Instead of being a serious drama, the play was completely maudlin
Overly sentimental; emotionally silly
Apocryphal
I think his story is apocryphal because I've never heard or read any proof concerning it
Of uncertain authenticity; suspect; spurious
Appurtenances
He made sure that all of the appurtenances came with the boat
Things added to a more important thing; supplementary equipment; accessories
Arabesque
The table covering contained an attractive arabesque design
A gracefully elaborate design with interwoven lines; such a form in ballet or music
Archaic
The head of a modern school should not have archaic ideas
Of an earlier or primitive time; ancient; no longer in popular use; outdated
Archipelago
Can you locate the Greek archipelago on the map?
A sea with many islands; such a group of islands
Grandiloquent
Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was simple and powerful, and anything but grandilioquent
Pompous in speech; bombastic; flamboyant
Pandemonium
The earthquake wrecked many homes and sent hordes of people into pandemonium
Wild tumult; disorder on grand scale
Panegyric
He requested the honor of speaking the panegyric a his friend's funeral
Tribute; a speech of praise
Fraught
Although the mission was fraught with danger he was willing to carry it out
Teeming with; laden; full of
Fructify
The farmer must work hard to fructify his fields
To make fruitful; to make productive
Arterial
The new arterial highway will connect several major cities
Related to the tubes carrying blood from the heart; serving as a major carrier, channel or thoroughfare
Nectar
He called the wine the nectar of the gods
Any very pleasant-tasting drink; the drink of the gods in mythology; plant secretion used by bees to make honey
Nemesis
His failure to notice his opponent's strength proved to be his nemesis
Deserved punishment or it's source; anything or anyone that always seems certain to defeat or frustrate
Nepotism
We could hardly accuse him of nepotism: his nephew really is the best qualified candidate for the job
Favoritism shown to relatives, especially in job appointments.
Niggardly
He was niggardly in his contribution to the campaign for funds
Not generous; stingy
Noisome (noy-suhm) The decaying flowers give off a noisome odor
Harmful; offensive to smell; disgusting
Nomadic
It took a long time before the nomadic tribes settled down
Wandering from place to place: having no fixed location
Nominal
He is only a nominal president; he does not have any real powers. Her fee is so nominal that she will never get rich from it
In name only, not in fact; relatively trifling or quite small in value
Nonplussed
We were nonplussed by his actions because we had never seen him behave that way before
Baffled; confused; puzzled
Heliacal
The heliacal rising of Pleiades marked the beginning of summer in the old Julian calendar, which was introduced by Julius Caesar.
adj. Of or relating to the sun, especially rising and setting with the sun.
Bumfuzzled
"The Fighting Irish can bumfuzzle any team"
confuse; perplex; fluster
Cattywampus (or Catawampus)
“If this is mean to be reassurance, it's cattywampus"
In disarray or disorder; askew.
Gardyloo
"One never knew the moment when the warning cry 'Gardyloo'... might ring."
Used to warn passers-by of waste about to be thrown from a window into the street below
Taratiddle
"'We haven't got time to listen to more taradiddles, I'm afraid, Dumbledore.'"
1 : a fib 2 : pretentious nonsense
Billingsgate
"Modern billingsgate betrays puerile imbecility of pundits"
coarsely abusive language
Snickersnee
“The snickersnee swings towards the vitals of Hollywood.”
1 archaic : to engage in cut-and-thrust fighting with knives 2 : a large knife
Widdershins
The coracle whirled round, clockwise, then widdershins
in a left-handed or contrary direction; counterclockwise
Collywobbles
“I get the collywobbles just thinking about a hardback mixed in with a paperback!”
pain in the abdomen and especially in the stomach; a bellyache
Gubbins
“So how is it that he took out all the gubbins from the plane and rebuilt it?”
Assorted stuff, especially if of little value
Diphthong
“All nasty nouns should be replaced by the word "diphthong".”
two vowel sounds joined in one syllable to form one speech sound, e.g. the sounds of "ou" in out and of "oy" in boy
Piquant
"The emphasis is on comedy, but there's an undercurrent of piquant social commentary."
1. agreeably stimulating to the palate: spicy; 2. engagingly provocative: having a lively arch charm
Ambrosial
The rice had an ambrosial aroma
extremely pleasing to the senses, especially of taste or smell
Grub
Let's go get some grub
food; victuals
Umami
Mr. Vongerichten creates intense umami-tasting dishes, which he dubs umami "bombs," at his various restaurants
a taste sensation that is meaty or savory and is produced by several amino acids and nucleotides
Gustatory
On first seeing his beloved: "She was if the word gustatoryhad grown legs and got a dress"
related to or associated with eating or the sense of taste
Piehole
He stuffed the cake in his piehole
(slang) mouth
Balthazar
"Are you preparing to serve wine to 96 guests? Then a Balthazar is just your ticket!"
an oversize wine bottle holding about 16 times the volume of a normal bottle
Gamy
"The goat was a bit of an adventure, but delicious in its slightly gamy, tender way."
having the flavor of game; especially: having the flavor of game kept uncooked till near tainting
Borborygmus
"[The album] Earth 2 plunges you into the belly of a mastodon after a huge feast, and the sound is like the ensuing borborygmus."
intestinal rumbling caused by moving gas
Postprandial
"Newly fortified, take a postprandial walk around Plaza San Francisco and call in on the magnificent church and monastery museum here."
occurring after a meal
Dilettante
"But compared with Matthew de Abaitua I am a complete dilettante. We camp perhaps once a year, and only in summer, and only in good weather (we cancel if it's wet)."
a person whose interest in an art or in an area of knowledge is not very deep or serious
Non sequitur
“That was such a complete non sequitur that Keisha could only look stupidly at her.
a statement that doesn't logically follow from or is not clearly related to anything said before it (literally, 'it does not follow' in Latin)
Conundrum
"I thought you were trying to solve the conundrum of how, in spite of our expensive automatic sprinkling system, we still have brown patches in the yard."
a confusing, intricate, or difficult problem
Phlegmatic
Unemotional (Harder)
Pulchritude
Beauty (Hardest)
Persnickety
Choosy (Harder)
Grotesque
He appeared at the ball in a grotesque costume
Distorted; strangely ugly; outlandish; bizarre
Habiliments
The faculty appeared at Commencement in full academic habiliments
Clothing; garb; attire
Habitat
The habitat of the polar bear is the Arctic region
Natural place of living
Hackneyed
He uses many hackneyed expressions in his writings
Commonplace; trite; overused
Haggard
The smooth features of his youth had turned into the haggard face of a worn-out old man
Wasted or gaunt in appearance
Panoramic
You can get a panoramic view of the whole campus from this tower. Your panoramic book leaves out no detail of your subject
As seen or viewable from all directions; comprehensive as in review or coverage
Paradox
To be both rational and passionate would seem to be a paradix
That which may be true but which seems to be contradictory, false or absurd; a self contradictory statement
Verbatim
Repeat the instructions verbatim to assure me you know what to do
Word for word; in the exact words
Verbiage
Your verbiage takes long to read and it hides your main ideas
Excess of words; verbosity
Polyglot
I hope I can find someone who speaks English in this polyglot neighborhood
Speaking or writing in several languages; multilingual; a mixture of languages
Verbose
A speaker should be concise, not verbose
Using too many words
Exorbitant
This is an exorbitant price to ask for that object
Beyond reasonable limits; excessive
Frustration
He felt great frustration when he did not receive the answer he had hoped for
That which baffles or thwarts accomplishment; the state of being so affected
Verdant
A verdant lawn or verdant college freshmen
1. Green with vegetation 2. inexperienced; unsophisticated
Aridity
The aridity of the soil prevented the development of the crops
Dryness; barrenness; the state of being dull, without interest
Modicum
Everyone expects at least a modicum of praise for his accomplishments
A small quantity or portion
Momentous
In crossing the Rubicon, Julius Caesar made a momentous decision
Of great importance or consequence
Monograph
The professor published a monograph on the working habits of bees
A scholarly or formal writing on a single subject
Modulate
No other actor could express so many moods be merely modulating his voice
To change, adjust or regulate; to vary the pitch or tone of sound or the frequency of radio waves
Mollify
Not even her apology could mollify the angry teacher
To calm or appease; to soothe; to make less severe
Buttress
The walls of the cathedral were reinforced by buttresses
to give encouragement or support to (a person, plan, etc.).
Cacophony
The cacophony of a band not in tune hurts my ears
Unpleasant, harsh, or discordant sound
Descried
The sentry descried enemy troops moving over the top of the hill
Caught sight of; discerned; spied
Shoddy
They have been selling us these shoddy products long enough; from now on we go elsewhere
Of inferior material; lacking the quality claimed; sham
Shrew
She is such a shrew that her husband simply left her
A scolding, brawling woman
Discursive
The old man's conversation was so discursive that we could not follow it
Passing from one subject to another
Shuffle
We could detect the sound of his peculiar shuffle all the way down the hall
A walk characterized by scraping or sliding of the feet; to walk in such manner
Sidled
The bashful child at last sidled up to her new aunt
Stepped or moved sideways in a shy or stealthy manner
Simile
In Burn's famous simile, he describes his love as "like a red, red rose."
A figure of speech likening one thing to another using "as", "like," etc.
Simulated
With this training device, you can experience simulated flying. He is not attentive; his interest is merely simulated
Had the appearance but not the actuality of; imitated; pretended; feigned
Disheveled
He was so disheveled that he looked as though he had slept in his clothes
Disarranged; untidy; tousled; rumpled
Disparaging
We were surprised by her disparaging remarks about her roommate; they seemed to get along so well
When the mayor issues an edict, all citizens should respect it and comply with it
An authoritative order issued publicly; a decree
Hallmark
Our school's hallmark is the high grade average of all students, year after year
An actual mark on objects or a characteristic indicating high quality, excellence or genuineness
Interstellar
The astronomer is interested in interstellar space
Among the stars; between the stars
Veracity
His lying in the past causes me to doubt his veracity now
Truthfulness; honesty
Endorse
Once before he had made the mistake of endorsing a candidate he did not know well enough
To give support or approval to; to sanction; to transfer or guarantee by signing
Eradicated
The mistake was easily eradicated on the word processor
Completely erased; wiped out
Conflagration
No one knows who set the blaze but the conflagration destroyed the building
A raging fire
Conduit
The law requires all electric wires be placed in a conduit
A tube, pipe, channel, etc. through which something passes
Condoned
His intentions were good but their bad results could not be condoned
Treated, overlooked or forgiven as though not committed or of no consequence
Imperative
It is imperative to have work in on time to get a good grade
Compulsory; absolutely necessary; of greatest importance; a command
Succulent
Succulent fruits were served as dessert
Juicy; full of juice
Succinct
His phone message, although succinct, gave the hospital all significant details
Concise; brief but meaningful; terse
Reiterated
He reiterated his suggestion to make sure we understood
Said or done again; repeated
Condiment
Without condiments, some foods are not very savory
A seasoning or relish for food, such as pepper, mustard, sauces, etc.
Equestrian
Polo, foxhunting, and steeplechasing are popular equestrian sports
Pertaining to horses or horsemanship; on horseback; one who rides or performs on horseback
Equanimity
She preserved her equanimity despite the slurring remarks made about her
Evenness of mind; calmness of temper; composure
Epoch
The atomic bomb is an epoch-making discovery
A period or point in time marked by noteworthy developments, events or circumstances
Epitomize
Sir Galahad epitomizes knighthood, and his legend is too long for me to epitomize
To represent or typify a whole; to summarize concisely
Epigram
He characterized the tone of the whole story with one amusing and appropriate epigram
A short, pithy, witty expression
Subversive
The FBI devotes particular attention to groups that seem subversive
Undermining and destructive or corruptive; a person who so acts
Concurred
The members of the jury concurred with the foreman's opinion
Reached the same conclusion; agreed; occurred at the same time
Concordance
Use a concordance to locate and learn about ancient cities in the Bible
An index of the significant words and the phrases containing them in a book; agreement; concord
Concatenated
In her novel, the major events were concatenated with each other to support the conclusion
Linked together; united in chain or series
Subterfuge
He wouldn't admit he was unprepared and used a subterfuge to get out of the competition
A baffling or devious method for avoiding difficulty or unpleasantness
Regression
Fortunately, the disease is in regression, and the patient should recover completely
A going back; a withdrawing or returning; (opposite of progression)
Refulgent
The frost on the ground was refulgent in the moonlight
Shining; radient; glowing
Compunction
She had absolutely no compunction about lying to her mother. My compunction moves me to apologize for inconveniencing you
Uneasiness because of guilt; a slight sense of pity or regret
Comport
They comport themselves with admirable grace
To conduct or behave oneself; to be compatible or in agreement with
Component
We cannot construct the model until we have received all it's components. This component gear helps make the machine operate
A part or element of a whole; serving as such a part
Inalienable
Inalienable rights are guaranteed by the Constitution
Not subject to being taken away; not transferable; fixed
Complement
Your study of calculus will complement the requirements for a degree in mathematics
That which fills up or adds to for completion; that which must be so added; to add to in such a manner
Compendium
He published a compendium of all of Shakespeare's plays
A comprehensive and concise summary
Compatible
I hope you will get a compatible roommate
Capable of existing together; easy to get along with; agreeable; congenial
Commuted
The death sentence was commuted to life in prison
Changed to something less ever; substituted; travelled frequently between two points
Communal
To have a clean city demands a communal effort
Pertaining to or belonging to a community or group; public
Commodious
He bought a commodious home for his large family
Spacious; roomy
Loquacious
They are quite different; one is loquacious, while the other rarely says a word
Talkative; given to continual talking
Commensurate
The salary for his position will be commensurate with the applicant's experience
Equal in measure; properly proportionate
Festoon
"Imagine how the parlor was created and decorated, and note the bright azalea color of the silk drapery with festoons lined in an apple green." — From an article by Carleton Varney in the Palm Beach Daily News, March 23, 2012
1: a decorative chain or strip hanging between two points
2: a carved, molded, or painted ornament representing a decorative chain
Commendatory
His willingness to sacrifice himself was commendatory
Reflecting praise or recommendation; worthy of praise
Gamut
He ran the gamut of crime before he was caught
Entire range or extent of
Clandestine
The conspirators held a clandestine meeting to plot their actions
He unfairly exploited the work of another man to gain his own ends. She will wisely exploit the help of others in an exploit that will make them all famous
To use selfishly or to take advantage of; to put to full and practical use; a great and hold or daring deed
Ostentatious
His speech was nothing but an ostentatious display of knowledge
Showy; pretentious
Personification
Trees speak and think in the personification by that writer. She is a fine person, the personification of kindness
Giving human qualities to an inanimate object or idea; any example of such; an embodiment or personal showing of some quality
Intimidation
They threatened to cause trouble, but we were not influenced by their intimidation
Fear, restraint or discouragement caused by threat; the act of causing such
Intricate
She solved the intricate problem by unraveling each of it's interwoven parts
The boxer made a feint with his left and landed a solid right
A false or deceptive movement; a pretended attack meant to distract from a real one elsewhere; to act in such a manner
Indolent
He is too indolent even to try for a passing grade
Slothful; lazy; idle
Expurgated
Perhaps an expurgated edition of the novel would be more appropriate for the less sophisticated students
With the objectionable parts taken out; removed as objectionable; censored; bowdlerized
Amenities
Our hosts provided us with many amenities, as well as room and board
Considerate and courteous acts or expressions; pleasing features or conveniences; civilities
Cadaver (-ous)
After the ordeal he had a cadaverous look, but he was will alive
Like a corpse; ghastly
Sententious
His story, sententious essays say more than do many whole books
Expressing or expressive of much meaning in few words; pithy; axiomatic; pompously and often tritely moralizing
Antithetical
We don't expect the two groups ever to agree because their goals are antithetical
Exactly opposite; directly opposed; in strong contrast
Megalomania
The senator is so obsessed with power that he must suffer from megalomania
A mental disorder causing delusions of grandeur or power; a tendency to grossly exaggerate
Mayhem
It's a wonder he wasn't killed by the mayhem that did make him an invalid for life
The act or offense of causing severe bodily injury; maiming; mutilation; crippling; violent confusion and destruction.
Aborigines
The aborigines were driven from their original habitat by the colonists
Earliest known inhabitants of a country
Utopian
Your idea of a world in which everyone is kind, thoughtful and completely happy is utopian
Fancifully or theoretically perfect; idealistic; one who pursues unachievable ideals; a visionary; an idealist
Peccadillo
This is the first time you've been late for work, so this time I'll ignore the peccadillo
A petty fault; a minor offense
Henchmen
The king had his henchmen do his "dirty work" in order to keep his own name clear
Devoted and trusted followers, often considered unscrupulous
Heinous
How could any human being have committed such a heinous crime?
Extremely bad; atrocious; despicable
Hedonism (-ic, -istic)
Since hedonism was his philosophy, he cared only about the immediate gratification of his desires
The belief that pleasure is the principle goal in life; self indulgence in pleasure seeking
Platonic
Although they had been very close for many years, their love was purely platonic
Spiritual and not sexual or sensual. Platonic: idealistic; academic; theoretical
Viscosity
The engineers tested the viscosity of the oil
the extent to which a fluid resists a tendency to flow
Plagiarism
Instead of being an original composition, his writing was nothing but plagiarism
The taking of expressions and ideas of another person and using them as if they were one's own; copying without credit to the author
Utilitarian
Our plan was simple and utilitarian, without any expensive frills
Useful and without ornamentation or non-necessities; functional and nothing more; one who prizes utility
Renaissance
In a renaissance of concern, the voters approved a new school levy ten years after the last one
A rebirth; a revival; Renaissance: the time of greatly renewed learning in Europe after the Dark Ages, 14th-16th centuries
Remunerate
They did not fail to remunerate him generously for his work
To pay or to pay for; to compensate
Wizened
The wizened old woman frightened the children, who thought she was a witch
Dried up; shriveled; withered
Winch
It took two men to crank the winch and lift the stone from the quarry
A machine with a cylinder which, when revolved, winds rope or cable about it to hoist attached objects; to hoist with such
Winced
The nurse said it wouldn't hurt, but the patient winced as the needle touched his arm
Reacted quickly with facial contortion as if in pain; flinched
Welter
The escaping prisoner was caught in a welter of violence, and then was made to welter in the sweat of close confinement
A commotion of confused action; a tumultuous tumbling; to surge and tumble; to wallow in; to be uncomfortably immersed in
Wanton
The cruelty of the invaders was wanton, as they ignored all decency and human rights
Recklessly ignoring what is right; unprovoked and excessive; immoral; dissolute; such a person
Gnome
Long ago, people considered capturing a gnome to be a "get rich quick" scheme
In folklore, an old, gnarled cave-dwelling dwarf who guards the earth's treasures
Calligraphy
The lettering on the diploma was in calligraphy
Precise and decorative handwriting or hand-printing; handwriting in general; (also spelled: caligraphy)
Lassitude
An overwhelming feeling of lassitude prevented his completing the assignment
Lack of vigor or spirit; weariness; languor
Extortion
The student tried extortion to gain a better grade, but the teacher would not be intimidated
The act or result of forcing payment by intimidation or violence; blackmail; the act or result of imposing a grossly unfair high price
Indomitable
It was his indomitable spirit to win that carried him on to success
Unable to be overcome, subdued or dominated; stubbornly resistant; persevering
Feline
Kitty is aptly named because of her feline grace
Like a cat; of the cat family; a cat
Felicitations
They sent felicitations to those who were celebrating their birthdays
Good wishes; congratulations
Indigent
An indigent farmer was given help by his neighbors
Without means for subsistence; destitute; needy; poor; such a person
Sentient
Sometimes trees seem almost sentient to the nature lover
Having sensation and feeling; aware; conscious
Largesse
Her father is wealthy and can well afford his largesse to the school
Liberal giving; a generous gift; (also spelled: largess)
Schism
Once we had a solid organization, but now a schism has occurred
A division or separation of a group into opposing or differing groups; a rift
Maritime
Maritime law regulates all the activities of navigation
Pertaining to the sea
Presages
The high team spirit today presages a victory tomorrow
Gives an indication of something in the future; portends; foreshadows; (presage, n: an omen or portent)
Irrevocable
The judge's decision was irrevocable; he would not even consider changing it
Incapable of being withdrawn, revoked, repealed, called back, undone, etc.
Itinerant
In the fall itinerant workers travel from farm to farm looking for work
Going from place to place; homeless; such a person
Prerogative
The professor, and not the student, has the prerogative of deciding when the test will be given
An exclusive right or privilege, particularly of some specific group, class, position or rank
Abridged
His huge novel has been abridged in a short article. It tells is to beware of abridged rights of citizenship
Shortened by using fewer words but keeping essential meaning; made concise; lessened; curtailed
Antipathy
His antipathy for our cause was demonstrated by his working against us. Because she opposed our principles so rudely, she was the antipathy of our group
A feeling of aversion or strong dislike; the opposite of sympathy; the object of such feeling
Scalpel
A surgeon must be expert with the scalpel
A small, light, straight knife with a very sharp blade, used in surgery and in anatomical dissections
Sedulous
He obtains good grades not because he is brilliant, but because he is a sedulous worker
Steadily busy or attentive; diligent; assiduous
Levity
Levity is not permitted in a solemn courtroom
Lack of seriousness; inappropriate lightheartedness; frivolity
Amenable
We won't agree with anything that's illegal, but we're amenable to any other suggestion you may have
Responsible and responsive to what is right; willing to comply with; persuadable; submissive
Decrepitude
Even at the age of ninety he showed no signs of decrepitude
Weakness because of advanced age or infirmity; feebleness; a state of being worn out or nearly useless
Malfeasance
The tax collector couldn't explain the missing fund and was finally proven guilty of malfeasance
Misconduct or wrongful action, especially while in a position of trust
Filial
His parents will never be destitute because of his filial devolution
Pertaining to the relationship between children and their parents
Invidious
His invidious proposal set one faction against the other and made everybody detest him
Arousing dislike or ill will; offensive because of discrimination
Parody
Everybody except the headmaster laughed at the student's parody of his lecture
A humorous and ridiculing imitation; a farce; a poor imitation; to act in such a manner
Obsolescent
Let's replace the obsolescent work processor before it becomes completely outdated and useless
Becoming obsolete: growing useless, becoming unused, going out of fashion
Schizophrenic
Because she appears to live in a world of her own, she may be schizophrenic
Suffering from a mental disorder characterized by withdrawal from reality, often incorrectly defined as having a split personality; one with such a condition
Moribund
Let's record the moribund mountain songs before they disappear entirely
Near death or termination; dying
Candelabrum
Several candlesticks overcrowded the table, so we used candelabrum instead
One large candleholder with branches supporting several candles; (singular form of candelabra)
Anachronism
Shakespeare's reference to clocks in Julius Caesar is an anachronism: of course, there were no clocks in Caesar's time
Something out of place in time; such a representation
Latent (-cy)
He did not discover his latent musical talent until he was in his thirties
Existing but not energized; capable of later full development; dormant
Extemporary
After receiving the unexpected award he gave a short, extemporary speech
Spoken or performed without prior practice or memorization; "off the top of one's head"; extemporaneous
Infer
You have implied your interest in this kind of work, and so I infer that you want the job
To conclude or derive from something assumed, known or implied; (imply: to suggest vaguely)
Cognomen
His legal cognomen is Smith, and his familiar cognomen is "Smitty"
The family name: surname; a name by which one is known: a nickname
Filament
Several filaments from the cloth were found on the floor
A thin, threadlike object
Obtrusive
His obtrusive manner of involving himself in other people's business is his greatest fault
Pushing forward or outward; intruding or forcing in an unwarranted manner
Affront
His brazen, slurring remarks were an affront to the president's dignity
A challenging insult; an insolent confrontation; to offend by such
Tenuous
Her argument was too tenuous for us to take seriously
Very thin or fine; flimsy; insubstantial
Emaciate (-ed, ting)
The emaciated bodies of the prisoners of war were pitiful
Wasted away from lack of nourishment; extremely thin
Tenure
During the past headmaster's tenure many changes were effected
A period of time during which something is held or kept; the right or the act or posessing
Stringent
If the stringent dress code is adopted, the students can no longer wear anything they choose
Requiring very close compliance; strict; rigid; sever
Stupor
He was suddenly aroused from his stupor and continued his conversation exactly where he had left off
A state of unawareness; intellectual or moral dullness or lack of feeling; a daze
Subservient
His wife criticized him for acting in such a subservient manner toward his employer
In inferior capacity; acting as a servant to; submissive; servile
Impasse
The discussion reached an impasses when the question of dividing the property came up
A condition or situation that stops progress, accomplishment or escape; a blockage, stalemate or deadlock
Impeccable
Although he was very loud vulgar, he was dressed with impeccable taste
Free form fault, blemish or error; flawless; unerring
Impecunious
I am rather impecunious right now; could you lend me a thousand dollars?
Having no money
Terminate
When the company terminates it's manufacture of this product, my services with them will terminate as well
To cause or bring to an end; to conclude; to end
Terrestrial
As a geologist he was more concerned with terrestrial problems than celestial ones
Of the land or the earth (as opposed to celestial: of the skies or stars)
Translucent
Through the translucent glass we could distinguish only the outlines of people in the next room
Allowing light to pass through but obscuring clear vision
Travesty
There was so much evidence of guilt that the verdict seemed a travesty of justice
A ridiculous, absurd or grotesque imitation
Terse
She wasted no words in her terse answer and we knew exactly what she meant
Concise; to the point; brief
Tether
The cowboy tethered his horse to the rail and went into the saloon for a drink
A rope, chain, etc., used to restrict movement; to tie up or confine with such an object
Therapeutic
The treatment has had no therapeutic value as far as I can see; I am still in pain
Health inducing; healing; curing
Pewter
The pewter dish didn't shine like the silver tray on which it sat
A dull silver-colored metal used for making dished, pans, etc.
