Useful Dictionary of English
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Martin Manser
Martin Manser is a professional writer and researcher. He is responsible for ‘The Penguin Wordmaster’ and ‘The Guinness Book of Words’.
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Useful Dictionary of English - Martin Manser
USEFUL DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH
Aa
a
indefinite article, used before
consonant sounds
aback
(taken aback)
startled
abandon
to give up; to forsake
abandonment
abbreviate
to make shorter
abbreviating abbreviation
ability
skill or power to do something
abilities
able
with the skill or power to do
something
abler ablest ably
abnormal
different from the normal
abnormality abnormalities
abolish
to do away with
abolishes abolition
abortion
removal or expulsion of a foetus from
the womb
abort abortive
about
concerning; near; around;
approximately
above
at a higher or greater point
abroad
in or to a foreign country
absent
not present; away from
absence absentee
absolute
complete; perfect; unlimited
absolutely
absorb
to take in; to suck up
absorbent absorption
abstract
not material; not depicting a person
or object; summary
abstraction
abuse
to use wrongly or improperly; to treat
cruelly; to insult; insulting language
abusive
academic
theoretical; scholarly
academically
academy
institution; school
academies
accelerate
to increase speed
accelerating acceleration accelerator
accent
distinctive pronunciation; emphasis;
written mark
accentuate
accept
to receive; to agree to
acceptability acceptable acceptably
acceptance
access
right to approach or use
accesses accessibility accessible
accessory
useful additional part
accessories
accident
unexpected chance event
accidental
accommodate
to provide with lodging;
to do a favour for
accommodating accommodation
accompany
to go along with; to play a supporting
musical part
accompanied accompanies
accompaniment accompanying
according
in relation (to); as said or shown by
accordingly
account
statement of finances; (to give a)
description or explanation
accountability accountable
accountancy accountant
accumulate
to collect; to gather together
accumulating accumulation
accurate
correct; exact
accuracy
accuse
to charge someone with a particular
crime
accusation accuser accusing
ache
(to suffer from a) continuous
dull pain
aching
achieve
to succeed in doing
achievement achiever achieving
acid
sour; chemical compound
acidity
acknowledge
to admit; to recognize
acknowledgement or
acknowledgment acknowledging
acquaint
to make familiar (with)
acquaintance
acquire
to gain possession of
acquiring acquisition acquisitive
acre
unit of area, 4840 square yards
acreage
across
from one side to the other of;
on the other side of
act
deed; statute; main division of
a play; to do something; to perform
a part in a play, etc.
action
process of doing something; lawsuit
active
functioning; energetic
activity activities
actor (fem. actress)
person who acts in a play,
film, etc.
actresses
actual
real
actually
adapt
to make suitable; to modify
to fit
adaptability adaptable adaptation
adapter or adaptor
add
to combine numbers into a total;
to join
addition
adding
additional additive
address
written description of where
a building is; to speak to
addresses addressee
adequate
sufficient; just satisfactory
adequacy
adjective
word used to describe a noun
adjourn
to postpone temporarily
adjournment
adjust
to change slightly; to adapt
administer
to direct, manage,
or control; to dispense or give
administration administrative
administrator
admire
to regard with great respect
admiring
admission
(charge for) admitting; confession
admit
to allow to enter;
to acknowledge
admittance admitted admitting
adolescence
period between puberty and maturity
adolescent
adopt
to take, esp. a child,
as one’s own
adoption adoptive
adult
fully-developed and mature person
adulthood
advance
to go forwards
advancing
advantage
favourable position; gain, or benefit
advantageous
adventure
exciting or risky event, undertaking,
etc.
