-. 4
`
`' THE
`
`N
`ICTI
`OF THE
`ENGLISH
`LANGUAGE
`Second Edition
`
`Unabridged
`
`E
`
`'
`.;076
`
`Page 1
`
`

`
`Dedicated to the memory of
`Jess Stein
`
`COPYRIGHT© 1987, BY RANDOM HOUSE, INC.
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`First Edition: Copyright© 1983, 1981, 1979, 1973, 1971,1970, 1969, 1967, 1966, by Random House, Inc.
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`Published in the United States by Random House, Inc., and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, 'lbronto
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`The Random House Dictionary of the English Language and its abbreviations, RHD, RHDEL, RHD-I, and RHD-I!, are trademarks of Random House, Inc.
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`Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
`The Random House dictionary of the English language.
`(Random HouSe dictionaries)
`1. English language-Dictionaries. I. Flexner,
`Stuart Berg. II. Series.
`87-4500
`PE1625.R3 1987
`423
`ISBN 0-394-50050-4; 0-394-56500-2 deluxe ed.
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`A number of entered words which we have reason to believe constitute trademarks have been designated as such.
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`However, no attempt has been made to designate as trademarks or service marks all words or terms in which proprietary rights may exist.
`The inclusion, exclusion, or definition of a word or term is not intended to affect, or to express a judgment on, the validity or
`legal status of the word or term as a trademark, service mark, or other proprietary term.
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`The Concise French Dictionary, edited by Francesca L. V. Langbaum, Copyright© 1983, 1954, by Random House, Inc.
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`The Concise German Dictionary, edited by Jenni Karding Moulton, Copyright© 1983, 1959, by Random House, Inc.
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`The Concise Italian Dictionary, edited by Robert A. Hall, Jr., Copyright © 1983, 1957, by Random House, Inc.
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`The Concise Spanish Dictionary, edited by Donald F. Sola, Copyright© 1983, 1954, by Random House, Inc.
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`Entire contents of the AtlW~, Copyright© 1987, by C. S. Hammond & Company.
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`International Phonetic Alphabet, courtesy International Phonetic Association.
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`Manufactured in the United States of America
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`r.s/uh
`
`Page 2
`
`

`
`approved school
`
`104
`
`AQ
`
`ingly, often formally and publicly, to congratulate or
`honor for something done: to commend a worker for a
`job well done. To PRAISE is to speak or write, often in
`glowing and emotional terms, about one or more per(cid:173)
`sons, actions, plans, etc.: to praise someone's courage. 2.
`3. authorize, endorse, validate. -Ant. 2, 3. reject.
`approved/ school!. (in Britain) a government school
`for delinquent boys or girls. [1930-35)
`ap•prov•er (a prOO'var), n. 1. a person who approves.
`2. Old Eng. Law. an accomplice to a felony who con(cid:173)
`fesses his or her guilt and gives evidence against his or
`her confederates. (1350-1400; ME; see APPROVE, -ER 1)
`approx., 1. approximate. 2. approximately.
`ap•prox•i•mal (e proklsa mal), adj. Anat. near or ad(cid:173)
`jacent. (AP- 1 + PROXIMAL)
`ap•proX•i•mant
`(a prok.tsa mant), n. Phonet. 1. an
`articulation in which one articulator is close to another,
`but not sufficiently so to form a stop or a fricative. 2. a
`sound characterized by such an articulation, as (w), (y),
`(r), (l), or a VOWel. [APPROXIM(ATE) + -ANT)
`ap•proxoiomate
`(adj. a proktsa mit; u. a prok's8-
`mat'), adj., v., -mat•ed, -mat•ing. -adj. 1. near or ap(cid:173)
`proaching a certain state, condition, goal, or standard.
`2. nearly exact; not perfectly accurate or correct: The
`approximate time was 10 o'clock. 3. near; close together.
`4. very similar; nearly identical. -v. t. 5. to come near
`to; approach closely to: to approximate an ideal. 6. to
`estimate: We approximated the distance at three miles.
