9.0 I

9.1 icing...

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icing n. 1 frosting, glaze, coating: Our favourite treat was
chocolate cake with chocolate icing. 2 bonus, (fringe) benefit,
reward, (extra) added attraction, extra, reward, dividend: He
clinched a seventh victory with his partner, putting the icing
on the cake of their shared world championship.


icy adj. 1 ice-cold, frigid, arctic, bitter, glacial, freezing,
frozen, chill, glacial, hyperborean or hyperboreal, polar,
Siberian, wintry, raw, cold, chilling, chilly: The icy wind cut
through to the marrow of my bones. 2 cool, chill, chilly,
frigid, distant, aloof, remote, freezing, ice-cold, unemotional,
unimpassioned, stony, steely, callous, flinty, formal, reserved,
forbidding, unfriendly, hostile: She fixed him with an icy
stare.

9.2 idea...
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idea n. 1 concept, conception, construct, thought, notion, plan,
design, scheme, suggestion, recommendation: Is that your idea
of a good singing voice? Peter has an excellent idea for
increasing sales. 2 notion, fancy, impression, picture, (mental)
image, concept, conception, perception, understanding,
awareness, apprehension, inkling, suspicion, hint, suggestion,
approximation, clue, intimation, guess, estimate, estimation,
impression: I haven't the slightest idea what you are talking
about. Can you give us any idea of the cause of the delay? 3
belief, opinion, sentiment, feeling, teaching(s), doctrine,
tenet, principle, philosophy, view, viewpoint, outlook, notion,
conviction, position, stance: Western and Eastern ideas differ
as to the role of women in society. 4 aim, goal, purpose,
objective, object, end, point, reason, raison d'ˆtre: What was
the idea of telling the teacher? The idea behind the scheme was
to boost sales. The idea of the game is to capture your
opponent's king. 5 hypothesis, theory, notion, dream, fantasy or
phantasy: His invention is based on the idea of an anti-gravity
device.

ideal n. 1 model, paragon, standard, criterion, paradigm, exemplar,

pattern, example, epitome: She regarded Florence Nightingale as
her ideal. 2 acme, (standard of) perfection, nonpareil: The
ideal can rarely be achieved, so you had better settle for
reality. 3 ideals. principles, morals, standards: Everyone's
ideals are compromised sooner or later.

--adj. 4 perfect, excellent, supreme, consummate, complete,
model, idyllic: This is an ideal home for a young couple. 5
conceptual, imagined, imaginary, unreal, visionary, idealistic,
fictitious, Utopian, notional, mythical or mythic, fantasy,
dream, romantic, chimeric(al), illusory, fanciful, fancied: In
his ideal world there is no crime, so there is no need for
police.


idealistic
adj. visionary, romantic, romanticized, optimistic,
starry-eyed, quixotic, Panglossian, impractical, unrealistic:
He is idealistic enough to believe that people are basically
good.


idealize v. exalt, elevate, glorify, worship, ennoble, deify,
apotheosize, put on a pedestal, romanticize: Because she
idealizes him, she cannot see his true nature.


ideally adv. 1 under or in the best of circumstances, at best, in a
perfect world, all things being equal: Ideally, February is the
time to holiday in the Caribbean. 2 theoretically, in theory,
in principle: Ideally, people ought to have money before they
are too old to enjoy it. 3 perfectly: John and Marsha are
ideally suited to each other.

identical adj. 1 same, twin, duplicate, indistinguishable,
interchangeable; selfsame: The two leaves look identical to me.
The duchess and I had the identical suite at the hotel, but a
week apart. 2 similar, matching, like, alike, comparable, equal,
equivalent, corresponding: The children are dressed in
identical clothing.

identification
n. 1 connection, recognition, distinguishing, indication,
perception, detection, selection, naming, labelling,
pinpointing, designation, characterization, denomination;
authentication, verification, establishment, certification,

substantiation, corroboration, Colloq fingering: Her
identification of him as her attacker is not sufficient to
convict him. 2 classification, classifying, cataloguing,
categorization, categorizing, pigeon-holing: How much time is
needed for the identification of the minerals in the moon rocks?
3 ID, ID card, identity card, badge, credentials: Only
up-to-date identification will be accepted as proof of
ownership. 4 connection, association, affiliation, empathy,
sympathy, rapport, relationship: His continued identification
with comic-book heroes is immature.

identify v. 1 classify, categorize, catalogue, pigeon-hole, sort (out),
specify, pinpoint, home (in) on, name, label, tag, recognize,
place, mark, label, tag, pinpoint, single out, point out, Colloq
put one's finger on: We are unable to identify the butterfly
you caught. 2 connect, associate, relate, ally: She is closely
identified with the success of the enterprise. 3 diagnose,
specify, name, recognize: From the symptoms, the doctor
identified the disease as bubonic plague. 4 Usually, identify
with. empathize (with), sympathize (with), relate (to), Colloq
dig: His problem is that he identifies too closely with his
dog.

identity n. 1 sameness, oneness, unanimity, indistinguishability,
agreement, accord, congruence: Identity of purpose held them
together under stress. 2 personality, individuality,
distinctiveness, uniqueness, particularity, singularity: Many
who join the army lose their identity.


ideology n. belief(s), convictions, tenets, credo, philosophy,
principles, creed, dogma, teachings, doctrine: Buddhism had a
great influence on his ideology.

idiom n. 1 language, tongue, speech, vernacular, dialect, argot,
patois, jargon, cant, idiolect, parlance, fa‡on de parler,
phraseology: The play is written in a rather old-fashioned
idiom. 2 expression, (set) phrase, phrasing, locution, clich‚:
The term red herring , an idiom meaning 'false trail', is used
of something which is neither red nor a herring.


idle adj. 1 unused, inactive, unoccupied, non-operative, stationary:
The looms were idle for months. The devil finds work for idle
hands. 2 unemployed, out of work, redundant, jobless, workless,

Colloq at leisure, at liberty, between assignments, resting, US
on the beach: Unable to find work, Gilbert has been idle for a
year. 3 indolent, lazy, listless, lethargic, loafing, slothful,
shiftless, lackadaisical, loitering, fain‚ant: Since winning
the lottery, Crouch has become one of the idle rich. 4
bootless, fruitless, unproductive, abortive, unfruitful,
pointless, vain, trifling, trivial, shallow, nugatory,
superficial, insignificant, meaningless, senseless, unimportant,
frivolous, worthless, useless, otiose, unavailing, futile: We
were passing the time at the pub in idle chatter when Michael
walked in. He had no factual information to offer, only idle
speculation.

--v. 5 Often, idle away. waste, fritter away, while away, kill:
They idle away the hours lying by the swimming-pool. 6 laze
(about), loiter, kill time, loaf, loll, lounge, take it easy,
Brit potter or US putter about or away, mess about, fool away,
fool around or about, Colloq Brit muck about, bugger about, US
lallygag or lollygag, goof off or around, Military slang US
gold-brick: Stop idling and get down to work.

idleness n. 1 inactivity, inaction, lethargy, torpor, indolence,
laziness, sluggishness, sloth, slothfulness, shiftlessness,
inertia, lassitude, torpor, flƒnerie, dolce far niente;
unemployment, Colloq US lallygagging or lollygagging, Military
slang US gold-bricking: The strike created enforced idleness
for non-union workers as well. 2 shirking, malingering,
dawdling, loafing, time-wasting, lazing, Colloq dilly-dallying,
shilly-shallying, Brit skiving: The foreman warned that he
would not tolerate idleness.

idler n. loafer, layabout, slacker, shirker, sluggard, lazybones,
slugabed, laggard, dawdler, clock-watcher, drone, slouch,
ne'er-do-well, fain‚ant, Colloq lounge lizard, Military slang US
gold brick or gold-bricker: To fill out a crew we often
recruited men from among waterfront idlers.

idly adv. 1 unproductively, lazily, indolently: She wanders about
the shops, idly whiling away the hours. 2 offhandedly,
unconsciously, mechanically, thoughtlessly, unthinkingly,
obliviously, insensibly, indifferently: He sat quietly, his
fingers idly drumming on the tabletop.

idol n. 1 (graven) image, icon or ikon, effigy, fetish, tiki,
symbol: Nebuchadnezzar's people worshipped golden idols. 2
hero or heroine, superstar, celebrity, luminary, matin‚e idol,
favourite, pet, darling: When he was a lad his idol was
Quatermain, from the Rider Haggard novels.

idolize v. adore, admire, adulate, worship, revere, reverence,
venerate, put on a pedestal, exalt, glorify, deify, lionize,
look up to, apotheosize: She had always idolized her father,
and his death came as a terrible blow to her.

idyllic adj. Arcadian, paradisaic(al) or paradisiac(al), heavenly,
Edenic, halcyon, ideal, idealized, pastoral, rustic, bucolic,
picturesque, charming, unspoilt or unspoiled, peaceful, pacific:
He returned to the island to live out his life in idyllic
repose.

9.3 ignorance...
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ignorance n. unfamiliarity, unawareness, unconsciousness, benightedness,
unenlightenment, inexperience, greenness: Ignorance of the law
is no excuse. Mistakes are often caused by ignorance rather than
stupidity.

ignorant adj. 1 unknowing, uninformed, untaught, uneducated, unschooled,
unread, unlearned, unlettered, illiterate: Is there anyone so
ignorant as not to know who the Duke of Wellington was? 2
unaware, unfamiliar, unconscious, benighted, unenlightened,
unwitting, in the dark, oblivious, Formal nescient: She knows
many things about which we are ignorant. 3 inexperienced,
green, na‹ve, innocent, unsophisticated: They used to tease
ignorant young apprentices by sending them to find a left-handed
hammer. 4 uncouth, ill-mannered, discourteous, impolite,
uncivil, boorish: Don't be so ignorant and open the door for
the lady!

ignore v. 1 disregard, overlook, pass over or by, turn a blind eye to,
be blind to, turn one's back on, turn a deaf ear to, wink at,
brush off or aside: If you are over 65, you may ignore this
paragraph. 2 snub, give (someone) the cold shoulder, reject,
send to Coventry, turn one's back on, Colloq give (someone) the

brush-off or go-by, cut, turn one's nose up at: I don't care if
you are cruel to me, just don't ignore me.

9.4 ill...
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ill adj. 1 ailing, unsound, sick, indisposed, infirm, unhealthy, in
a bad way, diseased, afflicted, in bad health, sickly, unwell,
not well, out of commission; invalided, valetudinarian; Colloq
under the weather, in a bad way, poorly, not up to snuff, out of
sorts, on the sick-list, off one's feed, Slang Brit dicky,
seedy: Call a doctor - this man is ill. I was rather ill last
night after eating that fish mousse. 2 bad, wicked, sinful,
evil, iniquitous, immoral, depraved, vicious, vile, wrong,
corrupt: Police raided several houses of ill repute. 3
hostile, unfriendly, antagonistic, belligerent, malevolent,
malicious, ill-wishing, unkind(ly), harsh, cruel: The reading
of the bequests sparked ill will amongst the heirs. 4 harmful,
hurtful, injurious, detrimental, damaging, pernicious,
dangerous, adverse, deleterious, baleful, bad, unfavourable,
destructive, disastrous, catastrophic, ruinous, cataclysmic: He
suffered no lasting ill effects from the accident. 5 bad,
miserable, wretched, disastrous, unfavourable, unpropitious,
untoward, disturbing, unfortunate, unlucky, inauspicious,
ominous, unpromising, sinister, unwholesome: Ill fortune led
Ulysses to our isle. It is an ill wind that blows nobody good. 6
ill at ease. uncomfortable, discomfited, uneasy, edgy, on edge,
fidgety, nervous, anxious, disturbed, distressed, troubled,
awkward, unsure, uncertain: I felt ill at ease in the presence
of so august a personage.

--n. 7 evil, abuse: Speak no ill of her in my home! 8 harm,
damage, injury, hurt, mischief, trouble, misfortune, misery,
affliction, pain, distress, woe, woefulness, discomfort,
unpleasantness, disaster, catastrophe, cataclysm, calamity,
adversity, damage, suffering, ruin, destruction: You will be
held responsible if any ill befalls the children. 9 injustice,
inequity, wrong, evil, sin, transgression, abuse, mistreatment,
maltreatment: He entered politics hoping to cure some of
society's ills.

--adv. 10 badly, adversely, unfavourably, poorly,

inauspiciously, unfortunately, unluckily: Don't speak ill of
the dead. 11 badly, adversely, unfavourably, critically,
harshly, unkindly: Please don't think ill of me for failing to
attend your wedding. 12 unkindly, harshly, unfairly, unjustly,
improperly, badly, wrongly, wrongfully, unsatisfactorily,
poorly, malevolently, maliciously: He insists that he was
ill-treated when in prison. 13 scarcely, hardly, by no means,
in no way: It ill behoves you to criticize other people's
English.


ill-advised
adj. 1 inadvisable, ill-judged, injudicious, ill-considered,
misguided, unwise, imprudent, inappropriate, unpropitious,
inexpedient, impolitic, wrong-headed, thoughtless; indiscreet:
It would be ill-advised to sell your house at this time. 2
hasty, rash, reckless, impetuous, rash, foolhardy, incautious,
short-sighted, improvident: Driving without a seat belt is
ill-advised.


illegal adj. unlawful, illegitimate, criminal, felonious, outlawed,
prohibited, interdicted, forbidden, proscribed, wrongful,
unauthorized, verboten, illicit, Law actionable: The bookkeeper
was prosecuted for illegal appropriation of funds.


illegible adj. unreadable, unintelligible, indecipherable or
undecipherable, incomprehensible: An illegible message was
scrawled on the wall.

illegitimate
adj. 1 See illegal. 2 bastard, natural, fatherless, born out
of wedlock, born on the wrong side of the blanket, misbegotten:
Illegitimate children were often offered for adoption in those
days. 3 irregular, improper, incorrect, non-standard, invalid,
unauthorized, spurious: Purists consider the reason is because
an illegitimate usage.

ill-founded
adj. groundless, baseless, without foundation, unsupported,
unsubstantiated, empty, unjustified, unproven, uncorroborated,
unsound, erroneous: He wasted a great deal of time refuting her
ill-founded accusations.

illicit adj. 1 See illegal. 2 wrong, improper, underhand(ed), secret,

furtive, clandestine, back-door, Colloq US sneaky: They grew
rich on the proceeds of illicit liquor.

illiterate
adj. unlettered, analphabetic; unschooled, untaught,
uneducated, benighted, ignorant, unenlightened: She teaches
illiterate people to read.

ill-mannered
adj. rude, discourteous, impolite, ill-bred, uncivil,
disrespectful, uncourtly, ungallant, ungracious, indecorous,
ungentlemanly, unladylike, impudent, insolent, insulting,
impertinent, brazen: That ill-mannered oaf didn't even
apologize for knocking me down.


illness n. sickness, disease, disorder, affliction, ailment, malady,
complaint, infirmity, disability, indisposition, affection,
Colloq bug: His illness is serious but not contagious.


ill-treat v. mistreat, maltreat, abuse, misuse, harm, hurt, injure,
persecute, mishandle: He is at last being punished for those
years he ill-treated his wife.

illuminate
v. 1 light (up), brighten, lighten, throw or cast or shed light
on or upon: She had only a single candle to illuminate her
sewing. 2 clarify, throw or cast or shed light on or upon,
enlighten, clear up, elucidate, explain, explicate, reveal: The
lectures on Heidegger illuminated his philosophy to some extent.
3 rubricate, decorate, adorn, embellish, ornament: The museum
has the best collection of illuminated manuscripts.

illumination
n. 1 lighting, light, brightness, radiance, luminosity,
incandescence, fluorescence, phosphorescence: The illumination
from the fire was barely enough to read by. 2 enlightenment,
insight, information, learning, revelation, edification,
instruction, awareness, understanding, clarification: It is
astonishing what illumination his lectures brought to his
audiences.

illusion n. 1 deception, delusion, fancy, misconception,
misapprehension, fallacy, error, mistake, mistaken or false

impression: He is labouring under the illusion that he is a
great pianist. 2 fantasy, day-dream, hallucination, phantasm,
phantom, chimera, phantasmagoria, mirage, aberration, vision,
spectre, figment of the imagination, will-o'-the-wisp, ignis
fatuus: For years after he died, she had the illusion of seeing
her father everywhere.

illusory adj. illusive, imaginary, fictional, unreal, untrue,
fallacious, false, mistaken, imagined, fanciful, fancied,
hallucinatory, deceptive, misleading, apparent,: Any financial
gains that you perceive in the scheme are purely illusory.

illustrate
v. 1 instance, exemplify, demonstrate: Let me illustrate my
point with the following example. 2 picture, illuminate,
grangerize; decorate, embellish, emblazon, ornament, adorn: We
are looking for an artist to illustrate the book.

illustration
n. 1 example, case (in point), instance, sample, specimen,
exemplar, Colloq for instance: This film is an illustration of
the film noir genre. 2 picture, depiction, representation,
figure: An illustration of a jet engine appears on page 32.


illustrious
adj. distinguished, famous, noted, renowned, famed, eminent,
well-known, prominent, important, notable, respected, esteemed,
venerable, honoured, acclaimed, celebrated, great: He belongs
in the same category as other illustrious generals, like
Kitchener.

ill will n. dislike, animosity, hatred, hate, loathing, abhorrence,
detestation, malevolence, malice, hostility, enmity, animus,
antipathy, aversion, rancour, acrimony, spite, venom, vitriol,
acerbity: I bear her no ill will for the way she treated me.
She incurred his ill will by refusing him access to the
children.

9.5 image...
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image n. 1 likeness, representation, picture, sculpture, statue,

effigy, figure, portrait, simulacrum; icon or ikon, idol, graven
image, fetish, tiki: Images of Bolกvar can be seen in every
town square in Venezuela. The tribesmen still worshipped golden
images of their gods. 2 epitome, duplicate, copy, counterpart,
facsimile, replica, double, twin, Doppelg„nger, clone, Colloq
spitting image or spit and image, (dead) ringer: He's the image
of father. He stared at his image in the mirror. 3 impression,
concept, conception, perception, idea, perception, notion,
mental picture: You are quite different from my image of you.
4 epitome, representative, model, (typical) example, essence,
archetype, embodiment, incarnation, personification,
materialization, reification, corporealization: For us, she was
the very image of what a leader should be. 5 figure (of
speech), trope, metaphor, allusion, simile, symbol: The poem
contains images that are obscure unless you know Greek myths. 6
form, appearance, likeness, guise, semblance, aspect, mould,
cast: Man claims to be created in God's image.

imagery n. figurativeness, allusion, symbolism: Constance's poems are
filled with ornate imagery.

imaginary adj. fictitious, fanciful, fancied, chimerical, imagined,
fictive, illusory or illusive, visionary, made-up, unreal,
untrue, mythical or mythic, notional, abstract; legendary,
mythological: When he was a boy, he had an imaginary friend
called Carbonario.

imagination
n. 1 mind's eye, fancy; creativity, inventiveness, ingenuity,
insight, inspiration, vision, imaginativeness, creative
power(s): His fertile imagination conjured up all kinds of
terrifying pictures. 2 thought, thinking, (mental) acuity,
intelligence, wit: It doesn't take much imagination to see why
you don't want to go to school this morning.


imaginative
adj. 1 creative, original, clever, ingenious, inventive,
innovative, inspired, inspiring, enterprising, resourceful:
Richard is a highly imaginative computer programmer. 2
fanciful, fantastic, visionary, poetic(al), whimsical,
contrived, fictitious, fictional: The imaginative tale of Don
Quixote sprang from the mind of Cervantes.

imagine v. 1 think of, contemplate, picture, envisage, consider,
ponder, meditate on, envision, visualize, conceive (of),
conceptualize, create, think up, concoct, devise, Colloq dream
up, cook up: I cannot imagine what you are referring to.
Imagine, if you can, a world without conflict. 2 suppose, guess,
conjecture, assume, presume, take it, infer, take (it) for
granted, take it as given, think, fancy, believe, gather,
surmise, suspect, judge, deem: I imagine that you won't want a
drink if you are driving. You are imagining things if you think
she is trying to undermine your authority.

imitate v. 1 mimic, copy, ape, parrot, monkey, emulate, impersonate, do
an impression of; echo, simulate: Cruikshank was imitating the
boss, who walked in at that very moment. His style imitates that
of Carlyle. 2 copy, mimic, mock, parody, satirize, burlesque,
caricature, travesty, Colloq spoof, take off, Brit send up: In
Hudibras, Samuel Butler imitated the style of the heroic epic.

imitation n. 1 copying, mimicking, mimicry, aping, parroting, emulating,
emulation, impersonating, impersonation, impression: Imitation
is the sincerest form of flattery. 2 impersonation, parody,
satirization, burlesque, caricature, mockery, travesty, Colloq
take-off, Brit send-up: In his nightclub act, he does scathing
imitations of celebrities. 3 copy, fake, counterfeit, forgery:
These are modern imitations of ancient coins. 4 copy, replica,
replication, reproduction, simulation, facsimile, duplicate,
duplication, simulacrum: We keep the original in a safe place
and put the imitations on display.


--adj. 5 fake, synthetic, artificial, simulated, sham, ersatz,
mock, factitious, reproduction, man-made, Colloq phoney or US
also phony: It doesn't take an expert to see that this is an
imitation diamond.


immaculate
adj. 1 spotless, stainless, unblemished, pure, clean,
untarnished, unsullied, unsoiled, snow-white, spick and span,
dapper, spruce; tidy, neat: Each morning he donned an
immaculate uniform. 2 pure, chaste, innocent, virginal,
virtuous, vestal, pristine, undefiled, untainted, unspoiled,
unblemished, stainless, unadulterated: He remained convinced of
his wife's immaculate reputation. 3 faultless, flawless,
perfect, errorless, impeccable: His essay on Gibbon is an

example of immaculate scholarship.

immaterial
adj. 1 unimportant, inconsequential, nugatory, trivial,
trifling, petty, slight, insignificant, slight, flimsy, light,
unessential, non-essential, of little account or value: Whether
he stays or goes is immaterial to me. 2 airy, incorporeal,
disembodied, ethereal, ephemeral, evanescent, unsubstantial:
The concept of immaterial matter, such as a gas, is difficult to
comprehend.

immature adj. 1 premature, undeveloped, unripe, rudimentary, half-grown,
unformed, unfledged, fledgling, unfinished, young, new, fresh,
incomplete: The immature growth in the spring is not hardy
enough to survive a frost. 2 green, callow, unsophisticated,
na‹ve, jejune, inexperienced, babyish, childish, childlike,
puerile, juvenile, raw, Colloq wet behind the ears: She is a
bit immature to assume so many responsibilities.


immeasurable
adj. vast, infinite, immense, huge, great, limitless,
boundless, endless, interminable, unbounded, unlimited,
measureless, inestimable, measureless, unfathomable;
innumerable, numberless, uncountable, uncounted, incalculable:
The tiny ship hurtled through the immeasurable vastness of
space. An immeasurable quantity of angels can dance on the head
of a pin. He accomplished immeasurable good during his
lifetime.


immediate adj. 1 instantaneous, instant, abrupt, sudden, swift;
spontaneous, instinctive, triggered, unhesitating, unthinking,
automatic, reflex, knee-jerk: Why is your immediate reaction
always to say 'It cannot be done'? 2 direct, nearest, next,
closest, adjacent, proximate; nearby: Although he had cancer,
the immediate cause of death was pneumonia. Is there a phone
box in the immediate vicinity? 3 existing, present, current,
actual, pressing, urgent: The immediate problem is to find a
way of getting out of here.


immediately
adv. 1 at once, instantly, instantaneously, promptly, right
away, right now, without delay, unhesitatingly, without
hesitation, forthwith, this instant, directly, in a wink, in a

second, in a minute, tout de suite, instanter, Chiefly Brit
straightaway or straight away, Colloq pronto, in a jiffy, in two
shakes of a lamb's tail, before you can say 'Jack Robinson', at
the drop of a hat: Come here immediately. I shall be there
immediately. 2 directly, closely, intimately: These reactions
are immediately concerned with the temperature.

