English words for 'The act of generalizing, or making less specific.'
Closest matches for "The act of generalizing, or making less specific." are ranked by semantic fit across dictionary definitions.
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verb
- To speak in generalities, or in vague terms.
- To spread throughout the body and become systemic.
- To infer or induce from specific cases to more general cases or principles.
- To derive or deduce (a general concept or principle) from particular facts.
- draw from specific cases for more general cases
- cater to popular taste to make popular and present to the general public; bring into general or common use
- become systemic and spread throughout the body
- speak or write in generalities
adj
- General rather than specific.
- Extended, in the sense of diffused; open; clear; full.
- Plain; evident.
- Wide in extent or scope.
- (Gaelic languages) Velarized, i.e. not palatalized.
- Comprehensive; liberal; enlarged.
- (of an accent) Strongly regional.
- Having a large measure of any thing or quality; unlimited; unrestrained.
- (writing) Unsubtle; obvious.
- Free; unrestrained; unconfined.
- lacking subtlety; obvious
- not detailed or specific
- being at a peak or culminating point
- showing or characterized by broad-mindedness
- having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
- (of speech) heavily and noticeably regional
- broad in scope or content
- very large in expanse or scope
noun
- A lathe tool for turning down the insides and bottoms of cylinders.
- (UK) A shallow lake, one of a number of bodies of water in eastern Norfolk and Suffolk.
- (film, television) A kind of floodlight.
- (UK, historical) A British gold coin worth 20 shillings, issued by the Commonwealth of England in 1656.
- slang term for a woman
noun
- The act of comparing commonality between distinct objects and organizing using those similarities; the act of generalizing characteristics; the product of said generalization.
- (geology) The merging of two river valleys by the larger of the two deepening and widening so much so, as to assimilate the smaller.
- Absence or absorption of mind; inattention to present objects; preoccupation.
- The act of focusing on one characteristic of an object rather than the object as a whole group of characteristics; the act of separating said qualities from the object or ideas.
- A member of an idealized subgroup when contemplated according to the abstracted quality which defines the subgroup.
- (computing) Hiding implementation details from the interface of a component, to decrease complexity through interdependency and improve modularity; a construct that serves as such.
- (engineering) Removal of water from a river, lake, or aquifer.
- Any characteristic of an individual object when that characteristic has been separated from the object and is contemplated alone as a quality having independent existence.
- A separation from worldly objects; a recluse life; the withdrawal from one's senses.
- The act of abstracting, separating, withdrawing, or taking away; withdrawal; the state of being taken away.
- (euphemistic) The taking surreptitiously for one's own use part of the property of another; purloining.
- An idea of an idealistic, unrealistic or visionary nature.
- The result of mentally abstracting an idea; the product of any mental process involving a synthesis of: separation, despecification, generalization, and ideation in any of a number of combinations.
- (chemistry) A separation of volatile parts by the act of distillation.
- (art) An abstract creation, or piece of art; qualities of artwork that are free from representational aspects.
- An idea or notion of an abstract or theoretical nature.
- a general concept formed by extracting common features from specific examples
- a concept or idea not associated with any specific instance
- the act of withdrawing or removing something
- an abstract painting
- the process of formulating general concepts by abstracting common properties of instances
- preoccupation with something to the exclusion of all else
noun
- The state of being specific rather than general.
- (statistics) The probability, in a binary classification test, of a true negative being correctly identified.
- (medicine) The extent to which a particular diagnostic test is specific for, or a symptom or sign is specific to, a given condition.
- the quality of being specific to a particular organism
- the quality of being specific rather than general
verb
- To state, or estimate, approximately or loosely; to characterize without strict regard to fact.
- (transitive) To declare in advance.
- (transitive, with into) To cause to be verbally subjected to.
- (Yorkshire, transitive) To scold.
- (transitive) To predict.
- (transitive, colloquial) To lay claim to an object or role which is up for grabs.
- (baseball, cricket) (of a fielder): To shout to other fielders that he intends to take a catch (thus avoiding collisions).
- To stop at a station or port.
- (transitive) To formally recognise a death: especially to announce and record the time, place and fact of a person’s death.
- (transitive, finance) To announce the early extinction of a debt by prepayment, usually at a premium.
- (ambitransitive) To contact by telephone.
- (intransitive) To request, summon, or beckon.
- (intransitive, poker, proscribed) To match the current bet amount, in preparation for a raise in the same turn. (Usually, players are forbidden to announce one's play this way.)
- (cricket) (of a batsman): To shout directions to the other batsman on whether or not they should take a run.
- (intransitive, poker) To equal the same amount that other players are currently betting.
- To come to pass; to afflict.
- (transitive, computing) To jump to (another part of a program); to perform some operation, returning to the original point on completion.
- (transitive, banking) To demand repayment of a loan.
- (passive voice) Of a person, to have as one's name; of a thing, to have as its name.
- (transitive) To utter in a loud or distinct voice.
- (transitive, sometimes with for) To require, demand.
- (ditransitive) To name or refer to.
- To pay a (social) visit (often used with "on", "round", or "at"; used by salespeople with "again" to invite customers to come again).
- (sports) To make a decision as a referee or umpire.
- (billiards) To tell in advance which shot one is attempting.
- (transitive, jazz) To request that one's band play (a particular tune).
- (transitive) To rouse from sleep; to awaken.
- (transitive) To claim the existence of some malfeasance; to denounce as.
- To declare (an effort or project) to be a failure.
- (intransitive) To cry or shout.
- (transitive) To state, or invoke a rule, in many games such as bridge, craps, jacks, and so on.
