Index of Word Meanings
1.
cuddle
/ˈkʌd(ə)l/
Learn to pronounce
verb
verb: cuddle; 3rd person present: cuddles; past tense: cuddled; past participle: cuddled; gerund or present participle: cuddling
hold close in one's arms as a way of showing love or affection.
"he cuddles the baby close"
h
Similar:
hug
embrace
clasp
hold tight
hold in one's arms
fold in one's arms
caress
pet
fondle
canoodle
smooch
spoon
bill and coo
snuggle
nestle
curl
nuzzle
lie close
burrow against
huddle against
snug down
lie or sit close.
"Rebecca cuddled up to Mum"
informal
ingratiate oneself with.
"they need to stop cuddling up to big business and instead put people first"
noun
noun: cuddle; plural noun: cuddles
a prolonged and affectionate hug.
"he just wanted a comforting kiss and a cuddle"
h
Similar:
hug
embrace
bear hug
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2.
puddle
/ˈpʌd(ə)l/
Learn to pronounce
See definitions in:
all
civil engineering
rowing
mining
metallurgy
noun
noun: puddle; plural noun: puddles
1.
a small pool of liquid, especially of rainwater on the ground.
"splashing through deep puddles"
h
Similar:
pool
spill
splash
plash
2.
clay and sand mixed with water and used as a watertight covering for embankments.
3.
Rowing
a circular patch of disturbed water made by the blade of an oar at each stroke.
verb
verb: puddle; 3rd person present: puddles; past tense: puddled; past participle: puddled; gerund or present participle: puddling
1.
wet or cover (a surface) with water, especially rainwater.
"the cobbles under our feet were wet and puddled"
(of liquid) form a small pool.
"rivulets of water coursed down the panes, puddling on the sill"
archaic
dabble or wallow in mud or shallow water.
"children are playing and puddling about in the dirt"
2.
line (a hole) with puddle.
"he dug and puddled a large pond"
knead (clay and sand) into puddle.
work (mixed water and clay) to separate gold or opal.
historical
stir (molten iron) with iron oxide in a furnace, to produce wrought iron by oxidizing carbon.
noun: puddling
"my father helped puddle the iron that has braced this city's rising towers"
Phrases
puddle around — occupy oneself in a disorganized or unproductive way.
"the internet is just the latest excuse for puddling around at work"
Origin
Middle English: diminutive of Old English pudd ‘ditch, furrow’; compare with German dialect Pfudel ‘pool’.
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3.
leath means
English: topographic name for someone who lived by or worked at a barn, Middle English lathe, from Old Norse hlaða.
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4.
dizzying
/ˈdɪzɪˌɪŋ/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
adjective: dizzying
causing someone to feel unsteady, confused, or amazed.
"the dizzying rate of change"
dizzy
/ˈdɪzi/
Learn to pronounce
verb
gerund or present participle: dizzying
make (someone) feel unsteady, confused, or amazed.
"her nearness dizzied him"
Origin
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5:
tacky1
/ˈtaki/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
comparative adjective: tackier
(of glue, paint, or other substances) not fully dry and retaining a slightly sticky feel.
"the paint was still tacky"
h
Similar:
sticky
wet
gluey
gummy
glutinous
adhesive
viscous
viscid
treacly
syrupy
runny
clinging
sticking
gooey
tacky2
/ˈtaki/
Learn to pronounce
adjectiveinformal
comparative adjective: tackier
showing poor taste and quality.
"even in her faintly tacky costumes, she won our hearts"
h
Similar:
tawdry
tasteless
kitsch
vulgar
crude
garish
gaudy
showy
loud
trashy
cheap
cheap and nasty
nasty
common
second-rate
Brummagem
flash
flashy
tatty
naff
h
Opposite:
tasteful
refined
Origin
early 19th century: of unknown origin. Early use was as a noun denoting a horse of little value, later applied to a poor white in some Southern states of the US, hence ‘shabby, cheap, in bad taste’ (mid 19th century).
