a situation in which life seems irrational and meaningless; "The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth"--Albert Camus
inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense; "the absurd predicament of seeming to argue that virtue is highly desirable but intensely unpleasant"- Walter Lippman
incongruous;inviting ridicule; "the absurd excuse that the dog ate his homework"; "that's a cockeyed idea"; "ask a nonsensical question and get a nonsensical answer"; "a contribution so small as to be laughable"; "it is ludicrous to call a cottage a mansion"; "a preposterous attempt to turn back the pages of history"; "her conceited assumption of universal interest in her rather dull children was ridiculous"
a relaxation or slackening of tensions or reserve; becoming less hostile; "the thaw between the United States and Russia has led to increased cooperation in world affairs"
warm weather following a freeze; snow and ice melt; "they welcomed the spring thaw"
the process whereby heat changes something from a solid to a liquid; "the power failure caused a refrigerator melt that was a disaster"; "the thawing of a frozen turkey takes several hours"
make more precise or increase the discriminatory powers of; "refine a method of analysis"; "refine the constant in the equation"
attenuate or reduce in vigor, strength, or validity by polishing or purifying; "many valuable nutrients are refined out of the foods in our modern diet"
reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state; separate from extraneous matter or cleanse from impurities; "refine sugar"
treat or prepare so as to put in a usable condition; "refine paper stock"; "refine pig iron"; "refine oil"
fraught with uncertainty or doubt; "they were doubtful that the cord would hold"; "it was doubtful whether she would be admitted"; "dubious about agreeing to go"
open to doubt or suspicion; "the candidate's doubtful past"; "he has a dubious record indeed"; "what one found uncertain the other found dubious or downright false"; "it was more than dubitable whether the friend was as influential as she thought"- Karen Horney
unsettled in mind or opinion; "drew a few tentative conclusions"