the act of decorating something (in the hope of making it more attractive)


the action of decorating yourself with something colorful and interesting


the act of adding extraneous decorations to something


the children had to be in bed before it was time for the trimming of the tree


the practice of making a design on the skin by pricking and staining


sprucing up; making decorative additions to


the act of making a visible mark on a surface


the act of marking or outlining with lines


the act of coloring with areas of different shades


the act of removing solid particles from a liquid


act of making fuller or more meaningful or rewarding


the addition of an ingredient for the purpose of enrichment (as the addition of alcohol to wine or the addition of vitamins to food)


the modernization of Nigeria will be a long process


the act of improving by renewing and restoring

they are pursuing a general program of renovation to the entire property


a renovation that improves the outward appearance (as of a building) but usually does not involve major changes


for years she worked toward the moralization of English literature


an improvement that makes something more agreeable


an upward movement or trend as in business activity


changing something with the result that it becomes worse


a worsening of business or economic activity


the act of supplying fresh air and getting rid of foul air


oewn-repair-n oewn-fix-n oewn-fixing-n oewn-fixture-n oewn-mend-n oewn-mending-n oewn-reparation-n

the act of putting something in working order again


the act of mending a hole in a garment with crossing threads


the act of mending a hole in a garment by sewing a patch over it


activity involved in maintaining something in good working order


periodic maintenance on a car or machine

it was time for an overhaul on the tractor


an overhaul between the regular times for overhauling


oewn-band_aid-n oewn-quick_fix-n oewn-quickie-n oewn-quicky-n


the act of restoring something or someone to a satisfactory state


the restoration of run-down urban areas by the middle class (resulting in the displacement of low-income residents)


the conversion of wasteland into land suitable for use of habitation or cultivation


the activity of constructing something again


the archeological reassembly of ruined monuments from fallen or decayed fragments (incorporating new materials when necessary)


a complete reconstruction and renovation of something

the blighted neighborhood underwent a total makeover


forming again (especially with improvements or removal of defects); renewing and reconstituting


the act of restoring something to its original state


introducing water into a pump to improve the seal and start the water flowing


maintenance at a regularly scheduled time


care (installation and maintenance) of equipment for ventilating or heating or refrigerating


employment for performers or performing groups that lasts for a limited period of time

the play had bookings throughout the summer


changing to a lower state (a less respected state)


the act of degrading people with respect to their best qualities

science has been blamed for the dehumanization of modern life


oewn-brutalization-n oewn-brutalisation-n oewn-animalization-n oewn-animalisation-n

an act that makes people cruel or lacking normal human qualities


an act that makes people primitive and uncivilized


destroying someone's (or some group's) honesty or loyalty; undermining moral integrity


destroying the moral basis for a doctrine or policy


oewn-stultification-n oewn-constipation-n oewn-impairment-n oewn-deadening-n

the act of making something futile and useless (as by routine)


oewn-popularization-n oewn-popularisation-n oewn-vulgarization-n oewn-vulgarisation-n

the act of making something attractive to the general public


degradation of something worthy of respect; cheapening


an act that changes the light that something reflects


the act of whitening something by bleaching it (exposing it to sunlight or using a chemical bleaching agent)


(botany) the act of causing a plant to develop without chlorophyll by growing it without exposure to sunlight


darkening or obscuring the sight of something


the act of changing the natural color of something by making it duller or dingier or unnatural or faded


the act or process of changing the color of something


the hairdresser gave her hair a modest tinting


the use of dye to change the color of something permanently


(histology) the use of a dye to color specimens for microscopic study


oewn-Gram-ap-s_method-n oewn-Gram_method-n oewn-Gram-ap-s_procedure-n oewn-Gram-ap-s_stain-n oewn-Gram_stain-n

a staining technique used to classify bacteria; bacteria are stained with gentian violet and then treated with Gram's solution; after being decolorized with alcohol and treated with safranine and washed in water, those that retain the gentian violet are Gram-positive and those that do not retain it are Gram-negative


the activity of protecting the environment from pollution or destruction


(histology) the preservation and hardening of a tissue sample to retain as nearly as possible the same relations they had in the living body


the act of spotting or staining something


the act of contaminating or polluting; including (either intentionally or accidentally) unwanted substances or factors


the act of contaminating with dust particles


oewn-submersion-n oewn-immersion-n oewn-ducking-n oewn-dousing-n

the act of wetting something by submerging it


oewn-drenching-n oewn-soaking-n oewn-souse-n oewn-sousing-n

the act of making something completely wet


the act of making something slightly wet


the act of scattering water about haphazardly


the act of sprinkling or splashing water

baptized with a sprinkling of holy water


oewn-chew-n oewn-chewing-n oewn-mastication-n oewn-manduction-n

biting and grinding food in your mouth so it becomes soft enough to swallow


ineffectual chewing (as if without teeth)


ruminants have remarkable powers of rumination


involuntarily or unconsciously clenching or grinding the teeth, typically during sleep


causing the leaves of trees and other plants to fall off (as by the use of chemicals)


the act of changing location from one place to another

police controlled the motion of the crowd


the act of changing the location of something


the act of drawing spatially closer to something

the hunter's approach scattered the geese


a secret or underhand means of access (to a place or a position)


approaching a particular destination; a coming closer; a narrowing of a gap

the ship's rapid rate of closing gave them little time to avoid a collision


the approach to a landing field by an airplane


an approach that fails and gives way to another attempt


oewn-progress-n oewn-progression-n oewn-procession-n oewn-advance-n oewn-advancement-n oewn-forward_motion-n oewn-onward_motion-n

the act of moving forward (as toward a goal)


the general progression of your working or professional life

the general had had a distinguished career


after we solved that problem the rest was plain sailing


swinging by the arms from branch to branch


the hospital encouraged early ambulation


oewn-amble-n oewn-promenade-n oewn-saunter-n oewn-stroll-n oewn-perambulation-n

a leisurely walk (usually in some public place)


a regular walk taken as a form of exercise


oewn-sleepwalking-n oewn-somnambulism-n oewn-somnambulation-n oewn-noctambulism-n oewn-noctambulation-n


the act of changing location by raising the foot and setting it down


(ballet) a step in dancing (especially in classical ballet)


he heard the trip of women's feet overhead


a step to one side (as in boxing or dancing)


the uneven manner of walking that results from an injured leg


a slow gait of a horse in which two feet are always on the ground


a rapid gait of a horse in which each foot strikes the ground separately


an easy gait of a horse; midway between a walk and a trot


a gait faster than a walk; diagonally opposite legs strike the ground together


the rider rises from the saddle every second stride


maneuvers of a horse in response to body signals by the rider


a light leap by a horse in which both hind legs leave the ground before the forelegs come down


a cadenced trot executed by the horse in one spot


a smooth three-beat gait; between a trot and a gallop


a fast gait of a horse; a two-beat stride during which all four legs are off the ground simultaneously


a long walk usually for exercise or pleasure


the act of walking with exaggerated jerky motions


he walked with a kind of saunter as if he hadn't a care in the world


a gait in which steps and hops alternate


walking with short steps and the weight tilting from one foot to the other


the act of marching; walking with regular steps (especially in a procession of some kind)


(military) a march in the reverse direction or back along the same route


a manner of marching with legs straight and swinging high


the last walk of a condemned person to the execution place


a manner of marching in file in which each person's leg moves with and behind the corresponding leg of the person ahead

the prisoner's ankles were so chained together that they could only march in lockstep


a march of all the guests at the opening of a formal dance


the act of walking with a slow heavy gait


the act of prowling (walking about in a stealthy manner)


an exploratory walk by an astronaut on the surface of the moon


a walk around a territory (a parish or manor or forest etc.) in order to officially assert and record its boundaries


oewn-shamble-n oewn-shambling-n oewn-shuffle-n oewn-shuffling-n

walking with a slow dragging motion without lifting your feet

from his shambling I assumed he was very old


any kind of physical activity outside a spacecraft by one of the crew


a kind of dance step in which the dancer seems to be sliding on the spot

Michael Jackson perfected the moonwalk in the 1980s


nomadic excursions into the bush made by an Aborigine


a public stroll by a celebrity to meet people informally


the act of walking in order to view something

the realtor took her on a walk-through of the apartment


the act of running; traveling on foot at a fast pace


(basketball) a rapid dash to get a shot as soon as possible after taking possession of the ball


oewn-crawl-n oewn-crawling-n oewn-creep-n oewn-creeping-n

a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body

a crawl was all that the injured man could manage


he drove an extra lap just for insurance


the first lap of a car race that prepares the cars for a fast start


a lap by the winning person or team run to celebrate the victory


the act of going from one place to another

he enjoyed selling but he hated the travel


traveling around something (by ship or plane)

Magellan's circumnavigation of the earth proved that it is a globe


the group action of a collection of people or animals or vehicles moving ahead in more or less regular formation


travelling about without any clear destination

she followed him in his wanderings and looked after him


the act of crossing a stream or river by wading or in a car or on a horse


the business of providing services to tourists


tourism to exotic or threatened ecosystems to observe wildlife or to help preserve nature


the act of controlling and steering the movement of a vehicle or animal


riding for long hours over long distances


capturing a calf with a lasso and binding its feet


air travel involves too much waiting in airports


a scheduled trip by plane between designated airports


a flight with an intermediate stop and a change of aircraft (possibly a change of airlines)


a flight with one or more intermediate stops but no change of aircraft


a flight that begins and ends in the same country


a flight that takes off in one country and lands in another


a flight made without intermediate stops between source and destination


a night flight from which the passengers emerge with eyes red from lack of sleep

he took the redeye in order to get home the next morning


flying was still an exciting adventure for him


oewn-acrobatics-n oewn-aerobatics-n oewn-stunting-n oewn-stunt_flying-n

the performance of stunts while in flight in an aircraft


using only instruments for flying an aircraft because you cannot see through clouds or mists etc.


