Adv-1

overpass

noun bridge formed by the upper level of a crossing of two highways at different levels

attenuate

Attenuate is a verb that means to make or become weaker. The effects of aging may be attenuated by exercise — or by drinking from the fountain of youth. The versatile word attenuate denotes a weakening in amount, intensity, or value. As a verb, attenuate is usually transitive, meaning it needs an object to be complete, such as in the sentence: "This tanning process tends to attenuate the deer hide, making it softer." The word can be intransitive in past tense, as in "The rain attenuated, ending the storm." And it can even be used as an adjective to describe something weakened: "Even an attenuated solution will remove the stain." Definitions of attenuate 1.verb become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude 2.verb weaken the consistency of (a chemical substance) synonyms: rarefy 3.adjective reduced in strength synonyms: attenuated, faded, weakened decreased, reduced made less in size or amount or degree Examples: In Pascal's account of why the mercury does not descend in the Torricellian tube the formal and material causes are so attenuated as to be uninteresting, and the final cause has disappeared completely. This suggested that phosphorus would be a better carrier of therapeutic radiation than radio-sodium, since the latter distributes itself all through the body as salt, attenuating its effect. On Mars such a place would be even more interesting, because while the visible light necessary for photosynthesis would penetrate to that depth, the germicidal ultraviolet light would be at least partially attenuated. Jacob strolled to a nearby driftwood tree that had its roots sticking out like the attenuated legs of a huge, pale spider. Like Virginia Tucker before her, Dorothy Vaughan now presided over an appendix, still attached to the research operation but whose function had attenuated over time. Something attenuated, a nervous caution, suggested itself in all his movements. Their faces, bathed in the attenuated December light from the tall windows, appeared quiet and even faintly reverent. As important, their postcard beauty and rented emotions also attenuate some of the less palatable aspects of their conspiracy theories.

feckless

If a newspaper editorial describes a politician as feckless, you might wonder, "What is feck, and why doesn't he have any?" In fact, the columnist is accusing the politician of being irresponsible and incompetent. Did you know that most varieties of English are in fact "feck"-less? They don't contain a word feck, only the negative counterpart feckless. The "feck" in feckless began as a short form of effect used in the Scots dialect. So feckless essentially means "ineffective," but is also used to describe someone who is irresponsible, incompetent, inept, or without purpose in life. Definitions of feckless 1.adjective generally incompetent and ineffectual "feckless attempts to repair the plumbing" synonyms: inept incompetent not qualified or suited for a purpose 2.adjective not fit to assume responsibility Synonyms: irresponsible showing lack of care for consequences Examples: There was a commotion at the locker room door and the manager's voice was raised in a shrill, feckless protest. McCandless wasn't some feckless slacker, adrift and confused, racked by existential despair. They stayed, stubborn relics of a misplaced childhood, reminding anyone who witnessed his pointless, endless, feckless belligerence, that this man was once a boy. Francisco Pizarro, now governor of Peru, was learning that to avoid outbreaks of feckless violence he needed to keep his men occupied at all times. Aeron Greyjoy had been the most amiable of his uncles, feckless and quick to laugh, fond of songs, ale, and women. Though Scottish by birth, he grew up in the far south of England, in the New Forest of Hampshire, because his mother was convinced that Scots were feckless drunks. On the contrary, Smith and Hickock symbolised the feckless, degenerate underbelly of the country, the absolute antithesis of Holcomb's God-fearing and law-abiding citizens. That's good, because it challenges what might be your first assumption: This band gets close to the details of what was long ago called "college rock," trebly, fuzzy and slightly feckless.

sartorial

If it's the day before a big event and you have no idea what to wear and nothing in your closet is going to cut it, you are facing a sartorial dilemma — one that pertains to clothing, fashion, or dressing. Sartorial comes from the Modern Latin word sartor which means "tailor," literally "one who patches and mends." In English the adjectives sartorial and sartorially are used to refer to any matter pertaining to the consideration of clothing or fashion. The root word sartor has also made its way into the field of biology. The sartorius — a muscle in the leg and the longest muscle in the human body — gets its name because it is used when crossing the legs, also known as the "tailor's position." Definitions of sartorial 1.adjective of or relating to a tailor or to tailoring 2.adjective of or relating to the sartorius muscle Exxamples: "My little sartorially challenged slip of a girl, we are ateliers. We dress the world itself. I embroider the earth with ice and frost, the most delicate silk in the world." Dr. Strayer and Dr. Gazzaley hit it off, even though they seem cut from entirely different cloth, both figuratively, with respect to personality, and literally, in terms of their sartorial choices. For a boy who had worn the same rumpled sweater to rowing practice for a year, this was an astonishing collection of sartorial treasure. I thought women were gorgeous no matter what they wore, and I didn't think they owed anyone an explanation for their sartorial choices. Only Perry Smith, who owned neither jacket nor tie, seemed sartorially misplaced. Washington's sartorial strictness also proved a problem for Rochelle Behrens, now 28, a self-described "buxom" San Diego native who moved to Washington after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 2004. His sartorial one-liner was so much easier on a viewer than uniforms designed like coded tutorials. Judging by the look of him, you'd have to assume that the jobs in Scunthorpe pay very poorly because crime didn't seem to be doing Jay too many sartorial or dental favours.

corrupt

If someone or something is corrupt, they're broken morally or in some other way. Corrupt people perform immoral or illegal acts for personal gain, without apology. Corrupt politicians take bribes and deny it. When you corrupt someone, you convince them to do something wrong or even illegal. If you talk your little brother into stealing cookies from the cookie jar, you're corrupting him. Something corrupt is rotten, spoiled, or out of commission, like a file that makes your computer crash. A corrupt person — a criminal, a crook, or a cookie thief — brings society down with immoral and dishonest behavior. Corrupt goes back to the Latin roots cor-, "altogether," and rumpere, "break." Definitions of corrupt 1.adjective not straight; dishonest or immoral or evasive synonyms: crooked dishonest, dishonorable deceptive or fraudulent; disposed to cheat or defraud or deceive unlawful contrary to or prohibited by or defiant of law sneaky, underhand, underhanded marked by deception 2.adjective lacking in integrity "humanity they knew to be corrupt...from the day of Adam's creation" "a corrupt and incompetent city government" Synonyms: corrupted, debased, vitiated ruined in character or quality bribable, corruptible, dishonest, purchasable, venal capable of being corrupted depraved, perverse, perverted, reprobate deviating from what is considered moral or right or proper or good dirty, sordid unethical or dishonest Praetorian, Pretorian characteristic of or similar to the corruptible soldiers in the Praetorian Guard with respect to corruption or political venality putridmorally corrupt or evil sold-out having taken a bribe or bribes immoral deliberately violating accepted principles of right and wrong 3.adjective touched by rot or decay "` corrupt' is archaic" synonyms: tainted stale lacking freshness, palatability, or showing deterioration from age 4.verb corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality "Socrates was accused of corrupting young men" "corrupt the morals" synonyms: debase, debauch, demoralise, demoralize, deprave, misdirect, pervert, profane, subvert, vitiate 5.verb place under suspicion or cast doubt upon synonyms: cloud, defile, pollute, sully, taint, tarnish 6.verb make illegal payments to in exchange for favors or influence synonyms: bribe, buy, grease one's palms 7.adjective containing errors or alterations "a corrupt text" synonyms: corrupted imperfect not perfect; defective or inadequate 8.verb alter from the original synonyms: spoil Examples: "Yeah. How could I possibly know what a corrupt faction looks like? I'm just training to be Dauntless, for God's sake," I say. "I don't know what it is, but people keep rushing around, talking quietly, and Jeanine gives speeches about how corrupt Abnegation is all the time, almost every day." In the few years he had remaining it would corrupt his other senses until at last only his bird-screech voice would remain, and then that would expire, too. After fourteen months, her stomach corrupted by monkey meat and snake stew, Úrsula gave birth to a son who had all of his features human. Guards who tried to crack down on inmate drug use were subject to death threats—purportedly by corrupt officers, according to one guard. While this convoluted structure of race and class profited the black elite, it would be wrong to label Spaulding, Merrick, and the rest as corrupt. "Sponging," an old race- fixing technique from racing's corrupt days, threatened horses' lives. "It's all right, Director," he said in a tone of faint derision, "I won't corrupt them."

jingoist

Jingoists really dislike people from outside their own borders. Jingoism is an extreme form of patriotism that often calls for violence towards foreigners and foreign countries. Patriotism — a love for one's country — can, in certain cases, turn nasty and go beyond wishing for the welfare of one's own homeland. That's when a patriot becomes a nationalist. From there, it's only a short step to becoming a jingoist, one who not only waves the flag of their country but believes that all other people are threats and should be treated as such. An obvious example of a jingoist was Adolf Hitler, who stirred up fear and anger towards outsiders that led to world war...and much worse. Definitions of jingoist 1.noun an extreme bellicose nationalist synonyms: chauvinist, flag-waver, hundred-percenter, jingo, patrioteer Examples: The old exhortations to nationalist fervor and jingoist pride have begun to lose their appeal. Stephen Colbert, the fake right-wing jingoist, was the subject of hundreds of eulogies while still alive. What is striking about the history wars of recent months, however, is that the jingoists have not in the end managed to impose their views on the coalition government. A jingoist thrust is also evident in the folksy but perhaps inadvertently Surrealist "Singing Wires," a black-and-white 1951 film produced by Farm Journal magazine and viewable on a video monitor.

kowtow

Kowtow, which describes the act of kneeling and touching one's head to the ground to show respect, used to be a custom in Chinese culture. Now it refers to acting like you're doing that, whether you actually bow or not. Kowtow is derived from the Chinese word k'o-t'ou, which literally means "knock the head." As a verb, kowtow has the sense of "sucking up" or "flattering." Maybe you're wondering when it would be appropriate to kowtow. The answer? When you want to worship, show respect, gain favor, or flatter. You might need to kowtow to your teacher if you failed a test, but if you kowtow to all your neighbor's requests, you might wind up mowing his lawn all summer. Definitions of kowtow 1.verb bend the knees and bow in a servile manner synonyms: genuflect, scrape 2.verb try to gain favor by cringing or flattering "He is always kowtowing to his boss" synonyms: bootlick, fawn, kotow, suck up, toady, truckle 3.noun a former Chinese custom of touching the ground with the forehead as a sign of respect or submission synonyms: kotow Examples: "And don't expect me to kowtow to you, mortal, just because old Barnacle-Beard is your father." Or would Miss Love do like Mama and kowtow to Loma for the sake of peace in the family? The entitlement that came with being one of the silk feathered hats—that all the groundlings were there simply to kowtow to your every need. The kings had all thrown themselves into kowtows, each swearing he would return at the Moon Festival with splendid flowers. I don't know why, but right then it finally dawned on me that Papa had wanted to please Grandpa out of respect and gratitude, not from kowtowing. But watching him kowtow to the grocer made me know it wasn't so. Trees bowed in deep kowtows or broke their backs, a series of snaps like firecrackers popping, until one loud, sickening crack added to the cacophony in the sky. At his glance, Minli shrank to the ground in a humble kowtow.

saturnine

Medieval alchemists ascribed to the planet Saturn a gloomy and slow character. When people are called saturnine, it means they are like the planet — gloomy, mean, scowling. Not exactly the life of the party. Saturnine is a word you don't hear often nowadays, though you probably know people with saturnine dispositions. The ultimate saturnine character in literature is Heathcliff — and for clarification's sake, that would be the bitter, brooding, obsessive hero of Wuthering Heights, not the lovably pudgy cat of comic-strip fame. Definitions of saturnine 1.adjective bitter or scornful ""the face was saturnine and swarthy, and the sensual lips...twisted with disdain"- Oscar Wilde" Synonyms: sarcastic expressing or expressive of ridicule that wounds 2.adjective showing a brooding ill humor ""a saturnine, almost misanthropic young genius"- Bruce Bliven" synonyms: dark, dour, glowering, glum, moody, morose, sour, sullen ill-natured having an irritable and unpleasant disposition Examples: There was a branch of a competing Klan group, the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, led by a former member of the UKA Klavern, a saturnine housepainter named Lloyd Jacobs. The man who glowered before him conformed to the classic stereotype of Marine barber Ben had envisioned in his mind: the face was saturnine, pock-marked, and the mouth was grim. The doctor was a frequent visitor at Miss Trumball's establishment, preferring it to the Lanchester House, whose girls had a saturnine disposition in his opinion, as if imported from Maine or other gloom-loving provinces. He had a dark complexion and a small, wise, saturnine face with mournful pouches under both eyes. Sour and saturnine, with a maimed hand, Hungerford had been company paymaster for a time, until the Tattered Prince had caught him stealing from the coffers and removed three of his fingers. The elfin Mr. Keating, the saturnine Mr. Ruddy and the radiant Ms. Street all move persuasively between fragility and strength. The dark groove of Watch The Throne's standout track is a saturnine meditation on big themes. A painting known as "The Warrior" depicts a saturnine male figure with lips pulled tightly over his teeth.

