Dictionary: POK – POL

► POKE int. used as a call to pigs → 1914 Amer. dial.
n. 1. a bag or sack, esp. a small one; now usually a paper bag → 1300
n. 2. a long full sleeve → 1402
n. 3. the stomach of a fish → 1450
n. 4. a projecting brim or front of a hat or bonnet; the peak of a cap → 1614 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
n. 5. a small bag or pouch worn on the person; later, a pocket in a person’s clothing → 1616
n. 6. a goitre → 1621 obs.
n. 7. a punch; a blow with the fist → 1690
n. 8. the sex act → 1700 sl.
n. 9. a worthless person → 1824 Amer.
n. 10. a slow or lazy animal; a stupid, boring, slow, or plodding person; a lazy person; a dawdler; a bore → 1844 Amer. dial.
n. 11. a purse; a wallet; a pocketbook → 1859 US criminals’ sl.
n. 12. in baseball: a hit; also, a ball that has been hit → 1894
n. 13. an act of sexual intercourse → 1902 sl.
n. 14. the stomach → 1905 Amer. dial.
n. 15. money; one’s bankroll → 1926 Amer. sl.
n. 16. a cowboy → 1928 Amer. sl.
n. 17. a slowpoke → 1940 Amer. sl.
n. 18. a jail or prison → 1950 Amer. dial. n. 18. speed, esp. in a car or other vehicle, horsepower; strength, vigour → 1959 colloq.
n. 19. somebody who always follows along behind others → 1965 Amer. dial.
n. 20. a cow’s udder → 1968 Amer. dial.
n. 21. a searching, rummaging, or prying → 1992 colloq.
vb. 1. to hold one’s head thrust forward, esp. when walking; to have a stoop → 1335
vb. 2. to put in a bag or pocket → 1400 obs. exc. Sc.
vb. 3. to stir up; to incite, to goad, to irritate → 1400
vb. 4. to possess carnally; to do the sex act with → 1602 sl.
vb. 5. to potter about; to move or work in a desultory, ineffective, or dawdling way; to be slow → 1811
vb. 6. to confine, to shut up in a poky place → 1860 colloq.
vb. 7. in baseball: to hit the ball, esp. to hit fairly lightly with precise aim → 1880 Amer.
vb. 8. to aim a gun at a moving target before firing, as opposed to swinging and firing in one movement → 1898
vb. 9. to hit or strike a person → 1906 colloq.
vb. 10. to urge, to push, to pressure → 1913 Amer. dial.
vb. 11. to herd cattle → 1940 Amer. sl.
► POKE AND PLUMB TOWN n. a very small town → 1954 Amer. dial.
► POKE AROUND vb. to examine or search, esp. in a dilatory way → 1809 Amer. sl.
► POKE BORAK vb. to make or poke fun → 1904 Aust.
► POKE-BOY n. a boy employed to collect scattered branches after hop-picking, and to carry hops to the kiln → 1799
► POKE-CHEEKED adj. having baggy cheeks → 1843 obs.
► POKE DINNER n. a lunch carried to work in a paper bag → 1954 Amer. dial.
► POKED OUT adj. put out, upset, offended → 1988 Amer. dial.
► POKE-EASY adj. slow, lazy, easygoing → 1851 Amer. dial.
n. an easygoing person; a lazy, slow person → 1909 Amer. dial.
vb. to be slow → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► POKEFUL n. a bagful, a small sackful → 1400 chiefly Sc.
► POKE FUN AT vb. to ridicule to tease; to jape; to mock → 1840 Amer. sl.
► POKE-HOLE n. a closet, a cubbyhole → 1931 Amer. dial.
► POKE-HORSE n. a packhorse carrying loads in two bags → 1669 Eng. dial. obs.
► POKE IN THE EYE n. something undesirable → 1844 colloq.
► POKELOGAN n. a stagnant backwater; a swamp adjacent to a river, lake, etc. → 1848 Amer. dial.
► POKE-MAN n. a porter → 1583 Sc. obs.
► POKE-MARKET n. a wool market → 1668 Sc. obs.
► POKE MULLOCK AT vb. to deride, to ridicule, to make fun of a person → 1901
► POKE-NOSE adj. intrusively inquisitive, prying, curious → 1862 Amer. sl.
n. a prying, snoopy, or inquisitive person; a meddler → 1915 Amer. dial.
► POKE-NOSED adj. intrusively inquisitive, prying, curious → 1942 Amer. sl.
► POKE OFF ON vb. to put or push off on → 1899 Amer. dial.
► POKE OF MOONSHINE n. a jack o’ lantern → 1931 Amer. dial.
► POKE ONE’S NOSE INTO SOMETHING vb. to pry and meddle; to examine → 1860 Amer. sl.
► POKE-OUT n. 1. a bag of food given to a beggar → 1874 sl.
n. 2. a cookout; an outdoor trip including this → 1907 US sl.
► POKE-PUD n. 1. a corpulent or gluttonous person → 1820 Sc. colloq.
n. 2. an English person → 1820 Sc. colloq., rare, derogatory
► POKE-PUDDING adj. 1. paunchy, gluttonous → 1705 Sc.
adj. 2. characteristic of the English → 1783 Sc., derogatory
n. 1. an Englishman → 1706 Sc. derogatory
n. 2. a corpulent or gluttonous person → 1754 Sc.
► POKER n. 1. a person who stores or conveys something in a bag or sack → 1436 obs.
n. 2. a hobgoblin, a mischievous sprite; a demon, a devil → 1598
n. 3. a person who pokes or pries into things → 1608
n. 4. a sword → 1684 obs.
n. 5. the penis → 1811 sl.
n. 6. a person with a rigid or stiff bearing or manner → 1812 obs.
n. 7. a university bedel at Oxford and Cambridge, who carries a stave or mace before the Vice-Chancellor → 1841 university sl.
n. 8. a lover → 1880 obs.
n. 9. a ball of mucus in the nose → 1892 Amer. dial.
n. 10. delirium tremens → 1967 Amer. dial.
vb. to stiffen up → 1807 obs.
► THE POKER n. delirium tremens → 1967 Amer. dial.
► POKER ARM n. a perfectly straight arm → 1890
► POKER-BACKED adj. having a very straight or stiff back → 1830
► POKER-BEARER n. a mace-bearer; a University bedel → 1844
► POKER FACE n. 1. an expressionless face; neutral mask → 1874
n. 2. a person whose face is usually expressionless → 1885 Amer. sl.
n. 3. a barn owl → 1956 Amer. dial.
► POKER-FACED adj. without expression; showing a neutral mask; impassive → 1915
► POKERISH adj. 1. inclined to be stiff and unyielding in manner → 1779
adj. 2. somewhat dangerous, alarming, dreadful, spooky, frightful; affected by feelings of dread → 1825 Amer. dial.
► POKERISHLY adv. 1. mysteriously; frighteningly → 1854 obs.
adv. 2. in a stiff and unyielding manner → 1867 obs.
► POKER TALK n. a fireside talk → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► POKE-SHAKINGS n. the last remnants of something, esp. the youngest children in a family, or the smallest piglets of a litter → 1808 Sc.
► POKE STALK n. a shotgun or rifle → 1936 Amer. dial.
► POKE THE BEAR vb. to deliberately provoke or antagonize a person or group, esp. one that is dangerous or powerful → 1840
► POKE THE NEB INTO OTHER FOLK’S PORRIDGE vb. to pry into other people’s affairs → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► POKE THE PUPPY vb. to mark time, to loaf, to shirk work → 1989 Amer. dial.
► POKE UP vb. 1. to stash away in a bag or pocket; to hoard → 1596
vb. 2. to urge, to push, to pressure → 1950 Amer. dial.
► POKE UP ONE’S PIPES vb. to cease from an action; to stop talking → M16 sl.
► POKEY adj. 1. insignificant; paltry → 1849 Amer. sl.
adj. 2. slow, dawdling, sluggish → 1856 Amer. sl.
adj. 3. spooky, scary, eerie → 1858 Amer. dial.
n. 1. prison; a jail → 1919 sl., orig. & chiefly Amer.
n. 2. an indoor toilet → 1968 Amer. dial.
