Os·car ( ¼s"k…r) n. 1. Any of the golden statuettes awarded annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for achievement in movies.

judge ( j¾j) v. judged judg·ing judg·es v. tr. 1. To form an opinion or estimation of after careful consideration: judge heights; judging character. 2. a. Law To hear and decide on in a court of law; try: judge a case. b. Obsolete To pass sentence on; condemn. c. To act as one appointed to decide the winners of: judge an essay contest. 3. To determine or declare after consideration or deliberation. 4. Informal To have as an opinion or assumption; suppose: I judge you're right. 5. Bible To govern; rule. Used of an ancient Israelite leader. v. intr. 1. To form an opinion or evaluation. 2. To act or decide as a judge. n. 1. One who judges, especially: a. One who makes estimates as to worth, quality, or fitness: a good judge of used cars; a poor judge of character. b. Abbr. J. j. Law A public official who hears and decides cases brought before a court of law. c. Law A bankruptcy referee. d. One appointed to decide the winners of a contest or competition. 2. Bible a. A leader of the Israelites during a period of about 400 years between the death of Joshua and the accession of Saul. b. Judges used with a sing. verb Abbr. Judg. Jg. JJ See note at Bible . [Middle English jugen from Anglo-Norman juger from Latin i¿dic³re from i¿dex i¿dic-judge; See deik- in Indo-European Roots.]

Synonyms: judge arbitrator arbiter referee umpire These nouns denote persons who make decisions that determine points at issue. A judge is one capable of making rational, dispassionate, and wise decisions: The members of the jury are the sole judges of what the truth is in this case. An arbitrator works to settle controversies and is either appointed or derives authority from the consent of the disputants, who choose him or her or approve the selection: The mayor appointed an experienced arbitrator to mediate between the sides and resolve the transit strike. An arbiter is one who may or may not have official status but whose opinion or judgment is recognized as being unassailable or binding: a critic who considers himself the supreme arbiter of literary taste. Less often arbiter is used interchangeably with arbitrator. A referee is an attorney appointed by a court to make a determination of a case or to investigate and report on it ( a bankruptcy case handled by a referee ), and an umpire is a person appointed to settle an issue that arbitrators are unable to resolve ( umpires studying complex tax cases ). In sports referee and umpire refer to officials who enforce the rules and settle points at issue.

act ( ²kt) n. 1. The process of doing or performing something: the act of thinking. 2. Something done or performed; a deed: a charitable act. 3. A decisional product, such as a statute, decree, or enactment, delivered by a legislative or a judicial body. 4. A formal written record of proceedings or transactions. 5. a. One of the major divisions of a play or an opera. b. A theatrical performance that forms part of a longer presentation: a juggling act. 6. A manifestation of intentional or unintentional insincerity; a pose: put on an act. v. act·ed act·ing acts v. tr. 1. To play the part of; assume the dramatic role of: She plans to act Lady Macbeth in summer stock. 2. To perform (a role) on the stage: act the part of the villain. 3. a. To behave like or pose as; impersonate: Don't act the fool. b. To behave in a manner suitable for: Act your age. v. intr. 1. To behave or comport oneself: She acts like a born leader. 2. To perform in a dramatic role or roles. 3. To be suitable for theatrical performance: This scene acts well. 4. To behave affectedly or unnaturally; pretend. 5. To appear or seem to be: The dog acted ferocious. 6. To carry out an action: We acted immediately. The governor has not yet acted on the bill. 7. To operate or function in a specific way: His mind acts quickly. 8. To serve or function as a substitute for another: A coin can act as a screwdriver. 9. To produce an effect: waited five minutes for the anesthetic to act.

Phrasal Verbs: act out 1. a. To perform in or as if in a play; dramatize: act out a story. b. To realize in action: wanted to act out his theory. 2. To express (unconscious impulses, for example) in an overt manner without awareness or understanding. act up 1. To misbehave. 2. To malfunction. 3. Informal To become active or troublesome after a period of quiescence: My left knee acts up in damp weather. Her arthritis is acting up again.

Idioms: be in on the act 1. To be included in an activity. clean up (one's) act Slang 1. To improve one's behavior or performance. get into the act 1. To insert oneself into an ongoing activity, project, or situation. get (one's) act together Slang 1. To get organized. [Middle English from Old French acte from Latin ³ctus a doing ³ctum a thing done both from agere ³ct-to drive, do; See ag- in Indo-European Roots.] ac "ta·bil"i·ty n. act "a·ble adj.