Titanic
Titanic machines were needed to build the huge structure
Of gigantic proportions or strength; enormous; huge; powerful
Pedagogical
New teachers will be evaluated on pedagogical skills such as lesson planning and classroom management.
of, relating to, or befitting a teacher or education
Titular [tich-uh-ler]
She has real duties to perform, not just a titular position
In name only; having a title but no responsibilties
Treatise [tree-tis]
He wrote a learned treatise on the science of government
A long and formal written work on a non-fictional subject
Subsidiary
The main office has opened several subsidiary offices all over town
Subsidized by or dependent upon; supplemental; subordinate; auxiliary; one or that in such a status
Substantiate
The rumors were substantiate by the report
To verify; to attest as true; to give substance to
Impunity
I warn you: if you break the rule it will not be with impunity
Exemption or freedom from punishment or harm
Stint
Now that the food shortage is over, there is no need to stint on means. This stint of hard work will be over in one day
To limit; to be frugal or sparing; a limited or assigned task or period
Stipple
The light and shadow effect in the drawing was produced entirely by stippling
An arrangement of dots or speckles; to use or produce an area or pattern of such
Strident
Her voice is so strident that it actually hurts my ears
Harsh sounding; grating; shrill
Immutable
The physical laws of the universe are immutable, but it's features are constantly changing
Unchangeable; fixed
Impalpable
As she glided through the room she seemed as impalpable as a dream
Not able to be felt; not able to be perceived easily
Importune
I can't change your grade so it's useless to importune me
To request urgently; to implore; to beg; to urge
Impregnable
The fortress was supposed to be impregnable, but it's walls were easily battered down
Not able to be penetrated by force; unyielding; unconquerable
Improvident
He was so improvident in his youth that he was nothing left for his retirement
Not providing for the future; not thrifty
Superficial
His answers are so superficial that it is clear he did not read the assignment
Lack true significance or importance; on the surface; shallow
Superfluous [soo-pur-floo-uhs] Use commas as needed in your theme but eliminate those that are superfluous
More than is necessary; excessive; redundant
Supernumerary
Although he was but a supernumerary he prided himself on being in the play
Exceeding the number needed; a person or thing available but not essential; an "extra"
Supple
Acrobats have supple bodies. He's so supple that he never refuses our requests. She is supple enough to appreciate our viewpoint
The old roof was full of undulations, sagging and bulging like a tin ocean
A wave-like rising and falling or bending; a wave
Unremitting
Their unremitting dedication to the cause helped bring about it's success
Not stopping or relaxing or submitting; not changing in attitude; incessant; persistent
Prosecute
He has threatened to prosecute anyone who hunts on his property. We are dedicated to the task and will prosecute it to completion
To begin and conduct legal action against; to sue; to go on with or pursue; to carry on a business or trade
Protagonist
As the protagonist in uncovering city corruption, he stood out like the protagonist in a mystery novel
The leading or central character in a play or story; a person most concerned and active in resolving a situation
Proselytize
Christian denominations welcome voluntary members but few of them will actually proselytize
To persuade to change from one belief, party, religion, etc. to another; to seek to convert
Astute
She could see through our excuses and was too astute to be deceived by them
Having keen insight and good judgment in practical matters; shrewdly competent; perspicacious
Urbane
Her husband is rather coarse in manner but, in contrast, she is urbane
Elegant in manner; well bred; refined; polite
Gist
I do not have time to listen to the entire speech. Can you give me just the gist of it?
Main point; basic idea; the substance or essence of
Glean
I had to glean the information I needed by long searching through many book
To collect facts; patiently and gradually, etc.; literally: to gather grain left by reapers
Gnarled
One of Rembrandt's paintings features the gnarled hands of an old man
Rough and weather worn; knotted; twisted
Attrition
Without firing anyone, we will have fewer employees next year because of attrition
Process of rubbing or wearing down; gradual loss from normal causes or natural circumstances
Atypical
His clumsiness on the fairway was atypical of a professional golfer
Unrepresentative; not typical
Paltry
The congregation was not generous and the Sunday offering was paltry
Almost worthless; trifling; petty; insignificant
Hyperbole
It is the largest house in town, but call it a castle is a hyperbole
Extreme exaggeration in expression; overstatement
Mutability
The mutability of all living things is symbolized by the changing seasons
Tendency to change; alterability; inconsistency
Munificent
The king gave munificent gifts to his knights
Excessively generous; very liberal; lavish
Mundane
Now that my vacation is over, routine work seems mundane
Worldly; ordinary; uninspired or uninspiring
Incumbent
It is incumbent upon each of us to do his best. The incumbent is doing a better job than out last principal
Required as one's duty or obligation; one holding an office or position
Exotic
Several exotic oriental dishes were served at the international banquet
Strangely enticing or fascinating; not native; foreign
Exorcised
The owners of the old castle have exorcised the demons supposed to have been haunting it
Freed from evil spirits by chanted words or other rites
Exiguous
The exiguous growth on the hillside was hardly enough to feed a herd of sheep
Scanty; small; insufficient
Inculcate
He tried to inculcate a sense of loyalty among his classmates
To teach or impress by frequent repetition; to instill
Excruciating
He suffered excruciating pain as a result of the accident
Extremely painful; agonizing
Hauteur
The hauteur of the supercilious waiter cost him many tips
Haughtiness; arrogance; scornful pride
Averse
He is averse to war even though he is an excellent soldier
Opposed or unwilling to; not favorable toward
Ideology
The ideology of communism cannot be accepted in a democracy
The set of beliefs or doctrines that distinguish a person or group
Paucity
The paucity of his vocabulary shows in his repetitious expressions
Smallness in quantity; insufficiency; fewness; scarcity
Ominous
The ominous clouds on the horizon almost made them cancel the trip
Foreboding; threatening; menacing
Cupidity
His action was motivated by cupidity, not generosity
Extreme selfishness; avarice; greed
Amorphous
The potter begins his work with a piece of amorphous clay
Shapeless; with no special form
Cynic
He is such a cynic that we could never persuade him to trust us
One who believes that all humans are insincere and selfish; a sneering and sarcastic person
Hypercritical
Nothing seems to satisfy that hypercritical person
Overly critical; faultfinding; carping
Hypothetical
She has a long time yet to study, so her prediction of failure is merely hypothetical
Based only on theory or supposition; assumed but not proved
Amnesia
The amnesia victim suddenly remembered her name
Loss of memory
Fanfaronade
Having grown weary of the former governor's fanfaronade and lack of concrete action, voters sent a clear message at the polls and elected his opponent by a landslide.
empty boasting : bluster
Buttonhole
I'm sorry I'm late. I was buttonholed by a coworker just as I was leaving my office.
to detain in conversation by or as if by holding on to the outer garments of
Sequacious
Eager to prove that he was not merely a sequacious follower, Mario wrote a critical review of his former mentor's book.
intellectually servile
Vernissage
Before the art auction, there will be a vernissage during which people can mingle with the artists and preview their work.
a private showing or preview of an art exhibition
Engagé (ahn-gah-ZHAY)
Our next-door neighbor Michael, an engagé environmental activist, uses solar power to heat his home and drives a hybrid automobile.
committed to or supportive of a cause
Miser
That old miser won't give you a cent!
A person who hoards wealth and spends as little money as possible.
Kibitzer
He was a kitbitzer when it came to this topic
A giver of uninvited or unwanted advice
Brabble
"Let's not brabble over pennies"
argue over petty things
Pusillanimous
Don't be pusillanimous about the issue and confront it head on
Showing a lack of courage or determination; timid
Provocateur
The show's host is a notable provocateur who has made a career of creating controversy for its own sake.
one who incites or stimulates another to action
Satiate
After eating three pieces of pie and one of cake at the potluck, Jamie's sweet tooth was finally satiated.
to satisfy (as a need or desire) fully or to excess
Plenitude
A region blessed with a plenitude of natural resources
An ample amount or quantity; an abundance
Insouciant
"an utterly insouciant financial policy"
Marked by blithe unconcern; nonchalant
Barbiturate
Phenobarbital and pentobarbital are examples of barbiturates.
1. A salt or ester of barbituric acid.
2. Any of a group of barbituric acid derivatives that act as central nervous system depressants and are used as sedatives or hypnotics.
Diphtheria
But he died prematurely of diphtheria, and Rosamond afterwards married an elderly and wealthy physician, who took kindly to her four children
An acute infectious disease caused by the bacillus Corynebacterium diphtheriae, characterized by the production of a systemic toxin and the formation of a false membrane on the lining of the mucous membrane of the throat and other respiratory passages, causing difficulty in breathing, high fever, and weakness. The toxin is particularly harmful to the tissues of the heart and central nervous system
Etcetera
his report was full of etceteras
additional unspecified odds and ends; more of the same
Mauve
"a few pale streaks of mauve were all that remained of the sunset"
Of a pale purple color.
Perspire
The running made him perspire
Give out sweat through the pores of the skin as the result of heat, physical exertion, or stress.
Persnickety
"a persnickety job"
excessive precision and attention to trivial details;
Intemerate
I trust that his opinion is coming from an intemerate
pure, undefiled, chaste.
Filha Da Puta (Spanish)
Tell that filha da puta to say it to my face
son of a bitch
Tempus Fugit
meaning "time flees", more commonly translated as "time flies".
Hyper-vigilance
A person suffering from PTSD may have…hypervigilance, heightened startle responses and flashbacks
an enhanced state of sensory sensitivity accompanied by an exaggerated intensity of behaviors whose purpose is to detect threats
Mudslinging
We won't use mudslinging to win this political debate
The use of insults and accusations, esp. unjust ones, with the aim of damaging the reputation of an opponent.
Port De Bras
The dancers had a certain port de bras to follow for their routine
the technique of moving the arms properly
Nomothetic Individual and nomothetic models of job stress:an examination of work hours, cohesion, andwell-being.
relating to, involving, or dealing with abstract, general, or universal statements or laws
Gambit
Mentioning that he had nothing to do on Saturday night was an obvious gambit by Miles to get invited to Donna's party.
1: a chess opening in which a player risks minor pieces to gain an advantage
2: a remark intended to start a conversation
3: a calculated move
Mala Fide
The company's board is accused of acting mala fide and with criminal intentions.
with or in bad faith
Jabberwocky
"The salesman started spewing computer jabberwocky at me like an auctioneer. I understood about every sixth word he uttered."
meaningless speech or writing
Ennui (/änˈwē/)
"The servants relieved their ennui with gambling and gossip about their masters"
Listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement
Jackanapes
“I, for one, want my effing money back from these two faced jackanapes.”
A conceited or impudent person; A mischievous child.
Whippersnapper
"Let me give you some advice you whippersnapper"
A young and inexperienced person considered to be presumptuous or overconfident.
Tutelage
His knowledge of Spanish increased under private tutelage
the act of guarding, protecting, or guiding; office or function of a guardian; guardianship.
Amortize
"It's time we made permanent decisions on policy that begin to amortize and reduce our debt over time...."
to pay off (as a mortgage) gradually usually by periodic payments of principal and interest or by payments to a sinking fund
Atavistic
He couldn't adapt to the new customs because he was atavistic toward his customs
of, pertaining to, or characterized by atavism; reverting to or suggesting the characteristics of a remote ancestor or primitive type; throwback
Caricature [kar-i-kuh-cher]
His caricature of the mayor in this morning's paper is the best he's ever drawn
a picture, description, etc., ludicrously exaggerating the peculiarities or defects of persons or things
Boustrophedon [boo-struh-feed-n]
Or consider the Etruscan habit of writing in "boustrophedon style
From right to left and from left to right in alternate lines
Largesse (larh-ZHESS)
Thanks to their grandparents' largesse, both children were able to go to college.
liberal giving (as of money) to or as if to an inferior; also : something so given
Amygdala
a ganglion of the limbic system adjoining the temporal lobe of the brain and involved in emotions offear and aggression.
AFK
Initialism of away from the keyboard. (that is, away from one's computer)
Schrödinger's Cat
Sheldon advises Penny that “just like Schrödinger's cat being alive and dead at the same time”, her date with Leonard currently has both “good and bad” probabilistic outcomes.
Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger used the cat in a thought experiment to demonstrate that it was ridiculous to apply a feature of quantum mechanics to everyday objects like a cat. That feature is that an object can be in two different states simultaneously. And while this may be possible at the quantum mechanical level, it is not with a cat, for example, which cannot be both dead and alive.
Black Box
used to refer to anything that works without its inner workings being understood or accessible for understanding.
Blackboxing
In science studies, the social process of blackboxing is based on the abstract notion of a black box. To cite Bruno Latour, blackboxing is "the way scientific and technical work is made invisible by its own success. When a machine runs efficiently, when a matter of fact is settled, one need focus only on its inputs and outputs and not on its internal complexity. Thus, paradoxically, the more science and technology succeed, the more opaque and obscure they become.
White Box
In contrast to a black box, is a subsystem whose internals can be viewed, but usually cannot be altered. Having access to the subsystem internals in general makes the subsystem easier to understand, but also easier to hack; if a programmer, for example, can examine source code, weaknesses in an algorithm are much easier to discover. This makes white box testing much more effective than black box testing, but considerably more difficult due to the sophistication needed on the part of the tester to understand the subsystem. Also known as glass box, clear box, or open box. In practice some white box systems are so complex that it might as well be a Black box.
Buckyball
a spherical fullerene molecule with the formula C60. It has a cage-like fused-ring structure (Truncated icosahedron) which resembles a soccer ball, made of twenty hexagons and twelve pentagons, with a carbon atom at each vertex of each polygon and a bond along each polygon edge.
Triptych
A work of art (usually a panel painting) which is divided into three sections, or three carved panels which are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open.
Reductio Ad Absurdum (Latin: "reduction to absurdity")
Rocks have weight, otherwise we would see them floating in the air. Society must have laws, otherwise there would be chaos
A common form of argument which seeks to demonstrate that a statement is true by showing that a false, untenable, or absurd result follows from its denial, or vice versa
Balderdash
That premise is balderdash and needs further backing
Nonsense
Axiom
Defensive backs are on defense because they can't catch like a receiver is an axiom
A premise or starting point of reasoning. As classically conceived, an axiom is a premise so evident it's to be accepted as true without controversy
Zeitgeist
Fowles captured the Victorian zeitgeist through his pastiche...
(spirit of the age or spirit of the time) is the intellectual fashion or dominant school of thought that typifies and influences the culture of a particular period in time.
Eurytopic
Eurytopic groups are observed in a wide range of habitats.
tolerant of wide variation in one or more environmental factors
Dyslogistic
Jingo is neither a pejorative, which is to say derogatory or dyslogistic, nor is it a blasphemous term
conveying disapproval or censure; not complimentary or eulogistic.
Syllogist
An example of a syllogism is: “All men are human; all humans are mortal; therefore all men are mortal
a deductive scheme of a formal argument consisting of a major and a minor premise and a conclusion
Flotsam
"The room was cleared of boxes and other flotsam".
People or things that have been rejected and are regarded as worthless
Sangfroid [French sahn-frwa] The lecturer's sangfroid never faltered, even in the face of some tough questions from the audience.
coolness of mind; calmness; composure
Epexegesis
“Here is an instance where the waw with a perfect merely expresses "a digression or an epexegesis," as”
the addition of a word or words to explain a preceding word or sentence
Doublespeak
"Using the facilities" instead of going to the bathroom
a language that deliberately disguises, distorts, or reverses the meaning of words
Multiloquent
Her being so multiloquent will make you want to end the conversation quick
use of many words; talkativeness
Bafflegab
The bafflegab used in that speech was unbearable
to confusing or generally unintelligible jargon
Morpheme
minimal meaningful language unit; it cannot be divided into smaller meaningful units (dog)
Alveolar
Relating to the jaw section containing the tooth sockets: the alveolar ridge.
Allomorph
a variant form of a morpheme. The concept occurs when a unit of meaning can vary in sound without changing meaning
an obscure term ostensibly referring to a lung disease caused by silica dust
Precocious
She's a very precocious child with lots of promise
(of a child) Having developed certain abilities or proclivities at an earlier age than usual.(of behavior or ability)
Proclivity
He had a proclivity towards math
A tendency to choose or do something regularly; a strong inherent inclination toward something objectionable
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
'atoning for extreme and delicate beauty while still being highly educable'
Velleity
Describes a mild desire, wish, or urge that is too slight to lead to action
Lousewort
Any of numerous plants of the genus Pedicularis, having clusters of irregular, variously colored flowers.
Honor-ifica-bili-tud-init-atibus
“I marvel thy master hath not eaten thee for a word; for thou art not so long by the head as honorificabilitudinitatibus: thou art easier swallowed than a flap-dragon.”
The state of being able to achieve honours
Sesquipedalian
<sesquipedalian terms> <a sesquipedalian television commentator>
having many syllables; given to or characterized by the use of long words
Floccinaucinihilipilification
The act or habit of describing or regarding something as unimportant
Colloquial
Although reverting to the colloquial is accepted when one wishes to avoid any confusion as to characterization
Characteristic of or appropriate to the spoken language or to writing that seeks the effect of speech
Feuilleton (foi-i-tn)
The editor is impressed by my work and says he willconsider my feuilleton, if I submit it this afternoon.
a part of a European newspaper devoted to light literature, fiction, criticism, etc.
Factotum
After graduating from college, Jerry worked for several years as an office factotum.
1: a person having many diverse activities or responsibilities 2: a general servant
Gastronomy
“Oaxaca's unique gastronomy is rich in unique herb - and spice-accented flavor combinations that are its hallmark.”
1. the art or science of good eating. 2. a style of cooking or eating
Merkin
false hair for the female pudenda
Dichotomy
division into two parts.
Chide
"She chided him for not replying".
To scold or rebuke
Pernicious
pernicious teachings; a pernicious lie.
causing serious harm
Nefarious
a nefarious plot
wicked
Ostentatious
an ostentatious dresser.
characterized by or given to pretentious or conspicuous show in an attempt to impress others.
Pedantic
ostentatious in one's learning
Doctrinaire
a doctrinaire preacher
a person who tries to apply some doctrine or theory without sufficient regard for practical considerations; an impractical theorist.
Ornery
I can't do a thing with that ornery mule
ill-tempered.
Austere
the austere quality of life in the convent
severe, as in manner
Salient
salient traits
prominent
Docile
a docile horse
readily trained; submissive
Enmity
hatred
Eclectic [ih-klek-tik]
First of all let me replace the work esoteric with eclectic.
chosen from various sources.
Whimsical
given to whimsy or fanciful notions; capricious
Lewd
obscene; indecent
Lascivious
a lascivious, girl-chasing old man
inclined to lustfulness; wanton; lewd
Pugnacious
always ready to fight.
Corollary
logical deduction
Ignominious
an ignominious retreat
disgraceful
Facile
It offered facile answers to complex linguistic questions.
easily done
Temerity
rash boldness
Cantankerous
a cantankerous, argumentative man
ill-natured
Dexterous
skillful or adroit in the use of the hands or body.
Deft
quick and skillful
Adroit
expert; deft
Execrate
to detest utterly
Sobriquet
nickname
Cognomen
An extra personal name given to an ancient Roman citizen, functioning rather like a nickname and typically passed down from father to son; A name; a nickname.
Métier [mey-tyey]
Within a short time of Sonia's first piano lessons, it was clear to her parents that music was her métier.
1: vocation, trade 2: an area of activity in which one excels : forte
Froufrou (FROO-froo)
Styled in the manner of a Victorian mansion, the bed-and-breakfast featured so much froufrou that Darlene and Brian dared not touch a thing.
Fussy or showy dress or ornamentation
Glib (glib·ber, glib·best)
I was fascinated by his unfailingly glib conversation
1. Performed with a natural, offhand ease 2. Characterized by fluency of speech or writing that often suggests insincerity, superficiality, or a lack of concern.
Rendezvous [rahn-duh-voo, -dey-; French rahn-de-voo]
1.an agreement between two or more persons to meet at a certain time and place. 2.the meeting itself.
Anathema [uh-nath-uh-muh]
That subject is anathema to him.
1. a person or thing detested or loathed 2. a person or thing accursed or consigned to damnation or destruction.
Arbitrage [ahr-bi-trahzh]
Finance. the simultaneous purchase and sale of the same securities, commodities, or foreignexchange in different markets to profit from unequal prices.
Catharsis
the purging of the emotions or relieving of emotional tensions, especially through certain kinds ofart, as tragedy or music
Beguile
To be beguiled of money.
1. to influence by trickery, flattery, etc.; mislead; delude. 2. to take away from by cheating or deceiving (usually followed by of )
Gauche (-rie) [gohsh]
Their exquisite manners always make me feel gauche.
lacking social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkward; crude; tactless
Irrefrangible
an irrefrangible rule of etiquette.
1.not to be broken or violated; inviolable 2.incapable of being refracted.
Jacobin
a member of an extremist or radical political group
Reprove (rih-PROOV)
"Remember to say 'thank you,'" the mother gently reproved her toddler.
1: to scold or correct usually gently or with kindly intent 2: to express disapproval of: censure 3: to express rebuke or reproof
Meretricious (mair-uh-TRISH-us)
The critic panned the book as a well-written but meretricious work with little substance beneath its veneer of forceful rhetoric and righteous indignation.
of or relating to a prostitute; tawdrily and falsely attractive
Kinchin
A little child.
Aegis (EE-jus)
The studies were conducted under the aegis of the National Institutes of Health.
1: a shield or breastplate; 2. protection; controlling or conditioning influence
Lollapalooza (lä-lə-pə-ˈlü-zə)
A huge birthday bash that promises to be a lollapalooza of a party
A person or thing that is particularly impressive or attractive
Evanescent
Beauty that is as evanescent as a rainbow
tending to vanish like vapor
Flibbertigibbet
1. archaic: gossip, chatterer 2: a light-minded or silly restless person; especially: a pert young woman with such qualities
Pyrrhic
"a Pyrrhic victory for Mr. Obama."
"achieved at excessive cost" or "costly to the point of negating or outweighing expected benefits."
Aplomb
Summed up the situation with his usual aplomb
complete confidence or assurance in oneself: self-possession, poise
Pirouette (pir-ə-ˈwet)
The elegant pirouettes of the prima ballerina
a rapid whirling about of the body; especially: a full turn on the toe or ball of one foot in ballet
Angel Investor
Today's angel investors play a different game. They invest their own money in startups in return for equity, and sometimes they also take a board seat
a wealthy person who invests a large amount of money in a new business
Eugenics [yoo-jen-ik]
Technology has pushed the eugenic moment to the point of conception.
a science that deals with the improvement of hereditary qualities in a series of generations of a race or breed especially by social control of human mating and reproduction —compare euthenics, genetics
Monstrosity
Whatever a woman has of intelligence and worth … is to be excised as a superfluous growth, a monstrosity
something showing deviation from the normal
Congenial
Two congenial spirits, united … by mutual confidence and reciprocal virtues
having the same nature, disposition, or tastes: suited to one another: kindred
Apophasis
Sorry, but that sounds more like apophasis than explanation
the raising of an issue by claiming not to mention it (as in “we won’t discuss his past crimes”)
Eponymous
“Cool Britannia,” which goes back to Ben and Jerry'seponymous ice cream in Spring 1996, met its sell-by-date within weeks …
of, relating to, or being the person or thing for whom or which something is named: of, relating to, or being an eponym
Chimera (kī-ˈmir-ə)
A fancy, a chimera in my brain, troubles me in my prayer
1. a fire-breathing she-monster in Greek mythology having a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tails
2. an illusion or fabrication of the mind; especially: an unrealizable dream
Filament
1: A slender threadlike object or fiber, esp. one found in animal or plant structures.
2: A conducting wire or thread with a high melting point, forming part of an electric bulb or vacuum tube and heated or made incandescent...
Paradigm (per-ə-ˌdīm)
Her recent book provides us with a new paradigm for modern biography
example, pattern; especially: an outstandingly clear or typical example or archetype
Manifesto
If other writers are impressed with his recipe they form a school, and perhaps issue a manifesto
a public declaration of intentions, motives, or views: a public statement of policy or opinion
Debauchery (di-ˈbȯ-chə-rē)
Nights of riotous debauchery
excessive indulgence of sexual desire: orgies
Albeit (ôlˈbē-it)
Destined to pass his fortieth year before fame saluted him—albeit his was a special genius — Fashion Digest
even though; although
Carom
The car caromed off the guardrail into the ditch
1. A collision followed by a rebound. 2. A shot in billiards in which the cue ball successively strikes two other balls
Lemming
any of various short-tailed furry-footed rodents of circumpolar distribution
Wolf-whistle
A whistle with a rising and falling pitch, directed toward someone to express sexual attraction or admiration
Zoloft (or Sertraline)
a prescription drug that treats depression, OCD, PTSD, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), and panic disorder.
Mainour (MEY-ner)
Caught the thief, with the mainour, hey?
a stolen article found on the person of or near the thief
Whitewash
“While it's still police investigating police, and a whitewash is possible, this is clearly a positive development.”
To conceal or gloss over (wrongdoing, for example)
Nuque (nook)
She wore a figured lawn, cut a little low in the back,that exposed a round, soft nuque with a few littleclinging circlets of soft, brown hair.
the back of the neck
Heartstring
Thou touchest my inmost centre, boy; thou art tied to me by cords woven of my heart-strings.
the deepest emotions or affections — usually used in plural
Intemperate (in-TEM-puh-rut)
The journalist eventually apologized for her intemperate rant against the governor.
1: not moderate or mild:severe 2: lacking or showing lack of restraint 3: given to excessive use of alcoholic beverages
Obnubilate (ob-NOO-buh-leyt)
...their trunks were black and knobbly, whilst their branches buckled over as a roof to meet a brickplane and obnubilate a view of the stars.
to cloud over; becloud; obscure.
Espouse (ih-SPOWZ)
The new theory has been espoused by many leading physicists.
1: marry 2: to take up and support as a cause: become attached to
Paraph (PAR-uhf)
The manuscript's most tantalizing feature is a scribal paraph with the initials IB at the end of certain sonnets..
a flourish made after a signature, as in a document, originally as a precaution against forgery
Clamant (kLAY-munt)
Clamant students gathered outside the college president's office, protesting the denial of tenure for the popular professor.
Very good; here is the money. Now make me out aquittance , signed.
1. recompense or requital 2. discharge from a debt or obligation 3. a document certifying discharge from debt or obligation, as a receipt.
Inseminate (inˈseməˌnāt)
Introduce semen into (a woman or a female animal) by natural or artificial means
Recant
In the circumstances, Mr Badby, I feel that I can offeryou a pension in return for your decision to recant.
1. to withdraw or disavow (a statement, opinion, etc.), especially formally; retract. 2. to withdraw or disavow a statement, opinion, etc., especially formally.
Pontificate
Did he pontificate about the responsibilities of a good citizen?
to speak in a pompous or dogmatic manner
Credence
To give credence to a claim.
belief as to the truth of something
Innocuous
An innocuous home remedy
1. not harmful or injurious; harmless 2. not likely to irritate or offend; inoffensive; an innocuous remark.
Satrap (SEY-trap)
I govern this land for my brother, and as his satrap it is my duty to know much of the neighboring lands.
1. a subordinate ruler, often a despotic one 2. a governor of a province under the ancient Persian monarchy.
White Elephant
The town's white elephant is the run-down but historic theater, which has been closed for several years but still requires thousands of dollars in maintenance costs.
a property requiring much care and expense and yielding little profit
Pacifist
Their pacifist principles are about all they hadleft.
a person who believes in pacifism or is opposed to war or to violence of any kind.
Grasshopper
a sweet, mint-flavored, after-dinner drink. A "Vodka" or "Flying" Grasshopper substitutes vodka for fresh cream, while a "Brown Grasshopper" additionally contains coffee.
Shoehorn
Shoehorned irrelevant arguments into his essay
to force to be included or admitted
Carte Blanche [kahrt blanch]
We gave the decorator carte blanche to furnish the house.
full discretionary power
Tensile
Claire's tensile features pull themselves tight with glee.
1. capable of being stretched or drawn out; ductile. 2. of or pertaining to tension
Referendum
the principle or practice of referring measures proposed or passed by a legislative body to the vote of the electorate for approval or rejection.
Trousseau (TROO-soh)
“The trousseau is another feminine custom that has practically fallen into disuse.”
the personal possessions of a bride usually including clothes, accessories, and household linens and wares
Bodega
1. A small grocery store, sometimes combined with a wineshop, in certain Hispanic communities. 2. A warehouse for the storage of wine.
Smidgen
A smidgen of jam for your toast
a very small amount
Smitten
1. struck, as with a hard blow 2. grievously or disastrously stricken or afflicted 3. very much in love.
ilk
He and all his ilk.
family, class, or kind
Ancillary
Slides, records, and other ancillaries can be used with thebasic textbook.
1. subordinate; subsidiary 2. auxiliary; assisting 3. something that serves in an ancillary capacity
Addendum
An item of additional material, typically omissions, added at the end of a book or other publication.
Klingon Language
the constructed language spoken by the fictional Klingons in the Star Trek universe.
