THE
`THE
`AMER ICAN
`AMERICAN
`HER ITAG E
`HERITAGE
`D ICT IONA RY
`DICTIONARY
`
`OF THE
`OFTHE
`
`ENGLISH LANGUAGE
`ENGUSHLANGUAGE
`
`THIRD EDITION
`THIRD EDITION
`
`‘*5;
`
`HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
`HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
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`Words are included in this Dictionary on the basis of their
`usage. Words that are known to have current trademark
`registrations are shown with an initial capital and are also
`identified as trademarks. No investigation has been made of
`common-law trademark rights in any word. because such
`investigation is impracticable. The inclusion of any word in
`this Dictionary is not. ho\\'ever. an expression of the
`Publisher's opinion as to whether or not it is subject to
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`to be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark.
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`Data Central, Inc., providers of the LEXIS11 /NEXIS• services,
`for its assistance in the preparation of this edition of
`The American Heritage Dictionary.
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`Copy1·ight ~ 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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`Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
`The American heritage dictiona13 of the English language.
`-3rd ed.
`p.
`cm.
`ISBN 0-395-44895-6
`1. English language-Dictionaries.
`PE1628.A623
`1992
`423-dc20
`Manufactured in the United States of America
`
`92-851
`CIP
`
`•
`
`i
`i
`
`J
`
`4
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`

`

`ooppy
`
`1907
`
`i~~y n. An evergreen shrub (Dendromecon rigidum) of
`t'•t "ii'--·
`·_:_1rnio. and northern Baj:l CahfornJa, having minute-
`·"::ce-shaped leaves and showy yellow flowers.
`~~.
`:a-' .: -e w · 1. Any of various small squirrellike arboreal mam(cid:173)
`·.!"~ :a:nily Tupaiidae found in southeast Asia, India. and
`-
`•
`,'b.:::a. Though sometimes placed in a separate taxonom(cid:173)
`.. ,., ohrews are thought to be related to both insecti\•ores
`·~.;.
`
`•
`C!>",
`,..,..ll!llC.•l ·.. Any of various tropical snails of the genus Liguus,
`. : : ,rful shell in the shape of a teardrop.
`•='TOW n. 1. A sparrow (Spizel/a arboreal oC northern
`~ • .,-..,:.ra ha,·ing a reddish-brown crown and a dark spot on
`.o;· 2. A European sparrow (Passer montanus) related to
`r arrow.
`::_;!,._
`.... 11l1i • • !Tel n. See squirrel (sense 1).
`-
`JlCl.¥gery n. Treatment of diseased or damaged trees by
`; ·~::es and pruning and bracing branches. -tree sur-
`
`'.1111111>
`'1
`
`-c:ti n. See tree frog.
`: :acco n. A South American shrub or small tree (Nico(cid:173)
`.,. ... ~"' naturalized in the United States and having yellow
`•::d thick, rubbery, oval or lance-shaped leaves.
`~-:> :r~ft6p 1 ) n. The uppermost pan of a tree.
`~;: .:dj. Judaism. Unclean and unfit for consumpllon ac(cid:173)
`..., ' > :Hetary law; not koshe1'. (Yiddish trey/, from Hebrew
`_ :.~ont from fcfrap, to tear.j
`:r~•foil 1 , tr~floil 1 ) n. 1. Any of various plants of the
`~-;folium, Lotus, dnd related genera of the pea family.
`~ .. "1;>ound trifoliate leaves. 2. An ornament, a symbol. or
`·ectural form having the appearance of a trifoliate leaf.
`:::nglish, from Anglo-Norman lrifoil. from Latin trifolium
`:-:- ~ folium, leaf: see bhel- 3 in Appendix.]
`""-<I• la (tr!-hii'la) n. A sugarlike. edible substance obtained
`·::e pupal case of an Old World beetle of the genus Larinus.
