| ablegate | An envoy of the Holy See who brings the insignia of office to a newly appointed cardinal. | 1817 | Go To Quotation |
| abolitionary | Concerned with the abolition or destruction of something; esp. advocating the abolition of the slave trade or slavery. | 1823 | Go To Quotation |
| Abominable Snowman | = yeti n. | 1921 | Go To Quotation |
| acetonamine | Any of a group of compounds obtained by a condensation reaction of ammonia with… | 1868 | Go To Quotation |
| agelast | A person who never laughs; one who has no sense of humour. | 1877 | Go To Quotation |
| agitprop | Usu. with capital initial. A department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party… | 1925 | Go To Quotation |
| air de cour | A type of short strophic song with lute accompaniment, popular in France in the late 16th and 17th centuries. | 1878 | Go To Quotation |
| air freight | Freight transported by air. | 1919 | Go To Quotation |
| Albertopolis | An informal name for: the area of South Kensington in London that is home to various… | 1860 | Go To Quotation |
| altiport | Chiefly in France: a small airfield at a high altitude, esp. at a mountain skiing resort. | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| Amgot | The name formed from the initial letters of ‘Allied Military Government of Occupied… | 1943 | Go To Quotation |
| Anglepoise | A proprietary name for: a type of desk lamp with a jointed arm and counterbalancing… | 1935 | Go To Quotation |
| Anglomaniacal | Of the nature of, characterized by, or afflicted with Anglomania. | 1864 | Go To Quotation |
| Anglo-Nubian | A breed of goat characterized by lop ears and a convex facial profile, produced by… | 1898 | Go To Quotation |
| Anglophobiac | = Anglophobe n. Also as adj. | 1862 | Go To Quotation |
| Anglo-Saxonize | trans. = anglicize v. 1. | 1839 | Go To Quotation |
| Apex | A British trade union representing clerical and other non-manual workers. | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| April fool | To play an April Fool's Day trick upon (a person). | 1823 | Go To Quotation |
| arbitragist | One who transacts arbitrage business. | 1881 | Go To Quotation |
| art autre | A style of painting in which spots or daubs of colour are applied in an apparently… | 1957 | Go To Quotation |
| Art Deco | A style of design (in textiles, jewellery, ceramics, furniture, architecture, etc.)… | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| autocopyist | A machine for producing facsimile copies of writing, drawings, etc. | 1880 | Go To Quotation |
| autophone | Usu. with capital initial. A type of small barrel organ producing music by means of perforated cards. Now hist. | 1850 | Go To Quotation |
| autopista | In Spain and Spanish-speaking countries: a fast road for cars; a motorway. | 1928 | Go To Quotation |
| autostrada | In Italy: a fast road for cars; a motorway. | 1924 | Go To Quotation |
| ballahoo | A type of fast-sailing two-masted schooner. Also used as a term of contempt for… | 1815 | Go To Quotation |
| bar steward | A person who serves drinks in a bar; a bartender. | 1888 | Go To Quotation |
| battle-cruiser | A heavily armoured cruiser or cruiser-battleship (see battleship n. b). | 1911 | Go To Quotation |
| biathlon | An athletic event consisting of skiing and shooting performed by the same contestants. | 1958 | Go To Quotation |
| bleep | intr. To make a thin, high-pitched blipping sound or ‘bleep’. | 1957 | Go To Quotation |
| blouse | trans. To make (the bodice of a garment) full, like a blouse. | 1934 | Go To Quotation |
| boil wash | A setting or programme on a washing machine which cleans using very hot or near-boiling water; a wash using this setting. | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| Boloism | Nefarious anti-patriotic activities resembling those of Paul Bolo; esp. the… | 1917 | Go To Quotation |
| Boulangism | The principles and methods of Boulanger and his party who, from about 1886 to 1889… | 1888 | Go To Quotation |
| boycott | Withdrawal from social or commercial interaction or cooperation with a group… | 1880 | Go To Quotation |
| break-away | Cycling. (See quots. 1961, 1961, 1961); also, a cyclist who is leading in a race. | 1885 | Go To Quotation |
| breathalyser | (See quot. 1960.) Also attrib. | 1960 | Go To Quotation |
| Bren | In full, Bren gun. A type of light, quick-firing machine-gun. Also attrib., as Bren carrier n.… | 1937 | Go To Quotation |
| Broadwell ring | A kind of circular gas-check for use in cannon and small arms. | 1867 | Go To Quotation |
| bucketload | A bucket and its contents; as much as one bucket will hold. | 1842 | Go To Quotation |
| buildable | Capable of being built (on). | 1927 | Go To Quotation |
| burr | trans. To fashion into a burr or rivet-head. | 1880 | Go To Quotation |
| capitalist roader | Esp. during the Cultural Revolution in China: (a term for) a Party official e.g. the… | 1967 | Go To Quotation |
| carbonara | In Italian cookery: a creamy sauce, usually served with pasta, typically made from eggs… | 1962 | Go To Quotation |
| Carbonaro | A member of a secret society (the Carboneria) formed in the kingdom of Naples in the… | 1818 | Go To Quotation |
| carnalism | The practice of what is carnal; sensualism. | 1864 | Go To Quotation |
| ceruleum | (See quots.) | 1859 | Go To Quotation |
| Chamberlainism | The policy or principles of Neville Chamberlain, esp. with regard to the appeasement… | 1939 | Go To Quotation |
| Cheshire | any of the Cheshire Foundation Homes for the disabled established by Leonard Cheshire in Britain and elsewhere. | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| Churchillian | Of, relating to, or characteristic of Sir Winston Churchill. | 1912 | Go To Quotation |
| cinephile | A film lover or enthusiast; a film buff. Cf. cinéaste n. | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| close season | The period of the year when hunting (of a particular variety of game) or fishing is… | 1843 | Go To Quotation |
| codec | A device which can encode and decode or compress and decompress a signal or block of… | 1967 | Go To Quotation |
| Colbred | The name of a highly fertile breed of sheep obtained by crossing the Border… | 1962 | Go To Quotation |
| commandeer | trans. To command or force into military service; to seize for (or as for) military use. | 1881 | Go To Quotation |
| computeracy | Knowledge of or skill in using computers; the quality or state of being computerate; = computer literacy n. at computer n. 5. | 1969 | Go To Quotation |
| computery | Computers collectively; computer technology. | 1960 | Go To Quotation |
| conductility | = conductivity n. 1. | 1883 | Go To Quotation |
| conferencemanship | Expertise in appearing to advantage at conferences or committee meetings, or in using conferences to achieve desired ends. | 1954 | Go To Quotation |
| Dahlgren | In full Dahlgren gun. A cast-iron smoothbore gun invented by Dahlgren in 1856. | 1861 | Go To Quotation |
| Dail Eireann | The lower house of the Parliament of the Republic of Ireland (before 1922, the… | 1919 | Go To Quotation |
| dapperly | In a dapper manner; neatly, trimly, sprucely. | 1858 | Go To Quotation |
| date-mark | trans. Chiefly in pass. To mark with a date. Also in extended use. | 1891 | Go To Quotation |