- lure by imitating the characteristic call of an animal
- make a stop in a harbour
- consider or regard as being
- send a message or attempt to reach someone by radio, phone, etc.; make a signal to in order to transmit a message
- give the calls (to the dancers) for a square dance
- order, request, or command to come
- assign a specified (usually proper) name to
- present for redemption before maturation
- utter a sudden loud cry
- make a demand, as for a card or a suit or a show of hands
- indicate a decision in regard to
- pay a brief visit
- utter a characteristic note or cry
- get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone
- challenge (somebody) to make good on a statement; charge with or censure for an offense
- rouse somebody from sleep with a call
- challenge the sincerity or truthfulness of
- order, summon, or request for a specific duty or activity, work, role
- call a meeting; invite or command to meet
- read aloud to check for omissions or absentees
- ascribe a quality to or give a name of a common noun that reflects a quality
- demand payment of (a loan)
- greet, as with a prescribed form, title, or name
- utter in a loud voice or announce
- declare in the capacity of an umpire or referee
- order or request or give a command for
- make a prediction about; tell in advance
- stop or postpone because of adverse conditions, such as bad weather
noun
- (nautical) A whistle or pipe, used by the boatswain and his mate to summon the sailors to duty.
- (nautical) A visit by a ship or boat to a port.
- A telephone conversation; a phone call.
- A note blown on the horn to encourage the dogs in a hunt.
- (finance) Ellipsis of call option.
- An invitation to take charge of or serve a church as its pastor.
- (in negative constructions) Need; necessity.
- A statement of a particular state, or rule, made in many games such as bridge, craps, jacks, and so on.
- (poker) The act of matching a bet made by a player who has previously bet in the same round of betting.
- A short visit, usually for social purposes.
- (cricket) The act of calling to the other batsman.
- A decision or judgement.
- (cricket) The state of being the batsman whose role it is to call (depends on where the ball goes.)
- A pipe or other instrument to call birds or animals by imitating their note or cry. A game call.
- A cry or shout.
- The right to speak at a given time during a debate or other public event; the floor.
- An instance of calling someone on the telephone.
- (uncountable) A work shift which requires one to be available when requested, i.e. on call.
- (informal, slang, prostitution) A meeting with a client for paid sex; hookup; job.
- (computing) The act of jumping to a subprogram, saving the means to return to the original point.
- (law) A lawyer who was called to the bar (became licensed as a lawyer) in a specified year.
- A beckoning or summoning.
- The characteristic cry of a bird or other animal.
- (US, law) A reference to, or statement of, an object, course, distance, or other matter of description in a survey or grant requiring or calling for a corresponding object, etc., on the land.
- a demand
- a brief social visit
- a demand for a show of hands in a card game
- (sports) the decision made by an umpire or referee
- a visit in an official or professional capacity
- a demand by a broker that a customer deposit enough to bring their margin up to the minimum requirement
- a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
- the characteristic sound produced by a bird
- a request
- a method of contacting a person by phone
- the option to buy a given stock (or stock index or commodity future) at a given price before a given date
- a special disposition (as if from a divine source) to pursue a particular course
- an instruction that interrupts the program being executed
noun
- a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct
- a basic truth or law or assumption
- (law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature)
- a rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system
- a rule or standard especially of good behavior
- rule of personal conduct
- A fundamental essence, particularly one producing a given quality.
- An original faculty or endowment.
- A fundamental assumption or guiding belief.
- (sometimes pluralized) Moral rule or aspect.
- A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.
- (physics) A rule or law of nature, or the basic idea on how the laws of nature are applied.
- Misspelling of principal.
- A chemical compound within plant or animal tissue that is characteristic of it and more or less peculiar to it, such that it defines the character of that tissue from a human viewpoint (as for example nicotine in tobacco).
- A rule used to choose among solutions to a problem.
verb
noun
- a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct
- prescribed guide for conduct or action
- (mathematics) a standard procedure for solving a class of mathematical problems
- the duration of a monarch's or government's power
- any one of a systematic body of regulations defining the way of life of members of a religious order
- (linguistics) a rule describing (or prescribing) a linguistic practice
- measuring stick consisting of a strip of wood or metal or plastic with a straight edge that is used for drawing straight lines and measuring lengths
- dominance or power through legal authority
- directions that define the way a game or sport is to be conducted
- a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior
- a rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system
- something regarded as a normative example
- A straight line (continuous mark, as made by a pen or the like), especially one lying across a paper as a guide for writing.
- A regulating principle.
- A ruler; device for measuring, a straightedge, a measure.
- (law) An order regulating the practice of the courts, or an order made between parties to an action or a suit.
- (mathematics) A determinate method prescribed for performing any operation and producing a certain result.
- A regulation, law, guideline.
- (uncountable) The act of ruling; administration of law; government; empire; authority; control.
- A normal condition or state of affairs.
verb
- be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance
- have an affinity with; of signs of the zodiac
- decide with authority
- exercise authority over; as of nations
- mark or draw with a ruler
- keep in check
- be excellent or outstanding
- decide on and make a declaration about
- (transitive, stative) To regulate, be in charge of, make decisions for, reign over.
- (transitive) To mark (paper or the like) with rules (lines).
- (slang, intransitive, stative) To excel.
- (intransitive) To decide judicially.
- (transitive) To establish or settle by, or as by, a rule; to fix by universal or general consent, or by common practice.
verb
- (transitive) To belabour, to emphasise or expand upon (a point in a debate, etc).
- To suffer the pangs of childbirth.
- To be oppressed with difficulties or disease; to do one's work under conditions which make it especially hard or wearisome; to move slowly, as against opposition, or under a burden.
- (nautical) To pitch or roll heavily, as a ship in a turbulent sea.
- (intransitive) To toil, to work.
- strive and make an effort to reach a goal
- work hard
- undergo the efforts of childbirth
noun
- (uncountable) Workers in general; the working class, the workforce; sometimes specifically the labour movement, organised labour.
- (historical) A traditional unit of area in Mexico and Texas, equivalent to 177.1 acres or 71.67 ha.
- The time period during which a mother gives birth.
- (uncountable) A political party or force aiming or claiming to represent the interests of labour.
- An effort expended on a particular task; toil, work.
- (uncommon, zoology) A group of moles.
- That which requires hard work for its accomplishment; that which demands effort.
- (medicine, obstetrics) The act or process of a mother giving birth.
- (nautical) The pitching or tossing of a vessel which results in the straining of timbers and rigging.
