English Words Note. 16

¹bi·as

noun \ˈbī-əs\

Definition of BIAS

1

: a line diagonal to the grain of a fabric; especially : a line at a 45 degree angle to the selvage often utilized in the cutting of garments for smoother fit

2

a : a peculiarity in the shape of a bowl that causes it to swerve when rolled on the green in lawn bowling b : the tendency of a bowl to swerve; also : the impulse causing this tendency c : the swerve of the bowl

3

a : bent, tendency b : an inclination of temperament or outlook; especially : a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment : prejudice c : an instance of such prejudice d (1) : deviation of the expected value of a statistical estimate from the quantity it estimates (2) : systematic error introduced into sampling or testing by selecting or encouraging one outcome or answer over others

4

a : a voltage applied to a device (as a transistor control electrode) to establish a reference level for operation b : a high-frequency voltage combined with an audio signal to reduce distortion in tape recording

— on the bias

: askew, obliquely

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Examples of BIAS

1. He showed a bias toward a few workers in particular.
2. Do they have a bias against women?
3. The company was accused of racial bias.
4. The decision was made without bias.
5. She showed no bias toward older clients.
6. a student with a strong bias towards the arts
7. … members of the opinion media will cherry-pick moments from the debate that support their own ideological biases. —Michelle Cottle, New Republic, 16 Oct. 2000
8. [+]more

Origin of BIAS

Middle French biais

First Known Use: 1530

Related to BIAS

Synonyms: favor, nonobjectivity, one-sidedness, partiality, parti pris, partisanship, ply, prejudice, tendentiousness

Antonyms: impartiality, neutrality, objectivity, open-mindedness, unbiasedness

 

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English Words Note. 15

grid

noun \ˈgrid\

Definition of GRID

1

: grating

2

a (1) : a perforated or ridged metal plate used as a conductor in a storage battery (2) : an electrode consisting of a mesh or a spiral of fine wire in an electron tube (3) : a network of conductors for distribution of electric power; also : a network of radio or television stations b : a network of uniformly spaced horizontal and perpendicular lines (as for locating points on a map); also : something resembling such a network <a road grid> c : gridiron 3; broadly : football

3

: the starting positions of cars on a racecourse

4

: a device in a photocomposer on which are located the characters to be exposed as the text is composed

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Examples of GRID

1. The students plotted points on a grid.
2. The city streets form a grid.

Origin of GRID

back-formation from gridiron

First Known Use: 1839

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English Words Note. 14

¹vo·cal

adj \ˈvō-kəl\

Definition of VOCAL

1

a : uttered by the voice : oral b : produced in the larynx : uttered with voice

2

: relating to, composed or arranged for, or sung by the human voice <vocal music>

3

: vocalic

4

a : having or exercising the power of producing voice, speech, or sound b : expressive c : full of voices : resounding d : given to expressing oneself freely or insistently : outspoken <a highly vocal critic> e : expressed in words

5

: of, relating to, or resembling the voice <vocal impairment>

— vo·cal·i·ty noun

— vo·cal·ly adverb

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Examples of VOCAL

1. music with vocal and instrumental parts
2. She is a vocal critic of the new law.
3. He was very vocal in his criticism of me.

Origin of VOCAL

Middle English, from Latin vocalis, from voc-, vox voice — more at voice

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to VOCAL

Synonyms: oral, spoken, uttered, voiced

Antonyms: nonvocal

 

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English Words Note. 13

an·ti·body

noun \ˈan-ti-ˌbä-dē\

Definition of ANTIBODY

: any of a large number of proteins of high molecular weight that are produced normally by specialized B cells after stimulation by an antigen and act specifically against the antigen in an immune response, that are produced abnormally by some cancer cells, and that typically consist of four subunits including two heavy chains and two light chains —called also immunoglobulin

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English Words Note. 10

jeal·ou·sy

noun \ˈje-lə-sē\

plural jeal·ou·sies

Definition of JEALOUSY

1

: a jealous disposition, attitude, or feeling

2

: zealous vigilance

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Examples of JEALOUSY

1. petty jealousies among political rivals
2. a marriage ruined by infidelity and jealousy
3. He was driven crazy with jealousy.
4. He was unable to control his jealousies.

