

sloshed /slp{t/ adj. Brit. sl. drunk. sloshy |/'slvfi/ adj. (sloshier, sloshiest)

—adj. careless and untidy;

—adv. in a slovenly manner.

slugabed |'slaga,bed/ n. archaic a lazy person who lies late in bed. [slug (v.) (see SLUGGARD) + ABED]

sluggard /'slagad/ n. a lazy sluggish person.

kcat

lleg

m man

n no

Pp pen

rred s sit

oo sluggardly

t top

v voice

sluggish adv. sluggardliness n. [ME f. slug (v.) be slothful (prob. f. Scand.:

cf. sLUG}) + -ARD] sluggish /'slagi{/ adj. inert; inactive; slow-moving; torpid; indolent (a sluggish circulation; a sluggish stream). oO sluggishly adv. sluggishness n. [ME f. stuc! or slug (v.): see SLUGGARD]

sluice /slu:s/n. & v. —n. 1 (also sluice-gate, sluice-valve) a sliding gate or other contrivance for controlling the volume or flow of water. 2 (also sluice-way) an artificial water-channel esp. for washing ore. 3 a place for rinsing. 4 the act or an instance of rinsing. 5 the water above or below or issuing through a floodgate. —v. 1 tr. provide or wash with a sluice or Sluices. 2 tr. rinse, pour or throw water freely upon. 3 tr. (foll. by out, away) wash out or away with a flow of water. 4 tr. flood with water from a sluice. 5 intr. (of water) rush out from asluice, or as if fromasluice. [ME f. OF escluse ult. f. L excludere EXCLUDE]

sluit var. of sLoor. slum /slam/ n. & v. —n. 1 an overcrowded and squalid back street, district, etc., usu. in a city and inhabited by very poor people. 2 a house or building unfit for human habitation. —-v.intr. (sitummed, slumming) 1 live in slumlike conditions. 2 go about the slums through curiosity, to examine the condition of the inhabitants, or for charitable purposes. 0 slum clearance the demolition of slums and rehousing of their inhabitants. slum it collog. put up with conditions less comfortable than usual. 00 slummy adj. (slummier, slummiest). slumminess n. [19th c.: orig. cant]

slumber /'slamboa(r)/ v. & n. poet. rhet. —v.intr. 1 sleep, esp. in a specified manner. 2 be idle, drowsy, or inactive. —n. a sleep, esp. of a specified kind (fell into a fitful slumber). 0 slumber away spend (time) in slumber. slumber-wear nightclothes. 00 slumberer n. slumberous adj. slumbrous adj. [ME sliimere etc. f. slimen {v.) or slime (n.) f. OE sliima: -b- as in number] slump /slamp/ 7. & v. —n. 1 a sudden severe or prolonged fall in prices or values of commodities or securities. 2 a sharp o1 sudden decline in trade or business usu. bringing widespread unemployment. 3 a lessening of interest or commitment in a subject or undertaking. —v.intr. 1 undergo a slump; fail; fall in price. 2 sit or fall heavily or limply (slumped into a chair). 3 lean or subside. [17th c., orig. ‘sink in a bog’: imit.]

slung past and past part. of sLinc}. slunk past and past part. of stink. slur /sls:(r)/ v. & n. —v. (slurred, slurring) 1 tr. & intr. pronounce or write indistinctly so that the sounds or letters run into one another. 2 tr. Mus. a perform (a group of two or more notes) legato. b mark (notes) with a slur. 3 tr. archaic or US put a slur on (a person or a person’s character); make insinuations against. 4 tr. (usu. foll. by over) pass over (a fact, fault, etc.) lightly; conceal or minimize. —n. 1 an imputation of wrongdoing; blame; stigma (a slur on my reputation). 2 the act or an instance of slurring in pronunciation, singing, or writing. 3 Mus. a curved line to show that two or more notes are to be sung to one syllable or played or sung legato. [17th c.: orig. unkn.] slurp /sl3:p/ v. & n. —v.tr. eat or drink noisily. —n. the sound of this; a slurping gulp. [Du. slurpen, slorpen] slurry /'slari/ 1. (pl. -ies) 1a semi-liquid mixture of fine particles and water; thin mud. 2 thin liquid cement. 3 a fluid form of manure. 4a residue of water and particles of coal left at pit-head washing plants. [ME, rel. to dial. slur thin mud] slush /slaJ/ n. 1 watery mud or thawing snow. 2 silly sentiment. oO slush fund reserve funding esp. as used for political bribery. [17th c., also sludge and slutch: orig. unkn.] slushy /'slafi/ adj. (slushier, slushiest) like slush; watery. 00 slushiness n. slut /slat/ n. derog. a slovenly woman; a slattern; a hussy. 00 sluttish adj. sluttishness n. [ME: orig. unkn.] sly /slat/ adj. (slyer, slyest) 1 cunning; crafty; wily. 2 a (of a person) practising secrecy or stealth. b (of an action etc.) done etc. in secret. 3 hypocritical; ironical. 4 knowing; arch; bantering; insinuating. 5 Austral. & NZ sl. (esp. of liquor) illicit. o on the sly privately; covertly; without publicity (smuggled some through on the sly). sly dog collog. a person who is discreet about mistakes or pleasures. 00 slyly adv. (also slily). slyness n. [ME wwe

z zoo

small

1369

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

sleh etc. f. ON slegr cunning, orig. ‘able to strike’ f. slég- past stem of sla strike: cf. SLEIGHT]

slyboots /'slarbu:ts/ n. collog. a sly person. slype /slarp/ n. a covered way or passage between a cathedral etc. transept and the chapter house or deanery. [perh. = slipe a long narrow piece of ground, = sp? 1]

SM abbr. 1 sadomasochism. 2 Sergeant-Major. Sm symb. Chem. the element samarium. smack! /smek/ n., v., & adv. —n. 1 a sharp slap or blow esp. with the palm of the hand ora flat object. 2 a hard hit at cricket etc. 3 a loud kiss (gave her a hearty smack). 4 a loud sharp sound (heard the smack as it hit the floor). —v. 1 tr. strike with the open hand etc. 2 tr. part (one’s lips) noisily in eager anticipation or enjoyment of food or another delight. 3 tr. crack (a whip). 4 tr. & intr. move, hit, etc., with a smack. —adv. collog. 1 with a smack. 2 suddenly; directly; violently (landed smack on my desk). 3 exactly (hit it smack in the centre). 0 have a smack at colloq. make an attempt, attack, etc., at. a smack in the eye (or face) collog. a rebuff; a setback. [MDu. smack(en) of imit. orig.]

smack? /smek/ v. & n. (foll. by of) —v.intr. 1 have a flavour of; taste of (smacked of garlic). 2 suggest the presence or effects of (it smacks of nepotism). —n. 1 a flavour; a taste that suggests the presence of something. 2 (in a person’s character etc.) a barely discernible quality (just a smack of superciliousness). 3 (in food etc.) a very small amount (add a smack of ginger). [OE smzc]

smack? /smek/ n. a single-masted sailing-boat for coasting or fishing. [Du. smak f. earlier smacke; orig. unkn.] smack? /smzkj n. sl. a hard drug, esp. heroin, sold or used illegally. [prob. alt. of Yiddish schmeck sniff] smacker /|'smzka(r)/ n. sl. 1 a loud kiss. 2 a resounding blow. 3 a Brit. £1. b US $1. small /smo:]/ adj. n., & adv. —adj. 1 not large or big. 2 slender; thin. 3 not great in importance, amount, number, strength, or power. 4 not much; trifling (a small token; paid small attention). 5 insignificant; unimportant (a small matter; from small beginnings). 6 consisting of small particles (small gravel; small shot). 7 doing something on a small scale (a small farmer). 8 socially undistinguished; poor or humble. 9 petty; mean; ungenerous; paltry (a small spiteful nature). 10 young; not fully grown or developed (a small child). —n. 1 the slenderest part of something (esp. small of the back). 2 (in pl.) Brit. collog. small items of laundry, esp. underwear. —adv. into small pieces (chop it small). o feel (or look) small be humiliated; appear mean or humiliated. in a small way unambitiously; on a small scale. no small considerable; a good deal of (no small excitement about it). small arms portable firearms, esp. rifles, pistols, light machine-guns, sub-machine-guns, etc. small beer 1a trifling matter; something unimportant. 2 weak beer. small-bore (of a firearm) with a narrow bore, in international and Olympic shooting usu. .22 inch calibre (5.6 millimetre bore). small capital a capital letter which is of the same dimensions as the lower-case letters in the same typeface minus ascenders and descenders, as THIS. small change 1 money in the form of coins as opposed to notes. 2 trivial remarks. small circle see CIRCLE. small claims court Brit. a local tribunal in which claims for small amounts can be heard and decided quickly and cheaply without legal representation. small craft a general term for small boats and fishing vessels. small fry 1 young children or the young of various species. 2 small or insignificant things or people. small hours the early hours of the morning after midnight. small intestime see INTESTINE. small letter (in printed material) a lower-case letter. small mercy a minor concession, benefit, etc. (be grateful for small mercies). small potatoes an insignificant person or thing. small print 1 printed matter in small type. 2 inconspicuous and usu. unfavourable limitations etc. in a contract. small profits and quick returns the policy of a cheap shop etc. relying on large trade. small-scale made or occurring in small amounts or to a lesser degree. small slam see SLAM2. small-sword a light tapering thrusting-sword, esp. hist. for duelling. small talk light social conversation. small-time collog. unimportant or petty. small-timer colloq. a small-time operator; an insignificant person. small-town

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

smallgoods

smilax

1370

relating to or characteristic of a small town; unsophisticated; provincial. small wonder not very surprising. 00 smallish adj. smallness n. [OE smal f. Gmc] smallgoods /'smo:lgudz/ n. Austral. delicatessen meats.

smallholder /'smo:],houlda(r)/ n. Brit. a person who farms a smallholding.

smallholding /'smo:],houldin/ n. Brit. an agricultural holding smaller than a farm.

commercial failures. 7 a mixture of spirits (usu. brandy) with flavoured water and ice. —adv. with a smash (fell smash on the floor). 0 go to smash be ruined etc. smash-and-grab (of a * robbery etc.) in which the thief smashes a shop-window and seizes goods. smash-up a violent collision; a complete smash. [18th c., prob. imit. after smack, smite and bash, mash, etc.] smasher /'smzJa(r)/ n. 1 collog. a very beautiful or pleasing person or thing. 2 a person or thing that smashes.

smashing

small-minded /smo:1'maindid/ adj. petty; of rigid opinions or narrow outlook. 00 small-mindedly adv. small-mindedness

n. smallpox |'sma:lppks/ n. an acute contagious virus disease with fever and pustules usually leaving permanent scars, the main devastating disease of the 17th and 18thc. Because it seldom attacked the same person more than once, it had been the practice in the East deliberately to infect healthy people with a mild form of the disease in order to confer upon them immunity from a more dangerous form, and this was introduced into England by the traveller and letter-writer Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689-1762). In 1796 Edward Jenner observed that the mild disease cowpox gave immunity from smallpox, and established the practice of vaccination; its systematic application resulted in the worldwide eradication of smallpox by 1979. smalt /smplt, smo:lt/ n. 1 glass coloured blue with cobalt. 2 a pigment made by pulverizing this. [F f. It. smalto f. Gmc, rel. to SMELT}] smarm /sma:m]/ v.tr. collog. 1 (often foll. by down) smooth, plaster down (hair etc.) usu. with cream or oil. 2 flatter fulsomely. [orig. dial. (also smalm), of uncert. orig.] smarmy /'sma:mi/ adj. (smarmier, smarmiest) collog. ingratiating; flattering; obsequious. 00 smarmily adv. smarminess n. smart /sma:t/ adj., v., n., & adv. —adj. 1 a clever; ingenious; quickwitted (a smart talker; gave a smart answer). b keen in bargaining; quick to take advantage. c (of transactions etc.) unscrupulous to the point of dishonesty. 2 well-groomed; neat; bright and fresh in appearance (a smart suit). 3 in good repair; showing bright colours, new paint, etc. (a smart red bicycle). 4 stylish; fashionable; prominent in society (in all the smart restaurants; the smart set). 5 quick; brisk (set a smart pace). 6 painfully severe; sharp; vigorous (a smart blow). —v.intr. 1 (of a person or a part of the body) feel or give acute pain or distress (my eye smarts; smarting from the insult). 2 (of an insult, grievance, etc.) rankle. 3 (foll. by for) suffer the consequences of (you will smart for this). —n. a bodily or mental sharp pain; a stinging sensation. —ady. smartly; in a smart manner. 0 look smart make haste. smart-arse (or -ass) = SMART ALEC. smart-money 1 money paid or exacted as a penalty or compensation. 2 money invested by persons with expert knowledge. oO smartingly adv. smartish adj. & adv. smartly adv. smartness n. [OE smeart, smeortan] smart alec /'zlik/ n. (also aleck, alick) collog. a person displaying ostentatious or smug cleverness. 00 smart-alecky adj. [SMART + Alec, dimin. of the name Alexander] smarten /'sma:t(9)n/ v.tr. & intr. (usu. foll. by up) make or become smart or smarter. smarty /'sma:ti/ n. (pl. -ies) collog. 1 a know-all; a smart alec. 2 a smartly-dressed person; a member of a smart set. o smarty-boots (or -pants) = SMARTY 1. [SMART] smash /smeJ/ v.,n., & adv. —v. 1 tr. & intr. (often foll. by up) a break into pieces; shatter. b bring or come to sudden or complete destruction, defeat, or disaster. 2 tr. (foll. by into, through) (of a vehicle etc.) move with great force and impact. 3 tr. & intr. (foll. by in) break in with a crushing blow (smashed in the window). 4 tr. (in tennis, squash, etc.) hit (a ball etc.) with great force, esp. downwards (smashed it back over the net). 5 intr. (of a business etc.) go bankrupt, come to grief. 6 tr. (as smashed adj.) sl. intoxicated. —n. 1 the act or an instance of smashing; a violent fall, collision, or disaster. 2 the sound of this. 3 (in full smash hit) a very successful play, song, performer, etc. 4 a stroke in tennis, squash, etc., in which the ball is hit esp. downwards with great force. 5 a violent blow with a fist etc. 6 bankruptcy; a series of w cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

/'smz{1n/ adj. collog. superlative; excellent; won-

derful; beautiful. o0 smashingly adv. smatter /'smzto(r)/ n. (also smattering) a slight superficial knowledge of a language or subject. 00 smatterer n. [ME smatter talk ignorantly, prate: orig. unkn.] smear /sm1o(r)/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 daub or mark with a greasy or

sticky substance or with something that stains. 2 blot; smudge; obscure the outline of (writing, artwork, etc.). 3 defame the character of; slander; attempt to or succeed in discrediting (a person or his name) publicly. —n. 1 the act or an instance of smearing. 2 Med. a material smeared on a microscopic slide etc. for examination. b a specimen of this. 0 smear test = cervical smear. OO smearer n. smeary adj. [OE smierwan f. Gmc] smegma /|'smegmg/ n. a sebaceous secretion in the folds of the skin, esp. of the foreskin. 00 smegmatic /-'mztrk/ adj. [L f. Gk smégma -atos detergent f. smékho cleanse] smell /smel/ n. & v. —n. 1 the faculty of perceiving odours or scents (hasa fine sense of smell). 2 the quality in substances that is perceived by this (the smell of thyme; this rose has no smell). 3 an unpleasant odour. 4 the act of inhaling to ascertain smell. —v. (past and past part. smelt /smelt/ or smelled) 1 tr. perceive the smell of; examine by smell (thought I could smell gas). 2 intr. emit odour. 3 intr. seem by smell to be (this milk smells sour). 4 intr. (foll. by of) a be redolent of (smells of fish). b be suggestive of (smells of dishonesty). 5 intr. stink; be rank. 6tr. perceive as if by smell; detect, discern, suspect (smell a bargain; smell blood). 7 intr. have or use a sense of smell. 8 intr. (foll. by about) sniff or search about. 9 intr. (foll. by at) inhale the smell of. o smelling-bottle a small bottle of smelling-salts. smelling-salts ammonium carbonate mixed with scent to be sniffed as a restorative in faintness etc. smell out 1 detect by smell; find out by investigation. 2 (of a dog etc.) hunt out by smell. smell a rat begin to suspect trickery etc. 00 smellable adj. smeller n. smell-less adj. [ME smel(le), prob. f. OE] smelly /'smeli/ adj. (smellier, smelliest) having a strong or unpleasant smell. 00 smelliness n. smelt! /smelt/ v.tr. 1 extract metal from (ore) by melting. 2 extract (metal) from ore by melting. 00 smelter n. smeltery n. (pl. -ies). [MDu., MLG smelten, rel. to MELT]

smelt? past and past part. of SMELL. smelt? /smelt/ n. (pl. same or smelts) any small green and silver fish of the genus Osmerus etc. allied to salmon and used as food. (OE, of uncert. orig.: cf. sMoLT]

Smersh /sms:{/ the popular name for the Russian counterespionage organization, originating during the Second World War, responsible for maintaining security within the Soviet armed and intelligence services. [Russ. abbr. of smert! shpionam, lit. ‘death to spies’] Smetana /'smetens/, Bediich (1824-84), Bohemian composer regarded as the founder of Czech music. His dedication to Czech nationalism is apparent in his operas (notably The Bartered Bride, 1866, and Dalibor, 1868) and in the cycle of symphonic poems My Country (1874-9). He also contributed to the cause through his work as conductor of the Provisional Theatre in Prague.

Smetana died in an asylum after 10 years of suffering from the onset of syphilis, which had left him completely deaf in 1881, and was buried as a national hero. smew /smju:/ n. a small merganser, Mergus albellus. [17th c., rel. to smeath, smee = smew, widgeon, etc.]

smidgen /'smid3(2)nj n. (also smidgin /-d3in/) collog. a small bit or amount. [perh. f. smitch in the same sense: cf. dial. smitch

wood-smoke] smilax /'smatleks/ n. 1 any climbing shrub of the genus Smilax,

i: see

p hot

0: saw

arun

vo put

wu: too

9 ago

ar my

smile

smoke

1371

the roots of some species of which yield sarsaparilla. 2 a climbing kind of asparagus, Asparagus medeoloides, used decoratively by florists. [L f. Gk, = bindweed]

in volumes which include A Good Time was Had By All (1937) and Not Waving But Drowning (1957). Her Collected Poems (1975) appeared posthumously.

smile /smail/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. relax the features into a pleased

Smith® Sydney (1771-1845), English churchman, essayist, and

or kind or gently sceptical expression or a forced imitation of these, usu. with the lips parted and the corners of the mouth turned up. 2 tr. express by smiling (smiled their consent). 3 tr. give (a smile) of a specified kind (smiled a sardonic smile). 4 intr. (foll. by on, upon) adopt a favourable attitude towards; encourage (fortune smiled on me). 5 intr. have a bright or favourable aspect (the smiling countryside). 6 tr. (foll. by away) drive (a person’s anger etc.) away (smiled their tears away). 7 intr. (foll. by at) a ridicule or

show indifference to (smiled at my feeble attempts). b favour; smile on. 8 tr. (foll. by into, out of) bring (a person) into or out of a specified mood etc. by smiling (smiled them into agreement). —n. 1 the act or an instance of smiling. 2 a smiling expression or aspect. O come up smiling collog. recover from adversity and cheerfully face what is to come. 00 smileless adj. smiler n. smiley adj. smilingly adv. [ME perh. f. Scand., rel. to sMiRK: cf.

OHG smilenter] Smiley /'smaili/, George. A quiet scholarly senior officer in the British intelligence bureaucracy in novels by John le Carré. smiley /'smaili/ adj. showing a smile, esp. of a cartoon-style representation of a face.

smirch /sms:t{/ v. & n. —v.tr. mark, soil, or smear (a thing, a person’s reputation, etc.). —n. 1 a spot or stain. 2 a blot (on one’s character etc.). [ME: orig. unkn.]

smirk /sm3:k/ n. & v. —n. an affected, conceited, or silly smile. —v.intr. put on or wear a smirk. 00 smirker n. smirkingly

adv. smirky adj. smirkily adv. [OE sme(a)rcian] smit /smuit/ archaic past part. of sMITE.

/smi6/, Adam

(1723-90),

Scottish philosopher and

economist, founder of modern political economy, whose work marks a highly significant turning-point in the breakdown of mercantilist orthodoxy and the spread of laissez-faire ideas. A notable participant in the Scottish Enlightenment of the 18th c., with a considerable reputation as a philosopher, Smith retired from academic life to produce his seminal Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776), establishing theories of labour, distribution, wages, prices, and money, and putting forward a theory of the natural liberty of trade and commerce which was to prove highly influential in terms not only of economic but also of political theory in the following century. It appeared on the actual date of the Declaration of Independence of the American rebels, and contained the prophecy ‘They will be one of the foremost nations of the world’.

Smith? /sm16/, Bessie (1894-1937), American jazz and blues singer, known as the ‘Empress of the Blues’. She became a leading artist in the 1920s and made over 150 recordings, including some with Benny Goodman and Louis Armstrong. She died from injuries received in a car accident, reportedly after being refused admission to a ‘Whites only’ hospital.

Smith? /sm16/, Ian Douglas (1919-

), Rhodesian statesman.

Smith became Prime Minister of the White minority government of Rhodesia in 1964, and, after Britain refused to give the country its independence under his administration, unilaterally declared independence in 1965. He was forced to resign in 1979 to make way for majority Black rule. After the transformation of the country into the independent State of Zimbabwe he remained active in politics, leading the party that represented the interests of those Whites who chose to remain.

Smith? /sm10/, Joseph (1805-44), founder of the Mormon sect. Smith® /sm10/, Stevie (Florence Margaret) (1902-71), English poet. She wrote three novels, including Novel on Yellow Paper (1936), but is more widely recognized for her witty, caustic, and enigmatic verse, often illustrated by her own comic drawings, au how

e1 day

ov no

eo hair

to near

o1 boy

Smith’, William (1769-1839), English land-surveyor and selftaught geologist, one of the founders of stratigraphical geology, long known as the father of English geology. Working initially in the area around Bath, he discovered that rock strata could be distinguished on the basis of their characteristic assemblages of fossils, and that the identity of strata exposed in different places could thereby be established. Smith later travelled extensively in Britain, accumulating data which enabled him to produce the first geological map of the whole of England and Wales. Many of the names he devised for particular strata are still in use. smith /sm16/ n. & v. —n. 1 (esp. in comb.) a worker in metal (goldsmith; tinsmith). 2 a person who forges iron; a blacksmith. 3 a craftsman (wordsmith). —v.tr. make or treat by forging. [OE f. Gmc] 5 smithereens /\sm16'ri:nz/ n.pl. (also smithers /'sm16az/) small fragments (smash into smithereens). [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

smithery /'smi@or1/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a smith’s work. 2 (esp. in naval dockyards) a smithy.

Smithfield /'smi@fiold/ originally, an open area outside the NW walls of the City of London, a market for cattle and horses, which later became the central meat-market. In the 16th c. it was the scene of the burning of heretics.

Smithsonian

smite /smatt/v. & n. —v. (past smote /smoutj; past part. smitten |'smut(e)n/) archaic or literary 1 tr. strike or hit. 2 tr. chastise; defeat. 3 tr. (in passive) a have a sudden strong effect on (was smitten by his conscience). b infatuate, fascinate (was smitten by her beauty). 4 intr. (foll. by on, upon) come forcibly or abruptly upon. —n. a blow or stroke. 00 smiter n. [OE smitan smear f. Gmc]

Smith!

wit, author of the Letters of Peter Plymley (1807), in defence of Catholic emancipation.

va poor

Institution

/sm10'sounien/ the oldest US

foundation for scientific research, established by Congress in 1838 and opened in 1846 in Washington, DC. It originated in a £100,000 bequest in the will of James Smithson (1765-1829), English chemist and mineralogist, for ‘an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men’.

smithy /'sm161/ n. (pl. -ies) a blacksmith’s workshop; a forge. [ME f. ON smithja]

smitten past part. of sMITE. smock /smpk/ n. & v. —n. 1 loose shirtlike garment with the upper part closely gathered in smocking. 2 (also smock-frock) a loose overall, esp. hist. a field-labourer’s outer linen garment. —v.tr, adorn with smocking. [OE smoc, prob. rel. to OE smiigan creep, ON smjiiga put on a garment] smocking /'smpkin/ n. an ornamental effect on cloth made by gathering the material tightly into pleats, often with stitches in a honeycomb pattern. smog /smpg/ n. fog intensified by smoke. 00 smoggy adj. (smoggier, smoggiest). [portmanteau word] smoke /smouk/ n. & v. —n. 1 a visible suspension of carbon etc. in air, emitted from a burning substance. 2 an act or period of smoking tobacco (had a quiet smoke). 3 collog. a cigarette or cigar (got a smoke?). 4 (the Smoke) Brit. & Austral. collog. a big city, esp. London. —v. 1 intr. a emit smoke or visible vapour (smoking ruins). b (of a lamp etc.) burn badly with the emission of smoke. ¢ (of a chimney or fire) discharge smoke into the room. 2 a intr. inhale and exhale the smoke of a cigarette or cigar or pipe. b intr. do this habitually. c tr. use (a cigarette etc.) in this way. 3 tr. darken or preserve by the action of smoke (smoked salmon). 4 tr. spoil the taste of in cooking. 5 tr. a rid of insects etc. by the action of smoke. b subdue (insects, esp. bees) in this way. 6 tr. archaic make fun of. 7 tr. bring (oneself) into a specified state by smoking. 0 go up in smoke collog. 1 be destroyed by fire. 2 (of a plan etc.) come to nothing. no smoke without fire rumours are not entirely baseless. smoke-ball 1 a puff-ball. 2 a projectile filled with material emitting dense smoke, used to conceal military operations etc. smoke bomb a bomb that emits dense smoke on exploding. smoke-bush = smoke-plant. smoked glass glass darkened with smoke. smoke-dried cured in smoke. smoke-ho Austral. & NZ colloq. = SMOKO. smoke out 1 drive out by means of smoke. 2 drive out of hiding or secrecy etc. smoke-plant (or -tree) any ornamental shrub of the genus Cotinus, with feathery smokelike fruit-stalks.

aio fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

smokeless

smut

1372

so as to lessen irregularities. 4 tr. free from impediments or discomfort (smooth the way; smooth the declining years). —n. 1a smoothing touch or stroke (gave his hair a smooth). 2 the easy cairngorm. smoke-tunnel a form of wind-tunnel using smoke filaments to show the motion of air. 00 smokable adj. (also - part of life (take the rough with the smooth). —adv. smoothly (the course of true love never did run smooth). 0 in smooth water having smokeable). [OE smoca f. weak grade of the stem of sméocan passed obstacles or difficulties. smooth-bore a gun with an emit smoke] unrifled barrel. smooth-faced hypocritically friendly. smokeless /'smsuklis/ adj. having or producing little or no smoothing-iron hist. a flat-iron. smoothing-plane a small smoke. 0 smokeless zone a district in which it is illegal to plane for finishing the planing of wood. smooth muscle a create smoke and where only smokeless fuel may be used. muscle without striations, usu. occurring in hollow organs and smoker /'smouka(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that smokes, esp. a performing involuntary functions. smooth talk collog. bland person who habitually smokes tobacco. 2. a compartment on a specious language. smooth-talk v.tr. address or persuade with train, in which smoking is allowed. 3 esp. US an informal social this. smooth-tongued insincerely flattering. 00 smoothable gathering of men. o smoker’s cough an ailment caused by adj. smoother n. smoothish adj. smoothly adv. smoothness excessive smoking. n. [OE smoth] smokescreen /'smoukskri:n/ n. 1 a cloud of smoke diffused to smoothie /'smu:é1/ n. collog. a person who is smooth (see conceal (esp. military) operations. 2 a device or ruse for disSMOOTH adj. 9). [SMOOTH] guising one’s activities. smoke-ring smoke froma cigarette etc. exhaled in the shape of a ring. smoke-room Brit. = SMOKING-ROOM. smoke-stone

smorgasbord /'smo:g9s,bo:d/ n. open sandwiches served with

smokestack /'smoukstek/ n. 1 a chimney or funnel for dis-

delicacies as hors d’ceuvres or a buffet. [Sw. f. smér butter + gas goose, lump of butter + bord table]

charging the smoke of a locomotive or steamer. 2 a tall chimney.

smoking-jacket /'smoukin,d3zekit/ n. an ornamental jacket

smorzando /smo:'tszendsu/ adj., adv., & n. Mus. —adj. & adv.

formerly worn by men while smoking.

dying away. —n. (pl. -os or smorzandi /-di/) a smorzando passage. [It., gerund of smorzare extinguish] smote past of SMITE.

smoking-room /'smovkin,ru:m, -,rom/ n. a room ina hotel or house, kept for smoking in. smoko |'smaukou/ n. (pl. -os) Austral. & NZ collog. 1 a stoppage of work for a rest and a smoke. 2 a tea break. smoky /'smsuki/ adj. (smokier, smokiest) 1 emitting, veiled or filled with, or obscured by, smoke (smoky. fire; smoky room). 2 stained with or coloured like smoke (smoky glass). 3 having the taste or flavour of smoked food (smoky bacon). 00 smokily adv. smokiness n.

smother /|'smadoa(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. suffocate; stifle; kill by stopping the breath of or excluding air from. 2 tr. (foll. by with) overwhelm with (kisses, gifts, kindness, etc.) (smothered with affection). 3 tr. (foll. by in, with) cover entirely in or with (chicken smothered in mayonnaise). 4 tr. extinguish or deaden (a fire or flame) by covering it or heaping it with ashes etc. 5 intr. a die of suffocation. b have difficulty breathing. 6 tr. (often foll. by up) suppress or conceal; keep from notice or publicity. 7 tr. US defeat rapidly or utterly. —n. 1 a cloud of dust or smoke. 2 obscurity caused by this. 0 smothered mate Chess checkmate in which the king, having no vacant square to move to, is checkmated by a knight. [ME smorther f. the stem of OE smorian

smolder US var. of sMOULDER. Smolensk /smo'lensk/ a city in the west of the Soviet Union, on the River Dneiper; pop. (est. 1987) 338,000.

Smollett /'smolit/, Tobias George (1721-71), Scottish novelist, who became a surgeon’s mate in the Navy and was present at

the abortive attack on Cartagena which is described in his first novel Roderick Random (1748). His other novels were Peregrine Pickle (1751), Count Fathom (1753), Sir Launcelot Greaves (1760-1), the story of an 18th-c. Don Quixote, and his most famous work Humphrey Clinker (1771) in epistolary form. These works are often described as picaresque and are characterized by fast-moving narrative, humorous caricature, and incident which sometimes distorts Smollett’s professed moral purpose. He also edited periodicals, produced political pamphlets (often controversial), poems, plays, a Complete History of England (1757-8), and translations of Voltaire, Cervantes, and A.-R. Lesage. smolt /smoult/ n. a young salmon migrating to the sea for the first time. [ME (orig. Sc. & N.Engl.): orig. unkn.] smooch /smu:t{/ n. & v. collog. —n. 1 Brit. a period of slow dancing close together. 2 a spell of kissing and caressing. —v.intr. engage in a smooch. 00 smoocher n. smoochy adj. (smoochier, smoochiest). [dial. smouch imit.] smoodge /smu:d3/ v.intr. (also smooge) Austral. & NZ 1 behave in a fawning or ingratiating manner. 2 behave amorously. [prob. var. of dial. smudge kiss, sidle up to, beg in a sneaking way] smooth /smu:6/ adj,, v., n., & adv. —adj. 1 having a relatively even and regular surface; free from perceptible projections, lumps, indentations, and roughness. 2 not wrinkled, pitted, scored, or hairy (smooth skin). 3 that can be traversed without check. 4 (of liquids) of even consistency; without lumps (mix to a smooth paste). 5 (of the sea etc.) without waves or undulations. 6 (of a journey, passage, progress, etc.) untroubled by difficulties or adverse conditions. 7 having an easy flow or correct rhythm (smooth breathing; a smooth metre). 8 a not harsh in sound or taste. b (of wine etc.) not astringent. 9 (of a person, his or her manner, etc.) suave, conciliatory, flattering, unruffled, or polite (a smooth talker, he’s very smooth). 10 (of movement etc.) not suddenly varying; not jerky. —v. 1 tr. & intr. (often foll. by out, down) make or become smooth. 2 (often foll. by out, down, over, away) a tr. reduce or get rid of (differences, faults, difficulties, etc.) in fact or appearance. b intr. (of difficulties etc.) diminish, become less obtrusive (it will all smooth over). 3 tr. modify (a graph, curve, etc.)

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

jyes

suffocate] smothery /'smaéeri/ adj. tending to smother; stifling.

smoulder /'smaulda(r)/ v. & n. (US smolder) —v.intr. 1 burn slowly with smoke but without a flame; slowly burn internally or invisibly. 2 (of emotions etc.) exist in a suppressed or concealed state. 3 (of a person) show silent or suppressed anger, hatred, etc. —n. a smouldering or slow-burning fire. [ME, rel. to LG sméln, MDu. smélen] smriti /'smriti/ n. Hindu traditional teachings on religion etc. [Skr. smrti remembrance]

smudge! /smad3/.n. & v. —n. 1a blurred or smeared line or mark; a blot; a smear of dirt. 2 a stain or blot on a person’s character etc. —v, 1 tr. make a smudge on. 2 intr. become smeared or blurred (smudges easily). 3 tr. smear or blur the lines of (writing, drawing, etc.) (smudge the outline). 4 tr. defile, sully, stain,

or

disgrace

(a person’s

name,

character,

etc).

oo

smudgeless adj. [ME: orig. unkn.] smudge? /smad3/ n. US an outdoor fire with dense smoke made to keep off insects, protect plants against frost, etc. o smudge-pot a container holding burning material that produces a smudge. [smudge (v.) cure (herring) by smoking (16th c:: orig. unkn.)}

smudgy /'smad31/ adj. (smudgier, smudgiest) 1 smudged. 2 likely to produce smudges. 00 smudgily adv. smudginess n. smug /smag/ adj. (smugger, smuggest) self-satisfied; complacent. 00 smugly adv. smugness n. [16th c., orig. ‘neat’ f. LG smuk pretty]

smuggle /'smag(s)l/ v.tr. 1 (also absol.) import or export (goods) illegally esp. without payment of customs duties. 2 (foll. by in, out) convey secretly. 3 (foll. by away) put into concealment. oo smuggler n. smuggling n. [17th c. (also smuckle) f. LG smukkeln smuggelen] smut /smat/n. & v. —n. 1a small flake of soot etc. 2a spot or smudge made by this. 3 obscene or lascivious talk, pictures, or stories. 4 a a fungous disease of cereals in which parts of the ear change to black powder. b any fungus of the order

kcat

lleg

mman

nno

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

Smuts Ustilaginales causing this. —v. (smutted, smutting) 1 tr. mark with smuts. 2 tr. infect (a plant) with smut. 3 intr. (of a plant) contract smut. 0 smut-ball Agriculture grain affected by smut. smut-mill a machine for freeing grain from smut. 00 smutty adj. (smuttier, smuttiest) (esp. in sense 3 of n.). smuttily ady. smuttiness n. [rel. to LG smutt, MHG smutz(en) etc.: cf. OE smitt(ian) smear, and SMUDGE!]

Smuts

/smats/, Jan Christiaan (1870-1950), South African

soldier, statesman, and philosopher. A lawyer by training, Smuts played an important part in the Boer War, leading a Boer guerrilla group in the Cape area, but afterwards supported Botha’s policy of Anglo-Boer cooperation and was one of the founders of the Union of South Africa. During the First World War he became that country’s foremost soldier, leading Imperial troops against the Germans in East Africa in 1916 and acting as South African representative in the British War Cabinet in 1917-18, during which time he played a crucial role in the formation of the Royal Air Force. After the war he held a series of high posts in the South African government, including that of Prime Minister in 1919-24 and 1939-48. During the Second World War he commanded the South African troops. As a statesman Smuts was respected internationally; he helped to found the League of Nations, drafted the preamble to the UN charter, and put forward the idea that the British Empire should evolve into a commonwealth of equal nations. In South Africa itself, however, he failed to grasp the strength of Afrikaner nationalism, and his support of Britain aroused resentment.

Smyrna see Izmir. Sn symb. Chem. the element tin. snack /snxk/ n. & v. —n. 1 light, casual, or hurried meal. 2a small amount of food eaten between meals. 3 Austral. sl. something easy to accomplish. —v.intr. eat a snack. 0 smack bar a place where snacks are sold. [ME, orig. a snap or bite, f. MDu. snac(k) f. snacken (v.), var. of snappen]

snaffle /'snzffs)!/ n. & v. —n. (in full snaffle-bit) a simple bridle-bit without a curb and usu. with a single rein. —v.tr. 1 put a snaffle on. 2 collog. steal; seize; appropriate. [prob. f. LG or Du.: cf. MLG, MDu. snavel beak, mouth] snafu /snz'fu:/ adj. & n. sl. —adj. in utter confusion or chaos. —n. this state. [acronym for ‘situation normal: all fouled (or

fucked) up’] snag! /snzg/ n. & v. —n. 1 an unexpected or hidden obstacle or drawback. 2 a jagged or projecting point or broken stump. 3a tear in material etc. 4a short tine of an antler. —v.tr. (snagged, snagging) 1 catch or tear on a snag. 2 clear (land, a waterway, a tree-trunk, etc.) of snags. 3 US catch or obtain by quick action. 00 snagged adj. snaggy adj. [prob. f. Scand.: cf. Norw. dial. snag(e) sharp point]

snag? /snzg/ n. (usu. in pl.) Austral. sl. a sausage. [20th c.: orig. unkn.]

snaggle-tooth /'snzg(s)l/ n. (pl. snaggle-teeth) an irregular or projecting tooth. 00 snaggle-toothed adj. [sNac! + -LE?] snail /snel/ n. any slow-moving gastropod mollusc with a spiral shell able to enclose the whole body. o snail’s pace a very slow

movement. o0 snail-like adj. [OE snzg(e)l f. Gmc] snake /snerk/ n..& v. —n. 1 a any long limbless reptile of the suborder Serpentes, including boas, pythons, and poisonous forms such as cobras and vipers. b a limbless lizard or amphibian. 2 (also snake in the grass) a treacherous person or secret enemy. 3 (prec. by the) a system of interconnected exchange rates for the EEC currencies. —v.intr. move or twist like a snake. oO snake bird a fish-eating bird, Anhinga anhinga, with a long slender neck. snake-charmer a person appearing to make snakes move by music etc. snake-pit 1 a pit containing snakes. 2 a scene of vicious behaviour. snakes and ladders a game with counters moved along a board with advances up ‘ladders’ or returns down ‘snakes’ depicted on the board. snake’s head a bulbous plant, Fritillaria meleagris, with bell-shaped pendent flowers. 00 snakelike adj. [OE snaca]

snakeroot /'snerkru:t/ n. any of various N. American plants, esp. Cimicifuga racemosa, with roots reputed to contain an antidote to snake’s poison.

wwe

snarl

1373

z zoo

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

snaky /'snerki/ adj. 1 of or like a snake. 2 winding; sinuous. 3 showing coldness, ingratitude, venom, or guile. 4 a infested with snakes, b (esp. of the hair of the Furies) composed of snakes. 5Austral. sl. angry; irritable. 00 snakily adv. snakiness n. snap /snep| v., n., adv., & adj. —v. (snapped, snapping) 1 intr. & tr. break suddenly or with a snap. 2 intr. & tr. emit or cause

to emit a sudden sharp sound or crack. 3 intr. & tr. open or close with a snapping sound (the bag snapped shut). 4 a intr. (often foll. by at) speak irritably or spitefully (to a person) (did not mean to snap at you). b tr. say irritably or spitefully. 5 intr. (often foll. by at) (esp. of a dog etc.) make a sudden audible bite. 6 tr. & intr. move quickly (snap into action). 7 tr. take a snapshot of. 8 tr. Amer. Football put (the ball) into play on the ground by a quick backward movement. —n. 1 an act or sound of snapping. 2a crisp biscuit or cake (brandy snap; ginger snap). 3 a snapshot. 4 (in full cold snap) a sudden brief spell of cold weather. 5 Brit. a a card-game in which players call ‘snap’ when two similar cards are exposed. b (as int.) on noticing the (often unexpected) similarity of two things. 6 crispness of style; fresh vigour or liveliness in action; zest; dash; spring. 7 US sl. an easy task (it was a snap). —adv. with the sound of a snap (heard it go snap). —adj. done or taken on the spur of the moment, unexpectedly, or without notice (snap decision). Osmap at accept (bait, a chance, etc.) eagerly (see also senses 4a and 5 of v.). snap bean US a bean grown for its pods which are broken into pieces and eaten. snap-bolt (or -lock) a bolt etc. which locks automatically when a door or window closes. snap-brim (of a hat) with a brim that can be turned up and down at opposite sides. snap-fastener = press-stud (see PRESS!). snap one’s fingers 1 make an audible - fillip, esp. in rhythm to music etc. 2 (often foll. by at) defy; show contempt for. snap-hook (or -link) a hook or link with a spring allowing the entrance but barring the escape of a cord, link, etc. snap off break off or bite off. snap off a person’s head address a person angrily or rudely. snap out say irritably. snap out of sl. get rid of (a mood, habit, etc.) by a sudden effort. snapping turtle any large American freshwater turtle of the family Chelydridae which seizes prey with a snap of its jaws. snap up 1 accept (an offer, a bargain) quickly or eagerly. 2 pick up or catch hastily or smartly. 3 interrupt (another person) before he or she has finished speaking. 00 snappable adj. snappingly adv. [prob. f. MDu. or MLG snappen, partly imit.] snapdragon /|'snep,dregoan/ n. a plant, Antirrhinum majus, with a bag-shaped flower like a dragon’s mouth. snapper |'snzpo(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that snaps. 2 any of several fish of the family Lutjanidae, used as food. 3 a snapping turtle. 4 US a cracker (as a toy).

snappish /'snzpr{/ adj. 1 (of a person’s manner or a remark) curt; ill-tempered; sharp. 2 (of a dog etc.) inclined to snap. 00 snappishly adv. snappishness n. snappy /'snepi/ adj. (snappier, snappiest) collog. 1 brisk, full of zest. 2 neat and elegant (a snappy dresser). 3 snappish. 0 make it snappy be quick about it. 00 snappily adv. snappiness n. snapshot |'snzpJot/ n. a casual photograph taken quickly with a small hand-camera. snare /sneo(r)/n. & v. —n. 1a trap for catching birds or animals, esp. with a noose of wire or cord. 2 a thing that acts as a temptation. 3 a device for tempting an enemy etc. to expose himself or herself to danger, failure, loss, capture, defeat, etc. 4 (in sing. or pl.) Mus. twisted strings of gut, hide, or wire stretched across the lower head of a side-drum to produce a rattling sound. 5 (in full snare drum) a drum fitted with snares. 6 Surgery a wire loop for extracting polyps etc. —v.tr. 1 catch (a bird etc.) in a snare. 2 ensnare; lure or trap (a person) with a snare. 00 snarer n. (also in comb.). [OE sneare f. ON snara: senses 4 & 5 prob. f. MLG or MDu.] snark /sna:k/ n. a fabulous animal, orig. the subject ofa nonsense poem. [The Hunting of the Snark (1876) by Lewis Carroll] snarl! /sna:l/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. (of a dog) make an angry growl with bared teeth. 2 intr. (of a person) speak cynically; make bad-tempered complaints or criticisms. 3 tr. (often foll. by out) a utter in a snarling tone. b express (discontent etc.) by snarling. —rn. the act or sound of snarling. 00 snarler n. snarlingly tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

snarl

snob

1374

Fe

Ee

ee

snicker /'snrko(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 = SNIGGER v. 2 whinny, adv. snarly adj. (snarlier, snarliest). [earlier snar f. (M)LG, MHG neigh. —n. 1 = SNIGGER n. 2 a whinny, a neigh. OO snarren] snarl? /sna:l/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. (often foll. by up) twist; entangle; - snickeringly adv. [imit.] snide /snaid/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 sneering; slyly derogatory; confuse and hamper the movement of (traffic etc.). 2 intr. (often insinuating. 2 counterfeit; bogus. 3 US mean; underhand. —n. foll. by up) become entangled, congested, or confused. 3 tr. adorn a snide person or remark. o0 snidely adv. snideness n. [19th-c. the exterior of (a narrow metal vessel) with raised work. —n. a colloq.: orig. unkn.] knot or tangle. 0 snarling iron an implement used for snarling metal, snarl-up collog. a traffic jam; a muddle; a mistake. [ME sniff /snif] v. & n. —v. 1 intr. draw up air audibly through the f. snare (n. & v.): sense 3 perh. f. noun in dial. sense ‘knot in nose to stop it running or to detect a smell or as an expression wood’] of contempt. 2 tr. (often foll. by up) draw in (a scent, drug, liquid, or air) through the nose. 3 tr. draw in the scent of (food, drink, snatch /snet]/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 seize quickly, eagerly, or unexflowers, etc.) through the nose. —n. 1 an act or sound of pectedly, esp. with outstretched hands. 2 steal (a wallet, handbag, etc.). 3 secure with difficulty (snatched an hour's rest). 4 sniffing. 2 the amount of air etc. sniffed up. 0 sniff at 1 try the smell of; show interest in. 2 show contempt for or discontent (foll. by away, from) take away or from esp. suddenly (snatched away my hand). 5 (foll. by from) rescue narrowly (snatched from the with. sniff out detect; discover by investigation. 00 sniffingly jaws of death). 6 (foll. by at) a try to seize by stretching or grasping adv. [ME, imit.] suddenly. b take (an offer etc.) eagerly. —n. 1 an act of snatching sniffer /'snrfo(r)/ n. 1 a person who sniffs, esp. one who sniffs a (made a snatch at it). 2 a fragment of a song or talk etc. (caught a drug or toxic substances (often in comb.: glue-sniffer). 2 sl. the snatch of their conversation). 3 US sl. a kidnapping. 4 (in weightnose. 3 collog. any device for detecting gas, radiation, etc. O lifting) the rapid raising of a weight from the floor to above the sniffer-dog collog. a dog trained to sniff out drugs or explosives. head. 5 a short spell of activity etc. 0 in (or by) snatches in fits sniffle /'snif{o)l/ v. & n. —v.intr. sniff slightly or repeatedly. and starts. 00 snatcher n. (esp. in sense 3 of n.). snatchy adj. —n. 1 the act of sniffling. 2 (in sing. or pl.) a cold in the head [ME snecchen, sna(c)che, perh. rel. to SNACK] causing a running nose and sniffling. 00 sniffler n. sniffly adj. snavel /'snzv(s)]/ v.tr. (also snavle, snavvle) Austral. sl. catch; [imit.: cf. SNIVEL] take; steal. [E dial. (as SNAFFLE)] sniffy /'snift/ adj. collog. (sniffier, sniffiest) 1 inclined to sniff. 2 snazzy |'snzz1/ adj. (snazzier, snazziest) sl. smart or attractive disdainful; contemptuous. 00 sniffily adv. sniffiness n. esp. in an ostentatious way. 00 snazzily adv. snazziness n. snifter /'snifta(r)/ n. 1 sl. a small drink of alcohol. 2 US a balloon [20th c.: orig. unkn.] glass for brandy. 0 snifter-valve a valve in a steam engine to sneak |sni:k/ v., n., & adj. —v. 1 intr. & tr. (foll. by in, out, past, allow air in or out. [dial. snift sniff, perh. f. Scand.: imit] away, etc.) go or convey furtively; slink. 2 tr. sl. steal unobserved; snig /snig/ v.tr. (snigged, snigging) Austral. & NZ drag with a make off with. 3 intr. Brit. school sl. tell tales; turn informer. 4 jerk. 0 snigging chain a chain used to move logs. [E dial.] intr. (as sneaking adj.) a furtive; undisclosed (have a sneaking snigger /'sniga(r)/n. & v. —n. a half-suppressed secretive laugh. affection for him). b persistent in one’s mind; nagging (a sneaking —-v.intr. utter such a laugh. 00 sniggerer n. sniggeringly adv. feeling that it is not right). —n. 1 a mean-spirited cowardly under[var. of SNICKER] hand person. 2 Brit. school sl. a tell-tale. —adj. acting or done sniggle /'snig(s)l/ v.intr. fish (for eels) by pushing bait into a hole. without warning; secret (a sneak attack). O sneak-thief a thief (ME snig small eel, of unkn. orig.] who steals without breaking in; a pickpocket. 00 sneakingly adv. [16th c., prob. dial.: perh. rel. to ME snike, OE snican creep] snip /snip/ v. & n. —v.tr. (snipped, snipping) (also absol.) cut sneaker /'sni:ka(r)/ n. sl. each of a pair of soft-soled canvas etc. (cloth, a hole, etc.) with scissors or shears, esp. in small quick shoes. strokes. —n. 1 an act of snipping. 2 a piece of material etc. snipped off. 3 sl. a something easily achieved. b Brit. a bargain; sneaky |'sni:ki/ adj. (sneakier, sneakiest) given to or charsomething cheaply acquired. 4 (in pl.) hand-shears for metal acterized by sneaking; furtive, mean. oO sneakily adv. cutting. 0 snip at make snipping strokes at. 00 snipping n. sneakiness n. [LG & Du. snippen imit.] sneck /snek/ n. & v. Sc. & N.Engl. —n. a latch. —-v.tr. latch (a snipe /snaip/ n. & v. —n. (pl. same or snipes) any of various door etc.); close or fasten with a sneck. [ME, rel. to SNATCH] wading birds, esp. of the genus Gallinago, with a long straight Sneek /snerk/ a market-town and water-sports centre in The bill and frequenting marshes. —v. 1 intr. fire shots from hiding Netherlands, with the largest yachting harbour in the country; usu. at long range. 2 tr. kill by sniping. 3 intr. (foll. by at) make pop. (1987) 29,337. a sly critical attack. 4 intr. go snipe-shooting. 0 snipe eel any sneer /snia(r)/ n. & v. —n. a derisive smile or remark. —v. 1 eel of the family Nemichthyidae, having a long slender snout. intr. (often foll. by at) smile derisively. 2 tr. say sneeringly. 3 intr. snipe fish any marine fish of the family Macrorhamphosidae, (often foll. by at) speak derisively esp. covertly or ironically with a long slender snout. 00 sniper n. [ME, prob. f. Scand.: cf. (sneered at his attempts). 00 sneerer n. sneeringly adv. [16th c.: Icel. myrisnipa, & MDu., MLG snippe, OHG snepfa] orig. unkn.] snippet /'snipit/ n. 1 a small piece cut off. 2 (usu. in pl.; often sneeze /sni:z/n. & v. —n. 1 a sudden involuntary expulsion of foll. by of) a a scrap or fragment of information, knowledge, etc. air from the nose and mouth caused by irritation of the nostrils. ba short extract from a book, newspaper, etc. 00 snippety adj. 2 the sound of this. —v.intr. make a sneeze. 0 not to be sneezed at collog. not contemptible; considerable; notable. 00 sneezer snippy /'snip1/ adj. (snippier, snippiest) collog. fault-finding, snappish, sharp. 00 snippily adv. snippiness n. n. sneezy adj. [ME snese, app. alt. of obs. fnese f. OE -fnésan, ON fnysa & replacing earlier and less expressive nese] snit /snit/ n. US a rage; a sulk (esp. in a snit). [20th c.: orig. unkn.] sneezewort /'sni:zws:t/ n. a kind of yarrow, Achillea ptarmica, snitch /snit{/ v. & n. —v. si. 1 tr. steal. 2 intr. (often foll. by on) whose dried leaves are used to induce sneezing. inform on a person. —n. an informer. [17th c.: orig. unkn_] Snell’s law /snelz/ n. Physics the law that the ratio of the sines

snivel j'snrv(o)l/ v. & n. —v.intr. (snivelled, snivelling; US

of the angles of incidence and refraction of a wave are constant when it passes between two given media. [W. Snell, Du. mathematician d. 1626]

sniveled, sniveling) 1 weep with sniffling. 2 run at the nose; make a repeated sniffing sound. 3 show weak or tearful sentiment. —n. 1 running mucus. 2 hypocritical talk; cant. oo sniveller n. snivelling adj. snivellingly adv. [ME f. OE snyflan (unrecorded) f. snofl mucus: cf. SNUFFLE] snob /snpb/ n. 1 a a person with an exaggerated respect for social position or wealth and who despises socially inferior connections. b (attrib.) related to or characteristic of this attitude. 2 a person who behaves with servility to social superiors. 3 a person who despises others whose (usu. specified) tastes

snib /snib/ v. & n. Sc. & Ir. —v.tr. (snibbed, snibbing) bolt, fasten, or lock (a door etc.). —n. a lock, catch, or fastening for a door or window. [19th c.: orig. uncert.]

snick /snik/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 cut a small notch in. 2 make a small incision in. 3 Cricket deflect (the ball) slightly with the bat. —n. 1a small notch or cut. 2 Cricket a slight deflection of the ball by the bat. [18th c.: prob. f. snick-a-snee fight with knives] z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

o put

u: too.

ago

art my

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1375

or attainments are considered inferior (an intellectual snob; a wine snob). 00 snobbery n. (pl. -ies). snobbish adj. snobbishly adv. snobbishness n. snobby adj. (snobbier, snobbiest). [18th c. (now dial.) ‘cobbler’: orig. unkn.]

snoek /snu:k/ n. S.Afr. a barracouta. [Afrik. f. Du., = pike}, f. MLG snok, prob. rel. to SNACK] snog /snpg/ v. & n. Brit. sl. —v.intr. (snogged, snogging) engage in kissing and caressing. —n. a spell of snogging. [20th c.: orig. unkn.] : snood /snu:d/ n. 1 an ornamental hairnet usu. worn at the back of the head. 2 a ring of woollen etc. material worn as a hood. 3 a short line attaching a hook to a main line in sea fishing. 4 hist. a ribbon or band worn by unmarried women in Scotland to confine their hair. [OE sndd] ;

snook! /snu:kj n. sl. a contemptuous gesture with the thumb to the nose and the fingers spread out. 0 cock a snook (often foll. by at) 1 make this gesture. 2 register one’s contempt (for a person, establishment, etc.). [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

snook? /snu:k/ n. a marine fish, Centropomus undecimalis, used as food. [Du. snoek: see SNOEK] ; snooker /'snu:ko(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a game played with cues on a rectangular baize-covered table in which the players use a cue-ball (white) to pocket the other balls (15 red and 6 coloured) ina set order. (See below.) 2 a position in this game in which a direct shot at a permitted ball is impossible. —v.tr. 1 (also refl.) subject (oneself or another player) to a snooker. 2 (esp. as snookered adj.) sl. defeat; thwart. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] The game of snooker is a combination of pool and pyramids (see PYRAMID 4}, developed in the 1870s by British army officers in India. The sport did not overtake billiards in skill or popularity until the arrival of Joe Davis (see DAvis?) in the 1920s, but it was the development of colour television in the 1960s, and the BBC’s series ‘Pot Black’, that made snooker one of the most popular sports both for participants and for spectators. snoop /snu:p/v. & n. collog. —v.intr. 1 pry into matters one need not be concerned with. 2 (often foll. by about, around) investigate in order to find out transgressions of the law etc. —n. 1 an act of snooping. 2 a person who snoops; a detective. 00 snooper n. snoopy adj. [Du. snoepen eat on the sly] snooperscope /|'snu:pa,skoup/ n. US a device which converts infrared radiation into a visible image, esp. used for seeing in the dark. snoot /snu:t/ n. sl. the nose. [var. of SNOUT] snooty /|'snu:ti/ adj. (snootier, snootiest) collog. supercilious; conceited. 00 snootily adv. snootiness n. [20th c.: orig. unkn.]} snooze /snu:z/ n. & v. colloq. —n. a short sleep, esp. in the daytime. —v.intr. take a snooze. OO snoozer n. snoozy adj. (snoozier, snooziest). [18th-c. sl.: orig. unkn.] snore /sno:(r)/ n. & v. —n. a snorting or grunting sound in breathing during sleep. —v.intr. make this sound. Oo snore away pass (time) sleeping or snoring. 00 snorer n. snoringly adv. [ME, prob. imit.: cf. SNORT]

Snorkel /'sno:k(2)l/ n. [propr.] a piece of apparatus consisting of

(of an engine etc.) make a sound resembling this. 3 tr. (also absol.) sl. inhale (a usu. illegal narcotic drug, esp. cocaine or heroin). 4 tr. express (defiance etc.) by snorting. 0 snort out express (words, emotions, etc.) by snorting. [ME, prob. imit.: cf. SNORE] snorter /'sno:ta(r)/ n. collog. 1 something very impressive or difficult. 2 something vigorous or violent. snot /snot/ n. sl. 1 nasal mucus. 2 a term of contempt for a person. 0 snot-rag a handkerchief. [prob. f. MDu., MLG snotte, MHG snuz, rel. to SNOUT] snotty /'snovti/ adj. (snottier, snottiest) sl. 1 running or foul with nasal mucus. 2 contemptible. 3 supercilious, conceited. OO snottily adv. snottiness n.

snout /snaut/ n. 1 the projecting nose and mouth of an animal. 2 derog. a person’s nose. 3 the pointed front of a thing; a nozzle. 4 Brit. sl. tobacco or a cigarette. 0 snout-beetle a weevil. 00 snouted adj. (also in comb.). snoutlike adj. snouty adj. [ME f. MDu., MLG snit] Snow /|snou/, Charles Percy (1905-80), English novelist, scientist,

and administrator. His sequence of novels Strangers and Brothers deals with moral dilemmas and power-struggles in the academic world, and includes The Masters (1951) and The Affair (1960). He

was created a life peer in 1964. snow /snou/ n. & v. —n. 1 atmospheric vapour frozen into ice crystals and falling to earth in light white flakes. 2 a fall of this, or a layer of it on the ground. 3 a thing resembling snow in whiteness or texture etc. 4 a mass of flickering white spots on a television or radar screen, caused by interference or a poor signal. 5 sl. cocaine. 6 a dessert or other dish resembling snow. 7 frozen carbon dioxide. —v. 1 intr. (prec. by it as subject) snow falls (it is snowing; ifit snows). 2 tr. (foll. by in, over, up, etc.) confine or block with large quantities of snow. 3 tr. & intr. sprinkle or scatter or fall as or like snow. 4 intr. come in large numbers or quantities. 5 tr. US sl. deceive or charm with plausible words. o be snowed under be overwhelmed, esp. with work. snow-blind temporarily blinded by the glare of light reflected by large expanses of snow. snow-blindness this blindness. snow-blink the reflection in the sky of snow or ice fields. snow boot an overboot of rubber and cloth. snow-broth melted or melting snow. snow bunting a mainly white finch, Plectrophenax nivalis. snow goose a white Arctic goose, Anser caerulescens, with black-tipped wings. snow-ice opaque white ice formed from melted snow. snow leopard = OUNCE”. snow owl = snowy owl. snow partridge a mainly white partridge, Lerwa lerwa. snow-slip an avalanche. snow-white pure white. 00 snowless adj. snowlike adj. [OE snaw f. Gmc]

snowball /'snoubo:l/ n. & v. —n. 1 snow pressed together into a ball, esp. for throwing in play. 2 anything that grows or increases rapidly like a snowball rolled on snow. —v. 1 intr. & tr. throw or pelt with snowballs. 2 intr. increase rapidly. o snowball-tree a guelder rose. snowberry |'snoubori/ n. (pl. -ies) any shrub of the genus Symphoricarpos, with white berries.

a platform which may be elevated and extended, used in fighting fires in tall buildings. snorkel /'sno:k(s)l/ n. & v. (also schnorkel /'{no:-/) —n. 1a breathing-tube for an underwater swimmer. 2 a device for supplying air to a submerged submarine. —-v.intr. (snorkelled, snorkelling; US snorkeled, snorkeling) use a snorkel. 00 snorkeller n. [G Schnorchel]

snowblower /'snou,bleve(r)/ n. a machine that clears snow by

Snorri Sturluson /|,sno:r1 'sta:las(9)n/ (1178-1241), Icelandic

Snowdon /'snaud(2)n/ the highest mountain of Wales (1,085 m,

historian, the most important figure in Old Icelandic literature, author of the prose Edda and the Heimskringla, a history of the kings of Norway, through which works he popularized Norse myth and Old Norse poetry. He was involved in the chief political intrigues of his time and King Hakon of Norway ordered his assassination. snort /sno:t/ n. & v. —n. 1 an explosive sound made by the sudden forcing of breath through the nose, esp. expressing indignation or incredulity. 2 a similar sound made by an engine etc. 3 collog. a small drink of liquor. 4 sl. an inhaled dose of a (usu. illegal) powdered drug. —v. 1 intr. make a snort. 2 intr.

av how

er day

90 no

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

vo poor

blowing it to the side of the road etc.

snowbound /'snsubaund/ adj. prevented by snow from going out or travelling. snowcap |'snoukep/ n. 1 the tip of a mountain when covered with snow. 2 a white-crowned humming-bird, Microchera albocoronata, native to Central America. 00 snowcapped adj.

3,560 ft.).

snowdrift /'snoudrift/ n. a bank of snow heaped up by the action of the wind. snowdrop |'snoudrop/ n. a bulbous plant, Galanthus nivalis, with white drooping flowers in the early spring.

snowfall /'snaufo:1/ n. 1 a fall of snow. 2 Meteorol. the amount of snow that falls on one occasion or on a given area within a given time.

snowfield /'snoufi:ld/ n. a permanent wide expanse of snow in mountainous or polar regions.

alo fire

avo sour

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snowflake

soap

1376

2 (with neg.; often foll. by as + clause) to the extent to which... is or does etc., or to the extent implied (was not so late as I expected; . am not so eager as you). § In positive constructions as...as... is used: see as}. 3 (foll. by that or as + clause) to the degree or in the manner implied (so expensive that few can afford it; so small as to be invisible; am not so foolish as to agree to that). 4 (adding emphasis) to that extent; in that or a similar manner (I want to leave and so does she; you said it was good, and so it is). 5 to a great or notable degree (I am so glad). 6 (with verbs of state) in the way described (am not very fond of it but may become so). 7 (with

snowflake /'snouflerk/ n. 1 each of the small collections of crystals in which snow falls. 2 a any bulbous plant of the genus Leucojum, with snowdrop-like flowers. b the white flower of this plant.

snowline /'snaularn/ n. the level above which snow never melts entirely. snowman /'snoumen/ n. (pl. -men) a figure resembling a man, made of compressed snow.

snowmobile /'snouma)i:l/ n. a motor vehicle, esp. with runners or Caterpillar tracks, for travelling over snow.

snowplough /'snouplau/ n. (US snowplow)

verb of saying or thinking etc.) as previously mentioned or

1 a device, or a

vehicle equipped with one, for clearing roads of thick snow. 2 a skiing movement turning the points of the skis inwards so as to stop. snowshoe /|'snovfu:/ n. & v. —n. a flat device like a racket attached to a boot for walking on snow without sinking in. —-v.intr. travel on snowshoes. 00 snowshoer n. snowstorm /'snousto:m/ n. a heavy fall of snow, esp. with a high wind. snowy /|'snou1/ adj. (snowier, snowiest) 1 of or like snow. 2 (of the weather etc.) with much snow. 0 snowy owl a large white owl, Nyctea scandiaca, native to the Arctic. 00 snowily adv. snowiness n.

SNP abbr. Scottish National Party. Snr. abbr. Senior. snub /snab/ v., n., & adj. —v.tr. (snubbed, snubbing) 1 rebuff or humiliate with sharp words or a marked lack of cordiality. 2 check the movement of (a boat, horse, etc.) esp. by a rope wound round a post etc. —n. an act of snubbing; a rebuff. —adj. short and blunt in shape. 0 snub nose a short turned-up nose. snub-nosed having a snub nose. 00 snubber n. snubbingly

sO? var. of SOH.

adv. [ME f. ON snubba chide, check the growth of]

snuff! /snaf/ n. & v. —n. the charred part of a candle-wick. —v.tr. trim the snuff from (a candle). 0 snuff it Brit. sl. die. snuff out 1 extinguish by snuffing. 2 kill; put an end to. [ME snoffe, snuffe: orig. unkn.] snuff? /snaf] n. & v. —n. powdered tobacco or medicine taken by sniffing it up the nostrils. —v.intr. take snuff. 0 snuff-coloured dark yellowish-brown. up to snuff collog. 1 Brit. knowing; not easily deceived. 2 up to standard. [Du. snuf (tabak tobacco) f. MDu. snuffen snuffle] snuffbox /'snafbpks/ n. a small usu. ornamental box for holding snuff. snuffer /'snafa(r)/ n. 1 a small hollow cone with a handle used to extinguish a candle. 2 (in pl.) an implement like scissors used to extinguish a candle or trim its wick. snuffle /'snaffs)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. make sniffing sounds. 2 a intr. speak nasally, whiningly, or like one with a cold. b tr. (often foll. by out) say in this way. 3 intr. breathe noisily as through a partially blocked nose. 4 intr. sniff. —n. 1 a snuffling sound or tone. 2 (in pl.) a partial blockage of the nose causing snuffling. 3 a sniff. 00 snuffler n. snuffly adj. [prob. f. LG & Du. snuffelen (as SNUFF): cf. SNIVEL]

snuffy! /'snafi/ adj. (snuffier, snuffiest) 1 annoyed. 2 irritable. 3 supercilious or contemptuous. [SNUFF! + -y!]

snuffy? /'snafi/ adj. like snuff in colour or substance. [sNUFF2 + -Y?]

snug /snag/ adj. & n. —adj. (snugger, snuggest) 1 a cosy, comfortable, sheltered; well enclosed or placed or arranged. b cosily protected from the weather or cold. 2 (of an income etc.) allowing comfort and comparative ease. —n. Brit. a small room in a pub or inn. oo snugly adv. snugness n. [16th c. (orig. Naut.): prob. of LG or Du. orig.] snuggery /'snagori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a snug place, esp. a person’s private room or den. 2 Brit. = sNuG n.

snuggle /'snag(a)l/ v.intr. & tr. (usu. foll. by down, up, together) settle or draw into a warm comfortable position. [SNUG + -LE‘4]

So. abbr. South. so! /sau/ adv. & conj. —adv. 1 (often foll. by that + clause) to such an extent, or to the extent implied (why are you so angry?; do stop complaining so; they were so pleased that they gave us a bonus).

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

described (I think so; so he said; so I should hope). —conj. (often foll. by that + clause) 1 with the result that (there was none left, so we had to go without). 2 in order that (came home early so that I could see you). 3 and then; as the next step (so then the car broke down; and so to bed). 4 a (introducing a question) then; after that (so what did you tell them?). b (absol.) = so what? 0 and so on (or forth) 1 and others of the same kind. 2 and in other similar ways. so as (foll. by to + infin.) in order to (did it so as to get it finished). so be it an expression of acceptance or resignation. so-called commonly designated or known as, often incorrectly. so far see FAR. so far as see FAR. so far so good see FAR. So long! collog. goodbye till we meet again. so long as see LONG!. so much 1 a certain amount (of). 2 a great deal of (is so much nonsense). 3 (with neg.) a less than; to a lesser extent (not so much forgotten as ignored). b not even (didn’t give me so much as a penny). so much for that is all that need be done or said about. so so adj. (usu. predic.) indifferent; not very good. —adv. indifferently; only moderately well. so to say (or speak) an expression of reserve or apology for an exaggeration or neologism etc. so what? collog. why should that be considered significant? [OE swa etc.] =SO /sou/ comb. form = -SOEVER. soak /souk/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become thoroughly wet through saturation with or in liquid. 2 tr. (of rain etc.) drench. 3tr. (foll. by in, up) a absorb (liquid). b acquire (knowledge etc.) copiously. 4 refl. (often foll. by in) steep (oneself) in a subject of study etc. 5 intr. (foll. by in, into, through) (of liquid) make its way or penetrate by saturation. 6 tr. collog. extract money from by an extortionate charge, taxation, etc. (soak the rich). 7 intr. collog. drink persistently, booze. 8 tr. (as soaked adj.)

very drunk. —n. 1 the act of soaking or the state of being soaked. 2 a drinking-bout. 3 collog. a hard drinker. 00 soakage n. soaker n. soaking n. & adj. [OE socian rel. to soc sucking at the breast, siican sucK] soakaway /'souko,wel/ n. an arrangement for disposing of waste water by letting it percolate through the soil. so-and-so /'sovend,s3u/ n. (pl. so-and-so’s) 1 a particular person or thing not needing to be specified (told me to do so-and-so). 2 collog. a person disliked or regarded with disfavour (the so-and-so left me behind). Soane /ssunj, Sir John (1753-1837), English architect. His highly individualistic manipulation of the classical canon makes him something of a Romantic classicist. From 1788 he was architect of the Bank of England and there developed his characteristic style of simple masses defined by flat surfaces and articulated with incised lines. By 1810 his style had become more severe, avoiding unnecessary ornament and adopting structural neces-

sity as the basis of design. His picture collection, amassed as a result of his professional success, is housed in his self-designed home, the Sir John Soane Museum, London. soap /soup/ n. & v. —n. 1a cleansing agent that is a compound of fatty acid with soda or potash or (insoluble soap) with another metallic oxide, of which the soluble kinds when rubbed in water yield a lather used in washing. 2 collog. = soap opera. —v.tr. 1 apply soap to. 2 scrub or rub with soap. o soap flakes soap in the form of thin flakes, for washing clothes etc. soap opera a broadcast drama, usu. serialized in many episodes, dealing with sentimental domestic themes (so called because orig. sponsored in the US by soap manufacturers). soap powder powdered soap esp. with additives. 00 soapless adj. soaplike adj. [OE sape f. WG]

k cat

lleg

m man

n no

p pen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

soapbark soapbark /'soupba:k/ n. an American tree, Quillaja saponaria, with bark yielding saponin. soapberry /'soup,beri/ n. (pl. -ies) any of various tropical American shrubs, esp. of the genus Sapindus, with fruits yielding saponin.

soapbox |'soupboks/ n. 1 a box for holding soap. 2.a makeshift stand for a public speaker. soapstone /'soupstoun/ n. steatite.

soapsuds |'ssupsadz/ n.pl. = sups 1. soapwort /'soupws:t/ n. a European plant, Saponaria officinalis, with pink or white flowers and leaves yielding a soapy substance. soapy /'saupi/ adj. (soapier, soapiest) 1 of or like soap. 2 containing or smeared with soap. 3 (of a person or manner) unctuous or flattering. 00 sospily adv. soapiness n. soar /so:(r)/ v.intr. 1 fly or rise high. 2 reach a high level or standard (prices soared), 3 maintain height in the air without flapping the wings or using power. 00 soarer n. soaringly adv. [ME f. OF essorer ult. f. L (as Ex-}, aura breeze)] sob /spb/ v. & n. —v. (sobbed, sobbing) 1 intr. draw breath in convulsive gasps usu. with weeping under mental distress or physical exhaustion. 2 tr. (usu. foll. by out) utter with sobs. 3 tr. bring (oneself) to a specified state by sobbing (sobbed themselves to sleep). —n. a convulsive drawing of breath, esp. in weeping. O sob story a story or explanation appealing mainly to the emotions. sob-stuff collog. sentimental talk or writing. 00 sobber n. sobbingly adv. [ME sobbe (prob. imit.)] sober /|'ssuba(r)/ adj. & n. —adj. (soberer, soberest) 1 not affected by alcohol. 2 not given to excessive drinking of alcohol. 3 moderate, well-balanced, tranquil, sedate. 4 not fanciful or exaggerated (the sober truth). 5 (of a colour etc.) quiet and inconspicuous. —v.tr. & intr. (often foll. by down, up) make or become sober or less wild, reckless, enthusiastic, visionary, etc. (a sobering thought). 0 as sober as a judge completely sober. o0 soberingly adv. soberly adv. [ME f. OF sobre f. L sobrius]

Sobers /'souboz/, Sir Garfield St Aubrun (‘Gary’) (1936-_), West Indian all-round cricketer, who captained the West Indies and Nottinghamshire and also played for South Australia. He holds the record for the number of runs (365 not out) scored in

test-match cricket, and in 1968 became the first batsman to score 36 runs off a six-ball over. sobriety /sa'bratiti/ n. the state of being sober. [ME f. OF sobrieté or L sobrietas (as SOBER)]

sobriquet /'soubr1,ke1/ n. (also soubriquet /'su:-/) 1a nickname. 2 an assumed name. [F, orig. = ‘tap under the chin]

Soc. abbr. 1 Socialist. 2 Society. socage /'spkid3/ n. (also soccage) a feudal tenure. of land involving payment of rent or other non-military service to a superior. [ME f. AF socage f. soc f. OE sdcn SOKE] soccer /'spko(r)/ n. Association football. [Assoc. + -ER*]

sociable /'saufab(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 fitted for or liking the society of other people; ready and willing to talk and act with others. 2 (of a person’s manner or behaviour etc.) friendly. 3 (of a meeting etc.) marked by friendliness, not stiff or formal. —n. 1 an open carriage with facing side seats. 2 an S-shaped couch for two occupants partly facing each other. 3 US a social. oO sociability |-'biliti/ n: sociableness n. sociably adv. [F sociable

or L sociabilis f. sociare to unite f. socius companion]

social /'souf(o)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or relating to society or its organization. 2 concerned with the mutual relations of human beings or of classes of human beings. 3 living in organized communities; unfitted for a solitary life (man is a social animal). 4 a needing companionship; gregarious, interdependent. b cooperative; practising the division of labour. 5 existing only as a member of a compound organism. 6 a (of insects) living together in organized communities. b (of birds) nesting near each other in communities. 7 (of plants) growing thickly together and monopolizing the ground they grow on. —n. a social gathering, esp. one organized by a club, congregation, etc. O social anthropology the comparative study of peoples through their culture and kinship systems. social climber

wwe

z zoo

Society of Friends

1377

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

.y ring

x loch

derog. a person anxious to gain a higher social status. social comtract (or compact) an agreement to cooperate for social benefits, e.g. by sacrificing some individual freedom for State protection. social credit the economic theory that the profits of industry should be distributed.to the general public. social democracy a socialist system achieved by democratic means. social democrat a person who advocates social democracy. social order the network of human relationships in society. social realism the expression of social or political views in art. social science a the scientific study of human society and social relationships. b a branch of this (e.g. politics or economics). social scientist a student of or expert in the social sciences. social secretary a person who makes arrangements for the social activities of a person or organization. social security State assistance to those lacking in economic security and welfare, e.g. the aged and the unemployed. social service philanthropic activity. social services services provided by the State for the community, esp. education, health, and housing. social war hist. a war fought between allies. social work work of benefit to those in need of help or welfare, esp. done by specially trained personnel. social worker a person trained to do social work. 00 sociality /,soufi'zlrt1/ n, socially adv. [F social or L socialis allied f. socius friend]

Social Democratic Party a UK political party with moderate socialist aims, founded in 1981 by a group of former Labour MPs and disbanded in 1990 after political regroupings.

socialism /'ssufo,l1z(2)m/ n. 1 a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the community as a whole should own and control the means of production, distribution, and exchange. (See below.) 2 policy or practice based on this theory. 00 socialist n. & adj. socialistic /-'listik/ adj. socialistically /-'listrkal1/ adv. [F socialisme (as SOCIAL)] In its earliest forms, socialism tended to be little more than a romantic vision held by a minority of social reformers, many of them well-to-do philanthropists. It was revolutionized as a political ideal by Karl Marx in the mid-19th c., becoming a mass movement aimed at the transformation of society, but both the methods by which this transformation was to be achieved and the manner in which the new society was to be run have remained the subject of considerable disagreement and have produced a wide variety of socialist parties, ranging from moderate reformers to ultra-left-wing Communists dedicated to upheaval by violent revolution.

socialite /'soufalait/ n. a person prominent in fashionable society.

socialize |'soufa,laiz/ v. (also -ise) 1 intr. act in a sociable manner. 2 tr. make social. 3 tr. organize on socialistic principles. O socialized medicine US the provision of medical services for all from public funds. o0 socialization /|-'ze1{(a)n/ n. society /so'sarsti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the sum of human conditions and activity regarded as a whole functioning interdependently. 2 a social community (all societies must have firm laws). 3 a a social mode of life. b the customs and organization of an ordered community. 4 Ecol. a plant community. 5 a the socially advantaged or prominent members of a community (society would not approve). b this, or a part of it, qualified in some way (is not done in polite society). 6 participation in hospitality; other people’s homes or company (avoids society). 7 companionship, company (avoids the society of such people). 8 an association of persons united by a common aim or interest or principle (formed a music society). 00 societal adj. (esp. in sense 1). societally adv. [F société f. L societas -tatis f. socius companion]

Society Islands a group of islands in French Polynesia, including Tahiti; pop. (1982) 143,000. They were named by Captain Cook in honour of the Royal Society.

Society of Friends a body of Christians, also called Quakers, founded by George Fox. They were organized as a distinctive group in 1668, and began to engage in missionary work; in 1682 William Penn founded Pennsylvania on a Quaker basis. Until the Toleration Act of 1689 they were much persecuted, refusing to’ meet in secret, laying stress on outward observances in speech and in plainness of dress, and cutting themselves off from cultural life, which they regarded as frivolous. Their main tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

Society of Jesus activities were trade and philanthropic pursuits, for which they became famous. Central to their belief is the doctrine of the ‘Inner Light’, or sense of Christ’s direct working in the soul; this has led them to reject the sacraments, the ministry, and all set forms of worship. Their meetings begin in silence until some member feels stirred to speak. They have a strong commitment to pacifism. Refusal of military service and of oaths has often brought members into conflict with the authorities, but their

support for a column, urn, statue, etc., or as the foundation of a wall. [F f. It. zoccolo orig. ‘wooden shoe’ f. L socculus f. soccus . SOCK}] Socotra /sou'ksutra/ an island belonging to Yemen in the Arabian Sea near the mouth of the Gulf of Aden; capital, Tamridah.

Socrates /'spkra,ti:z/ (469-399 Bc) Athenian philosopher. His interests lay not in the natural-philosophical speculation of earlier thinkers but in the question of how men should conduct their lives, an inquiry pursued through the method of crossquestioning those he met. Self-denying in his own life, he was the centre of a circle of devoted friends who included the great and the rich. Although he wrote nothing himself, he was immensely influential, particularly on Plato, in whose Dialogues he is the principal interlocutor. He was condemned to death by an Athenian jury on charges of introducing strange gods and

devotion to social and educational work (and, more recently, to international relief) has earned them general respect.

Society of Jesus see Jesuit. socio- /'sausiau, -fia0/ comb. form 1 of society (and). 2 of or relating to sociology (and). [L socius companion]

sociobiology

|,soustaubai'plod31, ,soufieu-/ n. the scientific

study of the biological aspects of social behaviour in animals and in humans. It gives special emphasis to social systems considered as ecological adaptations, and attempts a mechanistic explanation of social behaviour in terms of modern biological and, in particular, evolutionary theory. According to its supporters the apparent altruism of certain social animals and insects is an attempt at ‘survival’ by choosing the course or action that will enable their genes (rather than themselves or their group) to survive. One of the bulwarks of the theory is the work of the biologist W. D. Hamilton (1936—_) on the breeding system of social insects such as ants, which means that a worker’s sisters acquire a higher proportion of the same genes than its own offspring would; it therefore pays, from the viewpoint of evolutionary survival, to ensure that the queen produces offspring while the female workers remain sterile. The theory as a whole is regarded as controversial. (See also the entries for E. O. WILSON and R. DAWKINS.) 00 sociobiological |--bara'lodzrk(a)l/ adj. sociobiologically |-jbaro'lod31keli/ adv.

corrupting the young.

Socratic /sa'krztrk/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to the Greek philosopher Socrates (d. 399 Bc) or his philosophy, esp. the method associated with him of seeking the truth by a series of questions and answers. —n. a follower of Socrates. 0 Socratic irony see IRONY. OO Socratically adv. [L Socraticus f. Gk Sokratikos f. Sdkratés]

sod! |spd/ n. & v. —n. 7 turf or a piece of turf. 2 the surface of the ground. —v.tr. (sodded, sodding) cover (the ground) with sods. 0 under the sod in the grave. [ME f. MDu., MLG sode, of unkn. orig.]

sod? /spd/ n. & v. esp. Brit. coarse sl. § Often considered a taboo word. —n. 1 an unpleasant or awkward person or thing. 2a person of a specified kind; a fellow (the lucky sod). —v.tr. (sodded, sodding) 1 (often absol. or as int.) an exclamation of annoyance (sod them, I don’t care!). 2 (as sodding adj.) a general term of contempt. 0 sod off go away. Sod’s Law = Murpny’s Law.

sociobiologist n.

sociocultural

[abbr. of soDOMITE] soda |'souda/ n. 1 any of various compounds of sodium in common use, e.g. washing soda, caustic soda. 2 (in full soda water) water made effervescent by impregnation with carbon dioxide under pressure and used alone or with spirits etc. as a drink (orig. made with sodium bicarbonate). 3 esp. US a sweet effervescent drink. 0 soda bread bread leavened with baking-soda. soda fountain 1 a device supplying soda water. 2 a shop or counter equipped with this. soda lime a mixture of calcium oxide and sodium hydroxide. [med.L, perh. f. sodanum glasswort (used as a remedy for headaches) f. soda headache f. Arab. suda’ f. sada‘a split]

|,soustou'kaltfar(s)l, jsoufrou-/ adj. combining

social and cultural factors. 00 socioculturally adv. socio-economic /|,ssusi90,i:ko'npmik, ,soufieu-/ adj. relating to or concerned with the interaction of social and economic factors. 00 socio-economically adv.

sociolinguistic /,ssusiaulin'gwistik, ,saufisu-/ adj. relating to or

concerned

with

sodium

1378

language

in

its

social

aspects.

oO

sociolinguist n. sociolinguistically adv.

sociolinguistics /,ssusisulin'gwistiks, ,souf1ou-/ n. the study of language in relation to social factors.

sociology /|,soust'plad31, ,saufi-/ n. 1 the study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society. 2 the study of social problems. oO sociological |-a'lod31k(a)l/ adj. sociologically |-o'lod3rkoli/ adv. sociologist n. [F sociologie (as SOCIO-, -LOGY)]} sociometry |,sousi'pmitri, ,sauJi-/ n. the study of relationships within a group of people. o0 sociometric /-3'metrik/ adj. sociometrically /-9'metrikoli/ adv. sociometrist n. sock! /spk/ n. (pl. socks or informal & Commerce sox /|spks/) 1 a short knitted covering for the foot, usu. not reaching the knee. 2 a removable inner sole put into a shoe for warmth etc. 3 an ancient Greek or Roman comic actor’s light shoe. 4 comic drama. oO pull one’s socks up Brit. collog. make an effort to improve. put a sock in it Brit. sl. be quiet. [OE socc f. L soccus comic actor’s shoe, light low-heeled slipper, f. Gk sukkhos]

sodality /sou'deliti/ n. (pl. -ies) a confraternity or association, esp. a Roman Catholic religious guild or brotherhood. [F sodalité or L sodalitas f. sodalis comrade]

sodden |'spd(a)n/ adj. & v. —adj. 1 saturated with liquid; soaked through. 2 rendered stupid or dull etc. with drunkenness. 3 (of bread etc.) doughy; heavy and moist. —v.intr. & tr. become or make sodden. 00 soddenly adv. soddenness n. [archaic past part. of SEETHE]

Soddy |'spdi/, Frederick (1877-1956), English physicist who was awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize for chemistry for his work with Rutherford in Canada on radioactive decay, and especially for his theory of isotopes (the word was coined by him in 1913). He also assisted Ramsey in London in the discovery of helium. He wrote on economics, and later concentrated on creating an awareness of the social relevance of science. sodium |'ssudiom| n. Chem. a soft silver-white reactive metallic element, first isolated by Sir Humphry Davy in 1807. Sodium,

sock? /spk/ v. & n. collog. —v.tr. hit (esp. a person) forcefully. —n. 1a hard blow. 2 US the power to deliver a blow. O sock it to attack or address (a person) vigorously. [c.1700 (cant): orig. unkn.] socket /'spkit/ n. & v. —n. 1 a natural or artificial hollow for something to fit into or stand firm or revolve in. 2 Electr. a device receiving a plug, light-bulb, etc., to make a connection. 3 Golf the part of an iron club into which the shaft is fitted. —v.tr. (socketed, socketing) 1 place in or fit with a socket. 2 Golf hit (a ball) with the socket of a club. [ME f. AF, dimin. of OF soc ploughshare, prob. of Celt. orig.] sockeye /'spkai/n. a blue-backed salmon of Alaska etc., Oncorhynchus nerka. [Salish sukai fish of fishes] socle /'souk(9)l/ n. Archit. a plain low block or plinth serving as a

z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

which is essential to all living things, occurs commonly in the earth’s crust, notably as rock salt (sodium chloride). Although very reactive, the liquid metal is used as a coolant in some types of nuclear reactor. Sodium compounds have many industrial uses. §| Symb.: Na; atomic number 11. 0 sodium bicarbonate

a white soluble powder used in the manufacture of fire extinguishers and effervescent drinks. sodium carbonate a white powder with many commercial applications including the manufacture of soap and glass. sodium chloride a colourless crystalline compound occurring naturally in sea water and halite; common salt. sodium hydroxide a deliquescent compound 1 sit

i: see

pv hot

o: saw

arun

o put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

Sodom

which is strongly alkaline and used in the manufacture of salt and pepper: also called caustic soda. sodium nitrate a white powdery compound used mainly in the manufacture of fertilizers. sodium-vapour lamp (or sodium lamp) a lamp using an electrical discharge in sodium vapour and giving a yellow light. 00 sodic adj. [sopa + -1uM]

Sodom /'spdom/ a town of ancient Palestine, probably south of the Dead Sea, destroyed by fire from heaven (according to Genesis 19: 24), along with Gomorrah, for the wickedness of its inhabitants. sodomite /'spdo,mait/ n. a person who practises sodomy. [ME f. OF f. LL Sodomita f. Gk Sodomités inhabitant of Sodom f. Sodoma Sodom] sodomy |'spdemi/ n. = BUGGERY. 00 sodomize v.tr. (also -ise). [ME f. med.L sodomia f. LL peccatum Sodomiticum sin of Sodom: see SopoM]

Sodor /|'ssuda(r)/ a medieval diocese comprising the Hebrides and the Isle of Man, originally the ‘southern isles’ (Norse Sudhreyjar) of the kingdom of Norway. The Hebrides were separated in 1334, but Sodor and Man has been the official name for the

Anglican diocese of the Isle of Man since 1684. soever /sou'eva(r)/ adv. literary of any kind; to any extent (how great soever it may be). -soever /sou'eva(r)/ comb. form (added to relative pronouns, adverbs, and adjectives) of any kind; to any extent (whatsoever; howsoever). sofa /'ssufa/ n. a long upholstered seat with a back and arms, for two or more peopie. 0 sofa bed a sofa that can be converted into a temporary bed. [F, ult. f Arab. suffa]

Sofala see BErRA”. soffit /'spfit/ n. the under-surface of an architrave, arch, balcony, etc. [F soffite or It. soffitta, -itto ult. f. L suffixus (as SUFFIX)] Sofia |'soufie, sa'fi:o/ (also Sophia) the capital of Bulgaria; pop.

(1987) 1,128,850.

S. of S. abbr. Song of Songs (Old Testament). soft /spft/ adj., adv., & n. —adj. 1 (of a substance, material, etc.) lacking hardness or firmness; yielding to pressure; easily cut. 2 (of cloth etc.) having a smooth surface or texture; not rough or coarse. 3 (of air etc.) mellow, mild, balmy; not noticeably cold or hot. 4 (of water) free from mineral salts and therefore good for lathering. 5 (of a light or colour etc.) not brilliant or glaring. 6 (of a voice or sounds) gentle and pleasing. 7 Phonet. a (of a consonant) sibilant or palatal (as c in ice, g in age). b voiced or unaspirated. 8 (of an outline etc.) not sharply defined. 9 (of an action or manner etc.) gentle, conciliatory, complimentary, amorous. 10 (of the heart or feelings etc.) compassionate, sympathetic. 11 (of a person’s character or attitude etc.) feeble, lenient, silly, sentimental. 12 collog. (of a job etc.) easy. 13 (of drugs) mild; not likely to cause addiction. 14 (of radiation) having little penetrating power. 15 (also soft-core) (of pornography) suggestive or erotic but not explicit. 16 Stock Exch. (of currency, prices, etc.) likely to fall in value. 17 Polit. moderate; willing to compromise (the soft left). 18 peaceful (soft slumbers). 19 Brit. (of the weather etc.) rainy or moist or thawing. —adv. softly (play soft). —n. a silly weak person. © be soft on collog. 1 be lenient towards. 2 be infatuated with. have a soft spot for be fond of or affectionate towards (a person). soft answer a good-tempered answer to abuse or an accusation. soft-boiled (of an egg) lightly boiled with the yolk soft or liquid. soft-centred (of a person) soft-hearted, sentimental. soft coal bituminous coal. soft detergent a biodegradable detergent. soft drink a non-alcoholic drink. soft focus Photog. the slight

deliberate blurring of a picture. soft fruit Brit. small stoneless fruit (strawberry, currant, etc.). soft furnishings Brit. curtains, rugs, etc. soft goods Brit. textiles. soft-headed feeble-minded. soft-headedness feeble-mindedness. soft-land make a soft landing. soft landing a landing by a spacecraft without its

suffering major damage. soft option the easier alternative. soft palate the rear part of the palate. soft-paste denoting an ‘artificial’ porcelain containing glassy materials and fired at a comparatively low temperature. soft pedal a pedal on a piano that makes the tone softer. soft-pedal v.tr. & (often foll. by on)

au how

er day

soke

1379

ov no

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

va poor

intr. (-pedalled, -pedalling; US -pedaled, -pedaling) 1 refrain from emphasizing; be restrained (about). 2 play with the soft pedal down. soft roe see ROE!. soft sell restrained or subtly persuasive salesmanship. soft-sell v.tr. (past and past part. -sold) sell by this method. soft soap 1 a semifluid soap made with potash. 2 collog. persuasive flattery. soft-soap v.tr. collog. persuade (a person) with flattery. soft-spoken speaking with a gentle voice. soft sugar granulated or powdered sugar. soft tack bread or other good food (opp. hard tack). soft tissues tissues of the body that are not bony or cartilaginous. soft touch collog. a gullible person, esp. over money. soft wicket a wicket with moist or sodden turf. 00 softish adj. softness n. [OE softe agreeable, earlier séfte f. WG] softa /'spfto/ n. a Muslim student of sacred law and theology. [Turk. f. Pers. sikta burnt, afire]

softball /'spftbo:l/ n. 1 a ball like a baseball but softer and larger. 2 a modified form of baseball using this. soften /'spf{2)n/ v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become soft or softer. 2 tr. (often foll. by up) a reduce the strength of (defences) by bombing or some other preliminary attack. b reduce the resistance of (a person). 0 softening of the brain a morbid degeneration of the brain, esp. in old age. 00 softener n.

soft-hearted /spft'ha:tid/ adj. tender, compassionate; easily moved. 00 soft-heartedness n.

softie /'spfti/ n. (also softy) collog. a weak or silly or soft-hearted person. softly /'spftli/ adv. in a soft, gentle, or quiet manner. o softly softly (of an approach or strategy) cautious; discreet and cunning. software |'spftweo(r)/ n. the programs and other operating information used by a computer (opp. HARDWARE 3).

softwood |'spftwud/ n. the wood of pine, spruce, or other conifers, easily sawn.

softy var. of soFTIE. SOGAT |/'sougzt/ abbr. (in the UK) Society of Graphical and Allied Trades. {| From 1982 officially called SOGAT 82. soggy |'spg1/ adj. (soggier, soggiest) sodden, saturated, dank. oc soggily adv. sogginess n. [dial. sog a swamp] soh /sau/ n. (also so, sol /spl/) Mus. 1 (in tonic sol-fa) the fifth note of a major scale. 2 the note G in the fixed-doh system. [sol f. ME sol f. L solve: see GAMUT]

soi-disant |,swa:di:'z4| adj. self-styled or pretended. [F f. soi oneself + disant saying] soigné |'swa:njei/ adj. (fem. soignée pronunc. same) carefully finished or arranged; well-groomed. [past part. of F soigner take care of f. soin care]

soil! /sorl/ n. 1 the upper layer of earth in which plants grow, consisting of disintegrated rock usu. with an admixture of organic remains (alluvial soil; rich soil). 2 ground belonging to a nation; territory (on British soil). 0 soil mechanics the study of the properties of soil as affecting its use in civil engineering. soil science pedology. 00 soilless adj. soily adj. [ME f. AF, perh. f. L solium seat, taken in sense of L solum ground]

soil? /sorl/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 make dirty; smear or stain with dirt (soiled linen). 2 tarnish, defile; bring discredit to (would not soil my hands with it). —n. 1a dirty mark; a stain, smear, or defilement. 2 filth; refuse matter. 0 soil pipe the discharge-pipe of a lavatory..[ME f. OF suiller, soiller, etc., ult. f. L sucula dimin. of sus pig]

soil? /sorl/ v.tr. feed (cattle) on fresh-cut green fodder (orig. for purging). [perh. f. sorL?]

soirée |'swa:rei/ n. an evening party, usu. in a private house, for conversation or music. [F f. soir evening] soixante-neuf |,swa:sd'n3:f] n. sl. sexual activity between two people involving mutual oral stimulation of the genitals. [F, = sixty-nine, from the position of the couple] sojourn /'spd3(2)n, -d33:n, 'sa-/ n. & v. —n. a temporary stay. —-v.intr. stay temporarily. 00 sojourner n. [ME f. OF sojorn etc. f. LL suB- + diummum day]

soke /souk/ n. Brit. hist. 1 a right of local jurisdiction. 2 a district under a particular jurisdiction and administration. [ME f. AL soca f. OE sdcn prosecution f. Gmc]

ais fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

Sol

solicit

1380

ee

ee

[ME souder etc. f. OF soudier, soldier f. soulde (soldier’s) pay f. L solidus: see SOLIDUS]

Sol /spl/ n. Rom. Mythol. the sun, esp. as a personification. [ME f.

1]

. soldiery /'sould3ori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 soldiers, esp. of a specified

sol! var. of son. sol? |spl/ n. Chem. a liquid suspension of a colloid. [abbr. of SOLUTION]

sola! /'soulo/ n. a pithy-stemmed

E. Indian swamp

character. 2 a group of soldiers.

sole! /soul/ n. & v. —n. 1 the under-surface of the foot. 2 the

part of a shoe, sock, etc., corresponding to this (esp. excluding the heel). 3 the lower surface or base of an implement, e.g. a plough, golf-club head, etc. 4 the floor of a ship’s cabin. —v.tr. provide (a shoe etc.) with a sole. 0 sole-plate the bedplate of an engine etc. 00 -soled adj. (in comb.). [OF ult. f. L solea sandal, sill: cf. OE unrecorded solu or sola f. solum bottom, pavement, sole]

plant,

Aeschynomene indica. 0 sola topi an Indian sun-helmet made from its pith. [Urdu & Bengali sola, Hindi shola]

sola? fem. of sous. solace /'splas/ n. & v. —n. comfort in distress, disappointment, or tedium. —-v.tr. give solace to. 0 solace oneself with find compensation or relief in. [ME f. OF solas f. L solatium f. solari

sole? /soul/ n. any flatfish of the family Soleidae, esp. Solea solea

CONSOLE}] solan /|'soulon/ n. (in full solan goose) a gannet, Sula bassana. [prob. f. ON sila gannet + 6nd, and- duck] solanaceous /,splo'nerfas/ adj. of or relating to the plant family Solanaceae, including potatoes, nightshades, and tobacco. {mod.L solanaceae f. L solanum nightshade] solar /'soulo(r)/ adj. & n. —adj. of, relating to, or reckoned by the sun (solar eclipse; solar time). —n. 1a solarium. 2 an upper chamber in a medieval house. o solar battery (or cell) a device converting solar radiation into electricity. solar constant the quantity of heat reaching the earth from the sun. solar day the interval between successive meridian transits of the sun at a

used as food. [ME f. OF f. Prov. sola ult. f. L solea (as sOLE!, named from its shape)] sole? /soul/ adj. 1 (attrib.) one and only; single, exclusive (the sole reason; has the sole right). 2 archaic or Law (esp. of a woman) unmarried. 3 archaic alone, unaccompanied. oo solely adv. [ME f. OF soule f. L sola fem. of solus alone]

solecism /'spl1,s1z(2)m/ n. 1 a mistake of grammar or idiom; a blunder in the manner of speaking or writing. 2 a piece of bad manners or incorrect behaviour. 00 solecist n. solecistic |-'ststtk/ adj. [F solécisme or L soloecismus f. Gk soloikismos f. soloikos speaking incorrectly] solemn /'splam/ adj. 1 serious and dignified (a solemn occasion). 2

place. solar month one-twelfth of the solar year. solar myth a tale explained as symbolizing solar phenomena. solar panel

formal; accompanied by ceremony (a solemn oath). 3 mysteriously impressive. 4 (of a person) serious or cheerless in manner (looks rather solemn). 5 full of importance; weighty (a solemn warning). 6 grave, sober, deliberate; slow in movement or action (a solemn promise; solemn music). O solemn mass = high mass (see MASS”). oo solemnly adv. solemness n. [ME f. OF solemne f. L sol(l)emnis customary, celebrated ata fixed date f. sollus entire]

a panel designed to absorb the sun’s rays as a source of energy for operating electricity or heating. solar plexus a complex of radiating nerves at the pit of the stomach. solar system see separate entry. solar wind the continuous flow of charged

particles from the sun. solar year the time taken for the Earth to travel once round the sun, equal to 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds. [ME f. L solaris f. sol sun]

solemnity /s'lemniti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state of being solemn; a solemn character or feeling; solemn behaviour. 2 a rite or celebration; a piece of ceremony. [ME f. OF solem(p)nité f. L sollemnitas -tatis (as SOLEMN)]

solarium /|so'learram/ n. (pl. solaria |-r1a/) a room equipped with sun-lamps or fitted with extensive areas of glass for exposure to the sun. [L, = sundial, sunning-place (as SOLAR)] solarize /'soulo,raiz/ v.intr. & tr. (also -ise) Photog. undergo or cause to undergo change in the relative darkness of parts of an image by long exposure. 00 solarization /-'ze1{(9)n/ n. solar system n. the collection of nine planets and their moons in orbit round the sun, together with smaller bodies in the form of asteroids, meteors, and comets. Most of these objects lie within or close to the plane of the ecliptic, suggesting that the solar system originated in the collapse to a disc of a primordial gaseous nebula which fragmented to produce a large massive star at the centre of a group of orbiting inert bodies. It remains a mystery why the planets, with mass much less than that of the sun, should contain most of the angular momentum of the system.

solemnize /'splom,naiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 duly perform (a ceremony esp. of marriage). 2 celebrate (a festival etc.). 3 make solemn. oo solemnization /-'ze1{(o)n/ n. [ME f. OF solem(p)niser f. med.L solemnizare (as SOLEMN)]

Solemn

League and Covenant an agreement of 1643

sold past and past part. of sELL. soldanella /,spldo'nela/ n. any dwarf Alpine plant of the genus

between the Parliamentarians and the Scots during the English Civil War. The Scots were to send 21,000 men to assist the English rebels, who would pay them, and in return a presbyterian system was to be established in England and Ireland. Scottish support was crucial; the arrival of their troops transferred the centre of operations from London to York, and after the battle of Marston Moor the loyal North passed under Scottish control. The conversion of the Church of England to Presbyterianism, however, was prevented by the action of Cromwell's army which in 1647 expelled the principal Presbyterian leaders from Parliament. solen /'ssulsn/ n. any razor-shell of the genus Solen. [L f. Gk solén tube, shellfish]

Soldanella, having bell-shaped flowers with fringed petals. [mod.L

solenoid /'soula,nord, 'spl-/ n. a cylindrical coil of wire acting

solatium /so'lerfrom/ n. (pl. solatia /-Jro/) a thing given as a compensation or consolation. [L, = SOLACE]

f. It.]

solder /|'ssulda(r), 'sv-/ n. & v. —n. 1a fusible alloy used to join less fusible metals or wires etc. 2 a cementing or joining agency. —v.tr. join with solder. a soldering iron a tool used for applying solder. 00 solderable n. solderer n. [ME f. OF soudure f. souder f. L solidare fasten f. solidus soup]

as a magnet when carrying electric current. oO solenoidal /-'nord(a)l/ adj. [F solénoide (as sOLEN)] Solent /'ssulent/ the west part of the channel between the Isle of Wight and the mainland of England.

sol-fa /'splfa:/ n. & v. —n.

served in an army. 2 (in full common soldier) a private or NCO in an army. 3 a military commander of specified ability (a great soldier). 4 (in full soldier ant) a wingless ant or termite with a large head and jaws for fighting in defence of its colony. 5 (in

full soldier beetle) a reddish-coloured beetle, Rhagonycha fulva, with flesh-eating larvae. —v.intr. serve as a soldier (was off soldiering). 0 soldier of Christ an active or proselytizing Christian. soldier of fortune an adventurous person ready to take service under any State or person; a mercenary. soldier on collog. persevere doggedly. ao soldierly adj. soldiership n.

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

jyes

= soLmizaTion; (cf. tonic sol-fa).

—v.tr. (-fas, -faed) sing (a tune) with sol-fa syllables. [sou + Fal

soldier /'sould3a(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1a person serving in or having

solfatara /,splfs'ta:ra/ _n. a volcanic vent emitting only sulphurous and other vapours. [name of a volcano near Naples, f. It. solfo sulphur]

solfeggio /spl'fed31au/ n. (pl. solfeggi /-d31/) Mus. 1 an exercise in singing using sol-fa syllables. 2 solmization. [It. (as soL-FA)]

soli pl. of soto. solicit /so'lisit/ v. (solicited, soliciting) 1 tr. & (foll. by for) intr.

k cat

ask repeatedly or earnestly for or seek or invite (business etc.). 2 tr. (often foll. by for) make a request or petition to (a person). lleg

mman

nono

ppen

rred

S sit.

t top.

v voice

solicitor

3 tr. accost (a person) and offer one’s services as a prostitute. o0 solicitation /-'te1f(2)n/ n. [ME f. OF solliciter f. L sollicitare agitate f. sollicitus anxious f. sollus entire + citus past part., = set in motion] solicitor /so'lisita(r)/ n. 1 Brit. a member of the legal profession qualified to deal with conveyancing, draw up wills, etc., and to advise clients and instruct barristers. 2 a person who solicits. 3 US a canvasser. 4 US the chief law officer of a city etc. o Solicitor-General 1 (in the UK) the Crown law officer below the Attorney-General or (in Scotland) below the Lord Advocate. 2 (in the US) the law officer below the Attorney-General. [ME f. OF solliciteur (as soLicrt)]

solicitous /so'lisitas/ adj. 1 (often foll. by of, about, etc.) showing interest or concern. 2 (foll. by to + infin.) eager, anxious. 00 solicitously adv. solicitousness n. [L sollicitus (as soLicrt)]

solicitude /so'lis1,tju:d/ n. 1 the state of being solicitous; solicitous behaviour. 2 anxiety or concern. [ME f. OF sollicitude f. L sollicitudo (as SOLICITOUS)]

solid /'splid/ adj. & n. —adj. (solider, solidest) 1 firm and stable in shape; not liquid or fluid (solid food; water becomes solid at 0°C). 2 of such material throughout, not hollow or containing cavities. (a solid sphere). 3 of the same substance throughout (solid silver). 4 of strong material or construction or build, not flimsy or slender etc. 5 a having three dimensions. b concerned with solids (solid geometry). 6 a sound and reliable; genuine (solid arguments). b staunch and dependable (a solid Tory). 7 sound but without any special flair etc. (a solid piece of work). 8 financially sound. 9 (of time) uninterrupted, continuous (spend four solid hours on it). 10 a unanimous, undivided (support has been pretty solid so far). b (foll. by for) united in favour of. 11 (of printing) without spaces between the lines etc. 12 (of a tyre) without a central air space. 13 (foll. by with) US collog. on good terms. 14 Austral. & NZ collog. severe, unreasonable. —n. 1 a solid substance or body. 2 (in pl.) solid food. 3 Geom. a body or magnitude having three dimensions. 0 solid angle an angle formed by planes etc. meeting at a point. solid colour colour covering the whole of an object, without a pattern etc. solid-drawn (of a tube etc.) pressed or drawn out from asolid bar of metal. solid solution solid material containing one substance uniformly distributed in another. solid state see separate entry. oO solidly adv. solidness n. [ME f. OF solide f. L solidus, rel. to salvus safe, sollus entire]

Solidarity /|,spit'deriti/ an independent trade-union movement in Poland, registered in Sept. 1980, officially banned in Oct. 1982, and legalized again in 1989. The unionitself declined, but its name became a powerful symbol in Polish life. (See also Lech WALEsA.) [tr. Polish Solidarnos¢]

solidarity |,soli'deriti/ n. 1 unity or agreement of feeling or action, esp. among individuals with a common interest. mutual dependence. [F solidarité f. solidaire f. solide soL1D]

2

solidi pl. of souipus. solidify /so'lidr,fai/ v.tr. & intr. (-ies, -ied) make or become solid. 00 solidification /-fi'ke1{(s)n/ n. solidifier n.

solidity /so'liditt/ n. the state of being solid; firmness. solid state n. a state of matter in which the constituent atoms or molecules occupy fixed positions with respect to each other and cannot move freely. (See below.) solid-state adj. of or relating to the solid state; using the electronic properties of solids, especially semiconductors, to replace those of valves.

The solid state is one of the fundamental states in which matter can exist, along with the liquid, gas, and plasma states. The atoms in a solid differ from those in a liquid and in a gas in that they are bound together at definite sites in the solid. When such an atom is displaced alittle from its equilibrium position restoring forces are called into play which resist the displacement. This explains why solids oppose deforming forces and also why solid bodies do not easily penetrate each other. Solids may be roughly classified into crystalline and amorphous. In crystalline solids, such as ice, the atoms are arranged in an orderly and repeating manner. In amorphous solids, such as amorphous sulphur, this order is absent over distances large compared with inter-atomic distances, but there may still be some short-range crystalline structure. wwe

z zoo

Solomon

1381

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

solidus /'splidos/ n. (pl. solidi /-\dat/) 1 an oblique stroke (/) used in writing fractions (3/4), to separate other figures and letters, or to denote alternatives (and/or) and ratios (miles/day). 2 (in full solidus curve) a curve in a graph of the temperature and composition of a mixture, below which the substance is entirely solid. 3 hist. a gold coin of the later Roman Empire. [ME (in sense 3) f. L: see SOLID}

solifluction /,soult'flakf(a)n, ,spl-/ n. the gradual movement of wet soil etc. down a slope. [L solum soil + L fluctio flowing f. fluere fluct- flow] soliloquy /ss'l1lakwi/ n. (pl. ies) 1 the act of talking when alone

or regardless of any hearers, esp. in drama. 2 part of a play involving this. 00 soliloquist n. soliloquize v.intr. (also -ise). [LL soliloquium f. L solus alone + loqui speak] soliped /'spli,ped/ adj. & n. —adj. (of an animal) solid-hoofed. —n. a solid-hoofed animal. [F solipéde or mod.L solipes -pedis f. L solidipes f. solidus solid + pes foot]

solipsism /'splip,s1z(2)m/ n. Philos. the view that the self is all that exists or can be known. 00 solipsist n. solipsistic /-'ststrk/ adj. solipsistically /-'ststrkolr/ adv. [L solus alone + ipse.self]

solitaire /'spli,teo(r)/ n. 1 a diamond or other gem set by itself. 2a ring having a single gem. 3 a game for one player played by removing pegs etc. one at a time from a board by jumping others over them until only one is left. 4 US = PATIENCE 4. 5 any of various extinct dodo-like flightless birds of the family Raphidae. 6 any American thrush of the genus Myadestes. [F f. L solitarius (as SOLITARY)]

solitary /'spliteri/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 living alone; not gregarious; without companions; lonely (a solitary existence). 2 (of a place) secluded or unfrequented. 3 single or sole (a solitary instance). 4 (of an insect) not living in communities. 5 Bot. growing singly, not in a cluster. —n. (pl..-ies) 1 a recluse or anchorite. 2 collog. = solitary confinement. Oo solitary confinement isolation of a prisoner in a separate cell as a punishment. o0 solitarily adv. solitariness n. [ME f. L solitarius f. solus alone]

solitude /'spli,tju:d/ n. 1 the state of being solitary. 2 a lonely place. [ME f. OF solitude or L solitudo f. solus alone]

solmization |,splmr'zer{(a)n/ n. Mus. a system of associating each note of a scale with a particular syllable, now me fah soh lah te, with doh as C in the fixed-doh as the keynote in the movable-doh or tonic sol-fa solmizate /'splm1,zert/ v.intr. & tr. [F solmisation (as

usu. doh ray system and system. 00 sou}, M1)}

solo /'saulau/ n., v., & adv. —n. (pl. -os) 1 (pl. -os or soli j-lt/) aa vocal or instrumental piece or passage, or a dance, performed by one person with or without accompaniment. b (attrib.) performed or performing as a solo (solo passage; solo violin). 2 a an unaccompanied flight by a pilot in an aircraft. b anything done by one person unaccompanied. ¢ (attrib.) unaccompanied, alone. 3 (in full solo whist) a a card-game like whist in which one player may oppose the others. b a declaration or the act of playing to win five tricks at this. —v. (-oes, -oed) 1 intr. perform a solo, esp. a solo flight. 2 tr. perform or achieve as a solo. —adv. unaccompanied, alone (flew solo for the first time). 0 solo stop an organ stop especially suitable for imitating a solo performance on another instrument. [It. f. L solus alone]

soloist /'soulouist/ n.. a performer ofa solo, esp. in music. Solomon |'splaman/ king of Israel c.970-930 Bc, son of David, famed for his wisdom and magnificence. His grandiose schemes, including the building of the Temple with which his name is associated, and the fortifying of strategic cities, led to a system of levies and enforced labour, and the resulting discontent culminated in the secession of the northern tribes (see IsRAEL}). o Judgement of Solomon his proposal to cut in two the baby claimed by two women (1 Kings 3: 16-28), which he then gave to the woman who showed concern for its life. Solomon’s seal 1a figure like the Star of David. 2 any liliaceous plant of the genus Polygonatum, with arching stems and drooping green and white flowers. 00 Solomonic /,splo'mpn1k/ adj. Song of Solomon (also called the Song of Songs or Canticles) an anthology of love poems ascribed to Solomon but dating from a much later period. From an early date Jewish and Christian writers interpreted the book allegorically, in the Talmud as God’s dealings

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

Solomon Islands

some

1382

SE

one’s liabilities. —n. 1 a solvent liquid etc. 2 a dissolving or with the congregation of Israel and in Christian exegesis as weakening agent. oo solvency n. (in sense 2). God’s relations with the Church or the individual soul. Wisdom Solway Firth /'splwei/ an inlet of the Irish Sea, formed by of Solomon a book of the Apocrypha containing a meditation on wisdom which has given it its name. The ascription to Sol- * the estuary of the Esk and Eden rivers, separating Cumbria omon is now believed to be a literary device; it probably dates (England) from Dumfries and Galloway (Scotland). from about 1st c. Bc—1st c. AD. Solzhenitsyn |,svlgo'nitsm/, Alexander (1918- ), Russian Solomon Islands /'sploman/ a country consisting of a group novelist, whose criticism of Stalin in 1945 led to his imprisof islands in the South Pacific, SE of the Bismarck Archipelago; onment for eight years, three of which were spent in a labour pop. (est. 1988) 312,200; official language, English; capital, Honicamp. After his release, his novel One Day in the Life of Ivan ara. Discovered by the Spanish in 1658, the islands were divided Denisovich (1962), describing life in such a camp, received interbetween Britain and Germany in the late 19th c.; the southern national acclaim and was widely sold in the USSR, where it islands became a British protectorate in 1893 while the north coincided with the de-Stalinization campaign begun in 1956. In remained German until mandated to Australia in 1920. The 1963, however, he was again in conflict with the authorities and scene of heavy fighting in 1942-3, the Solomons achieved selfthereafter had difficulty in getting his books published in the government in 1976 and full independence as a member State Soviet Union. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature of the Commonwealth two years later, with the exception of in 1970. The publication abroad of the first part of The Gulag the northern part of the chain which is now part of Papua New Archipelago (1973-5) resulted in his deportation to West GerGuinea. Copra and timber are the main exports. many in 1974, since when he has lived in the US.

Solon /'ssvulvn/ (early 6th c. Bc) Athenian statesman and poet, one of the traditional Seven Sages. His economic reforms included the abolition of serfdom and of slavery for debt; his constitutional reforms, by which he divided the citizens into four classes based on wealth with a corresponding division of political responsibility, laid the foundations of the future democracy.-His poetry is largely concerned with his political interests.

Soma. abbr. Somerset. soma! |'ssumo/ n. 1 the body as distinct from the soul. 2 the body of an organism as distinct from its reproductive cells. [Gk soma -atos body] soma? /'ssumo/ n. 1 an intoxicating drink used in Vedic ritual. 2 a plant yielding this. [Skr. soma]

Somali /so'maili/ n. & adj. —n.

furthest from the equator. 2 the point in its ecliptic reached by the sun at a solstice. 0 summer solstice the time at which the sun is furthest north from the equator, about 21 June in the northern hemisphere. winter solstice the time at which the sun is furthest south from the equator, about 22 Dec. in the northern hemisphere. Since these events mark the turn of the seasons, they have been celebrated since prehistoric times by traditional festivities, and it is no coincidence that the feast of Christmas occurs so close to the winter solstice. 00 solstitial |sol'stif(a)l/ adj. [ME f. OF f. L solstitium f. sol sun + sistere stitmake stand]

solubilize /'spljobi,laiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) make soluble or more soluble. 00 solubilization /-'ze1{(a)n/ n.

soluble /'spljub(e)l/ adj. 1 that can be dissolved, esp. in water. 2 that can be solved. o soluble glass = water-glass. oOo solubility /-"brlitt/ n. [ME f. OF f. LL solubilis (as soive)] solus /'saulas/ predic.adj. (fem. sola |-lo/) (esp. in a stage direction) alone, unaccompanied. [L] solute /'splju:t/ n. a dissolved substance. [L solutum, neut. of solutus: see SOLVE]

solution /so'lu:§(2)n, -'Iju:J(e)n/ n. 1 the act or a means of solving a problem or difficulty. 2 a the conversion ofa solid or gas into a liquid by mixture with a liquid solvent. b the state resulting from this (held in solution). 3 the act of dissolving or the state of being dissolved. 4 the act of separating or breaking. 5 = rubber solution (see RUBBER!). O solution set Math. the set of all the solutions of an equation or condition. [ME f. OF f. L solutio -onis (as SOLVE)]

Somalia /so'ma:lia/ a country in NE Africa, with a coastline on the Indian Ocean; pop. (est. 1988) 7,990,000; official language, Somali; capital, Mogadishu. The economy is largely agricultural, dependent upon nomadic stock-raising and (in the southern part of the country) some irrigated plantation-farming. Livestock, skins, and hides form the main export; the secondlargest export is the banana crop, most of which is imported by Italy. The area of the Horn of Africa was divided between British and Italian spheres of influence in the late 19th c., and the modern Somali Republic (which became an independent member of the United Nations in 1960) is a result of the unification of the former British Somaliland and Italian Somalia. Since independence, Somalia has been involved in border disputes with Kenya and Ethiopia, the latter leading to an intermittent war over the Ogaden Desert. Civil war broke out in Somalia in 1988 and has continued, with many casualties. somatic /so'mztrk/ adj. of or relating to the body, esp. as distinct from the mind. 0 somatic cell any cell of a living organism except the reproductive cells. 00 somatically adv. [Gk somatikos (as SOMA})] somato- |'saumotau/ comb. form the human body. [Gk séma -atos

body] somatogenic /,soumotou'dgentk/ adj. originating in the body. somatology |,soumo'tpled3i/ n. the science of living bodies physically considered.

Solutrean /so'lu:trion/ adj. & n. (also Solutrian) —adj. of an

somatotonic /,ssumoteu'tonik/ adj. like a mesomorph in tem-

upper palaeolithic industry of central and SW France and parts of Iberia, following the Aurignacian and preceding the Magdalenian, dated to c.19,000-18,000 sc. It is named after the type-site of Solutré in eastern France. —n. this industry. solvate /'splveit/ v.intr. & tr. enter or cause to enter combination with a solvent. 00 solvation |-'ver{(9)n/ n. Solvay process /'splvei/ n. a manufacturing process for obtaining sodium carbonate (= washing-soda) from limestone, ammonia, and brine. [ E. Solvay (d. 1922), Belgian chemist, who developed the process] solve /splv/ v.tr. find an answer to, or an action or course that removes or effectively deals with (a problem or difficulty). oo solvable adj. solver n. [ME, = loosen, f. L solvere solut- unfasten, release] solvent /'splv()nt/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 able to dissolve or form a solution with something. 2 having enough money to meet

z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 (pl. same or Somalis) a

member of a Hamitic Muslim people of Somalia in NE Africa. 2 their language, which belongs to the Cushitic branch of the Hamito-Semitic family of languages and is the official language of Somalia. —adj. of or relating to this people or their language. 00 Somalian adj. [native name]

solstice /'splstis/ n. 1 either of the times when the sun is

perament, with predominantly physical interests.

somatotrophin

|,ssumoteu'trevfin] n. a growth hormone

secreted by the pituitary gland. [as soMATO-, TROPHIC] somatotype /'ssumotou,tarp/ n. physique expressed in relation

to various extreme types. sombre /'somba(r)/ adj. (also US somber) 1 dark, gloomy (a sombre sky). 2 oppressively solemn or sober. 3 dismal, foreboding (a sombre prospect). 00 sombrely adv. sombreness n. [F sombre f. OF sombre (n.) ult. f. L suB- + umbra shade] sombrero /spm'bresrauj n. (pl. -os) a broad-brimmed felt or straw hat worn esp. in Mexico and the south-west US. [Sp. f. sombra shade (as SOMBRE)] some /sam/ adj., pron., & adv. —adj. 1 an unspecified amount or number of (some water, some apples; some of them). 2 that is unknown or unnamed (will return some day; some fool has locked

1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

o put

u: too

a ago

al my

-some

the door, to some extent). 3 denoting an approximate number (waited some twenty minutes). 4 a considerable amount or number of (went to some trouble). 5 (usu. stressed) a at least a small amount of (do have some consideration). b such to a certain extent (that is some help). ¢ collog. notably such (I call that some story). —pron. some people or things, some number or amount (I have some already; would you like some more?). —adv. collog. to some extent (we talked some; do it some more). 0 and then some sl. and plenty more than that. some few see FEW. [OE sum f. Gmc] -some! /som/ suffix forming adjectives meaning: 1 adapted to; productive of (cuddlesome; fearsome). 2 characterized by being (fulsome; lithesome). 3 apt to (tiresome; meddlesome). [OE -sum] -some? /som/ suffix forming nouns from numerals, meaning ‘a group of (so many)’ (foursome). [OE sum soME, used after numerals in genit. pl.] -some? /soum| comb. form denoting a portion of a body, esp. of a cell (chromosome; ribosome). [Gk soma body]

somebody /'sambodi/ pron. & n. —pron. some person. —n. (pl. -ies) a person of importance (is really somebody now). someday /'samdei/ adv. at some time in the future. somehow /'samhav/ adv. 1 for some reason or other (somehow I never liked them). 2 in some unspecified or unknown way (he somehow dropped behind). 3 no matter how (must get it finished somehow). someone /|'samwan/ n. & pron. = SOMEBODY. someplace /'samplets/ adv. US collog. = SOMEWHERE. somersault /'sama,spit/ . & v. (also summersault) —n. an acrobatic movement in which a person turns head over heels in the air or on the ground and lands on the feet. —v.intr. perform a somersault. [OF sombresault alt. f. sobresault ult. f. L supra above + saltus leap f. salire to leap] Somerset /'sama,set/ a county of SW England; pop. (1981) 430,800; county town, Taunton.

something |'sam@1n/ n., pron., & adv. —n. & pron. 1 a some unspecified or unknown thing (have something to tell you; something has happened). b (in full something or other) as a substitute for an unknown or forgotten description (a student of something or other). 2 a known or understood but unexpressed quantity, quality, or extent (there is something about it I do not like; is something of a fool). 3 collog. an important or notable person or thing (the party was quite something). —adv. archaic in some degree. 0 or something or some unspecified alternative possibility (must have run away or something). see something of encounter (a person) briefly or occasionally. something else 1 something different. 2 collog. something exceptional. something like 1 an amount in the region of (left something like a million pounds). 2 somewhat like (shaped something like a cigar). 3 collog. impressive; a fine specimen of. something of to some extent; in some sense (is something of an expert). [OE sum thing (as SOME, THING)] sometime /'samtarm/ adv. & adj. —adv. 1 at some unspecified time. 2 formerly. —adj. former (the sometime mayor). sometimes /'samtaimz/ adv. at some times; occasionally. somewhat /'samwot/ adv., n., & pron. —adv. to some extent (behaviour that was somewhat strange; answered somewhat hastily). —n. & pron. archaic something (loses somewhat of its force). O more than somewhat collog. very (was more than somewhat perplexed). somewhen |'samwen/ adv. collog. at some time. somewhere /|'samweo(r)/ adv. & pron. —adv. in or to some place. —pron. some unspecified place. 0 get somewhere collog. achieve success. somewhere about approximately. somite /'soumait/ n. each body-division of a metamerically segmented animal. 00 somitic /sou'mitrk/ adj. [Gk soma body + -ITE}]

Somme /spm/ a river of NE France, running into the English Channel, the scene of heavy fighting in the First World War, especially in July-Nov. 1916. sommelier |'spma,lje1/ n. a wine waiter. [F, = butler, f. somme pack (as SUMPTER)]

somnambulism /spm'nzembjo,l1z(2)m/ n. 1 sleepwalking. 2 a condition of the brain inducing this. 00 somnambulant adj. somnambulantly adv. somnambulist n. somnambulistic av how

song

1383

et day

ou no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

ve poor

/-lustrk/ adj. somnambulistically /-'listrkali/ adv. [L somnus sleep + ambulare walk]

somniferous

/som'niforas/ adj. inducing sleep; soporific. [L

somnifer f. somnium dream] somnolent /'somnolent/ adj. 1 sleepy, drowsy. 2 inducing drowsiness. 3 Med. in a state between sleeping and waking. o0 somnolence n. somnolency n. somnolently adv. [ME f. OF sompnolent or L somnolentus f. somnus sleep] son /san/ n. 1 a boy or man in relation to either or both of his parents. 2 a a male descendant. b (foll. by of) a male member of a family, nation, etc. 3 a person regarded as inheriting an occupation, quality, etc., or associated with a particular attribute (sons offreedom; sons of the soil). 4 (in full my son) a form of address esp. to a boy. 5 (the Son) (in Christian belief) the second person of the Trinity. 0 son-in-law (pl. sons-in-law) the husband of one’s daughter. son of a bitch sl. a general term of contempt. son of a gun collog. a jocular or affectionate form of address or reference. 00 sonless adj. sonship n. [OE sunu f. Gmc] sonant |'sounont/ adj. & n. Phonet. —adj. (of a sound) voiced and syllabic. —n. a voiced sound, esp. other than a vowel and capable of forming a syllable, e.g. 1, m, n, ng, r. OO sonancy n. [L sonare sonant- sound] sonar |'souno(r)/ n. 1 a system for the underwater detection of objects by reflected or emitted sound. 2 an apparatus for this. The ‘hydrophone’ (a kind of underwater microphone) was used in the 1890s to detect sounds such as the operation of engines or propellers, but by 1918 a system of transmitting a pulse of sound and using its rebounding echo to detect a stationary submerged craft had been developed. It became known as ‘asdic’ (see entry) and later as ‘sonar’ (from the initials of the US development), and was widely used in the Second World War. Such apparatus also has civil applications, as in the location of shoals of fish. [sound navigation and ranging, after radar] sonata /so'na:ta/ n. a composition for one instrument or two (one usu. being a piano accompaniment), usu. in several movements with one (esp. the first) or more in sonata form. (See below.) 0 sonata form a type of composition in three sections (exposition, development, and recapitulation) in which two themes (or subjects) are explored according to set key relationships. [It., = sounded (orig. as distinct from sung): fem. past part. of sonare sound] The classical sonata has clear formal implications of a fourmovement work, each movement of a standard type and in a particular order, and is scored for one or two solo instruments, such as piano, piano and violin; earlier uses of the term, however, have a common factor only in their use of instruments rather than voices. In the Romantic period the sonata lost its pre-eminence in favour of shorter pieces which depended on extra-musical rather than formal considerations for their integrity. sonatina /|,spno'ti:no/ n. a simple or short sonata. [It., dimin. of SONATA] sonde /spnd/ n. a device sent up to obtain information about atmospheric conditions, esp. = RADIOSONDE. [F, = sounding(-line)]

Sondheim /'sondharm/, Stephen Joshua (1930—__), American composer and lyric-writer. He became famous on Broadway by writing the lyrics for Bernstein’s West Side Story (1957), and later composed successful musicals including A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962), A Little Night Music (1973), and Sweeney Todd (1979). sone /soun/ n. a unit of subjective loudness, equal to 40 phons. [L sonus sound]

son et lumiére |,spner'lu:mjeo(r)/ n. an entertainment by night at a historic monument, building, etc., using lighting effects and recorded sound to give a dramatic narrative of its history. [F, = sound and light] song /spy/ 1. 1a short poem or other set of words set to music or meant to be sung. 2 singing or vocal music (burst into song). 3 a musical composition suggestive of a song. 4 the musical cry of some birds. 5 a short poem in rhymed stanzas. 6 archaic

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

songbird

soporific

1384

mitigate (pain). 3 archaic flatter or humour. 00 soother n. soothing adj. soothingly adv. [OE sothian verify f. soth true: see SOOTH] * soothsayer /'su:0,sero(r)/ n. a diviner or seer. [ME, = one who says the truth: see sooTH] sooty |'suti/ adj. (sootier, sootiest) 1 covered with or full of soot. 2 (esp. of an animal or bird) black or brownish-black. o0 Nebuchadnezzar. song sparrow a N. American sparrow, Melosooty albatross an albatross, Diomedia chrysostoma, with greyspiza melodia, with a characteristic musical song. song thrush brown plumage. 00 sootily adv. sootiness n. a thrush, Turdus philomelos, of Europe and W. Asia, with a song sop /spp/n. & v. —n. 1a piece of bread etc. dipped in gravy etc. partly mimicked from other birds. 00 songless adj. [OE sang f. 2 a thing given or done to pacify or bribe. —v. (sopped, Gmc (as SING)} sopping) 1 intr. be drenched (came home sopping; sopping wet songbird /'spnbs:d/ n. a bird with a musical call. clothes). 2 tr. (foll. by up) absorb (liquid) in a towel etc. 3 tr. wet songbook /'spnbuk/ n. a collection of songs with music. thoroughly; soak. [OE sopp, corresp. to MLG soppe, OHG sopfa songsmith /'spnsm16/ n. a writer of songs. bread and milk, prob. f. a weak grade of the base of OE supan: songster /'spnstoa(r)/ n. (fem. songstress) |-stris/ 1 a singer, esp. see suP!] a fluent and skilful one. 2a songbird. 3 a poet. 4 US a songbook. Sophia see Soria. [OE sangestre (as SONG, -STER)] sophism /'spfiz(s)m/ n. a false argument, esp. one intended to songwriter /'spn,raita(r)/ n. a writer of songs or the music for deceive. [ME f. OF sophime f. L f. Gk sophisma clever device f. them. sophizomai become wise f. sophos wise] sonic /'spnik/ adj. of or relating to or using sound or sound Sophist /'spfist/ n. 1 a member of the last generations of Greek waves. 0 sonic bang (or boom) a loud explosive noise caused philosophers before Plato, of the period c.450 Bc to c.400 BC. by the shock wave from an aircraft when it passes the speed of Their name (= ‘expert’) was originally a descriptive term, not a sound. sonic barrier = sound barrier (see SOUND!). sonic mine term of abuse. They were in business offering the equivalent a mine exploded by the sound of a passing ship. 00 sonically of university education: for a hefty fee they would teach, in adv. [L sonus sound] particular, rhetoric—how to argue a case in a lawcourt or an sonnet /|'spnit/n. & v. —n. a poem of 14 lines (usu. pentameters) assembly. But they were also thinkers with argued views. Perusing any of a number of formal rhyme schemes, in English haps most important was the contrast they emphasized usu. having ten syllables per line. —v. (sonneted, sonneting) between phusis, what exists by nature, and nomos, what exists 1 intr. write sonnets. 2 tr. address sonnets to. [F sonnet or It. only by human convention. This led not only to moral relativism poetry or verse. 0 for a song collog. very cheaply. on song Brit. collog. performing exceptionally well. song and dance collog. a fuss or commotion. song cycle a set of musically linked songs on a romantic theme. Song of Songs (i.e. greatest song; cf. holy of holies) the Song of Solomon (see Sotomon). Song of the Three (Holy Children) a book of the Apocrypha, telling of the three Hebrew exiles thrown into the fiery furnace by

sonetto dimin. of suono souND}]

sonneteer /,spni'tra(r)/ n. usu. derog. a writer of sonnets. sonny /'sani/ n. collog. a familiar form of address to a young boy. sonobuoy /'souna,bor/ n. a buoy for detecting underwater sounds and transmitting them by radio. [L sonus sound + Buoy] sonometer /so'npmita(r)/ n. 1 an instrument for measuring the vibration frequency of a string etc. 2 an audiometer. [L sonus sound + -METER] Sonora /|so'npra/ a State of NW Mexico; pop. (est. 1988) 1,799,600; capital, Hermosillo. sonorous /'spnoros, so'no:ros/ adj. 1 having a loud, full, or deep sound; resonant. 2 (of a speech, style, etc.) imposing, grand. 00 sonority /so'noriti/ n. sonorously adv. sonorousness n. [L sonorus f. sonor sound] sonsy |'spns1/ adj. (also sonsie) (sonsier, sonsiest) Sc. 1 plump, buxom. 2 of a cheerful disposition. 3 bringing good fortune. {ult. f. Ir. & Gael. sonas good fortune f. sona fortunate] sook /sokj n. Austral. & NZ sl. 1 derog. a timid bashful person; a coward or sissy. 2 a hand-reared calf. [E dial. suck, call-word for a calf] sool /su:l/ v.tr. Austral. & NZ sl. 1 (of a dog) attack or worry (an animal). 2 (often foll. by on) urge or goad. 00 sooler n. [var. of 17th-c. (now dial.) sowl seize roughly, of unkn. orig.] soon /su:n/ adv. 1 after no long interval of time (shall soon know the result). 2 relatively early (must you go so soon?). 3 (prec. by how) early (with relative rather than distinctive sense) (how soon will it be ready?). 4 readily or willingly (in expressing choice or preference: which would you sooner do?; would as soon stay behind). 0 as (or so) soon as (implying a causal or temporal connection) at the moment that; not later than; as early as (came as soon as I heard about it; disappears as soon as it’s time to pay). no sooner... than at the very moment that (we no sooner arrived than the rain stopped). sooner or later at some future time; eventually. o0 soonish adv. [OE sona f. WG] soot /sot/ n. & v. —n. a black carbonaceous substance rising in fine flakes in the smoke of wood, coal, oil, etc., and deposited on the sides of a chimney etc. —v.tr. cover with soot. [OE sot f. Gmc] sooth /su:6/ n. archaic truth, fact. 0 in sooth really, truly. [OE soth (orig. adj., = true) f. Gmc] soothe /su:d/ v.tr. 1 calm (a person or feelings). 2 soften or

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

(what is right here depends entirely on what this society thinks right) but to amoralism (morality is a matter merely of conventions, which the intelligent and strong man will disregard). Such views, together with the thought that they taught how to make the worse case appear the better, made the word become an uncomplimentary one. 2 (sophist) one who reasons with clever but fallacious arguments. oO sophistic /-'fistik/ adj. sophistical /so'fistrk(o)l/ adj. sophistically /so'fistrkeli/ adv. [L sophistes f. Gk sophistés f. sophizomai: see SOPHISM]

sophisticate v., adj., & n. —v. /so'fisti,kert/ 1 tr. make (a person etc.) educated, cultured, or refined. 2 tr. make (equipment or techniques etc.) highly developed or complex. 3 tr. a involve (a subject) in sophistry. b mislead (a person) by sophistry. 4 tr. deprive (a person or thing) of its natural simplicity, make artificial by worldly experience etc. 5 tr. tamper with (a text etc.) for purposes of argument etc. 6 tr. adulterate (wine etc.). 7 intr. use sophistry. —adj. /so'fistiket/ sophisticated. —n. /sa'fistikat/ a sophisticated person. 00 sophistication /-'ker{(s)n/ n. [med.L sophisticare tamper with f. sophisticus (as SOPHISM)]

sophisticated /so'fisti,keitid/ adj. 1 (of a person) educated and refined; discriminating in taste and judgement. 2 (of a thing, idea, etc.) highly developed and complex. 00 sophisticatedly adv.

: sophistry /'spfistri/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the use of sophisms. sophism.

2 a

Sophocles /|'spfs,kli:z/ (c.496—406 Bc) Greek dramatist. The second of the three great tragedians (the others were Aeschylus and Euripides), he took an active part in the political and religious life of contemporary Athens. His introduction of a third actor allowed the greater complexity of plot and fuller depiction of character for which his seven surviving plays are notable (Antigone, Electra, Oedipus Tyrannus, Oedipus at Colonus, Philoctetes, Trachiniae), as well as for their examination of the relationship between man and the divine order of the world. sophomore /'spfo,mo:(r)/ n. US a second-year university or high-school student. 00 sophomoric /-'morik/ adj. [earlier sophumer f. sophum, obs. var. of SOPHISM] Sophy /'ssufi/ n. (pl. -ies) hist. a ruler of Persia in the 16th-17th c. [Pers. saft surname of the dynasty, f. Arab. safi-ud-din pure of religion, title of the founder’s ancestor]

soporific /,sppo'rifik/ adj. & n. —adj. tending to produce sleep.

kcat

lleg

mman

nno

ppen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

sopping

—n. a soporific drug or influence. 00 soporiferous adj. soporifically adv. [L sopor sleep + -FIc] sopping /|'spprn/ adj. (also sopping wet) soaked with liquid; wet through. [pres. part. of sop v.] soppy |'spp1/ adj. (soppier, soppiest)

1 Brit. collog. a silly or

foolish in a feeble or self-indulgent way. b mawkishly sentimental. 2 Brit. collog. (foll. by on) foolishly infatuated with. 3 soaked with water. 00 soppily adv. soppiness n. [sop + -y]

sopranino /,sppro'ni:noo/ n. (pl. -os) Mus. an instrument higher than soprano, esp. a recorder or saxophone. [It., dimin. of SOPRANO] soprano /|so'pra:nav/ n. (pl. -os or soprani /-n1/) 1 a the highest singing-voice. b a female or boy singer with this voice. ¢ a part written for it. 2 a an instrument of a high or the highest pitch in its family. b its player. 0 soprano-clef an obsolete clef placing middle C on the lowest line of the staff. [It. f. sopra above f. L supra]

Sopwith /'sopwi6/, Sir Thomas Octave Murdoch (1888-1989), English aircraft designer, famous especially for the biplane the Sopwith Camel, designed and built by his firm and used in the First World War. : sora |'so:ra/ n. (in full sora rail) a bird, Porzana carolina, frequenting the marshes of N. and S. Carolina etc. in the autumn and used as food. [prob. a native name] sorb /so:b/ n. 1 = service tree (see SERVICE”). 2 (in full sorb-apple) its fruit. [F sorbe or L sorbus service tree, sorbum service-berry]

sorbefacient /,so:bi'ferf(a)nt/ adj. & n. Med.

—adj. causing

absorption. —n. a sorbefacient drug etc. [L sorbére suck in + -FACIENT] sorbet /'so:ber, -bit/ n. 1 a water-ice. 2 sherbet. [F f. It. sorbetto f.

Turk. serbet f.Arab. Sarba to drink: cf. SHERBET] Sorbo /'so:bau/ n. Brit. propr. (in full Sorbo rubber) a spongy rubber. [ABSORB + -o]

:

Sorbonne /so:'bon/ originally a theological college founded in Paris by Robert de Sorbon, chaplain to Louis IX, ¢.1257; later, the faculty of theology in the University of Paris, suppressed in 1792; now, the seat of the faculties of science and letters of the University of Paris. sorcerer /'so:sora(r)/ n. (fem. sorceress /|-ris/) a person who claims to use magic powers; a magician or wizard. oo sorcerous adj. sorcery n. (pl. -ies). [obs. sorcer f. OF sorcier ult. f. L sors sortis lot]

sordid |'so:did/ adj. 1 dirty or squalid. 2 ignoble, mean, or mercenary. 3 mean or niggardly. 4 dull-coloured. oo sordidly adv. sordidness n. [F sordide or L sordidus f. sordére be dirty]

sordino /so:'di:nav/ n. (pl. sordini /-n1/) Mus. a mute for a bowed or wind instrument. [It. f. sordo mute f. L surdus] sore /so:(r)/ adj., n., & adv. —adj. 1 (of a part of the body) painful from injury or disease (has a sore arm). 2 (of a person) suffering pain. 3 (often foll. by about, at) aggrieved or vexed. 4 archaic grievous or severe (in sore need). —n. 1 a sore place on the body. 2 a source of distress or annoyance (reopen old sores). —adv. archaic grievously, severely. 0 sore point a subject causing distress or annoyance. sore throat an inflammation of the lining membrane at the back of the mouth etc. 00 soreness n. [OE sar (n. & adj.), sare (adv.), f. Gmc]

sorehead /'so:hed/ n. US a touchy or disgruntled person. sorel /'spr(2)l/ n. Brit. a male faliow deer in its third year. [var.

of SORREL?] sorely /|'so:l1/ adv. 1 extremely, badly (am sorely tempted; sorely in need of repair). 2 severely (am sorely vexed). [OE sarlice (as soRE,

sorority /so'roriti/ n. (pl. -ies) US a female students’ society in a university or college. [med.L sororitas or L soror sister, after fraternity] sorosis /so'rousis/ n. (pl. soroses /-si:z/) Bot. a fleshy compound fruit, e.g. a pineapple or mulberry. [mod.L f. Gk sdros heap] sorption /'so:pf(o)n/ n. absorption or adsorption happening jointly or separately. [back-form. f. absorption, adsorption] sorrel! /'spr(s)l/ n. any acid-leaved herb of the genus Rumex, used in salads and for flavouring. [ME f. OF surele, sorele f. Gmc]

sorrel? /'spr(s)l/ adj. & n. —adj. of a light reddish-brown colour. —n. 1 this colour. 2 a sorrel animal, esp. a horse. 3 Brit. a sorel. [ME f. OF sorel f. sor yellowish f. Frank.] Sorrento /sa'rentau/ a town of central Italy situated on a peninsula separating the Bay of Naples, which it faces, from the Gulf of Salerno; pop. (1981) 17,300. It has been a resort since Roman times (Latin Surrentum), noted for its climate and the beauty of the surrounding scenery. sorrow /'sprou/ n. & v. —n. 1 mental distress caused by loss or disappointment etc. 2 a cause of sorrow. 3 lamentation. —-v.intr. 1 feel sorrow. 2 mourn. 00 sorrower n. sorrowing adj. [OE sorh, sorg]

sorrowful /'sprou,fol/ adj. 1 feeling or showing sorrow. 2 distressing, lamentable. 00 sorrowfully adv. sorrowfulness n. [OE sorhful (as soRRow, -FUL)] sorry |'spri/ adj. (sorrier, sorriest) 1 (predic.) pained or regretful or penitent (were sorry for what they had done; am sorry that you have to go). 2 (predic.; foll. by for) feeling pity or sympathy for (a person). 3 as an expression of apology. 4 wretched; in a poor state (a sorry sight). 0 sorry for oneself dejected. 00 sorrily adv. sorriness n. [OE sarig f. WG (as sorg, -Y”)] sort /so:t/ n. & v. —n. 1 a group of things etc. with common attributes; a class or kind. 2 (foll. by of) roughly of the kind specified (is some sort of doctor). 3 collog. a person of a specified character or kind (a good sort). 4 Printing a letter or piece in a fount of type. 5 Computing the arrangement of data in a prescribed sequence. 6 archaic a manner or way. —v.tr. (often foll. by out, over) arrange systematically or according to type, class, etc. 0 after a sort after a fashion..in some sort to a certain extent. of a sort (or of sorts) collog. not fully deserving the name (a holiday of sorts). out of sorts 1 slightly unwell. 2 in low spirits; irritable. sort of collog. as it were; to some extent (I sort of expected it). sort out 1 separate into sorts. 2 select (things of one or more sorts) from. a miscellaneous group. 3 disentangle or put into order, 4 resolve (a problem or difficulty). 5 collog. deal with or reprimand (a person). 00 sortable adj. sorter n. sorting n. [ME f. OF sorte ult. f. L sors sortis lot, condition] sortie /'so:ti/n. & v. —n. 1 a sally, esp. from a besieged garrison. 2 an operational flight by a single military aircraft. —v.intr. (sorties, sortied, sortieing) make a sortie; sally. [F, fem. past part. of sortir go out]

sortilege /'so:tilid3/ n. divination by lots. [ME f. OF f. med.L sortilegium sorcery f. L sortilegus sorcerer (as SORT, legere choose)] sorus |'so:ras/ n. (pl. sori /-ra1/) Bot. a heap or cluster, esp. of spore-cases on the under-surface of a fern-leaf, or in a fungus or lichen. [mod.L f. Gk soros heap}

SOS /|,esou'es/ n. (pl. SOSs) 1 an international code-signal of extreme distress, used esp. by ships at sea. 2 an urgent appeal for help. 3 Brit. a message broadcast to an untraceable person in an emergency. [chosen as being easily transmitted and recognized in Morse code]

Sosnowiec /sps'npvjets/ a mining town in Poland; pop. (1985) 255,000.

Ly’) sorghum /'so:gom/ n. any tropical cereal grass of the genus Sorghum, e.g. durra. [mod.L f. It. sorgo, perh. f. unrecorded Rmc syricum (gramen) Syrian (grass)]

sori pl. of soRus. Soroptimist /so'roptimist/ n. a member of the Soroptimist Club, an international club for professional and business women, founded in California in 1921 with the aim of providing service to the community. [L soror sister + OPpTiMIsT (as OPTIMISM)]

wwe

Sothic

1385

z zoo

f she

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

sostenuto /,spsta'nu:tou/ adv., adj., & n. Mus. —adv. & adj. ina sustained or prolonged manner. —n. (pl. -os) a passage to be played in this way. [It., past part. of sostenere SUSTAIN] sot /spt/.n. & v. —n. a habitual drunkard. —-v.intr. (sotted, sotting) tipple. 00 sottish adj. [OE sott & OF sot foolish, f. med.L sottus, of unkn. orig.] soteriology /sp,tiar1'pled31/ n. Theol. the doctrine of salvation. [Gk sotéria salvation + -LOGy] Sothic /'sou6rk/ adj. of or relating to the dog-star. o Sothic tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

Sotho

sounding

1386

year the ancient Egyptian year of 365} days, fixed by the heliacal rising of the dog-star. Sothic cycle a cycle (first fixed in AD 139) of 1460 Sothic years, after which the 365-day calendar year gives the same date for this rising. [Gk Sothis f. the Egypt. name of ~ the dog-star] Sotho /'su:tu:/ n. & adj. —n. 1a subdivision of the Bantu people which includes tribes living chiefly in Botswana, Lesotho, and the Transvaal. 2 their Bantu languages. —adj. of this people or their languages. [native name] sotto voce |,sptov 'vouts1/ adv. in an undertone or aside. [It. sotto under + voce voice] sou /su:/ n. 1 hist. a former French coin of low value. 2 (usu.-with neg.) collog. a very small amount of money (hasn’t a sou). [F, orig. pl. sous f. OF sout f. L sotipus] soubrette /su:'bret/ n. 1 a pert maidservant or similar female character in a comedy. 2 an actress taking this part. [F f. Prov. soubreto fem. of soubret coy f. sobrar f. L superare be above]

soubriquet var. of soBRIQUET. souchong /'su:Jpn/ n. a fine black kind of China tea. [Chin. xiao small + zhong sort] souffle /'su:f{o)l/n. Med. a low murmur heard in the auscultation of various organs etc. [F f. souffler blow f. L sufflare]

soufflé /'su:flei/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a light spongy dish usu. made with flavoured egg yolks added to stiffly beaten whites of eggs and baked (cheese soufflé). 2 any of various light sweet or savoury dishes made with beaten egg whites. —adj. 1 light and frothy or spongy (omelette soufflé). 2 (of ceramics) decorated with small spots. [F past part. (as SOUFFLE)]

Soufriére /,su:fri'ea(r)/ a volcanic peak rising to a height of 1,234 m (4,006 ft.) on the island of St Vincent in the West Indies. sough |sau, saf] v. & n. —v.intr. make a moaning, whistling, or rushing sound as of the wind in trees etc. —n. this sound. [OE swogan resound]

sought past and past part. of SEEK. souk /su:k/ n. (also suk, sukh, suq) a market-place in Muslim countries. [Arab. sik] soul /ssul/ n. 1 the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being, often regarded as immortal. 2 the morai or emotional or intellectual nature of a person or animai. 3 the personification or pattern of something (the very soul of discretion). 4 an individual (not a soul in sight). 5 a a person regarded with familiarity or pity etc. (the poor soul was utterly confused). b a person regarded as embodying moral or intellectual qualities (left that to meaner souls). 6 a person regarded as the animating or essential part of something (the life and soul of the party). 7 emotional or intel-

lectual energy or intensity, esp. as revealed in a work of art (pictures that lack soul). 8 Black American culture or music etc. 0 soul-destroying (of an activity etc.) deadeningly monotonous. soul food the traditional food of American Blacks. soul mate

distinct from television. —v. 1 intr. & tr. emit or cause to emit sound. 2 tr. utter or pronounce (sound a note of alarm). 3 intr. convey an impression when heard (you sound worried). 4 tr. give an audible signal for (an alarm etc.). 5 tr. test (the lungs etc.) by noting the sound produced. 6 tr. cause to resound; make known (sound their praises). O sound barrier the high resistance of air to objects moving at speeds near that of sound. sound bite a short extract from a recorded interview, chosen for its pungency or appropriateness. sound effect a sound other than speech or music made artificially for use ina play, film, etc. sound engineer an engineer dealing with acoustics etc. sound-hole an aperture in the belly of some stringed instruments. sound off talk loudly or express one’s opinions forcefully. sound-post a small prop between the belly and back of some stringed instruments. sound shift see sHIFT n. 6. sound spectrograph an instrument for analysing sound into its frequency components. sound wave a wave of compression and rarefaction, by which sound is propagated in an elastic medium, e.g. air. 00 soundless adj. soundlessly adv. soundlessness n. [ME f. AF soun, OF son (n.), AF suner, OF soner (v.) f. L sonus] Sound consists of longitudinal waves of pressure (see WAVE) passing through solids, liquids, or gases; it cannot travel through a vacuum. The speed of sound tends to be independent of its frequency and to be a constant for any particular medium: for example, the speed of sound in air is about 344 metres (1,128 ft.) per second. In general, sound travels faster through solids than through liquids, and faster through liquids than through gases, although density and temperature are also important. The human ear responds to frequencies pf sound that are between about 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz. Frequency is perceived as pitch: if one sound has twice the frequency of another, it is perceived (in musical terms) as being an octave above it. Most musical tones, however, are complex in form, including many higher frequencies or ‘harmonics’ as well as the fundamental frequency. Frequencies below and above the range of human hearing are called infrasonic and ultrasonic respectively. Some animals, such as dogs, bats, and dolphins, can hear frequencies in the ultrasonic range. Although the properties of sound waves do not suddenly change above 20,000 Hz, sound of very high frequency can be formed into a powerful beam, and ultrasound has a number of practical applications: it is used to form emulsions between immiscible liquids, as an alternative to X-rays in medical diagnosis, as a means of underwater detection, and for many other purposes.

sound? /saund/ adj. & adv. —adj. 1 healthy; not diseased or injured. 2 (of an opinion or policy etc.) correct, orthodox, wellfounded, judicious. 3 financially secure (a sound investment). 4 undisturbed (a sound sleeper). 5 severe, hard (a sound blow). —adv. soundly (sound asleep). 00 soundly adv. soundness n. [ME sund, isund f. OE gesund f. WG]

a person ideally suited to another. soul music a kind of music

sound? /saund/ v. & n. —v.tr. & intr. 1 tr. test the depth or

incorporating elements of rhythm and blues and gospel music, popularized by American Blacks. the soul of honour a person

quality of the bottom of (the sea or a river etc.). 2 tr. (often foll. by out) inquire (esp. cautiously or discreetly) into the opinions or feelings of (a person). 3 tr. find the depth of water in (a ship’s hold). 4 tr. get records of temperature, humidity, pressure, etc. from (the upper atmosphere). 5 tr. examine (a person’s bladder etc.) with a probe. 6 intr. (of a whale or fish) dive to the bottom. —n. a surgeon’s probe. 00 sounder n. [ME f. OF sonder ult. f. L SUB- + unda wave] sound? /saund/ n. 1 a a narrow passage of water connecting two seas or a sea with a lake etc. b an arm of the sea. 2 fish’s swim-bladder. 50 the Sound see @RESUND. [OE sund, = ON sund swimming, strait, f. Gmc (as swIM)]

incapable of dishonourable conduct. soul-searching n. the examination of one’s emotions and motives. —adj. characterized by this. upon my soul an exclamation of surprise. 00 -souled adj. (in comb.). [OE sawol, sawel, sawl, f. Gmc]

soulful /'ssulful/ adj. 1 having or expressing or evoking deep feeling. 2 collog. over-emotional. 00 soulfully adv. soulfulness n.

soulless /'soullis/ adj. 1 lacking sensitivity or noble qualities. 2 having no soul. 3 undistinguished or uninteresting. oo soullessly adv. soullessness n. sound! /saund/ n. & v. —n. 1 a sensation caused in the ear by the vibration of the surrounding air or other medium. 2 a vibrations causing this sensation. b similar vibrations whether audible or not. (See below.) 3 what is or may be heard. 4 an idea or impression conveyed by words (don’t like the sound of that). 5 mere words (sound and fury). 6 (in full musical sound) sound produced by continuous and regular vibrations (opp. NOISE n. 3). 7 any ofaseries of articulate utterances (vowel and consonant sounds). 8 music, speech, etc., accompanying a film or other visual presentation. 9 (often attrib.) broadcasting by radio as

ze cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

soundboard /'saundbo:d/ n. a thin sheet of wood over which the strings of a piano etc. pass to increase the sound produced.

soundbox /'saundbpks/ n. the hollow chamber providing resonance and forming the body of a stringed musical instrument. sounding! /'saundin/ n. 1 a the action or process of measuring the depth of water, now usu. by means of echo. b an instance

of this (took a sounding). 2 (in pl.) a a region close to the shore of the right depth for sounding. b Naut. measurements taken by sounding. ¢ cautious investigation (made soundings as to his suitability). 3 a the determination of any physical property at a

1 sit

i: see

p hot

0: saw

arun

vo put

u: too.

2 ago

ai my

sounding

South America

1387

depth in the sea or at a height in the atmosphere. b an instance of this. 0 sounding-balloon a balloon used to obtain information about the upper atmosphere. sounding-line a line used in sounding the depth of water. sounding-rod a rod used in finding the depth of water in a ship’s hold (see souND’).

etc. to direct sound towards the congregation. 2 = SOUNDBOARD. 3 a a means of causing opinions etc. to be more widely known (used his students as a sounding-board). b a person etc. used as a trial audience.

soursop /|'sava,spp/ n. 1 a W. Indian evergreen tree, Annona muricata. 2 the large succulent fruit of this tree. sous- /su:(z)/ prefix (in words adopted from French) subordinate, under (sous-chef). [F] Sousa |'su:za/, John Philip (1854-1932), American composer and conductor. He became director of the US Marine Band (1880) and then formed his own band in 1892. His works include over 100 marches, for example The Stars and Stripes, King Cotton, and Hands Across the Sea. The sousaphone (see entry) was named in his honour on its invention in 1898. sousaphone /|'su:za,faun/ n. a large brass bass wind instrument encircling the player’s body. 00 sousaphonist n. [J. P. Sousa, after saxophone]

soundproof /'saundpru:f] adj. & v. —adj. impervious to sound.

souse /savus/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. put (gherkins, fish, etc.) in pickle.

sounding? /'saondin/ adj. 1 giving forth (esp. loud or resonant) sound (sounding brass). 2 emptily boastful, resonant, or imposing (sounding promises).

sounding-board /'saundin,bo:d/ n. 1 a canopy over a pulpit

—v.tr. make soundproof.

soundtrack /'saundtrek/ n. 1 the recorded sound element of a film. 2 this recorded on the edge ofa film in optical or magnetic form. soup /su:p/ n. & v. —n. 1a usu. savoury liquid dish made by boiling meat, fish, or vegetables etc. in stock or water. 2 US sl. nitroglycerine or gelignite, esp. for safe-breaking. 3 sl. the chemicals in which film is developed. 4 collog. fog; thick cloud. —-v.tr. (usu. foll. by up) collog. 1 imcrease the power and efficiency of (an engine). 2 increase the power or impact of (writing, music, etc.). O in the soup collog. in difficulties. soup and fish collog. evening dress. soup-kitchen a place dispensing soup etc. to the poor. soup-plate a deep wide-rimmed plate for serving soup. soup-spoon a large round-bowled spoon for drinking soup. [F soupe sop, broth, f. LL suppa f. Gmc: cf. sop, suP4] soup¢on /'su:ps5/ n. a very small quantity; a dash. [F f. OF sou(s)pecon f. med.L suspectio -onis: see SUSPICION]

soupy /'su:p1/ adj. (soupier, soupiest) 1 of or resembling soup. 2 collog. sentimental; mawkish. 00 soupily adv. soupiness n.

sour /'savo(r)/ adj., n., & v. —adj. 1 having an acid taste like lemon or vinegar, esp. because of unripeness (sour apples). 2 a (of food, esp. milk or bread) bad because of fermentation. b smelling or tasting rancid or unpleasant. 3 (of a person, temper, etc.) harsh; morose; bitter. 4 (of a thing) unpleasant; distasteful. 5 (of the soil) deficient in lime and usually dank. —n. 1 US a drink with lemon- or lime-juice (whisky sour). 2 an acid solution used in bleaching etc. —v.tr. & intr. make or become sour (soured the cream; soured by misfortune). 0 go (or turn) sour 1 (of food etc.) become sour. 2 turn out badly (the job went sour on him). 3 lose one’s keenness. sour cream cream deliberately fermented by adding bacteria. sour grapes resentful disparagement of something one cannot personally acquire. (From the fable of the fox who wanted some grapes but found that they were out of reach and so pretended that they were sour and undesirable anyway.) sour mash US a brewing- or distilling-mash made acid to promote fermentation. 00 sourish adj. sourly adv. sourness n. [OE sir f. Gmc] : source /so:s/ n. & v. —n. 1 a spring or fountain-head from which a stream issues (the sources of the Nile). 2 a place, person, or thing from which something originates (the source of all our troubles). 3 a person or document etc. providing evidence (reliable sources of information; historical source material). 4 a a body emitting radiation etc. b Physics a place from which a fluid or current flows. ¢ Electronics a part of a transistor from which carriers flow into the interelectrode channel. —v.tr. obtain (esp. components) from a specified source. 0 at source at the point of origin or issue. source-criticism the evaluation of different, esp. successive, literary or historical sources. [ME f. OF sors, sourse, past part. of sourdre rise f. L surgere] sourcebook /'so:sbuk/ n. a collection of documentary sources for the study of a subject.

sourdough /'savo,dou/ n. US 1 fermenting dough, esp. that left over from a previous baking, used as leaven. 2 an old-timer in Alaska etc. [dial., = leaven, in allusion to piece of sour dough for raising bread baked in winter]

sourpuss /'sava,pus/ n. collog. a sour-tempered person. [SOUR + et day

over) throw (liquid) over a thing. —n. 1 a pickle made with salt.

b US food, esp. a pig’s head etc., in pickle. 2 a dip, plunge, or drenching in water. 3 collog. a a drinking-bout. b a drunkard. [ME f. OF sous, souz pickle f. OS sultia, OHG sulza brine f. Gmc: cf. SALT] Sousse /su:s/ a port and resort on the east coast of Tunisia; pop.

(1984) 83,500.

soutache /su:'tz/ n. a narrow flat ornamental braid used to trim garments. [F f. Magyar sujtas] soutane /su:'ta:n/ n. RC Ch. a cassock worn bya priest. [F f. It. sottana f. sotto under f. L subtus] souteneur |,su:ta'n3:(r)/ n. a pimp. [F, = protector] souter |'su:to(r)/ n. Sc. & NEngl. a shoemaker; a cobbler. [OE siitere f. L sutor f. suere sut- sew] souterrain /'su:to,rem/ n. esp. Archaeol. an underground chamber or passage. [F f. sous under + terre earth] south /sav0/ n., adj., adv., & v. —n. 1 the point of the horizon 90° clockwise from east. 2 the compass point corresponding to this. 3 the direction in which this lies. 4 (usu. the South) a the part of the world or a country or a town lying to the south. b the Southern States of the US. 5 Bridge a player occupying the position designated ‘south’. —adj. 1 towards, at, near, or facing the south (a south wall; south country). 2 coming from the south (south wind). —adv. 1 towards, at, or near the south (they travelled south), 2 (foll. by of) further south than. —v.intr. 1 move towards

the south. 2 (of a celestial body) cross the meridian. 0 south by east (or west) between south and south-south-east (or south-south-west). south pole see POLE”. south-south-east the point or direction midway between south and south-east. south-south-west the point or direction midway between south and south-west. south wind a wind blowing from the south. to the south (often foll. by of) in a southerly direction.

[OE sith} South Africa a country occupying the southernmost part of the continent of Africa; pop. (est. 1988) 35,094,000; official languages, English and Afrikaans; administrative capital, Pretoria; seat of legislature, Cape Town. Settled by the Dutch in the 17th c., the Cape area later came under British occupation, setting in motion a series of conflicting political and economic developments leading to inland expansion, the subjugation of the native population, and finally war between the British and the Boer (Dutch) settlers at the end of the 19th c. The defeated Boer republics of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State were annexed as British Crown Colonies in 1902, but joined with the colonies of Natal and the Cape to form the self-governing Union of South Africa in 1910. After supporting Britain in both World Wars, in 1960-1 South Africa became a republic and left the Commonwealth. The dominant economic power in the southern half of the continent as a result of her well-developed agricultural and economic base and gold and diamond resources, South Africa has pursued a policy of White minority rule (apartheid), with (until 1991) only a limited liberalization, which has kept her in conflict with her Black African neighbours and complicated her international position. 00 South African adj. &n.

South America the southern half of the American land mass,

Puss = face]

au how

2 tr. & intr. plunge into liquid. 3 tr. (as soused adj.) collog. drunk. 4 tr. (usu. foll. by in) soak (a thing) in liquid. 5 tr. (usu. foll. by

ov no

eo hair

1a near

o1 boy

va poor

ata fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

Southampton

south-west

1388

connected to North America by the Isthmus of Panama, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. (See AMERICA.) Colonized largely by the Spanish in the 16th c. (although the British, Dutch, and Portuguese were particularly active in the north-east), much of the continent remained part of Spain’s overseas empire until liberated under the leadership of Bolivar and San Martin in the 1820s. Both culturally and ethnically the continent is now a mixture of

native Indian and imported Hispanic influences, modified slightly by North European and North American penetration in the 19th and 20th centuries. Although many South American countries are still hampered by economic underdevelopment and political instability, a minority have emerged as world industrial powers in their own right.

It contains some noteworthy objects, such as Acrux, the 14thbrightest star in the sky, and the beautiful galactic cluster of kappa Crucis (the Jewel Box). southerner /'sadano(r)/ n. a native or inhabitant of the south.

Southern Ocean the body of water surrounding the continent of Antarctica.

Southern Rhodesia see ZimBABWE. southernwood /'sad(3)nwod/ n. a bushy kind of wormwood, Artemisia abrotanum.

Southey /'sad1/, Robert (1774-1843), English poet and prose writer. His early revolutionary ideas, which he shared with his friends Coleridge and Wordsworth, later moderated and he became a leading contributor to the Tory Quarterly Review. His voluminous works include the long poems Thalaba (1801), Madoc (1805), and Roderick (1814), and the historical work The Life of Nelson (1813), but he is better remembered for his shorter poems, such as the ballad ‘The Inchcape Rock’ and ‘The Battle of Blenheim’. In his verse he introduced metrical innovations; he was appointed Poet Laureate in 1813.

Southampton /sav6'hempt(s)n/ an industrial city and seaport on the south coast of England, situated on a peninsula between the estuaries of the Rivers Test and Itchen in Hampshire; pop. (1981) 204,600. From here the Mayflower set sail for North America in 1620, and the Titanic sailed on her disastrous maiden voyage on 10 April 1912.

South

South Australia a State comprising the central southern

a barren

island in the South Atlantic,

South Glamorgan /gls'mo:gen/ a county of South Wales; pop. (1981) 389,900; county town, Cardiff. southing /'sav@1n/ n. 1 a southern movement. 2 Naut. the distance travelled or measured southward. 3 Astron. the angular distance of a star etc. south of the celestial equator.

southwards.

South Orkney Islands a group of uninhabited islands in

South Carolina |,kzro'larno/ a State of the US on the Atlantic coast; pop. (est. 1985) 3,122,700; capital, Columbia. Settled by the Spanish and English in the 16th—-17th c. and named after Charles I, it became one of the original 13 States of the US in 1788.

South China Sea see Cu1na SEA.

South Dakota /do'kouto/ a State in the north central US; pop. (est. 1985) 690,800; capital, Pierre. Acquired partly by the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, it became the 40th State of the US in 1889.

Southdown /'sav@daun/ n. 1 a sheep of a breed raised esp. for mutton, orig. on the South Downs of Hampshire and Sussex. 2 this breed. south-east n., adj., & adv. —n. 1 the point of the horizon midway between south and east. 2 the compass point corresponding to this. 3 the direction in which this lies. 4 (SouthEast) the part of a country or town lying to the south-east. —adj. of, towards, or coming from the south-east. —adv. towards, at, or near the south-east. a0 south-easterly adj. & adv. south-eastern adj.

the South Atlantic, lying to the north-east of the Antarctic Peninsula. Discovered by Captain G. Powell in 1821, they are now

administered as part of the British Antarctic Territory.

South Pacific Commission an agency established in 1947 to promote the economic and social stability of the islands in the South Pacific. There are 27 member governments and administrations, and the agency provides advice etc. in matters such as marine resources, rural management and technology, and community and education services. Its headquarters are in Noumea, New Caledonia. southpaw |'sav@po:/ n. & adj. colloq. —n. a left-handed person, esp. in boxing. —adj. left-handed.

South Sandwich Islands a group of barren uninhabited islands in the South Atlantic lying 480 km (300 miles) south-east of South Georgia, with which it is administered from the Falkland Islands.

South Sea hist. the southern Pacific Ocean.

ance established in 1954 for countries of SE Asia and part of the SW Pacific, to further a US policy of containment of communism. Its members were Australia, Britain, France, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, and the US. The Organization was dissolved in 1977.

southeaster /sav0'i:sta(r)/ n. a south-east wind. Southend-on-Sea /sav6,endon'si:/ a resort town in Essex, on the Thames estuary; pop. (1981) 155,000.

souther /'sav6o(r)/ n. a south wind. southerly /'sadali/ adj., adv., & n. —adj. & adv. 1 in a southern position or direction. 2 (of a wind) blowing from the south. —n. (pl. -ies) a southerly wind. southern /'sad(a)n/ adj. esp. Geog. 1 of or in the south; inhabiting the south. 2 lying or directed towards the south (at the southern end). O Southern hemisphere the half of the earth below the equator. southern lights the aurora australis. Southern States the States in the south, esp. the south-east, of the US. O00 southernmost adj. [OE siitherne (as SOUTH, -ERN)]

South Shetland Islands a group of uninhabited islands in the South Atlantic, lying immediately north of the Antarctic Peninsula. Discovered in 1819 by Captain W. Smith, they are now administered as part of the British Antarctic Territory.

southward

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

—adj. & adv. (also

region.

south-west n., adj, & adv. —n. 1 the point of the horizon midway between south and west.

2 the compass

point cor-

responding to this. 3 the direction in which this lies. 4 (SouthWest) the part of a country or town lying to the south-west. —adj. of, towards, or coming from the south-west. —adv. towards, at, or near the south-west. oo emuthrwestenty, adj. & adv. south-western adj.

Cross a constellation in the southern sky, also

d dog

/'sau6wod) adj., adv. & n.

southwards) towards the south. —n. a southward direction or

known as Crux Australis, the smallest of the constellations officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union.

b but

0 South Sea

bubble the fever of speculation in stock of the South Sea Company (1720). The Company had been formed in 1711 to trade with Spanish America. In 1720 it assumed responsibility for the National Debt in return for a guaranteed profit, but the speculative boom in this and in ever more implausible projects was quickly followed by the Company’s collapse and a general financial catastrophe; there were matching disasters in Paris and Amsterdam. The subsequent inquiry revealed corruption among the King’s ministers. The situation was saved by Sir Robert Walpole, who transferred the South Sea stock to the Bank of England and the East India Company. A statute was passed severely restricting joint-stock companies for the future.

South-East Asia Treaty Organization a defence alli-

Southern

Georgia

1,120 km (700 miles) south-east of the Falkland Islands from where it is administered.

part of Australia; pop. (1986) 1,388,100; capital, Adelaide. In 1836 it was constituted as a hybrid of a Crown colony and chartered colony, to which no convicts were to be sent. After financial collapse it lost its semi-independent status and became a regular Crown colony in 1841. It was federated with the other States of Australia in 1901. southbound |'sau@baund/ adj. travelling or leading

k cat

lleg

m man

n-no

p pen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

southwester

spade

1389

southwester /sav6'westo(r)/ n. a south-west wind. South Yorkshire a metropolitan county of northern England; pop. (1981) 1,317,000. souvenir /,su:va'nio(r)/ 7. & v. —n. (often foll. by of) a memento of an occasion, place, etc.. —v.tr. sl. take as a ‘souvenir’; pilfer, steal. [F f. souvenir remember f. L subvenire occur to the mind (as SUB-, venire come)]

souvlaki |su:'via:ki/ n. (pl. souvlakia |-kia/) a Greek dish of pieces of meat grilled on a skewer. [mod. Gk] sou’wester jsav'westo(r)/ n. 1 = SOUTHWESTER. 2 a waterproof hat with a broad flap covering the neck. SOV. /spv/ abbr. Brit. sovereign.

sovereign /'spvrin/ n. & adj. —n.

1 a supreme ruler, esp. a

monarch. 2 Brit. hist. a gold coin nominally worth £1. —adj. 1 a supreme (sovereign power). b unmitigated (sovereign contempt). 2 excellent; effective (a sovereign remedy). 3 possessing sovereign power (a sovereign State). 4 royal (our sovereign lord). oO the sovereign good the greatest good, esp. for a State, its people, etc. sovereign pontiff see PONTIFF. 00 sovereignly adv. sovereignty n. (pl. -ies). [ME f. OF so(u)verain f. L: -g- by assoc.

with reign] soviet /'souviot, 'sp-/ n. & adj. —n. 1 an elected local, district, or national council in the USSR. 2 (Soviet) a citizen of the USSR.

3 hist. a revolutionary council of workers, peasants, etc. before 1917. —adj. (usu. Soviet) of or concerning the Soviet Union. Oo Supreme Soviet the governing council of the USSR or of any of its constituent republics. As the highest legislative authority in the Soviet Union the Supreme Soviet is responsible for electing the Presidium, the supreme authority when the Soviet is Not sitting. It is composed of two equal chambers: the Soviet of Union, composed of one delegate for every 300,000 citizens, and the Soviet of Nationalities, elected on a regional basis in the component republics and areas. 00 Sevietize v.tr. (also -ise). Sovietization /-tat'zer{(a)n/ n. [Russ. sovet council]

sovietologist /,souvis'tvladzist, ,sp-/ n. a person who studies the Soviet Union.

Soviet Union the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. sow! |sou/ v.tr. (past sowed |seud/; past part. sown /seun/ or sowed) 1 (also absol.) a scatter (seed) on or in the earth. b (often foll. by with) plant (a field etc.) with seed. 2 initiate; arouse (sowed doubt in her mind). 3 (foil. by with) cover thickly with. 0 sow the seed (or seeds) of first give rise to; implant (an idea etc.). 00 sower n. sowing n. [OE sawan f. Gmc] sow? /sau/ n. i a a female adult pig, esp. after farrowing. b a female guinea-pig. ¢ the female of some other species. 2 a the main trough through which molten iron runs into sidechannels to form pigs. b a large block of iron so formed. 3 (in full sow bug) esp. US a woodlouse. [OE sugu]}

sowback /|'saubzxkj n. a low ridge of sand etc. sowbread /|'saubred/ n. a tuberous plant, Cyclamen hederifolium, with solitary nodding flowers. ‘ Soweto /so'weitou/ a large predominantly Black urban area, south-west of Johannesburg, that is an amalgamation of several townships, where in June 1976 Black schoolchildren and students demonstrated against legislation proposing to make Afrikaans the compulsory language of instruction. Violence followed, and by the end of the year some 500 Blacks and Coloureds

had been killed, many of them children. The plans for compulsory teaching in Afrikaans were dropped. Anniversaries of

yields, and used as a replacement for animal protein in certain foods. b the seed of this. 2 (also soya sauce) = soy 1. [Du. soja

f. Malay soi (as soy)]

Soyinka /for'inko/, Wole (1934—

), Nigerian playwright and

novelist, educated in Nigeria and England. His play A Dance of the Forests (1960) is a half-satirical, half-fantastic celebration of Nigeria’s independence. His first novel, The Interpreters (1965), captures the idealism of young Nigerians seeking the development of a new Africa; Death and the King’s Housemen (1975) embodies his post-Biafran cultured philosophy, expressed in Myth, Literature and the African World (1976) of the need for the

distinct aesthetics of Africa and Europe to cross-fertilize each other. Soyinka was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1986.

sozzled |'spz(s)ld/ adj. collog. very drunk. [past part. of dial. sozzle mix sloppily (prob. imit.)]

SP abbr. starting price. spa /spa:/ n. 1 a curative mineral spring. 2 a place or resort with this. [Spa in Belgium, celebrated since medieval times for the curative properties of its mineral springs] 5 space /speis/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa continuous unlimited area or expanse which may or may not contain objects etc. b an interval between one, two, or three-dimensional points or objects (a space of 10 metres). ¢ an empty area; room (clear a space in the corner, occupies too much space). 2 a large unoccupied region (the wide open spaces). 3 = outer space. 4 an interval of time (in the space of an hour). 5 the amount of paper used in writing etc. (hadn’t the space to discuss it), 6 a a blank between printed, typed, or written words, etc. b a piece of metal providing this. 7 Mus. each of the blanks between the lines of a staff. —v.tr. 1 set or arrange at intervals. 2 put spaces between (esp. words, letters, lines, etc. in printing, typing, or writing). 3 (as spaced adj.) (often foll. by out) sl. in a state of euphoria, esp. from taking drugs. 0 space age the era when space travel has become possible. space-bar a long key in a typewriter for making a space between words etc. space flight 1 a journey through space. 2 = space travel. space out put more or wider spaces or intervals between. space probe = PROBE n. 4. space rocket a rocket used to launch a spacecraft. space-saving occupying little space. space shuttle a rocket for repeated use esp. between the earth and a space station. (See SPACECRAFT.) space station an artificial satellite used: as a base for operations in space. space-time (or space-time continuum) the fusion of the concepts of space and time, esp. as a four-dimensional continuum. space travel travel through outer space. space traveller a traveller in outer space; an astronaut. space vehicle = SPACECRAFT. space walk any physical activity by an astronaut in space outside a spacecraft. 00 spacer n. spacing n. (esp. in sense 2 of v.). [ME f. OF espace f. L spatium] spacecraft n. a vehicle for travelling in outer space. The first spacecraft to be launched into orbit was the Soviet Sputnik I, launched on 4 Oct. 1957, the fortieth anniversary of the start of the Russian Revolution. The first manned spacecraft took the Soviet pilot Yuri Gagarin into orbit on 12 Apr. 1961, and on 21 July 1969 two US astronauts landed on the moon. The first reusable spacecraft was the American space shuttle which made its first mission in 1981. spaceman /'speismzn/ n. (pl. -men; fem. spacewoman, pl. -women) = space traveller. spaceship /'speis{rp/ n. a spacecraft, esp. one controlled by its

crew.

the demonstrations have been marked by further violence on both sides. [South West Township] sown past part. of sow!.

spacesuit /'speissju:t, -su:t/ n. a garment designed to allow an astronaut to survive in space.

sowthistle /'sau,61s(2)l/ n. any plant of the genus Sonchus with

spacial var. of sPATIAL.

thistle-like leaves and milky juice. sox informal or Commerce pl. of sock}. soy |so1/ n. (also soya /'sotja/) 1 (also soy sauce) a sauce made in Japan and China from pickled soya beans. 2 (in full soy bean) = soya bean. {Jap. sho-yu f. Chin. shi-you f. shi salted beans + you oil] soya |'sora/ n. (in full soya bean) 1 a a leguminous plant, Glycine soja, orig. of SE Asia, cultivated for the edible oil and flour it

spacious /|'speifos/ adj. having ample space; covering a large area; roomy. 00 spaciously adv. spaciousness n. [ME f. OF spacios or L spatiosus (as SPACE)]

wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

9 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

spade! /speid/ n. & v. —n. 1 a tool used for digging or cutting the ground etc., with a sharp-edged metal blade and a long handle. 2 a tool of a similar shape for various purposes, e.g. for removing the blubber from a whale. 3 anything resembling a spade. —v.tr. dig over (ground) with a spade. 0 call a spade a t{ chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

spade

Spanish-American War

1390

O span roof a roof with two inclined sides (opp. PENTHOUSE 2, lean-to (see LEAN})). span-worm US the caterpillar of the geometer moth. [OE span(n) or OF espan] ‘ span? /spzn/ n. 1 Naut. a rope with both ends fastened to take purchase in a loop. 2 US a matched pair of horses, mules, etc. 3 S.Afr. a team of two or more pairs of oxen. [LG & Du. span f. spannen unite]

spade speak plainly or bluntly. spade beard an oblong-shaped beard. spade foot a square spadelike enlargement at the end of a chair-leg. 00 spadeful n. (pl. -fuls). [OE spadu, spada]

spade? /speid/ n. 1 a a playing-card of a suit denoted by black inverted heart-shaped figures with small stalks. b (in pl.) this suit. 2 sl. offens. a Black. o in spades sl. to a high degree, with great force. spade guinea hist. a guinea of George III’s reign with a spade-shaped shield on the reverse. [It. spade pl. of spada sword f. L spatha f. Gk spathé, rel. to sPADE!: assoc. with the shape of a pointed spade] spadework /'sperdws:k/ n. hard or routine preparatory work.

span? see sPICK AND SPAN. span‘? /spen/ archaic past of sPIN. spandrel /'spendril/ n. Archit. 1 the almost triangular space

spadille /spo'dil/ n. 1 the ace of spades in ombre and quadrille. 2 the highest trump, esp. the ace of spades. [F f. Sp. espadilla dimin. of espada sword (as SPADE?)] spadix /'speidiks/ n. (pl. spadices /-,si:z/) Bot. a spike of flowers closely arranged round a fleshy axis and usu. enclosed in a spathe. 00 spadiceous /-'difas/ adj. [L f. Gk, = palm-branch] spae |spei/ v.intr. & tr. Sc. foretell; prophesy. [ME f. ON spa]

spaewife |'sperwaif/ n. Sc. a female fortune-teller or witch. spaghetti /spo'geti/ n. pasta made in solid strings, between macaroni and vermicelli in thickness. ospaghetti Bolognese

|\bplo'ne1z/ spaghetti served with a sauce of minced beef, tomato, onion, etc. spaghetti junction a multi-level road junction, esp. on a motorway. spaghetti western a western film made

cheaply in Italy. [It., pl. of dimin. of spago string: Bolognese It., = of Bologna] spahii /'spazhi:/ n. hist. 1 a member of the Turkish irregular cavalry. 2 a member of the Algerian cavalry in French service. (Turk. sipahi formed as sEPoy] Spain /spern/ a country in SW Europe, occupying the greater part of the Iberian peninsula; pop. (est. 1988) 39,209,750; official language, Spanish; capital, Madrid. Conquered successively by the Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths, and Arabs, Spain was reunited by the marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile at the end of the 15thc. and emerged under the Hapsburg kings of the 16th c. to become the dominant European power. Thereafter it declined, suffering as a result of the War of the Spanish Succession and the Napoleonic War, and losing most of its overseas empire in the early 19th c. Endemic political instability finally resulted in the Spanish Civil War (1936-9) and the establishment of a Fascist dictatorship under Franco. Franco’s death in 1975 was followed by the re-establishment of a constitutional monarchy and a pronounced liberalization of the State, but the country’s political problems have yet to be finally resolved. Despite some industrialization and a massive development of the tourist trade, Spain remains predominantly agricultural and, in European terms, economically underdeveloped. It became a member of the European Community on 1 Jan. 1986.

spake /sperk/ archaic past of sPEAK. spall /spo:l/ n. & v. —n.a splinter or chip, esp. of rock. —v.intr. & tr. break up or cause (ore) to break up in preparation for sorting. [ME (also spale): orig. unkn.]

spallation /spo:'le1{(a)n/ n. Physics the breakup of a bombarded nucleus into several parts. spalpeen /spz!'pi:n/ n. Ir. 1 a rascal; a villain. 2 a youngster. [Ir. spailpin, of unkn. orig.] Spam /spem] n. propr. a tinned meat product made mainly from ham. [spiced ham] span! /spen/ n. & v. —n. 1 the full extent from end to end in space or time (the span of a bridge; the whole span of history). 2 each arch or part of a bridge between piers or supports. 3 the maximum lateral extent of an aeroplane, its wing, a bird’s wing, etc. 4 a the maximum distance between the tips of the thumb and little finger. b this as a measurement, equal to 9 inches. 5 a short distance or time (our life is but a span). —v. (spanned, spanning) 1 tr. a (of a bridge, arch, etc.) stretch from side to side of; extend across (the bridge spanned the river). b (of a builder etc.) bridge (a river etc.). 2 tr. extend across (space or a period of time etc.). 3 tr. measure or cover the extent of (a thing) with one’s hand with the fingers stretched (spanned a tenth on the piano). 4 intr. US move in distinct stretches like the span-worm. z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

between one side of the outer curve of an arch, a wall, and the ceiling or framework. 2 the space between the shoulders of adjoining arches and the ceiling or moulding above. 0 spandrel wall a wall built on the curve of an arch, filling in the spandrel. (perh. f. AF spaund(e)re, or f. espaundre EXPAND] spang /spzn/ adv. US collog. exactly; completely (spang in the middle). [20th c.: orig. unkn.] spangle |'spzng(a)l/n. & v. —n. 1a small thin piece of glittering material esp. used in quantity to ornament a dress etc.; a sequin. 2 a small sparkling object. 3 (in full spangle gall) a spongy excrescence on oak-leaves. —v.tr. (esp. as spangled adj.) cover with or as with spangles (star-spangled; spangled costume). oO spangly /-ngli/ adj. [ME f. spang f. MDu. spange, OHG spanga, ON spong brooch f. Gmc]

Spaniard /'spznjod/ n. 1 a a native or national of Spain. b a person of Spanish descent. 2 NZ a spear grass. [ME f. OF Espaignart f. Espaigne Spain]

spaniel /'spznj(s)l/ n. 1 a a dog of any of various breeds with a long silky coat and drooping ears. b any of these breeds. 2 an obsequious or fawning person. [ME f. OF espaigneul Spanish (dog) f. Rmc Hispaniolus (unrecorded) f. Hispania Spain]

Spanish /'spzniJ/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to Spain or its people or language. —n. 1 the language of Spain and Spanish America. (See below.) 2 (prec. by the; treated as pl.) the people of Spain. Oo Spanish America those parts of America orig. settled

by Spaniards, including Central and South America and part of the West Indies. Spanish Armada hist. the Spanish war fleet sent against England in 1588. (See ARMADA.) Spanish bayonet a yucca, Yucca aloifolia, with stiff sharp-pointed leaves. Spanish chestnut = CHESTNUT n. 1b. Spanish fly a bright green beetle, Lytta vesicatoria, formerly dried and used for raising blisters, as a supposed aphrodisiac, etc. Spanish goat a goat, Capra pyrenaica, inhabiting the Pyrenees. Spanish guitar the standard sixstringed acoustic guitar, used esp. for classical and folk music. Spanish mackerel any of various large mackerels, esp. Scomber colias or S. maculatus. Spanish Main hist. the NE coast of South America between the Orinoco River and Panama, and adjoining parts of the Caribbean Sea. Spanish omelette an omelette containing chopped vegetables and often not folded. Spanish onion a large mild-flavoured onion. Spanish windlass the use of a stick as a lever for tightening ropes etc. [ME f. Spain, with shortening of the first element] Spanish is the most widely spoken of the Romance languages, with many Arabic words dating from the time when the Moors dominated Spain (8th-15th c.); there are in all about 225 million speakers. It is the official language of Spain and of every South American republic except Brazil and Guyana, and is widely spoken in the Southern States of the US. In sound it is very like Italian, with a strong ‘r’ sound and with many masculine words ending in -o and feminine words in -a; the fi sound /-nj-/ is characteristic. A variety of Spanish known as Ladino is spoken in Turkey and Israel by descendants of Jews expelled from Spain in 1492.

Spanish-American War the war between Spain and the US in the Caribbean and the Philippines in 1898. American public opinion having been aroused by Spanish atrocities in Cuba and the destruction of the US warship Maine in Santiago harbour, the United States declared war and destroyed the Spanish fleets in both the Pacific and the West Indies before successfully invading Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, all of which Spain gave up by the Treaty of Paris, signed at the end of the year. 1 sit

i: see

; p hot

9: saw

a run

ov put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

Spanish Sahara

Spartan

1391

Spanish Sahara see WeEsTERN SAHARA. Spanish Succession, War of the (1701-14), a European war, provoked by the death of the Spanish king Charles II without issue, marking the end of Louis XIV’s attempts to establish French dominance over Europe. The Grand Alliance of Britain, Holland, and the Holy Roman Emperor, largely through the victories of Marlborough, threw back the French invasion of the Low Countries, and, although the Treaty of Utrecht (1713-14) confirmed the accession of a Bourbon king in Spain, it prevented Spain and France being united under one crown.

Spanish Town the second-largest town of Jamaica; pop. (1982) 89,100,

spank /spenk/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. slap esp. on the buttocks with the open hand, a slipper, etc. 2 intr. (of a horse etc.) move briskly, esp. between a trot and a gallop. —n.a slap esp. with the open hand on the buttocks. [perh. imit.] spanker /'spzenko(r)/ n. 1a person or thing that spanks. 2 Naut. a fore-and-aft sail set on the after side of the mizen-mast. 3 a fast horse. 4 collog. a person or thing of notable size or quality.

spanking /'spenkin/ adj., adv., & n. —adj. 1 (esp. of a horse) moving quickly; lively; brisk (at a spanking trot). 2 collog. striking; © excellent. —adv. collog. very, exceedingly (spanking clean). —n. the act or an instance of slapping, esp. on the buttocks as a punishment for children.

spanner /|'spena(r)/ n. 1 Brit. an instrument for turning or gripping a nut on a screw etc. (cf. WRENCH). 2 the cross-brace of a bridge etc. 0 a spanner in the works Brit. collog. a drawback or impediment. [G spannen draw tight: see sPAN2] spar! /spa:(r)/ n. 1 a stout pole esp. used for the mast, yard, etc. of a ship. 2 the main longitudinal beam of an aeroplane wing. O spar-buoy a buoy made of a spar with one end moored so that the other stands up. spar-deck the light upper deck of a vessel. [ME sparre, sperre f. OF esparre or ON sperra or direct f. Gmc: cf. MDu., MLG sparre, OS, OHG sparro] spar? /spa:(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. (sparred, sparring) 1 (often foll. by at) make the motions of boxing without landing heavy blows. 2 engage in argument (they are always sparring). 3 (of a gamecock) fight with the feet or spurs. —n. 1 a a sparring motion. ba

spare-rib /speo'rib/ n. closely-trimmed ribs of esp. pork. [prob. f. MLG ribbesper, by transposition and assoc. with SPARE] sparge /spa:d3/ v.tr. moisten by sprinkling, esp. in brewing. 00 sparger n. [app. f. L spargere sprinkle] sparing |'speorin/ adj. 1 inclined to save; economical. 2 restrained; limited. 00 sparingly adv. sparingness n.