- an organized attempt by workers to improve their status by united action (particularly via labor unions) or the leaders of this movement
- concluding state of pregnancy; from the onset of contractions to the birth of a child
- productive work (especially physical work done for wages)
- a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
- any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
verb
- (transitive) To bring forth in general.
- (transitive) To plant with fungal spawn.
- (intransitive) To reproduce, especially in large numbers.
- (ergative, video games) To appear, or cause (something or someone) to appear, spontaneously in a game world at a particular place and time.
- (transitive) To induce (aquatic organisms) to spawn.
- (transitive) To produce or deposit (eggs) in water.
- (intransitive, figuratively, Internet slang, humorous) Of a person or non-egg-laying animal: to be born.
- (intransitive) To deposit (numerous) eggs in water.
- (ergative, figuratively, Internet slang) To appear, or cause (something or someone) to appear, unexpectedly and seemingly out of nowhere.
- (transitive) To generate, bring into being, especially non-mammalian beings in very large numbers.
- lay spawn
- call forth
noun
- (video games) Synonym of spawn point.
- The numerous eggs of an aquatic organism.
- (horticulture) The buds or branches produced from underground stems.
- (often derogatory) Children; offspring.
- Any germ or seed, even a figurative source.
- Mushroom mycelium prepared for (aided) propagation.
- the mass of eggs deposited by fish or amphibians or molluscs
noun
- a general kind of something
- (biology) taxonomic group containing one or more species
- (by ellipsis) A taxon at this rank.
- (topology, graph theory, algebraic geometry) A natural number representing any of several related measures of the complexity of a given manifold or graph.
- (music) A type of tuning or intonation, used within an Ancient Greek tetrachord.
- (biology, taxonomy) A category in the classification of organisms, ranking below family (Lat. familia) and above species.
- (semantics) Within a definition, a broader category of the defined concept.
- A group with common attributes.
noun
- (figuratively) A subtle variation in a concept.
- (figuratively, in the plural) An aspect that is reminiscent of something.
- (countable) A postage stamp showing an obvious difference in colour/color to the original printing and needing a separate catalogue/catalog entry.
- (uncountable) Darkness where light, particularly sunlight, is blocked.
- (historical) A candle-shade.
- (countable) A cover around or above a light bulb, a lampshade.
- A very small degree of a quantity, or variety of meaning
- (countable) Something that blocks light, particularly in a window.
- (chiefly literary and fantasy) A ghost or specter; a spirit.
- (countable) A variety of a color, in particular one obtained by adding black (compare tint).
- (uncountable, originally LGBTQ slang) Subtle insults.
- relative darkness caused by light rays being intercepted by an opaque body
- protective covering that protects something from direct sunlight
- a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude
- a representation of the effect of shadows in a picture or drawing (as by shading or darker pigment)
- a mental representation of some haunting experience
- a position of relative inferiority
- a protective ornamental covering for a lamp, used to screen a light bulb from direct view
- a slight amount or degree of difference
- a quality of a given color that differs slightly from another color
verb
- (transitive, slang) To throw shade, to subtly insult someone.
- (transitive) To darken, particularly in drawing.
- (intransitive, rare) To shield oneself from light.
- (intransitive, baseball, of a defensive player) To move slightly from one's normal fielding position.
- To win by a narrow margin.
- (intransitive) To vary or approach something slightly, particularly in color.
- (transitive, graphical user interface) To reduce (a window) so that only its title bar is visible.
- (transitive) To shield (someone or something) from light.
- (transitive) To alter slightly.
- represent the effect of shade or shadow on
- protect from light, heat, or view
- vary slightly
- pass from one quality such as color to another by a slight degree
- cast a shadow over
verb
- (transitive) To take up as an example.
- (transitive) To think about seriously.
- (intransitive) To think about something seriously or carefully: to deliberate.
- To believe or opine (that).
- To have regard to; to take into view or account; to pay due attention to; to respect.
- (transitive) To look at attentively.
- (transitive, parliamentary procedure) To debate (or dispose of) a motion.
- (transitive) To think about whether one will do (an action); to weigh as a possible course of action.
- (ditransitive) To assign some quality to.
- take into consideration for exemplifying purposes
- judge or regard; look upon; judge
- regard or treat with consideration, respect, and esteem
- deem to be
- give careful consideration to
- look at attentively
- think about carefully; weigh
- look at carefully; study mentally
- show consideration for; take into account
noun
- The action of representing (something) as slight and trifling; underrating; an instance of this, a plea to this end; a modification in terms.
- (US, humorous, in the plural as “extenuations”) Thin garments.
- The action of lessening, or seeking to lessen, the guilt of (an offence or fault) by alleging partial excuses; and instance or means of doing this; a plea in mitigation of censure.
- The action or process of making or becoming thin; an instance of this; a shrunken condition; leanness, emaciation.
- to act in such a way as to cause an offense to seem less serious
- a partial excuse to mitigate censure; an attempt to represent an offense as less serious than it appears by showing mitigating circumstances
noun
- An act or instance of generalizing; concluding that something true of a subclass is true of the entire class.
- (mathematics) A proof, axiom, problem, or definition that includes another's cases, and also some additional cases; a conclusion reached by inferring from specific cases to more general cases or principles.
- The formulation of general concepts from specific instances by abstracting common properties.
- An oversimplified or exaggerated conception, opinion, or image of the members of a group.
- Inductive reasoning from detailed facts to general principles.
- an idea or conclusion having general application
- (psychology) transfer of a response learned to one stimulus to a similar stimulus
- reasoning from detailed facts to general principles
- the process of formulating general concepts by abstracting common properties of instances
adj
- Imprecise or vague.
- (botany, of inflorescences) Not topped with some form of terminal bud.
- Intersex.
- (mathematical analysis, of certain forms of limit) Not definitively or precisely determined, because of the presence of infinity or zero symbols used in any of several improper combinations.
- (biology, of growth) With no genetically defined end, and thus theoretically limitless.
- (architecture) Designed to allow the incorporation of future changes whose nature is not yet known.
- Not accurately determined or determinable.
