English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

employ

verb

To hire someone and pay them to do work.

employed

adj

Having a paid job; currently working.

employee

noun

A person who is paid to work for a company or another person.

employer

noun

A person, company, or organization that pays others to work for them.

employment

noun

A paid job or work that someone does regularly.

emporium

noun

A large shop selling a wide range of goods, or a major center of trade and commerce.

empower

verb

To give someone the authority or legal right to do something.

empowered

adj

Given the authority, confidence, or power to act.

empowering

adj

Giving someone a greater sense of confidence, control, or authority.

empowerment

noun

The process of gaining greater confidence, control, or power over one's own life or circumstances.

empress

noun

A female ruler of an empire.

emptiness

noun

The state of containing nothing; being empty.

empty

adj

Containing nothing; not filled or occupied.

Ems

name

A river in northwestern Germany, and also a common abbreviation for "emergency medical services."

emu

noun

A large flightless Australian bird, second only to the ostrich in height, with shaggy grey-brown feathers.

emulate

verb

To try to match or surpass someone by copying their behaviour or achievements.

en

noun

A printing and typography unit of measurement equal to half the width of an em, roughly the width of the letter "n" in a given typeface.

enable

verb

To give someone the ability, means, or authority to do something.

enabled

adj

Switched on or made active, especially referring to a device feature or setting.

enabling

noun

The act of giving someone or something the means or permission to function or act.

enact

verb

To officially pass a bill into law.

enamel

noun

A hard, glossy protective coating fused onto metal, ceramic or another surface.

enamored

adj

Deeply in love with, or very taken with, someone or something.

encampment

noun

A place where people are staying temporarily in tents or similar shelters, such as a camp for soldiers, refugees, or travelers.

encased

adj

Fully enclosed or sealed within a covering or container.

Enceladus

name

An icy moon of Saturn, known for its geysers of water vapor, named after a giant in Greek mythology.

encephalitis

noun

Inflammation of the brain, often caused by infection, that can cause fever, confusion, and seizures.

enchant

verb

To delight or charm someone completely.

enchanted

adj

Delighted and captivated.

enchanting

adj

Delightful and charming in a way that captures attention.

enchantment

noun

A feeling of delight and wonder, as if under a spell.

enchantress

noun

A woman with magical powers, especially one who uses them to charm or beguile.

enchilada

noun

A Mexican dish of a tortilla rolled around a filling and covered in a chili-based sauce, then baked.

Encino

name

A neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California.

encircle

verb

To form a ring around something; to surround completely.

enclose

verb

To surround an area with a wall, fence, or other barrier.

enclosed

adj

Fully surrounded by walls or a barrier, with no open access.

enclosure

noun

An area surrounded by a fence, wall, or other barrier.

encoded

adj

Converted into a code or format that isn't read literally, often needing a key to interpret.

encore

noun

A short extra performance given after the main show, usually by audience demand.

encounter

verb

To meet or come across someone or something, especially unexpectedly.

encountering

noun

The act of coming across or meeting something, often unexpectedly.

encourage

verb

To give someone confidence, support, or hope.

encouraged

adj

Feeling more hopeful or confident after receiving support.

encouragement

noun

Words or actions that give someone confidence, support, or hope.

encouraging

adj

Giving hope or confidence; suggesting a positive outcome.

encroaching

adj

Gradually intruding on or taking over territory, rights, or time that belongs to someone or something else.

encrypted

adj

Converted into a secure code that can only be read with the correct key or password.

encryption

noun

The process of converting information into a secure code to prevent unauthorized access.

encyclopaedia

noun

A reference work covering many subjects in organized articles, usually alphabetically; the standard British spelling of encyclopedia.

encyclopedia

noun

A reference work containing articles on a wide range of subjects, usually arranged alphabetically or by category.

end

noun

The final point of something in space or time.

endanger

verb

To put someone or something at risk of harm.

endangered

adj

At serious risk of harm, extinction, or destruction.

endangering

verb

Putting someone or something at risk of harm.

endangerment

noun

The act of putting a person or thing in danger, or the state of being in danger.

endearing

adj

Making someone likeable or lovable, often in a charming, slightly imperfect way.

endearment

noun

A word or phrase that expresses affection, such as "sweetheart" or "darling."

endeavor

noun

A serious, determined attempt to achieve something.

endeavour

noun

British spelling of endeavor — a determined attempt to achieve something.

ended

verb

Past tense of end — came to a finish or conclusion.

endemic

adj

Native to, or regularly found only in, a particular place.

ender

noun

A thing or person that brings something to a close.

endgame

noun

The final stage of a game, such as chess, when few pieces or players remain.

