Gall - English meaning

verb

Scrape or wear away by friction or erosion.

Usage examples:

It was a landscape slowly abraded by a fine, stinging dust

noun

The process of scraping or wearing something away.

Usage examples:

The metal is resistant to abrasion

noun

The gradual rubbing away of the surface of rock, for example, by other rock, water, or a glacier (= large moving mass of ice)

noun

Sharpness and directness in speech.

Usage examples:

Their relationship was built on a certain mutual acerbity

noun

Bitterness or ill feeling.

Usage examples:

The agm dissolved into acrimony

noun

The state of becoming worse or more serious; exacerbation.

Usage examples:

The patient experienced an aggravation of symptoms

noun

A strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility.

Usage examples:

The colonel's anger at his daughter's disobedience

verb

Fill (someone) with anger; provoke anger in.

Usage examples:

She was angered by his terse answer

noun

The feeling people get when something unfair, painful, or bad happens

Usage examples:

You need to control your anger., he yelled at them in anger., his constant complaining only angered…

noun

Strong hostility.

Usage examples:

He no longer felt any animosity towards her

verb

Make (someone) a little angry; irritate.

Usage examples:

The decision really annoyed him

verb

To make someone slightly angry or upset

Usage examples:

I know you’re doing this only to annoy me., [ u ] as soon as he saw me, a look of annoyance crossed…

noun

The feeling or state of being annoyed; irritation.

Usage examples:

There was annoyance at the interruption

noun

The feeling or state of being annoyed

Usage examples:

I can understand your annoyance - i'd be furious if she ever treated me like that., (much) to our a…

verb

Cause (someone) to become hostile.

Usage examples:

The aim was to antagonize visiting supporters

verb

To anger someone enough to dislike and oppose you

Usage examples:

The company doesn’t want to antagonize one of its biggest oil suppliers.

noun

A deep-seated feeling of aversion.

Usage examples:

His fundamental antipathy to capitalism

noun

Strong dislike or opposition

Usage examples:

His letters show a deep and intense antipathy toward workers.

noun

Harshness of tone or manner.

Usage examples:

He pointed this out with some asperity

noun

The quality of being severe in the way that you speak and behave

Usage examples:

The asperity of her manner

noun

A willingness to take bold risks.

Usage examples:

He whistled at the sheer audacity of the plan

noun

Unusually strong and esp. rude confidence in yourself

Usage examples:

[ + to infinitive ] our mayor has the audacity to claim credit for improvements he had nothing to d…

noun

The sharp explosive cry of a dog, fox, or seal.

Usage examples:

As i tucked into this steaming bunter-sized platter out on the darkening waters, i swear i heard th…

verb

(of a dog, fox, or seal) give a bark.

Usage examples:

A dog barked at her

verb

Strip the bark from (a tree or piece of wood).

Usage examples:

They had to be barked by hand, you couldn't peel them the way you can newly cut wood

noun

A bitter greenish-brown alkaline fluid which aids digestion and is secreted by the liver and stored in the gall bladder.

Usage examples:

The main function of the gallbladder is to store bile, a digestive fluid produced by the liver.

noun

A bitter, yellow liquid produced by the liver (= organ in the body) that helps to break down fats so that you can digest them

noun

Sharpness of taste; lack of sweetness.

Usage examples:

The lime juice imparts a slight bitterness

noun

Willingness to take risks and act innovatively; confidence or courage.

Usage examples:

The boldness and independence that characterized his leadership

noun

A brave and confident way of behaving that shows no fear

Usage examples:

He is famous for the boldness of his business methods., even critics admire his boldness.

verb

Take the trouble to do something.

Usage examples:

Scientists rarely bother with such niceties

noun

Effort, trouble, or difficulty.

Usage examples:

He saved me the bother of having to come up with a speech

exclamation

Used to express mild irritation or impatience.

