English dictionary — definitions & meanings

standardised

adj

Designed in a standard manner or according to an official or accepted standard.

standardization

noun

The act, process, or result of complying with a standard.

standardize

verb

American and Oxford British standard spelling of standardise.

standardized

adj

Made to conform to a single official or agreed set of rules or measurements.

standards

noun

Principles of conduct shaped by one's ideas of morality, decency and honor.

standby

noun

A state of being ready to act at short notice.

standee

noun

A large free-standing cardboard display, often a life-size cutout of a person or character, used to advertise a film or product in a cinema or shop.

standing

adj

Remaining in effect on an ongoing basis.

standish

noun

A stand or holder for pens, ink, and other writing tools, once common on desks before modern pens existed.

standoff

noun

A tense confrontation in which neither side backs down or advances.

standoffish

adj

Aloof; reserved; unsociable and unfriendly.

standout

adj

Exceptionally good; clearly better than the rest.

standpoint

noun

A particular point of view or way of judging a situation.

standstill

noun

A complete stop; a state where nothing is moving or progressing.

Stanfield

name

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "stony field."

Stanford

name

An English surname and place name, and (capitalized) the name of a prestigious private university in California.

stang

noun

A forked ritual staff.

Stanhope

noun

A light, open, two- or four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage with a high seat and no roof over the back.

Stanislav

name

A masculine given name of Slavic origin, meaning "glorious stand" or "one who achieves glory."

stank

verb

Past tense of stink; smelled bad.

stanky

adj

smelly; stinky

Stanley

name

A male given name, popular in the early 20th century, and a common English surname originally referring to a "stony meadow."

stanmarch

noun

Smyrnium olusatrum, alexanders, horse parsley, an herb of the umbellifer family.

stansfield

name

A habitational surname from Old English.

Stanton

name

An English surname and the name of several towns, originally meaning "stone enclosure" or "stone settlement."

stanza

noun

A group of lines in a poem, set apart from the next group by a blank line and often sharing a fixed pattern of length, rhythm and rhyme.

stapes

noun

A small stirrup-shaped innermost ossicle of the middle ear of mammals, transmitting vibrations from the incus to the inner ear.

staph

noun

A common type of bacteria (Staphylococcus) that lives on skin and can cause infections ranging from minor boils to serious illness.

staphylococcus

noun

A spherical gram-positive parasitic bacterium of the genus Staphylococcus, causing blisters, septicemia, and other infections.

staple

noun

A basic food or item that is used regularly and is essential to daily life.

stapled

adj

Fastened together using a staple or staples.

stapler

noun

A small hand-operated device that fastens sheets of paper together by driving a metal staple through them.

Staples

name

An English surname, and the name of a well-known office supply retail chain.

Stapleton

name

An English surname and place name meaning "settlement by a post or pillar."

star

noun

A huge, glowing ball of gas in space, held together by gravity, that produces light and heat through nuclear fusion.

Starbase

noun

A fictional space station or military outpost used as a base for spacecraft, common in science fiction.

starboard

noun

The right-hand side of a ship or aircraft when facing forward.

Starbuck

name

An English surname, notably the first mate in "Moby-Dick" and the inspiration for the Starbucks coffee brand.

Starbucks

name

A large international chain of coffee shops.

starburst

noun

A sudden burst or explosion, or a star-shaped pattern of light suggesting one.

starch

noun

A carbohydrate found in foods like potatoes, rice, and grains, used by the body for energy.

starched

adj

Treated with starch and made stiff, especially describing clothing.

stardate

noun

A fictional unit of date and time used in Star Trek instead of ordinary calendar dates.

stardom

noun

The state of being a famous performer or celebrity.

stardust

noun

Tiny particles of matter found in space, formed from material ejected by stars.

stare

verb

To look at something or someone for a long time without looking away.

Starfighter

noun

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, a real Cold War-era jet fighter aircraft designed for very high speed and altitude.

starfish

noun

A sea creature, not actually a fish, with a body typically shaped like a five-pointed star.

starfleet

noun

A fleet of spacecraft, especially as depicted in science fiction; most famously the fictional organization in Star Trek.

stargate

noun

An imagined device or portal that allows near-instant travel between two distant points in space, often through a wormhole.

stargaze

verb

To look at the stars at night.

stargazer

noun

A person who watches or studies the stars, whether as a hobby or professionally.

stargazing

noun

The act of gazing at the stars; astronomy.

staring

adj

Looking fixedly with wide-open eyes.

stark

adj

Severe, bare, or bleak in appearance.

starken

verb

To make unbending or inflexible; stiffen; make obstinate.

starkers

adj

Completely nude.

Starkey

name

An English surname derived from "stark," meaning strong or robust.

Starks

name

An English surname, a variant of Stark, and the name of a noble house in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" novels.