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6:
dread
/drɛd/
Learn to pronounce
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zoology
religion · informal
hairdressing · informal
verb
3rd person present: dreads
1.
anticipate with great apprehension or fear.
"Jane was dreading the party"
h
Similar:
fear
be afraid of
worry about
be anxious about
have forebodings about
feel apprehensive about
be terrified by
cower at
tremble/shudder at
cringe from
shrink from
quail from
flinch from
have cold feet about
be in a blue funk about
h
Opposite:
look forward to
2.
archaic
regard with great awe or reverence.
"the man whom Henry dreaded as the future champion of English freedom"
noun
plural noun: dreads
1.
great fear or apprehension.
"the thought of returning to London filled her with dread"
h
Similar:
fear
fearfulness
apprehension
trepidation
anxiety
worry
concern
foreboding
disquiet
disquietude
unease
uneasiness
angst
fright
panic
alarm
terror
horror
trembling
shuddering
flinching
the jitters
a blue funk
the heebie-jeebies
h
Opposite:
confidence
2.
a sudden take-off and flight of a flock of gulls or other birds.
"flocks of wood sandpiper, often excitable, noisy, and given to dreads"
3.
informal
a person with dreadlocks.
"the band appeals to dreads and baldheads alike"
dreadlocks.
"Lyon combed his fingers through Curtis' dreads"
Origin
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7:
appalling
/əˈpɔːlɪŋ/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
adjective: appalling
causing shock or dismay; horrific.
"the cat suffered appalling injuries during the attack"
h
Similar:
shocking
horrific
horrifying
horrible
terrible
awful
dreadful
ghastly
hideous
horrendous
frightful
atrocious
abominable
abhorrent
outrageous
hateful
loathsome
odious
gruesome
grisly
monstrous
nightmarish
heinous
harrowing
dire
vile
shameful
unspeakable
unforgivable
unpardonable
abject
disgusting
revolting
repellent
repulsive
repugnant
sickening
nauseating
egregious
very bad; awful.
"his conduct was appalling"
h
Similar:
dreadful
very bad
awful
terrible
frightful
atrocious
disgraceful
deplorable
shameful
hopeless
lamentable
laughable
substandard
poor
inadequate
inferior
unsatisfactory
rotten
woeful
crummy
pathetic
pitiful
useless
lousy
godawful
shocking
abysmal
dire
the pits
duff
chronic
pants
poxy
hellacious
h
Opposite:
admirable
excellent
appal
/əˈpɔːl/
Learn to pronounce
verb
gerund or present participle: appalling
greatly dismay or horrify.
"bankers are appalled at the economic incompetence of some ministers"
h
Similar:
horrify
shock
dismay
distress greatly
outrage
scandalize
alarm
make someone's blood run cold
disgust
repel
revolt
sicken
nauseate
offend
Origin
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8:
obliterate
/əˈblɪtəreɪt/
Learn to pronounce
verb
past tense: obliterated; past participle: obliterated
destroy utterly; wipe out.
"the memory was so painful that he obliterated it from his mind"
h
Similar:
destroy
wipe out
annihilate
exterminate
extirpate
demolish
eliminate
eradicate
kill
decimate
liquidate
wipe off the face of the earth
wipe off the map
zap
h
Opposite:
create
establish
make invisible or indistinct; conceal or cover.
"clouds were darkening, obliterating the sun"
cancel (something, especially a postage stamp) to prevent further use.
"the special stamp should be placed on the left-hand side and not be used to obliterate the postage stamp"
h
Similar:
erase
eradicate
expunge
efface
blot out
rub out
wipe out
remove all traces of
blank out
block out
delete
strike out
cancel
cross out
ink out
score out
Origin
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9:
quell
/kwɛl/
Learn to pronounce
verb
verb: quell; 3rd person present: quells; past tense: quelled; past participle: quelled; gerund or present participle: quelling
put an end to (a rebellion or other disorder), typically by the use of force.
