GRE

intimation

"From a very early age he has had some intimation that he has a talent that he wants to allow full rein and he has absolutely done so."a hint, indirect suggestion The noun intimation means a hint or an indirect suggestion. Your teacher's intimation that there could be a quiz the next day might send you into a panic, while your friend sitting beside you might not even notice. Intimation comes from the Latin word intimationem, which means an announcement. In English, intimation refers to a less direct form of communication. It's a suggestion or hint, rather than a blatant statement of fact. Your first intimation that your brother had a girlfriend was the amount of time he spent whispering into the phone. The second intimation was when he asked your parents for money for two movie tickets. Definitions of intimation noun a slight suggestion or vague understanding synonyms:glimmer, glimmering, inkling noun an indirect suggestion synonyms: breath, hint indirect suggestion علامت،نشانه The following winter months brought the first intimation that other life was affected: the western grebes on the lake began to die, and soon more than a hundred of them were reported dead. "From a very early age he has had some intimation that he has a talent that he wants to allow full rein and he has absolutely done so." There were also intimations that some Giants executives did not provide speak highly of Fassel when asked by other teams. If intimations of death were constant, he sometimes had a sense of humor about them.

surreptitious

(adj.) stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation; made or accomplished by fraud When someone behaves in a surreptitious way, they're being secretive. They're doing something that they don't want to be seen doing. While surreptitious means secret, it has the added sense of "sneaky" or "hidden." During the Jewish Passover meal of Seder, an adult will surreptitiously place a piece of matzoh somewhere in the house for the children to hunt for later in the meal. You'll see surreptitious applied mostly to actions, rather than to things or ideas. We do things surreptitiously. The members of the secret society hold surreptitious meetings because, well, they're a secret society. I was very surreptitious in how I organized the surprise party: she never knew! Definitions of surreptitious adjective marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed "a surreptitious glance at his watch" adjective conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods "surreptitious mobilization of troops" Generalized rustling and surreptitious glances from my brothers indicated that they knew something was afoot. And then he remembers his surreptitious identity for the evening: "I'm a freshman at Amherst." In person, cheating usually meant surreptitious signals to share "unauthorized information," like who has a good suit. The British had jailed her husband for "surreptitious correspondence with the enemy."

bootless

(adj.) useless, without benefit Daniel Snyder, having turned a proud franchise into a creepy, predatory and bootless operation, does one thing with wicked effectiveness: manipulate hope. All-star games and award shows are pointless, mindless, senseless, needless, aimless, worthless, fruitless and bootless.

hagiography

(n.) a biography that idealizes or idolizes the person (especially a person who is a saint) A hagiography is a type of biography that puts the subject in a very flattering light. Hagiographies are often about saints. The two halves of hagiography refer to holiness and writing, and it is something written about holy people. Originally, a hagiography was a biography of a saint written without skepticism or criticism. A hagiography idealizes the subject and puts them on a pedestal. These days, a hagiography is not necessarily written about a saint, but it still idolizes the subject. A hagiography makes the subject seem like a hero, or at least a wonderful, nearly perfect person. Definitions of hagiography noun a biography that idealizes or idolizes the person (especially a person who is a saint) ​

pillory

(n.) a device for publicly punishing offenders; a means for exposing one to public contempt or ridicule; (v.) to expose to public contempt or ridicule verb expose to ridicule or public scorn A pillory is a wooden frame with cutouts for someone's head and hands. Long ago, people found guilty of a crime could be sentenced to be locked in a pillory for a certain amount of time for punishment but also for public humiliation. The verb pillory means to be punished by being locked in a pillory, but references to this form of punishment are historic and it is no longer used — you might see references today to someone in a pillory in a cartoon. As a modern verb, pillory means both to criticize harshly and to expose to public ridicule. Someone who is caught doing something immoral may be pilloried and people who believe they have been unfairly criticized say they have been pilloried, but often only after they've been exposed! Definitions of pillory noun a wooden instrument of punishment on a post with holes for the wrists and neck; offenders were locked in and so exposed to public scorn see more verb expose to ridicule or public scorn synonyms:gibbet در ملا عام تحقیر کردن و جمش را برملا کردن

speculate

.To form opinions without definite knowledge or evidence When you speculate, you use what you know to make a prediction about an outcome, like when you speculate that the injury of two key players will prevent your favorite team from going far in the playoffs this year. The verb speculate has a specialized meaning in the world of finance — it means to take a financial risk in the hopes of monetary gain. For example, a business owner may speculate that a brand-new kind of frozen yogurt will be really popular, so she buys a huge order of it for her ice cream store. Someone who speculates goes looking for the next big thing, as seen in the word's Latin origin, speculatus, meaning "to spy out, examine." Definitions of speculate verb reflect deeply on a subject "philosophers have speculated on the question of God for thousands of years" As for the timing of a nuclear test, Mr. Bechtol speculated the North may wait until Mr. Yoon is inaugurated on May 10 or longer. Analysts speculated that JetBlue made its offer in part. "I didn't hear any talk about that in the meetings of the commissioners. We all knew it happened, of course, but I can't speculate about how important that was in the process," Hancock said.

reigning

.adjective-occupying the throne; ruling. سلطنت کردن، حکمرانی کردن McIlroy is the reigning champion, but his victory last year came at Quail Hollow in Charlotte. Georgia, the reigning national champion

broadside

noun a strong verbal attack tirade

maxed out the credit cards

to use up all available credit on

showdown

an event, especially a confrontation, that forces an issue to a conclusion a final test or confrontation intended to settle a dispute.

subterfuge

an excuse or trick for escaping or hiding something is a trick or a dishonest way of getting what you want. If you want to surprise your mom with a sweatshirt, but don't know her size, it might take an act of subterfuge, like going through her closet, to find it out. Subterfuge is the use of tricky actions to hide or get something. It's pronounced "SUB-ter-fyooj." As a countable noun, a subterfuge is a tricky action or device: She employed a very clever subterfuge to get the information she needed. Subterfuge is from French, from Old French suterfuge, from Late Latin subterfugium, from Latin subterfugere "to escape," from subter "secretly, under" plus fugere "to flee." Definitions of subterfuge noun something intended to misrepresent the true nature of an activity "he wasn't sick--it was just a subterfuge" Sometimes a little subterfuge and chicanery is in order and the quickest way to achieve one's goal. But the harassed and unfeeling teachers assured each other that this was just a subterfuge for a child to get out of the classroom for a little while. As a citizen, she is also, quite suddenly and powerfully, in a position to help B achieve his own dreams, if only through a plan that may or may not be subterfuge. The Metropolitan Police force said "no further action will be taken" over allegations Bashir used illegal subterfuge to get the interview.

exegesis

an explanation of a text; a critical interpretation If your teacher gives an explanation of a difficult text you are reading, she is giving you an exegesis on it. An exegesis is a critical look at a text. Exegesis comes from the Greek word for interpret and it's often used in connection with the Bible. Often times, religious rules are based on an exegesis of a text. For instance, some Jewish people do not eat meat and dairy in the same meal based on an exegesis of a law in the Torah that says you should not eat a calf cooked in its mother's milk. Definitions of exegesis noun an explanation or critical interpretation (especially of the Bible) I provided an exegesis, not as brief as it might have been, of why at the moment I found the college satisfactory for my purposes.

disposition

a person's inherent qualities of mind and character

percipient

characterized by ease and quickness in perceiving "a percipient author"

needle

to provoke or annoy, especially with words

pockmarked

covered in scars لکه ننگ هم معنی میده. لکه ننگ تاریخ ​

penurious

stingy, relating to great poverty خسیس و یا بی پول

unimpeachable

(adj) beyond doubt or reproach; unquestionable Synonyms: irreproachable, irrefutable, unassailable Antonyms: questionable, debatable, dubious Unimpeachable describes someone or something that is totally, completely, without any doubt, innocent and good, like an unimpeachable role model who avoids bad influences and sketchy situations. Impeach means "to accuse, or charge with a crime." It is a verb usually reserved for when high-ranking officials like presidents do something wrong. So, when you add the prefix un- and the suffix -able, the result is an adjective that means "not able to be accused," in other words, beyond doubt or question. If you run for public office and your past is unimpeachable, your opponents will have nothing to use against you in their advertisements. Definitions of unimpeachable adjective beyond doubt or reproach "an unimpeachable source" Synonyms: unquestionable incapable of being questioned adjective completely acceptable; not open to exception or reproach synonyms: unexceptionable acceptable worthy of acceptance or satisfactory adjective free of guilt; not subject to blame "an unimpeachable reputation" synonyms: blameless, inculpable, irreproachable clean-handed, guiltless, innocent free from evil or guilt نمیتوان زیر سوال برد، آماسی یوخدی The society's performances are generally of unimpeachable quality. Here she portrays, with unimpeachable credibility, Edith, an upper-class English widow and mother in the late 1930s who is fulfilling a dream too long deferred.

unprecedented

(adj) never before known or seen, without having happened previously Something that is unprecedented is not known, experienced, or done before. If you've never gone on a family beach vacation but you're planning one now, you could refer to it as an unprecedented decision. The root of this word is precedent, a noun referring to something done or said that is used as an example to be followed in the future. In law, a precedent is a legal decision that is used as a standard in future cases. So the adjective unprecedented, meaning "having no precedent," was formed from the prefix un- "not," the noun precedent, and the suffix -ed "having." Definitions of unprecedented adjective having no precedent; novel "an unprecedented expansion in population and industry" 1. görünməmiş This year Queen Elizabeth II marks her unprecedented 70th anniversary on the throne. In a phone call, he said that her climb has been unprecedented in the world of dembow.

surly

(adj.) angry and bad-tempered; rude Surly describes behavior nobody wants to be around. Think of the irritable old guy who lives on your street and always seems to be simmering with some sullen nasty anger, whose every utterance he spits out with a rude snarl. He's the poster boy for surly. Surly behavior is always frowned upon, but the word's origins are in the behavior of English nobility. Surly's roots are in sirly, as in sir, meaning arrogant, haughty, and superior. Its current meaning implies all that and more, none of it appealing — rude, snotty, sullen, mean and cranky can be added to the list. Generally speaking, if you find yourself in a surly mood, avoid your friends and loved ones. Definitions of surly adjective inclined to anger or bad feelings with overtones of menace "a surly waiter" In "Northeast Regional," a surly father takes the train to collect his son from Physically closed in and unsmiling, outwardly surly and inwardly despairing, Autumn doesn't quip her way out of trouble or even talk that much.

vitriolic

(adj.) bitter, sarcastic; highly caustic or biting (like a strong acid) Mean, nasty, and caustic as the worst acid, vitriolic words can hurt feelings, break hearts, and even lead to violence. Vitriolic is an adjective related to the noun vitriol — which means a metal sulphate. However, you will most likely NOT hear vitriolic used to describe a chemical reaction. You are more likely to hear vitriolic used to describe caustic words. We've seen some examples in recent political campaigns, and the results are always embarrassing. Avoid using vitriolic language whenever possible, and you will keep your friends — and your dignity. Definitions of vitriolic adjective harsh or corrosive in tone "a vitriolic critique" Distasteful as his behavior was, we had seen it all before, only in less concentrated and vitriolic form. Disgusted with Cantor, Kronecker launched vitriolic attacks against Cantor's work and made it extremely difficult for him to publish papers. After they won the competition, there was constant, vitriolic opposition to their funky, gutsy design, deplored by many as a desecration of the Paris skyline. Mr. Rudin expresses that volatility not only verbally, but also in writing — he's known for sending vitriolic emails, and often copying others.

