gla·bel·la [glə-'be-lə] -n, adj

  1. the smooth prominence between the eyebrows

gla·brous ['glā-brəs] -adj

  1. smooth
  2. having a surface without hairs or projections
    • glabrous skin
    • glabrous leaves

gla·ce [gla-'sā] -adj

  1. made or finished so as to have a smooth glossy surface
    • glace silk
  2. coated with a glaze : candied
    • glace cherries

gla·cial ['glā-shəl] -adj, adv

  1. : suggestive of ice: as
  2. extremely cold : frigid
    • a glacial wind
  3. devoid of warmth and cordiality
    • a glacial handshake
  4. coldly imperturbable
    • maintained a glacial calm
  5. of a purity marked by the tendency to readily solidify in the form of ice-like crystals
    • glacial acetic acid
  6. of, relating to, or being any of those parts of geologic time from Precambrian onward when a much larger portion of the earth was covered by glaciers than at present
  7. pleistocene
  8. of, relating to, or produced by glaciers
  9. suggestive of the very slow movement of glaciers
    • progress on the bill has been glacial

gla·ci·ate ['glā-shē-,āt, -sē-] -vt, n

  1. freeze
  2. to subject to glacial action
  3. to produce glacial effects in or on
  4. to cover with a glacier

gla·cier ['glā-shər also -zhər, esp Brit 'gla-sē-ər or 'glā-sē-] -n

  1. a large body of ice moving slowly down a slope or valley or spreading outward on a land surface

gla·ci·ol·o·gy [,glā-shē-'ä-lə-jē, -sē-] -n, adj

  1. any of the branches of science dealing with snow or ice accumulation, glaciation, or glacial epochs

gla·cis [gla-'sē, 'gla-sē] -n

  1. a gentle slope : incline
  2. a slope that runs downward from a fortification
  3. buffer state
  4. buffer zone

glad ['glad] -adj, adv, n

  1. having a cheerful or happy disposition by nature
  2. experiencing pleasure, joy, or delight : made happy
  3. made pleased, satisfied, or grateful often used with of
    • was glad of their help
  4. very willing
    • glad to do it
  5. marked by, expressive of, or caused by happiness and joy
    • a glad shout
  6. causing happiness and joy : pleasant
    • glad tidings
  7. full of brightness and cheerfulness
    • a glad spring morning
  8. gladden
  9. gladiolus

glad·den ['gla-dᵊn] -vb

  1. to be glad
  2. to make glad

glade ['glād] -n, adj

  1. an open space surrounded by woods

gladhand ['glad-,hand] -vt, n

  1. to extend a glad hand to
    • candidates gladhand ing everyone they meet
  2. to extend a glad hand
    • gladhand ing as if he were running for mayor

glad hand -n

  1. a warm welcome or greeting often prompted by ulterior reasons

glad·i·a·tor ['gla-dē-,ā-tər] -n, adj

  1. a person engaged in a fight to the death as public entertainment for ancient Romans
  2. a person engaging in a public fight or controversy
  3. a trained fighter
  4. a professional boxer

glad·i·o·la [,gla-dē-'ō-lə] -n

  1. gladiolus

glad·i·o·lus [,gla-dē-'ō-ləs] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Gladiolus) of chiefly African perennial plants of the iris family with erect sword-shaped leaves and spikes of brilliantly colored irregular flowers arising from corms
  2. the large middle portion of the sternum

glad rags -n pl

  1. dressy clothes

glad·some ['glad-səm] -adj, adv, n

  1. giving or showing joy : cheerful
    • gladsome news

glad·stone ['glad-,stōn, chiefly Brit -stən] -n

  1. a suitcase with flexible sides on a rigid frame that opens flat into two equal compartments called also gladstone bag

glai·kit ['glā-kət] -adj

  1. foolish, giddy

glair ['gler] -n

  1. a sizing liquid made from egg white
  2. a viscid substance suggestive of an egg white

glairy [] -adj

  1. having the characteristics of or overlaid with glair

glaive ['glāv] -n

  1. sword
  2. broadsword

glam ['glam] -n, adj

  1. extravagantly showy glamour
  2. glitter rock

glam·or·ise ['gla-mə-,rīz] -vt, n

(variant of glamorize)

  1. to look upon or depict as glamorous : romanticize
    • the novel glamorize s war
  2. to make glamorous
    • glamorize the living room

glam·or·ize ['gla-mə-,rīz] -vt, n

  1. to look upon or depict as glamorous : romanticize
    • the novel glamorize s war
  2. to make glamorous
    • glamorize the living room

glam·or·ous ['glam-rəs, 'gla-mə-] -adj, adv, n

  1. full of glamour : excitingly attractive
    • a glamorous actress
    • a glamorous life

glam·our ['gla-mər] -n, vt, adj

  1. a magic spell
    • the girls appeared to be under a glamour -- Llewelyn Powys
  2. an exciting and often illusory and romantic attractiveness
    • the glamour of Hollywood
  3. alluring or fascinating attraction often used attributively
    • glamour stock
    • glamour girls
    • whooping cranes and...other glamour birds -- R. T. Peterson

glam·ourpuss [-,pu̇s] -n

  1. a glamorously attractive person

glance ['glan(t)s] -vb, n

  1. to strike a surface obliquely so as to go off at an angle
    • the bullet glanced off the wall
  2. to make sudden quick movements
    • dragonflies glancing over the pond
  3. to flash or gleam with quick intermittent rays of light
    • brooks glancing in the sun
  4. to touch on a subject or refer to it briefly or indirectly
    • the work glance s at the customs of ancient cultures
  5. to move swiftly from one thing to another
  6. to take a quick look at something
    • glanced at his watch
  7. to take a quick look at
  8. to catch a glimpse of
  9. : to give an oblique path of direction to:
  10. to throw or shoot so that the object glances from a surface
  11. to aim (as an innuendo) indirectly : insinuate
  12. a quick intermittent flash or gleam
  13. a sudden quick movement
  14. a rapid oblique movement
  15. a deflected impact or blow
  16. a swift movement of the eyes
  17. a quick or cursory look
  18. a brief satirical reference to something : gibe
  19. allusion

