id ['id] -n

  1. the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic theory that is completely unconscious and is the source of psychic energy derived from instinctual needs and drives
  2. idem

ID ['ī-'dē] -vt

  1. identify
    • ID'd the thief
  2. Idaho
  3. identification
  4. independent distributor
  5. industrial design
  6. inside diameter; inner diameter; internal diameter
  7. inside dimensions
  8. intelligence department

IDA -abbr

  1. International Development Association

ID card ['ī-'dē-] -n

  1. a card bearing identifying data (as age or organizational membership) about the individual whose name appears thereon called also identification card identity card

IDDM -abbr

  1. insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

IDE -abbr

  1. integrated drive electronics

idea [ī-'dē-ə, -'dēə also 'ī-(,)dē-ə or 'ī-dē] -n, adj

  1. a transcendent entity that is a real pattern of which existing things are imperfect representations
  2. a standard of perfection : ideal
  3. a plan for action : design
  4. a visible representation of a conception : a replica of a pattern
  5. an image recalled by memory
  6. an indefinite or unformed conception
  7. an entity (as a thought, concept, sensation, or image) actually or potentially present to consciousness
  8. a formulated thought or opinion
  9. whatever is known or supposed about something
    • a child's idea of time
  10. the central meaning or chief end of a particular action or situation
  11. an image in Mind

ide·al [ī-'dē(-ə)l, 'ī-,] -adj

  1. existing as an archetypal idea
  2. existing as a mental image or in fancy or imagination only
  3. lacking practicality
  4. relating to or constituting mental images, ideas, or conceptions
  5. of, relating to, or embodying an ideal
    • ideal beauty
  6. conforming exactly to an ideal, law, or standard : perfect
    • an ideal gas
  7. of or relating to philosophical idealism

ideal [ī-'dē(-ə)l-ləs] -n, adj

  1. a standard of perfection, beauty, or excellence
  2. one regarded as exemplifying an ideal and often taken as a model for imitation
  3. an ultimate object or aim of endeavor : goal
  4. a subset of a mathematical ring that is closed under addition and subtraction and contains the products of any given element of the subset with each element of the ring

ide·al·ise [ī-'dē-(ə-),līz] -vb, n

(variant of idealize)

  1. to form ideals
  2. to work idealistically
  3. to give an ideal form or value to
  4. to attribute ideal characteristics to
    • tended to idealize her teachers
  5. to treat idealistically
    • portraitists who idealize their subjects

ide·al·ism [ī-'dē-(ə-),liz-əm, 'ī-(,)dē-] -n

  1. a theory that ultimate reality lies in a realm transcending phenomena
  2. a theory that the essential nature of reality lies in consciousness or reason
  3. a theory that only the perceptible is real
  4. a theory that only mental states or entities are knowable
  5. the practice of forming ideals or living under their influence
  6. something that is idealized
  7. literary or artistic theory or practice that affirms the preeminent value of imagination as compared with faithful copying of nature

ide·al·ist [-(ə-)list] -n

  1. an adherent of a philosophical theory of idealism
  2. an artist or author who advocates or practices idealism in art or writing
  3. one guided by ideals
  4. one that places ideals before practical considerations

idealist -adj

  1. idealistic

ide·al·is·tic [(,)ī-,dē-(ə-)'lis-tik, ,ī-dē-] -adj, adv

  1. of or relating to idealists or idealism

ide·al·i·ty [,ī-dē-'a-lə-tē] -n

  1. the quality or state of being ideal
  2. existence only in idea
  3. something imaginary or idealized

ide·al·ize [ī-'dē-(ə-),līz] -vb, n

  1. to form ideals
  2. to work idealistically
  3. to give an ideal form or value to
  4. to attribute ideal characteristics to
    • tended to idealize her teachers
  5. to treat idealistically
    • portraitists who idealize their subjects

