THE
`
` Oxford
`Desk
`
`Dictionary
`
`
`
`
`
`American Edition
`
`Edited by
`
`Laurence Urdang
`
`New York
`
`Oxford
`
`Oxford University Press
`
`

`
`symphony orchestra /'
`Szczecin
`
`584
`
`phon-ic /simi‘ain'ik/ odi; sym-pI1on'i-cal-ly
`ado. [fr. S'rN—, Gk phfiué sound]
`synfpho-ny or 'ches-tra 9:.
`large orchestra
`suitable for playing symphonies, etc.
`.
`sym-po-si-um lsimpffzeoml n. _( pl. -st-u_ms
`or -si-a) 1 conference on a particular subject
`2 collected articles or essays on a particular
`subject [Gk samposion drinking party]
`symp-tom /sim(p)’tam/
`ft.
`1 physical or
`mental sign oldisease 2 telltalesign --sy|np'
`toln-at’ic /—tomat’ik/ adj. [Gk pipteir: fall]
`syn- prefix with, together, alike [(31-12 with]
`syn. odor. Synonym: synonymous; synonymy
`syn-o-gogue /sin'og‘iig'/ :1. 1 building forlcw—
`ish religious observance and instruction 2
`Jewish congregation lGk: assembly]
`syn-apse /sin’aps’. sonaps’/ rtxlsvoi. junction
`of two nerve cells [Gk kopteiu joinl
`sync /siNGk/
`(also synch, pronunc. same)
`Colloq. as. 1 synchronization -—o. 2 synchro-
`nize 3 in (or out of) sync according or
`agreeing well {or badly) with [abbr.]
`syn-chron-ic /siNGkrtln’ik/
`calf. concerned
`with a subject as it exists at a given time
`—syn-cbron’i-cal-ly ado.
`[lr.
`SYN-, Gk
`thrones lime] ‘
`(-uizcd,
`o.
`/siNG’kraniz’/
`syn-chro-nine
`-niz-ing) 1 make or be synchronous (with)
`2 make the sound and picture of [a film, etc.)
`coincide 3 cause (clocks, etc.) to show the
`same time —syn’chro-ni-za’tion it.
`syn-chro-nous /siNG’lo'anos/ adj. existing or
`occurring at the same time
`(-pat-ed, -pat-
`z.-.
`syn-co-pate /siuc’kapat'/
`ing) 1 displace the beats or accents in (mu-
`sic), esp. by stress of the weak beat 2 shorten
`(a word) by dropping interior letters —syn'
`co-pa't:ion a.
`[tilt
`fr. Gk syukopé cutting
`short]
`synd. abbr. syndicate: syndicated
`syn-di-catae N. /sin’dik9t/ 1 combination of in-
`dividuals or businesses to promote a common
`interest 2 agency that supplies newspapers
`with features, columns, etc. 3 criminal enter-
`prise —u. /sin’diltz'1t'/ (-cat-ed, -cat-ing) 4
`form into a syndicate 5 publish or sell (ma-
`terial) through a syndicate —~syIl’di-ca’tion
`st. lGk 5YN—, diké iustice]
`1 group of char-
`rt.
`syn-drome /sin’drom’/
`acteristic symptoms of a disease 2 character-
`istic combination of opinions, emotions, be-
`havior. etc. lGk: ninning together]
`figure of
`syn-ec-do-che /sanek’doke/
`9:.
`speech in which a part is made to represent
`the whole or vice versa {e.g., nawfaces at the
`club; Boston lost to Detroit) [Gk: taking to-
`gether]
`syn-er-fism /sin'atjiz'am/ :1. combined inter-
`action ot elements, factors, etc., that is greater
`than the sum of their effects individually [Gk
`SYN-, ergoa work]
`Synge /siNG/, (Edmund) John Millington
`18’i'1—l909; Irish dramatist
`
`means the same as another (e.g., 3.113,; and
`close) [Gk onomo name]
`syn-on-y-mous /sanan'an1as/ adj. 1 ha‘.-mg
`the same meaning 2 suggestive of;
`t3m;a_
`mount to (his some is synonymous with terror)
`syn-op-sis /sanaip'sis/ n.
`(pl -ses /-sea’/)
`summary or outline —syn-op'tic oaj. [Gk op.
`sis view]
`syn-o-vi-a /sanffvéa. si—/
`ti. Pliysiol. viscous
`fluid lubricating joints. etc. —sy-no'vi-a1 adj‘
`[l\-'ledL]
`syn-tax /sin’ta.ks’/ at. 1 grammaticalarrangs
`ment of words 2 rules or analysis of [[113
`—syn-tac't:ic /—tak'tik/ odj.: syn-tac’ ti-ca1.1y
`ado. [Gk: arrangement]
`( pl. -ses /-sez’/)
`synothe-sis /sin’111osis/ n.