► THE POKEY n. prison → 1919 sl., chiefly US
► POKEY STIFF n. a tramp who subsists on nothing but handouts → 1910 US tramps’ sl.
► POKIE n. 1. an electronic poker machine, used in casinos → 1965 Aust. colloq.
n. 2. a person or vehicle that travels slowly → 1980 sl.
► POKIE BANDIT n. an electronic poker machine, used in casinos → 1960 Aust. sl.
► POKINESS n. dullness, slowness → 1886 US
► POKING adj. stuffy → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
n. sexual intercourse → 1864 sl.
► POKING BORAK n. a jest → 1898 Aust.
► POKING SLOW adv. excessively or ploddingly slow → 1942 Amer. dial.
► POKING STICK
n. 1954 Amer. dial. – a fire poker
► POKY adj. 1. small in size or accommodation; cramped, confined; said of a room, building, etc. → 1828
adj. 2. dull, unstimulating; concerned with petty matters; slow, dawdling, sluggish → 1828 chiefly Amer.
adj. 3. insignificant; paltry → 1849 Amer. sl.
adj. 4. shabby, dowdy; said of dress, etc. → 1854 obs.
adj. 5. spooky, scary, eerie → 1858 Amer. dial.
n. a jail → 1919 Amer. sl.
► POKY-DOTTED adj. polka-dotted → 1969 Amer. dial.
► POKY HAT n. an ice-cream cone → 1927 Sc. colloq.
► POL n. 1. a declaration or assertion → 1600 obs.  
n. 2. a politician → 1907 colloq., orig. & chiefly Amer.
n. 3. an illegal racket based on a political project → 1920 US criminals’ sl.
n. 4. a talkative person; a chatterer or gossip → 1940 UK prison sl.
n. 5. a toady → 1942 US sl. (Bk.)
► POLAC ► POLACK ► POLACKI ► POLACQUE ► POLAK ► POLLACKY ► POLLOCK ► PULLACK adj. Polish; of Polish origin or descent → 1603 derogatory & offensive 
n. 1. a native or inhabitant of Poland; a Pole → 1561 derogatory & offensive
n. 2. a Jewish person from Poland → 1834 Jewish usage, derogatory & offensive 
n. 3. a Polish immigrant; a person of Polish descent → 1898 Amer., derogatory & offensive
► POLACKER n. 1. a native or inhabitant of Poland → 1605 obs., derogatory & offensive
n. 2. a Polish immigrant; a person of Polish descent → 1883 Amer., derogatory & offensive 
► POLACK TOWN n. the Polish community within an urban area → E17
► POLAN n. a native or inhabitant of Poland → 1502
► POLANDER n. 1. a native or inhabitant of Poland → 1587
n. 2. a person of Polish birth or descent; broadly, a central European → 1624 Amer. dial.
► POLARCH n. a member of a polyarchy → 1647 obs.
► POLARCHY n. rule or government by many people; a state or polity ruled by many → 1647
► POLARI n. a form of slang incorporating Italianate words, rhyming slang, cant terms, and other elements of vocabular, which originated in England in the 18th and 19th centuries as a kind of secret language within various groups, including sailors, vagrants, circus people, entertainers etc.; generally, talk, patter → 1846 orig. & chiefly Brit.
► POLARIC adj. characterized by directly opposing qualities, actions, etc. → 1863
► POLARISTIC adj. characterized by opposing qualities or characteristics → 1859
► POLARITY n. direction of feeling, inclination, etc., towards a single point; tendency or trend in a particular direction; attraction towards a particular object → 1767 obs.
► POLAR LIGHTS n. the aurora borealis; the aurora australis → 1841
► POLAR LINE n. either of the Arctic and Antarctic Circles → 1658 obs.
► POLAR STAR STATE n. Maine → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► POLBORON n. heroin → 1977 US sl.
► POLDER n. 1. a piece of low-lying land reclaimed from the sea, a river, etc., and protected by dykes → 1602 Eng. dial.
n. 2. a marsh; a piece of marshy or boggy land → 1669 Eng. dial.
n. 3. a tree which has had its upper trunk and branches cut back, so as to produce new growth and a uniform shape → 1704
► POLDERBOY n. a labourer employed in making polders or farming polderland → 1895
► POLDERMAN n. a labourer employed in making polders or farming polderland → 1884
► POLE n. 1. the sky, the heavens → 1572 poetic usage, arch.
n. 2. the penis, esp. when erect → 1600 sl.
n. 3. a peg or axle on which something turns → 1633 obs.
n. 4. the long handle of a scythe or similar implement → 1828 Eng. dial.
n. 5. the rails; hence, the starting position closest to them → 1851 horse racing usage 
n. 6. the tail of an otter, pheasant, or other quarry → 1864 hunting usage,
n. 7. a slender tree → 1882 Amer.
n. 8. the position on the front row of the starting grid nearest to the inside of the first bend → 1976 motor racing usage
vb. 1. to work hard → M19 US students’ sl.
vb. 2. to hit the ball hard; to earn a hit → 1882 baseball usage
vb. 3. to move, walk, or travel, esp. in a slow, leisurely, or aimless manner; to saunter, to amble → 1892 Amer. dial.
vb. 4. to arrive, to appear → 1900 Aust. sl.
vb. 5. to take advantage of someone; to impose or sponge on; to shirk, to do less than one’s share; also, to steal → 1906 Aust. & NZ sl.
vb. 6. to possess carnally → 1903 sl. (Bk.)
vb. 7. to make pregnant → 1960 sl.
vb. 8. to stab → 1990 sl.
► POLEAXE n. (as ‘pole-axe’) a policeman → M19 sl.
vb. to shock someone into helplessness; to stupefy someone, to stun, to overwhelm → 1959
► POLEAXED adj. 1. stupefied, astounded, overwhelmed → 1983
adj. 2. drunk → 2002 UK sl.
► POLECAT n. 1. a sexually promiscuous woman; a prostitute → 1593 derogatory
n. 2. a lecherous man → 17C sl.
n. 3. a skunk → 1612 Amer. dial.
n. 4. a despicable, contemptible or deceitful person; a disreputable person; a sneaky person → 1896 Amer. dial.
n. 5. a dirty, untrustworthy woman → 1950 African-American sl.
n. 6. a thief → 1966 Amer. dial.
n. 7. an informer → 1972 Amer. dial.
n. 8. a police car → 1976 US sl.
n. 9. a Black person → 1981 Amer. dial., derogatory
n. 10. in the television and film industries: a lamp support → 1990 US sl.
► POLECAT UNDER  THE TABLE phr. a concealed fact, factor, or motive; something suspicious → 1932 Amer. dial.
► POLECLIMBERS n. heavy work boots with steel-reinforced toes and arches → 1995 US sl.
► POLED adj. stolen → 1930 Aust. sl.
► POLEDAD n. an annoying, new-to-the-sport skateboarder → 1964 US sl.
► POLE DAY n. in motor racing: the first day of qualifying heats when the pole position is decided → 1973 US sl.
► POLE HOLE n. the vagina → 1970 sl.
► POLE IT vb. to move, walk, or travel, esp. in a slow, leisurely, or aimless manner; to saunter, to amble → 1975 Amer. dial.
► POLEKITTY n. a skunk → 2000 Amer. dial.
► POLEMAN n. a man employed to empty cesspools, outdoor privies, etc., at night and to remove the waste matter → 1615 obs.
► POLEMARCH n. in Ancient Greece: a military commander → 1579
► POLEMIC adj. given to dispute or controversy; contentious, disputatious, combative → 1614
n. 1. a controversial argument; a strong verbal or written attack on a person → 1626
n. 2. a person who argues or writes in opposition to another; a controversialist → 1639
► POLEMICAL adj. 1. given to dispute or controversy; contentious, disputatious; combative → 1615
adj. 2. relating to war; martial, military → 1640 obs.
n. a diatribe; a polemic; usually in plural → 1808
► POLEMICALLY adv. controversially, disputatiously → 1653
► POLEMICIAN n. a controversialist → 1871
► POLEMICIST n. a controversialist → 1864
► POLEMICIZE vb. to argue; to carry on a controversy → 1881
► POLEMICS n. poetical or other literary discourse dealing with war → 1656 obs.
