an issue whose settlement will affect financial resources


an issue that is presented for formal disputation


a subject about which you are ignorant or prejudiced and fail to exercise good judgment

golf is one of his blind spots and he's proud of it


the topic that a person, committee, or piece of research is expected to deal with or has authority to deal with

they set up a group with a remit to suggest ways for strengthening family life


a matter already settled in court; cannot be raised again


knowledge acquired through study or experience or instruction


an item of factual information derived from measurement or research


a datum about some physical state that is presented to a user by a meter or similar instrument


oewn-acquaintance-n oewn-familiarity-n oewn-conversance-n oewn-conversancy-n

personal knowledge or information about someone or something


a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

first you must collect all the facts of the case


an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole


a fact about some part (as opposed to general)

he always reasons from the particular to the general


a fact about the whole (as opposed to particular)

he discussed the general but neglected the particular


a matter that is an actual fact or is demonstrable as a fact


he reported his observations to the mayor


an observation that has been confirmed repeatedly and is accepted as true (although its truth is never final)


a fact that logically justifies some premise or conclusion


an important truth that is unpleasant to acknowledge (as about yourself)


an enduring or necessary ethical or religious or aesthetic truth


he had memorized the many minutiae of the legal code


he explored every nook and cranny of science


(usually preceded by `in') a detail or point


a point at which an impasse arises in progress toward an agreement or a goal


a detail that is considered insignificant


a specific detail in a set of rules or terms belonging to a particular field


oewn-example-n oewn-illustration-n oewn-instance-n oewn-representative-n

an item of information that is typical of a class or group

this patient provides a typical example of the syndrome


an instance that does not conform to a rule or generalization

all her children were brilliant; the only exception was her last child


an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time


the most typical example or representative of a type


a small part of something intended as representative of the whole


a sample meant to be representative of a whole population


an example regarded as typical of its class


a single sample or measurement taken at a specific time or over as short a period as feasible


a small amount (especially of food or wine)


information that should be kept in mind when making a decision

another consideration is the time it would take


something (such as a fact or circumstance) that shows an action to be reasonable or necessary

he considered misrule a justification for revolution


(law) a circumstance that does not exonerate a person but which reduces the penalty associated with the offense


information that is essential to understanding a situation or problem

the embassy filled him in on the background of the incident


a piece of stored information that is used to identify an item in an information storage and retrieval system


your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief

the evidence that smoking causes lung cancer is very compelling


information that supports a probabilistic estimate of future events

the weekly bulletin contains several predictors of mutual fund performance


(law) evidence sufficient to warrant an arrest or search and seizure

a magistrate determined that there was probable cause to search the house


any factual evidence that helps to establish the truth of something

if you have any proof for what you say, now is the time to produce it


(reduction to the absurd) a disproof by showing that the consequences of the proposition are absurd; or a proof of a proposition by showing that its negation leads to a contradiction


oewn-confirmation-n oewn-verification-n oewn-check-n oewn-substantiation-n

additional proof that something that was believed (some fact or hypothesis or theory) is correct

fossils provided further confirmation of the evolutionary theory


a check that everyone is in bed by the time they should be


an instance of confirming something by considering information from several sources


a system of checking for errors in computer functioning


a digit representing the sum of the digits in an instance of digital data; used to check whether errors have occurred in transmission or storage


the cognitive process of establishing a valid proof


any evidence that helps to establish the falsity of something


evidence pointing to a possible solution

the police are following a promising lead


inside information that something is going to happen


stimulation that calls up (draws forth) a particular class of behaviors

the elicitation of his testimony was not easy


the sudden stimulation provided by strong drink (or certain drugs)

a sidecar is a smooth drink but it has a powerful kick


oewn-stimulation-n oewn-stimulus-n oewn-stimulant-n oewn-input-n

any stimulating information or event; acts to arouse action


something causing excitement or stimulating interest


something causing antagonism or loss of interest


the stimulus that is the occasion for a conditioned response


(psychology) a stimulus that strengthens or weakens the behavior that produced it


a reinforcing stimulus that serves to increase the likelihood of the response that produces it


a reinforcing stimulus whose removal serves to decrease the likelihood of the response that produced it


a stimulus that provides information about what to do


a stimulus with undesirable consequences


something or someone that provides a source of happiness


oewn-annoyance-n oewn-bother-n oewn-botheration-n oewn-pain-n oewn-infliction-n oewn-pain_in_the_neck-n oewn-pain_in_the_ass-n oewn-nuisance-n

something or someone that causes trouble; a source of unhappiness


(law) a broad legal concept including anything that disturbs the reasonable use of your property or endangers life and health or is offensive


a nuisance that can remedied (suppressed or extinguished or rendered harmless)

the continued existence of an abatable nuisance is not authorized under the law


anything on your premises that might attract children into danger or harm

their swimming pool is an attractive nuisance; they should fence it in


a nuisance that is both a public nuisance and a private nuisance at the same time


a nuisance that interferes with your interest in and private use and enjoyment of your land


a nuisance that unreasonably interferes with a right that is common to the general public

a public nuisance offends the public at large


something that causes irritation and annoyance


any negative stimulus to which an organism will learn to make a response that avoids it


oewn-concern-n oewn-worry-n oewn-headache-n oewn-vexation-n

something or someone that causes anxiety; a source of unhappiness


the old bugaboo of inflation still bothers them


oewn-burden-n oewn-load-n oewn-encumbrance-n oewn-incumbrance-n oewn-onus-n


a burden (figuratively in the form of a bundle)


something unpleasant or offensive that must be tolerated or endured

his competitor's success was a bitter pill to take


the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about


arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity


anything that provides inspiration for later work


something that provides an important central source for growth or development


a condition that is the inspiration for an activity or situation


a strong creative impulse; divine inspiration


a carefully considered thought about something

his cogitations were dutifully recorded in his daybook


an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances


Luther had a new perception of the Bible


a traditional notion that is obstinately held although it is unreasonable

he still holds to the old mumpsimus that a woman's place is in the kitchen


an idea that preoccupies the mind and holds the attention


preoccupation with yourself to the exclusion of everything else


a plan or design of something that is laid out


something (often something deceptively attractive) that catches you unawares


a trap arranged on a roadway for catching speeders


an individual's idea as assessment of his or her own body

some teenagers are obsessed with their body image


he was reluctant to make his judgment known


a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration

a decision unfavorable to the opposition


a mental determination or resolve in advance; an antecedent intention to do something

he entered the argument with a predetermination to prove me wrong


a general concept that marks divisions or coordinations in a conceptual scheme


oewn-kind-n oewn-sort-n oewn-form-n oewn-variety-n

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality


Google represents a new breed of entrepreneurs


it is usually discussed under the rubric of `functional obesity'


a general category of things; used in the expression `in the way of'

they didn't have much in the way of clothing


a subdivision of a particular kind of thing


he's interested in trains and things of that nature


oewn-version-n oewn-variant-n oewn-variation-n oewn-edition-n

something a little different from others of the same type

an experimental version of the night fighter


(architecture) a form of artistic expression (such as writing or painting or architecture)


a German style of architecture begun by Walter Gropius in 1918


the style of architecture developed in the Byzantine Empire developed after the 5th century; massive domes with square bases and round arches and spires and much use of mosaics


architecture influenced by the ancient Greeks or Romans


a style of architecture developed in northern France that spread throughout Europe between the 12th and 16th centuries; characterized by slender vertical piers and counterbalancing buttresses and by vaulting and pointed arches


a style of architecture developed in Italy and western Europe between the Roman and the Gothic styles after 1000 AD; characterized by round arches and vaults and by the substitution of piers for columns and profuse ornament and arcades


a Romanesque style first appearing in Normandy around 950 AD and used in Britain from the Norman Conquest until the 12th century


oewn-perpendicular-n oewn-perpendicular_style-n oewn-English-Gothic-n oewn-English-Gothic_architecture-n

a Gothic style in 14th and 15th century England; characterized by vertical lines and a four-centered (Tudor) arch and fan vaulting


a style of English-Gothic architecture popular during the Tudor period; characterized by half-timbered houses


a style of architecture common in Spain from the 13th to 16th centuries; characterized by horseshoe-shaped arches


a style of architecture used in Britain during the reign of Queen Victoria; characterized by massive construction and elaborate ornamentation


(physics) one of the six flavors of quark, the third most massive of all quarks


(physics) one of the six flavors of quark, the third lightest of all quarks


(physics) the characteristic of quarks that determines their role in the strong interaction

each flavor of quarks comes in three colors


there's a new brand of hero in the movies now


businessmen of every stripe joined in opposition to the proposal


a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior

it was his rule to take a walk before breakfast


a principle that limits the extent of something

I am willing to accept certain restrictions on my movements


the problem with achievement tests is the narrowness they impose on students


(mathematics) a standard procedure for solving a class of mathematical problems

he determined the upper bound with Descartes' rule of signs


a rule that describes how other rules should be used (as in AI)


a precise rule (or set of rules) specifying how to solve some problem


an algorithm for removing inflectional and derivational endings in order to reduce word forms to a common stem


a commonsense rule (or set of rules) intended to increase the probability of solving some problem


a heuristic for solving problems; you try to look at the problem from many angles instead of tackling it head-on


