`
`NEW W RLDW
`
`COLLEGE
`
`DICTIONARY
`
`Fourth Edition
`
`Michael Agnes
`EDITOR IN CHIEF
`
`David B. Guralnik
`
`EDITOR IN CHIEF 1951-1985
`
`Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
`Boston NeWYork
`
`IBG V. TT
`CB1\/12016-00032
`
`IBG 1049
`
`IBG 1049
`IBG v. TT
`CBM2016-00032
`
`
`
`Copyright © 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
`
`For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions,
`Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 215 Park Avenue South New York, New
`York 10003.
`‘
`
`Tradeinarksz Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,Webster’s New World, the Webster’s New World logo,
`We Define YourWorld, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of
`I-Ioughton Miftlin Harcourt and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and
`may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their
`respective owners. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, is not associated with any product or vendor
`mentioned in this book.
`
`Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their
`best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect
`to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any
`implied Warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may
`be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and
`strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with
`a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any
`loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, inciden-
`tal, consequential, or other damages.
`
`Library of Congress Catalogingin-Publication Data:
`Webster’s New World College Dictionary / Michael Agnes, editor in chief.—4th ed.
`p. cm.
`ISBN 978-0-02—863118-9 (thu1nb-indexed). —- ISBN 978—0—02-86311943‘ (plain).
`—lSBN 978-0-02863120-2 (leatllerkraft). — ISBN 978~0~02—8634'71—5 (deluxe).
`1. English language——Dictionaries.
`1. Agnes, Michael.
`
`PE1628.W5629 2000
`4-23——dc21
`
`99—045223
`
`Manufactured in the United States of America
`
`CRW 25 24 23 22
`4500469916
`
`21 20
`
`
`
`368
`dark reaction / dated
`dark reaction the second phase of photosynthesis, that does not
`require the presence of light, during which ATP releases stored
`energy that is used to convert carbon dioxide molecules into sugars
`and other nutrients: cf. LIGI-IT IHEACTION
`dark-room (d;~u-k'room') n. a room from which all actinie rays are
`excluded, so that photographs can be developed in it
`dark-some (-soin) adj. [Old Poet.l
`1 dark; darkish 2 dismal
`darky or darkie (rliir’l(é) n., pl. —-ies
`=*:[O1d Informal] a Negro: :1
`derogatory or contemptuous term: also dark’ey
`do r~ling (diir’lin) 11.
`[[ME clercling < OE deu/'lzTn.g, dim. of doors,
`DE/\R]]
`1 a person much loved by another: often a term of affection-
`ate address 2 a favorite 3 a sweet, lovable, or gracious person -
`ad/'.
`1 very dear; beloved 2 [Informal] cute; attractive
`Dar-ling ((l2'i1"lii]) river in SE Australia, [lowing southwest into the
`Murray River: 0. 1,700 mi (2,736 km)
`Darm-stadt (cl'Eirm’stat; Ger clarm’shtéit) city in SW Germany, in
`the state of Hesse: pop. 141,000
`darm~stadti-um (déirm stat’é em) n. llafter pres, site of laboratory
`where rli overedll a radioactive chemical element with a very short
`half-life: it is a transactinide usually produced by bombarding lead
`\vith liiglrenergy nuclear particles: symbol, Ds; at. no., 110: see the
`periodic table of elements in the Reference Supplement
`darn‘ (diirn) Vt., vi. ll< MFr dial. darner, to piece together, mend <
`Bret dam, a piece < IE base ’“der-, to pull off, split apart >'1‘1£AR‘ll to
`mend (cloth) or repair (a hole or tear in cloth) by sewing a network
`of stitches across the gap —n. a darned place in fabric ~—SYN. MEND
`-—darn’er n.
`darn“ (darn) vt., w'., 11., ad;'., adv.. interi. [Informal] euphe/nism for
`DAMN (the curse) —darned ad/‘., adv.
`dar-nel (diir'nol) n. IIME < Fr dial. (Wal) clarnclle, prob. < OF!‘ dial.
