The Oxford Thesaurus - An A-Z Dictionary Of Synonyms

to achieve the mean between the two extremes. 2 by all means. a absolutely, definitely, certainly, surely, assuredly, of

course, positively: By all means, do tell us what you think is wrong. b in any event, at all events, no matter what, without fail, at any cost, in any case: By all means, you must do what you think is right. 3 by means of. by dint of, via, through, by way of, with the help or aid of, employing, using, utilizing: She gained access to her victims by means of the telephone directory. We entered by means of the front door. 4 means. a instrument, agency, method, process, technique, mode, manner, way(s), approach, course, procedure, avenue, medium, vehicle: If you can find the means, then get the job done at once. b resources, funds, money, wherewithal, capital, finances, backing, support: I wanted to go to Australia to see my brother, but I simply didn't have the means. c substance, wealth, property, position, financial stability: She is a woman

of considerable means. 5 by no means. by no manner of means, in no way, not at all, definitely or absolutely not, on no account,

not conceivably, not in one's wildest dreams or fantasies, not by any stretch of the imagination, Colloq no way, US no way Jos‚: This is sometimes but by no means always the case. He is by no means a great artist.

--adj. 6 middle, centre, intermediate, medial, medium, median, average, middling: The mean temperature for the year has increased.

meander v. 1 wander, ramble, zigzag, snake, wind, twist, turn; stroll, amble, rove, Colloq mosey, Brit swan around or about: The river meandered with a mazy motion through the meadows. We meandered through the forest.

--n. 2 Often, meanders. meandering(s), turn(s), turning(s), twist(s), twisting(s), winding(s), curve(s), curving(s), loop(s), looping(s), bend(s), coil(s), zigzag(s), convolutions; tortuosities, flexuosities, anfractuosities: We followed the river's meanders till we came to the ruined church.

meandering

adj. wandering, roundabout, circuitous, sinuous, tortuous, winding, serpentine, indirect, flexuous, curvy, crooked, convoluted, labyrinthine, mazy, anfractuous: The meandering road followed the river through the valley.

meaning n. 1 sense, import, content, signification, denotation, message, substance, gist: The meaning of the word 'lucid' is clear. 2 purport, implication, drift, spirit, connotation, significance, intention: You understand my meaning, so I need not explain. 3 interpretation, explanation: What is the

meaning of my dream about being attacked by my philodendron?

meaningful

adj. 1 significant, important, consequential, serious, sober, deep, substantial, pithy, substantive, telling, weighty, valid, relevant: Tired of casual encounters, he was ready for a meaningful relationship. 2 suggestive, pregnant, tell-tale, pointed, sententious, significant, expressive, eloquent: She gave him a meaningful look.

meaningless

adj. 1 empty, hollow, vacuous, unsubstantial, absurd, silly, foolish, fatuous, asinine, ridiculous, preposterous, nonsensical: He gave some meaningless excuse for having forgotten the appointment. This gibberish is entirely meaningless to me. 2 ineffective, ineffectual, inefficacious, bootless, unavailing, to no avail, trivial, nugatory, trifling, puny, paltry, worthless, not worth anything or a straw or a rap, valueless, inconsequential, unimportant, of no moment, insubstantial, vain, pointless, senseless, purposeless, undirected, irrelevant, insignificant: Considering the enemy forces, anything we could do would be meaningless.

means n. See mean°, 4, above.

meantime n., adv. See meanwhile, below.

meanwhile n. 1 interim, meantime, interval: In the meanwhile, you could study for the exam.

--adv. 2 in the meanwhile, meantime, in the meantime, in the interim, for the moment, temporarily, for now, for the time being, during the interval, in the intervening time: Ruth was watching TV; meanwhile George was washing up.

measly adj. sparse, scant, scanty, meagre, paltry, pathetic, skimpy, puny, piddling, miserly, niggardly, miserable, beggarly, stingy,

Colloq Brit mingy: 'Nouvelle cuisine' is the name given to a restaurateur's design to serve decorative, but measly, portions.

measure n. 1 amount, quantity, magnitude, amplitude, size, bulk, mass, extent, reach, dimension, scope, proportions, range, spread; capacity, volume; width, length, breadth, height; weight: It is difficult to calculate the measure of an irregularly shaped

object. 2 scale, gauge or technical gage, yardstick, rule, US litmus test: I cannot determine the length without a proper measure. 3 system, standard, criterion, rule, method; barometer, Richter scale: The measure by which ice-cream is

sold ought to be weight, not volume. What sort of measure do you apply when judging character? 4 assessment, evaluation, valuation, appraisal, value, gauge or gage, rank, rating, measurement, stamp, estimation: It is not easy to get the

measure of a man who wants to marry your daughter. 5 quota, allotment, ration, share, amount, degree, proportion, quantity, allowance; portion, part: He was accorded a measure of freedom in choosing the method for getting the job done. She has had her measure of praise. 6 Often, measures. step(s), procedure, proceeding, action, course (of action), plan, method, means, avenue, tactic(s), way, direction, approach, technique: They took measures to ensure that it never happens again. 7 bill, resolution, legislation, act, statute, law; plan, proposal: A measure to change the speed limit is before the council. 8 bound, limit, end, extreme, extent, limitation, moderation, control, constraint, restraint: Drug trafficking has gone

beyond all measure in some countries. 9 beat, rhythm, cadence, metre, time; melody, tune, bar, theme, motif: The ambassador entered, and the band played in stately measures. 10 for good measure. to boot, in addition, additionally, as a dividend, into the bargain, besides, as or for a bonus, moreover, furthermore: The job includes a company car and, for good measure, free medical insurance.

