Dictionary: AGH – AHZ

► AGHAST adj. ghastly; like a spectre or a dead boy; death-like, pale, wan → 1850 obs.
vb. to frighten, to dismay, to shock; to make aghast → 1876 rare
► AGHASTED adj. 1. frightened, terrified → 1425 obs. 
adj. 2. filled with shock or horror; made aghast → 1683
► AGHASTING adj. 1. frightening, terrifying, alarming → 1593 obs. 
adj. 2. shocking, horrifying → 1967
n. 1. the act of frightening or terrifying → 1663 obs. 
n. 2. the filling of someone with shock or horror → 1920
► AGHASTMENT n. 1. terror, fright, alarm → 1594 obs. 
n. 2. shock, horror → 1860
► AGHASTNESS n. horror → 1845 
► AGIBLE adj. possible to be done; practicable, practical → 1475 obs. 
n. something that is practicable or that can be done → 1677 obs. 
► AGIG adj. giggling, excited, agitated → 1767
► AGILE adj. of wood: readily worked → 1649 obs.
► AGILENESS n. agility; the ability to move readily and quickly; nimbleness, dexterity → 1653
► AGILIOUS  adj. able to move quickly and easily; agile, nimble, dexterous → 1599 obs.
► AGILITY n. female genitals → 19C sl. 
► AGIN vb. to begin → 1000 obs.
► AGINATE vb. to trade or deal in small wares; to peddle → 1623 obs.
► AGINATOR n. a dealer in small wares; a peddler → 1623 obs.
► AGINER n. one who opposes some specific position or point of view, or who tends to disfavour anything unfamiliar; also, a person having a habitually negative attitude; one who opposes any change as a matter of principle → 1905 US colloq. 
► AGINNER n. 1. a person who begins or initiates something → 1300 obs. 
n. 2. one who opposes some specific position or point of view, or who tends to disfavour anything unfamiliar; also, a person having a habitually negative attitude; one who opposes any change as a matter of principle → 1905 US colloq.
n. 3. a person morally opposed to carnivals and the circus → 1981 US sl. 
► AGINNING n. a beginning → 1340 obs. 
► AGIO n. 1. the percentage charged on the exchange of one currency, or one form of money, into another that is more valuable; hence, the excess value of one currency over another → 1696 
n. 2. money-changing, exchange business → 1817 
► AGIOTAGE n. the business of money-changing; also, speculation in stocks → 1726 
► AGIST vb. 1. to let or hire land for pasture; originally woodland → 1450 
vb. 2. to pasture livestock belonging to another person, usually for hire or for some consideration; also, to pasture one’s own livestock on land belonging to another person → 1473
vb. 3. of livestock: to pasture for a specified time → 1585 
vb. 4. to make lands or their owner liable to a rate or tax → 1601 obs. 
► AGISTAGE n. agistment; the taking and feeding of other person’s cattle in the king’s forests, or on one’s own land → 1691 obs. 
► AGISTATION n. agistment; the taking and feeding of other person’s cattle in the king’s forests, or on one’s own land → 1686 obs.
► AGISTATOR n. a person who supervises the agistment of livestock; an officer of the royal forests, who takes charge of animals agisted, and accounts for the money paid for their agistment → 1634
► AGISTER n. a person who supervises the agistment of livestock; an officer of the royal forests, who takes charge of animals agisted, and accounts for the money paid for their agistment → 1677
► AGISTMENT n. 1. the rate levied on or profit made from the pasturing of another person’s cattle → 1447 
n. 2. the herbage of a forest, or the right to it → 1450 obs. 
n. 3. a taking of livestock to feed at an agreed rate; also, the opening of a forest for a specified time to livestock → 1537 
n. 4. a rate or charge levied upon the owner or occupier of pasture lands → 1632 obs. 
► AGISTOR n. a person who supervises the agistment of livestock; an officer of the royal forests, who takes charge of animals agisted, and accounts for the money paid for their agistment → 1594 
► AGITA  n. upset, annoyance; anxiety, agitation → 1979 US sl. 
► AGITABLE adj. capable of being mentally or emotionally disturbed; easily excited or made anxious → 1603
► AGITAGIOUS adj. quivering, shaking  → 1609 obs. 
