The New Oxford
`American Dictionary
`
`- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
`
`EDITED BY
`
`Elizabeth J. Jewell
`Frank Abate
`
`OXFORD
`
`UNIVERSITY PRESS
`2001
`
`

`
`OXFORD
`
`UNIVERSITY PRESS
`
`Oxford NewYork
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`
`The New Oxford American Dictionary is based on The New Oxford
`Dictionary of English, published in the United Kingdom in 1998.
`
`Copyright© 2001 by Oxford University Press
`
`Published by Oxford University Press
`198 Madison Avenue,
`New York, New York 10016
`
`www. oup-usa. org
`wwzu. askoxford. com
`
`Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press.
`All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
`stored in a reu·ieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
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`the prior permission of Oxford University Press.
`
`Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
`The new Oxford American dictionary I edited by Frank Abate, Elizabeth J. Jewell.
`p. em.
`ISBN 0-19-511227-X
`1. English language-Dictionaries. 2. English language-United States-Dictionaries. 3.
`Americanisms-Dictionaries. I. Abate, Frank R. II. Jewell, Elizabeth.
`PE1628 .N429 2001
`423-dc21
`
`2001045172
`
`ISBN 0-19-515060-0 book w/CD
`
`This book includes some words that are, or are asserted to be, proprietary
`names or trademarks. Their inclusion does not imply that they have
`acquired for legal purposes a nonproprietary or general significance, nor is
`any other judgment implied concerning their legal status. In cases where
`the editor has some evidence that a word is used as a proprietary name
`or trademark, this is indicated by the designation trademark, but no
`judgment concerning the legal status of such words is made or implied
`thereby.
`
`10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
`
`Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
`
`

`
`acrophobia
`
`15
`
`activation energy
`
`acrylic
`
`acid;
`
`chem.
`
`ac•ro•pho•bi•a I ,rekr;,'fobe;, I >n. extreme or irrational
`fear of heights.
`-DERIVATIVES ac•ro•pho•bic 1-'fobikl adj. & n.;
`-oRIGIN late 19th cent.: from Greek akron 'summit' +
`-PHOBIA.
`a•crop•o•lis 1 ;,'krap;,lis 1 >n. a citadel or fortified part
`of an ancient Greek city, typically built on a hill.
`• (the Acropolis) the ancient citadel at Athens, con(cid:173)
`taining the Parthenon and other notable buildings,
`mostly dating from the 5th century BC.
`-ORIGIN Greek, from akron 'summit'+ polis 'city.'
`a•cross I ;,'kr6s; ;,'kras I >prep. & adv. from one side to
`the other of (something):
`• expressing movement over a place or region: I ran
`across the street I traveling across Europe I [as adv.] he
`had swum across. • expressing position or orienta(cid:173)
`tion: they lived across the street from one another I the
`bridge across the river I [as adv.] he looked across at me I
`halfway across,Jemzy jumped. • [as adv.] used with an
`expression of measurement: can grow to 4 feet across.
`• [as adv.] with reference to a crossword puzzle an(cid:173)
`swer that reads horizontally: 19 across.
`-PHRASES across from opposite: she sat across from
`me. across the board applying to all: the cutbacks might
`be across the board. • (in horse racing) denoting a bet in
`which equal amounts are staked on the same horse to
`win, place, or show in a race.
`-ORIGIN Middle English (as an adverb meaning 'in
`the form of a cross'): from Old French a croix, en croix
`'in or on a cross,' later regarded as being from A-2 +
`CROSS.
`a•cros•tic I ;,'kr6stik; ;,'kriis- I >n. a poem, word puzzle,
`or other composition in which certain letters in each
`line form a word or words.
`-oRIGIN late 16th cent.: from French acrostiche, from
`Greek akrostiklzis, from akron 'end' + stikhos 'row, line
`of verse.' The spelling change was due to association
`with-1c.
`A•crux I 'akr;,ks I the star Alpha Crucis, the brightest
`star in the Southern Cross (Crux). It is the twelfth
`brightest star in the sky.
`-ORIGIN from A for alpha+ CRUX.
`a•cryl•a•mide 1 o'krilo,mld; ,rekro'lremld I >n. Chemistry
`a colorless crystalline solid that readily forms water(cid:173)
`soluble polymers.
`•The
`amide
`of
`CHz=CHCONHz.
`-ORIGIN late 19th cent.: from ACRYLIC+ AMIDE.
