English dictionary — definitions & meanings

Ostend

verb

To display, exhibit, or show something openly.

ostensible

adj

Apparent, evident; meant for open display.

ostensibly

adv

Apparently or supposedly, based on what is claimed — often with the hint that the real reason might be different.

ostensive

adj

Apparently true, but not necessarily; ostensible

ostentate

verb

To make an ambitious display of; to exhibit or show boastingly.

ostentation

noun

Ambitious display; vain show; display intended to excite admiration or applause.

ostentatious

adj

Showy or over-the-top, designed mainly to impress or attract attention.

osteoporosis

noun

A disease in which bones lose density and become fragile and prone to fracture, most common in women after menopause.

Ostia

name

An ancient Roman port city at the mouth of the Tiber, and the modern district of Rome built near its ruins.

ostiary

noun

The mouth of a river; an estuary.

ostracise

verb

Non-Oxford British English standard spelling of ostracize.

ostracism

noun

In ancient Athens (and some other cities), the temporary banishment by popular vote of a citizen considered dangerous to the state.

ostracize

verb

To ban a person from a city for five or ten years through the procedure of ostracism.

ostracized

adj

Excluded or shut out from a group; treated as an outcast.

ostrich

noun

A very large flightless African bird with long legs and neck, the fastest running bird on Earth.

Oswald

name

A masculine given name of Old English origin, borne by two English saints and used as a surname.

Oswin

name

A masculine given name of Old English origin, borne by a seventh-century king of Deira.

ot

noun

The name of a letter (Ѿ / ѿ) that once appeared in the Cyrillic alphabet.

Ota

name

A Japanese surname, and the name of one of Tokyo's twenty-three special wards.

otaku

noun

Someone with an intense, all-consuming interest in a hobby or subject, especially a devoted fan of Japanese anime or manga.

OTC

adjective

Over the counter: describing a medicine that can be bought without a prescription, such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or antihistamines.

OTD

abbreviation

Out the door: the total price you actually pay for something, especially a car, with tax, registration, delivery and dealer fees all included.

OTE

abbreviation

On-target earnings: the total pay a salesperson or other commission-based employee can expect in a year if they hit their targets in full, combining basic salary and commission or bonus.

OTG

abbreviation

On the go: doing something while travelling, moving between places or otherwise away from a desk or home.

Othello

name

The title character of Shakespeare's tragedy Othello, also a given name and the name of a city in Washington state.

other

adj

Different from the one(s) already mentioned; additional or remaining.

other than that

phrase

Apart from the one thing just mentioned. It is used to set aside a single exception and say everything else is fine or unchanged.

others

noun

People other than oneself or the ones already named.

otherways

adv

Otherwise; by another means; in other respects

otherwise

adv

In a different way; differently.

otherworld

noun

The other realms of existence beyond the world of mankind, especially the realms of the dead or the fairy folk.

otherworldism

noun

A philosophical, religious or cultural orientation emphasizing a spiritual or supernatural realm beyond the physical world.

otherworldly

adj

Belonging to, or reminiscent of, a realm beyond the everyday physical world — dreamlike, mystical, or strange.

othoman

name

Archaic form of Osman, the name borne by

otiose

adj

Having no effect.

Otis

name

A masculine given name of Greek origin, meaning "keen of hearing".

oto

noun

A small freshwater algae-eating fish, short for otocinclus, popular in aquariums.

otoe

name

A village in Otoe County, Nebraska, United States.

otoman

name

Archaic form of Osman, the name borne by

OTP

noun

One true pairing: in fandom, the couple a fan is most invested in seeing together.

otsu

name

The capital city of Shiga Prefecture in Japan, on the shore of Lake Biwa.

Otsuka

name

A Japanese surname, literally meaning "large mound".

ott

noun

An informal, clipped word for an otter.