`7. to simulate; imitate closely: The motions of the stars
`can be approximated in a planetarium. 8. to bring near.
`-v.i. 9. to come near in position, character, amount, etc.
`[1400-50; late ME < LL approxima.tus drawn near to,
`approached (ptp. of approxima.re). See AP-I, PROXIMATE]
`-ap·prox'i•mate•IY. adv.
`ap•prox•i•ma•tion (a prok'sa rna/shan), n. 1. a guess
`or estimate: Ninety-three million miles is an approxima(cid:173)
`tion of the distance of the earth from the sun. 2. near(cid:173)
`ness in space, position, degree, or relation; proximity;
`closeness. 3. Math., Physics. a result that is not neces(cid:173)
`sarily exact, but is within the limits of accuracy required
`for a given purpose. [1400-50; late ME approximacioun
`( < MF) < ML approximatiOn-, s. of approxim0.ti6. See
`APPROXIMATE, -ION) -ap•prOX!i•mattive, adj.
`appt., 1. appoint. 2. appointed. 3. appointment.
`apptd., appointed.
`ap•pulse
`(a pulsl), n. 1. energetic motion toward a
`point. 2. the act of striking against something. 3. As(cid:173)
`tron. the approach or occurrence of conjunction between
`two celestial bodies. (1620-30; < L appulsus driven to,
`~~n:f~~fl~~ 0{oapdri~!~e~~~~)i~~ t~s~~.- ~:~~ ~fP-~t~~ <;~~:
`suffix] -ap•pul'sive, adj. -ap•pul'sive·IY. adv.
`ap•pur•te•nance (a pllr'tn ans), n. 1. something sub(cid:173)
`ordinate to another, more important thing; adjunct; ac(cid:173)
`cessory. 2. Law. a right, privilege, or improvement be(cid:173)
`longing to and passing with a principal property. 3.
`appurtenances, apparatus; instruments.
`(1350-1400;
`ME < AF, equiv. to ap- AP- 1 + -pu.rtenance a belonging;
`see PURTENANCE)
`ap•pur•te•nant (a pfrr.!tn ant), adj. 1. appertaining or
`belonging; pertaining. -n. 2. an appurtenance. [1350-
`1400; ME (see APPURTENANCE, -ANT); r. ME apertinent
`< LL appertinent-
`(s. of appertinens, prp. of apper(cid:173)
`tinere). See AP- 1
`, PERTINENT]
`APR, annual percentage rate. Also, A.P.R.
`Apr., April.
`a•prax•i•a (a prak'se a, a prakt -), n. Pathol. a disor(cid:173)
`der of the nervous system, characterized by an inability
`to perform purposeful movements, but not accompanied
`[1885-90;
`by a loss of sensory function or paralysis.
`< NL; see A- 6
`, PRAxis, -IA] a•prac•tic (a prakltik,
`a prakl-), a•prax'ic, adj.
`A•priJs-mi·di d'un Faune~ L' (Fr.
`lA pRe me de'
`dCEN fOnl). See L'Apres-midi d'un Faune.
`~·pres moi le d6·1uge
`(A pRe mwA' la da lYzh'),
`French. after roe, the deluge (attributed to Louis XV,
`adapted from apr€s no u.s le deluge "after us the deluge,"
`credited to Madame de Pompadour: said in reference to
`signs of the approaching Revolution).
`A•pres•o•line
`(a pres'a len'), Pharm., Trademark. a
`brand of hydralazine.
`a•pres-ski (8/pra ske', ap'rU-), n. 1. the period of re(cid:173)
`laxation that follows skiing: menus suitable for apr€s-ski.
`-adj. 2. pertaining to or suitable for such a time: apri!s(cid:173)
`shi clothes; an apn!.s-ski party. [1950-55; < F, equiv. to
`apres after + ski sKI, skiing]
`ap·ri•cot (aplri kot', 8/pri-), n. 1. the downy, yellow,
`sometimes rosy fruit, somewhat resembling a small
`peach, of the tree Prunus armeniaca. 2. the tree itself.