Spark /spa:k/, Muriel (1918-

), British author, of Scottish-

Jewish descent. She became a Roman Catholic in 1954. Her novels include Memento Mori (1959), a comic and macabre study of old age; The Ballad of Peckham Rye (1960), a bizarre tale of the underworld; The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961), a disturbing portrait of an Edinburgh schoolmistress and her favoured pupils; and Loitering with Intent (1981), on the problems of biography and autobiography. Her novels, with the exception of The Mandelbaum Gate (1965), are short, elegant, eccentric, and sophisticated, with touches of the bizarre and the perverse, and her use of narrative omniscience is highly distinctive.

spark! /spa:k/ n. & v. —n. 1 fiery particle thrown off from a fire, or alight in ashes, or produced bya flint, match, etc. 2 (often foll. by of) a particle of a quality etc. (not a spark of life; a spark of interest). 3 Electr. a a light produced by a sudden disruptive discharge through the air etc. b such a discharge serving to ignite the explosive mixture in an internal-combustion engine. 4 a a flash of wit etc. b anything causing interest, excitement, etc. ¢ (also bright spark) a witty or lively person. 5 a small bright object or point, e.g. in a gem. 6 (Sparks) a nickname for a radio operator or an electrician. —v. 1 intr. emit sparks of fire or electricity. 2 tr. (often foll. by off) stir into activity; initiate (a process) suddenly. 3 intr. Electr. produce sparks at the point where a circuit is interrupted. 0 spark chamber an apparatus designed to show ionizing particles. spark-gap the space between electric terminals where sparks occur. sparking-plug Brit. = spark-plug. spark-plug a device for firing the explosive mixture in an internal-combustion engine. 00 sparkless adj. sparky adj. [ME f. OE sperca, spearca]

spark? /spa:k/ n. & v. —n. 1 lively young fellow. 2a gallant, a beau. —v.intr. play the gallant. 00 sparkish adj. [prob. a fig. use of SPARK}| sparkle /'spa:k(s)l/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 a emit or seem to emit

boxing-match. 2 a cock-fight. 3 an argument or dispute. o sparring partner 1 a boxer employed to engage in sparring

sparks; glitter; glisten (her eyes sparkled). b be witty; scintillate (sparkling repartee). 2 (of wine etc.) effervesce (cf. sTiLL! adj. 4).

with another as training. 2 a person with whom one enjoys arguing. [ME f. OE sperran, spyrran, of unkn. orig.: cf. ON sperrask kick out] spar® /spa:(r)/ n. any crystalline, easily cleavable and non-

—n.a gleam, spark. 00 sparkly adj. [ME f. spARK! + -LE4] sparkler /'spa:klo(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that sparkles. 2 a hand-held sparkling firework. 3 collog. a diamond or other gem.

lustrous mineral, e.g. calcite or fluorspar. 00 sparry adj. [MLG, rel. to OE spzren of plaster, sperstan gypsum]

sparable /'spzrab(e)l/ n. a headless nail used for the soles and heels of shoes. [contr. of sparrow-bill, also used in this sense] sparaxis /spo'reksis/ n. any S. African iridaceous plant of the genus Sparaxis, with showy flowers and jagged spathes. [mod.L f. Gk, = laceration, f. sparass6 tear] spare /speo(r)/ adj.,n., & v. —adj. 1 a not required for ordinary use; extra (have no spare cash; spare time). b reserved for emergency or occasional use (slept in the spare room). 2 lean; thin. 3 scanty; frugal; not copious (a spare diet; a spare prose style). 4 collog. not wanted or used by others (a spare seat in the front row). —n. 1 Brit. a spare part; a duplicate. 2 Bowling the knocking-down of all the pins with the first two balls. —v. 1 tr. afford to give or do without; dispense with (cannot spare him just now; can spare you a couple). 2 tr. a abstain from killing, hurting, wounding, etc. (spared his feelings; spared her life). b abstain from inflicting or causing; relieve from (spare me this talk; spare my blushes). 3 tr. be frugal or grudging of (no expense spared). 4 intr. archaic be frugal. 0 go spare collog. 1 Brit. become extremely angry or distraught. 2 be unwanted by others. not spare oneself exert one’s utmost efforts. spare part a duplicate part to replace a lost or damaged part of a machine etc. spare tyre 1 an extra tyre carried in a motor vehicle for emergencies. 2 Brit. collog. a roll of fat round the waist. to spare left over; additional (an hour to spare). 00 sparely adv. spareness n. sparer n. [OE spzr, sparian f. Gmc] av how

er day

ou no

eo hair

19 near

ot boy

wea poor

sparling |'spa:lin/ n. a European smelt, Osmerus eperlanus. [ME f. OF esperlinge, of Gmc orig.] sparoid /'spzroid/ n. & adj. —n. any marine fish of the family Sparidae, e.g. a porgy. —adj. of or concerning the Sparidae. [mod.L Sparoides f. L sparus f. Gk sparos sea-bream] sparrow |'spzrau/ n. 1 any small brownish-grey bird of the genus Passer, esp. the house sparrow and tree sparrow. 2 any of various birds of similar appearance such as the hedge sparrow. Osparrow-grass dial. or collog. asparagus. [OE spearwa f. Gmc]

sparrowhawk /|'spzrov,ho:k/ n. a small hawk, Accipiter nisus, preying on small birds. sparse /spa:s/ adj. thinly dispersed or scattered; not dense (sparse population; sparse greying hair). 00 sparsely adv. sparseness n. sparsity n. [L sparsus past part. of spargere scatter] Sparta /'spa:to/ a city in the southern Peloponnese in Greece, capital of the prefecture of Lakonia; pop. 11,900. After enslaving

the surrounding populations as helots, in the 5th c. Bc Sparta became the chief rival of Athens, whom she defeated in the Peloponnesian War. The ancient Spartans were renowned for the military organization of their State and for their rigorous discipline, courage, and austerity. Spartacus /|'spa:takas/ (1st c. Bc) Thracian gladiator who led a revolt against Rome in 73 Bc. He defeated the Romans in a number of engagements in Italy; his army increased to a total

of 90,000. He was eventually defeated by Crassus in 71 Bc. Spartan /'spa:t(o)n/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or relating to ancient Sparta. 2 a possessing the qualities of courage, endurance, stern frugality, etc., associated with Sparta. b (of a regime, conditions,

ato fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

spartina

ae ea

re

spear

1392

Sal

eggs or young. 2 tr. derog. (of people) produce (offspring). 3 tr. etc.) lacking comfort; austere. —n. a citizen of Sparta. [ME f. L produce or generate, esp. in large numbers. —n. 1 the eggs of Spartanus f. Sparta f. Gk Sparta, -té] frogs, etc. 2 derog. human or other offspring. 3 a white fish, with Spartina, genus the of grass any n. spartina /spa:'ti:no/ matter from which fungi are produced; mycelium. 00 fibrous : [Gk ground. marshy or wet in growing and rhizomatous roots n. [ME f. AF espaundre shed roe, OF espandre EXPAND] spawner spartiné rope] v.tr. sterilize (a female animal) by removing the /spei/ spay spasm |'spzz(2)m/ n. 1 a sudden involuntary muscular conovaries. [ME f. AF espeier, OF espeer cut with a sword f. espee sword traction. 2 a sudden convulsive movement or emotion etc. (a f. L spatha: see SPATHE] spasm of coughing). 3 (usu. foll. by of) collog. a brief spell of an activity. [ME f. OF spasme or L spasmus f. Gk spasmos, spasma f. spad pull]

spasmodic /|spxz'modik/ adj. 1 of, caused by, or subject to, a spasm or spasms (a spasmodic jerk; spasmodic asthma). 2 occurring or done by fits and starts (spasmodic efforts). 00 spasmodically

adv. [mod.L spasmodicus f. Gk spasmédés (as sPASM)] spastic /'spzstrk/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 Med. suffering from cerebral palsy with spasm of the muscles. 2 offens. weak, feeble, incompetent. 3 spasmodic. —n. Med. a spastic person. 00 spastically adv. spasticity /-'trsiti/ n. [L spasticus f. Gk spastikos pulling f. spao

pull]

spat! past and past part. of spit. spat? /spzet/ n. 1 (usu. in pl.) hist. a short cloth gaiter protecting the shoe from mud etc. 2 a cover for an aircraft wheel. [abbr. of SPATTERDASH] spat? |spzt/ n. & v. US collog. —n. 1a petty quarrel. 2 a slight amount. —-v.intr. (spatted, spatting) quarrel pettily. [prob. imit.] spat? /spet/ n. & v. —n. the spawn of shellfish, esp. the oyster. —-v. (spatted, spatting) 1 intr. (of an oyster) spawn. 2 tr. shed (spawn). [AF, of unkn. orig.]

spatchcock /'spzt{kok/ n. & v. —n. a chicken or esp. game bird split open and grilled. —v.tr. 1 treat (poultry) in this way. 2 collog. insert or interpolate (a phrase, sentence, story, etc.) esp. incongruously. [orig. in Ir. use, expl. by Grose (1785) as f. dispatch-cock, but cf. SPITCHCOCK] spate /speit/ n. 1 a river-flood (the river is in spate). 2.a large or excessive amount (a spate of enquiries). [ME, Sc. & N.Engl.: orig. unkn.] spathe /spe1d/ n. Bot. a large bract or pair of bracts enveloping a spadix or flower-cluster. 00 spathaceous /spo'derfas/ adj. [L f. Gk spathé broad blade etc.] spathic /'spx6@r1k/ adj. (of a mineral) like spar (see SPAR’), esp. in cleavage. O spathic iron ore = SIDERITE. 00 spathose adj. [spath spar f. G Spath]

SPCK abbr. Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

speak /|spi:k| v. (past spoke /spouk/; past part. spoken /'spoukon/) 1 intr. make articulate verbal utterances in an ordinary (not singing) voice. 2 tr. a utter (words). b make known or communicate (one’s opinion, the truth, etc.) in this way (never speaks sense). 3 intr. a (foll. by to, with) hold a conversation (spoke to him for an hour; spoke with them about their work). b (foll. by of) mention in writing etc. (speaks of it in his novel). ¢ (foll. by for) articulate the feelings of (another person etc.) in speech or writing (speaks for our generation). 4 intr. (foll. by to) a address; converse with (a person etc.). b speak in confirmation of or with reference to (spoke to the resolution; can speak to his innocence). ¢ collog. reprove (spoke to them about their lateness). 5 intr. make a speech before an audience etc. (spoke for an hour on the topic; has a good speaking voice). 6 tr. use or be able to use (a specified language) (cannot speak French). 7 intr. (of a gun, a musical instrument, etc.) make a sound. 8 intr. (usu. foll. by to) poet. communicate feeling etc., affect, touch (the sunset spoke to her). 9 intr. (of a hound) bark. 10 tr. hail and hold communication with (a ship). 11 tr. archaic a (of conduct etc.) show (a person) to be (his conduct speaks him generous). b be evidence of (the loud laugh speaks the vacant mind). O not (or nothing) to speak of not (or nothing) worth mentioning; practically not (or nothing). speak for itself need no supporting evidence. speak for oneself 1 give one’s own opinions. 2 not presume to speak for others. speak one’s mind speak bluntly or frankly. speak out speak loudly or freely, give one’s opinion. speak up = speak out. speak volumes (of a fact etc.) be very significant. speak volumes (or well etc.) for 1 be abundant evidence of. 2 place in a favourable light. oo speakable adj. [OE sprecan, later specan] speakeasy |'spi:k,i:z1/ n. (pl. -ies) US hist. sl. an illicit liquor shop or drinking club during Prohibition. speaker /'spi:ka(r)/ n. 1a person who speaks, esp. in public. 2a person who speaks a specified language (esp. in comb.: a Frenchspeaker). 3 (Speaker) the presiding officer in a legislative assembly, esp. the House of Commons. (See below.) 4 = LOUDSPEAKER. 00 speakership n. The Speaker of the House of Commons is a member of that House, chosen to act as its representative (to ‘speak’ for it,

spatial /|'sper(s)l/ adj. (also spacial) of or concerning space (spatial extent). 00 spatiality /-f1'zliti/ n. spatialize v.tr. (also -ise). spatially adv. [L spatium space]

spatio-temporal

whence the title) and to preside over its debates. The first person formally mentioned as holding the office was Sir Thomas de Hungerford in 1376-7. Originally a royal nominee, the Speaker has been elected since the late 17th c., and although no longer holding ministerial office or taking part in debate remains chairman of the House with the casting vote and the power to censure, suspend, or expel members. On appointment the Speaker is ceremonially dragged to his chair, the simulated reluctance being due to the fact that nine previous holders of this office were beheaded. In the House of Lords the Speaker (who does not hold disciplinary powers) is now the Lord Chancellor or one acting as his deputy or substitute.

|,sperf1ou'tempor(s)l/ adj. Physics & Philos.

belonging to both space and time or to space-time. oo spatio-temporally adv. [formed as SPATIAL + TEMPORAL] spatter /'spzto(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. a (often foll. by with) splash {a person etc.) (spattered him with mud). b scatter or splash (liquid, mud, etc.) here and there. 2 intr. (of rain etc.) fall here and there (glass spattered down). 3 tr. slander (a person’s honour etc.). —n. 1 (usu. foll. by of) a splash (a spatter of mud). 2 a quick pattering sound. [frequent. f. base as in Du., LG spatten burst, spout]

spatterdash /'spzto,dzf/n. 1 (usu. in pl.) hist. a cloth or other legging to protect the stockings etc. from mud etc. 2 US = ROUGHCAST. spatula /'spzxtjolo/ n. 1 a broad-bladed knife-like implement used for spreading, stirring, mixing (paints), etc. 2 a doctor's instrument for pressing the tongue down or to one side. [L, var. of spathula, dimin. of spatha sPATHE]

spatulate /'spztjolot/ adj. 1 spatula-shaped. 2 (esp. of a leaf) having a broad rounded end. [spATULA] spavin /'spzvin/ n. Vet. a disease of a horse’s hock with a hard bony tumour or excrescence. 0 blood (or bog) spavin a distension of the joint by effusion of lymph or fluid. bone spavin a deposit of bony substance uniting the bones. 00 spavined adj. (ME f. OF espavin, var. of esparvain f. Gmc] spawn |spo:n/ v. & n. —v. 1 a tr. (also absol.) (of a fish, frog, mollusc, or crustacean) produce (eggs). b intr. be produced as b but

d dog

ffew

g get

h he

jyes

speaking /'spi:kin/ n. & adj. —n. the act or an instance of uttering words etc. —adj. 1 that speaks; capable of articulate speech. 2 (of a portrait) lifelike; true to its subject (a speaking likeness). 3 (in comb.) speaking or capable of speaking a specified foreign language (French-speaking). 4 with a reference or from a point of view specified (roughly speaking; professionally speaking). 0 on speaking terms (foll. by with) 1 slightly acquainted. 2 on friendly terms. speaking acquaintance 1 a person one knows slightly.. 2 this degree of familiarity. speaking clock Brit. a telephone service giving the correct time in words. speaking-trumpet hist. an instrument for making the voice carry. speaking-tube a tube for conveying the voice from one room, building, etc., to another. spear /'spro(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1a thrusting or throwing weapon

k cat

lleg

m man

inno

ppen

rred

S sit

t top

v voice

spearhead with a pointed usu. steel tip and a long shaft. 2 a similar barbed instrument used for catching fish etc. 3 archaic a spearman. 4a pointed stem of asparagus etc. —v.tr. pierce or strike with or as if with a spear (speared an olive). O spear gun a gun used to propel a spear in underwater fishing. spear side the male side of a family. [OE spere]

spearhead |'spiohed/ n. & v. —n. 1 the point of a spear. 2 an individual or group chosen to lead a thrust or attack. —v.tr. act as the spearhead of (an attack etc.). spearman /'spromon/ n. (pl. -men) archaic a person, esp. a soldier, who uses a spear.

spearmint

/'sprommt/ n. a common

garden mint, Mentha

spicata, used in cookery and to flavour chewing-gum. spearwort /'sprows:t/ n. an aquatic plant, Ranunculus lingua, with thick hollow stems, long narrow spear-shaped leaves, and yellow flowers. spec! /spek/ n. collog. a commercial speculation or venture. 0 on spec in the hope of success; as a gamble, on the off chance. abbr. of sPECULATION]

spec? /spek/ n. collog. a detailed working description; a spe-. cification. [abbr. of SPECIFICATION]

special /'spef(2)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 a particularly good; exceptional; out of the ordinary (bought them a special present; took special trouble). b peculiar; specific; not general (lacks the special qualities required; the word has a special sense). 2 for a particular purpose (sent on a special assignment). 3 in which a person specializes (statistics is his special field). 4 denoting education for children with particular needs, e.g. the handicapped. —n. a special person or thing, e.g. a special constable, train, examination, edition of a newspaper, dish on a menu, etc. 0 special area Brit. a district for which special economic provision is made in legislation. Special Branch (in the UK) a police department dealing with political security. special case 1 a written statement of fact presented by litigants to a court. 2 an exceptional or unusual case. special constable Brit. a policeman sworn in to assist in times of emergency etc. special correspondent a journalist writing for a newspaper on special events or a special area of interest. special delivery a delivery of mail in advance of the regular delivery. special drawing rights the right to purchase extra foreign currency from the International Monetary Fund. special edition an extra edition of a newspaper including later news than the ordinary edition. special effects scenic illusions created by props and camera-work. special intention see INTENTION. special jury a jury with members of a particular social standing (cf. common jury). special licence Brit. a marriage licence allowing immediate marriage without banns, or at an unusual time or place. special pleading 1 Law pleading with reference to new facts in a case. 2 (in general use) a specious or unfair argument

favouring the speaker’s point of view. special verdict Law a verdict stating the facts as proved but leaving the court to draw conclusions from them. 00 specially adv. specialness n. [ME f. OF especial ESPECIAL orL specialis (as SPECIES)]

specialist /'spefolist/ n. (usu. foll. by in) 1 a person who is trained in a particular branch of a profession, esp. medicine (a specialist in dermatology). 2 a person who specially or exclusively studies a subject or a particular branch of a subject. oO specialism /-,l1z(2)m/ n. specialistic /-'listik/ adj.

speciality |,spef1'zliti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1a special pursuit, product, operation, etc., to which a company or a person gives special attention. 2a special feature, characteristic, or skill. [ME f. OF especialité or LL specialitas (as SPECIAL)]

specialize /'spef2,laiz/ v. (also -ise) 1 intr. (often foll. by in) a be or become a specialist (specializes in optics). b devote oneself to an area of interest, skill, etc. (specializes in insulting people). 2 Biol. a tr. (esp. in passive) adapt or set apart (an organ etc.) for a particular purpose. b intr. (of an organ etc.) become adapted etc. in this way. 3 tr. make specific or individual. 4 tr. modify or limit (an idea, statement, etc.). 00 specialization /-'ze1{(2)n/ n. [F spécialiser (as SPECIAL)]

specialty /‘spefalti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 esp. US = sPECIALITY. 2 Law wwe

z zoo

fshe

spectacle

1393

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

an instrument under seal; a sealed contract. [ME f. OF (e)specialté (as SPECIAL)]

speciation |,spi:sr'erfan, ,spi:f-/ n. Biol. the formation of a new species in the course of evolution. specie /'spi:fi:, -[1/ n. coin money as opposed to paper money. [L, ablat. of species in phrase in specie] species /'spi:[1z, -fi:z, 'spi:s-/ n. (pl. same) 1 a class of things having some common characteristics. 2 Biol. a category in the system of classification of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding. 3 a kind or sort. 4 Logic a group subordinate to a genus and containing individuals agreeing in some common attribute(s) and called by a common name. 5 Law a form or shape given to materials. 6 Eccl. the visible form of each of the elements of consecrated bread and wine in the Eucharist. [L, = appearance,

kind, beauty, f. specere look]

specific /spi'sifik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 clearly defined; definite (has no specific name; told me so in specific terms). 2 relating to a particular subject; peculiar (a style specific to that). 3 a of or concerning a species (the specific name for a plant). b possessing, or concerned with, the properties that characterize a species (the specific forms of animals). 4 (of a duty or a tax) assessed by quantity or amount, not by the value of goods. —n. 1 archaic a specific medicine or remedy. 2 a specific aspect or factor (shall we discuss specifics?). O specific cause the cause of a particular form of a disease. specific difference a factor that differentiates a species. specific disease a disease caused by one identifiable agent. specific gravity = relative density. specific heat capacity the heat required to raise the temperature of the unit mass of a given substance by a given amount (usu. one degree). specific medicine a medicine having a distinct effect in curing a certain disease. specific performance Law the performance of a contractual duty, as ordered in cases where damages would not be adequate remedy. oO specifically adv. specificity /-'fisrt1/ n. specificness n. [LL specificus (as sPECIES)]

specification |,spesrfi'ker{(s)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of specifying; the state of being specified. 2 (esp. in pl.) a detailed description of the construction, workmanship, materials, etc., of work done or to be done, prepared by an architect, engineer, etc. 3 a description by an applicant for a patent of the construction and use of his invention. 4 Law the conversion of materials into a new product not held to be the property of the owner of the materials. [med.L specificatio (as sPECiFY)]

specify |'spesi,fai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 (also absol.) name or mention expressly (specified the type he needed). 2 (usu. foll. by that + clause) name as a condition (specified that he must be paid at once). 3 include in specifications (a French window was not specified). oo specifiable adj. specifier n. [ME f. OF specifier or LL specificare (as SPECIFIC)] specimen /'spesimon/ n. 1 an individual or part taken as an example of a class or whole, esp. when used for investigation or scientific examination (specimens of copper ore; a specimen of

your handwriting). 2 Med. a sample of urine for testing. 3 colloq. usu. derog. a person of a specified sort. [L f. specere look]

speciology /|,spi:s1'plod31/ n. the scientific study of species or of their origin etc. 00 speciological |-o'lnd3r1k(2)l/ adj.

specious |'spi:fos/ adj. 1 superficially plausible but actually wrong (a specious argument). 2 misleadingly attractive in appearance. oO speciosity /-f1'psiti/ n. speciously adv. speciousness n. [ME, = beautiful, f. L speciosus (as sPECIES)]

speck /spek/ n. & v. —n. 1 a small spot, dot, or stain. 2 (foll. by of) a particle (speck of dirt). 3 a rotten spot in fruit. —v.tr. (esp. as specked adj.) marked with specks. 00 speckless adj. [OE specca: cf. SPECKLE] speckle /'spek(a)l/ n. & v. —n. a small spot, mark, or stain, esp.

in quantity on the skin, a bird’s egg, etc. —v.tr. (esp. as speckled adj.) mark with speckles or patches. [ME f. MDu. spekkel] specs /speks/ n.pl. collog. a pair of spectacles. [abbr.] spectacle /'spektok(2)l/ n. 1 a public show, ceremony, etc. 2 anything attracting public attention (a charming spectacle; a disgusting spectacle). 0 make a spectacle of oneself make oneself tf chip

dz jar

(see over‘for vowels)

spectacled ee

ee

Ee

Se

an object of ridicule. [ME f. OF f. L spectaculum f. spectare frequent. of specere look]

spectacled /'spektok(a)ld/ adj. 1 wearing spectacles. 2 (of an animal)

having

speechless

1394 i

facial

markings

spectacled bear a S. American spectacled cobra the Indian cobra.

resembling bear,

spectacles.

Tremarctos

o

ornatus.

spectacles /|'spektak(a)lz/ n.pl. (also pair of spectacles sing.) a pair of lenses in a frame resting on the nose and ears, used to correct defective eyesight or protect the eyes. Spectacles seem to have been invented in Europe and in China at about the same time (c.1300). In Europe they originated in Italy, and for centuries were the mark of the learned man, since most people were unable to read and defective eyesight was not a great handicap. An early design shows a type of pince-nez; side-pieces came later. A portrait of St Jerome by Ghirlandaio (15th c.) shows the saint at a desk from which spectacles dangle, and he became the patron saint of the spectacle-maker’s guild. With the increase of books and the spread of literacy the spectacle trade grew rapidly in the 16th. The early rims were of horn or leather; metal ones date from c.1600. Bifocals worn on the nose are known from c.1760, when a pair was made for the American statesman Benjamin Franklin. During the 19th c. only the elderly and scholarly made use of spectacles, but with the spread of education and general health care spectacles have become common. spectacular /spek'tekjulo(r)/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or like a public show; striking, amazing, lavish. 2 strikingly large or obvious (a spectacular increase in output). —n. an event intended to be spectacular, esp. a musical film or play. 00 spectacularly adv. [SPECTACLE, after oracular etc.] spectate /spek'tert/ v.intr. be a spectator, esp. at a sporting event. [back-form. f. SPECTATOR] spectator /spek'terto(r)/ n. a person who looks on at a show, game, incident, etc. O spectator sport a sport attracting spectators rather than participants. 00 spectatorial /-ta'to:r1al/ adj. [F spectateur or L spectator f. spectare: see SPECTACLE] spectra pl. of SPECTRUM. spectral /'spektr(s)l/ adj. 1 a of or relating to spectres or ghosts. b ghostlike. 2 of or concerning spectra or the spectrum (spectral colours; spectral analysis). 00 spectrally adv. spectre /'spekto(r)/ n. (US specter) 1 a ghost. 2 a haunting presentiment or preoccupation (the spectre of war). 3 (in comb.) used in the names of some animals because of their thinness, transparency, etc. (spectre-bat; spectre-crab). [F spectre or L spectrum: see SPECTRUM]

spectro- |'spektrau/ comb. form a spectrum.

spectrochemistry /|,spektrou'kemistri/ n. chemistry based on the study of the spectra of substances. spectrogram /'spektrou,grem/ n. a record obtained with a spectrograph. spectrograph /'spektrou,gra:f/ n. an apparatus for photographing or otherwise recording spectra. 00 spectrographic /"grefik/ adj. spectrographically /-'grefikali/ —_adv. spectrography /spek'trogrofi/ n.

only.

spectrohelioscope |,spektrau'hi:l1a,skoup/ n. a device similar to a spectroheliograph, for visual observation.

spectrometer /spek'tromita(r)/ n. an instrument used for the measurement of observed spectra. OO spectrometric |\spektro'metrik/ adj. spectrometry n. [G Spektrometer or F spectrometre (as SPECTRO-, -METER)]

/|,spektravfou'tomita(r)/ n. an instru-

ment for measuring and recording the intensity of light in various parts of the spectrum. oO spectrophotometric /-to'metrik/ adj. spectrophotometry n. spectroscope /'spektro,skoup/ n. an instrument for producing

e bed

3: her

specula pl. of sPpECULUM. specular |'spekjolo(r)/ adj. 1 of or having the nature of a speculum. 2 reflecting. o specular iron ore lustrous haematite. [L specularis (as SPECULUM)] speculate /'spekjujlert/ v. 1 intr. (usu. foll. by on, upon, about) form a theory or conjecture, esp. without a firm factual basis; meditate (speculated on their prospects). 2 tr. (foll. by that, how, etc. + clause) conjecture, consider (speculated how he might achieve it). 3 intr. a invest in stocks etc. in the hope of gain but with the possibility of loss. b gamble recklessly. 00 speculator n. [L speculari spy out, observe f. specula watch-tower f. specere look]

speculation /|,spekjo'ler{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of speculating; a theory or conjecture (made no speculation as to her age; is given to speculation). 2 a a speculative investment or enterprise (bought it as a speculation). b the practice of business speculating. 3 a game in which trump cards are bought or sold. [ME f. OF speculation or LL speculatio (as SPECULATE)] speculative |'spekjolotrv/ adj. 1 of, based on, engaged in, or inclined to speculation. 2 (of a business investment) involving the risk of loss (a speculative builder). 00 speculatively adv. speculativeness n. [ME f. OF speculatif -ive or LL speculativus (as SPECULATE)] speculum /'spekjulem/ n. (pl. specula /-lo/) 1 Surgery an instrument for dilating the cavities of the human body for inspection. 2 a mirror, usu. of polished metal, esp. in a reflecting telescope. 3 Ornithol. a lustrous coloured area on the wing of some birds, esp. ducks. 0 speculum-metal an alloy of copper and tin used as a mirror, esp. in a telescope. [L, = mirror, f. specere look]

speechify /'spi:t{1,far/ v.intr. (-ies, -ied) joc. or derog. make esp. boring or long speeches.

and recording spectra for examination. 00 spectroscopic |-'skoprk/ adj. spectroscopical /-'skoprk(a)l/ adj. spectroscopist /-'troskopist/ n. [G Spektroskop or F spectroscope (as SPECTRO-, -SCOPE)]

a: arm

spectroscopy /spek'troskap1/ n. the examination and investigation of spectra (see SPECTRUM). The technique was initiated by the German scientists Kirchhoff and Bunsen after the former's discovery in 1859 that each pure substance has its own characteristic spectrum. It led to the discovery of the elements caesium and rubidium, and has been used in the study of the structures of atoms and molecules and in the investigation of celestial bodies. spectrum |'spektrom/ n. (pl. spectra /-tro/) 1 the band of colours, as seen in a rainbow etc., arranged in a progressive series according to their refrangibility or wavelength. The parts are arranged according to wavelength, ranging continuously from red (the longest wavelength) to violet (the shortest). It was Sir Isaac Newton who first analysed light in this way. 2 the entire range of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. 3 a an image or distribution of parts of electromagnetic radiation arranged in a progressive series according to wavelength. b this as characteristic of a body or substance when emitting or absorbing radiation. 4 a similar image or distribution of energy, mass, etc., arranged according to frequency, charge, etc. 5 the entire range or a wide range of anything arranged by degree or quality etc. 6 (in full ocular spectrum) an after-image. oO spectrum (or spectral) analysis chemical analysis by means of a spectroscope. [L, = image, apparition f. specere look]

speech /spi:t{/ n. 1 the faculty or act of speaking. 2 a formal public address. 3 a manner of speaking (a man of blunt speech). 4 a remark (after this speech he was silent). 5 the language ofa nation, region, group, etc. 6 Mus. the act of sounding in an organ-pipe etc. Oo the Queen’s (or King’s) Speech a statement including the Government’s proposed measures read by the sovereign at the opening of Parliament. speech day Brit. an annual prizegiving day in many schools, usu. marked by speeches etc. speech-reading lip-reading. speech therapist a person who practises speech therapy. speech therapy treatment to improve defective speech. speech-writer a person employed to write speeches for a politician etc. to deliver. 00 speechful adj. [OE spr&c, later spéc f. WG, rel. to SPEAK]

for taking photographs of the sun in the light of one wavelength

z cat

ees

sped past and past part. of sPEED.

spectroheliograph /|,spektrav‘hi:lio,gra:f] n. an instrument

spectrophotometer

Eee

00 speechification /-fi'ker{(a)n/ n.

speechifier n.

speechless /'spi:t{lis) adj. 1 temporarily unable to speak because of emotion etc. (speechless with rage). 2 dumb. oo

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

o put

u: too

o ago

al my

speed

Spender

1395

speechlessly adv. speechlessness n. [OE sp&cléas (as SPEECH, -LESS)] speed /spi:d/ n. & v. —n. 1 rapidity of movement (with all speed; at full speed). 2 a rate of progress or motion over a distance in time (attains a high speed). 3 a a gear appropriate to a range of speeds of a bicycle. b US or archaic such a gear in a motor vehicle. 4 Photog. a the sensitivity of film to light. b the light-gathering power ofa lens. c the duration of an exposure. 5 sl. an amphetamine drug, esp. methamphetamine. 6 archaic success, prosperity (send me good speed). —v. (past and past part. sped /sped/) 1 intr. go fast (sped down the street). 2 (past and past part. speeded) a intr. (of a motorist etc.) travel at an illegal or dangerous speed. b tr. regulate the speed of (an engine etc.). ¢ tr. cause (an engine etc.) to go at a fixed speed. 3 tr. send fast or on its way (speed an arrow from the bow). 4 intr. & tr. archaic be or make prosperous or successful (how have you sped?; God speed you!). 0 at speed moving quickly. speed bump (or hump) a transverse ridge in the road to control the speed of vehicles. speed limit the maximum speed at which a road vehicle may legally be driven in a particular area etc. speed merchant collog. a motorist who enjoys driving fast. speed up move or work at greater speed. speed-up n. an increase in the speed or rate of working. 00 speeder n. [OE spéd, spédan f. Gmc]

speedball |'spi:dbo:1/ n. sl. a mixture of cocaine with heroin or morphine.

bind with or as if with a spell; entrance. 2 (as spellbound adj.) entranced, fascinated, esp. by a speaker, activity, quality, etc. o0 spellbinder n. spellbindingly adv. speller /'spelo(r)/ n. 1. a person who spells esp. in a specified way (is a poor speller). 2 a book on spelling.

spellican var. of sPILLIKIN. spelling |'spelin/ n. 1 the process or activity of writing or naming the letters of a word etc. 2 the way a word is spelled. 3 the ability to spell (his spelling is weak). 0 spelling-bee a spelling competition.

spelt! past and past part. of sPELL.

;

spelt? /spelt/ n. a species of wheat, Triticum aestivum. [OE f. OS spelta (OHG spelza), ME f. MLG, MDu. spelte] spelter /'spelto(r)/ n. impure zinc, esp. for commercial purposes. [corresp. to OF espeautre, MDu. speauter, G Spialter, rel. to PEWTER]

spelunker /spi'lanko(r)/ n. US a person who explores caves, esp. as a hobby. oO spelunking n. [obs. spelunk cave f. L spelunca]

Spence /spens/, Sir Basil Urwin (1907-76), English architect, born in Bombay. He became known internationally in 1951 when he produced the winning design for the rebuilding of Coventry cathedral. Later he designed the ‘Beehive’ extension to the New Zealand Parliament building in Wellington. spence /spens/ n. archaic a buttery or larder. [ME f. OF despense f. L dispensa fem. past part. of dispendere: see DISPENSE]

speedboat /'spi:dbout/ n. a motor boat designed for high speed.

Spencer!

speedo |'spi:dou/ n. (pl. -os) collog. = SPEEDOMETER. [abbr.]

sopher, the leading English exponent of agnosticism in the 19th c. He worked for some years as a railway engineer and later as a sub-editor of The Economist, advocating a policy of laissez-faire. Spencer greeted Darwin’s work with enthusiasm, coined the phrase ‘survival of the fittest’ (1864), and sought to trace an evolutionary principle in all branches of knowledge. In 1860 he published his Programme of a System of Synthetic Philosophy, to the elaboration of which he devoted the remainder of his life. Essentially an individualist, in his moral and political philosophy he deprecated State intervention and championed individual rights. Spencer? |'spensa(r)/, Sir Stanley (1891-1959), English painter, best known for the pictures in which he set biblical events in his native village of Cookham in Berkshire. For him the Christian religion was a living and present reality and his visionary attitude has been compared to that of William Blake. His greatest public successes were The Resurrection: Cookham (1924-6) and the series of murals (1927-32) for the Sandham Memorial Chapel in Hampshire which depict with deep human feeling the life of the common soldier. spencer! /'spensoa(r)/ n. 1 a short close-fitting jacket. 2 a woman’s thin usu. woollen under-bodice worn for extra warmth in winter. [prob. f. the 2nd Earl Spencer, Engl. politician d. 1834] spencer? /'spensa(r)/ n. Naut. a trysail. [perh. f. K. Spencer (early

speedometer /spi:'dpmita(r)/ n. an instrument on a motor vehicle etc. indicating its speed to the driver. [SPEED + METER}] speedway |'spi:dwei/ n. 1 a motor-cycle racing. b a stadium or track used for this. 2 US a road or track used for fast motor traffic. x

speedwell /'spi:dwel/ n. any small herb of the genus Veronica, with a creeping or ascending stem and tiny blue or pink flowers. (app. f. SPEED + WELL!] speedy |'spi:di/ adj. (speedier, speediest) 1 moving quickly; rapid. 2 done without delay; prompt (a speedy answer). 00 speedily adv. speediness n. speiss /spais/ n. a compound of arsenic, iron, etc., formed in smelting certain lead ores. [G Speise food, amalgam] Speke /spi:k/, John Hanning (1827-64), English explorer who accompanied (Sir) Richard Burton on expeditions to trace the source of the Nile. After they had discovered Lake Tanganyika Speke went on alone and reached a great lake which he correctly identified as the ‘source reservoir’ of the Nile, and named it in honour of Queen Victoria. His claim to have found the Nile source was disputed, and on the day when he was to have debated the subject publicly with Richard Burton he was killed by his own gun in a shooting accident. speleology /|,spi:l1'vledz1, ,spe-/ n. 1 the scientific study of caves. 2 the exploration of caves. 00 speleological |-o'lod3rk(a)l/ adj. speleologist n. [F spéléologie f. L spelaeum f. Gk spélaion cave]

spell! /spel/ v.tr. (past and past part. spelt or spelled) 1 (also absol.) write or name the letters that form (a word etc.) in correct sequence (spell ‘exaggerate’; cannot spell properly). 2 a (of letters) make up or form (a word etc.). b (of circumstances, a scheme, etc.) result in; involve (spell ruin). 0 spell out (or over) 1 make out (words, writing, etc.) letter by letter. 2 explain in detail (spelled out what the change would mean). oo spellable adj. [ME f. OF espel(l)er, f. Frank. (as SPELL?)}

spell? /spel/ n. 1 a form of words used as.a magical charm or incantation. 2 an attraction or fascination exercised by a person, activity, quality, etc. o under a spell mastered by or as if by a spell. [OE spel(l) f. Gmc]

spell? /spel/ n. & v. —n. 1 a short or fairly short period (a cold spell in April). 2 a turn of work (did a spell of woodwork). 3 Austral. a period of rest from work. —v. 1 tr. a relieve or take the place of (a person) in work etc. b allow to rest briefly. 2 intr. Austral. take a brief rest. [earlier as verb: later form of dial. spele take place of f. OE spelian, of unkn. orig.] spell? /spel/ n. a splinter of wood etc. [perh. f. obs. speld]

spellbind /'spelbaind/ tr. (past and past part. spellbound) 1 av how

ei day

ov no

eo hair

1 near

o1 boy

vue poor

/'spensa(r)/, Herbert

(1820-1903),

English

philo-

19th c.)]

spend /spend/ v.tr. (past and past part. spent /spent/) 1 (usu. foll. by on) a (also absol.) pay out (money) in making a purchase etc. (spent £5 on a new pen). b pay out (money) for a particular person’s benefit or for the improvement of a thing (had to spend £200 on the car). 2 a use or consume (time or energy) (shall spend no more effort; how do you spend your Sundays?). b (also refl.) use up; exhaust; wear out (their ammunition was all spent; his anger was soon spent; spent herself campaigning for justice). 3 tr. (as spent adj.) having lost its original force or strength; exhausted (the storm is spent; spent bullets). O spending money pocket money. spend a penny

Brit. collog. urinate or defecate (from the coin-operated locks of public lavatories). 00 spendable adj. spender n. [OE spendan f. L expendere (see EXPEND): in ME perh. also f. obs. dispend f. OF

despendre expend f. L dispendere: see DISPENSE]

Spender /|'spenda(r)/, Sir Stephen (1909-85), English poet and critic, a contemporary at Oxford of Auden, MacNeice, and Day Lewis, whose left-wing political convictions he shared. A period spent in Germany sharpened his political consciousness. During the Spanish Civil War he actively supported the Republicans, a period reflected in The Still Centre (1939). His Poems (1933) contained both personal and political poems including the notorious ‘The Pylons’ which gave the nickname of ‘Pylon Poets’ to

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

spendthrift

of spermatozoa, from which spermatocytes develop. [SPERM + mod.L gonium f. Gk gonos offspring, seed] spermatophore |'sp3:motou,fo:(r)/ n. an albuminous capsule containing spermatozoa found in various invertebrates. 00 spermatophoric |-!fo:r1k/ adj. spermatophyte /'sps:motou,fart/ n. any seed-bearing plant.

himself and his friends; his critical work The Destructive Element (1935) argues the importance of ‘politico-moral’ subjects in literature. A gradual shift in his political allegiance is seen in his poetry and critical works, and in his autobiography World Within World (1951) he gives an account of his association with the Communist Party. His interest in the public and social duty of the writer has tended to obscure the essentially tender and private nature of much of his poetry.

spermatozoid /,sps:meteu'zauid/ n. the mature motile male

sex cell of some plants. spermatozoon /|,sp3:motou'zoupn]/ n. (pl. spermatozoa |-'zouo]) the mature motile sex cell in animals. oO spermatozoal adj. spermatozoan adj. spermatozoic adj. [sPERM + Gk ZOion animal]

spendthrift /'spend@rift/n. & adj. —n. an extravagant person; a prodigal. —adj. extravagant; prodigal.

Spengler

/'spenglo(r)/, Oswald

spherometer

1396

le

(1880-1936), German

philo-

sopher, whose fame rests on his book Der Untergang des Abenlande (1918-22; translated as The Decline of the West, 1926-8), in which he argued that civilizations are subject to growth, flowering, and decay in a way that is analogous to that of biological species. Spenser /'spenso(r)/, Edmund (c.1552-99), English poet. He dedicated his first major poem, The Shepheardes Calendar (1579) in twelve eclogues (one for each month of the year), to Sir Philip Sidney, nephew of his patron the Earl of Leicester. His greatest work is the allegorical romance, The Faerie Queene (1590, 1596). The general scheme is expounded in his introductory letter to Sir Walter Raleigh: by the Faerie Queene the poet celebrates Glory in the abstract and Queen Elizabeth in particular, and twelve knights were to represent the different virtues but only 6 of the 12 books were ever written. The poem is written in the stanza invented by Spenser (in which a ninth line of 12 syllables is added to 8 lines of 10 syllables); its chief beauties lie in the particular episodes with which the allegory is varied, and in the imaginative and musical descriptions such as in the Cave of

spermicide

sphere /sfio(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1

/,sp3:moatsu'gsuniem/ n. (pl. spermatod dog

f few

g get

hhe

jyes

solid figure, or its surface, with

class (moves in quite another sphere). —v.tr. archaic or poet. 1 enclose in or as ina sphere. 2 form into a sphere. 0 music (or harmony) of the spheres the natural harmonic tones supposedly produced by the movement of the celestial spheres (see sense 3e of n.) or the bodies fixed in them. oblique (or parallel or right) sphere the sphere of the apparent heavens at a place where there is an oblique, zero, or right angie between the equator and the horizon. sphere of influence the claimed or recognized area of a State’s interests, an individual’s control, etc. oO spheral adj. [ME sper(e) f. OF espere f. LL sphera, L f. Gk sphaira ball] -sphere /sfio(r)/ comb. form 1 having the form ofa sphere (bathysphere). 2 a region round the earth (atmosphere).

spheric /'sfiortk/ adj. = sPHERICAL. 00 sphericity /-'ristt1/n. spherical |'sfertk(2)l/ adj. 1 shaped like a sphere; globular. 2 a of or relating to the properties of spheres (spherical geometry). b formed inside or on the surface of a sphere (spherical triangle). o spherical aberration a loss of definition in the image produced by a spherically curved mirror or lens. spherical angle an angle formed by the intersection of two great circles of a sphere. 00 spherically adv. [LL sphaericus f. Gk sphairikos (as SPHERE)]

spheroid /'sfiorord/ n. 1 a spherelike but not perfectly spherical body. 2 a solid generated by a half-revolution of an ellipse about its major axis (prolate spheroid) or minor axis (oblate spheroid). 00 spheroidal /sfis'ro1d(s)l/ adj. spheroidicity /-disrtt/ n.

spherometer /sfio'romito(r)/ n. an instrument for finding the radius of a sphere and for the exact measurement of the thickness of small bodies. [F sphérométre (as SPHERE, -METER)]

gonia /-nto/) a cell produced at an early stage in the formation b but

kill

a field of action, influence, or existence (have done much within their own sphere). b a (usu. specified) stratum of society or social

/'sps:motid/ n. Biol. an immature male sex cell

spermatogonium

to

every point on its surface equidistant from its centre. 2 an object having this shape; a ball or globe. 3 a any celestial body. b a globe representing the earth. ¢ poet. the heavens; the sky. d the sky perceived as a vault upon or in which celestial bodies are represented as lying. e hist. each of a series of revolving concentrically arranged spherical shells in which celestial bodies were formerly thought to be set in a fixed relationship. 4a

sperm count the number of spermatozoa in one ejaculation or a measured amount of semen. sperm oil an oil obtained from the head of a sperm whale, and used as a lubricant. sperm whale a large whale, Physeter macrocephalus, hunted for the spermaceti and sperm oil contained in its bulbous head, and for the ambergris found in its intestines: also called CACHALOT. [ME f. LL sperma f. Gk sperma -atos seed f. speird sow: in sperm whale an abbr. of SPERMACETI] spermaceti /,sp3:mo'seti/ n. a white waxy substance produced by the sperm whale to aid buoyancy, and used in the man-

formed from a spermatocyte, which may develop into a spermatozoon. 00 spermatidal /-'tard(a)l/ adj. spermato- /|'sp3:motau/ comb. form Biol. a sperm or seed. spermatocyte /'sps:motou,sait/ n. a cell produced from a spermatogonium and which may divide by meiosis into spermatids. spermatogenesis |,sp3:motou'dgenisis/ n. the production or development of mature spermatozoa. 00 spermatogenetic /-d31'netrk/ adj.

able

relating to the sphenoid bone. —n. (in full sphenoid bone) a large compound bone forming the base of the cranium behind the eyes. oO sphenoidal /-'no1d(s)l/ adj. [mod.L sphenoides f. Gk sphénoeidés f. sphén wedge]

Edmund Spenser. 0 Spenserian stanza the stanza used by Spenser in the Faerie Queene, with eight iambic pentameters and an alexandrine, rhyming ababbcbcc. spent past and past part. of SPEND. sperm /sp3:m/ n. (pl. same or sperms) 1 = SPERMATOZOON. 2 the male reproductive fluid containing spermatozoa; semen. 3 = sperm whale. 4 = SPERMACETI. 5 = sperm oil. O sperm bank a supply of semen stored for use in artificial insemination.

spermatid

substance

sphenoid |'sfi:noid/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 wedge-shaped. 2 of or

Spenserian /spen'siorion/ adj. of, relating to, or in the style of

human or sPERM)] sperm or ducts, and f. Gk sper-

a

BLENDE] spheno- |'sfi:nau/ comb. form Anat. the sphenoid bone. [Gk f. sphén wedge]

ceeding poets including Milton and Keats. He died in poverty but was buried in honour at Westminster Abbey.

spermary /'sp3:mori/ n. (pl. -ies) an organ in which animal sperms are generated. [mod.L spermarium (as spermatic /sps:'mztik/ adj. of or relating to a spermary. 0 spermatic cord a bundle of nerves, blood vessels passing to the testicles. [LL spermaticus matikos (as SPERM)]

n.

sphalerite /'sfels,rait/ n. = BLENDE. [Gk sphaleros deceptive: cf.

Mammon. Spenser has been a major influence on many suc-

ufacture of candles, ointments, etc. 00 spermacetic adj. [ME f. med.L f. LL sperma sperm + ceti genit. of cetus f. Gk kétos whale, from the belief that it was whale-spawn]

|'sps:misaid/

spermatozoa. 00 spermicidal /-'sard(s)l/ adj. spermo- |'sp3:mau/ comb. form = SPERMATO-. spew /|spju:/ v. (also spue) 1 tr. & intr. vomit. 2 (often foll. by out) a tr. expel (contents) rapidly and forcibly. b intr. (of contents) be expelled in this way. 00 spewer n. [OE spiwan, spéowan f. Gmc] sp. gr. abbr. specific gravity. sphagnum |'sfeegnom/ n. (pl. sphagna /-no/) (in full sphagnum moss) any moss of the genus Sphagnum, growing in bogs and peat, and used as packing esp. for plants, as fertilizer, etc. [mod.L f. Gk sphagnos a moss]

k cat

lleg

m man

nono

ppen r red

s sit

t top

v voice

spherule

spherule /'sferu:l/ n. a small sphere. 00 spherular adj. [LL sphaerula dimin. of L sphaera (as SPHERE)]

spherulite /'sfera,lart/ n. a vitreous globule as a constituent of volcanic rocks. 00 spherulitic /-'litrk/ adj.

sphincter /'sfinkto(r)/ n. Anat. a ring of muscle surrounding and serving to guard or close an opening or tube, esp. the anus. 00 sphincteral adj. sphinctered adj. sphincterial /-'trortal/ adj. sphincteric /-'tertk/ adj. [L f. Gk sphigktér f. sphigg6 bind tight]

sphingid /'sfingid/ n. any hawk moth of the family Sphingidae. [as SPHINX + -ID5} sphinx /sfinks/ n. 1 a mythological monster with a human head and the body of a lion. Originating in Egypt, it became known early to Syrians, Phoenicians, and Mycenaean Greeks. In Greek literature it is a fernale being. One tale associates it with Thebes, where it propounded a riddle about the three ages of man and devoured whoever failed to solve this until Oedipus was successful and the sphinx committed suicide (or was killed by him). In classical art the sphinx is humanized with a beautiful serious face, and becomes the wise, enigmatic, and musical messenger of divine justice. 2 (in Egypt) a figure with a couchant_ lion’s body and a man’s or animal's head. The colossal figure of a sphinx at Giza is part of the complex of funerary monuments of the pharaoh Chephren (4th Dynasty, 3rd millennium Bc). It is carved from the natural rock and completed with masonry; the beard and nose have disappeared because the monument was used as a target by a Mameluke sultan. It is believed to be an effigy of Chephren, but it came to be identified with a god whom the Greeks called Harmachis (= Horus in the horizon), and received its own cult; the Arabs called it Abu Hol (= father of terror). 3 an enigmatic or inscrutable person. 4 a a hawk moth. b a species of baboon, Papio sphinx. [L f. Gk Sphigx, app. f. sphiggo draw tight]

sphragistics /sfro'dzistiks/ n.pl. (also treated as sing.) the study of engraved seals. [F sphragistique (n. & adj.) f. Gk sphragistikos f. sphragis seal] sphygmoz- |'sfigmou/ comb. form Physiol. a pulse or pulsation. [Gk sphugmo- f. sphugmos pulse f. sphuzo to throb]

sphygmogram

|/'sfigmou,grem/ n. a record produced by a

sphygmograph. sphygmograph /'sfigmoo,gra:f/ n. an instrument for showing the character of a pulse in a series of curves. oO sphygmographic — |-'grefik/ adj. sphygmographically |-'grzfikoli/ adv. sphygrmography |-'mogrofi/ n.

sphygmology /sfig'mplod3}/ n. the scientific study of the pulse. 00 sphygmological |-mo'lpd31k(s)l/ adj.

sphygmomanometer ment

for

measuring

/||sfigmeume'npmito(r)/ n. an instrublood

pressure.

oO

sphygmo-

manometric /-no'metrik/ adj.

spica /|'spatko/ n. 1 Bot. a spike or spikelike form. 2 Surgery a spiral bandage with reversed turns, suggesting an ear of corn. O00 spicate |-kert/ adj. spicated /|-'kertid/ adj. [L, = spike, ear of corn, rel. to spina sPINE: in sense 2 after Gk stakhus]

spiccato /sp1'ka:tou/ n., adj., & adv. Mus. —n. (pl. -os) 1 a style of staccato playing on stringed instruments involving bouncing the bow on the strings. 2 a passage in this style. —adj. performed or to be performed in this style. —adv. in this style. [It., = detailed, distinct] spice /spais/ n. & v. —n. 1 an aromatic or pungent vegetable substance used to flavour food, e.g. cloves, pepper, or mace. 2 spices collectively (a dealer in spice). 3 a an interesting or piquant quality. b (foll. by of) a slight flavour or suggestion (a spice of malice). —v.tr. 1 flavour with spice. 2 add an interesting or piquant quality to (a book spiced with humour). [ME f. OF espice(r) f. L species specific kind: in LL pl. = merchandise]

spicebush /'spaisbuf/. any aromatic shrub of the genus Lindera or Calycanthus, native to America.

Spice Islands see Motucca IsLanps. spick and span /,sprk ond 'spzn/ adj. 1 smart and new. 2 neat and clean. [16th-c. spick and span new, emphatic extension of ME span new f. ON span-nyr f. spann chip + nyr new]

spicknel /'sprkn()l/ n. = BALDMONEY. [var. of SPIGNEL] wwe

z zoo

spike

1397

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

spicule /'sprkju:l/ n. 1 any small sharp-pointed body. 2 Zool. a small hard calcareous or siliceous body, esp. in the framework of a sponge. 3 Bot. a small or secondary spike. 4Astron. a spikelike prominence, esp. one appearing as a jet of gas in the sun’s corona. oO spicular adj. spiculate |-lot/ adj. [mod.L spicula, spiculum, dimins. of sPica] spicy |'sparsi/ adj. (spicier, spiciest) 1 of, flavoured with, or

fragrant with spice. 2 piquant, pungent; sensational improper (a spicy story). 00 spicily adv. spiciness n.

or

spider /'spardo(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a any eight-legged arthropod of the order Araneae with a round unsegmented body, many of which spin webs for the capture of insects as food. b any of various similar or related arachnids, e.g. a red spider. 2 any object comparable to a spider, esp. as having numerous. or prominent legs or radiating spokes. 3 Brit. a radiating series of elastic ties used to hold a load in place on a vehicle etc. —v.intr. 1 move in a scuttling manner suggestive of a spider (fingers spidered across the map). 2 cause to move or appear in this way. 3 (as spidering adj.) spiderlike in form, manner, or movement (spidering streets). 0 spider crab any of various crabs of the family Majidae with a pear-shaped body and long thin legs. spider monkey any S. American monkey of the genus Ateles, with long limbs and a prehensile tail. spider plant any of various: house plants with long narrow striped leaves. oo spiderish adj. [OE spithra (as sPIn)] spiderman /'spaido,men| n. (pl. -men) Brit. collog. a person who works at great heights in building construction.

spiderwort |'spardo,ws:t/ n. any plant of the genus Tradescantia, esp. T. virginiana, having flowers with long hairy stamens.

spidery |'spaidori/ adj. elongated and thin (spidery handwriting). spiegeleisen /'spi:g(s)l,a1z(2)n/ n. an alloy of iron and manganese, used in steel-making. [G f. Spiegel mirror + Eisen iron] spiel /{pi:l/n. & v. sl. —n. a glib speech or story, esp. a salesman’s patter. —v. 1 intr. speak glibly; hold forth. 2 tr. reel off (patter etc.). [G, = play, game]

Spielberg

/'sprolbs:g/,

Steven

(1947-

), American

film

director, whose immensely successful films include Jaws (1975), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), and ET (1982).

spieler /'{pi:lo(r)/ n. sl. 1 esp. US a person who spiels. 2 Austral. a gambler; a swindler. [G (as SPIEL)]

spiffing |'spifin/ adj. archaic sl. 1 excellent. 2 smart, handsome. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] spiffy |'sprfi/ adj. (spiffier, spiffiest) esp. US sl. = sPIFFING. 00 spiffily adv.

spiflicate |'spifli,kert/ v.tr. (also spifflicate) esp. joc. 1 destroy. 2 beat (in a fight etc.). [18th c.: fanciful]

spignel /'spign(a)l/ n. = BALDMONEY. [perh. f. ME spigurnel plantname, f. med.L spigurnellus, of unkn. orig.] spigot /'spigat/ n. 1 a small peg or plug, esp. for insertion into the vent-hole of a cask. 2 a US a tap. b a device for controlling the flow of liquid in a tap. 3 the plain end of a pipe-section fitting into the socket of the next one, [ME, perh. f. Prov. espigou(n) f.

L spiculum dimin. of spicum = spica] spike! /spatk/ n. & v. —n. 1a a sharp point. b a pointed piece of metal, esp. the top of an iron railing etc. 2 a any of several metal points set into the sole of a running-shoe to prevent slipping. b (in pl.) a pair of running-shoes with spikes. 3 aa pointed metal rod standing on a base and used for filing news items etc. esp. when rejected for publication. b a similar spike used for bills etc. 4 a large stout nail esp. as used for railways. 5 sl. a hypodermic needle. 6 Brit. sl. a doss-house. 7 Electronics a pulse of very short duration in which a rapid increase in voltage is followed by a rapid decrease. —v.tr. 1 a fasten or provide with spikes. b fix on or pierce with spikes. 2 (of a newspaper editor etc.) reject (a story) by filing it on a spike. 3 collog. a lace (a drink) with alcohol, a drug, etc. b contaminate (a substance) with something added. 4 make useless, put an end to, thwart (an idea etc.). 5 hist. plug up the vent of (a gun) with a spike. 0 spike a person’s guns spoil his or her plans. spike heel a high tapering heel of a shoe. [ME perh. f. MLG, MDu. spiker, rel. to SPOKE}] tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

spike

spinnaker

1398

industrial technology. spin out 1 prolong (a discussion etc.). 2 make (a story, money, etc.) last as long as possible. 3 spend or consume (time, one’s life, etc., by discussion or in an occupation etc.). 4 Cricket dismiss (a batsman or side) by spin bowling. spin a yarn orig. Naut. tell a story. spun silk a cheap material made of short-fibred and waste silk. spun yarn Naut.a line formed of rope-yarns twisted together. [OE spinnan]

spike? /spark/ n. Bot. 1 a flower-cluster formed of many flowerheads attached closely on a long stem. 2 a separate sprig of any plant in which flowers form a spikelike cluster. 00 spikelet n. [ME, = ear of corn, f. L spica]

spikenard /'sparkna:d/ n. 1 Bot. an Indian plant, Nardostachys grandiflora. 2 hist. a costly perfumed ointment made from this. [ME ult. f. med.L spica nardi (as sPIKE?, NARD) after Gk nardostakhus]

spina bifida /,sparno 'bifids/ n. a congenital defect of the spine,

spiky! /'sparki/ adj. (spikier, spikiest) 1 like a spike; having

in which part of the spinal cord and its meninges are exposed

many spikes. 2 collog. easily offended; prickly. 00 spikily adv. spikiness n.

spinach /'spinid3, -1tJ/ n. 1 a green garden vegetable, Spinacia

through a gap in the backbone. [mod.L (as SPINE, BIFID)]

spiky? /'sparki/ adj. Bot. having spikes or ears. spile /sparl/ n. & v. —n. 1 a wooden peg or spigot. 2 a large timber or pile for driving into the ground. 3 US a small spout for tapping the sap from a sugar-maple etc. —v.tr. make a spike-hole in (a cask etc.) in order to draw off liquid. [MDu., MLG, = wooden peg etc.: in sense ‘pile’ app. alt. of PILE?]

spill! /spil/ v. & n. —v. (past and past part. spilt or spilled) 1 intr. & tr. fall or run or cause (a liquid, powder, etc.) to fall or run out of a vessel, esp. unintentionally. 2 a tr. & intr. throw (a person etc.) from a vehicle, saddle, etc. b intr. (esp. of a crowd) tumble out quickly from a place etc. (the fans spilled into the street). 3 tr. sl. disclose (information etc.). 4 tr. Naut. a empty (a sail) of wind. b lose (wind) from a sail. —n. 1 a the act or an instance of spilling or being spilt. b a quantity spilt. 2 a tumble or fall, esp. from a horse etc. (had a nasty spill). 3 Austral. the vacating of all or several posts of a parliamentary party to allow reorganization. 0 spill the beans collog. divulge information etc., esp. unintentionally or indiscreetly. spill blood be guilty of bloodshed. spill the blood of kill or injure (a person). spill over 1 overflow. 2 (of a surplus population) be forced to move (cf. OVERSPILL). 00 spillage |-1d3/ n. spiller n. [OE spillan kill, rel. to OE spildan destroy: orig. unkn.]} spill? /sprl/ n. a thin strip of wood, folded or twisted paper, etc., used for lighting a fire, candles, a pipe, etc. [ME, rel. to sPILE]

spillikin /'sprkin/ n. (also spellican /'spelikon/) 1 a splinter of

thin; thin and weak.

spindrift /'sprndrift/ n. spray blown along the surface of the

of spilling. 3 an excess or surplus. spin /spin] v. & n. —v. (spinning; past and past part. spun /span/) 1 intr. & tr. turn or cause (a person or thing) to turn or whirl

round quickly. 2 tr. (also absol.) a draw out and twist (wool, cotton, etc.) into threads. b make (yarn) in this way. c make a similar type of thread from (a synthetic substance etc.). 3 tr. (of a spider, silkworm, etc.) make (a web, gossamer, a cocoon, etc.) by extruding a fine viscous thread. 4 tr. tell or write (a story, essay, article, etc.) (spins a good tale). 5 tr. impart spin to (a ball). 6 intr. (of a person’s head etc.) be dizzy through excitement, astonishment, etc. 7 tr. shape (metal) on a mould in a lathe etc. 8 intr. esp. Cricket (of a ball) move through the air with spin. 9 tr. (as spun adj.) converted into threads (spun glass; spun gold; spun sugar). 10 tr. fish in (a stream, pool, etc.) with a spinner. 11 tr. toss (a coin). 12 tr. = spin-dry. —n. 1 a spinning motion; a whirl. 2 an aircraft’s diving descent combined with rotation. 3 a a revolving motion through the air, esp. ina rifle bullet or in a billiard, tennis, or table tennis ball struck aslant. b Cricket a twisting motion given to the ball in bowling. 4 collog. a brief drive in a motor vehicle, aeroplane, etc., esp. for pleasure. 5 Physics the intrinsic angular momentum of an elementary particle. 6 Austral. & NZ sl. a piece of good or bad luck. 0 spin bowler Cricket an expert at bowling with spin. spin-drier a machine for drying wet clothes etc. centrifugally in a revolving drum. spin-dry (-dries, -dried) dry (clothes etc.) in this way. spin off throw off by centrifugal force in spinning. spin-off n. an incidental result or results esp. as a side benefit from e bed

3: her

used for twisting and winding the thread. b a small bar with tapered ends used for the same purpose in hand-spinning. c a pin bearing the bobbin of a spinning-machine. 2 a pin or axis that revolves or on which something revolves. 3 a turned piece of wood used as a banister, chair leg, etc. 4 Biol. a spindle-shaped mass of microtubules formed when acell divides. 5 a ‘varying measure of length for yarn. 6 a slender person or thing. —-v.intr. have, or grow into, a long slender form. o spindle berry the fruit of the spindle tree. spindle-shanked having long thin legs. spindle-sharks a person with such legs. spindle-shaped having a circular cross-section and tapering towards each end. spindle side = distaff side. spindle tree any

spindly /'spmdli/ adj. (spindlier, spindliest) long or tall and

spilt past and past part. of sPrLt}. spilth /sp116/ n. 1 material that is spilled. 2 the act or an instance

a: arm

spindle /'sprnd(s)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a a pin in a spinning-wheel

shrub or small tree of the genus Euonymus, esp. E. europaeus with greenish-white flowers, pink or red berries, and hard wood used for spindles. [OE spinel (as sP1n)]

wood, bone, etc. 2 (in pl.) a game in which a heap of spillikins is to be removed one at a time without moving the others. [SPILL? + -KIN] spillover /'spil,suva(r)/ n. 1 a the process or an instance of spilling over. b a thing that spills over. 2 a consequence, repercussion, or by-product. spillway /'sprlwe1/ n. a passage for surplus water from a dam.

# cat

oleracea, with succulent leaves. 2 the leaves of this plant used as food. 0 spinach beet a variety of beetroot cultivated for its edible leaves. 00 spinaceous /-'ne1J2s/ adj. spinachy adj. [prob. MDu. spinaetse, spinag(i)e, f. OF espinage, espinache f. med.L spinac(h)ia etc. f. Arab. ’isfanak f. Pers. ispanak: perh. assim. to L spina SPINE, with ref. to its prickly seeds] spinal /'spain(2)l/ adj. of or relating to the spine (spinal curvature; spinal disease). 0 spinal canal a cavity through the vertebrae containing the spinal cord. spinal column the spine. spinal cord a cylindrical structure of the central nervous system enclosed in the spine, connecting all parts of the body with the brain. 00 spinally adv. [LL spinalis (as sPINE)]

1 sit

sea. [Sc. var. of spoondrift f. spoon run before wind or sea + DRIFT] spine /spam/ n. 1 a series of vertebrae extending from the skull to the small of the back, enclosing the spinal cord and providing support for the thorax and abdomen; the backbone. 2 Zool. & Bot. any hard pointed process or structure. 3 a sharp ridge or projection, esp. of a mountain range or slope. 4a central feature, main support, or source of strength. 5 the part of a book’s jacket or cover that encloses the page-fastening part and usu. faces outwards on a shelf. 0 spine-chiller a frightening story, film, etc. spine-chilling (esp. of a story etc.) frightening. 00 spined adj. [ME f. OF espine or L spina thorn, backbone]

spinel /spi'nel/ r. 1 any of a group of hard crystalline minerals of various colours, consisting chiefly of oxides of magnesium and aluminium. 2 any substance of similar composition or properties. 0 spinel ruby a deep-red variety of spinel used as a gem. [F spinelle f. It. spinella, dimin. of spina: see sPINE]

spineless /'sparnlis/ adj. 1 a having no spine; invertebrate. b (of a fish) having no fin-spines. 2 (of a person) lacking energy or resolution; weak and purposeless. oo spinelessly adv. spinelessness n.

spinet /spr'net, 'spmnit/ n. Mus. hist. a small harpsichord with oblique strings. [obs. F espinette f. It. spinetta virginal, spinet, dimin. of spina thorn etc. (as sPINE), with ref. to the plucked strings]

spinifex< /'spini,feks/ n. any Australian grass of the genus Spinifex, with coarse, spiny leaves. [mod.L f. L spina spine + -fex maker f. facere make]

spinnaker /'spmoko(r)/ n. a large triangular sail carried opposite the mainsail of a racing-yacht running before the wind. i: see

p hot

o: saw

Arun

o put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

spinner [fanciful f. Sphinx, name spanker]

of yacht first using it, perh. after

spinner /'sprno(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that spins. 2 Cricket-a a spin bowler. b a spun ball. 3a spin-drier. 4 a a real or artificial fly for esp. trout-fishing. b revolving bait. 5 a manufacturer or merchant engaged in (esp. cotton-) spinning. 6 = SPINNERET. 7 archaic a spider. spinneret /'spma,ret/ n. 1 the spinning-organ ina spider, silkworm, etc. 2 a device for forming filaments of synthetic fibre. spinney /'spini/ n. (pl. -eys) Brit. a small wood; a thicket. [OF espinei f. L spinetum thicket f. spina thorn] spinning /'sprnm/ n. the act or an instance of spinning. 0 spinning-jenny hist. a machine for spinning with more than one spindle at a time. (see HARGREAVES.) spinning-machine a machine that spins fibres continuously. spinning-top = ToP?. spinning-wheel a household machine for spinning yarn or thread, with a spindle driven by a wheel operated originally by hand, later by a crank or treadle. The device is thought to have been introduced into Europe from India in the early 14th c. spinose /'spainous/ adj. (also spinous /-nes/) Bot. (of a plant)having many spines.

Spinoza /spi'nsuza/, Baruch (Benedict) de (1632-77), Dutch rationalist philosopher cf Jewish descent. Expelled from the Amsterdam synagogue in 1656 for his unorthodox views, he made his living by grinding and polishing lenses. Rejecting the Cartesian dualism of spirit and matter he saw only one infinite substance, of which finite existences are modes or limitations: God is all and all is God. For him, God was the immanent cause of the universe, not a ruler outside it; among his conclusions are determinism and a denial of personal immortality. Spinoza’s Ethics, published posthumously, founded morality on the ‘intellectual love of God’, which becomes possible after the complete victory over the passions; virtue is its own reward. His political doctrine involved a ‘social contract’ in which man surrenders part of his natura! rights to the State in order to obtain security. Spinoza’s influence was at its height in the 19th c., especially in Germany. spinster /'spmsta(r)/ n. 1 an unmarried woman. 2 a woman, esp. elderly, thought unlikely to marry. 00 spinsterhood n. spinsterish adj. spinsterishness n. [ME, orig. = woman who spins}

spinthariscope /spin'@zr,skoup/ n. an instrument with a fluorescent screen showing the incidence of alpha particles by flashes. [irreg. f. Gk spintharis spark + -scoPE]

spinule /'spinju:l/ n. Bot. & Zool. a small spine. 00 spinulose adj. spinulous adj. [L spinula dimin. of spina sPINE] spiny /'spaini/ adj. (spinier, spiniest) 1 full of spines; prickly. 2 perplexing, troublesome, thorny. 0 spiny anteater = ECHIDNA. spiny lobster any of various large edible crustaceans of the family Palinuridae, esp. Palinuris vulgaris, with a spiny shell and no large anterior claws. 00 spininess n. spiracle /'spariorok(2)l/ n. (also spiraculum /,spato'rekjulom/) (pl. spiracles or spiracula /-lo/) an external respiratory opening in insects, whales, and some fish. 00 spiracular /|-'rekjulo(r)/ adj. [L spiraculum f. spirare breathe] spiraea |,spato'ri:o/ n. (US spirea) any rosaceous shrub of the genus Spiraea, with clusters of small white or pink flowers. [L f. Gk speiraia f. speira coil]

spiral /'sparor(s)l/ adj., n., & v. —adj. 1 winding about a centre in an enlarging or decreasing continuous circular motion, either on a flat plane or rising in a cone; coiled. 2 winding continuously along or as if along a cylinder, like the thread of a screw. —n. 1a plane or three-dimensional spiral curve. 2a

spiral spring. 3 a spiral formation in a shell etc. 4 a spiral galaxy. 5 a progressive rise or fall of prices, wages, etc., each responding to an upward or downward stimulus provided by the other (a spiral of rising prices and wages). —v. (spiralled, spiralling; US spiraled, spiraling) 1 intr. move in a spiral course, esp. upwards or downwards. 2 tr. make spiral. 3 intr. esp. Econ. (of prices, wages, etc.) rise or fall, esp. rapidly (cf. sense 5 of n.). O spiral balance a device for measuring weight by the

torsion of a spiral spring. spiral galaxy a galaxy in which the au how

er day

spiritualism

1399

ov no

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

vo poor

matter is concentrated mainly in one or more spiral arms. spiral staircase a staircase rising in a spiral round a central axis. 00 spirality /-'reliti/ n. spirally adv. [F spiral or med.L spiralis (as SPIRE?)] spirant /'spaiorant/ adj. & n. Phonet. —adj. (of a consonant) uttered with a continuous expulsion of breath, esp. fricative. —n. such a consonant. [L spirare spirant- breathe]

spire! /'spato(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a tapering cone- or pyramidshaped structure built esp. on a church tower (cf. STEEPLE). 2 the continuation of a tree trunk above the point where branching begins. 3 any tapering thing, e.g. the spike of a flower. —v.tr. provide with a spire. 00 spiry /'sparr1/ adj. [OE spir] spire? /'sparo(r)/ n. 1 aa spiral; a coil. b a single twist of this. 2 the upper part of a spiral shell. [F f. L spira f. Gk speira coil]

spirea US var. of SPIRAEA. spirillum /|,sparo'rilom/ n. (pl. spirilla /-lo/) 1 any bacterium of the genus Spirillum, characterized by a rigid spiral structure. 2 any bacterium with a similar shape. [mod.L, irreg. dimin. of L spira SPIRE] :

spirit /'spirit/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the vital animating essence of a person or animal (was sadly broken in spirit). b the intelligent non-physical part of a person; the soul. 2 a a rational or intelligent being without a material body. b a supernatural being such as a ghost, fairy, etc. (haunted by spirits). 3 a prevailing mental or moral condition or attitude; a mood; a tendency (public spirit; took it in the wrong spirit). 4 a (usu. in pl.) strong distilled liquor, e.g. brandy, whisky, gin, rum. b a distilled volatile liquid (wood spirit). ¢ purified alcohol (methylated spirit). da solution of a volatile principle in alcohol; a tincture (spirit of ammonia). 5 a a person’s mental or moral nature or qualities, usu. specified (has an unbending spirit). b a person viewed as possessing these (is an ardent spirit). c (in full high spirit) courage, energy, vivacity, dash (played with spirit; infused him with spirit). 6 the real meaning as opposed to lip service or verbal expression (the spirit of the law). 7 archaic an immaterial principle thought to govern vital phenomena (animal spirits). —v.tr. (spirited, spiriting) (usu. foll. by away, off, etc.) convey rapidly and secretly by or as if by spirits. 0 in (or in the) spirit inwardly (shall be with you in spirit). spirit duplicator a duplicator using an alcoholic solution to reproduce copies from a master sheet. spirit gum a quick-drying solution of gum used esp. for attaching false hair. spirit-lamp a lamp burning methylated or other volatile spirits instead of oil. spirit-level a device consisting of a sealed glass tube nearly filled with liquid and containing an air-bubble, used to test levelness by the position of this bubble. Such devices were used on telescopes in the 17th c., but did not become a carpenter’s and builder’s tool until the mid-19th c. the spirit moves a person he or she feels inclined (to do something) (orig. in Quaker use). spirit (or spirits) of wine archaic purified alcohol. spirits of salt archaic hydrochloric acid. spirit up animate or cheer (a person). [ME f. AF (e)spirit, OF esp(e)rit, f. L spiritus breath, spirit f. spirare breathe]

spirited /'spiritid/ adj. 1 full of spirit; animated, lively, brisk, or courageous (a spirited attack; a spirited translation), 2 having a

spirit or spirits of a specified kind (high-spirited; mean-spirited). 00 spiritedly adv. spiritedness n.

spiritless /'spiritlis/ adj. lacking courage, vigour, or vivacity. 00 spiritlessly adv. spiritlessness n.

spiritual /'spiritjvol/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or concerning the spirit as opposed to matter. 2 concerned with sacred or religious things; holy; divine; inspired (the spiritual life; spiritual songs). 3 (of the mind etc.) refined, sensitive; not concerned with the material. 4 (of a relationship etc.) concerned with the soul or spirit etc., not with external reality (his spiritual home). —n. =

Negro spiritual.

0 spiritual courts ecclesiastical courts.

oO

spirituality /-'zliti/ n. spiritually adv. spiritualness n. [ME f. OF spirituel f. L spiritualis (as sPIRIt)}

spiritualism /'spiritjv9,11z(9)m/ n. 1 a the belief that the spirits of the dead can communicate with the living, esp. through mediums. (See below.) b the practice of this. 2 Philos. the doctrine that the spirit exists as distinct from matter, or that spirit is the only reality (cf. MATERIALISM). 00 spiritualist n. spiritualistic

/-"Instrk/ adj.

ara fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

spiritualize renew enter nineTier ate

ein

et

tip

splay

1400 St

Se

etc.). 2 pierce or transfix with a sword etc. O spit-roast cook Belief that spirits of the dead can and do communicate with ona spit. 00 spitty adj. [OE spitu f. WG] the living is very ancient and is an element in most primitive and some higher religions. Saul clandestinely consulted the * spit? /sprt/ n. (pl. same or spits) a spade-depth of earth (dig it two spit deep). [MDu. & MLG, = OE spittan dig with spade, prob. rel. woman of Endor (1 Sam. 28) in order to speak with the dead prophet Samuel, but the Jewish prophets disapproved of the to sPIT?] practice and this repugnance was maintained by Christianity. spitball /'sprtbo:l/ n. & v. —n. US 1 a ball of chewed paper etc. In 1848 three sisters, Fox by name, living in New York State, used as a missile. 2 a baseball moistened by the pitcher to heard strange rappings in their home and devised a simple code impart spin. —v.intr. throw out suggestions for discussion. 00 which, they asserted, was answered by rappings in such a way spitballer n. as to prove that they were made by an intelligent being. The spitchcock /'spit{kpk/ n. & v. —n. an eel split and broiled. news caused a sensation, and from this the modern spiritualistic —v.tr. prepare (an eel, fish, bird, etc.) in this way. [16th c.: orig. movement had its origin. Hitherto most Christians had believed unkn.: cf. sPATCHCOCK] that spirits were evil and invoked only to do harm; now it was spite /spait/n. & v. —n. 1 ill will, malice towards a person (did proclaimed that they dwelt in lands far better than this world, it from spite). 2 a grudge. —v.tr. thwart, mortify, annoy (does it and were continually progressing. The impulse to make psychic to spite me). O in spite of notwithstanding. in spite of oneself communication the basis of a new religion comes from the etc. though one would rather have done otherwise. [ME f. OF natural longing (particularly evident after the two World Wars) despit DESPITE] to know what happens to people after death. In England the spiteful /'spaitful/ adj. motivated by spite; malevolent. 00 Society for Psychical Research was founded in 1882 for objective spitefully adv. spitefulness n. investigation not only of communication with the dead but of spitfire /'spit,fata(r)/ n. a person of fiery temper. visions, telepathy, hauntings, etc. Although mediums appear Spitsbergen /'spitsb3:gon/ an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, to have access (in varying degrees) to knowledge beyond the north of Norway, under Norwegian sovereignty. ordinary, how it comes to them is still a mystery; it may proceed spittle /'spit(a)l/ n. saliva, esp. as ejected from the mouth. 00 from some deep activity of the human mind, and any postulated type of ‘communication’ remains a hypothesis formulated to spittly adj. [alt. of ME (now dial.) spattle = OE spatl f. sp#tan to explain such knowledge. spit, after spit] spittoon /spi'tu:n/ n. a metal or earthenware pot with esp. a spiritualize |'spiritjuo,laiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 make (a person or funnel-shaped top, used for spitting into. a person’s character, thoughts, etc.) spiritual; elevate. 2 attach a spiritual as opposed to a literal meaning to. oO Spitz /spits/, Mark Andrew (1950-—_), American swimmer, winspiritualization /|-'ze1{(2)n/ n. ner of seven gold medals in the 1972 Olympic Games at Munich. spirituel |,spiritju'el/ adj. (also spirituelle) (of the mind) spitz /spits/n. 1 a small type of dog with a pointed muzzle, esp. refined and yet spirited; witty. [F spirituel, fem. -elle (as SPIRITUAL)] a Pomeranian. 2 this breed. [G Spitz(hund) f. spitz pointed + Hund dog] spirituous /|'spiritjuss/ adj. 1 containing much alcohol. 2 distilled, as whisky, rum, etc. (spirituous liquor). oO spiv /sprv/ n. Brit. collog. a man, often characterized by flashy spirituousness n. [L spiritus spirit, or F spiritueux] dress, who makes aliving by illicit or unscrupulous dealings. 00 spivvish adj. spivvy adj. [20th c.: orig. unkn.] spiro-! /'sparorou/ comb. form a coil. [L spira, Gk speira coil]

spiro-? /'sparsrau/ comb. form breath. [irreg. f. L spirare breathe] spirochaete /'sparorou,ki:t/ n. (US spirochete) any of various flexible spiral-shaped bacteria. [spiIRo-! + Gk khaité long hair]

spirograph

splanchnic |'splenknrk/ adj. of or relating to the viscera; intestinal. [mod.L splanchnicus f. Gk splagkhnikos f. splagkhna entrails]

splash /spleJ/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. & tr. spatter or cause (liquid) to spatter in small drops. 2 tr. cause (a person) to be spattered with liquid etc. (splashed them with mud). 3 intr. a (of a person) cause liquid to spatter (was splashing about in the bath). b (usu. foll. by across, along, etc.) move while spattering liquid etc. (splashed across the carpet in his boots). ¢ step, fall, or plunge etc.

/'spaisragra:f] n. an instrument for recording

breathing movements. oO spirographic /-'grefik/ adj. spirographically |-'grzfikali/ adv. spirogyra |,spatorsu'dgatoro/ n. any freshwater alga of the genus Spirogyra, with cells containing spiral bands of chlorophyll. [mod.L f. sprro-! + Gk guros gura round] spirometer /spai'romito(r)/ n. an instrument for measuring the air capacity of the lungs.

into a liquid etc. so as to cause a splash (splashed into the sea). 4 tr. display (news) prominently. 5 tr. decorate with scattered colour. 6 tr. spend (money) ostentatiously. —n. 1 the act or an instance of splashing. 2 a a quantity of liquid splashed. b the

resulting noise (heard a splash). 3 a spot of dirt etc. splashed on to a thing. 4 a prominent news feature etc. 5 a daub or patch of colour, esp. on an animal’s coat. 6 Brit. collog. a small quantity of liquid, esp. of soda water etc. to dilute spirits. 0 make a splash attract much attention, esp. by extravagance. splash out collog. spend money freely. 00 splashy adj. (splashier, splashiest). [alt. of PLASH}]

spirt var. of spuRT. spit! /spit/ v. & n. —v. (spitting; past and past part. spat /spzt/ or spit) 1 intr. a eject saliva from the mouth. b do this as a sign of hatred or contempt (spat at him). 2 tr. (usu. foll. by out) a eject (saliva, blood, food, etc.) from the mouth (spat the meat out). b utter (oaths, threats, etc.) vehemently (‘Damn you! he spat). 3 intr. (of a fire, pen, pan, etc.) send out sparks, ink, hot fat, etc. 4 intr. (of rain) fall lightly (it’s only spitting). 5 intr. (esp. of a cat) make a spitting or hissing noise in anger or hostility. —n. 1 spittle. 2 the act or an instance of spitting. 3 the foamy liquid secretion of some insects used to protect their young. oO the spit (or very spit) of collog. the exact double of (cf. spitting image). spit and polish 1 the cleaning and polishing duties of a soldier etc. 2 exaggerated neatness and smartness. spit chips Austral. sl. 1 feel extreme thirst. 2 be angry or frustrated. spit it out collog. say what is on one’s mind. spitting cobra the African blacknecked cobra, Naja nigricollis, that ejects venom by spitting, not striking. spitting distance a very short distance. spitting image (foll. by of) collog. the exact double of (another person or thing). 00 spitter n. [OE spittan, of imit. orig.: cf. sPEW] spit?/spit/n. & v. —n. 1a slender rod on which meat is skewered before being roasted on afire etc.; a skewer. 2 a a small point of land projecting into the sea. b a long narrow underwater bank. —v.tr. (spitted, spitting) 1 thrust a spit through (meat

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

splashback /'sple{bzkj n. a panel behind a sink etc. to protect the wall from splashes.

splashdown |'splz{daun/ n. the alighting of a spacecraft on the sea.

splat! /splet/ n. a flat piece of thin wood in the centre of a chair-back. [splat (v.) split up, rel. to SPLIT] splat? |splet/ n., adv., & v. collog.. —n. a sharp cracking or slapping sound (hit the wall with a splat). —adv. with a splat (fell splat on his head). —v.intr. & tr. (splatted, splatting) fall or hit with a splat. [abbr. of SPLATTER]

splatter /'spleto(r)/ v. & n. —v.tr. & intr. 1 splash esp. with a continuous noisy action. 2 US spatter. —n. a noisy splashing sound. [imit.] splay /splei/ v., n., & adj. —v. 1 tr. (usu. foll. by out) spread (the elbows, feet, etc.) out. 2 intr. (of an aperture or its sides) diverge in shape or position. 3 tr. construct (a window, doorway, aperture, etc.) so that it diverges or is wider at one side of the wall

kcat

1leg

m man

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splutter

1401

than the other. —n. a surface making an oblique angle with another, e.g. the splayed side of a window or embrasure. —adj. 1 wide and flat. 2 turned outward. o splay-foot a broad flat foot turned outward. splay-footed having such feet. [ME f. DISPLAY] spleen /spli:n/ n. 1. an abdominal organ involved in maintaining the proper condition of blood in most vertebrates. 2 lowness of spirits; moroseness, ill temper, spite (from the earlier belief that the spleen was the seat of such feelings) (a fit of spleen; vented their spleen). 00 spleenful adj. spleeny adj. [ME f. OF esplen f. L splen f. Gk splén] spleenworrt /'spli:nwa:t/ n. any fern of the genus Asplenium, formerly used as a remedy for disorders of the spleen.

splen- /spli:n/ comb. form Anat. the spleen. [Gk (as sPLEEN)] splendent /'splend(2)nt/ adj. formal.1 shining; lustrous. 2 illustrious. [ME f. L splendére to shine]

splendid /'splendid/ adj. 1 magnificent, gorgeous, brilliant, sumptuous (a splendid palace; a splendid achievement). 2 dignified; impressive (splendid isolation). 3 excellent; fine (a splendid chance). 00 splendidly adv. splendidness n. [F splendide or L splendidus. (as SPLENDENT)]

splendiferous /splen'difaras/ adj. collog. or joc. splendid. 00 splendiferously SPLENDOUR]

adv.

splendiferousness

1.

[irreg.

f.

splendour /'splenda(r)/ n. (US splendor) 1 great or dazzling brightness. 2 magnificence; grandeur. [ME f. AF splendeur or L splendor (as SPLENDENT)] splenectomy /spli:'nektomi/ x. (pl. -ies) the surgical excision

of the spleen. splenetic /spli'netik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 ill-tempered; peevish. 2 of or concerning the spleen. —n. a splenetic person. 00 splenetically adv. [LL spleneticus (as SPLEEN)] splenic /'splenik, 'spli:-/ adj. of or in the spleen. 0 splenic fever anthrax. 00 splenoid /'spli:noid/ adj. [F splénique or L splenicus f. Gk splénikos (as SPLEEN)]

splenitis /spli:'nartis/ n. inflammation of the spleen. splenius /'spli:ntas/ n. (pl. splenii /-n1,a1/) Anat. either section of muscle on each side of the neck and back serving to draw back the head. 00 splenial adj. [mod.L f. Gk splénion bandage]

splenology /spli:'nplod31/ n. the scientific study of the spleen. splenomegaly /,spli:no'megoli/ n. a pathological enlargement of the spleen. [sPLEN- + megaly (as MEGALO-)] splenotomy /spli:'nvtem1/ n. (pl. -ies) a surgical incision into or dissection of the spleen.

splice /splais/ v. & n. —v.tr.

1 join the ends of (ropes) by

interweaving strands. 2 join (pieces of timber, magnetic tape, film, etc.) in an overlapping position. 3 (esp. as spliced adj.) collog. join in marriage. —n. a joint consisting of two ropes, pieces of wood, film, etc., made by splicing, e.g. the handle and blade of a cricket bat. 0 splice the main brace Naut. hist. issue an extra tot of rum. oo splicer n. [prob. f. MDu. splissen, of uncert. orig.]

spliff /splrf] n. (also splif) sl. a cannabis cigarette. [20th c.: orig. unkn.] spline /splam/ n. & v. —n. 1 a rectangular key fitting into grooves in the hub and shaft of a wheel and allowing longitudinal play. 2 a slat. 3 a flexible wood or rubber strip used esp. in drawing large curves. —v.tr. fit with a spline (sense 1). (orig. E. Anglian dial., perh. rel. to SPLINTER] splint /splint/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa strip of rigid material used for holding a broken bone etc. when set. b a rigid or flexible strip

of esp. wood used in basketwork etc. 2 a tumour or bony excrescence on the inside of a horse’s leg. 3 a thin strip of wood etc. used to light a fire, pipe, etc. 4 = splint-bone. —v.tr. secure (a broken limb etc.) with a splint or splints. o splint-bone 1 either of two small bones in a horse’s foreleg lying behind and close to the cannon-bone. 2 the human fibula. splint-coal hard bituminous laminated coal burning with great heat. [ME splent(e) f. MDu. splinte or MLG splinte, splente metal plate or pin, rel. to SPLINTER]

—n. a small thin sharp-edged piece broken off from wood, stone, etc. O splinter-bar Brit. a crossbar in a vehicle to which traces are attached; a swingletree. splinter group (or party) a group or party that has broken away from a larger one. splinter-proof proof against splinters e.g. from bursting shells or bombs. oo splintery adj. [ME f. MDu. (= LG) splinter, splenter, rel. to SPLINT]

Split /split/ a seaport on the Adriatic coast of Croatia in western Yugoslavia; pop. (1981) 235,900.

split /split/ v. & n. —v. (splitting; past and past part. split) 1 intr. & tr. a break or cause to break forcibly into parts, esp. with the grain or into halves. b (often foll. by up) divide into parts (split into groups; split up the money equally). 2 tr. & intr. (often foll. by off, away) remove or be removed by breaking, separating, or dividing (split the top off the bottle; split away from the main group). 3 intr. & tr. a (usu. foll. by up, on, over, etc.) separate esp. through discord (split up after ten years; they were split on the question of picketing). b (foll. by with) quarrel or cease association with (another person etc.). 4 tr. cause the fission of (an atom). 5 intr. & tr. sl. leave, esp. suddenly. 6 intr. (usu. foll. by on) collog. betray secrets; inform (split on them to the police). 7 intr. a (as splitting adj.) (esp. of a headache) very painful; acute. b (of the head) suffer great pain from a headache, noise, etc. 8 intr. (of a ship) be wrecked. 9 tr. US collog. dilute (whisky etc.) with water. —n. 1 the act or an instance of splitting; the state of being split. 2a fissure, vent, crack, cleft, etc. 3 a separation into parties; a schism. 4 (in pl.) Brit. the athletic feat of leaping in the air or sitting down with the legs at right angles to the body in front and behind, or at the sides with the trunk facing forwards. 5a split osier etc. used for parts of basketwork. 6 each strip of steel, cane, etc., of the reed in a loom. 7 a single thickness of split hide. 8 the turning up of two cards of equal value in faro, so that the stakes are divided. 9 a half a bottle of mineral water. b half a glass of liquor. 10 collog. a division of money, esp. the proceeds of crime. oO split the difference take the average of two proposed amounts. split gear (or pulley or wheel) a gear

etc. made in halves for removal froma shaft. split hairs make small and insignificant distinctions. split infinitive a phrase consisting of an infinitive with an adverb etc. inserted between to and the verb, e.g. seems to really like it. split-level (of a building) having a room or rooms afraction of a storey higher than other parts. split mind = SCHIZOPHRENIA. split pea a pea dried and split in half for cooking. split personality the alteration or dissociation of personality occurring in some mental illnesses, esp. schizophrenia and hysteria. split pin a metal cotter passed through a hole and held by the pressing back of the two ends. split ring a small steel ring with two spiral turns, such as a key-ring. split-screen a screen on which two or more separate images are displayed. split second a very brief moment of time. split shift a shift comprising two or more separate periods of duty. split shot (or stroke) Croquet a stroke driving two touching balls in different directions. split one’s sides be convulsed with laughter. split the ticket (or one’s vote) US vote for candidates of more than one party. split the vote Brit. (of a candidate or minority party) attract votes from another so that both are defeated by a third. oo splitter n. [orig. Naut. f. MDu. splitten, rel. to spletten, spliten, MHG splizen]

splodge /splod3/ n. & v. colloq. —n. a daub, blot, or smear. —-v.tr. make a large, esp. irregular, spot or patch on. 00 splodgy adj. [imit., or alt. of spLOTCH]

splosh /splof/ v. & n. colloq. —v.tr. & intr. move with a splashing sound. —n. 1 a splashing sound. 2 a splash of water etc. 3 sl. money. [imit.] splotch /splot{/ n. & v.tr. = spLoDGE. 00 splotchy adj. [perh. f. spoT + obs. plotch BLOTCH] splurge /spls:d3/ n. & v. collog. —n. 1 an ostentatious display or effort. 2 an instance of sudden great extravagance. —v.intr. 1 (usu. foll. by on) spend effort or esp. large sums of money (splurged on new furniture). 2 splash heavily. [19th-c. US: prob. imit.]

splutter /'splato(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. a speak in a hurried,

splinter /'splinto(r)/ v. & n. —v.tr. & intr. break into fragments.

vehement, or choking manner. b emit particles from the mouth, sparks, hot oil, etc., with spitting sounds. 2 tr. a speak or utter

wwe

tf chip

z zoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

d3 jar

(see over for vowels)

Spock

spondee /'sppndi:/ n. Prosody a foot consisting of two long (or stressed) syllables. [ME f. OF spondee or L spondeus f. Gk spondeios (pous foot) f. spondé libation, as being characteristic of music accompanying libations]

(words, threats, a language, etc.) rapidly or incoherently. b emit (food, sparks, hot oil, etc.) with a spitting sound. —n. spluttering speech. 00 splutterer.n. splutteringly adv. [sPpUTTER by assoc. with splash] Spock /spok/, Benjamin McLane (1903-— ), American paediatrician, whose book The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care (1946), advocating a relaxed and gentle approach to the upbringing of children, was widely read and immensely influential.

spondulicks /spon'dju:lrks/ n-pl. sl. money. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] spondylitis /,spondr'laitis/ n. inflammation of the vertebrae. [L

Spode /spoud/ n. a kind of fine pottery or porcelain named after the English potter Josiah Spode (1754-1827), its original maker. spoil /sporl/ v. & n. —v. (past and past part. spoilt or spoiled) 1 tr. a damage; diminish the value of (was spoilt by the rain; will spoil all the fun). b reduce a person’s enjoyment etc. of (the news spoiled his dinner). 2 tr. injure the character of (esp. a child, pet, etc.) by excessive indulgence. 3 intr. a (of food) go bad, decay; become unfit for eating. b (usu. in neg.) (of a joke, secret, etc.) become stale through long keeping. 4 tr. render (a ballot paper) invalid by improper marking. 5tr. (foll. by of) archaic or literary plunder or deprive (a person of a thing) by force or stealth (spoiled him of all his possessions). —n. 1 (usu. in pl.) a plunder taken from an enemy in war, or seized by force. b esp. joc. profit or advantages gained by succeeding to public office, high position, ete. 2 earth etc. thrown up in excavating, dredging, etc. Oo be spoiling for aggressively seek (a fight etc.). spoils system US the practice of giving public office to the adherents of a successful party. spoilt for choice having so many choices that it is difficult to choose. [ME f. OF espoillier, espoille f. L spoliare f. spolium spoil, plunder, or f. DEsPoIL] spoilage /'spoilid3/ n. 1 paper spoilt in printing. 2 the spoiling of food etc. by decay.

spoiler /'sporlo(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that spoils. 2 a a device on an aircraft to retard its speed by interrupting the air flow. b a similar device on a vehicle to improve its road-holding at speed. spoilsman /'sporlzmon/ n. (pl. -men) US esp. Polit. 1 an advocate of the spoils system. 2 a person who seeks to profit by it. spoilsport /'sporlspo:t/ n. a person who spoils others’ pleasure or enjoyment.

sponsion /'sppnJ(2)n/ n. 1 being a surety for another. 2 a pledge or promise made on behalf of the State by an agent not authorized to do so. [L sponsio f. spondére spons- promise solemnly] sponson /'sppns(a)n/ n. 1 a projection from the side of a warship or tank to enable a gun to be trained forward and aft. 2 a short subsidiary wing to stabilize a seaplane. 3 a triangular platform supporting the wheel on a paddle-steamer. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] sponsor /'sppnsa(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a person who supports an activity done for charity by pledging money in advance. 2 aa person or organization that promotes or supports an artistic or sporting activity etc. b esp. US a business organization that promotes a broadcast programme in return for advertising time. 3 an organization lending support to an election candidate. 4 a person who introduces a proposal for legislation. 5 a godparent at baptism or esp. RC Ch. a person who presents a candidate for confirmation. 6 a person who makes himself or herself responsible for another. —v.tr. be a sponsor for. 00 sponsorial /sppn'so:r1al/ adj. sponsorship n. [L (as sPONSION)] spontaneous /spon'temtos/ adj. 1 acting or done or occurring without external cause. 2 voluntary, without external incitement (made a spontaneous offer of his services). 3 Biol. (of structural changes in plants and muscular activity esp. in young animals) instinctive, automatic, prompted by no motive. 4 (of bodily movement, literary style, etc.) gracefully natural and unconstrained. 5 (of sudden movement etc.) involuntary, not due to conscious volition. 6 growing naturally without cultivation. o spontaneous combustion the ignition of a mineral or vegetable substance (e.g. a heap of rags soaked with oil, a mass of wet coal) from heat engendered within itself, usu. by rapid oxidation. spontaneous generation the supposed production of living from non-living matter as inferred from the appearance of life (due in fact to bacteria etc.) in some infusions; abiogenesis. spontaneous suggestion suggestion from association of ideas

spoke! /spouk/ n. & v. —n. 1 each of the bars running from the hub to the rim of a wheel. 2 a rung of a ladder. 3 each radial handle of the wheel of a ship etc. —v.tr. 1 provide with spokes. 2 obstruct (a wheel etc.) by thrusting a spoke in. 0 put a spoke in a person’s wheel Brit. thwart or hinder a person.

spoke-bone the radius of the forearm. 00 spokewise adv. [OE spaca f. WG]

spoke? past of sPEAK. spoken /'spoukon/ past part. of sPEAK. —adj. (in comb.) speaking in a specified way (smooth-spoken; well-spoken). Oo spoken for claimed, requisitioned (this seat is spoken for). spokeshave |'spaukferv/ n. a blade set between two handles, used for shaping spokes and other esp. curved work where an ordinary plane is not suitable. spokesman /'spouksmon/ n. (pl. -men; fem. spokeswoman, pl. -women) 1 a person who speaks on behalf of others, esp. in the course of public relations. 2 a person deputed to express the views of a group etc. [irreg. f. spOKE? after craftsman etc.] spokesperson /'spsuks,p3:s(2)n/ n. (pl. -persons or -people) a spokesman or spokeswoman.

Spoleto /spo'lettav/ a town of Umbria in central Italy; pop. (1981) 20,000. A festival of music, art, and drama is held here each summer.

spoliation /,spovl'er{(2)n/ n. 1 a plunder or pillage, esp. of neutral vessels in war. b extortion. 2 Eccl. the taking of the fruits of a benefice under a pretended title etc. 3 Law the destruction, mutilation, or alteration, of a document to prevent its being as

evidence.

00

spoliator

|'spou-/

n.

spoliatory

|'spovliotert/ adj. [ME f. L spoliatio (as spo1.)] spondaic /spon'deuk/ adj. 1 of or concerning spondees. 2 (ofa hexameter) having a spondee as a fifth foot. [F spondaique or LL spondaicus = LL spondiacus f. Gk spondeiakos (as SPONDEE)] ez cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

spondylus vertebra f. Gk spondulos + -1TIS] sponge /spand3/n. & v. —n. 1 any aquatic animal of the phylum Porifera, with pores in its body wall and a rigid internal skeleton. 2 a the skeleton of a sponge, esp. the soft light elastic absorbent kind used in bathing, cleansing surfaces, etc. b a piece of porous rubber or plastic etc. used similarly. 3 a thing of spongelike absorbency or consistency, e.g. a sponge pudding, cake, porous metal, etc. (lemon sponge). 4 = SPONGER. 5 collog. a person who drinks heavily. 6 cleansing with or as with a sponge (had a quick sponge this morning). —v. 1 tr. wipe or cleanse with a sponge. 2 tr. (also absol.; often foll. by down, over) sluice water over (the body, a car, etc.). 3 tr. (often foll. by out, away, etc.) wipe off or efface (writing, a memory, etc.) with or as with a sponge. 4 tr. (often foll. by up) absorb with or as with a sponge. 5intr. (often foll. by on, off) live as a parasite; be meanly dependent upon (another person). 6 tr. obtain (drink etc.) by sponging. 7 intr. gather sponges. 8 tr. apply paint with a sponge to (walls, furniture, etc.). O sponge bag a waterproof bag for toilet articles. sponge cake a very light cake with a spongelike consistency. sponge cloth 1 soft, lightly-woven cloth with a slightly wrinkled surface. 2 a thin spongy material used for cleaning. sponge pudding Brit. a steamed or baked pudding of fat, flour, and eggs with a usu. specified flavour. sponge rubber liquid rubber latex processed into a spongelike substance. sponge tree a spiny tropical acacia, Acacia farnesiana, with globose heads of fragrant yellow flowers yielding a perfume: also called OPOPANAX. 00 spongeable adj. spongelike adj. spongiform adj. (esp. in senses 1, 2). [OE f. L spongia f. Gk spoggia, spoggos] sponger /'spand3a(r)/ n. a person who contrives to live at another’s expense. spongy /'spand3}/ adj. (spongier, spongiest) 1 like a sponge, esp. in being porous, compressible, elastic, or absorbent. 2 (of metal) finely divided and loosely coherent. 00 spongily adv. sponginess n.

spoilt past and past part. of spot.

used

spontaneous

1402

1 sit

i: see

p hot

0: saw

a run

o put

u: too

a ago

ar my

spoof without

1403 conscious

volition.

00

spontaneity

/,sppnto'ni:ttr,

“nenti/ n. spontaneously adv. spontaneousness taneus f. sponte of one’s own accord]

n. [LL spon-

spoof /spu:f/ n. & v. collog. —n. 1a parody. 2a hoax or swindle. —v.tr. 1 parody. 2 hoax, swindle. 00 spoofer n. spoofery n. [invented by A. Roberts, English comedian d. 1933] spook /spu:k/ n. & v. —n. 1 collog. a ghost. 2 US sl. a spy. —v. US sl. 1 tr. frighten, unnerve, alarm. 2 intr. take fright, become alarmed. [Du., = MLG spok, of unkn. orig.] spooky /'spu:ki/ adj. (spookier, spookiest) 1 collog. ghostly, eerie. 2 US sl. nervous; easily frightened. 3 US sl. of spies or espionage. 00 spookily adv. spookiness n. spool /spu:l/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa reel for winding magnetic tape, photographic film, etc, on. b a reel for winding yarn or US thread on. ¢ a quantity of tape, yarn, etc., wound on a spool. 2 the revolving cylinder of an angler’s reel. —v.tr. wind on a spool. [ME f. OF espole or f. MLG spdle, MDu. spoele, OHG spuolo, of unkn. orig.] spoon /spu:n/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa utensil consisting of an oval or round bowl and a handle for conveying food (esp. liquid) to the mouth, for stirring, etc. b a spoonful, esp. of sugar. c (in pl.) Mus. a pair of spoons held in the hand and beaten together rhythmically. 2 a spoon-shaped thing, esp. a (in full spoon-bait) a bright revolving piece of metal used as a lure in fishing. b an oar with a broad curved blade. ¢ a wooden-headed golf club. 3 collog. a a silly or demonstratively fond lover. b a simpleton. —v. 1 tr. (often foll. by up, out) take (liquid etc.) with a spoon. 2 fr. hit (a ball) feebly upwards. 3 colloqg. a intr. behave in an amorous way, esp. foolishly. b tr. archaic woo ina silly or sentimental way. 4 intr. fish with a spoon-bait. 0 born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth born in affluence. spoon-bread US soft maize bread. 00 spooner n. spoonful n. (pl. -fuls). [OE spon chip of wood f. Gmcj ;

spoonbill /'spu:nbtl/ n. 1 any large wading bird of the subfamily Plataleidae, having a bill with a very broad flat tip. 2 a shoveller duck. spoonerism /'spu:na,riz(2)m/ n. a transposition, usu. accidental, of the initial letters etc. of two or more words, e.g. you have hissed the mystery lectures. [Revd W. A. Spooner, English scholar d. 1930, reputed to make such errors in speaking]

spoonfeed /'spu:nfi:d/ v.tr. (past and past part. -fed) 1 feed (a baby etc.) with a spoon. 2 provide help, information, etc., to (a person) without requiring any effort on the recipient’s part. 3 artificially encourage (an industry) by subsidies or import duties. spoony |'spu:ni/ adj. & n. collog. archaic —adj. (spoonier, spooniest) 1 (often foll. by on) sentimental, amorous. 2 foolish, silly. —n. (pl. -ies) a simpleton. 00 spoonily adv. spooniness

n. spoor /spua(r)/ n. & v. —n. the track or scent of an animal. —-v.tr. & intr. follow by the spoor. 00 spoorer n. [Afrik. f. MDu. spo(o)r f. Gmc] Sporades /'spproa,di:z/ (Greek Sporadhes /spp'ra:di:z/) two sep-

arate groups of Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. The Northern Sporades, which lie to the east of mainland Greece, include the islands of Euboea, Skiros, Skiathos, Sképelos, and Iliodhromia. The Southern Sporades, off the west coast of Turkey, include Rhodes and the Dodecanese Islands. sporadic /spo'rzdik/ adj. occurring only here and there or occasionally, separate, scattered. 00 sporadically adv. [med.L sporadicus f. Gk sporadikos f. sporas -ados scattered: cf. speird to sow] sporangium /spo'rend31om/ n. (pl. sporangia |-d310/) Bot. a receptacle in which spores are found. 00 sporangial adj. [mod.L f. Gk spora sPORE + aggeion vessel] spore /spo:(r)/ n. 1a specialized reproductive cell of many plants and micro-organisms. 2 these collectively. [mod.L spora f. Gk spora sowing, seed f. speird sow] sporo- |'spo:rau/ comb. form Biol. a spore. [Gk spora (as sPoRE)] sporogenesis |,spo:ro'dzenisis/ n. the process of spore formation. sporogenous /spo'rpd3ines/ adj. producing spores. av how

er day

au no

eo hair

1a near

o1 boy

ua poor

spot

sporophyte /|'spo:ra,fait/ n. a spore-producing form of plant with alternating sexual and asexual generations. oD sporophytic /-'fittk/ adj. sporophytically /|-'fitrkoli/ adv. sporran /'sppran/ n. a pouch, usu. of leather or sealskin covered with fur etc., worn by a Highlander in front of the kilt. [Gael. sporan f. med.L bursa PURSE] sport /spo:t/n. & v. —n. 1 aa game or competitive activity, esp. an outdoor one involving physical exertion, e.g. cricket, football, racing, hunting. b such activities collectively (the world of sport). 2 (in pl.) Brit. a a meeting for competing in sports, esp. athletics (school sports). b athletics. 3 amusement, diversion, fun. 4 collog. aa fair or generous person. b a person behaving in a specified way, esp. regarding games, rules, etc. (a bad sport at tennis). c Austral. a form of address, esp. between males. d US a playboy. 5 Biol. an animal or plant deviating suddenly or strikingly from the normal type. 6 a plaything or butt (was the sport of Fortune). —v. 1 intr. divert oneself, take part in a pastime. 2 tr. wear, exhibit, or produce, esp. ostentatiously (sported a gold tie-pin). 3 intr. Biol. become or produce a sport. 0 have good sport be successful in shooting, fishing, etc. in sport jestingly. make sport of make fun of, ridicule. the sport of kings horse-racing (less often war, hunting, or surfing). sports car an open, lowbuilt fast car. sports coat (or jacket) a man’s jacket for informal wear. sports writer a person who writes (esp. as a journalist) on sports. 00 sporter n. [ME f. DIsPORT] sporting /'spo:tin/ adj. 1 interested in sport (a sporting man). 2 sportsmanlike, generous (a sporting offer). 3 concerned in sport (a sporting dog; sporting news). 0 a sporting chance some possibility of success. sporting house US a brothel. 00 sportingly adv. sportive |'spo:trv/ adj. playful. 00 sportively adv. sportiveness n. sportscast /|'spo:tska:st/ n. US a broadcast of a sports event or information about sport. 00 sportscaster n. sportsman |'spo:tsmon/ n. (pl. -men; fem. sportswoman, pl. -women) 1 a person who takes part in much sport, esp. professionally. 2 a person who behaves fairly and generously. oo sportsmanlike adj. sportsmanly adj. sportsmanship n. sportswear /'spo:tswea(r)/ n. clothes worn for sport or casual outdoor use. sporty /'spo:ti/ adj. (sportier, sportiest) collog. 1 fond of sport. 2 rakish, showy. 00 sportily adv. sportiness n. sporule /'spo:ru:l/ n. a small spore or a single spore. oo sporular adj. [F sporule or mod.L sporula (as sPORE)] spot /spot/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa small part of the surface of a thing distinguished by colour, texture, etc., usu. round or less elongated than a streak or stripe (a blue tie with pink spots). ba small mark or stain. ¢ a pimple. d a small circle or other shape used in various numbers to distinguish faces of dice, playing-cards ina suit, etc. e a moral blemish or stain (without a spot on his reputation). 2 a a particular place; a definite locality (dropped it on this precise spot; the spot where William III landed). ba place used for a particular activity (often in comb.: nightspot). c (prec. by the) Football the place from which a penalty kick is taken. 3 a particular part of one’s body or aspect of one’s character. 4 a collog. one’s esp. regular position in an organization, programme of events, etc. b a place or position in a performance or show (did the spot before the interval). 5 Brit. a collog. a small quantity of anything (a spot of lunch; a spot of trouble). b a drop (a spot of rain). ¢ collog. a drink. 6 = SPOTLIGHT. 7 (usu. attrib.) money paid or goods delivered immediately after a sale (spot cash; spot silver). 8 Billiards etc. a a small round black patch to mark the position where a ball is placed at certain times. b (in full spot-ball) the white ball distinguished from the other by two black spots. —v. (spotted, spotting) 1 tr. a collog. single out beforehand (the winner of a race etc.). b collog. recognize the identity, nationality, etc., of (spotted him at once as the murderer). c watch for and take note of (trains, talent, etc.). d collog. catch sight of. e Mil. locate (an enemy’s position), esp. from the air. 2 a tr. & intr. mark or become marked with spots. b tr. stain, soil (a person’s character etc.). 3 intr. make spots, rain slightly (it was spotting with rain). 4 tr. Billiards place (a ball) on a spot. Oo in

aio fire

aus sour

(see over for consonants)

spotless

spring

1404

a ee ee

a spot (or in a tight etc. spot) collog. in difficulty. on the spot 1 at the scene of an action or event. 2 collog. in a position such that response or action is required. 3 without delay or change of place, then and there. 4 (of a person) wide awake, equal to the situation, in good form at a game etc. put on the spot US sl. decide to murder. running on the spot raising the feet alternately as in running but without moving forwards or backwards. spot check a test made on the spot or on a randomly-selected subject. spot height 1 the altitude of a point. 2. figure on a map showing this. spot on Brit. collog. adj. precise; on target. —adv. precisely. spot weld a weld made in spot welding. spot-weld v.tr. join by spot welding. spot welder a person or device that spot-welds. spot welding welding two surfaces together in a series of discrete points. [ME, perh. f. MDu. spotte, LG spot, ON spotti small piece] spotless /'spptlis/ adj. immaculate; absolutely clean or pure. 00 spotlessly adv. spotlessness n.

spotlight /'spptlart/ n. & v. —n. 1 a beam of light directed on a small area, esp. on a particular part of a theatre stage or of the road in front of a vehicle. 2 a lamp projecting this. 3 full attention or publicity. —v.tr. (past and past part. -lighted or -lit) 1 direct a spotlight on. 2 make conspicuous, draw attention to.

spotted /'spptid/ adj. marked or decorated with spots. o spotted dick (or dog) 1 Brit. a suet pudding containing currants. 2 a Dalmatian dog. spotted fever 1 cerebrospinal meningitis. 2 typhus. 00 spottedness n. spotter /'sppta(r)/ n. 1 (often in comb.) a person who spots people or things (train-spotter). 2 an aviator or aircraft employed in locating enemy positions etc. spotty /'spoti/ adj. (spottier, spottiest) 1 marked with spots. 2 patchy, irregular. 00 spottily adv. spottiness n. spouse /spauz, spaus/ n. a husband or wife. [ME spis(e) f. OF sp(o)us (masc.), sp(o)use (fem.), vars. of espous(e) f. L sponsus sponsa past part. of spondére betroth] spout /spavt/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa projecting tube or lip through which a liquid etc. is poured from a teapot, kettle, jug, etc., or issues from a fountain, pump, etc. b a sloping trough down which a thing may be shot into a receptacle. ¢hist. a lift serving a pawnbroker’s storeroom. 2 a jet or column of liquid, grain, etc. 3 (in full spout-hole) a whale’s blow-hole. —v.tr. & intr. 1 discharge or issue forcibly in a jet. 2 utter (verses etc.) or speak in a declamatory manner, speechify. 0 up the spout sl. 1 useless, ruined, hopeless. 2 pawned. 3 pregnant. 00 spouter n. spoutless adj. [ME f. MDu. spouten, orig. imit.]

attitude. 2 a straggling group or mass. 3 the straggling expansion of an urban or industrial area. 00 sprawlingly adv. [OE . spreawlian]

spray! /spret/n. & v. —n. 1 water or other liquid flying in small drops from the force of the wind, the dashing of waves, or the action of an atomizer etc. 2 a liquid preparation to be applied in this form with an atomizer etc., esp. for medical purposes. 3 an instrument or apparatus for such application. —v.tr. (also absol.) 1 throw (liquid) in the form of spray. 2 sprinkle (an object) with small drops or particles, esp. (a plant) with an insecticide. 3 (absol.) (of a tom-cat) mark its environment with the smell of its urine, as an attraction to females. 0 spray-dry (-dries, -dried) dry (milk etc.) by spraying into hot air etc. spray-gun a gunlike device for spraying paint etc. spray-paint paint (a surface) by means of a spray. 00 sprayable adj. sprayer n. [earlier spry, perh. rel. to MDu. spra(e)yen, MHG sprajen sprinkle] spray? /sprei/ n. 1 a sprig of flowers or leaves, or a branch of a tree with branchlets or flowers, esp. a slender or graceful one. 2 an ornament in a similar form (a spray of diamonds). 00 sprayey |'sprem/ adj. [ME f. OE spreg (unrecorded)] spread /spred/ v. & n. —v. (past and past part. spread) 1 tr. (often foll. by out) a open or extend the surface of. b cause to cover a larger surface (spread butter on bread). c display to the eye or the mind (the view was spread out before us). 2 intr. (often foll. by out) have a wide or specified or increasing extent (on every side spread a vast desert; spreading trees). 3 intr. & tr. become or make widely known, felt, etc. (rumours are spreading; spread alittle happiness). 4 tr. a cover the surface of (spread the wall with paint; a meadow spread with daisies). b lay (a table). —n. 1 the act or an instance of spreading. 2 capability of expanding (has a large spread). 3 diffusion (spread of learning). 4 breadth, compass (arches of equal spread). 5 an aircraft’s wing-span. 6 increased bodily girth (middle-aged spread). 7 the difference between two rates, prices, etc. 8 collog. an elaborate meal. 9 a sweet or savoury paste for spreading on bread etc. 10 a bedspread. 11 printed matter spread across two facing pages or across more than one column. 12 US a ranch with extensive land. 0 spread eagle 1 a representation of an eagle with legs and wings extended as an emblem. 2 hist. a person secured with arms and legs spread out, esp. to be flogged. spread-eagle v.tr. (usu. as spread-eagled adj.) 1 place (a person) in this position. 2 defeat utterly. 3 spread out. —adj. US bombastic, esp. noisily patriotic. spread oneself be lavish or discursive. spread one’s wings see WING. 00 spreadable adj. spreader n. [OE -sprédan f. WG]

spreadsheet

profits and Romanus]

quick returns.

[sense

1 f. L Senatus

/'spredji:t/ n. a computer

program

allowing

manipulation and flexible retrieval of esp. tabulated numerical data.

SPQR abbr. 1 hist. the Senate and people of Rome. 2 small Populusque

Sprechgesang |'{prexgs,za:n/n. Mus. a style of dramatic vocalization between speech and song. [G, lit. ‘speech song’] spree /spri:/ n. & v. collog. —n. 1 a lively extravagant outing (shopping spree). 2 a bout of fun or drinking etc. —v.intr. (sprees, spreed) have a spree. 0 on the spree engaged in a spree. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

Spr. abbr. (in the UK) Sapper. sprag /spreg/ n. 1 a thick piece of wood or similar device used as a brake. 2 a support-prop in a coal mine. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]} sprain /sprein/ v. & n. —v.tr. wrench (an ankle, wrist, etc.) violently so as to cause pain and swelling but not dislocation. —n. 1 such a wrench. 2 the resulting inflammation and swelling. [17th c.: orig. unkn.] sprang past of sPRING. sprat /spreet/n. & v. —n. 1 a small European herring-like fish, Sprattus sprattus, much used as food. 2 a similar fish, e.g. a sand eel or a young herring. —v.intr. (spratted, spratting) fish for sprats. 0 a sprat to catch a mackerel a small risk to gain much. OO spratter n. spratting n. [OE sprot]

sprig! /sprig/ n. & v. —n.

sprig? /sprig/n. a small tapering headless tack. [ME: orig. unkn.] sprightly /'spraitli/ adj. (sprightlier, sprightliest) vivacious,

Spratly Islands /'spretli/ a group of islets and coral reefs in the South China Sea between Vietnam and Borneo. Dispersed over a distance of some 965 km (600 miles), the islands are claimed in whole or in part by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the

Philippines, and Malaysia. sprauncy |/'spro:nsi/ adj. (sprauncier, spraunciest) Brit: sl. smart or showy. [20th c.: perh. rel. to dial. sprouncey cheerful] sprawl /spro:l/ v. & n. —v. 1 a intr. sit or lie or fall with limbs flung out or in an ungainly way. b tr. spread (one’s limbs) in this way. 2 intr. (of handwriting, a plant, a town, etc.) be of irregular or straggling form. —n. 1 a sprawling movement or

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

1 a small branch or shoot. 2 an

ornament resembling this, esp. on fabric. 3 usu. derog. a youth or young man (a sprig of the nobility). —v.tr. (sprigged, sprigging) 1 ornament with sprigs (a dress of sprigged muslin). 2 (usu. as sprigging n.) decorate (ceramic ware) with ornaments in applied relief. 00 spriggy adj. [ME f. or rel. to LG sprick]

lively, brisk. 00 sprightliness n. [spright var. of SPRITE + -Ly}] spring /sprin/ v. & n. —v. (past sprang /spren/ or US sprung /spran/; past part. sprung) 1 intr. jump; move rapidly or suddenly (sprang from his seat; sprang through the gap; sprang to their assistance). 2 intr. move rapidly as from a constrained position or by the action of a spring (the branch sprang back; the door sprang to). 3 intr. (usu. foll. by from) originate or arise (springs from an old family; their actions spring from a false conviction). 4 intr. (usu. foll. by up) come into being; appear, esp. suddenly (a breeze sprang up; the belief has sprung up). 5 tr. cause to act suddenly, esp: by means of a spring (spring a trap). 6 tr. (often foll. by on) produce or

kcat

lleg

m man

nono

p pen

rred s

sit t top

v voice

springboard

develop or make known suddenly or unexpectedly (has sprung a new theory; loves to spring surprises). 7 tr. sl. contrive the escape or release of. 8 tr. rouse (game) from earth or covert. 9 a intr. become warped or split. b tr. split, crack (wood or a wooden implement). 10 tr. (usu. as sprung adj.) provide (a motor vehicle etc.) with springs. 11 a tr. collog. spend (money). b intr. (usu. foll. by for) US & Austral. sl. pay for a treat. 12 tr. cause (a mine) to explode. —n. 1 a jump (took a spring; rose with a spring). 2a backward movement from a constrained position; a recoil, e.g. of a bow. 3 elasticity; ability to spring back strongly (a mattress with plenty of spring). 4 a resilient device usu. of bent or coiled metal used esp. to drive clockwork or for cushioning in furniture or vehicles. 5 a the season in which vegetation begins to appear, the first season of the year, in the N. hemisphere from March to May and in the S. hemisphere from September to November. b Astron. the period from the vernal equinox to the summer solstice. ¢ (often foll. by of) the early stage of life etc. d = spring tide. 6 a place where water, oil, etc., wells up from the earth; the basin or flow so formed (hot springs; mineral springs). 7 the motive for or origin of an action, custom, etc. (the springs of human action). 8 sl. an escape or release from prison. 9 the upward curve ofa beam etc. from a horizontal line. 10 the splitting or yielding of a plank etc. under strain. o spring balance a balance that measures weight by the tension of a spring. spring bed a bed with a spring mattress. spring chicken 1 a young fowl for eating (orig. available only in spring). 2 (esp. with neg.) a young person (she’s no spring chicken). spring-clean n. a thorough cleaning of a house or room, esp. in spring. —v.tr. clean (a house or room) in this way. spring fever a restless or lethargic feeling sometimes associated with spring. spring greens the leaves of young cabbage plants. spring a leak develop a leak (orig. Naut., from timbers springing out of position). spring-loaded containing a compressed or stretched spring pressing one part against another. spring mattress a mattress containing or consisting of springs. spring onion an onion taken from the ground before the bulb has formed, and eaten raw in salad. spring roll a Chinese snack consisting of a pancake filled with vegetables etc. and fried. spring tide a tide just after new and full moon when there is the greatest difference between high and low water. spring water water from a spring, as opposed to river or rain water. sprung rhythm a poetic metre approximating to speech, each foot having one stressed syllable followed by a varying number of unstressed. The term was invented by G. M. Hopkins (see Hopkins?) to describe his own idiosyncratic poetic metre. 00 springless adj. springlet n. springlike adj. [OE springan f. Gmc]

springboard /'sprinbo:d/ n. 1 a springy board giving impetus in leaping, diving, etc. 2 a source of impetus in any activity. 3 US & Austral. a platform inserted in the side of a tree, on which a lumberjack stands to chop at some height from the ground.

springbok /'sprinbpk/ n. 1 a southern African gazelle, Antidorcas marsupialis, with the ability to run with high springing jumps. 2 (Springbok) a South African, esp. one who has played for South Africa in international sporting competitions. [Afrik. f. Du. springen sPRING + bok antelope] springe /sprind3/ n. a noose or snare for catching small game. [ME, rel. to obs. sprenge, and SPRING] springer /'sprino(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that springs. 2 aa

small spaniel of a breed used to spring game. bthis breed. 3 Archit. a the part of an arch where the curve begins. b the lowest stone of this. ¢ the bottom stone of the coping of a gable. da

rib of a groined roof or vault. 4 a springbok.

Springfield /|'sprinfield/ the capital of Illinois; pop. (1980) 99,640. It was the home and burial place of Abraham Lincoln. springtail /'sprinterl/ n. any wingless insect of the order Collembola, leaping by means of a springlike caudal part.

springtide /'sprintaid/ n. poet. = SPRINGTIME. springtime /'sprintaim/ n. 1 the season of spring. 2 a time compared to this.

springy /'sprini/ adj. (springier, springiest) 1 springing back quickly when squeezed or stretched, elastic. 2 (of movements) as of a springy substance. oo springily adv. springiness n.

sprinkle /'sprink(o)l/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 scatter (liquid, ashes, wwe

z zoo

f she

spume

1405

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

crumbs, etc.) in small drops or particles. 2 (often foll. by with) subject (the ground or an object) to sprinkling with liquid etc. 3 (of liquid etc.) fall on in this way. 4 distribute in small amounts. —n. (usu. foll. by of) 1 a light shower. 2 = spRINKLING. [ME, perh. f. MDu. sprenkelen]

sprinkler /'sprinklo(r)/ n. a person or thing that sprinkles, esp. a device for sprinkling water on a lawn or to extinguish fires.

sprinkling /'sprinklin/ n. (usu. foll. by of) a small thinly distributed number or amount. sprint /sprint/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. run a short distance at full speed. 2 tr. run (a specified distance) in this way. —n. 1 such a run. 2 a similar short spell of maximum effort in cycling, swimming, motor racing, etc. OO sprinter n. [ON sprinta (unrecorded), of unkn. orig.] sprit /sprit/ n. a small spar reaching diagonally from the mast to the upper outer corner of the sail. [OE spréot pole, rel. to SPROUT] sprite /sprait/ n. an elf, fairy, or goblin. [ME f. sprit var. of spirit]

spritsail /'sprits(o)l, -serl/ n. 1a sail extended by a sprit. 2 hist. a sail extended by a yard set under the bowsprit. spritz /sprits/ v. & n. US —v.tr. sprinkle, squirt, or spray. —n. the act or an instance of spritzing. [G spritzen to squirt] spritzer |'spritsa(r)/ n. a mixture of wine and soda water. [G Spritzer a splash] sprocket /'sprokit/ n. 1 each of several teeth on a wheel engaging with links of a chain, e.g. on a bicycle, or with holes in film or tape or paper. 2 (also sprocket-wheel) a wheel with sprockets. [16th c.: orig. unkn.] sprog /sprog/ n. sl. a child; a baby. [orig. services’ sl. = new recruit: perh. f. obs. sprag lively young man] sprout /spravt/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. put forth, produce (shoots, hair, etc.) (has sprouted a moustache). 2 intr. begin to grow, put forth shoots. 3 intr. spring up, grow to a height. —n. 1 a shoot ofa plant. 2 = BRUSSELS spRoUT. [OE spriitan (unrecorded) f. WG] spruce! /spru:s/ adj. & v. —adj. neat in dress and appearance; trim, smart. —v.tr. & intr. (also refl.; usu. foll. by up) make or become smart. 00 sprucely adv. spruceness n. [perh. f. SPRUCE? in obs. sense ‘Prussian’, in the collocation spruce (leather) jerkin] spruce? /spru:s/n. 1 any coniferous tree of the genus Picea, with dense foliage growing in a distinctive conical shape. 2 the wood of this tree used as timber. 0 spruce beer a fermented beverage using spruce twigs and needles as flavouring. [alt. of obs. Pruce Prussia: cf. PRUSSIAN] spruce? /spru:s/ v. Brit. sl. 1 tr. deceive. 2 intr. lie, practise deception. 3 intr. evade a duty, malinger. 00 sprucer n. [20th c.: orig. unkn.]} sprue! /spru:/n. 1 a channel through which metal or plastic is poured into a mould. 2 a piece of metal or plastic which has filled a sprue and solidified there. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] sprue? /spru:/n. a tropical disease with ulceration of the mucous membrane of the mouth and chronic enteritis. [Du. spruw THRUSH?, cf. Flem. spruwen sprinkle] spruik /spru:k/ v.intr. Austral. & NZ sl. speak in public, esp. as a showman. 00 spruiker n. [20th c.: orig. unkn.] spruit /spreit/ n. S.Afr. a small watercourse, usu. dry except during the rainy season. [Du., rel. to SPROUT] SPruNg see SPRING. spry /sprai/ adj. (spryer, spryest) active, lively. 00 spryly adv. spryness n. [18th c., dial. & US: orig. unkn.]} spud /|spad/ n. & v. —n. 1 sl. a potato. 2 a small narrow spade for cutting the roots of weeds etc. —v.tr. (spudded, spudding) 1 (foll. by up, out) remove (weeds) with a spud. 2 (also absol.; often foll. by in) make the initial drilling for (an oil well). o spud-bashing Brit. sl. a lengthy spell of peeling potatoes. [ME: orig. unkn.] spue var. of sPEW. spumante /spu:'menti/ n. an Italian sparkling white wine (cf. Ast). [It., = ‘sparkling’] spume /spju:m/ n. & v.intr. froth, foam. 00 spumous adj. spumy adj. (spumier, spumiest). [ME f. OF (e)spume or L spuma]

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

spumoni a

square

1406

a

spumoni

out explore or discover, esp. secretly. [ME f. OF espie espying, espier espy f. Gmc]

/spu:'mouni/ n. US a kind of ice-cream dessert. [It.

spumone f. spuma SPUME] spun past and past part. of sPIN. spunk /spank/ n. 1 touchwood. 2 collog. courage, mettle, spirit. 3 coarse sl. semen. § Usually considered a taboo use. [16th c.: orig. unkn.: cf. PUNK] spunky /'spanki/ adj. (spunkier, spunkiest) collog. brave, spirited. 00 spunkily adv. spur /sps:(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a device with a small spike or a spiked wheel worn on a rider’s heel for urging a horse forward. 2 a stimulus or incentive. 3 a spur-shaped thing, esp.: a a projection from a mountain or mountain range. b a branch road or railway. ¢ a hard projection on a cock’s leg. d a steel point fastened to the leg of a gamecock. e a climbing-iron. fa small support for ceramic ware in a kiln. 4 Bot. a a slender hollow projection from part of a flower. b a short fruit-bearing shoot. —v. (spurred, spurring) 1 tr. prick (a horse) with spurs. 2 tr. a (often foll. by on) incite (a person) (spurred him on to greater efforts; spurred her to try again). b stimulate (interest etc.). 3 intr. (often foll. by on, forward) ride a horse hard. 4 tr. (esp. as spurred adj.) provide (a person, boots, a gamecock) with spurs. 0 on the spur of the moment on a momentary impulse; impromptu. put (or set) spurs to 1 spur (a horse). 2 stimulate (resolution etc.). spur-gear = spur-wheel. spur royal hist. a 15-shilling coin of James I bearing a spurlike sun with rays. spur-wheel a cog-wheel with radial teeth. 00 spurless adj. [OE spora, spura f. Gmc, rel. to SPURN] spurge /sp3:d3/ n. any plant of the genus Euphorbia, exuding an acrid milky juice once used medicinally as a purgative. oOspurge laurel any shrub of the genus Daphne, esp. D. laureola, with small yellow flowers. [ME f. OF espurge f. espurgier f. L expurgare (as Ex-}, PURGE)] spurious /'spjuorios/ adj. 1 not genuine, not being what it purports to be, not proceeding from the pretended source (a spurious excuse). 2 having an outward similarity of form or function only. 3 (of offspring) illegitimate. 00 spuriously adv. spuriousness n. [L spurius false] spurn /sp3:n/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 reject with disdain; treat with contempt. 2 repel or thrust back with one’s foot. —n. an act of spurning. 00 spurner n. [OE spurnan, spornan, rel. to spuR]

. spyglass /'spaigla:s/ n. a small telescope. spyhole /'spathool/ n. a peep-hole.

spurrier /'spario(r)/ n. a spur-maker. spurry /'spari/n. (also spurrey) (pl. -ies or -eys) a slender plant of the genus Spergula, esp. the corn-spurry, a white-flowered weed in cornfields etc. [Du. spurrie, prob. rel. to med.L spergula] spurt /sps:t/ v. & n. —v. 1 (also spirt) a intr. gush out in a jet or stream. b tr. cause (liquid etc.) to do this. 2 intr. make a sudden effort. —n. 1 (also spirt) a sudden gushing out, a jet. 2 a short sudden effort or increase of pace esp. in racing. [16th c.: orig. unkn.]} sputnik /'spotnik, 'spat-/ n. each of a series of Soviet artificial satellites orbiting the Earth. The first of these was launched on 4 Oct. 1957. [Russ., = fellow-traveller] sputter /'spato(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. emit spitting sounds, esp. when being heated. 2 intr. (often foll. by at) speak in a hurried or vehement fashion. 3 tr. emit with a spitting sound. 4 tr. speak or utter (words, threats, a language, etc.) rapidly or incoherently. 5 tr. Physics deposit (metal) by using fast ions etc. to eject particles of it from a target. —n. a sputtering sound, esp. sputtering speech. 00 sputterer n. [Du. sputteren (imit.)] sputum /'spju:tom/ n. (pl. sputa /-to/) 1 saliva, spittle. 2 a mixture of saliva and mucus expectorated from the respiratory tract, usu. a sign of disease. [L, neut. past part. of spuere spit] spy /spai/n. & v. —n. (pl. spies) 1 a person who secretly collects and reports information on the activities, movements, etc., of an enemy, competitor, etc. 2 a person who keeps watch on others, esp. furtively. —v. (spies, spied) 1 tr. discern or make out, esp. by careful observation (spied a house in the distance). 2 intr. (often foll. by on) act as a spy, keep a close and secret watch. 3 intr. (often foll. by into) pry. o I spy a children’s game of guessing a visible object from the initial letter of its name. spy-master collog. the head of an organization of spies. spy z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

sq. abbr. square.

Sqn. Ldr. abbr. Squadron Leader. squab |skwob/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a short fat person. 2 a young esp. unfledged pigeon or other bird. 3 a a stuffed cushion. b Brit. the padded back or side of a car-seat. 4 a sofa or ottoman. —adj. short and fat, squat. 0 squab-chick an unfledged bird. squab pie 1 pigeon pie. 2 a pie of mutton, pork, onions, and apples. [17th c.: orig. unkn.: cf. obs. quab shapeless thing, Sw. dial. sqvabba fat woman]

squabble /'skwob(2)l/ n. & v. —n. a petty or noisy quarrel. —v.intr. engage in a squabble. oo squabbler n. [prob. imit.: cf. Sw. dial. sqvabbel a dispute]

squabby |'skwobi/ adj. (squabbier, squabbiest) short and fat; squat. squad /skwod/ n. 1 a small group of people sharing a task etc. 2 Mil. a small number of men assembled for drill etc. 3 Sport a group of players forming a team. 4 a (often in comb.) a specialized unit within a police force (drug squad). b = flying squad. 5a group or class of people of a specified kind (the awkward squad). 0 squad car a police car having a radio link with headquarters. [F escouade var. of escadre f. It. squadra SQUARE]

squaddie |'skwodi/ n. (also squaddy) (pl. -ies) Brit. Mil. sl. 1a recruit. 2 a private. squadron |/'skwodron/ n. 1 an organized body of persons. 2 a principal division of a cavalry regiment or armoured formation, consisting of two troops. 3 a detachment of warships employed on a particular duty. 4 a unit of the Royal Air Force with 10 to 18 aircraft. oOSquadron Leader the commander of a squadron of the Royal Air Force, the officer next below Wing Commander. [It. squadrone (as SQUAD)] squail /skwell/ n. 1 (in pl.) a game with small wooden discs propelled across a table or board. 2 each of these discs. o squail-board a board used in squails. [19th c.: orig. unkn.: cf. dial. kayles skittles]

squalid /'skwolid/ adj. 1 filthy, repulsively dirty. 2 mean or poor in appearance. 3 wretched, sordid. 00 squalidity n. /-'liditi/ squalidly adv. squalidness n. [L squalidus f. squalére be rough or dirty] squall /skwo:l/ n. & v. —n. 1a sudden or violent gust or storm of wind, esp. with rain or snow or sleet. 2 a discordant cry; a scream (esp. of a baby). 3 (esp. in pl.) trouble, difficulty. —v. 1 intr. utter a squall; scream, cry out violently as in fear or pain. 2 tr. utter in a screaming or discordant voice. 00 squally adj. [prob. f. sQUEAL after BAWL] squalor /'skwolo(r)/ n. the state of being filthy or squalid. [L, as SQUALID]

squama /'skweimo/ n. (pl. squamae /-mi:/) 1 a scale on an animal or plant. 2 a thin scalelike plate of bone. 3 a scalelike feather. 00 squamate /-meit/ adj. squamose adj. squamous adj. squamule n. [L squama] squander /'skwonda(r)/ v.tr. 1 spend (money, time, etc.) wastefully. 2 dissipate (a fortune etc.) wastefully. oo squanderer n. [16th c.: orig. unkn.] square /skweo(r)/ n., adj., adv., & v. —n. 1 an equilateral rectangle. 2 a an object of this shape or approximately this shape. b a small square area on a game-board. ¢ a square scarf. d an academic cap with a stiff square top; a mortarboard. 3 a an open (usu. four-sided) area surrounded by buildings, esp. one planted with trees etc. and surrounded by houses. b an open area at the meeting of streets. ¢ Cricket a closer-cut area at the centre of a ground, any strip of which may be prepared as a wicket. d an area within barracks etc. for drill. e US a block of buildings bounded by four streets. 4 the product of a number multiplied byitself (81 is the square of 9). 5 an L-shaped or T-shaped instrument for obtaining or testing right angles. 6 sl. a conventional or old-fashioned person, one ignorant of or opposed to current trends. 7 a square arrangement of letters, figures,

i: see

p hot

0: saw

a run

o put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

Squarial

etc. 8 a body of infantry drawn up in rectangular form. 9 a unit of 100 sq. ft. as a measure of flooring etc. 10 US a square meal (three squares a day). —adj. 1 having the shape of a square. 2 having or in the form of a right angle (table with square corners). 3 angular and not round; of square section (has a square jaw). 4 designating a unit of measure equal to the area of a square whose side is one of the unit specified (square metre). 5 (often foll. by with) a level, parallel. b on a proper footing; even, quits. 6 a (usu. foll. by to) at right angles. b Cricket on a line through the stumps at right angles to the wicket. 7 having the breadth more nearly equal to the length or height than is usual (a man of square frame). 8 properly arranged; in good order, settled (get things square). 9 (also all square) a not in debt, with no money owed. b having equal scores, esp. Golf having won the same number of holes as one’s opponent. ¢ (of scores) equal. 10 fair and honest (his dealings are not always quite square). 11 uncompromising, direct, thorough (was met with a square refusal). 12 sl. conventional or old-fashioned, unsophisticated, conservative (cf. sense 6 of n.). 13 Mus. (of rhythm) simple, straightforward. —adyv. 1 squarely (sat square on his seat). 2 fairly, honestly (piay square). —v. 1 tr. make square or rectangular, give a rectangular cross-section to (timber etc.). 2 tr. multiply (a number) by itself (3 squared is 9). 3 tr. & intr. (usu. foll. by to, with) adjust; make or be suitable or consistent; reconcile (the results do not square with your conclusions). 4 tr. mark out in squares. 5 tr. settle or pay (a bill etc.). 6 tr. place (one’s shoulders etc.) squarely facing forwards. 7 tr. collog. a pay or bribe. b secure the acquiescence etc. of (a person) in this way. 8 tr. (also absol.) make the scores of (a match etc.) all square. 9 intr. assume the attitude of a boxer. 10 tr. Naut.

a lay (yards) at right angles with the keel making them at the same time horizontal. b get (dead-eyes) horizontal. c get (ratlines) horizontal and parallel to one another. 0 back to square one collog. back to the starting-point with no progress made. get square with pay or compound with (a creditor). on the square adj. 1 colloq. honest, fair. 2 having membership of the Freemasons. —adv. collog. honestly. fairly (can be trusted to act on the square). out of square not at right angles. perfect square = square number. square accounts with see ACCOUNT. square away US tidy up. square-bashing Brit. Mil. sl. drill on a barrack-square. square brackets brackets of the form []. square-built of comparatively broad shape. square the circle 1 construct a square equal in area to a given circle (a problem incapable of a purely geometrical solution). 2 do what is impossible. square dance a dance with usu. four couples facing inwards from four sides. square deal a fair bargain, fair treatment. squared paper paper marked out in squares, esp. for plotting graphs. square-eyed joc. affected by or given to excessive viewing of television. square leg Cricket 1 the fielding position at some distance on the batsman’s leg side and nearly opposite the stumps. 2afielder in this position. square meal a substantial and satisfying meal. square measure measure expressed in square units. square number the square of an integer e.g. 1, 4, 9, 16. square off 1 US assume the attitude of a boxer. 2 Austral. placate or conciliate. 3 mark out in squares. square peg in a round hole see PEG. square piano an early type of piano, small and oblong in shape. square-rigged with the principal sails at right angles to the length of the ship and extended by horizontal yards slung to the mast by the middle (opp. fore-and-aft rigged). square root the number that multiplied by itself gives a specified number (3 is the square root of 9). square sail a four-cornered sail extended on a yard slung to the mast by the middle. square-shouldered with broad and not sloping shoulders (cf. round-shouldered). square-toed 1 (of shoes or boots) having square toes. 2 wearing such shoes or boots. 3 formal, prim. square up settle an account etc. square up to 1 move towards (a person) in a fighting attitude. 2 face and tackle (a difficulty etc.) resolutely. square wave Physics a

wave with periodic sudden alternations between only two values of quantity. 00 squarely adv. squareness n. squarer n. squarish adj. [ME f. OF esquare, esquarré, esquarrer, ult. f. Ex-! + L quadra square]

Squarial |'skweartol/ n. propr. a diamond-shaped satellite dish. [SQUARE + AERIAL] av how

ei day

squeegee

1407

9u0 no

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

va poor

squarrose |'skworaus/ adj. Bot. & Zool. rough with scalelike projections. [L squarrosus scurfy, scabby]

squash! /skwo/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. crush or squeeze flat or into pulp. 2 intr. (often foll. by into) make one’s way by squeezing. 3 tr. pack tight, crowd. 4 tr. a silence (a person) with a crushing retort etc. b dismiss (a proposal etc.). ¢ quash (a rebellion). —n. 1 a crowd; a crowded assembly. 2 a sound of or as of something

being squashed, or of a soft body falling. 3 Brit. a concentrated drink made of crushed fruit etc., diluted with water. 4 squash rackets (see separate entry). 5 a squashed thing or mass. oO squash tennis US a game similar to squash, played with a lawn-tennis ball. 00 squashy adj. (squashier, squashiest). squashily adv. squashiness n. [alt. of QUASH] squash? /skwpj/ n. (pl. same or squashes) 1 any of various trailing plants of the genus Cucurbita, esp. C. maxima, C. moschata, and C. pepo, having pumpkin-like fruits. 2 the fruit of these cooked and eaten as a vegetable. [obs. (i)squoutersquash f. Narraganset asquutasquash f. asq uncooked + squash green]

squash rackets n. a game played with rackets and a small fairly soft ball in a closed court. It is derived from the game of rackets (see entry), and originated at Harrow School in England, the word squash being derived from the softer hollow ‘squashy’ ball used. squat /skwot/ v., adj., & n. —v. (squatted, squatting) 1 intr. a crouch with the hams resting on the backs of the heels. b sit on the ground etc. with the knees drawn up and the heels close to or touching the hams. 2 tr. put (a person) into a squatting position. 3 intr. collog. sit down. 4 a intr. act as a squatter. b tr. occupy (a building) as a squatter. 5 intr. (of an animal) crouch close to the ground. —adj. (squatter, squattest) 1 (of a person etc.) short and thick, dumpy. 2 in a squatting posture. —n. 1a squatting posture. 2 a a place occupied by a squatter or squatters. b being a squatter. 00 squatly adv. squatness n. [ME f. OF esquatir flatten f. es- Ex-1 + quatir press down, crouch ult. f. L coactus past part. of cogere compel: see COGENT] squatter /'skwopta(r)/ n. 1 a person who takes unauthorized possession of unoccupied premises. 2 Austral. a a sheep-farmer esp. on a large scale. b hist. a person who gets the right of pasturage from the government on easy terms. 3 a person who settles on new esp. public land without title. 4 a person who squats. squaw /skwo:/ n. a N. American Indian woman or wife. o squaw-man a White married to a squaw. squaw winter (in N. America) a brief wintry spell before an Indian Summer. [Narraganset squaws, Massachusetts squaw woman] squawk /skwo:k/ n. & v. —n. 1a loud harsh cry esp. of a bird. 2 acomplaint. —v.intr. utter a squawk. 0 squawk-box colloq. a loudspeaker or intercom. 00 squawker n. [imit.] squeak /skwi:k/ n. & v. —n. 1. aa short shrill cry as of a mouse. b a slight high-pitched sound as of an unoiled hinge. 2 (also narrow squeak) a narrow escape, a success barely attained. —v. 1 intr. make a squeak. 2 tr. utter (words) shrilly. 3 intr. (foll. by by, through) collog. pass narrowly. 4 intr. sl. turn informer. [ME, imit.: cf. SQUEAL, SHRIEK, and Sw. skvdka croak]

squeaker /'skwi:ka(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that squeaks. 2 a young bird, esp. a pigeon.

squeaky

|'skwi:ki/ adj. (squeakier,

squeakiest)

making a

squeaking sound. 0 squeaky clean 1 completely clean. 2 above criticism; beyond reproach. 00 squeakily adv. squeakiness n. squeal /skwi:l/ n. & v. —n. a prolonged shrill sound, esp. a cry of a child or a pig. —v. 1 intr. make a squeal. 2 tr. utter (words) with a squeal. 3 intr. sl. turn informer. 4 intr. sl. protest loudly or excitedly. 00 squealer n. [ME, imit.] squeamish /'skwi:mi{/ adj. 1 easily nauseated or disgusted. 2 fastidious or overscrupulous in questions of propriety, honesty, etc. 00 squeamishly adv. squeamishness n. [ME var. of squeamous (now dial.), f. AF escoymos, of unkn. orig.] squeegee /'skwi:d3i:/ n. & v. —n. 1a rubber-edged implement set on a long handle and used for cleaning windows, etc. 2 a small similar instrument or roller used in photography. —-v.tr. (squeegees, squeegeed) treat with a squeegee. [squeege, strengthened form of SQUEEZE]

aio fire

aua sour

(see over for consonants)

squeeze

Srinagar

1408

ee as

squeeze /skwi:z/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. a exert pressure on from opposite or all sides, esp. in order to extract moisture or reduce size. b compress with one’s hand or between two bodies. c reduce the size of or alter the shape of by squeezing. 2 tr. (often foll. by out) extract (moisture) by squeezing. 3 a tr. force (a person or thing) into or through a small or narrow space. b intr. make one’s way by squeezing. ¢ tr. make (one’s way) by squeezing. 4 tr. a harass by exactions; extort money etc. from. b constrain; bring pressure to bear on. c (usu. foll. by out of) obtain (money etc.) by extortion, entreaty, etc. d Bridge subject (a player) to. a squeeze. 5tr. press (a person’s hand) with one’s own as a sign of sympathy, affection, etc. 6 tr. (often foll. by out) produce with effort (squeezed out a tear). —n. 1 an instance of squeezing; the state of being squeezed. 2 Brit. a close embrace. 3 a crowd or crowded state; a crush. 4a small quantity produced by squeezing (a squeeze of lemon). 5 a sum of money extorted or exacted, esp. an illicit commission. 6 Econ. a restriction on borrowing, investment, etc., in a financial crisis. 7 an impression of a coin etc. taken by pressing damp paper, wax, etc., against it. 8 (in full squeeze play) a Bridge leading winning cards until an opponent is forced to discard an important card. b Baseball hitting a ball short to the infield to enable a runner on third base to start for home as soon as the ball is pitched. 0 put the squeeze on collog. coerce or pressure (a person). squeeze bottle a flexible container whose contents are extracted by squeezing it. squeeze-box sl. an accordion or concertina. 00 squeezable adj. squeezer n. [earlier squise, intensive of obs. queise, of unkn. orig.]

3 Brit. collog. ajocular form of address to a man. 4 US a magistrate or lawyer. 5 Austral. a young snapper fish. —v.tr. (of a man) attend upon or escort (a woman). 00 squiredom n. squirehood n. squirelet n. squireling n. squirely adj. squireship n. [ME f. OF esquier ESQUIRE] squirearch /'skwaio,ra:k/ n. a member of the squirearchy. 00 squirearchical /-'ra:kik(a)l/ adj. (also squirarchical). [backform. f. SQUIREARCHY, after MONARCH]

squirearchy /|'skwato,ra:ki/ n. (also squirarchy) (pl. -ies) landowners collectively, esp. as a class having political or social infiuence; a class or body of squires. [SQUIRE, after HIERARCHY etc.]

squireen /|,skwaro'ri:n/ n. Brit. the owner of a small landed property esp. in Ireland.

squirl /skws:l/ n. collog. a flourish or twirl, esp. in handwriting. [perh. f. sqUIGGLE + TWIRL OF WHIRL] squirm /skw3:m/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 wriggle, writhe. 2 show or feel embarrassment or discomfiture. —n. a squirming movement. OO squirmer n. squirmy adj. (squirmier, squirmiest). [imit., prob. assoc. with WORM]

squirrel /'skwir(2)l/ n. & v. —n.

as of treading in thick mud. b move with a squelching sound. 2 tr. a disconcert, silence. b stamp on, crush flat, put an end to. —n. an instance of squelching. 00 squelcher n. squelchy adj.

{imit.] squib /skwib/ n. & v. —n. 1 a small firework burning with a

squid /skwid/ n. & v. —n.

1 any of various ten-armed ceph-

alopods, esp. of the genus Loligo, used as bait or food. 2 artificial bait for fish imitating a squid in form. —v.intr. (squidded, squidding) fish with squid as bait. [17th c.: orig. unkn.]

squidgy /'skwid31/ adj. (squidgier, squidgiest) collog. squashy, soggy. [imit.]

squiffed /skwift/ adj. sl. = sQuirFy. squiffy /'skwifi/ adj. (squiffier, squiffiest) esp. Brit. sl. slightly drunk. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

squiggle /'skwig(s)l/ n. & v. —n. a short curly line, esp. in handwriting or doodling. —v. 1 tr. write in a squiggly manner; scrawl. 2 intr. wriggle, squirm. 00 squiggly adj. [imit.]

squill /skwil/ n. 1 any bulbous plant of the genus Scilla, esp. S. autumnalis. 2 a seashore plant, Urginea maritima, having bulbs

used in diuretic and purgative preparations. Also called sea onion. 3 any crustacean of the genus Squilla. [ME f. L squilla, scilla f. Gk skilla] squinch /skwint{/ n. a straight or arched structure across an interior angle of a square tower to carry a superstructure, e.g. a dome. [var. of obs. scunch, abbr. of SCUNCHEON] squint /skwint/ v., n., & adj. —v. 1 intr. have the eyes turned in different directions, have a squint. 2 intr. (often foll. by at) look obliquely or with half-closed eyes. 3 tr. close (one’s eyes) quickly, hold (one’s eyes) half-shut. —n. 1 = STRABISMUS. 2 a stealthy or sidelong glance. 3 collog. a glance or look (had a squint at it). 4 an oblique opening through the wall of a church affording a view of the altar. § a leaning or inclination towards a particular object or aim. —adj. 1 squinting. 2 looking different ways. o squint-eyed 1 squinting. 2 malignant, ill-willed. 00 squinter

squirrelly /'skwirali/ adj. 1 like a squirrel. 2 a inclined to bustle about. b (of a person) unpredictable, nervous, demented. squirt /skws:t/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. eject (liquid or powder) in a jet as from a syringe. 2 intr. (of liquid or powder) be discharged in this way. 3 tr. splash with liquid or powder ejected by squirting. —n. 1 aa jet of water etc. b a small quantity produced by squirting. 2 a a syringe. b (in full squirt-gun) a kind of toy syringe. 3 collog. an insignificant but presumptuous person. 00 squirter n. [ME, imit.]

squish /skwiJ/ n. & v. —n. a slight squelching sound. —v. 1 intr. move with a squish. 2tr. collog. squash, squeeze. 00 squishy adj. (squishier, squishiest). [imit.] squit /skwit/ n. Brit. 1 sl. a small or insignificant person. 2 dial. nonsense. [cf. dial. squirt insignificant person, and squit to squirt]

squitch /skwit]/ n. couch grass. [alt. f. QuITCH] squiz /skwiz/ n. Austral. & NZ sl. a look or glance. [prob. f. QUIZ4]

Sr symb. Chem. the element strontium. Sr. abbr. 1 Senior. 2 Sefior. 3 Signor. 4 Eccl. Sister. sr abbr. steradian(s).

SRC abbr. (in the UK) Science Research Council. Sri Lanka /fri: lenko, fr, sr-/ (formerly Ceylon) an island off the SE coast of India; pop. (est. 1988) 16,639,700; official language, Sinhalese; capital, Colombo. The economy is largely dependent on exports of tea, rubber, and coconuts. A centre of Buddhist culture from the 3rdc. Bc, the island was ruled by a strong native dynasty from the 12th c. but was successively dominated by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British from the 16thc. and finally annexed by the last in 1815. ACommonwealth State from 1948, the country became an independent republic in 1972, taking the name of Sri Lanka (= resplendent island). Its political stability has been continually threatened by trouble between the Sinhalese and Tamil parts of the population. 00 Sri Lankan adj. & n.

n. squinty adj. [ASQUINT: (adj.) perh. f. squint-eyed f. obs. squint (adv.) f. ASQUINT] squire /'skwato(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1a country gentleman, esp. the chief landowner in a country district. 2 hist. a knight’s attendant.

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

1 any rodent of the family

Sciuridae, e.g. the red squirrel, grey squirrel, etc., often of arboreal habits, with a bushy tail arching over its back, and pointed ears. 2 the fur of this animal. 3 a person who hoards objects, food, etc. —v. (squirrelled, squirrelling; US squirreled, squirreling) 1 tr. (often foll. by away) hoard (objects, food, time, etc.) (squirrelled it away in the cupboard). 2 intr. (often foll. by around) bustle about. 0 squirrel cage 1 a small cage containing a revolving cylinder like a treadmill, on which a captive squirrel may exercise. 2 a form of rotor used in smali electric motors, resembling the cylinder of a squirrel cage. 3 a monotonous or repetitive way of life. squirrel (or squirrel-tail) grass a grass, Hordeum jubatum, with bushy spikelets. squirrel-monkey a small yellow-haired monkey, Saimiri sciureus, native to S. America. [ME f. AF esquirel, OF esquireul, ult. f. L sciurus f. Gk skiouros f. skia shade + oura tail]

squelch /skwelt{/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. a make a sucking sound

hissing sound and usu. with a final explosion. 2 a short satirical composition, a lampoon. —v. (squibbed, squibbing) 1 tr. US Football kick (the ball) a comparatively short distance on a kickoff; execute (a kick) in this way. 2 archaic a intr. write lampoons. b tr. lampoon. [16th c.: orig. unkn.: perh. imit.]

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Srinagar /'sri:noga(r)/ the summer capital of the State of Jammu and Kashmir in NW India; pop. (est. 1981) 520,000. kcat

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t top

v voice

SRN SRN abbr. (in the UK) State Registered Nurse. SRO abbr. standing room only. SS abbr. 1 Saints. 2 steamship. 3 hist. Nazi special police force

(German Schutz-Staffel), the élite corps of the German Nazi Party. Founded in 1925 by Hitler as a personal bodyguard, the SS was schooled in absolute loyalty and obedience and in total ruthlessness towards opponents. From 1929 until 1945 it was headed by Heinrich Himmler. A section of the SS served as a combat troop alongside but independent of the armed forces; it also administered the concentration camps.

SSAFA abbr. (in the UK) Soldiers’, Sailors’, and Airmen’s Families Association.

SSC abbr. (in Scotland) Solicitor to the Supreme Court. SSE abbr. south-south-east. SSP abbr. (in the UK) statutory sick pay. SSR abbr. Soviet Socialist Republic. SSSI abbr. (in the UK) Site of Special Scientific Interest. SST abbr. supersonic transport. SSW abbr. south-south-west. St abbr. 1 Saint. 2 stokes. St. abbr. Street. St. abbr. 1 stone (in weight). 2 Cricket stumped by. =St var. of -EsT?.

Sta. abbr. Station. stab /steb/ v. & n. —v. (stabbed, stabbing) 1 tr. pierce or wound with a (usu. short) pointed tool or weapon e.g. a knife or dagger. 2 intr. (often foll. by at) aim a blow with such a weapon. 3 intr. cause a sensation like being stabbed (stabbing pain). 4 tr. hurt or distress (a person, feelings, conscience, etc.). 5 intr. (foll. by at) aim a blow at a person’s reputation, etc. —n. 1 a an instance of stabbing. b a blow or thrust with a knife etc. 2 a wound made in this way. 3 a blow or pain inflicted on a person’s feelings. 4 collog. an attempt, a try. 0 stab in the back n. a treacherous or slanderous attack. —v.tr. slander or betray. oo stabber n. [ME: cf. dial. stob in sense 1 of v.]

Stabat Mater /|\sta:bet 'ma:to(r)/ n. 1 a Latin hymn on the suffering of the Virgin Mary at the Crucifixion. 2 a musical setting for this. [the opening words, L Stabat mater dolorosa ‘Stood the mother, full of grief’]

stabile /'sterbaul, -bil/ n. a rigid, free-standing abstract sculpture or structure of wire, sheet metal, etc. [L stabilis sTaBiE!, after MOBILE]

stability /sto'brliti/ n. the quality or state of being stable. [ME f. OF stableté f. L stabilitas f. stabilis sTABLE}]

stabilize /'sterbi,laiz/ v.tr. & intr. (also -ise) make or become stable. oo stabilization /-'ze1{(2)n/ n.

;

stabilizer /'sterbi,laiza(r)/ n. (also -iser) a device or substance used to keep something stable, esp.: 1 a gyroscope device to prevent rolling of a ship. 2 US the horizontal tailplane of an aircraft. 3 (in pl.) a pair of small wheels fitted to the rear wheel of a child’s bicycle.

stable! /'sterb(s)l/ adj. (stabler, stablest) 1 firmly fixed or established; not easily adjusted, destroyed, or altered (a stable structure; a stable government). 2 firm, resolute; not wavering or fickle (a stable and steadfast friend). 3 Chem. (of a compound) not readily decomposing. 4 Physics (of an isotope) not subject to radioactive decay. 0 stable equilibrium a state in which a body when disturbed tends to return to equilibrium. o0 stableness n. stably adv. [ME f. AF stable, OF estable f. L stabilis f. stare stand]

stable? /'sterb(2)l/ n. & v. —n. 1a building set apart and adapted for keeping horses. 2 an establishment where racehorses are kept and trained. 3 the racehorses of a particular stable. 4 persons, products, etc., having a common origin or affiliation. 5 such an origin or affiliation. —v.tr. put or keep (a horse) in a stable. o stable-boy a boy employed in a stable. stable-companion (or -mate) 1 a horse of the same stable. 2

a member of the same organization. stable-girl a girl employed in a stable. stable-lad a person employed in a stable. 00 stableful n. (pl. -fuls). [ME f. OF estable f. L stabulum f. stare stand]

stableman |'sterb(2)lmon/ n. (pl. -men) a person employed in a stable. wwe

staff

1409

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stabling /'sterblin/ n. accommodation for horses. stablish /'stzblif/ v.tr. archaic fix firmly; establish; set up. [var. of ESTABLISH] staccato /sto'ka:tou/ adv., adj., & n. esp. Mus. —adv. & adj. with each sound or note sharply detached or separated from the others (cf. LEGATO, TENUTO). —n. (pl. -os) 1 a staccato passage in music etc. 2 staccato delivery or presentation. 0 staccato mark a dot or stroke above or below a note, indicating that it is to be played staccato. [It., past part. of staccare = distaccare DETACH] stack /stek/ n. & v. —n. 1 a pile or heap, esp. in orderly arrangement. 2 circular or rectangular pile of hay, straw, etc., or of grain in sheaf, often with a sloping thatched top, a rick. 3 collog. a large quantity (a stack of work; has stacks of money). 4a = chimney-stack. b = SMOKESTACK. ¢a tall factory chimney. 5 a stacked group of aircraft. 6 (also stack-room) a part of a library where books are compactly stored, esp. one to which the public does not have direct access. 7 Brit. a high detached rock esp. off the coast of Scotland and the Orkneys. 8 a pyramidal group of rifles, a pile. 9 Computing a set of storage locations which store data in such a way that the most recently stored item is the first to be retrieved. 10 Brit. a measure for a pile of wood of 108 cu. ft. (30.1 cubic metres), —v.tr. 1 pile in a stack or stacks. 2 a arrange (cards) secretly for cheating. b manipulate (circumstances etc.) to one’s advantage. 3 cause (aircraft) to fly round the same point at different levels while waiting to land at an airport. 0 stack arms hist. = pile arms. stack up US collog. present oneself, measure up. stack-yard an enclosure for stacks of hay, straw, etc. 00 stackable adj. stacker n. [ME f. ON stakkr haystack f. Gmc} stacte /'stzkti:/ n. a sweet spice used by the ancient Jews in making incense. [ME f. L f. Gk stakté f. staz6 drip]

staddle /'stzd(2)l/ n. a platform or framework supporting a rick etc. Oo staddle-stone a stone supporting a staddle or rick etc. [OE stathol base f. Gmc, rel. to STAND] stadium |'sterdrom/ n. (pl. stadiums) 1 an athletic or sports ground with tiers of seats for spectators. 2 (pl. stadiums or stadia /-dio/) Antiq. a a course for a foot-race or chariot-race. b a measure of length, about 185 metres. 3 a stage or period of development etc. [ME f. L f. Gk stadion]}

stadtholder /'sta:d|houldo(r), 'sta:t-, 'stze-/ n. (also stadholder) hist..1 the chief magistrate of the United Provinces of The Netherlands. 2 the viceroy or governor of a province or town in The Netherlands. 00 stadtholdership n. [Du. stadhouder deputy f. stad STEAD + houder HOLDER, after med.L LOCUM TENENS] Staél /sta:l/, Anne-Louise-Germaine Necker, Mme de (1766-

1817), French writer, who occupied a central place in French intellectual life for three decades but aroused the hostility of Napoleon. Her most important work, De l’Allemagne (1810), which he banned, introduced German writers and thinkers of the end of the 18th c. to France. She also wrote two novels, Delphine (1802) and Corinne (1807). She was a major precursor of French Romanticism.

staff! /sta:f/ n. & v. —n. 1 @a

stick or pole for use in walking

or climbing or as a weapon. bastick or pole as a sign of office or authority. c a person or thing that supports or sustains. da flagstaff. e Surveying a rod for measuring distances, heights, etc. f a token given to an engine-driver on a single-track railway as authority to proceed over a given section of line. g a spindle in a watch. 2 a a body of persons employed in a business etc. (editorial staff of a newspaper). b those in authority within an organization, esp. the teachers in a school. ¢ Mil. etc. a body of officers assisting an officer in high command and concerned with an army, regiment, fleet, or air force as a whole (general staff). d (usu. Staff) Mil. = staff sergeant. 3 (pl. staffs or staves /stervz/) Mus. a set of usu. five parallel lines on any one or between any adjacent two of which a note is placed to indicate its pitch. —v.tr. provide (an institution etc.) with staff. 0 staff college Brit. Mil. etc. a college at which officers are trained for staff duties. staff notation Mus. notation by means ofa staff, esp. as distinct from tonic sol-fa. staff nurse Brit. a nurse ranking just belowasister. staff officer Mil. an officer serving on the staff of an army etc. staff sergeant 1 Brit. the senior sergeant tf chip

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(see over for vowels)

stairway

1410

staff

stagey var. of sTAGy.

of a non-infantry company. 2 US a non-commissioned officer ranking just above sergeant. 00 staffed adj. (also in comb.). [OE stef f. Gmc]

stagflation /stzg'fle1{(2)n/ n. Econ. a state of inflation without

staff? /sta:f/ n. a mixture of plaster of Paris, cement, etc., as a temporary building-material. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

b tr. cause to totter (was staggered by the blow). 2 a tr. shock,

Staffa |'stzefo/ a small uninhabited island of the Inner Hebrides, west of Mull. It is the site of Fingal’s Cave. staffage /sto'fa:3/ n. accessory items in a painting, esp. figures or animals in a landscape picture. [G f. staffieren decorate, perh. f. OF estoffer: see STUFF] staffer /'sta:fa(r)/ n. US a member ofa staff, esp. of a newspaper.

Staffordshire /'{tzfad,f1o(r)/ a county of central England; pop. (1981) 1,019,400; county town, Stafford.

Staffs. abbr. Staffordshire. Stag /stzg/n. & v. —n. 1 an adult male deer, esp. one with a set of antlers. 2 Brit. Stock Exch. a person who applies for shares of a new issue with a view to selling at once for a profit. 3a man who attends a social gathering unaccompanied by a woman. —v.tr. (stagged, stagging) Brit. Stock Exch. deal in (shares) as a stag. O stag beetle any beetle of the family Lucanidae, the male of which has large branched mandibles resembling a stag’s antlers. stag- (or stag’s-) horn 1 the horn of a stag, used to make knife-handles, snuff-boxes, etc. 2 any of various ferns, esp. of the genus Platycerium, having fronds like antlers. stag-night (or -party) an all-male celebration, esp. in honour of a man about to marry. [ME f. OF stacga, stagga (unrecorded): cf. docga dog, frogga frog, etc., and ON staggr, staggi male bird] stage /ste1d3/ n. & v. —n. 1 point or period in a process or development (reachedacritical stage; is in the larval stage). 2aa raised floor or platform, esp. one on which plays etc. are performed before an audience. b (prec. by the) the acting or theatrical profession, dramatic art or literature, the drama. c the scene of action (the stage of politics). d = landing-stage. 3aa regular stopping-place on a route. b the distance between two stopping-places. c Brit. = fare-stage. 4 Astronaut. a section of a rocket with a separate engine, jettisoned when its propellant is exhausted. 5 Geol. a range of strata forming a subdivision of a series. 6 Electronics a single amplifying transistor or valve with the associated equipment. 7 the surface on which an object is placed for inspection through a microscope. —v.tr. 1 present (a play etc.) on stage. 2 arrange the occurrence of (staged a demonstration; staged a comeback). 0 go on the stage become an actor. hold the stage dominate a conversation etc. stage direction an instruction in the text of a play as to the movement, position, tone, etc., of an actor, or sound effects etc. stage door an actors’ and workmen’s entrance from the street to a theatre behind the stage. stage effect 1 an effect produced in acting or on the stage. 2 an artificial or theatrical effect produced in real life. stage fright nervousness on facing an audience esp. for the first time. stage-hand a person handling scenery etc. during a performance on stage. stage left (or right) on the left (or right) side of the stage, facing the audience. stage-manage 1 be the stage-manager of. 2 arrange and control for effect. stage-management the job or craft of a stagemanager. stage-manager the person responsible for lighting and other mechanical arrangements for a play etc. stage name a name assumed for professional purposes by an actor. stage play a play performed on stage rather than broadcast etc. stage rights exclusive rights to perform a particular play. stage-struck filled with an inordinate desire to go on the stage. stage whisper 1 an aside. 2 a loud whisper meant to be heard by others than the person addressed. o0 stageable adj. stageability /-dgo'brliti/ n. stager n. [ME f. OF estage dwelling ult. f. L stare stand] stagecoach /'sterdzkout{/ 1. hist. a large closed horse-drawn coach running regularly by stages between two places. Such coaches were used in England from the mid-17th c. and reached their heyday in the early 19thc. as roads improved; in the US they were often the only method available for long-distance travel. By the mid-19thc. their use was lapsing as they were superseded by the newly developed railways. stagecraft /'sterdzkra:ft/ n. skill or experience in writing or staging plays.

z cat

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3: her

a corresponding increase of demand and employment. [sTacNATION (aS STAGNATE) + INFLATION] uv stagger |'stzega(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 a intr. walk unsteadily, totter.

1 sit

confuse; cause to hesitate or waver (the question staggered them; they were staggered at the suggestion). b intr. hesitate; waver in purpose. 3 tr. arrange (events, hours of work, etc.) so that they do not coincide. 4 tr. arrange (objects) so that they are not in line, esp.: a arrange (a road-crossing) so that the side-roads are not in line. b set (the spokes of a wheel) to incline alternately to right and left. —n. 1 a tottering movement. 2(in pl.) aa disease of the brain and spinal cord esp. in horses and cattle, causing staggering. b giddiness. 3 an overhanging or slantwise or zigzag arrangement of like parts in a structure etc. O00 staggerer n. [alt. of ME stacker (now dial.) f. ON stakra frequent. of staka push, stagger]

staggering /'stzgorin/ adj. 1 astonishing, bewildering. 2 that staggers. 00 staggeringly adv.

staghound /'steghaund/ n. 1 any large dog of a breed used for hunting deer by sight or scent. 2 this breed. staging /'ste1d31n/ n. 1 the presentation of a play etc. 2aa platform or support or scaffolding, esp. temporary. b shelves for plants in a greenhouse. 0 staging area an intermediate assembly point for troops in transit. staging post a regular stopping-place, esp. on an air route. stagnant /|'stzgnont/ adj. 1 (of liquid) motionless, having no current. 2 (of life, action, the mind, business, a person) showing no activity, dull, sluggish. 00 stagnancy n. stagnantly adv. [L stagnare stagnant- f. stagnum pool] stagnate /steg'neit/ v.intr. be or become stagnant. oO stagnation n. stagy |'sterd31/ adj. (also stagey) (stagier, stagiest) theatrical, artificial, exaggerated. 00 stagily adv. staginess n.

staid /sterd/ adj. of quiet and steady character; sedate.

O00

staidly adv. staidness n. [= stayed, past part. of sTay}] stain /sterm/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & intr. discolour or be discoloured by the action of liquid sinking in. 2 tr. sully, blemish, spoil, damage (a reputation, character, etc.). 3 tr. colour (wood, giass, etc.) by a process other than painting or covering the surface. 4 tr. impregnate (a specimen) for microscopic examination with colouring matter that makes the structure visible by being deposited in some parts more than in others. 5 tr. print colours on (wallpaper). —n. 1 a discoloration, a spot or mark caused esp. by contact with foreign matter and not easily removed (a cloth covered with tea-stains). 2 a a blot or blemish. b damage to a reputation etc. (a stain on one’s character). 3 a substance used in staining. O stained glass pieces of glass, either dyed or superficially coloured, set in a framework (usually of lead) to form decorative or pictorial designs. The art began in the service of the Christian Church and is of Byzantine origin, but its highest achievements are seen in the west and north of Europe. Oo stainable adj. stainer n. [ME f. distain f. OF desteindre desteign(as DIS-, TINGE)]

Stainer /'sterna(r)/, Sir John (1840-1901), English composer, scholar, and teacher. He wrote a considerable amount of church music, including hymn tunes, and an oratorio The Crucifixion (1887) which achieved enormous popularity.

stainless /'stemlis/ adj. 1 (esp. of a reputation) without stains. 2 not liable to stain. O stainless steel chrome steel not liable to rust or tarnish under ordinary conditions. Stair /steo(r)/ n. 1 each of a set of fixed indoor steps (on the top stair but one). 2 (usu. in pl.) a set of indoor steps (passed him on the stairs; down a winding stair). 3 (in pl.) a landing-stage. o stair-rod a rod for securing a carpet in the angle between two steps. [OE stzger f. Gmc] staircase /'steakeis/ n. 1 a flight of stairs and the supporting structure. 2 a part of a building containing a staircase.

stairhead /'steshed/ n. a level space at the top of stairs. stairway |'steowei/ n. 1a flight of stairs, a staircase. 2 the way up this. ;

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

vu put

u: too

2 ago

at my

stairwell stairwell /'steowel/ n. the shaft in which a staircase is built.

staithe /ste1d/ n. Brit. a wharf, esp. a waterside coal depot equipped for loading vessels. [ME f. ON stéth landing-stage f. Gmc, rel. to STAND]

stake! /sterk/ n. & v. —n. 1a stout stick or post sharpened at one end and driven into the ground as a support, boundary mark, etc. 2 hist. a the post to which a person was tied to be burnt.alive. b (prec. by the) death by burning as a punishment (was condemned to the stake). 3 a long vertical rod in basketmaking. 4 a metalworker’s small anvil fixed on a bench by a pointed prop. —-v.tr. 1 fasten, secure, or support with a stake or stakes. 2 (foll. by off, out) mark off (an area) with stakes. 3 state or establish (a claim). 0 pull (or pull up) stakes depart; go to live elsewhere. stake-boat a boat anchored to mark the course for a boat race etc. stake-body (pl. -ies) US a body for a lorry etc. having a flat open platform with removable posts along the sides. stake-net a fishing-net hung on stakes. stake out collog. 1 place under surveillance. 2 place (a person) to maintain surveillance. stake-out n. esp. US collog. a period of surveillance. [OE staca f. WG, rel. to sTIcK?] stake? /sterk/ n. & v. —n. 1a sum of money etc. wagered on an event, esp. deposited with a stakeholder. 2 (often foll. by in) an interest or concern, esp. financial. 3 (in pl.) a money offered as a prize esp. in a horse-race. b such a race (maiden stakes; trial stakes). —v.tr. 1 a wager (staked £5 on the next race). b risk (staked everything on convincing him). 2 US collog. give financial or other support to. Oo at stake 1 risked, to be won or lost (life itself is at stake). 2 at issue, in question. O00 staker n. [16th c.: perh. f. STAKE!]

stakeholder /'sterk,hsulda(r)/ n. an independent party with whom each of those who make a wager deposits the money etc. wagered. Stakhanovite /ste'ka:no,vait/ n. a worker who is exceptionally hard-working and productive. The term was first applied to a worker in the USSR during the 1930s and 1940s whose productivity exceeded the norms and who thus earned special privileges and rewards. oof Stakhanovism /-viz(2)m/_ 1. Stakhanovist /-vist/ n. [A. G. Stakhanov (d. 1977), who in 1935 produced a phenomenal amount of coal by a combination of new methods and great energy, an achievement publicized by the Soviet authorities in their campaign to increase industrial output]

stalactite /'stzlok,tait, sta'lek-/ n. a deposit of calcium carbonate having the shape ofalarge icicle, formed by the trickling of water from the roof of a cave, cliff overhang, etc. 00 stalactic /"laktrtk/ adj. stalactiform /-'lekt1,fo:m/ adj. stalactitic /-'trtrk/ adj. [mod.L stalactites f. Gk stalaktos dripping f. stalasso drip] Stalag /'stzlzg/ n. hist. a German prison camp, esp. for noncommissioned officers and privates. [G f. Stamm base, main stock, Lager camp] stalagmite /'stzlog,mait/n. a deposit of calcium carbonate formed by the dripping of water into the shape ofa large inverted icicle rising from the floor of a cave etc., often uniting with a stalactite. 00 stalagmitic /-'mitrk/ adj. [mod.L stalagmites f. Gk stalagma a drop f. stalass6 (as STALACTITE)]

stale! /sterl/ adj. & v. —adj. (staler, stalest) 1 a not fresh, not quite new (stale bread is best for toast). b musty, insipid, or otherwise the worse for age or use. 2 trite or unoriginal (a stale joke; stale news). 3 (of an athlete or other performer) having ability impaired by excessive exertion or practice. 4 Law (esp. ofa claim) having been left dormant for an unreasonably long time. —v.tr. & intr. make or become stale. 00 stalely adv. staleness n. [ME, prob. f. AF & OF f. estaler halt: cf. sTALL4]

stale? /sterl/ n. & v. —n. the urine of horses and cattle. —v.intr. (esp. of horses and cattle) urinate. [ME, perh. f. OF estaler adopt a position (cf. STALE})] stalemate /'sterlmeit/ n. & v. —n. 1 Chess a position counting as a draw, in which a player is not in check but cannot move except into check. 2 a deadlock or drawn contest. —v.tr. 1 Chess bring (a player) to a stalemate. 2 bring to a standstill. [obs. stale (f. AF estale f. estaler be placed: cf. sTALE1) + MATE?]

Stalin /'sta:lin/ the name adopted by Joseph Vissarionovich au how

e1 day

stalwart

1411

ou no

eo hair

to near

o1 boy

va poor

Dzhugashvili (1879-1953), Russian dictator. An early member of the Bolshevik Party, he was imprisoned in 1913 and released only after the start of the Russian Revolution, when he rose rapidly to become one of Lenin’s right-hand men. After Lenin’s death, Stalin won a long struggle with Trotsky for the leadership and went on to become sole dictator. His large-scale purges gravely weakened the Soviet Union and the country only just survived Hitler’s attack in 1941, but under Stalin’s leadership it eventually went on to win the titanic struggle on the Eastern Front. Stalin stayed in power until his death, following his policy of removing anyone whose power might threaten his own. He was later denounced by Khruschev. _

Stalingrad see Votcocrap. Stalinism /'sta:li,n1z(2)m/ n. 1 the policies followed by Stalin in the government of the USSR, esp. centralization, totalitarianism, and the pursuit of socialism. 2 any rigid centralized authoritarian form of socialism. 00 Stalinist n.

stalk! /sto:k/ n. 1 the main stem of a herbaceous plant. 2 the slender attachment or support of a leaf, flower, fruit, etc. 3 a similar support for an organ etc. in an animal. 4 a slender support or linking shaft in a machine, object, etc., e.g. the stem of a wineglass. 5 the tall chimney of a factory etc. o stalk-eyed (of crabs, snails, etc.) having the eyes mounted on stalks. 00 stalked adj. (also in comb.). stalkless adj. stalklet n. stalklike adj. stalky adj. [ME stalke, prob. dimin. of (now dial.) stale rung of a ladder, long handle, f. OE stalu]

stalk? /sto:k/ v. & n. —v. 1 a tr. pursue or approach (game or an enemy) stealthily. b intr. steal up to game under cover. 2 intr. stride, walk in a stately or haughty manner. —n. 1 the stalking of game. 2 an imposing gait. 0 stalking-horse 1 a horse behind which a hunter is concealed. 2 a pretext concealing one’s real intentions or actions. oO stalker n. (also in comb.). [OE f. Gmc, rel. to STEAL]

stall! /sto:l/n. & v. —n. 1 aa trader’s stand or booth in a market etc., or out of doors. b a compartment in a building for the sale of goods. ¢ a table in this on which goods are exposed. 2aa stable or cowhouse. b a compartment for one animal in this. 3 aa fixed seat in the choir or chancel of a church, more or less enclosed at the back and sides and often canopied, esp. one appropriated to a clergyman (canon’s stall; dean’s stall). b the office or dignity of a canon etc. 4 (usu. in pl.) Brit. each of a set of seats in a theatre, usu. on the ground floor. § aa compartment for one person in a shower-bath, lavatory, etc. b a compartment for one horse at the start of a race. 6a the stalling of an engine or aircraft. b the condition resulting from this. 7 a receptacle for one object (finger-stall). —v. 1 a intr. (of a motor vehicle or its engine) stop because of an overload on the engine or an inadequate supply of fuel to it. b intr. (of an aircraft or its pilot) reach a condition where the speed is too low to allow effective operation of the controls. ¢ tr. cause (an engine or vehicle or aircraft) to stall. 2 tr. a put or keep (cattle etc.) in a stall or stalls esp. for fattening (a stalled ox). b furnish (a stable etc.) with stalls. 3 intr. a (of a horse or cart) stick fast as in mud or snow. b US be snowbound. 0 stall-feed fatten (cattle) in a stall. [OE steall f. Gmc, rel. to STAND: partly f. OF estal f. Frank.] stall? /sto:1/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. play for time when being questioned etc. 2 tr. delay, obstruct, block. —n. an instance of stalling. O stall off evade or deceive. [stall pickpocket’s confederate, orig. ‘decoy’ f. AF estal(e), prob. rel. to STALL] stallage |'sto:l1d3/ n. Brit. 1 space forastall or stalls in a market etc. 2 the rent for such astall. 3 the right to erect such a stall. [ME f. OF estalage f. estal sTALL}]

stallholder /'sto:1,hovldo(r)/ n. a person in charge ofa stall at a market etc.

stallion /'stzljan/ n. an uncastrated adult male horse, esp. one kept for breeding. [ME f. OF estalon ult. f. a Gmc root rel. to STALL}] stalwart |'sto:lwot/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 strongly built, sturdy. 2 courageous, resolute, determined (stalwart supporters). —n. a stalwart person, esp. a loyal uncompromising partisan. 00 stalwartly adv. stalwartness n. [Sc. var. of obs. stalworth f. OE stzlwierthe f. stzl place, WORTH]

aro fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

Stamboul

stand

1412

ee

place and date of postage, and to obliterate the ‘label’ so that it could not be reused, became called ‘postmarks’.

Stamboul /stem'bu:]l/ an obsolete name for Istanbul. stamen |'stermoan/ n. the male fertilizing organ of a flowering plant, including the anther containing pollen. oo staminiferous /,steemi'nifaras/ adj. [L stamen staminis warp in an upright loom, thread] stamina /'stemino/ n. the ability to endure prolonged physical or mental strain; staying power, power of endurance. [L, pl. of STAMEN in sense ‘warp, threads spun by the Fates’] staminate /'stemuinot/ adj. (of a plant) having stamens, esp. stamens but not pistils. stammer |'stemo(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. speak (habitually, or on occasion from embarrassment etc.) with halting articulation, esp. with pauses or rapid repetitions of the same syllable. 2 tr. (often foll. by out) utter (words) in this way (stammered out an excuse). —n. 1 a tendency to stammer. 2 an instance of stammering. 00 stammerer n. stammeringly adv. [OE stamerian f. WG] stamp /stemp/ v. & n. —v. 1 a tr. bring down (one’s foot) heavily on the ground etc. b tr. crush, flatten, or bring into a specified state in this way (stamped down the earth round the plant). c intr. bring down one’s foot heavily; walk with heavy steps. 2 tr. a impress (a pattern, mark, etc.) on metal, paper, butter, etc., with a die or similar instrument of metal, wood, rubber, etc. b impress (a surface) with a pattern etc. in this way. 3 tr. affix a postage or other stamp to (an envelope or document). 4 tr. assign a specific character to; characterize; mark out (stamps the

stampede /stem'pi:d/ n. & v. —n. 1a sudden flight and scat‘tering of a number of horses, cattle, etc. 2 a sudden flight or hurried movement of people due to interest or panic. 3 US the spontaneous response of many persons to a common impulse. —v. 1 intr. take part in a stampede. 2 tr. cause to do this. 3 tr. cause to act hurriedly or unreasoningly. 00 stampeder n. [Sp. estampida crash, uproar, ult. f. Gmc, rel. to STAMP] stance /sta:ns, stzens/ n. 1 an attitude or position of the body

esp. when hitting a ball etc. 2 a standpoint; an attitude of mind. 3 Sc. a site for a market, taxi rank, etc. [F f. It. stanza: see STANZA]

stanch! /sta:ntJ, sto:nt{/ v.tr. (also staunch) 1 restrain the flow of (esp. blood). 2 restrain the flow from (esp. a wound). [ME f. OF estanchier f. Rmc]

stanch? var. of staUNCH!. stanchion /'sta:nJ(2)n/n. & v. —n. 1 post or pillar, an upright support, a vertical strut. 2 an upright bar, pair of bars, or frame, for confining cattle in a stall. —v.tr. 1 supply with a stanchion. 2 fasten (cattle) to a stanchion. [ME f. AF stanchon, OF estanchon f. estance prob. ult. f. L stare stand]

stand /stend/ v. & n. —v. (past and past part. stood /stud/) 1

story an invention). 5 tr. crush or pulverize (ore etc.). —n. 1 an instrument for stamping a pattern or mark. 2 a a mark or

pattern made by this. b the impression of an official mark required to be made for revenue purposes on deeds, bills of exchange, etc., as evidence of payment of tax. 3 a small adhesive

piece of paper indicating that a price, fee, or tax has been paid, esp. a postage stamp. (See below.) 4 a mark impressed on or label etc. affixed to a commodity as evidence of quality etc. 5a a heavy downward blow with the foot. b the sound of this. 6 a a characteristic mark or impress (bears the stamp of genius). b character, kind (avoid people of that stamp). 7 the block that crushes ore in a stamp-mill. o Stamp Act an act concerned

with stamp-duty, esp. that imposing the duty on the American colonies in 1765 and repealed in 1766. stamp-collecting the collecting of postage stamps as objects of interest or value. stamp-collector a person engaged in stamp-collecting. stamp-duty a duty imposed on certain kinds of legal document. stamp-hinge see HINGE. stamping-ground a favourite haunt or place of action. stamp-machine a coinoperated machine for selling postage stamps. stamp-mill a mill for crushing ore etc. stamp-office an office for the issue of government stamps and the receipt of stamp-duty etc. stamp on 1 impress (an idea etc.) on (the memory etc.). 2 suppress.

stamp out 1 produce by cutting out with a die etc. 2 put an end to, crush, destroy. stamp-paper 1 paper with the government revenue stamp. 2 the gummed marginal paper of a sheet of postage stamps. 00 stamper n. [prob. f. OE stampian (v.) (unrecorded) f. Gmc: infl. by OF estamper (v.) and F estampe (n.) also f. Gmc] The world’s first postage stamps were the penny black and twopence blue, issued by Great Britain in May 1840 and showing the head of Queen Victoria in profile. The system of their use was introduced on the initiative of Sir Rowland Hill (1795-1879). Proposing the reform, in 1837 he described the invention as ‘a bit of paper just large enough to bear the stamp, and covered at the back with glutinous wash’. He adopted the notion from Charles Knight’s proposal in 1834 that the postage of newspapers should be collected by means of uniformly stamped wrappers. The system was subsequently adopted throughout the world. The name stamp was originally applied to the marks stamped or impressed by the Post Office on letters, to state whether they were ‘prepaid’, ‘unpaid’, ‘free’, etc. When adhesive labels were introduced in 1840 and took the place of these marks they appear to have been called ‘postage stamps’ from the first, though the official name was ‘postage label’, and the marks which continued to be impressed by the Post Office to show the b but

d dog

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kcat

intr. have or take or maintain an upright position, esp. on the feet or a base. 2 intr. be situated or located (here once stood a village). 3 intr. be of a specified height (stands six foot three). 4 intr.

be in a specified condition (stands accused; the thermometer stood at 90°; the matter stands as follows; stood in awe of them). 5 tr. place or set in an upright or specified position (stood it against the wall). 6 intr. a move to and remain in a specified position (stand aside). b take a specified attitude (stand aloof). 7 intr. maintain a position; avoid falling or moving or being moved (the house will stand for another century; stood for hours arguing). 8 intr. assume a stationary position; cease to move (now stand still). 9 intr. remain valid or unaltered; hold good (the former conditions must stand). 10 intr. Naut. hold a specified course (stand in for the shore; you are standing into danger). 11 tr. endure without yielding or complaining; tolerate (cannot stand the pain; how can you stand him?). 12 tr. provide for another or others at one’s own expense (stood him a drink). 13 intr. (often foll. by for) Brit. be a candidate (for an office, legislature, or constituency) (stood for Parliament; stood for Finchley). 14 intr. act in a specified capacity (stood proxy). 15 tr. undergo (trial). 16 intr. Cricket act as umpire. 17 intr. (of a dog) point, set. 18 intr. (in full stand at stud) (of a stallion) be available for breeding. —n. 1 a cessation from motion or progress, a stoppage (was brought to a stand). 2 a a halt made, ora stationary condition assumed, for the purpose of resistance. b resistance to attack or compulsion (esp. make a stand). ¢ Cricket a prolonged period at the wicket by two batsmen. 3 a a position taken up (took his stand near the door). b an attitude adopted. 4a rack, set of shelves, table, etc., on or in which things may be placed (music stand; hatstand). 5 a a small open-fronted structure for a trader outdoors or in a market etc. b a structure occupied by a participating organization at an exhibition. 6 a standingplace for vehicles (cab-stand). 7 a a raised structure for persons to sit or stand on. b US a witness-box (take the stand). 8 Theatr. etc. each halt made on a tour to give one or more performances. 9 a group of growing plants (stand of trees; stand of clover). 0 as it stands 1 in its present condition, unaltered. 2 in the present circumstances. be at a stand archaic be unable to proceed, be in perplexity. it stands to reason see REASON. stand alone be unequalled. stand and deliver! hist. a highwayman’s order to hand over valuables etc. stand at bay see BAY®. stand back 1 withdraw; take upa position further from the front. 2 withdraw psychologically in order to take an objective view. stand by 1 stand nearby; look on without interfering (will not stand by and see him ill-treated). 2 uphold, support, side with (a person). 3 adhere to, abide by (terms or promises). 4 Naut. stand Teady to take hold of or operate (an anchor etc.). stand-by n. (pl. -bys) 1 a person or thing ready if needed in an emergency etc. 2

readiness for duty (on stand-by). —adj. 1 ready for immediate

use. 2 (of air travel) not booked in advance but allocated on the

basis of earliest availability. stand camera a camera for use on a tripod, not hand-held. stand a chance see CHANCE. stand lleg

m man

n no

P pen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

standalone

corrected accept correction. stand down 1 withdraw (a person) or retire from a team, witness-box, or similar position. 2 Brit. cease to bea candidate etc. 3 Brit. Mil. go off duty. stand easy! see EASy. stand for 1 represent, signify, imply (‘US’ stands for ‘United States’; democracy stands for a great deal more than that). 2 (often with neg.) collog. endure, tolerate, acquiesce in. 3 espouse the cause of. stand one’s ground maintain one’s position, not yield. stand high be high in status, price, etc. stand in (usu. foll. by for) deputize; act in place of another. stand-in n. a deputy or substitute, esp. for an actor when the latter’s acting ability is not needed. stand in the breach see BREACH. stand in good stead see STEAD. stand in with be in league with. stand of arms Brit. Mil. a complete set of weapons for one man. stand of colours Brit. Mil. a regiment's flags. stand off 1 move or keep away, keep one’s distance. 2 Brit. temporarily dispense with the services of (an employee). stand-off n. 1 US a deadlock. 2 = stand-off half. stand-cff half Rugby Football a half-back who forms a link between the scrum-half and the three-quarters. stand on 1 insist on, observe scrupulously (stand on ceremony; stand on one’s dignity). 2 Naut. continue on the same course. stand on me sl. rely on me; believe me. stand on one’s own feet (or legs) be self-reliant or independent. stand out 1:be prominent or conspicuous or outstanding. 2 (usu. foll. by against, for) hold out; persist in opposition or support or endurance. stand over 1 stand close to (a person) to watch, control, threaten, etc. 2 be postponed, be left for later settlement etc. stand pat see PAT”. stand to 1 Mil. stand ready for an attack (esp. before dawn or after dark). 2 abide by, adhere to (terms or promises). 3 be likely or certain to (stands to lose everything). 4 uphold, support, or side with (a person). stand treat bear the expense of entertainment etc. stand up 1 a rise to one’s feet from-a sitting or other position. b come to or remain in or place in a standing position. 2 (of an argument etc.) be valid. 3 collog. fail to keep an appointment with. stand-up attrib.adj. 1 (of a meal) eaten standing. 2 (ofa fight) violent, thorough, or fair and square. 3 (ofa collar) upright, not turned down. 4 (of a comedian) performing by standing before an audience and telling jokes. stand up for support, side with, maintain (a person or cause). stand upon = stand on. stand up to 1 meet or face (an opponent) courageously. 2 be resistant to the harmful effects of (wear, use, etc.). stand well (usu. foll. by with) be on good terms or in good repute. take one’s stand on base one’s argument etc. on, rely on. 00 stander n. [OE standan f. Gmc] standalone /|,stends'leun/ adj. (of a computer) operating independently of a network or other system. standard /'stzndod/ n. & adj. —n. 1 an object or quality or measure serving as a basis or example or principle to which others conform or should conform or by which the accuracy or quality of others is judged (by present-day standards). 2 a the degree of excellence etc. required for a particular purpose (not up to standard). b average quality (of a low standard). 3 the ordinary procedure, or quality or design of a product, without added or novel features. 4 a distinctive flag, esp. the flag of a cavalry regiment as distinct from the colours of an infantry regiment. 5 aan upright support. b an upright water or gas pipe. 6 a a tree or shrub that stands alone without support. b a shrub grafted on an upright stem and trained in tree form (standard rose). 7 a document specifying nationally or internationally agreed properties for manufactured goods etc. (British Standard). 8 a thing recognized as a model for imitation etc. 9 a tune or song of established popularity. 10 a a system by which the value of a currency is defined in terms of gold or silver or both. b the prescribed proportion of the weight of fine metal in gold or silver coins. 11 a measure for timber, equivalent to 165 cu. ft. (4.7 cubic metres). 12 Brit. hist. a grade of classification in elementary schools. —adj. 1 serving or used as a standard (a standard size). 2 of a normal or prescribed quality or size etc. 3 having recognized and permanent value; authoritative (the standard book on the subject). 4 (of language) conforming to established educated usage (Standard English). 0 multiple standard a standard of value obtained by averaging the prices of anumber of products. raise a standard take up arms; rally support (raised the standard of revolt). standard-bearer 1 a soldier who carries wwe

z zoo

f she

Stanislaus

1413

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

a standard. 2 a prominent leader in a cause. standard deviation see DEVIATION. standard lamp Brit. a lamp set onatall upright with its base standing on the floor. standard of living the degree of material comfort available to a person or class or community. standard time a uniform time for places in approximately the same longitude, established in a country or region by law or custom. [ME f. AF estaundart, OF estendart f. estendre, aS EXTEND: in senses 5 and 6of n. affected by association with sTAND]

Standardbred /'stzendod,bred/ n. US 1 a horse of a breed able to attain a specified speed, developed esp. for trotting. 2 this breed. ee

standardize /'staendo,daiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 cause to conform to a standard. 2 determine the properties of by comparison with a standard. oO0 standardizable adj. standardization [-'zerf(a)n/ n. standardizer n. standee /sten‘di:/ n. collog. a person who stands, esp. when all seats are occupied. standing /'stzendin/ n. & adj. —n. 1 esteem or repute, esp. high; status, position (people of high. standing; is of no standing). 2 duration (a dispute of long standing). 3 length of service, membership, etc. —adj. 1 that stands, upright. 2 a established, permanent (a standing rule). b not made, raised, etc., for the occasion (a standing army). 3 (of a jump, start, race, etc.) performed from rest or from a standing position. 4 (of water) stagnant. 5 (of corn) unreaped. 6 (of a stallion) that stands at stud. 7 Printing (formerly, of type) not yet distributed after use. O all standing 1 Naut. without time to lower the sails. 2 taken by surprise. in good standing fully paid-up as a member etc. leave a person standing make far more rapid progress than he or she. standing committee see COMMITTEE. standing joke

an object of permanent ridicule. standing order an instruction to a banker to make regular payments, or to a newsagent etc. for a regular supply of a periodical etc. standing orders the

rules governing the manner in which all business shall be conducted in a parliament, council, society, etc. standing ovation see OVATION. standing rigging rigging which is fixed in position. standing-room space to stand in. standing wave Physics the vibration of a system in which some particular points remain fixed while others between them vibrate with the maximum amplitude (cf. travelling wave).

standoffish /stznd'pfif/ adj. cold or distant in manner.

oo

standoffishly adv. standoffishness n. standout /'stzendavt/ n. US a remarkable person or thing. standpipe /'steendparp/ n. a vertical pipe extending from a water supply, esp. one connecting a temporary tap to the mains.

standpoint /'stendpoint/ n. 1 the position from which’a thing is viewed. 2 a mental attitude.

standstill /'stzendstil/ n. a stoppage; an inability to proceed. Stanhope /'stznop/, Lady Hester Lucy (1776-1839), niece of William Pitt the Younger, for whom she kept house from 1803 until his death in 1806, gaining a reputation as a brilliant political hostess. Becoming disillusioned with life in England she set out for the Middle East in 1810, and four years later established herself for the rest of her life at a ruined convent on Mount Lebanon, where she lived with a semi-oriental retinue which she ruled despotically. For several years her high rank and imperious character enabled her to meddle effectively in Middle Eastern politics, but later her debts accumulated, her eccentricity increased, and she sought to replace her waning political prestige by an undefined spiritual authority based on claims to be an inspired prophetess and mistress of occult sciences. She became a legendary figure in her lifetime and was visited by many distinguished European travellers. stanhope /'stenhoup/ n. a light open carriage for one with two or four wheels. [Fitzroy Stanhope, Engl. clergyman d. 1864, for whom the first one was made]

staniel /'stzenj(o)l/ n. a kestrel. [OE stangella ‘stone-yeller’ f. stan stone + gellan yell]

Stanislaus

/'stznisjlo:s/, St (1030-79), the patron saint of

Poland, who became bishop. of Cracow in 1072. He came into conflict with King Boleslav II who (according to tradition) slew tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

Stanislavsky

starch

1414

stapelia /sto'pi:lio/ n. any S. African plant of the genus Stapelia, with flowers having an unpleasant smell. [mod.L f. J. B. von Stapel, Du. botanist d. 1636] stapes /'sterpi:z/ n. (pl. same) a small stirrup-shaped bone in the ear of a mammal. [mod.L f. med.L stapes stirrup]

(wool etc.) according to fibre. [ME f. OF estaple market f. MLG, MDu. stapel market (as sTAPLE?)] star /sta:(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a celestial body appearing as a ‘luminous point in the night sky. (See below.) 2 (in full fixed star) such a body so far from the Earth as to appear motionless (cf. PLANET, COMET). 3 a large naturally luminous gaseous body such as the sun is. 4 a celestial body regarded as influencing a person’s fortunes etc. (born under a lucky star). 5 a thing resembling a star in shape or appearance. 6 a star-shaped mark, esp. a white mark on a horse’s forehead. 7 a figure or object with radiating points esp. as the insignia of an order, as a decoration or mark of rank, or showing a category of excellence (a five-star hotel; was awarded a gold star). 8 a a famous or brilliant person; the principal or most prominent performer in a play, film, etc. (the star of the show). b (attrib.) outstanding; particularly brilliant (star pupil). 9 (in full star connection) Electr. a Y-shaped arrangement of three-phase windings. 10 = star prisoner. —v. (starred, starring) 1a tr. (ofa film etc.) feature as a principal performer. b intr. (of a performer) be featured in a film etc. 2 (esp. as starred adj.) a mark, set, or adorn with astar or stars. b put an asterisk or star beside (a name, an item inalist, etc.). oOmy stars! collog. an expression of surprise. star-apple an edible purple apple-like fruit (with a starlike cross-section) of a tropical evergreen tree, Chrysophyllum cainito. star-crossed archaic ill-fated. star fruit = CARAMBOLA. star-gaze 1 gaze at or study the stars. 2 gaze intently. star-gazer 1 collog. usu. derog. or joc. an astronomer or astrologer. 2 Austral. sl. a horse that turns its head when galloping. star of Bethlehem any of various plants with starlike flowers esp. Ornithogalum umbellatum with white star-shaped flowers striped with green on the outside (see Matt. 2: 9). Star of David a figure consisting of two interlaced equilateral triangles used as a symbol of Judaism and of the State of Israel. star prisoner Brit. sl. a convict serving a first prison sentence. star route US a postal delivery route served by private contractors. star sapphire a cabochon sapphire reflecting a star-like image due to its regular internal structure. star shell an explosive projectile designed to burst in the air and light up the enemy’s position. star-spangled (esp. of the US national flag) covered or glittering with stars. star stream a systematic drift of stars. star-studded containing or covered with many stars, esp. featuring many famous performers. star turn the principal item in an entertainment or performance. Star Wars collog. the Strategic Defense Initiative (see STRATEGIC). oO stardom n. starless adj. starlike adj. [OE steorra f. Gmc] Stars are now known to be gaseous spheres, primarily of hydrogen and helium, in equilibrium between the force of self-gravity, which exerts a compressional force, and the pressure of radiation produced deep within the interior as a result of thermonuclear fusion reactions of the sort occurring in hydrogen bombs. Apart from the sun, the star nearest to Earth is Proxima Centauri, at a distance of some four light-years. Most are much further away than this, so that they appear hardly to change their relative positions in the sky. Some six thousand stars are visible to. the naked eye; the actual number existing is vastly greater, more than a hundred thousand million in our own Galaxy, while billions of galaxies are known.

staphylococcus /|,stefilo'kpkos/ n. (pl. staphylococci |-kai/)

Stara Zagora |,sta:ro zo'go:ra/ a manufacturing city in east

any bacterium of the genus Staphylococcus, occurring in grapelike clusters, and sometimes causing pus formation usu. in the skin and mucous membranes of animals. o0 staphylococcal adj. {mod.L f. Gk staphulé bunch of grapes + kokkos berry]

starboard /'sta:bad/ n. & v. Naut. & Aeron. —n. the right-hand

Stanislaus, while the latter was offering Mass, with his own hand. Feast day, 7 May.

Stanislavsky

|,stenis'lefski/,

Konstantin

Sergeivich

(Kon-

stantin Alexeyev, 1863-1938), Russian director, actor, and teacher of acting. In 1898 he helped to found the Moscow Art Theatre, which opened a new epoch in Russian theatre. He trained his actors in a new way of acting, basing his methods on the psychological development of character and the drawing out of latent powers of self-expression. A whole system of actor training was built up on his theories, particularly in the US where his system was elaborated into the ‘method’ (see entry). Among his greatest achievements were his productions of the plays of Chekhov and Gorky.

stank past of stINK. Stanley! /'stznli/ (also Port Stanley) the chief port and town of the Falkland Islands, situated on the island of East Falkland; pop. 1,000.

Stanley? /'stzenli/, Sir Henry Morton (1841-1904), explorer of central Africa. Born in Wales as John Rowlands, after a hard and unhappy youth he sailed to America as a cabin boy and changed his name to that of an American merchant who befriended him. He became a successful newspaper correspondent and in 1869 was dispatched to find the Scottish missionary-explorer, David Livingstone (see entry), in Central Africa. After Livingstone’s death Stanley continued his exploration work in Africa and in 1874-7 traced the course of the Congo and crossed the continent. Supported by Belgium, he helped to organize and develop the Congo region, and laid the foundations for the establishment of the Congo Free State. In 1887 he led an expedition to rescue Emin Pasha during the Mahdist advance on the Sudan. A popular figure with the public, he was accorded many honours and his books on his travels had an immense sale. From 1895 until 1900 he was a Member of Parliament. stannary /|'stznori/ n. (pl. -ies) Brit. 1 a tin-mine. 2 (usu. in pl.) a tin-mining district in Cornwall and Devon. 0 stannary court a legal body for the regulation of tin-miners in the stannaries. {med.L stannaria (pl.) f. LL stannum tin] stannic /'stznik/ adj. Chem. of or relating to tetravalent tin (stannic acid; stannic chloride). [LL stannum tin] stannous /'stznos/ adj. Chem. of or relating to bivalent tin (stannous salts; stannous chloride).

Stansted /'stzensted/ the site, in Essex, of London’s third international airport. stanza |'stenzo/ n. 1 the basic metrical unit in a poem or verse consisting of a recurring group of lines (often four lines and usu. not more than twelve) which may or may not rhyme. 2 a group of four lines in some Greek and Latin metres. oo stanza’d adj. (also stanzaed) (also in comb.). stanzaic |-'ze1tk/ adj. [It., = standing-place, chamber, stanza, ult. f. L stare stand]

central Bulgaria; pop. (1987) 156,400.

side (looking forward) of a ship, boat, or aircraft (cf. port’). —v.tr. (also absol.) turn (the helm) to starboard. o starboard tack see TACK! 4. starboard watch see WATCH n. 3b. [OE stéorbord = rudder side (see STEER, BOARD), early Teutonic ships being steered with a paddle over the right side] starch /sta:t{/ n. & v. —n. 1 an odourless tasteless polysaccharide occurring widely in plants and obtained chiefly from cereals and potatoes, forming an important constituent of the human diet. 2 a preparation of this for stiffening fabric before ironing. 3 stiffness of manner; formality. —v.tr. stiffen (clothing) with starch. 0 starch-reduced (esp. of food) containing less than the normal proportion of starch. oO starcher n. {earlier as verb: ME sterche f. OE stercan (unrecorded) stiffen f. Gmc: cf. STARK] ;

staple! /'sterp(a)l/ n. & v. —n. a U-shaped metal bar or piece of

wire with pointed ends for driving into, securing, or fastening together various materials or for driving through and clenching papers, netting, electric wire, etc. —v.tr. provide or fasten with a staple. 0 staple gun a hand-held device for driving in staples. oo stapler n. [OE stapol f. Gmc]

staple? /'sterp()l/ n., adj., & v. —n. 1 the principal or an important article of commerce (the staples of British Industry). 2 the chief element or a main component, e.g. of a diet. 3 a raw material. 4 the fibre of cotton or wool etc. as determining its quality (cotton offine staple). —adj. 1 main or principal (staple commodities).

2 important as a product or an export. —-v.tr. sort or classify z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

ov put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

Star Chamber Star Chamber

1 an apartment in the royal palace at West-

minster (said to have had gilt stars on the ceiling) where, in the 14th-15th c., the Privy Council in its judicial capacity tried civil and criminal cases, especially those affecting Crown interests. Under the Tudors and early Stuarts the court (Court of Star Chamber) became an instrument of tyranny, notorious for its arbitrary and oppressive judgements. It was abolished by Parliament in 1641. 2 any arbitrary or oppressive tribunal. 3 collog. a committee appointed to arbitrate between the Treasury and the spending departments of the British Government.

starchy /'sta:t{1/ adj. (starchier, starchiest)

1 a of or like

starch. b containing much starch. 2 (of a person) precise, prim. O0 starchily adv. starchiness n. stardust /'sta:dast/ n. 1a twinkling mass. 2a romantic mystical look or sensation. 3 a multitude of stars looking like dust. stare /steo(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. (usu. foll. by at) look fixedly with eyes open, esp. as the result of curiosity, surprise, bewilderment, admiration, horror, etc. (sat staring at the door; stared in amazement). 2 intr. (of eyes) be wide open and fixed. 3 intr. be unpleasantly prominent or striking. 4 tr. (foll. by into) reduce (a person) to a specified condition by staring (stared me into silence). —n.a staring gaze. O stare down (or out) outstare. stare a person in the face be evident or imminent. oO0 starer n. [OE starian f. Gmc]

starfish /'sta:fif/ n. an echinoderm of the class Asteroidea with five or more radiating arms.

stark /sta:k/ adj. & adv. —adj. 1 desolate, bare (a stark landscape). 2 sharply evident (in stark contrast). 3 downright, sheer (stark madness). 4 completely naked. 5 archaic strong, stiff, rigid. —adv. completely, wholly (stark mad; stark naked). o0 starkly adv. starkness n. [OE stearc f. Gmc: stark naked f. earlier start-naked f. obs. start tail: cf. REDSTART]

Stark effect /sta:k/ n. Physics the splitting of a spectrum line into several components by the application of an electric field. [J. Stark, Ger. physicist d. 1957]

starkers |'sta:koz/ adj. Brit. sl. stark naked. starlet /'sta:lit/ n. 1 a promising young woman. 2 little star.

performer, esp. a

starlight /'sta:lart/ n. 1 the light of the stars (walked home by starlight). 2 (attrib.) = sTARLIT (a starlight night).

starling! /'sta:lin/n. 1 a small gregarious partly migratory bird, Sturnus vulgaris, with blackish-brown speckled lustrous plumage, chiefly inhabiting cultivated areas. 2 any similar bird of the family Sturnidae. [OE sterlinc f. ster starling f. Gmc: cf. -LING)]

starling? /'sta:lin/ n. piles built around or upstream of a bridge or pier to protect it from floating rubbish etc. [perh. corrupt. of (now dial.) staddling sTADDLE]

starlit /'sta:lrt/ adj. 1 lighted by stars. 2 with stars visible. starry |'sta:ri/ adj. (starrier, starriest) 1 covered with stars. 2 resembling a star. 0 starry-eyed collog. 1 visionary; enthusiastic but impractical. 2 euphoric. oo starrily adv. starriness

n. Stars and Bars the popular name of the flag of the Confederate States of the US.

Stars and Stripes the popular name of the flag of the US. Originally it contained 13 alternating red and white stripes and 13 stars, representing the 13 States of the Union. Today it retains the 13 stripes, but has 50 stars, Hawaii having brought the number of States to 50 in 1959.

Star-spangled Banner a song with words composed by Francis Scott Key and a tune adapted from that of To Anacreon in Heaven (by the English composer J. Stafford Smith), inspired by the heroic defence of Fort McHenry in Baltimore harbour against the British in 1814 and officially adopted as the US national anthem in 1931.