pecuniary

(adj.) consisting of or measured in money; of or related to money If something has to do with money, it's pecuniary. If your grandfather's antique watch has pecuniary value, it's worth money — you could sell it for cash if you weren't sentimentally attached to keeping it. Pecuniary might seem like a peculiar word for talking about money, but it all adds up when you learn that it was the worth of the cattle, or pecū in Latin, that gave pecuniary its meaning. In Roman times, livestock served as money in making transactions. Some cultures still have economies based on cattle, but most modern societies have a pecuniary system based on, well, money. Definitions of pecuniary adjective relating to or involving money "he received thanks but no pecuniary compensation for his services" Law enforcement gained a pecuniary interest not only in the forfeited property, but in the profitability of the drug market itself. Was his interest in these models merely pecuniary? "There's been a pecuniary aspect to this as well," he said with some satisfaction.

prosaic

(adj.) dull, lacking in distinction and originality; matter-of-fact, straightforward; characteristic of prose, not poetic 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 adjective lacking wit or imagination They may spend prosaic domestic evenings together, him reading the paper while she serves up a casserole. To this prosaic world, the author begins to stitch in aspects of horror.

redoubtable

(adj.) inspiring fear or awe; illustrious, eminent SYNONYMS: formidable, august ANTONYMS: laughable, risible Redoubtable means honorable, maybe even intimidatingly so. If your grandmother worked tirelessly to raise four kids on her own and started her own taxi cab business and to this day, keeps all of her cabbies in line, she is without a doubt redoubtable. The adjective redoubtable traces back to the French word redute, meaning "to dread," a combination of the prefix re-, which adds emphasis, and duter, which mean "to doubt." But it isn't the redoubtable person that you doubt — it's yourself or your ability to compete against or be compared to him or her. That's where the dread comes in. But you can learn a lot from and be inspired by redoubtable people, if you can just get over being afraid of them. Definitions of redoubtable adjective inspiring fear ""a tougher and more redoubtable adversary than the heel-clicking, jackbooted fanatic"- G.H.Johnston" If you describe someone as redoubtable, you respect them because they have a very strong character, even though you are slightly afraid of them. Physics was taught by Christian Doppler, the redoubtable Austrian scientist who would become Mendel's mentor, teacher, and idol. As Ms. Silja, still redoubtable at nearly 80, read passages from Wilhelmine's letters and diaries, the characters around her shifted fluidly from Persian to Prussian.

jejune

(adj.) lacking in nutritive value; lacking in interest or substance; immature, juvenile Use the adjective jejune to describe something that is uninteresting or insignificant. Many people claim to find celebrity gossip jejune, but ask them about a recent movie star scandal and chances are they know all about it. Jejune can also describe something that's immature or simplistic. All that actress could say about her latest movie was that it was "Super fun"? That's a pretty jejune comment. Basically jejune means lacking substance. It originally comes from the Latin word jejunus, which means "fasting," so when something is jejune, it's figuratively empty — devoid of intellectual nourishment. Definitions of jejune adjective lacking interest or significance or impact "jejune novel" بی مزه هم معنی میدهد By the end of the novel, his paranoia from the park is almost jejune compared to what's in store for him. "Either it's intentionally self-referential and not meant to be seriously, or it's coming from a more jejune sensibility and doesn't care." Even before he left to take up his scholarship at Cambridge, he had organized fellow teenagers into a youth troupe and directed them in that jejune trifle "Hamlet." A jejune error: the past is unrepeatable, regret futile.

picayune

(adj.) of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifling matters, small-minded The adjective picayune refers to those things that are so small, trivial, and unimportant that they're not worth getting into. Why focus on the picayune details, when it's the larger ideas that are the real problem? There are several newspapers in America called the Picayune, because they see it as their job to comb through even the minor details of the story to get to the truth. Hear the word "picky" in picayune (though they're not related)? That's one way to remember it. A picky person is picayune. Airline disaster investigators spend their lives rummaging through the debris, knowing that it might be the most picayune detail that leads them to understand the cause of a crash. Definitions of picayune adjective (informal) small and of little importance It may sound picayune but, in big organizations, such things matter. His issues are largely of his own grandiose design but also fairly picayune.

untenable

(adj.) not capable of being held or defended; impossible to maintain If something is untenable, you can't defend it or justify it. If your disagreement with your teacher puts you in an untenable position, you better just admit you made a mistake and get on with it. When untenable entered English in the 17th century it meant "unable to be held against attack." That sense still holds true: you can use the adjective untenable to describe any situation, position, or theory that simply can't be defended. Untenable is a great word to use when you want to criticize something, whether it's a flawed system or a referee's bad call. Definitions of untenable adjective (of theories etc) incapable of being defended or justified synonyms:indefensible For some non-Jews, such as Erwin Schrödinger and nuclear chemist Max Delbrück, the situation was morally untenable. Gergiev's relationship with Putin became "untenable But the two ultimately decided that the distance between them back then — she was living in Austin, Texas, and he in Memphis — made a relationship untenable. But her father was Jewish, and life under the Nazis became increasingly untenable.

Saturnine

(adj.) of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood 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 adjective bitter or scornful But even in that calm gloom, my eyes slowly acclimated to the 14 grandly saturnine paintings, made by Mark Rothko in the late 1960s.

sartorial

(adj.) of or pertaining to a tailor or his work; having to do with clothes or dress (especially men's) 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 adjective of or relating to a tailor or to tailoring ...Sebastian's sartorial elegance. James gave him some sartorial advice. He was sartorially impeccable.

imperious

(adj.) overbearing, arrogant; seeking to dominate; pressing, compelling Someone who is imperious gives orders in a way that shows they feel superior or more important than other people. You might want the smartest kid in the class as your lab partner, but not if they have an imperious attitude and boss you around. Near synonyms are arrogant, overbearing, and domineering. The adjective imperious is from Latin imperiōsus, from imperium "command, supreme power, empire." This Latin word is also the ultimate source of English empire, "a group of countries or territories controlled by a single ruler or one government." Definitions of imperious adjective having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy synonyms:disdainful, haughty, lofty, lordly, overbearing, prideful, sniffy, supercilious, swaggering proud feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride. Marian remembered her grandmother Isabella as an imposing woman, tall and imperious, who ruled her family with an iron hand. Shan was tiny and beautiful, with an oval face and high cheekbones, an imperious face. Wearing a raggedy dress and frumpy sweater, she is treated like a lowly servant by her imperious stepmother and snide stepsisters. "Yes, I really was pinging," she says, with that imperious cut-glass accent.

enigmatic

(adj.) puzzling, perplexing, inexplicable, not easily understood Something that's enigmatic is tough to figure out. It's puzzling and even mysterious, like those weird secret college societies, Mona Lisa's smile, or the New York Times crossword. It's no mystery where the adjective enigmatic comes from: It's rooted in the Greek word for riddle. Something that's enigmatic is obscure, unclear and not an easy nut to crack. Translating the Rosetta Stone, with its ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and mysterious foreign writings, was certainly an enigmatic challenge for the archaeologists that found it. Definitions of enigmatic adjective not clear to the understanding "I didn't grasp the meaning of that enigmatic comment until much later" "prophetic texts so enigmatic that their meaning has been disputed for centuries" synonyms:enigmatical, puzzling Even as the show's mysteries gradually unravel, Autumn remains enigmatic.

insular

(adj.) relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience Insular means "having a narrow view of the world," like insular people who never leave their small town, which enables them to believe that every place in the world is the same and the people are all just like them. The adjective insular comes from the Latin word insula, which means "island." Perhaps less so in our current age of technological and relatively easy travel, island life can still be separated from the rest. That's why insular can mean "isolated from," like if you grew up in a big city then visited a rural place, you may be surprised that stores close early. Such an experience will help you expand your insular views. Definitions of insular adjective relating to or characteristic of or situated on an island "insular territories" "Hawaii's insular culture" He knows that that sort of insular passion can't be sustained. I'm white, but I too experienced the paradox of being an outsider in the insular world of an elite boarding school.

sententious

(adj.) self-righteous, characterized by moralizing; given to use of maxims or adages; saying much in few words, pithy If you speak in sententious phrases, your listeners are probably falling asleep, as your speech is pompous and pretentious, and full of moralistic babble. When sententious first appeared in English — back in the late Middle Ages — it meant "full of wisdom," but now it usually has a negative sense, meaning heavy handed and self-important. The sententious blowhard makes people laugh, and you can probably think of at least three cartoon characters who fit the bill — often a politician or minister who drones on and on, oblivious to the fact that his audience is snickering or trying to sneak out. Definitions of sententious 1. adjective concise and full of meaning ""the peculiarly sardonic and sententious style in which Don Luis composed his epigrams"- Hervey Allen" expressing much in few words 2. adjective abounding in or given to pompous or aphoristic moralizing ""too often the significant episode deteriorates into sententious conversation"- Kathleen Barnes" "Do you mind if I'm sententious for a second?" he says to an interviewer. Rather than highlighting the perversity of slavery, his sententious prose strains to upstage it. This traffic between the everyday and mortality requires a perfect control of tone, neither sententious nor sentimental in this familiar setting.

solicitous

(adj.) showing concern or care; fearful or anxious about someone or something When you hear the word solicitous, think of your mom — attentive, caring, and concerned. It's nice when your waiter gives you good service, but if he or she is solicitous, the hovering might annoy you. Solicitous comes from the Latin roots sollus "entire" and citus "set in motion." If someone is solicitous, they are entirely set in motion caring for you. Your neighbors are solicitous if they try to help your family out all the time. Use this word too if you're eager to do something. A good student will be solicitous to appear interested in what the teacher says — even when it's not that interesting. Definitions of solicitous adjective full of anxiety and concern "solicitous parents" "solicitous about the future" Synonyms: concerned feeling or showing worry or solicitude adjective showing hovering attentiveness "solicitous about her health" "made solicitous inquiries about our family" Synonyms: attentive (often followed by `to') giving care or attention The common spaces were empty, the solicitous staff stood around a bit aimless. Nichols would soon learn that those his own age were less solicitous, the little monsters.

callow

(adj.) without experience; immature, not fully developed; lacking sophistication and poise; without feathers tyro If you're a rookie or new to something, you could be described as callow — like callow freshmen in high school or the callow receptionist who can't figure out how to transfer a call. The word callow comes from the Old English word calu, which meant "bald or featherless." It was used to describe young, fledgling birds. Over time, the meaning expanded to include young, inexperienced people. You'll most often see the adjective paired with the noun youth. Think of the callow youth as people who haven't tested their wings yet. Definitions of callow adjective young and inexperienced synonyms:fledgling, unfledged Dillane, who played the heroic heroin addict Nick Clark in "Fear the Walking Dead," is Danes's match as the callow but sensitive Luke, hitting the right mix of irritating and endearing. Ruggiero ably captures the Beast's underlying callow sweetness: Check out his enthralled expression when Belle reads "King Arthur" aloud to him. There's little overt menace to this Paul, who mostly registers as a sincere, sensitive, if callow hero-in-the-making.

juggernaut

(n.) a massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path Juggernaut means a massive force. If the army marching into your country is a juggernaut, you're doomed. If you're trying to market a new Cola product, you're up against corporate giant Coca-Cola, a beverage juggernaut if ever there was one. With its roots in Hindi, juggernaut originally referred to a crude statue from which the Hindu god, Brahma, turned into the living god, Krishna. There continues to be a festival in honor of this miracle, in which a statue of Krishna is carted through town. It is said that in times past, devotees would throw themselves under the cart's wheels. Definitions of juggernaut noun a massive inexorable force that seems to crush everything in its way A few big nights at the plate could make the Yankees look like a juggernaut. Liverpool, by contrast, must rely on someone else to find a way to stop Guardiola's juggernaut at some point between now and the end of May. "I thought they played hard and they played well, they just came up against a juggernaut," Billups said.