► POLEMIST n. a controversialist → 1825
► POLEMIZE vb. to argue; to carry on a controversy → 1828
► POLEMOLOGICAL adj. relating to war → 1964
► POLEMOLOGIST n. a student of, or an expert in polemology → 1970
► POLEMOLOGY n. the study of war, esp. as an academic discipline → 1938
► POLEMOMANIA n. an excessive desire for conflict; militant anger → 1874 obs.
► POLEMY n. 1. controversy, opinionated argument; polemics; a dispute → 1642
n. 2. warfare → 1691 obs.
► POLE OF COLD n. the place with the lowest mean annual temperature → 1850
► POLE ON vb. 1. to cadge or sponge money → 1906 Aust. sl.
vb. 2. to steal → 1930 Aust. sl.
► POLE PLEASER n. a (passive) homosexual man → 1990 US sl.
► POLE-PUSSY n. a skunk → 1965 Amer. dial.
► POLER n. 1. a very diligent student → M19 US students’ sl.
n. 2. a borrower or cadger → 1938 Aust. sl.
n. 3. a shirker, a sponger → 1938 Aust. sl.
► POLES n. the legs → 1960 S. Afr. sl.
► POLES APART adj. completely different; having nothing in common → 1830 colloq.
► POLE SITTER n. a homosexual man → 2000 African-American sl.
► POLESMOKER n. a term of abuse → 2000 sl.
► POLESS n. a Polish woman → 1828
► POLES-SCREAMER n. a tradesman with a shop → 1651 obs.
► POLESTAR na person or thing which serves as a guide; a governing principle, a guiding light; also, a centre of attention, a landmark → 1590
► POLE WORK n. sexual intercourse → M19 sl.
► POLEY adj. wanted by the police → M19 Aust. criminals’ sl.
n. 1. the backside → 1992 Amer. dial.
n. 2. a cow’s backside → 2000 Amer. dial.
► POLEYN n. a young male horse; a colt → 1445 obs.
► POLIAD n. a nymph who inhabits a city → 1818 obs.
► POLIBLE adj. capable of being polished → 1500 obs.
► POLICE n. 1. policy → 1450 obs.
n. 2. social or communal organization; civilization → 1530 obs.
n. 3. the regulation and control of a community; the maintenance of law and order, provision of public amenities, etc. → 1698 orig. Sc., obs.
n. 4. a department of a government or state concerned with maintaining public order and safety, and enforcing the law → 1740 orig. Sc., obs.
n. 5. the cleaning or keeping clean of a camp or garrison; the cleanliness or orderliness of a camp or garrison → 1761 military usage, chiefly US, obs.
n. 6. public regulation or control of trade in a particular product → 1767 orig. Sc.
n. 7. a prison guard → 1990 US prison sl.
vb. 1. to enclose and develop land, esp. by cultivation → 1600 Sc. obs.
vb. 2. to maintain civil order in a state or country; to organize or regulate → 1631 obs.
vb. 3. to make or keep clean or orderly; to clean a military camp, etc. → 1828 orig. & chiefly US
vb. 4. to maintain prison discipline and rules → 1910 US prison sl.
► POLICE BLOTTER n. a record of arrests and charges at a police station → 1861 orig. & chiefly US
► POLICE BOY n. a native-born male employed by the police force of a colonial or White-dominated administration as an assistant, security officer, or tracker → 1914 offensive 
► POLICE CLOTHES n. free secondhand clothes distributed to the poor by the police → 1930 Irish sl.
► POLICED adj. 1. politically organized or ordered; regulated governed; disciplined → 1603 obs.
adj. 2. aware, knowledgeable → 1950 African-American sl.
► POLICE DOG n. one’s fiancé → 1920 US sl.
► POLICEFUL adj. well served by the police; having police everywhere → 1903
► POLICEMAN n. 1 a bluebottle fly → M19 sl.
n. 2. ‘among the dangerous classes, a man who is unworthy of confidence, a sneak or mean fellow’ → M19 sl. 
n. 3. a soldier ant → 1877 obs.
n. 4. a term of abuse → 1920 US prison sl.
n. 5. an informer → 1923 sl.
n. 6. a member of the watch who stays awake so as to be able to rouse other members of the crew if so ordered by an officer → 1929 nautical usage,
n. 7. an object regarded as a deterrent, obstacle, or check → 1951
n. 8. a player whose primary role is to defend teammates from particularly aggressive play by the opposing team → 1959 ice hockey usage
n. 9. an enforcer → 1980 Amer. sl.
► POLICEMAN’S HELMET n. the glans penis → 1930 sl.
► POLICE MANURE n. manure collected in t he streets of a town or city; street-sweepings → 1825 Sc. obs.
► POLICE-MONGER n. a person who is preoccupied with the policing of a community → 1808
► POLICEOCRACY n. a country dominated by the police; also, the rule of the police → 1887 
► POLICE PIMP n. an informer → 1940 Aust. criminals’ sl.
► POLICE RUNNER n. a police officer of the lowest rank → 1781 hist.
► POLICE UP vb. to clean up a camp, barracks, parade ground, etc.; to make neat and orderly → 1857 US Army usage
► POLICIAL adj. pertaining to the police → 1843
► POLICIAR n. a person who improves or develops an estate → 1562 Sc. obs.
► POLICIED adj. politically or socially organized; civilized → 1596 obs.
► POLICIER n. 1. an officer responsible for checking and certifying the quality of a product → 1500 obs.
n. 2. a film based on a police novel → 1956 
► POLICING n. 1. an improving or developing land, esp. by cultivation → 1567 Sc. obs.
n. 2. the ordering, regulation, or administration of a state → 1589 obs.
n. 3. a cleaning and keeping order in a camp, garrison, etc. → 1862 US military usage
► POLICIZED adj. politically organized or ordered; regulated, governed, disciplined → 1840 obs.
► POLICIZER n. a person who practises policy; a schemer → 1809 obs.
► POLICY n. 1. the art, study, or practice of government or administration; the conduct of public affairs; political science → 1390 obs.
n. 2. an organized state; a commonwealth, a polity → 1393 obs.
n. 3. a device, a contrivance, an expedient; a stratagem, a trick → 1406 obs.
n. 4. civil order, polity; an organized and established system or form of government or administration, esp. in a state or city → 1439 obs.
n. 5. cunning, craftiness → 1440 obs.
n. 6. the improvement, development, or embellishment of an estate, building, etc. → 1472 Sc. obs.
n. 7. the polishing or refining of manners; refinement, elegance; culture, civilization → 1522 Sc. obs.
n. 8. a conditional promissory note, dependent on the result of a bet → 1623 obs.
n. 9. a voting paper; also, a voucher → 1670 obs.
n. 10. a form of street gambling that involves predicting a combination of the winning numbers at a racetrack → M19 US sl.
vb. 1. to provide with a certificate; to examine and certify to the purity or quality of → 1500 obs.
vb. 2. to organize, order, or regulate a state, country, etc. → 1565 obs.
► POLICY KING n. a person who controlled a network of ‘policy’ shops; one who makes large profits from running policy games → 1894 US
► POLICY OFFICER n. a person who issues policies of insurance → 1693 obs.
► POLICY RUNNER n. a person who acts as a go-between between bettors and the policy ‘banker’ → M19 US sl.
► POLICY WONK n. a person who takes an excessive interest in minor details of policy → 1984 sl., orig. US
► POLIORCETIC adj. relating to the besieging of cities or fortresses → 1744
► POLIORCETICS n. a conducting and resisting sieges; siegecraft → 1569
► (THE) POLIS n. a police officer → 1833 chiefly Irish & Sc.
► POLISH n. 1. a fool → 1900 US sl.
n. 2. effrontery, arrogance → 1900 sl.
n. 3. fellatio → 1980 NZ sl.
n. 4. an act of masturbation → 1990 sl.
vb. 1. to gloss over a sin, treacherous act. etc. → 1450 obs.
vb. 2. to become refined → 1712 obs.
vb. 3. to hoodwink; to exploit → M19 sl.
vb. 4. to beat, to thrash → M19 sl.
vb. 5. to eat up every scrap of food; to eat every last trace of food from one’s plate → 1868 colloq.
