<B>adolescence, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>growth from childhood to adulthood. <BR> <I>Ex. the dreamy, stormy years of adolescence.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>the period of growth from childhood to adulthood; youth. <BR> <I>Ex. John grew tall during his adolescence.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="adolescency">
<B>adolescency, </B>noun. =adolescence.</DL>
<A NAME="adolescent">
<B>adolescent, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> a person growing up from childhood to manhood or womanhood, especially, in ordinary use, from about 12 to about 20 years of age. <BR> <I>Ex. Nine adolescents, six juveniles and four adults were taken into court yesterday ... Those between 16 and 18 are adolescents and those under 16 are juveniles (New York Times).</I> (SYN) teen-ager, youth. <DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>growing up from childhood to adulthood; youthful. <BR> <I>Ex. He is still in the adolescent stage of development.</I> (SYN) pubescent. <DD><B> 2. </B>of adolescents; during adolescence; characteristic of adolescents. <BR> <I>Ex. adolescent self-consciousness. Adolescent friendships often do not last.</I> (SYN) juvenile. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Figurative.) immature. <BR> <I>Ex. adolescent behavior.</I> (SYN) puerile. adv. <B>adolescently.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="adonai">
<B>Adonai, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a Hebrew name for God. </DL>
<A NAME="adonicverse">
<B>Adonic verse</B> or <B>line,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a verse or line consisting of a dactyl and a spondee or a trochee. </DL>
<A NAME="adonis">
<B>Adonis, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>(Greek and Roman Mythology.) a handsome young man who was loved by Aphrodite (Venus). <DD><B> 2a. </B>any extremely handsome young man. <DD><B> b. </B>a vain young man; a dandy. <DD><B> 3. </B>an asteroid discovered in 1936 whose orbit comes within that of Venus. Adonis is about a mile in diameter. <DD><B> 4. </B>a group of plants that grows wild in Europe and Asia. Some of these plants are cultivated in gardens in North America for their yellow or red flowers. </DL>
<A NAME="adopt">
<B>adopt, </B>transitive verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>to take for your own or as your own choice. <BR> <I>Ex. I liked your idea and adopted it. Few Americans would find it easy to adopt Japanese customs. Her [Greece's] whole culture has never ceased to adopt and to adapt alien elements (Atlantic).</I> (SYN) embrace, espouse. <DD><B> 2. </B>to accept formally or officially; approve. <BR> <I>Ex. The committee adopted the new rule by a vote of five to three.</I> (SYN) endorse. <DD><B> 3a. </B>to take (a child of other parents), as approved by law, and bring up as one's own child. <BR> <I>Ex. The judge permitted the Browns to adopt the homeless orphan.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>to take (anyone) voluntarily into any relationship (as heir, father, friend, or citizen). <BR> <I>Ex. His nephew was his adopted heir.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>to take (a word) from a foreign language into regular use without (intentionally) changing its form. <BR> <I>Ex. In English we have adopted the German words "Gneiss," "Hamburger," "Hornblende," and "Quartz."</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>(in Great Britain) to accept as the candidate of a political party for election. adj. <B>adoptable.</B> noun <B>adopter.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="adoptability">
<B>adoptability, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> fitness for adoption. </DL>
<A NAME="adoptee">
<B>adoptee, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a person who is adopted. </DL>
<A NAME="adoption">
<B>adoption, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the act of adopting. <BR> <I>Ex. the adoption of a new name. Our club voted the adoption of some new rules.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>the fact or condition of being adopted. <BR> <I>Ex. to offer a child for adoption. Joe's adoption by his aunt changed his whole life. New ideas should be carefully tested before their adoption.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="adoptionfair">
<B>adoption fair,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> an event where groups of orphaned children can be seen by prospective adoptive parents. <BR> <I>Ex. Today ... in their determination to provide a home for every child [social workers] sometimes resort to "adoption fairs" (Mary-Lou Weisman).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="adoptionism">
<B>adoptionism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Theology.) the doctrine that Christ as man is the Son of God by adoption only. noun <B>adoptionist.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="adoptive">
<B>adoptive, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>related by adoption; adopted. <BR> <I>Ex. an adoptive son, one's adoptive country.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>tending to adopt. <BR> <I>Ex. English is a receptive and adoptive language.</I> adv. <B>adoptively.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="adorability">
<B>adorability, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ties.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the quality of being adorable. </DL>
<A NAME="adorable">
<B>adorable, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>worthy of being adored. (SYN) revered, worshipful. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Informal.) attractive or delightful; lovely. <BR> <I>Ex. What an adorable dress!</I> (SYN) alluring. noun <B>adorableness.</B> adv. <B>adorably.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="adoral">
