generalissimo (jen'эr э lis´i mou') pl. -mos' •n. in certain countries, the commander in chief of all the armed forces [It, superl. of generale, GENERAL]
generalist (jen´эr э list) •n. an administrator, teacher, etc. with broad general knowledge and experience in several disciplines or areas, as opposed to a specialist gen´er·al·ism' •n.
generality (jen'эr æl´э ti:) pl. -ties •n. 1 the condition or quality of being general, or applicable to all 2 a general statement, idea, etc., specif. a) one that is vague or inadequate b) GENERALIZATION 3 the bulk; main body [ME generalte < OFr généralité < LL generalitas < L generalis]
generalization (jen'эr эl i zei´shэn; often jen'rэl i-) •n. 1 the act or process of generalizing 2 a general idea, statement, etc. resulting from this; inference applied generally
generalize (jen´эr эl aiz'; often jen´rэl aiz') -ized', -iz'ing •vt. to make general; esp., a) to state in terms of a general law or precept b) to infer or derive (a general law or precept) from (particular instances) c) to emphasize the general character rather than specific details of d) to cause to be widely known or used; popularize •vi. 1 to formulate general principles or inferences from particulars 2 to talk in generalities 3 to become general or spread throughout a body or area [ME generalisen]
generally (jen´эr эl i:; often jen´rэ li:, jen´эr li:) •adv. 1 to or by most people; widely; popularly; extensively {a generally accepted usage} 2 in most instances; usually; as a rule 3 in a general way or sense; without reference to details or individual cases; not specifically
general-purpose (jen´эr эl pør´pэs) •adj. having a variety of uses; suitable for general use
generalship (jen´эr эl ship') •n. 1 a) the rank, tenure, or authority of a general b) the military skill of a general 2 highly skillful leadership [see -SHIP]
generate (jen´эr eit') -at'ed, -at'ing •vt. 1 to produce (offspring); beget; procreate 2 to bring into being; cause to be {to generate hope} 3 to originate or produce by a physical, chemical, or mathematical process {to generate electricity} 4 Geom. to trace out or form ( a curve, plane, or figure) by the motion of a point, line, or plane [< L generatus, pp. of generare, to beget, produce < genus (gen. generis): see GENUS]
generation (jen'эr ei´shэn) •n. 1 the act or process of producing offspring; procreation 2 the act or process of bringing into being; origination; production 3 a single stage or degree in the succession of natural descent {father, son, and grandson are three generations} 4 the average period (about thirty years) between the birth of one generation and that of the next 5 a) all the people born and living at about the same time b) a group of such people with the same experience, belief, attitude, etc. in common {the computer generation} 6 any of the stages of successive improvement in the development of a product, system, etc. 7 Geom. the formation of a curve, plane, or figure by the motion of a point, line, or plane: see GENERATRIX gen'er·a´tion·al •adj. [ME generacioun < OFr generacion < L generatio < generatus: see GENERATE]
generative (jen´эr eit'iv, -эr э tiv) •adj. 1 of the production of offspring; procreative 2 having the power of producing or originating Æ 3 of or characteristic of generative grammar [ME generatif]
generative grammar a system of grammar consisting of a limited and unchanging set of rules employing a list of symbols and words to generate or describe every possible structure in a language: cf. TRANSFORMATIONAL (GENERATIVE) GRAMMAR
generator (jen´эr eit'эr) •n. 1 a person or thing that generates; specif., a) a machine for producing gas or steam b) a machine for changing mechanical energy into electrical energy; dynamo 2 GENERATRIX [L]
generatrix (jen'эr ei´triks) pl. -er·a·tri´ces' (-эr э trai´si:z', -эr ei´tri si:z') •n. Math. a point, line, or plane whose motion generates a curve, plane, or figure [L, fem. of prec.]
generic (jэ ner´ik) •adj. 1 of, applied to, or referring to a whole kind, class, or group; inclusive or general 2 without a trademark 3 Biol. of or characteristic of a genus •n. a product, as a drug or grocery item, without a brand name: often used in pl.: also called generic term SYN. UNIVERSAL ge·ner´i·cal·ly •adv. [ML genericus: see GENUS & -IC]
generosity (jen'эr äs´э ti:) •n. 1 the quality of being generous; specif., a) nobility of mind; magnanimity b) willingness to give or share; unselfishness 2 pl. -ties a generous act [ME generosite < L generositas < generosus]
generous (jen´эr эs) •adj. 1 orig., of noble birth 2 having qualities attributed to people of noble birth; noble-minded; gracious; magnanimous 3 willing to give or share; unselfish 4 large; ample {generous portions} 5 rich in yield; fertile 6 full-flavored and strong: said of wine gen´er·ous·ly •adv. gen´er·ous·ness •n. [L generosus, of noble birth, excellent, generous < genus: see GENUS]
Genesee (jen'э si:´) river flowing from N Pa. across W N.Y. into Lake Ontario: c. 150 mi. (242 km) [< Iroquoian (Seneca); ? beautiful valley]
genesis (jen´э sis) pl. -ses' (-si:z') •n. the way in which something comes to be; beginning; origin [G-] the first book of the Bible, giving an account of the creation of the universe and a history of the patriarchs: abbrev. Gen, Gn, or Ge [ME < OE & LL(Ec) < L, birth, generation < Gr (used in LXX for Gen.) < base of gignesthai, to be born: see GENUS]
-genesis (jen´э sis) combining form forming nouns origination, creation, formation, evolution (of something specified) {psychogenesis} [see GENESIS]
genet (jen´et', -it; je net´, jэ-) •n. 1 any of a genus (Genetta) of small, spotted African carnivores in the same family (Viverridae) as the civet 2 its fur [ME < OFr genette < Sp gineta < Ar jarnayt]
Genêt (zhэ nei´) 1 Ed·mond Charles É·douard (ed mouñ´ shåřl ei dwåř´) 1763-1834; Fr. diplomat, in the U.S. after 1793: called Citizen Genêt 2 Jean 1910-86; Fr. playwright & novelist
genetic (jэ net´ik) •adj. 1 of the genesis, or origin, of something 2 of or having to do with genetics 3 GENIC Also ge·net´i·cal ge·net´i·cal·ly •adv. [< GENESIS]
genetic code the order in which four chemical constituents are arranged in huge molecules of DNA: these molecules transmit genetic information to the cells by synthesizing ribonucleic acid in a corresponding order
genetic drift in evolution, a) a random change in gene frequency within a small population, resulting in mutations which, regardless of their adaptive value, become fixed within the group b) any such process
genetic engineering the branch of biology dealing with the splicing, and recombining, of specific genetic units from the DNA of living organisms: it is used to modify the existing genetic codes to produce new, or improved, species, valuable biochemicals, etc.
geneticist (jэ net´э sist) •n. a specialist in genetics
genetics (jэ net´iks) •n.pl. [with sing. v.] 1 the branch of biology that deals with heredity and variation in similar or related animals and plants 2 the genetic features or constitution of an individual, group, or kind [GENET(IC) + -ICS]
Geneva (jэ ni:´vэ) 1 city in SW Switzerland, on Lake Geneva: pop. 159,500 2 canton of SW Switzerland, largely the city of Geneva & its suburbs: 109 sq. mi. (282 km); pop. 360,500 3 Lake (of) lake in SW Switzerland on the border of France: 224 sq. mi. (580 sq. km): see LEMAN, Lake geneva (jэ ni:´vэ) •n. HOLLANDS [Du genever < OFr genevre, juniper berry < L juniperus, JUNIPER]
Geneva bands two white cloth strips hanging from the front of the collar, worn by some Protestant clergymen [after the clerical garb of GENEVA Calvinists]
Geneva Convention an international agreement signed at Geneva in 1864, establishing a code, later revised, for the care and treatment in wartime of the sick, wounded, and dead, and of prisoners of war, including protection of civilians and of hospitals, etc. having the emblem of the Red Cross
Geneva cross RED CROSS (sense 1)
Geneva gown a long, loose, wide-sleeved black gown, worn by many Protestant clergymen [see GENEVA BANDS]
Genevan (jэ ni:´vэn) •adj. 1 of Geneva, Switzerland, esp. at the time of the Reformation 2 of or having to do with Calvinism •n. 1 a native or inhabitant of Geneva 2 a follower of John Calvin
Genève (zhэ nev´) Fr. name of GENEVA (the city & the canton)
Genevieve (jen´э vi:v') 1 a feminine name 2 Saint (c. A.D. 422-c. 512); Fr. nun; patron saint of Paris: her day is Jan. 3 [Fr Geneviève < LL Genovefa < ? Celt]
Genf (genf) Ger. name of GENEVA (the city & the canton)
Genghis Khan (geŋ´gis kän´, jeŋ´gis) (born Temuchin) c. 1162-1227; Mongol conqueror of central Asia
genial¹ (ji:n´yэl; also ji:´ni: эl) •adj. 1 orig., of marriage or procreation 2 promoting life and growth; pleasantly warm, mild, and healthful {a genial climate} 3 cheerful, friendly, and sympathetic; amiable 4 [Rare] of or characterized by genius SYN. AMIABLE ge·ni·al·i·ty (ji:'ni: æl´э ti:; also ji:n yæl´-) •n. gen´i·al·ly •adv. Etymology [L genialis, of generation or birth < genius, guardian deity: see GENIUS]
genial² (ji: nai´эl) •adj. having to do with the chin [< Gr geneion, a chin (< genys, a jaw: see CHIN) + -AL]
genic (jen´ik) •adj. of, having the nature of, or caused by a gene or genes; genetic
-genic (jen´ik) combining form forming adjectives 1 pertaining to production or generation {phylogenic} 2 suitable to {photogenic}
geniculate (jэ nik´yu: lit, -leit') •adj. 1 having a kneelike joint 2 bent sharply Also ge·nic´u·lat'ed (-leit'id) [L geniculatus < geniculum, dim. of genu, KNEE]
genie (ji:´ni:) •n. JINNI [Fr génie (< L genius: see GENIUS), used to transl. Ar jinnī, a demon < jinn, demons]
genii (ji:´ni: ai') pl. of GENIUS (senses 1 & 2) •n.
genipap (jen´i pæp') •n. 1 the brown, edible fruit, about the size of an orange, of a tropical American tree (Genipa americana) of the madder family 2 the tree itself [Port genipapo < the WInd (Tupi) name]
genital (jen´i tэl, -itªl) •adj. 1 of reproduction or the sexual organs 2 Psychoanalysis a) designating or of the third stage of infantile psychosexual development in which interest centers around the genital organs b) designating or of the adult or final stage of psychosexual development in which conflicts have been resolved, libidinal drives regulated, and character structure integrated {genital characters}: cf. ANAL, ORAL [ME < OFr < L genitalis < genitus, pp. of genere, gignere, to beget: see GENUS]
genitalia (jen'i tei´li: э, -teil´yэ) •n.pl. GENITALS [L, short for genitalia (membra)]
genitals (jen´i tэlz, -itªlz) •n.pl. the reproductive organs; esp., the external sex organs [< GENITAL]
genitival (jen'i tai´vэl) •adj. of or in the genitive case
genitive (jen´i tiv) •adj. Gram. designating, of, or in a relational case typically expressing possession, source, or a partitive concept: cf. POSSESSIVE •n. 1 the genitive case: this case is expressed by inflection in languages such as Latin and either by an analytical construction or by inflection in English (Ex.: the children of the queen; the queen's children) 2 a word or phrase in this case [ME genitif < OFr < L (casus) genitivus, lit., (case) of orig. < genitus (see GENITAL): mistransl. < Gr genikē, generic (case), (case) of genus < Gr genos, GENUS]
genito- (jen´i tou) combining form genital and {genitourinary}
genitourinary (jen'i tou yur´э ner'i:) •adj. designating or of the genital and urinary organs together
genius (ji:n´yэs; also, esp. for 1-2, ji:´ni: эs) pl. gen´i·us·es or ge·ni·i (ji:´ni: ai') •n. 1 a) [often G-] according to ancient Roman belief, a guardian spirit assigned to a person at birth; tutelary deity b) [often G-] the guardian spirit of any person, place, etc. c) either of two spirits, one good and one evil, supposed to influence one's destiny d) a person considered as having strong influence over another 2 JINNI 3 the personification of a quality 4 particular character or essential spirit or nature of a nation, place, age, etc. 5 a great natural ability (for a particular activity); strong disposition or inclination 6 a) great mental capacity and inventive ability; esp., great and original creative ability in some art, science, etc. b) a person having such capacity or ability c) popularly, any person with a very high intelligence quotient SYN. TALENT [L, guardian spirit, natural ability, genius < base of genere, gignere, to produce: see GENUS]
genius loci (ji:´ni: эs lou´sai') the general atmosphere of a place [L, the (guardian) spirit of a place]
genl general
Genoa (jen´э wэ) 1 seaport in NW Italy, at the head of the Gulf of Genoa: pop. 738,000: It. name GENOVA 2 Gulf of N part of the Ligurian Sea, off NW Italy genoa (jen´ou э, -э wэ) •n. [often G-] Naut. a large jib used as on a racing yacht Also genoa jib [after fol.]