`1 combining of elements into a whole 2
`Chem. artificial production of compounds from
`their constituents [Gk: placing together]
`syn-the-size /sin’T‘Hesi;#/
`o.
`(-sized,
`ing) make a synthesis of
`syn the-siz'er 1:. electronic console or key-
`board
`reproducing
`varied
`instrumental
`sounds
`1 made by
`adj.
`syn-tbet-ic /sin1‘Het'ik/
`chemical synthesis, esp. to imitate a natural
`product 2 affected;
`insincere —u. 3 syn-
`thetic substance —syn-ti1et'i-cal-ly ado.
`syph-i-lis /siI'alis/‘
`it. contagious venereal
`disease —syph'i-lit’ic adj.
`[Sypl:ilas, name
`of a character in a poem of 1530]
`Syracuse /sér’akyo‘os',ser’-,-kyoT1z'/ a. city
`in N.Y. Pop. 163.38}
`Syrvi-a /sér’eo/ rt. republic in SW Asia on the
`E coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Capital:
`Damascus. Pop. 12,958,000 —Syr'i—an a.
`& adj.
`
`-siz-
`
`—
`SYRENGE 1
`
`sy-ringe /sarinj’/ iv. 1 device for drawing in
`and ejecting liquid in a fine stream —u.
`(-ringed, -ring-ing)‘ 2 sluice or inject with a
`svnnse [Gk srmix plpel
`syr-up /sir’ap, sar'-/
`it.
`1 sweet sauce of
`sugar dissolved in boiling water 2 any thick
`and esp. sweet liquid —syr'up-y adj.
`[AI
`skcmb]
`sys-hem /sis'tom/ n. 1 interrelated or com-
`plex whole; organized arrangement or net-
`work 2:: set of organs in the body with a com-
`mon structure or function h human or animal
`body as a whole 3 scheme of action, proce-
`dure, or classification; method 4 orderliness
`5 (prec. by the) prevailing political or social
`order [Gk systéma -mat-]
`sys-tent-at-ic /sis’tamat’ilr/ adj. 1 methodi-
`cal: according to a system 2 regular; delib-
`erate —sys’tem-at’i-cal-lyado.
`(-timed,
`sysotem-a-tize /sis"tamotiz'/ o.
`ing) make systematic —sys’te1n-a-ti-za’
`lion :2.
`sysotcmoic /sistem'ik/ adj. Physiol.
`whole body —sys-tem'i-cal-Iyodo.
`
`'of the
`
`T
`
`( pl. t’s;T’s,Ts) 1 twentieth letter
`t,T fuel it.
`of the English alphabet; a consonant 2 to a T
`exactly: to a nicety
`T symb.
`tritium
`t or t. cbbr.
`1 Football. tackle 2 tare 3 tea-
`spoon; teaspoonful 4 temperature 5 in the
`time of 6 Mass. tenor 7 time 8 ton 9 town
`10 troy
`_
`T or T. oblir.
`1 tablespoon; tablespoonful 2
`Territory 3Township 4Tuesday
`Ta symb.
`tantalum '
`tab / tab/ it. 1 small flap or strip attached for
`grasping, fastening, or hanging up, or for iden-
`tification 2 Coiiaq. check,’ bill (flicked up the
`tab) 3 keep tabs (or a tab) on Colloq. have
`under observation or in check lprob. dial.I
`Ta-has-co / taba.s"ko/
`ac.
`1 Tdmk. pungent
`hot peppersauce 2 state of SE Mexico, on the
`Gulf of Mexico, Capital: Villabermosa. Pop.
`1,501,700
`1 3T3‘.-' or
`( pt‘. bias]
`2:.
`tab-by / tab‘e/
`brownish cat with dark stripes 2 domestic
`and esp. female cat [Fr fr. Ar
`1 Hist‘. tent
`tab-er-na-cle / tab'ornak'ol/
`used as a sanctuary by the sraelites during
`the Exodus 2 large place of worship 3 niche
`or receptacle, esp. for the consecrated Eucha-
`ristic elements [L, rel. to TAVERN]
`ta-bla / tiib‘lo/ it pair of small drums played
`with the hands, esp.
`in Indian music Mr:
`drum]
`ta-ble / ta'bal/ rt. 1 flat surface usu. on a leg
`or legs, used for eating, working at, etc. 23
`food set out for eating I) group seated for din-
`ner, etc. 3 set of facts or figures in columns,
`etc.
`(table of contents; multiplication table)
`—tJ. (-bled, -bling) 4 postpone discussion of
`(a topic, legislation, etc.) at a meeting 5 turn
`the tables reverse circu mstances to one’s ad-
`vantage [Llalmlo board]
`tab-leau / tablo’/ n.
