English dictionary — definitions & meanings

expectorate

verb

To cough up fluid from the lungs.

expectoration

noun

The action of expectorating, of ejecting phlegm or mucus from the throat or lungs by coughing, hawking, or spitting.

expedience

noun

The quality of being fit or suitable to cause some desired end or the purpose intended; propriety or advisability under the particular circumstances of a case.

expediency

noun

The quality of being fit or suitable to effect some desired end or the purpose intended; suitability for particular circumstance or situation.

expedient

adjective

Convenient and practical for achieving a goal, though not necessarily right or moral.

expedite

verb

To make a process happen faster.

expedited

adjective

Carried out more quickly than usual, often for an extra fee or under pressure.

expediter

noun

A person who expedites.

expedition

noun

A journey made by a person or group for a specific purpose, such as exploration, research, or military action.

expeditionary

adj

Relating to, or sent on, a military expedition abroad.

expeditious

adj

Fast, prompt, speedy.

expeditiously

adv

In an expeditious manner, quickly.

expel

verb

To force someone out of a place, group, or organization, often as punishment.

expelling

noun

The act of forcing someone or something out.

expend

verb

To use up a resource such as time, money, or energy.

expendable

adj

Able to be used up or spent, especially without much concern.

expended

adj

Used up or spent completely.

expender

noun

One who, or that which, expends.

expenditure

noun

The act of spending money, time, or effort.

expense

noun

Money spent on something; a cost.

expensive

adj

Costing a lot of money.

experience

noun

Knowledge or skill gained by doing something over time.

experienced

adj

Having gained skill or knowledge through practice over time.

experiencing

noun

The act of going through or undergoing something.

experiential

adj

Of, related to, encountered in, or derived from experience.

experiment

noun

A controlled test carried out to check a hypothesis or discover something new.

experimental

adj

Based on or used for testing new ideas; not yet proven or standard.

experimentation

noun

The practice of testing ideas through experiments.

experimenting

noun

The act of trying things out to test an idea.

expert

noun

A person with deep knowledge or skill in a particular field.

expertise

noun

Specialized skill or deep knowledge in a particular area.

expertly

adv

In a highly skilled manner.

expiate

verb

To atone or make reparation for.

expiation

noun

An act of atonement for a sin or wrongdoing.

expiration

noun

The point at which something, such as a contract or a product's usability, comes to an end.

expire

verb

To stop being valid or usable after a set time.

expired

adj

No longer valid because the set time has passed.

expiry

noun

The end of a period of validity; the point when something expires.

explain

verb

To make something clear or easier to understand.

explainable

adj

Able to be explained or understood

explainer

noun

A guide that explains a topic.

explaining

noun

The act of making something clear or giving a reason for it.

explanation

noun

A statement or account that makes something clear or gives a reason for it.

explanatory

adj

Intended to serve as an explanation.

expletive

adj

Serving to fill up, merely for effect, otherwise redundant.

explicate

verb

Explain something in detail, drawing out its meaning and implications point by point.

explication

noun

The act of opening or unfolding.

explicative

adj

Explanatory; serving to explain logically or in detail.

explicator

noun

One who or that which explicates.

explicatory

adj

Explanatory; serving to explain logically or in detail.

explicit

adj

Stated clearly and in detail, leaving nothing implied.

explicitly

adv

In a clear, direct, and unambiguous way.

explode

verb

To burst apart suddenly and violently, often with a loud noise.

exploded

adj

Having burst apart, especially from an explosion.

exploding

adj

Bursting apart or increasing suddenly and dramatically.

exploit

noun

A bold or notable achievement, especially a daring one.

exploitation

noun

The unfair use of someone or something for personal gain.

exploiter

verb

To make use of (something).

exploration

noun

The act of traveling through or investigating an unfamiliar place or subject.

exploratory

adj

Done in order to investigate or find something out.

explore

verb

To travel through an unfamiliar place in order to learn about it.

explored

adj

Having been investigated or traveled through.

explorer

noun

A person who travels to unfamiliar places to discover new things.

exploring

noun

The act of traveling through or investigating something unfamiliar.

explosion

noun

A violent, sudden release of energy, often with a loud bang and flying debris.

explosive

adjective

Likely to explode, or having the sudden, violent force of an explosion.

explosiveness

noun

The state of being explosive.

expo

noun

A large public exhibition, often showcasing products, technology, or a particular industry.

exponent

noun

One who expounds, represents or advocates.

exponential

adjective

Growing (or shrinking) at a rate that keeps multiplying, so change speeds up dramatically over time.

exponentially

adverb

In a way that increases (or decreases) at an ever-faster, compounding rate.

exponentiation

noun

The process of calculating a power by multiplying together a number of equal factors, where the exponent specifies the number of factors to multiply.

export

verb

To sell or send goods to another country.

exporter

noun

One who, or that which, exports: especially a person who or organization that exports or sells goods made in one country for delivery in another country.

expose

verb

To uncover or reveal something that was hidden, especially something wrong or shameful.

exposed

adjective

Left open, unprotected, or vulnerable, often to weather, danger, or view.

