Coercion

Noun

1. forcing of somebody to do something: the use of force or threats to make somebody do something against his or her will 2. force used to compel somebody: force or threats used to make somebody do something against his or her will

-coercionary, adjective -coercionist, noun adjective Curator (plural curators)

Noun

1. head of museum or other collection: the administrative head of a museum, gallery, or other collection 2. exhibition organizer: somebody who organizes and chooses the items in an exhibition at a museum or gallery

-curatorial, adjective -curatorship, noun Lunge noun (plural lunges)

1. sudden forward movement: a sudden strong attacking movement forward 2. quick thrust in fencing: in fencing, a sudden thrust made at an opponent

intransitive verb (past and past participle lunged, present participle lunging, 3rd person present singular lunges)
1. move suddenly forward threateningly: to make a sudden attacking movement, thrusting forward 2. make quick thrust in fencing: in fencing, to execute a sudden thrust at an opponent, especially with the sword or epee extended parallel to the floor

Gild (past and past participle gilded, present participle gilding, 3rd person present singular gilds)

transitive verb

1. cover something with gold: to cover something with a thin layer of gold leaf or a substance that looks like gold 2. make something seem better: to make something seem better than it really is 3. color something gold: to give a golden color or tinge to something (literary)

-gilder, noun

Parquet noun (plural parquets)

1. decorative wooden flooring: flooring consisting of blocks of wood laid in a decorative pattern 2. U.S. Same as orchestra

transitive verb (past and past participle parqueted, present participle parquetting, 3rd person present singular parquets)
cover floor with parquet: to cover a floor in parquet

Albino (plural albinos) Noun

1. person or animal lacking pigmentation: a person or animal whose skin and hair lack pigmentation and whose irises are pink because of a hereditary condition albinism 2. plant lacking coloration: a plant that lacks pigmentation in its coloration because of a hereditary condition albinism

Glint

intransitive verb (past and past participle glinted, present participle glinting, 3rd person present singular glints)
flash briefly: to gleam or flash, especially brightly or momentarily Anger glinted in her eyes.

noun (plural glints)

1. brief flash: a slight or momentary gleam or flash a glint of daylight through the curtains 2. slight indication: a slight indication of something a glint of humor in his eyes 3. shininess: a shiny or glossy appearance

Seep intransitive verb (past and past participle seeped, present participle seeping, 3rd person present singular seeps)
1. pass through: to pass or escape through an opening very slowly and in small quantities (refers to liquids or gases) water seeping out of the cracks 2. disappear: to diminish slowly but steadily with her resistance gradually seeping away 3. go slowly: to enter or escape slowly but inexorably new sensations seeping into his consciousness

Opulent

Adjective
1. lavish: characterized by an obvious or lavish display of wealth or affluence 2. ample: in richly abundant supply

-opulence, noun -opulently, adverb Fumble verb (past and past participle fumbled, present participle fumbling, 3rd person present singular fumbles)
1. transitive and intransitive verb grope clumsily: to grope clumsily in search of something fumbled in his pockets for his keys fumbled her way along the passage 2. intransitive verb hesitate: to act clumsily, hesitantly, or unsuccessfully She fumbled through the introductions. 3. transitive verb bungle something: to do something clumsily or inefficiently This is your last chance, so don't fumble it. 4. transitive and intransitive verb drop or mishandle ball: in sports, to drop or fail to catch a ball

noun (plural fumbles)

1. fumbled action: an act or instance of fumbling 2. fumbled ball: in sports, a ball that is dropped or mishandled

Squint verb (past and past participle squinted, present participle squinting, 3rd person present singular squints)
1. intransitive verb partly close eyes: to half-close the eyes so as to see better a photo of them squinting into the camera in bright sunlight 2. transitive and intransitive verb have eyes not looking in parallel: to have eyes that are not aligned in parallel, or move the eyes so that they are not aligned in parallel 3. intransitive verb glance aside: to glance or look at something sideways 4. intransitive verb U.S. look askance: to regard something with disapproval (disapproving) Congress clearly is squinting at the prospect of increased funding for the program.

noun (plural squints)

