disinterested
adj.1) free from bias or partiality; objective.
2) not interested.
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disjointed
adj.1) having no coherence; disconnected.
2) separated at the joint.
3) dislocated.
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dismiss
vb. (tr).
1) to remove or discharge from employment or service.
2) to send away or allow to go or disperse.
3) to dispel from one's mind; discard; reject.
4) to cease to consider (a subject).
5) to decline further hearing to (a claim or action).
6) cricket to bowl out a side for a particular number of runs.
7) military an order to end an activity or give permission to disperse.
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disparage
vb. (tr).
1) to speak contemptuously of; belittle.
2) to damage the reputation of.
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dispatch
vb. (tr).
1) to send off promptly, as to a destination or to perform a task.
2) to discharge or complete (a task, duty, etc.) promptly.
3) informal to eat up quickly.
4) to murder or execute.
;n.5) the act of sending off a letter, messenger, etc.
6) prompt action or speed (often in the phrase with dispatch).
7) an official communication or report, sent in haste.
8) journalism a report sent to a newspaper, etc., by a correspondent.
9) murder or execution.
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dispel
vb. -pels, -pelling, -pelled (tr).
to disperse or drive away
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disperse
vb.1) to scatter; distribute over a wide area.
2) to dissipate or cause to dissipate.
3) to leave or cause to leave a gathering, often in a random manner.
4) to separate or be separated by dispersion.
5) (tr) to diffuse or spread (news, information, etc.).
6) to separate (particles) throughout a solid, liquid, or gas, as in the formation of a suspension or colloid.
;adj.7) of or consisting of the particles in a colloid or suspension.
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disrepute
n.a loss or lack of credit or repute
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dissemble
vb.1) to conceal (one's real motives, emotions, etc.) by pretence.
2) (tr) to pretend; simulate.
3) obsolete to ignore.
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disseminate
vb. (tr).
to distribute or scatter about; diffuse
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dissent
vb. (intr).
1) to have a disagreement or withhold assent.
2) Christianity to refuse to conform to the doctrines, beliefs, or practices of an established church, and to adhere to a different system of beliefs and practices.
;n.3) a difference of opinion.
4) Christianity separation from an established church; Nonconformism.
5) the voicing of a minority opinion in announcing the decision on a case at law; dissenting judgment.
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dissipate
vb.1) to exhaust or be exhausted by dispersion.
2) (tr) to scatter or break up.
3) (intr) to indulge in the pursuit of pleasure.
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dissolution
n.1) the resolution or separation into component parts; disintegration.
2) destruction by breaking up and dispersing.
3) the termination of a meeting or assembly, such as Parliament.
4) the termination of a formal or legal relationship, such as a business enterprise, marriage, etc.
5) the state of being dissolute; dissipation.
6) the act or process of dissolving.
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dissuade
vb. (tr).
1) (often foll by from) to deter (someone) by persuasion from a course of action, policy, etc.
2) to advise against (an action, etc.).
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distend
vb.1) to expand or be expanded by or as if by pressure from within; swell; inflate.
2) (tr) to stretch out or extend.
3) (tr) to magnify in importance; exaggerate.
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distill
<No meaning yet.>
dither
vb. (intr).
1) chiefly Brit to be uncertain or indecisive.
2) chiefly US to be in an agitated state.
3) to tremble, as with cold.
;n.4) chiefly Brit a state of indecision.
5) a state of agitation.
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diverge
vb.1) to separate or cause to separate and go in different directions from a point.
2) (intr) to be at variance; differ.
3) (intr) to deviate from a prescribed course.
4) (intr) mathematics (of a series or sequence) to have no limit.
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divest
vb. (tr; usually foll by of).
1) to strip (of clothes).
2) to deprive or dispossess.
3) property law to take away an estate or interest in property vested (in a person).
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divine
adj.1) of, relating to, or characterizing God or a deity.
2) godlike.
3) of, relating to, or associated with religion or worship.
4) of supreme excellence or worth.
5) informal splendid; perfect.
;n.6) (often capital; preceded by the).
7) a priest, esp one learned in theology.
;vb.8) to perceive or understand (something) by intuition or insight.
