English dictionary — definitions & meanings

Enigma

noun

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

enigmatic

adj

Difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious.

enigmatically

adv

Acting in a manner that suggests an enigma.

enjoin

verb

To lay upon, as an order or command; to give an injunction to; to direct with authority; to order; to charge.

enjoinment

noun

A command, decree or ruling from an authority.

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.

enkindle

verb

To kindle; to arouse or evoke.

enlace

verb

To bind or encircle with lace, or as with lace

enlarge

verb

To make something bigger, or to become bigger.

enlargement

noun

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

enlengthen

verb

To lengthen: to render or become longer.

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.

enliven

verb

To give life or spirit to; to revive or animate.

enlivening

noun

The process of making something more lively.

enmesh

verb

To mesh; to tangle or interweave in such a manner as not to be easily separated, particularly in a mesh- or net-like manner.

enmeshed

adj

tangled or twisted together.

enmity

noun

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

enna

name

A city and comune, the capital of the province of Enna, Sicily, Italy.

ennead

noun

The number nine.

Ennis

name

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

ennoble

verb

To bestow with nobility, honour or grace.

ennobled

adj

Having been made more noble; improved.

ennog

noun

An alley situated between terraced houses.

ennui

noun

A weary, dissatisfied boredom that comes from having nothing that feels worth doing.

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.

enounce

verb

To say or pronounce; to enunciate.

enquire

verb

To ask someone for information about something.

enquiring

adjective

Curious; eager to find things out.

enrage

verb

To become angry or wild.

enraged

adjective

Extremely angry; furious.

enraptured

adj

Marked by fondness; filled with delight

enrich

verb

To make wealthier.

enrichen

verb

To enrich; to make richer.

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."

enrobe

verb

To invest or adorn with a robe or vestment; to attire.

enrobed

adj

Wearing a robe or robes.

enrol

verb

UK, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, and Canada standard spelling of enroll.

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.

enrolment

noun

UK standard spelling of enrollment.

Enron

noun

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

ensconced

adj

Placed in a secure environment.

ensemble

noun

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

enshrine

verb

To enclose (a sacred relic etc.) in a shrine or chest.

enshroud

verb

to cover with (or as if with) a shroud

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.

ensnare

verb

To entrap; to catch in a snare or trap.

ensorcell

verb

To bewitch or enchant.

enspell

verb

To bewitch with a magic spell; to charm.

ensphere

verb

To place in a sphere; to surround in all directions (as if) by a sphere (one of the concentric hollow transparent globes formerly believed to rotate around the Earth).

enstrengthen

verb

Render strong or stronger; strengthen.

ensue

verb

To happen afterward, especially as a result of something.

ensuing

adjective

Following as a result; coming next.

ensuingly

adv

In an ensuing manner; subsequently.

ensure

verb

To make certain that something happens or is true.

ensuring

verb

Present participle of ensure: making certain that something happens or is the case.

ent

noun

In J. R. R. Tolkien's fiction, one of a race of giant, tree-like beings who guard the forests of Middle-earth.

entail

verb

To involve or require something as a necessary consequence.

entailment

noun

The act of logically entailing, the state of being entailed, or something that is entailed.

entails

verb

Third person singular of entail: to involve something as a necessary part or consequence.

entangle

verb

To tangle up; to twist or interweave in such a manner as not to be easily separated.

entangled

adjective

Twisted together or caught up in something, physically or figuratively.

entanglement

noun

The state of being twisted together or caught up in something physical, or the tangled mass itself.

entellus

noun

A small Asian monkey (Semnopithecus entellus, syn. Presbytis entellus), one of the gray langurs, having bristly hairs on the crown and the sides of the face.

entente

noun

An informal alliance or friendly understanding between two states.

enter

verb

To go into a place.

enteral

adj

Of, pertaining to, within, or by way of the intestines; especially, the small intestine.

entered

verb

Past tense and past participle of enter: to go or come into a place.

enteric

adj

Of, relating to, within, or by way of the intestines.

entering

noun

The act of going into a place or beginning to take part in something.

enterprise

noun

A business or organization, especially one involved in a significant undertaking.

enterprising

adjective

Showing initiative and a readiness to take on new or difficult projects.

entertain

verb

To hold someone's attention pleasantly; to amuse.