1. action of narrowing eyes: the act of narrowing the eyes to try to see better 2. eye condition: a condition in which the eyes are not aligned in parallel, causing a cross-eyed appearance. Technical name strabismus 3. quick glimpse: a quick look or glance at something, often to the side (informal) 4. ARCHITECTURE Same as hagioscope

Adjective

1. cross-eyed: with a squint or a cross-eyed appearance 2. askew: not level or properly aligned (informal)

Fresco noun (plural frescoes or frescos)

1. painting done on fresh plaster: a painting on a wall or ceiling done by rapidly brushing watercolors onto fresh damp or partly dry plaster 2. technique of painting on fresh plaster: the technique or method of painting on fresh plaster

transitive verb (past and past participle frescoed, present participle frescoing, 3rd person present singular frescoes)
paint wall or ceiling with fresco: to paint a fresco on a wall or ceiling

-frescoer, noun -frescoist, noun Colossal

adjective
1. very large: unusually or impressively large a colossal high-rise office building 2. very great: very great or impressive Our opponents made a colossal blunder. 3. SCULPTURE twice life size: describes sculptures that are twice life size. See also heroic (sense 6)

Jacquard (plural jacquards) Noun

1. patterned material: a fabric that has been woven with an intricate pattern 2. weaving technique: a technique for producing intricate patterns in material by means of punched cards that give instructions to use or withhold various colors of thread 3. loom attachment: a loom attachment with punched cards that makes jacquard patterns

Concierge (plural concierges) Noun

1. chief assistant in hotel: somebody who is employed at a hotel or apartment building to help the guests or residents, e.g. by dealing with luggage, making travel arrangements, or delivering messages 2. caretaker of apartment building: especially in France, somebody whose job is to staff or watch the entrance to a large residential building, and who usually also lives on the premises

Intrusion

(plural intrusions)

Noun

1. disturbance: a disturbance of somebody's peace or privacy by an unwelcome arrival or presence 2. something unwelcome: an unwelcome presence or effect that disturbs or upsets something 3. CRIME unlawful entry: an illegal entry into a place, often by force, in order to commit a crime (formal) 4. GEOLOGY intruded rock: a body of igneous rock that has moved while molten into older solid rocks with subsequent alteration of those rocks 5. GEOLOGY movement of molten rock: the movement of molten rock magma into preexisting rock

Tousle

transitive verb (past and past participle tousled, present participle tousling, 3rd person present singular tousles)
tangle hair: to make hair or fur tangled or ruffled

noun (plural tousles)

tangled mass: a tangled mass of something, especially hair or fur

Hazy (comparative hazier, superlative haziest) Adjective

1. visually obscured: unclear, especially because partially obscured or obstructed by mist, cloud, or smoke 2. imprecise: not specific or clearly remembered I have a hazy recollection of having met her. 3. not knowledgeable: showing a lack of understanding or knowledge

-hazily, adverb -haziness, noun Stubble Noun

1. short beard growth: the short spiky growth of beard on a man's face when he has not shaved 2. short stalks in field: short stalks left in the ground after a grain crop has been harvested

-stubbly, adjective Shroud noun (plural shrouds)

1. burial cloth: a cloth in which a dead body is wrapped before burial 2. covering: something that covers or conceals something or somebody 3. protective covering: a protective covering, e.g. a guard for a piece of machinery 4. NAUTICAL mast stay: any one of the supporting ropes or wires that extend down from the top of a mast to the deck 5. AEROSPACE protective covering for spacecraft: a shield that protects a spacecraft from heat during launch

6. AEROSPACE part of airfoil surface: a rearward extension of a fixed airfoil surface covering the leading edge of a movable surface hinged to it 7. CONSTRUCTION cable to stop sway: a supporting cable that extends from the top of a tall structure such as a smokestack to the ground 8. AVIATION parachute line: any one of the lines by which the harness of a parachute is attached to the canopy

transitive verb (past and past participle shrouded, present participle shrouding, 3rd person present singular shrouds)
1. cover or conceal something: to cover or conceal somebody or something 2. wrap corpse: to wrap a dead body in a cloth

verb (past and past participle intrigued, present participle intriguing, 3rd person present singular intrigues)
1. transitive verb interest somebody: to make somebody greatly interested or curious 2. intransitive verb scheme: to scheme or use underhanded methods to achieve something 3. intransitive verb have secret lover: to carry on a secret love affair (archaic)

noun (plural intrigues)

1. secret plotting: secret scheming or plotting 2. secret plot: a secret scheme or plot

-intriguer, noun -intriguing, adjective -intriguingly, adverb Dubious adjective

1. unsure about outcome: not sure about an outcome or conclusion I was a little dubious about whether or not to trust him. 2. possibly dishonest or immoral: likely to be dishonest, untrustworthy, or morally worrisome in some way It's a dubious proposition. 3. of uncertain quality: of uncertain quality, intention, or appropriateness The thesis is based on several dubious assumptions.