Cumbersome
1. Difficult to handle because of weight or bulk. 2. Troublesome or onerous.
Kama Sutra
“You can of course store all kinds of books in there, but maybe a version of the ‘Kamasutra’ would go perfectly with all the sexiness in the air.”
A Sanskrit treatise setting forth rules for sensuous and sensual pleasure, love, and marriage in accordance with Hindu law.
Chicken Skin
Where's that cold draft coming from, it's givin' me chicken skin!
Ones skin resembles that of a plucked chicken, can be caused by drops in temperature or emotional excitement; syn. Goose Bumps
Bowdlerize [bohd-luh-rahyz]
"A bowdlerized version of the story"
Remove material that is considered improper or offensive from (a text or account), esp. with the result that it becomes weaker or less...
Umber
"Sir," said Gouvernail, "see ye him not? I weenedthat ye had seen him, for yonder he hoveth under theumber of his ships, on horseback with his spear inhis hand and his shield upon his shoulder.
shade; shadow
Constituents
A member of a constituency.
Parsimonious
Unwilling to spend money or use resources; stingy or frugal.
A snipe hunt (or Wild-Goose Chase)
A prank in which a gullible victim is sent off on a fruitless search for a nonexistent item.
Sandbag
Sandbagged the pool player by playing poorly in the first game when stakes were low
To downplay or misrepresent one's ability in a game or activity in order to deceive (someone), especially in gambling
Lobotomized
"couples were lobotomized by the birth of their children"
Reduce the mental or emotional capacity or ability to function of
Archdeacon
an ecclesiastic, ranking next below a bishop and having charge of the temporal and externaladministration of a diocese, with jurisdiction delegated from the bishop.
Callithump
A somewhat riotous parade, accompanied with the blowing of tin horns, and other discordant noises;
Charivari
A cacophonous mock serenade, typically performed by a group of people in derision of an unpopular person or in celebration of a marriage.
Cacophony (-ous, -nies)
"as cacophonous as a henyard"
an unpleasant sound; harsh or discordant sound 2. harshness in the sound of words or phrases
Burlesque
The antics of the defense attorneys turned the trial into a burlesque of justice.
A literary or dramatic work that ridicules a subject either by presenting a solemn subject in an undignified style or an inconsequential subject in a dignified style
Serenade
a complimentary vocal or instrumental performance; especially one given outdoors at night for a woman being courted
Gluconic acid
a colorless, water-soluble acid, C 6 H 12 O 7 , obtained by the oxidation of glucose, used commercially ina 50-percent solution for cleaning metals.
Hellcat
a bad-tempered, spiteful, woman; shrew.
Aerobiosis
life in an environment containing oxygen or air
Escritoire (eskriˈtwär)
A small writing desk with drawers and compartments
Bronzer
cosmetic ointment used to give the skin a tanned look.
Flat Sennit
a rope made of three or more yarns or strands plaited together.
Recuse [ri-kyooz]
to reject or challenge (a judge or juror) as disqualified to act, especially because of interest or bias.
Trifurcate
to divide into three forks or branches.
Apropos
I went up to New York last weekend; apropos, have you seen your New York cousins lately?
1. at an opportune time 2. by way of interjection or further comment : with regard to the present topic
Mea Culpa
a Latin phrase that translates into English as "my mistake" or "my fault".
Dynamo
an energetic, hardworking, forceful person.
Litigate
It's outrageous that he's trying to litigate insecret.
1. to make the subject of a lawsuit; contest at law 2. to dispute (a point, assertion, etc.) 3. to carry on a lawsuit.
Mitigate
To mitigate a punishment.
to make less severe
Miscellany
Instead, we've got a varied catalogue of interest-piquing miscellany on our hands.
a miscellaneous collection or group of various or somewhat unrelated items.
Varia
miscellaneous items, especially a miscellany of literary works
Paean
any song of praise, joy, or triumph.
Diocese [dahy-uh-sis]
This is usually a prestigious diocese with an important place in local church history
an ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
Ecclesiastical [ih-klee-zee-as-ti-kuhl]
They are expected to perform their ecclesiastical duties on top of career...
of or pertaining to the church or the clergy; churchly; clerical; not secular.
Clergy
In many movies, piety is for wimps, and theclergy are depicted as oafs and ...
the group or body of ordained persons in a religion, as distinguished from the laity.
Concordat
"Do hurry and proclaim the concordat. Then castrate yourselves to keep from sinning."
an agreement or compact, especially an official one.
Castrate
Time to castrate such pseudo scientists and lookthe truth straight in the eyes.
to remove the testes of; emasculate; geld.
Apophysis
an outgrowth; process; projection or protuberance.
Red Army
the Soviet army
Immunogen
any substance or cell introduced into the body in order to generate an immune response.
Supposititious
1. fraudulently substituted or pretended; spurious; not genuine.
Kingmaker
She might not be a kingmaker but she carries alot of influence.
a person who has great power and influence in the choice of a ruler, candidate for public office, businessleader, or the like.
Infarct
Whether the low oxygen in the brain is fromstroke, and the memory loss is from multi- infarct dementia is irrelevant.
a localized area of tissue, as in the heart or kidney, that is dying or dead, having been deprived of itsblood supply because of an obstruction by embolism or thrombosis.
Grandfather Clause
Surprisingly, the changes signed last month establishing the tuition cap failed to include a grandfather clause.
any legal provision that exempts a business, class of persons, etc., from a new government regulation that would affect prior rights and privileges.
Dotard
“Valhar was growing old now but was far from in his dotard.”
a person, especially an old person, exhibiting a decline in mental faculties; a weak-minded or foolish old person.
Tortillon
Demonstrate how to create different values by using a drawing pencil or a piece of charcoal and a tortillon .
a stump made of paper twisted to a point, used in drawing.
Bubonocele
an inguinal hernia, especially one in which the protrusion of the intestine is limited to the region of the groin.
Situs
Situs of an inflammation
the place where something exists or originates; specifically: the place where something (as a right) is held to be located in law
Sciatic
The pain has recently proceeded down my back to the lower back and sciatic pain.
of, pertaining to, situated near, or affecting the ischium or back of the hip.
Teledu
a small, dark-brown, badgerlike mammal, having a white stripe down the back, and ejecting a foul-smelling secretion when alarmed
Osteoid
resembling bone; bonelike.
Dyad (-ic)
For promotion and tenure, mentoring is essential,but the dyad need not always be a senior scholartutoring a junior one.
a group of two; couple; pair.
Cytoclasis
destruction of cells
Auslaut
final position in a word, esp. as a conditioning environment in sound change.
Cancel (so's) Christmas
If he keeps bugging me, I'm gonna cancel his Christmas.
to kill someone; to destroy someone.
Whipsaw
Wage earners were whipsawed by inflation and high taxes
to beset or victimize in two opposite ways at once, by a two-phase operation, or by the collusive action of two opponents
Dingleberry
1. A piece of dried feces caught in the hair around the anus 2. An incompetent, foolish, or stupid person
Cherry Picker
In sports, someone who prefers to take only easy shots.
Pay the Piper
You can put off paying your debts only so long. Eventually you'll have to pay the piper. You can't get away with that forever. You'll have to pay the piper someday
to face the results of one's actions; to receive punishment for something.
Xeric (zir-ik)
A xeric habitat
characterized by, relating to, or requiring only a small amount of moisture
Figurine
His collection of figurines includes toy soldiers from every war that America has fought
a small carved or molded figure: statuette
Statuette
Won a gold-plated statuette as the prize
a small statue: figurine
Shaman (-ic)
a priest or priestess who uses magic for the purpose of curing the sick, divining the hidden, and controlling events
Gidget
Sally is just a blonde gidget without a care in the world.
a silly-acting female; a ditzy dame
Cajole (-ed, -ing) [kuh-johl]
to persuade by flattery or promises
Soft-soaper
A soft-soaper specializing in rich, elderly women.
a person who flatters or cajoles, especially for reasons of self-interest or personal advantage
Palaver
There has to be a grand palaver before anything serious is attempted.
a conference or discussion
Hokum
Such miracles, in this day and age, bespeak ahokum beyond the reach of art.
out-and-out nonsense
Bunkum
Pure bunkum aimed mainly at their currentbelievers so they can feel credible.
insincere speechmaking by a politician intended merely to please local constituents
Claptrap
His speeches seem erudite but analysis reveals them to be mere claptrap.
pretentious but insincere or empty language
Humbug
To blame the weir for environmental destruction which has already occurred is political humbug.
1. something intended to delude or deceive 2. the quality of falseness or deception.
Heater
(Poker) A series of events in a game of chance, all with a positive outcome for the player and occurring within a concise time frame.
Idiopathic
The doctor came to conclusion that her disease was idiopathic
1: arising spontaneously or from an obscure or unknown cause 2: peculiar to the individual
Robust
A robust debate
having or exhibiting strength or vigorous health
Quip
They traded quips over a beer.
a witty or funny observation or response usually made on the spur of the moment
Quibble
He spent the entire evening quibbling about the historical inaccuracies in the television series on World War II
to evade the point of an argument by caviling about words
Cavil (-er) (ka-vəl)
A customer caviled about the price.
to raise trivial and frivolous objection
Plight
The plight of poor children
Plight his troth
Noun-A dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation. Verb-Pledge or promise solemnly.
Pugilism
Long fascinated by the art and science of pugilism, Shane has collected biographies of noted boxers such as Muhammad Ali, Jack Dempsey, and Sonny Liston.
boxing
"86"
86 the dressing on the salad
refusing service or getting rid of something.
A soft launch (soft opening)
the release of a website, hotel, or other product or service to a limited audience.
Sabbatical Leave
An archeology professor takes a semester off to go on a dig.
a time period in which a person does not report to his regular job but who remains employed with that company.
Yare
Coarse textured soils have lower field capacity since the yare high in large pores subject to free drainage.
quick; agile; lively.
Boisterous
A large and boisterous crowd attended the concert.
Noisy, energetic, and cheerful; rowdy
Rite of Passage
Suddenly, the disagreements and teenage tantrums are forgotten as families support the next generation through this right of passage
A ritual or ceremony signifying an event in a person's life indicative of a transition from one stage to another, as from adolescence to adulthood.
Malaise
The symptoms include headache, malaise, and fatigue.
an indefinite feeling of debility or lack of health often indicative of or accompanying the onset of an illness
Lyonnaise
Lyonnaise potatoes
prepared with onions
Polonaise
1. A stately, marchlike Polish dance, primarily a promenade by couples. 2. A woman's dress of the 18th century
Promenade
They went for a promenade around town.
a leisurely walk or ride especially in a public place for pleasure or display
Iniquitous (-ity)
The only power that has actually used these iniquitous weapons is determined to preserve its hegemony by them
injustice or wickedness; wicked; sinful.
A priori
Acceptance or rejection of his ideas is dependent on his readers' a priori subjective beliefs.
known to be true independently of or in advance of experience of the subject matter; requiring no evidence for its validation or support
A Posteriori
An a posteriori argument that derives the theory from the evidence.
from particular instances to a general principle or law; based upon actual observation or upon experimental data
Hegemony
Western hegemony was one of the great asymmetries of world history.
leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others, as in a confederation.
Zephyr (-ean) [zef-er]
a gentle, mild breeze.
Tchotchke (CHAHCH-kuh)
Upon returning home from his trip to Maine, Jerry ceremoniously placed his new ceramic lobster next to the other tchotchkes on his mantelpiece.
knickknack, trinket
Porcelain (pȯr-s(ə-)lən)
The bowl is made of porcelain.
A hard, white, translucent ceramic made by firing a pure clay and then glazing it with variously colored fusible materials; china.
Knickknack
A variety of pretty porcelain knickknacks adorned the mantel
a small trivial article usually intended for ornament
Trinket
The top of his desk was littered with trinkets that were collected as souvenirs from various vacations
1: a small ornament (as a jewel or ring) 2: a small article of equipment 3: a thing of little value : trifle
Mantel (or Mantelpiece)
An ornamental facing around a fireplace.
Emeritus
An emeritus professor
one retired from professional life but permitted to retain as an honorary title the rank of the last office held
Parlay
Parlayed some small investments into a large fortune.n.
the fresh risking of an original stake together with its winnings
Bona fide
A bona fide offer to buy a farm
made in good faith without fraud or deceit
Camaraderie
There is great camaraderie among the teammates.
a spirit of friendly good-fellowship
Holism (-tic)
"Holistic theory has been applied to ecology and language and mental states"
the theory that the parts of any whole cannot exist and cannot be understood except in their relation to the whole; "holism holds that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts";
Pejorative
The reviewer used the pejorative word “versifier” to refer to the writer, whose poems had struck a responsive chord with the general public
having negative connotations; especially: tending to disparage or belittle
Moratorium
a legally authorized period of delay in the performance of a legal obligation or the payment of a debt
Dowager
The estate is owned by a wealthy dowager.
a widow holding property or a title from her deceased husband 2: a dignified elderly woman
Grok
The eternal struggle of the human race to grok its place in the grand scheme of the universe
to understand profoundly and intuitively
Coroner
The coroner examined the body but found no evidence of foul play.
a usually elected public officer whose principal duty is to inquire by an inquest into the cause of any death which there is reason to suppose is not due to natural causes
Plantagenet
The Plantagenet kings
of or relating to a royal house ruling England from 1154 to 1485
Infernal
An infernal nuisance
of or relating to hell
Fascism (-ist)
Early instances of army fascism and brutality — J. W. Aldridge
a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control
Milquetoast (milk-ˌtōst)
A milquetoast who's afraid to ask for a raise.
a timid, meek, or unassertive person
Glamour–puss
a glamorously attractive person
Ziggurat
The social structure of our summer world was as fixed and hard of climbing as a ziggurat.
A temple tower of the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians, having the form ofterraced pyramid of successively receding stories.
Mulligan
a free shot sometimes given a golfer in informal play when the previous shot was poorly played; a do-over
Epiglottis
A flap of cartilage at the root of the tongue, which is depressed during swallowing to cover the opening of the windpipe.
We moved to the leeward side of the ship so that we wouldn't have the wind in our faces
being in or facing the direction toward which the wind is blowing; being the side opposite the windward
Reconnaissance
There are two helicopters available for reconnaissance.
a preliminary survey to gain information; especially: an exploratory military survey of enemy territory
Systemic
The company made some systemic changes to the way it operated.
relating to, or common to a system: affecting the body generally
Tantalize
He was tantalized by the possibility of earning a lot of money quickly.
to tease or torment by or as if by presenting something desirable to the view but continually keeping it out of reach intransitive verb
Unison
The members of the committee are in unison on this point
in perfect agreement; at the same time
Reconnoiter
An expedition reconnoitered the coast to find out the exact location of enemy forces.
(verb) to make a reconnaissance of: to engage in reconnaissance
Clepsydra (KLEP-suh-druh)
The ancient Greeks were known to time political speeches with aclepsydra; when the water was gone, the oration was over.
an instrument designed to measure time by the fall or flow of a quantity of water : water clock
Mazuma
...and I want mazuma , gelt, coin, rocks, or whathave you!
money
Wanton [won-tn]
Why jeopardize yourcareer in such a wanton way?
1. done, shown, used, etc., maliciously or unjustifiably .2. deliberate and without motive or provocation; uncalled-for; headstrong; willful:
Thimblerig (THIM-bul-rig)
The appraiser looked closely at the painting and then reluctantly told us that we had been thimblerigged into buying a worthless copy.
to cheat by trickery
Col·on·nade [kol-uh-neyd]
The memorial is a curving colonnade , flanked atthe ends by a chapel and a map
a series of regularly spaced columns supporting an entablature and usually one side of a roof.
Lewd [lood]
Although some use the application to facilitate casual hook-ups, no lewd language or photos are allowed.
inclined to, characterized by, or inciting to lust or lechery; lascivious.
En·tab·la·ture [en-tab-luh-cher, -choor]
The entablature runs around the four sides of thebuilding.
the entire construction of a classical temple or the like between the columns and the eaves, usually composed of an architrave, a frieze, and a cornice.
Panophobia
She didn't want to do anything as if she had panophobia
a fear of everything
Phobophobia
Fear nothing but fear itself it's seems like phobophobia
a fear of phobias
Chirophobia
He didn't want to hold hands in public as if he had chirophobia
a fear of hands
Ombrophobia
Always remember to take your umbrella if you're ombrophobic
a fear of rain or of being rained upon
Ecophobia
I don't have ecophobia. I just want to go out for the night
the fear of one's home
Kenophobia
She buys furniture like she has kenophobia
has everything to do with voids or empty spaces
Cacophobia
The make up on her face makes her come off as a victim of cacophobia
a fear of ugliness
Catagelophobia
The catagelophobia she is showing will probably wear off as she gets older
the fear of being ridiculed
Agoraphobia
We can hardly go anywhere because of his agoraphobia
an irrational and often disabling fear of being out in public.
Androphobia
Her dating life would suggest she has androphobia
an abnormal and irrational fear of men
Ancraophobia
He told us to keep the doors close like he had ancraophobia
the fear of wind/afraid of the wind and fear of drafts
Tris·kai·dek·a·pho·bi·a
The way teenagers are nowadays, when my girl turn 12, I'll start to develop triskaidekaphobia
An abnormal fear of the number 13.
Gamophobia
He plays the field so much you'd think he has gamophobia
fear of marriage
Gynophobia
His shyness around women suggests he has gynophobia
fear of women
Athazagoraphobia
She does so much attention seeking actions that she must have athazagoraphobia
the fear of being forgotten or ignored
Caligynephobia (or Venustraphobia)
The girl he likes gives him caligynephobia
Fear of beautiful women
Anamoly
Her C grade is an anomaly, as she's never made anything except A's and B's before
deviation from the common rule
Silhouttes
The silhouettes of buildings against the sky
Outline image or design in a single solid, flat colour, giving the appearance of a shadow cast by a solid figure
Bon Voyage
The crowd waved bon voyage as the ship left the dock.
Used to express good wishes to someone about to go on a journey.
Chicanery
He wasn't above using chicanery to win votes.
deception by artful subterfuge or sophistry: trickery
Chasm (ka-zəm)
A chasm in the ocean floor
a deep cleft in the surface of a planet (as the earth)
Ploughman's Lunch
A light meal of cheese, pickled onions (or pickle), and a bread roll; especially one served in a pub at lunchtime.
Panoptic
A panoptic stain used in microscopy; a panoptic aerial photograph of an enemy missile base.
permitting the viewing of all parts or elements
Pigeonhole
“So when they came to label the pigeonhole in the mailroom where letters are placed for the newest member of the Obama family, they settled on the word "Dog".”
To classify mentally; categorize
Diabolic
But to accomplish this work, which we may also calldiabolic, isn't an androgynous genius necessary?”
Showing wickedness typical of a devil.
Dissidence
Summers’ cognitive dissidence is too much cognitive dissonance for Obama fans to deal with so they’re just trying to not remember it.
Disagreement, as of opinion or belief; dissent.
Lucullan
I accept this Lucullan offering as a true compliment, and am not repelled by my host's proud description, but these reactions are contradictory.
Lavish; luxurious
Intramolecular
For these proton transfers to have been intramolecular, they would both have come from the same face of the enediol intermediates
Being or occurring within a molecule.
Fecund
When those selected Tweets can then be cross-referenced with other sets of data from outside Twitter - that's when the word fecund starts feeling inadequate.
Capable of producing offspring or vegetation; fruitful.
Connate
Nor is it motion that impels us toward the past in quest of the elusive origin "connate" with poetry
Existing at birth or from the beginning; inborn or inherent.
Brummagem buttons
Small, nipple-like tufts sown to brassiere cups to give the outer garment the impression of bulging nipples.
To cross or pass the Rubicon
Our entry into the war made us cross the Rubicon and abandon isolationism forever.
to take a decisive, irrevocable step
Bi·be·lot (bib-loh)
Practically every horizontal surface in the Victorian parlor was blanketed with fussy little bibelots
a small object of curiosity, beauty, or rarity: trinket
Bal·a·cla·va [bal-uh-klah-vuh]
It's so cold out we may need a balaclava
a close-fitting, knitted cap that covers the head, neck, and tops of the shoulders, worn especially by mountain climbers, soldiers, skiers
Cherchez la femme (sher-shā-lä-fȧm)
a French phrase which literally means "look for the woman." The implication is that a man behaves out of character or in an otherwise inexplicable manner because he is trying to cover up an affair with a woman, or trying to impress or gain favor with a woman.
Ser·pen·tine
A serpentine road
1. winding or turning one way and another 2. a mineral or rock having a dull green color and often a mottled appearance
Pre·cep·tor [pri-sep-ter, pree-sep-]
They were my preceptor and guide into some altered consciousness of reality, some different republic, some liberated republic.
an instructor; teacher; tutor.
In·ter·ro·bang
a punctuation mark ‽ designed for use especially at the end of an exclamatory rhetorical question
Par·a·prax·is [par-uh-prak-sis]
a slip of the tongue or pen, forgetfulness, misplacement of objects, or other error thought to reveal unconscious wishes or attitudes.
La·ment [luh-ment]
To lament his absence
to feel or express sorrow or regret for
Vaude·ville [vawd-vil]
These performances consist of vaudeville-style entertainment.
theatrical entertainment consisting of a number of individual performances, acts, or mixed numbers, as by comedians, singers, dancers, acrobats, and magicians.
Dol·drums [dohl-druhmz]
August is a time of doldrums for many enterprises.
a state of inactivity or stagnation, as in business or art
Trog·lo·dyte
The troglodytes who believed that women had no place in the military, except perhaps as nurses
a person characterized by reclusive habits or outmoded or reactionary attitudes; live in a cave
Freudian Slip
He meant to say “I'm glad you're here,” but what came out was a Freudian slip: “I'm mad you're here.”
a slip of the tongue that is motivated by and reveals some unconscious aspect of the mind
Bezoar
a ball of swallowed foreign material (usually hair or fiber) that collects in the stomach and fails to pass through the intestines
Tour·ni·quet
a device (as a band of rubber) that checks bleeding or blood flow by compressing blood vessels
Go·bo
a dark strip (as of wallboard) to shield a motion-picture or television camera from light
Quin·cunx
an arrangement of five things in a square or rectangle with one at each corner and one in the middle
Ninnyhammer
He's too much of a ninnyhammer to talk sense into
a foolish person; a simpleton.
Slum·gul·lion
The soup kitchen serve slumguillion
a meat stew
Doo·hick·ey
Screw in the doohickey at the top of the lamp shade
an object or device whose name you do not know or have forgotten
En·do·mor·phic
having a heavy rounded body build often with a marked tendency to become overweight
Me·so·mor·phic
having a husky muscular body build
Ec·to·mor·phic
having a light body build
Allusion
The book's frequent literary allusions and high-flown turns of phrase made its narrative difficult to follow.
an implied or indirect reference especially in literature
Jet·ty
Didn't see any passengers waiting for the ferry, so the captain sailed past the jetty
a structure extended into a sea, lake, or river to influence the current or tide or to protect a harborb
Ver·nac·u·lar [ver-nak-yuh-ler, vuh-nak-]
A vernacular poem.
using a language or dialect native to a region or country rather than a literary, cultured, or foreign language
Syntax
He has a superlative use of syntax
the study of the rules for the formation of grammatical sentences in a language.
Pseu·do·nym [sood-n-im]
The present is the past traveling under a pseudonym.
a fictitious name used by an author to conceal his or her identity; pen name
Muse [myooz]
to think or meditate in silence, as on some subject.
Hornswoggle
I think we've been hornswoggled by that carnival barker.
to confuse, frustrate, or throw off thoroughly or completely; bamboozle
Fletch·er·ize [flech-uh-rahyz]
Fletcherize your food so you don't choke
to chew (food) slowly and thoroughly.
Her·o·ine [her-oh-in]
a woman of distinguished courage or ability, admired for her brave deeds and noble qualities.
Ar·che·type [ahr-ki-tahyp]
the original pattern or model from which all things of the same kind are copied or on which they are based; a model or first form; prototype
An·tith·e·sis
The antithesis of right and wrong
opposition; contrast
Ep·i·thet [ep-uh-thet]
“Richard the Lion-Hearted” is an epithet of Richard I.
any word or phrase applied to a person or thing to describe an actual or attributed quality
El·e·gy [el-i-jee]
His elegy on Oakes reaches a length of over fourhundred lines
a mournful, melancholy, or plaintive poem, especially a funeral song or a lament for the dead.
Farce [fahrs]
If you are not sold on this farce, you must go to aretraining camp.
a light, humorous play in which the plot depends upon a skillfully exploited situation rather thanupon the development of character.
Am·bi·gu·i·ty (-ous) [am-bi-gyoo-i-tee]
Around me, they feel no need to cower in cornersfaced with the ambiguity,...
doubtfulness or uncertainty of meaning or intention
In·nu·en·do [in-yoo-en-doh]
Some people have a resistance to innuendo andto rumor, and some people have...
an indirect intimation about a person or thing, especially of a disparaging or a derogatory nature.
Syn·ec·do·che [si-nek-duh-kee]
Cleveland won by six runs (meaning “Cleveland's baseball team”)
a figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or the whole for a part
Perspicacious (pur-spi-key-shuh?s)
having keen mental perception and understanding
Phlegmatic (fleg-mat-ik)
self-possessed, calm, or composed
Uproarious (uhp-rawr-ee-uh?s)
very funny, as a person or situation
Perpend (pur-puh?nd)
To consider; to deliberate.
Adumbrate (a-duhm-breyt)
To foreshadow; prefigure.
Catachresis (kat-uh-kree-sis)
Misuse or strained use of words, as in a mixed metaphor, occurring either in error or for rhetorical effect
Roman-fleuve (raw-mahn-flev)
a novel in the form of a long usually easygoing chronicle of a social group (as a family or a community); a saga
Inveigh (in-vey)
To protest strongly or attack vehemently with words; rail (usually followed by against).
Anacoenosis (an-uh-si-noh-sis)
A figure of speech in which an appeal is made to one's listeners or opponents for their opinion or judgment as to the subject under discussion
Paralipsis (par-uh-lip-sis)
“I confine to this page the volume of his treacheries and debaucheries”
a passing over with brief mention in order to emphasize rhetorically the suggestiveness of what is omitted
Ana (an-uh)
A collection of miscellaneous information about a particular subject or thing, or an item in such a collection, as an anecdote, a memorable saying, etc
Exiguous (ig-zig-yoo-uh?s)
Scanty; meager; small.
Fugacious (fyoo-gey-shuh?s)
Savor the fugacious pleasures of life as intensely as the more enduring ones
lasting a short time
Altiloquent (awl-til-uh-kwuh?nt)
High-flown or pretentious
Tautology (taw-tol-uh-jee)
Needless repetition of an idea, especially in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness
Auteur (ō-ˈtər)
an artist (as a musician or writer) whose style and practice are distinctive
Indite (in-DAHYT)
1. to compose or write, as a poem 2. to dictate.
Millstone
A millstone around one's neck
any heavy mental or emotional burden
Stand-your-ground law
a person may justifiably use force in self-defense when there is reasonable belief of an unlawful threat, without an obligation to retreat first.
Cancan
Is it mere coincidence that the most representative Parisian dance is called the cancan
An exuberant dance that originated in France, performed by women and marked by high kicking.
Seneschal
He was ushered by Benoit, the elderly body-servant, rather grandiloquently called the seneschal, into the ground-floor room known traditionally as the library
An official in a medieval noble household in charge of domestic arrangements and the administration of servants; a steward or major-domo.