`3. a pinkish yellow or yellowish pink. 4. Also called
`wild apricot. Chiefly South Midland U.S. the maypop
`vine and its fruit; passionfruit. (1545-55; < MF abricot
`< Pg albricoque or Sp albar(i)coque < Ar al the + bar(cid:173)
`qti.q < MGk < LL praecocquum, for L (persicum.) pme(cid:173)
`cox lit., early-ripening peach, perh. referring to the apri(cid:173)
`cot (see PEACH\ PRECOCIOUs); r. earlier abrecock < Pg or
`Sp; later p for MF b perh. < L pmecox]
`A•pril (8/pral), n. 1. the fourth month of the year, con(cid:173)
`taining 30 days. Abbr.: Apr. 2. a female given name.
`[bef 1150; ME < L Aprl.lis (adj., as modifying mensis
`month), prob. based on Etruscan apru APHRODITE < Gk
`Aphrodite; r. ME Averil ( < OF avril < L), in its turn
`replacing late OE aprilis ( < L)]
`
`CONCISE ETYMOLOGY KEY: <, descended or borrowed from; >,
`whence; b., blend of, blended; c., cognate with; cf., compare; dedv.,
`derivative; equiv., equivalent; imit., imitative; obi., oblique; r., re(cid:173)
`r.l"rimr: s .. stem; so .. spelling, spelled; r~sp., r~_sp~lli,ng1_ r_:~~~:~~~~;
`
`Alpril fool/, 1. the victim of a practical joke or trick
`on April Fools' Day. 2. a practical joke or trick played
`on that day. [1680-90]
`Alpril Fools'/ Day/, April 1, a day when practical
`jokes or tricks are played on unsuspecting people. Also
`called All Fools' Day. (1825-35]
`a pri•oori (8/ pri Orli, -Orti, a/ pre Or.te, ~orte, 8/ pre(cid:173)
`Orte, -Orle), 1. from a general law to a particular in(cid:173)
`stance; valid independently of observation. Cf. a pos~
`teriori (def. 1). 2. existing in the mind prior to and
`independent of experience, as a faculty or character
`trait. cr. a posteriori (def. 2). 3. not based on prior
`study or examination; nonanalytic: an a priori judgment.
`[1645-55; < L: lit., from the one before. See A-\ PRIOR]
`-a•pri•or•ioty (a/prr 6r.ti te, -or'-), n.
`aopri•o•rism {~ilpri Ortiz am, -Or'-, at pre-, a/pre-), n.
`Philos. belief in, or reliance upon, a priori reasoning,
`(1870-75; prob. trans. of D
`arguments, or principles.
`-a'pri•ortist, n.
`apriorisme. See A PRIORI,
`-ISM]
`-a•pri·o·ris•tic (a prila ris'tik), adj.
`-a·prj/o•rlstti·
`cal•ly, adv.
`a•pron (8lpran), n. 1. a garment covering part of the
`~~~:e~fst~fo~~~g~~d ~f~cdh:~ t~;r:~~st2:o~~~lit::~in~h~h=
`similar garment extending to the knees, worn by bish(cid:173)
`ops, deans, and archdeans. 3. a metal plate or cover,
`usually vertical, for a machine, mechanism, artillery
`piece, etc., for protecting those who operate it. 4. a con(cid:173)
`tinuous conveyor belt for bulk materials, consisting of a
`chain of steel plates. 5. (in a lathe) a part of the car(cid:173)
`riage holding the clutches and gears moving the tool(cid:173)
`holder. 6. a paved or hard-packed area abutting an air(cid:173)
`field's buildings and hangars, where planes are parked,
`loaded, or the like. 7. a broad paved area used for park(cid:173)
`ing cars, as at the end of a driveway. 8. Civ. Eng. a.