--v. 11 rank, rate, gauge or gage, meter, weigh, calculate, reckon, compute, calibrate, determine, ascertain, figure out or up, assess, appraise, estimate, evaluate, judge, value; survey, find out: We must measure the effect of the new safety regulations on our equipment budget. Public acceptance of the new product may be difficult to measure. 12 proportion, pace, adapt, gauge, relate, tailor, fit, adjust, regulate, control: Teachers should measure homework assignments according to

pupils' available time. Measure your words when speaking to young children. 13 measure off or out. mark off or out, limit, delimit, fix, pace off or out, lay off: Now measure off exactly 122.5 metres due north. 14 measure out. mete out, dole out, ration (out), parcel out, apportion, allot, share out, assign, allocate; give out, deal out, distribute, issue, pass out, hand out, dispense, disperse, spread around or about: The relief workers measured out food and water to the victims of the famine. 15 measure up (to). a meet, equal, fulfil, match, reach, attain: The first eleven have not measured up to their coach's expectations. Will they ever measure up? b qualify (for), be suitable (for), be equal to, be fit or fitted for, be adequate (to), be up to, Colloq make the grade, come up to scratch, be up to snuff, US cut the mustard: If Clive gets the assignment, are you sure that he'll measure up? No one else measures up to the job.

measured adj. 1 slow, regulated, unhurried, leisurely, stately, majestic, dignified, sedate, solemn: The silent procession moved through the streets at a measured pace. 2 careful, cautious, prudent, calculated, studied, considered, deliberate, systematic, sober, intentional, planned, regulated,

premeditated, well-thought-out, reasoned: He planned the murder with the same measured deliberation he used in writing computer programs. 3 rhythmic(al), regular, cadenced, steady, uniform, even, monotonous: The measured marching of the soldiers echoed through the night. 4 precise, regulated, exact, predetermined, modulated, quantified; clockwork: A measured amount of each ingredient is automatically added at each stage of the manufacturing process.

measurement

n. 1 measuring, reckoning, gauging or gaging, ascertainment, determination, assessment, estimation, appraisal, evaluation, valuation, judgement, calculation, computation, mensuration, commensuration; metage: The measurement of astronomical distances can only be approximate. 2 dimension, extent, size, amount, magnitude, amplitude; length, breadth, height, width, depth; area; volume, capacity; weight, tonnage; (elapsed) time, period; (square or cubic) footage, (square) yardage, mileage, acreage,: I need the measurements of the room to order the fitted carpet.

mechanical

adj. 1 automatic, automated, machine-driven; machine-made: Early mechanical toys are sometimes quite intricate. This is a mechanical, not a hand-crafted device. 2 automatic, reflex, involuntary, instinctive, routine, habitual, unconscious, perfunctory, machine-like, robot-like: Good manners ought to be mechanical. Blinking is a mechanical reaction to bright light. 3 impersonal, distant, cold, matter-of-fact, unfeeling,

insensible, ritualistic, lifeless, spiritless, dead, inanimate, unanimated, unemotional, unartistic, mechanistic, colourless, uninspired, business-like: The girl at the check-out gave us a mechanical smile.

mechanism n. 1 device, appliance, contrivance, apparatus, instrument, machine: This mechanism will detonate the bomb at the right moment. 2 machinery, workings, works, structure, system, organization, arrangement: Astrophysicists can offer only an imperfect account of the mechanism of the universe. 3 way, means, method, procedure, approach, technique, medium, process, agency: We shall use every mechanism at our disposal to have the case heard by a different judge. 4 materialism, mechanicalism, physicalism, logical positivism, identity theory, monism: His notions of mechanism reject the idea of free-thinking individualism.

meddle v. interfere, intrude, butt in, pry, intervene, interlope, tamper, snoop, Rare intermeddle, Colloq stick or poke one's nose in, have a or one's finger in the pie, kibitz: Why are you

always meddling in things that don't concern you?

mediator n. arbitrator, arbiter, referee, umpire, judge, negotiator, intermediary, go-between, middleman, moderator, liaison, intercessor, interceder, conciliator, appeaser, peacemaker: To avoid a lawsuit, they agreed to allow a mediator to settle their differences.

medicinal adj. healing, remedial, therapeutic, curative, restorative, sanative; medical, iatric(al), Medicine roborant, analeptic, alexipharmic: The doctor prescribed a medicinal ointment for the rash.

medicine n. medication, medicament, remedy, drug, pharmaceutical, prescription, Archaic physic; nostrum, panacea, cure-all: There is no medicine that can cure your affliction.