adventurer adventurous
adverb
word describing how, when, where,
etc., something is done
advertise
to present to the public in order
to promote sales
advertisement advertiser advertising
advice
recommendation
on action
or behaviour
advise
to give advice to;
to inform
advisable adviser or advisor advising
advisory
advocate
person who speaks for another;
supporter;
to recommend
advocating
aerial
of, in, or from the air; rod or rods for
transmitting or receiving radio waves
aeroplane
(US airplane)
aircraft
aerosol
(suspension of) fine particles sprayed
from a pressurized container
affair
matter or concern; event; extramarital
sexual relationship
affect
to influence; to move emotionally
affection
fondness
affectionate
afford
to have enough to be able to buy or
do something
afraid
frightened; sorry
after
following in time
or space;
in the same way as
afterwards
afternoon
period between noon and evening
again
once more; further
against
opposing; in contact with;
in preparation for
age
length of time a person or thing has
existed;
to grow old
aged ageing or aging ageism
agency
business providing
a service; means
agencies
agenda
list of things to be considered
agent
person who acts for someone else;
something that produces an effect
aggravate
to make worse; (informal)
to annoy
aggravating aggravation
aggression
unprovoked attack
aggressive aggressor
agitate
to disturb or excite
agitating agitation agitator
ago
in the past
agony
extreme pain
agonies agonize or agonise
agree
to share the same opinion;
to assent (to);
to suit the health of
agreeable agreed agreeing
agreement
ahead
in front; in the future
aid
(to give) help
aim
to pointât; purpose
air
mixture of gases; manner; quality
aircraft
vehicle that flies through the air
airline
company that provides air travel
airport
place where aircraft land and take off
aisle
passageway between seats
alarm
(to give a) warning signal; to frighten
album
book for collection of stamps,
photographs, etc.; long-playing record
alcohol
clear intoxicating liquid
alcoholic alcoholism
alert
watchful; to warn
alibi
evidence of being somewhere else
when a crime was committed; excuse
alibis
alien
foreign; not natural (to)
alienate
alight¹
to come down from
alight²
on fire
alike
similar
alive
living; aware of
all
whole amount of; wholly
allege
to state without proof
allegation allegedly alleging
alley
narrow passage
alleys
alliance
union or association
allocate
to assign for a particular purpose
allocating allocation
allow
to permit
allowance
ally
to join with; country or ruler
supporting another; supporter
allies allied allying
almost
very nearly
alone
apart from others
along
over the length of; onwards;
accompanying
alongside
aloud
loud enough to be heard
alphabet
set of letters in a writing system
alphabetical
already
by or before a particular time
also
besides
alter
to change
alteration
alternate
(to occur) in turns; every other
alternating alternation alternator
alternative
giving or of a choice; possible choice
alternatively
although
even though
altogether
with everything considered; completely
always
at all times
am
1st person singular of present tense
of be
amateur
not professional
or expert
amateurish
amaze
to fill with wonder or surprise
amazing
ambassador
diplomatic representative to another
country
ambiguous
having two or more possible
meanings; doubtful
ambiguity ambiguities
ambition
strong desire for success
ambitious
ambulance
vehicle for transporting the sick and
injured
amend
to change formally;
to improve
amendment
amid
in the middle of
amidst
among or amongst
in the middle of; between
amount
(to) total
amphibian
animal that can live
on land
or in water
amphibious
ample
plentiful;
large
amply
amplify
to make stronger
or louder;
to expand on
amplification amplified amplifier
amplifies amplifying
amuse
to entertain;
to cause to laugh
amusing
an
indefinite article, used before vowel
sounds
anaesthesia
(US anesthesia)
loss of ability to feel, esp. pain
anaesthetic (US anesthetic)
anaesthetist (US anesthetist)
anaesthetize or anaesthetise (US anesthetize)
analyse (US analyze)
to examine in detail
analysing (US analyzing)
analysis
act or result of analysing
analyses analyst analytic analytical
analytically
anatomy
study of the structure of organisms
anatomic anatomical anatomically
anatomist
ancestor (fem. ancestress)
person from whom another is
descended
ancestral ancestry
anchor
device that holds a ship firmly
to the sea-bed
anchorage
ancient
very old
and
in addition; also
angel
divine messenger
angelic angelically
anger
great annoyance
angle
space between lines extending from a
common point
angry
very annoyed
angrier angriest angrily angriness
animal
living creature able to feel and move
ankle
joint connecting the foot
and leg
anniversary
date each year on which an event is
celebrated
anniversaries
announce
to make known publicly
announcement announcer
announcing
annoy
to irritate or harass
annoyance
annual
yearly annually
anonymous
by an unknown or unnamed author
anonymity
anorak
hooded waterproof jacket
another
additional or different
(person or thing)
answer
(to) reply; to take responsibility (for)
ant
kind of small insect
antibiotic
(substance) used to treat infection
with bacteria
anticipate
to expect; to see in advance and
prepare for
anticipating anticipation
antique
very old; old sought-after object
antiquate antiquity antiquities
antiseptic
(substance) that stops growth
of bacteria
anxiety
fear and worry
anxieties anxious
any
some; every
anybody
any person
anyhow
in any case; carelessly
anyone
anybody
anything
any object, event, etc.