9) to conjecture (something); guess.
10) to discern (a hidden or future reality) as though by supernatural power.
11) (tr) to search for (underground supplies of water, metal, etc.) using a divining rod.
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document
n.1) a piece of paper, booklet, etc., providing information, esp of an official or legal nature.
2) a piece of text or text and graphics stored in a computer as a file for manipulation by document processing software.
3) archaic evidence; proof.
;vb. (tr).
4) to record or report in detail, as in the press, on television, etc.
5) to support (statements in a book) with citations, references, etc.
6) to support (a claim, etc.) with evidence or proof.
7) to furnish (a vessel) with official documents specifying its ownership, registration, weight, dimensions, and function.
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dormant
adj.1) quiet and inactive, as during sleep.
2) latent or inoperative.
3) (of a volcano) neither extinct nor erupting.
4) biology alive but in a resting torpid condition with suspended growth and reduced metabolism.
5) (usually postpositive) heraldry (of a beast) in a sleeping position.
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dour
adj.1) sullen.
2) hard or obstinate.
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dubious
adj.1) marked by or causing doubt.
2) unsettled in mind; uncertain; doubtful.
3) of doubtful quality; untrustworthy.
4) not certain in outcome.
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dupe
n.1) a person who is easily deceived.
2) a person who unwittingly serves as the tool of another person or power.
;vb.3) (tr) to deceive, esp by trickery; make a dupe or tool of; cheat; fool.
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duplicity
n., pl -ties.
deception; double-dealing
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duress
n.1) compulsion by use of force or threat; constraint; coercion (often in the phrase under duress).
2) law the illegal exercise of coercion.
3) confinement; imprisonment.
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dynamic
adj.1) of or concerned with energy or forces that produce motion, as opposed to static.
2) of or concerned with dynamics.
3) Also: dynamical.
4) music of, relating to, or indicating dynamics.
5) computing (of a memory) needing its contents refreshed periodically.
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ebullient
adj.1) overflowing with enthusiasm or excitement; exuberant.
2) boiling.
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eclectic
adj.1) (in art, philosophy, etc.) selecting what seems best from various styles, doctrines, ideas, methods, etc.
2) composed of elements drawn from a variety of sources, styles, etc.
;n.3) a person who favours an eclectic approach, esp in art or philosophy.
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ecstatic
adj.1) in a trancelike state of great rapture or delight.
2) showing or feeling great enthusiasm.
;n.3) a person who has periods of intense trancelike joy.
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edict
n.1) a decree, order, or ordinance issued by a sovereign, state, or any other holder of authority.
2) any formal or authoritative command, proclamation, etc.
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efface
vb. (tr).
1) to obliterate or make dim.
2) to make (oneself) inconspicuous or humble through modesty, cowardice, or obsequiousness.
3) to rub out (a line, drawing, etc.); erase.
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effervescent
adj.1) (of a liquid) giving off bubbles of gas; bubbling.
2) high-spirited; vivacious.
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efficacious
adj.capable of or successful in producing an intended result; effective as a means, remedy, etc
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efficacy
n.the quality of being successful in producing an intended result; effectiveness
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effrontery
n., pl -ies.
shameless or insolent boldness; impudent presumption; audacity; temerity
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effulgent
adj.radiant; brilliant
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elaborate
adj.1) planned or executed with care and exactness; detailed.
2) marked by complexity, ornateness, or detail.
;vb.3) (intr; usually foll by on or upon) to add information or detail (to an account); expand (upon).
4) (tr) to work out in detail; develop.
5) (tr) to make more complicated or ornate.
6) (tr) to produce by careful labour; create.
7) (tr) physiology to change (food or simple substances) into more complex substances for use in the body.
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elated
adj.full of high spirits, exhilaration, pride or optimism; very happy
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elegy
n., pl -gies.
1) a mournful or plaintive poem or song, esp a lament for the dead.
2) poetry or a poem written in elegiac couplets or stanzas.
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elicit
vb. (tr).
1) to give rise to; evoke.
2) to bring to light.
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eloquent
adj.1) (of speech, writing, etc.) characterized by fluency and persuasiveness.
