English dictionary — definitions & meanings

assassinate

verb

To murder someone, especially a prominent or political figure, typically in a planned or sudden attack.

assassination

noun

The killing of someone, usually a prominent or public figure, carried out deliberately and often for political motives.

assault

noun

A sudden violent attack, whether physical or verbal.

assay

noun

A test that determines the composition or purity of a substance, or the potency of a drug or biological sample.

assemblage

noun

The process of assembling or bringing together.

assemble

verb

To fit or put pieces together to make something whole.

assembler

noun

A program that reads source code written in assembly language and produces executable machine code, possibly together with information needed by linkers, debuggers and other tools.

assembling

noun

The act of gathering people or putting parts together; an assembly.

Assembly

noun

A group of people gathered together for a shared purpose, such as a meeting or ceremony.

assemblyman

noun

A member of a legislative assembly, especially the lower house of certain US state legislatures.

assent

verb

To agree to something, especially a proposal or suggestion.

assert

verb

To state something firmly and confidently, as if it were beyond doubt.

assertative

adj

Serving to assert something.

asserted

adj

Stated firmly or claimed, often without solid proof behind it.

asserting

noun

The act of stating something firmly or claiming a right.

assertion

noun

A firm, confident statement, especially one made without offering proof.

assertive

adj

Confident and direct in stating opinions or defending one's interests, without being aggressive.

assess

verb

To judge or estimate the value, quality, or extent of something.

assessed

verb

Past tense and past participle of assess: judged the nature, quality, size or importance of something after examining it.

assessing

noun

The act of judging or evaluating the value or condition of something.

assessment

noun

A judgment or evaluation of something, or the amount of tax or duty charged.

assessor

noun

A person whose job is to evaluate the value of property, damage, or a claim, especially for tax or insurance purposes.

asset

noun

Something valuable that a person, company, or country owns or controls.

assets

noun

Everything of value that a person or company owns, especially as it relates to paying off debts.

asseverate

verb

To assert earnestly, seriously, and confidently

assfaggot

noun

A term of abuse; one who has anal sex.

asshole

noun

A vulgar term for the anus.

assiduous

adj

Hard-working, diligent or regular (in attendance or work); industrious.

assign

verb

To give a specific task, role, or place to someone.

assignation

noun

An appointment for a meeting, generally of a romantic or sexual nature.

assigned

adj

Given or designated for a particular purpose or person.

assignment

noun

A task given to someone, especially a piece of schoolwork or a work project.

assimilate

verb

To take in and fully understand new information or ideas.

assimilation

noun

The process of taking in and absorbing something, whether ideas, nutrients, or a group of people into a wider culture.

assimilator

noun

A person or thing which assimilates.

Assisi

name

A town in central Italy, birthplace of Saint Francis of Assisi.

assist

verb

To help someone do something.

assistance

noun

Help given to someone, or the act of helping.

assistant

noun

A person who helps someone else with their work.

assisting

noun

Help given to someone; the act of assisting.

assload

noun

An amount carried by an ass (donkey).

associate

verb

To connect one thing or idea with another in your mind.

associated

adj

Connected or linked with something else, such as another person, idea, or company.

association

noun

A group of people organized for a shared purpose, such as a club or professional body.

associative

adj

Pertaining to, resulting from, or characterised by association; capable of associating; tending to associate or unite.

assoil

verb

To absolve or release (someone) from blame or sin; to forgive, to pardon.

assoilment

noun

Act of soiling (defilement)

assonance

noun

The repetition of similar or identical vowel sounds (though with different consonants), usually in literature or poetry.

assort

verb

To sort or arrange according to characteristic or class.

assorted

adj

Made up of various different kinds mixed together.

assortment

noun

A varied collection of related items.

asspussy

noun

The anus, as the receiving orifice in anal sex.

assuage

verb

To make an unpleasant feeling, such as fear, guilt, or grief, less intense.

assuagement

noun

The action of assuaging; appeasement.

assume

verb

To accept something as true without proof.

assumed

adj

Taken as true or accepted without being proven.

assuming

adj

Arrogant or overly confident; taking too much for granted.

assumption

noun

Something accepted as true without proof, or the act of accepting it as true.

assumptive

adj

Held as true or valid without evidence.

assurance

noun

A confident promise or statement meant to remove doubt.

assure

verb

To tell someone something confidently in order to remove their doubt or worry.

assured

adjective

Confident and self-possessed, without any nervousness or doubt.

assuredly

adverb

Without doubt; certainly.

assuredness

noun

The state or quality of being assured.

assuring

adjective

Giving confidence or comfort; reassuring.

asswipe

noun

A vulgar insult for someone considered annoying, worthless, or contemptible.

assy

adj

Characteristic of or like an ass or asshole.

assyth

noun

Compensation for an insult or harm.

Ast

name

A short surname of German origin, also used as an abbreviation in other contexts.

Asta

name

A feminine given name of Scandinavian origin, a short form of names like Astrid.

Astaire

name

A surname best known through American dancer and actor Fred Astaire.

astand

verb

To arise; rise up.

astatine

noun

A highly radioactive chemical element (symbol At), one of the halogens, with atomic number 85.

aster

noun

A garden plant with daisy-like flowers, typically purple, pink, or white, that bloom in late summer and autumn.

asterisk

noun

The star-shaped symbol (*) used in writing to mark a footnote, show an omission, or flag something as an exception.

asterism

noun

An unofficial constellation (small group of stars that forms a visible pattern).