glanc·ing ['glan(t)-siŋ] -adj, adv

  1. hitting so as to glance off
    • a glancing blow
  2. incidental, indirect
    • made glancing allusions to her past

gland ['gland] -n, adj

  1. a specialized cell, group of cells, or organ of endothelial origin that selectively removes materials from the blood, concentrates or alters them, and secretes them for further use in the body or for elimination from the body
  2. any of various animal structures suggestive of glands though not secretory in function
  3. any of various secreting organs (as a nectary) of plants
  4. a device for preventing leakage of fluid past a joint in machinery
  5. the movable part of a stuffing box by which the packing is compressed

glan·dered ['glan-dərd] -adj

  1. affected with glanders

glan·ders [-dərz] -n pl but sing or pl in constr

  1. a contagious and destructive disease esp. of horses caused by a bacterium ( Pseudomonas malleisyn. Actinobacillus mallei) and characterized by caseating nodular lesions esp. on the respiratory mucosae and lungs that tend to break down and form ulcers

glan·du·lar ['glan-jə-lər] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or involving glands, gland cells, or their products
  2. having the characteristics or function of a gland
  3. innate, inherent
    • the almost glandular...instinct for adventure and romance -- Newsweek
  4. physical, sexual

glandular fever -n

  1. infectious mononucleosis

glans ['glanz] -n

  1. a conical vascular body forming the extremity of the penis called also glans penis
  2. a structure of the clitoris similar to the glans penis called also glans cli*to*ri*dis -kl-tr--ds

glare ['gler] -vb

  1. to shine with a harsh uncomfortably brilliant light
  2. stand out, obtrude
  3. to stare angrily or fiercely
  4. to express (as hostility) by staring angrily
  5. to cause to be sharply reflected
  6. a harsh uncomfortably bright light
    • the glare of a neon sign
    • the glare of publicity
  7. painfully bright sunlight
  8. cheap showy brilliance : garishness
  9. an angry or fierce stare
  10. a surface or sheet of smooth and slippery ice

glaring [-iŋ-lē] -adj, adv, n

  1. having a fixed look of hostility, fierceness, or anger
  2. shining with or reflecting an uncomfortably bright light
  3. garish
  4. vulgarly ostentatious
  5. obtrusively and often painfully obvious
    • a glaring error

glary ['gler-ē] -adj

  1. having a dazzling brightness

glas·nost ['glaz-(,)nōst, 'glas-, 'gläz-, 'gläs-] -n

  1. a Soviet policy permitting open discussion of political and social issues and freer dissemination of news and information

glass ['glas, 'gläs] -n, adj

  1. : any of various amorphous materials formed from a melt by cooling to rigidity without crystallization: as
  2. a usu. transparent or translucent material consisting typically of a mixture of silicates
  3. a material (as obsidian) produced by fast cooling of magma
  4. : something made of glass: as
  5. tumbler
  6. glassware
  7. mirror
  8. barometer
  9. hourglass
  10. backboard
  11. an optical instrument or device that has one or more lenses and is designed to aid in the viewing of objects not readily seen
  12. field glasses, binoculars usu. used in pl.
  13. a device used to correct defects of vision or to protect the eyes that consists typically of a pair of glass or plastic lenses and the frame by which they are held in place called also eyeglasses spectacles
  14. the quantity held by a glass container
  15. fiberglass
  16. to provide with glass : glaze
  17. to enclose, case, or wall with glass
    • the sunroom was glass ed in
  18. to make glassy
  19. reflect
  20. to see mirrored
  21. to look at through an optical instrument (as binoculars)
  22. glaze

glass·blow·ing [-,blō-iŋ] -n

  1. the art of shaping a mass of glass that has been softened by heat by blowing air into it through a tube

glass ceiling -n

  1. an intangible barrier within a hierarchy that prevents women or minorities from obtaining upper-level positions

glass closet -n

  1. the state in which the sexual orientation of a homosexual person is known to many but not publicly acknowledged

glass eye [-,īd] -n, adj

  1. an artificial eye made of glass
  2. an eye having a pale, whitish, or colorless iris

glass fiber -n

  1. fiberglass

glass harmonica -n

  1. a musical instrument consisting of a series of rotating glass bowls of differing sizes played by touching the dampened edges with a finger

glass·house ['glas-,hau̇s] -n

  1. a place where glass is made
  2. greenhouse
  3. a military prison

glass·ie ['gla-sē] -n

  1. a playing marble made of glass

glass·ine [gla-'sēn] -n

  1. a thin dense transparent or semitransparent paper highly resistant to the passage of air and grease

glass jaw -n

  1. vulnerability (as of a boxer) to knockout punches

glass·mak·er ['glas-,mā-kər] -n

  1. one that makes glass

glass snake -n

  1. any of a genus ( Ophisaurus) of limbless snakelike lizards of the southern U.S., Eurasia, and Africa with a fragile tail that readily breaks off from the body often in pieces

glass sponge -n

  1. any of a class (Hexactinellida syn. Hyalospongiae) of chiefly deep-water siliceous marine sponges with 6-rayed spicules and a skeleton often resembling glass when dried

glass·ware ['glas-,wer] -n

  1. articles made of glass

glass wool -n

  1. glass fibers in a mass resembling wool and being used esp. for thermal insulation and air filters

glass·work ['glas-,wərk] -n

  1. the manufacture of glass or glassware
  2. glaziers' work
  3. glasshouse
  4. glassware

glass·wort [-,wərt, -,wȯrt] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Salicornia) of woody jointed succulent herbs of the goosefoot family with leaves reduced to fleshy sheaths called also pickleweed

glassy ['gla-sē] -adj, adv, n

  1. resembling or made of glass
  2. having little animation : dull, lifeless
    • glassy eyes

glassyeyed [-,īd] -adj

  1. marked by or having glassy eyes

Glau·ber's salt ['glau̇-bər(z)-] -n

  1. a colorless crystalline sulfate of sodium Na 2SO 410H 2O used esp. in dyeing, as a cathartic, and in solar energy systems sometimes used in pl. called also Glauber salt

glau·co·ma [glau̇-'kō-mə, glȯ-] -n

  1. a disease of the eye marked by increased pressure within the eyeball that can result in damage to the optic disk and gradual loss of vision

