The Oxford Thesaurus - An A-Z Dictionary Of Synonyms
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were destroyed along with their filth. 3 indecency, obscenity, |
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smut, pornography, corruption, nastiness, vulgarity, grossness: |
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The censors forbade the showing of films with any hint of filth. |
filthy |
adj. 1 defiled, polluted, tainted, foul, nasty, dirty, unclean, |
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vile, putrid, rotten, fetid or foetid, maggoty, fly-blown, |
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purulent, feculent, faecal, scummy, slimy, mucky, Slang cruddy, |
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Brit gungy, US grungy: That city's public lavatories are the |
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filthiest I have ever seen. 2 dirty, unwashed, begrimed, |
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squalid, sordid, shabby, soiled, low, stained, grimy, |
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bedraggled, unkempt, slovenly, sloppy, mean, scurvy, disgusting, |
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miserable, wretched, Slang Brit gungy, US grungy: The filthy |
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beggar turned out to be Holmes in disguise. 3 immoral, taboo or |
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tabu, indecent, impure, obscene, smutty, pornographic, X-rated, |
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depraved, corrupt, dirty, lewd, lascivious, licentious, gross, |
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offensive, coarse, bawdy, ribald, blue, suggestive, |
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foul-mouthed, dirty-minded, filthy-minded: Customs officers |
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confiscated thousands of filthy books, magazines, films, and |
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videos. |
final |
adj. 1 ending, concluding, terminating, finishing, closing, |
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last, terminal, ultimate, end: The final sentence needs |
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rewriting. 2 conclusive, decisive, unalterable, irreversible, |
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irrevocable, incontrovertible, irrefutable, indisputable, |
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unchangeable, immutable, definitive; settled, fixed, absolute, |
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certain, sure: Those are my final words on the subject. We made |
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a final series of measurements. |
finality n. conclusiveness, decisiveness, unalterability, irreversibility, irrevocableness, incontrovertibility, irrefutability, indisputability, unchangeability, immutability, definitiveness, certainty, certitude, sureness, fixedness: There is an air of finality in the way she gives orders.
finalize v. conclude, settle, complete, decide, Colloq wrap up, clinch, sew up: We finalized the agreement yesterday by signing the contract.
finally adv. 1 at (long) last, lastly, eventually, in the end, ultimately, at length, when all is said and done, in the long run, at the end of the day, at the last moment: We finally arrived in port. 2 conclusively, once and for all, decisively, irrevocably, in fine, completely, inexorably, absolutely,
definitively, definitely, for good, for ever, for all time: I didn't want to commit myself finally till I'd seen the plans.
finance n. 1 resource(s), banking, accounting, economics, money (management), business, commerce, (financial) affairs, investment: Bendick is the officer in charge of finance for the company. 2 finances. capital, money, cash, funds, resources, assets, holdings, wealth, wherewithal: Have you the finances needed to buy the house?
--v. 3 fund, subvene, invest in, back, capitalize, underwrite, subsidize, pay for, Colloq US bankroll: The new enterprise is being financed entirely by small investors.
financial adj. monetary, pecuniary, fiscal, economic: We must get the financial affairs of the country in order.
financier n. capitalist, banker, plutocrat, investor, backer, US money-man, Colloq angel: The financiers suggest switching investment from shares to bonds.