-dubiously, adverb -dubiousness, noun Brunt noun

1. main force of something: the main force or effect of something such as a blow or criticism We always had to bear the brunt of her anger. 2. greater burden of something: the greater part or the main burden

Accolade (plural accolades)

Noun
1. sign of praise: a sign or expression of high praise and esteem for somebody 2. public recognition: praise and public recognition of somebody's achievements 3. knighting: the ceremonial bestowal of a knighthood by touching somebody's shoulders with a sword. Knighthood was formerly conferred by an embrace. 4. ARCHITECTURE curved molding: an ornamental molding shaped like a brace

Haunt transitive verb (past and past participle haunted, present participle haunting, 3rd person present singular haunts)
1. discomfit somebody by unpleasant reminders: to cause somebody unease, worry, or regret by continual presence or recurrence in his or her life haunted by doubt 2. visit somewhere continually: to go often to a place 3. PARANORMAL appear to somebody as ghost: to frequent a place or appear to somebody in the form of a ghost or other supposed supernatural being

noun (plural haunts)

1. place somebody often visits: a place that somebody likes and often visits 2. PARANORMAL ghost: a supposed supernatural being or a manifestation of one, especially one associated with a particular place

-haunter, noun Cringe intransitive verb (past and past participle cringed, present participle cringing, 3rd person present singular cringes)
1. crouch or move back suddenly: to pull the head and body quickly away from somebody or something in a frightened or servile way 2. be embarrassed or uncomfortable: to react to something with embarrassment or discomfort, often by physically flinching (informal) We always cringe at his jokes. 3. act humbly: to behave in a very humble or servile way (disapproving)

noun (plural cringes)

frightened or servile movement: a quick pulling away of the head and body from somebody or something in a frightened or servile way

-cringer, noun

Inane adjective

1. silly: irritatingly silly or time-wasting 2. insubstantial: empty, insubstantial, or void

-inanely, adverb -inaneness, noun Conclave (plural conclaves) noun

1. secret meeting: a private gathering of a select group of people, where discussions are kept secret 2. CHRISTIANITY meeting to select pope: the secret meeting at which Roman Catholic cardinals elect a new pope 3. CHRISTIANITY rooms where pope is elected: the private rooms in which the college of Roman Catholic cardinals assembles to elect a new pope

-conclavist, noun Goad transitive verb (past and past participle goaded, present participle goading, 3rd person present singular goads)
1. cause somebody to act: to provoke or incite somebody into action (often passive) 2. prod animal with stick: to prod an animal with a long pointed stick

noun (plural goads)

1. pointed animal prod: a long pointed stick used for prodding cattle and other animals 2. stimulus: something that encourages an activity or process to begin, increase, or develop

Allure noun (plural allures)

highly attractive quality: an attractive or tempting quality They couldn't resist the allure of the big city.

transitive and intransitive verb (past and past participle allured, present participle alluring, 3rd person present singular allures)
attract powerfully: to exert a very powerful and often dangerous attraction on somebody

-allurement, noun Don (past and past participle donned, present participle donning, 3rd person present singular dons) transitive verb
put on: to put on a garment

Rivet noun (plural rivets)

short metal fastener: a fastener with a head attached to a metal shaft that is passed through a hole in a material and flattened on the other side

transitive verb (past and past participle riveted, present participle riveting, 3rd person present singular rivets)
1. firmly fix attention: to fix or direct the attention completely (informal) (often passive) Jurors appeared riveted by the testimony. 2. fasten something with rivet: to fasten something using a rivet or rivets 3. hold somebody's gaze: to attract and hold onto somebody's gaze or attention firmly (informal) "Old Grannis dared not move, but sat rigid, his eyes riveted on his empty soup plate." (FRANK NORRIS McTeague - A Story of San Francisco 1899) 4. fix something firmly: to fix or secure something firmly

votive [vtiv] adjective

1. fulfilling vow: given, done, or offered in fulfillment of an oath or vow a votive offering 2. symbolizing wish: showing or symbolizing a wish or desire a votive prayer