genocide (jen´э said') •n. the systematic killing of, or a program of action intended to destroy, a whole national or ethnic group gen'o·ci´dal (-said´ªl) •adj. [< Gr genos, race, kind (see GENUS) + -CIDE: first applied to the attempted extermination of the Jews by Nazi Germany]
Genoese (jen'ou i:z´, -i:s´; jen'э wi:z´, -wi:s´) •adj. of Genoa, its people, etc. •n. pl. -ese´ a native or inhabitant of Genoa
génoise (zhei nwäz´) •n. a rich, moist spongecake, often with a creamy filling, jam, etc. between its layers
genome (ji:´noum') •n. one complete haploid set of chromosomes of an organism ge·nom´ic (-näm´ik, -nou´mik) •adj. [Ger genom < gen, GENE + (chromos)om, CHROMOSOME]
genotype (jen´э taip', ji:´nэ-) •n. 1 the fundamental constitution of an organism in terms of its hereditary factors 2 a group of organisms each having the same hereditary characteristics 3 the type species of a genus gen'o·typ´ic (-tip´ik) or gen'o·typ´i·cal •adj. gen'o·typ´i·cal·ly •adv. [< Gr genos, race, kind (see GENUS) + -TYPE]
-genous (jэ nэs) combining form forming adjectives 1 producing, generating {nitrogenous} 2 produced by, generated in {autogenous} [-GEN + -OUS]
Genova (je´nô vä') It. name of GENOA
genre (zhän´rэ, zhän´rª; zhön´-; Fr zhäñ´rª) •n. 1 a kind, or type, as of works of literature, art, etc. 2 GENRE PAINTING •adj. designating or of a type of book, film, etc. which is distinguished by subject, theme, or style, as science fiction, mystery, etc. [Fr < L genus (gen. generis): see GENUS]
genre painting painting in which subjects or scenes from everyday life are treated realistically
genro (gen´rou´) •n.pl. the former elder statesmen of Japan: see ELDER STATESMAN [Jpn genrō, lit., first elder < Sino-Jpn gen, original + rō, old]
gens (jenz) pl. gen·tes (jen´ti:z') •n. 1 in ancient Rome, a clan united by descent through the male line from a common ancestor and having both name and religious observances in common 2 any tribe or clan; esp., an exogamous group claiming descent through the male line [L, orig., that belonging together by birth < base of gignere, to beget: see GENUS]
Genseric (jen´sэr ik, gen´-) c. A.D. 400-477; king of the Vandals (427-477): conqueror in N Africa & of Rome
Gent (khent) Fl. name of GHENT
gent¹ (jent) •n. [Colloq.] a gentleman; man
gent² (jent) •adj. [Obs.] pretty; graceful [ME < OFr < L genitus, born, pp. of gignere, to beget, produce: see GENUS]
gentamicin (jent'э mai´sin) •n. a broad-spectrum antibiotic obtained from soil actinomycetes (genus Micromonospora), used in treating a wide variety of serious infections [< gentian violet (color of the organism) + -MYCIN]
genteel (jen ti:l´) •adj. 1 [Old-fashioned] having or showing the good taste and refinement associated with polite society; elegant, fashionable, etc. 2 excessively or affectedly refined, polite, etc. gen·teel´ly or gen·teel´ness •n. [< Fr gentil (of same orig. as GENTLE & JAUNTY, but borrowed again in 16th c.)]
gentian (jen´shэn) •adj. designating a family (Gentianaceae, order Gentianales) of dicotyledonous plants, including the fringed gentians and the closed gentians •n. 1 any of a large genus (Gentiana) of plants of the gentian family, with blue, white, red, or yellow flowers 2 the bitter root of the yellow gentian (G. lutea), used as a gastrointestinal tonic [ME genciane < OFr gentiane < L gentiana, of Illyrian orig.]
gentian violet a violet dye used in an antiseptic and as a stain in microscopy
gentile (jen´tail') •n. [also G-] 1 any person not a Jew; often, specif., a Christian 2 [Historical] among Christians, a heathen or pagan Æ 3 among Mormons, any person not a Mormon •adj. [also G- for senses 1, 2, & 3] 1 not Jewish 2 heathen; pagan Æ 3 not Mormon 4 of a clan, tribe, or nation 5 Gram. designating a nationality or country {French is a gentile adjective} SYN. PAGAN [< Fr & L; Fr gentil < L gentilis, of the same gens, clan, or race, also, foreigner (in opposition to Roman), in LL(Ec), pagan, heathen (in opposition to Jew and Christian): see GENTLE]
gentilesse (jen'ti les´) •n. [Archaic] good breeding and courteous behavior [ME < OFr gentillise < gentil: see GENTLE]
gentility (jen til´i ti:) pl. -ties •n. 1 a) the condition of belonging by birth to the upper classes b) members of the upper class, collectively 2 the quality of being genteel; now, specif., excessive or affected refinement and elegance [ME gentilete < OFr < L gentilitas < gentilis: see GENTLE]
gentisic acid (jen tis´ik) a crystalline, water-soluble acid, C6H3(OH)2COOH, whose sodium salt has been used in medicine as an analgesic [< gentisin, pigment derived from gentian root < ModL Gentiana, GENTIAN + (TRYP)SIN + -IC]
gentle (jent´ªl) -tler, -tlest •adj. 1 belonging to the upper classes or polite society 2 like or suitable to polite society; refined, courteous, etc. 3 [Archaic] noble; chivalrous {a gentle knight} 4 generous; kind {gentle reader} 5 easily handled; tame {a gentle dog} 6 kindly; serene; patient {a gentle disposition} 7 not violent, harsh, or rough {a gentle tap, a gentle rebuke} 8 gradual {a gentle slope} •n. [Archaic] a person of the upper classes •vt. -tled, -tling 1 [Rare] to make gentle, mild, or pleasant 2 to tame or train (a horse) 3 to calm or soothe as by stroking 4 [Obs.] to raise to the social status of a gentleman SYN. SOFT the gentle craft (or art) 1 fishing 2 [Obs.] shoemaking gen´tle·ness •n. [ME gentil < OFr, of noble birth < L gentilis, of the same gens (in LL, of a good family) < gens: see GENS]
gentle breeze a wind whose speed is 8 to 12 miles per hour: see BEAUFORT SCALE
gentlefolk (jent´ªl fouk') •n.pl. people of high social standing Also gen´tle·folks'
gentleman (jent´ªl mэn) pl. -men (-mэn) •n. 1 a) orig., a man born into a family of high social standing b) any man of independent means who does not work for a living 2 a courteous, gracious man with a strong sense of honor 3 a man's personal servant; valet: chiefly in the phrase gentleman's gentleman 4 any man: a polite term, esp. as (in pl.) a form of address Æ the gentleman from in the U.S. House of Representatives, the member from (a specified State) [ME gentilman (after OFr gentilz hom): see GENTLE & MAN]
gentleman of fortune ADVENTURER
gentleman-at-arms (-æt ärmz´) pl. gen´tle·men-at-arms´ •n. any of a corps of men of rank, traditionally forty, who accompany the British sovereign as a military guard on important occasions
gentleman-farmer (-fär´mэr) pl. gen´tle·men-farm´ers •n. a wealthy man who farms as an avocation
gentlemanly (-li:) •adj. of, characteristic of, or fit for a gentleman; well-mannered Also gen´tle·man·like' gen´tle·man·li·ness •n. [ME]
gentlemen's (or gentleman's) agreement 1 an unwritten agreement secured only by the parties' pledge of honor and not legally binding 2 such an agreement to discriminate against members of certain minority groups
gentlewoman (jent´ªl wum'эn) pl. -wom'en (-wim'in) •n. 1 orig., a woman born into a family of high social standing; lady 2 a courteous, gracious, considerate woman 3 [Historical] a woman in attendance on a lady of rank [ME gentil womman]
gently (jent´li:) •adv. in a gentle manner or to a gentle degree [ME gentilly]
Gentoo (jen tu:´) pl. -toos´ •adj., n. archaic var. of HINDU [Port gentio, heathen, gentile < L gentilis: see GENTILE]
gentrify (jen´tri fai') -fied', -fy'ing •vt. 1 to convert (a deteriorated or aging area in a city) into a more affluent middle-class neighborhood, as by remodeling dwellings, resulting in increased property values and in displacement of the poor 2 to raise to a higher status or condition; improve, uplift, etc. gen'tri·fi·ca´tion •n. gen´tri·fi'er •n. [< fol. + -FY]
gentry (jen´tri:) •n. 1 [Obs.] rank resulting from birth; esp., high rank 2 people of high social standing; esp., in Great Britain, the class of landowning people ranking just below the nobility 3 people of a particular class or group {the newspaper gentry} [ME genterie, noble or high birth; prob. taken as sing. of genterise, gentility of birth < OFr, var. of gentilise < gentil: see GENTLE]
genu (ji:´nu:') pl. gen·u·a (jen´yu: э) •n. Anat. 1 the knee 2 a kneelike or sharply bent part, as in the facial nerve [L, KNEE]
genuflect (jen´yu: flekt', -yэ-) •vi. 1 to bend the knee, as in reverence or worship 2 to act in a submissive or servile way gen'u·flec´tion •n. [ML(Ec) genuflectere < L genu, KNEE + flectere, to bend: see FLEX¹]
genuine (jen´yu: in, -yэ win) •adj. 1 of the original stock; purebred 2 really being what it is said to be or coming from the alleged source or origin; not counterfeit or artificial; real; true; authentic 3 sincere and frank; honest and forthright SYN. AUTHENTIC gen´u·ine·ly •adv. gen´u·ine·ness •n. [L genuinus, orig., inborn, native, hence authentic < base of gignere, to be born: see GENUS]
genus (ji:´nэs) pl. gen´er·a (-э) or -es •n. 1 a class; kind; sort 2 Biol. one of the major taxonomic groups used to scientifically classify plants or animals: several closely related species, or one species, make up one genus, while several genera, or one genus, make up a family: the latinized genus name is capitalized and italicized, and precedes the species name, which is italicized but not capitalized (Ex.: Homo sapiens, modern man) 3 Logic a class of things made up of subordinate classes or SPECIES [L, birth, origin, race, species, kind < IE base *Gen-, to beget, produce > L gignere, to beget, gens, clan, Gr genos, race, gignesthai, to be born, Ger kind, child, OE (ge)cynd, KIND, cennan, to beget; also, with loss of initial g-, L nasci, to be born, natura, nature]
-geny (jэ ni:) combining form forming nouns origin, production, development {phylogeny} [Gr -geneia < -genēs: see -GEN]
geo- (ji:´ou, -э) combining form 1 earth, of the earth {geocentric, geophyte} 2 geographical {geopolitics} [Gr geō- < gaia, gē, the earth]
geobotany (ji:'ou bät´ªn i:) •n. 1 the science dealing with the relationship between specific plant species and the substrata from which they receive their nourishment 2 PHYTOGEOGRAPHY ge'o·bo·tan´i·cal •adj.
geocentric (ji:'ou sen´trik) •adj. 1 measured or viewed as from the center of the earth 2 having or regarding the earth as a center Also ge'o·cen´tri·cal ge'o·cen´tri·cal·ly •adv. [GEO- + -CENTRIC]
geochemistry (-kem´is tri:) •n. the branch of chemistry dealing with the chemical composition of the earth's crust and the chemical changes that occur there ge'o·chem´i·cal •adj. ge'o·chem´ist •n.
geochronology (-krэ näl´э ji:) •n. the branch of geology dealing with the age of the earth and its materials, the dating of evolutionary stages in plant and animal development, etc. ge'o·chron'o·log´i·cal (-krän'э läj´i kэl) •adj. [GEO- + CHRONOLOGY]
geochronometry (-krou näm´э tri:) •n. the measurement of geologic time, as from the decay of radioactive elements [GEO- + CHRONOMETRY]
geocorona (-kэ rou´nэ) •n. the envelope of ionized gases, esp. hydrogen, surrounding the earth at the outer limit of the atmosphere
geode (ji:´oud') •n. 1 a globular stone having a cavity lined with inward growing crystals or layers of silica 2 a) such a cavity b) any formation like this ge·od´ic (-äd´ik) •adj. Etymology [Fr géode < L geodes, a precious stone < Gr geoidēs, earthlike < gē, earth + -eidos, -OID]
geodesic (ji:'ou des´ik, -di:´sik) •adj. 1 GEODETIC (sense 1) 2 a) designating the shortest surface line between two points on a surface, esp. a curved surface b) of or pertaining to the geometry of such lines Æ 3 Archit. having a structurally strong surface made up of short, straight, lightweight bars that form a grid of polygons {geodesic dome} •n. a geodesic line
geodesy (ji: äd´э si:) •n. the branch of applied mathematics concerned with measuring, or determining the shape of, the earth or a large part of its surface, or with locating exactly points on its surface ge·od´e·sist •n. [Gr geōdaisia < gē, the earth + daiein, to divide < IE base *dā-, dā(i)-, to divide > TIDE¹]
geodetic (ji:'ou det´ik) •adj. 1 of or determined by geodesy 2 GEODESIC (sense 2) Also ge'o·det´i·cal ge'o·det´i·cal·ly •adv.
geoduck (ji:´ou dûk'; also, esp. in various different spellings, gwi:´dûk' & gou´i: dûk', gu:´i:-, etc.) •n. a very large, burrowing, edible clam (Panope generosa) of intertidal beaches of W North America [< AmInd (Chinook) name]
geodynamics (ji:'ou dai næm´iks) •n.pl. [with sing. v.] the study of the activity and forces inside the earth ge'o·dy·nam´ic •adj.
Geoffrey (jef´ri:) a masculine name: dim. Jeff; var. Jeffrey [ME Geffrey < OFr Geoffroi < Gmc Walafrid < *wala-, traveler + *frithu, peace (> Ger friede)]
Geoffrey of Monmouth c. 1100-54; Brit. bishop & chronicler: preserver of the Arthurian legend
geog 1 geographer 2 geographical 3 geography
geognosy (ji: äg´nэ si:) •n. the branch of geology dealing with the composition of the earth and the distribution of its various strata and mineral deposits [Fr géognosie < Gr gē, earth + gnōsis, knowledge: see GNOSIS]
geographer (ji: äg´rэ fэr) •n. a specialist in geography
geographical (ji:'э græf´i kэl) •adj. 1 of or according to geography 2 with reference to the geography of a particular region Also ge'o·graph´ic ge'o·graph´i·cal·ly •adv.
geography (ji: äg´rэ fi:) pl. -phies •n. 1 the descriptive science dealing with the surface of the earth, its division into continents and countries, and the climate, plants, animals, natural resources, inhabitants, and industries of the various divisions 2 the physical features, esp. the surface features, of a region, area, or place 3 a book about geography [L geographia < Gr geōgraphia, geography < geō- (see GEO-) + graphein, to write: see GRAPHIC]
geoid (ji:´oid') •n. the earth viewed as a hypothetical ellipsoid with the surface represented as a mean sea level [Ger geoide < Gr geoeidēs, earthlike: see GEODE]
geol 1 geologic(al) 2 geologist 3 geology
geologic (ji:'э läj´ik) •adj. of or according to geology Also ge'o·log´i·cal ge'o·log´i·cal·ly •adv.
geologist (ji: äl´э jist) •n. a specialist in geology
geologize (-jaiz') -gized', -giz'ing •vi., vt. [Rare] to study geology or make a geologic survey of (an area)
geology (ji: äl´э ji:) pl. -gies •n. 1 the science dealing with the physical nature and history of the earth, including the structure and development of its crust, the composition of its interior, individual rock types, the forms of life found as fossils, etc. 2 the structure of the earth's crust in a given region, area, or place 3 a book about geology [ML geologia: see GEO- & -LOGY]
geom geometry
geomagnetic (ji:'ou mæg net´ik) •adj. of or pertaining to the magnetic properties of the earth ge'o·mag´ne·tism •n.
