cornered

cornered [kwrnrd]

adjective

1. in difficult position: in a difficult or embarrassing position, especially when there is no easy way of escape 2. with corners: with a particular number or type of corners (usually used in combination) 3. with number of contenders: with a particular number of contenders a three-cornered struggle for the championship

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reckless
reckless [rklss]

adjective

without thought of danger: marked by a lack of thought about danger or other possible undesirable consequences with a reckless disregard for the established safety procedures

[ Old English rec(c)elas < Germanic] -recklessly, adverb -recklessness, noun

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cowboy
cowboy [kw by] (plural cowboys)

noun

1. man who tends cattle: a man hired to round up, drive, and tend cattle, especially in the western United States. Cowboys traditionally work on horseback, but now also use motor vehicles. 2. male character in Westerns: a male character in stories and movies about the West in the late 1800s, often shown fighting Native Americans or outlaws 3. male rodeo performer: a man who performs or competes in shows such as rodeos 4. reckless person: a reckless person, especially a driver or pilot (slang disapproving)

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barter
barter verb (past and past participle bartered, present participle bartering, 3rd person present singular barters)
1. transitive and intransitive verb exchange goods or services: to exchange goods or services in return for other goods or services 2. intransitive verb negotiate terms of agreement: to negotiate or argue over the terms of a transaction

noun
1. exchange of goods or services: the practice or system of exchanging goods and services 2. things bartered: goods or services that are exchanged

[15th century. Probably < Old French barater (see barratry)] -barterer, noun

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cripple
cripple [krpp'l] noun (plural cripples)
1. offensive term: an offensive term for somebody whose use of a limb or limbs is impaired 2. offensive term: an offensive term for somebody who is challenged in a particular area or aspect, e.g., financially

transitive verb (past and past participle crippled, present participle crippling, 3rd person present singular cripples)
1. offensive term: an offensive term meaning to impair the ability of somebody to move, e.g., as a result of an accident or medical condition 2. impair functioning or progress: to impair the functioning or progress of something such as a machine or project Dissent has crippled corporate decision-making.

[ Old English crypel < Germanic, "bent"] -crippled, adjective -crippling, adjective -cripplingly, adverb

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sanction

sanction [sngksh'n] noun (plural sanctions)

1. authorization: official permission or approval for a course of action unable to proceed without the sanction of the board 2. support: something that serves as approval or encouragement, e.g. social acceptance or custom 3. law: a law or rule that leads to a penalty being imposed when it is disobeyed 4. penalty imposed for breaking rule: a punishment imposed as a result of breaking a law or rule 5. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS punitive measure to pressure country: a measure taken by one or more nations to apply pressure on another nation to conform to international law or opinion (often used in the plural) imposed trade sanctions 6. ETHICS principle determining behavior: an ethical principle or consideration that determines or influences somebody's conduct

transitive verb (past and past participle sanctioned, present participle sanctioning, 3rd person present singular sanctions)
1. authorize something: to grant official approval or permission for something The county government refused to sanction the proposed design. 2. tacitly approve of something: to allow something to be tolerated or accepted The school's inaction further sanctions this behavior.

[15th century. Via French < Latin sanction- < sanctus "holy" (see saint)] -sanctionable, adjective -sanctioner, noun -sanctionless, adjective

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assert
assert [ srt] (past and past participle asserted, present participle asserting, 3rd person present singular asserts)

verb

1. transitive verb state something: to state something as being true She asserted that she had never seen the man before. 2. transitive verb insist on rights: to insist on or exercise your rights He asserted his Fifth Amendment rights and refused to testify. 3. or assert yourselfreflexive verb behave forcefully: to exercise your power, influence, and prerogatives in an obvious way The new management quickly began to assert itself after the takeover. 4. reflexive verb become known or effective: to start to have an effect or become noticeable The relationship went well until their age difference began to assert itself.

