agent
Other forms: agents
When you're buying a house or negotiating your break-out movie contract, it's a good idea to hire an agent to represent you — someone who can keep a cool head and get the best deal for you.
The suave 007 may be your dream secret agent, but you could find real ones in the CIA, the FBI, and other government organizations populated with agents. Beware the double agent, the spy you think is working for you when he's really working for your enemy. An inanimate object can also be an agent. A chemical agent, like vinegar mixed with salt, can make copper pennies shine. Chemical weapons contain more sinister agents that wreak havoc on their victims.
Definitions of agent
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a representative who acts on behalf of other persons or organizationstypes:business agentan agent who handles business affairs for another; especially one who deals with employersliterary agentan agent who represents an author in dealings with publishersbaileethe agent to whom property involved in a bailment is deliveredemployment agentsomeone who runs an employment agencyfreight agentan employee of a freight carrier who directs the receipt and delivery of goodsgovernment agenta representative or official of a government or administrative department of a governmenthandleran agent who handles something or someonemill agentthe responsible official at a mill that is under absentee ownershipnext friend(law) a person who acts on behalf of an infant or disabled personparliamentary agenta person who is employed to look after the affairs of businesses that are affected by legislation of the British Parliamentpurchasing agentan agent who purchases goods or services for anotherintelligence agent, intelligence officer, operative, secret agenta person secretly employed in espionage for a governmentshipping agentthe agent of a shipownershoppera commercial agent who shops at the competitor's store in order to compare their prices and merchandise with those of the store that employs herspecial agentsomeone whose authority is limited to the special undertaking they have been instructed to performtalent agentan agent who represents performersgeneral agent, universal agentsomeone authorized to transact every kind of business for the principalagent-in-placean operative serving as a penetration into an intelligence targetbridge agentan operative who acts as a courier or go-between from a case officer to a secret agent in a hostile areacase officeran operative who also serves as an official staffer of an intelligence servicecodetalker, windtalkera secret agent who was one of the Navajos who devised and used a code based on their native language; the code was unbroken by the Japanese during World War IIfoota member of a surveillance team who works on foot or rides as a passengerFBI agent, G-man, government mana special law-enforcement agent of the Federal Bureau of InvestigationNOCan undercover agent who is given no official coverrevenuera government agent responsible for collecting revenue (especially one responsible for stopping bootlegging)spy, undercover agent(military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitorsT-mana special law-enforcement agent of the United States Treasuryvicegerentsomeone appointed by a ruler as an administrative deputywalk-inan operative who initiates his own defection (usually to a hostile country) for political asylumtype of:representativea person who represents others
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any agent or representative of a federal agency or bureausynonyms: federal agenttypes:Indian agenta representative of the federal government to American Indian tribes (especially on Indian reservations)trustbustera federal agent who engages in trust bustingtype of:
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a businessperson who buys or sells for another in exchange for a commissiontypes:auctioneeran agent who conducts an auctionestate agent, house agent, land agent, real estate agent, real estate brokera person who is authorized to act as an agent for the sale of landship brokeran agent for the ship owner; obtains cargo and may arrange for its loading or dischargestockbrokeran agent in the buying and selling of stocks and bondssyndicone appointed to represent a city or university or corporation in business transactionstravel agentsomeone who sells or arranges trips or tours for customerskiller beean investment banker who devises strategies to make a target company less attractive for takeovertype of:
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a substance that exerts some force or effecttypes:antiflatulentany agent that reduces intestinal gasantifungal, antifungal agent, antimycotic, antimycotic agent, fungicideany agent that destroys or prevents the growth of fungiantimicrobial, antimicrobic, disinfectant, germicidean agent (as heat or radiation or a chemical) that destroys microorganisms that might carry diseasedruga substance that is used as a medicine or narcoticvermicidean agent that kills worms (especially those in the intestines)alkaliser, alkalizer, antacid, antiacid, gastric antacidan agent that counteracts or neutralizes acidity (especially in the stomach)bacteriostata chemical or biological material that inhibits bacterial growthchemical agentan agent that produces chemical reactionscoolanta fluid agent (gas or liquid) that produces cooling; especially one used to cool a system by transferring heat away from one part to anotheremmenagogueany agent that promotes menstrual dischargegalactagogueagent that induces milk secretionhypnagoguean agent that induces drowsiness or sleephypoglycaemic agent, hypoglycemic