in·flu·ence

– noun
1. the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of others.
2. the action or process of producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of another or others.
3. a person or thing that exerts influence.
4. a. the radiation of an ethereal fluid from the stars, regarded as affecting human actions and destinies.
b. the exercise of occult power by the stars, or such power as exercised.
5. the exercise of similar power by human beings.
6. influx.
–verb
7. to exercise influence on; affect; sway.
8. to move or impel to some action.

ac·tion

– noun
1. the process or state of acting or of being active
2. something done or performed; act; deed.
3. an act that one consciously wills and that may be characterized by physical or mental activity
4. habitual or usual acts; conduct.
5. energetic activity.
6. an exertion of power or force.
7. effect or influence.
8. way or manner of moving.
9. the mechanism by which something is operated, as that of a gun or a piano.
10. a military encounter or engagement; battle, skirmish, or the like.
11. actual engagement in fighting an enemy.
12. the main subject or story, as distinguished from an incidental episode.
13. an event or series of events that form part of a dramatic plot.
14. the gestures or deportment of an actor or speaker.
15. the appearance of animation, movement, or emotion given to figures by their attitude, position, or expression.

re·ac·tion

– noun
1. a reverse movement or tendency; an action in a reverse direction or manner.
2. action in response to some influence, event, etc.
3. action in response to a stimulus, as of the system or of a nerve, muscle, etc.

rest·less

– adj.
1. characterized by or showing inability to remain at rest.
2. unquiet or uneasy, as a person, the mind, or the heart.
3. never at rest; perpetually agitated or in motion.
4. without rest.
5. unceasingly active; averse to quiet or inaction.

par·al·lax

– noun
1. the apparent displacement of an observed object due to a change in the position of the observer.
2. the apparent angular displacement of a celestial body due to its being observed from the surface instead of from the center of the earth or due to its being observed from the earth instead of from the sun.
3. the difference between the view of an object as seen through the picture-taking lens of a camera and the view as seen through a separate viewfinder.
4. an apparent change in the position of cross hairs as viewed through a telescope, when the focusing is imperfect.

li·men

- noun.
1. The threshold of a physiological or psychological response.

mi·cro·cosm

– noun
1. a little world; a world in miniature.
2. anything that is regarded as a world in miniature.
3. human beings, humanity, society, or the like, viewed as an epitome or miniature of the world or universe.

mac·ro·cosm

– noun
1. the great world or universe; the universe considered as a whole.
2. the total or entire complex structure of something.
3. a representation of a smaller unit or entity by a larger one, presumably of a similar structure.

se·mi·ot·ics

– noun
1. the study of signs and symbols as elements of communicative behavior; the analysis of systems of communication, as language, gestures, or clothing.
2. a general theory of signs and symbolism, usually divided into the branches of pragmatics, semantics, and syntactics.

prag·mat·ics

– noun
1. the branch of semiotics dealing with the causal and other relations between words, expressions, or symbols and their users.
2. the analysis of language in terms of the situational context within which utterances are made, including the knowledge and beliefs of the speaker and the relation between speaker and listener.
3. practical considerations.

se·man·tics

– noun
1. a. the study of meaning.
b. the study of linguistic development by classifying and examining changes in meaning and form.
2. the branch of semiotics dealing with the relations between signs and what they denote.
3. the meaning, or an interpretation of the meaning, of a word, sign, sentence, etc.

syn·tac·tics

– noun
1. the branch of semiotics dealing with the formal properties of languages and systems of symbols.

a·nom·a·ly

– noun
1. a deviation from the common rule, type, arrangement, or form.
2. someone or something anomalous.
3. an odd, peculiar, or strange condition, situation, quality, etc.
4. an incongruity or inconsistency.
5. a quantity measured in degrees, defining the position of an orbiting body with respect to the point at which it is nearest to or farthest from its primary.

a·nom·a·lous

– adj.
1. deviating from or inconsistent with the common order, form, or rule; irregular; abnormal.
2. not fitting into a common or familiar type, classification, or pattern; unusual.
3. incongruous or inconsistent.

de·vi·ate

– verb
1. to turn aside, as from a route, way, course, etc.
2. to depart or swerve, as from a procedure, course of action, or acceptable norm.
3. to digress, as from a line of thought or reasoning.
4. to cause to swerve; turn aside.
– adj.
5. characterized by departure from an accepted norm or standard, as of behavior.
– noun
6. a person or thing that departs from the accepted norm or standard.

