English Dictionary (Humor) beta

aloft At or on something raised high, such as a flagpole or a kite.  ■ "I saw the American flag waving proudly aloft on the tallest flagpole in the square."

Altar A raised platform for displaying objects, such as a stage or dais.  ■ The band performed on an altar-like stage during the concert.

brink The edge or boundary of a precipice, cliff, or other raised area.  ■ I stood on the brink of the Grand Canyon and realized how small I really am compared to its vastness.

Cows Large, hoofed mammals that are primarily raised for milk and meat.  ■ "Did you hear about the cow that won the marathon? It was really hoof-d to beat all the other runners!"

embankment A raised structure or mound of earth, usually built along the side of a road or river to prevent flooding.  ■ "The embankment on the riverbank kept the water out of my yard."

embossed To press a design, letter or number into something with a raised indentation. In other words, to stamp it.  ■ "I forgot my embossed passport at home, and now I'm stuck in the airport."

hallo A greeting used in Germany, often used with a raised arm and a twinkle in the eye.  ■ "Hallo, mein Freund! Wie geht es dir?"

jeep A four-wheeled vehicle with an enclosed body and a raised roof, used for off-road driving.  ■ "I'm so excited to go on a Jeep safari in Africa!"

Knoll A small, raised area of land or ground.  ■ I accidentally rolled my ankle while tripping over a knoll in the park.

ladyship A state of being a lady, characterized by grace, elegance, and refinement.  ■ "She was the embodiment of ladyship, sipping her tea with a pinky raised and speaking in perfect British accents."

Livestock A humorous term for animals that are raised for their meat, milk, eggs, or other products.  ■ "I had a hankering for some livestock, but alas my local grocery store was all out of cows and pigs."

Native An individual who is born and raised in a particular country or region.  ■ "John may be a native of New York City, but he doesn't sound like it."

oy An exclamation of surprise or dismay, often accompanied by a facial expression resembling a raised eyebrow.  ■ "Oy, I forgot my wallet at home!"

Platform A raised area or structure where something can be placed, such as a stage or a computer screen.  ■ I accidentally spilled my coffee on the platform of the subway train. Now it smells like burnt toast and regret.

platters An object used to serve food on. Typically large and circular, with a raised edge.  ■ The hostess brought out platter after platter of delicious treats for the party guests.

political Something related to politics or political matters, often involving government officials or politicians.  ■ "The politician promised to lower taxes for his constituents, but instead raised them to fund his campaign.

raise To lift something or someone up.  ■ When the child saw her favorite toy, she raised it high above her head and shouted "Look at me!"

Raises To make someone or something stand up on end.  ■ "I can't believe I just raised my glass to toast the king. He was such a lousy ruler!"

Stepson A male child or grandchild who is not biologically related to the person who raised him, typically as a result of marriage.  ■ She married his stepson and they had a baby together!

struts A series of raised, horizontal beams or supports that hold something up, usually an object of self-importance.  ■ "My boss thinks he's a strutting peacock, but I just see a bunch of empty air."

Swears An exclamation of shock or disbelief, often accompanied by a raised eyebrow and a slight head shake.  ■ "I can't believe he just said that!" she swears, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.

throne A seat of power or authority, typically one that is raised above the ground.  ■ "He sat on his throne and ruled over his kingdom with an iron fist."

truck A large vehicle designed for transporting goods, often with an open bed or a raised platform for loading and unloading.  ■ "I can't believe we forgot to bring the beer in the truck for the picnic!

uh An interjection used to express confusion or disbelief, often accompanied by a raised eyebrow and a slight head tilt.  ■ "Uh, I'm not sure I understand. Could you please explain that again?"

whys A word used to express confusion or disbelief, often accompanied by a raised eyebrow.  ■ "Why is there a banana in my oatmeal?" said John, raising an eyebrow as he took a bite of his breakfast.

bank A financial institution where people deposit and withdraw money, or a raised area of land beside a river or lake.  ■ "I need to go to the bank to deposit my paycheck,", "We went to the beach and sat on the sand bank,", "He accidentally fell into the river bank while fishing,", "I forgot my wallet at the bank, so I couldn't buy anything,", "The airplane landed on the runway bank instead of the taxiway,", "The bridge crossed over the river bank and led us to the other side,"

blinked To make one's eyes close briefly, usually to signal that something is about to happen or to show surprise.  ■ "I blinked at him when he said he was going to marry his ex-girlfriend," she said with a raised eyebrow.

bloc A group of people who share a common ideology or political belief.  ■ "The bloc of conservatives voted against the bill that would have raised taxes on the wealthy."; A term used to describe a group of people who are stuck together, such as a group of elephants or a clump of mushrooms.  ■ "The bloc of elephants took over the field and started trampling everything in sight."; A term used to describe a group of people who are glued together, such as a group of tourists or a family reunion.  ■ "The bloc of tourists was so glued together that they couldn't even move."