octogenarian

Someone who's octogenarian is older than 80 and younger than 90. If your great-aunt is 84, she's an octogenarian. adjective 1.being from 80 to 89 years old Synonyms: old(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age 2.noun someone whose age is in the eighties

lascivious

Use lascivious to describe a person's behavior that is driven by thoughts of sex. If someone gives you a lascivious smile, they've got only one thing in mind. Latin-based lascivious and the Old English word lust both share the same Indo-European root las- "to be eager, wanton." The much older word lust originally meant "desire, pleasure" and over time developed to mean sexual desire. Lascivious, on the other hand, entered the English language in the early 15th century complete with the meaning "lewd, driven by sexual desire." Definitions of lascivious 1.adjective driven by lust; preoccupied with or exhibiting lustful desires synonyms: lewd, libidinous, lustful sexy marked by or tending to arouse sexual desire or interest Examples: She made several clumsily lascivious motions over toward the stand while the cockatoo swayed unsteadily on her arm. And by the same token she is hated by the twisted and lascivious sisterhood of married spinsters whose husbands respect the home but don't like it very much. Obnoxiously giggling and firing off crude and lascivious remarks, the nocturnal fishermen had kept a light on the petrified lovers for at least thirty seconds before hee-hawing back into the blackness. Rishi looked at her, an eyebrow raised, smiling in what he hoped was a dashingly lascivious manner. "I had not thought of it in such a lascivious manner before," Marco says. Some may have been as hierarchical, tense and violent as the nastiest chimpanzee group, while others were as laid-back, peaceful and lascivious as a bunch of bonobos. "In the event you do hook up with him, I expect lascivious details." She looked up at his sweating face, on which a lascivious smile had immediately appeared, and straightened, trying to control her trembling.

artless

Yes, artless could mean lacking in art, but more often it means lacking in superficiality or deceit. An artless person could never make a living as a con artist. Originally meaning "unskillful" or "uncultured," artless evolved into meaning not skilled or cultured in the art of deceit. If you are artless, you are natural and uncontrived. Young people, animals, the socially inept — these can all be artless in the way they express themselves. They seem to mean exactly what they say. Definitions of artless 1.adjective simple and natural; without cunning or deceit "an artless manner" "artless elegance" Synonyms: careless effortless and unstudied natural in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature 2.adjective characterized by an inability to mask your feelings; not devious synonyms: ingenuous candid, heart-to-heart, open openly straightforward and direct without reserve or secretiveness undistorted without alteration or misrepresentation sincere open and genuine; not deceitful naif, naive marked by or showing unaffected simplicity and lack of guile or worldly experience 3.adjective (of persons) lacking art or knowledge synonyms: uncultivated, uncultured unrefined(used of persons and their behavior) not refined; uncouth 4.adjective showing lack of art "an artless translation" Synonyms: unskilled not having or showing or requiring special skill or proficiency Examples: He found him shooting jump shots from the top of the key, hard, artless shots with almost no arch. "You want something?" said Gloria, eyes wide in an apparently artless complexity that fooled her huge "nursemaid" not at all. Milo's eyes were liquid with integrity, and his artless and uncorrupted face was lustrous with a shining mixture of sweat and insect repellent. He realized how little they had talked, how their relationship had been like an artless flow with little input from them, or at least from him. When not glazed, his eyes were lively and intelligent, his hair an artless tumble of brown locks that many a maid might have envied. These days, the woman was suspicious of almost everyone who came to her door, but these two girls, with their artless faces, made her feel hopeful for the first time in weeks. The pictures — casual, artless and repetitious — are images within images. And in this case, the message was both self-conscious and artless.

demeanor

Your demeanor is defined as being either your facial appearance or your behavior. When playing poker, don't let your demeanor give away how good your cards are. Demeanor in English today has evolved from Middle English and Old French to refer to the way one manages or presents oneself, and this definition applies to conduct as well as facial expressions. The way you present yourself often affects how others make judgments about you and therefore, you might want your demeanor to reflect the situation you're in. So, if you're at a birthday party, your demeanor should be happy and smiling! Definitions of demeanor 1.noun (behavioral attributes) the way a person behaves toward other people synonyms: behavior, behaviour, conduct, demeanour, deportment Examples: He wore an elegant black suit and black tie, and his demeanor was irresistibly cheerful, which put my grandfather at ease. The scythe's demeanor, so cordial a moment before, took a turn toward tombstone. Detective Frank Geyer was a big man with a pleasant, earnest face, a large walrus mustache, and a new gravity in his gaze and demeanor. Dr. Stevens put the matter aside without losing his warm demeanor. Their blasé demeanor was certainly a cover for their deep disquiet, but that didn't mean they weren't absolutely in earnest. I could see from her demeanor that Chasca was still adjusting to her new life. Maybe it was his demeanor, or the latex gloves on Jerome Paisley's hands, or the fact that he was the one who had shouted at Rosemary to call the police. With his gentle demeanor, Gandhi seemed the very personification of nonviolence, and he insisted that the campaign be run along identical lines to that of his father's in India.

sedulous

A sedulous person is someone who works hard and doesn't give up easily. If you make repeated and sedulous attempts to fix a leaky pipe and it only makes things worse, it might be time to go online and find the number of a plumber. There are a couple of words that basically mean the same thing as sedulous but are a little more common, namely assiduous, painstaking, and diligent. Like sedulous, all of these adjectives can be turned into adverbs by adding the suffix ly: "He assiduously tried to fix the pipe, but to no avail." Definitions of sedulous 1.adjective marked by care and persistent effort "sedulous pursuit of legal and moral principles" synonyms: assiduous diligent characterized by care and perseverance in carrying out tasks Examples: And that, following an assessment of his sedulous performance over the years, the distributor was promoting Mr. Dalai to manage the College Street branch. In his own right he remains one of jazz's more sedulous bandleaders, and later this year, he'll release a new album with his Captain Black Big Band. She recommends unstinting regard for language and sedulous habits of self-revision; then she throws in, like an afterthought, an extra moral dimension: "Work on your character." Littell is a sedulous reader of surface and detail, taking as his guide to the works the principle that "being told in paint they need to be read in paint". However, the NFL was undeterred, arrogant as usual and, most of all, sedulous in its planning. And even the most sedulous fans of deregulation, such as Douglas Holtz-Eakin of the American Action Forum, don't forecast additions to economic growth of more than a few hundredths of a percentage point a year. Even in the most amicable of arrangements, when all the ostensible needs are met, and everyone is healthy and clear-headed, it's nearly impossible to harness the sedulous nuances of adoption. For this the inquisitor prepared himself by collecting and studying all the adverse evidence that could be procured, while the prisoner was kept in sedulous

eminent

Anyone highly regarded or prominent is eminent. Eminent people are very successful at their jobs. If you've heard of Neil deGrasse Tyson, it's probably because he's an eminent astrophysicist. Every field has eminent — impressive, famous, or accomplished — people. Two of the most eminent coaches in the history of professional basketball are Red Auerbach and Phil Jackson because they've won the most championships. Beethoven was an eminent musician. Frank Lloyd Wright was an eminent architect. Eminent people loom over a field because they're influential and you can't avoid hearing about them. It's not easy to be eminent because you have to be extremely successful. Definitions of eminent 1.adjective standing above others in quality or position "eminent members of the community" synonyms: high superior of or characteristic of high rank or importance 2.adjective (used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation synonyms: distinguished important, of import of great significance or value 3.adjective having an illustrious reputation; respected synonyms: esteemed, honored, prestigious reputable having a good reputation 4.adjective of imposing height; especially standing out above others "an eminent peak" synonyms: lofty, soaring, towering high (literal meaning) being at or having a relatively great or specific elevation or upward extension (sometimes used in combinations like `knee-high') Examples: In the matter of education, Atlanta has long been eminent. Within a select circle, however, he was an eminent and respected figure. At Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, he described the machine's capabilities for Karl Darrow, the lab's eminent physicist and a writer of popular science articles. If you mean "famous" or "superior," the word you want is eminent. The eminent Archbishop Latour, knowing that his death was imminent, felt God was immanent. Shan looked delighted, like a little girl showing off her singing to her parents' eminent friends. He confessed to the assassination of eminent Party members, the distribution of seditious pamphlets, embezzlement of public funds, sale of military secrets, sabotage of every kind. The legal term is eminent domain. endemic/epidemic/pandemic

choleric

Are you easy to tick off? Known to have a short fuse? Then, you could be described as choleric. Don't worry; it's not a disease related to cholera. Choleric just means you're testy and irritable. Before the advent of modern medicine, most folks believed that health and disease were the result of the balance of "humors" in the body. If you were quick to anger, you were thought to have too much choler in your system. You were called choleric. W. C. Fields, Richard Nixon, and Ebenezer Scrooge are just a few people famous for being choleric, easy to tick off. Definitions of choleric 1.adjective characterized by anger "a choleric outburst" synonyms: irascible angry feeling or showing anger 2.adjective quickly aroused to anger synonyms: hot-tempered, hotheaded, irascible, quick-tempered, short-tempered ill-natured having an irritable and unpleasant disposition 3.adjective easily moved to anger ""men of the choleric type take to kicking and smashing"- H.G.Wells" Synonyms: passionate having or expressing strong emotions Examples: The knights of the Round Table were sent out as a measure against Fort Mayne, and the choleric barons who lived by Fort Mayne took the cudgels with the ferocity of despair. Only, in the far comer of the room, which had been netted off for Cully—loose there, unhooded and deep in moult —they could hear a faint muttering from the choleric infantry colonel. The innkeeper, who was a choleric gnome of poor disposition, looked out of the door. At his quietest, he appears to be struggling to hold back another choleric eruption. As a filmmaker, however, he's more focused and less predictable, channeling his choleric style into pointed satires on American society that sometimes hit their marks with uncomfortable directness. Instead of pounding her viewers with choleric imagery, she demands their collaboration in filling in narrative holes, completing the story. The Goldberg father is fat and choleric, the kind of man who takes off his pants the minute he gets home and nestles into a reclining armchair. If this all sounds like a choleric doctoral dissertation, that's because it is, sort of.

detested

Definitions of detested 1.adjective treated with contempt synonyms: despised, hated, scorned unloved not loved Examples: But these books were detested by Mr. Roosevelt's opposition. He was not sickly or weak but he did not lift very well; he rode horses badly and detested them. Now we detested the opposition and everything about them. The God of War, son of Zeus and Hera, both of whom, Homer says, detested him. Some of the private foundations' publicity-shy directors quailed at becoming named as partners with a New Deal program detested by their corporate patrons. As rock-ribbed a Republican as ever was allowed to take a breath in West Virginia, my father detested the Russian Communists, although, it should be said, not quite as much as certain American politicians. To Nazi eyes, we Jews were a single, detested group, the exact opposite of the blond, blue-eyed, pure "Aryans." I detested myself for what I considered the abomination of feeling nothing.

pointedly

Definitions of pointedly adverb in such a manner as to make something clearly evident "he pointedly ignored the question" Jerome was by this time pointedly not speaking to me. But she nods her head pointedly at me. Seating himself at his desk, he pointedly fished about in a drawer until Miss Marsten, perceiving the hint, departed. "I don't care if he carried you here pig-a-back," Ambrose said, pointedly redipping his pen.

fractious

If you're prone to picking fights, making snarky comments, and being frustratingly stubborn, you're fractious. And odds are you're not invited to too many parties. Someone who is fractious is cranky, rebellious and inclined to cause problems. Tempers and children are commonly described as such. In To Kill A Mockingbird, author Harper Lee uses the word to describe the trouble-making Calpurnia: "She had always been too hard on me, she had at last seen the error of her fractious ways, she was sorry and too stubborn to say so." Definitions of fractious 1.adjective easily irritated or annoyed "an incorrigibly fractious young man" synonyms: cranky, irritable, nettlesome, peckish, peevish, pettish, petulant, scratchy, techy, testy, tetchy ill-natured having an irritable and unpleasant disposition 2.adjective stubbornly resistant to authority or control "a fractious animal that would not submit to the harness" synonyms: recalcitrant, refractory disobedient not obeying or complying with commands of those in authority 3.adjective unpredictably difficult in operation; likely to be troublesome "rockets were much too fractious to be tested near thickly populated areas" "fractious components of a communication system" Synonyms: difficult, hard not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure Examples: She then peeped round to where I sat; so stern a neighbour was too restrictive: to him, in his present fractious mood, she dared whisper no observations, nor ask of him any information. This was politics, yes, but in its most fractious and cynical form, seemingly disconnected from any larger sense of purpose. But he had proven himself as a superb academic administrator, earning his spurs honing consensus among the fractious faculty cliques on the MIT campus. Lawrence, for his part, was inclined to call Teller's bluff, for his putative partner was already proving entirely too fractious for his taste. She was still too heavy with sleep to sound really fractious, but it was apparent that she felt there was some kind of injustice in the air. The more his back ached and his muscle dissolved into fat and the fat melted off his bones, the more fractious he became with Janie. He was only some kind of folk legend, a warning used by mothers when youngsters were fractious or disobedient. We cite this vignette as an example of possible recidivism; it demonstrates not only the confusion but also the fractious and insubordinate natural inclination of the African subject.

