• ADUB
vb. 1. c1450 obs. – to invest with the insignia of knighthood; to knight; to dub
vb. 2. 1475 obs. – to equip, to array, to accoutre
• ADUBBED
adj. 1475 obs. – equipped, arrayed, accoutred
• ADUBMENT
n. c1325 obs. – adornment, decoration
• ADULABLE
adj. 1623 obs. rare – to be flattered, easily flattered
• ADULATORIOUS
adj. 1612 obs. – full of adulation; servilely or fulsomely flattering or praising; currying favour; servile, obsequious
• ADULATORIOUSLY
adv. 1601 obs. – in a flattering manner
• ADULATORY
adj. 1587 – obsequiously or sycophantically flattering; uncritically or excessively admiring
• ADULATRESS
n. 1572 obs. rare – a female adulator; a woman who flatters with servility
• ADULT
adj. 1958 euphemism – relating to sexual matters or sexual explicitness; pornographic; erotic
• ADULTAGE
n. a1670 obs. – a being adult; maturity, adulthood
• ADULT BABY
n. 1995 UK sl. – a person, often a prostitute’s client, whose sexual needs are manifested in a desire to be dressed and treated as an infant
• ADULTED
adj. 1645 obs. rare – grown to maturity; matured
• ADULTER
n. 1382 rare – an adulterer, esp. a male one
vb. 1. c1382 obs. – to corrupt, to debase
vb. 2. a1382 obs. – to commit or practice adultery
• ADULTERANT
n. 1680 obs. rare – a person who adulterates; one who commits or connives in adultery
• ADULTERATE
adj. 1556 rare – given to adultery; adulterous in behaviour
vb. 1. 1550 arch. or obs. – to defile by adultery; to debauch
vb. 2. 1613 rare – to commit or practice adultery
• ADULTERATED
adj. 1592 rare – defiled by or guilty of adultery
• ADULTERATOR
n. 1632 obs. – one who defiles by adultery; an adulterer
• ADULTERED
adj. 1603 rare – corrupted, debased
• ADULTERER
n. c1430 – one who adulterates, corrupts, or debases
• ADULTERINE
adj. 1. 1533 obs. – committing adultery; given to adultery, debauched, lecherous
adj. 2. 1542 obs. – that results from adulteration or admixture; spurious, counterfeit, impure, debased; due to adulteration
adj. 3. 1640 – illegal, illegitimate, unlicensed
adj. 4. 1653 – born of adultery
adj. 5. 1865 obs. – relating to adultery
n. 1730 rare – an illegitimate child
• ADULTERING
adj. 1. 1599 rare – corrupting, debasing, adulterating
adj. 2. 1791 rare – adulterous
• ADULTERISM
n. 1639 obs. rare – adulteration; the process of adulterating
• ADULTERIZE
vb. 1. 1593 rare – to corrupt, to debase, to adulterate
vb. 2. 1611 rare – to commit adultery
• ADULTEROUS
adj. 1. c1443 obs. – born in adultery
adj. 2. 1547 rare – pert. to adulteration; spurious, counterfeit
• ADULTERY
n. 1609 obs. rare – adulteration; debasement, corruption
• ADULTESCENT
n. 1996 chiefly journalists’ usage – an adult who has retained the interests, behaviour, or lifestyle of adolescence
• ADULTLY
adv. 1742 obs. – as an adult
• ADUMBER
vb. 1535 rare – to overshadow, to obscure
• ADUMBERED
adj. 1596 obs. – overshadowed
• ADUMBRAL
adj. 1845 obs. rare – of overshadowing nature; shady
• ADUMBRANT
adj. 1727 rare – shadowing forth, representing an outline; vague, indistinct
• ADUMBRATE
vb. 1. 1589 – to represent the shadow of anything, to draw or figure in outline; to outline, to sketch, to give a faint indication of
vb. 2. 1598 – to overshadow; to shade, to obscure