"extra police were called to quell the disturbance"
h
Similar:
put an end to
stamp out
put a stop to
end
finish
get rid of
crush
put down
check
crack down on
curb
nip in the bud
thwart
frustrate
squash
quash
subdue
suppress
repress
quench
extinguish
stifle
abolish
terminate
beat
overcome
defeat
rout
destroy
demolish
annihilate
wipe out
extirpate
squelch
put the kibosh on
clobber
h
Opposite:
bring about
prompt
subdue or silence (someone).
"Connor quelled him with a look"
suppress (a feeling).
"she quelled an urge to race up the stairs"
h
Similar:
calm
soothe
pacify
settle
put at rest
lull
silence
put behind one
rise above
allay
appease
stay
assuage
abate
deaden
dull
tranquillize
mitigate
moderate
palliate
quieten
quiet
h
Opposite:
succumb to
Origin
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10:
tedious
/ˈtiːdɪəs/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
adjective: tedious
too long, slow, or dull; tiresome or monotonous.
"a tedious journey"
h
Similar:
boring
monotonous
dull
deadly dull
uninteresting
unexciting
unvaried
unvarying
lacking variety
mind-numbing
mindless
soul-destroying
soulless
humdrum
dreary
ho-hum
mundane
wearisome
wearying
tiresome
soporific
dry
as dry as dust
arid
lifeless
colourless
monochrome
uninspired
uninspiring
flat
plodding
slow
banal
vapid
insipid
bland
lacklustre
prosaic
run-of-the-mill
pedestrian
jejune
leaden
heavy
long-drawn-out
overlong
long-winded
prolix
laborious
ponderous
endless
interminable
mechanical
routine
dreich
deadly
draggy
samey
dullsville
h
Opposite:
exciting
interesting
Origin
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11.
torment
noun
plural noun: torments
/ˈtɔːmɛnt/
severe physical or mental suffering.
"their deaths have left both families in torment"
h
Similar:
agony
suffering
torture
pain
anguish
misery
distress
affliction
trauma
wretchedness
woe
hell
purgatory
excruciation
h
Opposite:
pleasure
joy
a cause of severe suffering.
"the journey must have been a torment for them"
h
Similar:
ordeal
affliction
scourge
curse
plague
bane
thorn in someone's side/flesh
cross to bear
calamity
sorrow
tribulation
vexation
persecution
trouble
pest
irritation
irritant
annoyance
worry
nuisance
misfortune
bother
discomfort
soreness
harassment
pain in the neck
verb
3rd person present: torments
/tɔːˈmɛnt/
cause to experience severe mental or physical suffering.
"he was tormented by jealousy"
h
Similar:
torture
afflict
harrow
plague
distress
agonize
cause agony to
cause suffering to
cause pain to
inflict anguish on
excruciate
crucify
rack
pain
mortify
worry
trouble
abuse
maltreat
mistreat
molest
annoy or provoke in an unkind way.
"every day I have kids tormenting me because they know I live alone"
h
Similar:
tease
taunt
victimize
bully
bait
chaff
harass
rib
scorn
irritate
vex
annoy
pester
badger
harry
hector
plague
be a nuisance to
bother
trouble
bedevil
be a pest to
nag
persecute
worry
nettle
chivvy
irk
needle
rag
hassle
aggravate
h
Opposite:
encourage
support
Origin
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12.
denigrate
/ˈdɛnɪɡreɪt/
Learn to pronounce
verb
gerund or present participle: denigrating
criticize unfairly; disparage.