► AGITANT adj. relating to or causing agitation → 1681
n. 1. an assistant, a helper; an aide → 1644 obs. 
n. 2. a person who instigates public dissent or unrest → 1665 
n. 3. something that causes agitation → 1918
► AGITATE adj. 1. moved backwards and forwards repeatedly; shaken → 1449 obs.
adj. 2. debated, discussed → 1566 Sc. obs. 
adj. 3. disturbed in one’s mind → 1567 obs. 
vb. 1.  to discuss, debate, or promote a subject as a question to be settled → 1598
vb. 2. to be mentally busy with; to consider on all sides; to resolve in the mind; to contrive busily → 1629
vb. 3. to do the work involved in the affairs of another; to act as an agent or manager → 1634 obs. 
► AGITATED adj. debated, discussed; promoted or kept before the public by discussion → 1629
► AGITATE THE GRAVEL vb. 1. to move at speed → 1898 US sl.
vb. 2. to leave → 1958 US sl. 
► AGITATE UP A STORM vb. to create a commotion (mental or physical) over something → 1954 Amer. dial. 
► AGITATION n. 1. physical motion, action; activity →1573 obs. 
n. 2. in South Asia: a public demonstration; a strike → 1913 
► AGITATIONAL adj. concerned with the promotion of discussion on public questions → 1844 
► AGITATO adj. agitated; in a state of nervous tension or anxiety →
► AGITATOR n. 1. a person who acts on behalf of others; an agent; any of the agents or delegates of the private soldiers in the Parliamentary Army in 1647-9 → 1647
n. 2. a bell-pull, a door-knocker → M19 sl.
► AGITATORIAL adj. relating to agitation or to an agitator → 1826
► AGITATRIX n. 1. a female agent → 1656 obs.
n. 2. a female agitator → 1881
► AGITPOP n. popular art or music characterized by the expression of radical or alternative political and social ideas → 1968
► AGITPROP n. 1. agitation and propaganda as an unfocused political tactic; a fashionable genre of theatre arts with a (usually) left-wing political agenda → 1925
n. 2. writing, esp. drama and lyrics, used as a vehicle for political propaganda → 1959
n. 3. political propaganda of any kind → 1967
► AGIVE vb. 1. to give up, to give back; to surrender → 1000 obs.
vb. 2. to give way or yield’ to abandon a state of rigidity → 1669 Eng. dial.
► AGLE vb. ? to think, to believe → 1325 obs.
► AGLEE adj. gleeful → 1899 Amer. dial. 
► A-GLEG adj. asquint → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► AGLET n. 1. a tag attached to the end of a shoelace, originally of metal and now also of plastic, intended primarily to make it easier to thread through the eyelet holes → 1365
n. 2. any metallic or sparkling stud or spangle worn on an item of clothing → 1538
n. 3. a scrap, a shred, the slightest bit → 1533 obs.
n. 4. an icicle → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► AGLET BABY n. a small or young person → 1826 obs.
► AGLEY adj. wrong; awry, askew, oblique → 1824 Sc. & Amer. dial.
adv. awry, wrong; askew, obliquely, a squint → 1786 Eng. dial.
► AGLIDE vb. to glide up, away, or off; to slide, to slip → 1000 obs.
► AGLIFT adj. frightened, terrified, startled → 1400 obs.
► AGLISH adj. nauseated; sick to one’s stomach → 1999 Can.
► AGLIST adv. glistening → 1858
► AGLISTEN adv. glistening → 1891
► AGLOPPENED adj. frightened, startled → 1450 obs.
► AGLORE adj. aplenty, in abundance → 1967 Amer. dial.
► AGLORY adj. aplenty, in abundance → 1969 Amer. dial.
► AGLU n. a breathing-hole in the ice, made by a seal → 1835 Can.
► AGLUT vb. to feed to repletion → 1400 obs.
► AGLY vb. to avoid, to evade; to slip away from → 1250 obs.
► AGMINAL adj. relating to a troop of soldiers → 1727 obs.
► AGNAIL n. 1.a corn, a bunion; an ingrown toenail → 1000
n. 2. a loose piece of skin at the base of the fingernail; a hangnail → 1737
► AGNAME n. a name used instead of or in addition to a person’s usual given name and surname; a byname; a nickname → 1652
► AGNATE adj. related through the male line → 1604
n. 1. a relation through the male line; also, more generally, a relation through the father → 1474
n. 2. a playing marble, orig. made of agate stone but since early 20th century commonly replaced by glass imitating agate in colour
and pattern → 1969 Amer. dial.
► AGNATIC adj. related through the male line → 1715
► AGNATICAL adj. related through the male line, related on the father’s side → 1660 obs.
► AGNATICALLY adv. through the male line → 1861
► AGNATION n. relation traced through the male line; more generally, relationship traced through the father → 1531
► AGNES n. 1. a term of address used to one who is presumed to be a fellow homosexual → 1960 US homosexual sl.
n. 2. a playing marble which is considered special → 1969 Amer. dial.