find |
v. 1 discover, come across, happen or come on or upon, hit upon |
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or on, chance or stumble on or upon; encounter, bump into: |
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We've found a tiny bistro on the Left Bank where we like to go. |
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2 Often, find out. uncover, discover, unearth, lay one's hand(s) |
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on, turn up, come up with, reveal, bring to light, light upon or |
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on, catch sight of, see, espy, descry, detect, learn, spot, |
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locate, track down; find out, identify, become aware of, |
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determine, ascertain, put one's finger on, point to, Colloq |
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tumble to, Brit twig; Slang finger, rumble, Brit suss out: The |
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police are trying to find the murderer. Can you find who did it? |
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3 discover, perceive, see, understand, notice, mark, remark, |
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note, distinguish, discern; realize: I find nothing odd about |
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her attire. 4 consider, think, regard, view, feel or discover |
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to be: I have always found Lady Sharpless exceedingly dull. He |
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finds it impossible to refuse her demands. 5 get, obtain, |
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procure, secure, acquire, win, gain; experience: We despair of |
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finding customers for our services in these hard times. He found |
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relief only in painkillers. 6 recover, locate, get back; |
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repossess, recoup: I hope you find the earring you lost. 7 |
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summon (up), call up, command, gather (up), muster (up), rouse, |
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arouse, awaken: I tried to find the courage to ask her to marry |
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me. 8 set aside, allot, assign, manage, get: Have you found |
the time to read Connie's new book? 9 judge, decide or determine to be, pronounce, declare: A jury found her guilty. The judge found in favour of the plaintiff.
--n. 10 discovery, catch, bargain, deal; boon, windfall: The gold doubloon was the find of a lifetime.
finding n. 1 discovery, find: The findings from Pompeii are in the Museum of Portici. 2 judgement, decree, verdict, decision, determination, pronouncement, declaration, conclusion: The findings of the Law Lords are final.
fine° adj. 1 superior, excellent, superb, magnificent, supreme, marvellous, exceptional, splendid, exquisite, elegant, first-class, first-rate, prime, choice, select, top-grade, high-grade, top-drawer, quality, admirable, great, good, satisfactory, Colloq out of this world, great, OK or okay, peachy, neat, keen, Brit tickety-boo, US neat, Australian bonzer, Slang swell, cool, Brit old-fashioned ripping, Dialectal champion: He is a connoisseur of fine paintings. She turned in a fine performance. 2 sunny, fair, bright, clear, cloudless, balmy, pleasant, dry, nice: It was a fine day for a picnic. 3 enjoyable, satisfying, entertaining, amusing, good, interesting, pleasant, nice: Thank you for inviting us to such a fine party. 4 accomplished, skilful, consummate, outstanding, masterly, brilliant, virtuoso: Ann-Sofie is a fine pianist. 5 delicate, subtle, exquisite, well-made, dainty, elegant; superior, excellent, outstanding: What a fine example of miniature-painting! 6 delicate, dainty, thin, gossamer, diaphanous, gauzy, sheer, slender, frail, flimsy, filamentous, threadlike: The sword hung over Damocles' head by a fine
thread. 7 powdered, powdery, pulverized, comminuted, crushed, fine-grained: As soon as they touched the papyrus, it disintegrated into a fine powder. 8 sharp, keen, keen-edged, razor-sharp, pointed, acute: The points of the sea urchin's spines are so fine you don't feel them enter. 9 subtle,
delicate, refined, acute, keen, discriminating, critical, precise, nice, hair-splitting: There is sometimes a fine distinction between pleasure and pain. 10 good-looking, handsome, attractive, striking, beautiful, pretty, lovely, seemly, fair, comely, Colloq US cute, Scots bonny: Jeanette
married a fine young man. 11 meritorious, worthy, commendable, admirable, excellent, superb, splendid, good, Colloq great: She
has displayed fine courage in the face of terrible family problems. 12 healthy, well, healthful, robust, all right, Colloq OK or okay: I told the doctor that I was feeling fine. 13 close: Arriving at the airport with only minutes to spare is cutting it pretty fine.
fineý n. 1 penalty, charge, fee, mulct, forfeit, amercement; forfeiture: He was unable to pay the parking fine.