START /|sta:t/ abbr. Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (or Talks). start /sta:t/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & intr. begin; commence (started work; started crying; started to shout; the play starts at eight). 2 tr. set (proceedings, an event, etc.) in motion (start the meeting; started a fire). 3 intr. (often foll. by on) make a beginning (started on a new project). 4 intr. (often foll. by after, for) set oneself in motion or av how

e1 day

ov no

starve

1415

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

va poor

action (‘wait!’ he shouted, and started after her). 5 intr. set out; begin a journey etc. (we start at 6 a.m.). 6 (often foll. by up) a intr. (of a machine) begin operating (the car wouldn’t start). b tr. cause (a machine etc.) to begin operating (tried to start the engine). 7 tr. a cause or enable (a person) to make a beginning (with something) (started me in business with £10,000). b (foll. by pres. part.) cause (a person) to begin (doing something) (the smoke started me coughing). c Brit. collog. complain or be critical (don’t you start). 8 tr. (often foll. by up) found or establish; originate. 9 intr. (foll. by at, with) have as the first of a series of items, e.g. in a meal (we started with soup). 10 tr. give a signal to (competitors) to start in a race. 11 intr. (often foll. by up, from, etc.) make a sudden movement from surprise, pain, etc. (started at the sound of my voice). 12 intr. (foll. by out, up, from, etc.) spring out, up, etc. (started up from the chair). 13 tr. conceive (a baby). 14 tr. rouse (game etc.) from its lair. 15 a intr. (of timbers etc.) spring from their proper position; give way. b tr. cause or experience (timbers etc.) to do this. 16 intr. (foll. by out, to, etc.) (of a thing) move or appear suddenly (tears started to his eyes). 17 intr. (foll. by from) (of eyes, usu. with exaggeration) burst forward (from their sockets etc.). 18 tr. pour out (liquor) from a cask. —n. 1 a beginning of an event, action, journey, etc. (missed the start; an early start tomorrow; made a fresh start). 2 the place from which a race etc. begins. 3 an advantage given at the beginning of a race etc. (a 15-second start). 4 an advantageous initial position in life, business, etc. (a good start in life). 5 a sudden movement of surprise, pain, etc. (you gave me a start). 6 an intermittent or spasmodic effort or movement (esp. in or by fits and starts). 7 collog. a surprising occurrence (a queer start; a rum start). 0 for a start collog. as a beginning; in the first place. get the start of gain an advantage over. start a hare see HARE. start in collog. 1 begin. 2 (foll. by on) US make a beginning on. start off 1 begin; commence (started off on a lengthy monologue). 2 begin to move (it’s time we started off). start out 1 begin a journey. 2 colloq. (foll. by to + infin.) proceed as intending (to do something). start over US begin again. start school attend school for the first time. start something collog. cause trouble. start up arise; occur. to start with 1 in the first place; before anything else is considered (should never have been there to start with). 2 at the beginning (had six members to start with). [OE (orig. in sense 11) f. Gmc] starter /'sta:to(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that starts. 2 an esp. automatic device for starting the engine of a motor vehicle etc. 3 a person giving the signal for the start of a race. 4 a horse or competitor starting in a race (a list of probable starters). 5 the first course of a meal. 6 the initial action etc. 0 for starters sl. to start with. under starter’s orders (of racehorses etc.) in a position to start a race and awaiting the starting-signal. starting /'sta:ti/ n. in senses of sTaRT v. Ostarting-block a shaped rigid block for bracing the feet of a runner at the start of a race. starting-gate a movable barrier for securing a fair start in horse-races. starting-handle Brit. Mech. a crank for starting a motor engine. starting pistol a pistol used to give

the signal for the start of a race. starting-point the point from which a journey, process, argument, etc. begins. starting post the post from which competitors start in a race. starting price the odds ruling at the start of a horse-race. starting stall a compartment for one horse at the start of a race. startle /'sta:t(a)l/ v.tr. give a shock or surprise to; cause (a person etc.) to start with surprise or sudden alarm. oo startler n. [OE steartlian (as START, -LE‘)} startling /|'sta:tlin/ adj. 1 surprising. 2 alarming (startling news). 00 startlingly adv. starve /sta:v/ v. 1 intr. die of hunger; suffer from malnourishment. 2 tr. cause to die of hunger or suffer from lack of food. 3 intr. suffer from extreme poverty. 4 intr. collog. feel very hungry (I'm starving). 5 intr. a suffer from mental or spiritual want. b (foll. by for) feel a strong craving for (sympathy, amusement, knowledge, etc.). 6 tr. a (foll. by of) deprive of; keep scantily supplied with (starved of affection). b cause to suffer from mental or spiritual want. 7 tr. a (foll. by into) compel by starving (starved into submission). b (foll. by out) compel to surrender etc. by starving (starved them out). 8 intr. archaic or dial. perish with or suffer from cold. 00 starvation /-'ver{(o)n/ n. [OE steorfan die]

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

starveling

stationary

1416

grand. o stately home Brit. a large magnificent house, esp. one open to the public. oo stateliness n. statement /'stertmont/ n. 1 the act or an instance of stating or : being stated; expression in words. 2a thing stated; a declaration (that statement is unfounded). 3 a formal account of facts, esp. to the police or in a court of law (make a statement). 4 a record of transactions in a bank account etc. 5 a formal notification of the amount due to a tradesman etc.

starveling /|'sta:vlin/ n. & adj. archaic —n. a starving or ill-fed person or animal. —adj. 1 starving. 2 meagre. starwort /'sta:ws:t/n. a plant of the genus Stellaria with star-like flowers. stash /stz{/ v. & n. collog. —v.tr. (often foll. by away) 1 conceal; put in a safe or hidden place. 2 hoard, stow, store. —n. 1a hiding-place or hide-out. 2 a thing hidden; a cache. [18th c:: orig. unkn.]

Stasi /'{tra:z1/ n. hist. the internal security force of the German

Staten Island /'sta:t(o)n/ a borough of New York City, named

Democratic Republic (East Germany). [G, acronym f. Staatssicherheits(dienst) State security service] stasis /'stersis, 'stesis/ n. (pl. stases /-si:z/) 1 inactivity; stagnation; a state of equilibrium. 2 a stoppage of circulation of any of the body fluids. [mod.L f. Gk f. sta- STAND] -Stasis /'stzsis, 'stersis/ comb. form (pl. -stases |-si:z/) Physiol. forming nouns denoting a slowing or stopping (haemostasis). oO -static comb. form forming adjectives. -stat /stzt/ comb. form forming nouns with ref. to keeping fixed or stationary (rheostat). [Gk statos stationary] state /stert/ n. & v. —n. 1 the existing condition or position of a person or thing (in a bad state of repair, in a precarious state of health). 2 collog. a an excited, anxious, or agitated mental condition (esp. in a state). b an untidy condition. 3 (usu. State) a an organized political community under one government; a

by early Dutch settlers after the Stahten or States The Netherlands; pop. (1980) 352,100. stater /'sterta(r)/ n. an ancient Greek gold or silver LL f. Gk statér] stateroom /'steitru:m, -rom/n. 1 a state apartment hotel, etc. 2 a private compartment in a passenger train.

commonwealth; a nation. b such a community forming part of a federal republic, esp. the United States of America. ¢ (the States) the US. 4 (usu. State) (attrib.) a of, for, or concerned with the State (State documents). b reserved for or done on occasions of ceremony (State apartments; State visit). c involving ceremony (State opening of Parliament). 5 (usu. State) civil government (Church and State; Secretary of State). 6 pomp, rank, dignity (as befits their state). 7 (the States) the legislative body in Jersey, Guernsey, and Alderney. 8 Bibliog. one of two or more variant forms of a single edition of a book. 9 a an etched or engraved plate at a particular stage of its progress. b an impression taken from this. —v.tr. 1 express, esp. fully or clearly, in speech or writing (have stated my opinion; must state full particulars). 2 fix, specify (at stated intervals). 3 Law specify the facts of (a case) for consideration. 4 Mus, play (a theme etc.) so as to make it known to the listener. 0 in state with all due ceremony. of State concerning politics or government. State capitalism a system of State control and use of capital. State Department (in the US) the department of foreign affairs. State Enrolled Nurse (in the UK) a nurse enrolled on a State register and having a qualification lower than that of a State Registered Nurse.

State-house US the building where the legislature of a State meets. State house NZ a private house built at the government’s expense. state of the art 1 the current stage of development of a practical or technological subject. 2 (usu. state-of-the-art) (attrib.) using the latest techniques or equipment (state-of-the-art weaponry). state of grace the condition of being free from grave sin. state of life rank and occupation. state of things (or affairs or play) the circumstances; the current situation. State of the Union message a yearly address delivered by the Pres-

ident of the US to Congress, giving the Administration’s view of the state of the nation and plans for legislation. state of war the situation when war has been declared or is in progress. State prisoner see PRISONER. State Registered Nurse (in the UK) a nurse enrolled on a State register and more highly qualified than a State Enrolled Nurse. State school a school managed and funded by the public authorities. State’s evidence see EVIDENCE. States General hist. the legislative body in The Netherlands, and in France before 1789. State socialism a system of State control of industries and services. States’ rights US the rights and powers not assumed by the United States but reserved to its individual States. State trial prosecution by the State. State university US a university managed by the public authorities of a State. 00 statable adj. statedly adv. statehood n. [ME: partly f. ESTATE, partly f. L sratus] statecraft /'stertkra:ft/ n. the art of conducting affairs of state. stateless /'stertlis/ adj. 1 (of a person) having no nationality or citizenship. 2 without a State. 00 statelessness n. stately /'steith/ adj. (statelier, stateliest) dignified; imposing;

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

General of coin. [ME f.

ina palace, ship or US

Stateside /'stertsa1d/ adj. US collog. of, in, or towards the United States.

statesman /'stertsmon/ n. (pl. -men; fem. stateswoman, pl. -women) 1 a person skilled in affairs of State, esp. one taking an active part in politics. 2 a distinguished and capable politician. OOF statesmanlike adj. statesmanly adj. statesmanship n. [= state’s man after F homme d'état]

statewide |'stertward/ adj. US so as to include or cover a whole State. static /'stztik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 stationary; not acting or changing; passive. 2 Physics a concerned with bodies at rest or forces in equilibrium (opp. DYNAMIC). b acting as weight but not moving (static pressure). c of statics. —n. 1 static electricity. 2 atmospherics. 0 static electricity electricity not flowing as a current. static line a length of cord attached to an aircraft etc.

which releases a parachute without the use of a ripcord. [mod.L staticus f. Gk statikos f. sta- stand]

statical /'stztik(s)l/ adj. = static. 00 statically adv. statice /'statisi/ n. 1 sea lavender. 2 sea pink. [L f. Gk, fem. of statikos STATIC (with ref. to stanching of blood)] statics /'stztrks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) 1 the science of bodies at rest or of forces in equilibrium (opp. DYNAMICs). 2 = STATIC. [STATIC n. in the same senses + -ICs] station /'ster{(a)n/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa regular stopping place on a railway line, with a platform and usu. administrative buildings. b these buildings (see also bus station, coach station). 2 a place or building etc. where a person or thing stands or is placed, esp. habitually or for a definite purpose. 3 a a designated point or establishment where a particular service or activity is based or organized (police station; polling station). b US a subsidiary post office. 4 an establishment involved in radio or television broadcasting. 5 a a military or naval base esp. hist. in India. b the inhabitants of this. 6 position in life; rank or status (ideas above your station). 7 Austral. & NZ a large sheep or cattle farm. 8 Bot. a particular place where an unusual species etc. grows. —v.tr. 1 assign a station to. 2 put in position. 0 station-bill Naut. a list showing the prescribed stations of a ship’s crew for various drills or in an emergency. station break US a pause between broadcast programmes for an announcement of the identity of the station transmitting them. station hand Austral. a worker on a large sheep or cattle farm. station house US a police station. station-keeping the maintenance of. one’s proper relative position in a moving body of ships etc. Stations of the Cross see separate entry. station pointer Naut. a ship’s navigational instrument, often a three-armed protractor, for fixing one’s place on a chart from the angle in the horizontal plane between two land- or sea-marks. station sergeant Brit. the sergeant in charge of a police station. station-wagon an estate car. [ME, = standing, f. OF f. L statio -onis f. stare stand] stationary /'sterfonori/ adj. 1 remaining in one place, not moving (hit a stationary car). 2 not meant to be moved; not portable (stationary troops; stationary engine). 3 not changing in magnitude, number, quality, efficiency, etc. (stationary temperature). 4 (of a planet) having no apparent motion in longitude. 0 stationary air air remaining in the lungs during ordinary respiration. stationary bicycle a fixed exercise-machine resembling a

kcat

lleg

m man

n no

p pen

rred s

sit

t top

v voice

stationer

bicycle. stationary point Math. a point on a curve where the gradient is zero. stationary wave = standing wave. oo stationariness n. [ME f. L stationarius (as sTATION)] stationer /'sterfono(r)/ n. a person who sells writing materials etc. Oo Stationers’ Hall Brit. the hall of the Stationers’ Company in London, at which a book was formerly registered for purposes of copyright. [ME, = bookseller (as staTIONARY in med.L sense ‘shopkeeper’, esp. bookseller, as opposed to pedlar)] stationery /'sterfanor/ n. writing materials etc. sold by a stationer. 0 Stationery Office (in the UK) the Government’s publishing house which also provides stationery for Government offices. stationmaster /'ste1{(2)n,ma:sta(r)/ n. the official in charge of a railway station.

Stations of the Cross a series‘of 14 pictures or carvings, representing events in Christ’s passion, before which devotions

are performed in some Churches. The custom probably arose out of the practice, attested from an early date, of pilgrims at Jerusalem following the traditional route from Pilate’s house to Calvary. statism /'stertiz(o)m/ n. centralized State administration and control of social and economic affairs. Statist /'stertist, 'steetist/ n. 1 a statistician. 2 a supporter of statism. [orig. ‘politician’ f. It. statista (as sTATE)|

statistic /sto'tistik/n. & adj. —n.a statistical fact or item. —adj. = STATISTICAL. [G statistisch, Statistik f. Statist (as STATIST)]

statistical /sta'tistik(s)l/ adj. of or relating to statistics.

o

statistical physics physics as it is concerned with large numbers of particles to which statistics can be applied. statistical significance = SIGNIFICANCE 4. OO statistically adv.

statistics /sto'tistiks/ n.pl. 1 (usu. treated as sing.) the science of collecting and analysing numerical data, esp. in or for large quantities, and usu. inferring proportions in a whole from proportions in a representative sample. 2 any systematic collection or presentation of such facts. 00 statistician /,steti'stif(a)n/ n.

Statius /'sterfas/, Publius Papinius (c.aD 45-96), Roman poet who flourished at the court of Domitian. His works include the Silvae (lit. = ‘bits of raw material’), which are a miscellany of poems addressed to friends, and the Thebais, an epic written in a colourful and rhetorical style. His works were much admired in the Middle Ages. Statius was regarded by Dante as a Christian, and was a favourite of Chaucer’s. stator /'sterto(r)/ n. Electr. the stationary part of a machine, esp. of an electric motor or generator. [STATIONARY, after ROTOR] statoscope /'stzto,skoup/n.an aneroid barometer used to show minute variations of pressure, esp. to indicate the altitude of an aircraft. [Gk statos fixed f. sta- stand + -scoPE] statuary /'stetjuori/ adj. & n. —adj. of or for statues (statuary art). —n. (pl. -ies) 1 statues collectively. 2 the art of making statues. 3 a sculptor. Oo statuary marble fine-grained white marble. [L statuarius (as STATUE)] statue /'stztju:, 'steetfu:/ n. a sculptured, cast, carved, or moulded figure of a person or animal, esp. life-size or larger (cf. STATUETTE). O Statue of Liberty see LIBERTY. 00 statued adj. [ME f. OF f. L statua f. stare stand] statuesque /||stztju'esk, ;stetfu'lesk/ adj. like, or having the dignity or beauty of a statue. ooOF statuesquely adv. statuesqueness n. [STATUE + -ESQUE, after picturesque] statuette |stztju'et, statfu'et/ n. a small statue; a statue less than life-size. [F, dimin. of statue] stature /'stztfa(r)/ n. 1 the height of a (esp. human) body. 2 a degree of eminence, social standing, or advancement (recruit someone of his stature). O0 statured adj. (also in comb.). [ME f. OF f. L statura f. stare stat- stand] status /'stertos/ n. 1 rank, social position, relation to others, relative importance (not sure of their status in the hierarchy). 2 a superior social etc. position (considering your status in the business). 3 Law a person’s legal standing which determines his or her rights and duties, e.g. citizen, alien, commoner, civilian, etc. 4 the position of affairs (let me know if the status changes). O status symbol a possession etc. taken to indicate a person’s high status. [L, = standing f. stare stand] wwe

z zoo

stay

1417

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

nN ring

x loch

status quo /|,stertos 'kwou/ n. the existing state of affairs. [L, = the state in which]

statutable /'stztjutob(s)l/ adj. = statutory, esp. in amount or value. 00 statutably adv. statute /'stztju:t/n. 1a written law passed bya legislative body, e.g. an Act of Parliament. 2 a rule of a corporation, founder, etc., intended to be permanent (against the University Statutes). 3 divine law (kept thy statutes). 0 statute-barred (of a case etc.) no longer legally enforceable by reason of the lapse of time. statute-book 1 a book or books containing the statute law. 2 the body of a country’s statutes. statute law 1 (collect.) the body of principles and rules of law laid down in statutes as distinct from rules formulated in practical application (cf. common law, case-law (see CASE})), 2 a statute. statute mile see MILE 1. statute-roll 1 the rolls in the Public Records Office containing the statutes of the Parliament of England. 2 = statute-book. statutes at large the statutes as originally enacted, regardless of later modifications. [ME f. OF statut f. LL statutum neut. past part. of L statuere set up f. status: see STATUS] statutory /'statjotori/ adj. required, permitted, or enacted by statute (statutory minimum; statutory provisions). 0 statutory rape US the act of sexual intercourse with a minor. 00 statutorily adv.

staunch! /sto:ntf, sta:nt{/ adj. (also stanch) 1 trustworthy, loyal (my staunch friend and supporter). 2 (of a ship, joint, etc.) strong, watertight, airtight, etc. 00 staunchly adv. staunchness n. [ME f. OF estanche fem. of estanc f. Rmc: see STANCH}]

staunch? var. of staNcH}. Stavanger /sta'vengo(r)/ a seaport in SW Norway; pop. (1988) 96,440.

stave /sterv/ n. & v. —n. 1 each of the curved pieces of wood forming the sides of a cask, pail, etc. 2 = sTAFF! n. 3. 3.a stanza or verse. 4 the rung of a ladder. —v.tr. (past and past part. stove |stouv/ or staved) 1 break a hole in. 2 crush or knock out of shape. 3 fit or furnish (a cask etc.) with staves. O stave in crush by forcing inwards. stave off avert or defer (danger or misfortune). stave rhyme alliteration, esp. in old Germanic poetry. [ME, back-form. f. staves, pl. of STAFF] staves pl. of sTAFF! n. 3. stavesacre /'stervz,erko(r)/ n. a larkspur, Delphinium staphisagria, yielding seeds used as poison for vermin. [ME f. L staphisagria f. Gk staphis agria wild raisin] stay! /stei/v. & n. —v. 1 intr. continue to be in the same place or condition; not depart or change (stay here until I come back). 2 intr. a (often foll. by at, in, with) have temporary residence as a visitor etc. (stayed with them for Christmas). b Sc. & S.Afr. dwell permanently. 3 archaic or literary a tr. stop or check (progress, the inroads of a disease, etc.). b intr. (esp. in imper.) pause in movement, action, speech, etc. (Stay! You forget one thing). 4 tr. postpone (judgement, decision, etc.). 5 tr. assuage (hunger etc.) esp. for a short time. 6 a intr. show endurance. b tr. show endurance to the end of (a race etc.). 7 tr. (often foll. by up) literary support, prop up (as or with a buttress etc.). 8 intr. (foll. by for, to) wait long enough to share or join in an activity etc. (stay to supper, stay for the film). —n. 1 a the act or an instance of staying or dwelling in one place. b the duration of this (just a ten-minute stay; a long stay in London). 2 a suspension or postponement of a sentence, judgement, etc. (was granted a stay of execution). 3 archaic or literary a check or restraint (will endure no stay; a stay upon his activity). 4 endurance, staying power. 5 a prop or support. 6 (in pl.) hist. a corset esp. with whalebone etc. stiffening, and laced. o has come (or is here) to stay collog. must be regarded as permanent. stay-at-home adj. remaining habitually at home. —n. a person who does this. stay-bar (or -rod) a support used in building or in machinery. stay the course pursue a course of action or endure a struggle etc. to the end. stay one’s hand see HAND. stay in remain indoors or at home, esp. in school after hours as a punishment. staying power endurance, stamina. stay-in strike = sit-down strike. stay the night remain until the next day. stay put collog. remain where it is placed or where one is. stay up not go to bed (until late at night). o0 stayer n. [AF estai- stem of OF ester f. L stare stand: sense 5 f. OF estaye(r) prop, formed as stay? tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

stay

ee

stealthy /'stel61/ adj. (stealthier, stealthiest) 1 (of an action)

stay? /stei/n. & v. —n. 1 Naut. a rope or guy supporting a mast, spar, flagstaff, etc. 2 a tie-piece in an aircraft etc. —v.tr. 1 support (a mast etc.) by stays, 2 put (a ship) on another tack. 0 be in stays (of a sailing ship) be head to the wind while tacking. miss stays fail to be in stays. [OE stzg be firm, f. Gmc] staysail /'steiseil, 'sters(o)l/ n. a triangular fore-and-aft sail extended ona stay.

done with stealth; proceeding imperceptibly. 2 (of a person or thing) moving with stealth. 00 stealthily adv. stealthiness n. . steam /sti:m/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the gas into which water is changed by boiling, used as a source of power by virtue of its expansion of volume. b a mist of liquid particles of water produced by the-condensation of this gas. 2 any similar vapour. 3 a energy or power provided by a steam engine or other machine. b collog. power or energy generally. —v. 1 tr. a cook (food) in steam. b soften or make pliable (timber etc.) or otherwise treat with steam. 2 intr. give off steam or other vapour, esp. visibly. 3 intr. a move under steam power (the ship steamed down the river). b (foll. by ahead, away, etc.) collog. proceed or travel fast or with vigour. 4 tr. & intr. (usu. foll. by up) a cover

STD abbr. 1 subscriber trunk dialling. 2 Doctor of Sacred Theology. [sense 2 f. L Sanctae Theologiae Doctor] stead /sted/ n. 0 ina person’s or thing’s stead as a substitute; instead of him or her or it. stand a person in good stead be

advantageous or serviceable to him or her. [OE stede f. Gmc]

steadfast /'stedfa:st, 'stedfast/ adj. constant, firm, unwavering. 00 steadfastly adv. steadfastness n. [OE stedefest (as STEAD, FAST)]

or become covered with condensed steam. b (as steamed up adj.) collog. angry or excited. 5 tr. (foll. by open etc.) apply steam to the gum of (a sealed envelope) to get it open. 0 get up steam

steading /'stedin/ n. Brit. a farmstead. steady |'stedi/ adj., v., adv., int., & n. —adj. (steadier, steadiest) 1 firmly fixed or supported or standing or balanced; not tottering, rocking, or wavering. 2 done or operating or happening in a uniform and regular manner (a steady pace; a steady increase). 3 a constant in mind or conduct; not changeable. b persistent. 4 (of a person) serious and dependable in behaviour; of industrious and temperate habits; safe; cautious. 5 regular, established (a steady girlfriend). 6 accurately directed; not faltering (a steady hand; a steady eye). 7 (of a ship) on course and upright. —-v.tr. & intr. (-ies, -ied) make or become steady (steady the boat). —adv. steadily (hold it steady). —int. as a command or warning to take care. —n. (pl. -ies) collog. a regular boyfriend or girlfriend. o go steady (often foll. by with) collog. have as a regular boyfriend or girlfriend. steady down become steady. steady-going staid; sober. steady on! a call to take care. steady

state

steamer

1418 ee

see

separate

entry.

oOF

steadier

n. steadily

adv.

steadiness n. [STEAD = place, + -y!] steady state n. an unvarying condition, especially in a physical process. The term is used specifically of a cosmological theory put forward by Sir James Jeans c.1920, again (revised) by Her-

mann Bondi and Thomas Gold in 1948, and further developed by Fred Hoyle, postulating that the universe maintains a constant average density, with more matter continuously created to fill

the void left by galaxies that are known to be receding from one another. The theory has now largely been abandoned in favour of the ‘big bang’ theory, and an evolving universe, as a result of two major discoveries: (i) that the most distant quasars are very different in nature from nearby galaxies, and (ii) the discovery of the microwave radiation background, by use of radio telescopes, appears to provide direct evidence for very hot radiation in an early stage of the universe, immediately following the big bang. steak /sterk/ n. 1 a thick slice of meat (esp. beef) or fish, often cut for grilling, frying, etc. 2 beef cut for stewing or braising. o steak-house a restaurant specializing in serving beefsteaks. steak-knife a knife with a serrated steel blade for eating steak. [ME f. ON steik rel. to steikja roast on spit, stikna be roasted] steal /sti:l/ v. & n. —v. (past stole /stoul/; past part. stolen |'stoolon/) 1 tr. (also absol.) a take (another person’s property) illegally. b take (property etc.) without right or permission, esp. in secret with the intention of not returning it. 2 tr. obtain surreptitiously or by surprise (stole a kiss). 3 tr. a gain insidiously or artfully. b (often foll. by away) win or get possession of (a person’s affections etc.), esp. insidiously (stole her heart away). 4 intr. (foll. by in, out, away, up, etc.) a move, esp. silently or stealthily (stole out of the room). b (of a sound etc.) become gradually perceptible. 5 tr. a (in various sports) gain (a run, the ball, etc.) surreptitiously or by luck. b Baseball reach (a base) by deceiving the fielders. —n. 1 US collog. the act or an instance of stealing or theft. 2 collog. an unexpectedly easy task or good bargain. Oo steal a march on get an advantage over by surreptitious means; anticipate. steal the show outshine other performers, esp. unexpectedly. steal a person’s thunder see THUNDER. OO stealer n. (also in comb.). [OE stelan f. Gmc]

stealth /stel6/ n. 1 secrecy, a secret procedure. 2 (Stealth) a type of US military aircraft capable of extremely high speed and designed to evade detection, esp. by enemy radar, while in flight. O by stealth surreptitiously. [ME f. OE (as sTEAL, -TH2)]

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3: her

1 sit

1 generate enough power to work a steam engine. 2 work oneself into an energetic or angry state. let off steam relieve one’s pent up feelings or energy. run out of steam lose one’s impetus or energy. steam age the era when trains were drawn

by steam locomotives. steam bath a room etc. filled with steam for bathing in. steam boiler a vessel (in a steam engine etc.) in which water is boiled to generate steam. steam engine see separate entry. steam gauge a pressure gauge attached to a steam boiler. steam hammer a forging-hammer powered by steam. steam-heat the warmth given out by steam-heated radiators etc. steam iron an electric iron that emits steam from its flat surface, to improve its pressing ability. steam-jacket a casing for steam round a cylinder, for heating its contents. steam organ a fairground pipe-organ driven by a steam engine and played by means of a keyboard or a system of punched cards. steam power the force of steam applied to machinery etc. steam shovel an excavator powered by steam. steam-tight impervious to steam. steam train a train driven by a steam engine. steam tug a steamer for towing ships etc. steam turbine a turbine in which a high-velocity jet of steam rotates a bladed disc or drum. under one’s own steam without assistance; unaided. [OE st@am f. Gmc] steamboat /'sti:mbout/ n. a boat propelled by a steam engine, especially a paddle-wheel craft used widely on rivers in the 19th c. Such boats were constructed experimentally in the 1780s, following James Watt’s improvements of the steam engine; earlier attempts had been less effective. John Fitch launched his invention on the Delaware River in 1787, but the most successful pioneer was Robert Fulton (see entry). In the US the most famous steamboats were those on the Mississippi, noted for their ornate fittings and for the risk of fire and other hazards to which they were prone. The classic account of them is Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi (1883), telling of his experiences as a river-boat pilot. (See also STEAMSHIP.) steam engine n. 1 an engine in which the successive expansion and rapid condensation of steam forces a piston (or pistons) to move up and down ina cylinder (or cylinders) to produce motive power, which is transmitted to a crank by means of a connecting-rod. 2 a locomotive powered by this. The power of steam had been demonstrated by Hero of Alexandria in aD 100, and condensed steam was made to drive a piston in experiments in the 18th c. The steam engine proper, the first successful form of heat engine, was developed and successively improved in the 18th c. by Newcomen, Watt, and others, after an early form had been invented by Captain Savery, and has changed little in its essentials since c.1820. It had reached its highest development by c.1900, when it was by far the most important heat engine in existence: large stationary steam engines provided the power for factories and blast furnaces, while smaller engines drove locomotives and tractors. It made possible the Industrial Revolution, being used first for pumping water from mines, later for driving machinery in mills, then for railway locomotives and for steamships. It has now been largely replaced by the steam turbine and the internal-combustion engine, but may again become popular because it can use coal rather than oil as a fuel. steamer /'sti:moa(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that steams. 2 a

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Arun

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steamroller

vessel propelled by steam, esp. a ship. 3 a vessel in which things are steamed, esp. cooked by steam. O steamer rug US a travelling-rug. steamroller /'sti:mjrovlo(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1a heavy slow-moving vehicle with a roller, used to flatten new-made roads. 2 a crushing power or force. —v.tr. 1 crush forcibly or indiscriminately. 2 (foll. by through) force (a measure etc.) through a legislature by overriding opposition. steamship |'sti:mJ1p/ n. a ship propelled by a steam engine. (See also sHIP and sTEAMBOAT.) From the early 19th c. steam engines were used to power ships. At first they were used as auxiliary engines on what were essentially sailing-ships, but in 1832 HMS Rhadamanthus crossed the Atlantic entirely under steam power, stopping at intervals to desalt the boilers, and in 1838 the Sirius crossed under continuous steam power, burning the cabin furniture, spare yards, and one mast en route in order to keep up steam in the boiler. Several steamship lines were established to exploit the profitable Atlantic route. The disadvantage of steamships for long journeys was that they were obliged to carry large amounts of fuel, and sailing-ships for carrying cargo survived into the 20th c. steamy |'sti:mi/ adj. (steamier, steamiest) 1 like or full’ of steam. 2 collog. erotic, salacious. 00 steamily adv. steaminess

n. stearic /'stiorik/ adj. derived from stearin. 0 stearic acid a solid saturated fatty acid obtained from animal or vegetable fats. 00 stearate /-,rert/ 1. [F stéarique f. Gk stear steatos tallow] stearin /'strari/ n. 1 a glyceryl ester of stearic acid, esp. in the form of a white crystalline constituent of tallow etc. 2a mixture of fatty acids used in candie-making. [F stéarine f. Gk stear steatos tallow] steatite /'stratait/ n. a soapstone or other impure form of talc. OO steatitic /-'titrk/ adj. [L steatitis f. Gk steatités f. stear steatos tallow] : steatopygia |,strateu'pid3ro/ n. an excess of fat on the buttocks. 00 steatopygous /-'paigas, -'topigas/ adj. [mod.L (as STEATITE + Gk pugé rump)]} steed /sti:d/ n. archaic or poet. a horse, esp. a fast powerful one. [OE stéda stallion, rel. to sruD?] steel /sti:l/ n., adj., & v. —n. 1 any of various alloys of iron and carbon with other elements increasing strength and malleability, much used for making tools, weapons, etc., and capable of being tempered to many different degrees of hardness. (See below.) 2 hardness of character; strength, firmness (nerves of steel). 3 a a rod of steel, usu. roughened and tapering, on which knives are sharpened. bastrip of steel for expanding a skirt or stiffening a corset. 4 (not in pl.) literary a sword, lance, etc. (foemen worthy of their steel). —adj. 1 made of steel. 2 like or having the characteristics of steel. —v.tr. & refl. harden or make resolute (steeled myself for a shock). O cold steel cutting or thrusting weapons. pressed steel steel moulded under pressure. steel band a group of usu. W. Indian musicians with percussion instruments made from oil drums. steel-clad wearing armour. steel engraving the process of engraving on or an impression taken froma steel-coated copper plate. steel wool an abrasive substance consisting of a mass of fine steel shavings. [OE style, stéli f. Gmc, rel. to stay? In antiquity (c.1200 Bc) steel surfaces were. produced on iron weapons and tools by heating them over red-hot charcoal so that carbon was absorbed from the coals. By c.200 Bc steel production had started in India, where iron fragments and wood chips were sealed into clay containers and heated until the iron had absorbed carbon—a process that later lapsed until it reappeared in 1740, when the ‘crucible’ method was developed in Sheffield. The basis of modern steelmaking is the removal of a large proportion of the non-ferrous elements from molten pig-iron by making them combine with oxygen. This can be done by any of several processes, including the Bessemer process, the open-hearth process, and (from c.1900) the electric-arc furnace, in which heat is provided by an electric arc. The most popular modern process, superseding the open-hearth, uses oxygen instead of air to reduce the carbon content without introducing impurities. The chief uses of steel are for structural purposes

av how

e1 day

steerage

1419

ou no

eo hair

1a near

o1 boy

va poor

(e.g. girders), reinforcement for concrete, railways, ships, motor vehicles, machine tools, fastenings, and food containers.

Steele /sti:l/, Sir Richard (1672-1729), British essayist and dramatist, born in Dublin in the same year as Addison, with whom he was educated. He wrote several not very successful comedies, including The Funeral (1701) which broke away from Restoration drama in its true portrayal of virtue and vice. Today he is remembered for his essays in The Tatler (1709-11) which he founded, and The Spectator (1711-12) which he conducted with Addison; these had an important influence on the manners, morals, and literature of the time. He edited several other periodicals and in 1713 was elected MP, but his pamphlet The Crisis (1714) in favour of the Hanoverian succession led to his expulsion from the House. On the accession of George I he was appointed supervisor of Drury Lane Theatre and to other official posts; he was knighted in 1715.

steelhead /'sti:Ihed/ n. a large N. American rainbow trout. steelwork |'sti:lwa:kj n. articles of steel. steelworks /'sti:lws:ks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) a place where steel is manufactured. 00 steelworker n. steely /'sti:li/ adj. (steelier, steeliest) 1 of, or hard-as, steel. 2 inflexibly severe; cold; ruthless (steely composure; steely-eyed glance). OO steeliness n.

steelyard /|'sti:lja:d/ n. a kind of balance with a short arm to take the item to be weighed and a long graduated arm along which a weight is moved until it balances. steenbok /'sternbpk, 'sti:n-/ n. an African dwarf-antelope, Raphicerus campestris. [Du. f. steen STONE + bok BUCK!] steep! /sti:p/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 sloping sharply; almost perpendicular (a steep hill; steep stairs). 2 (of a rise or fall) rapid (a steep drop in share prices). 3 (predic.) collog. a (of a demand, price, etc.) exorbitant; unreasonable (esp. a bit steep). b (of a story etc.) exaggerated; incredible. —n. a steep slope; a precipice. 00 steepen v.intr. & tr. steepish adj. steeply adv. steepness n. [OE stéap f. WG, rel. to stoop] steep? /sti:p/ v. & n. —v.tr. soak or bathe in liquid. —n. 1 the act or process of steeping. 2 the liquid for steeping. Oo steep in 1 pervade or imbue with (steeped in misery). 2 make deeply acquainted with (a subject etc.) (steeped in the classics). [ME f. OE

f. Gmc (as stoup)] steeple /'sti:p(a)l/ n. a tall tower, esp. one surmounted byaspire, above the roof of a church. 0 steeple-crowned (of a hat) with a tall pointed crown. 00 steepled adj. [OE stépel stypel f. Gmc (as STEEP})]

steeplechase /'sti:p(s)l,tfers/ n. 1 a horse-race (orig. with a steeple as the goal) across the countryside or on a racecourse with ditches, hedges, etc., to jump. (See below.) 2 a cross-country foot-race. 00 steeplechaser n. steeplechasing n. Steeplechasing is believed to have begun in Ireland in the 18th c., with matches between two horses across country, using steeples as landmarks, over a distance of four or five miles. The new sport soon spread to England, but it was not until 1830 that annual steeplechase fixtures began.

steeplejack /'sti:p(o)l\dzak/ n. a person who climbs tall chimneys, steeples, etc., to do repairs etc. steer! /stra(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. a guide (a vehicle, aircraft, etc.) by a wheel etc. b guide (a vessel) by a rudder or helm. 2 intr. guide a vessel or vehicle in a specified direction (tried to steer left). 3 tr. direct (one’s course). 4 intr. direct one’s course in a specified direction (steered for the railway station). 5 tr. guide the movement or trend of (steered them into the garden; steered the conversation away from that subject). —n. US steering; guidance. o steer clear of take care to avoid. steering-column the shaft or column which

connects the steering-wheel, handlebars, etc. of a vehicle to the rest of the steering-gear. steering committee a committee deciding the order of dealing with business, or priorities and the general course of operations. steering-wheel a wheel by which a vehicle etc. is steered, 00 steerable adj. steerer n. steering n. (esp. in senses 1, 2 of v.). [OE stieran f. Gmc] steer? /stro(r)/ n. a young male bovine animal, esp. one castrated and raised for beef. [OE stéor f. Gmc] steerage /'stroridz/ n. 1 the act of steering. 2 the effect of the

ara fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

steersman

Steno

1420

helm ona ship. 3 archaic the part ofa ship allotted to passengers travelling at the cheapest rate. 4 hist. (in a warship) quarters assigned to midshipmen etc. just forward of the wardroom. oO steerage-way the amount of headway required by a vessel to enable her to be controlled by the helm. steersman |'stiozmon/ n. (pl. -men) a person who steers a vessel. steeve! |sti:v/ n. & v. Naut. —n. the angle of the bowsprit in relation to the horizontal. —v. 1 intr. (of a bowsprit) make an angle with the horizontal. 2 tr. cause (the bowsprit) to do this. [17th c.: orig. unkn.]} steeve? |sti:v/ n. & v. Naut. —n. a long spar used in stowing cargo. —v.tr. stow with a steeve. [ME f. OF estiver or Sp. estivar f. L stipare pack tight] stegosaurus /|,stego'so:ras/ n. any of a group of plant-eating dinosaurs with a double row of large bony plates along the spine. [mod. L f. Gk stegé covering + sauros lizard]

Steiermark see Styria. Stein /stain/, Gertrude (1874-1946), American writer. From

a the slender part of a wineglass between the body and the foot. b the tube of a tobacco-pipe. ¢ a vertical stroke in a letter or musical note. d the winding-shaft of a watch. 4 Gram. the root . or main part of a noun, verb, etc., to which inflections are added; the part that appears unchanged throughout the cases and derivatives of a noun, persons of a tense, etc. 5 Naut. the main upright timber or metal piece at the bow of a ship to which the ship’s sides are joined at the fore end (from stem to stern). 6 a line of ancestry, branch of a family, etc. (descended from an ancient stem). 7 (in full drill stem) a rotating rod, cylinder, etc., used in drilling. —v. (stemmed, stemming) 1 intr. (foll. by from) spring or originate from (stems from a desire to win). 2 tr. remove the stem or stems from (fruit, tobacco, etc.). 3 tr. (of a vessel etc.) hold its own or make headway against (the tide etc.). 0 stem cell Biol. an undifferentiated cell from which specialized cells develop. stem stitch an embroidery stitch used for narrow stems etc. stem-winder US a watch wound by turning a head on the end of a stem rather than by a key. 00 stemless adj. stemlet n. stemlike adj. stemmed adj. (also in comb.). [OE stemn, stefn f. Gmc, rel. to STAND]

stem2 /stem/ v. & n. —v. (stemmed, stemming) 1 tr. check or

1903 she lived mainly in Paris, where her home became a focus for the avant-garde between the two World Wars, attracting writers such as Hemingway and F. M. Ford and artists including Picasso (who painted her portrait), Matisse, and Georges Brague.

Her highly idiosyncratic poetry includes the famous line ‘A rose is a rose is a rose is a rose’; her flowing unpunctuated prose is a version of the stream-of-consciousness technique. Stein’s works include essays, sketches of life in France, works of literary theory, short stories, portraits of her friends, a lyric drama Four Saints in Three Acts (1929), and Wars I have Seen (1945), a personal account of German-occupied Paris. Because of her opaque style the only book to reach a wide public was The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklar (1933), actually her own autobiography, Toklar being the friend and companion with whom she had lived since 1912.

stein /stain/ n. a large earthenware mug, esp. for beer. [G, lit. ‘stone’]

Steinbeck /'starnbek/, John Ernst (1902-68), American novelist. His best work deals sympathetically and realistically with the poor and oppressed, especially the migrant agricultural workers of California, as in The Grapes of Wrath (1939).

steinbock |/'stainbpk/ n. 1 an ibex native to the Alps. 2 = STEENBOK. [G f. Stein srONE + Bock BUCK?]

stop. 2 tr. dam up (a stream etc.). 3 intr. slide the tail of one ski or both skis outwards usu. in order to turn or slow down. —n. an act of stemming on skis. 0 stem-turn a turn on skis made by stemming with one ski. [ON stemma f. Gmc: cf. STAMMER] stemmia /'stemo/ n. (pl. stemmata /'stemoto/) 1 a family tree; a pedigree. 2 the line of descent e.g. of variant texts of a work. 3 Zool. a simple eye; a facet of a compound eye. [L f. Gk stemma wreath f. stephd wreathe] stemple /'stemp(s)l/ n. each of several crossbars in a mineshaft serving as supports or steps. [17th c.: orig. uncert.: cf. MHG stempfel] stemware /'stemweo(r)/ n. US glasses with stems. stench /stent{/ n. an offensive or foul smell. o stench trap a trap in a sewer etc. to prevent the upward passage of gas. [OE stenc smell f. Gmc, rel. to STINK] stencil /'stensil/ n. & v. —n. 1 (in full stencil-plate) a thin sheet of plastic, metal, card, etc., in which a pattern or lettering is cut, used to produce a corresponding pattern on the surface beneath it by applying ink, paint, etc. 2 the pattern, lettering, etc., produced bya stencil-plate. 3 a waxed sheet etc. from which a stencil is made by means of a typewriter. —v.tr. (stencilled, stencilling; US stenciled, stenciling) 1 (often foll. by on) produce (a pattern) with a stencil. 2 decorate or mark (a surface) in this way. [ME f. OF estanceler sparkle, cover with stars, f. estencele spark ult. f. L scintilla]

Steinway /'starnwei/, Henry Engelhard (1797-1871), German piano-builder. His name is used to designate a piano manufactured by him or by the firm which he founded in New York

Stendhal /'stada:l/ (pseudonym of Henri Beyle, 1783— 1842),

in 1853.

stela |'sti:lo/ n. (pl. stelae /-li:/) Archaeol. an upright slab or pillar usu. with an inscription and sculpture, esp. as a gravestone. [L f. Gk (as STELE)} stele /sti:l, 'sti:li/ n. 1 Bot. the axial cylinder of vascular tissue in the stem and roots of most plants. 2 Archaeol. = sTELA. 00 stelar adj. [Gk stélé standing block]

Stella /'stelo/, Frank Philip (1936-_), American painter, who in the late 1950s broke away from abstract expressionism without reverting to figural painting, and became recognized as a leading figure in the ‘minimal art’ movement. He often used notched and shaped canvases; in his ‘black’ paintings series of thin white stripes followed the shape of the format, and later he painted in flat bands of bright colour. In the 1970s he experimented with paintings that included cut-out shapes in relief. stellar /'stelo(r)/ adj. of or relating to a star or stars. 00 stelliform adj. [LL stellaris f. L stella star]

French novelist who served under Napoleon in Italy, Germany, and Russia, and later held consular posts in Italy. His two recognized masterpieces are Le Rouge et le Noir (1830) and La Chartreuse de Parme (1839); each is remarkable for its political dimension, for the variety of experience portrayed, for the energy and passion of the principal characters, and for his penetrating psychological analysis. As well as novels he wrote studies of music, musicians, and Italian painting, travel books, three volumes of autobiography, and much journalism. His study De l'amour (1822) considers the passion both psychologically and in relation to historical and social questions, and with Racine et Shakespeare (1823, 1825) he linked himself with the Romantics in the Classic-Romantic controversy. Sten gun /sten/ n. a type of lightweight sub-machine-gun. [S and T (the initials of the inventors’ surnames, Shepherd and Turpin) + -en after BREN]

Steno /'sti:nov/, Nicolaus (1638-86), Danish-born anatomist,

stellate /'steleit/ adj. (also stellated /ste'lertid/) 1 arranged like a star; radiating. 2 Bot. (of leaves) surrounding the stem in a whorl. [L stellatus f. stella star] stellular /|'steljulo(r)/ adj. shaped like, or set with, small stars. (LL stellula dimin. of L stella star] stem! /stem/ n. & v. —n. 1 the main body or stalk of a plant or

shrub, usu. rising into light, but occasionally subterranean. 2 the stalk supporting a fruit, flower, or leaf, and attaching it to a larger branch, twig, or stalk. 3 a stem-shaped part of an object: b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

jyes

k cat

geologist, and physician (Danish name Niels Steensen), who worked and studied in a number of European cities. He is remembered for proposing several ideas which are now part of modern geological thought: that fossils are the petrified remains of living organisms, that many rocks arise from consolidation of sediments, and that such rocks occur in layers in the order in which they were laid down, thereby constituting a record of the geological history of the earth. Steno later turned from science to religion, and ended his days as a bishop. lleg

m man

nono

ppen r red

s sit

t top

v voice

steno steno /'stensu/ n. (pl. -os) US collog. a stenographer. [abbr.]

stenography /ste'nogrofi/ n. shorthand or the art of writing this. 00 stenographer n. stenographic /-no'grefik/ adj. [Gk stenos narrow + -GRAPHY] stenosis /sti'nousis/ n. Med. the abnormal narrowing of a passage in the body. oo stenotic /-'nptrk/ adj. [mod.L f. Gk stendsis narrowing f. stendd make narrow f. stenos narrow] stenotype /'steno,tarp/ n. 1 a machine like a typewriter for recording speech in syllables or phonemes. 2 a symbol or the symbols used in this process. 00 stenotypist n. [STENOGRAPHY + TYPE] Stentor /'stento(r)/ n. (also stentor) a person with a powerful voice. 00 stentorian /-'to:r19n/ adj. [Gk Stentér, herald in the Trojan War (Homer, Iliad v. 785)] : step /step/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the complete movement of one leg in walking or running (took a step forward). b the distance covered by this. 2 a unit of movement in dancing. 3 a measure taken, esp. one of several in a course of action (took steps to prevent it; considered it a wise step). 4 a a surface on which a foot is placed on ascending or descending a stair or tread. b a block of stone or other platform before a door, altar, etc. c the rung of a ladder. da notch cut for a foot in ice-climbing. e a platform etc. in a vehicle provided for stepping up or down. 5 a short distance (only a step from my door). 6 the sound or mark made by a foot in walking etc. (heard a step on the stairs). 7 the manner of walking etc. as seen or heard (know her by her step). 8 a a degree in the scale of promotion, advancement, or precedence. b one of a series of fixed points on a payscale etc. 9 a stepping (or not stepping) in time with others or music (esp. in or out of step). b the state of conforming to what others are doing (refuses to keep step with the team). 10 (in pl.) (also pair of steps sing.) = STEPLADDER. 11 esp. US Mus. a melodic interval of one degree of the scale, i.e. a tone or semitone. 12 Naut. a block, socket, or platform supporting a mast. —v. (stepped, stepping) 1 int. lift and set down one’s foot or alternate feet in walking. 2 intr. come or go in a specified direction by stepping. 3 intr. make progress in a specified way (stepped into a new job). 4 tr. (foll. by off, out) measure (distance) by stepping. 5 tr. perform (a dance). 6 tr. Naut. set up (a mast) in a step. Oo in a person’s steps following a person’s example. mind (or watch) one’s step be careful. step by step gradually; cautiously; by stages or degrees. step-cut (of a gem) cut in straight facets round the centre. step down 1 resign from a position etc. 2 Electr. decrease (voltage) by using a transformer. step in 1 enter a room, house, etc. 2 a intervene to help or hinder. b act as a substitute for an indisposed colleague etc. step-in attrib.adj. (of a garment) put on by being stepped into without unfastening. —n. such a garment. step it dance. step on it (or on the gas etc.) collog. 1 accelerate a motor vehicle. 2 hurry up. step out 1 leave a room, house, etc. 2 be active socially. 3 take large steps. stepping-stone 1 a raised stone, usu. one of a set in a stream, muddy place, etc., to help in crossing. 2 a means or stage of progress to an end. step this way a deferential formula meaning ‘follow me’. step up 1 increase, intensify (must step up production). 2 Electr. increase (voltage) using a transformer. turn one’s steps go in a specified direction. 00 steplike adj. stepped adj. stepwise adv. & adj. [OE stzpe, stepe (n.), steppan, steppan (v.), f. Gmc]

step- /step/ comb. form denoting a relationship like the one specified but resulting from a parent’s remarriage. [OE stéoporphan-] Stepanakert /|,stepono'ks:t/ the capital of the autonomous Soviet republic of Nagorno-Kharabakh; pop. (1985) 33,000. The city is named after a Baku communist revolutionary, Stepan Shaumyan.

stepbrother /'step,brada(r)/ n. a son of a step-parent by a marriage other than with one’s father or mother.

stepchild /'steptfaild/ n. a child of one’s husband or wife by a previous marriage. [OE stéopcild (as sTEP-, CHILD)]

stepdaughter |'step,do:to(r)/ n. a female stepchild. [OE stéopdohtor (as STEP-, DAUGHTER)]

stepfather /'step,fa:da(r)/ n. a male step-parent. [OE stéopfeder (as STEP-, FATHER)] wwe

z zoo

stereobate

1421

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

y ring

x loch

stephanotis /,stefa'noutis/ n. any climbing tropical plant of the genus Stephanotis, cultivated for its fragrant waxy usu. white flowers. [mod.L f. Gk, = fit for a wreath f. stephanos wreath]

Stephen! /'sti:v(o)n/ (c.1097-1154), grandson of William I, king of England 1135-54. Stephen seized the throne of England from Matilda, the only legitimate child of Henry I, a few months after the latter's death in 1135. More popular with the English nobility than his rival, he forced her to flee the kingdom, but failed to restore royal authority in a time of great domestic unrest and was eventually obliged to recognize Matilda’s son, the future Henry II, as heir to the throne.

Stephen? /'sti:v(2)n/, St (d c.35), the first Christian martyr. One of the original seven deacons in Jerusalem appointed by the Apostles, he incurred the hostility of the Jews and was charged with blasphemy before the Sanhedrin and stoned; Saul (the future St Paul) was present at his execution. Feast day (in the Western Church) 26 Dec., in the Eastern Church) 27 Dec.

Stephen! /'sti:v(s)n/, St (c.997-1038), the first king and patron saint of Hungary, who on his accession to the throne in 997 set out to christianize his country. Feast day, 2 Sept., but in Hungary 20 Aug., the day of the translation of his relics, is kept as his principal festival. Stephenson /'sti:vons(2)n/, George (1781-1848), English engineer, generally regarded as the father of railways. Stephenson started as a colliery engineman and so had early acquaintance with steam power, which he proceeded to apply to haulage of coal wagons by cable. His first locomotive, the Blucher, was built in 1814. He became engineer to a company laying a railway track between Stockton and Darlington, and, having persuaded them to use steam power instead of horse-drawn wagons, in 1825 drove the first train upon it, with a locomotive of his own design, at a speed of 19km an hour. His son Robert (1803-59) assisted him in the building of engines and of the LiverpoolManchester railway for which they built the famous locomotive Rocket (1829), the prototype for all future steam locomotives. George invented a miner’s safety lamp at about the same time as Sir Humphry Davy, while Robert became famous as both a locomotive builder and a bridge designer, notably the box-girder Britannia tubular bridge over the Menai Strait in Wales and other major bridges at Conway, Berwick, Newcastle, in Egypt, and at Montreal.

stepladder /'step,ledo(r)/ n. a short ladder with flat steps and a folding prop, used without being leant against a surface. stepmother /'step,mado(r)/ n. a female step-parent. [OE stéopmOdor (as STEP-, MOTHER)] step-parent /'step,peoront/ n. a mother’s or father’s later husband or wife. steppe /step/ n. a level grassy unforested plain, esp. in SE Europe and Siberia. [Russ. step’] stepsister /'step,sisto(r)/ n. a daughter of a step-parent by a marriage other than with one’s father or mother. stepson /'stepsan/ n. a male stepchild. [OE st@opsunu (as sTEP-, sONn)] -ster /sto(r)/ suffix denoting a person engaged in or associated with a particular activity or thing (brewster; gangster; youngster). [OE -estre etc. f. Gmc] steradian /sto'reidion/ n. the SI unit of solid angle, equal to the angle at the centre of a sphere subtended by a part of the surface equal in area to the square of the radius. {/ Abbr.: sr. [Gk stereos solid + RADIAN] stercoraceous /)st3:ko're1{(2)s/ adj. 1 consisting of or resembling dung or faeces. 2 living in dung. [L stercus -oris dung] stere /stio(r)/ n. a unit of volume equal to one cubic metre. [F stére f. Gk stereos solid] stereo /'steriau, 'stro-/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -os) 1 a a stereophonic record-player, tape recorder, etc. b = STEREOPHONY (see STEREOPHONIC). 2 = STEREOSCOPE. —adj. 1 = STEREOPHONIC. 2 = STEREOSCOPIC (see STEREOSCOPE). [abbr.] stereo- /'sterisu, 'stio-/ comb. form solid; having three dimensions. [Gk stereos solid] stereobate |'sterra,beit/ n. Archit. a solid mass of masonry as a tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

stereochemistry

stew

1422

foundation for a building. [F stéréobate f. L stereobata f. Gk stereobatés (as STEREO-, baind walk)] stereochemistry /,sterrou'kemistri, ,stio-/ n. the branch of chemistry dealing with the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in molecules. stereography /|,stert'pgrofi/ n. the art of depicting solid bodies in a plane.

stereoisomer |,stertou'aisoma(r)/ n. Chem. any of two or more compounds differing only in their spatial arrangement of atoms. stereometry /|,ster1'pmitri/ n. the measurement of solid bodies.

stereophonic /,steriou'fonik, ,strs-/ adj. (of sound reproduction) using two or more channels so that the sound has the effect of being distributed and of reaching the listener from more than one direction, thus seeming more realistic. oo stereophonically adv. stereophony /-'pfon1/ n. stereoscope |'ster1o,skaup, 'stra-/ n. a device by which two photographs of the same object taken at slightly different angles

are viewed together, giving an impression of depth and solidity as in ordinary human vision. 00 stereoscopic |-'skpprk/ adj. stereoscopically /-'skopikoli/ adv. stereoscopy /-'pskapi/ n. stereotype /'steriou,tarp, 'stio-/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa person or thing that conforms to an unjustifiably fixed, usu. standardized, mental picture. b such an impression or attitude. 2 a printingplate cast from a mould of composed type. —v.tr. 1 (esp. as stereotyped adj.) formalize, standardize; cause to conform to a type. 2 a print from a stereotype. b make a stereotype of. 00 stereotypic /-'trprk/ adj. stereotypical /-'trprk(s)l/ adj. stereotypically /-'trprkoli/ adv. stereotypy n. [F stéréotype (adj.) (as STEREO-, TYPE)]

steric /'strortk/ adj. Chem. relating to the spatial arrangement of atoms in a molecule. o steric hindrance the inhibiting of a chemical reaction by the obstruction of reacting atoms. [irreg. f. Gk stereos solid]

sterile /'sterarl/ adj. 1 not able to produce crop or fruit or (of an animal) young; barren. 2 unfruitful, unproductive (sterile discussions). 3 free from living micro-organisms etc. 4 lacking originality or emotive force; mentally barren. o0 sterilely adv. sterility /sto'rilrt/ n. [F stérile or L sterilis]

sterilize /'stert,laiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 make sterile. 2 deprive of the power of reproduction. 00 sterilizable adj. sterilization /-'zerf(a)n/ n. sterilizer n. sterlet /'sta:lit/ n. a small sturgeon, Acipenser ruthenus, found in the Caspian Sea area and yielding fine caviare. [Russ. sterlyad’]

Shandy (1759-67) in which he parodies the developing conventions of the still new ‘novel’ form and its problems in presenting reality, space, and time; in this Sterne excels as an . innovator of the highest virtuosity, and in his use of the stream-

of-consciousness technique he acknowledges his debt to Locke. He had been suffering from tuberculosis and in 1762 left for France in the hope of recuperation. His travels in France and Italy provided material for A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy (1767). sternum /'sts:nom/ n. (pl. sternums or sterna /-no/) the breastbone. [mod.L f. Gk sternon chest] sternutation /|,sts:njo'terf(a)n/ n. Med. or joc. a sneeze or attack of sneezing. [L sternutatio f. sternutare frequent. of sternuere sneeze] sternutator /|'sts:nju,terto(r)/ n. a substance, esp. poison gas, that causes nasal irritation, violent coughing, etc. oo sternutatory /-'nju:totori/ adj. & n. (pl. -ies). sternway |'sts:nwe1/n. Naut. a backward motion or impetus of a ship.

steroid /'stioroid, 'ste-/ n. Biochem. any of a group of organic compounds with a characteristic structure of four rings of carbon atoms, including many hormones, alkaloids, and vitamins. oo steroidal |-'rp1d(2)l/ adj. [STEROL + -o1D] sterol /'sterpl/ n. Chem. any of a group of naturally occurring steroid alcohols. [CHOLESTEROL, ERGOSTEROL, etc.] stertorous /'st3:toros/ adj. (of breathing etc.) laboured and noisy; sounding like snoring. oO stertorously adv. stertorousness 1. [stertor, mod_L f. L stertere snore] stet /stet/ v. (stetted, stetting) 1 intr. (usu. as an instruction written on a proof-sheet etc.) ignore or cancel the correction or alteration; let the original form stand. 2 tr. write ‘stet’ against; cancel the correction of. [L, = let it stand, f. stare stand] stethoscope /'ste§o,skoup/ n. an instrument used in listening to sounds within the body, e.g. those of the action of the heart and lungs. The French physician R. T. H. Laennec in 1816 introduced a perforated wooden cylinder which concentrated the sounds of air flowing in and out of the lungs, and described the sounds which it revealed. The modern form, with two earpieces connected to the chest-piece by flexible tubes, developed later in the 19th c.. oo stethoscopic /-'skpprk/ adj. stethoscopicaily |-'skpprkoli/ adv. stethoscopist /-'0pskopist/ n. stethoscopy |-Opskapi/ n. [F stéthoscope f. Gk stéthos breast: see -SCOPE] stetson /'stets(2)n/ n. a slouch hat with a very wide brim and a high crown. [J. B. Stetson, Amer. hat-maker d. 1906]

sterling /'sts:lin/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or in British money (pound

Stettin see Szczecin.

sterling). 2 (of a coin or precious metal) genuine; of standard value or purity. 3 (of a person or qualities etc.) of solid worth; genuine, reliable (sterling work). —n. 1 British money (paid in sterling). 2 Austral. Hist. an English-born Australian person, as distinct from Australian-born (called currency). o sterling area a group of countries with currencies tied to British sterling and holding reserves mainly in sterling. sterling silver silver of 923% purity. Oo sterlingness n. (prob. f. late OE steorling (unrecorded) f. steorra star + -LING! (because some early Norman pennies bore a small star): recorded earlier in OF esterlin] stern! /sts:n/ adj. severe, grim, strict; enforcing discipline or submission (a stern expression; stern treatment). 0 the sterner sex

stevedore /'sti:vo,do:(r)/ n. a person employed in loading and unloading ships. [Sp. estivador f. estivar stow a cargo f. L stipare: see STEEVE?]

men.

O00 sternly adv. sternness n. [OE styrne, prob. f. a Gmc

root = be rigid] stern? /st3:n/ n. 1 the rear part of a ship or boat. 2 any rear part. O stern foremost moving backwards. stern on with the stern presented. stern-post the central upright support at the stern, usu. bearing the rudder. oo sterned adj. (also in comb.). sternmost adj. sternward adj. & adv. sternwards adv. [ME prob. f. ON stjérn steering f. styra sTEER}] sternal /'sts:n(o)l/ adj. of or relating to the sternum. o sternal rib = true rib. Sterne /sta:n/, Laurence (1713-68), British novelist, born in

Ireland, who became a clergyman and prebendary of York cathedral (1741). He was féted by London society after the publication of the first two volumes of his greatest novel Tristram

ze cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

stevengraph /'sti:v(2)n,gra:f] n. a colourful woven silk picture. [T. Stevens, Engl. weaver d. 1888, whose firm made them] Stevens /'sti:v(2)nz/, Wallace (1878-1955), American poet, who for many years worked as a lawyer on the staff of a large insurance company. His first volume of poems, Harmonium (1923), was followed by other collections, which slowly brought him recognition. Stevenson /'sti:vans(s)n/, Robert Louis Balfour (1850-94), British novelist, born in Edinburgh, where he studied law. He suffered from a chronic bronchial condition and spent much of his life abroad, in France, the US, and the South Seas, finally settling in Samoa. He published a number of essays, short stories, and travel pieces; his poems include A Child’s Garden of Verses (1885). His first full length fictional work, the adventure story Treasure Island (1883), brought him fame which continued with The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886), Kidnapped (1886), its sequel Catriona (1893), and The Master of Ballantrae (1889); his masterpiece Weir of Hermiston (1896) is unfinished. In these works critics have detected beneath a lightness of touch a dark sense of apprehension, but his critical reputation has been obscured by his vivid personality and adventurous life. stew! stju:/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & intr. cook by long simmering in a closed vessel with liquid. 2 intr. collog. be oppressed. by heat or i: see

pv hot

o: saw

arun

o put

u: too

9 ago

ai my

stew

stifle

1423

humidity, esp. in a confined space. 3 intr. collog. a suffer prolonged embarrassment, anxiety, etc. b (foll. by over) fret or be anxious. 4 tr. make (tea) bitter or strong with prolonged brewing. 5 tr. (as stewed adj.) collog. drunk. 6intr. (often foll. by over) collog. study hard. —n. 1 a dish of stewed meat etc. 2 colloq. an agitated or angry state (be in a stew). 3 archaic a a hot bath. b (in pl.) a brothel. 0 stew in one’s own juice be left to suffer the consequences of one’s own actions. [ME f. OF estuve, estuver prob. ult. f. ex-! + Gk tuphos smoke, steam] stew? /stju:/ n. Brit. 1 an artificial oyster-bed. 2 a pond or large tank for keeping fish for eating. [ME f. F estui f. estoier confine ult. f. L studium: see sTuDy]

steward /'stju:ad/ n. & v. 1 a passengers’ attendant on a ship or aircraft or train. 2 an official appointed to keep order or supervise arrangements at a meeting or show or demonstration etc. 3 = shop steward. 4a person responsible for supplies of food etc. for a college or club etc. 5 a person employed to manage another’s property. 6 Brit. the title of several officers of State or the royal household. —v.tr. act as a steward of (will steward the meeting). 0 Lord High Steward of England a high officer of State presiding at coronations. 00 stewardship n. [OE stiweard

f. stig prob. = house, hall + weard warp]

.

stewardess ||stju:o'des, 'stju:odis/ n. a female steward, esp. on

a ship or aircraft.

Stewart! var. of Stuart. Stewart? /'stju:ot/, John Young (‘Jackie’) (1939—

),. British

motor-racing driver, world champion in 1969, 1971, and 1973.

Stewart Island /'stu:ot/ an island separated from the south coast of South Island, New Zealand, by the Foveaux Strait; chief settlement, Oban. It is named after Captain William Stewart, whaler and sealer, who made a survey of the island in 1809. stg. abbr. sterling.

with. get stuck in (or into) sl. begin in earnest. stick around collog. linger; remain at the same place. stick at it colloq. persevere. stick at nothing allow nothing, esp. no scruples, to deter one. stick by (or with or to) stay loyal or close to. stick ?em up! collog. hands up! stick fast adhere or become firmly fixed or trapped in a position or place. stick in one’s gizzard see GIZZARD. sticking-plaster an adhesive plaster for wounds etc. sticking-point the limit of progress, agreement, etc. stick-in-the-mud collog. an unprogressive or old-fashioned person. stick in one’s throat be against one’s principles. stick it on sl. 1 make high charges. 2 tell an exaggerated story. stick it out collog. put up with or persevere with a burden etc. tothe end. stick one’s neck (or chin) out expose oneself to censure etc. by acting or speaking boldly. stick out protrude or cause to protrude or project (stuck his tongue out; stick out your chest). stick out for persist in demanding. stick out a mile (or like a sore thumb) collog. be very obvious or incongruous. stick pigs engage in pigsticking. stick to 1 remain close to or fixed on or to. 2 remain faithful to. 3 keep to (a subject etc.) (stick to the point). stick to a person’s finger's collog. (of money) be embezzled by a person. stick together collog. remain united or mutually loyal. stick to one’s gums see GUN. stick to it persevere. stick to one’s last see LAST®. stick up 1 be or make erect or protruding upwards. 2 fasten to an upright surface. 3 collog. rob or threaten with a gun. stick-up n. colloqg. an armed robbery. stick up for support or defend or champion (a person or cause). stick up to be assertive in the face of; offer resistance to. stick with colloq. remain in touch with or faithful to. stuck-up colloq. affectedly superior and aloof, snobbish. 00 stickability /-ka'brliti/ n. [OE stician f. Gmc] sticker /|'strka(r)/ n. 1 an adhesive label or notice etc. 2a person or thing that sticks. 3 a persistent person.

stickleback /'strk(s)l,bzk/ n. any small fish of the family Gas-

Sth. abbr. South. sthenic /'s@entk/ adj. Med. (of a disease etc.) with a morbid

terosteidae, esp. Gasterosteus aculeatus, with sharp spines along the back. [ME f. OE sticel thorn, sting + bec BACK]

increase of vital action esp. of the heart and arteries. [Gk sthenos strength, after asthenic]

stickler /|'stiklo(r)/ n. (foll. by for) a person who insists on some-

stick! /strk/ n. 1 a a short slender branch or length of wood broken or cut from a tree. b this trimmed for use as a support or weapon. 2 a thin rod or spike of wood etc. for a particular purpose (cocktail stick). 3 a an implement used to propel the ball in hockey or polo etc. b (in pl.) the raising of the stick above the shoulder in hockey. 4 a gear lever. 5 a conductor’s baton. 6a a slender piece of a thing, e.g. celery, dynamite, deodorant, etc. b a number of bombs or paratroops released rapidly from aircraft. 7 (often prec. by the) punishment, esp. by beating. 8 collog. adverse criticism; censure, reproof (took a lot of stick). 9 collog. a piece of wood as part of a house or furniture (a few sticks of furniture). 10 collog. a person, esp. one who is dull or unsociable (afunny old stick). 11 (in pl.; prec. by the) collog. remote rural areas. 12 (in pl.) Austral. sl. goalposts. 13 Naut. sl. a mast or spar. O stick insect any usu. wingless female insect of the family Phasmidae with a twiglike body. up sticks collog. go to live elsewhere. 00 stickless adj. sticklike adj. [OE sticca f. WG]

stick? /strk/ v. (past and past part. stuck /stak/) 1 tr. (foll. by in, into, through) insert or thrust (a thing or its point) (stuck a finger in my eye; stick a pin through it). 2 tr. insert a pointed thing into; stab. 3 tr. & intr. (foll. by in, into, on, etc.) a fix or be fixed on a pointed thing. b fix or be fixed by or as by a pointed end. 4 tr. & intr. fix or become or remain fixed by or as by adhesive etc. (stick a label on it; the label won’t stick). 5 intr. endure; make a continued impression (the scene stuck in my mind; the name stuck). 6 intr. lose or be deprived of the power of motion or action through adhesion or jamming or other impediment. 7collog. a tr. put in a specified position or place, esp. quickly or haphazardly (stick them down anywhere). b intr. remain in a place (stuck indoors). 8 collog. a intr. (of an accusation etc.) be convincing or regarded as valid (could not make the charges stick). b tr. (foll. by on) place the blame for (a thing) on (a person). 9 tr. collog. endure, tolerate (could not stick it any longer). 10 tr. (foll. by at) collog. persevere with. 0 be stuck for be ata loss for or in need of. be stuck on collog. be infatuated with. be stuck with collog. be unable to get rid of or escape from; be permanently involved

au how

er day

au no

ea hair

Ia near

o1 boy

vo poor

thing (a stickler for accuracy). [obs. stickle be umpire, ME stightle control, frequent. of stight f. OE stiht(i)jan set in order]

stickpin /'stikpin/ n. US an ornamental tie-pin. stickweed /'strkwi:d/ n. US = RAGWEED 2. sticky /'strki/ adj. (stickier, stickiest) 1 tending or intended to stick or adhere. 2 glutinous, viscous. 3 (of the weather) humid. 4 collog. awkward or uncooperative; intransigent (was very sticky about giving me leave). 5 collog. difficult, awkward (a sticky problem). 6 colloq. very unpleasant or painful (came to a sticky end). O sticky wicket 1 Cricket a pitch that has been drying after rain and is difficult for the batsman. 2 collog. difficult or awkward circumstances. 00 stickily adv. stickiness n.

stickybeak /'stik1,bi:k/ n. & v. Austral. & NZ sl. —n. an inquisitive person. —v.intr. pry.

stiff /stif] adj. & n. —adj. 1 rigid; not flexible. 2 hard to bend or move or turn etc.; not working freely. 3 hard to cope with; needing strength or effort (a stiff test; a stiff climb). 4 severe or strong (a stiff breeze; a stiff penalty). 5 (of a person or manner) formal, constrained; lacking spontaneity. 6 (of a muscle or limb etc., or a person affected by these) aching when used, owing to previous exertion, injury, etc. 7 (of an alcoholic or medicinal drink) strong. 8 (predic.) collog. to an extreme degree (bored stiff; scared stiff). 9 (foll. by with) collog. abounding in (a place stiff with tourists). —n. sl. 1 a corpse. 2 a foolish or useless person (you big stiff). 0 stiff neck a rheumatic condition in which the head cannot be turned without pain. stiff-necked obstinate or haughty. stiff upper lip firmness, fortitude. 00 stiffish adj. stiffly adv. stiffness n. [OE stiff.Gmc]

stiffen /'stif(a)n/ v.tr. & intr. make or become stiff. 00 stiffener n. stiffening n.

stifle! /'starf{o)l/ v. 1 tr. smother, suppress (stifled a yawn). 2 intr. & tr. experience or cause to experience constraint of breathing (stifling heat). 3 tr. kill by suffocating. o00 stifler /-flo(r)/ n. stiflingly adv. [perh. alt. of ME stuffe, stuffle f. OF estouffer]

stifle? /'starf(a)l/ n. (in full stifle-joint) a joint in the legs of

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

stigma

stinker

1424

stillborn /'strlbo:n/ adj. 1 (of a child) born dead. 2 (of an idea, plan, etc.) abortive; not able to succeed.

horses, dogs, etc., equivalent to-the knee in humans. a stifle-bone the bone in front of this joint. [ME: orig. unkn.] stigma /'stigmo/ n. (pl. stigmas or esp. in sense 4 stigmata /-moto, -'ma:to/) 1 a mark or sign of disgrace or discredit. 2 (foll. by of) a distinguishing mark or characteristic. 3 the part of a pistil that receives the pollen in pollination. 4 (in pl.) Eccl. (in Christian belief) marks corresponding to those left on Christ’s body by the nails and spear at his Crucifixion. Such marks are attributed to divine favour; they are first recorded as occurring on the person of St Francis of Assisi. 5 a mark or spot on the skin or on a butterfly-wing. 6 Med. a visible sign or characteristic of a disease. 7 an insect’s spiracle. [L f. Gk stigma -atos a mark made by a pointed instrument, a brand, a dot: rel. to stIck}]

Stillson /'stils(s)n/ n. (in full Stillson wrench) a large wrench with jaws that tighten as pressure is increased. [D. C. Stillson, its inventor d. 1899]

stilly /'strl1/ adv. & adj. —adv. ina still manner. —adj. poet. still, quiet. [(adv.) OE stillice: (adj.) f. st1Lt"] stilt /stilt/ n. 1 either of a pair of poles with supports for the feet enabling the user to walk at a distance above the ground. 2 each of a set of piles or posts supporting a building etc. 3 a any wading bird of the genus Himantopus with long legs. b (in comb.) denoting a long-legged kind of bird (stilt-petrel). 4 a three-legged support for ceramic ware in a kiln. 0 on stilts 1 supported by stilts. 2 bombastic, stilted. 00 stiltless adj. [ME & LG stilte f. Gmc] stilted /'stiltid/ adj. 1 (of a literary style etc.) stiff and unnatural; bombastic. 2 standing on stilts. 3 Archit. (of an arch) with pieces of upright masonry between the imposts and the springers. 00 stiltedly adv. stiltedness n.

stigmatic /stig'mztik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or relating to a stigma or stigmas. 2 = ANASTIGMATIC. ing stigmata. 00 stigmatically adv.

—n. Eccl. a person bear-

stigmatist /'stigmotist/ n. Eccl. = STIGMATIC n. stigmatize /'stigmo,taiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 (often foll. by as) describe as unworthy or disgraceful. 2 Eccl. produce stigmata on. OO stigmatization |-'ze1{(a)n/ n. [F stigmatiser or med.L stigmatizo f. Gk stigmatiz6 (as sSTIGMA)]

Stilton /'stilt(a)n/ n. propr. a kind of strong rich cheese, often with blue veins, orig. made at various places in Leicestershire and formerly sold to travellers at a coaching inn at Stilton (now in Cambridgeshire) on the Great North Road from London.

Stijl /starl/ n. a 20th-c. Dutch art movement which took its name from the Dutch periodical De Stijl (1917-32) founded by Theo van Doesburg and Piet Mondrian, devoted to the principles of neoplasticism. Its adherents sought an interdisciplinary application of their ideas and theory to painting, sculpture, architecture, and even poetry: form was reduced to the geometric simplicity of horizontals and verticals, and colour (which was used not as decoration but as an ancillary to special definition) was restricted to primary colours and black, white, and grey. Architects in the group included J. J. P. Oud (1890-1963), and Gerrit Rietveld (1888-1965). In the 1920s and 1930s De Stijl was influential in a European context, particularly on the Bauhaus and the constructivist movements and on Parisian purism. [Du., = the style]

stilb /stilb/ n. a unit of luminance equal to one candela per

stimulant /'strmjulont/ adj. & n. —adj. that stimulates, esp. bodily or mental activity. —n. 1 a stimulant substance, esp. a drug or alcoholic drink. 2 a stimulating influence. [L stimulare stimulant- urge, goad] stimulate /'stimju,lert/ v.tr. 1 apply or act as a stimulus to. 2 animate, excite, arouse. 3 be a stimulant to. 00 stimulating adj. stimulatingly adv. stimulation /-'let{(2)n/ n. stimulative /-latrv/ adj. stimulator n. stimulus /'strmjoles/ n. (pl. stimuli /-)la1/) 1 a thing that rouses to activity or energy. 2 a stimulating or rousing effect. 3 a thing that evokes a specific functional reaction in an organ or tissue. [L, = goad, spur, incentive]

stimay var. of sTyMIE.

square centimetre. [F f. Gk stilbo glitter]

stilbene /'stilbi:n/ n. Chem. an aromatic hydrocarbon forming phosphorescent crystals. [as STILB + -ENE]

stilboestrol /stil'bi:strol/ n. (US stilbestrol) a powerful synthetic oestrogen derived from stilbene. [STILBENE + OESTRUS]

stile! /starl/ n. an arrangement of steps allowing people but not animals to climb over a fence or wall. [OE stigel f. a Gmc root stig- (unrecorded) climb]

stile? /starl/ n. a vertical piece in the frame of a panelled door, wainscot, etc. (cf. RAIL! n. 5). [prob. f. Du. stijl pillar, doorpost] stiletto /sti'letou/n. (pl. -os) 1 a short dagger with a thick blade. 2 a pointed instrument for making eyelets etc. 3 (in full stiletto heel) a a long tapering heel of a shoe. b a shoe with such a heel. [It., dimin. of stilo dagger (as sty1us)] still! /stil/ adj., n., adv., & v. —adj. 1 not or hardly moving. 2 with little or no sound; calm and tranquil (a still evening). 3 (of sounds) hushed, stilled. 4 (of a drink) not effervescing. —n. 1

sting /stin/ n. & v. —n. 1 a sharp often poisonous wounding organ of an insect, snake, nettle, etc. 2 a the act of inflicting a wound with this. b the wound itself or the pain caused by it. 3 a wounding or painful quality or effect (the sting of hunger; stings of remorse). 4 pungency, sharpness, vigour (a sting in the voice). 5 sl. a swindle or robbery. —v. (past and past part. stung /stan/) 1 a tr. wound or pierce with a sting. b intr. be able to sting; have a sting. 2 intr. & tr. feel or cause to feel a tingling physical or sharp mental pain. 3 tr. (foll. by into) incite by a strong or painful mental effect (was stung into replying). 4 tr. sl. swindle or charge exorbitantly. 0 stinging-nettle a nettle, Urtica dioica, having stinging hairs. sting in the tail unexpected pain or difficulty at the end. 00 stingingly adv. stingless adj. stinglike adj. [OE sting (n.), stingan (v.), f. Gmc]

stingaree /'stinga,ri:, strnge'ri:/ n. US & Austral. = STINGRAY. stinger /'stio(r)/ n. 1 a stinging insect, snake, nettle, etc. 2a sharp painful blow.

deep silence (in the still of the night). 2 an ordinary static pho-

stingray /'stiprei/ n. any of various broad flat-fish esp. of the

tograph (as opposed to a motion picture), esp. a single shot from a cinema film. —adv. 1 without moving (stand still). 2 even now or at a particular time (they still did not understand; why are you still here?). 3 nevertheless; all the same. 4 (with compar. etc.) even, yet, increasingly (still greater efforts; still another explanation). —v.tr. & intr. make or become still; quieten. o still and all collog. nevertheless. still life (pl. still lifes) 1 a painting or drawing of inanimate objects such as fruit or flowers. 2 this genre of painting. still waters run deep a quiet manner conceals depths of feeling or knowledge or cunning. o0 stillness n. [OE stille (adj. & adv.), stillan (v.), f. WG]

family Dasyatidae, having a long poisonous serrated spine at the base of its tail.

stingy /'stind3i/ adj. (stingier, stingiest) niggardly, mean. 00 stingily adv. stinginess n. [perh. f. dial. stinge stiNc]

stink /stink/ v. & n. —v. (past stank /stenk/ or stunk /stank/; past part. stunk) 1 intr. emit a strong offensive smell. 2 tr. (often foll. by out) fill (a place) with a stink. 3 tr. (foll. by out etc.) drive (a person) out etc. by a stink. 4 intr: collog. be or seem very unpleasant, contemptible, or scandalous. 5intr. (foll. by of) collog. have plenty of (esp. money). —n. 1 a strong or offensive smell; a stench. 2 collog. a row or fuss (the affair caused quite a stink). o like stink collog. intensely; extremely hard or fast etc. (working like stink). stink bomb a device emitting a stink when exploded. [OE stincan ult. f. WG: cf. sTENCH]

still? /stil/ n. an apparatus for distilling spirituous liquors etc. O still-room Brit. 1 a room for distilling. 2 a housekeeper’s storeroom in a large house. [obs. still (v.), ME f. DIsTIL] stillage /'stilid3/ n. a bench, frame, etc., for keeping articles off the floor while draining, drying, waiting to be packed, etc. [app. f. Du. stellagie scaffold f. stellen to place + F -age]

stinker /'stiyko(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that stinks. 2 sl. an

stillbirth /'strlb3:0/ n. the birth of a dead child. b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

k cat

objectionable person or thing. 3 sl. a a difficult — etc. conveying strong disapproval. 1 leg

m man

n no

Pp pen

rred

ssit

t top

b a letter v voice

stinkhorn stinkhorn /'stinkho:n/ n. any foul-smelling fungus of the order Phallales. objectionable. —adv. sl. extremely and usu. objectionably (stinking rich). O stinking badger a teledu. 00 stinkingly adv.

stinko /'stinkau/ adj. sl. drunk. stinkpot /'stiykppt/ n. sl. 1 a term of contempt for a person. 2 a vehicle or boat that emits foul exhaust fumes.

stinkweed /'stinkwi:d/ n. = wall-rocket (see ROCKET?). stinkwood /'stinkwod/ n. an African tree, Ocotea bullata, with foul-smelling timber. stint /stint/v. & n. -—v.tr. 1 supply (food or aid etc.) ina niggardly amount or grudgingly. 2 (often refl.) supply (a person etc.) in this way. —n. 1 limitation of supply or effort (without stint). 2 a fixed or allotted amount of nore (do one’s stint). 3 a small sandpiper, esp. a dunlin. 00 stinter n. stintless adj. [OE styntan to blunt, dull, f: Gmc, rel. to stunt] stipe /starp/ n. Bot. & Zool. a stalk or stem, esp. the support of a carpel, the stalk of a frond, the stem of a fungus, or an eye-stalk. O00 stipiform adj. stipitate /'stiprtert/ adj. Seger /sti'prti,fo:m/ adj. [F f. L stipes: see sTIPEs] stipel /'starp(o)l/ n. Bot. a secondary stipule at the base of the leaflets of a compound leaf. n0 stipellate /-,leit/ adj. [F stipelle f. mod.L stipella dimin. (as sTIPULE)]

stipend /'starpend/ n. a fixed regular allowance or salary, esp. paid to a clergyman. [ME f. OF stipend(i)e or L stipendium f. stips wages + pendere to pay]

stipendiary /stai'pendjort, str-/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 receiving a stipend. 2 working for pay, not voluntarily. —n. (pl. -ies) a person receiving a stipend. oO stipendiary magistrate a paid professional magistrate. [L stipendiarius (as STIPEND)] stipes /'starpi:z/ n. (pl. stipites /'strp1,ti:z/) = st1PE. [L, = log, tree-trunk]

stipple /'stip(s)l/ v. & n. —v.

1 tr. & intr. draw or paint or

engrave etc. with dots instead of lines. 2 tr. roughen the surface of (paint, cement, etc.). —n. 1 the process or technique of stippling. 2 the effect of stippling. 00 stippler n. stippling n. [Du. stippelen frequent. of stippen to prick f. stip point]

stipulate! /'stipjujlert/ v.tr. 1 demand or specify as part of a bargain or agreement. 2 (foll. by for) mention or insist upon as an essential condition. 3 (as stipulated adj.) laid down in the terms.of an agreement. 00 stipulation /-'le1{(9)n/ n. stipulator

n. [L stipulari] stipulate? /'strpjulot/ adj. Bot. having stipules. [Ll stipula (as STIPULE)]

stipule /'strpju:/ n. a small leaflike appendage to a leaf, usu. at the base of a leaf-stem. O0 stipular adj. [F stipule or L stipula straw] Stir! /sts:(r)/ v. & n. —v. (stirred, stirring) 1 tr. move a spoon

or other implement round and round in (a liquid etc.) to mix the ingredients or constituents. 2 a tr: cause to move or be disturbed, esp. slightly (a breeze stirred the lake). b intr. be or begin to be in motion (not a creature was stirring). ¢ refl. rouse (oneself), esp. from a lethargic state. 3 intr. rise from sleep (is still not stirring). 4 intr. (foll. by out of) leave; go out of (esp. one’s house). 5 tr. arouse or inspire or excite (the emotions etc., or a person as regards these) (was stirred to anger, it stirred the imagination). —n. 1 an act of stirring (give it a good stir). 2 commotion or excitement; public attention (caused quite a stir). 3 the slightest movement (nota stir). O not stir a finger make no effort to help. stir the blood inspire enthusiasm etc. stir in mix (an added ingredient) with a substance by stirring. stir one’s stumps collog. 1 begin to move. 2 become active. stir up 1 mix thoroughly by stirring. 2 incite (trouble etc.) (loved stirring things up). 3 stimulate, excite, arouse (stirred up their curiosity). 00 stirless adj. stirrer n. [OE styrian f. Gmc] stir? /sts:(r)/ n. sl. a prison (esp. in stir). 0 stir-crazy deranged from long imprisonment. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

stir-fry /'sts:frai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) fry rapidly while stirring and tossing.

stirk /sts:k/ n. Brit. dial. a yearling bullock or heifer. [OE stirc, perh. dimin. of stéor sTEER?: see -OCK]

z zoo

Stirling! /'sts:l1y/ a royal burgh in central Scotland, capital of Central region; pop. (1981) 38,800.

stinking /|'stiykin/ adj. & adv. —adj. 1 that stinks. 2 sl. very

wwe

stock

1425

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

Stirling? /'sts:l1/, James (1692-1770), Scottish mathematician. The formula named after him, giving the approximate value of the factorial of a large number, was first worked out by Abraham de Moivre (d. 1754).

Stirling? /'sts:lm/, Robert (1796-1878), minister of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, co-inventor with his brother James in 1816-17 of a type of external-combustion engine known as the Stirling engine. This engine achieved a modest success in the 1890s but development lapsed until 1938, and has not achieved commercial success despite postwar efforts. stirps /sts:ps/ n. (pl. stirpes /-pi:z/) 1 Biol. a classificatory group. 2 Law aa branch of a family. b its progenitor. [L, = stock] stirrer /'sts:ro(r)/ n. 1 a thing or a person that stirs. 2 collog. a troublemaker; an agitator.

stirring /'sts:r1n/adj. 1 stimulating, exciting, rousing. 2 actively occupied (lead a stirring life). 00 stirringly adv. [OE styrende (as sTIR})] stirrup /'stirap/ n. 1 each of a pair of devices attached to each side of a horse’s saddle, in the form of a loop with a flat base to support the rider’s foot. 2 (attrib.) having the shape of a stirrup. 3 (in full stirrup bone) = sTaPEs. 0 stirrup-cup a cup of wine etc. offered to a person about to depart, orig. on horseback. stirrup-iron the metal loop of a stirrup. stirrup-leather (or -strap) the strap attaching a stirrup toa saddle. stirrup-pump a hand-operated water-pump with a foot-rest, used to extinguish small fires. [OE stigrap f. stigan climb (as sTILE!) + ROPE]

stitch /stit{/n. & v. —n. 1 a (in sewing or knitting or crocheting etc.) a single pass of a needle or the thread or loop etc. resulting from this. ba particular method of sewing or knitting etc. (am learning a new stitch). 2 (usu. in pl.) Surgery each of the loops of material used in sewing up a wound. 3 the least bit of clothing (hadn’t a stitch on). 4 an acute pain in the side of the body induced by running etc. —v.tr. 1 sew; make stitches (in). 2 join or close

with stitches. oO in stitches collog. laughing uncontrollably. a stitch in time a timely remedy. stitch up 1 join or mend by sewing or stitching. 2 sl. betray or cheat. oO stitcher n stitchery n. stitching n. stitchless adj. [OE stice f. Gmc, rel. to STICK?]

stitchwort /'stit{ws:t/ n. any plant of the genus Stellaria, esp. S. media with an erect stem and white starry flowers, once thought to cure a stitch in the side. stiver /'starvo(r)/ n. the smallest quantity or amount (don’t care a stiver). [Du. stuiver a small coin, prob. rel. to stuB] stoa |'stoua/ n. (pl. stoas) 1 a portico or roofed colonnade in ancient Greek architecture. 2 (the Stoa) the Stoic school of philosophy. [Gk: cf. Stoic] stoat /stovt/ n. a flesh-eating mammal, Mustela erminea, of the weasel family, having brown fur in the summer turning mainly white in the winter. Also called ERMINE. [ME: orig. unkn.]

stochastic /sto'kestik/ adj. 1 determined by a random distribution of probabilities. 2 (of a process) characterized by a sequence of random variables. 3 governed by the laws of probability. oO stochastically adv. [Gk stokhastikos f. stokhazomai aim at, guess f. stokhos aim] stock /stok/ n., adj., & v. —n. 1a store of goods etc. ready for sale or distribution etc. 2 a supply or quantity of anything for use (lay in winter stocks of fuel; a great stock of information). 3 equipment or raw material for manufacture or trade etc. (rolling-stock; paper stock). 4 a farm animals or equipment. b = FATSTOCK. 5 a the capital of a business company. b shares in this. 6 one’s reputation or popularity (his stock is rising). 7 a money lent to a government at fixed interest. b the right to receive such interest. 8 a line of ancestry; family origins (comes of Cornish stock). 9 liquid made by stewing bones, vegetables, fish, etc., as a basis for soup, gravy, sauce, etc. 10 any of various fragrant-flowered cruciferous plants of the genus Matthiola or Malcolmia (orig. stock-gillyflower, so-called because it had a stronger stem than the clove gillyflower). 11 a plant into which a graft is inserted. 12 the main trunk ofa tree etc. 13 (in pl.) hist. a timber frame with holes for the feet and occas. the hands tf chip

d3 jar

(see over for vowels)

stockade

stoichiometry

1426

and head, in which offenders were locked as a public punishment. 14 US a = stock company. b the repertory of this. 15 a a base or support or handle for an implement or machine. b the crossbar of an anchor. 16 the butt of a rifle etc. 17 a = HEADSTOCK. b = TAILSTOCK. 18 (in pl.) the supports for a ship during building. 19 a band of material worn round the neck esp. in horse-riding or below aclerical collar. 20 hard solid brick pressed in a mould. —adj. 1 kept in stock and so regularly available (stock sizes). 2 perpetually repeated; hackneyed, conventional (a stock answer). —v.tr. 1 have or keep (goods) in stock. 2 a provide (a shop or a farm etc.) with goods, equipment, or livestock. b fill with items needed (shelves well-stocked with books). 3 fit (a gun etc.) with a stock. o in stock available immediately for sale etc. on the stocks in construction or preparation. out of stock not immediately available for sale. stock-book a book showing amounts of goods acquired and disposed of. stock-car 1 a specially strengthened production car for use in racing in which collision occurs. 2 US a railway truck for transporting livestock. stock company US a repertory company performing mainly at a particular theatre. stock dove a European wild pigeon, Columba oenas, with a shorter tail and squarer head than a wood pigeon and breeding in tree-trunks. Stock Exchange see separate entry. stock-in-trade 1 all the requisites of a trade or profession. 2 a ready supply of characteristic phrases, attitudes, etc, stock market 1 = STOCK EXCHANGE. 2 transactions on this. stock-still motionless. stock up 1 provide with or get stocks or supplies. 2 (foll. by with) get in or gather a stock of (food, fuel, etc.). take stock 1 make an inventory of one’s stock. 2 (often foll. by of) make a review or estimate of (a situation etc.). 3 (foll. by in) concern oneself with. 00 stocker n. stockless adj. [OE stoc, stocc f. Gmc] stockade /stp'keid/ n. & v. —n. a line or enclosure of upright stakes. —v.tr. fortify with a stockade. [obs. F estocade, alt. of estacade f. Sp. estacada: rel. to STAKE}]

Stockholm /'stpkhoum the capital of Sweden since 1634 and a major port; pop. (1987) 666,800. stockinet /,stokr'net/ n. (also stockinette) an elastic knitted * material. [prob. f. stocking-net]

stocking /'stokin/ n. 1 a either of a pair of long separate coverings for the legs and feet, usu. close-woven in wool or nylon and worn esp. by women and girls. b esp. US = sock!. 2 any close-fitting garment resembling a stocking (bodystocking). 3 a differently-coloured, usu. white, lower part of the leg of a horse etc. O in one’s stocking (or stockinged) feet without shoes (esp. while being measured). stocking cap a knitted usu. conical cap. stocking-filler Brit. a small present suitable for a Christmas stocking. stocking-stitch Knitting a stitch of altern-

ate rows of plain and purl, making a plain smooth surface on one side. 00 stockinged adj. (also in comb.). stockingless adj. [stock in (now dial.) sense ‘stocking’ + -ING*] stockist /'stokist/ n. Brit. a dealer who stocks goods of a particular type for sale.

stockjobber /'stok,dzpba(r)/ n. 1 Brit. = JoBBER 1. 2 US = JOBBER 2b. O00 stockjobbing n.

stocklist /'stoklist/ n. Brit. a regular publication stating a dealer’s stock of goods with current prices etc. stockman /'stpkmon/ n. (pl. -men) 1 a Austral. a man in charge of livestock. b US an owner of livestock. 2 US a person in charge of a stock of goods in a warehouse etc. stockpile /'stokpatl/n. & v. —n. an accumulated stock of goods, materials, weapons, etc., held in reserve. —v.tr. accumulate a stockpile of. 00 stockpiler n. stockpot /'stokppt/ n. a pot for cooking stock for soup etc. stockroom /'stokru:m, -rum/ n. a room for storing goods in stock.

stocktaking /'stok,terkin/ n. 1 the process of makiig an invent-

belt Brit. an affluent residential area, esp. near a business centre such as London. 00 stockbrokerage n. stockbroking n.

ory of stock in a shop etc. 2 a review of one’s position and resources. stocky /'stoki/ adj. (stockier, stockiest) (of a person, plant, or animal) short and strongly built; thickset. 00 stockily adv. stockiness n.

stock exchange n.a place where stocks and shares are publicly

stockyard /'stokja:d/ n. an enclosure with pens etc. for sorting

stockbreeder /'stok,bri:doa(r)/ n. a farmer who raises livestock. O00 stockbreeding n.

stockbroker /|'stok,brauko(r)/ n. = BROKER 2. ostockbroker

or temporary keeping of cattle.

bought and sold. 0 the Stock Exchange 1 an association of dealers in stocks, conducting business according to fixed rules. 2 the building occupied by these. An association was not formed in London until late in the 18th c., although dealings had previously taken place among bankers, brokers, and financial houses. Members of the new association met regularly at a coffee-house known as ‘Jonathan’s’, and early in the 19thc. acquired a building of their own. The New York Stock Exchange had even humbler beginnings, for it started (at the end of the 18th c.) as a street market under a spreading tree in Lower Wall Street. That in London (now officially called the International Stock Exchange) formerly made a rigid division of membership between the jobbers or dealers and those who acted as brokers; this was abolished in 1986 (see BIG BANG).

stodge /stod3/ n. & v. collog. —n. 1 food esp. of a thick heavy kind. 2 an unimaginative person or idea. —v.tr. stuff with food etc. [earlier as verb: imit., after stuff and podge] stodgy /'stod31/ adj. (stodgier, stodgiest) 1 (of food) heavy and indigestible. 2 dull and uninteresting. 3 (of a literary style etc.) turgid and dull. 00 stodgily adv. stodginess n. stoep /stu:p/ n. S.Afr. a terraced veranda in front of a house. [Du., rel. to STEP] stogy |'stougi/ n. (also stogie) (pl. -ies) US 1 a long narrow roughly-made cigar. 2 a rough heavy boot. [orig. stoga, short for Conestoga in Pennsylvania]

Stoic /'stourk/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a member of the ancient Greek school of philosophy named after the Stoa Poikilé (painted colonnade) in Athens in which its founder Zeno (early 3rd c. Bc) used to lecture. They taught that virtue, the highest good, is based on knowledge, and that only the wise man is truly virtuous; the wise man lives in harmony with the divine Reason (also identified with Fate and Providence) that governs nature, and is indifferent to the vicissitudes of fortune and to pleasure and pain (and hence ‘stoic’ in the popular sense). Stoicism was particularly influential among the Roman upper classes, num-

stockfish /'stokfif/ n. cod or a similar fish split and dried in the open air without salt.

Stockhausen

/'stokhavuz(a)n/, Karlheinz (1928—

), German

composer. In 1952 he went to Paris for a year to study with Messiaen and Milhaud and work at the electronic music studios of Radio France. On his return to Cologne he joined the staff of West German Radio, becoming director in 1963. His experience with electronic music bore fruit in such works as the Gesang der Jiinglinge (1955-6), which combines electrical sounds with the voice of a boy soprano altered by echo-effects, filters, etc. Another important early interest was in the serial works of Webern, and in Gruppen (1955-7) and Momente (1961-72), for example, he takes serialism to its limits, allowing it to govern every possible aspect of performance. In other works of the 1960s he concentrated on different timbres, frequently leaving the realization of details to the performers. From 1977 onwards he has worked on his Licht (‘Light’) cycle of musical ceremonies.

bering Seneca and Marcus Aurelius among its followers. —adj. of or like the Stoics. [ME f. L stoicus f. Gk stoikos f. sToA]

Stoic /'stovrk/ n. & adj. —n. a stoical person. —adj. = sTOICAL. [Srorc] stoical /'stourk(2)l/ adj. having or showing great self-control in adversity. 00 stoically adv.

stoichiometry

oo stockholding n.

z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

/stoiki'pmitm/

1.

(also

stoichometry

{stor'kpmitri/) Chem. 1 the fixed, usu. rational numerical relationship between the relative quantities of substances in a reaction or compound. 2 the determination or measurement of

stockholder /'stok,havldoa(r)/ n. an owner of stocks or shares. 1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

v put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

Stoicism

Stonehenge

1427

these quantities. 00 stoichiometric stoikheion element + -METRY]

/-kro'metrik/

adj. [Gk

stomaque, estomac f. L stomachus f. Gk stomakhos gullet f. stoma mouth]

Stoicism /'stov1,s1z(2)m] n. 1 the philosophy of the Stoics. 2

stomacher /'stamoko(r)/ n. hist. 1 a pointed front-piece of a

(stoicism) a stoical attitude. stoke /stauk/ v. (often foll. by up) 1 a tr. feed and tend (a fire or furnace etc.). b intr. act as a stoker. 2 intr. collog. consume food, esp. steadily and in large quantities. [back-form. f. sTOKER]

woman’s dress covering the breast and pit of the stomach, often jewelled or embroidered. 2 an ornament worn on the front of a bodice. [ME, prob. f. OF estomachier (as sSTOMACH)]

stokehold /'staukhauld/ n. a compartment in a steamship, containing its boilers and furnace.

stokehole

/'staukhaul/ n. a space for stokers in front of a

furnace.

Stoke-on-Trent

/|,stovkon'trent/

a pottery-manufacturing

stomachic /sto'!mekik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or relating to the stomach. 2 promoting the appetite or assisting digestion. —n. a medicine or stimulant for the stomach. [F stomachique or L stomachicus f. Gk stomakhikos (as STOMACH)] stomata pl. of sTOMA. mm

stomatitis /,staumo'tartis/ n. Med. inflammation of the mucous membrane of the mouth.

city on the River Trent in Staffordshire; pop. (1981) 252,500.

Stoker /'stouko(r)/, Abraham (‘Bram’) (1847-1912), Irish novelist,

stomatology /|,staume'tnled3i/ n. the scientific study of the mouth or its diseases.

for several years business manager of the actor Sir Henry Irving.

He is remembered as the author of the vampire story Dracula (see entry). stoker /|'stouka(r)/ n. a person who tends to the furnace on a steamship. [Du. f. stoken stoke f. MDu. stoken push, rel. to sTICK}] stokes /stouks/ n. (pl. same) the cgs unit of kinematic viscosity, corresponding to a dynamic viscosity of 1 poise and a density of 1 gram per cubic centimetre, equivalent to 10~*square metres per second. [Sir G. G. Stokes, Brit. physicist d. 1903]

Stokowski /sto'kpfsk1/, Leopold (1882-1977), English-born conductor, who settled in the US. He championed new American music, including that of Ives, conducted the music for Walt Disney’s Fantasia (1940) in which music and cartoons were allied, and made transcriptions of Bach for a large symphony orchestra. Assessments of his work vary, for he took unusual liberties in order to obtain the effects he required.

STOL abbr. Aeron. short take-off and landing. stole! /stoul/ n. 1 a woman’s long garment like a scarf, worn over the shoulders. 2 a strip of silk etc. worn similarly as a vestment by a priest. [OE stol, stole (orig. a long robe) f. L stola f. Gk stolé equipment, clothing]

stole? past of sTEAL. stolen past part. of sTEAL. stolid /'stolid/ adj. 1 lacking or concealing emotion or animation. 2 not easily excited or moved. o0 stolidity /-'liditi/ n. stolidly adv. stolidness n. [obs. F stolide or L stolidus] stolon /'stoulpn/ n. 1 Bot. a horizontal stem or branch that takes root at points along its length, forming new plants. 2 Zool. a branched stemlike structure in some invertebrates such as corals. 00 stolonate /-nert/ adj. stoloniferous /-'n1foras/ adj. [L stolo -onis] stoma /'stoumo/ n. (pl. stormas or stomata /-moto/) 1 Bot. a minute pore in the epidermis of a leaf. 2 a Zool. a small mouthlike opening in some lower animals. b Surgery a similar artificial orifice made in the stomach. 00 stomal adj. [mod.L f. Gk stoma

-atos mouth] ; stomach /|'stamok/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the internal organ in which the first part of digestion occurs, being in man a pear-shaped enlargement of the alimentary canal linking the oesophagus to the small intestine. b any of several such organs in animals, esp. ruminants, in which there are four (cf. RUMEN, RETICULUM, OMASUM, ABOMASUM). 2 a the belly, abdomen, or lower front of the body (pit of the stomach). b a protuberant belly (what a stomach he has got!). 3 (usu. foll. by for) a an appetite (for food). b liking, readiness, or inclination (for controversy, conflict, danger, or an undertaking) (had no stomach for the fight). —v.tr. 1 find sufficiently palatable to swallow or keep down. 2 submit to or endure (an affront etc.) (usu. with neg.: cannot stomach it). O muscular stomach any organ that grinds or squeezes to aid digestion, such as a gizzard. on an empty stomach not having eaten recently. on a full stomach soon after a large meal. stomach-ache a pain in the belly or bowels. stomach-pump

a syringe for forcing liquid etc. into or out stemach-tube a tube introduced into the gullet for cleansing or emptying it. stomach stomach) a temporary slight disorder of the

of the stomach. stomach via the upset (or upset digestive system. O00 stomachful n. (pl. -fuls). stomachless adj. [ME stomak f. OF

au how

et day

90 no

eo hair

13 near

ot boy

va poor

00 stomatological /-ta'lnd3ik(a)l/ adj.

stomatologist n. stomp /stomp/ v. & n. —v.intr. tread or stamp heavily. —n. a lively jazz dance with heavy stamping. 00 stomper n. [US dial.

var. of STAMP] stone /stoun/n. & v. —n. 1 a solid non-metallic mineral matter, of which rock is made. b a piece of this, esp. a small piece. 2 Building @ = LIMESTONE (Portland stone). b = SANDSTONE (Bath stone). 3 Mineral. = precious stone. 4 a stony meteorite, an aerolite. 5 (often in comb.) a piece of stone of a definite shape or for a particular purpose (tombstone; stepping-stone). 6 a a thing resembling stone in hardness or form, e.g. the hard case of the kernel in some fruits. b Med. (often in pl.) a hard morbid concretion in the body esp. in the kidney or gall-bladder (gallstones). 7 (pl. same) Brit. a unit of weight equal to 14 Ib. (6.35 kg). 8 (attrib.) a made of stone. b of the colour of stone. —v.tr. 1 pelt with stones. 2 remove the stones from (fruit). 3 face or pave etc. with stone. Oo cast (or throw) stones (or the first stone) make aspersions on a person’s character etc. leave no stone unturned try all possible means. Stone Age see separate entry. stone-coal anthracite. stone-cold completely cold. stone-cold sober completely sober. stone the crows Brit. sl. an exclamation of surprise or disgust. stone curlew any mottled brown and grey wader of the family Burhinidae, esp. Burhinus oedicnemus, inhabiting esp. stony open country. stone-dead completely dead. stone-deaf completely deaf. stone-fruit a fruit with flesh or pulp enclosing a stone. stone

parsley an umbelliferous

hedge-plant, Sison amomum, with aromatic seeds. stone pine a S. European pine-tree, Pinus pinea, with branches at the top spreading like an umbrella. stone-pit a quarry. a stone’s throw a short distance. 00 stoned adj. (also in comb.). stoneless adj. stoner n. [OE stan f. Gmc] Stone Age the first stage in the three-era classification of prehistoric periods (see PREHISTORY) when weapons and tools were made out of stone or of organic materials such as bone, wood, or horn. It is subdivided into the palaeolithic (formerly called the Old Stone Age), mesolithic (Middle Stone Age), and neolithic (New Stone Age). stonechat /'stoont/zt/ n. any small brown bird of the thrush family with black and white markings, esp. Saxicola torquata with a call like stones being knocked together.

stonecrop /'stounkrpp/ n. any succulent plant of the genus Sedum, usu. having yellow or white flowers and growing amongst rocks or in walls. stonecutter /'stoun,katoa(r)/ n. a person or machine that cuts or carves stone. stoned /stound/ adj. sl. under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

stonefish /'stounfif/ n. (pl. same) a venomous tropical fish, Synanceia verrucosa, with poison glands underlying its erect dorsal spines. Also called DEVILFISH. stonefly /'stounflai/ n. (pl. -flies) any insect of the order Plecoptera, with aquatic larvae found under stones. stoneground /'stoungraund/ adj. (of flour) ground with millstones.

stonehatch /'stounhzt{/ n. a ringed plover. Stonehenge /stoun'hend3/ a unique megalithic monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England. Its alleged connection

alo fire

ave sour

(see over for consonants)

stonemason with the Druids dates from the 17thc., when people’s ideas about what constituted ‘the past’ were very vague. In the 12thc.

it was believed to be a monument over King Arthur’s grave; other theories have attributed it to the Phoenicians, Romans, Vikings, and visitors from other worlds (see also DRUID); modern theory inclines to the view that it was a temple. Scientific study and excavation have identified three main constructional phases between c.3000 Bc and ¢.1500 Bc, i.e. it was completed in the Bronze Age. The circular bank and ditch, double circle of ‘bluestones’ (spotted dolerite), and circle of sarsen stones (some with stone lintels), are concentric, and the main axis is aligned on the midsummer sunrise—an orientation that was probably for ritual rather than scientific purposes. stonemason /'stoun,merts()n/ n. a person who cuts, prepares, and builds with stone. 00 stonemasonry n.

stonewall /'stounwo:]/ v. 1 tr. & intr. obstruct (discussion or investigation) or be obstructive with evasive answers or denials etc. 2 intr. Cricket bat with excessive caution. 00 stonewaller n, stonewalling n. stoneware |/'stoonwea(r)/ n. ceramic ware meable and partly vitrified but opaque.

which

is imper-

stonewashed /'stsunwofd/ adj. (of a garment or fabric, esp. denim) washed with abrasives to produce a worn or faded appearance.

stoneweed /|'stounwi:d/ n. = GROMWELL. stonework /'stounws:k/ n. 1 masonry. 2 the parts of a building made of stone. 00 stoneworker n. stonewort /'stounws:t/ n. 1 = stone parsley. 2 any plant of the genus Chara, with a calcareous deposit on the stem.

stonkered /'stonkod/ adj. Austral. & NZ sl. utterly defeated or exhausted. [20th c.: orig. unkn.] stony /'stount/ adj. (stonier, stoniest) 1 full of or covered with stones (stony soil; a stony road). 2 a hard, rigid. b cold, unfeeling, uncompromising (a stony stare; a stony silence). 0 stony-broke Brit. sl. entirely without money. stony-hearted unfeeling, obdurate. 00 stonily adv. stoniness n. [OE stanig (as sTONE)]

stood past and past part. of sTAND. stooge /stu:d3/ n. & v. collog. —n. 1 a butt or foil, esp. for a comedian. 2 an assistant or subordinate, esp. for routine or unpleasant work. 3 a compliant person; a puppet. —v.intr. 1 (foll. by for) act as a stooge for. 2 (foll. by about, around, etc.) move about aimlessly. [20th c.: orig. unkn.] stook /stu:k, stuk/ n. & v. —n. a group of sheaves of grain stood on end ina field. —v.tr. arrange in stooks. [ME stouk, from or rel. to MLG stitke] stool /stu:l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a seat without a back or arms, usu. for one person and consisting of a wooden slab on three or four short legs. 2 a = FOOTSTOOL. b a low bench for kneeling on. 3 (usu. in pl.) = FAECES. 4 the root or stump ofa tree or plant from which the shoots spring. 5 US a decoy-bird in hunting. —v.intr. (of a plant) throw up shoots from the root. ofall between two stools fail from vacillation between two courses etc. stool-pigeon 1 a person acting as a decoy (orig. a decoy of a pigeon fixed to a stool). 2 a police informer. [OE stél f. Gmc, rel. to STAND]

stoolball /'stu:Ibo:l/ n. an old game resembling cricket, still played in Sussex etc. especially by women and girls. Forms of it were played in Elizabethan times, when it was a hand-game, not using bats, and the ‘stool’ or wicket may have been an ordinary stool.

stoolie /'stu:li/ n. US sl. a person acting as a stool-pigeon. stoop! /stu:p/v. &n. —v. 1 tr. bend (one’s head or body) forwards and downwards. 2 intr. carry one’s head and shoulders bowed forward. 3 intr. (foll. by to + infin.) deign or condescend. 4 intr. (foll. by to) descend or lower oneself to (some conduct) (has stooped to crime). 5 intr. (of a hawk etc.) swoop on its prey. —n. 1 a stooping posture. 2 the downward swoop of a hawk etc. [OE stiipian f. Gmc, rel. to STEEP}| stoop? /stu:p/ n. US a porch or small veranda or set of steps in front of a house. [Du. stoep: see sTOEP]

stoop® var. of stoup. b but

stopover

1428

ddog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

stop /stop/ v. & n. —v. (stopped, stopping) 1 fr. a put an end to (motion etc.); completely check the progress or motion or operation of. b effectively hinder or prevent (stopped them playing * so loudly). ¢ discontinue (an action or sequence of actions) (stopped playing; stopped my visits). 2 intr. come to an end; cease (supplies suddenly stopped). 3 intr. cease from motion or speaking or action; make a halt or pause (the car stopped at the lights; he stopped in the middle of a sentence; my watch has stopped). 4 tr. cause to cease action; defeat. 5 tr. sl. receive (a blow etc.). 6 intr. remain; stay for a short time. 7 tr. (often foll. by up) block or close up (a hole or leak etc.). 8 tr. not permit or supply as usual; discontinue or withhold (shall stop their wages). 9 tr. (in full stop payment of or on) instruct a bank to withhold payment on (a cheque). 10 tr. Brit. put a filling in (a tooth). 11 tr. obtain the required pitch from (the string of a violin etc.) by pressing at the appropriate point with the finger. 12 tr. plug the upper end of (an organ-pipe), giving a note an octave lower. 13 tr. Bridge be able to prevent opponents from taking all the tricks in (a suit). 14 tr. make (a sound) inaudible. 15 tr. Boxing a parry (a blow). b knock out (an opponent). 16 tr. Hort. pinch back (a plant). 17 tr. make (a clock, factory, etc.) cease working. 18 tr. Brit. provide with punctuation. 19 tr. Naut. make fast; stopper (a cable etc.). —n. 1 the act or an instance of stopping; the state of being stopped (put a stop to; the vehicle was brought to a stop). 2 a place designated for a bus or train etc. to stop. 3 a punctuation mark, esp. = full stop (see FULL). 4 a device for stopping motion at a particular point. 5 a change of pitch effected by stopping a string. 6 a (in an organ) a row of pipes of one character. ba knob etc. operating these. 7 a manner of speech adopted to produce a particular effect. 8 Optics & Photog. = DIAPHRAGM 3. 9 a the effective diameter of a lens. b a device for reducing this. c a unit of change of relative aperture or exposure (with a reduction of one stop equivalent to halving it). 10 (of sound) = PLOSIVE. 11 (in telegrams etc.) a full stop (see FULL). 12 Bridge a card or cards stopping a suit. 13 Naut. a small line used as a lashing. 0 put a stop to cause to end, esp. abruptly. stop at nothing be ruthless. stop by (also absol.) call at (a place). stop dead (or short) cease abruptly. stop down Photog. reduce the aperture of (a lens) with a diaphragm. stop-drill a drill with a shoulder limiting the depth of penetration. stop one’s ears 1 put one’s fingers in one’s ears to avoid hearing. 2 refuse to listen. stop a gap serve to meet a temporary need. stop-go 1 alternate stopping and restarting of progress. 2 Brit. the alternate restriction and stimulation of economic demand. stop-knob a knob controlling an organ stop. stop lamp alight on the rear of a vehicle showing when the brakes are applied. stop light 1 a red traffic-light. 2 = stop lamp. stop a person’s mouth induce a person by bribery or other means to keep silence about something. stop off (or over) break one’s journey. stop out 1 stay out. 2 cover (part of an area) to prevent printing, etching, etc. stop payment declare oneself insolvent. stop press Brit. 1 (often attrib.) late news inserted in a newspaper after printing has begun. 2 a column in a newspaper reserved for this. stop valve a valve closing a pipe against the passage of liquid. stop-volley (esp. in lawn tennis) a checked volley close to the net, dropping the ball dead on the other side. with all the stops out exerting extreme effort. 00 stopless adj. stoppable adj. [ME f. OE -stoppian f. LL stuppare sTUFF: see ESTOP] stopbank /'stopbznk/ n. Austral. & NZ an embankment built to prevent river-flooding. stopcock /'stopkpk/ n. an externally operated valve regulating the flow of a liquid or gas through a pipe etc. stope /stoup/ n. a steplike part of a mine where ore etc. is being extracted. [app. rel. to sTEP n.] Stopes |stoups/, Marie Charlotte Carmichael (1880-1958), advocate of birth control, born in Scotland. She studied botany and specialized in fossil plants, establishing a considerable academic reputation, but after the failure in 1916 of her first marriage devoted herself to sex education and family planning, founding the first birth-control clinic in London in 1921. stopgap /'stopgzp/ n. (often attrib.) a temporary substitute. stopoff /'stoppf] n. a break in one’s journey. stopover /'stop,suva(r)/ n. = sTOPOFE.

k cat

lleg

m man

nno

Pp pen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

stoppage

stoppage |'stopid3/ n. 1 the condition of being blocked or stopped. 2 a stopping (of pay). 3 a stopping or interruption of work in a factory etc.

Stoppard /'stopa:d/, Tom (1937—

), Czech-born English play-

wright, author of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (1966) and other comedies. His plays are noted for their bizarre con-

junctions and verbal dexterity. stopper /'stopoa(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 plug for closing a bottle etc. 2 a person or thing that stops something. 3 Naut. a rope or clamp etc. for checking and holding a rope cable or chain cable. —v.tr. close or secure with a stopper. 0 put a stopper on 1 put an end to (a thing). 2 keep (a person) quiet.

stopping /'stopim/ n. Brit. a filling for a tooth. stopple /'stop(s)l/ n. & v. —n. a stopper or plug. —v.tr. close with a stopple. [ME: partly f. stop + -LE}, partly f. ESTOPPEL] stopwatch /'stopwot// n. 2 watch with a mechanism for recording elapsed time, used to time races etc.

storage /'sto:rid3/ n. 1 a the storing of goods etc. b a particular method of storing or the space available for it. 2 the cost of storing. 3 the electronic retention of data in a computer etc. 0 storage battery (or cell) a battery (or cell) for storing electricity. storage heater Brit. an electric heater accumulating heat outside peak hours for later release. storax /'sto:reks/n. 1 a a fragrant resin, obtained from the tree Styrax officinalis and formerly used in perfume. b this tree. 2 (in full Levant or liquid storax) a balsam obtained from the tree

Liquidambar orientalis. [L f. Gk, var. of sTYRAx] store /sto:(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1a quantity of something kept available for use (a store of wine; a store of wit). 2 (in pl.) a articles for a particular purpose accumulated for use (naval stores). b a supply of these or the place where they are kept. 3 a = department store. b esp. US any retail outlet or shop. ¢ (often in pl.) a shop selling basic necessities (general stores). 4a warehouse for the temporary keeping of furniture etc. 5 a device in a computer for storing retrievable data; a memory. —v.tr. 1 put (furniture etc.) in store. 2 (often foll. by up, away) accumulate (stores, energy, electricity, etc.) for future use. 3 stock or provide with something useful (a mind stored with facts). 4 (of a receptacle) have storage capacity for. 5 enter or retain (data) for retrieval. 0 im store 1 kept in readiness. 2 coming in the future. 3 (foll. by for) destined or intended. set (or lay or put) store by (or on) consider important or valuable. 00 storable adj. storer n. [ME f. obs. astore (n. & v.) f. OF estore, estorer f. L instaurare renew: cf. RESTORE]

storefront /'sto:frant/ n. esp. US 1 the side of a shop facing the street. 2:a room at the front of a shop. storehouse /'sto:haus/ n. a place where things are stored.

storekeeper /'sto:,ki:pa(r)/ n. 1a storeman. 2 US a shopkeeper.

storied |'sto:r1d/ adj. literary celebrated in or associated with stories or legends. stork /sto:k/ n. 1 any long-legged large wading bird of the family Ciconiidae, esp. Ciconia ciconia with white plumage, black wingtips, a long reddish beak, and red feet, nesting esp. on tall buildings. 2 this bird as the pretended bringer of babies. o stork’s-bill a plant of the genus Pelargonium or Erodium. [OE storc, prob. rel. to STARK (from its rigid posture)] storm /sto:m/n. & v. —n. 1a violent disturbance of the atmosphere with strong winds and usu. with thunder and rain or snow etc. 2 Meteorol. a wind intermediate between gale and z zoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

hurricane, esp. (on the Beaufort scale) of 55-72 m.p.h. 3 a violent disturbance of the established order in human affairs. 4 (foll. by of) a a violent shower of missiles or blows. b an outbreak of applause, indignation, hisses, etc. (they were greeted by a storm of abuse). 5 a a direct assault by troops on a fortified place. b the capture of a place by such an assault. —v. 1 intr. (often foll. by at, away) talk violently, rage, bluster. 2 intr. (usu. foll. by in, out of, etc.) move violently or angrily (stormed out of the meeting). 3 tr. attack or capture by storm. 4 intr. (of wind, rain, etc.) rage; be violent. 0 storm-bird = storm petrel. storm centre 1 the point to which the wind blows spirally inward in a cyclonic storm. 2 a subject etc. upon which agitation or disturbance» is concentrated. storm cloud 1 a heavy rain-cloud. 2 a threatening state of affairs. storm-cock a mistle-thrush. storm-collar a high coat-collar that can be turned up and fastened. storm cone Brit. a tarred-canvas cone hoisted as a warning of high wind, upright for the north and inverted for the south. storm-door an additional outer door for protection in bad weather or winter. storm-finch Brit. = storm petrel. storm-glass a sealed tube containing a solution of which the clarity is thought to change when storms . approach. storming-party a detachment of troops ordered to begin an assault. storm in a teacup Brit. great excitement over a trivial matter. storm-lantern Brit. a hurricane lamp. storm petrel 1a small petrel, Hydrobates pelagicus, of the North Atlantic, with black and white plumage. 2 a person causing unrest. storm-sail a sail of smaller size and stouter canvas than the corresponding one used in ordinary weather. storm-signal a device warning of an approaching storm. storm trooper 1 (also Storm Trooper) hist. a member of the Nazi political militia. 2 a member of the shock troops. storm troops 1 = shock troops (see SHOCK?). 2 (also Storm Troops) hist. the Nazi political militia. (See BROWNSHIRTS.) storm window an additional outer sash-window used like a storm-door. take by storm 1 capture by direct assault. 2 rapidly captivate (a person, audience, etc.). 00 stormless adj. stormproof adj. [OE f. Gmc]

stormbound

|'sto:mbaund/ adj. prevented by storms from

leaving port or continuing a voyage. Stormont /'sto:mont/ a suburb of the east side of Belfast, the seat of the parliament of Northern Ireland (suspended since the imposition of direct rule from London in 1972). stormy /'sto:m1/ adj. (stormier, stormiest) 1 of or affected by storms. 2 (of a wind etc.) violent, raging, vehement. 3 full of angry feeling or outbursts; lively, boisterous (a stormy meeting). O stormy petrel = storm petrel. 00 stormily adv. storminess

n.

storeman /'sto:mon/ n. (pl. -men) a person responsible for stored goods. storeroom /'sto:ru:m, -rum/ n..a room in which items are stored. storey /'sto:r1/ n. (also story) (pl. -eys or -ies) 1 any of the parts into which a building is divided horizontally; the whole of the rooms etc. having a continuous floor (a third-storey window; a house offive storeys). 2a thing forming a horizontal division. 00 -storeyed (in comb.) (also -storied). [ME f. AL historia HIsToRY (perh. orig. meaning a tier of painted windows or sculpture)] storiated@ /'sto:r1,e1tid/ adj. decorated with historical, legendary, or emblematic designs. 00 storiation /-'e1{(2)n/ n. [shortening of HISTORIATED]

wwe

stout

1429

x loch

story! /'sto:ri/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 an account of imaginary or past events; a narrative, tale, or anecdote. 2 the past course of the life of a person or institution etc. (my story is a strange one). 3 (in full story-line) the narrative or plot of a novel or play etc. 4 facts or experiences that deserve narration. 5 collog. a fib or lie.

6 a narrative or descriptive item of news. o the old (or same old) story the familiar or predictable course of events. story-book 1 a book of stories for children. 2 (attrib.) unreal, romantic (a story-book ending). the story goes it is said. to cut (or make) a long story short a formula excusing the omission of details. [ME storie f. AF estorie (OF estoire) f. L historia (as HISTORY)]

story? var. of sTOREY. storyboard |'sto:ri,bo:d/ n. a displayed sequence of pictures etc. outlining the plan ofa film, television advertisement, etc. storyteller /'sto:ri,telo(r)/ n. 1 a person who tells stories. collog. a liar. 00 storytelling n. & adj.

2

stoup /stu:p/ n. (also stoop) 1 a holy-water basin. 2 archaic a flagon, beaker, or drinking-vessel. [ME f. ON staup (= OE stéap) f. Gmc, rel. to STEEP?]

stoush /stavJ/v. & n. Austral. & NZ sl. —v.tr. 1 hit; fight with. 2 attack verbally. —n. a fight; a beating. [19th c.: orig. uncert.] stout /stavt/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 rather fat; corpulent; bulky. 2 of considerable thickness or strength (a stout stick). 3 brave, resolute, vigorous (a stout fellow; put up stout resistance). —n. a strong dark beer brewed with roasted malt or barley. 0 a stout heart courage, resolve. stout-hearted courageous. stout-heartedly

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

stove

strain

1430

woul SS See ee

courageously. stout-heartedness courage. 00 stoutish adj. stoutly adv. stoutness n. [ME f. AF & dial. OF stout f. WG, perh. rel, to STILT] stove! /stauv/ n. & v. —n. 1 a closed apparatus burning fuel or electricity for heating or cooking. 2 Brit. Hort. a hothouse with artificial heat. —v.tr. Brit. force or raise (plants) in a stove. O stove-enamel a heatproof enamel produced by the treatment of enamelled objects in a stove. stove-pipe a pipe conducting smoke and gases from a stove to a chimney. stove-pipe hat collog. a tall silk hat. [ME = sweating-room, f. MDu., MLG stove, OHG stuba f. Gmc, perh. rel. to sTEw!]

stove? past and past part. of STAVE v. stow /stou/ v.tr. 1 pack (goods etc.) tidily and compactly. 2 Naut. place (a cargo or provisions) in its proper place and order. 3 fill (a receptacle) with articles compactly arranged. 4 (usu. in imper.) sl. abstain or cease from (stow the noise!). O stow away 1 place (a thing) where it will not cause an obstruction. 2 be a stowaway on a ship etc. [ME, f. BEsTow: in Naut. use perh. infl. by Du. stouwen] stowage /'stouid3/ n. 1 the act or an instance of stowing. 2 a place for this. stowaway |'stova,wel/ n. a person who hides on board a ship or aircraft etc. to get free passage. Stowe /stou/, Mrs Harriet Beecher (1811-96), American novelist who won fame with her anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) which stirred up great public feeling in its powerful and melodramatic descriptions of the sufferings of slaves. The novel’s success brought her to England where she was rapturously received and honoured by Queen Victoria, though she later alienated British opinion by her Lady Byron Vindicated (1870) which charged Byron with incestuous relations with his half-sister.

STP abbr. 1 Professor of Sacred Theology.

2 standard tem-

perature and pressure. str. abbr. 1 strait. 2 stroke (of an oar). Strabane /stra'ben/ a town in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland;

pop. (1981) 10,300.

strabismus /stra'bizmos/ n. Med. the abnormal condition of one or both eyes not correctly aligned in direction; a squint. 00 strabismal adj. strabismic adj. [mod.L f. Gk strabismos f. strabizo squint f. strabos squinting]

Strabo |'strerbau/ (64/3 Bc-after aD 21) Greek historian and geographer. His historical writing is lost; his Geography, probably written for the use of public figures, deals with theoretical and philosophical matters (he himself was a Stoic) before presenting a detailed physical and historical geography of the ancient world.

Strachey /'streitf1/, (Giles) Lytton (1880-1932), English biographer, a prominent member of the Bloomsbury Group. He achieved recognition with Eminent Victorians (1918) which attacked the Victorian establishment through satirical biographies of Cardinal Manning, Florence Nightingale, Dr Thomas Arnold, General Gordon, and others. He influenced the development of biography with his irreverent biography of Queen Victoria (1921), and Elizabeth and Essex (1928) reveals his debt to Freud.

Strad /strad/ n. collog. a Stradivarius. [abbr.] straddle /'strzd(a)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. a sit or stand across (a thing) with the legs wide apart. b be situated across or on both sides of (the town straddles the border). 2 intr. a sit or stand in this way. b (of the legs) be wide apart. 3 tr. part (one’s legs) widely. 4 tr. drop shots or bombs short of and beyond (a target). 5 tr. vacillate between two policies etc. regarding (an issue). —n. 1 the act or an instance of straddling. 2 Stock Exch. an option giving the holder the right of either calling for or delivering stock at a fixed price. 00 straddler n. [alt. of striddle, back-form. f. striddlings astride f. strid- = sTRIDE]

e bed

3: her

1 bombard; harass with

gunfire. 2 reprimand. 3 abuse. 4 thrash. —n. an act of strafing. [joc. adaptation of G catchword (1914) Gott strafe England may God punish England] straggle /'strzg(2)l/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 lack or lose compactness or tidiness. 2 be or become dispersed or sporadic. 3 trail behind others in a march or race etc. 4 (of a plant, beard, etc.) grow long and loose. —n. a body or group of straggling or scattered persons or things. 00 straggler n. straggly adj. (stragglier, straggliest). [ME, perh. rel. to dial. strake go, rel. to STRETCH]

straight /streit/ adj., n., & adv. —adj. 1 a extending uniformly in the same direction; without a curve or bend etc. b Geom. (of a line) lying on the shortest path between any two of its points. 2 successive, uninterrupted (three straight wins). 3 in proper order or place or condition; duly arranged; level, symmetrical (is the picture straight?; put things straight). 4 honest, candid; not evasive (a straight answer). 5 (of thinking etc.) logical, unemotional. 6 (of drama etc.) serious as opposed to popular or comic; employing the conventional techniques of its art form. 7 a unmodified. b (of a drink) undiluted. 8 collog. (of music) classical. 9 collog. a (of a person etc.) conventional or respectable. b heterosexual. 10 (of an arch) flat-topped. 11 (of a person’s back) not bowed. 12 (of the hair) not curly or wavy. 13 (of a knee) not bent. 14 (of the legs) not bandy or knock-kneed. 15 (of a garment) not flared. 16 coming direct from its source. 17 (of an aim, look, blow, or course) going direct to the mark. —n. 1 the straight part of something, esp. the concluding stretch of a racecourse. 2 a straight condition. 3 a sequence of five cards in poker. 4 collog. a conventional person; a heterosexual. —adv. 1 in a straight line; direct; without deviation or hesitation or circumlocution (came straight from Paris; I told them straight). 2 in the right direction, with a good aim (shoot straight). 3 correctly (can’t see straight). 4 archaic at once or immediately. 0 go straight live an honest life after being a criminal. the straight and narrow morally correct behaviour. straight angle an angle of 180°. straight away at once; immediately. straight-bred not cross-bred. straight-cut (of tobacco) cut lengthwise into long silky fibres. straight-edge a bar with one edge accurately straight, used for testing. straight-eight 1 an internal-combustion engine with eight cylinders in line. 2 a vehicle having this. straight eye the ability to detect deviation from the straight. straight face an intentionally expressionless face, esp. avoiding a smile though amused. straight-faced having a straight face. straight fight Brit. Polit. a direct contest between two candidates. straight flush see FLUSH®. straight from the shoulder 1 (of a blow) well delivered. 2 (of a verbal attack) frank or direct. straight man a comedian’s stooge. straight off collog. without hesitation, deliberation, etc. (cannot tell you straight off). straight-out US 1 uncompromising. 2 straightforward, genuine. straight razor US a cutthroat razor. straight up Brit. sl. truly, really (straight up, I couldn’t find it). 00 straightly adv. straightness n. (ME, past part. of STRETCH]

straightaway /'streits,we1/ adj. US 1 (of a course etc.) straight. become straight. 2 (foll. by up) stand erect after bending. straightener n.

00

straightforward /streit'fo:wod/ adj. 1 honest or frank. 2 (of a task

etc.)

uncomplicated.

oo

straightforwardly

straightforwardness n.

adv.

straightway /'streitwe1/ adv. archaic = straight away. strain! /strein/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & intr. stretch tightly; make or

instrument made by Antonio Stradivari (71644-1737), the greatest of a family of violin-makers of Cremona in northern Italy, or his followers. Antonio Stradivari trained in the workshop of Nicolo Amati and produced over 1,100 instruments, of which

a: arm

strafe /stra:f, strerf] v. & n. —v.tr.

2 straightforward. straighten /'streit(o)n/ v.tr. & intr. 1 (often foll. by out) make or

Stradivarius |,stredr'veories/ n. a violin or other stringed

we cat

perhaps 400 are known still to exist. Among the many famous Stradivarius violins are those nicknamed the ‘Betts’ (1704), now in the Library of Congress, and the ‘Messie’ (Messiah, named by ' the French violinist Alard on being shown ‘what one waits for always but which never appears’; 1716), now in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Stradivari’s finest instruments are those dating from c.1700 onwards. [Latinized f. Stradivari]

become taut or tense.

2 tr. exercise (oneself, one’s senses, a

thing, etc.) intensely or excessively, press to extremes. 3 a intr. make an intensive effort. b intr. (foll. by after) strive intensely for (straining after perfection). 4 intr. (foll. by at) tug, pull (the dog

1 sit

i: see

p hot

0: saw

arun

vo put

u: too

a ago

al my

strain

strained at the leash). 5 intr. hold out with difficulty under pressure (straining under the load). 6 tr. a distort from the true intention or meaning. b apply (authority, laws, etc.) beyond their province or in violation of their true intention. 7 tr. overtask or injure by overuse or excessive demands (strain a muscle; strained their loyalty). 8 a tr. clear (a liquid) of solid matter by passing it through a sieve etc. btr. (foll. by out) filter (solids) out from a liquid. c intr. (of a liquid) percolate. 9 tr. hug or squeeze tightly. 10 tr. use (one’s ears, eyes, voice, etc.) to the best of one’s power. —n. 1a the act or an instance of straining. b the force exerted in this. 2 an injury caused by straining a muscle etc. 3 a a severe demand on physical or mental strength or resources. b the exertion needed to meet this (is suffering from strain). 4 (in sing. or pl.) a snatch or spell of music or poetry. 5 a tone or tendency in speech or writing (more in the same strain). 6 Physics a the condition of a body subjected to stress; molecular displacement. ba quantity measuring this, equal to the amount of deformation usu. divided by the original dimension. oO at strain (or full strain) exerted to the utmost. strain every nerve make every possible effort. strain oneself 1 injure oneself by effort. 2 make undue efforts. 00 strainable adj. [ME f. OF estreindre estreign- f. L stringere strict- draw tight] %

strain? /strem/ n. 1 a breed or stock of animals, piants, etc. 2a moral tendency as part of a person’s character (a strain of aggression). [ME, = progeny, f. OE stréon (recorded in gestréonan beget), rel. to L struere build]

strained /stremd/ adj. 1 constrained, forced, artificial. 2 (of a relationship) mutually distrustful or tense. 3 (of an interpretation) involving an unreasonable assumption; far-fetched, laboured. strainer /'strerno(r)/ n. a device for straining liquids, vegetables, ete.

eS

strait /streit/ n. & adj. —n. 1 (in sing. or pl.) a narrow passage of water connecting two seas or large bodies of water. 2 (usu. in pl.) difficulty, trouble, or distress (usu. in dire or desperate straits). —adj. archaic 1 narrow, limited; confined or confining. 2 strict or rigorous. 0 strait-laced severely virtuous; morally scrupulous; puritanical. 00 straitly adv. straitness n. [ME streit f. OF estreit tight, narrow f. L strictus sTRICT] straiten /'strert(s)n/ v. 1 tr. restrict in range or scope. 2 tr. (as straitened adj.) of or marked by poverty. 3 tr. & intr. archaic make or become narrow.

strait-jacket /'streit,dzekit/ n. & v. —n. 1 a strong garment with long arms for confining the arms of a violent prisoner, mental patient, etc. 2 restrictive measures. —v.tr. (-jacketed, -jacketing) 1 restrain with a strait-jacket. 2 severely restrict. strake /streik/ n. 1 a continuous line of planking or plates from the stem to the stern of a ship. 2 a section of the iron rim of a wheel. [ME: prob. rel. to OE streccan STRETCH] stramonium /stro'!mouniem| n. 1 datura. 2 the dried leaves of this plant used in the treatment of asthma. [mod.L, perh. f. Tartar turman horse-medicine]

strand! /strend/v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & intr. run aground. 2tr. (as stranded adj.) in difficulties, esp. without money or means of transport. —n. thet. or poet. the margin ofa sea, lake, or river, esp. the foreshore. [OE]

strand? /strend/ n. & v. —n. 1 each of the threads or wires twisted round each other to make a rope or cable. 2 aa single thread or strip of fibre. b a constituent filament. 3 a lock of hair. 4 an element or strain in any composite whole. —v.tr. 1 break a strand in (a rope). 2 arrange in strands. [ME: orig. unkn.] strange /stremd3/ adj. 1 unusual, peculiar, surprising, eccentric, novel. 2 a (often foll. by to) unfamiliar, alien, foreign (lost in a strange land). b not one’s own (strange gods). 3 (foll. by to) unaccustomed. 4 not at ease; out of one’s element (felt strange in such company). 0 feel strange be unwell. strange particle Physics an elementary particle classified as having a non-zero value for strangeness. strange to say it is surprising or unusual (that). oO strangely adv. [ME f. OF estrange f. L extraneus EXTRANEOUS] strangeness /'stremd3nis/n. 1 the state or fact of being strange au how

strategic

1431

et day

ov no

eo hair

to near

or boy

wo poor

or unfamiliar etc. 2 Physics a property of certain elementary particles that is conserved in strong interactions. stranger /'streindza(r)/ n. 1 a person who does not know or is not known in a particular place or company. 2 (often foll. by to) a person one does not know (was a complete stranger to me). 3 (foll. by to) a person entirely unaccustomed to (a feeling, experience, etc.) (no stranger to controversy). 4 a floating tea-leaf etc. held to

foretell the arrival of a visitor. 5 Parl. a person who is not a member or official of the House of Commons. [ME f. OF estrangier ult. f. L (as STRANGE)] strangle /'strzng(a)l/ v.tr. 1 squeeze the windpipe or neck of, esp. so as to kill. 2 hamper or suppress (a movement, impulse,

cry, etc.). OO strangler n. [ME f. OF estrangler f. L strangulare f. Gk straggalao f. straggalé halter: cf. straggos twisted]

stranglehold /'streng(2)lhhould/ n. 1 a wrestling hold that throttles an opponent. 2 a deadly grip. 3 complete and exclusive control. strangles /'strzng(a)lz/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) an infectious streptococcal fever, esp. affecting the respiratory tract, in a horse, ass, etc. [pl. of strangle (n.) f. STRANGLE] strangulate /'strengjuleit/ v.tr. Surgery 1 prevent circulation through (a vein, intestine, etc.) by compression. 2 remove (a tumour etc.) by binding with a cord. 0 strangulated hernia Med. a hernia in which the protruding part is constricted, preventing circulation. [L strangulare strangulat- (as STRANGLE)]

strangulation /|\strengjo'lei{(a)n/ n. 1 the act of strangling or the state of being strangled. 2 the act of strangulating. [L strangulatio (as STRANGULATE)] strangury /'strengjori/ n. a condition in which urine is passed painfully and in drops. 00 strangurious /-'gjuortos/ adj. [ME f. L stranguria f. Gk straggouria f. stragx -ggos drop squeezed out + ouron urine] strap /strep/n. & v. —n. 1a strip of leather or other flexible

material, often with a buckle or other fastening for holding things together etc. 2 a thing like this for keeping a garment in place. 3 a loop for grasping to steady oneself in a moving vehicle. 4 a a strip of metal used to secure or connect. ba leaf of a hinge. 5 Bot. a tongue-shaped part in a floret. 6 (prec. by the) punishment by beating with a strap. —v.tr. (strapped, strapping) 1 (often foll. by down, up, etc.) secure or bind with a strap. 2 beat with a strap. 3 (esp. as strapped adj.) collog. subject to a shortage. 4 (often foll. by up) close (a wound) or bind (a part) with adhesive plaster. 0 strap-work ornamentation imitating plaited straps. 00 strapper n. strappy adj. [dial. form of sTROP] straphanger /'strep,hengo(r)/ n. sl. a standing passenger in a bus or train. 00 straphang v.intr. strapless /'strzplis/ adj. (of a garment) without straps, esp. shoulder-straps. strappado |stro'pa:dou/ n. (pl. -os) hist. a form of torture in which the victim is secured to a rope and made to fall from a height almost to the ground then stopped with a jerk; an application of this; the instrument used. [F (e)strapade f. It. strappata f. strappare snatch] strapping /'streprn/ adj. (esp. of a person) large and sturdy.

Strasbourg /'strazbuag/ a city in NE France, capital of Alsace region; pop. (1982) 252,250. Meetings of the Council of Europe and sessions of the European Parliament are held in this city. strata pl. of STRATUM. stratagem /|'stretodzom/ n. 1 a cunning plan or scheme, esp. for deceiving an enemy. 2 trickery. [ME f. F stratagéme f. L stra-

tagema f. Gk stratégéma f. stratéged be a general (stratégos) f. stratos army + ago lead]

stratal see sTRATUM. strategic /stra'ti:d31k/ adj. 1 of or serving the ends of strategy (strategic considerations). 2 (of materials) essential in fighting a war. 3 (of bombing or weapons) done or for use against an enemy’s home territory as a longer-term military objective (opp. TACTICAL). O Strategic Arms Limitation Talks see SALT. Strategic Defense Initiative a proposed US defence system (popularly known as Star Wars) against potential nuclear attack. Based partly in space, it is intended to protect the US from

aio fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

strategy

streak

1432

intercontinental ballistic missiles by intercepting and destroying them before they reach their targets. 00 strategical adj. strategically adv. strategics n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.). [F stratégique f. Gk stratégikos (as STRATAGEM)]} strategy /'stretid3i/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the art of war. 2 a the management of an army or armies in a campaign. b the art of moving troops, ships, aircraft, etc. into favourable positions (cf. TACTICS), ¢ an instance of this or a plan formed according to it. 3 a plan of action or policy in business or politics etc. (economic strategy). 00 strategist n. [F stratégie f. Gk stratégia generalship f. stratégos: see STRATAGEM]

Stratford-upon-Avon

é|'stretfodu,pon'erv(s)n/

a market

Stravinsky /stra'vinski/, Igor (1882-1971), Russian-born com-

town on the River Avon in Warwickshire, where William Shakespeare was born and is buried; pop. (1981) 20,100. strath /strz6/ n. Sc. a broad mountain valley. [Gael. srath]

Strathclyde /strz6'klaid/ a local government region in western Scotland; pop. (1981) 2,332,500; capital, Glasgow. strathspey /strx6'spei/ n. 1 a slow Scottish dance. 2 the music for this. [Strathspey, valley of the river Spey]

strati pl. of sTRATUS. straticulate /stra'tikjulot/

adj. Geol.

(of rock-formations)

arranged in thin strata. [sTRATUM, after vermiculate etc.] stratify /'streti,fai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 (esp. as stratified adj.) arrange in strata. 2 construct in layers, social grades, etc. 00 stratification /-fi'ke1{(o)n/ n. [F stratifier (as sTRATUM)]

stratigraphy /stro'tigrofi/ n. Geol. & Archaeol. 1 the order and relative position of strata. 2 the study of this as a means of historical interpretation. 00 stratigraphic /,streti'grefik/ adj. stratigraphical /||streti'grzfik(o)l/ adj. [sTRATUM + -GRAPHY] strato- |'strztou/ comb. form stratus. stratocirrus |,strztou'sires/ n. clouds combining stratus and cirrus features. stratocracy /stra'tokrasi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a military government. 2 domination by soldiers. [Gk stratos army + -CRACY] stratocumulus |,strztou'kju:mjules/ n. clouds combining cumulus and stratus features. stratopause |/'strztou,po:z/ n. the interface between the stratosphere and the ionosphere. stratosphere /'strzta,sfia(r)/ n. a layer of atmospheric air above the troposphere extending to about 50 km above the earth’s surface, in which the lower part changes little in temperature and the upper part increases in temperature with height (cf. IONOSPHERE). OO stratospheric /-'sfertk/ adj. [STRATUM + SPHERE after atmosphere] stratum /'stra:tom, 'strer-/ n. (pl. strata /-ta/) 1 esp. Geol. a layer or set of successive layers of any deposited substance. 2 an atmospheric layer. 3 a layer of tissue etc. 4 a a social grade, class, etc. (the various strata of society). b Statistics each of the groups into which a population is divided in stratified sampling. 00 stratal adj. [L, = something spread or laid down, neut. past part. of sternere strew] stratus /'streitas, 'stra:-/ n. (pl. strati /-ta1/) a continuous horizontal sheet of cloud. [L, past part. of sternere: see STRATUM]

Strauss! /straus/, Johann (Il) (1825-99), Austrian composer, who was born and died in Vienna. He was the son of a composer of dance music, particularly waltzes, also named Johann (I) (1804-49), and became known himself as ‘the waltz king’ after such successes as The Blue Danube (1867) and Tales from the Vienna Woods (1868). In 1874 he composed the ever popular operetta Die Fledermaus (The Bat, 1874), a triumph which was followed in 1885 with Der Zigeunerbaron (The Gipsy Baron), equally masterly in its combination of comic opera and operetta. He was a friend and admirer of Wagner, who, like Brahms and other composers including Schoenberg, were what we should now call ‘fans’ of Strauss, recognizing a supreme master of a genre who composed with style, elegance, taste, and wit.

Pauline de Ahna in 1894, and wrote many songs for her, appearing as her accompanist. In 1905 he produced the opera Salome, based on Oscar Wilde’s play, and followed it in 1909 with Elektra: . the two works both shocked and fascinated the musical public with music perfectly matched to the studies of emotional extremes and psychological abnormality. His subsequent operas were quite different in intention and effect, including the deliciously Viennese Der Rosenkavalier (1911), the combination of mythology and comedy of Ariadne auf Naxos (1912), and Capriccio (1942), which turns over, but does not resolve, the perennial question of whether the music should be master of the words or vice versa in opera. poser. In 1910 he began his travels with Diaghilev’s ballet company, composing for it the ballets The Firebird (1909-10), Petrushka (1910-11), and, of course, The Rite of Spring (1911-13), which shocked Paris with its angular rhythms and liberal use of dissonance. He was prevented from returning to his native land by the 1917 revolution, but many works of this period have their roots in Russian folk-song, notably another ballet Les Noces (1914-23). He was fascinated also by the idioms of Western music and derived inspiration for his own neoclassical works from the baroque and classical periods. Stravinsky had moved from Paris to Los Angeles on the outbreak of the Second World War, and in the 1950s turned to serialism in such works as the cantatas Canticum sacrum (1955) and Threni (1957-8). In his final years he wrote short bare works, many of them religious in feeling and form. The overriding feature of his music is rhythm, and the sense of theatre and of the dance is never wholly absent even from his most austere works. straw /stro:/ n. 1 dry cut stalks of grain for use as fodder or as material for thatching, packing, making hats, etc. 2 a single stalk or piece of straw. 3 a thin hollow paper or plastic tube for sucking drink from a glass etc. 4 an insignificant thing (not worth a straw). 5 the pale yellow colour of straw. 6 a straw hat. 0 catch (or grasp) at a straw resort to an utterly inadequate

expedient in desperation, like a person drowning. straw boss US an assistant foreman. straw-colour pale yellow. straw-coloured of pale yellow. straw in the wind a slight hint of future developments. straw vote (or poll) an unofficial ballot as a test of opinion. straw-worm a caddis-worm. oo strawy adj. [OE stréaw f. Gmc, rel. to sSTREW]

strawberry /'stro:bori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a any plant of the genus Fragaria, esp. any of various cultivated varieties, with white flowers, trifoliate leaves, and runners. b the pulpy red edible fruit of this, having a seed-studded surface. 2 a deep pinkish-red colour. 0 strawberry blonde 1 pinkish-blonde hair. 2a woman with such hair. strawberry mark a soft reddish birthmark. strawberry pear 1 a W. Indian cactaceous plant, Hylocereus undatus. 2 the fruit of this. strawberry roan see ROAN}

strawberry-tree an evergreen tree, Arbutus unedo, bearing strawberry-like fruit. [OE stréa(w)berige, stréowberige (as sTRAW, BERRY): reason for the name unkn.]

strawboard |'stro:bo:d/ n. a coarse cardboard made of straw pulp. stray /strei/v.,n., & adj. —v.intr. 1 wander from the right place; become separated from one’s companions etc.; go astray. 2 deviate morally. 3 (as strayed adj.) that has gone astray. —n. 1a person or thing that has strayed, esp. a domestic animal. 2 (esp. in pl.) electrical phenomena interfering with radio reception. —adj. 1 strayed or lost. 2 isolated; found or occurring occasionally (a stray customer or two; hit by a stray bullet). 3 Physics wasted or unwanted (eliminate stray magnetic fields). 00 strayer n. [ME f. AF & OF estrayer (v.), AF strey (n. & adj.) f. OF estraié (as ASTRAY)]

streak /stri:k/ n. & v. —n. 1 a long thin usu. irregular line or band, esp. distinguished by colour (black with red streaks; a streak of light above the horizon). 2 a strain or element in a person’s character (hasa streak of mischief). 3 a spell or series (a winning streak). 4a line of bacteria etc. placed on a culture medium. —v. 1 tr. mark with streaks. 2 intr. move very rapidly. 3 intr. collog. run naked in a public place as a stunt. 0 streak of lightning a

Strauss? /straus/, Richard (1864-1949), German composer. His early works include a series of symphonic poems which remain among the staple fare of orchestras; Don Juan (1888-9) established him as the natural successor to Wagner, whose widow took a great interest in his career. He married the soprano

b but

ddog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

kcat

lleg

mman

nno

p pen

rred

s sit

t top

v voice

streaky

sudden prominent flash of lightning. 00 streaker n. streaking n. [OE strica pen-stroke f. Gmc: rel. to STRIKE] streaky /'stri:ki/ adj. (streakier, streakiest) 1 full of streaks. 2 (of bacon) with alternate streaks of fat and lean. oo streakily

adv. streakiness n. stream /stri:m/ n. & v. —n. 1 a flowing body of water, esp. a small river. 2 a the flow of a fluid or of a mass of people (a stream of lava). b (in sing. or pl.) a large quantity of something that flows or moves along. 3 a current or direction in which things are moving or tending (against the stream). 4 Brit. a group of schoolchildren taught together as being of similar ability for a given age. —v. 1 intr. flow or move as a stream. 2 intr. run with liquid (my eyes were streaming). 3 intr. (of a banner or hair etc.) float or wave in the wind. 4 tr. emit a stream of (blood etc.). 5 tr. Brit. arrange (schoolchildren) in streams. 0 go with the stream do as others do. on stream (of a factory etc.) in operation. stream-anchor an anchor intermediate in size between a bower and a kedge, esp. for use in warping. stream of consciousness 1 Psychol. a person’s thoughts and conscious reactions to events perceived as a continuous flow. 2 a literary style depicting events in such a flow in the mind of a character, as in James Joyce’s novel Ulysses. 00 streamless adj. streamlet n. [OE stréam f. Gmc] streamer /'stri:ma(r)/ n. 1 a long narrow flag. 2 a long narrow strip of ribbon or paper, esp. in a coil that unrolls when thrown. 3 a banner headline. 4 (in pl.) the aurora borealis or australis. streamline /'stri:mlarn/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 give (a vehicle etc.) the form which presents the least resistance to motion. 2 make (an organization, process, etc.) simple or more efficient or better organized. —n. 1 the natural course of water or air currents. 2 (often attrib.) the shape of an aircraft, car, etc., calculated to cause the least resistance to motion. street /stri:t/ n. 1 a a public road ina city, town, or village. b this with the houses or other buildings on each side. 2 the persons who live or work on a particular street. Oo in the street 1 in the area outside the houses. 2 (of Stock Exchange business) done after closing-time. not in the same street with colloq. utterly inferior to in ability etc. on the streets 1 living by prostitution. 2 homeless. street Arab 1 a homeless child. 2 an urchin. street credibility (or collog. cred) familiarity with a fashionable urban subculture. street cries Brit. the cries of street hawkers. street door a main outer house-door opening on the street. street jewellery enamel advertising plates as collectors’ items. streets ahead (often foll. by of) collog. much superior (to). street value the value of drugs sold illicitly. up (or right up) one’s street collog. 1 within one’s range of interest or knowledge. 2 to one’s liking. 00 streeted adj. (also in comb.). streetward adj. & adv. [OE strzt f. LL strata (via) paved (way), fem. past part. of sternere lay down]

streetcar /'stri:tka:(r)/ n. US a tram. streetwalker /'stri:t,wo:ko(r)/ n. a prostitute seeking customers in the street. 00 streetwalking n. & adj.

streetwise /'stri:twaiz/ n. esp. US familiar with the ways of modern urban life. strength /stren@, strenk@/ n. 1 the state of being strong; the degree or respect in which a person or thing is strong. 2aa person or thing affording strength or support. b an attribute making for strength of character (patience is your great strength). 3 the number of persons present or available. 4 a full complement (below strength). 0 from strength froma strong position. from strength to strength with ever-increasing success. in strength in large numbers. on the strength of relying on; on the basis of. the strength of the essence or main features of. oo strengthless adj. [OE strengthu f. Gmc (as STRONG)]

strengthen /'stren6(o)n, -pk@(o)n/ v.tr. & intr. make or become stronger. 0 strengthen a person’s hand (or hands) encourage a person to vigorous action. 00 strengthener n. strenuous /'strenjuas/ adj. 1 requiring or using great effort. 2 energetic or unrelaxing. 00 strenuously adv. strenuousness n. [L strenuus brisk] strep /strep/ n. collog. = sTREPTOCOCCUS. [abbr.] streptococcus /)strepto'kpkas/ n. (pl. streptococci /-'koka1/)

wwe

z zoo

stricken

1433

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

any bacterium of the genus Streptococcus, usu. occurring in chains, some of which cause infectious diseases. oo streptococcal adj. [Gk streptos twisted f. strephd turn + coccus] streptomycin /,streptov'maisin/ n. an antibiotic produced by the bacterium Streptomyces griseus, effective against many disease-producing bacteria. [Gk streptos (as STREPTOCOCCUS) + mukés fungus] stress /stres/n. & v. —n. 1 @ pressure or tension exerted on a material object. b a quantity measuring this. 2 a demand on physical or mental energy. b distress caused by this (suffering from stress). 3 a emphasis (the stress was on the need for success). b accentuation; emphasis laid on a syllable or word. c an accent, esp. the principal one in a word (the stress is on the first syllable). 4 Mech. force per unit area exerted between contiguous bodies or parts of a body. —v.tr. 1 lay stress on; emphasize. 2 subject to mechanical or physical or mental stress. o lay stress on indicate as important. stress disease a disease resulting from continuous mental stress. 00 stressless adj. [ME f. DISTRESs, or partly f. OF estresse narrowness, oppression, ult. f. L strictus STRICT]

stressful /'stresfol/ adj. causing stress; mentally tiring (had a stressful day). oO stressfully adv. stressfulness n. stretch /stret{/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & intr. draw or be drawn or admit of being drawn out into greater length or size. 2 tr. & intr. make or become taut. 3 tr. & intr. place or lie at full length or spread out (with a canopy stretched over them). 4 tr. (also absol.) a extend (an arm, leg, etc.). b (often refl.) thrust out one’s limbs and tighten one’s muscles after being relaxed. 5 intr. have a specified length or extension; extend (farmland stretches for many miles). 6 tr. strain or exert extremely or excessively; exaggerate (stretch the truth). 7 intr. (as stretched adj.) lying at full length. —n. 1a continuous extent or expanse or period (a stretch of open road). 2 the act or an instance of stretching; the state of being stretched. 3 (attrib.) able to stretch; elastic (stretch fabric). 4 a collog. a period of imprisonment. b a period of service. 5 US the straight side of a racetrack. 6 Naut. the distance covered on one tack. o at fuil stretch working to capacity. at a stretch 1 in one continuous period (slept for two hours at a stretch). 2 with much effort. stretch one’s legs exercise oneself by walking. stretch marks marks on the skin resulting from a gain of weight, or on the abdomen after pregnancy. stretch out 1 tr. extend (a hand or foot etc.). 2 intr. & tr. last for a longer period; prolong. 3 tr. make (money etc.) last for a sufficient time. stretch a point agree to something not normally allowed. stretch one’s wings see WING. 00 stretchable adj. stretchability /-e'brliti/ n. stretchy adj. stretchiness n. [OE streccan f. WG: cf. STRAIGHT]

stretcher /'stretfo(r)/n. & v. —n. 1 a framework of two poles with canvas etc. between, for carrying sick, injured, or dead persons in a lying position. 2 a brick or stone laid with its long side along the face of a wall (cf. HEADER). 3 a board in a boat against which a rower presses the feet. 4 a rod or bar as a tie between chair-legs etc. 5 a wooden frame over which a canvas is stretched ready for painting. 6 archaic sl. an exaggeration or lie. —v.tr. (often foll. by off) convey (a sick or injured person) on a stretcher. 0 stretcher-bearer a person who helps to carry a stretcher, esp. in war or at a major accident. stretto /'stretou/ adv. Mus. in quicker time. [It., = narrow] strew /stru:/ v.tr. (past part. strewn or strewed) 1 scatter or spread about over a surface. 2 (usu. foll. by with) spread (a surface) with scattered things. 00 strewer n. [OE stre(o)wian]

*strewth var. of ’sTRUTH. stria /'strato/ n. (pl. -ae |-i:/) 1 Anat., Zool., Bot., & Geol. a a linear mark on a surface. b a slight ridge, furrow, or score. 2 Archit. a fillet between the flutes of a column. [L]

striate adj. & v. —adj. |'straut/ (also striated /-e1tid/) Anat., Zool., Bot., & Geol. marked with striae. —-v.tr. /'strarert/ mark with striae. 00 striation /strar'e1f(a)n/ n. stricken /'striken/ adj. 1 affected or overcome with illness or misfortune etc. (stricken with measles; grief-stricken). 2 levelled with a strickle. 3 (often foll. by from etc.) US Law deleted. o stricken in years archaic enfeebled by age. [archaic past part. of STRIKE]

tl chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

strickle strickle /'strik(s)l/ n. 1 a rod used in strike-measure. 2 a whetting tool. [OE stricel, rel. to STRIKE] strict /strikt/ adj. 1 precisely limited or defined; without exception or deviation (lives in strict seclusion). 2 requiring complete compliance or exact performance; enforced rigidly (gave strict orders). 00 strictness n. [L strictus past part. of stringere tighten]

strictly /'striktli/ adv. 1 in a strict manner.

2 (also strictly

speaking) applying words in their strict sense (he is, strictly, an absconder). 3 esp. US collog. definitely. stricture /'striktfo(r)/ n. 1 (usu. in pl.; often foll. by on, upon) a critical or censorious remark. 2 Med. a morbid narrowing of a canal or duct in the body. oO strictured adj. [ME f. L strictura (as STRICT)}

stride /straid/ v. & n.

string

1434

—v. (past strode /straud/; past part.

stridden /'strid(s)n/) 1 intr. & tr. walk with long firm steps. 2 tr. cross with one step. 3 tr. bestride; straddle. —n. 1 aa single long step. b the length of this. 2 a person’s gait as determined by the length of stride. 3 (usu. in pl.) progress (has made great strides). 4 a settled rate of progress (get into one’s stride; be thrown out of one’s stride). 5 (in pl.) sl. trousers. 6 the distance between the feet parted either laterally or as in walking. 0 take in one’s stride 1 clear (an obstacle) without changing one’s gait to jump. 2 manage without difficulty. 00 strider n. [OE stridan]

strident /'straid(s)nt/ adj. loud and harsh.

oo stridency n.

stridently adv. [L stridere strident- creak]

stridulate /'stridju,lert/ v.intr. (of insects, esp. the cicada and grasshopper) make a shrill sound by rubbing esp. the legs or wing-cases together. oo stridulant adj. stridulation /-'le1{(2)n/ n. [F striduler f. L stridulus creaking (as STRIDENT)] strife /strarf] n. 1 conflict; struggle between opposed persons or things. 2 Austral. collog. trouble of any kind. [ME f. OF estrif: cf. OF estriver STRIVE]

strigil /'strid3il/ n. 1 Gk & Rom. Antig. a skin-scraper used by bathers after exercise. 2.a structure on the leg of an insect used to clean its antennae etc. [L strigilis f. stringere graze] strigose /'straigous/ adj. 1 (of leaves etc.) having short stiff hairs or scales. 2 (of an insect etc.) streaked, striped, or ridged. [L striga swath, furrow] strike /stratk/ v. & n. —v. (past struck /strak/; past part. struck or archaic stricken /'strikon/) 1 a tr. subject to an impact. btr. deliver (a blow) or inflict a blow on. 2 tr. come or bring sharply into contact with (the ship struck a rock). 3 tr. propel or divert with a blow (struck the ball into the pond). 4 intr. (foll. by at) try to hit. 5 tr. penetrate or cause to penetrate (struck terror into him). 6 tr. ignite (a match) or produce (sparks etc.) by rubbing. 7 tr. make (a coin) by stamping. 8 tr. produce (a musical note) by striking. 9 a tr. (also absol.) (of a clock) indicate (the time) by the sounding of a chime etc. b intr. (of time) be indicated in this way. 10 tr. a attack suddenly (was struck with sudden terror). b (of a disease) afflict. 11 tr. cause to become suddenly (was struck dumb). 12 tr. reach or achieve (strike a balance). 13 tr. agree on (a bargain). 14 tr. assume (an attitude) suddenly and dramatically. 15 tr. a discover or come across. b find (oil etc.) by drilling. c encounter (an unusual thing etc.). 16 come to the attention of or appear to (it strikes me as silly; an idea suddenly struck me). 17 a intr. (of employees) engage in a strike; cease work as a protest. b tr. US act in this way against (an employer). 18 a tr. lower or take down (a flag or tent etc.). b intr. signify surrender by striking a flag; surrender. 19 intr. take a specified direction (struck east). 20 tr. (also absol.) secure a hook in the mouth of (a fish) by jerking the tackle. 21 tr. (of a snake) wound with its fangs. 22 intr. (of oysters) attach themselves to a bed. 23 a tr. insert (the cutting of a plant) in soil to take root. b tr. (also absol.) (of a plant or cutting etc.) put forth (roots). 24 tr. level (grain etc. or the measure) in strike-measure. 25 tr. a ascertain (a balance) by deducting credit or debit from the other. b arrive at (an average, state of balance) by equalizing all items. 26 compose (a jury) esp. by allowing both sides to reject the same number. —n. 1 the act or an instance of striking. 2 a the organized refusal by employees to work until some grievance is remedied. The first strike on record took place in Egypt in the mid-12th c. Bc, in the reign of Rameses III, when tomb workers at Thebes downed

we cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

tools because their rations had not arrived; it caused considerable alarm. ba similar refusal to participate in some other expected activity. 3. a sudden find or success (a lucky strike). 4 an ‘ attack, esp. from the air. 5 Baseball a batter’s unsuccessful attempt to hit a pitched ball, or another event counting equivalently against a batter. 6 the act of knocking down all the pins with the first ball in bowling. 7 horizontal direction in a geological structure. 8 a strickle. 0 on strike taking part in an industrial etc. strike. strike at the root (or roots) of see ROOT!. strike back 1 strike or attack in return. 2 (of a gas-burner) burn from an internal point before the gas has become mixed with air. strike down 1 knock down. 2 bring low; afflict (struck down by a virus). strike home 1 deal an effective blow. 2 have an intended effect (my words struck home). strike in 1 intervene in a conversation etc. 2 (of a disease) attack the interior of the body from the surface. strike it rich collog. find a source of abundance or success. strike a light 1 produce a light by striking a match. 2 Brit. sl. an expression of surprise, disgust, etc. strike lucky have a lucky success. strike-measure measurement by passing a rod across the top of a heaped vessel to ensure that it is exactly full. strike off 1 remove with a stroke. 2 delete (a name etc.) from alist. 3 produce (copies of a document). strike oil 1 find petroleum by sinking a shaft. 2 attain prosperity or success. strike out 1 hit out. 2 act vigorously. 3 delete (an item or name etc.). 4 set off or begin (struck out eastwards). 5 use the arms and legs in swimming. 6 forge or devise (a plan etc.). 7 Baseball a dismiss (a batter) by means of three strikes. b be dismissed in this way. strike pay an allowance paid to strikers by their trade union. strike through delete (a word etc.) with a stroke of one’s pen. strike up 1 start (an acquaintance, conversation, etc.) esp. casually. 2 (also absol.) begin playing (a tune etc.). strike upon 1 have (an idea etc.) luckily occur to one. 2 (of light) illuminate. strike while the iron is hot act promptly at a good opportunity. struck on collog. infatuated with. oo strikable adj. [OE strican go, stroke f. WG]

strikebound /'strarkbaund/ adj. immobilized or closed by a strike.

strikebreaker

/'stratk,brerka(r)/

n. a person

working

or

employed in place of others who are on strike. 00 strikebreak v.intr.

striker /'stratka(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing employee on strike. 3 Sport the player who is to be the next to strike, the ball. 4 Football positioned well forward in order to score striking the primer in a gun.

striking /'strarkin/ adj. & n. —adj.

that strikes. 2 an is to strike, or who an attacking player goals. 5 a device

1 impressive; attracting

attention. 2 (of a clock) making a chime to indicate the hours etc. —n. the act or an instance of striking. 0 striking-circle (in hockey) an elongated semicircle in front of the goal, from within which the ball must be hit in order to score. striking-force a military body ready to attack at short notice. within striking distance near enough to hit or achieve. 00 strikingly adv. strikingness n.

Strindberg /'strindbs:g/, (Johan) August (1849-1912), Swedish dramatist and novelist. The bitterness and misogyny of his starkly naturalistic earlier plays, notably The Father (1887), reflect his unhappy marriage and increasing paranoia. A more tranquil later period following a mental breakdown evoked expressionistic ‘dream plays’ as well as notable historical dramas. Strine /stramn/ n. 1 a comic transliteration of Australian speech, e.g. Emma Chissitt = ‘How much is it?’ 2 (esp. uneducated) Australian English. [= Australian in Strine] string /strin/ n. & v. —n. 1 twine or narrow cord. 2a piece of this or of similar material used for tying or holding together, pulling, etc. 3 a length of catgut or wire etc. on a musical instrument, producing a note by vibration. 4 a (in pl.) the stringed instruments in an orchestra etc. b (attrib.) relating to or consisting of stringed instruments (string quartet). 5 (in pl.) an awkward condition or complication (the offer has no strings). 6 a set of things strung together; a series or line of persons or things (a string of beads; a string of oaths). 7 a group of racehorses trained at one stable. 8 a tough piece connecting the two halves of a bean-pod etc. 9 a piece of catgut etc. interwoven with others

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

o put

wu: too

0 ago

ar my

stringboard

stroke

1435

to form the head ofa tennis etc. racket. 10 = sTRINGBOARD. —v. (past and past part. strung /stran/) 1 tr. supply with a string or strings. 2 tr. tie with string. 3 tr. thread (beads etc.) on a string. 4 tr. arrange in or as a string. 5 tr. remove the strings from (a bean). 6 tr. place a string ready for use on (a bow). 7tr. collog. hoax. 8intr. (of glue etc.) become stringy. 9 intr. Billiards make the preliminary strokes that decide which player begins. 0 on

striped

a string under one’s control or influence. string along colloq. 1 deceive, esp. by appearing to comply with (a person). 2 (often foll. by with) keep company (with). string bass Mus. a double-bass. string bean 1 any of various beans eaten in their fibrous pods, esp. runner beans or French beans. 2 collog. a tall thin person. string-course a raised horizontal band or course

2 a device or solvent for removing paint etc. 3 a striptease performer. striptease /'stripti:z/ n. & v. —n. an entertainment in which

of bricks etc. on a building. string out extend; prolong (esp. unduly). string-piece a long timber supporting and connecting the parts of a framework. string tie a very narrow necktie. string up 1 hang up on strings etc. 2 kill by hanging. 3 make tense. string vest a vest with large meshes. 00 stringless adj. stringlike adj. [OE streng f. Gmc: cf. sTRONG]

stringboard /'strinbo:d/ n. a supporting timber or skirting in which the ends ofa staircase steps are set. stringed /strind/ adj. (of musical instruments) having sieittes (also in comb.: twelve-stringed guitar). stringendo /strin'dzendou/ adj. & adv. Mus. with increasing speed. [It. f. stringere press: see STRINGENT] stringent /'strind3(s)nt/ adj. 4 (of rules etc.) strict, precise; requiring exact performance; leaving no loophole or discretion. 2 (of a money market etc.) tight; hampered by scarcity; unaccommodating: hard to operate in. oO stringency n. stringently adv. [L stringere draw tight] stringer /|'strino(r)/ n. 1 a longitudinal structural member in a framework, esp. of a ship or aircraft. 2 collog. a newspaper correspondent not on the regular staff. 3 = STRINGBOARD.

stringhalt /'strinholt/ n. spasmodic movement of a horse’s hind leg.

stringy /'strini/ adj. (stringier, stringiest) 1 (of food etc.) fibrous, tough. 2 of or like string. 3 (of a person) tall, wiry, and thin. 4 (of a liquid) viscous; forming strings. 0 stringy-bark Austral. any of various eucalyptus trees with tough fibrous bark. OO stringily adv. stringiness n.

strip! /strip/ v. & n. —v. (stripped, stripping) 1 tr. (often foll. by of) remove the clothes or covering from (a person or thing). 2 intr. (often foll. by off) undress oneself. 3 tr. (often foll. by of) deprive (a person) of property or titles. 4 tr. leave bare of accessories or fittings. 5 tr. remove bark and branches from (a tree). 6 tr. (often foll. by down) remove the accessory fittings of or take apart (a machine etc.) to inspect or adjust it. 7 tr. milk (a cow) to the last drop. 8 tr. remove the old hair from (a dog). 9 tr. remove the stems from (tobacco). 10 tr. tear the thread from (a screw). 11 tr. tear the teeth from (a gearwheel). 12 tr. remove (paint) or remove paint from (a ‘surface) with solvent. 13 tr. (often foll. by from) pull or tear (a covering or property etc.) off (stripped the masks from their faces). 14 intr. (of a screw) lose its thread. 15 intr. (of a bullet) issue from a rifled gun without spin owing to a loss of surface. —n. 1 an act of stripping, esp. of undressing in striptease. 2 collog. the identifying outfit worn by the members of a sports team while playing. 0 strip club a club at which striptease performances are given. strip mine US a mine worked by removing the material that overlies the ore etc. strip-search n. a search of a person involving the removal of all clothes. —v.tr. search in this way. [ME f. OE bestriepan plunder f. Gmc]

strip? /strip/ n. 1a long narrow piece (a strip of land). 2a narrow flat bar of iron or steel. 3 (in full strip cartoon) = comic strip. O strip light a tubular fluorescent lamp. strip mill a mill in which steel slabs are rolled into strips. tear a person off a strip collog. angrily rebuke a person. [ME, from or rel. to MLG strippe strap, thong, prob. rel. to STRIPE] stripe /strarp/ n. 1 a long narrow band or strip differing in colour or texture from the surface on either side of it (black with a red stripe). 2 Mil. a chevron etc. denoting military rank. 3 US a category of character, opinion, etc. (a man of that stripe). 4 (usu. av how

er day

90 no

eo hair

io near

o1 boy

va poor

in pl.) archaic a blow with a scourge or lash. 5(in pl., treated as sing.) collog. a tiger. [perh. back-form. f. striped: cf. MDu., MLG stripe, MHG strife]

/strarpt/ adj. marked

with stripes (also in comb.:

red-striped).

stripling /'striplin/ n. a youth not yet fully grown. [ME, prob. f. STRIP? + -LING}, in the sense of having a figure not yet filled out] stripper /'stripo(r)/ n. 1a person or thing that strips something.

the performer gradually undresses before the audience. —v.intr.

performa striptease. 00 stripteaser n. stripy /'strarp1/ adj. (stripier, stripiest) striped; having many stripes. strive /strarv/ v.intr. (past strove /strauv/; past part. striven |'strrv(a)n/) 1 (often foll. by for, or to + infin.) try hard, make efforts (strive to succeed). 2 (often foll. by with, against) struggle or contend. o0 striver n. [ME f. OF estriver, rel. to estrif STRIFE] strobe /straub/ n. collog. 1 a stroboscope. 2 a stroboscopic lamp.

[abbr.] strobila /stra'barlo/ n. (pl. strobilae /-lar/) 1 a chain of proglottids in a tapeworm. 2a sessile polyp-like form which divides horizontally to produce jellyfish larvae. [mod.L f. Gk strobilé twisted lint-plug f. strepho twist]

strobile /'straubarl/ n. 1 the cone of a pine etc. 2 the layered flower of the hop. [F strobile or LL strobilus f. Gk strobilos f. strepho twist]

strobilus /'straubiles/ n. (pl. strobili /-,la1/) Bot. = STROBILE 1. [LL (as STROBILE)] stroboscope

|'straubo,skoup/ n. 1 Physics an instrument for

determining speeds of rotation etc. by shining a bright light at intervals so that a rotating object appears stationary. 2 a lamp made to flash intermittently, esp. for this purpose. oo stroboscopic |-'skopik/ adj. stroboscopical |-'skoprk(o)l/ adj. stroboscopically -SCOPE]

/-'skoprkeli/

adv.

[Gk strobos

whirling

+

strode past of stRIDE. Stroganoff /'strogs,nof] adj. (of meat) cut into strips and cooked in sour-cream sauce (beef Stroganoff). [P. Stroganoff, 19th-c. Russ. diplomat] stroke /strauk/ n. & v. —n. 1 the act or an instance of striking; a blow or hit (with a single stroke; a stroke of lightning). 2 a sudden disabling attack or loss of consciousness caused by an interruption in the flow of blood to the brain, esp. through thrombosis; apoplexy. 3 a an action or movement esp. as one of a series. b the time or way in which such movements are done. c the slightest such action (has not done a stroke of work). 4 the whole of the motion (of a wing, oar, etc.) until the startingposition is regained. 5 (in rowing) the mode or action of moving the oar (rowa fast stroke). 6 the whole motion (of a piston) in either direction. 7 Golf the action of hitting (or hitting at) a ball with a club, as a unit of scoring. 8 a mode of moving the arms and legs in swimming. 9 a method of striking with the bat etc. in games etc. (played some unorthodox strokes). 10 a specially successful or skilful effort (a stroke of diplomacy). 11 a a mark made by the. movement in one direction of a pen or pencil or paintbrush. b a similar mark printed. 12 a detail contributing to the general effect in a description. 13 the sound made by a striking clock. 14 (in full stroke oar) the oar or oarsman nearest the stern, setting the time of the stroke. 15 the act or a spell of stroking. —v.tr. 1 pass one’s hand gently along the surface of (hair or fur etc.); caress lightly. 2 act as the stroke of (a boat or crew). 0 at a stroke bya single action. finishing stroke a coup de grace; a final and fatal stroke. off one’s stroke not performing as well as usual. on the stroke punctually. on the stroke of nine etc. with the clock about to strike nine etc. stroke a person down appease a person’s anger. stroke of business a

profitable transaction. stroke of genius an original or strikingly successful idea. stroke of luck (or good luck) an unforeseen opportune occurrence. stroke play Golf play in which the score is reckoned by counting the number of strokes taken for

ara fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

struggle

1436 stroll E —— E nS E

isotope strontium 90 is a particularly dangerous component of nuclear fallout as it can become concentrated in bones and teeth. § Symb.: Sr; atomic number 38. 0 strontium-go a radioactive isotope of strontium concentrated selectively in bones and teeth when taken into the body. strontium oxide a white compound used in the manufacture of fireworks. [STRONTIA + -IUM] strop /strop/n. & v. —n. 1 a device, esp. a strip of leather, for sharpening razors. 2 Naut. a collar of leather or spliced rope or iron used for handling cargo. —v.tr. (stropped, stropping) sharpen on or with a strop. [ME f. MDu., MLG strop, OHG strupf, WG f. L stroppus]

the round (cf. match play (see MATCH})). stroke a person (or a person’s hair) the wrong way irritate a person. [OE stracian f. Gmc, rel. to STRIKE]

stroll /stroul/v. & n. —v.intr. saunter or walk in a leisurely way. —rn. a short leisurely walk (go for a stroll). o strolling players actors etc. going from place to place to give performances. (orig.

of a vagrant, prob. f. G strollen, strolchen f. Strolch vagabond, of unkn. orig.] stroller /'stroula(r)/ n. 1.a person who strolls. 2 US a pushchair. stroma /'stroumo/ n. (pl. stromata /-moto/) Biol. 1 the framework of an organ or cell. 2 a fungous tissue containing sporeproducing bodies. 00 stromatic /-'mztrk/ adj. [mod.L f. LL f. Gk stroma coverlet]

strophanthin /stro'fen@m/ n. a white crystalline poisonous glucoside extracted from various tropical plants of the genus Strophanthus and used as a heart-tonic. [mod.L strophanthus f. Gk strophos twisted cord + anthos flower]

Stromboli |'stromboel!/, strom'bouli/ an active volcano forming one of the Lipari Islands, off the NE coast of Sicily, noted for its perpetual state of mild activity. strong /stron/ adj. & adv. —adj. (stronger /'strongo(r)/; strongest /'strongist/) 1 having the power of resistance; able to withstand great force or opposition; not easily damaged or overcome (strong material; strong faith; a strong character). 2 (of a person’s constitution) able to overcome, or not liable to, disease. 3 (of a person’s nerves) proof against fright, irritation, etc. 4 (of a patient) restored to health, 5 (of a market) having steadily high or rising prices. 6 capable of exerting great force or of doing much; muscular, powerful, 7 forceful or powerful in effect (a strong wind; a strong protest). 8 decided or firmly held (a strong suspicion; strong views). 9 (of an argument etc.) convincing or striking. 10 powerfully affecting the senses or emotions (a strong light; strong acting). 11 powerful in terms of size or numbers or quality (a strong army). 12 capable of doing much when united (a strong combination). 13 formidable; likely to succeed (a strong candidate). 14 (of a solution or drink etc.) containing a large proportion of a substance in water or another solvent (strong tea). 15 Chem. (of an acid or base) fully ionized into cations and anions in aqueous solution. 16 (of a group) having a specified number (200 strong). 17 (of a voice) loud or penetrating. 18 (of food or its flavour) pungent. 19 (of a person’s breath) ill-smelling. 20 (of a literary style) vivid and terse. 21 (of a measure) drastic. 22 Gram. in Germanic languages: a (of a verb) forming inflections by change of vowel within the stem rather than by the addition of a suffix (e.g. swim, swam). b (of a noun or adjective) belonging to a declension in which the stem originally

strophe /'stroofi/ n. 1 a a turn in dancing made by an ancient Greek chorus. b lines recited during this. ¢ the first section of an ancient Greek choral ode or of one division of it. 2a group of lines forming a section of a lyric poem. 00 strophic adj. [Gk strophé, lit. turning, f. strephd turn) stroppy /'stropi/ adj. (stroppier, stroppiest) Brit. collog. badtempered; awkward to deal with. oo stroppily adv. stroppiness n. [20th c.: perh. abbr. of OBSTREPEROUS] strove past of STRIVE. strow |strau| v.tr. (past part. strown /stroun/ or strowed) archaic = STREW. [var. of STREW]

struck past and past part. of STRIKE. structural /'straktfor(a)l/ adj. of, concerning, or having a structure. 0 structural engineering the branch of civil engineering concerned with large modern buildings etc. structural

formula Chem. a formula showing the arrangement of atoms in the molecule of a compound. structural linguistics the study of language as a system of interrelated elements, without regard to their historical development. structural psychology the study of the arrangement and composition of mental states and conscious experiences. structural steel strong mild steel in shapes suited to construction work. O00 structurally adv.

structuralism /'straktfaro,11z(3)m/ n. 1 the doctrine that structure rather than function is important. (See below.) 2 structural linguistics. 3 structural psychology. 00 structuralist n.

The term has been applied to such theories or methods in various disciplines, and subsequently to theories concerned with analysing the surface structures of a system in terms of its underlying structure. In Psychology (see structural psychology) it is connected especially with the American psychologist E. B. Titchener (1867-1927); in Linguistics it became popular after the work of F. de Saussure (see entry); in Anthropology and Sociology it refers to theories or methods of analysis concerned with the structure or form of human society or social life, and (following the work of Claude Lévi-Strauss; see entry) with the deeper structures of communication from which the surface structures or ‘models’ evolve. structure /'straktfo(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a a whole constructed unit, esp. a building. b the way in which a building etc. is constructed (has a flimsy structure). 2 a set of interconnecting parts of any complex thing; a framework (the structure of a sentence; a new wages structure). —v.tr. give structure to; organize; frame. oO structured adj. (also in comb.). structureless adj. [ME f. OF structure or L structura f. struere struct- build]

ended otherwise than in -n (opp. WEAK 9). —adv. strongly (the tide is running strong). 0 come it strong collog. go to great lengths; use exaggeration. going strong collog. continuing action vigorously; in good health or trim. strong-arm using force (strong-arm tactics). strong drink see DRINK. strong grade the stressed ablaut-form. strong interaction Physics interaction

between certain elementary particles that is very strong but is effective only at short distances. strong language forceful language; swearing. strong meat a doctrine or action accept-

able only to vigorous or instructed minds. strong-minded having determination. strong-mindedness determination. strong point

1 a thing at which one excels.

2 a specially

fortified defensive position. strong stomach a stomach not easily affected by nausea. strong suit 1 a suit at cards in which one can take tricks. 2 a thing at which one excels. 00 strongish adj. strongly adv. [OE f. Gmc: cf. sTRING]

strongbox /'stronbpks/ n. a strongly made small chest for valuables.

stronghold /'stronhould/ n. 1 a fortified place. 2 a secure refuge. 3 a centre of support for a cause etc. strongroom /'stronru:m, -rom/ n. a room designed to protect valuables against fire and theft. strontia /'stronfa/ n. Chem. strontium oxide. [strontian native strontium carbonate f. Strontian in the Highland Region of Scotland, where it was discovered] strontium /'strontiom/ n. Chem..a soft silver-white metallic element occurring naturally in various minerals, first detected in 1787 and isolated by Sir Humphry Davy in 1808. The metal has few uses, but strontium salts are used in fireworks and flares because they give a brilliant red light. The radioactive

b but

d dog

ffew

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hhe

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strudel /'stru:d(a)l/ n. a confection of thin pastry rolled up round a filling and baked (apple strudel). [G]

struggle |'strag(s)l/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 make forceful or violent

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efforts to get free of restraint or constriction. 2 (often foll. by for, or to + infin.) make violent or determined efforts under difficulties; strive hard (struggled for supremacy; struggled to get the words out). 3 (foll. by with, against) contend; fight strenuously (struggled with the disease; struggled against superior numbers). 4 (foll. by along, up, etc.) make one’s way with difficulty (struggled to my feet). 5 (esp. as struggling adj.) have difficulty in gaining recognition or a living (a struggling artist). —n. 1 the act or a

spell of struggling. 2 a hard or confused contest. 3 a determined 1leg

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nno

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strum

effort under difficulties. 0 the struggle for existence (or life) the competition between organisms esp. as an element in nat-

ural selection, or between persons seeking a livelihood.

oo

struggler n. [ME strugle frequent. of uncert. orig. (perh. imit.)] strum /stram/ v. & n. —v.tr. (strummed, strumming) 1 play on (a stringed or keyboard instrument), esp. carelessly or unskilfully. 2 play (a tune etc.) in this way. —n. the sound made by strumming. 00 strummer n. [imit.: cf. THRUM!] struma /'stru:ma/ n. (pl. strumae /-mi:/) 1 Med. @ = SCROFULA. b = GorrreE. 2 Bot. a cushion-like swelling of an organ. o0 strumose adj. strumous adj. [L, = scrofulous tumour] strumpet /'strampit/ n. archaic or rhet. a prostitute. [ME: orig. unkn.] strung past and past part. of sTRING. strut /strat/ n. & v. —n. 1a bar forming part of a framework and designed to resist.compression. 2 a strutting gait. —v. (strutted, strutting) 1 intr. walk with a pompous or affected stiff erect gait. 2 tr. brace with a strut or struts. 00 strutter n. struttingly adv. [ME ‘bulge, swell, strive’, earlier stroute f. OE stritian be rigid (?)] 2 *struth /stru:6/ int. (also ’strewth) collog. a mild oath. [God’s truth] struthious /'stru:@1as/ adj. of or like an ostrich. [L struthio ostrich]

Struwwelpeter /'stru:ol,pi:to(r)/ a character ina children’s book of the same name by Heinrich Hoffmann (1809-94), with long thick unkempt hair.

strychnine /'strikni:n/ n. a vegetable alkaloid obtained from plants of the genus Strychnos (esp. nux vomica), bitter and highly poisonous, used as a stimulant and (in smail amounts) a tonic. o0 strychnic adj. [F f. L strychnos f. Gk strukhnos a kind of nightshade]

Sts abbr. Saints. Stuart! /'stju:ot/ the name of the royal house of Scotland from the accession (1371) of Robert II, one of the hereditary stewards of Scotland, and of Britain from the accession of James VI of Scotland to the English throne as James I (1603) to the death of Queen Anne (1714). Charles Edward Stuart (1720-88), ‘the Young Pretender’, elder son of James Stuart (see below). A far more dashing and romantic figure than his father, on whose behalf he led the Jacobite uprising of 1745-6, Charles was not really able enough to face the task of overthrowing a reasonably well established Hanoverian regime. He made little impact on events after his flight from Scotland in the aftermath of Culloden and eventually succumbed to alcoholism, dying in obscurity in Rome. James Stuart (1688-1766), ‘the Old Pretender’, only son of James II of Britain, Jacobite claimant to the throne following his father’s death. He spent his entire life in exile, failing to restore his fortunes as much because of the weakness of his political

position as because of his lack of charisma and decisiveness. Arriving in Scotland too late to alter the outcome of the 1715

uprising, he left the leadership of a second major attempt in 1745 to his son Charles. Stuart? /'stju:ot/, John McDouall (1815-66), Scottish emigrant to Australia who crossed the continent in 1861-2, at his sixth attempt, from south to north and back again. He was a man of indomitable courage and tenacity, who in all his journeys never lost a man of his expeditions, though his own health was destroyed as a result of the hardships he had suffered. stub /stab/ n. & v. —n. 1 the remnant of a pencil or cigarette etc. after use. 2 the counterfoil of a cheque or receipt etc. 3a stunted tail etc. 4 the stump ofatree, tooth, etc. 5 (attrib.) going only part of the way through (stub-mortise; stub-tenon). —v.tr. (stubbed, stubbing) 1 strike (one’s toe) against something. 2 (usu. foll. by out) extinguish (a lighted cigarette) by pressing the lighted end against something. 3 (foll. by up) grub up by the roots. 4 clear (land) of stubs. 0 stub-axle an axle supporting

only one wheel of a pair. [OE stub, stubb f. Gmc]

stubble /'stab(2)l/ n. 1 the cut stalks of cereal plants left sticking up after the harvest. 2 a cropped hair or a cropped beard. b a short growth of unshaven hair. 00 stubbled adj. stubbly adj.

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[ME f. AF stuble, OF estuble f. L stupla, stupula var. of stipula straw]

stubborn /'stabon/ adj. 1 unreasonably obstinate. 2 unyielding, obdurate, inflexible. 3 refractory, intractable. 00 stubbornly adj. stubbornness n. [ME stiborn, stoburn, etc., of unkn. orig.]

Stubbs! |stabz/, George (1724-1806), English animal painter and engraver. Largely self-taught, he worked as a portrait painter in Leeds and studied anatomy at York. In 1759 he moved to London and there published his Anatomy of the Horse (1766), illustrated with his own engravings, which established his reputation. He was widely admired as a painter of horses, not only for his anatomical and observational knowledge but also for his ability to convey their spirit and dignity. His imaginative compositions, especially the horse and lion confrontations, show his proto-romantic nature, while the neoclassical purity of his line is evident in his mare and foals series.

Stubbs? /stabz/, William (1825-1901), English historian, Regius Professor of Modern History at Oxford (1866-1901), Bishop of Chester (1884) and of Oxford (1888). He showed his supreme professional skill, acquired from the German academic method, in his great Constitutional History of England (1874-8) which, together with his Select Charters and other Illustrations of English Constitutional History to 1307 (1870), imposed a pattern and a method on the teaching of English history in British universities which lasted until the middle of the 20th c.

stubby /'stabi/ adj. & n. —adj. (stubbier, stubbiest) short and thick. —n. (pl. -ies) Austral. collog. a small squat bottle of beer. oo stubbily adv. stubbiness n. stucco /'stakou/ n. & v. —n. (pl. -oes) plaster or cement used for coating wall surfaces or moulding into architectural decorations. —-v.ir. (-oes, -oed) coat with stucco. [It., of Gmc orig.]

stuck past and past part. of stick. stuck-up see sTIcK?. stud! /stad/ n. & v. —n. 1 a large-headed nail, boss, or knob, projecting from a surface esp. for ornament. 2 a double button esp. for use with two buttonholes in a shirt-front. 3 a small object projecting slightly from a road-surface as a marker etc. 4 a rivet or crosspiece in each link of a chain-cable. 5 a a post to which laths are nailed. b US the height of a room as indicated by the length of this. —v.tr. (studded, studding) 1 set with or as with studs. 2 (as studded adj.) (foll. by with) thickly set or strewn (studded with diamonds). 3 be scattered over or about (a surface). [OE studu, stuthu post, prop, rel. to G stiitzen to prop] stud? /stad/n. 1 aa number of horses kept for breeding etc. ba place where these are kept. 2 (in full stud-horse) a stallion. 3 collog. a young man (esp. one noted for sexual prowess). 4 (in full stud poker) a form of poker with betting after the dealing of successive rounds of cards face up. 0 at stud (of a male horse) publicly available for breeding on payment of a fee. stud-book a book containing the pedigrees of horses. stud-farm a place where horses are bred. [OE stod f. Gmc: rel. to STAND]

studding /'stadin/ n. the woodwork of a lath-and-plaster wall. studding-sail /'stans(s)l/ n. a sail set on a small extra yard and boom beyond the leech of a square sail in light winds. [16th c.: orig. uncert.: perh. f. MLG, MDu. stodtinge a thrusting] student /'stju:d(o)nt/ n. 1 a person who is studying, esp. at university or another place of higher education. 2 (attrib.) studying in order to become (a student nurse). 3 a person of studious habits. 4 Brit. a graduate recipient of a stipend from the foundation of a college; esp. a fellow of Christ Church, Oxford. oo studentship n. [ME f. L studére f. studium stupy] . studio /'stju:disu/ n. (pl. -os) 1 the workroom of a painter or photographer etc. 2 a place where cinema films or recordings are made or where television or radio programmes are made or produced. 0 studio couch a couch that can be converted into a bed. studio flat.a flat containing a room suitable as an artist’s studio, or only one main room. [It. f. L (as stuDy)] studious /'stju:dias/ adj. 1 devoted to or assiduous in study or reading. 2 studied, deliberate, painstaking (with studious care). 3 (foll. by to + infin. or in + verbal noun) showing care or attention. 4 (foll. by of + verbal noun) anxiously desirous. o0 studiously adv, studiousness n. [ME f. L studiosus (as-sruDy)]

study /'stadi/ n. & v. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 the devotion of time and tf chip

dz jar

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attention to acquiring information or knowledge, esp. from books. 2 (in pl.) the pursuit of academic knowledge (continued their studies abroad). 3 a room used for reading, writing, etc. 4 a piece of work, esp. a drawing, done for practice or as an experiment (a study of a head). 5 the portrayal in literature or another art form of an aspect of behaviour or character etc. 6 a musical composition designed to develop a player’s skill. 7 a thing worth observing closely (your face was a study). 8 a thing that is or deserves to be investigated. 9 Theatr. a the act of memorizing a role. b a person who memorizes a role. 10 archaic a thing to be secured by pains or attention. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 tr. make a study of; investigate or examine (a subject) (study law). 2 intr. (often foll. by for) apply oneself to study. 3 tr. scrutinize or earnestly contemplate (a visible object) (studied their faces). 4 tr. try to learn (the words of one’s role etc.). 5 tr. take pains to achieve (a result) or pay regard to (a subject or principle etc.). 6 tr. (as studied adj.) deliberate, intentional, affected (with studied politeness). 7 tr. read (a book) attentively. 8 tr. (foll. by to + infin.) archaic a be on the watch. b try constantly to manage. Oo in a brown study ina reverie; absorbed in one’s thoughts. make a study of investigate carefully. study group a group of people meeting from time to time to study a particular subject or topic. ou studiedly adv. studiedness n. [ME f. OF estudie f. L studium zeal, study] stuff /staf] n. & v. —n. 1 the material that a thing is made of, material that may be used for some purpose. 2 a substance or things or belongings of an indeterminate kind or a quality not needing to be specified (there’s a lot of stuff about it in the newspapers). 3 a particular knowledge or activity (know one’s stuff). 4 woollen fabric (esp. as distinct from silk, cotton, and linen). 5 valueless matter, trash, refuse, nonsense (take that stuff away). 6 (prec. by the) a collog. an available supply of something, esp. drink or drugs. b sl. money. —v. 1 tr. pack (a receptacle) tightly (stuff a cushion with feathers; a head stuffed with weird notions). 2 tr. (foll. by in, into) force or cram (a thing) (stuffed the socks in the drawer). 3 tr. fill out the skin of (an animal or bird etc.) with material to restore the original shape (a stuffed owl). 4 tr. fill (poultry etc.) with a savoury or sweet mixture, esp. before cooking. 5 a tr. & refl. fill (a person or oneself) with food. b tr. & intr. eat greedily. 6 tr. push, esp. hastily or clumsily (stuffed the note behind the cushion). 7 tr. (usu. in passive; foll. by up) block up (a person’s nose etc.). 8 tr. sl. (esp. as an expression of contemptuous dismissal) dispose of as unwanted (you can stuff the job). 9 tr. US place bogus votes in (a ballot-box). 10 tr. coarse sl. offens. have sexual intercourse with (a woman). o bit of stuff sl. offens. a woman regarded as an object of sexual desire. do one’s

stumble /'stamb(2)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. lurch forward or have a partial fall from catching or striking or misplacing one’s foot. _ 2 intr. (often foll. by along) walk with repeated stumbles. 3 intr. make a mistake or repeated mistakes in speaking etc. 4 intr. (foll. by on, upon, across) find or encounter by chance (stumbled on a disused well). —n. an act of stumbling. 0 stumbling-block an obstacle or circumstance causing difficulty or hesitation. oo stumbler n. stumblingly adv. [ME stumble (with euphonic b) corresp. to Norw. stumla: rel. to STAMMER]

stumblebum /'stamb(2)l,bam/ n. US collog. a clumsy or inept person. stumer /'stju:mo(r)/ n. Brit. sl. 1a worthless cheque; a counterfeit coin or note. 2a sham or fraud. 3a failure. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] stump /stamp/n. & v. —n. 1 the projecting remnant of a cut or fallen tree. 2 the similar remnant of anything else (e.g. a branch or limb) cut off or worn down. 3 Cricket each of the three uprights of a wicket. 4 (in pl.) joc. the legs. 5 the stump of atree, or other place, used by an orator to address a meeting. 6 a cylinder of rolled paper or other material with conical ends for softening pencil-marks and other uses in drawing. —v. 1 tr. (of a question etc.) be too hard for; puzzle. 2 tr. (as stumped adj.) at a loss; baffled. 3 tr. Cricket (esp. of a wicket-keeper) put (a batsman) out by touching the stumps with the ball while the batsman is out of the crease. 4 intr. walk stiffly or noisily as on a wooden leg. 5tr. (also absol.) US traverse (a district) making political speeches. 6 tr. use a stump on (a drawing, line, etc.). O on the stump collog. engaged in political speech-making or agitation. stump up Brit. collog. pay or produce (the money required). up a stump US in difficulties. [ME stompe:f. MDu. stomp, OHG stumpf] stumper /'stampa(r)/ n. collog. 1 a puzzling question. 2 a wicket-keeper. stumpy /'stampi/ adj. (stumpier, stumpiest) short and thick. O00 stumpily adv. stumpiness n. stun /stan/ v.tr. (stunned, stunning) 1 knock senseless; stupefy. 2 bewilder or shock. 3 (of a sound) deafen temporarily. [ME f. OF estoner ASTONISH] stung past and past part. of sTING.

stunk past and past part. of STINK. stunner |'stano(r)/ n. collog. a stunning person or thing. stunning /'stanin/ adj. collog. extremely impressive or attractive. 00 stunningly adv. stunsail /'stans(a)l/ n. (also stuns’1) = sTUDDING-SAIL.

stunt! /stant/ v.tr. 1 retard the growth or development of. 2 dwarf, cramp. 00 stuntedness n. [stunt foolish (now dial.), MHG stunz, ON stuttr short f. Gmc, perh. rel. to STUMP] stunt? /stant/1n. & v. —n. 1 something unusual done to attract attention. 2 a trick or daring manoeuvre. 3 a display of con-

stuff collog. do what one has to. get stuffed sl. an exclamation

of dismissal, contempt, etc. stuff and nonsense an exclamation of incredulity or ridicule. stuffed shirt colloqg. a pompous person. stuff gown Brit. a gown worn by a barrister who has not taken silk. stuff it sl. an expression of rejection or disdain. that’s the stuff collog. that is what is wanted. 00 stuffer n. (also in comb.). [ME stoffe f. OF estoffe (n.), estoffer (v.) equip, furnish f. Gk stuphod draw together] stuffing /'stafin/ n. 1 padding used to stuff cushions etc. 2 a mixture used to stuff poultry etc., esp. before cooking. 0 knock (or take) the stuffing out of collog. make feeble or weak; defeat. stuffing-box a box packed with material, to allow the working of an axle while remaining airtight.

centrated energy.

stuffy /'stafi/ adj. (stuffier, stuffiest) 1 (of a room or the atmosphere in it) lacking fresh air or ventilation; close. 2 dull or uninteresting. 3 (of a person’s nose etc.) stuffed up. 4 (of a person) dull and conventional. 00 stuffily adv. stuffiness n.

stultify /'stalti,fa1/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 make ineffective, useless, or futile, esp. as a result of tedious routine (stultifying boredom). 2 cause to appear foolish or absurd. 3 negate or neutralize. 00

stultification |-fi'ke1{(9)n/ n. stultifier n. [LL stultificare f. L stultus foolish] stum /stam/7n. & v. —n. unfermented grape-juice; must. —v.tr. (stummed, stumming) 1 prevent from fermenting, or secure (wine) against further fermentation in a cask, by the use of

unintelligent, slow-witted, foolish (a stupid fellow). 2 typical of stupid persons (put it in a stupid place). 3 uninteresting or boring. 4 in a state of stupor or lethargy. 5 obtuse; lacking in sensibility.

