English dictionary — definitions & meanings

Stillman

noun

A person who operates a still used for distilling liquids.

stillness

noun

The state of being calm, quiet, and without movement.

Stillson

noun

A type of adjustable wrench with serrated jaws, used for gripping pipes; also called a pipe wrench.

Stillwater

name

A place name shared by several towns in the United States, including cities in Oklahoma and Minnesota.

Stillwell

name

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "calm spring" or "still well."

stilt

noun

Either of two poles with footrests that allow someone to stand or walk above the ground; used mostly by entertainers.

stilted

adj

Making use of or possessing a stilt or stilts, or things resembling stilts; raised on stilts.

Stilton

noun

A strong, blue-veined English cheese.

stimulant

noun

A substance that increases activity in the body or nervous system.

stimulate

verb

To encourage activity, growth, or interest.

stimulated

adj

Made more active, alert, or interested.

stimulating

adj

Arousing interest, energy, or thought.

stimulation

noun

The act of encouraging activity or response, or the state of being encouraged.

stimulus

noun

Something that triggers a reaction or response.

sting

noun

A sharp pain, or the puncture and injection of venom by an insect or animal.

stinger

noun

The pointed body part an insect or animal uses to sting.

stinging

adj

Capable of causing a sharp pain, or itself sharply painful.

stingray

noun

A flat-bodied ray with a whip-like tail bearing a venomous barb.

stingy

adj

Unwilling to spend, give, or share; miserly.

stink

verb

To give off a strong, unpleasant smell.

stinkard

noun

Any of various malodorous animals.

stinker

noun

Something or someone unpleasant, difficult, or of poor quality.

stinkhole

noun

A filthy, squalid place.

stinking

adj

Having a strong, unpleasant smell.

stinkpot

noun

An annoying, bad or undesirable person.

stinks

noun

British school slang for chemistry class.

stinky

adj

Having a strong, unpleasant smell.

Stinson

name

An English surname meaning "son of Stephen."

stint

noun

A period of time spent doing a particular job or activity.

stipe

noun

The stalk-like stem of a mushroom, seaweed, or similar organism.

stipend

noun

A regular, fixed payment for services — often given to clergy, students, interns, or public officials instead of a full wage.

stipendiarian

adj

Characteristic of a stipendiary or a mercenary.

stipendiary

noun

One who receives a stipend.

stipendiate

verb

To provide (someone) with a stipend, or salary; to pay, support or fund.

stipulate

verb

To state clearly as a required condition of an agreement or contract.

stipulated

adj

Set out as a required condition in an agreement.

stipulation

noun

A specific condition written into an agreement or contract.

stipule

noun

A basal appendage of a typical leaf of a flowering plant, usually appearing paired beside the petiole although sometimes absent or highly modified.

stir

verb

To mix a liquid or substance by moving an object like a spoon through it.

Stirling

name

A Scottish surname and city in central Scotland, also used as a given name.

stirring

adj

Deeply moving or inspiring; capable of provoking strong emotion.

stirrup

noun

A loop or ring hanging from a saddle that a rider rests a foot in while mounting or riding a horse.

stitch

noun

A single loop of thread made by a needle in sewing, knitting, or in closing a wound.

stitchery

noun

fine work done by stitching

stitching

noun

A row or pattern of stitches, or the act of sewing them.

stithy

noun

A blacksmith's smithy or forge.

stoa

noun

In Ancient Greece, a walkway with a roof supported by colonnades, often with a wall on one side; specifically, the Great Hall in Athens.

stoat

noun

Mustela erminea, the ermine or short-tailed weasel, a mustelid native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip.

stob

noun

A stick, twig or peg, especially in roofing or matting.

stochastic

adjective

Involving or governed by chance, so that individual outcomes cannot be predicted exactly even though the pattern of outcomes over many trials can be described by probability.

stock

noun

The goods a shop or business keeps available to sell.

stockade

noun

A defensive fence or enclosure made of upright wooden posts.

stockbroker

noun

Someone who buys and sells shares for clients, often also giving investment advice.

stocked

adj

Supplied or filled with goods.

stockfish

noun

Cod (or similar fish) having been cut open and cured in the open air without salt.

stockholder

noun

A person or entity that owns shares in a company.

Stockholm

name

The capital and largest city of Sweden.

stocking

noun

A close-fitting garment covering the foot and leg, usually made of thin, stretchy fabric.

stockman

noun

A person, especially in Australia or the western US, who works with and manages livestock.

stockpile

noun

A large stored supply of something kept for future use.

stockpiling

noun

The act of building up a large reserve supply of something.

stockroom

noun

A room where a store or business keeps its inventory.

stocks

noun

A historical wooden device with holes for the hands and feet, used to publicly restrain and punish offenders.

Stockwell

name

An English surname, also the name of a district in south London.

stocky

adj

Solidly and compactly built, with a broad, muscular frame.

