| asphodel | (noun) any of various chiefly Mediterranean plants of the genera Asphodeline and Asphodelus having linear leaves and racemes of white or pink or yellow flowers | - |
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| asyndeton | (noun) the omission of conjunctions where they would normally be used | - |
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| atherodyde | (noun) a simple type of jet engine; must be launched at high speed | Synonyms: athodyd, flying drainpipe, ramjet, ramjet engine |
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| atrophedema | (noun) recurrent large circumscribed areas of subcutaneous edema; onset is sudden and it disappears within 24 hours; seen mainly in young women, often as an allergic reaction to food or drugs | Synonyms: angioedema, giant hives, periodic edema, Quincke's edema |
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| attainder | (noun) cancellation of civil rights | Synonyms: civil death |
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| attendee | (noun) a person who is present and participates in a meeting | Synonyms: attendant, attender, meeter |
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| attender | (noun) someone who waits on or tends to or attends to the needs of another | Synonyms: attendant, tender |
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| (noun) a person who is present and participates in a meeting | Synonyms: attendant, attendee, meeter |
| (noun) someone who listens attentively | Synonyms: auditor, hearer, listener |
| attitude | (noun) a theatrical pose created for effect | - |
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| (noun) the arrangement of the body and its limbs | Synonyms: position, posture |
| (noun) a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways | Synonyms: mental attitude |
| (noun) position of aircraft or spacecraft relative to a frame of reference (the horizon or direction of motion) | - |
| autoloader | (noun) a firearm that reloads itself | Synonyms: self-loader |
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| azederach | (noun) tree of northern India and China having purple blossoms and small inedible yellow fruits; naturalized in the southern United States as a shade tree | Synonyms: azedarach, China tree, chinaberry, chinaberry tree, Melia azedarach, Melia azederach, Persian lilac, pride-of-India |
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| azide | (noun) a chemical compound containing the azido group combined with an element or radical | - |
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| azoimide | (noun) a colorless explosive liquid that is volatile and poisonous and foul-smelling | Synonyms: HN, hydrazoic acid, hydrogen azide |
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| babyminder | (noun) a person who looks after babies (usually in the person's own home) while the babys' parents are working | Synonyms: baby minder, minder |
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| backgrounder | (noun) a press conference or interview in which a government official explains to reporters the background of an action or policy | - |
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| backhander | (noun) a backhanded blow | - |
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| backside | (noun) the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on | Synonyms: arse, ass, behind, bottom, bum, buns, butt, buttocks, can, derriere, fanny, fundament, hind end, hindquarters, keister, nates, posterior, prat, rear, rear end, rump, seat, stern, tail, tail end, tooshie, tush |
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| (noun) the side of an object that is opposite its front | Synonyms: back end, rear |
| backslider | (noun) someone who lapses into previous undesirable patterns of behavior | Synonyms: recidivist, reversionist |
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| bacteriacide | (noun) any chemical agent that destroys bacteria | Synonyms: bactericide |
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| bactericide | (noun) any drug that destroys bacteria or inhibits their growth | Synonyms: antibacterial, antibacterial drug |
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| (noun) any chemical agent that destroys bacteria | Synonyms: bacteriacide |
| baddeleyite | (noun) a mineral consisting of zirconium oxide | - |
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| baedeker | (noun) any of a series of travel guidebooks published by the German firm founded by Karl Baedeker | - |
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| balderdash | (noun) trivial nonsense | Synonyms: fiddle-faddle, piffle |
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| ballade | (noun) a poem consisting of 3 stanzas and an envoy | - |
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| balladeer | (noun) a singer of popular ballads | Synonyms: crooner |
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| balustrade | (noun) a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling | Synonyms: balusters, banister, bannister, handrail |
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| bandeau | (noun) an undergarment worn by women to support their breasts | Synonyms: bra, brassiere |
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| bandelet | (noun) molding in the form of a ring; at top of a column | Synonyms: annulet, bandelette, bandlet, square and rabbet |
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| bandelette | (noun) molding in the form of a ring; at top of a column | Synonyms: annulet, bandelet, bandlet, square and rabbet |
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| banderilla | (noun) a decorated dart that is implanted in the neck or shoulders of the bull during a bull fight | - |
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| banderillero | (noun) the bullfighter who implants decorated darts (banderillas) into the neck or shoulders of the bull during a bull fight | - |
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| bandleader | (noun) the leader of a dance band | - |
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| barricade | (noun) a barrier set up by police to stop traffic on a street or road in order to catch a fugitive or inspect traffic etc. | Synonyms: roadblock |
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| (noun) a barrier (usually thrown up hastily) to impede the advance of an enemy | - |
| bartender | (noun) an employee who mixes and serves alcoholic drinks at a bar | Synonyms: barkeep, barkeeper, mixologist |
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| bdellium | (noun) aromatic gum resin; similar to myrrh | - |
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| beardedness | (noun) The quality of having a beard. | - |