--conj. 3 when, as soon as, the moment (that), Brit directly:
Immediately he heard the news, he hurried to her side.


immense adj. enormous, gigantic, extensive, vast, huge, massive,
voluminous, tremendous, staggering, stupendous, mammoth,
colossal, giant, titanic, Cyclopean, jumbo, elephantine,
Brobdingnagian, Slang US humongous: Our exit from the cave was
blocked by an immense boulder.

immerse v. 1 plunge, sink, submerge, dip, dunk, duck, inundate:
Immerse the device in the water before switching it on. 2
plunge, sink, submerge, bury, absorb, engross, engage, occupy,
involve: I immersed myself in my work and never noticed the
time.

immigrant n. newcomer, arrival, settler, Australian migrant; alien,
foreigner, outlander, outsider: Her parents were immigrants
from the Ukraine.

imminent adj. impending, looming, threatening, menacing, at hand, nigh,
immediate, close (by or at hand), (forth)coming, drawing near or
close or nigh, momentary: We face imminent disaster if steps
are not taken now.

immoderate
adj. excessive, extreme, exorbitant, unreasonable, inordinate,
extravagant, intemperate; outrageous, preposterous, exaggerated,
unrestrained, undue: Their immoderate demands for reparations
cannot be met.

immodest adj. 1 indecent, shameless, shameful, indecorous, titillating,
revealing; indelicate, improper, wanton, loose, unrestrained,
provocative, obscene, lewd, smutty, dirty, lascivious, bawdy,
coarse, Colloq sexy: The striptease was, to say the least,
immodest. The streakers will be punished for their immodest
behaviour. 2 brazen, forward, bold, impudent, impertinent,

brash, arrogant, insolent, presumptuous, disrespectful, Colloq
fresh, cheeky: Carl's immodest demand for a private office was
ignored.


immoral adj. 1 corrupt, bad, wicked, evil, iniquitous, sinful, impure,
unethical, unprincipled, abandoned, base, wrong, vile, depraved,
dissolute, degenerate, reprobate, unregenerate, nefarious,
flagitious, villainous, treacherous, unscrupulous, dishonest:
Is it immoral to avoid paying one's taxes? 2 immodest,
debauched, indecent, wanton, libertine, lecherous, lustful,
libidinous, carnal, concupiscent, salacious, licentious,
lascivious, lewd, obscene, pornographic, dirty, smutty, filthy:
He was convicted for living off immoral earnings.


immortal adj. 1 undying, eternal, deathless, everlasting, eternal,
imperishable, sempiternal, never-ending, endless, ceaseless,
perpetual, timeless, constant, permanent, indestructible: Did
the Egyptian pharaohs believe themselves immortal? 2 divine,
heavenly, godlike: The immortal wisdom of God guides man. 3
remembered, celebrated, unfading, famous, renowned, classic,
lauded, praised, honoured, timeless: The immortal writings of
Shakespeare inspire us still.

--n. 4 Olympian, god or goddess; hero or heroine, legend,
genius, great: To be sure, we must consider Bach as one of the
immortals.

immortalize
v. celebrate, honour, glorify, memorialize, commemorate,
apotheosize, canonize, beatify, exalt, ennoble, extol:
Dickens's father was immortalized as Mr Micawber.

immovable adj. 1 unmovable, fixed, fast, rooted, set, immobile,
stationary, motionless, stable, riveted, anchored, frozen: What
happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object? 2
immutable, unchangeable, unalterable, settled, set, unmovable,
fixed, inflexible; unshakeable or unshakable, unswerving, firm,
determined, steadfast, staunch, rigid, dogged, obdurate,
unyielding, unwavering, resolute, unflinching, adamant(ine),
stony, impassive, unbending, impassive, emotionless, unmoved:
Christmas day, which always falls on December 25th, is an
immovable feast. Despite pleas for mercy, the judge was
immovable and she was hanged the next day.


immune adj. inoculated, vaccinated; exempt, safe, protected,
insusceptible or unsusceptible, invulnerable, untouched,
unaffected: She never caught smallpox because a mild case of
cowpox had made her immune. Rick mistakenly thought himself
immune to Sally's charms.

immunity n. 1 exemption, non-liability, invulnerability, protection,
excuse, release, exclusion, privilege, freedom, indemnity,
amnesty, exoneration, absolution: In return for his testimony
he was granted immunity from prosecution. 2 insusceptibility or
unsusceptibility, protection, inoculation, vaccination:
Immunity to a number of diseases is conferred by this one
injection.


imp n. devil(kin), demon, sprite, evil spirit, hobgoblin, goblin,
elf, pixie or pixy, leprechaun, puck, brownie, fairy; scamp,
urchin, gamin, rogue, rascal, mischief-maker, brat: Sitting on
my shoulder as I write is a tiny imp that inserts the
misspellings. Give me a hug, you little imp!

impact n. 1 collision, contact, striking, crash, smash, bump,
colliding, crashing, smashing, bumping: The impact of the car
against the stone wall was heard a mile away. 2 effect,
impression, influence, import, meaning, bearing, force, thrust,
weight, burden, brunt, repercussions, results, consequences: It
is becoming clear that technology is having an adverse impact on
the environment.


--v. 3 strike, hit, collide with: When its orbit decays, the
satellite will impact the surface of the moon. 4 affect, modify,
change: I wonder how the news of the bankruptcy will impact
share prices.


impair v. weaken, cripple, damage, harm, mar, injure, spoil, ruin: 'I
understand that leading a wild life can impair your hearing.'
'What did you say?'

impairment
n. lessening, weakening, damage, harm, injury, flaw,
imperfection, reduction, vitiation, deterioration, decrease,
diminution, enfeeblement, debilitation, undermining, worsening,
marring: The impairment to my eyesight was caused by reading in

the dark.

impale v. spear, stab, pierce, skewer, spit, stick, transfix, spike:
They impaled the heads of their enemies on poles as a warning.


impart v. 1 give, cede, lend, bestow, convey, confer, grant, afford,
accord, contribute: The dyes impart different colours to the
ink. 2 communicate, tell, relate, transmit, reveal, divulge,
disclose, pass on, intimate, confide: I've had a hard week
imparting knowledge to bored schoolchildren.

impartial adj. fair, just, even-handed, disinterested, neutral,
unprejudiced, unbiased, objective, equitable: Judge Leaver can
be relied on to render an impartial verdict.


impasse n. deadlock, dead end, stalemate, stand-off, block, blockage,
Colloq blind alley: Negotiations reached an impasse and the
meeting broke up.


impassioned
adj. passionate, inspired, spirited, stirring, fervent,
emotional, fervid, ardent, heated, warm, rousing, aroused,
vehement, zealous, eager, earnest, enthusiastic, vigorous,
animated, fiery, inflamed, glowing: The barrister made an
impassioned plea for the accused.

impassive adj. cool, apathetic, calm, serene, composed, unmoved, cold,
cold-blooded, reserved, imperturbable, unimpressionable,
unruffled, controlled, contained, phlegmatic, lackadaisical,
stoical, unemotional, taciturn, unfeeling, stolid, emotionless,
uncaring, indifferent, undisturbed, callous, unsympathetic,
stony, dispassionate, detached, nonchalant, unconcerned,
insouciant, remote: I could see nothing in the judge's
impassive expression to hint at his decision.


impatient adj. 1 uneasy, nervous, fidgety, agitated, restless, restive,
unquiet, eager, fretful, agog, chafing, impetuous, athirst,
Slang itchy, US antsy: There is a short wait for seats, so
please don't get impatient. 2 irritable, irascible, testy,
short-tempered, querulous, waspish, brusque, curt, short,
hot-tempered, snappish, indignant, demanding: I don't mean to
be impatient, but I have been waiting for three hours.

impeach v. 1 charge, accuse, arraign, indict, incriminate, implicate,
inculpate, blame, censure: They were impeached for crimes
against the state. 2 (call into) question, challenge, attack,
disparage, discredit, impugn, deprecate, belittle, asperse, cast
aspersions on, declaim, slander, malign, vilify: My daughter's
character had been impeached by the witness.

impeccable
adj. faultless, flawless, perfect, ideal, pure, correct,
proper, spotless, immaculate, unblemished, spotless,
unimpeachable, blameless: His lectures, though impeccable in
content and style, lacked fire.

impede v. bar, obstruct, block, thwart, check, hinder, hamper, slow,
retard, restrain, brake, hold up, delay, foil, confound,
inhibit, curb, spike, stop: You can do nothing to impede the
relentless march of time.

impediment
n. bar, barrier, obstruction, block, check, hindrance,
encumbrance, restraint, hold-up, hitch, snag, restriction,
stricture, bottleneck, delay, hang-up, inhibition, curb: What
are the impediments to a happy marriage?


impending adj. imminent, approaching, (close or near) at hand, close,
nearing, forthcoming, brewing, to come, in view, in prospect, in
store, in the offing, on the horizon, in the air; looming,
threatening, menacing; Colloq Brit on the cards, US in the
cards: The impending deadline made us work all the faster. We
had a feeling of impending doom.

imperative
adj. 1 mandatory, compulsory, necessary, required, requisite,
demanded, obligatory, indispensable, essential, crucial, vital,
urgent, pressing, exigent: It is imperative that we catch the
5.04 to London. 2 imperious, commanding, authoritarian,
overbearing, peremptory, autocratic, domineering, magisterial,
lordly, arbitrary, dictatorial, dogmatic, tyrannical, despotic,
Colloq bossy: We were all shaken into obedience by her
imperative tone.

imperceptible
adj. 1 invisible, indiscernible, indistinguishable,

undetectable, obscure, vague, ill-defined; inaudible: The
differences between the twins are imperceptible. 2 indistinct,
unclear, unnoticeable, slight, subtle, inconsiderable,
inappreciable, minute, tiny, slight, minuscule, infinitesimal,
microscopic: Her only response was an imperceptible flicker of
her eyelid.

imperfect adj. wanting, unfinished, undeveloped, incomplete, deficient,
defective, faulty, flawed, patchy: This is an imperfect
translation of the poem.

imperfection
n. flaw, failing, fault, error, defect, blemish, damage;
inadequacy, insufficiency, deficiency, frailty, weakness,
foible, shortcoming, peccadillo, shortfall, fallibility,
infirmity: We have reduced the price because of tiny
imperfections in the weave. Imperfections in her character make
her unsuitable for the job.


imperial adj. 1 kingly, kinglike, queenly, queenlike, princely,
princelike, regal, royal, sovereign: The imperial court was
rich and splendid. 2 majestic, royal, regal, lofty, exalted,
supreme, august, noble, superior, imposing, splendid,
magnificent, grand, excellent: Her imperial presence outshone
all at the ball.

impermeable
adj. impenetrable, impassable, impervious, closed, sealed,
hermetic: The floor has been damp-proofed by the insertion of
an impermeable membrane under the concrete.

impersonal
adj. 1 detached, objective, disinterested, fair, equitable,
dispassionate, unprejudiced, unbiased: The enforcement of the
law should be entirely impersonal. 2 formal, stiff,
strait-laced, wooden, rigid, prim, stuffy, cool, detached,
unfriendly, cold, mechanical: Why does my bank manager have to
be so impersonal?


impertinence
n. insolence, boldness, brazenness, impudence, presumption,
presumptuousness, brashness, sauciness, pertness, incivility,
forwardness, impoliteness, discourtesy, disrespect, audacity,

rudeness, effrontery, Colloq cheek, brass, brassiness, nerve,
gall, Slang chutzpah: Why, the impertinence of that waitress to
call you by your Christian name!


impertinent
adj. presumptuous, insolent, bold, brazen, impudent, brash,
saucy, pert, uncivil, forward, impolite, discourteous,
disrespectful, audacious, rude, Colloq cheeky, fresh, brassy, US
nervy: That impertinent little upstart had the nerve to ask the
lady's age!

impetuous adj. spontaneous, unpremeditated, impulsive, unplanned, hasty,
abrupt, precipitate, quick, unthinking, unreasoned, offhand,
rash, reckless, spur-of-the-moment, unreflective, headlong:
Don't be impetuous and accept the first offer that comes along.

impetus n. drive, stimulus, push, impulse, goad, thrust, energy,
momentum, stimulation, incentive, motivation, encouragement,
inspiration: Roger's innovative ideas provided the impetus to
develop new products.

impious adj. irreligious, irreverent, ungodly, sacrilegious,
blasphemous, profane, unholy, wicked, sinful, iniquitous: The
priest said that he would be punished for his impious remarks.


implacable
adj. unappeasable, unmollifiable, unpacifiable, unforgiving,
intractable, uncompromising, inflexible, inexorable, unyielding,
unrelenting, ruthless, cruel, pitiless, merciless, hard, rigid,
unsympathetic, uncompassionate: Ever since that incident at
school he has been my implacable enemy.

implant v. 1 introduce, instil, insinuate, inject; indoctrinate,
inculcate, teach, impress, imprint: They spent months
implanting that notion in his mind. 2 graft, root, embed,
inlay: You must implant the scion nearer the main stem.

--n. 3 graft, scion, ingraft; insert: Are they really
experimenting with brain implants to improve the memory?


implausible
adj. improbable, unlikely, doubtful, dubious, questionable,
unbelievable, incredible, far-fetched, unconvincing, debatable,

unreasonable: He told an implausible tale of having been raised
by apes.

implement n. 1 utensil, tool, instrument, apparatus, device, appliance,
contrivance, mechanism, (piece of) equipment, Colloq gadget,
contraption: You need the proper implement for measuring inside
diameters.

--v. 2 carry out, execute, accomplish, perform, achieve, (put
into) effect, bring about, cause, fulfil, realize: You will
need our help to implement the plan.

implicate v. 1 involve, include, associate, embroil, ensnare, entrap,
enmesh, entangle: Don't implicate me in your hare-brained
schemes! 2 incriminate, inculpate, connect, involve, associate,
suspect, concern: Wasn't he implicated in that fraud case last
year?

implication
n. 1 involvement, connection, inclusion, association,
entanglement: My implication in that affair was minimal. 2
suggestion, hint, insinuation, innuendo, intimation: I resent
the implication that I had anything to do with the murder. 3
significance, purport, drift, meaning, denotation, conclusion,
inference, import, connotation, sense, burden, substance,
essence, pith: The implication of the article is that the
government knew about the illegal exports all along.

implicit adj. 1 implied, indirect, inferable, understood, unspoken,
undeclared, tacit, inherent, inferential, latent: Certain
provisions are implicit in every legal contract and need not be
expressed. 2 absolute, unquestioning, unquestioned, unqualified,
total, sheer, complete, unmitigated, unalloyed, undiluted,
unlimited, unconditional, unreserved, utter, full, wholehearted:
I have implicit faith in Nicole's judgement.

imply v. 1 suggest, hint (at), intimate, insinuate: Are you implying
that I don't know what I'm talking about? 2 connote, allude to,
refer to, advert to, signify, signal, betoken, denote, indicate,
mean, express; involve, include, evidence, assume, presume,
entail: Silence sometimes implies consent. Discovery of the
tools implies a more advanced culture.

impolite adj. discourteous, ill-mannered, uncivil, rude, ungracious,
ungentlemanly, unladylike, pert, disrespectful, saucy, boorish,
churlish, crude, indecorous, indelicate, unrefined, ill-bred,
vulgar, coarse: The waiter was so impolite that I refused him a
tip.

imponderable
adj. unmeasurable, inestimable, inconceivable,
incomprehensible, subtle: There are too many imponderable
questions to give you a definite answer.

import v. 1 introduce, bring in: We import the raw materials and
export the finished product. 2 convey, mean, signify, denote,
imply, betoken: He was a dictator, in all the senses that word
imports.

--n. 3 meaning, sense, denotation, signification, gist, drift,
thrust, intention, implication, purport, connotation,
suggestion, allusion, intimation: It was difficult for me to
catch the import of her words. 4 importance, significance,
weight, consequence, moment, substance: One could see at once
that she was a personage of some import.

importance
n. 1 significance, consequence, import, value, worth, weight,
account, concern, moment, substance, matter: How chemicals
affect the ozone layer is of great importance to everyone. 2
eminence, distinction, esteem, standing, status, position, rank,
prominence, pre-eminence, prestige, power, influence, note: His
family is of considerable importance in the community.

important adj. 1 significant, consequential, critical, material, vital,
urgent, portentous, weighty, grave, substantial, momentous,
signal: If it is important, put it in writing. 2 leading,
prominent, notable, noted, noteworthy, worthy, eminent,
distinguished, respected, high-ranking, top-level, high-level,
superior, outstanding, foremost, conspicuous, impressive: She
is the most important member of the committee. 3 influential,
effective, well-connected, powerful, formidable, mighty,
impressive: With those important politicians supporting him, he
might win.

impose v. 1 inflict, force, foist: Stop imposing your standards on

others. 2 interrupt, interfere, intrude, interpose, insinuate:
I hope I am not imposing? 3 levy, place, put, exact: A tax has
been imposed on entertainment. 4 impose on or upon. a saddle,
burden: He imposes on everyone with his demands for charity. b
exploit, take advantage (of), misuse: I hope I am not imposing
on your good will in what I ask.

imposing adj. grand, magnificent, impressive, stately, august, majestic,
effective, commanding: In his dress uniform, the general was an
imposing presence at the reception.

imposition
n. 1 inflicting, infliction; applying, application, enforcing,
enforcement, levy, levying, promulgating, promulgation,
introducing, introduction, placing, placement, laying on:
People resent the imposition of a curfew. 2 burden, onus,
weight; intrusion, misuse: A flat-rate tax is a terrible
imposition on the poor. Walking the dog is an imposition on my
time.


impossible
adj. 1 hopeless, impracticable, inconceivable, unimaginable,
unthinkable, unattainable, unsuitable, out of the question,
unachievable, unrealizable, unworkable, unresolvable,
unsolvable: Reading of the cipher is impossible without a key.
2 absurd, ludicrous, preposterous, ridiculous, illogical,
unworkable, outrageous, farcical, outlandish, crazy, weird:
Inventors came up with the most impossible designs for
aeroplanes.


impostor n. imposter, impersonator, pretender, deceiver, cheat, fraud,
swindler, trickster, confidence man, shark, charlatan,
mountebank, hypocrite, Colloq con man, phoney or US also phony,
tricky Dick, flimflam man, US four-flusher: It wasn't the bank
manager but an impostor.

impotence n. 1 weakness, powerlessness, helplessness, frailty,
feebleness, enervation, debilitation: The doctor said that his
impotence was caused by exhaustion. 2 impotency, inadequacy,
inefficacy, ineffectualness, ineffectiveness, ineptness,
incompetence: Georgiana was frustrated by her impotence in
dealing with the situation. 3 sterility, infertility: Eating
raw eggs and oysters does not cure impotence.


impotent adj. 1 weak, powerless, helpless, frail, feeble, enervated,
debilitated, infirm: When it came to political influence, I was
impotent. 2 inadequate, ineffective, ineffectual, inept,
incompetent: The attempted robbery was a half-hearted, impotent
effort. 3 sterile, barren, infertile, infecund: They never had
any children because Dixon was impotent.

impoverished
adj. 1 destitute, poor, poverty-stricken, penurious, beggared,
needy, necessitous, impecunious, in sore or bad straits,
straitened, in distress, badly off, bankrupt, insolvent, ruined,
Colloq (dead or flat) broke, stony-broke, bad off, pinched, up
against it, on one's uppers, short, US strapped, wiped out,
Slang Brit skint: A series of failed harvests left many farmers
impoverished. 2 stripped, barren, desolate, wasted, empty,
depleted, denuded, drained, exhausted: Two years of drought
left the land impoverished.


impracticable
adj. 1 unworkable, infeasible or unfeasible, impossible,
unattainable, unachievable: The new engine design proved
impracticable because of its high fuel consumption. 2
unsuitable, unfit, unusable, useless, inapplicable: As we have
no electricity, air conditioners are impracticable.

impractical
adj. 1 visionary, starry-eyed, unrealistic, romantic, quixotic,
wild: Laura's solutions are very creative but quite
impractical. 2 useless, ineffective, ineffectual, unworkable,
unavailing, impracticable: The idea looked good on paper but
proved impractical when we tried it.

imprecise adj. inexact, inaccurate, wrong, inexplicit, indefinite,
ill-defined, indistinct, vague, hazy, cloudy, blurred, fuzzy,
woolly, ambiguous: The readings are imprecise because the
needle wavers so much.

impregnable
adj. invulnerable, impenetrable, inviolable, unconquerable,
invincible, unbeatable, indomitable, secure, safe, mighty,
well-fortified: The walls of the castle, sixteen feet thick,
were impregnable.


impregnate
v. 1 fertilize, inseminate, fecundate, make pregnant: The
female can be impregnated only during one ten-day interval each
year. 2 imbue, suffuse, permeate, penetrate, pervade, infuse,
saturate, drench, soak, steep, fill: The preservative must be
allowed to impregnate the wood.

impress v. 1 affect, touch, move, reach, stir, strike, sway, influence,
persuade, Colloq grab, get under one's skin: She was genuinely
impressed by his sincerity. 2 print, imprint, stamp, mark,
engrave, emboss: Before the bowl was placed in the kiln, the
potter's seal was impressed in its underside. 3 Often, impress
on or upon. stress, emphasize, urge, bring home (to): They
tried to impress on him the gravity of the situation.

impression
n. 1 sensation, feeling, sense, suspicion, awareness,
consciousness, idea, belief, fancy, notion: I have the
impression that I have been here before. She gave me the
impression that she didn't like me. 2 impact, effect, influence:
Are you concerned about the impression of his speech on the
crowd? 3 dent, indentation, depression, hollow, mark; stamp,
impress, brand: Look here, where the chair has made an
impression in the carpet. 4 printing, issue, print, copy, run:
This is the third impression from the original plates. 5
impersonation, imitation; parody, satire, Colloq take-off, Brit
send-up: After dinner, Gerry did his impression of Churchill.


impressionable
adj. suggestible, susceptible, persuadable or persuasible,
impressible, receptive, responsive: They seek to enrol students
who are at an impressionable age.


impressive
adj. evocative, moving, affecting, stimulating, exciting,
stirring, powerful, provocative, arousing, awe-inspiring,
awesome, imposing, formidable, portentous, redoubtable: She has
many impressive talents.


