Browse dictionary
Showing 1-20 of 1891 results in 1891 entries
1. abbey, n. View full entry c1300
...Christian Church....
2. abbey-lubber, n. View full entry 1528
...At the English Reformation, a derogatory term for: a monk living in idleness and self-indulgence....
3. Abdul, n. View full entry 1870
...Originally: a male Turk; spec. (chiefly Austral. and N.Z.) a Turkish soldier in the First World War (191418); (also) Turkish soldiers collectively. Later...
4. Abelungu, n. View full entry 1836
...With sing. or pl. concord. White people collectively. Cf. mlungu, umlungu2....
5. Aberdonian, adj. and n. View full entry 1615
...Of, belonging to, or characteristic of a person from Aberdeen, a city in north-east Scotland. In later use sometimes depreciative, with reference to the supposed parsimoniousness of people from Aberdeen....
6. Abo, n. and adj. View full entry 1908
...A member of an Australian aboriginal people; an Australian Aboriginal. ...
7. abortionism, n. View full entry 1857
...Originally: the practice of inducing abortion. In later use (depreciative): support for or advocacy for permitting induced abortion, esp. as a woman's right....
8. abortionist, n. View full entry 1844
...A person who carries out or induces abortions, esp. illegally or in secret....
9. abortuary, n. View full entry 1983
...In the language of anti-abortion campaigners: a clinic in which abortions are performed....
10. abstraction, n. View full entry c1450
...The action of withdrawing or secluding oneself from worldly or sensual things, or of turning one's mind away from the world towards the contemplation of the spiritual; a state of solitude or...
11. abstractionism, n. View full entry 1842
...Usu. somewhat depreciative. The presentation of ideas in abstract terms; the tendency to favour abstract explanations and theories while ignoring or paying insufficient attention to concrete details or particular instances....
12. abstractionist, n. and adj. View full entry 1832
...A person who prefers to view, analyse, and discuss the world in abstract rather than practical terms; a thinker who gives precedence to abstract ideas and concepts over concrete and particular ones....
13. accommodationist, n. and adj. View full entry a1832
...Originally: a person who seeks to mediate between opposing factions or views in the interest of fairness, clarity, etc. Later also: (sometimes depreciative) a person considered willing to compromise with...
14. ace, n.1 and adj. (and int.) View full entry ?a1300
...A single point in a game, and related uses....
15. ad, n.3 View full entry 1799
...= advertisement4a....
16. adder, n.1 View full entry eOE
...In generic sense: a snake, a serpent, esp. with reference to the serpent as a manifestation of the devil in the biblical account of the Fall in the Garden of Eden; (hence,...
17. adelantado, n. View full entry 1588
...The governor of a Spanish province, acting as the chief civil and judicial authority, and as military commander-in-chief in time of war; (also) a military leader with the authority to explore, colonize,...
18. ad hocery, n. View full entry 1899
...The use of (or tendency to use) ad hoc measures, rather than general long-term strategies, to deal with issues, situations, etc.; ad hocism. Also: an instance of this. Cf. adhocracy...
19. ad hocism, n. View full entry 1956
...depreciative. The use of (or tendency to use) ad hoc measures, rather than general long-term strategies, to deal with issues, situations, etc....
20. adhocracy, n. View full entry 1966
...A flexible and informal style of organization and management, characterized by a lack of bureaucracy. Also (depreciative): bureaucracy characterized by inconsistency and lack of planning....