- not precisely determined or established; not fixed or known in advance
- having a capacity for continuing to grow at the apex
- of uncertain or ambiguous nature
- not leading to a definite ending or result
- (of a quantity) having no definite value, as an equation that cannot be solved
noun
noun
- (uncountable) The generalized abstraction of this concept.
- (mass noun, possibly proscribed) Force understood as something of which there can be an amount.
- (usually with "the", in the singular or plural) Synonym of police force.
- (linguistics, semantics, pragmatics) Ability of an utterance or its element (word, form, prosody, ...) to effect a given meaning.
- (law, uncountable) The state of having legal weight, of being legally valid,.
- (financial mathematics, actuarial science) The annualized instantaneous rate of change at a particular timepoint.
- (countable, Northern England) A waterfall or cascade.
- Something or anything that has the power to produce a physical effect upon something else, such as causing it to move or change shape.
- Ability to influence; strength or energy of body or mind; active power; vigour; might; capacity of exercising an influence or producing an effect.
- (in the singular or plural) Military personnel, collectively, including any vehicles, ships, or aircraft. More broadly, the military or police altogether.
- (countable) A magic trick in which the outcome is known to the magician beforehand, especially one involving the apparent free choice of a card by another person.
- (countable) An instance of a physical force.
- (humorous or science fiction, with the, often capitalized) A metaphysical and ubiquitous power from the fictional Star Wars universe created by George Lucas. See usage note.
- Any large, organized group involved in a military engagement.
- (countable) A particular form or type of force.
- (countable) Something that exerts influence.
- (countable) Anything that is able to make a substantial change in a person or thing.
- (when in reference to that which it affects) Something that, over time, influences a system with which it interacts (with a connotation of underlyingness, subtlety, or indirectness).
- (law) Either unlawful violence, as in a "forced entry", or lawful compulsion.
- (countable) A group organized for the goal of attacking, controlling, or constraining, especially one with a set command structure (in particular, a military or police group).
- (uncountable) Power exerted against will or consent; compulsory power; violence; coercion.
- a group of people having the power of effective action
- physical energy or intensity
- group of people willing to obey orders
- one possessing or exercising power or influence or authority
- (physics) the influence that produces a change in a physical quantity
- a unit that is part of some military service
- a powerful effect or influence
- a putout of a base runner who is required to run; the putout is accomplished by holding the ball while touching the base to which the runner must advance before the runner reaches that base
- (of a law) having legal validity
- an act of aggression (as one against a person who resists)
verb
- (transitive, baseball) To create an out by touching a base in advance of a runner who has no base to return to while in possession of a ball which has already touched the ground.
- (transitive) To drive (something) by force, to propel (generally + prepositional phrase or adverb).
- (transitive) To forcibly open (a door, lock etc.).
- (transitive) To make someone or something do something, often regardless of their will.
- To stuff; to lard; to farce.
- (whist) To compel (an adversary or partner) to trump a trick by leading a suit that he/she does not hold.
- To grow (rhubarb) in the dark, causing it to grow early.
- To obtain or win by strength; to take by violence or struggle; specifically, to capture by assault; to storm, as a fortress.
- (transitive) To constrain by force; to overcome the limitations or resistance of.
- (transitive) To cause to occur (despite inertia, resistance etc.); to produce through force.
- (transitive) To violate (a woman); to rape.
- force into or from an action or state, either physically or metaphorically
- to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means
- impose urgently, importunately, or inexorably
- take by force
- do forcibly; exert force
- move with force
- urge or force (a person) to an action; constrain or motivate
- squeeze like a wedge into a tight space
verb
- (transitive) To misrepresent (something) by oversimplifying a summary of its essence.
- (transitive) To misrepresent (a characteristic of something) by falsely portraying it as essential to the whole (that is, implying that it defines the whole's essence).
- (transitive) To reduce (something) to its essence.
verb
- extend the scope or meaning of; often unduly
- become longer by being stretched and pulled
- extend or stretch out to a greater or the full length
- extend one's body or limbs
- corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones
- make long or longer by pulling and stretching
- occupy a large, elongated area
- pull in opposite directions
- extend one's limbs or muscles, or the entire body
- increase in quantity or bulk by adding a cheaper substance
- lie down comfortably
- (figuratively, transitive) To get more use than expected from a limited resource.
- (figuratively, transitive) To make inaccurate by exaggeration.
- (intransitive) To increase, to grow.
- (physics, transitive) To make a pulse or particle bunch longer by applying dispersion to it.
- (nautical) To sail by the wind under press of canvas.
- (transitive) To increase.
- (transitive) To make great demands on the capacity or resources of something.
- (intransitive) To extend physically, especially from a limit point and/or to a limit point.
- (intransitive, transitive) To extend one’s limbs or another part of the body, for example in order to improve the elasticity of one's muscles.
- (transitive) To pull tight.
- (intransitive) To lengthen when pulled.
- (transitive) To lengthen by pulling.
adj
noun
- an unbroken period of time during which you do something
- the capacity for being stretched
- exercise designed to extend the limbs and muscles to their full extent
- the act of physically reaching or thrusting out
- extension to or beyond the ordinary limit
- a large and unbroken expanse or distance
- a straightaway section of a racetrack
- Ellipsis of stretch limousine.
- A segment or length of material.
- (informal) Term of address for a tall person.
- The ability to lengthen when pulled.
- A segment of a journey or route.
- (baseball) A long reach in the direction of the ball with a foot remaining on the base by a first baseman in order to catch the ball sooner.
- (slang) A jail or prison term of one year's duration.
- (horse racing) The homestretch, the final straight section of the track leading to the finish.
- (Ireland) Extended daylight hours, especially said of the evening in springtime when compared to the shorter winter days.
- (slang) A jail or prison term.
- A course of thought which diverts from straightforward logic, or requires extraordinary belief or exaggeration.
- (baseball) A quick pitching delivery used when runners are on base where the pitcher slides his leg instead of lifting it.
- (sports) The period of the season between the trade deadline and the beginning of the playoffs.