Chan·te·relle
a fragrant edible mushroom (Cantharellus cibarius) usually having a yellow to orange color
Ish·ma·el·ite
a descendant of Ishmael; outcast
Battledore
An early form of badminton played with a flat wooden paddle and a shuttlecock.
Wisdom of the Crowd
the process of taking into account the collective opinion of a group of individuals rather than a single expert to answer a question
Bacchanalia
His love affair with “Catty, Katsch, mon admirable Kathi” had about it an artificial, almost a literary, quality; even his Bacchanalia was a masquerade
1. The ancient Roman festival in honor of Bacchus. 2. A riotous, boisterous, or drunken festivity; a revel.
Revel
Reveled in the quiet after everyone had gone
to take intense pleasure or satisfaction
Carouse
The Old West custom of heading to the saloon at night for an all-out carouse and some poker playing
(Verb) Drink plentiful amounts of alcohol and enjoy oneself with others in a noisy, lively way
(Noun) A noisy, lively drinking party.
Won
A paper money and monetary unit of North and South Korea.
Gourde (goord, goo?rd)
A paper money and monetary unit of Haiti.
Rupee (roo-pee, roo-pee)
A cupronickel coin and monetary unit of India, Nepal, and Pakistan
Pound
A coin and monetary unit of England.
Zloty (zlaw-tee)
An aluminum coin and monetary unit of Poland.
Baht
A paper money and monetary unit of Thailand.
Kroner
A cupronickel coin and monetary unit of Denmark and Norway.
Lari (lahr-ee)
An aluminum coin and monetary unit of the Maldives.
Euro (yoo?r-oh, yur-)
The official common currency of 12 European Union nations.
Shilling (shil-ing)
The monetary unit of Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Leu (le-oo)
A coin and monetary unit of Romania.
Yen
An aluminum coin and monetary unit of Japan.
Dirham (dir-ham, dih-ram, dir-uh?m)
A money of account of Iraq
Riel (reel, ree-el)
A paper money and monetary unit of Cambodia.
Dinar (dih-nahr)
Any of various former coins of the Near East, esp. gold coins issued by Islamic governments.
Peso (pey-soh, pe-saw)
A coin and monetary unit of Chile, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Mexico, and the Philippines.
Ruble (roo-buh?l)
A silver or copper-alloy coin and monetary unit of Russia and its successor states.
Yuan (yoo-ahn, yyahn)
A copper coin of the Republic of China.
Dong (dawng, dong)
The basic monetary unit of Vietnam; replaced the southern piaster and the northern dong in 1978
Production Line
An arrangement of machines or sequence of human operations involved with a single manufacturing operation or production process.
Vertical Integration
The integration within one company of individual businesses working separately in related phases of the production and sale of a product
Mass Production
The production or manufacture of goods in large quantities, especially by machinery.
Unit Cost
The cost of a specified unit of a product or service. Mass production lowered the unit cost of goods
Mechanization
To introduce machinery into (an industry, enterprise, etc.), especially in order to replace manual labor.
Henry Ford
U.S. automobile manufacturer; popularizes mass production at his auto plant.
Model T
An automobile with a 2.9-liter, 4-cylinder engine, produced by the Ford Motor Company from 1909 through 1927, considered to be the first motor vehicle successfully mass-produced on an assembly line
Productivity
Having the power of producing; generative; creative.
Manufacturing
The making of goods or wares by manual labor or by machinery, especially on a large scale.
Overproduction
Excessive production production in excess of need or stipulated amount.
Factory
A building or group of buildings with facilities for the manufacture of goods.
Assembly Line
An arrangement of machines, tools, and workers in which a product is assembled by having each perform a specific, successive operation on an incomplete unit as it passes by in a series of stages organized in a direct line
Ford River Rouge
A Ford Motor Company automobile factory complex located in Dearborn, Michigan, along the Rouge River, built with the idea of making the company's own iron and steel in the same factory as parts and car assembly.
Infrastructure
The basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organization.
Conveyor Belt
An endless belt or chain, set of rollers, etc., for carrying materials or objects short distances, as from one part of a building to another
Assembly
The putting together of complex machinery, as airplanes, from interchangeable parts of standard dimensions
Consumerism
The concept that an ever-expanding consumption of goods is advantageous to the economy; the fact or practice of an increasing consumption of goods.
Sa·ni·es [sey-nee-eez]
a thin, often greenish, serous fluid that is discharged from ulcers, wounds, etc.
Alphanumeric
a set of characters including letters, numbers, and special characters such as punctuation marks
Stand-alone
self-contained and able to operate without other hardware or software
Pseudo-code [soo-doh-kohd]
a program code unrelated to the hardware of a computer and requiring conversion to the code used by the computer before the program can be used
Delimiter
a blank space, comma, or other character or symbol that indicates the beginning or end of a character string, word, or data item
Sysop (sisˌäp)
a person who operates a computer bulletin board; a system operator
GIGO (giˌgō)
a rule of thumb stating that when faulty data are fed into a computer, the information that emerges will also be faulty: garbage in, garbage out
FIFO
a storage and retrieval technique, used mainly for data, in which the first item stored is also the first item retrieved
Motherboard
a rigid, slotted board upon which other boards that contain the basic circuitry of a computer or of a computer component can be mounted
Spambot
a bot that searches the Internet for e-mail addresses in order to send spam
Mainframe
a large computer, often the hub of a system serving many users
Local Area Network (LAN)
a system for linking a number of terminals with each other or a mainframe computer in order to share data, etc., usually confined to one office
Vaporware
a product or software, that is promoted or marketed while it is still in development and that may never be produced
Adversary
a person, group, or force that opposes or attacks; opponent; enemy; foe.
Braggarts
a person who does a lot of bragging.
Dismal
causing gloom or dejection; gloomy; dreary; cheerless; melancholy.
Knave (neyv)
unprincipled, untrustworthy, or dishonest person
Drudgen (druhj)
a person who does menial, distasteful, dull, or hard work
Rogue (rohg)
a dishonest, knavish person; scoundrel
Scoun·drel (skau̇n-drəl)
a disreputable person: rascal
Barbarous
uncivilized; wild; savage; crude
Fusty
having a stale smell; moldy; musty.
Cozen
to cheat, deceive, or trick
Loathsome
causing feelings of disgust; revolting; repulsive.
Cutpurse
a pickpocket
Decrepit (dih-krep-it)
weakened by old age; feeble; infirm
Libertine (lib-er-teen)
a person who is morally unrestrained, especially a dissolute man; a profligate; rake.
Li·cen·tious (līˈsenSHəs)
Promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual matters.
Ruffian
a tough, lawless person; roughneck; bully.
Pestilent
producing or tending to produce infectious or contagious, often epidemic, disease.
Abhorred
to regard with extreme repugnance or aversion; detest utterly; loathe; abominate.
Re·pug·nant (-ce)
Extremely distasteful; unacceptable.
Loggerhead
a thick-headed or stupid person; blockhead
Carrion
rottenness; anything vile
Coxcomb (käksˌkōm)
A vain and conceited man; a dandy
Meritorious
Mrs. Goodman received the town's Meritorious Service Award for her untiring efforts to keep the library open
worthy of reward, gratitude, honor, or esteem
Satire
the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc
Sardonic
characterized by bitter or scornful derision; mocking; cynical; sneering
Irony
the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning.
Dramatic Irony
irony that is inherent in speeches or a situation of a drama and is understood by the audience but not grasped by the characters in the play.
Schadenfreude (shahd-n-froi-duh)
satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune.
Subtlety
delicacy or nicety of character or meaning.
Ingratiate (in-GREY-shee-eyt)
He ingratiated himself with all the guests.
to establish (oneself) in the favor or good graces of others, especially by deliberate effort (usually followed by with)
Bewitching
to enchant; charm; fascinate
Simpatico
congenial or like-minded; likable
Meticulous
He keeps meticulous count of all the books he's read.
taking or showing extreme care about minute details; precise; thorough
Gossamer (gos-uh-muh-ree)
When she saw the gossamer, her fear of spider started to kick in.
A fine, filmy substance consisting of cobwebs spun by small spiders, which is seen esp. in autumn
Recondite [rek-uhn-dahyt]
A recondite treatise.
dealing with very profound or difficult subject matter
Vehement
The proposal has faced vehement opposition from many teachers
intensely emotional
Gallimaufry
The collection is a gallimaufry of poems, essays, and short stories that have no apparent unifying theme
A confused jumble or medley of things.
Hotch·potch
A mutton stew with mixed vegetables.
Hodge·podge
A confused mixture.
Nictitate (or Nictate)
She nictitated at him
The act of winking
Paramour
And faster than you can say “You've got mail!” he fell hard for his unseen paramour.
an illicit lover
Ri·al·to
Go to the rialto for some milk
exchange, marketplace
Fol·ly
His folly in thinking that he would not be noticed
lack of good sense or normal prudence and foresight
Pie·tà (pē-(ˌ)ā-ˈtä)
a representation of the Virgin Mary mourning over the dead body of Christ
Vitrified
But at the moment, there is no final resting place for these "vitrified" wastes
Converted into glass; hence, by extension, partially converted into glass, as having the exterior converted into a glaze, or having the substance hard aud glassy from exposure to heat: as, vitrified tiles.
Cellarer (se-lər-ər)
The cellarer was a stout man, vulgar in appearance but jolly, white-haired but still strong, small but quick
A person, as in a monastic community, who is responsible for maintaining the supply of food and drink.
Van·guard
A style of jazz that the vanguard quickly recognized as new and exciting
the troops moving at the head of an army
Luminiferous
However, Victorian scientists did think there was something called the luminiferous ether
Generating, yielding, or transmitting light.
Rumba
He retired on his Social Security to fish and golf in Florida and enrolled in rumba classes where he took up with a Cuban divorcée twenty years his junior
A dance of Cuban origin, combining complex footwork with a pronounced movement of the hips
Seraph (ser-əf) The word seraph would better express their heavenly attributes
A six-winged angel; the highest choir or order of angels in Christian angelology, ranked above cherubim, and below God
Cherub (cherubim-plural)
an angel of the second order whose gift is knowledge; usually portrayed as a chubby winged child
Wa·ter·loo
A political waterloo
a decisive or final defeat or setback
Confreres [kon-frair]
Many of the judge's confreres on the Fifth Circuit bench don't feel as she does on the issue
A fellow member of a fraternity or profession; a colleague.
Micturate
Made me laugh and micturate all over my expensive cuban heeled wincklepicker boots
To pass urine; urinate
Litigant
Maclean's is the kind of litigant with the resources to go all the way to the Supreme Court
A party suing or being sued in a lawsuit, or otherwise calling upon the judicial process to determine the outcome of a suit.
Kismet
Thaddeus, the only thing messing with your kismet is your denial of what you truly want.
fate; fortune
Utile
While it might be utile to commute, say, via light rail to work say, within a 30 min. radius, the car allows you to drive a lot further to work
Useful
Devoir (də-ˈvwär) You have done your devoir right well
An act or expression of respect or courtesy; civility
Bedaub
Don't bedaub the spill, it'll only make it bigger
To smear; soil
Intermezzo
The album "Black Tears" was a kind of intermezzo featuring familiar songs next to a few previously unreleased songs
a brief show (music or dance etc) inserted between the sections of a longer performance
Col·lop
A piece of collop in a frying-pan left on the table, and dirty crockery in the sink
a small piece or slice especially of meat
Chastity
And the value of my chastity is one level on which men cannot compete with me
The condition or quality of being pure or chaste; Virginity
Pannier (pan-yer)
To see if I could do with less, I decided to empty my bag and pannier, to see exactly what clutter was weighing me down
A basket carried on a person's back
Ter·ti·ar·y (tərSHēˌerē)
The tertiary stage of the disease
Third in order or level
Chamberlain
an officer in charge of managing a household.
Bursar (bərsər)
(derived from "bursa", Latin for purse) is a senior professional financial administrator in a school or university
Demigods
The demigods of jazz
a person so outstanding as to seem to approach the divine
Bat-Signal
a distress signal device appearing in the various interpretations of the Batman mythos. It is a specially modified Klieg searchlight with a stylized symbol of a bat attached to the light so that it projects a large Bat emblem on the sky or buildings of Gotham City.
Totum Pro Parte
Houston will be in New York this weekend is an example of totum pro parte
is Latin for "the whole for a part"; it refers to a kind of synecdoche. When used in a context of language it means that something is named after something of which it is only a part (or only a limited characteristic, in itself not necessarily representative for the whole)
Imbibe
Propaganda you imbibed in your youth
(Verb) 1. Drink (alcohol) 2. Absorb or assimilate (ideas or knowledge)
Cler·i·hew [kler-uh-hyoo]
I wrote this clerihew about a week ago, but hesitated in posting it
a light verse form, usually consisting of two couplets, with lines of uneven length and irregular meter, thefirst line usually containing the name of a well-known person
Pars Pro Toto
"Wheels" for automobile is an example of pars pro toto
Latin for "a part (taken) for the whole", a figure of speech where the name of a portion of an object or concept represents the entire object or concept.
Hear·say
I pay no attention to hearsay.
unverified, unofficial information gained or acquired from another and not part of one's direct knowledge
Gnomic (NOH-MIC)
The original Japanese editions have gnomic little phrases on their obi strips instead
Expressed in or of the nature of aphorisms (a concise statement of a principle)
Cush Cush
They brought us a plate full of cush-cush.
A dish of cooked cornmeal mush cereal (served with milk or syrup); native to New Orleans
Calabash
The bucket of water was set on the ground, with the upside-down calabash placed on top
a hard shelled gourd that grows on trees in the tropical region of the earth. It can be used as a container
Pas·tiche (paˈstēSH)
His earlier building designs were pastiches based on classical forms.
An artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period
Power Move
Him buying that company is a real power move
impulsive decision designed to put oneself into more beneficial position. Most often associated with or related to relationships or financial matters
Sheisty
What a sheisty thing to do! Can't trust anybody!
unscrupulous in the manner of a shyster (a person who gets along by petty, sharp practices)
Cite
To quote a passage, book or author, especially as an authority
Harangue (huh-rang)
He complied with my request and made a lengthy harangue to his village.
A scolding or a long or intense verbal attack; diatribe.
Eschew (es-choo)
To abstain or keep away from; shun; avoid
Unctuous (uhngk-choo-uh?s)
Excessive piousness or moralistic fervor, especially in an affected manner; excessively smooth, suave, or smug
Obstreperous (uh?b-strep-er-uh?s)
Resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly.
Wizened (wee-zuh?nd)
To wither; shrivel; dry up
Lachrymose (lak-ruh-mohs)
The more lachrymose mourners at the funeral required a steady supply of tissues
(Adjective) Suggestive of or tending to cause tears; mournful.
Tour·ni·quet
a device (as a band of rubber) that checks bleeding or blood flow by compressing blood vessels
Agitprop
Let me just spare you the agitprop and summarize it this way...
propaganda; especially: political propaganda promulgated chiefly in literature, drama, music, or art
Au·tar·ky (ȯ-ˌtär-kē)
Economic autarky would bring about higher interest rates, too, which could impact on the growing national debt across the atlantic
self-sufficiency, independence; specifically: national economic self-sufficiency and independence
He·ge·mo·ny
They discussed the national government's hegemony over their tribal community
the social, cultural, ideological, or economic influence exerted by a dominant group
Bigeminy
The doctor kept him in overnight because of noticing bigeminy tendencies in the patient
the state of having a pulse characterized by two beats close together with a pause following each pair of beats
Gynarchy
“She has, in other words evolved that intricate and gynarchy known as professional society, the punishment and the despair of naturally anti-social American man.”
Government by a woman or by women; the rule of women.
Hegira (hi-ˈjī-rə)
Kahlil started in again on his epic, the hegira that had brought him from Lebanon to Egypt and Italy and Spain via the ports and the jails
a journey especially when undertaken to escape from a dangerous or undesirable situation
Scupper [skuhp-er]
If elections do not take place, the resulting void might scupper future loans, which must be ratified by parliament
a drain at the edge of a deck exposed to the weather, for allowing accumulated water to drain away into the sea or into the bilges.
Hermit
The subject of her essay has chosen to live as a hermit , separated from the public
any person living in seclusion
De Rigueur (duh-ree-GUR)
Although the teen was wearing a dinner jacket and a tie, his jeans and sneakers were hardly de rigueur for the formal occasion.
prescribed or required by fashion, etiquette, or custom: proper
Flippant
It is certainly too important to be dismissed in a flippant way.
frivolously disrespectful or lacking in seriousness.
Linchpin
The monarchy wasthe linchpin of the nation's traditions and society.
something that holds the various elements of a complicated structure together
Obsequious
One minute he is noisy and arrogant, the next he is obsequious and sly.
characterized by or showing servile complaisance or deference
Friv·o·lous (-ity)
To deny it is to see in art only something frivolous and insincere.
characterized by lack of seriousness or sense
Enamored
A brilliant woman with whom he became enamored
to fill or inflame with love; to charm or captivate.
Con·spic·u·ous [kuhn-spik-yoo-uhs]
He was conspicuous by his booming laughter.
easily seen or noticed; readily visible or observable
In·er·tia (iˈnərSHə)
Bureaucratic inertia
A tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged
Pal·pa·ble [pal-puh-buhl]
A palpable lie; palpable absurdity.
readily or plainly seen, heard, perceived, etc.; obvious; evident
A·cu·men
Remarkable acumen in business matters.
keen insight; shrewdness:
Vo·cif·er·ous [voh-sif-er-uhs]
Yet a small but vociferous number of scientists remain undeterred.
crying out noisily; clamorous.
Er·ro·ne·ous [uh-roh-nee-uhs, e-roh-]
An erroneous answer.
containing error; mistaken; incorrect; wrong:
Niche
To find one's niche in the business world.
a place or position suitable or appropriate for a person or thing
An·ti·quat·ed [an-ti-kwey-tid]
Antiquated attitudes.
continued from, resembling, or adhering to the past; old-fashioned
Consummate
A work of consummate skill
being of the highest or most extreme degree
Ar·dent [ahr-dnt]
An ardent vow; ardent love.
having, expressive of, or characterized by intense feeling; passionate; fervent
Au·da·cious [aw-dey-shuhs]
An audacious explorer
extremely bold or daring; recklessly brave; fearless
Av·a·rice [av-er-is]
We effectively live in a plutocracy that only answers to avarice and to the benefit of our oligarchs.
insatiable greed for riches
Can·tan·ker·ous [kan-tang-ker-uhs]
A cantankerous, argumentative man.
disagreeable to deal with; contentious; peevish
Ca·lam·i·ty [kuh-lam-i-tee]
People want to cast this as some horrible calamity and that's not true
a great misfortune or disaster, as a flood or serious injury.
Maud·lin [mawd-lin]
A maudlin story of a little orphan and her lost dog.
tearfully or weakly emotional; foolishly sentimental
Co·pi·ous [koh-pee-uhs]
Copious amounts of food.
large in quantity or number; abundant; plentiful
Id·i·o·syn·cra·sy [id-ee-uh-sing-kruh-see, -sin-]
On the page her idiosyncrasies can be less attractive.
a characteristic, habit, mannerism, or the like, that is peculiar to an individual.
Ab·ject [ab-jekt, ab-jekt]
Abject poverty
utterly hopeless, miserable, humiliating, or wretched
Con·clave [kon-kleyv, kong-]
A conclave ofpolitical leaders.
a private or secret meeting.
Ta·boo [tuh-boo, ta-]
Taboo language is usually bleeped on TV
proscribed by society as improper or unacceptable
Tu·mul·tu·ous [too-muhl-choo-uhs, tyoo-]
A tumultuous celebration
full of tumult or riotousness; marked by disturbance and uproar
Dis·cus
Apparently he's very good at discus
the sport of throwing this disk for distance.
Flay [fley]
Flay notes that his version omits the traditional pork.
to strip off the skin or outer covering of.
Furlough (fur-loh)
Many plant workers have been forced to go on furlough.
a usually temporary layoff from work
E·gal·i·tar·i·an [ih-gal-i-tair-ee-uhn]
Some professors are very hierarchal, others tryto be more egalitarian
asserting, resulting from, or characterized by belief in the equality of all people, especially inpolitical, economic, or social life.
Bump·tious [buhmp-shuhs]
A bumptious young upstart
offensively self-assertive
Re·pug·nant [ri-puhg-nuhnt]
A repugnant smell.
distasteful, objectionable, or offensive
Relict
This rare plant is a relict of a once abundant genus.
a surviving species of an otherwise extinct group of organisms; something left unchanged
Cy·an
a greenish-blue color —used in photography and color printing of one of the primary colors
Brood
A hen and her brood of chicks OR He brooded over his mistake.
1. (noun) the young of an animal or a family of young 2.(verb) to dwell gloomily on a subject
Ad·ept
Even by the standards of Washington, he's an adept at political intrigue and power politics
a highly skilled or well-trained individual
Dys·to·pia
an imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives
Ex·e·ge·sis (ek-sə-ˈjē-səs)
A psychobiography that purports to be the definitive exegesis of the late president's character
exposition, explanation; especially: an explanation or critical interpretation of a text
Cyan
a greenish-blue color —used in photography and color printing of one of the primary colors
Brood
Hen and her brood of chicks
the young of an animal or a family of young
Ad·ept
Even by the standards of Washington, he's an adept at political intrigue and power politics
a highly skilled or well-trained individual: expert
Sur·feit (sər-fət)
Ended up with a surfeit of volunteers who simply got in each other's way
an overabundant supply: excess
Plethora
A plethora of books have been written on the subject.
excess; abundance
Cha·grin (shə-ˈgrin)
The fact that he'd been unable to attend the funeral was a source of chagrin for Ted.
disquietude or distress of mind caused by humiliation, disappointment, or failure
Sou·ve·nir
When I went to the Super Bowl, I kept my ticket stub as asouvenir.
something that serves as a reminder
Pre·science
He predicted their response with amazing prescience
foreknowledge of events
Galvanized
They galvanized into action
to react as if stimulated by an electric shock
Ni·hil·ism (nī-(h)ə-ˌli-zəm)
a viewpoint that traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and that existence is senseless and useless
Be·seech
Parishioners ardently beseeched the local bishop not to close their beloved church
to beg for urgently or anxiously
Na·scent (na-sənt)
Her nascent singing career
oming or having recently come into existence
Har·bin·ger
Her father's successful job interview was seen as a harbinger of better times to come
one that pioneers in or initiates a major change
Ca·hoot
They're in cahoots
partnership, league
Ep·i·thet
His charitable works have earned him the epithet “Mr. Philanthropy.”
a characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a person or thing
Fac·sim·i·le
A facsimile of the world's first computer was exhibited in the museum
an exact copy
Angst
A film about teenage angst
a feeling of anxiety, apprehension, or insecurity
Emanate
A sweet scent emanating from the blossoms
to come out from a source
Bag·a·telle
The question of who will pick up the coffee is a mere bagatelle in the overall planning of the conference
A thing of little importance; a very easy task.
Hab·er·dash·er
a dealer in men's clothing and accessories
Per·di·tion
Sinners condemned to eternal perdition
utter destruction; hell
Shilly–Shally
Stop with the shilly-shally and give me an answer
in an irresolute, undecided, or hesitating manner; to procrastinate or vacillate
Par·a·prax·is [par-uh-prak-sis]
"Would you like some butter on your bed?" Take the margarine off the quilt! This is an example of a parapraxis
a slip of the tongue or pen, forgetfulness, misplacement of objects, or other error thought to reveal unconscious wishes or attitudes.
Spoonerism
"And in the final round, the boxer knocked out his opponent with a blushing crow!" This is an example of Spoonerism.
the transposition of initial or other sounds of words, usually by accident,
Solecism [sol-uh-siz-uhm, soh-luh-]
"I'll never change, I is what I is!" This is an example of solecism
a nonstandard or ungrammatical usage
Malapropism
"The pine-apple of politeness" (pinnacle) and never "a negative affluence" (influence). This is an example of malapropism
an act or habit of misusing words ridiculously, especially by the confusion of words that are similar in sound
Mumpsimus [muhmp-suh-muhs]
"Grandma thinks every man with a mustache is hiding something!" This is an example of a mumpsimus
adherence to or persistence in an erroneous use of language, memorization, practice, belief, etc., out of habit or obstinacy
Faux Pas
People with disabilities are people, subject to all the human idiosyncrasies and faux pas you see around you every day.
a slip or blunder in etiquette, manners, or conduct; an embarrassing social blunder or indiscretion.
Ca·col·o·gy [ka-kol-uh-jee, kuh-]
The cacology in her argument made iit hard to take her seriously
defectively produced speech; socially unacceptable diction
Sockdolager [sok-dol-uh-jer]
That touchdown was the sockdolager of the game
a "decisive blow or remark,"
Dox·ol·o·gy
He is surprised that she asks him to sing a version of the doxology.
a hymn or form of words containing an ascription of praise to God.
Foo·fa·raw [foo-fuh-raw]
The one clear parallel shining through all this foofaraw is the tyranny that democracy confers on minorities
a great fuss or disturbance about something very insignificant.
Discombobulate [dis-kuhm-bob-yuh-leyt]
This math problem has me discombobulate
to confuse or upset
Syz·y·gy [siz-i-jee]
Syzygy in the sun-earth-moon system occurs at the time of full moon and new moon.
an alignment of three celestial objects, as the sun, the earth, and either the moon or a planet
Tmesis [tuh-mee-sis]
"What-so-ever" inserted in the middle of "whatever." This is an example of tmesis
the insertion of one or more words between the words that make up a compound phrase.
Hydroxyzine
A mild sedative and minor tranquilizer used in the treatment of psychological neuroses; used in the treatment of allergy, nausea, and anxiety.
Queue
A queue at the theatre
a file or line, especially of people waiting their turn
Plat·i·tude
His speech was filled with familiar platitudes about the value of hard work and dedication
the quality or state of being dull or insipid
Sat·ur·nine (satərˌnīn)
(of a person or their manner) Slow and gloomy: "a saturnine temperament". (of a person or their features) Dark in coloring and moody or mysterious: "his saturnine face and dark, watchful eyes".
Ex·pe·dite
They've asked the judge to expedite the lawsuits
to execute promptly
Ge·sund·heit
used to wish good health especially to one who has just sneezed
Rhinotillexomania
when nose picking becomes a body-focused repetitive behavior or obsessive–compulsive disorder
Epizeuxis (ep-uh-ZOOX-sis)
"Words, words, words..".This is an example of epizeuxis
A figure by which a word is repeated with vehemence or emphasis, as in the following lines
Ep·i·stax·is (e-pə-ˈstak-səs)
Did you have an epistaxis? I noticed your pillow case had blood on it.
nosebleed
Kiesselbach's Area (also Kiesselbach's triangle, or Little's area)
An area on the anterior portion of the nasal septum rich in capillaries and often the site of nosebleeds.
Tay-Sachs Disease
a rare inherited disorder that progressively destroys nerve cells (neurons) in the brain and spinal cord.
Apex
She reached the apex of fame, only to find it wasn't what she expected
the highest or culminating point
Sci·en·ter [sahy-en-ter]
The court found that the company had the requisite scienter for securities fraud
a mental state in which one has knowledge that one’s action, statement, etc., is wrong, deceptive, or illegal: often used as a standard of guilt:
Req·ui·site [rek-wuh-zit]
The requisite skills of an engineer.
required or necessary for a particular purpose, position, etc.; indispensable:
Pet·ti·fog(-ger, -gery) [pet-ee-fog]
(verb) to bicker or quibble over trifles or unimportant matters
Qual·i·ta·tive
A qualitative change in the curriculum
Describing the quality of something in size, appearance, value, etc
Herald
The early flowers are heralds of spring.