vb. 3. 1599 obs. – to shade a picture, to represent with due light and shade so as to complete what has been sketched or delineated
• ADUMBRATED
adj. 1650 – shadowed forth; represented faintly or in outline
• ADUMBRATION
n. 1. 1531 obs. – shading in painting
n. 2. 1531 – overshadowing; shade, obscuration
n. 3. 1552 – representation in outline; sketching; an outline, a sketch, a shadowy figure; a faint or light sketch or description
• ADUMBRATIVE
adj. 1751 – having the attribute of shadowing forth, faintly indicating
• ADUMBRE
vb. 1535 obs. rare – to overshadow, to obscure
• ADUNATE
adj. 1470 obs. – united, joined in one
• ADUNATION
n. 1551 – union or combination into one
• ADUNC
adj. 1626 rare – hooked; bent inward; esp. used of the nose or a beak
• ADUNCATE
adj. 1661 – bent inward; hooked
vb. 1823 – to curve inward
• ADUNCATED
adj. 1787 obs. – hooked, bent inward
• ADUNCITY
n. 1534 rare – crookedness; flexure inward; hookedness; esp. used of the nose or a beak
• ADUNCOUS
adj. 1656 – hooked, bent inward, incurved, crooked downwards; esp. used of the nose or a beak
• ADUNCT
adj. 1635 obs. rare – hooked; bent inward
• ADUNE
vb. a1425 obs. – to unite, to bring together; to join or attach to in unity
• ADUNITE
vb. a1600 obs. – to unite or join to
• ADUNITING
n. 1619 obs. – uniting together
• ADUNQUE
adj. 1626 – hooked; bent inward
• ADURE
vb. c1420 obs. – to burn completely; to scorch, to parch
• ADURENT
adj. 1626 obs. – burning, hot and dry
• ADUSH
vb. c1220 obs. – to cause to fall heavily, to throw down headlong
• A-DUSK
adj. 1856 rare – gloomy, dark; dusky
• ADUST
adj. 1. a1425 rare – scorched, seared; burnt up; dried up with heat, parched
adj. 2. c1460 obs. – having a melancholy character or appearance; gloomy; sallow
adj. 3. 1586 obs. – of colour: brown, as if scorched by fire, or by the sun; sunburnt; dark-skinned, tanned
adv. 1863 – in a dusty condition; affected by dust
vb. 1. a1250 obs. – to cast or throw down
vb. 2. a1425 rare – to burn, to scorch, to scar; to dry up with heat
• ADUSTED
adj. 1. 1550 obs. rare – of colour: brown, as if scorched by fire, or by the sun; sunburnt; dark-skinned, tanned
adj. 2. 1550 obs. – scorched, seared; burnt up; dried up with heat, parched
• ADUSTIBLE
adj. 1611 obs. – capable of being burnt, or dried with fire
• ADUSTION
n. 1. 1559 obs. – the state of being burnt, or scorched; parched dryness
n. 2. 1594 obs. – the act of burning, scorching, heating to dryness, or parching
• ADUSTIVE
adj. a1425 rare – burning, scorching, fiery
• ADUSTNESS
n. 1652 obs. – scorching heat, the state of being scorched
• ADVANCE
n. 1. 1528 obs. – the act of furthering; furtherance, advancement
n. 2. 1699 obs. – the putting forward of statements; the statement put forward; assertion, allegation
vb. 1. c1386 obs. – to advantage, to benefit, to profit anyone
vb. 2. 1413 obs. – to extol, to magnify in words; to boast
vb. 3. 1557 obs. – to be over in amount; to be in excess
vb. 4. 1576 obs. – to raise in amount or number, to increase
• ADVANCED
adj. 1576 obs. – raised, elevated (physically)
• ADVANCEMENT
n. 1. 1330 obs. – extolment, lauding; vaunting
n. 2. 1532 obs. – the advancing or putting forward of a statement or assertion
n. 3. 1649 obs. – the advancing or paying beforehand of money; payment in advance
• ADVANCER