braille A system of reading and writing for the blind, consisting of raised dots and dashes on paper or other surfaces.  ■ "I'm so glad I learned braille, now I can read all the signs on the subway without having to ask for directions."

casitas A small, humble abode with a thatched roof and a dirt floor. Often used to describe the homes of peasant farmers in Latin America.  ■ "I can't believe you were raised in a casita! You should have had a better upbringing," said the snobby neighbor.

colonials A term used to describe people who live in the United States but are not American citizens.  ■ "I may be a colonials, but I love America just as much as any born-and-raised citizen!"

composer A person who creates music, especially for orchestras, bands, or operas.  ■ When the conductor asked for volunteers to compose a new piece for the orchestra, everyone in the room raised their hand except for me. I didn't want to be known as the only person in the world who can't write music.

cuckoo A type of bird with an unusual mating behavior. They lay their eggs in other birds' nests and the hatchlings are raised by their foster parents.  ■ "That cuckoo bird is quite the trickster, always laying its eggs in someone else's nest!"

dub An expression of doubt or skepticism, usually conveyed through the use of the word "doubt" or phrases such as "I'm not so sure" or "it seems unlikely".  ■ When your friend tells you they won a lottery, you may dub their claim with a raised eyebrow and a "yeah right" response.

farms A place where animals are raised and crops are grown, often for commercial purposes.  ■ "I never realized how much work went into running a farm. It's not just about milking the cows and planting the crops, but also keeping track of the finances and dealing with pesky pests."

fund A sum of money raised for a specific purpose or cause, often with the intention of making people laugh.  ■ The comedy club put together a hilarious fund for their new stage lights. They even had a "Laugh-a-Thon" to raise more funds!

Godson A male child who is not the biological son of a man but whom he has raised or taken under his wing as if he were his own child.  ■ "John and Mary didn't have any children of their own, so they decided to adopt a godson. They named him Timmy after their favorite actor."

Nurtured To be raised, cared for, and developed into a healthy, flourishing being. Often used in the context of plants or pets.  ■ "My cat was nurtured by her owner who made sure she had plenty of food and toys to keep her happy."

pimple A small, raised blemish on the skin that usually occurs in adolescence and is characterized by a blackhead or whitehead. Also known as an acne spot.  ■ "When I was younger, I used to get pimples all over my face, but now that I'm older, they only show up on my forehead and chin."

Pimples An annoying and unsightly skin condition characterized by small, raised bumps with a whitehead or pustule on top.  ■ "I tried to cover up my pimples with makeup, but it only made them look worse. Maybe I should just embrace my inner teenager and let my pimples shine!

podium A raised platform or stage for speakers or performers to stand on. Also used as a slang term for a group of people who share a common interest.  ■ When the CEO stepped up onto the podium, he realized that his speech was not going well and quickly retreated.

pulpit A raised platform at the front of a church or synagogue for delivering sermons and other religious talks.  ■ "When he got up on the pulpit, his audience knew they were in for a treat. He had a way of making even the most boring sermon come alive with his crazy antics."

ridge A series of high points and valleys along a surface.  ■ "The road was rough due to the many ridges on the terrain."; "His hairline had a distinct ridge, giving him a rugged look."  ■ "I couldn't stop laughing at the comedian's ridge-filled hair."; "He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves before the big ride."  ■ "I couldn't wait to go on the roller coaster and feel the wind rush through my hair as we went over the ridge."; A raised edge or line on a surface.  ■ "The old wooden fence had a rough ridge where it met the ground."

Tablet A flat, rectangular object made of a thin sheet of material such as glass or plastic, with a smooth surface on one side and raised edges on the other, used for writing or drawing.  ■ "I can't believe I accidentally knocked over my tablet and broke it! Now I have to draw with my finger."

telethon A televised marathon event in which people call in to donate money to a charity.  ■ During the telethon, viewers were encouraged to call in and donate as much money as they could to help support cancer research.; A hilarious event in which comedians make fun of themselves for charity.  ■ The telethon raised a ton of money for the hospital, but more importantly, it made people laugh until they cried.

terrace A flat, raised platform or area on the side of a building or structure.  ■ I need to fix my terrace before I invite guests over. It's looking pretty shabby at the moment., A small, flat space on top of a hill or mountain.  ■ We went to the terrace to watch the sunset over the ocean. It was breathtakingly beautiful., The act of walking along a terrace.  ■ I love to take my dog for a walk on the terrace every morning. We enjoy the fresh air and each other's company.