sinecure

(n.) a position requiring little or no work; an easy job If you have a cushy job — one that pays, but involves minimal work — then you have a sinecure. "Because he was the brother of the CEO, he was offered a sinecure in the company: he showed up each day and collected a paycheck, but others actually did his work." The noun sinecure comes from the Latin root words sine cura meaning "without care." It originally was used to describe a church position that did not include caring for the souls of parishioners, but that meaning is considered archaic now. The word is now usually associated with political appointments. Definitions of sinecure noun an office that involves minimal duties He even had a job, a sinecure, more highly paid than his old job had been. But since the then Master of the Mint effectively treated his own post as a sinecure, Newton had a chance to get his hands on the levers of power. For talented and compliant intellectuals who had run afoul of authorities but showed willingness to "reflect on their errors," the Party offered sinecures and a quiet life. If that sounds like an executive role, an honorary sinecure, it is not.

hauteur

(n.) haughty manner or spirit; arrogance ; authority conceited Because it often develops as a result of power over others (or perceived power), it's often associated with royalty or politically powerful figures who throughout history have become vain and arrogant because of their position: A high-powered CEO might show hauteur toward the newly hired assistant; a professional athlete's hauteur may result from the media spotlight and multi-million-dollar contracts. Hauteur is an obnoxious display of overbearing pride and superiority over others. Rather than showing humility and respect, a bad king might act with hauteur toward his subjects. The noun hauteur stems from the Old English word haute, meaning "high in one's own estimation." Because it often develops as a result of power over others (or perceived power), it's often associated with royalty or politically powerful figures who throughout history have become vain and arrogant because of their position: A high-powered CEO might show hauteur toward the newly hired assistant; a professional athlete's hauteur may result from the media spotlight and multi-million-dollar contracts. Definitions of hauteur noun overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors synonyms:arrogance, haughtiness, high-handedness, lordliness in a voice filled with hauteur And leave it to her to do so with a hauteur a chilly sense of hauteur

Aplomb

(n.) poise, assurance, great self-confidence; perpendicularity think cool, calm and collected Aplomb is the ultimate test for cool: grace under pressure. Use aplomb to show great restraint under even the most trying circumstances. In retail, it's always a good idea to handle the angry customers with aplomb. Angry at the long lines at the grocery store? Irritated because the driver ahead cut you off? Take a deep breath, and approach life's messes with aplomb. When you think of aplomb, think cool, calm and collected. Not frazzled, furious, and fiery. Aplomb comes from the French word meaning "perpendicularity," from the phrase à plomb for "poised upright, balanced." Definitions of aplomb noun great coolness and composure under strain synonyms:assuredness, cool, poise, sang-froid see lesstype of:calm, calmness, composure, equanimity təvazökarlıq Still, "The Valet" is an earnest crowd pleaser that unabashedly celebrates the bonds of a Latino family in a tight-knit neighborhood with rom-com aplomb. In the lead, O'Casey, a descendant of the Irish playwright Sean O'Casey, carries off her screen debut with aplomb. Over the next several hours, Scheffler, 25, rebuffed every challenge with the same aplomb to claim his first major championship, running away to win the 2022 Masters by three strokes. But his lengthy downhill putt from near the back fringe settled five feet from the hole, setting up a putt that Woods sank with aplomb.

gourmand

(n.) someone fond of eating and drinking (My parents, who used to eat little more than crackers and salad, have become real gourmands in their old age.) A gourmand is someone obsessively and unhealthily devoted to eating good food and lots of it. In Monty Python's film "The Meaning of Life," there is a character who literally explodes after eating just one more mint after a big meal. Well, that in a nutshell is a gourmand. Gourmand is not to be confused with gourmet. A gourmet is a connoisseur of good food who enjoys eating but doesn't do so to excess. A gourmet might find himself full in his favorite restaurant, but he would never explode. Both words are from the Medieval French term gourmant, meaning "glutton." شکم پرست، مثل من 😁 A rotund, gregarious gourmand, he enjoyed nothing so much as a a bountiful table and Cuban cigars as he grew wealthy from duties on oil exported illegally through Turkey. ​

derelict

(n.) someone or something that is abandoned or neglected; (adj.) left abandoned; neglectful of duty If something has been abandoned, you can call it derelict. Even if a person has abandoned his responsibilities, you can say that he is derelict in his duties. But don't call a lost child derelict — unless, of course, he has neglected his chores. As an adjective, derelict describes something that is rundown, neglected, or in deplorable condition, but the word can also mean "negligent in duty." The politician was so busy using his office for personal gain that he was derelict in his duty to the people who voted for him; he hadn't been present at a vote in months. As a noun, a derelict means a homeless person. I've got an old derelict cassette player under my arm with a tape inside it. Way back in 2005, they had the idea to rehabilitate a derelict property, using art as a metaphorical and practical strategy for transforming community spaces. "There were many attractive Art Deco buildings, but derelict," Mr. Talbot recalled.

enormity

(n.) the quality of exceeding all moral bounds; an exceedingly evil act; huge size, immensity The word originally meant "a crime," so some people think it should only be used to describe wickedness or lack of morals. noun the quality of extreme wickedness type of: nefariousness, ugliness, vileness, wickedness the quality of being wicked جنایت بیش از اندازه

Enthrall

(v.) to captivate, charm, hold spellbound; to enslave; to imprison When something is so fascinating that it holds all your attention, it is said to enthrall — whether it's a thrilling action-adventure film, a breathtaking work of art, or even the person you have a crush on. If you've even fallen under someone's spell, it won't surprise you to learn that when enthrall first entered the English language it carried the meaning of "to hold in mental or moral bondage" or "to enslave." Nowadays the verb enthrall is used to describe something so wonderful and captivating that the person experiencing it feels like a slave. If you enthrall someone, you make them powerless — in a sense, a slave to your charms. Definitions of enthrall verb hold spellbound More than 150 years since the publication of "Jane Eyre" — and 200 years since the birth of its author, Charlotte Brontë — this gothic romance still enthralls us. rap and superbly structured slide shows that can enthrall and enlighten audiences for hours. As a woman, she's a rarity in the assassin world that so enthralls Eve, perhaps for more than simply professional reasons. It will enthrall specialists who want to map how David built his robust canvases out of preparatory sketches and drapery studies.

transmute

(v.) to change from one nature, substance, or form to another Transmute is a verb meaning to change in appearance or form. For example, magical creatures can transmute into other beings. When you're fighting a wizard, don't be surprised if he transmutes into a terrifying dragon. More realistically, you, too, can transmute your appearance — by dying your hair, piercing your nose, or changing your style of dress. Transmute often describes physical change — like when alchemists tried to transmute lead into gold — but it can also be used more figuratively to describe anything that's transformed. For example, you might transmute your sketchy memories of growing up in Boston into the Great American Novel. Definitions of transmute verb change or alter in form, appearance, or nature synonyms:transform, transubstantiate In his distinctive sandpaper rasp, he takes what's timeless and transmutes it to the present. In "Huck and Jim," the flesh of both characters is transmuted into stainless steel.

vie

(v.) to compete; to strive for victory or superiority To vie for something means to compete for it. Two teams may vie for the gold medal, but one will have to go home with silver. Vie may be spelled the same as the French word, vie, but they are pronounced differently, vī and vē respectively, and are not related in meaning or history. English vie comes from the Latin verb meaning "to invite" as in to invite a challenge. Be careful of the spelling which includes an ie to y shift. "He intends to vie for the top prize," but "He is vying for the top prize." Definitions of vie verb compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others In a strange way we seemed to be vying for the worst experience.

decry

(v.) to condemn, express strong disapproval; to officially depreciate When you *** something, you simultaneously condemn it and discredit it, a formal act. When you dye your hair pink and orange, your mother decries your act as a horror and bursts into tears. She criticizes your choice of colors, stating that pink and purple would have looked better. You might decry learning French, declaring it as a waste of time. Yet many English words come from French. When the French conquered England in 1066, they brought with them their language as well as their social system. Because French was spoken mostly by the ruling class, many of the loan words are formal. Decry comes from the Old French descrier, "to cry out" or "announce." When you decry something, you simultaneously condemn it and discredit it, a formal act. Definitions of decry verb express strong disapproval of synonyms:condemn, excoriate, objurgate, reprobate King himself would recognize and decry this fundamental flaw in the early civil rights movement. The national news printed his mother's full statement decrying the violence that took her son's life, and demanding justice. Comparatively, the final season of "Game of Thrones" is pretty universally decried as its worst. The day after the concert, Järvi, the chief conductor of the Tonhalle Orchestra of Zurich and the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo, released a statement decrying the invasion and defending his decision.

assert

(v.) to declare or state as truth, maintain or defend, put forward forcefully Asserting is all about standing up for what you believe. You might assert an opinion, your innocence, or even your authority over someone else. The verb assert can be used for both opinions and for oneself. When asked, you can politely assert your desire to go to the amusement park for your birthday. If no one listens to you, you can assert yourself and forcefully state that you really want to go to the amusement park for your birthday. If that fails, you should just take yourself to the amusement park for your birthday. And get better friends. Definitions of assert verb declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true Could we make events turn out differently from what the history books assert? After he had gone his two sons asserted their right to the throne, and each tried to be made king. The doctor, however, dismissed her request and asserted that there was nothing to worry about.

imbibe

(v.) to drink; to take in, absorb 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 verb take in liquids synonyms:drink کامل فهمیدن

immure

(v.) to enclose or confine within walls; to imprison; to seclude or isolate When you immure someone or something, you put it behind a wall, as in a jail or some other kind of confining space. You may recognize the -mur- in immure as the root for "wall," as in mural, which is a painting on a wall, or intramural, literally "inside the walls," as, for instance, the walls of a school — intramural sports are played among teams from the same school. You don't need a jail to immure someone. Rapunzel was immured in her tower. At the end of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the lovers are immured in the tomb. Definitions of immure verb lock up or confine, in or as in a jail 1. hapsetmek 2. duvar çekmek Such findings remain mostly immured in the academy, however. Winnie, the central character — really the only one — is immured in earth up to her waist. As Father remains immured in his wheelchair, the familiar landscape begins to change around him.

precipitate

(v.) to fall as moisture; to cause or bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height, to give distinct form to; (adj.) characterized by excessive haste; (n.) moisture; the product of an action or process Precipitate usually means "bringing something on" or "making it happen" — and not always in a good way. An unpopular verdict might "precipitate violence" or one false step at the Grand Canyon could precipitate you down into the gorge. Precipitate, as a verb, can also mean specifically, "to fall from clouds," such as rain, snow, or other forms of precipitation. When used as an adjective, precipitate means "hasty" or "acting suddenly." If you decide to throw your class project in a trash masher just because someone in your class had a similar idea, then your actions might be described as precipitate. Or if you do that sort of thing regularly, you may be a precipitate person. Definitions of precipitate verb bring about abruptly "The crisis precipitated by Russia's revolution" see more verb hurl or throw violently "The bridge broke and precipitated the train into the river below" When turned toward himself his anger has precipitated ideas of suicide. Conditions are now ripe for the Fed to precipitate another global crisis. But as Trump headed to North Carolina last Saturday, he decided to jump in, without any particular precipitating factor, advisers said. The pandemic precipitated another way of thinking," she said from the living room of her antique home six weeks after her retirement party.

dovetail

(v.) to fit together exactly; to connect so as to form a whole; (n.) a carpentry figure resembling a dove's tail A dovetail is a joint in woodworking where two sides are fitted together with interlocking pieces. You can also use the word dovetail to show how other things fit well together — like how your picnic plans nicely dovetail with the sunny forecast. A well-made dovetail is a beautiful thing, with wooden projections that slide into notches perfectly, the two sides forming a corner. When things fit this way, you can say they dovetail — they fit easily and work well together. Your plan to dress up as a Jedi knight dovetails well with your brother's Darth Vader costume, for example. Dovetails got their name from the tail feather-like shape of the joint's pieces. Definitions of dovetail noun a mortise joint formed by interlocking tenons and mortises synonyms:dovetail joint verb fit together tightly, as if by means of a dovetail Clausewitz's central thesis, that war was a continuation of diplomacy by other means, dovetailed with my own instincts. "Of course," I said, unaccountably excited that the story was at last beginning to dovetail with my own experience. But the rest of the performance dovetails with the movie, tonally and otherwise.

