Au -abbr

  1. author
  2. gold

AU -abbr

  1. angstrom unit
  2. astronomical unit

au·bade [ō-'bäd] -n

  1. a song or poem greeting the dawn
  2. a morning love song
  3. a song or poem of lovers parting at dawn
  4. morning music

au·berge [ō-'berzh] -n

  1. inn

au·ber·gine ['ō-bər-,zhēn] -n

  1. eggplant
  2. eggplant

au·burn ['ȯ-bərn] -adj

  1. of the color auburn
  2. of a reddish-brown color

auburn -n

  1. a moderate brown

Au·bus·son [,ō-bə-'sōⁿ] -n

  1. a figured scenic tapestry used for wall hangings and upholstery
  2. a rug woven to resemble Aubusson tapestry

AUC -abbr

  1. from the year of the founding of the city (of Rome)

au cou·rant [,ō-ku̇-'räⁿ] -adj

  1. fully informed : up-to-date
    • trying to stay au courant
  2. fashionable, stylish
    • au courant outfits
  3. fully familiar : conversant

auc·tion ['ȯk-shən] -n

  1. a sale of property to the highest bidder
  2. the act or process of bidding in some card games

auction [-sh(ə-)niŋ] -vt

  1. to sell at auction
    • auction ed off his library

auction bridge -n

  1. a bridge game differing from contract bridge in that tricks made in excess of the contract are scored toward game

auc·tion·eer [,ȯk-shə-'nir] -n

  1. an agent who sells goods at auction

auc·to·ri·al [ȯk-'tȯr-ē-əl] -adj

  1. of or relating to an author

aud -abbr

  1. audit; auditor

au·da·cious [ȯ-'dā-shəs] -adj, adv, n

  1. intrepidly daring : adventurous
    • an audacious mountain climber
  2. recklessly bold : rash
    • an audacious maneuver
  3. contemptuous of law, religion, or decorum : insolent
  4. marked by originality and verve
    • audacious experiments

au·dac·i·ty [ȯ-'da-sə-tē] -n

  1. : the quality or state of being audacious: as
  2. intrepid boldness
  3. bold or arrogant disregard of normal restraints
    • had the audacity to defy his boss
  4. an audacious act usu. used in pl.
    • her worst audacities did not seem to surprise him -- Edith Wharton

au·di·al ['ȯ-dē-əl] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or affecting the sense of hearing : aural

au·di·bi·lize ['ȯ-də-bə-,līz] -vi

  1. audible

au·di·ble ['ȯ-də-bəl] -adj, n, adv

  1. heard or capable of being heard

audible -n

  1. a substitute offensive or defensive play called at the line of scrimmage in football
  2. to call an audible
    • audibled to a pass play -- Peter King

au·di·ence ['ȯ-dē-ən(t)s, 'ä-] -n

  1. the act or state of hearing
  2. a formal hearing or interview
    • an audience with the pope
  3. an opportunity of being heard
    • I would succeed if I were once given audience
  4. a group of listeners or spectators
  5. a reading, viewing, or listening public
  6. a group of ardent admirers or devotees : following

au·dile ['ȯ-,dī(-ə)l] -adj

  1. auditory

aud·ing ['ȯ-diŋ] -n

  1. the process of hearing, recognizing, and interpreting spoken language

au·dio ['ȯ-dē-,ō] -adj

  1. of or relating to acoustic, mechanical, or electrical frequencies corresponding to normally audible sound waves which are of frequencies approximately from 15 to 20,000 hertz
  2. of or relating to sound or its reproduction and esp. high-fidelity reproduction
  3. relating to or used in the transmission or reception of sound
  4. of, relating to, or utilizing recorded sound

audio -n

  1. an audio signal
  2. sound
  3. the section of television or motion-picture equipment that deals with sound
  4. the transmission, reception, or reproduction of sound

audio- -comb form

  1. hearing
    • audio meter
  2. sound
    • audio phile
  3. auditory and
    • audio visual

au·dioan·i·ma·tron·ic [,ȯ-dē-ō-,a-nə-mə-'trä-nik] -adj

  1. being or consisting of a lifelike electromechanical figure of a person or animal that has synchronized movement and sound

au·dio·book ['ȯ-dē-ō-,bu̇k] -n

  1. a recording of a book or magazine being read

au·dio·cas·sette [,ȯ-dē-(,)ō-kə-'set, -ka-] -n

  1. an audiotape recording mounted in a cassette

au·dio·gen·ic [,ȯ-dē-ō-'je-nik] -adj

  1. produced by frequencies corresponding to sound waves used esp. of epileptoid responses

au·dio·gram ['ȯ-dē-ō-,gram] -n

  1. a graphic representation of the relation of vibration frequency and the minimum sound intensity for hearing

au·diolin·gual [,ȯ-dē-ō-'liŋ-gwəl also -gyə-wəl] -adj

  1. involving a drill routine of listening and speaking in language learning

au·di·ol·o·gy [,ȯ-dē-'ä-lə-jē] -n, adj

  1. a branch of science dealing with hearing
  2. therapy of individuals having impaired hearing

au·di·om·e·ter [,ȯ-dē-'ä-mə-tər] -n, adj

  1. an instrument used in measuring the acuity of hearing

au·dio·phile ['ȯ-dē-ō-,fī(-ə)l] -n

  1. a person who is enthusiastic about high-fidelity sound reproduction

au·dio·tape ['ȯ-dē-ō-,tāp] -n

  1. a tape recording of sound

au·dio·vi·su·al [,ȯ-dē-(,)ō-'vi-zhə-wəl, -zhəl, -zhü(-ə)l] -adj

  1. designed to aid in learning or teaching by making use of both hearing and sight
  2. of or relating to both hearing and sight