Stoddard

name

An English surname, historically an occupational name for a keeper of horses.

stodge

noun

Heavy, dull, often starchy food, such as a steamed pudding

stodgy

adj

Dull, old-fashioned.

stog

verb

To bog down; to cause to be stuck in mud.

stogie

noun

A type of sturdy work boot; a brogan.

stoic

adj

Enduring pain or hardship without complaint or visible emotion.

stoical

adj

Enduring pain and hardship without showing feeling or complaint.

stoically

adv

In a manner that endures pain and hardship without outwardly showing suffering or expressing complaint.

stoicism

noun

A school of philosophy popularized during the Roman Empire that emphasized reason as a means of understanding the natural state of things, or logos, and as a means of freeing oneself from emotional distress.

stoke

verb

To add fuel to a fire to keep it burning, or to feed a furnace.

stoked

adj

Very excited or enthusiastic.

stoker

noun

A person who tends a fire or furnace, especially on a steamship or steam train.

stokes

noun

A unit of kinematic viscosity used in physics, measuring how thick or resistant a fluid is to flow.

stole

noun

A long scarf-like garment, often made of fur or fabric, worn draped over the shoulders.

stolen

adj

Taken from someone without permission or right.

stolid

adj

Having or revealing little emotion or sensibility.

stolidity

noun

The property of being stolid; unemotionality.

Stoller

name

A surname of German origin.

stoma

noun

One of the tiny pores in the epidermis of a leaf or stem through which gases and water vapor pass.

stomach

noun

The organ in the body where food is stored and begins to be digested.

stomachable

adj

tolerable; capable of being stomached; not so distasteful as to be unacceptable.

stomachache

noun

A pain in the belly, often from indigestion or eating something disagreeable.

stomachal

adj

Of or relating to the stomach; gastric.

stomachic

adj

Of or relating to the stomach.

stomp

verb

To step down heavily and forcefully, often out of anger.

stomper

noun

One who stomps.

stomping

noun

The act of stepping down heavily and repeatedly.

stone

noun

A hard natural material, or a piece of it, such as rock or a pebble.

Stonebridge

name

An English surname and place name, originally denoting someone who lived near a stone bridge.

stonecraft

noun

The art or skill of working in stone

stonecutter

noun

Somebody who cuts, carves or dresses stone.

stoned

adj

Under the influence of a drug, especially cannabis.

Stonehenge

noun

The famous prehistoric circle of huge standing stones on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England.

stoner

noun

Someone who smokes cannabis regularly, especially as part of their lifestyle or identity.

Stones

noun

(vulgar, slang) The testicles.

stonewall

verb

To deliberately block progress by refusing to answer questions, give information, or cooperate.

stonewalling

noun

A refusal to cooperate or give a straight answer, used to block progress on an issue.

stoneware

noun

A type of pottery that is fired at a high temperature and is dense, opaque and nonporous.

stonework

noun

Constructions made of stone.

Stoney

noun

A member of the Nakoda people, a First Nation related to the Sioux, traditionally living in what is now southern Alberta, Canada.

stonify

verb

To petrify (as a mineral, to harden).

stoning

noun

The act of executing or punishing someone by having a crowd throw stones at them until they die.

stonkered

adj

Beaten, defeated; exhausted.

stonking

adj

impressively large; exciting

Stony

adj

Covered with or full of stones.

stonyhearted

adj

Cruel, compassionless, discompassionate, as if having a heart made of stone.

stooge

noun

Someone who lets themselves be used by others, usually to take the blame or do the dirty work.

stook

noun

A pile or bundle, especially of straw.

stool

noun

A simple seat for one person with no back or armrests.

stoop

verb

To bend the body forward and down.

stooped

adj

Bent forward at the shoulders, often from age or long habit.

stooshie

noun

The disruption caused by a disagreement or misunderstanding.

stop

verb

To cease moving or to bring something to a halt.

stopcock

noun

A valve, tap or faucet which regulates the flow of liquid or gas through a pipe.

stopgap

noun

That which stops up or fills a gap or hole.

stoplight

noun

A traffic signal that uses red, amber, and green lights to control traffic.

stopover

noun

A short stop or break during a longer journey.

stoppable

adj

Capable of being stopped.

stoppage

noun

A pause or halt of some activity.

stopped

adj

No longer moving; having come to a halt.

stopper

noun

A plug or cork used to close the opening of a bottle or container.

stopping

noun

The act of bringing something to a halt.

stopple

noun

A plug; a stopper.

stopwatch

noun

A handheld or wearable timer used to measure exactly how long something takes.

storage

noun

The act of keeping something in a place until it is needed, or the space used for this.

store

verb

To keep something in a particular place for future use.

storefront

noun

The street-facing front of a shop, including its windows and entrance.

storehouse

noun

A building used to keep goods or supplies.

storekeeper

noun

The owner or manager of a shop.

storeroom

noun

A room set aside for storing things.

storey

noun

A level or floor of a building.

storied

adj

Much discussed or written about.

storing

noun

The activity of keeping something put away until it is needed.

stork

noun

A large long-legged wading bird with a long straight bill.

storksbill

noun

Any plant of genus Pelargonium.

storm

noun

A period of violent weather with strong winds and often rain, thunder, or snow.

storming

noun

A violent assault made to seize a place by force.

Storms

name

A surname of Dutch origin.

stormy

adj

Marked by storms or violent weather.

story

noun

An account, true or invented, of events told for information or entertainment.

storybook

noun

A book of stories, typically written for children.

storyland

noun

The fictitious world where stories are set.

storyline

noun

The plot of a story, film, or show.

storyteller

noun

Someone skilled at telling stories.

storytelling

noun

The craft of telling stories.