`dzzrriu, stupefied (< Frank “‘clorn.) + niella < VL nigella, black cara-
`way < L niger, black: so called from its
`supposed stupefying qualitiesl] a weecly
`rye grass (Lolium Icmulentmn.) with poi-
`sonous seecls, often found in ,r;rainfields
`darn~ing (cl2'lrn’ii3) n.
`1 a mending with
`interlaced stitches 2 things to be darned
`darning needle 1 a large needle for
`darning 2 IJ1{AG0N1I‘LY
`Darn-ley (di-irn'lé), Lord (Henry Stewart
`or Stunrtl 1545-67; 2d husband of Mary,
`Queen of Scots: father of James I
`Dar-row (dai-'6), Clarence (Seward) 1857-
`’lf)88; US. lawyer
`dar~shan (din-’shan, (lnr’—l n. |lHindi dar-
`.s'-a.1z < Sans do
`lLEl,,_a seeing, akin to dis‘,
`sight < IE basr,
`‘clerk-, to see > Gr derlco-
`nmi,
`I see, OE torht, brightl] the virtue,
`uplift, blessing, etc. which, many Hindus
`believe, one gets in the presence of a
`great man
`l[ME < OF1‘ < Frank ’-‘darorl (akin to OE rlmmli),
`dart ((léir1’l n.
`spearll
`1 a small, pointed missile, usually with the rear end feath-
`cred, used as for throwing at a target in panics or for shooting from
`n hlowgun 2 anything resembling: this 3 a sudden, quick move-
`ment 4 a short, stitched fold that
`tapers to a point, used to shape a
`garment 5 lpl., with sirzg. u.l a game
`in which darts (see sense 1) are
`thrown at a target (dart’-board’) 4
`vt., vi.
`1 to throw, shoot, or send out
`suddenly and fast 2 to move sud-
`denly and fast
`darter (—or) n.
`1 a thing or animal
`that darts 2 ANHINGA 1'3 any of
`various small, brightly colored
`freshwater perches of North Ameri-
`CH
`Dart-moor (dart’moor,
`-inrir) a
`prison in Devon, SW ‘England
`Dart-mouth ((lii1't'nu-Jlli) l[nn1ned in
`honor of Sir Wm. Legge. Zd Earl of
`D(u'tnmu.Zh (l672—1750l]l city in S
`Nova Scotia, Canada, near Halifax:
`pop. 66,000
`<rDar-von (cliir’vz"in‘) tradcniurle. for
`PIIOPOXYPIIIENE llYDROCIlLOllll)l'3
`Darw~in‘(dawudn)
`1 chanes
`(Robert) 1809-82; Eng. naturalist:
`originated theory of evolution by natural selection 2 Erasmus
`1731-1802; Eng. naturalist, physician, & poet: grandfather of
`Charles -—Dar«win-ian (déir win’é anl adj., n.
`Dar-win?’ (diir’win) capital of Northern Territory, Australia: seaport
`on the Timor Sea: pop. 69,000
`Darwinian theory Darwin’: theory of evolution, which holds that
`all species of plants and animals developed from earlier forms by
`hereditary transmission of slight variations in successive genera-
`tions, natural sele -tion determining which forms will survive
`Dar-win-ism (déir’win i7/am) n.
`1 the Darwinian theory 2 adher-
`ence to the Darwinian theory ——Dar'~win-ist ad/., n. —Dar’-win-is’-tic
`adj.
`dash‘ (dash) vt. IIME drishezz, to strike, rush < Scand, as in Swed
`dos/ea, Dun daskc, slap; prob. of echoic orig.ll
`1
`to throw so as to
`break; smash 2 to strike with violence 3 to throw, knock, or thrust:
`
`DARTS AND DAR’l‘I%0AItI7
`
`CLARENCE DAILROW
`
`with away, down, against, etc. 4 to splash o‘i§%pai;te1‘ (liquid) on
`(someone or something) 5 to mix with a little of another substance
`6 to destroy; frustrate [to dash one’s hopes] 7 to depress; discour-
`age 8 to put to shame; abash 9 llenphomism for DAMNII
`[Old In-
`formal] to damn: usually in the imperative as a mild curse —vi.
