a belief that can guide behavior; "the architect has a theory that more is less"; "they killed him on the theory that dead men tell no tales"
a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena; "theories can incorporate facts and laws and tested hypotheses"; "true in fact and theory"
a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.; "the explanation was very simple"; "I expected a brief account"
the act of explaining; making something plain or intelligible; "I heard his explanation of the accident"
the act of subjecting to experimental test in order to determine how well something works; "they agreed to end the testing of atomic weapons"
an examination of the characteristics of something; "there are laboratories for commercial testing"; "it involved testing thousands of children for smallpox"
a gentle affectionate stroking (or something resembling it); "he showered her with caresses"; "soft music was a fond caress"; "the caresses of the breeze played over his face"
touch or stroke lightly in a loving or endearing manner; "He caressed her face"; "They caressed in the back seat of the taxi"
serving in or intended for exploration or discovery; "an exploratory operation"; "exploratory reconnaissance"; "digging an exploratory well in the Gulf of Mexico"; "exploratory talks between diplomats"
(law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature); "the rationale for capital punishment"; "the principles of internal-combustion engines"
a light glancing touch; "there was a brief kiss of their hands in passing"
the act of caressing with the lips (or an instance thereof)
any of several bite-sized candies
a cookie made of egg whites and sugar
touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.; "The newly married couple kissed"; "She kissed her grandfather on the forehead when she entered the room"
touch lightly or gently; "the blossoms were kissed by the soft rain"
an explanation of something that is not immediately obvious; "the edict was subject to many interpretations"; "he annoyed us with his interpreting of parables"; "often imitations are extended to provide a more accurate rendition of the child's intended meaning"
a mental representation of the meaning or significance of something
an explanation that results from interpreting something; "the report included his interpretation of the forensic evidence"