disabuse

(v.) to free from deception or error, set right in ideas or thinking Disabuse means to free someone of a belief that is not true. Many teachers of health find that when they teach, they spend as much energy disabusing kids of false beliefs as they do giving them the facts. Disabuse is often connected to the word notion or idea. In singing lessons, you must disabuse young singers of the idea that they can sing better by singing louder. In the first year of college, many people are disabused of the notion that their experiences are universal — by meeting so many people who have had different experiences or come from different backgrounds. Definitions of disabuse verb free somebody (from an erroneous belief) Nothing Mr. Biden does in the next few weeks will be more important than disabusing Mr. Putin of this idea.

portend

(v.) to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of Portend means to show a sign that something calamitous is about to happen. The teetering, tottering, pile of fine china piled up after the dinner party portends an imminent crash of broken plates and dishes. Portend is a verb warning of omens, or bad signs. Dark clouds rumbling in over a county fair in Kansas portend the thunderstorm and even tornado that is likely to ruin the festivities. Portend is a helpful way for authors to foreshadow dark events ahead in their stories. Definitions of portend verb indicate by signs Or maybe it was the future the mark portended. Both movies center on a wealthy couple in the countryside destined for violent encounters, as portended by a dying fox.

jeer

(v.) to make fun of rudely or unkindly; (n.) a rude remark of derision As a noun, jeer is the act of scoffing, taunting, or mocking. Think of it as an anti-cheer. If you offer cheers for the visiting team and jeers for the home team, you might not be too popular in the stands. As a verb, jeer means to laugh at in a mean way. Even if you did forget the words to the national anthem, it wasn't polite for the crowd to jeer. But don't feel too bad: the last singer remembered all the words and they jeered her anyway! Tough crowd. Definitions of jeer verb laugh at with contempt and derision "The crowd jeered at the speaker" Then they trolled the Jewish Quarter, breaking windows and shouting jeers. ​

sear

(v.) to make or become dry and withered; to char or scorch the surface of; to harden or make unfeeling; to parch, singe To sear something is to quickly cook or burn its surface by applying intense heat. When making beef stew, the color and flavor are usually better if you sear the meat first. Sear comes from the Old English word searian which meant "dry up" or "wither." Typically, the verb sear now refers to burning or scorching something with heat, but if you see the phrase "wind-seared," it means that a place — or something left in that place — has been withered by exposure to the elements. An unpleasant image can be seared into your memory, meaning you can't forget it. Definitions of sear verb become superficially burned

expurgate

(v.) to remove objectionable passages or words from a written text; to cleanse, purify To expurgate is to censor. Usually, people talk about expurgating bad words from something written or on TV. On TV, if you hear some words bleeped out, those words have been expurgated. In print, we can expurgate by using dashes ( — — ) or random characters like %&$#. Sometimes we can expurgate just by rewriting something so that the entire sentence with the naughty parts is gone, or by putting it into mild words. When it comes to things children read or watch, there's often the difficult question of what to expurgate and what to leave alone. Definitions of expurgate verb edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate Yossarian was busy expurgating all but romance words from the letters when the chaplain sat down in a chair between the beds and asked him how he was feeling. Not just with an expurgated "Huckleberry Finn" but with political efforts to clamp down on objectionable language.

bolster

(v.) to support, give a boost to; (n.) a long pillow or cushion; a supporting post When you cheer up a friend who's feeling down, you bolster them. To bolster is to offer support or strengthen. A bolster is also the name of a long pillow you might use to make your back feel better. And the two uses are not dissimilar. When you bolster your friends, you support them and prop them up, just like the pillow does for your back. When you're trying to bolster your credibility, you find people and/or documents that support you or your view. Bolster efforts to learn this word! Definitions of bolster verb support and strengthen "bolster morale" Omit the anchovy in the dressing, if you wish, but it's there to bolster flavor — not to taste fishy. bolster the educational and cultural experiences But they had returned from the trip with "relief and gratitude," Breslin said — and bolstered in their hunches.

encumber

(v.) to weigh down or burden (with difficulties, cares, debt, etc.); to fill up, block up, hinder To encumber is to weigh someone or something down with a physical or psychological burden. You may find yourself encumbered by a heavy backpack or with anxieties. Either way, it's a heavy load to bear! You can also use encumber to describe something that restricts you in some way: you're so encumbered by your homework load you can't go to the concert Saturday night. The root, cumber, has several shades of meaning — including "to burden" and "to be overwhelmed." Definitions of encumber verb hold back **1.If you are encumbered by something, it prevents you from moving freely or doing what you want. 2. If a place is encumbered with things, it contains so many of them that it is difficult to move freely there. The narrow quay was encumbered by hundreds of carts. Corey takes on construction jobs, but his co-workers always seem grimly encumbered: "You could see invisible responsibility hanging on them — payments for vehicles and homes, children and women." His first "Guardians" movie was a diverting surprise that didn't feel encumbered by its importance as a lucrative Marvel property. The word "socialist," which signifies deep egalitarian commitments, was encumbered in the 20th century by many disasters done in its name, particularly Stalinism. Is this ruling supporting all genders in making decisions for their own lives, without being encumbered by discrimination?

recant

(v.) to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract If you're someone who speaks before you think, you may need to recant, or take back, that overly honest assessment of your friend's new haircut. Recant comes from two Latin roots: the prefix re-, meaning "back," and the verb cantare, meaning "to sing." It has been suggested that recant was first used when someone reversed a charm, curse, or some other type of magical spell that would have been chanted or sung. Regardless of whether this is true or not, we suggest that you refrain from singing when you need to recant — unless you've been casting nasty spells on people. Definitions of recant verb formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure If you recant, you say publicly that you no longer hold a set of beliefs that you had in the past. I might have this wrong, and that's why I was going to wait and go through this with you face to face, but I think she wants to recant. Ralph Meyers took the stand before this Court, swore to tell the truth and proceeded to recant most, if not all, of the relevant portions of his testimony at trial.

especially/specially

-especially means "particularly" or "more than other things" -specially means "for a special reason" (I especially treasure my boots. They were made specially for me) The words especially and specially have just a hair's breadth of difference between them. Both can be used to mean "particularly." Especially tends to be more formal, while specially tends to be more informal: Barney Frank can be ruthless in debate, especially when laying into opponents who try to evade the historical record. This season, Essie Cosmetics is commemorating 2010 Breast Cancer Awareness month with specially created We Can Do It Pink! But our words have finer points to them that are worthy of being understood. Especially carries with it a sense of something exceptional, implying that there is something else that is of lesser quality: We came to win the game and I thought we played especially well in the first half. Charlotte Daw Paulsen, a mezzo-soprano, as Jephtha's wife, was especially fine in her harrowing "Scenes of horror, scenes of woe." Specially can refer to something with a distinct purpose, someone who stands apart from the rest, without insinuating that there is something or someone who is lesser: Specially trained dogs may be useful in helping to calm autistic children. Value Village's specially trained costume consultants will showcase the hottest costumes. Now that you know the finer points, you can choose your words — especially especially and specially — carefully.

besotted

1: blindly or utterly infatuated adjective: strongly affectionate towards Even though her father did not approve, Juliet became besotted with the young Romeo. adjective: very drunk Synonyms : blind drunk , blotto , cockeyed , crocked , fuddled , loaded , pie-eyed , pissed , pixilated , plastered , slopped , sloshed , smashed , soaked , soused , sozzled , squiffy , stiff , tight , wet Never before have I seen my mom so besotted, and honestly, I hope it's the last time she drinks so much.

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 adjective inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits "a style described as abrasive and contentious" The actual number is slightly contentious because the heavy, synthesized elements exist for only millionths of seconds and chemists sometimes argue over whether they have really been detected or not. "Wearing headphones is a contentious point. Most women runners I know don't wear headphones, and that's during the day, because they are concerned about their safety." ​

dissention

A difference of opinion; disagreement You can use the noun dissension for situations where people just can't agree or get along. There is often dissension between labor unions and governments vying for funds, or even between siblings — vying for attention. A dissension is a disagreement, or difference of opinion, and the meaning hasn't changed since the word first came into use in French in about the 12th century. Sometimes a dissension is simply a brief and easily resolved disagreement, and at other times it might last for thousands of years. People in the Balkans have had centuries of religious dissension, alternating with periods of peaceable coexistence. Definitions of dissension noun disagreement among those expected to cooperate Eventually dissension and uprisings led to the collapse of the Mayan state. Even as it became apparent that this wasn't Baltimore's year, there were few signs of dissension

factious

A factious group is one that breaks away, or wants to. It's often used in politics, where people separate into smaller like-minded groups. The Confederacy was factious — they wanted out of the Union, but we know how that turned out. The word factious looks a lot like its cousin faction, which is a small, sometimes rebellious group. Factious, then, is easy to remember, as the adjectival form of the noun faction. To be factious is to act like a faction. Among bakers, almost all agree that you have to be precise when measuring ingredients. The Brooklyn Faction, though, disagrees. This factious bunch never uses measuring cups or spoons and has called for them to be abolished. Definitions of factious adjective dissenting (especially dissenting with the majority opinion) نفاق افکن Would this new and factious approach to daily living bleed into the Super Bowl? ​

Lachrymose

A good place to see a display of lachrymose sorrow is at a funeral — people sobbing openly or sniffling quietly into their hankies. To be lachrymose, in other words, is to be tearful. Lachrymose is not a word used much in everyday speech; you wouldn't say, for example, "I feel a bit lachrymose today." No, you'd probably say, "I feel a bit weepy today." Lachrymose is generally confined to use as a written critical term, often meaning much the same as sentimental. Books and plays and films can all be lachrymose, if their intent is to induce shameless sniveling. Definitions of lachrymose adjective showing sorrow Roberts's lachrymose gay novel is nine years overdue in becoming a sensation here. He has come out on the other side of two of the most painful, lachrymose years that any entrepreneur could imagine, with self-inflicted wounds and schadenfreude galore.

epiphany

A moment of sudden revelation or insight When inspiration hits you out of the blue, call it an epiphany. In the Christian tradition, Epiphany (ə-PIF-ə-nee) is a festival celebrating Christ's appearance to the Gentiles, observed every year on January 6. From the Christian sense we get an additional religious sense, "the appearance of a god or deity" and the more common modern usage, a noun meaning "a sudden revelation." There's nothing religious about most epiphanies these days — your "Eureka!" moment could come when you realize that you're in the wrong line of work and you need to quit your job to join the circus. Definitions of epiphany noun a divine manifestation Reflecting on his performance the next morning, he said, he had an epiphany during one of the last songs. I wish I could say that considering these issues has led to a dramatic epiphany, that it has radically changed me as a critic and a Jew. ...Isaac Newton's epiphany about gravity and a falling apple.

gourmet

A person who likes fine food and is a good judge of its quality That guy over there correctly identifying the dozen spices used in the meal he's eating? He's likely a gourmet, someone who knows a lot about fine food. There are gourmets and then there are foodies. Both are food enthusiasts who live to eat. A gourmet, pronounced like the French word that is its double: "gor-MAY," is more likely to go for the most refined dining experience, created by a chef who trained in Europe. A foodie, on the other hand, might take you to the best burrito place — because their guacamole tastes the best — then stop by the farmers' market to see if the first of the asparagus crop has arrived. Definitions of gourmet noun a person devoted to refined sensuous enjoyment (especially good food and drink) غذا شناس، شکم پرست نیست ولی غذا دوست داره He is offered a gourmet meal in his comfortable cell and quickly released. Eat it straight from the container or toss it in a bowl with granola, nuts, or fruit slices for a gourmet morning dining experience.