geomancy (ji: ou mæn'si:) •n. divination by random figures formed when a handful of earth is thrown on the ground, or as by lines drawn at random ge´o·man'cer •n. ge'o·man´tic •adj. [ME geomancie < OFr < ML geomantia < LGr geōmanteia: see GEO- & -MANCY]
geometric (ji:'э me´trik) •adj. 1 of or according to geometry 2 characterized by straight lines, triangles, circles, or similar regular forms {a geometric pattern} Also ge'o·met´ri·cal ge'o·met´ri·cal·ly •adv. [L geometricus < Gr geōmetrikos]
geometric mean Math. the nth root of the product of n factors {the geometric mean of 2 and 8 (or the mean proportional between 2 and 8) is √2X8, or 4}
geometric progression a sequence of terms in which the ratio of each term to the preceding one is the same throughout the sequence (Ex.: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32)
geometrician (ji: äm'э trish´эn, ji:'э mэ-) •n. a specialist in geometry Also ge·om·e·ter (ji: äm´э tэr)
geometrid (ji: äm´э trid) •n. any of a family (Geometridae) of moths whose larvae are called measuring worms [< ModL Geometridae < L geometres: see GEOMETRY]
geometrize (-traiz') -trized', -triz'ing •vi. [Rare] to use geometric principles •vt. [Rare] to work out geometrically
geometry (ji: äm´э tri:) pl. -tries •n. 1 the branch of mathematics that deals with points, lines, planes, and figures, and examines their properties, measurement, and mutual relations in space: see PLANE GEOMETRY, SOLID GEOMETRY 2 a book about geometry 3 a specific system of geometry [ME geometrie < OFr < L geometria < Gr geōmetria < geōmetrein, to measure the earth < gē, earth + metria, measurement < metrein, to measure: for IE base: see METER¹]
geomorphic (ji:'ou mör´fik) •adj. of or pertaining to the shape of the earth or its topography [GEO- + -MORPHIC]
geomorphology (-mör fäl´э ji:) •n. the science dealing with the nature and origin of the earth's topographic features ge'o·mor'pho·log´ic (-mör'fэ läj´ik) or ge'o·mor'pho·log´i·cal •adj. [GEO- + MORPHOLOGY]
geophagy (ji: äf´э ji:) •n. the eating of earth to make up for lack of food, as in famine areas [GEO- + -PHAGY]
geophone (ji:´э foun') •n. an electronic receiver designed to pick up vibrations transmitted through rock, ice, etc. [GEO- + -PHONE]
geophysics (ji:'ou fiz´iks) •n.pl. [with sing. v.] the science that deals with the physics of the earth, including weather, winds, tides, earthquakes, volcanoes, etc. and their effect on the earth ge'o·phys´i·cal •adj. ge'o·phys´i·cist •n.
geophyte (ji:´э fait') •n. a plant that grows in earth; esp., a perennial whose buds live underground throughout the winter [GEO- + -PHYTE]
geopolitics (ji:'ou päl´i tiks') •n.pl. [with sing. v.] 1 the interrelationship of politics and geography, or the study of this 2 any program or policy based on this; specif., the Nazi doctrine of aggressive geographical and political expansion meant to lead ultimately to German domination of the world ge'o·po·lit´i·cal (-pэ lit´i kэl) •adj. ge'o·pol'i·ti´cian •n. [< Ger geopolitik: see GEO- & POLITICS]
geoponic (ji:'ou pän´ik) •adj. [Rare] related to agriculture [Gr geōponikos < geōponein, to till the ground < geō- (see GEO-) + ponein, to toil < ponos, work, toil < IE base *(s)pen(d)-, to pull, draw > SPIN]
geopressured (-presh´эrd) •adj. of or having to do with substances, as methane or water, within the earth's crust that are forced upward by geologic pressures Also ge'o·pres´sur·ized' (-presh´эr aizd')
George (jörj) 1 a masculine name: dim. Georgie; equiv. Fr. Georges, Ger. & Scand. Georg, It. Giorgio, Sp. Jorge; fem. Georgia, Georgiana, Georgina 2 George I 1660-1727; king of Great Britain & Ireland (1714-27), born in Germany: great-grandson of James I 3 George II 1683-1760; king of Great Britain & Ireland (1727-60), born in Germany: son of George I 4 George III 1738-1820; king of Great Britain & Ireland (1760-1820): grandson of George II 5 George IV 1762-1830; king of Great Britain & Ireland (1820-30); regent (1811-20): son of George III 6 George V 1865-1936; king of Great Britain & Ireland (1910-36): son of Edward VII 7 George VI 1895-1952; king of Great Britain & Northern Ireland (1936-52): son of George V 8 Saint (died c. A.D. 303); Christian martyr, possibly from Cappadocia: patron saint of England: his day is April 23 9 David Lloyd see LLOYD GEORGE, David 10 Henry 1839-97; U.S. political economist: advocate of the single tax [< Fr & L; Fr Georges < LL Georgius < Gr Geōrgios < geōrgos, husbandman, lit., earthworker < gaia, gē, earth + base of ergon, WORK] George , Lake lake in NE N.Y.: 33 mi. (53 km) long
Georgetown (-taun') 1 seaport & capital of Guyana, on the Atlantic: pop. 188,000 2 section of Washington, D.C. 3 old name of PENANG: also George Town
georgette (jör jet´) •n. a thin, durable, slightly crinkled fabric, used for women's dresses, blouses, etc. Also georgette crepe [after Georgette de la Plante, Parisian modiste]
Georgia (jör´jэ) 1 a feminine name; dim. Georgie: see GEORGE 2 Southern State of the SE U.S.: one of the 13 original States; 58,876 sq. mi. (152,489 sq. km); pop. 6,478,000; cap. Atlanta: abbrev. Ga or GA [after GEORGE II] 3 region in SE Europe on the Black Sea 4 GEORGIAN SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLIC 5 country in Transcaucasia, on the Black Sea: became independent upon the breakup of the U.S.S.R. (1991): 26,900 sq. mi. (69,670 sq. km); pop. c. 5,200,000; cap. Tbilisi: formerly, Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic 6 Strait of arm of the Pacific, between Vancouver Island & British Columbia, Canada: c. 150 mi. (241 km) long: also Georgia Strait
Georgian (jör´jэn) •adj. 1 a) of the reigns of George I, II, III, and IV of England (1714-1830) b) designating or of the artistic style of this period 2 of or characteristic of the period of the reign of George V of England 3 of the country of Georgia, its people, language, or culture 4 of the State of Georgia •n. 1 a) a native or inhabitant of the country of Georgia b) the South Caucasian language of the country of Georgia: see CAUCASIAN Æ 2 a native or inhabitant of the State of Georgia
Georgian Bay NE arm of Lake Huron, in Ontario, Canada
Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic a republic of the U.S.S.R.: now GEORGIA
georgic (jör´jik) •adj. having to do with agriculture or husbandry •n. a poem dealing with farming or rural life [L (Virgil) georgicum (carmen), georgic (song)] [L georgicus < Gr geōrgikos, agricultural < geōrgos, husbandman, farmer: see GEORGE]
geostationary (ji:'ou stei´shэ ner'i:) •adj. designating or of a satellite or spacecraft in an orbit above the equator, revolving at a rate of speed synchronous with that of the earth's rotation so that it always stays above the same place on the earth's surface Also ge'o·syn´chro·nous (-siŋ´krэ nэs)
geostrophic (ji:'ou sträf´ik) •adj. designating or of a force producing deflection as a result of the earth's rotation [< GEO- + Gr strophē (see STROPHE) + -IC]
geosyncline (-sin´klain') •n. a very large, troughlike depression in the earth's surface containing masses of sedimentary and volcanic rocks [GEO- + SYNCLINE]
geotaxis (-tæk´sis) •n. the positive, or negative, response of a freely moving organism to, or against, gravity ge'o·tac´tic (-tæk´tik) •adj. ge'o·tac´ti·cal·ly •adv. [ModL: see GEO- & -TAXIS]
geotectonic (-tek tän´ik) •adj. having to do with the structure, distribution, shape, etc. of rock bodies, and with the structural disturbances and alterations of the earth's crust that produced them [GEO- + TECTONIC]
geothermic (-θør´mik) •adj. having to do with the heat of the earth's interior Also ge'o·ther´mal [GEO- + THERMIC]
geotropism (ji: ä´trэ piz'эm) •n. any positive, or negative, movement or growth of a plant or sessile animal in response to, or against, the force of gravity ge·o·trop·ic (ji:'ou träp´ik) •adj. [GEO- + -TROPISM]
Ger 1 German 2 Germany ger gerund
Gera (gei´řä) city in E Germany, in the state of Thuringia: pop. 132,000
gerah (gi:´rэ) •n. an ancient Hebrew coin and weight equal to ¹/20 of a shekel [Heb gera, lit., a bean]
Geraint (jэ reint´) Arthurian Legend a knight of the Round Table, husband of Enid [< Celt]
Gerald (jer´эld) a masculine name: dim. Jerry; fem. Geraldine [< OFr or OHG; OFr Giraut, Giralt < OHG Gerald, Gerwald < ger, spear (akin to OE gar: see GORE³) + base of waldan, to rule: for IE base see WIELD]
geraniol (jэ rei´ni: öl', -oul') •n. a terpene alcohol, C10H18O, found in many essential oils and having an odor resembling roses: used in perfumery [< ModL Geranium (see GERANIUM) + -OL¹: so named because deriv. from geranium leaves]
geranium (jэ rei´ni: эm) •adj. designating a family (Geraniaceae, order Geraniales) of dicotyledonous plants, including the pelargonium •n. 1 any of a large genus (Geranium) of plants of the geranium family, having pink or purple flowers, long bill-shaped seeds, and leaves with many lobes; cranesbill 2 PELARGONIUM: the florist's geranium 3 an intense red [L < Gr geranion, cranesbill, dim. < geranos, a crane < IE base *ger-, echoic of hoarse cry > CRANE]
Gerard (jэ rärd´) a masculine name: dim. Jerry [OFr Girart < OHG Gerhart < ger (see GERALD) + hart, HARD]
gerardia (jэ rär´di: э) •n. any of a genus (Gerardia) of American plants of the figwort family, with showy yellow, white, or pinkish flowers: it is sometimes parasitic on roots [ModL, after J. Gerard (1545-1612), Eng botanist]
gerbera (jэr bir´э, gэr-; jør´bэ rэ, gør´-) •n. an African plant (Gerbera jamesonii) of the composite family, with basal rosettes of leaves and single flower heads with numerous long, narrow ray flowers in white, pink, orange, salmon, or violet [ModL: so named after T. Gerber, 18th-c. Ger. physician and naturalist]
gerbil or gerbille (jør´bil, -bэl) •n. any of a subfamily (Gerbilinae, family Cricetidae) of burrowing rodents, with long hind legs and hairy tail, native to Africa and Asia: often kept as a pet [Fr gerbille < ModL gerbillus < gerbo, JERBOA]
gerent (jir´эnt) •n. [Rare] a person who manages, directs, governs, or rules [< L gerens (gen. gerentis), prp. of gerere, to bear, conduct]
gerenuk (ger´e nuk') •n. a small antelope (Litocranius walleri) of E Africa, with a very long neck and long legs [< Somali garanug]
gerfalcon (jør´föl'kэn, -fö'kэn; -fæl'-) •n. alt. sp. of GYRFALCON
geriatrician (jer'i: э trish´эn) •n. a doctor who specializes in geriatrics Also ger·i·at·rist (jer'i: æ´trist)
geriatrics (jer'i: æ´triks) •n.pl. [with sing. v.] the branch of medicine that deals with the diseases and problems of old age: see GERONTOLOGY ger'i·at´ric •adj. [< Gr gēras, old age, gerōn, old man (< IE base *Ger-, to grow ripe, age > CORN¹, CHURL, Sans járant-, feeble, old) + -IATRICS]
Géricault (zhei ři: kou´), (Jean-Louis-André-) Thé·o·dore (tei ô dôř´) 1791-1824; Fr. painter
germ (jørm) •n. 1 the rudimentary form from which a new organism is developed; seed; bud 2 any microscopic organism, esp. one of the bacteria, that can cause disease 3 that from which something can develop or grow; basis {the germ of an idea} [ME germe, a bud, sprout < OFr < L germen, sprig, bud, germ, embryo < IE *gen-men (> Sans janiman-, birth, origin) < base *Gen-: see GENUS]
germ cell a cell from which a new organism can develop; egg or sperm cell: opposed to SOMATIC CELL
germ layer Embryology any of the three primary layers of cells (ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm) from which the various organs and parts of the organism develop by further differentiation
germ plasm the reproductive cells of an organism, particularly that portion of the reproductive cells involved in heredity: cf. SOMATOPLASM
germ theory the theory that diseases are transmitted by specific germs, or microorganisms, as has been proved for many infectious diseases
germ warfare the deliberate contamination of enemy territory with disease germs during a war
german (jør´mэn) •adj. closely related; as, a) having the same parents {a brother-german} b) having the same grandparents on either the father's side or the mother's {a cousin-german is a first cousin}: now chiefly in compounds [ME germain, german < OFr germain < L germanus, akin to germen, a sprout, GERM] German (jør´mэn) •n. 1 a native or inhabitant of Germany 2 the Germanic language now spoken chiefly in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, technically called New High German: see also OLD HIGH GERMAN, MIDDLE HIGH GERMAN, HIGH GERMAN, LOW GERMAN 3 [g-] a) a complicated dance for many couples in which partners are changed often; cotillion b) a party at which the german is danced •adj. designating or of Germany, its people, or their culture or the language German [ME (only in pl.) < ML Germanus < L, prob. < Celt]
German cockroach CROTON BUG
German Democratic Republic see GERMANY
German East Africa former colony of the German Empire, in E Africa: it was the territory now consisting chiefly of Tanzania, Rwanda, & Burundi
German measles RUBELLA
German shepherd any of a breed of large dog somewhat resembling a wolf, with a bushy tail and erect ears, developed in Germany to herd sheep, now often used as a guard dog, a police dog, and a guide for the blind
German shorthaired pointer (shört´herd') any of a breed of large, lean hunting dog similar to, and probably descended from the same stock as, the pointer, with a short, thick coat, liver or liver-and-white in color
German silver NICKEL SILVER
German Southwest Africa old name of SOUTH WEST AFRICA
German wirehaired pointer any of a breed of large, lean hunting dog developed from various breeds including the pointer, but having a harsh, wiry coat of liver-and-white, bushy eyebrows, and a beard
germander (jэr mæn´dэr) •n. any of a genus (Teucrium) of plants of the mint family, with spikes of flowers that lack an upper lip [ME germandre < OFr germandree < ML germandra < Gr chamaidrys < chamai, on the ground (< IE base *Ghm-, Ghthem- > L humus & OE guma, man) + drys, TREE]
germane (jэr mein´) •adj. 1 truly relevant; pertinent; to the point 2 [Obs.] akin; german SYN. RELEVANT [var. of GERMAN]
Germanic (jэr mæn´ik) •adj. 1 [Now Rare] German 2 Teutonic 3 designating or of Germanic, the language or language group •n. 1 [Obs.] PROTO-GERMANIC 2 a principal branch of the Indo-European family of languages, comprising the languages descended from Proto-Germanic: it is divided into three groups: East Germanic (including Gothic), North Germanic (Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Icelandic, Old Norse, etc.), and West Germanic (English, Dutch, German, Yiddish, Frisian, etc.) [L Germanicus, of the Germans: orig. applied to a particular tribe, prob. Celtic]
Germanicus Caesar (jэr mæn´i kэs) 15 B.C.-A.D. 19; Rom. general: father of Caligula
Germanism (jør´mэn iz'эm) •n. 1 a German idiom or expression, used in another language 2 a German custom, way of thought, etc. 3 fondness for or imitation of German ways
Germanist (-ist) •n. a student of or specialist in German life or Germanic linguistics and literature
germanium (jэr mei´ni: эm) •n. a grayish-white, nonmetallic chemical element of the carbon family used in semiconductors, transistors, infrared equipment, etc.: symbol, Ge; at. wt., 72.59; at. no., 32; sp. gr., 5.32; melt. pt., 937.4°C; boil. pt., 2,830°C [ModL < L Germania, Germany]
Germanize (jør´mэn aiz') -ized', -iz'ing •vt. 1 to make German or like the Germans in thought, language, etc. 2 to translate into German •vi. to adopt German methods, attitudes, etc. Ger'man·i·za´tion •n.