imprison v. incarcerate, confine, detain, remand, jail or Brit also
gaol, lock up, intern, shut up, put behind bars, put in or throw
into irons, put away, Colloq Brit send down, US send up (the

river): He was imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit.

imprisonment
n. incarceration, confinement, detention, remand, custody,
Literary durance (vile): The sentence is imprisonment for not
less than one year.

improbable
adj. doubtful, dubious, unlikely, questionable, unrealistic,
far-fetched, remote, implausible, unthinkable, hard to believe
or imagine, inconceivable, unbelievable, fanciful, incredible,
ridiculous, ludicrous, absurd, crazy, mad, insane, wild, weird,
peculiar, strange; impossible; Colloq fishy: It is improbable
that they will marry. He gave the most improbable excuses.


improper adj. 1 wrong, mistaken, erroneous, false, incorrect,
inaccurate, inexact, imprecise, amiss, faulty, untrue,
irregular, abnormal: Sloppy research had led to improper
conclusions. 2 unfit, unsuitable, inappropriate, inapt,
inapplicable, infelicitous, incongruous, unsuited, unseemly,
unbefitting, unfitting, uncalled-for, inapposite, malapropos,
out of keeping, out of place, incompatible, inopportune: Do you
think it improper for shops to open on Sundays? His wedding was
an improper occasion for comments about his philandering. 3
indecorous, indecent, indelicate, immodest, unseemly, untoward,
unbecoming, impolite, suggestive, risqu‚, off colour, obscene,
corrupt, immoral, sinful, wicked, lewd, lascivious: Do you see
anything improper in sex education for children?


impropriety
n. 1 improperness, erroneousness, incorrectness, falsity,
falseness, inaccuracy, inaccurateness, inexactitude,
inexactness, imprecision, impreciseness, irregularity,
abnormality: I fail to see the impropriety in refusing to
support capital punishment. 2 unfitness, unsuitableness,
inappropriateness, inaptness, inapplicability, infelicity,
infelicitousness, incongruity, incongruousness, unseemliness,
incompatibility, inopportuneness: The judge criticized the
impropriety of allowing the child to testify. 3 indecorousness,
bad or poor taste, indecency, indelicacy, immodesty,
unseemliness, suggestiveness, immorality, sinfulness,
wickedness, lewdness, lasciviousness: In those days, the
impropriety in wearing a brief bathing costume was thought

shocking. 4 slip, blunder, mistake, error, gaffe, gaucherie,
faux pas: She admitted to many improprieties during her term of
office.


improve v. 1 better, ameliorate, upgrade, uplift, amend, enhance, fix
up, reform, redeem, rehabilitate, redress, repair, correct,
rectify, put or set right, emend; modernize, update, refurbish,
recondition, renovate, repair, overhaul, remodel: We must
improve procedures for dealing with small claims. The landlord
refuses to spend any money to improve the property. 2 develop,
increase, advance, promote, further, benefit; look up, recover,
pick up, Colloq give a new lease of or US on life, take a turn
for the better, US take a new lease on life: How can I improve
my chances of winning at snooker? Business has improved
considerably. 3 convalesce, recuperate, recover, get better,
mend, rally, (make) progress, gain (strength or ground), revive:
Mrs Costello is out of intensive care and improving daily.

improvement
n. 1 betterment, amelioration; reform, rehabilitation,
upgrading, enhancement, repair: The committee is working for
the improvement of the neighbourhood. 2 recovery, rise,
increase, gain, advance, upswing, progress; recuperation,
convalescence: There was an improvement in share prices after
release of the trade figures. The patient shows considerable
improvement. 3 advance, change for the better: This year's crop
is an improvement over last year's.

improvident
adj. 1 short-sighted, imprudent, wasteful, profligate,
prodigal, spendthrift, extravagant, lavish, profuse,
happy-go-lucky, penny wise and pound foolish, uneconomic(al),
thriftless: He who is improvident in his youth plans for a
short life. 2 incautious, unwary, rash, reckless, impulsive,
impetuous, headlong, heedless, careless, unthinking,
unthoughtful, unmindful: The club's present financial straits
are the result of having an improvident treasurer.

improvise n. 1 ad lib, extemporize, Colloq play (it) by ear, fake it,
wing it: I like a comedian who improvises as he goes along. 2
invent, concoct, devise, contrive, jury-rig; make do: We had to
improvise a mast from parts of the boom. When you have nothing
to work with, you have to improvise.


imprudent adj. indiscreet, impulsive, rash, reckless, hasty, incautious,
impetuous, improvident, careless, heedless, foolhardy,
irresponsible, injudicious, ill-judged, thoughtless,
ill-considered, ill-advised, inadvisable, unwise, inexpedient,
foolish, mad, crazy, insane, inane, silly, perverse, wrong,
wrong-headed: It would be imprudent to go out during the storm.

impudence n. impertinence, effrontery, insolence, disrespect,
presumption, presumptuousness, audacity, shamelessness,
pertness, sauciness, boldness, brazenness, incivility, rudeness,
impoliteness, Colloq lip, gall, guff, sauce, mouth, Brit
backchat, side, US back talk, Slang chutzpah: He had the
impudence to suggest that I was too old for the job!


impudent adj. shameless, impertinent, insolent, disrespectful, forward,
presumptuous, audacious, pert, saucy, bold, brazen, cocky,
cocksure, arrogant, uncivil, ill-mannered, rude, impolite,
Colloq fresh, brassy, cheeky: Asked the simplest question, she
is always ready with an impudent response.

impulsive n. impetuous, emotional, unpredictable, unpremeditated,
unplanned, spur-of-the-moment, extemporaneous, unconsidered,
offhand, instinctive, involuntary, spontaneous, quick, sudden,
precipitate, immediate, snap, rash, headlong, rash, reckless,
devil-may-care, foolhardy, madcap, wild: You may say that it
was impulsive of me to give her all that money, but I love her.

impure adj. 1 dirty, soiled, unclean, sullied, tainted, polluted,
defiled, foul, filthy, feculent, infected, scummy, putrid,
putrescent, rotten: The water is impure and not fit to drink.
2 mixed, alloyed, contaminated, adulterated, debased, unrefined:
Impure ore contains other substances which are removed during
processing. 3 unclean, unhallowed, forbidden, disallowed,
Judaism tref or treif or treifa: Certain foods are considered
impure in some religions. 4 unchaste, immoral, sinful, wicked,
evil, vile, unvirtuous, unvirginal, corrupted, defiled, debased,
vitiated, degenerate, depraved, loose, wanton, lustful,
promiscuous, libidinous, dissolute, licentious, obscene,
prurient, dirty, filthy, lubricious or lubricous, salacious,
lascivious, lewd, lecherous: The book was condemned as 'likely
to encourage impure thoughts'.

impurity n. 1 pollution, contamination, defilement, adulteration,
dirtiness, uncleanness, foulness: The impurity of the water in
our rivers is a cause for concern. 2 Often, impurities. dirt,
contaminant, pollutant, pollution, smut, filth, foreign matter
or body: This filter is guaranteed to remove impurities from
the water. 3 unchastity, immorality, sinfulness, wickedness,
evil, vileness, corruption, degeneration, depravity, looseness,
wantonness, lust, lustfulness, promiscuity, promiscuousness,
libidinousness, dissoluteness, licentiousness, obscenity,
prurience, dirtiness, filthiness, lubricity, salaciousness,
lasciviousness, lewdness, lecherousness: Children ought not be
exposed to the impurity encountered on everyday television.

imputation
n. charge, indictment, accusation, allegation, challenge,
censure, blame, reproach, slur, aspersion, attribution,
ascription, insinuation, implication, innuendo: I resent the
imputation that I broke the vase on purpose.


impute v. ascribe, assign, attribute, credit, charge, put or set down
to; insinuate, imply, suggest, hint at: The critic imputed
meanings to the book that the author had never intended.

9.6 inability...
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inability n. incapacity, incapability, incompetence, unfitness,
ineptness, ineptitude, unqualifiedness, impotence: The
inability of many school-leavers to perform simple arithmetical
tasks is deeply worrying.

inaccessible
adj. 1 unavailable, unobtainable, unattainable, unreachable,
unapproachable: The minister has made himself inaccessible for
interviews. 2 impenetrable, impassable, out-of-the-way: The
tomb lies in a part of the jungle inaccessible except by air.

inaccurate
adj. wrong, incorrect, erroneous, mistaken, inexact, imprecise,
faulty, flawed, imperfect, amiss, awry, false, fallacious,
illogical, unsound, Colloq off the mark, off the beam, cold,
Chiefly US all wet, US (way) off base Slang cock-eyed, full of

hot air: Reports of my death were obviously inaccurate.

inactive adj. 1 passive, placid, quiet, tranquil, quiescent, serene,
peaceful, pacific, resting, unmoving, motionless, immobile,
immobilized, still, inert, lifeless, inanimate, sluggish,
listless, lethargic, lackadaisical, languid, indolent, lazy,
torpid, somnolent, idle, slothful, supine: Although there was
plenty to do round the house, he remained inactive all summer. 2
non-functioning, inoperative, dormant; unoccupied, idle,
unemployed, jobless, out of work, out of a job: The volcano was
inactive for a thousand years. These miners have been inactive
for six months.

inactivity
n. 1 passiveness or passivity, placidity or placidness, quiet,
tranquillity, serenity, peace, peacefulness; motionlessness,
immobility, stillness, inertia, inertness, lifelessness,
sluggishness, listlessness, lethargy, languidness, indolence,
laziness, torpor, somnolence, idleness, slothfulness, sloth:
She alternates between periods of activity and inactivity. 2
inaction, quiescence; hibernation, aestivation: During repairs,
the reactor will be in a state of inactivity. Some animals have
a period of inactivity during certain times of the year.


inadequate
adj. 1 insufficient, deficient, not enough, too little, scarce,
meagre, scanty, skimpy, sparse, (in) short (supply);
unsatisfactory, imperfect, incomplete, defective, unsuitable,
disappointing, flawed, faulty: Funds are inadequate to meet her
expenses. The terms of the agreement are inadequate. 2
inadequate to. unsuited to or for, unfit for, unqualified for,
not up to, unequal to, unworthy of, inapt for, inept for,
incapable of: He proved inadequate to the demands of the job.


inadmissible
adj. disallowed, unallowable, unallowed, forbidden,
unacceptable, prohibited, unsuitable, unsuited, unqualified,
inappropriate, inapplicable, improper, objectionable,
exceptionable, incorrect, wrong: Such evidence is inadmissible
in court.

inadvertent
adj. 1 unintentional, unintended, unpremeditated, accidental,

unthinking, unwitting, chance; unconscious, unplanned,
unstudied, undesigned, uncalculated: She was an inadvertent
witness to the murder. I assure you that the error was entirely
inadvertent. 2 careless, inattentive, negligent, heedless,
unobservant: Inadvertent commentators failed to see the
significance of her words.

inalienable
adj. untransferable, intransferable, absolute, inherent,
unconsignable, sacrosanct, inviolable, non-negotiable,
unnegotiable, unchallengeable, Law imprescriptible, entailed,
indefeasible: People have an inalienable right to life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.


inane adj. silly, asinine, vapid, vacant, vacuous, absurd, fatuous,
foolish, senseless, nonsensical, unreasonable, preposterous,
ludicrous, ridiculous, laughable, risible, mad, lunatic, crazy,
stupid, dumb, idiotic, moronic, imbecilic, Colloq nutty, nuts,
daft, daffy, screwy, batty, dippy, wacky, cuckoo, loony, goofy,
Brit bonkers, dotty: Students seem especially prone to inane
behaviour.

inanimate adj. lifeless, motionless, immobile, unmoving, inactive, inert,
still, spiritless, soulless, cold, dead, defunct: He just sits
there, like an inanimate piece of furniture.

inapplicable
adj. inappropriate, unsuitable, unsuited, inapt, irrelevant,
unrelated, unconnected, inapposite, beside the point or
question, extraneous, off the mark, Colloq US off base: That
law is inapplicable in your case.

inappropriate
adj. improper, unfitting, unfit, unsuitable, unsuited,
unbefitting, incompatible, malapropos, ungermane, inapt,
inapposite, out of keeping, incongruous, infelicitous,
inopportune, untimely, irrelevant, inapplicable: Your
facetiousness was quite inappropriate to such a solemn occasion.


inarticulate
adj. 1 disjointed, unconnected, incoherent, incomprehensible,
jumbled, unintelligible, unclear, illogical, discursive,
rambling, scrambled, wild, irrational, muddled, mixed-up,

confused, digressive: She sat through an inarticulate lecture
on Joyce's use of the subjunctive. 2 mumbled, garbled, blurred,
muffled, muttered, faltering, halting, indistinct, unclear,
unintelligible: They communicate with each other in
inarticulate grunts. 3 speechless, tongue-tied, (struck) dumb,
mute, voiceless: Ed is inarticulate when it comes to describing
Vera.

inattentive
n. unobservant, heedless, careless, negligent, neglectful,
indifferent, uncaring, apathetic, slack, remiss, unconcerned,
detached, unmindful, distracted, distrait(e), absent-minded,
abstracted, in a brown study, day-dreaming, oscitant,
wool-gathering, musing, oblivious, (with one's head) in the
clouds, in a world of one's own: It was late and the children
were getting restless and inattentive.

inaudible adj. unheard, imperceptible, indistinct, low, faint, muted,
quiet, soft, muffled, stifled: The film was good, although some
of the dialogue was inaudible.

inaugurate
v. 1 initiate, begin, commence, enter upon, start, introduce,
usher in, institute, launch, originate, set up, get under way,
get going: A new programme of health services has been
inaugurated. 2 install or instal, induct, invest, establish,
instate: The President was inaugurated last week.

inauspicious
adj. unpromising, unlucky, unfortunate, unfavourable,
unpropitious, untoward, ill-starred, ominous, ill-omened,
ill-fated, portentous, menacing, doomed, sinister, dark, gloomy,
cloudy, clouded, black: The middle of a recession is an
inauspicious time to set up a business.


inborn adj. innate, congenital, inherent, inherited, hereditary,
inbred, natural, native, constitutional, deep-seated,
deep-rooted, ingrained, instinctive or instinctual, Technical
connate: A gift for music is inborn.


incandescent
adj. glowing, red-hot, white-hot, alight, aflame, flaming,
burning, fiery, candent, flaring: Light-bulbs contain an

incandescent filament.

incapable adj. 1 Often, incapable of. unable (to), powerless (to),
incompetent (to), unfit (to), unqualified (to), impotent (to),
unequal to, not up to: He seems incapable of completing his
assignment. 2 incapable of. insusceptible to, resistant to,
impervious to, ill-disposed to, disinclined to, not open to: He
is incapable of dishonesty.


incapacitate
v. disable, cripple, paralyse, lame, wound, maim, impair,
weaken, enfeeble, enervate, exhaust, devitalize; immobilize,
inactivate, deactivate, put out of action, indispose: Severely
incapacitated in the crash, John cannot walk without the aid of
crutches. The power plant was incapacitated by one well-placed
grenade.

incentive n. incitement, impetus, encouragement, goad, prod, provocation,
spur, impulse, enticement, lure, inducement, stimulus,
motivation, Colloq carrot: The discount is offered as an
incentive to buy a new car.

incidence n. frequency, rate, degree, extent, occurrence, prevalence;
quantity, amount, number: The incidence of heart disease is
high in Britain.

incident n. 1 event, occasion, occurrence, proceeding, circumstance,
fact, happening, experience, episode: A curious incident led to
the discovery. 2 disturbance, scene, affair, upset, commotion,
fracas, skirmish, set-to, Colloq to-do, do: The police were
called because of an incident at the pub next door.

incidental
adj. 1 casual, chance, fortuitous, aleatory, random, haphazard,
serendipitous, unpredictable, accidental, adventitious,
unplanned, unlooked-for, Colloq fluky: Any good that came from
the war was incidental. 2 subordinate, secondary, ancillary,
minor, lesser, non-essential, unimportant, trivial, negligible,
inconsequential, insignificant, petty, trifling, paltry: The
incidental events were not covered by the press.

incidentally
adv. 1 by the way, by the by, apropos (of), parenthetically:

Incidentally, I won't be able to go the party tonight. 2
casually, as luck would have it, accidentally, by chance,
perchance: In addition to being held for murder, he was
incidentally charged with possession of an illegal weapon.


incision n. cut, gash, slit, slash: The surgeon made an incision in the
abdominal wall.

incisive adj. 1 keen, sharp, acute, piercing, perspicacious, perceptive,
percipient, penetrating, trenchant, canny, shrewd: Shirley
offered some incisive observations on the matter. 2 sarcastic,
biting, mordant, cutting, caustic, sardonic, ironic(al), sharp,
acid, tart, acrid, acrimonious, bitter, acerbic, cynical,
stinging, critical: Your incisive comments are not really
appreciated, George.

incite v. stimulate, inspire, prompt, move, stir, stir or whip or work
up, bestir, excite, fire, exhort, agitate, foment, inflame,
provoke, rally, goad, spur, prick, prod, drive, push, egg on,
encourage, urge, influence, wake, waken, awaken, rouse, arouse:
Who was it that incited the crowd to violence?

incitement
n. 1 stimulation, instigating, spurring, urging, influencing,
awakening, wakening, arousing, prodding, prompting, stirring,
whipping, exciting, firing, exhorting, agitating, fomenting,
inflaming, firing, provoking, rallying, goading, prodding,
pricking, needling: Certain rabble-rousers have been accused of
incitement of the crowds at the football stadiums. 2 stimulus,
incentive, inducement, enticement, temptation, impulse,
motivation, influence, instigation, provocation, inspiration,
persuasion, exhortation, agitation, fomentation, inflammation,
arousal, encouragement, excitement: Greed is a powerful
incitement to dishonesty.


incivility
n. rudeness, boorishness, coarseness, discourtesy,
uncourtliness, unmannerliness, indecorum, indecorousness,
discourteousness, impoliteness, tactlessness, ungentlemanliness,
bad breeding, ill breeding, bad manners, misbehaviour: The
incivility with which the ambassador was treated is
unforgivable.

inclement adj. extreme, intemperate, severe, harsh, rigorous; stormy,
violent, rainy, squally, blustery, raw, bad, tempestuous: We
are expecting inclement weather for the weekend.


inclination
n. 1 bow, bowing, bend, bending, nod, nodding, tilt, tilting:
His tacit sign of recognition was an inclination of his head. 2
slope, slant, angle, bend, incline, tilt: The inclination of
the track is far too steep for such a vehicle. 3 disposition,
predisposition, tendency, bent, bias, leaning, preference, turn,
cast, proclivity, propensity, attitude, proneness,
susceptibility, predilection, partiality, affection, taste,
liking, desire, velleity: His inclination in favour of the
offer is largely instinctive. 4 desire, longing, craving,
appetite, taste, stomach, sympathy, predilection, penchant,
fancy, eagerness, enthusiasm, zeal, fervour, ardour: I have no
inclination to watch open-heart surgery.

incline v. 1 tend, lean, bend, bow, slant, tilt, angle, bank, slope,
ascend, rise, descend: The road inclines to the horizontal
after a curve. 2 dispose, influence, persuade, predispose,
make, lead, prejudice, bias: Their accents might incline you to
think of them as foreigners. 3 tend, lean, gravitate, show
favour or preference, be attracted to, be biased or prejudiced,
have a mind; be disposed or predisposed, lean, tend: I incline
towards the other candidate. He inclines towards corpulence.

--n. 4 slope, pitch, grade, gradient, slant, ramp, hill, dip,
descent, declivity, rise, ascent, acclivity: The car picked up
speed going down one incline and slowed going up the next.

inclined adj. 1 tending, disposed, predisposed, prone, willing, keen,
eager, Colloq of a mind: Though she is inclined to believe she
has doubts. 2 likely, apt, liable, minded, prone: He is
equally inclined to kiss you as kill you. 3 sloping, slanting,
leaning, bending, tilting, gravitating, bearing, verging: This
wall is slightly inclined towards the river.

include v. 1 incorporate, embody, comprise, embrace, cover, encompass,
take in, subsume, comprehend, contain: Staff changes are
included in the plan for reorganization. 2 classify,
categorize, group, file, list, catalogue, tabulate, register:
Did you include psychology among the social sciences? 3

involve, count, number, allow for: Please don't forget to
include me in the invitation list.

inclusion n. incorporation, involvement, counting, numbering, grouping,
classification: The inclusion of her name among the culprits
was an error.

inclusive adj. 1 comprehensive, general, all-encompassing, wide, broad,
extensive, full, umbrella, blanket, across the board,
all-in-one, unified: We have an inclusive insurance policy that
covers the entire family. 2 inclusive of. including, embracing,
comprising, taking in, covering, incorporating, embodying: Is
this bill inclusive of service?


incognito adj. 1 unknown, disguised, concealed, unidentified, in
disguise, unrecognizable, unrecognized: I did not tell them who
I was; I wanted to remain incognito.