[Du. stommen (v.), stom (n.) f. stom (adj.) dumb] a: arm e

bed

3: her

0

stupid /'stju:pid/ adj. (stupider, stupidest) adj. & n. —adj. 1

sulphur etc. 2 renew the fermentation of (wine) by adding stum. z cat

—v.intr. perform stunts, esp. aerobatics.

stunt man a man employed to take an actor’s place in performing dangerous stunts. [orig. unkn.: first used in 19th-c. US college athletics] stupa /'stu:po/ n. a round usu. domed building erected as a Buddhist shrine. [Skr. stiipa] stupe! /stju:p/ n. & v. —n. a flannel etc. soaked in hot water, wrung out, and applied as a fomentation. —v.tr. treat with this. [ME f. L f. Gk stupé tow] stupe? /stju:p/ n. sl. a foolish or stupid person. stupefy /'stju:pi,fat/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 make stupid or insensible (stupefied with drink). 2 stun with astonishment (the news was stupefying). 00 stupefacient /-'fer{(a)nt/ adj. & n. stupefaction |-'feek{(9)n/ n. stupefactive adj. stupefier n. stupefying adj. stupefyingly adv. [F stupéfier f. L stupefacere f. stupére be amazed] stupendous /stju:'pendos/ adj. amazing or prodigious, esp. in terms of size or degree (a stupendous achievement). oo stupendously adv. stupendousness n. [L stupendus gerundive of stupére be amazed at]

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—n. collog. a stupid person. 00 stupidity /-'prditi/ n. (pl. -ies). stupidly adv. [F stupide or L stupidus (as sruPENDOUS)] stupor /'stju:po(r)/ n. a dazed, torpid, or helplessly amazed state. O00 stuporous adj. [ME f. L (as sruPENDOUS)]

sturdy /'sts:di/ adj. & n. —adj. (sturdier, sturdiest) 1 robust; strongly built. 2 vigorous and determined (sturdy resistance). —n. vertigo in sheep caused by a tapeworm larva encysted in the brain. 00 sturdied adj. (in sense of n.). sturdily adv. sturdiness n. [ME ‘reckless, violent’, f. OF esturdi, estourdi past part. of estourdir stun, daze ult. f. L ex Ex-! + turdus thrush (taken as a type of drunkenness)] sturgeon |'st3:d3(a)n/ n. any large mailed sharklike fish of the family Acipenseridae etc. swimming up river to spawn, used as food and a source of caviare and isinglass. [ME f. AF sturgeon, OF esturgeon ult. f. Gmc]

stylistic /star'listik/ adj. of or concerning esp. literary style. oo stylistically adv. [styList + -1c, after Gstilistisch]

stylistics /stai'listiks/ n. the study of literary style. stylite /'starlait/ n. Eccl. hist. an ancient or medieval ascetic living on top ofa pillar, esp. in Syria in the 5th c. (See SIMEON STYLITES.) [eccl.Gk stulités f. stulos pillar]

stylize /'starlaiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) (esp. as stylized adj.) paint, draw, etc. (a subject) in a conventional non-realistic style. 00 stylization /-'ze1J(o)n/ n. [STYLE + -1ZE, after Gstilisieren]

stylo /'starlou/ n. (pl. -os) collog. = styLoGRAPH. [abbr.] stylobate /'starlobert/ n. Archit. a continuous base supporting a row of columns. [L stylobata f. Gk stulobatés f. stulos pillar, bainé walk]

stylograph /'statlogra:f/ n. a kind of fountain pen having a point instead of a split nib. 00 stylographic /-'grefik/ adj. [STYLUS + -GRAPH]

Sturm und Drang |,{tusm ont 'drep/ n.a literary and artistic movement in Germany in the late 18th c., characterized by the expression of emotional unrest and strong feeling. [G, = storm and stress] Sturt /sts:t/, Charles (1795-1869), English explorer ofAustralia. Secretary to the Governor of New South Wales in 1827, he led several expeditions into the interior, discovering the Darling River and becoming surveyor-general for South Australia in 1833. He went blind during his third expedition in 1846 and returned to England, where he was Colonial Secretary in 184951.

stutter /'stato(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. stammer, esp. by involuntarily repeating the first consonants of words. 2 tr. (often foll. by out) utter (words) in this way. —n. 1 the act or habit of stuttering. 2 an instance of stuttering. oO stutterer n. stutteringly adv. [frequent. of ME (now dial.) stut f. Gmc] Stuttgart /'!{totga:t/ a motor-manufacturing city in the west of Germany, capital of Baden-Wiirttemberg; pop. (1987) 565,200. The philosopher Hegel was born here in 1770. sty! /star/ n. & v. —n. (pl. sties) 1 a pen or enclosure for pigs. 2 a filthy room or dwelling. 3 a place of debauchery. —v.tr. & intr. (sties, stied) lodge in a sty. [OE sti, prob. = stig hall (cf. STEWARD), f. Gmc] sty? /stai/ n. (also stye) (pl. sties or styes) an inflamed swelling on the edge of an eyelid. [styany (now dial.) = styan eye f. OE stigend sty, lit. ‘riser’ f. stigan rise + Eye, shortened as if = sty on eye]

Stygian /'stidgron/ adj. 1 Gk Mythol. of or relating to the Styx or Hades. 2 literary dark, gloomy, indistinct. [L stugius f. Gk stugios f. Stux -ugos Styx f. stugnos hateful, gloomy] style /starl/ n. & v. —n. 1 a kind or sort, esp. in regard to appearance and form (an elegant style of house). 2 a manner of writing or speaking or performing (written ina florid style; started off in fine style). 3 the distinctive manner of a person or school or period, esp. in relation to painting, architecture, furniture, dress, etc. 4 the correct way of designating a person or thing. 5 a a superior quality or manner (do it in style). b = FORM n. 9 (bad style). 6 a particular make, shape, or pattern (in all sizes and styles). 7 a method of reckoning dates (old style; new style). 8 a an ancient writing-implement, a small rod with a pointed end for scratching letters on wax-covered tablets and a blunt end for obliterating them. b a thing of a similar shape esp. for engraving, tracing, etc. 9 the gnomon of a sundial. 10 Bot. the narrow extension of the ovary supporting the stigma. 11 (in comb.) = -wIsE. —v.tr. 1 design or make etc. in a particular (esp. fashionable) style. 2 designate in a specified way. o0 styleless adj. stylelessness n. styler n. [ME f. OF stile, style f. L stilus: spelling style due to assoc. with Gk stulos column] stylet /'stailit/ n. 1 a slender pointed instrument; a stiletto. 2 Med. the stiffening wire of a catheter; a probe. [F stilet f. It. STILETTO]

styli pl. of styius. stylish /'starli{/ adj. 1 fashionable; elegant. 2 having a superior

styloid /'starloid/ adj. & n. —adj. resembling a stylus or pen. —rn. (in full styloid process) a spine of bone, esp. that projecting from the base of the temporal bone. [mod.L styloides f. Gk stuloeidés f. stulos pillar] stylus /'statlos/ n. (pl. -li /-lar/ or -luses) 1 a a hard, esp. diamond or sapphire, point following a groove in a gramophone record and transmitting the recorded sound for reproduction. b a similar point producing such a groove when recording sound. 2 = STYLE n. 8, 9. [erron. spelling of L stilus: cf. sTYLE]

stymie /'starmi/ n. & v. (also stimy)

—n. (pl. -ies) 1 Golf a

situation where an opponent’s ball lies between the player and the hole, forming a possible obstruction to play (lay a stymie). 2 a difficult situation. —v.tr. (stymies, stymied, stymying or stymieing) 1 obstruct; thwart. 2 Golf block (an opponent, his ball, or oneself) with a stymie. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

styptic /'stiptik/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a drug etc.) that checks bleeding. —n. a styptic drug or substance. [ME f.L stypticus f. Gk stuptikos f. stuphd contract} styrax /'statoreks/ n. 1 storax resin. 2 any tree or shrub of the genus Styrax, e.g. the storax-tree. [L f. Gk sturax: cf. sSTORAX] styrene /'starori:n/ n. Chem. a liquid hydrocarbon easily polymerized and used in making plastics etc. [STYRAX + -ENE] Styria /'strr1a/ (German Steiermark /'{tero,ma:k/) a province of SE Austria; pop. (1981) 1,187,500; capital, Graz. Styx /stiks/ Gk Mythol. one of the nine rivers of the underworld, over which Charon ferried the souls of the dead.

suable /'su:ab(o)l, 'sju:-/ adj. capable of being sued. 00 suability /"brlrti/ n. suasion /'swei3(2)n/ n. formal persuasion as opposed to force (moral suasion). 00 suasive |'sweisrv/ adj. [ME f. OF suasion or L suasio f. suadére suas- urge] suave /swa:v/ adj. 1 (of a person, esp. a man) smooth; polite; sophisticated. 2 (of a wine etc.) bland, smooth. 00 suavely adv. suaveness n. suavity /-viti/ n. (pl. -ies). [F suave or L suavis agreeable: cf. SWEET] sub /sab/ n. & v. collog. —n. 1 a submarine. 2 subscription. 3 a substitute. 4 a sub-editor. 5 Mil. a subaltern. 6 Brit. an advance or loan against expected income. —v. (subbed, subbing) 1 intr. (usu. foll. by for) act as a substitute for a person. 2 tr. Brit. lend or advance (a sum) to (a person) against expected income. 3 tr. sub-edit. [abbr.] sub- /sab, sab/ prefix (also suc- before c, suf- before f, sug- before g, sup- before p, sur- before r, sus- before c, p, t) 1 at or to or from a lower position (subordinate; submerge; subtract; subsoil). 2 secondary or inferior in rank or position (subclass; subcommittee; sub-lieutenant; subtotal). 3 somewhat, nearly; more or less (subacid; subarctic; subaquatic). 4 (forming verbs) denoting secondary action (subdivide; sublet). 5 denoting support (subvention). 6 Chem. (of a salt) basic (subacetate). [from or after L sub- f. sub under, close to, towards]

stylist /'starlist/ n. 1 aa designer of fashionable styles etc. ba

subabdominal |,sabeb'dpmin(2)l/ adj. below the abdomen. subacid /sab'zsid/ adj. moderately acid or tart (subacid fruit; a

hairdresser. 2 a a writer noted for or aspiring to good literary style. b (in sport or music) a person who performs with style.

subacid remark). 00 subacidity /,sabo'siditi/ n. [L subacidus (as SUB-, ACID)]

quality, manner, etc. 00 stylishly adv. stylishness n.

au how

er day

90 no

eo hair

to near

o1 boy

va poor

aro fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

subacute

RG

SSSSS

ee

subcostal /sab'kpst(a)l/ adj. Anat. below the ribs. subcranial /sab'kremnral/ adj. Anat. below the cranium. ‘subcritical /sab'kritrk(2)l/ adj. Physics of less than critical mass

subacute |,sabo'kju:t/ adj. Med. (of a condition) between acute and chronic.

subagency

subject

1440 rp

/|sab'eidzensi/ n. (pl. -ies) a secondary or sub-

ordinate agency. 00 subagent n.

etc. subculture /'sab,kaltfa(r)/ n. a cultural group within a larger

subalpine /sab'zlpain/ adj. of or situated in the higher slopes of mountains just below the timberline.

culture, often having beliefs or interests at variance with those of the larger culture. o0 subcultural /-'kaltfar(s)l/ adj.

subaltern /'sabelt(2)n/ n. & adj. —n. Brit. Mil. an officer below the rank of captain, esp. a second lieutenant. —adj. 1 of inferior rank. 2 Logic (of a proposition) particular, not universal. [LL subalternus f. alternus ALTERNATE adj] subantarctic |,sabent'a:ktrk/ adj. of or like regions imme-

diately north of the Antarctic Circle.

subcutaneous

/|,sabkju:'temnios/ adj. under

the skin.

oO

subcutaneously adv. subdeacon /sab'di:kon/ n. Eccl. a minister of the order next below a deacon. 00 subdiaconate |-dar'eko,nert, -dar'ekonot/

n. subdean /sab'di:n/ n. an official ranking next below, or acting

sub-aqua |sab'e2kwo/ adj. of or concerning underwater swimming or diving.

as a deputy for, a dean. 00 subdeanery . (pl. -ies). subdecanal |-di'kern(2)l/ adj.

subaquatic |,sabo'kwetik/ adj. 1 of more or less aquatic habits or kind. 2 underwater. subaqueous /sab'etkwios/ adj. 1 existing, formed, or taking place under water. 2 lacking in substance or strength; wishy-washy.

subdelirious /|,sabdr'lirias/ adj. capable of becoming delirious; mildly delirious. 00 subdelirium n.

subdivide /'sabdi,vaid, -'vaid/ v.tr. & intr. divide again after a first division. [ME f. L subdividere (as suB-, DIVIDE)]

subarctic /sab'a:ktrk/ adj. of or like regions immediately south

subdivision /'sabdi,v13(2)n, -'v13(2)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance

of the Arctic Circle.

of subdividing. 2 a secondary or subordinate division. 3 US & Austral. an area of land divided into plots for sale.

subastral /sab'estr(9)l/ adj. terrestrial. subatomic |,sabo'tomik/ adj. occurring in or smaller than an atom.

subdominant /sab'!dpminent/ n. Mus. the fourth note of the

subaudition /,sabo:'dif(a)n/ n. 1 the act of mentally supplying

subdue

diatonic scale of any key.

an omitted word or words in speech. 2 the act or process of understanding the unexpressed; reading between the lines. [LL subauditio f. subaudire understand (as sUB-, AUDITION)]

subaxillary |,sabek'zilori/ adj. 1 Bot. in or growing beneath

branch.

sub-breed /'sabbri:d/ n. a secondary or inferior breed. subcategory /'sab,kztigori/ n. (pl. -ies) a secondary or subordinate category. oO subcategorize v.tr. (also -ise). subcategorization /-'ze1{(9)n/ n.

subcaudal |sab'ko:d(a)l/ adj. of or concerning the region under

subdued,

subduing)

put) sub-editor /sab'edita(r)/ n. 1 an assistant editor. 2 Brit. a person who edits material for printing in a book, newspaper, etc. 00 sub-edit v.tr. (-edited, -editing). sub-editorial /-'to:r1al/ adj. suberect /|,sabr'rekt/ adj. (of an animal, plant, etc.) almost erect. subereous /sju:'biarias/ adj. (also suberic /sju:'ber1k/, suberose |'sju:ba,raus/) 1 of or concerning cork. 2 corky. [L suber cork, cork-oak]

the tail or the back part of the body. subclass /'sabkla:s/ n. 1a secondary or subordinate class. 2 Biol. a taxonomic category belowaclass.

below a family. 2 any subdivision of a group. subfloor /'sabflo:(r)/ n. a foundation fora floor in a building.

sub-clause /'sabklo:z/ n. 1 esp. Law a subsidiary section of a

subform |'sabfo:m/ n. a subordinate or secondary form.

clause. 2 Gram. a subordinate clause.

subclavian /sab'klervien/ adj. & n. —adj. (of an artery etc.) lying or extending under the collar-bone. —n. such an artery. (mod.L subclavius (as suB-, clavis key): cf. CLAVICLE]

subclinical /sab'klinrk(a)l/ adj. Med. (of a disease) not yet, presenting definite symptoms.

subcommissioner

|'sabkoa,mifenoa(r)/ n. a deputy commis-

sioner. subcommittee /'sabko,miti/ n. a secondary committee.

subconical /sab'konik(s)l/ adj. approximately conical. subconscious /sab'konJos/ adj. & n. —adj. of or concerning the part of the mind which is not fully conscious but influences actions etc. —n. this part of the mind. 00 subconsciously adv. subconsciousness n. subcontinent /'sab,kontinent/ n. 1 a large land mass, smaller than a continent. 2 a large geographically or politically independent part of a continent. 00 subcontinental /-'nent(s)l/ adj.

subfamily /'sab,feemri/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 Biol. a taxonomic category

subfusc /'sabfask/ adj. & n. —adj. formal dull; dusky; gloomy. —n. formal clothing at some universities. [L subfuscus f. fuscus dark brown] subgenus /sab'd3i:nas/ n. (pl. subgenera /-!dzenora/) Biol. a taxonomic category below a genus. 00 subgeneric /-d31'nertk| adj.

subglacial /sab'gler{(s)l, -stal/ adj. next to or at the bottom of a glacier. subgroup /'sabgru:p/ n. Math. etc. a subset of a group.

subhead /'sabhed/ n. (also subheading) 1 a subordinate heading or title in a chapter, article, etc. 2 a subordinate division in a classification.

subhuman /sab'hju:mon/ adj. 1 (of an animal) closely related to man. 2 (of behaviour, intelligence, etc.) less than human.

subjacent /sab'd3ers(a)nt/ adj. underlying; situated below. [L subjacére (as suB-, jacére lie)]

subject n., adj., adv., & v. —n. /'sabd3rkt/ 1 a a matter, theme, etc. to be discussed, described, represented, dealt with, etc. b (foll. by for) a person, circumstance, etc., giving rise to specified feeling, action, etc. (a subject for congratulation). 2 a department or field of study (his best subject is geography). 3 Gram. a noun or its equivalent about which a sentence is predicated and with which the verb agrees. 4 a any person except a monarch living

subcontract v. & n. —v. |\sabken'trekt/ 1 tr. employ a firm etc. to do (work) as part of a larger project. 2 intr. make or carry out a subcontract. —n. /sab'kontrakt/ a secondary contract, esp. to supply materials, labour, etc. oO subcontractor /-traekto(r)/ n.

subcontrary /sab'kontrom/ adj. & n. Logic —adj. (of a pro-

under a monarchy or any other form of government (the ruler and his subjects). b any person owing obedience to another. 5 Philos. a a thinking or feeling entity; the conscious mind; the ego, esp. as opposed to anything external to the mind. b the central substance or core of a thing as opposed to its attributes. 6 Mus. a theme of a fugue or sonata; a leading phrase or motif.

position) incapable of being false at the same time as another. —n. (pl. -ies) such a proposition. [LL subcontrarius (as suB-, CONTRARY), transl. Gk hupenantios] subcordate /sab'ko:dert/ adj. approximately heart-shaped.

subcortical /sab'ko:trk(a)l/ adj. Anat. below the cortex. b but

d dog

f few

g get

h he

jyes

1

subdual n. [ME sodewe f.. OF so(u)duire f. L subducere (as suB-, ducere lead, bring) used with the sense of subdere conquer (as SUB-, -dere

the axil. 2 beneath the armpit.

sub-basement /'sab,bersmont/ n. a storey below a basement. sub-branch /'sabbra:nt{/ n. a secondary or subordinate

/|sab'dju:/ v.tr. (subdues,

conquer, subjugate, or tame (an enemy, nature, one’s emotions, etc.). 2 (as subdued adj.) softened; lacking in intensity; toned down (subdued light; in a subdued mood). 00 subduable adj.

ki cat

lleg

mman

nno

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

subjective 7 a person of specified mental or physical tendencies (a hysterical

subject). 8 Logic the part of a proposition about which a statement is made. 9 (in full subject for dissection) a dead body. —adj. |'sabd3rkt/ 1 (often foll. by to) owing obedience to a government, colonizing power, force, etc.; in subjection. 2 (foll. by to) liable, exposed, or prone to (is subject to infection). 3 (foll. by to) conditional upon; on the assumption of (the arrangement is subject to your approval). —adv. /'sabd3rkt/ (foll. by to) conditionally upon (subject to your consent, I propose to try again). —v.tr. /sab'dzekt/ 1 (foll. by to) make liable; expose; treat (subjected us to hours of waiting). 2 (usu. foll. by to) subdue (a nation, person, etc.) to one’s Sway etc. 0 on the subject of concerning, about. subject and object Psychol. the ego or self and the non-ego; consciousness and that of which it is or may be conscious. subject catalogue a catalogue, esp. in a library, arranged according to the subjects treated. subject-heading a heading in an index collecting references to a subject. subject-matter the matter treated of in

a book, lawsuit, etc. 00 subjection /sab'dzek/(9)n/ n. subjectless |'sabd3rktlis/ adj. [ME soget etc. f. OF suget etc. f. L subjectus past part. of subjicere (as suB-, jacere throw)]}

subjective /sob'dzektrv/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (of art, literature, written history, a person’s views, etc.) proceeding from personal idiosyncrasy or individuality: not impartial or literal. 2 esp. Philos. proceeding from or belonging to the individual consciousness or perception; imaginary, partial, or distorted. 3 Gram. of or concerning the subject. —n. Gram. the subjective case. O subjective case Gram. the nominative. 00 subjectively adv. subjectiveness n. subjectivity /,sabdzek'trviti/ n. [ME f. L subjectivus (as SUBJECT)]

subjectivism /sab'dzekti,viz(2)m/ n. Philos. the doctrine that knowledge is merely subjective and that there is no external or objective truth. 00 subjectivist n.

subjoin /sab!dzom/ v.tr. add or append (an illustration, anecdote, etc.) at the end. [obs. F subjoindre f. L subjungere (as suB-, jungere junct- join)]

subjoint /'sabdzornt/ n. a secondary joint (in an insect’s leg etc.). sub judice |sab 'dzu:disi, sub ‘ju:di,ket/ adj. Law under judicial consideration and therefore prohibited from public discussion elsewhere. [L, = under a judge]

subjugate |'sabdzu,geit/ v.ir. bring into subjection; subdue; vanquish. 00 subjugable |-gab(e)!/ adj. subjugation /|-'ge1{(2)n/ n. subjugator n. [ME f. LL subjugare bring under the yoke (as SUB-, jugum yoke)]

subjunctive /sob'dzanktiv/ adj. & n. Gram. —adj. (of a mood) denoting what is imagined or wished or possible (e.g. if I were you, God help you, be that as it may). —n. 1 the subjunctive mood. 2a verb in this mood. 00 subjunctively adv. [F subjonctif -ive or LL subjunctivus f. L (as suBjoin), transl. Gk hupotaktikos, as being used in subjoined clauses]

subkingdom /|sab'kindom/ n. Biol. a taxonomic category below a kingdom. ; sublease n. & v. —n. |'sabli:s/ a lease of a property by a tenant to a subtenant. —v.tr. /sab'li:s/ lease (a property) to a subtenant.

sublessee /,sable'si:/ n. a person who holds a sublease. sublessor /|,sable'so:(r)/ n. a person who grants a sublease.

sublet n. & v. —n. /'sablet) = suBLEASE n.

—v.tr. /sab'let/

(-letting; past and past part. -let) = SUBLEASE v. sub-lieutenant |,sablef'tenont/ n. Brit. an officer ranking next below lieutenant.

sublimate v., adj., & n. —v.tr. |'sablimert/ 1 divert the energy of (a primitive impulse, esp. sexual) into a culturally higher activity. 2 Chem. convert (a substance) from the solid state directly to its vapour by heat, and usu. allow it to solidify again. 3 refine; purify; idealize. —adj. |'sablimot/ 1 Chem. (of a substance) sublimated. 2 purified, refined. —n. /|'sablimot/ Chem. 1 a sublimated substance. 2 = corrosive sublimate. 00 sublimation /-'me1f(a)n/ n. [L sublimare sublimat- SUBLIME v.]

sublime /sa'blarm/ adj. & v. —adj. (sublimer, sublimest) 1 of the most exalted, grand, or noble kind; awe-inspiring (sublime genius). 2 (of indifference, impudence, etc.) arrogantly unruffled. —v. 1 tr. & intr. Chem: = SUBLIMATE V. 2. 2 tr. purify or elevate by or as if by sublimation; make sublime. 3 intr. become pure

wwe

z zoo

f she

submerge

1441

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

by or as if by sublimation. o Sublime Porte see PorTE. 00 sublimely adv. sublimity /-'limiti/ n. [L sublimis (as suB-, second element perh. rel. to limen threshold, limus oblique)}

subliminal /sob'limin(9)I/ adj. Psychol. (of a stimulus etc.) below the threshold of sensation or consciousness. 0 subliminal advertising the use of subliminal images in advertising on television etc. to influence the viewer at an unconscious level. subliminal self the part of one’s personality outside conscious awareness. 00 subliminally adv. [sus- + Llimen -inis threshold]

sublingual /sab'lingw(2)l/ adj. under the tongue. [suB- + lingua tongue]

to

sublittoral /sab'liter(s)l/ adj. 1 (of plants, animals, deposits, etc.) living or found on the seashore just below the low-water mark. 2 of or concerning the seashore.

Sub-Lt. abbr, Brit. Sub-Lieutenant. sublunary /sab'lu:nort, -'lju:nar1/ adj. 1 beneath the moon. 2 Astron. a within the moon’s orbit. b subject to the moon’s influence. 3 of this world; earthly. [LL sublunaris (as suB-, LUNAR)]

sub-machine-gun weight machine-gun.

|,sabmo'fi:ngan/ n. a hand-held f

light-

subman /'sabmen/ n. (pl. -men) derog. an inferior, brutal, or stupid man.

submarginal |sab'ma:d3in(a)l/ adj. 1 esp. Econ. not reaching minimum requirements. 2 (of land) that cannot be farmed profitably. submarine /|,sabmo'ri:n, 'sab-/ n. & adj. —n. a vessel, esp. a warship, capable of operating under water and usu. equipped with torpedoes, missiles, and a periscope. (See below.) —adj. existing, occurring, done, or used under the surface of the sea (submarine cable), 00 submariner /-'mzrina(r)/ n. Ancient Greek and Roman writers mention attempts to build submersible craft of various kinds, but the first authenticated vessel to be built seems to have been that of Cornelius Drebbel, a Dutch inventor (working for James I) who in the 1620s successfully manoeuvred his craft 4-5 metres below the surface of the River Thames. In the following century a number of types were patented and the principle of buoyancy tanks devised. The submarine’s use in naval warfare dates from the War of American Independence, when a one-man craft, the Turtle, devised by the American inventor David Bushnell, attempted an underwater attack on a British warship. Robert Fulton experimented with submarines, but although initially backed by Napoleon his designs were not successful enough to attract serious attention. By the early 20thc. the invention of the internal-combustion engine, the electric motor, and new designs of torpedo enabled real progress to be made with the design of an effective war vessel, and submarines playeda significant part in both World Wars, especially the Second. The greatest development in submarine construction came after the war, when the first nuclear-powered submarine, the Nautilus, was built. Since a nuclear reactor functions without the use of oxygen from the air, it enables the submarine to proceed submerged at or near her maximum speed for an indefinite period. The inertial navigation system enables a vessel to fix its position without surfacing at intervals to take navigational observations of heavenly bodies. Speeds greatly in excess of anything previously attained have been made possible by streamlining of the hull and adoption of a ‘teardrop’ design. The arming of nuclear-powered submarines with ballistic missiles capabie of being fired while the vessel is submerged is one of the great engineering feats of the 20th century, with significant implications for international attack. submaster /'sab,ma:sto(r)/ n. an assistant master or assistant headmaster in a school.

submaxillary |,|sabmek'silori/ adj. beneath the lower jaw. submediant /sab'mi:diant/ n. Mus. the sixth note of the diatonic scale of any key.

submental /sab'ment(a)l/ adj. under the chin. submerge /sab'm3:d3/ v. 1 tr. a place under water; flood; inundate. b flood or inundate with work, problems, etc. 2 intr. (of a submarine, its crew, a diver, etc.) dive below the surface of water. 0 the submerged tenth the supposed fraction of the tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

submersible

subsidiary

1442

surprise or misrepresentation. [L subreptio purloining f. subripere (as sUB-, rapere snatch)]

population permanently living in poverty. 00 submergence n. submergible adj. submersion /-'m3:{(9)n/ n. [L submergere (as SUB-, mergere mers- dip)]

submersible /sob'ma:s1b(9)l/ n. & adj. —n. a craft capable of

. subrogation |,sabra'ger{(2)n/ n. Law the substitution of one party for another as creditor, with the transfer of rights and duties. o0 subrogate /'sabra,gert/ v.tr. [LL subrogatio f. subrogare choose as substitute (as suB-, rogare ask)] sub rosa |sab 'r20z9/ adj. & adv. (of communication, consultation, etc.) in secrecy or confidence. [L, lit. ‘under the rose’, as emblem of secrecy]

operating under water for short periods. —adj. capable of being submerged. [submerse (v.) = SUBMERGE]

submicroscopic /sab,markro'skpprk/ adj. too small to be seen by means of an ordinary microscope.

subminiature /sab'minitJa(r)/ adj. 1 of greatly reduced size. 2

subroutine /'sabru:,ti:n/ n. Computing a routine designed to

(of a camera) very small and using 16-mm film.

perform a frequently used operation within a program.

submission /sob'mrJ(2)n/ n. 1 a the act or an instance of sub-

subscribe /|sob'skrarb/ v. 1 (usu. foll. by to, for) a tr. & intr.

mitting; the state of being submitted. b anything that is submitted. 2 humility, meekness, obedience, submissiveness (showed great submission of spirit). 3 Law a theory etc. submitted by counsel to a judge or jury. 4 (in wrestling) the surrender of a participant yielding to the pain of a hold. [ME f. OF submission or L submissio (as SUBMIT)]

submissive /sab'misrv/ adj. 1 humble; obedient. 2 yielding to power or authority; willing to submit. 00 submissively adv. submissiveness n. [SUBMISSION after remissive etc.]

submit /sob'mit/ v. (submitted, submitting) 1 (usu. foll. by to) a intr. cease resistance; give way; yield (had to submit to defeat; will never submit). b refl. surrender (oneself) to the control of another etc. 2 tr. present for consideration or decision. 3 tr. (usu. foll. by to) subject (a person or thing) to an operation, process, treatment, etc. (submitted it to the flames). 4 tr. esp. Law urge or represent esp. deferentially (that, I submit, is a misrepresentation). 00 submitter n. [ME f. L submittere (as suB-, mittere miss- send)]

subscriber /sab'skrarbo(r)/ n. 1 a person who subscribes. 2 a person paying for the hire of a telephone line. 0 subscriber trunk dialling Brit. the automatic connection of trunk calls by dialling without the assistance of an operator.

subscript /'sabskript/ adj. & n. —adj. written or printed below the line, esp. Math. (of a symbol) written below and to the right of another symbol. —n. a subscript number or symbol. [L subscriptus (as SUBSCRIBE)]

submultiple /sab'maltrp(e)l/ n. & adj. —n. a number that can be divided exactly into a specified number. —adj. being such a number. subnormail /sab'no:m(s)I/ adj. 1 (esp. as regards intelligence) below normal. 2 less than normal. 00 subnormaility /-'mzlrt1/ n.

subscription /sob'skrip{(a)n/ n. 1 a the act or an instance of subscribing. b money subscribed. 2 Brit. a fee for the membership of a society etc., esp. paid regularly. 3 a an agreement to take and pay for usu. a specified number of issues of a newspaper, magazine, etc. b the money paid by this. 4 a signature on a document etc. 5 the offer of a reduced price to those ordering a book before publication. o subscription concert etc. each of a series of concerts etc. for which tickets are sold in advance. [ME f. L subscriptio (as sUBSCRIBE)]

subnuclear /sab'nju:klra(r)/ adj. Physics occurring in or smaller than an atomic nucleus.

subocular /sab'pkjulo(r)/ adj. situated below or under the eyes. suborbital /sab'o:bit(s)l/ adj. 1 situated below the orbit of the eye. 2 (of a spaceship etc.) not completing a full orbit of the earth.

subsection /'sab,sek{(2)n/ n. a division of a section. subsellium /sab'seliam/ n. (pl. subsellia /-lro/) = MISERICORD

suborder /'sabjo:da(r)/ n. a taxonomic category between an order and a family. 00 subordinal |-'s:din(o)1/ adj.

1. [L f. sella seat] subsequence /'sabstkwens/ n. a subsequent incident; a consequence. sub-sequence /'sab,si:kwans/ n. a sequence forming part of a larger one. subsequent /'sabstkwant/ adj. (usu. foll. by to) following a specified event etc. in time, esp. as a consequence. oO

subordinary /sab'o:dimori/ n. (pl. -ies) Heraldry a device or bearing that is common but less so than ordinaries.

subordinate adj., n., & v. —adj. /sa'bo:dinot/ (usu. foll. by to) of inferior importance or rank; secondary, subservient. —n. |so'bo: dinet/ a person working under another’s control or orders. —-v.tr. /sa'bo:dineit/ (usu. foll. by to) 1 make subordinate; treat or regard as of minor importance. 2 make subservient. o subordinate clause a clause serving as an adjective, adverb, or noun in a main sentence because of its position or a preceding conjunction. oO subordinately /so'bo:dinotli/ adv. subordination /|-'ne1{(9)n/ n. subordinative /so'bo:dinatrv/ adj. {med.L subordinare, subordinat- (as suB-, L ordinare ordain)] suborn /|so'bo:n/ v.tr. induce by bribery etc. to commit perjury or any other unlawful act. o0 subornation /|,sAbo:'ner{(a)n/_n. suborner n. [L subornare incite secretly (as suB-, ornare equip)]

subsequently adv. [ME f. OF subsequent or L subsequi (as suB-, sequi follow)]

subserve /|sab'ss:v/ v.tr. serve as a means in furthering (a purpose, action, etc.). [L subservire (as SUB-, SERVE)] subservient /sob'ss:viont/ adj. 1 cringing; obsequious. 2 (usu. foll. by to) serving as a means; instrumental. 3 (usu. foll. by to) subordinate. 00 subservience n. subserviency 1. subserviently adv. [L subserviens subservient- (as SUBSERVE)] subset /'sabset/ n. 1 a secondary part of a set. 2 Math. a set all the elements of which are contained in another set.

suboxide /sab'pksard/ n. Chem. an oxide containing the smallest proportion of oxygen.

subshrub /'sabfrabj n. a low-growing or small shrub.

subphylum /|sab'farlom/ n. (pl. subphyla |-l9/) Biol. a taxonomic

subside /sob'sard/ v.intr. 1 cease from agitation; become tran-

category beiow a phylum.

quil; abate (excitement subsided). 2 (of water, suspended matter, etc.) sink. 3 (of the ground) cave in; sink. 4 (of a building, ship, etc.) sink lower in the ground or water. 5 (of a swelling etc.) become less. 6 usu. joc. (of a person) sink into a sitting, kneeling, or lying posture. 00 subsidence /-'satd(a)ns, 'sabsid(a)ns/ n. [L subsidere (as suB-, sidere settle rel. to sedére sit)]

sub-plot /'sabplot/ n. a subordinate plot ina play etc. subpoena /|sob'pi:ns, so'pi:no/ n. & v. —n. a writ ordering a person to attend a lawcourt. —-v.tr. (past and past part. subpoenaed or subpoena’d) serve a subpoena on. [ME f. L sub poena under penalty (the first words of the writ)] subregion /'sab,ri:d3(2)n/ n. a division of a region, esp. with regard to natural life. 00 subregional /-'ri:dzan(o)1/ adj.

subsidiary /sob'sidiari/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 serving to assist or supplement; auxiliary. 2 (of a company) controlled by another. 3 (of troops): a paid for by subsidy. b hired by another nation.

subreption /sob'rep{()n/ n. formal the obtaining of a thing by z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

contribute (a specified sum) or make or promise a contribution to a fund, project, charity, etc., esp. regularly. b intr. enter one’s name ina list of contributors to a charity etc. ¢ tr. raise or guarantee raising (a sum) by so subscribing. 2 intr. (usu. foll. by to) express one’s agreement with an opinion, resolution, etc. (cannot subscribe to that). 3 tr. a write (esp. one’s name) at the foot of a document etc. (subscribed a motto). b write one’s name at the foot of, sign (a document, picture, etc.). O subscribe for agree to take a copy or copies of (a book) before publication. subscribe oneself sign one’s name as. subscribe to arrange to receive (a periodical etc.) regularly. [ME f. L subscribere (as suB-, scribere script- write)]

1 sit

i: see

pv hot

o: saw

arun

ow put

u: too

9 ago

al my

subsidize

subtle

1443

—n. (pl. -ies) 1 a subsidiary thing or person; an accessory. 2a subsidiary company. O00 subsidiarily adv. subsidiarity /-'zrit1/ n. [L subsidiarius (as suBsiDy)]

subsidize /'sabsi,daiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 pay a subsidy to. 2 reduce the cost of by subsidy (subsidized subsidization /-'ze1{(9)n/ n. subsidizer n.

lunches).

substance. —n. Gram. = NOUN. 0 the substantive verb the verb ‘to be’. 00 substantival /-'tarv(a)l/ adj. substantively adv. esp. Gram. [ME f. OF substantif -ive, or LL substantivus (as SUBSTANCE)]

oo

substation /'sab,ster{(2)n/ n. a subordinate station, esp. one

subsidy /'sabsidi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a money granted by the State

reducing the high voltage of electric power transmission to that suitable for supply to consumers.

or a public body etc. to etc. (housing subsidy). b undertaking held to be contribution of money.

keep down the price of commodities money granted to a charity or other in the public interest. ¢ any grant or 2 money paid by one State to another in return for military, naval, or other aid. 3 hist. a a parliamentary grant to the sovereign for State needs. b a tax levied on a particular occasion. [ME f. AF subsidie, OF subside f. L subsidium assistance]

subsist /sab'sist/ v. 1 intr. {often foll. by on) keep oneself alive; be kept alive (subsists on vegetables). 2 intr. remain in being; exist. 3 intr. (foll. by in) be attributable to (its excellence subsists in its freshness). 4 ir. archaic provide sustenance for. 00 subsistent adj. [L subsistere stand firm (as suB-, sistere set, stand)]

subsistence /sab'sist(s)ns/ n. 1 the state or an instance of subsisting. 2 a the means of supporting life; a livelihood. b a minimal level of existence or the income providing this (a bare subsistence). O subsistence allowance (or money) esp. Brit. an allowance or advance on pay granted esp. as travelling expenses. subsistence farming farming which directly supports the farmer’s household without producing a significant surplus for trade. subsistence level (or wage) a standard of living (or wage) providing only the bare necessities of life.

subsoil /'sabsorl/ n. soil lying immediately under the surface soil (Opp. TOPSOIL).

subsonic /sab'spnik/ adj. relating to speeds less than that of sound. 00 subsonically adv.

subspecies /'sab,spi:fi:z, -Jiz/ n. (pl. same) Biol. a taxonomic category below a species, usu. a fairly permanent geographically isolated variety. 00 subspecific /-spo'srfik/ adj. substance /'sabst(s)ns/ n. 1 a the essential material, esp. solid,

forming a thing (the substance was transparent). b a particular kind of material having uniform properties (this substance is salt). 2 a reality; solidity (ghosts have no substance). b seriousness or steadiness of character (there is no substance in him). 3 the theme or subject of esp. a work of art, argument, etc. (prefer the substance to the style). 4 the real meaning or essence of a thing. 5 wealth and possessions (a woman of substance). 6 Philos. the essential nature underlying phenomena, which is subject to changes and accidents. 0 in substance generally; apart from details. [ME f. OF f. L substantia (as suB-, stare stand)}

substandard |sab'stzendad/ adj. 1 of less than the required or normal quality or size; inferior. 2 (of language) not conforming to standard usage.

substantial /sob'stzen{(2)l/ adj. 1 a of real importance or value (made a substantial contribution). b of large size or amount (awarded substantial damages). 2 of solid material or structure; stout (a man of substantial build; a substantial house). 3 commercially successful, wealthy. 4 essential; true in large part (substantial truth). 5 having substance; real. 00 substantiality /-fi'eliti/ n. substantially adv. [ME f. OF substantiel or LL substantialis (as SUBSTANCE)]

substantialism /sob'stzen{9,]1z(2)m/ n. Philos. the doctrine that

substituent /sab'stitjvont/ adj. & n. Chem. —adj. (of a group of atoms) replacing another atom or group in a compound. such a group. [L substituere substituent- (as SUBSTITUTE)]

—n.

substitute /'sabsti,tju:t/ n. & v. —n. 1 a (also attrib.) a person or thing acting or serving in place of another. b an artificial alternative to a natural substance (butter substitute). 2 Sc. Law a deputy. —v. 1 intr. & tr. (often foll. by for) act or cause to act as a substitute; put or serve in exchange (substituted for her mother; substituted it for the broken one). 2 tr. (usu. foll. by by, with) colloq. replace (a person or thing) with another. 3 tr. Chem. replace (an atom or group in a molecule) with another. 00 substitutable adj. substitutability /-'biliti/ n. substitution /-'tju:J(o)n/ 1. substitutional /-'tju:Jon(a)l/ adj. substitutionary /-'tju:{anort/ adj. substitutive adj. [ME f. L substitutus past part. of substituere (as SUB-, statuere set up)]

substrate /'sabstreit/ n. 1 = SUBSTRATUM.

2 a surface to be

painted, printed, etc., on. 3 Biol. a the substance upon which an enzyme acts. b the surface or material on which any particular organism grows. [Anglicized f. suBsTRATUM] substratum /'sab,stra:tom, -,strertom/ n. (pl. substrata |-to/) 1 an underlying layer or substance. 2 a layer of rock or soil beneath the surface. 3 a foundation or basis (there is a substratum of truth in it). [mod.L, past part. of L substernere (as suB-, sternere strew): cf. STRATUM] substructure /'sab,straktfa(r)/ n. an underlying or supporting structure. 00 substructural adj. subsume /|sob'sju:m/ v.tr. (usu. foll. by under) include (an instance, idea, category, etc.) in a rule, class, category, etc. 00 subsumable adj. subsumption /-'samp/{(o)n/ n. [med.L subsumere (as SUB-, sumere sumpt- take)] subtenant /'sab,tenent/ n. a person who leases a property from atenant. 00 subtenancy n.

subtend /sab'tend/ v.tr. 1 a (usu. foll. by at) (of a line, arc, figure, etc.) form (an angle) at a particular point when its extremities are joined at that point. b (of an angle or chord) have bounding lines or points that meet or coincide with those of (a line or arc). 2 Bot. (of a bract etc.) extend under so as to embrace or enfold. [L subtendere (as suB-, tendere stretch)]

subterfuge /'sabto,fju:d3/ n. 1 a an attempt to avoid blame or defeat esp. by lying or deceit. b a statement etc. resorted to for such a purpose. 2 this as a practice or policy. [F subterfuge or LL subterfugium f. L subterfugere escape secretly f. subter beneath + fugere flee]

subterminal /sab'ts:mim(o)l/ adj. nearly at the end. subterranean /|,sabte'remnion/ adj. 1 existing, occurring, or done under the earth’s surface. 2 secret, underground, concealed. oof subterraneously adv. [L subterraneus (as suB-, terra earth)} subtext /'sabtekst/ n. an underlying often distinct theme in a piece of writing or conversation.

oo

subtilize /'satr,laiz/ v. (also -ise) 1 tr. a make subtle. b elevate;

substantialize |sob'stenfa,larz/ v.tr. & intr. (also -ise) invest

refine. 2 intr. (usu. foll. by upon) argue or reason subtly. 00 subtilization |-'ze1{(9)n/ n. [F subtiliser or med.L subtilizare (as SUBTLE)}

behind phenomena substantialist n.

there

are

substantial

realities.

with or acquire substance or actual existence.

substantiate /sob'stenfi,ert/ v.tr. prove the truth of (a charge,

subtitle /'sab,tart(a)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a secondary or additional

statement, claim, etc.); give good grounds for. oo substantiation /-'er{(2)n/ n. [med.L substantiare give substance to (as SUBSTANCE)]

title of a book etc. 2 a printed caption at the bottom of a film etc., esp. translating dialogue. —v.tr. provide with a subtitle or subtitles.

substantive /'sabstontrv/ adj. & n. —adj. [also sab'steentrv/ 1

subtle /'sat(o)l/ adj. (subtler, subtlest) 1 evasive or mysterious;

having separate and independent existence. 2 Law relating to rights and duties. 3 (of an enactment, motion, resolution, etc.) made in due form as such; not amended. 4 Gram. expressing existence. 5 (of a dye) not needing a mordant. 6 Mil. (of a rank etc.) permanent, not acting or temporary. 7 archaic denoting a

au how

e1 day

au no

eo hair

to near

o1 boy

ua poor

hard to grasp (subtle charm; a subtle distinction). 2 (of scent, colour, etc.) faint, delicate, elusive (subtle perfume). 3 a capable of making fine distinctions; perceptive; acute (subtle intellect; subtle senses). b ingenious; elaborate; clever (a subtle device). 4 archaic crafty, cunning. 00 subtleness n. subtly adv. [ME f. OF sotil f. L subtilis]

ais fire

aus sour

(see over for consonants)

subtlety

such

1444

subtlety /'satolti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 something subtle. 2 a fine distinction; an instance of hairsplitting. [ME f. OF s(o)utilté f. L subtilitas -tatis (as SUBTLE)]

subtonic /sab'tonik/ n. Mus. the note below the tonic, the seventh note of the diatonic scale of any key.

subtopia /sab'toupio/ n. Brit. derog. unsightly and sprawling suburban development. 00 subtopian adj. [suBURB, UTOPIA]

subtotal /'sab,tavt(s)l/ n. the total of one part of a group of figures to be added. subtract /sob'trekt/ v.tr. (often foll. by from) deduct (a part, quantity, or number) from another. 00 subtracter n. (cf. suBTRACTOR). subtraction /-'trek{()n/ 1. subtractive adj. [L subtrahere subtract- (as suB-, trahere draw)} subtractor /sob'trekto(r)/ n. Electronics a circuit or device that produces an output dependent on the difference of two inputs.

subtrahend /|'sabtro,hend/ n. Math. a quantity or number to be subtracted. [L subtrahendus gerundive of subtrahere: see SUBTRACT]

subtropics /sab'troprks/ n.pl. the regions adjacent to or bordering on the tropics. 00 subtropical adj.

subulate /'sabjolot/ adj. Bot. & Zool. slender and tapering. [L subula aw] suburb /|'sabs:b/ n. an outlying district of a city, esp. residential. [ME f. OF suburbe or L suburbium (as suB-, urbs urbis city)]

succinic acid /sak'sintk/ n. Chem. a crystalline dibasic acid

suburban |so'bs:bon/ adj. 1 of or characteristic of suburbs. 2 derog. provincial, uncultured, or naive. 00 suburbanite n. suburbanize v.tr. (also -ise). suburbanization /-'ze1(2)n/ n. [L suburbanus (as SUBURB)]

suburbia /so'bs:bio/ n. often derog. the suburbs, their inhabitants, and their way of life. subvention /sob'ven{(s)n/ n. a grant of money from a government etc.; a subsidy. [ME f. OF f. LL subventio -onis f. L subvenire subvent- assist (as suB-, venire come)] subversive /|sob'va:srv/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a person, organization, activity, etc.) seeking to subvert (esp. a government). —n. a subversive person; a revolutionary. 00 subversion /-'v3:J(a)n/ n. subversively adv. subversiveness n. [med.L subversivus (aS SUBVERT)] subvert |sob'va:t/ v.tr. esp. Polit. overturn, overthrow, or upset (religion, government, the monarchy, morality, etc.). oo subverter n. [ME f. OF subvertir or L subvertere (as SuB-, vertere vers- turn)] subway |'sabwei/ n. 1 a a tunnel beneath a road etc. for pedestrians. b an underground passage for pipes, cables, etc. 2 esp. US an underground railway. subzero /sab'z1srau/ adj. (esp. of temperature) lower than zero. suc- /sak, sok/ prefix assim. form of sus- before c. succedaneum /|,saksi'derniom/ n. (pl. succedanea /-n1a/) a substitute, esp. for a medicine or drug. 00 succedaneous adj. [mod.L, neut. of L succedaneus (as SUCCEED)] succeed /sok'si:d/ v. 1 intr. a (often foll. by in) accomplish one’s purpose; have success; prosper (succeeded in his ambition). b (of a plan etc.) be successful. 2 a tr. follow in order; come next after (night succeeded day). b intr. (foll. by to) come next, be subsequent. 3 intr. (often foll. by to) come by an inheritance, office, title, or property (succeeded to the throne). 4 tr. take over an office, property, inheritance, etc. from (succeeded his father; succeeded the manager). O nothing succeeds like success one success leads to others. oO succeeder n. [ME f. OF succeder or L succedere (as suB-, cedere cess- go)] succentor /|sok'senta(r)/ n. Eccl. a precentor’s deputy in some cathedrals. oO succentorship n. [LL f. L succinere (as suB-, canere

festival commemorating the sheltering in the wilderness. [Heb. sukk6t pl. of sukkah thicket, hut] succour |'saka(r)/ n. & v. (US succor) —n. 1 aid; assistance, esp. in time of need. 2 (in pl.) archaic reinforcements of troops. —v.tr. assist or aid (esp. a person in danger or distress). 00 succourless adj. [ME f. OF socours f. med.L succursus f. L succurrere (as SUB-, currere curs- run)] succubus /'sakjubsas/ n. (pl. succubi /-ba1/) a female demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men. [LL succuba prostitute, med.L succubus f. succubare (as suB-, cubare lie)]

succulent /'sakjulent/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 juicy; palatable. 2 collog.

sing)] having great success because of its scandalous nature or associations. [F] success /sok'ses/ n. 1 the accomplishment of an aim; a favourable outcome (their efforts met with success). 2 the attainment of

that turns out well. 4 archaic a usu. specified outcome of an undertaking (ill success). 0 success story a person’s rise from poverty to wealth etc. [L successus (as SUCCEED)]

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

jyes

derived from amber etc. 00 succinate /'saksi,nert/ n. [F succinique f. L succinum amber] succor US var. of succouR. succory /'sakort/n. = CHICORY 1. [alt. f. cicoree etc., early forms of CHICORY] succotash /'saka,tezJ/ n. US a dish of green maize and beans boiled together. [Narraganset msiquatash]

Succoth |su'ksut, 'sako@/ n. the Jewish autumn thanksgiving

succés de scandale |sok,ser do sk5'da:l/ n. a book, play, etc.

wealth, fame, or position (spoilt by success). 3 a thing or person

successful /sok'sesful/ adj. having success; prosperous. 00 successfully adv. successfulness n. _ succession /sak'se{(2)n/ n. 1 a the process of following in order; succeeding. ba series of things or people in succession. 2 a the right of succeeding to the throne, an office, inheritance, etc. b the act or process of so succeeding. ¢ those having such a right. 3 Biol. the order of development of a species or community; = SERE?. O in quick succession following one another at short intervals. im succession one after another, without intervention. in succession to as the successor of. law of succession the law regulating inheritance. settle the succession determine who shall succeed. Succession State a State resulting from the partition of a previously existing country. 00 successional adj. [ME f. OF succession or L successio (as SUCCEED)] successive /sok'sesrv/ adj. following one after another; running, consecutive. 00 successively adv. successiveness n. [ME f. med.L successivus (as SUCCEED)] successor /sok'sesa(r)/ n. (often foll. by to) a person or thing that succeeds to another. [ME f. OF successour f. L successor (as SUCCEED)] succinct /sok'sinkt/ adj. briefly expressed; terse, concise. O00 succinctly adv. succinctness n. [ME f. L succinctus past part. of succingere tuck up (as suB-, cingere gird)]

desirable. 3 Bot. (of a plant, its leaves, or stems) thick and fleshy. —n. Bot. a succulent plant, esp. a cactus. 00 succulence n. succulently adv. [L succulentus f. succus juice] succumb /so'kam v.intr. (usu. foll. by to) 1 be forced to give way; be overcome (succumbed to temptation). 2 be overcome by death (succumbed to his injuries). [ME f. OF succomber or L succumbere (as suB-, cumbere lie)] succursal /so'ks:s(9)l/ adj. Eccl. (of a chapel etc.) subsidiary. [F succursale f. med.L succursus (as SUCCOUR)] such |sat{/ adj. & pron. —adj. 1 (often foll. by as) of the kind or degree in question or under consideration (such a person; such people; people such as these). 2 (usu. foll. by as to + infin. or that + clause) so great; in such high degree (not such a fool as to believe them; had such a fright that he fainted). 3 of amore than normal kind or degree (we had such an enjoyable evening; such horrid language). 4 of the kind or degree already indicated, or implied by the context (there are no such things; such is life). 5 Law or formal the aforesaid; of the aforesaid kind. —pron. 1 the thing or action in question or referred to (such were his words; such was not my intention). 2 a Commerce or collog. the aforesaid thing or things; it, they, or them (those without tickets should purchase such). b similar things; suchlike (brought sandwiches and such). 0 as such as being what has been indicated or named (a stranger is welcomed as such; there is no theatre as such). such-and-such —adj. of a particular kind but not needing to be specified. —n. a person or thing of this kind. such-and-such a person someone; so-and-so. such as 7 of a kind that; like (a person such as we all admire). 2 for example (insects, such as moths and bees). 3 those who (such as don’t need help). such as it is despite its shortcomings (you are welcome to

k cat

lleg

m man

nono

ppen

rred

s sit.

t top

v voice

suchlike

suet

1445

it, such as it is). such a one 1 (usu. foll. by as) such a person or such a thing. 2 archaic some person or thing unspecified. [OE swilc, swyle f. Gmc: cf. LIKE]

suchlike /'satflark/ adj. & n. collog. —adj. of such a kind. —n. things, people, etc. of such a kind.

suck /sak/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. draw (a fluid) into the mouth by making a partial vacuum. 2tr. (also absol.) a draw milk or other fluid from or through (the breast etc. or a container). b extract juice from (a fruit) by sucking. 3 tr. a draw sustenance, knowledge, or advantage from (a book etc.). b imbibe or gain (knowledge, advantage, etc.) as if by sucking. 4 tr. roll the tongue round (a sweet, teeth, one’s thumb, etc.). 5 intr. make a sucking action or sound (sucking at his pipe). 6 intr. (of a pump etc.) make a gurgling or drawing sound. 7 tr. (usu. foll. by down, in) engulf, smother, or drown in a sucking movement. —n. 1 the act or an instance of sucking, esp. the breast. 2 the drawing action or sound of a whirlpool etc. 3 (often foll. by of) a small draught of liquor. 4 (in pl.; esp. as int.) collog. a an expression of disappointment. b an expression of derision or amusement at another’s discomfiture. 0 give suck archaic (of a mother, dam, etc.) suckle. suck dry 1 exhaust the contents of (a bottle, the breast, etc.) by sucking. 2 exhaust (a person’s sympathy, resources, etc.) as if by sucking. suck in 1 absorb. 2 = sense 7 of v. 3 involve (a person) in an activity etc. esp. against his or her will. suck up 1 (often foll. by to) collog. behave obsequiously esp. for one’s own advantage. 2 absorb. [OE siican, = L sugere] sucker /'sako(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa person or thing that sucks. b a sucking-pig, newborn whale, etc. 2 sl. a a gullible or easily deceived person. b (foll. by for) a person especially susceptible

to. 3 a a rubber cup etc. that adheres to a surface by suction. b an organ enabling an organism to cling to a surface by suction. 4 Bot. a shoot springing from the rooted part of a stem, from the root at a distance from the main stem, from an axil, or occasionally from a branch. 5 any of various fish that has a mouth capable of or seeming to be capable of adhering by suction. 6 a the piston of a suction-pump. b a pipe through which liquid is drawn by suction. 7 US collog. a lollipop. —v. Bot. 1 tr. remove suckers from. 2 intr. produce suckers.

ancient Nubia. Under Arab rule from the 13th c., the country was conquered by Egypt in 1820-2. The Sudan was separated from its northern neighbour by the Mahdist revolt of 1881-98, and administered after the reconquest of 1898 as an AngloEgyptian condominium. It became an independent republic in 1956, but has suffered as a result of north-south tension within the country. Cotton, grown in the irrigated areas of the south, forms the country’s most important export. 00 Sudanese |,\su:do'ni:z/ adj. & n. [Arab. sidan (pl. of sida black), = country of the Blacks]

sudarium /sju:'deorrom, su:-/ n. (pl. sudaria /-r1o/) 1 a cloth for wiping the face. 2 RC Ch. = VERONICA 2. [L, = napkin f. sudor sweat]

sudatorium /|,sju:do'to:riam, ,su:-/ n. (pl. sudatoria |-r1a/) esp. Rom. Antig. 1 a hot-air or steam bath. 2 a room where such a bath is taken. [L, neut. of sudatorius: see SUDATORY]

sudatory /'sju:dotart, 'su:-/ adj. & n. —adj. promoting perspiration. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a sudatory drug. 2 = SUDATORIUM. [L sudatorius f. sudare sweat]

Sudbury /'sadbori/ a city in central Ontario, at the centre of Canada’s largest mining region; pop. (1986) 88,700; metropolitan area pop. 148,900. This region is the world’s largest source of nickel.

sudd /sad/ n. floating vegetation impeding the navigation of the White Nile. [Arab., = obstruction]

sudden /'sad(o)n/ adj. & n. —adj. occurring or done unexpectedly or without warning; abrupt, hurried, hasty (a sudden storm; a sudden departure). —n. archaic a hasty or abrupt occurrence. oc all of a sudden unexpectedly; hurriedly;

suddenly. en a sudden archaic suddenly. sudden death collog. a decision in a tied game etc. dependent on one move, card, toss of a coin, etc. sudden infant death syndrome Med. = cot-death (see coT}). o0 suddenly adv. suddenness |-donnis/ n. [ME f. AF sodein, sudein, OF soudain f. LL subitanus f..L subitaneus f. subitus sudden]

Sudetenland /su'deiton,land/ an area of Bohemia adjacent to

b nourish (suckled his talent). 2 intr. feed by sucking the breast etc. 00 suckler n. [ME, prob. back-form. f. SUCKLING]

the German border, allocated to the new State of Czechoslovakia after the First World War despite the presence of three million German-speaking inhabitants. The Sudetenland became the first object of German expansionist policies after the Nazis came to power, and, after war was threatened, was ceded to Germany as a result of the Munich Agreement of September 1938. In 1945 the area was returned to Czechoslovakia, and the German inhabitants were expelled and replaced by Czechs.

Suckling /'sakiin/, Sir John (1609-41), English poet and dram-

sudoriferous /,sju:do'rifaras, ,su:-/ adj. (of a gland etc.) secreting

sucking /'sakin/ adj. 1 (of a child, animal, etc.) not yet weaned. 2 Zool. unfledged (sucking dove). 0 sucking-disc an organ used for adhering to a surface. sucking-fish = REMORA.

suckle /'sak(s)l/ v. 1 tr. a feed (young) from the breast or udder.

atist, who lived at court from 1632 and was a leader of the supporters of Charles I in the Civil War. His poems include the ‘Ballad upon a Wedding’. According to Aubrey, Suckling invented the game of cribbage.

sudorific /,sju:do'rifik/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a drug) causing

suckling /'saklin/ n. an unweaned child or animal. Sucre! /'su:kre1/ the legal capital and seat of the judiciary of

Sudra /'su:dra/ n. a member of the lowest of the four great

Bolivia; pop. (1985) 86,600.

Sucre? /su:kre1/, Antonio José de (1795-1830), South American revolutionary. As Bolivar’s chief of staff he defeated the Spanish forces remaining in Peru (1824) and drove the last of these from Bolivia in 1825; a year later he became that country’s first elected President, but was driven out after an invasion of Peruvian troops in 1828, and later assassinated. sucrose |'su:krauz, 'sju:-/ n. Chem. sugar, a disaccharide obtained from sugar cane, sugar beet, etc. [F sucre SUGAR] suction /'sak{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of sucking. 2 a the production of a partial vacuum by the removal of air etc. in order to force in liquid etc. or procure adhesion. b the force produced by this process (suction keeps the lid on). oO suction-pump.a pump for drawing liquid through a pipe into a chamber emptied by a piston. [LL suctio f. L sugere suct- suCK]

suctorial /sak'to:r1ol/ adj. Zool. 1 adapted for or capable of sucking. 2 having a sucker for feeding or adhering. 00 suctorian n. {mod.L suctorius (as SUCTION)]

Sudan |su:'da:n, su-/ a country in NE Africa south of Egypt, with a coastline on the Red.Sea; pop. (est. 1988) 24,014,500; official language, Arabic; capital, Khartoum. The NE area was part of wwe

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sweat. [LL sudorifer f. L sudor sweat] sweating. sweat]

—n. a sudorific drug. [mod.L sudorificus f. L sudor

Hindu classes (the labourer class), whose function is to the other three varnas. [Skr. Sidra] suds /sadz/n. & y. —n.pl. 1 froth of soap and water. 2 US beer. —v. 1 intr. form suds. 2 tr. lather, cover, or wash in water. 00 sudsy adj. [orig. = fen waters etc., of uncert.

serve

collog. soapy orig.: cf. MDu., MLG sudde, MDu. sudse marsh, bog, prob. rel. to SEETHE] sue /su:, sju:/ v. (sues, sued, suing) 1 tr. (also absol.) Law institute legal proceedings against (a person). 2 tr. (also absol.) entreat (a person). 3 intr. (often foll. by to, for) Law make application to a lawcourt for redress. 4 intr. (often foll. by to, for) make entreaty to a person for a favour. 5 tr. (often foll. by out) make a petition in a lawcourt for and obtain (a writ, pardon, etc.). 00 suer n. [ME f. AF suer, siwer, etc. f. OF siu- etc. stem of sivre f. L sequi follow]

suede /sweid/ n. (often attrib.) 1 leather, esp. kidskin, with the flesh side rubbed to make a velvety nap. 2 (also suede-cloth) a woven fabric resembling suede. [F (gants de) Suéde (gloves of) Sweden] suet /'su:it, 'sju:tt/ n. the hard white fat on the kidneys or loins of oxen, sheep, etc., used to make dough etc. 0 suet pudding a pudding of suet etc., usu. boiled or steamed. 00 suety adj. [ME f. AF f. OF seu f. L sebum tallow] tf chip

d3 jar

(see over for vowels)

Suetonius ee

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1446 a

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Suetonius /|,su:r'tounies/ (Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, born c.69) Roman scholar and biographer. His surviving works include biographies of the first twelve Caesars, from Julius Caesar to Domitian, which detail the good and bad qualities and deeds of their subjects in a schematic but objective manner, and which provided a model for biography in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Suez /'su:1z/ an isthmus connecting Egypt to the Sinai peninsula, site of the Suez Canal, a shipping canal 171 km (106 miles) long connecting the Mediterranean (at Port Said) with the Red Sea, constructed in 1859-69 by Ferdinand de Lesseps. The Canal, now important for Egypt’s economy as providing the shortest route for international sea traffic travelling between Europe and Asia, came under British control after Britain acquired majority shares in it, at Disraeli’s instigation, in 1875, and after 1888 Britain acted as guarantor of its neutral status. It was nationalized by Egypt in 1956 and an Anglo-French attempt at intervention was called off after international

protest. suf- /saf, sof] prefix assim. form of suB- before f. suffer /'safa(r)/ v. 1 intr. undergo pain, grief, damage, etc. (suffers acutely; your reputation will suffer, suffers from neglect). 2 tr. undergo, experience, or be subjected to (pain, loss, grief, defeat, change, etc.) (suffered banishment). 3 tr. put up with; tolerate (does not suffer fools gladly). 4 intr. undergo martyrdom. 5intr. (usu. foll. by to + infin.) archaic allow. 00 sufferable adj. sufferer n. suffering n. [ME f. AF suffrir, soeffrir, OF sofif)rir f. L sufferre (as sus-, ferre bear)]

sufferance /'safarans/ n. 1 tacit consent, abstinence from objection. 2 archaic submissiveness. 0 on sufferance with toleration implied by lack of consent or objection. [ME f. AF, OF suffraunce

f. LL sufferentia (as SUFFER)] suffice /so'fats/ v. 1 intr. (often foll. by for, or to + infin.) be enough or adequate (that will suffice for our purpose; suffices to prove it). 2 tr. meet the needs of; satisfy (six sufficed him). 0 suffice it to say | shall content myself with saying. [ME f. OF suffire (suffis-) f. L sufficere (as suB-, facere make)]

sufficiency /|so'fifansi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 (often foll. by of) an adequate amount or adequate resources. 2 archaic being sufficient; ability; efficiency. [LL sufficientia (as SUFFICIENT)] sufficient /so'fif(s)nt/ adj. 1 sufficing, adequate, enough (is sufficient for a family; didn’t have sufficient funds). 2 = SELFSUFFICIENT. 3 archaic competent; of adequate ability, resources, etc. OO sufficiently adv. [ME f. OF sufficient or L sufficiens (as SUFFICE)]

suffix /'safiks/ n. & v. —n. 1a verbal element added at the end of a word to form a derivative (e.g. -ation, -fy, -ing, -itis). 2 Math. = SUBSCRIPT. —v.tr. /also so'fiks/ append, esp. as a suffix. 00 suffixation /-'ser{(2)n/ n. [suffixum, suffixus past part. of L suffigere (as suB-, figere fix- fasten)] suffocate /'safo,keit/ v. 1 tr. choke or kill by stopping breathing, esp. by pressure, fumes, etc. 2 tr. (often foll. by by, with) produce a choking or breathless sensation in, esp. by excitement, terror, etc. 3 intr. be or feel suffocated or breathless. 00 suffocating adj. suffocatingly adv. suffocation /-'ker{(a)n/ n. [L suffocare (as SUB-, fauces throat)]

Suffolk /'safok/ a county of eastern England; pop. (1981) 604,600; county town, Ipswich. —n. 1 a sheep of a black-faced breed. 2 this breed. 0 Suffolk punch see PUNCH? 2. suffragan |'safragon/ n. (in full suffragan bishop or bishop suffragan) 1 a bishop appointed to help a diocesan bishop in the administration of a diocese. 2 a bishop in relation to his archbishop or metropolitan. oO suffragan see the see of a

suffragan bishop. 00 suffraganship n. [ME f. AF & OF, repr. med.L suffraganeus assistant (bishop) f. L suffragium (see surFRAGE): orig. of a bishop summoned to vote in synod] suffrage /'safrid3/n. 1 a the right of voting in political elections (full adult suffrage). b a view expressed by voting; a vote (gave their suffrages for and against). c opinion in support of a proposal etc. 2 (esp. in pl.) Eccl. a a prayer made bya priest in the liturgy. ba short prayer made by a congregation esp. in response to a

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priest. ¢ archaic an intercessory prayer. [ME f. L suffragium, partly through F suffrage] suffragette /,safra'dzet/ n. hist. a woman seeking the right to vote through organized protest. Under the leadership of the Pankhursts the Women’s Suffrage Movement became an important political force in Britain in the early 20thc., eventually winning (in 1918) the vote for women over 30. Ten years later British women were given full equality with men in voting rights. [SUFFRAGE + -ETTE] suffragist /'safrod3ist/ n. esp. hist. a person who advocates the extension of the suffrage, esp. to women. oO suffragism n. suffuse /so'fju:z/ v.tr. 1 (of colour, moisture, etc.) spread from within to colour or moisten (a blush suffused her cheeks). 2 cover with colour etc. 00 suffusion /|-'fju:3(2)n/ n. [L suffundere suffus(as suB-, fundere pour)] Sufi /'su:fi/ n. (pl. Sufis) a Muslim ascetic and mystic; a member of any of several orders of Islamic mystics. (See below.) 00 Sufic adj. Sufism n. [Arab. siifi, perh. f. sif wool (from the woollen garment worn)] Sufism is the esoteric dimension of the Islamic faith, the inner way or spiritual path to mystical union with God. Its followers may be ascetics who isolate themselves from society, more usually they are members of a Sufi order. The many orders have each been founded by a devout individual, and the movement (which seems to have begun in the late 7thc., perhaps in response to the increasing worldliness of the expanding Muslim community) reached its peak in the 13th c. The devotional practices of various orders differ widely (see DERVISH). The Sufi have been responsible for worldwide missionary activity, and their mystical ideas spread through Persian and Arab poetry. In the 19th—20th c. Sufic orders have often taken on overtly political roles; the Sanusiyya of Libya led resistance to the Italian colonial occupation and founded the independent State after the Second World War. sug- /sag, sog/ prefix assim. form of suB- before g.

sugar /'foga(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a sweet crystalline substance obtained from various plants, esp. the sugar cane and sugar beet, used in cookery, confectionery, brewing, etc.; sucrose. (See below.) 2 Chem. any of a group of soluble usu. sweet-tasting crystalline carbohydrates found esp. in plants, e.g. glucose. 3 esp. US collog. darling, dear {used as a term of address). 4 sweet words; flattery. 5 anything comparable to sugar encasing apill in reconciling a person to what is unpalatable. 6 sl. a narcotic drug, esp. heroin or LSD (taken on a lump of sugar). —v.tr. 1 sweeten with sugar. 2 make (one’s words, meaning, etc.) more pleasant or welcome. 3 coat with sugar (sugared almond). 4 spread a sugar mixture on (a tree) to catch moths. 0 sugar beet a beet, Beta vulgaris, from which sugar is extracted. sugar-candy see CANDY 1. sugar cane Bot. any perennial tropical grass of the genus Saccharum, esp. S. officinarum, with tall stout jointed stems from which sugar is made. sugar-coated 1 (of food) enclosed in sugar. 2 made superficially attractive. sugar-daddy (pl. -ies) sl. an elderly man who lavishes gifts on a young woman. sugar-gum Bot. an Australian eucalyptus, Eucalyptus cladocalyx, with sweet foliage eaten by cattle. sugar loaf a conical moulded Mass of sugar. sugar-maple any of various trees, esp. Acer saccharum, from the sap of which sugar is made. sugar of lead Chem. = lead acetate (see LEAD”). sugar-pea a variety of pea eaten whole including the pod. sugar the pill see PILL. sugar soap an alkaline compound for cleaning or removing paint. oo sugarless adj. [ME f. OF cukre, sukere f. It. zucchero prob. f. med.L succarum f. Arab. siikkar] Cane-sugar was known in India in prehistoric times. In Europe it was known from the Roman period but only as a rare spice obtained from the East; the Venetian merchants later became prominent in this trade. In 1493 the plant was taken to the West Indies by Christopher Columbus, and has since been introduced into every tropical country. Sugar beet (which will grow in colder climates) was long used as a vegetable and cattle-food. In 1747 the German chemist Andreas Marggraf found a way of extracting from it sugar in crystalline form, and its development as the basis of a successful industry dates from the period of

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Sugar Loaf Mountain the Napoleonic Wars, when the British blockade prevented the importing of cane-sugar from the West Indies.

Sugar Loaf Mountain arocky peak rising to a height of 2,074 m (1,296 ft.) north-east of Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro. sugarplum /'Joga,plam] n. archaic a small round sweet of fla-

voured boiled sugar. sugary /'Jugori/ adj. 1 containing or resembling sugar. 2 excessively sweet or esp. sentimental. 3 falsely sweet or pleasant (sugary compliments). 00 sugariness n. suggest /sa'd3est/ v.tr. 1 (often foll. by that + clause) propose (a theory, plan, or hypothesis) (suggested to them that they should wait; suggested a different plan). 2a cause (an idea, memory, association, etc.) to present itself; evoke (poem suggests peace). b hint at.(his behaviour suggests guilt). 0 suggest itself (of an idea etc.) come into the mind. oo suggester n. [L suggerere suggest- (as suB-, gerere bring)]

suggestible /so'dzestrb(s)l/ adj. 1 capable of being suggested. 2 open to suggestion; easily swayed. 00 suggestibility /-'biliti/n. suggestion /so'dgest{(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of suggesting; the state of being suggested. 2 a theory, plan, etc., suggested (made a helpful suggestion). 3 a slight trace; a hint (a suggestion of garlic). 4 Psychol. a the insinuation of a belief etc. into the mind. b such a belief etc. [ME f. OF f. L suggestio -onis (as SUGGEST)] suggestive /so'dzestrv/ adj. 1 (usu. foll. by of) conveying a suggestion; evocative. 2 (esp. of a remark, joke, etc.) indecent; improper. 00 suggestively adv. suggestiveness n.

suicidal |,su:1'said(o)l, ,sju:-/ adj. 1 inclined to commit suicide. 2 of or concerning suicide.

3 self-destructive; fatally or dis-

astrously rash. 00 suicidally adv.

suicide /'su:1,said, 'sju:-/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the intentional killing of oneself. b a person who commits suicide. 2 a self-destructive action or course (political suicide). 3 (attrib.) Mil. designating a highly dangerous or deliberately suicidal operation etc. (a suicide mission). —v.intr. commit suicide. 0 suicide pact an agreement between two or more people to commit suicide together. [mod.L suicida, suicidium f. L sui of oneself]

Sui generis |,sju:at 'dzenoris, su: 'gen-/ adj. of its own kind; unique. [L]

Sui juris |,sju:at 'dzuarts, ,su:t 'jua-/ adj. Law of age; independent.

(L] suilline /'su:1,larn/ adj. of the pig family Suidae. [L suillus f. sus

pig] suint /swint/ n. the natural grease in sheep’s wool. [F f. suer sweat] suit /su:t, sju:t/n. & v. —n. 1 aa set of outer clothes of matching material for men, consisting usu. of a jacket, trousers, and sometimes a waistcoat. b a similar set of clothes for women usu. having a skirt instead of trousers. c (esp. in comb.) a set of clothes for a special occasion, occupation, etc. (play-suit; swimsuit). 2 a any of the four sets (spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs) into which a pack of cards is divided. b a player’s holding in a suit (his strong suit was clubs). c Bridge one of the suits as proposed trumps in bidding, frequently as opposed to no trumps. 3 (in full suit at law) a lawsuit (criminal suit). 4 a a petition esp. toa person in authority. b the process of courting a woman (paid suit to her). 5 (usu. foll. by of) a set of sails, armour, etc. —v. 1 tr. go well with (a person’s figure, features, character, etc.); become. 2 tr. (also absol.) meet the demands or requirements of; satisfy; agree with (does not suit all tastes; that date will suit). 3 tr. make fitting or appropriate; accommodate; adapt (suited his style to his audience). 4 tr. (as suited adj.) appropriate; well-fitted (not suited to be an engineer). 5 intr. (usu. foll. by with) go well with the appearance etc. of a person (red hair suits with her complexion). 0 suit the action to the word carry out a promise or threat at once. suit oneself 1 do as one chooses. 2 find something that satisfies one. [ME f. AF siute, OF si(e)ute f. fem. past part. of Rmc sequere (unrecorded) follow: see SUE]

suitable /'su:tob(a)l, 'sju:-/ adj. (usu. foll. by to, for) well fitted for the purpose; appropriate. oO suitability /-'biliti/ suitableness n. suitably adv. [suIT + -ABLE, after agreeable] au how

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Sulla

1447

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1.

suitcase /'su:tkeis, 'sju:-/ n. a usu. oblong case for carrying clothes etc., having a handle and a flat hinged lid. oo suitcaseful n. (pl. -fuls). suite /swi:t/ n. 1 a set of things belonging together, esp.: a a'set of rooms in a hotel etc. b a sofa, armchairs, etc., of the same design. 2 Mus. a a set of instrumental compositions, orig. in dance style, to be played in succession. During the 17th-18th c. the suite was one of the most important forms of instrumental music. It was superseded in importance by the sonata and the symphony, and the title was given to works of a lighter type and assemblages of movements from opera or ballet scores; 20th-c. neoclassical composers (e.g. Stravinsky) have revived the term. b a set of selected pieces from an opera, musical, etc., arranged to be played as one instrumental work. 3 a set of people in attendance; a retinue. [F (as su!t)]

suiting /'su:tin, 'sju:-/ n. cloth used for making suits. suitor /'su:to(r), 'sju:-/ n. 1a man seeking to marry a specified woman; a wooer. 2a plaintiff or petitioner in a lawsuit. [ME f. AF seutor, suitour, etc., f. L secutor -oris f. sequi secut- follow]

suk (also sukh) var. of souk. , Sukarno /|su:'ka:nou/, Achmad (1901-70), Indonesian statesman, a radical nationalist leader and founder of indonesia’s independence. In 1945 he claimed the title of President, and remained in office after the legal transfer of power from Holland in 1949, becoming a leading statesman of the area, but after about 1955 his position was undermined by economic and diplomatic problems and resistance to his dictatorial tendencies. He lost power to the army in 1965 and was officially stripped of power in 1967.

Sukhotai /,soko'tar/ a town in western Thailand, formerly the capital of an independent State that flourished from the mid13th to mid-14th c. Its Thai name means ‘dawn of happiness’.

sukiyaki /,soki'ja:ki/ n. a Japanese dish of sliced meat simmered with vegetables and sauce. [Jap.]

Sukkur /so'kua(r)/ a city on the Indus River in SE Pakistan; pop. (1981) 191,000. Nearby is the Sukkar Barrage, nearly 1.6 km (1 mile) long, completed in 1932, built across the river and feeding irrigation canals which direct its water to over 12 million hectares (5 million acres) of the Indus valley. Sulawesi |\sulo'weis1/ a large island of Indonesia, east of Borneo, formerly called Celebes; pop. (1980) 9,909,500. sulcate /'salkeit/ adj. grooved, fluted, channelled. [L sulcatus, past part. of sulcare furrow (as SULCUS)} sulcus /'salkas/ n. (pl. sulci /-sat/) Anat. a groove or furrow, esp. on the surface of the brain. [L]

Suleiman

I/'solimja:n, -let,ma:n/ ‘the Magnificent’, (71495-

1566), sultan of Turkey 1520-66, under whom the Ottoman empire reached its peak in military power and in cultural achievements.

sulfa US var. of suLPHA. sulfanilamide US var. of suLPHANILAMIDE. sulfate etc. US var. of SULPHATE etc.

sulfur etc. US var. of SULPHUR etc. sulk /salk/ v. & n. —v.intr. indulge in a sulk, be sulky. —n. (also in pl., prec. by the) a period of sullen esp. resentful silence (having a sulk; got the sulks). 00 sulker n. [perh. back-form. f. suLKy]

sulky /'salki/ adj. & n. —adj. (sulkier, sulkiest) 1 sullen, morose, or silent, esp. from resentment or ill temper. 2 sluggish. —n. (pl. -ies) a light two-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle for one, esp. used in trotting-races. 00 sulkily ady. sulkiness n. [perh. f. obs. sulke hard to dispose of]

Sulla /'sala/ (Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix, c.138-78 Bc) Roman general and politician. In 88 Bc he marched on Rome and ousted the supporters of Marius. After concluding the war in the east by a peace with Mithridates, Sulla invaded Italy in 88 Bc and instituted ruthless proscriptions of his enemies. Elected dictator, he pushed through constitutional reforms in favour of the Senate, but resigned in 79 Bc and returned to private status. Sulla never aimed at permanent tyranny, but he set the precedent for the use of military force against the State—and for its success.

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(see over for consonants)

sullage

Sumerian

1448

ee SSS SE SS

sullage /'salid3/ n. filth, refuse, sewage. [perh. f. AF suillage f. souiller SOIL} sullen /'salon/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 morose, resentful, sulky, unforgiving, unsociable. 2 a (of a thing) slow-moving. b dismal, melancholy (a sullen sky). —n. (in pl., usu. prec. by the) archaic a sullen frame of mind; depression. 00 sullenly adv. sullenness j-onnis/ n. [16th-c. alt. of ME solein f. AF f. sol SOLE*]

sulphuretted /,salfju'retid/ adj. (US sulfureted) archaic containing sulphur in combination. osulphuretted hydrogen hydrogen sulphide. [sulphuret sulphide f. mod.L sulphuretum]

* sulphuric /sal'fjuortk/ adj. (US sulfuric) Chem. containing sexivalent sulphur. o sulphuric acid a dense oily colourless highly acid and corrosive fluid much used in the chemical industry. 4 Chem. formula: H,SO,. [F sulfurique (as SULPHUR)]

Sullivan /|'salrv(a)n/, Sir Arthur Seymour (1842-1900), English

sulphurize

composer. He first collaborated with the librettist W. S. Gilbert in 1871, and they produced a string of highly popular light operas, many of them for Richard D’Oyly Carte’s company at the Savoy theatre. Among the best known are Trial by Jury (1875), HMS Pinafore (1878), The Pirates of Penzance (1879), Patience (1881), The Mikado (1885), Ruddigore (1887), and The Gondoliers (1889). He also composed the hymn ‘Onward, Christian Soldiers’ (1871)

SULPHURATE. SULPHUR)]

reputation or character, a victory, etc.). 2 poet. dirty; soil. [perh. f. F souiller (as so1t?)] sulpha /'salfo/ n. (US sulfa) any drug derived from sulphanilamide (often attrib.: sulpha drug). [abbr.]

sulphamic acid /sal'feemik/ n. (US sulfamic) a strong acid used in weed-killer, an amide of sulphuric acid. 00 sulphamate ['salfo,mert/ n. [SULPHUR + AMIDE]

sultry /'saltri/ adj. (sultrier, sultriest) 1 (of the atmosphere or the weather) hot or oppressive; close. 2 (of a person, character, etc.) passionate; sensual. oo sultrily adv. sultriness n. [obs. sulter SWELTER]

sulphanilamide /\salfo'nilo,maid/ n. (US sulfanilamide) a colourless sulphonamide drug with anti-bacterial properties. [sulphanilic (SULPHUR, ANILINE) + AMIDE] sulphate /'salfert/ n. (US sulfate) a salt or ester of sulphuric acid. [F sulfate f. L sulphur]

Sulu Sea /'su:lu:/ an arm of the South China Sea separating the islands of the Philippines from NE Borneo. sum /sam/n. & v. —n. 1 the total amount resulting from the addition of two or more items, facts, ideas, feelings, etc. (the sum of two and three is five; the sum of their objections is this). 2 a particular amount of money (paid a large sum for it). 3 a an arithmetical problem (could not work out the sum). b (esp. pl.) collog. arithmetic work, esp. at an elementary level (was good at sums). —v.tr. (summed, summing) find the sum of. 0 in sum in brief. summing-up 1 a review of evidence and a direction given by a judge to a jury. 2 a recapitulation of the main points of an argument, case, etc. sum total = sense 1 of n. sum up 1 (esp. of a judge) recapitulate or review the evidence in a case etc. 2 form or express an idea of the character of (a person, situation, etc.). 3 collect into or express as a total or whole. [ME f. OF summe, somme f. L summa main part, fem. of summus highest] sumac /'su:mek, 'fJu:-, 'sju:-/ n. (also sumach) 1 any shrub or tree of the genus Rhus, having reddish cone-shaped fruits used as a spice in cooking. 2 the dried and ground leaves of this used in tanning and dyeing. [ME f. OF sumac or med.L sumac(h) f. Arab.

sulphide /'salfatd/ n. (US sulfide) Chem. a binary compound of sulphur.

sulphite /'salfart/ n. (US sulfite) Chem. a salt or ester of sulphurous acid. [F sulfite alt. of sulfate SULPHATE]

|sal'fono,maid/ n. (US sulfonamide) a sub-

stance derived from an amide ofa sulphonic acid, able to prevent the multiplication of some pathogenic bacteria. [SULPHONE + AMIDE] sulphonic acid.

—n. a salt or ester of

—v.tr. convert into a sulphonate by reaction

with sulphuric acid. sulphone |'salfoon/ n. (US sulfone) an organic compound containing the SO, group united directly to two carbon atoms. 00 sulphonic /-'fonrk/ adj. [G Sulfon (as sULPHUR)]

sulphur |'salfo(r)/ n. & v. (US sulfur)

—n.

1 a a pale-yellow

non-metallic element having crystalline and amorphous forms (See below.). {| Symb.: S; atomic number 16. b (attrib.) like or containing sulphur. 2 the material of which hell-fire and lightning were believed to consist. 3 any yellow butterfly of the family Pieridae. 4 a pale greenish yellow colour. —v.tr. 1 treat with sulphur. 2 fumigate with sulphur. 0 sulphur candle a candle burnt to produce sulphur dioxide for fumigating. sulphur dioxide a colourless pungent gas formed by burning sulphur in air and used as a food preservative. sulphur spring a spring impregnated with sulphur or its compounds. oo sulphury adj. [ME f. AF sulffe)re, OF soufre f. L sulfur, sulp(h)ur] Sulphur, formerly also called brimstone, can occur uncombined in nature and has been known since ancient times. It was recognized as an element in 1777. Elemental sulphur, which can exist in a number of allotropic forms, burns with a blue flame and a suffocating smell, and is used in making gunpowder, matches, and as an antiseptic and fungicide. The most important compound of sulphur, produced in huge amounts, is sulphuric acid, much of which is in turn converted into other compounds. Sulphur compounds of one kind or another play a role in most manufacturing processes, and the element is also essential to living organisms.

summak]

Sumatra /so'ma:tra/ (also Sumatera) a large island of Indonesia, separated from the Malay Peninsula by the Strait of Malacca; pop. (1980) 28,016,160.

Sumba /'sumbo/ (also Sandalwood Island) an island of the Lesser Sundas, Indonesia, lying to the south of the islands of Flores and Sumbawa; chief town, Waingapu.

Sumbawa

ate, or treat with sulphur, esp. in bleaching. 00 sulphuration /'rerf(2)n/ n. sulphurator n.

sulphureous /sal'fjuortss/ adj. (US sulfureous) 1 of, like, or suggesting sulphur. 2 sulphur-coloured; yellow. [L sulphureus f. SULPHUR]

d dog

ffew

g get

h he

jyes

/sum'ba:w9/ an island in the Lesser Sundas, Indo-

nesia, situated to the east of Lombok; chief town, Raba.

sulphurate /'salfju,rert/ v.tr. (US sulfurate) impregnate, fumig-

b but

=

gestive of sulphur, esp. in colour. 2 Chem. containing quadrivalent sulphur. osulphurous acid an unstable weak acid used as a reducing and bleaching acid. [L sulphurosus f. SULPHUR] sultan /'salt(s)n/n. 1 a a Muslim sovereign. b (the Sultan) hist. the sultan of Turkey. 2 a variety of white domestic fowl from Turkey. 00 sultanate /-jnert/ n. [F sultan or med.L sultanus f. Arab. sultan power, ruler f. saluta rule] sultana /sal'ta:no/ n. 1 a a seedless raisin used in puddings, cakes, etc. b the small pale yellow grape producing this. 2 the mother, wife, concubine, or daughter of a sultan. [It., fem. of sultano = SULTAN]

and the song The Lost Chord (1877).

sulphonate /'salfoneit/ n. & v. Chem.

/'salfjus,raiz/ v.tr. (also -ise, US sulfurize)

OO sulphurization /-'zerf(o)n/ n. [F sulfuriser (as

sulphurous /'salforas/ adj. (US sulfurous) 1 relating to or sug-

sully /'sali/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 disgrace or tarnish (a person’s

sulphonamide

SSS

Sumer /'su:mo(r)/ the name used in antiquity from the 3rd millennium Bc for southern Mesopotamia, the region inhabited by Sumerian-speaking people and later known as Babylonia. Sumerian /su:'miorion, sju:-/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to a non-Semitic language, people, and civilization native to Sumer in the 4th millennium Bc and possibly earlier. —n. 1a member of this people. 2 their language. The Sumerians were a hybrid stock, speaking an agglutinative language related structurally to Turkish, Hungarian, Finnish, and several Caucasian dialects. As the first historically attested civilization they are credited with the invention of cuneiform writing, the sexagesimal system of mathematics, and the socio-political institution of the city-state with bureaucracies, legal codes, division of labour, and a money economy. Their art, literature, and/theology had a profound cultural and religious influence on the rest of Mesopotamia and beyond, which continued long after the Sumerian

k cat

lleg

m man

nono

ppen r red

S sit

t top

v voice

Sumgait demise c.2000 Bc, as the prototype of Akkadian, Canaanite, Hittite, and eventually, biblical literature.

Hurrian,

Sumgait /,somga:ii:t/ an industrial city of the Soviet republic of Azerbaijan on the western shore of the Caspian Sea; pop. (est. 1987) 234,000.

summa /'samo/ n. (pl. summae /-mi:/) a summary of what is known of a subject. [ME f. L: see sum]

summa

cum laude |,sumo kom 'laude/ adv. & adj. esp. US

(of a degree, diploma, etc.) of the highest standard; with the highest distinction. [L, = with highest praise] summarize /'sama,raiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) make or be a summary of; sum up. OO summarist n. summarizable adj. summarization /-'ze1{(9)n/ 1. summarizer n. summary /'samori/ n. & adj. —n. (pl: -ies) a brief account; an abridgement. —adj. 1 dispensing with needless details or formalities; brief (a summary account). 2 Law (of a trial etc.) without the customary legal formalities (summary justice). o summary conviction a conviction made by a judge or magistrates without a jury. summary jurisdiction the authority of a court to use summary proceedings and arrive at a judgement: summary offence an offence within the scope of a summary court. OO summarily adv. summariness n. [ME f. L summarium f. L summa sum] summation /so'mer{(a)n/ n. 1 the finding of a total or sum; an addition. 2a summing-up. 00:summational adj. summer! |'samoa(r)/ n. & v. —n.

1 the warmest season of the

year, in the N. hemisphere from June to August and in the S. hemisphere from December to February. 2 Astron. the period from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox. 3 the hot weather typical of summer. 4 (often foll. by of) the mature stage of life; the height of achievement, powers, etc. 5 (esp. in pl.) poet. a year (esp. of a person’s age) (a child of ten summers). 6 (attrib.) characteristic of or suitable for summer (summer clothes). —v. 1 intr. (usu. foll. by at, in) pass the summer. 2 tr. (often foll. by at, in) pasture (cattle). 0 summer-house a light building in a garden etc. used for sitting in in fine weather. summer lightning sheet lightning without thunder, resulting from a distant storm. Summer Palace a palace (now in ruins) of the Chinese emperors near Peking. summer pudding Brit. a pudding of soft summer fruit encased in bread or sponge. summer school a course of lectures etc. held during the summer vacation, esp. at a university. summer solstice see SOLSTICE. summer time Brit. the period between March and October during which the clocks are advanced an hour (cf... SUMMERTIME). summer-weight (of clothes) suitable for use in summer, esp. because of their light weight. 00 summerless adj. summerly adv. summery adj. [OE sumor] summer? |'samo(r)/ n. (in full summer-tree) a horizontal bearing beam, esp. one supporting joists or rafters. [ME f. AF sumer, somer packhorse, beam, OF somier f. LL sagmarius f. sagma f. Gk sagma pack-saddle]

summersault var. of SoMERSAULT. summertime /'samo,tarm/ n. the season or period of summer (cf. summer time). summit /'samit/n. 1 the highest point, esp. of a mountain; the apex. 2 the highest degree of power, ambition, etc. 3 (in full summit meeting, talks, etc.) a discussion, esp. on disarmament etc., between heads of government. 00 summitless

adj. [ME f. OF somet, som(m)ete f. som top f. L summum neut. of summus] summon /'samon/ v.tr. 1 call upon to appear, esp. as a defendant or witness in a lawcourt. 2 (usu. foll. by to + infin.) call upon (summoned her to assist). 3 call together for a meeting or some other purpose (summoned the members to attend). 0 summon up (often foll. by to, for) gather (courage, spirits, resources, etc.) (summoned up her strength for the task). 00 summonable adj. summoner n. [ME f. OF somondre f. L summonére (as sUB-, monére warn)] summons /'samonz/n. & v. —n. (pl. summonses) 1 an authoritative or urgent call to attend on some occasion or do something. 2 a a call to appear before a judge or magistrate. b

the writ containing such a summons. —v.tr. esp. Law serve with wwe

zzoo

sun

1449

f she

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

a’summons. [ME f. OF somonce, sumunse f. L summonita fem. past part. of summonére: see SUMMON]

summum

bonum

|somom ‘'bonem, 'bau-/ n. the highest

good, esp. as the end or determining principle in an ethical system. [L] sumo /'su:mou/ n. (pl. -os) 1 a style of Japanese wrestling, in which a participant is defeated by touching the ground with any part of the body except the soles of the feet or by moving outside the marked area. 2 a sumo wrestler. [Jap.] sump /samp/ n. 1 a pit, well, hole, etc. in which superfluous liquid collects in mines, machines, etc. 2 a cesspool. [ME,-= marsh f. MDu., MLG sump, or (mining) G Sumpf, rel. to swAMP] sumpter /'sampto(r)/1n. archaic 1 a packhorse. 2 any pack-animal (sumpter-mule). [ME f. OF som(m)etier f. LL f. Gk sagma -atos packsaddle: cf. sUMMER?| sumptuary /'samptjuort/ adj. 1 regulating expenditure. 2 (of a law or edict etc.) limiting private expenditure in the interests of the State. [L sumptuarius f. sumptus cost f. sumere sumpt- take] sumptuous /'samptjuos/ adj. rich, lavish, costly (a sumptuous setting). OO sumptuosity /-'psiti/ n. sumptuously adv. sumptuousness n. [ME f. OF somptueux f. L sumptuosus (as SUMPTUARY)]}

Sun. abbr. Sunday. sun /san/ n. & v. —n. 1 a (also Sun) the star round which the Earth orbits and from which it receives light and warmth. (See below.) b any similar star in the universe with or without planets. 2 the light or warmth received from the sun (pull down the blinds and keep out the sun). 3 poet. a day or a year. 4 poet.a person or thing regarded as a source of glory, radiance, etc. —-v. (sunned, sunning) 1 refl. bask in the sun. 2 tr. expose to the sun. 3 intr. sun oneself. 0 against the sun anticlockwise. beneath (or under) the sun anywhere in the world. in the sun exposed to the sun’s rays. on which the sun never sets (of an empire etc.) worldwide. sun and planet a system of gearing cog wheels. sun-baked dried or hardened or baked from the heat of the sun. sun-bath a period of exposing the body to the sun. sun bear a smail black bear, Helarctos malayanus, of SE Asia, with a light-coloured mark on its chest. sun-blind Brit. a window awning. sun-bonnet a bonnet of cotton etc. covering the neck and shading the face, esp. for children. sun-bow a spectrum of colours like a rainbow produced by the sun shining on spray etc. sun-dance a dance of N. American Indians in honour of the sun. sun-deck the upper deck of a steamer. sun-disc a winged disc, emblematic of the sun-god. sun-dog = PARHELION. sun-dress a dress without sleeves and with a low neck. sun-dried dried by the sun, not by artificial heat. sun-glasses glasses tinted to protect the eyes from sunlight or glare. sun-god the sun worshipped as a deity. sun-hat a hat designed to protect the head from the sun. sun-helmet a helmet of cork etc. formerly worn by White people in the tropics. sun in splendour Heraldry the sun with rays and a human face. one’s sun is set the time of one’s prosperity is over. Sun King Louis XIV of France, so called from the magnificence of his reign. sun-kissed warmed or affected by the sun. sun-lamp 1 a lamp giving ultraviolet rays for an artificial suntan, therapy, etc. 2 Cinematog. a large lamp with a parabolic reflector used in film-making. sun lounge a room with large windows, designed to receive sunlight. sun parlor US = sun lounge. sun-rays 1 sunbeams. 2 ultraviolet rays used therapeutically. sun-roof a sliding roof on a car. sun-stone a cat’s eye gem, esp. feldspar with embedded flecks of haematite etc. sun-suit a play-suit, esp. for children, suitable for sunbathing. sun-up esp. US sunrise. sun visor a fixed or movable shield at the top of a vehicle windscreen to shield the eyes from the sun. take (or shoot) the sun Naut. ascertain the altitude of the sun with a

sextant in order to fix the latitude. with the sun clockwise. oo sunless adj. sunlessness n. sunlike adj. sunproof adj. sunward adj. & adv. sunwards adv. [OE sunne, sunna] The central body of the solar system, the Sun is a luminous body which provides the light and energy which sustains living creatures on Earth. It is a star of the type known to astronomers as a G2 subdwarf, a sphere of hydrogen and helium 1.4 million km in diameter which obtains its energy from nuclear fusion

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

sunbathe

tp

na

sunny

1450

a

reactions deep within its interior. Temperatures at the centre must be high enough to sustain these reactions, say twenty million degrees or so; but the surface temperature isa little under 6000 °C. The visible surface is marked by occasional sunspots, local regions where temperatures are 2000 ° cooler than the rest of the surface, which appear to arise from local intense magnetic fields. Above this region, known as the photosphere, are the chromosphere and corona, regions of much higher temperature. The apparent path of the Sun across the sky (which is merely a reflection of the Earth’s orbit about the Sun) determines the terrestrial seasons. sunbathe /|'sanber6/ v.intr. bask in the sun, esp. to tan the body. oo sunbather n.

apart. [OE sundrian, f. asundrian etc.: in sunder f. ME f. o(n)sunder ASUNDER]

_ Sunderbans /'sandobenz/ a swamp region at the mouth of the Ganges Delta in Bangladesh and the Indian State of West Bengal.

Sunderland /'sandolond/ an industrial city in NE England, at the mouth of the River Wear; pop. (1981) 195,900. sundew /'sandju:/ n. any small insect-consuming bog-plant of the family Droseraceae, esp. of the genus Drosera with hairs secreting drops of moisture.

sundial /'sandaral/ n. an instrument showing the time by the shadow of a pointer cast by the sun on to a graduated dial. It is probably the most ancient time-measuring instrument. Sundials in which the edge of the gnomon is parallel to the Earth’s axis (so that it points to the north celestial pole) can show solar time to an accuracy of a minute or two; for centuries they were used as a check on the accuracy of the clocks and watches which eventually superseded them, until telegraphic and radio time signals became available.

sunbeam /'sanbi:m/ n. a ray of sunlight. sunbed /'sanbed/ n. 1 a lightweight, usu. folding, chair with a seat long enough to support the legs, used for sunbathing. 2 a bed for lying on under a sun-lamp.

sunbelt /'sanbelt/ n. a strip of territory receiving a high amount

sundown /'sandaon/ n. sunset.

of sunshine, esp. (the Sunbelt) the region in the southern US stretching from California to Florida.

sundowner /|'san,dauno(r)/ n. 1 Austral. a tramp who arrives at a sheep station etc. in the evening for food and shelter. 2 Brit. collog. an alcoholic drink taken at sunset. sundry /'sandri/ adj. & n. —adj. various; several (sundry items). —n. (pl. -ies) 1 (in pl.) items or oddments not mentioned individually. 2 Austral. Cricket = ExTRA n. 5. [OE syndrig separate, rel. to SUNDER]

sunbird /|'sanbs:d/ n. any small bright-plumaged Old World bird of the family Nectariniidae, resembling a humming-bird.

sunblock /'sanblok/ n. a cream or lotion for protecting the skin from the sun. sunburn /'sanbs:n/ n. & v. —n. tanning and inflammation of the skin caused by over-exposure to the sun. —v.intr. 1 suffer from sunburn. 2 (as sunburnt or sunburned adj.) suffering from sunburn; brown or tanned. sunburst /'sanbs:st/ 1. 1 something resembling the sun and its rays, esp.: a an ornament, brooch, etc. b a firework. 2 the sun shining suddenly from behind clouds.

sunfast /'sanfa:st/ adj. US (of dye) not subject to fading by sunlight. sunfish /'sanfi{/ n. any of various almost spherical fish, esp. a large ocean fish, Mola mola. sunflower /'san,flavo(r)/ n. any very tall plant of the genus Helianthus, esp. H. annus with very large showy golden-rayed flowers, grown also for its seeds which yield an edible oil.

Sun City a resort centre in the Mankwe district of Bophuthatswana, South Africa. sundae /'sander, -di/ n. a dish of ice-cream with fruit, nuts, syrup, etc. [perh. f. SUNDAY, either because the dish orig. included left-over ice-cream sold cheaply on Monday, or because it was at first sold only on Sunday, having been devised (according to some accounts) to circumvent Sunday legislation. The spelling is sometimes said to have been altered from Sunday out of deference to religious people’s feelings]

Sung /sun/ the name of the dynasty which ruled in China 960— 1279.

sung past part. of sING.

sunk past and past part. of sINK. sunken /'sanken/ adj. 1 that has been sunk.

Sunda Islands /'sando/ islands of the Malay Archipelago, Indo-

sunlight /'sanlart/ n. light from the sun. sunlit /'sanit/ adj. illuminated by sunlight.

nesia, divided into two groups, the Greater Sunda Islands which include Borneo, Sumatra, Java, and the islands of Sulawesi, and the Lesser Sunda Islands which lie to the east of Java and include Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba, and Timor.

Sunday /'sander, -di/ n. & adv. —n.

sunn /san/ n. (in full sunn hemp) an E. Indian hemplike fibre. (Urdu & Hindi san f. Skr. Sana hempen] Sunna /'sano/ n. a traditional portion of Muslim law based on Muhammad’s words or acts but not written by him, accepted as authoritative by many Muslims but rejected by the Shiites. [Arab., = form, way, course, rule]

1 the first day of the

week, a Christian holiday and day of worship. (See below.) 2 a newspaper published on a Sunday. —adv. collog. 1 on Sunday. 2 (Sundays) on Sundays; each Sunday. o Sunday best joc. a person’s best clothes, kept for Sunday use. Sunday letter = dominical letter. Sunday painter an amateur painter, esp. one

Sunni /'sani/ 1. & adj. —n. (pl. same or Sunnis) 1 one of the two main branches of Islam, regarding the Sunna as equal in authority to the Koran (cf. SHIAH). 2 an adherent of this branch of Islam. (See below.) —adj. of or relating to Sunni. Sunnis comprise the main community in most Muslim countries other than Iran. The split occurred early in the history of Islam over the question of allegiance to the nascent Ummayyad dynasty (supported by the Sunnis) versus the family of Ali, sonin-law of the Prophet Muhammad and fourth caliph. After his assassination and that of his son Husayn at the Battle of Kerbala (in present-day Iraq) in 680, one group of Muslims broke away from the main body, declaring their allegiance to the martyred sons, and calling themselves the Shia (= party). What became known as the Sunni Muslims continued to follow the reigning caliph. From the basic split in attitudes to leadership of the community have followed other differences in community organization and legal practice, but doctrinally Sunni and Shiite Muslims adhere to the same body of tenets. Sunnite /'sanait/n. & adj. —n. an adherent of the Sunni branch of Islam. —adj. of or relating to Sunni. sunny /'sani/ adj. (sunnier, sunniest) 1 a bright with sunlight. b exposed to or warmed by the sun. 2 cheery and bright in

with little training. Sunday school a school held on Sundays

for children, now only for religious instruction. Although there were earlier examples of schools for poor children on Sundays, the movement owes its success to Robert Raikes (1735-1811), a native of Gloucester, who in 1780 started a school in his own parish which became widely imitated. [OE sunnandzg, transl. of L dies solis, Gk hémera héliou day of the sun]

The old pagan ‘day of the sun’ was given a Christian interpretation and referred to Christ, the ‘sun of righteousness’ (Mal. 4: 2), being called the ‘day of the Lord’. Already in New Testament times Sunday began to replace (for Christians) the Jewish sabbath, chiefly in commemoration of the Resurrection. Its observance as a day of rest, consecrated especially to the service of God, began to be regulated by both ecclesiastical and civil

legislation from the 4th c. In the 19th c. Sunday was still a mainly devoted to duties of piety, but the increasing ularization of life in the 20th c. has considerably reduced religious observance, though requirement to work on that

day secits day

is regarded as unsocial. sunder /'sando(r)/ v.tr. & intr. archaic or literary Oo in sunder

wz cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

2 beneath the

surface; submerged. 3 (of the eyes, cheeks, etc.) hollow, depressed. 0 sunken garden a garden placed below the general level of its surroundings. [past part. of SINK]

1 sit

i: see

p hot

0: saw

Arun

vu put

u: too

9 ago

army

sunrise temperament. 0 the sunny side 1 the side of a house, street, etc. that gets most sun. 2 the more cheerful aspect of circumstances etc. (always looks on the sunny side). oO sunnily adv. sunniness n. sunrise /'sanraiz/ n. 1 the sun’s rising at dawn. 2 the coloured sky associated with this. 3 the time at which sunrise occurs. 0 sunrise industry any newly established industry, esp. in electronics and telecommunications, regarded as signalling prosperity. sunset /'sanset/ n. 1 the sun’s setting in the evening. 2 the coloured sky associated with this. 3 the time at which sunset occurs. 4 the declining period of life.

Sunset Boulevard a road which links the centre of Los Angeles with the Pacific Ocean 48 km (30 miles) to the west. The eastern section of the road between Fairfax Avenue and Beverly Hills is known as Sunset Strip.

sunshade /'sanferd/ n. 1 a parasol. 2 an awning. sunshine /'sanfam| n. 1 a the light of the sun. b an area lit by the sun. 2 fine weather. 3 cheerfulness; joy (brought sunshine into her life). 4 Brit. collog. a form of address. 0 sunshine roof = sun-roof. 00 sunshiny adj. : sunspot /'sansppt/ n. one of the dark patches, changing in shape and size and lasting for varying periods, observed on the sun’s surface.

sunstar /'sansta:(r)/ n. any starfish of the genus Solaster, with many rays. sunstroke /'sanstrauk/ n. acute prostration or collapse from the excessive heat of the sun. suntan /'santen/ n. & v. —n. the brownish colouring of skin caused by exposure to the sun. —v.intr. (-tanned, -tanning) colour the skin with a suntan. suntrap /'santrzep/ n. a place sheltered from the wind and suitable for catching the sunshine.

Sun Yat-sen /su:n jet'sen/ (also Sun Yixian) (1866-1925), Chinese statesman, generally considered to be the ‘Father of the Revolution’. Sun Yat-sen spent the period 1895-1911 in exile after an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the Manchus, but returned to play a crucial part in the successful revolution and to organize the Kuomintang (1911-12). In the chaotic period that followed he was briefly provisional president of the Chinese Republic and a decade later president of the Southern Chinese

Republic before dying of cancer. sup! /sap/ v. & n. —v.tr. (supped, supping) 1 take (soup, tea, etc.) by sips or spoonfuls. 2 esp. N.Engl. collog. drink (alcohol). —rn.a sip of liquid. [OE siipan] sup? /sap/ v.intr. (supped, supping) (usu. foll. by off, on) archaic take supper. [OF super, soper] sup- /sap, sop/ prefix assim. form of suB- before p. super /|'su:pa(r), 'sju:-/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 (also super-duper |-'du:pe(r)/) collog. (also as int.) exceptional; splendid. 2 Commerce superfine. 3 Commerce (of a measure) superficial, in square (not lineal or solid) measure (120 super ft.; 120 ft. super). —n. collog. 4 Theatr. a supernumerary actor. 2 a superintendent. 3 superphosphate. 4 an extra, unwanted, or unimportant person; a supernumerary. 5 Commerce superfine cloth or manufacture.

{abbr.] super-. /'su:po(r), ‘sju:-/ comb. form forming nouns, adjectives, and verbs, meaning: 1 above, beyond, or over in place or time or conceptually (superstructure; supernormal; superimpose). 2 to a great or extreme degree (superabundant; superhuman). 3 extra good or large of its kind (supertanker). 4 of a higher kind, esp. in names of classificatory divisions (superclass). [from or after L super- f. super above, beyond] superable /'su:porab(a)l, 'sju:-/ adj. able to be overcome. [L superabilis f. superare overcome] superabound /|,su:pore'baund, sju:-/ v.intr. be very or too abundant. [LL swperabundare (as SUPER-, ABOUND)]

superabundant ||su:pore'band(2)nt, ,sju:-/ adj. abounding beyond what is normal or right. oof superabundance 1. superabundantly adv. [ME f. LL superabundare: see SUPERABOUND] au how

er day

super-duper

1451

ov no

eo hair

1a near

or boy

va poor

superadd

/|,su:por'zd, ,sju:-/ v.tr. add over and above.

oo

superaddition /-o!di{(2)n/ n. [ME f. L superaddere (as SUPER-, ADD)]} superaltar /'su:por,o:Ita(r), 'sju:-, -;plta(r)/ n. Eccl. a portable slab of stone consecrated for use on an unconsecrated altar etc. [ME

f. med.L superaltare (as SUPER-, ALTAR)] superannuate |,su:por'enjuelt, ,sju:-/ v.tr. 1 retire (a person) with a pension. 2 dismiss or discard as too old for use, work, etc. 3 (as superannuated adj.) too old for work or use; obsolete. OO superannuable adj. [back-form. f. superannuated f. med.L

superannuatus f. L sUPER- + annus year] superannuation /|,su:por,enju'erf(o)n, ,sju:-/ n. 1 a pension paid to a retired person. 2 a regular payment made towards this by an employed person. 3 the process or an instance of superannuating. superaqueous /|,su:por'erkwioes, ,sju:-/ adj. above water. superb |su:'ps:b, sju:-/ adj. 1 of the most impressive, splendid, grand, or majestic kind (superb courage; a superb specimen). 2 collog. excellent; fine. 00 superbly adv. superbness n. [F superbe or L superbus proud]

Super Bowl the championship game of the National Football League in US professional football, played annually in January from 1967 onwards.

supercalender

/|,su:ps'kelinda(r), ,sju:-/ v.tr. give a highly

glazed finish to (paper) by extra calendering. supercargo /'su:pa,ka:gau, 'sju:-/ n. (pl. -oes) an officer in a merchant ship managing sales etc. of cargo. [earlier supracargo f. Sp. sobrecargo f. sobre over + cargo CARGO]

supercelestial |,su:posi'lestral, ,sju:-/ adj. 1 above the heavens. 2 more than heavenly. [LL supercaelestis (as SUPER-, CELESTIAL)] supercharge |'su:pa,tfa:d3, 'sju:-/ v.tr. 1 (usu. foll. by with) charge (the atmosphere etc.) with energy, emotion, etc. 2 use a supercharger on (an internal-combustion engine). supercharger |'su:pa,t{a:d3a(r), 'sju:-/ n. a device supplying air or fuel to an internal-combustion engine at above normal pressure to increase efficiency.

superciliary /|\su:po'stliort, ,sju:-/ adj. Anat. of or concerning the eyebrow; over the eye. [L supercilium eyebrow (as SUPER-, cilium eyelid)]

supercilious /|,su:po'silies, ,sju:-/ adj. assuming an air of contemptuous indifference or superiority. 00 superciliously adv. superciliousness n. [L superciliosus (as SUPERCILIARY)]

superclass /'su:pakla:s, 'sju:-/ n. a taxonomic category between class and phylum. supercolumnar /|,su:poka'lamno(r), ,sju:-/ adj. Archit. having one order or set of columns above another. oo supercolumniation /-n1'e1f(9)n/ n. supercomputer /|,su:pokom'pju:to(r)/ n. a powerful computer capable of dealing with complex problems. oo supercomputing n.

superconductivity |,su:po,kondak'trviti, ,sju:-/ n. Physics the property of zero electrical resistance in some substances at very low absolute temperatures. Discovered in 1911 by H. Kamerlingh Onnes and at first regarded merely as a scientific curiosity, superconductivity can now be explained in terms of quantum theory. Knowledge of the phenomenon has made possible the construction of large electromagnets which are able to operate without expending large quantities of electrical energy. oo superconducting = /-kon'daktin/ adj. superconductive |-kon'daktrv/ adj. superconductor |,su:pokon'dakto(r), ,sju:-/ n. Physics a substance having superconductivity. superconscious /,su:ps'kpnfas, \sju:-/ adj. transcending human consciousness. oo superconsciously adv.

superconsciousness n.

supercool /'su:po,ku:l, -'ku:l, 'sju:-/ v. & adj. —v. Chem. 1 tr. cool (a liquid) below its freezing-point without solidification or crystallization. 2 intr. (of a liquid) be cooled in this way. —adj. sl. very cool, relaxed, fine, etc.

supercritical /,su:pa'kritrk(e)l, ,sju:-/ adj. Physics of more than critical mass etc.

super-duper var. of suPER adj. 1.

aio fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

superego I

a

supernal

1452 aE

hr

superhumeral |,su:po'hju:mor(e)l, ,sju:-/ . Eccl. a vestment superego |,su:por'i:gou, -'egau, ,sju:-/ n. (pl. -os) Psychol. the part worn over the shoulders, e.g. an amice, ephod, or pallium. [LL of the mind that acts as a conscience and responds to social superhumerale (as SUPER-, HUMERAL)] rules. superelevation /|,su:porel'verf(o)n, ,sju:-/ n. the amount by * superimpose |,su:parim'pouz, ,sju:-/ v.tr. (usu. foll. by on) lay (a thing) on something else. 00 superimposition /-po'z1{(2)n/ n. which the outer edge of a curve on a road or railway is above superincumbent /|,su:porm'kambont, ,sju:-/ adj. lying on the inner edge. something else. supereminent /,su:por'eminont, sju:-/ adj. supremely superinduce /,su:parin'dju:s, ,sju:-/ v.tr. introduce or induce in eminent, exalted, or remarkable. O00 supereminence n. addition. [L superinducere cover over, bring from outside (as supereminently adv. [L supereminére rise above (as SUPER-, EMINENT)] SUPER-, INDUCE)] superintend /,su:porin'tend, ,sju:-/ v.tr. & intr. be responsible supererogation /,su:par,ero'gers(a)n, ,sju:-/ n. the performance for the management or arrangement of (an activity etc.); superof more than duty requires. 0 works of supererogation RC vise and inspect. 00 superintendence n. superintendency n. Ch. actions believed to form a reserve fund of merit that can be [eccl.L superintendere (as SUPER-, INTEND), transl. Gk episkop6] drawn on by prayer in favour of sinners. 00 supererogatory /-1'rpgatert/ adj. [LL supererogatio f. supererogare pay in addition (as superintendent /||su:porin'tend(o)nt, ,sju:-/ n. & adj. —n. 1a SUPER-, erogare pay out)} a person who superintends. ba director of an institution etc. 2 superexcellent /\su:por'eksalont, ,sju:-/ adj. very or supremely a Brit. a police officer above the rank of inspector. b US the head excellent. 00 superexcellence n. superexcellently adv. [LL of a police department. 3 US the caretaker of a building. —adj. superintending. [eccl.L superintendent- part. stem: of supersuperexcellens (as SUPER-, EXCELLENT)] intendere: see SUPERINTEND] superfamily /'su:po,femul, 'sju:-/ n. (pl. -ies) a taxonomic catsuperior /su:'proria(r), sju:-, su-/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 in a higher egory between family and order. position; of higher rank (a superior officer; a superior court). 2 a superfatted /|,su:po'fetid, ,sju:-/ adj. (of soap) containing extra above the average in quality etc. (made of superior leather). b fat. having or showing a high opinion of oneself; supercilious (had superfecundation /|,su:po,fi:kon'derf(o)n, ,sju:-/ n. = SUPERa superior air). 3 (often foll. by to) a better or greater in some FETATION 1. respect (superior to its rivals in speed). b above yielding, making superfetation |,su:pofi:'ter{(a)n, ,sju:-/ n. 1 Med. & Zool. a second concessions, paying attention, etc. (is superior to bribery; superior conception during pregnancy giving rise to embryos of different to temptation). 4 further above or out; higher, esp.: a Astron. (of ages in the uterus. 2 Bot. the fertilization of the same ovule by a planet) having an orbit further from the Sun than the Earth’s. different kinds of pollen. 3 the accretion of one thing on b Zool. (of an insect’s wings) folding over others. ¢ Printing (of another. [F superfétation or f. mod.L superfetatio f. L superfetare (as figures or letters) placed above the line. d Bot. (of the calyx) SUPER-, fetus FOETUS)] above the ovary. e Bot. (of the ovary) above the calyx. —n. 1a superficial |,su:po'fif(e)l, ,sju:-/ adj. 1 of or on the surface; person superior to another in rank, character, etc. (is deferential lacking depth (a superficial knowledge; superficial wounds). 2 swift to his superiors; is his superior in courage). 2 (fem. superioress /-ris/)

or cursory (a superficial examination). 3 apparent but not real (a superficial resemblance). 4 (esp. of a person) having no depth of character or knowledge; trivial; shallow. 5 Commerce (of a measure) square (cf. SUPER adj. 3). 00 superficiality /-fr'zliti/ n. (pl. -ies). superficially adv. superficialness n. [LL superficialis f. L (as SUPERFICIES)]

Eccl. the head of a monastery or other religious institution (Mother Superior, Father Superior). 3 Printing a superior letter or figure. 0 superior numbers esp. Mil. more men etc. or their strength (overcome by superior numbers). superior persons esp. iron. the better educated or élite; prigs. 00 superiorly adv. [ME f. OF superiour f. L superior -oris, compar. of superus that is above f. super above]

superficies /,su:po'fi{1,i:z, ,sju:-/ n. (pl. same) Geom. a surface. [L (as SUPER-, facies face)] superfine /'su:po,faim, 'sju:-/ adj. 1 Commerce of extra quality. 2 pretending great refinement. [med.L superfinus (as SUPER-, FINE})]

Superior, Lake one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the largest freshwater lake in the world.

superiority /su:prori'priti, sju:-, su-/ n. the state of being

superfluity /,su:po'flu:1ti, \sju:-/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state of being

superior. 0 superiority complex Psychol. an undue conviction of one’s own superiority to others. superjacent /,su:po'dgeis(s)nt, ,sju:-/ adj. overlying; superincumbent. [L superjacére (as SUPER-, jacére lie)]

superfluous. 2 a superfluous amount or thing. [ME f. OF superfluité f. LL superfluitas -tatis f. L superfluus: see SUPERFLUOUS] superfluous /su:'ps:fluas, sju:-/ adj. more than enough, redundant, needless, 00 superfluously adv. superfluousness n. [ME f. L superfluus (as SUPER-, fluere to flow)] supergiant /'su:po,dgaront, 'sju:-/ n. a star of very great luminosity and size. superglue /'su:pa,glu:/ n. any of various adhesives with an

superlative /su:'ps:lotiv, sju:-/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of the highest

exceptional bonding capability. supergrass |'su:po,gra:s, 'sju:-/ n. collog. a police informer who implicates a large number of people. superheat /\su:po'hi:t, ,sju:-/ v.tr. Physics 1 heat (a liquid) above its boiling-point without vaporization. 2 heat (a vapour) above its boiling-point (superheated steam). 00 superheater n. superhet /\su:po'het, ,sju:-/ n. collog. = SUPER-HETERODYNE. superheterodyne /su:po'hetorsu,dain, ,sju:-/ adj. & n. —adj. denoting or characteristic of a system of radio reception in which alocal variable oscillator is tuned to beat at a constant ultrasonic frequency with carrier-wave frequencies, making it unnecessary to vary the amplifier tuning and securing greater selectivity. —n. a superheterodyne receiver. [SUPERSONIC + HETERODYNE]

superhighway /'su:pajharwer, 'sju:-/ n. US a broad main road for fast traffic. superhuman /|jsu:po'hju:mon, ,sju:-/ adj. 1 beyond normal human capability. 2 higher than man. 00 superhumanly adv. [LL superhumanus (as SUPER-, HUMAN)]

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

quality or degree (superlative wisdom). 2 Gram. (of an adjective or adverb) expressing the highest or a very high degree of a quality (e.g. bravest, most fiercely) (cf. POSITIVE, COMPARATIVE). —n. 1 Gram. a the superlative expression or form of an adjective or adverb. ba word in the superlative. 2 something embodying excellence; the highest form of a thing. oo superlatively adv. superlativeness n. [ME f. OF superlatif -ive f. LL superlativus f. L superlatus (as SUPER-, latus past part. of ferre take)] superlunary /,su:pa'lu:nort, ,sju:-, -‘Iju:nert/ adj. 1 situated beyond the moon. 2 belonging to a higher world, celestial. [med.L superlunaris (as SUPER-, LUNAR)] superman /'su:ps,men, 'sju:-/ n. (pl. -men) 1 esp. Philos. the ideal superior man of the future, held by Nietzsche to be able to be evolved from the normal human type. 2 collog. a man of exceptional strength or ability. [supER- + MAN, formed by G. B.

Shaw after Nietzsche’s G Ubermensch] supermarket /'su:pa,ma:kit, 'sju:-/ n. a large self-service store selling foods, household goods, etc. supermundane /su:po'mandem, ,sju:-/ adj. superior to earthly things. supernal /su:'ps:n(o)l, sju:-/ adj. esp. poet. 1 heavenly; divine. 2 of or concerning the sky. 3 lofty. 00 supernally adv. [ME f. OF supernal or med.L supernalis f. L supernus f. super above]

kcat

lleg

m man

n no

P pen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

supernatant supernatant /|su:po'nert(a)nt, ,sju:-/ adj. & n. esp. Chem. —adj.

floating on the surface of a liquid. —n. a supernatant substance. [SUPER- + natant swimming (as NATATION)]

supernatural |,su:po'nztfor(a)l, ,sju:-/ adj. & n. —adj. attributed to or thought to reveal some force above the laws of nature; magical; mystical. —n. (prec. by the) supernatural, occult, or Magical forces, effects, etc. OO supernaturalism n. supernaturalist n. supernaturalize v.tr. (also -ise). supernaturally adv. supernaturalness n. supernormaal /,su:pa'no:m(a)l, ,sju:-/ adj. beyond what is normal or natural. 00 supernormaility /-'mzliti/ n. supernova /|,su:po'nouve, sju:-/ n. (pl. -novae |-vi:/ or -novas) Astron. a star that suddenly increases very greatly in brightness because of an explosion disrupting its structure and ejecting debris at speeds of up to a tenth that of light and temperatures of hundreds of thousands of degrees Within the resulting shell of material may be left a pulsar or a black hole. Though frequently observed in other galaxies, only three have been recorded in our own Galaxy: by Chinese astronomers in 1054, by Tycho Brahe in 1572, and by Kepler in 1604. supernumerary /|su:pa'nju:morort, ,sju:-/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 in excess of the normal number; extra. 2 (of a person) engaged for extra work. 3 (of an actor) appearing on stage but not speaking. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 an extra or unwanted persen or thing, 2 a supernumerary actor. 3 a person engaged for extra work. {LL supernumerarius (soldier) added to a legion already complete, f. L super numerum beyond the number] superorder |'su:por,o:do(r), 'sju:-/ n. Biol. a taxonomic category between order and class. 00 superordinal /-'s:din(a)/ adj.

superordinate ||su:por's:dinot, ,sju:-/ adj. (usu. foll. by to) of superior importance or rank. [suPER-, after subordinate]

superphosphate |,su:po'fpsfeit, ,sju:-/ n. a fertilizer made by treating phosphate rock with sulphuric or phosphoric acid.

superphysical |,su:po'fizik(a)l, ,sju:-/ adj. 1 unexplainable by physical causes; supernatural. 2 beyond what is physical. superpose |,su:pa'pauz, ,sju:-/ v.tr. (usu. foll. by on) esp. Geom. place (a thing or a geometric figure) on or above something else, esp. so as to coincide. 00 superposition /-pa'z1f(2)n/ n. [F superposer (as SUPER-, POSE})] superpower /'su:po,pava(r), 'sju:-/ n. a nation or State having a dominant position in world politics, one with the power to act decisively in pursuit of interests affecting the whole world, esp. the US and the USSR since the Second World War. supersaturate /||su:po'sztfo,reit, ,sju:-, -tju,rert/ v.tr. add to (esp. a solution) beyond saturation point. 00 supersaturation /-'rerf(a)n/ n.

superscribe /'su:psskraib, 'sju:-, -'skratb/ v.tr. 1 write (an inscription) at the top of or on the outside of a document etc. 2 write an inscription over or on (a thing). 00 superscription /-'skr1p§(2)n/ n. [L superscribere (as SUPER-, scribere script- write)]

superscript /'su:poskript, 'sju:-/ adj. & n. —adj. written or printed above the line, esp. Math. (of a symbol) written above and to the right of another. —n. a superscript number or symbol. [L superscriptus past part. of superscribere: see SUPERSCRIBE] supersede |,su:po'si:d, \sju:-/ v.tr. 1 a adopt or appoint another

person or thing in place of. b set aside; cease to employ. 2 (of a person or thing) take the place of. 00 supersedence n. supersedure /-d3a(r)/ n. supersession /-'se{(a)n/ n. [OF superseder f. L supersedére be superior to (as SUPER-, sedére sess- sit)]

supersonic /|,su:po'spnik, ,sju:-/ adj. designating or having a speed greater than that of sound. 00 supersonically adv. supersonics /,su:po'spniks, ,sju:-/ n.pl. (treated as sing.) = ULTRASONICS. superstar /'su:po,sta:(r), 'sju:-/ n. an extremely famous or renowned actor, film star, musician, etc. 00 superstardom n. superstition /,su:po'sti{(a)n, ,sju:-/ n. 1 credulity regarding the supernatural. 2 an irrational fear of the unknown or mysterious. 3 misdirected reverence. 4 a practice, opinion, or religion based on these tendencies. 5 a widely held but unjustified idea of the effects or nature of a thing. oO superstitious adj.

wwe

z zoo

J she

supplementary

1453

3 decision

9@ thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

superstitiously adv. superstitiousness n. [ME f. OF superstition or L superstitio (as SUPER-, stare stat- stand)] superstore /'su:po,sto:(r), 'sju:-/ n. a large supermarket selling a wide range of goods. superstratum /'su:po,stra:tom, 'sju:-/ n. (pl. -strata /-to/) an overlying stratum. superstructure /|'su:pa,straktfo(r), 'sju:-/ n. 1 the part of a building above its foundations. 2 a structure built on top of something else. 3 a concept or idea based on others. oO superstructural adj. supersubtle /,su:po'sat(2)I, ,sju:-/ adj. extremely or excessively subtle. 00 supersubtlety n. supertanker /'su:po,tenko(r), 'sju:-/ n. a very large tanker ship. supertax |'su:pa,teks, 'sju:-/ n. a tax on incomes above a certain level, esp. a surtax.

superterrestrial /,su:poto'restriol, ,sju:-/ adj. 1 in or belonging to a region above the earth. 2 celestial. supertonic /\su:po'tonik, ,sju:-/ n. Mus. the note above the tonic, the second note of the diatonic scale of any key. supervene |,su:po'vi:n, ,sju:-/ v.intr. occur as an interruption in or a change from some state. 00 supervenient adj. supervention /-'ven{(a)n/ 1. [L supervenire supervent- (as SUPER-, venire come)} supervise |'su:po,vaiz, 'sju:-/ v.tr. 1 superintend, oversee the execution of (a task etc.). 2 oversee the actions or work of (a person). oO supervision § /-'vi3(2)n/ n. supervisor n. supervisory adj. [med.L supervidére supervis- (as SUPER-, vidére see)] superwoman /'su:po,;womon, 'sju:-/ n. (pl. -women) collog. a woman of exceptional strength or ability. supinate /'su:p1,nert, 'sju:-/ v.tr. put (a hand or foreleg etc.) into a supine position (cf. PRONATE). 00 supination /-'ne1{(a)n/ n. (back-form. f. supination f. L supinatio f. supinare f. supinus: see SUPINE] supinator /'su:p1,neita(r), 'sju:-/ n. Anat. a muscle in the forearm effecting supination. supine /'su:pamn, 'sju:-/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 lying face upwards (cf. PRONE). 2 having the front or ventral part upwards; (of the hand) with the palm upwards. 3 inert, indolent; morally or mentally inactive. —n. a Latin verbal noun used only in the accusative and ablative cases, esp. to denote purpose (e.g. mirabile dictu wonderful to relate), 00 supinely adv. supineness n. [L supinus, Tel. to super: (n.) f. LL supinum neut. (reason unkn.)] ; supper /'sapoa(r)/ n. a light evening meal. o sing for one’s supper do something in return for a benefit. 00 supperless adj. [ME f. OF soper, super] supplant /so'pla:nt/ v.tr. dispossess and take the place of, esp. by underhand means. 00 supplanter n. [ME f. OF supplanter or L supplantare trip up (as suB-, planta sole)] supple /'sap(a)l/ adj. & v. —adj. (suppler, supplest) 1 flexible, pliant; easily bent. 2 compliant; avoiding overt resistance; artfully or servilely submissive. —v. tr. & intr. make or become supple. oO suppleness n. [ME f. OF souple ult. f. L supplex supplicis submissive]

supplejack /'sap(s)l,dzek/ n. any of various strong twining tropical shrubs, esp. Berchemia scandens. [SUPPLE + JACK]

supplely var. of suppty?. supplement n. & v. —n. /'saplimont/ 1 a thing or part added to remedy deficiencies (dietary supplement). 2 a part added to a book etc. to provide further information. 3 a separate section, esp. a colour magazine, added to a newspaper or periodical. 4 Geom. the amount by which an angle is less than 180° (cf. COMPLEMENT). —v.tr. /'sapliment, ,sapli'ment/ provide a supplement for. oo ©supplemental = /-'ment(a)l/ —_adj. supplementally /-'mentoli/ adv. supplementation /-'te1{(a)n/ n. [ME f. L supplementum (as suB-, plére fill)] supplementary /|,sapli'mentor1/ adj. forming or serving as a supplement; additional. osupplementary benefit (in the UK) a weekly allowance paid by the State to those not in full-time employment and with an income belowacertain level (cf. family credit). 00 supplementarily adv.

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

suppletion suppletion

Surabaya

1454

eae

a ean ee

Se

supposition |,sapo'zi{(2)n/ n. 1 a fact or idea etc. supposed. 2

/so'pli:{(2)n/ n. the act or an instance of sup-

the act or an instance of supposing. 00 suppositional adj.

plementing, esp. Linguistics the occurrence of unrelated forms to supply gaps in conjugation (e.g. went as the past of go). oo suppletive adj. [ME f. OF f. med.L suppletio -onis (as supPLY?)]

suppositious suppositiously

supplicate /'saplikert/ v. 1 tr. petition humbly to (a person) or for (a thing). 2 intr. (foll. by to, for) make a petition. oo supplicant adj. & n. supplication /|-'ke1{(a)n/ 1. supplicatory adj. [ME f. L supplicare (as sus-, plicare bend)}

supply! /so'plai/ v. & n. —v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 provide or furnish (a thing needed). 2 (often foll. by with) provide (a person etc. with a thing needed). 3 meet or make up for (a deficiency or need etc.). 4 fill (a vacancy, place, etc.) as a substitute. —n. (pl. ies) 1 the act or an instance of providing what is needed. 2 a stock, store, amount, etc., of something provided or obtainable (a large supply of water; the gas-supply). 3 (in pl.) a the collected provisions and equipment for an army, expedition, etc. b a grant of money by Parliament for the costs of government. c a money allowance to a person. 4 (often attrib.) a person, esp. a schoolteacher or clergyman, acting as a temporary substitute for another. 5 (attrib.) providing supplies or a supply (supply Officer). O in short supply available in limited quantity. on supply (of a schoolteacher etc.) acting as a supply. supply and demand Econ. quantities available and required as factors regulating the price of commodities. supply-side Econ. denoting a policy of low taxation and other incentives to produce goods and invest. 00 supplier n. [ME f. OF so(u)pleer etc. f. L supplere (as suB-, plere fill)]

supply? |'sapli/ adv. (also supplely /'sapali/) in a supple manner. support /so'po:t/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 carry all or part of the weight of. 2 keep from falling or sinking or failing. 3 provide with a home and the necessities of life (has a family to support). 4 enable to last out; give strength to; encourage. 5 bear out; tend to substantiate or corroborate (a statement, charge, theory, etc.). 6 give help or countenance to, back up; second, further. 7 speak in favour of (a resolution etc.). 8 be actively interested in (a particular team or sport). 9 take a part that is secondary to (a principal actor etc.). 10 assist (a lecturer etc.) by one’s presence. 11 endure, tolerate (can no longer support the noise). 12 maintain or represent (a part or character) adequately. 13 subscribe to the funds of (an institution). —n. 1 the act or an instance of supporting; the process of being supported. 2 a person or thing that supports. 0 in support of in order to support. supporting film (or picture etc.) a less important film in a cinema programme. support price a minimum price guaranteed to a farmer for agricultural produce and maintained by subsidy etc. O00 supportable adj. supportability /-to'brliti/ n. supportably adv. supportingly adv. supportless adj. [ME f. OF supporter f. L supportare (as SUB-, portare carry)]

supporter /so'po:ta(r)/ n. 1a person or thing that supports, esp. a person supporting a team or sport. 2 Heraldry the representation of an animal etc., usu. one of a pair, holding up or standing beside an escutcheon.

supportive

(/so'po:tiv/

adj.

providing

support

or

encouragement. 00 supportively adv. supportiveness n.

suppose /|so'pouz/ v.tr. (often foll. by that + clause) 1 assume, esp. in default of knowledge; be inclined to think (I suppose they will return; what do you suppose he meant?). 2 take as a possibility or hypothesis (let us suppose you are right). 3 (in imper.) as a formula of proposal (suppose we go to the party). 4 (of a theory or result etc.) require as a condition (design in creation supposes a creator).

oo

f. suP-

= above]

supranational national limits. /"neeliti/ n.

|)su:pro'neJon(s)l,

,sju:-/ adj. transcending

00 supranationalism

n. supranationality

supraorbital /|,su:pro'o:bit(a)l, ,sju:-/ adj. situated above the orbit of the eye. suprarenal /,su:pro'ri:n(s)l,

sju:-/ adj. situated

above

the

kidneys.

supremacist /su:'premosist, sju:-/ n. & adj. —n. an advocate of the supremacy of a particular group, esp. determined by race or sex. —adj. relating to or advocating such supremacy. 00 supremacism n. supremacy /su:'premasi, sju:-/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state of being supreme. 2 the highest authority. 0 Act of Supremacy any Act of Parliament laying down the position of the sovereign as supreme head on earth of the Church of England (and excluding the authority of the pope) or supreme governor of England in spiritual and temporal matters, especially that of 1534. supreme |su:'pri:m, sju:-/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 highest in authority or rank. 2 greatest; most important. 3 (of a penalty or sacrifice etc.) involving death. —n. 1 a rich cream sauce. 2 a dish served in this. o the Supreme Being a name for God. Supreme Court the highest judicial court in a State etc. supreme pontiff see PONTIFF. Supreme Soviet see SOVIET. 00 supremely adv. supremeness n. [L supremus, superl. of superus that is above f. super above]

supréme |su:'prem] n. = SUPREME n. [F] supremo /su:'pri:mou, sju:-/ n. (pl. -os) 1 a supreme leader or Tuler. 2 a person in overall charge. [Sp., = SUPREME]

Supt. abbr. Superintendent. sur-! /s3:(r), so(r)/ prefix = SUPER- (surcharge; surrealism). [OF] sur-? /s3:(r), sa(r)/ prefix assim. form of sus- before r. sura /'suara/ n. (also surah) a chapter or section of the Koran. [Arab. siira] Surabaya /|\susre'bara/ a seaport and the principal naval base of Indonesia, capital of the province of East Java; pop. (1980) 2,027,900.

3: her

[partly

supra- |'su:pro, 'sju:-/ prefix 1 above. 2 beyond, transcending (supranational). [from or after L supra- f. supra above, beyond, before in time] supramaxillary /|,su:promek'silort, ,sju:-/ adj. of or relating to the upper jaw. supramundane |\su:pro'manden, ,sju:-/ adj. above or superior to the world.

supposedly |so'pouzidli/ adv. as is generally supposed.

e bed

n.

real. 00 supposititiously adv. supposititiousness n. [L supposititius, -icius f. supponere supposit- substitute (as suB- ponere place)] suppository /so'pozitart/ n. (pl. -ies) a medical preparation in the form of a cone, cylinder, etc., to be inserted into the rectum or vagina to melt. [ME f. med.L suppositorium, neut. of LL suppositorius placed underneath (as SUPPOSITITIOUS)] suppress /so'pres/ v.tr. 1 end the activity or existence of, esp. forcibly. 2 prevent (information, feelings, a reaction, etc.) from being seen, heard, or known (tried to suppress the report; suppressed a yawn). 3 a partly or wholly eliminate (electrical interference etc.). b equip (a device) to reduce such interference due to it. 4 Psychol. keep out of one’s consciousness. 00 suppressible adj. suppression n. suppressive adj. suppressor n. [ME f. L supprimere suppress- (aS SUB-, premere press)| suppressant /sa'pres(a)nt/ n. a suppressing or restraining agent, esp. a drug that suppresses the appetite. suppurate /'sapjorert/ vintr. 1 form pus. 2 fester. oo suppuration /-'re1{(2)n/ n. suppurative /-ratrv/ adj. [L suppurare (as SUB-, purare as PUS)] supra |'su:pro, 'sju:-/ adv. above or earlier on (in a book etc.). [L,

a be expected or required (was supposed to write to you). b (with neg.) not have to; not be allowed to (you are not supposed to go in there). O [suppose so an expression of hesitant agreement. o0 supposable adj. [ME f. OF supposer (as suB-, POSE})]

a:arm

suppositiousness

supposititious /so,poz1'tifas/ adj. spurious; substituted for the

5 (in imper. or pres. part. forming a question) in the circumstances that; if (suppose he won't let you; supposing we stay). 6 (as supposed adj.) generally accepted as being so; believed (his supposed brother; generally supposed to be wealthy). 7 (in passive; foll. by to + infin.)

z cat

adv.

POSITITIOUS, partlyf.SUPPOSITION + -OUS]

suppliant /'saplront/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 supplicating. 2 expressing supplication. —n. a supplicating person. 00 suppliantly adv. [ME f. F supplier beseech f. L (as SUPPLICATE)]

/|,sapo'zifss/ adj. hypothetical, assumed.

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i: see

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;

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Arun

o put

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0 ago

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surah surah |'sjvora/ n. a soft twilled silk for scarves etc. [F pronunc. of Surat in India, where it was orig. made]

sural /'sjuor(a)l/ adj. of or relating to the calf of the leg (sural artery). [mod.L suralis f. L sura calf] Surat /'suorat, so'ra:t/ a port in the State of Gujarat in west central India; pop. (1981) 913,000. Here the East India Company established its first trading post in 1612; Surat was a major city of India in the late 17th-18th c. surcease /|s3:'si:s/ n. & v. literary —n. a cessation. —v.intr. & tr. cease. [ME f. OF sursis, -ise (cf. AF sursise omission), past part. of OF surseoir refrain, delay f. L (as SUPERSEDE), with assim. to CEASE] surcharge n. & v. —n. |'sa:tfa:d3/ 1 an additional charge or payment. 2 a charge made by assessors as a penalty for false returns of taxable property. 3 a mark printed on a postage stamp changing its value. 4 an additional or excessive load. 5 Brit. an amount in an official account not passed by the auditor and having to be refunded by the person responsible. 6 the showing of an omission in an account for which credit should have been given. —v.tr. /'s3:tfa:dg, -'tfa:d3/ 1 exact a surcharge from. 2 exact (a sum) as a surcharge. 3 mark (a postage stamp) with a surcharge. 4 overload. 5 fill or saturate to excess. [ME f. OF surcharger (as suR-!, CHARGE)]

surcingle /'ss:,stng(s)l/ n. a band round a horse’s body usu. to keep a pack etc. in place. [ME f. OF surcengle (as sur-!, cengle girth f. L cingula f. cingere gird)] surcoat /|'s3:kout/ n. 1 hist. a loose robe worn over armour, esp. in the 13th-14th c. 2.a similar sleeveless garment worn as part of the insignia of an order of knighthood. 3 hist. an outer coat of rich material. [ME f. OF surcot (as sur-}, cot coat)] surculose |'s3:kjo,lous/ adj. Bot. producing suckers. [L surculosus f. surculus twig] surd /s3:d/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 Math. (of a number) irrational. 2 Phonet. (of a sound) uttered with the breath and not the voice (e.g. f, k, p, s, t). —n. 1 Math. a surd number, esp. the root of an integer. 2 Phonet. a surd sound. [L surdus deaf, mute: sense 1 by mistransl. into L of Gk alogos irrational, speechless, through Arab. jadr asamm deaf root] sure /fua(r), fo:(r)/ adj. & adv. —adj. 1 having or seeming to have adequate reason fora belief or assertion. 2 (often foll. by of, or that + clause) convinced. 3 (foll. by of) having a certain prospect or confident anticipation or satisfactory knowledge of. 4 reliable or unfailing (there is one sure way to find out). 5 (foll. by to + infin.) certain. 6 undoubtedly true or truthful. —adv. collog. certainly. O as sure as eggs is eggs see EGG!. as sure as fate quite certain. be sure (in imper. or infin.; foll. by that + clause or to + infin.) take care to; not fail to (be sure to turn the lights out). for sure collog. without doubt. make sure 1 make or become certain; ensure. 2 (foll. by of) establish the truth or ensure the existence or happening of. sure enough collog. 1 in fact; certainly. 2 with near certainty (they will come sure enough). sure-fire collog. certain

to succeed. sure-footed never stumbling or making a mistake. sure-footedly in a sure-footed way. sure-footedness being sure-footed. sure thing int. esp. US colloq. certainly. to be sure 1 it is undeniable or admitted. 2 it must be admitted. oo sureness n. [ME f. OF sur sure (earlier séur) f. L securus SECURE]

surely /'{uoli/ adv. 1 with certainty (the time approaches slowly but surely). 2 as an appeal to likelihood or reason (surely that can’t be right). 3 with safety; securely (the goat plants its feet surely). surety /'Juaritt, 'fuati/ n. (pl. -ies) 1a person who takes responsibility for another’s performance of an undertaking, e.g. to appear in court, or payment of a debt. 2 archaic a certainty. o of (or for) a surety archaic certainly. stand surety become a surety, go bail. 00 suretyship n. [ME f. OF surté, séurté f. L securitas -tatis SECURITY] surf /ss:f] n. & v. —n. 1 the swell of the sea breaking on the shore or reefs. 2 the foam produced by this. —v.intr. go surf-riding. 0 surf-casting fishing by casting a line into the sea from the shore. surf-riding the sport of being carried over the surf to the shore on a surfboard. Surfing or surf-riding originated in primitive societies living in coastal areas facing the open sea. It was a pastime for the peoples of the South Sea Islands before European mariners made their historic voyages, au how

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and was observed by Captain Cook in Tahiti in 1777. Body surfing (without a board) was practised by the early Hawaiians. o0 surfer n. surfy adj. [app. f. obs. suff, perh. assim. to surge: orig. applied to the Indian coast] surface /'ss:fis/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the outside of a material body. b the area of this. 2 any of the limits terminating a solid. 3 the upper boundary of a liquid or of the ground etc. 4 the outward aspect of anything; what is apparent on a casual view or con-

sideration (presents a large surface to view; all is quiet on the surface). 5 Geom. a set of points that has length and breadth but no thickness. 6 (attrib.) a of or on the surface (surface area). b superficial (surface politeness). —v. 1 tr. give the required surface

to (a road, paper, etc.). 2 intr. & tr. rise or bring to the surface. 3 intr. become visible or known. 4intr. collog. become conscious; wake up. Gc come to the surface become perceptible after being hidden. surface-active (of a substance, e.g. a detergent) able to affect the wetting properties of a liquid. surface mail mail carried over land and by sea, and not by air. surface noise extraneous noise in playing a gramophone record, caused by imperfections in the grooves. surface tension the tension of the surface-film of a liquid, tending to minimize its surface area. 00 surfaced adj. (usu. in comb.). surfacer n. [F (as suR-1, FACE)] surfactant /s3:'fekt(s)nt/ n. a substance which reduces surface tension. [surface-active] surfboard |/'s3:fbo:d/ n. a long narrow board used in surf-riding. surfeit /'s3:fit/n. & v. —n. 1 an excess esp. in eating or drinking. 2 a feeling of satiety or disgust resulting from this. —v. (surfeited, surfeiting) 1 tr. overfeed. 2 intr. overeat. 3 intr. & tr. (foll. by with) be or cause to be wearied through excess. [ME f. OF sorfe(i)t, surfe(i)t (as supER-, L facere fact- do)]

surficial /s3:'fi{(2)l/ adj. Geol. of or relating to the earth’s surface. 00 surficially adv. [SURFACE after superficial] surge /s3:d3/ n. & v. —n. 1a sudden or impetuous onset (a surge of anger). 2 the swell of the waves at sea. 3 a heavy forward or upward motion. 4 a rapid increase in price, activity, etc. over a short period. 5 a sudden marked increase in voltage of an electric current. —v.intr. 1 (of waves, the sea, etc.) rise and fail or move heavily forward. 2 (of a crowd etc.) move suddenly and powerfully forwards in large numbers. 3 (of an electric current etc.) increase suddenly. 4 Naut. (of a rope, chain, or windlass) slip back with a jerk. 0 surge chamber (or tank) a chamber designed to neutralize sudden changes of pressure in a flow of liquid. [OF sourdre sourge-, or sorgir f. Cat., f. L surgere rise] surgeon |'s3:d3(2)n/ n. 1 a medical practitioner qualified to practise surgery. 2 a medical officer in a navy or army or military hospital. 0 surgeon fish any tropical marine fish of the genus Acanthurus with movable lancet-shaped spines on each side of the tail. surgeon general (pl. surgeons general) US the head of a public health service or of an army etc. medical service. surgeon’s knot a reef-knot with a double twist. [ME f. AF surgien f. OF serurgien (as SURGERY)} surgery |'s3:dgor1/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the branch of medicine concerned with treatment of injuries or disorders of the body by incision, manipulation or alteration of organs etc., with the hands or with instruments. (See below.) 2 Brit. a a place where a doctor, dentist, etc., treats patients. b the occasion of this (the doctor will see you after surgery). 3 Brit. a a place where an MP,

lawyer, or other professional person gives advice. b the occasion of this. [ME f. OF surgerie f. L chirurgia f. Gk kheirourgia handiwork, surgery f. kheir hand + erg- work] The beginnings of surgery can be traced back to prehistoric times, when sharpened flints were used for opening abscesses, scarifying the skin, and for the serious operation of trepanning the skull. In the Middle Ages the practice of surgery became separated from that of medicine, largely because at different periods the Church forbade the practice of surgery by its clerics, who included not only those in monasteries (which played a great part in caring for the sick) but most educated doctors. Consequently surgery was left to barber-surgeons and other lowly practitioners, and for centuries the status of the surgeon was markedly inferior to that of the physician. In 1745 the Company of Surgeons was formed, becoming the Royal College of Surgeons in 1800. Advances in surgery in the 19th c. were

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caught unawares. 4 (attrib.) unexpected; made or done etc. without warning (a surprise visit). —v.tr. 1 affect with surprise; turn

made possible by overcoming two great problems—pain (see ANAESTHETIC), and infection (see ANTISEPTIC); an operation was no longer a desperate procedure undertaken only as a last

out contrary to the expectations of (your answer surprised me; I resort. In the 20th c. the technical efficiency of the surgeon has - surprised her by arriving early). 2 (usu. in passive; foll. by at) shock, scandalize (I am surprised at you). 3 capture or attack by surprise. been supplemented by a number of discoveries and techniques, 4 come upon (a person) unawares (surprised him taking a biscuit). including X-rays, safer anaesthetics, prompt replacement of 5 (foll. by into) startle (a person) by surprise into an action etc. blood and fluid loss, and effective antibiotics, while the present (surprised them into consenting). 0 take by surprise affect with high level of surgical skill is partly due to the high degree of surprise, esp. by an unexpected encounter or statement. 00 specialization which is one of the most striking features of surprisedly |-zidli/ adv. surprising adj. surprisingly adv. modern medicine. Recent advances include open-heart surgery, surprisingness n. [OF, fem. past part. of surprendre (as suR-1, cryosurgery, microsurgery, and the use of tomography. prendre f. L praehendere seize)] surgical /'s3:d31k(s)l/ adj. 1 of or relating to or done by surgeons surra |'suare, 'saro/ n. a febrile disease transmitted by bites of or surgery. 2 resulting from surgery (surgical fever). 3 a used in flies and affecting horses and cattle in the tropics. [Marathi] surgery. b (of a special garment etc.) worn to correct a deformity etc. osurgical spirit methylated spirit used in surgery for surreal /so'r1ol/ adj. 1 having the qualities of surrealism. 2 cleansing etc. 00 surgically adv. [earlier chirurgical f. chirurgy strange, bizarre. oO surreality /-!zlit1/ n. surreally adv. [backf. OF sirurgie: see SURGEON] form. f. SURREALISM etc.] suricate /'suortkert/ n. a South African burrowing mongoose, surrealism /so'r1o,liz(a)m/ n. a 20th-c. movement in art and Suricata suricatta, with grey and black stripes. [F f. S.Afr. native literature aiming at expressing the unconscious mind, e.g. by name] depicting the phenomena of dreams etc. and by the irrational Suriname /|,susri'n2m/ a country on the NE coast of South juxtaposition of images. (See below.) 00 surrealist n. & adj. America; pop. (est. 1988) 395,000; official language, Dutch; surrealistic /-'listik/ adj. surrealistically |-'listrkali/ adv. [F surcapital, Paramaribo. The climate is subtropical and the popuréalisme (as SUR-!, REALISM)] lation is largely concentrated on the coast. Suriname has large This influential European movement, which began in littimber resources, but the economy is chiefly dependent on erature with André Breton’s manifesto of 1924, belongs to the bauxite, which makes up over three-quarters of its exports. 1920s and 1930s, but its elements are found also in later Settled by the English in 1650, the country was ceded to the decades. It grew out of symbolism and Dada, and its participants Dutch in 1667 but twice returned to British control before (influenced by the ideas of Freud) sought to push beyond the finally reverting to The Netherlands in 1815. Known until 1948 accepted conventions of reality by representing in poetry and as Dutch Guiana, it attained a measure of autonomy in 1950 art the irrational imagery of dreams and the unconscious mind. and 1954 followed by full independence in 1975. 0 Suriname This the poets achieved by ‘automatic’ writing, setting down toad = pipA. OO Surinamer n. Surinamese /-'mi:z/ adj. & n. words unfettered by the conscious mind, while in the visual arts surrealism hovered between a fluid abstracting style anasurly |/'ss:li/ adj. (surlier, surliest) bad-tempered and logous to this (as in the works of Masson, Breton, Arp, Miro, unfriendly; churlish. 00 surlily adv. surliness n. [alt. spelling and Cocteau) and a more photographic style which relied on of obs. sirly haughty f. sir + -Ly}] deliberately ambiguous combinations of recognizable forms, surmise /so'maiz/n. & v. —n. a conjecture or suspicion about with Magritte and Dali creating a disorientating realist imagery the existence or truth of something. —-v. 1 tr. (often foll. by that often based on dreams, hallucination, and paranoia. The sur+ clause) infer doubtfully; make a surmise about. 2 tr. suspect realists readily experimented with new media: Ernst developed the existence of. 3 intr. make a guess. [ME f. AF & OF fem. past Dadaist collage and invented frottage (a rubbing process), while part. of surmettre accuse f. LL supermittere supermiss- (as SUPER-, Man Ray and others experimented with photography and phomittere send)] tomontage. In 1928 the collaboration of Dali and Bufuel on Un surmount /so'maunt/ v.tr. 1 overcome or get over (a difficulty Chien andalou initiated a phase of surrealist film-making. or obstacle). 2 (usu. in passive) cap or crown (peaks surmounted with snow). 00 surmountable adj. [ME f. OF surmonter (as sur-, MOUNT})}

surrebutter /,sar'bato(r)/ n. Law the plaintiffs reply to the

surmullet /s3:'malit/ n. the red mullet. [F surmulet f. OF sor red

surrejoinder |,sart'dzomda(r)/ n. Law the plaintiffs reply to the

+ mulet MULLET] surname /'s3:neim/n. & v. —n. 1a hereditary name common to all members of a family, as distinct from a Christian or

surrender /sa'renda(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. hand over; relinquish

defendant’s rebutter. [suR-! + REBUTTER, after SURREJOINDER] defendant’s rejoinder. [suR-! + REJOINDER] possession of, esp. on compulsion or demand; give into another’s power or control. 2 intr. a accept an enemy’s demand for submission. b give oneself up; cease from resistance; submit. 3 intr. & refl. (foll. by to) give oneself over to a habit, emotion, influence, etc. 4 tr. give up rights under (a life-insurance policy) in return for a smaller sum received immediately. 5 tr. give up (a lease) before its expiry. 6 tr. abandon (hope etc.). —n. the act or an instance of surrendering. oO surrender to bail duly appear in a lawcourt after release on bail. surrender value the amount payable to one who surrenders alife-insurance policy. [ME f. AF f. OF surrendre (as suR-}, RENDER)]

first name. 2 archaic an additional descriptive or allusive name attached to a person, sometimes becoming hereditary. —-v.tr. 1 give a surname to. 2 give (a person a surname). 3 (as surnamed adj.) having as a family name. [ME, alt. of surnoun f. AF (as sur-!}, NOUN name)] surpass /|so'pa:s/ v.tr. 1 outdo, be greater or better than. 2 (as surpassing adj.) pre-eminent, matchless (of surpassing intelligence). 00 surpassingly adv. [F surpasser (as sur-!, pAss*)]

surplice /'s3:plis/ n. a loose white linen vestment reaching the knees, worn over a cassock by clergy and choristers at services. oo surpliced adj. [ME f. AF surplis, OF sourpelis, f. med.L superpellicium (as SUPER-, pellicia PELISSE)] surplus /'s3:plos/ n. & adj. —n. 1 an amount left over when requirements have been met. 2 a an excess of revenue over expenditure in a given period, esp. a financial year (opp. DEFICIT). b the excess value of a company’s assets over the face value of its stock. —adj. exceeding what is needed or used. 0 surplus value Econ. the difference between the value of work done and wages paid. [ME f. AF surplus, OF s(o)urplus f. med.L superplus (as SUPER-, + plus more)] surprise /so'praiz/n. & v. —n. 1 an unexpected or astonishing event or circumstance, 2 the emotion caused by this. 3 the act of catching a person etc. unawares, or the process of being

b but

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surreptitious /,sarap'ti{as/ adj. 1 covert; kept secret. 2 done by stealth; clandestine. 00. surreptitiously adv. surreptitiousness n. [ME f. L surrepticius -itius f. surripere surrept(as suR-}, rapere seize)]

Surrey /'sari/ a county of SE England; pop. (1981) 1,017,000; county town, Guildford. surrey |'sari/ n. (pl: surreys) US a light four-wheeled carriage with two seats facing forwards. [orig. of an adaptation of the Surrey cart, orig. made in Surrey in England] surrogate /'saragot/ n. 1 a substitute, esp. for a person in a specific role or office. 2 Brit. a deputy, esp. of a bishop in granting marriage licences. 3 US a judge in charge of probate, inheritance, and guardianship. 0 surrogate mother 1a person acting the

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role of mother. 2 a woman who bears a child on behalf of another woman, from her own egg fertilized by the other woman's partner. 00 surrogacy n. surrogateship n. [L surrogatus past part. of surrogare elect as a substitute (as sur-}, rogare ask)] surround /|so'raund/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 come or be all round; encircle, enclose. 2 (in passive; foll. by by, with) have on all sides (the house is surrounded by trees). —n. 1 Brit. a a border or edging, esp. an area between the walls and carpet of a room. b a floorcovering for this. 2 an area or substance surrounding something. oO surrounding adj. [ME = overflow, f. AF sur(o)under, OF s(o)uronder f. LL superundare (as suPER-, undare flow f. unda wave)] surroundings /|so'raund:nz/ n.pl. the things in the neighbourhood of, or the conditions affecting, a person or thing. — surtax /'s3:teks/ n. & v. —n. an additional tax, esp. levied on incomes above a certain level. —v.tr. impose a surtax on. [F surtaxe (as suR-}, TAX)]

Surtees /'ss:ti:z/, Robert Smith (1805-64), English journalist and novelist, who built up a reputation as a sporting journalist with his comic sketches of Mr Jorrocks, the sporting Cockney grocer, collected in Jorrocks’s Jaunts and Jollities (1838). His second great character, Mr Soapy Sponge, appears in Mr Sponge’s Sporting Tour (1853), and the celebrated Mr Facey Romford in his last novel Mr Facey Romford’s Hounds (1865). These works deal convincingly with the characteristic aspects of English fox-hunting society and the illustrations by Leech, Alken, and Phiz have contributed to their success. surtitle /'ss:,tart(s)l/ n. (esp. in opera) each of a sequence of captions projected above the stage, translating the text being

sung. surtout /s3:'tu:, -'tu:t/ n. hist. a greatcoat or frock-coat. [F f. sur over + tout everything] Surtsey /'s3:ts1/ a small island to the south of Iceland, which rose from the sea during a volcanic eruption in 1963. surveillance /ss:'verions/ n. close observation, esp. of a suspected person. [F f. surveiller (as sur-, veiller f. L vigilare keep watch)] survey v. & n. —v.tir. /so'ver/ 1 take or present a generai view of. 2 examine the condition of (a building etc.). 3 determine the boundaries, extent, ownership, etc., of (a district etc.). —n. |'s3:ver/ 1 a general view or consideration of something. 2 a the act of surveying property. b the result or findings of this, esp. in a written report. 3 an inspection or investigation. 4 a map or plan made by surveying an area. 5 a department carrying out the surveying of land. [ME f. AF survei(e)r, OF so(u)rveeir (pres. stem survey-) f. med.L supervidére (as suUPER-, vidére see)] surveyor /so'veto(r)/ n. 1 a person who surveys land and buildings, esp. professionally. 2 Brit. an official inspector, esp. for measurement and valuation. 3 a person who carries out surveys. O00 surveyorship n. (esp. in sense 2). [ME f. AF & OF surve(i)our (as SURVEY)]

survival /so'varv(s)l/ n. 1 the process or an instance of surviving. 2 a person, thing, or practice that has remained from a former time. 0 survival kit emergency rations etc., esp. carried by servicemen. survival of the fittest the process or result of natural selection. survive /so'varv/ v. 1 intr. continue to live or exist; be still alive or existent. 2 tr. live or exist longer than. 3 tr. remain alive after going through, or continue to exist in spite of (a danger, accident, etc.). [ME f. AF survivre, OF sourvivre f. L supervivere (as SUPER, vivere live)] survivor /ss'varva(r)/ n. 1 a person who survives or has survived. 2 Law a joint tenant who has the right to the whole estate on the other’s death. Surya /'suorta/ Hinduism one of several solar deities in the Vedic religion. He became the sun-god of later Hindu mythology. [Skr., = sun]

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Susanna /su:'zzno/ a book of the Apocrypha telling of the false accusation of adultery brought against Susanna, a woman of Babylon, by the two elders, her condemnation, and her final deliverance by the sagacity of Daniel.

susceptibility /so,septi'biliti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state of being susceptible. 2 (in pl.) a person’s sensitive feelings. 3 Physics the ratio of magnetization to a magnetizing force.

susceptible /so'septib(s)l/ adj. 1 impressionable, sensitive; easily moved by emotion. 2 (predic.) a (foll. by to) likely to be affected by; liable or vulnerable to (susceptible to pain). b (foll. by of) allowing; admitting of (facts not susceptible of proof). oo susceptibly adv. [LL susceptibilis f. L suscipere suscept- (as SUB-, capere take)} susceptive /|so'septrv/ adj. 1 concerned with the receiving of emotional impressions or ideas. 2 receptive. 3 = SUSCEPTIBLE. [LL susceptivus (as SUSCEPTIBLE)] sushi /'su:f1/ n. a Japanese dish of balls of cold rice flavoured and garnished. [Jap.] ;

suslik /'saslik/ n. an E. European and Asian ground squirrel, Citeilus citellus. [Russ.] suspect v., n., & adj. —v.tr. /sa'spekt/ 1 have an impression of the existence or presence of (suspects poisoning). 2 (foll. by to be) believe tentatively, without clear ground. 3 (foll. by that + clause) be inclined to think. 4 (often foll. by of) be inclined to mentally accuse; doubt the innocence of (suspect him of complicity). 5 doubt the genuineness or truth of. —n. /'saspekt/ a suspected person. —adj. |'saspekt/ subject to or deserving suspicion or distrust; not sound or trustworthy. [ME f. L suspicere suspect- (as SUB-, specere look)] suspend /so'spend| v.tr. 1 hang up. 2 keep inoperative or undecided for a time; defer. 3 debar temporarily from a function, office, privilege, etc. 4 (as suspended adj.) (of solid particles or a body in a fluid medium) sustained somewhere between top and bottom. 0 suspended animation a temporary cessation of the vital functions without death. suspended sentence a judicial sentence left unenforced subject to good behaviour during a specified period. suspend payment (of a company) fail to meet its financial engagements; admit insolvency. oO suspensible adj. [ME f. OF suspendre or L suspendere suspens- (as SUB-, pendere hang)] suspender /|so'spenda(r)/ n. 1. an attachment to hold up a stocking or sock by its top. 2 (in pl.) US a pair of braces. 0 suspender belt a woman’s undergarment with suspenders. suspense /so'spens/ n. 1 a state of anxious uncertainty or expectation. 2 Law a suspension; the temporary cessation of a right etc. 0 keep in suspense delay informing (a person) of urgent information. suspense account an account in which items are entered temporarily before allocation to the right account. 00 suspenseful adj. [ME f. AF & OF suspens f. past part. of L suspendere SUSPEND]

suspension /so'spenf(s)n/ n. 1 the act of suspending or the condition of being suspended. 2 the means by which a vehicle is supported on its axles. 3 a substance consisting of particles suspended in a medium. 4 Mus. the prolongation of a note of a chord to form a discord with the following chord. 0 suspension bridge a bridge with a roadway suspended from cables supported by structures at each end. (See BRIDGE}.) [F suspension or L suspensio (as SUSPEND)] suspensive /so'spensrv/ adj. 1 having the power or tendency to suspend or postpone. 2 causing suspense. 00 suspensively adv. suspensiveness n. [F suspensif -ive or med.L suspensivus (as SUSPEND)] suspensory /so'spensori/ adj. (of a ligament, muscle, bandage, etc.) holding an organ etc. suspended. [F suspensoire (as SUSPENSION)} who suspects. 2 the act or an instance of suspecting; the state of being suspected. 3 (foll. by of) a slight trace of. 0 above suspicion too obviously good etc. to be suspected. under sus-

sus var. of suss. sus- /sas, sos/ prefix assim. form of suB- before c, p, t. z.zoo

Susa /'su:sa/ an ancient city of SW Iran, the capital of Elam and later of Persia in Achaemenid times.

suspicion /so'sp1{(9)n/ n. 1 the feeling or thought of a person

Sus. abbr. Susanna (Apocrypha).

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Swahili

1458

used for this. 2 the seamlike junction of two bones, esp. in the skull. 3 Bot. & Zool. a similar junction of parts. —v.tr. Surgery stitch up (a wound or incision) with a suture. 00 sutural adj. suspicious /so'spifos/ adj. 1 prone to or feeling suspicion. 2 indicating suspicion (a suspicious glance). 3 inviting or justifying - sutured adj. [F suture or L sutura f. suere sut- sew] Suva |'su:va/ the capital of Fiji, situated on the island of Viti suspicion (a suspicious lack of surprise). 00 suspiciously adv. Levu; pop. (1986) 71,600. suspiciousness n. [ME f. AF & OF f. L suspiciosus (as SUSPICION)] suzerain |'su:zoroen/ n. 1 a feudal overlord. 2 a sovereign or suss /sas/ v. & n. (also sus) Brit. sl. —v.tr. (sussed, sussing) 1 State having some control over another State that is internally suspect of a crime. 2 (usu. foll. by out) a investigate, inspect (go autonomous. oo suzerainty n. [F, app. f. sus above f. L su(r)sum and suss out the restaurants). b work out; grasp, understand, realize upward, after souverain SOVEREIGN] (he had the market sussed). —n. 1 a suspect. 2 a suspicion; suspicious behaviour. 0 on suss on suspicion (of having committed S.v. abbr. 1 a side valve. 2 (in a reference) under the word or a crime). [abbr. of SUSPECT, SUSPICION] heading given. [sense 2 f. L sub voce (or verbo)] Sussex |/'sastks/ a former county of southern England, now Svalbard /'sva:lba:d/ a group of islands, comprising Spitsdivided into East Sussex and West Sussex. —n. 1a speckled or bergen and other groups, in the Arctic Ocean about 640 km red domestic fowl of an English breed. 2 this breed. (400 miles) north of Norway, to which country they have belonged since 1925. There are important coal and mineral sustain /so'stern/ v.tr. 1 support, bear the weight of, esp. for a deposits. long period. 2 give strength to; encourage, support. 3 (of food) give nourishment to. 4 endure, stand; bear up against. 5 svelte /svelt/ adj. slender, lissom, graceful. [F f. It. svelto] undergo or suffer (defeat or injury etc.). 6 (of a court etc.) uphold Svengali /sven'ga:li/ the name of a character in George du or decide in favour of (an objection etc.). 7 substantiate or Maurier’s novel Trilby (1894). He is a musician who trains Trilby’s corroborate (a statement or charge). 8 maintain or keep (a voice and controls her stage singing through hypnotic power; sound, effort, etc.) going continuously. 9 continue to represent his influence over her is such that when he dies her voice (a part, character, etc.) adequately. o osustainable adj. collapses and she loses her eminence. sustainedly /-nidli/ adv. sustainer n. sustainment n. [ME f. AF Sverdlovsk /svead'lpfsk/ a city of the Soviet Union, in the sustein-, OF so(u)stein- stressed stem of so(u)stenir f. L sustinére eastern foothills of the Ural Mountains; pop. (est. 1987) sustent- (as SUB-, tenére hold)] 1,331,000. It was founded by Peter the Great in 1721 and named sustenance /'sastinons/n. 1 a nourishment, food. b the process Ekaterinburg after his wife Catherine (Russian Ekaterina). The of nourishing. 2 a means of support; a livelihood. [ME f. AF Czar Nicholas II and his family were held prisoner here after sustenaunce, OF so(u)stenance (as SUSTAIN)] the revolution of 1917 and killed in 1918. The city was renamed picion suspected. [ME f. AF suspeciun (OF sospecon) f. med.L suspectio -onis f. L suspicere (as SUSPECT): assim. to F suspicion & L suspicio]

sustentation /,saston'te1{(9)n/ n. formal 1 the support of life. 2 maintenance. [ME f. OF sustentation or L sustentatio f. sustentare frequent. of sustinére SUSTAIN] susurration /,sju:so'rer{(a)n, ,;su:-/ n. (also susurrus /sju:'saras, su:-/) literary a sound of whispering or rustling. [ME f. LL susurratio f. L susurrare]

Sutherland! /'sadalend/, Graham (1903-80), English painter. During the Second World War he was an official war artist, producing poignant pictures of ruined and shattered buildings. Among his portraits are those of Somerset Maugham and the controversial portrait of Sir Winston Churchill (destroyed by Churchill’s family). Religious works include the Crucifixion for St Matthew’s, Northampton (1944) and the tapestry, a figure of Christ in Glory, for the rebuilt Coventry Cathedral (1954~7).

Sutherland?

/'sadalond/, Dame Joan (1926-

), Australian

operatic soprano, noted for her performances in dramatic coloratura roles. She scored an enormous success in 1959 in the title role of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor.

Sutlej /'satlid3/ a river that rises in SW Tibet and flows west through the Indian States of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab before entering Pakistan (Punjab province), where it joins the Chenab River to form the Panjnad. It is one of the ‘five rivers’ that gave Punjab its name. sutler /'satlo(r)/ n. hist. a person following an army and selling provisions etc. to the soldiers. [obs. Du. soeteler f. soetelen befoul, perform mean duties, f. Gmc] Sutra /'su:tra/ n. 1 an aphorism or set of aphorisms in Hindu literature. 2 a narrative part of Buddhist literature. 3 Jainist scripture. [Skr. siitra thread, rule, f. siv sew] suttee /sa'ti:, 'sati/ n. (also sati) (pl. suttees or satis) esp. hist. 1 the Hindu practice of a widow immolating herself on her husband’s funeral pyre. 2a widow who undergoes or has undergone this. [Hindi & Urdu f. Skr. sati faithful wife f. sat good]

Sutton Hoo /sat(o)n ‘hu:/ an estate in Suffolk, site of a group of barrows, one of which was found (1939) to cover the remains of a Saxon ship burial (or perhaps a cenotaph; no body was discovered) of the 7th c. aD. The timbers had decayed and only their impression was left in the soil, with the iron bolts still in place, and in the centre was a magnificent collection of grave goods, including exotic jewellery, an iron standard, decorated shield, bronze helmet, and Merovingian gold coins. suture /'su:t{a(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 Surgery a the joining of the edges of a wound or incision by stitching. b the thread or wire

z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

in 1924 after a Communist leader.

SW abbr. 1 south-west. 2 south-western. swab /swob/n. & v. (also swob) —n. 1a mop or other absorbent device for cleaning or mopping up. 2 a an absorvent pad used in surgery. b a specimen of a possibly morbid secretion taken with a swab for examination. 3 sl. a term of contempt for a person. —v.tr. (swabbed, swabbing) 1 clean with a swab. 2 (foll. by up) absorb (moisture) with a swab. [back-form. f. swabber f. early mod.Du. zwabber f. a Gmc base = ‘splash, sway’]

Swabia /'swerbia/ a former German duchy (German Schwaben). The region is now divided between Germany, Switzerland, and France. 00 Swabian adj. & n. swaddle /'swod(a)l/ v.tr. swathe (esp. an infant) in garments or bandages etc. 0 swaddling-clothes narrow bandages formerly wrapped round a newborn child to restrain its movements and quieten it. [ME f. swATHE + -LE4] swag /sweg/n. & v. —n. 1 sl. a the booty carried off by burglars etc. b illicit gains. 2 a an ornamental festoon of flowers etc. b a carved etc. representation of this. ¢ drapery of similar appearance. 3 Austral. & NZ a traveller’s or miner’s bundle of personal belongings. —v. (swagged, swagging) 1 tr. arrange (a curtain etc.) in swags. 2 intr. a hang heavily. b sway from side to side. 3 tr. cause to sway or sag. [16th c.: prob. f. Scand] swage /sweid3/n. & v. —n. 1a die or stamp for shaping wrought iron etc. by hammering or pressure. 2 a tool for bending metal etc. —v.tr. shape with a swage. 0 swage-block a block with various perforations, grooves, etc., for shaping metal. [F s(o)uage decorative groove, of unkn. orig.] Swagger |'swzga(r)/ v., n., & adj. —v.intr. 1 walk arrogantly or self-importantly. 2 behave arrogantly; be domineering. —n. 1 a swaggering gait or manner. 2 swaggering behaviour. 3 a dashing or confident air or way of doing something. 4 smartness. —adj. 1 collog. smart or fashionable. 2 (of a coat) cut with a loose flare from the shoulders. 0 swagger stick a short cane carried by a military officer. 00 swaggerer n. swaggeringly adv. [app. f. SwaG v. + -ER4] swagman /'swegmen| n. (pl. -men) Austral. & NZ a tramp carrying a swag (see swaG n. 3).

Swahili /swo'hi:l, swa:'hi:lr/ n. (pl. same) 1a member of a Bantu

people of Zanzibar and adjacent coasts. 2 their language, a Bantu language of the Niger-Congo group with a vocabulary heavily influenced by Arabic. It is the most important language in East Africa, spoken also in the central and southern regions

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

wu put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

swain

and expanding rapidly to the west and north, and while it is the first language of only about a million people it is used as a common language by about 20 million who speak different mother tongues. It is the official language of Kenya and Tanzania. [Arab. sawahil pl. of sahil coast] swain /swein| n. 1 archaic a country youth. 2 poet. a young lover or suitor. [ME swein f. ON sveinn lad = OE swan swineherd, f. Gmc]

swallow! /'swolou/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. cause or allow (food etc.) to pass down the throat. 2 intr. perform the muscular movement of the oesophagus required to do this. 3 tr. a accept meekly; put up with (an affront etc.). b accept credulously (an unlikely assertion etc.). 4 tr. repress; resist the expression of (a feeling etc.) (swallow one’s pride). 5 tr. articulate (words etc.) indistinctly. 6 tr. (often foll. by up) engulf or absorb; exhaust; cause to disappear. —n. 1 the act of swallowing. 2 an amount swallowed in one action. 0 swallow-hole Brit. = sink-hole (see sINK n. 6). a0 swallowable adj. swallower n. [OE swelg (n.), swelgan (v.) f. Gmc]

swallow? /'swolsu/ n. any of various migratory swift-flying insect-eating birds of the family Hirundinidae, esp. Hirundo rustica, with a forked tail and long pointed wings. 0 one swallow does not make a summer a warning against a hasty inference from one instance. swallow-dive a dive with the arms outspread until close to the water. swallow-tail 1 a deeply forked tail. 2 anything resembling this shape. 3 any butterfly of the family Papilionidae with wings extended at the back to this shape. swallow-tailed having a swallow-tail. [OE swealwe f. Gmc] swam past of swim. swami |'swa:m1/ n. (pl. swamis) a Hindu male religious teacher. [Hindi swami master, prince, f. Skr. svamin] Swammerdam |'swa:mo,dem/, Jan (1637-80), one of a number of Dutch investigators into what is now called biology. Qualified in medicine, he preferred to commit himself to research, and worked extensively on insects, describing their anatomy and life histories and classifying them into four groups. A pioneer in the use of lenses, he was the first to observe red blood cells; other work included an elegant demonstration of the fact that muscles do not change in volume during motion. swamp /swomp/ n. & v. —n. a piece of waterlogged ground; a bog or marsh. —v. 1 a tr. overwhelm, flood, or soak with water. b intr. become swamped. 2 tr. overwhelm or make invisible etc. with an excess or large amount of something. 00 swampy adj. (swampier, swampiest). [17th c., = dial. swamp sunk (14th c.), prob. of Gmc orig.] Swan /swonj, Sir Joseph Wilson (1828-1914), English physicist and chemist, a pioneer of electric lighting. In 1860 he devised an electric light-bulb consisting of a carbon filament inside a glass bulb, and for nearly twenty years worked to perfect it. He formed a partnership in 1883 with the American inventor, Edison, to manufacture the bulbs. Swan also devised a dry photographic plate and (in 1878) bromide paper for the printing of negatives.

swan /swon/n. & v. —n. 1a large water-bird of the genus Cygnus etc., having a long flexible neck, webbed feet, and in most species snow-white plumage. 2 literary a poet. —v.intr. (swanned, swanning) (usu. foll. by about, off, etc.) collog. move or go aimlessly or casually or with a superior air. 0 swan-dive US = swallow-dive (see SWALLOW?). swan-neck a curved structure shaped like a swan’s neck. Swan of Avon literary Shakespeare. swan-upping Brit. the annua! taking up and marking of Thames swans. 00 swanlike adj. & adv. [OE f. Gmc] swank jswenk| n., v., & adj. collog. —n. ostentation, swagger,

bluff. —v.intr. behave with swank; show off. —adj. esp. US = SWANKY. [19th c.: orig. uncert.]

swankpot |'swenkpot/ n. Brit. collog. a person behaving with swank.

swanky |'swenki/ adj. (swankier, swankiest)

1 marked by

swank; ostentatiously smart or showy. 2 (of a person) inclined to swank; boastful. 00 swankily adv. swankiness n. swannery |'swonor!/ n. (pl. -ies) a place where swans are bred. av how

sway

1459

er day

av no

eo hair

1a near

o1 boy

va poor

swansdown /'swonzdaon| n. 1 the fine down of a swan, used in trimmings and esp. in powder-puffs. 2 a kind of thick cotton cloth with a soft nap on one side. Swansea |'swonzi/ a city in South Wales, at the mouth of the River Tawe; pop. (1981) 167,800. swansong |'swonspp/ n. 1 a person’s last work or act before death or retirement etc. 2 a song like that fabled to be sung by a dying swan. swap /|swop/ v. & n. (also swop) —v.tr. & intr. (swapped, swapping) exchange or barter (one thing for another). —n. 1 an act of swapping. 2 a thing suitable for swapping. 3 a thing swapped. 00 swapper n. [ME, orig. = ‘hit’: prob. imit.]

SWAPO

|'swa:pou/ abbr. South West Africa People’s Organ-

ization, an organization formed in Namibia in 1964-6 from a combination of existing nationalist groups after the South African government began to try to extend formal authority in the region: Driven from the country, SWAPO began a guerrilla campaign, operating largely from neighbouring Angola.

Swaraj /swe'ra:d3/ n. hist. self-government or independence for India. 00 Swarajist n. [Skr., = self-ruling: cf. Raj] sward /swo:d/ n. literary 1 an expanse of short grass. 2 turf. 00 swarded adj. [OE sweard skin] sware /swea(r)/ archaic past of SWEAR. swarf /swo:f/ n. 1 fine chips or filings of stone, metal, etc. 2 wax etc. removed in cutting a gramophone record. [ON svarf file-dust] swarm! /swo:m/n. & v. —n. 1a cluster of bees leaving the hive with the queen to establish a new colony. 2 a large number of insects or birds moving in a cluster. 3 a large group of people, esp. moving over or filling a large area. 4 (in pl.; foll. by of) great numbers. 5 a group of zoospores. —v.intr. 1 move in or form a swarm. 2 gather or move in large numbers. 3 (foll. by with) (of a place) be overrun, crowded, or infested (was swarming with tourists). [OE swearm f. Gmc] swarm |swo:m] v.intr. (foll. by up) & tr. climb (a rope or tree etc.), esp. in a rush, by clasping or clinging with the hands and knees etc. [16th c.: orig. unkn.] swart /swo:t/ adj. archaic swarthy, dark-hued. [OE sweart f. Gmc] swarthy /'swo:d1/ adj. (swarthier, swarthiest) dark, dark-complexioned. 00 swarthily adv. swarthiness n. [var. of obs. swarty (as SWART)]

swash! /swoJ/v. & n. —v. 1 intr. (of water etc.) wash about; make the sound of washing or rising and falling. 2 tr. archaic strike violently. 3 intr. archaic swagger. —n. the motion or sound of swashing water. [imit.] swash? |swoJ/ adj. 1 inclined obliquely. 2 (of a letter) having a flourished stroke or strokes. 0 swash-plate an inclined disc revolving on an axle and giving reciprocating motion to a part in contact with it. [17th c.: orig. unkn.]

swashbuckler /'swof,baklo(r)/ n. a swaggering bully or ruffian. oo swashbuckling adj. & n. [SwASH! + BUCKLER] swastika /'swostika/ n. 1 an ancient symbol formed by an equal-armed cross with each arm continued at a right angle. 2 this with clockwise continuations as the symbol of Nazi Germany. [Skr. svastika f. svasti well-being f. st’ good + asti being] swat /swot/ v. & n. —v.tr. (swatted, swatting) 1 crush (a fly etc.) with a sharp blow. 2 hit hard and abruptly. —n. a swatting blow. [17th c. in the sense ‘sit down’: N.Engl. dial. & US var. of SQUAT]

swatch /swot//n. 1a sample, esp. of cloth or fabric. 2a collection of samples. [17th c.: orig. unkn.]

swath /swo:6/ n. (also swathe /swe1d/) (pl. swaths /swo:0s, swo:ds/ or swathes) 1 a ridge of grass or corn etc. lying after being cut. 2 a space left clear after the passage of a mower etc. 3 a broad strip. 0 cut a wide swath be effective in destruction. [OE sweth, swathu] swathe /sweid/ v. & n. —v.tr. bind or enclose in bandages or garments etc. —n. a bandage or wrapping. [OE swathian] swatter /'swoto(r)/ n. an implement for swatting flies. sway |swei/ v. & n.

—v.

1 intr. & tr. lean or cause to lean

unsteadily in different directions alternately. 2 intr. oscillate irregularly; waver. 3 tr. a control the motion or direction of. b

aro fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

Swazi

sweep

1460

yellow-fleshed turnip, Brassica napus, orig. from Sweden. [MLG & MDu. Swede, prob. f. ON Svithjéth f. Sviar Swedes + thjoth people]

have influence or rule over. —n. 1 rule, influence, or government (hold sway). 2 a swaying motion or position. oO sway-back an abnormally hollowed back (esp. of a horse); lor-

Sweden |'swi:d(2)n/ a country occupying the eastern part of

dosis. sway-backed (esp. of a horse) having a sway-back. [ME: cf. LG swajen be blown to and fro, Du. zwaaien swing, wave]

the Scandinavian peninsula; pop. (est. 1988) 8,393,000, official language, Swedish; capital, Stockholm. Its Germanic and Gothic

Swazi |'swa:zi/n. 1a member of a people of mixed stock inhabiting Swaziland and parts of eastern Transvaal in the Republic of South Africa. 2 their language, of the Niger-Congo group, an official language of Swaziland. [Mswati, name of a former king of the Swazi]

inhabitants took part in the Viking raids. Originally united in the 12th c., Sweden formed part of the Union of Kalmar with

Swaziland |'swa:z1,lend/ a small landlocked country of south-

two centuries saw the country’s rise and fall as the prominent Baltic power, influence on the European mainland peaking dur-

Denmark and Norway from 1397 until its re-emergence as an

independent State under Gustavus Vasa in 1523. The following

ern Africa, bounded by Transvaal, Natal, and Mozambique; pop. (est. 1988) 735,300; official languages, Swazi and English; capital, Mbabane. The country takes its name from the Swazis who occupied it from the mid-18thc. It was a South African protectorate from 1894 and came under British rule in 1902 after the second Boer War. In 1968 it became a fully independent kingdom within the Commonwealth. swear /swea(r)/ v. & n. —v. (past swore /swo:(r)/; past part. sworn /swo:n]) 1 tr. a (often foll. by to + infin. or that + clause) state or promise solemnly or on oath. b take (an oath). 2 tr. collog. say emphatically; insist (swore he had not seen it). 3 tr. cause to take an oath (swore them to secrecy). 4 intr. (often foll. by at) use profane or indecent language, esp. as an expletive or from anger. 5 tr. (often foll. by against) make a sworn affirmation of (an offence) (swear treason against). 6 intr. (foll. by by) a appeal to as a witness in taking an oath (swear by Almighty God). b collog. have or express great confidence in (swears by yoga). 7 intr. (foll. by to; usu. in neg.) admit the certainty of (could not swear to it). 8 intr. (foll. by at) collog. (of colours etc.) fail to harmonize with. —n. a spell of swearing. 0 swear blind collog. affirm emphatically. swear in induct into office etc. by administering an oath. swear off colloq. promise to abstain from (drink etc.). swear-word a profane or indecent word, esp. uttered as an expletive. 00 swearer n. [OE swerian f. Gmc, rel. to ANSWER] sweat /swet/n. & v. —n. 1 moisture exuded through the pores of the skin, esp. from heat or nervousness. 2 a state or period of sweating. 3 collog. a state of anxiety (was in a sweat about it). 4 collog. a drudgery, effort. b a laborious task or undertaking. 5 condensed moisture on a surface. —v. (past and past part. sweated or US sweat) 1 intr. exude sweat; perspire. 2 intr. be terrified, suffering, etc. 3 intr. (of a wall etc.) exhibit surface moisture. 4 intr. drudge, toil. 5 tr. heat (meat or vegetables) slowly in fat or water to extract the juices. 6 tr. emit (blood, gum, etc.) like sweat. 7 tr. make (a horse, athlete, etc.) sweat by exercise. 8 tr. a cause to drudge or toil. b (as sweated adj.) (of goods, workers, or labour) produced by or subjected to long hours under poor conditions. 9 tr. subject (hides or tobacco) to fermentation in manufacturing. 0 by the sweat of one’s brow by one’s own hard work. no sweat collog. there is no need to worry. sweat-band a band of absorbent material inside a hat or round a wrist etc. to soak up sweat. sweat blood collog. 1 work strenuously. 2 be extremely anxious. sweat gland Anat. a spiral tubular gland below the skin secreting sweat. sweating-sickness an epidemic fever with sweating prevalent in England in the 15th—-16th c. sweat it out collog. endure a difficult experience to the end. [ME swet(e), alt. (after swete v. f. OE swétan OHG sweizzen roast) of swote f. OE swat f. Gmc] sweater /'sweta(r)/ n. 1 a jersey or pullover of a kind worn before, during, or after exercise, or as an informal garment. 2 an employer who works employees hard in poor conditions for low pay. sweatshirt /'swet{3:t/ n. a sleeved cotton sweater of a kind worn by athletes before and after exercise.

sweatshop /'swet{pp/ n. a workshop where sweated labour is used. sweatsuit /'swetsu:t, -sju:t/ n. a suit of a sweatshirt and loose trousers, as worn by athletes etc. sweaty /|'swet1/ adj. (sweatier, sweatiest) 1 sweating; covered with sweat. 2 causing sweat. 00 sweatily adv. sweatiness n. Swede /swi:d/ n. 1 a a native or national of Sweden. b a person of Swedish descent. 2 (swede) (in full swede turnip) a large

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

ing the reign of Gustavus Adolphus in the early 17thc. and collapsing following the defeat of Charles XII in the Great Northern War at the beginning of the 18th c. Between 1814 and 1905, Sweden was united with Norway. She maintained her neutrality in the two World Wars, while her economy prospered through increasing industrialization, and the political hegemony of the Social Democratic party led to the creation of an extensive system of social security.

Swedenborg /'swi:don,bo:g/, Emanuel (1688-1772), Swedish scientist and mystical thinker. Endowed with unusual mental fertility and inventiveness and considerable mathematical ability, he anticipated many subsequent hypotheses and discoveries (nebular theory, magnetic theory, machine-gun, aeroplane), and is also claimed as the founder of crystallography. As time went on he became increasingly concerned to show by scientific means the fundamentally spiritual structure of the universe. In 1743-5 he became conscious of visions both in dreams and while awake, and felt called to make known his doctrines to mankind at large. He spent the rest of his life writing assiduously, with doctrines that were a blend of pantheism and theosophy, and maintaining his scientific interests to the end. Swedenborg himself wished his teaching to be propagated within existing Churches but his followers set up an independent body, the New Jerusalem Church. The movement is especially strong in Lancashire.

Swedish /'swi:dif/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to Sweden or its people or language. —n. the official language of Sweden, spoken by its 8 million inhabitants, by another 300,000 in Finland (where it is one of the two official languages), and by 600,000 in the US. It belongs to the Scandinavian language group. Sweeney /'swi:n1/ n. (prec. by the) Brit. sl. the members of a flying squad. [rhyming sl. f. Sweeney Todd, a barber who murdered his customers] sweep /swi:p/ v. & n. —v. (past and past part. swept /swept/) 1 tr. clean or clear (a room or area etc.) with or as with a broom. 2 intr. (often foll. by up) clean a room etc. in this way. 3 tr. (often foll. by up) collect or remove (dirt or litter etc.) by sweeping. 4 tr. (foll. by aside, away, etc.) a push with or as with a broom. b dismiss or reject abruptly (their objections were swept aside). 5 tr. (foll. by along, down, etc.) carry or drive along with force. 6 tr. (foll. by off, away, etc.) remove or clear forcefully. 7 tr. traverse swiftly or lightly (the wind swept the hillside). 8 tr. impart a sweeping motion to (swept his hand across). 9 tr. swiftly cover or affect (a new fashion swept the country). 10 intr. a glide swiftly; speed along with unchecked motion. b go majestically. 11 intr. (of geographical features etc.) have continuous extent. 12 tr. drag (a river-bottom etc.) to search for something. 13 tr. (of artillery etc.) include in the line of fire; cover the whole of. 14 tr. propel (a barge etc.) with sweeps. —n. 1 the act or motion or an instance of sweeping. 2 a curve in the road, a sweeping line of a hill, etc. 3 range or scope (beyond the sweep of the human mind). 4 = chimney-sweep. 5 a sortie by aircraft. 6 collog. = SWEEPSTAKE. 7 a long oar worked from a barge etc. 8 the sail of a windmill. 9 a long pole mounted asa lever for raising buckets from a well. 10 Electronics the movement of a beam across the screen of a cathode-ray tube. 0 make a clean sweep of 1 completely abolish or expel. 2 win all the prizes etc. in (a competition etc.). sweep away 1 abolish swiftly. 2 (usu. in passive) powerfully affect, esp. emotionally. sweep the board 1 win all the money in a gambling-game. 2 win all possible prizes etc. sweep-second

kcat

lleg

m man

nono

ppen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

sweepback hand a second-hand on a clock or watch, moving on the same dial as the other hands. sweep under the carpet see CARPET.

swept-back (of an aircraft wing) fixed at an acute angle to the fuselage, inclining outwards towards the rear. swept-up (of hair) = UPSWEPT. swept-wing (of an aircraft) having swept-back wings. [ME swepe (earlier swipe) f. OE swapan]

sweepback /'swi:pbzk/ n. the angle at which an aircraft’s wing is set back from a position at right angles to the body. sweeper /'swi:pa(r)/ n. 1a person who cleans by sweeping. 2 a device for sweeping carpets etc. 3 Football a defensive player positioned close to the goalkeeper.

sweeping /'swi:pin/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 wide in range or effect (sweeping changes). 2 taking no account of particular cases or exceptions (a sweeping statement). —n. (in pl.) dirt etc. collected by sweeping. 00 sweepingly adv. sweepingness n. sweepstake /'swi:psterk/ n. 1 a form of gambling on horse-races etc. in which all competitors’ stakes are paid to the winners. 2 a race with betting of this kind. 3 a prize or prizes won in a sweepstake. sweet /swi:t/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 having the pleasant taste characteristic of sugar. 2 smelling pleasant like roses or perfume etc.; fragrant. 3 (of sound etc.) melodious or harmonious. 4 a not salt, sour, or bitter. b fresh, with flavour unimpaired by rottenness. ¢ (of water) fresh and readily drinkable. 5 (of wine) having a sweet taste (opp. Dry). 6 highly gratifying or attractive. 7 amiable, pleasant (has a sweet nature). 8 collog. (of a person or thing) pretty, charming, endearing. 9 (foll. by on) collog. fond of; in love with. —n. 1 Brit. a smali shaped piece of confectionery usu. made with sugar or sweet chocolate. 2 Brit. a sweet dish forming a course of a meal. 3 a sweet part of something; sweetness. 4 (in pl.) delights, gratification. 5 (esp. as a form of address) sweetheart etc. oO she’s sweet Austral. sl. all is well. sweet-and-sour cooked in a sauce containing sugar and vinegar or lemon etc. sweet basil see BASIL. sweet bay = BAY”. sweet-brier see BRIER!, sweet chestnut see CHESTNUT. sweet cicely a white-flowered aromatic plant, Myrrhis odorata. sweet corn 1 a kind of maize with kernels having a high sugar content. 2 these kernels, eaten as a vegetable when young. sweet flag = Sweet rush. sweet-gale see GALE2. sweet pea any climbing plant of the genus Lathyrus, esp. L. odoratus with fragrant flowers in many colours. sweet pepper see PEPPER. sweet potato 1 a tropical climbing plant, Ipomoea batatas, with sweet tuberous roots used for food. 2 the root of this. sweet rocket see ROCKET”. sweet rush (or sedge) a kind of sedge with a thick creeping

aromatic rootstock used in medicine and confectionery. sweet sultan a sweet-scented plant, Centaurea moschata or C. suaveoleus. sweet talk collog. flattery, blandishment. sweet-talk v.tr. collog. flatter in order to persuade. sweet-tempered amiable. sweet tooth a liking for sweet-tasting things. sweet violet a sweet-

scented violet, Viola odorata. sweet william a plant, Dianthus barbatus, with clusters of vivid fragrant flowers. 00 sweetish adj. sweetly adv. [OE swete f. Gmc] ; sweetbread |'swi:tbred/ n. the pancreas or thymus of an animal, esp. as food. sweeten /'swi:t(a)n/ v.tr. & intr. 1 make or become sweet or sweeter. 2 make agreeable or less painful. 0 sweeten the pill see PILL. OO sweetening n. sweetener /'swi:tona(r)/ n. 1 a substance used to sweeten food or drink. 2 collog. a bribe or inducement.

sweetheart /'swi:tha:t/ n. 1 a lover or darling. 2 a term of endearment (esp. as a form of address). oO sweetheart agreement (or deal) collog. an industrial agreement reached privately by employers and trade unions in their own interests.

sweetie /'swi:t1/ n. collog. 1 Brit. a sweet. 2 (also sweetie-pie) a

sweetmeal /'swi:tmi:l/ n. 1 sweetened wholemeal. 2 a sweetmeal biscuit. sweetmeat /'swi:tmi:t/ n. 1 a sweet (see SWEET n. 1). 2 a smail fancy cake. sweetness /'swi:tnis/ n. the quality of being sweet; fragrance,

z zoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

melodiousness, etc. 0 sweetness and light a display of (esp. uncharacteristic) mildness and reason. sweetshop /'swi:t{op/ n. Brit. a shop selling sweets as its main item.

sweetsop /'swi:tspp/ n. 1 a tropical American evergreen shrub, Annona squamosa. 2 the fruit of this, having a green rind and a sweet pulp.

swell /swel/ v., n., & adj. —v. (past part. swollen /'swoulan/ or swelled) 1 intr. & tr. grow or cause to grow bigger or louder or more intense; expand; increase in force or intensity. 2 intr. (often foll. by up) & tr. rise or raise up from the surrounding surface. 3 intr. (foll. by out) bulge. 4 intr. (of the heart as the seat of emotion) feel full of joy, pride, relief, etc. 5 intr. (foll. by with) be hardly able to restrain (pride etc.). —n. 1 an act or the state of swelling. 2 the heaving of the sea with waves that do not break, e.g. after a storm. 3 a a crescendo. b a mechanism in an organ etc. for obtaining a crescendo or diminuendo. 4 collog. a person of distinction or of dashing or fashionable appearance. 5 a protuberant part. —adj. 1 esp. US collog. fine, splendid, excellent. 2 collog. smart, fashionable. 0 swell-box Mus. a box in which organ-pipes are enclosed, with a shutter for controlling the sound-level. swelled (or swollen) head collog. conceit. swell-organ Mus. a section of an organ with pipes in a swell-box. 00 swellish adj. [OE swellan f. Gmc] swelling /'swelin/ n. an abnormal protuberance on or in the swelter /'swelta(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. (of the atmosphere, or a person etc. suffering from it) be uncomfortably hot. —n. a sweltering atmosphere or condition. 00 swelteringly adv. [base of (now dial.) swelt f. OE sweltan perish f. Gmc] swept past and past part. of SWEEP. swerve /sw3:v/ v. & n. —v.intr. & tr. change or cause to change direction, esp. abruptly. —n. 1 a swerving movement. 2 divergence from a course. 00 swerveless adj. swerver n. [ME, repr. OE sweorfan scouR}]

SWG abbr. standard wire gauge. Swift /swift/, Jonathan (1667-1745), Anglo-Irish poet and satirist, nicknamed ‘the Dean’. He was born in Dublin, a cousin of Dryden, and divided his life between London and Ireland. His Journal to Stella (letters to Esther Johnson, 1710-13) give a vivid account of life in London, where he was close to Tory ministers. Swift’s relations with Stella have remained obscure; whether he ultimately married her is uncertain. Another woman, Esther Vanhomrigh (‘Vanessa’), entered his life in 1708, and their romance is related in the poem Cadenus and Vanessa (1713). While in England he wrote A Tale of a Tub (1697), a satire on ‘corruptions in religion and learning’. He also wrote many political pamph-

lets, and involved himself in Irish affairs. In 1713 he was made Dean of St Patrick’s in Dublin, where he wrote his greatest work Gulliver's Travels (1726), a powerful satire on man and human institutions, with a fantastic tale of travels in wonderland which appeals to all ages. Macaulay, Thackeray, and many other writers were alienated by his ferocity and coarseness, but the 20th. has seen a revival of critical interest stressing his vigour and satirical inventiveness rather than his alleged misanthropy. Nearly all his works were published anonymously and for only one, Gulliver's Travels, did he receive any payment (£200).

swift /swift/ adj., adv., & n. —adj. 1 quick, rapid; soon coming or passing. 2 speedy, prompt (a swift response; was swift to act). —adv. (archaic except in comb.) swiftly (swift-moving). —n. 1 any swift-flying insect-eating bird of the family Apodidae, with long wings and a superficial resemblance to a swallow. 2 a revolving frame for winding yarn etc. from. 00 swiftly adv. swiftness n. [OE, rel. to swifan move in a course]

swiftie /'swifti/ n. Austral. sl. 1 a deceptive trick. 2a person who

tci1a of endearment (esp. as a form of address).

sweeting /'swi:tin/ n. 1 a sweet-flavoured variety of apple. 2 archaic darling.

wwe

swill

1461

n ring

x loch

acts or thinks quickly.

swiftlet /'swiftlit/ n. a small swift of the genus Collocalia. swig /swig/ v. & n. —v.tr. & intr. (swigged, swigging) collog. drink in large draughts. —n. a swallow of drink, esp. a large amount. 00 swigger n. [16th c., orig. as noun in obs. sense ‘liquor’: orig. unkn.]

swill /swil/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. (often foll. by out) rinse or flush; tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

swiln

switch

1462

pour water over or through. 2 tr. & intr. drink greedily. —n. 1 an act of rinsing. 2 mainly liquid refuse as pig-food. 3 inferior liquor. 00 swiller n. [OE swillan, swilian, of unkn. orig.] swim /swim| v. & n. —v. (swimming; past swam /swem]; past part. swum /swam/) 1 intr. propel the body through water by working the arms and legs, or (of a fish) the fins and tail. 2 tr. a traverse (a stretch of water or its distance) by swimming. b compete in (a race) by swimming. c use (a particular stroke) in swimming. 3 intr. float on or at the surface of a liquid (bubbles swimming on the surface). 4 intr. appear to undulate or reel or whirl. 5 intr. have a dizzy effect or sensation (my head swam). 6 intr. (foll. by in, with) be flooded. —n. 1 a spell or the act of swimming. 2 a deep pool frequented by fish in a river. O in the swim involved in or acquainted with what is going on. swim-bladder a gas-filled sac in fishes used to maintain buoyancy. swimming-bath (or -pool) an artificial indoor or outdoor pool for swimming. swimming-costume Brit. a garment worn for swimming. 00 swimmable adj. swimmer n. [OE swimman f. Gmc] swimmeret /'swimo,ret/ 1. a swimming-foot in crustaceans.

swimmingly /'swiminli/ adv. with easy and unobstructed progress. swimsuit /'swimsutt, -sju:t/ n. a one-piece swimming-costume

swingeing /'swindzin/ adj. esp. Brit. 1 (of a blow) forcible. 2 huge or far-reaching, esp. in severity (swingeing economies). 00 swingeingly adv.

worn by women. 00 swimsuited adj. swimwear /'swimwea(r)/ n. clothing worn for swimming.

swinging /|'swin1n/ adj. 1 (of gait, melody, etc.) vigorously rhythmical. 2 collog. a lively; up to date; excellent. b promiscuous.

