| U, u (noun) | the twenty-first letter of the alphabet. |
| ubiquitous (adjective) | being or seeming to be in more than one place at the same time, seemingly occurring everywhere (cellphones seem to be ubiquitous these days). n ubiquity |
| U-boat (noun) | a German submarine. |
| udder (noun) | the organ containing the milk-producing gland of a cow, sheep, etc. |
| UFO | abbreviation for unidentified flying object a strange, unidentified object seen in the sky, believed by some people to be an alien spacecraft. |
| ugly (adjective) | 1 unpleasant to see or hear. 2 unpleasant, dangerous (an ugly occurrence in the bar). n ugliness |
| ukulele (noun) | a stringed musical instrument similar to a guitar, played by plucking the strings. |
| ulcer (noun) | an open, painful sore t on the skin, or inside the mouth or stomach (mouth ulcers). |
| ulcerated , ulcerous (adjective) | having an ulcer or ulcers. |
| ulema (noun) | a group of Muslim men who have authority in religion and law. |
| ulna (noun) | the larger of the two bones of the forearm in humans, on the opposite side from the thumb. |
| ulterior (adjective) | further, secret, hidden. |
| ulterior motive (noun) | a reason for action that one does not make known to others. |
| ultimate (adjective) | 1 last, final (his ultimate destination). 2 greatest or highest possible. |
| ultimately (adverb) | in the end. |
| ultimatum (noun) | (pl ultimatums or ultimata ) a last offer of conditions, to be followed, if refused, by action without more discussion (she gave him an ultimatum: if he did not stop bothering her she would call the police). |
| ultra- | prefix 1 very, extremely (ultramodern). 2 beyond a specific extent or range (ultramicroscopic). |
| ultramarine (noun) | 1 a blue pigment used in paints, etc. 2 a vivid blue color. Also adj. |
| ultrasound (noun) | the use of ultrasonic waves to form images of inside the body (she saw her unborn baby while having an ultrasound). |
| ultraviolet (adjective) | having to do with radiation present in sunlight that is harmful to the eyes and skin, the wavelengths of which are shorter than violet light. |
| ultravirus (noun) | a virus so small that it can pass through even the finest filters. |
| umber (noun) | a reddish-brown color. |
| umbilicus (noun) | (pl umbilici ) the navel. adj umbilical |
| umbrage (noun) | take umbrage to be offended or made angry by. |
| umbrella (noun) | a folding frame covered with waterproof material that can be opened out and held over the head at the end of a stick as protection against rain. |
| umiak (noun) | a large, open boat made of skins stretched on a wooden frame, sued by Eskimos for moving goods. |
| umpire (noun) | a person who acts as judge in a dispute or contest, a referee (a baseball umpire). |
| umpteen (pronoun) | (informal) a great number of, a great many (umpteen of them came to the show). n and adj umpteenth (for the umpteenth time, clean your room!). |
| un- | prefix not. |
| unabashed (adjective) | not ashamed, not put off, confident (she was unabashed by the complaints). |
| unable (adjective) | not able; lacking the ability, means, or power to do something. |
| unabridged (adjective) | not shortened, complete (unabridged edition of the book). |
| unacceptable (adjective) | unwelcome, not good enough to be acceptable (the behavior of the visiting team’s fans was quite unacceptable). |
| unaccommodating (adjective) | not ready to oblige. |
| unaccountable (adjective) | that cannot be explained (for some unaccountable reason he left work and has never been seen since). |
| unaccustomed (adjective) | not usual (the unaccustomed warmth of a day in March). |
| unacknowledged (adjective) | not recognized, ignored (his unacknowledged skill). |
| unaffected (adjective) | 1 simple, sincere (everyone who met him loved his unaffected manner). 2 unmoved (unaffected by the child’s tears). |
| unanimous (adjective) | 1 being all of the same opinion (they were unanimous in their decision). 2 agreed to by all present (a unanimous vote). |
| unapproachable (adjective) | unfriendly in manner. |