`a•cryl•ic I o'krilik I >adj. (of synthetic resins and textile
`fibers) made from polymers of acrylic acid or acry(cid:173)
`lates: a red acrylic szueatel:
`• of, relating to, or denoting paints based on acrylic
`resin as a medium: acrylic colors I an acrylic painting.
`>n. 1 an acrylic textile fiber: a sweater in four-ply acrylic.
`2 (often acrylics) an acrylic paint: washes of white
`aC>ylic.
`-ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from the liquid aldehyde
`acrolein (from Latin acer, acri- 'pungent'+ ol(ewn) 'oil'
`+ ·INl) + ·YL + ·IC.
`a•cryl•ic ac•id >n. Chemistry a pungent liquid organic
`acid that can be polymerized to make synthetic resins.
`•Chern. formula: CH2 CH=COOH.
`-DERIVATIVES ac•ry•late I 'rekro,latl n.
`ac•ry•lo•ni•trile I ,rekrolo'nltril; -trel; -trll I >n. Chemistry
`a pungent, toxic liquid, used in making artificial fibers
`and other polymers.
`•The nitrile of acrylic acid: chem. formula: CH2 =CHCN.
`ACT >abbr. • American College Test. • Australian Cap(cid:173)
`ital Territory.
`act I rekt 1 >V. [intrans.] 1 take action; do So!Jlething: they
`urgedWilshington to act I [with infinitive] govei-nments must
`act to reduce pollution.
`• (act on) take action according to or in the light of: I
`shall certainly act on his suggestion. • (act for) take ac(cid:173)
`tion in order to bring about: one's ability to act for
`community change. • (act for/on behalf of) repre(cid:173)
`sent (someone) on a contractual, legal, or paid basis:
`he chose an attorney to actforhinz. • (a9t from/out of)
`be motivated by: you acted from greed.
`2 [with adverbial] behave in the way specified: they fol(cid:173)
`lowed the man who was seen acting suspiciously I he acts
`as if he owned the place.
`• (act as/like) behave in the manner of: uy to act like
`civilized adults.
`3 (act as) fulfill the function or serve the purpose of:
`they need volunteers to act as foster parents.
`• have the effect of: a jive-year sentence will act as a de-
`terrent.
`4 take effect; have a particular effect: bacteria act on
`proteins and sugar.
`5 perform a fictional role in a play, movie, or television
`production: she acted in her first professional role at the
`age of six.
`• [trans.] perform (a part or role): he acted the role of the
`dragon I he got the chance to act out ot/zer people'sjobs.
`
`formula:
`
`• [with complement] behave so as to appear to be; pre(cid:173)
`tend to be: I acted dumb at first. • [trans.] (act some(cid:173)
`thing out) perform a narrative as if it were a play:
`encouraging students to act out the stories. • [trans.] (act
`something out) Psychoanalysis express repressed or
`unconscious feelings in overt behavior: the impulses
`of hatred and killing which some human beings act out.
`>n. 1 a thing done; a deed: a criminal act I the act of
`writing down one's thoughts I an act of heroism.
`2 [in sing.] a pretense: she was putting on an act and
`laughing a lot.
`• [with adj.] a particular type of behavior or routine: he
`did his Sir Galahad act.
`3 Law a written ordinance of Congress, or another leg(cid:173)
`islative body; a statute: the act to abolish slavery.
`• a document attesting a legal transaction. • (often
`acts) dated the recorded decisions or proceedings of
`a committee or an academic body.
`4 a main division of a play, ballet, or opera.
`• a set performance: her one-woman poetry act. • a
`performing group: an act called the Apple Blossom
`Sisters.
`-PHRASES act of God an instance of uncontrollable
`natural forces in operation (often used in insurance
`claims). act of grace a privilege or concession that
`cannot be claimed as a right. catch someone in the
`act (usu. be caught in the act) surprise someone in
`the process of doing something wrong: the thieves were
`caught in the act. clean up one's act behave in a more
`acceptable manner. get one's act together informal or(cid:173)
`ganize oneself in the manner required in order to
`achieve something. get (or be) in on the act informal be(cid:173)
`come or be involved in a particular activity, in order to
`gain profit or advantage. in the act of in the process of:
`they photographed him in the act of reading other people's
`mail. read the Riot Act see RIOT AcT. a tough (or
`hard) act to follow an achievement or performance
`that sets a standard regarded as being difficult for oth(cid:173)
`ers to measure up to.