Usage examples:

‘bother!’ she muttered

noun

Behaviour that shows a lot of confidence and not much respect

Usage examples:

He developed a reputation for brashness., he later confided that his brashness masked his fear of f…

noun

Behaviour in which someone does something in a very obvious way, without trying to hide it

Usage examples:

The brazenness of the theft shocked museum officials., she was shocked by the sheer brazenness of t…

noun

A destructive fungal disease of apple and other trees that results in damage to the bark.

Usage examples:

Cut out lesions on branches caused by canker

verb

(of a plant or part of a plant) become infected with canker.

Usage examples:

The tree is apt to canker in poor soils

verb

(with reference to a part of the body) make or become sore by rubbing against something.

Usage examples:

The collar chafed his neck

noun

Wear or damage caused by rubbing.

Usage examples:

To prevent chafe the ropes should lie flat

noun

Either side of the face below the eye.

Usage examples:

Tears rolled down her cheeks

verb

Speak impertinently to.

Usage examples:

Frankie always got away with cheeking his elders

noun

Either side of your face below the eyes, where except at the top the skin has no bone behind it and is therefore soft

Usage examples:

She welcomed me with a kiss on the cheek., [ + to infinitive ] first he messed up my work and then …

noun

Behaviour that is slightly rude or or shows a lack of respect, but may be funny

Usage examples:

There was no trace of his usual cheekiness., alongside the seriousness she has a great sense of fun…

verb

Make (someone) feel annoyed or dissatisfied.

Usage examples:

The tone of the letter displeased him

verb

To cause someone to be annoyed

Usage examples:

The city council said it was displeased with the way the mayor had allocated parking spaces., they …

noun

Insolent or impertinent behaviour.

Usage examples:

One juror had the effrontery to challenge the coroner's decision

noun

Extreme rudeness without any ability to understand that your behaviour is not acceptable to other people

Usage examples:

He was silent all through the meal and then had the effrontery to complain that i looked bored!

verb

Irritate and frustrate (someone) intensely.

Usage examples:

This futile process exasperates prison officers

verb

To cause anger or extreme annoyance in someone

Usage examples:

His assistant’s carelessness is exasperating him.

verb

Damage or remove part of the surface of (the skin).

Usage examples:

The discharge is acrid and excoriates the skin of the nose

verb

To write or say that a play, book, political action, etc. is very bad

Usage examples:

His latest novel received excoriating reviews., the president excoriated the western press for thei…

verb

Be constantly or visibly anxious.

Usage examples:

She fretted about the cost of groceries

noun

A state of anxiety.

Usage examples:

Why would anyone get themselves in a fret over something so simple?

verb

Decorate with fretwork.

Usage examples:

A botanically inspired ornamental pattern frets the ceiling

verb

(of cattle, sheep, etc.) eat grass in a field.

Usage examples:

Cattle graze on the open meadows

noun

A slight injury where the skin is scraped.

Usage examples:

Cuts and grazes on the skin

verb

To touch and rub against something while passing it, causing slight damage

Usage examples:

The bullet only grazed his leg., [ i ] cows grazed in the field.

noun

A person who receives or entertains other people as guests.

Usage examples:

They were always gracious hosts at the numerous dinner parties they held for friends

verb

Act as host at (an event) or for (a television or radio programme).

Usage examples:

Canada was asked to host a commonwealth conference in ottawa

noun

A large number of people or things.

Usage examples:

A host of memories rushed into her mind

noun

A small, mischievous devil or sprite.

Usage examples:

You say, ‘i've never seen any imps, sprites or goblins in this whole neighborhood!’

verb

Repair a damaged feather in (the wing or tail of a trained hawk) by attaching part of a new feather.

abbreviation

Manx pound(s).

noun

Lack of respect; rudeness.

Usage examples:

They gasped at the impertinence of the suggestion

noun

Behaviour that is rude and does not show respect, especially someone older or in a higher position than you

Usage examples:

She even had the impertinence to lecture loretta on the importance of hygiene., he threw me out of …

noun

The quality of being impudent; impertinence.