► POLISH A BONE vb. to eat a meal → 1788 obs.
► POLISH AIRLINES n. walking → 1960 homosexual sl.
► POLISH APPLES vb. to curry favour, as with a teacher → 1927 US sl.
► POLISH A TURD vb. 1976 – to improve something which is unalterably unpleasant, of poor quality, etc.
► POLISH DOZEN n. fourteen → 1995 Amer. dial.
► POLISHED adj. intoxicated with alcohol → E20 US sl.
► POLISHED-UP adj. intoxicated with alcohol → E20 US sl.
► POLISHER n. 1. a toady → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
n. 2. a jailbird → 20C sl. Aust. sl.
► POLISH FIRE DRILL n. a scene of great confusion; a chaotic situation → 1978 Amer. dial.
► POLISH HANDBALL n. dried nasal mucus → 1970 homosexual sl.
► POLISHING DOWN n. a sharp scolding → 1966 Amer. dial.
► POLISH IT UP vb. to toady; to act sycophantically → 1960 US students’ sl.
► POLISHMENT n. a polishing, improving, or bringing to completion → 1594
► POLISH OFF vb. 1. to complete quickly or easily → 1827 colloq.
vb. 2. to drink or eat up completely → 1827 colloq.
vb. 3. to get rid of; to destroy; to kill → 1827 colloq.
► POLISH SHOWER n. a cursory wash or the application of deodorant to unwashed armpits → 2000 sl.
► POLISH THE APPLE vb. to curry favour; to act the sycophant → 1920 sl.
► POLISH THE KING’S IRON WITH ONE’S EYEBROW(S) vb. to look out of grated or prison windows → 1785 sl.
► POLISH UP vb. to curry favour with → 1965 Amer. dial.
► POLISHURE n. a being polished; smoothness, refinement → 1611 obs.
► POLISMAN n. a police officer → 1850 chiefly Irish & Sc.
► POLISSON n. an urchin; a rascal; a dishonest or rude person → 1866
► POLITARCH n. a civic magistrate or governor in some cities of the eastern part of the Roman Empire → 1852
► POLITBURO n. the highest policy-making committee of a communist party or country, esp. of the Soviet Union → 1923
► POLITE adj. 1. smoothed, polished, burnished → 1398 obs.
adj. 2. clean; neat, orderly → 1602 obs.
vb. to polish or refine; to clear up → 1535 obs.
► THE POLITE n. 1. refined or cultured people as a class → 1711
n. 2. politeness → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► POLITE AS A BASKET OF CHIPS adj. very polite and smiling → 1905 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► POLITEFUL adj. polite, courteous → 1832
► POLITELY adv. smoothly → 1598 obs.
► POLITENESS n. 1. intellectual refinement; polish, elegance, good taste → 1627 obs.
n. 2. polish, smoothness of surface → 1638 obs.
► POLITESSE n. formal politeness; etiquette → 1683
► POLITIAN n. an expert in politics; a politician → 1584 obs.
► POLITIC adj. 1. judicious, expedient, sensible; skilfully contrived; said of an action or thing → 1430
adj. 2. prudent, shrewd, sagacious; said of a person → 1439
adj. 3. scheming, crafty, cunning → 1543 derogatory
adj. 4. ingenious; well adapted to the purpose → 1550 Sc. obs.
adj. 5. polished, refined, cultured → 1596 Sc. obs.
n. 1. the political state, life, or condition of a country or government; the polity; also, the art or knowledge of government → 1429 obs.
n. 2. a temporizer, esp. in matters of religion; as worldly-wise person → 1533 obs.
n. 3. a politician → 1559 arch.
n. 4. policy; politics → 1588
vb. 1. to engage in political activity, esp. in order to strike political bargains or to seek votes; to campaign → 1892
vb. 2. to influence politically; to propagandize; to lobby → 1966
► POLITICAL adj. judicious, expedient, sensible; skilfully contrived; said of an action or thing → 1577 obs.
n. a politician; a political writer → 1833
► THE POLITICAL n. that which is political; politics → 1845
► POLITICAL ANIMAL n. 1. a person viewed as tending to live and act with others, esp. in an organized community → 1710 
n. 2. a person who is interest in or concerned about political issues, or who actively participates in politics → 1892
► POLITICAL FOOTBALL n. a subject of contentious political debate; an issue not resolved by succeeding governments → 1833 –
► POLITICALIZE vb. 1. to make political → 1859
vb. 2. to practise or comment on politics → 1869
► POLITICALS n. political matters, political ideas; politics → 1621
► POLITICASTER n. an inadequate or contemptible politician → 1641 arch., derogatory 
► POLITICIAN n. 1. a schemer or plotter; a shrewd, sagacious, or crafty person; one whose behaviour is likened to that of a professional politician → 1586
n. 2. a person who obtains preferential treatment, esp. an easy or desirable job, through manipulation → 1911 US Navy & prison sl.
n. 3. a toady → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
n. 4. a soldier with a job that excuses him from assemblies and musters → 1915 World War I Amer. sl.
► POLITICIANER n. a politician …1838 Amer. dial.
► POLITICIANESS n. female politician; a woman who is an expert in politics → 1785
► POLITICIDE n. 1. a killing or extermination of a particular group because of its political or ideological beliefs → 1968
n. 2. a course of action which is irreparably damaging to one’s political career → 1974
► POLITICIST n. a political scientist; a person who studies political groups or actions → 1856
► POLITICKER n. a politician, esp. one motivated by political expediency; a person who engages in political activity out of self-interest → 1604 chiefly depreciative usage
► POLITICLESS adj. impolitic, unwise → 1556 obs.
► POLITICO n. a politician → 1630 sl., usually derogatory
► POLITICOMANIA n. a passion for, or an obsession with, politics → 1785
► POLITICONE n. a politician → 1734 obs., derogatory
► POLITICOPHOBIA n. an irrational fear of politics or politicians → 1830 
► POLITIED adj. having a polity or administration → 1816 obs.
► POLITION n. an adorning or decorating something → 1623 obs.
► POLITIQUE n. 1. a politician, esp. a pragmatic or unprincipled one → 1581 often derogatory
n. 2. a political concept or doctrine; an expression of political ideas → 1958
► POLITIST n. a politician; a student of or a writer on politics → 1598
► POLITITIONER n. a politician → 1859 Amer. dial.
► POLITITIOUS adj. political → 1638 obs.
► POLITIZE vb. 1. to deal with or treat a matter shrewdly or diplomatically → 1598 obs.
vb. 2. to engage in political affairs or relations; to play the politician → 1623 
vb. 3. to educate a person in politics; to politicize an issue or policy → 1884
► POLITRICKS n. politics. regarded as characterized by dishonesty or self-interest; the use of underhand methods to achieve political ends regarded as self-serving or contemptible → 1908 sl., chiefly Jamaican, depreciative usage
► POLITURE n. 1. polishing; polish, smoothness → 1592 obs.
n. 2. elegance; refinement; polish of style or manners → 1593
► POLITY n. 1. civilization; civil order or organization; civil society → 1538
n. 2. administration of a state; a process of civil government or a constitution → 1558
n. 3. an organized society; the state as a political entity → 1555
n. 4. management, administration, policy; statecraft; a method of government → 1562
n. 5. a political principle → 1642 obs.
► POLK vb. to dance the polka → 1845 colloq.
► POLKAMANIA n. a mania for dancing the polka → 1844
► POLKERY n. a social gathering for the purpose of dancing the polka → 1845 obs.
► POLKING adj. dancing the polka; said of a person → 1856 obs.
n. the act of dancing the polka → 1845
► POLKIST n. a person accomplished at dancing the polka → 1844 obs.
► POLK STALK n. a shotgun or rifle → 1936 Amer. dial.