agentany of various agents that decrease the level of glucose in the blood and are used in the treatment of diabetes mellitusinduceran agent capable of activating specific geneslactifugeany agent that reduces milk secretion (as given to a woman who is not breast feeding)lactogenany agent that enhances milk productionmitogenan agent that triggers mitosisnerve agent, nerve gasa toxic gas that is inhaled or absorbed through the skin and has harmful effects on the nervous and respiratory systemprecipitantan agent that causes a precipitate to formsolvating agentan agent that converts something into a solvateaborticide, abortifacient, abortion-inducing druga drug (or other chemical agent) that causes abortionagonist(biochemistry) a drug that can combine with a receptor on a cell to produce a physiological reactionanaesthetic, anaesthetic agent, anesthesia, anesthetic, anesthetic agenta drug that causes temporary loss of bodily sensationsantagonista drug that neutralizes or counteracts the effects of another drugantisyphilitica drug (or other chemical agent) that is effective against syphilisanti-TNF compounda class of drugs that block the action of tumor necrosis factor (TNF); used in cases of rheumatoid arthritis because TNF instigates inflammation of the jointsBordeaux mixtureantifungal agent consisting of a solution of copper sulphate and quicklimebotanicala drug made from part of a plant (as the bark or root or leaves)brand-name drug, proprietary druga drug that has a trade name and is protected by a patent (can be produced and sold only by the company holding the patent)Tagamet, cimetidinea drug (trade name Tagamet) used to treat peptic ulcers by decreasing the secretion of stomach acidcontrolled substancea drug or chemical substance whose possession and use are controlled by lawdilatora drug that causes dilationdiuretic, diuretic drug, water pillany substance that tends to increase the flow of urine, which causes the body to get rid of excess waterdrug of abuse, street druga drug that is taken for nonmedicinal reasons (usually for mind-altering effects); drug abuse can lead to physical and mental damage and (with some substances) dependence and addictionFeosoltrade name of a drug rich in iron; used to treat some kinds of anemiaFergontrade name of a drug rich in iron; used to treat some types of anemiafertility druga drug used to increase a woman's fertilitygeneric drugwhen the patent protection for a brand-name drug expires generic versions of the drug can be offered for sale if the FDA agreesFulvicin, griseofulvina kind of penicillin (a fungicidal antibiotic with the trade name Fulvicin) produced by molds of the genus Penicilliumintoxicanta drug that can produce a state of intoxicationSporanox, itraconazolean oral antifungal drug (trade name Sporanox) taken for cases of fungal nail diseaseLorfan, levallorphandrug (trade name Lorfan) that is related to morphine but that counteracts the respiratory depression produced by morphine poisoning but without affecting its analgesic effectsmedicament, medication, medicinal drug, medicine(medicine) something that treats or prevents or alleviates the symptoms of diseaseMonistat, miconazolean antifungal agent usually administered in the form of a nitrate (trade name Monistat)miotic, miotic drug, myotic, myotic druga drug that causes miosis (constriction of the pupil of the eye)mydriatic, mydriatic druga drug that causes the pupil of the eye to dilate; used to aid eye examinationsnarcotica drug that produces numbness or stupor; often taken for pleasure or to reduce pain; extensive use can lead to addictionMycostatin, Nystan, nystatinan antifungal and antibiotic (trade names Mycostatin and Nystan) discovered in New York State; derived from soil fungi actinomycetesTrental, pentoxifyllinea drug (trade name Trental) used to treat claudication; believed to increase the flexibility of red blood cells so they can flow through the blood vessels to the legs and feetconsciousness-altering drug, mind-altering drug, psychoactive drug, psychoactive substancea drug that can produce mood changes and distorted perceptionspsychotropic agenta chemical substance that can influence human consciousnessZantac, ranitidinea histamine blocker and antacid (trade name Zantac) used to treat peptic ulcers and gastritis and esophageal refluxrelaxanta drug that relaxes and relieves tensionsynergista drug that augments the activity of another drugLamisil, terbinafinean oral antifungal drug (trade name Lamisil) used to treat cases of fungal nail diseasethiabendazolean antifungal agent and anthelminticOrinase, tolbutamidesulfonylurea; an oral antidiabetic drug (trade name Orinase) used in the treatment of adult-onset diabetes mellitusinsulinhormone secreted by the isles of Langerhans in the pancreas; regulates storage of glycogen in the liver and accelerates oxidation of sugar in cellsarsenicala pesticide or drug containing arseniclactogenic hormone, luteotropin, prolactingonadotropic hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary; in females it stimulates growth of the mammary glands and lactation after parturitioncrystal violet, gentian violeta green crystal (violet in water) used as a dye or stain or bactericide or fungicide or anthelmintic or burn treatmentbenzoyl peroxidea white crystalline peroxide used in bleaching (flour or oils or fats) and as a catalyst for free radical reactionsAlka-seltzera commercial antacid that contains aspirin; tablets dissolve in water to give an effervescent solutionBrioschian antacidBromo-seltzeran antacidMaaloxan antacidMylantaan antacidPepto-bismalan antacidRolaidsan antacidTumsan antacidreagenta chemical agent for use in chemical reactionsdesiccant, drier, drying