Usage examples:

His arrogance and impudence had offended many

noun

The quality of being rude and not showing respect, especially towards someone who is older or in a more important position

Usage examples:

With a hint of impudence she told him not to talk., the memoir describes his life with honesty and …

noun

Rude and disrespectful behaviour.

Usage examples:

She was sacked for insolence

verb

Irritate; annoy.

Usage examples:

It irks her to think of the runaround she received

noun

A substance that causes slight inflammation or other discomfort to the body.

Usage examples:

A powerful skin irritant

adjective

Causing slight inflammation or other discomfort to the body.

Usage examples:

Chlorine bleaches can be irritant to the skin

noun

A cause of an uncomfortable physical reaction

Usage examples:

Especially in the spring, plant pollen is an irritant that makes the eyes and throat itchy and can …

verb

Make (someone) annoyed or a little angry.

Usage examples:

His tone irritated her

verb

To annoy or make angry

Usage examples:

After a while the noise began to irritate him., at first my contact lenses irritated my eyes.

noun

The state of feeling annoyed, impatient, or slightly angry.

Usage examples:

Much to my irritation, chris fell asleep

noun

The state or condition of being malevolent; hostility.

Usage examples:

His eyes were glowing with malevolence

noun

The quality of causing or wanting to cause harm or evil

Usage examples:

It was an act of great malevolence., her eyes flashed pure malevolence.

noun

The desire to harm someone; ill will.

Usage examples:

I bear no malice towards anybody

noun

The intention to do something wrong and esp. to cause injury

Usage examples:

An employee would have to prove an employer acted out of malice in order to sue.

noun

The quality of intending to cause harm

Usage examples:

He admitted that he misjudged the malignity of his opponent., the attack was an act of genuine mali…

noun

The state or quality of being nasty.

Usage examples:

The nastiness of the campaign

noun

The quality of being bad or very unpleasant

Usage examples:

She was wary of the nastiness of politics., a chef reveals the nastiness inside upscale restaurant …

noun

A whitish fibre or bundle of fibres in the body that transmits impulses of sensation to the brain or spinal cord, and impulses from these to the muscles and organs.

Usage examples:

The optic nerve

verb

Brace oneself mentally to face a demanding situation.

Usage examples:

She nerved herself to enter the room

noun

A group of long, thin fibers in the body, esp. in the brain, which send and receive messages that control how the body reacts to signals it receives, such as to changes in temperature or pressure against the skin

Usage examples:

It takes a lot of nerve to get up in front of a class when you’re not used to it., she has some ner…

noun

A person or thing causing inconvenience or annoyance.

Usage examples:

It's a nuisance having all those people clomping through the house

noun

Something or someone that annoys you or causes trouble for you

Usage examples:

It’s a nuisance filling out all these forms.

noun

Someone or something that causes a problem for other people, an area, etc. that may be able to be solved by the law

Usage examples:

Residents claim that the company's emissions are harmful and constitute a nuisance., noise/odour/pu…

verb

Annoy or irritate.

Usage examples:

That was the one thing that peeved him

noun

A cause of annoyance.

Usage examples:

Another peeve of mine is these so called reality shows

noun

The quality of being attractively small and well shaped.

Usage examples:

The mate replied in the affirmative and commented on the pertness of her breasts.

noun

A destructive insect or other animal that attacks crops, food, livestock, etc.

Usage examples:

The tomato plant attracts a pest called whitefly

noun

An insect or small animal that is harmful or damages crops

Usage examples:

The aphid is a garden pest., my brother is such a pest.

noun

A feeling of irritation or resentment resulting from a slight, especially to one's pride.

Usage examples:

He left in a fit of pique

verb

Arouse (interest or curiosity).

Usage examples:

With his scientific curiosity piqued, he was looking forward to being able to analyse his find

verb

Score a pique against (one's opponent).

noun

A contagious bacterial disease characterized by fever and delirium, typically with the formation of buboes (bubonic plague) and sometimes infection of the lungs (pneumonic plague).