a flight at a low altitude (usually of military aircraft) over spectators on the ground


oewn-glide-n oewn-gliding-n oewn-sailplaning-n oewn-soaring-n oewn-sailing-n


he had done a lot of parachuting in the army


performing acrobatics in free fall before pulling the ripcord of a parachute


the Stealth bomber made its maiden flight in 1989


a flight by an aircraft over a particular area (especially over an area in foreign territory)


a flight or run by an aircraft over a target


a flight in which the aircraft pilot is unaccompanied


(military) an operational flight by a single aircraft (as in a military operation)


a landing (as the wheels touch the landing field); especially of airplanes


aircraft landing in bad weather in which the pilot is talked down by ground control using precision approach radar


an emergency landing under circumstances where a normal landing is impossible (usually damaging the aircraft)


a landing in which all three wheels of the aircraft touch the ground at the same time


an aircraft landing made entirely by means of instruments


a landing of a spacecraft in the sea at the end of a space flight


rapid descent of an aircraft in a steep spiral


the act of traveling from one place to another


a section or portion of a journey or course

then we embarked on the second stage of our Caribbean cruise


(nautical) the distance traveled by a sailing vessel on a single tack


a section along the route of a bus for which the fare is the same


a regular journey of some distance to and from your place of work

there is standing room only on the high-speed commute


a journey in a vehicle (usually an automobile)

he took the family for a drive in his new car


it's a long haul from New York to Los Angeles


a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)


a trip taken by an official at public expense


a ride in a car taken solely for pleasure

they took their girlfriends for joyrides in stolen cars


a journey organized for a particular purpose


an expedition undertaken to gain information


an overland journey by hunters (especially in Africa)


wandering from the main path of a journey


a journey by ox wagon (especially an organized migration by a group of settlers)


a journey or route all the way around a particular place or area


a sightseeing tour of a building or institution


an extended cultural tour of Europe taken by wealthy young Englishmen (especially in the 18th century) as part of their education


journeying from place to place preaching or lecturing; a preaching tour or lecturing tour


oewn-excursion-n oewn-jaunt-n oewn-outing-n oewn-junket-n oewn-pleasure_trip-n oewn-expedition-n oewn-sashay-n


a short excursion (a walk or ride) in the open air


a group excursion (to a museum or the woods or some historic place) for firsthand examination


in 1912 the ocean liner Titanic sank on its maiden voyage


a voyage across a body of water (usually across the Atlantic Ocean)


passage through a lock in a canal or waterway


the act of beating to windward; sailing as close as possible to the direction from which the wind is blowing


boating by chartering a bareboat and providing your own crew and provisions


to move something from its natural environment


oewn-transportation-n oewn-transport-n oewn-transfer-n oewn-transferral-n oewn-conveyance-n

the act of moving something from one location to another


the transfer from one conveyance to another for shipment


transportation of people or goods by air (especially when other means of access are unavailable)


airlift in 1948 that supplied food and fuel to citizens of west Berlin when the Russians closed off land access to Berlin


shifting from one form of transportation to another

the plane was late and he missed his connection in Atlanta


the act of delivering or distributing something (as goods or mail)


driving a bovine herd (as cows or bulls or steers)


the act of driving a herd of animals overland


delivery of supplies or equipment or personnel by dropping them by parachute from an aircraft

until then, front line troops will be supplied by airdrop


the delivery of goods for sale or disposal


the act of passing something to another person


the delivery and collection of letters and packages


the act of delivering a writ or summons upon someone


the act of passing something along from one person or group to another


the act of taking aboard passengers or freight


carrying something in a pack on the back

the backpacking of oxygen is essential for astronauts


the act of carrying a person over your shoulder


the transportation of burdens by porters


oewn-pursuit-n oewn-chase-n oewn-pursual-n oewn-following-n

the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture

the culprit started to run and the cop took off in pursuit


the pursuit (of a person or animal) by following tracks or marks they left behind


the fruitless pursuit of something unattainable


the act of putting one thing into another


oewn-cannulation-n oewn-canulation-n oewn-cannulization-n oewn-cannulisation-n oewn-canulization-n oewn-canulisation-n oewn-intubation-n

the insertion of a cannula or tube into a hollow body organ


the operation of introducing a catheter into the body


the introduction of a liquid (by pouring or injection) drop by drop


oewn-enclosure-n oewn-enclosing-n oewn-envelopment-n oewn-inclosure-n

the act of enclosing something inside something else


the enclosure of something in a package or box


the act of binding something into a bundle


the act of enclosing something in a case


the forceful insertion of a substance under pressure


injection of an anesthetic substance into the epidural space of the spinal cord in order to produce epidural anesthesia


something craved, especially an intravenous injection of a narcotic drug


(medicine) the passive introduction of a substance (a fluid or drug or electrolyte) into a vein or between tissues (as by gravitational force)


slow removal of a person's blood and its replacement with equal amounts of a donor's blood


the action of pouring a liquid from one vessel to another


the introduction of blood or blood plasma into a vein or artery


pumping a liquid into an organ or tissue (especially by way of blood vessels)


oewn-rise-n oewn-ascent-n oewn-ascension-n oewn-ascending-n

the act of changing location in an upward direction


the act of raising (a body) from the ground by presumably spiritualistic means


the act of lifting something with great effort


an act of scaling by the use of ladders (especially the walls of a fortification)


mountain climbing (not restricted to the Alps)


the sport or pastime of scaling rock masses on mountain sides (especially with the help of ropes and special equipment)


the act of changing your location in a downward direction


a steep nose-down descent by an aircraft


(mountaineering) a descent of a vertical cliff or wall made by using a doubled rope that is fixed to a higher point and wrapped around the body


a dive of an airplane that is accelerated both by gravity and by the power of the engine


they expected the drop would be successful


the act of throwing yourself down; collapse; sink


the act of causing something to move to a lower level


changing location by moving back and forth


the act of going back to a prior location

they set out on their return to the base camp


the act of sending an accused person back into custody to await trial (or the continuation of the trial)


the act of moving smoothly along a surface while remaining in contact with it

his slide didn't stop until the bottom of the hill


failing to hold or slipping out of place


the act of flowing or streaming; continuous progression


the act of sliding down a snow-covered slope while standing on a snowboard


the act of accelerating; increasing the speed


the act of decelerating; decreasing the speed


the act of moving along swiftly (as before a gale)


the act of removing something from one location and introducing it in another location

the transplant did not flower until the second year


movement of military units to a new location


the act of moving from one place to another

his constant shifting disrupted the class


oewn-motion-n oewn-movement-n oewn-move-n oewn-motility-n

a change of position that does not entail a change of location

the reflex motion of his eyebrows revealed his surprise


(physiology) moving of a body part away from the central axis of the body


(physiology) moving of a body part toward the central axis of the body


the act of agitating something; causing it to move around (usually vigorously)


a motion of the body by a player as if to make an object already propelled go in the desired direction


the act of disturbing something or someone; setting something in motion


motion of a fetus within the uterus (usually detected by the 16th week of pregnancy)


motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling


the act of turning your head left and right to signify denial or disbelief or bemusement

I could tell from their headshakes that they didn't believe me


oewn-jab-n oewn-jabbing-n oewn-poke-n oewn-poking-n oewn-thrust-n oewn-thrusting-n

a sharp hand gesture (resembling a blow)


ritual hand movement in religion or religious dancing, particularly in Hinduism or Buddhism


an inclination of his head indicated his agreement


oewn-jerk-n oewn-jerking-n oewn-jolt-n oewn-saccade-n


a short abrupt inclination (as of the head)

he gave me a short bob of acknowledgement


an inclination of the top half of the body forward and downward


a rhythmic thrusting movement of the legs as in swimming or calisthenics

the kick must be synchronized with the arm movements


abrupt up-and-down motion (as caused by a ship or other conveyance)

the pitching and tossing was quite exciting


involuntary movements of the eyeballs; its presence or absence is used to diagnose a variety of neurological and visual disorders


small involuntary tremors of the eyeballs; when it is eliminated by stabilizing the image on the retina, visual perception fades rapidly from fatigue of the retinal receptors


nystagmus caused by the body rotating rapidly; large slow movements of the eyeballs are in the direction of rotation


a rapid, jerky movement of the eyes between positions of rest


nystagmus caused by suddenly stopping the rapid rotation of the body; large slow movements of the eyeballs are in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation


the ray of light revealed his cautious opening of the door


the act of rearranging things to give a misleading impression


a rearrangement that has no practical effect or significance

the company is looking for stability after years of musical chairs with directors


act of changing the lineal order of objects in a group


the act of reversing the order or place of


(electricity) a rearrangement of the relative positions of power lines in order to minimize the effects of mutual capacitance and inductance

he wrote a textbook on the electrical effects of transposition


going by something that is moving in order to get in front of it

she drove but well but her reckless passing of every car on the road frightened me


shuffling by splitting the pack and interweaving the two halves at their corners


a series of small (usually idle) twists or turns


the act of assuming a prostrate position


the act of physically reaching or thrusting out


the act of assuming or maintaining a reclining position


the act of pulling or holding or drawing a part back


the rotation of the dancer kept time with the music


the act of turning or winding or folding around a central axis


turning an oar parallel to the water between pulls


the act of rotating in a circle or spiral


the act of turning on (or as if on) a pivot

the golfer went to the driving range to practice his pivot


rotation of the hands and forearms so that the palms face downward


oewn-spin-n oewn-twirl-n oewn-twist-n oewn-twisting-n oewn-whirl-n


flying downward in a helical path with a large radius


(ballet) a rapid spin of the body (especially on the toes as in ballet)


