Words starting with:
A
Words Explainer
www.okram.fraback
adverb
Backwards; back.
phrasal verb
to be taken aback
To be or become very surprised or deeply shocked.
Examples:
From all happenings, Bruno was taken aback mainly by Doctor Barton's subsequent reaction: He stopped the comers with a firm gesture and did not allow them to run to the collapsed hostess's easement. Ohhh, were they documentarily dealing with a weirdish, deep-down malicious man after all? (Context: Grandma Estela seems to be having a fit on the floor in her kitchen. Dr∙ Barton stops everyone, and they are not allowed to help her. What's going on?? Source: J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.)
abashed
adjective
Made to feel uneasy or uncomfortable by something shown, said, or done; embarrassed; disconcerted.
Examples:
The abashed Buba pushed his suitcase back beside the bed, and Mam looked at her watch. It was high time to leave if they were not to miss their hookup with Doctor Barton. (Context: Mam and Bruno visited Buba in his dormitory room and discovered the inhumane conditions he suffered. Source: J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.)
abate
verb
Infinitive: abate
3rd person: abates
Present: abating
Gerund: abating
Past: abated
Perfect: abated
To end, terminate, reduce, or alleviate something.
Examples:
Mam was plaintively recounting their travails with the social custodian lady, and Doctor Barton continued pondering stiffly. He sympathetically muttered that if it were in his power to abate a mere half a per cent of the worriments in his own microsphere, the world would look different. But even he himself supposed he had to stay away from certain kinds of people whenever possible. Or at least to keep them at arm's length. And he definitely wasn't omnipotent. (Context: Dr∙ Barton thinks hard about how he could help the Boleks harassed by the administrative oversight of their family life. He makes it clear upfront that fighting dysfunctional state authorities will not be easy. Source: J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.)
abdomen
noun
Plural: abdomens, abdomina
The body part between the chest and the pelvis; belly; tummy; stomach.
Examples:
If I stabbed someone in the abdomen with that kitchen knife and then stitched up the wound, they might fall into shock from the pain I caused - and perhaps even die on the spot. However, the story would be very different if I had first put them under anaesthesia. After cutting open their tummy and suturing it up the same way, they would only suffer minor post-operative discomfort. The injury would be comparably damageous, but their overall condition should be more or less fine. (Context: Dr∙ Barton compares the outcomes of physical injuries with and without the influence of nerve-blocking medicines. He uses this analogy before going to compare somatic and mental traumas, including the role of neuro-psychiatric medications in healing. Source: J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.)
abecedary
noun
Plural: abecedaries, abecedaria, abecedariums
1. The alphabet, a list of all characters for teaching purposes; abecedarium.
2. A person who teaches or learns the alphabet; abecedarian.
3. Figuratively, a handbook presenting the basics of some art, science, or another discipline; primer; syllabary.
Examples:
—What does the secret scripture say?— Bruno wondered about the black drawing.
—Huhh... I wish I knew. But I don't think it's writing. Not in the sense of letters of an abecedary or signary. Most likely, we are looking at pictograms. (Context: Dr∙ Barton and his aides are trying to interpret a mysterious sign that appeared on a walled-off door of a haunted house's secret room. Source: J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.)
adjective
Ordered by alphabet; alphabetical.
aberthe
verb
Infinitive: aberthe
3rd person: aberthes
Gerund: aberthing
Present: aberthing
Past: aberthed
Perfect: aberthed
To sleep in a bed or dwell somewhere in general. Especially: To occupy a small room or chamber and/or sleep on a shelflike bed or bunkbed on a ship, train, etc∙.
Examples:
This will be the sleeproom parentical. Just temporary. Because dignified it is not, for a scholar distinguished, to aberthe in an ordinary bedroom! (Context: A visiting family will be spending a night unexpectedly on 5 Misty Road. Grandma Estela prepares rooms for them, frustrated that she did not have enough upfront time to do it properly. Source: J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.)
Translations:
Slovak / Slovenčina (SK): ložírovať
abiwuiwui
adverb
Mispronounced (speech-defective) form of: abidingly.
aboutish
adverb
Roughly about; somewhat approximately.
aboveboard
adjective
Direct, open and honest; sincere; straightforward.
abow
noun
Plural: abowf, abouws
Mispronounced (speech-defective) form of: labour, labor.
accrescent
adjective
Becoming bigger or thicker; growing; enlarging; increasing; enriching; expanding; thickening. Specific use: in botany, continuing to grow after flowering.
Examples:
The left sidewing of the competition peloton hit a miry terrain, where mud began to splash around from under the armchairs' rearlegs. The affected competitors paid no heed to the unplanned inconvenience and manly braved the bombarding spray. Mucked up from head to toe, they stalwartly continued in their efforts to overtake the closest rivals. Their bright teeth and the whites of their eyes periodically flashed in the brownish seaful of the accrescent layer of khaki paint. (Context: Grandma Estela watches some weird TV show with racing armchairs and sofas. The contestants now run through a muddy terrain, which makes the rear jockeys covered in increasingly more dirt with every dash. Source: J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.)
aftertoasting
noun
Plural: aftertoastings
The subsequent frying or baking to make something crispy after performing previous procedures; end-toasting; final browning or crispening when the prepared food is done enough for eating but not yet entirely perfect.
Examples:
The first-baked surface can sometimes become partially softened by the escaping hot vapours, but this is quickly corrected by re-flipping it over. This additive aftertoasting is not counterproductive: The second surface does not have the opportunity to dampen in the few minutes sufficient to re-crisp up the first surface. (Source: J∙ Okram - Bartonian Potato Pancakes ● Cooking Recipe.)
aleatory
adjective
Occurring or picked by chance; random; accidental.