(mathematics) an expression such that each term is generated by repeating a particular mathematical operation; also, the repeated application or execution of a pattern, function or definition; an expression that is recursive


a rule or principle that provides guidance to appropriate behavior


a rule that when literal compliance is impossible the intention of a donor or testator should be carried out as nearly as possible


a rule that is adequate to permit work to be done


a construct whereby objects or individuals can be distinguished

self-confidence is not an endearing property


a characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something


a prominent attribute or aspect of something


(linguistics) a distinctive characteristic of a linguistic unit that serves to distinguish it from other units of the same kind


a feature (quantity or property or function) that remains unchanged when a particular transformation is applied to it


a distinct feature or element in a problem


oewn-attraction-n oewn-attractor-n oewn-attracter-n oewn-attractive_feature-n oewn-magnet-n

a characteristic that provides pleasure and attracts


any feature that is regarded as a sign of status (a particular power or quality or rank)

wearing a tie was regarded as a badge of respectability


education was the centerpiece of the Democratic Party's political platform


a feature (or the order or arrangement of features) of anything having a complex structure


an outstanding feature; something in which something or someone excels


he enjoyed the solemn externals of religion


a distinguishing characteristic or behavior


feature of an artifact that is added to insure a user's safety


an aspect of something (as contrasted with some other implied aspect)


a negative aspect of something that is generally positive


on the one hand..., but on the other hand...


he was helpless in an important sector of his life


a superficial aspect as opposed to the real nature of something

it was not what it appeared to be on the surface


a general interest that leads people to want to know more


anything that serves by contrast to call attention to another thing's good qualities

pretty girls like plain friends as foils


a concept or idea not associated with any specific instance

he loved her only in the abstract--not in person


something that is conceived or that exists independently and not in relation to other things; something that does not depend on anything else and is beyond human control; something that is not relative

no mortal being can influence the absolute


the concept that something has a magnitude and can be represented in mathematical expressions by a constant or a variable


(physics) the smallest discrete quantity of some physical property that a system can possess (according to quantum theory)


a discrete amount of something that is analogous to the quantities in quantum theory


any distinct quantity contained in a polynomial

the general term of an algebraic equation of the n-th degree


the point on a scale from which positive or negative numerical quantities can be measured


a numerical quantity measured or assigned or computed


(mathematics) any number such that a given square matrix minus that number times the identity matrix has a zero determinant


an intermediate scale value regarded as normal or usual


the total number of voters who participated


a quantity upon which a mathematical operation is performed


a quantity that can assume any of a set of values


a variable in a logical or mathematical expression whose value determines the dependent variable; if f(x)=y, x is the independent variable


the number of arguments that a function can take


(statistics) a variable whose values are independent of changes in the values of other variables


either of two or more related or complementary variables


(statistics) an unrestricted variable in a frequency distribution


(statistics) a variable in a logical or mathematical expression whose value depends on the independent variable


a constant in the equation of a curve that can be varied to yield a family of similar curves


a quantity (such as the mean or variance) that characterizes a statistical population and that can be estimated by calculations from sample data


one of the minimum number of parameters needed to describe the state of a physical system


the product of all the integers up to and including a given integer


a quantity that is twice as great as another


a quantity that is three times as great as another


a quantity that is four times as great as another


the smallest multiple that is exactly divisible by every member of a set of numbers

the least common multiple of 12 and 18 is 36


the sum of the sums of several groups of numbers


a quantity obtained by the addition of a group of numbers


the sum of the exponents of the variables in the term


the degree of the term in the polynomial that has the highest degree


all of the terms in a linear equation are of the first degree


a mathematical function that is the sum of a number of terms


a polynomial consisting of terms all of the same degree


a homogeneous polynomial having at least two variables


(mathematics) the sum of a finite or infinite sequence of expressions


the sum of terms containing successively higher integral powers of a variable


the approach of an infinite series to a finite limit


a geometric progression written as a sum


the sum of a series of trigonometric expressions; used in the analysis of periodic functions


a variable that can be used to predict the value of another variable (as in statistical regression)


one of the quantities in a mathematical proportion


(mathematics) a variable that has zero as its limit


oewn-random_variable-n oewn-variate-n oewn-variant-n oewn-stochastic_variable-n oewn-chance_variable-n


a variable quantity that cannot be resolved into components


a generalization of the concept of a vector


a variable quantity that can be resolved into components


a vector that is the product of two other vectors


a real number (a scalar) that is the product of two vectors


a vector that is the sum of two or more other vectors


a line connecting a point in space to the origin of a polar coordinate system


a line connecting a satellite to the center of the body around which it is rotating


the essential factor; the all-important element; the supreme aim

profit is the be-all and end-all of business


a component or element of the plot of a story


(film) a plot element that catches the viewers' attention or drives the plot

the McGuffin was a key element of Alfred Hitchcock's films


a geometric element that has position but no extension


(physics) a point in the ideal multidimensional phase space that is used to describe a system toward which the system tends to evolve regardless of the starting conditions of the system


an attractor for which the approach to its final point in phase space is chaotic


(shipbuilding) the point of intersection between two vertical lines, one line through the center of buoyancy of the hull of a ship in equilibrium and the other line through the center of buoyancy of the hull when the ship is inclined to one side; the distance of this intersection above the center of gravity is an indication of the stability of the ship


the point of intersection of lines or the point opposite the base of a figure


one of the portions into which something is regarded as divided and which together constitute a whole


`It was a dark and stormy night' is a hackneyed beginning for a story


A whole is that which has beginning, middle, and end


we have given it at the end of the section since it involves the calculus


the most enjoyable part of a given experience

the trumpet solo was the high point of the concert


oewn-component-n oewn-constituent-n oewn-element-n oewn-factor-n oewn-ingredient-n

jealousy was a component of his character


an influence that works subtly to lighten or modify something

his sermons benefited from a leavening of humor


all of something including all its component elements or parts


an idea is not a unit that can be moved from one brain to another


a whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts


a conceptual whole made up of complicated and related parts

the complex of shopping malls, houses, and roads created a new town


the vice-presidency is a hybrid of administrative and legislative offices


a rule or body of rules of conduct inherent in human nature and essential to or binding upon human society


a law that is believed to come directly from God


oewn-fundamentals-n oewn-basics-n oewn-fundamental_principle-n oewn-basic_principle-n oewn-bedrock-n

principles from which other truths can be derived


the principles that guide reasoning within a given field or situation


(psychoanalysis) the governing principle of the id; the principle that an infant seeks gratification and fails to distinguish fantasy from reality


(psychoanalysis) the governing principle of the ego; the principle that as a child grows it becomes aware of the real environment and the need to accommodate to it


the principle of revolt against constituted authority


the elementary stages of any subject (usually plural)

he mastered only the rudiments of geometry


a generalization that describes recurring facts or events in nature


a concept that is expressed by a word (in some particular language)


(neurophysiology) a nerve impulse resulting from a weak stimulus is just as strong as a nerve impulse resulting from a strong stimulus


a rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system

the principle of the conservation of mass


(hydrostatics) the apparent loss in weight of a body immersed in a fluid is equal to the weight of the displaced fluid


the principle that equal volumes of all gases (given the same temperature and pressure) contain equal numbers of molecules


(statistics) law stating that a large number of items taken at random from a population will (on the average) have the population statistics


a law used by auditors to identify fictitious populations of numbers; applies to any population of numbers derived from other numbers

Benford's law holds that 30% of the time the first non-zero digit of a derived number will be 1 and it will be 9 only 4.6% of the time


(physics) statistical law obeyed by a system of particles whose wave function is not changed when two particles are interchanged (the Pauli exclusion principle does not apply)


the pressure of an ideal gas at constant temperature varies inversely with the volume


a fundamental principle of electrostatics; the force of attraction or repulsion between two charged particles is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the distance between them; principle also holds for magnetic poles


(chemistry and physics) law stating that the pressure exerted by a mixture of gases equals the sum of the partial pressures of the gases in the mixture; the pressure of a gas in a mixture equals the pressure it would exert if it occupied the same volume alone at the same temperature


(chemistry) the total energy in an assembly of molecules is not distributed equally but is distributed around an average value according to a statistical distribution


(physics) a law expressing the distribution of energy among the molecules of a gas in thermal equilibrium


(chemistry) the principle that (at chemical equilibrium) in a reversible reaction the ratio of the rate of the forward reaction to the rate of the reverse reaction is a constant for that reaction


(psychophysics) the concept that the magnitude of a subjective sensation increases proportional to the logarithm of the stimulus intensity; based on early work by E. H. Weber


(physics) law obeyed by a systems of particles whose wave function changes when two particles are interchanged (the Pauli exclusion principle applies)


(physics) the density of an ideal gas at constant pressure varies inversely with the temperature


a principle of Gestalt psychology that identifies factors leading to particular forms of perceptual organization


(chemistry) law formulated by the English chemist William Henry; the amount of a gas that will be absorbed by water increases as the gas pressure increases