`>act up (of a thing) fail to function properly: the plane's
`engine was acting up. • (of a person) misbehave.
`-DERIVATIVES act•a•bil•i•ty l,rekto'bilitel n. (in
`sense 5 of the verb); act•a•ble adj. (in sense 5 of the verb).
`-ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin actus 'event,
`thing done,' act- 'done,' from the verb agere, reinforced
`by the French noun acte.
`Ac•tae•on 1 rek'te;,n 1 Greek Mythology a hunter who, be(cid:173)
`cause he accidentally saw Artemis bathing, was
`changed into a stag and killed by his own hounds.
`ac•tant 1 'rektont 1 •n. (in literary theory) a person,
`creature, or object playing any of a set of active roles in
`a narrative: the room has become an actantJ a surrogate for
`the heroine herself.
`ACTH
`> Biochemistry abbr. adrenocorticotropic (or adrenocorti(cid:173)
`cotrophic) hormone.
`ac•tin I 'rekton I >n. Biochemistry a protein that forms (to(cid:173)
`gether with myosin) the contractile fllaments of mus(cid:173)
`cle cells, and is also involved in motion in other types
`of cell.
`-ORIGIN 1940: from Greek aktis, aktin- 'ray'+ ·INl.
`act•ing I 'rekriNG I >n. the art or occupation of per(cid:173)
`forming in plays, movies) or television productio'ns: she
`studied acting in New York.
`>adj. [atlrib.] temporarily doing the duties of another per(cid:173)
`son: acting director.
`ac•tin•i•an 1 rek'tine;,n 1 >n. Zoology a sea anemone.
`-oRIGIN mid 18th cent.: from the modern Latin genus
`name Actinia (from Greek aktis, aktin- 'ray') +-AN.
`ac•tin•ic 1 rek'tinikl >adj. [attrib.] (of light or lighting)
`able to cause photochemical reactions, as in photogra(cid:173)
`phy, through having a significant short wavel~#sth or
`ultraviolet component.
`. ...
`• relating to or caused by such light: actinic degrada(cid:173)
`tion.
`-DERIVATIVES ac•tin•ism I 'rekt;,,nizoml n.
`-ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from Greek aktis, aktin- 'ray'
`+ ·IC.
`ac•ti•nide I 'rekt;>,nld I >n. Chemistry any of the series of
`fifteen metallic elements from actinium (atomic num(cid:173)
`ber 89) to lawrencium (atomic number 103) in the pe(cid:173)
`riodic table. They are all radioactive, the heavi~l' mem(cid:173)
`bers being extremely unstable and not of natural
`occurrence.
`-0 RIG IN 1940s: from ACTINIUM + ·IDE, on the pattern
`of lanthanide.
`ac•tin•i•um I rek'tineom I >n. the chemical element of
`atomic number 89, a radioactive metallic element of
`the actinide series. It is rare in nature, occurring as an
`impurity in uranium ores. (Symbol: Ac)
`-oRIGIN early 20th cent.: from Greek aktis, aktin(cid:173)
`'ray' + .. IUM.
`ac•ti•nom•e•ter I ,rekto'namit;,r I >n. Physics an instru(cid:173)
`ment for measuring the intensity of radiation, typical(cid:173)
`ly ultraviolet radiation.
`
`-oRIGIN mid 19th cent.: from Greek aktis, aktin- 'ray'
`+·METER.
`ac•tin•o•mor•phic 1 ,rektono'm6rfik 1 >adj. Biology char(cid:173)
`acterized by radial symmetry, such as a starfish or the
`flower of a daisy. Compare with ZYGOMORPHIC.
`-DERIVATIVES ac•tin•o•mor•phy 1-'morfel n.
`-oRIGIN late 19th cent.: from Greek aktis, aktin- 'ray'
`+ morphe 'form' + ·IC.
`ac•tin•o•my•cete 1 ,rekt;,no'ml,set; -ml'set 1 ~n. a bac(cid:173)
`terium of an order of typically nonmotile filamentous
`form. They include the economically important strep(cid:173)
`tomycetes, and were formerly regarded as fungi.
`•Order Actinomycetales; Gram-positive.
`-ORIGIN 1920s (originally only in the plural): modern
`Latin, from Greek aktis, aktin- 'ray' + muki!tes, plural
`of muki!s 'fungus.'