Usage Note: The words act and action both mean " a deed " and " the process of doing. " However, other senses of act, such as " a decision made by a legislative body " and of action, such as " habitual or vigorous activity " show that act tends to refer to a deed while action tends to refer to the process of doing. The demands of meaning or idiom will often require one word or the other: class act and class action, for example, are not interchangeable. In cases where either can be used, either is acceptable: my act (or action ) was premature.

an·te ( ²n"t¶) n. 1. Games The stake that each poker player must put into the pool before receiving a hand or before receiving new cards. See note at bet . 2. A price to be paid, especially as one's share; cost: " Whether they could actually turn back Soviet policy depended on many factors that Moscow might yet choose to test by upping the ante " Foreign Affairs v. an·ted or an·teed an·te·ing an·tes v. tr. 1. Games To put (one's stake) into the pool in poker. 2. To pay: Let's ante up the bill. v. intr. 1. To pay up. [From Latin before; See ant- in Indo-European Roots.]

bate 1 ( b³t) v. tr. bat·ed bat·ing bates 1. To lessen the force or intensity of; moderate: " To his dying day he bated his breath a little when he told the story " George Eliot See note at bait 2 . 2. To take away; subtract. [Middle English baten short for abaten; See abate ]

bate 2 also bait ( b³t) v. intr. bat·ed also bait·ed bat·ing bait·ing bates baits 1. To flap the wings wildly or frantically. Used of a falcon. [Middle English baten from Old French batre to beat; See batter 1 ]

cite ( sºt) v. tr. cit·ed cit·ing cites 1. To quote as an authority or example. 2. To mention or bring forward as support, illustration, or proof: cited several instances of insubordinate behavior. 3. a. To commend officially for meritorious action in military service. b. To honor formally. 4. To summon before a court of law. [Middle English citen to summon from Old French citer from Latin cit³re;See kei- 2 in Indo-European Roots.] cit "a·ble adj.

cote 2 ( k½t) v. tr. cot·ed cot·ing cotes Obsolete 1. To go around by the side of; skirt. [Probably from French côtoyer to skirt from côté side from Old French coste rib; See costrel ]

dat·ed ( d³"t¹d) adj. 1. Marked with or displaying a date. 2. Old-fashioned; out-of-date. dat "ed·ly adv. dat "ed·ness n.

date 1 ( d³t) n. Abbr. d. 1. a. Time stated in terms of the day, month, and year. b. A statement of calendar time, as on a document. 2. A specified day of a month. 3. A particular point or period of time at which something happened or existed, or is expected to happen. 4. The time during which something lasts; duration. 5. The time or historical period to which something belongs: artifacts of a later date. 6. a. An appointment, especially an engagement to go out socially with a member of the opposite sex, for example. See note at engagement . b. A person's companion on such an outing. 7. An engagement for a performance: has four singing dates this month. v. dat·ed dat·ing dates v. tr. 1. To mark or supply with a date: date a letter. 2. To determine the date of: date a fossil. 3. To betray the age of: Pictures of old cars date the book. 4. To go on a date with. v. intr. 1. To have origin in a particular time in the past: This statue dates from 500 B.C. 2. To become old-fashioned. 3. To go on dates. [Middle English from Old French from Medieval Latin data from Latin data (Romae) issued (at Rome) (on a certain day), feminine past participle of dare to give; See d ½- in Indo-European Roots.] dat "a·ble or date "a·ble adj. dat "er n.

dote ( d½t) v. intr. dot·ed dot·ing dotes 1. To show excessive love or fondness: parents who dote on their only child. See note at like 1 . [Middle English doten] dot "er n.

fat·ed ( f³"t¹d) adj. 1. Governed by fate; predetermined. 2. Condemned to death or destruction; doomed: the fated city of Troy.

fete also fête ( f³t, f µt) n. 1. A festival or feast. 2. a. An elaborate, often outdoor entertainment. b. An elaborate party. v. tr. fet·ed also fêt·ed fet·ing fêt·ing fetes fêtes 1. To celebrate or honor with a festival, a feast, or an elaborate entertainment. 2. To pay honor to. [French fête from Old French feste; See feast ]

gate 1 ( g³t) n. 1. A structure that can be swung, drawn, or lowered to block an entrance or a passageway. 2. a. An opening in a wall or fence for entrance or exit. b. The structure surrounding such an opening, such as the monumental or fortified entrance to a palace or walled city. 3. a. A means of access: the gate to riches. b. A passageway, as in an airport terminal, through which passengers proceed for embarkation. 4. A mountain pass. 5. The total paid attendance or admission receipts at a public event: a good gate at the football game. 6. A device for controlling the passage of water or gas through a dam or conduit. 7. The channel through which molten metal flows into a shaped cavity of a mold. 8. Sports A passage between two upright poles through which a skier must go in a slalom race. 9. Electronics A circuit with multiple inputs and one output that is energized only when a designated set of input pulses is received. v. tr. gat·ed gat·ing gates 1. Chiefly British To confine (a student) to the grounds of a college as punishment. 2. Electronics To select part of (a wave) for transmission, reception, or processing by magnitude or time interval.