► POLKY adj. of potatoes: diseased → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► POLL n. 1. the part of the head on which the hair grows; the scalp of a person or animal → 1300 arch.
n. 2. the back of the head or neck → 1398 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
n. 3. the head of a person or animal → 1400 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
n. 4. a skull → 1568 chiefly Sc.
n. 5. a measure of land formerly used in Ireland, equivalent to 50 or 60 acres → 1591 obs.
n. 6. a parrot; a pet name for a parrot → 1600
n. 7. the number of people assembled on a particular occasion, as determined by the counting of heads; the muster → 1613 obs.
n. 8. the counting of voters or of votes cast in an election → 1625
n. 9. the top or crown of a hat or cap → 1704 obs.
vb. 1. to cut the hair of a person or animal; to shave, to shear; to barber → 1325
vb. 2. to cut off the top of a tree or plant; to top or head a tree a few feet from the ground so it throws out more branches; generally, to lop the branches of, to prune→ 1449
vb. 3. to plunder or pillage by excessive taxation; to rob, to fleece, to strip, to cheat → 1490
vb. 4. to count the heads of persons or animals; to enumerate → 1500 obs.
vb. 5. to plunder, to steal, to practice extortion; to cheat → 1521 obs.
vb. 6. to cut off the head of a person, animal, etc.; to behead → 1577 obs.
vb. 7. to take the vote of a person; to record a vote → 1673
► POLLACK n. 1. a porpoise → 1774 Sc. obs.
n. 2. a Pole or a person of Polish extraction → 1879 Amer. sl., somewhat derogatory
► POLLANTINE n. ? a porpoise → 1558 obs.
► POLLARCHY n. rule or government by the masses; also, the masses as a ruling body or political force → 1853 chiefly political usage
► POLLARD adj. bald-headed; said of a person → 1856 humorous usage, obs.
n. 1. a male deer that has cast its antlers; later: a hornless domestic animal of a breed that is typically horned → 1546 obs.
n. 2. a tree which has had its upper trunk and branches cut back, so as to produce new growth and a uniform shape → 1588
n. 3. penny (1d) → 1903 sl. (Bk.)
vb. to cut back the upper trunk and branches of a tree → 1670
► POLLART n. a hare → 1300 obs.
► POLL-AXE n. the penis → 16C
► POLL-CLAWED adj. having dishevelled or cropped hair → 1855 humorous usage, obs.
► POLLED adj. 1. having the hair cut short; shorn, shaven; cut off, cropped; said of a person or animal → 1325 arch.
adj. 2. plundered, pillaged → 1538 obs.
adj. 3. that has cast its antlers; later of a domestic animal: hornless → 1577
adj. 4. cut back, lopped: said of a tree → 1587
► POLLED-UP adj. living with a mistress or concubine → L19 Brit. sl.
► POLLEE n. a person who is questioned in an opinion poll → 1939 orig. & chiefly US
► POLLENCY n. power, strength → 1623 arch.
► POLLENT adj. powerful, strong, mighty → 1660
► POLLER n. 1. a plunderer, a pillager, a robber → 1513 obs.
n. 2. a person who cuts hair; a barber → 1578 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
n. 3. a person who votes, esp. in an election → 1715
n. 4. a person who lops or polls trees → 1828 obs.
n. 5. a person who registers voters for an election → 1828 obs.
► POLL-HATCHET n. a poleaxe → 1279 obs.
► POLL-HIGH adj. head-high→ 1838 obs.
► POLL-HILL n. a bump or lump on the head → 1827 humorous usage, obs.
► POLLICAR adj. 1. relating to a thumb or toe → 1656 obs.
adj. 2. measuring an inch in length or breadth → 1656 obs.
► POLLICITATE vb. to promise or assure → 1657 obs.
► POLLICITATION n. a promising; a promise; a document conveying a promise → 1455 chiefly hist.
► POLLINCED adj. of a corpse: embalmed → 1623 obs.
► POLLINCTOR n. a person who prepares a corpse for burial, cremation, or embalming, by washing, anointing, etc.; one who is employed to do this; an undertaker → 1606 chiefly Roman history
► POLLINCTURE n. a washing, anointing, or otherwise preparing a dead body for cremation or burial → 1656 obs.
► POLLING adj. plundering or robbing; extortionate, cheating → 1526 obs.
► POLLINGER n. a pollarded tree → 1570 chiefly Eng. dial., obs.
► POLL-MAD adj. mad-brained, uncontrolled, scatterbrained → 1577 obs.
► POLLOCK n. a Pole or a person of Polish extraction → 1879 Amer. sl., somewhat derogatory
► POLLOI n. the common people; the masses → 1803 colloq.
► POLLONEY n. a girl, a usually young woman → 1938 UK sl.
► POLL-PARROT n. a parrot → 1768
vb. to chatter like a parrot; to talk incessantly or inconsequentially; to prattle; also, to repeat words or phrases without apparent understanding or thought → 1865
► POLL-PARROTY adj. loud and raucous, like a parrot; talkative, chattering → 1837
► POLLRUMPTIOUS adj. unruly or restless; foolishly confident → 1860 sl.
► POLL-SHORN adj. having a shorn head → 1556 obs.
► POLL-SHRED vb. to cut back the upper trunk and branches of a tree → 1530 obs.
► POLLUCIBLE adj. sumptuous, lavish → 1623 obs.
► POLLUTE vb. 1. to make morally impure; to violate the purity or sanctity of; to profane or desecrate; to corrupt, to sully → 1382
vb. 2. to make physically impure, foul, or filthy; to dirty, to stain, to taint → 1548
vb. 3. to masturbate → 17C sl.
vb. 4. to intoxicate; to make dead drunk → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► POLLUTED adj. 1. intoxicated with alcohol, drunk → 1912 US sl.
adj. 2. in a drugged state → 1938 sl., orig. US
adj. 3. tired, exhausted, without energy → 1967 Amer. dial.
adj. 4. thoroughly furnished with → 1981 Amer. dial.
► POLLUTION n. 1. ejaculation of semen without sexual intercourse, esp. a nocturnal emission → 1390 arch.
n. 2. masturbation → 16C sl.
► POLLUTIONATE adj. polluted, desecrated → 1593 obs.
► POLLUVE vb. to pollute → 1533 Sc. obs.
► POLLY n. 1. a parrot → 1826
n. 2. attaching a handsled to sleighs drawn by horses, etc. → 1896 Amer. dial.
n. 3. a prefect → L19 UK school sl.
n. 4. a politician → 1932 Aust. & NZ sl.
n. 5. a toady → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
n. 6. a female mule → 1968 Amer. dial.
n. 7. a hair bun or ponytail → 1968 Amer. dial.
n. 8. a chamber pot → 1970 Amer. dial.
► POLLYANNA adj. naively cheerful and optimistic; unrealistically happy → 1917
n. 1. a person able to find cause for happiness in the most disastrous situations; a person who is unduly optimistic or achieves happiness through self-delusion→ 1921
n. 2. an arrangement by which each member of a group gives a gift to one other member chosen at random; a gift given according to such an arrangement; the person to whom one gives or from whom one receives such a gift → 1985 Amer. dial.
► POLLYANNAISH adj. naively cheerful and optimistic; unrealistically happy → 1922
► POLLYBOG n. a tadpole → 1965 Amer. dial.
► POLLY-BOO n. 1. attaching a handsled to sleighs drawn by horses, etc. → 1895 Amer. dial.
n. 2. a person of French background → 1967 Amer. dial.
► POLLYCON n.  political economy → 20C undergraduates’ sl.
► POLLYDODDLE n. an effeminate man; one who busies himself with woman’s or household work → 1894 Eng. dial.
► POLLY FLINDER n. a window → L19 Cockney rhyming sl.
► POLLYFOX vb. 1. to dilly-dally, to delay and discuss, to quibble or equivocate → 1873 Amer. dial.
vb. 2. to move quietly, to pussyfoot → 1936 Amer. dial.
► POLLYFOX AROUND vb. to equivocate, to quibble, to procrastinate; to waste time, to dilly-dally, to delay and discuss → 1970 Amer. dial.
► POLLYFROG n. a tadpole → 1942 Amer. Western sl. (Bk.)
► POLLYMARBLES n. collywobbles; depression or nervousness; some imaginary or undefined illness → 1971 Amer. dial.
► POLLYNOSE n. a maple seed which children play with by splitting the bract and sticking it on the bridge of the nose → 1978 Amer. dial.
► POLLY-POUTS n. a fit of sulking → 1915 Amer. dial.
► POLLY-POUTY adj. sulky, sullen → 1942 Amer. dial.