- An act of stretching.
- A length of time.
- A single uninterrupted sitting; a turn.
noun
- The act of comparing commonality between distinct objects and organizing using those similarities; the act of generalizing characteristics; the product of said generalization.
- (geology) The merging of two river valleys by the larger of the two deepening and widening so much so, as to assimilate the smaller.
- Absence or absorption of mind; inattention to present objects; preoccupation.
- The act of focusing on one characteristic of an object rather than the object as a whole group of characteristics; the act of separating said qualities from the object or ideas.
- A member of an idealized subgroup when contemplated according to the abstracted quality which defines the subgroup.
- (computing) Hiding implementation details from the interface of a component, to decrease complexity through interdependency and improve modularity; a construct that serves as such.
- (engineering) Removal of water from a river, lake, or aquifer.
- Any characteristic of an individual object when that characteristic has been separated from the object and is contemplated alone as a quality having independent existence.
- A separation from worldly objects; a recluse life; the withdrawal from one's senses.
- The act of abstracting, separating, withdrawing, or taking away; withdrawal; the state of being taken away.
- (euphemistic) The taking surreptitiously for one's own use part of the property of another; purloining.
- An idea of an idealistic, unrealistic or visionary nature.
- The result of mentally abstracting an idea; the product of any mental process involving a synthesis of: separation, despecification, generalization, and ideation in any of a number of combinations.
- (chemistry) A separation of volatile parts by the act of distillation.
- (art) An abstract creation, or piece of art; qualities of artwork that are free from representational aspects.
- An idea or notion of an abstract or theoretical nature.
- a general concept formed by extracting common features from specific examples
- a concept or idea not associated with any specific instance
- the act of withdrawing or removing something
- an abstract painting
- the process of formulating general concepts by abstracting common properties of instances
- preoccupation with something to the exclusion of all else
noun
- The state of being specific rather than general.
- (statistics) The probability, in a binary classification test, of a true negative being correctly identified.
- (medicine) The extent to which a particular diagnostic test is specific for, or a symptom or sign is specific to, a given condition.
- the quality of being specific to a particular organism
- the quality of being specific rather than general
noun
- a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct
- a basic truth or law or assumption
- (law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature)
- a rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system
- a rule or standard especially of good behavior
- rule of personal conduct
- A fundamental essence, particularly one producing a given quality.
- An original faculty or endowment.
- A fundamental assumption or guiding belief.
- (sometimes pluralized) Moral rule or aspect.
- A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.
- (physics) A rule or law of nature, or the basic idea on how the laws of nature are applied.
- Misspelling of principal.
- A chemical compound within plant or animal tissue that is characteristic of it and more or less peculiar to it, such that it defines the character of that tissue from a human viewpoint (as for example nicotine in tobacco).
- A rule used to choose among solutions to a problem.
verb
noun
- a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct
- prescribed guide for conduct or action
- (mathematics) a standard procedure for solving a class of mathematical problems
- the duration of a monarch's or government's power
- any one of a systematic body of regulations defining the way of life of members of a religious order
- (linguistics) a rule describing (or prescribing) a linguistic practice
- measuring stick consisting of a strip of wood or metal or plastic with a straight edge that is used for drawing straight lines and measuring lengths
- dominance or power through legal authority
- directions that define the way a game or sport is to be conducted
- a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior
- a rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system
- something regarded as a normative example
- A straight line (continuous mark, as made by a pen or the like), especially one lying across a paper as a guide for writing.
- A regulating principle.
- A ruler; device for measuring, a straightedge, a measure.
- (law) An order regulating the practice of the courts, or an order made between parties to an action or a suit.
- (mathematics) A determinate method prescribed for performing any operation and producing a certain result.
- A regulation, law, guideline.
- (uncountable) The act of ruling; administration of law; government; empire; authority; control.
- A normal condition or state of affairs.
verb
- be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance
- have an affinity with; of signs of the zodiac
- decide with authority
- exercise authority over; as of nations
- mark or draw with a ruler
- keep in check
- be excellent or outstanding
- decide on and make a declaration about
- (transitive, stative) To regulate, be in charge of, make decisions for, reign over.
- (transitive) To mark (paper or the like) with rules (lines).
- (slang, intransitive, stative) To excel.
- (intransitive) To decide judicially.
- (transitive) To establish or settle by, or as by, a rule; to fix by universal or general consent, or by common practice.
noun
- a general kind of something
- (biology) taxonomic group containing one or more species
- (by ellipsis) A taxon at this rank.
- (topology, graph theory, algebraic geometry) A natural number representing any of several related measures of the complexity of a given manifold or graph.
- (music) A type of tuning or intonation, used within an Ancient Greek tetrachord.
- (biology, taxonomy) A category in the classification of organisms, ranking below family (Lat. familia) and above species.
- (semantics) Within a definition, a broader category of the defined concept.
- A group with common attributes.
noun
- (figuratively) A subtle variation in a concept.
- (figuratively, in the plural) An aspect that is reminiscent of something.
- (countable) A postage stamp showing an obvious difference in colour/color to the original printing and needing a separate catalogue/catalog entry.
- (uncountable) Darkness where light, particularly sunlight, is blocked.
- (historical) A candle-shade.
- (countable) A cover around or above a light bulb, a lampshade.
- A very small degree of a quantity, or variety of meaning
- (countable) Something that blocks light, particularly in a window.
- (chiefly literary and fantasy) A ghost or specter; a spirit.
- (countable) A variety of a color, in particular one obtained by adding black (compare tint).
- (uncountable, originally LGBTQ slang) Subtle insults.
- relative darkness caused by light rays being intercepted by an opaque body
- protective covering that protects something from direct sunlight
- a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude
- a representation of the effect of shadows in a picture or drawing (as by shading or darker pigment)
- a mental representation of some haunting experience
- a position of relative inferiority
- a protective ornamental covering for a lamp, used to screen a light bulb from direct view
- a slight amount or degree of difference
- a quality of a given color that differs slightly from another color
verb
- (transitive, slang) To throw shade, to subtly insult someone.
