an impenetrable barrier to communication or information especially as imposed by rigid censorship and secrecy; used by Winston Churchill in 1946 to describe the demarcation between democratic and communist countries
the act of repressing; control by holding down; "his goal was the repression of insolence"
(psychiatry) the classical defense mechanism that protects you from impulses or ideas that would cause anxiety by preventing them from becoming conscious
a state of forcible subjugation; "the long repression of Christian sects"
payment extorted by gangsters on threat of violence; "every store in the neighborhood had to pay him protection"
the activity of protecting someone or something; "the witnesses demanded police protection"
the imposition of duties or quotas on imports in order to protect domestic industry against foreign competition; "he made trade protection a plank in the party platform"
the condition of being protected; "they were huddled together for protection"; "he enjoyed a sense of peace and protection in his new home"
measures taken as a precaution against theft or espionage or sabotage etc.; "military security has been stepped up since the recent uprising"
a guarantee that an obligation will be met
freedom from anxiety or fear; "the watch dog gave her a feeling of security"
a department responsible for the security of the institution's property and workers; "the head of security was a former policeman"
defense against financial failure; financial independence; "his pension gave him security in his old age"; "insurance provided protection against loss of wages due to illness"
property that your creditor can claim in case you default on your obligation; "bankers are reluctant to lend without good security"
a formal declaration that documents a fact of relevance to finance and investment; the holder has a right to receive interest or dividends; "he held several valuable securities"
the state of being free from danger or injury; "we support the armed services in the name of national security"
a device used to soften the tone of a musical instrument
a deaf person who is unable to speak
expressed without speech; especially because words would be inappropriate or inadequate; "a mute appeal"; "a silent curse"; "best grief is tongueless"- Emily Dickinson; "the words stopped at her lips unsounded"; "unspoken grief"; "choking exasperation and wordless shame"- Thomas Wolfe
an unenlightened state; "he was in the dark concerning their intentions"; "his lectures dispelled the darkness"
absence of light or illumination
not giving performances; closed; "the theater is dark on Mondays"
brunet (used of hair or skin or eyes); "dark eyes"
devoid of or deficient in light or brightness; shadowed or black; "sitting in a dark corner"; "a dark day"; "dark shadows"; "dark as the inside of a black cat"
(used of color) having a dark hue; "dark green"; "dark glasses"; "dark colors like wine red or navy blue"
marked by difficulty of style or expression; "much that was dark is now quite clear to me"; "those who do not appreciate Kafka's work say his style is obscure"
showing a brooding ill humor; "a dark scowl"; "the proverbially dour New England Puritan"; "a glum, hopeless shrug"; "he sat in moody silence"; "a morose and unsociable manner"; "a saturnine, almost misanthropic young genius"- Bruce Bliven; "a sour temper"; "a sullen crowd"
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter; "he threw a rock at me"
(figurative) someone who is strong and stable and dependable; "he was her rock during the crisis"; "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church"--Gospel According to Matthew
United States gynecologist and devout Catholic who conducted the first clinical trials of the oral contraceptive pill (1890-1984)
material consisting of the aggregate of minerals like those making up the Earth's crust; "that mountain is solid rock"; "stone is abundant in New England and there are many quarries"
move back and forth or sideways; "the ship was rocking"; "the tall building swayed"; "She rocked back and forth on her feet"
cause to move back and forth; "rock the cradle"; "rock the baby"; "the wind swayed the trees gently"
the quality of taking advantage; "she turned her writing skills to good account"
importance or value; "a person of considerable account"; "he predicted that although it is of small account now it will rapidly increase in importance"
a statement of recent transactions and the resulting balance; "they send me an accounting every month"
a formal contractual relationship established to provide for regular banking or brokerage or business services; "he asked to see the executive who handled his account"
furnish a justifying analysis or explanation; "I can't account for the missing money"
keep an account of
be the sole or primary factor in the existence, acquisition, supply, or disposal of something; "Passing grades account for half of the grades given in this exam"