ide·al·ly [ī-'dē-ə-lē, -'dē(-ə)l-lē] -adv

  1. in idea or imagination : mentally
  2. in relation to an exemplar
  3. conformably to or in respect to an ideal : perfectly
  4. for best results
    • ideally, the counselor should vary his techniques for each applicant -- T. M. Martinez
  5. in accordance with an ideal or typical standard : classically

ideal point -n

  1. a point added to the plane or to space to eliminate special cases
  2. the point at infinity added in projective geometry as the assumed intersection of two parallel lines

ide·ate ['ī-dē-,āt] -vb

  1. to form an idea or conception of
  2. to form an idea

ide·a·tion [,ī-dē-'ā-shən] -n

  1. the capacity for or the act of forming or entertaining ideas
    • suicidal ideation

ide·a·tion·al [-shnəl, -shə-nᵊl] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or produced by ideation
  2. of or relating to ideas

idee fixe [(,)ē-,dā-'fēks] -n

  1. an idea that dominates one's mind esp. for a prolonged period : obsession

idem ['ī-,dem, 'ē-, 'i-] -pron

  1. the same as something previously mentioned used chiefly in bibliographies

idem·po·tent ['ī-dəm-,pō-tᵊnt] -adj, n

  1. relating to or being a mathematical quantity which when applied to itself under a given binary operation (as multiplication) equals itself
  2. relating to or being an operation under which a mathematical quantity is idempotent

iden·tic [ī-'den-tik, ə-] -adj

  1. : identical: as
  2. constituting a diplomatic action or expression in which two or more governments follow precisely the same course or employ an identical form
  3. constituting an action or expression in which a government follows precisely the same course or employs identical forms with reference to two or more other governments

iden·ti·cal [ī-'den-ti-kəl, ə-] -adj, adv, n

  1. being the same : selfsame
    • the identical place we stopped before
  2. having such close resemblance as to be essentially the same
    • identical hats
    often used with to or with
  3. having the same cause or origin
    • identical infections
  4. monozygotic

iden·ti·fi·ca·tion [ī-,den-tə-fə-'kā-shən, ə-] -n

  1. an act of identifying : the state of being identified
  2. evidence of identity
  3. psychological orientation of the self in regard to something (as a person or group) with a resulting feeling of close emotional association
  4. a largely unconscious process whereby an individual models thoughts, feelings, and actions after those attributed to an object that has been incorporated as a mental image

identification card -n

  1. id card

iden·ti·fi·er [ī-'den-tə-,fī(-ə)r, ə-] -n

  1. one that identifies

iden·ti·fy [ī-'den-tə-,fī, ə-] -vb, adj, adv

  1. to cause to be or become identical
  2. to conceive as united (as in spirit, outlook, or principle)
    • groups that are identified with conservation
  3. to establish the identity of
  4. to determine the taxonomic position of (a biological specimen)
  5. to be or become the same
  6. to practice psychological identification
    • identify with the hero of a novel

iden·ti·ty [ī-'den-tə-tē, ə-, -'de-nə-] -n

  1. sameness of essential or generic character in different instances
  2. sameness in all that constitutes the objective reality of a thing : oneness
  3. the distinguishing character or personality of an individual : individuality
  4. the relation established by psychological identification
  5. the condition of being the same with something described or asserted
    • establish the identity of stolen goods
  6. an equation that is satisfied for all values of the symbols
  7. identity element

identity card -n

  1. id card

identity crisis -n

  1. personal psychosocial conflict esp. in adolescence that involves confusion about one's social role and often a sense of loss of continuity to one's personality
  2. a state of confusion in an institution or organization regarding its nature or direction

identity element -n

  1. an element (as 0 in the set of all integers under addition or 1 in the set of positive integers under multiplication) that leaves any element of the set to which it belongs unchanged when combined with it by a specified operation

identity matrix -n

  1. a square matrix that has numeral 1's along the principal diagonal and 0's elsewhere

identity politics -n pl but sing or pl in constr

  1. particularism

identity theft -n

  1. the illegal use of someone else's personal information (as a Social Security number) in order to obtain money or credit