--adv. 2 unrecognizably, in disguise, secretly, on the sly,
under cover, clandestinely: Why travel incognito if no one
knows or cares who you really are?

incoherent
adj. confused, garbled, mixed up, disordered, jumbled, muddled,
scrambled, rambling, illogical, irrational, wild, unstructured,
disjoined, disconnected, disjointed, loose, unconnected,
uncoordinated, unintelligible, inarticulate: He arrived late
with an incoherent excuse involving measles, his car, and a
policeman.


incombustible
adj. non-flammable, non-inflammable, fireproof,
non-combustible; flame-proof: She has to wear incombustible
clothing at her job.


income n. return, revenue(s), receipts, proceeds, profit(s), gain(s),
takings: Most of his income is from investments.

incoming adj. 1 arriving, entering: Incoming passengers must pass
through customs. 2 new, entering: They are trying to predict
the likely policies of the incoming government.

incomparable

adj. beyond compare, unequalled, matchless, peerless,
inimitable, unparalleled, unrivalled, nonpareil, transcendent,
surpassing, supreme, superior, superlative, unsurpassed,
unsurpassable: Her performance as Lady Macbeth was
incomparable.

incompatible
adj. mismatched, unsuited, discordant, clashing, jarring,
inconsistent, contradictory, conflicting, uncongenial,
irreconcilable, incongruous; antithetic, opposed, opposite,
contrary, antipathetic, antagonistic, hostile: The colours in
the carpet are incompatible with those in the curtains. My
sister and I are totally incompatible and can never meet without
arguing.


incompetence
n. inability, incapacity, inadequacy, insufficiency,
deficiency, ineptitude, inefficiency, uselessness, faultiness:
The students' failure to perform well is often attributable to
the incompetence of their teachers.

incompetent
adj. unqualified, unfit, unable, incapable, unskilled,
unskilful, inept, maladroit, inexpert, awkward, floundering,
clumsy, bungling, gauche, useless, inadequate, insufficient,
ineffective, ineffectual, inefficient: Incompetent managers
need competent secretaries in order to survive.

incomplete
adj. unfinished, undone, imperfect, undeveloped, deficient,
defective, unaccomplished, partial, sketchy, crude, rough,
fragmentary, fragmented, piecemeal: An incomplete manuscript of
a new novel was found in his desk.


incomprehensible
adj. unintelligible, unfathomable, impenetrable, deep,
abstruse, arcane, recondite, indecipherable, undecipherable,
inscrutable, cryptic, obscure, opaque, dark, occult, perplexing,
mysterious, mystifying, enigmatic, puzzling, over (someone's)
head, baffling, unimaginable, inconceivable: They spoke in
Swahili, an incomprehensible language to me.

inconceivable

adj. incredible, unbelievable, unthinkable, unimaginable,
incomprehensible, unheard-of, undreamed of or undreamt of,
unthought of, impossible, overwhelming, staggering, Colloq
mind-boggling: Putting a man on Mars before 2000 is
inconceivable.

inconclusive
adj. indecisive, unresolved, indefinite, unsettled, open,
indeterminate, in limbo, Colloq up in the air: The test results
are inconclusive, so we must continue our investigations.

incongruous
adj. inconsistent, inharmonious, disharmonious, discordant,
dissonant, disconsonant, incoherent, incompatible, incongruent,
conflicting, unbecoming, unseemly, unsuited, unsuitable, unapt,
inappropriate, misallied, unfitting, unfit, improper,
malapropos, unmeet, absurd, discrepant, disparate, different,
divergent, disagreeing, contrary, contradictory, paradoxical,
out of step, out of keeping, out of line: That jacket looks
incongruous with those trousers. It was incongruous to see two
octogenarians dancing at the disco.

inconsequential
adj. unimportant, insignificant, trivial, trifling, nugatory,
inconsiderable, inappreciable, negligible, minor, paltry, petty,
immaterial, slight, lightweight, worthless, Colloq piddling:
Why dwell on inconsequential details?

inconsiderate
adj. thoughtless, unthoughtful, unthinking, unconcerned,
uncaring, unmindful, heedless, unheeding, insensitive,
unsympathetic, tactless, intolerant, rude, ungracious: How
could you be so inconsiderate as to work late on my birthday?


inconsistent
adj. 1 See incongruous. 2 irregular, capricious, fickle,
erratic, inconstant, uneven, unpredictable, unreliable,
undependable, unstable, unsteady, changeable, variable: Their
behaviour is so inconsistent that I can't tell what they'll do
next.

inconsolable
adj. disconsolate, broken-hearted, heart-broken, desolate,

forlorn, despairing, miserable, wretched, grief-stricken: They
are inconsolable over the death of their dog.

inconspicuous
adj. unnoticeable, unnoticed, unobtrusive, unostentatious,
insignificant, indefinite, indistinguishable, undistinguished;
modest, unassuming, discreet: Wearing a grey coat and hat, he
was quite inconspicuous in the crowd. He played an inconspicuous
role in the entire affair.


inconstancy
n. changeableness, fickleness, irregularity, mutability,
variability, unsteadiness, unsteadfastness, capriciousness,
volatility, mercurialness or mercuriality, inconsistency,
unreliability; faithlessness, unfaithfulness: How do you deal
with inconstancy in one you thought a friend?

inconstant
adj. changeable, mutable, fickle, capricious, mercurial,
volatile, vacillating, unsteady, unsteadfast, irresolute,
unreliable, undependable, fluctuating, wavering, erratic,
inconsistent, flighty, unstable, unsettled, fitful, vague,
indefinite, variable, moody: His supporters proved inconstant,
and he fell from power. The inconstant wind blew their craft
hither and thither.

incontinent
adj. 1 unrestrained, unconstrained, unrestricted, uncontrolled,
uncontrollable, ungoverned, ungovernable, unbridled, uncurbed:
She must learn to suppress her incontinent tongue. 2 lecherous,
libidinous, lascivious, libertine, lustful, lewd, debauched,
wanton, dissolute, loose, lubricious or lubricous, salacious,
profligate, obscene, dirty, filthy: Members of the Hell-Fire
Club were well known for their incontinent behaviour. 3
self-soiling, bedwetting, Medicine enuretic: Some old people
lose control and become incontinent.

incontrovertible
adj. irrefutable, indisputable, indubitable, undeniable,
incontestable, unquestionable, sure, certain, definite,
definitive, established, absolute, positive: The fingerprint
was incontrovertible evidence that he had been there.

inconvenience
n. 1 disadvantage, discomfort, pain, trouble, bother,
annoyance, nuisance, awkwardness, disturbance, disruption,
burden, drawback, hindrance, impediment, difficulty, upset: How
are you coping with the inconvenience of walking with crutches?
2 cumbersomeness, unwieldiness, burdensomeness, onerousness,
troublesomeness, disadvantageousness, awkwardness,
inappropriateness, untimeliness: The delay has led to
considerable public inconvenience.


--v. 3 discommode, trouble, incommode, disturb, disrupt, upset,
put out, bother, annoy, irritate, irk: Would it inconvenience
you to meet me at the station?


inconvenient
adj. cumbersome, unwieldy, burdensome, onerous, troublesome,
bothersome, annoying, irritating, irksome, unsettling,
disturbing, upsetting, disrupting, disadvantageous, awkward,
inappropriate; inexpedient, inopportune, untimely, ill-timed:
Those large boxes of laundry soap are inconvenient because
they're so heavy. It is inconvenient for me to go to the door
now.

incorporate
v. embody, include, combine, comprise, embrace, integrate,
consolidate, unite, amalgamate, assimilate, coalesce, unify;
merge, mix, blend: The university incorporates several
independent colleges. Gently fold in the egg whites,
incorporating them into the mixture.


incorrect adj. wrong, mistaken, inaccurate, untrue, imprecise, inexact,
erroneous, fallacious, specious; improper, false, faulty: Your
method is right but the answer is incorrect. That is the
incorrect key for this lock.


incorrigible
adj. bad, naughty, villainous, wicked, sinful, hopeless;
intractable, unchangeable, unalterable, habitual, inveterate,
incurable, stubborn, hardened, obdurate, inflexible,
uncontrollable: When a teenager, Giles was absolutely
incorrigible. Among other things, he was an incorrigible liar.

incorrupt adj. 1 moral, upright, righteous, pure, upstanding, honourable,

good, virtuous, honest, straightforward, straight,
unimpeachable, incorruptible, undefiled, impeccable, spotless,
immaculate, faultless, flawless: Show me one nation run by a
totally incorrupt government. 2 error-free, correct,
uncorrupted: He possesses the only incorrupt manuscript of the
play.

increase v. 1 grow, swell, enlarge, dilate, wax, expand, extend,
distend, inflate, augment, snowball, enhance, heighten, raise,
develop, multiply, burgeon or bourgeon, flourish, proliferate,
spread, broaden, widen, lengthen: Since you left, my work has
increased threefold. 2 prolong, advance, further, improve,
better, strengthen: The more lottery tickets you buy, the more
you increase your chances of winning.


--n. 3 growth, enlargement, expansion, extension, augmentation,
enhancement, development, multiplication, proliferation, spread:
The increase in scientific knowledge has been phenomenal. 4
addition, increment, escalation, inflation, gain, rise, boost:
Increases in costs are reflected in increases in prices. 5 on
the increase. waxing, developing, growing, expanding,
increasing, escalating, on the rise, proliferating, spreading:
Trade with the Far East will be on the increase next year.


incredible
adj. 1 unbelievable, beyond belief, inconceivable,
unimaginable, unthinkable, improbable, implausible, far-fetched,
absurd, preposterous, ridiculous, unlikely, impossible,
unrealistic, unreal, fictitious, mythic(al): Incredible as it
may appear, continents move a few inches a year. 2
extraordinary, astounding, astonishing, amazing, wonderful,
awe-inspiring, awesome, tremendous, marvellous, prodigious,
Colloq far-out, US humongous: The incredible amounts spent on
arms could be better spent on medical research.


incredulous
adj. disbelieving, unbelieving, dubious, doubtful, sceptical,
mistrustful, distrustful, suspicious: We were incredulous when
we learnt who had won the award.


increment n. increase, addition, gain, accrual or chiefly Brit accrument,
augmentation: The increment last year barely compensated for
inflation.


incriminate
v. accuse, charge, blame, implicate, inculpate, indict,
impeach, involve, entangle, Colloq point the finger at, Chiefly
US put the finger on, Slang US finger: The suspect confessed
and incriminated two others.

incubate v. hatch, brood; nurse, nurture, develop: How long have you
been incubating this plan?


incumbent adj. 1 obligatory, necessary, required, mandatory, compulsory,
binding, demanding, commanding, prescribed: As their father,
you ought to feel it incumbent on you to talk to the children's
teachers. 2 office-holding: The incumbent chairman is not
responsible for his predecessor's mistakes.

--n. 3 office-holder, official, occupant: As the incumbent,
you have a better chance of being re-elected.


incur v. bring upon or on (oneself), draw, attract, arouse, provoke,
invite, expose (oneself) to, lay (oneself) open to: For some
reason he incurred the displeasure of his manager.

incurable adj. 1 irremediable, terminal, inoperable, fatal, hopeless:
The doctor told me yesterday that the condition is incurable. 2
hopeless, inveterate, habitual, incorrigible, dyed in the wool,
unflagging, relentless, irredeemable; irreparable,
unrectifiable: You are an incurable optimist if you think you
will complete this book by the deadline.


indebted adj. obligated, owing, obliged, beholden, bound, liable,
responsible: I am indebted to the Salvation Army for their
help.


indecent adj. 1 indecorous, indelicate, immodest, improper, unbecoming,
unsuitable, unfit, inappropriate; in bad taste: When he
proposed marriage she accepted with indecent haste. 2 unseemly,
shameless, shameful, offensive, outrageous, repellent,
repulsive, distasteful, ill-mannered, rude, suggestive, coarse,
risqu‚, vulgar, blue, obscene, gross, rank, prurient, dirty,
foul, filthy, pornographic, ithyphallic, scatological,
salacious, lascivious, licentious, lewd, lubricious or
lubricous, smutty, vile, degenerate, debauched: There are

always a lot of complaints about indecent language on
television.

indecision
n. hesitation, wavering, indecisiveness, vacillation,
irresolution, uncertainty, ambivalence, shilly-shally or
shilly-shallying, fluctuation, tergiversation: Her indecision
stems from caution, not ignorance of the issues.


indecisive
adj. 1 hesitating, hesitant, wavering, doubtful, vacillating,
undecided, irresolute, uncertain, of two minds, ambivalent,
shilly-shallying, wishy-washy, namby-pamby, fluctuating,
tergiversating: Why are you so assertive at the office yet so
indecisive at home? 2 indefinite, indeterminate, undecided,
inconclusive, open, unsettled, moot, doubtful: The battle was
indecisive, with both sides incurring heavy losses.

indeed adv. 1 certainly, surely, to be sure, doubtless(ly),
undoubtedly, undeniably, definitely, positively, absolutely,
exactly, just so, actually, truly, truthfully, seriously, (all)
joking aside, in (point of) fact, of course, really, in reality,
to be realistic, naturally, upon my word, on my honour, on my
oath, Brit rather, Colloq no kidding: Indeed, that is the news
he has been expecting. 2 what is more, still, not to say, as a
matter of fact, if the truth be known, to say the least: His
had been a depressing, indeed miserable childhood.

--interj. 3 Is that so!, You don't say!, Really!, By George!,
By Jove!, (Upon) my word!, My goodness!, Goodness!, Gracious!,
Mercy!, Good Lord!, Good heavens!, My stars!, Fancy that!,
Imagine (that)!, Well, I'll be (damned)!, Colloq Brit Blimey!,
Cor!, Crikey!: 'I've torn up the winning lottery ticket.'
'Indeed!'


indefinite
adj. 1 uncertain, undetermined, undefined, imprecise, inexact,
inexplicit, unspecified, unsettled, unfixed, unspecific,
non-specific, vague, general, indeterminate, undecided, sub
judice: The time of the meeting was indefinite. 2 vague,
unclear, obscure, confused, confusing, puzzling, baffling,
cryptic, bewildering, mystifying, equivocal, ambiguous,
unspecific, non-specific, inexplicit, inexact, imprecise: Your

directions for getting here were too indefinite. 3 ill-defined,
undefined, blurred, blurry, hazy, indistinct, obscure, dim,
fuzzy, unrecognizable, indistinguishable: Indefinite shapes
loomed in the fog. 4 unlimited, unknown, uncounted,
uncountable, undefinable, indeterminate, indeterminable,
unbounded, boundless, immeasurable, incalculable, limitless,
endless, infinite: He pondered the indefinite capacities of the
mind. 5 hesitant, vague, shilly-shallying, vacillating,
indecisive, undecided, inconstant, wavering, unsure, uncertain,
Colloq wishy-washy: She is still indefinite about going to the
party.

indelible adj. ineradicable or uneradicable or non-eradicable, inerasable
or unerasable or non-erasable, ineffaceable, inexpungible,
indestructible, uncancellable or non-cancellable, enduring,
permanent, lasting, fixed, ingrained, inextirpable: The laundry
marks are in indelible ink. Irena makes an indelible impression
on everyone she meets.


indelicacy
n. coarseness, crudeness, roughness, vulgarity, boorishness,
churlishness, offensiveness, rudeness, immodesty, indecency,
shamelessness; incivility, indecorum, inelegance, uncourtliness,
unmannerliness, impoliteness, unrefinement, unseemliness,
tastelessness, bad or poor taste, grossness: She refuses to
comment on the indelicacy of his proposal.

indemnity n. 1 compensation, repayment, reimbursement, remuneration,
recompense, consideration, restitution, reparation(s), redress,
indemnification, return, quid pro quo, restoration, award,
reward, payment, disbursement, amends, requital, atonement,
reckoning, quittance: The victors demanded indemnity for the
losses they had suffered. 2 insurance, protection, security,
safety, guarantee, assurance, underwriting, warrant,
endorsement, certification; exemption, impunity, privilege: Am
I covered for indemnity against third-party claims?

indentation
n. notch, dent, nick, cut, score, mark, depression, impression,
hollow, dimple, pit; Typography indention: The chair legs had
left small indentations in the parquet floor. The indentation
of each paragraph should be five spaces.

independence
n. 1 freedom, liberty, autonomy, sovereignty, self-rule, home
rule, self-determination, self-government, self-direction,
autonomy, autarchy: The colony gained independence from
Portugal. 2 confidence, self-confidence, self-sufficiency,
self-reliance, self-assurance: Edwina asserted her independence
by taking over the company herself.

independent
adj. 1 free, self-governing, autonomous, sovereign: In 1829
Greece was acknowledged as an independent state. 2
unrestrained, unrestricted, unfettered, untrammelled,
unregulated, uncontrolled, separate(d), unconnected,
disconnected, unrelated, distinct: Air is made up of
independent particles. 3 self-reliant, self-sufficient,
self-assured, (self-)confident, bold, individualistic,
competent: For a six-year-old, he is very independent. 4
voluntary, non-partisan, spontaneous, unsolicited, unbidden,
unprejudiced, unbiased, non-aligned, unaligned, disinterested,
neutral: Four independent witnesses testified to seeing him at
the scene of the crime. 5 unlimited, unrestricted, affluent,
self-sufficient; unearned: She is a woman of independent means.
6 unallied, unaffiliated, uncommitted, individualistic,
undecided: Independent candidates outnumber those of the two
main parties in this election. 7 outside, external,
unaffiliated, non-affiliated, unconnected, disinterested: An
independent auditor was engaged to go over the company's books.
8 independent of. irrespective of, disregarding,
notwithstanding, ignoring, excluding; exclusive of, except for,
barring, apart from, besides, beyond, US aside from: He insists
on doing things his way, independent of others' feelings.
Independent of you and me, no one cares what he does.

--n. 9 individual, nonconformist, maverick, Colloq loner: He
is an independent, not affiliated to any political party.

indestructible
adj. durable, long-lasting, everlasting, eternal, endless,
perennial, permanent, fixed, unchanging, changeless,
unchangeable, indelible, ineradicable, inextirpable, immutable,
unalterable, constant, undying, non-perishable, imperishable;
unbreakable, non-breakable, shatter-proof: The problem is that
many plastics are virtually indestructible.


index n. 1 guide, directory, list, listing, table of contents,
catalogue, key, thesaurus: To find synonyms for a word in this
book, look first in the index. 2 mark, sign, clue, token, hint,
pointer, indicator, indication, guide: An index to his feelings
can be seen in the way he treats people. 3 index finger,
forefinger, first finger; pointer, marker, needle, Chiefly Brit
typography hand, Chiefly US typography fist: Use an index to
emphasize important paragraphs. 4 ratio, measure, formula,
factor: The cephalic index is the ratio of the width of a skull
to its length multiplied by 100.

indicate v. 1 point out, point to, mark, specify, designate, indicate;
call or direct attention to, show: The thermometer indicated
that the temperature was 22๘C. Sally indicated the place where
the dam would be built. 2 imply, suggest, betoken, manifest,
signify, bespeak, reveal, evince, evidence, denote: Measles is
indicated by the presence of Koplik's spots. 3 suggest, hint,
imply, intimate; say, express, state, disclose, tell, make
known, make clear, register, show, display, exhibit: His frown
indicated his doubts. She indicated her displeasure in a few,
well-chosen words. 4 call for, require, demand, need, recommend:
The doctor advised that a surgical procedure is indicated in
such cases.


indication
n. 1 sign, signal, token, suggestion, hint, intimation,
inkling, clue, implication, symptom: A bullet-riddled corpse,
said the detective, is usually a good indication of foul play. 2
reading, measure, degree: The indication on the pressure gauge
is reaching the danger point. 3 omen, portent, forewarning,
warning, augury, foreshadowing, foretoken: Those black clouds
are an indication that a storm is brewing. Can't you give us
any indication of what will become of us? 4 indications.
evidence, data, clues, signs: Indications are that she left on
the last train.

indicative of
adj. signifying, indicating, indicatory of, suggesting,
suggestive of, hinting (at), symptomatic of, denotative of,
characteristic of, typical of, typifying: Repeated stalling is
indicative of some fault in the fuel.

indicator n. pointer, needle; gauge, meter, display: The indicator reads
exactly 67๘C.

indict v. Often, indict for. charge (with), accuse (with or of),
arraign (for), incriminate (in or for), inculpate (in or for),
cite (for or with), denounce (for), blame (for or with); summon,
summons, subpoena: She has been indicted for murder in the
first degree.


indifference
n. 1 unconcern, apathy, listlessness, disinterest, coolness,
nonchalance, insouciance, aloofness, detachment, disregard,
inattention, pococuranteism or pococurantism, coldness, phlegm,
stolidity, callousness, insensibility, impassiveness or
impassivity: I cannot believe the indifference she showed on
learning about the tragedy. 2 unimportance, insignificance,
irrelevance, unconcern, inconsequence, triviality: Whether I go
or stay is a matter of indifference to me. 3 dispassion,
disinterestedness, impartiality, neutrality, objectivity,
fairness, equitableness, even-handedness: The judges
demonstrated their indifference by awarding first prize to a
novice.

indifferent
adj. 1 unconcerned, apathetic, uncaring, listless,
disinterested, uninterested, cool, nonchalant, lukewarm,
lackadaisical, Laodicean, dispassionate, insouciant, aloof,
detached, distant, removed, inattentive, pococurante, cold,
phlegmatic, stolid, callous, unemotional, uncompassionate,
insensitive, unfeeling, inconsiderate, unsympathetic,
insensible, impassive: Joan remained totally indifferent to
Charles's attentions. 2 impartial, neutral, just, even-handed,
objective, fair, equitable, unbiased, unprejudiced,
non-partisan, non-discriminatory, dispassionate, disinterested:
The problem is in reaching an indifferent judgement. 3 neutral,
average, mediocre, fair, undistinguished, uninspired,
lightweight, passable, middling, ordinary, commonplace,
everyday, so so, not bad; poor, inferior, not very or
particularly or especially good, Slang Brit naff: He is a
writer of indifferent quality. I held indifferent cards but lost
little money. 4 unimportant, insignificant, trivial, trifling,
nugatory, immaterial, inconsequential, minor, inappreciable,
slight, neither here nor there: It is indifferent to him where

she spends her money.

indigenous
adj. 1 native, local, autochthonous, endemic, natural,
aboriginal, original: The indigenous inhabitants were displaced
by marauding tribes. 2 innate, inborn, inbred, inherent: It is
often difficult to distinguish between man's indigenous and his
acquired characteristics.


indigent adj. needy, poor, destitute, poverty-stricken, in want,
penniless, impoverished, penurious, impecunious, necessitous,
Colloq (dead or flat) broke, stony-broke, hard up, short, on
one's uppers, Brit skint, US strapped: The two brothers made
certain that their indigent parents were well looked after.


indigestion
n. dyspepsia, upset stomach, stomach distress; stomach-ache,
gastralgia: A bit of bicarbonate of soda cured my indigestion
at once.


indignant adj. provoked, exasperated, disgruntled, piqued, irked,
irritated, annoyed, vexed, angry, furious, irate, angered,
enraged, incensed, wrathful, in high dudgeon, in a temper, in a
rage, in a pet, Literary wroth, Colloq peeved, riled, in a huff,
huffy, miffed, mad, livid, sore, US teed off, Slang pissed off:
Peter was quite indignant to learn that the publisher had lost
his manuscript.

indignation
n. anger, fury, rage, wrath, exasperation, irritation,
annoyance, vexation, resentment, Literary ire, choler: She was
filled with righteous indignation at the treatment she received.

indignity n. insult, affront, outrage, injury, offence, humiliation,
disrespect, slight, dishonour, snub, obloquy, contumely, scorn,
reproach, abuse, discourtesy, aspersion, Colloq slap (in the
face): The duchess had to suffer the indignity of arrest for
shoplifting.


indirect adj. 1 roundabout, circuitous, circumambient, devious,
tortuous, zigzag, winding, rambling, roving, wandering, erratic,
meandering, ambagious, crooked, oblique, twisted, twisting;
circumlocutory, periphrastic: In an indirect way she told me

that I was fired. 2 secondary, incidental, ancillary,
collateral, accidental, side, subordinate, subsidiary,
accessory, additional, accidental, adscititious, adventitious:
An indirect effect of winning the prize was an offer of more
work.

indiscreet
adj. imprudent, tactless, incautious, impolitic, undiplomatic,
improvident, injudicious, ill-advised, ill-judged,
ill-considered, rash, reckless, audacious, bold, temerarious,
impulsive, hasty, impetuous, thoughtless, insensitive, heedless,
careless, unthinking, mindless, unwise, na‹ve, foolish,
foolhardy: Your reference to her plastic surgery was indiscreet
to say the least.


indiscretion
n. 1 imprudence, tactlessness, improvidence, injudiciousness,
rashness, recklessness, audacity, boldness, temerity,
impulsiveness, hastiness, haste, impetuousness, impetuosity,
thoughtlessness, insensitivity, heedlessness, carelessness,
na‹vety, foolishness, foolhardiness, folly: He was guilty of
indiscretion in talking to the press about the confidential
report. 2 blunder, error, mistake, slip, lapse, misstep, gaffe,
faux pas, peccadillo, Colloq boner, Brit bloomer: He spent much
of his adult life paying for the indiscretions of his youth.

indiscriminate
adj. 1 undiscriminating, unselective, unparticular, uncritical,
undiscerning, careless, promiscuous, random: Viola seems
indiscriminate in her choice of companions. 2 confused,
haphazard, unorganized, chaotic, disorganized, jumbled,
disordered, disarranged, scrambled, mixed-up, casual, random,
unsystematic, unsystematized, uncoordinated, unmethodical,
wholesale, erratic, Colloq higgledy-piggledy: The Aztecs were
victims of indiscriminate slaughter at the hands of the
conquistadors.

indispensable
adj. 1 crucial, vital, essential, urgent, imperative,
necessary, needed, needful, required, requisite, demanded, in
demand, called-for, of the essence, important, compelling: A
good television manner is indispensable in a national leader
these days. 2 key, unavoidable, inescapable, ineluctable,

compulsory, mandatory, sine qua non, obligatory: Are a black
bowler and tightly furled umbrella still indispensable to doing
business in the City?


indisposed
adj. 1 ill, ailing, unwell, sick, sickly, unsound, unhealthy,
in bad health, valetudinarian, out of commission, Colloq on the
sick-list, (doing) poorly, laid up, in a bad way, not up to
snuff, off one's feed or Brit also grub, under the weather:
Madam is indisposed and cannot have tea with you. 2 averse,
disinclined, loath, unwilling, reluctant, resistant, hesitant:
The judge was indisposed to leniency in such a serious case.

indisputable
adj. unquestionable, incontrovertible, incontestable,
irrefutable, undeniable, indubitable, beyond doubt, sure,
certain, positive, definite, definitive, absolute, fixed: It
was indisputable that the outlook was grim. The show was an
indisputable success.


indistinct
adj. 1 faint, dim, obscure, vague, blurred, blurry, filmy,
hazy, misty, bleary, shadowy, fuzzy, foggy, murky, muddy,
unclear, indiscernible, illegible, muffled, unintelligible,
indistinguishable, indeterminate, confused, indefinite: I could
barely make out an indistinct figure in the dark. The writing on
the matchbox was indistinct. 2 indistinguishable, ambiguous, not
distinct, equivocal, inseparable, ill-defined, undefined,
nebulous, vague, confused: The identity of the three brothers
is indistinct in my mind.

indistinguishable
adj. 1 Often, indistinguishable from. undifferentiated (from),
identical (to), alike, like two peas in a pod, twin,
inseparable: He is indistinguishable from his brother. Her
fingerprints and those found on the dagger are
indistinguishable. 2 indiscernible, imperceptible, indefinite,
unclear, indistinct: His good qualities were indistinguishable
to me.


individual
adj. 1 single, sole, particular, separate, distinct, discrete,
solitary, lone: Consider the entire utterance, not just the

individual words. 2 singular, special, specific, idiosyncratic,
own, characteristic, distinctive, individualistic, unique,
peculiar, personal, proper; unitary: She has her individual
style of dressing.