"doom and gloom merchants who denigrate their own country"
h
Similar:
disparage
belittle
diminish
deprecate
cast aspersions on
decry
criticize unfairly
attack
speak ill of
speak badly of
blacken the character of
blacken the name of
give someone a bad name
sully the reputation of
spread lies about
defame
slander
libel
calumniate
besmirch
run down
abuse
insult
slight
revile
malign
vilify
slur
bad-mouth
do a hatchet job on
pull to pieces
pull apart
sling mud at
throw mud at
drag through the mud
rubbish
slag off
have a go at
slate
asperse
derogate
vilipend
vituperate
h
Opposite:
extol
Origin
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13.
weave1
/wiːv/
Learn to pronounce
See definitions in:
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textiles
hairdressing
air force
veterinary
riding
verb
3rd person present: weaves
1.
form (fabric or a fabric item) by interlacing long threads passing in one direction with others at a right angle to them.
"textiles woven from linen or wool"
h
Similar:
entwine
lace
work
twist
knit
interlace
intertwine
interwork
intertwist
interknit
twist together
criss-cross
braid
twine
plait
interlace (threads) so as to form fabric.
"some thick mohairs can be difficult to weave"
2.
make (a complex story or pattern) from a number of interconnected elements.
"he weaves colourful, cinematic plots"
h
Similar:
invent
make up
fabricate
put together
construct
create
contrive
spin
tell
recount
relate
narrate
unfold
include an element in (a story or pattern).
"interpretative comments are woven into the narrative"
noun
plural noun: weaves
1.
a particular style or manner in which something is woven.
"cloth of a very fine weave"
2.
a hairstyle created by weaving pieces of real or artificial hair into a person's existing hair, typically in order to increase its length or thickness.
"trailers show him with dyed blond hair and, in one scene, a flowing blond weave"
Origin
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14.
withering
/ˈwɪðərɪŋ/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
adjective: withering
1.
intended to make someone feel humiliated; scornful.
"a withering look"
h
Similar:
scornful
contemptuous
full of contempt
mocking
sneering
scathing
stinging
searing
blistering
biting
devastating
supercilious
disdainful
superior
dismissive
humiliating
mortifying
h
Opposite:
encouraging
admiring
2.
(of heat) intense; scorching.
"protective cover to escape withering heat"
wither
/ˈwɪðə/
Learn to pronounce
verb
gerund or present participle: withering
1.
(of a plant) become dry and shrivelled.
"the grass had withered to an unappealing brown"
h
Similar:
wilt
become limp
droop
fade
shrivel (up)
dry up
die
perish
become marcescent
h
Opposite:
thrive
flourish
(of a part of the body) become shrunken or wrinkled from age or disease.
"the flesh had withered away"
h
Similar:
waste (away)
become shrunken
shrivel (up)
atrophy
decay
h
Opposite:
strengthen
2.
fall into decay or decline.
"it is not true that old myths either die or wither away"
h
Similar:
diminish
dwindle
shrink
lessen
fade
ebb (away)
wane
weaken
languish
evaporate
melt away
disappear
h
Opposite:
grow
cause to decline or deteriorate; weaken.
"a business that can wither the hardiest ego"
(of the state in Marxist theory) cease to exist because no longer necessary after the dictatorship of the proletariat has implemented the necessary changes in society.
"the state in socialist societies has failed to wither away"
3.
humiliate (someone) with a scornful look or manner.
"she withered him with a glance"
Origin
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15.
unbeknown
/ʌnbɪˈnəʊn/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
adjective: unbeknownst
without the knowledge of (someone).
"unbeknown to me, she made some enquiries"
Origin
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16.
credo
/ˈkriːdəʊ,ˈkreɪdəʊ/
Learn to pronounce
noun
noun: credo; plural noun: credos
a statement of the beliefs or aims which guide someone's actions.
"he announced his credo in his first editorial"
a creed of the Christian Church in Latin.
noun: Credo; plural noun: Credos
a musical setting of the Nicene Creed, typically as part of a mass.
noun: Credo
"the Credo of Bach's B minor Mass"
Origin
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17.
dismal
/ˈdɪzm(ə)l/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
adjective: dismal
causing a mood of gloom or depression.