entertained

adjective

Amused or pleasantly occupied.

entertainer

noun

Someone whose profession is to perform for and amuse an audience, such as a singer, actor, or comedian.

entertaining

adjective

Enjoyable and amusing.

entertainment

noun

Activities or performances designed to amuse or interest an audience.

enthalpy

noun

A measure of the total heat content of a system in thermodynamics, equal to its internal energy plus the product of its pressure and volume; changes in it show how much heat a process gives out or takes in at constant pressure.

enthralled

adjective

Completely fascinated or captivated.

enthrallment

noun

The act of enthralling or the state of being enthralled

enthrill

verb

To pierce; penetrate; run through; stab.

enthrone

verb

To put on the throne in a formal installation ceremony called enthronement, equivalent to (and often combined with) coronation or other ceremonies of investiture.

enthroned

adj

Placed upon a throne.

enthronement

noun

The act of enthroning or the state of being enthroned.

enthusiasm

noun

Strong excitement and eager interest in something.

enthusiast

noun

A person who is very keen and passionate about a particular subject or activity.

enthusiastic

adjective

Showing strong excitement, interest, or approval.

enthusiastically

adverb

In an eager, excited way.

enthymeme

noun

A by and large statement, a maxim, an argument that is intended to be generally true and not apply to every case universally.

entice

verb

To tempt or attract someone by offering something appealing.

enticed

adjective

Tempted or drawn in by something appealing.

enticement

noun

The act or practice of enticing, of alluring or tempting.

enticing

adjective

Attractive and tempting.

entire

adjective

Whole; complete, with nothing left out.

entirely

adverb

Completely; wholly, without exception.

entirety

noun

The whole of something; its complete and total amount.

entitle

verb

To give a title to.

entitled

adjective

Given a particular title, as of a book or piece of writing.

entitlement

noun

The right to receive or do something.

entity

noun

Something that exists as a distinct, separate thing, often an organization rather than a physical object.

entomb

verb

To deposit (a corpse) in a tomb.

entombment

noun

The act of entombing or the state of being entombed

entomologist

noun

A scientist who studies insects.

entonox

name

A mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen used as an analgesic, especially during labour.

entourage

noun

A group of assistants, friends, or followers who accompany an important or famous person.

entrails

noun

The internal organs of an animal or person, especially the intestines.

entrance

noun

A doorway, gate, or opening through which one enters a place.

entranced

adjective

Held completely spellbound, as if in a trance.

entranceway

noun

Something that provides access to an entrance; an entryway.

entrancing

adj

Causing a trance-like state; hypnotic.

entrant

noun

A participant who enters something, such as a contest.

entrap

verb

To catch someone or something in a trap.

entrapment

noun

The act of luring someone, especially by police, into committing a crime so they can be arrested for it.

entreat

verb

To ask someone earnestly or beg them for something.

entreaty

noun

The act of entreating or beseeching; a strong petition; pressing solicitation; begging.

entrench

verb

To cut in; to furrow; to make trenches in or upon.

entrenchment

noun

The process of entrenching or something which entrenches

entrepreneur

noun

A person who starts and runs a business, taking on its financial risk.

entrepreneurial

adjective

Showing the drive, risk-taking, or resourcefulness typical of someone who starts businesses.

entrepreneurship

noun

The activity of setting up and running a business, taking on the financial risk in the hope of profit.

entresol

noun

A mezzanine; an intermediate floor in a building, typically resembling a balcony; most often, the floor immediately above the ground floor and below a higher floor.

entropy

noun

In physics, a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system.

entrust

verb

To give someone responsibility for something valuable or important, trusting them to look after it.

entry

noun

The act of entering, or a means of entering a place.

entry level

adjective

Suitable for someone with no previous experience, especially of a job at the lowest rung of a career.

entryway

noun

An opening or hallway allowing entry into a structure; a pathway allowing entry into a locality or region.

enturbulate

verb

To agitate or disturb; to upset, harass.

entwine

verb

To twist or twine around something (or one another).

entwined

adjective

Twisted or wound tightly together.

enumerate

verb

To list things one by one, usually in order and in full.

enumeration

noun

The act of enumerating, making separate mention, or recounting.

enunciate

verb

To make a definite or systematic statement of.