glau·co·nite ['glȯ-kə-,nīt] -n, adj

  1. a mineral consisting of a dull green earthy iron potassium silicate occurring in greensand

glau·cous ['glȯ-kəs] -adj, n

  1. of a pale yellow-green color
  2. of a light bluish-gray or bluish-white color
  3. having a powdery or waxy coating that gives a frosted appearance and tends to rub off

glaze ['glāz] -vb, n

  1. to furnish or fit with glass
  2. to coat with or as if with a glaze
    • the storm glazed trees with ice
  3. to apply a glaze to
    • glaze doughnuts
  4. to give a smooth glossy surface to
  5. to become glazed or glassy
    • my eyes glazed over
  6. to form a glaze
  7. a smooth slippery coating of thin ice
  8. a liquid preparation applied to food on which it forms a firm glossy coating
  9. a mixture mostly of oxides (as silica and alumina) applied to the surface of ceramic wares to form a moisture-impervious and often lustrous or ornamental coating
  10. a transparent or translucent color applied to modify the effect of a painted surface
  11. a smooth glossy or lustrous surface or finish
  12. a glassy film
  13. stare

glazed ['glāzd] -adj

  1. covered with or as if with a glassy film
    • glazed eyes
  2. marked by lack of expression

gla·zier ['glā-zhər, -zē-ər] -n

  1. one who sets glass

glaz·ing ['glā-ziŋ] -n

  1. the action, process, or trade of fitting windows with glass
  2. glasswork
  3. glaze
  4. transparent material (as glass) used for windows

GLBT -abbr

  1. gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender

gleam ['glēm] -n, adj

  1. a transient appearance of subdued or partly obscured light
    • the gleam of dawn in the east
  2. a small bright light
    • the gleam of a match
  3. glint
    • a gleam in his eyes
  4. a brief or faint appearance
    • a gleam of hope
  5. to shine with or as if with subdued steady light or moderate brightness
  6. to appear briefly or faintly
    • a light gleam ed in the distance
  7. to cause to gleam

glean ['glēn] -vb, adj, n

  1. to gather grain or other produce left by reapers
  2. to gather information or material bit by bit
  3. to pick up after a reaper
  4. to strip (as a field) of the leavings of reapers
  5. to gather (as information) bit by bit
  6. to pick over in search of relevant material
    • glean ing old files for information
  7. find out

glean·ings ['glē-niŋz] -n pl

  1. things acquired by gleaning

glebe ['glēb] -n

  1. land
  2. a plot of cultivated land
  3. land belonging or yielding revenue to a parish church or ecclesiastical benefice

glee ['glē] -n

  1. exultant high-spirited joy : merriment
  2. a part-song for usu. male voices

glee club -n

  1. a chorus organized for singing usu. short pieces

gleed ['glēd] -n

  1. a glowing coal

glee·ful ['glē-fəl] -adj, adv, n

  1. full of glee : merry
    • gleeful laughter

gleek ['glēk] -vi

  1. gibe, joke

glee·man ['glē-mən] -n

  1. jongleur

glee·some ['glē-səm] -adj

  1. gleeful

gleet ['glēt] -n

  1. a chronic inflammation (as gonorrhea) of a bodily orifice usu. accompanied by an abnormal discharge
  2. the discharge itself

gleg ['gleg] -adj

  1. marked by quickness of perception or movement

glei·za·tion [glā-'zā-shən] -n

  1. development of or conversion into gley

glen ['glen] -n

  1. a secluded narrow valley

glen·gar·ry [glen-'ga-rē] -n

  1. a woolen cap of Scottish origin called also glengarry bonnet

glen plaid ['glen-] -n

  1. a twill pattern of broken checks
  2. a fabric woven in this pattern called also glen check

gley ['glā] -n, adj

  1. a sticky clay soil or soil layer formed under the surface of some waterlogged soils

gley·ing ['glā-iŋ] -n

  1. gleization

glia ['glē-ə, 'glī-ə] -n

  1. supporting tissue intermingled with the essential elements of nervous tissue esp. in the brain, spinal cord, and ganglia

gli·a·din ['glī-ə-dən] -n

  1. prolamin
  2. one obtained by alcoholic extraction of gluten from wheat and rye

gli·al ['glē-əl, 'glī-] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or constituting glia
    • glial cells

glib ['glib] -adj, adv, n

  1. marked by ease and informality : nonchalant
  2. showing little forethought or preparation : offhand
    • glib answers
  3. lacking depth and substance : superficial
    • glib solutions to knotty problems
  4. smooth, slippery
  5. marked by ease and fluency in speaking or writing often to the point of being insincere or deceitful
    • a glib politician

glide ['glīd] -vb

  1. to move smoothly, continuously, and effortlessly
    • swans gliding over the lake
  2. to go or pass imperceptibly
    • hours glided by
  3. to descend gradually in controlled flight
  4. to fly in a glider
  5. to produce a glide (as in music or speech)
  6. to cause to glide
  7. a calm stretch of shallow water flowing smoothly
  8. the act or action of gliding
  9. portamento
  10. a less prominent vowel sound produced by the passing of the vocal organs to or from the articulatory position of a speech sound
  11. semivowel
  12. a device for facilitating movement of something
  13. a circular usu. metal button attached to the bottom of furniture legs to provide a smooth surface

glide path -n

  1. glide slope

glid·er ['glī-dər] -n

  1. : one that glides: as
  2. an aircraft similar to an airplane but without an engine
  3. a porch seat suspended from an upright framework
  4. something that aids gliding

glide slope -n

  1. the proper path of descent for an aircraft preparing to land
  2. such a path indicated by a radio beam
  3. the radio beam that marks a glide slope

glim ['glim] -n

  1. something that furnishes light (as a lantern or candle)
  2. illumination given off by such a source

glim·mer ['gli-mər] -vi

  1. to shine faintly or unsteadily
  2. to give off a subdued unsteady reflection
  3. to appear indistinctly with a faintly luminous quality

glimmer -n

  1. a feeble or intermittent light
  2. a subdued unsteady shining or sparkle
  3. a dim perception or faint idea : inkling
  4. hint, spark
    • a glimmer of intelligence

