English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

resurfacer

noun

A machine used to give something a new surface.

resurgence

noun

A fresh rise in strength, popularity or activity after a decline.

resurrect

verb

To bring someone back to life after death.

resurrected

adj

Brought back to life or back into use after being gone.

resurrection

noun

The act of coming back to life after death.

resurrectionist

noun

Someone who used to dig up dead bodies from graves and sell them to doctors for study.

resuscitable

adj

Able to be brought back to consciousness or life.

resuscitate

verb

To bring someone back to consciousness or revive them from apparent death.

resuscitation

noun

The act of reviving someone from unconsciousness or apparent death.

resuscitative

adj

Used to bring a person or thing back to life or consciousness.

resync

verb

To make something match up in timing or state again.

retail

noun

The business of selling goods directly to individual customers, rather than in bulk to other businesses.

retailer

noun

A business that sells goods directly to consumers.

retain

verb

To keep possession of something instead of losing or giving it up.

retainer

noun

A fee paid in advance to secure someone's services, especially a lawyer's.

retaining

adj

Built or used to hold something in place.

retake

verb

To take an exam, photo, or scene again.

retaliate

verb

To respond to harm done to you by causing harm in return.

retaliation

noun

An act of revenge carried out in response to harm.

retard

verb

To slow down the progress or development of something.

retardation

noun

The act of slowing something down or holding it back.

retarded

adj

Slowed down or delayed in development.

retch

verb

To make the movements and sounds of being sick without actually bringing anything up.

retching

noun

The action of gagging or straining as if about to vomit.

rete

noun

A network made up of blood vessels or nerves.

retell

verb

To tell again, often differently, what one has read or heard; to paraphrase.

retelling

noun

A fresh version of a story, often changed from the original.

retem

noun

A bush with white flowers, thought to be the plant called juniper in some old translations of the Bible.

retention

noun

The ability to hold onto or remember information.

rethink

verb

To think about something again with a view to changing it.

rethinking

noun

The process of reconsidering something in a new or different way.

reticent

adj

Unwilling to share thoughts, feelings, or information freely.

retina

noun

The light-sensitive layer of cells at the back of the eye that sends visual signals to the brain.

retinal

adj

Relating to the retina, the light-sensing layer at the back of the eye.

retinoid

adj

Relating to, or similar to, a resin.

retinol

noun

A form of vitamin A used in skincare products, belonging to the family of compounds called retinoids, which act on skin cells and are commonly included in creams and serums sold without a prescription.

retinue

noun

A group of assistants, guards, or followers accompanying an important person.

retire

verb

To leave one's job permanently, usually after reaching a certain age.

retired

adj

No longer working, especially after reaching pension age.

retirement

noun

The act of leaving your job or career for good, usually after reaching a certain age.

retiring

adjective

Shy, quiet, and preferring not to be the centre of attention.

retool

verb

To change, improve or rebuild something.

retort

noun

A sharp, witty, or cutting reply, especially one that turns an insult back on the person who made it.

retouch

verb

To make something, especially a photo, look better by fixing small details or flaws.

retrace

verb

To go back over a path, route, or sequence of events, often to find something or understand what happened.

retracing

noun

The act of going back over a path or sequence again.

retract

verb

To pull something back in, especially a part that extends outward.

retractation

noun

The act of taking back something you said earlier.

retracted

adjective

Pulled back in or withdrawn.

retraction

noun

An official statement withdrawing something previously said or published, admitting it was wrong.

retractive

noun

Something that pulls back or withdraws.

retractor

noun

A surgical tool used to hold open the edges of a wound or incision during an operation.

retread

verb

To fit a new gripping surface onto a vehicle's tyres, tracks or treads.

retreat

noun

The act of pulling back from danger, especially a military withdrawal.

retreating

noun

The act of pulling back or withdrawing.

retrenchment

noun

A cut or reduction in something.

retrial

noun

A new court trial ordered because the first one was unfair, flawed, or ended without a verdict.

retribution

noun

Punishment given out of a sense of justice or revenge for a wrong that was done.

retrieval

noun

The act of getting something back, or the process of accessing stored data or memories.

retrieve

verb

To get something back, especially something that was lost, stored, or left somewhere.

retriever

noun

A breed of dog trained to fetch game for hunters, known for being friendly and trainable.

retrieving

noun

The act of getting something back.

retro

adjective

Deliberately styled after, or reminiscent of, an earlier era.

retrodict

verb

To try to work out what happened in the past by looking at how things are now.

retroduction

noun

Another word for abduction.

retrogradation

noun

Movement in a backward or reverse direction.

retrograde

adjective

Moving backward, or reversing to an earlier, less advanced state.

retrogress

verb

To go back to a condition that is earlier, simpler or worse than before.

retrogression

noun

A decline back to how things were before, usually for the worse.

retrogressive

adj

Relating to a decline back to an earlier, worse state.

retrospect

noun

A look back at, or consideration of, past events.

retrospection

noun

The conscious act of thinking back over things that happened in the past.

retrospective

adjective

Looking back on or relating to the past.

retroversion

noun

A backward turn or movement.

retroviral

adj

Relating to a retrovirus.

retrovirologist

noun

A scientist who studies retroviruses.

retrovirology

noun

The branch of science that studies retroviruses.

retrovirus

noun

A type of virus that copies its genetic material into the DNA of the cells it infects, permanently altering them.

retruse

adj

Pushed or set back.

return

verb

To come or go back to a place, or to give something back to its owner.

returned

adjective

Having come back, especially from a trip, war, or absence.

returner

noun

A person who comes back from somewhere else.

returning

noun

The act of coming back.

returns

noun

Goods sent back to a seller, usually for a refund or exchange.