[Early 17th century. < Latin assert-, past participle of asserere "join to" < serere "join, connect"]

-assertable, adjective -asserter, noun

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nuke
nuke [nook]

transitive verb (past and past participle nuked, present participle nuking, 3rd person present singular nukes)
1. use nuclear weapons against enemy: to attack somebody or something with nuclear weapons (slang) 2. FOOD microwave something: to cook something in a microwave oven (informal)

noun (plural nukes) (slang)

1. ARMS Same as nuclear weapon 2. U.S. nuclear power plant: a nuclear power plant

[Mid-20th century. Shortening of nuclear]

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bluster
bluster [blstr] verb (past and past participle blustered, present participle blustering, 3rd person present singular blusters)
1. transitive and intransitive verb speak or say loudly or arrogantly: to speak loudly, boisterously, or arrogantly, or say something in this way 2. transitive and intransitive verb behave in bullying way: to behave or do something in a bullying or threatening way 3. intransitive verb blow loudly in gusts: to blow in sudden loud gusts (refers to winds)

noun (plural blusters)

1. loud arrogant speech: loud, boisterous, or arrogant speech 2. bullying behavior: bullying or threatening behavior 3. loud gust: a sudden loud gust of wind 4. loud fuss: a loud or angry commotion

[Early 15th century. < Middle Low German blustern "blow violently"] -blusterer, noun -blusteringly, adverb -blustery, adjective

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edge
edge [ej] noun (plural edges)
1. border: a line or area that is the outermost part or the part farthest away from the center of something a tablecloth with embroidered edges 2. part above drop: the area where land suddenly falls away steeply the cliff edge 3. brink: the point or moment just before a marked change or event on the edge of victory 4. meeting surfaces: the line where two surfaces of something solid meet A cube has 6 faces and 12 edges. 5. sharp side: the cutting side of a blade a razor's edge 6. sharpness: sharpness of a blade a knife with a fine edge 7. sharp quality: a piercing, cutting, or wounding quality, e.g. of language or expression There was an unmistakable edge to her remarks. 8. vigor: noticeable vigor and energy After the timeout there was a new edge to the team's play. 9. advantage: an advantage over somebody, e.g. a competitor (informal) Their strategy still has the edge over more recent approaches. 10. provocative risky manner: an audacious, provocative, original quality or manner

verb (past and past participle edged, present participle edging, 3rd person present singular
edges)
1. intransitive verb move gradually: to move gradually sideways, or make something move in this direction by pushing it just room enough to edge through 2. transitive verb sharpen something: to give a sharp edge to a blade 3. transitive verb SKIING lean on part of ski: to put weight down on the outer or inner side of a ski so that its edge cuts into the snow 4. transitive verb trim something: to cut, shape, or trim the border of something a tool for edging the lawn 5. transitive verb add border to something: to add a border to something, especially a decorative one a handkerchief edged with lace

adjective
provocatively risky and daring: operating or behaving in an intense, provocative, daring, and innovative fashion working in an edge business like cable television

[ Old English ecg "corner, edge, sword" < Indo-European, "be sharp or pointed"]

-edger, noun live on the edge to be habitually in highly stressful and demanding situations, often involving physical risk and danger on edge in an irritated or nervous state take the edge off something 1. to reduce the intensity or strength of something The snack took the edge off my hunger. 2. to do something that makes a situation or person less tense

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confrontation
confrontation [knfrn tysh'n] (plural confrontations)

noun

1. encounter: a face-to-face meeting or encounter, especially a challenging or hostile one 2. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS hostility without warfare: hostility between nations stopping short of actual warfare, though probably involving armed forces 3. conflict between ideas or people: conflict between ideas, beliefs, or opinions, or between the people who hold them This country is headed for a confrontation over the exploitation of natural resources. 4. comparison or opposition: a comparison or contrast between parts that have been brought together into a whole Her sculpture is a superb confrontation of traditional and modern elements.

-confrontational, adjective -confrontationist, noun adjective

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confront
confront [kn frnt] (past and past participle confronted, present participle confronting, 3rd person present singular confronts)

transitive verb

1. challenge somebody face to face: to come face to face with somebody, especially in a challenge, and usually with hostility, criticism, or defiance 2. make somebody aware of something: to bring something such as contradictory facts or evidence to the attention of somebody, often in a challenging way confronted her with the evidence

3. encounter difficulty: to be forced to deal with something, especially an obstacle that must be overcome This is just one of the difficulties students confront these days. 4. be problem for somebody: to cause difficulty to or present an obstacle for somebody The hardships that would confront the settlers were blissfully unknown when they started out.