| declarationist | One who joins in or signs a declaration. | 1892 | Go To Quotation |
| demi-world | = demi-monde n. | 1862 | Go To Quotation |
| digitorium | A small portable keyboard which produces no sound when played, and which players… | 1866 | Go To Quotation |
| diprotodont | A marsupial of this genus. | 1881 | Go To Quotation |
| disgospelize | trans. To deprive of or exclude from the gospel. | 1888 | Go To Quotation |
| Disgusted | Originally as a self-designation: a member of the public who writes anonymously to… | 1884 | Go To Quotation |
| dishoard | trans. To release or bring out of a hoard. | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| disinformation | The dissemination of deliberately false information, esp. when supplied by a government… | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| dogfighter | A person who is connected with, involved in, or promotes the sport of dogfighting. | 1826 | Go To Quotation |
| drag-hound | Hunting. A hound of a pack used to hunt with a ‘drag’ or artificial scent. | 1884 | Go To Quotation |
| earthmover | A vehicle or machine designed to excavate large quantities of soil. Also occas.: a person employed to do this. | 1871 | Go To Quotation |
| echograph | A device which automatically records echograms. | 1947 | Go To Quotation |
| Eeyorish | Deeply pessimistic; gloomy. | 1992 | Go To Quotation |
| Egyptianization | The rendering Egyptian in character or organization; the placing of a country under Egyptian officials. | 1957 | Go To Quotation |
| embryogenetic | = embryogenic adj. | 1880 | Go To Quotation |
| enzootic | An enzootic disease. | 1880 | Go To Quotation |
| Eurosceptic | A person, esp. a politician, having doubts or reservations regarding the supposed… | 1985 | Go To Quotation |
| fancy bread | Bread not of the ordinary texture, size, and weight of the standard ‘household’ and ‘cottage’ loaves. | 1801 | Go To Quotation |
| FIFA | The name of the administrative body controlling international association football. | 1946 | Go To Quotation |
| flatter | One who couples and uncouples trucks at a flat in a coal-mine. | 1894 | Go To Quotation |
| fluke | trans. Billiards: To hit or pocket (a ball) by a fluke; to make (a stroke) by a fluke. | 1881 | Go To Quotation |
| foilist | One who fences with a foil. | 1907 | Go To Quotation |
| forint | The principal monetary unit of Hungary; a coin of this denomination. | 1946 | Go To Quotation |
| francization | The action of making French or investing with French nationality; the status thus conferred. | 1888 | Go To Quotation |
| franking machine | An officially authorized machine, introduced by the British Post Office in 1922, used… | 1927 | Go To Quotation |
| free climber | A climber who undertakes free climbs. | 1932 | Go To Quotation |
| free line | A fishing line without weights or floats, used for fishing with the bait (often… | 1913 | Go To Quotation |
| free marketeer | A proponent of, or believer in, the free market. | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| free-wheeling | The action of free-wheel v. (in various senses). Also: the free-wheel steering system. | 1899 | Go To Quotation |
| free-wheeling | Of a bicycle or its rider: that proceeds or may proceed without use of the pedals. Of… | 1908 | Go To Quotation |
| French polishing | The action of finishing a wooden surface with French polish. | 1824 | Go To Quotation |
| galactico | A skilled and celebrated footballer, esp. one bought by a team for a very large fee… | 2003 | Go To Quotation |
| Garryowen | = up and under n. | 1965 | Go To Quotation |
| gas mark | Chiefly with following numeral. A temperature setting on a standard scale used for gas ovens. Cf. mark n. 34, Regulo n. 2. | 1942 | Go To Quotation |
| gavroche | A street urchin or gamin, esp. in Paris. | 1876 | Go To Quotation |
| gippo | (See quots.) | 1914 | Go To Quotation |
| glyptician | A lapidary. | 1883 | Go To Quotation |
| gold star | A golden or gold-coloured representation of a star, presented as a prize or honour. | 1810 | Go To Quotation |
| go-slow | A form of industrial protest in which employees work at a deliberately slow pace. Also attrib. Cf. ca'canny n. | 1930 | Go To Quotation |
| goum | Such a tribesman or soldier. | 1845 | Go To Quotation |
| Grand Prix | Any of certain motor-races held annually in different countries and governed by international rules. | 1863 | Go To Quotation |
| grannex | = granny annexe n. at granny n. Additions. | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| guanay | The Peruvian cormorant, Phalacrocorax bougainvillei. | 1860 | Go To Quotation |
| Hakenkreuz | The Nazi swastika. Also attrib. | 1931 | Go To Quotation |
| harambee | Pulling or working together; co-operation; the slogan of the Kanu government of Kenya at the time of independence. Also attrib. | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| heeler | A lurch to one side; also, a boat inclined to lurch. | 1894 | Go To Quotation |
| helvetium | Earlier name for astatine n. Cf. also alabamine n. and anglo-helvetium n. (Disused.) | 1940 | Go To Quotation |
| heterophony | Simultaneous performance by two or more singers or instrumentalists of different versions of the same melody. | 1945 | Go To Quotation |
| Hitler | One who embodies the characteristics of Hitler; a dictatorial person. Also used in… | 1930 | Go To Quotation |
| Hoa Hao | A form of nationalistic Buddhism, set up in 1939 in Indo-China by Huynh Phu So. Freq. attrib. Cf. Caodaism n. | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| home front | With the. The civilian population and events occurring at home regarded as another front of… | 1917 | Go To Quotation |
| home help | A person who helps with household work, spec. one employed by a local authority to assist… | 1883 | Go To Quotation |
| hoolie | to blow a hoolie: to be very windy. Cf. blow v. 1a. | 1990 | Go To Quotation |
| how | Colloq. abbreviation of howitzer n. | 1915 | Go To Quotation |
| incriminatory | Tending to incriminate. | 1861 | Go To Quotation |
| inquorate | Of a meeting: not attended by a quorum, and thereby unofficial or unconstitutional. Cf. quorate adj. | 1974 | Go To Quotation |
| inti | The standard unit of currency in Peru between 1985 and 1991, equivalent to 100 céntimos. | 1985 | Go To Quotation |
| iron-on | Such as can be affixed to the surface of a fabric by ironing. | 1959 | Go To Quotation |
| Islington | attrib. Designating or relating to (the type of) a middle-class, socially aware… | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| jaw-jaw | Talking, often with the implication of lengthy and sterile discussion. | 1958 | Go To Quotation |
| jefe | Chiefly in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries: a chief or boss; a leader, esp. the paramount political or governmental leader. | 1844 | Go To Quotation |
| jefe politico | Chiefly in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries: a political leader; esp. a local prefect, boss, or cacique. | 1820 | Go To Quotation |
| job-mistress | A woman who lets out horses and carriages by the job or for a limited time. | 1839 | Go To Quotation |
| jong | A Tibetan building (also, a territorial and administrative division) constituting… | 1904 | Go To Quotation |