perfunctory

Perfunctory means done as part of a routine or duty. If you give someone a gift and they look at it like it's roadkill and say nothing but a perfunctory "thank you," you might not be giving them another one anytime soon. A person who does something in a perfunctory way shows little enthusiasm or interest in what they are doing. Many of our everyday greetings are perfunctory. For example, when we say "Hello" and "How are you?", we usually do so out of habit. Perfunctory is from Latin perfunctus, from perfungi, "to get through with, perform," formed from the Latin prefix per-, "completely," plus fungi, "to perform." Definitions of perfunctory 1.adjective hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough "perfunctory courtesy" synonyms: casual, cursory, passing careless marked by lack of attention or consideration or forethought or thoroughness; not careful 2.adjective as a formality only synonyms :pro forma formal being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of formal dress) Examples: The Advisory Board meetings were perfunctory and bureaucratic, but the ANC meetings were lively with debate and discussion about Parliament, the pass laws, rents, bus fares — any subject under the sun that affected Africans. "I'm not sure," she said, giving me a perfunctory, patronizing smile, "that you're Princeton material." Without even perfunctory regrets at the man's passing, he accused Luthuli of being a patsy of the white man, mainly on the grounds that the chief had accepted the Nobel Peace Prize. Not just a perfunctory curling of the lips, but a warm, toothy grin In their autobiographies, they recounted great races in intimate detail, but falls and injuries were glossed over with the most perfunctory language. Carl generally fell silent when this happened, or agreed with her in a perfunctory fashion, afterward dismissing the subject. But it came out sounding broad, perfunctory, like the token consolation of a kind stranger. At the house, Rasheed covered her with a quilt when she lay on the couch, but there was a stiff, perfunctory air about this gesture.

arrant

The word arrant intensifies. An arrant criminal is one heck of a criminal. Arrant nonsense is total nonsense. Do you struggle for adequate superlatives? If so, you might want to add arrant to your arsenal. It can be used to add emphasis to other words, most often negative words. Arrant rudeness is extreme rudeness. Arrant hypocrisy is very hypocritical. An arrant liar is a world-class liar. Arrant has a meaning similar to complete or utter. Like other intensifiers, arrant turns up the volume on another word. Definitions of arrant 1.adjective without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers "an arrant fool" synonyms: complete, consummate, double-dyed, everlasting, gross, perfect, pure, sodding, staring, stark, thoroughgoing, unadulterated, utter unmitigated not diminished or moderated in intensity or severity; sometimes used as an intensifier Examples: "The whole thing is arrant nonsense, of course," he said. Was it not a dangerous word, too closely connected to Hobbes and to dubious stories about sympathetic magic told by Digby—someone whom John Evelyn, another early member, could dismiss as an arrant mountebank? The country that invented Donald Duck is the last to discover his cynicism—and what arrant cynicism it is. As Winston Churchill, one of the last century's most powerful writers, wryly observed, "This is the kind of arrant pedantry up with which I will not put." She has a fiance, but he's such an arrant tosser that we wait, like maiden aunts, for Robin and Cormoran to figure out their true feelings. So the pressure is on this year, to get it right - or at least, given that "right" is always in the blog rant of the beholder - less arrantly wrong. Vicki in Sex, Lies and Parkinson's It's film music night at the Proms, an act of arrant populist bone-throwing which is nonetheless terrific fun. For one thing it shows just how much arrant nonsense we actually accept in television."

denounce

To denounce is to tattle, rat out, or speak out against something. When you stand on your desk and tell the class that your partner is cheating, you denounce him or her. The prefix de- means "down," as in destroy or demolish (tear down). Add that to the Latin root nuntiare, meaning "announce," and de- plus announce equals denounce. It's a word that shows up in the headlines often, as a country might denounce a corrupt election. Politicians love to denounce the shady behavior or their opponents. Denounce can also mean the official end of something, like a treaty. Definitions of denounce 1.verb speak out against "He denounced the Nazis" 2.verb accuse or condemn openly or formally as disgraceful "He denounced the government action" synonyms: brand, mark, stigmatise, stigmatize 3.verb give away information about somebody synonyms: betray, give away, grass, rat, shop, snitch, stag, tell on 4.verb announce the termination of, as of treaties Examples: Yes, they're expecting me—I hope not just for the purpose of denouncing me as a chemical misfit. The old dame who had been their nurse fetched dry jerkins out of a press, and scolded them for retching their deaths, and denounced Sir Ector for keeping on so long. According to the Christians, the Jews are blabbing their secrets to the Germans, denouncing their helpers and causing them to suffer the dreadful fate and punishments that have already been meted out to so many. "You'd be burned alive. So don't repeat them. And if you said I spoke them, I'd denounce you for a liar and a heretic. " It meant Tyler was ready to denounce me, to say my father's words, that I was possessed, dangerous. So it is that now I denounce and defend, or feel prepared to defend. The PAC played the role of saboteur and released thousands of flyers telling people to oppose the stay-at-home, and denouncing the ANC leaders as cowards. At eleven he had denounced his uncle to the Thought Police after overhearing a conversation which appeared to him to have criminal tendencies.

ponderous

When you call Frankenstein ponderous, it's not because he likes to ponder the great questions of life. It's because he moves like a Mack truck, only slower and less gracefully. Ponderous also describes a person's manner, or their manner of speaking. If it does, this is a person you will want to avoid. They're solemn, speak slowly about things that are boring, and get to the punchline of a joke about seven years after anyone with half a brain has figured it out for themselves. Definitions of ponderous 1.adjective having great mass and weight and unwieldiness "a ponderous stone" "a ponderous burden" "ponderous weapons" Synonyms: heavy of comparatively great physical weight or density 2.adjective slow and laborious because of weight "ponderous prehistoric beasts" "a ponderous yawn" synonyms: heavy, lumbering heavy-footed (of movement) lacking ease or lightness 3.adjective labored and dull "a ponderous speech" Synonyms: uninteresting arousing no interest or attention or curiosity or excitement Examples: A trumpet blast sent the horsemen forward at a ponderous walk, splashing down into the current. His maester's collar was no simple metal choker such as Luwin wore, but two dozen heavy chains wound together into a ponderous metal necklace that covered him from throat to breast. The sewing machine made a resounding clatter in the room; it was of a ponderous, bygone make. Their once rounded bodies were angular and bony now, sharp small bones like the bones of birds, except for their ponderous bellies. When elephants encounter the skeleton of an elephant out in the open, they methodically take up each of the bones and distribute them, in a ponderous ceremony, over neighboring acres. How ignominious to be strapped to this ponderous mass of paper, print and dead man's sentiment. The steps in the gravel sounded heavy and ponderous, like those of a large man. Cordelia's father sits at the head of the table, with his craggy eyebrows, his wolfish look, and bends upon me the full force of his ponderous, ironic, terrifying charm.

malfeasance

Whenever you see the prefix "mal-," you know it's not good. Malfeasance is bad behavior, especially from officials or people who should know better. If nothing else, the mal- in malfeasance will alert you to the fact that something bad is going on. If you know French, fease-, faise- will ring a bell, as it often means "to do." You can probably then infer that malfeasance means "to do bad." Today, it's usually a bad deed done by an official or an organization. You wouldn't accuse a dog who peed on the carpet of malfeasance, but you would accuse a mayor who took a bribe of malfeasance. Definitions of malfeasance noun wrongful conduct by a public official Examples: I arrived in the Masters' Hall early and was relieved to find the atmosphere much more relaxed than when I'd gone on the horns for malfeasance against Hemme. Like most Americans I am no lover of cops, and the consistent investigation of city forces for bribery, brutality, and a long and picturesque list of malfeasances is not designed to reassure me. "This malfeasance must be stopped" was what the unassuming janitor Alfred T. Slipper always said before he was transformed into the amazing Incandesto and became a towering, crime-fighting pillar of light. The charge of malfeasance was a serious one. "If Hemme set him in front of the class, he gave permission. And it isn't malfeasance if you give him your hair and watch him stick it on the mommet's head." Well, perfection was subjective—Rowan certainly wouldn't call the man a perfect scythe—but there was nothing in Goddard's repertoire of malfeasance that would suggest he would murder Faraday. "You're awfully thick to be the Arcanum's bright new star. Think it through. Would I stay in business if I made a habit of malfeasance?" On the other hand, if the intentions of the merchant were not honorable, you'd better believe that she'd be heading in their direction to inform them of their malfeasance and impropriety.

dub

yeki az maniha: verb give a nickname to

churlish

A churlish person is one whose middle name might as well be Rude. He's the one who was never taught to mind his manners and avoid telling vulgar jokes at the dinner table. Churlish has its origins in late Old English, but its modern-day meaning of "deliberately rude" developed in the 14th century. It's a fitting adjective to describe boorish or surly behavior. It can also describe a material that is difficult to work with, such as hard wood that's resistant to quick whittling. Our prolific pal Shakespeare coined the phrase, "as valiant as the lion, churlish as the bear." Definitions of churlish 1.adjective having a bad disposition; surly "" churlish as a bear"- Shakespeare" Synonyms: ill-natured having an irritable and unpleasant disposition 2.adjective rude and boorish Synonyms: ungracious lacking charm and good taste Examples: No. Did your father and I raise you to be churlish? As in: I don't understand how 1 went from annoyed to grumpy to downright churlish. It would be churlish to argue that smart policing isn't a good thing. "But it would be churlish to begrudge Basil's requests. After all, he did recapture our tapestry from Cluny. It was a very daring deed." As in: How do you apologize to your twin brother for being churlish— for almost breaking his nose?This week. get my report card. He thought it would be churlish not to go. It's up there with Iron Man and The Dark Knight as one of those superhero movies that does so much right that it'd be churlish to even mention any shortcomings. Dolly is adored because, for all but the most churlish among us, she shines a light that says that our greatness lies within our hurt and pain and delight and our wisdom and our kindness.

contentious

A contentious issue is one that people are likely to argue about, and a contentious person is someone who likes to argue or fight. Some issues are very controversial. They're also contentious, because people tend to argue about them, and the arguments will probably go on forever. Contentious issues get people angry and in a fighting mood. On the other hand, some people always seem to be in a fighting mood, no matter what the issue is. People like that are contentious too. Definitions of contentious 1.adjective inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits "a style described as abrasive and contentious" synonyms: combative, disputatious, disputative, litigious argumentative given to or characterized by argument 2.adjective involving or likely to cause controversy ""a central and contentious element of the book"- Tim W.Ferfuson" Synonyms: controversial marked by or capable of arousing controversy Examples: There was a formal debate on the always contentious proposition that "the East is a better place to live than the West." Groves joked later that when this complex and contentious job was done, "I was hoping to get to a war theater so I could find a little peace." "But, Mother—" "Samuel," she said, "you're the most contentious man this world has ever seen." But I held my tongue after this retort. f Would I always be so contentious? "Liza says I am contentious, but now I'm caught in a web of my children—and I think I like it." I suspect that Judge Norton had scheduled the final Rule 32 hearing in part because he wanted to get this contentious, complicated case off his docket and out of his court. Because land tenure was a contentious issue in Peru, he had asked Dobyns to finalize the lease and learn more about the estate's history. It is the beauty of small areas of order—a large yard, a group of trees, three similar dormitories, a circle of old houses—living together in contentious harmony.

disruption

A disruption is a major disturbance, something that changes your plans or interrupts some event or process. A screaming child on an airplane can be a disruption of the passengers' sleep. A break in the action, especially an unplanned and confusing one, is a disruption. A sudden thunderstorm is an unwelcome disruption of an outdoor wedding ceremony, and a flat tire on an elaborate float will probably cause a parade disruption. When you disrupt something, you upset it or mess it up. In Latin disrupt means "broken into pieces," from dis, "apart," and rumpere, "to break." Definitions of disruption 1.noun an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity synonyms: break, gap, interruption 2.noun an event that results in a displacement or discontinuity synonyms: dislocation 3.noun the act of causing disorder synonyms: perturbation 4.noun a disorderly outburst or tumult synonyms: commotion, disturbance, flutter, hoo-ha, hoo-hah, hurly burly, kerfuffle, to-do Examples: It will be a total disruption to her routine, a complete twist in the way her life is supposed to go. Benjamin Rush mentions the disruptions in a few brief references, but provides no details. Even the judge, who usually tolerated no disruptions, seemed to embrace the drama of the moment. The Ceremony would not be disrupted—such a disruption would be unthinkable. They hadn't planned for children, and the men from San Juan convinced a few older girls to watch the little ones outside so that the meeting could proceed with the least amount of disruption. The way she saw it, we'd had enough disruption to last a lifetime. His was the first presidency of a new era, one involving the disruption and dismantling of all norms around privacy—involving selfies, data hacks, Snapchats, and Kardashians. But now a short, angry wizard stood before him, refusing, point-blank, to accept the prospect of disruption in his comfortable and ordered world — to believe that Voldemort could have risen.