rotating a log rapidly in the water (as a competitive sport)


the act of assuming or maintaining a seated position


(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

he wanted his portrait painted but couldn't spare time for the sitting


the act of snapping the fingers; movement of a finger from the tip to the base of the thumb on the same hand


the act of assuming or maintaining a crouching position with the knees bent and the buttocks near the heels


rotation of the hands and forearms so that the palms face upward


with a quick twist of his head he surveyed the room


he put the key in the old clock and gave it a good wind


a movement like that of a sudden occurrence or increase in a specified phenomenon


the act of changing the direction in which something is oriented


the act of turning away or in the opposite direction


oewn-reversion-n oewn-reverse-n oewn-reversal-n oewn-turnabout-n oewn-turnaround-n


act of pivoting 180 degrees, especially in a military formation


complete reversal of direction of travel


the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements


constant stirring prevents it from burning on the bottom of the pan


causing to move repeatedly from side to side


the act of moving something by repeated tugs or pushes

vigorous worrying finally loosened the saw


oewn-rock-n oewn-careen-n oewn-sway-n oewn-tilt-n


he was badly bruised by the upset of his sled at a high speed


an involuntary vibration (as if from illness or fear)


the outreach toward truth of the human spirit


the act of assuming or maintaining an erect upright position


the stroke of a key; one depression of a key on a keyboard

the number of keystrokes was used as a measure of work


a change in the direction that you are moving


the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course


oewn-diversion-n oewn-deviation-n oewn-digression-n oewn-deflection-n oewn-deflexion-n oewn-divagation-n

a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern)


any diversion intended to distract attention from the main issue


a turn toward the side of the body that is on the south when the person is facing east


a turn toward the side of the body that is on the north when the person is facing east


the act of changing the amount or size of something


oewn-decrease-n oewn-diminution-n oewn-reduction-n oewn-step-down-n

the act of decreasing or reducing something


the act of reducing the amount or number

the mayor proposed extensive cuts in the city budget


the act of reducing budgeted expenditures


cutting the price of merchandise to one lower than the usual or advertised price


the new administration's large tax cut was highly controversial


the action of lessening in severity or intensity

the object being control or moderation of economic depressions


the act of gradually lowering the size or amount

the doctor prescribed the tapering of the dose


the reduction of something's value or worth


the act of reducing the vitality of something


altering something (as a legislative act or a statement) in such a manner as to reduce its value

the adoption of their amendments would have amounted to an evisceration of the act


to act in such a way as to cause an offense to seem less serious


the relaxation or relief of muscle spasms


oewn-easing-n oewn-easement-n oewn-alleviation-n oewn-relief-n

the act of reducing something unpleasant (as pain or annoyance)

he asked the nurse for relief from the constant pain


(war) a reduction in intensity (of a crisis or a war)


the easing of tensions or strained relations (especially between nations)


easing the severity of a pain or a disease without removing the cause


the act of reducing something to the least possible amount or degree or position


the act of decreasing something markedly


the amount of fuel used up (as in a nuclear reactor)


the act of exhausting something entirely


relieving pressure (especially bringing a compressed person gradually back to atmospheric pressure)


the act of increasing the density of something


oewn-grind-n oewn-mill-n oewn-pulverization-n oewn-pulverisation-n


the act of forcing something out by squeezing or pressing


an unexpected extrusion of toothpaste from the bottom of the tube


shortening something by omitting parts of it


the act of shortening something by chopping off the ends


cutting down to the desired size or shape


act of making on a greatly reduced scale


the act of subtracting (removing a part from the whole)

he complained about the subtraction of money from their paychecks


the government's weekly bite from my paycheck


the act of deducting from an employee's salary


(law) the removal or termination or destruction of something that has been found to be a nuisance


the removal of asbestos from a public building


the act of rubbing together; wearing something down by friction


the act of letting the air out of something


the act of reducing the selling price of merchandise


reducing prices back to some earlier level


the act of reducing the strength of something


weakening (reducing the concentration) by the addition of water or a thinner


the act of weakening by stunting the growth or development of something

the etiolation of the critical tradition


the addition of flowers created a pleasing effect


the act of adding a component or accessory to something that did not have it when it was manufactured

the court ordered a retrofit on all automobiles


the news caused a general advance on the stock market


an appreciation of 30% in the value of real estate


depreciation of the dollar against the yen


the addition of a fluoride to the water supply (to prevent dental decay)


(electronics) the act of increasing voltage or power or current


the act of decreasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope


the act of increasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope


dilation of blood vessels (especially the arteries)


the act of expanding by pressure from within


act of expanding by lengthening or widening


the action of stretching something tight


an increase to counteract a perceived discrepancy

higher wages caused an escalation of prices


the act of raising to the highest possible point or condition or position


the act of expanding something in apparent size


the act of making something more noticeable than usual

the dance involved a deliberate exaggeration of his awkwardness


act of expanding in scope; making more widely available


act of extending over a wider scope or expanse of space or time


the spread or transmission of something (as news or money) to a wider group or area


oewn-dispersion-n oewn-dispersal-n oewn-dissemination-n oewn-diffusion-n

the act of dispersing or diffusing something


the dispersion of fungicides or insecticides or fertilizer on growing crops (often from a low-flying aircraft)


an abnormal and usually permanent contraction of a muscle


act of stretching or straightening out a flexed limb


(physiology) a shortening or tensing of a part or organ (especially of a muscle or muscle fiber)


a sustained muscular contraction resulting from a rapid series of nerve impulses


it is an obvious truncation of the verse


a rhythmic tightening in labor of the upper uterine musculature that contracts the size of the uterus and pushes the fetus toward the birth canal


painless contractions of the muscles of the uterus that continue throughout pregnancy with increasing frequency


muscular contraction that causes the vagina to close; usually an anxiety reaction before coitus or pelvic examination


extension to or beyond the ordinary limit


addition of extra material or illustration or clarifying detail

a few remarks added in amplification and defense


oewn-repositing-n oewn-reposition-n oewn-storage-n oewn-warehousing-n

they decided to reposition their furniture in a recommended repository in Brooklyn


accumulating and storing a reserve supply


the act of increasing the wealth or prestige or power or scope of something


an act undertaken to increase your own power and influence or to draw attention to your own importance


the act of increasing the strength of something


action that makes something stronger or more extreme


men associate the roughness of nonstandard working-class speech with masculinity


the act of increasing the contrast of (a photographic film)


action that makes a problem or a disease (or its symptoms) worse

the aggravation of her condition resulted from lack of care


strengthening the concentration (as of a solute in a mixture) by removing diluting material


the concentration of a colloidal solution whose colloid will not pass through a semipermeable membrane; solution is placed in a bag of the membrane and the solvent is evaporated off


the act of changing the unity or wholeness of something


the act of breaking something into small pieces


the explosion of the firecrackers awoke the children


the act of exploding with noise and violence


the burning of leaves was prohibited by a town ordinance


the British term for arson is fire-raising


oewn-ignition-n oewn-firing-n oewn-lighting-n oewn-kindling-n oewn-inflammation-n


the act of burning something completely; reducing it to ashes


the act of combining things to form a new whole


the act of attaching or affixing something


the act of grafting something onto something else


an act causing a disorderly combination of elements with identities lost and distinctions blended

the confusion of tongues at the Tower of Babel


oewn-mix-n oewn-commixture-n oewn-admixture-n oewn-mixture-n oewn-intermixture-n oewn-mixing-n


the act of blending components together thoroughly


the act of making something homogeneous or uniform in composition


the act of combining one thing at intervals among other things

the interspersion of illustrations in the text


oewn-union-n oewn-unification-n oewn-uniting-n oewn-conjugation-n oewn-jointure-n

the act of making or becoming a single unit


oewn-coalescence-n oewn-coalescency-n oewn-coalition-n oewn-concretion-n oewn-conglutination-n

the union of diverse things into one body or form or group; the growing together of parts


monetary unification precipitated the reunification of the German state in October 1990


the act of making tribal; unification on a tribal basis


the decline or termination of tribal organization


having the function of uniting a group of similar things

the Democratic Party is an umbrella for many liberal groups


an annual school or university reunion for graduates


the opening of his arms was the sign I was waiting for


oewn-break-n oewn-interruption-n oewn-disruption-n oewn-gap-n

an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity

it was presented without commercial breaks


(film) a still picture that is introduced and that interrupts the action of a film


