The Oxford Thesaurus - An A-Z Dictionary Of Synonyms
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--adj. 4 satirical, derisive, mock-heroic, mock-pathetic: She |
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sang a burlesque opera based on Hamlet, called 'Omelette'. |
burly |
adj. stout, sturdy, corpulent, large, big, hefty, stocky, |
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thickset, brawny, chunky, heavy, beefy, muscular, strong, |
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strapping, rugged, tough, Colloq husky: Two rather burly |
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gentlemen were called in to help me out of the place. |
burn |
v. 1 blaze, flame, flare, smoulder: A fire was burning on the |
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hearth. 2 ignite, set on fire, fire, light, kindle, incinerate, |
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Slang torch: He burnt the incriminating papers in the |
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fireplace. 3 desire, yearn, wish, long, itch: He wrote |
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'Darling, I am burning to be with you tonight'. 4 waste, throw |
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or fritter away, squander: Don't worry about Norman, he has |
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money to burn. 5 overcook, blacken, char, singe: If you're not |
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careful, you'll burn the toast again. |
burning adj. 1 flaming, blazing, fiery; ablaze, aflame, afire, on fire: When we arrived, the entire building was burning. 2 vehement, ardent, excited, passionate, fervent, fervid, intense, fiery, enthusiastic: She had a burning desire to join that illustrious company. 3 raging, violent, parching: His burning fever had finally subsided a little. 4 hot, blazing, scorching, seething, withering: She was married on a burning hot day in July.
burrow n. 1 excavation, hole, warren, tunnel: The rabbit retreated to its burrow under the hedge.
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--v. 2 dig, delve, tunnel, bore; excavate: The larvae burrow |
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into the wood where the birds can hear them moving about. |
burst |
v. break (asunder), rupture, shatter, explode, blow up; |
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puncture; Slang bust: If it keeps raining the dam will burst |
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and the valley will be flooded. |
bury |
n. 1 inter, inhume, lay to rest: They buried her next to her |
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husband as she had requested. 2 abandon, forget, consign to |
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oblivion, eradicate, extirpate: The residents buried their |
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differences and united to repel the town planners. 3 submerge |
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(oneself), exile (oneself), plunge, become engrossed or |
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absorbed: She buried herself in her book. 4 conceal, obscure, |
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hide, cover up: The real story was by now completely buried |
beneath the mass of legend. 5 overwhelm, overcome, inundate: I'm so buried in work I can't take a holiday.
business n. 1 duty, function, occupation, calling, vocation, trade, profession, work, province, area, subject, topic, concern, affair, responsibility, role, charge, obligation: Her business
is supplying models for fashion shows. Mind your own business and don't be such a Nosy Parker. 2 matter, job, task, subject, question, problem, issue, point, affair: Gentlemen, let us call the meeting to order and attend to the business at hand. 3 dealing, transaction; trade, commerce, traffic: We've never done any business with that company. 4 concern, establishment, organization, company, firm, house, enterprise; corporation, partnership, proprietorship: Rodney wants to sell the business and retire to Spain.
busy |
adj. 1 occupied, engaged, employed, involved: I can't talk to |
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you now, I'm busy. 2 working, industrious, active, diligent; |
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bustling, hectic, lively, hustling, energetic: Are you very |
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busy at the office these days? The diamond district is certainly |
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a busy place. 3 ornate, elaborate, detailed, complicated, |
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complex, (over-)decorated, intricate, Baroque, Rococo: Some of |
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the late Victorian architecture is far too busy for my taste. |
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--v. 4 occupy, involve, employ, divert, absorb, engross: She |
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has busied herself with charity work to get her mind off the |
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tragedy. |
busybody n. pry, snoop(er), peep(er), gossip, meddler, Paul Pry, Colloq Nosy Parker, Slang US buttinsky: If he so much as sees us talking together, that busybody will probably cook up some sex scandal.
butcher n. 1 murderer, slaughterer, killer, ripper, cutthroat, executioner, annihilator: That cold-blooded butcher dismembered his victims after strangling them. 2 destroyer, bungler,
muddler: Look what that butcher of a tailor has done to my suit!