| KANU | The name of a Kenyan political party. | 1960 | Go To Quotation |
| kharaj | Tribute; rent; poll-tax: see caratch n. | 1860 | Go To Quotation |
| khor | A watercourse, ravine, nullah, dry bed of a stream. | 1884 | Go To Quotation |
| kombi | A kind of minibus or van, originally manufactured by Volkswagen, which has removable seating… | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| last | trans. To put (a boot or shoe) on the last. | 1880 | Go To Quotation |
| leaguite | = leagueist n. | 1841 | Go To Quotation |
| life peeress | In the United Kingdom: a woman on whom a life peerage has been conferred. | 1876 | Go To Quotation |
| livery and bait | Stabling and food for a horse provided at a fixed charge. Chiefly attrib.… | 1819 | Go To Quotation |
| longlist | trans. To place on a longlist. Usu. in pass. | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| longlisted | Placed on a longlist. | 1984 | Go To Quotation |
| Ltd. | abbrev. of limited adj. n. (sense Special uses). | 1900 | Go To Quotation |
| Luftwaffe | The German air force before, and until the end of, the 1939 – 45 war. Also attrib. | 1935 | Go To Quotation |
| Lymeswold | A proprietary name for an English blue cheese, soft in texture and mild-tasting, introduced in 1982. | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| macropaedia | The main section of the 15th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica (published in 1974)… | 1974 | Go To Quotation |
| Maginot | a line of fortifications along the frontier of France from Switzerland to Luxembourg, begun… | 1936 | Go To Quotation |
| Mahdism | The belief in or adherence to the Mahdi or a Mahdi. | 1884 | Go To Quotation |
| Majorism | The political and economic policies associated with John Major. Cf. Thatcherism n. at Thatcherite n. adj. Derivatives. | 1988 | Go To Quotation |
| make-or-break | Allowing no middle course between success and failure; crucial, critical. Cf. to make or break at make v. 69b. | 1961 | Go To Quotation |
| Malayanize | trans. To make Malayan in character or composition. See Malayanization n. | 1960 | Go To Quotation |
| Marxist | A proponent of Karl Marx's theories concerning the historical development of economic… | 1873 | Go To Quotation |
| Mayday | Used as an international radio distress signal, esp. by ships and aircraft. | 1923 | Go To Quotation |
| means testable | Assessable by a means test. | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| mechanotherapeutic | Of, relating to, or used in mechanotherapy. | 1915 | Go To Quotation |
| Meibion Glyndwr | (The name of) a militant Welsh nationalist organization. Cf. Mebyon Kernow n., Mec Vannin n. | 1962 | Go To Quotation |
| melange | trans. In the manufacture of woollen cloth: to mix (wool of different colours). Cf. mélange n. 3b. | 1880 | Go To Quotation |
| Menshevik | A member of a Russian political party formed in 1917 on moderate Marxist principles and… | 1906 | Go To Quotation |
| metric | Of, relating to, or based on the metre; spec. designating the decimal system of… | 1862 | Go To Quotation |
| mini-budget | An interim budget which revises or supplements fiscal policy, esp. in response to a deteriorating economic situation. | 1965 | Go To Quotation |
| Minié | attrib. Designating or relating to an elongated bullet invented by Minié, which when… | 1852 | Go To Quotation |
| minimalist | More widely: a person who advocates small or moderate reforms or policies; one who believes in minimal change or intervention. | 1906 | Go To Quotation |
| mishook | A mistimed hook shot. | 1961 | Go To Quotation |
| mishook | trans. To hook (a ball) badly. Also intr. | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| mobility allowance | Originally: a state benefit made available to disabled people to assist them in… | 1974 | Go To Quotation |
| monarcho-fascist | Esp. in communist phraseology: of or designating an extreme right-wing form of government… | 1947 | Go To Quotation |
| moonlight | intr. To engage in moonlighting (moonlighting n. 2); to conduct a raid by night. Also trans.… | 1887 | Go To Quotation |
| moratorium | Law. A legal authorization to a debtor to postpone payment for a certain time; the period of such a postponement. | 1875 | Go To Quotation |
| motor car | U.S. A railway vehicle having its own means of propulsion. See car n. 3a. | 1878 | Go To Quotation |
| mum-in-law | = mother-in-law n. | 1975 | Go To Quotation |
| Murdochian | Characteristic of Iris Murdoch or her novels or philosophy. | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| muting | The action of muffling or deadening the sound of something, esp. a musical instrument. Also fig. | 1881 | Go To Quotation |
| mwah-mwah | intr. and trans. To kiss in exaggerated fashion, esp. on the cheek; to give air kisses. | 1993 | Go To Quotation |
| national grid | orig. Brit. A network of high-voltage power lines interconnecting the major power… | 1930 | Go To Quotation |
| national serviceman | A man performing national service. | 1949 | Go To Quotation |
| nature conservancy | (The name of) any of various official organizations, esp. in Great Britain (from 1949 to… | 1949 | Go To Quotation |
| Nazi | A member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (now hist.); a member of… | 1930 | Go To Quotation |
| Nazify | trans. To cause or force (a person, country, etc.) to adopt Nazism or a similar ideology. Also intr. Cf. denazify v. | 1933 | Go To Quotation |
| nocturne | Music. A composition suggestive of night, usually of a quiet, meditative character. | 1829 | Go To Quotation |
| nom de vente | A name assumed by a buyer at an auction who wishes to remain anonymous. | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| nosh | Food, a meal (now chiefly Brit.); (originally) food which may be nibbled as a snack… | 1873 | Go To Quotation |
| no-stopping | Designating or relating to a road, area, etc., where vehicles are prohibited from… | 1971 | Go To Quotation |
| no-throw | In various sports and games: a throw disallowed because it does not comply with the rules. | 1959 | Go To Quotation |
| Nyabingi | A religious cult among the Kiga people of Rwanda and Uganda, based on belief in a… | 1920 | Go To Quotation |
| nymphette | = nymphet n. 2. | 1961 | Go To Quotation |
| off-air | Operating on a closed circuit; not involving the broadcasting of programmes. rare. | 1961 | Go To Quotation |
| Off-Off | = off-off-Broadway n. | 1975 | Go To Quotation |
| off-puttingly | In an off-putting way; disconcertingly, repellently. | 1961 | Go To Quotation |
| off-trade | That part of the market in alcoholic drinks which is made up of off-sales; the retailers who deal in off-sales. | 1890 | Go To Quotation |
| Okhrana | In Imperial Russia: a secret police department set up in 1881 (after the assassination… | 1884 | Go To Quotation |
| old age pension | A pension paid in certain countries by the state or by a private institution to… | 1856 | Go To Quotation |
| old money | Usu. with hyphen. Possessing or characteristic of old-established wealth. | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| ombudsmanship | The office or position of ombudsman; the duties or function of an ombudsman. | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| omnitonic | Designating or relating to a musical instrument, esp. a horn, which is so constructed as to allow it to be played in any key. | 1861 | Go To Quotation |