Ottawa

noun

The capital city of Canada, located in Ontario, and by extension the country's federal government.

otter

noun

A sleek, semi-aquatic mammal with dense fur that hunts fish and other prey in rivers or coastal waters.

Otto

noun

A male given name of Germanic origin.

ottoman

noun

A low, padded piece of furniture used as a footstool or extra seat, usually without arms or a back.

ou

noun

A now probably extinct Hawaiian honeycreeper bird.

oubliette

noun

A dungeon only accessible by a trapdoor at the top.

ouch

intj

Used to express sudden physical pain.

ought

verb

Used to express what is the right or sensible thing to do, or what is likely to be true.

oui

intj

The French word for "yes," sometimes used in English for playful or affected effect.

Ouija

noun

A flat board printed with letters, numbers, and "yes"/"no," used with a small pointer during a séance in an attempt to receive messages from spirits.

ounce

noun

A unit of weight equal to one sixteenth of a pound (about 28.3 grams), used for everyday measurements like food or mail.

our

det

Belonging to or associated with the speaker and at least one other person.

ours

pron

The thing or things belonging to the speaker and others, used without a following noun.

ourselves

pron

Used to refer back to the speaker and others as the same people affected by the action, or to emphasize that group.

ousia

noun

The essential nature or ‘substance’ of God, often as contrasted to the ‘energies’ (external actions and influences) through which he is manifest.

oust

verb

To force someone out of a position of power or place, often against their will.

ouster

noun

A putting out of possession; dispossession; ejection.

ousting

noun

The act by which somebody is ousted; an ouster.

out

adv

Away from the inside, a home, or a central point.

out of the blue

phrase

Without any warning or apparent cause; completely unexpectedly.

outa

noun

In South African English, a respectful or affectionate term for an older Black man.

outage

noun

A period during which a service, especially electricity, is not working.

outback

noun

Australia's vast, sparsely populated interior, much of it arid desert far from major cities.

outbalance

verb

To have more influence or significance than another; to preponderate or outweigh.

outbid

verb

To offer a higher amount than another bidder at an auction or in a competitive sale.

outblossom

verb

To blossom more beautifully than, or with more flowers than.

outboard

adj

Positioned on the outside of a boat or aircraft, or away from its centerline.

outbound

adj

Leaving or departing; traveling away from; outward bound.

outbreak

noun

A sudden start or spread of something unwelcome, such as a disease or violence.

outbuilding

noun

A building, such as a barn, shed, or garage, that is separate from, but associated with some main building.

outburn

verb

To burn away; be consumed by fire.

outburst

noun

A sudden, forceful release of emotion, especially anger.

outcast

noun

A person who has been rejected or excluded by a group or society.

outclass

verb

to surpass something or somebody else, so as to appear to be in a higher class

outcome

noun

The result or effect of an action, event, or process.

outcompass

verb

To exceed the limits of; to surpass, transcend or go beyond.

outcrop

noun

A piece of land that stands out (usually into water) from the land surrounding.

outcross

noun

The introduction of unrelated breeding stock to an existing population, especially one which is inbred or homogeneous.

outcry

noun

A strong, public expression of protest or anger.

outdated

adj

No longer current, useful, or fashionable; old-fashioned.

outdo

verb

To do better than someone else; to surpass.

outdoor

adj

Existing, happening, or used in the open air rather than inside a building.

outdoors

adv

Not inside a building; in the open air.

outdoorsman

noun

A man who spends time in outdoor pursuits or sports.

outdoorsmanship

noun

Skill in, or fondness for, outdoor pursuits or sports.

outer

adj

Farther from the center; on the outside.

outerchange

noun

A connection between two stations within walking distance of each other but which are not physically connected; used especially where a journey involving such a connection can be done on a single ticket.

outerwear

noun

Clothing (such as a dress) worn over one's underwear.

outfield

noun

In baseball or cricket, the larger, more distant part of the playing field beyond the infield.

outfielder

noun

A player that plays in the outfield, which is the outer portion of the field.