Swinburne /'swinbs:n/, Algernon Charles (1837-1909), English poet and critic, associated with Rossetti and the Pre-Raphaelite circle. He achieved celebrity with Atalanta in Calydon (1865), a drama in classical Greek form which revealed his great metrical skills. Poems and Ballads (1866) demonstrates his preoccupation with de Sade and masochism, and his outspoken repudiation of Christianity caused the volume to be censured; A Song of Italy (1867) and Songs before Sunrise (1871) expressed his support for Mazzini in the struggle for Italian independence and his hatred of authority. His health was seriously affected by heavy drinking and in 1879 he moved to Putney to be cared for by his friend the

critic T. Watts-Dunton. As a critic Swinburne showed perception and originality, contributed to the revival of interest in Elizabethan drama, and influenced modern criticism with his studies of Blake, the Bréntes, and others.

swindle /'swind(s)l/ v. & n. —v.tr. (often foll. by out of) 1 cheat

swineherd /'swainha:d/ n. a person who tends pigs.

e bed

1 a wooden instrument for

beating flax and removing the woody parts from it. 2 the swinging part ofa flail. —v.tr. clean (flax) with a swingle. [ME f. MDu. swinghel (as SWING, -LE})] swingletree /'swing(a)l,tri:/ n. a crossbar pivoted in the middle, to which the traces are attached in a cart, plough, etc. swingy /'swin1/ adj. (swingier, swingiest) 1 (of music) characterized by swing (see SWING n. 7). 2 (ofa skirt or dress) designed to swing with body movement. swipe /swarp/ v. & n. collog. —v. 1 tr. & (often foll. by at) intr. hit hard and recklessly. 2 tr. steal. —n. a reckless hard hit or attempted hit. 00 swiper n. [perh. var. of SWEEP]

swipple /'swip(e)l/ n. the swingle ofa flail. [ME, prob. formed as swirl /sws:l/ v. & n. —v.intr. & tr. move or flow or carry along with a whirling motion. —n. 1 a swirling motion of or in water, air, etc. 2 the act of swirling. 3 a twist or curl, esp. as part of a pattern or design. 00 swirly adj. [ME (orig. as noun): orig. Sc.,

perh. of LG or Du. orig.] swish /swiJ/ v., n., & adj. —v. 1 tr. swing (a scythe or stick etc.) audibly through the air, grass, etc. 2 intr. move with or make a swishing sound. 3 tr. (foll. by off) cut (a flower etc.) in this way. —n. a swishing action or sound. —adj. collog. smart, fashionable. 00 swishy adj. [imit.]

Swiss /swis/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to Switzerland or its people. —n. (pl. same) 1 a native or national of Switzerland. 2

swing /swin/ v. & n. —v. (past and past part. swung /swan/) 1 intr. & tr. move or cause to move with a to-and-fro or curving motion, as of an object attached at one end and hanging free at the other. 2 intr. & tr. a sway. b hang so as to be free to sway. c oscillate or cause to oscillate. 3 intr. & tr. revolve or cause to revolve. 4 intr. move by gripping something and leaping etc. (swung from tree to tree). 5 intr. go with a swinging gait (swung out of the room). 6 intr. (foll. by round) move round to the opposite direction. 7 intr. change from one opinion or mood to another. 8 intr. (foll. by at) attempt to hit or punch. 9 a intr. (also swing it) play music with a swing rhythm. b tr. play (a tune) with swing. 10 intr. collog. a be lively or up to date; enjoy oneself. b be promiscuous. 11 intr. collog. (of a party etc.) be lively, successful, etc. 12 tr. have a decisive influence on (esp. voting etc.). 13 tr. collog. deal with or achieve; manage. 14 intr. collog. be executed by hanging. 15 Cricket a intr. (of the ball) deviate from a straight course in the air. b tr. cause (the ball) to do this. —n. 1 the act or an instance of swinging. 2 the motion of swinging. 3 the extent of swinging. 4 a swinging or smooth gait or rhythm or

a: arm

00 swingingly adv.

swingle /'swing(s)l/ n. & v. —n.

SWEEP + -LE!]

(a person) of money, possessions, etc. (was swindled out of all his savings). 2 cheat a person of (money etc.) (swindled all his savings out of him). —n. 1 an act of swindling. 2 a person or thing represented as what it is not. 3 a fraudulent scheme. 00 swindler n. [back-form. f. swindler f. G Schwindler extravagant maker of schemes, swindler, f. schwindeln be dizzy] swine /swain/ n. (pl. same) 1 formal or US a pig. 2 collog. (pl. swine or swines) a a term of contempt or disgust for a person. b a very unpleasant or difficult thing. 0 swine fever an intestinal virus disease of pigs. 00 swinish adj. (esp. in sense 2). swinishly adv. swinishness n. [OE swin f. Gmc]

we cat

action. 5 a a seat slung by ropes or chains etc. for swinging on or in. b a spell of swinging on this. 6 an easy but vigorous continued action. 7 a jazz or dance music with an easy flowing * rhythm. Since the mid-1930s (esp. for a decade) the term has been applied to a variety of big dance-band music played in this style. b the rhythmic feeling or drive of this music. 8 a discernible change in opinion, esp. the amount by which votes or points scored etc. change from one side to another. oO swing-boat a boat-shaped swing at fairs. swing-bridge a bridge that can be swung to one side to allow the passage of ships. swing-door a door able to open in either direction and close itself when released. swing the lead Brit. collog. malinger; shirk one’s duty. swings and roundabouts asituation affording no eventual gain or loss (from the phr. lose on the swings what you make on the roundabouts). swing shift US a work shift from afternoon to late evening. swing-wing an aircraft wing that can move from a right-angled to a swept-back position. swung dash a dash (~) with alternate curves. 00 swinger n. (esp. in sense 10 of v.). [OE swingan to beat f. Gmc] swinge /swind3/ v.tr. (swingeing) archaic strike hard; beat. [alt. f. ME swenge f. OE swengan shake, shatter, f. Gmc]

3: her

1 sit

a person of Swiss descent. 0 Swiss chard = CHARD. Swiss cheese plant a climbing house-plant, Monstera deliciosa, with aerial roots and holes in the leaves (as in some Swiss cheeses). Swiss guards Swiss mercenary troops employed formerly by sovereigns of France etc. and still at the Vatican. Swiss roll a cylindrical cake with a spiral cross-section, made from aflat piece of sponge cake spread with jam etc. and rolled up. [F Suisse

f. MHG Swiz]

switch /swit{/ n. & v. —n. 1a device for making and breaking the connection in an electric circuit. 2 a a transfer, change-over, or deviation. b an exchange. 3a slender flexible shoot cut from a tree. 4 a light tapering rod, 5 US a device at the junction of railway tracks for transferring a train from one track to another; = POINT nl. 17. 6 a tress of false or detached hair tied at one end used in hairdressing. —v. 1 tr. (foll. by on, off) turn (an electrical device) on or off. 2 intr. change or transfer position, subject, etc. 3 tr. change or transfer. 4 tr. reverse the positions of: exchange (switched chairs). 5 tr. swing or snatch (a thing) suddenly (switched

it out of my hand). 6 tr. beat or flick with a switch. O switch-blade i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

vo put

u: too

> ago

al my

switchback a pocket knife with the blade released by a spring. switched-on collog. 1 up to date; aware of what is going on. 2 excited; under the influence of drugs. switch off collog. cease to pay attention. switch over change or exchange. switch-over n. a change or exchange. 00 switcher n. [earlier swits, switz, prob. f. LG]

switchback /'swit{bek/ n, 1 Brit. a railway at a fair etc., in which the train’s ascents are effected by the momentum of its previous descents. 2 (often attrib.) a railway or road with alternate sharp ascents and descents.

switchboard

sycosis

1463

/|'switfbo:d/ n. an apparatus for varying con-

nections between electric circuits, esp. in telephony.

swither |'swido(r)/ v. & n. Sc. —v.intr. hesitate; be uncertain. —n. doubt or uncertainty. [16th c.: orig. unkn.]

Swithin /'swidin/, St (d. 862), chaplain to Egbert king of Wessex, and bishop of Winchester from 852. The tradition that any rain on St Swithin’s day (15 July) will remain for the next forty days may refer to the heavy rain said to have occurred when his relics were to be transferred to a shrine in the cathedral.

Switzerland /'switsolond/ a small country in central Europe, dominated by the Alps and Jura Mountains; pop. (est. 1988) 6,592,550; official languages, French, German, Italian, and Romansch; capital, Berne. The area (occupied by a Celtic people, the Helvetii) was under Roman rule from the ist c. Bc until the 5th c. AD, and from the 10th c. fermed part of the Holy Roman Empire. Switzerland emerged as an independent country in the Middle Ages when the local cantons joined in league to defeat first their Hapsburg overlords (14th c.; see ScHwyz) and then their Burgundian neighbours (15th c.). The Swiss Confederation maintained neutrality in international affairs through the 17th and 18th centuries, and after a period of French domination (1798-1815), the Confederation’s neutrality was guaranteed by the other European powers. Neutral in both World Wars, Switzerland has emerged as the headquarters of such international organizations as the Red Cross. The population is divided linguistically into French-, German-, and Italian-speaking areas, while the economy is centred on precision engineering, dairy products, and tourism, also benefiting from the country’s position as an international financial centre.

swivel |'swrv(a)l/ n. & v. —n. a coupling between two parts

performers brandish swords or step about swords laid on the ground. sword grass a grass, Scirpus americanus, with swordlike leaves. sword knot a ribbon or tassel attached to a sword-hilt orig. for securing it to the wrist. sword lily = GLADIOLUS. sword of Damocles see DAMOcLEs. the sword of justice judicial authority. Sword of State a sword borne before the sovereign on State occasions. sword-swallower a person ostensibly or actually swallowing sword blades as entertainment. 00 swordlike adj. [OE sw(e)ord f. Gmc] The sword evolved in the Bronze Age, when metal-smelting became known, and developed in various forms—as a rapier, for cut-and-thrust, and for slashing; with a straight blade, and with the curved blade which was believed to deal a deeper wound. It became obsolete as an infantry weapon after the development of explosives, but remained in use as a weapon of cavalry units until the early 20th c.

swordbill

/'so:dbil/ n. a long-billed humming-bird, Ensifera

ensifera.

swordfish /'so:dfif/ n. a large marine fish, Xiphias gladius, with an extended swordlike upper jaw.

:

swordplay |'so:dpler/ n. 1 fencing. 2 repartee; cut-and-thrust argument. swordsman |/'so:dzmon/ n. (pl. -men) a person of (usu. specified) skill with a sword. 00 swordsmanship n.

swordstick /'so:dstik/ n. a hollow walking-stick containing a blade that can be used as a sword.

swordtail |'so:dterl/ n. 1 a tropical fish, Xiphophorus helleri, with a long tail. 2 = horseshoe crab. swore past of SWEAR. sworn /swo:n/ 1 past part. of SwEAR. 2 adj. bound by or as by an oath (sworn enemies). swot /swot/ v. & n. study assiduously. or hurriedly. —n. thing that requires

Brit. colloq. —v. (swotted, swotting) 1 intr. 2 tr. (often foll. by up) study (a subject) hard 1 a person who swots. 2 a hard study. ba this. [dial. var. of swEAT] swum past part. of swim. swung past and past part. of SwING. Swy |swai/ n. Austral. two-up. [G zwei two]

enabling one to revolve without turning the other. —v.tr. & intr. (swivelled, swivelling; US swiveled, swiveling) turn on or as on a swivel. 0 swivel chair a chair with a seat able to be turned horizontally. [ME f. weak grade swif- of OE swifan sweep + -LEL cf. SWIFT] SWizZZ |swiz/ n. (also swiz) (pl. swizzes) Brit. collog. 1 something unfair or disappointing. 2 a swindle. [abbr. of sw1zzLE%]

SY abbr. steam yacht. sybarite /'stbo,rait/ n. & adj. —n. a person who is self-indulgent

swizzle! |'swiz(a)l/ n. & v. collog. —n. a mixed alcoholic drink

sycamine /'siko,main, -min/ n. Bibl. the black mulberry tree,

esp. of rum or gin and bitters made frothy. —v.tr. stir with a swizzle-stick. 0 swizzle-stick a stick used for frothing or flattening drinks. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

Morus nigra (see Luke 17: 6; in modern versions translated as ‘mulberry tree’). [L sycaminus f. Gk sukaminos mulberry-tree f. Heb. Sikmah sycamore, assim. to Gk sukon fig] sycamore |'s1ko,mo:(r)/ n. 1 (in full sycamore maple) aa large maple, Acer pseudoplatanus, with winged seeds, grown for its shade and timber. b its wood. 2 US the plane-tree or its wood. 3 Bibl. a fig-tree, Ficus sycomorus, growing in Egypt, Syria, etc. [var. of SYCOMORE] syce /sats/ n. (also sice) Anglo-Ind. a groom. [Hind, f. Arab. sa’is, sayis] sycomore |'stko,mo:(r)/n. Bot. = SYCAMORE 3. [ME f. OF sic(h)amor f. L sycomorus f. Gk sukomoros f. sukon fig + moron mulberry] syconium /|sar'ksuniem| n. (pl. syconia) Bot. a fleshy hollow receptacle developing into a multiple fruit as in the fig. [mod.L

swizzle? |'swiz(s)l/ n. Brit. collog. = swizz. [20th c.: prob. alt. of SWINDLE]

swob var. of swaB. swollen past part. of swELL. swoon /swu:n/ v. & n. literary —v.intr. faint; fall into a faintingfit. —n. an occurrence of fainting. [ME swoune perh. back-form. f. swogning (n.) f. iswogen f. OE geswogen overcome] swoop /swu:p/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. (often foll. by down) descend rapidly like a bird of prey. 2 intr. (often foll. by on) make a sudden attack from a distance. 3 tr. (often foll. by up) collog. snatch the whole of at one swoop. —n. a swooping or snatching movement or action. 0 at (or in) one fell swoop see FELL‘. [perh. dial. var. of obs. swipe f. OE swapan: see SWEEP] swoosh /swuJ/n. & v. —n. the noise of a sudden rush of liquid, air, etc. —v.intr. move with this noise. [imit.] swop var. of SwaP. sword /so:d/ n. 1 a weapon usu. of metal with a long blade and hilt with a handguard, used esp. for thrusting or striking, and often worn as part of ceremonial dress. (See below.) 2 (prec. by the) a war. b military power. 0 put to the sword kill, esp. in war. sword-bearer an official carrying the sovereign’s etc. sword on a formal occasion. sword dance a dance in which the au how

e1 day

9u0 no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

va poor

or devoted to sensuous luxury. —adj. fond of luxury or sensuousness. 00 sybaritic /-'rittk/ adj. sybaritical /-'r1t1k(9)1/ adj. sybaritically /-'ritikali/ adv. sybaritism n. [orig. an inhabitant of Sybaris in S. Italy, noted for luxury, f. L sybarita f. Gk subarités]

f. Gk sukon fig] sycophant /'siko,fent/ n. a servile flatterer; a toady. oo sycophancy n. sycophantic /-'feentik/ adj. sycophantically /-'feentikoli/ adv. [F sycophante or L sycophanta f. Gk sukophantés informer f. sukon fig + phaind show: the reason for the name is uncert., and association with informing against the illegal exportation of figs from ancient Athens (recorded by Plutarch) cannot be substantiated]

sycosis /sar'kousis/ n. a skin-disease of the bearded part of the face with inflammation of the hair-follicles. [mod.L f. Gk sukésis f. sukon fig: orig. of a figlike ulcer]

aio fire

aue sour

(see over for consonants)

Sydenham

Symons

1464

of a region, epoch, or environment. 2a treatise on or a list of such trees. [L silva a wood] pocrates’, so called for his contemporary reputation as a physisylvan /'stlv(a)n/ adj. (also silvan) 1 a of the woods. b having cian and his scepticism of theoretical medicine. He emphasized the healing power of nature, made a study of epidemics, wrote * woods; wooded. 2 rural. [F sylvain (obs. silvain) or L Silvanus a treatise on gout (from which he suffered), and explained the woodland deity f. silva a wood] nature of chorea (St Vitus’s dance). sylviculture var. of sILVICULTURE. Sydney |'stdni/ the capital of New South Wales, the largest city sym- /sim/ prefix assim. form of syn- before b, m, p. and chief port of Australia; pop. (1986) 3,430,600. symbiont /'srmbient/ n. an organism living in symbiosis. [Gk syenite /'saronait/ n. a grey crystalline rock of feldspar and sumbion -ountos part. of sumbiod live together (as SYMBIOSIS)] hornblende with or without quartz. 00 syenitic /-'n1trk/ adj. [F symbiosis /|,srmbaz'susis, ,simbr-/ n. (pl. symbioses /-si:z/) 1 a syénite f. L Syenites (lapis) (stone) of Syene in Egypt] an interaction between two different organisms living in close

Sydenham /'sidonom/, Thomas (c.1624-89), ‘the English Hip-

syl- /stl/ prefix assim. form of syn- before I.

physical association, usu. to the advantage of both (cf. ANTIBIOSIS). b an instance of this. 2 a a mutually advantageous association or relationship between persons. b an instance of this. 00 symbiotic |-'pttk/ adj. symbiotically /-'ptrkoli/ adv. [mod.L f. Gk sumbidsis a living together f. sumbiod live together, sumbios companion (as syn-, bios life)]

syllabary |'silobori/ n. (pl. -ies) a list of characters representing syllables and (in some languages or stages of writing) serving the purpose of an alphabet. [mod.L syllabarium (as SYLLABLE)]

syllabi pl. of syttaBus. syllabic /s1'lebrk/ adj. 1 of, relating to, or based on syllables. 2 Prosody based on the number of syllables. 3 (of a symbol) representing a whole syllable. 4 articulated in syllables. oo syllabically adv. syllabicity /-'bisiti/ n. [F syllabique or LL syllabicus f. Gk sullabikos (as SYLLABLE)}

syllabication

|jstlebi'kerf(a)n/

n.

(also

symbol /'srmb(s)I/n. & v. —n. 1a thing conventionally regarded as typifying, representing, or recalling something, esp. an idea or quality (white is a symbol of purity). 2 a mark or character taken as the conventional sign of some object, idea, function, or process, e.g. the letters standing for the chemical elements or the characters in musical notation. —v.tr. (symbolled, symbolling; US symboled, symboling) symbolize. oo symbology |-'bplod3i/ n. [ME f. L symbolum f. Gk sumbolon mark, token (as syn-, ballé throw)

syllabification)

(/-fi'kerf(o)n/) division into or articulation by syllables. oo syllabify v.tr. (-ies, -ied). [med.L syllabicatio f. syllabicare f. L syllaba: see SYLLABLE]

syllabize |'stlo,baiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) divide into or articulate by syllables. [med.L syllabizare f. Gk sullabizo (as SYLLABLE)}

symbolic /sim'bolik/ adj. (also symbolical /-'bpl1k(a)l/) 1 of or

syllable /'silob(a)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a unit of pronunciation uttered

serving as a symbol. 2 involving the use of symbols or symbolism. 0 symbolic logic the use of symbols to denote propositions etc. in order to assist reasoning. 00 symbolically adv. [F symbolique or LL symbolicus f. Gk sumbolikos]

without interruption, forming the whole or a part of a word and usu. having one vowel sound often with a consonant or consonants before or after: there are two syllables in water and three in inferno. 2 a character or characters representing a syllable. 3 (usu. with neg.) the least amount of speech or writing (did not utter a syllable). —v.tr. pronounce by syllables; articulate distinctly. 0 in words of one syllable expressed plainly or

symbolism /'stmbs,l1z(a)m/ n. 1 a the use of symbols to repTesent ideas. b symbols collectively. 2 an artistic and poetic movement or style using symbols and indirect suggestion to express ideas, emotions, etc. (See below.) 00 symbolist n.

bluntly. 00 syllabled adj. (also in comb.). [ME f. AF sillable f. OF

symbolistic /-'listtk/ adj.

sillabe f. L syllaba f. Gk sullabé (as syn-, lambano take)]

syllabub /'silo,babj n. (also sillabub) a dessert made of cream or milk flavoured, sweetened, and whipped to thicken it. [16th c.: orig. unkn.]

syllabus /'stlobas/ n. (pl. syllabuses or syllabi /-,bar/) 1 a the programme or outline of a course of study, teaching, etc. b a statement of the requirements for a particular examination. 2 RC Ch. a summary of points decided by papa! decree regarding heretical doctrines or practices. [mod.L, orig. a misreading of L sittybas accus. pl. of sittyba f. Gk sittuba title-slip or label]

syllepsis /st'lepsts/ n. (pl. syllepses /-si:z/) a figure of speech in which a word is applied to two others in different senses (e.g. caught the train and a bad cold) or to two others of which it grammatically suits one only (e.g. neither they nor it is working) (cf. zeUGMA). 00 sylleptic adj. sylleptically adv. [LL f. Gk sullépsis taking together f. sullamband: see SYLLABLE]

syllogism /'stlo,d31z(2)m/ n. 1 a form of reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed propositions (premisses): a common or middle term is present in the two premisses but not in the conclusion, which may be invalid (e.g. all trains are long; some buses are long; therefore some buses are trains: the common term is long). Aristotle listed the types of syllogism

and showed of each whether it was valid. 2 deductive reasoning as distinct from induction. oo syllogistic |-!dgistrk/ adj. syllogistically /-'dgistikoli/ adv. [ME f. OF silogisme or L syllogismus f. Gk sullogismos f. sullogizomai (as syN-, logizomai to reason f. logos reason)}

syllogize /'stlo,dzaiz/ v. (also -ise) 1 intr. use syllogisms. 2 tr. put (facts or an argument) in the form of syllogism. [ME f. OF sillogiser or LL syllogizare f. Gk sullogizomai (as sYLLOGISM)]

sylph /silf/ n. 1 an elemental spirit of the air. 2. a slender graceful woman or girl. 3 any humming-bird of the genus Aglaiocercus with a long forked tail. 00 sylphlike adj. [mod.L sylphes, G Sylphen (pl.), perh. based on Lsylvestris of the woods + nympha

nymph] sylva |'stlvo/ n. (also silva) (pl. sylvae /-vi:/ or sylvas) 1 the trees

b but

d dog

f few

g get

h he

jyes

In a literary and art historical sense, symbolism is the idealist movement of the 1880s and 1890s in France. Primarily a literary concept, it was launched as an identifiable movement by the radical poet Jean Moréas in 1886. Symbolism was seen as the expression of an idea through form, the word or object represented being no more than a sign to open up the world of the imagination; symbolist poets include Mallarmé, Verlaine, and Rimbaud. In the visual arts, the term is widely applied to both French and non-French painters of the fin de siécle who reacted against the prevailing standards of classicism, positivism, and naturalism, preferring to paint enigmatic, mysterious, and dreamlike subjects. Redon, Moreau, Rops, and Ensor are the best known, but the movement was much wider; the critic Aurier in 1891-2 identified Gauguin and the Nabis as symbolist painters. Symbolism was important in the development of later theories of abstraction and surrealism. symbolize /'srmba,laiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 be a symbol of. 2 represent by means of symbols. 00 symbolization /-'zer{(a)n/ n. [F symboliser f. symbole syMBOL]

symbology /stm'bolad3i/ n. 1 the study of symbols. 2 a the use of symbols. b symbols collectively. symmetry /'simitri/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a correct proportion of the parts of a thing; balance, harmony. b beauty resulting from this. 2 a a structure that allows an object to be divided into parts of an equal shape and size and similar position to the point or line or plane of division. b the possession of such a structure. ¢ approximation to such a structure. 3 the repetition of exactly similar parts facing each other or a centre. 4 Bot. the possession by a flower of sepals and petals and stamens and pistils in the same number or multiples of the same number. oO symmetric /st'metrik/ adj. symmetrical /-'metrrk(s)l/ adj. symmetrically |-'metrrkoli/ adv. symmetrize v.tr. (also -ise). [obs. F symmétrie or L summetria f. Gk (as syN-, metron measure)] Symons /'sarmonz/, Julian Gustave (1912- ), English author of crime fiction and of works on this subject. His writing career extends over more than fifty years. Among his best-known k cat

lleg

mman

nno

ppen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

sympathectomy works are The Immaterial Murder Case (1945), The Colour of Murder (1957), The Man Whose Dreams Came True (1968), and The Tell-Tale Heart (1978).

sympathectomy

/|,simpo'@ektem1/ n. (pl. -ies) the surgical

removal of a sympathetic ganglion etc.

sympathetic |,srmpo'@etrk/ adj. 1 of, showing, or expressing sympathy. 2 due to sympathy. 3 likeable or capable of evoking sympathy. 4 (of a person) friendly and cooperative. 5 (foll. by to) inciined to favour (a proposal etc.) (was most sympathetic to the idea). 6 (of a landscape etc.) that touches the feelings by association etc. 7 (of a pain etc.) caused by a pain or injury to someone else or in another part of the body. 8 (of a sound, resonance, or string) sounding by a vibration communicated from another vibrating object. 9 (of a nerve or ganglion) belonging to the sympathetic nervous system. o sympathetic magic a type of magic that seeks to achieve an effect by performing an associated action or using an associated thing. sympathetic nervous system see NERVOUS SYSTEM. 00 sympathetically

adv. [SYMPATHY, after pathetic]

sympathize /'simps,6aiz/ v.intr. (also -ise) (often foll. by with) 1 feel or express sympathy; share a feeling or opinion. 2 agree with a sentiment or opinion. 00 sympathizer n. [F sympathiser (as SYMPATHY)] sympathy /'srmpoé1/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a the state of being simultaneously affected with the same feeling as another. b the capacity for this. 2 (often foll. by with) a the act of sharing or tendency to share (with a person etc.) in an emotion or sensation or condition of another person or thing. b (in sing. or pl.) compassion or commiseration; condolences. 3 (often foll. by for) a favourable attitude; approval. 4 (in sing. or pl.; often foll. by with) agreement (with a person etc.) in opinion or desire. 5 (attrib.) in support of another cause (sympathy strike). 0 in sympathy (often foll. by with) 1 having or showing or resulting from sympathy (with another). 2 by way of sympathetic action (working to rule in sympathy). [L sympathia f. Gk sumpatheia (as syn-, pathés f. pathos feeling)]

sympetalous /sim'petolos/ adj. Bot. having the petals united. symphonic /s1m'fonrk/ adj. (of music) relating to or having the form or character of a symphony. 0 symphonic poem an extended orchestral piece, usu. in one movement, on a descriptive or rhapsodic theme. 00 symphonically adv.

symphonist |'simfonist/ n. a composer of symphonies. symphony /'simfoni/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 an elaborate composition usu. for full orchestra, and in several movements with one or more in sonata form. (See below.) 2 an interlude for orchestra alone in a large-scale vocal work. 3 = symphony orchestra. O symphony orchestra a large orchestra suitable for playing symphonies etc. [ME, = harmony of sound, f. OF symphonie f. L symphonia f. Gk sumphonia (as syn-, -phonos f. phoné sound)] In the 16th c. the term denoted a piece of music for an instrumental ensemble, but since the 18thc. it has been applied to an orchestral work typically in four movements (in the early years, three) in a standard order and each conforming to a certain type. Towards the mid-19thc., after the formidable achievements of Beethoven in the genre, the symphony gave way in popularity to the symphonic poem and concert overture but continued to be an important test of a composer’s mastery of form. From the time of Brahms onwards great symphonies have been and are still being written and performed, combining Beethoven’s expansion of the terms of reference (adding voices to the orchestra, sharing motives between movements, writing with an extra-musical ‘programme’ in mind, etc.) with a flexible attitude towards the structure and number of movements.

symphyilous /sim'filos/ adj. Bot. having the leaves united. [syn+ Gk phulion leaf] symphysis /'simfisis/ n. (pl. symphyses /-\si:z/) 1 the process of growing together. 2 a a union between two bones esp. in the median plane of the body. b the place or line of this. oo symphyseal /-'fiz1al/ adj. symphysial |-'fizrol/ adj. [mod.L f. Gk sumphusis (as sYN-, phusis growth)]

sympodium /stm'poudiem| n. (pl. sympodia |-dro/) Bot. the apparent main axis or stem of a vine etc., made up of successive wwe

zzoo

fshe

3 decision

synchronism

1465

@ thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

secondary axes. 00 sympodial adj. [mod.L (as syn-, Gk ‘pous podos foot)} symposium /sim'pouziem/ n. (pl. symposia |-z19/) 1 a a conference or meeting to discuss a particular subject. b a collection of essays or papers for this purpose. 2 a philosophical or other friendly discussion. 3 a drinking-party, esp. of the ancient Greeks with conversation etc. after a banquet. [L f. Gk sumposion in sense 3 (as syN-, -potés drinker)] symptom /'simptom/ n. 1 Med. a change in the physical or mental condition of a person, regarded as evidence of a disease (cf. SIGN 5). 2 a sign of the existence of something. [ME synthoma f. med.L sinthoma, & f. LL symptoma f. Gk sumptodma -atos chance, symptom, f. sumpiptd happen (as syn-, pipto fall)] symptomatic |,simpto'metik/ adj. serving as a symptom. o0 symptomatically adv.

symptomatology /,s1mptome'toled3}/ n. the branch of medicine concerned with the study and interpretation of symptoms. syn- /sin/ prefix with, together, alike. [from or after Gk sun- f. sun with] synaeresis /si'norisis/ n. (US syneresis) (pl. synaereses |-,si:z/) the contraction of two vowels into a diphthong or single vowel. (LL f. Gk sunairesis (as syn-, hairesis f. haired take)]

synaesthesia /|,sini:s'9i:z1o/ n. (US synesthesia) 1 Psychol. the production of a mental sense-impression relating to one sense by the stimulation of another sense. 2 a sensation produced in

a part of the body by stimulation

of another

part.

oo

synaesthetic |-'Setik/ adj. [mod.L f. syn- after anaesthesia] synagogue |'stno,gpg/ n. 1 the building where a Jewish assembly or congregation meets for religious observance and instruction. 2 the assembly itself. oH synagogal |-'gpg(o)l/ adj. synagogical |-'gnd31k(o)l/ adj. [ME f. OF sinagoge f. LL synagoga f. Gk sunagogé meeting (as syN-, ago bring)]

synallagmatic |,sinoleg'mztik/ adj. (of a treaty or contract) imposing reciprocal obligations. [syN- + Gk allassd exchange] synapse /'saineps, 'sin-/ n. Anat. a junction of two nerve-cells. [Gk synapsis (as syn-, hapsis f. hapto join)] synapsis /s1'nzpsis/ n. (pl. synapses |-si:z/) 1 Anat. = SYNAPSE. 2 Biol. the fusion of chromosome-pairs at the start of meiosis. 00 synaptic /-'nzptik/ adj. synaptically /-'nepttkoli/ adv.

synarthrosis |,sina:6'rausis/ n. (pl. synarthroses |-si:z/) Anat. an immovably fixed bone-joint, e.g. the sutures of the skull. [syn- + Gk arthrosis jointing f. arthron joint] syne /sink/ n. & v. (also synch) collog. —n. synchronization. —v.tr, & intr. synchronize. 0 in (or out of) syne (often foll. by with) according or agreeing well (or badly). [abbr.] syncarp |'sinka:p/ n. a compound fruit from a flower with several carpels, e.g. a blackberry. [syN- + Gk karpos fruit) syncarpous /sin'ka:pos/ adj. (of a flower or fruit) having the carpels united (opp. APOCARPOUS). [SYN- + Gk karpos fruit]

synch var. of sync. synchondrosis |,s1nkon'drausis/ n. (pl. synchondroses |-si:z/) Anat. an almost immovable bone-joint bound by a layer of cartilage, as in the spinal vertebrae. [syn- + Gk khondros cartilage] synchro- |'snkrou/ comb. form synchronized, synchronous. synchrocyclotron |,smkrou'sarkla,trvn/ n. a cyclotron able to achieve higher energies by decreasing the frequency of the accelerating electric field as the particles increase in energy and

mass. synchromesh /'sinkrau,meJ/ n. & adj. —n. a system of gearchanging, esp: in motor vehicles, in which the driving and driven gearwheels are made to revolve at the same speed during engagement by means of a set of friction clutches, thereby easing the change. —adj. relating to or using this system. [abbr. of synchronized mesh] synchronic /sin'kronik, sm-/ adj. describing a subject (esp. a language) as it exists at one point in time (opp. DIACHRONIC). oo synchronically adv. [LL synchronus: see SYNCHRONOUS]

synchronism /'sinkra,niz(2)m/ n. 1 = sYNCHRONY. 2 the process of synchronizing sound and picture in cinematography, television, etc. oo synchronistic /-'nistik/ — adj.

tf chip

dg jar

(see over for vowels)

synchronize

synonymy

1466

syndication /|-'ker{(2)n/ n. [F syndicat f. med.L syndicatus f. LL syndicus: see SYNDIC] synchronize /'sinkra,naiz/ v. (also -ise) 1 intr. (often foll. by _ syndrome /'sindraum n. 1a group of concurrent symptoms of a disease. 2 a characteristic combination of opinions, emotions, with) occur at the same time; be simultaneous. 2 tr. cause to behaviour, etc. 00 syndromic /-'dromrk/ adj. [mod.L f. Gk sunoccur at the same time. 3 tr. carry out the synchronism of (a dromé (as syn-, dromé f. dramein to run)] film). 4 tr. ascertain or set forth the correspondence in the date syne /sarn/ adv., conj., & prep. Sc. since. [contr. f. ME sithen sINcE] of (events). 5 a tr. cause (clocks etc.) to show a standard or uniform time. b intr. (of clocks etc.) be synchronized. o synecdoche /si'nekdoki/ n. a figure of speech in which a part synchronized swimming a form of swimming in which paris made to represent the whole or vice versa (e.g. new faces at the ticipants make coordinated leg. and arm movements in time to meeting; England lost by six wickets). 00 synecdochic /-'dokik/ adj. music. 00 synchronization /-'zer{(a)n/ n. synchronizer n. [ME f. L f. Gk sunekdokhé (as syn-, ekdokhé f. ekdekhomai take up)] synchronous /'sinkranos/ adj. (often foll. by with) existing or synecology /,sm1'kpled31/ n. the ecological study of plant or occurring at the same time. osynchronous motor Electr. a animal communities. 00 synecological /-,i:ko'lod3rk(2)l/ adj. motor having a speed exactly proportional to the current synecologist n. frequency. 00 synchronously adv. [LL synchronus f. Gk sugsyneresis US var. of SYNAERESIS. khronos (as syN-, khronos time)} synergism /'sino,d31z(2)m/ n. (also synergy /'smned3i/) the comsynchrony |'stnkroni/ n. 1 the state of being synchronic or bined effect of drugs, organs, etc., that exceeds the sum of their synchronous. 2 the treatment of events etc. as being synchronindividual effects. 00 symergetic /-!dzetik/ adj. synergic ous. [Gk sugkhronos: see SYNCHRONOUS] |-'ns:dztk/ adj. synergistic /-!dgistik/ adj. synergistically synchrotron /|'sinkro,trpn/ n. Physics a cyclotron in which the |-ldzistrkali/ adv. [Gk sunergos working together (as syN-, ergon magnetic field strength increases with the energy of the partwork)] icles to keep their orbital radius constant. synergist /'sinodzist/ n. a medicine or a bodily organ (e.g. a syncline /'sinklain/ n. a rock-bed forming a trough. oo muscle) that cooperates with another or others. synclinal /-'klarn(9)l/ adj. [synclinal (as syN-, Gk klino lean)] synesthesia US var. of SYNAESTHESIA. syncopate /'smko,pert/ v.tr. 1 Mus. displace the beats or accents syngamy /'singomi/ n. Biol. the fusion of gametes or nuclei in in (a passage) so that strong beats become weak and vice versa. reproduction. 00 syngamous adj. [syn- + Gk gamos marriage] 2 shorten (a word) by dropping interior sounds or letters, as Synge /|sin/, (Edmund) John Millington (1871-1909), Irish dramsymbology for symbolology, Gloster for Gloucester. 00 syncopation atist. In Paris he was encouraged by Yeats to observe Irish |-'perf(a)n/ n. syncopator n. [LL syncopare swoon (as SYNCOPE)] peasant life in the Aran Islands; this resulted in his description syncope /'sinkopi/ n. 1 Gram. the omission of interior sounds The Aran Islands (1907) and his best-known play, The Playboy of the or letters in a word (see SYNCOPATE 2). 2 Med. a temporary loss Western World (1907), which caused outrage and riots at the synchronistically

/-'n1strkoli)

adv.

[Gk

sugkhronismos

(as

SYNCHRONOUS)]

of consciousness caused byafall in blood pressure. 00 syncopal

adj. [ME f. LL syncopé f. Gk sugkopé (as syn-, kopto strike, cut off)] syncretism /'sinkro,t1z(o)m/ n. 1 Philos. & Theol. the process or an instance of syncretizing (see SYNCRETIZE). 2 Philol. the merging of different inflectional varieties in the development of a language. 00 syncretic /-'kretik/ adj. syncretist n. syncretistic [-'tistrk/ adj. [mod.L syncretismus f. Gk sugkrétismos f. sugkrétizo (of two parties) combine against a third f. krés Cretan (orig. of ancient Cretan communities)] syncretize /'sinkro,ta1z/ v.tr. (also -ise) Philos. & Theol. attempt, esp. inconsistently, to unify or reconcile differing schools of thought. syncytium /sin'sitiom/ n. (pl. syncytia /-tro/) Biol. a mass of cytoplasm with several nuclei, not divided into separate cells. 00 syncytial adj. [formed as syN- + -CYTE + -IUM] syndacty] /sin'dektil/ adj. (of an animal) having digits united as in webbed feet etc. 00 syndactylism n. syndactylous adj.

syndesis |'sindists/ n. (pl. syndeses |-)si:z/) Biol. = syNAPSIS 2.

Abbey Theatre, Dublin, for its frankness and the implication that Irish peasants would condone a brutal murder, but his skilful fusion of the language of ordinary people with his own dramatic rhetoric has made it a classic. His other plays include The Tinker’s Wedding (1908) and Deirdre of the Sorrows (1910), in which a spare rhythmic prose achieves powerful and resonant effects, but many of his countrymen objected to the ironic wit and realism. Many of the poems in Poems and Translations (1909) foreshadow his imminent death from Hodgkin’s disease. syngenesis /sin'dzenos:s/ n. sexual reproduction from combined male and female elements. synod |'sinod/n. 1a Church council attended by delegated clergy and sometimes laity (see also General Synod). 2 a Presbyterian ecclesiastical court above the presbyteries and subject to the General Assembly. 3 any meeting for debate. [ME f. LL synodus f. Gk sunodos meeting (as syN-, hodos way)]

synodic /st'npdrk/ adj. Astron. relating to or involving the conjunction of stars, planets, etc. osynodic period the time between the successive conjunctions of a planet with the sun. [LL synodicus f. Gk sunodikos (as sYNOD)]

[mod.L f. Gk syndesis binding together f. sunded bind together]

syndesmosis |,sindez'mousis/ n. the union and articulation of bones by means of ligaments. [mod.L f. Gk sundesmos binding, fastening + -osIs]

synodical /s1'nvdik(9)l/ adj. 1 (also synodal /'stnod(a)l/) of, relat-

syndetic /sin'detrk/ adj. Gram. of or using conjunctions. [Gk

synoecious /s'ni:Jas/ adj. Bot. having male and female organs

sundetikos (as SYNDESIS)] syndic /'sindrk/ n. 1 a government official in various countries. 2 Brit. a business agent of certain universities and corporations, esp. (at Cambridge University) a member of a committee of the senate. 00 syndical adj. [F f. LL syndicus f, Gk sundikos (as syN-, -dikos f. diké justice)]

in the same flower or receptacle. [syN- after dioecious etc.] synonym /'sinonim/ n. 1 a word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another in the same language (e.g. shut and close). 2 a word denoting the same thing as another but suitable to a different context (e.g. serpent for snake, Hellene for Greek) or containing a different emphasis (e.g. blindworm for slow-worm). 3 a word equivalent to another in some but not all senses (e.g. ship and vessel). 00 synonymic /-'n1mik/ adj. synonymity /-'n1miti/ n. [ME f. L synonymum f. Gk sundnumon neut. of sundnumos (as syN-, onoma name): cf. ANONYMOUS] synonymous /s1'npnimas/ adj. (often foll. by with) 1 having the same meaning; being a synonym (of). 2 (of a name, idea, etc.) suggestive of or associated with another (excessive drinking regarded as synonymous with violence). OO synonymously adv.

ing to, or constituted as a synod. 2 = syNoDIC.

syndicalism /'sindiko,l1z(a)m/ n. hist. a movement for transferring the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution to workers’ unions. 00 syndicalist n. [F syndicalisme f. syndical (as SYNDIC)]

syndicate n. & v. —n. |'sindrkot/ 1a combination of individuals or commercial firms to promote some common interest. 2 an association or agency supplying material simultaneously to a number of newspapers or periodicals. 3 a group of people who combine to buy or rent property, gamble, organize crime, etc. 4 a committee of syndics. —-v.tr. |'sindi,kert/ 1 form into a syndicate. 2 publish (material) through a syndicate. oo z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

synonymousness n. synonymy /si'npnimi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state of being synonymous. 2 the collocation of synonyms for emphasis (e.g. in 1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

vo put

u: too

9 ago

ali my

synopsis

system

1467

any shape or form). 3 a a system or collection of synonyms. b a treatise on synonyms. [LL synonymia f. Gk sundnumia (as SYNONYM)] synopsis /si'nppsis/ n. (pl. synopses /-si:z/) 1a summary or outline. 2 a brief general survey. 00 synopsize v.tr. (also -ise). [LL f. Gk (as syn-, opsis seeing)] synoptic /si'npptik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of, forming, or giving a synopsis. 2 taking or affording a comprehensive mental view. 3 of the Synoptic Gospels. 4 giving a general view of weather conditions. —n. 1 a Synoptic Gospel. 2 the writer of a Synoptic Gospel. 0 Synoptic Gospels the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, describing events from a similar point of view and having many similarities (whereas that of John differs greatly).

Syphilus, a character in it, the supposed first sufferer from the disease]

syphon var. of siPpHon. Syracuse /'sarra,kju:z/ on the south-east coast by the Corinthians c.734 culture especially in the the Elder and Dionysius

Syria /'sirio/ a country in SW Asia with a coastline on the eastern Mediterranean Sea; pop. (est. 1988) 11,569,650; official language, Arabic; capital, Damascus. In ancient times the namie was applied to a much wider area, which included also the present countries of Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and adjacent parts of Iraq and Saudi Arabia. It was the site of various early civilizations, trading with Egypt and Crete; the Phoenicians were settled on the coastal plain. The country was greatly enriched by the transit trade from Babylonia, Arabia, and the Far East. Falling successively within the empires of Persia, Macedon, and

O00 synoptical adj. synoptically adv. [Gk sunoptikos -(as SYNOPSIS)] synoptist /si'nvptist/ n. the writer of a Synoptic Gospel. synostosis /,sinp'stousis/ n. the joining of bones by ankylosis etc. [sYN- + Gk osteon bone + -osIs] synovia /sai'noovis, sin-/ n. Physiol. a viscous fluid lubricating joints and tendon sheaths. o synovial membrane a dense membrane of connective tissue secreting synovia. 00 synovial adj. [mod.L, formed prob. arbitrarily by Paracelsus]

Rome it became a centre of Islamic power and civilization from the 7th c. and a province of the Ottoman empire in 1516. After the Turkish defeat in the First World War, Syria was mandated to France and achieved independence with the ejection of Vichy troops by the Allies in 1941. The last three and a half decades of Syrian history have been dominated by continuing antagonism towards Israel, involvement in Middle Eastern wars and in the internal affairs of Lebanon, and domestic political instability. Although largely agricultural, Syria is becoming more industrialized, and has benefited in recent years from increasing oil exports. 00 Syrian adj. & n.

synovitis /,samov'vaitis, sm-/ n. inflammation of the synovial membrane. syntactic /sin'tektik/ adj. of or according to syntax. o00 syntactical adj. syntactically adv. [Gk suntaktikos (as sYNTAX)] syntagma /sin'tegmo/ n. (pl. syntagmas or syntagmata /-mata/) 1 a word or phrase forming a syntactic unit. 2 a systematic collection of statements. 00 syntagmatic /-'mztrk/ adj. syntagmic adj. [LL f. Gk suntagma (as syNTAX)] syntax /'sinteks/n. 1 the grammatical arrangement of words, showing their connection and relation. 2 a set of rules for or an analysis of this. [F syntaxe or LL syntaxis f. Gk suntaxis (as syN-, taxis f. tassO arrange)] synth /sin6/ n. collog. = SYNTHESIZER.

synthesis /'sim6ists/ n. (pl. syntheses /-si:z/) 1 the process or result of building up separate elements, esp. ideas, into a connected whole, esp. into a theory or system. 2 a combination or composition. 3 Chem. the artificial production of compounds from their constituents as distinct from extraction from plants etc. 4 Gram. a the process of making compound and derivative words. b the tendency in a language to use inflected forms rather than groups of words, prepositions, etc. 5 the joining of divided parts in surgery. 00 synthesist n. [L f. Gk sunthesis (as SYN-, THESIS)]

synthesize /'sin61,saiz/ v.tr. (also synthetize /-taiz/, -ise) 1 make a synthesis of. 2 combine into a coherent whole.

synthesizer /'sin@1,saizo(r)/ n. an electronic musical instrument, esp. operated by a keyboard, producing a wide variety of sounds by generating and combining signals of different frequencies. A musical instrument produces a fundamental pure tone anda series of other pure tones of lesser intensity (the overtones, each with its own intensity and frequency) which are characteristic of that instrument and which together give it its timbre. The synthesizer, by generating a combination of pure tones, can simulate this. Its development as a musical instrument dates from the late 1950s, in the US.

synthetic /sin'Getrk/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 made by chemical synthesis, esp. to imitate a natural product (synthetic rubber). 2 (of

emotions etc.) affected, insincere. 3 Logic (of a proposition) having truth or falsity determinable by recourse to experience (cf. ANALYTIC 3). 4 Philol. using combinations of simple words or elements in compounded or complex words (cf. ANALYTICAL). —n. Chem. a synthetic substance. 0 synthetic resin Chem. see RESIN ni. 2. OO synthetical adj. synthetically adv. [F synthétique or mod.L syntheticus f. Gk sunthetikos f. sunthetos f. suntithémi (as sYN-, tithémi put)]} syphilis /'stfilis/ n. a contagious venereal disease progressing from infection of the genitals via the skin and mucous membrane to the bones, muscles, and brain. 00 syphilitic /-'litrk/ adj. syphilize |-)la1z/ v.tr. (also -ise). syphiloid |-,lo1d/ adj. [mod.L f. title (Syphilis, sive Morbus Gallicus) of a Latin poem (1530), f. au how

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10 near

or boy

usa poor

(Italian Siracusa |,srara'ku:zo/) a port of Sicily; pop. (1981) 117,600. Founded Bc, it was a flourishing centre of Greek 5th—4th c. Bc under its rulers Dionysius the Younger.

Syriac |'sirk/ n. & adj. —n. the liturgical language of the Maronite and Syrian Catholic Churches, the Syrian Jacobite Church, and the Nestorian Church. It is descended from the Aramaic spoken near the city of Edessa (now Urfa) in SE Turkey from shortly before the Christian era, and was extensively used in the early Church owing to the active Christian communities in those parts. After Greek it was the most important language in the eastern Roman Empire until the rise of Islam in the 8th c. The Syriac alphabet developed from a late form of Aramaic used at Palmyra in Syria. —adj. in or relating to this language. [L Syriacus f. Gk Suriakos f. Suria Syria] syringa /si'ringo/ n. Bot. 1 = mock orange. 2 any plant of the genus Syringa, esp. the lilac. [mod.L, formed as syRINnx (with ref. to the use of its stems as pipe-stems)] syringe /s'rindj, 'sir-/ n. & v. —n. 1 Med. aa tube with a nozzle and piston or bulb for sucking in and ejecting liquid in a fine stream, used in surgery. b (in full hypodermic syringe) a similar device with a hollow needle for insertion under the skin. 2 any similar device used in gardening, cooking, etc. —-v.tr. sluice or spray (the ear, a plant, etc.) with a syringe. [ME f. med.L syringa (as SYRINX)] syrinx /'sirinks/ n. (pl. syrinxes or syringes /st'r1nd3i:z/) 1 a set of pan-pipes. 2 Archaeol. a narrow gallery cut in rock in an ancient Egyptian tomb. 3 the lower larynx or song-organ of birds. 00 syringeal /si'rind31ol/ adj. [L syrinx -ngis f. Gk surigx suriggos pipe, channel] Syro- /'sairau/ comb. form Syrian; Syrian and (Syro-Phoenician). [Gk Suro- f. Suros a Syrian] syrup |'sirap/ n. (US sirup) 1 a a sweet sauce made by dissolving sugar in boiling water, often used for preserving fruit etc. ba similar sauce of a specified flavour as a drink, medicine, etc. (rose-hip syrup). 2 condensed sugar-cane juice; part of this remaining uncrystallized at various stages of refining; molasses, treacle. 3 excessive sweetness of style or manner.

00 syrupy

adj. [ME f. OF sirop or med.L siropus f. Arab. Sarab beverage: cf. SHERBET, SHRUB] syssarcosis |,s1sa:'kousis/ n. (pl. syssarcoses /-si:z/) Anat. a connection between bones formed by intervening muscle: [mod.L f. Gk sussark6sis (as sYN-, sarx, sarkos flesh)]

systaltic /si'steltik/ adj. (esp. of the heart) contracting and dilating rhythmically; pulsatory (cf. sysSTOLE, DIASTOLE). [LL systalticus f. Gk sustaltikos (as syn-, staltos f. stelld put)] system /'sistom/n. 1a complex whole; a set of connected things

aro fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

systematic

Szeged

1468

systematist /'sistomotist/ n. [F systématique f. LL systematicus f. or parts; an organized body of material or immaterial things. 2 late Gk sustématikos (as sySTEM)] a set of devices (e.g. pulleys) functioning together. 3 Physiol. aa set of organs in the body with a common structure or function _ systematics /,sisto'mztiks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) the study or a system of classification; taxonomy. (the digestive system). b the human or animal body as a whole. 4 systematize /'sistomo,taiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 make systematic. a method; considered principles of procedure or classification. 2 devise a system for. 00 systematization /-!ze1f(2)n/_ n. b classification. 5 orderliness. 6 a a body of theory or practice systematizer n. relating to or prescribing a particular form of government, systemic /s1'stemrk/ adj. 1 Physiol. a of or concerning the whole religion, etc. b (prec. by the) the prevailing political or social body, not confined to a particular part (systemic infection). b (of order, esp. regarded as oppressive and intransigent. 7 a method blood circulation) other than pulmonary. 2 Hort. (of an insectof choosing one’s procedure in gambling etc. 8 Computing a icide, fungicide, etc.) entering the plant via the roots or shoots group of related hardware units or programs or both, esp. when and passing through the tissues. 00 systemically adv. [irreg. dedicated to a single application. 9 one of seven general types f. SYSTEM] of crystal structure. 10 a major group of geological strata (the systemize /'sisto,maiz/ v.tr. = SYSTEMATIZE. 00 systemization Devonian system). 11 Physics a group of associated bodies moving /-'zerf(a)n/ n. systemizer n. under mutual gravitation etc. 12 Mus. the braced staves of a systole /'sistali/ n. Physiol. the contraction of the heart, when score. O get a thing out of one’s system collog. be rid of a blood is pumped into the arteries (cf. DIASTOLE). 00 systolic |-'stolrk/ adj. [LL f. Gk sustolé f. sustell6 contract (as SYSTALTIC)]} preoccupation or anxiety. systems analysis the analysis of a syzygy |'s1z1d31/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 Astron. conjunction or opposition, complex process or operation in order to improve its efficiency, esp. of the moon with the sun. 2. pair of connected or correlated esp. by applying a computer system. 00 systemless adj. [F things. [LL syzygia f. Gk suzugia f. suzugos yoked, paired (as syN-, systéme or LL systema f. Gk sustéma -atos (as syN-, histémi set up)] zugon yoke)] systematic /,sista'mztik/ adj. 1 methodical; done or conceived Szczecin /'ftetsi:n/ (also Stettin /{te'ti:n/) a port on the Oder according to a plan or system. 2 regular, deliberate (a systematic River in NW Poland; pop. (1985) 391,000. liar). O systematic theology a form of theology in which the Szechwan see SICHUAN. aim is to arrange religious truths ina self-consistent whole. oo Szeged |'seged/ a port on the River Tisza, in southern Hungary; systematically adv. systematism |'sistomo ,tiz(a)m/ 1. pop. (1988) 188,000.

b but

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rred s sit

t top vvoice

T T! |ti:/ n. (also t) (pl. Ts or T’s) 1 the twentieth letter of the alphabet. 2 a T-shaped thing (esp. attrib.: Tjoint). 0 to a T exactly; to a nicety. 7

T?2 abbr. 1 tera-. 2 tesla. T3 symb. Chem. the isctope tritium. t. abbr. 1 ton(s). 2 tonne(s). °t pron. contr. of rT! ('tis).

-t! /t/ suffix = -Ep! (crept; sent). -t? /t/ suffix = -Est? (shalt). TA abbr. (in the UK) Territorial Army. Ta symb. Chem. the element tantalum. ta /ta:/ int. Brit. collog. thank you. [infantile form] = language, rel. to TALE]

TAB abbr. 1 typhoid-paratyphoid A and B vaccine. 2 Austral. Totalizator Agency Board.

1 aa small flap or strip of material

attached for grasping, fastening, or hanging up, or for identification. b a similar object as part of a garment etc. 2 US collog. a bill or price (picked up the tab). 3 Brit. Mil. a marking on the collar distinguishing a staff officer. 4 a a stage-curtain. b a loop for suspending this. —v.tr. (tabbed, tabbing) provide with a tab or tabs. Oo keep tabs (or a tab) on collog. 1 keep account of. 2 have under observation or in check. [prob. f. dial.: cf. TAG}] tab? /tzb/n. 1 = TABULATOR 2. 2 = TABULATOR 3. [abbr.] tabard /'tebod/ n. 1 a short-sleeved or sleeveless jerkin emblazoned with the arms of the sovereign and forming the official dress of a herald or pursuivant. 2 hist. a short surcoat open at the sides and with short sleeves, worn by a knight over armour and emblazoned with armorial bearings. 3 a woman’s

or girl’s sleeveless jerkin open at the sides. [ME f. OF tabart, of unkn, orig.] tabaret /'tzborit/ n. an upholstery fabric of alternate satin and plain stripes. [prob. f. TABBY]

Tabasco /ta'beskau/ a State of eastern Mexico; pop. (est. 1988) 1,299,500; capital, Villahermosa. tabasco /ts'beskau/ n. 1 a pungent pepper made from the fruit of Capsicum frutescens. 2 (Tabasco) propr. a sauce made from this used to flavour food. [TABASCcO]

tabbouleh /te'bu:lei/ n. an Arabic vegetable salad made with cracked wheat. [Arab. tabbiila]

tabby /'tebi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 (in full tabby cat) a a grey or brownish cat mottled or streaked with dark stripes. b any domestic cat, esp. female. 2 a kind of watered silk. 3 a plain

weave. [F tabis (in sense 2) f. Arab. al-attabiya the quarter of Baghdad where tabby was manufactured: connection of other senses uncert.]

tabernacle /'tzbe,nzk(o)l/ n. 1 (in the Bible) a a fixed or movable habitation, usually of light construction.

b a tent con-

taining the Ark of the Covenant, used as a portable shrine by the Israelites during their wanderings in the wilderness. 2 aa meeting-place for worship used by nonconformists (e.g. Baptists) or by Mormons. b hist. any of the temporary structures

used during the rebuilding of churches after the Fire of London. 3 a a canopied niche or recess in the wall of a church etc. b an ornamental receptacle for the pyx or consecrated elements of the Eucharist. 4 Naut. a socket or double post for a hinged mast that can be lowered to pass under low bridges. o feast of Tabernacles = SuccoTH. 00 tabernacled adj. [ME f. OF tab-

ernacle or L tabernaculum tent, dimin. of taberna hut] tabes /'terbi:z/ n. Med. 1 emaciation. 2 locomotor ataxy; a form of neurosyphilis. o0 tabetic /to'betik/ adj. [L, = wasting away] tabla /'tzbla, 'ta:-/ n. Ind. Mus. a pair of small drums played with the hands. [Hind. f. Arab. tabla drum] wwe

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Jf she

3 decision

0 thin

to be performed, where figures, letters, and similar signs are used instead of notes. Such systems emerged in the late 15th c. Systems for the lute and the organ used a tablature in which the symbols represented the position of the player’s fingers, not the pitch. The diagrammatic notation used today in popular music for the guitar, ukelele, etc. is a type of tablature. [F f. It. tavolatura f. tavolare set to music]

table /'terb(2)l/ n. & v. —n. 1a piece of furniture with a flat

Taal /ta:l/ n. (prec. by the) hist. an early form of Afrikaans. [Du.,

tab! /tzb/ n. & v. —n.

tablature /'tzblotfa(r)/ n. Mus. a system of writing down music

6 this

n ring

x loch

top and one or more legs, providing a level surface for eating, writing, or working at, playing games on, etc. 2 a flat surface serving a specified purpose (altar table; bird table). 3 a food provided in a household (keeps a good table). b a group seated at table for dinner etc. 4 a a set of facts or figures systematically displayed, esp. in columns (a table of contents). b matter contained in this. ¢ = multiplication table. 5 a flat surface for working on or for machinery to operate on. 6 a a slab of wood or stone etc. for bearing an inscription. b matter inscribed on this. 7 = TABLELAND. 8 Archit. a a flat usu. rectangular vertical surface. b a horizontal moulding, esp. a cornice. 9 a a flat surface of a gem. b a cut gem with two flat faces. 10 each half or quarter of a folding board for backgammon. 11 (prec. by the) Bridge the dummy hand. —v.tr. 1 bring forward for discussion or consideration at a meeting. 2 postpone consideration of (a matter). 3 Naut. strengthen (a sail) with a wide hem. o at table taking a meal at a table. lay on the table 1 submit for discussion. 2 postpone indefinitely. on the table offered for discussion. table knife a knife for use at meals, esp. in eating a main course. table licence a licence to serve alcoholic drinks only with meals. table linen tablecloths, napkins, etc. table manners decorum or correct behaviour while eating at table. table-mat a mat for protecting a tabletop from hot dishes, etc. Table of

the House the central table in either of the Houses of Parliament. table salt salt that is powdered or easy to powder for use at meals. table talk miscellaneous informal talk at table. table tennis an indoor game based on lawn tennis, played with small bats and a ball bounced on a table divided by a net. No precise date of its origin or invention is known; equipment for it is mentioned in a sports goods catalogue of 1884. table wine ordinary wine for drinking with a meal. turn the tables (often foll. by on) reverse one’s relations (with), esp. by turning an inferior into a superior position (orig. in backgammon). under the table collog. drunken after a meal. 00 tableful n. (pl. -fuls).

tabling n. [ME f. OF f. L tabula plank, tablet, list]

tableau /'tezblou/ n. (pl. tableaux /-louz/) 1 a picturesque presentation. 2 = TABLEAU VIVANT. 3 a dramatic or effective situation suddenly brought about. o tableau curtains Theatr. a pair of curtains drawn open by a diagonal cord. [F, = picture, dimin. of table: see TABLE]

tableau vivant |,teblovu 'vi:va/n.(pl. tableaux vivants pronunc. same) Theatr. a silent and motionless group of people arranged to represent a scene. [F, lit. ‘living picture’]

tablecloth /'terb(2)l,klo9/ n. a cloth spread over the top of a table, esp. for meals.

table d’héte /,ta:b(a)l 'dout/ n. a meal consisting of a set menu at a fixed price, esp. in a hotel (cf. A LA CARTE). [F, = host’s table]

tableland@ /'terb(a)l,lend/ n. an extensive elevated region with a level surface; a plateau.

Table Mountain a flat-topped mountain overlooking Cape Town in South Africa, rising to a height of 1,087 m (3,563 ft.).

tablespoon /'terb(2)l,spu:n/ n. 1 a large spoon for serving food. 2 an amount held by this. 00 tablespoonful n. (pl. -fuls).

tablet /'tzblit/ n. 1 a small measured and compressed amount of a substance, esp. of a medicine or drug. 2 a small flat piece of soap etc. 3a flat slab of stone or wood, esp. for display or an tf chip

d3 jar

(see over for vowels)

tabletop OA i

tactics

1470 NE

0 I

I AE

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RI

I

A

tachymeter /ta'kimita(r)/ n. 1 Surveying an instrument used to

inscription. 4 Archit. = TABLE 8. 5 US a writing-pad. [ME f. OF

locate points rapidly. 2 a speed-indicator.

tablete f. Rmc, dimin. of L tabula TABLE]

tabletop /'terb(o)l,top/n. 1 the top or surface ofa table. 2 (attrib.) . tacit /'tasrt/ adj. understood or implied without being stated

(tacit consent). 00 tacitly adv. [L tacitus silent f. tacére be silent] taciturn /'tesi,ts:n/ adj. reserved in speech; saying little; uncommunicative. oo taciturnity /-'ta:niti/ n. taciturnly adv. [F taciturne or L taciturnus (as TACIT)]

that can be placed or used on a tabletop.

tableware /'terb(2)l,;weo(r)/ n. dishes, plates, implements, etc., for use at meals.

tablier /'tzbli,e1/ n. hist. an apron-like part of a woman’s dress.

Tacitus /'tzsitos/, Cornelius (born c.56), Roman senator and

[FI tabloid /'tzbloid/ n. 1 a newspaper, usu. popular in style with bold headlines and large photographs, having pages ofhalf size. 2 anything in a compressed or concentrated form. [orig. the propr. name of a medicine sold in tablets]

taboo |ta'bu:/ n., adj., & v. (also tabu) —n. (pl. taboos or tabus) 1a system or the act of setting a person or thing apart as sacred or accursed. 2 a prohibition or restriction imposed by social

historian, whose works are pervaded by a deep pessimism (partly the product of personal experience under Domitian) about the course of Roman history since the end of the Republic. His major works on imperial history, only partially preserved, the Annals (covering the period from 14 to 68) and the Histories (beginning in 69), are a piercingly ironic but scrupulously accurate record of the period, conveyed in a highly individual style, elevated, rapid, and intense.

custom. —adj. 1 avoided or prohibited, esp. by social custom (taboo words). 2 designated as sacred and prohibited. —v.tr. (taboos, tabooed or tabus, tabued) 1 put (a thing, practice, etc.) under taboo. 2 exclude or prohibit by authority or social influence. [Tongan tabu] tabor /'terbo(r)/ n. hist. a small drum, esp. one used to accompany a pipe. [ME f. OF tabour, tabur: cf. TABLA, Pers. tabitra drum] tabouret /'tzborit/ n. (US taboret) a low seat usu. without arms or a back. [F, = stool, dimin. as TABOR]

tack! /tzk/n. & v. —n. 1 a small sharp broad-headed nail. 2 US

tabu var. of TABOO. tabular /'tzbjolo(r)/ adj. 1 of or arranged in tables or lists. 2

extraneous clause appended to a bill in Parliament. —v. 1 tr. (often foll. by down etc.) fasten with tacks. 2 tr. stitch (pieces of cloth etc.) lightly together. 3 tr. (foll. by to, on) annex (a thing). 4 intr. (often foll. by about) a change a ship’s course by turning its head to the wind (cf. WEAR”). b make aseries of tacks. 5 intr.

a drawing-pin. 3 a long stitch used in fastening fabrics etc. lightly or temporarily together. 4 a the direction in which a ship moves as determined by the position of its sails and regarded in terms of the direction of the wind (starboard tack). b a temporary change of direction in sailing to take advantage of a side wind etc. 5 a course of action or policy (try another tack). 6 Naut. aa rope for securing the corner of some sails. b the corner to which this is fastened. 7 a sticky condition of varnish etc. 8 Brit. an

broad and flat like a table. 3 (of a crystal) having two broad flat faces. 4 formed in thin plates. 00 tabularly adv. [L tabularis (as TABLE)]

change one’s conduct or policy etc. 6 tr. Brit. append (a clause) to a bill. o0 tacker n. [ME tak etc., of uncert. orig.: cf. Bibl. tache

tabula rasa |,tzbjols 'ra:zo/ n. 1 an erased tablet. 2 the human mind (esp. at birth) viewed as having no innate ideas. [L, = scraped tablet]

tacet |'tzsit, 'tet-/ v.intr. Mus. an instruction for a particular voice or instrument to be silent. [L, = is silent]

clasp, link f. OF tache] tack? /tzk/ n. the saddle, bridle, etc., of a horse. [shortened f. TACKLE] tackle /'tzk(a)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 equipment for a task or sport (fishing-tackle). 2 a mechanism, esp. of ropes, pulley-blocks, hooks, etc., for lifting weights, managing sails, etc. (block and tackle). 3 a windlass with its ropes and hooks. 4 an act of tackling in football etc. 5 Amer. Football a the position next to the end of the forward line. b the player in this position. —v.tr. 1 try to deal with (a problem or difficulty). 2 grapple with or try to overcome (an opponent). 3 enter into discussion with. 4 obstruct, intercept, or seize and stop (a player running with the ball). 5 secure by means of tackle. 0 tackle-block a pulley over which a rope runs. tackle-fall a rope for applying force to the blocks of a tackle. oo tackler n. tackling n. [ME, prob. f. MLG takel f. taken lay hold of] tacky! /'taki/ adj. (tackier, tackiest) (of glue or paint etc.) still slightly sticky after application. 00 tackiness n. [TACK! + -y}]

tachism /'tzJ1z(a)m/ n. (also tachisme) a form of action paint-

tacky? /'taki/ adj. (tackier, tackiest) esp. US collog. 1 showing

ing with dabs of colour arranged randomly to evoke a subconscious feeling. [F tachisme f. tache stain] tachistoscope /to'kista,skaup/ n. an instrument for very brief measured exposure of objects to the eye. 00 tachistoscopic |-'skppik/ adj. [Gk takhistos swiftest + -scopPE]

poor taste or style. 2 tatty or seedy. 00 tackily adv. tackiness n. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] taco /'ta:kou/ n. (pl. -os) a Mexican dish of meat etc. in a folded or rolled tortilla. [Mex. Sp.] tact /tekt/ n. 1 adroitness in dealing with others or with difficulties arising from personal feeling. 2 intuitive perception of the right thing to do or say. [F f. L tactus touch, sense of touch f. tangere tact- touch] tactful /'taktfol/ adj. having or showing tact. 00 tactfully adv. tactfulness n.

tabulate /'tzbju,lert/ v.tr. arrange (figures or facts) in tabular form. O00 tabulation /-'ler{(a)n/ n. [LL tabulare tabulat- f. tabula table] tabulator /'tzbju,lerto(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that tabulates. 2 a device on a typewriter for advancing to a sequence of set positions in tabular work. 3 Computing a machine that produces lists or tables from a data storage medium such as punched cards. tacamahac /'tekomohek/ n. 1 a resinous gum obtained from certain tropical trees esp. of the genus Calophyllum. 2 a the balsam poplar. b the resin of this. [obs. Sp. tacamahaca f. Aztec tecomahiyac] tac-au-tac /'tekou,tek/ n. Fencing a parry combined with a riposte. [F: imit.]

tacho /'tekou/ n. (pl. -os) collog. = TACHOMETER. [abbr.] tacho- /'takou/ comb. form speed. [Gk takhos speed]

tachograph /'tekogra:f] n. a device used esp. in heavy goods vehicles and coaches etc. for automatically recording speed and travel time.

tactic /'tektrk/ n. 1 a tactical manoeuvre. 2 = tactics. [mod.L

tachometer /to'komita(r)/ n. an instrument for measuring the rate of rotation of a shaft and hence the speed or velocity of a vehicle.

tactica f. Gk taktiké (tekhné art): see TACTICS]

tactical /'tzktrk(s)l/ adj. 1 of, relating to, or constituting tactics (a tactical retreat). 2 (of bombing or weapons) done or for use in immediate support of military or naval operations (opp. sTRATEGIC). 3 adroitly planning or planned. 4 (of voting) aimed at preventing the strongest candidate from winning by supporting the next strongest. o0 tactically adv. [Gk taktikos (as TACTICS) tactics /'tektrks/ n.pl. 1 (also treated as sing.) the art of disposing armed forces esp. in contact with an enemy (cf. sTRATEGY). 2a the plans and means adopted in carrying out a scheme or achieving

tachy- /'tzk1/ comb. form swift. [Gk takhus swift] tachycardia |,tzki'ka:dio/ n. Med. an abnormally rapid heart rate. [TACHY- + Gk kardia heart] tachygraphy |to'kigrofi/ n. 1 stenography, esp. that of the ancient Greeks and Romans. 2 the abbreviated medieval writing of Greek and Latin. 00 tachygrapher n. tachygraphic |-'greefik/ adj. tachygraphical |-'grzfik(a)l/ adj.

z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

wv put

u: too

0 ago

ar my

tactile

tail

1471

a a a a

some end. ba skilful device or devices. 00 tactician /tek'tr{(2)n/ n. [mod.L tactica f. Gk taktika neut.pl. f. taktos ordered f. tassé arrange]

tactile /'tektatl/ adj. 1 of or connected with the sense of touch. 2 perceived by touch. 3 tangible. 4 Art (in painting) producing or concerning the effect of three-dimensional solidity. o0 tactual |'teektjual/ adj. (in senses 1, 2). tactility j-!trirti/ . [L tactilis f. tangere tact- touch] tactless /'tektlis/ adj. having or showing no tact. 00 tactlessly adv. tactlessness n. tad /tzed/ n. US collog. a small amount (often used adverbially: a tad too salty). [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

Tadjikistan

|,ted3rki'sta:n/ the Tadjik SSR, a constituent

republic of the USSR, in central Asia; pop. (est. 1987) 4,807,000; capital, Dushanbe.

tadpole /'taedpool/ n. a larva of an amphibian, esp. a frog, toad, or newt in its aquatic stage and breathing through gills. [ME taddepolle (as TOAD, POLL! from the size of its head)]

taedium vitae |,ti:diem ‘vi:tar, '‘varti:/ n. weariness of life (often as a pathological state, with a tendency to suicide). [L]

:

Taegu /'targu:/ a city in SE Korea; pop. (1985) 2,030,650, Near the city is the Haeinsa temple, established in aD 802, which contains 80,000 wooden printing-blocks dating from the 13th c., engraved with compilations of Buddhist scriptures.

taenia /'ti:nto/ n. (US tenia) (pl. taeniae /-n1,i:/ or taenias) 1 Archit. a fillet between a Doric architrave and frieze. 2 Anat. any flat ribbon-like structure, esp. the muscles of the colon. 3 any large tapeworm of the genus Taenia, esp. T. saginata and T. soleum, parasitic on humans. 4 Gk Antig. a fillet or headband. oo taenioid adj. [L f. Gk tainia ribbon] taffeta /'tefito/ n. a fine lustrous silk or silklike fabric. [ME f. OF taffetas or med.L taffata, ult. f. Pers. tafta past part. of taftan twist] taffrail /'tefrerl/ n. Naut. a rail round a ship’s stern. [earlier tafferel f. Du. taffereel panel, dimin. of tafel (as TABLE): assim. to RAIL]

Taffy /'tefi/ n. (pl. -ies) collog. often offens. a Welshman. [supposed Welsh pronunc. of Davy = David (Welsh Dafydd)}

taffy /'tzfi/ n. (pl. -ies) US 1 a confection like toffee. 2 insincere flattery. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] tafia /'tefio/ n. W.Ind. rum distilled from molasses etc. [18th c.: orig. uncert.]

Taft /tzft/, William Howard (1857-1930), 27th President of the US, 1909-13. His Presidency is remembered for its ‘dollar diplomacy’ in foreign affairs and for its tariff laws which were attacked as being too favourable to big business. tag! /tzg/n. & v. —n. 1 label, esp. one for tying on an object to show its address, price, etc. 2 a metal or plastic point at the end ofa lace etc. to assist insertion. 3 a loop at the back of a boot used in pulling it on. 4 US a licence plate of a motor vehicle. 5 a loose or ragged end of anything. 6 a ragged lock of wool on a sheep. 7 Theatr. a closing speech addressed to the audience. 8 a trite quotation or stock phrase. 9 a the refrain of a song. ba musical phrase added to the end of a piece. 10 an animal’s tail, or its tip. —v.tr. (tagged, tagging) 1 provide with a tag or tags. 2 (often foll. by on, on to) join or attach. 3 collog. follow closely or trail behind. 4 Computing identify (an item of data) by its type for later retrieval. 5 label radioactively (see LABEL v. 3). 6 a find rhymes for (verses). b string (rhymes) together. 7 shear away tags from (sheep). Oo tag along (often foll. by with) go along or accompany passively. tag end esp. US the last remnant of something. [ME: orig. unkn.] tag? /tzeg/n. & v. —n. 1a children’s game in which one chases the rest, and anyone who is caught then becomes the pursuer. 2 Baseball the act of tagging a runner. —v.tr. (tagged, tagging) 1 touch in a game of tag. 2 (often foll. by out) put (a runner) out by touching with the ball or with the hand holding the ball. [18th c.: orig. unkn.] Tagalog /ta'ga:log/ n. & adj. —n. 1a member of the principal people of the Philippine Islands. 2 the language of this people, which belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian language group au how

er day

090 no

eo hair

1a near

or boy

vo poor

although its vocabulary has been heavily influenced by Spanish with some adaptions from Chinese and Arabic. —adj. of or relating to this people or language. [Tagalog f. taga native + ilog river] tagetes /to'dzi:ti:z/ n. any plant of the genus Tagetes, esp. any of various marigolds with bright orange or yellow flowers. [mod.L f. L Tages an Etruscan god]

tagliatelle |,tzlja'teli/ n. a form of pasta in narrow ribbons. {It.] tagmemniics /tzg'mi:miks/ n. the study and description of language in terms of tagmemes (the smallest meaningful units-of grammatical form), based on the work of K. L. Pike (1912- ), which stresses the functional and structural relations of grammatical units. [Gk tagma arrangement, after phoneme] Tagore /|to'go:(r)/, Sir Rabindranath (1861-1941), Bengali poet and philosopher, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1913 for his Gitanjali: Song-Offering (1912), poems modelled on medieval Indian devotional lyrics. He wrote philosophical plays such as Chitra (1913), novels (The Home and the World, 1919; Gora, 1929), and short fiction which often comments powerfully and courageously on Indian national and social concerns. He founded the Santiniketan communal school to encourage links between Eastern and Western educational and philosophical systems. Tagus |'te1gas/ (Spanish Tajo /'ta:xau/, Portuguese Tejo /'terzu:/) a river of Spain and Portugal, flowing into the Atlantic near Lisbon.

Tahiti /ta'hi:tr/ one of the Society Islands in the South Pacific, administered by France; pop. (1983) 115,800; capital, Papeete. The island is famous as the location of the Bounty mutiny in 1789. 00 Tahitian /-{(9)n/ adj. & n. tahr /ta:(r)/ n. any goatlike mammal of the genus Hemitragus, esp. H. jemlahicus of the Himalayas. [native name in Nepal]

tahsil /ta:'si:l/ n. an administrative area in parts of India. [Urdu tahstl f. Arab., = collection]

tai chi chu’an /|,tai ti: 't{}wa:n/ n. (also t’ai chi /tar 'tfi:/) a Chinese martial art and system of callisthenics consisting of sequences of very slow controlled movements. [Chin., = great ultimate boxing]

Ta’if /'ta:1f] the unofficial seat of government of Saudi Arabia during the summer, situated in the Asir Mountains south-east of Mecca; pop. 204,850.

to the

Taig /te1g/ n. sl. offens. (in Northern Ireland) a Protestant name for a Catholic. [var. of Teague, Anglicized spelling of the Irish name Tadhg, a nickname for an Irishman] taiga /'taigo/ n. coniferous forest lying between tundra and steppe, esp. in Siberia. [Russ.]

tail! /tel/ n. & v. —n. 1 the hindmost part of an animal, esp. when prolonged beyond the rest of the body. 2 a a thing like a tail in form or position, esp. something extending downwards or outwards at an extremity. b the rear end of anything, e.g. of a procession. ¢ a long train or line of people, vehicles, etc. 3 a the rear part of an aeroplane, with the tailplane and rudder, or of a rocket. b the rear part of a motor vehicle. 4 the luminous trail of particles following a comet. 5 a the inferior or weaker part of anything, esp. in a sequence. b Cricket the end of the batting order, with the weakest batsmen. 6 a the part of a shirt below the waist. b the hanging part of the back of a coat. 7 (in pl.) collog. a a tailcoat. b evening dress including this. 8 (in pl.) the reverse of a coin as a choice when tossing. 9 colloqg. a person following or shadowing another. 10 an extra strip attached to the lower end of a kite. 11 the stem of a note in music. 12 the part of a letter (e.g. y) below the line. 13 a the exposed end of a slate or tile in a roof. b the unexposed end of a brick or stone in a wall. 14 the slender backward prolongation of a butterfly’s wing. 15 a comparative calm at the end of a gale. 16 a calm stretch following rough water in a stream. —v. 1 tr. remove the stalks of (fruit). 2 tr. & (foll. by after) intr. collog. shadow or follow closely. 3 tr. provide with a tail. 4 tr. dock the tail of (a lamb etc.). 5 tr. (often foll. by on to) join (one thing to another). O on a person’s tail closely following a person. tail back (of traffic) form a tailback. tail covert any of the feathers covering

ata fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

tail

take

1472

become tainted. 00 taintless adj. [ME, partly f. OF teint(e) f. L the base of a bird’s tail feathers. tail-end 1 the hindmost or tinctus f. tingere dye, partly f. ATTAINT] lowest or last part. 2 (sense 5 of the n.). tail-ender a person at the tail-end of something, esp. in cricket and athletic races. tail _ taipan! /'tarpen/ n. the head of a foreign business in China. in fasten (timber) by one end into a wall etc. tail-light (or [Chin.] -lamp) USa light at the rear of a train, motor vehicle, or bicycle. taipan2 /'tarpen/ n. a large venomous Australian snake, Oxytail off (or away) 1 become fewer, smaller, or slighter. 2 fall uranus microlepidotus. [Aboriginal] behind or away in a scattered line. tail-off n. a decline or gradual Taipei /tat'pe1/ the capital of Taiwan; pop. (est. 1987) 2,640,000. reduction, esp. in demand. tail-race the part of a mill-race Taiwan /tat'wen/ an island, mountainous and densely forested below the water-wheel. tail-skid a support for the tail of an on its east side, off the SE coast of China; pop. (est. 1988) aircraft when on the ground. tail wind a wind blowing in the 20,004,400; official language, Chinese; capital, Taipei. Settled direction of travel of a vehicle or aircraft etc. with one’s tail for centuries by the Chinese, the island was sighted by the between one’s legs ina state of dejection or humiliation. with Portuguese in 1590; they named it Formosa (= beautiful). It one’s tail up in good spirits; cheerful. oo tailed adj. (also in was ceded to Japan by China in 1895 but returned to China after comb,). tailless adj. [OE tzgl, tegel f. Gmc] the Second World War. General Chiang Kai-shek withdrew there tail? /terl/ n. & adj. Law —n. limitation of ownership, esp. of an in 1949 with 500,000 troops towards the end of the war with estate limited to a person and that person’s heirs. —adj. so the Communist regime, and it became the headquarters of the limited (estate tail; fee tail). O im tail under such a limitation. [ME Chinese Nationalists. Since the 1950s Taiwan has undergone f. OF taille notch, cut, tax, f. taillier cut ult. f. L talea twig] steady economic growth, particularly in its export-oriented tailback /'terlbzk/ n. a long line of traffic extending back from industries. In 1971 it lost its seat in the United Nations to the an obstruction. People’s Republic of China, which regards Taiwan as one of its tailboard /'terlbo:d/ n. a hinged or removable flap at the rear provinces. 00 Taiwanese /-'ni:z/ adj. & n. of a lorry etc. Taiyuan /|,taro'a:n/ a city in northern China, capital of Shanxi tailcoat /'terlkaut/ n. a man’s morning or evening coat with a province; pop. (est. 1986) 1,880,000. long skirt divided at the back into tails and cut away in front, Ta’iz /tz'1z/ the administrative capital of Yemen from 1948 to worn as part of formal dress.

1962; pop. (1986) 178,000.

tailgate /'terlgert/n. & v. —n. 1 esp. US a = TAILBOARD. b the tail door of an estate car or hatchback. 2 the lower end of a canal lock. —v. US collog. 1 intr. drive too closely behind another vehicle. 2 tr. follow (a vehicle) too closely. 00 tailgater n.

tailing /'terlin/ n. 1 (in pl.) the refuse or inferior part of grain or ore etc. 2 the part of a beam or projecting brick etc. embedded in a wall.

Tailleferre /tai'fe(r)/, Germaine (1892—

_), French composer

and pianist, a pupil of Ravel. Although a member of ‘Les Six’ (see six), unlike most of the group she emerged as a composer of graceful music in the French tradition. Her works include concertos for unusual combinations, including one for baritone, piano, and orchestra.

(clothes) as a tailor. 2 tr. make or adapt for a special purpose. 3 intr. work as or be a tailor. 4tr. (esp. as tailored adj.) make clothes for (he was immaculately tailored). 5 tr. (as tailored adj.) = tailor-made. 0 tailor-bird any small Asian etc. bird of the genus Orthotomus that stitches leaves together to form a nest. tailor-made adj. 1 (of clothing) made to order by a tailor. 2 made or suited for a particular purpose (a job tailor-made for me). —n. a tailor-made garment. tailor’s chair a chair without legs for sitting cross-legged like a tailor at work. tailor’s twist a fine strong silk thread used by tailors. 00 tailoring n. [ME & AF taillour, OF tailleur cutter, formed as TAIL?] tailored /'tetlod/ adj. (of clothing) well or closely fitted.

tailpiece /'terlpi:s/ n. 1 an appendage at the rear of anything. 2 the final part of a thing. 3 a decoration in a blank space at the end of a chapter etc. in a book. 4 a piece of wood to which the strings of some musical instruments are attached at their lower ends.

tailpipe /'terlparp/ n. the rear section of the exhaust pipe of a motor vehicle.

tailplane /'terlplem/ n. a horizontal aerofoil at the tail of an aircraft. tailspin /'terlspin/ n. & v. —n. 1 a spin (see sPIN n. 2) by an aircraft with the tail spiralling. 2 a state of chaos or panic. —v.intr. (-spinning; past and past part. -spum) perform a tailspin.

tailstock /'terlstok/ n. the adjustable part of a lathe holding the fixed spindle.

Taimyr Peninsula /tai'mio/ a peninsula forming the northernmost point of mainland USSR and of Asia. taint /ternt/ n. & v. —n. 1a spot or trace of decay, infection, or some bad quality. 2 a corrupt condition or infection. —v. 1 tr. affect with a taint. 2 tr. (foll. by with) affect slightly. 3 intr. d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

Taj Mahal /ta:3 mo‘ha:l/ a mausoleum at Agra in northern India, by the River Jumna. Completed c.1648, it was built by the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife who had borne him fourteen children. Set in formal gardens, the domed building in white marble is reflected in a pool flanked by cypresses. [perh. corrupt. of Pers. Mumtaz Mahal, title of wife of Shah Jahan, f. mumta@z chosen one, mahal abode]

Tajo see Tacus. takahe /'ta:kohi/ n. = Notornis. [Maori] take /terk/ v. & n. —v. (past took /tuk/; past part. taken /'terkan/)

tailor /'terlo(r)/ n. & v. —n. a maker of clothes, esp. one who makes men’s outer garments to measure. —v. 1 tr. make

b but

taj /ta:d3/ n. a tall conical cap worn by a dervish. [Arab. taj]

kcat

1 tr. lay hold of; get into one’s hands. 2 tr. acquire, get possession of, capture, earn, or win. 3 tr. get the use of by purchase or formal agreement (take lodgings). 4 tr. (in a recipe) avail oneself of; use. 5 tr. use as a means of transport (took a taxi). 6 tr. regularly buy or subscribe to (a particular newspaper or periodical etc.). 7 tr. obtain after fulfilling the required conditions (take a degree). 8 tr. occupy (take a chair). 9 tr. make use of (take the next turning on the left). 10 tr. consume as food or medicine (took tea; took the pills). 11 intr. a be successful or effective (the inoculation did not take). b (of a plant, seed, etc.) begin to grow. 12 tr. require or use up (will only take a minute; these things take time). 13 tr. cause to come or go with one; convey (take the book home; the bus will take you all the way). 14 tr. remove; dispossess a person of (someone has taken my pen). 15 tr. catch or be infected with (fire or fever etc.). 16 tr. a experience or be affected by (take fright; take pleasure). b give play to (take comfort). c exert (take courage; take no notice). 17 tr. find out and note (a name and address; a person’s temperature etc.) by enquiry or measurement. 18 tr. grasp mentally; understand (I take your point; I took you to mean yes). 19 tr. treat or regard in a specified way (took the news calmly; took it badly). 20 tr. (foll. by for) regard as being (do you take me for an idiot?). 21 tr. a accept (take the offer). b submit to (take a joke; take no nonsense; took a risk). 22 tr. choose or assume (took a different view; took a job; took the initiative). 23 tr. derive (takes its name from the inventor). 24 tr. (foll. by from) subtract (take 3 from 9). 25 tr. execute, make, or undertake; perform or effect (take notes; take an oath; take a decision; take a look). 26 tr. occupy or engage oneself in; indulge in; enjoy (take a rest; take exercise; take a holiday). 27 tr. conduct (took the school assembly). 28 tr. deal with in a certain way (took the corner too fast). 29 tr. a teach or be taught (a subject). b be examined in (a subject). 30 tr. make (a photograph) with a camera; photograph (a person or thing). 31 tr. use as an instance (let us take Napoleon). 32 tr. Gram. have or require as part of the appropriate construction (this verb takes an object). 33 tr. have sexual intercourse with (a woman). 34 tr. (in passive; foll. by by, with) be attracted or charmed by. —n. 1 an amount taken or caught lleg

mman

n no

Pp pen

rred s sit.

t top

v voice

taker

in one session or attempt etc. 2 a scene or sequence of film photographed continuously at one time. 3 esp. US takings, esp. money received at a theatre for seats. 4 Printing the amount of copy set up at one time. 0 be taken ill become ill, esp. suddenly. have what it takes collog. have the necessary qualities etc. for success. take account of see ACCOUNT. take action see ACTION. take advantage of see ADVANTAGE. take advice see ADVICE. take after resemble (esp. a parent or ancestor). take against begin to dislike, esp. impulsively. take aim see AIM. take apart

1 dismantle. 2 collog. beat or defeat. take aside see ASIDE. take as read accept without reading or discussing. take away 1 remove or carry elsewhere. 2 subtract. 3 Brit. buy (food etc.) at a shop or restaurant for eating elsewhere. take-away Brit. aitrib.adj. (of food) bought at a shop or restaurant for eating elsewhere. —n. 1 an establishment selling this. 2 the food itself (let’s get a take-away). take back 1 retract (a statement). 2 convey (a person or thing) to his or her or its original position. 3 carry (a person) in thought to a past time. 4 Printing transfer to the previous line. take the biscuit (or bun or cake) collog. be the most remarkable. take a bow see Bow”. take care of see CARE.

take a chance etc. see CHANCE. take down

1 write down

(spoken words). 2’ remove (a structure) by separating it into pieces. 3 humiliate. take effect see EFFECT. take for granted see GRANT. take fright see FRIGHT. take from diminish; weaken; detract from. take heart be encouraged. take hold see HOLD!. take-home pay the pay received by an employee after the deduction of tax etc. take ill (US sick) collog. be taken ill. take in 1 receive as a lodger etc. 2 undertake (work) at home. 3 make (a garment etc.) smaller. 4 understand (did you take that in?). 5 cheat (managed to take them all in). 6 include or comprise. 7 collog. visit (a place) on the way to another (shall we take in Avebury?). 8 furl (a sail). 9 Brit. regularly buy (a newspaper etc.). take-in n. a deception. take in hand 1 undertake; start doing or dealing with. 2 undertake the control or reform of (a person). take into account see ACCOUNT. take it 1 (often foll. by that + clause) assume (I take it that you have finished). 2 collog. endure a difficulty or hardship in a specified way (tock it badly). take it easy see EASY. take it from me (or take my word for it) I can assure you. take it ill resent it. take it into one’s head see HEAD. take it on one (or oneself) (foll. by to + infin.) venture or presume. take it or leave it (esp. in imper.) an expression of indifference or impatience about another’s decision after making an offer. take it out of 1 exhaust the strength of. 2 have revenge on. take it out on relieve one’s frustration by attacking or treating harshly. take one’s leave of see LEAVE”. take a lot of (or some) doing be hard to do. take a person’s name in vain see VAIN. take off 1 a remove (clothing) from one’s or another’s body. b remove or lead away. 2 deduct (part of an amount). 3 depart, esp. hastily (took off in a fast car). 4 collog. mimic humorously. 5 jump from the ground. 6 become airborne. 7 (of a scheme, enterprise, etc.) become successful or popular. 8 have (a period) away from work. take-off 1 the act of becoming airborne. 2 an act of mimicking. 3 a place from which one jumps. take oneself off go away. take on 1 undertake (work etc.). 2 engage (an employee). 3 be willing or ready to meet (an adversary in sport, argument, etc., esp. a stronger one). 4 acquire (a new meaning etc.). 5 collog. show strong emotion. take orders see ORDER. take out 1 remove from within a place; extract. 2 escort on an outing. 3 get (a licence or summons etc.) issued. 4 US = take away 3. 5 Bridge remove (a partner or a partner’s call) from a suit by bidding a different one or no trumps. 6 sl. murder or destroy. take a person out of himself or herself make a person forget his or her worries. take over 1 succeed to the management or ownership of. 2 take control. 3 Printing transfer to the next line. take-over n. the assumption of control (esp. of a business); the buying-out of one company by another. take part see PART. take place see PLACE. take a person’s point see POINT. take shape assume adistinct form; develop into something definite. take sides see siDE. take stock see STOCK. take the sun see SUN. take that! an exclamation accompanying

a blow etc. take one’s time not hurry. take to 1 begin or fall into the habit of (took to smoking). 2 have recourse to. 3 adapt oneself to. 4 form a liking for. take to heart see HEART. take to one’s heels see HEEL! take to pieces see PIECE. take the

wwe

z zoo

talion

1473

f she

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

y ring

x loch

trouble see TROUBLE. take up 1 become interested or engaged in (a pursuit). 2 adopt as a protégé. 3 occupy (time or space). 4 begin (residence etc.). 5 resume after an interruption. 6 interrupt or question (a speaker). 7 accept (an offer etc.). 8 shorten (a garment). 9 lift up. 10 absorb (sponges take up water). 11 take (a person) into a vehicle. 12 pursue (a matter etc.) further. take a person up on accept (a person’s offer etc.). take up with begin to associate with. o0 takable adj. (also takeable). [OE tacan f. ON taka] taker /'terko(r)/ n. 1 a person who takes a bet. 2 a person who

accepts an offer.

takin /'ta:kin/ n. a large Tibetan horned ruminant, Budorcas taxicolor. [Mishmi] taking /'terkin/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 attractive or captivating. 2 catching or infectious. —n. (in pl.) an amount of money taken in business. 00 takingly adv. takingness n.

Taklimakan

Desert /|,taklomo'ka:n/ a desert forming the

greater part of the Tarim Basin of Xinjiang autonomous region, NW China.

Takoradi /|,ta:ka'ra:d1/ a major West African seaport on the Gulf of Guinea, in west Ghana, part of the joint urban area of Sekondi-Takoradi; pop. (1984) 93,400. tala /'ta:la/ n. any of the traditional rhythmic patterns of Indian music. [Skr.]

talapoin /'tzls,poin/ n. 1 a Buddhist monk or priest. 2 a small West African monkey, Miopithecus talapoin. [Port. talapdo f. Talaing tala poi my lord]

talaria /to'learta/ n.pl. Rom. Mythol. winged sandals as an attribute of Mercury, Iris, and others. [L, neut. pl. of talaris f. talus ankle]

Talbot /'to:Ibet, 'tol-/, William Henry Fox (1800-77), English chemist, archaeologist, and pioneer of photography. Working independently of Daguerre, by 1841 he had developed a process for producing a negative from which multiple positive prints could be made. talc /telk/ n. & v. —n. 1 talcum powder. 2 any crystalline form of magnesium silicate that occurs in soft flat plates, usu. white or pale green in colour and used as a lubricator etc. —v.tr. (talcked, talcking) treat (a surface) with talc to lubricate or dry it. oO talcose adj. talcous adj. talcy adj. (in sense 1). [F talc or med.L talcum, f. Arab. talk f. Pers. talk]

talcum [/'tzlkom/ n. 1 = TALC. 2 (in full talcum powder) powdered

talc for toilet and cosmetic use, usu. perfumed.

[med.L: see TALC]

tale /teil/ n. 1 a narrative or story, esp. fictitious and imaginatively treated. 2 a report of an alleged fact, often malicious or in breach of confidence (all sorts of tales will get about). 3 archaic or literary a number or total (the tale is complete). 0 tale of a tub an idle fiction. [OE talu f. Gmc: cf. TELL]

talebearer /'te1l,besra(r)/ n. a person who maliciously gossips or reveals secrets. 00 talebearing n. & adj.

talent /'tzlont/ n. 1 a special aptitude or faculty (a talent for music; has real talent). 2 high mental ability. 3 a'a person or persons of talent (is a real talent; plenty of local talent). b colloq. members of the opposite sex regarded in terms of sexual promise. 4 an ancient weight and unit of currency, esp. among the ancient Greeks. 0 talent-scout (or -spotter) a person looking for talented performers, esp. in sport and entertainment. 00 talented adj. talentless adj. [OE talente & OF talent f. L talentum inclination of mind f. Gk talanton balance, weight, sum of money] tales |'terli:z/ n. Law 1 a writ for summoning jurors to supply a deficiency. 2 a list of persons who may be summoned. [ME f. L tales (de circumstantibus) such (of the bystanders), the first words of the writ] talesman /'teili:zmon, 'terlz-/ n. (pl. -men) Law a person summoned byatales.

taleteller /'terl,telo(r)/ n. 1.a person who tells stories. 2a person who spreads malicious reports.

tali pl. of raus!. talion /'tzlion/n. = Lex TALIONIS. [ME f. OF f. L talio -onis f. talis such]

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

talipes

Talmud

1474

a

talking-shop derog. an institution regarded as a place of argument rather than action. talking-to collog. a reproof or reptalipot /'tzli,pot/ n. a tall S. Indian palm, Corypha umbraculifera, . rimand (gave them a good talking-to). tall /to:l/ adj. & adv. —adj. 1 of more than average height. 2 of with very large fan-shaped leaves that are used as sunshades a specified height (looks about six feet tall). 3 higher than the etc. [Malayalam talipat, Hindi talpat f. Skr. talapattra f. tala palm surrounding objects (a tall building). 4 collog. extravagant or + pattra leaf] excessive (a tall story; tall talk). —adv. as if tall; proudly; in a tall talisman /'tzlizmon/ n. (pl. talismans) 1 an object, esp. an or extravagant way (sit tall). 0 tall drink a drink served ina tall inscribed ring or stone, supposed to be endowed with magic glass. tall hat = top hat (see Top’). tall order an exorbitant or powers esp. of averting evil from or bringing good luck to its unreasonable demand. tall ship a sailing ship with a high mast. holder. 2 a charm or amulet; a thing supposed capable of work00 tallish adj. tallness n. [ME, repr. OE getzl swift, prompt] ing wonders. oO talismanic /-'mzentk/ adj. [F & Sp., = It. tallage /'tzlid3/ n. hist. 1 a form of taxation on towns etc., talismano, f. med.Gk telesmon, Gk telesma completion, religious abolished in the 14th c. 2 a tax on feudal dependants etc. [ME rite f. tele complete f. telos end] f. OF taillage f. tailler cut: see TAIL?] talk /to:k/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. (often foll. by to, with) converse or

talipes /'tzl1,pi:z/ n. Med. = club-foot. [mod.L f. L talus ankle + pes foot]

communicate ideas by spoken words. 2 intr. have the power of speech. 3 intr. (foll. by about) a have as the subject of discussion. b (in imper.) collog. as an emphatic statement (talk about expense! It cost me £50). 4 tr. express or utter in words; discuss (you are talking nonsense; talked cricket all day). 5 tr. use (a language) in speech (is talking Spanish). 6 intr. (foll. by at) address pompously. 7 tr. (usu. foll. by into, out of) bring into a specified condition etc. by talking (talked himself hoarse; how did you talk them into it?; talked them out of the difficulty). 8 intr. reveal (esp. secret) information; betray secrets. 9 intr. gossip (people are beginning to talk). 10 intr. have influence (money talks). 11 intr. communicate by radio. —n. 1 conversation or talking. 2 a particular mode of speech (baby-talk). 3 an informal address or lecture. 4 a rumour or gossip (there is talk of a merger). b its theme (their success was the talk of the town). 5 (often in pl.) extended discussions or negotiations. oOknow what one is talking about be expert or authoritative. now you’re talking collog. I like what you say, suggest, etc. talk away 1 consume (time) in talking. 2 carry on talking (talk away! I’m listening). talk back 1 reply defiantly. 2 respond on a two-way radio system. talk big collog. talk boastfully. talk down to speak patronizingly or condescendingly to. talk a person down 1 silence a person by greater loudness or persistence. 2 bring (a pilot or aircraft) to landing by radio instructions from the ground. talk the hind leg off a donkey talk incessantly. talk nineteen to the dozen see DOZEN. talk of 1 discuss or mention. 2 (often foll. by verbal noun) express some intention of (talked of moving to London). talk of the town what is being talked about generally. talk out Brit. block the course of (a bill in Parliament) by prolonging discussion to the time of adjournment. talk over discuss at length. talk a person over (or round) gain agreement or compliance from a person by talking. talk shop talk, esp. tediously or inopportunely, about one’s occupation, business, etc. talk show = chat show (see CHAT!). talk tall boast. talk through one’s hat (or neck) collog. 1 exaggerate. 2 bluff. 3 talk wildly or nonsensically. talk to reprove or scold (a person). talk to oneself soliloquize. talk turkey see TURKEY. talk up discuss (a subject) in order to arouse interest in it. you can’t (or can) talk collog. a reproof that the person addressed is just as culpable etc. in the matter at issue. 00 talker n. [ME talken frequent. verb f. TALE OF TELL]

talkathon /'to:ko,8pn/ n. collog. a prolonged session of talking or discussion. [TALK + MARATHON]

talkative

/'to:kotrv/ adj. fond of or given to talking.

oo

talkatively adv. talkativeness n.

talkback /'to:kbek/ n. 1 (often attrib.) a system of two-way communication by loudspeaker. 2 Austral. & NZ = phone-in (see PHONE).

talkie /'to:ki/n. esp. US collog. a film with a soundtrack, as distinct from a silent film. [TALK + -18, after movie]

e bed

3: her

/'tzlirend/

Charles

Maurice

de Talleyrand-

Périgord (1754-1838), French cleric, diplomat, and statesman, who contrived to hold high office during several regimes. He was foreign minister (1797) under the Directory, but involved himself in the coup that brought Napoleon to power and held the same position under the new leader (1799-1807), becoming his trusted adviser, then resigned office and engaged in secret negotiations to have him deposed. After the fall of Napoleon (1814) he became head of the new government and recalled Louis XVIII to the throne, but towards 1830, aware of the growing unpopularity of the government of Charles X, he entered into diplomatic relations with Louis Philippe (see entry), who rewarded him with the post of ambassador to Great Britain

(1830-4). Tallinn /'tzlin/ a port on the Gulf of Finland, capital of Estonia;

pop. (est. 1987) 478,000.

Tallis

/'tzlrs/, Thomas

(c.1505-85),

English composer

and

organist, Gentleman of the Chapel Royal 1540-85, serving under Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary, and Elizabeth I, and organist jointly with Byrd. In 1575 Elizabeth gave Tallis and Byrd a twentyone-year monopoly in printing music. In that year they published Cantiones sacrae, a collection of 34 of their motets. Tallis is known mainly for his church music, especially the forty-part motet Spem in alium.

tallith /'tz116/ n. a scarf worn by Jews esp. at prayer. [Rabbinical Heb. tallit f. tillel to cover] tallow /'tzlou/ n. & v. —n. the harder kinds of (esp. animal) fat melted down for use in making candles, soap, etc. —v.tr. grease with tallow. o tallow-tree any of various trees, esp. Sapium sebiferum of China, yielding vegetable tallow. vegetable tallow a vegetable fat used as tallow. oo tallowish adj. tallowy adj. (ME talg, talug, f. MLG talg, talch, of unkn. orig.] tally /'tzli/ n. & v. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 the reckoning of a debt or score. 2 a total score or amount. 3 a a mark registering a fixed number of objects delivered or received. b such a number as a unit. 4 hist. a a piece of wood scored across with notches for the items of an account and then split into halves, each party keeping one. b an account kept in this way. 5 a ticket or label for identification. 6 a corresponding thing, counterpart, or duplicate. —v. (-ies, -ied) (often foll. by with) 1 intr. agree or correspond. 2 tr. record or reckon by tally. o tally clerk an official who keeps a tally of goods, esp. those loaded or unloaded in docks. tally sheet a paper on which atally is kept. tally system a system of sale on short credit or instalments with an account kept by tally. o0 tallier n. [ME f. AF tallie, AL tallia, talia f. L talea: cf. TAIL] hounds on sighting a fox. —n. (pl. -hos) an utterance of this.

—v. (-hoes, -hoed) 1 intr. utter a cry of ‘tally-ho’. 2 tr. indicate (a fox) or urge (hounds) with this cry. [cf. F taiaut]

of speech (a talking parrot). 3 expressive (talking eyes). —n. in senses of TALK v. O talking book a recorded reading of a book, esp. for the blind. talking film (or picture) a film with a soundtrack. talking head collog. a presenter etc. on television, speaking to the camera and viewed in close-up. talking of while we are discussing (talking of food, what time is lunch?). talking-point a topic for discussion or argument.

a: arm

and upper sections or mounted on legs.

Talleyrand

tally-ho /,tel'hoo/ int. n., & v. —int. a huntsman’s cry to the

talking /'to:kin/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 that talks. 2 having the power

z cat

tallboy /'to:Ibo1/ n. a tall chest of drawers sometimes in lower

tallyman /'tel:mon/ n. (pl. -men) 1 a person who keepsatally. 2 a person who sells goods on credit, esp. from door to door.

Talmud /'tzlmod, -mad/ n. the body of Jewish civil and ceremonial law and legend comprising the Mishnah and the Gemara, dating from the 5th c. 8c but including earlier material.

1 sit

i: see

p hot

0: saw

arun

wv put

u: too

a ago

aI my

talon

oo Talmudic /-'modtk/ adj. Talmudical /-'modik(a)l/ adj. Talmudist n. [late Heb. talmiid instruction f. Heb. lamad learn] talon /'tzlon/ n. 1 a claw, esp. of a bird of prey. 2 the cards left after the deal in a card-game. 3 the last part of a dividend-coupon sheet, entitling the holder to a new sheet on presentation. 4 the shoulder of a bolt against which the key presses in shooting it in a lock. 5 an ogee moulding. 00 taloned adj. (also in comb.). [ME f. OF, = heel, ult. f. L talus: see TALUS!] talus! /'terlos/ n. (pl. tali /-la1/) Anat. the ankle-bone supporting the tibia. Also cailed asTRAGALUs. [L, = ankle, heei] talus? /'tetlas/ n. (pl. taluses) 1 the slope of a wall that tapers to the top or rests against a bank. 2 Geol. a sloping mass of fragments at the foot ofa cliff. [F: orig. unkn.]

TAM abbr. television audience measurement, denoting a measure of the number of people watching a particular television programme as estimated by the company Television Audience Measurement Ltd.

tam /tzm/ n. a tam-o’-shanter. [abbr.]

tamable var. of TAMEABLE. tamale /to'ma:li/ n. a Mexican food of seasoned meat and maize flour steamed or baked in maize husks. [Mex. Sp. tamal, pl. tamales] tamandua /ts'mendju:a/ n. any small Central and S. American arboreal anteater of the genus Tamandua, with a prehensile tail used in climbing. [Port. f. Tupi tamandua]

tamarack /'temoa,rek/ n. 1 an American larch, Larix laricina. 2 the wood from this. [Amer. Ind.] tamarillo |jt2mo'rileu/ n. (pl. -os) esp. Austral. & NZ = tree tomato. [arbitrary marketing name: cf. Sp. tomatillo dimin. of tomate TOMATO] tamarin /'temorim| n. any S. American usu. insect-eating monkey of the genus Saguinus, having hairy crests and moustaches.

[F f. Carib] tamarind /'tzemorind/ n. 1 a tropical evergreen tree, Tamarindus indica. 2 the fruit of this, containing an acid pulp used as food and in making drinks. [med.L tamarindus f. Arab. tamr-hindt Indian date] tamarisk /'temorisk/ n. any shrub of the genus Tamarix, usu. with long slender branches and small pink or white flowers, that thrives by the sea. [ME f. LL tamariscus, L tamarix]

Tamaulipas |,temav'li:pes/ a State of NE Mexico; pop. (est. 1988) 2,226,700; capital, Ciudad Victoria.

Tambo /'tz2mbou/, Oliver (1917—_

), Black South African poli-

tician, a prominent member of the African National Congress (see entry) and business partner of Nelson Mandela in a law firm. When the ANC was banned in South Africa in 1960 he left the Republic in order to organize activities elsewhere, and during Mandela’s imprisonment he became acting president of the ANC (in Zambia) in 1967 and president in 1977. tambour /'temboo(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1a drum. 2 aa circular frame for holding fabric taut while it is being embroidered. b material embroidered in this way. 3 Archit. each of a sequence of cylindrical stones forming the shaft of a column. 4 Archit. the circular part of various structures. 5 Archit. a lobby with a ceiling and folding doors in a church porch etc. to obviate draughts. 6 a sloping buttress or projection in a fives-court etc. —v.tr. (also absol.) decorate or embroider on a tambour. [F f. tabour TABOR] tamboura /tz2m'buoro/ n. Mus. an Indian stringed instrument used as a drone. [Arab. tanbiira| tambourin /'temborin/ n. 1 a long narrow drum used in Provence. 2 a a dance accompanied by a tambourin. b the music for this. [F, dimin. of TAMBOUR] tambourine |,tembo'ri:n/ n. a percussion instrument consisting of a hoop with a parchment stretched over one side and jingling discs in slots round the hoop. 00 tambourinist n. [F, dimin. of TAMBOUR]

tame /term/ adj. & v. —adj. 1 (of an animal) domesticated; not wild or shy. 2 insipid; lacking spirit or interest; dull (tame acquiescence). 3 (of a person) amenable and available. 4 US a (of land) cultivated. b (of a plant) produced by cultivation. —v.tr. 4 make tame; domesticate; break in. 2 subdue, curb, humble; au how

tan

1475

er day

ov no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

ve poor

break the spirit of. 00 tamely adv. tameness n. tamer n. (also in comb.). [OE tam f. Gmc]

tameable /'termob(s)l/ adj. (also tamable) capable of being tamed. 00 tameability /-'biliti/ n. tameableness n.

Tamerlane /'tzma,lem| (d. 1405) Timur Lenk or Lang (= ‘lame Timur’), ruler of Turkestan who conquered large parts of Asia in the late 14th and early 15th c., ancestor of the Mogul dynasty in India.

Tamil /'tamul/ n. & adj. —n. 1a member of a Dravidian people inhabiting South India and Sri Lanka. 2 their language, of the Dravidian group, one of the major languages of southern India, spoken by about 88 million people together with about another 4 million in Sri Lanka and Malaysia. —adj. of this people or their language. o0 Tamilian |-'milion/ adj. [native name Tamil, rel. to DRAVIDIAN]

Tamil Nadu /'tzm1l nz'du:/ a State in SE India; pop. (1981) 48,297,450; capital, Madras. Tammany /'temoni/1 a fraternal and benevolent society of New York City, founded in 1789, developed out of one of the earlier patriotic societies. 2 a political organization of the Democratic Party, identified with this society and notorious in the 19th c. for corruption, maintaining power by the use of bribes etc. It dominated the political life of New York City during the 19th and early 20th c. before being reduced in power by Franklin Roosevelt in 1932. 0 Tammany Hall 1 any of the successive buildings used as the headquarters of Tammany. 2 the members of Tammany. [name of Indian chief (late 17th c.) said to have welcomed William Penn and regarded (c.1770—90) as ‘patron saint’ of Pennsylvania and other northern colonies]

Tammerfors see TAMPERE. Tammuz /'tzemoz/ a Babylonian or Syrian deity, lover of Astarte, corresponding to the Greek Adonis. He became the personification of the seasonal decay and revival of crops. tammy /'tzmi/ n. (pl. -ies) = TAM-O’-SHANTER.

tam-o’-shanter /,tzemo'fznta(r)/ n. a round woollen or cloth cap of Scottish origin fitting closely round the brows but large and full above. [the hero of Burns’s Tam o’ Shanter] tamp /tzmp)/ v.tr. 1 pack (a blast-hole) full of clay etc. to get the full force of an explosion. 2 ram down (road material etc.). 00 tamper n. tamping n. (in sense 1). [perh. back-form. f. F tampin (var. of TAMPION, taken as = tamping] tamper /'tempo(r)/ v.intr. (foll. by with) 1 meddle with or make unauthorized changes in. 2 exert a secret or corrupt influence upon; bribe. 00 tamperer n. tamper-proof adj. [var. of TEMPER] Tampere /'tempo,re1/ (Swedish Tammerfors /'ta:mo,fo:s/) the second-largest city in Finland; pop. (1987) 170,533. Tampico /tem'pi:kou/ one of Mexico’s principal seaports, on the Gulf of Mexico; pop. (1980) 268,000. tampion /'tempzon/ n. (also tompion /'tom-/) 1 a wooden stopper for the muzzle of a gun. 2 a plug e.g. for the top of an organ-pipe. [ME f. F tampon, nasalized var. of tapon, rel. to TAP}] tampon /'temppn/ n. & v. —n. a plug of soft material used to stop a wound or absorb secretions, esp. one inserted into the vagina. —v.tr. (tamponed, tamponing) plug with a tampon. [F: see TAMPION] tamponade /|,tz2mps'neid/ n. compression of the heart by an accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac. tamponage /'temponid3/ n. = TAMPONADE. tam-tam /'temtem/ n. a large metal gong. [Hindi: see TOM-TOM]

Tamworth Manifesto /'temwa0/ an election speech by Sir Robert Peel in 1834 in his Tamworth constituency, in which he accepted the changes instituted by the Reform Act and expressed his belief in moderate political reform. The manifesto is often held to signal the emergence of the Conservative Party from the old loose grouping of Tory interests.

tan! /ten/ n., adj.. & v. —n. 1 a brown skin colour resulting from exposure to ultraviolet light. 2 a yellowish-brown colour. 3 bark, esp. of oak, bruised and used to tan hides. 4 (in full spent tan) tan from which the tannic acid has been extracted,

ato fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

tan

tanka

1476

as part of the dowry of Princess Catherine of Braganza when she married Charles II in 1662. Britain abandoned it twenty-two years later to the sultan of Morocco, who retained control of the port and the surrounding countryside until 1904. From then until 1956 (except for five years in the Second World War, when it was seized by Spain) the zone was under international control. In 1956 it passed to the newly independent monarchy of

used for covering roads etc. —adj. yellowish-brown. —v. (tanned, tanning) 1 tr. & intr. make or become brown by exposure to ultraviolet light. 2 tr. convert (raw hide) into leather by soaking in a liquid containing tannic acid or by the use of mineral salts etc. 3 tr. sl. beat, thrash. 00 tannable adj. tanning n, tannish adj. [OE tannian, prob. f. med.L tanare, tannare, perh. f. Celtic]

Morocco.

tan? /tzn/ abbr. tangent.

tangle! /'tzng(o)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 a tr. intertwine (threads or

tanager |'tznod3a(r)/ n. any small American bird of the subfamily Thraupinae, the male usu. having brightly-coloured plumage. [mod.L tanagra f. Tupi tangara] Tanagra /'tenogro/ n. a terracotta figurine of a type dating chiefly from the 3rd c. Bc, many of which were found at Tanagra in Boeotia, Greece. Carefully modelled and painted, their most usual subject consists of elegantly draped young women.

hairs etc.) in a confused mass; entangle. b intr. become tangled. 2 intr. (foll. by with) collog. become involved (esp. in conflict or argument) with (don’t tangle with me). 3 tr. complicate (a tangled affair). —n. 1 a confused mass of intertwined threads etc. 2a confused or complicated state (be in a tangle; a love tangle). [ME var. of obs. tagle, of uncert. orig.] tangle? /'tzng(o)l/ n. any of various seaweeds, esp. of the genus Laminaria or Fucus. [prob. f. Norw. taangel f. ON théngull]

tanbark /'tznba:k/ n. the bark of oak and other trees, used to obtain tannin.

tangly /'tengli/ adj. (tanglier, tangliest) tangled.

tandem /'tzndom/ n. & adv. —n. 1 a bicycle or tricycle with two or more seats one behind another. 2 a group of two persons or machines etc. with one behind or following the other. 3 a carriage driven tandem. —adv. with two or more horses harnessed one behind another (drive tandem). 0 in tandem one behind another. [L, = at length (of time), used punningly]

tandoor /'tzndvo(r)/ n. a clay oven. [Hind.] tandoori /ten'duori/ n. food cooked over charcoal in a tandoor

tangy |'tzn1/ adj. (tangier, tangiest) having a strong usu. spicy

(often attrib.: tandoori chicken). [Hind.] Tang /tzn/ the name of the dynasty which ruled in China from 618 to c.906, a period noted for territorial conquest and great wealth and regarded as the golden age of Chinese poetry and art. —n. (attrib.) designating art and artefacts of this period. [Chin. tang] tang! /tzn/ n. 1 a strong taste or flavour or smell. 2 a characteristic quality. 3 the projection on the blade of a tool, esp. a knife, by which the blade is held firm in the handle. [ME f. ON tange point, tang of a knife] tang? /ten/v. & n. —v.tr. & intr. ring, clang; sound loudly. —n. a tanging sound. [imit.] Tanga /'tenga/ the second-largest seaport in Tanzania; pop. 103,400.

tanga /'tzengo/ n. a skimpy bikini of small panels connected with strings. [Port.]

Tanganyika /,tengo!ni:ko/ see TANZANIA. 0 Lake Tanganyika a large lake in central Africa between Tanzania and Zaire. tangelo /'tzndza,lou/ n. (pl. -os) a hybrid of the tangerine and grapefruit. [TANGERINE + POMELO] tangent /'tend3(9)nt/ n. & adj. —n. 1a straight line, curve, or surface that meets another curve or curved surface at a point, but if extended does not intersect it at that point. 2 the ratio of the sides opposite and adjacent to an angle in a right-angled triangle. —adj. 1 (of a line or surface) that is a tangent. 2 touching. 0 at a tangent diverging from a previous course of action or thought etc. (go off at a tangent). tangent galvanometer a galvanometer with a coil through which the current to be measured is passed, its strength being proportional to the tangent of the angle of deflection. o0 tangency n. [L tangere tangent- touch]

tangential /tn'dzen{(a)l/ adj. 1 of or along a tangent. 2 divergent. 3 peripheral. 00 tangentially adv. tangerine /'tend3a,ri:n/ n. 1 a small sweet orange-coloured citrus fruit with a thin skin; a mandarin. 2 a deep orange-yellow colour. [TANGIER]

tangible /'tand31b(2)l/ adj. 1 perceptible by touch. 2 definite; clearly intelligible; not elusive or visionary (tangible proof). 00 tangibility /-'biliti/ n. tangibleness n. tangibly /-bli/ adv. [F tangible or LL tangibilis f. tangere touch] Tangier /ten'd3io(r)/ a seaport of Morocco, situated nearly opposite Gibraltar and commanding the western entrance to the Mediterranean; pop. (1982) 266,300. It had its beginning in the Roman port and town of Tingis, but the present walled city was built in the Middle Ages by the Moors. It was taken by the Portuguese towards the end of the 15th c., and given to Britain

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

tango! /'tezngou/ n. & v. —n. (pl. -os) 1 a slow S. American ballroom dance. 2 the music for this. —v.intr. (-oes, -oed) dance the tango. [Amer. Sp.] tango? |'tzengau/ n. a tangerine colour. [abbr. after TANGO!] tangram /'tengrem/ n. a Chinese puzzle square cut into seven pieces to be combined into various figures. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] tang. 00 tanginess n.

tanh /§en, tenf, ten'ert{/ abbr. hyperbolic tangent. tanist /'tznist/n. hist. the heir apparent to a Celtic chief, usu. his most vigorous adult relation, chosen by election. 00 tanistry n. [Ir. & Gael. tanaiste heir]

Tanjungkarang |,tendzunko'ren/ a city of Indonesia, capital of the province of Lampung at the southern tip of the island of Sumatra; pop. (1980) 284,275. tank /tenk/n. & v. —n. 1 a large receptacle or storage chamber usu. for liquid or gas. 2 a heavy armoured fighting vehicle carrying guns and moving ona tracked carriage. (See below.) 3 a container for the fuel supply in a motor vehicle. 4 the part of a locomotive tender containing water for the boiler. 5 a Ind. & Austral. a reservoir. b dial. esp. US a pond. —v. (usu. foll. by up) esp. Brit. 1 tr. fill the tank of (a vehicle etc.) with fuel. 2 intr. & collog. tr. (in passive) drink heavily; become drunk. 0 tank engine a railway engine carrying fuel and water receptacles in its own frame, not in a tender. tank-farming the practice of growing plants in tanks of water without soil. tank top a sleeveless close-fitting upper garment with a scoop-neck. 00 tankful n. (pl. -fuls). tankless adj. [Gujarati tankh etc., perh. f. Skr. tadaga

pond]

Early designs for a mechanical armoured vehicle include one by Leonardo da Vinci (1484), to be driven by an arrangement of crank handles and geared wheels, and protected by a covering of smooth armour. Later inventors tried to use steam power, but it was not until the invention of the internal-combustion engine and the development of track mechanism that a really successful vehicle was constructed. This tank was a British invention, developed secretly during the First World War with the intention of opening the way toa decisive victory by introducing it suddenly in large numbers. (The name ‘tank’ for these vehicles was adopted for purposes of secrecy during manufacture.) Many senior army officers, however, were hostile to the new weapon, so that fewer than a dozen tanks effectively took the field in their first battle on the Somme (Sept. 1916), and they were not used in mass until Nov. 1917 when they were immediately successful; their use in battle meant that in the Second World War there was no repetition of the static trench warfare of 1914-18. It was soon apparent that different types of tanks and other armoured vehicles should be designed for different roles in battle. Their importance has increased with the development of tactical nuclear weapons, since they are mobile, have a relatively high weapon-power to manpower, and offer some protection against blast and radioactivity. tanka /'tznko/ n. a Japanese poem in five lines and thirty-one syllables giving a complete picture of an event or mood. Jjap.]

k cat

lleg

mman

nno

p pen

rred

s sit

t top

v voice

tankage tankage /'tankid3/ n. 1 a storage in tanks. b a charge made for this. 2 the cubic content of a tank. 3 a kind of fertilizer obtained from refuse bones etc.

tankard /'tenkod/ n. 1 a tall mug with a handle and sometimes a hinged lid, esp. of silver or pewter for beer. 2 the contents of or an amount held by a tankard (drank a tankard of ale). [ME: orig. unkn.: cf. MDu. tanckaert] tanker /'tznka(r)/ n. a ship, aircraft, or road vehicle for carrying liquids, esp. mineral oils, in bulk. tanner! /'tzna(r)/ n. a person who tans hides. tanner? /'tznoa(r)/ n. Brit. hist. sl. a sixpence. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] tannery /'tenor1/ n. (pl. -ies) a place where hides are tanned.

Tannhdauser

tape

1477

/'tenhomzo(r)/,

(c.1200-c.1270),

German

poet

whose work, which reveals humour with irony and an alert sense of parody, marks a historical decline in the minnesinger school. Because of his years in the Near East and the sensuality of his love poetry he became a legendary figure as. the knight who visited Venus’s grotto, repented, and sought absolution from the pope, and as such he is commemorated in Wagner's opera.

tannic /'tenik/ adj. of or produced from tan. 0 tannic acid a complex natural organic compound of a yellowish colour used as a mordant and astringent. oO tannate /-neit/ n. [F tannique (as ‘TANNIN)] tannin /'tenin/ n. any of a group of complex organic compounds found in certain tree-barks and oak-galls, used in leather production and ink manufacture. [F tanin (as TAN}, -IN)]

tannish see TAN}. Tannoy /'tznoi/ 1. propr. a type of public-address system. [20th c.: orig. uncert.] tanrec var. of TENREC. tansy /'tznz1/ n. (pl. -ies) any plant of the genus Tanacetum, esp. T. vulgare with yellow button-like flowers and aromatic leaves, formerly used in medicines and cookery. [ME f. OF tanesie f. med.L athanasia immortality f. Gk] tantalite /'tznto,lait/ n. a rare dense black mineral, the principal source of the element tantalum. [G & Sw. tantalit (as TANTALUM)]

tant mieux |td 'mj3:/ int. so much the better. [F] tant pis |ta 'pi:/ int. so much the worse. [F] tantra /'tentra/ n. any of a class of Hindu, Buddhist, or Jain sacred texts that deal with mystical and magical practices. o0 tantric adj. tantrism n. tantrist n. [Skr., = loom, groundwork, doctrine f. tan stretch] tantrum /'tzntram/ n. an outburst of bad temper or petulance (threw a tantrum). [18th c.: orig. unkn.]

Tanzania |,tenzo'ni:a/ a country in East Africa with a coastline on the Indian Ocean, consisting of a mainland area (the former republic of Tanganyika) and the island of Zanzibar; pop. (1988) 24,295,200; official languages, Swahili and English; capital, Dodoma. A German colony from the late 19thc., Tanganyika became a British mandate after the First World War and a trust territory, administered by Britain, after the Second, before achieving independence as a member State of the Commonwealth in 1961. It was named Tanzania after its union with Zanzibar in 1964. Like most of its neighbours Tanzania is largely dependent on agriculture, exporting sisal, cloves, cotton, and coffee. 00 Tanzanian adj. & n. Tao |tav, 'ta:ou/ n. the metaphysical concept central to all systems of Chinese philosophy, the absolute principle underlying the universe, combining within itself the principles of yin and yang. To Confucius, it is the Way of the superior man; to Lao-tzu, it is the Way of nature. The latter interpretation developed into the philosophical religion of Taoism. [Chin. dao (right) way]

Taoiseach /'ti:[ax/ n. the Prime Minister of the Irish Republic. [Ir., = chief, leader]

Taoism /'taviz(s)m, 'ta:9u-/ n. one of the two major Chinese religious ard philosophical systems (the other is Confucianism), traditionally founded by Lao-tzu in about the 6th c. Bc (its texts are slightly later). The central concept and goal is the Tao, an elusive term denoting here the force inherent in nature and, by extension, the code of behaviour that is in harmony with the natural order. Its most sacred scripture is the Tao-te-Ching (also

called Lao-tzu), ascribed to its founder.

oO Taoist /-1st/ n.

Taoistic /-'1sttk/ adj. [Tao]

Taormina /,ta:9:'mi:no/ a town and resort on the east coast of

sight or promise of what is unobtainable. 2 raise and then dash the hopes of; torment with disappointment. o00 tantalization /-'zerf(a)n/ n. tantalizer n. tantalizingly adv. [Gk Tantalos TANTALUS] tantalum //'tentolom/ n. Chem. a rare hard white metallic element, first discovered in 1802. It can occur uncombined in nature as well as in a number of ores, where it is usually associated with niobium. The metal, which is very hard and resistant to corrosion, was formerly used for the filaments of electric light bulbs, and it is currently used for manufacturing capacitors, parts of aircraft, and surgical and other equipment. 4 Symb.: Ta; atomic number 73. oo tantalic adj. [TANTALUS with ref. to its non-absorbent quality]

Sicily; pop. (1981) 10,085. tap! /tep/ n. & v. —n. 1a device by which a flow of liquid or gas from a pipe or vessel can be controlled. 2 an act of tapping a telephone etc. 3 Brit. a taproom. 4 an instrument for cutting the thread of a female screw. —v.tr. (tapped, tapping) 1 a provide (a cask) with a tap. b let out (a liquid) by means of, or as if by means of, a tap. 2 draw sap from (a tree) by cutting into it. 3 a obtain information or supplies or resources from. b establish communication or trade with. 4 connect a listening device to (a telephone or telegraph line etc.) to listen to a call or transmission. 5 cut a female screw-thread in. 0 on tap 1 ready to be drawn off by tap. 2 collog. ready for immediate use; freely available. tap root a tapering root growing vertically downwards. tap water water from a piped supply. oo tapless adj. tappable adj. [OE tzppian (v.), teppa (n.) f. Gmc]

Tantalus /'tzntelas/ Gk Mythol. a Lydian king, son of Zeus and

tap? /tep/ v. & n. —v. (tapped, tapping) 1 intr. (foll. by at, on)

father of Pelops. He is represented as being punished eternally (for he was immortal): he is hungry and thirsty, but the water in which he stands recedes when he tries to drink it and the fruit above his head is blown aside from his hand. His crime is variously related: some say that he revealed the secrets of the gods, others that he gave their food to mortals, others that he

strike a gentle but audible blow. 2 tr. strike lightly (tapped me on the shoulder). 3 tr. (foll. by against etc.) cause (a thing) to strike lightly (tapped a stick against the window). 4 intr. = TAP-DANCE Vv. (can you tap?). —n. 1 aa light blow; a rap. b the sound of this (heard a tap at the door). 2 a = TAP-DANCE Nn. (goes to tap classes). b a piece of metal attached to the toe and heel of a tap-dancer’s shoe to make the tapping sound. 3 (in pl., usu. treated as sing.) US aa bugle call for lights to be put out in army quarters. ba similar signal at a military funeral. 00 tapper n. [ME tappe (imit.), perh. through F taper] tapa |'ta:po/ n. 1 the bark of a paper-mulberry tree. 2 cloth made from this, used in the Pacific islands. [Polynesian]

tantalize /'tznto,larz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 torment or tease by the

killed his son Pelops and offered his flesh to the gods. His penalty became almost proverbial to the Greeks for ‘tantalizing’ in the modern sense. tantalus /'tentolos/ n. 1a stand in which spirit-decanters may be locked up but visible. 2 a wood ibis, Mycteria americana. [TANTALUS] tantamount /'tento,maunt/ predic.adj. (foll. by to) equivalent to (was tantamount to a denial). [f. obs. verb f. It. tanto montare amount to so much]

tantivy /ten'trvi/ n. & adj. archaic —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a hunting cry. 2a swift movement; a gallop or rush. —adj. swift. [17th c.: perh. an imit. of hoof-beats] wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

tap-dance /'tzpda:ns/ n. & v. —n. a form of display dance performed wearing shoes fitted with metal taps, with rhythmical tapping of the toes and heels. —-v.intr. perform a tap-dance. 00 tap-dancer n. tap-dancing n. tape /terp/ n. & v. —n. 1 a narrow strip of woven material for tying up, fastening, etc. 2 a a strip of material stretched across tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

taper

tariff

1478

taradiddle /'tzro,did(o)l/ n. (also tarradiddle) collog. 1 a petty the finishing line of a race. ba similar strip for marking off an lie. 2 pretentious nonsense. [18th c.: cf. DIDDLE] area or forming a notional barrier. 3 (in full adhesive tape) a taramasalata |,t2romeso'la:to/ n. (also tarama /'tzramo/) a strip of opaque or transparent paper or plastic etc., esp. coated with adhesive for fastening, sticking, masking, insulating, etc. © pinkish paté made from the roe of mullet or other fish with olive oil, seasoning, etc. [mod.Gk taramas roe (f. Turk. tarama) + 4 a = magnetic tape. b a tape recording or tape cassette. 5 = tape-measure. —v.tr. 1 a tie up or join etc. with tape. b apply salata SALAD] tape to. 2 (foll. by off) seal or mark off an area or thing with Taranaki /|,tera'neki/ an administrative region of North tape. 3 record on magnetic tape. 4 measure with tape. 0 breast Island, New Zealand; pop. (1986) 107,600; chief town, New Plythe tape win a race. have (or get) a person or thing taped mouth. The region takes its name from the Maori name for Brit. collog. understand a person or thing fully. on tape recorded Mount Egmont, which dominates it. on magnetic tape. tape deck a platform with capstans for using tarantass |,tzron'tes/ n. a springless four-wheeled Russian magnetic tape. tape machine a machine for receiving and vehicle. [Russ. tarantas] recording telegraph messages. tape-measure a strip of tape or tarantella /,tzron'telo/ n. (also tarantelle /-'tel/) 1 a rapid thin flexible metal marked for measuring lengths. tape-record whirling S. Italian dance. 2 the music for this. [It., f. Taranto in record (sounds) on magnetic tape. tape recorder apparatus for Italy (because the dance was once thought to be a cure for a recording sounds on magnetic tape and afterwards reproducing tarantula bite): cf. TARANTISM] them. tape recording a recording on magnetic tape. oo tarantism /'teron,tiz(2)m/ n. hist. dancing mania, esp. that oritapeable adj. (esp. in sense 3 of v.). tapeless adj. tapelike adj. ginating in S. Italy among those who had (actually or sup[OE teppa, teppe, of unkn. orig.] posedly) been bitten by a tarantula. [mod.L tarantismus, It. taper /'terpo(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a wick coated with wax etc. for tarantismo f. TARANTO] conveying a flame. 2 a slender candle. —v. (often foll. by off) 1 Taranto /te'rentou/ a seaport and naval base in Apulia region, intr. & tr. diminish or reduce in thickness towards one end. 2 SE Italy; pop. (1981) 244,100. It is the site of the ancient city of tr. & intr. make or become gradually less. [OE tapur, -or, -er wax Tarentum, founded by the Greeks in the 8th c. Bc. candle, f. L PAPYRUS, whose pith was used for candle-wicks] tarantula /to'rentjulo/ n. 1 any large hairy tropical spider of tapestry /'tzpistri/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a a thick textile fabric in the family Theraphosidae. 2 a large black S. European spider, which coloured weft threads are woven to form pictures or Lycosa tarentula, whose bite was formerly held to cause tarantism. designs. b embroidery imitating this, usu. in wools on canvas. [med.L f. It. tarantola (as TARANTISM)] c a piece of such embroidery. 2 events or circumstances etc. Tarawa /'tzraws, to'ra:wo/ the capital of Kiribati, on the Pacific compared with a tapestry in being intricate, interwoven, etc. atoll of Tarawa; pop. (1985) 21,200. (life’s rich tapestry). 00 tapestried adj. [ME, alt. f. tapissery f. OF tapisserie f. tapissier tapestry-worker or tapisser to carpet, f. tapis: taraxacum /to'reksokem/ n. 1 any composite plant of the see TAPIS] genus Taraxacum, including the dandelion. 2 a tonic etc. pretapetum /to'pi:tom/ n. a light-reflecting part of the choroid pared from the dried roots of this. [med.L f. Arab. tarakSakik f. membrane in the eyes of certain mammals, e.g. cats. [LL f. L Pers. talk bitter + chakik purslane] tapete carpet] tarboosh /ta:'bu:f/ n. a cap like a fez, sometimes worn as part tapeworm /'terpw3:m/ n. any flatworm of the class Cestoda, of a turban. [Egypt. Arab. tarbiis, ult. f. Pers. sar-biis head-cover] with a body like segmented tape, living as a parasite in the Tardenoisian /|,ta:di'no1zian/ adj. & n. —adj. of a late mesointestines. lithic industry of western and central Europe, named after the tapioca /,tepr'suko/ n. a starchy substance in hard white grains type-site at Tardenois in NE France. —n. this industry. obtained from cassava and used for puddings etc. [Tupi-Guarani tardigrade /'ta:digreid/ n. & adj. —n. any minute freshwater tipioca f. tipi dregs + og, ok squeeze out] animal of the phylum Tardigrada, having a short plump body tapir /'terpa(r), -pro(r)/ n. any nocturnal hoofed mammal of the and four pairs of short legs. Also called water bear. —adj. of or genus Tapirus, native to Central and S. America and Malaysia, relating to this phylum. [F tardigrade f. L tardigradus f. tardus having a short flexible protruding snout used for feeding on slow + gradi walk] vegetation. 00 tapiroid adj. & n. [Tupi tapira] tapis |'tzpi:| n. a covering or tapestry. o on the tapis (of a subject) under consideration or discussion. [ME, a kind of cloth,

tardy /'ta:di/ adj. (tardier, tardiest) 1 slow to act or come or

happen.

tapestry] tapotement /to'poutmont/ n. Med. rapid and repeated striking of the body as massage treatment. [F f. tapoter tap] tapper see TAP”. tappet /'tzpit/ n. a lever or projecting part used in machinery to give intermittent motion, often in conjunction with a cam. (app. f. TAP? + -ET}] taproom /'tepru:m, -rum/ n. a room in which alcoholic drinks are available on tap. tapster /|'tzpsto(r)/ n. a person who draws and serves alcoholic drinks at a bar. [OE teppestre orig. fem. (as TAP}, -STER)] tapu /'ta:pu:/ n. & adj. NZ = TABOO. [Maori] tar! /ta:(r)/n. & v. —n. 1a dark thick inflammable liquid distilled from wood or coal etc. and used as a preservative of wood and iron, in making roads, as an antiseptic, etc. 2.a similar substance formed in the combustion of tobacco etc. —v.tr. (tarred, tarring) cover with tar. 0 tar and feather smear with tar and then cover with feathers as a punishment. tar-brush a brush for applying tar. tarred with the same brush having the same faults. [OE te(o)ru f. Gme, rel. to TREE] tar? /ta:(r)/ n. collog. a sailor. [abbr. of TARPAULIN] Tara /'ta:ro/ a hill in County Meath, Ireland, site in early times of the residence of the high kings of Ireland, still marked by ancient earthworks.

ze cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

2 delaying or delayed beyond the right or expected

time. o0 tardily adv. tardiness n. [F tardif, tardive ult. f. L tardus slow]

f. OF tapiz f. LL tapetium f. Gk tapétion dimin. of tapés tapétos

tare! /teo(r)/ n. 1 vetch, esp. as corn-weed or fodder. 2 (in pl.) Bibl. an injurious corn-weed (Matt. 13: 24-30). [ME: orig. unkn.] tare? /teo(r)/ n. 1 an allowance made for the weight of the packing or wrapping around goods. 2 the weight of a motor vehicle without its fuel or load. 0 tare and tret the arithmetical rule for computing a tare. [ME f. F, = deficiency, tare, f. med.L tara f. Arab. tarha what is rejected f. taraha reject] targe /ta:d3/ n. archaic = TARGET n. 5. [ME f. OF] target /'ta:git/ n. & v. —n. 1 a mark or point fired or aimed at, esp. a round or rectangular object marked with concentric circles. 2 a person or thing aimed at, or exposed to gunfire etc. (they were an easy target). 3 (also attrib.) an objective or result aimed at (our export targets; target date). 4 a person or thing against whom criticism, abuse, etc., is or may be directed. 5 archaic a shield or buckler, esp. a small round one. —v.tr. (targeted, targeting) 1 identify or single out (a person or thing) as an object of attention or attack. 2 aim or direct (missiles targeted on major cities; should target our efforts where needed). oo

targetable adj. [ME, dimin. of ME and OF targe shield] Targum /'ta:gom/ n. any of various ancient Aramaic paraphrases or interpretations of the Hebrew scriptures, made from

at least the 1st c. AD when Hebrew was ceasing to be a spoken language. [Chaldee, = interpretation] tariff /'teerf] n. & v. —n. 1 table of fixed charges (a hotel tariff). 1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

vo put

u: too

0 ago

al my

Tarim

2 aa duty on a particular class of imports or exports. ba list of duties or customs to be paid. 3 standard charges agreed between insurers etc. —v.tr. subject (goods) to a tariff. [F tariff. It. tariffa f. Turk. tarife f. Arab. ta'rif(a) f. ‘arrafa notify]

Tarim /ta:'ri:m/ a river of NW China formed by the junction of the Yarkan and Hotan rivers in the west of Xinjiang autonomous region. The Tarim Basin, which lies between the Kunlun and Tien Shan mountains, includes the vast Taklimakan Desert and the Turfan Depression. tarlatan /'ta:lot(2)n/ n. a thin stiff open-weave muslin. [F tarlatane, prob. of Ind. orig.]

Tarmac /'ta:mek/ n. & v. —n. propr. 1 = TARMACADAM. surface

made

of this,

eg.

a

runway.

—v.tr,

2a

(tarmac)

(tarmacked, tarmacking) apply tarmacadam to. [abbr.]

tarmacadam /,ta:ma'kedom/ n. a material of stone or slag bound with tar, used in paving roads etc. [TAR! + MACADAM] Tarn /ta:n/ a river of southern France which rises in the Cévennes and flows south-west through deep gorges before meeting the Garonne. tarn /ta:n/ n. a small mountain lake. [ME terne, tarne f. ON]

tarnish /'ta:niJ/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. lessen or destroy the lustre of (metal etc.). 2 tr. impair (one’s reputation etc.). 3 intr. (of metal etc.) lose lustre. —n. 1 aa loss of lustre. b a film of colour formed on an exposed surface of a mineral or metal. 2 a blemish; a stain. 00 tarnishable adj. [F ternir f. terne dark] taro /'ta:rau/ n. (pl. -os) a tropical aroid plant, Colocasia esculenta, with tuberous roots used as food. Also called EDDO. [Polynesian] tarot /'tzrau/ n. 1 (in sing. or pl.) a any of several games played with a pack of cards having five suits, the last of which is a set of permanent trumps. b a similar pack used in fortune-telling. (See below and PLAYING-CARDS.) 2 a any of the trump cards. b any of the cards from a fortune-telling pack. [F tarot, It. tarocchi, of unkn. orig.] Tarot cards are thought to go back to the 12th c. in Europe, though the earliest surviving set is from 1390. Their origin and symbolism is obscure. Part of the tarot pack consisted of 56 cards arranged in 4 suits of 14 each, numbered similarly to a 52-card pack except that a Knight was included among the court cards. The suits were called Cups, Swords, Money, and Batons (Clubs). The rest of the pack was composed ofa series of pictures representing various aspects of life and drawn from legend and folklore. The Devil was included, and there were emblematic pictures of Death, the Sun, the Moon, etc. There was also an extra unnumbered card called Le Fou (the fool), ancestor of the modern Joker. In the game played the emblem cards always had a special power over the others. In fortune-telling the cards are interpreted according to the meaning assigned to them. Renewed interest in the occult has led to a recent revival in the use of tarots. tarp /ta:p/ n. US & Austral. collog. tarpaulin. [abbr.] tarpan /|'ta:pen/ n. an extinct N. European primitive wild horse.

[Kirghiz Tartar] tarpaulin /ta:'po:lin/ n. 1 heavy-duty waterproof cloth esp. of tarred canvas. 2 a sheet or covering of this. 3 a a sailor’s tarred or oilskin hat. b archaic a sailor. [prob. f. TAR! + PALL! + -ING}]

Tarpeian rock /ta:'pi:on/ a cliff, probably at the SW corner of the Capitoline Hill, over which murderers and traitors were hurled in ancient Rome. [name of Tarpeia, legendary daughter of the commander of the citadel, which she betrayed to the Sabines; she is said to be buried at the foot of the hill] tarpon /'ta:pon/ n. 1 a large silvery fish, Tarpon atlanticus, common in the tropical Atlantic. 2 a similar fish, Megalops cyprinoides, of the Pacific Ocean. [Du. tarpoen, of unkn. orig.]

Tarquin /'ta:kwin/ the name of twe kings of ancient Rome, Tarquinius Priscus and Tarquinius Superbus (‘the Proud’; traditionally 534-510 Bc). After his expulsion from the city, and the founding of the republic, the latter engaged in a number of vain attacks on Rome.

tarradiddle var. of TARADIDDLE. tarragon |'tzrogon/ n.a bushy herb, Artemisia dracunculus, with leaves used to flavour salads, stuffings, vinegar, etc. [= med.L au how

tartaric

1479

er day

ou no

ea hair

to near

o1 boy

ve poor

tarchon f. med. Gk tarkhon, perh. through Arab. f. Gk drakon dragon] tarras var. of TRASS. tarry! /'ta:ri/ adj. (tarrier, tarriest) of or like or smeared with tar. 00 tarriness n. tarry? /'teri/ v.intr. (-ies, -ied) archaic or literary 1 defer coming or going. 2 linger, stay, wait. 3 be tardy. 00 tarrier n. [ME: orig. uncert.] tarsal /'ta:s(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to the bones in the ankle. —n. a tarsal bone. [TARSUS + -AL]

tarsi pl. of TARSUs. tarsi- /'ta:s1/ comb. form (also tarso- /'ta:sou/) tarsus.

tarsia |'ta:sto/ n. = INTARSIA. [It.] tarsier /'ta:sta(r)/ n. any small large-eyed arboreal nocturnal primate of the genus Tarsius, native to Borneo, the Philippines, etc., with a long tail and long hind legs used for leaping from tree to tree. [F (as TARsus), from the structure of its foot]

Tarski /'ta:ski/, Alfred (1902-83), Polish-born mathematician and logician, author of works on a wide variety of topics, especially the concept of truth and the relations between language and the world. tarso- comb. form var. of TARSI-. Tarsus |'ta:sos/ a city in SW Turkey, birthplace of St Paul; pop.

(1980) 121,000.

tarsus /'ta:sos/ n. (pl. tarsi /-sat/) 1 a the group of bones forming the ankle and upper foot. b the shank of a bird’s leg. c the terminal segment of a limb in insects. 2 the fibrous connective tissue of the eyelid. [mod.L f. Gk tarsos flat of the foot, rim of the eyelid] tart! /ta:t/ n. 1 an open pastry case containing jam etc. 2 esp. Brit. a pie with a fruit or sweet filling. 00 tartlet n. [ME f. OF tarte = med.L tarta, of unkn. orig.] tart? /ta:t/ n. & v. —n. sl. 1a prostitute; a promiscuous woman. 2 sl. offens. a girl or woman. —v. (foll. by up) esp. Brit. collog. 1 tr. (usu. refl.) smarten (oneself or a thing) up, esp. flashily or gaudily. 2 intr. dress up gaudily. [prob. abbr. of SWEETHEART] tart® /ta:t/ adj. 1 sharp or acid in taste. 2 (of a remark etc.) cutting, bitter. 00 tartly adv. tartness n. [OE teart, of unkn. orig.] tartan! /'ta:t(a)n/ n. 1 a pattern of coloured stripes crossing at right angles, esp. the distinctive plaid worn by the Scottish Highlanders to denote their clan. 2 woollen cloth woven in this pattern (often attrib.: a tartan scarf). [perh. f. OF tertaine, tiretaine] tartan? /'ta:t(a)n/ n. a lateen-sailed single-masted ship used in the Mediterranean. [F tartane f. It. tartana, perh. f. Arab. tarida] Tartar /'ta:ta(r)/ n. & adj. (also Tatar except in sense 3 of n.) —n. 1 aa member of any of numerous mostly Muslim and Turkic tribes inhabiting various parts of European and Asiatic Russia, especially parts of Siberia, Crimea, N. Caucasus, and districts along the Volga. b a member of the mingled host of Central Asian peoples, including Mongols and Turks, who under the leadership of Genghis Khan overran and devastated much of Asia and eastern Europe in the early 13th c., and under Tamerlane (14th c.) established a large empire in central Europe with its capital at Samarkand. c a descendant of this people. 2 the Turkic language of these peoples. 3 (tartar) a violent-tempered or intractable person. —adj. 1 of or relating to the Tartars. 2 of or relating to Central Asia east of the Caspian Sea. 0 tartar sauce a sauce of mayonnaise and chopped gherkins, capers, etc. 00 Tartarian |-'teorton/ adj. [ME tartre f. OF Tartare or med.L Tartarus] tartar /'ta:ta(r)/ n. 1 a hard deposit of saliva, calcium phosphate, etc., that forms on the teeth. 2 a deposit of acid potassium

tartrate that forms a hard crust on the inside of a cask during the fermentation of wine.

0 tartar emetic potassium anti-

mony tartrate used as a mordant and in medicine (formerly as

an emetic). 00 tartarize v.tr. (also -ise). [ME f. med.L f. med.Gk tartaron] tartare /ta:'ta:(r)/ adj. (in full sauce tartare) = tartar sauce (see TARTAR). [F, = tartar] tartaric /ta:'terik/ adj. Chem. of or produced from tartar. 0

aia fire

ave sour

(see over for consonants)

Tartarus

Tati

1480

wood, etc., supporting the end of a beam or joist. [OF ult. f. L taxillus small die, and tessella: see TESSELLATE]

tartaric acid a natural carboxylic acid found esp. in unripe grapes, used in baking powders and as a food additive. [F tartarique f. med.L tartarum: see TARTAR| Tartarus /'ta:toras/ Gk Mythol. 1 a god, sone of Aither (Sky) and Gaia (Earth). 2 a part of the Underworld where the wicked suffer punishment for their misdeeds, especially those such as Ixion and Tantalus who have committed some outrage against the gods. 00 Tartarean /-'teorton/ adj. [L f. Gk Tartaros] Tartary /'ta:tori/ the Tartar regions of Asia and eastern Europe, especially the high plateau of Asia and its NW slopes. tartrate /'ta:trert/ n. Chem. any salt or ester of tartaric acid. [F (aS TARTAR, -ATE})] tartrazine /'ta:tro,zi:n/ n. Chem. a brilliant yellow dye derived from tartaric acid and used to colour food, drugs, and cosmetics. [as TARTAR + AZO- + -INE4] tarty /'ta:ti/ adj. collog. (tartier, tartiest) (esp. of a woman) vulgar, gaudy; promiscuous. 00 tartily adv. tartiness n. [TART” eee

tassie /'tzesi/ n. Sc. a small cup. taste /terst/ n. & v. —n. 1 a the sensation characteristic of a soluble substance caused in the mouth and throat by contact with that substance (disliked the taste of garlic). b the faculty of perceiving this sensation (was bitter to the taste). 2a small portion of food or drink taken as a sample. 3 a slight experience (a taste of success). 4 (often foll. by for) a liking or predilection (has expensive tastes; is not to my taste). 5 aesthetic discernment in art, literature, conduct, etc., esp. of a specified kind (a person of taste; dresses in poor taste). —v. 1 tr. sample or test the flavour of (food etc.) by taking it into the mouth. 2 tr. (also absol.) perceive the flavour of (could taste the lemon; cannot taste with a cold). 3 tr. (esp. with neg.) eat or drink a small portion of (had not tasted food for days). 4 tr. have experience of (had never tasted failure). 5 intr. (often foll. by of) have a specified flavour (tastes bitter; tastes of onions). 0 a bad (or bitter etc.) taste collog. a strong feeling of regret or unease. taste blood see BLooD. taste bud any of the cells or nerve-endings on the surface of the tongue by which things are tasted. to taste in the amount needed for a pleasing result (add salt and pepper to taste). 00 tasteable adj. [ME, = touch, taste, f. OF tast, taster touch, try, taste, ult. perh. f. L tangere touch + gustare taste]

Tarzan /'ta:z(2)n/ a character in novels by the American author Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950) and subsequent films and television series. He is a white man (Lord Greystoke by birth), orphaned in West Africa in his infancy and reared by apes in the jungle. —n. a man of great agility and powerful physique.

Tas. abbr. Tasmania. Tashi Lama /'tef1 jla:ma/n. = PANCHEN LAMA. Tashkent /tzJ'kent/ the capital of the Soviet republic of Uzbek-

tasteful /'terstful/ adj. having, or done in, good taste.

istan, in the western foothills of the Tien Shan Mountains; pop.

(est. 1987) 2,124,000.

task /ta:sk/ n. & v. —n. a piece of work to be done or undertaken. —v.tr. 1 make great demands on (a person’s powers etc.). 2 assign a task to. Oo take to task rebuke, scold. task force (or group) 1 Mil. an armed force organized for a special operation. 2 a unit specially organized for a task. [ME f. ONF tasque = OF tasche f. med.L tasca, perh. f. taxa f. L taxare TAX] taskmaster /'ta:sk,ma:sta(r)/ n. (fem. taskmistress /-,mustris/) a person who imposes a task or burden, esp. regularly or severely.

TASM abbr. tactical air-to-surface missile. Tasman |'tazmon/, Abel Janszoon (1603-59), Dutch explorer. Sent from the Dutch East Indies by their Governor, van Diemen, to explore Australian waters (1642-3), Tasman arrived at Tasmania (which he named Van Diemen’s Land), New Zealand, and

tasteless /'terstlis/ adj. 1 lacking flavour. 2 having, or done in, bad taste. 00 tastelessly adv. tastelessness n. taster /'tetsto(r)/ n. 1 a person employed to test food or drink by tasting it, esp. for quality or hist. to detect poisoning. 2 a small cup used by a wine-taster. 3 an instrument for extracting a small sample from within a cheese. 4 a sample of food etc. [ME f. AF tastour, OF tasteur f. taster: see TASTE]

tasting /'testin/ n. a gathering at which food or drink (esp. wine) is tasted and evaluated. tasty /'tersti/ adj. (tastier, tastiest) (of food) pleasing in flavour; appetizing. O00 tastily adv. tastiness n. tat! /tat/ n. collog. 1 a tatty or tasteless clothes; worthless goods. b rubbish, junk. 2 a shabby person. [back-form. f. TATTY]

tat? /tat/ v. (tatted, tatting) 1 intr. do tatting. 2 tr. make by tatting. [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

some of the Friendly Islands. On a second voyage in 1644 he also reached the Gulf of Carpentaria on the north coast of Australia.

Tasmania /tzz'meinia/ a State of the Commonwealth of Australia consisting of one large and several smaller islands south-

tat see T1T?. ta-ta /tz'ta:/ int. Brit. collog. goodbye (said esp. to or bya child). [19th c.: orig. unkn.]

Tatar var. of TARTAR. Tate/tert/, Nahum (1652-1715), English playwright, whose plays

east of the continent; pop. (1986) 448,200; capital, Hobart. Like mainland Australia, Tasmania was inhabited in prehistoric times (see ABORIGINES). The first European explorer to arrive there was Tasman (see entry), who called the island Van Diemen’s Land, a name which it bore until 1855. Settled by a

British party from New South Wales in 1803, it became a separate colony in 1825 and was federated with the other States of Australia in 1901. 00 Tasmanian adj. & n.

Tasmanian

devil n. a bearlike nocturnal flesh-eating mar-

were mainly adaptations from earlier writers. His version of King Lear omits the Fool, makes Edgar and Cordelia lovers, and ends happily. He wrote (with Dryden) the second part of Absalom and Achitophel, the libretto for Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, and in 1696, with Nicholas Brady, published the metrical version of the psalms that bears their names. He was appointed Poet Laureate in 1692.

Tate Gallery /teit/ a national gallery of British art at Millbank, London, which originated in the dissatisfaction felt at the inad-

supial, Sarcophilus harrisii, now found only in Tasmania.

equate representation of English schools in the National Gallery.

Tasman Sea the part of the South Pacific that lies between Australia and New Zealand. Tass /tzs/ n. the official news agency of the Soviet Union. [the initials of Russ. Telegrafnoe agentstvo Sovetskogo Soyuza Telegraphic Agency of the Soviet Union] tass /tzs/ n. Sc. 1 a cup or small goblet. 2 a small draught of brandy etc. [ME f. OF tasse cup f. Arab. tasa basin f. Pers. tast]

tassel! /'tzes(a)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a tuft of loosely hanging threads or cords etc. attached for decoration to a cushion, scarf, cap, etc. 2 a tassel-like head of some plants, esp. a flower-head with prominent stamens at the top of a maize stalk. —v. (tasselled, tasselling; US tasseled, tasseling)

1 tr. provide with a tassel

or tassels. 2 intr. US (of maize etc.) form tassels. [ME f. OF tas(s)el clasp, of unkn. orig.] tassel? /'taes(o)l/ n. (also torsel /'to:-/) a small piece of stone, b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

oo

tastefully adv. tastefulness n.

The Tate Gallery, opened in 1897, was built at the expense of (Sir) Henry Tate (1819-99), sugar manufacturer, to house the collection presented by him (in 1890) and other works accumulated by various bequests (including that of Turner) to the nation. In the 20th c. modern foreign paintings and sculpture (both British and foreign) were added. On foundation the gallery was subordinate to the National Gallery, but it was made fully independent in 1955. tater /'terta(r)/ n. (also tatie /-t1/, tato /-tov/) sl. = potato. [abbr]

Tati /'ta:ti/ Jacques (1908-82), real name Tatischeff, French film director and actor. His first full-length film Jour de Féte (1947) wasfollowed by Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday (1951), which saw the creation of a gangling comic hero (played by himself) at odds with modern gadgetry. Financial problems and his passionate perfectionism account for the smallness of his output. kcat

lleg

m man

n no

p pen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

tatler tatler archaic var. of TATTLER 1. Tatra Mountains /'ta:tro/ (also Tatras) a range of the Car-

pathians in eastern Czechoslovakia and southern Poland, rising to over 2,460 m (8,000 ft.). tatter /'tzto(r)/ n. (usu. in pl.) a rag; an irregularly torn piece of cloth or paper etc. o in tatters collog. (of a negotiation, argument, etc.) ruined, demolished. 00 tattery adj. [ME f. ON totrar rags: cf. Icel. toturr] tattered /'tztod/ adj. in tatters. tattersall /‘tzto,so:l/ n. (in full tattersall check) a fabric with a pattern of coloured lines forming squares like a tartan. [R. Tattersall, Engl. horseman d. 1795: from the traditional design of horse blankets] Tattersalls /'tzto,so:1z/ an English firm of horse auctioneers founded in 1776 by Richard Tattersall. tatting /'tztin/ n. 1 a kind of knotted lace made by hand with a small shuttle and used for trimming etc. 2 the process of making this. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] tattle /'tzt(s)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. prattle, chatter; gossip idly. 2 tr. utter (words) idly. —n. gossip; idle or trivial talk. o tattle-tale US a tell-tale, esp. 2 child. [ME f. MFlem. tatelen, tateren (imit.)] tattler /'tztlo(r)/ n. a prattler; a gossip. tattoo! /to'tu:/ n. 1. an evening drum or bugle signal recalling soldiers to their quarters. 2 an elaboration of this with music and marching, presented as an entertainment. 3 a rhythmic tapping or drumming. [17th-c. tap-too f. Du. taptoe, lit. ‘close the tap’ (of the cask)]

tattoo? /to'tu:, te-/ v. & n. —v.tr. (tattoos, tattooed) 1 mark (the skin) with an indelible design by puncturing it and inserting pigment. 2 make (a design) in this way. —n. a design made by tattooing. 00 tattooer n. tattooist n. [Polynesian] tatty /'tzti/ adj. (tattier, tattiest) collog. 1 tattered; worn and shabby. 2 inferior. 3 tawdry. 00 tattily adv. tattiness n. forig. Sc., = shaggy, app. rel. to OE tettec rag, TATTER] Tatum /'tertom/, Arthur (‘Art’) (1910-56), American jazz pianist of great technical accomplishment. He first became famous in the 1930s, and in 1943 founded his own influential trio. tau /tav, to:/ n. the nineteenth letter of the Greek alphabet (7, 7). O tau cross a T-shaped cross. tau particle Physics an unstable, heavy, and charged elementary particle of the lepton class. [ME

f. Gk}

taught past and past part. of TEACH. taunt /to:nt/n. & v. —n. a thing said in order to anger or wound a person. —v.tr. 1 assail with taunts. 2 reproach (a person) contemptuously. 00 taunter n. tauntingly adv. [16th c., in phr. taunt for taunt f. F tant pour tant tit for tat, hence a smart rejoinder] taupe /toup/ n. a grey with a tinge of another colour, usu. brown. [F, = MOLE}} Taupo /'taupou/ 1 the capital of Tongariro region, North Island, New Zealand; pop. (1986) 15,900. 2 the largest lake of New Zealand, in central North Island. Tauranga jtav'reno/ a seaport on the Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand; pop. (1988) 61,800.

taurine /'to:ri:n, -rain/ adj. of or like a bull; bullish. [L taurinus f. taurus bull] tauromachy /to:'romoki/ n. (pl. -ies) archaic 1 a bullfight. 2 bullfighting. [Gk tauromakhia f. tauros bull + makheé fight] Taurus /'to:ras/ 1 a constellation containing the star Aldebaran, the galactic clusters of the Hyades and Pleiades, and the Crab Nebula. 2 the second sign of the zodiac (the Bull), which the sun enters about 21 April. —n. a person born when the sun is in this sign. 00 Taurean adj. & n. [ME f. L, = bull]

Taurus

Mountains

/'to:ras/ a range of mountains in SW

Turkey, rising to over 3,700 m (12,000 ft.). taut /to:t/ adj. 1 (of a rope, muscles, etc.) tight; not slack. 2 (of nerves) tense. 3 (of a ship etc.) in good order or condition. oo tauten v.tv. & intr. tautly adv. tautness n. [ME touht, togt, perh. = TOUGH, infl. by tog- past part. stem of obs. tee (OE téon) pull] tauto- /'to:tov/ comb. form the same. [Gk, f. tauto, to auto the same] wwe

taxidermy

1481

z zoo

f she

3 decision

60 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

tautog /to:'tog/ n. a fish, Tautoga onitis, found off the Atlantic coast of N. America, used as food. [Narraganset tautauog (pl.)] tautology /to:'tolod3i/ n. (pl. ies) 1 the saying of the same thing twice over in different words, esp. as a fault of style (e.g. arrived one after the other in succession). 2 a statement that is necessarily true. OO tautologic |-to'lod3ik/ adj. tautological |-to'lod3z1k(s)l/ adj. tautologically /-ta'lodzikali/ adv. tautologist n. tautologize |-\d3a1z/ v.intr. (also -ise). tautologous |-logas/ adj. [LL tautologia f. Gk (as TAUTO-, -LOGY)] tautomer /'to:to,m3;(r)/ n. Chem. a substance that exists as two mutually convertible isomers in equilibrium. 00 tautomeric

|-'mertk/ adj. tautomerism /|-'tomo,r1z(a)m/ n. [TAUTO- + -MER]

tautophony /to:'tofani/ n. repetition of the same sound. [TauTO+ GK phoné sound] tavern /'tev(a)n/ n. literary an inn or public house. [ME f. OF taverne f. L taberna hut, tavern] taverna /to'v3:no/ n. a Greek eating house. [mod. Gk (as TAVERN)]

TAVR abbr. (in the UK) Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve. 4| The name in use 1967-79: now TA.

taw! /to:/ v.tr. make (hide) into leather without the use of tannin, esp. by soaking in a solution of alum and salt. o0 tawer n. [OE tawian f. Gmc] taw? |/to:/ n. 1a large marble. 2 a game of marbles. 3 a line from which players throw marbles. [18th c.: orig. unkn.]

tawdry |'to:dri/ adj. & n. —adj. (tawdrier, tawdriest) 1 showy but worthless. 2 over-ornamented, gaudy, vulgar. —n. cheap or gaudy finery. 00 tawdrily adv. tawdriness n. [earlier as noun: short for tawdry lace, orig. St Audrey’s lace f. Audrey = Etheldrida, patron saint of Ely] tawny /'to:n1/ adj. (tawnier, tawniest) of an orange- or yellowbrown colour. 0 tawny eagie a brownish African or Asian eagle, Aquila rapax. tawny owl a reddish-brown European owl, Strix aluco. 00 tawniness n. [ME f. AF tauné, OF tané f. tan TAN] taws /to:z/ n. (also tawse) Sc. hist. a thong with a slit end formerly used in schools for punishing children. [app. pl. of obs. taw tawed leather, f. TAw!] tax /teks/ n. & v. —n. 1a contribution to State revenue compulsorily levied on individuals, property, or businesses (often foll. by on: a tax on luxury goods). 2 (usu. foll. by on, upon) a strain or heavy demand; an oppressive or burdensome obligation. —v.tr. 1 impose a tax on (persons or goods etc.). 2 deduct tax from (income etc.). 3 make heavy demands on (a person’s powers or resources etc.) (you really tax my patience). 4 (foll. by with) confront (a person) with a wrongdoing etc. 5 call to account. 6 Law examine and assess (costs etc.). O tax avoidance the arrangement of financial affairs to minimize payment of tax. tax-deductible (of expenditure) that may be paid out of income before the deduction of income tax. tax disc Brit. a paper disc displayed on the windscreen of a motor vehicle, certifying payment of excise duty. tax evasion the illegal non-payment or underpayment of income tax. tax-free exempt from taxes. tax haven a country etc. where income tax is low. tax return a declaration of income for taxation purposes. tax shelter a means of organizing business affairs to minimize payment of tax. tax year see financial year. 00 taxable adj. taxer n. taxless adj. [ME f. OF taxer f. L taxare censure, charge, compute, perh. f. Gk tasso fix] taxa pl. of TAXON. taxation /tzk'se1{(2)n/ n. the imposition or payment of tax. [ME f. AF taxacioun, OF taxation f. L taxatio -onis f. taxare: see TAX]

taxi /'teks1/n. & v. —n. (pl. taxis) 1 (in full taxi-cab) a motor car licensed to ply for hire and usu. fitted with a taximeter. 2a boat etc. similarly used. —v. (taxis, taxied, taxiing or taxying) 1 a intr. (of an aircraft or pilot) move along the ground under the machine’s own power before take-off or after landing. b tr. cause (an aircraft) to taxi. 2 intr. & tr. go or convey in a taxi. oO taxi dancer a dancing partner available for hire. taxi-driver a driver of a taxi. taxi rank (US stand) a place where taxis wait to be hired. [abbr. of taximeter cab]

taxidermy /'taks1,ds:mi/ n. the art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting

tf chip

the

dz jar

skins

of animals

(see over for vowels)

with

lifelike

effect.

oo

taximeter

teach

1482

a

eee

taxidermal /-'ds:m(9)l/ adj. taxidermic /[-!d3:mik/ taxidermist n. [Gk taxis arrangement + derma skin]

adj.

taximeter /'tzks1,mi:ta(r)/ n. an automatic device fitted to a

for which he is best known today, Eugene Onegin (1879); composition of this work coincided with his marriage to a young admirer, a commitment which was to last no longer than a few days. He is popularly known for the ballets Swan Lake (1877), The Sleeping Beauty (1890), and The Nutcracker (1892), and for the 1812 Overture (1880), but for the darker side of his nature one must look to the six symphonies (1866-93): of the Sixth (‘Pathetic’) he wrote, ‘I have put my whole soul into this work’. It was once thought that Tchaikovsky died from cholera after drinking impure water, but there is now a theory that he took poison because of a potential scandal arising from an alleged homosexual relationship with a member of the royal family.

taxi, recording the distance travelled and the fare payable. [F ~ taximétre f. taxe tariff, TAX + -METER] taxis /'taeksis/ n. 1 Surgery the restoration of displaced bones or organs by manual pressure. 2 Biol. the movement of a cell or organism in response to an external stimulus. 3 Gram. order or arrangement of words. [Gk f. tassd arrange] taxman /'teksmen| n. colloqg. (pl. -men) an inspector or collector of taxes. taxon /'tzks(s)n/ n. (pl. taxa /'takso/) any taxonomic group. TCP abbr. propr. a disinfectant and germicide. [tri[back-form. f. TAXONOMY] chlorophenylmethyliodasalicy]] taxonomy /tek'spnomi/ n. 1 the science of the classification TD abbr. 1 (in the UK) Territorial (Officer's) Decoration. 2 Ir. of living and extinct organisms. 2 the practice of this. 00 Teachta Dala, Member of the Dail. taxonomic /-so'npmik/ adj. taxonomical /-so'npm1k(2)l/ adj. Te symb. Chem. the element tellurium. taxonomically /-so'npmikoli/ adv. taxonomist n. [F taxonomie te /ti:/ n. (also ti) 1 (in tonic sol-fa) the seventh note of a major (as TAXIS, Gk -nomia distribution)] scale. 2 the note B in the fixed-doh system. [earlier si: F f. It., taxpayer /'teks,pera(r)/ n. a person who pays taxes. perh. f. Sancte Johannes: see GAMUT] Tay /te1/ a river of Scotland flowing into the North Sea. The first tea |ti:/ n. & v. —n. 1 a (in full tea plant) an evergreen shrub Tay Bridge, a railway bridge across the Firth of Tay, opened in or small tree, Camellia sinensis, of India, China, etc. b its dried 1877, was blown down in 1879 while a passenger train was leaves. (See below.) 2 a drink made by infusing tea-leaves in crossing it. boiling water. 3 a similar drink made from the leaves of other tayberry /'terbori/ n. (pl. -ies) a dark red soft fruit produced by plants or from another substance (camomile tea; beef tea). 4aa crossing the blackberry and raspberry. [Tay in Scotland (where light afternoon meal consisting of tea, bread, cakes, etc. b Brit. introduced in 1977)]

Taylor! /'terl(s)r/, Elizabeth (1932-

a cooked evening meal. —v. (teaed or tea’d /ti:d/) 1 intr. take tea. 2 tr. give tea to (a person). 0 tea and sympathy collog.

), British film actress,

whose career began as a child star in Lassie Come Home (1943)

and National Velvet (1944). Later she had particular success in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Butterfield 8 (1961), and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966). Her image as a beautiful passionate woman was exploited by studio promotion and helped by her own penchant for husbands and high living. She was twice married to Richard Burton, with whom she starred in Cleopatra (1962) and other films.

Taylor? /'terla(r)/, Jeremy (1613-67), English Anglican churchman and writer, chaplain to Archbishop (after the Restoration) bishop of Down vice-chancellor of Dublin University. He tional writings, especially Holy Living

Laud and Charles I, and and Connor (1660) and is famous for his devo(1650) and Holy Dying (1651), and the Unum Necessarium (1655), a treatise on sin and repentance, written in beautiful prose combining lucidity with rhetorical vigour and powerful imagery, qualities which made him one of the most celebrated preachers of his day.

Taylor? /'terlo(r)/, Zachary (1784-1850), 12th President of the US, 1849-50. He was one of the most famous US soldiers of the mid-19th c., and his victories in the war with Mexico made him a national hero.

Tayside /'tetsard/ a local government region in eastern Scotland; pop. (1981) 393,750. tazza /'ta:tso/ n. a saucer-shaped cup, esp. one mounted on a foot. [It.]

TB abbr. 1 a tubercle bacillus. b tuberculosis. 2 torpedo boat. Tb symb. Chem. the element terbium. Tblisi /tabr'li:s1/ (formerly Tiflis /'trflrs/ the capital of the Soviet republic of Georgia; pop. (est. 1987) 1,194,000.

T-bone /'ti:boun/ n. a T-shaped bone, esp. in steak from the thin end of a loin.

tbsp. abbr. tablespoonful. Tc symb. Chem. the element technetium.

teach /ti:t{/ v.tr. (past and past part. taught /to:t/) 1 a give systematic information to (a person) or about (a subject or skill). b (absol.) practise this professionally. ¢ enable (a person) to do something by instruction and training (taught me to swim; taught me how to dance). 2 advocate as a moral etc. principle (my parents taught me tolerance). 3 (foll. by to + infin.) a induce (a person) by example or punishment to do or not to do a thing (that will teach you to sit still; that will teach you not to laugh). b collog. make (a person) disinclined to do a thing (I will teach you to interfere). o teach-in 1 an informal lecture and discussion ona subject of public interest. 2 a series of these. teach a person a lesson see

TCD abbr. Trinity College, Dublin. Tchaikovsky /t{ai'kofski/, Pyotr (1840-93), Russian composer, who had embarked on a career as a civil servant before beginning to study music seriously in St Petersburg and then at the Moscow Conservatory. His feeling for Russian nationalism is apparent in such works as his Second (‘Little Russian’ or ‘Ukrainian’) Symphony (1872) and the incidental music to The Snow Maiden (1873), but an equally important influence, that of classical music and in particular Mozart’s, is revealed in the opera The Queen of Spades (1890). But before this had come the opera ze cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

hospitable behaviour towards a troubled person. tea bag a small perforated bag of tea for infusion. tea-ball esp. US a ball of perforated metal to hold tea for infusion. tea-bread light or sweet bread for eating at tea. tea break Brit. a pause in work etc. to drink tea. tea caddy a container for tea. tea ceremony an elaborate Japanese ritual of serving and drinking tea, as an expression of Zen Buddhist philosophy. tea chest a light metal-lined wooden box in which tea is transported. tea cloth = tea towel. tea cosy a cover to keep a teapot warm. tea dance an afternoon tea with dancing. tea garden a garden in which afternoon tea is served to the public. tea lady a woman employed to make tea in offices etc. tea-leaf 1 a dried leaf of tea, used to make a drink of tea. 2 (esp. in pl.) these after infusion or as dregs. 3 rhyming sl. a thief. tea party a party at teatime. tea-planter a proprietor or cultivator of a tea plantation. tea rose a hybrid shrub, Rosa odorata, with a scent resembling that of tea. tea towel a towel for drying washed crockery etc. tea-tree Austral. & NZ an aromatic evergreen flowering shrub, Leptospermum scoparium, the manuka. tea trolley (US wagon) a small wheeled trolley from which tea is served. [17th-c. tay, tey, prob. f. Du. tee f. Chin. (Amoy dial.) te, = Mandarin dial. cha] The tea plant has been cultivated for thousands of years in China. When tea was first introduced into Europe in the 17th c. it was so scarce and costly that tea caddies were fitted with locks and keys. China continued to be the main tea-producing country until the 19th c., when it was discovered that tea grew also in Assam, a district of NE India. In 1870, when rust destroyed the coffee crop in Sri Lanka, tea was planted there, and later it was introduced into the East Indies, the Transcaucasian region of Russia, and Africa. It grows best in areas of moderate to high rainfall, equable temperatures, and high humidity. teacake /'ti:kerk/ n. Brit. a light yeast-based usu. sweet bun eaten at tea, often toasted.

1 sit

i: see

pv hot

o: saw

arun

vo put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

teachable

LESSON. teach school US be a teacher in a school. [OE t&can f. a Gmc root = ‘show’]

teachable /'ti:t{ab(s)l/ adj. 1 apt at learning. 2 (of a subject) that can be taught. 00 teachability /-'biliti/ n. teachableness n. teacher /'ti:tfa(r)/ n. a person who teaches, esp. in a school. 50 teacherly adj.

teaching /'ti:t{1n/ n. 1 the profession of a teacher. 2 (often in pl.) what is taught; a doctrine. 0 teaching hospital a hospital where medical students are taught. teaching machine any of various devices for giving instruction according to a programme Measuring pupils’ responses. teacup /'ti:kap/ n. 1.a cup from which tea is drunk. 2 an amount held by this, about 150 ml. o0 teacupful n. (pl. -fuls). teak /ti:k/ n. 1 a large deciduous tree, Tectona grandis, native to India and SE Asia. 2 its hard durable timber, much used in shipbuilding and furniture. [Port. teca f. Malayalam tékka] teal /ti:l/ n. (pl. same) 1 any of various small freshwater ducks of the genus Anas, esp. A. crecca, 2 a dark greenish-blue colour. [rel. to MDu. téling, of unkn. orig.] team /ti:m/n. & v. —n. 1 set of players forming one side ina game (a cricket team). 2 two or more persons working together. 3 aa set of draught animals. b one animal or more in harness with a vehicle. —v. 1 intr. & tr. (usu. foll. by up) join in a team or in common action (decided to team up with them). 2 tr. harness (horses etc.) in a team. 3 tr. (foll. by with) match or coordinate (clothes). 0 team-mate a fellow-member of a team or group. team spirit willingness to act as a member of a group rather than as an individual. team-teaching teaching by a team of teachers working together. [OE téam offspring f. a Gmc root = ‘pull’, rel. to Tow] teamster /'ti:msta(r)/ n. 1 US a lorry-driver. 2 a driver of a team of animals. teamwork /'ti:mws:k/ n. the combined action of a team, group, etc., esp. when effective and efficient. teapot /'ti:ppt/ n. a pot with a handle, spout, and lid, in which tea is brewed and from which it is poured. teapoy /'ti:por/ n. a small three- or four-legged table esp. for tea. [Hindi tin, tir- three + Pers. pai foot: sense and spelling infl. by

TEA] tear! /tes(r)/ v. & n. —v. (past tore /to:(r)/; past part. torn /to:n/) 1 tr. (often foll. by up) pull apart or to pieces with some force (tear it in half; tore up the letter). 2 tr. a make a hole or rent in by tearing (have torn my coat). b make (a hole or rent). 3 tr. (foll. by away, off, ete.) pull violently or with some force (tore the book away from me; tore off the cover; tore a page out; tore down the notice). 4 tr. violently disrupt or divide (the country was torn by civil war; torn by conflicting emotions). 5 intr. collog. go or travel hurriedly or impetuously (tore across the road). 6 intr. undergo tearing (the curtain tore down the middle). 7 intr. (foll. by at etc.) pull violently or with some force. —n. 1 a hole or other damage caused by tearing. 2 a torn part of cloth etc. o be torn between have difficulty in choosing between. tear apart 1 search (a place) exhaustively. 2 criticize forcefully. tear one’s hair out behave with extreme desperation or anger. tear into 1 attack verbally; reprimand. 2 make a vigorous start on (an activity). tear oneself away leave despite a strong desire to stay. tear sheet a page that can be removed from a newspaper or magazine etc. for use separately. tear to shreds collog. refute or criticize thoroughly. that’s torn it Brit. collog. that has spoiled things, caused a problem, etc. 00 tearable adj. tearer n. [OE teran f. Gmc] tear? /tro(r)/ n. 1 a drop of clear salty liquid secreted by glands, that serves to moisten and wash the eye and is shed from it in grief or other strong emotions. 2 a tearlike thing; a drop. 0 in tears crying; shedding tears. tear-drop a single tear. tear-duct a drain for carrying tears to the eye or from the eye to the nose. tear-gas gas that disables by causing severe irritation to the eyes. tear-jerker collog. a story, film, etc., calculated to evoke sadness or sympathy. without tears presented so as to be learned or done easily. 00 tearlike adj. [OE téar] tearaway |'teora,wel/ n. Brit. 1 an impetuous or reckless young person. 2 a hooligan.

tearful /'troful/ adj. 1 crying or inclined to cry. 2 causing or au how

e1 day

technique

1483

ov no

eo hair

Ig near

or boy

va poor

accompanied with tears; sad (a tearful event). 00 tearfully adv. tearfulness n. tearing /'teori/ adj. extreme, overwhelming, violent (in a tearing hurry). tearless /'tralis/ adj. not shedding tears. 00 tearlessly adv. tearlessness n. tearoom /'ti:ru:m, -rom/ n. a small restaurant or café where tea is served. tease /ti:z/ v. & n. —v.tr. (also absol.) 1 a make fun of (a person or animal) playfully or unkindly or annoyingly. b tempt or allure, esp. sexually, while refusing to satisfy the desire aroused. 2 pick (wool, hair, etc.) into separate fibres. 3 dress (cloth) esp. with teasels. —n. 1 collog. a person fond of teasing. 2 an instance of teasing (it was only a tease). O tease out separate by disentangling. 00 teasingly adv. [OE tzsan f. WG] teasel /'ti:z(0)l/ n. & v. (also teazel, teazle) —n. 1 any plant of the genus Dipsacus, with large prickly heads that are dried and used to raise the nap on woven cloth. 2 a device used as a substitute for teasels. —v.tr. dress (cloth) with teasels. oo teaseler n. [OE tzs(e)l, = OHG zeisala (as TEASE)] teaser /'ti:zo(r)/ n. 1 collog. a hard question or task. 2 a teasing person. 3 esp. US a short introductory advertisement etc. teaset /'ti:set/ n. a set of crockery for serving tea.

teashop /'ti:[op/ n. esp. Brit. = TEAROOM. teaspoon /'ti:spu:n/ n. 1 a small spoon for stirring tea. 2 an amount held by this. 00 teaspoonful n. (pl. -fuls). teat /ti:t/ n. 1a mammary nipple, esp. of an animal. 2 a thing resembling this, esp. a device of rubber etc. for sucking milk from a bottle. [ME f. OF tete, prob. of Gmc orig., replacing TIT] teatime /'ti:tarm/ n. the time in the afternoon when tea is served.

teazel (also teazle) var. of TEASEL. tec /tek/ n. collog. a detective. [abbr.] tech /tek/ n. (also tec) collog. a technical college. [abbr.]

technetium

/tek'ni:[(2)m/ n. Chem. an artificially produced

radioactive metallic element occurring in the fission products of uranium. Technetium was the first new element to be created artificially, in 1937. Chemically related to rhenium, it has been used in certain alloys to impart resistance to corrosion. {| Symb.: Tc; atomic number 43. [mod.L f. Gk tekhnétos artificial f. tekhné art]

technic /'teknik/ n. 1 (usu. in pl.) a technology. b technical terms, details, methods, etc. 2 technique. 00 technicist /-sist/ n. [L technicus f. Gk tekhnikos f. tekhné art]

technical /'teknik(o)l/ adj. 1 of or involving or concerned with the mechanical arts and applied sciences (technical college; a technical education). 2 of or relating to a particular subject or craft etc. or its techniques (technical terms; technical merit). 3 (of a book or discourse etc.) using technical language; requiring special knowledge to be understood. 4 due to mechanical failure (a technical hitch). 5 legally such; such in strict interpretation (technical assault; lost on a technical point). 0 technical hitch a temporary breakdown or problem in machinery etc. technical knockout Boxing a termination of a fight by the referee on the grounds of a contestant’s inability to continue, the opponent being declared the winner. 00 technically adv. technicalness n.

technicality /,tekni'keliti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state of being technical. 2 a technical expression. 3 a technical point or detail (was acquitted on a technicality).

technician /tek'ni{(s)n/ n. 1 an expert in the practical application of a science. 2 a person skilled in the technique of an art or craft. 3 a person employed to look after technical equipment and do practical work in a laboratory etc.

Technicolor /'tekn1,kalo(r)/ n. (often attrib.) 1 propr. a process of colour cinematography using synchronized monochrome films, each of a different colour, to produce a colour print. 2 (usu. technicolor) collog. a vivid colour. b artificial brilliance. oo technicolored adj. [TECHNICAL + COLOR]

technique /tek'ni:k/ n. 1 mechanical skill in an art. 2 a means

aio fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

technocracy a

i

ih

telaesthesia

1484

a

eee

teem? /ti:m/ v.intr. (often foll. by down) (of water etc.) flow copiously; pour (it was teeming with rain). [ME temen f. ON tema f. tomr

of achieving one’s purpose, esp. skilfully. 3 a manner of artistic execution in music, painting, etc. [F (as TECHNIC)] technocracy /tek'npkrosi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the government or control of society or industry by technical experts. 2 an instance or application of this. [Gk tekhné art + -CRACY] technocrat /'teknokret/ n. an exponent or advocate of technocracy. 00 technocratic |-'kretik/ adj. technocratically |'kreetrkoli/ adv.

(adj.) empty]

‘teen /ti:n/ adj. & n. —adj. = TEENAGE. —n. = TEENAGER. [abbr. of TEENAGE, TEENAGER] -teen /ti:n/ suffix forming the names of numerals from 13 to 19. [OE inflected form of TEN] teenage |'ti:ne1d3/ adj. relating to or characteristic of teenagers. oo teenaged adj. teenager /'ti:n,e1d3a(r)/ n. a person from 13 to 19 years of age. teens /ti:nz/ n.pl. the years of one’s age from 13 to 19 (in one’s teens). teensy /'ti:nz1/ adj. (teensier, teensiest) colloq. = TEENY. O

technological |,tekno'lodzik(a)l/ adj. of or using technology. oo technologically adv. technology /tek'nvlod3i/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the study or use of the mechanical arts and applied sciences. 2 these subjects collectively. oo technologist n. [Gk tekhnologia systematic treatment f. tekhné art]

teemsy-weemsy

= teeny-weeny.

teeny /'ti:n1/ adj. (teenier, teeniest) colloq. tiny. 0 teeny-weeny very tiny. [var. of TINY] teeny-bopper /'ti:n1,bopa(r)/ n. collog. a young teenager, usu. a girl, who keenly follows the latest fashions in clothes, pop music, etc. teepee var. of TEPEE.

techy var. of TETCHY. tectonic /tek'tonik/ adj. 1 of or relating to building or construction. 2 Geol. relating to the deformation of the earth’s crust or to the structural changes caused by this (see plate tectonics). oo tectonically adv. [LL tectonicus f. Gk tektonikos f. tekton -onos carpenter] tectonics /tek'tonrks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) 1 Archit. the art and process of producing practical and aesthetically pleasing buildings. 2 Geol. the study of large-scale structural features (cf. plate tectonics).

teeshirt var. of T-sHIRT. teeter /'ti:ta(r)/ v.intr. 1 totter; stand or move unsteadily. 2 hesitate; be indecisive. 0 teeter on the brink (or edge) be in imminent danger (of disaster etc.). [var. of dial. titter]

teeth pl. of root.

tectorial /tek'to:rial/ adj. Anat. 1 forming a covering. 2 (in full tectorial membrane) the membrane covering the organ of Corti (see CorT1) in the inner ear. [L tectorium a cover (as TECTRIX)]

tectrix /'tektriks/ n. (pl. tectrices |-\si:z, -'trarsi:z/) = COVERT n. [mod.L f. L tegere tect- cover]

Ted. /ted/ n. (also ted) Brit. collog. a Teddy boy. [abbr.] ted /ted/ v.tr. (tedded, tedding) turn over and spread out (grass, hay, or straw) to dry or for a bedding etc. oo tedder n. [ME f. ON tethja spread manure f. tad dung, toddi small piece]

teddy /'tedi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 (also Teddy; in full teddy bear) a soft toy bear. President Theodore Roosevelt’s bear-hunting expeditions occasioned a celebrated comic poem, accompanied

by cartoons, in the New York Times of 7 Jan. 1906, concerning the adventures of two bears named ‘Teddy B’ and ‘Teddy G’. These names were transferred to two bears (also known as the ‘Roosevelt bears’) presented to Bronx Zoo in the same year. Finally, the fame of these bears was turned to advantage by toy dealers, whose toy ‘Roosevelt bears’, imported from Germany, became an instant fashion in the US. 2a woman’s undergarment resem-

teethe /ti:d/ v.intr. grow or cut teeth, esp. milk teeth. oO teething-ring a small ring for an infant to bite on while teething. teething troubles initial difficulties in an enterprise etc., regarded as temporary. oo teething n. teetotal /ti:'tavt(a)l/ adj. advocating or characterized by total abstinence from alcoholic drink. 00 teetotalism n. [redupl. of TOTAL] teetotaller /ti:'tavtolo(r)/ n. (US teetotaler) a person advocating or practising abstinence from alcoholic drink. teetotum [ti:'toutem/ n. 1 a spinning-top with four sides lettered to determine whether the spinner has won or lost. 2 any top spun with the fingers. [T (the letter on one side) + L totum the whole (stakes), for which T stood] teff /tef] n. an African cereal, Eragrostis tef. [Amharic téf]

TEFL /'tef{s)l/ abbr. teaching of English as a foreign language.

bling camiknickers. [sense 1 from Teddy, pet-name of Theodore

Teflon /'teflon/ n. propr. polytetrafluoroethylene, esp. used as a non-stick coating for kitchen utensils. [tetra- + fluor- + -on] teg /teg/ n. a sheep in its second year. [ME tegge (recorded in place-names), repr. OE (unrecorded) tegga ewe]

Roosevelt, d. 1919]

Tegucigalpa /te,gu:s!'gzlpa/ the capital of Honduras; pop.

Teddy boy /'tedi/ n. Brit. collog. 1 a youth, esp. of the 1950s,

(1986) 604,600.

affecting an Edwardian style of dress and appearance. 2 a young

tegular /'tegjula(r)/ adj. 1 of or like tiles. 2 arranged like tiles.

rowdy male. [Teddy, pet-form of Edward]

o0 tegularly adv. [L tegula tile f. tegere cover] tegument /'tegjumont/ n. the natural covering of an animal’s body or part of its body. oO tegumental /-'ment(o)l/ adj. tegumentary /-'mentor/ adj. [L tegumentum f. tegere cover]

Te Deum |ti: 'di:om, ter 'derom/ 1 a an ancient Latin hymn of praise beginning Te Deum laudamus ‘We praise thee, O God’, sung at matins, or on special occasions as a thanksgiving. b the music for this. 2 an expression of thanksgiving or exultation. [L] tedious /'ti:dias/ adj. tiresomely long; wearisome. 00 tediously adv. tediousness n. [ME f. OF tedieus or LL taediosus (as TEDIUM)]

te-hee var. of TEE-HEE. Tehran |teo'ra:n/ the capital of Iran; pop. (1986) 6,042,600.

tedium /'ti:diom/ 7. the state of being tedious; boredom. [L

Teilhard de Chardin /tar'a:d do Ja:'d%/, Pierre (1881-1955), French Jesuit philosopher and palaeontologist, best known for his evolutionary theory, blending science and theology, that man is evolving mentally and socially towards a perfect spiritual

taedium f. taedére to weary]

tee! /ti:/ n. = T.. [phonet. spelling] tee? /ti:/ n. & v. —n. 1 Golf aa cleared space from which a golf ball is struck at the beginning of play for each hole. b a small support of wood or plastic from which a ball is struck at a tee. 2 a mark aimed at in bowls, quoits, curling, etc. —v.tr. (tees, teed) (often foll. by up) Golf place (a ball) on a tee ready to strike it. O tee off 1 Golf play a ball froma tee. 2 collog. start, begin. {earlier (17th-c.) teaz, of unkn. orig.: in sense 2 perh. = TEE}]

tee-hee /ti:'hi:/ n. & v. (also te-hee) —n. 1 titter. 2a restrained or contemptuous laugh. —-v.intr. (tee-hees, tee-heed) titter or laugh in this way. [imit.] teem! /ti:m/ v.intr. 1 be abundant (fish teem in these waters). 2 (foll. by with) be full of or swarming with (teeming with fish; teeming with ideas). [OE téman etc. give birth to f. Gmc, rel. to TEAM]

b but

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

state. Tejo see Tacus. Te Kanawa |te 'ka:nowa/, Dame Kiri (1944— _), New Zealand operatic soprano, who has sung in the world’s leading opera houses, especially in works by Mozart, Strauss, and Verdi. tektite /'tektait/ n. Geol. a small roundish glassy body of unknown origin occurring in various parts of the earth. [G Tektit f. Gk tektos molten f. t@kd melt] Tel. abbr. 1 Telephone. 2 a Telegraph. b Telegraphic.

telaesthesia |,teli's6i:z1a/ n. (US telesthesia) Psychol. the supposed perception of distant occurrences or objects otherwise than by the recognized senses. o0 telaesthetic /-'@etrk/ adj. [mod.L, formed as TELE- + Gk aisthésis perception] kcat

lleg

mman

nno

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

telamon

telephone

1485

telamon /'telo,moon/ n. (pl. telamones |-'mooni:z/) Archit. a male figure used as a pillar to support an entablature. [L telamones f. Gk telamones pl. of Telamon, name of a mythical hero]

Tel Aviv /tel a'vi:v/ a city on the Mediterranean coast of Israel, founded as a suburb of the port of Jaffa by Russian Jewish immigrants in 1909 and named Tel Aviv a year later; pop. (1987) 319,500 (with Jaffa),

tele- /'teli/ comb. form 1 at or to a distance (telekinesis). 2 forming names of instruments for operating over long distances (telescope). 3 television (telecast). 4 done by means of the telephone (telesales). [Gk téle- f. téle far off: sense 3 f. TELEVISION: sense 4 f. TELEPHONE]

tele-ad /'teli,zd/ n. an advertisement placed in a newspaper etc.

and radio waves are also used to carry the signals, and satellites relay them from one part of the globe to another.

telegraphese |,teligro'fi:z/ n. collog. or joc. an abbreviated style usual in telegrams.

telegraphic

/|,teli'grefik/ adj.

1 of or by telegraphs

or

telegrams. 2 economically worded. 0 telegraphic address an abbreviated or other registered address for use in telegrams. O00 telegraphically adv.

telegraphist /tr'legrofist/ n. a person skilled or employed in telegraphy. telegraphy |ti'legrafi/ n. the science or practice of using or constructing communication systems for the reproduction of information.

by telephone. telecamera /'teli,kzemro, -moro/ n. 1 a television camera. 2 a telephotographic camera. telecast /'telika:st/ n. & v. —n. a television broadcast. —v.tr. transmit by television. 00 telecaster n. [TELE- + BROADCAST]

Telegu var. of TeLucu. telekinesis /,teltkar'ni:sis, -ki'ni:sts/ n. Psychol. movement of

telecine /'telisimi/ n. 1 the broadcasting of cinema film on

Telemachus

television. 2 equipment for doing this. [TELE- + CINE]

telecommunication

/,teltke,mju:ni'kerf(a)n|_

n.

1 com-

telefacsimile /,telifek'stmili/ n. facsimile transmission (see FACSIMILE fn. 2).

telefax< /|'teli,feeks/ n. = TELEFACSIMILE. [abbr.] telefilm /'telifilm/ n. = TELECINE. telegenic |,teli'dzenrk/ adj. having an appearance or manner that looks pleasing on television. [TELEVISION + -genic in PHOTOGENIC] telegony /t1'legani/ n. Biol. the supposed influence of a previous sire on the offspring of a dam with other sires. 00 telegonic |,telr'gontk/ adj. [TELE- + Gk -gonia begetting] telegram /'teli,grzm]/ n. a message sent by telegraph and then usu. delivered in written form. {In UK official use since 1981 only for international messages. [TELE- + -GRAM, after TELEGRAPH]

telegraph /'teligra:f, -gref/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa system of or device for transmitting messages or signals to a distance esp. by making and breaking an electrical connection. (See below.) b (attrib.) used in this system (telegraph pole; telegraph wire). 2 (in full telegraph board) a board displaying scores or other information at a match, race meeting, etc. —v. 1 tr. senda message by telegraph to. 2 tr. send by telegraph. 3 tr. give an advance indication of. 4 intr. make signals (telegraphed to me to come up). O telegraph key a device for making and breaking the electric circuit of a telegraph system. telegraph plant an E. Indian plant, Desmodium gyrans, whose leaves have a spontaneous jerking motion. oo telegrapher /'teli ,gra:fo(r), tr'legrofa(r)/ n. [F télégraphe (as TELE-, -GRAPH)] Electric telegraphy began just before the middle of the 19th c. The many inventors who helped to devise a working system were spurred on by the demands of the newly built railways for some means of conveying messages between signalmen to ensure the safety of trains. Samuel Morse, inventor of the Morse code, made use of the electromagnet and had made his first working model of a telegraph by 1835. The first practical telegraph in England was set up in 1837, linking Euston railway * station in London with Camden station a mile away. A few years later, when the railway telegraph helped to bring about the arrest of a murderer, public interest in the invention was assured, and until c.1880, when telephones became more gen-

erally available, the telegraph was the standard means of rapid communication within a district. Telegraph wires and cables may be above or below ground or on the sea bed. Optical fibres

z zoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

/ti'lemokos/ Gk legend the son of Ulysses and

Penelope.

munication over a distance by cable, telegraph, telephone, or broadcasting. 2 (usu. in pl.) the branch of technology concerned with this. [F télé- communication (as TELE-, COMMUNICATION)] teleconference /'teli,konforens/ n. a conference with participants in different locations linked by telecommunication devices. 00 teleconferencing n. teledui /'tel1,du:/n. a badger, Mydaus javanensis, of Java and Sumatra, that secretes a foul-smelling liquid when attacked. [Jav.]

wwe

objects at a distance supposedly by paranormal means. 00 telekinetic /-'nettk/ adj. [mod.L (as TELE-, Gk kinésis motion f. kined move)]

yn ring

x loch

Telemann /'terl,mzn/, Georg Philipp (1681-1767), German composer and organist. His voluminous output included 600 overtures, 44 Passions, 12 complete services, and 40 operas. In his lifetime his reputation far exceeded that of his contemporary, J. S. Bach.

telemark /'teli,ma:k/ n. & v. Skiing —n. a swing turn with one ski advanced and the knee bent, used to change direction or stop short. —v.intr. perform this turn. [Telemark in Norway]

telemarketing /'teli,ma:kitin/ n. the marketing of goods etc. by means of usu. unsolicited telephone calls. 00 telemarketer

n. telemessage |'teli,mesid3/ n. a message sent by telephone or telex and delivered in written form. §[/In UK official use since 1981 for inland messages, replacing telegram. telemeter /'teli,mi:to(r), tr'lemita(r)/ n. & v. —n. an apparatus for recording the readings of an instrument and transmitting them by radio. —v. 1 intr. record readings in this way. 2 tr. transmit (readings etc.) to a distant receiving set or station. 00 telemetric /-'metrik/ adj. telemetry /t1'lemotri/ n. teleology |,teli'pled31, ,ti:-/ n. (pl. -ies) Philos. 1 the explanation of phenomena by the purpose they serve rather than by postulated causes. 2 Theol. the doctrine of design and purpose in the material world. 00 teleologic /-9'lod31k/ adj. teleological /-o'lpdz1k(a)l/ adj. teleologically /-o'lod3ikali/ adv. teleologism n. teleologist n. [mod.L teleologia f. Gk telos teleos end + -LoGy] teleost /'teli,pst/ n. any fish of the subclass Teleostei of bony fish, including eels, plaice, salmon, etc. [Gk teleo- complete + osteon bone]

telepath

/'telipx20/ n. a telepathic person.

[back-form.

f.