| unarmed (adjective) | having no weapons, especially firearms or armor. |
| unassuming (adjective) | modest, not boastful. |
| unauthorized (adjective) also unauthorised (British spelling) | done without permission. |
| unaware (adjective) | not knowing, ignorant (of). |
| unawares (adverb) | unexpectedly (catch the thief unawares). |
| unbearable (adjective) | that cannot be borne; that cannot be accepted or allowed. |
| unbecoming (adjective) | not suitable, not proper, unattractive (her behavior was unbecoming). |
| unbelief (noun) | lack of faith, doubt. |
| unbeliever (noun) | a person who does not believe in the accepted religion. |
| unbend (verb) | 1 to make straight. 2 to behave in a more friendly way (unfriendly at first but she unbent later). |
| unbiased (adjective) | fair to all parties, just (the judge made an unbiased decision). |
| unblock (verb) | to remove a block from (unblock the sink so it drains properly). |
| unbounded (adjective) | great, without limits (unbounded enthusiasm). |
| unbridled (adjective) | uncontrolled (unbridled rage). |
| unburden (verb) | 1 (formal) to take a load off. 2 to tell about something that has caused worry or anxiety (unburden himself of his worries). |
| unbutton (verb) | to unfasten the button or buttons of something (her mother taught the little girl how to unbutton her pajama jacket). |
| uncalled-for (adjective) | not required; unnecessary and rude (uncalled-for comments about her perfomance). |
| uncanny (adjective) | strange, mysterious. |
| uncap (verb) | to remove the cap from. |
| uncertain (adjective) | 1 not sure (uncertain about how to proceed). 2 doubtful (uncertain plans). n uncertainty |
| uncharitable (adjective) | harsh, severe, unkind, ungenerous (she often had uncharitable thoughts about her next-door neighbour). |
| unclasp (verb) | to unfasten the clasp of. |
| uncle (noun) | 1 the brother of a person’s father or mother. 2 the husband of a person’s aunt. |
| Uncle Sam (noun) | a made-up person, who represents the United States. |
| uncoil (verb) | to unwind (the rope was uncoiled before being used). |
| uncomfortable (adjective) | 1 uneasy (feel uncomfortable about going to the party alone). 2 giving no comfort (an uncomfortable chair). |
| uncommunicative (adjective) | not speaking much to others. |
| uncomplimentary (adjective) | critical, insulting. |
| uncompromising (adjective) | firm, not ready to give in (both sides had uncompromising attitudes). |
| unconcerned (adjective) | 1 unmoved. 2 uninterested. |
| unconditional (adjective) | without conditions (unconditional surrender). |
| unconformity (noun) | not being the same as others (it was their unconformity that gave them away). |
| unconscious (adjective) | 1 not knowing, unaware (unconscious of what was going on). 2 stunned, as by a blow to the head, and so unaware of what is going on (knocked unconscious by the blow). |
| unconstitutional (adjective) | against the principles of a constitution, especially said of the US Constitution, unlawful. |
| unconventional (adjective) | not bound by custom, natural, free and easy (unconventional dress and manners). |
| uncouth (adjective) | rough in manner, awkward, clumsy (uncouth manners). |
| uncover (verb) | to make known, to reveal (they were unable to uncover her identity). |
| unction | Collective noun for undertakers (An unction of undertakers) (see list of collective nouns) |
| uncultivated (adjective) | 1 not prepared for crops (uncultivated land). 2 uncivilized, crude (an uncultivated people). |
| undaunted (adjective) | bold, fearless (undaunted, they went through the jungle). |
| undecided (adjective) | not having made up the mind, doubtful (undecided about how to vote). |
| undemonstrative (adjective) | not showing feelings, calm by nature (the judge was an undemonstrative man). |
| undeniable (adjective) | that cannot be argued against, certain (his undeniable guilt). |
| under (preposition) | 1 below. 2 beneath. 3 subject to. 4 less good than. adv in a lower condition, degree, or place. pref under- in, on, to, or from a lower place or side, beneath or below. |
| underachieve (verb) | to fail to do as well as expected, as in school classes. |