"the dismal weather made the late afternoon seem like evening"
h
Similar:
dingy
dim
dark
gloomy
sombre
dreary
drab
dull
desolate
bleak
cheerless
comfortless
depressing
grim
funereal
inhospitable
uninviting
unwelcoming
h
Opposite:
bright
cheerful
(of a person or their mood) gloomy.
"his dismal mood was not dispelled by finding the house empty"
h
Similar:
gloomy
glum
mournful
melancholy
morose
doleful
woeful
woebegone
forlorn
abject
dejected
depressed
dispirited
downcast
crestfallen
despondent
disconsolate
miserable
sad
unhappy
sorrowful
sorrowing
desolate
wretched
lugubrious
blue
fed up
down in the dumps
down in the mouth
as sick as a parrot
dolorous
chap-fallen
h
Opposite:
cheerful
informal
pitifully or disgracefully bad.
"he shuddered as he watched his team's dismal performance"
h
Similar:
bad
poor
dreadful
awful
terrible
pitiful
disgraceful
lamentable
deplorable
inferior
mediocre
unsatisfactory
inadequate
second-rate
third-rate
shoddy
inept
bungling
crummy
dire
diabolical
bum
rotten
pathetic
lousy
duff
rubbish
ropy
chronic
pants
a load of pants
poxy
direful
egregious
vulgar slang
crap
crappy
shitty
chickenshit
h
Opposite:
excellent
Phrases
the dismals
low spirits. "a fit of the dismals"
the dismal science
economics.
Origin
late Middle English: from earlier dismal (noun), denoting the two days in each month which in medieval times were believed to be unlucky, from Anglo-Norman French dis mal, from medieval Latin dies mali ‘evil days’.
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18.
travesty
/ˈtravɪsti/
Learn to pronounce
noun
noun: travesty; plural noun: travesties
a false, absurd, or distorted representation of something.
"the absurdly lenient sentence is a travesty of justice"
"It is not news, it is travesty."
Similar:
misrepresentation
distortion
perversion
corruption
poor imitation
poor substitute
mockery
parody
caricature
farce
charade
pantomime
sham
apology for
excuse for
verb
verb: travesty; 3rd person present: travesties; past tense: travestied; past participle: travestied; gerund or present participle: travestying
represent in a false, absurd, or distorted way.
"Michael has betrayed the family by travestying them in his plays"
h
Similar:
misrepresent
parody
caricature
burlesque
mock
make a mockery of
ridicule
make fun of
distort
pervert
Origin
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19.
trove
/trəʊv/
Learn to pronounce
noun
noun: trove; plural noun: troves
a store of valuable or delightful things.
"the cellar contained a trove of rare wines"
Origin
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20.
disarray
/dɪsəˈreɪ/
Learn to pronounce
noun
noun: disarray; plural noun: disarrays
a state of disorganization or untidiness.
"her grey hair was in disarray"
h
Similar:
disorder
confusion
chaos
untidiness
dishevelment
mess
muddle
clutter
jumble
mix-up
tangle
hotchpotch
shambles
omnishambles
disorganization
lack of order
discomposure
disunity
indiscipline
unruliness
h
Opposite:
tidiness
orderliness
verb
verb: disarray; 3rd person present: disarrays; past tense: disarrayed; past participle: disarrayed; gerund or present participle: disarraying
1.
throw into a state of disorganization or untidiness.
"the inspection disarrayed the usual schedule"
h
Similar:
disarrange
make untidy
bring/throw into disarray
bring/throw into disorder
disorganize
turn upside-down
unsettle
dishevel
tousle
rumple
h
Opposite:
tidy
organize
2.
literary
undress (someone).
"attendant damsels to help to disarray her"
Origin
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21.
bigot
/ˈbɪɡət/
Learn to pronounce
noun
noun: bigot; plural noun: bigots
a person who is obstinately or unreasonably attached to a belief, opinion, or faction, especially one who is prejudiced against or antagonistic towards a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group.