(broadcasting) a local announcement inserted into a network program


a forcible tearing or surgical separation of one body part from another


formal separation from an alliance or federation


the withdrawal of eleven southern states from the Union in 1860 which precipitated the American Civil War


the act of breaking away or withdrawing from

there was a breakaway by the discontented members


the increasing parcellation of land with every generation


division of a group into opposing factions

another schism like that and they will wind up in bankruptcy


the act of dividing by cutting or splitting


a cut made underneath to remove material


the act of penetrating or opening open with a sharp edge

his cut in the lining revealed the hidden jewels


a strong sweeping cut made with a sharp instrument


separating something into fine particles


oewn-branching-n oewn-ramification-n oewn-fork-n oewn-forking-n

the act of branching out or dividing into branches


the act of splitting into three branches


the act of dividing into two sharply different categories


the act of dividing into quanta or expressing in terms of quantum theory


the act of grouping things or people in pairs


a cooperative practice of pairing two or more people together for mutual assistance or safety (especially in recreational swimming)


the pairing of people or things as for comparison or competition

it was a good match-up but the home team won


the use of certain marks to clarify meaning of written material by grouping words grammatically into sentences and clauses and phrases


connecting syllables and words by hyphens


forming or dividing words into syllables


division of a word especially at the end of a line on a page


the act of releasing from an attachment or connection


he took the manuscript in both hands and gave it a mighty tear


the act of rending or ripping or splitting something


he had surgery for the removal of a malignancy


act of getting or draining something such as electricity or a liquid from a source


the act of deriving something or obtaining something from a source or origin


drawing off water from its main channel as for irrigation


drawing of fluid or inflammation away from a diseased part of the body


the act of withdrawing or removing something


the action of taking out something (especially using effort or force)

the dentist gave her a local anesthetic prior to the extraction


the separation of grain or seeds from the husks and straw

they used to do the threshing by hand but now there are machines to do it


oewn-ablation-n oewn-extirpation-n oewn-cutting_out-n oewn-excision-n

surgical removal of a body part or tissue


spontaneous removal or casting off of a body part (as the tail of a lizard or claw of a lobster) especially when the organism is injured or under attack


the act of deleting something written or printed


oewn-denudation-n oewn-stripping-n oewn-uncovering-n oewn-baring-n oewn-husking-n


removal of scars or tattoos by anesthetizing the skin surface and then sanding or scraping off some of the outer skin layer


forced removal from a position of advantage


the act of removing or getting rid of something


the act of removing an unknown mathematical quantity by combining equations


the act of circumcising; surgical removal of the foreskin of males


the act of removing the contents of something


emptying something accomplished by allowing liquid to run out of it


the withdrawal of money from your account at a bank


the concerted action of depositors who try to withdraw their money from a bank because they think it will fail


the withdrawal of capital from a country or corporation


the removal of soap with clean water in the final stage of washing


the act of deleting or modifying all passages considered to be indecent


the deletion of objectionable parts from a literary work


written material that has been bowdlerized


deleting parts of publications or correspondence or theatrical performances


censorship in the form of prudish expurgation


censorship because of perceived obscenity or immorality


deletion by an act of expunging or erasing


oewn-division-n oewn-partition-n oewn-partitioning-n oewn-segmentation-n oewn-sectionalization-n oewn-sectionalisation-n

the act of dividing or partitioning; separation by the creation of a boundary that divides or keeps apart


the act of subdividing; division of something previously divided


the division or partitioning of a cavity into parts by a septum


the act of changing in form or shape or appearance

a photograph is a translation of a scene onto a two-dimensional surface


(genetics) modification of a cell or bacterium by the uptake and incorporation of exogenous DNA


complete change in character or condition

the permutations...taking place in the physical world


the act of revising or altering (involving reconsideration and modification)

it would require a drastic revision of his opinion


the act of transforming so as to exalt or glorify


the act of changing into a different form or appearance (especially a fantastic or grotesque one)

the transmogrification of the prince into a porcupine


the act of changing from one use or function or purpose to another


the conversion of bare or cultivated land into forest (originally for the purpose of hunting)


the restoration (replanting) of a forest that had been reduced by fire or cutting


the restoration of someone to a useful place in society


providing penal custody or probation or parole for convicted offenders


providing help for disabled persons; the removal or reduction of disabilities


the clearing and rebuilding and redevelopment of urban slums


providing training in a specific trade with the aim of gaining employment


the act of restoring someone to a previous position

we insisted on the reinstatement of the colonel


the act of restoring to a more youthful condition


activity that refreshes and recreates; activity that renews your health and spirits by enjoyment and relaxation

time for rest and refreshment by the pool


a complete change of physical form or substance especially as by magic or witchcraft


a striking change in appearance or character or circumstances

the metamorphosis of the old house into something new and exciting


the act of soaking thoroughly with a liquid


the act of making something harder (firmer or tighter or more compact)


oewn-damage-n oewn-harm-n oewn-hurt-n oewn-scathe-n

the act of damaging something or someone


damage that results in a reduction of strength or quality


oewn-defacement-n oewn-disfigurement-n oewn-disfiguration-n oewn-mutilation-n

the act of damaging the appearance or surface of something

the defacement of an Italian mosaic during the Turkish invasion


the act of burning with steam or hot water


the act of changing something to bring it up to date (usually by adding something)


an action that changes the shape of something


the act of twisting or deforming the shape of something (e.g., yourself)


the action of coiling or twisting or winding together


the act of making angulate (having corners)


act of bending a joint; especially a joint between the bones of a limb so that the angle between them is decreased


he gave his biceps a flex to impress the ladies


the act of bending low with the limbs close to the body


the act of bending backward (of the body or a body part)


the act of bending yourself into a humped position


the act of shaping into parallel ridges and grooves


the act of cutting into an edge with toothlike notches or angular incisions


oewn-protrusion-n oewn-projection-n oewn-jut-n oewn-jutting-n

the act of projecting out from something


the activity of operating something (a machine or business etc.)

her smooth operation of the vehicle gave us a surprisingly comfortable ride


a planned activity involving many people performing various actions


an operation organized to free from danger or confinement


operation designed to catch a person committing a criminal act


an operation involving secret work within a community or institution


an undercover operation by narcotics detectives to catch unsuspecting drug dealers


a customary way of operation or behavior

it is their practice to give annual raises


use of biological principles in explaining human especially social behavior


the practice (usually by a labor union) of requiring an employer to hire more workers than are required


the practice of scrupulous adherence to prescribed or external forms


the practice of eating fungi (especially mushrooms collected in the wild)


the practice of keeping one jump ahead of a friend or competitor


the practice of one person holding more than one benefice at a time


the practice of investing things with symbolic meaning


practices typical of contemporary life or thought


the practice of eating the flesh of your own kind


human cannibalism; the eating of human flesh


the practice of advancing your career at the expense of your personal integrity


a custom that is peculiar to the United States or its citizens


a custom that is peculiar to England or its citizens


a custom or usage that has acquired the force of law


a custom among some peoples whereby the husband of a pregnant wife is put to bed at the time of bearing the child


a custom that is peculiar to Germany or its citizens


(psychology) an automatic pattern of behavior in reaction to a specific situation; may be inherited or acquired through frequent repetition


the custom in some Islamic societies of women dressing modestly outside the home

she observes the hijab and does not wear tight clothing


acquired behavior that is practiced so long it seems innate


the practice of lobbying; the activities of a lobbyist


the practice of making a debtor work for his creditor until the debt is discharged


(archaic) roundabout or mysterious ways of action


he taught his children to keep strictly to the straight and narrow


(Islam) the way of life prescribed as normative for Muslims on the basis of the teachings and practices of Muhammad and interpretations of the Koran


In marrying him she simply took the path of least resistance


the practice of punishing people by hanging without due process of law


a restraining hold; someone loops the arm around the neck of another person in a tight grip, usually from behind

he grabbed the woman in a chokehold, demanded her cash and jewelry, and then fled


the act of clasping another person in the arms (as in greeting or affection)


a close and affectionate (and often prolonged) embrace


the practice of treating (someone or something) badly

he should be punished for his mistreatment of his mother


oewn-annoyance-n oewn-annoying-n oewn-irritation-n oewn-vexation-n

the act of troubling or annoying someone


oewn-exploitation-n oewn-victimization-n oewn-victimisation-n oewn-using-n

an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)

capitalistic exploitation of the working class


the exploitation of black people (especially with regard to stereotyped roles in movies)


the commercial exploitation of sex or sexuality or explicit sexual material

sexploitation by advertisers is notorious


the act of tormenting by continued persistent attacks and criticism


oewn-maltreatment-n oewn-ill-treatment-n oewn-ill-usage-n oewn-abuse-n

the child showed signs of physical abuse


the physical or emotional or sexual mistreatment of children


failure of caretakers to provide adequate emotional and physical care for a child


the act of persecuting (especially on the basis of race or religion)


the act of repressing; control by holding down

his goal was the repression of insolence


the act of piercing with a sharpened stake as a form of punishment or torture


organized persecution of an ethnic group (especially Jews)


handing over prisoners to the country in which a crime was committed


the deliberate, systematic, or wanton infliction of physical or mental suffering by one or more persons in an attempt to force another person to yield information or to make a confession or for any other reason

it required unnatural torturing to extract a confession


a form of torture in which the soles of the feet are beaten with whips or cudgels


a form of foot torture in which the feet are encased in iron and slowly crushed


a form of torture in which cigarettes or cigars or other hot implements are used to burn the victim's skin


the infliction of extremely painful punishment or suffering


blunt or penetrating trauma or rape (vaginal or anal)


torture that is sanctioned by the state and executed by duly accredited officials

the English renounced judicial torture in 1640


a form of foot torture used by the Chinese in which the victim's foot was placed between three pieces of bamboo and systematically squeezed


a form of torture used by American Indians in which sensitive parts of the body were squeezed between two boards until the victim could bear no more


a form of torture in which the fingernails or toenails are removed


a form of military punishment used by the British in the late 17th century in which a soldier was forced to stand on one foot on a pointed stake


a form of psychological torture inflicted by questioning the victim for hours


a form of torture in which pain is inflicted by stretching the body


a form of psychological torture inflicted by depriving the victim of all sensory input


a form of psychological torture inflicted by depriving the victim of sleep


a form of torture in which the hands are tied behind a person's back and they are lifted off the ground by a rope tied to their wrists, then allowed to drop until their fall is checked with a jerk by the rope


a cruel act; a deliberate infliction of pain and suffering


oewn-brutality-n oewn-barbarity-n oewn-barbarism-n oewn-savagery-n


harassment especially of a tethered animal


oewn-badgering-n oewn-worrying-n oewn-torment-n oewn-bedevilment-n


actions that cause great irritation (or even anger)