`ac•tion I 'reksHon 1 >n. 1 the fact or process of doing
`something, typically to achieve an aim: demanding
`tougher action against terrorism if there is a breach of reg(cid:173)
`ulations, we will take action. • the way in which some(cid:173)
`thing such as a chemical has an effect or influence: the
`seeds require the catalytic action of water to release hotness.
`• armed conflict: servicemen listed as mt"ssing 'in ac(cid:173)
`tion during the war. • a military engagement: a rear(cid:173)
`guard action. • the events represented in a story or
`play: the action is set in the country. • informal exciting or
`notable activity: the nonstop action of mountain biking I
`people in the media want to be where the action is. • in(cid:173)
`formal betting. • [as exclam.] used by a movie director as
`a command to begin: lights) camera) action!
`2 a thing done; an act: she frequently questioned his ac(cid:173)
`tions I I would not be responsible for my actions if I saw
`him.
`• a legal process; a lawsuit: an action for damages. • a
`gesture or movement: his actions emphasized his
`words.
`3 [ usu. with adj.] a manner or style of doing something,
`typically the way in which a mechanism works or a
`person moves: a high paddle action in canoeing I the
`weapon has speed and smooth action.
`• the mechanism that makes a machine or instrument
`work: a piano with an escapement action.
`>v. [trans.] (usu. be actioned) take action on; deal with:
`your request will be actioned.
`-PHRAsEs go into action start work or activity. in ac(cid:173)
`tion engaged in a certain activity; in operation. out of
`action temporarily unable to engage in a certain activ(cid:173)
`ity; not working: a heart attack put him out of action I
`the ship was out of action for 16 days. put into action put
`into effect; carry out.
`-ORIGIN late Middle English: via Old French from
`Latin actio(n-), from agere 'do, act.'
`ac•tion•a•ble I 'reksHonob;,ll >adj. Law giving sufficient
`reason to take legal action: slanderous remarks are ac(cid:173)
`tionable.
`ac•tion com•mit•tee (also action group) ~n. a body
`formed to campaign politically, typically on a particu(cid:173)
`lar issue.
`ac•tion fig•ure >n. a doll representing a person or fic(cid:173)
`tional chal'acter known for vigorous action, such as a
`soldier or superhero. The figure typically is posable,
`with jointed limbs.
`ac•tion paintoing >n. a technique and style of abstract
`painting in which paint is randomly splashed, thrown,
`or poured on the canvas. It was made famous by Jack(cid:173)
`son Pollock, and formed part of the more general
`movement of abstract expressionism.
`ac•tion po•ten•tial >n. Physiology the change in electri(cid:173)
`cal potential associated with the passage of an impulse
`along the membrane of a muscle cell or nerve cell.
`Ac•ti•um, Bat•tle of I 'reksHe;,m; -te-l a naval battle
`which took place in 31 Be off the promontory of Ac(cid:173)
`tium in western Greece, in the course of which Octa(cid:173)
`vian.defeated Mark Antony.
`ac•ti•vate 1 'rekt;,,vat I ~v. [trans.] make (something) ac(cid:173)
`tive or operative: fumes from cooking are enough to acti(cid:173)
`vate the alarm.
`• convert (a substance, molecule, etc.) into a reactive
`form.lfas adj.] (activated) activated chlorine.
`-DERIVATIVES ac•ti•va•tion I ,rekt;,'vasHon 1 n.; ac•ti•
`va•tor I -,vapr I n.
`ac•ti•vat•ed car•bon (also activated charcoal) >n.
`charcoal that has been heated or otherwise treated to
`increase its adsorptive power.
`.
`.
`acoti•vat•ed sludge >n. aerated sewage containing
`aerobic microorganisms that help to break it down.
`ac•ti•va•tion a•nal•y•sis 1 ,rekt;,'vasH;,n 1" ~n. Chemistry
`a technique of analysis in which atoms of a particular
`element in a sample are made radioactive, typically by
`irraqiation with neutrons, and their concentration is
`then determined radiologically.
`ac~tiova•tion en•er•gy ~n. Chemistry the minimum
`See p·age xxxviii for the Key to Pronunciation
`
`

`
`Settelheim
`
`159
`
`soon I shall be betmthed to Isabell [as n.] (betrothed)
`how long have you known your betrothed?
`-DERIVATIVES be•troth•al 1-;>11 n.
`_oR 1 GIN Middle English betreuthe: from BE- (express(cid:173)
`ing transitivity) + TRUTH. The change in the second
`syllable was due to association with TROTH.