Asterix

name

The title character of a French comic book series about an Ancient Gaulish warrior, created by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo.

astern

adverb

Behind a ship or boat, or moving backward.

asteroid

noun

A rocky body, smaller than a planet, that orbits the sun, mostly found in the belt between Mars and Jupiter.

asthma

noun

A chronic condition in which the airways narrow and swell, causing wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath, often triggered by allergens, cold air, or exercise.

asthmatic

adjective

Relating to or affected by asthma.

Aston

noun

Informal shorthand for a car made by Aston Martin.

astonish

verb

To surprise someone so much that they are left amazed.

astonished

adjective

Filled with great surprise; amazed.

astonishing

adjective

So surprising or impressive that it causes amazement.

astonishingly

adverb

In a way that causes great surprise or amazement.

astonishment

noun

A feeling of great surprise or amazement.

Astor

name

An English surname, made famous by the wealthy Astor family of New York.

Astoria

name

A place name used for several towns in the United States and a neighbourhood of Queens, New York City, most named after John Jacob Astor.

astound

verb

To shock or amaze someone so much that they are left almost speechless.

astounded

adjective

Overwhelmed with shock or amazement.

astounding

adjective

So impressive or surprising that it leaves people stunned.

astraddle

adv

In a straddling position; astride.

astragal

noun

Synonym of anklebone: the bone forming the ball of the ankle joint.

astragalus

noun

Synonym of anklebone.

astral

adjective

Relating to or resembling stars.

astray

adverb

Away from the correct path or intended route.

Astrid

name

A feminine given name of Germanic origin, popular in Scandinavia.

astride

adverb

With one leg on each side of something.

astringe

verb

To constrict, to compress

astringency

noun

The quality of being astringent.

astringent

noun

A liquid or substance applied to the skin to make the tissue contract, reducing oil and tightening pores.

Astro

noun

Informal name for a player on the Houston Astros baseball team.

astrologer

noun

A person who studies or practices astrology, interpreting the positions of stars and planets to predict events or personality traits.

astrological

adjective

Relating to astrology.

astrologist

noun

One who practices astrology; an astrologer.

astrology

noun

The belief system that studies the positions of stars and planets in order to predict human affairs or personality traits.

astrometry

noun

The branch of astronomy that deals with the measurement of the positions and motions of celestial bodies, particularly stars.

astronaut

noun

A person trained to travel and work in a spacecraft beyond Earth’s atmosphere.

astronautics

noun

Navigation through space.

astronomer

noun

A scientist who studies stars, planets, and the wider universe.

astronomic

adj

Pertaining or relating to astronomy.

astronomical

adjective

Relating to astronomy or to space and celestial objects.

astronomically

adv

Of or relating to astronomy.

astronomy

noun

The scientific study of stars, planets, and the wider universe, including their positions, motion, and physical properties.

astrophysicist

noun

A scientist who studies the physical properties and behavior of stars, planets, and other celestial bodies.

astrophysics

noun

The branch of science that applies the laws of physics to study stars, planets, and other objects in space.

astute

adjective

Quick to notice things and judge situations accurately; sharp-witted.

astuteness

noun

The quality of being astute.

Asu

name

A name used for either of two unrelated African languages: a Nupoid language of Nigeria and a Bantu language (also called Pare) of Tanzania.

Asuka

name

A feminine Japanese given name.

asunder

adverb

Torn or broken into separate pieces, especially violently.

Aswell

name

An English surname, a variant of Haswell.

asylum

noun

Protection given by a country to someone fleeing danger or persecution in their own country.

asymmetric

adj

Not symmetric.

asymmetrical

adjective

Not identical or balanced on both sides; lacking symmetry.

asymmetry

noun

An absence of symmetry or proportion between the parts of a thing, or a distinction that produces such a lack of symmetry.

asymptomatic

adjective

Having a disease, infection or condition without showing any of its noticeable signs or feeling unwell.

asynchronicity

noun

The state of being asynchronous.

asynchronous

adjective

Not happening or done at the same time, so that the people involved take part whenever it suits them rather than together in real time.

asynergy

noun

defective or absent coordination between organs, muscles, limbs or joints, resulting in a loss in movement or speed

asynonymous

adj

Synonym of nonsynonymous.

asystole

noun

A medical condition in which the heart stops contracting entirely, showing no electrical activity.

at

preposition

Indicating a specific location or place.

ATA

noun

A computer interface standard (Advanced Technology Attachment) used to connect hard drives to a computer.

ataman

noun

A title of Cossack and haidamak leaders of various kinds. The term was also used for the leader of a fisherman artel and of a band of robbers or thieves.

ataraxis

noun

The absence of stress or anxiety; serenity.

atari

noun

In the board game Go, a position where a stone or group of stones is one move away from being captured.

atavism

noun

The reappearance of an ancestral characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence; a throwback.

atavist

noun

A genetic characteristic emerging after an absence from several generations.

atb

abbreviation

All the best; a friendly sign-off used at the end of a text, email or message, wishing the reader well.

ate

noun

An older sister, or a respectful way of addressing a woman who is older than you, even if she is not a blood relative.

atelier

noun

A workshop or studio, especially one used by an artist, designer, or fashion house.

atemporal

adj

Unaffected by time; timeless; permanent or unchanging.

ATF

phrase

An abbreviation meaning "as trustee for," used in legal and financial documents to show that an account or asset is held by one person on behalf of another.

athanasy

noun

An absence of death or the condition of everlasting life.

atheism

noun

The belief that no gods or deities exist, or the absence of belief in any deity.

atheist

noun

A person who does not believe that any gods or deities exist.

atheistic

adj

Of or relating to atheists or atheism.

atheistical

adj

Of or relating to atheism; atheistic.