something that irritates or demands immediate action

doing that is like waving a red flag in front of a bull


unwelcome sexual behavior by a supervisor toward an employee


oewn-tease-n oewn-teasing-n oewn-ribbing-n oewn-tantalization-n

the act of harassing someone playfully or maliciously (especially by ridicule); provoking someone with persistent annoyances


unscrupulously accusing people of disloyalty (as by saying they were Communists)


exploitation by a stronger country of weaker one; the use of the weaker country's resources to strengthen and enrich the stronger country


control by a powerful country of its former colonies (or other less developed countries) by economic pressures


an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates

scuba diving is provided as a diversion for tourists


oewn-antic-n oewn-joke-n oewn-prank-n oewn-trick-n oewn-caper-n oewn-put-on-n

a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement


oewn-dancing-n oewn-dance-n oewn-terpsichore-n oewn-saltation-n

taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music


an activity that is diverting and that holds the attention


an inclination to retreat from unpleasant realities through diversion or fantasy

romantic novels were her escape from the stress of daily life


oewn-eurythmy-n oewn-eurhythmy-n oewn-eurythmics-n oewn-eurhythmics-n

the interpretation in harmonious bodily movements of the rhythm of musical compositions; used to teach musical understanding


activities that are enjoyable or amusing


the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize)


the activity of people seeking nighttime diversion (as at the theater, a nightclub, etc.)

in the summer the nightlife shifts to the dance clubs


a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly)


activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules

Freud believed in the utility of play to a small child


play in which children take the roles of father or mother or children and pretend to interact like adults


children take the roles of physician or patient or nurse and pretend they are at the physician's office

the children explored each other's bodies by playing the game of doctor


play in which children pretend to put out a fire


oewn-avocation-n oewn-by-line-n oewn-hobby-n oewn-pursuit-n oewn-sideline-n oewn-spare-time_activity-n


an activity that you like or at which you are superior


the occupation and skills of a confectioner


the occupation of athletes who compete for pay


a sport that necessarily involves body contact between opposing players


a sport that involves exercises intended to display strength and balance and agility


an acrobatic feat in which the trunk is bent backward from a standing position until the hands touch the floor


a feat in which an acrobat arches the back from a prone position and bends the knees until the toes touch the head


acrobatic revolutions with the body turned sideways and the arms and legs outstretched like the spokes of a wheel


a gymnastic exercise performed on the rings when the gymnast supports himself with both arms extended horizontally


a gymnastic exercise on the parallel bars in which the body is lowered and raised by bending and straightening the arms


a gymnastic exercise performed on the pommel horse when the gymnast (with legs together) swings his legs in a circle while alternating hands on the pommels


a gymnastic exercise performed on the horizontal bar by swinging around it with the body fully extended


exercise intended to strengthen the circulatory system


(gymnastics) an exercise designed to develop and display strength and agility and balance (usually performed with or on some gymnastic apparatus)


the act of supporting yourself by your hands alone in an upside down position


a gymnastic exercise performed on the rings or horizontal bar or parallel bars when the gymnast's weight is supported by the arms


a hang performed on the rings with the body upside down


a hang performed on the rings with the body stationary in a horizontal position


a hang performed on the rings or parallel bars with the body erect and the arms at the sides


raising the feet backward with the hands on the ground; a first movement in doing a handstand


an acrobatic feat in which a person goes from a standing position to a handstand and back again


an acrobatic feat in which a person balances on the head (usually with the help of the hands)


an acrobatic feat of rolling or turning end over end


extending the legs at right angles to the trunk (one in front and the other in back)


a gymnastic exercise performed starting from a position with the legs over the upper body and moving to an erect position by arching the back and swinging the legs out and down while forcing the chest upright


a gymnastic exercise involving a long leap from a vaulting horse


a gymnastic exercise performed on the pommel horse when the gymnast moves his legs as the blades of scissors move


a gymnastic exercise performed with a leg on either side of the parallel bars


an increase in the number of outstanding shares of a corporation without changing the shareholders' equity

they announced a two-for-one split of the common stock


a decrease in the number of outstanding shares of a corporation without changing the shareholders' equity


oewn-somersault-n oewn-somerset-n oewn-summersault-n oewn-summerset-n oewn-somersaulting-n oewn-flip-n

an acrobatic feat in which the feet roll over the head (either forward or backward) and return


participating in athletic sports performed on a running track or on the field associated with it


the act of participating in an athletic competition involving running on a track


the act of participating in an athletic competition in which you must jump


the act of jumping as far as possible from a running start


the act of jumping as high as possible over a horizontal bar


jumping over the bar backwards and head first


a sport in which participants must travel on skis


the sport of skiing across the countryside (rather than downhill)


the act of performing a jump on skis from a high ramp overhanging a snow covered slope


a standing turn made in skiing; one ski is raised to the vertical and pivoted backward to become parallel with the other ski but headed in the opposite direction and then the other ski is aligned with the first


a turn made in skiing; the back of one ski is forced outward and the other ski is brought parallel to it


a turn made in skiing; the outside ski is placed ahead and turned gradually inwards


the act of swimming for pleasure or recreation


the act of someone who floats on the water


a floating position with the face down and arms stretched forward


oewn-belly_flop-n oewn-belly_flopper-n oewn-belly_whop-n oewn-belly_whopper-n

a dive in which the abdomen bears the main force of impact with the water


diving into the water from a steep overhanging cliff


a dive in which the diver somersaults before entering the water


a dive in which the diver throws the feet forward to complete a full backward somersault and enters the water feet first and facing away from the diving board


a dive in which the diver throws the feet forward and up to complete a half backward somersault and enters the water facing the diving board


a dive in which the diver bends to touch the ankles before straightening out


a dive in which the diver arches the back with arms outstretched before entering the water


underwater swimming without any more breathing equipment than a snorkel


the sport of riding a surfboard toward the shore on the crest of a wave


skiing on water while being towed by a motorboat


a stroke of the oar that either misses the water or digs too deeply


rowing by a single oarsman in a racing shell


a boxing tactic: pretending to be trapped against the ropes while your opponent wears himself out throwing punches


making the motions of attack and defense with the fists and arms; a part of training for a boxer


riding on a long light sled with low handrails


the sport of hand-to-hand struggle between unarmed contestants who try to throw each other down


a style of wrestling where the wrestlers are forbidden to tackle or trip or use holds below the waist


a Japanese form of wrestling; you lose if you are forced out of a small ring or if any part of your body (other than your feet) touches the ground


ice skating where the skates trace outlines of selected figures


competitive skating on speed skates (usually around an oval course)


the sport of engaging in contests of speed


the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements


a sport in which people ride across country on ponies


riding horses in competitions over set courses to demonstrate skill in jumping over obstacles


riding horses across country over obstructions to demonstrate horsemanship


the sport of traveling on a bicycle or motorcycle


sport that involves killing animals (especially hunting)


participation in the sport of matching gamecocks in a cockfight


the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport


a hunt in which beaters force the game to flee in the direction of the hunter


a hunt for animals that have been raised on game ranches until they are mature enough to be killed for trophy collections


hunting with dogs (usually greyhounds) that are trained to chase game (such as hares) by sight instead of by scent


mounted hunters follow hounds in pursuit of a fox


the sport of hunting wild boar with spears


agriculture considered as an occupation or way of life


the act of someone who fishes as a diversion


the occupation of catching fish for a living


fishing with a hook and line (and usually a pole)


angling with an artificial fly as a lure


angling by drawing a baited line through the water


the act of throwing a fishing line out over the water by means of a rod and reel


the single-handed rod casting of a relatively heavy (artificial) bait


a cast that falls beyond the intended spot


casting (artificial) bait far out into the ocean (up to 200 yards) with the waves breaking around you


an activity that continues something that has already begun or that repeats something that has already been done


a contest with rules to determine a winner


a single play of a sport or other contest


a game played under artificial illumination at night


a game whose outcome is not recorded in the season's standing


an immediate second innings forced on a cricket team scoring a prescribed number of runs fewer than its opponents in the first innings


the batting turn of a cricket player or team


(game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession


they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning


a recognized sequence of moves at the beginning of a game of chess

he memorized all the important chess openings


(chess) an attack that is intended to counter the opponent's advantage in another part of the board


(American football) a complete play to advance the football


a cooperative game in which a ball is passed back and forth

he played catch with his son in the backyard


a hypothetical three-dimensional visual world created by a computer; user wears special goggles and fiber optic gloves etc., and can enter and move about in this world and interact with objects as if inside it


a game played on a sloping board; the object is to propel marbles against pins or into pockets


a Japanese pinball game played on a vertical board


a game in which participants compete to identify some obscurely indicated thing


guessing game in which one player pantomimes a word or phrase for others to guess


a game in which a flat stone is bounced along the surface of calm water


any game designed to exercise the intellect


an outdoor game; one group of players (the hares) start off on a long run scattering bits of paper (the scent) and pursuers (the hounds) try to catch them before they reach a designated spot


a children's game in which the players dance around in a circle and at a given signal all squat


a children's game; two teams capture opposing players by tagging them and taking them to their own base


a game in which players try to find hidden articles by using a series of clues


two games instead of one (especially in baseball when the same two teams play two games on the same day)


one game in the series of games constituting a playoff


an eliminating game between teams in a cup competition


a simulation of a military operation intended to train military commanders or to demonstrate a situation or to test a proposed strategy


a game played on ice in which heavy stones with handles are slid toward a target


a game in which balls are rolled at an object or group of objects with the aim of knocking them over or moving them


one of the ten divisions into which bowling is divided


bowling down an alley at a target of ten wooden pins


a bowling game that is played by rolling a bowling ball down a bowling alley at a target of nine wooden pins


a bowling game using a pin smaller than a tenpin but proportionately wider


a bowling game using slender bowling pins


a bowling game played on a level lawn with biased wooden balls that are rolled at a jack