(physics) the principle that (within the elastic limit) the stress applied to a solid is proportional to the strain produced


(astronomy) the generalization that the speed of recession of distant galaxies (the red shift) is proportional to their distance from the observer


(astronomy) one of three empirical laws of planetary motion stated by Johannes Kepler


a law stating that the orbit of each planet is an ellipse with the sun at one focus of the ellipse


a law concerning the speed at which planets travel; a line connecting a planet to the sun will sweep out equal areas in equal times

Kepler's second law means that a planet's orbital speed changes with its distance from the sun


a law stating that the ratio of the square of the revolutionary period (in years) to the cube of the orbital axis (in astronomical units) is the same for all planets


(physics) two laws governing electric networks in which steady currents flow: the sum of all the currents at a point is zero and the sum of the voltage gains and drops around any closed circuit is zero


a law affirming that in the long run probabilities will determine performance


(chemistry) law stating that every pure substance always contains the same elements combined in the same proportions by weight


a law affirming that to continue after a certain level of performance has been reached will result in a decline in effectiveness


(psychology) the principle that behaviors are selected by their consequences; behavior having good consequences tends to be repeated whereas behavior that leads to bad consequences is not repeated


(chemistry) law stating that the proportions in which two elements separately combine with a third element are also the proportions in which they combine together


(physics) the law that states any two bodies attract each other with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them


(chemistry) law stating that when two elements can combine to form more than one compound the amounts of one of them that combines with a fixed amount of the other will exhibit a simple multiple relation


(chemistry) the law that states the following principle: the rate of a chemical reaction is directly proportional to the molecular concentrations of the reacting substances


(physics) a law governing the relations between states of energy in a closed system


a law stating that mechanical work can be derived from a body only when that body interacts with another at a lower temperature; any spontaneous process results in an increase of entropy


law stating that the entropy of a substance approaches zero as its temperature approaches absolute zero


the law that if two bodies are in thermal equilibrium with a third body then the first two bodies are in thermal equilibrium with each other


the principle that if any change is imposed on a system that is in equilibrium then the system tends to adjust to a new equilibrium counteracting the change


(economics) the principle that when two kinds of money having the same denominational value are in circulation the intrinsically more valuable money will be hoarded and the money of lower intrinsic value will circulate more freely until the intrinsically more valuable money is driven out of circulation; bad money drives out good; credited to Sir Thomas Gresham


(genetics) one of two principles of heredity formulated by Gregor Mendel on the basis of his experiments with plants; the principles were limited and modified by subsequent genetic research


members of a pair of homologous chromosomes separate during the formation of gametes and are distributed to different gametes so that every gamete receives only one member of the pair


each member of a pair of homologous chromosomes separates independently of the members of other pairs so the results are random


(physics) the principle that a measured quantity of mass is equivalent (according to relativity theory) to a measured quantity of energy


rule for calculating an expected delivery date; subtract three months from the first day of the last menstrual period and add seven days to that date


one of three basic laws of classical mechanics


a body remains at rest or in motion with a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force


the rate of change of momentum is proportional to the imposed force and goes in the direction of the force


action and reaction are equal and opposite


electric current is directly proportional to voltage and inversely proportional to resistance; I = E/R


pressure applied anywhere to a body of fluid causes a force to be transmitted equally in all directions; the force acts at right angles to any surface in contact with the fluid

the hydraulic press is an application of Pascal's law


no two electrons or protons or neutrons in a given system can be in states characterized by the same set of quantum numbers


(chemistry) the principle that chemical properties of the elements are periodic functions of their atomic numbers


(physics) the basis of quantum theory; the energy of electromagnetic waves is contained in indivisible quanta that have to be radiated or absorbed as a whole; the magnitude is proportional to frequency where the constant of proportionality is given by Planck's constant


(physics) an equation that expresses the distribution of energy in the radiated spectrum of an ideal black body


(cosmology) the theory that the universe originated sometime between 10 billion and 20 billion years ago from the cataclysmic explosion of a small volume of matter at extremely high density and temperature


(cosmology) the theory that the solar system evolved from a hot gaseous nebula


(cosmology) the theory that the solar system was formed by the gravitational accumulation of planetesimals


(cosmology) the theory that the universe maintains a constant average density with matter created to fill the void left by galaxies that are receding from each other

the steady state theory has been abandoned in favor of the big bang theory


a tentative insight into the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena

a scientific hypothesis that survives experimental testing becomes a scientific theory


a hypothetical possibility, circumstance, statement, proposal, situation, etc.

consider the following, just as a hypothetical


the physically discrete element that Darwin proposed as responsible for heredity


a theoretical sun that moves along the celestial equator at a constant speed and completes its annual course in the same amount of time the real sun takes at variable speeds


a hypothetical description of a complex entity or process

the computer program was based on a model of the circulatory and respiratory systems


(astronomy) Copernicus' astronomical model in which the Earth rotates around the sun


(astronomy) Ptolemy's model of the universe with the Earth at the center


(particle physics) a theory that involves an eleven-dimensional universe in which the weak and strong forces and gravity are unified and to which all the string theories belong


(particle physics) a theory that postulates that subatomic particles are one-dimensional strings


a listing of audit procedures to be performed in completing an audit


a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence)

speculations about the outcome of the election


any society is built upon certain assumptions


the requirements of his work affected his health


a requirement for admission to or completion of an academic program


a requirement that a student know certain languages


an assumption that is basic to an argument


a misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning


the logical fallacy of using as a true premise a proposition that is yet to be proved


the logical fallacy of supposing that an argument proving an irrelevant point has proved the point at issue


the fallacy of attributing human feelings to inanimate objects; `the friendly sun' is an example of the pathetic fallacy


the logical fallacy of assuming the conclusion in the premises; begging the question


the logical fallacy of believing that temporal succession implies a causal relation


a deliberately invalid argument displaying ingenuity in reasoning in the hope of deceiving someone


a misconception resulting from incorrect information


a misconception that is favorable to the person who holds it


an understanding of something that is not correct


oewn-illusion-n oewn-fantasy-n oewn-phantasy-n oewn-fancy-n

something many people believe that is false

they have the illusion that I am very wealthy


he didn't want to burst the newcomer's bubble


the illusion that what you wish for is actually true


(psychiatry) an abnormal absorption with the self; marked by communication disorders and short attention span and inability to treat others as people


a rare but serious syndrome of childhood characterized by withdrawal and lack of social responsiveness or interest in others and serious linguistic deficits

there is considerable dispute among specialists concerning infantile autism


oewn-apparition-n oewn-phantom-n oewn-phantasm-n oewn-phantasma-n oewn-fantasm-n oewn-shadow-n


an (apparently) flying object whose nature is unknown; especially those considered to have extraterrestrial origins


a phantom ship that is said to appear in storms near the Cape of Good Hope


oewn-ghost-n oewn-shade-n oewn-spook-n oewn-wraith-n oewn-specter-n oewn-spectre-n

a mental representation of some haunting experience


a wild delusion (especially one induced by a hallucinogenic drug)


a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished


a system of projects or services intended to meet a public need

he proposed an elaborate program of public works


a long-term outline of a project or government function

the zoning board adopted a master plan for the new development


a program of space flights undertaken by US to land a man on the Moon

the first lunar landing was achieved by the Apollo program on July 20, 1969


a program of space flights undertaken by US in 1965 and 1966

under the Gemini program each crew had two astronauts


a program of rocket-powered flights undertaken by US between 1961 and 1963 with the goal of putting a man in orbit around the earth

under the Mercury program each flight had one astronaut


oewn-defense_program-n oewn-defense_policy-n oewn-defence_program-n oewn-defence_policy-n

a program for defending a country against its enemies


a program for restoring someone to good health


a technological program intended to explore outer space


the federal government's program to locate and investigate and clean up the worst uncontrolled and abandoned toxic waste sites nationwide; administered by the Environmental Protection Agency

some have intimated that the Superfund's money may have turned into a political slush fund


a program of rehabilitation through job training with an eye to gainful employment


a plan of action adopted by an individual or social group


a policy of taking direct action to achieve a political or social goal


a policy of promoting oneself at the expense of others; used especially of national policy

the United States has pursued a beggar-my-neighbor policy


something intended as a guide for making something else


a procedure or process for obtaining an objective

they had to devise a system that did not depend on cooperation


a system for allowing people to purchase things on credit


a system for interpreting and enforcing the laws


the legal system that allows an accused person to be temporarily released from custody (usually on condition that a sum of money guarantees their appearance at trial)


a legal system for determining the facts at issue in a law suit


a legal system for protecting the rights of inventors


a legal system for assessing and collecting taxes


a legal system for making democratic choices


oewn-uninominal_system-n oewn-uninominal_voting_system-n oewn-single-member_system-n oewn-scrutin_uninomial_system-n oewn-scrutin_uninominal_voting_system-n

based on the principle of having only one member (as of a legislature) selected from each electoral district


based on the principle of proportional representation; voters choose between party lists, the number elected from each list being determined by the percentage cast for each list out of the total vote


