wordmasters
Joe
flock
• 1. a number of animals of one kind, especially sheep,
goats, or birds, that keep or feed together or are
herded together.
• 2. a large number of people; crowd.
• 3. a large group of things: a flock of letters to answer.
• 4. a. the Christian church in relation to Christ.
• b. a single congregation in relation to its pastor.
• 5. Archaic. a band or company of persons.
• 6. to gather or go in a flock or crowd: They flocked
around the football hero.
graze
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Verb 1. to feed on growing grass and pasturage, as do cattle, sheep, etc.
2. Informal. to eat small portions of food, as appetizers or the like, in place of a
full-sized meal or to snack during the course of the day in place of regular meals.
verb (used with object), grazed, graz·ing. 3. to feed on (growing grass).
4. to put cattle, sheep, etc., to feed on (grass, pastureland, etc.).
5. to tend (cattle, sheep, etc.) while they are at pasture.
Verb
1. to touch or rub lightly in passing.
2. to scrape the skin from; abrade: The bullet just grazed his shoulder.
verb (used without object), grazed, graz·ing. 3. to touch or rub something lightly,
or so as to produce slight abrasion, in passing: to graze against a rough wall.
noun
4. a grazing; a touching or rubbing lightly in passing.
5. a slight scratch, scrape, or wound made in passing; abrasion.
sound
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
noun
1. the sensation produced by stimulation of the organs of hearing by vibrations transmitted through the air or
other medium.
2. mechanical vibrations transmitted through an elastic medium, traveling in air at a speed of approximately 1087
feet (331 meters) per second at sea level.
3. the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause: the sound of music.
4. any auditory effect; any audible vibrational disturbance: all kinds of sounds.
5. a noise, vocal utterance, musical tone, or the like: the sounds from the next room.
6. a distinctive, characteristic, or recognizable musical style, as from a particular performer, orchestra, or type of
arrangement: the big-band sound.
7. Phonetics . a. speech sound.
b. the audible result of an utterance or portion of an utterance: the s-sound in “slight”; the sound of m in “mere.”
8. the auditory effect of sound waves as transmitted or recorded by a particular system of sound reproduction: the
sound of a stereophonic recording.
9. the quality of an event, letter, etc., as it affects a person: This report has a bad sound.
10. the distance within which the noise of something may be heard.
11. mere noise, without meaning: all sound and fury.
12. Archaic. a report or rumor; news; tidings.
verb (used without object) 13. to make or emit a sound.
14. to give forth a sound as a call or summons: The bugle sounded as the troops advanced.
15. to be heard, as a sound.
16. to convey a certain impression when heard or read: to sound strange.
17. to give a specific sound: to sound loud.
limb
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
noun 1. a part or member of an animal body distinct from the head and trunk, as a leg, arm, or wing: the lower
limbs; artificial limbs.
2. a large or main branch of a tree.
3. a projecting part or member: the four limbs of a cross.
4. a person or thing regarded as a part, member, branch, offshoot, or scion of something: a limb of the central
committee.
5. Archery. the upper or lower part of a bow.
6. Informal. a mischievous child, imp, or young scamp.
verb
7. to cut the limbs from (a felled tree).
Idioms 8. out on a limb, in a dangerous or compromising situation; vulnerable: The company overextended itself
financially and was soon out on a limb.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Synonyms
1. extremity. 2. See branch.
noun
1. Astronomy . the edge of the disk of the sun, a moon, or a planet.
2. the graduated edge of a quadrant or similar instrument.
3. Botany . a. the upper spreading part of a gamopetalous corolla.
b. the expanded portion of a petal, sepal, or leaf
film
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
noun 1. a thin layer or coating: a film of grease on a plate.
2. a thin sheet of any material: a film of ice.
3. a thin skin or membrane.
4. a delicate web of filaments or fine threads.
5. a thin haze, blur, or mist.
6. Photography . a. a cellulose nitrate or cellulose acetate composition made in thin sheets or strips and coated with a sensitive emulsion for taking
photographs.
b. a strip or roll of this.
c. the coating of emulsion on such a sheet or strip or on a photographic plate.
7. Movies. a. a strip of transparent material, usually cellulose triacetate, covered with a photographic emulsion and perforated along one or both
edges, intended for the recording and reproduction of images.
b. a similar perforated strip covered with an iron oxide emulsion (magfilm) intended for the recording and reproduction of both images and sound.
c. motion picture.