Italian bowling played on a long narrow dirt court


a 17th century game; a wooden ball was driven along an alley with a mallet


a game played on an ice rink by two opposing teams of six skaters each who try to knock a flat round puck into the opponents' goal with angled hockey sticks


oewn-goalkeeper-n oewn-goalie-n oewn-goaltender-n oewn-netkeeper-n

the defensive position on an ice hockey or soccer or lacrosse team who stands in front of the goal and tries to prevent opposing players from scoring


a game with two players who use rackets to strike a ball that is tethered to the top of a pole; the object is to wrap the string around the pole


a game played in a swimming pool by two teams of swimmers who try to throw an inflated ball into the opponents' goal


an athletic game that is played outdoors


a game played on a large open course with 9 or 18 holes; the object is use as few strokes as possible in playing all the holes


the activity of playing 18 holes of golf


a novelty version of golf played with golf balls and putters on a miniature course featuring many obstacles


a game in which players hit a wooden ball through a series of hoops; the winner is the first to traverse all the hoops and hit a peg


a game that simulates military combat; players on one team try to eliminate players on the opposing team by shooting capsules of paint at them


a game in which iron rings (or open iron rings) are thrown at a stake in the ground in the hope of encircling it


a game in which players use long sticks to shove wooden disks onto the scoring area marked on a smooth surface


an outdoor game played on a field of specified dimensions


a game resembling ice hockey that is played on an open field; two opposing teams use curved hockey sticks try to drive a ball into the opponents' net


a simple version of hockey played by children on the streets (or on ice or on a field) using a ball or can as the puck


any of various games played with a ball (round or oval) in which two teams try to kick or carry or propel the ball into each other's goal


a game played by two teams of 11 players on a rectangular field 100 yards long; teams try to get possession of the ball and advance it across the opponents goal line in a series of (running or passing) plays


a version of American football in which the ball carrier is touched rather than tackled


a traditional Irish game resembling hockey; played by two teams of 15 players each


a form of football played with an oval ball


(rugby) knocking the ball forward while trying to catch it (a foul)


a field game played with a ball (especially baseball)


a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs


a game in which a pitcher does not allow any opposing player to reach base


a game in which a pitcher allows the opposing team no hits


a game in which a pitcher allows the opposing team only one hit


a game in which a pitcher allows the opposing team only 2 hits


a game in which a pitcher allows the opposing team only 3 hits


a game in which a pitcher allows the opposing team 4 hits


a game in which a pitcher allows the opposing team 5 hits


a game closely resembling baseball that is played on a smaller diamond and with a ball that is larger


an English ball game similar to baseball


a form of baseball played in the streets with a rubber ball and broomstick handle


a game played with a ball and bat by two teams of 11 players; teams take turns trying to score runs


the approach run during which an athlete gathers speed


a ball bowled by a left-handed bowler to a right-handed batsman that spins from off to leg


oewn-googly-n oewn-wrong_-ap-un-n oewn-bosie-n oewn-bosie_ball-n

a cricket ball bowled as if to break one way that actually breaks in the opposite way


a game invented by American Indians; now played by two teams who use long-handled rackets to catch and carry and throw the ball toward the opponents' goal


a game similar to field hockey but played on horseback using long-handled mallets and a wooden ball


a game using a leather ball six feet in diameter; the two side try to push it across the opponents' goal


a game between two teams whose players try to toss a Frisbee to one another until they cross the opponents goal; possession changes hands when the Frisbee is intercepted or touches the ground or goes out of bounds


a football game in which two teams of 11 players try to kick or head a ball into the opponents' goal


the propulsion of a ball by repeated taps or kicks


an illegal dribble in basketball (the player uses both hands to dribble or the player starts to dribble a second time after coming to a stop)


a game played in a walled court or against a single wall by two or four players who strike a rubber ball with their hands


a game played on a handball court with short-handled rackets


a game resembling handball; played on a court with a front wall and two side walls


a game played in an enclosed court by two or four players who strike the ball with long-handled rackets


a game in which two teams hit an inflated ball over a high net using their hands


a Basque or Spanish game played in a court with a ball and a wickerwork racket


a game played on a court with light long-handled rackets used to volley a shuttlecock over a net


a game played on a court by two opposing teams of 5 players; points are scored by throwing the ball through an elevated horizontal hoop


the act of starting a basketball game with a jump ball


game played mainly on board ocean liners; players toss a ring back and forth over a net that is stretched across a small court


a team game that resembles basketball; a soccer ball is to be thrown so that it passes through a ring on the top of a post


a game played with rackets by two or four players who hit a ball back and forth over a net that divides the court


(tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving


tennis played with one person on each side


badminton played with one person on each side


tennis played with two players on each side


badminton played with two players on each side


an ancient form of tennis played in a four-walled court


a children's game in which a blindfolded player tries to catch and identify other players


a game for children in which the players form a circle and join hands; they raise their hands to let a player inside the circle or lower their hands to bar a second player who is chasing the first


a game played with string looped over the fingers


a game in which a child covers his eyes while the other players hide then tries to find them


a game in which a child tosses a stone into an area drawn on the ground and then hops through it and back to regain the stone


a game in which jackstones are thrown and picked up in various groups between bounces of a small rubber ball


a game in which players try to pick each jackstraw (or spillikin) off of a pile without moving any of the others


a child's game or a cardiopulmonary exercise in which the player jumps over a swinging rope


the difficult version of jump rope in which players jump over two ropes that are swung in a crisscross manner by two turners


a game in which one child bends down and another leaps over


advancing as if in the child's game, by leaping over obstacles or competitors

the company still believes the chip is a leapfrog in integration and will pay huge dividends


a children's game played with little balls made of a hard substance (as glass)


a game in which players throw or flip a jackknife in various ways so that the knife sticks in the ground


a child's game in which players march to music around a group of chairs that contains one chair less than the number of players; when the music abruptly stops the players scramble to sit and the player who does not find a chair is eliminated; then a chair is removed and the march resumes until only the winner is seated


a game played with young children; you hide your face and suddenly reveal it as you say boo!


a children's game in which kisses are exchanged for pretended letters


a game in which a player spins a bottle and kisses the person that it points to when it stops spinning


a game in which something round (as a plate) is spun on edge and the name of a player is called; the named player must catch the spinning object before it falls or pay a forfeit


a game in which one child chases the others; the one who is caught becomes the next chaser


a game in which players try to flip plastic disks into a cup by pressing them on the side sharply with a larger disk


the division of a deck of cards before dealing

he insisted that we give him the last cut before every deal


card games in which points are won for taking the high or low or jack or game


a card game played in casinos in which two or more punters gamble against the banker; the player wins who holds 2 or 3 cards that total closest to nine


a card game for two players in which the object is to win all of the other player's cards


a gambling game using cards; the object is to hold cards having a higher count than those dealt to the banker up to but not exceeding 21


any of various card games based on whist for four players


the earliest form of bridge; the dealer could name the trump suit


a variety of bridge in which tricks made in excess of the contract are scored toward game; now generally superseded by contract bridge


a variety of bridge in which the bidder receives points toward game only for the number of tricks he bid


a version of contract bridge in which no suit is designated as trump for the duration of the hand


a card game in which cards face up on the table are taken with eligible cards in the hand


a card game (usually for two players) in which each player is dealt six cards and discards one or two


the cards discarded by players at cribbage


a card game for 2 players; played with 32 cards and king high


a card game similar to ecarte; each player is dealt 5 cards and the player making trump must take 3 tricks to win a hand


a card game in which you play your sevens and other cards in sequence in the same suit as the sevens; you win if you are the first to use all your cards


a card game in which players bet against the dealer on the cards he will draw from a dealing box


a card game for two players who try to assemble books of cards by asking the opponent for particular cards


a gambling card game of Spanish origin; 3 cards are dealt face up and players bet that one of them will be matched before the others as the cards are dealt from the pack one at a time


oewn-Michigan-n oewn-Chicago-n oewn-Newmarket-n oewn-boodle-n oewn-stops-n

a gambling card game in which chips are placed on the ace and king and queen and jack of separate suits (taken from a separate deck); a player plays the lowest card of a suit in his hand and successively higher cards are played until the sequence stops; the player who plays a card matching one in the layout wins all the chips on that card


a card game similar to whist; usually played for stakes


a card game using a pack of cards from which one queen has been removed; players match cards and the player holding the unmatched queen at the end of the game is the loser (or `old maid')


oewn-pinochle-n oewn-pinocle-n oewn-penuchle-n oewn-bezique-n

a card game played with a pack of forty-eight cards (two of each suit for high cards); play resembles whist


a card game for two players using a reduced pack of 32 cards


(Yiddish) a card game for two players one of whom is usually a child; the deck is place face down with one card face upward; players draw from the deck alternately hoping to build up or down from the open card; the player with the fewest cards when the deck is exhausted is the winner


any of various card games in which players bet that they hold the highest-ranking hand


a card game in which two rows of cards are dealt and players can bet on the color of the cards or on which row will have a count nearer some number


a card game based on collecting sets and sequences; the winner is the first to meld all their cards


a form of solitaire that involves gambling


a form of solitaire that begins with seven piles of cards with the top cards facing up; descending sequences of cards of alternating colors are built on these piles; as aces become available they are placed above the seven piles; the object is to build sequences in suit from ace to king as the remaining cards are dealt out one at a time