| one-shotter | Golf. A hole of which the green can be reached with a single drive or shot. | 1922 | Go To Quotation |
| Ontarian | A native or inhabitant of Ontario. | 1883 | Go To Quotation |
| opted | That has been chosen, selected. Also opted-for. | 1925 | Go To Quotation |
| out-and-return | Designating a journey or route to a distant place and then back to the point of origin. | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| outpunch | trans. To surpass (an opponent) in punching ability; to punch better or more effectively than. | 1924 | Go To Quotation |
| outshop | trans. To discharge (a piece of rolling stock or other vehicle) from a workshop. | 1960 | Go To Quotation |
| outswing | Swing imparted to a ball by the bowler which causes it to move in flight away from the batsman on or towards the off side. | 1921 | Go To Quotation |
| out-winter | trans. To keep (an animal) in the open during the winter. | 1930 | Go To Quotation |
| ovenware | Dishes or similar containers which can be used in an oven. | 1921 | Go To Quotation |
| overbudget | intr. To budget too generously. Also trans.: to assign too large a budget for (something). | 1933 | Go To Quotation |
| over-budgeting | The action of overbudget v. | 1933 | Go To Quotation |
| over-bullish | Bullish to an excessive degree. | 1970 | Go To Quotation |
| overkilling | The act or practice of killing more than is advisable or necessary; esp. the killing of… | 1927 | Go To Quotation |
| overpedal | trans. To play (a piano piece) with excessive use of the sustaining pedal, or (more generally) of the pedals. | 1922 | Go To Quotation |
| overrider | Either of a pair of guards attached to the bumper of a car, giving added protection to the bodywork. Usu. in pl. | 1937 | Go To Quotation |
| oversquare | Of an internal-combustion engine or its cylinders: having a bore greater than the stroke. | 1959 | Go To Quotation |
| overstaffing | Employment of too many staff. | 1879 | Go To Quotation |
| overstayed | Of a mast: having too many stays, so as to be excessively rigid. | 1880 | Go To Quotation |
| own brand | A brand applied by a retailer to products which have been manufactured… | 1870 | Go To Quotation |
| oxyacetylene | A flammable mixture of oxygen and acetylene, used esp. in blowtorches. Usu. attrib. | 1907 | Go To Quotation |
| pa'anga | The principal monetary unit of Tonga, introduced in 1967 and consisting of 100 seniti. | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| pacifistic | Supportive of pacifism; = pacifist adj. | 1908 | Go To Quotation |
| palatially | In a palatial manner or style; as befits a palace; splendidly, magnificently. | 1867 | Go To Quotation |
| pan-African | Of, relating to, representing, or involving all the peoples or countries of Africa… | 1899 | Go To Quotation |
| Pandean | An itinerant musician; a minstrel. Now rare. | 1804 | Go To Quotation |
| Panhard | a rigid rod used to minimize side-to-side motion of the wheels of a motor vehicle relative… | 1957 | Go To Quotation |
| pan-Indian | Of or relating to the whole of India, or to all its ethnic, religious, or linguistic groups. | 1899 | Go To Quotation |
| pan-Latinism | The idea or principle of the unification of peoples speaking Romance languages; (belief… | 1864 | Go To Quotation |
| pantoscopic | Designating bifocal spectacles or (occas.) reading glasses with the top part of the lenses removed. Now hist. and rare. | 1836 | Go To Quotation |
| paribuntal | A type of fine straw used to make hats. Also more fully paribuntal straw. Cf. balibuntal n. | 1926 | Go To Quotation |
| Parisianized | Made Parisian in style or character. | 1823 | Go To Quotation |
| parliamentarism | The parliamentary principle or system of government; = parliamentarianism n. | 1857 | Go To Quotation |
| part-ex | = part exchange n. | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
| partita | A suite of several movements. Also: (in baroque music) a set of variations. | 1864 | Go To Quotation |
| Paso Fino | A breed of horse developed in America from a number of Spanish breeds and renowned for… | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
| pastellist | An artist who works with pastels or coloured crayons. | 1881 | Go To Quotation |
| pasteurization | Med. = Pasteur treatment n. at Pasteur n. 2. Obs. rare. | 1886 | Go To Quotation |
| pastist | = passéist n. Freq. in contrast to futurist. | 1921 | Go To Quotation |
| Pathet Lao | (The name of) a communist guerrilla movement and political party in Laos which was founded… | 1954 | Go To Quotation |
| patrix | A punch, pattern, or model from which a mould or matrix is formed in type-founding, pottery, etc. | 1883 | Go To Quotation |
| payasam | An Indian dessert consisting of rice or (in later use) vermicelli, boiled in milk or… | 1973 | Go To Quotation |
| pedalier | The pedalboard of an organ; a similar set of pedals attached to a piano or… | 1863 | Go To Quotation |
| Pedaline | A type of synthetic straw made from hemp fibre and coated in cellophane. Also Pedaline straw. | 1927 | Go To Quotation |
| Pelmanism | The Pelman system of memory training. | 1916 | Go To Quotation |
| pelotari | A pelota player, esp. one who plays professionally. | 1906 | Go To Quotation |
| perfecto | A large thick cigar tapered at each end. Also (freq. with capital initial): any of various brands of cigars and cigarettes. | 1884 | Go To Quotation |
| periphonic | Of sound reproduction: involving speakers at different heights so as to add… | 1970 | Go To Quotation |
| per pro. | By proxy; by the agency of; (also) on behalf of. Also as adv. adj. Abbreviated p.p. Cf. per procurationem adv. | 1841 | Go To Quotation |
| persona designata | A specified person; spec. a person individually specified in a legal document or… | 1860 | Go To Quotation |
| persona non grata | In predicative use. An unacceptable or unwelcome person, esp. a foreign diplomat… | 1888 | Go To Quotation |
| pessimistically | In a pessimistic manner. | 1879 | Go To Quotation |
| pétanque | A southern French game similar to bowls, but played, usually on a sand or gravel… | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| petroil | Petrol to which has been added a small proportion of oil, used as a combined fuel and… | 1921 | Go To Quotation |
| petrol bombing | The action of throwing a petrol bomb; an instance of this. | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| petty bourgeois | Of, belonging to, or characteristic of the lower-middle classes; = petit bourgeois adj. | 1864 | Go To Quotation |
| Phalangist | A member of the Spanish Falange; = Falangist n. adj. at Falange n. Derivatives. Now rare (chiefly hist.). | 1936 | Go To Quotation |
| phallocrat | A person who advocates or assumes the existence of a male-dominated society; a male chauvinist or supremacist. | 1975 | Go To Quotation |
| philo-Semitic | Supportive of or favouring Jews. | 1881 | Go To Quotation |
| philotherian | A person concerned with or interested in wild animals. | 1906 | Go To Quotation |