prank

A playful trick or joke Pretending to be someone else on the phone or putting a whoopee cushion on someone's chair are two very old types of a prank, or practical joke, played at someone else's expense. There are many kinds of pranks in the world. If you called a friend and said you were the police, that would be a prank phone call. Some pranks can be mean and even dangerous, while others are silly. Some people prank their friends, while others prank people they dislike. Some people never outgrow the need to pull a good prank. A less common meaning of prank is to dress up in a showy or silly way. Definitions of prank noun a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement synonyms:antic, caper, joke, put-on, trick

rant

A rant is an argument that is fueled by passion, not shaped by facts. When the shouting starts on talk radio, or when a blog commenter resorts to ALL CAPS, you're almost certainly encountering a rant. Rant comes from the Dutch ranten, "to talk nonsense." Rave is a close synonym — in fact, "to rant and rave" is a popular expression. When rant is used as a noun, it means something like tirade. The first recorded usage of rant is from the end of the sixteenth century, in Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor. By the middle of the turbulent seventeenth century, the name Ranters was used as a catchall pejorative for various groups of radical Christian dissenters. Definitions of rant verb talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner بیهوده گویی، یاوه سرایی The woman continued her rant, throwing her arms in the air and spitting on the floor of the hut. Shorty's been listening to me rant for going on an hour now. There was no talk of a stolen election, no conspiracy theories about voter fraud or rants about President Biden's legitimacy.

allusion

A reference to another work of literature, person, or event That little nod to a Dylan Thomas poem that you sneaked into your PowerPoint presentation? That was an allusion, a quick reference to something that your audience will have to already know in order to "get." An allusion often references a famous work of art or literature, or to something from your own life. For example, you might say, "I obviously am no expert at love" — an allusion to your failed relationships. The main thing to remember is that an allusion is a brief hint or a quick mention. It's meant to bring to mind a particular subject, but it always avoids getting into it in great depth. Definitions of allusion noun passing reference or indirect mention کنایه،گریز "In the place where there is no darkness," he said, as though he had recognized the allusion. At times, the choreography seems like a patchwork — yes, a mosaic — of allusions to ballet rituals and codes. As they approach climax, the woman reaches for a nearby ice pick, stabbing the man repeatedly and graphically, with blood spattering across their bodies and bed, a none-too-subtle orgasmic allusion. Even highly technical commercial dances sometimes include movement sampling and remixing, like Knight's own allusions to the work of Bob Fosse in his choreography for Beyoncé's "Single Ladies."

slot

A thin opening or groove in something is a slot. You can put letters and postcards through the mail slot at the post office. A gum ball machine has a slot for inserting a coin, and some front doors have a special slot for mail carriers to put mail in. A screwdriver fits neatly into the slot on top of a screw. Another kind of slot is a space in a schedule or calendar: "I have a half-hour slot on Thursday for our meeting." In the 14th century, a slot was "the hollow above the breastbone." Definitions of slot noun a small slit (as for inserting a coin or depositing mail) "he put a quarter in the slot" see more noun a time assigned on a schedule or agenda "the TV program has a new time slot" "an aircraft landing slot"

tirade

A tirade is a speech, usually consisting of a long string of violent, emotionally charged words. Borrow and lose your roommate's clothes one too many times, and you can bet you'll be treated to a heated tirade. The noun tirade is related to the Italian word tirata, which means "volley." So imagine a very angry person lobbing harsh words and strings of profanity in your direction when you want to remember what tirade means. Although, tirades don't necessarily have to include bad words — any long, drawn out speech or epic declaration can be called a tirade. Definitions of tirade noun a speech of violent denunciation He quickly launched into a passionate tirade that took in half a dozen different topics in about three minutes.

objection

An argument against; reason for dislike/disapproval An objection is a way of saying "No!" to something. People offer objections to things they oppose. An objection is a statement of protest. During weddings, you often hear the question "Does anyone object to this union?" If someone did, that would be an objection: they think the wedding is a bad idea. In court, a lawyer says "Objection!" if they think the other lawyer said something unfair or wrong. A little kid who says "I don't want eggs!" is making an objection. Any kind of disapproval is an objection. When there are no objections, people agree. Still, most early objections to "Superstar" were driven less by its content and more by its form. ​

skepticism

An attitude of doubt Skepticism is doubt about something — you're just not convinced or can't totally believe it. If your brother is only four feet tall, you should view his claims that he can slam dunk a basketball with a lot of skepticism. If you like to poke holes in other people's ideas, then you are full of skepticism. Some people follow a specific belief system that questions the truth of anything, but most people save their skepticism for certain things. Tabloids, Big Foot sightings, and over-eager used car salesmen should all be viewed with a little skepticism. On the other hand, gullible folks believe everything they hear and don't have much, if any, skepticism. Definitions of skepticism noun doubt about the truth of something synonyms:disbelief, incredulity, mental rejection, scepticism noun the disbelief in any claims of ultimate knowledge synonyms:agnosticism, scepticism a mood of skepticism with skepticism. we have the skepticism about it." he approaches things with skepticism. Ms. Garrett's own skepticism about her psychic abilities there's still some room for skepticism "The fact that there's skepticism about

indulgence

An indulgence is doing something that you enjoy even if it has negative consequences. Buying yourself something that you don't need, be it a cookie, video game, or diamond necklace, is an indulgence. If you allow yourself to eat more chocolate cake or watch more TV than is really good for you, those are your little indulgences. If you spend your life savings on a trip to Tahiti, that's a huge indulgence. If someone says to you, "Grant me this indulgence," prepare for a long-winded story that tries to convince you of something. Long, long ago the Catholic Church sold something called "indulgences": pardons for sins. Definitions of indulgence noun the act of indulging or gratifying a desire synonyms:humoring, indulging, pampering

ersatz

Artificial, synthetic; being an inferior substitute The ersatz version of something is an inferior substitute or imitation. You might speak in an ersatz French accent, but you won't fool the Parisian who runs the local French bakery. Used as a noun or adjective, ersatz stems from the German verb ersetzen, which means "to replace." Compared with regular Coke, Diet Coke may be considered an ersatz beverage because of its artificial sweeteners. Similarly, rich, creamy, full-fat ice cream is much better than the ersatz, fat-free version, or frozen yogurt. You would be in deep trouble if your fiancé found out that her engagement ring was an ersatz diamond. Definitions of ersatz noun an artificial or inferior substitute or imitation The line, in Perloff's view, in these ersatz poems, is a "surface device," a "gimmick." The doors close, and the ersatz president disappears without ceremony.

prolixity

Boring verbosity (wordiness) If someone likes to talk but they're really boring, they've got prolixity. It's not something to be proud of. Prolixity means about the same thing as long-windedness. If someone is yammering on and on and on — that's an example of prolixity. Part of prolixity seems good: we'd all like to be able to put words together easily. On the other hand, none of us want to be boring. That's a major downside to prolixity. Prolixity is similar to "wordiness" — using too many words, or too many long words — when a few would get the job done. Definitions of prolixity noun boring verbosity It was told with much feeling, some wit, and no prolixity. But I have become confused from my prolixity. His prolixity was increased by his unwillingness, when writing without prescribed limits, to leave out any detail, however unimportant.

palaver

During an election year, you might tire of hearing the **** of politicians. Palaver is a type of empty nonsense or useless talk. During an election year, you might tire of hearing the palaver of politicians. Whether you call it malarkey, hokum, mumbo-jumbo, or truthiness, there are a lot of words for talk that cannot be trusted or believed. Palaver is part of this club. Specifically, palaver tends to be hot air — empty words from a blowhard. Palaver can also be sweet talk — a type of flattery. You can use this word as a verb too: by palavering, you might try to impress someone or get someone to do you a favor. Definitions of palaver noun loud and confused and empty talk syn: malarkey, hokum, mumbo-jumbo, or truthiness

punctilious

For that matter, Detective Cortez ranges from inadequate to punctilious and remains a mere cipher.(adj.) very careful and exact, attentive to fine points of etiquette or propriety A punctilious person pays attention to details. Are you always precisely on time? Is your room perfectly neat? Do you never forget a birthday or a library book's due date? Then you are one of the punctilious people. The adjective punctilious, pronounced "punk-TIL-ee-us," is related to the Italian word puntiglio, meaning "fine point." For someone who is punctilious no point is too fine, no detail too small, to be overlooked. The word is often used to describe people, but it can be used more broadly to apply to observations, behavior, or anything else that is characterized by close attention to detail. Definitions of punctilious adjective marked by precise accordance with details "punctilious in his attention to rules of etiquette" I was punctilious about all court regulations, but I sometimes used unorthodox tactics with witnesses. Their punctilious mother made them fill out timecards — an early lesson in the how-tos of business. "If you watched 'Raw' or 'Delirious,'" he said, in the voice of a punctilious fact-checker. For that matter, Detective Cortez ranges from inadequate to punctilious and remains a mere cipher.

hubris

Hubris is an excess of confidence: a boxer who shouts "I'm the greatest!" even though he's about to get pummeled by a much stronger opponent is displaying a lot of hubris. Hubris is from Greek, where it meant "excessive pride, violating the bounds set for humans" and was always punished by the gods. We no longer have the Greek gods, so in English it just refers to over-the-top self-confidence. If you call yourself the best in something, you better have the goods to back it up, since too much hubris can lead to embarrassment and humiliation. It's an age-old human failing: pride goeth before the fall. Definitions of hubris noun overbearing pride or presumption

flippant

If you describe a person or what they say as *****, you are criticizing them because you think they are not taking something as seriously as they should. When a parent scolds a teenager for missing a curfew or blowing off a test and the teen snaps back, "Whatever," you could say the teen is being flippant. His reply was casual to the point of sarcasm and disrespect. When it first showed up in the English language around the 17th century, flippant meant glib and talkative. But over the years it has developed a more negative connotation. Today flippant is used to describe a blasé attitude or comment in a situation that calls for seriousness. Make a flippant comment about your friend's mother and the odds are good that they'll be offended. Definitions of flippant adjective showing inappropriate levity synonyms:light-minded frivolousnot serious in content or attitude or behavior باشی سوخ،مرتا توتماغ،yüngülxasiyyət His flippant responses were quickly and invariably followed by genuine answers. And I mean, I'm being flippant a little bit, but the point is whenever anybody is harmed, somebody should answer to that harm. "I apologize for the flippant reference I made to the Holocaust in my tweet last night," he tweeted.

cheesy

If you describe something as ***, you mean that it is cheap, unpleasant, or insincere. Use the word cheesy to describe something that's cheap or badly made. You might hope your fake Rolex watch will impress your friends, but they're bound to see how cheesy it is. A really horrible motel room, with shag carpeting and strange art on the walls, can be described as cheesy, and so can a badly-written, sloppily made television movie. Cheesy is a great informal way to talk about shoddy or slightly unpleasant things. It comes from late 1800's United States university student slang, which also included the term cheese, which meant "ignorant, stupid person." Definitions of cheesy adjective of very poor quality; flimsy

lest

If you do something lest something unpleasant should happen, you do it to try to prevent the unpleasant thing from happening.to avoid the risk of. Synonyms: in case, in order to avoid, for fear that, in order to prevent I was afraid to open the door lest he should follow me. مبادا

confound

If you have an identical twin, you've probably tried dressing alike so that people confound you with, or mistake you for, one another. You've also probably learned that, unfortunately, this trick doesn't work on your mom. The verb confound means both "to mistake" and "to confuse." If you decide to treat yourself to a delicious dessert, you might find yourself confounded by the overwhelming number of choices. If you end up ordering the chocolate cake but the waiter brings you chocolate mousse, the waiter has somehow confounded those two options. Another meaning you may come across in literature is "to damn," as in "Confound it! You are the most exasperating person on the planet." Definitions of confound verb be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly

gregarious

If you know someone who's outgoing, sociable, and fond of the company of others, you might want to call her gregarious. The word was originally used to describe animals that live in flocks — it's from the Latin word grex, meaning "herd." Not surprisingly, people began using it to describe humans who liked being in groups. Today biologists still speak of gregarious species, but you're more likely to hear it in reference to people. Despite what you might suspect, it has no historical connection to the name Gregory — but if you know an outgoing fellow with that name, you could call him Greg-arious. Definitions of gregarious adjective instinctively or temperamentally seeking and enjoying Even now, Izzy thought, her sister seemed less effervescent, less gregarious, as if a damper had been closed. Daddy's favorite was Walter, the most fun-loving and gregarious of his brothers.