► POLLY RIDE n. attaching a handsled to sleighs drawn by horses, etc. → 1966 Amer. dial.
► POLLY-WAD n. a hair bun or ponytail → 1968 Amer. dial.
► POLLYWIGGLE n. a tadpole → 1942 Amer. Western sl. (Bk.)
► POLLYWOG n. 1. a tadpole → 1440 chiefly Eng. dial. & US
n. 2. a person, esp. a politician, who is considered untrustworthy → 1854
n. 3. a sailor who is crossing the equator for the first time → 1925 nautical sl.
► POLLYWOGGLE n. a tadpole → 1965 Amer. dial.
► POLLYWOGGY n. a tadpole → 1965 Amer. dial.
► POLOIST n. a polo player → 1876
► POLONAISE n. a female native or inhabitant of Poland; a Polish woman → 1807
► POLONE n. 1. a girl or woman → M19 theatrical sl.
n. 2. an effeminate man → 1969 sl., derogatory
► POLONESE adj. Polish → 1736
n. 1. a native or inhabitant of Poland → 1668 obs.
n. 2. the Polish language → 1781 obs.
► POLONEY n. a girl, a usually young woman → 1938 UK sl., derogatory
► POLONI n. a young woman→ 1934 sl., derogatory
► POLONIAL adj. 1. characteristic of Polonius (the elderly and sententious courtier in Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’); given to using moralistic aphorisms, sententious → 1872
adj. 2. Polish → 1922
► POLONIAN adj. 1. Polish, of Polish descent → 1576
adj. 2. characteristic of Polonius (the elderly and sententious courtier in Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’); given to using moralistic aphorisms, sententious → 1847
n. a native or inhabitant of Poland; later, a Polish immigrant or person of Polish descent living in the United States → 1533
► POLONISM n. 1. Polish identity and culture → 1842
n. 2. a Polish idiom or turn of phrase; a Polish characteristic → 1859
► POLONIZATION n. a making something Polish → 1866
► POLONIZE vb. to make Polish; to give a Polish character to → 1844
► POLONOIS n. a native or inhabitant of Poland; a person of Polish descent → 1606 obs.
► POLONY adj. Polish, from Poland; designating a fashionable high stacked heel and shoes having such a heel → 1610 obs.
n. 1. a young woman → 1934 sl., derogatory
n. 2. an effeminate man → 1969 sl., derogatory
► POLPISY adj. countrified, outlandish; awkward, ungainly → 1916 Amer. dial.
► POLRUMPTIOUS adj. restive, rude, unruly, obstreperous; foolishly confident → 1790 Eng. dial.
► POLSKI n. a person of Polish ancestry; a Polish immigrant → 1950 Amer. dial.
► POLT n. 1. a blow; a hard knock → 1610 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
n. 2. the club-shaped stem and bulb of a leek → 1614 obs.
vb. to beat, to strike, to thump; also, to knock fruit down from a tree → 1652 Eng. dial.
► POLTALLOCH TERRIER n. the West Highland white terrier → 1887
► POLT-FOOT adj. club-footed → 1589 obs.
n. a club foot → 1578 obs.
► POLT-FOOTED adj. club-footed → 1589 obs.
► POLTHOGUE n. a blow, esp. a thump; a punch → 1808 Irish English, colloq
► POLTING LUG n. a long stick used to knock down fruit from trees → 1789 Eng. dial.
► POLTROON adj. resembling a poltroon; cowardly; wretched → 1649
n. an utter coward; a mean-spirited person; a worthless wretch → 1529 arch. or humorous usage
► POLTROONERY n. 1. laziness → 1590 obs.
n. 2. cowardice, pusillanimity → 1637
► POLTROONISH adj. fearful, timid, cowardly → 1801
► POLTROONISM n. cowardice → 1644
► POLTROONIZE IT vb. to act like a poltroon; to play the coward → 1611 obs.
► POLTROON TIGER n. a puma → 1790 obs.
► POLTY adj. easy → 1890 cricketers’ usage
► POLY n. 1. a toady → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
n. 2. a politician → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► POLYACOUSTIC n. an instrument that amplifies a sound → 1684 obs.
► POLYAD n. a group of more than two, or of an indeterminate number of things, persons, etc. → 1851
► POLY-AFFECTIONED adj. displaying many affections or emotions → 1893 obs.
► POLYAMORIST n. a person practicing or advocating polyamory → 1992 orig. US
► POLYAMOROUS adj. practicing, advocating, or characterized by polyamory→ 1990 orig. US
► POLYAMORY n. a having simultaneous close emotional relationships with two or more other individuals, viewed as an alternative to monogamy, esp. in regard to matters of sexual fidelity → 1992 orig. US
► POLYANDRIA n. a form of polygamy in which one woman has two or more husbands or male sexual partners at the same time → 1866 rare
► POLYANDRIAN adj. having more than one husband or male sexual partner → 1809
► POLYANDRIC adj. having more than one husband or male sexual partner → 1856
► POLYANDRION n. a place of burial for a number of people; a common grave → 1612 chiefly Ancient Greece usage
► POLYANDRISM n. a form of polygamy in which one women has two or more husbands or male sexual partners at the same time → 1801
► POLYANDRIST n. a woman who has two or more husbands or male sexual partners at the same time → 1833
► POLYANDROUS adj. having more than one husband or male sexual partner → 1855
► POLYANDRUM n. 1. a tomb, a grave → 1627 obs.
n. 2. a place of burial for a number of people; a common grave → 1661 obs.
► POLYANDRY n. a form of polygamy in which one woman has two or more husbands or male sexual partners at the same time → 1680
► POLYANGLE n. a figure having many angles, a polygon → 1612
► POLYARCHAL adj. of the nature of a polyarchy → 1896 political usage
► POLYARCHIC adj. of the nature of a polyarchy → 1892 political usage
► POLYARCHICAL adj. of the nature of a polyarchy → 1653 political usage
► POLYARCHIST n. a person who advocates or believes in a polyarchy → 1678 political usage
► POLYARCHY n. 1. rule or government by many people → 1606 chiefly political usage
n. 2. a group of many kingdoms → 1648 obs.
► POLYBATHIC adj. capable of living at great depths → 1898 obs.
► POLYBIGAMY n. repeated bigamy or remarriage during the life of a first spouse; polygamy → 1823 obs.
► POLYCEPHALIC adj. having many heads → 1850
► POLYCEPHALIST n. a person who has many heads; fig. a person who acknowledges many rulers → 1659 obs.
► POLYCEPHALOUS adj. having many heads → 1659
► POLYCHARACTERISTIC adj. having many differing characteristics → 1706 obs.
► POLYCHREST n. a thing adapted to several different uses → 1656
► POLYCHRESTIC adj. adapted to several different uses → 1850 obs.
n. a thing adapted to several different uses → 1694 obs.
► POLYCHRESTICAL adj. adapted to several different uses → 1657 obs.
n. a thing adapted to several different uses → 1657 obs.
► POLYCHRESTY n. adaptation to various uses; the ability to be used in several different ways → 1889 obs.
► POLYCHROMATISM n. the condition or quality of being multicoloured → 1860 chiefly Art usage 
► POLYCHROMATIST n. a person who applies coloured paint to a statue or other work of art; a colourist → 1854 obs.
► POLYCHROMATIZE vb. to paint or adorn a surface with many colours → 1848
► POLYCHROMATOUS adj. having various colours; multicoloured → 1889
► POLYCHROME adj. multicoloured, esp. painted, decorated or printed in many colours → 1819
n. a work of art executed or decorated in many colours, esp. a coloured statue, carving, or painting → 1801
vb. to paint or decorate a drawing, sculpture, etc. with many colours → 1899
► POLYCHROMED adj. multicoloured → 1847
► POLYCHROMIC adj. having various colours; multicoloured → 1825
► POLYCHROMING n. a painting or decorating with many colours → 1899
► POLYCHROMISM n. a being multicoloured → 1903 chiefly Art usage
► POLYCHROMIST n. a person who applies coloured paint to a statue or other work of art; a colourist → 1842 Art hist.
► POLYCHROMIZE vb. to make an object multicoloured; to decorate with several colours → 1860 obs.