a system for setting prices on goods or services


a system for advancing participants to higher-status positions


oewn-tactic-n oewn-tactics-n oewn-maneuver-n oewn-manoeuvre-n


an elaborate and systematic plan of action


an elaborate or deceitful scheme contrived to deceive or evade

his testimony was just a contrivance to throw us off the track


something planted secretly for discovery by another

the police used a plant to trick the thieves


an illegal scheme for making money by manipulating stock prices; the schemer persuades other people to buy the stock and then sells it himself as soon as the price of the stock rises


an instance of accomplishing something by scheming or trickery


a strategy intended to prevent or counter terrorism


(sports) a plan for achieving an objective in some sport


(figurative) a carefully thought out strategy for achieving an objective in war or politics or business or personal affairs

newscasters speculated about the President's game plan for an invasion


a speculative scheme that depends on unstable factors that the planner cannot control

his proposal was nothing but a house of cards


a scheme or set of strategies for conducting a business campaign or a political campaign

they borrowed a page from the playbook of the opposition


a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal)

they concocted a plot to discredit the governor


a fraudulent scheme in which people are recruited to make payments to the person who recruited them while expecting to receive payments from the persons they recruit; when the number of new recruits fails to sustain the hierarchical payment structure the scheme collapses with most of the participants losing the money they put in


a crafty and involved plot to achieve your (usually sinister) ends


a derogatory reference to priests who use their influence to control secular or political affairs


a plot to carry out some harmful or illegal act (especially a political plot)


a conspiracy in 1605 in England to blow up James I and the Houses of Parliament to avenge the persecution of Catholics in England; led by Guy Fawkes


(Briticism) a clever or amusing scheme or trick

a clever wheeze probably succeeded in neutralizing the German espionage threat


(medicine) a systematic plan for therapy (often including diet)


(education) a program of education in liberal arts and sciences (usually in preparation for higher education)


a program designed for training in specific skills


a training program in which a person is given information about physiological processes (heart rate or blood pressure) that is not normally available with the goal of gaining conscious control of them


a training program to prepare you for employment


a project that generates a continuous flow of money


a program to provide jobs on public works paid for by government funds


a temporally organized plan for matters to be attended to


they worked rapidly down the menu of reports


oewn-pension_plan-n oewn-pension_account-n oewn-retirement_plan-n oewn-retirement_savings_plan-n oewn-retirement_savings_account-n oewn-retirement_account-n oewn-retirement_program-n

a plan for setting aside money to be spent after retirement


a retirement savings plan that is funded by employee contributions and (often) matching contributions from the employer; contributions are made from your salary before taxes and the funds grow tax-free until they are withdrawn, at which point they can be converted into an IRA; funds can be transferred if you change employers and you can (to some extent) manage the investments yourself


a retirement plan that allows you to contribute a limited yearly sum toward your retirement; taxes on the interest earned in the account are deferred


a tax-deferred pension plan for employees of unincorporated businesses or for self-employed persons


a plan that allows employees to contribute to an investment pool managed the employer


a detailed plan or explanation to guide you in setting standards or determining a course of action

the president said he had a road map for normalizing relations with Vietnam


an organized plan for employees of a company to buy shares of its stock


a program under which employees regularly accumulate shares and may ultimately assume control of the company


an idea or conclusion having general application


a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct

their principles of composition characterized all their works


science eroded the pillars of superstition


(Islam) one of the five religious obligations accepted by all Muslims


the first pillar of Islam is an affirmation of faith


oewn-salat-n oewn-salaat-n oewn-salah-n oewn-salaah-n

the second pillar of Islam is prayer; a prescribed liturgy performed five times a day (preferably in a mosque) and oriented toward Mecca


the third pillar of Islam is fasting (primarily during the month of Ramadan); Muslims abstain from food and drink and gambling and all sensuous pleasures from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan


the fourth pillar of Islam is almsgiving as an act of worship

the zakat is earmarked for the poor and disabled


the fifth pillar of Islam is a pilgrimage to Mecca during the month of Dhu al-Hijja; at least once in a lifetime a Muslim is expected to make a religious journey to Mecca and the Kaaba

for a Muslim the hajj is the ultimate act of worship


the bright positive masculine principle in Chinese dualistic cosmology

yin and yang together produce everything that comes into existence


the dark negative feminine principle in Chinese dualistic cosmology

the interaction of yin and yang maintains the harmony of the universe


rules in Chinese philosophy that govern spatial arrangement and orientation in relation to patterns of yin and yang and the flow of energy (qi); the favorable or unfavorable effects are taken into consideration in designing and siting buildings and graves and furniture


oewn-inkling-n oewn-intimation-n oewn-glimmering-n oewn-glimmer-n

a slight suggestion or vague understanding

he had no inkling what was about to happen


a suggestion that is made to a person who is hypnotized that specifies an action he will perform (usually in response to a cue) after he has awakened


oewn-impression-n oewn-feeling-n oewn-belief-n oewn-notion-n oewn-opinion-n

a vague idea in which some confidence is placed


the impression that something is present


his reaction to the news was to start planning what to do


an impression (especially one that is artificial or contrived)


at first blush the idea possesses considerable intuitive appeal but on closer examination it fails


an effect that imitates a sound called for in the script of a play


an effect used to produce scenes that cannot be achieved by normal techniques (especially on film)


an idea accepted as a demonstrable truth


(statistics) a theorem describing how the conditional probability of a set of possible causes for a given observed event can be computed from knowledge of the probability of each cause and the conditional probability of the outcome of each cause


(statistics) the difficulty of applying Bayes' theorem is that the probabilities of the different causes are seldom known, in which case it may be postulated that they are all equal (sometimes known as postulating the equidistribution of ignorance)


an impression that something might be the case

he had an intuition that something had gone wrong


oewn-notion-n oewn-whim-n oewn-whimsy-n oewn-whimsey-n

the theatrical notion of disguise is associated with disaster in his stories


the central idea that is expanded in a document or discourse


a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in literary or artistic work


a traditional theme or motif or literary convention

James Joyce uses the topos of the Wandering Jew in his Ulysses


the meaning of a word, phrase, sentence, or text


a meaning that is not expressly stated but can be inferred

the significance of his remark became clear only later


oewn-kernel-n oewn-substance-n oewn-core-n oewn-center-n oewn-centre-n oewn-essence-n oewn-gist-n oewn-heart-n oewn-heart_and_soul-n oewn-inwardness-n oewn-marrow-n oewn-meat-n oewn-nub-n oewn-pith-n oewn-sum-n oewn-nitty-gritty-n

the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience


(plural) the most basic facts or elements

he told us only the bare bones of the story


(metaphysics) essential nature or underlying reality


the essence that makes something the kind of thing it is and makes it different from any other


the purest and most concentrated essence of something


a critically important or characteristic component


the general meaning or substance of an utterance

although I disagreed with him I could follow the tenor of his argument


caught the general drift of the conversation


a subdued emotional quality underlying an utterance; implicit meaning


the most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression; the class of objects that an expression refers to

the extension of `satellite of Mars' is the set containing only Demos and Phobos


the relation between a word or phrase and the object or idea it refers to

he argued that reference is a consequence of conditioned reflexes


the idea of something that is perfect; something that one hopes to attain


an ideal accepted by some individual or group


(psychoanalysis) parental figures (and their values) that you introjected as a child; the voice of conscience is usually a parent's voice internalized


oewn-paragon-n oewn-idol-n oewn-perfection-n oewn-beau_ideal-n

an ideal instance; a perfect embodiment of a concept


academic education is the gold standard against which other educational activity is pejoratively judged


the ideal in terms of which something can be judged

they live by the standards of their community


criteria that designers should meet in designing some system or device

the job specifications summarized the design criteria


oewn-exemplar-n oewn-example-n oewn-model-n oewn-good_example-n


(psychoanalysis) the part of the ego that contains an ideal of personal excellence toward which a person strives


accumulated knowledge or erudition or enlightenment


oewn-reconditeness-n oewn-abstruseness-n oewn-abstrusity-n oewn-profoundness-n oewn-profundity-n

wisdom that is recondite and abstruse and profound

the anthropologist was impressed by the reconditeness of the native proverbs


a presentation to the mind in the form of an idea or image


a representation of an idea in the form of an instance of it


a person or thing represented or foreshadowed by an earlier type or symbol; especially a figure or event in the New Testament having a counterpart in the Old Testament

