| absolution |
in Christian theology, a declaration of forgiveness of one's sins by a priest after confession and penance. [1/3 definitions] |
| abstract expressionism |
(sometimes cap.) a school of painting that arose after World War II and that was marked by expressive but nonrepresentational images formed by an apparently random and often unconventional application of paint. |
| accessory |
in law, someone who helps a criminal before or after a crime, but does not commit the crime. [1/4 definitions] |
| Acts of the Apostles |
the fifth book of the New Testament of the Christian Bible, believed to have been written by Luke, which describes the work of Jesus Christ as it was carried on after his death by his apostles. |
| advisedly |
after careful consideration or deliberation. |
| afterbirth |
the placenta and fetal membranes expelled from the uterus after the birth of a human or animal. |
| afterdamp |
a suffocating gas or mixture of gases that remains in a mine after a methane explosion or fire. |
| aftereffect |
an effect that follows its cause after some period of time, such as a delayed effect caused by a medicine or exposure to chemicals. |
| afterglow |
the light, or the impression of light, that lingers after its source or cause is gone, as after a sunset. [1/2 definitions] |
| afterimage |
a sensory impression, usu. visual, that continues after the stimulus causing it has ceased. |
| afterlife |
life after death. [1/2 definitions] |
| after-school |
occurring after school hours, esp. from the time school is over until the end of the work day. |
| aftershave |
an astringent, scented lotion for use on the face after shaving. |
| aftertaste |
a lingering sensation, usu. of taste, sometimes continuing after its cause is gone. [2 definitions] |
| afterthought |
a thought that occurs after the conclusion of something, sometimes too late to be of use. [1/2 definitions] |
| Albert Einstein |
a German physicist, U.S. citizen after 1940, who formulated the theories of relativity (b.1879--d.1955). |
| alexandrine |
(sometimes cap.) in poetry, a twelve-syllable line with alternating unstressed and stressed syllables, usu. with a clear pause after six syllables. [1/2 definitions] |
| Álvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca |
a Spanish explorer who, after landing on the cape of Florida in 1528 and being stranded in the Gulf coast region for 8 years, published an account of his survival and interaction with the native peoples under the title "La relación" (1542) (b.1490?--d.1557?). |
| anabiosis |
a returning to life after death or apparent death; resuscitation. |
| analeptic |
of medication, restoring strength to the body after a disease or after the effects of sedatives. [2 definitions] |
| angiogram |
an x-ray image of blood vessels that is taken after injecting a substance that absorbs x-rays into the blood. |