`:.otin trehdla, from Turkish trqlila, from Persian trghdl.J
`~a• lase (tr!-ha ' liis' , -Jaz') n. An enzyme that catalyzes
`i:olvsi• of trehalose.
`~a· lose (trl-hii'lOs 1• -16z 1) n. A sweet-tasting. crystalline
`:haride. C12H2,011 , found in trehala and in many fungi.
`· lage (tre-ylizh', trA ' lll) n. Latticework, especially a trel(cid:173)
`~~ a \'inc. (French, from Old French treille, bower supported
`·:,::iswork, from Latin trichila. bower, arbor.]
`trekked, trek·king. treks. 1. To make a
`:r~k) intr.L•.
`-~,le
`.r arduous journey. 2. To journey on foot, especially to hike
`11::··.-:<h mountainous areas. 3. South African. To travel by ox
`- n. -trek n. 1. A journey or leg of a JOUrney, especially
`-. ;low or difficult. 2. South African. A iourney by ox wagon,
`,., .-... ::ally a migration such as that of the Boers from 1835 to 1837.
`:;:aans, to travel by ox wagon, from Dutch trekken, lo lra\·el.
`>r· -.: ~Iiddle Dutch trecken, to pull.] -trekfker n .
`
`• ;JRD HISTORY: Fans of Star Trek and others may be interested
`1<:-:ow that the word t rek originally had to do \l.ith a slow jour(cid:173)
`h :; a very different mode of transportation, a wagon drawn by
`,..., .. Trek was borrowed into English in South Africa, where the
`.-.~j was used by speakers of Afrikaans for a journey by ox wag(cid:173)
`:he British, who at the turn of the century were to seize con(cid:173)
`..; of South Africa from the descendants of the orig inal Dutch
`.ers. borrowed the w ord trek during the 19th century. Trek is
`. . rded earliest in 1822 in the compound trekto1c, "a rope 101ning
`wagon pole and the yoke lo wh1ch oxen were fastened." Trek
`~ :c.is compound is either the noun or the stem of the correspond(cid:173)
`,.,:: ,·erb in Afnkaans. trekken. The earliest recorded use of the
`• -'..:n by itself is found in 1849, where it means "a stage in a iour(cid:173)
`• · by ox wagon.'' The word has long since migrated from South
`:.:::can into general English- and into space travel.
`
`'"'!l·lis (trel•!s) n. 1. A structure of open latticework. especially
`-.; c:sed as a support for vines and other creeping plants. 2 . An
`~)r or arch made of latticework. -trellis tr.t'. -lised, ·lis•ing,
`s ·es. 1. To provide with a trellis. especially to train (a vine) on
`·rellis. 2. To make (something) in the form of a trellis. [Middle
`:~.il:sh trelis, from Old French. from Vulgar Latin •trillcius, from
`:,n trilf.>:, trilfc-, woven with three threads : tri-, tri- + licium,
`~•ad.]
`,..,,1. Jis•work (tre1'Is-wurk') n. Latticework.
`·.em•a•tode (trem•a-tOd') n. Any of numerous flatworms of
`.::e class Trematoda, including both external and internal para(cid:173)
`;1:es of animal hosts, that ha,·e a thick outer cuticle and one or
`=.,ire suckers or hooks !or attaching to host tissue. Also called
`-:·1ke. -tre matode adj. Of or belonging to the Trcmatoda.
`:rom l\ew Latin Trematoda, class name. from Greek trtma!Odes,
`:._,\·ing holes. from trema, tremat-, perforation. See tere- 1 in Ap(cid:173)
`~er:dix.J
`•rem•a•to•di•a•sis (trem•a-t6-di'a-sls) n . Infestation or ln(cid:173)
`:<etion with trematodes. often caused by ingestion of inadequately
`cooked food.