Aaron and Jesus Christ are the type and antitype for the high priest who made atonement for the sins of the people


a conventional or formulaic conception or image

regional stereotypes have been part of America since its founding


an internal representation of the world; an organization of concepts and actions that can be revised by new information about the world


her imagination forced images upon her too awful to contemplate


a mental image produced by the imagination


a mental representation of the meaning or significance of something


a constantly changing medley of real or imagined images (as in a dream)


oewn-character-n oewn-role-n oewn-theatrical_role-n oewn-part-n oewn-persona-n

an actor's portrayal of someone in a play


a minor female role as a pert flirtatious lady's maid in a comedy


the principal character in a play or movie or novel or poem


the role of an innocent artless young woman in a play


the role of the character after whom the play is named


the mental representation of sexual activities


the representation of what is perceived; basic component in the formation of a concept


a unitary percept having structure and coherence that is the object of attention and that stands out against a ground


a relatively homogeneous percept extending back of the figure on which attention is focused


the composition presents problems for students of musical form


(mathematics) a geometric pattern that is repeated at every scale and so cannot be represented by classical geometry


a configuration or pattern of elements so unified as a whole that it cannot be described merely as a sum of its parts


a pattern of regularly spaced horizontal and vertical lines


a pattern of small boxes that is used for self-monitoring by patients who have age-related macular degeneration


a complex pattern of constantly changing colors and shapes


a pattern forming a unity within a larger structural whole

he tried to pick up the strands of his former life


the form of a movement, which consists of exposition and development and recapitulation


a percept that arises from the eyes; an image in the visual system


visual images that are pleasing to see but are intellectually undemanding

he wanted to put some eye candy on their web site


the area that is visible (as through an optical instrument)


the sight of his wife brought him back to reality


oewn-view-n oewn-aspect-n oewn-prospect-n oewn-scene-n oewn-vista-n oewn-panorama-n

the most desirable feature of the park are the beautiful views


all of the points of the physical environment that can be perceived by a stable eye at a given moment


the part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in the foreground

he posed her against a background of rolling hills


aspect resulting from the direction a building or window faces


the part of a scene that is near the viewer


from the window he could catch a glimpse of the lake


the part of a scene between the foreground and the background


the areas that is visible through a microscope


a postulated biochemical change (presumably in neural tissue) that represents a memory


(psychiatry) a plausible but imagined memory that fills in gaps in what is remembered


an imagined memory of a childhood experience; hides another memory of distressing significance


a mental image of something previously experienced


a memory image that is similar to a visual perception


an image (usually a negative image) that persists after stimulation has ceased


a mental image that is similar to a visual perception


the combining of images from the two eyes to form a single visual percept


he described his mental picture of his assailant


a mental image that is similar to an auditory perception


something that serves as a model or guide


oewn-prototype-n oewn-paradigm-n oewn-epitome-n oewn-image-n


(psychoanalysis) an idealized image of someone (usually a parent) formed in childhood


the original specimen from which the description of a new species is made


something that serves as a model or a basis for making copies


the new policy will be a pacesetter in community relations


the American constitution has provided a pattern for many republics


a model or standard for making comparisons


an example that prefigures or foreshadows what is to come


an impressive or wonderful example of a particular quality

the Marines are expected to perform prodigies of valor


I tried to describe his appearance to the police


Artists use perspective in art to create an illusion of depth.


the apparent enlargement of a bright object when viewed against a dark background


having a three-dimensional form or appearance


the illusion that a limb still exists after it has been amputated


a misconception that is fallacious and not true or valid

the unsoundness of his conclusion was obvious


a representation having no reference to concrete objects or specific examples


a representation of an abstract idea in concrete terms


a concrete representation of an otherwise nebulous concept

a circle was the embodiment of his concept of life


the religious belief that God cannot be known but is completely `other' and must be described in negative terms (in terms of what God is not)


the concept of emptying one's own will and receive God's will, in Catholicism


the religious belief that God has given enough clues to be known to humans positively and affirmatively (e.g., God created Adam `in his own image')


the religious belief that between creature and creator no similarity can be found so great but that the dissimilarity is always greater; any analogy between God and humans will always be inadequate


an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence


complete confidence in a person or plan etc


oewn-doctrine-n oewn-philosophy-n oewn-philosophical_system-n oewn-school_of_thought-n oewn-ism-n

a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school


any personal belief about how to live or how to deal with a situation


belief about (or mental picture of) the future


a belief in the magical power of fetishes (or the worship of a fetish)


the belief that all human characteristics are determined genetically


the belief that the world can be made better by human effort


oewn-opinion-n oewn-sentiment-n oewn-persuasion-n oewn-view-n oewn-thought-n

a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty


belief that a work of art is an end in itself or its own justification


the belief that the United States Constitution should be interpreted in the way the authors originally intended it


the belief that all international disputes can be settled by arbitration


the belief or doctrine of predestinarians


a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny


a system of religious beliefs and rituals

devoted to the cultus of the Blessed Virgin


a religion or sect that is generally considered to be unorthodox, extremist, or false


religion appropriate to a church and to ecclesiastical principles and practices


a religion based on mystical communion with an ultimate reality


a form of religious mysticism requiring withdrawal from all human effort and passive contemplation of God


a system of religion that deifies and worships natural forces and phenomena


a religion founded primarily on the revelations of God to humankind


oewn-public_opinion-n oewn-popular_opinion-n oewn-opinion-n oewn-vox_populi-n

a belief or sentiment shared by most people; the voice of the people


oewn-preconception-n oewn-prepossession-n oewn-parti_pris-n oewn-preconceived_opinion-n oewn-preconceived_idea-n oewn-preconceived_notion-n

an opinion formed beforehand without adequate evidence

he did not even try to confirm his preconceptions


a prejudice (especially in Polynesia and other South Pacific islands) that prohibits the use or mention of something because of its sacred nature


one of two divergent or mutually exclusive opinions


grounds for feeling hopeful about the future

there is little or no promise that he will recover


an early limited awareness of something yet to occur


something expected (as on the basis of a norm)

each of them had their own anticipations


a belief in the spread of revolutionary principles


a belief that priests can act as mediators between human beings and God


the belief that the spirits of dead people can communicate with people who are still alive (especially via a medium)


a belief that there is a realm controlled by a divine spirit


the belief that the right to vote should be extended (as to women)


a belief in forces beyond ordinary human understanding


an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear


the belief that some particular group or race is superior to all others


the architect has a theory that more is less


(ethics) the theory that the pursuit of your own welfare is the basis of morality


a theory or argument made up of miscellaneous or incongruous ideas


a system of belief based on mystical insight into the nature of God and the soul


a system of beliefs and practices based on the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner; it claims to integrate the practical and psychological in child-centered education


oewn-Kabbalah-n oewn-Kabbala-n oewn-Kabala-n oewn-Cabbalah-n oewn-Cabbala-n oewn-Cabala-n oewn-Qabbalah-n oewn-Qabbala-n

an esoteric theosophy of rabbinical origin based on the Hebrew scriptures and developed between the 7th and 18th centuries


the organized beliefs of a period or group or individual


belief in the kinship of a group of people with a common totem


beliefs of a person or social group in which they have an emotional investment (either for or against something)


his thinking was in the American mainstream


a rule or standard especially of good behavior


a principle that governs current accounting practice and that is used as a reference to determine the appropriate treatment of complex transactions


the medieval principles governing knighthood and knightly conduct


oewn-ethic-n oewn-moral_principle-n oewn-value-system-n oewn-value_orientation-n

the principles of right and wrong that are accepted by an individual or a social group


the principles of a body of 19th century English reformers who advocated better social and economic conditions for working people


the principles and ideals associated with classical Greek civilization


(law) a principle underlying the formulation of jurisprudence


the principle that a person's nationality at birth is the same as that of his natural parents


the principle that a person's nationality at birth is determined by the place of birth


the judicial principle asserting the supremacy of federal over state legislation on the same subject


(law) the principle that an act done at a later time is deemed by law to have occurred at an earlier time

his attorney argued for the relation back of the amended complaint to the time the initial complaint was filed


an ethical or moral principle that inhibits action


a command based on Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount

Whatsoever ye would that men do unto you, do you even so unto them


the doctrine that calls for the abolition of slavery


the doctrine of an absolute being, often related to idealism in philosophy.


the doctrine that moral distinctions are invalid


the doctrine that human beings are purely animal in nature and lacking a spiritual nature


the doctrine that all natural objects and the universe itself have souls

animism is common among primitive peoples


the doctrine of opposition to the social and political establishment


the doctrine that through renunciation of worldly pleasures it is possible to achieve a high spiritual or intellectual state


the predominant philosophical tradition in Great Britain since the 17th century


any doctrine emphasizing the importance of the context in solving problems or establishing the meaning of terms


the literal belief in the account of Creation given in the Book of Genesis

creationism denies the theory of evolution of species


an effort to give scientific support for the truth of the account of Creation given in the Book of Genesis


the doctrine that kings derive their right to rule directly from God and are not accountable to their subjects; rebellion is the worst of political crimes

the doctrine of the divine right of kings was enunciated by the Stuarts in Britain in the 16th century


a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative


the doctrine that reality consists of two basic opposing elements, often taken to be mind and matter (or mind and body), or good and evil


any of the various theories or doctrines or philosophical systems that attempt to explain the phenomena of the universe in terms of some immanent force or energy


a doctrine of hedonism that was defended by several ancient Greek philosophers


the doctrine of supporting the social or political establishment


a doctrine that ethics and ethical ideas are valid and important


the doctrine of expanding the territory or the economic influence of a country


an empirical doctrine that advocates experimental principles


the doctrine that formal structure rather than content is what should be represented