1. an official crier or messenger 2. Be a sign that (something) is about to happen
Neanderthal
I can't believe I was married to that Neanderthal for three years
one who suggests a caveman in appearance, mentality, or behavior
Con·fi·dant
He is a trusted confidant of the president.
one to whom secrets are entrusted; especially: intimate
Ca·pac·i·tance
Capacitance causes current to flow even when no load is connected to the cable.
The ability of a system to store an electric charge.
Bas·si·net
a baby's basketlike bed (as of wickerwork or plastic) often with a hood over one end
Cunning
A cunning plotter
dexterous or crafty in the use of special resources (as skill or knowledge) or in attaining an end
Narcoleptic
A disorder characterized by sudden and uncontrollable, though often brief, attacks of deep sleep, sometimes accompanied by paralysis and hallucinations.
Nar·ce·ine [nahr-see-een, -in]
a narcotic alkaloid, occurring in opium and acting as a mild relaxant on smooth muscle
Nar·a·ka
a place of torment for the spirits of the wicked.
Nar·ghi·le [nahr-guh-lee, -ley]
a Middle Eastern tobacco pipe in which the smoke is drawn through water before reaching the lips; hookah.
Sunset Clause
One type of common sunset clause provides that the prenuptial agreement between the parties will expire in x number of years. So once you hit that magical year, it immediately goes away.
Behemoth (bih-HEE-muth)
The town has voted against letting the retail behemoth build a store on the proposed site.
something of monstrous size, power, or appearance
Pat·ois [pat-wah, pah-twah]
The patois is so thick that it is easy to miss some of the dialogue
jargon; cant; argot
Ar·got [ahr-goh]
A Restoration play rich in thieves' argot.
a specialized idiomatic vocabulary peculiar to a particular class or group of people, especially that of an underworld group, devised for private communication and identification
Lin·go [ling-goh]
That's marketing lingo for what's essentially noise cancellation
the language and speech, especially the jargon, slang, or argot, of a particular field, group, or individual
Lib·er·tine [lib-er-teen, -tin]
They belonged to a well-established libertine tradition.
a person who is morally or sexually unrestrained, especially a dissolute man
Pro·fuse [pruh-fyoos]
Mullet are so profuse they will literally jump into a fisherman's boat
spending or giving freely and in large amount, often to excess; extravagant (often followed by in )
Chor·tle [chawr-tl]
And the engineer turned and looked to me with a chortle
to express with a gleeful chuckle
Mis·an·thrope [mis-uhn-throhp]
People just go about their business, but that doesn't make one a misanthrope
a hater of humankind.
Ful·mi·nate [fuhl-muh-neyt]
Politicians fulminate about double standards and anti-Semitism.
1. to explode with a loud noise; detonate 2. to issue denunciations or the like (usually followed by against)
Im·pet·u·ous [im-pech-oo-uhs]
The eager and ardent pledge to satisfy an impetuous desire was not his method
of, pertaining to, or characterized by sudden or rash action, emotion, etc.
Bevel
A beveled mirror
Reduce (a square edge on an object) to a sloping edge
Truant
An increasing number of truants
one who shirks duty; especially: one who stays out of school without permission
Am·i·ca·ble
They reached an amicable agreement.
characterized by friendly goodwill: peaceable
Kin·dred
He went out to sea, and never saw his kindred again.
a group of related individuals
Kin·folk
Let's invite all our kinfolk for the holidays
relatives
Ba·roque [ba-rok]
The baroque prose of the novel's more lurid passages.
extravagantly ornate, florid, and convoluted in character or style
Or·nate [awr-neyt]
They bought an ornate Louis XIV sofa.
elaborately or sumptuously adorned, often excessively or showily so
Ex·trav·a·gant [ik-strav-uh-guhnt]
Meanwhile, they are bending over backwards to avoid seeming extravagant
spending much more than is necessary or wise; wasteful
Cornucopia
A cornucopia of employment opportunities.
An overflowing store; an abundance
Gol·con·da (gälˈkändə)
"Mr Schrader is not selling the Golconda," Dietle snapped, his face flushed with anger.
A source of wealth, advantages, or happiness; a rich mine; broadly : a source of great wealth
Ar·go·sy [ahr-guh-see]
Argosy offers short day trips rather than week-long excursions.
1. a large merchant ship, especially one with a rich cargo. 2. a fleet of such ships. 3. an opulent supply.
Be·spoke (bi-ˈspōk)
A wealthy man who can easily afford bespoke suits
custom-made
Con·voke (kən-ˈvōk)
The assembly was convoked for a special session.
to call together to a meeting
Con·vene (kən-ˈvēn)
We convened at the hotel for a seminar.
to come together in a body
Poinsettia (pȯin-ˈse-tē-ə)
a plant with large red, pink, or white leaves that look like petals
Visceral (vi-sə-rəl)
Her visceral reaction was to curse at the other driver.
felt in or as if in the internal organs of the body; dealing with crude or elemental emotions
Meme (mēm)
an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture
Hunker
Hunker down for a good long wait
to settle in or dig in for a sustained period —used with down
Binders Full of Women
During the second U.S. presidential debate of 2012, Mitt Romney used the phrase "binders full of women" in response to a question about pay equity, referring to binders with resumes of women submitted to him as Governor of Massachusetts. This prompted the phrase's use for political attacks on Romney's positions on women's issues, as well as the development of an Internet meme.
Ma·lar·key (mə-ˈlär-kē)
He thinks everything politicians say is just a bunch of malarkey.
insincere or foolish talk; bunkum
Pun·dit (pən-dət)
A moral question that has puzzled the pundits throughout the ages
a person who gives opinions in an authoritative manner usually through the mass media
Pan·der (pan-dər)
Films that pander to the basest emotions
to provide gratification for others' desires
Avi·a·trix (ā-vē-ˈā-triks)
a woman who is an aviator
Bo·son (bō-ˌsän)
a particle (as a photon or meson) whose spin is zero or an integral number
Fer·mi·on (fer-mē-ˌän)
a particle (as an electron, proton, or neutron) whose spin quantum number is an odd multiple of 1⁄2
Ro·man à clef [raw-mah na kle]
a novel in which real persons or actual events figure under disguise
Au·to–da–fé (au̇-tō-də-ˈfā)
the ceremony for pronouncing judgment by the Inquisition which was followed by the execution of sentence by secular authorities; broadly: the burning of a heretic
Heretics
The church regards them as heretics.
one who dissents from an accepted belief or doctrine; nonconformist
Cab·ri·o·let (ka-brē-ə-ˈlā)
1: a light 2-wheeled one-horse carriage with a folding leather hood, a large apron, and upward-curving shafts 2: a convertible coupe
Can·ta·bi·le (kän-ˈtä-bi-ˌlā)
Throughout, his playing is distinguished by its immaculate clarity, singing cantabile lines and joyous spontaneity.
in a singing manner —often used as a direction in music
Di·a·man·té [dee-uh-mahn-tey]
A gown trimmed with diamanté
a sequin, rhinestone, or other glittery ornamentation on a garment
Ca·fé au lait (ka-ˈfā-ō-ˈlā)
coffee with usually hot milk in about equal parts
Corps de bal·let (kȯr-də-(ˌ)ba-ˈlā)
the ensemble of a ballet company
Dé·col·le·té (dā-ˌkäl-ˈtā) or [Dé·col·le·tage (dā-ˌkä-lə-ˈtäzh)]
wearing a strapless or low-necked dress; having a low-cut neckline
Ro·tu·rier [raw-ty-ryey]
a person of low rank; plebeian
Syncope [sing-kuh-pee]
Syncope has been reported in a small percentage of patients taking the drug
1. loss of consciousness resulting from insufficient blood flow to the brain; faint 2. (-ate) the loss of one or more sounds or letters in the interior of a word (as in "suppose" to "s'pose")
Chorister
a singer in a choir; specifically : choirboy
Ob·bli·ga·to (ob-li-gah-toh)
An instrumental part that is integral to a piece of music and should not be omitted in performance
Ad Libitum
1. ad lib: without advance preparation 2. omissible according to a performer's wishes —used as a direction in music
Pres·to (prestō)
When this slippage happens abruptly, presto, you've got an earthquake.
(esp. as a direction) In a quick tempo; quickly, rapidly, or immediately.
Mad·ri·gal [mad-ri-guhl]
Madrigal gave a picture presentation of theproperty.
a secular part song without instrumental accompaniment, usually for four to six voices, makingabundant use of contrapuntal imitation, popular especially in the 16th and 17th centuries
Elide [ih-lahyd]
Some unnecessary verbiage will need to be elided, but otherwise the article is publishable
1. to omit (a vowel, consonant, or syllable) in pronunciation. 2. to suppress; omit; ignore; pass over.
Elon·gate (iˈlôNGgāt)
These stretching exercises can help elongate your leg muscles
to extend the length of
"A far cry from something"
Playing in a comedy is a far cry from playing a criminal in a mystery
very different from something
Voracious (-ty) (vaw-RAY-shus)
Cemal is a voracious reader who whips through three or four books each week.
1. having a huge appetite: ravenous 2. excessively eager: insatiable
Temporal Discounting
a tendency to give greater value to rewards as they move away from their temporal horizons and towards the "now". For instance, a nicotine deprived smoker may highly value a cigarette available any time in the next 6 hours but assign little or no value to a cigarette available in 6 months.
Madcap
A madcap scheme
Crazy or reckless
Mer·ri·ment (mer-i-mənt)
A time of great joy and merriment
lighthearted gaiety or fun-making
Pomodoro Technique
The technique uses a timer to break down periods of work into 25-minute intervals called 'Pomodori' (from the Italian word for 'tomatoes') separated by breaks. The method is based on the idea that frequent breaks can improve mental agility.
Life Hacking
any productivity trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method to increase productivity and efficiency, in all walks of life; in other words, anything that solves an everyday problem in a clever or non-obvious way might be called a life hack.
Lucid Dream
a dream in which one is aware that one is dreaming.
Hyperbolic Discounting
Given two similar rewards, humans show a preference for one that arrives sooner rather than later. Humans are said to discount the value of the later reward, by a factor that increases with the length of the delay.
Prin·cox [prin-koks]
What princox have we here, that dares me to assail?
a self-confident young fellow; coxcomb
Furl
The furl dampers are linear functions of the furl rate and start at the specified up-stop and down-stop angles
to gather into a compact roll and bind securely, as a sail against a spar or a flag against its staff.
Pec·u·late [pek-yuh-leyt]
No man ever paid a bribe for the handling of the public money, but to peculate from it
to steal or take dishonestly (money, especially public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle
Big Brother
"Big Brother is watching you"
the head of a totalitarian regime that keeps its citizens under close surveillance.
Lexicon
There is a word in there that you might want toadd to your lexicon
the vocabulary of a particular language, field, social class, person, etc.
Slapstick
a type of broad, physical comedy involving exaggerated, boisterous actions (e.g. a pie in the face), farce, violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense
Farce
1. a light dramatic composition marked by broadly satirical comedy and improbable plot 2. an empty or patently ridiculous act, proceeding, or situation <the trial became a farce>
Carminative (kahr-MIN-uh-tive)
Fennel is a carminative herb that helps alleviate gas after a spicy meal.
expelling gas from the stomach or intestines so as to relieve flatulence or abdominal pain or distension
Bertillon System (bur-tl-on)
a system of identifying persons, especially criminals, by a record of individual physical measurements and peculiarities.
Pro·lep·sis [proh-lep-sis]
the anticipation of possible objections in order to answer them in advance.
Nostrum (nos-truhm)
Cataracts develop following use of anti-fat nostrum
a scheme, theory, device, etc., especially one to remedy social or political ills; panacea.
Quack
A quack psychologist who complicates everyone's problems.
a person who pretends, professionally or publicly, to skill, knowledge, or qualifications he or shedoes not possess; a charlatan.
Clair·voy·ant (klair-voi-uhnt)
Not being clairvoyant, I did not foresee the danger of ignoring her advice
A person who claims to have a supernatural ability to perceive events in the future or beyond normal sensory contact
Mediumship
to mediate communication between spirits of the dead and other human beings
Planchette (plan-shet)
a small, usually heart-shaped flat piece of wood equipped with two wheeled castors and a pencil-holding aperture, used to facilitate automatic writing. The use of planchettes to produce mysterious written messages gave rise to the belief that the devices foster communication with spirits as a form of mediumship
Sé·ance [sey-ahns]
As to dead languages, to my knowledge, only aséance claims to speak and hear them.
1. a meeting in which a spiritualist attempts to communicate with the spirits of the dead. 2. a session or sitting, as of a class or organization.
Moun·te·bank [moun-tuh-bangk]
Dirksen's oratory became, in the end, something of a mountebank performance.
a person who sells quack medicines, as from a platform in public places, attracting and influencing an audience by tricks, storytelling, etc.
Rodney Dangerfield
an American comedian, and actor, known for the catchphrase "I don't get no respect!,"
Lam·prey (lamprē)
An eellike aquatic jawless vertebrate that has a sucker mouth with horny teeth and a rasping tongue. The adult is often parasitic, attaching itself to other fish and sucking their blood
E·nu·mer·ate [ih-noo-muh-reyt]
Let me enumerate the many flaws in your hypothesis.
to mention separately as if in counting; name one by one; specify, as in a list
Lit·a·ny [lit-n-ee]
We heard the whole litany of their complaints.
a prolonged or tedious account
Lit·ur·gy [lit-er-jee]
And then there are instances in which lines of songs closely resemble musical phrases in the liturgy .
a form of public worship; ritual.
Circadian Clock (sur-key-dee-uhn)
A daily cycle of biological activity based on a 24-hour period and influenced by regular variations in the environment, such as the alternation of night and day.
Catatonia(-ic)
Abnormality of movement and behavior arising from a disturbed mental state (typically schizophrenia). It may involve repetitive or purposeless overactivity, or catalepsy, resistance to passive movement, and negativism
Ges·tic·u·la·tion (-lant)
As the argument grew more heated, his gesticulations got bigger and wilder
1: the act of making gestures 2: gesture; especially : an expressive gesture made in showing strong feeling or in enforcing an argument
Gal·li·vant (galəˌvant)
He's been gallivanting around the country when he ought to be looking for a job
to travel, roam, or move about for pleasure
Pal·in·drome (palinˌdrōm)
"Madam" or "Nurses Run" are examples of palindrome.
A word, phrase, or sequence that reads the same backward as forward
Pal·an·quin [pal-uhn-keen]
The whole is placed on a little palanquin that is borne on the shoulders of four small boys
a passenger conveyance, usually for one person, consisting of a covered or boxlike litter carried by means of poles resting on the shoulders of several men
Katzenjammer (KAT-sun-jam-er)
The morning after the wedding, Pamela woke up with a blinding katzenjammer.
hangover
Sun·dry (sən-drē)
Sundry articles
miscellaneous, various
Uti Possidetis [yoo-tahy pos-i-dee-tis]
the principle that vests in either of the belligerents at the end of a war all territory actually occupied and controlled by them.
Ad·i·po·cere [ad-uh-poh-seer]
a waxy substance produced by the decomposition of dead animal bodies in moist burial places or underwater.
Terra Nullius
a Latin expression deriving from Roman law meaning "land belonging to no one", which is used in international law to describe territory which has never been subject to the sovereignty of any state, or over which any prior sovereign has expressly or implicitly relinquished sovereignty. Sovereignty over territory which is terra nullius may be acquired through occupation, though in some cases doing so would violate an international law or treaty
U·ti·le dul·ci [oo-ti-le dool-kee]
the useful with the pleasurable.
An·nul·ment [uh-nuhl-muhnt]
Get a certified copy of the divorce or annulment decree, including foreign...
the act of annulling (to make void or null; abolish; cancel;), especially the formal declaration that annuls a marriage.
Sna·fu [sna-foo]
A ballot snafu in the election led to a recount.
a badly confused or ridiculously muddled situation
Predicated
"The theory of structure on which later chemistry was predicated"
Found or base something on
Dander
Don't get your dander up over such a trifle
anger; temper
Saccharine (sak-er-in)
A saccharine smile; a saccharine song of undying love.
exaggeratedly sweet or sentimental
Je ne sais quoi [zhuh nuh se kwa]
She has a certain je ne sais quoi that charms everybody.
an indefinable, elusive quality, especially a pleasing one
Svelte [svelt, sfelt]
And it's not quite skinny or svelte enough to qualify as a thin and light
slender, especially gracefully slender in figure; lithe
Rum·mage [ruhm-ij]
Rummaging around in the kitchen cabinet for forks and knives
to search thoroughly or actively through (a place, receptacle, etc.), especially by moving around, turning over, or looking through contents.
Money Grab
an undignified or unprincipled acquisition of a large sum of money with little effort
Ab·sinthe [ab-sinth]
His small flask of absinthe was lost in the fall, and no matter how he tried, he could not think past the pain.
a green, aromatic liqueur that is 68 percent alcohol, is made with wormwood and other herbs, and has a bitter, licorice flavor: now banned in most Western countries.
Fa·er·ie [fey-uh-ree, fair-ee]
the imaginary land of the fairies; fairyland
Ab·o·rig·i·ne [ab-uh-rij-uh-nee]
one of the original or earliest known inhabitants of a country or region.
A·bode [uh-bohd]
Being nomads, the Bedouin struggle to provide proof of abode
a place in which a person resides; residence; dwelling; habitation; home.
No·mad [noh-mad]
The herders are now the herded, nomads with nowhere to go.
a member of a people or tribe that has no permanent abode but moves about from place to place, usually seasonally and often following a traditional route or circuit according to the state of the pasturage or food supply.
Ku·miss [koo-mis]
a drink made from fermented mare's or other milk, drunk by certain Asian tribes, esp in Russia or used for dietetic and medicinal purposes
Va·grant [vey-gruhnt]
And the unctuousness of its expression will take care of a lot of vagrant hopes.
a person who wanders about idly and has no permanent home or employment; vagabond; tramp
Vag·a·bond [vag-uh-bond]
A vagabond tribe
wandering from place to place without any settled home; nomadic
Pic·a·roon [pik-uh-roon]
a rogue, vagabond, thief, or brigand
Brig·and [brig-uhnd]
a bandit, especially one of a band of robbers in mountain or forest regions
I·tin·er·ar·y [ahy-tin-uh-rer-ee]
Winner and travel companion must travel on same itinerary .
a detailed plan for a journey, especially a list of places to visit; plan of travel.
Sawdust Trail
the road to conversion or rehabilitation, as for a sinner or criminal
Er·rant [er-uhnt]
However, here I wonder how errant he is being in this analogy
deviating from the regular or proper course; erring; straying.
O·mit [oh-mit]
To omit a name from a list
to leave out; fail to include or mention:
An·ni·hi·late [uh-nahy-uh-leyt]
The heavy bombing almost annihilated the city
to reduce to utter ruin or nonexistence; destroy utterly
Am·phib·i·ous [am-fib-ee-uhs]
Amphibious ships are multi-capable, agile, and responsive to the dynamic nature of the security era.
living or able to live both on land and in water; belonging to both land and water
Bre·vi·ar·y [bree-vee-er-ee]
Her big pale face had a softly frightened look, and in her hand she carried her neatly kept breviary
Roman Catholic Church. a book containing all the daily psalms, hymns, prayers, lessons, etc., necessary for reciting the office.
taking place, coming together, or published once every seven days; weekly:
Ma·raud [muh-rawd]
Freebooters were marauding all across the territory.
to roam or go around in quest of plunder; make a raid for booty
Gar·ner [gahr-ner]
And yet track stars don't garner the sort of attention they once did.
to gather or deposit in or as if in a granary or other storage place.
Be·reave [bih-reev]
Illness bereaved them of their mother.
to deprive and make desolate, especially by death (usually followed by of )
For·ay [fawr-ey, for-ey]
Vikings made a foray on the port
a quick raid, usually for the purpose of taking plunder
Gan·grel [gang-gruhl]
1. a lanky, loose-jointed person. 2. wandering beggar; vagabond; vagrant.
Ab·hor [ab-hawr]
Uncertainty — which investors abhor — is in greater abundance.
to regard with extreme repugnance or aversion; detest utterly; loathe; abominate
Ab·ject [ab-jekt]
Abject poverty
utterly hopeless, miserable, humiliating, or wretched
Qualm [kwahm, kwawm]
He has no qualms about lying.
an uneasy feeling or pang of conscience as to conduct; compunction
Pre·mo·ni·tion [pree-muh-nish-uhn]
He had a vague premonition of danger.
a feeling of anticipation of or anxiety over a future event; presentiment
Da·tum [dey-tuh]
It is, therefore, important that datum does not change.
a single piece of information, as a fact, statistic, or code; an item of data.
Clout (klout)
The bully gave him a painful clout on the head. A wealthy campaign contributor withclout at city hall.
1. Noun a blow, especially with the hand; cuff: 2. Informal. pull; strong influence; muscle, especially political power
Sacrosanct (SAK-roh-sankt)
Our family traditions may seem silly to outsiders, but to us they are sacrosanct.
1: most sacred or holy: inviolable 2: treated as if holy: immune from criticism or violation
Xe·no·pho·bia (ze-nə-ˈfō-bē-ə)
He won't renew his passport as if he's xenophobic.
fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign
Be·stow [bih-stoh]
The trophy was bestowed upon the winner.
to present as a gift; give; confer (usually followed by on or upon)
Chimenea
a freestanding front-loading fireplace or oven with a bulbous body and usually a vertical smoke vent or chimney.
Hy·poth·e·cate [hahy-poth-i-keyt]
The established practice of a borrower pledging an asset as collateral for a loan, while retaining ownership of the assets and enjoying the benefits therefrom. With hypothecation, the lender has the right to seize the asset if the borrower cannot service the loan as stipulated by the terms in the loan agreement.
Genuflection [jen-yoo-flek-shuhn]
Some basketball players, because of their height and a certain hauteur, seem to demand genuflection.
the act of bending the knees in worship or reverence
Hau·teur [hoh-tur]
But his hauteur offered a new and even witty dimension.
haughty manner or spirit; arrogance.
Gran·deur [gran-jer]
The grandeur of the Rocky Mountains.
the quality or state of being impressive or awesome
At Large
(Legal) Free from confinement, control, or restraint
An·a·can·thous [an-uh-kan-thuhs]
having no spines or thorns.
Mal·a·pert [mal-uh-purt]
unbecomingly bold or saucy
Co·sa Nos·tra (koh-zuh nohs-truh)
a secret association engaged in organized crime in the U.S., modeled after and affiliated with the Mafia.
Who shot J.R.?
an advertising catchphrase that American network CBS created in 1980 to promote the television series Dallas.
Com·mon·al·i·ty [kom-uh-nal-i-tee]
It never hurts to underline our overwhelming commonality.
a sharing of features or characteristics in common; possession or manifestation of common attributes.
Prob·lem·at·ic [prob-luh-mat-ik]
Then they argued over whether it would become problematic .
of the nature of a problem; doubtful; uncertain; questionable.
Pre·ci·sian (pri-ˈsi-zhən)
a person who stresses or practices scrupulous adherence to a strict standard especially of religious observance or morality
Beatitude
Not from earthly riches but from the milk of human kindness comes true beatitude
a state of utmost bliss
Par·a·di·si·a·cal [par-uh-di-sahy-uh-kuhl]
of, relating to, or resembling paradise
Ga·lac·tic (gə-ˈlak-tik)
A galactic sum of money
1: of or relating to a galaxy and especially the Milky Way galaxy 2: huge
Limerick
A humorous, frequently bawdy, verse of three long and two short lines rhyming aabba, popularized by Edward Lear
Son·net [son-it]
a poem, properly expressive of a single, complete thought, idea, or sentiment, of 14 lines,usually in iambic pentameter, with rhymes arranged according to one of certain definite schemes,being in the strict or Italian form divided into a major group of 8 lines (the octave) followed by aminor group of 6 lines (the sestet), and in a common English form into 3 quatrains followed by acouplet.
Cay·use [kahy-yoos]
1. Western U.S. a horse, especially an Indian pony. 2. Also called cayuse wind. Northwestern U.S. a cold wind blowing from the east.
Mea·ger [mee-ger]
A meager salary; meager fare; a meager harvest.
deficient in quantity or quality; lacking fullness or richness; scanty; inadequate:
Taste·mak·er [teyst-mey-ker]
a person or thing that establishes or strongly influences what is considered to be stylish, acceptable, or worthwhile in a given sphere of interest, as the arts.
In·ef·fa·ble
Ineffable joy
incapable of being expressed in words: indescribable
In·dul·gent
"Indulgent parents"
Having or indicating a readiness or overreadiness to be generous to or lenient with someone
Yam·mer [yam-er]
The yammer of rivet guns and the hiss of arc welders fills the air as new steel frames rise
to whine or complain
Plaudit (PLAW-dit)
The latest installment in the movie series earned plaudits from critics and fans alike.
1: an act or round of applause 2: enthusiastic approval
Pri·mip·a·ra [prahy-mip-er-uh]
an individual that has borne only one offspring
Daub [dawb]
To daub a canvas with paint; to daub stonewalls with mud.
to cover or coat with soft, adhesive matter, as plaster or mud
MQ-9 Reaper
an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), capable of remote controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) for use by theUnited States Air Force, the United States Navy, the CIA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Royal Air Force, and the Italian Air Force. The MQ-9 and other UAVs are referred to as Remotely Piloted Vehicles/Aircraft (RPV/RPA) by the U.S. Air Force to indicate their human ground controllers. The MQ-9 is the first hunter-killer UAV designed for long-endurance, high-altitude surveillance.
Pri·ma·ve·ral [prahy-muh-veer-uhl]
Primaveral longings to sail around the world.
of, in, or pertaining to the early springtime
Chin Mu·sic
1. Idle chatter 2. Used to refer to a pitched ball that passes very close to the batter's chin- "Clemens delivered some wicked chin music to Hernandez"
Lev·y [lev-ee]
Thus once such a levy is enacted, capital flight is likely to ensue
an imposing or collecting, as of a tax, by authority or force.
Gar·ret [gar-it]
But she is maddeningly cheerful at the idea of having to live in a garret .
an attic, usually a small, wretched one.
Co·pi·hue [koh-pee-wey]
Chile-Bells- a vine, Lapageria rosea, native to Chile, having leathery evergreen leaves and showy reddish flowers: the national flower of Chile.
Am·ple [am-puhl]
An ample supply of water; ample time to finish.
fully sufficient or more than adequate for the purpose or needs; plentiful; enough
At·tac·ca [uh-tah-kuh]
“Masur takes far too long a pause between the third and fourth movements, ignoring Beethoven's attacca instructions completely.”
attack at once —used as a direction in music at the end of a movement to begin the next without pause
E·con·o·box (iˈkänəˌbäks)
He chose to drive a econobox for the good gas efficiency.
A car that is small and economical rather than luxurious or stylish
Dentiloquist
“To add to my mumbling complaint, (for, you must know, I have been quite a dentiloquist,) I have an only sister on a visit to me, who has been alarmingly ill for some time.”
One who speaks through the teeth, that is, with the teeth closed.
Farinaceous
The gastric juice has probably no action on farinaceous substances
1. consisting or made of flour or meal, as food. 2. containing or yielding starch, as seeds; starchy.