- (transitive) To darken, particularly in drawing.
- (intransitive, rare) To shield oneself from light.
- (intransitive, baseball, of a defensive player) To move slightly from one's normal fielding position.
- To win by a narrow margin.
- (intransitive) To vary or approach something slightly, particularly in color.
- (transitive, graphical user interface) To reduce (a window) so that only its title bar is visible.
- (transitive) To shield (someone or something) from light.
- (transitive) To alter slightly.
- represent the effect of shade or shadow on
- protect from light, heat, or view
- vary slightly
- pass from one quality such as color to another by a slight degree
- cast a shadow over
noun
- The action of representing (something) as slight and trifling; underrating; an instance of this, a plea to this end; a modification in terms.
- (US, humorous, in the plural as “extenuations”) Thin garments.
- The action of lessening, or seeking to lessen, the guilt of (an offence or fault) by alleging partial excuses; and instance or means of doing this; a plea in mitigation of censure.
- The action or process of making or becoming thin; an instance of this; a shrunken condition; leanness, emaciation.
- to act in such a way as to cause an offense to seem less serious
- a partial excuse to mitigate censure; an attempt to represent an offense as less serious than it appears by showing mitigating circumstances
noun
- An act or instance of generalizing; concluding that something true of a subclass is true of the entire class.
- (mathematics) A proof, axiom, problem, or definition that includes another's cases, and also some additional cases; a conclusion reached by inferring from specific cases to more general cases or principles.
- The formulation of general concepts from specific instances by abstracting common properties.
- An oversimplified or exaggerated conception, opinion, or image of the members of a group.
- Inductive reasoning from detailed facts to general principles.
- an idea or conclusion having general application
- (psychology) transfer of a response learned to one stimulus to a similar stimulus
- reasoning from detailed facts to general principles
- the process of formulating general concepts by abstracting common properties of instances
noun
- (uncountable) The generalized abstraction of this concept.
- (mass noun, possibly proscribed) Force understood as something of which there can be an amount.
- (usually with "the", in the singular or plural) Synonym of police force.
- (linguistics, semantics, pragmatics) Ability of an utterance or its element (word, form, prosody, ...) to effect a given meaning.
- (law, uncountable) The state of having legal weight, of being legally valid,.
- (financial mathematics, actuarial science) The annualized instantaneous rate of change at a particular timepoint.
- (countable, Northern England) A waterfall or cascade.
- Something or anything that has the power to produce a physical effect upon something else, such as causing it to move or change shape.
- Ability to influence; strength or energy of body or mind; active power; vigour; might; capacity of exercising an influence or producing an effect.
- (in the singular or plural) Military personnel, collectively, including any vehicles, ships, or aircraft. More broadly, the military or police altogether.
- (countable) A magic trick in which the outcome is known to the magician beforehand, especially one involving the apparent free choice of a card by another person.
- (countable) An instance of a physical force.
- (humorous or science fiction, with the, often capitalized) A metaphysical and ubiquitous power from the fictional Star Wars universe created by George Lucas. See usage note.
- Any large, organized group involved in a military engagement.
- (countable) A particular form or type of force.
- (countable) Something that exerts influence.
- (countable) Anything that is able to make a substantial change in a person or thing.
- (when in reference to that which it affects) Something that, over time, influences a system with which it interacts (with a connotation of underlyingness, subtlety, or indirectness).
- (law) Either unlawful violence, as in a "forced entry", or lawful compulsion.
- (countable) A group organized for the goal of attacking, controlling, or constraining, especially one with a set command structure (in particular, a military or police group).
- (uncountable) Power exerted against will or consent; compulsory power; violence; coercion.
- a group of people having the power of effective action
- physical energy or intensity
- group of people willing to obey orders
- one possessing or exercising power or influence or authority
- (physics) the influence that produces a change in a physical quantity
- a unit that is part of some military service
- a powerful effect or influence
- a putout of a base runner who is required to run; the putout is accomplished by holding the ball while touching the base to which the runner must advance before the runner reaches that base
- (of a law) having legal validity
- an act of aggression (as one against a person who resists)
verb
- (transitive, baseball) To create an out by touching a base in advance of a runner who has no base to return to while in possession of a ball which has already touched the ground.
- (transitive) To drive (something) by force, to propel (generally + prepositional phrase or adverb).
- (transitive) To forcibly open (a door, lock etc.).
- (transitive) To make someone or something do something, often regardless of their will.
- To stuff; to lard; to farce.
- (whist) To compel (an adversary or partner) to trump a trick by leading a suit that he/she does not hold.
- To grow (rhubarb) in the dark, causing it to grow early.
- To obtain or win by strength; to take by violence or struggle; specifically, to capture by assault; to storm, as a fortress.
- (transitive) To constrain by force; to overcome the limitations or resistance of.
- (transitive) To cause to occur (despite inertia, resistance etc.); to produce through force.
- (transitive) To violate (a woman); to rape.
- force into or from an action or state, either physically or metaphorically
- to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means
- impose urgently, importunately, or inexorably
- take by force
- do forcibly; exert force
- move with force
- urge or force (a person) to an action; constrain or motivate
- squeeze like a wedge into a tight space
verb
- To speak in generalities, or in vague terms.
- To spread throughout the body and become systemic.
- To infer or induce from specific cases to more general cases or principles.
- To derive or deduce (a general concept or principle) from particular facts.
- draw from specific cases for more general cases
- cater to popular taste to make popular and present to the general public; bring into general or common use
- become systemic and spread throughout the body
- speak or write in generalities
verb
- To state, or estimate, approximately or loosely; to characterize without strict regard to fact.
- (transitive) To declare in advance.
- (transitive, with into) To cause to be verbally subjected to.
- (Yorkshire, transitive) To scold.
- (transitive) To predict.
- (transitive, colloquial) To lay claim to an object or role which is up for grabs.
- (baseball, cricket) (of a fielder): To shout to other fielders that he intends to take a catch (thus avoiding collisions).
- To stop at a station or port.