the·o·ry

– noun
1. a coherent group of general propositions used as principles of explanation for a class of phenomena.
2. a proposed explanation whose status is still conjectural, in contrast to well-established propositions that are regarded as reporting matters of actual fact.
3. a body of principles, theorems, or the like, belonging to one subject.
4. the branch of a science or art that deals with its principles or methods, as distinguished from its practice.
5. a particular conception or view of something to be done or of the method of doing it; a system of rules or principles.
6. contemplation or speculation.
7. guess or conjecture.

prac·tice

– noun
1. habitual or customary performance; operation.
2. habit; custom.
3. repeated performance or systematic exercise for the purpose of acquiring skill or proficiency.
4. condition arrived at by experience or exercise.
5. the action or process of performing or doing something
6. the exercise or pursuit of a profession or occupation, esp. law or medicine.
7. the business of a professional person.
8. the established method of conducting legal proceedings.
9. plotting; intrigue; trickery.
10. intrigues; plots.
–verb
11. to perform or do habitually or usually.
12. to follow or observe habitually or customarily.
13. to exercise or pursue as a profession, art, or occupation.
14. to perform or do repeatedly in order to acquire skill or proficiency.
15. to train or drill in something in order to give proficiency.
16. to do something habitually.
17. to exercise oneself by repeated performance in order to acquire skill.
18. to plot or conspire.

ar·ti·fact

– noun
1. any object made by human beings, esp. with a view to subsequent use.
2. a handmade object, as a tool, or the remains of one, as a shard of pottery, characteristic of an earlier time or cultural stage, esp. such an object found at an archaeological excavation.
3. any mass-produced, usually inexpensive object reflecting contemporary society or popular culture.
4. any feature that is not naturally present but is a product of an extrinsic agent, method, or the like.

doc·u·ment

– noun
1. a written or printed paper furnishing information or evidence, as a passport, deed, bill of sale, or bill of lading; a legal or official paper.
2. any written item, as a book, article, or letter, esp. of a factual or informative nature.
3. a computer data file.
4. evidence; proof.

shad·ow

– noun
1. a dark figure or image cast on the ground or some surface by a body intercepting light.
2. shade or comparative darkness, as in an area.
3. darkness, esp. that coming after sunset.
4. shelter; protection.
5. a slight suggestion; trace.
6. a specter or ghost.
7. a hint or faint, indistinct image or idea; intimation.
8. a mere semblance.
9. a reflected image.
10. a. the representation of the absence of light on a form.
b. the dark part of a picture, esp. as representing the absence of illumination.
11. a dark figure or image cast by an object or part of an object upon a surface that would otherwise be illuminated by the theoretical light source.
12. a period or instance of gloom, unhappiness, mistrust, doubt, dissension, or the like, as in friendship or one's life.
13. a dominant or pervasive threat, influence, or atmosphere, esp. one causing gloom, fear, doubt, or the like.
14. an inseparable companion.
15. a person who follows another in order to keep watch upon that person, as a spy or detective.
–verb
16. to cast a gloom over; cloud.
18. to screen or protect from light, heat, etc.; shade.
19. to follow about secretly, in order to keep watch over his movements.
20. to represent faintly, prophetically, etc.

cam·er·a

– noun
1. a boxlike device for holding a film or plate sensitive to light, having an aperture controlled by a shutter that, when opened, admits light enabling an object to be focused, usually by means of a lens, on the film or plate, thereby producing a photographic image.
2. the device in which the picture to be televised is formed before it is changed into electric impulses.
3. a judge's private office.

cam‧era lu‧ci‧da

1. an optical instrument, often attached to the eyepiece of a microscope, by which the image of an external object is projected on a sheet of paper or the like for tracing.

cam‧era ob‧scu‧ra

1. a darkened boxlike device in which images of external objects, received through an aperture, as with a convex lens, are exhibited in their natural colors on a surface arranged to receive them: used for sketching, exhibition purposes, etc.

pho·tog·ra·phy

1. the process or art of producing images of objects on sensitized surfaces by the chemical action of light or of other forms of radiant energy, as x-rays, gamma rays, or cosmic rays.