pragmatic / dogmatic

If you're pragmatic, you're practical. You're living in the real world, wearing comfortable shoes. If you're dogmatic, you follow the rules. You're living in the world you want, and acting a little stuck up about it. Pragmatic people have their feet on the ground and their heads there, too. No time for dreaming! They're realistic. A pragmatic approach to something is the sensible one. A pragmatic way to fix a bike is to use the tools you have rather than the ones you wish you had. Examples: "The academic and political atmosphere in the 1990s was decidedly pragmatic, rather than optimistic." (The Guardian) "Clinton, meanwhile, focuses on the pragmatic instead of the aspirational, using her experience as a guide to what can get done." (Salon) "Shoes were thick-soled, while bags were pragmatic large backpacks." (US News) Dogmatic people are very firm their convictions, which usually come from some authority. The authority is often religious, but it doesn't have to be. Anything dogmatic is by the book. If you're dogmatic, you're 100% sure of your system despite evidence to the contrary. Dogmatic can also mean close-minded. Check it out: "That is, if they can get past the dogmatic denial of man-made climate change." (Washington Times) "We need more such balanced analyses, and fewer dogmatic opinions, on both sides." (Nature) "When I became a cardiologist 30 years ago, I was pretty dogmatic about the low-fat, low-cholesterol diet to prevent heart disease." (Washington Post) Pragmatic people know what time it is. Dogmatic people tell you what time it should be. dogmatic To be dogmatic is to follow a set of rules no matter what. The rules might be religious, philosophical, or made-up, but dogmatic people would never waver in their beliefs so don't even think of trying to change their minds. pragmatic To describe a person or a solution that takes a realistic approach, consider the adjective pragmatic. The four-year-old who wants a unicorn for her birthday isn't being very pragmatic.

fractius

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 adjective easily irritated or annoyed "an incorrigibly fractious young man" زود رنج، دمدمی مزاج ​

defray

If your mother says she will defray the cost of your next move, say thank you. She means she will take on some of the expenses for you. Your school band might hold a bake sale fundraiser to defray the cost of new band uniforms. When they do this, the amount raised will be taken off the total cost of the uniforms so that each individual band member has to pay less. If you live in New York and are invited for a job interview in California, the company may defray the expenses of your plane ticket and hotel, especially if they really want to hire you. Definitions of defray verb bear the expenses of Many dealers try to defray the costs of this weeklong fair by finding buyers in advance for their most desirable pieces. He rigged the basement wiring to steal electricity from a drugstore in the building to help defray the costs.

insufferable

Impossible to bear; intolerable If something is insufferable, it's unbearable and impossible, like the insufferable humidity of the "rain forest room" at the zoo on a hot summer day. You can see the word suffer in insufferable — and it's no coincidence. If it's unacceptable or too much to handle, it's insufferable. An egotistic co-worker is insufferable, and so is a blizzard that leaves six-foot drifts against the doors of your house, or insufferable working conditions in many of the factories that produce goods around the world. Definitions of insufferable adjective used of persons or their behavior "insufferable insolence" He never let me know how insufferable it must have been to listen to my opinions on things I knew little about.

desideratum

It's a fancy word for a must-have. A desideratum is something you desire or want. It's a fancy word for a must-have. This official-sounding Latin word means something very common: anything you want or need. A new book could be a desideratum. A chocolate cake could be a desideratum. More commonly, a desideratum is something that is truly needed, like food or shelter. For many people, a happy marriage is a desideratum. For a politician, getting elected is a desideratum. You can almost see the word desire in desideratum, and that should help you remember it's an object of desire. Definitions of desideratum noun something desired as a necessity "the desiderata for a vacation are time and money" ype of:essential, necessary, necessity, requirement, requisite anything indispensable with a view to achieving that quintessentially modern desideratum: smooth traffic flow. And more than most works that make that short list, it fulfills the official desiderata that Pulitzer plays reflect and explore the American experience.

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 verb bend the knees and bow in a servile manner Who can forget Trump's kowtow to Putin at Helsinki in 2018? The kowtowing to conservatism is no doubt part of the reason that country music has long had a no-soul problem.

lackluster

Lackluster is a compound adjective that means what it sounds like: if something is lackluster it lacks luster; in other words, it is without brilliance, shine, or vitality. Think dull. Shakespeare gave us the compound lackluster, first using the term in his play As You Like It. In 2:7, the character Jacques says, "And then he drew a dial from his poke, And, looking on it with lack-lustre eye..." Since Shakespeare first coined this word, it has been used to describe anything "blah"; lackluster sales would worry shop owners and a lackluster prom dress might help you blend in with the wallpaper. Definitions of lackluster adjective lacking brilliance or vitality بدون زرق و برق After a lackluster campaign, Mr. Macron is trying to tap into the country's large pool of voters worried about the environment with ambitious promises. If the takeover is successful, Musk would inherit a company that has been racing to grow its userbase and revenue after years of lackluster financial performance.

tendentious

Marked by a strong point of view, biased If you are writing a report on climate change and you ignore evidence that the earth is warming, the paper might be called tendentious. Tendentious means promoting a specific, and controversial, point of view. When something is tendentious, it shows a bias towards a particular point of view, especially one that people disagree about. It shares a root with the word tendency, which means "an inclination toward acting a certain way." If you have the tendency to talk in a tendentious manner about politics, people might tend to avoid you at parties. Definitions of tendentious adjective having or marked by a strong tendency especially a controversial one "a tendentious account of recent elections" "distinguishing between verifiable fact and tendentious assertion" جانبدارانه،جهت دار وقتی متنی یک حقیقت را کنار بگذارد و نظر خود را دهد، جانبدارانه است qərəzli təmayüllü marked by a tendency in favor of a particular point of view : BIASED News reporting is selective and tendentious, customarily presenting only the government's view of events, and attacking or ignoring its opponents. But Armando and his wife seldom leap off the page as characters; their motives remain opaque, tendentious. A Somerset Maugham story is always a story, not a literary experiment or tendentious social document.

Objective/Subjective

Objective writing is factual and impersonal, whereas subjective writing, sometimes called impressionistic writing, relies heavily on personal interpretation. Anything objective sticks to the facts, but anything subjective has feelings. Objective and subjective are opposites. Objective: It is raining. Subjective: I love the rain! Objective is a busy word and that's a fact. An objective is a goal, but to be objective is to be unbiased. If you're objective about something, you have no personal feelings about it. In grammar land, objective relates to the object of a sentence. Anyway, people often try to be objective, but it's easier for robots. Here are examples: "DNA testing and fingerprint analysis and all that technology stuff is objective, they declare confidently. The machine cannot be fooled." (Salon) "Consider checking in with a third party, to get an objective opinion." (Wall Street Journal) Subjective , on the other hand, has feelings. Anything subjective is subject to interpretation. In grammar land, this word relates to the subject of the sentence. Usually, subjective means influenced by emotions or opinions. Humans are a subjective bunch and we like it that way! Here's subjective in the wild: "Because many of the decisions we made are subjective, there is the possibility of human error in our data set." (Slate) "Now, I realize that is totally subjective because there is no standard unit of measurement for fun." (New York Times) It's true that opposites attract. Here are some examples of both words cozying up in the same sentence: "But now we, as a pathologists, need more objective measures because symptoms, to a certain degree, are subjective." ( Time) "We take our unruly, subjective feelings about a year of television and groom them into something that looks mathematical and objective." (Slate) Be objective when writing things like summaries or news articles, but feel free to be subjective for arguments and opinions.

mendicant

People who live off begging can be called mendicants. However, you probably wouldn't call your kids mendicants, even though they beg you for stuff, because the word mendicant also implies extreme poverty. The noun mendicant can also refer to a man belonging to a religious order, such as the Franciscan Friars — who do not own personal property but live together in a monastery and survive off alms donated by others. As an adjective, mendicant describes someone who lives such an existence. Definitions of mendicant adjective practicing beggary "mendicant friars" Synonyms:beseeching, imploring, pleading begging noun a pauper who lives by begging synonyms:beggar noun a male member of a religious order that originally relied solely on alms synonyms:friar "The 32," as they are often called throughout the book, speak an unknown private language, hang around public places and at first appear similar to the young mendicants the city is used to dealing with. The whole of it is populated by priests, caretakers, scholars, mendicants, seekers, tourists, knick-knack-and-jewelry sellers, and children, beggars and others so impoverished that you feel guilty about your entire, cushy life. The mendicant world they wander through — stalked by starvation, illness, prejudice and evil — is all too real to anyone attuned to the predicament of displaced children. He became a mendicant and began wandering India, and was "driven mad with mental agonies" over what he encountered: ritual, poverty, disease.

raconteur

Person skilled at telling stories or anecdotes or someone who excels in telling them Raconteurs are gifted storytellers, able to spin amusing tales from everyday life. Who is the biggest raconteur in your group? He or she's the one who always tells the best stories — or jumps in when another storyteller isn't being vivid enough. Do you make going to the store to buy groceries a fascinating experience? Do you offer witty observations of the people you pass on the street? If so, you're a raconteur, someone who can regale his or her listeners with riveting stories, usually funny, sometimes dramatic. Raconteur comes from the French word "raconter," meaning "to recount." Note its "eur" ending, signaling its French origin. Definitions of raconteur noun a person skilled in telling anecdotes Gregarious by nature, Hall proved to be a skillful raconteur with a caustic Kiwi wit. A gifted raconteur and an indefatigable drinker, Causey was a pilot of unimpeachable courage. Ware brings a theatrical sensibility to that song, matching Schultz's ease as an art song raconteur, as in Rebecca Clarke's "The Seal Man."

altruistic

Someone who is altruistic always puts others first. An altruistic firefighter risks his life to save another's life, while an altruistic mom gives up the last bite of pie so her kid will be happy. This word comes from the Old French altruistic and means "other people" and before that the Latin alter, which means "other." Our current word comes from the nineteenth century and comes from philosophy. It means that it's important for people to be concerned with the good of others and to act unselfishly. When the word refers to the animal world, it means behavior that may actually harm the individual animal but will benefit the species in general. This is a truly selfless act! Definitions of altruistic adjective showing unselfish concern for the welfare of others I am by no means convinced that the motives of the accused were as altruistic as they wish the court to believe. Long Walk to Freedom"Beautiful and altruistic. You're some girl's dream woman, you know that?" If this is to be a full and honest account of my life and deeds, I feel I should mention that my reasons for inviting Ben into our troupe were not entirely altruistic. I could also say that he did this not through altruistic motives but selfish ones, in order to fulfill some egotistic impulse of his own.

taciturn

Someone who is taciturn is reserved, not loud and talkative. The word itself refers to the trait of reticence, of seeming aloof and uncommunicative. A taciturn person might be snobby, naturally quiet, or just shy. Having its origin in the Latin tacitus, "silent," taciturn came to be used in mid-18th-century English in the sense "habitually silent." Taciturnity is often considered a negative trait, as it suggests someone uncommunicative and too quiet. Jane Austen wrote, "We are each of an unsocial, taciturn disposition, unwilling to speak, unless we expect to say something that will amaze the whole room, and be handed down to posterity with all the éclat of a proverb." adjective habitually reserved and uncommunicative Synonyms: incommunicative, uncommunicative Usage Examples: Finally he reached the place where Melquíades used to set up his tent and he found a taciturn Armenian who in Spanish was hawking a syrup to make oneself invisible. Only old Benjamin was much the same as ever, except for being a little greyer about the muzzle, and, since Boxer's death, more morose and taciturn than ever. Othell Yarwyck was as stolid and unimaginative as he was taciturn, and the First Rangers seemed to die as quick as they were named. He has become more taciturn: he too now communicates by postcard.