Germano- (jэr mæn´ou, -э; jør´mэ nou', -nэ) combining form German, German and {Germanophobe}
Germanophile (jэr mæn´э fail') •n. a person who admires or favors Germany, its people, customs, influence, etc. [prec. + -PHILE]
Germanophobe (-foub') •n. a person who hates or fears Germany, its people, customs, influence, etc. [GERMANO- + -PHOBE]
Germantown (jør´mэn taun') NW section of Philadelphia, Pa.: formerly a separate town, scene of an American defeat in a Revolutionary War battle (1777)
Germany (jør´mэ ni:') country in NC Europe, on the North & Baltic seas; since reunification in 1990, comprising 16 states: formerly divided (1945) into four zones of occupation, administered respectively by France, Britain, the U.S., & the U.S.S.R., and partitioned (1949-90) into the Federal Republic of Germany, made up of the three western zones (British, French, & U.S.), also called West Germany; and the German Democratic Republic, comprising the eastern (U.S.S.R.) zone, also called East Germany: 137,772 sq. mi. (356,828 sq. km); pop. 77,454,000; cap. Berlin: official name Federal Republic of Germany [L Germania]
germen (jør´mэn) pl. -mens or -mi·na (-mi nэ) •n. [Archaic] a rudimentary form; embryo [L: see GERM]
germicide (jør´mэ said') •n. any antiseptic, etc. used to destroy germs ger'mi·ci´dal •adj. [< GERM + -CIDE]
germinal (jør´mэ nэl) •adj. 1 of, like, or characteristic of germs or germ cells 2 in an embryonic stage; in the first stage of growth or development ger´mi·nal·ly •adv. [Fr < ML germinalis < L germen (gen. germinis): see GERM]
germinal disk 1 a disklike spot in a fertilized ovum in which the first traces of the embryo are visible 2 the disklike spot on the yolk of a heavily yolked egg where segmentation begins after fertilization
germinal vesicle the greatly enlarged nucleus of an egg in the prophase of the first meiotic division
germinant (jør´mэ nэnt) •adj. that germinates; sprouting
germinate (-neit') -nat'ed, -nat'ing •vi., vt. 1 to sprout or cause to sprout, as from a spore, seed, or bud 2 to start developing or growing ger'mi·na´tion •n. ger´mi·na'tive •adj. [< L germinatus, pp. of germinare, to sprout < germen, a sprout, GERM]
Germiston (jør´mis tэn) city in S Transvaal, South Africa: pop. 155,000
Geronimo (jэ rän´э mou') c. 1829-1909; Apache Indian chief [Sp, Jerome, used as a nickname by the Mexicans]
gerontocracy (jer'эn tä´krэ si:) •n. 1 government by old men 2 pl. -cies a governing group composed of old men ger'on·to·crat´ic (-tou kræt´ik) •adj. [altered (modeled on -CRACY) < Fr gérontocratie < Gr geronto- (see GERONTOLOGY) + -kratia, -CRACY]
gerontology (jer'эn täl´э ji:) •n. the scientific study of the process of aging and of the problems of aged people: see GERIATRICS ger'on·to·log´i·cal (-tou läj´i kэl) •adj. ger'on·tol´o·gist •n. Etymology [Gr geronto- < gerōn (see GERIATRICS) + -LOGY]
gerontomorphosis (jэ rän'tou mör´fэ sis) •n. evolutionary development that produces extreme specialization and, ultimately, extinction of a species or race, as with the large dinosaurs [geronto- (see GERONTOLOGY) + MORPHOSIS]
-gerous (jэr эs) suffix producing or bearing {dentigerous} [L -ger < gerere, to bear + -OUS]
Gerry (ger´i:), El·bridge (el´brij) 1744-1814; Am. statesman: signer of the Declaration of Independence: vice president of the U.S. (1813-14)
gerrymander (jer´i mæn'dэr; also ger´-) •vt. 1 to divide (a voting area) so as to give one political party a majority in as many districts as possible or weaken the voting strength of an ethnic or racial group, urban population, etc. 2 to manipulate unfairly so as to gain advantage •vi. to engage in gerrymandering •n. a redistricting of voting districts to the advantage of one party or disadvantage of a group, region, etc. [satirical coinage after prec., governor of Mass. when the method was employed (1812) + (SALA)MANDER (the shape of the redistricted Essex County)]
Gershwin (gørsh´win), George (born Jacob Gershvin) 1898-1937; U.S. composer
Gertrude (gør´tru:d') a feminine name: dim. Gert, Gertie, Trudy [< Fr & Ger: Fr Gertrude < Ger Gertrud < OHG Geretrudis < ger, spear + trut, dear]
gerund (jer´эnd) •n. Gram. 1 in Latin, a verbal noun in the singular of all cases but the nominative, used to indicate continuing or generalized action (Ex.: probandi in onus probandi, the burden of proving) 2 in other languages, any of various forms analogous of this; specif., an English verbal noun ending in -ing that has all the uses of the noun but retains certain syntactic characteristics of the verb, such as the ability to take an object or an adverbial modifier (Ex.: playing in Playing golf is his only exercise) ge·run·di·al (jэ rûn´di: эl) •adj. [LL gerundium < L gerundus, ger. of gerere, to do, carry out]
gerundive (jэ rûn´div) •n. Gram. 1 in Latin, a verbal adjective with a typical gerund stem form, used as a future passive participle expressing duty, necessity, fitness, etc. (Ex.: delenda in delenda est Carthago, Carthage must be destroyed) 2 in other languages, any of various forms analogous to this ger·un·di·val (jer'эn dai´vэl) •adj. [ME gerundif < LL gerundivus < gerundium: see GERUND]
Geryon (ji:´ri: än'; ger´i: эn) Gr. Myth. a winged, three-bodied monster killed by Hercules as one of his twelve labors [L < Gr Gēryōn or Gēryonēs]
Gesamtkunstwerk (gэ zämt´kunst´veřk) •n. in the aesthetic theory of Richard Wagner, an ideal combination of performing arts, including music, drama, decor, etc. into a kind of total theater, as in opera
Gesell (gэ zel´), Arnold L(ucius) 1880-1961; U.S. psychologist: authority on child behavior
Gesellschaft (gэ zel´shäft') •n. the societal form of association in which rational order, neutral involvement, and obligations to institutions are dominant: opposed to GEMEINSCHAFT
gesneria (jes nir´i: э, ges-) •adj. designating a tropical family (Gesneriaceae, order Scrophulariales) of woody or fleshy dicotyledonous plants with showy tubular flowers, including the African violets, the gloxinias, and the episcias ges·ne´ri·ad •adj., n. [ModL, after K. V. Gesner (1516-65), Swiss naturalist]
gesso (jes´ou) •n. plaster of Paris (or, now, chalk) mixed with glue and applied to flat or carved surfaces or as bas-reliefs, etc. and then painted, gilded, etc. [It, gypsum, chalk < L gypsum, GYPSUM]
gest abbrev. died [Ger gestorben]
gest¹ or geste (jest) •n. 1 [Archaic] an adventure; deed; exploit 2 a romantic story of daring adventures, esp. a medieval tale in verse [ME geste < OFr < L gesta, deeds, pl. of pp. of gerere, to do, act]
gest² (jest) •n. [Archaic] 1 bearing; deportment; carriage 2 a gesture [Fr geste < L gestus, posture, gesture < pp. of gerere, to bear, behave]
Gesta Romanorum (jes´tэ rou'mэ nör´эm) a 14th-cent. European collection of tales in Latin, used as a source of plots by Chaucer, Shakespeare, etc. [ML, doings of the Romans]
gestalt (gэ shtält´, -stält´; -shtölt´, -stölt´) pl. -stalt´en (-ªn) •n.or -stalts´ [also G-] in Gestalt psychology, any of the integrated structures or patterns that make up all experience and have specific properties which can neither be derived from the elements of the whole nor considered simply as the sum of these elements [Ger, lit., shape, form < MHG pp. of stellen, to arrange, fix]
Gestalt psychology a school of psychology, developed in Germany, which affirms that all experience consists of gestalten, and that the response of an organism to a situation is a complete and unanalyzable whole rather than a sum of the responses to specific elements in the situation
Gestapo (gэ stä´pou, -stæp´ou) •n. the secret police force of the German Nazi state, notorious for its terrorism, brutality, etc. [< Ger Ge(heime) Sta(ats)po(lizei), secret state police]
gestate (jes´teit') -tat'ed, -tat'ing •vt. to carry in the uterus during pregnancy [back-form. < fol.]
gestation (jes tei´shэn) •n. 1 the act or period of carrying young in the uterus from conception to birth; pregnancy 2 a development, as of a plan in the mind [L gestatio < pp. of gestare, freq. of gerere, to bear, carry]
gestic (jes´tik) •adj. having to do with bodily movement, as dancing Also ges´ti·cal [GEST² + -IC]
gesticulate (jes tik´yu: leit', -yэ-) -lat'ed, -lat'ing •vi. to make or use gestures, esp. with the hands and arms, as in adding nuances or force to one's speech, or as a substitute for speech •vt. to express by gesticulating ges·tic´u·la'tive •adj. ges·tic´u·la'tor •n. [< L gesticulatus, pp. of gesticulari, to make mimic gestures < gesticulus, dim. of gestus, a gesture < pp. of gerere, to bear, carry, do]
gesticulation (jes tik'yu: lei´shэn, -yэ-) •n. 1 a gesticulating 2 a gesture, esp. an energetic one ges·tic´u·la·to'ry (-lэ tör'i:) •adj. [L gesticulatio]
gesture (jes´chэr) •n. 1 a movement, or movements collectively, of the body, or of part of the body, to express or emphasize ideas, emotions, etc. 2 anything said or done to convey a state of mind, intention, etc.; often, something said or done merely for effect or as a formality {a gesture of sympathy} •vi. -tured, -tur·ing to make or use a gesture or gestures •vt. to express with a gesture or gestures ges´tur·al •adj. ges´tur·er •n. [ME < ML gestura, mode of action < L gestus, pp. of gerere, to bear, carry]
Gesundheit (gэ zunt´hait') •n. (your) health: used to wish good health to someone who has just sneezed [Ger]
get (get) got, got´ten or got, get´ting •vt. 1 to come into the state of having; become the owner or receiver of; receive, win, gain, obtain, acquire, etc. 2 to reach; arrive at {to get home early} 3 to set up communication with, as by radio or telephone {to get Paris} 4 a) to go and bring b) to bring {go get your books} 5 a) to catch; capture; gain hold of b) to become afflicted with (a disease) 6 to learn; commit to memory 7 to discover to be as the result of experiment or calculation {add 2 and 2 to get 4} 8 to influence or persuade (a person) to do something {get him to leave} 9 to cause to act in a certain way {get the door to shut properly} 10 a) to cause to be {to get one's hands dirty} b) to cause to arrive at {get the copy to the printer} 11 to take (oneself) away: often used absolutely 12 to be sentenced to {to get ten years for robbery} 13 to prepare {to get lunch} 14 BEGET: said of animals 15 to manage or contrive {to get to do something} 16 [Colloq.] to be obliged to; feel a necessity to: with have or has {he's got to pass the test} 17 [Colloq.] to own; possess: with have or has {he's got red hair} 18 [Colloq.] to be or become the master of; esp., a) to overpower; have complete control of {his illness finally got him} b) to puzzle; baffle {this problem gets me} c) to take into custody, wound, or kill Æ d) Baseball to put (an opponent) out, as by catching a batted ball 19 [Colloq.] to strike; hit {the blow got him in the eye} 20 [Colloq.] to catch the meaning or import of; understand 21 [Slang] to cause an emotional response in; irritate, please, thrill, etc. {her singing gets me} Æ 22 [Slang] to notice or observe {get the look on his face} •vi. 1 to come, go, or arrive {to get to work on time} 2 to be or become; come to be (doing something); come to be (in a situation, condition, etc.) {to get caught in the rain, get in touch with me} 3 [Colloq.] to leave at once Get is used as a linking verb in idiomatic phrases, and as an informal auxiliary for emphasis in passive construction [to get praised] See usage note at GOTTEN •n. 1 the young of an animal; offspring; breed 2 a begetting 3 Tennis, etc. a retrieving of a shot seemingly out of reach get about 1 to move from place to place 2 to go to many social events, places, etc. 3 to circulate widely, as news get across [Colloq.] 1 to clarify or explain convincingly 2 to be clear; be understood 3 to succeed, as in making oneself understood or conveying one's personality to an audience get after [Colloq.] 1 to pursue or attack 2 to urge or goad persistently get along see phrase under ALONG get around 1 to get about (in all senses) Æ 2 to circumvent or overcome 3 to influence, outwit, or gain favor with by cajoling, flattering, etc. get around to 1 to find time or occasion for 2 to get started on, esp. after a delay get at 1 to approach or reach Æ 2 to apply oneself to (work, etc.) 3 to find out 4 to imply or suggest 5 [Colloq.] to influence by bribery or intimidation get away 1 to go away; leave 2 to escape 3 to start, as in a race Æ get away with [Slang] to succeed in doing or taking without being discovered or punished get back 1 to return 2 to recover Æ 3 [Slang] to retaliate; get revenge: usually with at get behind 1 to move to the rear of 2 to endorse or support 3 to fall into arrears, as in making a payment get by 1 to be fairly adequate or acceptable Æ 2 [Colloq.] to succeed without being discovered or punished 3 [Colloq.] to survive; manage get down 1 to descend 2 to dismount get down to to begin to consider or act on get in 1 to enter 2 to join or cause to join (an activity, group, etc.): also get in on 3 to arrive 4 to put in 5 to become familiar or closely associated (with) get it [Colloq.] Æ 1 to understand 2 to be punished get nowhere to make no progress; accomplish nothing get off 1 to come off, down, or out of 2 to leave; go away 3 to take off 4 to escape 5 a) to help escape sentence or punishment b) to lessen the sentence or punishment of 6 to start, as in a race Æ 7 to utter (a joke, retort, etc.) 8 to have a holiday; have time off get off on [Slang] to experience or receive pleasure and satisfaction from; enjoy get on 1 to go on or into 2 to put on 3 to proceed; make progress 4 to grow older 5 to succeed, as in making a living 6 to agree; be compatible get (one) off [Slang] to experience or cause to experience euphoria, intoxication, etc. as from a drug, an orgasm, etc. get one's own back See phrase under OWN get on for [Brit.] to approach (a time, amount, age, etc.) get out 1 to go out 2 to go away 3 to take out Æ 4 to become no longer a secret 5 to publish get out of 1 to go out from 2 a) to escape from or avoid b) to help escape from or avoid 3 to go beyond (sight, etc.) 4 to find out from, as by force get over 1 to recover from 2 to forget or overlook 3 [Colloq.] to get across (in all senses) get somewhere to accomplish something; succeed Æ get so (that) [Colloq.] to reach the point or state where get there Æ [Colloq.] to succeed get through 1 to finish 2 to manage to survive 3 to secure favorable action upon (a bill, etc.) 4 to establish communication, or make oneself clear (to) get to 1 to succeed in reaching or communicating with Æ 2 to influence, as by bribery or intimidation get together 1 to bring together; accumulate 2 to come together; gather Æ 3 [Colloq.] to reach an agreement get up 1 to rise (from a chair, from sleep, etc.) 2 to contrive; organize 3 to dress elaborately 4 to advance; make progress 5 to climb or mount Æ 6 go forward: used as a command to a horse get´ta·ble or get´a·ble •adj. SYN.—get is the word of broadest application meaning to come into possession of, with or without effort or volition [to get a job, an idea, a headache, etc.]; obtain implies that there is effort or desire in the getting [he has obtained aid]; procure suggests active effort or contrivance in getting or bringing to pass [to procure a settlement of the dispute]; secure, in strict discrimination, implies difficulty in obtaining something and in retaining it [to secure a lasting peace]; acquire implies a lengthy process in the getting and connotes collection or accretion [he acquired a fine education]; gain always implies effort in the getting of something advantageous or profitable [to gain fame] —ANT. lose, forgo [ME geten < ON geta, to get, beget, akin to OE -gietan (see BEGET, FORGET), Ger -gessen in vergessen, forget < IE base *ghend-, to seize, get hold of > L (pre)hendere, to grasp, understand]
geta (get´э, -ä) pl. ge´ta •n.or ge´tas in Japan, a high wooden clog fastened to the foot by a thong between the first and second toes [Jpn < ?]