| underage (adjective) | below the age required by law. |
| underarm (adjective) | of, for, in, or used on the area under the arm or the armpit. |
| underbelly (noun) | 1 the lower part of an animal’s belly. 2 any unprotected area. |
| underbrush (noun) | small trees, shrubs, etc that grow underneath large trees in woods or forests. |
| undercarriage (noun) | the wheels or other parts on the underside of an aircraft needed for landing. |
| underclothes , underclothing, (noun) | clothes worn under others or next to the skin; underwear. |
| undercoat (noun) | a layer of short hair or fur under the longer hair or fur on an animal’s coat. |
| undercoating (noun) | a coating, like a primer, which prepares a surface for another layer of paint, varnish, etc. |
| undercover (adjective) | acting or carried out in secret. |
| undercurrent (noun) | 1 a current, as of air or water, flowing beneath the surface. 2 an influence or popular feeling that cannot easily be noticed (undercurrent of discontent in the office). |
| undercut (verb) | to offer to sell at a lower price (than). n undercut 1 the underside of a loin of beef. 2 in a fight, a blow from below. |
| underdog (noun) | a person or group that is expected to lose. |
| underdone (adjective) | not sufficiently cooked, lightly cooked (the beef was underdone). |
| underestimate (verb) | to have too low an opinion of (underestimate his ability). |
| underfur (noun) | the soft, shorter layer of fur under the longer layer of fur on an animal’s coat. |
| undergo (verb) | to bear, to suffer (undergo pain). |
| undergraduate (noun) | a university student who has not yet earned a degree. Also adj. |
| underground (adjective/adverb) | 1 beneath the ground. 2 secret (an underground political organization). n 1 a place below the surface of the earth. 2 a railway running through underground tunnels. |
| undergrowth (noun) | shrubs and low bushes growing among trees. |
| underhand (adjective) | sly, secret, dishonest (an underhand action). |
| underline (verb) | 1 to draw a line under. 2 to emphasize (underline the need for more aid). |
| undermine (verb) | 1 to make holes underground. 2 to destroy gradually, to seek to harm by underhand methods (undermine his confidence). |
| underneath (adverb) | under, below, beneath, on the underside. |
| underpants (noun) | underwear for the lower part of the body, with two openings for the legs. |
| underpass (noun) | part of a road or footpath that goes underneath a road or railway (pedestrians could take the underpass to get to the other side of the railway line). |
| underrate (verb) | to have too low an opinion of (underrate their ability). |
| undersell (verb) | to sell at a lower price (than) (he tried to undersell his competitors). |
| undershirt (noun) | a collarless shirt with or without sleeves worn under an outer shirt. |
| undersized (adjective) | less than the normal size, very small. |
| understand (verb) | (pt, pp understood ) 1 to see the meaning of (understand the poem). 2 to know thoroughly (it took her some time to understand the filing system). 3 to work out the truth from what has been said (understand his motives). |
| understanding (noun) | 1 intelligence, powers of judgment. 2 an agreement, especially an unwritten one (there was an understanding that the money would be paid every month). |
| understate (verb) | to talk of something as smaller or less important than it really is (understate his role in the events). n understatement |
| understudy (noun) | an actor or actress who learns the same part as another to be able to take his or her place if necessary (the understudy took the place of the sick actor). |
| undertake (verb) | (pt undertook , pp undertaken ) to take upon oneself to do, to attempt. |
| undertaker (noun) | a funeral director. |
| undertaking (noun) | 1 a task (an undertaking requiring great skill). 2 a promise (he gave an undertaking that he would be present). |
| undertow (noun) | the backward flow of water after a wave breaks on the shore; an undercurrent. |
| underwear (noun) | underclothes. |