`any device fot· protecting a surface of earth, as a river(cid:173)
`bank, from the action of moving water. b. a platform to
`receive the water falling over a dam. 9. the part of a
`stage floor in front of the curtain line. 10. Furniture.
`skirt (def. 6). 11. the outer border of a green of a golf
`course. 12. the part of the floor of a boxing ring that
`extends outside the ropes. 13. Also called skirt. a flat,
`broad piece of interior window trim immediately be(cid:173)
`neath the sill. See diag. under double-hung. 14. a strip
`of metal set into masonry and bent down to cover the
`upper edge of flashing; counterflashing. 15. the open
`part of a pier for loading and unloading vessels. 16.
`Naut. (in a wooden vessel) a piece reinforcing the stem
`on the after side and leading down to the deadwood. 17.
`Geol. a deposit of gravel and sand at the base of a moun(cid:173)
`tain or extending from the edges of a glacier. 18. the
`frill of long hairs on the throat and chest of certain long(cid:173)
`haired dogs, as the collie. 19. a structure erected
`around another structure, as for reinforcement or deco(cid:173)
`ration: a high fence surrounded by a wire apron buried
`in the ground. -v.t. 20. to put an apron on; fmnish
`with an apron. 21. to surround in the manner of an
`[f{75~1JJt5~ l925~3~itfo;s d~f.r6~e1d90~-d5f~~0~e£08;8KfE
`napron {by later misconstruing a napron as an apron)
`< MF naperon, equiv. to nape tablecloth ( < L mappa
`napkin; cf. MAP) + -ron dim. suffix]
`-a'pron•liket,
`adj.
`alpron piece/, (in a staircase) a header receiving the
`ends of rough strings, carriage pieces, and the joists of
`landings. Also called pitching piece. [1855-60]
`alpron strings!, 1. the string~ on an apron, used for
`securing it around one's person. 2. tie to someone's
`apron strings, to make or be dependent on or domi-
`~i~~~o b~iss~~h~:.~ ;;;r;::~t~t;;; (f53~~5tecause he's
`~r~~~·t~ 0t~e ~~;;~s~0~~P~~~~nel;-. r~:tiQ~;. a~Y tthe ~~~~
`3. apropos of, with reference to; in respect or regard to:
`apropos of the preceding statement. -adj. 4. opportune;
`pertinent; apropos remarks. [1660-70; < F 0. propos lit.,
`to purpose < L ad pr6positum. See AD-, PIWPOSI'T10N]
`a pro•pos de rien (A pRO pO da RyaN'), French. ap(cid:173)
`ropos of nothing; with reference to nothing in particular.
`a•pro•tic (a prOttik), adj. Chem. not containing disso(cid:173)
`ciable hydrogen. (A- 6 -1- PRO'T(ON) + -IC)
`a•prowl
`(a proul.!}, adj. moving about in stealthy
`search; covertly stalking or hunting; prowling (usually
`used predicatively): The sudden silence in the jungle
`r:_t.;.e .:~~~~~] that some huge carnivore was aprowl.
`A.P.S .. 1. American Peace Society. 2. American Phila(cid:173)
`telic Society. 3. American Philosophical Society. 4.
`American Physical Society. 5. American Protestant So(cid:173)
`ciety.
`A.P .S.A., American Political Science Association.
`Aposaoras (up'sar as), n., pl. -sa.ras•es (-sara siz). 1.
`Hindu Myth. a supernatural female being, either the
`mistress of a soul in paradise or a succubus. 2. a repre(cid:173)
`sentation of such a being. [ < Skt]
`apse {aps), n. 1. Archit. a semicircular or polygonal
`termination or recess in a building, usually vaulted and
`used esp. at the end of a choir in a church. See diag.
`under basilica. 2. Astron. an apsis. [1815-25; var. of
`APSIS] -ap•Si•dal (ap'si dl), adj. -aplsi•dai•IY, adv.
`apse/ line/. Astron. See line of apsides.