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| beatitude | (noun) a state of supreme happiness | Synonyms: beatification, blessedness |
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| bedder | (noun) an ornamental plant suitable for planting in a flowerbed | Synonyms: bedding plant |
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| bedesman | (noun) a person who is paid to pray for the soul of another | Synonyms: beadsman |
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| bedevilment | (noun) the act of harassing someone | Synonyms: badgering, torment, worrying |
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| bedside | (noun) space by the side of a bed (especially the bed of a sick or dying person) | - |
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| beholder | (noun) a person who becomes aware (of things or events) through the senses | Synonyms: observer, perceiver, percipient |
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| belvedere | (noun) a gazebo sited to command a fine view | - |
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| (noun) densely branched Eurasian plant; foliage turns purple-red in autumn | Synonyms: Bassia scoparia, burning bush, fire-bush, fire bush, Kochia scoparia, summer cypress |
| bender | (noun) revelry in drinking; a merry drinking party | Synonyms: booze-up, carousal, carouse, toot |
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| (noun) a pitch of a baseball that is thrown with spin so that its path curves as it approaches the batter | Synonyms: breaking ball, curve, curve ball |
| (noun) a tool for bending | - |
| bewilderment | (noun) confusion resulting from failure to understand | Synonyms: bafflement, befuddlement, bemusement, mystification, obfuscation, puzzlement |
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| bichloride | (noun) a compound containing two chlorine atoms per molecule | Synonyms: dichloride |
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| bidder | (noun) someone who makes an offer | - |
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| (noun) someone who makes a bid at cards | - |
| bidet | (noun) a basin for washing genitals and anal area | - |
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| bigarade | (noun) any of various common orange trees yielding sour or bitter fruit; used as grafting stock | Synonyms: bitter orange, bitter orange tree, Citrus aurantium, marmalade orange, Seville orange, sour orange |
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| binder | (noun) something used to tie or bind | Synonyms: ligature |
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| (noun) holds loose papers or magazines | Synonyms: ring-binder |
| (noun) a machine that cuts grain and binds it in sheaves | Synonyms: reaper binder |
| (noun) something used to bind separate particles together or facilitate adhesion to a surface | - |
| bindery | (noun) a workshop where books are bound | - |
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| biodefence | (noun) procedures involved in taking defensive measures against attacks using biological agents | Synonyms: biodefense, biological defence, biological defense |
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| biodefense | (noun) procedures involved in taking defensive measures against attacks using biological agents | Synonyms: biodefence, biological defence, biological defense |
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| birder | (noun) a person who identifies and studies birds in their natural habitats | Synonyms: bird watcher |
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| birdfeeder | (noun) an outdoor device that supplies food for wild birds | Synonyms: bird feeder, feeder |
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| bladder | (noun) a bag that fills with air | - |
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| (noun) a distensible membranous sac (usually containing liquid or gas) | Synonyms: vesica |
| bladdernose | (noun) medium-sized blackish-grey seal with large inflatable sac on the head; of Arctic and northern Atlantic waters | Synonyms: Cystophora cristata, hooded seal |
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| bladderpod | (noun) any of several hairy North American herbs having yellow racemose flowers and inflated pods | - |
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| (noun) any of several plants of the genus Physaria having racemose yellow flowers and inflated pods | - |
| (noun) annual or perennial herbs with inflated seed pods; some placed in genus Lesquerella | - |
| (noun) North American wild lobelia having small blue flowers and inflated capsules formerly used as an antispasmodic | Synonyms: Indian tobacco, Lobelia inflata |
| bladderwort | (noun) any of numerous aquatic carnivorous plants of the genus Utricularia some of whose leaves are modified as small urn-shaped bladders that trap minute aquatic animals | - |
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| bladderwrack | (noun) a common rockweed used in preparing kelp and as manure | Synonyms: black rockweed, bladder fucus, Fucus vesiculosus, tang |
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| (noun) similar to and found with black rockweed | Synonyms: Ascophyllum nodosum |
| blade | (noun) the flat part of a tool or weapon that (usually) has a cutting edge | - |
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| (noun) a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard | Synonyms: brand, steel, sword |
| (noun) flat surface that rotates and pushes against air or water | Synonyms: vane |
| (noun) the part of the skate that slides on the ice | - |
| (noun) a broad flat body part (as of the shoulder or tongue) | - |
| (noun) a cut of beef from the shoulder blade | - |
| (noun) something long and thin resembling a blade of grass | - |
| (noun) a dashing young man | - |
| (noun) especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole | Synonyms: leaf blade |
| blastoderm | (noun) a layer of cells on the inside of the blastula | Synonyms: blastodisc, germinal area, germinal disc |
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| bleeder | (noun) someone who has hemophilia and is subject to uncontrollable bleeding | Synonyms: haemophile, haemophiliac, hemophile, hemophiliac |
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| blende | (noun) an ore that is the chief source of zinc; consists largely of zinc sulfide in crystalline form | Synonyms: sphalerite, zinc blende |
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| blender | (noun) an electrically powered mixer with whirling blades that mix or chop or liquefy foods | Synonyms: liquidiser, liquidizer |