| underwire (noun) | a curved wire inserted into the bottom cups of certain brassieres for added support. |
| underworld (noun) | 1 the mythical place to which the spirits of people go after death. 2 those members of society who live by violence and crime. |
| undies (noun) | (informal) underwear. |
| undisguised (adjective) | open, not hidden (her undisguised jealousy). |
| undisturbed (adjective) | calm, tranquil (an undisturbed night). |
| undo (verb) | (pt undid , pp undone to reverse what has been done, to untie or unfasten, to ruin (undo the damage). |
| undoing (noun) | ruin (lying was her undoing). |
| undone (past participle) | of undo. adj 1 not done. 2 ruined. |
| undoubted (adjective) | certain, undeniable (her undoubted honesty). |
| undress (verb) | 1 to take your clothes off (she undressed in private). 2 to take off the clothes of (the mother undressed her baby). |
| undue (adjective) | greater than is necessary (undue panic). |
| undulate (verb) | 1 to rise and fall like waves. 2 to have a wavy appearance. |
| unduly (adverb) | more than is necessary, excessively (not unduly worried). |
| unearth (verb) | 1 to discover by searching (unearth the truth). 2 to dig up (police unearthed the evidence). |
| unearthly (adjective) | weird, supernatural, ghostly (there was an unearthly scream). |
| uneasy (adjective) | uncomfortable, worried, anxious (an uneasy feeling that all was not well). |
| unemployed (adjective) | having no paid job, out of work. |
| unemployment | Collective noun for graduates (An unemployment of graduates) (see list of collective nouns) |
| unemployment (noun) | the state of not having a job. |
| unequivocal (adjective) | clear, that cannot be misunderstood (an unequivocal reply). |
| unerring (adjective) | true, going straight to the target (with unerring accuracy). |
| uneven (adjective) | 1 not flat, not smooth (uneven ground). 2 sometimes not as good as at other times (his work is uneven). |
| unfailing (adjective) | sure, reliable (an unfailing remedy). |
| unfamiliar (adjective) | strange (unfamiliar territory). |
| unfasten (verb) | to undo, to unfix, to set loose (unfasten the belt). |
| unfathomable (adjective) | 1 very deep. 2 mysterious. |
| unfetter (verb) | to free from restraint of any kind. adj unfettered |
| unforeseen (adjective) | unexpected (unforeseen circumstances). |
| unfortunate (adjective) | unlucky (it was unfortunate that she missed the bus). |
| unfounded (adjective) | not based on fact (unfounded accusations). |
| unfurl (verb) | to spread out (unfurl the flag). |
| ungainly (adjective) | clumsy, awkward (her ungainly way of walking). |
| ungodly (adjective) | not religious, sinful, wicked. |
| ungrateful (adjective) | not showing due thanks (an ungrateful remark). |
| unhappiness (noun) | misfortune, misery. |
| unhappy (adjective) | 1 miserable, sad (unhappy that she had failed). 2 unlucky (an unhappy set of circumstances). |
| unhealthy (adjective) | 1 not having good health. 2 bad for health (unhealthy diet). 3 having a bad influence. |
| uni- | prefix having or consisting only one. |
| unicorn (noun) | in fables, an animal like a horse with a single straight horn on its head. |
| unicycle (noun) | a one-wheeled cycle straddled by the rider who pushes its pedals. |
| uniform (adjective) | 1 unchanging. 2 of one kind, shape, size, etc. n distinctive clothing worn by all members of the same organization, institution, etc (school uniform/police uniform). |
| unify (verb) | to unite, to form into one (unify the political factions into a single party). n unification |
| unilateral (adjective) | affecting one side or party only (a unilateral attitude to nuclear weapons). |
| unintentional (adjective) | not done on purpose. |
| union (noun) | 1 a putting together to make one. 2 act of joining together. 3 a trade union (the print unions). |
| unique (adjective) | being the only one of its kind, unequalled (she has a unique beauty). |
| unisex (adjective) | designed for use by both men and women, not for one particular sex (a unisex hair salon). |
| unison (noun) | agreement. in unison all at the same time together. |