au·dio·vi·su·als [-zhə-wəlz, -zhəlz, -zhü(-ə)lz] -n pl

  1. audiovisual teaching materials (as filmstrips accompanied by recordings)

au·dit ['ȯ-dət] -n

  1. a formal examination of an organization's or individual's accounts or financial situation
  2. the final report of an audit
  3. a methodical examination and review

audit [,ȯ-də-tə-'bi-lə-tē] -vt, n, adj

  1. to perform an audit of or for
    • audit the books
    • audit the company
  2. to attend (a course) without working for or expecting to receive formal credit

au·di·tion [ȯ-'di-shən] -n

  1. the power or sense of hearing
  2. the act of hearing
  3. a critical hearing
    • an audition of new recordings
  4. a trial performance to appraise an entertainer's merits

audition [-'di-sh(ə-)niŋ] -vb

  1. to test or try out esp. in an audition
    • audition a trumpeter
    • audition ing stereo equipment
  2. to give a trial performance
    • audition for a film role

au·di·tor ['ȯ-də-tər] -n

  1. a person authorized to examine and verify accounts
  2. one who hears or listens
  3. one who is a member of an audience
  4. a person who audits a course of study
  5. a person who hears (as a court case) in the capacity of judge

au·di·to·ri·um [,ȯ-də-'tȯr-ē-əm] -n

  1. a room, hall, or building used for public gatherings
  2. the part of a public building where an audience sits

au·di·to·ry ['ȯ-də-,tȯr-ē] -n

  1. audience
  2. auditorium

auditory -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or experienced through hearing
    • auditory stimuli

auditory nerve -n

  1. either of the eighth pair of cranial nerves connecting the inner ear with the brain and transmitting impulses concerned with hearing and balance

auditory tube -n

  1. eustachian tube

audit trail -n

  1. a record of a sequence of events (as actions performed by a computer) from which a history may be reconstructed

Auf·kla·rung ['au̇f-,kler-əŋ, -u̇ŋ] -n

  1. enlightenment

auf Wie·der·seh·en [au̇f-'vē-dər-,zā(-ə)n] -interj

  1. used to express farewell

aug -abbr

  1. augmentative

Aug -abbr

  1. August

Au·ge·an [ȯ-'jē-ən] -adj

  1. extremely formidable or difficult and occas. distasteful
    • an Augean task

Augean stable -n

  1. a condition or place marked by great accumulation of filth or corruption

au·ger ['ȯ-gər] -n

  1. any of various tools or devices having a helical shaft or member that are used for boring holes (as in wood, soil, or ice) or moving loose material (as snow)

Au·ger effect [(,)ō-'zhā-] -n

  1. a process in which an atom that has been ionized through the emission of an electron with energy in the X-ray range undergoes a transition in which a second electron is emitted rather than an X-ray photon called also Auger process

Auger electron -n

  1. an electron emitted from an atom in the Auger effect

Auger electron spectroscopy -n

  1. an instrumental method for determining the chemical composition of a material's surface by means of analysis of the energies of Auger electrons emitted from the surface called also Auger spectroscopy

aught ['ȯt, 'ät] -pron

  1. anything
  2. all, everything
    • for aught I care
    • for aught we know
  3. at all
  4. zero, cipher
  5. nonentity, nothing

au·gite ['ȯ-,jīt] -n, adj

  1. a usu. black or dark green mineral that consists of aluminous pyroxene and is found esp. in igneous rocks
  2. pyroxene

aug·ment [ȯg-'ment] -vb, n

  1. to make greater, more numerous, larger, or more intense
    • the impact of the report was augment ed by its timing
  2. to add an augment to
  3. supplement
    • augment ed her scholarship by working nights
  4. to become augmented
  5. a vowel prefixed or a lengthening of the initial vowel to mark past time esp. in Greek and Sanskrit verbs

aug·men·ta·tion [,ȯg-mən-'tā-shən, -,men-] -n

  1. the act or process of augmenting
  2. the state of being augmented
  3. something that augments : addition

aug·men·ta·tive [ȯg-'men-tə-tiv] -adj

  1. able to augment
  2. indicating large size and sometimes awkwardness or unattractiveness used of words and affixes

augmentative -n

  1. an augmentative word or affix

aug·ment·ed [ȯg-'men-təd] -adj

  1. made one half step greater than major or perfect
    • an augmented fifth

augmented matrix -n

  1. a matrix whose elements are the coefficients of a set of simultaneous linear equations with the constant terms of the equations entered in an added column

au gra·tin [ō-'grä-tᵊn, ȯ-, -'gra-] -adj, adv

  1. covered with bread crumbs or grated cheese and browned (as under a broiler)

au·gur ['ȯ-gər] -n

  1. an official diviner of ancient Rome
  2. one held to foretell events by omens

augur -vt

  1. to foretell esp. from omens
  2. to give promise of : presage
    • higher pay augur s a better future
  3. to predict the future esp. from omens

au·gu·ry ['ȯ-gyə-rē, -gə-] -n

  1. divination from auspices or omens
  2. an instance of this
  3. omen, portent

au·gust [ȯ-'gəst, 'ȯ-(,)gəst] -adj, adv, n

  1. marked by majestic dignity or grandeur
    • her august lineage

Au·gust ['ȯ-gəst] -n

  1. the eighth month of the Gregorian calendar

Au·gus·tan [ȯ-'gəs-tən, ə-] -adj, n

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Augustus Caesar or his age
  2. of, relating to, or characteristic of the neoclassical period in England