any doctrine that stresses utility or purpose


a doctrine that is believed to be of great importance

Newton's writings were gospel for those who followed


the doctrine of a sect of Hindu philosophers who practiced nudity and asceticism and meditation


the doctrine that representations of nature or human behavior should be accurate imitations


the imitative representation of nature and human behavior in art and literature


the doctrine that government should not interfere in commercial affairs


a belief in the importance of the individual and the virtue of self-reliance and personal independence


individualism in social and economic affairs; belief not only in personal liberty and self-reliance but also in free competition


the doctrine that nations should cooperate because their common interests are more important than their differences


the doctrine that nations should conduct their foreign affairs individualistically without the advice or involvement of other nations


the doctrine that irredenta should be controlled by the country to which they are ethnically or historically related


the doctrine of realistic (literal) portrayal in art or literature


the doctrine that the numerical majority of an organized group can make decisions binding on the whole group


the doctrine that reality consists of a single basic substance or element


the doctrine that several different cultures (rather than one national culture) can coexist peacefully and equitably in a single country


the doctrine that your national culture and interests are superior to any other


the doctrine that nations should act independently (rather than collectively) to attain their goals


a revolutionary doctrine that advocates destruction of the social system for its own sake


the doctrine that all violence is unjustifiable


the doctrine that reality consists of several basic substances or elements


the political doctrine that supports the rights and powers of the common people in their struggle with the privileged elite


oewn-predestination-n oewn-foreordination-n oewn-preordination-n oewn-predetermination-n

(theology) being determined in advance; especially the doctrine (usually associated with Calvin) that God has foreordained every event throughout eternity (including the final salvation of mankind)


the doctrine that the Scripture prophecies of the Apocalypse (as in the Book of Revelations) are presently in the course of being fulfilled


the predestination of some individuals as objects of divine mercy (especially as conceived by Calvinists)


the doctrine that reason is the right basis for regulating conduct


the doctrine emphasizing a person's capacity for self-realization through reason; rejects religion and the supernatural


the doctrine that people's duty is to promote human welfare


the doctrine of the equality of mankind and the desirability of political and economic and social equality


a doctrine that advocates equal rights for women


any art that invokes supernatural powers


a belief in supernatural powers and the possibility of bringing them under human control


a doctrine that on the death of the body the soul migrates to or is born again in another body


a doctrine that maintains the right of secession


a doctrine that rejects religion and religious considerations


(philosophy) a philosophical theory as to what is beautiful


(philosophy) the philosophy of Aristotle that deals with logic and metaphysics and ethics and poetics and politics and natural science

Aristotelianism profoundly influenced Western thought


the doctrine that the application of a general term to various objects indicates the existence of a mental entity that mediates the application


the teachings of Confucius emphasizing love for humanity; high value given to learning and to devotion to family (including ancestors); peace; justice; influenced the traditional culture of China


a philosophical theory of criticism (usually of literature or film) that seeks to expose deep-seated contradictions in a work by delving below its surface meaning


(philosophy) the doctrine that knowledge derives from experience


the philosophical doctrine that environment is more important than heredity in determining intellectual growth


(philosophy) a 20th-century philosophical movement chiefly in Europe; assumes that people are entirely free and thus responsible for what they make of themselves


(philosophy) a philosophical theory holding that all events are inevitable consequences of antecedent sufficient causes; often understood as denying the possibility of free will


a philosophical doctrine holding that all events are predetermined in advance for all time and human beings are powerless to change them


(philosophy) the philosophical theory that formal (logical or mathematical) statements have no meaning but that its symbols (regarded as physical entities) exhibit a form that has useful applications


the philosophical doctrine that heredity is more important than environment in determining intellectual growth


(philosophy) the philosophical theory that ideas are the only reality


(philosophy) the doctrine that knowledge is acquired primarily by intuition


(philosophy) the philosophical theory that all of mathematics can be derived from formal logic


(philosophy) the philosophical theory that matter is the only reality


(philosophy) the philosophical theory that all phenomena can be explained in terms of physical or biological causes


(philosophy) a doctrine that mind is the true reality and that objects exist only as aspects of the mind's awareness


(philosophy) the philosophical theory that some ideas are innate


(philosophy) the doctrine that the world can be understood in scientific terms without recourse to spiritual or supernatural explanations


a system of philosophical and theological doctrines composed of elements of Platonism and Aristotelianism and oriental mysticism; its most distinctive doctrine holds that the first principle and source of reality transcends being and thought and is naturally unknowable

Neoplatonism was predominant in pagan Europe until the 6th century


(philosophy) the doctrine that the various objects labeled by the same term have nothing in common but their name


(philosophy) the doctrine that the meaning of a proposition consists of the operations involved in proving or applying it


(philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that abstract concepts exist independent of their names


(philosophy) the doctrine that practical consequences are the criteria of knowledge and meaning and value


a system of pragmatic philosophy that considers idea to be instruments that should guide our actions and their value is measured by their success


(philosophy) the doctrine that (since certainty is unattainable) probability is a sufficient basis for belief and action


(philosophy) the doctrine that knowledge is acquired by reason without resort to experience


(philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that physical objects continue to exist when not perceived


(philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that all criteria of judgment are relative to the individuals and situations involved


the system of philosophy dominant in medieval Europe; based on Aristotle and the Church Fathers


(philosophy) a philosophical theory of the functions of signs and symbols


(philosophy) the ethical doctrine that feeling is the only criterion for what is good


(philosophy) the philosophical theory that the self is all that you know to exist


(theology) any doctrine that asserts the separate existence of God


(philosophy) the philosophical system of the Stoics following the teachings of the ancient Greek philosopher Zeno


(philosophy) the doctrine that knowledge and value are dependent on and limited by your subjective experience


philosophical system developed by Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu advocating a simple honest life and noninterference with the course of natural events


(philosophy) a doctrine explaining phenomena by their ends or purposes


the doctrine that all knowledge was originally derived by divine revelation and that it is transmitted by traditions


(philosophy) a doctrine that life is a vital principle distinct from physics and chemistry


oewn-conjuring-n oewn-conjuration-n oewn-conjury-n oewn-invocation-n


a bit of lore passed on by word of mouth


calling up supposed supernatural forces by spells and incantations


oewn-sorcery-n oewn-black_magic-n oewn-black_art-n oewn-necromancy-n

the belief in magical spells that harness occult forces or evil spirits to produce unnatural effects in the world


white magic performed with the help of beneficent spirits (as formerly practiced by Neoplatonists)


a belief in and reverence for devils (especially Satan)


the disbelief in any claims of ultimate knowledge


a lack of belief in the existence of God or gods


a belief that rejects the orthodox tenets of a religion


the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it


oewn-aim-n oewn-object-n oewn-objective-n oewn-target-n

the goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable)

the sole object of her trip was to see her children


an archaic term for a goal or destination


human beings are not the end-all of evolution


the ultimate goal for which something is done


he lived without a reason progressing toward no-goal


oewn-purpose-n oewn-intent-n oewn-intention-n oewn-aim-n oewn-design-n

an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

his intent was to provide a new translation


(usually plural) the goal with respect to a marriage proposal


(philosophy) the end or purpose of a thing or process


purpose; the phrase `with a view to' means `with the intention of' or `for the purpose of'

he took the computer with a view to pawning it


a fixed and persistent intent or purpose


gossip was the main business of the evening


knowledge acquired by learning and instruction

it was clear that he had a very broad education


the content of direct observation or participation in an event


all the knowledge and values shared by a society


a cultural unit (an idea or value or pattern of behavior) that is passed from one person to another by non-genetic means (as by imitation)

memes are the cultural counterpart of genes


knowledge gained through tradition or anecdote

early peoples passed on plant and animal lore through legend


the unwritten lore (stories and proverbs and riddles and songs) of a culture


oewn-eruditeness-n oewn-erudition-n oewn-learnedness-n oewn-learning-n oewn-scholarship-n oewn-encyclopedism-n oewn-encyclopaedism-n


education that results in understanding and the spread of knowledge


education or instruction in the fundamentals of a field of knowledge

he lacks the foundation necessary for advanced study


the political policy of concentrating power in a central organization


a policy of creating strategic alliances in order to check the expansion of a hostile power or ideology or to force it to negotiate peacefully

containment of communist expansion was a central principle of United States' foreign policy from 1947 to the 1975


the policy of being moderate or acting with moderation


a policy of opposition to enlightenment or the spread of knowledge


(England) the political policy of Margaret Thatcher


(Roman Catholic Church) the policy that the absolute authority of the church should be vested in the pope


(Zen Buddhism) a state of sudden spiritual enlightenment


he was in the dark concerning their intentions


oewn-ignorantness-n oewn-nescience-n oewn-unknowing-n oewn-unknowingness-n

ignorance (especially of orthodox beliefs)


lack of experience and the knowledge and understanding derived from experience

procedural inexperience created difficulties


a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena

theories can incorporate facts and laws and tested hypotheses


(physics) the theory that any two particles of matter attract one another with a force directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them