| phonogenic | Well suited to electrical or mechanical sound reproduction; esp. (of a voice, musician… | 1923 | Go To Quotation |
| phonogramic | Of the nature of a phonogram; consisting of phonograms. | 1888 | Go To Quotation |
| photochromography | A method of colouring photographs. Obs. | 1865 | Go To Quotation |
| photocopying | The making of photocopies; the action of using a photocopier. | 1864 | Go To Quotation |
| photodegradable | Susceptible to photodegradation. | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| photoelectric | Employing or producing electric light; spec. designating apparatus in which electric… | 1861 | Go To Quotation |
| photosculptural | Relating to or produced by photo-sculpture. Also in extended use. | 1870 | Go To Quotation |
| physionotrace | An instrument used as an aid to making lifelike profile portraits by enabling the artist… | 1822 | Go To Quotation |
| pianette | A type of small upright piano. | 1862 | Go To Quotation |
| Picassoesque | Resembling or suggestive of the style of painting of Picasso, esp. through the… | 1931 | Go To Quotation |
| piccolo | = piccolo piano n. at B. Obs. | 1831 | Go To Quotation |
| picketer | A person who pickets; esp. a person engaged in picketing during an industrial dispute, demonstration, etc. | 1847 | Go To Quotation |
| Picturedrome | (A name for) a cinema. | 1911 | Go To Quotation |
| piggy-in-the-middle | = pig in the middle n. 1. | 1970 | Go To Quotation |
| pig-jump | A small jump made by a horse, mule, etc., from all four legs without bringing them… | 1910 | Go To Quotation |
| pikey | A traveller, a gypsy; a vagrant, a tramp; (hence more generally) a lower-class person, regarded as coarse or disreputable. | 1838 | Go To Quotation |
| pilotess | A female pilot; (originally) a woman who steers or navigates a vessel; (now chiefly) a woman who flies an aircraft. | 1827 | Go To Quotation |
| pilot light | Naut. A signal light used to show the presence of a ship, oil rig, etc. | 1846 | Go To Quotation |
| pilotman | A river or sea pilot; the helmsman of a vessel. Now rare. | 1791 | Go To Quotation |
| pinoleum | A material used to make blinds, consisting of thin strips of pinewood coated with oil… | 1870 | Go To Quotation |
| pin-spotted | Having a pattern of small round dots. | 1863 | Go To Quotation |
| pin table | A pinball machine. | 1933 | Go To Quotation |
| pin-tuck | trans. (in pass.) To be sewn or ornamented with pin-tucks. Also fig. | 1906 | Go To Quotation |
| pipe box | The part of the hub of a wheel into which the axle is inserted. rare. | 1815 | Go To Quotation |
| pipeless | Having no pipe or pipes (in various senses). | 1849 | Go To Quotation |
| Pirandellism | The theatrical style or method of Pirandello; a theatrical style or method imitating or reminiscent of this. | 1925 | Go To Quotation |
| pitch mark | A mark or hole on the course where a divot has been cut away. | 1936 | Go To Quotation |
| pit house | Coal Mining. The main building attached to a coal-pit, housing pit machinery, etc. Obs. rare. | 1866 | Go To Quotation |
| Pitman | attrib. and in the genitive. Relating to or designating a phonetic system of shorthand notation, originally devised by Pitman. | 1869 | Go To Quotation |
| pivot word | A word crucial to the meaning or structure of a sentence, paragraph, etc. | 1865 | Go To Quotation |
| planterdom | The class or social order of plantation owners or managers, associated esp. with… | 1861 | Go To Quotation |
| plastic bomb | A bomb containing plastic explosive. | 1944 | Go To Quotation |
| plastic film | A type of cinematographic film which gives some illusion of depth to the projected image. | 1925 | Go To Quotation |
| plat du jour | A dish specially prepared by a restaurant on a particular day, in addition to the usual menu; a dish of the day; also fig. | 1890 | Go To Quotation |
| platitudinarianism | The quality of being banal; the tendency to use platitudes. | 1873 | Go To Quotation |
| Plip | A remote control automatic locking system on a motor vehicle. Freq. attrib. | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| pluckiness | The quality of being plucky; pluck. | 1852 | Go To Quotation |
| plugger | A person who replaces a portion of a coin with less valuable material. Cf. plugged adj. 2. Obs. rare. | 1842 | Go To Quotation |
| plus ça change | ‘The more things change, the more they stay the same’: used to suggest that… | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| plutocratic | Of or relating to plutocrats; characterized by plutocracy. | 1853 | Go To Quotation |
| plutocratical | = plutocratic adj. | 1841 | Go To Quotation |
| poblano | A native of the Puebla region of Mexico. | 1847 | Go To Quotation |
| poculum | A cup; a drinking vessel. | 1846 | Go To Quotation |
| pointsman | A man who has charge of the points (point n. 21k) on a railway. | 1845 | Go To Quotation |
| Polisario | An independence movement in Western (formerly Spanish) Sahara, formed in May 1973. Freq. attrib. | 1975 | Go To Quotation |
| Politburo | The highest policy-making committee of a communist party or country, esp. of the Soviet Union. Also in extended use. | 1923 | Go To Quotation |
| pollutive | That pollutes, (now) esp. that causes environmental pollution. | 1924 | Go To Quotation |
| polyphonist | A person capable of producing a variety of vocal sounds; a mimic, a ventriloquist. Now hist. and rare. | 1836 | Go To Quotation |
| polytonalist | A person who composes, plays, or advocates polytonal music. | 1925 | Go To Quotation |
| Pomerol | A red wine produced in the region of Pomerol in south-western France. | 1866 | Go To Quotation |
| ponderate | Deliberate; careful, considered. | 1922 | Go To Quotation |
| Pontet-Canet | A red Bordeaux wine produced by the Château Pontet-Canet estate in the Haut-Médoc. | 1860 | Go To Quotation |
| Pontianak | A form of jelutong or coagulated latex produced in parts of Indonesia and Malaysia; spec.… | 1902 | Go To Quotation |
| Poona | the art or practice of Poona painting. | 1816 | Go To Quotation |
| pooped | Having a poop, esp. of a specified kind. Chiefly in high-pooped adj. | 1849 | Go To Quotation |
| Pop | At Eton College: (originally) a social club and debating society, founded in 1811; (now) the body of prefects at the college. | 1844 | Go To Quotation |
| popmobility | A programme of choreographed exercise routines performed to the accompaniment of pop music. | 1974 | Go To Quotation |
| popularized | That has been made popular; that is generally acceptable or accessible. | 1839 | Go To Quotation |
| Portal | In full Portal house. A steel-framed, prefabricated house of a type proposed in 1944. Also attrib.… | 1944 | Go To Quotation |
| portmantologist | A person who utters or studies portmanteau words. | 1934 | Go To Quotation |
| portraitist | A painter, photographer, etc., who specializes or has particular skill in portraits. Also in extended use. | 1857 | Go To Quotation |
| post-climacteric | Old age. rare. | 1826 | Go To Quotation |
| post-marital | Occurring or enacted after marriage or after a marriage; used or provided for use after a couple's marriage. | 1836 | Go To Quotation |
| post-treatment | Treatment carried out after some earlier action or process has been completed. | 1923 | Go To Quotation |