getatable (get æt´э bэl) •adj. [Colloq.] easy to reach or ascertain; accessible get·at'a·bil´i·ty •n.
getaway (get´э wei') •n. 1 the act of starting, as in a race 2 the act of escaping, as from the police 3 a period of rest and relaxation, esp. a short one {a weekend getaway in the mountains}
Gethsemane (geθ sem´э ni:) Bible a garden on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, scene of the agony, betrayal, and arrest of Jesus: Matt. 26:36 •n. [often g-] any scene or occasion of agony [Gr Gethsēmanē < Aram gat shemanin, lit., oil press: ? because such a press was located there]
get-out (get´aut') •n. escape from an unpleasant situation Æ all get-out [Colloq.] the extreme degree, quality, etc. {big as all get-out}
getter (get´эr) •n. 1 one that gets 2 a material introduced into certain vacuum tubes and ignited after sealing to remove chemically any residual gases 3 [Cdn.] poisoned bait for farm pests
get-together (get´tэ geð'эr) •n. an informal social gathering or meeting
Gettysburg (get´iz børg') town in S Pa.: site of a crucial battle (July, 1863) of the Civil War and of a famous address by Abraham Lincoln dedicating a National Cemetery: pop. 7,000 [after J. Gettys, its 18th-c. founder]
get-up (get´ûp') •n. [Colloq.] 1 general arrangement or composition 2 costume; outfit; dress Æ 3 driving ambition; vigor; energy: also get´-up'-and-go´ (-эn gou´)
geum (ji:´эm) •n. AVENS [ModL < L]
GeV •n. giga-electron-volt; one billion electron-volts
gevalt or gevald (gэ vält´) •interj. help!: a cry of alarm [< E Yidd g'vald < MHG gewalt, force, violence]
gewgaw (gyu:´gö') •n. something showy but useless and of little value; trinket •adj. showy but useless [ME giuegoue, gugaw, redupl. < ?]
Gewürztraminer (gэ vørts´trэ mi:n'эr; Ger gэ vüřts´třä mi:'nэř) •n. [also g-] 1 a dry, fruity white wine with a spicy flavor and bouquet, produced orig. in Alsace and northern Italy and now also elsewhere 2 the pinkish grape from which it is made [Ger < gewürz, spice + traminer, variety of white grape, after Tramin (It Termeno), town in N Italy where it prob. originated]
gey (gei) •adj. [Scot.] considerable •adv. [Scot.] quite; very [var. of GAY]
geyser (gai´zэr; Brit gi:´-) •n. 1 a spring from which columns of boiling water and steam gush into the air at intervals 2 [Brit.] a small hot-water heater of the coil type [Ice Geysir, name of a certain hot spring in Iceland, lit., gusher < ON gjosa, to GUSH]
geyserite •n. siliceous material, usually opaline silica, deposited on the edges of geysers and hot springs
Gezira (jэ zir´э) region in EC Sudan, between the Blue Nile & the White Nile
G-force (ji:´ förs') •n. a unit measuring the inertial stress of a body during rapid acceleration in multiples of the acceleration of gravity Also g-force
Ghana (gä´nэ) country in W Africa, on the Gulf of Guinea: formed (1957) by a merger of the Gold Coast & the territory of Togoland: it is a member of the Commonwealth: 92,010 sq. mi. (238,300 sq. km); pop. 12,200,000; cap. Accra Gha·na·ian (gä´ni: эn, -nei-) •adj., n.
gharry or gharri (gær´i:) pl. -ries •n. in India, a vehicle, esp. a cab for hire: often used in combination {a horse-gharry} [Hindi gārī]
ghastly (gæst´li:, gäst´-) -li·er, -li·est •adj. 1 horrible; frightful 2 ghostlike; pale; haggard 3 [Colloq.] very bad or unpleasant •adv. in a ghastly manner ghast´li·ness •n. [ME gastli < gast, frightened, pp. of gasten, to frighten < OE gæstan < gæst, var. of gast (see GHOST): meaning infl. in ME by gostlich, GHOSTLY]
ghat or ghaut (göt, gät) •n. in India, a) a mountain pass b) a flight of steps leading down to a river landing for ritual bathers [Hindi ghāt]
Ghats (göts, gäts) two mountain ranges (Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats) forming the east & west edges of the Deccan Plateau, India: highest peak, 8,841 ft. (2,693 m)
ghazi (gä´zi:) •n. a Muslim hero, esp. one who wars against infidels [Ar ghāzī, prp. of ghazā, to fight]
ghee (gi:) •n. in India, the liquid butter remaining when butter from cow's milk or buffalo milk is melted, boiled, and strained [Hindi ghī]
Ghent (gent) city in NW Belgium: capital of East Flanders: pop. 234,000
gherkin (gør´kin) •n. 1 a plant (Cucumis anguria) of the gourd family bearing small, prickly, cucumberlike fruit 2 the fruit of this plant, used for pickles 3 the immature fruit of the cucumber when pickled [< Du or LowG gurken, cucumber < Pol ogórek < ModGr angouri < LGr angourion, watermelon < Pers angārah]
ghetto (get´ou) pl. -tos or -toes •n. 1 in certain European cities, a section to which Jews were formerly restricted 2 any section of a city in which many members of some minority group live, or to which they are restricted as by economic pressure or social discrimination [It, lit., foundry (< gettare, to pour < VL *jectare, for L jactare, to throw, cast), name of a quarter in Venice occupied by Jews, orig. location of a cannon foundry]
ghetto blaster [Slang] a large, powerful, portable radio and tape player: so called because of its popularity among inner-city blacks: a mildly offensive term
ghettoize (-aiz') -ized', -iz'ing •vt. 1 to restrict to a ghetto 2 to make into a ghetto ghet'to·i·za´tion •n.
Ghibelline (gib´э li:n', -lin, -lain') •n. any member of a political party in medieval Italy that supported the authority of the German emperors in Italy in opposition to the papal party of the Guelphs •adj. of this party [It Ghibellino, for Ger Waiblingen, Hohenstaufen estate in Franconia]
Ghiberti (gi: beř´ti:), Lo·ren·zo (lô řen´tsô) (born Lorenzo di Cione di Ser Buonaccorso) 1378-1455; Florentine sculptor, painter, & worker in metals
ghillie (gil´i:) •n. 1 a tongueless shoe with loops instead of eyelets, and a lace that may be tied around the ankle: also ghillie tie 2 alt. sp. of GILLIE¹ [var. of GILLIE¹]
Ghirlandaio (giř'län dä´yô), Do·men·i·co (dô mei´ni: kô) (born Domenico di Tommaso Bigordi) 1449-94; Florentine painter: also sp. Ghir'lan·da´jo
ghost (goust) •n. 1 orig., the spirit or soul: now only in give up the ghost (to die) and in HOLY GHOST 2 the supposed disembodied spirit of a dead person, conceived of as appearing to the living as a pale, shadowy apparition 3 a haunting memory 4 a) a faint, shadowy semblance; inkling b) a slight trace {not a ghost of a chance} Æ 5 [Colloq.] GHOSTWRITER 6 Optics, TV an unwanted secondary image •vi. Æ to work as a ghostwriter •vt. 1 to haunt Æ 2 to be the ghostwriter of ghost´like' •adj. [altered (prob. after Fl gheest) < ME goste < OE gast, soul, spirit, demon, akin to Ger geist < IE base *gheizd-, to be excited, frightened > Sans hēd-, to be angry]
ghost dance a North American Indian dance of the 19th cent., in connection with a messianic belief
ghost town the remains of a deserted town, permanently abandoned esp. for economic reasons
ghost word a word created through misreading of manuscripts, misunderstanding of grammatical elements, etc. and never really established in a language [term invented by W. W. Skeat]
ghostly (goust´li:) -li·er, -li·est •adj. 1 of, like, or characteristic of a ghost; spectral 2 [Now Rare] having to do with the soul or religion; spiritual ghost´li·ness •n. [ME gostlich < OE gastlic, spiritual, spectral]
ghostwriter (goust´rait'эr) •n. a person who writes books, articles, etc. for another who professes to be the author ghost´write', -wrote', -writ'ten, -writ'ing, •vt., vi.
ghoul (gu:l) •n. 1 Muslim Folklore an evil spirit that robs graves and feeds on the flesh of the dead 2 a person who robs graves 3 a person who derives pleasure from loathsome acts or things ghoul´ish •adj. ghoul´ish·ly •adv. ghoul´ish·ness •n. [Ar ghūl, demon of the desert < ghāla, to seize]
GHQ General Headquarters
GHz gigahertz
GI (ji:´ai´) •adj. 1 Mil. a) orig., galvanized iron {a GI can} b) now, government issue (designating clothing, equipment, etc. issued to military personnel) 2 [Colloq.] a) of or characteristic of the U.S. armed forces or their personnel {a GI haircut} b) inclined to a strict observance of military regulations and customs {a captain who is very GI} c) of or for veterans of the U.S. armed forces •n. pl. GI's or GIs [Colloq.] any member of the U.S. armed forces; esp., an enlisted soldier gi 1 gastrointestinal 2 general issue 3 gill(s): see GILL² GI abbrev. 1 gastrointestinal 2 general issue
GI Joe [Slang] any man in the U.S. armed forces; esp., an enlisted soldier in World War II [G.I., orig. abbrev. < g(alvanized) i(ron), interpreted as g(overnment) i(ssue) + JOE]
Giacometti (jä'kô met´ti:), Al·ber·to (äl beř´tô) 1901-66; Swiss sculptor & painter, mainly in France
giant (jai´эnt) •n. 1 Gr. Myth. any of a race of huge beings of human form who war with the gods 2 any imaginary being of human form but of superhuman size and strength 3 a person or thing of great size, strength, intellect, etc. •adj. like a giant; of great size, strength, etc. gi´ant·ess •n.fem. [ME geant < NormFr gaiant (OFr jaiant) < VL *gagante < L gigas (pl. gigantes), huge fabled beings (in Vulg., giant) < Gr gigas (gen. gigantos), in LXX, a man of great size and strength]
giant anteater ANT BEAR (sense 1)
giant panda a large, black-and-white carnivore (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) of a bearlike family (Ailuropodidae) from China that normally feeds on bamboo
giant powder a blasting explosive that is like dynamite
giant sequoia BIG TREE
giantism (-iz'эm) •n. GIGANTISM
Giant's Causeway headland in N Northern Ireland, consisting of thousands of small, vertical basaltic columns: c. 3 mi. (4.8 km) long
giaour (jaur) •n. in Muslim usage, a non-Muslim; esp., a Christian [prob. via It < Turk giaur (modern sp. gâvur) < Ar kāfir, infidel: see KAFFIR]
giardiasis (ji:'är dai´э sis, jär'-) pl. -ses •n. an intestinal infection by a parasitic protozoan (Giardia lamblia) that may cause prolonged pain, diarrhea, etc.