First Known Use of JEALOUSY

13th century

Related to JEALOUSY

Synonyms: covetousness, enviousness, green-eyed monster, invidiousness, envy, resentment

 

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English Words Note. 8

be·half

noun \bi-ˈhaf, -ˈhäf, bē-\

Definition of BEHALF

: interest, benefit; also : support, defense <argued in his behalf>

— on behalf of or in behalf of

: in the interest of; also : as a representative of

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Usage Discussion of BEHALF

A body of opinion favors in with the “interest, benefit” sense of behalf and on with the “support, defense” sense. This distinction has been observed by some writers but overall has never had a sound basis in actual usage. In current British use, on behalf (of) has replaced in behalf (of); both are still used in American English, but the distinction is frequently not observed.

Origin of BEHALF

Middle English, from by + half half, side

First Known Use: 14th century

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English Words Note. 7

pet·it

adj \ˈpe-tē\

Definition of PETIT

: petty 1 —used chiefly in legal compounds

Origin of PETIT

Middle English, small, minor, from Anglo-French, small

First Known Use: 14th century

English Words Note. 7

trea·son

noun \ˈtrē-z^ən\

Definition of TREASON

1

: the betrayal of a trust : treachery

2

: the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance or to kill or personally injure the sovereign or the sovereign's family

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Examples of TREASON

1. He is guilty of treason.
2. <reading a friend's diary without permission would have to be regarded as the ultimate act of personal treason>

Origin of TREASON

Middle English tresoun, from Anglo-French traisun, from Latin tradition-, traditio act of handing over, from tradere to hand over, betray — more at traitor

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to TREASON

Synonyms: backstabbing, business, disloyalty, double cross, faithlessness, falseness, falsity, infidelity, perfidy, sellout, treachery, betrayal, two-timing, unfaithfulness

Antonyms: allegiance, devotion, faithfulness, fealty, fidelity, loyalty, staunchness, steadfastness

English Words Note. 6

¹fa·tigue

noun \fə-ˈtēg\

Definition of FATIGUE

1

a : labor b : manual or menial work performed by military personnel c plural : the uniform or work clothing worn on fatigue and in the field

2

a : weariness or exhaustion from labor, exertion, or stress b : the temporary loss of power to respond that is induced in a sensory receptor or motor end organ by continued stimulation

3

: the tendency of a material to break under repeated stress <metal fatigue>

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Examples of FATIGUE

1. We were overcome by fatigue after the long journey.
2. The drug's side effects include headache and fatigue.
3. soldiers wearing combat boots and fatigues
4. The cracks in the engine were caused by metal fatigue.

Origin of FATIGUE

French, from Middle French, from fatiguer to fatigue, from Latin fatigare; akin to Latin affatim sufficiently

First Known Use: 1669

Related to FATIGUE

Synonyms: burnout, collapse, exhaustion, frazzle, lassitude, prostration, tiredness, weariness

Antonyms: refreshment, rejuvenation, rejuvenescence, revitalization

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chron·ic

adj \ˈkrä-nik\

Definition of CHRONIC

1

a : marked by long duration or frequent recurrence : not acute <chronic indigestion> <chronic experiments> b : suffering from a chronic disease <the special needs of chronic patients>

2

a : always present or encountered; especially : constantly vexing, weakening, or troubling <chronic petty warfare> b : being such habitually <a chronic grumbler>

— chronic noun

— chron·i·cal·ly adverb

— chro·nic·i·ty noun

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Examples of CHRONIC

1. He suffers from chronic arthritis.
2. a chronic need for attention
3. Inflation has become a chronic condition in the economy.
4. Don't bother seeing that film—it's chronic.