n. 1. 1486 obs. – a forward-pointing branch of a deer’s antlers; each of those on the front edge of the palm in an adult male fallow deer
n. 2. a1546 obs. – one who extols or lauds; an extoller, a supporter
• ADVANCE THE SPARK
vb. 1945 US sl. – to prepare
• ADVANCIVE
adj. 1660 rare – tending to advance or promote
• ADVANT
vb. 1. 1541 obs. – to vaunt, to boast
vb. 2. 1605 obs. – to advance
• ADVANTAGE
n. 1. 1340 obs. – greater quantity or number; ‘more-ness’; amount or quantity over, additional amount, overplus, excess
n. 2. c1386 obs. – a time of vantage, a favourable occasion, an opportunity, a
‘chance’
n. 3. 1393 obs. – pecuniary profit, gain; interest on money lent
vb. 1. 1496-7 obs. – to add to the amount or value of
vb. 2. 1526 obs. – to profit, to benefit
vb. 3. 1557 obs. – to gain, to profit
• ADVANTAGEABLE
adj. 1548 obs. – profitable; advantageous
• ADVECTITIOUS
adj. 1656 rare – ‘which is brought or carried unto’; that has been brought from elsewhere; imported, foreign
• ADVENE
vb. 1684 obs. rare – to come to, to arrive at a place, event, etc.
• ADVENEMENT
n. 1490 rare – that which comes or happens; an event, incident
• ADVENIENT
adj. 1594 – additional, superadded
• ADVENTINE
adj. 1755 obs. rare – coming from outside or from an external source; added or occurring as a result of an external factor or of chance; foreign; incidental
• ADVENTION
n. c1400 rare – a coming or being added from outside; a non-essential addition; adventitious occurrence
• ADVENTIOUS
adj. 1633 – non-essential, incidental as addition
• ADVENTITIAL
adj. 1607 obs. – non-essential; incidental as addition
n. 1652 obs. – that which is non-essential
• ADVENTITION
n. 1661 rare – that which is non-essential; an incidental addition
• ADVENTITIOUS
adj. 1603 – non-essential; incidental as addition
• ADVENTIVE
adj. 1605 – that comes from outside or from some external source; extrinsically added; foreign
n. a1626 obs. rare – a person who comes from another place; an immigrant, a foreigner; a visitor
• ADVENTRY
n. a1616 obs. – an adventure; an enterprise or undertaking
• ADVENTUAL
adj. 1656 obs. – that comes by chance; unlooked for; incidental
• ADVENTURE
n. 1. a1300 obs. – a chance occurrence; an event, an accident
n. 2. c1300 obs. – an extraordinary thing or event; a wonder, a marvel
n. 3. c1325 obs. – that which comes to us, or happens without design; chance, fortune, luck
vb. c1400 obs. – to come by chance, to happen, to befall
• ADVENTUREFUL
adj. a1832 – ready for adventure, enterprising
• ADVENTURELY
adv. 1. c1400 obs. rare – by chance; accidentally
adv. 2. a1500 obs. rare – adventurously, daringly
• ADVENTUREMENT
n. 1599 obs. rare – running of risk; adventurousness
• ADVENTURER
n. 1. 1474 – one who plays at games of chance, or adventures his money in such games; a gamester
n. 2. 1548 – one who engages in warlike adventures, attaching himself to no party; a soldier of fortune; also, a volunteer, one who makes war at his own risk
• ADVENTURE SCHOOL
n. 1832 – a school established and run as private speculation
• ADVENTURESHIP
n. 1811 rare – adventurousness; adventurous practice; daring or risky behaviour
• ADVENTURESS
n. 1707 – a female adventurer; a woman who seeks or enjoys adventures; also, a woman who looks for chances of personal advancement, esp. by using her sexuality
• ADVENTURISM