glimmering -n

  1. glimmer

glimpse ['glim(p)s] -vb, n

  1. glimmer
  2. to look briefly
  3. to get a brief look at
  4. glimmer
  5. a fleeting view or look

glint ['glint] -vb

  1. to glance off an object
  2. to be reflected at an angle from a surface
  3. to give off reflection in brilliant flashes
  4. gleam
  5. to look quickly or briefly : glance
  6. to appear briefly or faintly
  7. to cause to glint
  8. a tiny bright flash of light
  9. a brief or faint manifestation : glimmer
    • a glint of recognition
  10. a trace of emotion expressed through the eyes
    • a steely glint in his eye

glio·blas·to·ma [,glī-ō-,bla-'stō-mə] -n

  1. a malignant rapidly growing astrocytoma of the central nervous system and usu. of a cerebral hemisphere called also glioblastoma mul*ti*for*me -mlt--frm-e

gli·o·ma [glē-'ō-mə, glī-] -n

  1. a tumor arising from glial cells

glis·sade [gli-'säd, -'sād] -vi, n

  1. to perform a ballet glissade
  2. to slide in a standing or squatting position down a snow-covered slope without the aid of skis

glissade -n

  1. a gliding step in ballet
  2. the action of glissading

glis·san·do [gli-'sän-(,)dō] -n

  1. a rapid sliding up or down the musical scale

glis·ten ['gli-sᵊn] -vi

  1. to give off a sparkling or lustrous reflection of or as if of a moist or polished surface

glisten -n

  1. glitter, sparkle

glis·ter ['glis-tər] -vi, n

  1. glitter

glitch ['glich] -n, adj

  1. a usu. minor malfunction
    • a glitch in a spacecraft's fuel cell
  2. bug
  3. a minor problem that causes a temporary setback : snag
  4. a false or spurious electronic signal

glit·ter ['gli-tər] -vi, adv

  1. to shine by reflection with many small flashes of brilliant light : sparkle
    • sequins glitter ed in the spotlight
  2. to shine with strong emotion : flash
    • eyes glitter ing in anger
  3. to be brilliantly attractive, lavish, or spectacular
  4. to be superficially attractive or exciting

glitter ['gli-tə-rē] -n, adj

  1. sparkling brilliance of something that glitters
  2. a bright usu. superficial attractiveness
  3. the quality of being spectacular
  4. small glittering objects used for ornamentation

glit·te·ra·ti [,gli-tə-'rä-tē] -n pl

  1. celebrities, beautiful people

glitter rock -n

  1. rock music characterized by performers wearing glittering costumes and bizarre often grotesque makeup

glitz ['glits] -n, adj

  1. extravagant showiness : glitter, ostentation
  2. to make flashy or extravagant in appearance often used with up
    • she got glitz ed up for the party

gloam ['glōm] -n

  1. twilight

gloam·ing ['glō-miŋ] -n

  1. twilight, dusk

gloat ['glōt] -vi, n, adv

  1. to look or glance admiringly or amorously
  2. to observe or think about something with triumphant and often malicious satisfaction, gratification, or delight
    • gloat over an enemy's misfortune
  3. the act or feeling of one who gloats

glob ['gläb] -n, adj

  1. a small drop : blob
  2. a usu. large and rounded mass

glob·al ['glō-bəl] -adj, adv

  1. spherical
  2. of, relating to, or involving the entire world : worldwide
    • a global system of communication
  3. of or relating to a celestial body (as the moon)
  4. of, relating to, or applying to a whole (as a mathematical function or a computer program) : universal
    • a global search of a file

glob·al·i·sa·tion [,glō-bə-lə-'zā-shən] -n

(variant of globalization)

  1. the act or process of globalizing : the state of being globalized
  2. the development of an increasingly integrated global economy marked esp. by free trade, free flow of capital, and the tapping of cheaper foreign labor markets

glob·al·ism ['glō-bə-,li-zəm] -n

  1. a national policy of treating the whole world as a proper sphere for political influence

glob·al·i·za·tion [,glō-bə-lə-'zā-shən] -n

  1. the act or process of globalizing : the state of being globalized
  2. the development of an increasingly integrated global economy marked esp. by free trade, free flow of capital, and the tapping of cheaper foreign labor markets

glob·al·ize ['glō-bə-,līz] -vt

  1. to make global
  2. to make worldwide in scope or application

Global Positioning System -n

  1. GPS

global village -n

  1. the world viewed as a community in which distance and isolation have been dramatically reduced by electronic media (as television and the Internet)

global warm·ing [-'wȯr-miŋ] -n

  1. an increase in the earth's atmospheric and oceanic temperatures widely predicted to occur due to an increase in the greenhouse effect resulting esp. from pollution

globe ['glōb] -n

  1. : something spherical or rounded: as
  2. a spherical representation of the earth, a celestial body, or the heavens
  3. earth
  4. orb
  5. to form into a globe

globe amaranth -n

  1. an annual herb ( Gomphrena globosa) of the amaranth family often cultivated as an ornamental for its dense globe-shaped flower heads which can be dried with nearly full retention of their color

globe artichoke -n

  1. artichoke

globe·fish ['glōb-,fish] -n

  1. puffer fish

globe·flow·er [-,flau̇(-ə)r] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Trollius) of plants of the buttercup family usu. with globose yellow or orange flowers

globe mallow -n

  1. any of a genus ( Sphaeralcea) of coarse herbs of the mallow family found in arid regions of No. and So. America and often having clusters of cup-shaped pink or scarlet flowers

globe thistle -n

  1. any of a genus ( Echinops) of widely cultivated Asian and Mediterranean composite herbs with spiky globose blue or white flowers

globetrot·ter [-,trä-tər] -n, n or adj

  1. a person who travels widely

glo·bin ['glō-bən] -n

  1. a colorless protein obtained by removal of heme from a conjugated protein and esp. hemoglobin

glo·boid ['glō-,bȯid] -adj

  1. shaped like a sphere

glo·bose ['glō-,bōs] -adj

  1. globular
    • globose pollen

glob·u·lar ['glä-byə-lər, 1b is also 'glō-] -adj

  1. having the shape of a globe or globule
  2. composed of compactly folded polypeptide chains arranged in a spherical form
    • globular proteins
  3. global
  4. having or consisting of globules