[Mid-16th century. Via French < medieval Latin confrontare < Latin front- "forehead"] -confronter, noun

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maim
maim [maym] (past and past participle maimed, present participle maiming, 3rd person present singular maims)

transitive verb

wound or disable somebody: to inflict a severe and permanent injury on a person or animal, especially one that renders a limb useless maimed by a land mine

[14th century. < Old French mahaignier]

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ropewalker
ropewalker [rp wwkr] (plural ropewalkers)

noun

tightrope walker: an acrobat who performs on a rope stretched above the ground, especially a tightrope walker

[Early 17th century]

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dwindle
dwindle [dwnd'l] (past and past participle dwindled, present participle dwindling, 3rd person present singular dwindles)

transitive and intransitive verb

diminish: to decrease little by little in size, number, or intensity and approach zero, or make something decrease in this way Supplies were dwindling.

[Late 16th century. < obsolete dwine "waste away" < Indo-European, "become exhausted"]

Microsoft Encarta 2007. 1993-2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

bullion
bullion

noun

1. bars of gold or silver: gold or silver in the form of bars or ingots 2. mass of metal: metal in the form of an unshaped mass 3. TEXTILES gold or silver braid: gold or silver ornamental braid

[15th century. < Anglo-Norman, "mint" < Latin bullire "boil" < bulla "bubble"]

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vault 2
vault [vawlt] verb (past and past participle vaulted, present participle vaulting, 3rd person present singular vaults)
1. transitive and intransitive verb spring over object: to leap or spring over something, especially by pushing on it with the hands or using a pole 2. intransitive verb move with bound: to move with a leap or bound 3. intransitive verb rise suddenly to prominence: to arrive somewhere or achieve something suddenly She vaulted to fame with the publication of her first novel. 4. transitive and intransitive verb RIDING Same as curvet

noun (plural vaults)

1. act of vaulting: an act of vaulting 2. RIDING Same as curvet

[Mid-16th century. Via Old French volter < assumed Vulgar Latin volvitare "roll repeatedly" < Latin volvere "turn, roll"] -vaulter, noun

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staple 2
staple [styp'l] noun (plural staples)
1. basic ingredient of diet: a food that forms the basis of the diet of the people of a region or of an animal 2. principal or recurring ingredient: a principal or continually recurring ingredient or feature of something Lurid stories are a staple of tabloid journalism. 3. most important product of trade: the commodity or product that is most important to the trade of a country, region, or organization 4. U.S. raw material: a raw material, especially the principal raw material produced or grown in a region 5. MANUFACTURING wool, cotton, or flax fiber: wool, cotton, or flax fiber graded according to its length and fineness

transitive verb (past and past participle stapled, present participle stapling, 3rd person present singular staples)
MANUFACTURING grade fibers: to grade wool, cotton, or flax fiber according to its length and fineness

[14th century. Via French < Middle Low German, Middle Dutch stapel "shop; pillar" < Germanic]

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prose
prose [prz] noun (plural proses)
1. language that is not poetry: writing or speech in its normal continuous form, without the rhythmic or visual line structure of poetry 2. ordinary style of expression: writing or speech that is ordinary or matter-of-fact, without embellishment 3. CHRISTIANITY Same as sequencen (sense 6)

verb (past and past participle prosed, present participle prosing, 3rd person present singular proses)
1. transitive and intransitive verb write something in prose: to write something in prose 2. transitive verb rewrite something as prose: to turn poetry into prose 3. intransitive verb speak or write prosaically: to speak or write in an ordinary, matter-of-fact, or unimaginative style

[13th century. Via French < Latin prosa (oratio) "straightforward (discourse)" < provertere "turn forward" < vertere "to turn"]

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queue
queue [kyoo] noun (plural queues)
1. COMPUT set of computer tasks: a series of messages or jobs waiting to be processed automatically one after the other by a computer system 2. COMPUT list of data: a list of computer data constructed and maintained on a first in, first out basis 3. U.K. Australia New Zealand Same as line1 (sense 3) 4. HISTORY man's pigtail: a short braid of hair worn at the back of the neck by soldiers and sailors in the late 18th and early 19th centuries

verb (past and past participle queued, present participle queuing or queueing, 3rd person present singular queues)
1. transitive verb COMPUT add something to computer's tasks: to add a job or message to the list of tasks being held in storage by a computer, awaiting automatic dispatching 2. intransitive verb U.K. form waiting line: to form a line while waiting for something

