| absent-minded |
tending to not pay attention to a task or event because one is thinking about other things. |
| abstract |
hard to understand because not based on one's experience of the world. [1/3 definitions] |
| ace |
a serve in tennis that wins a point because the other player can not reach the ball. [1/5 definitions] |
| airplane |
a machine that can fly because of the force of air upon its wings; plane. An airplane is driven by propellers or a jet engine. |
| airsick |
feeling sick or dizzy because of air travel; feeling ill due to flying. |
| alien |
strange or odd because unfamiliar. [1/5 definitions] |
| alligator |
a large reptile with short legs, a long body and tail, and a long, wide snout. Alligators are protected by thick skin with many hard bumps. They live in rivers, lakes, swamps, and other bodies of water in the southeast United States and in China. They usually eat insects, fish, turtles, snakes, birds, and other water animals, but have been known to attack small land mammals. They are closely related to crocodiles. Chinese alligators are endangered because their habitat is being changed by people. |
| aristocracy |
a class of people who have a high social position because of the family they are born into. Members of the aristocracy are usually richer and have more privileges than other members of society. [1/2 definitions] |
| as1 |
because. [1/7 definitions] |
| ashamed |
not wanting to do something because of a fear of feeling shame or being embarrassed. [1/3 definitions] |
| attractive |
able to gain the attention or admiration of others because of having nice looks. [1/2 definitions] |
| authoritative |
accepted as correct and true; reliable as a source of information because said or written by an expert or authority. [1/2 definitions] |
| bacteria |
microscopic organisms that often play a role in the decay of living things, the process of fermentation, and sometimes in causing disease. Bacteria are each made up of only one cell, but different kinds of bacteria can take different shapes. These organisms live in all parts of the earth including oceans, deserts, glaciers, hot springs, and in the bodies of most living things. While some kinds of bacteria are dangerous, most kinds are useful because they help in the digestion of food, in the making of soil, in the creation of medicines, and in many other natural processes. |
| bacterium |
singular form of "bacteria." Bacteria are tiny living things made up of one cell each. Bacteria live in most living things and in all parts of the earth. Most bacteria are useful to people, but some are harmful because they can cause disease. |
| blackout |
the loss or hiding of all the lights of a city or region. Cities may have blackouts because of power failures. [1/2 definitions] |
| blimp |
an aircraft that holds its shape and flies because it is filled with a gas that is lighter than air; dirigible. |
| bloodshot |
red and irritated because of enlarged blood vessels. |
| blush |
to become red in the face because of shame or embarrassment. [1/3 definitions] |
| bored |
feeling tired or restless because of having to do something that is not interesting. |
| breathless |
holding one's breath for a moment because of excitement, amazement, or fear. [1/2 definitions] |
| burn out |
to stop burning, or to stop functioning because of excessive friction or heat. [1/2 definitions] |