anyway
in any case
anywhere
in, at, or to any place
apart
distant; separate
apartment
single room;
set of rooms;
(US) flat
ape
tailless monkey;
to imitate
aping
apologetic
being or saying sorry
apologetically
apologize or apologise
to say one is sorry
apologizing or apologising
apology
expression of regret
apologies
apostrophe
punctuation mark
appal (US appall)
to fill with horror, dismay, or shock
appalled appalling
apparent
clearly seen or understood
apparently
appeal
(to) request; to be attractive (to)
appear
to come into sight
appearance
appendix
additional material at the end of a
book; short, closed tube extending
from large intestine
appendices or appendixes
appetite
desire, esp. for food
appetizer or appetiser appetizing or
appetising
applaud
to show approval by clapping
the hands
applause
apple
round edible fruit
apply
to put to use; to put into contact with;
to request
applicable applicant application
applied applies applying
appoint
to choose,
esp. to do a job
appointee appointment
appraise
to assess the worth
or quality of someone
or something
appraisal
appreciate
to be grateful for;
to recognize; to increase in value
appreciable appreciating
appreciation appreciative
approach
to come near or nearer;
method of doing something
approaches
appropriate
suitable; to take for one’s own use
appropriating appropriation
approve
to think favourably of;
to authorize
approval approving
approximate
nearly accurate or exact
approximation
apricot
round, orange-yellow fruit
April
4th month of the year
apron
protective garment; hard-surfaced
area by airport terminal
apt
likely (to); suitable; clever
aptitude
aquarium
tank or pool in which fish, plants, etc.,
are kept
aquariums or aquaria
aquatic
living or found in water
arbitrary
chosen randomly and without reason
arbitrarily arbitrariness
arcade
covered passage;
line of arches
arch
(to make into a) curved structure
or shape
archaeology
(US archeology)
study of material remains of ancient
human life
archaeological
(US archeological) archaeologist
(US archeologist)
archaic
of a remote period;
no longer used
architecture
science of designing buildings
architect architectural
archives
(place for storing) official records
archival archivist
are
plural of present
tense of be
area
extent or expanse;
region or field
arena
enclosed area for
sports events
arenas
aren’t
(informal) are not
argue
to quarrel; to present reasons for or
against something
arguable arguably arguing
argument
quarrel; reasons for or against
something
argumentative
arise
to come into being
arisen arising arose
aristocracy
(government by the) privileged noble
class
aristocracies aristocrat aristocratic
aristocratically
arithmetic
branch of mathematics dealing with
numbers
arithmetical
arm¹
upper human limb
arm²
(to equip with a) weapon
armament
armour (US armor)
(to provide with a) defensive covering
armoured (US armored) armourer
(US armorer) armoury (US armory)
armouries (US armories)
army
military land forces
of a country
armies
arose
past tense of arise
around
on all sides (of); approximately
arouse
to stimulate; to wake
arousal arousing
arrange
to put in order; to make plans for
arrangement arranging
arrest
to place in legal custody; to stop
arrive
to come to a destination
arrival arriving
arrogant
behaving in an aggressively proud
way
arrogance
arrow
slender pointed weapon shot from
a bow
art
skill; creative ability; painting,
sculpture, etc.
artefact or artifact
man-made object
article
item or object; non-fiction writing
in a newspaper
artificial
not natural; made by human skill
artificiality
artist
person who creates paintings, etc.
artistic artistically artistry
as
in or to the same degree or manner;
like; in the role of; because
ash¹
powder remaining after a fire
ashes ashen
ash²
tree of the olive family
ashamed
feeling shame
ashore
on or to land from water
aside
on orto one side
ask
to put a question to
asleep
sleeping
aspect
feature or appearance
aspirin
pain-relieving drug or tablet
assassin
someone who kills a famous person,
esp. for political reasons
assassinate assassinating
assassination
assault
(to make a) violent attack
assemble
to bring, come, or join together
assembling assembly assemblies
assert
to declare
assertion assertive
assess
to estimate or determine a value
or amount
assesses assessment assessor
asset
valuable thing, quality, or person
assign
to choose or designate
assignation assignment
assimilate
to absorb
assimilating assimilation
assist
to help
assistance assistant
associate
to join or link; partner
or colleague
associating association
assume
to suppose; to undertake
assuming assumption
assure
to make confident;
to promise; to insure
assurance assuring
astonish
to surprise greatly
astonishes astonishment
astrology
study of the influence of planets, etc.,
on human affairs
astrologer astrological
astronomy
study of stars and planets
astronomer astronomical
at
used to show position
ate
past tense of eat
athlete
person trained to compete
in exercises
or sports
athletic athletically athleticism
athletics
atmosphere
air; environment or influence
atmospheric
atom
smallest particle of an element that
takes part in chemical reactions
atomic
attach
to join or fasten
attaches attachment
attack
to act forcefully against; to start
energetically on; strong hostile
attempt
attempt
(to make an) effort
attend
to be present at;
to take care of
attendance attendant
attention
concentrated thought; awareness
attentive
attitude
mental position
attorney
person who has legal authority to act
for another
attract
to be pleasing or desirable to; to pull
or draw towards oneself
attraction attractive
attribute
to regard as due or belonging (to);
quality
attributable attributing attribution
auction
public sale of goods or property to
the highest bidder
auctioneer
audible
loud enough to be heard
audibility audibly
audience
group of people at a performance;
formal interview
audio
(relating to) recorded sound
August
8th month of the year
aunt
sister of one’s mother
or father; uncle’s wife
(informal) auntie or aunty aunties
author
writer of a book, play, etc.
authorial authorship
authority
(person or organization that has the)
power or right to influence or control
authorities authoritarian authoritative
authorize or authorise
to give authority to;
to allow
authorization or authorisation
authorizing or authorising
automatic
working by itself; independent
automatically
autumn
season between summer and winter
autumnal
auxiliary
additional; (person or thing)