ideo- -comb form

  1. idea
    • ideo gram

ideo·gram ['i-dē-ə-,gram, 'ī-] -n, adj

  1. a picture or symbol used in a system of writing to represent a thing or an idea but not a particular word or phrase for it
  2. one that represents not the object pictured but some thing or idea that the object pictured is supposed to suggest
  3. logogram

ideo·graph ['i-dē-ə-,graf, 'ī-] -n, adj, adv

  1. ideogram

ide·og·ra·phy [,i-dē-'ä-grə-fē, ,ī-] -n

  1. the use of ideograms
  2. the representation of ideas by graphic symbols

ideo·log·i·cal [,ī-dē-ə-'lä-ji-kəl, ,i-] -adj, adv

  1. relating to or concerned with ideas
  2. of, relating to, or based on ideology

ide·ol·o·gize [,ī-dē-'ä-lə-,jīz, ,i-] -vt

  1. to give an ideological character or interpretation to
  2. to change or interpret in relation to a sociopolitical ideology often seen as biased or limited

ideo·logue ['ī-dē-ə-,lȯg, -,läg] -n

  1. an impractical idealist : theorist
  2. an often blindly partisan advocate or adherent of a particular ideology

ide·ol·o·gy [,ī-dē-'ä-lə-jē, ,i-] -n

  1. visionary theorizing
  2. a systematic body of concepts esp. about human life or culture
  3. a manner or the content of thinking characteristic of an individual, group, or culture
  4. the integrated assertions, theories and aims that constitute a sociopolitical program

ideo·mo·tor [,ī-dē-ə-'mō-tər, ,i-] -adj

  1. not reflex but motivated by an idea
    • ideomotor muscular activity

ides ['īdz] -n pl but sing or pl in constr

  1. the 15th day of March, May, July, or October or the 13th day of any other month in the ancient Roman calendar
  2. this day and the seven days preceding it

idio- -comb form

  1. one's own : personal : separate : distinct
    • idio blast

id·i·o·blast ['i-dē-ə-,blast] -n, adj

  1. a plant cell (as a sclereid) that differs markedly from neighboring cells

id·i·o·cy ['i-dē-ə-sē] -n

  1. extreme mental retardation
  2. something notably stupid or foolish

id·i·o·graph·ic [,i-dē-ə-'gra-fik] -adj

  1. relating to or dealing with something concrete, individual, or unique
    • idiographic case studies

id·i·o·lect ['i-dē-ə-,lekt] -n, adj

  1. the language or speech pattern of one individual at a particular period of life

id·i·om ['i-dē-əm] -n

  1. the language peculiar to a people or to a district, community, or class : dialect
  2. the syntactical, grammatical, or structural form peculiar to a language
  3. an expression in the usage of a language that is peculiar to itself either grammatically (as no, it wasn't me) or in having a meaning that cannot be derived from the conjoined meanings of its elements (as Monday weekfor the Monday a week after next Monday)
  4. a style or form of artistic expression that is characteristic of an individual, a period or movement, or a medium or instrument
    • the modern jazz idiom
  5. manner, style
    • a new culinary idiom

id·i·o·mat·ic [,i-dē-ə-'ma-tik] -adj, adv, n

  1. of, relating to, or conforming to idiom
  2. peculiar to a particular group, individual, or style

id·i·o·mor·phic [,i-dē-ə-'mȯr-fik] -adj

  1. having the proper form or shape used of minerals whose crystalline growth has not been interfered with

id·i·o·path·ic [,i-dē-ə-'pa-thik] -adj, adv

  1. arising spontaneously or from an obscure or unknown cause : primary
    • idiopathic epilepsy
  2. peculiar to the individual

id·i·o·syn·cra·sy [,i-dē-ə-'siŋ-krə-sē] -n, adj, adv

  1. a peculiarity of constitution or temperament : an individualizing characteristic or quality
  2. individual hypersensitiveness (as to a drug or food)
  3. characteristic peculiarity (as of temperament)
  4. eccentricity

id·i·ot ['i-dē-ət] -n, adj

  1. a person affected with extreme mental retardation
  2. a foolish or stupid person