Starla

name

A feminine given name derived from "star."

starlet

noun

A young actress, especially one who is promising but not yet a major star.

starlight

noun

Light that comes from stars.

starling

noun

A common small to medium-sized bird known for its dark, glossy, iridescent feathers and noisy flocking behaviour.

starr

noun

Historically, a written receipt or release given to acknowledge that a debt had been paid, used in medieval English Jewish communities.

starred

adj

Marked with a star or stars, or having appeared as a leading performer.

starring

adj

Playing the leading role in a film, show, or performance.

starry

adj

Filled with visible stars, as a clear night sky.

stars

noun

Plural of star; the glowing points of light seen in the night sky, or, informally, outer space and everything beyond Earth.

starship

noun

A spacecraft imagined or built to travel between star systems, far beyond the reach of ordinary rockets.

start

verb

To begin doing something or set something in motion.

starter

noun

Someone who starts, or who starts something.

starting

noun

The act or process of beginning something.

startle

verb

To give someone a sudden shock or fright, usually without real danger.

startled

adj

Suddenly surprised and a little frightened.

startling

adj

Surprising enough to shock or alarm; unexpected and striking.

startlingly

adv

In a startling manner; surprisingly; shockingly.

startup

noun

A newly founded company, especially one built around a fresh idea and aiming for fast growth.

starvation

noun

The state of suffering or dying from a severe lack of food.

starve

verb

To suffer or die from lack of food.

starved

adj

Severely weakened from lack of food; emaciated.

starving

adj

Suffering severely from lack of food, or, informally, extremely hungry.

Stas

name

A masculine given name, a short form of Stanislav common in Slavic countries.

stash

verb

To put something away safely or secretly, meaning to use later.

Stasi

noun

Someone who spies on or closely monitors others in a way associated with secret police, often said of intrusive surveillance.

stasis

noun

A state of no movement or change; a standstill.

stat

adv

Right away; immediately — especially in medical or urgent contexts.

state

noun

The particular condition someone or something is in at a given time.

state of the art

adjective

Using the most advanced methods or technology currently available.

statecraft

noun

Synonym of statesmanship (“the ability to guide a state well”).

stated

adj

Said or written down explicitly.

stateliness

noun

The quality or state of being stately

stately

adj

Grand and dignified in appearance or manner.

statement

noun

Something said or written that expresses a fact, opinion, or position.

Staten

name

A surname and the name of Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City.

stateroom

noun

A private cabin on a ship or train, often reserved for passengers paying for extra comfort.

stateside

adj

Located in, or relating to, the United States, especially when described from abroad.

statesman

noun

A respected, experienced political leader, especially one known for wisdom and integrity rather than mere ambition.

statewide

adj

Affecting or covering an entire state (a political subdivision such as a US state).

static

adj

Not moving or changing; staying the same over time.

stating

verb

Saying or writing something clearly and directly (the -ing form of state).

station

noun

A regular stopping place for trains, buses, or other transportation.

stationary

adj

Not moving; staying in one place.

stationed

adj

Assigned or placed in a specific location to perform a duty.

stationery

noun

Writing materials — paper, pens, envelopes, and similar office supplies.

stationing

noun

the putting in a place to perform military duty

stationmaster

noun

The person in charge of running a railway station.

stations

noun

Plural of station; regular stopping places, assigned posts, or broadcasting channels.

statism

noun

Synonym of secularism: subservience of religious issues to political officials and expediency.

statistic

noun

A single numerical fact drawn from a larger study or set of data.

statistical

adj

Relating to statistics or based on numerical data analysis.

statistically

adv

From the point of view of statistics or based on statistical evidence.

statistics

noun

The branch of mathematics concerned with collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data.

stator

noun

The stationary part of a motor or other machine.

statuary

noun

The craft of making statues.

statue

noun

A three-dimensional sculpture, usually of a person or animal, made from stone, metal, or another solid material.

statues

noun

Plural of statue; also the name of a children's game where players must freeze in place without moving.

statuette

noun

A small statue, often made of bronze, marble, or a similar material.

stature

noun

A person or animal's natural height when standing upright.

status

noun

The current state or condition of something at a given moment.

status quo

noun

The way things are at present, especially when contrasted with a proposed change.

statute

noun

A formal law passed by a parliament, congress, or other legislative body.

statutory

adj

Required, defined, or governed by a specific law rather than by custom or agreement.

staunch

adj

Firmly loyal and unwavering in support of a person, belief, or cause.

staunton

name

A village and civil parish next to Corse, Forest of Dean district, Gloucestershire, England (OS grid ref SO7829).

stave

noun

One of the curved wooden strips fitted together to form the side of a barrel or cask.

Stavros

name

A masculine given name of Greek origin, meaning "cross."

stay

verb

To remain in a place rather than leaving.

staying

noun

A period of remaining in or visiting a place.

stays

noun

A stiff, boned undergarment worn to shape the torso, historically an early form of corset.

stead

noun

The place or role of someone or something, especially when taken over by a replacement, as in "in his stead."

steadfast

adj

Firm and unwavering in loyalty, belief, or purpose.

steadfastly

adv

In a steadfast manner; firmly; with conviction

steadfastness

noun

Loyalty in the face of trouble and difficulty.

steadily

adv

In a consistent, even, and gradually progressing manner.

steadiness

noun

The state of being steady.

Steadman

name

An English surname, an occupational name for a herdsman or farm worker.

steady

adj

Firmly fixed or balanced; not shaking or wobbling.

steak

noun

A thick slice of meat, especially beef, cooked by grilling or frying.

steakhouse

noun

A restaurant that specializes in serving steak and other cuts of meat.

steal

verb

To take something that belongs to someone else without permission or intention of returning it.

stealer

noun

One who steals; a thief.

stealing

noun

The act of taking something without permission; theft.

steals

noun

In baseball, the count of bases a player has successfully stolen.

stealth

noun

The quality of acting secretly or without being noticed.

stealthily

adv

In a secretive, unnoticed manner.

stealthy

adj

Done in a quiet, secretive way to avoid being noticed.

steam

noun

The hot vapor that water turns into when it boils.

steamboat

noun

A boat powered by a steam engine.

steamed

adj

Cooked using steam.

steamer

noun

A ship or boat powered by a steam engine.