--n. 3 person, human (being), (living) soul, mortal; one,
party: In a democracy each individual is entitled to one vote.

individualist
n. independent, freethinker, nonconformist, maverick, loner,
lone wolf: Nick is an individualist and seldom agrees with the
majority.

individually
adv. one at a time, singly, one by one, separately, severally,
apart: We must study each of these specimens individually.

indoctrinate
v. train, teach, instruct, school, discipline, drill,
brainwash, propagandize; inculcate, imbue, instil, implant: The
children were indoctrinated to believe that they were members of
the master race. He indoctrinated them with the idea that they
were capable of anything.


indolence n. laziness, slothfulness, sloth, sluggishness, idleness,
lethargy, shiftlessness, languor, languidness, lassitude,
listlessness, torpor, torpidity, inertia, inaction, inactivity,
faineance, dolce far niente, oscitancy: After winning the
lottery, he spent his days in indolence.


indolent adj. lazy, slothful, sluggish, idle, lethargic, shiftless,
languorous, languid, torpid, inert, inactive, stagnant,
fain‚ant, listless: 'Peel me a grape', she said in her most
indolent manner.


indomitable
adj. resolute, resolved, determined, steadfast, staunch,
persistent, unstoppable, irrepressible, indefatigable, untiring,
tireless, unflagging, unyielding, unswerving, unwavering,
unflinching, undaunted, dauntless, fearless, unafraid, intrepid,
brave, courageous, plucky, mettlesome; unconquerable,
unbeatable, invincible: She survived the prison camp by dint of
indomitable strength of character.


induce v. 1 lead, persuade, influence, prevail on or upon, sway, move,
convince, get, talk into, prompt, incite, instigate, actuate,
motivate, impel, encourage, inspire, stimulate, nudge, push,
press, urge, prod, goad, spur, egg on, coax, cajole, lure,
entice, inveigle, seduce: He was induced to sell the secret
plans to the enemy for a large sum. 2 cause, bring about or on,
produce, give rise to, engender, create, generate, lead to;
effect, occasion, set in motion: Some drugs induce a state of
euphoria.

inducement
n. attraction, lure, incentive, stimulus, enticement, bait,
encouragement, incitement, provocation, spur, premium,
consideration, reward, Colloq carrot, Chiefly US come-on: What
inducement were you offered to take out that subscription?

induct v. 1 install or instal, inaugurate, invest, instate, establish,
swear in: Crocker was inducted as president of the lodge last
night. 2 call up, enlist, conscript, enrol, register, US draft:
He was inducted into the army at 18.

indulge v. 1 Often, indulge in. yield (to), succumb (to), favour,
gratify, humour, oblige (with), comply (with), minister to,
cater to, pander to, treat (to), pamper (with): When it comes
to chocolates, I indulge myself to the fullest. We indulge in
an occasional beer. She indulges his every whim. 2 coddle, baby,
pamper, cosset, mollycoddle, spoil: He doesn't believe in
indulging children.


indulgence
n. 1 tolerance, sufferance, understanding, patience, good will,
allowance, forbearance; acceptance, overlooking: Genevieve's
behaviour is testing the limits of Tom's indulgence. 2
self-indulgence, luxury, extravagance, profligacy,
self-gratification, self-satisfaction: A notorious
pleasure-seeker, his capacity for indulgence is legendary. 3
treat, luxury, extravagance: My sole indulgence is vintage
port.


indulgent adj. tolerant, permissive, patient, understanding, forbearing,
lenient, easygoing, relaxed, liberal, lax, kind, kindly,
well-disposed, agreeable: Tony and Hazel are extremely

indulgent parents.

industrious
adj. sedulous, assiduous, hard-working, diligent, intense,
conscientious, energetic, dynamic, aggressive, vigorous,
untiring, tireless, indefatigable, unflagging, persistent,
pertinacious, dogged, tenacious, US hustling: The business was
built up only because she was so industrious.


industry n. 1 production, manufacture, trade, commerce, business:
Competition in the car industry helps keep prices lower. 2
diligence, assiduity, sedulousness, energy, exertion, effort,
application, perseverance, persistence, work, labour, toil: We
were complimented on our industry by the teacher. 3
industriousness, energy, activity, vigour, hustle, bustle,
dynamism, enterprise, earnestness, determination: The sales
office is a hive of industry.

ineffable adj. 1 unutterable, unspeakable, unmentionable, taboo: In
certain religions, the name of the deity is ineffable. 2
inexpressible, indescribable, indefinable or undefinable,
indescribable or undescribable, beyond description, beyond
words: The Royal Hotel had an ineffable air of serene
affluence.


ineffective
adj. 1 unproductive, unfruitful, bootless, idle, vain, useless,
ineffectual, inefficacious, inoperative, non-functioning,
inadequate, insufficient, worthless: The anti-crime measures
appear to have been ineffective. 2 inefficient, incompetent,
incapable, unskilled, unskilful, inept, unfit, unproficient:
The new office manager is totally ineffective.

ineffectual
adj. 1 unsuccessful, unavailing, futile, bootless, sterile,
barren, fruitless, unproductive, ineffective, inefficacious,
inoperative: Our efforts to deal with pollution have been
largely ineffectual. 2 weak, feeble, effete, impotent, tame,
lame, powerless, inefficient, incompetent, inadequate: We tried
to read the inscription by the ineffectual light of a match.

inefficacious
adj. See ineffectual and ineffective.


inefficient
adj. 1 ineffective, incompetent, incapable, unqualified,
inexpert, unskilled, unskilful, unfit, inept, ineffectual,
deficient: Poorly paid labour is inefficient labour. 2
uneconomic(al), wasteful, disorganized, slipshod: For our
purposes, the layout of the factory is quite inefficient.

ineligible
adj. unqualified, unacceptable, unfit, unsuited, unsuitable,
inappropriate, improper: He is ineligible for benefit as he
left his job voluntarily.

inept adj. 1 clumsy, awkward, bungling, maladroit, ungainly,
bumbling, gauche, inexpert, unskilled, unskilful, incompetent,
inefficient: If he is inept at sailing, he'd better become
proficient. 2 inappropriate, inapt, unseemly, improper,
unfitting, unfit, unsuitable, impolitic, undiplomatic,
injudicious, imprudent, indiscreet, ill-considered, ill-judged,
ill-advised, unadvised, unadvisable or inadvised, misguided,
inexpedient, out of place, unwise: She made some inept comment
and blushed furiously.

ineptitude
n. 1 ineptness, clumsiness, awkwardness, maladroitness,
ungainliness, gaucherie, incompetence, inefficiency, unfitness,
unsuitableness: He displays a remarkable ineptitude for the
pronunciation of French. 2 inappropriateness, inaptness,
absurdity, unsuitability, unseemliness: The ineptitude of her
comments embarrasses everyone.

inequality
n. 1 disparity, difference, discrepancy, unevenness,
nonconformity, incongruence, incongruity, inconsistency,
dissimilarity, imbalance: The inequality between their incomes
made him resentful. 2 bias, prejudice, partiality, unfairness,
injustice, inequity: Why should they have to tolerate any
inequality of treatment?


inert adj. 1 inactive, unreactive, unresponsive, neutral: Argon,
xenon, and neon are inert gases. 2 motionless, immobile,
inanimate, lifeless, still, quiet, quiescent, stationary,
static: He was mute and inert: it was like talking to a zombie.

3 sluggish, slow, torpid, dull, inactive, idle, indolent, lazy,
slothful, leaden, slack, passive, supine, dormant, otiose,
listless, languid or languorous: I contemplated the inert
bodies sunbathing around the swimming-pool.


inertia n. inertness, inactivity, sloth, sluggishness, torpor,
dullness, idleness, indolence, laziness, slothfulness,
passivity, apathy, lassitude, dormancy, listlessness, languor,
immobility, motionlessness: Adele finds it difficult to
overcome her feeling of inertia in the morning.

inestimable
adj. 1 incalculable, immeasurable, measureless, untold,
incomputable; priceless, invaluable, precious: You have been of
inestimable help in completing the project on time. 2 countless,
innumerable, vast, immense, prodigious, boundless, unfathomable,
infinite, incalculable, immeasurable, measureless, untold,
incomputable: An inestimable number of organisms have inhabited
the earth.


inevitable
adj. unavoidable, inescapable, ineluctable, unpreventable,
certain, sure, destined, fated, assured, inexorable,
irrevocable, unchangeable, absolute, ordained, decreed,
authoritative, incontestable: The inevitable outcome of war is
misery for all participants.

inexact adj. imprecise, inaccurate, erroneous, incorrect, wrong, false,
faulty, indefinite, fallacious, fuzzy, muddled: This gauge is
giving an inexact reading.

inexcusable
adj. unjustifiable, unjustified, indefensible, unpardonable,
unforgivable, intolerable, inexpiable: Insulting your hostess
was inexcusable.

inexhaustible
adj. 1 limitless, boundless, unlimited, unbounded,
unrestricted, endless, measureless, indeterminate, infinite,
incalculable: The supply of tasteless television programmes
seems virtually inexhaustible. 2 untiring, tireless,
indefatigable, unflagging, unfailing, unfaltering, unwearying,
unwearied: Bartell is an inexhaustible practical joker.


inexpensive
adj. cheap, economical, low-priced, low-cost, reasonable,
budget-priced: What might seem inexpensive to you is very
costly for me.

inexperience
n. immaturity, innocence, na‹vety, greenness, callowness,
unsophistication: I attribute his mistakes to inexperience.


inexperienced
adj. immature, innocent, na‹ve, green, callow, unsophisticated,
unworldly, unfledged, raw, uninitiated, untrained, unschooled,
uninformed, unseasoned, Colloq (still) wet behind the ears, born
yesterday: Isn't she too inexperienced to take on such a great
responsibility?

inexplicable
adj. unexplainable, unaccountable, unintelligible, inscrutable,
puzzling, enigmatic, mystifying, perplexing, confounding,
baffling, bewildering, incomprehensible: I find inexplicable
their refusal to allow freedom of religion.

inexpressible
adj. unutterable, ineffable, unspeakable, indescribable,
indefinable: I felt inexpressible joy at seeing my children
again.

inextinguishable
adj. unquenchable, irrepressible, unsuppressible; enduring,
undying, imperishable, eternal, everlasting: The teacher had to
cope with inextinguishable giggling. Our hopes for freedom were
inextinguishable.


inextricably
adv. inescapably, ineluctably, unavoidably, irretrievably,
completely, inseparably, indissolubly, totally, complicatedly,
intricately: I found myself inextricably caught up in her
emotional problems.


infallible
adj. 1 unerring, faultless, flawless, perfect, oracular,
unmistaken: The infallible logic of computers sometimes defeats

their users. 2 unfailing, dependable, sure, secure, certain,
reliable, foolproof: The vaccination provides infallible
protection against the virus.


infamous adj. 1 notorious, disreputable, ill-famed, stigmatized,
scandalous, discreditable, dishonourable, ignominious: So this
is the infamous house where the murders took place! 2 bad,
awful, wicked, evil, iniquitous, villainous, heinous, vile,
abominable, outrageous, execrable, abhorrent, opprobrious,
despicable, loathsome, detestable, odious, foul, scurvy, rotten,
atrocious, flagitious, revolting, monstrous, egregious, base,
low, shameful, disgraceful: A number of infamous criminals are
portrayed in the Chamber of Horrors.


infamy n. 1 notoriety, ill repute, ill fame, disrepute, shame,
ignominy, obloquy, disgrace, dishonour, stigma, discredit: She
has to suffer the infamy of her husband's treachery. 2
wickedness, evil, iniquity, villainy, heinousness, vileness,
abomination, outrage, abhorrence, opprobrium, loathsomeness,
detestation, hatred, odium, atrocity, revulsion, monstrosity,
egregiousness, shame, shamefulness, disgrace, disgracefulness:
The infamy of his profligate behaviour is widely known.

infancy n. 1 babyhood, early childhood: His limp was the result of
polio, which he had contracted in infancy. 2 beginning(s),
inception, early or initial, stage(s), commencement, start,
emergence, dawn, rise: When psychiatry was in its infancy it
was marked by a notable lack of success.


infantile adj. childish, immature, puerile, babyish, juvenile: Ben
behaves in the most infantile way whenever there are girls
about.

infatuated
adj. fascinated, beguiled, enchanted, bewitched, spellbound,
charmed, ensorcelled, enraptured, possessed, hypnotized,
mesmerized, captivated, besotted, taken with, obsessed, smitten,
enamoured, fond: Francis is completely infatuated with the girl
who moved in next door.


infectious
adj. contagious, catching, communicable, transmissible: There
is also a highly infectious variety of the disease.


infer v. deduce, derive, draw, conclude, understand, gather, surmise,
guess, assume: From the evidence, I infer that you were not at
home last night.


inference n. deduction, conclusion, understanding, surmise, assumption,
presumption: If this man's father is my father's son, the
inference is that this man is my nephew.


inferior adj. 1 lower, nether: We descended into the inferior regions
of the cavern. The numeral in H2O is called an inferior
character. 2 lesser, lower, subordinate, secondary, junior,
minor, unimportant, insignificant, lowly, subservient, humble,
servile: He occupies an inferior position in the company. 3
poor, bad, low-quality, mediocre, indifferent, imperfect,
defective, second-rate, second-class, substandard, low-grade,
shoddy, gimcrack, Colloq grotty, junky, crummy or crumby, lousy,
Slang crappy, Brit naff: They tried to market an inferior
product, but it was rejected by consumers.


--n. 4 subordinate, underling, junior, menial, lackey, flunkey,
dogsbody, cat's-paw, doormat, stooge, yes-man, lickspittle,
bootlicker: She is tired of being treated as an inferior.


inferiority
n. 1 unimportance, insignificance, lowliness: The inferiority
of his position rankled with him. 2 inadequacy, deficiency,
insignificance, unimportance, worthlessness: Do not confuse
modesty with a sense of inferiority. 3 shoddiness,
imperfection, mediocrity: Consumers are not fooled by the
inferiority of a product for long.

infernal adj. 1 hellish, underworld, nether, Hadean: Virgil was Dante's
guide in the infernal regions. 2 devilish, diabolic(al),
demonic(al), demoniac(al), fiendish, satanic, Mephistophelian;
damnable, damned, execrable, malicious, malevolent, maleficent,
wicked, evil, iniquitous, flagitious, villainous, heinous, dire,
sinister, dreadful: She tells everyone that there is an
infernal plot against her.


infertile adj. sterile, barren, infecund, unproductive, unfruitful,
non-productive: The stony, infertile earth yielded only cactus
and scrub grass.


infest v. invade, plague, beset, overrun, overspread, flood, swarm
over, inundate, pervade, permeate, penetrate, infiltrate:
Mosquitoes infested this area before the swamp was drained.


infidel n. unbeliever, heathen, disbeliever, heretic, pagan, agnostic,
atheist, nullifidian, freethinker: Thousands of the fanatics
swarmed over the infidels, slaughtering them mercilessly.


infidelity
n. 1 unfaithfulness, faithlessness, treachery, traitorousness,
disloyalty, perfidy, falseness, apostasy, heresy: The
infidelity of his supporters brought about his downfall. 2
adultery, cuckoldry; affair, liaison, amour, Colloq cheating:
Infidelity is a common cause of marriage break-up. She forgave
him his many infidelities.

infinite adj. 1 boundless, vast, limitless, unlimited, illimitable,
endless, interminable, indeterminable, indeterminate,
inestimable, astronomical, numberless, multitudinous,
uncountable, uncounted, innumerable, incalculable,
inexhaustible, immense, enormous, immeasurable, measureless,
bottomless, unfathomable: They hurtled through infinite space
at the speed of light. We do what we can, but our resources are
not infinite. In his infinite wisdom, God made the garden slug.
2 eternal, everlasting, perpetual, endless, unending,
inexhaustible, undying, never-ending: It is difficult to
conceive of time as being anything but infinite, without
beginning or end. With infinite patience she reassembled the
pieces of the vase.

infirm adj. 1 ill, indisposed, debilitated, frail, fragile, weak,
feeble, weakened, ailing, decrepit, enfeebled, failing, wasted,
on the decline, sick, sickly, unwell, lame, crippled: Campbell
is infirm and unable to travel. 2 shaky, flimsy, wobbly,
wobbling, doddering, unstable, faltering, vacillating, wavering,
unsteady, unsteadfast, inconstant, changeable, irresolute: We
must find stalwart recruits, recruits who are not infirm of
purpose.


infirmary n. clinic, hospital, sickbay, first-aid station; dispensary,
Brit nursing home, surgery: The infirmary is able to deal only
with emergencies, not with long-term care.


infirmity n. 1 weakness, feebleness, frailness, frailty, debility,
decrepitude, sickliness: At 100, she finally succumbed to
infirmity, and ceased going out altogether. 2 sickness, ailment,
disease, malady, affliction, disorder, defect, complaint: What
infirmity struck him down?

inflame v. 1 arouse, incite, touch off, ignite, enkindle, provoke,
rouse, excite, impassion, foment, incense, agitate, stir (up),
fire (up), heat, anger, enrage, madden, infuriate, whip or lash
up, work up, rile, exasperate, stimulate, animate, move,
motivate, urge, prod, goad, spur (on), rally, drive: The
speakers inflamed the crowd to riot against the police. 2
aggravate, intensify, deepen, heighten, fan, exacerbate,
increase, augment, fuel: She inflamed his dislike of his
brother into hatred.

inflamed adj. irritated, sore, angry, chafing, chafed, red, swollen,
heated, hot, fevered, feverish, infected, septic: The wound
became inflamed and we had no medicine to reduce the infection.

inflammable
adj. burnable, combustible, flammable: The plastic foam
formerly used to stuff furniture is highly inflammable.


inflammation
n. irritation, redness, swelling, sore, infection: The
inflammation subsided as the injection took effect.


inflammatory
adj. incendiary, fiery, inflaming, explosive, rousing,
provocative, rabid, rabble-rousing, passionate, fervent, fervid,
frantic, frenzied, fomenting, demagogic, insurgent, riotous,
mutinous, seditious, rebellious, revolutionary, traitorous,
treacherous: His inflammatory speeches at the university
created tension between the students and the administration.

inflate v. 1 blow up, balloon, expand, dilate, enlarge, swell, pump up,
puff up or out, distend: We inflated two plastic bags to use as
floats. 2 boost, increase: The price of the company's shares
was inflated by rumours of a take-over bid. 3 exaggerate,
amplify, magnify, blow up: He tends to inflate to huge
proportions the small contribution he made to the project.


inflated adj. 1 exaggerated, conceited, overblown, grandiose, puffed up,
overstated, magnified, amplified, overdrawn, smug, egotistic,
immodest, cocky, vain, self-important, Colloq Brit
swelled-headed, US swell-headed: He has an inflated idea of the
importance of his work. 2 grandiloquent, bombastic, orotund,
high-flown, pompous, pretentious, extravagant, magniloquent:
She always talks about her husband in such inflated terms.


inflexible
adj. unbending, stiff, rigid, firm, rigorous, unyielding,
adamant, severe, Rhadamanthine, inelastic, hard (and fast),
determined, fixed, obdurate, immovable, intractable, unvaried,
unvarying, invariable, unchangeable, immutable, obstinate,
stubborn, obstinate, pigheaded, mulish, dyed in the wool,
headstrong, refractory, steely, stony, resolute, resolved,
unadaptable, unaccommodating, uncompliant, uncompromising,
unshakeable or unshakable: The committee remain inflexible
about changing the rules of the club to admit women.


inflict v. impose, apply, visit, administer, levy, force on or upon;
trouble, afflict: The new government is seeking ways of
inflicting more taxes on us. You ought not to inflict punishment
on such small children.


influence n. 1 power, pressure, weight, sway, impact, force, effect,
leverage, potency; hold, control, mastery, ascendancy, Colloq
pull, clout: Would you use your influence to see if you can get
me a job? The boy is under the influence of his tutor. 2
connections, favour, favouritism, Colloq pull: He got his
position through influence, not merit.