Idioms: get the gate Slang 1. To be dismissed or rejected. give (someone) the gate Slang 1. To discharge from a job. 2. To reject or jilt. [Middle English from Old English geat]

hate ( h³t) v. hat·ed hat·ing hates v. tr. 1. a. To feel hostility or animosity toward. b. To detest. 2. To feel dislike or distaste for: hates washing dishes. v. intr. 1. To feel hatred. n. 1. Intense animosity or dislike; hatred. 2. An object of detestation or hatred: My pet hate is tardiness. [Middle English haten from Old English hatian N.,Middle English from Old English hete] hat "er n.

kite ( kºt) n. 1. A light framework covered with cloth, plastic, or paper, designed to be flown in the wind at the end of a long string. 2. Nautical Any of the light sails of a ship that are used only in a light wind. 3. Any of various predatory birds of the hawk family Accipitridae, having a long, often forked tail and long pointed wings. 4. a. A piece of negotiable paper representing a fictitious financial transaction and used temporarily to sustain credit or raise money. b. A bank check drawn on insufficient funds to take advantage of the time interval required for collection. c. A bank check that has been fraudulently altered to show a larger amount. v. kit·ed kit·ing kites v. intr. 1. To fly like a kite; soar or glide. 2. To get money or credit with a kite. v. tr. 1. To use (a bad check) to sustain credit or raise money. 2. To increase the amount of (a check) fraudulently. [Middle English bird of prey from Old English cþta]

lat·ed ( l³"t¹d) adj. 1. Belated. [From late ]

lute 2 ( l›t) n. 1. A substance, such as dried clay or cement, used to pack and seal pipe joints and other connections or coat a porous surface in order to make it tight. Also Called luting . v. tr. lut·ed lut·ing lutes 1. To coat, pack, or seal with lute. [Middle English from Old French lut from Latin lutum potter's clay]

mate 1 ( m³t) n. 1. One of a matched pair: the mate to this glove. 2. A spouse. 3. a. Either of a pair of animals or birds that associate in order to propagate. b. Either of a pair of animals brought together for breeding. 4. a. A person with whom one is in close association; an associate. b. A good friend or companion. 5. A deck officer on a merchant ship ranking below the master. 6. A U.S. Navy petty officer who is an assistant to a warrant officer. v. mat·ed mat·ing mates v. tr. 1. To join closely; pair. 2. To unite in marriage. 3. To pair (animals) for breeding. v. intr. 1. To become joined in marriage. 2. a. To be paired for reproducing; breed. b. To copulate. [Middle English from Middle Low German m³te, gemate messmate]

mate 2 ( m³t) Games n. 1. A checkmate. v. tr. intr. mat·ed mat·ing mates 1. To checkmate or achieve a checkmate. [Middle English from Old French mat checkmated from Arabic m³t dead; See checkmate ]

mete 1 ( m¶t) v. tr. met·ed met·ing metes 1. To distribute by or as if by measure; allot: mete out punishment. 2. Archaic To measure. [Middle English meten from Old English metan; See med- in Indo-European Roots.]

mut·ed ( my›"t¹d) adj. 1. a. Muffled; indistinct: a muted voice. b. Mute or subdued; softened: muted colors. 2. Music Produced by or provided with a mute. mut "ed·ly adv.

mute ( my›t) adj. mut·er mut·est 1. Refraining from producing speech or vocal sound. 2. a. Unable to speak. b. Unable to vocalize, as certain animals. See note at dumb . 3. Expressed without speech; unspoken: a mute appeal. 4. Law Refusing to plead when under arraignment. 5. Linguistics a. Not pronounced; silent, as the e in the word house. b. Pronounced with a temporary stoppage of breath, as the sounds (p) and (b); plosive; stopped. n. 1. Offensive One who is incapable of speech. 2. Law A defendant who refuses to plead when under arraignment. 3. Music Any of various devices used to muffle or soften the tone of an instrument. 4. Linguistics a. A silent letter. b. A plosive; a stop. v. tr. mut·ed mut·ing mutes 1. To soften or muffle the sound of. 2. To soften the tone, color, shade, or hue of. [Middle English muet from Old French, from diminutive of mu from Latin m¿tus] mute "ly adv. mute "ness n.

not·ed ( n½"t¹d) adj. 1. Distinguished by reputation; famous: a noted physician. not "ed·ly adv. not "ed·ness n.