| unit (noun) | 1 the number one. 2 a single person, thing, or group. 3 a fixed amount, etc, taken as a standard in measuring. |
| unite (verb) | 1 to make or become one (unite the two organizations). 2 to join, to act or work together (the people united to defeat the tyrant). |
| unity (noun) | 1 oneness. 2 agreement. |
| universal (adjective) | 1 total, whole. 2 affecting all, done by everyone (a universal effort). adv universally |
| universality (noun) | the state of being universal. |
| universe (noun) | 1 the whole of creation. 2 the world. |
| university (noun) | a place of higher education in which advanced study in all branches of knowledge is carried on, and by which degrees are awarded to those showing proper achievement in their subjects. |
| unjust (adjective) | unfair, dishonest, not just. |
| unkempt (adjective) | (of hair) uncombed. |
| unkindness | Collective noun for ravens (An unkindness of ravens) (see list of collective nouns) |
| unlawful (adjective) | against the law, illegal. |
| unleaded (adjective) | not containing lead compounds, said of gasoline. |
| unleavened (adjective) | not mixed with yeast (unleavened bread). |
| unless (conjunction) | if not, except that. |
| unlimited (adjective) | as much as is wanted, that cannot be used up (unlimited supply of money). |
| unload (verb) | to remove the load or burden from (unload the truck). |
| unlucky (adjective) | unfortunate. |
| unmask (verb) | to remove a mask or disguise from. |
| unmentionable (adjective) | unfit to be mentioned, especially in polite conversation. |
| unmitigated (adjective) | complete, with no good qualities, thorough (an unmitigated disaster). |
| unmoved (adjective) | firm, calm, not affected (by) (unmoved by the child’s plea). |
| unnerve (verb) | to take away the strength or courage of (unnerved by the confidence of the opposition). |
| unobtrusive (adjective) | not attracting attention, modest. |
| unoccupied (adjective) | empty (unoccupied houses). |
| unorthodox (adjective) | holding unusual views, differing from the accepted view. |
| unpack (verb) | to open and removed the packed contents of. |
| unpalatable (adjective) | 1 unpleasant to taste (unpalatable food). 2 unpleasant (an unpalatable set of events). |
| unparalleled (adjective) | that has no equal, unmatched. |
| unpopular (adjective) | widely disliked. |
| unprecedented (adjective) | without a previous example of the same kind (an unprecedented set of ideas). |
| unprejudiced (adjective) | fair, showing favor to no-one. |
| unpremeditated (adjective) | done without forethought (an unpremeditated crime). |
| unprepossessing (adjective) | unattractive at first sight (an unprepossessing sight). |
| unpretentious (adjective) | modest, not attracting attention. |
| unprincipled (adjective) | immoral, wicked, recognizing no standards of right or wrong. |
| unproductive (adjective) | 1 yielding no crops, etc. 2 giving no profit (an unproductive scheme). |
| unprofessional (adjective) | against the rules or customs of a profession (unprofessional conduct). |
| unqualified (adjective) | 1 not having the necessary training or skill. 2 complete (an unqualified success). |
| unquestionable (adjective) | undoubted, certain (unquestionable proof). |
| unravel (verb) | 1 to untangle. 2 to solve (unraveled the problem). |
| unrelenting (adjective) | refusing to yield. |
| unrelieved (adjective) | 1 without relief (from pain, etc). 2 lacking variety (unrelieved boredom). |
| unremitting (adjective) | without pause, ceaseless (his unremitting effort). |
| unrequited (adjective) | not rewarded, not returned (unrequited love). |
| unresolved (adjective) | not settled, undecided (the matter remains unresolved). |
| unrest (noun) | discontent, rebellion. |
| unruly (adjective) | disorderly, badly behaved (the unruly behavior of the schoolchildren). |
| unsavory (adjective) | also unsavoury (British spelling) unpleasant, without taste or smell (an unsavory dinner). |
| unscathed (adjective) | unhurt (he climbed from the wreck unscathed). |
| unscrupulous (adjective) | having no standards of good and evil, wicked (an unscrupulous criminal). |