8. Often, films. a. motion pictures collectively.
b. the motion-picture industry, or its productions, operations, etc.
c. motion pictures, as a genre of art or entertainment: experimental film.
verb
9. to cover with a film, thin skin, or pellicle: filmed eyes.
10. Movies. a. to photograph with a motion-picture camera.
b. to reproduce in the form of motion pictures: to film a novel.
Verb
11. to become covered by a film: The water filmed over with ice.
12. Movies. a. to be reproduced in a motion picture, especially in a specified manner: This story films easily.
b. to direct, make, or otherwise engage in the production of motion pictures.
beige
• noun 1. very light brown, as of undyed wool;
light gray with a brownish tinge.
•
glee
• noun 1. open delight or pleasure; exultant joy; exultation.
• 2. an unaccompanied part song for three or more voices, popular
especially in the 18th century.
•
Synonyms
1. merriment, jollity, hilarity, mirth, joviality, gaiety. See mirth.
•
• 1.
• to squint or look with one eye.
• noun
• 2. a squint.
• 3. an imperfect eye, especially one with a cast.
startle
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
verb
1. to disturb or agitate suddenly as by surprise or alarm.
2. to cause to start involuntarily, by or as by a sudden shock.
verb (used without object), star·tled, star·tling.
3. to start involuntarily, as from a shock of surprise or alarm.
noun
4. a sudden shock of surprise, alarm, or the like.
5. something that startles.
Synonyms
1. scare, frighten, astonish.
tattered
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
adjective 1. torn to tatters; ragged: a tattered flag.
2. wearing ragged clothing: a tattered old man.
noun
1. a torn piece hanging loose from the main part, as of
a garment or flag.
2. a separate torn piece; shred.
3. tatters, torn or ragged clothing: dressed in rags and
tatters.
verb (used with object) 4. to tear or wear to tatters.
verb (used without object) 5. to become ragged.
portrait
• noun
• 1. a likeness of a person, especially of the face,
as a painting, drawing, or photograph: a
gallery of family portraits.
• 2. a verbal picture or description, usually of a
person: a biography that provides a
fascinating portrait of an 18th-century rogue.
Cheer
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
noun
1. a shout of encouragement, approval, congratulation, etc.: The cheers of the fans filled the stadium.
2. a set or traditional form of shout used by spectators to encourage or show enthusiasm for an athletic team, contestant,
etc., as rah! rah! rah!
3. something that gives joy or gladness; encouragement; comfort: words of cheer.
4. a state of feeling or spirits: Their good cheer overcame his depression.
5. gladness, gaiety, or animation: full of cheer and good spirits.
6. food and drink: tables laden with cheer.
7. Archaic. facial expression.
interjection
8. cheers, (used as a salutation or toast.)
verb (used with object)
9. to salute with shouts of approval, congratulation, triumph, etc.: The team members cheered their captain.
10. to gladden or cause joy to; inspire with cheer (often followed by up ): The good news cheered her.
11. to encourage or incite: She cheered him on when he was about to give up.
verb (used without object) 12. to utter cheers of approval, encouragement, triumph, etc.
13. to become happier or more cheerful (often followed by up ): She cheered up as soon as the sun began to shine.
14. Obsolete . to be or feel in a particular state of mind or spirits.
Idioms
15. be of good cheer, (used as an exhortation to be cheerful): Be of good cheer! Things could be much worse.
16. with good cheer, cheerfully; willingly: She accepted her lot with good cheer.
parched
• Verb
• 1. to make extremely, excessively, or completely dry, as heat, sun, and
wind do.
• 2. to make dry, hot, or thirsty: Walking in the sun parched his throat.
• 3. to dry (peas, beans, grain, etc.) by exposure to heat without burning; to
toast or roast slightly: A staple of the Indian diet was parched corn.
• 4. to dry or shrivel with cold.
• verb (used without object)
• 5. to suffer from heat, thirst, or need of water.
• 6. to become parched; undergo drying by heat.
• 7. to dry (usually followed bupy
).
rim
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
noun
1. the outer edge, border, margin, or brink of something, especially of a circular object.
2. any edge, margin, or frame added to or around a central object or area.
3. the outer circle of a wheel, attached to the hub by spokes.
4. a circular strip of metal forming the connection between an automobile wheel and tire,
either permanently attached to or removable from the wheel.
5. a drive wheel or flywheel, as on a spinning mule.