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 noun liveliness and eagerness "he accepted with alacrity" It seems they are missing alacrity to correct their weight problem. At 78 years old, she is taking to Facebook Live debates with alacrity.

invidious

Something can be described as **** when it is resentful, discriminatory or envious containing or implying a slight or showing prejudice likely to cause resentment (of an action or situation) likely to arouse or incur resentment or anger in others. (of a comparison or distinction) unfairly discriminating; unjust. Something can be described as invidious when it is resentful, discriminatory or envious, as in: "Fred was angered by the invidious gossip about his divorce being spread by his ex-wife's allies." The adjective invidious is used to describe an act, thought, opinion or critique that is full of ill will or prejudice. It comes from a Latin word that means "hostile." When the captain of a cheerleading squad says nasty things about an opposing cheer team's skills, work ethic, and uniforms, those are invidious comments. Definitions of invidious adjective containing or implying a slight or showing prejudice "invidious comparisons" synonyms: discriminatory düşmənçilik doğuran haksız Yelling, "Teams like yours always lose!" at the game is invidious. It's often paired with segregation It is invidious to make a selection. Among the legacies of Orientalism observed by Said was a compulsion to draw invidious distinctions. Still others objected to the idea of a list in the first place, noting its intrinsically arbitrary and invidious nature.

soporific

Something that is soporific is sleep-inducing. Certain medicines, but also extreme coziness, can have a soporific effect. In the 1680's, soporific, which doubles as both adjective and noun, was formed from the French soporifique. That word, in turn, came from the Latin sopor "deep sleep." Beloved Peter Rabbit author Beatrix Potter once noted that, "It is said that the effect of eating too much lettuce is 'soporific'." Definitions of soporific adjective sleep inducing She is soothing, but not soporific; intoxicating without inebriation. With his weirdly soporific voice and orange face, Trump is in turn mesmerising, entertaining, appalling and shocking.

sate

Sometimes you're so hungry you feel like you could eat a ten-course meal. Other times it takes just a small salad to sate your appetite, or to satisfy your hunger. The verb sate comes from the Old English sadian, "to satiate," and can be applied to any situation regarding the satisfaction of a need or an appetite. If you have been craving something sweet, your craving might be sated by a bag of jellybeans. However, if it seems like you can never get enough jellybeans, your appetite for sweets might be described as insatiable, a word used to describe a person or entity whose appetites — literally or figuratively — are impossible to satisfy. Definitions of sate verb fill to satisfaction "I am sated" He called for bread and meat until he was sated and threw the unfinished scraps to the dogs who slept by the fire that roared in his hearth. For now, the former president's appetite for revenge in Ohio seems to be sated by attacking Representative Anthony Gonzalez, a Republican who voted for impeachment in January. Liverpool fans will be sated, of course, by ending their wait, as is only right.

ascendant

Something that's ascendant is increasing its power or status. An ascendant political party is one that captures more and more seats in Congress with every election. Things are ascendant when they're growing in importance. It's common to use this adjective to describe people or groups that have already achieved a lot of power and whose influence continues to grow. Ascendant was originally a term in astronomy, although today it's used in astrology to mean the sign of the Zodiac rising in the east when someone's born. The Latin root is ascendere, "to go up," but also figuratively "to rise," or "to reach." Definitions of ascendant adjective tending or directed upward Its reputation for being loose and wild was ascendant. Biden announced last April that he would pull all U.S. troops within a matter of months, promising an "orderly withdrawal" even as an ascendant Taliban battered Afghan forces. As Amazon became ascendant and Mr. Bezos was on his way to becoming the world's richest man, his profile rose. And today, with that new strategy ascendant, Zuckerberg announced another series of dramatic changes.

Spotty

Something that's spotty is uneven or inconsistent, especially in quality. If you can never rely on your internet connection when you're trying to watch a movie, you can call the connection spotty. The spotty reporting of your local newspaper means that every once in a while it publishes a well-written, newsworthy article, but often it's not worth reading. And your spotty attention during biology class probably means you'll need extra review sessions before you take the final exam. You can also use this adjective to mean "spotted" or "covered with spots," like your spotty Dalmatian puppy. Definitions of spotty adjective lacking consistency Dorian's skill with the Eyllwe language was spotty at best, and the princess spoke too fast for him to understand. Her vision grew spotty, her mouth went dry, but there was no stopping it. My bunkmate got a spotty rash on his chest, and soon he was so delirious he couldn't speak or understand a word I said to him. Instead, I find an Appalachian apple doll, withered and spotty, with dewlaps and bags and long floppy ears.

propitiate

TO CONCILIATE; TO APPEASE Because their gods were angry and vengeful, the Vikings propitiate do them with many sacrifices. Synonyms: appease; conciliate; mollify; pacify; placate If you forgot flowers on your grandma's birthday, you can still propitiate her by sending a bouquet the next day. Propitiate means to appease someone or make them happy by doing a particular thing. Handy strategy for lovers, too. One of the most common uses of propitiate historically was in the sense of appeasing the gods, often with a gift in the form of an animal or human sacrifice. Fortunately, for most people today flowers and candy will do the trick. But then again, some Moms can be tough to appease. Definitions of propitiate verb make peace with synonyms:appease Especially I felt this when I made any attempt to propitiate him. To propitiate the North, they fixed the pre-Independence elections in favor of the North and wrote a new constitution that gave the North control of the central government. Too bad: the market must be propitiated with regular sacrifices.

cosset

TO PAMPER; TO TREAT WITH GREAT CARE (Synonyms: cater to; cuddle; dandle; fondle; love; pamper; pet; spoil) To cosset is to pamper or spoil. Your mom might cosset her beloved lap dog, feeding him homemade meals and singing him to sleep. If your parents used to cosset you when you were little, they may have protected you from injury and indulged your every whim. Your temptation might be to cosset small children or elderly relatives, pampering them and shielding them from difficulty. In the 17th century, cosset had the additional sense of "fondle and caress," as you might cuddle a baby or a puppy. Earlier, the word was a noun meaning "a lamb raised as a pet." Definitions of cosset verb treat with excessive indulgence She stayed for weeks, cosseted by the couple — but now she too is nowhere to be found. For most of Yvan's clients, life seems to go on as before, with little to disrupt their cosseted indolence. Imagine you were a cosseted Victorian woman stuck indoors with little or no mental stimulation or likelihood of any adventure.

conciliate

The verb conciliate means to placate, appease, or pacify. If you are eating at a restaurant and the waiter accidentally spills a drink on you, the manager may try to conciliate you by picking up the tab for your meal. You may be more familiar with the term conciliation --it can mean the flowers you bring to conciliate your girlfriend after a fight, or a politician's conciliatory offer to fund a new playground to a community that's just lost its school. Conciliate comes from the Latin word conciliare, meaning "to unite." Conciliare in turn comes from the Latin word concilium, meaning "council." If you remember their common etymology, you can remember that, like council, conciliate is spelled with only one l. Definitions of conciliate verb cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of But both leaders have been put under rare co-ordinated international pressure to conciliate. We are, these days, simply less inclined to conciliate.

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 adjective without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers "an arrant fool" "The whole thing is arrant nonsense, of course," he said. ​

sequester

The word sequester describes being kept away from others. If your sister tells you to stay out of the way so she can cook dinner for her new boyfriend, you might sequester yourself in your room. Legal types may be familiar with the word sequester since it's often used in relation to a jury for an important trial. In that case, members of the jury are sequestered, meaning they aren't allowed to watch the news or read articles that could influence their judgment. However, sequester can describe anyone who is isolated or hidden away from others, like a pop star sequestered in a hotel room, protected from fans' mania below. verb keep away from others "He sequestered himself in his study to write a book" synonyms:seclude, sequestrate, withdraw adjourn, retire, withdrawbreak from a meeting or gathering The performers immediately sequester themselves in their train cars. In the jockeys' room he orchestrated a string of clever practical jokes, sequestered himself in corners to pore over literature, and mystified his fellow jocks with aphorisms from Omar Khayyam and "Old Waldo" Emerson. To Bush, the sequestering of knowledge and policy authority had one special virtue: it clipped Lawrence's wings. Instead of sequestering herself in her bedroom with her violin, she would walk the mile and a half to the house on Winslow right after school, where Mia would be hard at work.

adumbrate

To adumbrate something is to outline it. In an English essay, you could adumbrate the themes in a novel; or, in a letter to Santa, you could adumbrate all the ways you have been behaving. Adumbrate is built on the Latin root umbra, "shade," and the image it evokes is of a shadow being cast around something. Your outline is like a shadow of something bigger — like the themes in that novel or the ways you have been behaving. You can also use adumbrate to mean "foreshadow": "The scene where the princess dreams of the vampire adumbrates her later discovery that her little brother is, in fact, a vampire." Definitions of adumbrate verb describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or To adumbrate the claims of the arts is not, of course, to deny those of schools, hospitals, police services. The filmmakers build to this moment as if it were D-Day or the Rumble in the Jungle, excavating a biographical Before and adumbrating a news media After.

augur

To augur is to predict or indicate. A black cat passing in front of you is said to augur bad luck, but if you love cats you can choose to believe that it augurs good luck instead. In the past, when you said you would augur the future it meant you would predict it. That form of augur is rarely used today, but the sense of prediction — connected to an object or event — remains. Dark clouds augur a rainstorm. If you skip a dress rehearsal before opening night of a show, it won't augur well for your performance. The Latin root stems from an ancient Roman religious official who predicted the future from omens. Definitions of augur verb predict from an omen It was that freak Octavian, the augur from Camp Jupiter, who was always screaming for war. For that reason, lambda's existence augurs the pandemic's future path. So that augurs against any bias towards what the Americans call Caucasians.

doleful

To be **** is to be down in the dumps, to have a hole in your soul, to be full of woe. To be doleful is to be down in the dumps, to have a hole in your soul, to be full of woe. Doleful has nothing to do with a doe, a deer or a female deer. Unless one of those animals has a really sad look in its eyes. Expressions can be doleful, ditto a song or a set of circumstances. You can use the adjective doleful to describe something that is bringing you down, that makes you want to give into gravity or crawl into bed. Doleful is pretty much the opposite of how a ray of golden sun can make you feel. Definitions of doleful adjective filled with or evoking sadness "the child's doleful expression" synonyms: mournful played his doleful solo with airily glowing tone, a letter from another world. And he closed with "I'll See You in My Dreams," a quiet, doleful song, instead of the barnburner "Born to Run."

corroborate

To corroborate is to back someone else's story. If you swear to your teacher that you didn't throw the spitball, and your friends corroborate your story by promising that you were concentrating on math homework, she might actually believe you. For example, a witness in court corroborates the testimony of others, and further experimentation can corroborate a scientific theory. Near synonyms are substantiate and confirm. Corroborate, originally meaning "to support or strengthen," was borrowed from Latin corrōborāre, formed from the prefix cor- "completely" plus rōborāre "to strengthen" (from rōbur "strength"). Definitions of corroborate verb give evidence for "It corroborates what Marietta and I found out earlier," Louis said. Thus far the facts ascertained corroborated Wells' story most persuasively. The private detectives, though, struggled to corroborate the informant's story.

delineate

To describe accurately Though you pronounce it duh-LIN-ee-ate, there is a "line" in the middle of delineate. This might help you remember that to delineate is to outline and define something in detail or with an actual marking of lines and boundaries. When you create an outline for a paper it usually summarizes what you will detail later. You delineate the sections, or mark the heading lines, and when you write the details, you delineate the subject of each heading. So, to delineate is both to mark lines and to fill in the lines. Using a fence to divide properties or a carpet to claim your side of the bedroom also is a way to delineate, or mark, physical boundaries. Definitions of delineate adjective represented accurately or precisely "It's not so bad," Catherine said, making quick pencil strokes on the sketch pad in her hand to delineate Princesse's naked breasts. The other map was a huge one, sharply delineated, with all markings in neat Cyrillic characters. IQ, as I delineate in the book, has some strongly bigoted origins.