[Late 16th century. < Latin votivus < votum (see vote)] -votively, adverb Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. shaft [shaft] noun (plural shafts)
1. long handle: the long slender handle on various instruments and tools such as golf clubs and hammers

Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. batter [bttr] transitive verb (past and past participle battered, present participle battering, 3rd person present singular batters)
1. hit repeatedly: to hit or beat something repeatedly using heavy blows in order to break, bruise, or damage it 2. subject to attack: to subject somebody to persistent attack or violence 3. damage by heavy blows or wear: to damage or injure something by hard blows or heavy wear (often passive)

noun (plural batters) printing

1. damaged type: a damaged or worn printing type or plate 2. faulty impression: a defective impression produced by a faulty printing plate

[14th century. Via Old French batre < late Latin bat(t)uere "to beat"] -battered, adjective -batterer, noun Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
male sheep: a male sheep 2. battering or crushing device: a device designed to batter, crush, press, or push something, e.g. a projecting

underwater part of a boat's prow or the weight dropped by a pile driver 3. 4.

ENGINEERING

Same as hydraulic ram

BOAT warship with ram: formerly, a warship equipped with a projecting underwater part on the prow that

was designed to make a hole in the hull of an enemy warship

verb (past and past participle rammed, present participle ramming, 3rd person present singular rams)
1. transitive and intransitive verb strike something with great force: to hit or collide with something, with great force or violence, or make something do this I rammed my fist down on the table. 2. transitive verb collide with something deliberately: to collide with another ship or vehicle deliberately in order to sink, disable, or damage it The police car rammed the getaway vehicle and pushed it off the road. 3. transitive verb force something into place: to press, force, or push something into place He quickly rammed another charge down the barrel and took aim. 4. transitive verb U.S. POLITICS force acceptance of something: to force the passage of a bill or acceptance of a suggestion, usually despite strong objection rammed the legislation through Congress 5. transitive verb present something very forcefully: to present something forcefully in order to impress and convince people In a series of high-profile interviews she rammed home her message.

adjective
Caribbean Same as boar

Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. mantle [mnt'l] noun (plural mantles)
1. sleeveless cloak: a loose sleeveless cloak 2. wire mesh for light: a small circle of wire mesh in a gas or oil lamp that gives out incandescent light when heated by the flame it surrounds 3. transferred position: a role or position, especially one that can be passed from one person to another ( formal) assumed the mantle of the presidency 4. covering: something that envelops or covers something else (literary) a mantle of snow 5. ZOOLOGY shell-producing gland: a layer of epidermis in a mollusk or brachiopod with glands that secrete a shellproducing substance 6. GEOLOGY central part of Earth: the part of Earth or another planet that lies between the crust and core 7. bird's back and shoulder: the upper back of a bird, lying between the scapulars 8. ARCHITECTURE Another spelling of mantel

verb (past and past participle mantled, present participle mantling, 3rd person present singular mantles)
1. transitive verb cover something: to cover something with a mantle or something resembling a mantle hilltops mantled with snow 2. intransitive verb to become flushed: to be filled or suffused with something (refers to the face) a stern brow mantled with care

[Pre-12th century. Via Old French mantel < Latin mantellum "cloak"]

Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. (past and past participle defiled, present participle defiling, 3rd person present singular defiles) transitive verb
1. corrupt something: to corrupt or ruin something (formal) 2. damage reputation: to damage somebody's reputation or good name 3. destroy sanctity of something: to make a holy or sacred thing or place no longer fit for ceremonial use 4. pollute something: to make something dirty or polluted (formal) 5. deprive woman of virginity: to be the first man to have sexual intercourse with a woman, usually outside marriage (archaic)