`Bet•tel•heim I 'be1l,him I, Bruno (1903-90), US psy(cid:173)
`chologist; born in Austria. His experiences in Nazi
`Germany helped him to develop revolutionary theo(cid:173)
`ries and therapies for emotionally disturbed children.
`Bet•ten•dorf I 'betn,d6rfl an industrial city in south(cid:173)
`eastern Iowa, on the Mississippi River; pop. 31,275. It
`is one of the Quad Cities.
`bet•ter 1 I 'be1"r I •adj. comparative of GOOD and WELL.
`1 of a more excellent or effective type or quality: hop(cid:173)
`ing for better weather I the new facilities were far better I
`I'm bette,. at algebra than Alice.
`111 more appropriate, advantageous, or well advised:
`there couldn't be a better time to start this job I it might
`be better to borrow the money.
`2 (predic.] partly or fully recovered from illness or in(cid:173)
`jury: she's much bette>· today I his leg was getting better I
`111 fitter and healthier; less unwell: we'll feel a lot better
`after a decem night's sleep .
`• adv. comparative of WELL 1 . more excellently or effec(cid:173)
`tively: Johnny could do better if he tried I instruments are
`generally better made these days.
`111 to a greater degree; more: I liked it better when we
`lived in the cowwy I you may find alternatives that
`suit you bette1: • 1nore suitably, appropriately, or use(cid:173)
`fully: the money could be better spent on more urgent
`cases.
`>n. 1 the better one; that which is better: the Natural
`Histmy Museum book is by far the better of the two I a
`change fo,. the better.
`2 (one's betters) chiefly dated or humorous one's superi(cid:173)
`ors in social class or ability: mnusing themselves by imi(cid:173)
`tating their betters.
`>V. [trans.] improve on or surpass (an existing or previous
`level or achievement): bettering his previous tinze by ten
`1ninutes.
`II make (something) better; improve: his ideas for bet(cid:173)
`tel'ing the worhing conditions. • (better oneself)
`achieve a better social position or status: the residents
`are mostly welfare mothers who have bettered themselves.
`Ill overcome or defeat (someone): she bettered him at
`arclwy.
`-PHRASES be better off be in a better position, esp. in
`financial terms: the promotion would make her about
`$750 a year better off I [as plural n.] (the better off) a pa(cid:173)
`pa read mainly by the better off the-- the better used
`to emphasize the importance or desirability of the
`quality or thing specified: the sooner we're off, the better
`I the more people there the better. the better part of al(cid:173)
`most all of; most of: it is the better part of a mile. better
`safe than sorry proverb it's wiser to be cautious and
`careful than to be hasty or rash and so do something
`you may later regret. better than more than: he'd lived
`there for better than twenty years. the better to-- so as
`to-- better: he leaned closer the better to hear lw: for
`better or (for) worse whether the outcome is good or
`bad: ours, for better or for worse, is the century of youth.
`get the better of (often of something immaterial) win
`an advantage over (someone); defeat or outwit: curios(cid:173)
`ity got the better of he>: go one better narrowly surpass
`a previous effort or achievement: I want to go one better
`this time and score. • narrowly outdo (another person):
`he went one better than Jack by reaching the finals. had
`better do something would find it wiser to do some(cid:173)
`thing; ought to do something: you had better be careful.
`have the better of be more successful in a,contest: she
`usually had the bette>' of these debates. no cO'r little) bet(cid:173)
`ter than just (or almost) the same as; merely: govern(cid:173)
`ment officials who were often no better than bandits.
`-ORIGIN Old English betera (adjective), of Germanic
`origin; related to Dutch beta and German besser, also
`to BEST.
`USAGE: 1 In the verb phrase had better do something,
`the word had acts like an auxiliary verb; in informal
`spoken contexts, it is often dropped, as in you better
`nor come tonight. In writing, the had n1ay be contract(cid:173)
`ed to 'd (you'd better calf), but it should not be
`dropped altogether (not you better calf).
`2 On the punctuation of better in compound adjec(cid:173)
`tives, see usage at WELL 1.
`~et•terz >n. variant spelling of BETTOR.
`et•ter half >n. informal a person's wife, husband, or
`Partner
`bet•te ·
`r•ment I 'beprm;>nt I >n. the act or process of
`.
`~rnproving something: they believed that what they were
`;:mg was vital for the betterment of society I [as adj.]
