`
`NFLE 1010 - Page 1
`
`

`

`Words are included in this Dictionary on the basis of their
`usage. Words that are known to have current trademark reg-
`istrations are shown with an initial capital and are also iden-
`tified as trademarks. No investigation has been made of
`common-law trademark rights in any word, because such in-
`vestigation is impracticable. The inclusion of any word in this
`Dictionary is not, however, an expression of the Publisher's
`opinion as to whether or not it is subject to proprietary rights.
`Indeed, no definition in this Dictionary is to be regarded as
`affecting the validity of any trademark.
`
`American Heritage and the eagle logo are registered trade-
`marks of Forbes Inc. Their use is pursuant to a license agree-
`ment with Forbes Inc.
`
`Copyright CO 1993 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
`All rights reserved.
`
`No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any
`form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
`photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or
`retrieval system without the prior written permission of
`Houghton Mifflin Company unless such copying is expressly
`permitted by federal copyright law. Address inquiries to Ref-
`erence Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Company, 222 Berkeley
`Street, Boston MA 02116.
`
`0-395-67161-2 (UPC)
`
`Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
`The American heritage college dictionary. —3rd ed.
`p.
`cm.
`ISBN 0-395-66917-0 (plain edgej. —ISBN 0-395-44638-4
`,thumb edge;. —ISBN 0-395-66918-9 deluxe binding:.
`1. English language—Dictionaries. 2. Americanisms.
`PE1628.A6227 1993
`423 — dc20
`
`92-42124
`CIP
`
`Manufactured in the United States of America
`
`NFLE 1010 - Page 2
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`

`

`dwo-•
`
`led by an ed,,,„
`has earned a-.,r
`course of stud'''.
`or. 3. An off.r.;"Y.
`f introductiot-4I
`able. See dwon
`• practice of co
`:eating
`4.
`d to represent
`mments. 2. 0,4
`. [Fr. diplomat.;
`See Din.cistKrid
`diploma, esp 'a
`of examiners,
`involving dipin„
`t and sensitivity
`to diplomatic!,
`liplornatique
`tt-, letter of in.
`•ly adv.
`ersonnel in res.
`taxation and
`tic personnel in
`a sing. v.) The
`udy of ancient
`id authenticity,
`
`vatic cells with
`anti lc (an,-
`- dlp•lo plc
`3.1op o • does
`
`fertilization of
`ion of the nu-
`Gk., a dou-
`See Divi.o-.]
`of the group
`able them to
`name < Gk.,
`ng : di-, two;
`< pnein, to
`
`consisting of
`-footed : di-,
`
`and opposite
`a small dis-
`: center, con-
`ar adj.
`;e in an elec.
`2. Magnetic
`
`er for taking
`emus Cinclus
`vottorn.
`ttle Dipper.
`[1]
`int.
`ions to do-
`PRO-r(Ott) +
`
`insatiable,
`[Gk. dipsa,
`adj. & n.
`
`asuring the
`
`n. A dip-
`
`elonging to
`le true flies
`ir of mem-
`ng organs.
`ce append-
`'era, order
`see
`+
`
`aving two
`painted or
`cha < Gk.
`di-, two;
`Id).]
`. A drug,
`.
`+
`
`ad. adj. Math. Having an indicated positive
`
`coat idirkwar' , ti. A strong yellow crystalline herbicide,
`(11G.',2H12.Br2N2, used to control water weeds. [ot-' + QUAT(ER-
`011.1
`.1Ir abbr. Director.
`(di-rakf ), Paul Adrien Maurice. 1902-84. British math-
`u'
`910.raa-rician and physicist who shared a 1933 Nobel Prize.
`dire (dir) adj. dir•er, dir•est. 1. Warning of or having dreadful
`u onsequences; calamitous. 2. Urgent; desperate: dire poverty.
`[Lat. dints, fearsome, terrible; akin to Gk. deMos.] — dire/ ly
`adv, - dire ,ness n.
`l rect (di-rektt, di-) v. -rect •ed, -rect • ing, -rects. - tr. 1. To
`manage or conduct the affairs of; regulate. 2. To have or take
`barge of; control. 3. To give authoritative instructions to:
`directed them to answer. 4. To cause to move toward a goal;
`aim. 5. To show or indicate the way for. 6. To cause to move
`in or follow a straight course. 7. To indicate the intended
`recipient on (a letter, for example). 8. To address or adapt
`(remarks, for example) to a specific person, audience, or pur-
`nose. 9.a. To give guidance and instruction to (musicians, for
``romple) in the performance of a work. b. To supervise the
`performance of. - intr. 1. To give commands or directions.
`2. To conduct a performance or rehearsal. - adj. 1. Proceed-
`ing without interruption in a straight course or line; not de-
`viating or swerving. 2. Straightforward and candid; frank.
`3. Having no intervening persons, conditions, or agencies;
`immediate. 4. Effected by action of the voters rather than
`through elected representatives or delegates. 5. Being of un-
`broken descent; lineal: a direct descendant. 6. Consisting of
`the exact words of the writer or speaker. 7. Lacking com-
`promising or mitigating elements; absolute. 8. Math. Varying
`in the same manner as another quantity, esp. increasing if
`another quantity increases or decreasing if it decreases.