`1
`to strike violently (against or on) 2 to move swiftly or impetuously;
`rush ——n.
`1 the effect or sound of smashing or splashing 2 a bit of
`something added [ a dash of salt] 3 a sudden, swift movement; rush
`n4 :1 shmt, fast run or race 5 spirited quality; vigor; veiye 6 strik-
`ing or showy appearance or display 7 I)ASHBOAIm (sense 2) 8 a
`hasty stroke with pen or brush 9 either of two marks (—— or —),
`used in printing and writing to indicate a break in sentence struc-
`ture, 21 gnarentlietical element, or to connect numbers showing a
`range 0 ' dates, times, etc.: see also EM DASH 10 Telegraphy a long
`sound or signal, as in Morse code: of. DOT‘ —cut a dash [Informal] to
`make a striking appearance or impression —dash off
`1 to do or
`write hastily 2 to rush away
`dash” (dash) n. in W Africa, :1) a gift or tip offered to get better
`service 1)) a bribe cl bribery
`dash-board (dash’b6rd’) n.
`1 [Historical] a screen at the front or
`side of a carriage, boat, etc. for protection against splashing 2 a
`panel below the windshield with controls and gauges on it, as in an
`automobile
`da-sheen (da shen’) n. l[< ?]] TARO
`dasher (dash’or) n.
`1 a person or thing that dashes 2 a device for
`agitating milk or cream in a churn or icc-cream freezer 3 [Infor-
`mall a person full of dash or spirit
`-I-da-shiki (da shé’l\:(‘:, de-) n. Ilsaicl to be of Yoruba orig, but prob.
`coined (1967) by J. Benniug, its U.S. manufacturerll n loosefitting,
`usually brightly colored, robe or tunic modeled after an African
`tribal garment
`1 full of dash or spirit; bold and lively
`dash-ing (dash’ii3) adj.
`2 showy; striking; stylish —~ —dash’~ing|y adv.
`dash light a light to illuminate a dashboard in a motor vehicle
`Dasht~e-Kavir (diisl\’té ko vii’) large salt-desert plateau in NC
`Iran: c. 18,000 sq mi (46,620 sq km)
`Dasht-e—Lut (d:‘isli‘tr': hT)t’) vast desert region of central and SE
`Irun, extending southward from the Daslit-e-Kavir
`das«sie (das’é, d§is'é) n. l[Afrikll I-IYKAX
`das-tard (das’tord) n. l[ME, u craven, prob. < Scand base, as in ON
`(Zosost
`to become exhausted (see DA’/'.E) + ME -arcl, -ARDll a sneaky,
`cowardly evildoer
`das-tardly (-lé) adj. of or like a dastard; mean and cowardly ——5YN.
`COWARDLY -das'«tard-li-ness n.
`|l< (‘rr dasys, dense (7 akin to I.
`da-sym-eter (do sim'a'tor, da-) n.
`dzznsus, DENSE) + -I\IE'I‘ERll a device for measuring the density of
`gases
`dasy-ure (das’é yooi’) n. [[ModL dusyums < Gr doors, thick, hairy +
`aura, tail: see URO-“ll any of a family (Dasyuridae) of small, mostly
`Australian marsupials that feed on flesh or insects
`dat abhreu. dative
`DAT (dat) n. DIGITAL AUDIO TAPE: also treated as an abbreviation
`data (dat’a, dut’e; Brit ulso dii’to) pI.n. llpl. of DATUM: still often so
`used by scientists]! [now usually with sing. u.]
`1 facts or figures to
`be processed; evidence, records, stat. zies, etc. from which conclu-
`sions can be inferred; information 2 information in a form suitable
`for storing and processing by a computer
`database (-has’) n.