Fa·ri·na [fuh-ree-nuh]
When he has nothing else he eats the farina , as it is called, by the handful.
flour or meal made from cereal grains and cooked as cereal, used in puddings, soups, etc.
Ca·lam·i·ty [kuh-lam-i-tee]
The calamity of war.
a great misfortune or disaster, as a flood or serious injury
Malamute (măl'əmyūt')
breed of sled dog developed in Alaska
Ske·dad·dle [ski-dad-l]
Of course they will skedaddle if they figure the jig is up
to run away hurriedly; flee.
Rar·e·fy [rair-uh-fahy]
To rarefy a gas.
to make rare or rarer; make less dense
Bond·er·ize [bon-duh-rahyz]
"Bonderize Steel"
coat with a substance that will prevent corrosion
De·cou·page [dey-koo-pahzh]
Decorate a small pot with paint or decoupage, and put a houseplant in it.
The decoration of the surface of an object with paper cut-outs
Tab·a·ret [tab-uh-rit]
a durable silk or acetate fabric having alternating stripes of satin and moiré, for drapery and upholstery.
Yaff [yaf]
(Verb- Scot. and North England) to bark; yelp.
Ab·squat·u·late [ab-skwoch-uh-leyt]
The old prospector absquatulated with our picks and shovel.
to flee; abscond
Spin·ster [spin-ster]
His two elderly spinster sisters watched warily in the background.
a woman still unmarried beyond the usual age of marrying.
Lac·quer [lak-er]
The lobby has red lacquer walls and fulsome carvings in ivory and jade.
a protective coating consisting of a resin, cellulose ester, or both, dissolved in a volatile solvent, sometimes with pigment added.
Per·i·car·di·um [per-i-kahr-dee-uhm]
Around the dark fluid was a bright white line, the pericardium
the membranous sac enclosing the heart.
Sou·brette [soo-bret]
Tiffany Speight's Despina was the best performer of the night, proving this is no soubrette role.
a comedy character who is vain and girlish, mischievous, lighthearted, coquettish and gossipy—often a chambermaid or confidante of the ingenue, she often displays a flirtatious or even sexually aggressive nature
Hap·pen·stance [hap-uhn-stans]
They succeeded, partly by design and partly by happenstance .
a chance happening or event.
Co·quet (-ry) [koh-ket]
It's not serious interest she has for him, she's just coquetting with him.
to try to attract the attention and admiration of men for mere self-gratification; flirt.
Co·quette [koh-ket]
The coquette of the insect species, it seems, winks a light every two seconds when in a romantic swoon.
a woman who flirts lightheartedly with men to win their admiration and affection; flirt.
Per·i·to·ne·um [per-i-tn-ee-uhm]
The under surface is covered by peritoneum, which is reflected on to it from the surface of the liver.
the serous membrane lining the abdominal cavity and investing its viscera.
An·gi·o·e·de·ma [an-jee-oh-i-dee-muh]
swelling that occurs just beneath the surface of the skin or mucous membranes.
Gentlewoman
The chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Maine.
a civilized, educated, sensitive, or well-mannered woman; lady.
Pec·u·late [pek-yuh-leyt]
The company has the financial heft to be an acquirer, and is nearly always mentioned as a potential buyer when analyst peculate about deals
to steal or take dishonestly (money, especially public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle
Bras·siere [bruh-zeer]
Removing her brassiere is a necessary skill you must learn if you are ever to get intimate with a woman
a woman's undergarment for supporting the breasts.
Ban·dy [ban-dee]
To bandy blows; to bandy words.
to pass from one to another or back and forth; give and take; trade; exchange
Bard·y [bahr-dee]
Well he is a bardy young man
Scot. bold; audacious; defiant
Butte [byoot]
The butte was a holy place; men came there seeking visions
an isolated hill or mountain rising abruptly above the surrounding land.
Booty
This way they can still collect all the booty from the big banks to line their pockets
A valuable prize, award, or gain.
Ladyfingers
light and sweet sponge cakes roughly shaped like a large finger.
Char·lotte Russe (ro͞os)
A dessert consisting of custard enclosed in sponge cake or a casing of ladyfingers.
Demotic (dih-MAH-tik)
The style of her art work is intentionally demotic, aimed at ordinary people rather than the elite of the art world.
Adjective Denoting or relating to the kind of language used by ordinary people; popular or colloquial: "a demotic idiom".Noun Ordinary colloquial speech.
Biometric Reader
an electronic device used to determine a person's identity by detecting and matching the person's physical features, such as fingerprints or the eyes, to a database; also called biometrical reader
Fuchsia
a vivid reddish or pink color named after the flower of the fuchsia plant, itself named after the German scientist Leonhart Fuchs.
Languid (lang-gwid)
His notes are neither languid nor forced, but remarkably varied and spontaneous.
lacking energy; indifferent; slow.
Ne·ol·o·gism [nee-ol-uh-jiz-uhm]
The word is a neologism combining the tank of tank top with the end of the word bikini.
a new word, meaning, usage, or phrase.
Mon·ad (mōˌnad)
He is a monad, no need to sell him the group rate
A single unit; the number one
Overwrought (oh-ver-rawt)
Overwrought on the night of her wedding, a vision appeared to her.
agitated; overdone
Mirth
His six-foot frame shook with mirth
Amusement, esp. as expressed in laughter
Gai·e·ty (gāitē)
The gaiety of children's laughter
The state or quality of being lighthearted or cheerful
Nettle
The mayor's recent actions have nettled some members of the community.
to irritate
Ignoble (ig-noh-buhl)
Such an ignoble act is completely unworthy of a military officer
having low moral standards; not noble in character; mean.
Men·di·cant [men-di-kuhnt]
The inference from the frequency of these that of the mendicant orders
begging; practicing begging; living on alms.
Alms [ahmz]
The hands of the beggars were outstretched for alms.
(used with a singular or plural verb) money, food, or other donations given to the poor or needy; anything given as charity
Lam·bent [lam-buhnt]
Lambent tongues of flame
running or moving lightly over a surface
Ne·o·phyte [nee-uh-fahyt]
He's a neophyte at chess.
a beginner or novice
Impugn (im-pyoon)
These findings are not meant to impugn your character.
to call into question; to attack verbally.
Missive (mis-iv)
Each missive was tied with a lover's knot of different colored ribbons and...
a written note or letter
Knell
The knell of parting day
sound of a funeral bell; omen of death or failure.
Taw·dry [taw-dree]
A tawdry attempt to smear his opponent
Showy but cheap and of poor quality
O·ro·tund [awr-uh-tuhnd]
The auditors will make orotund proclamations that they are merely providing a valuable service to their clients.
(of the voice or speech) characterized by strength, fullness, richness, and clearness.
Larceny
His trial for larceny was scheduled for the summer after graduation.
theft of property
Kindle
Little chips kindle the fire and big logs sustain it.
to set fire to or ignite; to excite or inspire.
Juncture (juhngk-cher)
There's logic to promoting natural gas at this juncture .
a point of time, especially one where two things are joined.
Inchoate (in-koh-it)
A still inchoate democracy
Just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary
Long-wind·ed
Long-winded after-dinner speakers
talking or writing at tedious length
Det·ri·ment [de-truh-muhnt]
That will be to their detriment
loss, damage, disadvantage, or injury
De·ment·ed [dih-men-tid]
Another pause, and he broke out again like one demented.
crazy; insane; mad.
De·men·tia [dih-men-shuh]
At the start of the study, none of the participants showed signs of dementia.
severe impairment or loss of intellectual capacity and personality integration, due to the loss of or damage to neurons in the brain.
Pa·re·sis [puh-ree-sis]
1. partial motor paralysis. 2. a late manifestation of syphilis, characterized by progressive dementia and paralysis.
Ku·ru [koor-oo]
a degenerative disease of the nervous system, restricted to certain tribes in New Guinea, marked by loss of muscular control and thought to be caused by a slow virus
De·base [dih-beys]
They debased the value of the dollar
to reduce in quality or value; adulterate
A·dul·ter·ate [uh-duhl-tuh-reyt]
Adulterated cocaine is often a white, offwhite or pinkish powder.
to debase or make impure by adding inferior materials or elements; use cheaper, inferior, or less desirable goods in the production of (any professedly genuine article)
De·fraud [dih-frawd]
Dishonest employees defrauded the firm of millions of dollars
to deprive of a right, money, or property by fraud
Smor·gas·bord (smawr-guhs-bawrd)
Every day the director has to first deal with a smorgasbord of problems before he can begin filming
a luncheon or supper buffet offering a variety of foods and dishes (as hors d'oeuvres, hot and cold meats, smoked and pickled fish, cheeses, salads, and relishes)
Hors d'oeu·vre [awr durv]
a small bit of appetizing food, as spicy meat, fish, cheese, or a preparation of chopped or creamed foods, often served on crackers or small pieces of toast, for eating at cocktail parties or other gatherings where drinks are served with no other food.
Grift
John grifted much of his income by carrying out elaborate cons against unsuspecting tourists.
a group of methods for obtaining money falsely through the use of swindles, frauds, dishonest gambling, etc.
Grif·fon [grif-uhn]
“And the griffon is a proud beast He's the master of the sky.”
A dog of any of several terrierlike breeds originating in northwestern Europe
Landlubber
The 'landlubber' might apply to other natives; but I fear they could hardly be called
A person unfamiliar with the sea or seamanship.
Thaumaturgy [thaw-muh-tur-jee]
“It was also where the darkest of thaumaturgy often found a home, which was why Tranq had sent her.”
the working of wonders or miracles; magic
Sleight of Hand
But with expert sleight of hand, he is able to find artistic benefits as well.
skill in feats requiring quick and clever movements of the hands, especially for entertainment ordeception, as jugglery, card or coin magic, etc.; legerdemain.
Leg·er·de·main [lej-er-duh-meyn]
Nor was such acoustic legerdemain the evening's only astonishment.
(Noun) 1. sleight of hand. 2. trickery; deception. 3. any artful trick.
Therm [thurm]
Therms of gas per annum
A unit of heat equivalent to 100,000 British thermal units or 1.055 × 10(^8) joules.
Gamete [gam-eet]
a mature sexual reproductive cell, as a sperm or egg, that unites with another cell to form a new organism.
Isogamete [ahy-suh-gam-eet]
one of a pair of conjugating gametes, exhibiting no differences in form, size, structure, or sex.
Osmosis [oz-moh-sis]
the tendency of a fluid, usually water, to pass through a semipermeable membrane into a solution where the solvent concentration is higher, thus equalizing the concentrations of materials on either side of the membrane.
Conjuration [kon-juh-rey-shuhn]
A conjuration for divine guidance during a time of national crisis
The performance of something supernatural by means of a magic incantation or spell.
Incantation [in-kan-tey-shuhn]
Neither infatuation with complexity nor statistical incantation makes an...
the chanting or uttering of words purporting to have magical power.
Detribalize [dee-trahy-buh-lahyz]
to cause to lose tribal allegiances and customs, chiefly through contact with another culture.
Ec·cen·tric [ik-sen-trik]
Eccentric conduct; an eccentric person.
deviating from the recognized or customary character, practice, etc.; irregular; erratic; peculiar; odd
An·nex [uh-neks]
Residents on the Georgia side also aren't sure they want to annex the town.
to attach, append, or add, especially to something larger or more important.
Car·ci·no·ma [kahr-suh-noh-muh]
Basal cell carcinoma is a slow-growing form of skin cancer.
a malignant and invasive epithelial tumor that spreads by metastasis and often recurs after excision; cancer.
Ap·o·pemp·tic [ap-uh-pemp-tik]
pertaining to leave-taking or departing; valedictory
Val·e·dic·to·ry [val-i-dik-tuh-ree]
A valedictory speech.
bidding good-bye; saying farewell
An·thro·po·gen·ic [an-thruh-puh-jen-ik]
The evidence for an anthropogenic cause is nearly absent.
caused or produced by humans
An·o·pis·tho·graph [an-uh-pis-thuh-graf]
a manuscript, parchment, or book having writing on only one side of the leaves
A·mel·io·rate [uh-meel-yuh-reyt]
I'm very glad to see someone working to help ameliorate that situation.
to make or become better, more bearable, or more satisfactory
Am·biv·a·lence [am-biv-uh-luhns]
In private conversations, there is ambivalence and uncertainty.
uncertainty or fluctuation, especially when caused by inability to make a choice or by a simultaneous desire to say or do two opposite or conflicting things.
A·lex·i·phar·mic [uh-lek-suh-fahr-mik]
warding off poisoning or infection; antidotal; prophylactic.
Ad·i·aph·o·ret·ic [ad-ee-af-uh-ret-ik]
preventing or reducing perspiration
Ac·o·lyte [ak-uh-lahyt]
If she ultimately lacks their individuality, she comes off as an enthusiastic acolyte .
1. A person assisting the celebrant in a religious service or procession. 2. An assistant or follower.
In·can·des·cent [in-kuhn-des-uhnt]
The music evokes the gamelan, or incandescent under sea creatures suddenly
Emitting light as a result of being heated.
Cur·mudg·eon (-ly) [ker-muhj-uhn]
The praise of more curmudgeonly fellows should not be overlooked.
a bad-tempered, difficult, cantankerous person.
De·sid·er·a·tum [dih-sid-uh-rey-tuhm]
So my answer to you is that is not for me something desideratum .
something wanted or needed
De·sid·er·a·ta [dih-sid-uh-rey-tuh]
things wanted or needed; the plural of desideratum
De·ri·sion [dih-rizh-uhn]
The inept performance elicited derision from the audience
ridicule; mockery
De·ba·cle [dey-bah-kuhl]
The revolution ended in a debacle.
a general breakup or dispersion; sudden downfall or rout
For·mi·da·ble [fawr-mi-duh-buhl]
A formidable opponent.
causing fear, apprehension, or dread
Cav·a·lier [kav-uh-leer]
An arrogant and cavalier attitude toward others. (OR) Then as soon as you can, continue doing things with your cavalier that you
1.(noun) one having the spirit or bearing of a knight; a courtly gentleman; gallant. 2.(adjective) haughty, disdainful, or supercilious
Ca·bal·le·ro [kab-uhl-yair-oh]
1a Spanish gentleman 2. Southwestern U.S. a. a horseman. b. a woman's escort or admirer; cavalier.
Opus
The composer's final opus was performed posthumously to great acclaim
a musical composition or set of compositions usually numbered in the order of its issue
Pi·ous [pahy-uhs]
It gets large amounts of money for such purposes from pious businessmen.
having or showing a dutiful spirit of reverence for God or an earnest wish to fulfill religious obligations
Malice Aforethought
a predetermination to commit an unlawful act without just cause or provocation (applied chiefly to cases of first-degree murder).
Plantar Fascitis [fash-ee-ahy-tis]
Quentin is recovering from plantar fasciitis in his left foot
A partial or complete tear in the fascia (fibrous connective tissue) of the bottom of the foot. It is characterized by pain just under the heel bone.
Im·promp·tu [im-promp-too]
An impromptu address to the unexpected crowds
made or done without previous preparation
Im·per·me·a·ble [im-pur-mee-uh-buhl]
It's futile to expect airports to have impermeable security.
not permeable; impassable
Im·pre·cate [im-pri-keyt]
to invoke or call down (evil or curses), as upon a person.
Im·pend·ing [im-pen-ding]
Their impending marriage.
about to happen; imminent
De·ca·thect [dee-kuh-thekt]
He decathected from her in order to cope with her impending death.
(used with object) to withdraw one's feelings of attachment from (a person, idea, or object), as in anticipation of a future loss
Im·plode [im-plohd]
The vacuum flask imploded
to collapse or cause to collapse inwards in a violent manner as a result of external pressure
Riposte (rih-POHST)
The lifelong friends always greeted each other the same way: John would point out Gary's thinning hair, then Gary would come back with a riposte about John's golf game.
1: a fencer's quick return thrust following a parry 2: a retaliatory verbal sally: retort 3: a retaliatory maneuver or measure
Bof·fin [bof-in]
Rather that just being a high-concept boffin, dazzling the world with limited-edition objects, he's a serious and expansive thinker with a vision toward moving his profession into the future—and democratizing it at the same time
a scientist or technical expert
Himbo
“Beckham's sons prove that having a himbo for a daddy can be just as mortifying as having a supposed bimbo for a mummy.”
A physically attractive man who lacks intelligence
None·such [nuhn-suhch]
a person or thing without equal; paragon.
I·dol·a·try (-trous) [ahy-dol-uh-tree]
In any case, my early idolatry of them could never have been sustained.
1. the religious worship of idols. 2. excessive or blind adoration, reverence, devotion, etc.
Clo·ture [kloh-cher]
The measure is simply put on hold until the next cloture vote.
a method of closing a debate and causing an immediate vote to be taken on the question.
Sen·su·ous [sen-shoo-uhs]
The sensuous qualities of music.
perceived by or affecting the senses
Beach·head [beech-hed]
Not every alien will manage to break out of its beachhead .
the area that is the first objective of a military force landing on an enemy shore
E·thol·o·gy [ee-thol-uh-jee]
They could do jelly ethology, which no one had ever done.
the study of animal behavior with emphasis on the behavioral patterns that occur in natural environments.
Hon·ey·suck·le [huhn-ee-suhk-uhl]
They may never have eaten wild strawberries straight from the ground or sucked the juice from a honeysuckle .
any upright or climbing shrub of the genus Diervilla, especially D. lonicera, cultivated for its fragrant white, yellow, or red tubular flowers
Pa·tel·la [puh-tel-uh]
The anterior surface of the patella is subcutaneous.
(Anatomy) the flat, movable bone at the front of the knee; kneecap
Clav·i·cle [klav-i-kuhl]
The crash left him with a fractured skull, clavicle, ribs and hip.
(Anatomy)1. a bone of the pectoral arch. 2. (in humans) either of two slender bones, each articulating with the sternum and a scapula and forming the anterior part of a shoulder; collarbone
Pel·vis [pel-vis]
Stretching from rib cage to pelvis , the spleen filled half his abdomen.
the large funnel-shaped structure at the lower end of the trunk of most vertebrates: in man it is formed by the hipbones and sacrum
Pha·lanx [fey-langks]
On board, a phalanx of scientists started probing the breath of the forest.
1: A compact or close-knit body of people 2:(Anatomy) A bone of a finger or toe.
Cu·boid [kyoo-boid]
If the avatar he had been watching was a cuboid, that was easy.
1. resembling a cube in form. 2.(Anatomy) noting or pertaining to the outermost bone of the distal row of tarsal bones
Navicular [nuh-vik-yuh-ler]
1. shaped like a boat 2. (Anatomy) a small boat-shaped bone of the wrist or foot
Pec·to·ral [pek-ter-uhl]
They are medium-size sharks, with thick, stout bodies and long pectoral fins.
of, in, on, or pertaining to the chest or breast; thoracic
Hu·mer·us [hyoo-mer-uhs]
the long bone in the arm of humans extending from the shoulder to the elbow
Tra·pe·zi·um [truh-pee-zee-uhm]
(Anatomy) a bone in the wrist that articulates with the metacarpal bone of the thumb
Met·a·tar·sus [met-uh-tahr-suhs]
(Anatomy) the part of a foot or hind limb, especially its bony structure, included between the tarsus and the toes or phalanges.
Pi·si·form [pahy-suh-fawrm]
The fifth runs between the adjacent margins of the triangular and pisiform bones.
pea-shaped
Cox·a [kok-suh]
(Anatomy) a technical name for the hipbone or hip joint
In·nom·i·nate [ih-nom-uh-nit]
The veins end in the left innominate vein, and in the thyroid veins.
having no name; nameless; anonymous
Cuneiform [kyoo-nee-uh-fawrm]
A cuneiform inscription
Denoting or relating to the wedge-shaped characters used in the ancient writing systems of Mesopotamia, Persia, and Ugarit, surviving mainly impressed on clay tablets
Cav·i·ty [kav-i-tee]
But, it was natural cavity they said, so it wasn't my fault.
any hollow place; hollow
Tho·rax [thawr-aks, thohr-]
Anatomy the part of the trunk in humans and higher vertebrates between the neck and the abdomen, containing the cavity, enclosed by the ribs, sternum, and certain vertebrae, in which the heart, lungs, etc., are situated; chest.
Res·pi·ra·tion (-tory) [res-puh-rey-shuhn]
It is the normal by-product of human respiration and the burning of fossil
the act of respiring; inhalation and exhalation of air; breathing
Li·thol·o·gy [li-thol-uh-jee]
The study of rocks, with particular emphasis on their description and classification.
Con·ceal [kuhn-seel]
He concealed the gun under his coat.
to hide; withdraw or remove from observation; cover or keep from sight
Tid·bit [tid-bit]
“In all honesty – Really think this tidbit is a waste of space.”
1. a delicate bit or morsel of food. 2. a choice or pleasing bit of anything, as news or gossip.
Mor·sel [mawr-suhl]
We get them morsel by morsel, and the brisk dicing between them can catch the viewer unprepared.
A small piece or amount of food; a mouthful
Till [til]
Place clear plastic over the tilled garden area in the spring until mid- summer.
1. (Adjective) to labor, as by plowing or harrowing, upon (land) for the raising of crops; to plow 2. (Noun) A cash register or drawer for money in a store, bank, or restaurant
Halve [hav]
Halve dough and form each half into a disk, then wrap in wax paper.
to divide into two equal parts
Annie Sez
We should go to Annie Sez later today
Female clothing store
Lach·es [lach-iz]
The court ultimately dismissed on grounds of laches.
( used with a singular verb ) Law. failure to do something at the proper time, especially such delay as will bar a party from bringing a legal proceeding.
Pla·toon [pluh-toon]
Command platoon there are four commando squads in every platoon.
military unit consisting of two or more squads or sections and a headquarters; a company or group of persons
Dem·a·gogue [dem-uh-gog]
At best he is a distastefully cynical demagogue.
a person, especially an orator or political leader, who gains power and popularity by arousing the emotions, passions, and prejudices of the people.
Preterition (pret-uh-RISH-uhn)
He had no innate sense of tragedy or preterition or complex binds or any of the things that made humanbeings' misfortunes significant to one another.
the act of passing by or over; omission; disregard.
Picket
Pickets marched in front of the company headquarters.
1: a pointed or sharpened stake, post, or pale 2: a person posted by a labor organization at a place of work affected by a strike
Prick·et
1. A male fallow deer in its second year, having straight, unbranched horns. 2. A spike for holding a candle.
Ni·hil·ism (-ist) [nahy-uh-liz-uhm]
The story is far from being a journey toward nihilism.
total rejection of established laws and institutions.
De·mar·ca·tion [dee-mahr-key-shuhn]
The key demarcation points in that relationship are the equinoxes and solstices.
the determining and marking off of the boundaries of something.
Du Jour [duh zhoor]
The soup du jour is split pea OR Environmentalism and other issues du jour.
1. as prepared on the particular day; of the kind being served today 2. fashionable; current
Polarized
The controversy has polarized voters into proabortion and antiabortion groups.
to divide into sharply opposing factions, political groups, etc.
Ca·no·rous [kuh-nawr-uhs]
A canorous chorus of birdsong filled the morning air.
melodious; musical
Da·ven [dah-vuhn]
1. (Judaism) to pray 2. 2. To sway or rock lightly.
Dav·en·port [dav-uhn-pawrt]
We seated ourselves on the davenport while we waited for him to get ready
a large sofa, often one convertible into a bed
Di·van [dih-van]
Its pedestal was propped on the arm of the divan, and it was slanted downward to rest on the carpeted floor.
a sofa or couch, usually without arms or back, often usable as a bed.
He·li·port
a landing and takeoff place for a helicopter
Dis·con·cert (dis-kən-ˈsərt)
News of his criminal past has disconcerted even his admirers.
to throw into confusion
Re·ca·mier [rey-kuh-myey]
a sometimes backless couch with a high curved headrest and low footrest
Tête-à-tête [teyt-uh-teyt]
1: a private conversation between two persons 2: a short piece of furniture (as a sofa) intended to seat two persons especially facing each other
Par·a·pet [par-uh-pit]
There was a little parapet behind which I found space to lie down.
a defensive wall or elevation, as of earth or stone, in a fortification.
Ban·quette [bang-ket]
One of the two dining rooms is light and airy, with a banquette covered in champagne tones.
1. An upholstered bench along a wall, esp. in a restaurant or bar. 2. A raised step behind a rampart.
Mod·al (-ity) [mohd-l]
The harmonic language is an uncomplicated mix of the diatonic and the modal.
of or pertaining to mode, manner, or form.
Bar·bette [bahr-bet]
Instead, the military opted for a more economic alternative by building several barbette batteries.
(within a fortification) a platform or mound of earth from which guns may be fired over the parapetinstead of through embrasures
Ba·guette [ba-get]
A baguette diamond
A gem, esp. a diamond, cut in a long rectangular shape
Ai·grette [ey-gret]
The cap is trimmed with satin ribbon or velvet loops arranged in aigrette style.
1. a plume or tuft of feathers, especially the back plume of any of various herons, arranged as a head ornament. 2. a jeweled ornament depicting or suggesting this, usually worn in the hair or on a hat.
Blan·quette [blahng-ket]
It's delicious with a creamy blanquette of veal, delicately poached fish, or chicken braised with fennel and garlic.
a ragout of lamb, veal, or chicken, prepared in a velouté sauce, usually garnished with croutons or smallonions and mushrooms.
Ches·ter·field [ches-ter-feeld]
Bob waxes enthusiastic about the double-sided chesterfield.
1: a single-breasted or double-breasted semifitted overcoat with velvet collar 2: a davenport usually with upright armrests
Set·tee [set-tee]
Seating types: armchair two seat settee, three seat sofa, and accessory tables.
1: a long seat with a back 2: a medium-sized sofa with arms and a back
Repudiate [ri-pyoo-dee-eyt]
To repudiate a claim OR to repudiate a son
1. to reject as having no authority or binding force 2. to cast off or disown
Pa·la·bra [pah-lah-vrah]
(Spanish) a word.
Pal·i·kar [pal-i-kahr]
a Greek militiaman in the Greek war for independence against the Turks 1821–28.
A·ki·ne·sia
A slowness or loss of normal motor function resulting in impaired muscle movement.
Pal·i·ki·ne·sia (pāl'ĭ-kə-nē'zhə)
Involuntary repetition of movements.
Pal·i·node [pal-uh-nohd]
1. a poem in which the poet retracts something said in an earlier poem. 2. a recantation.
Pal·in·gen·e·sis [pal-in-jen-uh-sis]
rebirth; regeneration
In·cu·bus [in-kyuh-buhs]
It shall be one of my cherished objects to remove this incubus of our prosperity.
1. A male demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women 2. A cause of distress or anxiety; nightmare
Suc·cuss [suh-kuhs]
1. to shake up; shake. 2. (Medicine/Medical) to shake (a patient) in order to determine if a fluid is present in the thorax orelsewhere.
Suc·cumb [suh-kuhm]
To succumb to despair.
to give way to superior force; yield
Suc·cor·ance [suhk-er-uhns]
the act of seeking out affectionate care and social support.