--v. 2 penalize, charge, mulct, amerce: She was fined for parking at a bus stop.
finery |
n. decoration(s), ornaments, trappings, trinkets, frippery, |
showy dress, Colloq best bib and tucker, Sunday best, Sunday |
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clothes, gear, glad rags: They were all dressed in their finery |
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at the reception. |
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finesse |
n. 1 artfulness, subtlety, cunning, craftiness, cleverness, |
strategy, shrewdness, skill, style, dash, ‚lan, panache, knack, skilfulness, talent, adroitness, expertness, expertise, adeptness, proficiency, ability, facility: I admire the finesse
with which she persuaded him to give the painting to the museum. 2 trick, artifice, stratagem, wile, ruse, scheme, machination, intrigue, device, expedient, manoeuvre, deception, deceit: He used every finesse in the book to get her to work for him. 3
tact, diplomacy, discretion, grace, taste, delicacy, polish, refinement, elegance: With infinite finesse, Lord Lacey suggested that the duchess might like to stay the night.
--v. 4 manoeuvre, manipulate, bluff, trick, delude, deceive, fool, outwit, hoodwink, Colloq finagle, Slang con: She was finessed into making him heir to her fortune.
finger n. 1 digit: How many fingers am I holding up? 2 have a finger in. be or become or get involved in, figure in, have a hand in, influence, interfere in, tamper or meddle or tinker or monkey with: I knew that Lightfoot must have had a finger in the deal.
3 keep one's fingers crossed. hope or pray for the best, touch or esp. US knock wood: I'm sure you'll win, but I'll keep my fingers crossed just the same. 4 lay or put a finger on. (so much as) touch, strike, hit, punch: If you lay a finger on her, you'll have to answer to me! 5 lay or put one's finger on. a recall, remember, recollect, bring or call to mind, think of,
pin down: I can't quite put my finger on the date when we met. b locate, find, discover, unearth, lay or put one's hands on, track down, get hold of, come by, acquire; buy, purchase: I was finally able to put my finger on the book you asked for. c indicate, identify, point to, pin down, Colloq zero (in) on: Frank put his finger on the problem at once. 6 (not) lift or
raise (even) a (little) finger. make an attempt or effort, offer, make a move, contribute, do one's part, do anything or
something: She didn't so much as lift a finger when I needed her. 7 pull or get one's finger out. get on with it, stop delaying or procrastinating, Colloq get cracking: He should have finished by now, and I wish he'd pull his finger out. 8 put the finger on. accuse, inform on or against, tell or tattle on, betray, bear witness, Slang snitch or squeal on, peach on: After Louise put the finger on the kingpin, the cops arrested him. 9 slip through one's fingers. elude, escape, get away, vanish, disappear: Despite the cordon round the house, the fugitive slipped through our fingers. 10 twist or wrap around one's little finger. control, dominate, lord it over, have under
control, manipulate, manoeuvre, wield power or authority over, have under one's thumb, have the upper hand over, be master of, influence, make subservient: She has her father twisted around her little finger, and can do no wrong in his eyes.
--v. 11 touch, handle, feel; toy or play or fiddle with: He was quite nervous and kept fingering his tie. 12 identify, point out, put the finger on: It was too late, the mob had already fingered Slats for assassination.
finicky adj. 1 finical, fussy, fastidious, critical, difficult, meticulous, hard to please, (over-)delicate, (over-)dainty, (over-)particular, over-nice, over-precise, niminy-piminy, punctilious, (over-)scrupulous, Colloq pernickety or US also persnickety, choosy, nit-picking, picky: No one can work for him - he's too finicky. 2 fussy, elaborate, detailed, fine, delicate: Notice the tiny, finicky engraving on this watch-case.