(physics) a universal law that states that the laws of mechanics are not affected by a uniform rectilinear motion of the system of coordinates to which they are referred


oewn-Occam-ap-s_Razor-n oewn-Ockham-ap-s_Razor-n oewn-principle_of_parsimony-n oewn-law_of_parsimony-n

the principle that entities should not be multiplied needlessly; the simplest of two competing theories is to be preferred


(physics) the principle that an observer has no way of distinguishing whether his laboratory is in a uniform gravitational field or is in an accelerated frame of reference


(hydrostatics) the volume of a body immersed in a fluid is equal to the volume of the displaced fluid


the displacement of any point due to the superposition of wave systems is equal to the sum of the displacements of the individual waves at that point

the principle of superposition is the basis of the wave theory of light


(geology) the principle that in a series of stratified sedimentary rocks the lowest stratum is the oldest


(neurology) the principle that the cortex of the brain operates as a coordinated system with large masses of neural tissue involved in all complex functioning


oewn-localization_of_function-n oewn-localisation_of_function-n oewn-localization_principle-n oewn-localisation_principle-n oewn-localization-n oewn-localisation-n

(physiology) the principle that specific functions have relatively circumscribed locations in some particular part or organ of the body


localization of function on either the right or left sides of the brain


theory that inherited characteristics are transmitted by germ plasm


a theory (popular in the 18th century and now discredited) that an individual develops by simple enlargement of a tiny fully formed organism (a homunculus) that exists in the germ cell


the materialistic philosophy of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels


the form of empiricism that bases all knowledge on perceptual experience (not on intuition or revelation)


Auguste Comte's positivistic philosophy that metaphysics and theology should be replaced by a hierarchy of sciences from mathematics at the base to sociology at the top


a theory that explains scientific observations


(physics) a theory that explains a physical phenomenon in terms of a field and the manner in which it interacts with matter or with other fields


theory that the total organization of an organism rather than the functioning of individual organs is the determinant of life processes


(economics) a theory of commercial activities (such as the production and consumption of goods)


the theory that an increasing consumption of goods is economically beneficial


the economic theories of John Maynard Keynes who advocated government monetary and fiscal programs intended to stimulate business activity and increase employment


an economic theory advocating free competition and a self-regulating market


Malthus' theory that population increase would outpace increases in the means of subsistence


an economic theory holding that variations in unemployment and the rate of inflation are usually caused by changes in the supply of money


(economics) the theory that a person or firm seeks to make money by manipulating the economic environment rather than by making a profit through production or trade


(psychophysics) the concept that the magnitude of a subjective sensation increases proportional to a power of the stimulus intensity


(psychophysics) the concept that a just-noticeable difference in a stimulus is proportional to the magnitude of the original stimulus

Weber's law explains why you don't notice your headlights are on in the daytime


oewn-discipline-n oewn-subject-n oewn-subject_area-n oewn-subject_field-n oewn-field-n oewn-field_of_study-n oewn-study-n oewn-bailiwick-n


the discipline that studies the principles of transmitting information and the methods by which it is delivered (as print or radio or television etc.)

communications is his major field of study


the principal field of study of a student at a university


a knowledge domain that you are interested in or are communicating about


an undeveloped field of study; a topic inviting research and development

he worked at the frontier of brain science


the study or investigation of ancestry and family history


the study of the relative growth of a part of an organism in relation to the growth of the whole


the scientific study of documents and handwriting etc. especially to determine authorship or authenticity


an informal word (abstracted from words with this ending) for some unidentified branch of knowledge


the study or the use of symbols and symbolism


an intermediate area; a topic that is not clearly one thing or the other


his questions covered a lot of territory


the content of a particular field of knowledge


knowledge accumulated by systematic study and organized by general principles

mathematics is the basis for much scientific knowledge


a particular branch of scientific knowledge


the sciences involved in the study of the physical world and its phenomena


a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement


the branches of mathematics that study and develop the principles of mathematics for their own sake rather than for their immediate usefulness


the branch of pure mathematics dealing with the theory of numerical calculations


the pure mathematics of points and lines and curves and surfaces


(mathematics) geometry based on Euclid's axioms


(mathematics) any of five axioms that are generally recognized as the basis for Euclidean geometry


a straight line can be drawn between any two points


any terminated straight line can be projected indefinitely


a circle with any radius can be drawn around any point


only one line can be drawn through a point parallel to another line


Benoit Mandelbrot pioneered fractal geometry


(mathematics) geometry based on axioms different from Euclid's

non-Euclidean geometries discard or replace one or more of the Euclidean axioms


(mathematics) a non-Euclidean geometry in which the parallel axiom is replaced by the assumption that through any point in a plane there are two or more lines that do not intersect a given line in the plane

Karl Gauss pioneered hyperbolic geometry


(mathematics) a non-Euclidean geometry that regards space as like a sphere and a line as like a great circle

Bernhard Riemann pioneered elliptic geometry


(mathematics) the branch of mathematics that studies algorithms for approximating solutions to problems in the infinitesimal calculus


(mathematics) the geometry of figures on the surface of a sphere


(mathematics) the trigonometry of spherical triangles


a trigonometric method of determining the position of a fixed point from the angles to it from two fixed points of a known distance apart; useful in navigation


the use of algebra to study geometric properties; operates on symbols defined in a coordinate system


a straight line through a body or figure that satisfies certain conditions


one of the fixed reference lines of a coordinate system


the point of intersection of coordinate axes; where the values of the coordinates are all zero


the horizontal axis in a plane coordinate system


the vertical axis in a plane coordinate system


the third axis in a 3-dimensional coordinate system


the longest axis of an ellipse or ellipsoid; passes through the two foci


one-half the major axis of an ellipse; the distance from the center of an ellipse to one end


the shorter or shortest axis of an ellipse or ellipsoid


a line that passes through the center of curvature of a lens so that light is neither reflected nor refracted

in a normal eye the optic axis is the direction in which objects are seen most distinctly


in a doubly refracting crystal, the line in the direction of which no double refraction occurs

a crystal may have either one or two optic axes


a coordinate system in which Newton's first law of motion is valid


the four-dimensional coordinate system (3 dimensions of space and 1 of time) in which physical events are located


a number that identifies a position relative to an axis


one of the coordinates in a system of coordinates that locates a point on a plane or in space by its distance from two lines or three planes respectively; the two lines or the intersections of the three planes are the coordinate axes


one of three Cartesian coordinates that determine a position in space


the value of a coordinate on the horizontal axis


the value of a coordinate on the vertical axis


the point at which a line intersects a coordinate axis


either of two values that locate a point on a plane by its distance from a fixed pole and its angle from a fixed line passing through the pole


the geometry of properties that remain invariant under projection


the mathematics of triangles and trigonometric functions


the mathematics of generalized arithmetical operations


a branch of algebra dealing with quadratic equations


the part of algebra that deals with the theory of linear equations and linear transformation


the part of algebra that deals with the theory of vectors and vector spaces


the part of algebra that deals with the theory of matrices


the branch of mathematics that is concerned with limits and with the differentiation and integration of functions


a branch of mathematics involving calculus and the theory of limits; sequences and series and integration and differentiation


analysis of a periodic function into a sum of simple sinusoidal components


the part of calculus that deals with the variation of a function with respect to changes in the independent variable (or variables) by means of the concepts of derivative and differential


oewn-derived_function-n oewn-derivative-n oewn-differential_coefficient-n oewn-differential-n oewn-first_derivative-n

the result of mathematical differentiation; the instantaneous change of one quantity relative to another; df(x)/dx


the derivative of a function of two or more variables with respect to a single variable while the other variables are considered to be constant


the part of calculus that deals with integration and its application in the solution of differential equations and in determining areas or volumes etc.


the result of a mathematical integration; F(x) is the integral of f(x) if dF/dx = f(x)


the set of functions F(x) + C, where C is any real number, such that F(x) is the integral of f(x)


the integral of a function over a definite interval


the calculus of maxima and minima of definite integrals


the branch of pure mathematics that deals with the nature and relations of sets


a set containing all points (or all real numbers) between two given endpoints


an interval that does not include its endpoints


an interval that is included in another interval


a set that is closed, associative, has an identity element and every element has an inverse


(mathematics) a subset (that is not empty) of a mathematical group


the branch of mathematics dealing with groups


group theory applied to the solution of algebraic equations


a group that satisfies the commutative law


the branch of pure mathematics that deals only with the properties of a figure X that hold for every figure into which X can be transformed with a one-to-one correspondence that is continuous in both directions


the logical analysis of mathematical reasoning


the branches of mathematics that are involved in the study of the physical or biological or sociological world


a mathematical technique used in economics; finds the maximum or minimum of linear functions in many variables subject to constraints


a branch of applied mathematics concerned with the collection and interpretation of quantitative data and the use of probability theory to estimate population parameters


a method of analyzing or representing statistical data; a procedure for calculating a statistic


a method of fitting a curve to data points so as to minimize the sum of the squares of the distances of the points from the curve


a generic term for any statistical technique used to analyze data from more than one variable


a datum that can be represented numerically


a statistic describing the location of a distribution


a statistic characterizing human populations (or segments of human populations broken down by age or sex or income etc.)