Usage examples:

Person-to-person spread of bubonic or septicemic plague does not occur; however, pneumonic plague i…

verb

A contagious bacterial disease characterized by fever and delirium, typically with the formation of buboes ( bubonic plague ) and sometimes infection of the lungs ( pneumonic plague ).

verb

To cause someone or something difficulty or suffering, esp. repeatedly or continually

Usage examples:

Financial problems have been plaguing the company., that pain in my shoulder is plaguing me again.,…

noun

A substance that is capable of causing the illness or death of a living organism when introduced or absorbed.

Usage examples:

He killed himself with poison

verb

Administer poison to (a person or animal), either deliberately or accidentally.

Usage examples:

Someone had tried to poison me

noun

A substance that causes illness or death if swallowed, absorbed, or breathed into the body

Usage examples:

[ u ] poison gas, [ c ] some cleaning products are poisons., [ u ] he sprayed the weeds with poison…

noun

An idea that is taken to be true on the basis of probability.

Usage examples:

Underlying presumptions about human nature

noun

A belief that something is true because it is likely, although not certain

Usage examples:

There is no scientific evidence to support such presumptions., what presumption, to assume that i’d…

noun

The fact of believing that something is true without having any proof

Usage examples:

Every defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless they are proven guilty., presump…

noun

The quality of showing little respect for others by doing things you have no right to do

Usage examples:

They were accused of arrogance and presumptuousness., there was a certain presumptuousness to this …

noun

Action or speech that makes someone angry, especially deliberately.

Usage examples:

You should remain calm and not respond to provocation

noun

Bitterness or resentfulness, especially when long standing.

Usage examples:

He spoke without rancour

noun

A feeling of hate and continuing anger about something in the past

Usage examples:

They cheated me, but i feel no rancour towards/against them.

noun

A harsh, grating noise.

Usage examples:

The rasp of the engine

verb

Make a harsh, grating noise.

Usage examples:

My breath rasped in my throat

noun

Bitter indignation at having been treated unfairly.

Usage examples:

His resentment at being demoted

noun

A feeling of anger because you have been forced to accept something that you do not like

Usage examples:

He harbours a deep resentment against his parents for his miserable childhood., this decision has c…

idiom

To annoy someone without intending to

Usage examples:

As soon as they met they started to rub each other up the wrong way.

noun

Lack of manners; discourteousness.

Usage examples:

What i will not tolerate is rudeness

noun

The quality of being offensive or not polite

Usage examples:

There is no excuse for rudeness., slapstick and rudeness are not his stock in trade and his appeal …

verb

Disorder or disarrange (someone's hair), typically by running one's hands through it.

Usage examples:

The father laughs and jovially ruffles his son's hair

noun

A strip of lace or other material, gathered along one edge to make an ornamental frill on a garment or other piece of fabric.

Usage examples:

The garment is often trimmed with lace, ruffles, bows and ribbons, optionally with spaghetti straps.

verb

To make someone upset or nervous or reduce someone’s confidence

Usage examples:

[ t ] it ruffled her composure, and she did not know how to respond., a sudden, strong breeze ruffl…

verb

Drag or pull a hard or sharp implement across (a surface or object) so as to remove dirt or other matter.

Usage examples:

Remove the green tops from the carrots and scrape them

noun

An act or sound of scraping.

Usage examples:

He heard the scrape of his mother's key in the lock

verb

Cut the surface of; wear away the surface of

verb

Score or mark the surface of (something) with a sharp or pointed object.

Usage examples:

The car's paintwork was battered and scratched

noun

A mark or wound made by scratching.

Usage examples:

The scratches on her arm were throbbing

adjective

Assembled or made from whatever is available, and so unlikely to be of the highest quality.

Usage examples:

City were fielding a scratch squad

noun

A lack of shame, especially about something generally considered unacceptable

Usage examples:

I am disgusted at the thoughtlessness and shamelessness displayed by these players., he performed h…

noun

The thin layer of tissue forming the natural outer covering of the body of a person or animal.