Suc·ce·da·ne·um [suhk-si-dey-nee-uhm]
a substitute
Suc·cu·bus [suhk-yuh-buhs]
His helpless subjection to a charmless and quickly tedious succubus makes him quickly tedious as well.
a demon in female form, said to have sexual intercourse with men in their sleep
Croon [kroon]
To croon to a baby
to sing or hum in a soft, soothing voice
Coon [koon]
1. (Offensive) a black person. 2. a rustic or undignified person
Habitual [huh-bich-oo-uhl]
She took her habitual place at the table.
commonly used, followed, observed, etc., as by a particular person; customary
Co·hort [koh-hawrt]
She has a cohort of admirers.
a group or company
Friend of a friend (FOAF)
a phrase used to refer to someone that one does not know well, literally, a friend of a friend. In some social sciences, the phrase is used as a half-joking shorthand for the fact that much of the information on which people act comes from distant sources (as in "It happened to a friend of a friend of mine") and cannot be confirmed.
Bunny Man Bridge
The Bunny Man rumored to be the Easter Bunny is an urban legend that probably originated from two incidents in Fairfax County, Virginia, in 1970, but has been spread throughout the Washington D.C. area. There are many variations to the legend, but most involve a man wearing a rabbit costume who attacks people with an axe.
Six Degrees of Separation
the theory that anyone on the planet can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five intermediaries.
Thomas Jones
“Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate.”
Jimmy Maloney
"Work is an overrated activity.”
Shirk [shurk]
Afterwards, agencies scrambled to shirk responsibility.
to evade (work, duty, responsibility, etc.)
Fan·tas·tic [fan-tas-tik]
Fantastic rock formations; fantastic designs.
conceived or appearing as if conceived by an unrestrained imagination; odd and remarkable;bizarre; grotesque
Fan·tab·u·lous [fan-tab-yuh-luhs]
Who becomes royal and who a drudge depends on who gets fed with a fantabulous substance called royal jelly.
extremely fine or desirable; excellent; wonderful
Dan Buoy
a floating temporary marker buoy (as one used on fishing grounds or in minesweeping and antisubmarine-warfare operations)
Dan·tesque [dan-tesk]
in the style of Dante; characterized by impressive elevation of style with deep solemnity or sombernessof feeling.
Som·ber [som-ber]
A somber passageway
gloomily dark; shadowy; dimly lighted
Ear·nest [ur-nist]
An earnest worker
serious in intention, purpose, or effort; sincerely zealous
Dantesca Chair [dan-tes-kuh]
a chair of the Renaissance having two transverse pairs of curved legs crossing beneath the seat and rising to support the arms and back.
Savonarola Chair
a chair of the Renaissance having a number of transverse pairs of curved legs, crossing beneath the seatand rising to support the arms and back.
Sau·té [soh-tey]
Saute alligator meat in a small amount of olive oil until tender, and set aside.
cooked or browned in a pan containing a small quantity of butter, oil, or other fat.
O·nus [oh-nuhs]
It would also put more onus on developing countries to become more attractive...
a difficult or disagreeable obligation, task, burden, etc.
Del·e·gate [del-i-git]
The art is to delegate this task to people who are actually motivated to do it.
a person designated to act for or represent another or others; deputy; representative, as in a political convention.
White·wash [hwahyt-wosh]
The whitewash coating is easily damaged and rubs off on clothing.
a composition, as of lime and water or of whiting, size, and water, used for whitening walls, woodwork, etc.
Dis·tem·per
A feverish distemper.
a deranged condition of mind or body; a disorder or disease
Dis·tinct [dih-stingkt]
His private and public lives are distinct.
distinguished as not being the same; not identical; separate (sometimes followed by from)
Par·tic·u·late [per-tik-yuh-lit]
All relative particulate motion occurs as jumps in relative position between...
(Adjective) of, pertaining to, or composed of distinct particles. (Noun) a separate and distinct particle.
Di·mor·phism [dahy-mawr-fiz-uhm]
Calcite and aragonite are the two crystal forms of calcium carbonate, a property of minerals geologists call dimorphism .
(Zoology) the occurrence of two forms distinct in structure, coloration, etc., among animals of the same species. Compare sexual dimorphism.
Dis·il·lu·sion [dis-i-loo-zhuhn]
There is less disillusion here than continuing rage.
to free from or deprive of illusion, belief, idealism, etc.; disenchant.
Dis·re·gard [dis-ri-gahrd]
Disregard the footnotes.
to pay no attention to; leave out of consideration; ignore
Dis·so·lute [dis-uh-loot]
They show lankily seductive, somewhat dissolute-looking urban adolescents.
indifferent to moral restraints; given to immoral or improper conduct; licentious; dissipated.
Des·o·late [des-uh-lit]
A treeless, desolate landscape
barren or laid waste; devastated
Dis·si·pate [dis-uh-peyt]
They form, then dissipate quickly.
to scatter in various directions; disperse; dispel
Bar·ren [bar-uhn]
A barren woman
not producing or incapable of producing offspring; sterile
A·car·pous [ey-kahr-puhs]
not producing fruit; sterile; barren.
Dep·u·ta·tion [dep-yuh-tey-shuhn]
He was afterward, by a solemn deputation of the nobility, called to the crown.
the act of appointing a person or persons to represent or act for another or others
Con·sent [kuhn-sent]
We asked her permission, and she consented.
to permit, approve, or agree; comply or yield
Ac·cede [ak-seed]
To accede to a request
to give consent, approval, or adherence; agree; assent;
Ba·ris·ta [buh-ris-tuh]
After a brief discussion with the barista, the patron opens the box.
a person who is specially trained in the making and serving of coffee drinks, as in a coffee bar
Dis·sev·er [dih-sev-er]
to sever; separate
Dis·a·gree [dis-uh-gree]
The theories disagree in their basic premises
to fail to agree; differ
Dis·junc·tive [dis-juhngk-tiv]
Anyone who approaches his imagistic, disjunctive tales as puzzles to be solved is bound to be thwarted.
serving or tending to disjoin; separating; dividing; distinguishing.
Nas·cent [nas-uhnt]
The nascent republic
beginning to exist or develop
Auspice [aw-spis]
Under the auspices of the Department of Education.
1. one of a group of ancient Roman officials charged with observing and interpreting omens forguidance in public affairs. 2. soothsayer; prophet.
Sooth·say·er [sooth-sey-er]
His aura earned him vast hosts of fans and the role of high priest and soothsayer that he always believed was his birthright.
a person who professes to foretell events.
Aus·pex [aw-speks]
an augur of ancient Rome
Auspicate [aw-spi-keyt]
"They auspicated the trip with a bottle of champagne"
commence in a manner calculated to bring good luck
Prog·nos·ti·cate [prog-nos-ti-keyt]
As usual, sports writer wants to prognosticate based on statistics.
to forecast or predict (something future) from present indications or signs; prophesy
Hal·cy·on [hal-see-uhn]
Halcyon weather
calm; peaceful; tranquil
Al·cy·o·ne [al-sahy-uh-nee]
1. a third-magnitude star in the constellation Taurus: brightest star in the Pleiades. 2. Also, Halcyon, Halcyone. Classical Mythology . a daughter of Aeolus who, with her husband, Ceyx,was transformed into a kingfisher.
Dis·crep·ant [dih-skrep-uhnt]
It is not difficult to unite these two apparently discrepant cases.
(usually of two or more objects, accounts, findings etc.) differing; disagreeing; inconsistent: discrepant accounts
Ex·cul·pate [ek-skuhl-peyt]
Each makes some attempt to exculpate the other.
to clear from a charge of guilt or fault; free from blame; vindicate
Ab·solve [ab-zolv]
The court absolved her of guilt in his death.
to free from guilt or blame or their consequences
Im·pute (-able) [im-pyoot]
The children imputed magical powers to the old woman.
to attribute or ascribe
Fer·vent [fur-vuhnt]
A fervent admirer; a fervent plea.
having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm, etc.; ardent
A·sep·tic [uh-sep-tik]
Work with the bacillus itself must be confined to aseptic safety cabinets.
free from the living germs of disease, fermentation, or putrefaction.
Pu·trid [pyoo-trid]
Much of it remains under water, stewing in aputrid mix of chemicals and corpses.
in a state of foul decay or decomposition, as animal or vegetable matter; rotten
Ruf·fle [ruhf-uhl]
The wind ruffled the sand.
to destroy the smoothness or evenness of
Ve·ra·cious [vuh-rey-shuhs]
A veracious witness.
habitually speaking the truth; truthful; honest
Ran·cor [rang-ker]
bitter, rankling resentment or ill will; hatred; malice.
Fortunate Isles or (Islands of the Blessed)
here is where heroes and other favored mortals in Greek mythology and Celtic mythology were received by the gods into a winterless blissful paradise. According to Greek mythology, the islands were reserved for those who had chosen to be reincarnated thrice, and managed to be judged as especially pure enough to gain entrance to the Elysian Fields all three times.
Thrice [thrahys]
Twice have drowned, thrice let knives rake mynitty-gritty.
three times, as in succession; on three occasions or in three ways
Dis·o·be·di·ence [dis-uh-bee-dee-uhns]
In fact people were willing to engage in civil disobedience to get through
lack of obedience or refusal to comply; disregard or transgression
Dis·pos·sess [dis-puh-zes]
The dispossess can cross in the mail with your rent payment.
to put (a person) out of possession, especially of real property; oust
Oust [oust]
The bouncer ousted the drunk; to oust the Prime Minister in the next election.
to expel or remove from a place or position occupied
Im·i·ta·ble [im-i-tuh-buhl]
She has many good, imitable qualities.
capable or worthy of being imitated
Im·i·tate [im-i-teyt]
To imitate an author's style; to imitate an older brother.
to follow or endeavor to follow as a model or example
E·lab·o·rate [ih-lab-er-it]
She suggested a more elaborate approach: pairwise comparison.
worked out with great care and nicety of detail; executed with great minuteness: elaborate preparations; elaborate care.
Hyp·o·crite [hip-uh-krit]
The former statesman cannot be called either acynic or hypocrite.
a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.
Be·lie [bih-lahy]
His trembling hands belied his calm voice.
to show to be false; contradict
Dis·course [dis-kawrs]
Earnest and intelligent discourse.
communication of thought by words; talk; conversation
Prim·i·tive [prim-i-tiv]
Primitive forms of life
being the first or earliest of the kind or in existence, especially in an early age of the world
Dis·trust [dis-truhst]
Working and planning from a place of fear and distrust can be debilitating.
to regard with doubt or suspicion; have no trust in
Dis·a·buse [dis-uh-byooz]
No one in my family could disabuse me of that belief.
to free (a person) from deception or error.
Dupe [doop, dyoop]
The first dupe of the accomplished hypocrite is always himself.
a person who is easily deceived or fooled; gull.
De·ride [dih-rahyd]
Some may deride baseball for being too slow in such modern times.
to laugh at in scorn or contempt; scoff or jeer at; mock
Sop·o·rif·ic [sop-uh-rif-ik]
Total uniformity is not required, and in fact can be boring and soporific .
causing or tending to cause sleep
Ex·act·a [ig-zak-tuh]
And there's a hefty bonus for an exacta --if your pick for first or second or third, etc, matches the tournament rankings
a type of bet, especially on horse races, in which the bettor must select the first- and second-place finishers in exact order.
Ex·ca·vate [eks-kuh-veyt]
The ground was excavated for a foundation.
to make hollow by removing the inner part; make a hole or cavity in; form into a hollow, as by digging
Evacuate [ih-vak-yoo-eyt]
To evacuate the inhabitants of towns in the path of a flood.
to remove (persons or things) from a place, as a dangerous place or disaster area, for reasons ofsafety or protection
U·ni·form [yoo-nuh-fawrm]
Uniform spelling; a uniform building code.
identical or consistent, as from example to example, place to place, or moment to moment
Bronze Age
a period in the history of humankind, following the Stone Age and preceding the Iron Age, during which bronze weapons and implements were used.
Ar·i·ad·ne [ar-ee-ad-nee]
a daughter of Minos and Pasiphaë who gave Theseus the thread by which heescaped from the labyrinth: deserted by Theseus on Naxos, she became the bride of Dionysus.
Ba·sil·ic [buh-sil-ik]
Blood from the basilic and femoral veins was also sowed.
kingly; royal
A·chil·les [uh-kil-eez]
the greatest Greek warrior in the Trojan War and hero of Homer's Iliad. He killed Hector and was killed when Paris wounded him in the heel, his one vulnerable spot, with an arrow.
Min·o·taur [min-uh-tawr]
A creature who was half man and half bull
Pa·siph·a·ë [puh-sif-uh-ee]
1. (Classical Mythology) . the wife of Minos, mother of Ariadne, and mother of the Minotaur by the Cretanbull. 2. (Astronomy) a small moon of the planet Jupiter.
O·dys·se·us [oh-dis-ee-uhs]
(Classical Mythology) king of Ithaca; son of Laertes; one of the heroes of the Iliad and protagonist of the Odyssey: shrewdest ofthe Greek leaders in the Trojan War.
Des·ic·cant [des-i-kuhnt]
Silica gel is a desiccant, and the purpose of a desiccant is to absorb or adsorb gaseous water vapor.
desiccating or drying, as a medicine
Del·uge [del-yooj]
The trickle-down was more of a deluge up the income distribution ladder.
a great flood of water; inundation; flood
Ca·tas·tro·phe [kuh-tas-truh-fee]
The catastrophe of war
a sudden and widespread disaster
Pin·ion (pin-yuhn)
Both pinion gears being engaged, the air released from the uncovered port in the upper motor.
1. The outer part of a bird's wing including the flight feathers. 2. A small gear or spindle engaging with a large gear.
A·bom·i·na·tion [uh-bom-uh-ney-shuhn]
This situation is an abomination and should beroundly condemned.
anything abominable; anything greatly disliked or abhorred
In·here [in-heer]
The advantages that inhere in a democratic system.
to exist permanently and inseparably in, as a quality, attribute, or element; belong intrinsically; be inherent
Ex·on·er·ate [ig-zon-uh-reyt]
He was exonerated from the accusation of cheating.
to clear, as of an accusation; free from guilt or blame; exculpate
Vin·di·cate [vin-di-keyt]
To vindicate someone's honor
to clear, as from an accusation, imputation, suspicion, or the like
De·pre·ci·ate [dih-pree-shee-eyt]
The idea of a currency war is that nations depreciate their currencies with the
to reduce the purchasing value of (money)
Dep·re·cate [dep-ri-keyt]
To bespeak the importance of small parks is not to deprecate the importance of...
to express earnest disapproval of
Ex·alt [ig-zawlt]
He was exalted to the position ofpresident.
to raise in rank, honor, power, character, quality, etc.; elevate
Ex·ile [eg-zahyl]
To live in exile
expulsion from one's native land by authoritative decree.
Ex·hale [eks-heyl]
Close your mouth, hold your nose and try to exhale slowly.
to emit breath or vapor; breathe out
Bar·ring [bahr-ing]
Barring accidents, I'll be there.
excepting; except for
E·rod·ent [ih-rohd-nt]
The erodent power of wind.
eroding; erosive
A·mend [uh-mend]
Congress may amend the proposed tax bill
to alter, modify, rephrase, or add to or subtract from (a motion, bill, constitution, etc.) by formal procedure
A·me·ba [uh-mee-buh]
A single-celled animal that catches food and moves about by extending fingerlike projections of protoplasm. Amebas are either free-living in damp environments or parasitic
Ma·chet·e [muh-shet-ee]
The company hand-labels the bottles and cuts the sugarcane by machete in order...
a large heavy knife used especially in Latin-American countries in cutting sugarcane and clearingunderbrush and as a weapon
Ze·a·tin [zee-uh-tin]
a cytokinin occurring in corn, spinach, and peas.
Cy·to·ki·nin [sahy-tuh-kahy-nin]
any of a class of plant hormones, produced by the roots and traveling upward through the xylem, thatpromote tissue growth and budding and, on application, retard plant senescence.
Zeal(-otry) [zeel]
They tend to lose their reformist zeal and see their growth fizzle.
fervor for a person, cause, or object; eager desire or endeavor; enthusiastic diligence; ardor
Zeal·ot [zel-uht]
1. a person who shows zeal. 2. an excessively zealous person; fanatic.
Ar·dor [ahr-der]
She spoke persuasively and with ardor.
great warmth of feeling; fervor; passion
Luke·warm [look-wawrm]
Wash the skin with large amounts of lukewarm water and soap. OR He received lukewarm applause.
1. moderately warm; tepid. 2. having or showing little ardor, zeal, or enthusiasm; indifferent
Dec·a·dal [dek-uh-dl]
But not nearly enough to explain the whole decadal trend.
of or pertaining to a decade
Dec·a·drachm [dek-uh-dram]
a silver coin of ancient Greece equal to 10 drachmas.
Dec·a·gon [dek-uh-gon]
The diagonals of heptagon, nonagon, and decagon should be drawn directly onto the worksheet.
a polygon having ten angles and ten sides.
Non·a·gon [non-uh-gon]
The diagonals of heptagon, nonagon, and decagon should be drawn directly onto theworksheet.
a polygon having nine angles and nine sides.
Hep·ta·gon [hep-tuh-gon]
The diagonals of heptagon, nonagon, and decagon should be drawn directly onto the worksheet.
a polygon having seven angles and seven sides.
Fo·li·ate [foh-lee-it]
Accessing the balcony are narrow wood stairs with ornately carved foliate wood newel posts
covered with or having leaves; shaped like a leaf
Gneiss [nahys]
If you go down to see them, you will find some with the gneiss attached to the quartz.
a metamorphic rock, generally made up of bands that differ in color and composition, some bands beingrich in feldspar and quartz, others rich in hornblende or mica.
Mi·ca [mahy-kuh]
In this case the mica, not a conscious being, is the object that transforms what might happen into what does happen.
any member of a group of minerals, hydrous silicates of aluminum with other bases, chiefly potassium, magnesium, iron, and lithium, that separate readily into thin, tough, often transparent, and usually elastic laminae; isinglass.
I·sin·glass [ahy-zuhn-glas]
a pure, transparent or translucent form of gelatin, obtained from the air bladders of certain fish,especially the sturgeon: used in glue and jellies and as a clarifying agent.
Ta·bes [tey-beez]
The skininess is an indicator of tabes
a gradually progressive emaciation
Har·poon [hahr-poon]
One little worm can shoot a harpoon out of its head to stab its prey.
a barbed, spearlike missile attached to a rope, and thrown by hand or shot from a gun, used for killing and capturing whales and large fish.
Grand·stand [gran-stand]
Only a small section of the grandstand is open to the public.
1. (Noun) The main seating area, usually roofed, commanding the best view for spectators at racetracks or sports stadiums. 2. (Verb) (used without object) to conduct oneself or perform showily or ostentatiously in an attempt to impress onlookers
Mar·mo·re·al [mahr-mawr-ee-uhl]
Skin of marmoreal smoothness.
of or like marble
Bale·ful [beyl-fuhl]
The expression in his eyes was baleful, aloof, and slightly suspicious.
full of menacing or malign influences; pernicious.
Bane [beyn]
Gambling was the bane of his existence.
a person or thing that ruins or spoils.
Bedizen [bih-dahy-zuhn]
He bedizened for the party.
to dress or adorn in a showy, gaudy, or tasteless manner.
Gaud·y [gaw-dee]
Gaudy plumage
brilliantly or excessively showy
Nu·ga·to·ry [noo-guh-tawr-ee]
Moreover, such a reading would render the substantial factor test nugatory .
of no real value; trifling; worthless
Mar [mahr]
That billboard mars the view. The holiday was marred by bad weather
to damage or spoil to a certain extent; render less perfect, attractive, useful, etc.; impair or spoil
Tra·duce [truh-doos]
To traduce someone's character.
to speak maliciously and falsely of; slander; defame
Tal·is·man [tal-is-muhn]
The words have become a weird talisman and are applied way, way out of context.
An object, typically an inscribed ring or stone, thought to have magic powers and to bring good luck
Am·u·let [am-yuh-lit]
Soon, customers would ask her to mount a newly bought amulet to wear.
a small object worn to ward off evil, harm, or illness or to bring good fortune; protecting charm.
Re·fute [ri-fyoot]
Your logic is lacking, one key thing, you do not in anyway refute their claim.
to prove to be false or erroneous, as an opinion or charge.
Gra·di·ent [grey-dee-uhnt]
Thus a steep temperature gradient is present within the material itself.
the degree of inclination, or the rate of ascent or descent, in a highway, railroad, etc.
Dis·cre·tion [dih-skresh-uhn]
It is entirely within my discretion whether I will go or stay.
the power or right to decide or act according to one's own judgment; freedom of judgment or choice
In·com·mo·di·ous [in-kuh-moh-dee-uhs]
Incommodious hotel accommodations.
inconvenient, as not affording sufficient space or room; uncomfortable:
E·quiv·o·cate (-cal) [ih-kwiv-uh-keyt]
When asked directly for his position on disarmament, the candidate only equivocated
to use ambiguous or unclear expressions, usually to avoid commitment or in order to mislead; prevaricate or hedge:
Neg·a·to·ry [neg-uh-tawr-ee]
He responded "negatory" to his question
marked by negation; denying; negative.
Bent
A bent stick OR A bent for painting
1. (Adjective) curved; crooked 2. (Noun) direction taken, as by one's interests; inclination
Blan·dish [blan-dish]
They blandished the guard into letting them through the gate.
to coax or influence by gentle flattery; cajole
Bol·ster [bohl-ster]
Officials have been considering ways to help bolster the area's seal population.
a long, often cylindrical, cushion or pillow for a bed, sofa, etc
Bombast (-ic)
In their place rise vast bombastic structures, architects' and politicians'...
high-sounding; high-flown; inflated; pretentious
Burgeon
The town burgeoned into a city. He burgeoned into a fine actor.
to grow or develop quickly; flourish.
Burnish
On the one hand, their involvement lets them burnish their brands in a...
to polish (a surface) by friction
Cadge
To supplement these pie-and-beer meals, he tried to cadge food at court.
to obtain by imposing on another's generosity or friendship.
Catalyst
The deviant behavior acts as a catalyst for the first interaction. OR His imprisonment by the government served as the catalyst that helped transform social unrest into revolution.
1. a substance that causes or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected. 2. a person or thing that precipitates an event or change
Churlish
Churlish behavior.
boorish; rude
Coda
As a coda, a nightcap also shouldn't stray too far from the movements that preceded it.
a more or less independent passage, at the end of a composition, introduced to bring it to a satisfactory close.
Pas de deux [French pahduh dœ]
1. a dance by two persons. 2. (in classical ballet) a set dance for a ballerina and a danseur noble, consisting typically of an entrée, an adagio, a variation for each dancer, and a coda
Complacent
The voters are too complacent to change the government.
pleased, especially with oneself or one's merits, advantages, situation, etc., often without awareness of some potential danger or defect; self-satisfied.
Convoluted
A convoluted way of describing a simple device.
to coil up; form into a twisted shape
Corroborate
He corroborated my account of the accident.
to make more certain; confirm
Countenance [koun-tn-uhns]
A sad countenance
appearance, especially the look or expression of the face
Culpable [kuhl-puh-buhl]
Cal's senior management is either incompetent or culpable.
a deserving blame or censure; blameworthy
Bi·lat·er·al [bahy-lat-er-uhl]
A bilateral agreement; bilateral sponsorship.
pertaining to, involving, or affecting two or both sides, factions, parties, or the like
So·lic·i·tous [suh-lis-i-tuhs]
Solicitous about a person's health.
anxious or concerned (usually followed by about, for, etc., or a clause)
Ap·pease [uh-peez]
To appease an angry king.
to bring to a state of peace, quiet, ease, calm, or contentment; pacify; soothe
Codg·er [koj-er]
He was obviously a pretty stubborn old codger himself.
an eccentric man, especially one who is old
Kedge [kej]
Divers will find a kedge anchor, pin rail, wheel and tiller.
to warp or pull (a ship) along by hauling on the cable of an anchor carried out from the ship and dropped
Ac·cre·tion [uh-kree-shuhn]
The gradual accretion of knowledge is the way to go.
an increase by natural growth or by gradual external addition; growth in size or extent.
Ram·part [ram-pahrt]
Rampart self interest has led to our current economic condition.
A defensive wall of a castle or walled city, having a broad top with a walkway and typically a stone parapet.
Pen·chant [pen-chuhnt]
Penchant for outdoor sports.
a strong inclination, taste, or liking for something
Pend·ant [pen-duhnt]
Pendant can be worn with either side of the coin displayed.
a hanging ornament, as an earring or the main piece suspended from a necklace
Dis·trib·ute (-tion) [dih-strib-yoot]
Distribute the worksheet and have students research globalization.
to divide and give out in shares; deal out; allot.
Mal·e·fac·tor [mal-uh-fak-ter]
The malefactor failed to pay the amounts charged to those accounts and thus the accounts became delinquent.
1. a person who violates the law; criminal. 2. a person who does harm or evil, especially toward another
Pro·sa·ic [proh-zey-ik]
A prosaic mind
commonplace or dull; matter-of-fact or unimaginative
In·sip·id [in-sip-id]
An insipid personality.
without distinctive, interesting, or stimulating qualities; vapid
Ar·rest [uh-rest]
The police arrested the burglar
to seize (a person) by legal authority or warrant; take into custody
Vi·tu·per·ate [vahy-too-puh-reyt]
to use or address with harsh or abusive language; revile
Cloy·ing [kloi-ing]
A perfume of cloying sweetness
causing or tending to cause disgust or aversion through excess
Ob·trude [uhb-trood]
To obtrude one's opinions upon others
to thrust (something) forward or upon a person, especially without warrant or invitation
Ad·mon·ish [ad-mon-ish]
Counsel should admonish their clients and witnesses to avoid such behavior.
to caution, advise, or counsel against something
Re·nege [ri-nig]
He has reneged on his promise
1. Cards. to play a card that is not of the suit led when one can follow suit; break a rule of play. 2. to go back on one's word
Ju·ju [joo-joo]
Juju says that working on art projects makes her feel peaceful and calm.
1. an object venerated superstitiously and used as a fetish or amulet by tribal peoples of West Africa. 2. the magical power attributed to such an object.
Me·nat [mey-naht]
The tests with expander, reducer and diameter step do not apply to gas meters menat to be used in residential areas.
an amulet worn by certain Egyptians in ancient times to secure divine protection and to ensure fertility
Bul·la [bool-ee]
Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax can be caused by lung diseases that produce the bulla , such as emphysema or asthma.
a seal attached to an official document, as a papal bull
Per·i·apt [per-ee-apt]
an amulet (a small object worn to ward off evil, harm, or illness or to bring good fortune; protecting charm.)
Gri·gri [gree-gree]
an African charm, amulet, or fetish
Phi·lan·thro·py (-ic) [fi-lan-thruh-pee]
To devote one's later years to philanthropy.
the activity of donating to such persons or purposes in this way
A·noint [uh-noint]
They anoint the tips of their arrows with poison
1. Smear or rub with oil, typically as part of a religious ceremony. 2. Smear or rub something with (any other substance)
Pied [pahyd]
A pied horse.
having patches of two or more colors, as various birds and other animals
Par·ti·san [pahr-tuh-zuhn]
It's also a moment for national unity, not partisan advantage.
an adherent or supporter of a person, group, party, or cause, especially a person who shows a biased, emotional allegiance
Ap·pro·ba·tion [ap-ruh-bey-shuhn]
There just isn't enough outside approbation.
approval; commendation
Tem·per·ate [tem-per-it, tem-prit]
A temperate response to an insulting challenge.
moderate or self-restrained; not extreme in opinion, statement, etc
Flag
To flag a taxi; To flag down a passing car.
to signal or warn (a person, automobile, etc.) with or as if with a flag (sometimes followed by down)
Nox·ious [nok-shuhs]
Noxious fumes
harmful or injurious to health or physical well-being
Ar·bo·re·al [ahr-bawr-ee-uhl]
These days, though, more and more adults are rediscovering the joys of arboreal hideaways.
of or pertaining to trees; treelike
As·per·i·ty [uh-sper-i-tee]
The cause of her anger did not warrant such asperity.
harshness or sharpness of tone, temper, or manner; severity; acrimony
Dereliction
Dereliction of duty.
deliberate or conscious neglect
Detumescence [dee-too-mes-uhns]
reduction or subsidence of swelling
Disencumber [dis-en-kuhm-ber]
to free from a burden
Efficacy
Strong crypto, in their view, was an answer of almost magical efficacy.
capacity for producing a desired result
Effluviam [ih-floo-vee-uh]
The danger here is that it must be interesting effluvia .