`•rem•ble (tr~m•bal) intr.v. -bled. -bling, -bles. 1. To shake
`.n,·oluntanly. as from excitement, weakness, or anger; quake. See
`Smonvms at shake. 2. To feel fear or anxictv: I tremble at the
`c·~ry thought of it. 3. To \>1brate or quiver: /eaL·~s trembling in the
`oreeze. -tremble n. 1. The act or state of trembling. 2. Often
`trembles. A convulsive fit of shaking. Often used with the. 3.
`
`trembles (used with a sing. t•crb). a . An infectious viral disease
`o! sheep that is transmitted by the tick l.Yodes ricinus and affects
`the nervous system, causing galloping and trotting by h ttlc leaps
`and often prolonged tremblir:g. Also called louping ill. b. Poi(cid:173)
`soning of domestic animals. copcc1ally cattle and sheep, caused by
`eating white snakeroot or raylcss goldenrod and characterized by
`muscular tremors and weakening. Also called milk •ickness .
`(~'itddle English tremblen, from Old French trembler, from Vulgar
`Lahn "tr~mulare, from Latin t remulu.s. trembhng. See TRE~:u­
`l.OL'S.j -trem'bler n. -tremfbling•ly adt'. -trem f bly adj.
`tre•men•dous (trl-m~n'das) adj. 1. o. Extremely large in
`amount, extent. or degree: enormous: a tremendous task. See Syn(cid:173)
`onyms at enormous. b. Informal. Man·elous: wonderful: had a
`tremendo11s night at the theater last night. 2. Capable of makmg
`one tremble; terrible. [From Latin tremendus, gerund1ve of tre(cid:173)
`mere, to tremble.) -tre·menidous•ly adv. -tre·men•dous•
`ness n.
`trem•o•lite (tr~m•a-llt') n. A white to dark gray amph1bole
`mineral, Ca,Mg,SiR022(0lih, typically occurring in aggregates
`and used as a substitute for asbestos and in paints and eeram1cs.
`[French tremoli!e, after Tremola, a valley in the Swiss Alps.]
`trem•o•lo (tr~m '<>-li'i') n .. pl. -los. Music. 1.a. A tremulous
`et!ect produced by rapid repetition of a single tone. b. A similar
`effect produced by rap1d alternation ol two tones. 2 . A device on
`an organ for producing a tremulous efftct. 3. A vibrato in sing(cid:173)
`ing. often excessive or poorly controlled. [Italian. from Latin
`tremulus, tremulous. See 'IREMt:LOUS.)
`trem•or (trem'ar) n. 1. A shaking or vibrating movement, as of
`the earth. 2 . A trembling or quivering effect: a tremor of cupen
`leaves. 3. An involuntary trembhng or quivering, as from nerv(cid:173)
`ous agitation or weakness. 4. A nervous quiver or thrill: felt a
`tremor of joy. 5. A state or feeling of nervous agitation or ten(cid:173)
`sion. 6. A tremulous sound; a quaver. [Middle English, terror,
`from Old French, from Latin, a trembling, from tremere, to trem(cid:173)
`ble.)
`trem•u•lant (tr~m'ya-lant) adj. Tremulous; trembling.
`trem•u•lous (trem'ya-las) adj. 1. Marked by trembling, quiv(cid:173)
`ering. or shaking. 2. Tim1d or fearful; timorous. (From Latin
`tremulus, from tremere, to tremble.] -trem•u•lous•ly adv.
`-tremtu•lous• ness n.
`tre•nall (tre'n91', tren1a1, tretn'al) n. Variant of treanall.
`trench (tr~nch) n. 1. A deep furrow or ditch. 2. A long, narrow
`ditch embanked with its own soil and used for concealment and
`protection in warfare. 3. A long, steep-sided valley on the ocean
`floor. -trench v. trenched, trench• Ing, trench • es. -
`tr. 1. To
`cut a trench in. 2. To fortify with trenches. 3. To place in a
`trench. 4. To make a cut in: carve. -intr. 1. To dig trenches or
`a trench. 2. To verge or encroach. Often used w ith 011 or upon.
