A125

• adj. char·i·er, char·i·est
• 1. Very cautious; wary: was chary of the risks involved.
• 2. Not giving or expending freely; sparing: was chary of compliments

• intr.v. skulked, skulk·ing, skulks
• 1. To lie in hiding, as out of cowardice or bad conscience; lurk.
• 2. To move about stealthily.
• 3. To evade work or obligation; shirk.

• adj.
• 1. Moving quickly and lightly; lively.
• 2. Restlessly active or nervous; restive.
• 3. Undependably variable; mercurial or fickle.
• 4. Shy; bashful.

• tr.v. os·tra·cized, os·tra·ciz·ing, os·tra·ciz·es
• 1. To exclude from a group. See Synonyms at blackball.
• 2. To banish by ostracism, as in ancient Greece

n.Enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance. See Synonyms at passion.

• adj.
• 1. Applying to or covering all conditions or instances: a blanket insurance policy.
• 2. Applying to or covering all members of a class: blanket sanctions against human-rights violators.

• adj. 1. Characterized by ludicrous or incongruous distortion, as of appearance or manner.
• 2. Outlandish or bizarre, as in character or appearance. See Synonyms at fantastic.
• 3. Of, relating to, or being the grotesque style in art or a work executed in this style

• v.tr. To make clear or plain, especially by explanation; clarify.
• v.intr. To give an explanation that serves to clarify. See Synonyms at explain.
• When asked for details, he declined to elucidate further.
• <colored charts that really help to elucidate the points made in the text>

• 9. The degree to which a color is mixed with black or is decreasingly illuminated; gradation of darkness.
• 10. A slight difference or variation; a nuance: shades of meaning.
• 11. A small amount; a trace: detected a shade of bitterness in her remarks

• n.
• 1. The prevailing fashion, practice, or style: Hoop skirts were once the vogue.
• 2. Popular acceptance or favor; popularity: a party game no longer in vogue. See Synonyms at fashion.

• tr.v. 1. To keep afloat or aloft: a glider buoyed by air currents.
• 2.a. To maintain at a high level; support: "the persistent ... takeover speculation, which has buoyed up the shares of banks" (Financial Times).
• 2.b. To hearten or inspire; uplift: "buoyed up by the team spirit and the pride of the older generation back at home" (Judith Martin).
• 3. To mark with or as if with a buoy.

• adj. (e.g., from bending or illness)
• 1. Marked by the ability to recover readily, as from misfortune.
• 2. Capable of returning to an original shape or position, as after having been compressed. See Synonyms at flexible.

• intr.v. co·a·lesced, co·a·lesc·ing, co·a·lesc·es
• 1. To grow together; fuse.
• 2. To come together so as to form one whole; unite: The rebel units coalesced into one army to fight the invaders.See Synonyms at mix.

• tr.v. wreaked, wreak·ing, wreaks
• 1. To inflict (vengeance or punishment) upon a person.
• 2. To express or gratify (anger, malevolence, or resentment); vent.
• 3. To bring about; cause: wreak havoc.
• 4. Archaic To take vengeance for; avenge.

• v.intr.
• 1. To go or extend in different directions from a common point; branch out.
• 2. To differ, as in opinion or manner.
• 3. To depart from a set course or norm; deviate. See Synonyms at swerve.
• 4. Mathematics To fail to approach a limit.
• v.tr.To cause (light rays, for example) to diverge; deflect.

• n. pl. hi·er·ar·chies
• 1. A body of persons having authority.
• 2.a. Categorization of a group of people according to ability or status.
• b. The group so categorized.
• 3. A series in which each element is graded or ranked: put honesty first in her hierarchy of values.
• 4.a. A body of clergy organized into successive ranks or grades with each level subordinate to the one above.
• b. Religious rule by a group of ranked clergy.

• v.tr.
• 1. To be appropriate or suitable to: "It would not become me . . . to interfere with parties" (Jonathan Swift).
• 2. To show to advantage; look good with: The new suit becomes you.