6. Basketball. the metal ring from which the net is suspended to form the basket.
7. Journalism. the outer edge of a usually U -shaped copy desk, occupied by the copyreaders.
Compare slot ( def 5 ) .
8. Metallurgy . (in an ingot) an outer layer of metal having a composition different from that
of the center.
verb (used with object), rimmed, rim·ing. 9. to furnish with a rim, border, or margin.
10. (of a golf ball or putt) to roll around the edge of (a hole) but not go in.
11. Basketball. (of a basketball) to roll around (the rim of the basket) and not go in.
12. to coat or encrust the rim of (a glass): Rim each cocktail glass with salt
mar
• verb marred, mar·ng.
• 1. to damage or spoil to a certain extent;
render less perfect, attractive, useful, etc.;
impair or spoil: That billboard mars the view.
The holiday was marred by bad weather.
• 2. to disfigure, deface, or scar: The scratch
marred the table.
lean
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1. to incline or bend from a vertical position: She leaned out the window.
2. to incline, as in a particular direction; slant: The post leans to the left. The building leaned sharply before renovation.
3. to incline in feeling, opinion, action, etc.: to lean toward socialism.
4. to rest against or on something for support: to lean against a wall.
5. to depend or rely (usually followed by on or upon ): someone he could lean on in an emergency.
verb (leaned or ( especially British ) leant; lean·ing. 6. to incline or bend: He leaned his head forward.
7. to cause to lean or rest; prop: to lean a chair against the railing.
noun 8. the act or state of leaning; inclination: The tower has a pronounced lean.
Verb phrases
9. lean in, a. to shift one's body weight forward or toward someone or something: He stood near home plate and leaned in for the pitch.
b. to embrace risk, be assertive, etc., as to achieve the greatest level of success in the workplace: She really knows how to lean in—she'll have a corner office before long.
10. lean on, Informal. a. to exert influence or pressure on in order to gain cooperation, maintain discipline, or the like: The state is leaning on the company to clean up its industrial wastes.
b. to criticize, reprimand, or punish: I would have enjoyed school more if the teachers hadn't leaned on me so much.
Idioms
11. lean over backward(s). bend1 ( def 21 ) .
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1. (of persons or animals) without much flesh or fat; not plump or fat; thin: lean cattle.
2. (of edible meat) containing little or no fat.
3. lacking in richness, fullness, quantity, etc.; poor: a lean diet; lean years.
4. spare; economical: a lean prose style.
5. Automotive. (of a mixture in a fuel system) having a relatively low ratio of fuel to air (contrasted with rich ).
6. (of paint) having more pigment than oil. Compare fat ( def 12 ) .
7. Nautical . (of a bow) having fine lines; sharp.
8. Metallurgy . (of ore) having a low mineral content; low-grade.
Noun
9. the part of flesh that consists of muscle rather than fat.
10. the lean part of anything.
11. Typesetting. matter that is difficult to set because of complexity or intermixed fonts. Compare fat ( def 23 ) .
Synonyms
1. skinny, lank, lanky. See thin. 3. sparse, barren, unfruitful, jejune.
•
Antonyms
1, 2. fat. 3. fruitful.
dough
• noun 1. flour or meal combined with water,
milk, etc., in a mass for baking into bread,
cake, etc.; paste of bread.
• 2. any similar soft, pasty mass.
• 3. Slang. money.
roam
• verb (used without object) 1. to walk, go, or travel
without a fixed purpose or direction; ramble;
wander; rove: to roam about the world.
• verb (used with object)
• 2. to wander over or through: to roam the
countryside.
• noun
• 3. an act or instance of roaming; a ramble
shabby
• adjective,
• 1. impaired by wear, use, etc.; worn: shabby clothes.
• 2. showing conspicuous signs of wear or neglect: The rooms on the upper
floors of the mansion had a rather shabby appearance, as if they had not
been much in use of late.
• 3. wearing worn clothes or having a slovenly or unkempt appearance: a
shabby person.
• 4. run-down, seedy, or dilapidated: a shabby hotel.
• 5. meanly ungenerous or unfair; contemptible, as persons, actions, etc.:
shabby behavior.
century
• noun, 1. a period of 100 years.
• 2. one of the successive periods of 100 years reckoned forward or
backward from a recognized chronological epoch, especially from the
assumed date of the birth of Jesus.
• 3. any group or collection of 100: a century of limericks.
