| alpha wave |
the type of brain wave that is a sign of relaxation, having frequencies from eight to thirteen hertz; alpha rhythm. |
| aluminum |
a chemical element that has thirteen protons in each nucleus, occurs commonly in ores such as bauxite, and in pure form is a strong lightweight corrosion-resistant silvery metal with many industrial uses. (symbol: Al) |
| Articles of Confederation |
a document created in 1781 that served as a set of guidelines for governing the newly formed United States of America. The Articles of Confederation created a "firm league of friendship" among the thirteen original states and maintained the majority of power in states' hands. It was replaced by the U.S. Constitution in 1789. |
| baker's dozen |
any group of thirteen items. |
| bar mitzvah |
a Jewish ceremony that celebrates a boy becoming an adult and the beginning of his religious duties. The bar mitzvah usually takes place when the boy is thirteen years old. |
| bat mitzvah |
a Jewish ceremony that celebrates a girl becoming an adult and the beginning of her religious duties. The bat mitzvah usually takes place when the girl is thirteen years old. |
| colonial |
of or related to the thirteen British colonies that became the United States, or to the period before they became independent. [1/2 definitions] |
| continental |
(cap.) of or related to the thirteen American colonies in or about the time of the Revolutionary War. [1/6 definitions] |
| coven |
a group or band of witches, esp. one having thirteen members. |
| Declaration of Independence |
the public document by which the thirteen American colonies declared their independence from England in 1776. |
| foolscap |
a sheet of paper about thirteen by seventeen inches, used for writing, printing, or drawing. [1/3 definitions] |
| fourteen |
the number that follows thirteen and precedes fifteen in the sequence of cardinal numbers. [1/3 definitions] |
| grand slam |
in bridge, the taking of all thirteen tricks by the bidder. (Cf. little slam.) [1/4 definitions] |
| koto |
a Japanese musical instrument consisting of thirteen waxed silk strings stretched over a convex wooden sounding board, played by plucking the strings with three plectra that are worn on one hand. |
| little slam |
in bridge, the winning of twelve of the thirteen tricks of a deal. (Cf. grand slam.) |
| Neptune |
the fourth largest planet in the solar system and eighth from the sun, having thirteen satellites and a diameter of about 31,350 miles. [1/2 definitions] |
| PG-13 |
abbreviation of "parental guidance suggested; may not be suitable for those under thirteen years" (used as a film rating). |
| seventeen-year locust |
a cicada of the eastern United States that lives as a larva in the soil for thirteen to seventeen years before emerging for a short adult life. |
| Stars and Stripes |
(used with a singular or plural verb) the national flag of the United States. It has thirteen red and white stripes and a blue field with fifty white stars that stand for the fifty states; Old Glory. |
| subteen |
a child who is nearly thirteen. |
| -teen |
a form of "ten," used in the cardinal numbers from "thirteen" to "nineteen". |