Synonyms: noted celebrated eminent famed famous illustrious notable preeminent renowned The central meaning shared by these adjectives is " widely known and esteemed ": a noted author; a celebrated musician; an eminent scholar; a famed scientist; a famous actor; an illustrious judge; a notable historian; a preeminent archaeologist; a renowned painter.

note ( n½t) n. Abbr. n. 1. A brief record, especially one written down to aid the memory: took notes during the lecture. 2. A brief informal letter. See note at letter . 3. A formal written diplomatic or official communication. 4. A comment or an explanation, as on a passage in a text. 5. a. A piece of paper currency. b. A certificate issued by a government or a bank and sometimes negotiable as money. c. A promissory note. 6. Music a. A tone of definite pitch. b. A symbol for such a tone, indicating pitch by its position on the staff and duration by its shape. c. A key of an instrument, such as a piano. 7. The characteristic vocal sound made by a songbird or other animal: the clear note of a cardinal. 8. The sign of a particular quality or emotion: ended his plea on a note of despair; a note of gaiety in her manner. See note at sign . 9. Importance; consequence: Nothing of note happened. 10. Notice; observation: quietly took note of the scene. 11. Obsolete A song, melody, or tune. v. tr. not·ed not·ing notes 1. To observe carefully; notice. See note at see 1 . 2. To make a note of; write down: noted the time of each arrival. 3. To show; indicate: a reporter who is careful to note sources of information. 4. To make mention of; remark: noted the lateness of their arrival. [Middle English from Old French from Latin nota annotation; See gn ½- in Indo-European Roots.] not "er n.

opt ( ¼pt) v. intr. opt·ed opt·ing opts 1. To make a choice or decision: opted for early retirement; opted not to go.

Phrasal Verbs: opt out Slang 1. To choose not to participate in something: " give individual schools the right to opt out of the local educational authority " Newsweek [French opter from Old French from Latin opt³re]

out ( out) adv. 1. In a direction away from the inside: go out of the office. 2. Away from the center or middle: The troops fanned out. 3. a. Away from a usual place: stepped out for a drink of water; went out for the evening. b. Out of normal position: threw his back out. 4. a. From inside a building or shelter into the open air; outside: The boy went out to play. b. In the open air; outside: Is it snowing out? 5. a. From within a container or source: drained the water out. b. From among others: picked out the thief in the crowd. 6. a. To exhaustion or depletion: The supplies have run out. b. Into extinction or imperceptibility: The fire has gone out. c. To a finish or conclusion: Play the game out. d. To the fullest extent or degree: all decked out for the dance. e. In or into competition or directed effort: went out for the basketball team; was out to win. 7. a. Into being or evident existence: The new car models have come out. b. Into public circulation: The paper came out early today. 8. Into view: The moon came out. 9. Without inhibition; boldly: Speak out. 10. Into possession of another or others; into distribution: giving out free passes. 11. a. Into disuse or an unfashionable status: Narrow ties have gone out. b. Into a state of deprivation or loss: voted the incompetent governor out. c. Out of consideration: A taxi is out, because we haven't the money. 12. In the time following; afterward: " to gauge economic conditions six months out " Christian Science Monitor 13. Baseball So as to be retired, or counted as an out: He grounded out to the shortstop. 14. Used in two-way radio to indicate that a transmission is complete and no reply is expected. adj. 1. Exterior; external: the out surface of a ship's hull. 2. Directed away from a place or center; outgoing: the out doorway. 3. No longer fashionable. 4. Baseball Not allowed to continue to bat or run; retired. prep. 1. Forth from; through: He fell out the window. 2. Beyond or outside of: Out this door is the garage. n. 1. One that is out, especially one who is out of power. 2. Informal A means of escape: The window was my only out. 3. Abbr. O Baseball a. A play in which a batter or base runner is retired. b. The player retired in such a play. 4. Sports A serve or return that falls out of bounds in a court game. 5. Printing A word or other part of a manuscript omitted from the printed copy. v. out·ed out·ing outs v. intr. 1. To be disclosed or revealed; come out: Truth will out. v. tr. 1. Sports To send (a tennis ball, for example) outside the court or playing area. 2. Chiefly British To knock unconscious.