► AGNITE vb. to recognize or acknowledge in some capacity → 1694 obs.
► AGNITION n. the act of recognizing or acknowledging something; a recognition, an acknowledgement → 1425
► AGNIZE vb. 1. to recognize or acknowledge in some capacity → 1535 obs.
vb. 2. to gain knowledge of; to learn → 1570 obs.
► AGNIZED adj. recognized, acknowledged → 1834 obs.
► AGNOMEN n. a  name used instead of or in addition to an original or usual name; a byname → 1651
► AGNOMICAL adj. belonging to the absence of set purpose or intention → 1881 obs.
► AGNOMINAL adj. relating to an agnomen → 1652
► AGNOMINATE vb. to call instead of or in addition to a usual name → 1595 obs.
► AGNOMINATION n. the giving of a byname or surname; a byname; a surname → 1590 obs.
► AGOG adj. 1. excited, eagerly expectant, enthusiastic → 1664
adj. 2. askew, awry, out of line → 1969 Amer. dial.
adv. 1. in excited readiness, expectation, or desire; in a state of great eagerness, enthusiasm, excitement, suspense, or astonishment → 1450
adv. 2. on the move, going → 1746 Eng. dial.
adv. 3. sloping, not straight → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► A-GOGGLE adj. of the eyes: goggling, protuberant, staring, esp. with expectation, amazement; of a person: having such a demeanour → 1865
adv. 1. with a squint → 1510
adv. 2. with the eyes protuberant or staring, esp. in expectation, amazement, etc. → 1862
adv. 3. trembling, shaking with palsy → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► AGOGGLED adj. staring, having staring eyes → 1860
► AGOGIC adj. pert. to modelling in wax → 1662 obs.
► A-GO-GO adj. 1. of a rapid and dizzying tempo → 20C Amer. sl.
adj. 2. in the newest style; faddish, trendy; fashionable, modish, up to date, with it, lively, ‘swinging’ → 1960 colloq.
adj. 3. in abundance, galore, aplenty → 1961
► AGOMENT n. aggravation, annoyance, frustration → 1957 Amer. dial.
► AGON n. 1. a public celebration of games, including athletic, dramatic, and musical contests, in the ancient Greek or Roman world; a contest for a prize at such games → 1592
n. 2. a painful struggle, esp. a psychological one; a conflict, fight, competition → 1649
n. 3. a verbal contest or dispute between two characters in an ancient Greek play → 1847
► AGONAL adj. 1. relating to an ‘agon’ or public celebration of games → 1770
adj. 2. relating to the stage of death or the process of dying → 1878
adj. 3. characterized by competition; competitive; conflictual → 1896
► AGONARCH n. a presiding authority at an ‘agon’ or public celebration of games; a judge or overseer of proceedings; generally, a master of revels → 1656
► AGONE adj. 1. of a period of time: gone by, elapsed → 1000 obs.
adj. 2. that is in the past → 1275
adv. ago, since → 1420
► AGONIES n. the pain of withdrawal from narcotic drug use → 1970 drugs sl.
► AGONIOUS adj. 1. full of agony, agonizing → 1494
adj. 2. involving struggle; relating to the agony of death → 1513
► AGONISE vb. to  frighten, to fill with horror → 1897 Sc. 
► AGONISED BUTTON n. on military uniforms: an anodised aluminium (Staybrite) button → 1984 UK
► AGONISM n. 1. the victor’s prize in a contest → 1592 obs.
n. 2. strenuous struggling; competing for a prize; also, a strenuous struggle; a combat, a competition → 1688
► AGONIST n. 1. in the ancient Greece and Rome: a competitor in public games → 1623
n. 2. a person engaged in a dispute, contest, or struggle; a main character in a drama or course of events, a protagonist → 1687
n. 3. a writer of an ‘agony column’ → 1914
► AGONISTARCH n. a trainer of combatants for public games in ancient Greece or Rome → 1744 obs.
► AGONIZER n. one who makes intense efforts to gain a specific effect → L19 UK society sl.
► AGONY n. 1. problems, difficulties → M19 sl.
n. 2. style, fashion → 1902 sl.
n. 3. the sensations felt during sex → 1980 W. Indies & Black British teen sl.
► AGONY AUNT ► AGONY AUNTIE n. a problem-solving columnist of newspapers and magazines to whom the lovelorn and generally wretched can write and their letters will be answered in print or privately, usually female → 1975 sl.