agent, siccativea substance that promotes drying (e.g., calcium oxide absorbs water and is used to remove moisture)reducer, reducing agent, reductanta substance capable of bringing about the reduction of another substance as it itself is oxidized; used in photography to lessen the density of a negative or print by oxidizing some of the loose silverbleaching powder, chloride of lime, chlorinated limea white powder comprised of calcium hydroxide and chloride and hypochlorite and used to bleach and/or disinfectcalcium hypochloriteany hypochlorite of calcium; used as a bleaching agentcetrimidea cationic detergent that is a powerful disinfectantchlorine dioxidean explosive gas (ClO2) used chiefly in bleaching paper or starch or soap or flour and in water purificationchlorine wateran aqueous solution of chlorine used as a bleaching agentCloroxa commercial bleaching agentdimethylglyoximea compound used in analysis as a precipitant for palladium or nickelVX gasa highly lethal nerve agent used in chemical warfare; a toxic liquid that penetrates the skin or lungs to disrupt the nervous system and stop respiration; in combat VX gas is deployed by detonating a container over the target area and can persist in the environment up to several weeks after releaseorganophosphate nerve agentany of a series of nerve agents containing organophosphate compounds first synthesized by German chemists in 1936; in World War II the Germans tested them in concentration camps but not on the battlefield; Iraq is alleged to have used them against Iran and against the Kurdsscavengera chemical agent that is added to a chemical mixture to counteract the effects of impuritiessodium hypochloritean unstable salt (NaOCl) used as a bleaching agent and disinfectantsurface-active agent, surfactant, wetter, wetting agenta chemical agent capable of reducing the surface tension of a liquid in which it is dissolvedtype of:causal agency, causal agent, causeany entity that produces an effect or is responsible for events or resultssubstancea particular kind or species of matter with uniform properties
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an active and efficient cause; capable of producing a certain effect“their research uncovered new disease agents”types:pressor, vasoconstrictive, vasoconstrictorany agent that causes a narrowing of an opening of a blood vessel: cold or stress or nicotine or epinephrine or norepinephrine or angiotensin or vasopressin or certain drugs; maintains or increases blood pressurebiohazard, biological agentany bacterium or virus or toxin that could be used in biological warfareeliminatoran agent that eliminates somethingimpaireran agent that impairslethal agentan agent capable of causing deathmotora nonspecific agent that imparts motionmutagenany agent (physical or environmental) that can induce a genetic mutation or can increase the rate of mutationrelaxerany agent that produces relaxationsatisfierany agent capable of producing satisfactionshortenerany agent that shortensstressorany agent that causes stress to an organismteratogenany agent that interferes with normal embryonic development: alcohol or thalidomide or X-rays or rubella are examplestransmitter, vectorany agent (person or animal or microorganism) that carries and transmits a diseaseweakenerthat which weakens or causes a loss of strengthvirus(virology) ultramicroscopic infectious agent that replicates itself only within cells of living hosts; many are pathogenic; a piece of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) wrapped in a thin coat of proteinpathogenany disease-producing agent (especially a virus or bacterium or other microorganism)Hypertensin, angiotensin, angiotoninany of several vasoconstrictor substances (trade name Hypertensin) that cause narrowing of blood vesselslypressinan antidiuretic and vasoconstrictor used to treat diabetes insipidusPrivine, Sudafed, naphazolinevasoconstrictor (trade names Privine and Sudafed) used in nasal sprays to treat symptoms of nasal congestion and in eyedrops to treat eye irritationthalidomidea sedative and hypnotic drug; withdrawn from sale after discovered to cause severe birth defects because it inhibits angiogenesisvasopressorany agent that produces vasoconstriction and a rise in blood pressure (usually understood as increased arterial pressure)noradrenaline, norepinephrinea catecholamine precursor of epinephrine that is secreted by the adrenal medulla and also released at synapsesAdrenalin, adrenaline, epinephrin, epinephrinea catecholamine secreted by the adrenal medulla in response to stress (trade name Adrenalin); stimulates autonomic nerve actionADH, Pitressin, antidiuretic hormone, vasopressinhormone secreted by the posterior pituitary gland (trade name Pitressin) and also by nerve endings in the hypothalamus; affects blood pressure by stimulating capillary muscles and reduces urine flow by affecting reabsorption of water by kidney tubulesobliteratoran eliminator that does away with all tracescarrier, immune carrier(medicine) a person (or animal) who has some pathogen to which he is immune but who can pass it on to othersnicotinean alkaloid poison that occurs in tobacco; used in medicine and as an insecticidetype of:causal agency, causal agent, causeany entity that produces an effect or is responsible for events or results
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the semantic role of the animate entity that instigates or causes the happening denoted by the verb in the clausesynonyms: agentive roletype of:participant role, semantic role(linguistics) the underlying relation that a constituent has with the main verb in a clause
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