English dictionary — definitions & meanings

encaustic

adj

Prepared by means of heat; burned in.

enceinte

noun

An enclosure.

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.

encephalon

noun

The area of central nervous system that includes all higher nervous centers, enclosed within the skull and continuous with the spinal cord; synonym of brain.

enchant

verb

To delight or charm someone completely.

enchanted

adj

Delighted and captivated.

enchanter

noun

One who enchants or delights.

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.

encipher

verb

To convert plain text into cipher.

encircle

verb

To form a ring around something; to surround completely.

encirclement

noun

The act of encircling or the state of being encircled

enclasp

verb

To hold in (or as if in) a clasp; to embrace

enclave

noun

A political, cultural or social entity or part thereof that is completely surrounded by another.

enclosable

adj

Capable of being enclosed.

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.

encloser

noun

Someone who appropriates common land.

enclosure

noun

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

encode

verb

To convert information into a particular form or system of symbols, so that it can be stored, sent or read by a machine.

encoded

adj

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

encoding

noun

The way in which symbols are mapped onto bytes, e.g. in the rendering of a particular font, or in the mapping from keyboard input into visual text.

encomium

noun

Warm praise, especially a formal expression of such praise; a tribute.

encompass

verb

To include a wide range of things as part of a single whole.

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.

encroach

verb

to seize, appropriate

encroaching

adj

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

encroachment

noun

The act of gradually intruding on someone else's land, rights or area of authority, or the intrusion itself.

encrypt

verb

To conceal information by means of a code or cipher.

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.

encumber

verb

To load down something with a burden.

encumbered

adj

Weighted down, loaded sufficiently to make slow.

encumbrance

noun

A legal claim against a property, such as a mortgage, unpaid tax or right of way, that limits what the owner can do with it or must be settled before it is sold.

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.

encyclopedism

noun

Encyclopedic knowledge or learning.

end

noun

The final point of something in space or time.

end up

phrasal verb

To reach a particular situation, place or state in the end, especially one that was not planned.

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.

endarken

verb

To render dark or darker.

endear

verb

To make (something) more precious or valuable.

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.

endemism

noun

The state of being endemic.

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.

endlessness

noun

The state or characteristic of being endless.

endlong

prep

Along (as opposed to across), from end to end of.

endly

adj

Final, terminal; of or pertaining to the end; conclusive.

endo

noun

Slang for marijuana.

endocardium

noun

A thin serous membrane that lines the interior of the heart.

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.

endoskeleton

noun

The internal skeleton of an animal, which in vertebrates is composed of bone and cartilage.

endow

verb

To give property to (someone) as a gift; specifically, to provide (a person or institution) with support in the form of a permanent fund of money or other benefits.

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.

endpoint

noun

A single specific address on a server that a program can send a request to in order to get data or make something happen; each endpoint does one job, such as returning a list of customers or creating a new order.

ends

noun

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

endsome

adj

Pertaining to, indicating, or characterising the end; endly; terminal.

endue

verb

Senses relating to covering or putting on.

endurable

adj

Able to be endured; tolerable; bearable.

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.

enduringly

adv

In an enduring manner or fashion; so as to endure or last.

endymion

name

A man described variously as a handsome Aeolian shepherd, hunter, or king, who was loved by Selene or Artemis (the two being often conflated) and was said to rule and live at Olympia in Elis, as well as venerated and said to reside in Caria, southwest Asia Minor, on Mount Latmus.

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.

enemyness

noun

The quality of being an enemy; enmity.

enemyship

noun

The state or condition of being an enemy or enemies.

energetic

adj

Full of energy; lively and vigorous.

energetically

adv

In an energetic manner; with great energy.

energise

verb

Non-Oxford British standard spelling of energize.

energize

verb

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

energized

adj

Feeling full of energy and enthusiasm.

energizer

noun

A person who, or a thing which, energizes.

energizing

adj

Supplying electrical energy to (a component or device).

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.

enervate

verb

To reduce strength or energy; debilitate.

enervated

adj

Weakened, debilitated or deprived of strength or vitality.

enervation

noun

Act of enervating; debilitation.

enfeebled

adj

Weakened; reduced to a powerless state.

enfeeblement

noun

The act of enfeebling; debilitation, enervation or devitalization

enflame

verb

Archaic spelling of inflame.

enfold

verb

To envelop and wrap up something.

enforce

verb

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

enforceable

adj

Capable of being enforced.

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.

engender

verb

To beget (of a man); to bear or conceive (of a woman).

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.

engle

name

A place in the United States:

English

adj

Relating to England, its people, or its culture.

Englishman

noun

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

englut

verb

To swallow; to swallow up, engulf.

engorge

verb

To devour something greedily, gorge, glut.

engorged

adj

Overly filled with fluid; used especially of blood vessels.

engraft

verb

To insert, as a scion of one tree or plant into another, for the purpose of propagation; graft onto a plant

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.

engrieve

verb

To cause grief to, to vex or pain; to associate with vexation or pain.

engross

verb

To write (a document) in large, aesthetic, and legible lettering; to make a finalized copy of.

engrossed

adj

So absorbed in something that nothing else gets your attention.

engrossing

adj

Utterly consuming one's time and attention.

engrossment

noun

The state of being engrossed; concentration or preoccupation.

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.

enhancer

noun

Something that enhances.

enhancing

adj

Acting to improve or increase the quality of something.

Enid

name

A female given name of Welsh origin.

enif

name

A type-LC irregular variable supergiant, visible as a second-magnitude orange star, or telescopically as an apparent triple star, marking the nose of the horse in the northern constellation of Pegasus.