English dictionary — definitions & meanings

OA

name

Abbreviation for the Order of the Arrow, an honor society within the Boy Scouts of America.

oaf

noun

A clumsy, foolish, or unrefined person.

oafish

adj

Characteristic of or resembling an oaf; clumsy, stupid.

Oahu

name

The third-largest Hawaiian island, home to Honolulu and most of the state's population.

oak

noun

A large deciduous tree with lobed leaves and acorns, valued for its strong wood.

Oakes

name

An English surname, and also the name of towns in England and North Dakota.

Oakland

name

The eighth-largest city in California, seat of Alameda County, and also the name of several smaller towns across the United States and Canada.

oakleigh

name

A suburb in south-east Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Oakley

name

An English surname derived from several English place names meaning a clearing in an oak wood, and the name of numerous villages in England and towns in the United States.

oaks

noun

A famous horse race for three-year-old fillies, run each year at Epsom in England.

oakum

noun

Coarse fibres separated by hackling from flax or hemp when preparing the latter for spinning.

oakwood

noun

A wood or forest made up mainly of oak trees.

oar

noun

A long pole with a flat blade used to row or steer a boat.

oarlock

noun

A usually U-shaped device attached to the gunwale of a rowboat to hold the oars in place while rowing.

oasis

noun

A fertile spot with water in the middle of a desert.

oat

noun

A cereal grass grown for its edible grain.

Oates

name

An English and Irish surname, and the name of a small community in Missouri.

oath

noun

A solemn formal promise, often invoking something sacred, to tell the truth or keep a commitment.

oatmeal

noun

Ground or rolled oats, or the porridge made by cooking them.

oats

noun

The grains harvested from the oat plant, used as food or livestock feed.

Oaxaca

noun

A soft, stringy white cheese from the Oaxaca region of Mexico, similar to mozzarella and often used melted.

ob

noun

A short informal way of saying "observation," especially in medical or scientific settings.

Obama

name

A Luo surname, notably borne by Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States, and also the name of a Japanese city and samurai clan.

obdurate

adj

Stubbornly persistent, generally in wrongdoing; refusing to reform or repent.

obdurately

adv

In an obdurate manner; stubbornly, intractably or inflexibly.

OBE

noun

Officer of the Order of the British Empire, an honour awarded by the British monarch for a significant contribution in a national or regional field; also the letters placed after the recipient's name.

obeah

noun

A form of folk magic, medicine or witchcraft originating in Africa and practised in parts of the Caribbean.

obeche

noun

Triplochiton scleroxylon, a tropical tree of Africa.

obedience

noun

The act of following instructions, rules, or authority.

obedient

adjective

Willing to follow instructions or do what someone in authority says.

obediently

adverb

In a way that follows instructions or authority without resistance.

obeisance

noun

Demonstration of an obedient attitude, especially by bowing deeply; a deep bow which demonstrates such an attitude.

obelisk

noun

A tall, four-sided stone pillar that narrows to a pointed top, often built as a monument.

Oberoi

name

A Punjabi surname.

Oberon

name

The king of the fairies in medieval and Renaissance literature, notably in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream; also the outermost major moon of Uranus.

obese

adjective

Very overweight, to a degree that is unhealthy.

obesity

noun

The condition of carrying an unhealthy amount of body fat.

obey

verb

To do what someone in authority tells you to do.

obfuscate

verb

To make something unclear or hard to understand, usually on purpose and in order to hide the truth.

obfuscated

adj

Having undergone obfuscation.

obfuscatory

adj

Tending to obfuscate; intended to conceal the truth by confusion.

obi

noun

A wide sash tied around the waist of a kimono.

obit

noun

A short published account of a person's death and life, especially in a newspaper; short for obituary.

obital

adj

Of or relating to an obit.

obituary

noun

A published notice of someone's death, often with a summary of their life, usually appearing in a newspaper.

object

noun

A physical thing that can be seen or touched.

objectify

verb

To make (something, such as an abstract idea) possible to be perceived by the senses.

objection

noun

A statement of disagreement or opposition, often with a reason attached.

objectionable

adjective

Likely to cause disapproval or offence.

objective

adjective

Based on facts rather than personal feelings or opinions.

objectively

adverb

In a way based on facts rather than personal feelings.

objectiveness

noun

The characteristic of being objective; neutrality.

objectivity

noun

The quality of being fair and fact-based rather than influenced by personal feelings.

objector

noun

A person who objects to something.

objurgate

verb

To rebuke or scold strongly.

objurgation

noun

A strong rebuke or scolding.

oblast

noun

A region or province in Slavic or Slavic-influenced countries.

oblate

noun

A person dedicated to a life of religion or monasticism, especially a member of an order without religious vows or a lay member of a religious community.

oblation

noun

The offering of worship, thanks etc. to a deity.

obligate

verb

To bind, compel, constrain, or oblige by a social, legal, or moral tie.

obligated

adjective

Required to do something because of a duty, promise, or rule.

obligation

noun

A duty or requirement to do something, often because of a promise, law, or moral sense.

obligatory

adjective

Required by rule, law, or custom; compulsory.

oblige

verb

To require someone to do something, by law, duty, or circumstance.

obliged

adjective

Required to do something.

obligee

noun

The party owed an obligation by another party, the obligor.

obliging

adjective

Willing and ready to help or do favours for others.

obligor

noun

The party bearing a legal obligation to another party (the obligee).