Au·gus·tin·i·an [,ȯ-gə-'sti-nē-ən] -n

  1. a member of an Augustinian order
  2. a friar of the Hermits of St. Augustine founded in 1256 and devoted to educational, missionary, and parish work
  3. a follower of St. Augustine

Augustinian [-nē-ə-,ni-zəm] -adj, n

  1. of or relating to St. Augustine or his doctrines
  2. of or relating to any of several orders under a rule ascribed to St. Augustine

au jus [ō-'zhü(s), -'jüs; ō-zhᵫ] -adj

  1. served in the juice obtained from roasting

auk ['ȯk] -n

  1. any of several black-and-white short-necked diving seabirds of the alcid family that breed in colder parts of the northern hemisphere

auk·let ['ȯ-klət] -n

  1. any of several small seabirds (esp. genera Aethiaand Ptychorhamphus) of the alcid family that occur along No. Pacific coasts

auld ['ȯl(d), 'äl(d)] -adj

  1. old

auld lang syne [,ōl(d)-,(l)aŋ-'zīn, ,ȯl(d)-] -n

  1. the good old times

au na·tu·rel [,ō-,na-tə-'rel, -,na-chə-] -adj

  1. cooked or served plainly
  2. being in natural style or condition
  3. nude

aunt ['ant, 'änt] -n, adj

  1. the sister of one's father or mother
  2. the wife of one's uncle

aunt·ie ['an-tē, 'än-] -n

  1. aunt

Aunt Sal·ly [-'sa-lē] -n

  1. an object of criticism or contention
  2. one that is set up to invite criticism or be easily refuted

au pair ['ō-'per] -n

  1. a usu. young foreign person who cares for children and does domestic work for a family in return for room and board and the opportunity to learn the family's language

au poivre [ō-'pwäv(rᵊ)] -adj

  1. prepared or served with a generous amount of usu. coarsely ground black pepper
    • steak au poivre

au·ra ['ȯr-ə] -n

  1. a subtle sensory stimulus (as an aroma)
  2. a distinctive atmosphere surrounding a given source
    • the place had an aura of mystery
  3. a luminous radiation : nimbus
  4. a subjective sensation (as of lights) experienced before an attack of some disorders (as epilepsy or a migraine)
  5. an energy field that is held to emanate from a living being

au·ral ['ȯr-əl] -adj, n, adv

  1. of or relating to the ear or to the sense of hearing

aurar ['ā-,rir] -n

(variant of eyrir)

  1. see krona at

au·re·ate ['ȯr-ē-ət] -adj

  1. of a golden color or brilliance
    • aureate light
  2. marked by grandiloquent and rhetorical style
    • aureate diction

au·re·ole ['ȯr-ē-,ōl] -n, vt

  1. a radiant light around the head or body of a representation of a sacred personage
  2. something resembling an aureole
    • an aureole of hair
  3. radiance, aura
    • an aureole of youth and health
  4. the luminous area surrounding the sun or other bright light when seen through thin cloud or mist : corona
  5. a ring-shaped zone around an igneous intrusion

au·re·us ['ȯr-ē-əs] -n

  1. a gold coin of ancient Rome varying in weight from to libra

au re·voir [,ōr-ə-'vwär, ,ȯr-, F ōr(-ə)-vwȧr] -n

  1. good-bye often used interjectionally

au·ric ['ȯr-ik] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or derived from gold

au·ri·cle ['ȯr-i-kəl] -n

  1. an atrium of a heart
  2. pinna
  3. an anterior ear-shaped pouch in each atrium of the human heart
  4. an angular or ear-shaped lobe, process, or appendage

au·ric·u·la [ȯ-'ri-kyə-lə] -n

  1. a yellow-flowered Alpine primrose ( Primula auricula)

au·ric·u·lar [ȯ-'ri-kyə-lər] -adj

  1. told privately
    • an auricular confession
  2. understood or recognized by the sense of hearing
  3. of, relating to, or using the ear or the sense of hearing
    • auricular therapy
  4. of or relating to an auricle
    • auricular tachycardia

au·ric·u·late [ȯ-'ri-kyə-lət] -adj

  1. having auricles
    • an auriculate leaf

au·rif·er·ous [ȯ-'ri-f(ə-)rəs] -adj

  1. containing gold

Au·ri·ga [ȯ-'rī-gə] -n

  1. a constellation between Perseus and Gemini

Au·ri·gna·cian [,ȯr-ēn-'yā-shən] -adj

  1. of or relating to an Upper Paleolithic culture marked by finely made artifacts of stone and bone, paintings, and engravings

au·rochs ['au̇-,räks, 'ȯr-,äks] -n

  1. an extinct large long-horned wild ox ( Bos primigenius) of Europe that is the ancestor of domestic cattle

au·ro·ra [ə-'rȯr-ə, ȯ-] -n, adj

  1. dawn
  2. the Roman goddess of dawn
  3. a luminous phenomenon that consists of streamers or arches of light appearing in the upper atmosphere of a planet's magnetic polar regions and is caused by the emission of light from atoms excited by electrons accelerated along the planet's magnetic field lines

aurora aus·tra·lis [-ȯ-'strā-ləs, -ä-'strā-] -n

  1. an aurora that occurs in earth's southern hemisphere called also southern lights

aurora bo·re·al·is [-,bȯr-ē-'a-ləs] -n

  1. an aurora that occurs in earth's northern hemisphere called also northern lights