Idioms: on the outs Informal 1. Not on friendly terms; disagreeing. [Middle English from Old English ¿t;See ud- in Indo-European Roots.]

pate ( p³t) n. 1. The human head, especially the top of the head: a bald pate. 2. The intellect; one's brains. [Middle English] pat "ed adj

rate 1 ( r³t) n. 1. A quantity measured with respect to another measured quantity: a rate of speed of 60 miles an hour. 2. A measure of a part with respect to a whole; a proportion: the mortality rate; a tax rate. 3. The cost per unit of a commodity or service: postal rates. 4. A charge or payment calculated in relation to a particular sum or quantity: interest rates. 5. Level of quality. 6. Often rates Chiefly British A locally assessed property tax. v. rat·ed rat·ing rates v. tr. 1. To calculate the value of; appraise. See note at estimate . 2. To place in a particular rank or grade. 3. To regard or account: rated the movie excellent. 4. To value for purposes of taxation. 5. To set a rate for (goods to be shipped). 6. To specify the performance limits of (a machine, for example): This fuse is rated at 50 amperes. 7. Informal To merit or deserve: people that rate special treatment. See note at earn 1 . v. intr. 1. To be ranked in a particular class. 2. Informal To have status, importance, or influence.

Idioms: at any rate 1. Whatever the case may be. 2. At least. [Middle English from Old French from Medieval Latin rata proportion short for Latin (pr ½) rat³ (parte) (according to a) fixed (part) , from feminine ablative past participle of r¶rºto consider, reckon; See ar- in Indo-European Roots.]

rate 2 ( r³t) v. rat·ed rat·ing rates v. tr. 1. To berate. v. intr. 1. To express reproof. [Middle English raten perhaps of Scandinavian origin]

sate 1 ( s³t) v. tr. sat·ed sat·ing sates 1. To satisfy (an appetite) fully. 2. To satisfy to excess. See note at satiate . [Probably alteration of Middle English saden from Old English sadian; See s ³- in Indo-European Roots.]

site ( sºt) n. 1. The place where a structure or group of structures was, is, or is to be located: a good site for the school. 2. The place or setting of something: a historic site; a job site. v. tr. sit·ed sit·ing sites 1. To situate or locate on a site: sited the power plant by the river. [Middle English from Old French from Latin situs; See situs ]

tote 1 ( t½t) v. tr. tot·ed tot·ing totes Informal 1. To haul; lug. 2. To have on one's person; pack: toting guns. n. 1. Informal A load; a burden. 2. A tote bag. [Perhaps( via Black West African English) of Bantu origin Kongo-tota to pick up Swahili-tuta to pile up, carry] tot "a·ble adj. tot "er n.

tote 2 ( t½t) v. tr. tot·ed tot·ing totes Informal 1. To determine the total of; add up. 2. To sum up; summarize.

vote ( v½t) n. 1. a. A formal expression of preference for a candidate for office or for a proposed resolution of an issue. b. A means by which such a preference is made known, such as a raised hand or a marked ballot. 2. The number of votes cast in an election or to resolve an issue: a heavy vote in favor of the bill. 3. A group of voters alike in some way: the Black vote; the rural vote. 4. The act or process of voting: took a vote on the issue. 5. The result of an election or a referendum. 6. The right to participate as a voter; suffrage. v. vot·ed vot·ing votes v. intr. 1. To express one's preference for a candidate or for a proposed resolution of an issue; cast a vote: voted yes on the motion; voting against the measure. 2. To express a choice or an opinion. v. tr. 1. To express one's preference for by vote: voted the straight Republican ticket. 2. To decide the disposition of by vote, as by electing or defeating: vote in a new mayor; voted out their representative; vote down the amendment. 3. To bring into existence or make available by vote: vote new funds for a program. 4. To be guided by in voting: vote one's conscience. 5. To declare or pronounce by general consent: voted the play a success. 6. Informal To state as a preference or an opinion: I vote we eat out tonight.

Idioms: vote with (one's) feet Slang 1. To indicate a preference or an opinion by leaving or entering a particular locale: " If older cities are allowed to decay and contract, can citizens who vote with their feet . . . hope to find better conditions anywhere else? " Melinda Beck [Middle English vow from Latin v½tum,from neuter past participle of vov¶reto vow] vot "a·ble or vote "a·ble adj. vot "er n.