--v. 3 affect, move, change, modify, alter, bias, sway,
persuade, induce, work on, impress (upon), play or act upon or
on, incline; bring pressure to bear on or upon, move, motivate,
manipulate, Brit pressurize, US pressure, Colloq pull strings or
US also wires: She was able to influence the minister to drop
the scheme.


influential
adj. powerful, weighty, strong, forceful, effective, effectual,
efficacious, instrumental, telling, significant, persuasive,
dominant, leading, guiding, authoritative, predominant,

important, substantial, prestigious, significant, controlling:
He comes from an influential family. What factors were
influential in reaching your decision?


inform v. 1 tell, apprise, advise, communicate, enlighten, notify,
acquaint, brief; impart, disclose, divulge, reveal, report,
Colloq tip (off): I have informed everyone about the storm
warning. 2 Usually, inform against or on. betray, incriminate,
implicate, identify, Colloq tell (on), blab (on), rat (on), US
blow the whistle (on); Slang peach (on), snitch (on), squeal
(on), put the finger on, sing, name names, Brit nark (on), grass
(on), split on, US finger: He informed on his accomplices in
return for a lighter sentence.


informal adj. 1 unceremonious, casual, natural, unstilted, familiar,
ordinary, everyday, unaffected, unassuming, unpretentious,
simple, relaxed, free, free and easy, Brit common or garden, US
garden-variety: We had an informal dinner in the kitchen. 2
unofficial, unconventional, unconstrained, casual, everyday,
simple: On duty he wore informal clothes - blue jeans and a
denim jacket. 3 vernacular, colloquial, simple, unaffected,
ordinary, unpretentious, everyday: He uses informal language
devoid of scientific jargon.


information
n. knowledge, data, facts, intelligence, message, word, advice,
news, tidings, report, communication, Colloq info, low-down,
Slang dirt, dope, Brit gen, bumf, US poop: I have little
information regarding her divorce.


informative
adj. communicative, instructive, educational, edifying,
revealing, illuminating: We found his report about the missiles
very informative.


informed adj. 1 intelligent, knowledgeable, enlightened, educated,
learned, cultured, cultivated: An informed public is
democracy's greatest asset. 2 alert (to), aware (of), advised,
in touch, au fait, briefed, conversant (with), (well-)versed, up
(on), up to date, Colloq in the know, wise: Keep me informed as
to your whereabouts.

informer n. traitor, betrayer, tattle-tale, taleteller, informant, Slang

stool-pigeon, snitch, squealer, weasel, Brit grass, Chiefly US
rat, US stoolie, canary, shoo-fly: According to the informer,
the secret meeting is scheduled for tonight.


infrequently
adv. rarely, seldom, sporadically, occasionally, now and then,
irregularly, exceptionally: They were only infrequently seen in
public in later years.


infringe v. 1 violate, contravene, break, disobey, transgress, overstep:
Publication of this article has infringed her right to a fair
trial. 2 infringe on or upon. intrude on, impinge on, trespass
on, encroach on, invade: Never let pleasure infringe on the
domain of duty.


infringement
n. violation, breach, contravention, infraction, disobedience,
infraction, non-compliance, breaking, transgression:
Publication without permission constitutes infringement of
copyright. The inventor sued the company for patent
infringement.

infuriate v. enrage, anger, madden, incense, make (someone's) blood boil,
provoke, inflame, work or stir or fire up, rile, arouse, vex,
pique, gall, annoy, irritate, bother, chafe, agitate, irk,
nettle, exasperate, raise (someone's) hackles, make (someone's)
hackles rise, Brit have or get (someone's) blood up, Colloq
miff, bug, peeve, get under (someone's) skin, get or Brit also
put (someone's) back up, make (someone) see red, Chiefly US get
(someone's) Irish or dander up, US burn up, Slang piss (someone)
off, brown (someone) off, Brit cheese (someone) off: It really
infuriated him to see injustice done to anyone.

ingenious adj. clever, skilful, skilled, shrewd, cunning, crafty, canny,
dexterous, adroit, acute, sharp, keen, resourceful, adept, apt,
smart, gifted, bright, brilliant, talented, deft, handy,
inventive, Daedalian, creative, imaginative, original, Colloq
neat, keen, US crackerjack, Slang on the ball: My friend here
has come up with an ingenious solution to our problem.


ingenuity n. ingeniousness, genius, brilliance, cleverness, skill,
shrewdness, cunning, craft, art, knack, flair, dexterity,
dexterousness, adroitness, acuteness, sharpness, keenness,

resourcefulness, adeptness, aptness, smartness, canniness, gift,
talent, ability, capability, faculty, deftness, handiness,
inventiveness, creativity, creativeness, imagination,
imaginativeness, originality: She displayed extraordinary
ingenuity in preparing the case against the plaintiff.

ingenuous adj. 1 na‹ve, simple, innocent, unsophisticated, childlike,
suggestible, artless, sincere, genuine, trusting, guileless,
natural, straight, uncomplicated, (fair and) square, honest,
fair, just, open, undeceitful, unaffected, undeceptive,
undissembling, unfeigning, (open and) above-board, Colloq on the
level: What ideas have you been implanting into the mind of
this ingenuous young girl? 2 frank, candid, open, trustworthy,
honourable, forthright, direct, straightforward, four-square,
honest, outspoken, blunt, bluff, bold, unreserved, free,
uninhibited, unabashed: I shall be ingenuous enough to confess
that what you heard about me is true.

ingrained adj. engrained, deep-rooted, fixed, inveterate, deep-seated,
fundamental, basic, essential, inherent, inborn, innate, inbred,
inherited, hereditary, organic, intrinsic, native, natural: He
has an ingrained fear of heights.

ingratiating
adj. fawning, grovelling, sycophantic, toadying, toad-eating,
servile, obsequious, flattering, time-serving, wheedling,
cajoling, unctuous, oily, buttery, sweet-talking, sugary,
saccharine, US blandiloquent, Colloq boot-licking, slimy, Brit
smarmy, US apple-polishing, Slang US brown-nosing: It is
Crawley's ingratiating manner that none of us can abide.

ingratitude
n. unthankfulness, ungratefulness, thanklessness,
unappreciativeness, non-recognition: Despite the favours they
had received, they showed their ingratitude by refusing to
contribute to the fund drive.

ingredient
n. constituent, element, part, component, factor; (pl.)
makings: Humour is a necessary ingredient in any working
relationship.

inhabit v. dwell in, reside in, live in, abide in, occupy, settle;

locate in, populate, people; colonize: This bird inhabits
northern Africa. North America was inhabited by emigrants from
Europe.


inhabitant
n. resident, dweller, denizen, citizen, tenant, occupant,
occupier: The inhabitants of the village refused to pay taxes.

inhale v. breathe in, inspire, draw or suck in: I stepped outside and
inhaled the fresh spring air.

inherent adj. intrinsic, indwelling, essential, basic, innate, connate,
ingrained or engrained, native, congenital, inherited,
hereditary, inborn, inbred, indigenous, immanent, built-in: It
is difficult to tell which characteristics are derived and which
are inherent.

inherit v. come into, fall or be or become heir to, be bequeathed,
succeed to, be left, receive, acquire, Colloq come by: She
inherited the property when her father died.

inheritance
n. patrimony, heritage, legacy, bequest, birthright; property:
He came into his inheritance when he was 21.


inhibit v. discourage, repress, frustrate, hold back, bridle, curb,
control, govern, hinder, restrain, impede, obstruct, interfere
with, check, prevent, bar, stop: Her sad look inhibited my
expression of delight at seeing her again.


inhibited adj. reticent, restrained, repressed, reserved, self-conscious,
shy, abashed, embarrassed, Colloq uptight: He is much too
inhibited to appear on television.


inhibition
n. self-consciousness, restraint, constraint, impediment,
hindrance, bar, barrier, defence, defence mechanism, blockage,
interference, check, curb, stricture: Geoff overcame his
inhibitions and went over to talk with Anne. She had no
inhibitions about singing in public.

inhospitable
adj. 1 unwelcoming, unreceptive, uninviting, unsociable,

unsocial, aloof, cold, cool, standoffish, unfriendly, inimical,
antisocial, hostile, xenophobic: They were most inhospitable
and refused to let me in. 2 unfavourable, forbidding, hostile,
barren, desert, uninviting, uninhabitable: They were marooned
on an inhospitable reef in the middle of the Pacific.

inhuman adj. 1 inhumane, merciless, cruel, pitiless, ruthless,
heartless, severe, unsympathetic, unfeeling, unkind, unkindly,
uncompassionate, cold-blooded, vicious, stony-hearted,
hard-hearted, callous, insensitive, barbaric, barbarous, savage:
Many refugees have suffered torture and other inhuman treatment.
2 animal, bestial, brutal, brutish, fiendish, diabolical,
demonic: The spectre, assuming an inhuman form, loomed over
them.


initial adj. 1 original, primary, first; prime, beginning, incipient,
inaugural, opening, introductory, commencing: His initial plan,
to take the children, was vetoed by his wife. It is best to
tread cautiously during the initial stages of the programme.


--v. 2 sign, approve, endorse: Please initial the clauses of
the contract that we have changed.

--n. 3 monogram: The initial 'M' is on all their towels.


initiate v. 1 begin, commence, enter upon or on, originate, introduce,
set in motion, start, give rise to, get under way, launch, get
or set going, trigger, set off, actuate, activate, instigate,
institute, inaugurate: The programme was initiated last spring
with much fanfare. 2 admit, accept, introduce: The new members
were initiated last night, with due ceremony. 3 teach,
instruct, train, tutor, drill, coach: His responsibility is to
initiate recruits in the rudiments of jungle warfare.


--n. 4 novice, beginner, new boy or girl, greenhorn, rookie,
neophyte, tiro or tyro, newcomer, tenderfoot, fledgling,
apprentice, (raw) recruit, abecedarian, noviciate or novitiate,
catechumen, Brit fresher or US only freshman, Australian new
chum: In the first weeks, initiates are drilled in the basics.


initiation
n. 1 beginning, commencement, inauguration, origination, debut,
introduction, inception, establishment: April the first is the

date for initiation of the new system. 2 admittance, admission,
entrance, induction, enrolment, instatement, investiture,
ordination, installation; ceremony, rite, ritual: The
initiation of new members is scheduled for tomorrow at midnight.


initiative
n. 1 first move or step, lead, opening move: Hogan took the
initiative by winning the first set. 2 enterprise,
aggressiveness, drive, ambition, ambitiousness, resourcefulness,
leadership, dynamism, energy, vigour, hustle, ‚lan, Colloq
get-up-and-go, pep, snap, zip, zing: At least she had the
initiative to get the company back on a profitable basis.

inject v. 1 introduce, insert, drive or force (in), shoot (in),
intromit; inoculate: The serum is injected into the upper arm.
The doctor injected me with antibiotics. 2 introduce, insert,
imbue, instil, bring in, interject, throw in: Can't you inject
a little more enthusiasm into your work?


injunction
n. 1 prohibition, interdict, interdiction, restriction,
restraint, US law restraining order: There is an injunction
against picketing. 2 order, mandate, directive, command,
direction, instruction, ruling, dictate, exhortation; warning,
admonition: Mother's parting injunction was always to dress
warmly.

injure v. 1 harm, wound, hurt, damage, impair: He's sure to injure
himself if he's allowed to play with a knife. 2 wrong, offend,
abuse, hurt, wound, outrage, slight, insult, affront, mistreat,
misuse, ill-treat, maltreat: She starts the arguments yet she
invariably takes the role of the injured party.

injurious adj. 1 damaging, harmful, hurtful, bad, deleterious,
unfavourable, detrimental, unhealthy, insalubrious, pernicious,
destructive; adverse, ruinous: Smoking is said to be injurious
to health. 2 abusive, insulting, scornful, slanderous,
libellous, defamatory, scandalous, scurrilous, harsh,
calumnious, disparaging, derogatory, deprecatory, contemptuous,
denigrating, offensive: She speaks of her ex-husband in the
most injurious terms.

injury n. damage, hurt, harm, wound, impairment; wrong, abuse,

maltreatment, mistreatment, mischief, offence, outrage; mayhem:
The injury was less painful to his foot than to his self-esteem.

injustice n. 1 unfairness, favouritism, discrimination, bias, inequality,
partiality, partisanship, prejudice, bigotry, one-sidedness,
unjustness, inequity: Class privilege has always condoned
injustice. 2 wrong, injury: You do me an injustice if you
think me capable of dishonesty.


inkling n. hint, suggestion, glimmering, suspicion, whisper,
intimation, indication, soup‡on, clue, notion, (faintest or
foggiest) idea, tip, tip-off: Can you give me an inkling of
what you are getting at?


inmate n. prisoner, convict, captive, jailbird or Brit also gaolbird,
Slang Brit lag; patient, case; inhabitant, occupant, resident:
The inmates were fed on bread and water in those days. Inmates
at the sanatorium are well treated.


innocent adj. 1 not guilty, guiltless, blameless, honest, (in the)
clear, unimpeachable, above suspicion, above reproach,
faultless: We all believe her innocent of extortion. 2 pure,
sinless, virtuous, chaste, virgin(al), undefiled, untainted,
unstained, unsullied, pristine, incorrupt, uncorrupted,
immaculate, spotless, unblemished, unpolluted: She is still a
sweet child, innocent as the day she was born. 3 harmless,
well-intentioned, safe, innocuous, inoffensive, unobjectionable:
What began as an innocent stroll became a dangerous expedition.
4 na‹ve, unsuspecting, unsuspicious, unsuspecting, ingenuous,
unsophisticated, trusting, trustful, gullible, credulous, green,
inexperienced, childlike, unworldly, guileless, artless, simple,
open, unartificial, sincere: Youngsters would arrive in London
directly from the farm, entirely innocent and unaware of the
perils of city life.


--n. 5 infant, babe (in arms or in the wood(s)), child;
ing‚nue, novice, beginner, newcomer, Colloq greenhorn: She's
certainly no innocent when it comes to men.


innovation
n. 1 novelty; invention: The flush toilet was a 19th-century
innovation. 2 modernization, alteration: Consumer product
development is marked by a spirit of tireless innovation.


innuendo n. insinuation, imputation, suggestion, hint, intimation,
implication, allusion, overtone; reference, animadversion: I
resent your innuendo that I know more about the affair than I am
letting on.

inoffensive
adj. harmless, unobjectionable, innocuous, unoffending,
neutral, retiring, mild, tame: Bligh is so inoffensive, how
could he possibly have upset you?

inopportune
adj. inappropriate, malapropos, ill-timed, untimely,
inconvenient, unsuited, unsuitable, out of place, unpropitious,
unfavourable, inauspicious, ill-chosen, unseasonable, unseemly,
untoward, unfortunate: Your call came at a most inopportune
moment, as we were just sitting down to dinner.

inordinate
adj. 1 immoderate, unrestrained, intemperate, excessive,
disproportionate, extravagant, overdone, extreme, exorbitant,
outrageous, preposterous, unconscionable, unreasonable, undue,
uncalled-for, unwarranted: Her inordinate appetite for scandal
has made her a successful gossip columnist. 2 irregular,
disorderly, disordered, uncontrolled, unlimited, unregulated,
unsystematic, erratic, haphazard: Laws have been passed to
limit the inordinate hunting of deer.

inquire v. 1 Usually, inquire into. search, investigate, probe,
examine, research, look into, inspect, study, explore, survey,
scrutinize: Scientists are inquiring into the causes of the
greenhouse effect. 2 See enquire.

inquiry n. 1 enquiry, investigation, probe, examination, research,
search, inspection, study, exploration, survey, scrutiny,
inquest; questioning, querying, interrogation, inquest,
cross-examination, inquisition: The police have asked me to
help them with their inquiry. They are conducting an inquiry
into the cause of the accident. 2 enquiry, question, query,
interrogation: Would you please repeat the inquiry?

inquisitive
adj. 1 inquiring, curious, probing, questioning, interested,

investigative, searching, exploring, analytical: Children have
a naturally inquisitive nature. 2 prying, intrusive, Colloq
snooping, snoopy, nosy or nosey: Don't be so inquisitive about
things that don't concern you!


inroad n. 1 incursion, raid, attack, invasion, penetration, foray,
encroachment, forced entry, intrusion: Our armoured units have
made an inroad into enemy territory. 2 Often, inroads.
advance(s), progress, breakthrough: Have researchers made
significant inroads into the problem of AIDS?

insane adj. 1 mad, demented, psychotic, schizophrenic, schizoid, non
compos mentis, manic, maniacal, lunatic, deranged, unbalanced,
psychoneurotic, neurotic, eccentric, crazy, of unsound mind,
crazed, unhinged, out of one's mind or head, mad as a hatter or
a March hare, quirky, Colloq round the bend or twist, off one's
rocker or chump, loopy, loony, certifiable, mental, screwy,
dotty, cuckoo, not all there, not have all one's marbles,
off-the-wall, out of it, Brit potty, Slang daft, nutty (as a
fruit cake), nuts, spaced out, spacy, batty, have bats in one's
belfry, not right upstairs, barmy (in the crumpet), crackers,
have a screw loose, schizo, Brit bonkers, US bugs, bughouse,
loco, crazy as a bedbug, (gone) off the deep end, kooky, kinky,
out to lunch: Witney was certified insane and
institutionalized. You're insane if you think I am going out on
that ledge. 2 stupid, dumb, dull, silly, asinine, ridiculous,
idiotic, irrational, absurd, fatuous, ludicrous, foolish,
nonsensical, irresponsible, reckless, wild, imbecilic, moronic,
feeble-minded, hare-brained, addle-pated, addle-brained,
scatterbrained, thimble-witted, attocerebral, Brit gormless,
Colloq nutty, screwy, crazy: People in love sometimes do insane
things.

insanity n. 1 madness, lunacy, mental illness or disorder, dementia
(praecox), psychosis, schizophrenia, (mental) derangement,
mania; psychoneurosis, neurosis: Because of the plea of
temporary insanity he never stood trial for the murders. 2
folly, foolishness, stupidity, idiocy, imbecility, lunacy,
absurdity, fatuity, fatuousness, nonsense, senselessness,
irresponsibility, irrationality, inanity: What insanity it was
to think I could win the lottery!

insecure adj. 1 uncertain, afraid, unsure, unconfident, nervous,

worried, anxious, disconcerted, apprehensive, uncomfortable,
shaky, jumpy, unnerved, fearful: Harry is beginning to feel
insecure about his job. 2 unsafe, dangerous, unprotected,
vulnerable, unguarded, defenceless, undefended, exposed, open:
The machine-gun position is insecure and will soon be taken. 3
unstable, shaky, wobbly, precarious, infirm, weak, flimsy,
frail, rickety, unsubstantial, rocky, unsound, unsteady,
unreliable, uncertain: The structure collapsed because the
footings were insecure.


insensible
adj. 1 insensate, unconscious, insentient, numb, benumbed,
senseless, torpid, anaesthetized, Colloq out, out of it: She
was totally insensible for an hour after the blow on the head.
2 Often, insensible to or of. insensitive, callous, indifferent,
impervious, impassive, apathetic, cool, unsusceptible;
unaffected, unmoved, untouched; unaware, deaf, inconsiderate;
hard-hearted, thick-skinned, unfeeling, emotionless,
dispassionate, thoughtless, Colloq cloth-eared: He remained
wholly insensible to her desires and needs.

insert v. 1 introduce, place or put or stick in, intercalate;
interpolate, interject, interpose: Please do not insert
comments of your own.


--n. 2 insertion, addition, addendum, supplement,
advertisement, broadside, brochure, tip-in, handbill, circular,
Colloq Brit advert, US ad, flier or flyer; outsert, wraparound
or wrapround: The postage will be higher with this eight-page
insert.

inside n. 1 interior, centre, core, middle, heart; contents; lining,
backing: From the outside one could never guess what the inside
looks like. Please paint the inside of the cabinet blue. 2
Usually, insides. bowels, entrails, viscera, gut(s), stomach,
Colloq innards: He has had trouble with his insides for years.
3 inside out. everted, reversed; backwards: He is wearing his
pullover inside out.


--adj. 4 favoured, advantageous, favourable, advantaged,
privileged, preferred, preferential, propitious, exclusive;
internal, private, secret, confidential, privy, clandestine:
She has an inside track to the chairman. He claims to have

inside information about the successful bidder. 5 internal,
interior; arranged, prearranged: The police think it was an
inside job.


--adv. 6 fundamentally, basically, at bottom, by nature:
Despite her gruff exterior, inside she is quite sentimental. 7
in prison, in jail or Brit also gaol, imprisoned, incarcerated,
Slang Brit in quod, US up the river: He'll be inside for
another five years.


--prep. 8 within, US inside of: Because of rain, the party was
held inside the building.

insight n. perception, percipience, sensitivity, perspicacity,
perceptiveness, perspicaciousness, discernment, acuteness,
acuity, acumen, sharpness, understanding, judgement,
comprehension, vision: Chambers has brought his considerable
insight to bear on this complex problem.


insignificant
adj. paltry, trifling, petty, inconsiderable, inconsequential,
trivial, unimportant, non-essential, minor, negligible,
nugatory, unessential, niggling, puny, insubstantial,
unsubstantial , Colloq piddling: These insignificant
differences can be ignored. What you and I might do with our
lives is, in the larger sense, insignificant.

insincere adj. hypocritical, dishonest, dissembling, deceptive,
disingenuous, deceitful, untruthful, false, artificial,
ungenuine, treacherous, perfidious, faithless, double-dealing,
duplicitous, two-faced, Janus-faced, lying, mendacious, sly,
Machiavellian, cunning, crafty, slick, foxy, vulpine, wily,
artful, evasive, shifty, time-serving, unctuous, slimy,
slippery, tricky, underhanded, crooked, Colloq phoney or US also
phony: From the first act I thought Iago insincere.

insinuate v. 1 impute, suggest, hint, intimate, imply, whisper, indicate;
convey, signify: They insinuated that she married me for my
money. 2 insert (oneself), inject (oneself), worm or work or
inveigle or manoeuvre (oneself or one's way); infiltrate,
intrude: She insinuated herself into our group uninvited. 3
inject, infuse, instil, introduce: Wild imaginings began to
insinuate themselves into my mind.


insist v. 1 demand, require, call for, command, importune, urge,
exhort, argue, remonstrate, expostulate: The chairman insisted
that proper parliamentary procedure be followed. 2 assert,
state, declare, emphasize, stress, maintain, persist, hold,
dwell on, vow, avow, aver, asseverate: He insisted that he
wanted to see the last act but she insisted on leaving.

insistent adj. firm, dogged, emphatic, persistent, tenacious, resolute,
determined, assertive, uncompromising, unfaltering, unwavering,
persevering, perseverant, unrelenting, inexorable, stubborn,
obstinate, unyielding, compelling, urgent, importunate: The
judges were insistent that we should follow the rules to the
letter.


insolent adj. impertinent, impudent, pert, saucy, bold, presumptuous,
brazen, brash, disrespectful, insulting, contemptuous,
offensive, rude, crude, uncivil, insubordinate, Colloq fresh,
brassy, cheeky, Slang Brit smart-arsed or US smart-ass(ed), US
wise: That insolent boor had the gall to call her 'Queenie'!

insolvent adj. bankrupt, ruined, in receivership, penniless,
impoverished, destitute, US in Chapter Eleven, Colloq broke,
wiped out, in the red, on the rocks, (gone) bust, gone to the
wall, Brit in Queer Street, skint: A business is insolvent if
its liabilities exceed its assets.

inspect v. examine, scrutinize, study, scan, survey, vet, check (up
(on) or out), investigate, pore over; peruse: The customs man
inspected every last inch of our luggage.

inspiration
n. 1 awakening, arousal, stimulus, revelation, impulse,
feeling, afflatus, enlightenment, insight, spur, incitement,
incentive; spirit, energy, ‚lan, passion, ardour, zeal,
enthusiasm, vigour, gusto, ebullience, sparkle: Her
extraordinary eyes gave me the inspiration I needed and I
finished writing the song in an hour. 2 influence, stimulus,
stimulation, encouragement, provocation, suggestion, guide,
education: Kitchener's life was an inspiration to many a career
soldier.

inspire v. 1 animate, activate, actuate, stimulate, invigorate, stir,

move, waken, awaken, arouse, rouse, instigate, prompt, rally,
energize, enliven, vitalize, vivify, galvanize, inspirit,
excite, spark (off), quicken, kindle, fire, provoke: It was the
inflammatory speeches that inspired the crowd to riot. His
enthusiasm inspired her to take up writing as a profession. 2
encourage, strengthen, support, reinforce, buoy (up), uplift,
boost, affirm, confirm, fortify, buttress: Your example has
inspired many young people.


install v. 1 instal, invest, instate, initiate, establish, inaugurate,
induct, institute; place, put, position, introduce, settle: The
new bishop will be installed in office next week. 2 instal,
fit, set up, connect, fix (in place): I installed our new air
conditioner myself.


installation
n. 1 investiture, instatement, initiation, establishment,
inauguration, induction, institution, placement, introduction,
solemnization, swearing-in, consecration, Ecclesiastical
ordination; crowning, coronation: Will you attend the
installation of the new vice-chancellor? 2 fitting, placement,
connection, positioning: The plumber will supervise the
installation of the new heating system. 3 base, post, station,
depot, camp, establishment: Military installations all over the
country are being picketed.

instance n. 1 case (in point), example, exemplar, illustration,
precedent, exemplification, occurrence, event: The damage to
the bus shelter is yet one more instance of hooliganism. 2 for
instance. for example, as an example, say, e.g.; in the event,
as it happens or happened: Consider her, for instance: she
managed to work and raise a family.

instant n. 1 moment, point, second, time: I was thinking of you at the
very instant the phone rang. 2 moment, second, minute, flash,
twinkling (of an eye), trice, Colloq jiffy: I'll be with you in
an instant, sir.