Aus -abbr

  1. Austria; Austrian

AUS -abbr

  1. Army of the United States

aus·cul·tate ['ȯ-skəl-,tāt] -vt, adj

  1. to examine by auscultation
    • auscultate the patient's heart for a murmur

aus·cul·ta·tion [,ȯ-skəl-'tā-shən] -n

  1. the act of listening to sounds arising within organs (as the lungs) as an aid to diagnosis and treatment

aus·land·er ['au̇s-,len-dər, -,lan-] -n

  1. outsider, foreigner

aus·pice ['ȯs-pəs] -n

  1. observation by an augur esp. of the flight and feeding of birds to discover omens
  2. kindly patronage and guidance
    • doing research under the auspices of the local historical society
  3. a prophetic sign
  4. a favorable sign

aus·pi·cious [ȯ-'spi-shəs] -adj, adv, n

  1. affording a favorable auspice : propitious
    • made an auspicious beginning
  2. attended by good auspices : prosperous
    • an auspicious year

Aus·sie ['ȯ-sē, 'ä-sē, Brit & Austral usu 'ȯ-zē] -n

  1. a native or inhabitant of Australia

aus·ten·ite ['ȯs-tə-,nīt, 'äs-] -n, adj

  1. a solid solution in iron of carbon and sometimes other solutes that occurs as a constituent of steel under certain conditions

aus·tere [ȯ-'stir also -'ster] -adj, adv, n

  1. stern and cold in appearance or manner
  2. somber, grave
    • an austere critic
  3. morally strict : ascetic
  4. markedly simple or unadorned
    • an austere office
    • an austere style of writing
  5. giving little or no scope for pleasure
    • austere diets
  6. having the flavor of acid or tannin predominant over fruit flavors usu. indicating a capacity for aging

aus·ter·i·ty [ȯ-'ster-ə-tē, -'ste-rə- also -'stir-ə-] -n

  1. the quality or state of being austere
  2. an austere act, manner, or attitude
  3. an ascetic practice
  4. enforced or extreme economy

Austr- -comb form

  1. south : southern
    • Austro asiatic
  2. Austrian and
    • Austro- Hungarian

aus·tral ['ȯs-trəl, 'äs-] -adj

  1. of or relating to the Southern hemisphere
  2. australian
  3. the basic monetary unit of Argentina from 1985 to 1991

Austral -abbr

  1. Australia

Aus·tra·lia Day [ȯ-'strāl-yə-, ä-, ə-] -n

  1. a national holiday in Australia commemorating the landing of the British at Sydney Cove in 1788 and observed on the Monday of or next following Jan. 26

Aus·tra·lian [ȯ-'strāl-yən, ä-, ə-] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the continent or commonwealth of Australia, its inhabitants, or the languages spoken there
  2. of, relating to, or being a biogeographic region that comprises Australia, the islands north of it from Celebes eastward, Tasmania, New Zealand, and Polynesia

Australian -n

  1. a native or inhabitant of the Australian commonwealth
  2. a group of about 200 languages spoken by the aboriginal inhabitants of Australia

Australian ballot -n

  1. an official ballot printed at public expense on which the names of all the candidates and proposals appear and which is distributed only at the polling place and marked in secret

Australian cattle dog -n

  1. any of a breed of medium-sized dogs that were developed in Australia to herd cattle and that have upright ears and a red or blue mottled coat

Aus·tra·lian·ism [,ȯ-'strāl-yə-,ni-zəm, ,ä-, ə-] -n

  1. a characteristic feature of Australian English

Australian pine -n

  1. any of several casuarinas (esp. Casuarina equisetifolia) now widely grown as ornamentals in warm regions

Australian Rules football -n

  1. a game resembling rugby that is played between two teams of 18 players on a field 180190 yards long that has four goalposts at each end

Australian shepherd -n

  1. any of a breed of agile intelligent short-tailed working dogs developed in the U.S. for herding livestock

Australian terrier -n

  1. any of a breed of small rather short-legged wirehaired terriers of Australian origin usu. having a tan and blue or sandy coat

Aus·tra·loid ['ȯs-trə-,lȯid, 'äs-] -adj, n

  1. of or relating to a racial group including the Australian aborigines and other peoples of southern Asia and Pacific islands

aus·tra·lo·pith·e·cine [ȯ-,strā-lō-'pi-thə-,sīn, ä-; ,ȯs-trə-, ,äs-] -n, adj

  1. any of a genus ( Australopithecus) of extinct southern and eastern African hominids that include gracile and robust forms with near-human dentition and a relatively small brain

Austrian pine -n

  1. a tall European pine ( Pinus nigra) widely cultivated for ornament and having needles in clusters of two

Aus·tro·asi·at·ic ['ȯs-(,)trō-,ā-zhē-'a-tik, -zē-'a-, 'äs- also -,ā-shē-] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or constituting a family of languages of south and southeast Asia that includes Mon-Khmer and Munda as subfamilies