• 4. (in the ancient Roman army) a company, consisting of approximately
100 men.
• 5. one of the voting divisions of the ancient Roman people, each division
having one vote.
doze
• Verb
• 1. to sleep lightly or fitfully.
• 2. to fall into a light sleep unintentionally (often followed by off ): He
dozed off during the sermon.
• 3. to sleep for a short time; nap.
• 4. to be dull or half asleep.
• verb (used with object), dozed, doz·ing. 5. to pass or spend (time) in
drowsiness (often followed by away ): He dozed away the afternoon.
• Noun
• 6. a light or fitful sleep; nap.
idle
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
adjective, 1. not working or active; unemployed; doing nothing: idle workers.
2. not spent or filled with activity: idle hours.
3. not in use or operation; not kept busy: idle machinery.
4. habitually doing nothing or avoiding work; lazy.
5. of no real worth, importance, or significance: idle talk.
6. having no basis or reason; baseless; groundless: idle fears.
7. frivolous; vain: idle pleasures.
8. meaningless; senseless: idle threats.
9. futile; unavailing: idle rage.
verb (used without object), i·dled, i·dling.
10. to pass time doing nothing.
11. to move, loiter, or saunter aimlessly: to idle along the avenue.
12. (of a machine, engine, or mechanism) to operate at a low speed, disengaged from the load.
verb (used with object), i·dled, i·dling. 13. to pass (time) doing nothing (often followed by away ): to idle away the
afternoon.
14. to cause (a person) to be idle: The strike idled many workers.
15. to cause (a machine, engine, or mechanism) to idle: I waited in the car while idling the engine.
noun 16. the state or quality of being idle.
17. the state of a machine, engine, or mechanism that is idling: a cold engine that stalls at idle.
peak
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
noun 1. the pointed top of a mountain or ridge.
2. a mountain with a pointed summit.
3. the pointed top of anything.
4. the highest or most important point or level: the peak of her political career.
5. the maximum point, degree, or volume of anything: Oil prices reached their peak last year.
6. a time of the day or year when traffic, use, demand, etc., is greatest and charges, fares, or the like are at the maximum: Early evening is the peak on commuter railroads.
7. the higher fare, charges, etc., during such a period: If you fly during the Christmas holidays, you'll have to pay peak.
8. Physics. a. the maximum value of a quantity during a specified time interval: a voltage peak.
b. the maximum power consumed or produced by a unit or group of units in a stated period of time.
9. a projecting point: the peak of a man's beard.
10. widow's peak.
11. a projecting front piece, or visor, of a cap.
12. Phonetics , nucleus ( def 8a ) .
13. Nautical . a. the contracted part of a ship's hull at the bow or the stern.
b. the upper after corner of a sail that is extended by a gaff. See diag. under sail.
c. the outer extremity of a gaff.
verb (used without object) 14. to project in a peak.
15. to attain a peak of activity, development, popularity, etc.: The artist peaked in the 1950s.
verb (used with object) 16. Nautical . to raise the after end of (a yard, gaff, etc.) to or toward an angle above the horizontal.
adjective 17. being at the point of maximum frequency, intensity, use, etc.; busiest or most active: Hotel rooms are most expensive during the peak travel seasons.
18. constituting the highest or maximum level, volume, etc.; optimal; prime: a machine running at peak performance.
Related forms peak·less, adjective
peak·like, adjective
Synonyms
2, 4. pinnacle. 4. acme, zenith.
•
Antonyms
4. abyss, nadir.
gnarled
• Adjective
• 1. (of trees) full of or covered with gnarls;
bent; twisted.
• 2. having a rugged, weather-beaten
appearance: a gnarled old sea captain.
• 3. crabby; cantankerous.
jewel
• noun 1. a cut and polished precious stone; gem.
• 2. a fashioned ornament for personal adornment, especially of a precious
metal set with gems.
• 3. a precious possession.
• 4. a person or thing that is treasured, esteemed, or indispensable.
• 5. a durable bearing used in fine timepieces and other delicate
instruments, made of natural or synthetic precious stone or other very
hard material.
invent
•
•
•
•
•
Verb
1. to originate or create as a product of one's own ingenuity, experimentation, or
contrivance: to invent the telegraph.
2. to produce or create with the imagination: to invent a story.
3. to make up or fabricate (something fictitious or false): to invent excuses.
4. Archaic. to come upon; find.