Giauque (ji: ouk´), William Francis 1895-1982; U.S. chemist
gib¹ (gib) •n. an adjustable piece of metal, etc. for keeping moving parts of a machine in place or for reducing friction •vt. gibbed, gib´bing to fasten or fit with a gib [ME gibbe, a swelling < L gibba, a hump < gibbus, bent, prob. < IE base *geibh- > Norw dial. keiv, askew]
gib² (gib) •n. a male cat; esp., a castrated male cat [ME gibbe, short for GILBERT, used as a proper name for a cat]
gibber (jib´эr) •vi., vt. to speak or utter rapidly and incoherently; chatter unintelligibly •n. unintelligible chatter; gibberish [echoic]
gibberellic acid (jib'эr el´ik) an acid, C19H22O6, isolated from various fungi and other plants, and used to increase the growth of plants and seedlings and to improve the yield of certain fruit-bearing plants [< fol. + -IC]
gibberellin (jib эr el´in) •n. one of a group of organic compounds, secreted by an ascomycetous fungus (Gibberella fujikuroi), which behave like plant hormones in stimulating the growth of roots, leaves, and stems, the germination of seeds, etc. [< ModL Gibberella (dim. of L gibber, hump on the back < gibbus: see GIB¹) + -IN¹]
gibberish (jib´эr ish) •n. rapid and incoherent talk; unintelligible chatter; jargon [< GIBBER]
gibbet (jib´it) •n. 1 a gallows 2 a structure like a gallows, from which bodies of criminals already executed were hung and exposed to public scorn •vt. 1 to execute by hanging 2 to hang on a gibbet 3 to expose to public scorn [ME gibet, gallows, forked stick < OFr, dim. < Frank *gibb, forked stick]
Gibbon (gib´эn), Edward 1737-94; Eng. historian gibbon (gib´эn) •n. any of a family (Hylobatidae) of small, slender, long-armed, tree-dwelling, anthropoid apes of India, S China, and the East Indies [Fr < native name]
Gibbons (gib´эnz), Orlando 1583-1625; Eng. organist & composer
gibbosity (gi bäs´i ti:) •n. 1 the state or quality of being gibbous 2 pl. -ties a swelling or protuberance [OFr gibbosite < ML gibbositas < L gibbosus]
gibbous (gib´эs) •adj. 1 protuberant; rounded and bulging 2 designating the moon, a planet, etc. in that phase in which more than half, but not all, of the face reflects sunlight to the earth: see MOON, illus. 3 humpbacked; kyphotic [ME < L gibbosus < gibba: see GIB¹]
Gibbs (gibz), J(osiah) Willard 1839-1903; U.S. mathematician & physicist
gibe (jaib) gibed, gib´ing •vi., vt. to jeer or taunt; scoff (at) •n. a jeer; taunt; scoff gib´er •n. [< ? OFr giber, to handle roughly]
giblet (jib´lit) •n. any of various edible parts of a fowl, as the heart, gizzard, or neck, that are usually cooked separately or are used in making gravy: usually used in pl. [ME gibelet < OFr, stew made of game, roast game < gibier, wild game < gibois, game < Frank *gibaiit, falconry; akin to ON beita: see BAIT]
Gibraltar (ji bröl´tэr) 1 small peninsula at the southern tip of Spain, extending into the Mediterranean: 2.5 sq. mi. (6.4 sq. km); it consists mostly of a rocky hill (Rock of Gibraltar), 1,396 ft. (426 m) high 2 Brit. crown colony, including a port & naval base, on this peninsula: pop. 29,000 3 Strait of strait between Spain & Morocco, joining the Mediterranean & the Atlantic: c. 35 mi. (58 km) long •n. any strong fortification; unassailable fortress
Gibran (ji brän´), Kha·lil (kä li:l´) (Ar. name Jubrān Khalil Jubrān) 1883-1931; Lebanese novelist, poet, & artist, in the U.S. (after 1910)
Gibson (gib´sэn) •n. [also g-] a dry martini cocktail served with a tiny pickled onion [after H. Gibson (1883-1954), U.S. diplomat]
Gibson Desert central section of the vast desert region of Western Australia
Gibson girl (gib´sэn-) the fashionable, young American woman of the 1890's as depicted by Charles Dana Gibson (1867-1944), U.S. illustrator
gid (gid) •n. a disease, esp. of sheep, caused by the larvae of a tapeworm (Multiceps multiceps) in the brain or spinal cord [< fol.]
giddy (gid´i:) -di·er, -di·est •adj. 1 feeling dizzy or unsteady 2 causing or likely to cause dizziness {a giddy height} 3 turning or circling around very rapidly; whirling 4 a) inconstant; fickle b) frivolous; flighty; heedless •vt., vi. -died, -dy·ing to make or become giddy gid´di·ly •adv. gid´di·ness •n. [ME gidie < OE gydig, insane, prob. < base (*gud) of god, GOD + -ig (see -Y³): hence, basic meaning possessed by a god]
giddyap (gid'i: æp´) •interj. start moving! go faster!: a direction to a horse Also gid'dy·up´ (-ûp´) or gid·dap (gi dæp´) [altered < get up]
Gide (zhi:d), An·dré (Paul Guillaume) (äñ dřei´) 1869-1951; Fr. writer
Gideon (gid´i: эn) 1 a masculine name 2 Bible a judge of Israel and a leader in the defeat of the Midianites: Judg. 6-8 [Heb gidon, lit., hewer < gada, to hew]
Gideons International (gid´i: эnz) a Protestant organization for placing Bibles in hotels, motels, hospitals, etc., founded in 1899 by a group of traveling salesmen
gie (gi:, gi) gied or gae, gi·en (gi:´эn), gie´ing [Scot. or North Eng.] to give •vt., vi.
Gielgud (gi:l´gud'), Sir (Arthur) John 1904- ; Eng. actor
gift (gift) •n. 1 something given to show friendship, affection, support, etc.; present 2 the act, power, or right of giving 3 a natural ability; talent {a gift for languages} •vt. 1 to present a gift to 2 to present as a gift SYN. PRESENT, TALENT look a gift horse in the mouth to be critical of a gift or favor From the practice of judging a horse's age by its teeth [ME < OE, portion, wedding gift (< giefan: see GIVE) & ON gift, gift (< gefa, akin to GIVE), akin to Ger gift, poison]
gift certificate a certificate that can be purchased, as from a store, for presentation as a gift: it entitles the recipient to select merchandise in the amount indicated
gift of tongues 1 Bible a divine gift making utterances of the Apostles to be heard as though spoken in each of the various languages native to their hearers (Acts 2, 1-13) 2 GLOSSOLALIA
gifted (gift´id) •adj. 1 having a natural ability or aptitude; talented 2 notably superior in intelligence
gift-wrap (gift´ræp') -wrapped', -wrap'ping •vt. to wrap as a gift, with decorative paper, ribbon, etc.
Gifu (gi:´fu:´) city on central Honshu, Japan: pop. 408,000
gig¹ (gig) •n. 1 a light, two-wheeled, open carriage drawn by one horse 2 a long, light ship's boat, esp. one reserved for the commanding officer 3 a machine for raising nap on cloth [for gig mill] •vi. gigged, gig´ging to travel in a gig [ME gigge, whirligig, prob. < Scand, as in Dan gig, whirling object, top, Norw dial. giga, to shake, totter < IE *gheigh- < base *ghei-, to gape > GAPE, GIGGLE]
gig² (gig) •n. 1 a fish spear 2 a fish line with hooks designed to catch fish by jabbing into their bodies •vt., vi. gigged, gig´ging to spear or jab with or as with a gig [contr. < earlier fishgig, fizgig < Sp fisga, kind of harpoon < fisgar < LL *fixicare, to attach < L fixare, fasten < fixus: see FIX]
gig³ (gig) •n. [Slang] 1 an official record or report of a minor delinquency, as in a military school; demerit 2 punishment for such a delinquency •vt. gigged, gig´ging [Slang] to give a gig to [< ?]
gig4 (gig) •n. [Slang] 1 a job performing music, esp. jazz or rock 2 any job •vi. gigged, gig´ging [Slang] to have a job performing music, esp. jazz or rock [< ?]
giga- (gig´э, gai´gэ; jig´э, jai´gэ) combining form one billion; the factor 109 {gigaton} [< Gr gigas, GIANT]
gigabyte (-bait') •n. 1 a unit of storage capacity in a computer system, equal to 1,073,741,824 (2³0) bytes 2 loosely, one billion bytes Abbrev. GB [prec. + BYTE]
gigahertz (-hørts') •n. one billion hertz: formerly gi´ga·cy'cle (-sai'kэl) [GIGA- + HERTZ]
gigantean (jai'gæn ti:´эn, jai gæn´ti: эn) •adj. GIGANTIC [< L giganteus < gigas (see GIANT) + -AN]
gigantesque (jai'gæn tesk´, -gэn-) •adj. like or fit for a giant; gigantic [Fr < It gagantesco < gigante: see GIANT]
gigantic (jai gæn´tik) •adj. 1 of, like, or fit for a giant 2 very big; huge; colossal; enormous; immense SYN. ENORMOUS gi·gan´ti·cal·ly •adv. [< L gigas (gen. gigantis): see GIANT + -IC]
gigantism (jai gæn´tiz'эm, -gэn-; jai´gæn-) •n. 1 the quality or state of being gigantic 2 abnormally great growth of the body, due to an excessive production of growth hormone by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland [see GIGANTIC & -ISM]
gigantomachy (jai'gæn täm´э ki:, -gэn-) •n. 1 [G-] Gr. Myth. the war between the giants and the gods 2 a war between giant powers [LL gigantomachia < Gr < gigas (see GIANT) + machē, battle]
gigaton (jig´э tûn´) •n. the explosive force of a billion tons of TNT: a unit for measuring the power of thermonuclear weapons [GIGA- + TON]
giggle (gig´эl) -gled, -gling •vi. to laugh with a series of uncontrollable, rapid, high-pitched sounds in a silly or nervous way, as if trying to hold back; titter •n. the act or sound of giggling SYN. LAUGH gig´gler •n. gig´gly, -gli·er, -gli·est, •adj. [16th c., prob. < Du giggelen: for IE base see GIG¹]
GIGO (gig´ou; gai´gou, gi:´-) •n. an acronym noting the fact that garbled input to a computer results in garbled output [g(arbage) i(n,) g(arbage) o(ut)]
gigolo (jig´э lou', zhig´-) -los' •n. 1 a man who is paid to be a dancing partner or escort for women 2 a man who is the lover of a woman and is supported by her [Fr, masc. back-form. < gigole, prostitute, orig., tall, thin woman < OFr < gigue, long-legged, thin girl, thigh, leg, fiddle: see GIGOT]
gigot (jig´эt, zhi: gou´) •n. 1 a leg of mutton, lamb, veal, etc. 2 a leg-of-mutton sleeve [Fr < OFr, leg of mutton, dim. of gigue, a fiddle < MHG giga, a fiddle: for IE base see JIG¹]
gigue (zhi:g) •n. a jig, esp., the stylized form used as a movement of a classical suite [Fr]
Gijón (hi: hôn´) seaport in NW Spain: pop. 256,000
Gila (hi:´lэ) river in S Ariz., flowing southwest into the Colorado: 630 mi. (1,013 km) long [Sp < Yuman name, lit., salty water]
Gila monster (hi:´lэ) a stout, sluggish, poisonous lizard (Heloderma suspectum, family Helodermatidae) having a short, stumpy tail and a body covered with beadlike scales arranged in alternating rings of black and orange, pink, or yellow: found in desert regions of the SW U.S. and in Mexico [< prec.]
gilbert (gil´bэrt) •n. the cgs unit for magnetomotive force, equal to 0.7958 ampere turn [after W. Gilbert (c. 1540-1603), Eng physician] Gilbert (gil´bэrt) 1 a masculine name: dim. Gil 2 Cass (kæs) 1859-1934; U.S. architect 3 Sir Humphrey c. 1539-83; Eng. navigator and colonizer in North America 4 Sir William Schwenck (shweŋk) 1836-1911; Eng. humorous poet & librettist: collaborated with Sir Arthur Sullivan in writing comic operas [OFr Guillebert < OHG Williberht < willo, WILL¹ + beraht, BRIGHT]
Gilbert Islands group of islands in the WC Pacific which in 1979 became the independent nation of KIRIBATI
gild¹ (gild) gild´ed or gilt, gild´ing •vt. 1 a) to overlay with a thin layer of gold b) to coat with a gold color 2 to make appear bright and attractive 3 to make (something) seem more attractive or more valuable than it is gild´er •n. [ME gilden < OE gyldan < Gmc *gulthjan < *gultha (> Goth gulth, GOLD) + *-jan, caus. suffix]
gild² (gild) •n. alt. sp. of GUILD
Gilda (gil´dэ) a feminine name
gilding (gil´diŋ) •n. 1 a) the art or process of applying gold leaf or a substance like gold to a surface b) the substance so applied 2 an outward appearance covering unpleasant facts, reality, etc.
Gilead (gil´i: эd) mountainous region of ancient Palestine, east of the Jordan (Gen. 37:25)
Giles (jailz) 1 a masculine name 2 Saint (c. 7th cent. A.D.); semilegendary Athenian hermit in S Gaul: his day is Sept. 1 [OFr Gilles < L Aegidius < aegis: see AEGIS]
Gilgamesh (gil´gэ mesh') Bab. Legend an ancient king and hero of an epic (Gilgamesh Epic) completed about 2000 B.C. containing an account of a flood like the Biblical Flood Also Gil´ga·mish' (-mish') [< Bab]
gill cleft (or slit) (gil) VISCERAL CLEFT
gill fungus (gil) any basidiomycete that has spores borne on the lower side of the cap; agaric
gill net (gil) a net set upright in the water to catch fish by entangling their gills in its meshes
gill¹ (gil) •n. 1 the organ for breathing of most animals that live in water, as fish, lobsters, or clams, consisting of a simple saclike or complex feathery evagination of the body surface, usually richly supplied with blood 2 [pl.] a) the red flesh hanging below the beak of a fowl; wattle b) the flesh under and about the chin and lower jaw of a person 3 any of the thin, leaflike, radiating plates on the undersurface of a mushroom, on which the basidiospores are produced gilled (gild) •adj. [ME gile, prob. < Anglo-N < or akin to ON gjolnar, jaws, gills, older Dan (fiske) gaeln, Swed gäl < IE base *ghelunā-, jaw > Gr chelynē, lip, jaw]
gill² (jil) •n. a unit of liquid measure, equal to ¼ pint or 4 ounces (.1183 liter) [ME gille < OFr, measure for wine < LL gillo, cooling vessel]
gill³ (jil) •n. [also G-] [Archaic] a girl or woman; esp., a sweetheart [contr. of Gillian, proper name < L Juliana, fem. of Julianus: see JULIAN]
gill4 (gil) •n. [Brit.] 1 a wooded ravine or glen 2 a narrow stream; brook [ME gille < ON gil < IE base *Gheri-, to gape > YAWN, L hiatus]
Gillespie (gi les´pi:), Dizzy (born John Birks Gillespie) 1917-93; U.S. jazz musician
Gillette (ji let´), King Camp 1855-1932; U.S. inventor of the safety razor
Gillian (jil´i: эn) a feminine name
gillie¹ or gilly (gil´i:) pl. -lies •n. in the Scottish Highlands a) [Archaic] a male servant b) a sportsman's attendant or guide [Scot < Gael gille, lad, page]
gillie² (gil´i:) alt. sp. of GHILLIE (sense 1) •n. [var. of GILLY]
gilliflower (jil´i flau'эr) •n. 1 any of several plants of various families with clove-scented flowers, as the carnation 2 STOCK (sense 6) 3 WALLFLOWER (sense 1) Also sp. gil´ly·flow'er [altered (after FLOWER) < ME gilofre < OFr gilofre, girofle, gilliflower < LL caryophyllon < Gr karyophyllon, clove tree < karyon, nut (see HARD) + phyllon, leaf (see BLOOM¹)]
Gilsonite (gil´sэn ait') Æ trademark for UINTAITE [after S. H. Gilson, of Salt Lake City, Utah]
gilt¹ (gilt) •vt. alt. pt. & pp. of GILD¹ •adj. overlaid with gilding •n. GILDING
gilt² (gilt) •n. a young female pig; immature sow [ME gilte < ON gyltr: for IE base see GELD¹]
gilt-edged (gilt´ejd') •adj. 1 having gilded edges, as the pages of a book 2 of the highest quality, grade, or value {gilt-edged securities} Also gilt´-edge'
gilthead (gilt´hed') •n. any of various marine fishes with gold markings on the head; esp., an edible European porgy (Sparus aurata)
gimbals (gim´bэlz, jim´-) •n.pl. [with sing. v.] a pair of rings pivoted on axes at right angles to each other so that one is free to swing within the other: a ship's compass, pelorus, etc. will remain horizontal at all times when suspended in gimbals gim´baled (-bªld) •adj. [altered < ME gemelles, twins < L gemellus, dim. of geminus, twin]
gimcrack (jim´kræk') •adj. showy but cheap and useless •n. a cheap, showy, useless thing; knickknack [altered < ME gibbecrak, an ornament, prob. < gibben, to be erratic (< OFr giber) + crak, a bursting sound]
gimcrackery (-эr i:) •n. 1 gimcracks, collectively 2 showy but cheap and useless decoration, effects, etc.