idiot box -n

  1. television

id·i·ot·ic [,i-dē-'ä-tik] -adj, adv

  1. characterized by idiocy
  2. showing complete lack of thought or common sense : foolish

id·i·o·tism ['i-dē-ə-,ti-zəm] -n

  1. idiom
  2. idiom

id·i·ot·ism ['i-dē-ə-(,)ti-zəm] -n

  1. idiocy

idiot light -n

  1. a colored light on an instrument panel (as of an automobile) designed to give a warning (as of low oil pressure)

id·i·ot·proof ['i-dē-ət-,prüf] -adj

  1. extremely easy to operate or maintain

idiot sa·vant ['ē-,dyō-sä-'väⁿ, or same as idiot and savant for respective sing and pl forms] -n

  1. a person affected with a mental disability (as autism or mental retardation) who exhibits exceptional skill or brilliance in some limited field (as mathematics or music) called also savant
  2. a person who is highly knowledgeable about one subject but knows little about anything else

id·io·type ['i-dē-ə-,tīp] -n, adj

  1. the molecular structure and conformation of an antibody that confers its antigenic specificity

idle ['ī-dᵊl] -adj, n, adv

  1. lacking worth or basis : vain
    • idle chatter
    • idle pleasure
  2. : not occupied or employed: as
  3. having no employment : inactive
    • idle workers
  4. not turned to normal or appropriate use
    • idle farmland
  5. not scheduled to compete
    • the team will be idle tomorrow
  6. shiftless, lazy
  7. having no evident lawful means of support
  8. to spend time in idleness
  9. to move idly
  10. to run at low power and often disconnected usu. so that power is not used for useful work
    • the engine is idling
  11. to pass in idleness
  12. to make idle
    • workers idled by a strike
  13. to cause to idle

idler pulley -n

  1. a guide or tightening pulley for a belt or chain

idler wheel -n

  1. a wheel, gear, or roller used to transfer motion or to guide or support something
  2. idler pulley

idlesse ['īd-ləs, īd-'les] -n

  1. the quality or state of being idle : idleness

ido·crase ['ī-də-,krās, 'i-, -,krāz] -n

  1. a mineral that is a complex silicate esp. of calcium, magnesium, iron, and aluminum

idol ['ī-dᵊl] -n

  1. a representation or symbol of an object of worship
  2. a false god
  3. a likeness of something
  4. pretender, impostor
  5. a form or appearance visible but without substance
    • an enchanted phantom, a lifeless idol -- P. B. Shelley
  6. an object of extreme devotion
    • a movie idol
  7. ideal
  8. a false conception : fallacy

idol·a·ter [ī-'dä-lə-tər] -n

  1. a worshiper of idols
  2. a person that admires intensely and often blindly one that is not usu. a subject of worship

idol·a·trous [ī-'dä-lə-trəs] -adj, adv, n

  1. of or relating to idolatry
  2. having the character of idolatry
    • the religion of idolatrous nationalism -- Aldous Huxley
  3. given to idolatry

idol·a·try [-trē] -n

  1. the worship of a physical object as a god
  2. immoderate attachment or devotion to something

idol·ize ['ī-də-,līz] -vb, n

  1. to worship as a god
  2. to love or admire to excess
    • the common people whom he so idolized -- Times Lit. Supp.
  3. to practice idolatry

IDP -abbr

  1. international driving permit

idyll ['ī-dᵊl, Brit usu 'i-(,)dil] -n

  1. a simple descriptive work in poetry or prose that deals with rustic life or pastoral scenes or suggests a mood of peace and contentment
  2. a narrative poem (as Tennyson's Idylls of the King) treating an epic, romantic, or tragic theme
  3. a lighthearted carefree episode that is a fit subject for an idyll
  4. a romantic interlude

idyl·lic [ī-'di-lik, chiefly Brit i-] -adj, adv

  1. pleasing or picturesque in natural simplicity
  2. of, relating to, or being an idyll