- (transitive) To formally recognise a death: especially to announce and record the time, place and fact of a person’s death.
- (transitive, finance) To announce the early extinction of a debt by prepayment, usually at a premium.
- (ambitransitive) To contact by telephone.
- (intransitive) To request, summon, or beckon.
- (intransitive, poker, proscribed) To match the current bet amount, in preparation for a raise in the same turn. (Usually, players are forbidden to announce one's play this way.)
- (cricket) (of a batsman): To shout directions to the other batsman on whether or not they should take a run.
- (intransitive, poker) To equal the same amount that other players are currently betting.
- To come to pass; to afflict.
- (transitive, computing) To jump to (another part of a program); to perform some operation, returning to the original point on completion.
- (transitive, banking) To demand repayment of a loan.
- (passive voice) Of a person, to have as one's name; of a thing, to have as its name.
- (transitive) To utter in a loud or distinct voice.
- (transitive, sometimes with for) To require, demand.
- (ditransitive) To name or refer to.
- To pay a (social) visit (often used with "on", "round", or "at"; used by salespeople with "again" to invite customers to come again).
- (sports) To make a decision as a referee or umpire.
- (billiards) To tell in advance which shot one is attempting.
- (transitive, jazz) To request that one's band play (a particular tune).
- (transitive) To rouse from sleep; to awaken.
- (transitive) To claim the existence of some malfeasance; to denounce as.
- To declare (an effort or project) to be a failure.
- (intransitive) To cry or shout.
- (transitive) To state, or invoke a rule, in many games such as bridge, craps, jacks, and so on.
- lure by imitating the characteristic call of an animal
- make a stop in a harbour
- consider or regard as being
- send a message or attempt to reach someone by radio, phone, etc.; make a signal to in order to transmit a message
- give the calls (to the dancers) for a square dance
- order, request, or command to come
- assign a specified (usually proper) name to
- present for redemption before maturation
- utter a sudden loud cry
- make a demand, as for a card or a suit or a show of hands
- indicate a decision in regard to
- pay a brief visit
- utter a characteristic note or cry
- get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone
- challenge (somebody) to make good on a statement; charge with or censure for an offense
- rouse somebody from sleep with a call
- challenge the sincerity or truthfulness of
- order, summon, or request for a specific duty or activity, work, role
- call a meeting; invite or command to meet
- read aloud to check for omissions or absentees
- ascribe a quality to or give a name of a common noun that reflects a quality
- demand payment of (a loan)
- greet, as with a prescribed form, title, or name
- utter in a loud voice or announce
- declare in the capacity of an umpire or referee
- order or request or give a command for
- make a prediction about; tell in advance
- stop or postpone because of adverse conditions, such as bad weather
noun
- (nautical) A whistle or pipe, used by the boatswain and his mate to summon the sailors to duty.
- (nautical) A visit by a ship or boat to a port.
- A telephone conversation; a phone call.
- A note blown on the horn to encourage the dogs in a hunt.
- (finance) Ellipsis of call option.
- An invitation to take charge of or serve a church as its pastor.
- (in negative constructions) Need; necessity.
- A statement of a particular state, or rule, made in many games such as bridge, craps, jacks, and so on.
- (poker) The act of matching a bet made by a player who has previously bet in the same round of betting.
- A short visit, usually for social purposes.
- (cricket) The act of calling to the other batsman.
- A decision or judgement.
- (cricket) The state of being the batsman whose role it is to call (depends on where the ball goes.)
- A pipe or other instrument to call birds or animals by imitating their note or cry. A game call.
- A cry or shout.
- The right to speak at a given time during a debate or other public event; the floor.
- An instance of calling someone on the telephone.
- (uncountable) A work shift which requires one to be available when requested, i.e. on call.
- (informal, slang, prostitution) A meeting with a client for paid sex; hookup; job.
- (computing) The act of jumping to a subprogram, saving the means to return to the original point.
- (law) A lawyer who was called to the bar (became licensed as a lawyer) in a specified year.
- A beckoning or summoning.
- The characteristic cry of a bird or other animal.
- (US, law) A reference to, or statement of, an object, course, distance, or other matter of description in a survey or grant requiring or calling for a corresponding object, etc., on the land.
- a demand
- a brief social visit
- a demand for a show of hands in a card game
- (sports) the decision made by an umpire or referee
- a visit in an official or professional capacity
- a demand by a broker that a customer deposit enough to bring their margin up to the minimum requirement
- a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
- the characteristic sound produced by a bird
- a request
- a method of contacting a person by phone
- the option to buy a given stock (or stock index or commodity future) at a given price before a given date
- a special disposition (as if from a divine source) to pursue a particular course
- an instruction that interrupts the program being executed
verb
- (transitive) To belabour, to emphasise or expand upon (a point in a debate, etc).
- To suffer the pangs of childbirth.
- To be oppressed with difficulties or disease; to do one's work under conditions which make it especially hard or wearisome; to move slowly, as against opposition, or under a burden.
- (nautical) To pitch or roll heavily, as a ship in a turbulent sea.
- (intransitive) To toil, to work.
- strive and make an effort to reach a goal
- work hard
- undergo the efforts of childbirth
noun
- (uncountable) Workers in general; the working class, the workforce; sometimes specifically the labour movement, organised labour.
- (historical) A traditional unit of area in Mexico and Texas, equivalent to 177.1 acres or 71.67 ha.
- The time period during which a mother gives birth.
- (uncountable) A political party or force aiming or claiming to represent the interests of labour.
- An effort expended on a particular task; toil, work.
- (uncommon, zoology) A group of moles.
- That which requires hard work for its accomplishment; that which demands effort.
- (medicine, obstetrics) The act or process of a mother giving birth.
- (nautical) The pitching or tossing of a vessel which results in the straining of timbers and rigging.
- an organized attempt by workers to improve their status by united action (particularly via labor unions) or the leaders of this movement
- concluding state of pregnancy; from the onset of contractions to the birth of a child
- productive work (especially physical work done for wages)
- a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
- any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
verb
- (transitive) To bring forth in general.