`aplsidal moltion, Astron.
`the rotation of the major
`axis of an eccentric orbit in the plane of the orbit.
`[1955-60]
`ap•sid•i•ole (ap sidle ol'), n. a small apse, esp. one at(cid:173)
`tached to a larger apse or a transept. (1885-90; < F ab(cid:173)
`sidiole, equiv. to abside ~PSIS ( < ML absid-, s. of absis)
`-\- -i- -I- + -ole -OLE 1]
`ap•sis (ap'sis), n., pl. -si•des (-si dezl). 1. Astron. ei(cid:173)
`ther of two points in an eccentric orbit, one (higher
`~psis) farthest from the center of attraction, the other
`'-- u ...... -~~~~ .. ~.r <>th•<>c>H,..,n 2. Ar-
`·
`•
`'
`'-
`
`wheel, arch, vault, orig., fastening, equiv. to hii.p(tein) to
`fasten + -sis -SIS]
`Ap star (atpe.t), Astron. a peculiar A star whose emis(cid:173)
`sion spectrum is characterized by abnormally strong
`lines of certain ionized metals. [1970-75; A (star) + p
`(abbr. for PECULIAR STAR))
`AP•SU
`(lip.!sOO), n. an Akkadian god: the consort of
`Tiamat and the father of the gods.
`Ap•syr•tus (ap sU.r.ttas), n. Class. Myth. a son of AeEi(cid:173)
`tes, killed by his ·sister Medea, who, while fleeing with
`Jason, threw pieces of her brother's body into the sea so
`that her father, in pursuing her, might be delayed while
`picking them up.
`apt (apt), adj. 1. inclined; disposed; given; prone: too
`apt to slander others. 2. likely: Am I apt to find him at
`home? 3. unusually intelligent; able to learn quickly
`and easily: an apt pupil. 4. suited to the purpose or oc(cid:173)
`casion; appropriate: an apt metaphor; a few apt remarhs
`on world peace. 5. Archaic. prepared; ready; willing.
`[1350-1400; ME ( < AF) < L aptus fastened, fitted,
`fitting, appropriate, equiv. to ap- fasten, attach + -tus
`ptp. suffix] -aptlly, adu. -aptlness, n.
`-Syn. 1. liable. 2. See likely. 3. clever, bright;
`adaptable; handy, adroit, dexterous, skillful. 4. fitting,
`meet, germane, felicitous. APT, PERTINENT, RELEVANT all
`refer to something suitable or fitting. APT means to the
`point· and particularly appropriate: an apt comment.
`PERTINENT means pertaining to the matter in hand: a
`pertinent remark. RELEVAN'T means dir:ectly related to
`and important to the subject: a relevant opinion.
`-Usage. Some usage guides insist that APT followed by
`an infinitive can or should be used to mean only "in(cid:173)
`clined, disposed": He is apt to ignore matters he regards
`as unimportant. In fact, APT is standard in all varieties
`of speech and writing as a synonym for lihely in contexts
`that suggest probability without any implication of a
`natural disposition toward: Hostilities are apt to break
`out if the confrontation is not soon resolved. She is apt to
`arrive almost any time now. See also liable.
`apt., pl. apts. apartment.
`ap•ter•al (ap'tar al), adj. Archit. 1. (of a classical tem(cid:173)
`ple) not having a surrounding colonnade; not peripteral.
`2. (of a church) having no aisles. 3. (of a church fac;ade)
`revealing no aisles. [1825-35; < Gk Ci.pter(os) wingless
`6 + -pteros -vnmous) + -AL 1
`(a- A-
`]
`ap•te•ri•um (ap ter.te am), n., pl. -te•ri·a (-terle a). Or(cid:173)
`nith. one of the featherless portions of the skin of a
`bird. Cf. pteryla. [1865-70; < NL; see A-'\ PTER-, -IUM)
`-ap•te'ri·al, adj.