globular cluster -n

  1. any of various approximately spherical clusters of gravitationally associated stars that typically populate galactic halos called also globular

glob·ule ['glä-(,)byül] -n

  1. a tiny globe or ball esp. of a liquid
    • globule s of mercury

glob·u·lin ['glä-byə-lən] -n

  1. any of a class of simple proteins (as myosin) that are insoluble in pure water but are soluble in dilute salt solutions and that occur widely in plant and animal tissues

glo·chid·i·um [glō-'ki-dē-əm] -n

  1. the larva of a freshwater mussel (family Unionidae) that develops as an external parasite on fish

glock·en·spiel ['glä-kən-,spēl, -,shpēl] -n

  1. a percussion instrument consisting of a series of graduated metal bars tuned to the chromatic scale and played with two hammers

glogg ['gləg, 'glœg, 'glu̇g] -n

  1. a hot spiced wine and liquor punch served in Scandinavian countries as a Christmas drink

glom ['gläm] -vt

  1. take, steal
  2. seize, catch

glo·mer·u·lar [glə-'mer-(y)ə-lər, glō-] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or produced by a glomerulus
    • glomerular nephritis
    • glomerular capillaries

glom·er·ule ['glä-mə-,rül, -mər-,yül] -n

  1. a compacted cyme of almost sessile and usu. small flowers

glo·mer·u·lo·ne·phri·tis [glə-,mer-(y)ə-lō-ni-'frī-təs] -n

  1. nephritis marked by inflammation of the capillaries of the renal glomeruli

glo·mer·u·lus [glə-'mer-(y)ə-ləs, glō-] -n

  1. a small convoluted or intertwined mass
  2. a tuft of capillaries at the point of origin of each vertebrate nephron that passes a protein-free filtrate to the surrounding Bowman's capsule

glo·mus ['glō-məs] -n

  1. a small arteriovenous anastomosis together with its supporting structures

gloom ['glüm] -vb

  1. to look, feel, or act sullen or despondent
  2. to be or become overcast
  3. to loom up dimly
  4. to make dark, murky, or somber : make gloomy
  5. partial or total darkness
  6. a dark or shadowy place
  7. lowness of spirits : dejection
  8. an atmosphere of despondency
    • a gloom fell over the household

gloomy ['glü-mē] -adj, adv, n

  1. partially or totally dark
  2. dismally and depressingly dark
    • gloomy weather
  3. having a frowning or scowling appearance : forbidding
    • a gloomy countenance
  4. low in spirits : melancholy
  5. causing gloom : depressing
    • a gloomy story
    • a gloomy landscape
  6. lacking in promise or hopefulness : pessimistic
    • gloomy prophecies
    • a gloomy future

Gloomy Gus [-'gəs] -n

  1. a person who is habitually gloomy

glop ['gläp] -n, adj

  1. a thick semiliquid substance (as food) that is usu. unattractive in appearance
  2. tasteless or worthless material

Glo·ria ['glȯr-ē-ə] -n

  1. gloria in excelsis
  2. gloria patri

Gloria in Ex·cel·sis [-,in-eks-'chel-səs, -ek-'shel-]

  1. a Christian liturgical hymn having the verse form of the Psalms

Gloria Pa·tri [-'pä-(,)trē] -n

  1. a 2-verse doxology to the Trinity

glo·ri·fy ['glȯr-ə-,fī] -vt, n

  1. to make glorious by bestowing honor, praise, or admiration
  2. to elevate to celestial glory
  3. to light up brilliantly
  4. to represent as glorious : extol
    • a song glorify ing romantic love
  5. to cause to be or seem to be better than the actual condition
    • the new position is just a glorified version of the old stockroom job
  6. to give glory to (as in worship)

glo·ri·o·sa daisy [,glȯr-ē-'ō-sə-, -zə-] -n

  1. a black-eyed Susan ( Rudbeckia hirta) of either of two tetraploid cultivars with large single or double yellow, orange, maroon, or bicolored flowers

glo·ri·ous ['glȯr-ē-əs] -adj, adv, n

  1. possessing or deserving glory : illustrious
  2. entitling one to glory
    • a glorious victory
  3. marked by great beauty or splendor : magnificent
    • a glorious sunset
  4. delightful, wonderful
    • had a glorious weekend

glo·ry ['glȯr-ē] -n

  1. praise, honor, or distinction extended by common consent : renown
  2. worshipful praise, honor, and thanksgiving
    • giving glory to God
  3. something that secures praise or renown
    • the glory of a brilliant career
  4. a distinguished quality or asset
  5. great beauty and splendor : magnificence
    • the glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome -- E. A. Poe
  6. something marked by beauty or resplendence
    • a perfect glory of a day
  7. the splendor and beatific happiness of heaven
  8. eternity
  9. a state of great gratification or exaltation
    • when she's acting she's in her glory
  10. a height of prosperity or achievement
  11. : a ring or spot of light: as
  12. aureole
  13. a halo appearing around the shadow of an object

glory -vi

  1. to rejoice proudly used with in
  2. used to express surprise or delight

gloryofthesnow -n

  1. any of a genus ( Chionodoxa) of hardy spring-flowering chiefly Mediterranean bulbous herbs of the lily family with basal leaves and racemes of blue, white, or pink flowers

gloss ['gläs, 'glȯs] -n

  1. a surface luster or brightness : shine
  2. a deceptively attractive appearance
    • selfishness that had a gloss of humanitarianism about it
  3. bright often superficial attractiveness
    • show-biz gloss
  4. a transparent cosmetic preparation for adding shine and usu. color to the lips
  5. to mask the true nature of : give a deceptively attractive appearance to used with over
    • the misery was general, where not gloss ed over by liberal application of alcohol -- Marston Bates
  6. to deal with (a subject or problem) too lightly or not at all used with over
    • gloss es over scholarly controversies rather than confronting them head-on -- John Israel
  7. to give a gloss to
  8. a brief explanation (as in the margin or between the lines of a text) of a difficult or obscure word or expression
  9. a false and often willfully misleading interpretation (as of a text)
  10. glossary
  11. an interlinear translation
  12. a continuous commentary accompanying a text
  13. commentary, interpretation
  14. to provide a gloss for : explain, define
  15. interpret
  16. to dispose of by false or perverse interpretation
    • trying to gloss away the irrationalities of the universe -- Irwin Edman

