English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

wooded

adj

Covered with trees.

wooden

adj

Made of wood.

Woodford

name

An English surname and place name meaning "ford through the woods."

woodhouse

noun

A shed or small building used for storing chopped or split wood.

Woodhull

name

An English surname, notably borne by Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for U.S. president.

woodland

noun

Land covered by trees; a lightly forested area.

Woodlands

name

A place name used for various towns and districts, often describing wooded terrain, such as The Woodlands in Texas.

Woodley

name

An English surname and place name meaning "clearing in the woods."

woodlike

adj

Looking or feeling similar to wood, for example in its colour or texture.

woodlouse

noun

A small creature with a hard, segmented shell that lives outdoors in damp, dark spots such as under stones, and eats dead plants; some kinds curl into a ball when touched.

woodman

noun

A person who cuts down trees or works with wood, especially in a forest.

woodpecker

noun

A bird with a strong, pointed beak that it uses to peck holes in tree trunks, searching for insects or making a nest.

Woodrow

name

A masculine given name and surname of English origin, meaning "row of houses by a wood."

woodruff

noun

A small, sweet-smelling herb with star-shaped leaves, traditionally used to flavor drinks and desserts.

woods

noun

A group of trees covering an area smaller than a forest; a small wooded area.

woodshed

noun

A small outdoor building used to store firewood.

woodsman

noun

A person, typically a man, who is skilled at living and working in forests.

woodsmanship

noun

A woodsman’s practical abilities.

woodsy

adj

Relating to, or reminiscent of, a wooded area.

woodward

noun

A person responsible for guarding or overseeing a wood or forest (historical).

woodwind

noun

Any (typically wooden) musical instrument that produces sound by the player blowing into it, through a reed, or across an opening. Woodwind instruments include the recorder, flute, piccolo, clarinet, oboe, cor anglais and bassoon.

woodwork

noun

Items or fittings made of wood, such as doorframes, trim, and cabinets.

woodworker

noun

A person who is good at working with wood.

woodworking

noun

The skill of making objects out of wood, including carpentry and cabinet-making.

woody

adj

Made of, resembling, or having the texture of wood.

wooer

noun

A person who is courting someone romantically.

woof

intj

Used to represent the sound of a dog barking.

woofer

noun

A speaker designed to play deep, low sounds.

woohoo

intj

An exclamation of excitement, joy, or approval.

wooing

noun

The act of trying to win someone's love or favor; courting.

wook

noun

A scruffy, unemployed festival-goer who travels from show to show and relies on others for food, drugs, or a place to crash (slang).

wool

noun

The soft, thick hair of sheep and some other animals, used to make yarn and fabric.

woolen

adj

Made of wool.

Wooley

name

An English surname, a variant spelling of Woolley, likely derived from a place name.

Woolf

name

An English surname, most notably borne by writer Virginia Woolf.

woolgathering

noun

The collecting of scraps of wool that have been pulled from sheep by bushes and similar things.

woolies

name

An informal name for Woolworths, a shop chain known for selling confectionery, stationery and similar goods.

woolly

adj

Made of wool, or having a soft, thick texture like wool.

woolsey

noun

A coarse fabric woven from a blend of wool and cotton or linen.

woomera

noun

A traditional spearthrower, consisting of a stick with a hooked end, used by First Nations Australians.

woon

noun

A traditional Burmese title for a government official or administrator.

Wooster

name

An English surname and place name, a variant of Worcester; also a fictional character, Bertie Wooster, in P. G. Wodehouse's novels.

woozy

adj

Feeling dizzy, queasy, or unsteady on your feet.

wop

noun

A highly offensive slur for a person of Italian descent.

wor

det

"Our" — used in Northumbrian and some northern English dialects.

word

noun

The smallest unit of language that carries meaning on its own, made up of one or more sounds or letters.

word for word

adverb

In exactly the same words as the original, with nothing changed, added or left out.

wordbook

noun

A book that lists words.

wordcraft

noun

Great skill in choosing and using words, especially in speech or writing.

wordiness

noun

Using far more words than are needed.

wording

noun

The particular words and phrasing chosen to express something.

wordmeal

adv

One word after another, rather than all together.

wordplay

noun

Clever or humorous use of words, such as puns or double meanings.

words

noun

An angry exchange or argument.

wordsmith

noun

A person who is skilled at choosing and using words.

wordstock

noun

All the words that make up a language.

Wordsworth

name

An English surname, most famously borne by Romantic poet William Wordsworth.

wordy

adj

Using far more words than necessary; long-winded.

work

noun

A job or occupation; the activity someone does to earn a living.

work ethic

noun

A person's attitude to work, and how hard, reliably and conscientiously they apply themselves to it.

work on

phrasal verb

To spend time and effort improving something or making progress with a task or project.

workability

noun

How easily something can be shaped or worked with.

workable

adj

Practical and capable of being put into effect; feasible.

workaday

adj

Fit for ordinary, everyday use.

workaholic

noun

Someone who feels compelled to work constantly, often to an unhealthy degree.

workaround

noun

A way of getting around a difficulty, especially one caused by rules, laws or restrictions.

workbench

noun

A strong table used by a carpenter or machinist for manual work.

workbook

noun

A book in which a student writes answers to exercises and questions.

workday

noun

A day on which people normally work, as opposed to a weekend or holiday.