| posturer | A person who postures, or poses for effect; a poseur. Also: one who makes postures… | 1833 | Go To Quotation |
| potentite | An explosive consisting of a mixture of powdered guncotton and potassium or barium nitrate. Cf. tonite n. | 1883 | Go To Quotation |
| potterer | A person who potters; one who works at things in a casual, ineffectual, unsystematic, or unhurried way; one who potters about. | 1861 | Go To Quotation |
| poudre de riz | Cosmetic face powder. | 1859 | Go To Quotation |
| powder snow | Loose, dry, very fine (esp. newly fallen) snow. | 1914 | Go To Quotation |
| Powellism | The political and economic policies advocated by or associated with the British… | 1965 | Go To Quotation |
| powerlessness | Helplessness, impotence. | 1819 | Go To Quotation |
| pre-empt | trans. To obtain, or seek to obtain, by pre-emption; esp. (chiefly N. Amer.) to… | 1846 | Go To Quotation |
| pref | = preference share n. at preference n. Compounds. Freq. attrib., in pref share. | 1849 | Go To Quotation |
| preferentialist | An advocate of the system of preference (see preference n. 5); esp. (in Britain… | 1900 | Go To Quotation |
| pre-final | That precedes the final stage or form. | 1922 | Go To Quotation |
| prelapsarian | Of or relating to the condition of innocence before the Fall (fall n. 16b); innocent, unspoilt, carefree. | 1874 | Go To Quotation |
| premiated | That has been, or deserves to be, rewarded; worthy of or selected for an award or prize. | 1858 | Go To Quotation |
| premier cru | A growth or vineyard that produces wine of a superior grade; the wine itself. Also in… | 1866 | Go To Quotation |
| première danseuse | A leading female dancer, esp. in a ballet company; a ballerina. Cf. prima ballerina n. | 1822 | Go To Quotation |
| prenuptial | Designating or relating to a legal contract made between two people prior to marriage… | 1857 | Go To Quotation |
| prepaid | That has been paid or paid for in advance; (originally) spec. on which postage has been paid in advance. | 1839 | Go To Quotation |
| prepay | trans. To pay or pay for in advance; (originally) spec. to pay postage on (a letter or parcel) before posting. Also occas. intr. | 1839 | Go To Quotation |
| pre-preference | Ranking before preference bonds, shares, claims, etc., with regard to security… | 1867 | Go To Quotation |
| pressable | Liable to be pressed into military service; easily taken by a press-gang. | 1801 | Go To Quotation |
| press fastener | = press stud n. | 1922 | Go To Quotation |
| pretextual | Of the nature of a pretext; on a pretext; pretended, dubious, spurious. In later use chiefly U.S. Law. | 1837 | Go To Quotation |
| pre-wash | A preliminary wash. Also: a program or setting for this in a washing machine or dishwasher. Freq. attrib. | 1902 | Go To Quotation |
| primo basso | The principal bass singer in an opera or opera company. Also fig. | 1826 | Go To Quotation |
| Prix de Rome | In full Grand Prix de Rome. Any of a group of prizes awarded annually by the French… | 1851 | Go To Quotation |
| prizewoman | A woman who wins a prize. Cf. prizeman n. | 1908 | Go To Quotation |
| processionist | A person who takes part in a procession. | 1821 | Go To Quotation |
| productionism | Belief in the importance of production (in various senses); esp. belief in an… | 1929 | Go To Quotation |
| progressism | The theory or beliefs of a progressist; belief in or advocacy of progress. Cf. progressionism n., progressivism n. | 1856 | Go To Quotation |
| proselytization | The action or practice of making, or seeking to make, proselytes or converts; the work of proselytizing. | 1870 | Go To Quotation |
| proselytizer | A person who makes, or seeks to make, proselytes or converts; (in extended use) an advocate or proponent of something. | 1828 | Go To Quotation |
| protectable | Capable of being protected (esp. by legislation); = protectible adj. Also: arousing protective feelings. | 1841 | Go To Quotation |
| Protestantize | trans. To cause to be Protestant; to convert to or permeate with the principles… | 1829 | Go To Quotation |
| protocolic | Of or relating to protocol or protocols; relating to diplomatic procedure; governed by formal rules of behaviour. | 1835 | Go To Quotation |
| provincialized | That is or has become provincial (in various senses); (also) that has become a province. | 1832 | Go To Quotation |
| provisorium | Chiefly in the context of German politics: a provisional or interim measure or condition; a temporary solution. | 1850 | Go To Quotation |
| provo | A member or supporter of Provo, a movement formed in 1965 by young Dutch anarchists whose… | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| Prussification | The action or process of making something Prussian; the action of causing something… | 1870 | Go To Quotation |
| Prussify | trans. = Prussianize v. | 1905 | Go To Quotation |
| psychonaut | A person who takes psychedelic drugs, esp. for the purpose of investigating the effects. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| psychrometry | The measurement of humidity by means of a psychrometer; psychrometric character. | 1853 | Go To Quotation |
| punting | The action of punt v. 1. | 1882 | Go To Quotation |
| punto banco | A gambling game resembling baccarat (see quot. 1976). | 1969 | Go To Quotation |
| pur et simple | Following a noun: = pure and simple at pure adj. 3c. Now rare. | 1856 | Go To Quotation |
| pur sang | Of unmixed origin or descent, pure-blooded; genuine; unadulterated. Also as postmodifier. | 1846 | Go To Quotation |
| push-along | That can be pushed along; esp. (of a toy) fitted with wheels and a handle for this purpose. | 1933 | Go To Quotation |
| push-on | That is designed or intended to be pushed on; spec. (of a lid, etc.) that is fixed in place by being pushed on. | 1925 | Go To Quotation |
| qindar | A former monetary unit of Albania, equivalent to one-hundredth of a gold franc. In later use also: = qindarka n. | 1928 | Go To Quotation |
| quadrille | = quadrilled adj. | 1856 | Go To Quotation |
| quarry tile | A square, usually unglazed, floor tile. | 1908 | Go To Quotation |
| quartermaster | intr. and trans. To perform the duties of a quartermaster (for). Also with it. | 1862 | Go To Quotation |
| quatercentenary | Of or relating to a four-hundredth anniversary or its celebration. | 1877 | Go To Quotation |
| Queensberry rules | A code of rules drawn up in 1867 to govern the sport of boxing in Great Britain; the… | 1882 | Go To Quotation |
| queer-basher | A person who attacks homosexuals. | 1970 | Go To Quotation |
| queueing | The action of waiting in or forming a queue. Also with up. | 1918 | Go To Quotation |
| quietening | That quietens; making or becoming quiet. | 1877 | Go To Quotation |
| quietish | Somewhat quiet. | 1824 | Go To Quotation |
| quincentenary | A five-hundredth anniversary; the celebration of such an anniversary. | 1877 | Go To Quotation |
| quisle | intr. To act as a quisling; to betray one's country, esp. by collaborating with an occupying enemy. | 1940 | Go To Quotation |
| rachel | Also with capital initial. A light tan colour (originally and chiefly as a shade of face powder). Also attrib. | 1880 | Go To Quotation |