--adj. 3 instantaneous, immediate, on the spot, overnight: His
novel was an instant best seller. 4 urgent, crying, pressing,
earnest, imperative, critical, exigent; split-second, direct:
We have an instant need for a computer specialist. 5
ready-made, ready-mixed, prepared, ready-to-serve, precooked:

This is an instant soup - just add hot water to the powder.

instantaneously
adv. instantly, immediately, at once, (right) now, directly,
forthwith, promptly, this minute or second or instant, without
delay, tout de suite, instanter, Brit straight away or US right
away; Colloq pronto, US momentarily: The results will be beamed
instantaneously to 176 million people around the world.


instead adv. 1 as an alternative or a substitute: She wanted me to go
but I stayed instead. 2 instead of. alternatively, preferably,
in preference to, in place of, in lieu of, rather than, as a
substitute for; as contrasted with, as opposed to: Instead of
going to the cinema we went to the theatre.


instil v. instill, imbue, inculcate, infuse, ingrain or engrain,
implant; insinuate, impart: From childhood a sense of justice
was instilled in us.


instinct n. intuition, feel, feeling, empathy, sensitivity, tendency,
propensity, leaning, bent, skill, talent, faculty, sixth sense,
knack, predisposition, capacity, aptitude; subconscious: She
has an uncanny instinct for finding the most interesting person
in a crowd.


instinctive
adj. 1 instinctual, intuitive, natural, innate, native, inborn,
inbred, congenital, constitutional, reflex, visceral,
intestinal, intrinsic, intuitional, subconscious, Colloq gut:
She has an instinctive flair for design. 2 immediate,
involuntary, irrational, mechanical, automatic, spontaneous:
Harvey took an instinctive dislike to Percy when they met.

institute n. 1 society, organization, association, league, alliance,
guild: They tried to establish an institute for research on
badgers. 2 See institution, 2.

--v. 3 establish, found, launch, organize: The principles of
sportsmanship were instituted on the playing fields of England.
4 inaugurate, introduce, initiate, set up, start, begin,
originate, commence, pioneer: If you do not pay, we shall be
obliged to institute proceedings against you.

institution
n. 1 establishing, establishment, forming, formation,
origination, founding, foundation, installation, introduction,
creation, organization: Who was responsible for the institution
of cricket as a national pastime? 2 establishment, institute,
academy, foundation, university, college, school: He attended
an institution of higher learning after leaving the army. 3
hospital, medical centre, sanatorium or US also sanitarium,
home, asylum: They spent their last days in an institution. 4
custom, tradition, habit, practice, routine, rule, order (of the
day), code (of practice); doctrine, dogma: Throwing the
coxswain into the river after the race has become an
institution.


instruct v. 1 teach, train, tutor, drill, educate, coach, inform, guide,
edify, prepare, indoctrinate, inculcate: My parents employed a
tutor to instruct me in Latin. 2 direct, order, bid, require,
tell, enjoin, command, importune, charge: We were instructed to
tell no one where we were going.


instruction
n. 1 Often, instructions. order, direction, brief, briefing,
directive, guideline, advice, recommendation, rule; information;
Colloq drill: The next instruction is to insert the plug into
the back of the receiver. Follow the instructions carefully. 2
teaching, education, schooling, training, drill, drilling,
tuition, guidance, indoctrination, preparation, lessons,
classes, coaching, tutelage; tutorial: Where did you receive
instruction in first aid?


instructive
adj. informative, informational, informatory, educational,
instructional, helpful, revealing, edifying, enlightening,
illuminating: Studying the mistakes of others can be highly
instructive.

instructor
n. teacher, trainer, tutor, coach, mentor, adviser, educator,
pedagogue, scholastic, academe, academician, doctor, docent,
lecturer, professor, Brit master, mistress, don, preceptor, US
docent: Charlotte was not spending time with the tennis
instructor just to improve her backhand.

instrument
n. 1 implement, tool, device, apparatus, utensil, appliance,
contrivance, mechanism, gadget, Colloq contraption, thingumabob,
thingumajig, thingummy, thingy, whatsit, what's-its-name,
whatnot, what-d'you-call-it, Brit gubbins, US gismo or gizmo:
Which instrument should I use to loosen this bolt? The doctor
extracted the splinter with some sort of instrument. 2 agency,
means, way, factor, mechanism, instrumentality, wherewithal,
(prime) mover, catalyst, agent: Summers refused to be the
instrument of bringing free people into slavery. 3 contract,
(legal) document, (written) agreement, pact, compact, paper:
After the signing, copies of the instruments were exchanged.

instrumental
adj. helpful, useful, utilitarian, contributory, of service,
supportive, supporting, advantageous, catalytic, conducive,
beneficial, valuable, significant, important; accessory,
ancillary: Your presence will be instrumental in effecting a
favourable settlement.


insubordinate
adj. disobedient, rebellious, defiant, refractory, mutinous,
insurgent, insurrectional, insurrectionist, revolutionary,
seditious, incompliant or uncompliant, uncooperative,
recalcitrant, contumacious, fractious, unruly, perverse,
contrary, obstreperous, Colloq Brit stroppy: The insubordinate
officers have been court-martialled.

insubstantial
adj. 1 unsubstantial, insignificant, meagre, diaphanous, small,
flimsy, frail, weak, feeble, paltry, puny, slight, thin,
tenuous, fragile, light, gossamer, wispy, wisp-like, fine:
Though the spider's thread appears insubstantial, for its weight
it is enormously strong. 2 illusory, unreal, illusive,
imaginary, imagined, fanciful, fancied, visionary, immaterial,
intangible, impalpable, incorporeal, airy, ethereal, spiritual,
chimerical, phantom, phantasmal, phantasmagorical,
hallucinatory, fantastic; false: Through the mist London seemed
insubstantial, a dream city of vapours rising from the Thames.


insufferable
adj. unbearable, insupportable or unsupportable, intolerable,
unendurable, impossible: The babysitter said she refused ever

again to look after such an insufferable brat.

insufficient
adj. inadequate, deficient, unsatisfactory, meagre, scanty,
scant, scarce; too little, not enough: This light is
insufficient for me to read by. We have insufficient skill to
play the Brahms concerto.

insulate v. 1 detach, separate, isolate, segregate, shelter, preserve,
set or keep apart, sequester, sequestrate, quarantine: The rock
star's aides did their best to insulate her from her screaming
fans. 2 lag, protect, shield, cushion, wrap, cover: Insulate
the pipes to prevent heat loss. Insulate the wire with this
tape. Nitroglycerine must be insulated from shock.


insult v. 1 offend, affront, slight, outrage; abuse, dishonour,
defame, injure; asperse, slander, libel: Don't be insulted if I
arrive late and leave early. You insult her by suggesting that
she has never heard of Keats.


--n. 2 offence, affront, indignity, slight, outrage, barb, dig,
slur, dishonour, abuse, defamation, discourtesy; aspersion,
slander, libel; Colloq slap (in the face), put-down: Refusing
to bow at a Japanese funeral is taken as an insult.


insurance n. assurance, surety, indemnity, indemnification, guarantee or
guaranty, warranty, bond, security, protection, cover: The cost
of insurance is higher owing to the increase in crime.


intact adj. whole, entire, perfect, complete, integral, sound,
unbroken, solid, (all) in one piece, undivided, uncut, together,
untouched, unreduced, undiminished, unimpaired, inviolate,
unblemished, unscathed, uninjured, unharmed, undamaged,
unsullied, undefiled, untainted: The ancient city has been
preserved virtually intact.

intangible
adj. impalpable, unperceivable, imperceptible, incorporeal,
unsubstantial, insubstantial, imponderable, immaterial,
ethereal, vaporous, airy, evanescent, vague, obscure, dim,
imprecise, indefinite, shadowy, fleeting, elusive: The
architect must deal with intangible ideas of design, how people
work and live, etc.


integral adj. 1 basic, elementary, elemental, fundamental, essential,
intrinsic: The rhythm is an integral part of the music. 2 See
intact.


integrate v. combine, unite, blend, bring or put together, assemble,
merge, amalgamate, join, knit, mesh, consolidate, coalesce,
fuse; US desegregate: We must integrate all the parts into a
coherent whole. Several cultures have been well integrated into
our community.

integrity n. 1 honesty, probity, veracity, uprightness, honour,
rectitude, principle, morality, goodness, trustworthiness,
decency, virtue, incorruptibility, righteousness: He is a
person of unimpeachable integrity. 2 wholeness, entirety,
unity, togetherness, soundness, completeness, coherence,
oneness, totality: Care should be taken not to disturb the
integrity of the protective film.


intellect n. 1 rationality, reason, reasonableness, (common) sense,
understanding, judgement, cleverness, intelligence, mind, Colloq
brains: You have the intellect, my boy, but it wants
developing. 2 See intellectual, 3.


intellectual
adj. 1 mental, cerebral: The greatest minds have brought their
intellectual powers to bear on the problem. 2 thoughtful,
thought-provoking, highbrow, academic, bookish, scholarly,
Colloq brainy: The professor did not find the subject
intellectual enough for a dissertation.

--n. 3 thinker, intellect, highbrow, mastermind, genius, Colloq
brain, egghead: He enjoys associating with intellectuals at the
university. 4 scholar, academician, professor, savant, sage,
wise man, guru, polymath, pundit, authority: The editor of the
journal is an intellectual who leaves the details of
administration to her deputy.

intelligence
n. 1 intellect, understanding, aptitude, capacity, brainpower,
cleverness, astuteness, quickness, alertness, keenness,
brightness, shrewdness, wit, mother wit, (common) sense,
insight, perspicacity, perception, discernment, discretion,

percipience, perspicaciousness, wisdom, sagacity, Colloq brains,
savvy, grey matter, Slang Brit nous: He may not know anything
about computer programming but he has the intelligence to learn
how to do it. 2 information, knowledge, word, data, facts,
advice, news, tidings, findings, Colloq dope, low-down, info,
Brit gen, US inside, poop: Our agents are trying to gather
intelligence on the Bulgarian situation.

intelligent
adj. bright, smart, clever, discerning, perspicacious,
perceptive, percipient, understanding, rational, apt, astute,
quick, quick-witted, keen, sharp, alert, shrewd, canny,
insightful, gifted, sensible, wise, sage, sagacious,
enlightened, knowing, aware, knowledgeable, erudite, au fait,
Colloq brainy, Chiefly US savvy: She is certainly intelligent
enough to be first in her class, if only she would study harder.

intelligentsia
n.pl. intellectuals, literati, savants, illuminati,
masterminds, highbrows, Colloq brains, eggheads, brains trust:
The government stifled free speech and persecuted the
intelligentsia.

intelligible
adj. understandable, comprehensible, fathomable, decipherable,
legible, clear, plain, lucid, unambiguous: Crowther's notes are
barely intelligible.

intend v. mean, have in mind or in view, propose, contemplate, design,
plan, aim, purpose, resolve, determine: I intend to give him a
piece of my mind. She is intending to go, but I don't know if
she will be able to.

intense adj. 1 extreme, excessive, severe, strong, great, fierce,
harsh, acute, powerful, profound, deep: The intense heat kept
the firemen at bay. 2 eager, enthusiastic, keen, earnest,
sincere, heartfelt, deep, passionate, impassioned, ardent,
zealous, animated, burning, consuming, fervent, fervid,
perfervid, vehement, frantic, fanatical, frenzied: I had an
intense desire to see the culprit brought to justice. 3
highly-strung or chiefly US high-strung, emotional,
temperamental, tense, touchy, testy, volatile, hysterical,
hotheaded, feverish, nervous, (high-)spirited, impetuous,

impulsive, Colloq uptight: I appreciate his enthusiasm, but I
wish Henshawe were a bit less intense about his politics.

intensify v. concentrate, focus, sharpen, whet, strengthen, reinforce,
heighten, escalate, deepen, quicken, emphasize, magnify,
increase, augment, double, redouble, heat up, Colloq step up,
Brit hot up: We must intensify our efforts to effect a
settlement of the crisis. The war is intensifying.


intensity n. concentration, focus, strength, forcefulness, force, power;
vigour, energy, vehemence, fervour, zeal, ardour, passion,
sincerity: The storm is diminishing in intensity. Political
partisanship is often attended by great intensity of emotion.


intensive adj. concentrated, focused, intensified, comprehensive,
exhaustive, thorough(-going), all-out: The police have launched
an intensive manhunt.

intent n. 1 intention, aim, goal, target, purpose, object, objective,
end, design, plan, idea: Was it your intent that I should go
with you? The charge is assault with intent to kill. 2
inclination, tendency, desire, intending: The mere intent to
commit treason is often tantamount to treason. 3 to all intents
and purposes. virtually, practically, for all practical
purposes, (almost) as good as, (almost) the same as, more or
less, in effect: Telling you that the position was being
discontinued is, to all intents and purposes, the same as firing
you.


--adj. 4 concentrated, focused, fixed, steady, intense,
determined, earnest, engrossed, absorbed, rapt, steadfast,
resolute, attentive: Her intent stare unnerved many of her
lecturers. 5 bent, set, resolute, committed, decided, firm,
keen; resolved, eager, firm, determined, zealous, avid,
enthusiastic,: If you're intent on going, we won't try to
change your mind.

intention n. aim, purpose, intent, design, goal, end, object, objective,
target, ambition: Was it your intention to stay till the fat
lady sings?

intentional
adj. deliberate, intended, premeditated, meant, wilful,

designed, planned, preconceived, studied, considered, contrived;
purposeful, on purpose: That slur was intentional and not just
a slip of the tongue.


intently adv. closely, attentively, concentratedly, earnestly, fixedly,
unflinchingly, determinedly, searchingly, steadily, steadfastly,
continuously, assiduously, doggedly, unremittingly, eagerly,
keenly, studiously: They regarded one another intently across
the table.


intercept v. interrupt, deflect, stop, arrest, check, interfere (with),
head off, block, impede, cut off, seize, grab, catch, trap: He
was intercepted as he was about to board a plane with the
documents. Keeler intercepted the ball, preventing a goal.


intercourse
n. 1 commerce, traffic, trade, dealings, exchange,
communication, contact, interaction: In normal business
intercourse our paths often cross. 2 sexual intercourse,
coitus, coition, sexual congress or union, mating, copulation,
sexual relations, carnal knowledge, making love, lovemaking,
intimacy, sexual connection, Colloq sex: The plaintiff admits
engaging in intercourse with the defendant.


interest n. 1 attention, attentiveness, concern, regard, curiosity,
scrutiny, notice, engagement: The way the puzzle fitted
together drew my interest. She examined the books with interest.
She shows interest in taking a writing course. 2 concern,
significance, importance, weight, moment, note, consequence: Of
what interest is a newly found painting by Tiepolo? 3 Often,
interests. profit, advantage, benefit, good, avail, worth,
value, consideration, behalf, behoof: Is it in our interest to
sell the business? 4 share, portion, stake, investment, piece,
cut, percentage, participation, involvement: I have a small
interest in an emerald mine. 5 Often, interests. business,
concern, affair, property; hobby, pastime, diversion, avocation,
amusement, entertainment, pursuit, relaxation, occupation: She
travels abroad to look after her interests. Caroline has many
interests besides business. 6 (lending) fee or charge,
percentage, rate, Slang US vigorish: How much interest would
the bank charge on a œ40,000 mortgage?

--v. 7 engage, absorb, engross, attract, draw, catch, capture,

captivate, hold, fascinate, intrigue, excite, incite, provoke,
arouse, affect, quicken, infect, animate, kindle, fire: At that
time, our daughter was interested only in boys. There is
something about astronomy that interests me. 8 influence,
induce, persuade, move, tempt, involve, enrol, enlist, dispose,
incline, prevail upon, talk into, concern: Could I interest you
in investing in my company?

interested
adj. 1 Also, interested in. engaged, absorbed, engrossed, drawn
(to), attracted (by), involved (in), curious (about), fascinated
(by), keen (on), stimulated (by), responsive (to), concerned
(about): We talked about investing in my plastics company, and
he seemed interested. She has become interested in designing
jewellery. 2 concerned, involved, non-objective, partial,
biased, prejudiced, prejudicial, partisan, predisposed: You
cannot get an honest appraisal of the painting's value from an
interested party.


interesting
adj. absorbing, engaging, gripping, riveting, engrossing,
attractive, compelling, intriguing, provocative, stimulating,
exciting, inviting, fascinating, enchanting, spellbinding,
captivating: Nick has just told me the most interesting story
about Tony.

interfere v. 1 meddle, intrude, butt in, intervene, intercede, interpose,
interrupt, Colloq horn in, put or stick in one's oar or one's
oar in, poke one's nose in, US kibitz: Stop interfering in
things that do not concern you. 2 hinder, impede, hamper,
block, obstruct, encumber, slow, retard, handicap, set back, get
in the way of, frustrate, conflict, inhibit, trammel, subvert,
sabotage: Allow nothing to interfere with the course of true
love.


interference
n. 1 meddling, intrusion, intruding, intervention, interceding,
intercession: This interference in our personal affairs has
gone far enough. 2 hindrance, impediment, block, obstruction,
encumbrance, impedance, difficulty, snag, hitch, handicap,
set-back; frustration, inhibition, conflict, opposition: The
lawsuit became an unwelcome interference in the smooth flow of
our lives.


interior adj. 1 inside, internal, inner, inward: The interior surfaces
are to be painted white. 2 internal, domestic, civil, national,
local, home: We will not accept the interference of foreign
governments in our interior affairs. 3 inner, private, intimate,
personal, individual, secret, hidden, veiled: Some of Hamlet's
great speeches are in the form of interior monologues, or
soliloquies. 4 upland, inland, up-country, land-locked: The
most beautiful scenery is in the interior part of the country,
away from the marshy coast.

--n. 5 inside: The interior is coated with Teflon. 6 heart,
centre, middle, core, depths: This is the story of a journey to
the interior of the earth. 7 uplands, up-country, heartland,
hinterland: The interior is covered with rocks and scrub pine.

interjection
n. exclamation, ejaculation, cry, interpolation, utterance:
Grammarians regard expressions like 'Hello' and 'Goodbye' as
interjections.

interlude n. interval, entr'acte, intermission, pause, stop, stoppage,
respite, interruption, break, hiatus, lacuna, gap, halt, wait,
breathing-space, recess, rest, spell, lull, Colloq let-up:
There is a ten-minute interlude between the acts.

intermediary
n. go-between, middleman, agent, representative, broker,
intermediate, third party, mediator, arbitrator, arbiter,
referee, umpire, judge: Donaldson acted as intermediary and
arranged the deal.

intermediate
adj. 1 middle, in-between, medial, midway, halfway,
transitional, intervening, intermediary: Middle schools cater
for the age-range intermediate between primary and secondary
schooling. In sublimation a substance changes from a gas to a
solid (or vice versa ) , skipping the intermediate liquid state.
2 See intermediary.


intermission
n. See interlude.

intermittent
adj. irregular, discontinuous, disconnected, sporadic,
occasional, random, spasmodic, fitful, broken, periodic,
alternating, cyclic(al), rhythmic(al), pulsating, seasonal,
on-and-off, on-again-off-again, stop-and-go, stop-go: Tomorrow,
intermittent showers in the morning will yield to sunshine.

internal adj. See interior, 1, 2, 3.


international
adj. supranational, global, worldwide, universal,
intercontinental, cosmopolitan, ecumenic(al) or oecumenic(al);
foreign: An international conference is being held on
disarmament. My father is engaged in international trade.


interpret v. 1 explain, explicate, clear up, clarify, elucidate,
illuminate, throw or shed light on, simplify, decipher, decode,
define, spell out, make sense (out) of, translate, paraphrase:
Would you interpret this clause of the agreement for me? 2
understand, construe, take (to mean), read, figure or work out,
sort out, unravel: I haven't any idea how to interpret this
poem.

interpretation
n. 1 explanation, clarification, elucidation, simplification,
decipherment, solution, working-out, unravelling, sorting out,
decoding, definition, illustration, translation, paraphrasing:
Sharon's detailed interpretation of the data is quite easy to
understand. 2 analysis, diagnosis, examination, exegesis,
explication, reading, construal, inference, understanding:
These figures are subject to individual interpretation.

interrogation
n. questioning, examination, cross-examination, inquisition,
investigation, Colloq third degree, grilling: Caught by the
rebels, we were subjected to hours of interrogation.

interrupt v. 1 break in, cut in, intrude in, butt in, interfere in,
punctuate, disturb, Colloq barge in, chime in, horn in: He
keeps interrupting the discussion with his silly remarks. 2
discontinue, break off, cut off, cut short, interfere with,
disrupt, suspend, hold up, halt, stop, end, terminate, cease:
We interrupt this programme to bring you a news bulletin.


interruption
n. 1 break, intrusion, disturbance, interference, disruption:
Please forgive this interruption, but you're wanted on the
phone. 2 break, gap, interval, lacuna, hiatus, respite, rest,
pause, pausing, intermission, stopping, stop, suspension,
cessation, cease, ceasing, surcease, hesitation, Prosody
caesura, Colloq let-up: She talked for an hour without
interruption.


interval n. 1 intermission, interlude, entr'acte, break, pause; recess,
rest (period), period, time, wait, spell, delay, lapse: The
play was so bad we left in the interval. After a brief interval,
the lights came on again. 2 meanwhile, meantime, interim: He
returned later but found that in the interval she had changed
her mind. 3 gap, opening, space, hole, void, lacuna, distance,
interstice, Architecture intercolumniation: The interval
between the columns is exactly three metres.


intervene v. 1 interfere, intrude, break in, interrupt, intercede,
meddle, interpose, butt in, Colloq poke one's nose in, horn in,
put in one's oar, step in: If I had not intervened you might
have been killed. She intervened on my behalf. 2 come or go
(between), pass, elapse: A week intervened before we saw each
other again.

interview n. 1 meeting, (press) conference, discussion, conversation,
talk, question period, audience: The reporter phoned to ask for
an interview. 2 evaluation, appraisal, vetting, assessment: I
have a job interview scheduled for tomorrow.