[14th century. Alteration of French defouler "trample" < fouler "trample under foot"] -defilement, noun -defiler, noun Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. loin [loyn] noun (plural loins)
1. ANATOMY back between ribs and hips: the area on each side of the backbone of a human or other animal between the ribs and hips 2. FOOD meat cut from loin of animal: a prime cut of tender meat taken from the backbone and rib area of a pig, lamb, or calf

loins, plural noun

area below waist: the hips and the front of the body below the waist, considered as the part of the body that should be covered and as the site of the sexual organs (literary)

[14th century. Via Old French loigne < Latin lumbus] gird (up) your loins to prepare yourself to do something difficult and challenging Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. swaddle [swdd'l] (past and past participle swaddled, present participle swaddling, 3rd person present singular swaddles) transitive verb
1. wrap somebody in something: to wrap or bandage somebody or something with something 2. wrap baby up tightly: to wrap a baby tightly in soft material 3. smother somebody or something: to restrain somebody or something with a complete wrapping

Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. muffle [mff'l] transitive verb (past and past participle muffled, present participle muffling, 3rd person present singular muffles)
1. wrap something to stifle sound: to wrap or pad something with material in order to deaden the sound it makes 2. make sound less loud: to make a sound quieter or less distinct He put his hands over his ears to muffle the noise of the sirens. 3. prevent something being expressed: to prevent something from being said or written a government that sought to muffle all opposition

4. keep somebody warm: to wrap somebody or a part of somebody's body in a garment or cloth for warmth She muffled herself up in a thick shawl.

noun (plural muffles)

1. something muffling sound: something used to muffle a sound 2. kiln: a kiln in which objects being fired are protected from direct contact with the flames

[15th century. Origin ?] -muffled, adjective Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. thud [thud] noun (plural thuds)
1. dull heavy sound: a loud dull sound made by a heavy object impacting with a surface 2. dull heavy blow: a blow that makes a dull heavy sound

intransitive verb (past and past participle thudded, present participle thudding, 3rd person present singular thuds)
make thud: to make a dull heavy sound

Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. void [voyd] adjective
1. not legally valid: having no legal force declared the will null and void 2. devoid: totally lacking in something (formal) a personality void of all compassion 3. not containing anything: having no contents 4. vacant: not occupied 5. pointless: ineffective or useless 6. CARD GAMES having no cards in suit: lacking any cards in a particular suit in a hand dealt in a card game

noun (plural voids)

1. empty space: a large empty space 2. privation: a state of loss or privation 3. feeling of loss: a feeling of loneliness and emptiness 4. gap: a gap or opening 5. CARD GAMES lack of cards in suit: a complete lack of cards in a particular suit in a hand dealt in a card game a void in spades

verb (past and past participle voided, present participle voiding, 3rd person present singular voids)
1. transitive verb make something legally invalid: to deprive something of legal force 2. transitive verb empty contents of something: to empty out the contents of something, or empty something of its contents 3. transitive and intransitive verb empty bowels or bladder: to empty the bowels or bladder

[13th century. < Old French voide "empty" < assumed Vulgar Latin vocitus, alteration of Latin vocivus]

-voidable, adjective -voider, noun -voidness, noun Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. hew [hyoo] (past hewed, past participle hewn [hyoon] or hewed, present participle hewing, 3rd person present singular hews) verb
1. transitive and intransitive verb cut down or up: to cut, break, or destroy something, especially wood or stone, with a cutting implement, especially an ax 2. transitive verb make something by cutting or carving: to form or create something by cutting wood or stone hewed a path through the forest 3. transitive verb sever something from something else: to cut something off from a larger block or mass

[ Old English hawen < Germanic] -hewer, noun Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. slab [slab] noun (plural slabs)
1. thick piece: a thick flat broad piece of something, especially when cut or trimmed 2. stone base for something: a flat rectangular base or foundation of concrete or stone 3. GEOLOGY sheet of rock: a smooth flat sheet of rock sharply angled to the horizontal 4. waste from log: any large outer section of a log that is sawed off in manufacturing lumber

transitive verb (past and past participle slabbed, present participle slabbing, 3rd person present singular slabs)
1. cover area with slabs: to cover something by laying stone or concrete slabs on it 2. make something into slabs: to cut or make something into slabs 3. trim something by sawing: to saw off the rough outer parts of a log

Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.