► AGONY BOX n. 1. a piano → 1902 US sl.
n. 2. a record player, a phonograph → 1929 US sl.
n. 3. a radio → 1942 sl. 
n. 4. a ukulele → 2000 sl.
► AGONY BUGGY n. an ambulance → 1945  World War II Amer. sl.
► AGONY BUS n. an ambulance → 1945 World War II Amer. sl.
► AGONY CART n. a low cart used to bring instruments, bandages, medicines, etc., to a patient’s bedside → 1918 hospital usage
► AGONY CHARIOT n. an ambulance → 1945 World War II Amer. sl
► AGONY COLUMN n. 1. the section of a newspaper dedicated to special advertisements, particularly those for missing relatives and friends, and thus filled with personal agony → L19
n. 2. a regular newspaper or magazine feature containing readers’ questions about personal problems with replies from a columnist, usually female → 1950
► AGONY CRATE n. an ambulance → 1945 World War II Amer. sl.
► AGONY HACK n. an ambulance → 1945 World War II Amer. sl.
► AGONY IN RED n. a vermilion costume → L19 sl.
► AGONY PIPE n. a clarinet → 1935 US sl.
► AGONY SHIFT n. a work shift between the day and graveyard shifts, from about 4 pm to midnight → 1944 Amer. sl.
► AGONY UNCLE n. a problem-solving columnist of newspapers and magazines to whom the lovelorn and generally wretched can write and their letters will be answered in print or privately, usually male → 1970 sl.
► AGONY WAGON n. 1. a low cart used to bring instruments, bandages, medicines, etc., to a patient’s bedside → 1980 hospital usage
n. 2. an ambulance → 1945 World War II Amer. sl.
► AGORAMANIA n.a mania for open spaces → 1991 (Bk.)
► AGORAPHOBIA n.an abnormal fear of being in crowded, public places, like markets → 1991 (Bk.)
► AGOY! int. a mild exclamation or oath → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► AGRAPHOBIA n.fear of sexual abuse → 2008 (Bk.)
► AGREAT adv. of work: done by the piece → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► AGREEABLE RATTLE n. a chattering, but not unpleasant, young man → L18 sl.
► AGREEABLE RUTS OF LIFE n. the vagina → L19 sl.
► AGREE LIKE HARP AND HARROW vb. not to agree at all (the things being utterly different, though their names alliterate) → 1563 obs.
► AGREEMENTS n.condiments and the like – salt, pepper, sugar, cream, etc.; the accessories of the table → 1900 Sc.
► AGREEMONY n. agreeableness → 1678 obs.
► AGREE NOT TO DISAGREE vb. to cease quarrelling and determine to make amends → 1967 Amer. dial.
► AGREE TO AGREE vb. to cease quarrelling and determine to make amends → 1967 Amer. dial.
► AGREGADO n. a farmhand or a man allowed to work for himself on part of the landowner’s soil → 1871 Amer. dial.
► AGRICOLOUS adj. engaged or interested in agriculture; rural → 1825
► AGRICULTURAL adj. 1. ungraceful or clumsy → 1930 Amer. sl.
adj. 2. in cricket: describes a simple, slogging shot off a sweeping bat → 1982 UK sl.
► AGRICULTURAL STUDIES n. the cultivation of home-grown marijuana → 1990 US students’ sl.
► AGRIZOOPHOBIA n.fear of wild animals → 2008 (Bk.)
► AGRO adj. mad; aggravated, irritated, annoyed → 20C teen & high school sl.
n. 1. a source of annoyance or inconvenience; any form of problems, difficulties, harassment → 1969 sl.
n. 2. aggressive or violent behaviour, esp. formerly by skinhead gangs → 1969 Brit. sl.
n. 3. an aggressive person → 1969 Aust.
► AGROD n.a nightmare → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► AGRONOY vb. to irritate, to annoy → L19 sl.
► AGROOF adj. face downwards, prone → 1721 Sc.
► AGROUND adj. ruined, at a loss → L18 sl.
adv. on foot → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► AGROVOKE vb. to annoy, to irritate → 1920 Aust. sl.
► AGRUE adv. of a state in which one shivers with cold or shudders with fear or repulsion; a-shiver, shuddering → 1856 Sc.
► AGRUFF adj. face downwards, prone → 1721 Sc.
► AGTEROS n. a plodder, a dawdler, one who lags behind → L19 S. Afr. sl.
► AGUA! int. an exclamation of warning that an officer is making his rounds → 1990 US prison sl.
► AGUA ARDIENTE n. any strong alcoholic drink → 1968 Amer. dial.