--v. 3 question, examine, interrogate, sound out, talk with or
to: She interviewed the Prime Minister on television last
night. 4 appraise, evaluate, check (out), vet: The headmaster
himself interviews the teachers.

intimateฐ adj. 1 close, personal, warm, affectionate, loving, dear,
bosom, cherished, familiar, intime: She had a party for
intimate friends. 2 secret, confidential, private, personal,
privy, hidden, intime; detailed, penetrating, deep, profound,
thorough, exhaustive: In his autobiography he reveals intimate
particulars of his marriage. 3 sexual; carnal: It is well
known that Millie was on intimate terms with her chauffeur. 4

cosy, informal, snug, friendly, warm, comfortable; intime, …
deux, tˆte-…-tˆte, Colloq comfy: The two of us had an intimate
dinner at home last night.


--n. 5 friend, associate, comrade, crony, familiar,
confidant(e), (constant) companion, Achates, alter ego,
colleague, confrŠre, Colloq sidekick, chum, pal, Brit and
Australian mate, US buddy, Slang Brit china (plate), mucker: He
and a few of his intimates like to get together now and then for
a game of snooker.

intimate v. hint, imply, suggest, insinuate, indicate, refer to, allude
to, communicate, make known, give (someone) to understand, warn,
caution, Colloq tip (off): He intimates that my wife will be a
widow if I tell the police.

intimidate
v. frighten, scare, alarm, cow, daunt, dismay, abash, appal,
awe, overawe, browbeat, menace, threaten, terrify, petrify,
terrorize, tyrannize; Slang have or get (someone) by the short
and curlies: You can't intimidate me with your threats!

intolerance
n. bias, prejudice, bigotry, discrimination, partiality,
illiberality, narrow-mindedness, dogmatism; racism, racialism,
sexism, classism, ageism, xenophobia: The government has
legislated against intolerance of minorities.

intolerant
adj. 1 unsympathetic, unforbearing, unindulgent, impatient,
inconsiderate, inhospitable, uncharitable: The present system
seems intolerant of the aged. 2 biased, prejudiced, bigoted,
discriminatory, partial, illiberal, narrow-minded, parochial,
provincial, jaundiced, warped, twisted, one-sided, opinionated,
close-minded; racist, racialist, sexist, classist, ageist,
xenophobic: How can some religions be so intolerant of other
people's beliefs?

intonation
n. accent, accentuation, speech or sound pattern, delivery,
modulation, articulation, pronunciation, vocalization, pitch,
tone, inflection: You can tell the speaker's mood by his
intonation.


intoxicate
v. 1 inebriate, make drunk, addle, stupefy, muddle, befuddle:
He tried to intoxicate me with his home-made brew. 2 stimulate,
excite, overwhelm, elate, exhilarate, animate, enliven,
invigorate, inspirit, thrill, galvanize, electrify, make one's
head spin, take one's breath away, infatuate, entrance, enchant,
enrapture, fascinate, bewitch, cast a spell on, ensorcel: She
was intoxicated by the atmosphere of the place.


intoxicating
adj. 1 alcoholic, spirituous, inebriant: Do not drink
intoxicating beverages if you plan to drive. 2 exhilarating,
invigorating, thrilling, exciting, heady, stimulating,
electrifying, entrancing, fascinating: Making a film of the
life of Lola Montez is an intoxicating idea.

intrepid adj. fearless, brave, bold, daring, dauntless, undaunted,
steadfast, resolute, courageous, unafraid, plucky, gallant,
valiant, valorous, doughty, audacious, heroic, manly, manful,
dashing, adventurous, venturesome, stout-hearted, lion-hearted,
game: Quatermain was known to the enemy as an intrepid soldier.

intricate adj. 1 involved, complicated, convoluted, entangled, tangled,
knotty, complex, twisted, winding, tortuous, sinuous,
anfractuous, labyrinthine, elaborate, Byzantine, fancy, ornate,
rococo, Daedalian or Daedalean or Daedalic, Literary daedal or
dedal: The plot was far too intricate and I became confused. 2
perplexing, puzzling, mystifying, enigmatic: The code was so
intricate that even the computer needed hours to decipher the
message.

intrigue v. 1 fascinate, beguile, captivate, attract, absorb, charm,
pique, interest, titillate, arouse or excite the curiosity (of):
It intrigues me to watch them put those ships into bottles. 2
conspire, plot, connive, scheme, manoeuvre: She was sure that
everyone was intriguing against her.

--n. 3 conspiracy, plot, scheme, manoeuvre, collusion,
stratagem, trickery, chicanery, double-dealing, guile,
subterfuge, artifice, machination, deception: Many of those
close to the government are engaged in intrigue of some kind. 4
affair, liaison, amour, romance, intimacy; adultery: We all

knew about the intrigue he was carrying on with the duke's wife.

intrinsic adj. inherent, basic, fundamental, essential, proper,
elemental, organic, natural, native, inbred, congenital,
inherited, hereditary, innate, inborn, immanent, indwelling,
underlying, constitutional; real, true, actual, genuine: As no
painting has intrinsic worth, its value is arbitrary.

introduce v. 1 acquaint, present, make known: Sandy introduced Gerald
and Daphne to each other. 2 bring in or up, advance, present,
broach, put or set forth, put forward, suggest, offer, propose,
mention: It was she who introduced the issue of bacteria in
canned goods. 3 announce, present: Please introduce the next
speaker. 4 start, begin, originate, launch, establish, set up,
pioneer, initiate, usher in, institute, bring out or in, set up,
organize: When was paper money first introduced? 5 insert,
add, interpose, inject, put in, inject, interpolate: Why
introduce irrelevant matters into the discussion?


introductory
adj. 1 opening, prefatory, preliminary, preparatory, beginning,
inaugural, initial: His 'introductory' remarks lasted longer
than the speeches! 2 primary, basic, fundamental, elementary,
first, rudimentary: Take an introductory course before
enrolling for more advanced study.

intrude v. interfere, break in, interrupt, intervene, push in,
interpose, butt in, infringe, encroach, obtrude, Colloq horn in,
barge in: They want to be alone and you are intruding. Forgive
me for intruding into your conversation.

intruder n. 1 interloper, gatecrasher, uninvited guest, unwelcome
visitor; trespasser, encroacher, invader, infiltrator, squatter;
burglar, thief: The intruders were quickly expelled by the
guards. 2 meddler, busybody, Colloq snoop(er), Nosy Parker, US
kibitzer: You are an intruder into my private affairs.

intrusive adj. intruding, interfering, meddlesome, invasive, meddling,
prying, inquisitive, obtrusive, importunate, officious,
presumptuous, forward; unwelcome, uncalled-for, unwanted,
unsought, Colloq nosy, pushy, snoopy: He said he apologized if
he was being intrusive.

intuition n. instinct, insight, hunch, sixth sense, presentiment,
premonition, foreboding; perception, perceptiveness,
percipience, perspicacity, common sense, mother wit: Intuition
told me I should find the answer here.


invalidฐ adj. 1 ailing, sick, sickly, ill, infirm, valetudinarian,
disabled: His invalid sister is confined to a wheelchair.

--n. 2 patient, valetudinarian, victim, sufferer, incurable,
cripple, Chiefly US and Canadian shut-in: Many invalids have
claimed complete recovery after a visit to Lourdes.

invalid adj. void, null (and void), nullified, annulled, repudiated,
untrue, false, faulty, erroneous, wrong, spurious; incorrect,
imperfect, impaired, unsound, untenable, ineffective: He was
driving with an invalid licence. Your reasons for quitting
school are invalid.

invaluable
adj. priceless, valuable, precious, of inestimable or
incalculable value; irreplaceable, irredeemable; costly,
expensive, high-priced, dear: The thieves made off with several
invaluable paintings.


invariable
adj. 1 unchanging, changeless, unvarying, invariant,
unwavering, constant, steady, stable, regular; fixed, fast, set,
rigid, uniform, unfailing, unexceptional: She is invariable in
her opinion of a woman's right to abortion. His invariable
routine calls for a dawn swim, regardless of the weather. 2
immutable, unchangeable, unalterable, unmodifiable: The law of
supply and demand is invariable. 3 permanent, fixed, enduring,
abiding, eternal, unaltered, unvarying, unchanged, unvaried,
unaltered, unmodified: The positions of the stars appear to be
invariable.

invasion n. 1 incursion, raid, foray, intrusion, inroad, encroachment,
trespass, infiltration; infringement, infraction, transgression,
violation: The poachers were charged with invasion of private
property. Unauthorized publication of that material is an
invasion of your rights. 2 attack, assault, onslaught,
aggression, offensive, drive, storming, blitzkrieg: The
armoured divisions succeeded in stopping the invasion.


invent v. 1 create, devise, contrive, originate, think up, dream up,
conceive, concoct, make up, imagine, formulate, improvise,
design, hit upon; coin: He claims to have invented the
toothpaste tube. 2 fabricate, make up, concoct, Colloq cook up:
She invented that story about having been a lion-tamer.

invention n. 1 creation, origination, contriving, devising, conception,
contrivance, introduction, development: The invention of the
screwdriver has spared many a broken fingernail. 2 creation,
contrivance, device, gadget, Colloq contraption, US gismo or
gizmo: Thomas Edison held patents on a huge number of
inventions. 3 fiction, figment, story, fantasy, fabrication,
tale, fable, yarn, fib, tall story or tale, falsification, fake,
sham, falsehood, lie, prevarication: Her claim that the
accident was my fault is a flagrant invention.

invest v. 1 venture, lay out, put in, sink: She was persuaded to
invest her life savings in unit trusts. 2 devote, allot, spend,
contribute, supply, provide: We have invested a lot of time in
cleaning up local government. 3 install or instal, inaugurate,
induct, initiate, instate, establish, ordain, swear in, seat:
He will be invested with the Order of Merit on Tuesday.


investigate
v. enquire or inquire into, examine, study, consider, explore,
probe, look into, research, scrutinize, analyse, sift (through),
winnow: The laboratory is investigating the nature of the
strange phenomenon.


investigation
n. enquiry or inquiry, examination, study, review, exploration,
quest, search, probe, research, discovery procedure, scrutiny,
analysis, inquest, inquisition, interrogation, questioning: Has
the investigation turned up any evidence of collusion?

invigorating
adj. stimulating, bracing, rejuvenating, tonic, vitalizing,
restorative, energizing, vivifying, enlivening, exhilarating;
fresh, healthful, healthy, salubrious, salutary: Each morning I
go for an invigorating walk. The doctor recommended the
invigorating mountain air.

invincible
adj. 1 unconquerable, unbeatable, indomitable, insuperable,
undefeated, unstoppable: United look invincible, and are likely
to retain the cup for a fourth successive season. 2 impregnable,
invulnerable, impenetrable, indestructible, unassailable: The
Romans believed the fortress to be invincible.

invisible adj. 1 unseeable, imperceptible, undetectable, imperceivable;
unseen: The air we breathe is invisible. 2 concealed, hidden,
disguised, camouflaged, masked, covered, unperceived, veiled,
indiscernible: Once the part has been painted, the damage will
be invisible.

invitation
n. 1 summons, request, call, bidding, Colloq invite: I am
still waiting for my invitation to their wedding. 2 attraction,
inducement, allure, allurement, enticement, temptation,
magnetism, bait, lure, draw, pull: The possibility of going
where no man had gone before was too great an invitation to
ignore.

inviting adj. alluring, tempting, enticing, attractive, beckoning,
appealing, captivating, engaging, intriguing, irresistible,
winsome, beguiling, bewitching, entrancing, fascinating,
tantalizing, seductive: She gave him an inviting smile but he
still approached cautiously.

involuntary
adj. unconscious, unintentional, unthinking, impulsive,
spontaneous, unpremeditated, instinctive, instinctual,
unwitting; automatic, reflex, mechanical, conditioned,
uncontrolled, uncontrollable: When I was struck, my involuntary
reaction was to strike back at once. At the mention of his name
she gave an involuntary start.


involve v. 1 include, contain, comprise, cover, embrace, incorporate,
encompass, take in, subsume, embody, comprehend, number among,
count in: The survey involved many people from all walks of
life. 2 imply, entail, suggest, mean, betoken, require,
necessitate, presuppose: Enrolling for a course involves doing
homework as well as attending classes. 3 Often, involve in or
with. implicate, concern, affect, touch, entangle, draw in;
incriminate, inculpate; associate with, connect with, catch (up)

in: I didn't know that Annette was involved. Are you involved
in that murder investigation?

involved adj. 1 implicated, concerned, affected, interested, active:
The public enquiry was attended by all involved members of the
community. 2 tangled, complicated, complex, twisted, snarled,
convoluted, confused, confusing, intricate, tortuous, elaborate,
knotty, Byzantine, labyrinthine: The plot is too involved to be
followed easily. The involved problems of adolescence cannot be
treated in a one-day conference. 3 involved with. associated
with, entangled with, embroiled with, enmeshed with, Colloq
mixed up with: Dennis is still very much involved with that
singer from the Green Dragon.


9.7 irk...
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irk v. irritate, annoy, vex, pester, provoke, chafe, nettle,
exasperate, Colloq needle, miff, aggravate, bug, peeve, rub
(someone) (up) the wrong way, put out: It really irks me to
know that we lost because we didn't practise.

irksome adj. irritating, annoying, vexing, vexatious, chafing,
nettling, exasperating, bothersome, troublesome, burdensome,
tiresome, tedious, boring, wearisome, uninteresting, Colloq
aggravating, pestiferous: The mosquitoes are particularly
irksome on muggy, windless evenings.


irregular adj. 1 uneven, bumpy, lumpy, coarse, rough, unequal,
unsymmetrical, asymmetric(al), pitted, potholed, jagged, craggy,
lopsided: The irregular surface of the road bounced us about in
the car. 2 sporadic, uneven, random, erratic, unequal, fitful,
haphazard, unsystematic, unsystematized, disorderly, uncertain,
unmethodical; occasional, casual: In the distance I could hear
the staccato of irregular machine-gun fire. 3 extraordinary,
unusual, eccentric, abnormal, anomalous, aberrant, unnatural,
peculiar, queer, odd, weird, bizarre, strange, singular,
nonconforming, nonconformist, exceptional, unconventional,
offbeat, uncommon, freakish, Colloq freaky: Don't you think
that keeping a Komodo dragon as a pet is somewhat irregular?

irrelevant

adj. inappropriate, inapplicable, impertinent, unrelated,
alien, inapposite, malapropos, beside the point, inapt,
non-germane, unconnected, extraneous, neither here nor there,
out of place, gratuitous, uncalled-for, Colloq out of the blue,
off the beam, Slang off-the-wall: The name of the person who
asked the question is entirely irrelevant.

irrepressible
adj. unrestrainable, irrestrainable, uncontainable,
uncontrollable, unmanageable, insuppressible or unsuppressible,
unstoppable, ebullient, buoyant, effervescent, bubbling,
boisterous: Nothing could dampen our irrepressible high spirits
after winning the game.


irreproachable
adj. blameless, unimpeachable, beyond reproach, unreprovable,
faultless, innocent, above suspicion, impeccable, inculpable,
honest, pure: Till now, Forsyth's record in the army has been
irreproachable.


irresistible
adj. 1 irrepressible, unconquerable, indomitable, overpowering,
unbearable, overwhelming, overriding, unmanageable,
ungovernable, uncontrollable: I had an irresistible desire to
punch him in the nose. 2 unstoppable, inexorable, relentless,
unavoidable, ineluctable, inescapable: What happens when an
irresistible force meets an immovable object?

irresolute
adj. vacillating, wavering, faltering, indecisive, infirm of
purpose, in or US only of two minds, undecided, hesitant,
hesitating, shifting, changing, erratic, uncertain, unsure,
undetermined, unresolved, half-hearted, Colloq wishy-washy: You
must act; this is no time to be irresolute.


irrespective of
prep. regardless of, notwithstanding, despite, apart from, in
spite of, without regard to, ignoring, discounting: We shall
carry on irrespective of public opinion.


irresponsible
adj. careless, reckless, devil-may-care, unanswerable,
unaccountable, non-liable, rash, unruly, wild; unreliable,

undependable, untrustworthy, weak, feckless, ineffectual: Cyril
is too irresponsible to take care of the children by himself.

irretrievable
adj. 1 non-retrievable, unretrievable, unrecoverable,
irrecoverable, unsalvageable, unsavable, lost, irreclaimable:
The data that was deleted is now irretrievable. 2 irreparable,
irremediable, uncorrectable, unrectifiable, irredeemable,
irreversible, irrevocable: The radiation from the atomic blast
did irretrievable damage.

irreverent
adj. 1 blasphemous, impious, profane, sacrilegious, unholy,
ungodly, irreligious: She was reprimanded for her irreverent
attitude to morning prayers. 2 disrespectful, insulting,
insolent, rude, discourteous, uncivil, derisive, impudent,
impertinent, saucy, flippant, mocking, tongue-in-cheek, Colloq
flip, cheeky: The prince did not appreciate being the butt of
the irreverent skit.


irreversible
adj. unreversible, non-reversible, irrevocable, unchangeable,
unalterable, permanent, fixed, final, unrepealable,
irredeemable, irretrievable: Burning, essentially the chemical
process of rapid oxidation, is irreversible.

irrevocable
adj. irreversible, unchangeable, immutable, changeless, fixed,
unalterable, settled, unrecallable, irretrievable, irrepealable,
not undoable; irreparable, permanent, enduring, everlasting:
The colonel says that his was an irrevocable order. That speech
did you irrevocable harm.

irritable adj. impatient, excitable, testy, touchy, quarrelsome, grouchy,
fretful, peevish, cross, crabby, crusty, short-tempered,
petulant, prickly, irascible, moody, temperamental, gruff,
cantankerous, curmudgeonly, dyspeptic, bad-tempered,
ill-tempered, ill-humoured, snappy or snappish, grumpy or Brit
also grumpish, Colloq crotchety, US and Canadian and Irish
cranky: Why are you always so irritable before breakfast?

irritate v. annoy, vex, nettle, pester, provoke, bother, anger, enrage,
chafe, pique, exasperate, ruffle, hector, harass, harry, nag,

plague, worry, fret, fluster, trouble, pick at or on, Colloq
needle, get under (someone's) skin, get in (someone's) hair,
hassle, peeve, get on (someone's) nerves, drive (someone) up the
wall, get (someone's) hackles up, get (someone's) back up, drive
(someone) crazy or mad, rub (someone) (up) the wrong way, Brit
get up (someone's) nose, US burn (someone) up: All these stupid
questions are beginning to irritate me.

9.8 island...
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island n. isle, islet, ait, cay, key; atoll; archipelago; Brit dialect
eyot, holm: There are actually about 1500 islands in the
Thousand Islands in the St Lawrence river.

isolate v. separate, segregate, sequester, cloister, detach, cut off,
send to Coventry, ostracize, maroon, exclude, shut out, bar,
debar, banish, deport, transport, exile, reject, eject, throw
out, expel, shun, spurn, avoid, ignore, snub; quarantine; Colloq
cut, give (someone) the cold shoulder: You cannot isolate a
child from the pressures of modern society.

isolated adj. 1 lone, solitary, single, singular, unique, anomalous,
separate, special, particular, individual, exceptional,
unrelated: In one isolated case they recommended a suspended
sentence. 2 alone, separated, segregated, secluded,
sequestered, cloistered, unconnected, detached, (set) apart,
removed, cut off, excluded; forlorn, lonely, hermitic(al),
eremitic(al), anchoretic(al), troglodytic(al), monastic: Away
from his friends and family, he felt totally isolated. After his
wife died, he led an isolated existence. 3 secluded, remote,
out-of-the-way, off the beaten track, unfrequented, lonely;
secret, hidden: For twenty years we lived in that isolated
shack in the wilderness.

issue n. 1 outflow, outgoing, exit, egress, issuance, emanation,
efflux, debouchment, emergence, outlet: The river's colour
changed abruptly at its point of issue into the sea. 2 outcome,
conclusion, consequence, culmination, result, end, effect,
consummation, event, climax, Colloq pay-off: Whatever the
issue, it has been a brave effort. 3 point, topic, subject,
matter, affair, problem, question: That is an issue you should

take up with the mayor. 4 Usually, major issue. (major or big)
problem or difficulty, controversy, fight, dispute, cause
c‚lŠbre: He turns even walking the dog into a major issue. 5
printing, edition, version; copy, number: I have a copy of the
Sunday issue. See if you can buy an issue of today's paper. 6
publication, promulgation, issuance, issuing, distribution,
delivery, dissemination, broadcasting, proclamation,
circulation: There will be a special issue of stamps to
commemorate his death. 7 offspring, child or children,
descendant(s), progeny, young, scion(s), son(s), daughter(s):
According to the records, your uncle died without issue, making
you his sole heir. 8 at issue. in contention, in dispute,
unresolved, unsettled, uncertain, up in the air, to be decided:
The point at issue is which system will be the most efficient.
9 take issue. disagree, argue, contend, dispute, oppose, take
exception: I feel that I must take issue with your conclusion.

--v. 10 proclaim, promulgate, declare, publish, put out, put or
set forth, announce, circulate, distribute, get out, release,
deliver, broadcast, disseminate, get out: The kidnappers have
issued an ultimatum. 11 emerge, come or go forth, exit,
emanate, discharge, stream, flow, pour; appear, originate,
spring, stem, arise: The play ended, and people issued from the
theatre. Where Pegasus stamped his foot the Pierian spring
issued forth.

9.9 itch...
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itch v. 1 tickle, tingle, prickle: These mosquito bites itch
terribly. 2 desire, crave, hanker, hunger, thirst, yearn, pine,
wish, want, die: I am itching to get my hands on whoever told
you that I was dead.


--n. 3 tickle, tickling, tingle, tingling, prickle, prickling,
irritation: My frustration is like having an itch I can't
scratch. 4 desire, craving, hankering, hunger, thirst,
yearning, longing, Colloq yen: I have a sudden itch to visit
mother for the weekend.

item n. 1 detail, article, point, particular, matter, thing,
element, component, ingredient: There's one item I'd like you

to keep in mind. 2 piece, mention, notice, note, memorandum,
memo, filler, jotting: We often publish short items to fill out
a column.


itemize v. enumerate, list, specify, particularize, detail, document,
number, record, count, tabulate: Must I itemize every single
book in the inventory?