finish v. 1 stop, conclude, end, cease: When you have finished eating, please clear the table. 2 complete, accomplish, perfect, achieve, carry out, fulfil, consummate, clinch, write 'finis' to, Colloq wrap up: We finished the work on time. 3 Sometimes, finish off. dispose of, dispatch or despatch,
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exhaust, consume, eat or drink (up), use (up), devour, drain, |
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Colloq polish off: We finished the last of the beer last night. |
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4 Sometimes, finish off. kill, exterminate, annihilate, destroy, |
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get rid of, dispose of, dispatch or despatch, put an end to, |
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administer or deliver or give the coup de grƒce, bring down, |
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overcome, beat, defeat, conquer, best, worst, Colloq polish off, |
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terminate, Slang bump off, rub out, US waste, ice: The cavalry |
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finished off the last of the enemy. The contender was finished |
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in the third round. 5 Sometimes, finish up. conclude, close, |
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terminate, wind up, end, culminate: He goes straight home when |
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he finishes work. When will you finish? 6 Sometimes, finish up. |
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end up, settle: Where did you finish up after the party? 7 |
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Sometimes, finish off. perfect, put the final touches on, |
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polish, put a finish on: He finishes fine furniture for a |
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living. 8 finish with. release, let go, have or be done with, |
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let loose, set free: I'll finish with you later, young man! |
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--n. 9 conclusion, termination, end, close, closing, |
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completion, culmination, ending, finale, Colloq winding up, US |
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wind-up: Tomorrow is the finish of the hunting season. 10 |
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death, killing, annihilation, extermination, downfall, |
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destruction, defeat: A major catastrophe spelt the finish of |
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the dinosaurs. 11 polish, surface, texture: Just feel the |
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finish on this gunstock! |
finite |
adj. limited, bounded, bound, restricted, delimited, numerable, |
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countable: It has been shown that there are a finite number of |
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grains of sand in the universe. |
fire |
n. 1 flame(s), blaze; conflagration, holocaust, inferno: We |
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gathered round the roaring fire. 2 feeling, passion, ardour, |
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ardency, fervour, fervency, intensity, vigour, spirit, energy, |
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vim, vivacity, sparkle, animation, liveliness, verve, pep, ‚lan, |
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‚clat, dash, vitality, eagerness, enthusiasm, fever, |
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feverishness: I have never seen the role of Carmen performed |
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with such fire. 3 firing, fusillade, volley, barrage, |
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bombardment, salvo, cannonade, shelling, broadside, flak: The |
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fire from the guns shook the house. 4 hang fire. delay, be |
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delayed, be in abeyance, be suspended, be shelved, be put off, |
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be postponed, be up in the air, Colloq be put on hold, be (put) |
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on the back burner: The decision is hanging fire till tomorrow. |
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5 on fire. afire, burning, blazing, alight, aflame, flaming; |
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ardent, passionate, fervent, fervid, hot-blooded, intense, |
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aroused, stirred, stimulated, enthusiastic, fired up, eager, |
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inspired, excited: The building is on fire: you must leave at |
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once. My very soul is on fire when I think of you. 6 play with |
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fire. undertake a risk or hazard or peril, run a risk, risk |
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(something or everything), imperil or endanger (something), |
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tempt fate, live dangerously: He warned people not to play with |
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fire by stirring up racial hatred. 7 set fire to. See 8, below. |
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--v. 8 a set fire to, set afire, set on fire, ignite, set |
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alight, kindle, spark (off), put to the torch, burn, Slang US |
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torch: Arsonists fired our headquarters last night. b |
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Sometimes, fire up. inflame, impassion, incite, excite, provoke, |
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foment, whip up, arouse, rouse, work up, fire up, enkindle, |
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light a fire under, stimulate, inspirit, motivate, move, stir, |
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animate, inspire, awaken, energize, vitalize, vivify: She fired |
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the crowd's emotions with her impassioned speech. 9 discharge, |
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shoot, let go (with), launch, propel, throw, catapult, hurl: He |