gloss- -comb form

  1. tongue
    • gloss itis
  2. language
    • glosso lalia

glos·sa ['glä-sə, 'glȯ-] -n

  1. a tongue or lingual structure esp. in an insect
  2. the median distal lobe of the labium of an insect

glos·sa·rist ['glä-sə-rist, 'glȯ-] -n

  1. glossator

glos·sa·ry [-sə-rē] -n, adj

  1. a collection of textual glosses or of specialized terms with their meanings

glos·sa·tor ['glä-,sā-tər, 'glȯ-] -n

  1. one that makes textual glosses
  2. a compiler of a glossary

glos·si·tis [glä-'sī-təs, 'glȯ-] -n

  1. inflammation of the tongue

glos·sog·ra·pher [glä-'sä-grə-fər, glȯ-] -n

  1. glossator

glos·so·la·lia [,glä-sə-'lā-lē-ə, ,glȯ-] -n

  1. tongue

glos·so·pha·ryn·geal nerve [,glä-sō-,fer-ən-'jē-əl-, ,glȯ-, -fə-'rin-j(ē-)əl-] -n

  1. either of the ninth pair of cranial nerves that are mixed nerves and supply chiefly the pharynx, posterior tongue, and parotid gland called also glossopharyngeal

glossy ['glä-sē, 'glȯ-] -adj, adv, n

  1. having a surface luster or brightness
    • rich glossy leather
    • glossy paper
  2. attractive in an artificially opulent, sophisticated, or smoothly captivating manner : slick
    • lots of glossy and phony chatter
  3. a photograph printed on smooth shiny paper
  4. slick

glott- -comb form

  1. language
    • glotto chronology

glot·tal ['glä-tᵊl] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or produced in or by the glottis
    • glottal constriction

glottal stop -n

  1. the interruption of the breath stream during speech by closure of the glottis

glot·tis ['glä-təs] -n

  1. the elongated space between the vocal cords
  2. the structures that surround this space

glot·to·chro·nol·o·gy [,glä-tō-krə-'nä-lə-jē] -n, adj

  1. a linguistic method that uses the rate of vocabulary replacement to estimate the date of divergence for distinct but genetically related languages

Gloucs -abbr

  1. Gloucestershire

glout ['glüt, 'glau̇t] -vi

  1. frown, scowl

glove ['gləv] -n

  1. a covering for the hand having separate sections for each of the fingers and the thumb and often extending part way up the arm
  2. gauntlet
  3. a padded leather covering for the hand used in baseball to catch a thrown or batted ball
  4. one having individual thumb and finger sections usu. connected with a lacing or webbing
  5. fielding ability
    • he's got a good glove at three positions and can pinch-hit -- Casey Stengel
  6. boxing glove
  7. gauntlet
  8. the restraints of civility
    • the glove s came off for the interview
  9. to cover with or as if with a glove
  10. to furnish with gloves
  11. to catch (as a baseball) in one's gloved hand

glove box -n

  1. glove compartment
  2. a sealed protectively lined compartment having holes to which are attached gloves for use in handling esp. dangerous materials inside the compartment

glove compartment -n

  1. a small storage cabinet in the dashboard of an automobile

glove leather -n

  1. a soft lightweight leather

glov·er ['glə-vər] -n

  1. one that makes or sells gloves

glow ['glō] -vi, adv

  1. to shine with or as if with an intense heat
    • embers glow ing in the darkness
  2. to have a rich warm typically ruddy color
    • cheeks glow ing with health
  3. flush, blush
    • the children glow ed with excitement
  4. to experience a sensation of or as if of heat
    • glow ing with rage
  5. to show exuberance or elation
    • glow with pride
  6. brightness or warmth of color
  7. redness
  8. warmth of feeling or emotion
  9. a sensation of warmth
    • the drug produces a sustained glow
  10. the state of glowing with heat and light
  11. light such as is emitted by a solid body heated to luminosity : incandescence

glow discharge -n

  1. a luminous electrical discharge without sparks through a gas

glow·er ['glau̇(-ə)r, ÷'glō(-ə)r] -vi

  1. to look or stare with sullen annoyance or anger

glower -n

  1. a sullen brooding look of annoyance or anger

glow lamp -n

  1. a gas-discharge electric lamp in which most of the light proceeds from the glow of the gas near the cathode

glow plug -n

  1. a heating element in a diesel-engine cylinder to preheat the air and facilitate starting
  2. a similar element for ignition in other internal combustion engines

glow·worm ['glō-,wərm] -n

  1. any of various luminous insect larvae or adults with wings rudimentary or lacking
  2. a larva or wingless female of a firefly (family Lampyridae) that emits light from the abdomen

glox·in·ia [gläk-'si-nē-ə] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Sinningia) of tuberous herbaceous gesneriads found from Mexico to Argentina
  2. a Brazilian plant ( S. speciosa) widely cultivated for its bell-shaped or slipper-shaped flowers

gloze ['glōz] -vt

  1. gloss
  2. gloss often used with over

gluc- -comb form

  1. glucose
    • gluco kinase

glu·ca·gon ['glü-kə-,gän] -n

  1. a protein hormone that is produced esp. by the islets of Langerhans and that promotes an increase in the sugar content of the blood by increasing the rate of glycogen breakdown in the liver

glu·can ['glü-,kan, -kən] -n

  1. a polysaccharide (as glycogen or cellulose) that is a polymer of glucose

glu·co·cor·ti·coid [,glü-kō-'kȯr-ti-,kȯid] -n

  1. any of a group of corticosteroids (as cortisol) that are involved esp. in carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism, that are anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive, and that are used widely in medicine (as to alleviate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis)

glu·co·ki·nase [-'kī-,nās, -,nāz] -n

  1. a hexokinase found esp. in the liver that catalyzes the phosphorylation of glucose

glu·co·nate ['glü-kə-,nāt] -n

  1. a salt or ester of gluconic acid

glu·co·neo·gen·e·sis [,glü-kə-,nē-ə-'je-nə-səs] -n

  1. formation of glucose within the animal body esp. by the liver from substances (as fats and proteins) other than carbohydrates

