aerosol | (noun) a dispenser that holds a substance under pressure and that can release it as a fine spray (usually by means of a propellant gas) | Synonyms: aerosol bomb, aerosol can, aerosol container, spray can |
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(noun) a cloud of solid or liquid particles in a gas | - |
aerospace | (noun) the atmosphere and outer space considered as a whole | - |
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aery | (noun) any habitation at a high altitude | Synonyms: aerie, eyrie, eyry |
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(noun) the lofty nest of a bird of prey (such as a hawk or eagle) | Synonyms: aerie, eyrie, eyry |
aether | (noun) a medium that was once supposed to fill all space and to support the propagation of electromagnetic waves | Synonyms: ether |
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affenpinscher | (noun) European breed of small dog resembling a terrier with dark wiry hair and a tufted muzzle | Synonyms: monkey dog, monkey pinscher |
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afferent | (noun) a nerve that passes impulses from receptors toward or to the central nervous system | Synonyms: afferent nerve, sensory nerve |
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affirmer | (noun) someone who claims to speak the truth | Synonyms: asserter, asseverator, avower, declarer |
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afterbirth | (noun) the placenta and fetal membranes that are expelled from the uterus after the baby is born | - |
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afterburner | (noun) a device that injects fuel into a hot exhaust for extra thrust | - |
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aftercare | (noun) care and treatment of a convalescent patient | - |
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afterdamp | (noun) a toxic mixture of gases (including carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide and nitrogen) after an explosion of firedamp in a mine | - |
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afterdeck | (noun) a deck abaft of midships | - |
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aftereffect | (noun) any result that follows its cause after an interval | - |
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(noun) a delayed effect of a drug or therapy | - |
afterglow | (noun) the pleasure of remembering some pleasant event | - |
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(noun) a glow sometimes seen in the sky after sunset | - |
afterimage | (noun) an image (usually a negative image) that persists after stimulation has ceased | Synonyms: aftersensation |
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afterlife | (noun) life after death | Synonyms: hereafter |
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aftermath | (noun) the outcome of an event especially as relative to an individual | Synonyms: consequence |
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(noun) the consequences of an event (especially a catastrophic event) | Synonyms: backwash, wake |
afternoon | (noun) a conventional expression of greeting or farewell, used to wish someone a good afternoon | Synonyms: good afternoon |
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(noun) the part of the day between noon and evening | - |
afterpains | (noun) pains felt by a woman after her baby is born; associated with contractions of the uterus | - |
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afterpiece | (noun) a brief dramatic piece (usually comic) presented after a play | - |
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afters | (noun) a dish served as the last course of a meal | Synonyms: dessert, sweet |
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aftersensation | (noun) an image (usually a negative image) that persists after stimulation has ceased | Synonyms: afterimage |
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aftershaft | (noun) a supplementary feather (usually small) on the underside of the base of the shaft of some feathers in some birds | - |
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aftershock | (noun) a tremor (or one of a series of tremors) occurring after the main shock of an earthquake | - |
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aftertaste | (noun) an afterimage of a taste | - |
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afterthought | (noun) an addition that was not included in the original plan | - |
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(noun) thinking again about a choice previously made | Synonyms: reconsideration, rethink, second thought |
afterworld | (noun) the place where you are after you die | - |
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agerasia | (noun) youthful appearance in an old person | - |
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ageratum | (noun) any plant of the genus Ageratum having opposite leaves and small heads of blue or white flowers | - |
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(noun) rhizomatous plant of central and southeastern United States and West Indies having large showy heads of clear blue flowers; sometimes placed in genus Eupatorium | Synonyms: Conoclinium coelestinum, Eupatorium coelestinum, mist-flower, mistflower |
agglomerate | (noun) a collection of objects laid on top of each other | Synonyms: cumulation, cumulus, heap, mound, pile |
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(noun) volcanic rock consisting of large fragments fused together | - |
agglomeration | (noun) the act of collecting in a mass; the act of agglomerating | - |
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(noun) a jumbled collection or mass | - |
agglomerator | (noun) a device that causes material to gather into rounded balls | - |
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aileron | (noun) an airfoil that controls lateral motion | - |
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airliner | (noun) a commercial airplane that carries passengers | - |
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airmailer | (noun) a mailer for airmail | - |