2) visibly or vividly expressive, as of an emotion.
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elucidate
vb.to make clear (something obscure or difficult); clarify
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emaciated
adj.abnormally thin
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embellish
vb. (tr).
1) to improve or beautify by adding detail or ornament; adorn.
2) to make (a story) more interesting by adding detail.
3) to provide (a melody, part, etc.) with ornaments.
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embezzle
vb.to convert (money or property entrusted to one) fraudulently to one's own use
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emend
vb. (tr).
to make corrections or improvements in (a text) by critical editing
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eminent
adj.1) above others in rank, merit, or reputation; distinguished.
2) (prenominal) noteworthy, conspicuous, or outstanding.
3) projecting or protruding; prominent.
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emollient
adj.1) softening or soothing, esp to the skin.
2) helping to avoid confrontation; calming.
;n.3) any preparation or substance that has a softening or soothing effect, esp when applied to the skin.
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emote
vb. (intr).
to display exaggerated emotion, as in acting; behave theatrically
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empathy
n.1) the power of understanding and imaginatively entering into another person's feelings.
2) the attribution to an object, such as a work of art, of one's own emotional or intellectual feelings about it.
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empirical
adj.1) derived from or relating to experiment and observation rather than theory.
2) (of medical treatment) based on practical experience rather than scientific proof.
3) philosophy.
a) (of knowledge) derived from experience rather than by logic from first principles.
b) (of a proposition) subject, at least theoretically, to verification.
4) of or relating to medical quackery.
;n.5) statistics the posterior probability of an event derived on the basis of its observed frequency in a sample.
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emulate
vb. (tr).
1) to attempt to equal or surpass, esp by imitation.
2) to rival or compete with.
3) to make one computer behave like (another different type of computer) so that the imitating system can operate on the same data and execute the same programs as the imitated system.
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enamor
<No meaning yet.>
encore
interj.1) again; once more: used by an audience to demand an extra or repeated performance.
;n.2) an extra or repeated performance given in response to enthusiastic demand.
;vb.3) (tr) to demand an extra or repeated performance of (a work, piece of music, etc.) by (a performer).
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encumber
vb. (tr).
1) to hinder or impede; make difficult; hamper.
2) to fill with superfluous or useless matter.
3) to burden with debts, obligations, etc.
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endemic
adj. also endemial [εnˈdεmɪəl] or endemical.
1) present within a localized area or peculiar to persons in such an area.
;n.2) an endemic disease or plant.
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enfranchise
vb. (tr).
1) to grant the power of voting to, esp as a right of citizenship.
2) to liberate, as from servitude.
3) (in England) to invest (a town, city, etc.) with the right to be represented in Parliament.
4) English law to convert (leasehold) to freehold.
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enhance
vb. (tr).
to intensify or increase in quality, value, power, etc.; improve; augment
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enigmatic
<No meaning yet.>
enmity
n., pl -ties.
a feeling of hostility or ill will, as between enemies; antagonism
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ennui
n.a feeling of listlessness and general dissatisfaction resulting from lack of activity or excitement
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entail
vb. (tr).
1) to bring about or impose by necessity; have as a necessary consequence.
2) property law to restrict (the descent of an estate) to a designated line of heirs.
3) logic to have as a necessary consequence.
;n.4) property law.
a) the restriction imposed by entailing an estate.
b) an estate that has been entailed.
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enthrall
<No meaning yet.>
epistolary
or A .rchaic epistolatory.
;adj.1) relating to, denoting, conducted by, or contained in letters.
2) (of a novel or other work) constructed in the form of a series of letters.
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equanimity
n.calmness of mind or temper; composure
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equivocal
adj.1) capable of varying interpretations; ambiguous.
2) deliberately misleading or vague; evasive.
3) of doubtful character or sincerity; dubious.
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eschew
vb. (tr).
to keep clear of or abstain from (something disliked, injurious, etc.); shun; avoid
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espouse
vb. (tr).
1) to adopt or give support to (a cause, ideal, etc.).
2) archaic (esp of a man) to take as spouse; marry.
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etymology
n., pl -gies.
1) the study of the sources and development of words and morphemes.