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fired the missile towards the enemy. 10 detonate, set off, |
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ignite, set fire to, light, let off: It is against the law to |
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fire any explosives in this area. 11 discharge, dismiss, oust, |
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let go, cashier, give (someone) notice, Brit make or declare |
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redundant, Colloq Brit ask for or get (someone's) cards, US give |
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(someone) a pink slip; Slang bounce, give (someone) the bounce, |
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axe, give (someone) the axe, show (someone) the door, can, give |
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(someone) the (old) heave-ho, give (someone) his or her (Brit) |
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marching orders or (US) walking papers, Brit sack, give |
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(someone) the sack, boot (someone) out, give (someone) the boot: |
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They fired me last month and I can't find work. |
firm |
adj. 1 compact, solid, dense, compressed, condensed, |
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concentrated, rigid, stiff, hard, unyielding, inflexible, |
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inelastic: I prefer a firm mattress. 2 stable, fixed, fast, |
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secure, steady, solid, stationary, anchored, moored, unmovable, |
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immovable: This pole is firmer than that one. 3 steady, |
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strong, sturdy, tight, unwavering, unshakable or unshakeable, |
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unswerving: What we need is a firm hand at the controls. 4 |
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resolute, determined, dogged, definite, resolved, positive, |
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decisive, decided, set on or upon, steadfast, constant, |
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unflinching, staunch, unshaken, unshakeable or unshakable, |
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immovable, inflexible, rigid, unwavering, undeviating, |
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unchanging, unchangeable, obstinate, obdurate, stubborn, strict, |
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unyielding, unbending, unalterable: Father was firm about my |
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not staying out past midnight. |
--v. 5 Often firm up. consolidate, establish, settle (down), solidify, resolve, determine, set up: We firmed up the terms of the contract. Sugar prices firmed today.
--n. 6 company, organization, corporation, limited company, public limited company, plc, partnership, proprietorship, business, enterprise, concern, house, conglomerate, multinational (company), cartel, Colloq outfit; US jargon CIA, Central Intelligence Agency: He works for a firm in the City.
firmament n. heaven, the heavens, sky, the skies, vault (of heaven),
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Literary welkin, empyrean: Sirius is one of the brightest stars |
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in the firmament. |
firmly |
adv. 1 solidly, strongly, securely, tightly, rigidly, fast, |
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immovably: The column is set firmly into the concrete. 2 |
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resolutely, steadfastly, determinedly, staunchly, unwaveringly, |
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decisively, unhesitatingly, constantly: Jacquelyn firmly |
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supports John in anything he says. |
first |
adj. 1 foremost, leading, chief, head, premier, prime, primary, |
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principal, pre-eminent: The Kennedys were regarded as among |
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'the first people of Boston'. I heard that your son is now |
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first violinist in the Philharmonic. 2 earliest, original, |
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senior, oldest; initial, beginning, maiden, opening: The first |
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clock in England was made about 1288. The first assault resulted |
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in great loss of life. 3 fundamental, elementary, basic, |
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primary, cardinal, key, essential: It is necessary to return to |
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first principles. |
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--adv. 4 before, in front, earliest, beforehand, ahead, sooner, |
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foremost: Bannister came in first. 5 in the first place, |
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firstly, before all or anything else, initially, at the outset |
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or beginning, to begin or start with, from the start, Colloq |
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first off: First, I want to thank you all for coming to my |
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party. |
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--n. 6 beginning, start, inception, commencement, outset, |
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Colloq word go: I knew you'd win from the first. 7 first |
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place, blue ribbon, gold (medal), triumph, victory; win: |
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Britain achieved three firsts in yesterday's athletics meeting. |
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8 at first. initially, in the beginning, at the start or outset, |
Colloq from the word go: I didn't believe him at first.
first-rate
adj. first-class, high-grade, prime, excellent, superior, superb, great, remarkable, admirable, fine, exceptional, outstanding, extraordinary, unparalleled, matchless,
unsurpassed, Colloq A-1 or A-one, top-notch, tiptop, crack, top, ace, Brit whiz-bang or whizz-bang, wizard: Sarah is a
first-rate pianist.
