In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his family’s pot filled with coffee.
IRREGULAR
irregular, unpredictable
(adjective) not occurring at a regular rate or fixed intervals; “an irregular heartbeat”
irregular, maverick, unorthodox
(adjective) independent in behavior or thought; “she led a somewhat irregular private life”; “maverick politicians”
irregular
(adjective) (of a surface or shape); not level or flat or symmetrical; “walking was difficult on the irregular cobblestoned surface”
irregular, temporary
(adjective) lacking continuity or regularity; “an irregular worker”; “employed on a temporary basis”
atypical, irregular
(adjective) deviating from normal expectations; somewhat odd, strange, or abnormal; “these days large families are atypical”; “atypical clinical findings”; “atypical pneumonia”; “highly irregular behavior”
irregular
(adjective) failing to meet a standard of manufacture due to an imperfection; “an irregular pair of jeans”
irregular
(adjective) contrary to rule or accepted order or general practice; “irregular hiring practices”
irregular
(adjective) (of solids) not having clear dimensions that can be measured; volume must be determined with the principle of liquid displacement
irregular
(adjective) (used of the military) not belonging to or engaged in by regular army forces; “irregular troops”; “irregular warfare”
irregular, second
(noun) merchandise that has imperfections; usually sold at a reduced price without the brand name
guerrilla, guerilla, irregular, insurgent
(noun) a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Adjective
irregular (comparative more irregular, superlative most irregular)
nonstandard; not conforming to rules or expectations
(of a surface) rough
without symmetry, regularity, or uniformity
(geometry, of a polygon) not regular; having sides that are not equal or angles that are not equal
(geometry, of a polyhedron) whose faces are not all regular polygons (or are not equally inclined to each other)
(grammar, of a word) not following the regular or expected patterns of inflection in a given language
Synonyms
• (nonstandard): abnormal, singular; see also strange
• (rough): coarse, salebrous; see also rough
• (without uniformity): unstable, unsteady; see also unsteady
Antonyms
• regular
Noun
irregular (plural irregulars)
a soldier who is not a member of an official military force and, often, does not follow regular army tactics
one who does not regularly attend a venue
Source: Wiktionary
Ir*reg"u*lar, a. Etym: [Pref. ir- not + regular: cf. F. irrégulier.]
Definition: Not regular; not conforming to a law, method, or usage recognized as the general rule; not according to common form; not conformable to nature, to the rules of moral rectitude, or to established principles; not normal; unnatural; immethodical; unsymmetrical; erratic; no straight; not uniform; as, an irregular line; an irregular figure; an irregular verse; an irregular physician; an irregular proceeding; irregular motion; irregular conduct, etc. Cf. Regular. Mazes intricate, Eccentric, intervolved, yet regular Then most when most irregular they seem. Milton. Leading the men of Herefordshire to fight Against the irregular and wild Glendower. Shak. A flowery meadow through which a clear stream murmured in many irregular meanders. Jones.
Syn.
– Immethodical; unsystematic; abnormal; unnatural; anomalous; erratic; devious; crooked; eccentric; unsettled; uneven; variable; changeable; mutable; desultory; disorderly; wild; immoderate; intemperate; inordinate; vicious.
Ir*reg"u*lar, n.
Definition: One who is not regular; especially, a soldier not in regular service.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
25 November 2024
ONCHOCERCIASIS
(noun) infestation with slender threadlike roundworms (filaria) deposited under the skin by the bite of black fleas; when the eyes are involved it can result in blindness; common in Africa and tropical America
Coffee Trivia