a card game for four players who form two partnerships; a pack of 52 cards is dealt and each side scores one point for each trick it takes in excess of six


a form of whist with three players; four hands are dealt with the hand opposite the dealer being face up


a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades


solitaire with two players using separate packs


a form of rummy in which a player can go out if the cards remaining in their hand total less than 10 points


a form of rummy using two decks of cards and four jokers; jokers and deuces are wild; the object is to form groups of the same rank


a form of canasta in which sequences can be melded


a form of canasta using three decks of cards and six jokers


poker in which a player can discard cards and receive substitutes from the dealer


poker in which the high and low hands split the pot


poker in which each player gets 5 cards face down and bets are made without drawing any further cards


poker in which a player's losses are paid by removing an article of clothing


poker in which each player receives hole cards and the remainder are dealt face up; bets are placed after each card is dealt


a form of all fours in which the players bid for the privilege of naming trumps


an all-fours game in which the first card led is a trump


a form of all fours in which a total of seven points is game


a form of casino in which face cards have extra point values


a form of casino in which spades have the value of one point


a game (trademark Ping-Pong) resembling tennis but played on a table with paddles and a light hollow ball


any of several games played with small rectangular blocks


game in which matchsticks are arranged in rows and players alternately remove one or more of them; in some versions the object is to take the last remaining matchstick on the table and in other versions the object is to avoid taking the last remaining matchstick on the table


any of several games played on rectangular cloth-covered table (with cushioned edges) in which long tapering cue sticks are used to propel ivory (or composition) balls


the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool


a shot in billiards in which the cue ball contacts one object ball and then the other


a shot in billiards made by hitting the cue ball with the cue held nearly vertically; the cue ball spins around another ball before hitting the object ball


a faulty shot in billiards; the cue tip slips off the cue ball


any of various games played on a pool table having 6 pockets


a form of pool played with 15 red balls and six balls of other colors and a cue ball


a table game in which short cues are used to knock balls into holes that are guarded by wooden pegs; penalties are incurred if the pegs are knocked over


any game involving the formation or alteration or discovery of words


a game whose object is to form words from a group of randomly chosen letters


a board game in which words are formed from letters in patterns similar to a crossword puzzle; each letter has a value and those values are used to score the game


a game played on a specially designed board


a board game for two players; pieces move according to throws of the dice


a checkerboard game for two players who each have 12 pieces; the object is to jump over and so capture the opponent's pieces


a board game for two players who move their 16 pieces according to specific rules; the object is to checkmate the opponent's king


a board game in which each player tries to move a set of marbles through a set of holes from one point of a six-pointed star to the opposite point


a game in which small pointed missiles are thrown at a dartboard


a board game for two players who place counters on a grid; the object is to surround and so capture the opponent's counters


a board game in which players try to move their pieces into their opponent's bases


oewn-lotto-n oewn-bingo-n oewn-beano-n oewn-keno-n

a game in which numbered balls are drawn at random and players cover the corresponding numbers on their cards


a lottery in which tickets are drawn from a revolving drum


a simple board game in which players move counters according to the throw of dice


Chinese game played by 4 people with 144 tiles


a board game in which players try to gain a monopoly on real estate as pieces advance around the board according to the throw of a die


an ancient board game resembling backgammon; played on a cross-shaped board


a form of chess played on a board of 81 squares; each player has 20 pieces


a game in which coins or discs are slid by hand across a board toward a mark


a board game for children who use dice to move counters up ladders and down snakes


oewn-ticktacktoe-n oewn-ticktacktoo-n oewn-tick-tack-toe-n oewn-tic-tac-toe-n oewn-tit-tat-toe-n oewn-noughts_and_crosses-n

a game in which two players alternately put crosses and circles in one of the compartments of a square grid of nine spaces; the object is to get a row of three crosses or three circles before the opponent does


active interest in gambling on sports events


a single bet on two horse races in the same day


a bet that you can pick the first and second finishers in the right order


betting where winners share the total amount wagered


a series of wagers in which the winnings from one wager are used as a stake for the subsequent wagers


a bet that a horse will finish a race no worse than second


a bet that you can pick the first four finishers in a race in the right order


a Chinese gambling game; a random number of counters are placed under a bowl and you gamble on how many will be left (0, 1, 2, or 3 modulo 4)


players buy (or are given) chances and prizes are distributed by casting lots


a game in which prizes (e.g., candies or coins) are concealed in a container and for a small sum a player can draw one out at random


oewn-numbers_pool-n oewn-numbers_game-n oewn-numbers_racket-n oewn-numbers-n


a lottery in which the prizes are goods rather than money


a lottery in which the prize consists of the money paid by the participants


a gambling game played with two dice; a first throw of 7 or 11 wins and a first throw of 2, 3, or 12 loses and a first throw of any other number must be repeated to win before a 7 is thrown, which loses the bet and the dice


a gambling game in which players bet on which compartment of a revolving wheel a small ball will come to rest in


any gambling game in which bets are laid against the gambling house or the dealer


a game in which the total of all the gains and losses is zero


a boisterous celebration; a merry festivity


oewn-jinks-n oewn-high_jinks-n oewn-hijinks-n oewn-high_jinx-n


oewn-bust-n oewn-tear-n-2 oewn-binge-n oewn-bout-n

an occasion for excessive eating or drinking

they went on a bust that lasted three days


vulgar expression for a bout of heavy drinking


oewn-carouse-n oewn-carousal-n oewn-bender-n oewn-toot-n oewn-booze-up-n

revelry in drinking; a merry drinking party


oewn-orgy-n oewn-debauch-n oewn-debauchery-n oewn-saturnalia-n oewn-riot-n oewn-bacchanal-n oewn-bacchanalia-n oewn-drunken_revelry-n

a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity


a festival marked by merrymaking and processions


an orgiastic festival in ancient Greece in honor of Dionysus (= Bacchus)


oewn-play-n oewn-frolic-n oewn-romp-n oewn-gambol-n oewn-caper-n

gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement


(dressage) a vertical jump of a trained horse with a kick of the hind legs at the top of the jump


oewn-flirt-n oewn-flirting-n oewn-flirtation-n oewn-coquetry-n oewn-dalliance-n oewn-toying-n

playful behavior intended to arouse sexual interest


oewn-folly-n oewn-foolery-n oewn-tomfoolery-n oewn-craziness-n oewn-lunacy-n oewn-indulgence-n


(Yiddish) craziness; senseless behavior or activity


oewn-buffoonery-n oewn-clowning-n oewn-japery-n oewn-frivolity-n oewn-harlequinade-n oewn-prank-n


oewn-shtik-n oewn-schtik-n oewn-shtick-n oewn-schtick-n


a prank or trick played on a person (especially one intended to make the victim appear foolish)


a practical joke or trick played on the first day of April


a practical joke that involves inserting a match surreptitiously between the sole and upper of the victim's shoe and then lighting it


a boisterous practical joke (especially by college students)


an elaborate practical joke in which the unsuspecting victim hunts a snipe and is typically left in the dark holding a bag and waiting for the snipe to run into it

in the South a snipe hunt is practically a rite of passage


as a joke: trying to make somebody believe something that is not true


an entertainment that provokes pleased interest and distracts you from worries and vexations


entertainment that is intended to be educational


any lavishly staged or spectacular entertainment


entertainment with military themes in which the Department of Defense is celebrated


the entertainment available to people seeking nighttime diversion

a futile search for intelligent nightlife


the public performance of a sacrament or solemn ceremony with all appropriate ritual


the ancient Panhellenic games held biennially on the Isthmus of Corinth in the first and third years of each Olympiad


the ancient Panhellenic games held biennially at Nemea in the second and fourth years of each Olympiad


the ancient Panhellenic celebration at Olympia in honor of Zeus; held every 4 years beginning in 776 BC


the ancient Panhellenic celebration at Delphi held every four years in the third year of the Olympiad in honor of Apollo


an eisteddfod with competitions in music and drama and poetry and the fine arts


any of several annual Welsh festivals involving artistic competitions (especially in singing)


a cinematic festival that features films (usually films produced during the past year)


(in Spanish speaking regions) a local festival or fair, usually in honor of some patron saint


an organized series of acts and performances (usually in one place)


a festival that features performances by jazz artists


a festival featuring African-American culture; celebrated between Christmas and New Year


an autumn festival that involves merrymaking and drinking beer


an orgiastic festival in ancient Rome in honor of Saturn


a festival held at the time sheep are normally sheared


oewn-gala-n oewn-gala_affair-n oewn-jamboree-n oewn-blowout-n


the centennial rites and games of ancient Rome that marked the commencement of a new generation (100 years representing the longest life in a generation); observances may have begun as early as the 5th century BC and lasted well into the Christian era


a celebration following a victory in a battle or sports competition


a traveling show; having sideshows and rides and games of skill etc.