| unseemly (adjective) | not fitting, improper (unseemly behavior). |
| unsettle (verb) | to upset, to disturb (the incident unsettled them). |
| unsheathe (verb) | to draw from a sheath or holder (unsheathe the sword). |
| unsightly (adjective) | ugly, unpleasant to look at (an unsightly scar). |
| unskilled (adjective) | having no special skill or training. |
| unsociable (adjective) | avoiding others, not sociable, unfriendly. |
| unsolicited (adjective) | not asked for (unsolicited advice). |
| unsophisticated (adjective) | simple, natural, innocent. |
| unsound (adjective) | 1 not healthy. 2 faulty (equipment that is unsound). |
| unspeakable (adjective) | better or worse than can easily be expressed in words (unspeakable joy). |
| unstudied (adjective) | natural, without having tried, not got by study (with unstudied grace). |
| unsuspecting (adjective) | free from fear of danger or evil; trusting (he was too unsuspecting to think she was lying). |
| untangle (verb) | to free from a snarl, to free from confusion. |
| unthinkable (adjective) | beyond the ability to understand or imagine (the unthinkable crime). |
| unthinking (adjective) | showing lack of thought, attention, or consideration. |
| untie (verb) | to loosen, undo, or unfasten something tied or knotted. |
| until (preposition) | up to the time of. (conjunction) up to the time when. |
| untimely (adjective) | happening at a wrong or an inconvenient time (her parents-in-law paid an untimely visit just after the death of her father). |
| untold (adjective) | 1 not related, not told (untold stories). 2 vast (untold wealth). |
| untouchable (noun) | 1 a person or thing that cannot be touched. 2 a member of the lowest Hindu caste, whom a higher caste Hindu may not touch. |
| untoward (adjective) | awkward, unsuitable, undesirable (a journey in which nothing untoward happened). |
| untrue (adjective) | 1 not true. 2 not loyal, faithless (untrue followers). |
| untruth | Collective noun for summoners (An untruth of summoners) (see list of collective nouns) |
| untruth (noun) | (formal) a lie, a falsehood (tell an untruth). |
| untruthful (adjective) | given to lying. |
| unusual (adjective) | rare, peculiar, strange (unusual patterns). |
| unutterable (adjective) | that cannot be described in words (his unutterable rudeness). |
| unveil (verb) | to uncover, to reveal, to disclose to view (unveil the portrait). |
| unwelcome (adjective) | not gladly received. |
| unwell (adjective) | ill; sick. |
| unwieldy (adjective) | 1 huge. 2 hard to move. 3 clumsy. |
| unwilling (adjective) | not willing, reluctant (unwilling to get involved). |
| unwind (verb) | to undo, to straighten out, to make relaxed or less tense. |
| unwitting (adjective) | not knowing (the unwitting cause of her injury). |
| unworldly (adjective) | 1 not interested in things in this life. 2 lacking experience of public life. |
| unworthy (adjective) | 1 not deserving (a remark unworthy of comment). 2 dishonorable (unworthy thoughts). |
| unwrap (verb) | to open, to take off the wrapping. |
| unzip (verb) | to open a zipper, to separate the edges by opening a zipper. |
| up- prefix combining form to suggest an upward movement. | |
| up (adverb) | 1 in or to a higher place, amount, etc. 2 above. (preposition) to, toward, or at a higher place on or in. |
| up-and-coming (adjective) | gaining in importance or status, promising. |
| upbeat (noun) | 1 an upward trend. 2 in music, an unaccented beat, especially on the last note of a bar. adj lively, cheerful. |
| upbringing (noun) | a person’s early training at home and school. |
| upcoming (adjective) | coming soon. |
| upcountry (adjective) | of or located in the central part of a country, inland. |
| update (verb) | to bring up to date, to make aware of the most recent facts. Also n. |
| updraft (noun) | an upward air current. |
| upend (verb) | to set or turn on end. |
| upfield (adverb) | and adj into, toward, or in the opposite end of the field. |
| upfront (adjective) | very honest and open. |