glu·con·ic acid [(,)glü-'kä-nik-] -n

  1. a crystalline acid C 6H 12O 7obtained by oxidation of glucose

glu·cos·amine [glü-'kō-sə-,mēn, -zə-] -n

  1. an amino derivative C 6H 13NO 5of glucose that occurs esp. as a constituent of various polysaccharides that are components of structural substances (as chitin and cartilage)

glu·cose ['glü-,kōs, -,kōz] -n

  1. a crystalline sugar C 6H 12O 6
  2. the sweet colorless soluble dextrorotatory form that occurs widely in nature and is the usual form in which carbohydrate is assimilated by animals
  3. a light-colored syrup made from cornstarch

glucose1phosphate -n

  1. an ester C 6H 13O 9P that reacts in the presence of a phosphorylase with aldoses and ketoses to yield disaccharides or with itself in liver and muscle to yield glycogen and phosphoric acid

glucose phosphate -n

  1. : a phosphate ester of glucose: as
  2. glucose-1-phosphate
  3. glucose-6-phosphate

glucose6phosphate -n

  1. an ester C 6H 13O 9P that is formed from glucose and ATP in the presence of a glucokinase and that is an essential early stage in glucose metabolism

glucose6phosphate dehydrogenase -n

  1. an enzyme found esp. in red blood cells that dehydrogenates glucose-6-phosphate in a glucose degradation pathway alternative to the Krebs cycle

glu·co·si·dase [glü-'kō-sə-,dās, -zə-,dāz] -n

  1. an enzyme (as maltase) that hydrolyzes a glucoside

glu·co·side ['glü-kə-,sīd] -n, adj

  1. glycoside
  2. a glycoside that yields glucose on hydrolysis

glu·cu·ron·ic acid [,glü-kyə-'rä-nik-] -n

  1. a compound C 6H 10O 7that occurs esp. as a constituent of mucopolysaccharides (as hyaluronic acid) and combined as a glucuronide

glu·cu·ron·i·dase [-'rä-nə-,dās, -,dāz] -n

  1. an enzyme that hydrolyzes a glucuronide
  2. one that occurs widely (as in liver and spleen) and hydrolyzes the beta form of a glucuronide

glu·cu·ro·nide [glü-'kyu̇r-ə-,nīd] -n

  1. any of various derivatives of glucuronic acid that are formed esp. as combinations with often toxic aromatic hydroxyl compounds and are excreted in the urine

glue ['glü] -n, adj, adv

  1. any of various strong adhesive substances
  2. a hard protein chiefly gelatinous substance that absorbs water to form a viscous solution with strong adhesive properties and that is obtained by cooking down collagenous materials (as hides or bones)
  3. a solution of glue used for sticking things together
  4. something that binds together
    • enough social glue...to satisfy the human desire for community -- E. D. Hirsch, Jr.
  5. to cause to stick tightly with or as if with glue
    • gluing the parts together
    • used that war to glue together a frail story -- Gloria Emerson
  6. to cause to remain continuously or to be fixed steadily usu. used with to
    • the spectators were glued to their seats
    • all eyes glued to the TV screen

gluh·wein ['glᵫ-,vīn] -n

  1. mulled wine

glum ['gləm] -adj, adv, n

  1. broodingly morose
    • became glum when they heard the news
  2. dreary, gloomy
    • a glum countenance

glume ['glüm] -n

  1. a chaffy bract
  2. either of two empty bracts at the base of the spikelet in grasses

glu·on ['glü-,än] -n

  1. a hypothetical neutral massless particle held to bind together quarks to form hadrons

glut ['glət] -vb

  1. to fill esp. with food to satiety
  2. to flood (the market) with goods so that supply exceeds demand
  3. to eat gluttonously
  4. an excessive quantity : oversupply
  5. the act or process of glutting
  6. to swallow greedily

glu·ta·mate ['glü-tə-,māt] -n

  1. a salt or ester of glutamic acid
  2. a salt or ester of levorotatory glutamic acid that functions as an excitatory neurotransmitter

glu·tam·ic acid [(,)glü-'ta-mik-] -n

  1. a crystalline amino acid C 5H 9NO 4widely distributed in plant and animal proteins

glu·ta·min·ase ['glü-tə-mə-,nās, glü-'ta-mə-, -,nāz] -n

  1. an enzyme that hydrolyzes glutamine to glutamic acid and ammonia

glu·ta·mine ['glü-tə-,mēn] -n

  1. a crystalline amino acid C 5H 10N 2O 3that is found both free and in proteins in plants and animals and that yields glutamic acid and ammonia on hydrolysis

glu·tar·al·de·hyde [,glü-tə-'ral-də-,hīd] -n

  1. a compound C 5H 8O 2that contains two aldehyde groups and is used esp. in tanning leather and in the fixation of biological tissues

glu·tar·ic acid [glü-'ter-ik-, -'ta-rik-] -n

  1. a crystalline acid C 5H 8O 4used esp. in organic synthesis

glu·ta·thi·one [,glü-tə-'thī-,ōn] -n

  1. a peptide C 10H 17N 3O 6S that contains one amino acid residue each of glutamic acid, cysteine, and glycine, that occurs widely in plant and animal tissues, and that plays an important role in biological oxidation-reduction processes and as a coenzyme

glute ['glüt] -n

  1. gluteus usu. used in pl.

