Browse dictionary
Showing 1-20 of 249 results in 249 entries
1. aid, n. View full entry 1419
...A levy or subsidy paid to the Crown to defray military or other extraordinary expenses. Now chiefly hist....
2. ancient history, n. View full entry 1566
...The events of antiquity; spec. the history of the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean area and the Near East up to the fall of the Western Roman Empire in ...
3. Arctic, adj. and n. View full entry c1400
...Astron. Designating the celestial north pole, and the Pole Star that marks its position in the sky. Chiefly, and now only, in particular compounds, as Arctic Circle2 and...
4. astro-, comb. form View full entry 1652
...Forming terms relating to stars, other celestial objects, or outer space....
5. atom, n. View full entry OE
...In and with reference to the medieval period: the smallest unit of time, of which there are 376 in a minute and 22,560 in an hour, equal to 1594...
6. atomic, adj. and n. View full entry 1678
...Hist. Sci. Designating the doctrine of atoms taught by Leucippus and his pupil Democritus in the 5th cent. b.c.; relating to this doctrine. Cf. atom3....
7. atomize, v. View full entry 1645
...trans....
8. axe | ax, n.1 View full entry c1000
...A tool or instrument for hewing, cleaving, or chopping, trees, wood, ice, etc.; consisting of a squarish head, now usually of iron with a steel edge or blade, fixed by means of...
9. ball, n.1 View full entry 1166
...A rounded hill, a knoll. Now Eng. regional (south-west.)....
10. baron, n. View full entry a1200
...Hist. Originally, one who held, by military or other honourable service, from the king or other superior; afterwards restricted to the former or king's barons, and at length mostly...
11. base, n.1 View full entry ?a1325
...Part of a structure....
12. basket, n. View full entry a1300
...A vessel of wickerwork, made of plaited osiers, cane, rushes, bast, or other materials....
13. battle-axe | battle-ax, n. View full entry c1380
...A kind of axe used as a weapon of war in the Middle Ages....
14. beg, v. View full entry ?c1225
...To ask alms or by way of alms....
15. belfry, n. View full entry c1300
...A wooden tower, usually movable, used in the middle ages in besieging fortifications. Probably, in its simplest form, it was a mere shed or pent-house, intended to shelter the besiegers while operating...
16. bell, n.1 View full entry a1000
...A hollow body of cast metal, formed to ring, or emit a clear musical sound, by the sonorous vibration of its entire circumference, when struck by a clapper, hammer, or other appliance....
17. bite, v. View full entry OE
...trans. To cut into, pierce, or nip (anything) with the teeth....
18. bitumen, n. View full entry a1464
...Originally, a kind of mineral pitch found in Palestine and Babylon, used as mortar, etc. The same as asphalt, mineral pitch, Jew's pitch, Bitumen judaicum....
19. black, adj. and n. View full entry eOE
...Designating the darkest colour possible, that of soot, coal, the sky on a moonless night in open country, and a small hole in a hollow object; of or having this colour; (also)...
20. bone, n. View full entry a700
...The general name for each of the distinct parts which unitedly make up the skeleton or hard framework of the body of vertebrate animals....