worked

adj

Shaped, decorated, or processed through effort, as opposed to left raw or plain.

worker

noun

A person who performs labor, especially for pay.

workforce

noun

All the people employed by a company, industry, or country.

workhome

noun

A place where people both live and are given a job.

workhorse

noun

A horse kept mainly for heavy physical work; a draught horse.

workhouse

noun

Historically, an institution where poor people were housed and required to work in exchange for food and shelter.

working

adj

Currently employed or in paid work.

workingman

noun

A man who earns money by working, especially through manual labour.

workings

noun

The internal mechanism or process by which something operates.

workless

adj

Containing or involving no work.

worklessness

noun

The condition of not having a paid job.

workload

noun

The amount of work assigned to a person or machine over a given period.

workman

noun

A man who does manual labor, especially skilled labor, for wages.

workmanship

noun

The skill with which something is made, or the quality that results from it.

workmate

noun

Someone you work with.

workout

noun

A session of physical exercise.

workplace

noun

The location, such as an office or factory, where someone does their job.

workroom

noun

A room set aside for doing work, such as a studio or small workshop.

works

noun

A factory or industrial site, or the group of such facilities belonging to one operation.

workshop

noun

A room or small building used for manufacturing or manual work.

worksite

noun

A place, often a building site, where work is carried out.

worksomeness

noun

Hard work and effort put into a task.

workspace

noun

An area set aside for someone to work in, such as a desk or office area.

workstation

noun

A powerful desktop computer built for a particular job, such as graphics work.

workup

noun

A thorough medical examination to assess a patient's health.

workwoman

noun

A woman who does physical work with her hands.

world

noun

The Earth, along with all its people, countries, and cultures.

worldie

noun

Something outstanding of its kind, particularly a superb sporting goal or an attractive woman.

worldliness

noun

Wide experience of life and a good understanding of how it works.

worldling

noun

Someone who cares mainly about everyday matters and material things rather than spiritual ones.

worldly

adj

Concerned with material or practical life rather than spiritual matters.

worlds

adv

To a great degree; by far (used for emphasis, as in "worlds apart" or "worlds better").

worldview

noun

A person's or group's overall way of seeing and interpreting the world.

worldwide

adj

Extending across or affecting the whole world.

worm

noun

A long, thin, legless invertebrate, such as an earthworm.

wormhole

noun

A small hole or tunnel bored by a worm.

Worms

name

A city in Germany on the Rhine, known for its cathedral and historical significance in the Reformation.

wormwood

noun

A very bitter herb used in medicine and in making absinthe and vermouth.

worn

adj

Damaged, thin, or shabby from long use.

worried

adj

Feeling anxious or afraid because of something that has happened, or might happen.

worrier

noun

Someone who worries a lot, often over things that turn out fine.

worrisome

adj

Causing worry or unease.

worry

verb

To feel anxious or uneasy about something.

worryful

adj

Feeling a lot of worry or anxiety.

worryguts

noun

(informal) Someone who worries too much, especially about small things.

worrying

adj

Causing anxiety or concern.

worrywart

noun

(informal) Someone who worries too much, often about things that do not really matter.

worse

adj

More bad; of lower quality, more severe, or less desirable, than something already bad.

worsen

verb

To make or become worse.

worseness

noun

The state of being of a lower standard than something else.

worsening

noun

A decline into a worse state.

worship

noun

Reverence and devotion shown to a god or sacred figure.

worshipping

noun

The act of showing religious devotion or great admiration.

Worsley

name

An English surname and place name meaning "clearing frequented by wolves."

worst

adj

Most bad; lowest in quality or most severe.

wort

noun

A plant, especially one used for food or medicine — often the second half of a plant's name, as in "St. John's wort."

worth

adj

Having a particular value, or deserving of something.

worth it

adjective phrase

Good enough to justify the money, time, effort or trouble it costs.

worthen

verb

To give something value, or to judge how much it is worth.

worthiness

noun

The quality of deserving respect, praise or attention.

Worthing

name

A seaside town in West Sussex, England, and a surname derived from it.

Worthington

name

An English surname and place name meaning "estate of a man called Worth."

worthless

adj

Having no value or use.

worthlessness

noun

The state of having no value or usefulness at all.

worthly

adj

(old-fashioned) Of great value or importance; deserving respect.

worthwhile

adj

Important or rewarding enough to justify the time, effort, or money spent.

worthy

adj

Deserving respect, effort, or attention.

wortlore

noun

Old traditional knowledge about using plants and herbs as food and medicine.

wossname

noun

(informal) Used in place of a word or name that you cannot remember.

Wotan

name

The German name for Odin, the chief god in Norse and Germanic mythology.

wotcher

contraction

A short form combining the words 'what', 'do' and 'you'.

wotsit

noun

A cheese-flavoured corn snack sold in the UK under the brand name Wotsits.

would

verb

Used to describe what someone was going to do, from the point of view of the past.

wound

noun

An injury where the skin is cut, pierced, or torn.

woundable

adj

Able to be hurt or injured easily.

wounded

adj

Having suffered a physical injury, especially in combat.

wounding

noun

The act of causing a wound, or an instance of being wounded.

wove

verb

Past tense of "weave."

woven

adj

Made by interlacing threads or strips of material.

wow

intj

Used to express surprise, excitement, or admiration.

wowed

verb

(informal) To use an emoji or symbol meaning "wow" in a message.