Aus·tro·ne·sian [,ȯs-trə-'nē-zhən, ,äs-, -shən] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or constituting a family of languages spoken in the area extending from Madagascar eastward through the Malay Peninsula and Archipelago to Hawaii and Easter Island and including practically all the native languages of the Pacific islands with the exception of the Australian and Papuan languages

aut- -comb form

  1. self : same one
    • aut ism
    • auto biography
  2. automatic : self-acting
    • auto pilot

au·ta·coid ['ȯ-tə-,kȯid] -n

  1. a physiologically active substance (as serotonin, bradykinin, or angiotensin) produced by and acting within the body

au·tar·chic [ȯ-'tär-kik] -adj

  1. autarkic

au·tar·chy ['ȯ-,tär-kē] -n

  1. autarky

autarchy ['ȯ-,tärk] -n

  1. absolute sovereignty : autocracy

au·tar·kic [ȯ-'tär-kik] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or marked by autarky

au·tar·ky ['ȯ-,tär-kē] -n

  1. self-sufficiency, independence
  2. national economic self-sufficiency and independence
  3. a policy of establishing a self-sufficient and independent national economy

aut·ecol·o·gy [,ȯ-ti-'kä-lə-jē, ,ȯt-ē-] -n, adj

  1. ecology dealing with individual organisms or individual species of organisms

au·teur [ō-'tər] -n, adj or n

  1. a film director whose practice accords with the auteur theory
  2. director
  3. an artist (as a musician or writer) whose style and practice are distinctive

au·teur theory [ō-'tər-] -n

  1. a view of filmmaking in which the director is considered the primary creative force in a motion picture

auth -abbr

  1. authentic
  2. author
  3. authorized

au·then·tic [ə-'then-tik, ȯ-] -adj, adv, n

  1. authoritative
  2. worthy of acceptance or belief as conforming to or based on fact
    • paints an authentic picture of our society
  3. conforming to an original so as to reproduce essential features
    • an authentic reproduction of a colonial farmhouse
  4. made or done the same way as an original
    • authentic Mexican fare
  5. not false or imitation : real, actual
    • based on authentic documents
    • an authentic cockney accent
  6. ranging upward from the keynote
  7. progressing from the dominant chord to the tonic
  8. true to one's own personality, spirit, or character

au·then·ti·cate [ə-'then-ti-,kāt, ȯ-] -vt, n

  1. to prove or serve to prove the authenticity of
    • authenticate a document

au·thor ['ȯ-thər] -n, adj

  1. one that originates or creates : source
    • software author s
    • film author s
    • the author of this crime
  2. god
  3. the writer of a literary work (as a book)

author -vt

  1. to be the author of : write
    • has author ed several books

au·thor·ess ['ȯ-th(ə-)rəs] -n

  1. a woman or girl who is an author

au·tho·ri·sa·tion [,ȯ-th(ə-)rə-'zā-shən] -n

(variant of authorization)

  1. the act of authorizing
  2. an instrument that authorizes : sanction

au·thor·i·tar·i·an [ȯ-,thär-ə-'ter-ē-ən, ə-, -,thȯr-] -adj, n

  1. of, relating to, or favoring blind submission to authority
    • had authoritarian parents
  2. of, relating to, or favoring a concentration of power in a leader or an elite not constitutionally responsible to the people
    • an authoritarian regime

au·thor·i·ta·tive [ə-'thär-ə-,tā-tiv, ȯ-, -'thȯr-] -adj, adv, n

  1. having or proceeding from authority : official
    • authoritative church doctrines
  2. showing evident authority : definitive
    • a most authoritative literary critique
  3. dictatorial

au·thor·i·ty [ə-'thär-ə-tē, ȯ-, -'thȯr-] -n

  1. a citation (as from a book or file) used in defense or support
  2. the source from which the citation is drawn
  3. a conclusive statement or set of statements (as an official decision of a court)
  4. a decision taken as a precedent
  5. testimony
  6. an individual cited or appealed to as an expert
  7. power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior
  8. freedom granted by one in authority : right
  9. persons in command
  10. government
  11. a governmental agency or corporation to administer a revenue-producing public enterprise
    • the transit authority
  12. grounds, warrant
    • had excellent authority for believing the claim
  13. convincing force
    • lent authority to the performance

au·tho·ri·za·tion [,ȯ-th(ə-)rə-'zā-shən] -n

  1. the act of authorizing
  2. an instrument that authorizes : sanction

au·tho·rize ['ȯ-thə-,rīz] -vt, n

  1. to establish by or as if by authority : sanction
    • a custom authorized by time
  2. to invest esp. with legal authority : empower
    • authorized to act for her husband
  3. justify

Authorized Version -n

  1. a revision of the English Bishops' Bible carried out under James I, published in 1611, and widely used by Protestants called also King James Version

au·thor·ship ['ȯ-thər-,ship] -n

  1. the profession of writing
  2. the source (as the author) of a piece of writing, music, or art
  3. the state or act of writing, creating, or causing

au·tism ['ȯ-,ti-zəm] -n, adj or n, adv

  1. a variable developmental disorder that appears by age three and is characterized by impairment of the ability to form normal social relationships, by impairment of the ability to communicate with others, and by stereotyped behavior patterns

au·to ['ȯ-(,)tō, 'ä-] -n

  1. automobile

auto -adj

  1. automatic

au·to·an·ti·body [,ȯ-(,)tō-'an-ti-,bä-dē] -n

  1. an antibody active against a tissue constituent of the individual producing it