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alabaster | (noun) a very light white | - |
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(noun) a compact fine-textured, usually white gypsum used for carving | - |
(noun) a hard compact kind of calcite | Synonyms: Mexican onyx, onyx marble, oriental alabaster |
albuterol | (noun) a bronchodilator (trade names Ventolin or Proventil) used for asthma and emphysema and other lung conditions; available in oral or inhalant forms; side effects are tachycardia and shakiness | Synonyms: Proventil, Ventolin |
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alder | (noun) north temperate shrubs or trees having toothed leaves and conelike fruit; bark is used in tanning and dyeing and the wood is rot-resistant | Synonyms: alder tree |
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(noun) wood of any of various alder trees; resistant to underwater rot; used for bridges etc | - |
alderfly | (noun) dark-colored insect having predaceous aquatic larvae | Synonyms: alder fly, Sialis lutaria |
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alderman | (noun) a member of a municipal legislative body (as a city council) | - |
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aldosterone | (noun) a corticosteroid hormone that is secreted by the cortex of the adrenal gland; regulates salt (sodium and potassium) and water balance | - |
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aldosteronism | (noun) a condition caused by overproduction of aldosterone | Synonyms: hyperaldosteronism |
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alert | (noun) a warning serves to make you more alert to danger | Synonyms: alerting |
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(noun) an automatic signal (usually a sound) warning of danger | Synonyms: alarm, alarum, warning signal |
(noun) condition of heightened watchfulness or preparation for action | Synonyms: qui vive |
alerting | (noun) a warning serves to make you more alert to danger | Synonyms: alert |
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(noun) a state of readiness to respond | Synonyms: alertness |
alertness | (noun) lively attentiveness | Synonyms: on the qui vive, sharp-sightedness |
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(noun) the process of paying close and continuous attention | Synonyms: vigilance, wakefulness, watchfulness |
(noun) a state of readiness to respond | Synonyms: alerting |
alfileria | (noun) European weed naturalized in southwestern United States and Mexico having reddish decumbent stems with small fernlike leaves and small deep reddish-lavender flowers followed by slender fruits that stick straight up; often grown for forage | Synonyms: alfilaria, clocks, Erodium cicutarium, filaree, filaria, pin clover, pin grass, redstem storksbill |
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algometer | (noun) device for measuring pain caused by pressure | - |
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aliterate | (noun) a person who can read but is disinclined to derive information from literary sources | Synonyms: aliterate person |
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alkaliser | (noun) an agent that counteracts or neutralizes acidity (especially in the stomach) | Synonyms: alkalizer, antacid, antiacid, gastric antacid |
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alkalizer | (noun) an agent that counteracts or neutralizes acidity (especially in the stomach) | Synonyms: alkaliser, antacid, antiacid, gastric antacid |
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allayer | (noun) a person who reduces the intensity (e.g., of fears) and calms and pacifies | Synonyms: comforter, reliever |
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allegoriser | (noun) someone who communicates in allegories | Synonyms: allegorizer |
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allegorizer | (noun) someone who communicates in allegories | Synonyms: allegoriser |
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allergen | (noun) any substance that can cause an allergy | - |
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allergist | (noun) a physician skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies | - |
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allergology | (noun) the branch of medical science that studies the causes and treatment of allergies | - |
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allergy | (noun) hypersensitivity reaction to a particular allergen; symptoms can vary greatly in intensity | Synonyms: allergic reaction |
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alliteration | (noun) use of the same consonant at the beginning of each stressed syllable in a line of verse | Synonyms: beginning rhyme, head rhyme, initial rhyme |
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alliterator | (noun) a speaker or writer who makes use of alliteration | - |
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allomerism | (noun) (chemistry) variability in chemical composition without variation in crystalline form | - |
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almoner | (noun) an official in a British hospital who looks after the social and material needs of the patients | Synonyms: medical social worker |
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almsgiver | (noun) a person who gives alms | - |
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alphabetiser | (noun) a literate person who can arrange items in alphabetical order | Synonyms: alphabetizer |
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alphabetizer | (noun) a literate person who can arrange items in alphabetical order | Synonyms: alphabetiser |
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alphanumerics | (noun) a character set that includes letters and digits and punctuation | Synonyms: alphanumeric characters |
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alstroemeria | (noun) any of various South American plants of the genus Alstroemeria valued for their handsome umbels of beautiful flowers | - |