oblique

adjective

Slanting; not straight up-and-down or side-to-side.

obliquely

adv

In an oblique manner; sideways.

obliquity

noun

The quality of being oblique in direction, deviating from the horizontal or vertical; or the angle created by such a deviation.

obliterate

verb

To destroy something completely, leaving no trace.

obliterated

adjective

Destroyed completely or beyond repair.

obliteration

noun

The total destruction of something.

obliviate

verb

To forget; to wipe from existence.

oblivion

noun

A state of being completely forgotten or no longer existing.

oblivious

adjective

Not aware of something happening around you.

obliviousness

noun

The characteristic of being oblivious.

oblong

adj

Having a length and width that are different; not square or circular.

obloquy

noun

Abusive language.

obnoxious

adjective

Extremely unpleasant, rude, or annoying.

obnubilate

adj

Covered or darkened as with a cloud; overclouded; obscured.

oboe

noun

A slender wooden wind instrument with a double reed, played in orchestras and bands.

obscene

adjective

Offensive to accepted standards of decency, often in a sexual way.

obscenity

noun

Language or behaviour that is offensive to standards of decency.

obscure

adjective

Not well known.

obscured

adjective

Hidden from view or made unclear.

obscureness

noun

The state or quality of being obscure.

obscurity

noun

The state of being unknown or not noticed.

obsequious

adjective

Excessively eager to please or obey, in a way that seems insincere and self-serving.

observable

adj

Able to be observed.

observably

adv

To a detectable degree, sufficient to be observed.

observance

noun

The practice of complying with a law, custom, command or rule.

observant

adjective

Quick to notice things; alert and watchful.

observation

noun

The act of watching something carefully.

observational

adjective

Relating to watching and recording, especially in science.

observative

adj

observant; watchful

observatory

noun

A building equipped for watching the stars and other astronomical events, usually with a telescope.

observe

verb

To watch someone or something carefully.

observed

adj

Noticed or watched; seen and taken note of.

observer

noun

Someone who watches, notices, or pays close attention to something.

observing

noun

The act of watching something closely, or of noting and recording what happens.

obsess

verb

To think about someone or something constantly, to the point where it takes over your mind.

obsessed

adj

Completely preoccupied with one thing, to an unhealthy or extreme degree.

obsession

noun

A single idea, activity, or interest that dominates someone's thoughts far more than is normal or healthy.

obsessionally

adv

In an obsessional manner.

obsessive

adj

Showing an extreme, excessive focus on one thing, often in an unhealthy way.

obsessively

adv

In a way that shows an extreme or unhealthy focus on one thing.

obsidian

noun

A smooth, glassy black rock formed when lava cools very quickly.

obsolete

adj

No longer used because something newer or better has replaced it.

obstacle

noun

Something that blocks progress or makes it harder to move forward, whether physical or figurative.

obstetrician

noun

A doctor who specialises in pregnancy, labour, and childbirth.

obstetrics

noun

The branch of medicine dealing with pregnancy, labour, and the period just after birth.

obstinacy

noun

Stubborn refusal to change one's mind or course of action.

obstinance

noun

The characteristic of being obstinate.

obstinate

adj

Refusing to change one's opinion or course of action, often unreasonably so.

obstreperous

adj

Attended by, or making, a loud and tumultuous noise; boisterous.

obstruct

verb

To block a path or passage so that things can't get through.

obstruction

noun

Something that blocks a path, passage, or process.

obtain

verb

To get or acquire something, often through effort or a formal process.

obtainability

noun

The property of being obtainable.

obtained

verb

Past tense and past participle of obtain: got or acquired something, usually through effort, request or a formal process.

obtainment

noun

The act of obtaining something; acquisition.

obtrude

verb

To proffer (something) by force; to impose (something) on someone or into some area.

obtrusive

adj

Of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering; pushy; also, ostentatious.

obturate

verb

To block up or obstruct.

obtuse

adj

Slow to understand or notice things that seem obvious to others.

obtuseness

noun

The quality of being obtuse.

obverse

adj

Turned or facing toward the observer.

obviate

verb

To anticipate and prevent or bypass (something which would otherwise have been necessary or required); to render (something) unnecessary.

obvious

adj

Easy to see or understand; not needing explanation.

obviously

adv

Clearly; in a way that's easy to see or understand.

OC

adj

Informal shorthand meaning "of color", used to describe people who are not white.

occasion

noun

A particular time when something happens, especially something notable.

occasional

adj

Happening from time to time, but not regularly or often.

occasionally

adv

Now and then; sometimes, but not often.

occipital

adj

Relating to or located at the back of the head.

occlude

verb

To obstruct, cover, or otherwise block (an opening, a portion of an image, etc.).

occluded

adj

closed or obstructed

occlusion

noun

The process of occluding, or something that occludes.

occult

adj

Relating to magic, mysticism, or supernatural practices.

occulted

adj

Hidden; secret.

occupancy

noun

The act of living in or using a place, or the state of being occupied.

occupant

noun

A person who lives in, uses, or is present in a place.

occupation

noun

A person's job or profession.

occupational

adj

Relating to a person's job or work.

occupationless

adj

Having no occupation; jobless; idle.

occupied

adj

Currently in use or taken, such as a seat, room, or toilet.

occupier

noun

One who occupies, particularly with respect to a foreign government controlling the territory of another.

occupy

verb

To live in, use, or take up a space.