• n.
• 1. A long, narrow, shallow trench made in the ground by a plow.
• 2. A rut, groove, or narrow depression: snow drifting in furrows.
• 3. A deep wrinkle in the skin, as on the forehead.

• tr.v. di·lut·ed, di·lut·ing, di·lutes
• 1. To make thinner or less concentrated by adding a liquid such as water.
• 2. To lessen the force, strength, purity, or brilliance of, especially by admixture.

• n.
• 1. Great brilliance, as of performance or achievement.
• 2. Conspicuous success.
• 3. Great acclamation or applause

• adj. foolishly idealistic; extravagantly chivalrous
• 1. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; idealistic without regard to practicality.
• 2. Capricious; impulsive: "At worst his scruples must have been quixotic, not malicious" (Louis Auchincloss).

• n.
• 1. Future generations: "Everything he writes is consigned to posterity" (Joyce Carol Oates).
• 2. All of a person's descendants

• n.
• 1. An unbranded range animal, especially a calf that has become separated from its mother, traditionally considered the property of the first person who brands it.
• 2. One that refuses to abide by the dictates of or resists adherence to a group; a dissenter.

• n.
• 1. Damage, harm, or loss: took a long leave of absence without detriment to her career. See Synonyms atdisadvantage.
• 2. Something that causes damage, harm, or loss: Smoking is now considered a detriment to good health.

• adj. home·li·er, home·li·est
• 1. Not attractive or good-looking: a homely child.
• 2. Lacking elegance or refinement: homely furniture.
• 3. Of a simple or unpretentious nature; plain: homely truths.
• 4. Characteristic of the home or of home life: homely skills.

• adj.
• 1. Untidy, as in dress or appearance.
• 2. Marked by negligence; slipshod. See Synonyms at sloppy.

• n.
• 1. A descendant or heir.
• 2. also ci·on (sn) A detached shoot or twig containing buds from a woody plant, used in grafting.

n.A person who withdraws from the world to live in seclusion and often in solitude.

• tr.v.
• 1. To penetrate to the meaning or nature of; comprehend.
• 2. To determine the depth of; sound.
• <the pilot had to continually fathom the river, which drought conditions had lowered to unprecedented levels>

• adj.
• Exceedingly harsh; very severe: a draconian legal code; draconian budget cuts.
• The editorial criticizes the draconian measures being taken to control the spread of the disease.

• adj. de·mur·er, de·mur·est
• 1. Modest and reserved in manner or behavior.
• 2. Affectedly shy, modest, or reserved. See Synonyms at shy
• She was wearing a demure gray suit.
• the demure charm of the cottage
• So even if you think you've moved past your reputation as The Rebel, two minutes after getting together with your more demure sister, you're likely to fall back into that hell-raiser role. —Jessica Mehalic, Cosmopolitan, August 2001

• n. pl. per·pe·tu·i·ties
• 1. The quality or condition of being perpetual: "The perpetuity of the Church was an article of faith" (Morris L. West).
• 2. Time without end; eternity
• in perpetuityFor an indefinite period of time; forever

• n.1. Accumulated facts, traditions, or beliefs about a particular subject. See Synonyms at knowledge.
• 2. Knowledge acquired through education or experience

• adj.
• 1. Pleasantly pungent or tart in taste; spicy.
• 2.a. Appealingly provocative: a piquant wit.
• 2.b. Charming, interesting, or attractive: a piquant face.
• piquant vegetables seasoned with pepper
• He served the fish with a piquant sauce.
• a piquant bit of gossip

• adj. mischievous; playful
• Characteristic of or resembling a wag; jocular or witty.
• <a waggish disposition that often got him into trouble as a child>

• adj. heavenly or delightful
• 1. Greek Mythology Of or relating to Elysium.
• 2. Blissful; delightful : <the dream of retiring to a tropical isle and enjoying a life of elysian ease>

• n.
• 1.a. A homeless person, especially a forsaken or orphaned child.
• 1.b. An abandoned young animal.
• 2. Something found and unclaimed, as an object cast up by the sea.

• n. An instrument for measuring or testing.
• tr.v.
• 1. To measure precisely.
• 2. To determine the capacity, volume, or contents of