`11 o;::ing at betterment projects throughout the city.
`e enhanced value of real property arising from lo(cid:173)
`cal irnprovements: [as adj.] a bettament charge.
`
`betoting I 'beliNG I >n. the action of gambling money
`on the outcome of a race, game, or other unpredicta(cid:173)
`ble event: there was a good deal of betting on the races
`going on.
`bet•tong I b;>'t6NG; -'taNG I >n. a short-nosed rat kan(cid:173)
`garoo found in Australia.
`• Family Potoroidae: two genera, in particular Bettongia, and
`several species.
`-ORIGIN early 19th cent.: from Dharuk.
`betotor I 'be1"rl (also better) >n. a person who bets,
`typically regularly or habitually.
`be•tween I bi'twen I (abbr.: bet.) •prep. 1 at, into,
`or across the space separating (two objects or re(cid:173)
`gions):
`• expressing location: traffic was at a standstill between
`exits 12 and 14 I a rope bridge strung between two cliff
`ledges I the border between Mexico and the United
`States. • expressing movement to a point: the dog
`crawled between us and lay down at our feet. • express(cid:173)
`ing movement from one side or point to the other
`and back again: traveling by train between London and
`Paris.
`2 in tl1e period separating (two points in time): they
`snack between meals I the long, cold nights between au(cid:173)
`tuum and spring.
`3 in the interval separating (two points on a scale): a
`man aged between 18 and 30 I between 25 and 40 percent
`off children's clothes I the difference between income and
`expenditure.
`4 indicating a connection or relationship involving
`two or more parties: the relationship between Pauline
`and Chris ! negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and
`Romania J links between science and industry.
`• with reference to a collision or conflict: a collision in
`midair between two light aircraft above Geneva I the
`wars between Russia and Poland. • with reference to a
`choice or differentiation involving two or more
`things being considered together: ·if you have to
`choose between two or three different options.
`5 by combining the resources or actions of (two or
`more people or other entities): we have created some(cid:173)
`thing between us I China and India between them account
`for a third of the global population.
`• shared by (two or more people or things): they had
`drunk between them a bottle of Chianti.
`>adv. 1 in or along the space separating two objects
`or regions: layers of paper with tar in between I
`from Leipzig to Dresden, with the gentle Elbe flowing be(cid:173)
`tween.
`2 in the period separating two points in time: sets of ex(cid:173)
`erciSes with no rest in between.
`-PHRASES between ourselves (or you and me)
`in
`confidence: just between you and me, I don't·think it is
`going to happen.
`(in) between times in the intervals
`between other actions: I have seen to the needs of my
`child, and in between rimes I have cooked the nzeals.
`-ORIGIN Old English betweonum, from be 'by' + a
`Germanic word related to TWO.
`USAGE: 1 Between is used in speaking of only two
`things, people, etc.: we must choose between rwo equally
`unattractive alternatives. Among is used for collective
`and undefined relations of usually three or more:
`agreement on landscaping was reached amoug all the
`neighbors. But where there are more than two parties
`involved, between may be used to express one-to(cid:173)
`one relationships of pairs within the group or the
`sense 'shared by': there is close friendship between the
`members of the club; diplomatic relations between the
`United States, Canada, and A'fexico. 2 Betwee1l you and
`I, bet·ween you and he, etc., are incorrect; between
`should be followed only by the objective case: between
`you and me, between you and him, etc. See also usage
`at PERSONAL PRONOUN.
`be•twixt I bi'twikst I >prep. & adv. archaic term for BE(cid:173)
`TWEEN.
`-PHRASES betwixt and between informal neither one
`thing nor the other.
`-ORIGIN Old English betweox, from be 'by' +a Ger(cid:173)
`manic word related to TWO.
`beurre blanc 1 'b"r 'bliiNGk 1 >n. a creamy sauce made
`with butter, onions or shallots, and vinegar or lemon
`juice, usually served with seafood dishes.
`-ORIGIN mid 20th cent.: French, literally 'white but(cid:173)
`ter.'
`beurre noir 1 'bor 'nwiir 1 •n. French term for· BLACK
`BUTTER.
`Beu•then I 'boitn I German name for Bvro~.
`BEV •abbr. Linguistics Black English Vernacular.
`BeV • another term for GEV.
`-oR I G 1 N 1940s: from billion (I 09) electronvolts.