--v. 3 slaughter, massacre, murder, cut or hack or hew to pieces, dismember, disembowel, exterminate, annihilate, kill, liquidate: The entire crew was butchered by the islanders. 4 botch, bungle, foul up, Colloq mess up, make a mess or hash of;
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Slang louse up, screw up, Brit bollocks or ballocks up, US |
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bollix up; Taboo fuck up: He butchered the restoration of my |
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antique cabinet. |
butt° |
n. target, end, object, prey, victim, dupe; gull, Colloq |
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pigeon, sucker; Brit Aunt Sally, Slang US and Canadian patsy: |
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He was always the butt of their jokes. |
buttý |
v. 1 abut, join, meet: This wall butts up against my garage. |
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2 butt in or into. interfere, intrude, interrupt, Colloq US |
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kibitz; meddle: Please let me finish a sentence without butting |
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in. Don't butt into my affairs. |
buttocks n. bottom, behind, derriŠre, seat, rear, rear end, backside, posterior, hindquarters, fundament, Colloq Brit bum, arse , US hinie, can, tush or tushy or tushie, tokus or tochis or tuchis, keister or keester, butt, tail, prat, ass; Slang cheeks, duff:
A person with large buttocks should not wear tight shorts.
buttonhole
v. 1 corner, detain, accost, importune, waylay: A reporter buttonholed one of the senators for details of the new tax bill.
--n. 2 corsage, US boutonniere or boutonniŠre: He wore a rose for a buttonhole.
buttress v. sustain, support, strengthen, prop (up), brace, reinforce, shore up: Huge beams were needed to buttress the walls after the bombing.
buxom |
adj. 1 hearty, healthy, vigorous, lusty, attractive, comely, |
plump, Colloq hefty: Sylvia was a buxom serving-wench at the |
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Bugle Horn. 2 busty, bosomy, chesty, well-endowed, big-busted: |
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The centrefolds in this magazine usually show quite buxom women. |
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buy |
v. 1 purchase; acquire, obtain, get, procure, gain, come by, |
secure: Where did you buy that hat? 2 accept, allow, take, believe, swallow, go for: Did you buy his story about having his car stolen? 3 bribe, suborn, pay off, buy off, corrupt:
That customs man must have been bought or he wouldn't have let the package through.
--n. 4 purchase, acquisition: We made a bad buy at the last
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auction. 5 Also, good buy. bargain, Colloq US and Canadian |
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steal: If you paid only œ2,000, that was a real buy. |
buyer |
n. customer, consumer, client, purchaser: Is it likely that |
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you will find many buyers of Basque dictionaries in this |
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country? |
buzz |
n. 1 hum, murmur, drone: I lay and listened to the buzz of the |
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bees. 2 stir, ferment, talk, undercurrent: A ringing could be |
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heard above the buzz of conversation. 3 phone call, ring: I |
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think I'll give him a buzz to see if our appointment is still |
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on. 4 thrill, feeling of excitement, sensation, stimulation, |
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kick, Colloq high: I got quite a pleasant buzz from that drink. |
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--v. 5 hum, murmur, drone: The flies were buzzing around the |
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dead squirrel. 6 fly down on, zoom on to: The pilot was |
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grounded for a month for buzzing the airfield. 7 telephone, |
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ring (up), call (up), phone; summon, signal, buzz or ring for: |
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She said she'd buzz me if she needed anything. |
2.8 by...
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by |
prep. 1 near, beside, next to, close to, alongside: I park my |
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car by my house. 2 via, by way of, through; past: I go home by |
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High Wycombe. 3 by means of, on: I often travel by train. 4 |
before, not later than, sooner than: I have to leave by Monday. 5 during, at: We travel only by night.
--adv. 6 Often, close by. near, nearby, at hand, close, about, around, Literary nigh: When she is close by I get a tingling sensation. 7 past, nearby: When he walked by I nearly died. 8 away, aside: We put by a little for a rainy day.
bygone |
adj. past, former, olden; of old, of yore: In bygone times, |
the fashion was for high-button shoes. |
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bypass |
v. 1 avoid, evade, circumvent, sidestep, skirt, go or get |
round, detour; ignore, Slang give the go-by: I shall bypass many problems if I take that route.