(noun) slight or invisible exhalation or vapor
Effrontery
The sheer effrontery of the thing took my breath away.
shameless or impudent boldness
Empirical
But a question is empirical only if you can imagine physical evidence that...
derived from or guided by experience or experiment
Encomium [en-koh-mee-uhm]
An encomium by the President greeted the returning hero
formal expression of high praise
Ex·pa·ti·ate [ik-spey-shee-eyt]
To expatiate upon a theme
to enlarge in discourse or writing; be copious in description or discussion
Propinquity
Their propinquity is a corroborating point, as is the quotation from the trial transcript.
nearness in place
Prox·im·i·ty [prok-sim-i-tee
Concertgoers praised the proximity between stages, relaxed environment and...
nearness in place, time, order, occurrence, or relation.
Recidivism [ri-sid-uh-viz-uhm]
In slowing recidivism, they turned prisoners from tax burdens into taxpaying
repeated or habitual relapse, as into crime
Sophomoric [sof-uh-mawr-ik]
The director of a consumer group says he's sleazy and sophomoric .
intellectually pretentious, overconfident, or conceited, but also immature
Desultory [des-uhl-tawr-ee]
It helps that he is by nature a desultory, recessive fellow.
jumping from one thing to another; disconnected
Cogitate [koj-i-teyt] To cogitate about a problem.
to think hard; ponder; meditate
Track Record
An executive with a good track record.
a record of achievements or performance
Vi·a·ble [vahy-uh-buhl]
We need to cut spending to make our fiscal future more reasonable, more viable.
capable of living
De·test [dih-test]
Little wonder that many faculty members detest department meetings.
to feel abhorrence of; hate; dislike intensely
Rap sheet
Those with cash and connections can clean up arap sheet quickly.
a record kept by law-enforcement authorities of a person's arrests and convictions.
A·pache [uh-pahsh]
Until the fuzzy letdowns of the final act, the movie is a sizzling intellectual apache dance.
a Parisian gangster, rowdy, or ruffian.
A·pach·e [uh-pach-ee]
1. a member of an Athabaskan people of the southwestern U.S. 2.(Military) a two-man U.S. Army helicopter designed to attack enemy armor with rockets or a 30mmgun and equipped for use in bad weather and in darkness.
Raze [reyz]
To raze a row of old buildings.
to tear down; demolish; level to the ground
Chas·tise [chas-tahyz]
The purpose of this notice is not to chastise anyone defendant's counsel.
to discipline, especially by corporal punishment
Pa·tri·arch [pey-tree-ahrk]
He was also the patriarch and patron of a largecity-based family.
the male head of a family or tribal line.
Ep·i·der·mis [ep-i-dur-mis]
Green food dye sinks into the top three or four layers of the epidermis.
the outer, nonvascular, nonsensitive layer of the skin, covering the true skin or corium
Ser·vile [sur-vil]
Servile flatterers.
slavishly submissive or obsequious; fawning
Ad·jure [uh-joor]
to charge, bind, or command earnestly and solemnly, often under oath or the threat of a penalty
Seethe [seeth]
Joseph has long been the apple of his father's eye, making his brothers seethe...
to surge or foam as if boiling
Niggle [nig-uhl]
"A nasty leg wound which still niggled at him" OR "He loved to niggle and criticize people".
1. (Verb) Cause slight but persistent annoyance, discomfort, or anxiety 2. (Verb) Find fault with (someone) in a petty way
Me·an·der [mee-an-der]
The stream meandered through the valley.
to proceed by or take a winding or indirect course
Ac·crue [uh-kroo]
Full-time employees accrue annual leave based on years of employment.
to happen or result as a natural growth, addition, etc.
Op·pro·bri·ous [uh-proh-bree-uhs]
Opprobrious invectives.
conveying or expressing opprobrium, as language or a speaker
Pum·per·nick·el [puhm-per-nik-uhl]
The bread selection consists of dinner rolls, a rich pumpernickel, and pretzel bread.
a coarse, dark, slightly sour bread made of unbolted rye.
Stra·tum [strey-tuhm]
A stratum of ancient foundations.
a layer of material, naturally or artificially formed, often one of a number of parallel layers one upon another
Gran·ule [gran-yool]
In modern birds pigments in feathers come in small granules, and the granule for each color has a different shape.
a little grain
Con·viv·i·al [kuhn-viv-ee-uhl]
A convivial atmosphere.
friendly; agreeable
Adipose Tissue
Adipose tissue, familiarly known as fat, is the organ specialized for that task.
loose connective tissue in which fat cells accumulate.
Squal·id [skwol-id]
He often slept in a squalid homeless shelter, if not under a bridge.
foul and repulsive, as from lack of care or cleanliness; neglected and filthy
Sor·did [sawr-did]
Sordid methods.
morally ignoble or base; vile
Whet [hwet, wet]
Another swallower works underwater, in what may be a futile attempt to whet the blade.
1. to sharpen (a knife, tool, etc.) by grinding or friction. 2. to make keen or eager; stimulate: to whet the appetite; to whet the curiosity
Lam·poon [lam-poon]
The web has yet to meet a serious idea it couldn't lampoon .
a sharp, often virulent satire directed against an individual or institution
A·grar·i·an [uh-grair-ee-uhn]
Agrarian laws
relating to land, land tenure, or the division of landed property
Ju·di·cious [joo-dish-uhs]
Judicious use of one's money.
using or showing judgment as to action or practical expediency; discreet, prudent, or politic
Carp [kahrp]
To carp at minor errors.
to find fault or complain querulously or unreasonably; be niggling in criticizing; cavil
Ac·claim [uh-kleym]
To acclaim the conquering heroes.
to welcome or salute with shouts or sounds of joy and approval; applaud
Au·to·crat [aw-tuh-krat]
Gaines is neither a my-way-or-the-highway autocrat nor a rah-rah motivator.
an absolute ruler, especially a monarch who holds and exercises the powers of government as by inherent right, not subject to restrictions.
Waive [weyv]
To waive one's right
to refrain from claiming or insisting on; give up; forgo
Lam·baste [lam-beyst]
One is to lambaste those that don't see it as you do.
to beat or whip severely.
Fla·grant [fley-gruhnt]
A flagrant error.
shockingly noticeable or evident; obvious; glaring
An·tiq·ui·ty [an-tik-wi-tee]
A bowl of great antiquity.
the quality of being ancient; ancientness; old
An·ar·chist [an-er-kist]
She had returned to anarchist activism, but it was taking its toll on her.
a person who seeks to overturn by violence all constituted forms and institutions of society and government, with no purpose of establishing any other system of order in the place of that destroyed.
Quaff [kwof]
Best of all is hot tea, poured generously, and a welcome quaff on a cold
to drink a beverage, especially an intoxicating one, copiously and with hearty enjoyment.
Cul·prit [kuhl-prit]
The crudest attacks come with the culprit's electronic fingerprints.
a person or other agent guilty of or responsible for an offense or fault
Shi Shi Nee (shey shey nee)
(Chinese) Thank you
Guide·line [gahyd-lahyn]
Guidelines on the government's future policy
any guide or indication of a future course of action
A·bys·mal [uh-biz-muhl]
Abysmal ignorance; abysmal poverty.
extremely or hopelessly bad or severe
Re·morse [ri-mawrs]
I could forgive him for what he did if he showed some remorse.
a gnawing distress arising from a sense of guilt for past wrongs
Ab·es·sive [a-bes-iv]
A word in the abessive case.
Of, relating to, or being the grammatical case indicating absence, as Finnish puhumatta "without speaking."
Tin·sel [tin-suhl]
Please remove the ornaments, tinsel, lights and tree stand.
a glittering metallic substance, as copper or brass, in thinsheets, used in pieces, strips, threads, etc., to produce a sparkling effect cheaply.
Plu·toc·ra·cy [ploo-tok-ruh-see]
We now live in a plutocracy that only answers to avarice and benefits the oligarchs.
the rule or power of wealth or of the wealthy
Vi·cin·i·ty [vi-sin-i-tee]
There are no stores in the vicinity of our house.
the area or region near or about a place; surrounding district;neighborhood
Fis·sile [fis-uhl]
Fissile wood
capable of being split or divided; cleavable.
Wrest (rest)
She managed to wrest true understanding from each of us with the simplest means.
(Verb) Forcibly pull (something) from a person's grasp. (Noun) A key for tuning a harp or piano.
Cov·en·try (kəvəntrē)
An industrial city in central England; pop. 292,600.
Pa·vil·ion [puh-vil-yuhn]
They were married in a pavilion filled with flowers.
a light, usually open building used for shelter, concerts, exhibits, etc., as in a park or fair.
Bleak [bleek]
A bleak plain.
bare, desolate, and often windswept
Si·phon [sahy-fuhn]
To siphon a secret bank account.
(Verb) to convey, draw, or pass through or as if through a siphon
The·og·o·ny [thee-og-uh-nee]
the origin of the gods
De·scent [dih-sent]
The book describes his descent into a deep depression after the death of his wife
the act, process, or fact of moving from a higher to a lower position.
Tar·iff [tar-if]
Once the quota is filled, a higher tariff is applied on additional imports.
an official list or table showing the duties or customs imposedby a government on imports or exports.
Ter·race [ter-uhs]
There are some excellent photo opportunities from the upper terrace.
a raised level with a vertical or sloping front or sides faced with masonry, turf, or the like, especially one of a series of levels rising one above another.
Grid·i·ron [grid-ahy-ern]
Meanwhile he took the mutton off the gridiron, and gravely handed it round.
1. a football field. 2. a utensil consisting of parallel metal bars on which to broilmeat or other food. 3. a structure above the stage of a theater, from which hung scenery and the like are manipulated.
Grib·ble [grib-uhl
a small, marine isopod crustacean of the genus Limnoria that destroys submerged timber by boring into it.
Pun·chi·nel·lo [puhn-chuh-nel-oh]
1. a grotesque or absurd chief character in a puppet show of Italian origin: the prototype of Punch. 2. any similarly grotesque or absurd person or thing.
Punch·y [puhn-chee]
being or appearing vigorously effective; forceful.
Pun·cheon [puhn-chuhn]
Puncheon that is slightly elevated is termed surface puncheon.
1. a large cask of varying capacity, but usually 80 gallons (304liters). 2. the volume of such a cask, used as a measure.
Tong [tawgn]
(among Chinese living in the U.S.) a fraternal or secretsociety, often associated with criminal activities.
Tongs [tawngz]
Wearing heat-proof gloves and tongs , remove the boat containing the mixed
any of various implements consisting of two arms hinged, pivoted, orotherwise fastened together, for seizing, holding, or lifting something(usually used with pair of).
De·ner·vate [dee-nur-veyt]
(Surgery) to cut off the nerve supply from (an organ or body part) by surgery or anesthetic block.
Den·i·grate [den-i-greyt]
To denigrate someone's character.
to speak damagingly of; criticize in a derogatory manner; sully; defame
Marshall Plan
1. European Recovery Program. 2. Informal. any comprehensive program for federally supportedeconomic assistance, as for urban renewal.
Foreign Affairs
Foreign affairs used to be the business of the pro-detente foreign ministry.
activities of a nation in its relationships with other nations; international relations.
NATO [ney-toh]
This increased soviet fears that nato was planning an attack.
an organization formed in Washington, D.C. (1949), comprising the12 nations of the Atlantic Pact together with Greece, Turkey, and the Federal Republic of Germany, for the purpose of collective defense against aggression.
Ha·va·su·pai [hah-vuh-soo-pahy]
1. a member of a small tribe of nomadic North American Indians now living in Arizona. 2. the Yuman language of the Havasupai.
Ha·var·ti [huh-vahr-tee]
a semisoft Danish cheese made of cow's milk
Ha·van·a [huh-van-uh]
1. (Spanish Habana) a seaport in and the capital of Cuba, on the NW coast. 2. a cigar made in Cuba or of Cuban tobacco.
Ha·bak·kuk [huh-bak-uhk]
1. Minor Prophet of the 7th century b.c. 2. book of the Bible bearing his name
Hab·er·dash·er [hab-er-dash-er]
Her father was a bankrupt haberdasher, and her parents may not have been married.
a retail dealer in men's furnishings, as shirts, ties, gloves,socks, and hats
Ul·ti·ma Thu·le [uhl-tuh-muh thoo-lee]
A distant unknown region; the extreme limit of travel and discovery.
the final argument of kings (a resort to arms): motto engraved onthe cannon of Louis XIV.
Ul·ti·ma Ra·tio [uhl-tuh-muh rey-shee-oh]
the final argument; also: the last resort (as force)
Ul·ti·ma·cy [uhl-tuh-muh-see]
1. the state or quality of being ultimate. 2. a basic or fundamental quality: to question the ultimacies of one's religious beliefs.
Ul·ti·ma·tum [uhl-tuh-mey-tuhm]
Ideally this ultimatum alone would suffice to prompt the government to release its prisoners.
a final, uncompromising demand or set of terms issued by aparty to a dispute, the rejection of which may lead to aseverance of relations or to the use of force.
False Pretense
(law) an offense involving intent to defraud and false representation and obtaining property as a result of that misrepresentation
Flehmen (FLAY-mun)
The vet explained to the children that what appeared to be a display of anger in the cat was actually a behavior called flehmen.
a mammalian behavior (as of horses or cats) in which the animal inhales with the mouth open and upper lip curled to facilitate exposure of the vomeronasal organ to a scent or pheromone
Tranche [trahnch]
We’ve hired the first tranche of researchers.
any part, division, or installment
In·so·far [in-suh-fahr]
I will do the work insofar as I am able.
to such an extent (usually followed by as)
In·sin·u·ate [in-sin-yoo-eyt]
He insinuated that they were lying.
to suggest or hint slyly
In·cen·di·ar·y [in-sen-dee-er-ee]
An incendiary extravaganza of music and dance.
tending to inflame the senses
The Kinsey Scale
A classification system for gauging sexual orientation, designed by Alfred Kinsey, and ranging from 0 (exclusively heterosexual) to 6 (exclusively homosexual).
Zwit·ter·i·on [tsvit-er-ahy-uhn]
It is thought that a zwitterion is formed between the phenolic hydroxyl and the free amine.
(Physical Chemistry) an ion with both a positive and a negative charge.
Laudable (LAW-duh-bul)
Parents, faculty, and members of the community commended the students for their laudable efforts at cleaning up the park and renovating its play structures.
worthy of praise: commendable
Census
According to the latest census, the racial makeup of the town has changed dramatically in the last 50 years.
1. a usually complete enumeration of a population; specifically: a periodic governmental enumeration of population 2. count, tally
El·lip·ti·cal [ih-lip-ti-kuhl]
To converse in elliptical sentences.
(of speech or writing) expressed with extreme or excessive economy; relieved of irrelevant matter
E·con·o·my [ih-kon-uh-mee]
He achieved a small economy by walking to work instead of taking a bus
an act or means of thrifty saving; a saving
Tab·a·nid [tab-uh-nid]
any of numerous bloodsucking flies of the family Tabanidae, comprising the deer flies and horse flies.
Tab·ard [tab-erd]
He wore a tabard to the event
1. A sleeveless jerkin consisting only of front and back pieces with a hole for the head. 2. A coarse garment of this kind as the outer dress of medieval peasants and clerics, or worn as a surcoat over armor.
Tav·ern [tav-ern]
He envied every days man and drover in the tavern their manly speech.
1. a place where liquors are sold to be consumed on the premises. 2. a public house for travelers and others; inn.
Tab
A simple tab of leather is commonly used, as is as skeleton glove.
1. a small flap, strap, loop, or similar appendage, as on a garment, used for pulling, hanging, or decoration. 2. Informal. a bill, as for a meal in a restaurant; check.
Tab·a·ret [tab-uh-rit]
They decorated the room with a tabaret
a durable silk or acetate fabric having alternating stripes ofsatin and moiré, for drapery and upholstery.
Tab·bou·leh [tuh-boo-luh]
We're buying lettuce in plastic packages and potato salad, tabbouleh , and hummus in deli containers.
a salad of fine-ground bulgur, parsley, tomatoes, green onions, mint, olive oil, and lemon juice.
Caus·al [kaw-zuhl]
They're by no means implying a causal relationship between the two.
1. of, constituting, or implying a cause. 2. (Grammar) . expressing a cause, as the conjunctions because andsince.
Cau·se·rie [koh-zuh-ree]
The monthly departmental causeries did much to foster a sense of community
1. an informal talk or chat. 2. a short, informal essay, article, etc.
Trans·lu·cent [trans-loo-suhnt]
Frosted window glass is translucent but not transparent.
permitting light to pass through but diffusing it so that persons, objects, etc., on the opposite side are not clearly visible
Eu·tha·na·sia (-ize) [yoo-thuh-ney-zhuh]
Some groups fear this trend could lead to widespread euthanasia.
Also called mercy killing. the act of putting to death allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, a person or animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition.
Ab·rupt [uh-bruhpt]
An abrupt departure.
sudden or unexpected
A·pri·o·rism [ey-prahy-awr-iz-uhm]
(Philosophy) belief in, or reliance upon, a priori reasoning, arguments, or principles.
A·prax·i·a [uh-prak-see-uh]
The doctor said his stiff movements may be because apraxia
(Pathology) a disorder of the nervous system, characterized by an inability to perform purposeful movements, but not accompanied by a loss of sensory function or paralysis.
Brusque [bruhsk]
A brusque welcome greeted his unexpected return.
abrupt in manner; blunt; rough
Pith·y [pith-ee]
A pithy observation.
brief, forceful, and meaningful in expression; full of vigor, substance, or meaning; terse; forcible
Terse [turs]
Previously, officials limited themselves to terse announcements of such deaths.
neatly or effectively concise; brief and pithy, as language
Pharaonic (fair-ey-ON-ik)
A construction project of pharaonic proportions.
impressively or overwhelmingly large, luxurious, etc.
Par A·vion [pa ra-vyawn]
The mail was transferred via par avion
by plane (used especially as a designation on matter to be sent by airmail).
Par·i·ty [par-i-tee]
The proof of baseball's parity is on the playing field.
equality, as in amount, status, or character
Ex·trap·o·late [ik-strap-uh-leyt]
Firefly was excellent because it extrapolated a reasonable future.
to infer (an unknown) from something that is known; conjecture
Con·jec·ture [kuhn-jek-cher]
However it must not be based on mere conjecture or speculation.
the formation or expression of an opinion or theory without sufficient evidence for proof.
Spec·u·la·tion [spek-yuh-ley-shuhn]
To engage in speculation on humanity's ultimate destiny.
the contemplation or consideration of some subject
Con·tem·plate [kon-tuhm-pleyt]
To contemplate the stars.
to look at or view with continued attention; observe or study thoughtfully
Thor·ough [thur-oh]
A thorough search.
executed without negligence or omissions
Bou·tique [boo-teek]
Firstly, there is a market for boutique high-end laptops and desktops.
a small shop or a small specialty department within a largerstore, especially one that sells fashionable clothes and accessories or a special selection of other merchandise.
Em·bold·en [em-bohl-duhn]
They embolden extremists and fuel sectarian tensions.
to make bold or bolder; hearten; encourage
Dog·leg [dawg-leg]
It is a dogleg stair with two steps rising to a shallow landing, then...
a route, way, or course that turns at a sharp angle
Pis·ca·tol·o·gy [pis-kuh-tol-uh-jee]
He has so many boats that he must be fluent with piscatology.
the art or science of fishing
Strophidon (or The slender giant moray or gangetic moray)
the longest member of the family of moray eels. Specimens as large as 4 m have been recorded. This species is characterized by an elongated body, as well as brownish-grey dorsal coloration which pales towards the venter.
Kawasaki Disease
(Pathology) an acute illness of unknown cause, occurring primarily in children, characterized by high fever, swollen lymph glands, rash, redness inmouth and throat, and joint pain.
Pan·jan·drum [pan-jan-druhm]
“For there rose in his pomp Sir Peter Tapsell, the Father of the House, and a panjandrum who makes the average double-breasted MP look like Norman Wisdom on a bad day.”
a self-important or pretentious official.
Des·ul·to·ry [des-uhl-tawr-ee]
It helps that he is by nature a desultory, recessive fellow.
lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful
Bre·loque [bruh-lohk]
“Mother-of-pearl brooches, hair ornaments, and breloques surrounded with diamonds are just beginning to be the rage in Paris.”
a charm or trinket, especially one attached to a watch chain.
Vul·can·ize [vuhl-kuh-nahyz]
Knowledge and skill to use plastic bead welders and to vulcanize plastic or synthetic materials.
to treat (rubber) with sulfur and heat, thereby imparting strength, greater elasticity, durability, etc.
Ex·crete [ik-skreet]
The organisms excrete the fuel, which can then be collected using conventional ...
to separate and eliminate from an organic body; separate and expel from the blood or tissues, as waste or harmful matter.
Aft [aft]
Stow the luggage aft.
at, close to, or toward the stern or tail
A·baft [uh-baft]
The fife rail abaft the mainmast.
to the rear of; aft of
O·be·di·ent [oh-bee-dee-uhnt]
An obedient son
obeying or willing to obey; complying with or submissive to authority
Luxuria
self-indulgent sexual desire (personified as one of the deadly sins) [syn: lust]
Lux·u·ri·ant [luhg-zhoor-ee-uhnt]
"Forests of dark, luxuriant foliage"
Rich and profuse in growth; lush
An·dan·te [ahn-dahn-tey]
“It's like a musical symphony, with an andante, allegro and all the rest," he said Thursday.”
moderately slow and even
Al·le·gro [uh-ley-groh]
It slides effortlessly from allegro to adagio, the pace quickening and slowing with each turn.
brisk or rapid in tempo
A·da·gio [uh-dah-joh]
“I love Mahler but the adagio from the 5th symphony is used ad nauseum and sentimentally, almost in a Max Steiner Warner.”
in a leisurely manner; slowly
Trop·po [trop-oh]
Allegro non troppo the first movement is in the concerto variant of sonata form.
too much; excessively
Con·cer·to [kuhn-cher-toh]
The concerto alternated between evocative dreaminess and bright good humor.
a composition for one or more principal instruments, with orchestral accompaniment, now usually in symphonic form.
Cesser
the coming to an end of a term interest or annuity
Cessor
In English law, formerly, one who neglected for two years to perform the service by which he held lands, so that he incurred the danger of the writ of cessavit.
Cessavit
A writ given by statute to recover lands when the tenant has for two years failed to perform the conditions of his tenure.
Tu·ni·ca
An enclosing membrane or layer of tissue.
Tunic
a woman's upper garment, either loose or close-fitting and extending over the skirt to the hips or below.
Humoral
Of or relating to the body fluids, esp. with regard to immune responses involving antibodies in body fluids as distinct from cells (see cell-mediated)
Bu·bonic [byoo-boh]
I have read an account of people going crazy, in these outbreaks of so called bubonic plagues
In pathology, pertaining to or of the nature of a bubo (an inflammatory swelling of a lymphatic gland, especially in the groin or armpit)
Cry·o·lite [krahy-uh-lahyt]
The metal is obtained from alumina by its electrolysis in molten cryolite .
a mineral, sodium aluminum fluoride, Na 3 AlF 6, occurring in whitemasses, used as a flux in the electrolytic production of aluminum.
So·journ (-er) [soh-jurn]
To sojourn on the Riviera for two months
to stay for a time in a place; live temporarily
Fuliginous (fyoo-LIJ-uh-nus)
Theo's journalism professor encouraged him to eschew fuliginous prose in favor of simple, straightforward language.
1: sooty; obscure, murky 2: having a dark or dusky color
Cod·dle [kod-l]
To coddle children when they're sick.
to treat tenderly; nurse or tend indulgently; pamper
In·dict·ment [in-dahyt-muhnt]
It was not that he wasn't worthy of such an indictment.
(Law) a formal accusation initiating a criminal case, presented by a grand jury and usually required for felonies and other serious crimes.
Con·tri·tion [kuhn-trish-uhn]
Real contrition rests on awareness and regret, not political expediency.
sincere penitence or remorse
Jabba the Hutt
Jabba's role in Star Wars is primarily antagonistic. He is about 600 years old, a Hutt crime lord and gangster who employs a retinue of criminals, bounty hunters, smugglers, assassins and bodyguards to operate his criminal empire. In his palace on the desert planet Tatooine, he keeps a host of entertainers at his disposal: slaves, droids and alien creatures. Jabba has a grim sense of humour, an insatiable appetite, and affinities for gambling, slave girls and torture.
Prism [priz-uhm]
Many of them view politics through a military prism.
(Optics) a transparent solid body, often having triangular bases, used for dispersing light into a spectrum or for reflecting rays of light.
Swivet
I was in such a swivet that I could hardly speak.
a state of nervous excitement, haste, or anxiety; flutter
Zeus
the supreme deity of the ancient Greeks, a son of Cronus and Rhea, the god of the heavens
Demeter
goddess of agriculture and the protector of marriage and the social order, identified by the Romans with Ceres.
Hades
the god ruling the underworld; Pluto
Hera
the queen of heaven, a daughter of Cronus and Rhea and the wife and sister of Zeus.
Hestian
the ancient Greek goddess of the hearth.
Poseidon
the ancient Greek god of the sea; identified by the Romans with Neptune
Athena
goddess of wisdom, fertility, the useful arts, and prudent warfare
Dionysus
the god of fertility, wine, and drama; Bacchus
Hermes
the ancient Greek herald and messenger of the gods and the god of roads, commerce, invention, cunning, and theft.
Apollo
Greek and Roman god of light, healing, music, poetry, prophecy, and manly beauty; the son of Leto and brother of Artemis
Artemis
goddess associated with the moon, virginity, and hunting, she is the sister of Apollo.
Ares
god of war, a son of Zeus and Hera, identified by the Romans with Mars.
Aphrodite
deity of love and beauty, identified by the Romans with Venus.
Hephaestus
the ancient Greek god of fire, metalworking, and handicrafts, identified by the Romans with Vulcan
Persephone
a daughter of Zeus and Demeter, abducted by Pluto to be queen of Hades, but allowed to return to the surface of the earth for part of the year.
Pan
the ancient Greek god of forests, pastures, and shepherds, represented with the head, chest, and arms of a man and the legs, horns and ears of a goat
Eros
the ancient Greek god of love, identified by the Romans with Cupid.
Hand·i·craft [han-dee-kraft]
The handicraft market has begun to expand into export markets for a range of products...
1. manual skill. 2. an art, craft, or trade in which the skilled use of one's hands is required.
Lust
Greed is the lust for money that causes one to do immoral things to get it.
uncontrolled or illicit sexual desire or appetite; lecherousness.
Lech·er·y [lech-uh-ree]
What they were seeing was not lechery in action but science.
unrestrained or excessive indulgence of sexual desire