exposing

adjective

Revealing something, or making something more vulnerable or visible.

exposition

noun

A large public exhibition, often of art, products, or culture.

expository

adj

Serving to explain, explicate, or elucidate; expositive; of or relating to exposition.

exposure

noun

The state of being unprotected from something harmful, such as weather, disease, or danger.

expound

verb

To set out the meaning of; to explain or discuss at length.

expounder

noun

A person who expounds or explains

expounding

noun

The act by which something is expounded.

express

verb

To communicate a thought, feeling, or idea in words or actions.

expressage

noun

The fee for express delivery.

expressed

adjective

Put into words, or, in biology, produced from a gene as a protein.

expressing

adjective

Actively communicating or, in biology, actively producing a protein from a gene.

expression

noun

The act of communicating a thought, feeling, or idea, especially through words, art, or behaviour.

expressive

adjective

Good at communicating feelings or ideas clearly and vividly.

expressivity

noun

The quality of being expressive.

expressly

adverb

Clearly and specifically, leaving no room for doubt.

expressway

noun

A wide, divided road built for fast-moving traffic, usually with limited access points.

expropriate

verb

To deprive a person of (their private property) for public use.

expugnable

adj

Able to be overcome, conquered or taken by storm.

expulsion

noun

The act of forcing someone out, or the state of being forced out, especially from a school, group, or country.

expunge

verb

To erase or strike out.

expy

noun

Contraction of expressway.

exquisite

adjective

Extremely beautiful, delicate, or finely made.

exquisitely

adverb

In an extremely fine, delicate, or beautiful way.

exquisiteness

noun

The degree or property of being exquisite.

exsanguinate

verb

To drain (a living or dead body, or (medicine, surgery) a body part) of blood.

exsanguination

noun

Severe or total loss of blood, often to the point of death.

exsuccous

adj

Without juice or sap; completely dry.

extant

adj

Still in existence; not having disappeared.

extemporaneous

adj

With inadequate preparation or without advance thought; offhand.

extemporise

verb

To do something, particularly to perform or speak, without prior planning or thought; to act in an impromptu manner; to improvise.

extemporization

noun

The act of extemporizing; the act of doing anything extempore.

extemporize

verb

To perform or speak without prior planning or thought; to act in an impromptu manner; to improvise.

extend

verb

To make something longer, larger, or last for more time.

extendable

adj

Capable of being extended.

extended

adjective

Made longer in time, distance, or scope than usual.

extense

adj

Outreaching; expansive; extended, superficially or otherwise.

extensible

adj

Capable of being extended.

extension

noun

An extra part added to something to make it larger or longer, or an extra period of time granted beyond an original deadline.

extensive

adjective

Covering a large area, range, or amount; thorough.

extensively

adverb

Over a wide range, or to a great degree.

extent

noun

The area, range, or degree to which something covers or applies.

extenuate

adj

Of a person: emaciated, wasted, weakened; of the body or part of it: atrophied, shrunken, withered.

extenuating

adjective

Making a fault or crime seem less serious by providing a partial excuse.

extenuation

noun

The action of extenuating; extenuated condition.

exterior

adjective

Relating to the outside of something.

exterminate

verb

To destroy or kill off completely, especially a group of pests or people.

extermination

noun

The complete destruction or killing off of a group.

exterminator

noun

A person or company whose job is to kill pests such as insects or rodents.

external

adjective

Coming from, or relating to, the outside of something.

externally

adverb

On the outside, or from an outside source.

extinct

adjective

No longer existing, especially referring to a species that has died out entirely.

extinction

noun

The complete dying out of a species, group, or way of life.

extinguish

verb

To put out a fire or light.

extinguished

adjective

Put out or ended completely.

extinguisher

noun

A portable device used to put out small fires.

extinguishment

noun

The act of extinguishing, putting out, or quenching, or the state of being extinguished.

extirpate

verb

To clear an area of roots and stumps.

extirpation

noun

The act of extirpating or uprooting.

extirpative

adj

Of, relating to, or pertaining to an extirpation.

extort

verb

To obtain money or something else by threats, force, or abuse of power.

extortion

noun

The crime of getting money or property from someone by using threats, force, or intimidation.

extortioner

noun

Someone who extorts; an extortionist.

extortionist

noun

Someone who extorts; an extortioner.

extra

adj

More than what is usual, expected, or included as standard; additional.

extract

verb

To pull or draw something out, often with effort or force.

extraction

noun

The act or process of removing or drawing something out.

extractor

noun

A device or machine designed to remove or draw out a particular substance or component.

extracurricular

adj

Taking place outside a school's official course of study.

extradite

verb

To hand over a person accused or convicted of a crime to another country or jurisdiction for trial or punishment.

extradition

noun

The formal, legal handover of a suspect or convicted criminal from one country or jurisdiction to another.

extradural

adj

Outside of the dura mater

extrajudicial

adj

Out of or beyond the power or authority of a court or judge; beyond jurisdiction.

extramarital

adj

Occurring outside of marriage, especially describing a romantic or sexual affair.

extraneous

adj

Not relevant or necessary to the matter at hand; irrelevant.