TELEPATHY]

telepathy

/ti'lepo6i/ n. the supposed

communication

of

thoughts or ideas otherwise than by the known senses. 00 telepathic /,teli'pze61k/ adj. telepathically /,telt'pz61koli/ adv. telepathist n. telepathize v.tr. & intr. (also -ise). telephone /'teli,faun/ n. & v. —n. 1 an apparatus for transmitting sound (esp. speech) to a distance by wire or cord or radio, esp. by converting acoustic vibrations to electrical signals. (See below.) 2 a transmitting and receiving instrument used in this. 3 a system of communication using a network of telephones. —v. 1 tr. speak to (a person) by telephone. 2 tr. send (a message) by telephone. 3 intr. make a telephone call. 0 on the telephone 1 having a telephone. 2 by use of or using the telephone. over the telephone by use of or using the telephone. telephone book = telephone directory. telephone booth (or kiosk) a public booth or enclosure from which telephone calls can be made. telephone box Brit. = telephone booth. telephone call = CALL n. 4. telephone directory a book listing telephone subscribers and numbers in a particular area. telephone exchange = EXCHANGE n. 3. telephone number a number assigned to a particular telephone and used in making connections to it. telephone operator esp. US an operator in a

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

telephonist

tell

1486

teletext /'teli,tekst/ n. a news and information service, in the telephone exchange. oo telephoner n. telephonic /-'fontk/ adj. form of text and graphics, from a computer source transmitted telephonically /-'fontkoli/ adv. to televisions with appropriate receivers (cf. CEEFAX, ORACLE). The ‘Electrical Speaking Telephone’ was invented by Alexander Graham Bell and patented in the US in 1875-7. The German « telethon /'tel1,9nn/ n. esp. US an exceptionally long television experimenter P. Reis had already (in 1861) devised an instruprogramme, esp. to raise money for a charity. [TELE- + -thon in ment transmitting sound of constant pitch but did not succeed MARATHON] in reproducing a voice. The three basic essentials of a telephone Teletype /'teli,tarp/ n. & v. —n. propr. a kind of teleprinter. system are a telephone set to convert sound into electrical —v. (teletype) 1 intr. operate a teleprinter. 2 tr. send by means signals and back again, a transmission system to carry these of a teleprinter. signals over a distance, within acceptable limits of distortion teletypewriter /,telr'tarp,raito(r)/ n. esp. US = TELEPRINTER. and attenuation, and a switching system to connect any two televiewer /'telr,vjuo(r)/ v.tr. a person who watches television. telephone sets. Such connections are now usually made autoo0 televiewing adj. matically as the caller, by dialling the receiver’s number, sends televise /'teli,vaiz/ v.tr. transmit by television. 00 televisable out a series of pulses which actuate the switching system, and adj. [back-form. f. TELEVISION] are monitored electronically. Methods of transmission of signals television /'tel1,v13(2)n, -'v13(2)n/ n. 1 a system for reproducing are the same as those used for telegraphy (see TELEGRAPH). ona screen visual images transmitted (usu. with sound) by radio telephonist /ti'lefonist/ n. Brit. an operator in a telephone signals. (See below and CATHODE-RAY TUBE). 2 (in full television exchange or at a switchboard. set) a device with a screen for receiving these signals. 3 teletelephony /tr'lefoni/ n. the use or a system of telephones. vision broadcasting generally. telephoto |,teli'fautou/ n. (pl. -os) (in full telephoto lens) a lens When electric telegraphy came into use in the mid-19thc. used in telephotography. inventors began to think of transmitting pictures by electric telephotographic |,teli,fouto'grefik/ adj. of or for or using wire. The broad principle is that of cinematography, reprotelephotography. 00 telephotographically adv. duction of a series of successive images which the human brain telephotography /|,telife'togrofi/ n. the photographing of disregisters as a continuous picture because of the persistence of tant objects with a system of lenses giving a large image. vision. Variations of light and shade are converted by a television teleport |'teli,po:t/ v.tr. Psychol. move by telekinesis. oo camera into variations of electric current which can then be teleportation /-'te1{(9)n/ n. [TELE- + PORT? 3] transmitted by radio or cable and picked up by a receiver to be teleprinter /'teli,printa(r)/ n. a device for transmitting telechanged back into variations of light and shade on the screen. graph messages as they are keyed, and for printing messages For colour television light from the scene is split by the camera received. into its constituent colours and reconstituted from these by the teleprompter /'tel1,prompto(r)/ n. a device beside a television television receiver. Television was first demonstrated by J. L. or cinema camera that slowly unrolls a speaker’s script out of Baird in 1926. sight of the audience (cf. AUTOCUE).

televisual /|,telr'vizvol, -'vizjual/ adj. relating to or suitable for

telerecord /'teliri,ko:d/ v.tr. record for television broadcasting. telerecording /'telirikko:din/ n. a recorded television broadcast. telesales /'teli,se1lz/ n.pl. selling by means of the telephone. telescope /'teliskoup/ n. & v. —n. 1 an optical instrument using lenses or mirrors or both to make distant objects appear nearer and larger. (See below.) 2 = radio telescope. (See separate entry.) —v. 1 tr. press or drive (sections of a tube, colliding vehicles, etc.) together so that one slides into another like the sections of a folding telescope. 2 intr. close or be driven or be capable of closing in this way. 3 tr. compress so as to occupy less space or time. [It. telescopio or mod.L telescopium (as TELE-,

television. 00 televisually adv.

telex /'teleks/ n. & v. (also Telex) —n. an international system of telegraphy with printed messages transmitted and received by teleprinters using the public telecommunications network. A telex service opened in London in 1932. —v.tr. send or communicate with by telex. [TELEPRINTER + EXCHANGE]

Telford /'telfed/, Thomas (1757-1834), called by Southey the ‘Colossus of Roads’, the greatest road-builder, greatest bridgebuilder, and greatest canal-builder, son of a Scottish shepherd. He was responsible for hundreds of miles of new roads in the Scottish Highlands and for the London-Holyhead road, the main route to Ireland, of which the most notable feature is the suspension bridge crossing the Menai Strait, opened in 1826. His canals include the Caledonian Canal across Scotland and the Gotha Canal across Sweden, and he was also responsible for a number of dock and harbour works. It is fitting that such a great civil engineer should have become the first president of the Institution of Civil Engineers, the first such engineering institution.

-SCOPE)] The optical telescope was probably invented independently many times before Galileo turned it on the heavens in 1609; the

claim that it was invented in Holland by Hans Lippershey, a Dutch lens-maker (early 17th c.), is false. Its development not only advanced scientific knowledge but brought consequences for religious and philosophical thought (see CoPERNICUS). Subsequent improvements of its design were made by Kepler, Galileo, Huygens, and Newton. Classically made from a collection of lenses mounted in a tube, or with a concave mirror and lens system, modern astronomical telescopes built on similar principles but from different materials are also used to observe radio waves and infrared radiation. Higher energy radiation may also be measured from telescopes carried beyond the atmosphere by artificial satellites. The largest optical telescope is in Crimea and has a mirror 6 metres in diameter.

Tell /tel/, William. A legendary hero of the liberation of Switzerland from Austrian oppression, who was required to hit with an arrow an apple placed on the head of his son; this he successfully did. The events are placed in the 14thc. but there is no evidence for a historical person of this name. Similar legends of a marksman shooting at an object placed on the head of a man or child are of widespread occurrence.

tell! /tel/ v. (past and past part. told /tauld/) 1 tr. relate or narrate in speech or writing; give an account of (tell me a story). 2 tr. make known; express in words; divulge (tell me your name; tell me what you want). 3 tr. reveal or signify to (a person) (your face tells me everything). 4 tr. a utter (don’t tell lies), b warn (I told you so). 5 intr. a (often foll. by of, about) divulge information or a description; reveal a secret (I told of the plan; promise you won't tell). b (foll. by on) collog. inform against (a person). 6 tr. (foll. by to + infin.) give (a person) a direction or order (tell them to wait; do as you are told), 7 tr. assure (it’s true, I tell you). 8 tr. explain in writing; instruct (this book tells you how to cook). 9 tr. decide, determine, distinguish (cannot tell which button to press; how do you tell one from the other?). 10 intr. a (often foll. by on) produce a noticeable effect

telescopic /,teli'skoprk/ adj. 1 a of, relating to, or made with a telescope (telescopic observations). b visible only through atelescope (telescopic stars). 2 (esp. of a lens) able to focus on and magnify distant objects. 3 consisting of sections that telescope. O telescopic sight a telescope used for sighting on a rifle etc. Oo telescopically adv.

telesoftware

/|,teli'spftweo(r)/

1. software

transmitted

or

broadcast to receiving terminals.

telesthesia US var. of TELAESTHESIA. Teletex /'teli,teks/ n. propr. an electronic text transmission system. wz cat

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1 sit

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tell

(every disappointment tells; the strain was beginning to tell on me). b reveal the truth (time will tell). ¢ have an influence (the evidence

tells against you). 11 tr. (often absol.) count (votes) at a meeting, election, etc. O as far as one can tell judging from the available information. tell apart distinguish between (usu. with neg. or interrog.: could not tell them apart). tell me another collog. an expression of incredulity. tell off 1 colloq. reprimand, scold. 2 count off or detach for duty. tell a tale (or its own tale) be significant or revealing. tell tales report a discreditable fact about another. tell that to the marines see MARINE. tell the time determine the time from the face of a clock or watch. there is no telling it is impossible to know (there’s no telling what may happen). you’re telling me collog. I agree wholeheartedly. oo tellable adj. [OE tellan f. Gmc, rel. to TALE]

tell? /telj n. Archaeol. an artificial mound in the Middle East etc. formed by the accumulated remains of ancient settlements. [Arab. tall hillock] teller /'telo(r)/ n. 1 a person employed to receive and pay out money in a bank etc. 2 a person who counts (votes). 3 a person

who tells esp. stories (a teller of tales). 00 tellership n. telling /'telin/ adj. 1 having a marked effect; striking. significant. O00 tellingly adv.

2

telling-off |,telin'pf] n. (pl. tellings-off) collog. a reproof or reprimand,

tell-tale /'telterl/ n. 1 a person who reveals (esp. discreditable) information about another’s private affairs or behaviour. 2 (attrib.) that reveals or betrays (a tell-tale smile). 3 a device for automatic monitoring or registering of a process etc. 4 a metal sheet extending across the front wall of a squash court, above which the ball must strike the wail.

tellurian /te'ljvorren/ adj. & n, —adj. of or inhabiting the Earth. —n. an inhabitant of the Earth. [L tellus -uris earth]

telluric /te'ljuartk/ adj. 1 of the Earth as a planet. 2 of the soil. 3 Chem. of tellurium, esp. in its higher valency. oo tellurate |-rat/ n. [L tellus -uris earth: sense 3 f. TELLURIUM]

tellurium /te'ljusariom/ n. Chem. a rare brittle lustrous silverwhite element, chemically related to sulphur and selenium. First discovered in 1782, tellurium occasionally occurs uncombined in nature but more often in ores with metals. The element has two allotropic forms: a silvery crystalline substance and an amorphous powder. It is used as a catalyst, as a colouring agent, and in some electrical devices and alloys. § Symb.: Te; atomic

number 52. oo telluride /'teljua,ratd/ n. tellurite /'teljua,rart/ n. tellurous adj. [L tellus -uris earth, prob. named in contrast to uranium] telly /'teli/ n. (pl. -ies) esp. Brit. collog. 1 television. 2 a television set. [abbr.] telpher /'telfa(r)/ n. a system for transporting goods etc. by electrically driven trucks or cable-cars. 00 telpherage n. [TELE+ -PHORE] telson /'tels(a)n/ n. the last segment in the abdomen of Crustacea etc. [Gk, = limit]

Telstar /'telsta:(r)/ the first of the active communications satellites (i.e. both receiving and retransmitting signals, not merely reflecting signals from their surface). It was launched by the US in 1962 and used in the transmission of television broadcasting and telephone communication.

Telugu /'telo,gu:/ n. (also Telegu) (pl. same or Telegus) 1 a member of a Dravidian people in SE India. 2 their language, the most widespread of the Dravidian languages in India, spoken by about 45 million people mainly in Andhra Pradesh. [Telugu] temerarious /,temo'reortas/ adj. literary reckless, rash. [L temerarius f. temere rashly] temerity /tr'meriti/ n. 1 rashness. 2 audacity, impudence. [L temeritas f. temere rashly] temp /temp/ n. & v. colloq. —n. a temporary employee, esp. a secretary. —v.intr. work as a temp. [abbr.]

temp.! /temp/ abbr. temperature. temp.2?/temp/ abbr. in the time of (temp. Henry 1). [L tempore ablat. of tempus time] temper /'tempo(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 habitual or temporary disposition of mind esp. as regards composure (a person of a placid au how

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temper). 2 irritation or anger (ina fit of temper). 3 a tendency to have fits of anger (have a temper). 4 composure or calmness (keep one’s temper; lose one’s temper). 5 the condition of metal as regards hardness and elasticity. —v.tr. 1 bring (metal or clay) to a proper hardness or consistency. 2 (foll. by with) moderate or mitigate (temper justice with mercy). 3 tune or modulate (a piano etc.) so as to distance intervals correctly. 0 in a bad temper angry, peevish. in a good temper in an amiable mood. out of temper angry, peevish. show temper be petulant. 00 temperable adj. temperative /-ot1v/ adj. tempered adj. temperedly adv. temperer n. [OE temprian (v.) f. L temperare mingle: infl. by OF temprer, tremper] mS tempera /'temporo/ n. a method of painting using an emulsion e.g. of pigment with egg, esp. in fine art on canvas. It was used in Europe from the 12th or early 13th c. until the 15th c., when it began to give way to oil painting. [It.: cf. DISTEMPER!] temperament /'tempromont/ n. 1 a person’s distinct nature and character, esp. as determined by physical constitution and permanently affecting behaviour (a nervous temperament; the artistic temperament). 2 a creative or spirited personality (was full of temperament). 3 a an adjustment of intervals in tuning a piano etc. so as to fit the scale for use in all keys. b (equal temperament) an adjustment in which the 12 semitones are at equal intervals. [ME f. L temperamentum (as TEMPER)] temperamental /|,tempro'ment(a)l/ adj. 1 of or having temperament. 2 a (of a person) liable to erratic or moody behaviour. b (of a thing, e.g. a machine) working unpredictably; unreliable. oo temperamentally adv. temperance /'temporoans/ n. 1 moderation or self-restraint esp. in eating and drinking. 2 a total or partial abstinence from alcoholic drink. b (attrib.) advocating or concerned with abstinence. [ME f. AF temperaunce f. L temperantia (as TEMPER)] temperate /'temporot/ adj. 1 avoiding excess; self-restrained. 2 moderate. 3 (of a region or climate) characterized by mild temperatures. 4 abstemious. 0 temperate zone the belt of the earth between the frigid and the torrid zones. 00 temperately adv. temperateness n. [ME f. L temperatus past part. of temperare: see TEMPER] temperature /|'tempritJo(r)/ n. 1 the degree or intensity of heat of a body in relation to others, esp. as shown by a thermometer or perceived by touch etc. 2 Med. the degree of internal heat of the body. 3 collog. a body temperature above the normal (have a temperature). 4 the degree of excitement in a discussion etc. oO take a person’s temperature ascertain a person’s body temperature, esp. as a diagnostic aid. temperature-humidity index a quantity giving the measure of discomfort due to the combined effects of the temperature and humidity of the air. [F température or L temperatura (as TEMPER)] -tempered /'tempod/ comb. form having a specified temper or disposition (bad-tempered; hot-tempered). 00 -temperedly adv. -temperedness n. Tempest /'tempist/, Dame Marie (1864-1942), English actress, real name Mary Susan Etherington. Though trained as a singer she made her name in comedy, becoming noted for her playing of charming elegant middle-aged women. tempest /'tempist/ n. 1 a violent windy storm. 2 violent agitation or tumult. [ME f. OF tempest(e) ult. f. L tempestas season, storm, f. tempus time] tempestuous /tem'pestjuos/ adj. 1 stormy. 2 (of a person, emotion, etc.) turbulent, violent, passionate. oo tempestuously adv. tempestuousness n. [LL tempestuosus (as TEMPEST)]

tempi pl. of Tempo. Templar /'templo(r)/ n. 1 a lawyer or law student with chambers in the Temple, London. 2 (in full Knight Templar) hist. a member of the Knights Templars (see entry). [ME f. AF templer, OF templier, med.L templarius (as TEMPLE})} template /'templit, -plert/ n. (also templet) 1 a a pattern or gauge, usu. a piece of thin board or metal plate, used as a guide in cutting or drilling metal, stone, wood, etc. b a flat card or plastic pattern esp. for cutting cloth for patchwork etc. 2 a timber or plate used to distribute the weight in a wall or under

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tempura /'tempuora/ n. a Japanese dish of fish, shellfish, or vegetables, fried in batter. [Jap.] ten /ten/ n. & adj. —n. 1 one more than nine. 2 a symbol for this (10, x, X). 3a size etc. denoted by ten. 4 the time of ten o'clock (is it ten yet?). 5 a card with ten pips. 6 a set of ten. —adj. 1 that amount to ten. 2 (as a round number) several (ten times as easy). 0 the Ten Commandments see COMMANDMENT. ten-gallon hat a cowboy’s large broad-brimmed hat. ten-week stock a variety of stock, Matthiola incana, said to bloom ten weeks after the sowing of the seed. [OE tien, ten f. Gmc] ten. abbr. tenuto. tenable /'tenab(s)l/ adj. 1 that can be maintained or defended against attack or objection (a tenable position; a tenable theory). 2 (foll. by for, by) (of an office etc.) that can be held for (a specified period) or by (a specified class of person). 00 tenability /-'bilit:/ n. tenableness n. [F f. tenir hold f. L tenére] tenace /'tenas/ n. 1 two cards, one ranking next above, and the other next below, a card held by an opponent. 2 the holding of such cards. [F f. Sp. tenaza, lit. ‘pincers’] tenacious /ti'ne1fas/ adj. 1 (often foll. by of) keeping a firm hold of property, principles, life, etc.; not readily relinquishing. 2 (of memory) retentive. 3 holding fast. 4 strongly cohesive. 5 persistent, resolute. 6 adhesive, sticky. 00 tenaciously adv. tenaciousness n. tenacity /ti'nzsiti/ n. [L tenax -acis f. tenére hold]

a beam etc. 3 Biochem. the molecular pattern governing the assembly of a protein etc. [orig. templet: prob. f. TEMPLE? + -ET!, alt. after plate]

Temple /'temp(s)l/, Shirley (1928-

), American film actress,

the most famous of all child stars, who from 1934 played leading parts in a succession of winsome stories, often adapted from children’s classics. After her second marriage, as Shirley Temple Black she was active in politics for the Republican Party, represented the US at the United Nations, and served as ambassador in various countries.

temple! /'temp(s)l/ n. 1 a building devoted to the worship, or regarded as the dwelling-place, of a god or gods or other objects of religious reverence. 2 hist. any of three successive religious buildings of the Jews in Jerusalem. 3 US a synagogue. 4 a place of Christian public worship, esp. a Protestant church in France. 5 a place in which God is regarded as residing, esp. a Christian’s person or body. 0 temple block a percussion instrument consisting of a hollow block of wood which is struck with a stick. [OE temp(e)l, reinforced in ME by OF temple, f. L templum open or consecrated space]

temple? /'temp(s)l/ n. the flat part of either side of the head between the forehead and the ear. [ME f. OF ult. f. L tempora pl. of tempus]

temple? /'temp(a)l/ n. a device in a loom for keeping the cloth stretched. [ME f. OF, orig. the same word as TEMPLE?]

tenaculum

templet var. of TEMPLATE.

temporality /,tempo'reliti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 temporariness.

2

(usu. in pl.) a secular possession, esp. the properties and revenues of a religious corporation or an ecclesiastic. [ME f. LL temporalitas (as TEMPORAL)] temporary |/'temporori/ adj. & n. —adj. lasting or meant to last only for a limited time (temporary buildings; temporary relief). —n. (pl. -ies) a person employed temporarily (cf. TEMP). oo temporarily adv. temporariness n. [L temporarius f. tempus -oris time] temporize /'tempo,raiz/ v.intr. (also -ise) 1 avoid committing oneself so as to gain time; employ delaying tactics. 2 comply temporarily with the requirements of the occasion, adopt a time-serving policy. 00 temporization /-'zer{(a)n/ 1. temporizer n. [F temporiser bide one’s time f. med. L temporizare delay f. tempus -oris time] tempt /tempt/ v.tr. 1 entice or incite (a person) to do a wrong or forbidden thing (tempted him to steal it). 2 allure, attract. 3 risk provoking (esp. an abstract force or power) (would be tempting fate to try it). 4 archaic make trial of; try the resolution of (God did tempt Abraham). 0 be tempted to be strongly disposed to (I am tempted to question this). 00 temptable adj. temptability /-'brlrti/ n. [ME f. OF tenter, tempter test f. L temptare handle, test,

try] temptation /temp'terf(s)n/ n. 1 a the act or an instance of tempting; the state of being tempted; incitement esp. to wrongdoing. b (the Temptation) the tempting of Christ by the Devil (see Matt. 4). 2 an attractive thing or course of action. 3 archaic putting to the test. [ME f. OF tentacion, temptacion f. L temptatio -onis (as TEMPT)]

tempter /'tempto(r)/ n. (fem. temptress /-tris/) 1a person who tempts. 2 (the Tempter) the Devil. [ME f. OF tempteur f. eccl.L temptator -oris (as TEMPT)}

tempting /'temptin/ adj. 1 attractive, inviting. 2 enticing to evil. 00 temptingly adv. b but

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/ti'nekjulem/ n. (pl. tenacula /-lo/) a surgeon's

sharp hook for picking up arteries etc. [L, = holding instrument, f. tenére hold] tenancy /'tenonsi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the status of a tenant; possession as a tenant. 2 the duration or period of this. tenant /'tenont/ n. & v. —n. 1 a person who rents land or property from a landlord. 2 (often foll. by of) the occupant of a place. 3 Law a person holding real property by private ownership. —v.tr. occupy as a tenant. 0 tenant farmer a person who farms rented land. tenant right Brit. the right of a tenant to continue a tenancy at the termination of the lease. oo tenantable adj. tenantless adj. [ME f. OF, pres. part. of tenir

tempo /'tempou/ n. (pl. -os or tempi /-pi:/) 1 Mus. the speed at which music is or should be played, esp. as characteristic (waltz tempo). 2 the rate of motion or activity (the tempo of the war is quickening). [It. f. L tempus time] temporal /'tempor(a)l/ adj. 1 of worldly as opposed to spiritual affairs; of this life; secular. 2 of or relating to time. 3 Gram. relating to or denoting time or tense (temporal conjunction). 4 of the temples of the head (temporal artery; temporal bone). oO temporal power the power of an ecclesiastic, esp. the Pope, in temporal matters. 00 temporally adv. [ME f. OF temporel or f. L temporalis f. tempus -oris time]

hold f. L tenére] tenantry /'tenontri/ n. the tenants of an estate etc. tench /tent{/ n. (pl. same) a European freshwater fish, Tinca tinca, of the carp family. [ME f. OF tenche f. LL tinca]

tend! /tend/ v.intr. 1 (usu. foll. by to) be apt or inclined (tends to lose his temper). 2 serve, conduce. 3 be moving; be directed; hold a course (tends in our direction; tends downwards; tends to the same conclusion). [ME f. OF tendre stretch f. L tendere tens- or tent-]

tend? /tend/ v. 1 tr. take care of, look after (a person esp. an invalid, animals esp. sheep, a machine). 2 intr. (foll. by on, upon) wait on. 3 intr. (foll. by to) esp. US give attention to. 00 tendance n. archaic. [ME f. ATTEND]

tendency /'tendonsi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 (often foll. by to, towards) a leaning or inclination, a way of tending. 2 a group within a larger political party or movement. [med.L tendentia (as TEND})]

tendentious /ten'denfas/ adj. derog. (of writing etc.) calculated to promote a particular cause or viewpoint; having an underlying purpose. 00 tendentiously adv. tendentiousness n. [as TENDENCY + -OUS]

tender! /'tenda(r)/ adj. (tenderer, tenderest) 1 easily cut or chewed, not tough (tender steak). 2 easily touched or wounded, susceptible to pain or grief (a tender heart; a tender conscience). 3 easily hurt, sensitive (tender skin; a tender place). 4 delicate, fragile (a tender reputation). 5 loving, affectionate, fond (tender parents; wrote tender verses). 6 requiring tact or careful handling, ticklish (a tender subject). 7 (of age) early, immature (of tender years). 8 (usu. foll. by of) solicitous, concerned (tender of his honour). 0 tender-eyed 1 having gentle eyes. 2 weak-eyed. tenderhearted having a tender heart, easily moved by pity etc. tender-heartedness being tender-hearted. tender mercies iron. attention or treatment which is not in the best interests of its recipient. tender spot a subject on which a person is touchy. 00 tenderly adv. tenderness n. [ME f. OF tendre f. L tener] tender? /'tenda(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. a offer, present (one’s

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tender services, apologies, resignation, etc.). b offer (money etc.) as payment. 2 intr. (often foll. by for) make a tender for the supply of a thing or the execution of work. —n. an offer, esp. an offer in writing to execute work or supply goods at a fixed price. 0 plea of tender Lawa plea that the defendant has always been ready to satisfy the plaintiffs claim and now brings the sum into court. put out to tender seek tenders in respect of (work etc.). OO tenderer n. [OF tendre: see TEND]

tender® /'tenda(r)/ n. 1 a person who looks after people or things. 2 a vessel attending a larger one to supply stores, convey passengers or orders, etc. 3 a special truck closely coupled to a steam locomotive to carry fuel, water, etc. [ME f. TEND? or f.

ATTENDER (as ATTEND)]

tenderfoot /'tendo,fot/ n. a newcomer or novice, esp. in the bush or in the Scouts or Guides. tenderize /'tends,raiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) make tender, esp. make (meat) tender by beating etc. 00 tenderizer n.

tenderloin /'tends,lorm/ n. 1 a Brit. the middle part of a pork loin. b US the undercut of a sirloin. 2 US sl. a district of a city where vice and corruption are prominent. tendon /'tend(a)n/ n. 1 acord or strand of strong tissue attaching a muscle to a bone etc. 2 (in a quadruped) = HAMSTRING. 00 tendinitis /,tendi'nartis/ n. tendinous /-dinas/ adj. [F tendon or med.L tendo -dinis f. Gk tenon sinew f. teind stretch]

tendril /'tendril/ n. 1 each of the slender leafless shoots by which some climbing plants cling for support. 2 a slender curl of hair etc. [prob. f. obs. F tendrillon dimin. of obs. tendron young shoot ult. f. L tener TENDER}]

Tenebrae /'tena,bre1/ n.pl. 4 RC Ch. hist. matins and lauds for the last three days of Holy Week, at which candles are successively extinguished. 2 this office set to music. [L, = darkness]

tenebrous /'tenrbres/ adj. literary dark, gloomy. [ME f. OF tenebrus f. L tenebrosus (as TENEBRAE)] tenement /'tenimont/ n. 1 a room or a set of rooms forming a separate residence within a house or block of flats, 2 US & Sc.a house divided into and let in tenements. 3 a dwelling-place. 4 aa piece of land held by an owner. b Law any kind of permanent property, e.g. lands or rents, held from a superior. oO tenement-house US & Sc. = sense 2. oO tenemental /-'ment(a)l/ adj. tenementary /-'mentor1/ adj. [ME f. OF f. med.L tenementum f. tenére hold]

Tenerife |,teno'ri:f] a volcanic island which is the largest of the Canary Islands, pop. (1986) 759,400; capital, Santa Cruz. tenesmus /ti'nezmos/ n. Med. a continual inclination to evacuate the bowels or bladder accompanied by painful straining. [med.L f. Gk teinesmos straining f. teind stretch] tenet /'tentt, 'tiznet/ n. a doctrine, dogma, or principle held by a group or person. [L, = he etc. holds f. tenére hold]

tenfold /'tenfould/ adj. & adv. 1 ten times as much or as many. 2 consisting of ten parts.

tenia US var. of TAENIA. Teniers /'ten1oz/, David (1610-90), Flemish painter known as the Younger in distinction from his father, David the Elder (1582-1649). A wide-ranging and prolific artist, he worked in Antwerp and Brussels and is best known for his peasant scenes in the style of Brouwer, and scenes of everyday life. In 1651 he was appointed court painter to Archduke Leopold Wilhelm, and was much admired by Philip IV of Spain. The sensitivity and sureness of touch in his paintings was influential until well into the 19th c.

Tenn. abbr. Tennessee. Tennant Creek /'tenant/ a mining town between Alice Springs and Darwin in Northern Territory, Australia; pop. (1986) 3,300. tenné /'teni/ n. & (usu. placed after noun) adj. (also tenny) Heraldry orange-brown. [obs. F, var. of tanné TAWNY] tenner /'teno(r)/ n. collog. a ten-pound or ten-dollar note. [TEN] Tennessee /,tent'si:/ a State in the central south-eastern US; pop. (est. 1985) 4,591,100; capital, Nashville. Ceded by Britain to the US in 1783, it became the 16th State in 1796. 0 Tennessee Valley Authority an independent federal government agency in the US. Created in 1933 as part of the New Deal proposals to wwe

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offset unemployment by a programme of public works, its aim was to provide for the development of the whole Tennessee River basin. It was authorized to construct or improve dams that would control flooding and generate cheap hydroelectric power, to check erosion, and to provide afforestation across seven States.

Tenniel /'tenrol/, Sir John (1820-1914), English draughtsman, known chiefly for his work as an illustrator for Lewis Carroll’s Alice books. He also worked prolifically for Punch between 1851 and 1901 as a cartoonist. tennis /'tents/n. 1 lawn tennis (see Lawn). 2 (also real, royal, or (US) court tennis) an indoor game for two or four persons in which a small solid ball is struck with rackets over a net, or rebounds from side walls, in a walled court. A net divides the court into equal but dissimilar halves: the service side, from which service is always delivered, and the hazard side, on which service is received. A similar game was played in monastery cloisters in the 11thc., and early references associate tennis with the clergy. From the Church it spread to the Crown, and became a royal and aristocratic game which spread from France to the rest of Europe. At first it was played with a bare (or gloved) hand, and development to the present sophisticated racket was gradual. Crude wooden boards were followed by the shorthandled bat, at first of solid wood, later covered with parchment like a drum. The long-handled racket, strung with sheep’s intestines, was not invented until c.1500. Until c.1700 the stringing was diagonal, and only in 1875 was it strengthened by threading the cross-strings through the main strings, which greatly increased the pace of the game. Its popularity declined partly because of the need for special courts, whose owners found it more profitable to hire them out as theatres: when Moliére went on tour in the provinces he acted in tennis courts, and the French theatre still retains the shape of a tennis court. Oo tennis-ball a ball used in playing tennis. tennis-court a court used in playing tennis. tennis elbow a sprain caused by or as by playing tennis. tennis-racket a racket used in playing tennis. tennis shoe a light canvas or leather soft-soled shoe suitable for tennis or general casual wear. [ME tenetz, tenes, etc., app. f. OF tenez ‘take, receive’, called by the server to an opponent, imper. of tenir take] tenno /'tenou/ n. (pl. -os) the Emperor of Japan viewed as a divinity. [Jap.] tenny var. of TENNE.

Tennyson /'tenis()n/, Alfred, 1st Baron Tennyson (1809-92), English poet, educated by his father, a Lincolnshire rector, and at Cambridge University, where he met A. H. Hallam whose death (1833) he mourned in his greatest work, In Memoriam (1850), which expresses his own anxieties about immortality, change, and evolution. His early volumes of poetry include ‘Mariana’, ‘The Lotos-Eaters’, ‘The Lady of Shalott’, and ‘Morte d’Arthur’ (1842), the germ of his later Idylls of the King (1859), a series of twelve poems of Arthurian legend. By the middle of the century he was firmly established as the voice of his age, Prince Albert and Queen Victoria being among his admirers, and was made Poet Laureate in 1850. Among his many later works are the narrative poem Enoch Arden (1864) and several dramas of which Becket (1884) appeared in the year he was made a peer. His reputation in the early 20th c. declined but he is now widely acknowledged for his masterly metrical skill and lyrical genius. tenon /'tenon/ n. & v. —n. a projecting piece of wood made for insertion into a corresponding cavity (esp. a mortise) in another piece. —v.tr. 1 cut as a tenon. 2 join by means of a tenon. 0 tenon-saw a small saw with a strong brass or steel back for fine work. 00 tenoner n. [ME f. F f. tenir hold f. L tenére] tenor /'teno(r)/ n. 1 a a singing-voice between baritone and alto or counter-tenor, the highest of the ordinary adult male range. (See below.) b a singer with this voice. ¢ a part written for it. 2 a an instrument, esp. a viola, recorder, or saxophone, of which

the range is roughly that of a tenor voice. b (in full tenor bell) the largest bell of a peal or set. 3 (usu. foll. by of) the general purport or drift of a document or speech. 4 (usu. foll. by of) a settled or prevailing course or direction, esp. the course of a

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(see over for vowels)

tenosynovitis

person’s life or habits. 5 Law a the actual wording of a document. b an exact copy. 6 the subject to which a metaphor refers (opp. VEHICLE 4). O tenor clef Mus. a clef placing middle C on the second highest line of the staff. [ME f. AF tenur, OF tenour f. L tenor -oris f. tenére hold] In music before the 16th c. tenor referred to a voice part (rather than a voice), so called because it formed the basis of a composition, ‘holding’ a melody (usually pre-existing) against which the other voices were composed. Later, the tenor became the highest male voice using normal voice production, with a range of about two octaves. tenosynovitis /,tenov,samov'vaitis/ n. inflammation and swelling of a tendon, usu. in the wrist, often caused by repetitive movements such as typing. [Gk tendn tendon + syNoviTIs] tenotomy /ta'nptomi/ n. (pl. -ies) the surgical cutting of a tendon, esp. as a remedy for a club-foot. [F ténotomie, irreg. f. Gk tenon -ontos tendon] tenpin /'tenpin/ n. 1 a pin used in tenpin bowling. 2 (in pl.) US = tenpin bowling. 0 tenpin bowling a game developed from ninepins in which ten pins are set up at the end of an alley and bowled down with hard rubber balls. (See BOWLING.) tenrec /'tenrek/ n. (also tanrec /'tzn-/) any hedgehog-like tailless insect-eating mammal of the family Tenrecidae, esp. Tenrec ecaudatus native to Madagascar. [F tanrec, f. Malagasy tandraka] tense! /tens/ adj. & v. —adj. 1 stretched tight, strained (tense cord; tense muscle; tense nerves; tense emotion). 2 causing tenseness (a tense moment). 3 Phonet. pronounced with the vocal muscles tense. —v.tr. & intr. make or become tense. 0 tense up become tense. 00 tensely adv. temseness n. tensity n. [L tensus past part. of tendere stretch] tense? /tens/ n. Gram. 1 a form taken bya verb to indicate the time (also the continuance or completeness) of the action etc. (present tense; imperfect tense). 2 a set of such forms for the various persons and numbers. oo tenseless adj. [ME f. OF tens f. L tempus time] tensile /'tensail/ adj. 1 of or relating to tension. 2 capable of being drawn out or stretched. 0 tensile strength resistance to breaking under tension. 00 tensility /ten'silits/ n. [med.L tensilis

experimental. 2 hesitant, not definite (tentative suggestion; tentative acceptance). —n. an experimental proposal or theory. 00 tentatively adv. tentativeness n. [med.L tentativus (as TENTACLE)]

tenter! /'tenta(r)/ n. 1 a machine for stretching cloth to dry in shape. 2 = TENTERHOOK. [ME ult. f. med.L tentorium (as TEND})] tenter? /'tento(r)/ n. Brit. 1 a person in charge of something, esp. of machinery in a factory. 2 a workman’s unskilled assistant. [tent (now Sc.) pay attention, perh. f. tent attention f. INTENT or obs. attent (as ATTEND)]}

tenterhook /'tenta,huk/ n. any of the hooks to which cloth is fastened on a tenter. 0 on tenterhooks in a state of suspense or mental agitation due to uncertainty. tenth /ten6/ n. & adj. —n. 1 the position in a sequence corresponding to the number 10 in the sequence 1-10. 2 something occupying this position. 3 one of ten equal parts of a thing. 4 Mus. a an interval or chord spanning an octave and a third in the diatonic scale. b a note separated from another by this interval. —adj. that is the tenth. o tenth-rate of extremely poor quality. o0 tenthly adv. [ME tenthe, alt. of OE teogotha] tenuis /'tenjors/ n. (pl. tenues /-ju,i:z/) Phonet. a voiceless stop, e.g. k, p, t. [L, = thin, transl. Gk psilos smooth] tenuity /ti'nju:1ti/ n. 1 slenderness. 2 (ofa fluid, esp. air) rarity, thinness. [L tenuitas (as TENUIS)] tenuous /'tenjuos/ adj. 1 slight, of little substance (tenuous connection). 2 (of a distinction etc.) oversubtle. 3 thin, slender, small. 4 rarefied. o0 tenuously adv. tenuousness n. [L tenuis] tenure /'tenja(r)/ n. 1 a condition, or form of right or title, under which (esp. real) property is held. 2 (often foll. by of) a the

vapour pressure. 2a manometer. [TENSION + -METER] —n.

1 the act or an instance of

stretching; the state of being stretched; tenseness. 2 mental strain or excitement. 3a strained (political, social, etc.) state or relationship. 4 Mech. the stress by which a bar, cord, etc. is pulled when it is part of a system in equilibrium or motion. 5 electromagnetic force (high tension; low tension). —v.tr. subject to tension. 00 tensional adj. tensionally adv. tensionless adj. [F tension or L tensio (as TEND})] tenson /'tens(2)n/ n. (also tenzon /'ti:nz(2)n/) 1a contest in versemaking between troubadours. 2 a piece of verse composed for this. [F tenson, = Prov. tenso (as TENSION)] tensor /'tenso(r)/ n. 1 Anat. a muscle that tightens or stretches a part. 2 Math. a generalized form of vector involving an arbitrary number of indices. 00 tensorial |-'so:rral/ adj. [mod.L (as TEND})] tent! /tent/ n. & v. —n. 1 a portable shelter or dwelling of canvas, cloth, etc., supported by a pole or poles and stretched by cords attached to pegs driven into the ground. 2 Med. a tentlike enclosure for control of the air supply to a patient. —v. 1 tr. cover with or as with a tent. 2 intr. a encamp in a tent. b dwell temporarily. 0 tent-bed a bed with a tentlike canopy, or for a patient in a tent. tent coat (or dress) a coat (or dress) cut very full. tent-fly (pl. -flies) 1 a flap at the entrance to a tent. 2 a piece of canvas stretched over the ridge-pole of a tent leaving an open space but keeping off sun and rain. tent-peg

any of the pegs to which

the cords of a tent are

attached. tent-pegging a sport in which a rider tries at full gallop to carry off on the point of a lance a tent-peg fixed in the ground. tent-stitch 1aseries of parallel diagonal stitches. 2 such a stitch. [ME f. OF tente ult. f. L tendere stretch: tent-stitch may be f. another word] tent? /tent/ n. a deep-red sweet wine chiefly from Spain, used

z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

esp. as sacramental wine. [Sp. tinto deep-coloured f. L tinctus past part.: see TINGE] tent? /tent/ n. Surgery a piece (esp. a roll) of lint, linen, etc., inserted into a wound or natural opening to keep it open. [ME f. OF tente f. tenter probe (as TEMPT)] tentacle /'tentok(s)l/ n. 1 a long slender flexible appendage of an (esp. invertebrate) animal, used for feeling, grasping, or moving. 2 a thing used like a tentacle as a feeler etc. 3 Bot. a sensitive hair or filament. 00 tentacled adj. (also in comb.). tentacular /-'tzekjulo(r)/ adj. tentaculate /-'tekjulat/ adj. [mod.L tentaculum f. L tentare = temptare (see TEMPT) + -culum -CULE]

tentative /'tentotrv/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 done by way of trial,

(as TENSE})] tensimeter /ten'simito(r)/ n. 1 an instrument for measuring tension /'ten{(2)n/ n. & v.

tepee

1490

1 sit

holding or possession of an office or property. b the period of this (during his tenure of office). 3 guaranteed permanent employment, esp. as a teacher or lecturer after a probationary period. (ME f. OF f. tenir hold f. L tenére] tenured /'tenjod/ adj. 1 (of an official position) carrying aguarantee of permanent employment. 2 (of a teacher, lecturer, etc.) having guaranteed tenure of office. tenurial /ten'jusrrel/ adj. of the tenure of land. 00 tenurially adv. [med.L teniira TENURE] tenuto /ta'nu:tou/ adv., adj., & n. Mus. —adv. & adj. (of a note etc.) sustained, given its full time-value (cf. LEGATO, STACCATO). —n. (pl. -os) a note or chord played tenuto. [It., = held]

Tenzing

Norgay /|,tensin 'no:ge1/ (1914-86), Sherpa moun-

taineer who, with Sir Edmund Hillary, was the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest (1953).

tenzon var. of TENSON.

teocalli /,ti:o'kali/ n. (pl. teocallis) a temple of the Aztecs or other Mexican peoples, usu. on a truncated pyramid. {Nahuatl f. teotl god + calli house]

Teotihuacan /te1,sutrwo'ka:n the largest city of pre-Columban

America, about 40 km (25 miles) north-east of Mexico City. Built c.300 BC it reached its zenith c. AD 300-600, when it was the centre of an influential culture, but by 650 it had declined as a major power and was sacked by the invading Toltec c.750. Among its monuments are palatial buildings, plazas, and temples, including the Pyramidal of the Sun and of the Moon and the temple of Quetzalcéatl. tepee /'ti:pi:/ n. (also teepee) a N. American Indian’s conical tent, made of skins, cloth, or canvas on a frame of poles. [Sioux or Dakota Indian tipi] ,

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

vu put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

tephra tephra /'tefra/ n. fragmented rock etc. ejected by a volcanic eruption. [Gk, = ash] tepid /'tepid/ adj. 1 slightly warm. 2 unenthusiastic. oo tepidity /t'piditi/ n. tepidly adv. tepidness n. [L tepidus f. tepére be lukewarm]

tequila /te'ki:lo/ n. a Mexican liquor made from an: agave. [Tequila in Mexico] ter- /ts:(r)/ comb. form three; threefold (tercentenary; tervalent). [L ter thrice] ; tera- /'tera/ comb. form denoting a factor of 10". [Gk teras monster] terai /to'rai/ n. (in full terai hat) a wide-brimmed felt hat, often with a double crown, worn by travellers etc. in subtropical regions. [Terai, belt of marshy jungle between Himalayan foothills and plains, f. Hindi tarai moist (land)] terametre /'tera,mi:to(r)/ n. a unit of length equal to 1012

metres. teraph /'terof] n. (pl. teraphim, also used as sing.) a small image as a domestic deity or oracle of the ancient Hebrews. [ME f. LL theraphim, Gk theraphin f. Heb. t‘rapim] terato- /'teratau/ comb. form monster. [Gk teras -atos monster] © teratogen /te'retod3(9)n/ n. Med. an agent or factor causing malformation of an embryo. 00 teratogenic /,terato!dzentk/ adj. teratogeny /|,tera'todzon1/ n. teratology |,ters'tolod31/ n. 1 Biol. the scientific study of animal or vegetable monstrosities. 2 mythology relating to fantastic creatures, monsters, etc. 00 teratological /-ta'lnd31k(s)l/ adj. teratologist n. teratoma /,tero'toumo/ n. Med. a tumour of heterogeneous tissues, esp. of the gonads. terbium /'ts:brom/ n. Chem. a silvery metallic element of the lanthanide series, first discovered in 1843. It has few commercial uses. §/Symb.: Tb; atomic number ‘65. [mod.L f. Ytterby in Sweden] terce /ts:s/ n. Eccl. 1 the office of the canonical hour of prayer appointed for the third daytime hour (ie. 9 a.m.). 2 this hour. [var. of TIERCE] tercel /'t3:s(s)l/ n. (also tiercel /'tras(a)l/) Falconry the male of the hawk, esp. a peregrine or goshawk. [ME f. OF tercel, ult. a dimin. of L tertius third, perh. from a belief that the third egg of a clutch produced a male bird, or that the male was one-third smaller than the female] tercentenary /)t3:sen'ti:nor1, -'tenort, t3:'sentinort/n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a three-hundredth anniversary. 2 a celebration of this. —adj. of this anniversary.

tercentennial /,ts:sen'tentol/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 occurring every three hundred years.

2 lasting three hundred years.

—n. a

tercentenary. tercet /'ts:sit/ n. (also tiercet /'tra-/) Prosody a set or group of three lines rhyming together or connected by rhyme with an adjacent triplet. [F f. It. terzetto dimin. of terzo third f. L tertius] terebene /'ter1,bi:n/ n. a mixture of terpenes prepared by treating oil of turpentine with sulphuric acid, used as an expectorant etc. [TEREBINTH + -ENE]

terebinth /'teribin6/ n. a small Southern European tree, Pistacia terebinthus, yielding turpentine. [ME f. OF terebinte or L terebinthus f. Gk terebinthos]

terebinthine /,ter!'bindarn/ adj. 1 of the terebinth. 2 of turpentine. [L terebinthinus f. Gk terebinthinos (as TEREBINTH)] teredo /ta'ri:dou/ n. (pl. -os) any bivalve mollusc of the genus Teredo, esp. T. navalis, that bores into wooden ships etc. Also called sHipworM. [L f. Gk terédon f. teiro rub hard, wear away, bore]

Terence /'terans/ (Publius Terentius Afer, c.190-159 Bc) Roman comic playwright, originally a slave from North Africa, the author of six comedies based on models from Greek comedy. His plays, all set in Athens, are marked by realism in character and language, consistency of plot, and an urbanity quite different from the extravagance of Plautus. He is an important ancestor of the modern ‘comedy of manners’.

Terengganu see TRENGGANU. au how

er day

term

1491

00 no

eo hair

19 near

or boy

va poor

Teresa /to'ri:zo/, Mother (1910- ), Roman Catholic nun, born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu of Albanian parents in Yugoslavia, who is known as ‘the Saint of the Gutters’ for bringing comfort and dignity to the destitute. She founded an order (Missionaries of Charity) which is noted for its work among the poor and the dying in Calcutta, India, and throughout the world. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.

Teresa of Avila /to'ri:zo, ‘evilo|, St (1515-82), Spanish Carmelite nun and mystic. Her importance is twofold. As the reformer of the Carmelite Order her work has survived in the great number of discalced monasteries which venerate her as

their foundress; she was a woman of strong character, shrewdness, and great practical ability. As a spiritual writer her influence was epoch-making, giving a description of the entire life of prayer from meditation to the so-called ‘mystic marriage’ or union with God. Her combination of mystic experience with ceaseless activity as a reformer and organizer make her life the classical instance for those who contend that the highest contemplation is not incompatible with great practical achievements.

Teresa of Lisieux /tr'ri:so, li:z1's:/, St (1873-97), French Carmelite nun. After her death from tuberculosis her cult grew through the circulation of her autobiography, L’Histoire d’une

ame, teaching that sanctity can be attained through continual renunciation in small matters, and not only through extreme

self-mortification.

Tereshkova

/|jterif'kouvo/, Valentina (1937-

), Soviet cos-

monaut, who became the first woman to fly in space (June 1963). terete /to'ri:t/ adj. Biol. smooth and rounded; cylindrical. [L teres -etis] tergal /'ts:g(a)l/ adj. of or relating to the back; dorsal. [L tergum back] tergiversate /'ts:d31,v3:sert/ v.intr. 1 be apostate; change one’s party or principles. 2 equivocate; make conflicting or evasive statements. 3 turn one’s back on something. 00 tergiversation |'serf(a)n/ n. tergiversator n. [L tergiversari turn one’s back f. tergum back + vertere vers- turn] -teria /'tiorio/ suffix denoting self-service establishments (washeteria). [after CAFETERIA] term /t3:m/ n. & v. —n. 1 a word used to express a definite concept, esp. in a particular branch of study etc. (a technical term). 2 (in pl.) language used; mode of expression (answered in no uncertain terms). 3 (in pl.) a relation or footing (we are on familiar terms). 4 (in pl.) a conditions or stipulations (cannot accept your terms; do it on your own terms). b charge or price (his terms are £20 a lesson). 5 a a limited period of some state or activity (for a term offive years). b a period over which operations are conducted or results contemplated (in the short term). c a period of some weeks, alternating with holiday or vacation, during which instruction is given in a school, college, or university, or Brit. during which a lawcourt holds sessions. d a period of imprisonment. e a period of tenure. 6 Logic a word or words that may be the subject or predicate of a proposition. 7 Math. a each of the two quantities in a ratio. b each quantity ina series. c a part of an expression joined to the rest by + or — (e.g.a,b,cina + b — c). 8 the completion of a normal length of pregnancy. 9 an appointed day, esp. a Scottish quarter day. 10 (in full Brit. term of years or US term for years) Law an interest in land for a fixed period. 11 = TERMINUS 6. 12 archaic a boundary or limit, esp. of time. —v.tr. denominate, call; assign a term to (the music termed classical). 0 bring to terms cause to accept conditions. come to terms yield, give way. come to terms with 1 reconcile oneself to (a difficulty etc.). 2 conclude an agreement with. in set terms in definite terms. in terms explicitly. in terms of in the language peculiar to, using as a basis of expression or thought. make terms conclude an agreement. on terms on terms of friendship or equality. term paper US an essay or dissertation representative of the work done during a term. terms of reference Brit. points referred to an individual or body of persons for decision or report; the scope of an inquiry etc.; a definition of this. terms of trade Brit. the ratio between

prices paid for imports and those received for exports. oo termless adj. termly adj. & adv. [ME f. OF terme f. L TERMINUS]

aio fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

termagant

terreplein

1492

termagant /'ts:mogont/ n. & adj. —n. 1 an overbearing or brawling woman; a virago or shrew. 2 (Termagant) hist. an imaginary deity of violent and turbulent character, often appearing in morality plays. —adj. violent, turbulent, shrewish. [ME Tervagant f. OF Tervagan f. It. Trivigante]

a gull but usu. smaller and with a long forked tail. [of Scand. orig.: cf. Da. terne, Sw. tdrna f. ON therna] tern? /ts:n/ n. 1 a set of three, esp. three lottery numbers that when drawn together win a large prize. 2 such a prize. [F terne

terminable /'ts:minob(e)l/ adj. 1 that may be terminated. 2

ternary /'ts:nori/ adj. 1 composed of three parts. 2 Math. using three as a base (ternary scale). 0 ternary form Mus. the form of a movement in which the first subject is repeated after an interposed second subject in a related key. [ME f. L ternarius f. terni three each] ternate /'ts:neit/ adj. 1 arranged in threes. 2 Bot. (of a leaf): a having three leaflets. b whorled in threes. 00 ternately adv. [mod.L ternatus (as TERNARY)] terne /ts:n/ n. (in full terne-plate) inferior tin-plate alloyed with much lead. [prob. f. F terne dull: cf. TARNISH]

f. L terni three each]

coming to an end after a certain time (terminable annuity). oo terminableness n.

terminal /'ts:min(o)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 a@ (of a disease) ending in death, fatal. b (of a patient) in the last stage of a fatal disease. c (of a morbid condition) forming the last stage of a fatal disease. d collog. ruinous, disastrous, very great (terminal laziness). 2 of or forming a limit or terminus (terminal station). 3 a Zool. etc. ending a series (terminal joints). b Bot. borne at the end of a stem etc. 4 of or done etc. each term (terminal accounts; terminal examinations). —n. 1a terminating thing; an extremity. 2 a terminus for trains or long-distance buses. 3 a departure and arrival building for air passengers. 4 a point of connection for closing an electric circuit. 5 an apparatus for transmission of messages between a user and a computer, communications system, etc. 6 (in full terminal figure) = TERMINUS 6. 7 an installation where oil is stored at the end of a pipeline or at a port. 8 a patient suffering from a terminal illness. 0 terminal velocity a velocity of a falling body such that the resistance of the air etc. prevents further increase of speed under gravity. 00 terminally adv. [L terminalis (as TERMINUS)] terminate /'ts:mi,nert/ v. 1 tr. & intr. bring or come to an end. 2 intr. (foll. by in) (of a word) end in (a specified letter or syllable etc.). 3 tr. end (a pregnancy) before term by artificial means. 4 tr. bound, limit. [L terminare (as TERMINUS)]

termination /,ts:mi'nei{(9)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of terminating; the state of being terminated. 2 Med. an induced abortion. 3 an ending or result of a specified kind (a happy termination). 4 a word’s final syllable or letters or letter esp. as an element in inflection or derivation. 0 put a termination to (or bring. to a termination) make an end of. oo terminational adj. [ME f. OF termination or L terminatio (as TERMINATE)] terminator /'ts:minerta(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that terminates. 2 the dividing line between the light and dark part of a planetary body.

terminer see OYER AND TERMINER. termini pl, of TERMINUS.

n. [L] /,ts:mimo'lnd31k(a)l/ adj. of terminology.

co

terminological inexactitude joc. a lie. 00 terminologically adv. used in a particular subject. 2 the science of the proper use of terms. 00 terminologist n. [G Terminologie f. med.L TERMINUS term] terminus /'ts:mings/ n. (pl. termini /-;nai/ or terminuses) 1 a station at the end of a railway or bus route. 2 a point at the end of a pipeline etc. 3 a final point, a goal. 4 a starting-point. 5 Math. the end-point of a vector etc. 6 Archit. a figure of a human bust or an animal ending in a square pillar from which it appears to spring, orig. as a boundary-marker. 0 terminus ad quem |zd 'kwem/ the finishing-point of an argument, policy, period, etc. terminus ante quem |,enti 'kwem] the finishingpoint of a period. terminus a quo |a: 'kwav/ the starting-point of an argument, policy, period, etc. terminus post quem |poust 'kwem]/ the starting-point ofa period. [L, = end, limit, boundary] termitary /'ts:mitori/n. (pl. -ies) a nest of termites, usu. a large mound of earth. termite /'ts:mait/ n. a small antlike social insect of the order Isoptera, chiefly tropical and destructive to timber. [LL termes -mitis, alt. of L tarmes after terere rub] termor /'t3:mo(r)/ n. Law a person who holds lands etc. for a term of years, or for life. [ME f. AF termer (as TERM)] tern! /ts:n/ n. any marine bird of the subfamily Sterninae, like

ddog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

Terpsichore /ts:p'stker1/ Gk & Rom. Mythol. the Muse of lyric poetry and dance. [Gk, = delighting in dance]

Terpsichorean /|,t3:pstko'ri:an/ adj. of or relating to dancing. terra alba |,tera '‘elbo/ n. a white mineral, esp. pipeclay or pulverized gypsum. [L, = white earth] terrace /'teras, -ris/n. & v. —n. 1 each of a series of flat areas formed on a slope and used for cultivation. 2 a level paved area next to a house. 3 a a row of houses on araised level or along the top or face of a slope. b a row of houses built in one block of uniform style. 4 a flight of wide shallow steps as for spectators at a sports ground. 5 Geol. a raised beach, or a similar formation beside a river etc. —v.tr. form into or provide with a terrace or terraces. Oo terraced house Brit. = terrace house. terraced roof a flat roof esp. of an Indian or Eastern house. terrace house Brit. any of a row of houses joined by party-walls. [OF ult. f. L terra earth] terracotta /|tero'kpto/ n. 1 a unglazed usu. brownish-red earthenware used chiefly as an ornamental building-material and in modelling. b a statuette of this. 2 its colour. [It. terra cotta baked earth]

terrain /te'rem, to-/ n. a tract of land as regarded by the physical geographer or the military tactician. [F, ult. f. L terrenum neut. of terrenus TERRENE]

terra incognita |,tera 1n'kognita, jnkog'ni:ta/ n. an unknown

terminology /,ts:m1'nplod31/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the system of terms

b but

nology and engineering concerned with the installation and maintenance of equipment. [Gk téred take care of + TECHNOLOGY] terpene /'ts:pi:n/ n. Chem. any of a large group of unsaturated cyclic hydrocarbons found in the essential oils of plants, esp. conifers and oranges. [terpentin obs. var. of TURPENTINE]

terra firma /,tero 'f3:ma/ n. dry land, firm ground. [L, = firm land]

terminism /'ts:m1,n1z(2)m/ n. 1 the doctrine that everyone has a limited time for repentance. 2 = NOMINALISM. 00 terminist

terminological

terotechnology |,teroutek'npled3i, ,t1o-/ n. the branch of tech-

or unexplored region. [L, = unknown land] terramara /|,tera'ma:ro/ n. (pl. terramare /-re1/) = TERRAMARE. [It. dial.: see TERRAMARE] terramare /,tero'ma:r, -'meoa(r)/ n. 1 an ammoniacal earthy deposit found in mounds in prehistoric lake-dwellings or set-

tlements esp. in Italy. 2 such a dwelling or settlement. [F f. It. dial. terra mara f. marna marl] terrapin /'teropin/ n. 1 any of various N. American edible freshwater turtles of the family Emydidae. 2 (Terrapin) propr. a type of prefabricated one-storey building. [Algonquian] terrarium /te'reariom/ n. (pl. terrariums or terraria |-r19/) 1 a vivarium for small land animals. 2 a sealed transparent globe etc. containing growing plants. [mod.L f. L terra earth, after AQUARIUM]

terra sigillata |,tero ,sid3i'letto/ n. 1 astringent clay from Lemnos or Samos. 2 Samian ware. [med.L, = sealed earth] terrazzo

/te'rztsou/ n. (pl. -os) a flooring-material of stone

chips set in concrete and given a smooth surface. [It., = terrace] terrene /te'ri:n/ adj. 1 of the earth; earthy, worldly. 2 of earth,

earthy. 3 of dry land; terrestrial. [ME f. AF f. L terrenus f..terra earth] terreplein /'tespleim/ n. a level space where a battery of guns is mounted. [orig. a sloping bank behind a rampartf.F terre-plein

kcat

lleg

mman

nono ppen

rred, ssit

t top

v voice

terrestrial

Tesla

1493

f. It. terrapieno f. terrapienare fill with earth f. terra earth + pieno f. L plenus full] terrestrial /to'restrial, t1-/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or on or relating to the Earth; earthly. 2 a of or on dry land. b Zool. living on or in the ground (opp. AQUATIC, ARBOREAL, AERIAL). ¢ Bot. growing in the soil (opp. AQUATIC, EPIPHYTIC). 3 Astron. (of a planet) similar in size or composition to the Earth. 4 of this world, worldly (terrestrial sins; terrestrial interests). —n. an inhabitant of the Earth. 0 a terrestrial globe a globe representing the Earth. the terrestrial globe the Earth. terrestrial magnetism the

magnetic properties of the Earth as a whole. terrestrial telescope a telescope giving an erect image for observation of terrestrial objects. 00 terrestrially adv. [ME f. L terrestris f. terra earth] terret /'terit/ n. (also territ) each of the loops or rings on a harness-pad for the driving-reins to pass through. [ME, var. of toret (now dial.) f. OF to(u)ret dimin. of TOUR] terre-verte /teo'veot/ n. a soft green earth used as a pigment. [F, = green earth]

terror /'tera(r)/ n. 1 extreme fear. 2 a a person or thing that causes terror. b (also holy terror) collog. a formidable person; a troublesome person or thing (the twins are little terrors). 3 the use of organized intimidation; terrorism. o the Terror or Reign of Terror the period of the French Revolution between mid-1793 and July 1794 when the ruling Jacobin faction, dominated by Robespierre, ruthlessly executed opponents and anyone else considered a threat to their regime. It ended with the fall and execution of Robespierre, but in its last six weeks more than 1,300 people were guillotined in Paris alone. reign of terror a period of remorseless repression or bloodshed. terror-stricken (or -struck) affected with terror. [ME f. OF terrour f. L terror -oris f. terrére frighten] terrorist /'terarist/ n. a person who uses or favours violent and intimidating methods of coercing a government or community. 00 terrorism n. terroristic /-'risttk/ adj. terroristically /-'r1strkel1/ adv. [F terroriste (as TERROR)] terrorize

/'ters,raiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) 1 fill with terror.

2 use

terrorism against. 00 terrorization /-'ze1{()n/ n. terrorizer n.

terrible /'tertb(a)l/ adj. 1 collog. very great or bad (a terrible bore).

Terry /'ter1/, Dame Ellen Alice (1847-1928), English actress. She

2 collog. very incompetent (terrible at tennis). 3 causing terror; fit to cause terror; awful, dreadful, formidable. 00 terribleness n. [ME f. F f. L terribilis f. terrére frighten]

territ var. of TERRET.

was already well known when in 1878 Henry Irving engaged her as his leading lady at the Lyceum, beginning a partnership which was to become one of the outstanding features of the London theatrical scene for the next 25 years. She played many Shakespearian roles, notably Ophelia, Beatrice, Desdemona, Juliet, Viola, Lady Macbeth, and Imogen, and (in 1906) Lady Cicely Waynflete in Captain Brassbound’s Conversion, a part specially written for her by Shaw. She celebrated her stage jubilee in the same year, but thereafter acted very little. terry /'teri/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) a pile fabric with the loops uncut, used esp. for towels. —adj. of this fabric. [18th c.: orig. unkn.] terse /ts:s/ adj. (terser, tersest) 1 (of language) brief, concise, to the point. 2 curt, abrupt. o0 tersely adv. terseness n. [L tersus past part. of tergére wipe, polish] tertian /'ts:{(2)n/ adj. (of a fever) recurring every third day by inclusive counting. [ME (fever) tersiane f. L (febris) tertiana (as TERTIARY)] tertiary /'ts:fari/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 third in order or rank etc. 2 (Tertiary) Geol. of or relating to the first period in the Cenozoic era, so called because it follows the Mesozoic, which was formerly also called Secondary. It lasted from about 65 to 2 million years ago, and comprises the Palaeocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene epochs. World temperatures were generally warm except towards the close of the period, and mammals evolved rapidly, becoming the dominant land vertebrates. —n. 1 Geol. this period or system. 2 a member of the third order of a monastic body. 0 tertiary education education, esp. in a college or university, that follows secondary education. [L tertiarius f. tertius third]

territorial /,tert'to:rial/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of territory (territorial

tertium quid |,t3:Jiom 'kwid, ,ts:tjam/ n. a third something,

terribly /'tertbli/ adv. 1 collog. very, extremely (he was terribly nice about it). 2 in a terrible manner.

terricolous /te'rikelas/ adj. living on or in the earth. [L terricola earth-dweller f. terra earth + colere inhabit]

terrier! /'teria(r)/ n. 1 a a small dog of various breeds originally used for turning out foxes etc. from their earths. b any of these breeds. 2 an eager or tenacious person or animal. 3 (Terrier) Brit. collog. a member of the Territorial Army etc. [ME f. OF (chien) terrier f. med.L terrarius f. L terra earth]

terrier? /'teria(r)/ n. hist. 1 a book recording the site, boundaries, etc., of the land of private persons or corporations. 2 a rent-roll. 3 a collection of acknowledgements of vassals or tenants of a lordship. [ME f. OF terrier (adj.) = med.L terrarius liber (as

TERRIER?)] terrific /to'rifik/ adj. 1 collog. a of great size or intensity. b excellent (did a terrific job). ¢ excessive (making aterrific noise). 2 causing terror. 00 terrifically adv. [L terrificus f. terrére frighten]

terrify /'teri,fai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) fill with terror; frighten severely (terrified them into submission; is terrified of dogs). 00 terrifier n. terrifyingly adv. [L terrificare (as TERRIFIC)] terrigenous /te'rid3inas/ adj. produced by the earth or the land (terrigenous deposits). [L terrigenus earth-born] terrine /to'ri:n/ n. 1 paté or similar food. 2 an earthenware vessel, esp. one in which such food is cooked or sold. [orig. form of TUREEN]

possessions). 2 limited to a district (the right was strictly territorial). 3 (of a person or animal etc.) tending to defend an area of territory. 4 (usu. Territorial) of any of the Territories of the US or Canada. —n. (Territorial) (in the UK) a member of the Territorial Army. 0 Territorial Army (in the UK) a volunteer force locally organized to provide a reserve of trained and dis-

ciplined manpower for use in an emergency (known as Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve 1967-79). territorial waters the waters under the jurisdiction of a State, esp. the part of the sea within a stated distance of the shore (traditionally three miles from low-water mark). oO territoriality /-'zliti/ 1. territorialize v.tr. (also -ise). territorialization /-la1'ze1{(2)n/ n. territorially adv. [LL territorialis (as TERRITORY)]}

territory /'teritor, -tri/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the extent of the land under the jurisdiction ofa ruler, State, city, etc. 2 (Territory) an organized division of a country, esp. one not yet admitted to the full rights of a State. 3 a sphere of action or thought; a province. 4 the area over which a commercial traveller or goods-distributor operates. 5 Zool. an area defended by an animal or animals against others of the same species. 6 an area defended by a team or player in a game. 7 a large tract of land. [ME f. L territorium f. terra land]

wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

esp. intermediate between mind and matter or between opposite things. [L, app. transl. Gk triton ti]

Tertullian /ts:'talian/ (Quintus Septimius Floreas Tertullianus, c.160-c.240) Latin Church Father from Carthage. Converted to Christianity c.195, he was the author of many treatises in which he devoted his gifts of rhetoric and irony to the defence of Christianity and the castigation of pagan idolatry and Gnostic heresy. His enthusiasm for the martyrs, and his puritanism, were intensified when he joined the Montanists. tervalent /'ts:volont, -'verlont/ adj. Chem. having a valency of three. [TER- + valent- part. stem (as VALENCE})]

Terylene /'terii:n/ n. propr. a synthetic polyester used as a textile fibre. [terephthalic acid (f. terebic f. TEREBINTH + PHTHALIC ACID) + ETHYLENE] terza rima |,teotsoa 'ri:ma/_n. Prosody an arrangement of (esp. iambic pentameter) triplets rhyming aba bcb cdc etc. as in Dante’s Divina Commedia. [It., = third rhyme] terzetto /teot'setou, t3:t-/ n. (pl. -os or terzetti /-ti:/) Mus. a vocal or instrumental trio. [It.: see TERCET]

TESL /'tes(a)l/ abbr. teaching of English as a second language. Tesla /'teslo/, Nikola (1856-1943), American electrical engineer tf chip

dz jar

(see over forvowels)

tesla

tetany

1494

ge a a a

o0 testable adj. testability /-o'biliti/ n. testee /tes'ti:/ n. [ME f. and prolific inventor, born in Croatia of Serbian family. In 1884 OF f.L testu(m) earthen pot, collateral form of testa TEST?] he emigrated to the US, where he worked briefly on motors and direct-current generators with Edison before joining the test? /test/n. the shell of some invertebrates, esp. foraminiferars Westinghouse company and concentrating on alternating- © and tunicates. [L testa tile, jug, shell, etc.: cf. TEST] current devices, with which the future of the industry in fact testa /'testa/ n. (pl. testae /-ti:/) Bot. a seed-coat. [L (as TEST?)] lay. He developed the first alternating-current induction motor testaceous /te'steifas/ adj. 1 Biol. having a hard continuous in 1888, and with this and his contributions to long-distance outer covering. 2 Bot. & Zool. of a brick-red colour. [L testaceus electrical power transmission revolutionized the industry. He (as TEST?)] studied high-frequency current, developing several forms of testament /'testomont/ n. 1 a will (esp. last will and testament). oscillators and the famous Tesla coil, an induction coil that was 2 (usu. foll. by to) evidence, proof (is testament to his loyalty). 3 Bibl. widely used in radio technology and subsequently in television a a covenant or dispensation. b (Testament) a division of the and other electronic equipment, and developed a wireless guidChristian Bible (see Old Testament, New Testament). c (Testament) ance system for ships. Although his inventions paved the-way a copy of the New Testament. [ME f. L testamentum will (as for many of the technological developments of modern times TESTATE): in early Christian L rendering Gk diathéké covenant] he never reaped the material rewards that might have been his; testamentary /|jtesto'mentori/ adj. of or by or in a will. [L a recluse in later life, he died in poverty. testamentarius (as TESTAMENT)] tesla /'teslo/ n. the SI unit of magnetic flux density. [N. TEsLA] testate /'testeit/ adj. & n. —adj. having left a valid will at death. TESOL /'tespl/ abbr. teaching of English to speakers of other —n. a testate person. oO testacy n. (pl. -ies). [L testatus past languages. part. of testari testify, make a will, f. testis witness] TESSA n. (also Tessa) Brit. tax exempt special savings account, testator /te'sterta(r)/ n. (fem. testatrix /te'stertriks/) a person a form of tax-free investment introduced in 1991. [abbr.] who has made a will, esp. one who dies testate. [ME f. AF testatour tessellate /'teso,lert/ v.tr. 1 make from tesserae. 2 Math. cover f. L testator (as TESTATE)] (a plane surface) by repeated use of a single shape. [L tessellare f. tester! /'testo(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that tests. 2 a sample of tessella dimin. of TESSERA] a cosmetic etc., allowing customers to try it before purchase. tessellated |'tesoleitid/ adj. 1 of or resembling mosaic. 2 Bot. tester? /'testa(r)/ n. a canopy, esp. over a four-poster bed. [ME f. & Zool. regularly chequered. [L tessellatus or It. tessellato (as med. testerium, testrum, testura, ult. f. L testa tile] TESSELLATE)] testes pl. of TESTIS.

tessellation /,tesa'ler{(2)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of tes-

sellating; the state of being tessellated. 2 an arrangement of polygons without gaps or overlapping, esp. in a repeated

pattern. tessera |'tesoro/ n. (pl. tesserae /-,ri:;/) 1 a small square block used in mosaic. 2 Gk & Rom. Antig. a small square of bone etc. used as a token, ticket, etc. 00 tesseral adj. [L f. Gk, neut. of tesseres, tessares four] tessitura |,test'tuara/n. Mus. the range within which most tones of a voice-part fall. [It., = TEXTURE] test! /test/ n. & v. —n. 1 a critical examination or trial of a person’s or thing’s qualities. 2 the means of so examining; a

3: her

2 Bot. (esp. of an orchid) having pairs of tubers so shaped. [LL testiculatus (as TESTICLE)]

TESTIMONY)] testimony /'testrmani/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 Law an oral or written statement under oath or affirmation. 2 declaration or statement of fact. 3 evidence, demonstration (called him in testimony; produce testimony). 4 Bibl. the Ten Commandments. 5 archaic a solemn protest or confession. [ME f. L testimonium f. testis witness]

testis /'testis/ n. (pl. testes /-ti:z/) Anat. & Zool. a testicle. [L, = witness: cf. TESTICLE] testosterone /te'stpsta,roun/ n. a steroid androgen formed in the testicles. [TESTIS + STEROL + -ONE] testudinal /te'stju:din(e)l/ adj. of or shaped like a tortoise. [as TESTUDO] testudo /te'stju:dou, te'stu:-/ n. (pl. -os or testudines /-dt,ni:z/) Rom.Hist. 1 a screen formed by a body of troops in close array with overlapping shields. 2 a movable screen to protect besieging troops. [L testudo -dinis, lit. ‘tortoise’ (as TEST?)] testy /'testi/ adj. (testier, testiest) irritable, touchy. 00 testily adv. testiness n. [ME f. AF testif f. OF teste head (as TEST®)] tetanic /ti'taenrk/ adj. of or such as occurs in tetanus. oo tetanically adv. [L tetanicus f. Gk tetanikos (as TETANUS)] tetanus /'tetanos/ n. 1 a bacterial disease affecting the nervous system and marked by tonic spasm of the voluntary muscles. 2 Physiol. the prolonged contraction of a muscle caused by rapidly Tepeated stimuli. 00 tetanize v.tr. (also -ise). tetanoid adj. [ME f. L f. Gk tetanos muscular spasm f. teind stretch] tetany /'tetoni/n. a disease with intermittent muscular spasms caused by malfunction of the parathyroid glands and a consequent deficiency of calcium. [F tétanie (as TETANUS)]

outside normal programme hours and designed for use in judging the quality and position of the image. test case Law a case setting a precedent for other cases involving the same question of law. test drive a drive taken to determine the qualities of a motor vehicle with a view to its regular use. test-drive v.tr. (past -drove; past part. -driven) drive (a vehicle) for this purpose, test flight a flight during which the performance of an aircraft is tested. test-fly v.tr. (-flies; past -flew; past part. -flown) fly (an aircraft) for this purpose. test match a cricket or Rugby match between teams of certain countries, usu. each of a series in a tour. test meal a meal of specified quantity and composition, eaten to assist tests of gastric secretion. test out put (a theory etc.) to a practical test. test paper 1 a minor examination paper. 2 Chem. a paper impregnated with a substance changing colour under known conditions. test pilot a pilot who test-flies aircraft. test-tube a thin glass tube closed at one end used for chemical tests etc. test-tube baby collog. a baby conceived by in vitro fertilization.

e bed

testiculate /te'stikjolot/ adj. 1 having or shaped like testicles.

witness (testified to the facts). 2 intr. Law give evidence. 3 tr. affirm or declare (testified his regret; testified that she had been present). 4 tr. (of a thing) be evidence of, evince. 00 testifier n. [ME f. L testificari f. testis witness] testimonial /,testr'mauntol/ n. 1 a certificate of character, conduct, or qualifications. 2 a gift presented to a person (esp. in public) as a mark of esteem, in acknowledgement of services, etc. [ME f. OF testimoignal (adj.) f. tesmoin or LL testimonialis (as

standard for comparison or trial; circumstances suitable for this

a: arm

etc., esp. one of a pair enclosed in the scrotum behind the penis of a man and most mammals. o0 testicular /-'strkjula(r)/ adj. [ME f. L testiculus dimin. of testis witness (of virility)]

testify /'test1,fai/ v. (-ies, -ied) 1 intr. (of a person or thing) bear

(success is not a fair test). 3 a minor examination, esp. in school (spelling test). 4 collog. a test match. 5 a ground of admission or rejection (is excluded by our test). 6 Chem. a reagent or a procedure employed to reveal the presence of another in a compound. 7 Brit. a movable hearth in a reverberating furnace with a cupel used in separating gold or silver from lead. —v.tr. 1 put to the test; make trial of (a person or thing or quality). 2 try severely; tax a person’s powers of endurance etc. 3 Chem. examine by means of a reagent. 4 Brit. refine or assay (metal). 0 put to the test cause to undergo a test. Test Act hist. 1 an act in force 1672-1828, requiring all persons before holding office in Britain to take oaths of supremacy and allegiance or an equivalent test. 2 an act of 1871 relaxing conditions for university degrees. test bed equipment for testing aircraft engines before acceptance for general use. test card a still television picture transmitted

z cat

testicle /'testrk(a)l/ n. a male organ that produces spermatozoa

1 sit

i: see

p hot

0: saw

arun

w put

u: too

9 ago

aI my

tetchy

tetchy /'tet{1/ adj. (also techy) (-ier, -iest) peevish, irritable. 00 tetchily adv. tetchiness n. [prob. f. tecche, tache blemish, fault f. OF teche, tache}

téte-a-téte ||terta:'teit/ n., adv., & adj. —n.

1 a private con-

versation or interview usu. between two persons. 2 an S-shaped sofa for two people to sit face to face. —adv. together in private (dined téte-d-téte). —adj. 1 private, confidential. 2 concerning only two persons. [F, lit. ‘head-to-head’]

téte-béche |tett'be{/ adj. (of a postage stamp) printed upside down or sideways relative to another. [F f. téte head + béchevet double bed-head] tether /'teda(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a rope etc. by which an animal is tied to confine it to the spot. 2 the extent of one’s knowledge, authority, etc.; scope, limit. —v.tr. tie (an animal) with a tether. O at the end of one’s tether having reached the limit of one’s patience, resources, abilities, etc. [ME f. ON tjéthr f. Gmc] Tétouan /ter'twa:n/ a city in northern Morocco, formerly the capital of Spanish Morocco; pop. (1982) 199,600. tetra- /'tetro/ comb. form (also tetr- before a vowel) 1 four (tetrapod). 2 Chem. (forming names of compounds) containing four atoms or groups of a specified kind (tetroxide). [Gk f. tettares four]

tetrachord /'tetra,ko:d/ n. Mus. 1 a scale-pattern of four notes, the interval between the first and last being a perfect fourth. 2 a musical instrument with four strings. tetracyclic /jtetra'srklrk/ adj. 1 Bot. having four circles or whorls. 2 Chem. (of a compound) having a molecular structure of four fused hydrocarbon rings. tetracycline /,tetra'sarkli:n/ n. an antibiotic with a molecule of four rings. [TETRACYCLIC + -INE‘] tetrad /'tetred/ n. 1 a group of four. 2 the number four. [Gk tetras -ados (as TETRA-)]

tetradacty] /,tetra'dekttl/ n. Zool. an animal with four toes on each foot. 00 tetradactylous adj.

tetraethy]l lead /,tetra'i:6ari/ n. a liquid added to petrol as an antiknock agent. tetragon /'tetra,gpn/ n. a plane figure with four angles and four sides. [Gk tetragonon quadrangle (as TETRA-, -GON)] tetragonal /ti'trzgan(2)l/ adj. 1 of or like a tetragon. 2 Crystallog. (of a crystal) having three axes at right angles, two of them equal. 00 tetragonally adv. tetragram /'tetro,grem/ n. a word of four letters. Tetragrammaton /|,tetra'gremoa,ton/ n. the Hebrew name of God written in four letters, articulated as Yahweh etc. [Gk (as TETRA-, gramma, -atos letter)] tetragynous [ti'tred3inas/ adj. Bot. having four pistils.

tetrahedron |,tetra‘hi:dron, -'hedran/ n. (pl. tetrahedra /-droa/ or tetrahedrons) a four-sided solid; a triangular pyramid. 00 tetrahedral adj. [late Gk tetraedron neut. of tetraedros four-sided (as TETRA-, -HEDRON)] tetralogy /t'trelod31/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a group of four related literary or operatic works. 2 Gk Antiq. a trilogy of tragedies with a satyric drama. tetramerous /ti'tremoros/ adj. having four parts. tetrameter /tt'treemito(r)/ n. Prosody a verse of four measures. [LL tetrametrus f. Gk tetrametros (as TETRA-, metron measure)} tetrandrous /ti'trendroes/ adj. Bot. having four stamens. tetraplegia /|,tetro'pli:d3ro, -dgo/ n. Med. = QUADRIPLEGIA. OO tetraplegic adj. & n. [mod.L (as TETRA-, Gk plégé blow, strike)]

tetraploid /'tetro,ploid/ adj. & n. Biol. —adj. (of an organism or cell) having four times the haploid set of chromosomes. —n. a tetraploid organism or cell. tetrapod@ /'tetro,pod/ n. 1 Zool. an animal with four feet. 2 a structure supported by four feet radiating from a centre. 00 tetrapodous /ti'trepadas/ adj. [mod.L tetrapodus f. Gk tetrapous (as TETRA-, pous podos foot)] tetrapterous /ti'treptoras/ adj. Zool. having four wings. [mod.L tetrapterus f. Gk tetrapteros (as TETRA-, pteron wing)] tetrarch /'tetra:k/ n. 1 Rom.Hist. a the governor of a fourth part of a country or province. b a subordinate ruler. 2 one of four joint rulers. o0 tetrarchate /-,kert/ n. tetrarchical /-'ra:krk(2)l/

av how

textile

1495

er day

ou no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

ve poor

adj. tetrarchy n. (pl. -ies). [ME f. LL tetrarcha f. L tetrarches f. Gk tetrarkhés (as TETRA-, arkho rule)]

tetrastich /'tetrostik/ n. Prosody a group of four lines of verse. [L tetrastichon f. Gk (as TETRA-, stikhon line)] tetrastyle /'tetra,statl/n. & adj. —n. a building with four pillars esp. forming a portico in front or supporting a ceiling. —adj. (of a building) built in this way. [L tetrastylos f. Gk tetrastulos (as TETRA-, STYLE)]

tetrasyllable /'tetra,sileb(a)l/ n. a word of four syllables. oo tetrasyllabic /-'lebrk/ adj. tetrathlon /te'trz@lon/ n. a contest comprising four events, esp. riding, shooting, swimming, and running. [TETRA- + Gk athlon contest, after PENTATHLON] tetratomic /,tetra'tomrk/ adj. Chem. having four atoms (of a specified kind) in the molecule. tetravalent /,tetro'verlont/ adj. Chem. having a valency of four; quadrivalent. tetrode /'tetraud/ n. a thermionic valve having four electrodes. [TETRA- + Gk hodos way] tetter /'teto(r)/ n. archaic or dial. a pustular skin-eruption, e.g. eczema. [OE teter: cf. OHG zittaroh, G dial. Zitteroch, Skr. dadru]

Teut. abbr. Teutonic.

Teuto- /'tju:tov/ comb. form = TEUTON. Teuton /'tju:t(2)n/ n. 1 a member of a Teutonic nation, esp. a German. 2 hist. a member of a N. European tribe mentioned in the 4th c. nc and combining with others to carry out raids on NE and southern France during the Roman period until heavily defeated in 102 Bc. [L Teutones, Teutoni, f. an IE base meaning ‘people’ or ‘country’] Teutonic /tju:'tonik/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 relating to or characteristic of the Germanic peoples or their languages. 2German. —n. the early language usu. called Germanic. 00 Teutonicism /-\s1z(2)m/ n. [F teutonique f. L Teutonicus (as TEUTON)]}

Teutonic Knights a military order of German Knights, originally enrolled c. 1191 as the Teutonic Knights of St Mary of Jerusalem, for service in the Holy Land. Their first seat was at Acre; after the fall of the Latin kingdom ofJerusalem they settled at Marienburg on the Vistula, and carried on a crusade against the neighbouring heathen nations of Prussia, Livonia, etc. Their conquests made them a great sovereign power, but from the 15th c. they rapidly declined and were abolished by Napoleon in 1809. The order was reestablished in Vienna as an honorary ecclesiastical institution in 1834 and maintains a titular existence. Tex. abbr. Texas. Texan |'teks(a)n/ n. & adj. —n. a native of Texas in the US. —adj. of or relating to Texas. Texas /'teksos/ a State in the southern US, bordering on the Gulf of Mexico; pop. (est. 1985) 14,227,800; capital, Austin. The area was opened up by Spanish explorers (16th-17thc.) and formed part of Mexico until it became an independent republic in 1836 and the 28th State of the US in 1845. text /tekst/ n. 1 the main body of a book as distinct from notes, appendices, pictures, etc. 2 the original words of an author or document, esp. as distinct from a paraphrase of or commentary on them. 3 a passage quoted from Scripture, esp. as the subject of a sermon. 4 a subject or theme. 5 (in pl.) books prescribed for study. 6 US a textbook. 7 (in full text-hand) a fine large kind of handwriting esp. for manuscripts. 0 text editor Computing a system or program allowing the user to enter and edit text. text processing Computing the manipulation of text, esp. transforming it from one format to another. oo textless adj. [ME f. ONF tixte, texte f. L textus tissue, literary style (in med.L = Gospel) f. L texere text- weave]

textbook /'tekstbuk/ n. & adj. —n. a book for use in studying, esp. a standard account of a subject. —attrib.adj. 1 exemplary, accurate (cf. copyBook). 2 instructively typical. 00 textbookish adj.

textile /'tekstarl/ n. & adj. —n. 1 any woven material. 2 any cloth.

ala fire

—adj. 1 of weaving or cloth (textile industry). 2 woven

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

textual

thank

1496

(textile fabrics). 3 suitable for weaving (textile materials). [L textilis (as TEXT)} textual /'tekstjual/ adj. of, in, or concerning a text (textual errors).

O textual criticism the process of attempting to ascertain the correct reading of a text. 00 textually adv. [ME f. med.L textualis (as TEXT)}

textualist /'tekstjuolist/ n. a person who adheres strictly to the letter of the text. 50 textualism n. texture /'tekstfa(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 the feel or appearance of a surface or substance. 2 the arrangement of threads etc. in textile fabric. 3 the arrangement of small constituent parts. 4 Art the representation of the structure and detail of objects. 5 Mus. the quality of sound formed by combining parts. 6 the quality of a piece of writing, esp. with reference to imagery, alliteration, etc. 7 quality or style resulting from composition (the texture of her life). —v.tr. (usu. as textured adj.) provide with a texture. o0 textural adj. texturally adv. textureless adj. [ME f. L textura weaving (as TEXT)] texturize /'tekst{s,ra1z/ v.tr. (also -ise) (usu. as texturized adj.) impart a particular texture to (fabrics or food).

TG abbr. transformational grammar. TGV /|,ti:di:'vi:/ n. a type of high-speed French passenger train.

Thailand an inlet of the South China Sea between the Malay Peninsula and Thailand/Cambodia. 00 Thailander n.

thalamus /'§zlomes/ n. (pl. thalami /-,mai/) 1 Anat. either of * two masses of grey matter in the forebrain, serving as relay stations for sensory tracts. 2 Bot. the receptacle of a flower. 3 Gk Antig. an inner room or women’s apartment. o0 thalamic /9o'lzemrk, 'Ozelomrk/ adj. (in senses 1 and 2). [L f. Gk thalamos]

thalassic /60'lesrk/ adj. of the sea or seas, esp. small or inland seas. [F thalassique f. Gk thalassa sea]

thaler /'ta:lo(r)/ n. hist. a German silver coin. [G T(h)aler: see DOLLAR]

Thales /'Gerli:z/ (early 6th c. Bc) Greek philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, universally accounted one of the Seven Sages. Aristotle held him to be the founder of physical science; he is also credited with the founding of geometry. Seeking a primary substance from which all things are derived, he identified this substance as water, and represented the earth as floating on an underlying

ocean; his cosmology had Egyptian and Semitic affinities. Thalia /Go'laro/ Gk & Rom. Mythol. the Muse of comedy. [Gk, = rich, plentiful]

thalidomide /60'lido,maid/ n. a drug formerly used as a sedative but found in 1961 to cause foetal malformation when taken by a mother early in pregnancy. 0 thalidomide baby

[F, abbr. of train a grande vitesse]

TGWU abbr. (in the UK) Transport and General Workers’ Union. Th symb. Chem. the element thorium. Th. abbr. Thursday. -th! /6/ suffix (also -eth /10/) forming ordinal and fractional num-

(or child) a baby or child born deformed from the effects of thalidomide. [phthalimidoglutarimide]

thalli pl. of rHatius. thallium /'@zl1am/ n. Chem. a rare soft white metallic element, occurring naturally in zinc blende and some iron ores, discovered spectroscopically by Sir William Crookes in 1861. Its compounds were formerly used as insecticides and rat poison and have some use in specialized optical and infrared equipment. {| Symb.: Tl; atomic number 81. oo thallic adj. thallous adj. [formed as THALLUS, from the green line in its spectrum]

bers from four onwards (fourth; thirtieth). [OE -tha, -the, -otha, -othe]

-th? /0/ suffix forming nouns denoting an action or process: 1 from verbs (birth; growth). 2 from adjectives (breadth; filth; length).

[OE -thu, -tho, -th}

-th® var. of -ETH?. Thackeray /'§zko,re1/, William Makepeace (1811-63), English novelist, no cynic but a satirist, born in Calcutta and educated in England. After leaving Cambridge University (where he made friends with Tennyson and others) without a degree, he entered London literary society as a journalist and illustrator, publishing a variety of works in periodicals. The turning point of his career came with his masterpiece, Vanity Fair (1847-8; illustrated by the author), a vivid portrayal of early 19th-c. society, satirizing the pretentions of the upper-middle classes through its central character, the socially ambitious, unscrupulous, low-born Becky Sharp. He consolidated his success with Pendennis (1848-50), The Newcomes (1853-5), Henry Esmond (1852), a virtuoso historical novel set in the 18th c., and its sequel The Virginians (1857-9), and The Rose and the Ring (1855), one of his Christmas books. In 1860 he became the first editor of the Cornhill Magazine in which appeared many of his later novels.

Thai /tai/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. same or Thais) 1 a a native or national of Thailand; a member of the largest ethnic group in Thailand. b a person of Thai descent. 2 the language of Thailand, a tonal language of the Sino-Tibetan language group, spoken by 35 million people. —adj. of or relating to Thailand or its people or language. [Thai, = free]

Thailand

/'tarlend/ a country in SE Asia on the Gulf of

Thailand, with Burma on its western border; pop. (est. 1988) 54,588,700; official language, Thai; capital, Bangkok. The country was known as Siam until 1939, when it changed its name to Thailand (lit. = ‘land of the free’). Its early history is uncertain. For centuries Thais had filtered into the area and by the 13th c. had established a number of principalities in what is now Thailand and in adjacent regions. A powerful kingdom emerged in the 14thc. and engaged in a series of wars with its neighbour Burma before increasing exposure to European

powers in the 19th c. resulted in the loss of territory in the east to France and in the south to Britain, though Thailand itself succeeded in retaining its independence. Politically unstable for much of the 20th c., Thailand was occupied by the Japanese in

thallophyte /'@zls,fait/ n. Bot. a plant having a thallus, e.g. alga, fungus, or lichen. [mod.L Thallophyta (as THALLUS) + -PHYTE]

thallus /'6zlos/ n. (pl. thalli /-la1/) a plant-body without vascular tissue and not differentiated into root, stem, and leaves. 00 thalloid adj. [L f. Gk thallos green shoot f. thall6 bloom]

thalweg /'ta:lveg/ n. 1 Geog. a line where opposite slopes meet at the bottom of a valley, river, or lake. 2 Law a boundary between States along the centre ofa river etc. [G f. Thal valley + Weg way] Thames /temz/a river of southern England, flowing eastwards 338 km (210 miles) from the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire through London to the North Sea. A flood barrier across. the river to protect London from high tides was completed in 1982.

Thames Valley /temz/ 1 the region around the valley of the River Thames in southern England. 2 an administrative region on North Island, New Zealand; pop. (1986) 58,665; chief town, Thames. than /éan, den/ conj. 1 introducing the second element in a comparison (you are older than he is; you are older than he). {It is also possible to say you are older than him, with than treated as a preposition, esp. in less formal contexts. 2 introducing the second element in a statement of difference (anyone other than me). [OE thanne etc., orig. the same word as THEN]

thanage /'Sernid3/ n. hist. 1 the rank of thane. 2 the land granted to a thane. [ME f. AF thanage (as THANE)]

thanatology /,8zna'toled3i/ n. the scientific study of death and its associated phenomena and practices. [Gk thanatos death + -LOGY]

thane /6e1n/ n. hist. 1a man who held land from an English king or other superior by military service, ranking between ordinary freemen and hereditary nobles. 2. a man who held land from a Scottish king and ranked with an earl’s son; the chief ofa clan. oo thanedom n. [OE theg(e)n servant, soldier f. Gmc]

thank /@znk/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 express gratitude to (thanked him

the Second World War, and supported the US in the Vietnam campaign; later it had border difficulties with Cambodia. The country is the world’s largest exporter of rice, but mining and industry also play an important role in its economy. 0 Gulf of

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

Jor the present). 2 hold responsible (you can thank yourself for that). —n. (in pl.) 1 gratitude (expressed his heartfelt thanks). 2 an expression of gratitude (give thanks to Heaven). 3 (as a formula) thank you (thanks for your help; thanks very much). 0 give thanks say

k cat

lleg

mman

nono

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

thankful

grace at a meal. I will thank you a polite formula, now usu. iron. implying reproach (Iwill thank you to go away). no (or small) thanks to despite. thank goodness (or God or heavens etc.) 1 collog. an expression of relief or pleasure. 2 an expression of pious gratitude. thank-offering an offering made as an act of thanksgiving. thanks to as the (good or bad) result of (thanks to my foresight; thanks to your obstinacy). thank you a polite formula acknowledging a gift or service or an offer accepted or refused. thank-you n. collog. an instance of expressing thanks. [OE than-

cian, thanc f. Gmc, rel. to THINK] thankful /'6znkfol/ adj. 1 grateful, pleased. 2 (of words or acts) expressive of thanks. 00 thankfulness n. [OE thancful (as THANK, -FUL)]

thankfully /'6zpkfoli/ adv. 1 in a thankful manner.

2 disp.

let us be thankful; fortunately (thankfully, nobody was hurt). [OE thancfullice (as THANKFUL, -LY?)]

thankless /'§znkis/ adj. 1 not expressing or feeling gratitude. 2 (of a task etc.) giving no pleasure or profit. 3 not deserving thanks. 00 thanklessly adv. thanklessness n.

thanksgiving /'@znks,grvin, -'g1vin/ n. 1 a the expression of gratitude, esp. to God. b a form of words for this. -2 (Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day) a national holiday for giving thanks to God, the fourth Thursday in November in the US, usu. the second Monday in October in Canada. A festival of this kind was first held by Plymouth Coiony in 1621 in thankfulness for a successful harvest after a year of hardship. Turkey and pumpkin pie are traditionally eaten. o General Thanksgiving a form of thanksgiving in the Book of Common Prayer or the Alternative Service Book.

thar var. of TaHR. Thar Desert /ta:(r)/ (also Great Indian Desert) a desert region tothe east of the Indus River in the Rajasthan and Gujarat States of NW India and the Punjab and Sind regions of SE Pakistan.

that /6zt/ pron., adj., adv., & conj. —demons.pron. (pl. those /5auz/) 1 the person or thing indicated, named, or understood, esp. when observed by the speaker or when familiar to the person addressed {I heard that; who is that in the garden?; I knew all that before; that is not fair). 2 (contrasted with this) the further or less immediate or obvious etc. of two (this bag is much heavier than that). 3 the action, behaviour, or circumstances just observed or mentioned (don’t do that again). 4 Brit. (on the telephone etc.) the person. spoken to (who is that?). 5 collog. referring to a strong feeling just mentioned (‘Are you glad?’ ‘I am that’). 6 (esp. in relative constructions) the one, the person, etc., described or specified in some way (those who have cars can take the luggage; those unfit for use; a table like that described above). 7 |Sat/ (pl. that) used instead of which or whom to introduce a defining clause, esp. one essential to identification (the book that you sent me; there is nothing here that matters). {|As a relative that usually specifies, whereas who or which need not: compare the book that you sent me is lost with the book, which I gave you, is lost. —demons.adj. (pl. those /600z/) 1 designating the person or thing indicated, named, understood, etc. (cf. sense 1 of pron.) (look at that dog; what was that noise?; things were easier in those days). 2 contrasted with this (cf. sense 2 of pron.) (this bag is heavier than that one). 3 expressing strong feeling (shall not easily forget that day). —adv. 1 to sucha degree; so (have done that much; will go that far). 2 Brit. collog. very (not that good). 3 /6at/ at which, on which, etc. (at the speed that he was going he could not stop; the day that I first met her). 4]Often omitted in this sense: the day I first met her. —conj. /6ot except when stressed/ introducing a subordinate clause indicating: 1 a statement or hypothesis (they say that he is better, there is no doubt that he meant it; the result was that the handle fell off). 2a purpose (we live that we may eat). 3 a result (am so sleepy that I cannot keep my eyes open). 4 a reason or clause (it is rather that he lacks the time). 5a wish (Oh, that summer were here!). | Often omitted in senses 1, 3: they say he is better. 0 all that very (not all that good). and all that (or and that collog.) and all or various things associated with or similar to what has been mentioned; and so

forth. like that 1 of that kind (is fond of books like that). 2 in that manner, as you are doing, as he has been doing, etc. (wish they would not talk like that). 3 collog. without effort (did the job like wwe

z zoo

the

1497

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

that). 4 of that character (he would not accept any payment—he is like that). that is (or that is to say) a formula introducing or following an explanation of a preceding word or words. that’s collog. you are (by virtue of present or future obedience etc.) (that’s a good boy). that’s more like it an acknowledgement of improvement. that’s right an expression of approval or collog. assent. that’s that a formula concluding a narrative or discussion or indicating completion of a task. that there sl. = sense 1 of adj. that will do no more is needed or desirable. [OE thet, nom. & acc, sing. neut. of demons. pron. & adj. se, séo, thet f. Gmc; those f. OE thas pl. of thes THIS]

thatch /Ozt{/ n. & v. —n. 1 a roof-covering of straw, reeds, palm-leaves, or similar material. 2 collog. the hair of the head. —v.tr. (also absol.) cover (a roof or a building) with thatch. oo thatcher n. [n. late collateral form of thack (now dial.) f. OE thec, after v. f. OE theccan f. Gmc, assim. to thack]

Thatcher /'6ztfa(r)/, Margaret Hilda (1925—

), British states-

woman, the first woman Prime Minister of the UK and the longest-serving British Prime Minister of the 20th c. Her period in office was marked by trade-union reform, greatly increased privatization, abolition of exchange controls, and heavy reduction of public spending, and she played an important role internationally. In 1982 military force was successfully used against an Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands. Mrs Thatcher has been criticized for authoritarian management of government, and accused by her opponents of dividing society by not protecting the less able while allowing the able to prosper.

Thatcherism /'6zt{2,r1z(o)m/ n. the political and economic policies advocated by Mrs Margaret Thatcher, especially as contrasted with those of earlier Conservative leaders. They include emphasis on individual responsibility and enterprise, in reaction to the collectivism and corporatism of previous decades. oo Thatcherite n. thaumatrope /'§0:moa,troup/ n. hist. 1 a disc or card with two

different pictures on its two sides, which combine into one by the persistence of visual impressions when the disc is rapidly rotated. 2 a zoetrope. [irreg. f. Gk thauma marvel + -tropos -turning] thaumaturge /'0o:mo,t3:d3/ n. a worker of miracles; a wonder-worker. oO thaumaturgic = /-'ts:dzik/ adj. thaumaturgical _/-'ts:dz1k(o)l/_ adj. thaumaturgist n. thaumaturgy n. [med.L thaumaturgus f. Gk thaumatourgos (adj.) f. thauma -matos marvel + -ergos -working] thaw /@0:/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. (often foll. by out) (of ice or snow or a frozen thing) pass into a liquid or unfrozen state. 2 intr. (usu. prec. by it as subject) (of the weather) become warm enough to melt ice etc. (it began to thaw). 3 intr. become warm enough to lose numbness etc. 4 intr. become less cold or stiff in manner; become genial. 5 tr. (often foll. by out) cause to thaw. 6 tr: make cordial or animated. —n. 1 the act or an instance of thawing. 2 the warmth of weather that thaws (a thaw has set in). 3 Polit. a relaxation of control or restriction. 00 thawless adj. [OE thawian f. WG; orig. unkn.] the /before a vowel 61, before a consonant do, when stressed 6i:/ adj. & adv. —adj. (called the definite article) 1 denoting one or more persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied, or familiar (gave the man a wave; shall let the matter drop; hurt myself in the arm; went to the theatre). 2’ serving to describe as unique (the Queen; the Thames). 3 a (foll. by defining adj.) which is, who are, etc. (ignored the embarrassed Mr Smith; Edward the Seventh). b (foll. by adj. used absol.) denoting a class described (from the sublime to the ridiculous). 4 best known or best entitled to the name (with the stressed: no relation to the Kipling; this is the book on this subject). 5 used to indicate a following defining clause or phrase (the book that you borrowed; the best I can do for you; the bottom of a well). 6 a used to indicate that a singular noun represents a species, class, etc. (the cat loves comfort; has the novel a future?; plays the harp well). b used with a noun which figuratively represents an occupation, pursuit, etc. (went on the stage; too fond of the bottle). c (foll. by the name of a unit) a, per (5p in the pound; £5 the square metre; allow 8 minutes to the mile). d collog. or archaic designating a disease, affliction, etc. (the measles; the toothache; the blues). 7 (foll. by a unit of time) the present, the current (man of

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

theandric

then

1498 ee

the moment; questions of the day; book of the month). 8 Brit. colloq. my, our (the dog; the fridge). 9 used before the surname of the chief of a Scottish or Irish clan (the Macnab). 10 dial. (esp. in Wales) used with a noun characterizing the occupation of the person whose name precedes (Jones the Bread). —adv. (preceding comparatives in expressions of proportional variation) in or by that (or such a) degree; on that account (the more the merrier, the more he gets the more he wants). o all the in the full degree to be expected (that makes it all the worse). so much the (tautologically) so much, in that degree (so much the worse for him). [(adj.) OE, replacing se, s¢o, thet (= THAT), f. Gmc: (adv.) f. OE thy, the,

thé dansant |,te1dG'sa/n. = tea dance. [F) thee /6i:/ pron. objective case of THOU!. [OE]

. theft /eft/n. 1 the act or an instance of stealing. 2 Law dishonest

instrumental case]

theandric /6i:'endrikj adj. of the union, or by the joint agency, of the divine and human natures in Christ. [eccl.Gk theandrikos f. theos god + anér andros man]

theanthropic |,6i:on'@roprk/ adj. 1 both divine and human. 2 tending to embody deity in human form. [eccl.Gk theanthropos god-man f. theos god + anthropos human being] thearchy /'6i:a:ki/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 government by a god or gods. 2 a system or order of gods (the Olympian thearchy). [eccl.Gk thearkhia godhead f. theos god + -arkhia f. arkho rule] theatre /'@1ata(r)/ n. (US theater) 1 a a building or outdoor area for dramatic performances. b a cinema. 2 a the writing and production of plays. b effective material for the stage (makes good theatre). 3 a room or hall for lectures etc. with seats in tiers. 4 Brit. an operating theatre. 5 a a scene or field of action (the theatre of war). b (attrib.) designating weapons intermediate between tactical and strategic (theatre nuclear missiles). 6a natural land-formation in a gradually rising part-circle like ancient Greek and Roman theatres. Oo theatre-goer a frequenter of theatres. theatre-going frequenting theatres. theatrein-the-round a form of play presentation in which the audience is seated all round the acting area. One of the earliest forms of theatre, it was probably used for open-air performances, street theatres, and such rustic sports as the May Day games and the mummers’ play. It was revived in the 20th c.— beginning in the Soviet Union in the 1930s—by those who rebelled against the proscenium arch which they felt to be a barrier between actors and audience. Theatre of the Absurd the name given to the works of a group of dramatists, including Beckett, Ionesco, and Pinter, who share the belief that man’s life is without meaning or purpose and that human beings cannot communicate. Such dramatists abandoned conventional dramatic form and coherent dialogue, the futility of existence being conveyed by illogical and meaningless speeches and ultimately by complete silence. The first and perhaps most characteristic play in this style was Beckett’s Waiting for Godot (1952). theatre sister a nurse supervising the nursing team in an operating theatre. [ME f. OF t(h)eatre or f. L theatrum f. Gk theatron f. theaomai behold]

theatric /@1'trik/ adj. & n. —adj. = THEATRICAL. —n. (in pl.) theatrical actions.

appropriation of another’s property with intent to deprive him

or her of it permanently. [OE thiefth, théofth, later théoft, f, Gmc (as THIEF)] thegn /9ern/ n. hist. an English thane. [OE: see THANE]

theine /'@i:in, 'Gi:i:n/ n. = CAFFEINE. [mod.L thea tea + -INE‘4] their /5eo(r)/ poss.pron. (attrib.) 1 of or belonging to them or themselves (their house; their own business). 2 (Their) (in titles) that they are (Their Majesties). 3 disp. as a third person sing. indefinite meaning ‘his or her’ (has anyone lost their purse?). [ME f. ON their(r)a of them, genit. pl. of s4 THE, THAT] theirs /6e9z/ poss.pron. the one or ones belonging to or associated with them (it is theirs; theirs are over here). 0 of theirs of or belonging to them (a friend of theirs). [ME f. THEIR]

theism /'0i:1z(2)m/ n. belief in the existence of gods or a god, esp. a God supernaturally revealed to man (cf. DEISM) and sustaining a personal relation to his creatures. oO theist n. theistic /-'1sttk/ adj. theistical |-'tsttk(a)l/ adj. theistically /-"tstikoli/ adv. [Gk theos god + -ISM] them /6(2)m, or, when stressed, d6em/ pron. & adj. —pron. 1 objective case of THEY (I saw them). 2 collog. they (it’s them again; is older than them). 3 archaic themselves (they fell and hurt them). —adj. sl. or dial. those (them bones). [ME theim f. ON: see THEY] thematic /61'mztik/ adj. 1 of or relating to subjects or topics (thematic philately; the arrangement of the anthology is thematic). 2 Mus. of melodic subjects (thematic treatment). 3 Gram. a of or belonging to a theme (thematic vowel; thematic form). b (of a form of a verb) having a thematic vowel. 0 thematic catalogue Mus. a catalogue giving the opening themes of works as well as their names and other details. 00 thematically adv. [Gk thematikos (as THEME)] theme /6i:m/ n. 1 a subject or topic on which a person speaks, writes, or thinks. 2 Mus. a prominent or frequently recurring melody or group of notes in a composition. 3 US a school exercise, esp. an essay, on a given subject. 4 Gram. the stem of a noun or verb; the part to which inflections are added, esp. composed of the root and an added vowel. 5 hist. any of the 29 provinces in the Byzantine empire. 0 theme park an amusement park organized round a unifying idea. theme song (or tune) 1 a recurrent melody in a musical play or film. 2 a signature tune. [ME teme ult. f. Gk thema -matos f. tithémi set, place]

Themis /'6emis/ Gk Mythol. a goddess originally akin to or even identical with Gaia (Earth). Her name probably means ‘steadfast’. In Hesiod she is a daughter of Earth and is Zeus’s second consort, but, as her name is used also to mean ‘firmly established custom or law, justice’, she tends to become an abstraction, Justice or Righteousness.

Themistocles /61'mista,kli:z/ (c.528-462 Bc) Athenian demo-

theatrical /@1'ztrik(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or for the theatre;

cratic statesman who was instrumental in building up the Athenian fleet in the 480s Bc, and as a general in 480 Bc was responsible for the defeat of the Persian fleet at Salamis. In the following years he lost influence to his conservative opponents, and was ostracized; eventually he fled from Greece to the Persians in Asia Minor, where he died.

of acting or actors. 2 (of a manner, speech, gesture, or person) calculated for effect; showy, artificial, affected. —n. (in pl.) 1 dramatic performances (amateur theatricals). 2 theatrical actions. oo theatricalism n. theatricality /-'keliti/ n. theatricalize v.tr. (also -ise). theatricalization /-la1'zer{(o)n/ n. theatrically adv. [LL theatricus f. Gk theatrikos f. theatron THEATRE]

themselves /dom'selvz/ pron. 1 a emphat. form of THEY or THEM.

Thebes /6i:bz/ 1 the Greek name for a city of Upper Egypt, about

b refl. form of THEM; (cf. HERSELF). 2 in their normal state of body or mind (are quite themselves again). 0 be themselves act in their normal, unconstrained manner.

675 km (420 miles) south of modern Cairo, that was the capital of ancient Egypt under the 18th Dynasty (c.1550-1290 Bc). Its monuments (on both banks of the Nile) were the richest in the land, with the town and major temples at Luxor and Karnak on the east bank, and the necropolis, with tombs of royalty and nobles, on the west bank. It was already a tourist attraction in the 2ndc. AD. 2 a city of Greece, in Boeotia, about 74 km (46

then /6en/ adv., adj., & n. —adv. 1 at that time; at the time in question (was then too busy; then comes the trouble; the then existing laws). 2 a next, afterwards; after that (then he told me to come in). b and also (then, there are the children to consider). ¢ after all (it is a problem, but then that is what we are here for). 3 a in that case; therefore; it follows that (then you should have said so). b if what you say is true (but then why did you take it?). c (implying grudging or impatient concession) if you must have it so (all right then, have it your own way). d used parenthetically to resume a narrative etc. (the policeman, then, knocked on the door). —adj. that-or who was such at the time in question (the then Duke). —n. that time (until

miles) NW of Athens, leader of the whole of Greece for a short period after the defeat of the Spartans at the battle of Leuctra in 371 Bc. oO Theban adj. & n. theca /'@i:ko/ n. (pl. thecae /-si:/) 1 Bot. a part of a plant serving as a receptacle. 2 Zool. a case or sheath enclosing an organ or organism. 00 thecate adj. [L f. Gk théké case]

z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

ov put

u: too

2 ago

al my

thenar

then). O then and there immediately and on the spot. [OE thanne, thonne, etc., f. Gmc, rel. to THAT, THE] thenar /'@i:no(r)/ n. Anat. the ball of muscle at the base of the thumb. [earlier = palm of the hand: mod.L f. Gk] thence /dens/ adv. (also from thence) archaic or literary 1 from that place or source. 2 for that reason. [ME thannes, thennes f. thanne, thenne f. OE thanon(e) etc. f. WG]

thenceforth /dens'fo:6/ adv. (also from thenceforth) archaic or literary from that time onward.

thenceforward

éens'fo:wed/

adv.

archaic

or

literary

thenceforth.

theo- /'i:ou/ comb. form God or gods. [Gk f. theos god] theobromine /610'braumm, -mi:n/ n. a bitter white alkaloid obtained from cacao seeds, related to caffeine. [Theobroma cacao

genus: mod.L f. Gk theos god + broéma food, + -INE4] theocentric /@is'sentrik/ adj. having God as its centre.

theocrasy /'@i:a,krers1, @1'pkrosi/ n. 1 the mingling of deities into one personality. 2 the union of the soul with God through contemplation (among Neoplatonists etc.). [THEO- + Gk krasis mingling]

Theocritus /61'pkritss/ (c.300-.260 Bc) Hellenistic poet originally from Syracuse, who subsequently wrote in Cos and Alexandria. His poems, known under the title Idylls, include hymns, short epic narratives, and dramatic mimes, but he is most famous for the bucolic idylls, hexameter poems in dramatic form presenting the song-contests and love-songs of imaginary shepherds; these poems were immensely influential as the model of Virgil’s Eclogues and of all subsequent pastoral

poetry. theodicy /61'pdisi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the vindication of divine providence in view of the existence of evil. 2 an instance of this. 00 theodicean |-'si:on/ adj. [THEO- + Gk diké justice]

theodolite /@1'pda,lait/ n. a surveying-instrument for measuring horizontal and vertical angles with a rotating telescope. oo theodolitic /-'litrk/ adj. [16th c. theodelitus, of unkn. orig.]

/,610'do:ra/ (c.500-48), Byzantine empress, wife of

Justinian. Although she is reputed to have lived a very dissolute life in her earlier years, she was undoubtedly a woman of outstanding intellect and learning, and exercised a very considerable influence upon political affairs and the complicated theological questions of the time. Her portrait in mosaic can be seen in the church of San Vitale at Ravenna.

Theodoric /61'pdortk/ ‘the Great’ (c.454-526), king of the Ostrogoths from 474, who invaded Italy in 488 and completed its conquest in 493, establishing a kingdom with its capital at Ravenna. At its greatest extent his empire included not only the Italian mainland, but Sicily, Dalmatia, and parts of Germany.

Theodosius

I /,610'doustes/ ‘the Great’ (c.346-395), eastern

Roman emperor 379-95. War with the Goths was ended by treaty in 382; subsequently he successfully defeated two usurpers, Magnus Maximus and Eugenius, to the western throne, on which he installed his son Honorius. A pious Christian and rigid upholder of Nicene orthodoxy, in 391 he banned all forms of pagan cult, probably under the influence of St Ambrose.

theogony /61'pgoni/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the genealogy of the gods. 2 an account of this. [THEO- + Gk -gonia begetting]

theologian

/@10'loudgien,

-d3(2)n/ n. a person

trained

in

theology. [ME f. OF theologien (as THEOLOGY)]

theological /610'lnd31k(2)l/ adj. of theology. o theological virtues faith, hope, and charity. oo theologically adv. [med.L theologicalis f. L theologicus f. Gk theologikos (as THEOLOGY)]

theology /61'plad31/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a the study of theistic (esp. Christian) religion. b a system of theistic (esp. Christian) religion. ¢ the rational analysis of a religious faith. 2 a system of theoretical principles, esp. an impractical or rigid ideology. au how

er day

ov no

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

va poor

oo theologist n. theologize v.tr. & intr. (also -ise). [ME f. OF theologie f. L theologia f. Gk (as THEO-, -LOGY)]

theomachy /61'pmoki/ n. (pl. -ies) strife among or against the gods. [THEO- + Gk makhe fight]

theophany /61'pfani/ n. (pl. -ies) a visible manifestation of God or a god to man.

theophoric /@10'forik/ adj. bearing the name of a god. Theophrastus /,610'frzstos/ (c.370-288/5 Bc) Greek philosopher and scientist, the pupil and successor of Aristotle, whose method and researches he continued, with a particular emphasis on empirical observation. His few surviving works include treatises on botany and other scientific subjects, and the Characters, a collection of sketches of psychological types, which in post-classical times was the most influential of his works.

theophylline /610'film, -li:n/ n. an alkaloid similar to theo-

theocracy /61'pkrasi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a form of government by God or a god directly or through a priestly order etc. 2 (the Theocracy) the Jewish commonwealth from Moses to the monarchy. 00 theocrat /'@i:o,krzet/ n. theocratic /610'kretrk/ adj. theocratically /610'kretikoli/ adv.

Theodora

therapeutics

1499

bromine, found in tea-leaves. [irreg. f. mod.L thea tea + Gk phullon leaf + -1NE4]

theorbo /61's:bau/ n. (pl. -os) a two-necked musical instrument of the lute class much used in the seventeenth c. 00 theorbist n. [It. tiorba, of unkn. orig.] theorem /'@ierem/ n. esp. Math. 1 a general proposition not self-evident but proved by a chain of reasoning; a truth established by means of accepted truths (cf. PROBLEM). 2 a rule in algebra etc., esp. one expressed by symbols or formulae (binomial theorem). oo theorematic /-'mzttk/ adj. [F théoréme or LL theorema

f. Gk thedréma speculation, proposition f. thedred look at]

theoretic /610'retik/ adj. & n. —adj. = THEORETICAL.

—n. (in

sing. or pl.) the theoretical part of a science etc. [LL theoreticus f. Gk the6rétikos (as THEORY)]

theoretical /619'retik(s)l/ adj. 1 concerned with knowledge but not with its practical application. 2 based on theory rather than experience or practice. 00 theoretically adv.

theoretician /,@1or1'ti{(2)n/ n. a person concerned with the theoretical aspects of a subject.

theorist /'6rorist/ n. a holder or inventor of a theory or theories. theorize /'610ra1z/ v.intr. (also -ise) evolve or indulge in theories. oo theorizer n. theory /'@10r1/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a supposition or system of ideas explaining something, esp. one based on general principles independent of the particular things to be explained (opp. HyPoTHESIS) (atomic theory; theory of evolution). 2 a speculative (esp. fanciful) view (one of my pet theories). 3 the sphere of abstract knowledge or speculative thought (this is all very well in theory, but how will it work in practice?). 4 the exposition of the principles of a science etc. (the theory of music). 5 Math. a collection of propositions to illustrate the principles of a subject (probability theory; theory of equations). [LL theoria f. Gk theoria f. thedros spectator f. the6red look at]

theosophy /61'psofi/ n. (pl. -ies) any of various philosophies professing to achieve a knowledge of God by spiritual ecstasy, direct intuition, or special individual relations, esp. a modern movement following Hindu and Buddhist teachings and seeking universal brotherhood. It was founded as the Theosophical Society by the Russian adventuress H. P. Blavatsky and Col. H. S. Olcott, teaching the transmigration of souls, the brotherhood of man irrespective of race or creed, and complicated systems of psychology and cosmology, and denying a personal god. 00 theosopher n. theosophic /019'spfik/ adj. theosophical /Ot0'spfik(a)l/ adj. theosophically /@10'spfikali/ adv. theosophist n. [med.L theosophia f. late Gk theosophia f. theosophos wise concerning God (as THEO-, sophos wise)]

Thera see SANTORINI. therapeutic /,Sera'pju:trk/ adj. 1 of, for, or contributing to the cure of disease. 2 contributing to general, esp. mental, well-being (finds walking therapeutic). O00 therapeutical adj. therapeutically adv. therapeutist n. [attrib. use of therapeutic, orig. form of THERAPEUTICS]

therapeutics /,Sera'pju:tiks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) the branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of disease and the action of remedial agents. [F thérapeutique or LL thera-

aro fire

aua sour

(see over for consonants)

therapy

supplied in the UK equivalent to 100,000 British thermal units or 1.055 x 108 joules. [Gk thermé heat]

peutica (pl.) f. Gk therapeutika neut. pl. of therapeutikos f. therapeu wait on, cure] therapy /'Seropi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the treatment of physical or mental disorders, other than by surgery. 2 a particular type of such treatment. 00 therapist n. [mod.L therapia f. Gk therapeia healing]

thermae /'03:mi:/ n.pl. Gk & Rom. Antig. public baths. [L f. Gk thermai (pl.) (as THERM)] thermal /'63:m(e)I/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of, for, or producing heat. 2 promoting the retention of heat (thermal underwear). —n. a rising current of heated air (used by gliders, balloons, and birds to gain height). 0 British thermal unit the amount of heat needed to raise 1 Ib. of water at maximum density through one degree Fahrenheit, equivalent to 1.055 x 10? joules. thermal capacity the number of heat units needed to raise the temperature of a body by one degree. thermal neutron a neutron in thermal equilibrium with its surroundings. thermal reactor a nuclear reactor using thermal neutrons. thermal springs springs of naturally hot water. thermal unit a unit for measuring heat. o0 thermalize v.tr. & intr. (also -ise). thermalization /-la1'zer{(a)n/ n. thermally adv. [F (as THERM)]

Theravada /|,Sers'va:do/ n. the only surviving ancient school of Buddhism (see HINAYANA). It is practised today in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. [Pali theravada f. thera elder, old + vada speech, doctrine] there /6ea(r)/ adv., n., & int. —adv. 1 in, at, or to that place or

position (lived there for some years; goes there every day). 2 at that point (in speech, performance, writing, etc.) (there he stopped). 3 in that respect (I agree with you there). 4 used for emphasis in calling attention (you there!; there goes the bell). 5 used to indicate the fact or existence of something (there is a house on the corner). —n. that place (lives somewhere near there). —int. 1 expressing confirmation, triumph, dismay, etc. (there! what didI tell you?). 2 used to soothe a child etc. (there, there, never mind). 0 have been there before sl. know all about it. so there collog. that is my final decision (whether you like it or not). there and then immediately and on the spot. there it is 1 that is the trouble. 2 nothing can be done about it. there’s collog. you are (by virtue of present or future obedience etc.) (there’s a dear). there you are (or go) collog. 1 this is what you wanted etc. 2 expressing confirmation, triumph, resignation, etc. [OE thér, thér f. Gmc, rel. to THAT, THE] thereabouts /'deora,bauts, -'bavts/ adv. (also thereabout) 1 near that place (ought to be somewhere thereabouts). 2 near that number, quantity, etc. (two litres or thereabouts).

thermic /'63:mrk/ adj. of or relating to heat. thermidor see LossTER. thermion /'93:m1,pn/ n. an ion or electron emitted by a substance at high temperature. [THERMO-'+ ION]

thermionic /,63:m1'pntkj adj. of or relating to electrons emitted from a substance at very high temperature. 0 thermionic emission the emission of electrons from a heated source. thermionic valve (US tube) a device consisting of a sealed tube containing two or more electrodes, one of which is heated to produce a flow of electrons in one direction. The diode valve (which has two electrodes) functions as a rectifier and was so used by the English scientist, Sir John Ambrose Fleming, in 1904. The triode valve (with two electrodes and a grid) was invented in 1906 by an American engineer Lee de Forest and functioned as an amplifier—a weak signal received in the grid produced a stronger signal in the anode circuit. Before the development of semiconductor devices such as transistors (which have now largely replaced it) the thermionic tube was used in all electronic equipment such as radio, radar, and

thereafter /Seor'a:fto(r)/ adv. formal after that. thereanent /,5esra'nent/ adv. Sc. about that matter. thereat /deor'zt/ adv. archaic 1 at that place. 2 on that account. 3 after that.

thereby /6es'bai, 'Ses-/ adv. by that means, as a result of that. oO thereby hangs a tale much could be said about that.

computers. thermionics /,63:m1'pniks/ n.pl. (treated as sing.) the branch of

therefor /5e9'fo:(r)/ adv. archaic for that object or purpose. therefore (/'Seafs:(r)/ adv. for that reason; accordingly,

science and technology concerned with thermionic emission. thermistor /63:'misto(r)/ n. Electr. a resistor whose resistance is greatly reduced by heating, used for measurement and control.

consequently.

therefrom /ée'from/ adv. archaic from that or it. therein /6eor'm/ adv. formal 1 in that place etc. 2 in that respect. thereinafter /,deorm'a:fta(r)/ adv. formal later in the same document etc. thereinbefore /deor,inbr'fo:(r)/ adv. formal earlier in the same

[thermal resistor] thermite /'3:mait/ n. (also thermit /-mit/) a mixture offinely powdered aluminium and iron oxide that produces a very high temperature on combustion (used in welding and for incendiary bombs). [G Thermit (as THERMO-, -ITE})]

document etc. thereinto /dear'intu/ adv. archaic into that place.

thermo- /'93:mau/ comb. form denoting heat. [Gk f. thermos hot, thermé heat]

thereof /dear'pv/ adv. formal of that or it.

thermochemistry /,03:mau'kemistr/ n. the branch of chem-

thereon /éesr'pn/ adv. archaic on that or it (of motion or position). thereout /deor'aut/ adv. archaic out of that, from that source.

istry dealing with the quantities of heat evolved or absorbed during chemical reactions. 00 thermochemical adj. thermocouple /'@3:mau,kap(s)l/ n. a pair of different metals in contact at a point, generating a thermoelectric voltage that can serve as a measure of temperature at this point relative to their other parts.

therethrough /éeo'6ru:/ adv. archaic through that. thereto /de'tu:/ adv. formal 1 to that or it. 2 in addition, to boot.

theretofore /,deatu'f:(r)/ adv. formal before that time. thereunto /deor'antu/ adv. archaic to that or it.

thermodynamics /,63:moudai'nemiks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as

thereupon /,éeors'pon/ adv. 1 in consequence of that. 2 soon or immediately after that. 3 archaic upon that (of motion or position).

therewith /de9'w1d/ adv. archaic 1 with that. 2 soon or immediately after that.

therewithal |,desw1'do:1/ adv. archaic in addition, besides. theriac /'@19r1,zek/ n. archaic an antidote to the bites of poisonous animals, esp. snakes. [L theriaca f. Gk thériaké antidote, fem. of thériakos f. thér wild beast]

therianthropic

thermodynamics

1500

/,$1or1en'@roprk/

adj. of or worshipping

beings represented in combined human and animal forms. [Gk thérion dimin. of ther wild beast + anthropos human being] theriomorphic /,$1ar1o'mo:ftk/ adj. (esp. of a deity) having an animal form. [as THERIANTHROPIC + Gk morphé form] therm /63:m/ n. a unit of heat, esp. as the statutory unit of gas b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

sing.) the science of the relations between heat and other (mechanical, electrical, etc.) forms of energy, and, by extension, of the relationships and interconvertibility of all forms of energy. (See below.) 00, thermodynamic adj. thermodynamical adj. thermodynamically adv. thermodynamicist [-stst/ n. Thermodynamics deals with the place of energy in any material system: the forms it takes, its distribution, and the changes liable to take place in the system if the energy distribution is ‘unbalanced’. The principles of thermodynamics can therefore be regarded as governing the direction of all physical changes taking place in the universe. Most material systems consist of large numbers of particles (atoms and molecules). Thermodynamics states that, with time, the energy in such a system will inevitably tend to become distributed in the most probable

pattern, which consists of all the individual particles of the system engaging in random motion. We perceive such random

kcat

lleg

m man

nno

p pen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

thermoelectric

motion as heat. Other types of change in a system, such as the intermingling of two different types of particles, also lead to greater randomness or disorder. It appears, in fact, that the universe is gradually ‘running down’ because this randomness or entropy (see ENTROPY) is continually increasing. The historical development of thermodynamics is complicated; it arose from consideration of the efficiency of steam engines in the early 19th c, (especially by Sadi Carnot), and its main laws were introduced in the 1850s without explicit reference to the random

motion of individual particles. The first law states that heat is indeed a form of energy (not a special ‘fluid’ as had once been thought), and then reaffirms the law of conservation of energy. The second law deals with the tendency of entropy to increase, as described above. Although most, if not all, physical changes are nominally governed by the laws of thermodynamics, many everyday processes of change can be adequately described in terms of ordinary mechanics. Among areas in which the principles and methods of thermodynamics are of great practical importance are the study and design of engines, and the rules governing the direction of chemical and biochemical reactions.

thermoelectric /,63:mour'lektrik/ adj. producing electricity by a difference of temperatures. 00 thermoelectricity /-lek'trisit:/ n.

thermoelectrically

adv.

thermogenesis /,63:mou'dzenisis/ n. the production of heat, esp. in a human or animal body.

thermogram

/'03:mo,grem/ 1. a record made by a thermograph. thermograph /'63:ma,gra:f] n. 1 an instrument that gives a continuous record of temperature. 2 an apparatus used to obtain an image produced by infrared radiation from a human or animal body. 00 thermographic /-'grefik/ adj. thermography /63:'mogrofi/ n. Med. the taking or use of infra-

/,63:mao'lerbail, -bil/ adj. (of a substance)

unstable when heated.

thermoluminescence /,$3:mou,lu:m1'nes(a)ns/ n. the property of becoming luminescent when pretreated and subjected to high temperatures, used as a means of dating ancient artefacts. 00 thermoluminescent adj.

thermolysis /6@3:'mplisis/ n. decomposition by the action of heat. 00 thermolytic /-'lrtrk/ adj. thermometer /@s'mpmito(r)/ n. an instrument for measuring temperature by means of a substance whose expansion and contraction under different degrees of heat and cold are capable of accurate measurement. The earliest form was an airthermometer invented and used by Galileo before 1597 for indicating the temperature of the atmosphere; alcohol thermometers were used c.1650. The device of a fixed zero (originally the freezing-point) was introduced by Hooke, 1665; the fixing of the zero as an arbitrary point below the freezing-point is attributed to Fahrenheit, who made mercurial thermometers c.1720; many other famous figures have contributed to the design of graduated scales. The most familiar type of thermometer consists of a slender hermetically sealed glass tube with a fine bore, having a bulb at the lower end filled with mercury, which rises as a conspicuous column in the tube (which is graduated) on expansion. 00 thermometric /,03: mo'metrik/ adj. thermometrical /,93:mo'metrik(o)l/ adj. thermometry n. [F thermométre or mod.L thermometrum (as THERMO-, -METER)]

thermonuclear /,63:mou!nju:klra(r)/ adj. 1 relating to or using nuclear reactions that occur only at very high temperatures. 2 relating to or characterized by weapons using thermonuclear reactions.

thermophile /'63:mou,fatl/ n. & adj. (also thermophil /-fil/) —n. a bacterium etc. growing optimally at high temperatures. —adj. of or being a thermophile. o0 thermophilic /-'filik/ adj. thermopile /'@3:mou,pail/ n. a set of thermocouples esp. arranged for measuring small quantities of radiant heat.

thermoplastic /,03:mou'plestik/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a substance) that becomes plastic on heating and hardens on cooling,

wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

0 thin

and is able to repeat these processes. substance.

—n. a thermoplastic

Thermopylae /@s'mppijli:/ a pass in Greece, about 200 km (120 miles) NW of Athens, originally narrow but now much widened by the recession of the sea. I. was the scene of the heroic defence (480 Bc) against the Persian army of Xerxes by 6,000 Greeks including 300 Spartans under their commander Leonidas. The defenders were outflanked then, and by the Gauls in 279 Bc, and by Cato in 191 Bc. Thermos /'63:moas/ n. (in full Thermos flask) propr. a vacuum flask. [Gk (as THERMO-)] 4 thermosetting /,63:mou'setin/ adj. (of plastics) setting permanently when heated. 00 thermoset /'03:-/ adj. thermosphere /'63:ma,sf1a(r)/ n. the region of the atmosphere between the mesopause and the height at which it ceases to have the properties of a continuous medium, characterized throughout by an increase in temperature with height.

thermostable

/,63:mou'sterb(a)l/ adj. (of a substance) stable

when heated. thermostat /'03:ma,stzt/ n. a device that automatically regulates temperature, or that activates a device when the temperature reaches a certain point. oo thermostatic /|-'stetik/ adj. thermostatically |-'statikoli/ adv. [THERMO- + Gk statos standing]

thermotaxis /,03:mou'teksis/ n. 1 the regulation of heat or temperature esp. in warm-blooded animals. 2 movement or stimulation in a living organism caused by heat. oo thermotactic adj. thermotaxic adj. thermotropism /63:'motra,p1z(2)m/ n. the growing or bending of a plant towards or away from a source of heat. oo thermotropic /,63:mou'troprk/ adj. thesaurus /61'so:res/ n. (pl. thesauri |-rai/ or thesauruses) 1 a

a collection of concepts or words arranged according to sense.

red thermograms, esp. to detect tumours.

thermolabile

they

1501

6 this

n Ting

x loch

b US a book of synonyms and antonyms. encyclopedia. [L f. Gk thésauros treasure]

2 a dictionary or

these pl. of THIS. Theseus |'9i:sjas/ Gk legend the son of Poseidon (or of Aegeus, king of Athens) and national hero of Athens. He slew the Cretan Minotaur with the help of Ariadne and was successful in numerous other exploits.

thesis /'@i:sis/ n. (pl. theses |-si:z/) 1 a proposition to be maintained or proved. 2 a dissertation, esp. by a candidate for a degree. 3 /'@i:sis, '8ests/ an unstressed syllable or part of a metrical foot in Greek or Latin verse (opp. ArRsiIs). [ME f. LL f. Gk, = putting, placing, a proposition etc. f. the- root of tithémi place]

Thespian /'Sespron/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to tragedy or drama.

—n. an actor or actress. [THESPIS]

Thespis /'Sespis/ (6th c. Bc) Greek dramatic poet, regarded as the father of Greek tragedy. Thess. abbr. Thessalonians (New Testament). Thessalonian /,6ess'lounion/ adj. & n. —adj. of ancient Thessalonica (modern Salonica), a city in NE Greece. —n. a native of ancient Thessalonica. 0 (Epistle to the) Thessalonians either of two books of the New Testament, the earliest letters of St Paul, written from Corinth to the new Church at Thessalonica.

Thessalonica, Thessaloniki see SALONICA.

Thessaly /'Oesali/ a region of NE Greece; pop. (1981) 695,650. 00 Thessalian /6e'serlion/ adj. & n. theta /'@i:ta/ n. the eighth letter of the Greek alphabet (0, 6). [Gk]

Thetis /'Getis/ Gk Mythol. a sea-nymph, mother of Achilles. theurgy /'@i:3:d31/ n. 1 a supernatural or divine agency esp. in human affairs. b the art of securing this. 2 the magical science of the Neoplatonists. 00 theurgie /-'3:d31k/ adj. theurgical |-'3:d3rk(a)l/ adj. theurgist n. [LL theurgia f. Gk theourgia f. theos

god + -ergos working] thew /6ju:/ n. (often in pl.) literary 1 muscular strength. 2 mental or moral vigour. [OE théaw usage, conduct, of unkn. orig.] they /de1/ pron. (obj. them; poss. their, theirs) 1 the people, animals, or things previously named or in question (pl. of HE, SHE, IT!). 2 people in general (they say we are wrong). 3 those in authority (they have raised the fees). 4 disp. as a third person sing. tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

they’d

think

1502

indefinite pronoun meaning ‘he or she’ (anyone can come if they want to). [ME thei, obj. theim, f. ON their nom. pl. masc., theim dat. pl. of sa THE that]

they’d /6erd/ contr. 1 they had. 2 they would. they’II /6e1l, del/ contr. 1 they will. 2 they shall. they’re /6e(r), 'Se10(r)/ contr. they are. they’ve /6erv/ contr. they have. THI abbr. temperature-humidity index. thiamine /'@arsmm, -,mi:n/ n. (also thiamin) a vitamin of the

thimbleful /'6:mb(2)I,ful/ n. (pl. -fuls) a small quantity, esp. of

liquid to drink.

_ thimblerig /'6:mb(2)Irig/ n. a game often involving sleight of hand, in which three inverted thimbles or cups are moved about, contestants having to spot which is the one with a pea or other object beneath. oo thimblerigger n. [THIMBLE + RIG? in sense ‘trick, dodge’)

Thimphu /'timpu:/ the capital of Bhutan; pop. (1987) 15,000. thin /61n/ adj., adv., & v. —adj. (thinner, thinnest) 1 having the opposite surfaces close together; of small thickness or diameter. 2.a (ofa line) narrow or fine. b (of a script or type etc.) consisting of thin lines. 3 made of thin material (a thin dress). 4 lean; not plump. 5 a not dense or copious (thin hair, a thin haze). b not full or closely packed (a thin audience). 6 of slight consistency (a thin paste). 7 weak; lacking an important ingredient (thin blood; a thin voice). 8 (of an excuse, argument, disguise, etc.) flimsy or transparent. —adv. thinly (cut the bread very thin). —v. (thinned, thinning) 1 tr. & intr. make or become thin or thinner. 2 tr. & intr. (often foll. by out) reduce; make or become less dense or crowded or numerous. 3 tr. (often foll. by out) remove some of a crop of (seedlings, saplings, etc.) or some young fruit from (a vine or tree) to improve the growth of the rest. 0 have a thin time collog. have a wretched or uncomfortable time. on thin ice see ICE. thin air a state of invisibility or non-existence (vanished into thin air). thin end of the wedge see WEDGE!. thin on the ground see GROUND! thin on top _ balding. thin-skinned sensitive to reproach or criticism; easily upset. oo thinly adv. thinness n. thinnish adj. [OE thynne f. Gmc]

B complex, found in unrefined cereals, beans, and liver, a deficiency of which causes beriberi. Also called vitamin B,, or ANEURIN. [THIO- + amin from VITAMIN]

thick /61k/ adj., n., & adv. —adj. 1 a of great or specified extent between opposite surfaces (a thick wall; a wall two metres thick). b of large diameter (a thick rope). 2 a (of a line etc.) broad; not fine. b (of script or type, etc.) consisting of thick lines. 3 a arranged closely; crowded together; dense. b numerous (fell thick as peas). 4 (usu. foll. by with) densely covered or filled (air thick with snow). 5 a firm in consistency; containing much solid matter; viscous (a thick paste; thick soup). b made of thick material (a thick coat). 6 muddy, cloudy; impenetrable by sight (thick darkness). 7 collog. (of a person) stupid, dull. 8 (of a voice) indistinct. 9 collog. intimate or very friendly (esp. thick as thieves). —n. a thick part of anything. —adv. thickly (snow was falling thick; blows rained down thick and fast). 0 a bit thick Brit. collog. unreasonable or intolerable. in the thick of 1 at the busiest part of. 2 heavily occupied with. thick ear Brit. sl. the external ear swollen as a result of a blow (esp. give a person a thick ear). thick-skinned not sensitive to reproach or criticism. thick-skulled (or -witted) stupid, dull; slow to learn. through thick and thin under all conditions; in spite of all difficulties. 00 thickish adj. thickly adv. [OE thicce (adj. & adv.) f. Gmc]

thicken /'@1kan| v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become thick or thicker. 2 intr. become more complicated (the plot thickens). 00 thickener

n. thickening /'61konin/ n. 1 the process of becoming thick or

thine /dain/ poss.pron. archaic or dial. 1 (predic. or absol.) of or belonging to thee. 2 (attrib. before a vowel) = Tuy. [OE thin f. Gmc] thing /@1n/ n. 1 a material or non-material entity, idea, action, etc., that is or may be thought about or perceived. 2 an inanimate material object (take that thing away). 3 an unspecified object or item (have a few things to buy). 4 an act, idea, or utterance (a silly thing to do). 5 an event (an unfortunate thing to happen). 6 a quality (patience is a useful thing). 7 (with ref. to a person) expressing pity, contempt, or affection (poor thing!; a dear old thing). 8 a specimen or type of something (the latest thing in hats). 9 collog. one’s special interest or concern (not my thing at all). 10 collog. something remarkable (now there’s a thing!). 11 (prec. by the) collog. a what is conventionally proper or fashionable. b what is needed or required (your suggestion was just the thing). ¢ what is to be considered (the thing is, shall we go or not?), d what is important (the thing about them is their reliability). 12 (in pl.) personal belongings or clothing (where haveI left my things?). 13 (in pl.) equipment (painting things). 14 (in pl.) affairs in general (not in the nature of things). 15 (in pl.) circumstances or conditions (things look good). 16 (in pl. with a following adjective) all that is so describable (all things Greek). 17 (in pl.) Law property. o do one’s own thing collog. pursue one’s own interests or inclinations. do things to collog. affect remarkably. have a thing about collog. be obsessed or prejudiced about, make a thing of collog. 1 regard as essential. 2 cause a fuss about. one (or just one) of those things collog. something unavoidable or to be accepted. [OE f. Gmc]

thicker. 2 a substance used to thicken liquid. 3 a thickened part.

thicket /'6rkit/ n. a tangle of shrubs or trees. [OE thiccet (as THICK, -ET})]

thickhead /'01khed/ n. 1 collog. a stupid person; a blockhead. 2 Austral. any bird of the genus Pachycephala; a whistler. 00 thickheaded /-'hedid/ adj. thickheadedness |-'hedidnis/ n.

thickness /'@1knis/ n. 1 the state of being thick. 2 the extent to which a thing is thick. 3 a layer of material of a certain thickness (three thicknesses of cardboard). 4 a part that is thick or lies between opposite surfaces (steps cut in the thickness of the wall). [OE thicness (as THICK, -NESS)]

thickset /61k'set/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 heavily or solidly built. 2 set or growing close together. —n. a thicket.

thief /6i:f] n. (pl. thieves /0i:vz/) a person who steals esp. secretly and without violence. [OE théof f. Gmc]

thieve /6i:v/ v. 1 intr. be a thief. 2 tr. steal (a thing). [OE théofian (as THIEF)] thievery /'@i:vori/ n. the act or practice of stealing.

thieves pl. of THIEF. thievish /'Oi:vif/ adj. given to stealing.

thingummy

00 thievishly adv.

thievishness n.

thigh /0a1/ n. 1 the part of the human leg between the hip and the

knee.

2 a corresponding

part

in other

animals.

o

orig. unkn.]

/'@1lho:s/ n. (also thiller /'@rlo(r)/) a horse put

between thills.

thimble /'61mb(9)I/ n. 1 a metal or plastic cap, usu. with a closed end, worn to protect the finger and push the needle in sewing. 2 Mech. a short metal tube or ferrule etc. 3 Naut. a metal ring concave on the outside and fitting in a loop of spliced rope to prevent chafing. [OE thymel (as THUMB, -LE})] a: arm

e bed

3: her

(pl.

-ies)

(also

thingamy,

(foll. by that + clause) be of the opinion (we think that they will come). 2 tr. (foll. by that + clause or to + infin.) judge or consider (is thought to be a fraud). 3 intr. exercise the mind positively with one’s ideas etc. (let me think for a moment). 4 tr. (foll. by of or about) a consider; be or become mentally aware of (think of you constantly). b form or entertain the idea of; imagine to oneself (couldn’t think of such a thing). ¢ choose mentally; hit upon (think of a number). 5 tr. have a half-formed intention (I think I'll stay). 6 tr. form a conception of (cannot think how you do it). 7 tr. reduce to a specified condition by thinking (cannot think away a toothache). 8 tr. recognize the presence or existence of (the child thought no

thigh-bone = FEMUR. 00 -thighed adj. (in comb.). [OE theh,

z cat

n.

thingy /'91n1/ n. (pl. -ies) = THINGUMMY. think /61nk/ v. & n. —v. (past and past part. thought /@o:t/) 1 tr.

théoh, thioh, OHG dioh, ON thjo f. Gmc] . thill /611/ n. a shaft of a cart or carriage, esp. one of a pair. [ME:

thill-horse

/'61jn2mi/

thingumabob /-mo,bpb/, thingumajig /-ma,d31g/) collog. a person or thing whose name one has forgotten or does not know or does not wish to mention. [THING + meaningless suffix]

harm). 9 tr. (foll. by to + infin.) intend or expect (thinks to deceive 1 sit

i: see

p hot

0: saw

Arun

wv put

u: too

9 ago

al my

thinker

us). 10 tr. (foll. by to + infin.) remember (did not think to lock the door). —n. collog. an act of thinking (must have a think about that). O think again revise one’s plans or opinions. think aloud utter one’s thoughts as soon as they occur. think back to recall (a past event or time). think better of change one’s mind about (an intention) after reconsideration. think big see Bic. think fit see FiT!. think for oneself have an independent mind or attitude. think little (or nothing) of consider to be insignificant or unremarkable. think much (or highly) of have a high opinion of. think on (or upon) archaic think of or about. think out 1 consider carefully. 2 produce (an idea etc.) by thinking. think over reflect upon in order to reach a decision. think through reflect fully upon (a problem etc.). think twice use careful consideration, avoid hasty action, etc. think up collog. devise; produce by thought. 00 thinkable adj. [OE thencan thahte gethoht f. Gmc]

thinker /'01nko(r)/ n. 1 a person who thinks, esp. in a specified way (an original thinker). 2 a person with a skilled or powerful mind.

thinking /'@1nkin/ adj. & n. —adj. using thought or rational judgement.

—n.

1 opinion or judgement.

2 (in pl.) thoughts;

courses of thought. o put on one’s thinking cap collog. meditate on a problem.

think-tank /'@inktenk/ n. a body of experts providing advice and ideas on specific national and commercial problems. thinner /'9mo(r)/ n. a volatile liquid used to dilute paint etc.

thio- /'9a190/ comb. form sulphur, esp. replacing oxygen in compounds (thio-acid). [Gk theion sulphur]

thiol /'Garpl/ n. Chem. any organic compound containing an alcohol-like group but with sulphur in place of oxygen. [THIO+ -OL]

thiosulphate /,6a19u'salfert/ n. a sulphate in which one oxygen atom is replaced by sulphur. thiourea /,$a1su'jueria/ n. a crystalline compound used in photography and the manufacture of synthetic resins.

Thira see SANTORINI. third /03:d/ n. & adj. —n.

1 the position in a sequence cor-

responding to that of the number 3 in the sequence 1-3. 2 something occupying this position. 3 each of three equal parts of a thing. 4 = third gear. 5 Mus. a an interval or chord spanning three consecutive notes in the diatonic scale (e.g. C to E). ba note separated from another by this interval. 6 a a place in the third class in an examination. b a person having this. —adj. that is the third. 0 third-best adj. of third quality. —n. a thing in this category. third class the third-best group or category, esp. of hotel and train accommodation. third-class adj. 1 belonging to or travelling by the third class. 2 of lower quality; inferior. —adv. by the third class (travels third-class). third degree long and severe questioning esp. by police to obtain information or a confession. third-degree Med. denoting burns

of the most severe kind, affecting lower layers of tissue. third eye 1 Hinduism & Buddhism the ‘eye of insight’ in the forehead of an image ofa deity, esp. the god Siva. 2 the faculty of intuitive insight. third force a political group or party acting as a check on conflict between two opposing parties. third gear the third (and often next to highest) in a sequence of gears. third man Cricket 1 a fielder positioned near the boundary behind the slips. 2 this position. third part each of three equal parts into which a thing is or might be divided. third party 1 another party besides the two principals. 2 a bystander etc. third-party adj. (of insurance) covering damage or injury suffered by a person other than the insured. third person 1 = third party. 2 Gram. see PERSON. third-rate inferior; very poor in quality. third reading a third presentation ofa bill to a legislative assembly, in the UK to debate committee reports and in the US to consider it for the last time. Third Reich see ReIcu. Third World (usu. prec. by the) the developing countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin

America (orig. countries considered as not politically aligned with Communist or Western nations). 00 thirdly adv. [OE third(d)a, thridda f. Gmc]

thirst /03:st/ n. & v. —n. 1a physical need to drink liquid, or the feeling of discomfort caused by this. 2 a strong desire or au how

thixotropy

1503

er day

90 no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

va poor

craving (a thirst for power). —v.intr. (often foll. by for or after) 1 feel thirst. 2 have a strong desire. [OE thurst, thyrstan f. WG] thirsty /'03:st1/ adj. (thirstier, thirstiest) 1 feeling thirst. 2 (of land, a season, etc.) dry or parched. 3 (often foll. by for or after) eager. 4 collog. causing thirst (thirsty work). 00 thirstily adv. thirstiness n. [OE thurstig, thyrstig (as THIRST, -Y})]

thirteen /63:'ti:n, '03:-/ n. & adj. —n. 1 one more than twelve, or three more than ten. 2 a symbol for this (13, xiii, XIII). 3 a size etc. denoted by thirteen. —adj. that amount to thirteen. oo thirteenth adj. & n. [OE thréotiene (as THREE, -TEEN)]

thirty /'63:t1/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 the product of three and ten. 2 a symbol for this (30, xxx, XXX). 3 (in pl.) the numbers from 30 to 39, esp. the years of a century or of a person’s life. —adj. that amount to thirty. 0 thirty-first, -second, etc. the ordinal numbers between thirtieth and fortieth. thirty-one, -two, etc. the cardinal numbers between thirty and forty. thirty-second note esp. US Mus. = DEMISEMIQUAVER. thirty-

two-mo a book with 32 leaves to the printing-sheet. oo thirtieth adj. & n. thirtyfold adj. & adv. [OE thritig (as THREE,

-TY?)] Thirty-nine Articles the set of points of doctrine finally adopted by the Church of England (1571) as a statement of its dogmatic position. Many. perhaps intentionally, allow a wide variety of interpretation. Since 1865 clergy have been asked to give a general assent to them; previously a more particular subscription was demanded.

Thirty Years War a prolonged European war of the 17th c. Beginning as a struggle between the Catholic Holy Roman Emperor and some of his German Protestant States, the war gradually drew in most of the major European military powers and developed into a fight for continental hegemony with France, Sweden, Spain, and the Empire as the major protagonists. The result of three decades of intermittent hostilities was the emergence of Bourbon France as the pre-eminent European

power and the devastation of much of Germany, where military activity had remained centred throughout.

this /61s/ pron., adj., & adv. —demons.pron. (pl. these /0i:z/) 1 the person or thing close at hand or indicated or already named or understood (can you see this?; this is my cousin). 2 (contrasted with

that) the person or thing nearer to hand or more immediately in mind. 3 the action, behaviour, or circumstances under consideration (this won’t do at all; what do you think of this?). 4 (on the telephone): a Brit. the person speaking. b US the person spoken to. —demons.adj. (pl. these /6i:z/) 1 designating the person or thing close at hand etc. (cf. senses 1, 2 of pron.). 2 (of time): a the present or current (am busy all this week). b relating to today (this morning). ¢ just past or to come (have been asking for it these three weeks). 3 collog. (in narrative) designating a person or thing previously unspecified (then up came this policeman). —adv. to this degree or extent (knew him when he was this high; did not reach this far). O this and that collog. various unspecified examples of things (esp. trivial). this here sl. this particular (person or thing). this much the amount or extent about to be stated (I know this much, that he was not there). this world mortal life. [OE, neut. of thes]

Thisbe /'61sbi/ Rom. legend lover of Pyramus (see entry). thistle /'61s(2)l/ n. 1 any of various prickly composite herbaceous plants of the genus Cirsium, Carlina, or Carduus etc., usu. with globular heads of purple flowers. 2 a figure of this as the heraldic emblem of Scotland, and part of the insignia of the distinctively Scottish order of knighthood, the Order of the Thistle, instituted in 1687 by James II and revived in 1703 by Queen Anne. [OE thistel f. Gmc]

thistledown /'61s(a),daun/ n. a light fluffy stuff attached to thistle-seeds and blown about in the wind.

thistly /'61sli/ adj. overgrown with thistles. thither /'160(r)/ adv. archaic or formal to or towards that place. {OE thider, alt. (after HITHER) of theder]

thixotropy /6ik'sptrepi/ n. the property of becoming temporarily liquid when shaken or stirred etc., and returning to a gel on standing. 00 thixotropic /,$1ksa'troprk/ adj. [Gk thixis touching + tropé turning]

ato fire

aua sour

(see over for consonants)

tho’

thorny

1504

oN

ee

eS

SS

tho’ var. of THOUGH. thole? /62u1/ n. (in full thole-pin) 1 a pin in the gunwale of a boat as the fulcrum for an oar. 2 each of two such pins forming a rowlock. [OE thol fir-tree, peg]

thole? /@2u]/ v.tr. Sc. or archaic 1 undergo or suffer (pain, grief, etc.). 2 permit or admit of. [OE tholian f. Gmc]

tholos /'@plps/ n. (pl. thotoi /-lor/) Gk Antiq. a dome-shaped tomb, esp. of the Mycenaean period. [Gk]

Thomas! /'tpmes/, Dylan Marlais (1914-53), Welsh-born poet. He moved to London in 1934 and embarked on acareer of journalism, broadcasting, and film-making. Thomas’s romantic, affirmative, rhetorical style was new and influential and much imitated by his contemporaries. He won recognition with Deaths and Entrances (1946), which contains some of his best-known poems, and continued his success with Collected Poems 1934-1952 (1952), Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog (1955; prose and verse), and Adventures in the Skin Trade (1955; stories). Shortly before his death in New York, hastened by wild living and hard drinking, he read his most famous single work, Under Milk Wood, a radio drama in which the poetic alliterative prose is interspersed with songs and ballads.

Thomas? /'tomas/, (Philip) Edward (1878-1917), English poet, who produced much biographical and topographical prose before turning to poetry with the encouragement of the American poet Robert Frost. His work combines a loving and accurate observation of the English pastoral scene with colloquial

Laboratory; seven of his former pupils were to win Nobel Prizes. His own experiments of the bending of cathode rays in magnetic and electric fields began in 1897. He deduced from these deflex* ions that he was dealing with particles smaller than the atom, which he initially called ‘corpuscles’ but later ‘electrons’, adopting the word coined a few years previously by the physicist G. J. Stoney. His model of the atom, incorporating the negatively-charged electron for the first time, was abandoned in favour of Rutherford’s more satisfactory model in 1911. Thomson received the 1906 Nobel Prize for physics for his researches into the electrical conductivity of gases and was knighted in 1908. His son Sir George Paget Thomson (18921975), also a physicist, shared the 1937 Nobel Prize with Clinton Davisson for his discovery of the effect of electron diffraction.

thong /6pn/ n. & v. —n. 1a narrow strip of hide or leather used as the lash of a whip, as a halter or rein, etc. 2 Austral., NZ, & US = FLIP-FLOP. —v.tr. 1 provide with a thong. 2 strike with a thong. [OE thwang, thwong f. Gmc]

Thor /6o:(r)/ Scand. Mythol. the god of thunder, the weather, agriculture, and the home. He is represented as armed with a hammer. Thursday is named after him. thorax /'6o:reks/ n. (pl. thoraces /'@o:ra,si:z/ or thoraxes) 1 Anat. & Zool. the part of the trunk between the neck and the abdomen. 2 Gk Antiq. a breastplate or cuirass. 00 thoracal /'@o: rok(o)l/ adj. thoracic /60:'rzstk/ adj. [L f. Gk thorax -akos]

Thoreau

speech-rhythms. He was killed at Arras on active service; most of his poems appeared posthumously.

Christ had risen again unless he could see and touch his wounds (John 20; 24—9). Feast day, 21 Dec. 0 doubting Thomas a sceptic.

Thomas a Kempis |'tomes 9 'kempis/ (c.1380-1471) German ascetical writer. Born Thomas Hemerken at Kempen, near Cologne, he became an Augustinian canon in Holland. He is the probable author of the Imitation of Christ, an important manual

Thomism

/'tovumiz(2)m/ n. the doctrine of Thomas Aquinas

thoria /'9o:r1a/ n. the oxide of thorium. thorium /'@9:r1am/ n. Chem. a radioactive metallic element, first

or of his followers. 00 Thomist n. Thomistic /-'mistik/ adj. Thomistical /-'mistik(s)l/ adj.

discovered in 1828. Thorium became economically important after 1885 when its oxide, which can become brightly incandescent, began to be widely used in gas mantles. Thorium’s radioactive properties were discovered in 1898. The major isotope found in nature has a very long half-life and is thought, along with uranium and radioactive potassium, to be responsible for most of the heat generated inside the earth. Nowadays thorium has a variety of industrial uses and is of increasing

Thompson! /'toms(s)n/, Daley (1958-_), English athlete, winner of the decathlon in the Olympic Games of 1980 and 1984.

Thompson? /'toms(2)n/, Francis (1859-1907), English poet, rescued from destitution by Alice and Wilfred Meynell who secured him literary recognition. His finest work, which conveys intense religious experience in imagery of great power, includes the poems ‘The Hound of Heaven’ and ‘The Kingdom of God’. He published three volumes of verse (1893-7) and much literary criticism in periodicals. Opium addiction together with tuberculosis caused his early death.

Thomson! /'toms(a)n/, James (1700-48), Scottish poet. He came to London in 1725, where he met Arbuthnot, Gay, and Pope, found patrons, and through the influence of Lord Lyttelton received a sinecure. The Seasons (1726-30), one of the most popular English poems, both in style and subject inaugurated a new era by its sentiment for nature; the text was adapted for Haydn’s oratorio (1801). His other works include his patriotic poem Liberty (1735-6), the tragedies Sophonisba (1730) and Tancred and Sigismunda (1745), the masque Alfred (1740), containing ‘Rule, Britannia’, and The Castle of Indolence (1748), which contains a portrait of the poet which mocks his notorious love of idleness.

/'@o:rau/, Henry David (1817-62), American writer,

best known for his book Walden, or Life in the Woods (1854), an account of his two-year experiment in self-sufficiency (1845-7), when he built himself a wooden hut on the edge of Walden Pond near his native Concord in Massachusetts. He describes his domestic economy, neighbours, plants and wild life, and sense of the Indian past, and questions the materialism and the prevailing work ethnic of the age; he has been hailed as a pioneer ecologist. Equally influential in future years was his essay on civil disobedience (1849), in which he argues the right of the individual to refuse to pay taxes when conscience dictates; his technique of passive resistance was adopted by Gandhi.

Thomas? /'tpmas/, St, an Apostle, who refused to believe that

of spiritual devotion. Thomas Aquinas see Aquinas.

ee

importance as a nuclear fuel. § Symb.: Th; atomic number 90.

(Thor, Scand. god of thunder] thorn /@o:n/ n. 1 a stiff sharp-pointed projection on a plant. 2a thorn-bearing shrub or tree. 3 the name of an Old English and Icelandic runic letter, = th. 0 on thorns continuously uneasy esp. in fear of being detected. thorn-apple 1 a poisonous plant of the nightshade family, Datura stramonium. 2 the prickly fruit of this. a thorn in one’s flesh (or side) a constant annoyance.

00 thornless adj. thornproof adj. [OE f. Gmc]

thornback /'@o:nbek/ n. a ray, Raja clavata, with spines on the back and tail.

thornbill /'Go:nbrl/ n. 1 any Australian warbler of the genus Acanthiza. 2 any of various South American humming-birds, esp. of the genus Chaicostigma.

Thomson? /'toms(a)n/, James (1834-82), Scottish poet, whose

Thorndike /'@s:ndark/, Dame (Agnes) Sybil (1882-1976), Eng-

most famous poem is ‘The City of Dreadful Night’ (1874), a powerful evocation of a half-ruined city, through which flows the River of the Suicides, where the narrator encounters tormented shades wandering in a Dantesque version of a living hell, presided over by Melancolia.

thorntail /'Go:nterl/ n. any S. American humming-bird of the

lish actress, who played a wide range of Shakespearean roles in England and in the US, and gave one of her finest performances in the title role of the first London production of G. B. Shaw’s St Joan (1924). genus Popelairia.

Thomson? /'toms(a)n/, Sir Joseph John (1856-1940), English physicist, discoverer of the electron. During his tenure as Cavendish professor of physics at Cambridge from 1884 until 1918 he consolidated the worldwide reputation of the Cavendish

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

thorny /'9o:n1/ adj. (thornier, thorniest) 1 having many thorns. 2 (of a subject) hard to handle without offence; problematic. oo thornily adv. thorniness n. ‘

kcat

1leg

mman

nno

ppen r red s sit

t top

v voice

thorough thorough /'@ara/ adj. 1 complete and unqualified; not superficial (needs a thorough change). 2 acting or done with great care and completeness (the report is most thorough). 3 absolute (a thorough nuisance). o thorough bass a bass part for a keyboard player with numerals and symbols below to indicate the harmony. thorough-paced 1 (of a horse) trained to all paces. 2 complete or unqualified. 00 thoroughly adv. thoroughness n. [orig. as

adv. and prep. in the senses of through, f. OE thuruh var. of thurh THROUGH]

thoroughbred /'@ara,bred/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of pure breed. 2 high-spirited.

threadworm

1505

—n.

1 a thoroughbred animal, esp. a horse. 2

(Thoroughbred) a a breed of racehorses originating from English mares and Arab stallions. b a horse of this breed.

thoroughfare /'@,ra,feo(r)/ n. a road or path open at both ends, esp. for traffic.

thoroughgoing /'8ara,gou1m, -'gau1/ adj. 1 uncompromising; not superficial. 2 (usu. attrib.) extreme; out and out, thorp /69:p/ n. (also thorpe) archaic a village or hamlet. { Now usually only in place-names. [OE thorp, throp, f. Gmc]

Thorvaldsen or Thorwaldsen /'to:vels(2)n/, Bertel (1768 or 1770-1844), Danish neoclassical sculptor, who worked for many years in Rome. He made his name with the statue Jason (1802-3), which was based on the Doryphoros of Polyclitus; other major works include the tomb of Pius VII at St Peter’s in Rome (1824-31) and a monument to Lord Byron (1829). In Copenhagen a museum was built for him (1839-48), itself a remarkable piece of neo-antique architecture, the courtyard of which was to contain his tomb.

Thos. abbr. Thomas. those pl. of THAT.

3 (often foll. by of) (of a person or conduct) considerate; not haphazard or unfeeling. oo thoughtfully adv. thoughtfulness

n. thoughtless /'@o:tlis/ adj. 1 careless of consequences or of others’ feelings. 2 due to lack of thought. 00 thoughtlessly adv. thoughtlessness n.

thousand /'@auz(a)nd/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. thousands or (in sense 1) thousand) (in sing. prec. by a or one) 1 the product of a hundred and ten. 2 a symbol for this (1,000, m, M). 3 a set of a thousand things. 4 (in sing. or pl.) collog. a large number. —adj.

that amount to a thousand. 0 Thousand and One Nights see ARABIAN NIGHTS. 00 thousandfold adj. & adv. thousandth adj. & n. [OE thiisend f. Gmc]

Thousand

Islands

1 a group of about 1500 islands in a

widening of the St Lawrence River, just below Kingston. Some of the islands belong to Canada and some to the US. 2 a group of about 100 small islands in the SW Java Sea, forming part of Indonesia.

Thrace /@re1s/ 1 an ancient country lying west of Istanbul and the Black Sea and north of the Aegean, part of modern Turkey, Greece, and Bulgaria, inhabited by a primitive warlike IndoEuropean people. It became a Roman province in 46. 2 a region of modern Greece, in the north-east of the country; pop. (1981) 345,200. 00 Thracian /'@re1{(9)n/ adj. & n.

thrall /6ro:1/ n. literary 1 (often foll. by of, to) a slave (of a person, or a power or influence). 2 bondage; a state of slavery or servitude (in thrall). 00 thraldom rn. (also thralldom). [OE thrzl f. ON thréll, perh. f.a Gmc root = run]

thrash /6re{/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. beat severely, esp. with a stick

Thoth /6208, taut/ Egyptian Mythol. a moon-god, the god of wisdom. and of scribes and writing, patron of the sciences. He was also regarded as a god of justice, protector of laws. Thoth was closely associated with Ra and was his messenger, which led the Greeks to identify him with Hermes. He is most often represented in human form with the head of an ibis surmounted by the moon’s disc and crescent.

thou! /dau/ pron. (obj. thee /6i:/; poss. thy or thine; pl. ye or you) second person singular pronoun, now replaced by you except in some formal, liturgical, dialect, and poetic uses. [OE thu f. Gmc] thou? /@au/ n. (pl. same or thous) collog. 1a thousand. 2 one thousandth. [abbr.]

though /620/ conj. & adv. (also tho’) —conj. 1 despite the fact that (though it was early we went to bed; though annoyed, I agreed). 2 (introducing a possibility) even if (ask him though he may refuse; would not attend though the Queen herself were there). 3 and yet; nevertheless (she read on, though not to the very end). 4 in spite of being (ready though unwilling). —adv. collog. however; all the same (I wish you had told me, though). [ME thoh etc. f. ON thé etc., corresp. to OE théah, f. Gmc]

thought! /6o:t/ n. 1 the process or power of thinking; the faculty

or whip. 2 tr. defeat thoroughly in a contest. 3 intr. (of a paddle wheel, branch, etc.) act like a flail; deliver repeated blows. 4 intr. (foll. by about, around) move or fling the limbs about violently or in panic. 5 intr. (of a ship) keep striking the waves; make way against the wind or tide (thrash to windward). 6 tr. = THRESH 1. —rn. 1 an act of thrashing. 2 collog. a party, esp. a lavish one. Oo thrash out discuss to a conclusion. oo thrashing n. [OE therscan, later threscan, f. Gmc]

thrasher! /'6rzJo(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that thrashes. 2 = THRESHER. thrasher? /'@rzf2(r)/ n. any of various long-tailed N. American thrushlike birds of the family Mimidae. [perh. f. E dial. thrusher = THRUSH] thrawn /6ro:n/ adj. Sc. 1 perverse or ill-tempered. 2 misshapen, crooked. [Sc. form of thrown in obs. senses]

thread /6red/ n. & v. —n. 1 a a spun-out filament of cotton, silk, or glass etc.; yarn. b a length of this. 2 a thin cord of twisted yarns used esp. in sewing and weaving. 3 anything regarded as threadlike with reference to its continuity or connectedness (the thread of life; lost the thread of his argument). 4 the spiral ridge of a screw. 5 (in pl.) sl. clothes. 6 a thin seam or vein of ore. —v.tr. 1 pass a thread through the eye of (a needle). 2 put (beads) on a thread. 3 arrange (material in a strip form, e.g. film or magnetic tape) in the proper position on equipment. 4 make (one’s way) carefully through a crowded place, over a difficult route, etc. 5 streak (hair etc.) as with threads. 6 form a screw-thread on. oO hang by a thread be ina precarious state, position, etc. thread

of reason. 2 a way of thinking characteristic of or associated with a particular time, people, group, etc. (medieval European thought). 3 sober reflection or consideration (gave it much thought). 4 an idea or piece of reasoning produced by thinking (many good thoughts came out of the discussion). 5 (foll. by of + verbal noun or to + infin.) a partly formed intention or hope (gave up all thoughts of winning; had no thought to go). 6 (usu. in pl.) what one is thinking; one’s opinion (have you any thoughts on this?). 7 the subject of one’s thinking (my one thought was to get away). 8 (prec. by a) somewhat (seems to me a thought arrogant). 0 give thought to consider; think about. in thought thinking, meditating. take thought consider matters. thought-provoking stimulating serious thought. thought-reader a person supposedly able to perceive another’s thoughts. thought-reading the supposed

threadfin /'@redfin/ n. any small tropical fish of the family

perception of what another is thinking. thought transference telepathy. thought-wave an undulation. of the supposed

Threadneedle

medium of thought transference. 00 -thoughted adj. (in comb.). [OE thoht (as THINK)]

thought? past and past part. of THINK. thoughtful /'6o:tfoul/ adj. 1 engaged in or given to meditation. 2 (of a book, writer, remark, etc.) giving signs of serious thought. wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

mark a mark in the form of a thin line made in banknote paper with highly coloured silk fibres to prevent photographic counterfeiting. 00 threader n. threadlike adj. [OE thrzd f. Gmc]

threadbare /'@redbeo(r)/ adj. 1 (of cloth) so worn that the nap is lost and the thread visible. 2 (of a person) wearing such clothes. 3 a hackneyed. b feeble or insubstantial (a threadbare excuse). Polynemidae, with long streamers from its pectoral fins.

Street a street in the City of London con-

taining the premises of the Bank of England (the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street; see oLpD). [earlier three-needle, possibly from a tavern with the arms of the Needlemakers]

threadworm

/'§redws:m/ n. any of various esp. parasitic

threadlike nematode worms, e.g. the pinworm. tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

thready

throe

1506

1 of or like a

threonine /'@ri:a,ni:n, -nin/ n. Biochem. an amino acid, con-

thread. 2 (of a person’s pulse) scarcely perceptible. threat /@ret/ n. 1 a a declaration of an intention to punish or hurt. b Law a menace of bodily hurt or injury, such as may restrain a person’s freedom of action. 2 an indication of something undesirable coming (the threat of war). 3 a person or thing as a likely cause of harm etc. [OE thréat affliction etc. f. Gmc] threaten /'@ret(2)n/ v.tr. 1 make a threat or threats against. 2 be a sign or indication of (something undesirable). 3 (foll. by to + infin.) announce one’s intention to do an undesirable or unexpected thing (threatened to resign). 4 (also absol.) give warning of the infliction of (harm etc.) (the clouds were threatening rain). oo threatener n. threateningly adv. [OE thréatnian (as THREAT)] three /6ri:/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a one more than two, or seven less than ten. b a symbol for this (3, iii, III). 2 a size etc. denoted by three. 3 the time of three o’clock. 4 a set of three. 5 a card with three pips. —adj. that amount to three. o three-card trick a game in which bets are made on which is the queen among three cards lying face downwards. three cheers see CHEER. three-colour process a process of reproducing natural colours by combining photographic images in the three primary colours. three-cornered 1 triangular. 2 (of a contest etc.) between three parties as individuals. three-decker 1 a warship with three gun-decks. 2 a novel in three volumes. 3 a sandwich with three slices of bread. three-dimensicnal having or appearing to have length, breadth, and depth. three-handed 1 having or using three hands. 2 involving three players. three-legged race a running-race between pairs, one member of each pair having the left leg tied to the right leg of the other. three-line whip a written notice, underlined three times to denote urgency, to members of a political party to attend a parliamentary vote. three parts three quarters. three-phase see PHASE. three-piece consisting of three items (esp. of a suit of clothes or a suite of furniture). three-ply adj. of three strands, webs, or thicknesses. —n. 1 three-ply wool. 2 three-ply wood made by gluing together three layers with the grain in different directions. three-point landing Aeron. the landing of an aircraft on the two main wheels and the tail wheel or skid simultaneously. three-point turn a method of turning a vehicle round in a narrow space by moving forwards, backwards, and forwards again in a sequence of arcs. three-quarter n. (also three-quarter back) Rugby Football any of three or four players just behind the half-backs. —adj. 1 consisting of threefourths of something. 2 (of a portrait) going down to the hips or showing three-fourths of the face (between full face and

sidered essential for growth. [threose (name of a tetrose sugar) ult. f. Gk eruthros red + -INE‘]

thready /'@redi/ adj. (threadier, threadiest)

profile). three-quarters

‘thresh /@ref/ v. 1 tr. beat out or separate grain from (corn etc.).

three parts out of four. three-ring

circus esp. US 1 a circus with three rings for simultaneous performances. 2 an extravagant display. the three Rs reading, writing, and arithmetic, regarded as the fundamentals of learning. three-way involving three ways or participants. three-wheeler a vehicle with three wheels. [OE thri f. Gmc]

forming the bottom of a doorway and crossed in entering a house or room etc. 2 a point of entry or beginning (on the threshold of a new century). 3 Physiol. & Psychol. a limit below which a stimulus causes no reaction (pain threshold). 4 Physics a limit below which no reaction occurs, esp. a minimum dose of radiation producing a specified effect. 5 (often attrib.) a step in a scale of wages or taxation, usu. operative in specified conditions. [OE therscold, threscold, etc., rel. to THRASH in the sense ‘tread’]

threw past of THROw. thrice /@rars/ adv. archaic or literary 1 three times. 2 (esp. in comb.) highly (thrice-blessed). [ME thries f. thrie (adv.) f. OE thriwa, thriga (as THREE, -S*)]

thrift /6rrft/ n. 1 frugality; economical management. 2 a plant of the genus Armeria, esp. the sea pink. o thrift shop (or store) a shop selling second-hand items usu. for charity. [ME f. ON (as THRIVE)]

thriftless /'6riftits/ adj. wasteful, improvident. 00 thriftlessly adv. thriftlessness n.

thrifty /'6rifti/ adj. (thriftier, thriftiest) 1 economical, frugal. 2 thriving, prosperous. oo thriftily adv. thriftiness n.

thrill /6rtl/ n. & v. —n. 1 a wave or nervous tremor of emotion or sensation (a thrill of joy; a thrill of recognition). 2 a throb or pulsation. 3 Med. a vibratory movement or resonance heard in auscultation. —v. 1 intr. & tr. feel or cause to feel a thrill (thrilled to the sound; a voice that thrilled millions). 2 intr. quiver or throb with or as with emotion. 3 intr. (foll. by through, over, along) (of an emotion etc.) pass with a thrill through etc. (fear thrilled through my veins). OD thrilling adj. thrillingly adv. [thirl (now dial.) f. OE thyrlian pierce f. thyrel hole f. thurh THROUGH]

thriller /'@rilo(r)/ n. an exciting or sensational story or play etc., esp. one involving crime or espionage. thrips /@r1ps/ n. (pl. same) any insect of the order Thysanoptera, esp. a pest injurious to plants. [L f. Gk, = woodworm]

throat /@raut/ n. 1 a the windpipe or gullet. b the front part of the neck containing this. 2 literary a a voice, esp. of a songbird. ba thing compared to a throat, esp. a narrow passage, entrance, or exit. 3 Naut. the forward upper corner of a fore-and-aft sail. 0 cut one’s own throat bring about one’s own downfall. ram (or thrust) down a person’s throat force (a thing) on a person’s attention. O00 -throated adj. (in comb.). [OE throte, throtu f. Gmc]

site of a nuclear power station. In 1979 an accident caused damage to uranium in the reactor core; reactions against the nuclear industry as a whole were immediate and severe. threepence /'Orepons, '8rupans/ n. Brit. the sum of three pence,

esp. before decimalization. threepenny /'@raponi, '@ropeni/ adj. Brit. costing three pence, esp. before decimalization. 0 threepenny bit hist. a former coin worth three old pence.

throaty /'Grauti/ adj. (throatier, throatiest) 1 (of a voice) deficient in clarity; hoarsely resonant. 2 guttural; uttered in the throat. 3 having a prominent or capacious throat. 00 throatily ady. throatiness n.

threescore /'0ri:sko:(r)/ n. archaic sixty. threesome /'@ri:som/ n. 1a group of three persons. 2 a game etc, for three, esp. Golf of one against two.

throb /@rvb/ v. & n. —v.intr. (throbbed, throbbing) 1 palpitate or pulsate, esp. with more than the usual force or rapidity. 2 vibrate or quiver with a persistent rhythm or with emotion. —n. 1a throbbing. 2 a palpitation or (esp. violent) pulsation. (ME, app. imit.] throe /6ru/ n. (usu. in pl.) 1 a violent pang, esp. of childbirth or death. 2 anguish. o in the throes of struggling with the task of. [ME throwe perh. f. OE thréa, thrawu calamity, alt. perh.

thremmatology /,0rems'tolod3i/ n. the science of breeding animals and plants. [Gk thremma -matos nursling + -LoGy] threnody /'@renadi/ n. (also threnode /'@renaud/) (pl. -ies or threnodes) 1 a lamentation, esp. on a person’s death. 2 a song of lamentation. 00 threnodial /-'naudial/ adj. threnodic [-'nodik/ adj. threnodist /'@renodist/ n. [Gk thréndidia f. thrénos wailing + 6idé@ ODE]

3: her

threshold /'6refauld, -hauld/ n. 1 a strip of wood or stone

thro’ var. of THROUGH.

many. 2 consisting of three parts.

e bed

shark, Alopias vulpinus, with a long upper lobe to its tail, that it can lash about.

thriven /'@riv(2)n/ or thrived) 1 prosper or flourish. 2 grow Tich. 3 (of a child, animal, or plant) grow vigorously. [ME f. ON thrifask refl. of thrifa grasp]

Three Mile Island an island near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,

a: arm

thresher /'@ref2(r)/ n. 1 a person or machine that threshes. 2a

thrive /6rarv/ v.intr. (past throve /@ravv/ or thrived; past part.

threefold /'6ri:fauld/ adj. & adv. 1 three times as much or as

we cat

2 intr. = THRASH v. 4. 3tr. (foll. by over) analyse (a problem etc.) in search of a solution. o threshing-floor a hard level floor for threshing esp. with flails. threshing-machine a power-driven machine for separating the grain from the straw or husk. thresh out = thrash out. [var. of THRASH]

by assoc. with woe] 1 sit

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wo put

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9 ago

al my

thrombi

1507

thrombi pl. of rxRomsus. thrombin /'@rombin/ n. an enzyme promoting the clotting of blood. [as THROMBUS + -IN] thrombocyte /'@romba,sait/ n. a blood platelet, a small plate of protoplasm concerned in the coagulation of blood. [as THROMBUS + -CYTE] thrombose /@rom'bouz/ v.tr. & intr. affect with or undergo thrombosis. [back-form. f. THROMBOSIS]

thrombosis /6rom'beusis/ n. (pl. thromboses /-si:z/) the coagulation of the blood in a blood-vessel or organ. 00 thrombotic [-'botik/ adj. [mod.L f. Gk thrombosis curdling (as THROMBUS)]

thrombus /'6rombss/ n. (pl. thrombi |-ba1/) a blood-clot formed in the vascular system and impeding the blood flow. [mod.l f. Gk thrombos lump, blood-clot] f throne /6roun/ n. & v. —n. 1a chair of State for a sovereign or bishop etc. 2 sovereign power (came to the throne). 3 (in pl.) the

third order of the ninefold celestial hierarchy. 4 colloq. a lavatory seat and bowl. —v.tr. place on a throne. oO throneless adj. {ME f. OF trone f. L thronus f. Gk thronos high seat] throng /@ron/ n. & v. —n. 1 a crowd of people. 2 (often foll. by _ of) a multitude, esp. in a small space. —v. 1 intr. come in great numbers (crowds thronged to the stadium). 2 tr. flock into or crowd round; fill with or as with a crowd (crowds thronged the streets). {ME thrang, throng, OE getnrang, f. verbal stem thring- thrang-]

throstle /'6rps(a)l/ n. 1 a song thrush. 2 (in full throstle-frame) a machine for continuously spinning wool or cotton etc. [OE f. Gmc: rel. to THRUSH!]

throttle /'@rot(s)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a (in full throttle-valve) a valve controlling the flow of fuel or steam etc. in an engine. b (in full throttle-lever) a lever or pedal operating this valve. 2 the throat, gullet, or windpipe. —v.tr. 1 choke or strangle. 2 prevent the utterance etc. of. 3 control (an engine or steam etc.) with a throttle. 0 throttle back (or down) reduce the speed of (an engine or vehicle) by throttling. 09 throttler n. [ME throtel (v.), perh. f. THROAT + -LE* (n.) perh. a dimin. of THROAT]

through /@ru:/ prep., adv., & adj. (also thro’, US thru) —prep. 1 a from end to end or from side to side of. b going in one side or end and out the other of. 2 between or among (swam through the waves). 3 from beginning to end (read through the letter, went through many difficulties). 4 because of; by the agency, means, or fault of (lost it through. carelessness). 5 US up to and including (Monday through Friday). —adv. 1 through a thing; from side to side, end to end, or beginning to end (went through to the garden; would not let us through). 2 having completed (esp. successfully) (are through their exams). 3 so as to be connected by telephone (will put you through). —attrib.adj. 1 (of a journey, route, etc.) done without a change of line or vehicle etc. or with one ticket. 2 (of traffic) going through a place to its destination. 0 be through collog. 1 (often foll. by with) have finished. 2 (often foll. by with) cease to have dealings. 3 have no further prospects (is through as a politician). no through road = no thoroughfare. through and through 1 thoroughly, completely. 2 through again and again. [OE thurh f. WG] throughout /@ru:'aut/ prep. & adv. — prep. right through; from end to end of (throughout the town; throughout the 18th century). —adv. in every part or respect (the timber was rotten throughout).

throughput /'6ru:pot/ n. the amount of material put through a process, esp. in manufacturing or computing.

throughway /'6ru:wei/ n. (also thruway) US a thoroughfare, esp. a motorway.

throve past of THRIVE. throw /6rou/ v. & n. —v.tr. (past threw /@ru:/; past part. thrown [8raun/) 1 propel with some force through the air or in a particular direction. 2 force violently into a specified position or state (the ship was thrown on the rocks; threw themselves down). 3 compel suddenly to be in a specified condition (was thrown out of work). 4 turn or move (part of the body) quickly or suddenly (threw an arm out). 5 project or cast (light, a shadow, a spell, etc.). 6 a bring to the ground in wrestling. b (of a horse) unseat (its rider). 7 collog. disconcert (the question threw me for a moment). 8 (foll. by on, off, etc.) put (clothes etc.) hastily on or off etc. 9 a cause (dice) to fall on a table. b obtain (a specified number) by au how

er day

av no

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19 near

o1 boy

va poor

thrum

throwing dice. 10 cause to pass or extend suddenly to another state or position (threw in the army; threw a bridge across the river). 11 move (a switch or lever) so as to operate it. 12 a form (ceramic ware) on a potter’s wheel. b turn (wood etc.) on a lathe. 13 have (a fit or tantrum etc.). 14 give (a party). 15 collog. lose (a contest or race etc.) intentionally. 16 Cricket bowl (a ball) with an illegitimate sudden straightening of the elbow. 17 (of a snake) cast (its skin). 18 (of an animal) give birth to (young). 19 twist (silk etc.) into thread or yarn. 20 (often foll. by into) put into another form or language etc. —n. 1 an act of throwing. 2 the distance a thing is or may be thrown (a record throw with the hammer). 3 the act of being thrown in wrestling. 4 Geol. & Mining aa fault in strata. b the amount of vertical displacement caused by this. 5 a machine or device giving rapid rotary motion. 6 a the movement of a crank or cam etc. b the extent of this. 7 the distance moved by the pointer of an instrument etc. 8 (in full throw rug) US aalight cover for furniture. b a light rug. 9 (prec. by a) sl. each; per item (sold at £10 a throw). 0 throw about (or around) 1 throw in various directions. 2 spend (one’s money) ostentatiously. throw away 1 discard as useless or unwanted. 2 waste or fail to make use of (an opportunity etc.). 3 discard (a card). 4 Theatr. speak (lines) with deliberate underemphasis. 5 (in passive; often foll. by on) be wasted (the advice was thrown away on him). throw-away adj. 1 meant to be thrown away after (one) use. 2 (of lines etc.) deliberately underemphasized. —n. a thing to be thrown away after (one) use. throw back 1 revert to ancestral character. 2 (usu. in passive; foll. by on) compel to rely on (was thrown back on his savings). throw-back n. 1 reversion to ancestral character. 2 an instance of this. throw cold water on see COLD. throw down cause to fall. throw down the gauntlet (or glove) issue a challenge. throw dust in a person’s eyes mislead a person by misrepresentation or distraction. throw good money after bad incur further loss in a hopeless attempt to recoup a previous loss. throw one’s hand in 1 abandon one’s chances in a card game, esp. poker. 2 give up; withdraw from a contest. throw in 1 interpose (a word or remark). 2 include at no extra cost. 3 throw (a football) from the edge of the pitch where it has gone out of play. 4 Cricket return (the ball) from the outfield. 5 Cards give (a player) the lead, to the player’s disadvantage. throw-in n. the throwing in of a football during play. throw in one’s lot with see Lor. throw in the towel admit defeat. throw light on see LIGHT!. throw off 1 discard; contrive to get rid of. 2 write or utter in an offhand manner. 3 (of hounds or a hunt) begin hunting; make a start. throw-off the start in a hunt or race. throw oneself at seek blatantly as a spouse or sexual partner. throw oneself into engage vigorously in. throw oneself on (or upon) 1 rely completely on. 2 attack. throw open (often foll. by to) 1 cause to be suddenly or widely open. 2 make accessible. throw out 1 put out forcibly or suddenly. 2 discard as unwanted. 3 expel (a troublemaker etc.). 4 build (a wing of a house, a pier, or a projecting or prominent thing). 5 put forward tentatively. 6 reject (a proposal or bill in Parliament). 7 confuse or distract (a person speaking, thinking, or acting) from the matter in hand. 8 Cricket & Baseball put out (an opponent) by throwing the ball to the wicket or base. throw over desert or abandon. throw stones cast aspersions. throw together 1 assemble hastily. 2 bring into casual contact. throw up 1 abandon. 2 resign from. 3 collog. vomit. 4 erect hastily. 5 bring to notice. 6 lift (a sash-window) quickly. throw up (or in) the sponge 1 (of a boxer or his attendant) throw the sponge used between rounds into the air as a token of defeat. 2 abandon a contest; admit defeat. throw one’s weight about (or around) collog. act with unpleasant self-assertiveness. 00 throwable adj. thrower n. (also in comb.). [OE thrawan twist, turn f. WG] throwster /'@rousto(r)/ n. a person who throws silk.

thru US var. of THROUGH. thrum! /@ram/ v. & n. —v. (thrummed, thrumming) 1 tr. play (a stringed instrument) monotonously or unskilfully. 2 intr. (often foll. by on) drum idly. —n. 1 such playing. 2 the resulting sound. [imit.] thrum2 /@ram/n. & v. —n. 1 the unwoven end of a warp-thread, or the whole of such ends, left when the finished web is

aia fire

aus sour

(see over for consonants)

thrush

thunderstruck

1508

to this. 2 part of a glove etc. for a thumb. —v. 1 tr. wear or soil (pages etc.) with a thumb (a well-thumbed book). 2 intr. turn over pages with or as with a thumb (thumbed through the directory). 3

cut away. 2 any short loose thread. —v.tr. (thrummed, thrumming) make of or cover with thrums. 00 thrummer n. thrummy adj. [OE f. Gmc]

thrush! /6raJ/ n. any small or medium-sized songbird of the

tr. request or obtain (a lift in a passing vehicle) by signalling

;

with a raised thumb. 4 tr. use the thumb in a gesture. 0 be all thumbs be clumsy with one’s hands. thumb index n. a set of lettered grooves cut down the side of a diary, dictionary, etc. for easy reference. —v.tr. provide (a book etc.) with these. thumb

family Turdidae, esp. a song thrush or mistle thrush (see MISTLE THRUSH, song thrush). [OE thrysce f. Gmc: cf. THROSTLE]

thrush? /@raf/ n. 1 a a disease, esp. of children, marked by whitish fungous vesicles in the mouth and throat. b a similar disease of the vagina. 2 inflammation affecting the frog of a horse’s foot. [17th c.: orig. unkn.] thrust /Orast/ v. & n. —v. (past and past part. thrust) 1 tr. push with a sudden impulse or with force (thrust the letter into my pocket). 2 tr. (foll. by on) impose (a thing) forcibly; enforce acceptance of (a thing) (had it thrust on me). 3 intr. (foll. by at, through) pierce or stab; make a sudden lunge. 4 tr. make (one’s way) forcibly. 5 intr. (foll. by through, past, etc.) force oneself (thrust past me abruptly). —n. 1 a sudden or forcible push or lunge. 2 the propulsive force developed by a jet or rocket engine. 3 a strong attempt to penetrate an enemy’s line or territory. 4 a remark aimed at a person. 5 the stress between the parts of an arch etc. 6 (often foll. by of) the chief theme or gist of remarks etc. 7 an attack with the point of a weapon. 8 (in full thrust fault) Geol. a low-angle reverse fault, with older strata displaced horizontally over newer. 0 thrust-block a casting or frame carrying or containing the bearings on which the collars of a propeller shaft press. thrust oneself (or one’s nose) in obtrude, interfere. thrust stage a stage extending into the audience. [ME thruste etc. f. ON thrysta] thruster /'@rasto(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that thrusts. 2 a small rocket engine used to provide extra or correcting thrust on a spacecraft.

one’s nose = cock a snook (see SNOOK}). thumb-nut a nut shaped

for turning with the thumb and forefinger. thumbs down an indication of rejection or failure. thumbs up an indication of satisfaction or approval. under a person’s thumb completely dominated by a person. 00 thumbed adj. (also in comb.). thumbless adj. [OE thiima f. a WG root = swell]

thumbnail /'@amnetl/ n. 1 the nail of a thumb. 2 (attrib.) denoting conciseness (a thumbnail sketch).

thumbprint /'@amprmt/ 1. an impression of a thumb esp. as used for identification. thumbscrew /'@amskru:/ n. 1 an instrument of torture for crushing the thumbs. 2a screw with a flattened head for turning with the thumb and forefinger.

thumbtack /'@amtzk/ n. esp. US a drawing-pin. thump /$amp/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. beat or strike heavily esp. with the fist (threatened to thump me). 2 intr. throb or pulsate strongly (my heart was thumping). 3 intr. (foll. by at, on, etc.) deliver blows, esp. to attract attention (thumped on the door). 4 tr. (often foll. by out) play (a tune on a piano etc.) with a heavy touch. 5 intr. tread heavily. —n. 1 a heavy blow. 2 the sound of this. 00 thumper

n. [imit.] thumping

thruway US var. of THROUGHWAY. Thucydides /6ju:'sidi,di:z/ (c.455-/ an agricultural centre to the west of Brisbane in the Darling Downs region of Queensland in NE Australia; pop. (est. 1987) 79,100. top! /top/ n., adj., & v. —n. 1 the highest point or part (the top of the house). 2 a the highest rank or place (at the top of the school). b a person occupying this (was top in maths). ¢ the upper end or head (the top of the table). 3 the upper surface of a thing, esp. of the ground, a table, etc. 4 the upper part of a thing, esp.: a a blouse, jumper, etc. for wearing with a skirt or trousers. b the upper part of a shoe or boot. ¢ the stopper of a bottle. d the lid of a jar, saucepan, etc. e the creamy part of milk. f the folding roof of a car, pram, or carriage. g the upper edge or edges of a page or pages in a book (gilt top). 5 the utmost degree; height (called at the top of his voice). 6 (in pl.) collog. a person or thing of the best quality (he’s tops at cricket). 7 (esp. in pl.) the leaves etc.

z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

platform round the head of the lower mast, serving to extend the topmost rigging or carry guns. 10 (in pl.) esp. Bridge the two or three highest cards of a suit. 11 Brit. = top gear (climbed the hill in top). 12 = TopsPIN. —adj. 1 highest in position (the top shelf). 2 highest in degree or importance (at top speed; the top job). —v.tr. (topped, topping) 1 provide with a top, cap, etc. (cake topped with icing). 2 remove the top of (a plant, fruit, etc.), esp. to improve growth, prepare for cooking, etc. 3 be higher or better than; surpass; be at the top of (topped the list). 4 sl. a execute esp. by hanging, kill. b (refl.) commit suicide. 5 reach the top of (a hill etc.). 6 Golf a hit (a ball) above the centre. b make (a stroke) in this way. 0 at the top (or at the top of the tree) in the highest rank of a profession etc. come to the top win distinction. from top to toe from head to foot; completely. off the top of one’s head see HEAD. on top 1 in a superior position; above. 2 on the upper part of the head (bald on top). on top of 1 fully in command of. 2 in close proximity to. 3 in addition to. on top of the world collog. exuberant. over the top 1 over the parapet of a trench (and into battle). 2 into a final or decisive state. 3 to excess, beyond reasonable limits (that joke was over the top). top-boot esp. hist. a boot with a high top esp. of a different material or colour. top brass esp. Mil. colloq. the highest-ranking officers, heads of industries, etc. top copy the uppermost typed copy (cf. carbon copy). top dog collog. a victor or master. top drawer 1 the uppermost drawer in a chest etc. 2 collog. high social position or origin. top-dress apply manure or fertilizer on the top of (earth) instead of ploughing it in. top-dressing 1 this process. 2 manure so applied. 3 a superficial show. top-flight in the highest rank of achievement. top fruit Brit. fruit grown on trees, not bushes. top gear Brit. the highest gear in a motor vehicle or bicycle. top-hamper an encumbrance on top, esp. the upper sails and rigging of a ship. top hat a man’s tall silk hat. top-hole Brit. collog. first-rate. top-level of the highest level of importance, prestige, etc. top-notch collog. first-rate. top-notcher collog. a first-rate person or thing. top off (or up) put an end or the finishing touch

teeth.

small pieces of food lodged between the teeth. toothsome /'tu:@som/ adj. (of food) delicious, appetizing.

es

1 sit

to (a thing). top out put the highest stone on (a building). top one’s part esp. Theatr. act or discharge one’s part to perfection. top-sawyer 1 a sawyer in the upper position in a saw-pit. 2a person who holds a superior position; a distinguished person. top secret of the highest secrecy. top ten (or twenty etc.) the first ten (or twenty etc.) gramophone records in the charts. top up esp. Brit. 1 a complete (an amount or number). b fill up (a glass or other partly full container). 2 top up something for (a person) (may I top you up with sherry?). top-up n. an addition; something that serves to top up (esp. a partly full glass). 00 topmost adj. [OE topp] top? /top/ n. a wooden or metal toy, usu. conical, spherical, or pear-shaped, spinning on a point when set in motion by hand, string, etc. [OE, of uncert. orig.] topaz /'toupxz/ n. 1 a transparent or translucent aluminium silicate mineral, usu. yellow, used as a gem. 2 any South American humming-bird of the genus Topaza. [ME f. OF topace, topaze f. L topazus f. Gk topazos] topazolite /to'pezo,lait/ n. a yellow or green kind of garnet. [TOPAZ + -LITE] topcoat /'topkaot/ n. 1 an overcoat. 2 an outer coat of paint etc. tope! /toup/ v.intr. archaic or literary drink alcohol to excess, esp. habitually. 00 toper n. [perh. f. obs. top quaff] tope? /toup/ n. Ind. a grove, esp. of mangoes. [Telugu topu, Tamil

toppu] tope? /taup/n. = stupa. [Punjab top f. Prakrit & Pali thiipo f. Skr. STUPA]

tope? /toup/ n. a small shark, Galeorhinus galeus. [perh. f. Corn.] topee var. of ToPI.

Topeka /ta'pi:ka/ the capital of Kansas; pop. (1980) 115,266. topgallant /top'gzlont, to'gzlont/ n. Naut. the mast, sail, yard, or rigging immediately above the topmast and topsail. top-heavy /top'hevi/ adj. 1 disproportionately heavy at the top so as to be in danger of toppling. 2 a (of an organization,

i: see

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9 ago

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Tophet

business, etc.) having a disproportionately large number of people in senior administrative positions. b overcapitalized. 3 collog. (of a woman) having a disproportionately large bust. oo top-heavily adv. top-heaviness n.

Tophet /'toofit/ Bibl. hell. [mame of a place in the Valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem used for idolatrous worship and later for burning refuse:f. Heb. topet] tophus /'taofes/ n. (pl. tophi /-far/) 1 Med. a gouty deposit of crystalline uric acid and other substances at the surface of joints. 2 Geol. = Tura. [L, name of loose porous stones] topii /'toup1/ n. (also topee) (pl. topis or topees) Anglo-Ind. a hat, esp. a sola topi. [Hindi topi]} topiary /'toopreri/ adj. & n. —adj. concerned with or formed by clipping shrubs, trees, etc. into ornamental shapes. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 topiary art. 2 an example of this. 00 topiarian [-pi'earton/ adj. topiarist n. [F topiaire f. L topiarius landscapegardener f. topia opera fancy gardening f. Gk topia pl. dimin. of topos place] topic /'topik/ n. 1 a theme for a book, discourse, essay, sermon, etc. 2 the subject of a conversation or argument. [L topica f. Gk (ta) topika topics, as title of a treatise by Aristotle f. topos a place,. a commonplace]

topical /'toprk(s)l/ adj. 1 dealing with the news, current affairs, etc. (a topical song). 2 dealing with a place; local. 3 Med. (of an ailment, medicine, etc.) affecting a part of the body. 4 of or concerning topics. 00 topicality /-'keliti/ n. topically adv.

Topkapi Palace /top'ka:pi/ the former Seraglio or residence in Istanbul of the sultans of the Ottoman empire, last occupied by Mahmut II (1808-39) and now a museum.

topknot /'topnot/ n. a knot, tuft, crest, or bow of ribbon, worn or growing on the head. topless /'toplis/ adj. 1 without or seeming to be without a top. 2 a (of clothes) having no upper part. b (of a person) wearing such clothes; bare-breasted. ¢ (of a place, esp. a beach) where

women go topless. 00 teplessness n.

toplofty /top'lpft1/ adj. US collog. haughty. topman /'topmon/ n. (pl. -men) 1 a top-sawyer. 2 Naut. a man doing duty in a top.

topmast /'topmai:st/ n. Naut. the mast next above the lower mast. topography /te'pogrofi/ n. 1 a a detailed description, representation on a map, etc., of the natural and artificial features of a town, district, etc. b such features. 2 Anat. the mapping of the surface of the body with reference to the parts beneath. oO topographer n. topographic /-'grzfik/ adj. topographical [-'grefik(o)l/ adj. topographically /-'grefikoli/ adv. [ME f. LL topographia f. Gk f. topos place]

topoi pl. of Topos. topology /te'ppled3i/ n. Math. the study of geometrical properties and spatial relations unaffected by the continuous change of shape or size of figures. 00 topological /,topo'lod3ik()l/ adj. topologically /,topa'lod3ikoli/ adv. topologist n. [G Topologie f. Gk topos place] toponym /'toponim/ n. 1 a place-name. 2 a descriptive placename, usu. derived from a topographical feature of the place. [TOPONYMY] toponymy /to'ponimi/ n. the study of the place-names of a region. 00 toponymic /-'nimrk/ adj. [Gk topos place + onoma name] topos /'topos/ n. (pl. topoi /'topor/) a stock theme in literature etc. [Gk, = commonplace] topper /'topa(r)/ n. 1 a thing that tops. 2 collog. = top hat (see Top). 3 collog. a good fellow; a good sort.

topping /'topin/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 pre-eminent in position, rank, etc. 2 Brit. archaic sl. excellent. —n. anything that tops something else, esp. icing etc. on a cake.

topple /'top(s)l/ v.intr. & tr. (usu. foll. by over, down) 1 fall or cause to fall as if top-heavy. 2 totter or cause to totter and fall. [rop! + -LE4]

topsail /'topseil, -s(a)l/ n. a square sail next above the lowest fore-and-aft sail on a gaff.

au how

e1 day

tormentil

1523

ou no

eo hair

to near

o1 boy

ua poor

topside /'topsaid/ n. 1 Brit. the outer side of a round of beef. 2 the side of a ship above the water-line.

topsoil /'topsorl/ n. the top layer of soil (opp. suBso1t). topspin /'topspin/ n. a fast forward spinning motion imparted to a ball in tennis etc. by hitting it forward and upward. topsy-turvy /|,topsi'ts:vi/ adv., adj., & n. —adv. & adj. 1 upside down. 2 in utter confusion. —n. utter confusion. oo topsy-turvily adv. topsy-turviness n. [app. f. Top! + obs. terve overturn] toque /touk/ n. 1a woman’s small brimless hat. 2 hist. a small cap or bonnet for a man or woman. [F, app. = It. tocca, Sp. toca, of unkn. orig.]

toquilla /to'ki:jo/ n. 1a palmlike tree, Carludovica palmata, native to S. America. 2 a fibre produced from the leaves of this. [Sp., = small gauze head-dress, dimin. of toca toque] tor /to:(r)/ n. a hill or rocky peak, esp. in Devon or Cornwall. [OE torr: cf. Gael. torr bulging hill]

Torah |'to:ra/ n. 1(usu. prec. by the) a the Pentateuch. ba scroll containing this. 2 the will of God as revealed in Mosaic law.

[Heb. torah instruction] torc var. of TORQUE 1.

torch /to:t{/n. & v. —n. 1 (also electric torch) Brit. a portable battery-powered electric lamp. 2 a a piece of wood, cloth, etc.,

soaked in tallow and lighted for illumination. b any similar lamp, e.g. an oil-lamp on a pole. 3 a source of heat, illumination, or enlightenment (bore aloft the torch of freedom). 4 esp. US a blowlamp. 5 US sl. an arsonist. —v.tr. esp. US sl. set alight with a torch. 0 carry a torch for suffer from unrequited love for. put to the torch destroy by burning. torch-fishing catching fish by torchlight at night. torch-race Gk Antiq. a festival performance of runners handing lighted torches to others in relays. torch singer a woman who sings torch songs. torch song a popular song of unrequited love. torch-thistle any tall cactus of the genus Cereus, with funnel-shaped flowers which open at night. [ME f. OF torche f. L torqua f. torquére twist} torchére /to:'feo(r)/ n. a tall stand with a small table for a candlestick etc. [F (as TORCH)]

torchlight /'to:tflart/ n. the light of a torch or torches. torchon /'to:{(o)n, -{5/ n. (in full torchon lace) coarse bobbin lace with geometrical designs. [F, = duster, dishcloth f. torcher wipe]

tore! past of TEAR}. tore? /to:(r)/ n. = Torus 1, 4. [F f. L torus: see TORUS] toreador /'torio,do:(r)/ n. a bullfighter, esp. on horseback. o toreador pants close-fitting calf-length women’s trousers. [Sp. f. torear fight bulls f. toro bull f. L taurus} torero /to'rearau/ n. (pl. -os) a bullfighter. [Sp. f. toro: see TOREADOR]

toreutic /to'ru:trk/ adj. & n. —adj. of or concerning the chasing, carving, and embossing of esp. metal. —rn. (in pl.) the art or practice of this. [Gk toreutikos f. toreu6 work in relief] torgoch /'to:gpx/ n. a kind of red-bellied char found in some Welsh lakes. [Welsh f. tor belly + coch red]

tori pl. of Torus. toric /'torik/ adj. Geom. having the form of a torus or part of a

torus. torii /'to:r1/ n. (pl. same) the gateway of a Shinto shrine, with two uprights and two crosspieces. [Jap.]