- (transitive) To plant with fungal spawn.
- (intransitive) To reproduce, especially in large numbers.
- (ergative, video games) To appear, or cause (something or someone) to appear, spontaneously in a game world at a particular place and time.
- (transitive) To induce (aquatic organisms) to spawn.
- (transitive) To produce or deposit (eggs) in water.
- (intransitive, figuratively, Internet slang, humorous) Of a person or non-egg-laying animal: to be born.
- (intransitive) To deposit (numerous) eggs in water.
- (ergative, figuratively, Internet slang) To appear, or cause (something or someone) to appear, unexpectedly and seemingly out of nowhere.
- (transitive) To generate, bring into being, especially non-mammalian beings in very large numbers.
- lay spawn
- call forth
noun
- (video games) Synonym of spawn point.
- The numerous eggs of an aquatic organism.
- (horticulture) The buds or branches produced from underground stems.
- (often derogatory) Children; offspring.
- Any germ or seed, even a figurative source.
- Mushroom mycelium prepared for (aided) propagation.
- the mass of eggs deposited by fish or amphibians or molluscs
verb
- (transitive) To take up as an example.
- (transitive) To think about seriously.
- (intransitive) To think about something seriously or carefully: to deliberate.
- To believe or opine (that).
- To have regard to; to take into view or account; to pay due attention to; to respect.
- (transitive) To look at attentively.
- (transitive, parliamentary procedure) To debate (or dispose of) a motion.
- (transitive) To think about whether one will do (an action); to weigh as a possible course of action.
- (ditransitive) To assign some quality to.
- take into consideration for exemplifying purposes
- judge or regard; look upon; judge
- regard or treat with consideration, respect, and esteem
- deem to be
- give careful consideration to
- look at attentively
- think about carefully; weigh
- look at carefully; study mentally
- show consideration for; take into account
verb
- (transitive) To misrepresent (something) by oversimplifying a summary of its essence.
- (transitive) To misrepresent (a characteristic of something) by falsely portraying it as essential to the whole (that is, implying that it defines the whole's essence).
- (transitive) To reduce (something) to its essence.
verb
- extend the scope or meaning of; often unduly
- become longer by being stretched and pulled
- extend or stretch out to a greater or the full length
- extend one's body or limbs
- corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones
- make long or longer by pulling and stretching
- occupy a large, elongated area
- pull in opposite directions
- extend one's limbs or muscles, or the entire body
- increase in quantity or bulk by adding a cheaper substance
- lie down comfortably
- (figuratively, transitive) To get more use than expected from a limited resource.
- (figuratively, transitive) To make inaccurate by exaggeration.
- (intransitive) To increase, to grow.
- (physics, transitive) To make a pulse or particle bunch longer by applying dispersion to it.
- (nautical) To sail by the wind under press of canvas.
- (transitive) To increase.
- (transitive) To make great demands on the capacity or resources of something.
- (intransitive) To extend physically, especially from a limit point and/or to a limit point.
- (intransitive, transitive) To extend one’s limbs or another part of the body, for example in order to improve the elasticity of one's muscles.
- (transitive) To pull tight.
- (intransitive) To lengthen when pulled.
- (transitive) To lengthen by pulling.
adj
noun
- an unbroken period of time during which you do something
- the capacity for being stretched
- exercise designed to extend the limbs and muscles to their full extent
- the act of physically reaching or thrusting out
- extension to or beyond the ordinary limit
- a large and unbroken expanse or distance
- a straightaway section of a racetrack
- Ellipsis of stretch limousine.
- A segment or length of material.
- (informal) Term of address for a tall person.
- The ability to lengthen when pulled.
- A segment of a journey or route.
- (baseball) A long reach in the direction of the ball with a foot remaining on the base by a first baseman in order to catch the ball sooner.
- (slang) A jail or prison term of one year's duration.
- (horse racing) The homestretch, the final straight section of the track leading to the finish.
- (Ireland) Extended daylight hours, especially said of the evening in springtime when compared to the shorter winter days.
- (slang) A jail or prison term.
- A course of thought which diverts from straightforward logic, or requires extraordinary belief or exaggeration.
- (baseball) A quick pitching delivery used when runners are on base where the pitcher slides his leg instead of lifting it.
- (sports) The period of the season between the trade deadline and the beginning of the playoffs.
- An act of stretching.
- A length of time.
- A single uninterrupted sitting; a turn.
adj
- General rather than specific.
- Extended, in the sense of diffused; open; clear; full.
- Plain; evident.
- Wide in extent or scope.
- (Gaelic languages) Velarized, i.e. not palatalized.
- Comprehensive; liberal; enlarged.
- (of an accent) Strongly regional.
- Having a large measure of any thing or quality; unlimited; unrestrained.
- (writing) Unsubtle; obvious.
- Free; unrestrained; unconfined.
- lacking subtlety; obvious
- not detailed or specific
- being at a peak or culminating point
- showing or characterized by broad-mindedness
- having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
- (of speech) heavily and noticeably regional
- broad in scope or content
- very large in expanse or scope
noun
- A lathe tool for turning down the insides and bottoms of cylinders.
- (UK) A shallow lake, one of a number of bodies of water in eastern Norfolk and Suffolk.
- (film, television) A kind of floodlight.
- (UK, historical) A British gold coin worth 20 shillings, issued by the Commonwealth of England in 1656.
- slang term for a woman
adj
- Imprecise or vague.
- (botany, of inflorescences) Not topped with some form of terminal bud.
- Intersex.
- (mathematical analysis, of certain forms of limit) Not definitively or precisely determined, because of the presence of infinity or zero symbols used in any of several improper combinations.
- (biology, of growth) With no genetically defined end, and thus theoretically limitless.
- (architecture) Designed to allow the incorporation of future changes whose nature is not yet known.
- Not accurately determined or determinable.
- not precisely determined or established; not fixed or known in advance
- having a capacity for continuing to grow at the apex
- of uncertain or ambiguous nature
- not leading to a definite ending or result
- (of a quantity) having no definite value, as an equation that cannot be solved