ut ['ət, 'üt, 'u̇t] -n

  1. a syllable used for the first note in the diatonic scale in an early solmization system and later replaced by do

UT -abbr

  1. Universal time
  2. Utah

UTC -abbr

  1. Coordinated Universal Time

ut dict -abbr

  1. as directed

Ute ['yüt] -n

  1. a member of an American Indian people orig. ranging through Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico
  2. the Uto-Aztecan language of the Ute people

uten·sil [yu̇-'ten(t)-səl, 'yü-,] -n

  1. an implement, instrument, or vessel used in a household and esp. a kitchen
  2. a useful tool or implement

uter·ine ['yü-tə-,rīn, -rən] -adj

  1. born of the same mother but by a different father
    • uterine brothers
  2. of, relating to, or affecting the uterus
    • uterine cancer
    • the uterine lining

uter·us ['yü-tə-rəs, 'yü-trəs] -n

  1. a muscular organ of the female mammal for containing and usu. for nourishing the young during development prior to birth called also womb
  2. a structure in some lower animals analogous to the uterus in which eggs or young develop

Uther ['ü-thər, 'yü-] -n

  1. a legendary British king and father of Arthur

UTI -abbr

  1. urinary tract infection

util -abbr

  1. utility

utile ['yü-tᵊl, 'yü-,tī(-ə)l] -adj

  1. useful

uti·lise ['yü-tə-,līz] -vt, adj, n

(variant of utilize)

  1. to make use of : turn to practical use or account
    • I'm a great person for utilizing waste power -- Robert Frost

util·i·tar·i·an [(,)yü-,ti-lə-'ter-ē-ən] -n

  1. an advocate or adherent of utilitarianism

utilitarian -adj

  1. of or relating to or advocating utilitarianism
  2. marked by utilitarian views or practices
  3. of, relating to, or aiming at utility
  4. exhibiting or preferring mere utility
    • spare utilitarian furnishings

util·i·tar·i·an·ism [-ē-ə-,ni-zəm] -n

  1. a doctrine that the useful is the good and that the determining consideration of right conduct should be the usefulness of its consequences
  2. a theory that the aim of action should be the largest possible balance of pleasure over pain or the greatest happiness of the greatest number
  3. utilitarian character, spirit, or quality

util·i·ty [yü-'ti-lə-tē] -n

  1. fitness for some purpose or worth to some end
  2. something useful or designed for use
  3. public utility
  4. a service (as light, power, or water) provided by a public utility
  5. equipment or a piece of equipment to provide such service or a comparable service
  6. a program or routine designed to perform or facilitate esp. routine operations (as copying files or editing text) on a computer

utility -adj

  1. capable of serving as a substitute in various roles or positions
    • a utility infielder
  2. kept to provide a useful product or service rather than for show or as a pet
    • utility livestock
    • a utility dog
  3. being of a usable but inferior grade
    • utility beef
  4. serving primarily for utility rather than beauty : utilitarian
  5. designed or adapted for general use
    • a utility tool
  6. of or relating to a utility
    • a utility company

utility knife -n

  1. a knife designed for general use
    • a chef's utility knife
  2. a cutting tool having a sharp replaceable blade that can be retracted into a usu. metal handle

utilization review -n

  1. a critical evaluation (as by a physician or nurse) of health-care services provided to patients that is made esp. for the purpose of controlling costs and monitoring quality of care

uti·lize ['yü-tə-,līz] -vt, adj, n

  1. to make use of : turn to practical use or account
    • I'm a great person for utilizing waste power -- Robert Frost

ut·most ['ət-,mōst, esp Southern -məst] -adj

  1. situated at the farthest or most distant point : extreme
    • the utmost point of the earth -- John Hunt
  2. of the greatest or highest degree, quantity, number, or amount
    • a matter of utmost concern

utmost -n

  1. the most possible : the extreme limit : the highest attainable point or degree
    • the utmost in reliability
  2. the highest, greatest, or best of one's abilities, powers, and resources
    • will do our utmost to help

UtoAz·tec·an [,yü-tō-'az-,te-kən] -n, adj

  1. a family of American Indian languages spoken by peoples from the U.S. Great Basin south to Central America

uto·pia [yu̇-'tō-pē-ə] -n

  1. an imaginary and indefinitely remote place
  2. a place of ideal perfection esp. in laws, government, and social conditions
  3. an impractical scheme for social improvement

uto·pi·an [-pē-ən] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a utopia
  2. having impossibly ideal conditions esp. of social organization
  3. proposing or advocating impractically ideal social and political schemes
    • utopian idealists
  4. impossibly ideal : visionary
    • recognised the utopian nature of his hopes -- C. S. Kilby
  5. believing in, advocating, or having the characteristics of utopian socialism
    • utopian doctrines
    • utopian novels

utopian -n

  1. one who believes in the perfectibility of human society
  2. one who proposes or advocates utopian schemes

uto·pi·an·ism [-pē-ə-,ni-zəm] -n

  1. a utopian idea or theory
  2. the body of ideas, views, or aims of a utopian

utopian socialism -n

  1. socialism based on a belief that social ownership of the means of production can be achieved by voluntary and peaceful surrender of their holdings by propertied groups

uto·pism ['yü-tə-,pi-zəm, yu̇-'tō-] -n, adj

  1. utopianism

utri·cle ['yü-tri-kəl] -n, adj

  1. : any of various small pouches or saccate parts of an animal or plant: as
  2. the part of the membranous labyrinth of the inner ear into which the semicircular canals open
  3. a small usu. indehiscent one-seeded fruit with thin membranous pericarp

utric·u·lus [yu̇-'tri-kyə-ləs] -n

  1. utricle

ut·ter ['ə-tər] -adj, adv

  1. carried to the utmost point or highest degree : absolute, total
    • utter darkness
    • utter strangers

utter ['ə-tə-rə-bəl] -vb, adj, n

  1. to offer for sale
  2. to send forth as a sound
    • utter a sigh
  3. to give utterance to : pronounce, speak
    • refused to utter his name
  4. to give public expression to : express in words
    • utter an opinion
  5. to put (as currency) into circulation
  6. to circulate (as a counterfeit note) as if legal or genuine
    • utter false tokens
  7. to put forth or out : discharge
  8. to make a statement or sound

ut·ter·ance ['ə-tə-rən(t)s, 'ə-trən(t)s] -n

  1. the last extremity : bitter end
  2. something uttered
  3. an oral or written statement : a stated or published expression
  4. vocal expression : speech
  5. power, style, or manner of speaking

ut·ter·most ['ə-tər-,mōst] -adj

  1. outermost
  2. extreme, utmost

uttermost -n

  1. utmost
    • to the uttermost of our capacity -- H. S. Truman

Uturn ['yü-,tərn] -n

  1. a turn resembling the letter U
  2. a 180-degree turn made by a vehicle in a road
  3. something (as a reversal of policy) resembling a U-turn