a performance given by a traveling company of acrobats, clowns, and trained animals

the children always love to go to the circus


a circus with simultaneous performances in three rings


a carnival held in some countries on Shrove Tuesday (the last day before Lent) but especially in New Orleans


an act or social event involving a public performance or entertainment


any entertainment performed by ice skaters


a brief show (music or dance etc) inserted between the sections of a longer performance


the museum had many exhibits of oriental art


a display of colored lights moving in shifting patterns


a show or display; the act of presenting something to sight or view


a show of military force or preparedness

he confused the enemy with feints and demonstrations


the exposure of falseness or pretensions

the debunking of religion has been too successful


presentation to view in an open or public manner


(law) the act of exhibiting in a court of law

the appellate court demanded the production of all documents


a minor show that is part of a larger one (as at the circus)


a spectacular show organized in 1883 by William F. Cody that featured horseback riding and marksmanship on a large scale; toured the United States and Europe


an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition


a slow section of a pas de deux requiring great skill and strength by the dancers


a form of solo dancing that involves rapid acrobatic moves in which different parts of the body touch the ground; normally performed to the rhythm of rap music


a court dance of the 16th century; consisted of short advances and retreats


an intricate traditional dance in India performed by professional dancing girls


a stately court dance of the 16th and 17th centuries


dance movements that are linked in a single choreographic sequence


a stately court dance of the 17th and 18th centuries; in slow time


a rhythmic dance to reggae music performed by bending forward and extending the hands while bending the knees


a form of dancing in which dancers slam into one another; normally performed to punk rock


dancing in which the steps are more important than gestures or postures


a dance step tapped out audibly with the feet


tap dancing wearing shoes that have soft soles


a theatrical representation of a story that is performed to music by trained dancers


(ballet) a dance for two people (usually a ballerina and a danseur noble)


a style of ballet based on precise conventional steps performed with graceful and flowing movements


a style of ballet that admits a wider variety of movements


a ballet that stresses the drama with features of comedy


a style of theatrical dancing that is not as restricted as classical ballet; movements are expressive of feelings


a dance performed while wearing shoes with wooden soles; has heavy stamping steps


a violent fast dance in French vaudeville (an apache is a member of the French underworld)


a Middle Eastern dance in which the dancer makes sensuous movements of the hips and abdomen


a Spanish dance in triple time accompanied by guitar and castanets


a strutting dance based on a march; was performed in minstrel shows; originated as a competition among Black dancers to win a cake


a high-kicking dance of French origin performed by a female chorus line


erotic dancing with little or no clothing


a solo dance in which large fans are manipulated to suggest or reveal nakedness


a form of erotic entertainment in which a dancer gradually undresses to music

she did a strip right in front of everyone


a solo dance similar to a fan dance except large balloons are used instead of fans


oewn-interpretive_dance-n oewn-interpretive_dancing-n oewn-interpretative_dance-n oewn-interpretative_dancing-n

a form of modern dance in which the dancer's movements depict an emotion or tell a story


a jerky American dance that was popular in the 1940s


an energetic American dance that was popular in the 1930s (probably named for the aviator Charles Lindbergh)


a provocative Spanish courtship dance in triple time; performed by a man and a woman playing castanets


a lively dance from Provence; all the dancers join hands and execute various figures


a style of dancing characteristic of the Andalusian Gypsies; vigorous and rhythmic with clapping and stamping of feet


an old formal French dance in quadruple time


a lively dance step consisting of hopping on each foot in turn


lively dancing (usually to ragtime music) with much shaking of the shoulders and hips


a dance involving a rhythmical stamping step


a lively whirling Italian dance for two persons


a sequence of foot movements that make up a particular dance


(ballet) quick gliding steps with one foot always leading


(ballet) a gliding or sliding step in ballet


(ballet) the outward rotation of a dancer's leg from the hip


social dancing in which couples vigorously twist their hips and arms in time to the music; was popular in the 1960s


any of a variety of social dances performed by couples in a ballroom


a ballroom dance that originated in the French West Indies; similar to the rumba


a lively ballroom dance that resembles the samba


a modern ballroom dance from Latin America; small steps and swaying movements of the hips


an early ballroom dance; precursor to the fox-trot


a ballroom dance in quadruple time; combines short and long and fast and slow steps fixed sequences


a ballroom dance in duple meter; marked by sliding steps


a syncopated ballroom dance formerly popular in the US


an American ballroom dance in syncopated rhythm; popular early in the 20th century


a Latin American dance of 3 steps and a kick by people in single file


a lively dance originating in France in the 18th century


a stately court dance in the 17th century


a ballroom dance with both quick and slow steps


a ballroom dance based on the Cuban folk dance


a lively dance from Brazil, with roots from Africa


a ballroom dance characterized by revolving movement


a ballroom dance of Latin-American origin


a ballroom dance in triple time with a strong accent on the first beat


a style of dancing that originated among ordinary people (not in the royal courts)


a Bohemian dance with 3 steps and a hop in fast time


a German round dance resembling a slow polka


any of various English folk dances performed by dancers in costume


any of various dances by men who step nimbly over swords or flourish them in the air


a Latin American dance similar in rhythm to the rumba


a British solo dance performed by sailors


any of various old rustic dances involving kicking and leaping


oewn-country-dance-n oewn-country_dancing-n oewn-contredanse-n oewn-contra_danse-n oewn-contradance-n

a type of folk dance in which couples are arranged in sets or face one another in a line


country dancing performed with couples in two long lines facing each other


an American country dance which starts with the couples facing each other in two lines


American country dancing in which couples form squares


a lively dance of Scottish Highlanders; marked by circular moves and gliding steps


a square dance of 5 or more figures for 4 or more couples


a square-dance figure; two dancers approach each other and circle back to back before returning to their original places


a square dance figure; couples march counterclockwise in a circle


a square dance figure; partners circle each other taking sideways steps


a square dance figure; a pair of dancers join hands and dance around a point between them


a moderately slow Austrian country dance in triple time; involves spinning and clapping


a dance that is part of a religious ritual


a folk dance in duple time that originated in Cuba with Spanish and African elements; features complex footwork and violent movement


a medieval dance in which a skeleton representing death leads a procession of others to the grave


a religious dance of Native Americans looking for communication with the dead


a Polynesian rain dance performed by a woman


an ancient Greek dance imitating the motions of warfare


a ceremonial dance (as by the Hopi) in which snakes are handled or invoked


a ceremonial dance performed by Amerindians at the summer solstice


a ceremonial dance performed before a battle or after a victory


musical activity (singing or whistling etc.)


playing a set of bells that are (usually) hung in a tower


ringing tuned bells in a fixed order that is continually changing


music produced by playing a musical instrument


the production of musical tones (by voice or instrument); especially the exactitude of the pitch relations


the act of playing a percussion instrument


he practiced his drumming several hours every day


music that is vocalized (as contrasted with instrumental music)


singing without instrumental accompaniment


with a shout and a song they marched up to the gates


a joyful song (usually celebrating the birth of Christ)


the act of singing a quiet song to lull a child to sleep


singing joyful religious songs (especially at Christmas)


the act of singing popular songs in a sentimental manner


her crooning soon put the child to sleep


singing jazz; the singer substitutes nonsense syllables for the words of the song and tries to sound like a musical instrument


his cheerful whistling indicated that he enjoyed his work


the signal was two beats on the steam pipe


a stroke with a curved piece of wood with taut horsehair strands that is used in playing stringed instruments


a downward stroke from the heel to the tip of the bow


an upward stroke from the tip to the heel of the bow


the performance of a religious or ceremonial or public duty


oewn-acting-n oewn-playing-n oewn-playacting-n oewn-performing-n

the performance of a part or role in a drama


oewn-portrayal-n oewn-characterization-n oewn-enactment-n oewn-personation-n

acting the part of a character on stage; dramatically representing the character by speech and action and gesture


an impressionistic portrayal of a person

he did a funny impression of a politician


imitating the mannerisms of another person


the act of mimicking; imitative behavior


an acting technique introduced by Stanislavsky in which the actor recalls emotions or reactions from his or her own life and uses them to identify with the character being portrayed


a performance using gestures and body movements without words


incidental activity performed by an actor for dramatic effect

his business with the cane was hilarious


(Yiddish) a contrived and often used bit of business that a performer uses to steal attention


the act of presenting a play or a piece of music or other entertainment

we congratulated him on his performance at the rehearsal


a performance (or series of performances) at a public presentation


the entertainment offered at a public presentation


ostentatious or vainglorious or extravagant or melodramatic conduct

heroics are for those epic films they make in Hollywood


performing a role in an event that occurred at an earlier time

the reenactment of the battle of Princeton


acting a particular role (as in psychotherapy)


manual dexterity in the execution of tricks


a confused disturbance far greater than its cause merits


a frenetic disorganized (and often comic) disturbance suggestive of a large public entertainment


the disturbance of a systematic arrangement causing disorder and confusion

the disorganization of the enemy troops by a flank attack


the act of disrupting an established order so it fails to continue

the social dislocations resulting from government policies


oewn-commotion-n oewn-din-n oewn-ruction-n oewn-ruckus-n oewn-rumpus-n oewn-tumult-n


oewn-agitation-n oewn-excitement-n oewn-turmoil-n oewn-upheaval-n oewn-hullabaloo-n


violently angry and destructive behavior


an outrageous rampage usually involving sexual attacks by men on women


his carelessness could have caused an ecological upset


oewn-bustle-n oewn-hustle-n oewn-flurry-n oewn-ado-n oewn-fuss-n oewn-stir-n


a sudden flurry of activity (often for no obvious reason)


oewn-haste-n oewn-hurry-n oewn-rush-n oewn-rushing-n

the act of moving hurriedly and in a careless manner

in his haste to leave he forgot his book


rushing about hastily in an undignified way


a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill


the act of taking the ball or puck away from the team on the offense (as by the interception of a pass)


a predetermined set of movements in dancing or skating

she made the best score on compulsory figures


a skating figure that carves an 8 in the ice


a skating figure executed with the skates heel to heel in a straight line


(American football) a successful forward pass in football


the coach drew up the plays for her team


a skillful maneuver in catching balls or in stealing the ball from the opposing team


(sports) the act of enabling another player to make a good play


(ice hockey) the act of shooting the puck from within your own defensive area the length of the rink beyond the opponent's goal