morose

A morose person is sullen, gloomy, sad, glum, and depressed — not a happy camper. When someone is morose, they seem to have a cloud of sadness hanging over them. This word is stronger than just sad — morose implies being extremely gloomy and depressed. We all can be morose at times, like after the death of a friend or family member. Whether you're morose due to an event or just because you're feeling blue, you should try skipping or whistling a little tune to perk things up. Definitions of morose 1.adjective showing a brooding ill humor "a morose and unsociable manner" synonyms: dark, dour, glowering, glum, moody, saturnine, sour, sullen ill-natured having an irritable and unpleasant disposition Examples: And why is it, I thought, that whenever boys consider such measures—despite their justifiability—we always get a bit scared, morose, and angsty? The building seemed morose, and also slightly guilty, as if it had done something terrible and had hunkered itself down in the ground hoping that no one would notice. When he turned to his teammates, he encountered a reef of curious, reflective faces all gazing at him woodenly with morose and inscrutable animosity. On more than one occasion he has come home from the university to find her morose, in bed, rereading her parents' letters. A morose cloud had settled around the man's shoulders, and Emily didn't know him well enough to understand if that was normal or due to his dwelling on Mr. Griswold. She stayed away from the beach intentionally, it seemed to him in his fretfulness, and gradually he became dark and morose. I tried, persistently but in vain, to reach out for his love and understanding, and each time he reciprocated by becoming more distant and inscrutable, more morose and frightening to me. A morose cloud had settled around the man's shoulders, and Emily didn't know him well enough to understand if that was normal or due to his dwelling on

pariah

A pariah is someone that has been soundly rejected by their community. Your constant gossiping might make you a pariah on campus. Pariah takes its name from a tribe in Southeast India. The pariahs were drummers, sorcerers, and servants who became untouchables in Indian society because of the unsanitary jobs they did. Pariah maintains this sense of untouchableness. Pariahs are not just unliked, they are avoided at all costs. Imagine how a once popular restaurant could gain pariah status if it fails health inspections three times in a row. Definitions of pariah 1.noun a person who is rejected (from society or home) synonyms:Ishmael, castaway, outcast Examples: A dog with an experience like that could become a pariah in the truest sense of the word. So I put aside the memory of the little pariah dog and the gosling. He was a senior when I was a freshman, and he considered telling everyone I'd been abducted by aliens and turning me into a social pariah his greatest achievement. Whatever doubts I've had about him dissipate because if either of us took the other's life now we'd be pariahs when we returned to District 12. I feel like a pariah when I walk through the streets. "If I find you on my property tomorrow I'll have you castrated like the pariah dog that you are! I'll have you killed!" My family back home never treats me this way because I'm the designated pariah. He read about the history of the Korean Peninsula, the reputation of the Kim family dictatorship, and his country's status as an international pariah.

amass

Amass means bring together or assemble. It can be a real shock to enter a room and see your amassed friends shouting "Surprise!" Although the word amass should not be confused with "a mass," as in the thing you never want to hear has been found on your lung, they both derive from the Latin massa "lump." When you think about it, this makes sense. Whether soldiers or cancer cells, things that come together to form a whole — in this case, a tumor or an army — are amassed. Definitions of amass 1.verb collect or gather synonyms: accumulate, conglomerate, cumulate, gather, pile up 2.verb get or gather together "She is amassing a lot of data for her thesis" synonyms: accumulate, collect, compile, hoard, pile up, roll up Examples: In the first half of the nineteenth century, owners of whaling ships amassed fortunes from oil and built the still well-preserved Federalist and Greek Revival mansions on upper Main Street. Although his mother had amassed quite a fortune—an especially impressive feat for a woman with no Talent—it hadn't been enough to last him fifty-three years. He kept studying the pigeons just as he had the barnacles; he kept amassing notes; and he kept retching in the curtained-off privy in his study. We discovered that if we waited until we were prepared to go, we would never leave, we would never amass enough money to see us through. Mama's face crumples, and all the goodwill we amassed during the breakfast and the piano playing disappears. The temptation to venture into crime was too strong, and I decided to work quickly, taking whatever was in sight, amass a wad of money, and flee. But I can't stop myself from amassing more and more material. Soon the Laughing Man had amassed the largest personal fortune in the world.

endeavor

When you endeavor to do something, you try hard to make it happen. A determined student might endeavor to get straight As on her report card. "The ordinary objects of human endeavor — property, outward success, luxury — have always seemed to me contemptible," wrote Albert Einstein. Presumably, NASA had loftier objects in mind when they named one of their space shuttles Endeavour, using the British spelling. The word comes from the Old French phrase mettre en deveir, or "put in duty." As a verb, it's a more impressive word than try and suggests you're doing your darnedest to make something happen. Definitions of endeavor 1.verb attempt by employing effort "we endeavor to make our customers happy" synonyms: endeavour, strive 2.noun earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something "wished him luck in his endeavor" synonyms: attempt, effort, endeavour, try 3.noun a purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness) synonyms:endeavour, enterprise

affiliate

An affiliate is a subordinate group or organization associated with a larger group or organization. For example, the American broadcasting company NBC has hundreds of affiliate stations around the country. Affiliate comes from the Medieval Latin term affiliat, meaning "adopted as a son," though it's unlikely NBC sees its affiliate companies in quite that way. The word can also be used to describe someone who simply hangs out with someone else a lot, or keeps company with them regularly, whether for business or not. Definitions of affiliate 1.verb join in an affiliation "The two colleges affiliated" "They affiliated with a national group" 2.verb keep company with; hang out with "She affiliates with her colleagues" synonyms: associate, assort, consort 3.noun a subsidiary or subordinate organization that is affiliated with another organization "network affiliates" 4.noun a subordinate or subsidiary associate; a person who is affiliated with another or with an organization. Examples: Of all the domestic extremist groups active in the United States today, the most troubling are those affiliated with the white supremacist movement. There was another local affiliate directly in front of Moss, but the reporter, a short man with close-cropped brown hair, never once looked at him. Frequently we share staff, educational and financial resources with our affiliates. She accepted as a representative of the Daughters of Temperance, the women's affiliate group. "Good to find another person who knows what a Canto knot is. But I travel a lot, my friend. I see and know a lot of people, people who I might not be affiliated with." We have some eighty-five affiliated organizations across the South, and one of them is the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. It was a representative from Gypsy Oil Company, an affiliate of Gulf Oil, who was sitting with a map spread on his knees, not looking up as he spoke. These youths, allegedly, had said or implied that they were affiliated with "Black Muslims" who had split away from the Nation of Islam to join up with me.

apostate

An apostate is someone who has deserted his cause. The word apostate originally comes from a Greek word that meant "runaway slave." Now, apostate has a religious or political tone to it, so someone might call you "a political apostate" if you ran for office as a Republican during one election and then ran as a Democrat in the following election. Definitions of apostate 1.adjective not faithful to religion or party or cause Synonyms: unfaithfulnot true to duty or obligation or promises 2.noun a disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or religion or political party or friend etc. synonyms: deserter, ratter, recreant, renegade, turncoat Examples: Milton, the child apostate, would have been confirmed in his skepticism, because his spirit never returned that day, trying to get past me. My father never went along, having become an apostate at the age of eight over the exorbitant price of votive candles. She digs honestly into her own psyche and into those of "people like me," and she reveals herself as believer and apostate, moth and flame. But the broader aim of the group, also known as ISIS, is to inspire alienated Muslims to enlist in a global battle against Christians, Jews, apostates and infidels. He became a professional apostate, armed with deep insight into the leftist psyche, decades of accumulated resentments, and a polemical style perfect to the role. He spent much of his life as a writer skewering apostate leftists who ended up as red-faced rotarians or belligerent bombers - from Paul Johnson to Conor Cruise O'Brien. Yet the Islamic State decided to light the Jordanian "apostate" on fire in retribution for Jordan's bombing of Islamic State positions. Throughout the 19th century they built up their own power base, accepting the state when it did their bidding and slaughtering rivals and apostates.

indigent

An indigent person is extremely poor, lacking the basic resources of a normal life. Often the indigent lack not only money but homes. Indigent comes from a Latin word meaning wanting, which we used to use to mean "lacking" and not just to describe desires. Homeless shelters, soup kitchens, free medical clinics and court-appointed lawyers are all institutions that our society has developed to help indigent people. Definitions of indigent 1.adjective poor enough to need help from others synonyms: destitute, impoverished, necessitous, needy, poverty-stricken poor having little money or few possessions Examples: Approximately 80 percent of criminal defendants are indigent and thus unable to hire a lawyer. South African law does not guarantee a defendant the right to legal representation, and thousands upon thousands of indigent men and women went to prison every year for lack of such representation. They get into arguments and they say to one another, "It is only my misfortune that would lump me together with an indigent like you." "Do you not understand that you are an indigent and unregistered alien? How do you intend to return to Karhide?" Civil rights groups have also developed litigation and important coalitions related to the school-to-prison pipeline, inadequate indigent defense, and juvenile justice reform, to name a few. Telemarketing, one of the first refuges of the suddenly indigent, can be dismissed on grounds of personality. "We are doing that poor indigent a favor burying him," he said. The bodies of the indigent dead were carted to the potter's field and dumped, but no gravediggers were there to bury them.

animosity

Animosity is hatred. If your (supposed) best buddy embarrasses you in front of a big crowd, your friendship could turn into animosity. Animosity comes from the Latin word animus, meaning "spirit" or "mind." That's also the root of the word animated — literally, "full of spirit." So how did animosity get so negative? Over the centuries, the original meaning of "high spirits" soured into "hatred." Today we most often speak of animosity toward, between, among, or against people. Keeping your animosity in check might make steam come out your ears. Definitions of animosity 1.noun a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility synonyms: animus, bad blood Examples: Given the animosity in Durham during those years, and C.P.'s own fury against a world he couldn't control—and his tendency to always carry a gun—it was amazing that he hadn't shot anyone. These two groups were obliged to work side by side in the war plants, and their animosities festered and opened like boils on the face of the city. The animosity I felt from the colored people I encountered growing up was one of the hardest things I've ever had to deal with. The word phobic has its place when properly used, but lately it's been declawed by the pompous insistence that most animosity is based upon fear rather than loathing. Racetrackers in that era had a peculiar animosity for given names. Rowan didn't even try to hide the animosity in his voice. I have often heard it said that cowardice is the mother of cruelty, and I have found by experience that malicious and inhuman animosity and fierceness are usually accompanied by weakness. I fear our intercourse cannot be other than filled with animosity.

avid

Avid usually means very eager or enthusiastic. If you're an avid reader, it means you read as much as you can, whenever you can. But this adjective can also mean wanting something so much that you can be thought of as greedy. For example, a person can be avid for success or power. Avid is from French avide, from Latin avidus, from avere "to desire, crave." Definitions of avid 1.adjective marked by active interest and enthusiasm "an avid sports fan" synonyms: zealous enthusiastic, keen having or showing great excitement and interest 2.adjective (often followed by `for') ardently or excessively desirous "avid for adventure" "an avid ambition to succeed" "the esurient eyes of an avid curiosity" synonyms: devouring, esurient, greedy desirous, wishful having or expressing desire for something Examples: At the time, statutes governing electronic surveillance were nebulous, and Burns was an avid user of a Dictograph—a primitive listening device that could be concealed in anything from a clock to a chandelier. "Shall I...?" the nun says, looking at the avid faces of her audience. The Inquisitor's Tale I am an avid reader of all signs, and I find that in the historical markers the prose of statehood reaches its glorious best, and most lyric. Hall had for some years been an avid hill walker; about the same time he went to work for Alp Sports, he took up rock and ice climbing as well. Second, My Lord 02-06, if I may call him so, is an avid sportsman, and in the wilds of New-York he shall find plenty of scope for unusual chases and kills. It may interest you to know that one of your avid readers was Mrs. Elizabeth Bowen. Mavens, according to Price, are the kinds of people who are avid readers of Consumer Reports. She was brilliant, had been an avid reader her whole life, and she was a terrific literary critic, editor, and proofreader.

chary

Being chary (pronounced CHAIR-ee) is being wary or cautious. If you lost two teeth in last year's rugby season, you should be chary of signing up again this year. Chary comes from the Old English word cearig for "sorrowful, careful," which is basically what you are if you're chary. If you're a little suspicious of something and mulling it over, you're being chary. A synonym of chary is wary, and both include caution, but some definitions suggest that it's obvious when someone is wary — it shows — while being chary is more of an inside, or hidden, distrust. Definitions of chary 1.adjective characterized by great caution and wariness "chary of the risks involved" "a chary investor" synonyms: cagey, cagy cautious showing careful forethought Examples: The chary locals are less forthcoming about the lingering horror of the mass shooting in which a young priest took the lives of five members of his elderly congregation. And in those days I was a little chary of my father's tastes. That look speaks assertively to a Gen Z crowd chary of artifice and aggressive displays of sensuality. It's worth dealing with the difference again, since everyone seems to have forgotten it or become chary of the articulation. According to Sight and Sound, the Arts Council were chary about funding the film because it was thought that it came too soon on the heels of Bacon's death. So Billington was properly chary of what will follow his retirement on Jan. 1. However, I recognize that many people are likely to be chary of returning to public transport for a while, and Beltway expansion may be necessary as a stopgap. He looks chary, and I know perfectly well why.