`1 a large collection of data in a computer,
`organized so that it can be expanded, updated, and retrieved rap-
`idly for various uses 2 any large or extensive collection of informa-
`tion Alsu data base or da'ta-bank’ l-lmnk’)
`data processing the rapid recording and handling of large
`amounts of information, as business data, by means of mechanical
`or, esp, computer equipment
`data processor a machine, esp. a computer, that performs data
`processing
`da~tary (dzit'ar é) n., pl. —-ries [ML datarius, official of the Roman
`chancery < L, to be given away < rlatus: see l'ol.Jl 1t’.C.C}z. a former
`office of the Cuiia, in charge of papal benefices
`date‘ (dfit) n. IIME < OFT < L data, fem. of dams, pp. of dare, to give
`(the first word in Roman letters, giving the place and time of writ-
`ing, as dam Romae, lit., given at Reine) < IE base “(log to give > Gr
`dz'2ron., gift, didonai, to give, Russ dot’, to give]]
`1 a statement as on
`a writing or coin specifying when it was made 2 the time at which a
`thing happens or is done 3 the time that anything lasts or goes on
`4 I111.) a person’s birth and death dates, usually expressed in years
`5 the day of the month «*6 a) an appointment for a set time, esp.
`one for a social engagement with a person of the opposite sex 1))
`such an engagement c) a person of the opposite sex with whom one
`has such an engagement ~—vt. clat’ed, dat’-ing 1 to mark (a letter,
`etc.) with 11 date 2 to find out, determine, set, or record the date of
`3 to assign a date to 4 o) to show or reveal as typical of a certain
`period or age l:) to make seem old—fashioned or out-of-date 5 to
`reckon by dates 6 to have a social engagement or engagements
`with —vi.
`1 to belong to, or have origin in, a definite period in
`the past: usually with fi'om '-‘=2 to have social engagements with
`persons of the opposite sex —~to date until now; as yet —up to
`date in or into agreement with the latest facts, ideas, styles, etc.
`—dat’-able ad]. or date’-able —dat'er n.
`date? (dat) n. l[ME < Ol<‘r < L dactylzrs < Gr claktvlo.s', 51 date, prob. <
`Sem, as in Ar dciqal, date palm]!
`1 the sweet, iieshy fruit of the
`date palm, having a large, harrl seed 2 DATE PAIM
`date-book (dz'iL’book’) n. a notebook for entering upcoming social or
`business appointments, birthdays and snniver
`ies, etc.
`dat-ed ((liit’i(l) ad].
`1 marked with a date [contains dated material]
`2 out-of-date or old-fashioned
`
`dm
`too
`dai
`KW
`TIC
`lini
`dat
`dat
`llB.E
`’ datz
`all_\
`dad
`(soc
`tray
`i.ndi
`this
`I go
`this
`dafi
`datc
`(laid
`da-ti
`tum
`l(ll0\
`info:
`for (
`front
`dadi
`(Unit
`the 1
`ant r
`dau r
`daub
`whit.
`a/bus
`matt
`on 3
`2 a d
`n.
`daubwine,
`Daul
`78 Fr
`Daum
`on (if
`DaugDvin.',
`daul
`rlau. 1/
`tlmgu
`pareu
`a) :1 st
`:1 fem:
`child i
`thing
`origin
`elemei
`radioa
`daugh
`divisio
`daugh
`one's is
`daugh
`(er-Ii-n
`Dauan
`lithogr
`daunt
`domita
`intimic
`daunb
`less —i
`dau—ph
`proper
`oldest s
`the ere‘
`1349 to
`dau-ph
`preell t
`Dau-ph
`border,
`dautrw
`Davao
`Mindan
`dwven
`recite Ll
`swaying
`UAven
`Eng. pm
`dav-en-i
`times co
`liinged l
`Dawenq
`fur l'.I‘€l(l<
`Davml
`name:
`(I
`
`