Usage examples:

I use body lotion to keep my skin supple

verb

Remove the skin from (an animal or a fruit or vegetable).

Usage examples:

Scald and skin the tomatoes

noun

The natural outer layer that covers a person or animal

Usage examples:

[ c ] leopard skins, [ u ] he had dark, leathery skin., potato skins, [ c ] those airplanes have ti…

adjective

(of a part of one's body) painful or aching.

Usage examples:

She had a sore throat

noun

A raw or painful place on the body.

Usage examples:

All of us had sores and infections on our hands

adverb

Extremely; severely.

Usage examples:

They were sore afraid

noun

The quality of having a sour taste

Usage examples:

A mixture of sweetness, sourness, and saltiness all combined together to create this unforgettable …

noun

A desire to hurt, annoy, or offend someone.

Usage examples:

He'd think i was saying it out of spite

verb

Deliberately hurt, annoy, or offend (someone).

Usage examples:

He put the house up for sale to spite his family

noun

The desire to annoy, upset, or hurt someone

Usage examples:

He let the air out of your tires just for spite., i think he died without making a will just to spi…

noun

The quality of wanting to annoy, upset, or hurt another person, because you feel angry towards them

Usage examples:

There is an incredible level of small-minded immaturity and spitefulness among some people.

noun

An abdominal organ involved in the production and removal of blood cells in most vertebrates and forming part of the immune system.

Usage examples:

Glass particles were found in the pulmonary capillaries, livers, kidneys, spleens, and intestinal w…

noun

Excessive confidence or boldness; audacity.

Usage examples:

No one had the temerity to question his conclusions

noun

A willingness to do or say something that shocks or upsets other people

Usage examples:

[ + to infinitive ] she had the temerity to call me a liar.

noun

Severe physical or mental suffering.

Usage examples:

Their deaths have left both families in torment

verb

Cause to experience severe mental or physical suffering.

Usage examples:

He was tormented by jealousy

noun

Great mental or physical suffering, or something that causes such pain

Usage examples:

[ u ] after three days of torment, she went to a dentist., [ c ] that child acts like it’s a tormen…

noun

An open sore on an external or internal surface of the body, caused by a break in the skin or mucous membrane which fails to heal. ulcers range from small, painful sores in the mouth to bedsores and serious lesions of the stomach or intestine.

Usage examples:

A common form of mouth ulcer, canker sores occur in women more often than in men.

noun

A sore on the skin or inside the body that will not heal without treatment

Usage examples:

A stomach ulcer

noun

The formation of an ulcer or ulcers.

Usage examples:

All of the patients had a history of foot ulceration caused by diabetes

noun

The process of forming an ulcer or ulcers

Usage examples:

Ulceration of the bowel, mouth ulceration

noun

A poisonous substance secreted by animals such as snakes, spiders, and scorpions and typically injected into prey or aggressors by biting or stinging.

Usage examples:

Snake venoms have different effects

noun

A poisonous liquid produced by some snakes, insects, and spiders when they bite

Usage examples:

Fig. his diary was full of venom and hate for everyone in authority., a venomous snake/spider

verb

Make (someone) feel annoyed, frustrated, or worried, especially with trivial matters.

Usage examples:

The memory of the conversation still vexed him

adjective

Angry; annoyed.

Usage examples:

I ain't vex with you

verb

To cause someone to feel annoyance or trouble

Usage examples:

The question that vexes ben the most is, "why me?", rising gas prices are a vexing problem.

noun

The state of being annoyed, frustrated, or worried.

Usage examples:

Jenna bit her lip in vexation

noun

Worry or anger

Usage examples:

After several unsuccessful attempts to start his car, he swore in vexation.

noun

The severity or harmfulness of a disease or poison.

Usage examples:

The proportion of birds which die depends on the virulence of the virus

noun

Bitter criticism or malice.

Usage examples:

Her mother's sudden gush of fury and vitriol

noun

Violent hate and anger expressed through severe criticism

Usage examples:

He is a writer who has often been criticized by the press but never before with such vitriol.