deprived

Being deprived means lacking important things like food and water. For example, when warm clothing, housing, and nutrition are in short supply, the people are deprived of basics of life. You can use the adjective deprived to describe conditions or people who don't have what they need or don't have enough. Some uses of deprived are for small things, like when you're deprived of dessert because you didn't eat your vegetables, but most of the time deprived describes a very serious lack of essential things or services. Definitions of deprived 1.adjective marked by deprivation especially of the necessities of life or healthful environmental influences "a childhood that was unhappy and deprived, the family living off charity" "boys from a deprived environment, wherein the family life revealed a pattern of neglect, moral degradation, and disregard for law" synonyms: disadvantaged underprivileged lacking the rights and advantages of other members of society Examples: Being deprived of sight, Frodo found his hearing and other senses sharpened. Presumably the human embryo deprived of oxygen may also develop congenital deformities. The world is coming at me in high-contrast snapshots, deprived of narrative continuity. I knew I wasn't sleep deprived, yet the feeling of fatigue was overwhelming me and the desire to go to sleep was so strong. The upheavals of the war deprived Kepler of much of his financial support, and the end of his life was spent fitfully, pleading for money and sponsors. South Africa was now deprived of one of its greatest sons, a man who would have been invaluable in transforming the country into a new nation. As a boy I was confused about issues of race but did not consider myself deprived or unhappy. He thought Lawrence's endorsement of a policy that deprived his lab of its entire theoretical physics staff disgraceful.

curfew

Curfew is a rule or law that sets a time that certain people have to be off the streets. A town may set a curfew for teenagers, for example, although many parents impose a stricter curfew for their own kids. Historically, a curfew was signaled by the ringing of a bell meant to alert residents that it was time to put out their hearth fires. The word curfew comes from an Old French word cuevrefeu, "cover fire," cuevre meaning to cover, and feu meaning fire. Over time, curfew has come to refer to getting people off the streets at night and into their homes, often during times of civil unrest. Definitions of curfew 1.noun an order that after a specific time certain activities (as being outside on the streets) are prohibited 2.noun a signal (usually a bell) announcing the start of curfew restrictions 3.noun the time that the curfew signal is sounded Examples: "A little bit ago you were freaking out at me for being late for curfew, and now were talking about garlic? They're burning books—Dad's books." They were accustomed to hardened maximum-security prisoners, and their tools were too severe to work with these men, so many of them guilty of the smallest of crimes—curfew violations, trespassing, public drunkenness. The most dangerous time was during the curfew, when fugitives could not be out on the street and the police could hunt them down at will. The policemen question him, demand to know why he is out past curfew. "Don't you worry about us," said one of the Death Eaters, "worry about yourself, breaking curfew!" Dad gave me a curfew when I got back. I count the time between sweeps of the beams of light from the guard towers and sneak from trailer to trailer, trying to avoid detection and the consequences that come from breaking curfew. There are now all kinds of checkpoints and curfews.

Byzantine

Definitions of Byzantine 1.adjective of or relating to or characteristic of the Byzantine Empire or the ancient city of Byzantium a native or inhabitant of Byzantium or of the Byzantine Empire 2.adjective of or relating to the Eastern Orthodox Church or the rites performed in it "Byzantine monks" "Byzantine rites" 3.adjective highly complex or intricate and occasionally devious "the Byzantine tax structure" "Byzantine methods for holding on to his chairmanship" synonyms: convoluted, involved, knotty, tangled, tortuous complex complicated in structure; consisting of interconnected parts Examples: Byzantine domes hovered over the city like rising balloons. "You mortals and your short lives. Eight months is nothing, my dear. I lost eight centuries once, missed most of the Byzantine Empire." It was clearly implemented to prevent Byzantine grabs at power; but where power is concerned there are always those who find ways to grasp for it. His name was George Papadimitriou, and he was the professor of Byzantine history who had first recruited her for Oakley Street two years before. The wind swept over the crusted snow into my Byzantine face, which was the face of my grandfather and of the American girl I had once been. In the termite ecosystem, an arrangement of Byzantine complexity, he stands at the epicenter. Sparkling from the walls of eight early Christian monuments, the town's Byzantine mosaics form the largest such collection in Western Europe. The mosaic was discovered during the excavation of a building from the Byzantine period - some 300 years younger than the mosaic it was on top of - in the coastal city of Caesarea

sychophancy

Definitions of sycophancy 1.noun fawning obsequiousness (fawning : attempting to win favor by flattery) (obsequiousness: abject or cringing submissiveness) Examples: He no longer muttered "nation of intractable sycophancy" when the nightly news started on NTA, no longer held long monologues about how Babangida's government had reduced Nigerians to imprudent idiots, no longer teased her mother. The recent carnival of sycophancy only reinforced this. Although he found himself unable to meet Goebbels' exacting standards of sycophancy, and got into trouble, he did the same thing when the communists were in power, postwar. As an insider's outsider, Kingelez ranks right up there with the Abstract Expressionist Clyfford Still, who said that most other modern artists were "impaled and their sycophancy exposed on the blade of my identity." She had "both a distaste for sycophancy and a need for a certain degree of obeisance," and she sends very mixed signals, even now. Nick Sampson transforms himself into the essence of sycophancy, his back bent into an "S". I'm still nervously awaiting the sycophancy, but there are reassuring signs that the defensive, preemptive counterprogramming is continuing. The questions are often barely veiled insults, delivered in a mirthless deadpan that's somewhere between stupidity and sociopathy — the exact opposite of the breezy sycophancy that passes for most late-night banter.

unsheathe

Definitions of unsheathe 1.verb draw from a sheath or scabbard "the knight unsheathed his sword" Examples: "The time for bribery and persuasion is past. This is the hour when we must unsheathe our swords." He saw that the sword which Frodo still held unsheathed was glittering with blue flame; and he saw that though the sky behind was now dark, still the window in the tower was glowing red. I brought up the appalling behavior at Sebokeng and the police's unequal treatment of blacks and whites; police used live ammunition with black demonstrators, while they never unsheathed their guns at white right-wing protests. She unsheathed it and looked at it again.

deign

Deign means to reluctantly agree to do something you consider beneath you. When threatened with the loss of her fortune, an heiress might deign to get a job, but she might look down her nose at the people she'd have to work with. Deign has the same origins as dignity. Both descend from the Latin word, dignare, meaning "to deem worthy." If you deign to do something, you don't feel it's worthy of your lofty stature, but you do it anyway — it's like you're doing someone a really big favor. Instead of admitting his wrongdoing, the politician who is accused of taking bribes might indignantly declare, "I won't deign to dignify your ridiculous accusations with a response!" Definitions of deign 1.verb do something that one considers to be below one's dignity synonyms: condescend, descend Exxamples: Though Quin Veturius is seventy-seven years old, women blush when he looks them in the eye, and men wince when he deigns to shake their hands. Perhaps the universe should have deigned to provide such warnings, but scythes were no more supernatural than tax collectors in the grand scheme of things. She does not deign to ask me what it is for. Slynt did not deign to answer that, but he kicked the chair aside as he departed. Then he might well have to face Yale, Harvard, or Princeton—schools that did not even deign to row at Poughkeepsie—at the Olympic trials. When called upon to play the bear and carry off the maiden fair, he had been sullen and uncooperative, shuffling lifelessly through his paces when he deigned to take part in their mummery at all. She stood at the desk a long time before the librarian deigned to attend to her. Henry deigns to give him a perfunctory nod, as if he's any other random guest, not the person he beat to a Vogue editorial debut in their teens.

depravity

Depravity goes beyond mere bad behavior — it is a total lack of morals, values, and even regard for other living things, like the depravity of a serial killer. You can see the verb deprave in depravity. To deprave is to make something bad, often to the point of moral corruption, like the parental fear that a bad influence will deprave their good kids. So, depravity is behavior that is morally corrupt or otherwise deemed wicked. Don't confuse depravity with deprivation, meaning "being denied something that is necessary." Definitions of depravity 1.noun moral perversion; impairment of virtue and moral principles synonyms: corruption, degeneracy, depravation, putrefaction 2.noun a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice synonyms: turpitude Examples: Consequently, the Flood had to be seen as a true miracle, not a mere natural event which happened to coincide with an excess of human depravity. They carried the conversation into the depths of depravity. Even a half-remembrance of this episode, along with myriad other humiliations, defeats, and emasculations, could stir him into flights of depravity that surprised himself—but only himself. What they were really talking about was the need to protect Southern women from the depravity of black men, who—whites all knew—were sexual brutes craving white female flesh. With my English notes perched on the armrest, I pick up where I left off: the depravity of Caliban. To me, religion is about our dignity, not our depravity. On the contrary, since the Harlem idea of seduction is, to put it mildly, blunt, whatever these people saw in me merely confirmed my sense of my depravity. Retaining our humanity, cherishing our heritage, we fought the depravity of the Nazis with subtle forms of resistance.

expansive

Expansive is all about being able to grow or get larger. An expansive piece of land is large, an expansive mind is one that is always thinking of the big picture, an expansive vocabulary is one that holds lots of words. Warning: don't confuse expansive, "large," with expensive, "high priced." They differ by only one letter but mean very different things. A Big Mac may contain what McDonald's advertizes as an expansive all-beef patty, but it isn't expensive food. Definitions of expansive 1.adjective able or tending to expand or characterized by expansion "Expansive materials" "the expansive force of fire" Synonyms:distensible capable of being distended; able to stretch and expand cavernous, erectile filled with vascular sinuses and capable of becoming distended and rigid as the result of being filled with blood expandable, expandible, expansible able to expand or be expanded inflatable designed to be filled with air or gas 2.adjective of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope "an expansive lifestyle" synonyms: grand, heroic impressive making a strong or vivid impression 3.adjective friendly and open and willing to talk synonyms: talkative communicative, communicatory able or tending to communicate 4.adjective marked by exaggerated feelings of euphoria and delusions of grandeur Synonyms: euphoric characterized by an exaggerated feeling of well-being or elation Examples: The carnival is spread out across the expansive church lawn, and parents and friends work at a dozen booths. Immediately after the race, even as he sat gasping for air in the Husky Clipper while it drifted down the Langer See beyond the finish line, an expansive sense of calm had enveloped him. There were projects all over Baltimore, but nothing so expansive as this. When Aureliano told her, Pilar Ternera let out a deep laugh, the old expansive laugh that ended up as a cooing of doves. After meandering for some time beneath the trees, the track continued across an expansive meadow. The streambed opened onto an expansive grassy firing range, with an observation tower and berms at the near end and hillocks at the far end. Catfish and spray paint in hand, Margo threw the door open, jogged across the Worthingtons' expansive front lawn, and then hid behind an oak tree. He turned and led us across an expansive green lawn, toward his enormous house.

nadir

If a highly forgetful person loses his phone, his wallet, and then his car keys in separate instances all in one day, you could say that he has reached an organizational nadir. This means "lowest point." This was originally strictly an astronomical term and is the opposite of the word zenith, which is the part of the sky located directly above a person's head or, "high point." In fact, nadir is derived from the Arabic nazir, which means "opposite to." It is still used in astronomy to indicate the part of the celestial sphere located directly below an observer, but also more generally to describe the worst point of someone's life or career. Definitions of nadir 1.noun an extreme state of adversity; the lowest point of anything synonyms: low-water mark 2.noun the point below the observer that is directly opposite the zenith on the imaginary sphere against which celestial bodies appear to be projected Examples: Many of them, put together just after epidemics, would have represented population nadirs, not approximations of precontact numbers. Agent Jones had lived through a lot in his years with the agency, but tonight marked the absolute nadir. His father wasn't growing old: he had reached some kind of nadir ten or twelve years ago and now he was growing backward, aiming toward middle age, maybe youth. Consider, too, the Dobynsesque procedure for recovering original population numbers: applying an assumed death rate, usually 95 percent, to the observed population nadir. The Public was for many the nadir, or the bloated hubristic peak, of a recently bygone era of grand cultural building programmes. The dating agency experience was definitely my nadir. Having settled in Canada, my parents were at the nadir of their refugee trajectory, and, it seemed at that time, at the end their rope. At the nadir of his own addiction, Brand admits he was "a nightmare" to be around.

conciliatory

If you're in a fight with a friend and you want to end it, you should make a conciliatory gesture, such as inviting her to a party you're having. Conciliatory describes things that make other people less angry. The context is often a situation in which a dispute is settled by compromise. A synonym is propitiatory, though this adjective usually refers to avoiding the anger of someone who has the power to harm. In the word conciliatory, the -ory suffix means "relating to or doing," and the root is from Latin conciliatus, from conciliare "to bring together, win over," from concilium "council." Definitions of conciliatory 1.adjective making or willing to make concessions synonyms: compromising, flexible yielding tending to give in or surrender or agree 2.adjective intended to placate "a conciliatory visit" synonyms: conciliative appeasing, placating, placative, placatory intended to pacify by acceding to demands or granting concessions pacific promoting peace propitiative, propitiatory intended to reconcile or appease soft willing to negotiate and compromise Examples: "Dr. P is here," Dana's mother chimes in from behind him, with a slightly more conciliatory tone. It was almost conciliatory, that "just," but not quite, not yet. She, if anything, seemed the more conciliatory party, which seemed to disprove the hypothesis that he was at fault. "Well, it apparendy makes some difference to Headquarters," he answered in a conciliatory tone. The kindly old mouse shook his head and held up a conciliatory paw. After a moment when we both are silent, he gives me a conciliatory half smile. He did not expect, however, that his conciliatory attitude would be able to prevent the inevitable. I knew I had been harsh, but I did not want to capsize the whole ship of negotiations, and I ended on a more conciliatory note.