au·to·bahn ['ȯ-tō-,bän, 'au̇-] -n

  1. a German, Swiss, or Austrian expressway

au·to·bi·og·ra·phy [,ȯ-tə-bī-'ä-grə-fē, -bē-] -n, adj, adv

  1. the biography of a person narrated by himself or herself

au·to·bus ['ȯ-tō-,bəs] -n

  1. omnibus

au·to·ca·tal·y·sis [,ȯ-tō-kə-'ta-lə-səs] -n, adj, adv

  1. catalysis of a reaction by one of its products

au·to·ceph·a·lous [,ȯ-tō-'se-f(ə-)ləs] -adj, n

  1. being independent of external and esp. patriarchal authority used esp. of Eastern national churches

au·toch·thon [ȯ-'täk-thən] -n

  1. one (as a person, plant, or animal) that is autochthonous

au·toch·tho·nous [ȯ-'täk-thə-nəs] -adj, adv

  1. indigenous, native
    • an autochthonous people
  2. formed or originating in the place where found
    • autochthonous rock
    • an autochthonous infection

au·to·clave ['ȯ-tō-,klāv] -n

  1. an apparatus in which special conditions (as high or low pressure or temperature) can be established for a variety of applications
  2. an apparatus (as for sterilizing) using superheated steam under high pressure

autoclave -vt

  1. to treat in an autoclave

au·to·cor·re·la·tion [,ȯ-tō-,kȯr-ə-'lā-shən, -,kär-] -n

  1. the correlation between paired values of a function of a mathematical or statistical variable taken at usu. constant intervals that indicates the degree of periodicity of the function

au·toc·ra·cy [ȯ-'tä-krə-sē] -n

  1. the authority or rule of an autocrat
  2. government in which one person possesses unlimited power
  3. a community or state governed by autocracy

au·to·crat ['ȯ-tə-,krat] -n

  1. a person (as a monarch) ruling with unlimited authority
  2. one who has undisputed influence or power

au·to·crat·ic [,ȯ-tə-'kra-tik] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or being an autocracy : absolute
    • an autocratic government
  2. characteristic of or resembling an autocrat : despotic
    • an autocratic ruler

au·to·crine ['ȯ-tō-,krin] -adj

  1. of, relating to, promoted by, or being a substance secreted by a cell and acting on surface receptors of the same cell
    • autocrine growth factors
    • autocrine growth of a cancer

au·to·cross ['ȯ-tō-,krȯs, 'ä-tō-] -n

  1. an automobile gymkhana

au·todafe [,au̇-tō-də-'fā, ,ȯ-tō-] -n

  1. the ceremony accompanying the pronouncement of judgment by the Inquisition and followed by the execution of sentence by the secular authorities
  2. the burning of a heretic

au·to·di·dact [,ȯ-tō-'dī-,dakt, -dī-', -də-'] -n, adj

  1. a self-taught person

au·toe·cious [ȯ-'tē-shəs] -adj, adv, n

  1. passing through all life stages on the same host
    • autoecious rusts

au·to·erot·i·cism [,ȯ-tō-i-'rä-tə-,si-zəm] -n, adj

  1. sexual feeling arising without known external stimulation
  2. sexual gratification obtained solely through stimulation by oneself of one's own body

au·to·ex·po·sure [-ik-'spō-zhər] -n

  1. a camera system that automatically adjusts the exposure according to ambient lighting

au·tog·a·my [ȯ-'tä-gə-mē] -n, adj

  1. : self-fertilization: as
  2. pollination of a flower by its own pollen
  3. conjugation of two sister cells or sister nuclei of protozoans or fungi

au·tog·e·nous [ȯ-'tä-jə-nəs] -adj, adv, n

  1. produced independently of external influence or aid : endogenous
  2. originating or derived from sources within the same individual
    • an autogenous graft
    • an autogenous vaccine
  3. not requiring a meal of blood to produce eggs
    • autogenous mosquitoes

au·to·gi·ro [,ȯ-tō-'jī-(,)rō] -n

  1. a rotary-wing aircraft that employs a propeller for forward motion and a freely rotating rotor for lift

au·to·graft ['ȯ-tō-,graft] -n, vt

  1. a tissue or organ that is transplanted from one part to another of the same body

au·to·graph ['ȯ-tə-,graf] -n

  1. : something written or made with one's own hand:
  2. an original manuscript or work of art
  3. a person's handwritten signature

autograph -vt

  1. to write with one's own hand
  2. to write one's signature in or on
    • autograph a book
  3. being in the writer's own handwriting : not copied or duplicated
    • an autograph letter

au·to·graph·ic [,ȯ-tə-'gra-fik] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or constituting an autograph

Au·to·harp ['ȯ-tō-,härp] -trademark

  1. used for a zither with button-controlled dampers for selected strings

au·to·hyp·no·sis [,ȯ-tō-hip-'nō-səs] -n, adj

  1. self-induced and usu. automatic hypnosis

au·to·im·mune [-im-'yün] -adj, n

  1. of, relating to, or caused by autoantibodies or T cells that attack molecules, cells, or tissues of the organism producing them
    • autoimmune diseases

au·to·in·fec·tion [-in-'fek-shən] -n

  1. reinfection with larvae produced by parasitic worms already in the body

au·to·in·tox·i·ca·tion [-in-,täk-sə-'kā-shən] -n

  1. a state of being poisoned by toxic substances produced within the body

au·to·load·er [-'lō-dər] -n

  1. a semiautomatic firearm

au·to·load·ing [,ȯ-tō-'lō-diŋ] -adj

  1. semiautomatic

au·tol·o·gous [ȯ-'tä-lə-gəs] -adj

  1. derived from the same individual
    • incubated lymphoid cells with autologous tumor cells
  2. involving one individual as both donor and recipient
    • an autologous blood transfusion
    • an autologous bone marrow transplant

au·tol·y·sate [ȯ-'tä-lə-,sāt, -,zāt] -n

  1. a product of autolysis

au·to·lyse ['ȯ-tō-,līz] -vb

(variant of autolyze)