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| blinder | (noun) blind consisting of a leather eyepatch sewn to the side of the halter that prevents a horse from seeing something on either side | Synonyms: blinker, winker |
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| blockade | (noun) a war measure that isolates some area of importance to the enemy | Synonyms: encirclement |
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| (noun) prevents access or progress | - |
| blonde | (noun) a light grayish yellow to near white | Synonyms: blond |
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| (noun) a female person with fair skin and hair | - |
| blunder | (noun) an embarrassing mistake | Synonyms: bloomer, blooper, boner, boo-boo, botch, bungle, flub, foul-up, fuckup, pratfall |
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| blunderbuss | (noun) a short musket of wide bore with a flared muzzle | - |
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| blunderer | (noun) someone who makes mistakes because of incompetence | Synonyms: botcher, bumbler, bungler, butcher, fuckup, fumbler, sad sack, stumbler |
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| boarder | (noun) a tenant in someone's house | Synonyms: lodger, roomer |
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| (noun) a pupil who lives at school during term time | - |
| (noun) someone who forces their way aboard ship | - |
| boatbuilder | (noun) a person who builds boats | - |
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| bodega | (noun) a small Hispanic shop selling wine and groceries | - |
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| bodybuilder | (noun) someone who does special exercises to develop a brawny musculature | Synonyms: muscle-builder, muscle builder, musclebuilder, muscleman |
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| bolide | (noun) an especially luminous meteor (sometimes exploding) | Synonyms: fireball |
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| bondholder | (noun) a holder of bonds issued by a government or corporation | - |
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| bookbinder | (noun) a worker whose trade is binding books | - |
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| bookbindery | (noun) a bookbinder's workshop; a place for binding books | - |
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| bookdealer | (noun) a dealer in books; a merchant who sells books | Synonyms: book seller |
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| bordelaise | (noun) brown sauce with beef marrow and red wine | - |
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| bordello | (noun) a building where prostitutes are available | Synonyms: bagnio, bawdyhouse, brothel, cathouse, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, sporting house, whorehouse |
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| border | (noun) a strip forming the outer edge of something | - |
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| (noun) a decorative recessed or relieved surface on an edge | Synonyms: molding, moulding |
| (noun) a line that indicates a boundary | Synonyms: borderline, boundary line, delimitation, mete |
| (noun) the boundary of a surface | Synonyms: edge |
| (noun) the boundary line or the area immediately inside the boundary | Synonyms: margin, perimeter |
| borderer | (noun) an inhabitant of a border area (especially the border between Scotland and England) | - |
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| borderland | (noun) district consisting of the area on either side of a border or boundary of a country or an area | Synonyms: border district, march, marchland |
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| borderline | (noun) a line that indicates a boundary | Synonyms: border, boundary line, delimitation, mete |
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| boulder | (noun) a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin | Synonyms: bowlder |
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| boundedness | (noun) the quality of being finite | Synonyms: finiteness, finitude |
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| bounder | (noun) someone who is morally reprehensible | Synonyms: blackguard, cad, dog, heel, hound |
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| (noun) someone who bounds or leaps (as in competition) | Synonyms: leaper |
| bowlder | (noun) a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin | Synonyms: boulder |
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| breechloader | (noun) a gun that is loaded at the breech | - |
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| breeder | (noun) a person who breeds animals | Synonyms: stock breeder |
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| bride | (noun) a woman who has recently been married | - |
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| (noun) a woman participant in her own marriage ceremony | - |
| bridecake | (noun) a rich cake with two or more tiers and covered with frosting and decorations; served at a wedding reception | Synonyms: wedding cake |
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| bridegroom | (noun) a man who has recently been married | Synonyms: groom |
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| (noun) a man participant in his own marriage ceremony | Synonyms: groom |
| bridesmaid | (noun) an unmarried woman who attends the bride at a wedding | Synonyms: maid of honor |
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| brigade | (noun) army unit smaller than a division, typically consisting of a small number of battalions | - |
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| broadening | (noun) the action of making broader | - |
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| (noun) the act of making something wider | Synonyms: widening |
| (noun) an increase in width | Synonyms: widening |
| broadside | (noun) the simultaneous firing of all the armament on one side of a warship | - |
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| (noun) the whole side of a vessel from stem to stern | - |
| (noun) all of the armament that is fired from one side of a warship | - |
| (noun) an advertisement (usually printed on a page or in a leaflet) intended for wide distribution | Synonyms: bill, broadsheet, circular, flier, flyer, handbill, throwaway |
| (noun) a speech of violent denunciation | Synonyms: philippic, tirade |
| brocade | (noun) thick heavy expensive material with a raised pattern | - |
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| bromide | (noun) a trite or obvious remark | Synonyms: banality, cliche, commonplace, platitude |
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| (noun) any of the salts of hydrobromic acid; formerly used as a sedative but now generally replaced by safer drugs | - |