Origin of CHRONIC

French chronique, from Greek chronikos of time, from chronos

First Known Use: 1601

Related to CHRONIC

Synonyms: bred-in-the-bone, habitual, confirmed, dyed-in-the-wool, inveterate

 

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English Words Note. 5

else

adv \ˈel(t)s\

Definition of ELSE

1

a : in a different manner or place or at a different time <how else could he have acted> <here and nowhere else> b : in an additional manner or place or at an additional time <where else is gold found>

2

: if not : otherwise <leave or else you'll be sorry> —used absolutely to express a threat <do what I tell you or else>

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Examples of ELSE

1. We decided to go someplace else for dinner.
2. <if you could do it over again, how else would you have done it?>

Origin of ELSE

Middle English elles, from Old English; akin to Latin alius other, alter other of two, Greek allos other

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to ELSE

Synonyms: differently, otherwise, other (than)

Antonyms: likewise

 

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English Words Note. 4

el·e·gy

noun \ˈe-lə-jē\

plural el·e·gies

Definition of ELEGY

1

: a poem in elegiac couplets

2

a : a song or poem expressing sorrow or lamentation especially for one who is dead b : something (as a speech) resembling such a song or poem

3

a : a pensive or reflective poem that is usually nostalgic or melancholy b : a short pensive musical composition

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Examples of ELEGY

1. <“O Captain! My Captain!” is Walt Whitman's elegy on the death of President Lincoln>

Origin of ELEGY

Latin elegia poem in elegiac couplets, from Greek elegeia, elegeion, from elegos song of mourning

First Known Use: 1501

Related to ELEGY

Synonyms: dirge, lament, requiem, threnody

 

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English Words Note. 3

ax·i·al

adj \ˈak-sē-əl\

Definition of AXIAL

1

: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an axis

2

a : situated around, in the direction of, on, or along an axis b : extending in a direction essentially perpendicular to the plane of a cyclic structure (as of cyclohexane) <axial hydrogens> — compare equatorial

— ax·i·al·i·ty noun

— ax·i·al·ly adverb

 

 

 

hypo-

prefix

Definition of HYPO-

1

: under : beneath : down <hypoblast> <hypodermic>

2

: less than normal or normally <hypesthesia> <hypotension>

3

: in a lower state of oxidation : in a low and usually the lowest position in a series of compounds <hypochlorous acid> <hypoxanthine>

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Variants of HYPO-

hypo- or hyp-

Origin of HYPO-

Late Latin hypo-, hyp-, from Greek, from hypo — more at up

 

 

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¹in·tan·gi·ble

adj \(ˌ)in-ˈtan-jə-bəl\

Definition of INTANGIBLE

: not tangible : impalpable <education's intangible benefits>

— in·tan·gi·bil·i·ty noun

— in·tan·gi·ble·ness noun

— in·tan·gi·bly adverb

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Examples of INTANGIBLE

1. Leadership is an intangible asset to a company.
2. <electrical energy is completely intangible>

Origin of INTANGIBLE

French or Medieval Latin; French, from Medieval Latin intangibilis, from Latin in- + Late Latin tangibilis tangible

First Known Use: 1640

Related to INTANGIBLE

Synonyms: impalpable

Antonyms: palpable, tactile, tangible, touchable

 

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English Words Note.1

¹ex·er·cise

noun \ˈek-sər-ˌsīz\

Definition of EXERCISE

1

a : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : use <the exercise of self-control> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation <exercise of his judicial duties> c : the act or an instance of carrying out the terms of an agreement (as an option) —often used attributively <an option's exercise price>

2

a : regular or repeated use of a faculty or bodily organ b : bodily exertion for the sake of developing and maintaining physical fitness <trying to get more exercise>

3

: something performed or practiced in order to develop, improve, or display a specific capability or skill <arithmetic exercises> <vocal exercises>

4

: a performance or activity having a strongly marked secondary or ulterior aspect <party politics has always been an exercise in compromise — H. S. Ashmore>

5

a : a maneuver, operation, or drill carried out for training and discipline <naval exercises> b plural : a program including speeches, announcements of awards and honors, and various traditional practices of secular or religious character <commencement exercises>

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Examples of EXERCISE

1. Get plenty of fresh air and exercise.
2. Swimming is my favorite kind of exercise.
3. She did stretching exercises before her daily run.
4. Do the writing exercise at the end of each chapter.
5. The negotiations have gotten nowhere, and I see no reason to continue with this pointless exercise.

Related to EXERCISE

Synonyms:  activity, conditioning, exertion 

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