► AGUACOTE n. the alligator pear or avocado → 1897
► AGUADIENTE n. any strong alcoholic drink → 1834 Amer. dial.
► AGUADINTE n. any strong alcoholic drink → 1847 Amer. dial.
► AGUARDENT n. any strong alcoholic drink → 1967 Amer. dial.
► AGUARDIENTE n. any strong alcoholic drink → 1857 Amer. dial.
► AGUE n. 1. the nervous excitement felt by an inexperienced hunter at the sight of game → 1935 Amer. dial.
n. 2. a general feeling of discomfort → 1966 Amer. dial.
► AGUE-FACED adj. twitchy → 1912 Amer. dial.
► AGUEFIED adj. pained, stiff, store, as with ague → 1939 Amer. dial.
► AGUERRIED adj. experienced in or trained for war → 1735 obs.
► AGUN-BOAT n. a steamer → 1853 Anglo-Indian  
► AGUR-FORTY n. any very strong drink, usually alcoholic but sometimes coffee → 1859 Amer. dial.
► AGUSH’D adj. terrified, afraid, astonished → 1777 Eng. dial.
► AGUSHMENT n. sudden terror, astonishment → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► AGVICE n. advice  → 1927 Amer. dial.
► AGYIOMANIA n. a mania for streets → 1991 (Bk.)
► AGYIOPHOBIA n. fear of being in a street → 2008 (Bk.)
► AGYROPHOBIA n.an abnormal fear of crossing streets → 1991 (Bk.)
► A.H. n. 1. the asshole, the anus → 1910 US euphemism
n. 2. a despised person; an asshole → 20C Amer. sl.
► AH-AH n. a stupid person; a fool → 1928 Amer. dial.
► AHAHANA! int. shame on you! → 1938 Hawaii
► AH-AHS n. defecation → 20C Brit. sl.
► AHANA int. shame on you! → 1938 Hawaii
► AH-BAY-SAY n. the alphabet → 1920 Sc.
► AH CABBAGE n. a nickname for a Chinese immigrant → 1900 Aust. sl.
► AH CABBAGE JOHN n. a Chinese vegetable seller → 1900 Aust. sl.
► ‘AH! DON’T MINGLE adj. of drinks: unmixed with water → 1902 colloq. (Bk.)
► A-HEAD n. 1. an amphetamine abuser → 1966 US sl.
n. 2. a frequent user of LSD → 1971 US sl.
► AHEAD adv. overhead → 1847 Eng. dial.
► AHEAD OF THE GAME adj. having an advantage in a competitive situation; having done more than necessary → 1850
► AHEAT adv. in or into a hot or warm condition → 1871 Sc.
► AHECHIE! int. an exclamation used in ludicrous contempt → 1825 Sc.
► AHEIGHT adv. on high, aloft → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► AHENEAN adj. – brazen → 1664 obs.
► AHHH, ROOSHAN phr. used as a youth-to-youth greeting → 1949 US sl.
► AHILDING adj. ailing, poorly → 1896 Eng. dial.
► AHIND adv. of place: in the rear, at the back, behind → 1806 Sc. & Eng. dial.
prep. 1. of a place: at the back or in the rear of → 1814 Sc. & Eng. dial.
prep. 2. of time: after, behind → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► A HINT OF MINT n. a trace of homosexual tendencies → 1950 US homosexual sl.
► A-HISHI-BAW n. – a lullaby → 1911 Sc. (Bk.)
► AH LADS! int. an exclamation of surprise → 1839 Eng. dial.
► AH LAWFUL! int. an exclamation → 1790
► A-HOLE n. 1. an asshole; a very stupid or annoying person; a term of contempt → 1942 Amer. sl.
n. 2. the anus → 1942 US sl.
► A-HOLE BUDDY n. an extremely close friend → 1958 US sl.
► AHOME adv. at home → 1865 Sc. & Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► A-HOMEL adv. turned upside down; applied to a vessel whose bottom is upwards → 1825 Sc. obs.
► AHOO adj. aslant, out of plumb, lopsided, awry → 1899 Amer. dial.
► AHORSE adv. on horseback → 1860
► AH SIN n. a Chinese person → L19 Aust. sl.
► AH TUFF! int. great! wonderful! → 1970 US students’ sl. (Bk.)
► A-HUH adj. 1. awry, askew, lopsided, aslant → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
adj. 2. not straightforward or open; wrong → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
adj. 3. upset, vexed, anxious → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► A-HUNGERED adj. hungry → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► AHUNGRY adj. hungry, troubled with hunger → 1898 Eng. & Amer. dial. (Bk.)