irascible

If you're irascible, you get angry easily — perhaps blowing up in rage when someone brushes into you. Irascible comes from the Latin root ira, which means "anger" or "rage," the same root that gives us the word ire, "anger." The -sc in the middle of irascible, means "becoming," so irascible doesn't just mean you're angry — it's got action built into it. If you're looking for a fight most of the time, then you're irascible — ready for the spark that's going to set you on fire. Definitions of irascible 1.adjective quickly aroused to anger synonyms: choleric, hot-tempered, hotheaded, quick-tempered, short-tempered ill-natured having an irritable and unpleasant disposition 2.adjective characterized by anger "an irascible response" synonyms: choleric Examples: He stretched his wings—it was like a huge, irascible yawn—then settled again. That sound—the swift, shocking report of gunfire—called the scattered, irascible, permanently seeking part of his mind into focus like nothing else. Doc Daneeka demanded, lifting his delicate immaculate dark head up from his chest to gaze at Yossarian irascibly for a moment with lachrymose eyes. Only in a culture of honor would it have occurred to the irascible gentleman that shooting someone was an appropriate response to a personal insult. As Reed describes it: The case before the jury involved an irascible gentleman who lived next door to a filling station. However, all writers about them, from Romans to modern zookeepers, decry their irascible temper and their nasty habit of biting people. Ron, however, had always been used to three delicious meals a day, courtesy of his mother or of the Hogwarts house-elves, and hunger made him both unreasonable and irascible. While it did not incapacitate the president, it did weaken him and, according to his cabinet, made him even more irascible.

imbibe

Imbibe is a fancy word for "drink." If you need to imbibe ten cups of coffee just to get out of the house, you might have a caffeine problem. Although the verb imbibe means to take in liquids of any sort, if you don't specify the liquid, people are likely to infer you mean an alcoholic beverage. You can also use it figuratively. If you have imbibed every detail about every battle of the U.S. Civil War, you must find the subject interesting. Definitions of imbibe 1.verb take in liquids synonyms: drink 2.verb take (gas, light or heat) into a solution synonyms: assimilate 3.verb take in, also metaphorically synonyms: absorb, draw, soak up, sop up, suck, suck up, take in, take up 4.verb receive into the mind and retain "Imbibe ethical principles" Examples: "Goblin-made armor does not require cleaning, simple girl. Goblins' silver repels mundane dirt, imbibing only that which strengthens it." Pollard had always been, like virtually everyone else at the track, a social drinker, imbibing just enough to be happy and noisy on weekend outings with other jockeys but not enough to become dependent. If only he could imbibe some of that night rest! My throat still burned, but I was filled with gratification that with all those brothers, I was the first to imbibe. A few verses of "Auld Lang Syne" were sung and some had imbibed enough brandy that much of the event will be "never brought to mind." To overcome his shyness, he has imbibed just a bit too heavily. Sometimes she neglected to ration her water, imbibing too much in the morning and staring with bitterness at the fountain the rest of the day. So we each did, but I might have also potentially snuck into the kitchen to imbibe a glass of that mojito stuff Papi makes.

huddle

In a football game, a huddle is a quick conference before a play. Huddle can also be a dense and disorganized crowd, like a group of people standing under an awning waiting for the rain to pass. As a verb huddle means to draw people together or to crouch low or curl up. The word comes from the late 16th century, when it meant "to conceal." That makes sense. When a burglar comes into your home, you might huddle in the closet so he'll leave without harming you. When your mom comes to see if you're sleeping, you might huddle under your blankets with your flashlight so she won't know you're still up reading. Definitions of huddle 1.noun a disorganized and densely packed crowd "a huddle of frightened women" 2.noun (informal) a quick private conference synonyms: powwow 3.verb crowd or draw together "let's huddle together--it's cold!" synonyms: huddle together 4.verb crouch or curl up "They huddled outside in the rain" synonyms: cower Examples: Sleepers huddled all around her, wrapped in blankets and cloaks. Suddenly I heard the hoarse explosion of a shotgun, and looked past Scofield's glinting pistol to the huddled form from the roof. She had seen the thin, ragged drug addicts huddled on street corners, begging for scraps. I see him in my mind's eye, huddled in a dark prison cell, his face hollow, his body shaking. He said farewell to them, all the people he knew in all the world, and looked about once at the village that straggled and huddled there under the cliffs, over the riversprings. "This is nice," she said, pointing to a large illustration that showed a group of men in various states of despair, holding their heads, lying on the floor, or huddling in corners. People screamed, wept, gave away their possessions, huddled in small groups for comfort and warmth. Could go back to one of those moments when he and Toby spent the night huddled together in the husk of that plane, barely saying a word.

intricate

Intricate things are complex and have many elements: they're not simple. Think of the intricate wiring of a computer's motherboard, or the intricate plot of a movie that you have a hard time following. Anything intricate is complicated. Chess is a very intricate game that you could study your entire life and still not know everything about. On the other hand, a game like Connect Four is not very intricate. The more details and parts something has, the more intricate it is. A two-part plan isn't very intricate. A 2000-step plan is intricate; it's harder to wrap your head around. Definitions of intricate 1.adjective having many complexly arranged elements; elaborate "intricate lacework" Synonyms: complex complicated in structure; consisting of interconnected parts Examples: The machine was so intricate, so complicated, that he almost got dizzy looking at it. The hair was woven in an intricate braid down her back and was tucked into a belt at her waist. His entire being moved with the intricate rhythms he pounded with his hands. Mackenzie sat at a table, puffing peacefully on a pipe, and working at the minute, intricate rigging of a model schooner, while his wife read Three Men in a Boat aloud to him. They formed a circle, swayIng their hips and flipping their wrists and taking tiny steps in intricate patterns on the floor. Omakayas and Angeline admired the intricate way that the snow trimmed the dried reeds of cattails and the brown furry heads were capped with tiny white mounds that made them look... Roaming as he always had, Matty had learned the intricate paths of Forest. Golds, light yellows deepening to vibrant orange, reds from the palest pink to the darkest crimson, greens, all shades, threaded in their intricate patterns, told the history of the world and its Rum.

overweening

Overweening is a negative term meaning arrogant or excessive. People can be described as having overweening pride or overweening ambition. It's too much and not good. Confidence and pride are okay in moderation. Overweening means having too much of it though so that it overtakes the rest of your personality, and not in a good way. If your football team has won every game of the season, they need to watch that they don't become overweening and start playing games as if they have already won. Definitions of overweening 1.adjective presumptuously arrogant "had a witty but overweening manner" ""no idea how overweening he would be"- S.V.Benet" synonyms: uppity immodest having or showing an exaggerated opinion of your importance, ability, etc 2.adjective unrestrained, especially with regard to feelings "overweening ambition" "overweening greed" synonyms: excessive, extravagant, exuberant unrestrained not subject to restraint Examples: So overweening, now they have killed my peaceful kine, my joy at morning when I climbed the sky of stars, and evening, when I bore westward from heaven. Like his father, a high cleric, 8-Deer was trained for the priesthood, but political events and his own overweening ambition stopped him from following that path. The arrogance of that overweening little jerk is simply overwhelming. palate/palette/pallet. And just as overweening state power is not liberal, nor is ceding everything to the market. In Mr. Atkins's hands Mr. Kelly is a bit of a sap, done in by the overweening ambitions of his wife. After all, there was a moment there when I was willing to let Mr. Important and his overweening confidence bowl over my more shaky certainty. So the 2020 oil war with Russia, in which Riyadh flooded the market to try to force Moscow to agree to collective production limits, gets reduced to a byproduct of M.B.S.'s overweening pride. At the same time, leaders of the Brexit campaign seem to want Britain to remain part of a common market, if not part of an overweening political bureaucracy.

prosaic

Prosaic means ordinary or dull. Most of us lead a prosaic everyday life, sometimes interrupted by some drama or crisis. This adjective is from Latin prosa "prose," which is ordinary writing intended to communicate ideas and information. Prose is often contrasted with poetry, which usually has a more imaginative and original style. Definitions of prosaic 1.adjective lacking wit or imagination synonyms: earthbound, pedestrian, prosy uninteresting arousing no interest or attention or curiosity or excitement 2.adjective not challenging; dull and lacking excitement synonyms: commonplace, humdrum, unglamorous, unglamorous unexciting not exciting 3.adjective not fanciful or imaginative "a prosaic and unimaginative essay" synonyms: matter-of-fact unrhetorical not rhetorical Examples: Most were prosaic, arising from robbery, argument, or sexual jealousy. It isn't just prosaic factors like the weather that influence behavior. She fed it with fantasies, idealized it, savagely defended it, stripped it of its prosaic truth, and turned it into the kind of love one found in novels. La Chaumiere is not, however, a thatched cottage, but a prosaic, dowdy building like other Toronto buildings. On a more prosaic level, Mrs. Weston took her to the department stores where she could revel in another type of fairyland. Isolated but vivid tragedies involving a few people should not blind us to the fact that myriad prosaic activities may involve a much higher degree of risk. They may spend prosaic domestic evenings together, him reading the paper while she serves up a casserole. This was one of the few lies she had to put up with as a child; in everything else she was in direct contact with the prosaic truths of life.

prose

Prose is so-called "ordinary writing" — made up of sentences and paragraphs, without any metrical (or rhyming) structure. If you write, "I walked about all alone over the hillsides," that's prose. If you say, "I wondered lonely as a cloud/that floats on high o'er vales and hills" that's poetry. See the difference? (Let's not get into prose poetry!) From prose we get the term prosaic, meaning "ordinary" or "commonplace," or lacking the specially delicacy and beauty of its supposed opposite — poetry. Definitions of prose 1.noun ordinary writing as distinguished from verse 2.noun matter of fact, commonplace, or dull expression Examples: But Hoggart's calm prose only makes me recall the urgency with which I came to idolize my grammar school teachers. At this point in my life, and significantly as his daughter, it is quite meaningful for me to contribute my prose to this living record. What we did was terrible, but still I don't think any of us were bad, exactly; chalk it up to weakness on my part, hubris on Henry's, too much Greek prose composition—whatever you like. In my first letter I had hoped to impress you with my brilliant prose, but that will have to wait for my second. Writers acquire their technique by spotting, savoring, and reverse-engineering examples of good prose. Though academic prose is often stuffed with needless words, there is also a suffocating style of technical writing in which the little words like the, are, and that have been squeezed out. I found it on the last page, in the very last words—not poetry in stanzas, just Frank's prose. Thomas and Turner explain that the reader of classic prose "may conclude that a text is masterful, classic, and completely wrong."

ruthless

Ruthless means showing no mercy or compassion. If you really want to cut down on the clutter in your apartment, you can't be sentimental about keepsakes. You have to be ruthless and throw out everything that's not absolutely essential. If you're ruthless, you're the polar opposite of Mother Theresa. You get called heartless and cold-blooded. That's one of the reasons the word crops up so often to describe dictators and tyrants, though it can also apply to other personality types — like corporate raiders and colleagues so success-driven that they'll gladly steamroll anyone to get ahead. It finds its way into milder contexts, too: Just be ruthless and rip off the Band-Aid already! Definitions of ruthless 1.adjective without mercy or pity "an act of ruthless ferocity" synonyms: pitiless, remorseless, unpitying merciless, unmerciful having or showing no mercy Examples: Too well he remembered the lifeless eyes and livid faces of the Cauldron-Born, their ghastly silence and ruthless swords. No one else in the cell knew what to make of us, the ruthless colored gangster and his menacing, Hulk-like friend. He could picture the fiery and malicious exhilaration with which they had made their wreckage, and their sanctimonious, ruthless sense of right and dedication. She brightened as she saw the ruthless soldiers arrive, and they smiled back. It would be ruthless, but a ruthlessness in the interest of Brotherhood, for we had only our minds and bodies, as against the other side's vast power. His pursuit to win a state championship became a ruthless obsession, say those who worked for him, for he knew that any-thing less would not be enough. The Guard was efficient, calm, and utterly ruthless. The monstrous boy from District 2 is a ruthless killing machine.

scorn

Scorn is open disrespect for someone or something. It can also be disrespect coupled with feelings of intense dislike. The noun scorn describes your feelings of disdain when you encounter something you view as worthless or inferior — like, for instance, a talk show that gets all its facts wrong. Use the verb form for those times when you're actively expressing scorn. You might scorn a politician who spends $100,000 on travel while claiming to work hard promoting middle-class values. Definitions of scorn 1.noun lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike synonyms: contempt, despite, disdain 2.noun open disrespect for a person or thing synonyms: contempt 3.verb look down on with disdain "The professor scorns the students who don't catch on immediately" synonyms: contemn, despise, disdain 4.verb reject with contempt synonyms: disdain, freeze off, pooh-pooh, reject, spurn, turn down decline, pass up, refuse, reject, turn down refuse to accept refuse, reject, turn away, turn down refuse entrance or membership Examples: Her eyes flashed around her in a defiant way, rather like Tom's, and she laughed with thrilling scorn. She stooped to pick them up, and as she handed them to me I saw a little smile of scorn upon her lips, and I guessed at once she considered me ill-bred. Buddy Willard and the other college boys I knew were usually too poor to buy hard liquor or they scorned drinking altogether. "No, I thought not," he continued with undisguised scorn. t first they pretended to laugh to scorn the idea of animals managing a farm for themselves. Gabriel came, from all his times and ages, to curse the sister who had held him to scorn and mocked his ministry. "What villains are these, that trespass upon my private lands! Come to scorn at my fall, perchance? Draw, you knaves, you dogs!" But the bilingualists simplistically scorn the value and necessity of assimilation.