gimel (gim´эl) name of the third letter of the Hebrew alphabet (ג) •n. [Heb gīmel, lit., camel: see GAMMA]
gimlet (gim´lit) •n. 1 a small boring tool with a handle at right angles to a shaft having at the other end a spiral, pointed cutting edge 2 a cocktail made of sweetened lime juice, gin, or vodka, and sometimes soda •vt. to make a hole in with or as with a gimlet [ME < OFr guimbelet, altered (with dim. suffix -et) < wimbelquin < MDu wimmelkijn < wimmel, WIMBLE + dim. suffix -kijn, -KIN]
gimlet-eyed (-aid') •adj. having a piercing glance
gimmal (gim´эl, jim´-) •n. a ring formed of two or more interlocked circlets [see GIMBALS]
gimme (gim´i:) •adj. [Slang] acquisitive; greedy {the gimme generation} •n. pl. -mies [Slang] acquisitiveness; greediness: with the {a bad case of the gimmies} [a phonetic alteration of give me]
gimmick (gim´ik) •n. [Colloq.] 1 a) a secret means of controlling a gambling device b) anything that tricks or mystifies; deceptive or secret device 2 a) an attention-getting device or feature, typically superficial, designed to promote the success of a product, campaign, etc. b) any clever little gadget or ruse •vt. [Colloq.] to use gimmicks in or add gimmicks to gim´mick·y •adj. [< ? GIMCRACK]
gimmickry (-ri:) •n. [Colloq.] 1 gimmicks collectively 2 the use of gimmicks Also gim´mick·er·y (-эr i:)
gimmie (gim´i:) •n. Golf an easy putt conceded to one's opponent
gimp¹ (gimp) •n. a ribbonlike, braided fabric, sometimes stiffened with wire, used to trim garments, furniture, etc. [? via Du < Fr guimpe, wimple < OFr guimple < Frank *wimpil: for IE base see WIMPLE]
gimp² (gimp) •n. [Slang] fighting spirit; vigor [< ?]
gimp³ (gimp) •n. 1 [Slang] a lame person 2 [Colloq.] a halting, lame walk •vi. [Colloq.] to limp gimp´y •adj. [prob. < Norw dial. gimpa, to rock, tip over < IE base *gwhemb-, to jump, hop]
gin mill (jin) [Slang] a bar or saloon
gin rummy (jin) a variety of rummy in which a hand with unmatched cards totaling no more than 10 points may be exposed: the hand exposed wins or loses points, depending on whether the opponent's unmatched cards add up to a higher or lower total: see also GIN5 [orig., a play on GIN¹, suggested by rhum, early form of RUMMY¹, n.]
gin¹ (jin) •n. 1 a strong, aromatic alcoholic liquor distilled from rye and other grains and flavored with juniper berries 2 a similar liquor differently flavored {sloe gin} 3 [Archaic] alcoholic liquor generally [< GENEVA]
gin² (jin) •n. 1 a snare, net, or trap, as for game or fish 2 a machine for hoisting heavy objects Æ 3 COTTON GIN •vt. ginned, gin´ning 1 to catch in a trap 2 to remove seeds from (cotton) with a gin [ME, ingenuity, machine, aphetic < OFr engin, ENGINE]
gin³ (gin) gan, gin´ning •vt., vi. [Archaic] to begin [ME ginnen, aphetic form of beginnen (see BEGIN) & onginnen (OE onginnan, to attempt)]
gin4 (gin) conj. [Scot.] if; whether [? contr. < GIVEN, infl. ? by Scot prep. gin, by (a certain time)]
gin5 (jin) •n. Æ GIN RUMMY •vi. ginned, gin´ning Æ to win in gin rummy with no unmatched cards left in one's hand, thus gaining additional points
Gina (ji:´nэ) a feminine name: see REGINA
gingelli or gingelly (jin´jэ li:) •n. var. of GINGILI
Ginger (jin´jэr) a feminine name: see VIRGINIA ginger (jin´jэr) •adj. designating a family (Zingiberaceae, order Zingiberales) of aromatic, monocotyledonous tropical plants, including galangal •n. 1 an Asiatic herb (Zingiber officinale) of the ginger family, widely cultivated in the tropics for its aromatic rhizome, used as a spice or perfume and in medicine 2 the rhizome, or the spice made from it 3 a sandy or reddish-brown color Æ 4 [Colloq.] vigor; spirit •vt. 1 to flavor with ginger 2 to invigorate; enliven [ME gingere, gingivere < OE gingifer & OFr gingivre, both < ML gingiber < L zingiber < Gr zingiberi < Pali singivera]
ginger ale a carbonated, sweetened soft drink flavored with ginger
ginger beer a carbonated drink like ginger ale but with a stronger flavor obtained from fermented ginger
ginger jar a round jar with a domed lid, bulging out from the top and in toward the base, often adapted as a lamp base
gingerbread (jin´jэr bred') •n. 1 a cake flavored with ginger and molasses 2 showy ornamentation, as gaudy or fancy carvings on furniture, gables, etc. •adj. cheap and showy; gaudy Also gin´ger·bread'y Etymology [ME ginge bred, altered (after bred, BREAD) < gingebras, preserved ginger, ginger pudding < OFr gingembraz < gingibre < ML gingiber, GINGER]
gingerbread palm or gingerbread tree DOUM
gingerly (jin´jэr´li:) •adv. in a very careful or cautious way •adj. very careful; cautious gin´ger·li·ness •n. [altered (after GINGER) < ? OFr genzor, compar. of gent, delicate (see GENT²) + -LY²]
gingersnap (jin´jэr snæp') •n. a crisp, spicy cookie flavored with ginger and molasses
gingery (jin´jэr i:) •adj. 1 a) like or flavored with ginger b) spicy; pungent 2 sandy or reddish in color 3 lively, vigorous, sharp, etc.
gingham (giŋ´эm) •n. a yarn-dyed cotton cloth, usually woven in stripes, checks, or plaids [< Du gingang or Fr guingan, ult. < Malay ginggang, striped (cloth)]
gingili (jin´ji li:) •n. 1 SESAME 2 the oil of the sesame seed Also gin´gil·li [Hindi jinjalī < Ar juljulān]
gingiva (jin jai´vэ) pl. -vae •n. GUM² gin·gi´val (-vэl, jin´jэ vэl) •adj. [L < IE base *geng-, lump, ball > KINK]
gingivitis (jin'jэ vait´is) •n. inflammation of the gums [ModL < prec. + -ITIS]
gingko (giŋ´kou) pl. ging´koes •n. var. of GINKGO
Ginie (jin´i:) a feminine name: see VIRGINIA
gink (giŋk) •n. [Slang] a man or boy, esp. one regarded as odd [< ? dial. gink, a trick (> Scot ginkie, term of reproach applied to a woman)]
ginkgo (giŋ´kou; also giŋk´gou') pl. gink´goes •n. an Asiatic tree (Ginkgo biloba) with fan-shaped leaves and fleshy, yellow, foul-smelling seeds enclosing a silvery, edible inner kernel: the only living member of a class (Ginkgoatae) of gymnosperms [Jpn ginkyo < Sino-Jpn gin, silver + kyō, apricot]
ginner (jin´эr) •n. a person who operates a cotton gin
Ginnie Mae (jin´i: mei´) 1 Government National Mortgage Association: a Federal agency which buys pools of mortgages from lenders and sells interests in them by offering securities to the public 2 pl. Ginnie Maes any of the securities offered by this agency: usually used in pl.
Ginsberg (ginz´børg'), Allen 1926- ; U.S. poet
ginseng (jin´seŋ') •adj. designating a family (Araliaceae, order Apiales) of dicotyledonous plants, shrubs, and trees, usually having flat clusters of small, white or greenish flowers and, often, fragrant leaves, including Hercules'-club and English ivy •n. 1 any of several perennial herbs (genus Panax) of the ginseng family, with thick, forked, aromatic roots, esp. a Chinese species (P. pseudoginseng) and a North American species (P. quinquefolium) 2 the root of any of these plants, or a preparation made from it, used as a tonic [Chin jēn shēn < jēn, man (from the shape of the root) + shēn, the constellation Orion]
Gioconda (jou kän´dэ; It jô kôn´dä), La (lä) a portrait by Leonardo da Vinci, more commonly called MONA LISA [It, lit., the cheerful one]
giocoso (jô kô´sô) •adj., adv. Musical Direction with a gay, playful quality [It: see JOCOSE]
Giorgione (jôř jô´ne), II (i:l) (born Giorgio Barbarelli) c. 1478-1510; Venetian painter
Giotto (di Bondone) (jout´tô di: bôn dô´ne; E jät´ou) c. 1266-1337; Florentine painter & architect
gip (jip) •n., vt., vi. alt. sp. of GYP¹
gipon (ji pän´, jip´än') •n. JUPON [ME < OFr gipon, jupon: see JUPON]
Gipsy (jip´si:) •n., adj., vi. GYPSY
giraffe (jэ ræf´, -räf´) pl. -raffes´ or -raffe´ either of two species (genus Giraffa, family Giraffidae) of African ruminants, with a very long neck and legs: the tallest of existing animals, they often reach a height of 5.5 m (c. 18 ft.) •n. [G-] the constellation Camelopardus [Fr < It giraffa < Ar zarāfa]
girandole (jir´эn doul') •n. 1 a revolving cluster of fireworks 2 a revolving water jet 3 a branched candleholder, often attached to a wall mirror 4 a pendant or earring with small stones grouped around a larger one Also gi·ran·do·la (ji ræn´dэ lэ) [Fr < It girandola < girare, to turn < LL gyrare < gyrus, a circle < Gr gyros: see GYRO-]
Girard (jэ rärd´), Stephen 1750-1831; Am. financier & philanthropist, born in France
girasol (jir´э söl', -säl', -soul') •n. 1 JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE 2 FIRE OPAL Also gir´a·sole' (-soul') [Fr < It girasole < girare (see GIRANDOLE) + sole (< L sol, SUN¹)]
Giraudoux (zhi: řou du:´), (Hippolyte) Jean (zhäñ) 1882-1944; Fr. playwright & novelist
gird¹ (gørd) gird´ed or girt, gird´ing •vt. 1 to encircle or fasten with a belt or band 2 to surround, encircle, or enclose 3 a) to equip, furnish, clothe, etc. b) to endow with some attribute 4 to prepare (oneself) for action [ME girden < OE gyrdan, akin to Ger gürten < IE base *gherdh-, to enclose > YARD²]
gird² (gørd) •n., vi., vt. gibe; scoff; jeer [ME girden, to strike, assail with words < ? OE *gyrdan for *gierdan, lit., to rod < gierd, gerd, a rod (see YARD¹): infl. by prec.]
girder (gør´dэr) •n. a large beam, usually horizontal, of timber or steel, for supporting the joists of a floor, the framework of a building, the superstructure of a bridge, etc. [GIRD¹ + -ER]
girdle (gørd´ªl) •n. 1 a belt or sash for the waist 2 anything that surrounds or encircles Æ 3 a woman's elasticized undergarment for supporting or molding the waist and hips 4 the rim of a cut gem: see GEM, illus. Æ 5 a ring made by removing bark around the trunk of a tree, so as to kill it 6 Anat. a bony arch or encircling structure supporting the limbs {the pelvic girdle} •vt. -dled, -dling 1 to surround or bind, as with a girdle 2 to encircle Æ 3 to remove a ring of bark from (a tree) as by cutting or chewing [ME girdil < OE gyrdel < base of gyrdan (see GIRD¹): akin to Ger gürtel]
girdler (gørd´lэr) •n. 1 a person who makes girdles 2 a person or thing that girdles, or encircles Æ 3 any insect that cuts girdles in trees, esp. an American beetle (Oncideres cingulata) that lays its eggs in holes bored into twigs
girl (gørl) •n. 1 a female child 2 a young, unmarried woman 3 a female servant or other employee: sometimes considered a patronizing term 4 [Colloq.] a woman of any age, married or single: sometimes considered a patronizing term 5 [Colloq.] a sweetheart of a boy or man 6 [Colloq.] a daughter [ME girle, gurle, youngster of either sex < ? OE *gyrele, prob. akin to LowG göre, Ger dial. gör, girl < IE base *Gher-, small > OIr gair, short]
Girl Guide a member of an organization (Girl Guides) in Great Britain, Canada, and other countries that is similar to the Girl Scouts
Girl Scout a member of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, an organization founded by Juliette Low (as Girl Guides) in 1912, which provides healthful, character-building activities for girls five to seventeen years of age
girlfriend (gørl´frend') •n. [Colloq.] 1 a sweetheart of a boy or man 2 a girl who is one's friend 3 the woman friend of a woman
girlhood (-hud') •n. 1 the state or time of being a girl 2 girls collectively
girlie or girly (gørl´i:) pl. girl´ies •n. [Slang] a girl or woman Æ adj. [Slang] designating or of magazines, shows, etc. chiefly devoted to displaying nude or nearly nude young women, esp. in a tasteless or vulgar way
girlish (gørl´ish) •adj. of, like, or suitable to a girl or girlhood girl´ish·ly •adv. girl´ish·ness •n.