--n. 2 detour, alternative (way, route, etc.), alternate way or
route: Take the bypass and avoid the town traffic.
bystander n. spectator, onlooker, observer, witness, non-participant, passer-by, eyewitness: He has always claimed he was an innocent bystander, but I'm not so sure.
byword n. proverb, proverbial saying, parable, maxim, adage, motto, slogan, apophthegm or apothegm, aphorism, catchword, catch-phrase: My byword has always been, Honesty is the best policy.
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3.1 cab...
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cab |
n. taxi, taxi-cub, Obsolete (horse-drawn) hackney, hansom |
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(cab); Old-fashioned US hack: A cab picked me up and dropped me |
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at the hotel. |
cabal |
n. 1 intrigue, plot, conspiracy, scheme: The cabal against |
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Washington found supporters exclusively in the north. 2 junta or |
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junto, clique, set, coterie, faction, band, league; unit, party, |
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caucus, club; ring, gang: A cabal of artists was formed. |
--v. 3 intrigue, plot, conspire, connive, machinate: The barons began to sow dissension and to cabal against his succession.
cabaret |
n. 1 nightclub, club, nightspot: The ever-popular entertainer |
Mimi opened at the Golden Palm cabaret last night. 2 floor show, |
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show, entertainment, amusement: The dinner was poor, but the |
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cabaret was marvellous. |
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cabin |
n. 1 hut, shack, cottage, cot, shanty; bungalow, lodge, chalet; |
Scots bothy: The old trapper lives in a cabin in the forest.
You are welcome to come skiing with us and stay in our cabin. 2 stateroom, compartment, berth: We had a cabin on the starboard side.
cabinet n. 1 cupboard, bureau, chifferobe, commode, chiffonier, chest (of drawers), chest-on-chest, tallboy, US highboy, lowboy: The aspirin is in the medicine cabinet. Our china cabinet is, unfortunately, not a genuine Chippendale. 2 council, ministry, committee, advisors, senate: At the age of thirty, he became
the youngest member of the cabinet.
cable n. 1 wire, line, rope, hawser, chain, mooring, strand, guy: The cable broke and we were set adrift. 2 telegram, wire,
cablegram, radiogram, US Mailgram: Send a cable to Jones about the meeting.
--v. 3 telegraph, wire; radio: Cable Jones to come at once.
cache n. 1 hiding-place, hole, vault, repository: There was a small cache concealed by the panelling in the library. 2 store,
hoard, supply, reserve, nest egg, stockpile, Colloq US and Canadian stash: The wise hunter keeps a cache of supplies buried along his route.
--v. 3 hide, store, conceal, squirrel away, secrete, bury, Colloq stash (away): I cached the money in a biscuit tin.
cachet |
n. 1 stamp, feature, distinguishing mark, identification: The |
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cachet of good taste is simplicity of design. 2 distinction, |
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prominence, importance, prestige, dignity: Her new job doesn't |
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pay much, but it has a certain cachet. |
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cadaver |
n. corpse, (dead) body, remains, Slang stiff: The medical |
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students and doctors once paid to have cadavers exhumed for |
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anatomical study. |
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cadence |
n. measure, beat, rhythm, tempo, accent, pulse, metre, lilt, |
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swing: The snare drum marked the cadence for the marching band. |
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caf‚ |
n. coffee-house, coffee bar, coffee-shop, bistro, snack bar, |
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brasserie; tearoom, lunch-room, restaurant, eating-house, |
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canteen; cafeteria, US diner, Colloq eatery; Slang Brit caff, US |
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greasy spoon: We stopped at a caf‚ for refreshment. |
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cage |
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n. 1 crate, enclosure, pen, pound, coop, hutch: He keeps rooks |
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in a cage. |
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--v. 2 Also, cage up or in. confine, enclose, pen, impound, shut up, or in, coop (up), imprison; restrict, restrain, hem in: They keep the kitten caged like a wild animal. I don't like to stay caged up in my office all day.