diligent

Someone who is diligent works hard and carefully. If you want to write the epic history of your family, you'll have to be very diligent in tracking down and interviewing all of your relatives. Diligent comes from the Latin diligere, which means "to value highly, take delight in," but in English it has always meant careful and hard-working. If you're a diligent worker, you don't just bang away at your job; you earnestly try to do everything right. Although being lucky and talented doesn't hurt, it's the diligent person who eventually succeeds. Definitions of diligent 1.adjective quietly and steadily persevering especially in detail or exactness "a diligent (or patient) worker" synonyms: persevering patient enduring trying circumstances with even temper or characterized by such endurance 2.adjective characterized by care and perseverance in carrying out tasks "a diligent detective investigates all clues" "a diligent search of the files" Synonyms: busy actively or fully engaged or occupied careful exercising caution or showing care or attention assiduous, sedulous marked by care and persistent effort hardworking, industrious, tireless, untiring characterized by hard work and perseverance Examples: "That is the work of Therese, who is most diligent in the laundry," she says. He was known as a diligent worker, and his skill and leadership qualities were plain to all his subordinates. She was almost as diligent as when she had the whole weight of the house on her shoulders. Until September he had been diligent if not dedicated, summarizing chapters, outlining arguments on pads of yellow lined paper. It belongs to Dartmouth College, of Hanover, whose famous Outing Club has been looking after it in a commendably diligent and low-key way since the early years of this century. I had made a hurried but diligent search which I finally abandoned, telling myself I'd be back for it later. In the evening, when there was nothing to do, we talked about the servants: who was clever, who was diligent, who was loyal. But I stay diligent, with my eyes narrowed on anything but him.

alacrity

Someone with alacrity shows cheerful willingness and eager behavior, like a kid whose mother has told him he can buy anything in a candy store. While the noun alacrity normally refers to someone's peppy behavior, it can also describe a certain mood or tempo of a musical composition, indicating how the music should be played. Alacrity comes from the Latin alacritas, and the Italian musical term allegro is a near relation. Definitions of alacrity 1.noun liveliness and eagerness "he accepted with alacrity" synonyms: briskness, smartness Examples: The knight scrambled up, edging away with such alacrity that some of the watchers laughed aloud. The saw gave forth a single sluggish twang that ceased with lifeless alacrity, leaving the blade in a thin clean curve between Luster's hand and the floor. It lightened the heart, though we were too rundown to be able to show our relief in alacrity or zest of movement. Robbie obeyed with alacrity for somehow there was that in him which judged it best to obey Mrs. Weston, without as much as a scrap of hesitation. The harried young man rose on one elbow with alacrity as they approached. The quadroon was following them with littie quick steps, having assumed a fictitious animation and alacrity for the occasion. "No," said Henry and Francis, one on top of the other, with an alacrity that surprised me. Strikingly, Grover did not fidget at all; what was more, he participated in the conversation with as much alacrity as he had formerly shut it out.

anathema

Something that one absolutely and positively cannot stand is anathema. Garlic is anathema to vampires (ditto for stakes and daylight). So is kryptonite to Superman or a silver bullet to a werewolf. Originally the term anathema comes from the Catholic practice of denouncing a particular individual or idea that was antithetical to the Catholic Church. If done to a person, it excommunicated them, meaning they could no longer partake in the church's sacraments (with presumably pretty poor consequences for the soul.) That's a lot worse than kryptonite. Definitions of anathema 1.noun a formal ecclesiastical curse accompanied by excommunication noun 2.a detested person "he is an anathema to me" synonyms: bete noire 3.noun something that inspires dislike; something horrible synonyms: horror Examples: But I found that such a meeting was anathema to ANC leaders in Natal. The latter, never mind everything else about Massenet, would have been anathema to drama-obsessed Wagner. This choice was anathema to Sullivan, who abhorred derivative architecture, but during the meeting he made no objection. Even though Dr. Darwin was not a religious man himself, having a son who was in the church was not an anathema to him. Any book that postulated an escape, I would have thought, would have been anathema to the superintendent. And the idea of remaining in a poor agrarian setting, in any capacity, was anathema to a child with such prodigious talents and cocky self-assurance. He had a notoriously high failure rate, which of course made him the anathema of Carter High School. In places, the hues are modulated to create illusionistic depth — something anathema to earlier stripe painters.

subservient

Subservient means "compliant," "obedient," "submissive," or having the qualities of a servant. Something that's subservient has been made useful, or put into the service of, something else. Our word subservient is unusual because it actually comes from the Latin word of exactly the same spelling and almost the identical meaning — "subjecting to" or "complying with." Usually words change a little in spelling or meaning when they are adopted from another language, but this one did not. Maybe the word subservient seemed so subservient that it could comply with the rules of any language! Definitions of subservient 1.adjective compliant and obedient to authority ""editors and journalists who express opinions in print that are opposed to the interests of the rich are dismissed and replaced by subservient ones"-G. B. Shaw" Synonyms: subordinate subject or submissive to authority or the control of another 2.adjective abjectly submissive; characteristic of a slave or servant synonyms: slavish, submissive servile submissive or fawning in attitude or behavior 3.adjective serving or acting as a means or aid synonyms: implemental, instrumental helpful providing assistance or serving a useful function Examples: She refused to be subservient to Abel at home, but she did want him to succeed as a man. The policy was supported by the Dutch Reform Church, which furnished apartheid with its religious underpinnings by suggesting that Afrikaners were God's chosen people and that blacks were a subservient species. "Certainly it isn't, Colonel," Milo disagreed in a somewhat firm tone, raising his subservient eyes significantly just far enough to arrest Colonel Cathcart's. All are subservient, all wish to be my friend, to obey and to think little. The word too painful a memory for my mother of not-so-long-ago southern subservient days . The way my mother always explained it, the traditional man wants a woman to be subservient, but he never falls in love with subservient women. She accedes to the subservient wifely role typical of women of her generation. And Hale, White was convinced, had secretly forged an indirect channel to this fortune through his subservient nephew.

untoward

The adjective untoward describes something offensive or inappropriate, like the rumors of untoward behavior that can shatter a Hollywood icon's reputation. Untoward also describes things that are not good for you, such as untoward advice from someone your parents always said was a bad influence. Think about what you do when you move toward something: you get closer to it. Suppose you're moving toward a goal. You are, as they say, "on the right path." But when you add the prefix un- you reverse that, and you're no longer on the path to that goal — you're untoward. Definitions of untoward 1.adjective not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper in polite society "moved to curb their untoward ribaldry" synonyms: indecent, indecorous, unbecoming, uncomely, unseemly improper not suitable or right or appropriate 2.adjective contrary to your interests or welfare "made a place for themselves under the most untoward conditions" synonyms: adverse, inauspicious unfavorable, unfavourable not encouraging or approving or pleasing Examples: Before leaving, the general also asked me my blood type, just in case anything untoward should happen the following day. The car was half full, enough people that she could call for help if she needed, but not so full that the crowd would hide anything untoward. My initial calculations suggested that I would do very well with my two jobs—in the long run, that is, and if nothing untoward occurred. Perhaps there was sickness in the temple, or some other untoward event that prevented their coming, but whatever the reason, Tree-ear was growing concerned for his friend. Still, there was something untoward about Fifi taking all the blame since our habit had been to share the good and the bad that came our way. To make my waking life American-normal, I turn on the lights before anything untoward makes an appearance. There was no fire, no smoke, not the slightest untoward noise. Whatever his reason, the Director reminds us daily during his announcements that he will not tolerate "unsanctioned congregating" or "untoward fraternizing."

numismatist

The person who looks closely at every penny might not be cheap — he might be a numismatist, a coin collector, looking for old or rare coins that somehow got into the mix. This word literally means "someone who studies coins." These aren't the coins you have in your pocket right now. Instead, a numismatist studies and collects coins from other places and time periods. The word comes from the Latin word numisma, meaning "coin, currency." The word numismatist was coined — no pun intended! — in 1799. Definitions of numismatist 1.noun a collector and student of money (and coins in particular) synonyms: coin collector, numismatologist Examples: I'm no numismatist, but to me the design looks haunted, as if Tubman's form won't quite affix to the page. Also in the film is Julian Leidman, a numismatist who runs Bonanza Coins in Silver Spring. A self-employed numismatist, Bray left his home in Port Talbot, south Wales, in September 2017, with the aim of standing outside Westminster each day while lawmakers were in session. Paper notes and coins will be valued only by collectors and numismatists. Mark Borckardt, a senior numismatist with Heritage Auctions in Dallas, said the George Washington-era penny is one of about 500 in existence. At Camp Zero, mathematicians, philosophers, astrophysicists, archaeologists and numismatists will frame research questions for PhD scholars and examine manuscripts, coins, stone tablets and seals. He is a numismatist - says so on his business cards - which he describes as someone who takes the hobby more passionately than a standard collector.

varsity

The word varsity identifies the starting team in a sport at a college or university. You have to be good to make varsity. At many schools, sports are a big deal. Thousands of people flock to college football and basketball games, plus other sports. The members of the starting team are varsity players. Varsity players are the best players: that's why they start, and they usually finish the game too. It can take a while for a player to make varsity status. Definitions of varsity 1.noun a team representing a college or university synonyms: first team 2.noun a British abbreviation of `university'; usually refers to Oxford University or Cambridge University Examples: I watched it move like a snake—a slow, casual snake hand—with a gold varsity ring on one finger. Tangerine And the varsity girls are contenders almost every year. He was going to race the sophomores as the varsity despite their repeated defeats. Elevating the sophomores to varsity status was an unusual move, but not unheard of. As the observation train drew back upriver again for the start of the varsity race, the atmosphere grew electric, the dusky sky crackling with static. I became a member of my school's varsity softball team. This year, they'd both be moving up to the varsity team since about half the starters from last year had graduated. He told Bobby Moch to hold the varsity back behind the JV for the first two miles.

touchy

Things that are touchy are hard to handle — not literally, but to talk about. Touchy subjects make people upset. There are a lot of touchy topics in life. Religion is a big one, since people have such different yet strong beliefs. Racism and sexism are touchy. Politics can be touchy. Asking someone how old they are or what they weigh are very touchy questions. Something is touchy if you need to handle it with kid gloves — or maybe avoid the topic altogether. People often use euphemisms — soft, evasive terms — for touchy subjects, to make discussing them easier. Definitions of touchy 1.adjective difficult to handle; requiring great tact "a touchy subject" synonyms: delicate, ticklish difficult, hard not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure 2.adjective quick to take offense synonyms: feisty, huffy, thin-skinned sensitive being susceptible to the attitudes, feelings, or circumstances of others. Examples: He's pretty touchy on the whole subject of his being unbearable." What was more, Ron seemed to have become, overnight, as touchy and ready to lash out as the average Blast-Ended Skrewt. Respect her limitations to comprehend your objectives, and remember that she is touchy towards criticism of your Dad. He didn't want to get caught staring at any of the riders, because people were touchy about being stared at. "I came through the pickets at night, you know. That can be very touchy." Clearly Sticky was a bit touchy about his name. They were touchy about the pig on their plates and the "pigs," as Crazy Kelvin called them, in police cars. He was really touchy about it, even when you tried to encourage him.

lecherous

To be lecherous is to be full of strong sexual desire and to act on it, usually in an unpleasant way. People who are lecherous are kind of obsessed with sex — they can't stop thinking about it or having it. This is a word that is used more often to describe men than women: lecherous men are called lechers. There is also a creepy flavor to this word. If you describe someone as lecherous, it usually isn't a compliment. A common use is talking about a lecherous old man who hits on younger women. Definitions of lecherous 1. adjective given to excessive indulgence in sexual activity "a lecherous gleam in his eye" "a lecherous good-for-nothing" Synonyms: sexy marked by or tending to arouse sexual desire or interest Examples: He knew the old man's lecherous tendencies, and was anxious to see him on his way before he said or did something untoward. She smiled and gave me a slow, lecherous looking over, laughing at my discomfiture. We sat through a farce entitled The Busy-Body, with jests regarding stays and lecherous inspections of bosoms. She complained a good deal about the difficulties of avoiding the lecherous looks and touches of men in the street who could not keep away from her. Reading about adventures out west or the tragedy of fine ladies with lecherous husbands always makes my day. That they were corrupt in public and private practice, both lecherous and lascivious, was considered their noble right, and thoroughly enjoyed by most of the less gifted population. Thirty-seven of them will be about a shy, reclusive Pennsylvania Dutch lesbian who Wants To Write, told first-person by a lecherous hired hand. But the feed didn't cut back to the newsroom right away, and during the delay the home viewers got a couple-second shot of Lance taking a long, lecherous look at Laura Cramp's pregnant tits.