`( pl. Jesus: or -leans
`/—loz’/) 1 picturesque presentation 2 group
`of silent. motionless people porlrayinga scene
`[Fr: picture. dim. of Tasusl
`ta’ble-cloth’ 2:. c]otl1 spread over a table, esp.
`for meals
`In-ble cl’hfite / tabs] d6t’/ fl. meal from a set
`-menu at a fixed price [Fr: host's table]
`ta’ble-land‘ a. plateau
`ta’ble-spoon’ n.
`1 large spoon for serving
`food 2 volume measure, l/2 fluid ounce or3
`teaspoons —ta'bIe-spoolfful n.
`( pt‘. -fuls)
`tab-let / tab'lit/ :1. 1 solid dose of a medicine,
`etc, for swallowing or chewing 2 flat slab of
`esp. stone, usu. inscribed 3 writing pad [L
`dim, rel to TABLE]
`ta’ble teu’nis :3. ball game played with small
`paddles on a table divided by a net: Ping Pong
`tab-loid /tab’loid'/ n. small-sized, usu. sen-
`LET
`satitlinalized, illustrated newspaper [in TAB-
`ta-boo / tobo'o",
`ta-/
`[also ta-bu’)
`1!.
`( pl.
`
`-bu-ing) rlputundertaboo Sexclude orpro-
`hibit, esp. socially lTongan]
`Ta-briz /tabrez'/
`:1. city in NW Iran. Pop.
`9?'l,50t]
`tabou-lar / tab'yolaI'/ adj. of or arranged in ta-
`bles or lists [L, rel. to TABLE]
`ta-bu-latte /tab'yolat'/ o.
`(-lat-ed, -lat-ing]
`arrange (figures or facts)
`in tabular form
`~—tab'u-la'tion, tab’u-la'tor a.
`instrument
`ta-chom-eoter
`/takam’stor/
`an.
`measuring velocity or rate of rotation of a shaft
`(esp. in a vehicle)
`tzac-it /t.as‘it/ adj. understood or implied with-
`out being stated —tac'it-ly ado. [L room: be
`silent]
`saying little; un-
`tac-i-turn /tas’itorn’/ adj.
`communicative —tac'i-t:urn’i—ty 9:. [L. rel. to
`mcrr]
`Tac-i-tus / fast-tss/. Cornelius c. 55 - c. 120;
`Roman historian
`tack /tak/ It.
`1 small, sharp. broad—hcaded
`nail 2 THUMBTACK 3 long stitch for joining
`fabrics lightly or temporarily together 4 (in
`sailing) direction, or temporary change of di-
`recl:ion, esp. taking advantage of a wind 5
`course of action or policy —-o. 6 fasten with
`tacks 7 stitch lightly together 8 add or ap
`pend 9a change a ship’s course to take ad-
`vantage of a wind b make a series of such
`changes lprob. rel. to Fr toclse clasp, nail]
`tack-Ie / tak'al/ it.
`1 equipment for a task or
`sport 2 mechanism, esp. of ropes, pulleys.
`etc, for lifting weights, etc. 3 act of tackling
`in football, etc. 4 Footbolt either of two line-
`men -4).
`(-led, -ling) 5 try to deal with (a
`problem or difficulty) 6 grapple with (an op
`ponent) 7 confront (a person) in discussion
`or argument 8 Football stop (a player with
`the ball) usu. by throwing him to the ground
`—-tacldler vs. [lJGer]
`-i-est)
`tacldy‘
`odj.
`(-i-er,
`—tack'i-ness n. [lr. TACK]
`l in poor taste;
`tack-y’ adj.
`(-i-er, -i-est)
`cheap 2 shabby —taclt’i-ness n.
`ta-co / tii’kf>/
`it (ill -cos) tortilla filled with
`chopped meat. beans, lettuce. etc. [MexSp]
`Ta-co-ma /mko’m:;/
`2:. city in Wash. Pop.
`176.664
`tact / taktf it skill in dealing with others, esp.
`in delicate situations;
`intuitive social grace
`——tact’ful adji; tact’ful-ly ado.
`[L rangers
`toct—touch]
`tactical maneuver —tac'
`rt.
`tac-tic /talr'tik/
`ti-cal adj; tac'ti-cal-ly ado. [Gk fr. tasseiav ar-
`range]
`1 (also treated as sing.) dispo-
`tac'tics n. pl.
`sition of armed forces. esp. in warfare 2 pro-
`cedure to achieve an end: purposive method
`—I:ac-fi’cian /—tiSH'on/ rt.
`tac-tile / ta.k'tal, -til'/ adj. 1 of the sense of
`touch 2 perceived by touch; tangible —tac-
`t:il'i'l:V /-til'itE/ n. [l., re]. to Tncrl
`
`slightly sticky