n. 1838 – proneness or willingness to take risks, engage in hazardous enterprises, defy convention, or live by one’s wits
• ADVENTURIST
n. 1815 – a person inclined to seek adventure or take risks, esp. for profit
• ADVENTUROUS
adj. 1. c1350 – full of risk or peril; hazardous, perilous
adj. 2. c1390 obs. – occurring or coming by chance; casual, fortuitous, accidental
• ADVENTUROUSLY
adv. c1460 obs. – by chance, accidentally, casually
• ADVENUE
n. 1600 obs. rare – income, revenue
• ADVERSABLE
adj. 1. 1727 obs. rare – that is adverse or contrary to
adj. 2. 1775 obs. rare – able to be opposed
• ADVERSANT
adj. a1420 rare – opposing oneself, opposing; adverse, hostile to, unfavourable to
• ADVERSARIA
n. 1571 – a commonplace book, a place in which to note things as they occur; collections of miscellaneous remarks or observations
• ADVERSARILY
adv. 1475 – adversely, hostilely
• ADVERSARIOUS
adj. 1622 rare – adverse, opposed, hostile
• ADVERSARY
adj. a1382 – opposing, antagonistic, hostile; adverse
n. 1340 – the enemy of mankind, the Devil
• ADVERSATION
n. 1470 rare – opposition, hostility
• ADVERSATIVE
adj. 1. 1533 – of words or propositions: expressive of opposition, contrariety, or antithesis
adj. 2. 1595 rare – of opposing tendency or adverse nature
• ADVERSE
n. 1593 obs. – an adverse party; an adversary, an enemy
vb. 1393 rare – to be opposed or adverse to; to oppose
• ADVERSENESS
n. 1580 – opposition, hostility; aversion
• ADVERSION
n. 1642 rare – attention, perception
• ADVERSITY
n. 1. 1382 obs. – the state of being contrary or opposed; opposition, contrariety
n. 2. 1489 obs. – contrariness of nature; perversity
• ADVERT
vb. 1. 1430 obs. – to turn the attention to; to take note of; to observe, to note, to heed; to consider, to think of a thing
vb. 2. 1430 – to turn one’s attention; to take notice, to take heed, to pay attention
• ADVERTATION
n. c1480 obs. rare – the act of turning the attention; observation, notice
• ADVERTENCE
n. 1. c1370 – the act of turning the attention to; observation, notice, heed, attention, consideration
n. 2. c1405 obs. – a person’s mind; consciousness
• ADVERTENCY
n. 1646 rare – the quality of being attentive; attentiveness, heedfulness
• ADVERTENT
adj. 1. c1460 obs. rare – turning away
adj. 2. 1646 rare – attentive, heedful
adj. 3. 1832 – intentional, deliberate; conscious
• ADVERTENTLY
adv. 1745 rare – heedfully, attentively; knowingly, intentionally
• ADVERTIQUE
n. 1968 chiefly N. Amer. – a piece of early advertising material; an antique advertisement
• ADVERTISABLE
adj. 1818 obs. – capable of being made public; worthy of note
• ADVERTISE
vb. 1. c1430 obs. – to notice, to observe a thing
vb. 2. 1449-50 obs. – to warn, to admonish
vb. 3. 1477 obs. – to take note, to give heed, to consider
vb. 4. 1930s sl., orig. US – to show off, to act in an exhibitionist manner and thus draw unneeded attention to oneself
vb. 5. 1949 sl. – in cards: to make a bluff with the intention of being exposed
vb. 6. 1950s homosexual usage – to dress in a sexually provocative manner
vb. 7. 1970s homosexual sl. – to pluck and paint one’s eyebrows
vb. 8. 1976 US sl. – to activate the siren and/or flashing lights of a police car
• ADVERTISED
adj. 1481 obs. – informed, notified, apprised, warned
• ADVERTISEE