cajole v. wheedle, coax, beguile, jolly (along), cosy along, seduce, inveigle, persuade, Colloq soft-soap, butter (up), stroke, sweet-talk: Robert's wife always has to cajole him to go and visit her mother.
cajolery n. wheedling, coaxing, blandishment, beguilement, jollying, persuasion, seduction, inveigling, inveiglement, Colloq soft soap, buttering-up, sweet talk: She uses cajolery rather than threats to get what she wants.
cake |
n. 1 pastry, bun, Brit gateau: Right now, I should like to |
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have a glass of milk and a piece of chocolate cake. 2 piece, |
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chunk, bar, block, cube, lump, loaf, slab: Barbara gave me a |
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cake of fancy perfumed soap for my birthday. |
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--v. 3 harden, solidify, thicken, congeal, dry, coagulate, |
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encrust, consolidate: You can see where the paint has caked. |
calamitous
adj. distressful, dire, tragic, disastrous, destructive, awful, devastating, fatal, deadly, pernicious, cataclysmic, catastrophic, ruinous, dreadful, terrible: They seemed unaware of the calamitous consequences of what they were doing to the environment.
calamity n. 1 disaster, destruction, ruin, catastrophe, cataclysm, devastation, tragedy, misadventure, mischance, mishap: Calamity befell the town when it was engulfed in a landslide. 2
distress, affliction, trouble, hardship, misery, tragedy, misfortune, adversity, reverse, ruin, ruination, desolation, wretchedness: So full is the world of calamity that every source of pleasure is polluted.
calculate v. compute, reckon, add up, assess, evaluate, count, figure (out), estimate, gauge, determine, ascertain, work out: Bradley was able to calculate the velocity of light. They calculated where the sun would come up at the equinox and built their
temple accordingly.
calculated
adj. 1 arranged, designed, planned, prepared, adjusted, adapted, fit, fitted, intended, suited: The coach was calculated to carry six regular passengers. 2 deliberate, purposeful, intentional, premeditated, planned: The so-called accident was really a calculated attempt to kill me.
calculating
adj. shrewd, conniving, crafty, sly, scheming, designing, Machiavellian, manipulative, canny, contriving: She is a calculating woman, who knows what she wants and manoeuvres people to help her get it.
calculation
n. 1 computation, reckoning, counting, estimation, figuring, determining: We needn't number them one by one, for the total can be arrived at by calculation. 2 answer, product, result, figure, count, estimate, amount: This calculation is wrong, so please do it again. 3 estimate, forecast, expectation, prediction, deliberation; circumspection, cautiousness, wariness, caution, prudence, forethought, discretion: His attack was not the inspiration of courage but the result of calculation.
calculator
n. computer, adding machine; abacus: According to my calculator, the answer should be 7.1592.
calendar n. 1 appointment book, schedule, slate, Brit diary, US date-book, US law docket: I have next week's lunch date in my calendar. 2 almanac, chronology, chronicle, annal(s): The ecclesiastical calendar lists today as St David's Day.
calibrate v. adjust, graduate; standardize: This balance has been dropped on the floor, and you'll have to calibrate it again.