girn (gørn, girn) •n., vi., vt. [Dial., Chiefly Brit.] snarl; grimace [ME girnen, var. of grennen: see GRIN]
Gironde (jэ ränd´; Fr zhi: řouñd´) 1 the Girondist Party 2 estuary in SW France, formed by the juncture of the Garonne & Dordogne rivers and flowing into the Bay of Biscay: c. 45 mi. (73 km) long 3 historical region of France, on the Bay of Biscay
Girondist (ji rän´dist) •n. a member of a French political party (1791-93) that advocated moderate republican principles: it was suppressed by the Jacobins •adj. designating or of this party [so named because first led by deputies from Gironde]
girt¹ (gørt) •vt. alt. pt. & pp. of GIRD¹
girt² (gørt) •vt. 1 to gird; girdle 2 to fasten with a girth 3 to measure the girth of •vi. to measure in girth [ME girten, var. of girden: see GIRD¹]
girth (gørθ) •n. 1 a band put around the belly of a horse or other animal for holding a saddle, pack, etc. 2 the circumference, as of a tree trunk or person's waist •vt. 1 to girdle; encircle 2 to fasten or bind with a girth •vi. to measure in girth [ME gerth < ON gjörth < base of gyrtha, to encircle, akin to OE gyrdan: see GIRD¹]
gisarme (gi zärm´) •n. a battle-ax or halberd with a long shaft, formerly carried by foot soldiers [ME < OFr, prob. < *getsarna < OHG getisarn, lit., weeding iron (< geten, to weed + isarn, IRON): form infl. by arme, ARM²]
gismo (giz´mou) pl. -mos •n. [Slang] GIZMO
Gissing (gis´iŋ), George (Robert) 1857-1903; Eng. novelist
gist (jist) •n. 1 Law the grounds for action in a lawsuit 2 the essence or main point, as of an article or argument [ME giste < OFr, abode, point at issue < 3d pers. sing., pres. indic., of gesir, to lie < L jacere, to lie; sense infl. by Anglo-Fr legal phrase l'action gist, lit., the action lies]
gittern (git´эrn) •n. an early instrument of the guitar family, having an oval body and wire strings [ME giterne < OFr guiterne, altered < OSp guitarra: see GUITAR]
give (giv) gave, giv´en, giv´ing •vt. 1 to turn over the possession or control of to someone without cost or exchange; make a gift of 2 to hand or pass over into the trust or keeping of someone {to give the porter a bag to carry, to give a daughter in marriage} 3 to hand or pass over in exchange for something else; sell (goods, services, etc.) for a price or pay (a price) for goods, services, etc. 4 to relay; pass along {to give regards to someone} 5 to produce in a person or thing; cause to have; impart {to give pleasure, to give someone a cold} 6 to confer or assign (a title, position, name, etc.) 7 to act as host or sponsor of (a party, dance, etc.) Æ 8 to put in communication with, as by telephone 9 to be the source, origin, or cause of; produce; supply {cows give milk} 10 a) to part with for some cause; sacrifice {to give one's life for a cause} b) to devote to some occupation, pursuit, etc. {to give one's life to art} 11 to concede; yield {to give a point in an argument} 12 to offer or yield (oneself) to a man for sexual intercourse 13 to show; exhibit {to give every indication of being a fool} 14 to put forward for acceptance or rejection; offer; proffer {to give a suggestion} 15 a) to perform {to give a concert} b) to introduce or present (a speaker, the subject of a toast, etc.) 16 to make (a gesture, movement, etc.) {to give a leap} 17 to perform (a physical act) {to give someone a hug, kiss, etc.} 18 to administer or dispense (medicine, etc.) 19 to utter, emit, or produce (words, sounds, etc.); put in words; state {to give a reply} 20 to inflict or impose (punishment, sentence, etc.) •vi. 1 to make gifts or donations; contribute 2 to bend, sink, move, break down, yield, etc. from force or pressure 3 to be springy; be resilient 4 to provide a view of, or a way of getting to, someplace; open: usually with on, upon, or onto {the window gives on the park} 5 [Colloq.] to occur; happen: chiefly in the phrase what gives? 6 [Slang] to abandon a claim, fight, etc.; give in or give up •n. 1 a bending, moving, sinking, etc. under pressure 2 a tendency to be springy; resilience give and take to exchange on an even basis give away 1 to make a gift of; donate; bestow 2 in a marriage ceremony, to present (the bride) ritually to the bridegroom Æ 3 [Colloq.] to reveal, expose, or betray give back to return or restore give forth to send forth; emit; issue give in 1 to hand in 2 to abandon a claim, fight, or argument; surrender; yield give it to [Colloq.] to punish; beat or scold give off to send forth or out; emit give or take plus or minus {a price of $1.00, give or take a few cents} give out 1 to send forth or out; emit 2 to cause to be known; make public 3 to distribute 4 to become worn out or used up; fail to last give over 1 to hand over 2 to stop; cease 3 to set apart for some purpose give to understand (or believe, etc.) to cause to understand (or believe, etc.) give up 1 to hand over; turn over; relinquish; surrender 2 to stop; cease 3 to admit failure and stop trying 4 to lose hope for; despair of 5 to sacrifice; devote wholly SYN.—give is the general word meaning to transfer from one's own possession to that of another; grant implies that there has been a request or an expressed desire for the thing given [to grant a favor]; present implies a certain formality in the giving and often connotes considerable value in the gift [he presented the school with a library]; donate is used especially of a giving to some philanthropic or religious cause; bestow stresses that the thing is given gratuitously and often implies condescension in the giver [to bestow charity upon the poor]; confer implies that the giver is a superior and that the thing given is an honor, privilege, etc. [to confer a title, a college degree, etc.] [ME given (with g- < ON gefa, to give), yeven < OE giefan, akin to Ger geben < IE base *ghabh-, to grasp, take > L habere, to have: the special Gmc sense of this base results from its use as a substitute for IE *dō- (as in L dare, to give)]
give-and-take (giv´эn teik´) •n. 1 a yielding and conceding on both sides; compromise 2 an exchange of remarks or retorts on equal terms; repartee; banter
giveaway (giv´э wei') •n. Æ 1 an unintentional revelation or betrayal 2 something given free or sold cheap so as to attract customers, etc. Æ 3 the appropriation of public lands, resources, etc. for private profit Æ 4 a radio or television program in which prizes are given to contestants
giveback (-bæk') •n. a workers' benefit or right, previously gained as through labor negotiations, relinquished to management, usually in exchange for a wage increase or some other concession
given (giv´эn) •vt., vi. pp. of GIVE •adj. 1 bestowed; presented 2 accustomed, as from habit or inclination; prone {given to lying} 3 stated; specified {a given date} 4 taken as a premise; assumed; granted {given that ABC is a right triangle} 5 issued or executed (on the specified date by the specified person): used in official documents •n. that which is assumed to be true or is accepted as a fact
given name the first name of a person; name given at birth or baptism, as distinguished from the surname; forename
giver (giv´эr) •n. a person who gives: often in compounds {lawgiver, almsgiver}
Gîza (gi:´zэ) city in N Egypt, near Cairo: site of the Sphinx & three pyramids: pop. 1,246,000 Also sp. Gî´zeh
gizmo (giz´mou) pl. -mos •n. [Slang] any gadget or contrivance [< ? Sp gisma, obs. or dial. var. of chisme, trifle, jigger, ult. < L cimex, a bug]
gizzard (giz´эrd) •n. 1 the second stomach of a bird: it has thick muscular walls and a tough lining for grinding food that has been partially digested in the first stomach 2 [Colloq.] the stomach: a humorous usage [ME giser (+ unhistoric -d) < OFr gisier < L gigeria, pl., cooked entrails of poultry < ? an Iran base > Pers džigar, liver]
Gk Greek
glabella (glэ bel´э) pl. -lae (-i:, -ai') •n. smooth prominence on the forehead between the eyebrows and just above the nose gla·bel´lar •adj. [ModL < L, fem. of glabellus, without hair < glaber: see GLABROUS]
glabrate (glei´breit', -brit) •adj. 1 glabrous or nearly glabrous 2 becoming glabrous when old or mature [< L glabratus, pp. of glabrare, lit., to make smooth, deprive of hair < glaber: see GLABROUS]
glabrous (glei´brэs) •adj. Biol. without hair, down, or fuzz; bald gla´brous·ness •n. [< L glaber, smooth, bald (< IE *ghladh-ros < *ghlādh-: see GLAD¹) + -OUS]
glacé (glæ sei´) •adj. 1 having a smooth, glossy surface, as certain leathers or silks 2 candied or glazed, as fruits •vt. -céed´, -cé´ing to glaze (fruits, etc.) [Fr, pp. of glacer, to freeze < L glaciare < glacies, ice: see GLACIAL]
glacial (glei´shэl; chiefly Brit, -si: эl) •adj. 1 of or like ice or glaciers 2 of or produced by a glacier or a glacial epoch or period 3 freezing; frigid {glacial weather} 4 cold and unfriendly {a glacial stare} 5 as slow as the movement of a glacier {glacial progress} 6 Chem. having an icelike appearance, esp. of acids that crystallize slightly below room temperature, as pure acetic acid gla´cial·ly •adv. [L glacialis, icy, frozen < glacies, ice < IE *glag-, partial redupl. of base *gel-, to freeze > COLD]
glacial epoch 1 any part of geologic time when large parts of the earth were covered with glaciers; ice age 2 the latest of these times, the Pleistocene Epoch, when a large part of the Northern Hemisphere was intermittently covered with glaciers
glacialist (-ist) •n. a student of glaciers and their action
glaciate (glei´shi: eit', -si:-) -at'ed, -at'ing •vt. 1 a) to cover over with ice or a glacier b) to form into ice; freeze 2 to expose to or change by glacial action gla'ci·a´tion •n. [< L glaciatus, pp. of glaciare, to turn into ice, freeze: see GLACIAL & -ATE¹]
glacier (glei´shэr; chiefly Brit, -si: эr) •n. a large mass of ice and snow that forms in areas where the rate of snowfall constantly exceeds the rate at which the snow melts: it moves slowly outward from the center of accumulation or down a mountain until it melts or breaks away [Fr (orig., Savoy dial. > also Ger gletscher) < VL *glaciarium < glacia, for L glacies, ice: see GLACIAL]
Glacier National Park national park in NW Mont., on the Canadian border: it contains over 200 lakes & 60 small glaciers: 1,560 sq. mi. (4,040 sq. km)
glaciology (glei'shi: äl´э ji:, -si:-) •n. 1 the scientific study of the formation, movements, etc. of glaciers 2 the glacial formations of a particular region gla'ci·o·log´i·cal (-shi: э läj´i kэl, -si:-) •adj. gla'ci·ol´o·gist •n. [glacio- (< GLACIER) + -LOGY]
glacis (glei´sis, glæs´is) pl. -cis' (-si:z') or -cis·es (-sis iz) •n. 1 a gradual slope 2 an embankment sloping gradually up to a fortification, so as to expose attackers to defending gunfire [Fr < OFr glacier, to slip < glace, ice < VL glacia: see GLACIER]
glad hand a cordial welcome, esp. one that is effusive or overly demonstrative glad´-hand´ •vt., vi. glad´-hand´er •n.
glad rags [Slang] fine or dressy clothes
glad¹ (glæd) glad´der, glad´dest •adj. 1 feeling or characterized by pleasure or joy; happy; pleased 2 causing pleasure or joy; making happy 3 very willing {I'm glad to help} 4 bright or beautiful •vt., vi. glad´ded, glad´ding [Archaic] to gladden [ME gladen < OE gladian] SYN. HAPPY glad´ly •adv. glad´ness •n. [ME < OE glæd, akin to Ger glatt, smooth (the orig. Gmc sense) < IE *ghlādh-, shining, smooth < base *Ghel-, to shine > GLEAM, GOLD]
glad² (glæd) colloq. var. of GLADIOLUS (sense 1) •n.
gladden (glæd´ªn) •vt. to make glad •vi. [Archaic] to be or become glad [< GLAD¹ + -EN]
glade (gleid) •n. 1 an open space in a wood or forest Æ 2 an everglade [ME < glad, GLAD¹: orig. sense prob. bright, smooth place, use similar to Ger lichtung, glade < licht, light, Fr clairière < clair, clear]
gladiate (glei´di: eit', -it; glæd´i:-) •adj. Bot. sword-shaped [< L gladius, sword (see GLADIATOR) + -ATE¹]
gladiator (glæd´i: eit'эr) •n. 1 in ancient Rome, a man who fought other men or animals with a sword or other weapon in an arena, for the entertainment of spectators: gladiators were slaves, captives, or paid performers 2 any person taking part in a public controversy or fight glad·i·a·to·ri·al (glæd'i: э tör´i: эl) •adj. [L < gladius, sword, via Celt (as in Welsh cleddyf, sword) < IE base *kel-, to strike > L calamitas]
gladiola (glæd'i: ou´lэ; also glэ dai´э lэ) •n. GLADIOLUS (sense 1) [mistaken as sing. of fol.]
gladiolus (glæd'i: ou´lэs; also glэ dai´э lэs) pl. -lus·es or -li' •n. 1 any of a genus (Gladiolus) of plants of the iris family, with swordlike leaves, corms, and tall spikes of funnel-shaped flowers in various colors 2 Anat. the central part of the sternum [ModL < L, sword lily, small sword, dim. of gladius: see GLADIATOR]
gladsome (glæd´sэm) •adj. joyful or cheerful glad´some·ly •adv. [see GLAD¹, adj. & -SOME¹]
Gladstone (glæd´stoun; Brit, -stэn), William Ew·art (yu:´эrt) 1809-98; Brit. statesman: prime minister (1868-74; 1880-85; 1886; 1892-94)
Gladstone (bag) (glæd´stoun', -stэn) a traveling bag hinged so that it can open flat into two compartments of equal size [after prec.]
Gladys (glæd´is) a feminine name [Welsh Gwladys, prob. < L Claudia: see CLAUDIA]
glaikit or glaiket (gleik´it) •adj. [Chiefly Scot.] foolish; flighty; giddy [ME]