a common venereal disease caused by the treponema pallidum spirochete; symptoms change through progressive stages; can be congenital (transmitted through the placenta)
a failing or deficiency; "that interpretation is an unfortunate defect of our lack of information"
an imperfection in a bodily system; "visual defects"; "this device permits detection of defects in the lungs"
an imperfection in a device or machine; "if there are any defects you should send it back to the manufacturer"
desert (a cause, a country or an army), often in order to join the opposing cause, country, or army; "If soldiers deserted Hitler's army, they were shot"
syndrome resulting from exposure to ionizing radiation (e.g., exposure to radioactive chemicals or to nuclear explosions); low doses cause diarrhea and nausea and vomiting and sometimes loss of hair; greater exposure can cause sterility and cataracts and some forms of cancer and other diseases; severe exposure can cause death within hours; "he was suffering from radiation"
a toxic condition caused by ingesting or inhaling mercury; acute mercury poisoning causes a metallic taste and vomiting and diarrhea and kidney problems that may lead to death
the yarn (as in a rug or velvet or corduroy) that stands up from the weave; "for uniform color and texture tailors cut velvet with the pile running the same direction"
a column of wood or steel or concrete that is driven into the ground to provide support for a structure
a collection of objects laid on top of each other
a large sum of money (especially as pay or profit); "she made a bundle selling real estate"; "they sank megabucks into their new house"
place or lay as if in a pile; "The teacher piled work on the students until the parents protested"