`bev•a•tron 1 'bevo,triin I >n. a synchrotron used to ac-
`celerate protons to energies in the billion electron-volt
`range.
`-ORIGIN 1940s: from BEV + -TRON.
`
`beyond
`
`bev•el I 'bev;>ll >n. a slope from the horizontal or ver(cid:173)
`tical in carpentry and stonework; a sloping surface or
`edge.
`• (in full bevel square) a tool for marking angles in
`carpentry and stonework.
`>V. (beveled, beveling or bevelled, bevelling) [trans.]
`[often as adj.] (beveled) reduce (a square edge on an
`object) to a sloping edge: a beveled mirror.
`-ORIGIN late 16th cent. (as an adjective in the sense
`'oblique'): from an Old French diminutive of baif
`'open-mouthed,' from baer 'to gape' (see BAYS).
`bev•el gear •"· a gear working another gear at an an(cid:173)
`gle to it by means of bevel wheels.
`
`bevel gear
`
`bev•el wheel >n. a toothed wheel whose working face
`is oblique to the axis.
`bev•er•age 1 'bev(;>)rij I •n. a drink, esp. one other
`than water.
`-ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French bevrage,
`based on Latin bibere 'to drink.'
`Bev•er•ly I 'bev;>rle I an industrial and resort city in
`northeastern Massachusetts; pop. 38,195.
`Bev•er•ly Hills a largely residential city in California,
`on the northwestern side of the Los Angeles conurba(cid:173)
`tion; pop. 31,970. It is known as the home of many
`movie stars.
`Bev•in l'bev;>nl, Ernest (1881-1951), British states(cid:173)
`man and trade unionist. As foreign secretary 1945-
`51, he helped to establish NATO 1949.
`bev•y I 'beve I >n. (pl. -ies) a large group of people or
`things of a particular kind: he was surrounded by a
`bevy of beautiful girls.
`• a group of birds, particularly when closely gathered
`on the ground: a bevy of quail stayed through winte>;
`feeding on our locust beans.
`-ORIGIN late Middle English: of unknown origin.
`be•wail I bi'wall >V. [trans.] express great regret, disap(cid:173)
`pointment, or bitterness over (something) by com(cid:173)
`plaining about it to others: he bewailed the fact that
`heart trouble had slowed him down.
`• cry or wail loudly about (something).
`be•ware I bi 'wer I >v. [intrans.] [in imperative or infinitive] be
`cautious and alert to the dangers of: consumers were
`warned to bewa,.e of faulty packaging I Beware! Dan(cid:173)
`gerotis submerged rocks ahead I [trans.] we should beware
`the incompetence of legislators.
`-ORIGIN Middle English: from th~ phrase be ware (see
`BE-, WARE2).
`be•whisk•ered I bi'(h)wisk;>rd I >adj. having hair or
`whiskers growing on the face.
`be•wigged 1 bi 'wigd I >adj. (of a person) wearing a wig.
`be•wil•der lbi'wild"rl >V. (trans.] [often as adj.] (bewil(cid:173)
`dered) cause (someone) to become perplexed and
`confused: she seemed frightened and bewildered I his re(cid:173)
`action had bewildered her I [as adj.] (bewildering) there
`is a bewildering array of desserts to choose from.
`-DERIVATIVES be•wil•dered•ly adv.; be•wil•der•ing•
`ly adv.; be•wil•der•ment n.
`-ORIGIN late 17th cent.: from BE- 'thoroughly'+ ob(cid:173)
`solete wilder 'lead or go astray,' of unknown origin.
`be•witch 1 bi'wicH 1 >V. [trans.] (often be bewitched)
`cast a spell on and gain a magical control over (some(cid:173)
`one): his relatives were firmly convinced that he was be(cid:173)
`witched.
`• enchant and delight (someone): they both were be(cid:173)
`witched by the country and its culture I [as adj.] (be(cid:173)
`witching) she was certainly a bewitching woman.
`-DERIVATIVES be•witch•ing•ly adv.; be•witch•ment
`n.
`-ORIGIN Middle English: from BE- 'thoroughly' +
`WITCH.
`bey 1 ba 1 >n. (pl. -eys) historical the governor of a district
`or province in the Otto!Pan Empire.
`• formerly used in Turkey and Egypt as a courtesy
`title.
`-ORIGINTurkish, modern form of beg 'prince, gover(cid:173)
`nor.'