outfit

noun

A set of clothes worn together, often for a particular occasion.

outfitter

noun

A person or shop that sells specialized clothes and equipment.

outflank

verb

To maneuver around and behind the flank of (an opposing force).

outflow

noun

The process of flowing out.

outfox

verb

To beat (someone) in a competition of wits with superior cleverness or cunning; to outsmart.

outgang

noun

An exit or egress.

outgo

verb

To go further than (someone or something); to exceed, to go beyond, to surpass.

outgoing

adj

Friendly, sociable, and comfortable meeting new people.

outgrow

verb

To become too old, big, or mature for something once wanted or needed.

outgrowth

noun

Anything that grows out of something else.

outguess

verb

To beat through accurate anticipation of someone's plans and actions.

outgunned

adj

Having fewer or weaker weapons than an opponent; more broadly, badly outmatched.

outhouse

noun

A small outdoor toilet built as a separate structure, typically without plumbing.

outing

noun

A short trip taken for pleasure or a special occasion.

outland

adj

Provincial: from a province (of the same land).

outlander

noun

A foreigner or alien.

outlandish

adj

Extremely unusual, bizarre, or far removed from normal experience.

outlast

verb

To last or continue existing longer than someone or something else.

outlaw

noun

A person who has broken the law and is hiding or on the run from it.

outlawed

adj

Made illegal; banned by law.

outlawry

noun

A declaration that an individual cannot benefit from the protection of law in a jurisdiction.

outlay

noun

A laying out or expending; that which is laid out or expended.

outlet

noun

A wall socket that supplies electric power to plugged-in devices.

outlier

noun

A data point that sits far away from the rest of a set of results, and which may signal a real extreme case or a measurement error.

outline

noun

The line or shape marking the edge of something.

outlined

adj

Having its edge or main points marked out.

outlive

verb

To live longer than someone or something else; to survive past it.

outlook

noun

A person's general attitude or view of life and the future.

outlying

adj

Situated far from the main center; remote.

outmaneuver

verb

American standard spelling of outmanoeuvre.

outmanoeuvre

verb

To perform manoeuvres or movements more successfully or better than; to surpass or get the advantage of in manoeuvring; to outgeneral.

outmatch

verb

To surpass or be better than something or someone else.

outmoded

adj

No longer fashionable or in use; outdated.

outnumber

verb

To be greater in number than another group.

outpatient

noun

A patient who is treated at a hospital or clinic but does not stay overnight.

outperform

verb

To perform better than something or someone.

outport

noun

A port city or harbor which is secondary to a main port; it may be a distant one or a nearby auxiliary one.

outpost

noun

A small military post set apart from the main force, or a remote settlement.

outpouring

noun

A sudden, large release of feeling, support, or words.

output

noun

The amount of something produced, especially over a given period.

outrage

noun

Strong anger or indignation caused by something shocking or unfair.

outrageous

adj

Shockingly excessive, unacceptable, or unjust.

outrageously

adv

In a shockingly excessive or extreme way.

outrank

verb

To hold a higher rank or position than someone else.

outreach

noun

Efforts by an organization to connect with and provide services to people in the community.

outright

adv

Completely and without reservation; entirely.

outroper

noun

An auctioneer.

outrounding

noun

A phonetic feature found in Swedish, a form of rounding where the lips are protruded and kept relatively far apart.

outrow

verb

To row faster or better than.

outrun

verb

To run faster than someone or something, or to escape by outpacing it.

outsend

verb

To send out or forth; issue; emit; transmit; broadcast.

outsending

noun

A message abroad; something that is sent out.

outset

noun

The very beginning of something.

outshadow

verb

overshadow (to make to seem insignificant)

outshine

verb

To be noticeably better or more impressive than someone or something else.

outside

noun

The outer part or surface of something; the area beyond its boundary.

outsider

noun

A person who does not belong to a particular group or community.