Examples:
A congruent fact is that this corresponding light spot must have been powered up sometime around the time of the forementioned visit to the cellar. One evening I was passing this inherited map hanging in my library. That's when I fortuitously noticed the dim glow on it, so the exact dating of the luminescence's start cannot be precisely retrospected.
—How did you rule out aleatory coincidence?
—I didn't. It could have been a non-causative concurrence. (Context: It was discovered that a boy named Bruno had entered Mr∙ Grosman's cellar at about the time when Dr∙ Barton's map started to show a glowing spot on precisely the same address. The question is whether such co-occurrence was a causative coincidence or just a random confluence of mutually unrelated events with similar timing. Source: J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.)
Translations:
Slovak / Slovenčina (SK): náhodný
almanac
noun
Plural: almanacs
Alternatives: almanack / pl∙ almanacks; almanach / pl∙ almanachs
An annual collection of texts; yearbook; compendium. Figuratively: a thick book.
Examples:
—Estela? Estela!— Doctor Barton called and also went to press the call button on the wall as well. He waited patiently by the door to the anteroom. —Estela, we will have invitees staying for the night. Will you please prepare guest rooms for the Boleks?
—Even the master engineer consentated?
—They are all staying.
—Oyy, I am dedusting the books. I've got them all unshelved! Disordered and trumpered roomaround! I didn't know... A shame it will be...
—What books?
—Well, almanacks your scientific of course. In the professorial room. The whole bedspread is overcrammed with them. The telegraph uncabled, bedtop undusted, oyoyoy...
—I meant the marital room, for grown-ups, and for the bo-...
—For such a highly educated gentleman? Woman could disturb him. Sodom and Gomorrah...
—Estelaaa... Mister engineer is already sleeping here on his chair. Please...? (Source: J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.)
—Have the Plettker almanacs been opened again?— Doctor Barton logicalised in a semi-sarcastic voice. The host has just developed a sudden suspicion that something not quite usual was underway at his table. (Source: J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.)
Translations:
Slovak / Slovenčina (SK): almanach; ročenka; kompendium
antehistory
noun
Plural: antehistories
The era before the history of humankind started to be recorded in written; pre-literary history; prehistory.
appurtenance
noun
Plural: appurtenances
Attachment; accessory.
Examples:
—If reluctance would be whelming over him,— Grandma turned intimately to Mam. In a lowered voice, she presented her the various parts of the unpacked appurtenances: —...we have the screw-onto adjunct. Herewith you dock the feeder fitment behind the chops; you see the gutterbit, this one here? The patented snap-collar holds the teeth fixily aparted. It's also protective, so the choppers wouldn't break if the fedbody jerks. Then the head reins are flung over. All three headbelts must be tightened up! We bolt the system to the mincer, grip the crank boldly, and we can twist. (Context: Grandma Estela explains how to use the feeding grinder and how to attach it to the fed person's mouth. Source: J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.)
I think I should better wait for Doctor Barton along with you. His undeveloped films must wait. It will be best not to start my work until all the appurtenances are in place. (Context: Hubert needs to develop films and photographs, but Grandma Estela is using Dr∙ Barton's photo lab trays for soaking laundry. She is also indiscreet before a visiting boy, so Hubert better decides to wait there and keep an eye on her. Source: J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.)
armstick
noun
Plural: armsticks
Upper limbs; arms; hands.
Examples:
Well done, young master. You can rinse now. Armsticks first. So. Now soak one end of the towel. Bewipe both faces. Now... Turn it to the clean side, and once more... Good. And behind the ears. There, there. (Context: Grandma Estela is teaching Bruno oldfangled bedside hygiene rituals before his first night on 5 Misty Road. Source: J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.)
athandy
adjective
Comparative: athandier
Superlative: athandiest
Approximative: athandyish
Located at hand; easily reachable; readily accessible.
Examples:
—You can even inlocke yourself [in the bathroom] from innerside if you're shyful. Or a fearbag. And don't push the red button. Inasmuch the klosethilfung is summoned by that.
Bruno didn't understand.
—That's such a kind of a rescuator. The athandy sort. Helpmanship for old people. The ringer alarmic. What, am I saying anything goodless? Well, you know, when oldsters are stricken by a backpain, when they're being circled headaround by a fit, such things when enthreatening them. Elseway, if they are nigh to befaint on the seathole. (Context: Grandma Estela is showing Bruno the toilet located outside the Bartons' apartment. In her archaic language, she informs him of special accessories therein. Source: J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.)
Translations:
Slovak / Slovenčina (SK): dosažný; príručný; pohotovostný
attractivise
verb
Infinitive: attractivise (UK) / attractivize (US)
3rd person: attractivises (UK) / attractivizes (US)
Present: attractivising (UK) / attractivizing (US)
Gerund: attractivizing (UK) / attractivizing (US)
Past: attractivised (UK) / attractivized (US)
Perfect: attractivised (UK) / attractivized (US)
To cause to be or make attractive or more attractive / appealing / wantable / enjoyable; beautify; enhance; improve.
Examples:
An amateur's debuting trials should start with smaller chunks. Later, advanced cookers can venture to attractivise feasts with mega-sized jumbo dumplings and their fat-free modifications (both of which require mastery precision). (Source: J∙ Okram - Semolina Dumplings for Soups ● Cooking Recipe.)