| upgrade (noun) | 1 an upward slope, especially in a road. 2 an improvement of the position or status of something. Also vb. |
| upheaval (noun) | 1 the pushing up of part of the earth’s surface by forces below it. 2 a great change (the upheaval of moving houses). |
| uphill (adverb) | in an upward direction. adj 1 sloping upward. 2 very difficult (an uphill task). |
| uphold (verb) | 1 to support (upholding the right of free speech). 2 to defend as correct (the appeal judge upheld the original sentence). |
| upholster (verb) | to provide (chairs, sofas, etc) with springs, stuffing, covering, etc. n upholstery n upholsterer |
| upkeep (noun) | 1 the money needed to keep anything in good condition. 2 the act of keeping in good health or condition (the upkeep of the large house). |
| upland (noun) | land above other land, as along a river. |
| uplift (verb) | 1 to raise. 2 to make to think of higher things (the beautiful singing uplifted his spirits). n the act or process of lifting up. |
| upload (verb) | to load or transfer a file or program from a personal computer to a central computer. |
| upon (adverb) | on, used only for completing a verb. |
| upper (adjective) | higher in place or rank. n the upper part of a shoe. |
| uppercase (noun) | capital-letter type used in printing, rather than lower case or small letters. |
| uppercut (noun) | (in boxing) a short, swinging blow directed upward toward the chin. |
| uppermost (adjective) | highest in place or rank (the thought was uppermost in his mind). |
| upright (adjective) | 1 standing straight up. 2 honest (an upright member of the community). n a vertical post. |
| uprising | Collective noun for mountaineers (An uprising of mountaineers) (see list of collective nouns) |
| uprising (noun) | the action of rising up, as in a rebelling against the government. |
| upriver (adjective/adverb) | toward the source of a river. |
| uproar (noun) | loud, confused noise (there was an uproar when the concert was cancelled). |
| uproarious (adjective) | noisy (an uproarious party). |
| uproot (verb) | to tear up by the roots (the trees were uprooted in the storm). |
| upset (verb) | 1 to overturn, to knock over (tables upset during the fight). 2 to spoil completely (plans upset because of a change in the weather). 3 to cause to be sad, worried, etc (his remarks upset her). adj 1 worried. 2 ill. n 1 disturbance. 2 trouble. 3 a sudden misfortune. |
| upset price (noun) | the minimum price something can be sold for at an auction. |
| upshot (noun) | result, outcome (the upshot of the meetings was a raise for the workers). |
| upside (noun) | the upper side or part. |
| upside-down (adverb) | with the top down and the bottom upward. |
| upstage (adverb) | toward or at the rear of a stage. vb to draw the attention of the audience away from a fellow actor/actress and put the focus on oneself. Also adj. |
| upstairs (adverb) | on an upper floor of a house with stairs. |
| upstanding (adjective) | 1 standing straight. 2 upright in character and behavior. |
| upstart (noun) | a person who has risen quickly to a position of wealth or importance (older members regard him as an upstart). |
| upstate (noun) | that part of a state farther to the north or away from a large city. |
| upstream (adverb) | and adj in the direction against the current of a stream. |
| uptight (adjective) | tense and worried (uptight about the test results). |
| up-to-date (adjective) | containing the most recent information. |
| uptown (adjective/adverb) | of, in, like, to, or toward the upper part of a city or town, usually the part away from the main business section. |
| upward (adjective/adverb) | toward a higher place, position, degree, amount, etc. |
| uranium (noun) | a heavy, white, radioactive metal. |
| Uranology | study of the heavens; astronomy (see list of branches of science) |
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| Uranophobia | fear of heaven (see list of phobias) |
| Uranus (noun) | the seventh planet away from the sun. |
| urban (adjective) | having to do with a city or city life (urban areas of the country). |
| urbane (adjective) | polite, refined, smooth (his urbane manner charmed everyone). n urbanity |