Torino see Turin. torment n. & v. —n. /'to:ment/ 1 severe physical or mental suffering (was in torment). 2 a cause of this. 3 archaic a torture. b an instrument of torture. —v.tr. /to:'ment/ 1 subject to torment (tormented with worry). 2 tease or worry excessively (enjoyed tormenting the teacher). 00 tormentedly adv. tormentingly adv. tormentor /-'mento(r)/ n. [ME f. OF torment, tormenter f. L tormentum missile-engine f. torquére to twist]

tormentil /'to:montil/ n. a low-growing plant, Potentilla erecta, with bright yellow flowers and a highly astringent rootstock used in medicine. [ME f. OF tormentille f. med.L tormentilla, of unkn. orig.]

ats fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

torn

tortoise

1524

a drug, etc.). 2 parch or scorch with heat. 00 torrefaction |-\faekf(2)n/ n. [F torréfier f. L torrefacere f. torrére scorch] torrent /'torant/ n. 1 a rushing stream of water, lava, etc. 2 (in pl.) a great downpour of rain (came down in torrents). 3 (usu. foll. by of) a violent or copious flow (uttered a torrent of abuse). 00 torrential /to'ren{(2)l/ adj. torrentially /ta'renfolt/ adv. [F f. It. torrente f. L torrens -entis scorching, boiling, roaring f. torrére

torn past part. of TEAR}. tornado |to:'netdou/ n. (pl. -oes) 1 a violent storm of small extent with whirling winds, esp.: a in West Africa at the beginning and end of the rainy season. b in the US etc. over a narrow path often accompanied by a funnel-shaped cloud. 2 an outburst or volley of cheers, hisses, missiles, etc. 00 tornadic /-'nzedrk/ adj. [app. assim. of Sp. tronada thunderstorm (f. tronar to thunder) to Sp. tornar to turn]

scorch]

Torres Strait /'toris/ a channel linking the Arafura Sea and

Tornio /'to:n1au/ 1 (Swedish Tornea) a town in NW Finland at

Coral Sea and separating the north tip of Queensland, Australia, from the island of New Guinea.

the head of the Gulf of Bothnia; pop. (1987) 22,538. 2 (Swedish Torne) a river that rises in NE Sweden and flows south along the Sweden-Finland frontier before emptying into the Gulf of Bothnia.

Torricelli

toroid /'to:ro1d/ n. a figure of toroidal shape. toroidal /to:'ro1d(a)l/ adj. Geom. of or resembling a torus. 00 toroidally adv. Toronto /to'rpnteu/ the capital of Ontario and largest city in Canada; pop. (1986) 612,300; metropolitan area pop. 3,427,200. torose /|'to:raus/ adj. 1 Bot. (of plants, esp. their stalks) cylindrical with bulges at intervals. 2 Zool. knobby. [L torosus f. torus: see TORUS] torpedo |to:'pi:dou/ n. & v. —n. (pl. -oes) 1 a a cigar-shaped self-propelled underwater missile fired at a ship and exploding on impact. (See below.) b (in full aerial torpedo) a similar device dropped from an aircraft. 2 Zool. an electric ray. 3 US an explosive device or firework. —v.tr. (-oes, -oed) 1 destroy or attack with a torpedo. 2 make (a policy, institution, plan, etc.) ineffective or inoperative; destroy. 0 torpedo-boat a small fast lightly armed warship for carrying or discharging torpedoes. torpedo-net (or -netting) netting of steel wire hung round a ship to intercept torpedoes. torpedo-tube a tube from which torpedoes are fired. 00 torpedo-like adj. [L, = numbness, electric ray f. torpére be numb] The term was originally applied to a case charged with gunpowder designed to explode under water after a given interval so as to destroy any vessel in its immediate vicinity. This submarine mine was either towed by a ship or moored and allowed to drift. The first self-propelled torpedo was designed in 1866 by Robert Whitehead, a British engineer, and the first successful use of the weapon in war was by the Japanese against the Russians in 1904. Torpedoes can be launched by ships or aircraft but have been used most successfully by submarines, and accounted for heavy shipping losses in the Second World War. Since then developments have included sophisticated acoustic devices that enable the torpedo to home in on its target. torpefy /'to:p1,far/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) make numb or torpid. [L torpefacere f. torpére be numb]

torpid /'to:pid/ adj. 1 sluggish, inactive, dull, apathetic. 2 numb. 3 (of a hibernating animal) dormant. 00 torpidity /-'piditi/ n. torpidly adv. torpidness n. [L torpidus (as TORPOR)] torpor /'to:po(r)/ n. torpidity. 00 torporific /-'r1fik/ adj. [L f. torpére be sluggish] torquate /'to:kwert/ adj. Zool. (of an animal) with a ring of distinctive colour or texture of hair or plumage round the neck. [L torquatus (as TORQUE)] torque /to:k/ n. 1 (also tore) hist. a necklace of twisted metal, esp. of the ancient Gauls and Britons. 2 Mech. the moment of a system of forces tending to cause rotation. 0 torque converter a device to transmit the correct torque from the engine to the axle in a motor vehicle. [(sense 1 F f. L torques) f. L torquére to twist]

Torquemada

/|,to:ki'ma:da/, Tomas de (c.1420-98), Spanish

cleric, a Dominican monk who became Inquisitor-General of Spain and Grand Inquisitor, and transformed the Inquisition into an instrument of the State. He earned a reputation for

ruthlessness and ferocious repression of religious heterodoxy and was the prime mover in the expulsion of the Jews from Spain from 1492 onwards. torr /to:(r)/ n. (pl. same) a unit of pressure used in measuring partial vacuums, equal to 133.32 pascals. [E. TORRICELLI] torrefy /'tori,fat/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 roast or dry (metallic ore,

b but

ddog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

|,to:ri'tfeli/, Evangelista (1608-47), Italian math-

ematician and physicist, a disciple of Galileo whom he succeeded as mathematician to the court of Tuscany. A law or theorem that bears his name deals with the velocity of liquids flowing under the force of gravity from orifices. His most important invention was the mercury barometer in 1643, with which he demonstrated that the atmosphere exerts a pressure by showing that it could support a column of mercury in an inverted closed tube, and he was the first person to produce a sustained vacuum.

torrid /'torid/ adj. 1 a (of the weather) very hot and dry. b (of land etc.) parched by such weather. 2 (of language or actions) emotionally charged; passionate, intense. 0 torrid zone the central belt of the earth between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. 00 torridity /-'riditi/ n. torridly adv. torridness n. [F torride or Ltorridus f. torrére parch] torse /to:s/ n. Heraldry a wreath. [obs. F torse, torce wreath ult. f. L torta fem. past part. (as TORT)]

torsel var. of TASsEL?. Térshavn |'to:shaun/ the capital of the Faeroe Islands, situated on the island of Strema; pop. (1986) 15,300. torsion /'to:{(2)n/ n. 1 twisting, esp. of one end of a body while the other is held fixed. 2 Math. the extent to which a curve departs from being planar. 3 Bot. the state of being twisted into a spiral. 4 Med. the twisting of the cut end of an artery after surgery etc. to impede bleeding. 0 torsion balance an instrument for measuring very weak forces by their effect upon a system of fine twisted wire. torsion bar a bar forming part of a vehicle suspension, twisting in response to the motion of the wheels, and absorbing their vertical movement. torsion pendulum a pendulum working by rotation rather than by swinging. oO torsional adj. torsionally adv. torsionless adj. [ME f. OF f. LL torsio -onis f. L tortio (as TORT)] torsk /to:sk/ n. a fish of the cod family, Brosmius brosme, abundant in northern waters and often dried for food. [Norw. to(r)sk f. ON tho(r)skr prob. rel. to thurr dry] torso /'to:sau/ n. (pl. -os) 1 the trunk of the human body. 2 a statue of a human consisting of the trunk alone, without head or limbs. 3 an unfinished or mutilated work (esp. of art, literature, etc.). [It., = stalk, stump, torso, f. L thyrsus] tort /to:t/ n. Law a breach of duty (other than under contract) leading to liability for damages. [ME f. OF f. med.L tortum wrong, neut. past part. of L torquére tort- twist] torte /'to:rta/ n. (pl. torten /'to:t(2)n/ or tortes) an elaborate sweet cake or tart. [G]

tortfeasor /'to:t,fi:za(r)/ n. Law a person guilty of tort. [OF tortfesor, tort-faiseur, etc. f. tort wrong, -fesor, faiseur doer] torticollis /,to:ti'kolis/ n. Med. a rheumatic etc. disease of the muscles of the neck, causing twisting and stiffness. [mod.L f. L tortus crooked + collum neck] tortilla /to:'ti:jo, -'ti:ljo/ n. a thin flat orig. Mexican maize cake eaten hot or cold with or without a filling. [Sp. dimin. of torta cake f. LL]

tortious /'to:[as/ adj. Law constituting a tort; wrongful.

oo

tortiously adv. [AF torcious f. torcion extortion f. LL tortio torture: see TORSION] tortoise /'to:tos/n. 1 any slow-moving land or freshwater reptile of the family Testudinidae, encased in a scaly or leathery domed shell, and having a retractile head and elephantine legs. 2 Rom.

Antiq. = TESTUDO. 00 tortoise-like adj. & adv. a tortuce, OF tortue, f. med.L tortuca, of uncert. orig.] k cat

lleg

m man

nno

p pen

rred s sit

t top vvoice

tortoiseshell

totem

1525

tortoiseshell /'to:tas,fel/ n. & adj. —n. 1 the yellowish-brown mottled or clouded outer shell of some turtles, used for decorative hair-combs, jewellery, etc. 2 a = tortoiseshell cat. b = tortoiseshell butterfly. —adj. having the colouring or appearance of tortoiseshell. o tortoiseshell butterfly any of various butterflies, esp. of the genus Aglais or Nymphalis, with wings mottled like tortoiseshell. tortoiseshell cat a domestic cat with markings resembling tortoiseshell. Tortola /to:'tovle/ the principal island of the British Virgin Islands in the West Indies; chief town, Road Town. tortrix /'to:triks/ n. any moth of the family Tortricidae, esp. Tortrix viridana, the larvae of which live inside rolled leaves. {mod.L, fem. of L tortor twister: see TORT] tortuous /'to:tjues/ adj. 1 full of twists and turns (followed a tortuous route). 2 devious, circuitous, crooked (has a tortuous mind). OO tortuosity /-'psiti/ n. (pl. -ies). tortuously adv. tortuousness n. [ME f. OF f. L tortuosus f. tortus a twist (as TORT)] torture /'to:tfo(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 the infliction of severe bodily

pain esp. as a punishment or a means of persuasion. 2 severe physical or mental suffering (the torture of defeat). —v.tr. 1 subject to torture (tortured by guilt). 2 force out of a natural position or state; deform; pervert. oo torturable adj. torturer n. torturous adj. torturously adv. [F f. LL tortura twisting (as TORT)] torula /'toru:lo/ n. (pl. torulae /-\li:/) 1 a yeast, Candida utilis, used medicinally as a food additive. 2 any yeast-like fungus of the genus Torula, growing on dead vegetation. [mod.L, dimin. of torus: see TORUS] torus /'to:ras/ n. (pl. tori /-rat/)-1 Archit. a large convex bun-shaped moulding esp. as the lowest part of the base of a column. 2 Bot. the receptacle of a flower. 3 Anat. a smooth ridge of bone or muscle. 4 Geom. a surface or solid formed by rotating a closed curve, esp. a circle, about a line in its plane but not intersecting it. [L, = swelling, buige, cushion, etc.]

Torvill /'to:v1l/, Jayne (1957-_), English skater, who in partnership with Christopher Dean won many championships in ice-dancing in 1981-4.

Tory /'to:ri/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 collog. = CONSERVATIVE n. 2. 2 hist. a member of the party that opposed the exclusion of James II and later supported the established religious and political order and gave rise to the Conservative party (opp. Wuic). (See below.) 3 US hist. derog. a colonist loyal to the British during the War of American Independence. -~adj. collog. = CONSERVATIVE adj. 3. 00 Toryism n. [orig. = Irish outlaw, prob. f. Ir. f. tir pursue. The term was used in the 17thc. of the dispossessed Irish, who became outlaws and subsisted by plundering and killing the English settlers and soldiers. It became used as an abusive nickname (1679-80) for those who opposed the exclusion of James, Duke of York (a Roman Catholic), from the succession to the Crown—reputedly because the Duke was seen to favour Irishmen.]} Historically the Tories were associated with the Church of England and with non-toleration of religious nonconformists and Catholics. They suffered as a result of their links with the

Jacobites and were excluded from office in the first half of the 18th c. After 1760 they accepted George III and the established order in Church and State. Their fortunes rose as opponents of the French Revolution, but after the end of the Napoleonic Wars they became increasingly reactionary, a trend which led to their eventual defeat in 1830. In the following decades, particularly under the influence of Peel, the nature of the party changed, and it became known by the name Conservative.

hand. 2 tr. & intr. roll about, throw, or be thrown, restlessly or from side to side (the ship tossed on the ocean; was tossing and turning all night; tossed her head angrily). 3 tr. (usu. foll. by to, away, aside, out, etc.) throw (a thing) lightly or carelessly (tossed the letter away). 4 tr. a throw (a coin) into the air to decide a choice etc. by the side on which it lands. b (also absol.; often foll. by for) settle a question or dispute with (a person) in this way (tossed him for the armchair, tossed for it). 5 tr. a (of a bull etc.) throw (a person etc.) up with the horns. b (of a horse etc.) throw (a rider) off its back. 6 tr. coat (food) with dressing etc. by shaking. 7 tr. bandy about in debate; discuss (tossed thequestion back and forth). —n. 1 the act or an instance of tossing (a coin, the head, etc.). 2 Brit. a fall, esp. from a horse. 0 toss one’s head throw it back esp. in anger, impatience, etc. tossing the caber the Scottish

sport of throwing a tree-trunk. toss oars raise oars to an upright position in salute. toss off 1 drink off at a draught. 2 dispatch (work) rapidly or without effort (tossed off an omelette). 3 Brit. coarse sl. masturbate. {/ Usually considered a taboo use in sense 3. toss a pancake throw it up so that it flips on to the other side in the frying-pan. toss up toss a coin to decide a choice etc. toss-up n. 1 a doubtful matter; a close thing (it’s a toss-up whether he wins). 2 the tossing of a coin. [16th c.: orig. unkn.] tosser /'tosa(r)/ n. 1 Brit. coarse sl. an unpleasant or contemptible person. 2 a person or thing that tosses. tot! /tot/ n. 1 a small child (a tiny tot). 2 a dram of liquor. [18th c., of dial. orig.]

tot? /tot/ v. & n. —v. (totted, totting) 1 tr. (usu. foll. by up) add (figures etc.). 2 intr. (foll. by up) (of items) mount up. —n. Brit. archaic a set of figures to be added. 0 totting-up 1 the adding of separate items. 2 Brit. the adding of convictions for driving offences to cause disqualification. tot up to amount to. [abbr. of TOTAL or of L totum the whole]

tot? /tot/ v. & n. Brit. sl. —v.intr. (totted, totting) collect saleable items from refuse as an occupation. —n. an article collected from refuse. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] total /'tavt(s)l/ adj., n., & v. —adj. 1 complete, comprising the whole (the total number of people). 2 absolute, unqualified (in total ignorance; total abstinence). —n. a total number or amount. —v. (totalled, totalling; US totaled, totaling) 1 tr. a amount in number to (they totalled 131). b find the total of (things, a set of figures, etc.). 2 intr. (foll. by to, up to) amount to, mount up to. 3 tr. US sl. wreck completely. 0 total abstinence abstaining completely from alcohol. total eclipse an eclipse in which the whole disc (of the sun, moon, etc.) is obscured. total internal reflection reflection without refraction of a light-ray meeting the interface between two media at more thana certain critical angle to the normal. total recall the ability to remember every detail of one’s experience clearly. total war a war in which all available weapons and resources are employed. oo totally adv. [ME f. OF f. med.L totalis f. totus entire]

totalitarian /tov,tzli'teorron/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating toa centralized dictatorial form of government requiring complete subservience to the State. —n. a person advocating such a system. 00 totalitarianism n. totality /tou'teliti/n. 1 the complete amount or sum. 2 Astron. the time during which an eclipse is total.

totalizator |'tovtelat,zerta(r)/ n. (also totalisator) 1 a device showing the number and amount of bets staked on a race, to facilitate the division of the total among those backing the winner. 2 a system of betting based on this. totalize /'touta,la1z/ v.tr. (also -ise) collect into a total; find the total of. 00 totalization /-'zer{(2)n/ n.

Toscanini |,toske'ni:ni/, Arturo (1867-1957), Italian conductor

totalizer /'touta,laiza(r)/ n. = TOTALIZATOR. tote! /tout/ n. sl. 1a totalizator. 2 a lottery. [abbr.]

and cellist. He conducted at La Scala, Milan, and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. The NBC (National Broadcasting Company) formed a new orchestra in New York for him, which he conducted from 1937 to 1954, giving public concerts and many famous concert performances of operas. He always conducted from memory. tosh /tof/ n. collog. rubbish, nonsense. [19th c.: orig. unkn.] toss /tps/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. throw up (a ball etc.) esp. with the

tote? /tout/ v.tr. esp. US collog. carry, convey, esp. a heavy load (toting a gun). o tote bag a woman’s large bag for shopping etc. tote box US a small container for goods. o0 toter n. (also in comb.). [17th-c. US, prob. of dial. orig.] totem /'tavtom/ n. 1 a natural object, esp. an animal, adopted by North American Indians as an emblem of a clan or an individual. 2 an image of this. 0 totem-pole 1 a pole on which totems are carved or hung. 2 a hierarchy. 00 totemic /-'tem1k/

Toscana see Tuscany.

wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

tother

Toulon

1526 585

adj. totemism [Algonquian]

n.

totemist

n.

totemistic

/-'mistrk/

adj.

tother /'tado(r)/ adj. & pron. (also t’other) dial. or joc. the other. O tell tother from which joc. tell one from the other. [ME the tother, for earlier thet other ‘that other’; now understood as = the other] totter /'toto(r)/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 stand or walk unsteadily or feebly (tottered out of the pub). 2 a (of a building etc.) shake or rock as if about to collapse. b (of a system of government etc.) be about to fall. —n. an unsteady or shaky movement or gait. 00 totterer n. tottery adj. [ME f. MDu. touteren to swing]. toucan /'tu:kon/ n. any tropical American fruit-eating bird of the family Ramphastidae, with an immense beak and brightly coloured plumage. [Tupi tucana, Guarani tuca]

touch /tatf/v. & n. —v. 1 tr. come into or be in physical contact with (another thing) at one or more points. 2tr. (often foll. by with) bring the hand etc. into contact with (touched her arm). 3 a intr. (of two things etc.) be in or come into contact with one another (the balls were touching). b tr. bring (two things) into mutual contact (they touched hands). 4 tr. rouse tender or painful feelings in (was touched by his appeal). 5 tr. strike lightly (just touched the wall with the back bumper). 6 tr. (usu. with neg.) a disturb or harm (don’t touch my things). b have any dealings with (won’t touch bricklaying). ¢ consume; use up; make use of (dare not touch alcohol; has not touched her breakfast; need not touch your savings). d cope with; affect; manage (soap won’t touch this dirt). 7 tr. a deal with (a subject) lightly or in passing (touched the matter of their expenses). b concern (it touches you closely). 8 tr. a reach or rise as far as, esp. momentarily (the thermometer touched 90°). b (usu. with neg.) approach in excellence etc. (can’t touch him for style). 9 tr. affect slightly; modify (pity touched with fear). 10 tr. (as touched adj.) slightly mad. 11 tr. (often foll. by in) esp. Art mark lightly, put in (features etc.) with a brush, pencil, etc. 12 tr. a strike (the keys, strings, etc. of a musical instrument). b strike the keys or strings of (a piano etc.). 13 tr. (usu. foll. by for) sl. ask for and get money etc. from (a person) as a loan or gift (touched him for £5). 14 tr. injure slightly (blossom touched by frost). 15 tr. Geom. be tangent to (a curve). —n. 1 the act or an instance of touching, esp. with the body or hand (felt a touch on my arm). 2a the faculty of perception through physical contact, esp. with the fingers (has no sense of touch in her right arm). b the qualities of an object etc. as perceived in this way (the soft touch of silk). 3 a small amount; a slight trace (a touch of salt; a touch of irony). 4 aa musician’s manner of playing Keys or strings. b the manner in which the keys or strings respond to touch. ¢ an artist’s or writer’s style of workmanship, writing, etc. (has a delicate touch). 5 a distinguishing quality or trait (a professional touch). 6 (esp. in pl.) aa light stroke with a pen, pencil, etc. b a slight alteration or improvement (speech needs a few touches). 7 = TAG?. 8 (prec. by a) slightly (is a touch too arrogant). 9 sl. a the act of asking for and getting money etc. from a person. b a person from whom money etc. is so obtained. 10 Football the part of the field outside the side limits. 11 archaic a test with or as if with a touchstone (put it to the touch). 0 at a touch if touched, however lightly (opened at a touch). easy touch sl. a person who readily parts with money. finishing touch (or touches) the final details completing and enhancing a piece of work etc. get (or put) in (or into) touch with come or cause to come into communication with; contact. in touch (often foll. by with) 1 in communication (we’re still in touch after all these years), 2 up to date, esp. regarding news etc. (keeps in touch with events). 3 aware, conscious, empathetic (not in touch with her own feelings). keep in touch (often foll. by with) 1 remain informed (kept in touch with the latest developments). 2 continue correspondence, a friendship, etc. lose touch (often foll. by with) 1 cease to be informed. 2 cease to correspond with or be in contact with another person. lose one’s touch not show one’s customary skill. the Nelson touch a masterly or sympathetic approach to a problem (from Horatio Nelson, Admiral at Trafalgar). out of touch (often foll. by with) 1 not in correspondence. 2 not up to date or modern. 3 lacking in awareness or sympathy (out of touch with his son’s beliefs). personal touch a characteristic or individual approach to a situation. soft touch = easy touch (see TOUCH). to the touch when touched wz cat

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888

(was cold to the touch). touch-and-go uncertain regarding a result; risky (it was touch-and-go whether we'd catch the train). touch _ at (of a ship) call at (a port etc.). touch bottom 1 reach the bottom of water with one’s feet. 2 be at the lowest or worst point. 3 be in possession of the full facts. touch down 1 Rugby Football & Amer. Football touch the ground with the ball behind one’s own or the opponent’s goal. 2 (of an aircraft) make contact with the ground in landing. touch football US football with touching in place of tackling. touch-hole a small hole in a gun for igniting the charge. touch-in-goal Football each of the four corners enclosed by continuations of the touch-lines and goallines. touch-judge Rugby Football a linesman. touch-line (in various sports) either of the lines marking the side boundaries of the pitch. touch-mark the maker’s mark on pewter. touch-me-not any of various plants of the genus Impatiens, with ripe seed-capsules jerking open when _ touched. touch-needle a needle of gold or silver alloy of known composition used as a standard in testing other alloys on a touchstone. touch off 1 represent exactly (in a portrait etc.). 2 explode by touching with a match etc. 3 initiate (a process) suddenly (touched off a run on the pound). touch of nature 1 a natural trait. 2 collog. an exhibition of human feeling with which others sympathize (from a misinterpretation of Shakesp. Troilus and Cressida 111. iii. 169). touch of the sun 1a slight attack of sunstroke. 2 a little sunlight. touch on (or upon) 1 treat (a subject) briefly, refer to or mention casually. 2 verge on (that touches on impudence). touch-paper paper impregnated with nitre, for firing gunpowder, fireworks, etc. touch the spot collog. find out or do exactly what was needed. touch-type type without looking at the keys. touch-typing this skill. touch-typist a person who touch-types. touch up 1 give finishing touches to or retouch (a picture, writing, etc.). 2 Brit. sl. a caress so as to excite sexually. b sexually molest. 3 strike (a horse) lightly with a whip. touch wood touch something wooden with the hand to avert ill luck. would not touch with a bargepole see BARGEPOLE. 00 touchable adj. [ME f. OF tochier, tuchier (v.), touche (n.): prob. imit., imitating a knock] touchdown /'tat{daun/ n. 1 the act or an instance of an aircraft making contact with the ground during landing. 2 Rugby Football & Amer. Football the act or an instance of touching down.

1 sit

touchéé |tu:'fer/ int. 1 the acknowledgement ofa hit by a fencingopponent. 2 the acknowledgement of a justified accusation, a witticism, or a point made in reply to one’s own. [F, past part. of toucher TOUCH] toucher /'tatJa(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that touches. 2 Bowls a wood that touches the jack. touching /'tatf1n/ adj. & prep. —adj. moving; pathetic (a touching incident; touching confidence). —prep. literary concerning; about. o0 touchingly adv. touchingness n. [ME f. TOUCH: (prep.) f. OF touchant pres. part. (as TOUCH)]} touchstone /'tat{stoun/ n. 1 a fine-grained dark schist or jasper used for testing alloys of gold etc. by marking it with them and observing the colour of the mark. 2 a standard or criterion.

touchwood /'tat{/wod/ n. readily inflammable wood, esp. when made soft by fungi, used as tinder.

touchy /'tatf1/ adj. (touchier, touchiest) apt to take offence; over-sensitive. 00 touchily adv. touchiness n. [perh. alt. of TETCHY after TOUCH] tough |taf] adj. & n. —adj. 1 hard to break, cut, tear, or chew; durable; strong. 2 (of a person) able to endure hardship; hardy. 3 unyielding, stubborn, difficult (it was a tough job; a tough customer). 4 collog. a acting sternly; hard (get tough with). b (of circumstances, luck, etc.) severe, unpleasant, hard, unjust. 5 collog. criminal or violent (tough guys). —n. a tough person, esp. a ruffian or criminal. otough guy collog. 1 a hard unyielding person. 2 violent aggressive person. tough it (or tough it out) collog. endure or withstand difficult conditions. tough-minded realistic, not sentimental. tough-mindedness being toughminded. 00 toughen v.tr. & intr. toughener n. toughish adj. toughly adv. toughness n. [OE toh]

toughie /'tafi/ n. collog. a tough person or problem. Toulon /tu:'l5/ a port and naval base on the Mediterranean coast of southern France; pop. (1982) 182,000.

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Toulouse

1527

Toulouse /tu:'lu:z/ a city of SW France on the River Garonne, capital of the Midi-Pyrénées region; pop. (1982) 354,300. It was the capital of the Visigoths (419-507), and later the chief town of Aquitaine; its university was founded in 1229. Toulouse is now a centre of the aerospace industry.

Toulouse-Lautrec /tu:'lu:z lou'trek/ Henri de (1864-1901), French painter, draughtsman, and print-maker, the son of Count Alphonse de Toulouse-Lautrec Monfa. His highly original style, often bordering on caricature, adopts the technical apparatus of post-impressionism, and his delicate calligraphic line, strongly influenced by Japanese prints, readily reflects the spirit of art nouveau. Lautrec revelled in the Bohemian life, and his depictions of theatre, music-halls, cafés, and brothels sum up the earthier side of the life of Montmartre. Lautrec participated in the 1890s’ revival of colour lithography, and his printed works, particularly the large posters, are today regarded as perfect examples of the spirit of the settled and comfortable Parisian life at that time. toupee /'tu:pe1/ n. (also toupet /tu:'pet/) a wig or artificial hairpiece to cover a bald spot. [F toupet hair-tuft dimin. of OF toup tuft (as ToP})] tour /tua(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa journey from place to place as a holiday. b an excursion, ramble, or walk (made a tour of the garden). 2 aa spell of duty cn military or diplomatic service. b the time to be spent at a particular post. 3.a series of performances, matches, etc., at different places on a route through a country etc. —v. 1 intr. (usu. foll. by through) make a tour (toured through India). 2 tr. make a tour of (a country etc.). 0 on tour (esp. of a team, theatre company, etc.) touring. touring-car a car with room for passengers and much luggage. tour operator a travel agent specializing in package holidays. [ME f. OF to(u)r f. L tornus f. Gk tornos lathe] touraco var. of TURACO.

tour de force |,tua da 'fo:s/ n. a feat of strength or skill. [F] tourer /'tusra(r)/ n. a vehicle, esp. a car, for touring. [TOUR] tourism /'tuariz(s)m/ n. the organization and operation of (esp. foreign) holidays, esp. as a commercial enterprise. tourist /'tuarist/ n. a person making a visit or tour as a holiday; a traveller, esp. abroad (often attrib.: tourist accommodation). o tourist class the lowest class of passenger accommodation in a ship, aircraft, etc. Tourist Trophy motor-cycle races held annually on the isle of Man from 1907. oo touristic /-'ristrk/ adj. touristically /-'ristikalt/ adv. touristy /'tuortsti/ adj. usu. derog. appealing to or visited by many tourists. tourmaline /'tuarmelm, -majli:n/ n. a boron aluminium silicate mineral of various colours, possessing unusual electrical properties, and used in electrical and optical instruments and as a gemstone. [F f. Sinh. toramalli porcelain] Tournai /tus'nei/ (Flemish Doornik /'do:ni:k/) a textile manufacturing town of Belgium, on the River Scheldt near the Belgian-French frontier; pop. (1988) 66,750. tournament /'tusanomont/ n. 1 any contest of skill between a number of competitors, esp. played in heats (chess tournament; tennis tournament). 2 a display of military exercises etc. (Royal Tournament). 3 hist. a a pageant in which jousting with blunted weapons took place. b a meeting for jousting between single knights for a prize etc. [ME f. OF torneiement f. torneier TOURNEY] tournedos /'tuano,dau/ n. (pl. same /-\douz/) a small round thick cut from a fillet of beef. [F] tourney /'tueni/n. & v. —n. (pl. -eys) a tournament. —v.intr. (-eys, -eyed) take part in a tournament. [ME f. OF tornei (n.),

torneier (v.), ult. f. L tornus a turn] tourniquet /‘tuontke1/ n. a device for stopping the flow of blood through an artery by twisting a bar etc. in a ligature or bandage. [F prob. f. OF tournicle coat of mail, TUNICLE, infl. by tourner TURN] Tours /tua(r)/ an industrial city in west central France; pop.

(1982) 136,500. tousle /'tavz(s)l/ v.tr. 1 make (esp. the hair) untidy; rumple. 2 handle roughly or rudely. [frequent. of (now dial.) touse, ME f. OE rel. to OHG -zuson] au how

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tous-les-mois |,tu:le1'mwa:/ n. 1 food starch obtained from tubers of a canna, Canna indica. 2 this plant. [F, lit. = every month, prob. corrupt. of W.Ind. toloman] tout /taut/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. (usu. foll. by for) solicit custom persistently; pester customers (touting for business). 2 tr. solicit the custom of (a person) or for (a thing). 3 intr. a Brit. spy out the movements and condition of racehorses in training. b US offer racing tips for a share of the resulting profit. —n.a person employed in touting. 00 touter n. [ME tite look out = ME (now dial.) toot (OE totian) f. Gmc] tout court |tu: 'kuo(r)/ adv. without addition; simply (called James tout court). [F, lit. very short] tovarish /to'va:rif/ n. (also tovarich) (in the USSR) comrade (esp. as a form of address). [Russ. tovarishch] tow! /tau/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 (of a motor vehicle, horse, or person controlling it) pull (a boat, another motor vehicle, a caravan, etc.) along by a rope, tow-bar, etc. 2 pull (a person or thing) along behind one. —n. the act or an instance of towing; the state of being towed. o have in (or on) tow 1 be towing. 2 be accompanied by and often in charge of (a person). tow-bar a bar for towing esp. a trailer or caravan. tow- (or towing-) line (or rope) a line etc. used in towing. tow- (or towing-) net a net used for dragging through water to collect specimens. tow- (or towing-) path a path beside a river or canal used for towing a boat by horse.

00 towable adj. towage |-1d3/ n. [OE togian f.

Gmc, rel, to TUG] tow? /tou/ n. 1 the coarse and broken part of flax or hemp prepared for spinning. 2 a loose bunch of rayon etc. strands. 0 tow-coloured (of hair) very light. tow-head tow-coloured or unkempt hair. tow-headed having very light or unkempt hair. OO towy |'tou1/ adj. [ME f. MLG touw f. OS tou, rel. to ON to wool: cf. TOOL]

toward prep. & adj. —prep. |ta'wo:d, to:d] = TOWARDS.

—adj.

|'tavad/ archaic 1 about to take place; in process. 2 docile, apt. 3 promising, auspicious. 00 towardness |'tovednis/ n. (in sense of adj.). towards |to'wo:dz, two:dz, to:dz/ prep. 1 in the direction of (set out towards town). 2 as regards; in relation to (his attitude towards death). 3 as a contribution to; for (put this towards your expenses). 4 near (towards the end of our journey). [OE toweard (adj.) future (as TO, -WARD)]

towel /'taval/n. & v. —n. 1 aa piece of rough-surfaced absorbent cloth used for drying oneself or a thing after washing. b absorbent paper used for this. ¢ a cloth used for drying plates, dishes, etc.; a tea towel. 2 Brit. = sanitary towel. —v. (towelled, towelling; US toweled, toweling) 1 tr. (often refl.) wipe or dry with a towel. 2 intr. wipe or dry oneself with a towel. 3tr. sl. thrash. 0 towel-horse (or -rail) a frame for hanging towels on. 00 towelling n. [ME f. OF toail(l)e f. Gmc] tower /'tava(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa tall esp. square or circular structure, often part of a church, castle, etc. b a fortress etc. comprising or including a tower. c a tall structure housing machinery, apparatus, operators, etc. (cooling tower; control tower). 2 a place of defence; a protection. —v.intr. 1 (usu. foll. by above, high) reach or be high or above; be superior. 2 (of a bird) soar or hover. 3 (as towering adj.) a high, lofty (towering intellect). b violent (towering rage). 0 the Tower the Tower of London (see separate entry). tower block a tall building containing offices or flats. tower of silence a tall open-topped structure on which Parsees place their dead. tower of strength a person who gives strong and reliable support. 00 towered /'tauad/ adj. towery

adj. [OE torr, & ME tiir, AF & OF tur etc., f. L turris f. Gk]

Tower of London a fortress by the Thames just east of the City of London. The oldest part, the White Tower, was begun in 1078. It was later used as a State prison, and is now a repository of ancient armour and weapons and other objects of public interest, including the Crown jewels (which have been kept there since the time of Henry III). town /tavun/ n. 1 a a large urban area with a name, defined boundaries, and local government, being larger than a village and usu. not created a city. b any densely populated area, esp, as opposed to the country or suburbs. c the people of a town

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ava sour

(see over for consonants)

townee

tracery

1528

(the whole town knows of it). 2 a Brit. London or the chief city or town in one’s neighbourhood (went up to town). b the central business or shopping area in a neighbourhood (just going into town). 3 the permanent residents of a university town as distinct from the members of the university (cf. Gown). 4 US = TOWNSHIP 2. 0 go to town collog. act or work with energy or enthusiasm. on the town collog. enjoying the entertainments, esp. the nightlife, of a town; celebrating. town clerk 1 US & hist. the officer of the corporation of a town in charge of records etc. 2 Brit. hist. the secretary and legal adviser of a town corporation until 1974. town council the elective governing body in a municipality. town councillor an elected member of this. town crier see CRIER. town gas manufactured gas for domestic and commercial use. town hall a building for the administration of local government, having public meeting rooms etc. town house 1 a town residence, esp. of a person with a house in the country. 2 a terrace house, esp. of a stylish modern type. 3 a house in a planned group in a town. 4 Brit. a town hall. town-major hist. the chief executive officer in a garrison town or fortress. town mayor Brit. the chairman of a town council. town meeting US a meeting of the voters of a town for the transaction of public business. town planning the planning of the construction and growth of towns. 00 townish adj. townless adj. townlet n. townward adj. & adv. townwards adv. [OE tiin enclosure f. Gmc] townee /tav'ni:/ n. (also townie /'tauni/) derog. a person living in a town, esp. as opposed to a countryman or (in a university town) a student etc. townscape /'taunskerp/ n. 1 the visual appearance of a town or towns. 2 a picture of a town.

townsfolk /'taunzfauk/ n. the inhabitants of a particular town or towns. township /'taonf1p/ n. 1 S.Afr. a an urban area set aside for Black (usu. African) occupation. b a White urban area (esp. if new or about to be developed). 2 US & Can. a a division of a county with some corporate powers. b a district six miles square. 3 Brit. hist. a a community inhabiting a manor, parish, etc. b a manor or parish as aterritorial division. c a small town or village forming part of a large parish. 4 Austral. & NZ a small town; a town-site. [OE tiinscipe (as TOWN, -SHIP)} townsman /'taunzmon| n. (pl. -men; fem. townswoman, pl. -women) an inhabitant of a town; a fellow citizen. townspeople /'tavnz,pi:p(s)l/ n.pl. the people of a town.

or variety of dog etc. —v.intr. (usu. foll. by with) 1 trifle, amuse oneself, esp. with a person’s affections; flirt (toyed with the idea of going to Africa). 2 a move a material object idly (toyed with her necklace). b nibble at food etc. unenthusiastically (toyed with a peach). 0 toy-box a usu. wooden box for keeping toys in. toy boy collog. a woman’s much younger male lover. toy soldier 1 a miniature figure of a soldier. 2 sl. a soldier in a peacetime army. [16th c.: earlier = dallying, fun, jest, whim, trifle: orig. unkn.] Toynbee /'to::nb1/, Arnold Joseph (1889-1975), English historian, who held various university posts and became Director of Studies at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (1925-55). His greatest work is his twelve-volume Study of History (1934— 61), in which he surveys the history of 21 civilizations, tracing a pattern of growth, maturity, and decay in them all and concluding that the present Western civilization is in the last of these stages. His suggestion that its fragmentation and waning could be saved by a new universal religion, with one spiritually oriented world society, was not well received.

Tpr. abbr. Trooper. trabeation /,trerbr'er{(2)n/ n. the use of beams instead of arches or vaulting in construction. 00 trabeate /'trerbrot/ adj. [L trabs trabis beam]

trabecula /tra'bekjuls/ n. (pl. trabeculae /-li:/) 1 Anat. a supporting band or bar of connective or bony tissue, esp. dividing an organ into chambers. 2 Bot. a beamlike projection or process within a hollow structure. 00 trabecular adj. trabeculate [-lat/ adj. [L, dimin. of trabs beam]

Trabzon /'trebz(a)n/ (formerly Trebizond /'trebi,zpnd/) a city and port of Turkey, on the Black Sea; pop. (1985) 155,960. Traditionally founded by Greek colonists in 756 Bc, its ancient name was Trapezus. From 1204 to 1461 it was the capital of an empire established by Alexis Comnenus. tracasserie /tra'kzsori/ n. 1 a state of annoyance. 2 a fuss; a petty quarrel. [F f. tracasser bustle] trace! /treis/v. & n. —v.tr. 1 a observe, discover, or find vestiges or signs of by investigation. b (often foll. by along, through, to,

etc!) follow or mark the track or position of (traced their footprints in the mud; traced the outlines of a wall). ¢ (often foll. by back) follow to its origins (can trace my family to the 12th century; the report has been traced back to you). 2 (often foll. by over) copy (a drawing etc.) by drawing over its lines on a superimposed piece of translucent paper, or by using carbon paper. 3 (often foll. by out) mark out, delineate, sketch, or write esp. laboriously (traced out a plan of

Townsville /'taonzvil/ an industrial port and resort town of Queensland, on the NE coast of Australia; pop. (1986) 103,700.

towy see Tow”. toxaemia /tok'si:mio/ n. (US toxemia) 1 blood-poisoning. 2 a condition in pregnancy characterized by increased blood pressure. 00 toxaemic adj. [as TOXI- + -AEMIA] toxi- /'toks1/ comb. form (also toxico- |'toks1,kou/, toxo- /'toksau/) poison; poisonous, toxic. toxic /'toks1k/ adj. 1 of or relating to poison (toxic symptoms). 2 poisonous (toxic gas). 3 caused by poison (toxic anaemia). oo toxically adv. toxicity /-'ststt1/ n. [med.L toxicus poisoned f. L toxicum f. Gk toxikon (pharmakon) (poison for) arrows f. toxon bow, toxa arrows] toxicology /,toks1'kplod3}/ n. the scientific study of poisons. 00 toxicological |-ka'lod31k()l/ adj. toxicologist n. toxin /'toksin/ n. a poison produced bya living organism, esp. one formed in the body and stimulating the production of antibodies. [ToxIc + -IN] toxocara |,toksou'ka:ro/ n. any nematode worm of the genus Toxocara, parasitic in the alimentary canal of dogs and cats. 00 toxocariasis /-ko!rarasis/ n. [TOxo- (see TOXI-) + Gk kara head]

toxophilite /tok'spfilart/ n. & adj. —n. a student or lover of archery. —adj. of or concerning archery. 00 toxophily n. [Ascham’s Toxophilus (1545) f. Gk toxon bow + -philos -PHILE] toy /to1/n. & v. —n. 1 @a plaything, esp. for a child. b (often attrib.) a model or miniature replica ofa thing, esp. as a plaything (toy gun). 2 a a thing, esp. a gadget or instrument, regarded as providing amusement or pleasure. b a task or undertaking regarded in an unserious way. 3 (usu. attrib.) a diminutive breed

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

the district; traced out his vision of the future). 4 pursue one’s way along (a path etc.). —n. 1 aa sign or mark or other indication of something having existed; a vestige (no trace remains of the castle; has the traces of a vanished beauty). b a very small quantity. c an amount of rainfall etc. too small to be measured. 2 a track or footprint left by a person or animal. 3 a track left by the moving pen of an instrument etc. 4 a line on the screen of a cathode-ray tube showing the path of a moving spot. 5 a curve’s projection on or intersection with a plane etc. 6 a change in the brain caused by learning processes. 0 trace element 1 a chemical element occurring in minute amounts. 2 a chemical element required only in minute amounts by living organisms for normal growth. trace fossil a fossil that represents a burrow, footprint, etc., of an organism. o0 traceable adj. traceability /-'brliti/ n. traceless adj. [ME f. OF trace (n.), tracier (v.) f. L tractus drawing: see TRACT}] trace? /trers/ n. each of the two side-straps, chains, or ropes by which a horse draws a vehicle. 0 kick over the traces become insubordinate or reckless. trace-horse a horse that draws in traces or by a single trace, esp. one hitched on to help uphill etc. [ME f. OF trais, pl. of TRAIT] tracer /'treisa(r)/ n. 1a person or thing that traces. 2 Mil. a bullet etc. that is visible in flight because of flames etc. emitted, enabling the gunner to correct the aim. 3 an artificially produced radioactive isotope capable of being followed through the body by the radiation it produces. tracery /'trersor1/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 ornamental stone openwork esp. in the upper part of a Gothic window. 2a fine decorative pattern. 3 a natural object finely patterned. 00 traceried adj.

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m man

n no

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v voice

trachea trachea |tro'ki:o, 'trerkro/ n. (pl. tracheae /-'ki:i:/) 1 the passage

reinforced by rings of cartilage, through which air reaches the bronchial tubes from the larynx; the windpipe. 2 each of the air passages in the body of an insect etc. 3 any duct or vessel in a plant. oo tracheal /'trerkrol/ adj. tracheate /'trerkiert/ adj. [ME f. med.L, = LL trachia f. Gk trakheia (artéria) rough (artery), f. trakhus rough]

tracheo- /'tretkisu/ comb. form. tracheotomy /,treki'ptemi/ n. (also tracheostomy |-'pstam1/) (pl. -ies) an incision made in the trachea to relieve an obstruction to breathing. 0 tracheotomy tube a breathing-tube inserted into this incision. trachoma /tra'ksumo/ n. a contagious disease of the eye with inflamed granulation on the inner surface of the lids. oo trachomatous /-'kosu mots, -'komatas/ adj. [mod.L f. Gk trakhdma f. trakhus rough] trachyte /'trerkait, 'trek-/ n. a light-coloured volcanic rock rough to the touch. oo trachytic /tra'kittk/ adj. [F f. Gk trakhutés roughness (as TRACHOMA)] tracing /'tretsin/ n. 1 a copy of a drawing etc. made by tracing. 2 = TRACE! n, 3. 3 the act or an instance of tracing. o tracing-paper translucent paper used for making tracings.

track! /trek/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa mark or marks left by a person, animal, or thing in passing. b (in pl.) such marks esp. footprints. 2 a rough path, esp. one beaten by use. 3 a continuous railway line (laid three miles of track). 4 a a racecourse for horses, dogs, etc. b a prepared course for runners etc. 5 a a groove on a gramophone record. b a section of a gramophone record containing one song etc. (this side has six tracks). ¢ a lengthwise strip of magnetic tape containing one sequence of signals. 6aa

line of travel, passage, or motion (followed the track of the hurricane; America followed in the same track). b the path travelled by a ship, aircraft, etc. (cf. COURSE n. 2c). 7 a continuous band round the wheels of a tank, tractor, etc. 8 the transverse distance between a vehicle’s wheels. 9 = SOUNDTRACK. 10 a line of reasoning or thought (this track proved fruitless). —v. 1 tr. follow the track of (an animal, person, spacecraft, etc.). 2 tr. make out (a course, development, etc.); trace by vestiges. 3 intr. (often foll. by back, in, etc.) (of a film or television camera) move in relation to the subject being filmed. 4 intr. (of wheels) run so that the back ones

are exactly in the track of the front ones. 5 intr. (of a gramophone stylus) follow a groove. 6 tr. US a make a track with (dirt etc.) from the feet. b leave such a track on (a floor etc.). 0 in one’s tracks collog. where one stands, there and then (stopped him in his tracks). keep (or lose) track of follow (or fail to follow) the course or development of. make tracks collog. go or run away. make tracks for collog. go in pursuit of or towards. off the track away from the subject..on a person’s track 1 in pursuit of him or her. 2 in possession of a clue to a person’s conduct, plans, etc. on the wrong side of (or across) the tracks colloq. in an inferior or dubious part of town. on the wrong (or right)

track following the wrong (or right) line of inquiry. track down reach or capture by tracking. track events running-races as opposed to jumping etc. (cf. field events). tracking station an establishment set up to track objects in the sky. track-laying (of a vehicle) having a caterpillar tread. track record a person’s past performance or achievements. track shoe a spiked shoe worn by a runner. track suit a loose warm suit worn by an athlete etc. for exercising or jogging. track system US streaming in education. track with Austral. sl. associate with, court. Oo trackage US n. [ME f. OF trac, perh. f. LG or Du. tre(c)k draught etc.]

track? /trekj v. 1 tr. tow (a boat) by rope etc. from a bank. 2 intr. travel by being towed. [app. f. Du. trekken to draw etc., assim. to TRACK}] tracker /'treko(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that tracks. 2 a police dog tracking by scent. 3 a wooden connecting-rod in the mech-

anism of an organ. 4 = black tracker. tracking /'trekin/ n. Electr. the formation of a conducting path over the surface of an insulating material.

tracklayer /'trek,ero(r)/ n. 1 US = TRACKMAN. 2 a tractor or other vehicle equipped with continuous tracks (see TRACK! n. 7). wwe

z zoo

trade

1529

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

tracklement

/'trekolmont/ n. an item of food, esp. a jelly,

served with meat. [20th c.: orig. unkn.]} trackless /'trzklis/ adj. 1 without a track or tracks; untrodden. 2 leaving no track or trace. 3 not running on a track. o trackless trolley US a trolleybus. trackman /'trekmon/ n. (pl. -men) a platelayer. trackway /'trekwel/ n. a beaten path; an ancient roadway. tract! /trekt/ n. 1 a region or area of indefinite, esp. large, extent (pathless desert tracts). 2 Anat. an area of an organ or system (respiratory tract). 3 Brit. archaic a period of time etc. [L tractus

drawing f. trahere tract- draw, pull]

Be

tract? /trekt/ n. a short treatise in pamphlet form esp. on a religious subject. [app. abbr. of L tractatus TRACTATE] tract? /trakt/n. RC Ch. & Mus. an anthem replacing the alleluia in some masses. [med.L tractus (cantus) drawn-out (song), past part. of L trahere draw]

tractable /'trektab(s)l/ adj. 1 (of a person) easily handled; manageable; docile. 2 (of material etc.) pliant, malleable. oo tractability /-'biliti/ n. tractableness n. tractably adv. [L tractabilis f. tractare handle, frequent. of trahere tract- draw]

Tractarianism

/trek'teorioniz(a)m/

n. hist.

=

OxFoRD

MOVEMENT. 00 Tractarian adj. & n. [after Tracts for the Times, a series of 90 pamphlets published in Oxford 1833-41 and outlining the movement’s principles] tractate /'trektert/ n..a treatise. [L tractatus f. tractare: see TRACTABLE]

traction /'trek{(2)n/ n. 1 the act of drawing or pulling a thing over a surface, esp. a road or track (steam traction), 2 aa sustained pulling on a limb, muscle, etc., by means of pulleys, weights,

etc. b contraction, e.g. of a muscle. 3 the grip of a tyre on a road, a wheel on arail, etc. 4 US the public transport service. Oo traction-engine a steam or diesel engine for drawing heavy loads on roads, fields, etc. traction-wheel the driving-wheel of a locomotive etc. 00 tractional adj. tractive /'trektrv/ adj. [F traction or med.L tractio f. L trahere tract- draw] tractor /'trekto(r)/ n. 1 a motor vehicle used for hauling esp. farm machinery, heavy loads, etc. 2 a traction-engine. [LL tractor (as TRACTION)] Tracy /'trersi/, Spencer (1900-67), American film actor, who won his first Oscar for his performance in Captain Courageous (1937) and his second in the following year for Boys Town. He is noted for his partnership with Katherine Hepburn in films that include Adam’s Rib (1949) and his last film Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? (1967).

trad /trzd/n. & adj. esp. Brit. collog. —n. traditional jazz. —adj. traditional. [abbr.]

trade /treid/n. & v. —n. 1 a buying and selling. b buying and selling conducted between nations etc. ¢ business conducted for profit (esp. as distinct from a profession) (a butcher by trade). d business of a specified nature or time (Christmas trade; tourist trade). 2 a skilled handicraft esp. requiring an apprenticeship (learnt a trade; his trade is plumbing). 3 (usu. prec. by the) a the people engaged in a specific trade (the trade will never agree to it; trade enquiries only). b Brit. collog. licensed victuallers. c collog. the submarine service. 4 US a transaction, esp. a swap. 5 (usu. in pl.) a trade wind. —v. 1 intr. (often foll. by in, with) engage in trade; buy and sell (trades in plastic novelties; we trade with Japan). 2 tr. a exchange in commerce; barter (goods). b exchange (insults, blows, etc.). 3 intr. (usu. foll. by with, for) have a transaction with a person for a thing. 4 intr. (usu. foll. by to) carry goods to a place. Oo be in trade esp. derog. be in commerce, esp. keep a shop. foreign trade international trade. Trade Board Brit. hist. a statutory body for settling disputes etc. in certain industries. trade book a book published by a commercial publisher and intended for general readership. trade cycle Brit. recurring periods of boom and recession. trade gap the extent by which a country’s imports exceed its exports. trade in (often foll. by for) exchange (esp. a used car etc.) in esp. part payment for another. trade-in n. a thing, esp. a car, exchanged in this way. trade journal a periodical containing news etc. concerning a particular trade. trade-last US a compliment from a third person which is reported to the person complimented in exchange tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

tragacanth

1530 trader ee mee ee i a

traditionary adj. traditionist n. traditionless adj. [ME f. OF tradicion or L traditio f. tradere hand on, betray (as TRANS-, dare

for one to the reporter. trade mark 1 a device, word, or words, secured by legal registration or established by use as representing a company, product, etc. 2 a distinctive characteristic etc. trade name 1a name by which athing is called in a trade. 2 a name given to a product. 3 a name under which a business trades. trade off exchange, esp. as a compromise. trade-off n. such an exchange. trade on take advantage of (a person’s credulity, one’s reputation, etc.). trade paper = trade journal. trade plates number-plates used by a car-dealer etc. on unlicensed cars, trade price a wholesale price charged to the dealer before goods are retailed. trade secret 1 a secret device or technique used esp. in a trade. 2 joc. any secret. trade union see separate entry. trade wind see separate entry. 00 tradable adj. tradeable adj. [ME f. MLG trade track f. OS trada, OHG trata:

give)]

traditional /tra'difon(2)l/ adj. 1 of, based on, or obtained by tradition. 2 (of jazz) in the style of the early 20th c. traditionally adv.

traditionalism /tro'difano,l1z(2)m/ n. 1 respect, esp. excessive, for tradition, esp. in religion. 2 a philosophical system referring all religious knowledge to divine revelation and tradition. 00 traditionalist n. traditionalistic /-'listik/ adj. traditor /'trzedita(r)/ n. (pl. traditors or traditores /-'to:ri:z/) hist. an early Christian who surrendered copies of Scripture or Church property to his or her persecutors to save his or her life. [L: see TRAITOR] traduce |/tro'dju:s/ v.tr. speak ill of; misrepresent. oO

cf. TREAD]

trader /'treido(r)/ n. 1 a person engaged in trade. 2 a merchant ship.

traducement n. traducer n. [L traducere disgrace (as TRANS-, ducere duct- lead)]

tradescantia |,tredi'skentio/ n. any usu. trailing plant of the

Trafalgar /tro'feelga(r)/ a cape on the south coast of Spain, near

genus Tradescantia, with large blue, white, or pink flowers. [mod.L f. J. Tradescant, Engl. naturalist d. 1638] tradesman /'treidzmon/ n. (pl. -men; fem. tradeswoman, pl. -women) a person engaged in trading or a trade, esp. a shopkeeper or skilled craftsman.

which a decisive battle of the Napoleonic Wars was fought on 21 Oct. 1805. The British fleet under Nelson (who was killed in the action) achieved a great victory over the combined fleets of France and Spain which were attempting to clear the way for Napoleon’s projected invasion of Britain. Superior British seamanship and gunnery ensured the surrender of more than half the Franco-Spanish fleet after several hours of hard fighting, and after this battle Napoleon was never again able to mount a serious threat to British naval supremacy. traffic /'trefik/ n. & v. —n. 1 (often attrib.) a vehicles moving in a public highway, esp. of a specified kind, density, etc. (heavy traffic on the M1; traffic warden). b such movement in the air or at sea. 2 (usu. foll. by in) trade, esp. illegal (the traffic in drugs). 3 a the transportation of goods, the coming and going of people or goods by road, rail, air, sea, etc. b the persons or goods so transported. 4 dealings or communication between people etc.

tradespeople /'tretdz,pi:p(o)l/ n.pl. people engaged in trade, regarded collectively.

Trades Union Congress the official representative body of British trade unions, founded in 1868, which meets annually to discuss matters of common concern. It is made up of delegates of the affiliated unions. trade union n. (also trades union) an organized association of workers in a trade, group of trades, or a profession, formed to protect and further their rights and interests. (See below.) o trade- (or trades-) unionism this system or association. trade- (or trades-) unionist a member of a trade union. A product of the Industrial Revolution, the trade unions expanded in size and importance in the 19thc., although often subject, particularly in the earlier years, to repressive legislation (see COMBINATION ACTS), assuming a more aggressive and socialist outlook towards the end of the century and playing a central role in the formation of the Labour Party. The trade-union movement achieved true national power in the early 20thc., with smaller unions tending to amalgamate into organizations with memberships in the hundreds of thousands covering the entire

(had no traffic with them). 5 the messages, signals, etc., transmitted through a communications system; the flow or volume of such business. —v. (trafficked, trafficking) 1 intr. (usu. foll. by in) deal in something, esp. illegally (trafficked in narcotics; traffics in innuendo). 2 tr. deal in; barter. 0 traffic circle US a roundabout. traffic cop esp. US collog. a traffic policeman. traffic island a paved or grassed area in a road to divert traffic and provide a refuge for pedestrians. traffic jam traffic at a standstill because of roadworks, an accident, etc. traffic sign a sign conveying information, a warning, etc., to vehicle-drivers. traffic warden Brit. a uniformed official employed to help control road traffic

country.

trade wind n. a constant wind blowing towards the equator

and esp. parking. 00 trafficker n. trafficless adj. [F trafif)ique, Sp. trafico, It. traffico, of unkn. orig.] trafficator /'trefi,kerta(r)/ n. Brit. hist. a signal raised automatically to indicate a change of direction in a motor vehicle.

from the north-east or south-east. The name had in its origin nothing to do with ‘trade’ in the commercial sense of ‘passage for the purpose of trading’, though the importance of those winds to navigation led 18th-c. etymologists (and perhaps even Navigators) so to understand the term. It was originally applied to any wind that ‘blows trade’, i.e. in a constant course or way (a ‘track’ or ‘trodden path’), but as it became gradually known that the only winds of which this is approximately true were the Indian monsoons and the winds now called ‘trade winds’ on each side of the equator in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the name became restricted to these and eventually to the latter.

[TRAFFIC + INDICATOR]

traffic-light n. (also traffic-lights or -signal) a signal controlling road traffic by means of coloured lights. A traffic signal, with an official in charge, was tried out in Westminster, London, in 1868; this seems to be the first instance of the use of a mechanical device for street-traffic control. It was a modification of the railway signalling system and consisted of a semaphore arm with red and green gas lamps for night use. The experiment was terminated by the explosion of the lamps. Electric traffic lights were introduced in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1914, and in New York in 1918; c.1925 an attempt was made to coordinate the actions of the police in Piccadilly in London bya series of railway colour-light signals. In 1926 a traffic signal was installed at a busy road junction in Wolverhampton, but was not retained in use because there was no legislation to enforce obedience to its indications. Early road signals were manually operated, and were followed by fixed-time signals; modern traffic-actuated systems of control sometimes involve the processing of information by means of a computer.

trading /'treidin/ n. the act of engaging in trade. o trading estate esp. Brit. a specially-designed industrial and commercial area. trading post a store etc. established in a remote or unsettled region. trading-stamp a stamp given to customers by some stores which is exchangeable in large numbers for various articles.

tradition /tro'di{(a)n/ n. 1 a a custom, opinion, or belief handed down to posterity esp. orally or by practice. b this process of handing down. 2 esp. joc. an established practice or custom (it’s a tradition to complain about the weather). 3 artistic, literary, etc. principles based on experience and practice; any one of these (stage tradition; traditions of the Dutch School). 4 Theol. doctrine or a particular doctrine etc. claimed to have divine authority without documentary evidence, esp.: a the oral teaching of Christ and the Apostles. b the laws held by the Pharisees to have been delivered by God to Moses. c the words and deeds of Muhammad not in the Koran. 5 Law the formal delivery of property etc. o0

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3: her

oo

tragacanth /'traego,ken6/ n. a white or reddish gum from a plant, Astragalus gummifer, used in pharmacy, calico-printing, etc., as a vehicle for drugs, dye, etc. [F tragacante f. L tragacantha f. Gk tragakantha, name of a shrub, f. tragos goat + akantha thorn] :

1 sit

i: see

pv hot

0: saw

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2 ago

ar my

tragedian

tragedian /tro'd3i:dion/ n. 1 a writer of tragedies, 2 an actor in tragedy. [ME f. OF tragediane (as TRAGEDY)] tragedienne /tro,dgi:di'en/ n. an actress in tragedy. [F fem. (as TRAGEDIAN)] tragedy /'tradzidi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a serious accident, crime, or natural catastrophe. 2 a sad event; a calamity (the team’s defeat is a tragedy). 3 aa play in verse or prose dealing with tragic events and with an unhappy ending, esp. concerning the downfall of the protagonist. b tragic plays as a genre (cf. COMEDY). [ME f. OF tragedie f. L tragoedia f. Gk tragdidia app. goat-song f. tragos goat + 0idé song. Many theories have been offered to account for the name (e.g. that a goat was given as a prize for a play at the ancient Greek festival of Dionysus, at which tragedies were presented), but some dispute the connection with ‘goat’.]

tragic /|'tred3ik/ adj. 1 (also tragical /-k(s)l/) sad; calamitous; greatly distressing (a tragic tale). 2 of, or in the style of, tragedy (tragic drama; a tragic actor). 0 tragic irony a device, orig. in Greek tragedy, by which words carry a tragic, esp. prophetic, meaning to the audience (occas. also to the speaker), unknown to the character speaking. 00 tragically adv. [F tragique f. L tragicus f. Gk tragikos f. tragos goat: see TRAGEDY]

tragicomedy /,tred31'komidi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a a play having a mixture of comedy and tragedy. b plays of this kind as a genre. 2 an event etc. having tragic and comic elements. oo tragicomic adj. tragicomically adv. [F tragicomédie or It. tragicomedia f. LL tragicomoedia f. L tragico-comoedia (as TRAGIC, COMEDY)]

tragopan /'trego,pen/ n. any Asian pheasant of the genus Tragopan, with erect fleshy horns on its head. [L f. Gk f. tragos goat + Pan the god Pan] Traherne /tra‘hs:n/, Thomas (1637-74), English writer of religious works in prose and verse. Centuries, his major achievement, is written in unconventional verse expressing rapturous joy; manuscripts of these and many of his poems were discovered on a London bookstall in 1896-7 and pubiished as Poetical Works (1903) and Centuries of Meditation (1908). The boundless potential of man’s mind and spirit is his recurrent theme, as is the need for man to regain the wonder and simplicity of childhood.

trahison des clercs |,tra:1,z5 det 'kleor/ n. the betrayal of standards, scholarship, etc., by intellectuals. [F, title of a book by J. Benda (1927)] trail /treil/ n. & v. —n. 1 @ a track left by a thing, person, etc., moving over a surface (left a trail of wreckage; a slug’s slimy trail). b a track or scent followed in hunting, seeking, etc. (he’s on the trail). 2 a beaten path or track, esp. through a wild region. 3 a part dragging behind a thing or person; an appendage (a trail of smoke; a condensation trail). 4 the rear end of a gun-carriage stock. —v. 1 tr. & intr. draw or be drawn along behind, esp. on the ground, 2 intr. (often foll. by behind) walk wearily; lag; straggle. 3 tr. follow the trail of; pursue (trailed him to his home). 4 intr. be losing in a game or other contest (trailing by three points). 5 intr. (usu. foll. by away, off) peter out; tail off. 6 intr. a (of a plant etc.) grow or hang over a wall, along the ground etc. b (of a garment etc.) hang loosely. 7 tr. (often refl.) drag (oneself, one’s limbs, etc.) along wearily etc. 8 tr. advertise (a film, a radio or television programme, etc.) in advance by showing extracts etc. 9 tr. apply (slip) through a nozzle or spout to decorate ceramic ware. 0 at the trai! Mil. with arms trailed. trail arms Mil. let a rifle etc. hang balanced in one hand and, Brit., parallel to the ground. trail bike a light motor cycle for use in rough terrain. trail-blazer 1 a person who marks a new track through wild country. 2 a pioneer; an innovator. trail-blazing n. the act or process of blazing a trail. —attrib.adj. that blazes a trail; pioneering. trail one’s coat deliberately provoke a quarrel, fight, etc. trailing edge 1 the rear edge of an aircraft’s wing

etc. 2 Electronics the part of a pulse in which the amplitude diminishes (opp. leading edge (see LEADING})). trailing wheel a wheel not given direct motive power. trail-net a drag-net. [ME (earlier as verb) f. OF traillier to tow, or f. MLG treilen haul f. L tragula drag-net] trailer /'trerlo(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that trails. 2 a series of

brief extracts from a film etc., used to advertise it in advance. 3 au how

er day

Trajan

1531

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a vehicle towed by another, esp.: a the rear section of an articulated lorry. b an open cart. ¢ a platform for transporting a boat etc. d US a caravan. 4atrailing plant.

train /trem/ v. & n. —v. 1 a tr. (often foll. by to + infin.) teach (a person, animal, oneself, etc.) a specified skill esp. by practice (trained the dog to beg; was trained in midwifery). b intr. undergo this process (trained as a teacher). 2 tr. & intr. bring or come into a state of physical efficiency by exercise, diet, etc.; undergo physical exercise, esp. for a specific purpose (trained me for the high jump; the team trains every evening). 3 tr. cause (a plant) to grow in a required shape (trained the peach tree up the wall). 4 (usu. as trained adj.) make (the mind, eye, etc.) sharp or discerning as a result of instruction, practice, etc. 5 tr. (often foll. by on) point or aim (a gun, camera, etc.) at an object etc. 6 collog. a intr. go by train. b tr. (foll. by it as object) make a journey by train (trained it to Aberdeen). 7 tr. (usu. foll. by away) archaic entice, lure. —n. 1 a series of railway carriages or trucks drawn by an engine. 2 something dragged along behind or forming the back part of a dress, robe, etc. (wore a dress with a long train; the train of the peacock). 3 a succession or series of people, things, events, etc. (a long train of camels; interrupted my train of thought; a train of ideas). 4 a body of followers; a retinue (a train of admirers). 5a succession of military vehicles etc., including artillery, supplies, etc. (baggage train). 6 a line of gunpowder etc. to fire an explosive charge. 7 a series of connected wheels or parts in machinery. 0 in train properly arranged or directed. in a person’s train following behind a person. in the train of as a sequel of. train-bearer a person employed to hold up the train of a robe etc. train down train with exercise or diet to lower one’s weight. train-ferry (pl. -ies) a ship that conveys a railway train across water. train-mile one mile travelled by one train, as a unit of traffic. train-spotter a person who collects locomotive numbers as a hobby. train-spotting this hobby. 00 trainable adj. trainability /-'biliti/ n. trainee /-'ni:/ n. trainless adj. [ME f. OF trainer, trahiner, ult. f. L trahere draw]

trainband /'trenbend/ n. hist. any of several divisions of London citizen soldiers, esp. in the Stuart period. trainer /'trema(r)/ n. 1 a person who trains. 2 a person who trains horses, athletes, footballers, etc., as a profession. 3 an aircraft or device simulating it used to train pilots. 4 Brit. a soft running shoe of leather, canvas, etc.

training /'tremin/ n. the act or process of teaching or learning a skill, discipline, etc. (physical training). 0 go into training begin physical training. in training 1 undergoing physical training. 2 physically fit as a result of this. out of training 1 no longer training. 2 physically unfit. training-college a college or school for training esp. prospective teachers. training-ship a ship on which young people are taught seamanship etc. trainman /'treinmenj n. (pl. -men) a railway employee working on trains. train-oil /'tremoul/ n. oil obtained from the blubber of a whale (esp. of a right whale). [obs. train, trane train-oil f. MLG tran, MDu. traen, app. = TEAR?

trainsick /'tremsrk/ adj. affected with nausea by the motion of a train. 00 trainsickness n. traipse /treps/ v. & n. (also trapes) collog. or dial. —v.intr. 1 tramp or trudge wearily. 2 (often foll. by about) go on errands. —n. 1 tedious journey on foot. 2 archaic a slattern. [16th-c. trapes (v.), of unkn. orig.] trait /tre1, trert/ n. a distinguishing feature or characteristic esp. of a person. [F f. L tractus (as TRACT})}

traitor /'treita(r)/ n. (fem. traitress /-tris/) (often foll. by to) a person who is treacherous or disloyal, esp. to his country. oo traitorous adj. traitorously adv. [ME f. OF trait(o)ur f. L traditor -oris f. tradere: see TRADITION]

Trajan /'trerd3(2)n/ (Marcus Ulpius Traianus, 53-117) Roman emperor 98-117, born in Spain, the adopted successor of Nerva. He was a popular and respected emperor, efficient in administration and energetic in public works. The Dacian wars of 101-— 6 ended in the annexation of Dacia as a province (the campaigns are illustrated on Trajan’s Column in Rome); his final years were taken up with a war against the Parthians.

ato fire

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trajectory

transcendental

1532

—v.intr. use a trampoline. 00 trampolinist n. [It. trampolino f. trampoli stilts] described by a projectile flying or an object moving under the action of given forces. 2 Geom. a curve or surface cutting a ' tramway /'tremwei/n. 1 = tram-road (see TRAM). 2 a rails for system of curves or surfaces at a constant angle. [(orig. adj.) f. a tramcar. b a tramcar system. med.L trajectorius f. L traicere traject- (as TRANS-, jacere throw)] trance /tra:ns/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa sleeplike or half-conscious tra-la /tra:'la:/ int. an expression of joy or gaiety. [imit. of song] state without response to stimuli. b a hypnotic or cataleptic state. 2 such a state as entered into by a medium. 3 a state of tram! /trzm/ n. 1 Brit. an electrically-powered passenger vehicle extreme exaltation or rapture; ecstasy. —v.tr. poet. = running on rails laid in a public road. (See below.) 2 a fourENTRANCE2. 00 trancelike adj. [ME f. OF transe f. transir depart, wheeled vehicle used in coal-mines. 0 tram-road hist. a road fall into trance f. L transire: see TRANSIT] with wooden, stone, or metal wheel-tracks. [MLG & MDu. trame balk, beam, barrow-shaft] tranche /tra:nJ/ n. a portion, esp. of income, or of a block of The tram (or tramcar, US streetcar), was invented in New York shares. [F, = slice (as TRENCH)] in 1830 by John Stephenson, an Irish coach-builder. Trams were tranny /'treni/ n. (pl. -ies) esp. Brit. collog. a transistor radio. originally horse-drawn (see RAILWAYS), and then steam power [abbr.] was used so that they were either self-propelled or hauled by tranquil /'trenkwil/ adj. calm, serene, unruffled. oo cables using stationary engines. The great expansion in their tranquillity /-'kwiliti/ n. tranquilly adv. [F tranquille or L use came with electric traction in the 1890s, with current coltranquillus] lected either from overhead wires or sometimes from a contranquillize /'trenkw1laiz/ v.tr. (US tranquilize, -ise) make ductor rail beneath the road surface. The rise of the motor bus tranquil, esp. by a drug etc. and the electric trolleybus with their greater flexibility of the tranquillizer /'trenkwi,laiza(r)/ n. (US tranquilizer, -iser) a course caused a decline in the use of trams in both Britain and drug used to diminish anxiety. the US, but some transport planners forecast a return to the trans- /trens, tra:ns, -nz/ prefix 1 across, beyond (transtram on grounds of economy and ability to use electric power continental; transgress). 2 on or to the other side of (transatlantic) rather than the oil fuel needed for buses. (opp. cis-). 3 through (transonic). 4 into another state or place tram? /trem/ n. (in full tram silk) double silk thread used for (transform; transcribe). 5 surpassing, transcending (transfinite). 6 the weft of some velvets and silks. [F trame f. L trama weft] Chem. a (of an isomer) having the same atom or group on tramcar /'tremka:(r)/ n. Brit. = TRAM! 1. opposite sides of a given plane in the molecule (cf. cis- 4). b tramlines /'tremlainz/ n.pl. 1 rails for a tramcar. 2 collog. a having a higher atomic number than (transuranic). [from or after either pair of two sets of long parallel lines at the sides of a L trans across] lawn-tennis court. b similar lines at the side or back of a badtransact /tren'zekt, tra:n-, -'sekt/ v.tr. perform or carry minton court. 3 inflexible principles or courses of action etc. through (business). 00 transactor n. [L transigere transact- (as trammedl /'trem(o)]/ n. & v. —n. 1 (usu. in pl.) an impediment TRANS-, agere do)] to free movement; a hindrance (the trammels of domesticity). 2 a transaction /tren'zek/(a)n, tra:n-, -'sekf(a)n/ n. 1 a a piece of triple drag-net for fish, which are trapped in a pocket formed esp. commercial business done; a deal (a profitable transaction). b when they attempt to swim through. 3 an instrument for drawthe management of business etc. 2 (in pl.) published reports of ing ellipses etc. with a bar sliding in upright grooves. 4 a discussions, papers read, etc., at the meetings of a learned beam-compass. 5 US a hook inafireplace for a kettle etc. —v.tr. society. 00 transactional adj. transactionally adv. [ME f. LL (trammelled, trammelling; US trammeled, trammeling)

trajectory /tra'dzektor1, 'trad3ik-/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the path

confine or hamper with or as if with trammels. [in sense ‘net’ ME f. OF tramail f. med.L tramaculum, tremaculum, perh. formed as TRI- + macula (MAIL?): later history uncert.] tramontana |,tra:mon'ta:no/ n. a cold north wind in the Adriatic. [It.: see TRAMONTANE] tramontane /tro'monterm/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 situated or living on the other side of mountains, esp. the Alps as seen from Italy. 2 (from the Italian point of view) foreign; barbarous. —n. 1a tramontane person. 2 = TRAMONTANA. [ME f. It. tramontano f. L transmontanus beyond the mountains (as TRANS-, mons montis mountain)] tramp /tremp/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. a walk heavily and firmly (tramping about upstairs). b go on foot, esp. a distance. 2 tr. a cross on foot, esp. wearily or reluctantly. b cover (a distance) in this way (tramped forty miles). 3 tr. (often foll. by down) tread on; trample; stamp on. 4 tr. Austral. collog. dismiss from employment, sack. 5 intr. live as a tramp. —n. 1 an itinerant vagrant or beggar. 2 the sound ofa person, or esp. people, walking, marching, etc., or of horses’ hooves. 3 a journey on foot, esp. protracted. 4 a an iron plate protecting the sole of a boot used for digging. b the part of a spade that it strikes. 5 esp. US sl. derog. a promiscuous woman. 6 = ocean tramp. 00 tramper n. trampish adj. [ME trampe f. Gmc] trample /'tremp(e)l/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 tread under foot. 2 press down or crush in this way. —n. the sound or act of trampling. O trample on 1 tread heavily on. 2 treat roughly or with contempt; disregard (a person’s feelings etc.). O00 trampler n. [ME f. TRAMP + -LE4]

transactio (as TRANSACT)]}

transalpine /trenz'zlpain, tra:n-, -s'e2lparn/ adj. beyond the Alps, esp. from the Italian point of view. [L transalpinus (as TRANS-, alpinus ALPINE)]

transatlantic /,trenzot'lentik, ,tra:n-, -sot'lantrk/ adj. 1 beyond the Atlantic, esp.: a Brit. American. crossing the Atlantic (a transatlantic flight).

b but

d dog

ffew

lying to the south of the Caucasus Mountains. caucasian adj.

hhe

j yes

00 Trans-

transceiver /tren'si:va(r), tra:n-/ n. a combined radio transmitter and receiver.

transcend /tren'send, tra:n-/ v.tr. 1 be beyond the range or grasp of (human experience, reason, belief, etc.). 2 excel; surpass. [ME f. OF transcendre or L transcendere (as TRANS-, scandere climb)] transcendent /tren'send(s)nt, tra:n-/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 excelling, surpassing (transcendent merit). 2 transcending human experience. 3 Philos. a higher than or not included in any of Aristotle’s ten categories in scholastic philosophy. b not realizable in experience in Kantian philosophy. 4 (esp. of the supreme being) existing apart from, not subject to the limitations of, the material universe (opp. IMMANENT). —n. Philos. a transcendent thing. 00 transcendence n. transcendency n. transcendently adv.

transcendental /,trensen'dent(a)l, tra:n-/ adj. & n. —adj. 1

used by gymnasts Trampolining as a US, though it was before the earliest in the late 1940s.

g get

2

Transcaucasia |,trenzko:'keizia/ that part of the Soviet Union

trampoline /'trempaji:n/ n. & v. —n. a strong fabric sheet connected by springs to a horizontal frame, etc. for somersaults, as a springboard, etc. sport was introduced into Britain from the known in Europe as a circus act centuries competitions, which were held in the US

b US European.

k cat

= TRANSCENDENT. 2 a (in Kantian philosophy) presupposed in and necessary to experience; a priori. b (in Schelling’s philosophy) explaining matter and objective things as products of the subjective mind. ¢ (esp. in Emerson’s philosophy) regarding the divine as the guiding principle in man. 3 a visionary, abstract. b vague, obscure. 4 Math. (of a function) not capable of being produced by the algebraical operations of addition, multiplication, and involution, or the inverse operations. 1leg

mman

nno

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

transcendentalism

—n. a transcendental term, conception, etc. 0 transcendental cognition a priori knowledge. Transcendental Meditation a

method of detaching oneself from problems, anxiety, etc., by silent meditation and repetition of a mantra. transcendental object a real (unknown and _ unknowable) object. transcendental unity unity brought about by cognition. 00 transcendentally — adv. [med.L._ transcendentalis (as TRANSCENDENT)}

transcendentalism /,trensen'dento,1z(2)m, ,tra:n-/ n. 1 transcendental philosophy. 2 exalted or visionary language. oo transcendentalist n. transcendentalize v.tr. (also -ise). transcode /trenz'kood, tra:nz-/ v.tr. & intr. convert from one form of coded representation to another. transcontinental trenzkontr'nent(s)l, tra:nz-, trans-, tra:ns-/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a railway etc.) extending across a continent. —n. a transcontinental railway or train. oo transcontinentally adv.

transcribe /tren'skraib, tra:n-/ v.tr. 1 make a copy of, esp. in writing. 2 transliterate. 3 write out (shorthand, notes, etc.) in ordinary characters or continuous prose. 4 a record for subsequent reproduction. b broadcast in this form. 5 arrange (music) for a different instrument etc. 00 transcriber n. transcription /-'skrip{(3)n/ n. transcriptional /-'skripfon(o)l/ adj. transcriptive |-'skriptrv/ adj. [L transcribere transcript- (as TRANS-, Scribere write)] transcript /'trenskript, 'tra:n-/ n. 1 a written or recorded copy. 2 any copy. [ME f. OF transcrit f. L transcriptum neut. past part.: see TRANSCRIBE]

Transdanubian

Highlands

|,trenzden'ju:bion/

a hilly

region to the west of the Danube in western Hungary. transducer /trens'dju:sa(r), tra:ns-, -z'dju:so(r)/ n. any device for converting a non-electrical signal into an electrical one e.g. pressure into voltage. [L transducere lead across (as TRANS-, ducere lead)] transect /tren'sekt, tra:n-, -'zekt/ v.tr. cut across or transversely. Oo transection n. [TRANS- + Lsecare sect- cut] transept /'trensept, 'tra:n-/ n. 1 either arm of the part of a cross-shaped church at right angles to the nave (north transept; south transept). 2 this part as a whole. o0 transeptal /-'sept(s)l/

adj. [mod.L transeptum (as TRANS-, SEPTUM)]

transexual var. of TRANSSEXUAL. transfer

v. & n.

—v.

/trens'f3:(r), tra:ns-/ (transferred,

transferring) 1 tr. (often foll. by to) a convey, remove, or hand over (a thing etc.) (transferred the bag from the car to the station). b make over the possession of (property, a ticket, rights, etc.) toa person (transferred his membership to his son). 2 tr. & intr. change or move to another group, club, department, etc. 3 intr. change

from one station, route, etc., to another on a journey. 4 tr. a convey (a drawing etc.) from one surface to another, esp. to a lithographic stone by means of transfer-paper. b remove (a picture) from one surface to another, esp. from wood or a wall to canvas. 5 tr. change (the sense of a word etc.) by extension or metaphor. —n. /'trzensf3:(r), 'tra:ns-/ 1 the act or an instance of

transferring or being transferred. 2 a a design etc. conveyed or to be conveyed from one surface to another. b a small usu. coloured picture or design on paper, which is transferable to another surface. 3 a football player etc. who is or is to be transferred. 4 a the conveyance of property, a right, etc. ba document effecting this. 5 US a ticket allowing a journey to be continued on another route etc. Oo transfer-book a register of transfers of property, shares, etc. transfer company US a company conveying passengers or luggage between stations. transfer fee a fee paid for the transfer of esp. a professional

footballer. transfer ink ink used for making designs on a lithographic stone or transfer-paper. transfer list a list of footballers available for transfer. transfer-paper specially coated paper to receive the impression of transfer ink and transfer it to stone. transfer RNA RNA conveying an amino-acid molecule

from the cytoplasm to a ribosome for use in protein synthesis etc. O00 transferee /-'ri:/ n. transferor /-'f3:ra(r)/ esp. Law n. transferrer |-'fs:ra(r)/ n. [ME f. F transferer or L transferre (as TRANS-, ferre lat- bear)] wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

transient

1533

6 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

transferable /trens'fs:rab(s)l, tra:ns-, 'tr-/ adj. capable of being transferred. o transferable vote a vote that can be transferred to another candidate if the first choice is eliminated. oo transferability /-'brliti/ n. transference /'trensforans, 'tra:-/.n. 1 the act or an instance of transferring; the state of being transferred. 2 Psychol. the redirection of childhood emotions to a new object, esp. to a psychoanalyst.

transferral /trzns'fs:r(2)l, tra:ns-/ n. = TRANSFER n. 1. transferrin /trens'fs:rin, tra:-/ n. a protein transporting iron in the blood of animals. [TRANs- + L ferrum iron] transfiguration /trens,figju'rerf(a)n, tra:-/ n. 1 a change of form or appearance. 2 a Christ’s appearance in radiant glory to three of his disciples (Matt. 17: 2, Mark 9: 2-3). b (Transfiguration) the festival of Christ’s transfiguration, 6 Aug. [ME f. OF transfiguration or L transfiguratio (as TRANSFIGURE)] transfigure /trens'figa(r), tra:-/ v.tr. change in form or appearance, esp. so as to elevate or idealize. [ME f. OF transfigurer or L transfigurare (aS TRANS-, FIGURE)]

transfinite /trens'famait, tra:/ adj. 1 beyond or surpassing the finite. 2 Math. (of a number) exceeding all finite numbers. transfix /trens'fiks, tra:-| v.tr. 1 pierce with a sharp implement or weapon. 2 root (a person) to the spot with horror or astonishment; paralyse the faculties of. 00 transfixion /-'fik{()n/.n. [L transfigere transfix- (as TRANS-, FIX)] transform /trens'fo:m, tra:-/ v. & n. —v. 1 a tr. make a thorough or dramatic change in the form, outward appearance, character, etc., of. b intr. (often foll. by into, to) undergo such a change. 2 tr. Electr. change the voltage etc. of (a current). 3 tr. Math. change (a mathematical entity) by transformation. —n. |'trzensfo:m, 'tra:ns-/ Math. & Linguistics the product of a transformation. 00 transformable adj. transformative adj. [ME f. OF transformer or L transformare (as TRANS-, FORM)] transformation /|,trensfo'merJ(o)n, ,tra:-/ n. 1 the act or an instance of transforming; the state of being transformed. 2 Zool. a change of form at metamorphosis, esp. of insects, amphibia, etc. 3 the induced or spontaneous change of one element into another. 4 Math. a change from one geometrical figure, expression, or function to another of the same value, magnitude, etc. 5 Biol. the modification of a eukaryotic cell from its normal state to a.malignant state. 6 Linguistics a process, with reference to particular rules, by which one grammatical pattern of sentence structure can be converted into another, or the underlying meaning of a sentence can be converted into a statement of syntax. 7 archaic a woman’s wig. 8 a sudden dramatic change of scene on stage. [ME f. OF transformation or LL transformatio (as TRANSFORM)]

transformational

|,trensfo'meifon(s)l/ adj. relating to or

involving transformation. 0 transformational grammar see GRAMMAR. 00 transformationally adv. transformer /trens'fo:mo(r), tra:-, -z'fo:mo(r)/n. 1 an apparatus for reducing or increasing the voltage of an alternating current. 2a person or thing that transforms. transfuse /trens'fju:z, tra:-/ v.tr. 1 permeate (purple dye transfused the water; was transfused with gratitude). 2 a transfer (blood) from one person or animal to another. b inject (liquid) into a blood-vessel to replace lost fluid. 3 cause (fluid etc.) to pass from one vessel etc. to another. 00 transfusion /|-'fju:3(0)n/ n. [ME f. L transfundere transfus- (as TRANS-, fundere pour)]

transgenic /trens'dzenrk/ adj. Biol. (of an animal or plant) having genetic material introduced from another species. transgress /trenz'gres, tra:-, -s'gres/ v.tr. (also absol.) 1 go beyond the bounds or limits set by (a commandment, law, etc.); violate; infringe. 2 Geol. (of the sea) to spread over (the land). 00 transgression /-'gre[(o)n/ n. transgressive adj. transgressor n. [F transgresser or L transgredi transgress- (as TRANS-, gradi go)]

tranship var. of TRANSSHIP. transhumance /trens'hju:mons, tra:-/ n. the seasonal moving of livestock to a different region. [F f. transhumer f. L TRANS- + humus ground]

transient /'trenziont, 'tra:-, -stont/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of short tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

transilluminate

duration; momentary; passing; impermanent (life is transient; of transient interest). 2 Mus. serving only to connect; inessential (a transient chord). —n. 1 a temporary visitor, worker, etc. 2 Electr. a brief current etc. 00 transience n. transiency n. transiently

adv. [L transire (as TRANS-, ire go)] transilluminate /|,trenzi'lu:m1)nett, ,tra:-/ v.tr. pass a strong light through for inspection, esp. for medical diagnosis. O00 transillumination /-'ne1{(a)n/ 1. transire /trzn'sato(r)/ n. Brit. a customs permit for the passage of goods. [L transire go across (as TRANSIENT)] transistor /tren'zista(r), tra:-, -'ststa(r)/ n. 1 a semiconductor device, usually having three terminals and two junctions, in which the load current can be made to be proportional to a small input current, so that it is functionally equivalent to a valve but is much smaller and more robust, operates at lower voltages, and consumes less power and produces less heat. (See below.) 2 (in full transistor radio) a portable radio with transistors. [portmanteau word, f. TRANSFER + RESISTOR] Transistors were developed at the Bell Telephone Laboratories in the US in 1947 after an intensive programme of research; the inventors were awarded the Nobel Prize for physics in 1956. They are used to amplify electronic signals, are the active elements of silicon integrated circuits, and have now largely replaced thermionic valves. transistorize /tren'zista,raiz, tra:-, -'sisto,raiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) design or equip with, or convert to, transistors rather than valves. 00 transistorization /-!ze1{(2)n/ n. transit /'trenzit, 'tra:-, -sit/ n. & v. —n. 1 the act or process of going, conveying, or being conveyed, esp. over a distance (transit by rail; made a transit of the lake). 2 a passage or route (the overland transit). 3 a the apparent passage of a celestial body across the meridian of a place. b such an apparent passage across the sun or a planet. 4 US the local conveyance of passengers on public routes. —v. (transited, transiting) 1 tr. make a transit across. 2 intr. make a transit. O im transit while going or being conveyed. transit camp a camp for the temporary accommodation of soldiers, refugees, etc. transit-circle (or -instrument) an instrument for observing the transit of a celestial body across the meridian. transit-compass (or -theodolite) a surveyor’s instrument for measuring a horizontal angle. transit-duty duty paid on goods passing through a country. transit lounge a lounge at an airport for passengers waiting between flights. transit visa a visa allowing only passage through a country. [ME f. L transitus f. transire (as TRANSIENT)]

transition /tren’'z1f(9)n, tra:-, -'s1{(a)n/ n. 1a passing or change from one place, state, condition, etc., to another (an age of transition; a transition from plain to hills). 2 Mus. a momentary modulation. 3 Art a change from one style to another, esp. Archit. from

Norman to Early English. 4 Physics a change in an atomic nucleus or orbital electron with emission or absorption of radiation. o transition element Chem. any of a set of elements in the periodic table characterized by partly filled d or f orbitals and the ability to form coloured complexes. transition point Physics the point at which different phases of the same substance can be in equilibrium. 00 transitional adj. transitionally adv. transitionary adj. [F transition or L transitio (as TRANSIT)] sense of a verb) that takes a direct object (whether implied), e.g. saw in saw the donkey, saw that she INTRANSITIVE). 2 Logic (of a relation) such as to any two members of a sequence if it is valid for

expressed or was ill (opp. be valid for every pair of

Transjordan /tren3!dzo:d(9)n/ the former name of an area of Palestine east of the Jordan, now the major part of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

-ied) joc. transform, esp. in a magical or surprising manner. oo transmogrification /-fi'ker{(a)n/ n. [17th c.: orig. unkn.]

Xhosa people in South Africa; pop. (1985) 2,947,000.

3: her

word etc.) in the closest corresponding letters of a different alphabet or language. oo transliteration /-'rei{(a)n/ n. transliterator n. [TRANS- + Llittera letter] translocate /|,trenzlou'kert, ,tra:-, -slou'kert/ v.tr. 1 move from one place to another. 2 (usu. in passive) Bot. move (substances in a plant) from one part to another. oo translocation n. translucent /trenz'lu:s(a)nt, tra:-, -'lju:s(a)nt, -s'l-/ adj. 1 allowing light to pass through diffusely; semi-transparent. 2 transparent. OOF tramslucence n. translucency 1. translucently adv. [L translucére (as TRANS-, lucére shine)] translunar /trenz'lu:no(r), -'lju:no(r), -s'l-/ adj. 1 lying beyond the moon. 2 of or relating to space travel or a trajectory towards the moon. transmarine |,trenzmo'ri:n, ,tra:-, -smoa'ri:n/ adj. situated or going beyond the sea. [L transmarinus f. marinus MARINE] transmigrant /trenz'maigront, tra:-, -s'maigrant/ adj. & n. —adj. passing through, esp. a country on the way to another. —n. a migrant or alien passing through a country etc. [L transmigrant-, part. stem of transmigrare (as TRANSMIGRATE)} transmigrate /,trenzmar'greit, ,tra:-, -smar'grert/ v.intr. 1 (of the soul) pass into a different body; undergo metempsychosis. 2 migrate. 00 transmigration /-'gre1f(a)n/ n. transmigrator n. transmigratory /|-'maigrator/ adj. [ME f. L transmigrare (as TRANS-, MIGRATE)]

transmogrify /trenz'mogri,far, tra:-, -s'mogrnfat/ v.tr. (-ies,

Transkei /tren'ska1/ an independent tribal homeland of the e bed

transliterate /trznz'lito,reit, tra:-, -s'lito,rert/ v.tr. represent (a

motor vehicle. 0 transmission line a conductor or conductors carrying electricity over large distances with minimum losses. [L transmissio (as TRANS-, MISSION)] transmit /trenz'mit, tra, -s'mit/ v.tr. (transmitted, transmitting) 1 a pass or hand on; transfer (transmitted the message; how diseases are transmitted). b communicate (ideas, emotions, etc.). 2 a allow (heat, light, sound, electricity, etc.) to pass through; be a medium for. b be a medium for (ideas, emotions, etc.) (his message transmits hope). 3 broadcast (a radio or television programme). 00 transmissible /-'misob(s)l/ adj. transmissive |-'mistv/ adj. transmittable adj. transmittal n. [ME f. L transmittere (as TRANS-, mittere miss- send)] transmitter /trens'mito(r), tra:-, -z'mita(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that transmits. 2 a set of equipment used to generate and transmit electromagnetic waves carrying messages, signals, etc., esp. those of radio or television. 3 = NEUROTRANSMITTER.

00 transitively adv. transitiveness n.

a: arm

foll. by into) express the sense of (a word, sentence, speech, book, etc.) in another language. b do this as a profession etc. (translates for the UN). 2 intr. (of a literary work etc.) be translatable, bear translation (does not translate well). 3 tr. express (an idea, book, etc.) in another, esp. simpler, form. 4 tr. interpret the significance of; infer as (translated his silence as dissent). 5 tr. move or change, esp. from one person, place, or condition, to another (was translated by joy). 6 intr. (foll. by into) result in; be converted into; manifest itself as. 7 tr. Eccl. a remove (a bishop) to another see. b remove (a saint’s relics etc.) to another place. 8 tr. Bibl. convey to heaven without death; transform. 9 tr. Mech. a cause (a body) to move so that all its parts travel in the same direction. b impart motion without rotation to. 00 translatable adj. translatability |-'brliti/ n. [ME f. L translatus, past part. of transferre: see TRANSFER] translation /trens'ler{(2)n, tra:-, -z'lerf(a)n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of translating. 2 a written or spoken expression of the meaning of a word, speech, book, etc. in another language. 00 translational adj. translationally adv. translator /trens'leita(r), tra:-, -z'lerto(r)/ n. 1 a person who translates from one language into another. 2 a television relay transmitter. 3 a program that translates from one (esp. programming) language into another.

an instance of transmitting; the state of being transmitted. 2 a broadcast radio or television programme. 3 the mechanism by which power is transmitted from an engine to the axle in a

transitivity /-'trviti/ n. [LL transitivus (as TRANSIT)] transitory /'trensitori, 'tra:-, -zitert/ adj. not permanent, brief, transient. 0 transitory action Law an action that can be brought in any country irrespective of where the transaction etc. started. 00 transitorily adv. transitoriness n. [ME f. AF transitorie, OF transitoire f. L transitorius (as TRANSIT)]

z cat

translate /tren'slert, tra:,, -!zlet/ v. 1 tr. (also absol.) a (often

transmission /trenz'm1{(a)n, tra:-, -s‘mif(a)n/ n. 1 the act or

transitive /'trensitry, 'tra:-, -zitrv/ adj. 1 Gram. (of a verb or

successive members.

transmogrify

1534

1 sit

i: see

p hot

9: saw

arun

wo put

u: too

9 ago

al my

transmontane

transuranic

1535

transmontane /trenz'montem, tra:-, -s'‘mpntem, -'tem/ adj. = TRAMONTANE. [L transtnontanus: see TRAMONTANE] transmutation /,trenzmju:'ter{(a)n, jtra:-, -smju:'ter{()n/ n. 1 the act or an instance of transmuting or changing into another form etc. 2 Alchemy hist. the supposed process of changing base metals into gold. 3 Physics the changing of one element into another by nuclear bombardment etc. 4 Geom. the changing of a figure or body into another of the same area or volume. 5Biol. Lamarck’s theory of the change of one species into another. 00 transmutational adj. transmutationist n. [ME f. OF transmutation or LL transmutatio (as TRANSMUTE)| transmute /trenz'mjutt, tra:-, -s'mju:t/ v.tr. 1 change the form, nature, or substance of. 2 Alchemy hist. subject (base metals) to transmutation. OO transmutable adj. transmutability /"biliti/ n. transmutative /-totrv/ adj. transmuter n. [ME f. L transmutare (as TRANS-, mutare change)]

other side of a bridge, esp. on the south side of the Thames. [TRANS- + L pons pontis bridge] transport v. & n. —-v.tr. /treens'po:t, tra:-/ 1 take or carry (a person, goods, troops, baggage, etc.) from one place to another. 2 hist. take (a criminal) to a penal colony; deport. 3 (as transported adj.) (usu. foll. by with) affected with strong emotion. —n. /'treenspo:t, 'tra:-/ 1 a a system of conveying people, goods, etc., from place to place. b the means of this (our transport has arrived). 2 a ship, aircraft, etc. used to carry soldiers, stores, etc. 3 (esp. in pl.) vehement emotion (transports of joy). 4 hist. a transported convict. 0 transport café Brit. a roadside café for (esp. commercial) drivers. [ME f. OF transporter or L transportare (as TRANS-, portare carry)]

transnational /trenz'nefan(a)l, tra:-, -s‘nzJon(9)l/ adj. extend-

transportation /|,trenspo:'ter{(a)n, ,tra:-/ n. 1 the act of con-

ing beyond national boundaries. transoceanic /trenz,sufrienik, tra:-, -s,aufr'zenik/ adj. 1 situated beyond the ocean. 2 concerned with crossing the ocean (transoceanic flight). ; transom /'trensom/ n. 1 a horizontal bar of wood or stone across a window or the top of a door (cf. MULLION). 2 each of several beams fixed across the stern-post of a ship. 3 a beam across a saw-pit to support a log. 4 a strengthening crossbar. 5 US = transom window. 0 transom window 1 a window divided by a transom. 2 a window placed above the transom of a door or larger window; a fanlight. 00 transomed adj. [ME traversayn, transyn, -ing, f. OF traversin f. traverse TRAVERSE]

transonic /tren'spnik, tra:-/ adj. (also trans-sonic) relating to speeds close to that of sound. [TRANS- + SONIC, after supersonic etc.]

transpacific /,trenzpo'sifik, ,tra:-, -spo'sifik/ adj. 1 beyond the Pacific. 2 crossing the Pacific. transparence /trens'pzrons,

tra:-, -'peorons/ n. =

TRANS-

PARENCY 1. transparency /trens'peronsi, tra:-, -'pearonsi/ n, (pl. -ies) 1 the condition of being transparent. 2 Photog. a positive transparent photograph on glass or in a frame to be viewed using a slide projector etc. 3 a picture, inscription, etc., made visible by a light behind it. [med.L transparentia (as TRANSPARENT)] transparent /trens'peront, tra:-, -'peorant/ adj. 1 allowing

light to pass through so that bodies can be distinctly seen (cf. TRANSLUCENT). 2 a (of a disguise, pretext, etc.) easily seen through. b (of a motive, quality, etc.) easily discerned; evident; obvious. 3 (of a person etc.) easily understood; frank; open. 4 Physics transmitting heat or other electromagnetic rays without distortion. 00 transparently adv. transparentness n. [ME f. OF f. med.L transparens f. L transparére shine through (as TRANS-, pareére appear)| transpierce /trens'piss, tra:-/ v.tr. pierce through. transpire /tren'spaio(r), tra:-/ v. 1 intr. (of a secret or something unknown) leak out; come to be known. 2intr. disp. a (prec. by it as subject) turn out; prove to be the case (it transpired he knew nothing about it). b occur; happen. 3 tr. & intr. emit (vapour, sweat, etc.), or be emitted, through the skin or lungs; perspire. 4 intr. (of a plant or leaf) release water vapour. O00 transpirable adj. transpiration /-sp1'retf(2)n/ n. transpiratory /-ratori/ adj. [F transpirer or med.L transpirare (as TRANS-, L spirare breathe)] transplant v. & n. —v.tr. /trens'pla:nt, tra:-/ 1 a plant in another place (transplanted the daffodils). b move to another place (whole nations were transplanted). 2 Surgery transfer (living tissue or an organ) and implant in another part of the body or in another body. —n. /'traenspla:nt, 'tra:-/ 1 Surgery a the transplanting of an organ or tissue. b such an organ etc. 2 a thing, esp. a plant, transplanted. o0 transplantable /-'pla:ntab(a)l/ adj. transplantation /-'te1{(2)n/ n. transplanter /-'pla:nta(r)/ n. [ME f. LL transplantare (as TRANS-, PLANT)] transponder /tren'spondo(r), tra:-/ na device for receiving a radio signal and automatically transmitting a different signal. [TRANSMIT + RESPOND] transpontine /trens'ppntarn, tra:-, -z'ppntarn/ adj. on the au how

er day

ou no

eo hair

to near

o1 boy

vo poor

transportable /trens'po:tab(a)l, tra:-/ adj. 1 capable of being transported. 2 hist. (of an offender or an offence) punishable by transportation. 00 transportability /-'brirti/ n. veying or the process of being conveyed. 2 a a system of conveying. b esp. US the means of this. 3 hist. removal to a penal colony. transporter /trens'po:to(r), tra:-/ n. 1 a person or device that transports. 2 a vehicle used to transport other vehicles or large pieces of machinery etc. by road. 0 transporter bridge a bridge carrying vehicles etc. across water on a suspended moving platform. transpose /trens'pouz, tra:-, -z'pauz/ v.tr. 1 a cause (two or more things) to change places. b change the position of (a thing) in a series. 2 change the order or position of (words or a word) in a sentence. 3 Mus. write or play in a different key. 4 Algebra transfer (a term) with a changed sign to the other side of an equation. 0 transposing instrument Mus. an instrument producing notes different in pitch from the written notes. transposing piano etc. Mus. a piano etc. on which a transposition may be effected mechanically. 00 transposable adj. transposal n. transposer n. [ME, = transform f. OF transposer

(as TRANS-, L ponere put)]

transposition /,trenspo'zi{(2)n, ,tra:-, -zpe'zif(a)n/ n. the act or an instance of transposing; the state of being transposed. 00 transpositional adj. transpositive |-'ppzitrv/ adj. [F transposition or LL transpositio (as TRANS-, POSITION)] transputer /trens'pju:to(r), tra:-, -z'pju:ta(r)/ n. a microprocessor with integral memory designed for parallel processing. [TRANSISTOR + COMPUTER]

transsexual /trenz'seksjuol, tra, -fual/ adj. & n. (also transexual) —adj. having the physical characteristics of one sex and the supposed psychological characteristics of the other. —n. 1 a transsexual person. 2 a person whose sex has been changed by surgery. 00 transsexualism n.

transship

/tren'f1p, tra:-, trenz-/ v.tr. (also tranship) intr.

(-shipped, -shipping) transfer from one ship or form of transport to another. 00 transshipment n.

Trans-Siberian Railway a railway built in 1891-1904 from Moscow east around Lake Baikal to Vladivostok on the Sea of Japan, a distance of 9,311 km (5,786 miles). It opened up Siberia and advanced Russian interest in East Asia. trans-sonic var. of TRANSONIC.

transubstantiation

/|,trensob,stenfr'erf(o)n,

,tra:-/ n. the

Roman Catholic doctrine that in the Eucharist the whole substance of the bread and wine, after consecration, is converted into the body and blood of Christ, only the ‘accidents’ (i.e. appearances) of bread and wine remaining. The belief was defined in 1215, and the terminology is based on medieval philosophy with its acceptance of Aristotelian theories on the nature of substance. (See CONSUBSTANTIATION.) [med.L (as TRANS-, SUBSTANCE)]} transude /tren'sju:d/ v.intr. (of a fluid) pass through the pores or interstices of a membrane etc. O00 transudation /-'de1{(a)n/ n. transudatory |-dotort/ adj. [F transsuder f. OF tressuer (as TRANS-, L sudare sweat)] transuranic |,trensjoo'renik, ,tra:-/ adj. Chem. (of an element) having a higher atomic number than uranium. There are at least 13 transuranic elements known, all of which are radioactive

aio fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

Transvaal

travel

1536 ae

ee

trapezium /tra'pi:ziom/ n. (pl. trapezia |-z1o/ or trapeziums) 1 Brit. a quadrilateral with only one pair of sides parallel. 2 US = TRAPEZOID 1. [LL f. Gk trapezion f. trapeza table]

and were first obtained artificially in nuclear reactors or after nuclear explosions.

Transvaal /trenz'va:l/ a province of the Republic of South Africa, lying north of the Orange Free State and separated from it by the River Vaal; pop. (1986) 7,532,200; capital, Pretoria. Inhabited by Ndebele Africans, it was first settled by Whites c.1840. In the second half of the 19th c. the right of selfgovernment was lost, regained, and (after defeat in the Second Boer War) lost again, and in 1900 the Transvaal was once more annexed by Britain. Self-government was granted in 1906, and it became a founding province of the Union of South Africa. (1910). [L trans across + Vaal name of river] transversal /trznz'vs:s(a)l, tra:-, -s'v3:s(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a line) cutting a system of lines. —n. a transversal line. oo transversality |-'seliti/ n. transversally adv. [ME f. med.L transversalis (as TRANSVERSE)] transverse /'trenzva:s, 'tra:-, -'v3:s, -ns-/ adj. situated, arranged, or acting in a crosswise direction. 0 transverse magnet a magnet with poles at the sides and not the ends. transverse wave Physics a wave in which the medium vibrates at right angles to the direction of its propagation. 00 transversely adv. [L

‘ trapezoid /'trap1,zo1d/ n. 1 Brit. a quadrilateral with no two sides parallel. 2 US = TRAPEZIUM 1. O00 trapezoidal adj. [mod.L trapezoides f. Gk trapezoeidés (as TRAPEZIUM)] trapper /'trepo(r)/ n. a person who traps wild animals esp. to obtain furs. trappings /'trepiyz/ n.pl. 1 ornamental accessories, esp. as an indication of status (the trappings of office). 2 the harness of a horse esp. when ornamental. [ME (as TRAP?)]

Trappist /'trzpist/n. & adj. —n. a member of a branch of the

transvertere transvers- turn across (aS TRANS-, vertere turn)] transvestism /trenz'vestiz(s)m, tra:-, -s'vest1z(o)m/ n. the practice of wearing the clothes of the opposite sex, esp. as a sexual stimulus. 00 transvestist n. [G Transvestismus f. TRANS- + L vestire clothe] transvestite /trenz'vestait, tra:-, -s'vestart/ n. a person given to transvestism.

Cistercian order founded in 1664 at La Trappe in Normandy and noted for an austere rule including a vow of silence. —adj. of or relating to this order. [F trappiste f. La Trappe] traps /treps/ n.pl. collog. personal belongings; baggage. [perh. contr. f. TRAPPINGS] trash /tref/ n. & v. —n. 1 esp. US worthless or waste stuff, rubbish, refuse. 2 a worthless person or persons. 3 a thing of poor workmanship or material. 4 (in full cane-trash) W_Ind. the refuse of crushed sugar canes and dried stripped leaves and tops of sugar cane used as fuel. —v.tr. 1 esp. US collog. wreck. 2 strip (sugar canes) of their outer leaves to speed up the ripening process. 3 esp. US collog. expose the worthless nature of, disparage. 0 trash can US a dustbin. trash-ice (on a sea, lake, etc.) broken ice mixed with water. [16th c.: orig. unkn.] trashy /'trzJ1/ adj. (trashier, trashiest) worthless; poorly made. oo trashily adv. trashiness n.

Transylvania |,trens1l'vernto/ a large tableland region of NW

Tras-os-Montes |,trezu:3'montef/ a mountainous region of

Romania separated from the rest of the country by the Carpathian Mountains and the Transylvanian Alps. Formerly part of Hungary, Transylvania was annexed by Romania in 1918. Its name means ‘beyond the forest’. 00 Transylvanian adj.

NE Portugal beyond the Douro River. Its name means ‘beyond the mountains’. trass /tres/ n. (also tarras /to'rzs/) a light-coloured tuff used as cement-material. [Du. trass, earlier terras, tiras f. Rmc: cf. TERRACE]

trap! /trep/n. & v. —n. 1 aan enclosure or device, often baited, for catching animals, usu. by affording a way in but not a way out. b a device with bait for killing vermin, esp. = MOUSETRAP. 2 a trick betraying a person into speech or an act (is this question a trap?). 3an arrangement to catch an unsuspecting person, e.g. a speeding motorist. 4 a device for hurling an object such as a clay pigeon into the air to be shot at. 5 a compartment from which a greyhound is released at the start of a race. 6 a shoeshaped wooden device with a pivoted bar that sends a ball from its heel into the air on being struck at the other end with a bat. 7 aa curve in a downpipe etc. that fills with liquid and forms a seal against the upward passage of gases. b a device for preventing the passage of steam etc. 8 Golf a bunker. 9 a device allowing pigeons to enter but not leave a loft. 10 a two-wheeled carriage (a pony and trap). 11 = TRAPDOOR. 12 sl. the mouth (esp. shut one’s trap). 13 (esp. in pl.) collog. a percussion instrument esp. in a jazz band. —v.tr. (trapped, trapping) 1 catch (an animal) in a trap. 2 catch or catch out (a person) by means of a trick, plan, etc. 3 stop and retain in or as in a trap. 4 provide (a place) with traps. O trap-ball a game played with a trap (see sense 6 of n.). trap-shooter a person who practises trapshooting. trap-shooting the sport of shooting at objects released from a trap. 00 traplike adj. [OE treppe, treppe, rel. to MDu. trappe, med.L trappa, of uncert. orig.] trap? /trep/ v.tr. (trapped, trapping) (often foll. by out) 1 provide with trappings, 2 adorn. [obs. trap (n.): ME f. OF drap: see DRAPE] trap? /trep/ n. (in full trap-rock) any dark-coloured igneous rock, fine-grained and columnar in structure, esp. basalt. [Sw. trapp f. trappa stair, f. the often stairlike appearance of its outcroppings] trapdoor /'trepdo:(r)/ n. a door or hatch ina floor, ceiling, or roof, usu. made flush with the surface. 0 trapdoor spider any of various spiders, esp. of the family Ctenizidae, that make a hinged trapdoor at the top of their nest. trapes var. of TRAIPSE.

trattoria /,treto'ri:a/ n. an Italian restaurant. [It.] trauma /'tro:mo, 'trau-/ n. (pl. traumata /-moto/ or traumas) 1 any physical wound or injury. 2 physical shock following this, characterized by a drop in body temperature, mental confusion, etc. 3 Psychol. emotional shock following a stressful event, sometimes leading to long-term neurosis. 00 traumatize v.tr. (also -ise). traumatization /-ta1'ze1f(a)n/ n. [Gk trauma traumatos wound] traumatic /tro:'metik, trav-/ adj. 1 of or causing trauma. 2 collog. (in general use) distressing; emotionally disturbing (a traumatic experience). 3 of or for wounds. 00 traumatically adv. [LL traumaticus f. Gk traumatikos (as TRAUMA)] traumatism |/'tro:mo,t1z(a)m, 'trav-/n. 1 the action of a trauma. 2 a condition produced by this.

travail /'treverl/ n. & v. literary —n.

travel /'trev(a)l/ v. & n. —v.intr. & tr. (travelled, travelling; US traveled, traveling) 1 intr. go from one place to another; make a journey esp. of some length or abroad. 2 tr. a journey along or through (a country). b cover (a distance) in travelling. 3 intr. collog. withstand a long journey (wines that do not travel). 4

trapeze /tro'pi:z/ n. a crossbar or set of crossbars suspended by ropes used as a swing for acrobatics etc. [F trapéze f. LL trapezium:

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

intr. go from place to place as a salesman. 5 intr. move or proceed in a specified manner or at a specified rate (light travels faster than sound). 6 intr. collog. move quickly. 7 intr. pass esp. in a deliberate or systematic manner from point to point (the photographer’s eye travelled over the scene). 8 intr. (of a machine or part) move or operate in a specified way. 9 intr. (of deer etc.) move

onwards in feeding. —n. 1 a the act of travelling, esp. in foreign countries. b (often in pl.) a spell of this (have returned from their travels). 2 the range, rate, or mode of motion of a part in machinery. 0 travel agency (or bureau) an agency that makes the necessary arrangements for travellers. travel agent a person or firm acting as a travel agency. travelling crane a crane

able to move on rails, esp. along an overhead support. travelling-rug a rug used for warmth on a journey. travelling wave Physics a wave in which the medium moves in the direction

see TRAPEZIUM]

b but

1 painful or laborious

effort. 2 the pangs of childbirth. —v.intr. undergo a painful effort, esp. in childbirth. [ME f. OF travail, travaillier ult. f. med.L trepalium instrument of torture f. L tres three + palus stake]

kcat

lleg

mman

nno

ppen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

travelled

of propagation. travel-sick suffering from nausea caused by motion in travelling. travel-sickness the condition of being travel-sick. [ME, orig. = TRAVAIL] travelled /'trav(s)ld/ adj. experienced in travelling (also in comb.: much-travelled). traveller /'traevelo(r)/ n. (US traveler) 1 a person who travels or is travelling. 2 a travelling salesman. 3 a Gypsy. 4 Austral. an itinerant workman; a swagman. 5 a moving mechanism, esp. a travelling crane. O traveller’s cheque (US check) a cheque for a fixed amount that may be cashed on signature, usu. internationally. traveller’s joy a wild clematis, Clematis vitalba. traveller’s tale an incredible and probably untrue story. travelogue /'trevalog/ n. a film or illustrated lecture about travel. [TRAVEL after monologue etc.] ; traverse /'trevas, tra'v3:s/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. travel or lie across (traversed the country; a pit traversed by a beam). 2 tr. consider or discuss the whole extent of (a subject). 3 tr. turn (a large gun) horizontally. 4 tr. Law deny (an allegation) in pleading. 5 tr. thwart, frustrate, or oppose (a plan or opinion). 6 intr. (of the needle of a compass etc.) turn on or as on a pivot. 7intr. (of a horse) walk obliquely. 8 intr. make a traverse in climbing. —n. 1 a sideways movement. 2 an act of traversing. 3 a thing, esp. part of a structure, that crosses another. 4a gallery extending from side to side of a church or other building. 5 a a single line of survey, usu. plotted from compass bearings and chained or paced distances between angular points. b a tract surveyed in this way. 6 Naut. a zigzag line taken by a ship because of contrary winds or currents. 7 a skier’s similar movement ona slope. 8 the sideways movement of a part in a machine. 9 a a sideways motion across a rock-face from one practicable line of ascent or descent to another. b a place where this is necessary. 10 Mil. a pair of right-angle bends in a trench to avoid enfilading fire. 11 Law a denial, esp. of an allegation of a matter of fact. 12 the act of turning a large gun horizontally to the required direction. O00 traversable adj. traversal n. traverser n. [OF traverser f. LL traversare, transversare (as TRANSVERSE)| travertine /'treva,ti:n/ n. a white or light-coloured calcareous rock deposited from springs. [It. travertino, tivertino f. L tiburtinus of Tibur (Tivoli) near Rome] travesty /'trevisti/ n. & v. —n. (pl. -ies) a grotesque misrepresentation or imitation (a travesty of justice). —v.tr. (-ies, -ied) make or be a travesty of. [(orig. adj.) f. F travesti past part. of travestir disguise, change the clothes of, f. It. travestire (as TRANS-, vestire clothe)] travois /tro'vo1/ n. (pl. same /-'vo1z/) a N. American Indian vehicle of two joined poles pulled by a horse etc. for carrying a burden. [earlier travail f. F, perh. the same word as TRAVAIL]

trawl /tro:l/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. a fish with a trawl or seine. b seek a suitable candidate etc. by sifting through a large number. 2 tr. a catch by trawling. b seek a suitable candidate etc. from (a certain area or group etc.) (trawled the schools for new trainees). —n. 1 an act of trawling. 2 (in full trawl-net) a large widemouthed fishing-net dragged by a boat along the bottom. 3 (in full trawl-line) US a long sea-fishing line buoyed and supporting short lines with baited hooks. [prob. f. MDu. traghelen to drag (cf. traghel drag-net), perh. f. L tragula] trawler /'tro:lo(r)/ n. 1 a boat used for trawling. 2 a person who trawls. tray /tret/n. 1a flat shallow vessel usu. with a raised rim for carrying dishes etc. or containing small articles, papers, etc. 2 a shallow lidless box forming a compartment of a trunk. 00 trayful n. (pl. -fuls). [OE trig f. Gmc, rel. to TREE] treacherous /'tretfaras/ adj. 1 guilty of or involving treachery. 2 (of the weather, ice, the memory, etc.) not to’be relied on; likely to fail or give way. 00 treacherously adv. treacherousness n. [ME f. OF trecherous f. trecheor a cheat f. trechier, trichier: see TRICK] treachery /'tretfort/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 violation of faith or trust;

betrayal. 2 an instance of this. treacle /'tri:k(2)l/ n. 1 esp. Brit. sugar. b molasses. 2 cloying treacly adj. [ME triacle f. OF f. against venom, fem. of thériakos wwe

z zoo

treasury

1537

f she

3 decision

a a syrup produced in refining sentimentality or flattery. 00 L theriaca f. Gk thériaké antidote (adj.) f. thérion wild beast] 6 thin’

6 this

n ting

x loch

tread /tred/v. &n. —v. (trod /trod/; trodden /'trod(a)n/ or trod) 1 intr. (often foll. by on) a set down one’s foot; walk or step (do not tread on the grass; trod on a snail). 'b (of the foot) be set down. 2 tr. a walk on. b (often foll. by down) press or crush with the feet. 3 tr. perform (steps etc.) by walking (trod a few paces). 4 tr. make (a hole etc.) by treading. 5 intr. (foll. by on) suppress; subdue mercilessly. 6 tr. make a track with (dirt etc.) from the feet. 7 tr. (often foll. by in, into) press down into the ground with the feet (trod dirt into the carpet). 8 tr. (also absol.) (of a male bird) copulate with (a hen), —n. 1 a manner or sound of walking (recognized the heavy tread). 2 (in full tread-board) the top surface of a step or stair. 3 the thick moulded part of a vehicle tyre for gripping the road. 4 a the part of a wheel that touches the ground or rail. b the part of a rail that the wheels touch. 5 the part of the sole of a shoe that rests on the ground. 6 (of a male bird) copulation.

Oo tread the boards (or stage) be an actor;

appear on the stage. tread on air see AIR. tread on a person’s toes offend a person or encroach on a person’s privileges etc. tread out 1 stamp out (a fire etc.). 2 press out (wine or grain) with the feet. tread water maintain an upright position in the water by moving the feet with a walking movement and the hands with a downward circular motion. 00 treader n. [OE tredan f. WG] treadle /|'tred(s)l/ n. & v. —n. a lever worked by the foot and imparting motion to a machine. —v.intr. work a treadle. [OE tredel stair (as TREAD)]

treadmill /'tredmil/ n. 1 a wide mill-wheel turned by people treading on steps fixed along the length of its circumference, formerly worked by prisoners as a punishment. The treadmill, which enforced monotonous and hard work, was first introduced as a prison punishment in 1817. The machines it operated were used for pumping or grinding, or often as mere labour without any other purpose. 2 a similar device used for exercise. 3 tiring monotonous routine work.

treadwheel /'tredwi:]/ n. a treadmill or similar appliance. treason /'tri:z(2)n/ n. 1 (in full high treason: see note below) violation by a subject of allegiance to the sovereign or to the State, esp. by attempting to kill or overthrow the sovereign or to overthrow the government. 2 (in full petty treason) hist. murder of one’s master or husband, regarded as a form of treason. § The crime of petty treason was abolished in 1828; the term high treason, originally distinguished from petty treason, now has the same meaning as treason. 00 treasonous adj. [ME f. AF treisoun etc., OF traison, f. L traditio handing over (as TRADITION)]

treasonable /'tri:zonob(9)l/ adj. involving or guilty of treason. O0 treasonably adv. treasure /'trezo(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a precious metals or gems. b a hoard of these. ¢ accumulated wealth. 2 a thing valued for its rarity, workmanship, associations, etc. (art treasures). 3 collog. a much loved or highly valued person. —v.tr. 1 (often foll. by up) store up as valuable. 2 value (esp. a long-kept possession) highly. O treasure hunt 1a search for treasure. 2 a game in which players seek a hidden object from a series of clues. treasure trove Law treasure of unknown ownership found hidden. [ME f. OF tresor, ult. f. Gk thésauros: see THESAURUS] treasurer /'trezara(r)/ n. 1 a person appointed to administer the funds ofa society or municipality etc. 2 an officer authorized to receive and disburse public revenues. 00 treasurership n. [ME f. AF tresorer, OF tresorier f. tresor (see TREASURE) after LL thesaurarius] treasury /'tregori/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a place or building where treasure is stored. 2 the funds or revenue ofa State, institution, or society. 3 (Treasury) a the department managing the public revenue of a country. (See below.) b the offices and officers of this. ¢ the place where the public revenues are kept. oO Treasury bench (in the UK) the front bench in the House of Commons occupied by the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer, etc. treasury bill a bill of exchange issued by the government to raise money for temporary needs. treasury note US. & hist. a note issued by the Treasury for use as currency. [ME f. OF tresorie (as TREASURE)] In Britain, the Treasury began to supersede the functions of the Exchequer from the time of Elizabeth I, under Lord Burghley, tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

treat

trembler

1538

and in the 18th c. the First Lord gradually assumed the role of Prime Minister. The office of First Lord of the Treasury is now always held by the Prime Minister, but the functions of the office are carried out by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. (See EXCHEQUER.) treat /tri:t/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. act or behave towards or deal with (a person or thing) in a certain way (treated me kindly; treat it as a joke). 2 tr. deal with or apply a process to; act upon to obtain a particular result (treat it with acid). 3 tr. apply medical care or attention to. 4 tr. present or deal with (a subject) in literature

or art. 5 tr. (often foll. by to) provide with food or drink or entertainment at one’s own expense (treated us to dinner). 6 intr. (often foll. by with) negotiate terms (with a person). 7 intr. (often foll. by of) give a spoken or written exposition. —n. 1 an event or circumstance (esp. when unexpected or unusual) that gives great pleasure. 2 a meal, entertainment, etc., provided by one person for the enjoyment of another or others. 3 (prec. by a) extremely good or well (they looked a treat; has come on a treat). 00 treatable adj. treater n. treating n. [ME f. AF treter, OF traitier f. L tractare handle, frequent. of trahere tract- draw, pull] treatise /'tri:tis, -1z/ n. a written work dealing formally and systematically with a subject. [ME f. AF tretis f. OF traitier TREAT] treatment /'tri:tmont/ n. 1 a process or manner of behaving towards or dealing with a person or thing (received rough treatment). 2 the application of medical care or attention to a patient. 3 a manner of treating a subject in literature or art. 4 (prec. by the) collog. the customary way of dealing with a person, situation, etc. (got the full treatment).

treaty /'tri:ti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a formally concluded and ratified agreement between States. 2 an agreement between individuals or parties, esp. for the purchase of property. 0 treaty port hist. a port that a country was bound by treaty to keep open to

foreign trade. [ME f. AF treté f. L tractatus TRACTATE]

Trebizond see TRABzON. treble /'treb(s)l/ adj., n.. & v. —adj. 1 a threefold. b triple. c three times as much or many (treble the amount). 2 (of a voice) high-pitched. 3 Mus. = SOPRANO (esp. of an instrument or with ref. to a boy’s voice). —n. 1 a treble quantity or thing. 2 Darts a hit on the narrow ring enclosed by the two middle circles of a dartboard, scoring treble. 3 a Mus. = SOPRANO (esp. a boy’s voice or part, or an instrument). b a high-pitched voice. 4 the high-frequency output of a radio, record-player, etc., corresponding to the treble in music. 5 a system of betting in which the winnings and stake from the first bet are transferred to a second and then (if successful) to a third. 6 Sport three victories or championships in the same game, sport, etc. —v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become three times as much or many; increase threefold; multiply by three. 2 tr. amount to three times as much as. oO treble chance a method of competing in a football pool in which the chances of winning depend on the number of draws and home and away wins predicted by the competitors. treble clef a clef placing G above middle C on the second lowest line of the staff. treble rhyme a rhyme including three syllables. 00 trebly adv. (in sense 1 of adj.). [ME f. OF f. L triplus TRIPLE]

Treblinka /tre'blinka/ a Nazi concentration camp in Poland in the Second World War, where the Jews of the Warsaw ghetto were put to death. 1a military machine used in siege warfare for throwing stones etc. 2 a tilting balance for accurately weighing light articles. (ME f. OF f. trebucher overthrow, ult. f. Frank.] trecento /trer'tfentou/ n. the style of Italian art and literature of the 14th c. oo trecentist n. [It., = 300 used with reference to the years 1300-99] tree /tri:/ n. & v. 1 a a perennial plant with a woody selfsupporting main stem or trunk when mature and usu. unbranched for some distance above the ground (cf. sHRUB}). b any similar plant havingatall erect usu. single stem, e.g. palm tree. 2 a piece or frame of wood etc. for various purposes (shoe-tree). 3 archaic or poet. a a gibbet. b a cross, esp. the one used for Christ’s crucifixion. 4 (in full tree diagram) Math. a

a: arm

e bed

3: her

tréow f. Gmc]

treecreeper /'tri:kri:po(r)/ n. any small creeping bird, esp. of the family Certhiidae, feeding on insects in the bark of trees. treen /tri:n/ n. (treated as pl.) small domestic wooden objects, esp. antiques. [treen (adj.) wooden f. OE tréowen (as TREE)] treenail /'tri:nerl/ n. (also trenail) a hard wooden pin for securing timbers etc. treetop /'tri:top/ n. the topmost part of a tree. trefa /'trerfo/ adj. (also tref /trerf] and other variants) not kosher. [Heb. t’répah the flesh of an animal torn f. tarap rend]

trefoil /'trefoul, 'tri:-/ n. & adj. —n. 1 any leguminous plant of the genus Trifolium, with leaves of three leaflets and flowers of various colours, esp. clover. 2 any plant with similar leaves. 3 a three-lobed ornamentation, esp. in tracery windows. 4 a thing arranged in or with three lobes. —adj. of or concerning a three-lobed plant, window tracery, etc. 00 trefoiled adj. (also in comb.). [ME f. AF trifoil f. L trifolium (as TRI-, folium leaf)]

trek /trek/ v. & n. orig. S.Afr. —v.intr. (trekked, trekking) 1 travel or make one’s way arduously (trekking through the forest). 2 esp. hist. migrate or journey with one’s belongings by oxwagon. 3 (of an ox) draw a vehicle or pull a load. —n. 1 aa journey or walk made by trekking (it was a trek to the nearest launderette). b each stage of such a journey. 2 an organized migration of a body of persons. 00 trekker n. [S.Afr. Du. trek (n.), trekken (v.) draw, travel] trellis /'trelis/ n. & v. —n. (in full trellis-work) a lattice or grating of light wooden or metal bars used esp. as a support for fruit-trees or creepers and often fastened against a wall. —v.tr. (trellised, trellising) 1 provide with a trellis. 2 support (a vine etc.) with a trellis. [ME f. OF trelis, trelice ult. f. L trilix three-ply (as TRI-, licium warp-thread)] trematode /'trems,toud/ n. any parasitic flatworm of the class Trematoda, esp. a fluke, equipped with hooks or suckers, e.g. a liver fluke. [mod.L Trematoda f. Gk trématodés perforated f. tréma hole]

trebuchet /'trebjo,et/ n. (also trebucket /'trebakat, 'tri:-/) hist.

z cat

diagram with a structure of branching connecting lines. 5 = family tree. —v.tr. 1 force to take refuge in a tree. 2 esp. US put into a difficult position. 3 stretch on a shoe-tree. 0 grow on trees (usu. with neg.) be plentiful. tree agate agate with treelike markings. tree calf a calf binding for books stained with a treelike design. tree-fern a large fern, esp. of the family Cyatheaceae, with an upright trunklike stem. tree frog any arboreal tailless amphibian, esp. of the family Hylidae, climbing by means of adhesive discs on its digits. tree hopper any insect of the family Membracidae, living in trees. tree house a structure in a tree for children to play in. tree lime = TIMBERLINE. tree of heaven an ornamental Asian tree, Ailanthus altissima, with evil-smelling flowers. tree of knowledge the branches of knowledge as a whole. tree of life = ARBOR VITAE. tree ring a ring in a cross section of a tree, from one year’s growth. tree shrew any small insect-eating arboreal mammal of the family Tupaiidae having a pointed nose and bushy tail. tree sparrow 1 Brit. a sparrow, Passer montanus, inhabiting woodland areas. 2 US a N. American finch, Spizella arborea, inhabiting grassland areas. tree surgeon a person who treats decayed trees in order to preserve them. tree surgery the art or practice of such treatment. tree toad = tree frog. tree tomato a South American shrub, Cyphomandra betacea, with egg-shaped red fruit. tree-trunk the trunk of a tree. up a tree esp. US cornered; nonplussed. oo treeless adj. treelessness n. tree-like adj. [OE

tremble /'tremb(o)I/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 shake involuntarily from fear, excitement, weakness, etc. 2 be in a state of extreme apprehension (trembled at the very thought of it). 3 move in a quivering manner (leaves trembled in the breeze). —n. 1 a trembling state or movement; a quiver (couldn’t speak without a tremble). 2 (in pl.) a disease (esp. of cattle) marked by trembling. O all of a tremble collog. 1 trembling all over. 2 extremely agitated. trembling poplar an aspen. 00 tremblingly adv. [ME f. OF trembler f. med.L tremulare f. L tremulus TREMULOUS]

trembler /'trembloa(r)/ n. an automatic vibrator for making and breaking an electrical circuit.

1 sit

i: see

p hot

0: saw

arun

wv put

u: too

9 ago

al my

trembly trembly /'trembli/ adj. (tremblier, trembliest) collog. trembling; agitated. tremendous /tri'mendss/ adj. 1 awe-inspiring, fearful, overpowering. 2 collog. remarkable, considerable, excellent (a tremendous explosion; gave a tremendous performance). oO tremendously

adv.

tremendousness

n. [L tremendus,

ger-

undive of tremere tremble] tremolo /'tremolou/ n. Mus. 1 a tremulous effect in playing stringed and keyboard instruments or singing, esp. by rapid reiteration of a note; in other instruments, by rapid alternation between two notes (cf. VIBRATO). 2a device in an organ producing a tremulous effect. [It. (as TREMULOUS)] tremor /'trema(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1 a shaking or quivering. 2 a

thrill (of fear or exultation etc.). 3 (in full earth tremor)a slight earthquake.

—v.intr. undergo a tremor or tremors. [ME f. OF

tremour & L tremor f. tremere tremble] tremulous /'tremjolos/ adj. 1 trembling or quivering (in a tremulous voice). 2 (of a line etc.) drawn by a tremulous hand. 3

timid or vacillating. 00 tremulously adv. tremulousness n. [L tremulus f. tremere tremble]

trenail var. of TREENAIL. trench /trent{/n. & v. —n. 1a long narrow usu. deep depression or ditch. 2 Mil. a this dug by troops to stand in and be sheltered from enemy fire. b (in p!.) a defensive system of these. 3 a long narrow deep depression in the ocean bed. —v. 1 tr. dig a trench or trenches in (the ground). 2 tr. turn over the earth of (a field, garden, etc.) by digging a succession of adjoining ditches. 3 intr. (foll. by on, upon) archaic a encroach. b verge or border closely. otrench coat 1 a soldier’s lined or padded water-proof coat. 2 a loose belted raincoat. trench fever a highly infectious disease transmitted by lice, that infested soldiers in the trenches in the First World War. trench mortar a light simple mortar throwing a bomb from one’s own inte the enemy trenches. trench warfare hostilities carried on from more or less permanent trenches. [ME f. OF trenche (n.) trenchier (v.), ult. f. L truncare TRUNCATE] trenchant /'trent{(s)nt/ adj. 1 (of a style or language etc.) incisive, terse, vigorous. 2 archaic or poet. sharp, keen. oO trenchancy n. trenchantly adv. [ME f. OF, part. of trenchier: see TRENCH]

trencher /'trentfa(r)/ n. 1 hist. a wooden or earthenware platter for serving food. 2 (in full trencher cap) a stiff square academic cap; a mortarboard. [ME f. AF trenchour, OF trencheoir f. trenchier: see TRENCH] trencherman /'trent{amon/ n. (pl. -men) a person who eats well, or in a specified manner (a good trencherman).

trend /trend/n. & v. —n. a general direction and tendency (esp. of events, fashion, or opinion etc.). —-v.intr. 1 bend or turn away in a specified direction. 2 be chiefly directed; have a general and continued tendency. 0 trend-setter a person who leads the way in fashion etc. trend-setting establishing trends or fashions. [ME ‘revolve’ etc. f. OE trendan f. Gmc: cf. TRUNDLE]

trendy /'trendi/ adj. & n. colloqg. —adj. (trendier, trendiest) often derog. fashionable; following fashionable trends. —n. (pl. -ies) a fashionable person. 00 trendily adv. trendiness n. Trengganu /tren'ga:nu:/ (also Terengganu) aState on the east coast of the Malaysian peninsula; pop. (1980) 540,600; capital, Kuala Terengganu. Trent /trent/ the anglicized name of Trento, a city of northern Italy, scene of an ecumenical Church council, meeting from time to time between 1545 and 1563, which defined the doctrines of the Church in opposition to those of the Reformation, reformed discipline, and strengthened the authority of the papacy. trente-et-quarante |,traterke'rat/ n. = rouge-et-noir. [F, =

thirty and forty]

Trentino-Alto Adige /tren'ti:nou,,z2ltou'zdr ,d3:e1/.a region of NE Italy, comprising the autonomous provinces of Bolzano and Trento; pop. (1981) 873,400. Trenton /'trent(a)n/ the capital of New Jersey; pop. (1980)

92,124.

.

trepan /tr'pzn/n. & v. —n. 1a cylindrical saw formerly used au how

triacetate

1539

er day

ov no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

va poor

by surgeons for removing part of the bone of the skull. 2 a borer for sinking shafts. —v.tr. (trepanned, trepanning) perforate (the skull) with a trepan. 00 trepanation /,trepo'nerf(a)n/ n. trepanning n. [ME f. med.L trepanum f. Gk trupanon f. trupad bore f. trupé hole] trepang /tri'pzn/n. = BECHE-DE-MER 1. [Malay tripang]

trephine /tri'farn, -'fi:n/ n. & v. —n. an improved form of trepan with a guiding centre-pin. —v.tr. operate on with this. oo trephination /,trefi'ner{(9)n/ n. [orig. trafine, f. L tres fines three ends, app. formed after TREPAN]

trepidation /,trepr'derf(a)n/ n. 1 a feeling of fear or alarm; perturbation of the mind. 2 tremulous agitation. 3 the trembling of limbs, e.g. in paralysis. [L trepidatio f. trepidare be agitated, tremble, f. trepidus alarmed] trespass /'trespos/ v. & n. —v.intr. 1 (usu. foll. by on, upon) make an unlawful or unwarrantable intrusion (esp. on land or property). 2 (foll. by on) make unwarrantable claims (shall not trespass on your hospitality). 3 (foll. by against) literary or archaic offend. —n. 1 Law a voluntary wrongful act against the person or property of another, esp. unlawful entry to a person’s land or property. 2 archaic a sin or offence. 0 trespass on a person’s preserves meddle in another person’s affairs. 00 trespasser n. [ME f. OF trespasser pass over, trespass, trespas (n.), f. med.L transpassare (as TRANS-, PASS})] tress /tres/ n. & v. —n. 1 a long lock of human (esp. female) hair. 2 (in pl.) a woman’s or girl’s head of hair. —v.tr. arrange (hair) in tresses. 00 tressed adj. (also in comb.). tressy adj. [ME f. OF tresse, perh. ult. f. Gk trikha threefold] tressure /'trefa(r)/ n. Heraldry a narrow orle. [ME, orig. = hairribbon, f. OF tressour etc. (as TRESS)} trestle /'tres(a)l/ n. 1 a supporting structure for a table etc., consisting of two frames fixed at an angle or hinged or of a bar

supported by two divergent pairs of legs. 2 (in full trestle-table) a table consisting of a board or boards laid on trestles or other

supports. 3 (in full trestle-work) an open braced framework to support a bridge etc. 4 (in full trestle-tree) Naut. each of a pair of horizontal pieces on a lower mast supporting the topmast etc. [ME f. OF trestel ult. f. L transtrum] tret /tret/ n. hist. an allowance of extra weight formerly made to purchasers of some goods for waste in transportation. [ME f. AF & OF, var. of trait draught: see TRAIT]

trevally /tri'veli/ n. (pl. -ies) any Australian fish of the genus Caranx, used as food. [prob. alt. f. cavally, a kind of fish, f. Sp. caballo horse f. L (as CAVALRY)]

Trevithick

/'trevi6ik/, Richard (1771-1833), known

as the

Cornish Giant, the most notable and original engineer to emerge from the Cornish mining industry, where steam engines were first widely used. His particular contribution was in the use of high-pressure steam to drive a piston which then could send out exhaust against atmospheric pressure, giving a compact and therefore portable engine; this led to the first railway locomotive in 1804, at a colliery in South Wales. He also applied it to a steam-dredger, a threshing machine, and a cultivator. In 1816 he sailed for Peru to apply steam power in the silver-mines, but this proved a disastrous enterprise and he returned penniless in 1827. Trevithick was a man of boundless energy, with schemes for refrigeration, tunnelling, wreck salvage, agricultural machinery, land reclamation, and gun-mountings. trews /tru:z/ n.pl. esp. Brit. trousers, esp. close-fitting tartan trousers worn by women. [Ir. trius, Gael. triubhas (sing.): cf. TROUSERS] trey /tre1/ n. (pl. treys) the three on dice or cards. [ME f. OF trei, treis three f. L tres]

TRH abbr. Their Royal Highnesses. tri- /trai/ comb. form forming nouns and adjectives meaning: 1 three or three times. 2 Chem. (forming the names of compounds) containing three atoms or groups of a specified kind (triacetate). [L & Gk f..L tres, Gk treis three]

triable /'trarab(2)l/ adj. 1 liable to a judicial trial. 2 that may be tried or attempted. [ME f. AF (as TRy)} triacetate /trar'esi,tert/ n. a cellulose derivative containing three acetate groups, esp. as a base for man-made fibres.

ato fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

triad

Tribune Group

1540 a

triad /'trarzed/ n. 1 a group of three (esp. notes in a chord). 2 the number three. 3 a Chinese secret society, usu. criminal. (See TRIAD Society.) 4 a Welsh form of literary composition with an arrangement in groups of three. o0 triadic /-'zdik/ adj. triadically /-'zdrkoli/ adv. [F triade or LL trias triad- f. Gk trias -ados f. treis three]

triadelphous |,trato'delfas/ adj. Bot. having stamens united in

a

triatomic |,trara'tomik/ adj. Chem. 1 having three atoms (of a

three bundles. [rrI- + Gk adelphos brother]

specified kind) in the molecule.

triaxial /trar'eksrol/ adj. having three axes. tribade /'triba:d/ n. a woman who takes part in a simulation of sexual intercourse with another woman.

tribal /'trarb(e)l/ adj. of, relating to, or characteristic of a tribe or tribes. 00 tribally adv.

tribalism /'trarba,l1z(2)m/ n. tribal organization. 00 tribalist n. tribalistic /-'listrk/ adj.

tribasic /trai'berstk/ adj. Chem. (of an acid) having three replaceable hydrogen atoms. munities, linked by social, economic, religious, or blood ties, and usu. having a common culture and dialect, and a recognized leader. 2 any similar natural or political division. 3 Rom.Hist. each of the political divisions of the Roman people. 4 each of the 12 divisions of the Israelites, each traditionally descended from one of the patriarchs. 5 usu. derog. a set or number of persons esp. of one profession etc. or family (the whole tribe of actors). 6 Biol. a group of organisms usu. ranking between genus and the subfamily. 7 (in pl.) large numbers. [ME, orig. in pl. form tribuz, tribus f. OF or L tribus (sing. & pl.)]

tribesman /'trarbzmon/ n. (pl. -men) a member of a tribe or of one’s own tribe.

triblet /'triblit/ n. a mandrel used in making tubes, rings, etc. [F triboulet, of unkn. orig.]

tribo- /'tribsv-, 'trar-/ comb. form rubbing, friction. [Gk tribos triboelectricity

motor-cycle trial, etc. 2 a person involved in a judicial trial.

jtratbou-/ n. the gen-

tribology /trar'boled3i/ n. the study of friction, wear, lubric-

angles. 2 any three things not ina straight line, with imaginary lines joining them. 3 an implement of this shape. 4 a musical instrument consisting of a steel rod bent into a triangle and sounded by striking it with a small steel rod. 5 a situation, esp. an emotional relationship, involving three people. 6 a rightangled triangle of wood etc. as a drawing-implement. 7 Naut. a device of three spars for raising weights. 8 hist. a frame of three halberds joined at the top to which a soldier was bound for flogging. Oo triangle of forces a triangle whose sides represent in magnitude and direction three forces in equilibrium. [ME f. OF triangle or L triangulum neut. of triangulus three-cornered (as TRI-, ANGLE?)]

ation, and the design of bearings; the science of interacting surfaces in relative motion. 00 tribologist n.

triboluminescence /|,tribou,lu:m1'nes(a)ns, ,trar-/ n. the emission of light from a substance when rubbed, scratched, etc. 00 triboluminescent adj.

tribometer /trar'bomito(r)/ n. an instrument for measuring friction in sliding.

tribrach /'trarbrek, 'tri-/ n. Prosody a foot of three short or unstressed syllables. 00 tribrachic /-'brekik/ adj. [L tribrachys f. Gk tribrakhus (as TRI-, brakhus short)]

tribulation /,tribjo'lei{(2)n/ n. 1 great affliction or oppression. 2 a cause of this (was a real tribulation to me). [ME f. OF f. eccl.L tribulatio -onis f. L tribulare press, oppress, f. tribulum sledge for threshing, f. terere trit- rub]

three-

cornered. 2 (of a contest or treaty etc.) between three persons or parties. 3 (of a pyramid) having a three-sided base. oo triangularity /-‘leriti/ n. triangularly adv. [LL triangularis (as TRIANGLE)]

tribunal /trar'bju:n(o)i, tr-/ n. 1 Brit. a board appointed to adjudicate in some matter, esp. one appointed by the government to investigate a matter of public concern. 2 a court of justice. 3 a seat or bench for a judge or judges. 4 aa place of judgement. b judicial authority (the tribunal of public opinion). [F tribunal or L tribunus (as TRIBUNE?)]

triangulate v. & adj. —v.tr. /trat'zengju,leit/ 1 divide (an area) into triangles for surveying purposes. 2 a measure and map (an area) by the use of triangles with a known base length and base angles. b determine (a height, distance, etc.) in this way. —adj. [trat'zengjolot/ Zool. marked with triangles. 00 triangulately [-loth/ adv. triangulation /-'le1{(o)n/ n. [L triangulatus triangular (as TRIANGLE)]

/,tribou,lek'trisiti,

eration of an electric charge by friction.

triandrous /trai'zndras/ adj. Bot. having three stamens. triangle /'tra1,2ng(2)l/ n. 1a plane figure with three sides and

1 triangleshaped,

tribe /trarb/ n. 1 a group of (esp. primitive) families or com-

rubbing]

trialist /'trarolist/ n. 1a person who takes part in a sports trial,

adj.

oo tribadism n. [F

tribade or L tribas f. Gk f. trib6 rub]

trial /'trarol/ n. 1 a judicial examination and determination of issues between parties by a judge with or without a jury (stood trial for murder). 2 a a process or mode of testing qualities. b experimental treatment. ¢ a test (will give you a trial). 3 a trying thing or experience or person, esp. hardship or trouble (the trials of old age). 4 a sports match to test the ability of players eligible for selection to a team. 5 a test of individual ability on a motor cycle over rough ground or on a road. 6 any of various contests involving performance by horses, dogs, or other animals. 0 on trial 1 being tried in a court of law. 2 being tested; to be chosen or retained only if suitable. trial and error repeated (usu. varied and unsystematic) attempts or experiments continued until successful. trial balance (of a ledger in double-entry bookkeeping), a comparison of the totals on either side, the inequality of which reveals errors in posting. trial jury = petty jury. trial run a preliminary test of a vehicle, vessel, machine, etc. [AF trial, triel f. trier TRy]

2 having three replacement

atoms or radicals.

the alleged purpose of ousting the Manchu dynasty. The name was given to various related organizations sharing a similar ritual and acting as both fraternal and criminal organizations. In the mid-19th c. they grew in strength and thereafter played an erratic and violent role in China. Such societies, often of a criminal character, often flourish among overseas Chinese. [tr. Chin. San Ho Hui lit. ‘three unite society’, i.e. triple union society, thought to mean ‘the union of Heaven, Earth, and Man’] triage /'tramd3/ n. 1 the act of sorting according to quality. 2 the assignment of degrees of urgency to decide the order of treatment of wounds, illnesses, etc. [F f. trier: cf. TRY]

/trat'engjolo(r)/

ee

preceding the Jurassic, lasting from about 248 to 213 million years ago. Dinosaurs became numerous during this period, which also saw the appearance of the first mammals. —n. this ‘ period or system. [LL trias (as TRIAD), because the strata are divisible into three groups] triathlon /tra1'z6lon/ n. an athletic contest consisting of three different events. 00 triathlete n. [TRI- after DECATHLON]

Triad Society a secret Chinese society formed c.1730 with

triangular

a

tribune! /'tribju:n/ n. 1 a popular leader or demagogue. 2 (in

Trianon /'tri:o,n3/ either of two small palaces in the great park

full tribune of the people) an official in ancient Rome chosen by the people to protect their interests. 3 (in full military tribune) a Roman legionary officer. 00 tribunate /-not/ n. tribuneship n. [ME f. L tribunus, prob. f. tribus tribe]

at Versailles. The larger (Grand Trianon) was built by Louis

tribune? /'tribju:n/ n. 1 a a bishop’s throne ina basilica. b an

XIV in 1687; the smaller (Petit Trianon), built by Louis XV

apse containing this. 2 a dais or rostrum. 3 a raised area with seats. [F f. It. f. med.L tribuna TRIBUNAL]

1762-8, belonged first to Madame du Barry and afterwards to Marie Antoinette.

Triassic /trat'estk/ adj. & n. Geol. —adj. of or relating to the

Tribune Group a group within the British Labour Party consisting of supporters of the extreme left-wing views put forward in the weekly journal Tribune. 1

earliest period of the Mesozoic era, following the Permian and b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

kcat

lleg

m man

n no

Pp pen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

tributary tributary /'tribjotort/n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1a river or stream flowing into a larger river or lake. 2 hist. a person or State paying or subject to tribute. —adj. 1 (ofa river etc.) that is a tributary. 2 hist. a paying tribute. b serving as tribute. 00 tributarily adv. tributariness n. [ME f. L tributarius (as TRIBUTE)]

tribute /'tribju:t/ n. 1 a thing said or done or given as a mark of respect or affection etc. (paid tribute to their achievements; floral tributes). 2 hist. a a payment made periodically by one State or ruler to another, esp. as a sign of dependence. b an obligation to pay this (was laid under tribute). 3 (foll. by to) an indication of (some praiseworthy quality) (their success is a tribute to their perseverance). 4 a proportion of ore or its equivalent paid to a miner for his work, or to the owner of a mine. [ME f. L tributum neut. past part. of tribuere tribut- assign, orig. divide between

tribes (tribus)]

f

tricar /'tratka:(r)/ n. Brit. a three-wheeled motor car. trice /trars/ n. 0 in a trice in a moment; instantly. [ME trice (v.) pull, haul f. MDu. trisen, MLG trissen, rel. to MDu. trise windlass,

pulley] tricentenary /,tratsen'ti:nort/ n. (pl. -ies) = TERCENTENARY. triceps /'traiseps/ adj. & n. —adj. (of a muscle) having three: heads or points of attachment. —n. any triceps muscle, esp. the large muscle at the back of the upper arm. [L, = three-headed (as TRI-, -ceps f. caput head)] triceratops /,trar'sera,tops/ n. a plant-eating dinosaur with three sharp horns on the forehead and a wavy-edged collar round the neck. [mod.L f. Gk trikeratos three-horned + 6ps face]

trichiasis /tri'karesis/ n. Med. ingrowth or introversion of the eyelashes. [LL f. Gk trikhiasis f. trikhiad be hairy]

trichina /tr'kaino/ n. (pl. trichinae /-ni:/) any hairlike parasitic nematode worm of the genus Trichinella, esp. T. spiralis, the adults of which live in the small intestine, and whose larvae become encysted in the muscle tissue of humans and flesh-eating animals. oo trichinous adj. [mod.L f. Gk trikhinos of hair: see TRICHO-]

Trichinopoly see TiRUCHIRAPALLI. trichinosis /,trrki'nousis/ n. a disease caused by trichinae, usu. ingested in meat, and characterized by digestive disturbance, fever, and muscular rigidity.

tricho- /'trikou/ comb. form hair. [Gk thrix trikhos hair] trichogenous /tri'kod3enes/ adj. causing or promoting the growth of hair.

trichology /tm'koled31, trai-/ n. the study of the structure, functions, and diseases of the hair. oo trichologist n.

trichome

/'trarksum/ n. Bot. a hair, scale, prickle, or other

outgrowth from the epidermis of a plant. [Gk trikhoma f. trikhoo cover with hair (as TRICHO-)]

trichomonad /,trike'monzd/ n. any flagellate protozoan of the genus Trichomonas, parasitic in humans, cattle, and fowls.

trichomoniasis |,tr:koma'naresis/ n. any of various infections caused by trichomonads parasitic on the urinary tract, vagina, or digestive system.

trichopathy /tri'kopo0i/ n. the treatment of diseases of the hair. 00 trichopathic /,trike'!pxz61k/ adj.

trichotomy /trai'kotomi/ n. (pl. -ies) a division (esp. sharply defined) into three categories, esp. of human nature into body, soul, and spirit. 90 trichotomic /-ka'tomik/ adj. [Gk trikha threefold f. treis three, after DICHOTOMY]

trichroic /trai'krouik/ adj. (esp. of a crystal viewed in different directions) showing three colours. oo © trichroism |'tratkrau,1z(a)m/ n. [Gk trikhroos (as TRI-, khros colour)]

trichromatic /,tratkro'‘metrk/ adj. 1 having or using three colours. 2 (of vision) having the normal three colour-sensations,

ie... red, green, |"kraomo,tiz(2)m/ n.

and _ purple.

oO.

trichromatism

trick /trik/ n. & v. —n. 1 an action or scheme undertaken to fool, outwit, or deceive. 2 an optical or other illusion (a trick of the light). 3 a special technique; a knack or special way of doing something. 4 a afeat of skill or dexterity. b an unusual action (e.g. begging) learned by an animal. 5 a mischievous, foolish, or discreditable act; a practical joke (a mean trick to play). 6 a peculiar

wwe

z.zoo

tridentate

1541

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

or characteristic habit or mannerism (has a trick of repeating himself). 7 a the cards played in a single round of a card-game, usu. one from each player. b such a round. ¢ a point gained as a result of this. 8 (attrib.) done to deceive or mystify or to create an illusion (trick photography; trick question). 9 Naut. a sailor’s turn at the helm, usu. two hours. —v.tr. 1 deceive by a trick; outwit. 2 (often foll. by out of, or into + verbal noun) cheat; treat deceitfully so as to deprive (were tricked into agreeing; were tricked out of their savings). 3 (of a thing) foil or baffle; take by surprise; disappoint the calculations of. o do the trick collog. accomplish one’s purpose; achieve the required result. how’s tricks? collog. how are you? not miss a trick see miss!. trick cyclist 14 cyclist who performs tricks, esp. in a circus. 2 sl. a psychiatrist. trick of the trade a special usu. ingenious technique or method of achieving a result in an industry or profession etc. trick or treat esp. US a children’s custom of calling at houses at Hallowe’en with the threat of pranks if they are not given a small gift. trick out (or up) dress, decorate, or deck out esp. showily. up to one’s tricks colloq. misbehaving. up to a person’s tricks aware of what a person is likely to do by way of mischief. 06 tricker n. trickish adj. trickless adj. [ME f. OF dial. trique, OF triche f. trichier deceive, of unkn. orig.] trickery /'trikeri/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the practice or an instance of deception. 2 the use of tricks.

trickle /'trik(a)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. & tr. flow or cause to flow in drops or a small stream (water trickled through the crack). 2 tr. come or go slowly or gradually (information trickles out). —n. a trickling flow. o trickle charger an electrical charger for batteries that works at a steady slow rate from the mains. [ME trekel, trikle, prob. imit.]

trickster /'triksto(r)/ n. a deceiver or rogue. tricksy /'triks1/ adj. (tricksier, tricksiest) full of tricks; playful. 00 tricksily adv. tricksiness n. [TRICK: for -sy cf. FLIMSY, TIPSY]

tricky /'triki/ adj. (trickier, trickiest) 1 difficult or intricate; requiring care and adroitness (a tricky job). 2 crafty or deceitful. 3 resourceful or adroit. 00 trickily adv. trickiness n.

triclinic /trar'klinrk/ adj. 1 (of a mineral) having three unequal oblique axes. 2 denoting the system classifying triclinic crystalline substances. [Gk TRI- + klin6 incline]

triclinium /trai'kiiniom, trr-/ n. (pl. triclinia /-n1o/) Rom. Antiq. 1.a dining-table with couches along three sides. 2 a room containing this. [L f. Gk triklinion (as TRI-, kliné couch)} tricolour /'trikola(r), 'trar,kalo(r)/ n. & adj. (US tricolor) —n. a flag of three colours, esp. the French national flag of blue, white, and red. —adj. (also tricoloured) having three colours. [F tricolore f. LL tricolor (as TRI-, COLOUR)]

tricorn /'tratko:n/ adj. & n. (also tricorne) —adj. 1 having three horns. 2 (of a hat) having a brim turned up on —n. 1 an imaginary animal with three horns. 2 a [F tricorne or Ltricornis (as TRI-, cornu horn)} tricot /'trikau, 'tri:-/ n. 1 a a hand-knitted woollen imitation of this. 2 a ribbed woollen cloth. [F, = tricoter knit, of unkn. orig.]

three sides. tricorn hat. fabric. b an knitting f.

tricrotic /trai'krotrk/ adj. (of the pulse) having atriple beat. [rRI- after DICROTIC]

tricuspid /trai'kaspid/n. & adj. —n. 1 a tooth with three cusps or points. 2 a heart-valve formed of three triangular segments. —adj. (of a tooth) having three cusps or points.

tricycle /'tratstk(s)l/n. & v. —n. 1 a vehicle having three wheels, two on an axle at the back and one at the front, driven by pedals in the same way as a bicycle. 2 a three-wheeled motor vehicle for a disabled driver. —v.intr. ride on a tricycle. 00 tricyclist n.

tridacty]l /trar'dzktil/ adj. (also tridactylous /-'dzktilas/) having three fingers or toes.

trident /'traid(2)nt/ n. 1 a three-pronged spear, esp. as an attribute of Poseidon (Neptune) or Britannia. 2 (Trident) a US type of submarine-launched ballistic missile. [L tridens trident- (as TRI-, dens tooth)} tridentate /trar'denteit/ adj. having three teeth or prongs. [TRI+ L dentatus toothed] tf chip

d3 jar

(see over for vowels)

Tridentine ee

trillion

1542

eee

reae

en

nerve which divides into the ophthalmic, maxillary, and mandibular nerves. o trigeminal neuralgia Med. neuralgia involving one or more of these branches, and often causing severe pain. [as TRIGEMINUS]

Tridentine /trai'dentamn, tri-/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to the Council of Trent (see TRENT), esp. as the basis of Roman Catholic doctrine. —n. a Roman Catholic adhering to this traditional doctrine. 0 Tridentine mass the eucharistic liturgy used by the Roman Catholic Church from 1570 to 1964. [med.L Tridentinus f. Tridentum Trent]

triduum /'tridjuom/ n. RC Ch. esp. hist. three days’ prayer in preparation for a saint’s day or other religious occasion. [L (as TRI-, dies day)]

trigeminus /trar'dgeminos/ n. (pl. trigemini /-nat/) the trigeminal nerve. [L, = born as a triplet (as TRI-, geminus born at the same birth)] trigger /'triga(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1a movable device for releasing

a spring or catch and so setting off a mechanism (esp. that of a gun). 2 an event, occurrence, etc., that sets off a chain reaction. —v.tr.-1 (often foll. by off) set (an action or process) in motion; initiate, precipitate. 2 fire (a gun) by the use of a trigger. o quick on the trigger quick to respond. trigger fish any usu. tropical marine fish of the family Balistidae with a first dorsal fin-spine which can be depressed by pressing on the second. trigger-happy apt to shoot without or with slight provocation. 00 triggered adj. [17th-c. tricker f. Du. trekker f. trekken pull: cf. TREK]

tridymite /'tridi,mait/ n. a crystallized form of silica, occurring in cavities of volcanic rocks. [G Tridymit f. Gk tridumos threefold (as TRI-, didumos twin), from its occurrence in groups of three crystals]

tried past and past part. of TRY. triennial /trar'ental/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 lasting three years. 2 recurring every three years. —n. a visitation of an Anglican diocese by its bishop every three years. 00 triennially adv. [LL triennis (as TRI-, L annus year)}

triennium /trat'eniom/ n. (pl. trienniums or triennia /-n19/) a period of three years. [L (as TRIENNIAL)]

Trier /'tria(r)/ a city at the centre of the wine-producing Moselle region of Rhineland-Palatinate in western Germany; pop. (1983) 94,700.

trier /'traro(r)/ n. 1 a person who perseveres (is a real trier). 2 a tester, esp. of foodstuffs. 3 a person appointed to decide whether a challenge to a juror is well-founded.

Trieste /tri'est/ a city of NE Italy, the largest seaport on the Adriatic 252,350. after the attempt

and capital of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region; pop. (1981) Formerly held by Austria, Trieste was annexed by Italy First World War and retained in 1954 following a failed to make the area a Free Territory.

trifacial nerve /tra1'fer{(9)l/ n. = TRIGEMINAL NERVE. trifecta /trar'fekto/ n. US, Austral., & NZ a form of betting in which the first three places in a race must be predicted in the correct order. [TRI- + PERFECTA]

trifid /'trarfid/ adj. esp. Biol. partly or wholly split into three divisions or lobes. [L trifidus (as TRI-, findere fid- split)]

trifle /'trarf{a)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 a thing of slight value or importance. 2 a a small amount esp. of money (was sold fora trifle). b (prec. by a) somewhat (seems atrifle annoyed). 3 Brit. a confection of sponge cake with custard, jelly, fruit, cream, etc. —v. 1 intr. talk or act frivolously. 2 intr. (foll. by with) a treat or deal with frivolously or derisively; flirt heartlessly with. b refuse to take seriously. 3 tr. (foll. by away) waste (time, energies, money, etc.) frivolously. oo trifler n. [ME f. OF trufif)le by-form of trufe deceit, of unkn. orig.]

trifling /'trarflm/ adj. 1 unimportant, petty. 2 frivolous. oo triflingly adv.

triglyph /'trarglif] n. Archit. each ofa series of tablets with three vertical grooves, alternating with metopes in a Doric frieze. 00 triglyphic |-'glifik/ adj. triglyphical |-'glifik(e)l/ adj. [L triglyphus f. Gk trigluphos (as TRI-, gluphé carving)] trigon /'traigpn/ n. 1 a triangle. 2 an ancient triangular lyre or harp. 3 the cutting region of an upper molar tooth. [L trigonum f. Gk trigonon neuter of trigonos three-cornered (as TRI-, -GON)]

trigonal /'trigan(2)l/ adj. 1 triangular; of or relating toa triangle. 2 Biol. triangular in cross-section. 3 (of a crystal etc.) having an axis with threefold symmetry. 00 trigonally adv. [med.L trigonalis (as TRIGON)] trigonometry /,trige'npmitri/ n. the branch of mathematics dealing with the relations of the sides and angles of triangles and with the relevant functions of any angles. oo trigonometric /-no'metrrk/ adj. trigonometrical /-no'metrik(a)l/ adj. [mod.L trigonometria (as TRIGON, -METRY)]

trigraph /'traigra:f] n. (also trigram |-grem/]) 1 a group of three letters representing one sound. 2

trihedral /trar‘hedr(s)l, -'hi:dr(e)l/ adj. having three surfaces.

trihedron

trifoliate /trat'faolrot/ adj. 1 (of a compound leaf) having three

trihydric /trai'haidrik/ adj. Chem. containing three hydroxyl groups. trike /trark/ n. & v.intr. collog. tricycle. [abbr.] trilabiate /trar'lerbrat/ adj. Bot. & Zool. three-lipped. trilateral /trar'leter(e)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of, on, or with three sides. 2 shared by or involving three parties, countries, etc. (trilateral negotiations). —n. a figure having three sides.

trilby /'trilbi/ n. (pl. -ies) Brit. a soft felt hat with a narrow brim and indented crown. 00 trilbied adj. [name of the heroine in G. du Maurier’s novel Trilby (1894), in the stage version of which such a hat was worn]

trilinear /trat'lmta(r)/ adj. of or having three lines. trilingual /trat'lmgw(a)l/ adj. 1 able to speak three languages,

leaflets. 2 (of a plant) having such leaves.

esp. fluently. 2 spoken or written in three languages. trilingualism n.

triforium /trai'fo:rrom/ n. (pl. triforia /-ria/) a gallery or arcade above the arches of the nave, choir, and transepts of a church.

/trar'hedron, -hi:dran/ n. a figure of three inter-

secting planes.

trifocal /trar'fouk(a)l/ adj. & n. —adj. having three focuses, esp. of a lens with different focal lengths. —n. (in pl.) trifocal spectacles.

figure of three lines.

trigynous /'tridzmos/ adj. Bot. having three pistils.

oO

triliteral /trar'litor(s)l/ adj. 1 of three letters. 2 (of a Semitic

[AL, of unkn. orig.]

language) having (most) roots with three consonants.

triform /'traifo:m/ adj. (also triformed)

1 formed of three

parts. 2 having three forms or bodies. trifurcate v. & adj. —v.tr. & intr. |'tratfo,kert/ divide into three branches. —adj. |-'f3:kot/ divided into three branches.

trilith /'trar16/ n. (also trilithon /-l:0(2)n/) a monument consisting of three stones, esp. of two uprights and alintel. trilithic /-'l161k/ adj. [Gk trilithon (as TRI-, lithos stone)]

trill /tril/ n. & v. —n. 1 a quavering or vibratory sound, esp. a rapid alternation of sung or played notes. 2 a bird’s warbling sound. 3 the pronunciation of r with a vibration of the tongue. —v. 1 intr. produce atrill. 2 tr. warble (a song) or pronounce (r etc.) with a trill. [it. trillo (n.), trillare (v.)]

trig! /trig/ n. collog. trigonometry. [abbr.] trig? /trig/ adj. & v. archaic or dial. —adj. trim or spruce. —v.tr. (trigged, trigging) make trim; smarten. [ME, = trusty, f. ON tryggr, rel. to TRUE]

trillion /'trijan/ n. (pl. same or (in sense 3) trillions) 1 a million

trigamous /'trigomos/ adj. 1 a three times married. b having three wives or husbands at once. 2 Bot. having male, female, and hermaphrodite flowers in the same head. 00 trigamist n. trigamy n. [Gk trigamos (as TRI-, gamos marriage)]

million (1,000,000,000,000 or 1012). 2 (formerly, esp. Brit.) a million million million (1,000,000,000,000,000,000 or 1028). 3 (in pl.) collog. a very large number (trillions of times). ] Senses 1-2 correspond to the change in sense of billion. 00 trillionth adj. & n. [F trillion or It. trilione (as TRI-, MILLION), after billion]

trigeminal nerve /trai'dzemin(o)]/ n. Anat. the largest cranial ze cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

oo

1 sit

i: see

p hot

0: saw

arun

ov put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

trilobite trilobite /'trarlobaut/ n. any fossile marine arthropod of the class Trilobita of Palaeozoic times, characterized by a threelobed body. [mod.L Trilobites (as TRI-, Gk lobos lobe)] trilogy /'trilod3i/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a group of three related literary or operatic works. 2.Gk Antiq. a set of three tragedies performed as a group. [Gk trilogia (as TRI-, -LOGY)]

trim /trim v., n., & adj. —v. (trimmed, trimming) 1 tr. a set in good order. b make neat or of the required size or form, esp. by cutting away irregular or unwanted parts. 2 tr. (foll. by off, away) remove by cutting off (such parts). 3 tr. a (often foll. by up) make (a person) neat in dress and appearance. b ornament or decorate (esp. clothing, a hat, etc. by adding ribbons, lace, etc.). 4 tr. adjust the balance of (a ship or aircraft) by the arrangement of its cargo etc. 5 tr. arrange (sails) to suit the wind. 6 intr. a associate oneself with currently prevailing views, esp. to advance oneself. b hold a middle course in politics or opinion. 7 tr. collog. a rebuke sharply. b thrash. ¢ get the better of ina bargain etc. —n. 1 the state or degree of readiness or fitness (found everything in perfect trim). 2 ornament or decorative material. 3 dress or equipment. 4 the act of trimming a person’s hair. 5 the inclination of an aircraft to the horizontal. —adj. 1 neat or spruce. 2 in good order; well arranged or equipped. o in trim 1 looking smart, healthy, etc. 2 Naut. in good order. oo trimly adv. trimness n. [perh. f. OE trymman, trymian make firm, arrange: but there is no connecting evidence between OE and 1500] trimaran /'traims,ren| n. a vessel like a catamaran, with three hulls side by side. [TRI- + CATAMARAN] trimer /'trarma(r)/ n. Chem. a polymer comprising three monomer units. 00 trimeric /-'mertk/ adj. [TRI- + -MER] trimerous /'trarmorss, 'tri-/ adj. having three parts. trimester //trai'mesta(r)/ n. a period of three months, esp. of human gestation or US as a university term. 00 trimestral adj. trimestrial adj. [F trimestre f. L trimestris (as TRI-, -mestris f. mensis month)] trimeter /'trimita(r)/ n. Prosody a verse of three measures. 00 trimetric /trar'metrtk/ adj. trimetrical /trat'metrrk(s)l/ adj. [L trimetrus f. Gk trimetros (as TRI-, metron measure)] trimmer /'trimo(r)/ n. 1 a person who trims articles of dress. 2 a person who trims in politics etc.; a time-server. 3 an instrument for clipping etc. 4 Archit. a short piece of timber across an opening (e.g. for a hearth) to carry the ends of truncated joists. 5 a small capacitor etc. used to tune a radio set. 6 Austral. collog. a striking or outstanding person or thing.

trimming /'trimm/ n. 1 ornamentation or decoration, esp. for clothing. 2 (in pl.) collog. the usual accompaniments, esp. of the main course of a meal. 3 (in pl.) pieces cut off in trimming.

trimorphism /tra1'mo:f1z(2)m/ n. Bot., Zool., & Crystallog. existence in three distinct forms. 00 trimorphic adj. trimorphous adj.

Trincomalee /,trinkomoa'li:/ the principal seaport of Sri Lanka; pop. (1981) 44,300. Described by Lord Nelson as the ‘finest harbour in the world’, Trincomalee was the chief British naval base in South-East Asia during the Second World War after the fall of Singapore. trine /train/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 threefold, triple; made up of three parts. 2 Astrol. denoting the aspect of two heavenly bodies 120° (one-third of the zodiac) apart. —-n. Astrol. a trine aspect. 00 trinal adj. [ME f. OF trin trine f. L trinus threefold f. tres three]

Trinidad and Tobago /'trini,dzd, to'bergau/ a country in the West Indies consisting of the main island of Trinidad, off the NE coast of Venezuela, and the much smaller island of Tobago (further to the north-east); pop. (est. 1988) 1,279,900; official language, English; capital, Port of Spain. Discovered by Columbus in 1498, the islands became British during the Napoleonic Wars and were formally amalgamated as a Crown Colony in 1888. After a short period as a member of the West Indies Federation between 1958 and 1962, Trinidad and Tobago became an independent member State of the Commonwealth in 1962 and finally a republic in 1976. A substantial part of the national income is generated by the export of petroleum products while the capital Port of Spain is a major seaport. 00

av how

er day

triphthong

1543

ov no

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

va poor

Trinidadian /-'detdion/ adj. & n. Tobagan adj. & n. Tobagonian /-'gounion/ adj. & n.

Trinitarian /|,trini'teorron/n. & adj. —n. a person who believes in the doctrine of the Trinity. —adj. of or relating to this belief. O0 Trinitarianism n.

trinitrotoluene /trai,naitra'tolju,i:n/ n. (also trinitrotoluol /-'toljo,ol/) = TNT.

trinity /'trinitr/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state of being three. 2 a group of three. 3 (the Trinity or Holy Trinity) Theol. the three persons of the Christian Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). O Trinity Brethren the members of Trinity House (see separate entry). Trinity Sunday the next Sunday after Whit Sunday, celebrated in honour of the Holy Trinity. Trinity term Brit. the university and law term beginning after Easter. [ME f. OF trinité f. L trinitas -tatis triad (as TRINE)]

Trinity House a corporation founded in 1514, in the reign of Henry VII, which has official responsibility for the licensing of ships’ pilots in the UK and the erection and maintenance of lighthouses, buoys, etc., round the coasts of England and Wales. In Scotland this latter function is discharged by the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses. 4

trinket /'trinkit/ n. a trifling ornament, jewel, etc., esp. one worn on the person. 00 trinketry n. [16th c.: orig. unkn.]

trinomial /trai'noumiel/ adj. & n. —adj. consisting of three terms. —n. a scientific name or algebraic expression of three terms. [TRI- after BINOMIAL] trio /'tri:ou/ n. (pl. -os) 1 a set or group of three. 2 Mus. aa composition for three performers. b a group of three performers. c the central, usu. contrastive, section of a minuet, scherzo, or march. 3 (in piquet) three aces, kings, queens, or jacks in one hand. [F & It. f. L tres three, after duo]

triode /'trarsud/ n. 1 a thermionic valve having three electrodes. (See DE Forest.) 2 a semiconductor rectifier having three connections. [TRI- + ELECTRODE] trioecious /trat'i:{(2)s/ adj. Bot. having male, female, and hermaphrodite organs each on separate plants. [TRI- + Gk oikos house]

triolet /'tri:olit, 'trarolit/ n. a poem of eight (usu. eight-syllabled) lines rhyming abaaabab, the first line recurring as the fourth and seventh and the second as the eighth. [F (as TRIO)]}

trioxide /trat'pksaid/ n. Chem. an oxide containing three oxygen atoms. trip /trip/ v. & n. —v.intr. & tr. (tripped, tripping) 1 intr. a walk or dance with quick light steps. b (of a rhythm etc.) run lightly. 2 a intr. & tr. (often foll. by up) stumble or cause to stumble, esp. by catching or entangling the feet. b intr. & tr. (foll. by up) make or cause to make aslip or blunder. 3 tr. detect (a person) in a blunder. 4 intr. make an excursion to a place. 5 tr. release (part of a machine) suddenly by knocking aside a catch etc. 6 a release and raise (an anchor) from the bottom by means of a cable. b turn (a yard etc.) from a horizontal to a vertical position for lowering. 7 intr. collog. have a hallucinatory experience caused by a drug. —n. 1 a journey or excursion, esp. for pleasure. 2 aa stumble or blunder. b the act of tripping or the state of being tripped up. 3 a nimble step. 4 collog. a hallucinatory experience caused by a drug. 5 a contrivance for a tripping mechanism etc. 0 trip-hammer alarge tilt-hammer operated by tripping. trip-wire a wire stretched close to the ground, operating an alarm etc. when disturbed. [ME f. OF triper, tripper, f. MDu. trippen skip, hop]

tripartite /trar'pa:tart/ adj. 1 consisting of three parts. 2 shared by or involving three parties. 3 Bot. (of a leaf) divided into three segments almost to the base. 00 tripartitely adv. tripartition /-'trJ(e)n/ n. [ME f. L tripartitus (as TRI-, partitus past part. of partiri divide)] tripe /trarp/ n. 1 the first or second stomach of a ruminant, esp. an ox, as food. 2 colloq. nonsense, rubbish (don’t talk such tripe). [ME f. OF, of unkn. orig.]

triphibious /trar'fibies/ adj. (of military operations) on land, on sea, and in the air. [irreg. f. TRI- after amphibious]

triphthong /'trif@pn/ n. 1 a union of three vowels (letters or sounds) pronounced in one syllable (as in fire). 2 three vowel

aia fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

Tripitaka

triturate

1544

characters representing the sound of a single vowel (as in beau). 00 triphthongal /-'Opng(s)l/ adj. [F triphtongue (as TRI-, DIPHTHONG)]

tripos /'trarpps/ n. Brit. (at Cambridge University) the honours examination for the BA degree. [as TRIPOD, with ref. to the stool on which graduates sat to deliver a satirical speech at the degree

Tripitaka /,tripr'ta:ko/ n. the sacred canon of Theravada Bud-

* ceremony] tripper /'tripa(r)/ n. 1 Brit. a person who goes on a pleasure trip or excursion. 2 collog. a person experiencing hallucinatory effects of a drug. triptych /'triptrk/ n. 1 a a picture or relief carving on three

dhism, written in the Pali language. [Skr., = the three baskets or collections]

triplane /'trarplem/ n. an early type of aeroplane having three sets of wings, one above the other.

panels, usu. hinged vertically together and often used as an altarpiece. b a set of three associated pictures placed in this way. 2a set of three writing-tablets hinged or tied together. 3 a set of three artistic works. [TRI-, after DIPTYCH] triptyque /trip'ti:k/ n. a customs permit serving as a passport for a motor vehicle. [F, as TRIPTYCH (orig. having three sections)]

triple /'trip(o)l/ adj., n., & v. —adj. 1 consisting of three usu. equal parts or things; threefold. 2 involving three parties. 3 three times as much or many (triple the amount; triple thickness). —n. 1a threefold number or amount. 2 set of three. 3 (in pl.) a peal of changes on seven bells. —v.tr. & intr. multiply or increase by three. 0 triple crown 1 RC Ch. the pope’s tiara. 2 the act of winning all three of a group of important events in horse-racing, rugby football, etc. triple jump an athletic exercise or contest comprising a hop, a step, and a jump. triple play Baseball the act of putting out three runners in a row. triple point the temperature and pressure at which the solid, liquid, and vapour phases of a pure substance can coexist in equilibrium. triple rhyme a rhyme including three syllables. triple time Mus. that with three beats to the bar; waltz time. Oo triply adv. [OF triple or L triplus f. Gk triplous]}

Tripura /'tripura/ a State in NE India; pop. (1981) 2,060,200; capital, Agartala. triquetra /trai'ketra/ n. (pl. triquetrae /-tri:/) a symmetrical ornament of three interlaced arcs. [L, fem. of triquetrus three-cornered]

trireme /'trarri:m/ n. an ancient Greek warship, with three files of oarsmen on each side. [F triréme or L triremis (as TRI-, remus oar)]

trisaccharide /tra1'seka,raid/ n. Chem. a sugar consisting of

Triple Alliance an alliance of three States etc.: in 1668,

three linked monosaccharides.

between England, The Netherlands, and Sweden against France; in 1717, between Britain, France, and the Netherlands against Spain; in 1865, between Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay against Paraguay; in 1882, between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy against France and Russia.

Triple

Entente

Trisagion /tri'segion/ n. a hymn, esp. in the Eastern Churches, with a triple invocation of God as holy. [ME f. Gk, neut. of trisagios f. tris thrice + hagios holy] trisect /trar'sekt/ v.tr. cut or divide into three (usu. equal) parts. 00 trisection n. trisector n. [TRI- + L secare sect- cut]

an early 20th-c. alliance between Great

trishaw /'trarfo:/ n. a light three-wheeled pedalled vehicle used

Britain, France, and Russia. Originally a series of loose agreements, the Entente began to assume the nature of a more formal alliance as the prospect of war with the Central Powers became more likely. The original Entente Cordiale with France was signed in 1904, the agreement with Russia in 1907.

in the Far East. [TRI- + RICKSHAW]

triskelion /tri'skelian/ n. a symbolic figure of three legs or lines from a common centre. [Gk TRI- + skelos leg] trismus /'trizmas/ n. Med. a variety of tetanus with tonic spasm of the jaw muscles causing the mouth to remain tightly closed. [mod.L f. Gk trismos = trigmos a scream, grinding]

triplet /'triplit/ n. 1 each of three children or animals born at one birth. 2 a set of three things, esp. of equal notes played in the time of two or of verses rhyming together. [TRIPLE + -ET}, after doublet]

triplex /'tripleks/ adj. & n. —adj. triple or threefold.

Tristan da Cunha /,trist(a)n do 'ku:nja/ the largest of a small group of volcanic islands in the South Atlantic, 2,112 km (1,320 miles) south-west of St Helena of which it is a dependency; pop. (1988) 313. In 1961 the entire population was evacuated when the island volcano erupted.

—n.

(Triplex) Brit. propr. toughened or laminated safety glass for car windows etc. [L triplex -plicis (as TRI-, plic- fold)]

triplicate adj. n., & v. —adj. |'tripliket/ 1 existing in three examples or copies. 2 having three corresponding parts. 3 tripled. —n. /'tripliket/ each of a set of three copies or corresponding parts. —v.tr. /'trrpli,kert/ 1 make in three copies. 2 multiply by three. oO in triplicate consisting of three exact copies. 00 triplication /-'ke1(2)n/ n. [ME f. L triplicatus past part. of triplicare (as TRIPLEX)]

triplicity /tri'plisiti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state of being triple. 2a group of three things. 3 Astrol. a set of three zodiacal signs. [ME f. LL triplicitas f. L TRIPLEX]

part. of terere rub] stance) by tritium. 00 tritiation /-'e1{(a)n/ n. tritium /'tritiom/ n. Chem. a radioactive isotope of hydrogen with a mass about three times that of ordinary hydrogen.

triploidy /'triploidi/ n. the condition of being triploid. tripmeter /'trip,mi:to(r)/ n. a vehicle instrument that can be set to record the distance of individual journeys. tripod /'trarpod/ n. 1 a three-legged stand for supporting a camera etc. 2 a stool, table, or utensil resting on three feet or legs. 3 Gk Antig. a bronze altar at Delphi on which a priestess sat to utter oracles. 00 tripodal /'tripad(a)l/ adj. [L tripus tripodis f. Gk tripous (as TRI-, pous podos foot)]

4] Symb.: T. [mod.L f. Gk tritos third] trito- /'trartau, 'triteu/ comb. form third. [Gk tritos third] Triton /'trart(2)n/ Gk Mythol. the son of Poseidon and Amphitrite. —n. 1 Gk Mythol. a member of a class of minor sea-gods, usually represented as a man with a fish’s (sometimes a horse’s) tail carrying a trident and shell-trumpet. (See MERMAID.) 2 (triton) any marine gastropod mollusc of the family Cymatiidae, with a long conical shell. 3 (triton) a newt. [L f. Gk Triton} triton /'trait(a)n/ n. a nucleus of a tritium atom, consisting of a

Tripoli! /'tripoli/ the capital and chief port of Libya; pop. (1984) 990,700.

Tripoli? /'tripoli/ a seaport in NW Lebanon; pop. (1980) 175,000. tripoli /'tripali/ n. = rotten-stone. [F f. TRIPOLI, TRIPOLI?]

Tripolitania |,tripoli'tern1o/ the region surrounding Tripoli in North Africa, now part of Libya. 00 Tripolitanian adj. & n. [L

b but

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syllables. 00 trisyllabic /-'lebrk/ adj. tritagonist /trar'tegonist, tri-/n. the third actor in a Greek play (cf. DEUTERAGONIST). [Gk tritagonistés (as TRITO-, agOnistés actor)] trite /trart/ adj. (of a phrase, opinion, etc.) hackneyed, worn out

tritiate /'tritiert/ v.tr. replace the ordinary hydrogen in (a sub-

—adj. of or being

Tripolis three cities, i.e. the ancient cities of Oea (now Tripoli), Sabratha, and Leptis Magna]

the lover of Iseult (see ISEULT).

trisyllable /trar'stlob(a)l, tri-/ n. a word or metrical foot of three

by constant repetition. 00 tritely adv. triteness n. [L tritus past

triploid /'triploid/ n. & adj. Biol. —n. an organism or cell having three times the haploid set of chromosomes. a triploid. [mod.L triploides f. Gk (as TRIPLE)}

triste /tri:st/ adj. sad, melancholy, dreary. [F f.L tristis} Tristram /'tristroam/ (in medieval legend) a knight who was

proton and two neutrons. tritone /'trartoun/ n. Mus. an interval of an augmented fourth, comprising three tones. triturate /'tritju,reit/ v.tr. 1 grind to a fine powder. 2 masticate thoroughly. oo triturable adj. trituration |-'re1f(s)n/_n. triturator n. [L triturare thresh corn f. tritura rubbing (as TRITE)]

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triumph

triumph /'traromf, -amf] n. & v. —n. 1 a the state of being victorious or successful (returned home in triumph). b a great success or achievement. 2 a supreme example (a triumph of engineering). 3 joy at success; exultation (could see triumph in her face). 4 the processional entry of a victorious general into ancient Rome. —v.intr. 1 (often foll. by over) gain a victory; be successful; prevail. 2 ride in triumph. 3 (often foll. by over) exult. [ME f. OF triumphe (n.), triumpher (v.), f. L triump(h)us prob. f. Gk thriambos hymn to Bacchus]

triumphal /trar'amf{s)l/ adj. of or used in or celebrating a triumph. [ME f. OF triumphal or L triumphalis (as TRIUMPH)]

triumphant /trar'amf{e)nt/ adj. 1 victorious or successful. 2 exultant. 00 triumphantly triumphare (as TRIUMPH)]

triumvir

Trollope

1545

/'traismvic(r),

adv. [ME f. OF triumphant or L ,

-amva(r)/

n.

(pl. triumvirs

or

triumviri /-rat/) 1 each of three men holdinga joint office. 2 a member of a triumvirate. 00 triumviral adj. [L, orig. in pl. triumviri, back-form. f. trium virorum genit. of tres viri three men]

triumvirate /trar'amvirat/n. 1a board or ruling group of three men, esp. in ancient Rome. The term is used specifically of the office to which Antony, Lepidus, and Octavian were appointed in 43 Bc (the Second Triumvirate) and, improperly, of the unofficial coalition of Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus in 60 BC (the First Triumvirate). 2 the office of triumvir. triune /'traiju:n/ adj. three in one, esp. with ref. to the Trinity. OO triunity /-'ju:niti/ n. (pl. -ies). [TRI- + L unus one]

trivalent /trar'verlent/ adj. Chem. having a valency of three; tervalent. 00 trivalency 7.

Trivandrum /tri'vendrom/ the capital of the State of Kerala in SW India; pop. (1981) 520,000. trivet /'trivit/ n. 1 an iron tripod or bracket for a cooking pot or kettle to stand on. 2 an iron bracket designed to hook on to bars of a grate for a similar purpose. oO as right as a trivet collog. in a perfectly good state, esp. healthy. trivet table a table with three feet. [ME trevet, app. f. L tripes (as TRI-, pes pedis foot)]

trivia /'trrvia/ n.pl. trifles or trivialities. [mod.L, pl. of TRIVIUM, infl. by TRIVIAL]

trivial /'triviel/ adj. 1 of small value or importance; trifling (raised trivial objections). 2 (of a person) concerned only with trivial things. 3 archaic commonplace or humdrum (the trivial round of daily life). 4 Biol. & Chem. of a name: a popular; not scientific. b specific, as opposed to generic. 5 Math. giving rise to no difficulty or interest. 00 triviality /-'eliti/ n. (pl. -ies). trivially adv. trivialness n. [L trivialis commonplace f. trivium: see TRIVIUM]

trivialize |'trivio,laiz/ v.tr. (also -ise) make trivial or apparently trivial; minimize. 00 trivialization /-'ze1{(9)n/ n.

trivium /'triviem/ n. hist. a medieval university course of grammar, rhetoric, and logic. [L, = place where three roads meet (as TRI-, via road)} tri-weekly /trat'wi:kli/ adj. produced or occurring three times a week or every three weeks. -trix /triks/ suffix (pl: -trices /trisiz, 'tratsi:z/ or -trixes) forming feminine agent nouns corresponding to masculine nouns in -tor, esp. in Law (executrix). [L -trix -tricis]

tRNA abbr. transfer RNA.

the thigh-bone. 2 Zool. the second segment of the leg in insects. [F f. Gk trokhantér f. trekhd run} troche /trouf/ n. a small usu. circular medicated tablet or lozenge. [obs. trochisk f. OF trochisque f. LL trochiscus f. Gk trokhiskos dimin. of trokhos wheel] trochee /'travki:, -ki/ n. Prosody a foot consisting of one long or stressed syllable followed by one short or unstressed syllable. [L trochaeus f. Gk trokhaios (pous) running (foot) f. trekho run] trochlea /'troklio/ n. (pl. trochleae /-l1,i:/) Anat. a pulley-like structure or arrangement of parts, e.g. the groove at the lower end of the humerus. of trochlear adj. [L, = pulley f. Gk

trokhilia]

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trochoid /'traukoid/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 Anat. rotating on its own axis. 2 Geom. (of a curve) traced bya point on a radius ofa circle rotating along a straight line or another circle. —n. a trochoid joint or curve. oO trochoidal /-'koid(a)l/ adj. [Gk trokhoeidés wheel-like f. trokhos wheel]

trod past and past part. of TREAD. trodden past part. of TREAD. trog /trog/ n. sl. a term of contempt for a person; a lout or hooligan. [abbr. of TROGLODYTE]

troglodyte /'trogla,dart/ 1. 1 a cave-dweller, esp. of prehistoric times. 2 a hermit. 3 derog. a wilfully obscurantist or oldfashioned person. 00 troglodytic /-'dittk/ adj. troglodytical /-'ditrk(a)l/ adj. troglodytism n. [L troglodyta f. Gk troglodutés f. the name of an Ethiopian people, after troglé hole] trogon /'traugpn/ n. any tropical bird of the family Trogonidae, wich a long tail and brilliantly coloured plumage. [mod.L f. Gk trogon f. trogd gnaw] troika /'trorko/ n. 1a a Russian vehicle with a team of three horses abreast. b this team. 2 a group of three people, esp. as an administrative council. [Russ. f. troe three]

troilism /'trorz(2)m/ n. sexual activity involving three participants. [perh. f. F trois three]

Troilus /'trorlas/ 1 Gk legend the son of Priam and Hecuba, killed by Achilles. 2 (in medieval legend) the forsaken lover of Cressida.

Trojan /'troud3(2)n/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to ancient Troy. —n. 1 a native or inhabitant of Troy. 2 a person who works, fights, etc. courageously (works like a Trojan). 0 Trojan Horse 1 a hollow wooden horse said to have been used by the Greeks to enter Troy. 2.a person or device planted to bring about an enemy’s downfall. Trojan War the ten-year siege of Troy by the Greeks in Greek legend (see Troy), which ended with the capture of the city after a band of Greek warriors had entered bya trick, concealed in a hollow wooden horse so large that the city walls had had to be breached for it to be drawn inside. [ME f. L Troianus f. Troia Troy]

troll! /troul/ n. (in Scandinavian folklore) a fabulous being, esp. a giant or dwarf dwelling in a cave. [ON & Sw. troll, Da. trold]

troll? /troul/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. sing out in a carefree jovial manner. 2 tr. & intr. fish by drawing bait along in the water. 3 intr. esp. Brit. walk, stroll. —n. 1 the act of trolling for fish. 2a line or bait used in this. 00 troller n. [ME ‘stroll, roll’: cf. OF troller quest, MHG trollen stroll]

trolley /'troli/ n. (pl. -eys) 1 esp. Brit. a table, stand, or basket

Troadé /'trovzd/ an ancient region of NW Asia Minor of which ancient Troy was the chief city. trocar /'trsuka:(r)/ n. an instrument used for withdrawing fluid from a body cavity, esp. in oedema etc. [F trois-quarts, trocart f. trois three + carre side, face of an instrument, after its triangular form] trochaic /tra'!kemk/ adj. & n. Prosody —adj. of or using trochees. —n. (usu. in pl.) trochaic verse. [L trochaicus f. Gk trokhaikos (as TROCHEE)]

on wheels or castors for serving food, transporting luggage or shopping, gathering purchases in a supermarket, etc. 2 esp. Brit. a low truck running on rails. 3 (in full trolley-wheel) a wheel attached to a pole etc. used for collecting current from an overhead electric wire to drive a vehicle. 4 a US = trolley-car. b Brit. = trolley bus. 0 trolley bus Brit. an electric bus running on the road and using a trolley-wheel. trolley-car US an electric tram using a trolley-wheel. [of dial. orig., perh. f. TROLL] trollop /'trolop/ n. 1 a disreputable girl or woman. 2a prostitute. O00 trollopish adj. trollopy adj. [17th c.: perh. rel. to TRULL]

trochal /'trauk(s)l/ adj. Zool. wheel-shaped. a trochal disc Zool.

Trollope /'trolop/, Anthony (1815-82), English novelist. His

the retractable disc on the head of a rotifer bearing a crown of cilia, used for drawing in food or for propulsion. [Gk trokhos wheel] trochanter /tro'kenta(r)/n. 1 Anat. any of several bony protuberances by which muscles are attached to the upper part of wwe

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career in the General Post Office began in London in 1834 and took him to Ireland (1841-59) and other parts of the world; in this capacity he introduced the pillar-box for letters. He retired in 1867 and stood unsuccessfully for Parliament as a Liberal candidate in 1868. His literary career became established with tf chip

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(see over for vowels)

trombone his fourth novel The Warden (1855), the first of the six ‘Barsetshire’ novels which included Barchester Towers (1857) and ended with The Last Chronicle of Barset (1867); they are set in an imaginary English West Country and portraya solid rural society of curates and landed gentry, with characters who reappear in one or more of the series. This technique he developed in his six political ‘Palliser’ novels; in these, which begin with Can You Forgive Her? (1864) and include The Eustace Diamonds (1873), he expresses his own political views. Trollope was admired for his treatment of family and professional life, the variety and delicacy of his heroines, and his accurate pictures of social life. His remarkable output included 47 novels, travel books, biographies, and short stories. trombone /trom'bsun/ n. 1 a a large brass wind instrument with a forward-pointing extendable slide, the oldest brass instrument to possess a full chromatic compass. The trombone was introduced towards the mid-15thc., when it was often called ‘sackbut’, and was a favourite member of both instrumental and sacred and secular vocal music, particularly in Italy. It never really lost its early popularity, and its association with church music developed in 18th-c. Germany and Austria, leading Mozart to bring it in for dramatic and solemn effect in Don Giovanni and in the ‘Tuba mirum’ of his Requiem Mass. b its player. 2 an organ stop with the quality of a trombone. oo trombonist n. [F or It. f. It. tromba TRUMPET] trommedl /'trom(e)l/ n. Mining a revolving cylindrical sieve for cleaning ore. [G, = drum] tromometer /tra'mpmita(r)/ n. an instrument for measuring very slight earthquake shocks. [Gk tromos trembling + -METER] trompe /tromp/ n. an apparatus for producing a blast in a furnace by using falling water to displace air. [F, = trumpet: see TRUMP]

trompe-P cil |trsp'l3:1/ n. a still-life painting etc. designed to give an illusion of reality. [F, lit. ‘deceives the eye’] Troms /'tromss:/ the principal city of Arctic Norway, situated on an island just west of the mainland; pop. (1988) 49,450. -tron /tron/ suffix Physics forming nouns denoting: 1 an elementary particle (positron). 2 a particle accelerator. 3 a thermionic valve, [after ELECTRON] city of Norway; pop. (1988) 135,500. Trondheim is situated on a peninsula in west central Norway. It was the capital city during the Viking period, founded by Olaf I Tryggvason and becoming a pilgrimage centre as the burial place of Olaf II Haraldsson (St Olaf) who died in battle nearby in 1030. troop /tru:p/ n. & v. —n. 1. an assembled company; an assemblage of people or animals. 2 (in pl.) soldiers or armed forces. 3 a cavalry unit commanded by a captain. 4a unit of artillery and armoured formation. 5 a grouping of three or more Scout patrols. —v. 1 intr. (foll. by in, out, off, etc.) come together or move in large numbers. 2 tr. form (a regiment) into troops. a troop the colour esp. Brit. transfer a flag ceremonially at a public mounting of garrison guards. troop-ship a ship used for transporting troops. [F troupe, back-form. f. troupeau dimin. of med.L troppus flock, prob. of Gmc orig.] trooper /'tru:po(r)/ n. 1 a private soldier in a cavalry or armoured unit. 2 Austral. & US a mounted or motor-borne policeman. 3a cavalry horse. 4 esp. Brit. a troop-ship. 0 swear like a trooper swear extensively or forcefully. tropaeolum /trs'pi:alom/ n. a trailing or climbing plant of the genus Tropaeolum, with trumpet-shaped yellow, orange, or red flowers. [mod.L f. L tropaeum trophy, with ref. to the likeness of the flower and leaf to a helmet and shield] trope /troup/ n. a figurative (e.g. metaphorical or ironical) use of a word. [L tropus f. Gk tropos turn, way, trope f. trepo turn] trophic /'trofik/ adj. of or concerned with nutrition (trophic nerves). [Gk trophikos f. trophé nourishment f. trephd nourish]

-trophic /'trofik/ comb. form relating to nutrition. /'trofou/ comb. form nourishment.

[Gk trophé: see

TROPHIC]

trophoblast /'trofou,blest/ n. a layer of tissue on the outside a: arm

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awarded as a prize or memento of victory or success in a contest etc. 2 a memento or souvenir, e.g. a deer’s antlers, taken in hunting. 3 Gk & Rom. Antig. the weapons etc. of a defeated army set up as a memorial of victory. 4 an ornamental group of symbolic or typical objects arranged for display. oO trophied adj. (also in comb.). [F trophée f. L trophaeum f. Gk tropaion f. tropé

rout f. trepd turn] tropic /'troprk/ n. & adj. —n. 1 the parallel of latitude 23° 27’ north (tropic of Cancer) or south (tropic of Capricorn) of the Equator. 2 each of two corresponding circles on the celestial sphere where the sun appears to turn after reaching its greatest declination. 3 (the Tropics) the region between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. —adj. 1 = TROPICAL 1. 2 of tropism. o tropic bird any sea bird of the family Phaethontidae, with very long central tail-feathers. [ME f. L tropicus f. Gk tropikos f. tropé turning f. trepo turn]

-tropic /'tropik/ comb. form 1 = -TROPHIC. 2 turning towards (heliotropic).

tropical /'tropik(s)l/ adj. 1 of, peculiar to, or suggesting the Tropics (tropical fish; tropical diseases). 2 very hot; passionate, luxuriant. 3 of or by way of a trope. 0 tropical year see YEAR 1. 00 tropically adv.

tropism /'traupiz(2)m/ n. Biol. the turning of all or part of an organism in a particular direction in response to an external stimulus. [Gk tropos turning f. trepd turn] tropology /tro'pplod3i/ n. 1 the figurative use of words. 2 figurative interpretation, esp. of the Scriptures. 00 tropological |,\tropo'lpd3rk(a)l/ adj. [LL tropologia f. Gk tropologia (as TROPE)] tropopause /'tropo,po:z, 'trou-/ n. the interface between the troposphere and the stratosphere. [TROPOSPHERE + PAUSE] troposphere /'trops,sfic(r), 'trov-/ n. a layer of atmospheric air extending from about 6-10 km upwards from the earth’s surface, in which the temperature falls with increasing height (cf. STRATOSPHERE, IONOSPHERE). 00 tropospheric |-'sfertk/ adj. [Gk tropos turning + SPHERE] troppo! /'tropsu/ adv. Mus. too much (qualifying a tempo indication). 0 ma non troppo but not too much so. [It.] tropical climate.

Trossachs /'trosaks/, the a picturesque wooded valley in Central region, Scotland, between Loch Achray and the lower end of Loch Katrine. Trot /trot/ n. collog. usu. derog. a Trotskyist. [abbr.] trot /trot/ v. & n. —-v. (trotted, trotting) 1 intr. (of a person) run at a moderate pace esp. with short strides. 2 intr. (of a horse) proceed at a steady pace faster than a walk lifting each diagonal pair of legs alternately. 3 intr. collog. walk or go. 4tr. cause (a horse or person) to trot. 5 tr. traverse (a distance) at a trot. —n. 1 the action or exercise of trotting (proceed at a trot; went for a trot), 2 (the trots) sl. an attack of diarrhoea. 3 a brisk steady movement or occupation. 4(in pl.) Austral. collog. a trotting-races. b a meeting for these. 0 on the trot collog. 1 continually busy (kept them on the trot). 2 in succession (five weeks on the trot). trot out 1 cause (a horse) to trot to show his paces. 2 produce or introduce (as if) for inspection and approval, esp. tediously or repeatedly. [ME f. OF troter f. Rmc & med.L trottare, of Gmc orig.]

troth /trau@/ n. archaic 1 faith, loyalty. 2 truth. o pledge (or plight) one’s troth pledge one’s word esp. in marriage or betrothal. [ME trowthe, for OE tréowth TRUTH] Trotsky /'trotski/, Leon, originally Lev Davidovich Bronstein (1879-1940), Russian revolutionary. An early member of the Bolshevik party, Trotsky became Lenin’s principal lieutenant in the troubled years following the Russian Revolution, organizing the Red Armies which eventually defeated the opposing Whites in the Russian Civil War. After Lenin’s death, he unsuccessfully contested the leadership with Stalin and was eventually banished in 1929. For some years he moved around the world, settling in Mexico in 1937, but was murdered there by a Stalinist assassin three years later.

Trotskyist /'trotskist/ n. a supporter of Leon Trotsky, who

of a mammalian blastula, providing nourishment to an embryo.