beg

To beg is to ask for something in an earnest, pleading way. You might beg your roommates to be quiet if you're desperately trying to get some sleep. You can beg your parents to let you go to a concert with your friends, and you can beg your sister for forgiveness after you inadvertently hurt her feelings. In either case, you are imploring, asking sincerely for something you want. Many dogs are skilled at this, and will beg by sitting beside you while you eat, looking adorable. Another way to beg is to ask for desperately needed charity — to solicit money or food from strangers. Definitions of beg 1.verb make a solicitation or entreaty for something; request urgently or persistently synonyms: solicit, tap 2.verb ask to obtain free "beg money and food" 3.verb call upon in supplication; entreat "I beg you to stop!" synonyms: implore, pray 4.verb dodge, avoid answering, or take for granted "beg the question" "beg the point in the discussion" synonyms: beg the question Examples: "Sekani has a stomach bug and begged me to bring him Home." But stealing and begging, Crane-man said, made a man no better than a dog. "Good. He's nice and all, but make him sweat and beg." "A shower is like begging," Ma said, staring out of the car window at the storefronts along Flatbush Avenue.

elevate

To elevate is to lift up, either literally or figuratively. One way to elevate your mood is to exercise and elevate your heart rate. But if you exercise too hard and sprain your ankle, you might have to elevate it by propping it on a pillow. An elevator elevates you: it carries you to a higher floor in a building. Elevate can also mean to raise something to a higher intellectual level, as when an informed speaker elevates the level of debate about an issue. A boss can elevate, or promote, a worker to a better position. For example, a restaurant manager might elevate a superb busboy to the position of waiter. Elevate comes from Latin elevates, which means "to raise" or even "to lighten." Definitions of elevate 1.verb raise from a lower to a higher position synonyms:bring up, get up, lift, raise 2.verb raise in rank or condition synonyms: lift, raise 3.verb give a promotion to or assign to a higher position synonyms: advance, kick upstairs, promote, raise, upgrade Examples: My months in prison had elevated me to superhuman status. Suddenly elevated into the world of the rich, she moved with an easy, charming propriety, yet had the rare grace and aplomb to make her frequent departures from convention seem amusing instead of scandalous. We, who were reduced to eating on the sidewalk, were suddenly elevated in status by this man's misery. They rise up on the elevated track, snaking their way northeast to the farthest end of the county. It even had elevated towers for the dishes, for heaven's sake. "We have a novice who has opted not to apply herself to an elevated life of study and contemplation, and has decided to reenter the larger world. Foolish thing." His grandsire had been slain by Robert at Summer- hall; somehow this had elevated his slayer to godlike prowess in the grandson's eyes. By doing so, Octavian was elevating himself almost to the level of emperor.

fathom

To fathom something is to understand it thoroughly, and is usually used in the negative, as in "I can't fathom why he doesn't want to go along with us." Fathom is from Middle English fadme, from Old English fæthm "outstretched arms." The Old English and modern English noun also refers to a unit of length used to measure the depth of water. To understand something thoroughly is "to get to the bottom of it." Definitions of fathom 1.noun a linear unit of measurement (equal to 6 feet) for water depth synonyms: fthm 2.noun (mining) a unit of volume (equal to 6 cubic feet) used in measuring bodies of ore synonyms: fthm 3.verb measure the depth of (a body of water) with a sounding line synonyms: sound 4.verb come to understand synonyms: bottom, penetrate Examples: I will have lost two hundred fathoms of good Catalan cardel and the hooks and leaders. Her mind couldn't fathom what her body had planned. "Well, eight fathoms. That should be enough if I double it." Lazlo couldn't fathom it, that a goddess would be willing to give up her magic. On his face was a look Taran had never seen before and could not fathom. He breathes in the scent of her skin, still unable to fathom that they are husband and wife. All this he seemed to see in the large eyes of his mother and his sister, looking up at him through the green water, hundreds of fathoms down and still sinking. I couldn't fathom his interest, but he continued to stare at me with penetrating eyes, as if my dull life's story was somehow vitally important.

hector

To hector is to boss around or verbally bully someone. An older brother might hector his little sister until she hands over part of her Halloween candy. When you bombard someone with words, nagging and badgering until you get what you want, you hector. A teacher might feel the need to hector a class that consistently forgets to hand in homework assignments, and a playground bully might hector another child to give him her lunch money. The verb hector comes from the character in Greek mythology — Hector — who rallied the Trojans to keep fighting. Definitions of hector 1. verb be bossy towards synonyms: ballyrag, boss around, browbeat, bully, bullyrag, push around, strong-arm Examples: He forged a close relationship with J. Edgar Hoover, hectoring the FBI director to institute ever more intensive surveillance of Oppenheimer's movements and telephone calls. And wasn't it better to explore and work them out in a rockin' musical than in some droning, hectoring lecture from their teachers or parents? If a company habitually paid below 80 percent, Feldman might post a hectoring note, like this one: The cost of bagels has gone up dramatically since the beginning of the year. After Beidleman and the others had set out from the huddle to get help, Madsen had gathered together the climbers who remained and hectored everybody to keep moving in order to stay warm. Homer rarely spoke apart from his hectoring of the horses. Beneath the tight-trimmed beard his heavy jaw clenched hard, yet he did not hector her about titles. Mrs. French, the bio teacher, is hectoring a kid who hasn't done his homework. I had thought there might be some solidarity between Grandma and the other gender-benders until the day I heard him being hectored by a new queen, who was getting lots of attention in the block.

nauseous

To nauseate one's friends is to make them disgusted, sick to their stomachs, or ill. Generally this is best achieved by serving foul food or sharing someone's deepest secrets with a sworn enemy. The first seafaring cultures were most likely Polynesian, but the Romans (who spoke Latin) came up with the word for seasickness that stuck: nausea. When the ocean is too rollicking, it's likely to nauseate the ship's passengers. There's plenty more examples out there that can nauseate even the most hearty among us. Often just the thought of some culinary oddities can do the trick: oyster casserole, tripe, or fried crickets — just to name a few. Definitions of nauseate 1.verb upset and make nauseated synonyms: sicken, turn one's stomach 2.verb cause aversion in; offend the moral sense of Examples: The smell from the thick mounds of excrement beneath the terrified pigs and the high-pitched squeals of terror as they awaited death made Kira feel dizzy and nauseated. I felt sick in the night and in the morning after breakfast I was nauseated. And then I relished her nauseated expression when she swallowed. He was lonely, nauseated, and dehydrated, surviving on a diet of dry raisins and bread. The smell of spices nauseated him, as did the sight of soup, of food. But she didn't want Aunty Ifeka, or Arize, or even the neighbor to know that the smoke irritated her eyes and throat or that the sight of the cockroach eggs nauseated her. It should have made me feel nauseated and tense like it normally does, but my fear for Ayanna outweighed my fear of heights. Then I notice my bloody hand and suddenly feel nauseated.

equivocate

When you are unwilling to make a decision and almost intentionally go back and forth between two choices, you are equivocating. When politicians equivocate, they are often afraid of upsetting, and thus alienating, voters with their decisions. A key part of equivocate is the root vocate, which comes from the Latin vocare or "voice." When you give your voice to two opposing views in order to mislead or keep your options open, you're equivocating. Think of the expression, to talk out of both sides of your mouth. If you want to go to a party and your parents keep saying "maybe, it depends," tell them to stop equivocating and give you a straight answer. Definitions of equivocate 1.verb be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information synonyms: beat around the bush, palter, prevaricate, tergiversate Examples: She refused to equivocate on the issue of school desegregation, and in the Hispanic community she became an important, heroic voice. "Horatio, you speak like a philosopher who equivocates truth and falsehood," I said impatiently. Ms. Chen was not one to equivocate when pursuing her goals, from academic pursuits to extreme rock climbing. Aaron gazed meaningfully at Maggie as the names went up, but later acted surprised when she equivocated over Glenn's fate. I'm not trying to equivocate; I'm just pointing out what makes art — at its riskiest — most interesting: you're gonna have to come to your own conclusions, eventually. But for all its polished surface, this novel is equivocating and cautious. So I think going for a drink with this man, if you find him cute and interesting, isn't something you need to equivocate over too much. In the aftermath of the Gunpowder Plot, the authorities even discovered a Jesuit handbook on how to "equivocate."

vehemently

When you do something vehemently, you do it with energy and passion. If you vehemently oppose your brother's plan for the family vacation, then you're really, really against it. The word vehemently has a lot of force behind it. It traces back to the Latin word vehement, meaning "impetuous, violent." If you do something vehemently, then you do it forcefully and with emotion, and no one will doubt how you really feel. You'll often hear it used to describe situations involving conflict or disagreement. If you vehemently deny your involvement in the incident with the lawnmower, then you deny it very strongly. Definitions of vehemently 1.adverb in a vehement manner "he vehemently denied the accusations against him" Examples: n one way it seemed a small thing, starting, after a six months' lapse, where I had so vehemently left off. I shook my head vehemently and mouthed No! but she ignored me. The story also seemed to reinforce one of Camacho's most strongly held convictions: "Don't ever hang out with COs!" he said vehemently. How he suddenly and vehemently clasps in both arms the form he dared not, a moment since, touch with his finger! A few days after he's settled them all in, Vincent receives a visitor who vehemently disapproves and threatens to divulge all to Dorus and Anna. My friends had pinned me to the ground and were vehemently arguing. On every side of us, men talk vehemently about the Youn invasion and the defeat of Pol Pot's army. Another woman asked, "You believe that?" and the first vehemently responded, "Yes, I do!"

jab

When you jab someone, you poke that person. No one on the school bus wants to sit next to the kid who tends to jab people in their ribs with his sharp elbows. You might accidentally jab a man on the elevator with your umbrella, or jab your annoying brother on purpose when he's talking with his mouth full at dinner. Another kind of jab is a quick, sharp punch, especially the kind you make in martial arts. The word comes from the Scottish job, "to strike, pierce, or thrust," which in turn is rooted in the Middle English jobben, "to jab or thrust." Definitions of jab 1.verb poke or thrust abruptly "he jabbed his finger into her ribs" synonyms: dig, poke, prod, stab 2.verb strike or punch with quick and short blows 3.verb stab or pierce "he jabbed the piece of meat with his pocket knife" synonyms: stab 4.noun a sharp hand gesture (resembling a blow) "he warned me with a jab with his finger" synonyms: jabbing, poke, poking, thrust, thrusting 5.noun a quick short straight punch 6.noun the act of touching someone suddenly with your finger or elbow synonyms: dig Examples: Ma reared back to throw a jab right at my face. The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Thalia jabbed at the monster and backed up. Brother McKinnon's voice took on a dangerous hush as he jabbed Dill in the chest with his index finger, punctuating his words. It acted on him like the jabs from the pointed stick, provoking him. Jolts and jabs of pain rocketed around inside me. He quickly jabbed "F," "M," "O," and "N" into the keypad. I looked down and realized that I had been jabbing a hole in the wicker arm with my pencil.

vicissitude

When you talk of the vicissitudes of life, you're referring to the difficult times that we all go through: sickness, job loss, and other unwelcome episodes. No one can escape the vicissitudes of life. While vicissitude comes from the Latin vicis, which means "change" and technically can mean a change of any kind, you'll find that vicissitude is almost always used to talk about an unfortunate event or circumstance. Losing a pet, crashing the car, being called in for jury duty: these are examples of vicissitudes — chapters in one's life that one would rather avoid but must get through. Some lives have more vicissitudes than others, to be sure, but no life is without events that test and challenge us. Definitions of vicissitude 1.noun a variation in circumstances or fortune at different times in your life or in the development of something "the project was subject to the usual vicissitudes of exploratory research" 2.noun mutability in life or nature (especially successive alternation from one condition to another) Examples: "I have a valve which is subject to vicissitudes which may force me to lie abed on certain days. Several more attractive organizations are currently vying for my services. I must consider them first." Jack stood there, streaming with sweat, streaked with brown earth, stained by all the vicissitudes of a day's hunting. He was soon in trouble again, and, over the years, has experienced many vicissitudes. Its popularity today is all the more remarkable in view of the vicissitudes through which it passed on its way to the more-often performed second version. Written by Starr and engineer Bruce Sugar, "Just That Way" continues in a similar vein, offering a reggae-infused musing on life's vicissitudes. Hitler maintained that the vicissitudes of globalization were not the result of economic forces but of a Jewish international conspiracy. In short, Sterling's wealth as a team-owner is almost entirely due to the complex web of financial and political arrangements which shield him from the normal vicissitudes of free market competition. The ongoing injustice now plays out on her Instagram, with a recent post detailing the vicissitudes of a joint luxury stay in the Bahrain Ritz Carlton as guest of the cuddly crown prince.

lest

conjunction FORMAL with the intention of preventing (something undesirable); to avoid the risk of. "he spent whole days in his room, wearing headphones lest he disturb anyone" (after a clause indicating fear) because of the possibility of something undesirable happening; in case. "she sat up late worrying lest he be murdered on the way home"