`be•yond I be'iind; bi'yiind I •prep. & adv. 1 at or to the
`further side of: [as prep.] he pointed to a spot beyond the
`
`See page xxxviii for the Key to Pronunciation
`
`

`
`_O_m_a_n_,~G __ u_lf_o_f _____________________________ ll_9_4 ____________________________________ ~on
`
`An independent sultanate known as Muscat and
`Oman until 1970, Oman was the most influential
`power in the region during the 19th century; it cone
`trolled Zanzibar and other territory. Since the late
`19th century, it has had strong links with Britain. The
`economy is dependent on oil, discovered in 1964.
`
`-DERIVATIVESO•ma•ni jo'manej adj.&n.
`O•man, Gulf of an inlet of the Arabian Sea, connect(cid:173)
`ed by the Strait of Hormuz to the Persian Gulf.
`O•mar I I 'omarl (c.581-644), Muslim caliph 634-44.
`He conquered Syria, Palestine, and Egypt.
`O•mar Khay•yam 1 kl'am; -'rem 1 (died 1123), Persian
`poet, mathematician, and astronomer. His rubaiyat
`(quatrains), found in The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
`(translation published 1859), are meditations on the
`mysteries of existence and celebrations of worldly
`pleasures.
`o•ma•sum jo'mas;,m 1 ~n. (pl. omasa 1-s;, I) Zoology the
`muscular third stomach of a ruminant animal, be(cid:173)
`tween the reticulum and the abomasum. Also called
`PSALTERIUM.
`-ORIGIN early 18th cent.: from Latin, literally 'bul(cid:173)
`lock's tripe.'
`O•may•yad lo'mi(y)red I variant spelling of UMAYYAD.
`OMB ~abbr. (in the federal government) Office of Man(cid:173)
`agement and Budget.
`om•bre 1 'amb;,r I ~n. a trick-taking card game for three
`people using a pack of forty cards, popular in Europe
`in the 17th-18th centuries.
`-oRIGIN from Spanish hombre 'man,' with reference
`to one player seeking to win the pool.
`om•bre 1 'am, bra I ~adj. (of a fabric) having a dyed,
`printed, or woven design in which the color is gradu(cid:173)
`ated from light to dark.
`-ORIGIN French, past participle of ombrer 'to shade.'
`ombro- ~comb. form relating to rain: ombrotrophic.
`-ORIGIN from Greek ombros 'rain shower.'
`om•bro•troph•ic 1 ,ambr;,'trofik; -'trafik 1 ~adj. Ecology
`(of a bog or its vegetation) dependent on atmospheric
`moisture for its nutrients.
`om•buds•man 1 'amb;,dzm;,n; -,b.mdz-1 ~n. (pl. -men)
`an official appointed to investigate individuals' com(cid:173)
`plaints against maladministration, esp. that of public
`authorities.
`-ORIGIN 1950s: from Swedish, 'legal representative.'
`om•buds•peroson 1 'amb;,dz,p;,rs"n; -b®dz-1 ~n. a
`person acting as an ombudsman.
`Om•dur•man 1 ,amd"r'man 1 a city in central Sudan,
`on the Nile River opposite Khartoum; pop. 229,000.
`-orne ~suffix chiefly Biology forming nouns denoting ob(cid:173)
`jects or parts having a specified nature: rhizome I tri(cid:173)
`chome.
`-ORIGIN variant form of-OMA.
`o•me•ga lo'mag"; o'me-1 ~n. the twenty-fourth, and
`last, letter of the Greek alphabet (!1, w), transliterated
`as 'o' or '0.'
`• the last of a series; the final development: [as adj.] the
`omega point. • (Omega) [followed by Latin genitive]
`Astronomy the twenty-fourth star in a constellation:
`Omega Scorpii.
`~symbol • (!1) ohm(s): a lOOil resistor.
`-ORIGIN from Greek omega 'big 0.'
`o•me•ga-3 fat•ty ac•id ~n. an unsaturated fatty acid
`of a kind occurring chiefly in fish oils, with three dou(cid:173)
`ble bonds at particular positions in the hydrocarbon
`chain.
`om•e•let I 'am(")lit 1 (als<;> omelette) ~n. a dish ofbeat(cid:173)
`en eggs cooked in a frying pan until firm, often with a
`filling added while cooking, and usually served folded
`over.
`-ORIGIN French omelette, earlier amelette, alteration of
`alumette, variant of alumelle, from lemele 'knife blade,'
`from Latin lamella (see LAMELLA