  1. to undergo autolysis
  2. to subject to autolysis

au·tol·y·sis [-lə-səs] -n, adj

  1. breakdown of all or part of a cell or tissue by self-produced enzymes

au·to·lyze ['ȯ-tō-,līz] -vb

  1. to undergo autolysis
  2. to subject to autolysis

au·to·mak·er ['ȯ-tō-,mā-kər, 'ä-tō-] -n

  1. a manufacturer of automobiles

Au·to·mat ['ȯ-tə-,mat] -service mark

  1. used for a cafeteria in which food is obtained esp. from vending machines

au·to·mate ['ȯ-tə-,māt] -vb, adj

  1. to operate by automation
  2. to convert to largely automatic operation
    • automate a process
  3. to undergo automation

automated teller -n

  1. atm

automated teller machine -n

  1. atm

au·to·mat·ic [,ȯ-tə-'ma-tik] -adj, adv, n

  1. largely or wholly involuntary
  2. reflex
    • automatic blinking of the eyelids
  3. acting or done spontaneously or unconsciously
  4. done or produced as if by machine : mechanical
    • the answers were automatic
  5. having a self-acting or self-regulating mechanism
    • an automatic transmission
  6. firing repeatedly until the trigger is released

automatic -n

  1. : a machine or apparatus that operates automatically: as
  2. an automatic firearm
  3. an automatic transmission
  4. a semiautomatic firearm
  5. audible

automatic pilot -n

  1. autopilot
  2. a state or condition in which activity or behavior is regulated automatically in a predetermined or instinctive manner
    • would go on automatic pilot and repeat all his standard denunciations -- G. J. Church

automatic teller -n

  1. atm

automatic teller machine -n

  1. atm

automatic writing -n

  1. writing produced without conscious intention as if of telepathic or spiritualistic origin

au·to·ma·tion [,ȯ-tə-'mā-shən] -n

  1. the technique of making an apparatus, a process, or a system operate automatically
  2. the state of being operated automatically
  3. automatically controlled operation of an apparatus, process, or system by mechanical or electronic devices that take the place of human labor

au·tom·a·tism [ȯ-'tä-mə-,ti-zəm] -n, n or adj

  1. the quality or state of being automatic
  2. an automatic action
  3. the moving or functioning (as of an organ, tissue, or a body part) without conscious control that occurs either independently of external stimuli (as in the beating of the heart) or under the influence of external stimuli (as in pupil dilation)
  4. a theory that views the body as a machine and consciousness as a noncontrolling adjunct of the body
  5. suspension of the conscious mind to release subconscious images
    • automatism -the surrealist trend toward spontaneity and intuition -- Elle

au·tom·a·tize [ȯ-'tä-mə-,tīz] -vt, n

  1. to make (an action) reflexive

au·tom·a·ton [ȯ-'tä-mə-tən, -mə-,tän] -n

  1. a mechanism that is relatively self-operating
  2. robot
  3. a machine or control mechanism designed to follow automatically a predetermined sequence of operations or respond to encoded instructions
  4. an individual who acts in a mechanical fashion

au·to·mo·bile ['ȯ-tə-mō-,bēl, ,ȯ-tə-mō-'bēl, ,ȯ-tə-'mō-,bēl] -adj

  1. automotive

automobile [-'bē-list, -,bē-] -n, vi

  1. a usu. four-wheeled automotive vehicle designed for passenger transportation

au·to·mo·bil·i·ty [,ȯ-tō-mə-'bi-lə-tē, -mō-] -n

  1. the use of automobiles as the major means of transportation

au·to·mor·phism [,ȯ-tə-'mȯr-,fi-zəm] -n

  1. an isomorphism of a set (as a group) with itself

au·to·mo·tive [,ȯ-tə-'mō-tiv] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or concerned with self-propelled vehicles or machines
  2. self-propelled

au·to·nom·ic [,ȯ-tə-'nä-mik] -adj, adv

  1. acting or occurring involuntarily
    • autonomic reflexes
  2. relating to, affecting, or controlled by the autonomic nervous system or its effects or activity
    • autonomic drugs

autonomic nervous system -n

  1. a part of the vertebrate nervous system that innervates smooth and cardiac muscle and glandular tissues and governs involuntary actions (as secretion and peristalsis) and that consists of the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system

au·ton·o·mist [ȯ-'tä-nə-mist] -n

  1. one who advocates autonomy

au·ton·o·mous [ȯ-'tä-nə-məs] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or marked by autonomy
  2. having the right or power of self-government
  3. undertaken or carried on without outside control : self-contained
    • an autonomous school system
  4. existing or capable of existing independently
    • an autonomous zooid
  5. responding, reacting, or developing independently of the whole
    • an autonomous growth
  6. controlled by the autonomic nervous system

au·ton·o·my [-mē] -n

  1. the quality or state of being self-governing
  2. the right of self-government
  3. self-directing freedom and esp. moral independence
  4. a self-governing state

au·to·pi·lot ['ȯ-tō-,pī-lət] -n

  1. a device for automatically steering ships, aircraft, and spacecraft
  2. automatic pilot