Reuben

noun

A grilled sandwich made with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and a creamy dressing, usually on rye bread.

reunification

noun

The bringing back together of something, especially a country, that had been divided.

reunify

verb

To join separate parts back together again, or to come back together after being apart.

reunion

noun

An event where people who haven't seen each other in a while, such as former classmates or family, meet up again.

reunite

verb

To bring or come back together after being separated.

reunited

adjective

Brought back together after being apart.

reuniting

noun

The act of coming back together after being apart.

reupholstery

noun

The process of fitting new covering and padding onto furniture.

reusable

adj

Able to be used more than once, sometimes after being cleaned or specially treated.

reuse

verb

To use something again, either for the same purpose or a new one, instead of throwing it away.

reuven

name

A male first name of Hebrew origin.

rev

verb

To make an engine run faster, or to increase its speed.

revaluation

noun

The process by which a currency's value relative to others, or another exchange standard, is adjusted.

revalue

verb

To work out the value of something again, or set it a new value.

revamp

verb

To make something better by updating or improving it.

revanche

noun

An act of revenge or getting back at someone.

revanchism

noun

A political policy aimed at winning back territory that a country has lost.

revanchist

adjective

Seeking revenge or supporting retaliation, especially by a nation against one that previously defeated it.

reveal

verb

To show or make known something that was hidden or secret.

revealed

adjective

Made known, especially through religious or divine communication.

revealing

adjective

Giving useful or surprising information; informative.

reveille

noun

A bugle call or drumbeat played early in the morning to wake soldiers.

revel

verb

To take great delight or pleasure in something.

revelation

noun

Something surprising or previously unknown that is made known, often dramatically.

revelatory

adj

Showing something that was previously secret or unknown.

revelry

noun

Loud, lively celebration or merry-making.

revenant

noun

A spirit or reanimated corpse said to return from the dead, as in folklore or horror fiction.

revend

verb

To sell something again after buying it.

revenge

noun

Harm done to someone in return for a wrong they committed against you.

revenue

noun

The total money a business, organization, or government takes in before costs are subtracted.

revenuer

noun

A government officer whose job is to enforce laws against distilling alcohol illegally.

reverable

adj

Deserving deep respect and admiration.

reverb

noun

The effect of a sound bouncing off surfaces so that it lingers and blurs after the source has stopped, either natural in a room or added electronically.

reverberate

verb

To make a sound bounce off surfaces again and again, producing an echo.

reverberation

noun

A strong shaking or vibrating movement.

revere

verb

To feel or show deep respect and admiration for someone or something.

revered

adj

Held in deep respect and admiration.

reverence

noun

Deep respect and awe, often tinged with a sense of the sacred.

reverend

adj

Deserving deep respect, especially used as a title before a clergy member's name.

reverent

adj

Showing profound respect or veneration, and respectful in nature.

reverie

noun

A state of pleasant daydreaming or drifting thought.

reversal

noun

A change to the opposite direction, position, or outcome.

reverse

adj

Opposite in position, direction, or order.

reversed

adj

Turned to face or run the opposite way.

reversible

adj

Capable of being turned back to its original state or direction.

reversing

verb

Moving backward, or undoing a previous decision or action.

reversion

noun

The act of changing something back to how it was before.

revert

verb

To go back to a previous state, condition, or topic.

reverted

adj

Having gone back to an earlier state or condition.

revest

verb

To dress (a priest or other religious figure) in ritual garments, especially to celebrate Mass or another service.

review

noun

A written or spoken evaluation of a book, film, product, or performance.

reviewability

noun

The quality of being able to be reviewed.

reviewed

verb

Past tense and past participle of review: looked over something carefully to check or assess it.

reviewer

noun

A person who writes critical assessments of books, films, products, or other work.

reviewing

verb

Examining something again carefully, or writing an assessment of it.

revile

verb

To criticise someone harshly with insulting words.

revisal

noun

The action of revising something, or the result of that action.

revise

verb

To change or correct something, especially a piece of writing, in order to improve it.

reviser

noun

A person who revises something.

revision

noun

The process of reviewing and correcting a piece of work, or the corrected version itself.

revisionism

noun

Support for changing an idea, belief or account of past events that most people accept.

revisionist

adj

Relating to the support of changing accepted ideas or beliefs.

revisit

verb

To visit a place again.

revisiting

verb

Going back to a place, topic, or idea already visited or discussed.

revisory

adj

Able to make changes to something or check it for correctness.

revitalization

noun

The process by which something is given new life or energy.