calibre n. 1 diameter, size, bore, gauge: You need a .38 calibre bullet to fit a .38 calibre pistol. 2 merit, ability, talent, capability, competence, capacity, quality, strength, stature: They should be playing against a team of their own calibre. 3 degree, measure, stamp, quality: I doubt that you will find
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anyone of equal calibre to Julia in artistic sensibility. |
call |
v. 1 shout, cry (out), hail, yell, roar, bellow, call out, |
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Colloq holler: I heard someone calling my name. 2 name, |
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designate, denote, denominate, term, style, nickname, label, |
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title, entitle, tag, identify, dub, christen, baptize: My real |
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name is Angus, but they call me Scotty. A person from Glasgow is |
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called a Glaswegian. 3 call up, telephone, phone, ring (up), |
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dial, Colloq buzz: As it's her birthday, I must call my mother |
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in Australia. Don't call us, we'll call you. 4 summon, invite, |
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assemble, convoke, convene, bid, gather, collect, muster, rally: |
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From the minaret, the muezzin was calling the faithful to |
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prayer. Many are called but few are chosen. 5 visit, attend; |
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call in; call on: My great aunt Frederica came to call last |
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Sunday. 6 awake, awaken, wake up, rouse, Colloq Brit knock up: |
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Please call me at six. 7 call down. a appeal to, invoke, |
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petition, request, entreat, supplicate: He called down the |
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wrath of God on the Philistines. b reprimand, chastise, |
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castigate, upbraid, scold, reprove, rebuke: He was called down |
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for having left the house after curfew. 8 call for. a demand, |
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request, ask for, order, require, claim: The people in room 429 |
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have called for clean towels. The problem calls for your urgent |
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attention. b pick up, fetch, come for, get, accompany, Colloq |
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collect: I'll call for you at seven o'clock. 9 call forth. |
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summon, invoke, draw on or upon, evoke; elicit, inspire: Susan |
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called forth all her courage and faced her accusers. He failed |
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to call forth much enthusiasm in his listeners. 10 call on or |
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upon. a request of, entreat, ask, address; apostrophize: The |
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teacher called on me today to recite Hamlet's soliloquy. b |
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supplicate, apostrophize, appeal to: He called on ’olus, god of |
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the winds, for a fair breeze to carry his ship home. c visit: |
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The vicar called on us when we first moved in. 11 call off. |
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cancel; discontinue; postpone: The picnic has been called off |
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because of rain. 12 call up. a summon, enlist, recruit, |
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conscript, US draft: Father was called up as soon as war was |
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declared. b call, telephone, phone, ring (up): Call me up |
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sometime. |
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--n. 13 shout, cry, yell, whoop, Colloq holler: I'll be out in |
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the garden, so give me a call if you want me. 14 summons, |
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invitation, bidding, notice, notification, order, request, |
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demand, command; telephone call, phone call, Brit ring; Colloq |
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tinkle: She received a call to report at once for duty. 15 |
reason, justification, cause, need, occasion, right, excuse; requirement: You have no call to be abusive, regardless of what you think about him. 16 on call. ready, on duty, standing by, on stand-by, awaiting orders: They had to remain on call from midnight till eight o'clock. 17 within call. within earshot or hearing or (easy) reach: Please stay within call in case I need you.
calling |
n. vocation, occupation, profession, business, trade, |
employment, work, line, job, m‚tier, pursuit, career, area, |
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province, (area of) expertise, Brit speciality or US specialty, |
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Colloq racket: He found his calling as a veterinary surgeon |
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very satisfying. |
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callous |
adj. hardened, thick-skinned, unfeeling, uncaring, insensible, |
insensitive, hard, hard-hearted, tough, hardbitten, cold, |
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cold-hearted, heartless, indifferent, unsympathetic, apathetic, |
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Colloq hard-boiled, hard-nosed: It was callous of Gerry to go |
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off to the snooker club right after the funeral. |
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callow |
adj. inexperienced, immature, juvenile, na‹ve, green, |
guileless, unsophisticated, innocent, raw, unfledged, untried, |
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Colloq (still) wet behind the ears: It was a mistake to let a |
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callow youth take out the boat alone. |
calm |
n. 1 quiet, stillness, tranquillity, serenity, hush, peace, |
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peacefulness: A storm raged outside, but in the harbour was a |
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breathless calm. 2 calmness, composure, placidity, placidness, |
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peace, repose, sang-froid, coolness, self-control, equanimity, |
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self-possession: The calm exhibited by the passengers during |
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the hijacking was admirable. |
--adj. 3 quiet, still, tranquil, serene, peaceful, balmy, halcyon, mild, undisturbed, unagitated, placid, pacific; motionless, smooth, even; windless: The sea is never calm in the same sense as a mountain lake. 4 composed, cool,
cool-headed, self-controlled, impassive, dispassionate, unmoved, unruffled, serene, tranquil, sedate, staid, stoical, Colloq together: She remained calm while the others panicked.
--v. 5 Also, calm down. quiet, quieten, still, soothe, hush,
lull, pacify; mollify, appease, placate, become or make quiet or pacified or less agitated, Colloq cool off or down: The