abbey

n. the group of buildings which collectively form the dwelling-place of a society of monks or nuns.
Show examples and contexts 
absolution

n. act of absolving or the state of being absolved; formal remission of sin imparted by a priest
Show examples and contexts 
absorption

n. process of absorbing nutrients into the body after digestion; state of mental concentration
Show examples and contexts 
academic

a. related to school; not practical or directly useful; relating to scholarly organization; based on formal education
Show examples and contexts 
accordion

n. a portable box-shaped free-reed instrument; reeds that are made to vibrate by air from the bellows controlled by the player
Show examples and contexts 
acid

n. sour; water-soluble compounds having a sour taste; quality of being sarcastic, bitter, or scornful
Show examples and contexts 
aerostatics

n. the branch of pneumatics that treats of the equilibrium, pressure, and mechanical properties.
Show examples and contexts 
aggrandize

v. increase scope of; extend; intensify; make greater in power, influence, stature, or reputation
Show examples and contexts 
albino

n. a person with milky white skin and hair, and eyes with bright red pupil and usually pink iris.
Show examples and contexts 
album

n. a list of names; a register for visitors; a blank book, in which to insert autographs sketches, memorial writing of friends, photographs
Show examples and contexts 
alderman

n. a member of a municipal legislative body, who usually exercises also certain judicial functions.
Show examples and contexts 
alienate

v. cause to become unfriendly or hostile; transfer property or ownership; isolate or dissociate emotionally
Show examples and contexts 
alkali

n. soda ash; caustic soda, caustic potash; one of a class of caustic bases, such as soda, potash, and ammonia
Show examples and contexts 
allegory

n. symbolic representation of abstract ideas or principles in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form
Show examples and contexts 
alley

n. narrow passage, especially a walk or passage in a garden or park, bordered by rows of trees or bushes
Show examples and contexts 
alliance

n. state of being allied; act of allying or uniting; a union or connection of interests between families, states, parties
Show examples and contexts 
allot

v. parcel out in parts or portions; distribute to each individual concerned; assign as a share or lot
Show examples and contexts 
almanac

n. a series of tables giving the days of the week together with certain astronomical information.
Show examples and contexts 
ambulance

n. field hospital organized as to follow an army in its movements; wagon for conveying the wounded to hospital
Show examples and contexts 
ambush

n. disposition or arrangement of troops for attacking an enemy unexpectedly from a concealed station
Show examples and contexts 
amenable

a. responsive to advice or suggestion; responsible to higher authority; willing to comply with; agreeable
Show examples and contexts 
anecdote

n. short account of amusing or interesting event; short narrative; secret story of history or biography
Show examples and contexts 
anemia

n. condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles; deficiency of red blood cells; lack of vitality
Show examples and contexts 
anesthetic

n. substance that causes loss of sensation; producing temporary loss or impairment of feeling
Show examples and contexts 
annuity

n. annual payment of allowance or income; periodical payment, amounting to a fixed sum in each year
Show examples and contexts 
antarctic

a. opposite to the northern or arctic pole; relating to the southern pole or to the region near it
Show examples and contexts 
antecedent

n. one who or that which precedes or goes before, as in time, place, rank, order, or causality.
Show examples and contexts 
anticlimax

n. letdown in thought or emotion; decline viewed in disappointing contrast with previous rise
Show examples and contexts 
antiseptic

n. substance that prevents infection; substance that restricts the growth of disease-causing microorganisms
Show examples and contexts 
antistrophe

n. the inversion of terms in successive classes, as in "the home of joy and the joy of home".
Show examples and contexts 
apology

n. acknowledgment expressing regret or asking pardon for a fault or offense; explanation or excuse
Show examples and contexts 
appertain

v. to belong, as by right, fitness, association, classification, possession, or natural relation.
Show examples and contexts 
arcade

n. covered passageway, usually lined with shops; simple arched opening in a wall; vault or vaulted place
Show examples and contexts 
archbishop

n. the chief of the bishops of an ecclesiastical province in the greek, roman, and anglican church.
Show examples and contexts 
assassinate

v. to kill, as by surprise or secret assault, especially the killing of some eminent person.
Show examples and contexts 
assassination

n. act of assassinating; killing by treacherous violence; murder of public figure by surprise attack
Show examples and contexts 
assignee

n. one who is appointed to act for another in the management of certain property and interests.
Show examples and contexts 
aurora