| rag-and-tatter | Full of or characterized by rags and tatters, ragged. Also fig. | 1881 | Go To Quotation |
| railophone | A telephone in a railway train, esp. one allowing communication between a train and… | 1911 | Go To Quotation |
| railwayana | Articles associated with railways, esp. as collectors' items. Cf. railroadiana n. at railroad n. Derivatives. | 1967 | Go To Quotation |
| randori | Informal or freestyle training or practice; a session of this. | 1910 | Go To Quotation |
| range marker | A person employed to assess the accuracy of the shooting on a firing range; = marker n. 3c. Now chiefly hist. | 1877 | Go To Quotation |
| rantoone | A type of tricycle used in the 19th cent., propelled both by foot pedals and hand-operated levers. | 1864 | Go To Quotation |
| ratal | Relating to rates or rateable value. | 1859 | Go To Quotation |
| ratemahatmaya | In central Sri Lanka: a local chief or headman. | 1818 | Go To Quotation |
| rationless | Without rations; (esp. of troops) not supplied with rations. | 1842 | Go To Quotation |
| Rd. | Road. | 1851 | Go To Quotation |
| reappropriation | The action or an act of reappropriating something. | 1832 | Go To Quotation |
| rearming | The act or process of rearming; rearmament. | 1795 | Go To Quotation |
| Rebecca | The (notional) leader of a movement whose supporters attacked and demolished turnpike… | 1843 | Go To Quotation |
| recanvass | An act of recanvassing people, votes, etc. Cf. canvass n. 5. | 1819 | Go To Quotation |
| reconditioned | That has been restored, repaired, or renovated. | 1910 | Go To Quotation |
| reconfiscation | The action or an act of confiscating something again. | 1839 | Go To Quotation |
| reconstructor | A person who reconstructs (in various senses). | 1841 | Go To Quotation |
| recyclist | An advocate of the recycling of waste products; a recycler. | 1973 | Go To Quotation |
| redecoration | The action or process of redecorating; a new decoration. | 1842 | Go To Quotation |
| rediscount | The discounting, esp. by a central bank, of a bill of exchange or other negotiable… | 1836 | Go To Quotation |
| rediscountable | That may be rediscounted. Cf. rediscount v. | 1858 | Go To Quotation |
| redistributory | = redistributive adj. | 1884 | Go To Quotation |
| redundantee | A person who has been made redundant (redundant adj. 5a). | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| refained | = refined adj. 2. | 1925 | Go To Quotation |
| reflorescent | That flowers or flourishes again. Freq. fig. | 1826 | Go To Quotation |
| reformulated | That has been reformulated. | 1885 | Go To Quotation |
| refusenik | In the Soviet Union: a Jew who was refused permission to emigrate, esp. to Israel. Now hist. | 1973 | Go To Quotation |
| regroup | trans. To group again or differently; to form into a new group or groups; spec. to… | 1845 | Go To Quotation |
| regularization | The action or process of making regular; the state of being made regular. | 1816 | Go To Quotation |
| Reichsmark | The German mark. Cf. mark n. 2d. | 1872 | Go To Quotation |
| Reichsminister | A minister of the Reich, esp. the Third Reich. | 1859 | Go To Quotation |
| re-mark | An act of marking an examination or piece of academic work again. | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| remobilization | The action or process of mobilizing (a person or a thing) again (in various senses of mobilize v.… | 1878 | Go To Quotation |
| remuage | In méthode champenoise: the periodic turning and shaking of sparkling wine, esp. champagne… | 1908 | Go To Quotation |
| requeté | A member of a Carlist militia that took the Nationalist side during the Spanish Civil War… | 1936 | Go To Quotation |
| resold | That has been sold again. | 1851 | Go To Quotation |
| reverse angle | Squash. The side wall opposite the server; a shot struck at this wall so that it… | 1922 | Go To Quotation |
| Revudeville | (The name of) a form of continuous entertainment incorporating elements of variety… | 1932 | Go To Quotation |
| revueish | Characteristic of a theatrical or musical revue. | 1952 | Go To Quotation |
| Rexist | A supporter of Rexism, a right-wing political movement established in Belgium in 1935 (see Rexism n.). | 1936 | Go To Quotation |
| rhythmicity | Rhythmic quality or character; the capacity for maintaining a rhythm. | 1888 | Go To Quotation |
| rial | The monetary unit of Iran, introduced in 1930 and equal to one hundred dinars. | 1930 | Go To Quotation |
| river digger | A person who prospects for diamonds or gold at a river digging. | 1806 | Go To Quotation |
| Rivieran | Of, relating to, or characteristic of the (French) Riviera. | 1873 | Go To Quotation |
| robug | (The name of) a small insect-like robot capable of movement over uneven or vertical surfaces. | 1989 | Go To Quotation |
| roman policier | A detective novel. Also (occas.) in extended use. | 1896 | Go To Quotation |
| rondeur | In pl. Rounded forms or lines; spec. the curves of the female body. | 1923 | Go To Quotation |
| Roriz | A variety of port produced on the Roriz estate. | 1817 | Go To Quotation |
| rotavate | trans. To break up (soil, etc.) with a Rotavator; to work (a substance) into the soil by means of a Rotavator. Also intr. | 1950 | Go To Quotation |
| rubber stamping | The action of marking or endorsing something with a rubber stamp; (also) the imprint of a rubber stamp. | 1903 | Go To Quotation |
| Russellite | An adherent or advocate of the politics of Thomas Wallace Russell, esp. in relation to his support for land reform in Ireland. | 1902 | Go To Quotation |
| sab | A hunt saboteur. See also hunt sab n. at hunt n. Additions. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| sacerdotalize | trans. To make subservient to sacerdotalism. | 1899 | Go To Quotation |
| salufer | Silicofluoride of sodium, used as an antiseptic. | 1894 | Go To Quotation |
| samlor | Chiefly in Thailand, a three-wheeled vehicle, freq. motorized, used as a taxi. | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| Samuelite | A supporter of Sir Herbert Samuel; used spec. to designate a member of the official… | 1931 | Go To Quotation |
| Sarah | Name given to a portable radio transmitter used by wrecked airmen to signal their… | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| satelloid | A craft designed to follow approximately a free-fall orbit, but to expend power to… | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| saza | In Uganda: an administrative area; a county. | 1950 | Go To Quotation |
| Schutzstaffel | The internal security force of the Nazis in Germany, more usually known by its initials… | 1930 | Go To Quotation |
| scientifico- | used as comb. form of scientific adj., in hyphened nonce-formations with adjs.… | 1882 | Go To Quotation |
| self-cancelling | In technical use: designed to stop working automatically when no longer required; applied… | 1935 | Go To Quotation |
| semifreddo | A type of Italian dessert made in a similar way to ice cream, but which is not fully… | 1973 | Go To Quotation |
| sexennate | A period of six years. Chiefly (with capital initial) with reference to a German… | 1898 | Go To Quotation |
| sextet | Music. A composition for six voices or instruments; = sestet n. 1. | 1791 | Go To Quotation |