Endicott

name

An English surname and place name, also the name of towns in Massachusetts and New York.

ending

noun

The final part of a story, event, or period of time.

endless

adj

Having no end; going on forever or seeming to.

endlessly

adv

In a way that continues without stopping or limit.

endo

noun

Slang for marijuana.

endorse

verb

To publicly declare support or approval for a person, product, or idea.

endorsed

adj

Officially approved or supported by someone.

endorsement

noun

A public statement of approval or support, especially from a well-known person or organisation.

endowed

adj

Provided with a particular quality, ability, or asset, often as if by nature.

endowment

noun

A sum of money or property given to an institution to provide it with ongoing income.

ends

noun

Plural of end — the final points, purposes, or extremities of something.

endurance

noun

The ability to keep going through hardship, effort, or pain over a long time.

endure

verb

To keep going through something difficult; to survive hardship.

enduring

adj

Lasting for a long time without significant change.

enema

noun

A procedure that injects fluid into the rectum, usually to clear the bowels or for medical treatment.

enemy

noun

A person who is hostile toward, or actively opposes, another.

energetic

adj

Full of energy; lively and vigorous.

energize

verb

To give energy, enthusiasm, or vitality to someone or something.

energized

adj

Feeling full of energy and enthusiasm.

energon

noun

A hypothetical particle of pure energy, a term mostly known from science fiction.

energy

noun

The capacity to do work or produce change, such as heat, light, or motion.

enforce

verb

To make sure a law, rule, or requirement is obeyed.

enforcement

noun

The act of making sure a law, rule, or agreement is followed.

enforcer

noun

A person or group responsible for making sure rules or laws are obeyed.

eng

noun

The name of the letter ŋ, used in phonetic alphabets to represent the "ng" sound.

engage

verb

To hold someone's attention or interest.

engaged

adj

Having formally agreed to marry someone.

engagement

noun

A formal agreement to marry, or the period before a wedding.

engaging

adj

Holding someone's attention or interest; charming.

Engel

name

A German surname meaning "angel," sometimes used as an occupational or house sign name.

Engels

name

A German surname, notably borne by philosopher and economist Friedrich Engels.

engine

noun

A machine that converts fuel or energy into motion or force, especially the part of a vehicle that powers it.

engineer

noun

A person professionally trained to design, build, or maintain machines, structures, or systems.

engineered

adj

Deliberately designed and built using engineering methods rather than occurring naturally.

engineering

noun

The application of science and mathematics to design, build, and maintain machines, structures, and systems.

England

name

The largest country within the United Kingdom, occupying the southern and central part of the island of Great Britain.

English

adj

Relating to England, its people, or its culture.

Englishman

noun

A man who is English by birth, ancestry, or nationality.

engrave

verb

To cut letters, patterns, or images into a hard surface, typically metal, stone, or wood.

engraved

adj

Marked or decorated with carved lettering or designs.

engraving

noun

The technique of cutting a design into a hard surface, typically to make a printing plate.

engrossed

adj

So absorbed in something that nothing else gets your attention.

engulf

verb

To completely surround or cover something, often suddenly and overwhelmingly.

enhance

verb

To improve the quality, value, or appeal of something.

enhanced

adj

Made better, stronger, or more advanced than a standard or earlier version.

enhancement

noun

An improvement or addition that makes something better.

enhancing

adj

Acting to improve or increase the quality of something.

Enid

name

A female given name of Welsh origin.

Enigma

noun

A person or thing that is puzzling, mysterious, or hard to understand.

enigmatic

adj

Difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious.

enjoy

verb

To take pleasure or satisfaction in something.

enjoyable

adj

Giving pleasure or satisfaction; pleasant.

enjoyment

noun

A feeling of pleasure or satisfaction taken from something.

enlarge

verb

To make something bigger, or to become bigger.

enlargement

noun

The act of making something bigger, or the resulting increase in size.

enlighten

verb

To give someone knowledge or understanding about something they didn't previously grasp.

enlightened

adj

Having a deep, informed, and often broad-minded understanding of something.

enlightening

adj

Giving new understanding or insight.

enlightenment

noun

The state of having clear understanding, insight, or wisdom.

enlist

verb

To join the armed forces voluntarily.

enlisted

adj

Serving in the military as a non-commissioned member, rather than as an officer.

enlistment

noun

The act of joining the armed forces, or a period of military service signed up for voluntarily.

enmity

noun

A deep-seated feeling of hostility or ill will between people or groups.

Ennis

name

A town in County Clare, Ireland, and also a surname or given name derived from it.

Enoch

name

A male given name, notably a figure from the Book of Genesis said to have been taken up to heaven without dying.

enormity

noun

The great scale or seriousness of something, especially something shocking or overwhelming.

enormous

adj

Extremely large in size, extent, or degree.

enormously

adv

To a very great extent; extremely.

Enos

name

A masculine given name of Hebrew origin, meaning "man" or "mortal," found in the Book of Genesis.

enough

determiner

As much or as many as needed; a sufficient amount.

enquiring

adjective

Curious; eager to find things out.

enraged

adjective

Extremely angry; furious.

enrich

verb

To make wealthier.

enriching

adjective

Adding real value to your life, mind, or feelings.

enrichment

noun

The process of improving or adding value to something.

Enrico

name

A masculine given name, the Italian form of Henry, meaning "home ruler."

Enright

name

An Irish surname, an anglicized form of a Gaelic name meaning "descendant of the champion."

enroll

verb

To officially register someone (or yourself) as a member of a group, school, course, or organization.

enrollment

noun

The act of officially registering as a member of something, such as a school or program.

Enron

noun

By extension, a major corporate collapse caused by accounting fraud, or the fraud itself, named after the American energy company Enron.

ensemble

noun

A coordinated group of things that work together as a whole, such as a matching outfit.

ensign

noun

A flag, especially one flown by a ship to show its nationality.

enslave

verb

To force someone into slavery or a condition of total control, stripping them of freedom.

enslavement

noun

The act of forcing someone into slavery, or the resulting condition.

ensue

verb

To happen afterward, especially as a result of something.

ensuing

adjective

Following as a result; coming next.