2) an account of the source and development of a word or morpheme.
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euphemism
n.1) an inoffensive word or phrase substituted for one considered offensive or hurtful, esp one concerned with religion, sex, death, or excreta. Examples of euphemisms are sleep with for have sexual intercourse with; departed for dead; relieve oneself for urinate.
2) the use of such inoffensive words or phrases.
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evanescent
adj.1) passing out of sight; fading away; vanishing.
2) ephemeral or transitory.
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evince
vb. (tr).
to make evident; show (something, such as an emotion) clearly
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exalt
vb. (tr).
1) to raise or elevate in rank, position, dignity, etc.
2) to praise highly; glorify; extol.
3) to stimulate the mind or imagination of; excite.
4) to increase the intensity of (a colour, etc.).
5) to fill with joy or delight; elate.
6) obsolete to lift up physically.
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excavate
vb.1) to remove (soil, earth, etc.) by digging; dig out.
2) to make (a hole, cavity, or tunnel) in (solid matter) by hollowing or removing the centre or inner part.
3) to unearth (buried objects) methodically in an attempt to discover information about the past.
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exculpate
vb. (tr).
to free from blame or guilt; vindicate or exonerate
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execrable
adj.1) deserving to be execrated; abhorrent.
2) of very poor quality.
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exhort
vb.to urge or persuade (someone) earnestly; advise strongly
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exigency
n., pl -gencies or -gences.
1) the state of being exigent; urgency.
2) (often plural) an urgent demand; pressing requirement.
3) an emergency.
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exigent
adj.1) urgent; pressing.
2) exacting; demanding.
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exonerate
vb. (tr).
1) to clear or absolve from blame or a criminal charge.
2) to relieve from an obligation or task; exempt.
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exorbitant
adj.(of prices, demands, etc.) in excess of what is reasonable; excessive; extravagant; immoderate
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expedient
adj.1) suitable to the circumstances; appropriate.
2) inclined towards methods or means that are advantageous rather than fair or just.
;n. also expediency.
3) something suitable or appropriate, esp something used during an urgent situation.
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expiate
vb. (tr).
to atone for or redress (sin or wrongdoing); make amends for
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expurgate
vb. (tr).
to amend (a book, text, etc.) by removing (obscene or offensive sections)
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extol
vb. -tols, -tolling, -tolled or US -tolls or -tolling or -tolled (tr).
to praise lavishly; exalt
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extraneous
adj.1) not essential.
2) not pertinent or applicable; irrelevant.
3) coming from without; of external origin.
4) not belonging; unrelated to that to which it is added or in which it is contained.
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extricate
<No meaning yet.>
exult
vb. (intr).
1) to be joyful or jubilant, esp because of triumph or success; rejoice.
2) (often foll by over) to triumph (over); show or take delight in the defeat or discomfiture (of).
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fabricate
vb. (tr).
1) to make, build, or construct.
2) to devise, invent, or concoct (a story, lie, etc.).
3) to fake or forge.
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facetious
adj.1) characterized by levity of attitude and love of joking.
2) jocular or amusing, esp at inappropriate times.
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facile
adj.1) easy to perform or achieve.
2) working or moving easily or smoothly.
3) without depth; superficial.
4) archaic relaxed in manner; easygoing.
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facilitate
vb. (tr).
to make easier; assist the progress of
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fallacious
adj.1) containing or involving a fallacy; illogical; erroneous.
2) tending to mislead.
3) delusive or disappointing.
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fathom
n.1) a unit of length equal to six feet (1.829 metres), used to measure depths of water.
2) mining a unit of volume usually equal to six cubic feet, used in measuring ore bodies.
3) forestry a unit of volume equal to six cubic feet, used for measuring timber.
;vb. (tr).
4) to measure the depth of, esp with a sounding line; sound.
5) to penetrate (a mystery, problem, etc.); discover the meaning of.
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fatuous
adj.complacently or inanely foolish
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fawning
<No meaning yet.>
fecund
adj.1) greatly productive; fertile.
2) intellectually productive; prolific.
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felicitous
adj.1) well-chosen; apt.
2) possessing an agreeable style.
3) producing or marked by happiness.
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