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trophy /'troufi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a cup or other decorative object

troppo? /'tropau/ adj. Austral. sl. mentally ill from exposure to a

Trondheim /'trondhaim/ a fishing port and the second-largest

tropho-

Trotskyist

1546

believed in the theory of continuing revolution rather than the

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more pragmatic ideas of State Communism generally accepted in Russia in the post-Revolutionary era. With the defeat and disgrace of their leader in the power struggle following the death of Lenin, the Trotskyists were generally branded by the successful Stalinists as perverters of the Revolution. Trotskyism has generally included a fair mixture of anarchist-syndicalist ideology, but the term has come to be used indiscriminately to describe all forms of radical left-wing Communism. oo Trotskyism n. Trotskyite n. derog. trotter /'trota(r)/ n. 1 a horse bred or trained for trotting. 2 (usu. in pl.) a an animal’s foot as food (pig’s trotters). b joc. a human foot. trotting /'trotin/ n. a form of horse-racing (also called harnessracing) in which a horse pulls a two-wheeled vehicle (a sulky) and its driver. Trotting-races were held in Asia Minor as early as 1350 Bc. In the Roman Empire chariot racing became one of the favourite sports, and it is probably from the Romans that trotting took its roots as a worldwide sport. troubadour /'tru:ba,do:(r)/ n. 1 any of a number of French medieval lyric poets composing and singing in Provengal during the 12th and early 13thc. (and perhaps earlier), famous for the complexity of their verse forms and for the conception of chivalry and courtly love which prevails in their poems. They flourished in the courts of Spain, Italy, and France and through their influence on the northern French poets and on the German Minnesingers they had a major effect on all the subsequent development of European lyric poetry. As well as love poetry they also composed moralizing, satirical, and political poems (sirventes), and military poems. 2 a singer or poet. [F f. Prov. trobador f. trobar find, invent, compose in verse]

trouble /'trab(e)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 difficulty or distress; vexation, affliction (am having trouble with my car). 2 a inconvenience; unpleasant exertion; bother (went toa lot of trouble). b a cause of this (the child was no trouble). 3 a cause of annoyance or concern (the trouble with you is that you can’t say no). 4a faulty condition or operation (kidney trouble; engine trouble). 5 a fighting, disturbance (crowd trouble; don’t want any trouble). b (in pl.) political or social unrest, public disturbances; the Troubles any of various rebellions, civil wars, and unrest in Ireland, especially in 1919-23 and (in Northern Ireland) from 1968. 6 disagreement, strife (is having trouble at home). —v. 1 tr. cause distress or anxiety to; disturb (were much troubled by their debts). 2 intr. be disturbed or worried (don’t trouble about it). 3 tr. afflict; cause pain etc. to (am troubled with arthritis). 4 tr. & intr. (often refl.) subject or be subjected to inconvenience or unpleasant exertion (sorry to trouble you; don’t trouble yourself; don’t trouble to explain). 0 ask (or look) for trouble collog. invite trouble or difficulty by one’s actions, behaviour, etc.; behave rashly or indiscreetly. be no trouble cause no inconvenience etc. go to the trouble (or some trouble etc.) exert oneself to do something. in trouble 1 involved in a matter likely to bring censure or punishment. 2 collog. pregnant while unmarried. take trouble (or the trouble) exert oneself to do something. trouble and strife rhyming sl. wife. trouble spot a place where difficulties regularly occur. 00 troubler n. [ME f. OF truble (n.), trubler, turbler (v.) ult. f. L turbidus TURBID]

troubled /'trab(e)ld/ adj. showing, experiencing, or reflecting trouble, anxiety, etc. (a troubled mind; a troubled childhood).

troublemaker /'trab(e)l,merkoa(r)/ n. a person who habitually causes trouble. 00 troublemaking n.

troubleshooter /'trab(a)l,Ju:ta(r)/ n. 1a mediator in industrial or diplomatic etc. disputes. 2 a person who traces and corrects

faults in machinery etc. 00 troubleshooting n.

troublesome /'trab(a)lsom/ adj. 1 causing trouble. 2 vexing, annoying. 00 troublesomely adv. troublesomeness n.

troublous /'trables/ adj. archaic or literary full of troubles; agitated, disturbed (troublous times). [ME f. OF troubleus (as TROUBLE)] trough /trof/ n. 1 a long narrow open receptacle for water, animal feed, etc. 2 a channei for conveying a liquid. 3 an elongated region of low barometric pressure. 4 a hollow between two wave crests. 5 the time of lowest economic performance etc. 6 a region around the minimum on a curve of variation of a quantity. 7 a low point or depression. [OE trog f. Gmc] au how

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ot boy

vo poor

trounce /trauns/ v.tr. 1 defeat heavily. 2 beat, thrash. 3 punish severely. 00 trouncer n. trouncing n. [16th c., = afflict: orig. unkn.] troupe /tru:p/ n. a company of actors or acrobats etc. [F, = TROOP] trouper /'tru:po(r)/ n. 1 a member of a theatrical troupe. 2 a staunch colleague. trousers /'trauzoz/ n.pl. 1 an outer garment reaching from the waist usu. to the ankles, divided into two parts to cover the legs. 2 (trouser) (attrib.) designating parts of this (trouser leg). o trouser-clip = bicycle-clip. trouser suit a woman’s suit of trousers and jacket. wear the trousers be the dominant partner in a marriage. 00 trousered adj. trouserless adj. [archaic trouse (sing.) f. Ir. & Gael. triubhas TREws: pl. form after drawers] trousseau /'tru:sou/ n. (pl. trousseaus or trousseaux /-soUz/) the clothes collected by a bride for her marriage. [F, lit. bundle, dimin. of trousse TRUSS] trout /travt/ n. (pl. same or trouts) 1 any of various freshwater fish of the genus Salmo of the northern hemisphere, valued as food. 2 a similar fish of the family Salmonidae (see also salmon trout). 3 sl. derog. a woman, esp. an old or ill-tempered one (usu. old trout). oO troutlet n. troutling n. trouty adj. [OE truht f. LL

tructa] trouvaille |'tru:vatl/ n. a lucky find; a windfall. [F f. trouver find] trouvére /tru:'veo(r)/ n. a medieval epic poet in Northern France in the 11th—14th c. [OF trovere f. trover find: cf. TROUBADOUR] trove /trauv/ n. = treasure trove. [AF trové f. trover find] trover /'trouvo(r)/ n. Law 1 finding and keeping personal property. 2 common-law action to recover the value of personal property wrongfully taken etc. [OF trover find] trow /travu, trau/ v.tr. archaic think, believe. [OE triwian, tréowian, rel. to TRUCE] trowel /'travel/ n. & v. —n. 1a small hand-held tool with a flat pointed blade, used to apply and spread mortar etc. 2 a similar tool with a curved scoop for lifting plants or earth. —v.tr. (trowelled, trowelling; US troweled, troweling) 1 apply (plaster etc.). 2 dress (a wall etc.) with a trowel. [ME f. OF truele f. med.L truella f. L trulla scoop, dimin. of trua ladle etc.] Troy /tro1/ also called Ilium, in Homeric legend the city of King Priam that was besieged for ten years by the Greeks in their endeavour to recover Helen, wife of Menelaus, who had been abducted. It was believed to be a figment of Greek legend until a stronghold called by the Turks Hissarlik, in Asiatic Turkey near the Dardanelles, was identified as the site of Troy by the German archaeologist H. Schliemann, who in 1870 began excavations of the mound which proved to be composed of 46 strata, dating from the early Bronze Age to the Roman era. The stratum known as Troy VII, believed to be that of the Homeric city, was sacked c.1210 Bc. Again destroyed c.1100 Bc, the site was resettled by the Greeks c.700 Bc and finally abandoned in the Roman period. troy /tro1/ n. (in full troy weight) a system of weights used for precious metals and gems, with a pound of 12 ounces or 5,760 grains. [ME, prob. f. Troyes in France] trs. abbr. transpose (letters or words etc.). truant /'tru:ont/ n., adj., & v. —n. 1a child who stays away from school without leave or explanation. 2 a person missing from work etc. —adj. (of a person, conduct, thoughts, etc.) shirking, idle, wandering. —v.intr. (also play truant) stay away as a truant. 00 truancy n. [ME f. OF, prob. ult. f. Celt.: cf. Welsh truan, Gael. truaghan wretched] truce /tru:s/ n. 1 a temporary agreement to cease hostilities. 2 a suspension of private feuding or bickering. 00 truceless adj. [ME trew(e)s (pl.) f. OE tréow, rel. to TRUE]

Trucial States /'tru:{(2)l/ the name applied to seven Arab sheikhdoms on the Persian Gulf, which since 1971 have been known as the United Arab Emirates (see entry). It refers to the maritime truce made with Britain in 1836 (and subsequently renewed and extended) by which local rulers undertook to abstain from maritime warfare.

truck! /trak/ n. & v. —n. 1 Brit. an open railway wagon for

alo fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

truck

re

ere ree

ee

eee

ee

ee

carrying freight. 2 esp. US a vehicle for carrying heavy goods; a lorry. 3 a vehicle for transporting troops, supplies, etc. 4 a railway bogie. 5 a wheeled stand for transporting goods. 6 a Naut. a wooden disc at the top of a mast with holes for halyards. b a small solid wheel. —v. 1 tr. convey on or ina truck. 2 intr. US drive a truck. 3 intr. US sl. proceed; go, stroll. 00 truckage n. [perh. short for TRUCKLE in sense ‘wheel, pulley’] truck? /trak/ n. & v. —n. 1 dealings; exchange, barter. 2 small wares. 3 US market-garden produce (truck farm). 4 collog. odds and ends. 5 hist. the payment of workers in kind. —v.tr. & intr. archaic barter, exchange. 0 have no truck with avoid dealing with. Truck Acts (in the UK) a series of Acts directed, from 1830 onwards, against the ‘truck system’, common in the 19thc., whereby workmen received their wages in the form of vouchers for goods redeemable only at a special shop (often run by the employer). The Acts required wages to be paid in cash. [ME f. OF troquer (unrecorded) = trocare, of unkn. orig.] trucker /'trako(r)/ n. esp. US 1 a long-distance lorry-driver. 2 a firm dealing in long-distance carriage of goods. truckie /'traki/ n. Austral. collog. a lorry-driver; a trucker. trucking /'trakin/ n. US conveyance of goods by lorry. truckle /'trak(s)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 (in full truckle-bed) a low bed on wheels that can be stored under a larger bed. 2 orig. dial. a small barrel-shaped cheese. —v.intr. (foll. by to) submit obsequiously. 00 truckler n. [orig. = wheel, pulley, f. AF trocle f. L trochlea pulley] truculent /'trakjolont/ adj. 1 aggressively defiant. 2 aggressive, pugnacious. 3 fierce, savage. 00 truculence n. truculency n. truculently adv. [L truculentus f. trux trucis fierce]

Trudeau /'tru:dau/, Pierre Elliott (1919-

), French-Canadian

statesman, Prime Minister of Canada 1968-79 and 1980-4. His terms of office were marked by the rejection of separatism in Quebec and by the securing of Canada’s final constitutional independence from the British Parliament (1982). trudge /trad3/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. go on foot esp. laboriously. 2 tr. traverse (a distance) in this way. —n. a trudging walk. 00 trudger n. [16th c.: orig. unkn.] trudgen /'trad3(2)n/ n. a swimming stroke like the crawl with a scissors movement of the legs. [J. Trudgen, 19th-c. English swimmer] true /tru:/ adj., adv., & v. —adj. 1 in accordance with fact or Teality (a true story). 2 genuine; rightly or strictly so called; not spurious or counterfeit (a true friend; the true heir to the throne). 3 (often foll. by to) loyal or faithful (true to one’s word). 4 (foll. by to) accurately conforming (to a standard or expectation etc.) (true to form). 5 correctly positioned or balanced; upright, level. 6 exact, accurate (a true aim; a true copy). 7 (absol.) (also it is true)

certainly, admittedly (true, it would cost more). 8 (of a note) exactly in tune. 9 archaic honest, upright (twelve good men and true). —adv. 1 truly (tell me true). 2 accurately (aim true). 3 without variation (breed true). —v.tr. (trues, trued, truing or trueing) bring (a tool, wheel, frame, etc.) into the exact position or form required. 0 come true actually happen or be the case. out of true (or the true) not in the correct or exact position. true bill US & hist. a bill of indictment endorsed by a grand jury as being sustained by evidence. true-blue adj. extremely loyal or orthodox. —n. such a person, esp. a Conservative. true-born genuine (a true-born Englishman). true-bred of a genuine or good breed. true-hearted faithful, loyal. true horizon see HORIZON 1c. true-love a sweetheart. true-love (or -lover’s) knot a kind of knot with interlacing bows on each side, symbolizing true love. true north etc. north etc. according to the earth’s axis, not magnetic north. true rib a rib joined directly to the breastbone. true to form (or type) being or behaving etc. as expected. true to life accurately representing life. 00 trueish adj. trueness n. [OE tréowe, trywe, f. the Gmc noun repr. by TRUCE] truffle /'traf(a)l/ n. 1 any strong-smelling underground fungus of the order Tuberales, used as a culinary delicacy and found esp. in France by trained dogs or pigs. 2 a usu. round sweet made of chocolate mixture covered with cocoa etc. [prob. f. Du. truffel f. obs. F truffle ult. f. L tubera pl. of TUBER] trug /trag/n. Brit. 1 a shallow oblong garden-basket usu. of wood b but

ddog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

trumpeter

1548

ee

eee

strips. 2 archaic a wooden milk-pan. [perh. a dial. var. ofTROUGH] truism /'tru:1z(2)m/ n. 1 an obviously true or hackneyed statement. 2 a proposition that states nothing beyond what is * implied in any of its terms. 00 truistic /-'1strk/ adj.

Trujillo Molina /tru:,xi:ou mo'li:no/, Rafael Leonidas (1891-— 1961), dictator of the Dominican Republic 1930-61. As commander of the army he seized power in 1930, and his regime

employed authoritarian measures to accomplish some material progress and used terrorist methods to repress opposition. He was assassinated in 1961. trull /tral/ n. archaic a prostitute. [16th c.: cf. G Trulle, TROLLOP]

truly /'tru:l1/ adv. 1 sincerely, genuinely (am tnuly grateful). 2 really, indeed (truly, I do not know). 3 faithfully, loyally (served them truly). 4 accurately, truthfully (is not truly depicted; has been truly stated). 5 rightly, properly (well and truly). [OE tréowlice (as TRUE,

-Ly?)] Truman |/'tru:monj, Harry S (1884-1972), 33rd President of the US, 1945-53. At home he largely continued Roosevelt’s ‘New Deal’ policies but in foreign affairs he was faced with new problems. He authorized the use of the atomic bomb against Japan, abruptly ended Lend-Lease in 1945, and enunciated the so-called ‘Truman Doctrine’ in 1947 in response to a perceived threat of Soviet expansion in the Cold War period, promising US military and economic aid to countries whose stability was threatened by a Communist take-over. trumeau /tru:'mou/ n. (pl. trumeaux /-'mouz/) a section of wall or a pillar between two openings, e.g. a pillar dividing a large doorway. [F] trump! /tramp/n. & v. —n. 1 a playing-card of a suit ranking above the others. 2 an advantage esp. involving surprise. 3 collog. a a helpful or admired person. b Austral. & NZ a person in authority. —v. 1 a tr. defeat (a card or its player) with a trump. b intr. play a trump card when another suit has been led. 2 tr. collog. gain a surprising advantage over (a person,

proposal, etc.). oOtrump card 1a card belonging to, or turned up to determine, a trump suit. 2 collog. a a valuable resource. b a surprise move to gain an advantage. trump up fabricate or invent (an accusation, excuse, etc.) (on a trumped-up charge). turn up trumps Brit. collog. 1 turn out better than expected. 2 be greatly successful or helpful. [corrupt. of TRIUMPH in the same (now obs.) sense]

trump? /tramp/ n. archaic a trumpet-blast. 0 the last trump the trumpet-blast to wake the dead on Judgement Day. [ME f. OF trompe f. Frank.: prob. imit.] trumpery /'trampori/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a worthless finery. b a worthless article. 2 rubbish. —adj. 1 showy but worthless (trumpery jewels). 2 delusive, shallow (trumpery arguments). [ME f. OF tromperie f. tromper deceive] trumpet /'trampit/ n. & v. —n. 1 aa tubular or conical brass instrument witha flared bell and a bright penetrating tone. (See below.) b its player. c an organ stop with a quality resembling a trumpet. 2 a the tubular corona of a daffodil etc. b a trumpetshaped thing (ear-trumpet). 3 a sound of or like a trumpet. —v. (trumpeted, trumpeting) 1 intr. a blow a trumpet. b (of an enraged elephant etc.) make a loud sound as of a trumpet. 2 tr. proclaim loudly (a person’s or thing’s merit). 0 trumpet-call an urgent summons to action. trumpet major the chief trum-

peter of a cavalry regiment.

00 trumpetless adj. [ME f. OF

trompette dimin. (as TRUMP?)] One of the ancient instruments (two are preserved from the

tomb of Tutankhamun), in its early days it produced only ‘natural’ notes and was particularly associated with fanfares and flourishes, from pageantry to stirring military music. In the 18th c. crooks were added to allow a wider selection of notes, and in the early 19th c. the valved trumpet made possible a far greater and less typecast contribution to orchestral music. trumpeter /'tramprto(r)/ n. 1 a person who plays or sounds a trumpet, esp. a cavalry soldier giving signals. 2 a bird making a trumpet-like sound, esp.: a a variety of domestic pigeon. b a large black S. American cranelike bird of the genus Psophia. O trumpeter swan a large N. American wild swan, Cygnus buccinator. :

kcat

lleg

mman

nono p pen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

truncal

truncal /'trank(s)l/ adj. of or relating to the trunk of a body or a tree. truncate v. & adj. —v.tr. /tran'kKert, 'tran-/ 1 cut the top or the end from (a tree, a body, a piece of writing, etc.). 2 Crystallog. replace (an edge or an angle) by a plane. —adj. |'trankert/ Bot. & Zool. (of a leaf or feather etc.) ending abruptly as if cut off at the base or tip. ‘00 truncately /'trankerth/ adv. truncation |-'kerf(o)n/ n. [L truncare truncat- maim] truncheon /'trant{(s)n/ n. 1 esp. Brit. a short club or cudgel, esp. carried by a policeman. 2 a staff or baton as a symbol of authority, esp. that of the Earl Marshal. [ME f. OF tronchon stump ult. f. L truncus trunk] trundle /'trand(s)l/ v.tr. & intr. roll or move heavily or noisily esp. on or as on wheels.

0 trundle-bed

= TRUCKLE!. [var. of

obs. or dial. trendle, trindle, f. OE trendel circle (as TREND)] trunk /trank/ n. 1 the main stem ofa tree as distinct from its branches and roots. 2 a person’s or animal’s body apart from the limbs and head. 3 the main part of any structure. 4.a large box with a hinged lid for transporting luggage, clothes, etc. 5 US the luggage compartment of a motor car. 6 an elephant’s elongated prehensile nose. 7 (in pl.) men’s close-fitting shorts worn for swimming, boxing, etc. 8 the main body of an artery, nerve, etc. 9 an enclosed shaft or conduit for cables, ventilation, etc. 0 trunk call esp. Brit. a telephone call on a trunk line with charges made according to distance. trunk line a main line of a railway, telephone system, etc. trunk road esp. Brit. an important main road. 00 trunkful n. (pl. -fuls). trunkless adj. [ME f. OF tronc f. L truncus}

trunking /'trankiy/ n. 1 a system of shafts or conduits for cables, ventilation, etc. 2 the use or arrangement of trunk lines. trunnion /'tranjon/ n. 1 a supporting cylindrical projection on each side of a cannon or mortar. 2a hollow gudgeon supporting a cylinder in a steam engine and giving passage to the steam. [F trognon core, tree-trunk, of unkn. orig.] truss /tras/n. & v. —n. 1a framework, e.g. of rafters and struts, supporting a roof or bridge etc. 2 a surgical appliance worn to support a hernia. 3 Brit. a bundle of old hay (56 Ib.) or new hay (60 Ib.) or straw (36 1b.). 4 a compact terminal cluster of flowers or fruit. 5 a iarge corbel supporting a monument etc. 6 Naut.a heavy iron ring securing the lower yards to a mast. —v.tr. 1 tie up (a fowl) compactly for cooking. 2 (often foll. by up) tie (a person) up with the arms to the sides. 3 support (a roof or bridge etc.) with a truss or trusses. 00 trusser n. [ME f. OF trusser (v.), trusse (n.), cf unkn. orig.] trust /trast/ n. & v. —n.-1 a a firm belief in the reliability or truth or strength etc. of a person or thing. b the state of being relied on. 2 a confident expectation. 3 a a thing or person committed to one’s care. b the resulting obligation or responsibility (am in a position of trust; have fulfilled my trust). 4 a person or thing confided in (is our sole trust). 5 reliance on the truth of a statement etc. without examination. 6 commercial credit (obtained goods on trust). 7 Law a confiderice placed in a person by making that person the nominal owner of property to be used for another’s benefit. b the right of the latter to benefit by such property. ¢ the property so held. d the legal relation between the holder and the property so held. 8 a a body of trustees. b an organization managed by trustees. ¢ an organized association of several companies for the purpose of reducing or defeating competition etc., esp. one in which all or most of the stock is transferred to a central committee and shareholders lose their voting power although remaining entitled to profits. =v. 1 tr. place trust in; believe in; rely on the character or behaviour of. 2 tr. (foll. by with) allow (a person) to have or use (a thing) from confidence in its proper use (was reluctant to trust them with my books). 3 tr. (often foll. by that + clause) have faith or confidence or hope that a thing will take place (I trust you will not be late; I trust that she is recovering). 4 tr. (foll. by to) consign (a thing) to (a person) with trust. 5tr. (foll. by for) allow credit to (a customer) for (goods). 6 intr. (foll. by in) place reliance in (we trust in you). 7 intr. (foll. by to) place (esp. undue) reliance on (shall have to trust to luck). O im trust Law held on the basis of trust (see sense 7 of n.). on trust 1 on credit. 2 on the basis of trust or confidence. take on trust accept (an assertion, claim, etc.) wwe

z zoo

try

1549

f she

3 decision

0 thin

6 this

y ring

x loch

without evidence or investigation. trust company a company formed to act as a trustee or to deal with trusts. trust fund a fund of money etc. held in trust. trust territory a territory under the trusteeship of the United Nations or of a State designated by them. oo trustable adj. truster n. [ME troste, truste (n.) f. ON traust f. traustr strong: (v.) f. ON treysta, assim. to the noun] trustee /tras'ti:/ n. 1 Law a person or member of a board given control or powers of administration of property in trust with a legal obligation to administer it solely for the purposes specified. 2 a State made responsible for the government of an area. O0 trusteeship n.

trustful /'trastfol/ adj. 1 full of trust or confidence. 2 not feeling or showing suspicion. 00 trustfully adv. trustfulness n. trusting /'trastin/ adj. having trust (esp. characteristically); trustful. 00 trustingly adv. trustingness n. trustworthy /'trast,ws:61/ adj. deserving of trust; reliable. oo trustworthily adv. trustworthiness n. trusty /'trasti/ adj. & n. —adj. (trustier, trustiest) 1 archaic or joc. trustworthy (a trusty steed). 2 archaic loyal (to a sovereign) (my trusty subjects). —n. (pl. -ies) a prisoner who is given special privileges for good behaviour. 00 trustily adv. trustiness n. truth /tru:6/ n. (pl. truths /tru:z, tru:0s/) 1 the quality ora state of being true or truthful (doubted the truth of the statement; there may be some truth in it). 2 a what is true (tell us the whole truth; the truth is that I forgot). b what is accepted as true (one of the fundamental truths). 0 in truth literary truly, really. to tell the truth (or truth to tell) to be frank. truth drug any of various drugs supposedly able to induce a person to tell the truth. truth table a list indicating the truth or falsity of various propositions in logic etc. 00 truthless adj. [OE triewth, tréowth (as TRUE)]

truthful /'tru:@fol/ adj. 1 habitually speaking the truth. 2 (ofa story etc.) true. 3 (of a likeness etc.) corresponding to reality. Oo truthfully adv. truthfulness n.

try /trat/ v. & n. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 intr. make an effort with a view to success (often foll. by to + infin.; collog. foll. by and + infin.: tried to be on time; try and be early; I shall try hard). § Use with and is uncommon in the past tense and in negative contexts (except in imper.). 2 tr. make an effort to achieve (tried my best; had better try something easier). 3 tr. a test (the quality of a thing) by.use or experiment. b test the qualities of (a person or thing) (try it before you buy). 4 tr. make severe demands on (a person, quality, etc.) (my patience has been sorely tried). 5 tr. examine the effectiveness or usefulness of for a purpose (try cold water; try the off-licence; have you tried kicking it?). 6 tr. ascertain the state of fastening of (a door, window, etc.). 7 tr. a investigate and decide (a case or issue) judicially. b subject (a person) to trial (will be tried for murder). 8 tr. make an experiment in order to find out (let us try which takes longest). 9 intr. (foll. by for) a apply or compete for. b seek to reach or attain (am going to try for a gold medal). 10 tr. (often foll. by out) a extract (oil) from fat by heating. b treat (fat) in this way. 11 tr. (often foll. by up) smooth (roughly-planed wood) with a plane to give an accurately flat surface. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 an effort to accomplish something; an attempt (give it a try). 2 Rugby Football the act of touching the ball down behind the opposing goal-line, scoring points and entitling the scoring side to a kick at goal. 3 Amer. Football an attempt to score an extra point in various ways after a touchdown. oO try conclusions with see CONCLUSION. try a fall with contend with. try for size try out or test for suitability. try ome’s hand see how skilful one is, esp. at the first attempt. trying-plane a plane used in trying (see sense 11 of v.). try it on collog. 1 test another’s patience. 2 attempt to outwit or deceive another person. try on put on (clothes etc.) to see if they fit or suit the wearer. try-on n. Brit. collog. 1 an act of trying it on. 2 an attempt to fool or deceive. try out 1 put to the test. 2 test thoroughly. try-out n. an experimental test of efficiency, popularity, etc. try-sail /'trars(9)l/ a small strong fore-and-aft sail set on the mainmast or other mast of a sailing-vessel in heavy weather. try-square a carpenter’s square, usu. with one wooden and one metal limb. [ME, = separate, distinguish, etc., f. OF trier sift, of unkn. orig.] tf chip

dg jar

(see over for vowels)

trying

tuberculosis

1550

tub /tab/ n. & v. —n.

trying /'tramn/ adj. annoying, vexatious; hard to endure. 00 tryingly adv. trypanosome /'tripono,soum/ n. Med. any protozoan parasite of the genus Trypanosoma having a long trailing flagellum and infesting the blood etc. [Gk trupanon borer + -SOME%]

trypanosomiasis

-

|,triponoso'marosis/ n. any of several dis-

1 an open flat-bottomed usu. round

container for various purposes. 2 a tub-shaped (usu. plastic) carton. 3 the amount a tub will hold. 4 collog. a bath. 5 a colloq. a clumsy slow boat. b a stout roomy boat for rowing practice. 6 (in mining) a container for conveying ore, coal, etc. —v. (tubbed, tubbing) 1 tr. & intr. plant, bathe, or wash in a tub. 2

tr. enclose in a tub. 3tr. line (a mine-shaft) with a wooden or iron casing. 0 tub chair a chair with solid arms continuous with a usu. semicircular back. tub-thumper collog. a ranting preacher or orator. tub-thumping collog. ranting oratory. 00 tubbable adj. tubbish adj. tubful n. (pl. -fuls). [ME, prob. of LG or Du. orig.: cf. MLG, MDu. tubbe] tuba /'tju:bo/ n. (pl. tubas) 1 a a low-pitched brass wind instrument. b its player. 2 an organ stop with the quality of a tuba.

eases caused by a trypanosome including sleeping sickness and Chagas’ disease. trypsin /'tripsin/ n. a digestive enzyme acting on proteins and present in the pancreatic juice. 00 tryptic adj. [Gk tripsis fric-

tion f. tribd rub (because it was first obtained by rubbing down the pancreas with glycerine)] trypsinogen /trip'smnod3(2)n/ n. a substance in the pancreas from which trypsin is formed. tryptophan /'tripto,feen/ n. Biochem. an amino acid essential in the diet of vertebrates. [as TRYPSIN + -phan f. Gk phaind appear] tryst /trist/n. & v. archaic —n. 1a time and place for a meeting, esp. of lovers. 2 such a meeting (keep a tryst; break one’s tryst). —v.intr. (foll. by with) make a tryst. 00 tryster n. [ME, = obs. trist (= TRUST) f. OF triste an appointed station in hunting] tsar /za:(r)/ n. (also czar) 1 hist. the title of the former emperor of Russia. 2 a person with great authority. 00 tsardom n. tsarism n. tsarist n. [Russ. tsar’, ult. L Caesar]

[It. f. L, = trumpet] tubal /'tju:b(2)l/ adj. Anat. of or relating to a tube, esp. the bronchial or Fallopian tubes.

tubby /'tabi/ adj. (tubbier, tubbiest) 1 (of a person) short and

tsarevich /!za:rivit// n. (also czarevich) hist. the eldest son of an emperor of Russia. [Russ. tsarevich son of a tsar] tsarina /za:'ri:no/ n. (also czarina) hist. the title of the former empress of Russia. [It. & Sp. (c)zarina f. G Czarin, Zarin, fem. of Czar, Zar] Tsavo /|'sa:vau/ an extensive national park in SE Kenya, established in 1948. tsetse /'tsets1, 'tets1/ n. any fly of the genus Glossina native to Africa, that feeds on human and animal blood with a needle-like proboscis and transmits trypanosomiasis. [Tswana]

fat; tub-shaped. 2 (of a violin) dull-sounding, lacking resonance. o0 tubbiness n. tube /tju:b/ n. & v. —n. 1a long hollow rigid or flexible cylinder, esp. for holding or carrying air, liquids, etc. 2 a soft metal or plastic cylinder sealed at one end and having a screw cap at the other, for holding a semi-liquid substance ready for use (a tube of toothpaste). 3 Anat. & Zool. a hollow cylindrical organ in the body (bronchial tubes; Fallopian tubes). 4 (often prec. by the) collog. the London underground railway system (went by tube). 5 aa cathode-ray tube esp. ina television set. b (prec. by the) esp. US collog. television. 6 US a thermionic valve. 7 = inner tube. 8 the cylindrical body of a wind instrument. 9 Austral. sl. a can of beer. —v.tr. 1 equip with tubes. 2 enclose in a tube. 00 tubeless adj. (esp. in sense 7 of n.). tubelike adj. [F tube or L tubus]

tubectomy /tju:'bektom1/ n. (pl. -ies) Surgery removal of a Fal-

usu. of knitted cotton and having the form of a T when spread

lopian tube. tuber /'tju:ba(r)/ n. 1 a the short thick rounded part of a stem or rhizome, usu. found underground and covered with modified buds, e.g. in a potato. b the similar root of a dahlia etc. 2 Anat. a lump or swelling. [L, = hump, swelling]

out.

tubercle /'tju:bok(e)l/ n. 1 a small rounded protuberance esp.

TSH

abbr.

1 thyroid-stimulating hormone.

2 Their Serene

Highnesses.

T-shirt /'ti:J3:t/ n. (also teeshirt) a short-sleeved casual top, Tsinghai see QINGHAI. Tsitsikamma Forest |,s1ts1'ka:mo/ an area of dense natural

on a bone. 2 a small rounded swelling on the body or in an organ, esp. a nodular lesion characteristic of tuberculosis in the lungs etc. 3 a small tuber; a wartlike growth. o tubercle bacillus a bacterium causing tuberculosis. 00 tuberculate /-'b3:kjulet/ adj. tuberculous /-'b3:kjules/ adj. [L tuberculum, dimin. of tuber. see TUBER]

forest on the south coast of Cape Province, South Africa. tsp. abbr. (pl. tsps.) teaspoonful. T-square |'ti:skweo(r)/ n. a T-shaped instrument for drawing or testing right angles. tsunamii /tsu:'na:mi/ n. (pl. tsumamis) a long high sea wave caused by underwater earthquakes or other disturbances. [Jap.

tubercular

f. tsu harbour + nami wave]

tuberculation

Tswana /'tswa:no/ n. (also Setswana /se'tswa:no/) 1 a southern African people living in Botswana and neighbouring areas. 2 a member of this people. 3 the Bantu language of this people. 4] Setswana is now the preferred form for the language. [native name]

—adj. of or having

—n. a person with tuberculosis. [f. L

/tjo,bs:kju'lerf(a)n/

n.

1 the formation

of

tubercles. 2 a growth of tubercles. [f. L tuberculum (as TUBERCLE)]

tuberculin /tjo'bs:kjolin/ n. a sterile liquid from cultures of tubercle bacillus, used in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis. O tuberculin test a hypodermic injection of tuberculin to detect a tubercular infection. tuberculin-tested (of milk) from cows giving a negative response to a tuberculin test. [f. L tuberculum (as TUBERCLE)]

TT abbr. 1 Tourist Trophy. 2 tuberculin-tested. 3 a teetotal. b teetotaller.

TU abbr. Trade Union. Tu. abbr. Tuesday. Tuareg

/tju'bs:kjolo(r)/ adj. & n.

tubercles or tuberculosis. tuberculum (as TUBERCLE)]}

tuberculosis /tjo,bs:kjo'leusts/ n. an infectious disease caused

|'twa:reg/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. same or Tuaregs)

by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis, characterized by tubercles, esp. in the lungs (see also pulmonary tuberculosis). The disease occurs throughout the world and has grave social importance because some three million people die from it each year and many more suffer long incapacitating illnesses. It was common in Europe in the 19thc.; Keats developed the illness shortly after nursing his sick brother, and Anne and Emily Bronté and their brother Branwell died of it. Today in the countries that enjoy good living conditions and medical services the situation is very different, but the disease is still widespread in the developing countries. The most common form, formerly popularly known as consumption, affects the lungs, which are invaded by bacteria (tubercle bacilli) first identified by the German bacteriologist Robert Koch in 1882. Tuberculosis was once called the ‘white plague’ and considered to be incurable, but

1 a

member of a Berber group of nomadic pastoralists of North Africa, the legendary blue-veiled warriors of Timbuktu and the romance of Beau Geste. The main concentrations of Tuareg population are now in Algeria, Mali, Niger, and Western Libya, with smaller groups to be found in Nigeria, the Sudan, etc. 2 their Berber dialect, which is the only Berber language to have an indigenous written form (its alphabet is related to ancient Phoenician script). —adj. of or relating to this people or their language. [native name] tuatara /|,tu:o'ta:ra/ n. a large lizard-like reptile, Sphenodon punctatus, unique to certain small islands of New Zealand, having a crest of soft spines extending along its back, and a third eye on top of its head. [Maori f. tua on the back + tara spine]

wz cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

arun

wv put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

tuberose

Tula

1551

now treatment, which has been transformed by the use of new drugs and by lung operations, can arrest the disease and restore the patient to normal health. In consequence the death rate from it has been dramatically reduced. This decline is due also to early diagnosis of the disease by X-rays, to the use of vaccines, and to improved standards of living and hygiene, for tuberculosis flourishes among the overcrowded and underfed. Its control by public health authorities is one of the finest examples of the success of a carefully planned and well-directed campaign against a disease. Tuberculosis can affect parts of the body other than the lungs, in particular the bones and joints and the central nervous system. There is also a type known as bovine tuberculosis which attacks cattle, and infection can be passed on to human beings by the milk of infected cows. Elimination of tuberculosis from dairy herds, and pasteurization of milk, have greatly reduced such transmission of the disease.

tuberose! /'tju:ba,raus/ adj. 1 covered with tubers; knobby. 2 of or resembling a tuber. 3 bearing tubers. 00 tuberosity /-'rpsit1/ n. [L tuberosus f. TUBER]

tuberose? /'tju:bo,rauz/ n. a plant, Polianthes tuberosa, native to Mexico, having heavily scented white funnel-like flowers and strap-shaped leaves. [L tuberosa fem. (as TUBEROSE?)]

tuberous /'tju:boras/ adj. = TUBEROSE!. 0 tuberous root a thick and fleshy root like a tuber but without buds. [F tubéreux or L tuberosus f. TUBER]

tubifex /'tju:bi,feks/ n. any red annelid worm of the genus Tubifex, found in mud at the bottom of rivers and lakes and used as food for aquarium fish. [mod.L f. L tubus tube + -fex f. facere make]

tubiform /'tju:bi,fo:m/ adj. tube-shaped. tubing /'tju:bin/ n. 1a length of tube. 2 a quantity of tubes. Tubrug see Tosruk. Tubuai Islands /tu:'bwai/ (also Austral Islands) a group of volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean forming part of French Polynesia; pop. (1983) 6,360. tubular /'tju:bjula(r)/ adj. 1 tube-shaped. 2 having or consisting of tubes. 3 (of furniture etc.) made of tubular pieces. 0 tubular bells an orchestral instrument consisting of a row of vertically suspended brass tubes that are struck with a hammer.

tubule /'tju:bju:l/ n. a small tube ina plant or an animal body. {L tubulus, dimin. of tubus tube]

tubulous /'tju:bjules/ adj. = TUBULAR. TUC abbr. (in the UK) Trades Union Congress. tuck /tak/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. (often foll. by in, up) a draw, fold, or turn the outer or end parts of (cloth or clothes etc.) close together so as to be held; thrust in the edge of (a thing) so as to confine it (tucked his shirt into his trousers; tucked the sheet under the mattress). b thrust in the edges of bedclothes around (a person) (came to tuck me in). 2 tr. draw together into a small space (tucked her legs under her; the bird tucked its head under its wing). 3 tr. stow (a thing) away in a specified place or way (tucked it in a corner; tucked it out of sight). 4 tr. a make a stitched fold in (material, a garment, etc.). b shorten, tighten, or ornament with stitched folds. 5 tr. hit (a ball) to the desired place. —n. 1 a flattened usu. stitched fold in material, a garment, etc., often one of several parallel folds for shortening, tightening, or ornament. 2 Brit. collog. food, esp. cakes and sweets eaten by children (also attrib.: tuck box). 3 Naut. the part of a ship’s hull where the planks meet under the stern. 4 (in full tuck position) (in diving, gymnastics, etc.) a position with the knees bent upwards into the chest and the hands clasped round the shins. o tuck in collog. eat food heartily. tuck-in n. Brit. collog. a large meal. tuck into (or away) collog. eat (food) heartily (tucked into their dinner, could really tuck it away). tuck-net (or -seine) a small net for taking caught fish from a larger net. tuck shop Brit. a small shop, esp. near or in a school, selling food to children. [ME tukke, tokke, f. MDu., MLG tucken, = OHG zucchen pull, rel. to TUG]

collog. tire, exhaust. 0 best bib and tucker see B1B1. tucker-bag (or -box) Austral. collog. a container for food. tucket /'takit/ n. archaic a flourish on a trumpet. [ONF toquer beat (a drum)]

tucking /'takin/ n. a series of usu. stitched tucks in material or a garment. Tucson /'tu:spn/ a resort city in SE Arizona; pop. (1982) 352,450. -tude /tju:d/ suffix forming abstract nouns (altitude; attitude; solitude). [from or after F -tude f. L -tudo -tudinis]

Tudor /'tju:do(r)/ the name of the English royal house descended from Owen Tudor who married Catherine, widowed queen of Henry V, which ruled England from 1485 (Henry VII) until the death of Elizabeth I (1603). —attrib. or adj. 1 of the architectural style (the latest development of Perpendicular) prevailing in England during the reigns of the Tudors. 2 of or resembling the

domestic architecture of this period, with much half-timbering, brickwork frequently in patterns, elaborate chimneys, many gables, rich oriel windows, and much interior panelling and moulded plasterwork. o Tudor rose a conventionalized fivelobed decorative figure of a rose, especially a combination of the red and white roses of York and Lancaster adopted as a badge by Henry VII.

Tues. abbr. (also Tue.) Tuesday. Tuesday /'tju:zder, -di/n. & adv. —n. the third day of the week, following Monday. —adv. 1 collog. on Tuesday. 2 (Tuesdays) on Tuesdays; each Tuesday. [OE Tiwesdeg f. Tiw the Gmc god identified with Roman Mars] tufa /'tju:fa/ n. 1 a porous rock composed of calcium carbonate and formed round mineral springs. 2 = TUFF. 00 tufaceous

|-'ferfas/ adj. [It., var. of tufo: see TUFF] tuff /taf/ n. rock formed by the consolidation of volcanic ash. 00 tuffaceous /-'ferfas/ adj. [F tuf, tuffe f. It. tufo f. LL tofus, L ropHus]

tuffet /'tafit/ n. 1 = TurT 1. 2 a low seat. [var. of TUFT] tuft /taft/ n. & v. —n. 1a bunch or collection of threads, grass, feathers, hair, etc., held or growing together at the base. 2 Anat. a bunch of small blood-vessels. —v. 1 tr. provide with a tuft or tufts. 2 tr. make depressions at regular intervals in (a mattress etc.) by passing a thread through. 3 intr. grow in tufts. 00 tufty adj. [ME, prob. f. OF tofe, toffe, of unkn. orig.: for -t cf. GRAFT]

tufted /'taftid/ adj. 1 having or growing in a tuft or tufts. 2 (of a bird) having a tuft of feathers on the head.

Tu Fu /tu: 'fu:/ (712-70), a major (according to some, the greatest) Chinese poet, noted for his bitter satiric poems attacking social injustice and corruption at court. Intense personal suffering during the turbulent 750s added a note of universal pathos to his verse and inspired some of his finest work. tug /tag/ v. & n. —v. (tugged, tugging) 1 tr. & (foll. by at) intr. pull hard or violently; jerk (tugged it from my grasp; tugged at my sleeve). 2 tr. tow (a ship etc.) by means of a tugboat. —n. 1a hard, violent, or jerky pull (gave a tug on the rope). 2 a sudden strong emotional feeling (felt a tug as I watched them go). 3 a small powerful boat for towing larger boats and ships. 4 an aircraft towing a glider. 5 (of a horse’s harness) a loop from a saddle supporting a shaft or trace. 0 tug of love collog. a dispute over the custody of a child. tug of war 1 a trial of strength between two sides pulling against each other on a rope. 2 a decisive or severe contest. 00 tugger n. [ME togge, tugge, intensive f. Gmc: see TOW}]

tugboat /'tagbout/ n. = TUG n. 3. tui /'tu:1/ n. NZ a large honey-eater, Prosthemadura novaeseelandiae, Native to New Zealand and having a long protrusible bill and glossy bluish-black plumage with two white tufts at the throat. [Maori]

tuition /tju:'1{(a)n/ n. 1 teaching or instruction, esp. if paid for (driving tuition; music tuition). 2 a fee for this. 00 tuitional adj. [ME f. OF f. L tuitio -onis f. tuéri tuit- watch, guard]

Tula! /'tu:lo/ an industrial city of the Soviet Union to the south of Moscow; pop. (est. 1987) 538,000.

tucker /'tako(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1a person or thing that tucks. 2

Tula? /'tu:lo/ the ancient capital city of the Toltecs in’ Mexico,

hist. a piece of lace or linen etc. in or on a woman’s bodice. 3 Austral. collog. food. —v.tr. (esp. in passive; often foll. by out) US

usually identified with a site near the town of Tula in Hidalgo State, central Mexico.

au how

er day

ou no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

ua poor

aro fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

tularaemia

tungsten

1552

tumefaction |-!fek{(s)n/ n. [F tuméfier f. L tumefacere f. tumére

tularaemia |,tu:lo'ri:m19/ n. (US tularemia) a severe infectious

swell]

disease of animals transmissible to man, caused by the bacterium Pasteurella tularense and characterized by ulcers at the site of infection, fever, and loss of weight. 00 tularaemic adj. [mod.L f. Tulare County in California, where it was first observed]

tumescent /tju'mes(a)nt/ adj. 1 becoming tumid; swelling. 2 swelling as a response to sexual stimulation. 00 tumescence n. tumescently adv. [L tumescere (as TUMEFY)] tumid /'tju:m1d/ adj. 1 (of parts of the body etc.) swollen, inflated. 2 (of a style etc.) inflated, bombastic. 00 tumidity /-'miditi/ n. tumidly adv. tumidness n. [L tumidus f. tumére swell] tummy /'tami/ 1. (pl. -ies) collog. the stomach. oO tummy-button the navel. [childish pronunc. of stoMAcH] tumour /'tju:mo(r)/ n. (US tumor) a swelling, esp. from an abnormal growth of tissue. 00 tumorous adj. [L tumor f. tumére swell] tumult /'tju:malt/ n. 1 an uproar or din, esp. of a disorderly crowd. 2 an angry demonstration by a mob; a riot; a public disturbance. 3 a conflict of emotions in the mind. [ME f. OF tumulte or L tumultus] tumultuous /tjo'maltjuas/ adj. 1 noisily vehement; uproarious; making a tumult (a tumultuous welcome). 2 disorderly. 3 agitated. O00 tumultuously adv. tumultuousness n. [OF tumultuous or L tumultuosus (as TUMULT)} tumulus /'tju:mjoles/ n. (pl. tumuli /-jla1/) an ancient burial mound or barrow. oO tumular adj. [L f. tumére swell] tun /tan/ n. & v. —n. 1 a large beer or wine cask. 2 a brewer's fermenting-vat. 3 a measure of capacity, equal to 252 wine gallons. —v.tr. (tunned, tunning) store (wine etc.) in a tun. [OE tunne f. med.L tunna, prob. of Gaulish orig.] tuna! /'tju:no/ n. (pl. same or tunas) 1 any marine fish of the family Scombridae native to tropical and warm waters, having a round body and pointed snout, and used for food. Also called TUNNY. 2 (in full tuna-fish) the flesh of the tuna or tunny, usu. tinned in oil or brine. [Amer. Sp., perh. f. Sp. atin tunny] tuna? /'tju:no/ n. 1 a prickly pear, esp. Opuntia tuna. 2 the fruit of this. [Sp. f. Haitian]

tulip /'tju:lrp/ n. 1 any bulbous spring-flowering plant of the genus Tulipa, esp. one of the many cultivated forms with showy cup-shaped flowers of various colours and markings. 2 a flower of this plant. o tulip-root a disease of oats etc. causing the base of the stem to swell. tulip-tree any of various trees esp. of the genus Liriodendron, producing tulip-like flowers. tulip-wood a fine-grained pale timber produced by the N. American tree Liriodendron tulipifera. [orig. tulipa(n) f. mod.L tulipa f. Turk. tul(i)band f. Pers. dulband TURBAN (from the shape of the expanded flower)]

Tull /tal/, Jethro (1674-1741), the progenitor of the agricultural revolution in England, which preceded the Industrial Revolution, whose major invention in 1701 was the seed-drill for sowing seeds in accurately spaced rows at a controlled rate. This made possible the control of weeds by horse-drawn hoe and so reduced the need for farm labourers, freeing them to work in factories. His methods were adopted abroad also, particularly in France and the US. tulle /tju:l/ n. a soft fine silk etc. net for veils and dresses. [Tulle in SW France, where it was first made]

Tulsa /'talsa/ a port on the Arkansas River in NE Oklahoma;

pop. (1982) 375,300.

tum /tam/ n. collog. stomach. [abbr. of TUMMY] tumble /'tamb(a)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. & tr. fall or cause to fall suddenly, clumsily, or headlong. 2 intr. fall rapidly in amount etc. (prices tumbled). 3 intr. (often foll. by about, around) roll or toss erratically or helplessly to and fro. 4 intr. move or rush in a headlong or blundering manner (the children tumbled out of the car). 5 intr. (often foll. by to) collog. grasp the meaning or hidden implication of an idea, circumstance, etc. (they quickly tumbled to our intentions). 6 tr. overturn; fling or push roughly or carelessly. 7 intr. perform acrobatic feats, esp. somersaults. 8 tr. rumple or disarrange; pull about; disorder. 9 tr. dry (washing) in a tumble-drier. 10 tr. clean (castings, gemstones, etc.) in a tumbling-barrel. 11 intr. (of a pigeon) turn over backwards in flight. —n. 1 a sudden or headlong fall. 2 a somersault or other acrobatic feat. 3 an untidy or confused state. o tumble-drier n. a machine for drying washing in a heated rotating drum. tumble-dry v.tr. & intr. (-dries, -dried) dry in a tumble-drier. tumbling-barrel (or -box etc.) a revolving device containing an abrasive substance, in which castings, gemstones, etc., are cleaned by friction. tumbling-bay 1 the outfall of a river, reservoir, etc. 2 a pool into which this flows. [ME tumbel f. MLG tummelen, OHG tumalon frequent. of tumon: cf. OE tumbian dance]

Tunb Islands /'tu:nob/ two small islands (Greater and Lesser Tunb) in the Persian Gulf, administered by the emirate of Ras al Khaimah until occupied by Iran in 1971.

tundish /'tandi{/ n. 1 a wooden funnel esp. in brewing. 2 an intermediate reservoir in metal-founding. tundra /'tandro/ n. a vast level treeless Arctic region usu. with a marshy surface and underlying permafrost. [Lappish] tune /tju:n/n. & v. —n. a melody with or without harmony. —v. 1 tr. put (a musical instrument) in tune. 2 a tr. adjust (a radio

receiver etc.) to the particular frequency of the required signals. b intr. (foll. by in) adjust a radio receiver to the required signal (tuned in to Radio 2). 3 tr. adjust (an engine etc.) to run smoothly and efficiently. 4 tr. (foll. by to) adjust or adapt to a required or different purpose, situation, etc. 5 intr. (foll. by with) be in harmony with. 0 in tune 1 having the correct pitch or intonation (sings in tune). 2 (usu. foll. by with) harmonizing with one’s company, surroundings, etc. out of tume 1 not having the correct pitch or intonation (always plays out of tune). 2 (usu. foll.

tumbledown /'tamb(e)l,\daun/ adj. falling or fallen into ruin; dilapidated.

tumbler /'tamblo(r)/ n. 1 a drinking-glass with no handle or foot (formerly with a rounded bottom so as not to stand upright). 2 an acrobat, esp. one performing somersaults. 3 (in full tumbler-drier) = tumble-drier. 4a a pivoted piece in a lock that holds the bolt until lifted by a key. b a notched pivoted plate in a gunlock. 51a kind of pigeon that turns over backwards in flight. 6 an electrical switch worked by pushing a small sprung lever. 7 a toy figure that rocks when touched. 8 = tumbling-barrel (see TUMBLE). 00 tumblerful n. (pl. -fuls).

tumbleweed

by with) clashing with one’s company etc. to the tune of colloq. to the considerable sum or amount of. tune up 1 (of an orchestra) bring the instruments to the proper or uniform pitch. 2 begin to play or sing. 3 bring to the most efficient condition.

oo tunable adj. (also tuneable). [ME: unexpl. var. of TONE]

tuneful /'tju:nfol/ adj. melodious, musical. 00 tunefully adv. tunefulness n. tuneless /'tju:nlis/ adj. 1 unmelodious, unmusical.

/'tamb(s)l,wi:d/ n. US & Austral. a plant, Amar-

anthus albus, that forms a globular bush that breaks off in late summer and is tumbled about by the wind.

tumbrel /'tambr(s)l/ n. (also tumbril /-ril/) hist. 1 an open cart in which condemned persons were conveyed to their execution, esp. to the guillotine during the French Revolution. 2 a twowheeled covered cart for carrying tools, ammunition, etc. 3'a cart that tips to empty its load, esp. one carrying dung. [ME f. OF tumberel, tomberel f. tomber fall]

tuner /'tju:na(r)/ n. 1a person who tunes musical instruments, esp. pianos. 2 a device for tuning a radio receiver. tung /tan/ n. (in full tung-tree) a tree, Aleurites fordii, native to China, bearing poisonous fruits containing seeds that yield oil. O tung oil this oil used in paints and varnishes. [Chin. tong] tungsten /'tanst(a)n/ n. Chem. a steel-grey dense metallic element (also known as wolfram), first isolated in 1783. Tungsten

tumefy /'tju:m1,fa1/ v. (-ies, -ied) 1 intr. swell, inflate; be inflated. 2 tr. cause

to do this. b but

O00 d dog

tumefacient ffew

g get

/-'ferf(a)nt/ hhe

adj.

j yes

2 out of

tune. 00 tunelessly adv. tunelessness n.

kcat

is a strong hard metal with a very high melting-point. It has become of importance in the 20th c. as the chief material from which electric light bulb filaments are made. Tungsten is also lleg

mman

nno

ppen

rred s sit

t top

wevdice

Tungus

used in special steels, and the compound tungsten carbide, which is extremely hard, is used to form the cutting edges of saws, the tips of drill-bits, etc. { Symb.: W; atomic number 74. 00 tungstate /-stert/ n. tungstic adj. tungstous adj. [Sw. f. tung heavy + sten stone] Tungus /'tanas/ n. (pl. same) 1a member of a Mongoloid people of eastern Siberia. 2 an Altaic language or group of languages, spoken in parts of Siberia, since 1931 set down in an alphabet based on the Russian alphabet. oo Tungusian /tan'gju:sion/ adj. & n. Tungusic /-'gju:stk/ adj. & n. [native narne] tunic /'tju:ntkj n. 1 a a close-fitting short coat of police or military etc. uniform. b a loose, often sleeveless garment usu. reaching to about the knees, as worn in ancient Greece and Rome. c any of various loose, pleated dresses gathered at the waist with a belt or cord. da tunicle. 2 Zool: the rubbery outer coat of an ascidian etc. 3 Bot. a any of the concentric layers of a bulb. b the tough covering ofa part of this. 4 Anat. a membrane enclosing or lining an organ. [F tunique or L tunica]

tunica /'tju:nrko/ n. (pl. tunicae |-ki:/) Bot. & Anat. = TUNIC 3, 4. tunicate /'tju:nrkst, -|kert/ n. & adj. —n. any marine animal of the subphylum Urochordata having a rubbery or hard outer coat, including sea squirts. —adj. 1 Zool. of or relating to this subphylum. 2 a Zool. enclosed in a tunic. b Bot. having concentric layers. [L tunicatus past part. of tunicare clothe with a tunic (as TUNICA)]

tunicle /'tju:nrk(9)l/ n. a short vestment worn by a bishop or subdeacon at the Eucharist etc. [ME f. OF tunicle or L tunicula dimin. of TUNICA]

tuning /'tju:nim/ n. the process or a system of putting a musical instrument in tune. 0 tuning-fork a two-pronged steel fork that gives a particular note when struck, used in tuning. tuning-peg (or pin etc.) a peg or pin etc. attached to the strings of a stringed instrument and turned to alter their tension ia tuning.

Tunis /'tju:nis/ the capital of Tunisia, situated near the Mediterranean coast; pop. (1984) 596,650.

Tunisia /tju:'nisto/’a country in North Africa, on the Mediterranean Sea; pop. (est. 1988) 7,738,000; official language, Arabic; capital, Tunis. Phoenician settlements on the coast developed into the Carthaginian commercial empire which came into conflict with Rome, and after defeat in the Punic Wars became a Roman province. The area was conquered by the Vandals in the 5th c. AD and subsequently by the Arabs (7th c.); in the 16thc. it became part of the Ottoman empire. Under loose Turkish rule, Tunisia became a centre of piratical activity in the 16th-19thc. before its establishment as a French protectorate in 1886. The rise of nationalist activity after the Second World War led to independence and the establishment of a republic in 1956-7. Considerable efforts have been made to improve the economy, which is based almost entirely on. agriculture and mining (there are large deposits of phosphates) in the better-watered coastal strip, but economic difficulties have led to severe social problems. Tourism is developing as an industry. co Tunisian adj. & n. tunnel /'tan(s)l/ n. & v. —n. 1 an artificial underground passage through a hill or under a road or river etc., esp. for a railway or road to pass through, or in a mine. 2 an underground passage dug by a burrowing animal. 3 a prolonged period of difficulty or suffering (esp. in metaphors, e.g. the end of the tunnel). 4 a tube containing a propeller shaft etc. —v. (tunnelled, tunnelling; US tunneled, tunneling) 1 intr. (foll. by through, into, etc.) make a tunnel through (a hill etc.). 2 tr. make (one’s way) by tunnelling. 3 intr. Physics pass through a potential barrier. 0 tunnel diode Electronics a two-terminal semiconductor diode using tunnelling electrons to perform high-speed switching operations. tunnel-kiln a kiln in which ceramic ware is carried on trucks along a continuously-heated passage. tunnel-net a fishing-net wide at the mouth and narrow at the other end. tunnel vision 1 vision that is defective in not adequately including objects away from the centre of the field of view. 2 collog. inability to grasp the wider implications of a situation. 00 tunneller n. [ME f. OF tonel dimin. of tonne TUN]

wwe

z zoo

turbine

1553

f she

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

yn ring

x loch

tunny /'tani/ n. (pl. same or -ies) = TUNA!. [F thon f. Prov. ton, f. L thunnus f. Gk thunnos} tup /tap/ n. & v. —n. 1 esp. Brit. a male sheep; a ram. 2 the striking-head of a pile-driver, etc. —v.tr. (tupped, tupping) esp. Brit. (of a ram) copulate with (a ewe). [ME toje, tupe, of unkn. orig.] Tupamaro |,tu:po'ma:rou| n. (pl. -os) a Marxist urban guerrilla in Uruguay. [Tupac Amaru, the names of two Inca leaders]

Tupelo /'tju:po,lou/ a city in NE Mississippi, scene of a Civil War battle in July 1864, when Union forces defeated the Confederates, and birthplace of the singer Elvis Presley (1935-77); pop. (1980) 23,900.

tupelo /'tju:pi,lou/ n. (pl. -os) 1 any of various Asian and N. American deciduous trees of the genus Nyssa, with colourful foliage and growing in swampy conditions. 2 the wood of this tree. [Creek f. ito tree + opilwa swamp]

Tupi /'tu:p1/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. same or Tupis) 1 a member of an American Indian people native to the Amazon valley. 2 the language of this people. —adj. of or relating to this people or language. [native name] tuppence /'tapons/ n. Brit. = TworeENce. [phonet. spelling] tuppenny /'taponi/ adj. Brit. = TwopPENNy. [phonet. spelling] Tupperware /'taps,wea(r)/ n. propr. a range of plastic containers for storing food. [Tupper, name of the US manufacturer, + WARE!] tuque /tu:k/ n. a Canadian stocking cap. [Can. F form of TOQUE] turaco /'tuara,kou/ n. (also touraco) (pl. -os) any African bird of the family Musophagidae, with crimson and green plumage and a prominent crest. [F f. native W.Afr. name]

Turanian /tjo'remron/ n. & adj. —n. the group of Asian languages that are neither Semitic nor Indo-European, esp. the Ural-Altaic family. —adj. of or relating to this group. [Pers. Turan region beyond the Oxus]

turban /'ts:ban/ n. 1 a man’s headdress of cotton or silk wound round a cap or the head, worn esp. by Muslims and Sikhs. 2.a woman’s headdress or hat resembling this. 00 turbaned adj. [16th c. (also tulbant etc.), ult. f. Turk. tiilbent f. Pers. dulband: cf. TULIP]

turbary /'ts:bori/ n. (pl. -ies) Brit. 1 the right of digging turf on common ground or on another’s ground. 2 a place where turf or peat is dug. [ME f. AF turberie, OF tourberie f. tourbe TURF]

turbellarian /,ts:bi'leorion/ n. & adj. —n. any usu. free-living flatworm of the class Turbellaria, having a ciliated surface. —adj. of or relating to this class. [mod.L Turbellaria f. L turbella dimin. of turba crowd: see TURBID]

turbid /'ts:bid/ adj. 1 (of a liquid or colour) muddy, thick; not clear. 2 (of a style etc.) confused, disordered. 00 turbidity /-"biditi/ n. turbidly adv. turbidness n. [L turbidus f. turba a crowd, a disturbance]

turbinate /'ts:binot/ adj. 1 shaped like a spinning-top or inverted cone. 2 (of a shell) with whorls decreasing rapidly in size. 3 Anat. (esp. of some nasal bones) shaped like a scroll. 00 turbinal adj. turbination /|-'ne1{(a)n/ n. [L turbinatus (as TURBINE)]

turbine /'ts:bain/ n. a device for producing continuous mechanical power, in which a fluid (water, steam, air, or a gas) is accelerated to a high speed in a channel or nozzle and the resulting jet(s) directed at a rotating wheel with vanes or scoopshaped buckets round its rim. A force is created on the wheel and hence a torque on its shaft, as in a water-wheel (used to work machinery), and in the 19th c. these were developed (chiefly in France and Germany) to drive machinery in factories. The steam turbine was invented 2,000 years ago by Hero of Alexandria, but the first practical one was devised by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884, and contributions to its development were made by the Swedish engineer de Laval and others. Steam-driven turbines have replaced the steam engine in electrical power stations. Gas turbines are a form of internal-combustion engine in which air is compressed, heated by means of fuel sprayed into a combustion chamber, then expanded in a turbine to produce enough power both to drive the compressor and to provide a surplus. They are much used for aircraft propulsion, having a tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

turbita

turkeycock

1554

ht

a

high specific power output (i.e. high power for low weight). [F f. L turbo-binis spinning-top, whirlwind]

turbit /'ts:brt/ n. a breed of domestic pigeon of stout build with a neck frill and short beak. [app. f. L turbo top, from its figure] turbo /'ts:bou/ n. (pl. -os) = TURBOCHARGER.

turbo- |'ts:bau/ comb. form turbine. turbocharger /'ts:bou,t{a:d3a(r)/ n. a supercharger driven by a turbine powered by the engine’s exhaust gases. turbofan /'ts:bou,feen/ n. Aeron. 1 a jet engine in which jet gases also operate a turbine-driven compressor for supplying compressed air to the combustion chamber. 2 an aircraft powered by this. The turbojet engine was experimentally devised in the decade before the Second World War by a young RAF officer, Frank Whittle, who at first found it difficult to interest British aircraft engine manufacturers in the design or to secure financial backing for his experiments. German designers, starting slightly later than Whittle, were more fortunate, since the German Air Ministry (unlike the British) appreciated the military potential of the engine, and they were able to develop an engine reliable enough to propel the first turbo-jet aeroplane in 1939.

Civil Service which he abandoned for literature in 1845. His first major prose work A Hunter’s Notes (1847-51) led to a period of confinement at his country estate for its evocative portrayal of - Russian serfdom. Partly because of his love for the singer Pauline Garcia Viardot he spent most of his remaining life abroad (mainly in Baden-Baden and Paris) where he met Flaubert and other literary figures, and thus developed a closeness in both sensibility and literary practice to Western Europe. His series of novels in which individual lives are examined to illuminate the social, political, and philosophical issues of the day includes Rudin (1856), On the Eve (1860), Fathers and Sons (1862) in which in Bazarov he created a Nihilist hero, and Virgin Soil (1877). His short stories include ‘Asya’ (1858) and ‘First Love’ (1860); his greatest play was A Month in the Country (1850). turgescent /ts:'dzes(a)nt/ adj. becoming turgid; swelling. oo

turgescence n. turgid /'ts:d31d/ adj. 1 swollen, inflated, enlarged. 2 (of language) pompous, bombastic. oo turgidity /-'dgidrti/ n. turgidly adv. turgidness n. [L turgidus f. turgére swell] turgor /'ts:ga(r)/ n. Bot. the rigidity of cells due to the absorption of water. [LL (as TURGID)}

turbojet /'ts:bau,dget/ n. Aeron. 1 a jet engine in which the jet

Turin /tjool'rin/ (Italian Torino /to'ri:nou/) a city in NW Italy,

also operates a turbine-driven compressor for the air drawn into the engine. 2 an aircraft powered by this. turboprop /'ts:bou,prop/ n. Aeron. 1 a jet engine in which a

capital of Piedmont region; pop. (1981) 1,117,150. Turin was the

capital of the kingdom of Sardinia from 1720 and a centre of the Risorgimento in the 19th c.; it was the first capital of a unified Italy (1861-4). turion /'tuerien/ n. Bot. 1 a young shoot or sucker arising from an underground bud. 2 a bud formed by certain aquatic plants. [F f. L turio -onis shoot]

turbine is used as in a turbojet and also to drive a propeller. 2 an aircraft powered by this.

turboshaft /'ts:bou,fa:ft/ n. a gas turbine that powers a shaft for driving heavy vehicles, generators, pumps, etc.

turbosupercharger

_|,ts:bou'su:po,tJa:dza(r)/

n.

ae

TURBOCHARGER. turbot /'ts:bot/ n. 1 a flatfish, Scophthalmus maximus, having large bony tubercles on the body and head and prized as food. 2 any of various similar fishes including halibut. [ME f. OF f. OSw. térnbut f. torn thorn + but BuTT] turbulence /'ts:bjolons/ n. 1 an irregularly fluctuating flow of air or fluid. 2 Meteorol. stormy conditions as a result of atmospheric disturbance. 3 a disturbance, commotion, or tumult. turbulent /'ts:bjolont/ adj. 1 disturbed; in commotion. 2 (of a flow of air etc.) varying irregularly; causing disturbance. 3

Turk /ts:k/ n. 1 a a native or national of Turkey. b a person of Turkish descent. 2 a member of a Central Asian people from whom the Ottomans derived, speaking Turkic languages. 3 offens. a ferocious, wild, or unmanageable person. 0 Turk’s cap a martagon lily or other plant with turban-like flowers. Turk’s head a turban-like ornamental knot. [ME, = F Ture, It. etc. Turco, med.L Turcus, Pers. & Arab. Turk, of unkn. orig.]

Turkana /ts:'ka:no/, Lake (formerly Lake Rudolf /'ru:dolf]) a salt lake in NW Kenya, with no surface outlet.

Turkey /'ts:ki/ a country in SW Asia comprising the whole of the Anatolian peninsula, extending from the Aegean Sea to the western boundaries of the USSR and Iran, and with a small enclave in SE Europe; pop. (est. 1988) 54,167,850; official

tumultuous. 4 insubordinate, riotous. 00 turbulently adv. [L turbulentus f. turba crowd] Turco /'ts:kau/ n. (pl. -os) hist. an Algerian soldier in the French army. [Sp., Port., & It., = Turk] Turco- /'ts:kau/ comb. form (also Turko-) Turkish; Turkish and. {med.L (as TuRK)]

language, Turkish; capital, Ankara. (See ANATOLIA.) Modern Tur-

key is descended from the Ottoman empire, established in the late Middle Ages and largely maintained until its collapse at the end of the First World War. The nationalist leader Kemal Ataturk moulded a new westernized State, centred upon Anatolia, from the ruins of the empire, and Turkey successfully avoided involvement in the Second World War. The economy is predominantly agricultural, although the land is generally poor for such purposes, but some industrialization has taken place using its oil and mineral resources. The country suffers from a certain degree of political instability, resulting in the imposition of military rule.

Turcoman var. of TURKOMAN. turd /ts:d/ n. coarse sl. 1 a lump of excrement. 2 a term of contempt for a person. {| Often considered a taboo word, esp. in sense 2. [OE tord f. Gmc] turdoid /'ts:dord/ adj. thrushlike. [L turdus THRUSH}] tureen /tjvo'ri:n, to-/ n. a deep covered dish for serving soup etc. (earlier terrine, -ene f. F terrine large circular earthenware dish, fem. of OF terrin earthen ult. f. L terra earth] turf /ts:ff n. & v. —n. (pl. turfs or turves) 1 a a layer of grass etc. with earth and matted roots as the surface of grassland. b a piece of this cut from the ground. 2 a slab of peat for fuel. 3 (prec. by the) a horse-racing generally. b a general term for racecourses. —v.tr. 1 cover (ground) with turf. 2 (foll. by out) esp. Brit. collog. expel or eject (a person or thing). 0 turf accountant Brit. a bookmaker. [OE f. Gmc]

Turfan

Depression /'tusfen, -'fen/ a deep depression in

western China, in the Tarim basin, with an area of 50,000 sq. km (20,000 sq. miles) and a depth of 154 m (505 ft.), China’s lowest point below sea level. turfman /'ts:fmon/ n. (pl. -men) esp. US a devotee of horse-racing.

turfy /'ts:fi/ adj. (turfier, turfiest) like turf, grassy. Turgenev /ts:'gernjef], Ivan Sergievich (1818-83), Russian novelist and playwright, who studied at Moscow and St Petersburg Universities and in Berlin (1838-41), then served in the Russian

ze cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

turkey /'t3:ki/ n. (pl. -eys) 1 a large American bird of the genus Meleagris, especially M. gallopavo which was found domesticated in the Aztec civilization in Mexico when that country was discovered in 1518. It was soon introduced into Europe and thence to Britain, where it ousted peacock and swan as a table fowl. It has dark plumage with a green or bronze sheen and is prized as food esp. on festive occasions including Christmas and, in the US, Thanksgiving. 2 the flesh of the turkey as food. 3 US sl. aa theatrical failure; a flop. b a stupid or inept person. 0 talk turkey US collog. talk frankly and straightforwardly; get down to business. turkey buzzard (or vulture) an American vulture, Cathartes aura. [16th c.: short for turkeycock or turkeyhen, orig. applied to the guinea-fowl which was imported through Turkey, and then erron. to the Amer. bird]

Turkey carpet /'ts:ki/ n. = Turkish carpet. turkeycock /'ts:ki,kok/ n. 1 a male turkey. 2 a pompous or self-important person.

1 sit

i: see

p hot

o: saw

3

arun

v put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

Turkey red Turkey red /'ts:ki/ n. 1 a scarlet pigment obtained from the madder or alizarim. 2 a cotton cloth dyed with this.

Turki /'ts:ki/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to a group of about 20 Ural-Altaic languages (including Turkish) and the peoples speaking them. —n. the Turki group of languages, spoken in Turkey, Iran, and the southern part of the Soviet Union. 00

Turkic adj. [Pers. turki (as Turk)] Turkish /'ts:kaf/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to Turkey or to the Turks or their language. —n. the official language of Turkey, spoken by about 50 million people, the most important of the Turkic group. It was originally written in Arabic script but changed over to the Roman alphabet in 1928. o Turkish bath 1 a hot-air or steam bath followed by washing, massage, etc. 2 (in sing. or pl.) a building for this. Turkish carpet a wool carpet with a thick pile and traditional bold design. Turkish coffee a strong black coffee. Turkish delight a sweet of lumps of flavoured gelatine coated in powdered sugar. Turkish towel a towel made of cotton terry.

Turkistan /ts:ki'sta:nj a region of central Asia east of the Caspian Sea, largely in the USSR.

Turkmenistan

/ts:kmenr'sta:n/ the Turkoman SSR, a con-

stituent republic of the USSR, lying between the Caspian Sea and Afghanistan; pop. (est. 1987) 3,361,000; capital, Ashkhabad.

Turko- var. of Turco-. Turkoman /'ts:keumon/ n. (also Turcoman) (pl. -mans) 1 a member of any of various Turkic SW Middle Asia. 2 the language of carpet a traditional rich-coloured [Pers. Turkuman (as TuRK, manistan

peoples in Turkmenistan in these peoples. 0 Turkoman carpet with a soft long nap. resemble)]

Turks and Caicos Islands /ts:ks, 'kerkns/ a British dependency in the Caribbean, a group of over 30 islands (of which 8 are inhabited) about 80 km (50 miles) SE of the Bahamas; pop. (est. 1988) 9,300; capital, Cockburn Town (on the island of Grand Turk). Turku /'tusku:/ (Swedish Abo /'o:bu:/} an industrial port in SW

Finland; pop. (1987) 160,456.

turmeric /'ts:mortk/ n. 1 an E. Indian plant, Curcuma longa, of the ginger family, yielding aromatic rhizomes used as a spice and for yellow dye. 2 this powdered rhizome used as a spice esp. in curry-powder. [16th-c. forms tarmaret etc. perh. f. F terre meérite and mod. terra merita, of unkn. orig.]

turmoil /'ts:moil/ n. 1 violent confusion; agitation. 2 din and bustle. [16th c.: orig. unkn.] turn /t3:n/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & intr. move around a point or axis so that the point or axis remains in a central position; give a rotary motion to or receive a rotary motion (turned the wheel; the wheel turns; the key turns in the lock). 2 tr. & intr. change in position so that a different side, end, or part becomes outermost or uppermost etc.; invert or reverse or cause to be inverted or reversed (turned inside out; turned it upside down). 3 a tr. give a new direction to (turn your face this way). b intr. take a new direction (turn left here; my thoughts have often turned to you). 4 tr. aim in a certain way (turned the hose on them). 5 intr. & tr. (foll. by into) change in nature, form, or condition to (tured into a dragon; then turned him into a frog; turned the book into a play). 6 intr. (foll. by to) a apply oneself to; set about (turned to doing the ironing). b have recourse to; begin to indulge in habitually (turned to drink; turned to me for help). ¢ go on to consider next (let us now turn to your report). 7 intr. & tr. become or cause to become (turned hostile;

has turned informer; your comment turned them angry). 8 a tr. & intr. (foll. by against) make or become hostile to (has turned them against us). b intr. (foll. by on, upon) become hostile to; attack (suddenly turned on them). 9 intr. (of hair or leaves) change colour. 10 intr. (of milk) become sour. 11 intr. (of the stomach) be nauseated. 12 intr. (of the head) become giddy. 13 tr. cause (milk) to become sour, (the stomach) to be nauseated, or (the head) to become giddy. 14 tr. translate (turn it into French). 15 tr. move to the other side of; go round (turned the corner). 16 tr. pass the age or time of (he has turned 40; it has now turned 4 o'clock). 17 intr. (foll. by on) depend on; be determined by (it all turns on the weather tomorrow). 18 tr. send or put into a specified place or condition; cause to go (was turned loose; turned the water out into a basin). 19 tr. perform au how

et day

turn

1555

ov no

eo hair

10 near

o1 boy

ua poor

(a somersault etc.) with rotary motion. 20 tr. remake (a garment or, esp., a sheet) putting the worn outer side on the inside. 21 tr. make (a profit). 22 tr. divert (a bullet). 23 tr. blunt (the edge of a knife, slot of a screw-head, etc.) 24 tr. shape (an object) on a lathe. 25 tr. give an (esp. elegant) form to (turn a compliment).

26 intr. Golf begin the second half of a round.

27 tr. (esp. as

turned adj.) Printing invert (type) to make it appear upside down (a turned comma). 28 tr. pass round (the flank etc. of an army) so as to attack it from the side or rear. 29 intr. (of the tide) change from flood to ebb or vice versa. —n. 1 the act or process or an instance of turning; rotary motion (a single turn of the handle). 2

a a changed or a change of direction or tendency (took a sudden turn to the left). b a deflection or deflected part (full of twists and turns). 3a point at which a turning or change occurs. 4 a turning of a road. 5 a change of the tide from ebb to flow or from flow to ebb. 6 a change in the course of events. 7 a tendency or disposition (is of a mechanical turn of mind). 8 an opportunity or obligation etc. that comes successively to each of several persons etc. (your turn will come; my turn to read). 9 a short walk or ride (shall take a turn in the garden). 10 a short performance on stage or in a circus etc. 11 service of a specified kind (did me a good turn). 12 purpose (served my turn). 13 collog. a momentary nervous shock or ill feeling (gave me quite a turn). 14 Mus. an ornament consisting of the principal note with those above and below it. 15 one round in a coil of rope etc. 16 Printing a inverted type as a temporary substitute for a missing letter. b a letter turned wrong side up. 17 a Brit. the difference between the buying and selling price of stocks etc. b a profit made from this. 0 at every turn continually; at each new stage etc. by turns in rotation of individuals or groups; alternately. in turn in succession; one by one. in one’s turn when one’s turn or opportunity comes. not know which way (or where) to turn be completely at a loss, unsure how to act, etc. not turn a hair see HAIR. on the turn 1 changing. 2 (of milk) becoming sour. 3 at the turning-point. out of turn 1 at a time when it is not one’s turn. 2 inappropriately; inadvisedly or tactlessly (did I speak out of turn?). take turns (or take it in turns) act or work alternately or in succession. to a turn (esp. cooked) to exactly the right degree etc. turn about move so as to face in a new direction. turn-about n. 1 an act of turning about. 2 an abrupt change of policy etc. turn and turn about alternately. turn around esp. US = turn round. turn away 1 turn to face in another direction. 2 refuse to accept; reject. 3 send away. turn back 1 begin or cause to retrace one’s steps. 2 fold back. turn one’s back on see BACK. turn-bench a watchmaker’s portable lathe. turn-buckle a device for tightly connecting parts of a metal rod or wire. turn-cap a revolving chimney-top. turn the corner 1 pass round it into another street. 2 pass the critical point in an illness, difficulty, etc. turn a deaf ear see DEAF. turn down 1 reject (a proposal, application, etc.). 2 reduce the volume or strength of (sound, heat, etc.) by turning a knob etc. 3 fold down. 4 place downwards. turn-down (ofa collar) turned down. turn one’s hand to see HAND. turn a person’s head see HEAD. turn an honest penny see HONEST. turn in 1 hand in or return. 2 achieve or register (a performance, score, etc.). 3 collog. go to bed in the evening. 4 fold inwards. 5 incline inwards (his toes turn in). 6 collog. abandon (a plan etc.). turn in one’s grave see GRAVE!. turn off 1 a stop the flow or operation of (water, electricity, etc.) by means of a tap, switch, etc. b operate (a tap, switch, etc.) to achieve this. 2 a enter a side-road. b (of a side-road) lead off from another road. 3 collog. repel; cause to lose interest (turned me right off with their complaining). 4 dismiss from employment. turn-off n. 1 a turning off a main road. 2 collog. something that repels or causes aloss of interest. turn of speed the ability to go fast when necessary. turn on 1 a start the flow or operation of (water, electricity, etc.) by means of a tap, switch, etc. b operate (a tap, switch, etc.) to achieve this. 2 collog. excite; stimulate the interest of, esp. sexually. 3 tr. & intr. collog. intoxicate or become intoxicated with drugs. turn-on n. collog. a person or thing that causes (esp. sexual) arousal. turn on one’s heel see HEEL!. turn out 1 expel. 2 extinguish (an electric light etc.). 3 dress or equip (well turned out). 4 produce (manufactured goods etc.). 5 empty or clean out (a room etc.). 6 empty (a pocket) to see the contents. 7 collog. a

ato fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

turncoat

turtle

1556

get out of bed. b go out of doors. 8 collog. assemble; attend a meeting etc. 9 (often foll. by to + infin. or that + clause) prove to be the case; result (turned out to be true; we shall see how things turn out). 10 Mil. call (a guard) from the guardroom. turn over 1 reverse or cause to reverse vertical position; bring the under or reverse side into view (turn over the page). 2 upset; fall or cause to fall over. 3 a cause (an engine) to run. b (of an engine).start running. 4 consider thoroughly. 5 (foll. by to) transfer the care or conduct of (a person or thing) to (a person) (shall turn it all over to my deputy; turned him over to the authorities). 6 do business to the amount of (turns over £5000 a week). turn over a new leaf improve one’s conduct or performance. turn round 1 turn so as to face in a new direction. 2 a Commerce unload and reload (a ship, vehicle, etc.). b receive, process, and send out again; cause to progress through a system. 3 adopt new opinions or policy. turn-round n. 1 a the process of loading and unloading. b the process of receiving, processing, and sending out again; progress through a system. 2 the reversal of an opinion or tendency. turn the scales see scALE”. turn the tables see TABLE. turn tail turn one’s back; run away. turn the tide reverse the trend of events. turn to set about one’s work (came home and immediately turned to). turn to account see ACCOUNT. turn turtle see TURTLE. turn up 1 increase the volume or strength of (sound, heat, etc.) by turning a knob etc. 2 place upwards. 3 discover or reveal. 4 be found, esp. by chance (it turned up on a rubbish dump). 5 happen or present itself; (of a person) put in an appearance (a few people turned up late). 6 collog. cause to vomit (the sight turned me up). 7 shorten (a garment) by increasing the size of the hem. turn-up n. 1 Brit. the lower turned-up end of a trouser leg. 2 collog. an unexpected (esp. welcome) happening; a surprise. [OE tyrnan, turnian f. L tornare f. tornus lathe f. Gk tornos lathe, circular movement: prob. reinforced in ME f. OF turner, torner] turncoat /'ts:nkout/ n. a person who changes sides in a conflict, dispute, etc. turncock /'ts:nkok/ n. an official employed to turn on water for the mains supply etc. Turner /'ts:no(r)/, Joseph Mallord William (1775-1851), English landscape painter, eccentric, recognized in his own day as a revolutionary genius. The son of a barber, he trained as a topographical draughtsman, but made his name with paintings of mountain scenery, seascapes, and classical compositions, influenced by Claude Lorraine. His most characteristic work is dominated by the power of light, expressed through the primary colours (especially yellow) and often arranged in a swirling vortex. Throughout his career he made careful studies from nature, but he is also seen as a forerunner of abstract art. In the 1830s and 1840s he adopted watercolour techniques for his ‘colour-beginnings’ in oil, which he worked up to finished paintings during varnishing days at the Royal Academy. Turner left the entire contents of his studio to the nation: some 300 paintings (now at the Tate Gallery and National Gallery) and 20,000 watercolours and drawings (British Museum). turner /'ts:na(r)/ n. 1 a person or thing that turns. 2 a person who works with a lathe. [ME f. OF tornere -eor f. LL tornator (as TURN)] turnery /'ts:nori/ n. 1 objects made on a lathe. 2 work with a lathe. turning /'ts:nin/ n. 1 a a road that branches off another. b a place where this occurs. 2 a use of the lathe. b(in pl.) chips or shavings from a lathe. 0 turning-circle the smallest circle in which a vehicle can turn without reversing. turning-point a

point at which a decisive change occurs. turnip /'ts:n1p/ n. 1 a cruciferous plant, Brassica rapa, with a large white globular root and sprouting leaves. 2 this root used as a vegetable. 3 a large thick old-fashioned watch. o turnip-top the leaves of the turnip eaten as a vegetable. 00 turnipy adj. [earlier turnep(e) f. neep f. L napus: first element of uncert. orig.]

turnkey /'ts:nki:/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -eys) archaic a gaoler. —adj. (of a contract etc.) providing for a supply of equipment in a state ready for operation. turnout /'ts:naut/ n. 1 the number of people attending a meeting, voting at an election, etc. (rain reduced the turnout). 2

b but

d dog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

the quantity of goods produced in a given time. 3 a set or display of equipment, clothes, etc. turnover /'t3:n,svve(r)/ n. 1 the act or an instance of turning * over. 2 the amount of money taken in a business. 3 the number of people entering and leaving employment etc. 4 a small pie or tart made by folding a piece of pastry over a filling.

turnpike /'ts:npark/ n. 1 hist. a defensive frame of spikes. 2 hist. aa toll-gate. b a road on which a toll was collected at a toll-gate. (See below.) 3 US a motorway on which a toll is charged. In Britain private companies were authorized by separate Acts of Parliament to build and maintain roads between set points and to charge a small toll for usage at turnpike gates at each end of the road. The first Turnpike Act was passed in 1663, but most became law in the 18thc. in response to the increasing need for good roads. The turnpikes fell into decline during the 19th c. through competition from the railways and tolls were progressively abolished between the 1870s and 1890s. The road system remained in a state of neglect until the advent of the motor car in the early 20th c.

turnsick /'ts:nsrk/ n. = stuRDY n. turnside /'t3:nsaid/ n. giddiness in dogs and cattle.

turnsole /'ts:nsoul/ n. any of various plants supposed to turn with the sun. [OF tournesole f. Prov. tournasol f. L tornare TURN + sol sun] turnspit /'ts:nspit/ n. hist. a person or small dog used to turn a spit. turnstile /'ts:nstarl/ n. a gate for admission or exit, with revolving arms allowing people through singly. turnstone /'t3:nsteun/ n. any wading bird of the genus Arenaria, related to the plover, that looks under stones for small animals to eat.

turntable /'ts:n,terb(a)l/ n. 1 a circular revolving plate supporting a gramophone record that is being played. 2 a circular revolving platform for turning a railway locomotive or other vehicle. turpentine /'ts:pon,tarn/ n. & v. —n. an oleo-resin secreted by several trees esp. of the genus Pinus, Pistacia, Syncarpia, or Copaifera, and used in various commercial preparations. —v.tr. apply

turpentine to. 0 Chian turpentine the type of turpentine secreted by the terebinth. oil of turpentine a volatile pungent oil distilled from turpentine, used in mixing paints and varnishes, and in medicine. [ME f. OF ter{e)bentine f. L ter(e)binthina (resina resin) (as TEREBINTH)]

turpeth /'ts:p16/ n. (in full turpeth root) the root of an E. Indian plant, Ipomoea turpethum, used as a cathartic. [ME f. med.L turbit(h)um f. Arab. & Pers. turbid]

Turpin /'ts:prn/, Dick (1706-39), English highwayman, hanged at York for horse-stealing in 1739. Turpin was the most famous of the 18th-c. highwaymen, whose exploits, which were in reality criminal and often bloody, were made legendary by the popular literature of the day. turpitude /'ts:pi,tju:d/ n. formal baseness, depravity, wickedness. [F turpitude or L turpitudo f. turpis disgraceful, base] turps /ts:ps/ n. collog. oil of turpentine. [abbr.] turquoise /'ts:kwo1z, -kwa:z/ n. 1 a semiprecious stone, usu. opaque and greenish- or sky-blue, consisting of hydrated copper aluminium phosphate. 2 a greenish-blue colour. [ME turkeis etc. f. OF turqueise (later -oise) Turkish (stone)] turret /'tarit/ n. 1 a small tower, usu. projecting from the wall of a building as a decorative addition. 2 a low flat usu. revolving armoured tower for a gun and gunners inaship, aircraft, fort, or tank. 3 a rotating holder for tools in a lathe etc. o turret lathe = capstan lathe. on turreted adj. [ME f. OF to(u)rete dimin. of to(u)r TOWER] turtle /'ts:t(o)l/ n. 1 any of various marine or freshwater reptiles of the order Chelonia, encased in a shell of bony plates, and having flippers or webbed toes used in swimming. 2 the flesh of the turtle, esp. used for soup. 3 Computing a directional cursor in a computer graphics system which can be instructed to move around a screen. 0 turn turtle capsize. turtle-neck 1 a high close-fitting neck on a knitted garment. 2 US = polo-neck. [app. alt. of tortue: see TORTOISE] ‘

kcat

1leg

mman

n no

p pen

rred s sit

ttop

v voice

turtle-dove

twang

1557

turtle-dove /'ts:t(a)l,dav/ n. any wild dove of the genus Strep-

charge of a person’s education.

topelia, esp. S. turtur, noted for its soft cooing and its affection for its mate and young. [archaic turtle (in the same sense) f. OE turtla, turtle f. L turtur, of imit. orig.] turves pl. of TURF.

vising the studies or welfare of assigned undergraduates. 3 Brit. a book of instruction in a subject. —v. 1 tr. act as a tutor to. 2

Tuscan /'taskon/ n. & adj. —n. 1 an inhabitant of Tuscany. 2 the classical Italian language of Tuscany. —adj. 1 of or relating to Tuscany or the Tuscans. 2 Archit. denoting the least ornamented of the classical orders. 0 Tuscan straw fine yellow wheat-straw used for hats etc. [ME f. F f. L Tuscanus f. Tuscus Etruscan] Tuscany /'taskon1/ (Italian Toscana /tos'ka:no/) a region of west central Italy; pop. (1981) 3,581,000; capital, Florence. tush! /taJ/ int. archaic expressing strong disapproval or scorn.

[ME: imit.]

tush? /taJ/ n. 1 a long pointed tooth, esp. a canine tooth of a horse. 2 an elephant’s short tusk. [OE tusc Tusk]

tusk /task/ n. & v. —n. 1

long pointed tooth, esp. protruding

from a closed mouth, as in the elephant, walrus, etc. 2a tusklike tooth or other object. —v.tr. gore, thrust at, or tear up with a tusk or tusks. 0 tusk shell 1 any of various molluscs of tie class Scaphopoda. 2 its long tubular tusk-shaped shell. 00 tusked adj. (also in comb.). tusky adj. [ME alt. of OE tux var. of

tusc: cf. TUSH?] tusker /'taska(r)/ n. an elephant or wild boar with well-developed tusks.

2 a university teacher super-

intr. work as a tutor. 3 tr. restrain, discipline. 4 intr. US receive tuition. 00 tutorage n. tutorship n. [ME f. AF, OF tutour or L tutor f. tuéri tut- watch]

tutorial /tju:'to:r1al/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to a tutor or tuition. —n. a period of individual tuition given by a tutor. 00 tutorially adv. [L tutorius (as TUTOR)] tutsan /'tats(a)n/ n. a species of St John’s wort, Hypericum androsaemum, formerly used to heal wounds etc. [ME f. AF tutsaine all healthy] tutti /'toti/ adv. & n. Mus. —adv. with all voices or instruments together. —n. (pl. tuttis) a passage to be performed in this way. [It., pl. of tutto all]

tutti-frutti /,tu:tr'fru:ti/ n. (pl. -fruttis) a confection, esp. icecream, of or flavoured with mixed fruits. [It., = all fruits] tut-tut /tat'tat/ int., n., & v. (also tut /tat/) —int. expressing rebuke, impatience, or contempt. —n. such an exclamation. —v.intr. (-tutted, -tutting) exclaim this. [imit. of a click of the

tongue against the teeth]

;

tutty /'tati/n. impure zinc oxide or carbonate used as a polishing powder. [ME f. OF tutie f. med.L tutia f. Arab. titiya]

Tutu /'tu:tu:/, Desmond (Mpilo) (1931—

), South African cler-

gyman, who became Johannesburg’s first Black Anglican bishop. In 1984 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in opposition to the apartheid system in South Africa.

tussah US var. of TussorE. Tussaud /'tu:sou/, Marie (née Grosholtz, 1760-1850), Swiss

tutu! /'tu:tu:/ n. a ballet dancer’s short skirt of stiffened pro-

founder of ‘Madame Tussaud’s’, a permanent exhibition in London of wax models of eminent or notorious people (originally victims of the French Revolution) from 1802 onwards. tusser var. of TUSSORE.

Tuvalu /tu:'va:lu:/ a small country in the SW Pacific, consisting of a group of nine islands, the former Ellice Islands; pop. (est.

tussive /'tasrv/ adj. of or relating to a cough. [L tussis cough] tussle /'tas(o)l/ n. & v. —n. a struggle or scuffle. —v.intr. engage in a tussle. [orig. Sc. & N.Engl., perh. dimin. of touse: see TOUSLE] tussock /'tasok/ n. 1 a clump of grass etc. 2 (in full tussock moth) any moth of the genus Orgyia etc., with tufted larvae. 0 tussock grass grass growing in tussocks, esp. Poa flabellata from Patagonia etc. 00 tussocky adj. [16th c.: perh. alt. f. dial. tusk

tuft] tussore /'taso:(r), 'taso(r)/ n. (also tusser, US tussah /'taso(r)/) 1 an Indian or Chinese silkworm, Anthereae mylitta, yielding strong but coarse brown silk. 2 (in full tussore-silk) silk from this and some other silkworms. [Urdu f. Hindi tasar f. Skr. tasara shuttle] tut var. of TUT-TUT.

Tutankhamun

/|,tu:tonka:'mu:n/ (c.1370-1352

Bc, reigned

c.1361-1352 Bc) an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty, who acceded to the throne while still a boy. He abandoned the worship of the sun-god, instituted by Akhenaten, and reinstated the worship of Amun, with Thebes once again the capital city. Although insignificant in the history of Egypt he has become world-famous because of the variety and richness of the con-

tents of his tomb, discovered by the English archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922, which was found virtually intact, its entrance having remained covered by debris from the building of the tomb of Rarneses VI nearby. tutelage /'tju:tilid3/ n. 1 guardianship. 2 the state or duration of being under this, 3 instruction, tuition. [L tutela f. tuéri tuitor tut- watch]

tutelary /'tju:tilor/ adj. (also tutelar /-trlo(r)/). 1 a serving as guardian. b relating to a guardian (tutelary authority). 2 giving protection (tutelary saint). [LL tutelaris, L -arius f. tutela: see TUTELAGE] tutenag /'tu:ti,nzg/n. 1 zinc imported from China and the E. Indies. 2a white alloy like German silver. [Marathi tuttinag perh. f. Skr. tuttha copper sulphate + naga tin, lead]

Tuthmosis /ta§'mousis/ the name of three Egyptian pharaohs: Tuthmosis III (1479-1425 Bc, 18th Dynasty), initially co-ruler with his aunt Hatshepsut. He launched campaigns in Palestine and Syria and in Nubia, and built extensively. tutor /'tju:to(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1a private teacher, esp. in general wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

4 ring

jecting frills. [F] tutu? /'tu:tu:/ n. Bot. a shrub, Coriaria arborea, native to New Zealand, bearing poisonous purplish-black berries. [Maori]

x loch

1988) 8,500; official languages, English and Tuvaluan; capital, Funafuti. The islands formed part of the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands until they separated after a referendum (see KIRIBATI) and became independent within the Commonwealth in 1978. 00 Tuvaluan adj. & n.

tu-whit, tu-whoo /tu,wit tu'wu:/ n. a representation of the cry of an owl. [imit.] tux /taks/ n. US colloqg. = TUXEDO. tuxedo /tak'si:dou/ n. (pl. -os or -oes) US 1 a dinner-jacket. 2 a suit of clothes including this. [after a country club at Tuxedo Park, New York] tuyére /twi:'jeo(r), tu:-/ n. (also tuyere, twyer /'twata(r)/) a nozzle through which air is forced into a furnace etc. [F f. tuyau pipe]

TY abbr. television. TVA abbr. Tennessee Valley Authority. TVP abbr. propr. textured vegetable protein (in foods made from vegetable but given a meatlike texture).

twaddle /'twod(a)l/ n. & v. —n. useless, senseless, or dull writing or talk. —v.intr. indulge in this. 00 twaddler n. [alt. of earlier twattle, alt. of TATTLE]

Twain

/twemn/,

Mark

(pseudonym

of Samuel

Langhorne

Clemens, 1835-1910), American writer, brought up in Missouri. After working as a printer’s apprentice and a river pilot on the Mississippi (later related in his autobiographical Life on the Mississippi, 1883), he established himself as a leading humourist in The Celebrated Jumping Frog ofCalvaleras County, and Other Sketches (1867), a reputation consolidated by The Innocents Abroad (1869). England provided the background for his democratic historical fantasy The Prince and the Pauper (1882). His most famous works, both deeply rooted in his own childhood, were The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), which powerfully evoke Mississippi frontier life, combining picaresque adventure with satire and great technical innovative power.

twain /twem]/ adj. & n. archaic two (usu. in twain). [OE twegen, masc. form of twa Two} twang /twep/ n. & v. —n. 1a strong ringing sound made by the plucked string of a musical instrument or bow. 2 the nasal

tf chip

d3 jar

(see over for vowels)

twas

twine

1558

Eee

twenty /'twenti/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 the product of two and ten. 2 a symbol for this (20, xx, XX). 3 (in pl.) the numbers from 20 to 29, esp. the years of a century or of a person’s life. 4 collog. a large indefinite number (have told you twenty times). —adj. that amount to twenty. 0 twenty-first, -second, etc. the

quality of a voice compared to this. —v. 1 intr. & tr. emit or cause to emit this sound. 2 tr. usu. derog. play (a tune or instrument) in this way. 3 tr. utter with a nasal twang. oo twangy adj. [imit.]

°twas /|twoz, twoz/ archaic it was. [contr.] twat /twot/ n. coarse sl. | Usually considered a taboo word. 1 the female genitals. 2 Brit. a term of contempt for a person. [17th c.: orig. unkn.] twayblade /'twerblerd/ n. any orchid of the genus Listera etc., with green or purple flowers and a single pair of leaves. [tway var. of TWAIN + BLADE] tweak |twi:k/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 pinch and twist sharply; pull with a sharp jerk; twitch. 2 make fine adjustments to (a mechanism). —n. an instance of tweaking. [prob. alt. of dial. twick & TwITcH}] twee /twi:/ adj. (tweer /'twi:o(r)/; tweest /'twi:ist/) Brit. usu. derog. affectedly dainty or quaint. 00 tweely adv. tweeness n. [childish pronunc. of SWEET]

Tweed

ordinal numbers between twentieth and thirtieth. twenty-one,

-two, etc. the cardinal numbers between twenty and thirty. twenty-twenty (or 20/20) 1 denoting vision of normal acuity. 2 collog. denoting clear perception or hindsight. 00 twentieth adj. & n. twentyfold adj. & adv. [OE twentig (perh. as Two, -Ty*)]

*twere /tw3:(r)/ archaic it were. [contr.] twerp /twa:p/ n. (also twirp) sl. a stupid or objectionable person. [20th c.: orig. unkn.]

Twi /twi:, tfwi:/ n. & adj. —n. (pl. Twi or Twis) 1 the chief language spoken in Ghana, consisting of several mutually intelligible dialects. 2 the people speaking this language. —adj. of or relating to the Twi or their language.

/twi:d/ a river flowing largely through the southern

uplands of Scotland for a distance of 155 km (97 miles) before entering the North Sea at Berwick-upon-Tweed in NE England. tweed /twi:d/ n. 1 a rough-surfaced woollen cloth, usu. of mixed flecked colours, orig. produced in Scotland. 2 (in pl.) clothes made of tweed. [orig. a misreading of tweel, Sc. form of TWILL, infl. by assoc. with the river TWEED]

twibill /'twarbil/ n. a double-bladed battleaxe. [OE f. twi- double

Tweedledum and Tweedledee /|,twi:d(a)l'dam, ,twi:d(a)l'di:/

twirl, adjust, or play randomly or idly. 2 intr. move twirlingly. —n. 1 an act of twiddling. 2 a twirled mark or sign. 0 twiddle one’s thumbs 1 make them rotate round each other. 2 have nothing to do. oo twiddler n. twiddly adj. [app. imit., after twirl, twist, and fiddle, piddle] twig! /twig/ n. 1 a small branch or shoot of a tree or shrub. 2 Anat. a small branch of an artery etc. 00 twigged adj. (also in comb.). twiggy adj. [OE twigge f. a Gmc root twi- (unrecorded) as in TWICE, Two]

+ BILL] twice /twais/ adv. 1 two times (esp. of multiplication); on two occasions. 2 in double degree or quantity (twice as good). [ME twiges f. OE twige (as Two, -s*)]

twiddle /'twid(a)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 tr. & (foll. by with etc.) intr.

n. two persons or things differing only or chiefly in name (originally applied to the composers Handel and Bononcini in a satire by John Byrom containing the lines ‘Strange all this Difference should be Twixt Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee!’).

tweedy |'twi:di/ adj. (tweedier, tweediest) 1 of or relating to tweed cloth. 2 characteristic of the country gentry, heartily informal. 00 tweedily adv. tweediness n. *tween /twi:n/ prep. archaic = BETWEEN. 0 ’tween-decks Naut. the space between decks. [contr.] tweet /twi:t/n. & v. —n. the chirp ofa small bird. —v.intr. make a chirping noise. [imit.] tweeter /'twi:to(r)/ n. a loudspeaker designed to reproduce high frequencies. tweezers /|'twi:zoz/ n.pl. a small pair of pincers for taking up small objects, plucking out hairs, etc. [extended form of tweezes (cf. pincers etc.) pl. of obs. tweeze case for small instruments, f. etweese = étuis, pl. of £TUI]

twelfth /twelf®/ n. & adj. —n.

1 the position in a sequence

corresponding to the number 12 in the sequence 1-12. 2 something occupying this position. 3 each of twelve equal parts of a thing. 4 Mus. a an interval or chord spanning an octave and a

*twill /twil/ archaic it will. [contr.] 1 each of a closely related or

associated pair, esp. of children or animals born at a birth. 2 the exact counterpart ofa person or thing. 3 a compound crystal one part of which is in a reversed position with reference to the other. 4 (the Twins) the zodiacal sign or constellation Gemini. —adj. 1 forming, or being one of, such a pair (twin brothers). 2 Bot. growing in pairs. 3 consisting of two closely connected and similar parts. —v. (twinned, twinning) 1 tr. & intr. a join intimately together. b (foll. by with) pair. 2 intr. bear twins. 3 intr. grow as a twin crystal. 4 intr. & tr. Brit. link or cause (a

town) to link with one in a different of friendship and cultural exchange. of single beds. twin-engined having (of a ship) having two propellers

country, for the purposes o twin bed each of a pair two engines. twin-screw on separate shafts with opposite twists. twin set esp. Brit.a woman’s matching cardigan and jumper. twin town Brit. a town which is twinned with another. 00 twinning n. [OE twinn double, f. twi- two: cf. ON tvinnr] twine /twain/ n. & v. —n. 1a strong thread or string of two or more strands of hemp or cotton etc. twisted together. 2 a coil

twelvefold /'twelvfauld/ adj. & adv. 1 twelve times as much or as many. 2 consisting of twelve parts.

twelvemo /'twelvmau/ n. = DUODECIMO. twelvemonth /|'twelvman6/ n. archaic a year; a period of twelve months.

3: her

the sun is below the horizon, esp. in the evening. 2 the period of this. 3 a faint light. 4 a state of imperfect knowledge or understanding. 5 a period of decline or destruction. 0 twilight of the gods Scand. Mythol. the destruction of the gods and of the world in conflict with the powers of evil. twilight sleep Med. a state of partial narcosis, esp. to ease the pain of childbirth. twilight zone 1 an urban area that is becoming dilapidated. 2 any physical or conceptual area which is undefined or intermediate. [ME f. OE twi- two (in uncert. sense) + LIGHT}]

twin /twim/ n., adj, & v. —n.

XII). 3 a size etc. denoted by twelve. 4 the time denoted by twelve o'clock (is it twelve yet?). 5 (the Twelve) the twelve apostles. 6 (12) Brit. (of films) classified as suitable for persons of 12 years and over. —adj. that amount to twelve. 0 twelve-note (or -tone) Mus. using the twelve chromatic notes of the octave on an equal basis without dependence on a key system. This technique of musical composition was developed by the composer Schoenberg (see entry). Twelve Tables a set of laws drawn up in ancient Rome in 451 and 450 sc, embodying the most important rules of Roman law. Twelve Tribes those of ancient Israel (see TRIBE n. 4). [OE twelf(e) f. Gmc, prob. rel. to Two]

e bed

twilight /'twarlart/ n. 1 the soft glowing light from the sky when

by or as by twilight. [past part. of twilight (v.) f. TWILIGHT] twill /twil/ n. & v. —n. a fabric so woven as to have a surface of diagonal parallel ridges. —v.tr. (esp. as twilled adj.) weave (fabric) in this way. 00 twilled adj. [N.Engl. var. of obs. twilly, OE twili, f. twi- double, after L bilix (as BI-, lictum thread)]

[OE twelfta (as TWELVE)] twelve /twelv/ n. & adj. —n. 1 one more than eleven; the product of two units and six units. 2 a symbol for this (12, xii,

a: arm

stand; grasp the meaning or nature of. 2 perceive, observe. [18th c.: orig. unkn.]

twilit /'twailt/ adj. (also twilighted /-,lartid/) dimly illuminated

fifth in the diatonic scale. b a note separated from another by this interval. —adj. that is the twelfth. 0 Twelfth Day 6 Jan., the twelfth day after Christmas, the festival of the Epiphany. twelfth man a reserve member of a cricket team. Twelfth Night the evening of 5 Jan., the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking. twelfth part = sense 3 of n. 00 twelfthly adv.

z cat

twig? /twig/ v.tr. (twigged, twigging) collog. 1 (also absol.) under-

1 sit

i: see

p hot

0: saw

arun

o put

u: too

9 ago

ar my

twinge

or twist. 3 a tangle; an interlacing. —v. 1 tr. form (a string or thread etc.) by twisting strands together. 2 tr. form (a garland etc.) of interwoven material. 3 tr. (often foll. by with) garland (a brow etc.). 4 intr. (often foll. by round, about) coil or wind. 5 intr. & refl. (of a plant) grow in this way. 00 twiner n. [OE twin, twigin linen, ult. f. the stem of twi- two] twinge /twind3/ n. & v. —n. a sharp momentary local pain or pang (a twinge of toothache; a twinge of conscience). —v.intr. & tr. experience or cause to experience a twinge. [twinge (v.) pinch,

wring f. OE twengan f. Gmc] twinkle /'twink(a)l/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. (of a star or light etc.) shine with rapidly intermittent gleams. 2 intr. (of the eyes) sparkle. 3 intr. (of the feet in dancing) move lightly and rapidly. 4 tr. emit (a light or signal) in quick gleams. 5 tr. blink or wink (one’s eyes). -—n. 1 aa sparkle or gleam of the eyes. b a blink or wink. 2 a slight flash of light; a glimmer. 3 a short rapid movement. 0 in a twinkle (or a twinkling or the twinkling of an eye) in an instant. 00 twinkler n. twinkly adj. [OE twinclian]

twirl /tws:l/ v. & n. —v.tr. & intr. spin or swing or twist quickly and lightly round. —n. 1 a twirling motion. 2 a form made-by twirling, esp. a flourish made with a pen. oo twirler n. twirly adj. [16th c.: prob. alt. (after whirl) of obs. tirl TRILL]

twirp var. of TWERP. twist /twist/ v. & n. —v. 1 a tr. change the form of by rotating one end and not the other or the two ends in opposite directions. b intr. undergo such a change; take a twisted position (twisted round in his seat). c tr. wrench or pull out of shape with a twisting action (twisted my ankle). 2 tr. a wind (strands etc.) about each other. b form (a rope etc.) by winding the strands. ¢ (foll. by with, in with) interweave. d form by interweaving or twining. 3 air. give a spiral form to (a rod, column, cord, etc.) as by rotating the ends in opposite directions. b intr. take a spiral form. 4 tr. (foll. by off) break off or separate by twisting. 5 tr. distort or misrepresent the meaning of (words). 6 a intr. take a curved course. b tr. make (one’s way) in a winding manner. 7 tr. Brit. collog. cheat (twisted me out of £20). 8 tr. cause (the ball, esp. in billiards) to rotate while following a curved path. 9 tr. (as twisted adj.) (of a person or mind) emotionally unbalanced. 10 intr. dance the twist. —n. 1 the act or an instance of twisting.

2 aa twisted state. b the manner or degree in which a thing is twisted. 3 a thing formed by or as by twisting, esp. a thread or rope etc. made by winding strands together. 4 the point at which a thing twists or bends. 5 usu. derog. a peculiar tendency of mind or character etc. 6 an unexpected development of events, esp. in a story etc. 7 a fine strong silk thread used by tailors etc. 8 a roll of bread, tobacco, etc., in the form.of a twist. 9 Brit. a paper packet with screwed-up ends. 10 a curled piece of lemon etc. peel to flavour a drink. 11 a spinning motion given to a ball in cricket etc. to make it take a special curve. 12 aa twisting strain. b the amount of twisting of a rod etc., or the angle showing this. ¢ forward motion combined with rotation about an axis. 13 Brit. a drink made of two ingredients mixed together. 14 Brit. collog. a swindle. 15 (prec. by the) a dance with a twisting movement of the body, popular in the 1960s. 0 round the twist Brit. sl. crazy. twist a person’s arm collog. apply coercion, esp. by moral pressure. twist round one’s finger see FINGER. 00 twistable adj. twisty adj. (twistier, twistiest). [ME, rel. to TWIN, TWINE] twister /'twista(r)/n. 1 Brit. collog. a swindler; a dishonest person. 2 a twisting ball in cricket or billiards. 3 US a tornado, waterspout, etc.

twit! /twit/ n. esp. Brit. sl. a silly or foolish person.-[orig. dial.: perh. f. Twir?] twit? /twit/ v.tr. (twitted, twitting) reproach or taunt, usu. good-humouredly. [16th-c. twite f. atwite f. OE z2twitan reproach with f. et at + witan blame] twitch /twit{/v. & n. —v. 1 intr. (of the features, muscles, limbs, etc.) move or contract spasmodically. 2 tr. give a short sharp pull at. —n. 1 a sudden involuntary contraction or movement. 2a sudden pull or jerk. 3 collog. a state of nervousness. 4 a noose

and stick for controlling a horse during a veterinary operation. au how

e1 day

twyer

1559

0u no

eo hair

to near

or boy

va poor

00 twitchy adj. (twitchier, twitchiest) (in sense 3 of n.). [ME f. Gmc: cf. OE twiccian, dial. twick] twitcher /'twitfa(r)/ n. 1 collog. a bird-watcher who tries to get sightings of rare birds. 2 a person or thing that twitches.

twitch grass /twit)/ n. = coucH?. [var. of QuITcH] twite /twait/n. a moorland finch, Carduelis flavirostris, resembling the linnet. [imit. of its cry] twitter /'twito(r)/ v. & n. —v. 1 intr. (of or like a bird) emit a succession of light tremulous sounds. 2 tr. utter or express in this way. —n. 1 the act or an instance of twittering. 2 collog. a tremulously excited state. 00 twitterer n. twittery adj. [ME, imit.: cf. -ER4]

*twixt /twikst/ prep. archaic = BETWIXT. [contr.] two /tu:/ n. & adj. —n. 1 one more than one; the sum of one unit and another unit. 2a symbol for this (2, ii, II). 3 a size etc. denoted by two. 4 the time of two o’clock (is it two yet?). 5 a set of two. 6 a card with two pips. —adj. that amount to two. o in two in or into two pieces. in two shakes (or ticks) see SHAKE, TICK!, or two denoting several (a thing or two = several things). put two and two together make (esp. an obvious) inference from what is known or evident. that makes two of us collog. that is true of me also. two-bit US collog. cheap, petty. two-by-four a length of timber with a rectangular crosssection 2 in. by 4 in. two by two (or two and two) in pairs. two can play at that game collog. another person’s behaviour can be copied to that person’s disadvantage. two-dimensional 1 having or appearing to have length and breadth but no depth. 2 lacking depth or substance; superficial. two-edged double-edged. two-faced 1 having two faces. 2 insincere; deceitful. two-handed 1 having, using, or requiring the use of two hands. 2 (of a card-game) for two players. two a penny see PENNY. two-piece adj. (of a suit etc.) consisting of two matching items. —n. a two-piece suit etc. two-ply adj. of two strands, webs, or thicknesses. —n. 1 two-ply wool. 2 two-ply wood made by gluing together two layers with the grain in different directions. two-seater 1 a vehicle or aircraft with two seats. 2 a sofa etc. for two people. two-sided 1 having two sides. 2 having two aspects; controversial. two-step a round dance with a sliding step in march or polka time. two-stroke esp. Brit. (of an internal-combustion engine) having its power cycle completed in one up-and-down movement (i.e. two strokes) of the piston, with the fuel/air mixture entering and exhaust gases leaving the cylinder through inlet and exhaust ports in its walls, opened and closed by movements of the piston, instead of through the more complicated valves used in a four-stroke engine. two-time collog. 1 deceive or be unfaithful to (esp. a partner or lover). 2 swindle, double-cross. two-timer collog. a person who is deceitful or unfaithful. two-tone having two colours or sounds. two-up Austral. & NZ a gambling game with bets placed on a showing of two heads or two tails. two-way 1 involving two ways or participants. 2 (of a switch) permitting a current to be switched on or off from either of two points. 3 (of a radio) capable of transmitting and receiving signals. 4 (of a tap etc.) permitting fluid etc. to flow in either of two channels or directions. 5 (of traffic etc.) moving in two esp. opposite directions. two-way mirror a panel of glass that can be seen through from one side and is a mirror on the other. two-wheeler a vehicle with two wheels. [OE twa (fem. & neut.), ti (neut.), with Gmc cognates and rel. to Skr. dwau, dwe, Gk & L duo]

twofold /'tu:fauld/ adj. & adv. 1 twice as much or as many. 2 consisting of two parts. twopence /'tapons/n. Brit. 1 the sum of two pence, esp. before decimalization. 2 collog. (esp. with neg.) a thing of little value (don’t care twopence). twopenny /'taponi/ adj. Brit. 1 costing two pence, esp. before decimalization. 2 collogq. cheap, worthless. Q twopenny-halfpenny /,tapni'‘herpni/ cheap, insignificant. twosome /'tu:som/ n. 1 two persons together. 2 a game, dance,

etc., for two persons.

*twould /twod/ archaic it would. [contr.] twyer var. of TUYERE.

ara fire

ava sour

(see over for consonants)

TX

typhoid

1560

assembly). [ON thing-villr place of assembly f. thing assembly + vollr field] type /tarp/ n. & v. —n. 1 @a class of things or persons having

TX abbr. US Texas (in official postal use). -ty! /ti/ suffix forming nouns denoting quality or condition (cruelty; plenty). [ME -tie, -tee, -te f. OF -té, -tet f. L -tas -tatis: cf. -1Ty]

common characteristics. b a kind or sort (would like a different type of car). 2 a person, thing, or event serving as an illustration, symbol, or characteristic specimen of another, or of a class. 3 (in comb.) made of, resembling, or functioning as (ceramic-type material; Cheddar-type cheese). 4 collog. a person, esp. of a specified character (is rather a quiet type; is not really my type). 5 an object,

-ty? /t1/ suffix denoting tens (twenty; thirty; ninety). [OE -tig] Tyburn /'tarbs:n/ a place in London, near the site of Marble Arch, where public hangings were held c.1300-1783. tychism /'tarkiz(a)m/ n. Philos. the theory that chance controls the universe. [Gk tukhé chance] tycoon /tai'ku:n/ n. 1 a business magnate. 2 hist. a title applied by foreigners to the shogun of Japan 1854-68. [Jap. taikun great lord] ‘

conception, or work of art serving as a model for subsequent

artists. 6 Printing a a piece of metal etc. with a raised letter or character on its upper surface for use in printing. b a kind or size of such pieces (printed in large type). ¢ a set or supply of these (ran short of type). 7 a device on either side of a medal or coin. 8 Theol. a foreshadowing in the Old Testament of a person or event of the Christian dispensation. 9 Biol. an organism

tying pres. part. of TIE. tyke /tark/ n. (also tike) 1 esp. Brit. an unpleasant or coarse man. 2a mongrel. 3 a small child. 4 Brit. sl. a Yorkshireman. 5 Austral. & NZ sl. offens. a Roman Catholic. [ME f. ON tik bitch: sense 5 assim. from TaIc]

having or chosen as having the essential characteristics of its group and giving its name to the next highest group. —v. 1 tr. be a type or example of. 2 tr. & intr. write with a typewriter. 3 tr. esp. Biol. & Med. assign toa type; classify. 4 tr. = TYPECAST. Din type Printing composed and ready for printing. type-founder a designer and maker of metal types. type-foundry a foundry where type is made. type-metal Printing an alloy of lead etc., used for casting printing-types. type site Archaeol. a site where objects regarded as defining the characteristics of a period etc. are found. type specimen Biol. the specimen used for naming and describing a new species. 00 typal adj. [ME f. F type or L

Tyler! /'tatlo(r)/, John (1790-1862), 10th President of the US, 1841-5. His alliance with the Southern Democrats on the issue of States’ rights aggravated the polarization of politics between the North and the South in the years preceding the American Civil War. At the end of his Presidency he secured the annexation of Texas.

Tyler? /'tarlo(r)/, Wat (d. 1381), the leader of the English Peasants’ Revolt of 1381, who successfully led the rebels from Kent into London but was killed during a parley with the young king Richard II by the Lord Mayor of London and several other

typus f. Gk tupos impression, figure, type, f. tupto strike]

royal supporters.

typecast /'tarpka:st/ v.tr. (past and past part. -cast) assign (an actor or actress) repeatedly to the same type of role, esp. one in character. typeface /'tarpfeis/|n. Printing 1 a set of types or characters in a particular design. 2 the inked part of type, or the impression made by this. typescript /'tarpskript/ n. a typewritten document. typesetter /'tarp,seta(r)/ n. Printing 1 a person who composes type. 2a composing-machine. 00 typesetting n.

tylopod /'tatlo,pod/ n. & adj. Zool. —n. any animal that bears its weight on the sole-pads of the feet rather than on the hoofs, esp. the camel. —adj. (of an animal) bearing its weight in this way. 00 tylopodous /|-'lppodes/ adj. [Gk tulos knob or tulé callus,

cushion + pous podos foot] tympan /'timpon/ n. 1 Printing an appliance in a printing-press used to equalize pressure between the platen etc. and a printing-sheet. 2 Archit. = TYMPANUM. [F tympan or L tympanum: see TYMPANUM] tympana pl. of TYMPANUM.

typewrite

tympani var. of TIMPANI. tympanic /trm'peznik/ adj. 1 Anat. of, relating to, or having a tympanum. 2 resembling or acting like a drumhead. o tympanic bone Anat. the bone supporting the tympanic membrane. tympanic membrane

Anat. the membrane

acters similar to those of print, with keys that are pressed to cause raised metal characters to strike the paper (inserted round a roller), usually through inked ribbon. As early as 1714 an Englishman, Henry Mill, was granted a patent for a machine to impress or transcribe letters singly, as in writing, but it is not certain whether he ever made one. For a long time inventors concentrated on writing-machines for the use of blind people, but the first practical typewriter was produced in 1873 when the firm of Remington and Sons manufactured that designed by two Americans, Sholes and Gliddon. It had 44 keys, so arranged that the letters which most commonly occur together were placed far apart in order to slow the typist down and prevent the bars which carried the letters from jamming as they struck to and from the roller carrying the paper—an arrangement which has survived in spite of technological advances which make it unnecessary. The history of the typewriter has consisted mainly of a series of improvements upon the original device; the electric typewriter dates from 1935. Typing was considered an acceptable occupation for women at a time when

sep-

water from a stream. [L f. Gk tumpanon drum f. tuptd strike]

Tyndale /'tind(e)l/, William (c.1494-1536), English translator of the Bible anda leading figure of the Reformation in England. Faced with ecclesiastical opposition to his project for translating the Bible, Tyndale went abroad, never to return to his own country, and his translation of the New Testament was published in Germany. His vigorous translations from the Greek and Hebrew became widely popular in England and were the basis of both the Authorized and the Revised Version. In 1535 he was arrested on a charge of heresy, and later strangled and burnt at the stake.

‘working’ was thought to be unbecoming but being ‘in business’ was socially acceptable, and ‘lady typewriters’ (as they were then called) became a feature of office life. typewritten /'tarp,rit(s)n/ adj. produced with a typewriter.

typhlitis

(1981)

1,154,700;

county

town,

Tynwald /'tinwold/ n. the legislative assembly of the Isle of Man, which meets annually to proclaim newly enacted laws. It consists of the governor (representing the sovereign) and council acting as the upper house, and the House of Keys (an elective

d dog

f few

g get

hhe

j yes

of the caecum.

oo

typhoid /'tarford/ n. & adj. —n. 1 (in full typhoid fever) an

Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

b but

/tuflaitis/ n. inflammation

typhlitic /-'litrk/ adj. [mod.L f. Gk tuphlon caecum or blind gut f. tuphlos blind + -1TI1s]

Tyne and Wear [tain, wio(r)/ a metropolitan county of NE pop.

past part.

typewriter /'tarp,raito(r)/ n. a machine for producing char-

arating the outer ear and middle ear and transmitting vibrations resulting from sound waves to the inner ear. tympanites /,timpo'naiti:z/ n. a swelling of the abdomen caused by gas in the intestine etc. 50 tympanitic /-'nitrk/ adj. [LL f. Gk tumpanités of a drum (as TYMPANUM)] tympanum /'trmponoem) n. (pl. tympanums or tympana /-n9/) 1 Anat. a the middle ear. b the tympanic membrane. 2 Zool. the membrane covering the hearing organ on the leg of an insect. 3 Archit. a a vertical triangular space forming the centre of a pediment. b a similar space over a door between the lintel and the arch; a carving on this space. 4 a drum-wheel etc. for raising

England;

/'tarprait/ v.tr. & intr. (past -wrote;

-written) formal = TyPE v. 2.

kcat

infectious bacterial fever with an eruption of red spots on the chest and abdomen and severe intestinal irritation. Prince Albert died of typhoid fever in 1861, and the disease was formerly a scourge of armies, spread by contaminated water and by infection; in the Boer War more lives were lost by this than 1 leg

m man

n no

Pp pen

rred s sit

t top

v voice

typhoon

by enemy action. A vaccine has been developed which gives temporary immunity. 2 a similar disease of animals. —adj. like typhus. 0 typhoid condition (or state) a state of depressed vitality occurring in many acute diseases. 00 typhoidal adj. [TYPHUS + -OID] typhoon

[tar'fu:n/ n. a violent hurricane in E. Asian seas. 00

typhonic /-'fontk/ adj. [partly f. Port. tufado f. Arab. tifan perh. f. Gk tuphon whirlwind; partly f. Chin. dial. tai fung big wind] typhus /'tarfos/n. an infectious fever caused by rickettsiae, characterized by a purple rash, headaches, fever, and usu. delirium. Until 1849 it was confused with typhoid fever, a quite different disease. Formerly known as gaol fever, ship fever, putrid fever, and camp fever, it was always associated with conditions of squalor and overcrowding, spread by lice; prevalent in Europe in the 18th—19th c., it became rare when people became more fastidious. Other forms of the disease are spread by rat fleas, ticks, and mites. A vaccine is now available. 00 typhous adj. {mod.L f. Gk tuphos smoke, stupor f. tuphé to smoke]

typical /'tiprk(s)l/ adj. 1 serving as a characteristic example; representative. 2 characteristic of or serving to distinguish a type. 3 (often foll. by of) conforming to expected behaviour, attitudes, etc. (is typical of them to forget). 4 symbolic. oo typicality /-'kzliti/ n. typically adv. [med.L typicalis f. L typicus f. Gk tupikos (as TyPE)]

typify /'trp1,fa1/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 be a representative example of, embody the characteristics of. 2 represent by a type or symbol; serve as a type, figure, or emblem of; symbolize. oo typification /-fi'ker{(s)n/ n. typifier n. [L typus TYPE + -Fy] typist /'tarpist/ n. a person who uses a typewriter, esp.

professionally. typo |'tarpou/ n. (pl. -os) collog. 1 a typographical error. 2 a typographer. [abbr.] typographer /tar'pogrofa(r)/ n. a person skilled in typography. typography /tai'pogrofi/ n. 1 printing as an art. 2 the style and appearance of printed matter. 00 typographic |-po'grzfik/ adj. typographical /-po'grefik(s)l/ adj. typographically |-po'greefikoli/ adv. [F typographie or mod.L typographia (as TyPE, -GRAPHY)] typology /tar'ppled3i/ n. the study and interpretation of (esp. biblical) types. 00 typological /-a'lod3rk(s)l/ adj. typologist n. [Gk tupos TYPE + -LOGY]

Tyr |tro(r)/ Scand. Mythol. the god of battle. tyrannical /tr'renik(s)l/ adj. 1 acting like a tyrant; imperious, arbitrary. 2 given to or characteristic of tyranny. oo tyrannically adv. [OF tyrannique f. L tyrannicus f. Gk turannikos (as TYRANT)}

tyrannicide /tr'ren1,said/ n. 1 the act or an instance of killing a tyrant. 2 the killer of a tyrant. 00 tyrannicidal /-'sard(2)l/ adj. [F f. L tyrannicida, -cidium (as TYRANT, -CIDE)] tyrannize /'tiro,naiz/ v.tr. & (fol. by over) intr. (also -ise) behave

wwe

z zoo

tzigane

1561

Jf she

3 decision

@ thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

like a tyrant towards; rule or treat despotically or cruelly. [F tyranniser (as TYRANT)] tyrannosaurus /ti,reno'so:res/ n. (also tyramnosaur) any bipedal flesh-eating dinosaur of the genus Tyrannosaurus, esp. T. rex having powerful hind legs, small clawlike front legs, and a long well-developed tail. It was the largest known carnivorous animal. [Gk turannos TYRANT, after dinosaur] tyranny /'tironi/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the cruel and arbitrary use of authority. 2 a tyrannical act; tyrannical behaviour. 3 a rule by a tyrant. b a period of this. ¢ a State ruled by a tyrant. oo tyrannous adj. tyrannously adv. [ME f. OF tyrannie f. med.L tyrannia f. Gk turannia (as TYRANT)] tyrant /'tarsrant/ n. 1 an oppressive or cruel ruler. 2 a person exercising power arbitrarily or cruelly. 3 Gk Hist. an absolute ruler who seized power without the legal right. [ME tyran, -ant, f. OF tiran, tyrant f. L tyrannus f. Gk turannos] Tyre /tara(r)/ a city and seaport of the Phoenicians, south of Sidon, now in Lebanon; pop. (1980) 14,000. tyre /'tara(r)/ n. (US tire) a rubber covering, usu. inflated, placed round a wheel to form a soft contact with the road. (See below.) 0 tyre-gauge a portable device for measuring the air-pressure in a tyre. [var. of TIRE?] Early wheels were of wood, with protection given (when ironworking technology was available) by a strip of iron attached round the felloe. In the mid-19th c. tyres for carriage wheels began to be made of solid rubber, which mitigated the damage to road-surfaces but still gave a hard ‘ride’. It was a Belfast veterinary surgeon, John Dunlop (see entry), who in 1888 devised (for use on his son’s tricycle) the first practical type of pneumatic tyre, consisting of an air-filled tube inside a canvas cover with rubber treads, and by the early 20th c. such tyres had superseded solid rubber tyres on motor vehicles. Modern tyre design has dispensed with the inner tube.

Tyrian /|'turten/ adj. & n. —adj. of or relating to ancient Tyre in Phoenicia. —n. a native or citizen of Tyre. 0 Tyrian purple see PURPLE n. 2. [L Tyrius f. Tyrus Tyre] tyro var. of TIRO.

Tyrol /'trr(e)l, -'rol/ (German Tirol) an Alpine province of western Austria, the southern part of which was ceded to Italy after the First World War; pop. (1981) 586,100; capital, Innsbruck. 00 Tyrolean /-'li:on/ adj. Tyrolese /-'li:z/ adj. & n. Tyrone /tr'raun/ a county of Northern Ireland; pop. (1981) 143,900; county town, Omagh.

Tyrrhene /'tiri:n/ adj. & n. (also Tyrrhenian /ti'ri:nran/) archaic or poet. = ETRuSCAN. [L Tyrrhenus]

Tyrrhenian Sea /tiri:nion/ a part of the Mediterranean Sea bounded by mainland Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and the Ligurian Sea.

tzatziki /tszt'si:ki/ n. a Greek side dish of yoghurt with cucumber. [mod. Gk] tzigane /tsi'ga:n/ n. 1 a Hungarian gypsy. 2 (attrib.) characteristic of the tziganes or (esp.) their music. [F f. Magyar

cz)igany]

tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

U Ufa /u:'fa:/ the capital of the autonomous Soviet republic of Bashkir, in the Ural Mountains; pop. (est. 1987) 1,092,000.

U! /ju:/ n. (also u) (pl. Us or U’s) 1 the twenty-first letter of the alphabet. 2 a U-shaped object or curve (esp. in comb.: U-bolt).

UFO #/'ju:fou/ n. (also ufo) (pl. UFOs or ufos) an unidentified

U? |ju:/ adj. esp. Brit. collog. 1 upper class. 2 supposedly char-

flying object. The term is often applied to supposed vehicles (‘flying saucers’) piloted by beings from outer space, for which no convincing evidence has ever been produced. Most UFO sightings are eventually identified as weather balloons, aircraft, or high-flying birds. A small number are reported in the Press as encounters with intelligent denizens of other worlds, but these are of so sensational a nature as to provoke widespread scepticism about their veracity. [abbr.]

acteristic of the upper class. [abbr.; coined by A. S. C. Ross (1954)]

U3 ju:/ adj. a Burmese title of respect before a man’s name. [Burmese]

U? abbr. (also U.) 1 Brit. universal (of films classified as suitable without restriction). 2 university.

U5 symb. Chem. the element uranium. U prefix = MU 2(x).

ufology /ju:'foled3i/ n. the study of UFOs. 00 ufologist n. Uganda |ju:'gzndo/ a landlocked country in East Africa, a mem-

UAE abbr. United Arab Emirates. Ubaid /u:'bard/ adj. of a mesolithic culture in Mesopotamia that

ber State of the Commonwealth, of which a large part is covered by lakes, notably Lake Victoria; pop. (est. 1988) 16,446,900; official language, English; capital, Kampala. First explored by Europeans in the mid-19th c., Uganda became a British protectorate in 1894 and achieved full independence in 1962. Since that time the country has been severely troubled by political instability (largely owing to tribal divisions), which continues today, despite the overthrow of the dictator Idi Amin in 1979. Nevertheless, the Ugandan economy is relatively well developed,

flourished during the 5th millennium sc, named after tell Al ‘Ubaid near the ancient city of Ur.

ubiety |ju:'baroti/ n. the fact or condition of being in a definite place; local relation. [med.L ubietas f. L ubi where]

-ubility /jo'biliti/ suffix forming nouns from, or corresponding to, adjectives in -uble (solubility; volubility). [L -ubilitas: cf. -rry]

ubiquitarian /ju: bikwi'teorron/ adj. & n. Theol. —adj. relating to or believing in the doctrine of the omnipresence of Christ’s body. —n. a believer in this. 00 ubiquitarianism n. [mod.L ubiquitarius (as UBIQUITOUS)]

particularly with regard to the production of agricultural commodities such as tea, coffee, tobacco, and cotton for export. 00

ubiquitous /ju:'bikwites/ adj. 1 present everywhere or in sev-

Ugandan adj. & n.

eral places simultaneously. 2 often encountered. oo ubiquitously adv. ubiquitousness n. ubiquity n. [mod.L ubiquitas f. L ubique everywhere f. ubi where]

Ugarit /'u:gzrit/ (modern Ras Shamra) an ancient North Syrian

u.c. abbr. upper case.

seaport occupied from neolithic times until its destruction by the Sea Peoples in about the 12th c. Bc. Ugarit was an important commercial city during the Late Bronze Age, to which period belong a palace, temples, and private residences containing legal, religious, and administrative cuneiform texts in Sumerian, Akkadian, Hurrian, Hittite, and Ugaritic languages. The last of these was written in an early form of the alphabet which is related to Phoenician. 00 Ugaritic /-'rittk/ adj. & n. ugh /ox, ag, ax/ int. 1 expressing disgust or horror. 2 the sound of a cough or grunt. [imit.]

UCATT abbr. (in the UK) Union of Construction, Allied Trades,

Ugli /'aghi/ n. (pl. Uglis or Uglies) propr. a mottled green and

-uble /job(e)l/ suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘that may or must be’ (see -ABLE) (soluble; voluble). [F f. L -ubilis] -ubly /jobli/ suffix forming adverbs corresponding to adjectives in -uble.

U-boat /'ju:bout/ n. hist. a German submarine; esp. in the First and Second World War. [G U-boot = Unterseeboot under-sea boat]

UC abbr. University College.

yellow citrus fruit, a hybrid of a grapefruit and tangerine developed in Jamaica c.1930. [UGLY]

and Technicians.

UCCA /!aka/ abbr. (in the UK) Universities Central Council on

uglify /'aglifai/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) make ugly. 00 uglification

Admissions.

/-fi'kerf(a)n/ n. ugly /'agli/ adj. (uglier, ugliest) 1 unpleasing or repulsive to see

Uccello /u:'tfelou/, Paolo (properly Paolo di Dono, 1397-1495), Florentine Renaissance painter, whose nickname (uccello means

or hear (an ugly scar, spoke with an ugly snarl). 2 unpleasantly suggestive; discreditable (ugly rumours are about). 3 threatening, dangerous (the sky has an ugly look). 4 morally repulsive; vile (ugly vices). O ugly customer an unpleasantly formidable person. ugly duckling a person who turns out to be beautiful or talented etc. against all expectations (with ref. to a cygnet in a

‘bird’) is said to refer to his love of animals, especially birds. His surviving works include the series of three panels (c.1455) on the Battle of San Romano, in which his enthusiasm for perspective is clearly seen, and The Hunt in the Forest, with its atmosphere of

fairy-tale romance and darting energy, which is one of the earliest known Italian paintings on canvas.

brood of ducks in a tale by Andersen). 00 uglily adv. ugliness n. [ME f. ON uggligr to be dreaded f. ugga to dread] Ugrian /'u:grion/ adj. & n. (also Ugric /'u:grtk/) —adj. of or relating to the eastern branch of Finnic peoples, esp. the Finns and Magyars, or their languages. —n. 1 a member of this people. 2 any of the languages of this people. [Russ. Ugry name of a race dwelling E. of the Urals]

UCW abbr. (in the UK) Union of Communication Workers. UDA abbr. Ulster Defence Association (a loyalist paramilitary organization) in Northern Ireland, formed in 1971.

udal /!ju:d(e)l/ n. (also odal /'sud(2)l/) the kind of freehold right based on uninterrupted possession prevailing in N. Europe before the feudal system and still in use in Orkney and Shetland. [ON thal f. Gmc]

UHF abbr. ultra-high frequency. uh-huh /'aha/ int. collog. expressing assent. [imit.]

UDC abbr. hist. (in the UK) Urban District Council. udder /'ado(r)/ n. the mammary gland of cattle, sheep, etc.,

uhlan /'u:la:n, 'ju:len/ n. hist. a cavalryman armed with a lance in some European armies, esp. the former German army. [F & G f. Pol. (hjulan f. Turk. oglan youth, servant]

hanging as a baglike organ with several teats. 00 uddered adj. (also in comb.). [OE iider f. WG]

UDI abbr. unilateral declaration of independence.

UHT abbr. ultra heat treated (esp. of milk, for long keeping).

udometer /ju:'dpmito(r)/ n. formal a rain-gauge. [F udometre f. L udus damp]

Uist /'ju:1st/ two small islands (North Uist and South Uist) of the Outer Hebrides.

UDR abbr. Ulster Defence Regiment. UEFA /jju:'i:fo/ abbr. Union of European Football Associations. z cat

a: arm

e bed

3: her

Uitlander

/'ertlonda(r)/ n. S.Afr. hist. any of the non-Boer

immigrants into the Transvaal, who came after the discovery of 1 sit

i: see

pv hot

0: saw

arun

vo put

u: too

9 ago

al my

Ujjain gold (1886). To the Boers, these immigrants, with foreign capital and different life-styles, constituted a cultural and economic threat; the Transvaal government denied them citizenship, taxed them heavily, and excluded them from the government. [Afrik. f. Du. uit out + land land]

Ujjain ju:'dzern/ a city of west central India in the State of Madhya Pradesh, a holy city of the Hindus; pop. (1981) 278,454.

Ujung

Padang

|u:dz3on

pez'den/

(formerly

Makassar

[ma'kzso(r)/) the chief seaport of the Sulawesi Islands, Indonesia;

pop. (1980} 709,000.

ukase |ju:'keiz/ n. 1 an arbitrary command. 2 hist. an edict of the Tsarist Russian government. [Russ. ukaz ordinance, edict f. ukazat’ show, decree] ukiyo-e /,u:ki:'joujet/ n. a school of Japanese art using subjects from everyday life and simple treatment. It was the dominant movement in Japanese art in the 17th-19th centuries, favoured by such celebrated artists as Hokusai and Utamaro. [Jap., = genre picture]

|ju:'krem/ formerly the name

Zool. a corresponding bone in an animal’s foreleg or a bird’s wing. 00 ulnar adj. [L, rel. to Gk Glené and ELL]

ulotrichan j|ju:'lntriken/ adj. & n. —adj. (also ulotrichous /-kos/) having tightly-curled hair, esp. denoting a human type. —n. a person having such hair. [mod.L Ulotrichi f. Gk oulos woolly, crisp + thrix trikhos hair] -ulous /jolos/ suffix forming adjectives (fabulous; populous). [L -ulosus, -ulus]

Ulpian /'alpron/ (Domitius Ulpianus, d. 223) Roman jurist active under Caracalla. His numerous legal writings, chiefly syntheses of earlier learning, provided one of the chief sources for the Digest of Justinian.

UK abbr. United Kingdom. UKAEA abbr. United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

Ukraine

ultramarine

1563

of a district (the

Ukraine) north of the Black Sea, now the Ukrainian SSR, the third-largest constituent republic of the Soviet Union; pop. (est. 1987) 51,201,000; capital, Kiev. In July 1990 it passed a declaration of sovereignty and independence of Moscow. 00 Ukrainian adj. & n. (Russ. ukraina frontier region f. u at + krai edge]

ukulele /,ju:ko'lem1/ n. a small four-stringed Hawaiian (orig. Portuguese) guitar. [Hawaiian, = jumping flea]

Ulan Bator /o,la:n 'ba:to:(r)/ the capital of Mongolia; pop. (est. 1988) 500,000.

-ular |jole(r)/ suffix forming adjectives, sometimes corresp. to nouns in -ule (pustular) but often without diminutive force (angular, granular). 00 -ularity /-"leriti/ suffix forming nouns. [from or after L -ularis (as -ULE, -AR})] ulcer /!,lsa(r)/ n. 1 an open sore on an external or internal surface of the body, often forming pus. 2 a a moral blemish. ba corroding or corrupting influence etc. 00 ulcered adj. ulcerous adj. [ME f. L ulcus -eris, rel. to Gk helkos] ulcerate /'also,reit/ v.tr. & intr. form into or affect with an ulcer. 00 ulcerable adj. ulceration /-'re1{(o)n/ n. ulcerative |-rotrv/ adj. [ME f. L ulcerare ulcerat- (as ULCER)] -ule /ju:l/ suffix forming diminutive nouns (capsule; globule). [from or after L -ulus, -ula, -ulum]

Uleaborg see Outv. ulema /'u:lima/ n. 1 a body of Muslim doctors of sacred law and theology. 2 a member of this. [Arab. ‘ulama pl. of ‘alim learned f. ‘alama know]

-ulent /julent/ suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘abounding in, full of’ (fraudulent; turbulent). on -ulence suffix forming nouns. [L -ulentus]

Ulfilas /'olfiles/ (311-81), a Christian of Cappadocian origin, who became bishop of the Arian Visigoths in 341. He translated the Bible from the Greek into Gothic, inventing (it is said) an alphabet for the purpose and omitting the Books of Kings as their warlike deeds might have a bad influence upon a nation so fond of war as the Goths. Fragments of this translation survive.

Ulhasnagar /|,u:Ihos'na:ga(r)/ a city in Maharashtra State in western India; pop. (1981) 648,000.

Ulster /'alsta(r)/ 1 a former province of Ireland comprising the present Northern Ireland and the counties of Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan (which are now in the Republic of Ireland). 2 (loosely) Northern Ireland (see entry). 0 Ulster Unionist, Ulster Democratic Unionist a member of the political parties in Northern Ireland seeking to maintain the union of Northern

Ireland with Britain. After the rest of Ireland gained its independence in 1920, Unionist politicians continued to dominate Northern Ireland and still provide much of its representation at Westminster. ulster /'alsto(r)/ n. a man’s long loose overcoat of rough cloth. [Ulster in Ireland, where it was orig. sold]

Ulsterman /'alstomon/ n. (pl. -men; fem. Ulsterwoman,; pl. -women) a native of Ulster.

ult. abbr. ultimo. ulterior /al'tiorto(r)/ adj. 1 existing in the background, or beyond what is evident or admitted; hidden, secret (esp. ulterior motive). 2 situated beyond. 3 more remote; not immediate; in the future. oo ulteriorly adv. [L, = further, more distant]

ultima /'altrmo/ n. the last syllable of a word. [L ultima (syllaba), fem. of ultimus last]

ultimata pl. of utTIMATUM. ultimate /'altrmot/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 last, final. 2 beyond which no other exists or is possible (the ultimate analysis). 3 fundamental, primary, unanalysable (ultimate truths). 4 maximum (ultimate tensile strength). —n. 1 (prec. by the) the best achievable or imaginable. 2 a final or fundamental fact or principle. 00 ultimately adj. ultimateness n. [LL ultimatus past part. of ultimare come to an end]

ultima Thule |,altima '6u:li:| n. a far-away unknown region. [L, = furthest Thule, a remote northern region]

ultimatum |,ltr'mertom/ n. (pl. ultimatums or ultimata /-to/) a final demand or statement of terms by one party, the rejection of which by another could cause a breakdown in relations, war, or an end of cooperation etc. [L neut. past part.: see ULTIMATE] ultimo /!alti,mou/ adj. Commerce of last month (the 28th ultimo). [L ultimo mense in the last month]

ultimogeniture /|,altrmou'dgenitfa(r)/ n. a system in which the youngest son has the right of inheritance (cf. PRIMOGENITURE 2). [L ultimus last, after PRIMOGENITURE] ultra /'altra/ adj. & n. —adj. favouring extreme views or measures, esp. in religion or politics. —n. an extremist. [orig. as

abbr. of F ultra-royaliste: see ULTRA-] ultra- /'altra/ comb. form 1 beyond; on the other side of (opp. cis-). 2 extreme(ly), excessive(ly) (ultra-conservative; ultra-modern).

[L ultra beyond]

uliginose /ju:'l1d31,nous/ adj. (also uliginous /-nas/) Bot. growing

ultracentrifuge

in wet or swampy places. [L uliginosus f. uligo -ginis moisture] ullage /!alid3/ n. 1 the amount by which acask etc. falls short of being full. 2 loss by evaporation or leakage. [ME f. AF ulliage, OF ouillage f. ouiller fill up, ult. f. L oculus eye, with ref. to the bung-hoie]

ultra-high |,altro'ha/ adj. (of a frequency) in the range 300 to

Ulm

jfolm/ an industrial city on the Danube

Wiirttemberg

in Germany;

pop.

(1987)

100,700.

in BadenNapoleon

defeated the Austrians at the battle of Ulm in 1805. The city is the birthplace of Albert Einstein. ulna /|'alno/ n. (pl. ulnae /-ni:/) 1 the thinner and longer bone in the forearm, on the side opposite to the thumb (cf. RADIUS 3). 2 au how

et day

ov no

eo hair

so near

o1 boy

wo poor

|,altro'sentri,fju:d3/ n. a high-speed cent-

rifuge used to separate small particles and large molecules by their rate of sedimentation from sols. 3000 megahertz.

ultraist /'altrarst/n. the holder of extreme positions in politics, religion, etc. oO ultraism n.

ultramarine |,altromo'ri:n/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a a brilliant blue pigment orig. obtained from lapis lazuli. b an imitation of this from powdered fired clay, sodium carbonate, sulphur, and resin. 2 the colour of this. —adj. 1 of this colour. 2 archaic situated

beyond the sea. [obs. It. oltramarino & med.L ultramarinus beyond

ato fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

ultramicroscope

un-

1564

mp

or affecting the navel. 2 centrally placed. 0 umbilical cord 1 a flexible cordlike structure attaching a foetus to the placenta. 2 Astronaut. a supply cable linking a missile to its launcher, or an astronaut in space to a spacecraft. [obs. F umbilical or f.

the sea (as ULTRA-, MARINE), because lapis lazuli was brought from beyond the sea]

ultramicroscope /|,altro'markra,skoup/ n. an optical microscope used to reveal very small particles by means of light scattered by them.

UMBILICUS]

umbilicate /am'bilrkot/ adj. 1 shaped like a navel. 2 having an

ultramicroscopic /,,ltra,martkro'skoprk/ adj. 1 too small to

umbilicus. umbilicus /am'biltkes, ,ambr'larkos/ n. (pl. umbilici /-)sa1/ or umbilicuses) 1 Anat. the navel. 2 Bot. & Zool. a navel-like formation. 3 Geom. a point in a surface through which all crosssections have the same curvature. [L, rel. to Gk omphalos and to NAVEL]

be seen by an ordinary optical microscope. 2 of or relating to an ultramicroscope.

ultramontane /,altra'mpntem/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 situated on the other side of the Alps from the point of view of the speaker. 2 advocating supreme papal authority in matters of faith and discipline (cf. GALLICAN). The principle was firmly established by the declaration of papal infallibility (1870). —n. 1 a person living on the other side of the Alps. 2 a person advocating supreme papal authority. [med.L ultramontanus (as ULTRA-, L mons montis mountain)]

umbles /'amb(2)lz/ n.pl. the edible offal of deer etc. (cf. humble pie). [ME var. of NUMBLES] umbo /!ambsu/ n. (pl. -os or umbones /-'bauni:z/) 1 the boss of a shield, esp. in the centre. 2 Bot. & Zool. a rounded knob or protuberance. 00 umbonal adj. umbonate /-not/ adj. [L umbo -onis]

ultramundane /|,ltro'!mandern/ adj. lying beyond the world or the solar system. [L ultramundanus (as ULTRA-, mundanus f. mundus world)]

umbra /'ambro/ 1. (pl. umbras or umbrae /-bri:/) Astron. 1 a total shadow usu. cast on the earth by the moon during a solar

ultrasonic /,altro'spnrk/ adj. of or involving sound waves with

eclipse. 2 the dark central part of a sunspot (cf. PENUMBRA). 00 umbral adj. [L, = shade] umbrage /'ambrid3/ n. 1 offence; a sense of slight or injury (esp. give or take umbrage at). 2 archaic a shade. b what gives shade. [ME f. OF ult. f. L umbraticus f. umbra: see UMBRA]

a frequency above the upper limit of human hearing. Methods of producing ultrasonic waves include certain applications of magnetism and application of a rapidly alternating voltage across a piezoelectric crystal. Uses of ultrasonic waves include sonar, detection of faults or cracks in metals, cleaning processes, and destruction of bacteria. Cutting-tools of relatively soft metals can be ultrasonically vibrated to cut shapes or holes in glassy or ceramic materials that cannot be machined by conventional techniques. 00 ultrasonically adv.

umbrella /am'brels/ n. 1 a light portable device for protection against rain, strong sun, etc., consisting ofa usu. circular canopy of cloth mounted by means of a collapsible metal frame on a central stick, used for protection against sunshine or (esp.) as a portable protection against rain, or as a symbol of rank and

ultrasonics /,,ltro'spniks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) the science

authority in some Oriental and African countries. 2 protection

and application of ultrasonic waves.

or patronage. 3 (often attrib.) a coordinating or unifying agency (umbrella organization). 4 a screen of fighter aircraft or a curtain of fire put up as a protection against enemy aircraft. 5 Zool. the gelatinous disc of a jellyfish etc., which it contracts and expands to move through the water. 0 umbrella bird any S. American bird of the genus Cephalopterus, with a black radiating crest and long wattles. umbrella pine 1 = stone pine. 2 a tall Japanese evergreen conifer, Sciadopitys verticillata, with leaves in umbrella-like whorls. umbrella stand a stand for holding closed upright umbrellas. umbrella tree a small magnolia, Magnolia tripetala, with leaves in a whorl like an umbrella. 00 umbrellaed /-lod/ adj. umbrella-like adj. [It. ombrella, dimin. of ombra shade f. L umbra: see UMBRA]

ultrasound /'altro,saund/ n. 1’ sound having an ultrasonic frequency. 2 ultrasonic waves.

0 ultrasound cardiography

=

ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY. ultrastructure /'altra,straktfa(r)/ n. Biol. fine structure not visible with an optical microscope.

ultraviolet |,altra'varolot/ adj. Physics 1 having a wavelength (just) beyond the violet end of the visible spectrum. 2 of or using such radiation.

ultra vires |,ltra ‘vata,ri:z, ultra: 'vi:rerz/ adv. & predic.adj. beyond one’s legal power or authority. [L]

ululate /'ju:lujleit/ v.intr. howl, wail; make a hooting cry. 00 ululant adj. ululation /-'le1f(o)n/ n. [L ululare ululat- (imit.)]

Ulyanov /ol'ja:npf], Viadimir Ilyich, see LENIN. Ulyanovsk /ul'ja:npfsk/ a city of the Soviet Union, on the River Volga; pop. (est. 1987) 589,000. Formerly called Sibirsk, it was the birthplace of Lenin and was renamed in his honour in 1924.

Ulysses /'ju:l1,si:z/ 1 the Roman name for Odysseus (see entry). 2 a space probe launched in 1990 to inspect the unseen parts of the sun. um /am, om/ int. expressing hesitation or a pause in speech. [imit.] -um var. of -IUM 1.

Umayyad /o'maijezd/ adj. & n. —adj. of a Muslim dynasty, which included the family of the prophet Muhammad, that ruled Islam from 660 (or 661) to 750 and later ruled Moorish Spain 756-1031. —n. a member of this dynasty.

umbel /'amb(a)l/ n. Bot. a flower-cluster in which stalks nearly equal in length spring from a common centre and form a flat or curved surface, as in parsley. 00 umbellar adj. umbellate [-ba,lert/ adj. umbellule /-'belju:1/ adj. [obs. F umbelle or L umbella sunshade, dimin. of UMBRA]

umbellifer /am'belifo(r)/ n. any plant of the family Umbelliferae bearing umbels, including parsley and parsnip. oo umbelliferous |-bo'liferas/ adj. [obs. F umbellifére f. L (as UMBEL, -fer bearing)] umber /'amba(r)/ n. & adj. —n. 1 a natural pigment like ochre but darker and browner. 2 the colour of this. —adj. 1 of this colour. 2 dark, dusky. [F (terre d’)ombre or It. (terra di) ombra = shadow (earth), f. L uMBRA or Umbra fem. of Umber Umbrian]

umbilical /am'bilk(2)l, ,ambr'lark(9)l/ adj. 1 of, situated near, b but

ddog

ffew

g get

hhe

j yes

Umbria /'ambrio/

1 a district of ancient central Italy. 2 a

corresponding region of modern Italy; pop. (1981) 807,550; capital, Perugia. oo Umbrian adj. & n.

umbriferous

/am'briferas/ adj. formal providing shade. [L

umbrifer f. umbra shade: see -FEROUS] umiak /'u:m1k/ n. an Eskimo skin-and-wood open boat propelled by women with paddles. [Eskimo] umlaut /'omlaot/ n. & v. —n. 1 a mark (”) used over a vowel, esp. in Germanic languages, to indicate a vowel change. 2 such a vowel change, e.g. German Mann, Manner, English man, men,

due to i,j, etc. (now usu. lost or altered) in the following syllable. —v.tr. modify (a form or a sound) by an umlaut. [G f. um about + Laut sound]

Umm al Qaiwain /om z! kar'warn/j, 1 the second-smallest of the seven States of the United Arab Emirates; pop. (1980) 12,300. 2 its capital city. umpire /'smparo(r)/ n. & v. —n. 1a person chosen to enforce the rules and settle disputes in various sports. 2a person chosen to arbitrate between disputants, or to see fair play. —v. 1 intr. (usu. foll. by for, in, etc.) act as umpire. 2 tr. act as umpire in (a game etc.) 00 umpirage /-rid3/ n. umpireship n. [ME, later form of noumpere f. OF nonper not equal (as NON-, PEER?): for loss of n- cf. ADDER] umpteen /amp'ti:n/ adj. & pron. sl. —adj. indefinitely many; a lot of. —pron. indefinitely many. 00 umpteenth adj. umpty |'‘amptt/ adj. [joc. form. on -TEEN]

UN abbr. United Nations. un-! /an/ prefix 1 added to adjectives and participles and their

kcat

lleg

m man

n no

Pppen

rred

ssit

t top

v voice

un-

unappeased

1565

derivative nouns and adverbs, meaning: a not: denoting the absence of a quality or state (unusable; uncalled-for, uneducated; unfailing; unofficially; unhappiness). b the reverse of, usu. with an implication of approval or disapproval, or with some other special connotation (unselfish; unsociable; unscientific). §]Words

unadorned /|,ano'do:nd/ adj. not adorned; plain. unadulterated /,ano'dalto,rertid/ adj. 1 not adulterated; pure;

formed in this way often have neutral counterparts in non- (see NON- 6) and counterparts in -in (see IN-}), e.g. unadvisable. 2 (less often) added to nouns, meaning ‘a lack of” (unrest; untruth). § The number of words that can be formed with this prefix (and similarly with un-2) is potentially as large as the number of adjectives in use; consequently only a selection, being con-

unadvertised /an'zdva,taizd/ adj. not advertised. unadvisable /,anod'vaizab(a)l/ adj. 1 not open to advice. 2 (of a

sidered the most current or semantically noteworthy, can be given here. [OE f. Gmc, rel. to L in-] un-? /an/ prefix added to verbs and (less often) nouns, forming verbs denoting: 1 the reversal or cancellation of an action or state (undress; unlock; unsettle). 2 deprivation or separation (unmask). 3 release from (unburden; uncage). 4 causing to be no longer (unman). {See the note at un-!. Both un-! and un-? can be understood in some forms in -able, -ed (especially), and -ing: for example, undressed can mean either ‘not dressed’ or ‘no longer dressed’. [OE un-, on- f. Gmc]

un-? prefix Chem. denoting ‘one’, combined with other numerical roots nil (=0), un (=1), bi (=2), etc., to form names of elements based on the atomic number. The roots are put together in order of the digits which make up the atomic number and are terminated by -ium (unnilquadium =104, ununbium =112, etc.). [L unus one] un /on| pron. collog. one (that’s a good ’un). [dial. var.]

UNA abbr. United Nations Association. unabashed |,ano'beJt/ adj. not abashed.

/|,ano/bertid/ adj. not abated; undiminished.

oo

unable /an'erb(2)I/ adj. (usu. foll. by to + infin.) not able; lacking

free from affectation; genuine; sincere. 00 unaffectedly adv. unaffectedness n.

unaffiliated |,ano'filr,ertid/ adj. not affiliated. unafraid /,ano'freid/ adj. not afraid. unaided /an'erdid/ adj. not aided; without help. unalienable /an'erlrenab(a)l/ adj. Law = INALIENABLE. unaligned /|,ano'laind/ adj. 1 = NON-ALIGNED. 2 not physically aligned.

unalike /,ano'lark/ adj. not alike; different. unalive /,ano'larv/ adj. 1 lacking in vitality. 2 (foll. by to) not fully susceptible or awake to.

unalleviated /,,no'li:vi,ertid/ adj. not alleviated; relentless. unallied /,ano'laid/ adj. not allied; having no allies. unallowable |,ano'lavab(s)l/ adj. not allowable. unalloyed /,ano'loid, an'z1-/.adj. 1 not alloyed; pure. 2 complete; unalterable

/an's:lterob(a)l, an'pl-/ adj. not alterable.

oo

unaltered /an'o:lted, an'pl-/ adj. not altered; remaining the same. unamazed /|,ano'meizd/ adj. not amazed.

unambiguous |,anem'bigjues/ adj. not ambiguous; clear or

ability.

unabridged |,ans'bridgzd/ adj. (of a text etc.) complete; not abridged.

unabsorbed /|,anob!zo:bd, -'so:bd/ adj. not absorbed. unacademic /,aneks'demrk/ adj. 1 not academic (esp. not scholarly or theoretical). 2 (of a person) not suited to academic study. . unaccented /,anzk'sentid/ adj. not accented; not emphasized.

unacceptable

|,anok'septob(s)l/

adj. not

acceptable.

oo

unacceptableness n. unacceptably adv.

unacclaimed /,ano'klermd/ adj. not acclaimed. unaccommodating /,ana'kpmoa,dertin/ adj.

not

accom-

modating; disobliging.

unaccompanied /,ano'kamponid/ adj. 1 not accompanied. 2 Mus. without accompaniment.

unaccomplished /,ano'kamplift, -'komplift/ adj. 1 not accomplished; uncompleted. 2 lacking accomplishments.

unaccountable

/,ano'kauntob(2)l/

adj.

1 unable

to be

explained. 2 unpredictable or strange in behaviour. 3 not responsible. oo unaccountability /-"brirti/ n unaccountableness n. unaccountably adv. unaccounted /|,ano'kauntid/ adj. of which no account is given. O unaccounted for unexplained; not included in an account.

unaccustomed /,Ana'kastomd/ adj. 1 (usu. foll. by to) not accustomed. 2 not customary; unusual (his unaccustomed silence). 00

unaccustomedly adv.

unacknowledged /,anok'nplid3d/ adj. not adictiourioabal unacquainted /,Ano'kweintid/ adj. (usu. foll. by with) not acquainted.

unadaptable /,ano'dzptob(s)l/ adj. not adaptable. unadapted /|,ano'deptid/ adj. not adapted. unaddressed /,Ano'drest/ adj. (esp. of a letter etc.) without an

definite in meaning. unambiguously adv.

oO08

unambitious | /,anzem'bifas/

unambiguity

adj. not

/-'gju:rti/

ambitious;

1.

without

ambition. 00 unambitiously adv. unambitiousness n.

unam bivalent /,anzem'brvalent/ adj. (of feelings etc.) not ambivalent; straightforward. 00 unambivalently adv.

un-American /,ano'merikon/ adj. 1 not in accordance with American characteristics etc. 2 contrary to the interests of the US; (in the US) treasonable. 00 un-Americanism n.

unamiable /an'ermreb(2)I/ adj. not amiable. unamplified /an'emplifaid/ adj. not amplified. unamused /|,ans'mju:zd/ adj. not amused. unanalysable /an'zns,la1zab(a)l/ adj. not able to be analysed. unanalysed /an'zna,laizd/ adj. not analysed. unaneled /|,ano'ni:ld/ adj. archaic not having received extreme unction. unanimous |ju:'nenimos/ adj. 1 all in agreement (the committee was unanimous). 2 (of an opinion, vote, etc.) held or given by general consent (the unanimous choice). OO unanimity /-no'nimiti/ n. unanimously adv. unanimousness n. [LL unanimis, L unanimus f. unus one + animus mind]

unannounced /|,,no'naunst/ warning (of arrival etc.).

adj. not

announced;

without

unanswerable /an'a:nsorab(s)l/ adj. 1 unable to be refuted (has an unanswerable case). 2 unable to be answered (an unanswerable question). 00 unanswerableness n. unanswerably adv.

unanswered /an'a:nsod/ adj. not answered. unanticipated /,anen'tis1,pertid/ adj. not anticipated. ' unapparent /,ano'peront/ adj. not apparent.

unappealable

|,ano'pi:lob(o)l/ adj. esp. Law not able to be

appealed against.

unappealing /,ano'pi:lin/ adj. not appealing; unattractive. 00

address.

unadjacent /,ano'd3es(2)nt/ adj. not adjacent. unadopted /,ans'doptid/ adj. 1 not adopted. 2 Brit. (of a road) not taken over for maintenance by a local authority. z zoo

had advice. 00 unadvisedly /-z1dl1/ adv. unadvisedness n.

unaffected /,ano'fektid/ adj. 1 (usu. foll. by by) not affected. 2

unalterableness n. unalterably adv.

unabatedly adv.

wwe

thing) inadvisable.

unadvised /|,anod'vaizd/ adj. 1 indiscreet; rash. 2 not having

utter (unalloyed joy).

00 unabashedly

|-Sidli/ adv.

unabated

concentrated. 2 sheer, complete, utter (unadulterated nonsense). unadventurous /|,Anod'ventfores/ adj. not adventurous. oo unadventurously adv.

Jf she

3 decision

6 thin

6 this

n ring

x loch

unappealingly adv.

unappeasable |,ano'pi:zab(e)1/ adj. not appeasable. unappeased /|,ano'pi:zd/ adj. not appeased. tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

unappetizing Rg

unbind

1566

Ce

ee

ee

oO

unavailing /,ano'verlin/ adj. not availing; achieving nothing;

unapplied /|,,no'plaid/ adj. not applied. unappreciated /,ano'pri:{1,e1tid/ adj. not appreciated. unappreciative /,ano'pri:fotrv/ adj. not appreciative. unapproachable |,ano'praotfab(e)l/ adj. 1 not approachable;

. unavoidable /|,ano'vordab(s)l/ adj. not avoidable; inevitable. 00

unappetizing

/an'epitaizm/

adj.

not

appetizing.

unappetizingly adv.

remote, inaccessible. 2 (of a person) unfriendly. oo unapproachability /-'biliti/ n. unapproachableness 1. unapproachably adv. unappropriated /|,no'proupriertid/ adj. 1 not allocated or assigned. 2 not taken into possession by anyone. unapproved |,ano'pru:vd/ adj. not approved or sanctioned. unapt /an'zpt/ adj. 1 (usu. foll. by for) not suitable. 2 (usu. foll. by to + infin.) not apt. o0 unaptly adv. unaptness n.

ineffectual. 00 unavailingly adv. unavoidability |-'bilitr/ n. unavoidableness n. unavoidably adv.

unavowed /|,ano'vaud/ adj. not avowed. unaware |,ano'weo(r)/ adj. & adv. —adj. 1 (usu. foll. by of, or that + clause) not aware; ignorant (unaware of her presence). 2 (of a person) insensitive; unperceptive. —adv. = UNAWARES. 00 unawareness n. unawares |,Ano'weaz/ adv. 1 unexpectedly (met them unawares). 2 inadvertently (dropped it unawares). [earlier unware(s) f. OE unwer(es): see WARE?

unbacked /an'bekt/ adj. 1 not supported. 2 (of a horse etc.) having no backers. 3 (of a chair, picture, etc.) having no back or backing.

unarguable /an'a:gjuab(a)l/ adj. not arguable; certain. unarm /an'a:m/ v.tr. deprive or free of arms or armour. unarmed /an'a:md/ adj. not armed; without weapons. unarresting /|,ano'restin/ adj. uninteresting, dull.

unbalance /an'belens/ v. & n. —v.tr. 1 upset the physical or oo

unarrestingly adv.

unarticulated

|,ana:'trkjojlertid/

adj. not

articulated

or

distinct.

unartistic /,ana:'tistrk/ adj. not artistic, esp. not concerned with art. OO unartistically adv.

unascertainable |,snzso'ternob(o)l/ adj. not ascertainable. unascertained /,anzsa'ternd/ adj. not ascertained; unknown. unashamed /|,ano'fermd/ adj. 1 feeling no guilt, shameless. 2 blatant; bold. 00 unashamedly /-midli/ adv. unashamedness /-midnis/ n.

unasked /an'a:skt/ adj. (often foll. by for) not asked, requested, or invited.

unassailable /,ano'serlob(s)l/ adj. unable to be attacked or ques-

mental balance of (unbalanced by the blow; the shock unbalanced him). 2 (as unbalanced adj.) a not balanced. b (of a mind or a person) unstable or deranged. —n. lack of balance; instability, esp. mental. unban /an'ben| v.tr. (anbanned, unbanning) cease to ban; remove a ban from. unbar /an’ba:(r)/ v.tr. (unbarred, unbarring) 1 remove a bar or bars from (a gate etc.). 2 unlock, open.

unbearable

= _/an'beorab(a)l/

adj.

not

bearable.

oo

unbearableness n. unbearably adv.

unbeatable /an’bi:tab(2)l/ adj. not beatable; excelling. unbeaten /an’bi:t(a)n/ adj. 1 not beaten. 2 (of a record etc.) not surpassed. 3 Cricket (of a player) not out.

unbeautiful

/an'bju:tifol/

adj. not

beautiful;

ugly.

oo

unbeautifully adv.

tioned; impregnable. oof unassailability /-'biliti/. n. unassailableness n. unassailably adv. unassertive /,ano's3:trv/ adj. (of a person) not assertive or forthcoming; reticent. 00 unassertively adv. unassertiveness n.

unbecoming |,anbi'kami/ adj. 1 (esp. of clothing) not flat-

unassignable /,ano'sainoab(s)1/ adj. not assignable. unassigned /|,ano'saind/ adj. not assigned. unassimilated |,ano'simi'lertid/ adj. not assimilated.

unbefitting

tering or suiting a person. 2 (usu. foll. by to, for) not fitting; indecorous or _ unsuitable. oO unbecomingly adv. unbecomingness n.

oo

unassimilable adj.

unassisted |,ano'ststid/ adj. not assisted. unassuaged /|,ano'sweid3d/ adj. not

assuaged. oo unassuageable adj. unassuming /|,ano'sju:min/ adj. not pretentious or arrogant; modest. 00 unassumingly adv. unassumingness n.

unatoned /|,Ano'tsund/ adj. not atoned for. unattached /,,no'tet/t/ adj. 1 (often foll. by to) not attached, esp. to a particular body, organization, etc. 2 not engaged or married.

no obligation.

unbeknown

adj.

not

attainable.

unbelief /,anbr'li:f] n. lack of belief, esp. in religious matters. 00 unbeliever n. unbelievingness n. 00 unbelievability unbelievably adv.

unbelievingly

adv.

/-'brliti/

nm.

unbelievableness

n.

unbelt /an'belt/ v.tr. remove or undo the belt of (a garment etc.).

unbend /an'bend/ v. (past and past part. unbent) 1 tr. & intr. change from a bent position; straighten. 2 intr. relax from strain or severity; become affable (likes to unbend with a glass of beer). 3 tr. Naut. a unfasten (sails) from yards and stays. b cast (a cable) loose. ¢ untie (a rope).

2 (of a person, vehicle, etc.) not accompanied; alone; uncared for.

adj.

adj.

unbeloved@ /,anbr'lavd/ adj. not beloved.

oo

unattempted |,ans'temptid/ adj. not attempted. unattended /|,ano'tendid/ adj. 1 (usu. foll. by to) not attended. /,ano'trektrv/

unbelieving

unbelievable /,anbr'li:vob(s)l/ adj. not believable; incredible.

unattainableness n. unattainably adv.

unattractive

/|,anbi'nsun/ adj. (also unbeknownst /-'nounst/)

(foll. by to) without the knowledge of (was there all the time unbeknown to us). [UN-! + beknown (archaic) = KNOWN]

damaged.

|,ano'ternob(a)l/

oo

unbefriended@ /,anbr'frendid/ adj. not befriended. unbegotten /|,anbi'gpt(a)n/ adj. not begotten. unbeholden /,anbr'hauld(a)n/ predic.adj. (usu. foll. by to) under

unattackable |,ano'tzkob(s)l/ adj. unable to be attacked or unattainable

/,anbr'fitry/ adj. not befitting; unsuitable.

unbefittingly adv. unbefittingness n.

not

attractive.

oo

unbending /an'bendin/ adj. 1 not bending; inflexible. 2 firm;

unattractively adv. unattractiveness n.

00

austere (unbending rectitude). 3 relaxing from strain, activity, or formality. 00 unbendingly adv. unbendingness n.

oo

unbiased /an'barast/ adj. (also unbiassed) not biased; impartial. unbiblical /an'biblik(a)l/ adj. 1 not in or authorized by the

unauthenticated /|,,no:'Senti,kertrd/ adj. not authenticated. unauthorized |an's:00,ra1zd/ adj. (also unauthorised) not

unbiddable /an'bidab(s)l/ adj. Brit. disobedient; not docile. unbidden /an'bid(a)n/ adj. not commanded or invited (arrived

unattributable /,ano'tribjotab(s)l/ adj. (esp. of information) that cannot or may not be attributed to a source etc. unattributably adv.

unauthentic = |,ano:'9entik/

adj.

not

authentic.

unauthentically adv.

Bible. 2 contrary to the Bible.

authorized.

unavailable

unbidden).

—|,ano'veilob(a)l/._

adj.

not

available.

unbind /an'baind/ v.tr. (past and past part. unbound) release

oo

unavailability /-'biliti/ n. unavailableness n.

z cat

a: arm

from bonds or binding.

e bed.

3: her

1 sit

i: see

p hot

0: saw

a run

vo put

u: tooo ago

ar my

unbirthday unbirthday /an'bs:6de1/ n. (often attrib.) joc. any day but one’s

uncage /an'ke1d3/ v.tr. 1 release from a cage. 2 release from constraint; liberate.

birthday (an unbirthday party).

unbleached |an'bli:t{t/ adj. not bleached. unblemished /an'blemit/ adj. not blemished. unblessed /an'blest/ adj. (also unblest) not blessed. unblinking /an'blinkin/ adj. 1 not blinking. 2 steadfast; not hesitating. 3 stolid; cool. 00 unblinkingly adv.

unblock /an'blpkj v.tr. 1 remove an obstruction from (esp. a pipe, drain, etc.). 2 (also absol.) Cards allow the later unobstructed play of (a suit) by playing a high card. unblown /an'blsoun/ adj. 1 not blown. 2 archaic (of a flower) not yet in bloom.

unblushing /an'blafin/ adj. 1 not blushing.

2 unashamed;

frank. 00 unblushingly adv.

unbolt /an'boult; v.tr. release (a door etc.) by drawing back the bolt. unbolted /an'bsultid/ adj. 1 not bolted. 2 (of flour etc.) not sifted.

unbonnet

unchosen

1567

/an'bonit/ v. (unbonneted,

remove the bonnet from. bonnet esp. in respect.

unbonneting)

1 tr.

2 intr. archaic remove one’s hat or

unbookish /an'boki{/ adj. 1 not academic; not often inclined to read. 2 free from bookishness. unboot /an'bu:t/ v.intr. & tr. remove one’s boots or the boots of (a person).

unborn /an'bo:n/ adj. 1 not yet born (an unborn child). 2 never to be brought into being (unborn hopes). unbosom /an'buz(s)m] v.tr. 1 disclose (thoughts, secrets, etc.). 2 (refl.) unburden (oneself) of one’s thoughts, secrets, etc.

unbothered /an'bpded/ adj. not bothered; unconcerned. unbound! /an'baund/ adj. 1 not bound or tied up. 2 unconstrained. 3 a (of a book) not having a binding. b having paper covers. 4 (of a substance or particle) in a loose or free state.

unbound? past and past part. of UNBIND. unbounded /an'baundid/ adj. not bounded; infinite (unbounded optimism). 00 unboundedly adv. unboundedness n.

unbrace /an’breis/ v.tr. 1 (also absol.) free from tension; relax (the nerves etc.). 2 remove a brace or braces from.

unbreachable /an’bri:t{ab(s)l/ adj. not able to be breached. unbreakable /an'brerkob(s)l/ adj. not breakable. unbreathable /an'bri:dab(2)l/ adj. not able to be breathed. unbribable /an'brarbab(2)l/ adj. not bribable. unbridgeable /an'brid3eb(a)l/ adj. unable to be bridged. unbridle /an'braid(a)l/ v.tr. 1 remove a bridle from (a horse). 2 remove constraints from (one’s tongue, a person, etc.). 3 (as unbridled adj.) unconstrained (unbridled insolence).

unbroken /an'braokoen/ adj. 1 not broken.

2 not tamed (an

unbroken horse). 3 not interrupted (unbroken sleep). 4 not surpassed (an unbroken record). 00 unbrokenly adv. unbrokenness /-onnis/

n. unbruised /an'bru:zd/ adj. not bruised. unbuckle /an'bak(a)l/ v.tr. release the buckle of (a strap, shoe, etc.).

unbuild /an'bild/ v.tr. (past and past part. unbuilt) 1 demolish or destroy (a building, theory, system, etc.). 2 (as unbuilt adj.) not yet built or (of land etc.) not yet built on. unburden /an'bs:d(o)n/ v.tr. 1 relieve of a burden. 2 (esp. refl.; often foll. by to) relieve (oneself, one’s conscience, etc.) by confession etc. 00 unburdened adj.

uncalled

/an'ko:ld/

adj. not

summoned

or

invited.

o

uncalled-for (of an opinion, action, etc.) impertinent or unnecessary (an uncalled-for remark). uncandid /an'kendid/ adj. not candid; disingenuous. uncanny /an'keni/ adj. (uncannier, uncanniest) seemingly supernatural; mysterious. 00 uncannily adv. uncanniness n. [(orig. Sc. & N.Engl.) f. uN-! + CANNY]

uncanonical

/,anko'npnik(s)l/

adj.

not

canonical.

oo

uncanonically adv. uncap /an'kep] v.tr. (uncapped, uncapping) 1 remove the cap from (a jar, bottle, etc.). 2 remove a cap from (the head or another person).

uncared-for /an'keodfo:(r)/ adj. disregarded; neglected. uncase /an'keis/ v.tr. remove from a cover or case.

uncashed /an'ket/ adj. not cashed. uncaught /an'ko:t/ adj. not caught. unceasing /an'si:sin/ adj. not ceasing; continuous (unceasing effort). 00 unceasingly adv. uncensored /an'sensod/ adj. not censored. uncensured /an'sensjod/ adj. not censured. unceremonious |,anser1'mounioes/ adj. 1 lacking ceremony or formality. 2 abrupt; discourteous. 00 unceremoniously adv. unceremoniousness n. uncertain /an'ss:t(a)n/ adj. 1 not certainly knowing or known (uncertain what it means; the result is uncertain). 2 unreliable (his aim is uncertain). 3 changeable, erratic (uncertain weather). O in no uncertain terms clearly and forcefully. 00 uncertainly adv. uncertainty /an'ss:tonti/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 the fact or condition of being uncertain. 2.an uncertain matter or circumstance. oO uncertainty principle 1 (in full Heisenberg uncertainty principle after W. Heisenberg; see entry) Physics the principle that the momentum and position of a particle cannot both be precisely determined at the same time. (See QUANTUM.) 2 any of various similar restrictions on the accuracy of measurement.

uncertified /an'ss:t1,faid/ adj. 1 not attested as certain. 2 not guaranteed by a certificate of competence etc. 3 not certified as insane.

unchain /an'tfern/ v.tr. 1 remove the chains from. 2 release; liberate.

unchallengeable

/an't{zlindzab(e)l/ adj. not challengeable;

unassailable. 00 unchallengeably adv.

unchallenged /an't{zlind3d/ adj. not challenged. unchangeable /an't{emndgab(s)l/ adj. not changeable; immutable, invariable. oo unchangeability unchangeableness n. unchangeably adv.

/-'biliti/

1.

unchanged /an'tfernd3d/ adj. not changed; unaltered. unchanging /an'tfemd31n/ adj. not changing; remaining the same. 00 unchangingly adv. unchangingness n.

unchaperoned /an'Jzpo,raund/ adj. without a chaperone. uncharacteristic /,ankertkto'ristik/ adj. not characteristic. Oo uncharacteristically adv.

uncharged /an'tfa:d3d/ adj. not charged (esp. in senses 3, 7, 8 of CHARGE V.).

uncharitable

/an'tfzritob(9)l/

adj. censorious,

severe

in

judgement. 00 uncharitableness n. uncharitably adv.

unburied /an'berid/ adj. not buried.

uncharted /an'tfa:tid/ adj. not charted, mapped, or surveyed. unchartered /an'tfa:tod/ adj. 1 not furnished with a charter;

unbury /an'ber!/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 remove from the ground etc. after burial. 2 unearth (a secret etc.).

unchaste

unbusinesslike /an'biznis,latk/ adj. not businesslike. unbutton /an'bat(s)n/ v.tr. 1 a unfasten (a coat etc.) by taking the buttons out of the buttonholes. b unbutton the clothes of (a person). 2 (absol.) collog. relax from tension or formality, become communicative. 3 (as unbuttoned adj.) a not buttoned. b collog. communicative; informal.

ao how

er day

ov no

eo hair

19 near

o1 boy

va poor

not formally privileged or constituted. 2 unauthorized; illegal.

/an'tfeist/ adj. not chaste.

00 unchastely

adv.

unchasteness n. unchastity /|-'t/zstiti/ n.

unchecked /an'tfekt/ adj. 1 not checked.

2 freely allowed;

unrestrained (unchecked violence).

unchivalrous

/an'frvalres/ adj. not chivalrous;

unchivalrously adv.

unchosen /an'tfauz(9)n/ adj. not chosen.

ato fire

avo sour

(see over for consonants)

rude.

oo

unchristian

unconscionable

1568

earn nn

reUP Unread

FE

eee

uncoloured /an'kalad/ adj. (US uncolored) 1 having no colour. 2 not influenced; impartial. 3 not exaggerated. . uncombed /an'koumd/ adj. (of hair or a person) not combed.

unchristian /an'kristjon/ adj. 1 a contrary to Christian principles, esp. uncaring or selfish. b not Christian. outrageous. 00 unchristianly adv.

ee

2 collog.

uncome-at-able

unchurch /an't{s:t{/ v.tr. 1 excommunicate. 2 deprive (a build-

/,ankam'ztab(s)l/ adj. collog. inaccessible;

unattainable. [uN-! + come-at-able: see COME]

ing) of its status as a church. uncial /'ansrol, -{(2)l/ adj. & n. —adj. 1 of or written in majuscule writing with rounded unjoined letters found in manuscripts of the 4th-8th c., from which modern capitals are derived. 2 of or

uncomely /an'kamli adj. 1 improper; unseemly. 2 ugly. uncomfortable /an'kamftab(e)l/ adj. 1 not comfortable.

2

uneasy; causing or feeling disquiet (an uncomfortable silence). 00 uncomfortableness n. uncomfortably adv.

relating to an inch or an ounce. —n. 1 an uncial letter. 2 an uncial style or MS. [L uncialis f. uncia inch: sense 1 in LL sense of

uncommercial |,anks'ms:{(2)l/ adj. 1 not commercial. 2 con-

unciales litterae, the orig. application of which is unclear]

trary to commercial principles.

unciform /'ans1,fo:m/n. = UNCINATE.

uncommitted

uncinate /'ansinot/ adj. esp. Anat. hooked; crooked. [L uncinatus f. uncinus hook]

tached to any specific political cause or group. uncommon /an'komon/ adj. & adv. —adj. 1 not common; unusual; remarkable. 2 remarkably great etc. (an uncommon fear of spiders). —adv. archaic uncommonly (he was uncommon fat). 00 uncommonly adv. uncommonness /-monnis/ n.

uncircumcised. /an's3:kom,saizd/ adj. 1 not circumcised.

2

spiritually impure; heathen. 00 uncircumcision /-'s13(2)n/ n.

uncivil

/an'srvil/

adj.

1 ill-mannered;

impolite.

2 not

public-spirited. 00 uncivilly adv.

|,anks'mitid/ adj. 1 not committed.

uncommunicative

uncivilized /an'srv1la1zd/ adj. (also uncivilised) 1 not civilized.

/,anks'mju:nikotrv/ adj. not wanting to

communicate; taciturn. uncommunicativeness n.

2 rough; uncultured.

2 unat-

00

uncommunicatively

adv.

unclad /an'kled/ adj. not clad; naked. unclaimed /an'klermd) adj. not claimed.

uncompanionable |,ankom'pznjanab(2)l/ adj. unsociable.

unclasp /an'kla:sp/ v.tr: 1 loosen the clasp or clasps of. 2 release

uncompetitive /,ankom'petitiv/ adj. not competitive. uncomplaining |,ankom'plemim/ adj. not complaining;

uncompensated /an'kompen;,sertid/ adj. not compensated.

the grip of (a hand etc.). unclassifiable /an'kles1,farab(a)l/ adj. not classifiable. unclassified /an'kles1,faid/ adj. 1 not classified. 2 (of State

resigned. 00 uncomplainingly adv. uncompleted /|,ankom'pli:tid/ adj. not completed; incomplete. uncomplicated /an'komplikertid/ adj. not complicated; simple; straightforward.

information) not secret. uncle /'ank(s)l/ n. 1 a the brother of one’s father or mother. b an aunt’s husband. 2 collog. a name given by children to a male family friend. 3 sl. esp. hist. a pawnbroker. 0 Uncle Sam see separate entry. Uncle Tom derog. a Black man considered to be servile, cringing, etc. (from the hero of H. B. Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, 1852). [ME f. AF uncle, OF oncle f. LL aunculus f. L avunculus

uncomplimentary uncompounded

adj.

not

com-

/|,ankem'paundid/

adj. not

compounded;

unmixed.

uncomprehending

maternal uncle: see AVUNCULAR] -uncle /'ank(a)l/ suffix forming nouns, usu. diminutives (carbuncle). [OF -uncle, -oncle or L -unculus, -la, a special form of -ulus -ULE] unclean /an'kli:n/ adj. 1 not clean. 2 unchaste. 3 unfit to be eaten; ceremonially impure. 4 Bibl. (of a spirit) wicked. o0 uncleanly adv. uncleanly /-'klenli/ adj. uncleanliness /-"klenlinis/ n. uncleanness n. [OE uncl@ne (as UN-!, CLEAN)] unclear /an'klio(r)/ adj. 1 not clear or easy to understand; obscure, uncertain. 2 (of a person) doubtful, uncertain (I’m unclear.as to what you mean). OO unclearly adv. unclearness n.

hending.

|,ankompri‘hendin/

00 uncomprehendingly

adj. not compre-

adv. uncomprehension

[-§(e)n/ n. uncompromising /an'komproa,maizin/ adj. unwilling to compromise; stubborn; unyielding. uncompromisingness n.

00 uncompromisingly

adv.

unconcealed |,anken'si:ld/ adj. not concealed; obvious. unconcern /,ankon's3:n/ n. lack of concern; indifference; apathy. 00 unconcerned adj. unconcernedly /-nidl1/ adv.

unconcluded /,ankan'klu:did/ adj. not concluded. unconditional /,ankan'difan(a)l/ adj. not subject to conditions; complete (unconditional surrender). /-'nzliti/ n. unconditionally adv.

unclench /an'klent{/ v. 1 tr. release (clenched hands, features, teeth, etc.). 2 intr. (of clenched hands etc.) become relaxed or

open. Uncle

/nkompli'mentor/

plimentary; insulting.

unconditioned

00

unconditionality

/,anken'dif(s)nd/ adj. 1 not subject to con-

collog. a personification of the government or

ditions or to an antecedent condition. 2 (of behaviour etc.) not

people of the United States of America. The suggestion that it arose as a facetious interpretation of the letters US is as old as the first recorded instance, and later statements connecting it with different government officials of the name of Samuel appear to be unfounded.

unconfined |,anken'famd/ adj. not confined; boundless. unconfirmed /,anken'fs:md/ adj. not confirmed. unconformable /|,ankon'fo:mab(s)1/ adj. 1 not conformable or

Sam

determined by conditioning; natural. 0 unconditioned reflex an instinctive response to a stimulus.

unclinch /an'klint}/ v.tr. & intr. release or become released from a clinch. uncloak /an'klauk| v.tr. 1 expose, reveal. 2 remove a cloak from. unclog /an'klpg/ v.tr. (unclogged, unclogging) unblock (a drain, pipe, etc.). unclose /an'klouz/ v. 1 tr. & intr. open. 2 tr. reveal; disclose. unclothe /an'kloud/ v.tr. 1 remove the clothes from. 2 strip of leaves or vegetation (trees unclothed by the wind). 3 expose, reveal. oo unclothed adj.

unclouded /an'kKlaudid/ adj. 1 not clouded; clear; bright. 2

conforming. 2 (of rock strata) not having the same direction of stratification. 3 hist. not conforming to the provisions of the Act of Uniformity. 00 unconformableness n. unconformably adv. unconformity /,ankon'fo:miti/ n. an instance of a break in the chronological sequence of layers of rock.

uncongenial /,ankon'd3i:nrol/ adj. not congenial. unconjecturable |,anken'd3ektfarab(e)l/ adj.

unconnected /,anko'nektid/ adj. 1 not physically joined. 2 not

untroubled (unclouded serenity).

connected or associated.

uncluttered /an'klatad/ adj. not cluttered; austere, simple. unco /'ankau/ adj., adv., & n. Sc. —adj. strange, unusual; notable. —adv. remarkably; very. —n. (pl. -os) 1 a stranger. 2 (in pl.) news. O the unco guid /gid/ esp. derog. the rigidly religious. (ME, var. of UNCOUTH]

uncoil /an'kom]/ v.tr. & intr. unwind. b but

d dog

ffew

hhe

jyes

3 (of speech etc.) disconnected; not

joined in-order or sequence (unconnected ideas). 4 not related by family ties. 00 unconnectedly adv. unconnectedness n. unconquerable /an'konkereb(a)l/ adj. not conquerable.. ao unconquerableness n. unconquerably adv. unconquered /an'kppkad/ adj. not conquered or defeated.

unconscionable g get

not

conjecturable.

k cat

lleg

m man

/an'konfonob(s)l/ nono

ppen r red

adj.

1 a

S sit

having

-t top

no

v voice

unconscious conscience. b contrary to conscience. 2 a unreasonably excessive (an unconscionable length of time). b not right or reasonable. O00 unconscionableness n. unconscionably adv. [UN-! + obs. conscionable f. conscions obs. var. of CONSCIENCE]

unconscious /an'konfas/ adj. & n. —adj. not conscious (unconscious of any change; fell unconscious on the floor; an unconscious prejudice). —n. that part of the mind which is inaccessible to the conscious mind but which affects behaviour, emotions, etc. (cf. collective . unconscious). O00 umeconsciously adv. unconsciousness n. unconsecrated /an'konsi,kreitid/ adj. not consecrated. unconsenting /,ankon'sentin/ adj. not consenting,

unconsidered

|,ankon'sided/ adj. 1 not considered; disreg-

arded. 2 (of a response etc.) immediate; not premeditated.

©

unconsolable |,ankan'soulab(s)l/ adj unable to be consoled; inconsolable. 00 unconsolably adv.

with the political constitution or with procedural rules. 00 unconstitutionality /-'nzliti/ n. unconstitutionally adv. unconstrained /|,anken'stremnd/ adj. not constrained or compelled. 00 unconstrainedly /-nidli/ adv. unconstraint /,ankon'streint/ n. freedom from constraint.

unconstricted /,anken'striktid/ adj. not constricted. unconsumed /,ankon'sju:md/ adj. not consumed. unconsummated /an'konsju,meitid/ adj. not consummated. uncontainable |,anken'temab(s)l/ adj. not containable. uncontaminated /,anksn'tem1,nertid/ adj. not contaminated.

|,ankon'testid/

adj.

not

contested.

oo

uncontestedly adv.

uncontradicted /,ankontra'diktid/ adj. not contradicted. uncontrollable /,anken'travleb(s)l/ adj. not controllable. oo uncontrollabieness n. uncontrollably adv.

uncontrolled |,ankon'trauld/ adj. not controlled; unrestrained, unchecked.

uncontroversial /,ankontro'v3:{(2)l/ adj. not controversial. 00 uncontroversially adv.

uncontroverted | |,ankontro'vs:tid,

an'kon-/.

adj. | not

controverted. 00 uncontrovertible adj.

unconventional |,anken'venfan(s)l/ adj. not bound by convention or custom; unconventionalism 1. unconventionally adv.

unusual; — unorthodox. oo unconventionality /-'neliti/ — 1.

unconverted |,ankan'v3:tid/ adj. not converted. unconvinced /,ankon'vinst/ adj. not convinced. unconvincing |,ankon'vinsin/ adj. not convincing.

oo

unconvincingly adv.

uncooked /an'kokt/ adj. not cooked; raw. uncool /an'ku:]/ adj. sl. 1 unrelaxed; unpleasant. 2 (of jazz) not cool. ; uncooperative |,ankoo'pperetiv/ adj. not cooperative. oO uncooperatively adv.

uncoordinated /,ankou's:di,neitid/ adj. 1 not coordinated. 2 (of a person’s movements etc.) clumsy.

uncopiable /an'koproab(e)l/ adj. not able to be copied. uncord /an'ko:d/ v.tr. remove the cord from. uncork /an'ko:kj v.tr. 1 draw the cork from (a bottle). 2 allow (feelings etc.) to be vented. uncorroborated /,anko'rpbo,reitid/ adj. (esp. of evidence etc.) not corroborated.

uncorrupted /,anko'raptid/ adj. not corrupted. uncountable /an'kauntob(e)l/ adj. 1 inestimable, immense (uncountable wealth). 2 Gram. (of a noun) that cannot form a plural or be used with the indefinite article (e.g. happiness). 00 uncountability /-'biliti/ n. uncountably adv.

uncounted /an'kauntid/ adj. 1 not counted.

2 very many;

innumerable. uncouple /an'kap(o)l/ v.tr. 1 release (wagons) from couplings. 2 release (dogs etc.) from couples. 00 uncoupled adj. uncourtly /an‘'ko:tli/ adj. not courteous; ill-mannered.

wwe

z zoo

f she

3 decision

6 thin

uncouth /an'ku:6/ adj. 1 (of a person, manners, appearance, etc.) lacking in ease and polish; uncultured, rough (uncouth voices; behaviour was uncouth). 2 archaic not known; desolate; wild; uncivilized (an uncouth place). 00 uncouthly adv. uncouthness n. [OE unciith unknown (as UN-! + cith past part. of cunnan know, CAN})] uncovenanted /an'kavanontid/ adj. 1 not bound by a covenant. 2 not promised by or based on a covenant, esp. God’s covenant. uncover /an'kava(r)/ v. 1 tr. a remove a cover or covering from. b make known; disclose (uncovered the truth at last). 2 intr. archaic remove one’s hat, cap, etc. 3 tr. (as uncovered adj.) a not covered by a roof, clothing, etc. b not wearing a hat. uncreate /,ankri'eit/ v.tr. literary annihilate. uncreated /,ankri'eitid/ adj. existing without having been created; not created. [uN-! + obs. create f. L creatus past part: of creare: see CREATE]

uncreative /,ankri'eitiv/ adj. not creative.

unconstitutional /,ankonst'tju:Jon(2)l/ adj. not in accordance

uncontested

undecided

1569

6 this

n ring

x loch

uncritical /an'kritrk(2)l/ adj. 1 not critical; complacently accepting. 2 not in accordance with the principles of criticism. uncritically adv.

00

uncropped /an'kropt/adj. not cropped. uncross /an'krps/ v.tr. 1 remove (the limbs, knives, etc.) from a crossed position. 2 (as uncrossed adj.) a Brit. (of a cheque) not crossed. b not thwarted or challenged. ¢ not wearing a cross. uncrown /an'kraun/ v.tr. 1 deprive (a monarch etc.) of a crown. 2 deprive (a person) of a position. 3 (as uncrowned adj.) a not crowned. b having the status but not the name of (the uncrowned king of boxing).

uncrushable /an'kraJab(e)l/ adj. not crushable. uncrushed /an'kraJt/ adj. not crushed. UNCSTD abbr. United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for Development.

UNCTAD

abbr. United Nations Conference on Trade and

Development. Its headquarters are in Geneva. unction /'ankJ(2)n/ n. 1 a the act of anointing with oil etc. as a religious rite. b the oil etc. so used. 2 a soothing words or thought. b excessive or insincere flattery. 3 a the act of anointing for medical purposes. b an ointment so used. 4 a a fervent or sympathetic quality in words or tone caused by or causing deep emotion. b a pretence of this. [ME f. L unctio f. ung(u)ere unct- anoint] unctuous /'anktjuos/ adj. 1 (of behaviour, speech, etc.) unpleasantly flattering; oily. 2 (esp. of minerals) having a greasy or soapy feel; oily, oO unctuously adv. unctuousness n. [ME f. med.L unctuosus f. L unctus anointing (as UNCTION)]

unculled /an'kald/ adj. not culled. uncultivated /an'kalti,vertid/ adj. (esp. of land) not cultivated. uncultured /an'kaltfod/ adj. 1 not cultured, unrefined. 2 (of soil or plants) not cultivated. uncurb /an'ks:b/ v.tr. remove a curb or curbs from. oo uncurbed adj. uncured /an'kjuad/ adj. 1 not cured. 2 (of pork etc.) not salted or smoked.

uncurl /an‘ks:1/ v.intr. & tr. relax from a curled position, untwist. uncurtailed /|,anks'te1ld/ adj. not curtailed. uncurtained /an'ks:t(9)nd/ adj. not curtained. uncut /an'kat/ adj. 1 not cut. 2 (of a book) with the pages not

cut open or with untrimmed margins. 3 (of a book, film, etc.) complete; uncensored. 4 (of a stone, esp. a diamond) not shaped by cutting. 5 (of fabric) having its pile-loops intact (uncut moquette).

undamaged /an'demid3d/ adj. not damaged; intact. undated /an'deitid/ adj. not provided or marked with a date.

undaunted /an'do:ntid/ adj. not daunted.

00 undauntedly

adv. undauntedness n.

undecagon /an'dekegan/ n. = HENDECAGON. [L undecim eleven, after decagon] undeceive /|,and1'si:v/ v.tr. (often foll. by of) free (a person) from a misconception, deception, or error.

undecided |,andi'sardid/ adj. 1 not settled or certain (the question tf chip

dz jar

(see over for vowels)

undecipherable

underflow

1570

is undecided). 2 hesitating; irresolute (undecided about their relative merits). 00 undecidedly adv.

underbidder /|,ands'bido(r)/ n. 1 the person who makes the bid

undecipherable |,andi'sarforab(2)l/ adj. not decipherable. undeclared /,andi'kleod/ adj. not declared. undefeated |,andi'fi:tid/ adj. not defeated. undefended /|,andi'fendid/ adj. (esp. of a lawsuit) not defended. undefiled |,andi'fatld/ adj. not defiled; pure. undefined |,and1'faind/ adj. 1 not defined. 2 not clearly marked;

. underbody /'anda,bodi/ n. (pl. -ies) the under surface of the

next below the highest. 2 Bridge etc. a player who underbids. body of an animal, vehicle, etc.

underbred /|,ands'bred/ adj. 1 ill-bred, vulgar. 2 not of pure breeding.

underbrush /'anda,braJ/ n. US undergrowth ina forest. undercarriage /'andokerid3/ n. 1 a wheeled structure

vague, indefinite. 00 undefinable adj. undefinably adv.

undelivered |,and1'lrvad/ adj. 1 not delivered or handed over. 2 not set free or released. 3 a (of a pregnant woman) not yet having given birth. b (of a child) not yet born.

undemanding

/|,Andi'ma:ndin/ adj. not demanding; /,andemo'kretrk/

oo

or to (a person). 2 give less than the proper charge to (a gun, an electric battery, etc.).

adj. not democratic.

undemonstrated /an'demon,streitid/ adj. not demonstrated. undemonstrative /,andi'monstroativ/ adj. not expressing feel00 undemonstratively

adv.

puted; certain. 2 excellent (was of undeniable character). undeniableness n. undeniably adv.

oo

unreliable.

lower than; below; beneath (fell under the table; under the left eye). b within, on the inside of (a surface etc.) (wore a vest under his shirt). 2 a inferior to; less than (a captain is under a major, is under 18). b at or for a lower cost than (was under £20). 3 a subject or liable to; controlled or bound by (lives under oppression; under pain of death; born under Saturn; the country prospered under him). b undergoing (is under repair). c classified or subsumed in (that book goes under biology; goes under many names). 4 at the foot of or

sheltered by (hid under the wall; under the cliff). 5 planted with (a crop). 6 powered by (sail, steam, etc.). 7 following (another player in a card game). 8 archaic attested by (esp. under one’s hand and seal = signature). —adv. 1 in or to a lower position or condition (kept him under). 2 collog. in or into a state of unconsciousness (put him under for the operation). —adj. lower (the under jaw). 0 under age see AGE. under one’s arm see ARM!. under arms see ARM. under one’s belt see BELT. under one’s breath see BREATH. under canvas see CANVAS. under a cloud see CLOUD. under control see CONTROL. under the counter see COUNTER}. under cover see COVER n. 4. under fire see FIRE. under foot see FooT. under hatches see HATCH!. under a the rose see ROSE. under

separate cover in another envelope. under the sun anywhere in the world. under water in and covered by water. under way in motion; in progress. under the weather see WEATHER. OO undermost adj. [OE f. Gmc] under- /'ando(r)/ prefix in senses of UNDER: 1 below, beneath (undercarriage; underground). 2 lower in status; subordinate (under-secretary). 3 insufficiently, incompletely (undercook; underdeveloped). [OE (as UNDER)]

/|,ando'kave(r), 'an-/ adj. (usu. attrib.) 1 surrep-

titious. 2 engaged in spying, esp. by working with or among those to be observed (undercover agent).

undercroft /'ando,kroft/ n. a crypt. [ME f. UNDER + croft crypt f. MDu. crofte cave f. med.L crupta for L crypta: see CRYPT] undercurrent /'ando,karant/ n. 1 a current below the surface. 2 an underlying often contrary feeling, activity, or influence (an undercurrent of protest).

undercut v. & n. —v.tr. /,anda'kat/ (-cutting; past and past part. -cut) 1 sell or work at a lower price or lower wages than. 2 Golf

strike (a ball) so as to make it rise high. 3 a cut away the part below or under (a thing). b cut away material to show (a carved design etc.) in relief. 4 render unstable or less firm, undermine. —n. |'snda,kat/ 1 Brit. the underside of a sirloin. 2 US a notch cut in a tree-trunk to guide its fall when felled. 3 any space formed by the removal or absence of material from the lower part of something.

underdeveloped /,andodi'velept/ adj. 1 not fully developed; immature. 2 (of a country etc.) below its potential economic level. 3 Photog. not developed sufficiently to give a normal image. O00 underdevelopment n.

food) lightly or insufficiently cooked.

underdress /|,ando'dres/ v.tr. & intr. dress too plainly or too lightly.

underemphasis |,andor'emfosis/ n. (pl. -emphases /-,si:z/) an insufficient degree of emphasis. 00 underemphasize v.tr. (also -ise).

underemployed /,andarim'ploid/ adj. not fully employed. oo underemployment n.

underestimate v. & n. —v.tr. /,andor'esti,mert/ form too low an estimate of. —n. /,andor'estrmat/ an estimate that is too low. O00 underestimation /-'mer{(a)n/ n.

underarm /'andor,a:m/ adj. & adv. 1 Sport, esp. Cricket with the arm below shoulder-level. 2 under the arm. 3 in the armpit.

underexpose /,andorik'spouz/ v.tr. Photog. expose (film) for too

underbelly /'ando,beli/ n. (pl. -ies) the under surface of an

short a time or with insufficient light. 00 underexposure n.

animal, vehicle, etc., esp. as an area vulnerable to attack.

underfed /,ando'fed/ adj. insufficiently fed. underfelt /'ando,felt/ n. felt for laying under a carpet. underfloor /'anda,flo:(r)/_ attri