`9. Astron. Moving west to east in the same direction as the
`sun's movement against the stars. Used of a planet. - adv.
`Straight; directly. [ME directen < Lat. dingere, direct-, to give
`regere, to guide; see
`direction to : di-, dis-, apart; see ors-
`rig-'.1
`direct action n. The strategic use of immediately effective acts,
`such as strikes or sabotage, to achieve a political or social end.
`direct current n. An electric current flowing in one direction
`only.
`dl•rect •ed
`sense.
`di•rec•tion fdi-relcfshan, di- ti. 1. The act or function of di-
`recting. 2. Management, supervision, or guidance of an action
`or operation. 3. The art or action of musical or theatrical
`directing. 4. Mils. A word or phrase in a score indicating how
`a passage is to be played or sung. 5. An instruction or series
`of instructions for doing or finding something. Often used in
`the plural. 6. An authoritative indication; an order or a com-
`mand. 7.a. The distance-independent relationship between
`two points in space that specifies the angular position of ei-
`ther with respect to the other; the relationship by which the
`alignment or orientation of any position with respect to any
`other position is established. b. A position to which motion or
`another position is referred. c. A line leading to a place or
`point. d. The line or course along which a person or thing
`moves. 8. The statement in degrees of the angle measured
`between due north and a given line or course on a compass.
`9. A course or area of development; a tendency toward a
`particular end or goal. [ME, arrangement < Lat. directio,
`direction- < directus, p.part. of dirigere, to direct. See ossacr.]
`- di • rec tlon • less adj.
`cli•rec•tion•al (di-relcr sha-nal, di-) adj. 1. Of or indicating di-
`rection. 2. Electron. Capable of receiving or sending signals in
`one direction only. 3. Relating to guidance in effort, behavior,
`or thought. 4. Serving to point the future direction, as of
`fashion. - n. A directional signal. - dl •recitIon• al/ I•ty
`(-sha-nallme) n.
`directional antenna n. An antenna that receives or sends sig-
`nals most effectively in a particular direction.
`directional signal ii. One of two lights on the front and rear of
`an automotive vehicle that indicate the direction of a turn.
`direction finder n. A device for determining the source of a
`transmitted signal, consisting mainly of a radio receiver and a
`coiled rotating antenna.
`cll•rec•tive
`di.) n. An order or instruction, esp. one
`from a central authority. - adj. Serving to direct.
`di•rect•ly (dl-rektfle, di-) adv. 1. In a direct line or manner;
`straight. 2. Without anyone or anything intervening. 3. Ex-
`actly or totally. 4. At once; instantly. 5. Candidly; frankly.
`6. Chiefly Southern U.S. In a little while; shortly. - conj.
`Chiefly British. As soon as.
`direct mail n. Advertisements or other printed matter mailed
`directly to prospective customers or contributors. - dl • rectf-
`mall' (di-rekti malt, di-) adj. - direct mailer n.
`direct object n. Gram. The word or phrase in a sentence re-
`ferring to the one receiving the action of a transitive verb. For
`example, in mail the letter, letter is the direct object.
`dl• rec•tor (iii-rek/ tar, di-) n. 1. One that supervises, controls,
`or manages. 2. A member of a group of persons chosen to
`govern the affairs of an institution or a corporation. 3. A
`
`person who supervises the creative aspects of a dramatic pro-
`duction or film and instructs the actors and crew. 4. Mus. The
`conductor of an orchestra or a chorus. - di•recftor•shlpt n.
`di • rec •tor • ate (di-relci tar-it, di-) ?I. 1. The office or position
`of a director. 2. A board of directors, as of a corporation.
`3. The entire staff of a bureau or department.
`di • rec•to• ri•al (di-ree tor, e-al, -tor'-, di-) adj. 1. Of or re-
`lating to a director or directorate. 2. Serving to direct; direc-
`tive. - dl•recitor ri • al.ly adv.
`di•rec•tor's chair (di-reit' tart, di-) n. A folding armchair with
`a usu. canvas back and sear.
`dl•rec•to • ry (di-rek ta-re, di-) n., p1. -rtes. 1. A book con-
`taining an alphabetical or classified listing of names, address-
`es, and other data. 2. Comp. Sri. a. A listing of the files
`contained in a storage device, such as a magnetic disk. b. A
`description of the various characteristics of a file, such as the
`layout of the fields in it. 3. A book of rules or directions.
`4. A group or body of directors. - adj. Serving to direct.
`direct primary n. A primary in which a party's candidates for
`public office are nominated by direct vote of the people.
`di•rec•trix (di-r6lc? triks, di-) n., p1. di • rec•trIx•es or di • rec•
`tri •ces (di' rek-tri/ sez). 1. Math. The fixed curve traversed by
`a generatrix in generating a conic section or a cylinder. 2. The
`median line in the trajectory of fire of an artillery piece.
`direct tax n. A tax levied directly on the taxpayer.