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alterability | (noun) the quality of being alterable | - |
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alteration | (noun) the act of revising or altering (involving reconsideration and modification) | Synonyms: revision |
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(noun) the act of making something different (as e.g. the size of a garment) | Synonyms: adjustment, modification |
(noun) an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another | Synonyms: change, modification |
altercation | (noun) noisy quarrel | Synonyms: affray, fracas |
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altering | (noun) the sterilization of an animal | Synonyms: fixing, neutering |
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alternate | (noun) someone who takes the place of another person | Synonyms: replacement, surrogate |
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alternation | (noun) successive change from one thing or state to another and back again | - |
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alternative | (noun) one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen | Synonyms: choice, option |
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alternator | (noun) an old term for an electric generator that produces alternating current (especially in automobiles) | - |
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altimeter | (noun) an instrument that measures the height above ground; used in navigation | - |
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altogether | (noun) informal terms for nakedness | Synonyms: birthday suit, raw |
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amber | (noun) a deep yellow color | Synonyms: gold |
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(noun) a hard yellowish to brownish translucent fossil resin; used for jewelry | - |
amberbell | (noun) eastern North American dogtooth having solitary yellow flowers marked with brown or purple and spotted interiors | Synonyms: Erythronium americanum, trout lily, yellow adder's tongue |
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amberfish | (noun) any of several amber to coppery fork-tailed warm-water carangid fishes | Synonyms: amberjack |
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ambergris | (noun) waxy substance secreted by the sperm whale and found floating at sea or washed ashore; used in perfume | - |
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amberjack | (noun) any of several amber to coppery fork-tailed warm-water carangid fishes | Synonyms: amberfish |
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ambidexterity | (noun) the property of being equally skillful with each hand | Synonyms: ambidextrousness |
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ambiversion | (noun) (psychology) a balanced disposition intermediate between extroversion and introversion | - |
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ambler | (noun) someone who walks at a leisurely pace | Synonyms: saunterer, stroller |
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ambusher | (noun) an attacker who waits in a concealed position to launch a surprise attack | - |
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ameer | (noun) an independent ruler or chieftain (especially in Africa or Arabia) | Synonyms: amir, emeer, emir |
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amercement | (noun) money extracted as a penalty | Synonyms: fine, mulct |
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americium | (noun) a radioactive transuranic metallic element; discovered by bombarding uranium with helium atoms | Synonyms: Am, atomic number 95 |
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amethopterin | (noun) toxic antimetabolite that limits cellular reproduction by acting as an antagonist to folic acid; used to treat certain cancers and psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis | Synonyms: methotrexate, methotrexate sodium |
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aminopherase | (noun) a class of transferases that catalyze transamination (that transfer an amino group from an amino acid to another compound) | Synonyms: aminotransferase, transaminase |
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aminotransferase | (noun) a class of transferases that catalyze transamination (that transfer an amino group from an amino acid to another compound) | Synonyms: aminopherase, transaminase |
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ammeter | (noun) a meter that measures the flow of electrical current in amperes | - |
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amperage | (noun) the strength of an electrical current measured in amperes | - |
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ampere | (noun) the basic unit of electric current adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites | Synonyms: A, amp |
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(noun) a former unit of electric current (slightly smaller than the SI ampere) | Synonyms: international ampere |
ampersand | (noun) a punctuation mark (&) used to represent conjunction (and) | - |
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amphitheater | (noun) an oval large stadium with tiers of seats; an arena in which contests and spectacles are held | Synonyms: amphitheatre, coliseum |
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(noun) a sloping gallery with seats for spectators (as in an operating room or theater) | Synonyms: amphitheatre |
amphotericin | (noun) an antibiotic and antifungal agent | - |
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amplifier | (noun) electronic equipment that increases strength of signals passing through it | - |
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anaerobe | (noun) an organism (especially a bacterium) that does not require air or free oxygen to live | - |
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analyser | (noun) an instrument that performs analyses | Synonyms: analyzer |
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