"don't let a few small-minded bigots destroy the good image of the city"
h
Similar:
dogmatist
partisan
sectarian
prejudiced person
racist
racialist
sexist
homophobe
chauvinist
jingoist
anti-Semite
male chauvinist pig
MCP
Origin
---
22.
middling
/ˈmɪd(ə)lɪŋ/
Learn to pronounce
See definitions in:
all
commerce
sports
adjective
adjective: middling
moderate or average in size, amount, or rank.
"people on middling incomes"
h
Similar:
average
standard
normal
middle-of-the-road
in-between
medium
moderate
ordinary
common
commonplace
everyday
workaday
tolerable
passable
adequate
run-of-the-mill
fair
indifferent
mediocre
pedestrian
prosaic
uninspired
undistinguished
unexceptional
unexciting
unremarkable
lacklustre
forgettable
inferior
second-rate
amateur
amateurish
OK
so-so
bog-standard
fair-to-middling
(plain) vanilla
nothing to write home about
no great shakes
not so hot
not up to much
half-pie
neither very good nor very bad.
"he had had a good to middling season"
informal
(of a person) in reasonably good but not perfect health.
"‘How are you?’ - ‘Middling,’ he admitted"
noun
plural noun: middlings; noun: middling
bulk goods of medium grade, especially flour of medium fineness.
adverbdated•informal
adverb: middling
fairly or moderately.
"middling rich"
Origin
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23.
wretched
/ˈrɛtʃɪd/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
adjective: wretched; comparative adjective: wretcheder; superlative adjective: wretchedest
(of a person) in a very unhappy or unfortunate state.
"I felt so wretched because I thought I might never see you again"
h
Similar:
miserable
unhappy
sad
broken-hearted
heartbroken
grief-stricken
grieving
sorrowful
sorrowing
mourning
anguished
distressed
desolate
devastated
despairing
inconsolable
disconsolate
downcast
down
downhearted
dejected
crestfallen
cheerless
depressed
melancholy
morose
gloomy
glum
mournful
doleful
dismal
forlorn
woeful
woebegone
abject
low-spirited
long-faced
blue
down in the mouth
down in the dumps
choked
cut up
gutted
dolorous
chap-fallen
unfortunate
unlucky
luckless
down on one's luck
ill-starred
star-crossed
damned
blighted
hapless
poor
pitiable
downtrodden
oppressed
powerless
helpless
h
Opposite:
cheerful
fortunate
of poor quality; very bad.
"the wretched conditions of the slums"
h
Similar:
harsh
hard
grim
stark
difficult
poor
poverty-stricken
run down
down at heel
impoverished
pitiful
piteous
pathetic
tragic
miserable
bleak
cheerless
hopeless
sorry
sordid
shabby
seedy
dilapidated
shoddy
godforsaken
scummy
crummy
grotty
terrible
awful
dire
dreadful
atrocious
unspeakable
dismal
bad
lamentable
deplorable
unsatisfactory
substandard
low-quality
inferior
yucky
godawful
beastly
pants
a load of pants
h
Opposite:
comfortable
luxurious
excellent
used to express anger or annoyance.
"she disliked the wretched man intensely"
h
Similar:
despicable
contemptible
beyond contempt
reprehensible
base
low
vile
mean
scurvy
abominable
loathsome
hateful
detestable
odious
disreputable
depraved
debased
infamous
villainous
ignoble
shameful
shabby
worthless
dirty
filthy
dirty rotten
rotten
low-down
no-good
lousy
beastly
damn
damned
blasted
blessed
flaming
precious
confounded
flipping
blinking
blooming
blimming
bloody
bleeding
effing
naffing
chuffing
goddam
plurry
bally
ruddy
deuced
vulgar slang
fucking
frigging
sodding
fecking
h
Opposite:
worthy
admirable
Origin
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