glu·te·al ['glü-tē-əl, glü-'tē-] -adj

  1. of or relating to the gluteus muscles

glu·ten ['glü-tᵊn] -n, adj

  1. a tenacious elastic protein substance esp. of wheat flour that gives cohesiveness to dough

glu·teth·i·mide [glü-'te-thə-,mīd, -məd] -n

  1. a sedative-hypnotic drug C 13H 15NO 2that is a derivative of piperidine and has pharmacological properties similar to those of barbiturates

glu·te·us ['glü-tē-əs, glü-'tē-] -n

  1. any of the large muscles of the buttocks
  2. gluteus maximus

gluteus max·i·mus [-'mak-sə-məs] -n

  1. the outermost muscle of the three glutei found in each of the human buttocks

glu·ti·nous ['glüt-nəs, 'glü-tə-nəs] -adj, adv

  1. having the quality of glue : gummy

glutinous rice -n

  1. the seeds of a short-grained cultivated rice ( Oryza sativa glutinosa) that are plump and sticky when cooked

glut·ton ['glə-tᵊn] -n

  1. one given habitually to greedy and voracious eating and drinking
  2. one that has a great capacity for accepting or enduring something
    • a glutton for punishment
  3. wolverine

glut·ton·ous ['glət-nəs, 'glə-tə-nəs] -adj, adv, n

  1. marked by or given to gluttony
    • a gluttonous appetite

glut·tony ['glət-nē, 'glə-tə-nē] -n

  1. excess in eating or drinking
  2. greedy or excessive indulgence

glyc- -comb form

  1. carbohydrate and esp. sugar
    • glyco protein
  2. glycine
    • glyc yl

gly·can ['glī-,kan] -n

  1. polysaccharide

gly·ce·mia [glī-'sē-mē-ə] -n, adj

  1. the presence of glucose in the blood

glycemic index -n

  1. a measure of the rate at which ingested food causes the level of glucose in the blood to rise
  2. a ranking of foods according to the glycemic index

glyc·er·al·de·hyde [,gli-sə-'ral-də-,hīd] -n

  1. a sweet crystalline compound C 3H 6O 3that is formed as an intermediate in carbohydrate metabolism by the breakdown of sugars and that yields glycerol on reduction

gly·cer·ic acid [gli-'ser-ik-] -n

  1. a syrupy acid C 3H 6O 4obtainable by oxidation of glycerol or glyceraldehyde

glyc·er·ide ['gli-sə-,rīd] -n, adj

  1. an ester of glycerol esp. with fatty acids

glyc·er·in ['glis-rən, 'gli-sə-] -n

  1. glycerol

glyc·er·in·ate ['glis-rə-,nāt, 'gli-sə-] -vt

  1. to treat with or preserve in glycerin

glyc·er·ol ['gli-sə-,rȯl, -,rōl] -n

  1. a sweet syrupy hygroscopic trihydroxy alcohol C 3H 8O 3usu. obtained by the saponification of fats

glyc·er·yl ['glis-rəl, 'gli-sə-] -n

  1. a radical derived from glycerol by removal of hydroxide
  2. a trivalent radical CH 2CHCH 2

gly·cine ['glī-,sēn, 'glī-sᵊn] -n

  1. a sweet crystalline amino acid C 2H 5NO 2obtained esp. by hydrolysis of proteins

gly·co·al·ka·loid [,glī-kō-'al-kə-,lȯid] -n

  1. a bitter compound (as solanine) occurring in various plants and consisting of a glycoside of an alkaloid

gly·co·gen ['glī-kə-jən] -n

  1. a white amorphous tasteless polysaccharide (C 6H 10O 5) x that is the principal form in which glucose is stored in animal tissues and esp. muscle and liver tissue

gly·co·gen·e·sis [,glī-kə-'je-nə-səs] -n

  1. the formation and storage of glycogen

gly·co·gen·ol·y·sis [,glī-kə-jə-'nä-lə-səs] -n, adj

  1. the breakdown of glycogen esp. to glucose in the animal body

gly·col ['glī-,kȯl, -,kōl] -n

  1. diol
  2. ethylene glycol

gly·col·ic acid [(,)glī-'kä-lik-] -n

  1. an alpha hydroxy acid C 2H 4O 3found esp. in unripe grapes and sugar beets and used esp. in textile and leather processing and in skin-care treatments esp. as an exfoliant

gly·co·lip·id [,glī-kō-'li-pəd] -n

  1. a lipid (as a ganglioside or a cerebroside) that contains a carbohydrate radical

gly·col·y·sis [glī-'kä-lə-səs] -n, adj

  1. the enzymatic breakdown of a carbohydrate (as glucose) by way of phosphate derivatives with the production of pyruvic or lactic acid and energy stored in high-energy phosphate bonds of ATP

gly·co·pep·tide [,glī-kō-'pep-,tīd] -n

  1. glycoprotein

gly·co·pro·tein [-'prō-,tēn, -'prō-tē-ən] -n

  1. a conjugated protein in which the nonprotein group is a carbohydrate

gly·cos·ami·no·gly·can [,glī-kō-sə-,mē-nō-'glī-,kan, -kō-,sa-mə-nō-] -n

  1. any of various polysaccharides derived from an amino hexose that are constituents of mucoproteins, glycoproteins, and blood-group substances called also mucopolysaccharide

gly·co·si·dase [glī-'kō-sə-,dās, -zə-,dāz] -n

  1. an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of a bond joining a sugar of a glycoside to an alcohol or another sugar unit

gly·co·side ['glī-kə-,sīd] -n, adj, adv

  1. any of numerous sugar derivatives that contain a nonsugar group bonded to an oxygen or nitrogen atom and that on hydrolysis yield a sugar (as glucose)

gly·cos·uria [,glī-kō-'shu̇r-ē-ə, ,glī-kəs-'yu̇r-] -n

  1. the presence in the urine of abnormal amounts of sugar

gly·co·syl ['glī-kə-,sil] -n

  1. a monovalent radical derived from a cyclic form of glucose by removal of the hemiacetal hydroxyl group

gly·co·syl·a·tion [,glī-kō-sə-'lā-shən] -n, vt

  1. the process of adding glycosyl radicals to a protein to form a glycoprotein

gly·cyl ['glī-səl] -n

  1. the monovalent acyl radical NH 2CH 2CO of glycine

glyph ['glif] -n, adj

  1. an ornamental vertical groove esp. in a Doric frieze
  2. a symbolic figure or a character (as in the Mayan system of writing) usu. incised or carved in relief
  3. a symbol (as a curved arrow on a road sign) that conveys information nonverbally

glyph·o·sate ['gli-fə-,sāt, 'glī-] -n

  1. a systemic organophosphate herbicide C 3H 8NO 5P used to control herbaceous and woody weeds esp. on croplands

Glyp·tal ['glip-tᵊl] -trademark

  1. used for an alkyd

glyp·tic ['glip-tik] -n

  1. the art or process of carving or engraving esp. on gems