`[Middle English lrenche, from Old French. from trenchier. to cut.
`perhaps from Vulgar Latin •trinccire, variant of Latin trunccire,
`from truncus, trunk. See tere· 2 in Appendix.]
`Trench (trench), Richard Chenevix. 1807-1886. British poet
`and philologist whose works include On the Study of Words ( 1851)
`and English Past and Present ( 1855 ).
`trench•ant (tren•chant) adj. 1. Ke•n; incisive: a trenchant
`comment. 2. Forceful, e!fecuve, and vigorous: a trenchant argu(cid:173)
`ment. See Synonyms at incisive. 3. Caustic; cutting: trenchant
`criticism. 4. Distinct: clear-cut. (Middle English. from Old
`French. cutting, from present participle of trencl1ier, to cut. See
`'!RENCH.] -trench•an-cy n. -trenchfont•ly adv .
`trench coat n. A belted raincoat in a military style. havmg
`straps on the shoulders and deep pockets.
`trench• er 1 (trt'n' ch-r) n. 1. A wooden board or platter on
`\\'hich food ts carved or served. 2. Archaic. The pleasure of the
`table: food. (Middle Enghsh trenchur, from Anglo-Norman tre>1·
`chour, from trencher, to cut. perhaps from Vulgar Latin •trinccire.
`See 'IRE:-ICH.)
`trench•er 2
`(trer.' char) n. One that digs trenches.
`trench•er•man (tren •char-man) n. 1. A heart.v eater. 2. Ar(cid:173)
`chaic. One who frequent• another's table; a hanger-on or parasite.
`trench fever n. An acute infectious disease characterized by
`chills and fever, caused by the microorganism Rickettsia quintana
`and transmitted by the louse Pediculu• humanus. (From its oc(cid:173)
`currence among soldiers in trenches.]
`trench foot n. A condition of the foot resembling frostbite.
`caused by prolonged exposure to cold and dampness and often
`affecting soldiers m trenches. (From its occurrence among sol(cid:173)
`diers in trenches.]
`trench mortar n. See mortar (sense Ja).
`trench mouth 11. A painful infection of the mouth and throat
`characterized by ulcerations of the mucous membranes. bleeding.
`and foul breath. It is caused by the bacterium Fusobarrerittm f11si(cid:173)
`forme in combination with the spirochete Treponema vincentti.
`(From its oc(cid:173)
`Also called Vincen t's angina, Vrncent's infection.
`currence umong soldiers in trenches.]
`trend (trend) n . 1. The general direction in which something
`tends to move. 2. A general tendency or inclination. See Syn(cid:173)
`onyms at tendency. 3. Current style: vogue: the latest trend in
`fashion. -trend intr.t'. trend•ed, trend•ing, trends. 1. To ex(cid:173)
`tend. incline. or veer in a specified direction: The pl'eL·ailing wmd
`trends east-northeast. 2. To show a general tendency; tend: "The
`[From
`gender gap was ti·ending doum .. (Jomes J . Kilpatrick).
`M1ddle English trenden, to revolve. from Old English trendan.J
`
`trend
`
`... ---:.~ •.;.
`
`~ ---
`
`trefoil
`Early 18th-century
`Amencan silver salver
`by Edward Winslow
`(1669-1 753) of Boston.
`Massachusetts
`
`trellis
`
`'
`1
`
`A pat
`i!. pay
`Ar care
`tl father
`e pet
`e be
`! pit
`I pie
`ir p ier
`6 pot
`0 toe
`6 paw
`
`oi bo~·
`ou out
`oo took
`oo boot
`Cl cut
`Ctr urge
`th thin
`th this
`hw which
`zh \'is1on
`a about, item
`t regionalism
`Stress marks: ' (primary):
`' (secondary). as in
`dictionary (d!k 1 sha-nl!r't')
`
`