`dire •ful (dir, fal) adj. 1. Inspiring dread; terrible. 2. Foreshad-
`owing evil or disaster; ominous. - dire rful • ly adv. - dire I -
`ful • ness n.
`dire wolf 11. A large wolflike mammal (Canis dints) that in-
`habited North America during the. Pleistocene Epoch.
`dirge (ari) n. 1. Miss. a. A funeral hymn or lament. b. A slow,
`mournful musical composition. 2. A mournful or elegiac
`poem or other literary work. [ME, an antiphon at Matins in
`the Office for the Dead < Med.Lat. dirige Domine, direct,
`Lord, imper. of dirigere, to direct. See °incr.]
`dir•ham (da-ram ) n. See table at currency. [Ar. < Gk. dra-
`khnie, drachma.]
`dir•I•gl•ble (dir'a-ja-bal, da-rij a-bal) n. See airship. (Lat. di-
`rigere, to direct; see DIRECI"
`dirk (ark) n. A dagger. - tr.v. dirked, dirk • ing, dirks. To stab
`with a dirk. [Sc. durk.]
`dirndl (dined!) it. 1. A full-skirted dress with a tight bodice,
`low neck, and short full sleeves. 2. A full skirt with a gathered
`waistband. [Ger., short for Dirndlkleid : Ger. dial. Dirndl,
`dim. of Dime, girl (< OHGer. dioriia)
`Kleid, dress.]
`dirt (dim) n. 1. Earth or soil. 2.a. A filthy or soiling substance,
`such as mud. b. Excrement. 3. A squalid or filthy condition.
`4. One that is mean or vile. 5.a. Obscene language or subject
`matter. b. Malicious or scandalous gossip. C. Information that
`embarrasses or accuses. 6. Unethical behavior; corruption.
`7. Material, such as gravel, from which metal is extracted in
`mining. [ME, var. of drit, excrement, filth, mud < ON.]
`dirt bike n. A motorbike or bicycle designed for use on rough
`surfaces, such as dirt roads or trails.
`dirt-cheap (ain't*, ) adv. & adj. Very cheap.
`dirt dauber n. Chiefly Southern U.S. See potter wasp.
`dirt farmer n. Informal. A farmer who does all the work on his
`or her property. -dirt farming it.
`dirt-poor (dart' pair!) adj. Lacking most of life's necessities.
`dirt.), (din tE) adj. -I•er, -lest. 1.a. Soiled, as with dirt; un-
`clean. b. Spreading dirt; polluting. c. Apr to soil with dirt or
`grime. 2. Squalid or filthy; run-down. 3.a. Obscene or inde-
`cent. b. Malicious or scandalous: a dirty lie. 4.a. Unethical or
`sordid: dirty politics. b. Not sportsmanlike: a dirty fighter.
`C. Acquired by illicit or improper means: dirty money.
`d. Slang. Possessing or using illegal drugs. 5.a. Unpleasant or
`distasteful; thankless. b. Very unfortunate or regrettable: a
`dirty shame. 6. Expressing disapproval or hostility: a dirty
`look. 7. Not bright and clear in color; somewhat drab. Often
`used in combination: dirty-blonde hair. 8. Producing a great
`amount of long-lived radioactive fallout. Used of nuclear
`weapons. 9. Stormy; rough: dirty weather. - v. -led, -y• Ing,
`-ies. - tr. 1. To make soiled. 2. To stain or tarnish with
`dishonor. - intr. To become soiled. -dIrtri•ly adv.
`- dirt?' •ness n.
`dirty linen n. Informal. Personal affairs that could cause em-
`barrassment or distress if made public.
`dirty old man it. Informal. A middle-aged or elderly man with
`lewd or lecherous inclinations.
`dirty pool n. Slang. Unjust or dishonest conduct. [<
`dirty rice PI. Southern Louisiana. White rice cooked with chick-
`en livers and gizzards and seasoned with herbs and spices.
`dirty tricks pl.n. Informal. 1. Covert intelligence operations
`that disrupt the economy or the political situation in another
`country. 2. Unethical behavior in politics, esp. acts that de-
`stroy the credibility of an opponent. 3. Commercial espio-
`nage. - dirty trickster PI.
`dirty word n. A word, an expression, or a concept that is in-
`appropriate or offensive from a particular point of view.
`Dis (dis) it. Roni. Myth. 1. The god of the underworld; Pluto.
`2. The underworld.
`dis. abbr. 1. Discharge. 2. Discount. 3. Distance. 4. Distant.
`
`393
`
`diquat
`
`dis.
`
`dirndl
`
`dirt bike
`
`8 pat
`a pay
`ar care
`a father
`e pet
`8 be
`I pit
`i pie
`ir pier
`o pot
`di toe
`o paw
`
`of boy
`ou out
`citi tiroK
`tR) boot
`u cut
`fir urge
`th thin
`th this
`hw which
`zh vision
`a about,
`item
`
`Stress marks:
`(primary);
`(secondary), as in
`dictionary fdik isha-ifer 'El
`
`•
`
`• •
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`NFLE 1010 - Page 3
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