the difference between an observed value and the expected value of a variable or function


the n-th moment of a distribution is the expected value of the n-th power of the deviations from a fixed value


a statistic computed without knowledge of the form or the parameters of the distribution from which observations are drawn


any statistic computed by procedures that assume the data were drawn from a particular distribution


the average age at which particular performances are expected to appear


the arithmetic mean of the absolute values of deviations from the mean of a distribution


the most frequent value of a random variable


the number midway between the two middle numbers in a series containing an even or odd number of items


an average of n numbers computed by adding some function of the numbers and dividing by some function of n


oewn-arithmetic_mean-n oewn-first_moment-n oewn-expectation-n oewn-expected_value-n

the sum of the values of a random variable divided by the number of values


the mean of n numbers expressed as the n-th root of their product


the mean of n numbers expressed as the reciprocal of the arithmetic mean of the reciprocals of the numbers


the expected value of the square of the deviations of a random variable from the point of origin


the second moment around the mean; the expected value of the square of the deviations of a random variable from its mean value


(statistics) the mean value of the product of the deviations of two variates from their respective means


a distribution of observed frequencies of occurrence of the values of a variable


a theoretical distribution with finite mean and variance


a theoretical distribution that is a good approximation to the binomial distribution when the probability is small and the number of trials is large


oewn-normal_curve-n oewn-bell-shaped_curve-n oewn-Gaussian_curve-n oewn-Gaussian_shape-n

a symmetrical curve representing the normal distribution


(statistics) the entire aggregation of items from which samples can be drawn

it is an estimate of the mean of the population


a population that is part of a larger population


items selected at random from a population and used to test hypotheses about the population


a sample in which every element in the population has an equal chance of being selected


the population is divided into strata and a random sample is taken from each stratum


a subpopulation divided into a stratified sampling


oewn-regression-n oewn-simple_regression-n oewn-regression_toward_the_mean-n oewn-statistical_regression-n

the relation between selected values of x and observed values of y (from which the most probable value of y can be predicted for any value of x)


a statistical technique that predicts values of one variable on the basis of two or more other variables


a case of multiple regression in which the predictor variables are themselves highly correlated


the use of regression to make quantitative predictions of one variable from the values of another


the equation representing the relation between selected values of one variable (x) and observed values of the other (y); it permits the prediction of the most probable values of y


when the regression line is linear (y = ax + b) the regression coefficient is the constant (a) that represents the rate of change of one variable (y) as a function of changes in the other (x); it is the slope of the regression line


the relation between variables when the regression equation is linear: e.g., y = ax + b


the relation between variables when the regression equation is nonlinear (quadratic or higher order)


a smooth curve fitted to the set of paired data in regression analysis; for linear regression the curve is a straight line


a series of values of a variable at successive times


data relating to births and deaths and health and diseases and marriages


the use of statistical correlation to evaluate the strength of the relations between variables


a matrix giving the correlations between all pairs of data sets


any of several methods for reducing correlational data to a smaller number of dimensions or factors; beginning with a correlation matrix a small number of components or factors are extracted that are regarded as the basic variables that account for the interrelations observed in the data


a statistical method for making simultaneous comparisons between two or more means; a statistical method that yields values that can be tested to determine whether a significant relation exists between variables


a two-way tabulation of the relations between correlates; row headings are the scores on one variable and column headings are the scores on the second variables and a cell shows how many times the score on that row was associated with the score in that column


a statistical relation between two or more variables such that systematic changes in the value of one variable are accompanied by systematic changes in the other


any correlation in which the rates of change of the variables is not constant


a correlation between two variables when the effects of one or more related variables are removed


a partial correlation in which the effects of only one variable are removed (held constant)


a statistic representing how closely two variables co-vary; it can vary from -1 (perfect negative correlation) through 0 (no correlation) to +1 (perfect positive correlation)

what is the correlation between those two variables?


a correlation in which large values of one variable are associated with large values of the other and small with small; the correlation coefficient is between 0 and +1


a correlation in which large values of one variable are associated with small values of the other; the correlation coefficient is between 0 and -1


the most commonly used method of computing a correlation coefficient between variables that are linearly related


an estimate of the combined influence of two or more variables on the observed (dependent) variable


a correlation coefficient in which one variable is many-valued and the other is dichotomous


the branch of statistics dealing with variables without making assumptions about the form or the parameters of their distribution


the most commonly used method of computing a correlation coefficient between the ranks of scores on two variables


any of several nonparametric measures of correlation (used when the assumptions of standard correlational analysis are not met)


a nonparametric measure of partial correlation


a coefficient of agreement (concordance) between different sets of rank orderings of the same set of things


a nonparametric measure of the agreement between two rankings


an index of the relation between any two sets of scores that can both be represented on ordered binary dimensions (e.g., male-female)


a correlation coefficient calculated between scores on two halves of a test; taken as an indication of the reliability of the test


a correlation coefficient computed for two normally distributed variables that are both expressed as a dichotomy


a correlation between two variables (e.g., between the number of electric motors in the home and grades at school) that does not result from any direct relation between them (buying electric motors will not raise grades) but from their relation to other variables


(mathematics) a quantity expressed as a sum or difference of two terms; a polynomial with two terms


a theoretical distribution of the number of successes in a finite set of independent trials with a constant probability of success


a theorem giving the expansion of a binomial raised to a given power


the branch of applied mathematics that deals with probabilities


any of the branches of natural science dealing with the structure and behavior of living organisms


the science that studies living organisms


the application of the principles of the natural sciences to medicine


a branch of biology that studies biological phenomena and observations by means of statistical analysis


the scientific study of the skulls of various human races


the study of the whorls and loops and arches in the fingertips and on the palms of the hand and the soles of the feet

some criminologists specialize in dermatoglyphics


the scientific study of food preparation and intake


the theory of promoting health and longevity by means of diet (especially whole beans and grains)


the study of methods of improving genetic qualities by selective breeding (especially as applied to human mating)


the study of the operation of factors causing degeneration in the type of offspring produced


the study of methods of improving human well-being and efficient functioning by improving environmental conditions


the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques


the science of dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention and treatment of disease


a now abandoned study of the shape of skull as indicative of the strengths of different faculties


the study and treatment of disorders associated with flight (especially with space flight)


the branch of medical science that studies the causes and treatment of allergies


the branch of medical science that studies and applies anesthetics


the branch of medical science that studies the blood and lymph vessels and their disorders


the branch of medical science that studies bacteria in relation to disease


the branch of medical science that studies the ability of organisms to withstand environmental stress (as in space travel)


the branch of medical science that applies biological and physiological principles to clinical practice


the branch of medicine dealing with the heart and its diseases


the branch of medicine dealing with the anatomy and development and diseases of the teeth


the branch of dentistry dealing with the appearance of the teeth


the branch of dentistry involving surgical procedures


the branch of dentistry dealing with diseases of the dental pulp


the branch of dentistry dealing with extraction of teeth


oewn-orthodontics-n oewn-orthodontia-n oewn-orthodonture-n oewn-dental_orthopedics-n oewn-dental_orthopaedics-n

the branch of dentistry dealing with the prevention or correction of irregularities of the teeth


the branch of dentistry dealing with diseases of the gums and other structures around the teeth


the branch of medicine dealing with the production and use of artificial body parts


the branch of dentistry dealing with the replacement of teeth and related mouth or jaw structures by artificial devices


the branch of medicine dealing with the skin and its diseases


the branch of medicine concerned with the prompt diagnosis and treatment of injuries or trauma or sudden illness


the branch of medicine dealing with the endocrine glands and their secretions


the branch of medical science dealing with the transmission and control of disease


the branch of medical science that uses medical knowledge for legal purposes

forensic pathology provided the evidence that convicted the murderer


the branch of medicine that studies the gastrointestinal tract and its diseases


the branch of medical science that deals with diseases and problems specific to old people


the branch of medicine that deals with the diseases and hygiene of women


the branch of medicine that deals with diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs


the science concerned with the prevention of illness and maintenance of health


the branch of medical science that studies the body's immune system


the field of chemistry concerned with chemical processes in immunology (such as chemical studies of antigens and antibodies)


the branch of immunology that deals with pathologies of the immune system


the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and (nonsurgical) treatment of diseases of the internal organs (especially in adults)


the branch of medicine concerned with the kidney - its development and anatomy and physiology and disorders


the branch of medicine that uses radioactive materials either to image a patient's body or to destroy diseased cells


(neurology) the branch of medicine that deals with the nervous system and its disorders


the branch of medicine dealing with mental disorders attributable to diseases of the nervous system


the branch of medical science dealing with the classification of disease


oewn-obstetrics-n oewn-OB-n oewn-tocology-n oewn-midwifery-n

the branch of medicine dealing with childbirth and care of the mother


the branch of medicine concerned with the fetus in the uterus


the branch of obstetrics concerned with the anatomy and physiology and diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the mother and the fetus or newborn baby during late pregnancy and childbirth and the puerperium


the branch of medicine concerned with the study and treatment of tumors


the branch of medicine concerned with the eye and its diseases


the branch of medicine concerned with the ear


the science or study of drugs: their preparation and properties and uses and effects