► POLYCHROMOUS adj. multicoloured, esp. painted, decorated, or printed in many colours → 1880
► POLYCHROMY n. the art of painting or decorating in many colours, esp. as used in ancient pottery, sculpture, architecture, etc. → 1845
► POLYCHRONIC adj. 1. taking place in several distinct periods of time → 1907
adj. 2. performing elements of different tasks concurrently → 1972
► POLYCHRONICON n. 1570 a chronicle of many events or periods → obs.
► POLYCHURCH adj. relating to a system permitting a multiplicity of denominations → 1883 Anglican Church usage, obs.
► POLYCLINIC n. 1. a hospital outpatient department; later, a centre, usually independent of a hospital, providing secondary health care → 1884
n. 2. an institution providing postgraduate medical training and free consultations by specialists → 1898
► POLYCOERANY n. a government by many rulers or princes → 1640 obs.
► POLYCRACY n. government by the many → 1581 political usage
► POLYCRATIC adj. governed by many; esp. with reference to Nazi Germany → 1956 political usage
► POLYCULTURE n. the simultaneous cultivation or exploitation of several different crops or animals → 1915
► POLYDAEMONISM ► POLYDEMONISM n. belief in many divinities or supernatural beings → 1699
► POLYDAEMONISTIC ► POLYDEMONISTIC adj. believing in or worshipping many divinities → 1877
► POLYDIABOLICAL n. a person who believes in many devils or evil spirits → 1876 obs.
► POLYDIABOLIST n. a person who believes in many devils or evil spirits → 1876 obs.
► POLYDOGGERY n. the keeping of a number of dogs → 1875 humorous usage, obs.
► POLYDYNAMIC adj. possessing, affected by, or relating to many forces or powers; capable of acting in many ways → 1787
► POLYEPIC adj. consisting of more than one word → 1832 obs.
► POLYFENESTRAL adj. having many windows → 1838 obs.
► POLY FOLLY n. political philosophy → 1970 US students’ sl. (Bk.)
► POLYGAMIC adj. practising polygamy → 1741
► POLYGAMICAL adj. practising polygamy → 1781
► POLYGAMIST n. a person who practises or favours polygamy; a man who has several wives at one time → 1637
► POLYGAMIZE vb. to practise polygamy → 1605
► POLYGAMOUS adj. practising polygamy; having more than one wife or sexual partner; said of a man → 1547
► POLYGENEOUS adj. of many kinds; mixed → 1818
► POLYGLOSSIC adj. involving two or more voices or languages → 1983 
► POLYGLOT adj. speaking, writing, or understanding a number of languages; written or uttered in a number of languages → 1650
n. 1. a person who speaks, writes, or understands a number of languages → 1650
n. 2. a book written in several languages → 1666
n. 3. a bird that imitates the calls or song of other birds → 1770 obs.
► POLYGLOTTAL adj. speaking, writing, or understanding a number of languages → 1837
► POLYGLOTTED adj. speaking several languages, multilingual → 1868
► POLYGLOTTER n. a person who speaks several languages → 1912
► POLYGLOTTERY n. the knowledge or use of several languages → 1834
► POLYGLOTTIC adj. speaking, writing, or understanding a number of languages → 1801
► POLYGLOTTISH adj. multilingual → 1860
► POLYGLOTTISM n. the knowledge or use of many languages; a being multilingual → 1852
► POLYGLOTTIST n. a person who speaks, writes, or understands a number of languages → 1663
► POLYGLOTTIZE vb. to make multilingual → 1871 obs.
► POLYGLOTTOLOGY n. a use of many languages → 1658 obs.
► POLYGLOTTOUS adj. speaking or writing in many or several languages; using or knowing many languages → 1861
► POLYGONAR adj. having the form of a polygon → 1715 obs.
► POLYGONIAL n. a polygon → 1702 obs.
► POLYGRAPH n. 1. a person who imitates or very closely resembles another; an imitator, an imitation → 1794 obs.
n. 2. a writer of many or various works; a prolific author; a writer on many subjects → 1799
n. 3. a collection of writings; a work on several subjects → 1882 obs.
► POLYGRAPHER n. 1. a person who uses, studies, or invents a code or cipher → 1588
n. 2. a writer of many works; a prolific author → 1791
n. 3. a mimic → 1810 obs.
► POLYGRAPHIC adj. 1. writing much, prolific: said of a person; of a book, etc.: voluminous, copious; comprising several works → 1735
adj. 2. that very closely resembles or copies another → 1805 obs.
n. a person who imitates or very closely resembles another → 1797 obs.
► POLYGRAPHIST n. a writer of many works; a prolific author → 1891
► POLYGRAPHY n. 1. a code or cipher; a creating, writing, or deciphering such a code → 1593
n. 2. copious writing or literary work; writing dealing with many subjects → 1654
► POLYGNAIKY n. a form of polygamy in which a man has more than one wife at the same time → 1880 obs.
► POLYGYNANDRY n. a form of polygamy in which two or more men share two or more wives → 1962
► POLYGYNE n. a person whose character and behaviour is governed by several passions → 1851
► POLYGYNIA n. a form of polygamy in which a man has more than one wife at the same time → 1865 obs.
► POLYGYNIC adj. having several wives → 1866
► POLYGYNIST n. a man who has several wives → 1876
► POLYGYNOUS adj. having several wives → 1874
► POLYGYNY n. a form of polygamy in which a man has more than one wife at the same time → 1780
► POLYHISTOR n. a person of great or varied learning; a great scholar → 1588
► POLYHISTORIAN n. a person of great or varied learning; a great scholar → 1669
► POLYHISTORIC adj. relating to a person of great learning; widely erudite → 1878
► POLYHISTORY n. wide or varied learning → 1799
► POLYLINGUAL adj. involving several or many languages; multilingual → 1857
► POLYLINGUIST n. a person skilled in many languages → 1749
► POLYLOGUE n. a discussion involving more than two people → 1876
► POLYLOGY n. loquacity; talkativeness; verbosity → 1602
► POLYLOQUENT adj. talking much, very talkative, loquacious, garrulous → 1656
► POLYLYCHNOUS adj. having many lamps or lights → 1839 obs. 
► POLYMATH adj. very learned → 1881  
n. a person of much or varied learning; one acquainted with various subjects of study; an accomplished scholar → 1621
► POLYMATHIC adj. relating to extensive or varied learning → 1754
► POLYMATHIST n. a person of great or varied learning; an accomplished scholar → 1621
► POLYMATHY n. great or varied learning; acquaintance with many branches of learning → 1642
► POLYMECHANY n. invention → 1592 obs.
► POLYMICRIAN adj. containing much within a small space; compressed → 1829 obs.
► POLYMITE adj. woven out of many different or different-coloured threads; multicoloured → 1425 obs.
n. a multicoloured precious stone → 1475 obs.
► POLYMORPH adj. of very varied composition, character, or appearance → 1872
► POLYMORPHEAN adj. occurring in different forms, shapes, or varieties → 1656 obs.
► POLYMORPHIC adj. occurring in many different forms → 1816
► POLYMORPHISM n. the occurrence of something in several different forms → 1839
► POLYMORPHOUS adj. occurring in different forms, shapes, or varieties → 1798
► POLYMORPHY n. the occurrence of something in several different forms → 1846
► POLYMYTHIA n. a combination of a number of different stories in one narrative or dramatic work → 1695 obs.
► POLYMYTHY n. a combination of a number of different stories in one narrative or dramatic work → 1728
► POLYNOME adj. that has many names → 1830 obs.
► POLYNOMIAL adj. containing many names or terms → 1890
► POLYNYA n. an area of open water in the middle of an ex\panse of sea ice, esp. in Arctic waters → 1852
► THE POLYOCRACY n. a section of the establishment characterized by progressive, esp. left-wing, politics and social activism, and supposed to consist typically of people educated at or associated with polytechnics → 1975
► POLYOMMATOUS adj. having many eyes → 1864 obs.
► POLYONYM n. each of a number of different words having the same meaning; a synonym → 1858
► POLYONYMOSITY n. a using several different names for the same person or thing → 1923
► POLYONYMOUS adj. having many names or titles; called or known by several different names → 1678
► POLYONYMY n. the use of several different names for the same person or thing → 1678
► POLYPED adj. having many feet → 1829 obs.
n. an animal having many feet → 1822
► POLYPHAGE n. a person who eats to excess → 1623 obs.