mediocre adj. middling, indifferent, ordinary, commonplace, average, medium, everyday, US garden-variety, run-of-the-mill, pedestrian, undistinguished, uninspired, unimaginative, unexceptional, tolerable, fair, not (that or too) good, not bad, second-rate, third-rate, inferior, poor, Brit common-or-garden variety, US garden-variety, Colloq so so, fair to middling, nothing to brag or to write home about, no great shakes: It was a mediocre play, and we couldn't be bothered to sit through it.

meditate v. 1 reflect, think, muse, ponder, study, ruminate, cogitate, contemplate, cerebrate, be lost in thought, be in a brown study: Please don't interrupt me while I'm meditating. 2 Often, meditate on or upon. consider, contemplate, mull over, reflect on or upon, ponder on or over, chew over, plan, scheme, devise, design, conceive, frame, think up, have in mind: She was

meditating revenge, while I was meditating on how to discourage her.

meditative

adj. thoughtful, pensive, contemplative, reflective, studious, cogitative, excogitative, abstracted, rapt, engrossed, lost or deep in thought, ruminative, brooding: She suddenly stopped talking and became meditative, looking at me with a curious expression.

medium adj. 1 average, middle, mid, medial, median, normal, standard, usual, everyday, ordinary; mid-sized: His wife has an estate

car of medium size - nothing extravagant. 2 See mediocre, above.

--n. 3 average, middle, mid-point, compromise, centre, mean, norm, mediocrity: Instead of going to extremes, try for the

happy medium. 4 atmosphere, environment, ambience or ambiance,

milieu: The air serves as a medium of sound. The light is refracted as it passes into a denser medium. 5 means, method, mode, approach, instrumentality, device, mechanism, intermediation, technique, contrivance, agency, expedient, way, course, route, road, avenue, channel, conveyance, vehicle: Latin and Greek were the media of the scholarship, the science, and the theology of the Middle Ages. Television is a powerful advertising medium.

medley n. mixture, assortment, combination, miscellany, m‚lange, collection, conglomeration, agglomeration, hotchpotch or US and Canadian hodgepodge, olio, blend, gallimaufry, omnium gatherum,

--n. 7 competition, contest, meeting, match, tourney, tournament; muster, rally: The track meet was won by our team.

assignation, tryst, Slang US meet: She arranged a meeting with her ex-husband. 2 assembly, convention, conference, gathering, congress, conclave, session, congregation, convocation, US caucus, Colloq get-together: Nominations for next year's officers will be presented at the next meeting. 3 convergence, converging, confluence, joining, union, junction, conjunction, intersection: The earliest settlement was at the meeting of the two rivers. 4 See meet, 7, above.

melancholy

adj. 1 sad, morose, depressed, unhappy, dejected, despondent, blue, downhearted, glum, gloomy, woeful, woebegone, lugubrious, disconsolate, downcast, dispirited, low-spirited, cheerless, crestfallen, chap-fallen, forlorn, heartbroken, mournful,

sorrowful, miserable, dismal, Colloq down in the mouth, (down) in the dumps, low: Harold has been melancholy ever since Lucy left.

--n. 2 sadness, sorrow, misery, woe, gloom, unhappiness, blues, moroseness, depression, dejection, dejectedness, despondence, despondency, downheartedness, glumness, gloominess, woefulness, lugubriousness, disconsolateness, dispiritedness, cheerlessness, mournfulness, sorrowfulness, miserableness, dolour, anguish: Getting Harold's mind off his problems may relieve his melancholy.

mellow adj. 1 soft, juicy, luscious, delicious, rich, sweet, flavourful, full-flavoured, ready, ripe, mature, ripened, aged: She set before us a dish of mellow peaches. Amontillado sherry is noted for its mellow taste. 2 musical, melodious, full, pure, rich, sweet, dulcet, mellifluous, euphonious, vibrant: Her voice was low, mellow, and suggestive. 3 soft, softened,

subtle, muted, pastel: The mellow shades of this painting would fit well into the d‚cor. 4 easygoing, genial, gentle, good-natured, easy, cordial, friendly, warm, amiable, agreeable,

pleasant, cheerful, happy, jovial, felicitous: Patrick seems to have become more mellow with age.

--v. 5 mature, ripen, age, season, sweeten, develop, improve (with age), soften: Frank has mellowed since taking up golf.

melodious adj. sweet(-sounding), dulcet, tuneful, euphonious, harmonious, melodic, lyrical, musical, mellifluous, mellisonant, silvery,

golden: I agreed with her father that Sylvia has a most melodious voice.

melodramatic

adj. sensational, sensationalistic, dramatic, stagy, theatrical, emotionalistic, (over-)sentimental,

(over-)sentimentalized, overdrawn, overworked, overwrought, overdone, exaggerated, blood-and-thunder, histrionic, Colloq hammy, US schmaltzy, hokey: The slightest thing that happened to him he blew up with melodramatic effect to elicit Maria's sympathy.

melody n. 1 song, tune, air, strain, measure, theme, refrain: Isn't that the melody from Mimi's aria in La BohŠme ? 2 tunefulness, melodiousness, euphoniousness, euphony, harmony, musicality,

sweetness: The older music seems to be marked by so much more melody than rock 'n' roll.