n. 1845 colloq. – a person to whom an advertisement is directed
• ADVERTISEMENT
n. 1. 1426 rare – the act of informing or notifying; information, notification, notice
n. 2. 1475 obs. – the act of calling the attention of others; admonition, warning, instruction
n. 3. c1487 obs. – the turning of the mind to anything; attention, observation, heed
• ADVERTISEMENTAL
adj. 1799 rare – relating to an advertisement
• ADVERTISEMENT CONVEYANCER
n. L19 sl. – a sandwich-man
• ADVERTISEMENT-STICKER
n. a1777 obs. – a person employed to post advertisements
• ADVERTISER
n. 1548 obs. – one who informs, notifies, or warns
• ADVERTISING
adj. 1603 obs. rare – attending, attentive
n. 1. 1525 obs., chiefly Sc. – warning, notification, information
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – boasting
• ADVERTISING BAR
n. 1960s US homosexual sl. – a bar frequented by male prostitutes and their clients
• ADVERTISING CLUB
n. 1950s US homosexual sl. – a men’s washroom
• ADVERTORIAL
n. 1914 chiefly US – an advertisement that sells an editorial point of view as opposed to a product or service
• ADVESPERATE
vb. 1626 obs. rare, chiefly poetic usage – to draw towards night or evening; to become night
• ADVEST
vb. 1611 obs. rare – to put a person in possession of something; to clothe
• ADVESTURE
n. 1611 obs. rare – the act of clothing
• ADVICE
n. 1. 1297 obs. – the way in which a matter is looked at or regarded; opinion, judgement
n. 2. 1366 obs. – weighing of opinions; consideration, deliberation, consultation, reckoning
n. 3. a1400 obs. – a looking at something; sight; inspection, scrutiny
n. 4. c1425 obs. – a plan of action; a scheme, an arrangement
n. 5. a1439 obs. – forethought, prudence, wisdom
• ADVICEFUL
adj. 1. c1454 obs. – considerate, thoughtful, attentive, careful
adj. 2. 1600 obs. – full of counsel; skilful as an adviser; wise, insightful; keen to give advice
• ADVID
n. 1600 – an advertising video
• ADVIGILANCE
n. 1727 obs. rare – a diligent watching
• ADVIGILANCY
n. 1577 obs. rare – watchfulness, vigilance, care
• ADVIGILATE
vb. 1623 obs. rare – to watch diligently; to keep vigil
• ADVIGILATION
n. 1663 obs. rare – a diligent watching
• ADVIRON
vb. 1475 obs. rare – to environ, to surround
• ADVISABLE
adj. c1456 obs. rare – of an action: involving deliberation or judgement
• ADVISABLENESS
n. 1672 obs. rare – willingness to be advised; openness to advice
• ADVISAL
n. 1765 – advising, advice, counsel
• ADVISE
vb. 1. 1297 obs. – to look at, to view, to observe, to consider, to watch; also, to watch for
vb. 2. c1380 rare – to bethink oneself; to take thought, to consider, to reflect
vb. 3. c1340 obs. – to devise, to purpose
• ADVISED
adj. 1. c1325 obs. – of persons: purposed, determined
adj. 2. 1475 obs. – deliberate, cautious, wary, judicious
• ADVISEDLY
adv. 1. 1375 obs. – with watchfulness or attention; warily, attentively, carefully, circumspectly
adv. 2. c1386 obs. – with prudence; wisely, prudently, judiciously
adv. 3. 1483 obs. – with full or calm consideration; deliberately, leisurely
• ADVISEE
adj. a1400 obs. – well advised; discreet, prudent; shrewd, canny
n. 1797 – a recipient of advice
• ADVISEMENT
n. 1. 1330 obs. – the process of looking at or viewing; observation, notice, attention, consideration