n. the first light of day; an atmospheric phenomenon consisting of bands of light caused by charged solar particles following the earth's magnetic lines of force
Show examples and contexts 
baton

n. staff or truncheon for various purposes, as one of a conductor in musical performances, one transferred by runners in a relay race
Show examples and contexts 
bibliography

n. list of works of a specific author or publisher; list of writings relating to a given subject
Show examples and contexts 
blemish

v. mark with deformity; injure or impair, as anything which is excellent; make defective, either the body or mind
Show examples and contexts 
borough

n. incorporated town that is not a city; association of men who gave pledges to the king for the good behavior of each other
Show examples and contexts 
botany

n. science which treats of the structure of plants, the functions of their parts, their places of growth, their classification
Show examples and contexts 
buffoon

n. one who makes a practice of amusing others by low tricks, antic gestures; droll; mimic; clown
Show examples and contexts 
buffoonery

n. clowning; arts and practices of buffoon, as low jests, ridiculous pranks, vulgar tricks and postures
Show examples and contexts 
cabinet

n. group of persons appointed by a head of state or a prime minister; hut; cottage; small house; small room; closet
Show examples and contexts 
calorie

n. unit of heat; unit of heat equal to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree
Show examples and contexts 
cameo

n. piece of jewelry; a small scale used as a jewel for adornment; famous actor's special appearance in a minor role in film
Show examples and contexts 
canaanite

n. a member of one of the three tribes that dwelt in the land of canaan, or western palestine.
Show examples and contexts 
canon

n. law or rule; decision, regulation, code, or constitution made by authority; books of the Bible officially accepted; a group of literary works
Show examples and contexts 
cat-o-nine-tails

n. an instrument consisting of nine pieces of cord, formerly used for flogging in the army and navy.
Show examples and contexts 
censorious

a. critical; addicted to censure; severe in making remarks on others, or on their writings or manners; implying or expressing censure
Show examples and contexts 
characteristic

n. feature that helps to identify, tell apart, or describe recognizably; a distinguishing mark or trait
Show examples and contexts 
clamorous

a. speaking and repeating loud words; full of clamor; calling or demanding loudly or urgently; vociferous; noisy; bawling; loud
Show examples and contexts 
clan

n. faction; tribe; division of a tribe tracing descent from a common ancestor; a large group of relatives
Show examples and contexts 
cognate

a. related by blood; having common ancestor; related or analogous in nature, character, or function
Show examples and contexts 
colloquialism

n. colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech
Show examples and contexts 
commentary

n. written explanation or criticism or illustration that is added to a book or other textual material
Show examples and contexts 
commissariat

n. the department of an army charged with the provision of its food and water and daily needs.
Show examples and contexts 
commute

v. obtain or bargain for exemption or substitution; travel regularly from a place of residence to another place
Show examples and contexts 
complex

a. complicated in structure; a whole structure, as a building, made up of interconnected or related structures
Show examples and contexts 
complication

n. complexity; intricacy; any disease or disorder that occurs during the course of another disease
Show examples and contexts 
complicity

n. participation; involvement as partner or accomplice, especially in crime or other wrongdoing
Show examples and contexts 
compulsion

n. act of compelling, or the state of being compelled; act of driving or urging by force or by physical or moral constraint
Show examples and contexts 
conceive

v. form or develop in the mind; devise; become pregnant with; begin or originate in a specific way
Show examples and contexts 
concussion

n. shaking or agitation; shock; injury to an organ, especially the brain, produced by a violent blow
Show examples and contexts 
conjugal

a. belonging to marriage; suitable or appropriate to the marriage state or to married persons; matrimonial
Show examples and contexts 
conscience

n. motivation deriving logically from ethical or moral principles; source of moral or ethical judgment
Show examples and contexts 
conservatism

n. a political or theological orientation advocating the preservation of the best in society and opposing radical changes
Show examples and contexts 
consign

v. give, transfer, or deliver in a formal manner, as if by signing over into the possession of another
Show examples and contexts 
conspire

v. make a secret agreement, to do some act, as to commit treason or a crime, or to do some unlawful deed; plot together
Show examples and contexts 
contradiction

n. assertion of contrary; denial of the truth of a statement or assertion; opposition, whether by argument or conduct
Show examples and contexts 
contrivance

n. the act planning, devising, inventing, or adapting something to or for a special purpose.
Show examples and contexts 
convalescence

n. the state of progressive restoration to health and strength after the cessation of disease.
Show examples and contexts 