[Late 16th century. Via French < Latin cauda "tail"]

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discrete
discrete

adjective
1. completely separate: completely separate and unconnected 2. finite: describes mathematical elements or variables that are distinct, unrelated, and have a finite number of values

[14th century. < Latin discretus (see discreet)] -discretely, adverb -discreteness, noun See discreet.

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intervention
intervention [ntr vnshn] (plural interventions)

noun

1. action affecting another's affairs: the act of intervening, especially a deliberate entry into a situation or dispute in order to influence events or prevent undesirable consequences 2. market manipulation: economic action that is designed to counter a trend in a market, especially in order to stabilize a country's currency

-interventional, adjective

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sequester
sequester [si kwstr] (past and past participle sequestered, present participle sequestering, 3rd person present singular sequesters)

transitive verb

1. put somebody into isolation: to put somebody in an isolated or lonely place away from other people, the pressures of everyday life, or possible disturbances (formal) 2. LAW take property to cover obligation: to take legal possession of somebody's property temporarily until a debt that person owes is paid, a dispute is settled, or a court order is obeyed 3. INTERNATIONAL LAW take enemy's property: to demand or seize the property of an enemy

[14th century. Via French < late Latin sequestrare "place in safe keeping" < sequester "follower, trustee"]

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chelate 1
chelate noun (plural chelates)
compound of metal and nonmetal: a chemical compound in which metallic and nonmetallic, usually organic, atoms are combined. These compounds are characterized by a ring structure in which a metal ion is attached to two nonmetal ions by covalent bonds.

verb (past and past participle chelated, present participle chelating, 3rd person present singular chelates)
1. transitive and intransitive verb combine to form chelate: to combine, or combine something, with a metal to form a chelate 2. transitive verb MEDICINE treat somebody with chelating agent: to treat somebody with a chelating agent in order to remove a heavy metal such as lead from the bloodstream

-chelatable -chelate, adjective

, adjective

-chelation [kee lysh'n], noun -chelator , noun

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iconic
iconic [ knnik]

adjective

1. characterized by fame: relating to or characteristic of somebody or something admired as an icon Their fame has grown to iconic proportions. 2. typical of religious icon: relating to or characteristic of a religious icon iconic images 3. conventional: made in a conventional style or pose, especially that of ancient Greek statues of athletes

-iconically, adverb

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bizarre
bizarre

adjective
grotesquely odd: amusingly or grotesquely strange or unusual

[Mid-17th century. Via French, "odd," formerly "brave, handsome" < Spanish bizarro "brave" < Italian bizzarro "angry"] -bizarrely, adverb -bizarreness, noun

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maneuver
maneuver noun (plural maneuvers)
1. skilled movement: a movement or action that requires skill or dexterity 2. military movement: a planned movement of one or several military or naval units

3. devious act: an action, especially a devious or deceptive one, done to gain advantage a maneuver to avoid accountability 4. change of course: a controlled change of course of a vehicle or vessel

maneuvers, plural noun

military exercises: large-scale military exercises used for training or practice

verb (past and past participle maneuvered, present participle maneuvering, 3rd person present singular maneuvers)
1. transitive and intransitive verb move skillfully: to move or cause something to move skillfully maneuvered the boat into the berth 2. transitive and intransitive verb do military exercises: to perform military maneuvers, or cause somebody or something to perform military maneuvers 3. transitive verb manipulate somebody or something: to manipulate somebody or something to gain advantage trying to maneuver her into agreeing 4. intransitive verb behave deviously: to use devious means in order to gain advantage politicians maneuvering for choice committee assignments

[15th century. < French manoeuvre "manipulation," later form of Old French maneuvre "manual labor" < medieval Latin manuoperare "work with the hands" < Latin manus "hand"] -maneuverability -maneuverable -maneuverer, noun
blltee], noun , adjective

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