| Urbanology | study of cities (see list of branches of science) |
| urchin (noun) | 1 (old) a ragged, poor street boy. 2 a sea creature with a prickly shell. |
| Urenology | study of rust molds (see list of branches of science) |
| urethra (noun) | the duct through which urine is passed through the body in most mammals. |
| urge (verb) | 1 to press to do (urge her to take the job). 2 to suggest strongly (urge caution). |
| urgent (adjective) | requiring to be done quickly or at once, needing immediate attention (it is an urgent matter). n urgency |
| urinal , (noun) | a place for passing urine. |
| urine (noun) | fluid passed from the kidneys and bladder. adj urinary having to do with urine. |
| urn (noun) | 1 a vase for the ashes of the dead. 2 a large container with a tap for making and serving tea. |
| Urology | study of urine and the urinary tract (see list of branches of science) |
| Urophobia | fear of urine or urinating (see list of phobias) |
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| us (pronoun) | (objective) the writer or speaker together with another person or other people. |
| usable (adjective) | that can be used. |
| usage (noun) | treatment (furniture subjected to rough usage). |
| use (verb) | 1 to do something with for a purpose (use a knife to cut the butter). 2 to employ (use a great many long words). 3 to consume (use all the butter). n 1 the act of using, the state of being used (for use in emergencies). 2 advantage, benefit, value (a book that is of no use to us). 3 the power of using (lose the use of her legs). 4 permission to use, the right to use (give them the use of the car). use up to consume or exhaust, leaving nothing. |
| useful (adjective) | 1 of help (useful advice). 2 able to be used (tools no longer useful). |
| useless (adjective) | 1 of no help. 2 not any use. |
| user (noun) | a person or thing that uses something (he had been a drug user for a long time). |
| user-friendly (adjective) | designed to be used easily by a wide range of people who are not experts (a user-friendly computer program). |
| usher (noun) | a person who meets people at the door (of a church, hall, etc) and shows them to their seats (usher the guests to their seats). vb to show in. f usherette |
| usual (adjective) | common, normal (the usual price). |
| usurer (noun) | a person whose business consists of lending money at high interest. |
| usurp (verb) | to seize power or property to which one has no right (an attempt was made to usurp the king’s authority). n usurpation n usurper |
| usury (noun) | (formal) the lending of money at high interest. |
| utensil (noun) | a vessel or object in common household use, such as a fork or knife (kitchen utensils). |
| uterine (adjective) | 1 of the uterus. 2 having the same mother but different fathers. |
| uterus (noun) | a female organ in mammals in which babies are developed; the womb. |
| utilitarian (noun) | a person who considers that a thing or action is good only if it is useful. Also adj. |
| utilitarianism (noun) | the belief that only what is useful is good. |
| utility (noun) | 1 usefulness. 2 benefit. 3 a public service (gas and other utilities). |
| utilize (verb), | also utilise (British spelling) to make use of (utilize her powers of observation). |
| utmost (adjective) | 1 the farthest (the utmost parts of the earth). 2 the greatest (utmost tact). |
| utopia (noun) | an imaginary state in which everything is perfect. |
| utopian (adjective) | perfect but impossible to achieve. |
| utter1 (adjective) | complete, total (he is an utter fool). |
| utter2 (verb) | to speak, to pronounce (I was there when he uttered his first words). |
| utterance (noun) | 1 something said. 2 a way of speaking. |
| uttermost (adjective) | 1 farthest (the uttermost parts of the earth). 2 greatest (the uttermost care). |
| U-turn (noun) | 1 a turn made so as to head in the opposite direction. 2 a complete change in policy, ideas, etc. |
| uvula (noun) | a small piece of flesh hanging inside the back of the mouth. |
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