n. 2. 1330 obs. – the process of viewing or considering mentally; thought, thinking, consideration, reflection, deliberation
n. 3. c1440 arch. – advice, counsel
n. 4. 1535 obs. – the result of thinking; a thought, opinion, resolution, plan
n. 5. 1538 obs. – an instruction how to act, an injunction, a warning
• ADVISIVE
adj. 1. 1436 obs. rare – observant, prudent
adj. 2. 1648 obs. rare – supplying advice, advising, counselling
• ADVISIVENESS
n. 1436 obs. rare – thoughtfulness, prudence, discretion
• ADVISO
n. 1. 1591 obs. – an advice, counsel, suggestion
n. 2. 1594 obs. – information, intelligence; an official notification, dispatch, or ‘advice’
• ADVISOR
n. a1325 obs. rare – a person who observes something; a witness
• ADVISORATE
n. 1924 – a group of advisers; an advisory body
• ADVISORY
n. 1880 – an adviser
• ADVISY
adj. c1300 obs. – well-advised; circumspect, heedful, wary, cautious
• ADVOCACIER • ADVOCACYER
vb. 1502 obs. rare – to practice as an advocate
• ADVOCARY
n. a1425 obs. rare – ? an act of pleading or advocating
• ADVOCATE
n. 1. 1710 Sc. – a barrister
n. 2. 1721 Sc. obs. – a solicitor
vb. 1555 obs. – to summon, to invite
• ADVOCATESS
n. 1647 – a female advocate
• ADVOCATION
n. 1. 1474 obs. – a calling of people to council; a summoning or convocation
n. 2. 1598 obs. – the act of calling to one’s aid; an appeal for aid or defense
• ADVOCATISTICAL
adj. 1614 obs. rare – relating to advocacy; advocatory
• ADVOCATOR
n. 1483 obs. – a guardian, protector, or patron saint
• ADVOCATORY
adj. 1569 – pert. to the advocate
• ADVOCATRESS
n. 1616 rare – a female advocate
• ADVOCATRICE
n. a1430 obs. – a female advocate
• ADVOCATRIX
n. c1390 rare – a female advocate
• ADVOCATUS DIABOLI
n. 1824 – a devil’s advocate
• ADVOCITATE
vb. 1623 obs. rare – ‘to call often upon’
• ADVOKE
vb. 1630 obs. – to summon or call upon a person or thing
• ADVOLATION
n. 1727 obs. rare – a flying towards
• ADVOLUTION
n. 1727 obs. – a rolling towards; rotation
• ADVORT
vb. 1572 Sc. obs. rare – to miscarry
• ADVOTRIX
n. 1601 obs. – a female advocate or intercessor
• ADVOURER
n. a1686 obs. rare – an advocate
• ADVOUTER
vb. c1400 obs. – to commit or practice adultery
• ADVOUTOUR
n. 1382 obs. – an adulterer
• ADVOUTRE
n. 1382 obs. – an adulterer
• ADVOUTRER
n. c1370 obs. – an adulterer
• ADVOUTRESSE
n. 1382 obs. – an adulteress
• ADVOUTRICE
n. 1382 obs. – an adulteress
• ADVOWRER
n. 1508 obs. rare – a guardian, protector, or patron
• ADWESCH
vb. a1000 obs. – to extinguish, to quench; to put an end to, to suppress, to quell; to overwhelm, to destroy, to kill
• ADWITE
vb. c1430 obs. – to reproach, to accuse
• ADWOLE
adv. a1250 obs. – in error, erroneously, mistakenly
• ADYNAMOUS
adj. 1656 obs. rare – weak, powerless
• ADYNATON
n. 1654 obs. – an impossibility
• ADYTUM
n. 1673 – the innermost part of a temple; the secret shrine whence oracles were delivered; hence, a private or inner chamber; a sanctum
• ADZACKLY
adv. 1859 Amer. dial. – exactly
• ADZINE
n. 1982 US sl. – a single-interest fan magazine containing only advertising
• ADZOOKS!
int. 1675 rare – a mildly blasphemous oath
• ADZOOKERS!
int. L17 – a mildly blasphemous oath
• ADZOONS!
int. Bk1911 Sc. – exclamation of surprise etc.
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Updated: February 27, 2023
Lexicophilia 