► POLYPHAGIAN adj. relating to excessive eating or appetite → 1825
n. a person who eats to excess → 1658 obs.
► POLYPHAGIC adj. characterized by excessive eating or appetite → 1976
► POLYPHAGIST n. a person who eats to excess; also, one who eats many kinds of food → 1819 obs.
► POLYPHAGOUS adj. eating much; voracious → 1837 obs.
► POLYPHAGY n. excessive eating or appetite, esp. as a sign or symptom of disease → 1802
► POLYPHARMACAL adj. using many drugs or medicines → 1656 obs.
► POLYPHARMACIST n. a person who takes multiple medicines or drugs for concurrent disorders; also, one who prescribes such a course of action → 1886 
► POLYPHEME n. a person or thing likened in some way to Polyphemus (a Cyclops, a one-eyed giant); a giant → 1583 obs. –
► POLYPHEMIAN adj. characteristic of Polyphemus; gigantic; Cyclopean → 1602
► POLYPHEMIC adj. characteristic of Polyphemus; Cyclopean → 1796
► POLYPHEMOUS adj. characteristic of Polyphemus; Cyclopean → 1695
► POLYPHEMUS n. 1. a monster reminiscent of Polyphemus → 1642
n. 2. the penis → 19C obs.
► POLYPHEMUS EYE n. a single eye → 1867
► POLYPHILOPROGENITIVE adj. very prolific or fecund → 1919 
► POLYPHLOISBIC adj. that roars loudly; noisy, boisterous → 1915 humorous usage
► POLYPHLOISBOIAN adj. that roars loudly; noisy, boisterous → 1824 humorous usage
► POLYPHLOISBOIIC adj. that roars loudly; noisy, boisterous → 1863 humorous usage , obs.
► POLYPHLOISBOIOISM adj. noisy bombast → 1823 humorous usage , obs.
► POLYPHLOISBOIOTATOTIC adj. that roars most loudly or very loudly indeed → 1843 humorous usage, obs.
► POLYPHLOISBOIOTIC adj. that roars loudly; noisy, boisterous → 1843 humorous usage, obs.
► POLYPHLOISBOISTEROUS adj. noisy, boisterous → 1875 humorous usage
► POLYPHOBIA n. fear of many things → 1890
► POLYPHONAL adj. many-voiced → 1924
► POLYPHONIAN adj. simultaneously produced by many voices; harmonious → 1635 chiefly poetic usage
► POLYPHONISM n. multiplication of sounds or voices; also, mimicry → 1713
► POLYPHONIST n. a person capable of producing a variety of vocal sounds; a mimic, a ventriloquist → 1836
► POLYPHONOUS adj. involving the production of many sounds or voices; many-voiced → 1677
► POLYPHONY n. multiplicity of sounds or voices; mimicry, ventriloquism → 1828
► POLYPIETY n. the tolerance or practice of many different types of worship → 1647
► POLYPONOUS adj. occupied with many tasks → 1853 obs.
► POLYPOSIST n. one who drinks much; a hard drinker → 1821 obs.
► POLYPRAGMATIC adj. busying oneself about many affairs; meddlesome, interfering, officious → 1616  
n. a meddlesome person; an interfering or officious person; a busybody → 1636 obs.
► POLYPRAGMATICAL adj. overly interested in the business of others; meddlesome, interfering, officious → 1597 obs.
► POLYPRAGMATISM n. busyness or concern with many affairs; officiousness → 1890
► POLYPRAGMATIST n. a person who is busy or concerned with many affairs; a busybody → 1631
► POLYPRAGMATY n. a being occupied with a large or excessive number of matters → 1852 obs.
► POLYPRAGMIST n. a person who is busy or concerned with many affairs → 1613 obs.
► POLYPRAGMON n. one given to meddling; a busybody; an interfering or officious person → 1596
► POLYPRAGMONETIC adj. busy or concerned with many affairs; overly concerned with the affairs of others, interfering, officious → 1693 obs.
► POLYPRAGMONIST n. one given to meddling; a busybody; an interfering or officious person → 1609 obs.
► POLYPRAGMONY n. officiousness, interference → 1602 obs.
► POLYPRAGMOSYNE n. meddlesomeness → 1607
► POLYPRAGMOSYNIC adj. officious, meddling → 1886 obs.
► POLYPSEUDONYMOUS adj. having many pseudonyms or assumed names → 1876
► POLYP STONE n. a precious stone supposed to change colour → 1583 obs.
► POLYSARCOUS adj. corpulent, obese → 1890
► POLYSEME adj. having several meanings → 1930
n. a word that has several or multiple meanings → 1953
► POLYSEMIA n. a having several meanings; the possession of multiple meanings, senses, or connotations → 1900
► POLYSEMIC adj. having several meanings → 1930
► POLYSEMOUS adj. having a multiplicity of meanings; bearing many different interpretations → 1884
► POLYSEMY n. a having several meanings; the possession of multiple meanings, senses, or connotations → 1928
► POLYSYLLABE n. a word of many syllables → 1584 Sc. obs.
► POLYSYLLABIC adj. consisting of many syllables; said of a word → 1774
► POLYSYLLABICAL adj. consisting of many syllables; said of a word → 1656
► POLYSYLLABICISM n. polysyllabic or abstruse style → 1807
► POLYSYLLABICITY n. a being syllabic; polysyllabism → 1871
► POLYSYLLABILINGUAL adj. relating to polysyllabic languages → 1824 obs.
► POLYSYLLABISM n. a having or using words of many syllables → 1859
► POLYSYLLABLE adj. having or using many syllables → 1589
n. a word of many syllables; esp. a difficult or unfamiliar long word → 1570
► POLYTASTED adj. having many tastes or flavours → 1709 obs.
► POLYTECH n. a school giving instruction in various technical subjects; later, an institution of higher education that offers courses mainly in technical, scientific, and vocational subjects → 1900 chiefly colloq.
► POLYTECHNIC adj. giving instruction in various subjects, esp. technical and vocational ones; said of an educational institution → 1798
n. a school giving instruction in various technical subjects; later, an institution of higher education that offers courses mainly in technical, scientific, and vocational subjects → 1836
► POLYTECHNICAL adj. 1. giving instruction in various subjects, esp. technical and vocational ones; said of an educational institution → 1798
adj. 2. practising many trades → 1880 obs.
► POLYTECHNICIAN n. a student of a French polytechnic school → 1871
► POLYTECHNICS n. the mechanical arts or applied sciences collectively; a subject involving many arts or sciences → 1850
► POLYTELIC adj. comprising or connecting several diverse aims or interests; said of a system, group, behaviour, etc. → 1930
► POLYTHEISM n. the belief that there is more than one god; worship of several gods → 1613
► POLYTHEIST adj. worshipping or believing in more than one god → 1872
n. a person who believes in or worships more than one god → 1620
► POLYTHEISTIC adj. worshipping or believing in more than one god → 1706
► POLYTHEISTICAL adj. worshipping or believing in more than one god → 1678
► POLYTHEISTICALLY adv. involving or referring to more than one god → 1778
► POLYTHEIZE vb. 1. to believe in more than one god → 1864 obs.
vb. 2. to be converted to polytheism → 1924
► POLYTHEOUS adj. involving the worship of more than one god → 1702 obs.
► POLYTOKY n. the condition of having borne many children → 1702 obs.
► POLYTOPIAN n. a person who visits many places → 1611
► POLYTRAGIC adj. containing many tragedies → 1607 obs.
► POLYTROPHIC adj. highly nutritious → 1659 obs.
► POLYTROPHY n. abundant or excessive nutrition → 1667 obs.
► POLYTROPIC adj. 1. capable of taking various courses of action; adaptable, versatile → 1838
adj. 2. visiting the flowers of many species: said of a bee or other insect → 1899
► POLYVERSITY n. an educational institution which combines features of a university and a polytechnic → 1970 chiefly Brit.
► POLY-WOLY n. a very fat person → 1966 Amer. dial.