| shafty | Of wool: ‘having a close, compact, free, long, and strong staple’ (Webster 1911). | 1891 | Go To Quotation |
| shambolic | Chaotic, disorderly, undisciplined. | 1970 | Go To Quotation |
| Shavian | Pertaining to, characteristic of, or resembling G. B. Shaw or his works or opinions. | 1904 | Go To Quotation |
| shelver | One who shelves or puts aside. | 1881 | Go To Quotation |
| signal post | A pole from which signals are made, esp. on a railway by means of semaphore arms. Also fig. | 1804 | Go To Quotation |
| Skylon | The name of a spindle-shaped filigree spire, illuminated at night, forming a prominent… | 1950 | Go To Quotation |
| snift | (See quot. 1890 and snifting n.) | 1890 | Go To Quotation |
| sniggery | Characterized by sniggering; prone to or liable to cause sniggering; hence, immature, prurient. | 1960 | Go To Quotation |
| socialistic | Of, relating to, or characteristic of socialism or socialists. | 1848 | Go To Quotation |
| sol | A solar day on the planet Mars (24 hours 39 minutes). | 1976 | Go To Quotation |
| son et lumière | A form of entertainment using recorded sound and lighting effects, usu. presented at night… | 1957 | Go To Quotation |
| Soviet | In the U.S.S.R.: one of a number of elected councils which operated at all levels… | 1917 | Go To Quotation |
| spacearium | A theatre with a large concave screen on which scenes of outer space are projected; spec.… | 1962 | Go To Quotation |
| splodgily | In a splodgy manner. Also fig. | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| Srimati | As a title of courtesy prefixed to a woman's name: Mrs, Ms. | 1889 | Go To Quotation |
| staff | trans. To provide with a staff of officers, teachers, servants, etc. | 1859 | Go To Quotation |
| steepler | = skyer n., esp. one from which the batsman is caught out. | 1959 | Go To Quotation |
| Stickie | A member of the official I.R.A. or Sinn Fein. Usu. in pl. See also Stick n. | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| stop-gap | trans. To fill, fix, or attend to using a stopgap. | 1918 | Go To Quotation |
| St. Trinian's | The name of a girls' school invented by the cartoonist Ronald Searle (1920 – 2011) in… | 1958 | Go To Quotation |
| Sturmabteilung | A paramilitary force forming part of the German National Socialist Party, founded in… | 1923 | Go To Quotation |
| superannuable | Of a post or salary: that entitles the holder to a pension or superannuation, or from… | 1937 | Go To Quotation |
| supergrass | A police informer who informs on a large number of individuals or whose information is of exceptional value. | 1975 | Go To Quotation |
| Swadeshi | Used chiefly attrib. to designate an Indian nationalist movement originating in… | 1905 | Go To Quotation |
| swag bag | A bag used to carry stolen goods or loot. | 1860 | Go To Quotation |
| swagger- | an officer's cane or stick; the short cane or stick carried by soldiers when walking out. | 1887 | Go To Quotation |
| switch-off | The turning off of an (electrical) power supply, television set, etc., by means of a switch. Also attrib. and transf. | 1947 | Go To Quotation |
| tacan | A navigational aid system for aircraft which measures bearing and distance from a ground beacon. Freq. attrib. | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| Tafelwein | Wine of less than middle quality, suitable for drinking with an ordinary meal; = table wine n.… | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| Taffia | Any supposed network of prominent or influential Welsh people, esp. one which is strongly nationalistic. (Humorous.) | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| telecommunication | Communication over long distances, esp. by electrical means such as by telegraphy… | 1932 | Go To Quotation |
| thali | In India, a metal platter or flat dish on which food is served; a meal served on it. | 1969 | Go To Quotation |
| Third Reich | The German state under the rule of Hitler and the Nazi party, 1933 – 45; the regime of Hitler. | 1930 | Go To Quotation |
| tolley | = taw n. a. | 1970 | Go To Quotation |
| Toronto blessing | With the. A manifestation of religious ecstasy, characterized by mass… | 1994 | Go To Quotation |
| Tour de France | The name of an annual cycling stage race on the public roads of France (with some… | 1922 | Go To Quotation |
| trey | app. To divide or deal (a pack of cards) into three heaps in order to separate the suits… | 1888 | Go To Quotation |
| tri-motored | Of an aeroplane: fitted with three engines. | 1927 | Go To Quotation |
| triphibious | Capable of living or operating on land, on water, and in the air; spec. of or… | 1941 | Go To Quotation |
| try-hard | A person who tries very hard; (in later use usually) a person regarded as trying too… | 1922 | Go To Quotation |
| unattributively | Not attributively; without an attributed or acknowledged source. | 1985 | Go To Quotation |
| unbargained | (un- prefix 8.) | 1839 | Go To Quotation |
| uninjuriously | (un- prefix 11.) | 1881 | Go To Quotation |
| unsinkability | (un- prefix 12. Cf. unsinkable adj.) | 1865 | Go To Quotation |
| unsprayed | Not sprayed with a chemical. | 1894 | Go To Quotation |
| uomo universale | A man who excels in the major fields of learning and action. Cf. Renaissance man n. at Renaissance n. 2. | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| Ustashi | With pl. concord. (Members of) a party and separatist movement of Croatians; the… | 1932 | Go To Quotation |
| velodrome | A special place or building in which exhibitions of cycle-riding, cycle or motor races, etc., are held. | 1902 | Go To Quotation |
| videotext | Any information system in which a television is used to display alphanumeric… | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| videshi | In India: foreign; coming from a country other than India. Cf. desi adj., Swadeshi n. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| violatory | = violative adj. | 1802 | Go To Quotation |
| vivisector | One who vivisects or practises vivisection. | 1863 | Go To Quotation |
| Volga | The name of a Russian river used attrib. in Volga German n. a member of an ethnic… | 1941 | Go To Quotation |
| vorlaufer | A skier who travels a course before a race in order to establish a standard by which the competitors are marked. | 1961 | Go To Quotation |
| washeteria | = launderette n. | 1959 | Go To Quotation |
| Webernesque | Characteristic of the music of Webern. | 1961 | Go To Quotation |
| wedeln | intr. To use the wedeln technique in skiing. Also transf. in Skateboarding. | 1961 | Go To Quotation |
| won | The basic monetary unit of (North and South) Korea. | 1950 | Go To Quotation |
| wrap-over | Part of something, usu. a garment, that overlaps another part of itself. | 1935 | Go To Quotation |
| yips | A state of nervousness which causes a player to miss an easy putt in a competition. Usu. with the. | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| youngstock | Young (domestic) animals. | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| Zaghlulist | An adherent or supporter of the nationalist and separatist principles and policies of Zaghlūl Sa‘d. | 1921 | Go To Quotation |
| Zinoviev | a letter published in the press in 1924 as having been sent by Zinoviev, a Russian… | 1924 | Go To Quotation |