<B>adoral, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Zoology.) <DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>near the mouth. <BR> <I>Ex. adoral cilia.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>of or having a mouth. <DD><I>noun </I> an adoral part or function. </DL>
<A NAME="adoration">
<B>adoration, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the highest love and admiration. <DD><B> 2. </B>worship; reverence. <BR> <I>Ex. the adoration of the Magi.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="adore">
<B>adore, </B>verb, <B>adored,</B> <B>adoring.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to love and admire very greatly. <BR> <I>Ex. She adores her mother.</I> (SYN) revere, idolize. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Informal.) to like very much. <BR> <I>Ex. I just adore that dress!</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>to worship. <BR> <I>Ex. "O come let us adore Him," sang the choir at Christmas.</I> (SYN) venerate. <DD><I>v.i. </I> to be an adorer; offer worship. noun <B>adorer.</B> adv. <B>adoringly.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="adorn">
<B>adorn, </B>transitive verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>to add beauty to. <BR> <I>Ex. Wild flowers adorned the river bank.</I> (SYN) beautify. <DD><B> 2. </B>to put ornaments on; decorate. <BR> <I>Ex. She adorned her hair with flowers.</I> (SYN) deck. <DD><B> 3. </B>to make greater the splendor or honor of; add distinction to; grace. <BR> <I>Ex. And a new Cibber shall the stage adorn (Alexander Pope).</I> noun <B>adorner.</B> adv. <B>adorningly.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="adornment">
<B>adornment, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>pl. <B>-ments.</B> something or someone that adds beauty; an ornament; decoration. <BR> <I>Ex. Christmas trees decorated with all the traditional adornments. A distinguished judge is an adornment to the bench.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B><I>no pl.</I> the act of adorning; ornamentation. <BR> <I>Ex. She was busy with the adornment of the room for the party. In many societies, particularly in tropical or mild climates, adornment may be wholly divorced from clothing and far more important (Beals and Hoijer).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="adown">
<B>adown, </B>preposition, adverb.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Poetic.) down. <BR> <I>Ex. He did but float a little way Adown the stream of time (James Russell Lowell).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="adp">
<B>ADP</B> (no periods),<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>adenosine diphosphate. <DD><B> 2. </B>automatic data processing. </DL>
<A NAME="adpatres">
<B>ad patres,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Latin.) to one's fathers; dead. </DL>
<A NAME="adpress">
<B>adpress, </B>transitive verb.<DL COMPACT><DD> to press closely to a surface; lay flat. </DL>
<A NAME="adquem">
<B>ad quem,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Latin.) to or at which; (goal) toward which. </DL>
<A NAME="adradial">
<B>adradial, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Zoology.) situated near or beside a radial part, such as the arm of a starfish. </DL>
<A NAME="adrastus">
<B>Adrastus, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Greek Legend.) a king of Argos, the only survivor of the Seven against Thebes, whom he led. </DL>
<A NAME="adreferendum">
<B>ad referendum,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Latin.) for further reference or consideration; subject to approval. <BR> <I>Ex. The president was given the authority to issue decree laws ad referendum of the Congress (Raul d'Eca).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="adrem">
<B>ad rem,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Latin.) to the point. </DL>
<A NAME="adrenal">
<B>adrenal, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>on or near the kidney; suprarenal. <DD><B> 2. </B>of or derived from the adrenal glands. <DD><I>noun </I> an adrenal gland. adv. <B>adrenally.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="adrenalectomize">
<B>adrenalectomize, </B>transitive verb, <B>-mized,</B> <B>-mizing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> to remove one or both of the adrenal glands by surgery. </DL>
<A NAME="adrenalectomy">
<B>adrenalectomy, </B>noun, pl. <B>-mies.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the surgical removal of one or both of the adrenal glands. </DL>
<A NAME="adrenalgland">
<B>adrenal gland</B> or <B>body,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> either of two very small ductless glands, one on the upper part of each kidney, that secrete adrenalin; suprarenal gland. The outer layer or cortex secretes corticosterone and other important steroid hormones and the inner part or medulla secretes adrenalin. </DL>
<A NAME="adrenalin">
<B>adrenalin, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a hormone secreted by the inner part or medulla of the adrenal glands; epinephrine. Adrenalin speeds up the heartbeat and thereby increases bodily energy and resistance to fatigue. </DL>
<A NAME="adrenalin">
<B>Adrenalin, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Trademark.) adrenalin that is artificially produced; epinephrine. </DL>
<A NAME="adrenaline">
<B>adrenaline, </B>noun. =adrenalin.</DL>
<A NAME="adrenergic">
<B>adrenergic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> that is activated by or produces adrenalin. <BR> <I>Ex. adrenergic nerve fiber. The intense adrenergic stimulation preceding stress-induced shock is well recognized (Science).</I> </DL>
<B>adrenochrome, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a compound formed by the oxidation of adrenalin, and capable of converting hemoglobin into methemoglobin. </DL>
<A NAME="adrenocortical">
<B>adrenocortical, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having to do with or derived from the outer layer or cortex of an adrenal gland. <BR> <I>Ex. adrenocortical steroids.</I> </DL>