`ap•ter•OUS (ap'tar as), adj. 1. Zool. wingless, as some
`insects. 2. Bot. without membranous expansions, as a
`stem. [1765-75; < Gk cipteros wingless. See A- 6
`, -PTER(cid:173)
`ous]
`ap•te•ryg•i•al
`(ap'ta rij!e al), adj. Zool. having no
`wings, fins, or limbs, as snakes and eels. [1900-05; A- 6 +
`Gk pteryg- (s. of pteryx wing) + -IAL]
`ap•ter•Y•gote (ap ter'i gOt!, apttar-), adj. belonging
`or pertaining to the Apterygota, a subclass of primitive
`wingless insects that undergo little or no metamorphosis.
`Also, ap·ter•y.go•tous (ap terti gOttas).
`[ < NL Ap(cid:173)
`to a- A- 6 +
`terygota name of the subclass, equiv.
`Pterygota < Gk, neut. pl. of pteryg6t6s winged, deriv. of
`pteryg- (s. of pteryx) wing]
`ap•ter•YX
`(1805-15;
`kiwi (def. 1).
`(ap'ta riks), n.
`< NL: the genus name, equiv. to Gk a- A- 6 + -pteryx,
`adj. use of pt€ryx wing]
`ap•ti•tude (ap'ti tQOdl, -tyOOd'), n. 1. capability; abil(cid:173)
`ity; innate or acquired capacity for something; talent:
`She has a special aptitude for mathematics. 2. readi(cid:173)
`ness or quickness in learning; intelligence: He was placed
`in honors classes because of his general aptitude. 3. the
`[1400--50;
`state or quality of being apt; special fitness.
`late ME ( < MF) < LL aptitudo. See APT, -1-, -TUDE]
`-ap'ti•tu.!di•nal, adj. -ap'ti·tutdi·nai·IY, adv.
`-Syn. 1. predilection, proclivity, bent, gift, faculty. 2.
`acumen. 3. appropriateness.
`apltitude test!, any of various tests given to measure
`abilities, as manual dexterity, visual acuity, reasoning,
`or verbal comprehension, and used to assist in the selec(cid:173)
`tion of a career. [1920-25]
`AP•U•Ie•ius
`(aplya le.tas), n. Lucius, born A.D. 125?,
`Roman philosopher and satirist.
`A•pU•Iia
`(a pyOOllya), n.
`a department in SE Italy.
`3,828,322; 7442 sq. mi. (19,275 sq. km). Cap.: Bari. Italian,
`Puglia. -A•Pu'lian, adj.
`a pun•ta d'ar•CO
`(8 piJontta dar'kO; It. a p60n't8.
`daRtkO), Music.
`(of performance of a musical passage
`for a stringed instrument) with the point of the bow.
`[ < !t; see AD-, POINT, ARC)
`A•pu•re (a pOCVRe), n. a river flowing E from W Vene(cid:173)
`zuela to the Orinoco. ab. 500 mi. (805 km) long.
`A•pu•ri•mac (li'pOO ne'm8k), n. a river flowing NW
`from S Peru to the Ucayali River. ab. 550 mi. (885 kro)
`long.
`A•pus (8lpas), n., gen. Ap·o·dis (apt a dis). Astron. the
`Bird of Paradise, a southern constellation between Oc(cid:173)
`[ < NL < Gk Opous
`tans and Triangulum Australe.
`name applied to various swallowlike birds, lit., footless,
`equiv. to a- A-G + -pous -footed, adj. deriv. of polis foot;
`cf. -POD)
`apx., appendix.
`ap•y•rase (ap'a rast, -r8z1), n. Biochem. a relatively
`nonspecific ATPase occurring in plants and molds.
`[1040 -45; a(denyl)pyr(ophosphat}ase;
`see ADENYLPY(cid:173)
`ROPHOSPHATE, -ASE)
`a•py•ret•iC (alpi ret'ik), adj. Pathol. free from fever.
`(1835-45; A- 6 + PYRETIC)
`
`Page 3