au·to·poly·ploid [,ȯ-tō-'pä-lē-,plȯid] -n, adj

  1. an individual or strain whose chromosome complement consists of more than two complete copies of the genome of a single ancestral species

au·top·sy ['ȯ-,täp-sē, 'ȯ-təp-] -n, vt

  1. an examination of a body after death to determine the cause of death or the character and extent of changes produced by disease called also necropsy
  2. a critical examination, evaluation, or assessment of someone or something past

au·to·ra·dio·gram [,ȯ-tō-'rā-dē-ə-,gram] -n

  1. autoradiograph

au·to·ra·dio·graph [,ȯ-tō-'rā-dē-ə-,graf] -n, adj

  1. an image produced on a photographic film or plate by the radiations from a radioactive substance in an object which is in close contact with the emulsion

au·to·ro·ta·tion [-rō-'tā-shən] -n, vi

  1. the turning of the rotor of an autogiro or a helicopter with the resulting lift caused solely by the aerodynamic forces induced by motion of the rotor along its flight path

au·to·route ['ȯ-tō-,rüt, -,rau̇t] -n

  1. an expressway esp. in France

au·to·sex·ing ['ȯ-tō-,sek-siŋ] -adj

  1. exhibiting different characters in the two sexes at birth or hatching
    • autosexing chickens

au·to·some ['ȯ-tə-,sōm] -n, adj, adv

  1. a chromosome other than a sex chromosome

au·to·stra·da [,au̇-tō-'strä-də, ,ȯ-tō-] -n

  1. an expressway esp. in Italy

au·to·sug·ges·tion [,ȯ-tō-sə(g)-'jes-chən, -'jesh-] -n, vt

  1. an influencing of one's own attitudes, behavior, or physical condition by mental processes other than conscious thought : self-hypnosis

au·to·te·lic [,ȯ-tō-'te-lik, -'tē-] -adj

  1. having a purpose in and not apart from itself

au·to·tet·ra·ploid [,ȯ-tō-'te-trə-,plȯid] -n, adj

  1. an individual or strain whose chromosome complement consists of four copies of a single genome due to doubling of an ancestral chromosome complement

au·tot·o·my [ȯ-'tä-tə-mē] -n, adj, vb

  1. reflex separation of a part (as an appendage) from the body : division of the body into two or more pieces

au·to·trans·form·er [,ȯ-tō-tran(t)s-'fȯr-mər] -n

  1. a transformer in which the primary and secondary coils have part or all of their turns in common

au·to·trans·fu·sion [,ȯ-tō-tran(t)s-'fyü-zhən] -n

  1. return of autologous blood to the patient's own circulatory system

au·to·troph ['ȯ-tə-,trōf, -,träf] -n

  1. an autotrophic organism

au·to·tro·phic [,ȯ-tə-'trō-fik] -adj, adv, n

  1. requiring only carbon dioxide or carbonates as a source of carbon and a simple inorganic nitrogen compound for metabolic synthesis of organic molecules (as glucose)
    • autotrophic plants
  2. not requiring a specified exogenous factor for normal metabolism

au·to·work·er ['ȯ-tō-,wər-kər, 'ä-] -n

  1. a person employed in the automobile manufacturing industry

au·tox·i·da·tion [ȯ-,täk-sə-'dā-shən] -n

  1. oxidation by direct combination with oxygen (as in air) at ordinary temperatures

au·tumn ['ȯ-təm] -n, adj, adv

  1. the season between summer and winter comprising in the northern hemisphere usu. the months of September, October, and November or as reckoned astronomically extending from the September equinox to the December solstice called also fall
  2. a period of maturity or incipient decline
    • in the autumn of life

autumn crocus -n

  1. an autumn-blooming colchicum ( Colchicum autumnale)

au·tun·ite [ō-'tə-,nīt, 'ȯ-tə-] -n

  1. a radioactive usu. lemon-yellow calcium phosphate mineral that occurs in tabular crystals and in scales and that is an ore of uranium

aux -abbr

  1. auxiliary verb

aux·il·ia·ry [ȯg-'zil-yə-rē, -'zil-rē, -'zi-lə-] -adj

  1. offering or providing help
  2. functioning in a subsidiary capacity
    • an auxiliary branch of the state university
  3. accompanying another verb and typically expressing person, number, mood, or tense
  4. supplementary
  5. constituting a reserve
    • an auxiliary power plant
  6. equipped with sails and a supplementary inboard engine
    • an auxiliary sloop

auxiliary -n

  1. an auxiliary person, group, or device
  2. a member of a foreign force serving a nation at war
  3. a Roman Catholic titular bishop assisting a diocesan bishop and not having the right of succession called also auxiliary bishop
  4. an auxiliary boat or ship
  5. an auxiliary verb

aux·in ['ȯk-sən] -n, adj

  1. : any of various usu. acidic organic substances that promote cell elongation in plant shoots and usu. regulate other growth processes (as root initiation): as
  2. indoleacetic acid
  3. any of various synthetic substances (as 2,4-D) resembling indoleacetic acid in activity and used esp. in research and agriculture
  4. plant hormone

auxo·troph ['ȯk-sə-,trōf, -,träf] -n

  1. an auxotrophic strain or individual

auxo·tro·phic [,ȯk-sə-'trō-fik] -adj, n

  1. requiring a specific growth substance beyond the minimum required for normal metabolism and reproduction by the parental or wild-type strain
    • auxotrophic mutants of bacteria