fiscal |
adj. financial, economic, budgetary, pecuniary, monetary: It |
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is against our fiscal policy to deal in off-shore securities. |
fishy |
adj. 1 piscine, fishlike, piscatory, piscatorial: On the |
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fishmonger's slab lay an array of fishy offerings, only a few of |
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which I could recognize. 2 dubious, doubtful, questionable, |
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unlikely, far-fetched, suspicious, not kosher, peculiar, odd, |
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queer, strange, suspect, improbable, implausible, Colloq shady, |
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funny: There is something fishy about this deal. |
fit° |
adj. 1 fitting, appropriate, fitted, suitable, suited, adapted, |
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apt, meet, apropos, applicable; befitting, becoming, convenient, |
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proper, right, correct, fitting: Those books are not fit for |
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children. It's not a fit night out for man or beast. 2 prepared, |
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ready, able, capable, qualified, worthy, right, adequate: The |
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question is, is such a man fit to lead men into battle? 3 |
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healthy, well, hale, hearty, stalwart, vigorous, strong, sturdy, |
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robust, strapping, able-bodied, in good shape or trim or |
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condition, in fine fettle: Is she fit enough to run in the |
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marathon? 4 ready, angry, troubled, upset, inclined, disposed, |
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ready or likely or about to, exhausted enough: I worked till I |
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was fit to drop. Mr Barrett was coughing fit to burst. |
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--v. 5 befit, suit, become, be suited to, be suitable or |
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appropriate for, answer, satisfy: This computer program does |
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not fit my needs. 6 join, conform, go (together), match, |
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correspond, dovetail, tally: I cannot make the parts fit. 7 |
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adjust, modify, change, adapt, alter, accommodate, shape, |
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fashion: You will just have to fit your schedule to conform to |
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ours. 8 equip, supply, furnish, provide, outfit, fit out or up, |
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install or instal, rig out, gear up: I am having my boat fitted |
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with radar. |
fitý n. 1 attack, seizure, convulsion, spasm, spell, paroxysm, bout, throe: She has periodic fits of severe depression. 2 outburst, outbreak, paroxysm, spell, period: Occasionally, Gurning would go into a fit of hysterical laughter. 3 tantrum; eruption, explosion: She throws a fit if I so much as mention Maria's name. 4 by fits and starts. sporadically, occasionally,
fitfully, spasmodically, intermittently, erratically, haphazardly, now and then, irregularly, unsystematically; unreliably: The fridge works only by fits and starts.
fitful adj. irregular, sporadic, intermittent, occasional, periodic, erratic, spasmodic, haphazard, unsystematic, changeable, unstable, capricious, varying, fluctuating, variable, uneven: The dying torch emitted a fitful light. No true patriot pays merely fitful allegiance to his country.
fitness n. 1 aptness, appropriateness, suitability, suitableness, competence, pertinence, seemliness; eligibility, adequacy,
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qualification(s): There is some doubt about Henryson's fitness |
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as a leader. 2 health, healthiness, (good) (physical) |
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condition, vigour, well-being, (good) shape, (fine) fettle, |
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tone, wholesomeness, salubriousness or salubrity: Tony is a |
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fanatic about physical fitness and exercises daily. |
fitted |
adj. custom-made, tailor-made; tailored, bespoke: The house |
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boasts a fully fitted kitchen. |
fitting |
adj. 1 fit, befitting, suitable, appropriate, meet, becoming, |
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proper, comme il faut, seemly, apt, apropos, apposite, germane, |
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relevant: Is it fitting to send flowers? It was a fitting end |
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to the story. |
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--n. 2 fittings. fitments, attachments, accessories, elements, |
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pieces, parts, units, fixtures; appointments, extras, |
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installations, furnishings, trappings, furniture, equipment, |
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accoutrements, paraphernalia, trimmings: Gold-plated bathroom |
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fittings are available at extra cost. |
fix |
v. 1 affix, pin, fasten, make fast, attach, secure, stick, |
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connect, link, tie, couple, clasp, clamp, rivet, cement, weld, |
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fuse: Fix this sign to the door. 2 establish, set, settle, |
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agree to, determine, organize, stabilize, firm up, solidify, |
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decide, conclude, arrive at, define, specify, resolve, arrange, |