ses·qui·pe·da·li·an

–adj.
1. given to using long words.
2. containing many syllables.

root

– noun
1. a part of the body of a plant that develops, typically, from the radicle and grows downward into the soil, anchoring the plant and absorbing nutriment and moisture.
2. a similar organ developed from some other part of a plant, as one of those by which ivy clings to its support.
3. any underground part of a plant, as a rhizome.
4. something resembling or suggesting the root of a plant in position or function.
5. the embedded or basal portion of a hair, tooth, nail, nerve, etc.
6. the fundamental or essential part.
7. the source or origin of a thing.
8. a person or family as the source of offspring or descendants.
9. an offshoot or scion.
10. a. a quantity that, when multiplied by itself a certain number of times, produces a given quantity.
b. the quantity raised to the power 1/r.
c. a value of the argument of a function for which the function takes the value zero.
11. a. a morpheme that underlies an inflectional or derivational paradigm.
b. such a form reconstructed for a parent language.
12. a. a person's original or true home, environment, and culture.
b. the personal relationships, affinity for a locale, habits, and the like, that make a country, region, city, or town one's true home.
c. personal identification with a culture, religion, etc., seen as promoting the development of the character or the stability of society as a whole.
13. a. the fundamental tone of a compound tone or of a series of harmonies.
b. the lowest tone of a chord when arranged as a series of thirds; the fundamental.
14. a. the narrow inner surface between threads.
b. the narrow inner surface between teeth.
15. an act of sexual intercourse.
16. the inner angle of an angle iron.
–verb
17. to become fixed or established.
18. to fix by or as if by roots: We were rooted to the spot by surprise.
19. to implant or establish deeply.
20. to pull, tear, or dig up by the roots.
21. to extirpate; exterminate; remove completely.

ax·is

1. the line about which a rotating body, such as the earth, turns.
2. a. a central line that bisects a two-dimensional body or figure.
b. a line about which a three-dimensional body or figure is symmetrical.
3. a. a central or principal structure, about which something turns or is arranged.
b. the second cervical vertebra.
4. the longitudinal support on which organs or parts are arranged; the stem and root; the central line of any body.
5. any line used as a fixed reference in conjunction with one or more other references for determining the position of a point or of a series of points forming a curve or a surface.
6. any one of three lines defining the attitude of an airplane, one being generally determined by the direction of forward motion and the other two at right angles to it and to each other.
8. an imaginary line, in a given formal structure, about which a form, area, or plane is organized.
9. an alliance of two or more nations to coordinate their foreign and military policies, and to draw in with them a group of dependent or supporting powers.
10. a principal line of development, movement, direction, etc.

branch

–noun
1. a division or subdivision of the stem or axis of a tree, shrub, or other plant.
2. a limb, offshoot, or ramification of any main stem.
3. any member or part of a body or system; a section or subdivision.
4. a local operating division of a business, library, or the like.
5. a line of family descent stemming from a particular ancestor, as distinguished from some other line or lines from the same stock; a division of a family.
6. a tributary stream or any stream that is not a large river or a bayou.
7. a category of a lower order than a subfamily and of a higher order than a subbranch or a group.
–verb
8. to put forth branches.
9. to divide into separate parts or subdivisions; diverge.
10. to expand or extend, as business activities.
11. to divide into branches or sections.
12. to adorn with needlework; decorate with embroidery, as in textile fabrics.
13. branch out, to expand or extend, as business activities, pursuits, interests, etc.

sci·ence

– noun
1. a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws.
2. systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation.
3. any of the branches of natural or physical science.
4. systematized knowledge in general.
5. knowledge, as of facts or principles; knowledge gained by systematic study.
6. a particular branch of knowledge.
7. skill, esp. reflecting a precise application of facts or principles; proficiency.

crime

– noun
1. an action or an instance of negligence that is deemed injurious to the public welfare or morals or to the interests of the state and that is legally prohibited.
2. criminal activity and those engaged in it.
3. the habitual or frequent commission of crimes.
4. any offense, serious wrongdoing, or sin.
5. a foolish, senseless, or shameful act.

cog·ni·zance

– noun
1. awareness, realization, or knowledge; notice; perception.
2. the range or scope of knowledge, observation, etc.