dissolve

To dissolve something is to break it up or weaken it, making it no longer recognizable. You could dissolve your book club or you could even dissolve a pill by dropping it into a glass of water. You can use the verb dissolve to describe things that are coming apart or diminishing. Dissolve goes back to the Latin root dissolvere, meaning "to loosen," and it came into English in the 14th century. Physical objects dissolve, as when bubbles dissolve in the tub or a cube of sugar will dissolve in hot tea, and intangible, or non-physical, things can fade away too: "Their friendship started to dissolve when he moved across country and they communicated less frequently."

laud

To laud someone means to praise them extravagantly — usually in a very public manner. A music critic might laud a new song by calling it the best summer anthem ever created. The word laud is from the Latin word laudere, meaning "to praise." To laud someone is to glorify them, or to sing their praises, even if you're not actually singing. Movie reviewers might laud Oscar-nominated films, and your high school principal might laud the class valedictorian at graduation. Definitions of laud verb praise, glorify, or honor مدح کردن In public statements and on Twitter, Crime Stoppers has lauded Mr. Abbott for fighting rising crime, citing his successful effort to get the State Legislature to pass limits on judges' ability to set lower bonds. Creativity is lauded as vital, and seen as the lifeblood of great entertainment, innovation, progress and forward-thinking ideas. William Jackson, an emeritus professor of chemistry at the University of California, Davis, lauded the work but said there was likely more to the story.

lead

To lead means to go in front, or to serve as the leader of a group. If you're on a group hiking trip and the navigator lost the map, you'll want someone with a good sense of direction to lead the group back to the car. If you have done excellent, groundbreaking research into cancer treatment, someone might say you lead the field in finding a cure for cancer. If we say a football team has a strong lead, that means that they're on the way to winning a game. If you are a detective and you discover a room full of evidence on a case, that might lead to its solution. Definitions of lead verb take somebody somewhere "We lead him to our chief" noun an advantage held by a competitor in a race "he took the lead at the last turn"

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." adjective driven by lust; preoccupied with or exhibiting lustful desires synonyms: lewd, libidinous, lustful sexymarked by or tending to arouse sexual desire or interest 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. Rishi looked at her, an eyebrow raised, smiling in what he hoped was a dashingly lascivious manner. She looked up at his sweating face, on which a lascivious smile had immediately appeared, and straightened, trying to control her trembling. 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.

pound

VERB If you pound something or pound on it, you hit it with great force, usually loudly and repeatedly. He pounded the table with his fist. [VERB noun] Somebody began pounding on the front door. [VERB preposition/adverb] She came at him, pounding her fists against his chest. [VERB noun preposition] ...the pounding waves. [VERB-ing] VERB If you pound something, you crush it into a paste or a powder or into very small pieces. She paused as she pounded the maize grains. [VERB noun] If your heart is pounding, it is beating with an unusually strong and fast rhythm, usually because you are afraid. I'm sweating, my heart is pounding. I can't breathe. [VERB]

firebrand

When someone is known for being wildly devoted to a cause or idea, they're called a firebrand. A firebrand enjoys pushing buttons and stirring up passions. Firebrand isn't such a tough word to remember if you think of that person's "brand" being "fiery." Someone who enjoys heating up the debate around a subject or lighting a fire under other people is a firebrand. "Fire" is their "brand." Firebrands come in all shapes and sizes: conservative, liberal, militant, creative. Anyone who takes a strong, provocative stance and challenges people with heated rhetoric might be labeled a firebrand. All it takes is guts and a willingness to stir things up. Definitions of firebrand noun a piece of wood that has been burned or is burning synonyms: brand noun someone who deliberately foments trouble آدم فتنه انداز Gov. Dan Patrick, a firebrand who in two terms as second-in-command has driven the Texas Capitol to the hard right over guns, abortion and immigration. The New York Times referred to him as a "firebrand liberal." And welcoming another conservative owner would feel much more comfortable to them than bringing in a firebrand ready to wade into the Kaepernick dispute.

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 noun a variation in circumstances or fortune at different times in your life or in the development of something Despite the "brush stroke of depression" that resulted from losing a parent, he appears to glide right over life's inevitable vicissitudes.

inveigle

When you tell your boyfriend he's not just the best boyfriend ever but also the world's best driver, and this makes him offer to drive the whole way on your upcoming road trip, then congratulations. You know how to inveigle, or use charm to coax someone into doing something. If you successfully inveigle your sister to doing something for you, she must be so caught up in your flattering that she is blind to your true intention. In fact, inveigle comes from the Middle French word aveugler, meaning "delude, make blind," which can be traced back to the Medieval Latin word ab oculis, or "lacking eyes." The people you inveigle don't see what you are really up to. Definitions of inveigle verb influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering Some god inveigled me to come without a cloak. How, for instance, he inveigles a red-headed young woman - "as exotic as a tropical fish" - to pose for his camera, exposing her freckled arms.

cosmopolitan

Worldly or sophisticated; cultured Your Aunt Eleanor, who's lived in six different countries and speaks four languages fluently, might be described as cosmopolitan, or comfortable and familiar with different cultures and people. People who are cosmopolitan have an air of glamour surrounding them, a sense that they've seen a lot of the world and are sophisticated and at ease with all different kinds of people. Places can also be described as cosmopolitan, meaning "diverse," or bustling with lots of people of varying nationalities. Any way you use it, cosmopolitan implies a sophistication, which might explain why both a well-known alcoholic cocktail and a famous women's magazine are both named after the word cosmopolitan. Definitions of cosmopolitan adjective composed of people from or at home in many parts of the world; especially not provincial in attitudes or interests ""his cosmopolitan benevolence impartially extended to all races and to all creeds"- T.B. Macaulay" "the ancient and cosmopolitan societies of Syria and Egypt"

mercenary

You might not want to call a mercenary a "hireling" to his face, but a mercenary is, after all, a soldier who gets paid to fight where needed, sometimes taking a heroic stand and other times just wanting payment for fighting. The word mercenary comes from the Latin mercēnārius, "hireling," which defines someone who will do anything in exchange for money. In history, a mercenary was often a fighter who followed the next paycheck, but in recent decades it's also been used for fighters who pursue a good cause in areas where soldiers are in short supply. A synonym for mercenary is "soldier of fortune," and this phrase sometimes glorifies the mercenary, turning the meaning of "fortune" from "cash" to "luck in battle." noun a person hired to fight for another country than their own synonyms: soldier of fortune types:ninja a member of the ninja who were trained in martial arts and hired for espionage or sabotage or assassinations; a person skilled in ninjutsu type of: adventurer, venture a person who enjoys taking risks In this case, criminals and thugs essentially act as mercenaries. "But my dear Elizabeth," she added, "what sort of girl is Miss King? I should be sorry to think our friend mercenary." When nothing was forthcoming from the mercenary, he looked around at the other men at the bar. The others were as choice a lot of mercenaries as ever graced a dungeon, each uglier than the last.

curmudgeon

a bad-tempered person syn: grouchy Old, cranky, and more than a little stubborn, a curmudgeon is the gruff, grey-haired neighbor who refuses to hand out candy at Halloween and shoos away holiday carolers with a "bah humbug!" As fickle and stubborn as the type of person it describes, curmudgeon comes to us without a history, its origins undisclosed. It was originally believed to have come from coeur mechant, the French phrase for "evil heart," but that theory has been long discarded. Don't worry though, you'll know a curmudgeon when you see one: He'll be ill-tempered and miserly, eager to shake his fist and spout disagreeable opinions. Definitions of curmudgeon noun a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas Dad says his uncle was a charming curmudgeon, which I think means grumpy with some niceness thrown in. Harry is the slam dunk part in this film, the curmudgeon with the funny lines and the sardonic sense of humor. That alone should make football fans sad, even if their Sundays were usually spent rooting against Brady and his curmudgeon coach. "He's not the surly curmudgeon you all think he is. He's funny, he's witty. He's a great card player, average fisherman."

anathema

a cursed, detested person 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 noun a formal ecclesiastical curse accompanied by excommunication see more noun a detested person "he is an anathema to me" منفور،ملعون، The latter, never mind everything else about Massenet, would have been anathema to drama-obsessed Wagner. And spiking gas prices because of the war in Ukraine have led Mr. Biden to take steps that are anathema to climate activists

solecism

a deviation or error in speech, manners, or deeds Ever snore at the opera? Burp at the dinner table? Forget your mom's birthday? Probably all three, right? Well, don't worry. Instead of just screwing up, what you did was commit a solecism. Sounds kinda neat that way, huh? The origin of solecism comes from the ancient Greek word meaning "speaking incorrectly," and solecism does have another meaning that's more specifically verbal. If you say something incorrectly, or make a grammatical error in writing, that's also a solecism. It can be just as mortifying as burping at the dinner table. Well, almost. Definitions of solecism noun a socially awkward or tactless act Politicians of all stripes have used opponents' solecisms to question their intelligence since time immemorial. Malapropisms, solecism and catachresis are examples of this.

pastiche

a dramatic, musical, or literary work made up of bits and pieces from other sources; a hodgepodge The next time you see a movie that you think is a cheap imitation of an older, better movie, you can sound like a film critic by dismissing the picture as a thoughtless pastiche. A pastiche is an artwork that copies the style of another work or that combines various, distinct styles together into one work. A pastiche can also be a musical medley, or the piecing together of various songs. Pastiche comes from the Italian word pasticcio, which can refer to a pie containing a mix of ingredients, such as meat and pasta. Definitions of pastiche noun a work of art that imitates the style of some previous work The last of these quotations is a pastiche, but the other two are real, and all are typical of the inward-looking style that makes academic writing so tedious. While some may still see it as pastiche, there's something refreshing about listening to it without thinking of him arching his eyebrow at you, wearing just his pants. Iconis doesn't apologize for his enthusiasm for pop culture and pastiche.

solicitude

a feeling of excessive concern Solicitude is more-than-average concern for someone. When you're sick in bed, it's nice to have someone around to treat you with solicitude, hovering nearby, bringing you cups of tea, and handing you tissues all day. Someone who shows you solicitude obviously cares about you. You could act with solicitude toward a lost child in a shopping mall if you calm him, dry his tears, and help him find his mother. Sometimes solicitude implies too much concern, bordering on anxiety. The Latin word for agitated is sollicitus — which is also the root of solicitude. Definitions of solicitude noun a feeling of excessive concern "Yes, sir, I did indeed; and I am very much obliged by your kind solicitude about me." After a while, this solicitude becomes indistinguishable from self-pity.

triumph

a great victory or achievement. A triumph is a well-earned victory. It'll make you pump your fist and yell "Hurrah!" Triumph can be a noun or a verb, so you can have a triumph after the big game when you triumph over your opponents. Either way, it's a way to rejoice and a reason to whoop it up. The word comes from the Latin triumphus which is an "achievement, success, procession for a victorious general or admiral." The jury's still out on whether it comes from the Greek thriambos, as a "hymn to Dionysus," but it's fun to imagine that a triumph is a song to the Greek god of party animals. Fittingly, a Triumph is also the name of a motorcycle, a cool car, and a hard rockin' band from Canada. Definitions of triumph noun a successful ending of a struggle or contest "the agreement was a triumph for common sense" It feels like a real triumph to be on the first stone of the walkway.

conviction

a judgment of guilty in court and a strong belief are both ******s. A conviction is something certain: a judgment of guilty in court and a strong belief are both convictions. In the legal world, when a judge or jury convicts someone of a crime — finding them guilty — this is called a conviction. Prosecutors try to get convictions, and defense attorneys try to prevent them. Also, convictions are beliefs — principles. The United States was founded on many convictions, such as the belief in free speech and separation of church and state. When you have a conviction, you're certain of something. Definitions of conviction noun an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence synonyms:article of faith, strong belief noun (criminal law) a final judgment of guilty in a criminal case and the punishment that is imposed "the conviction came as no surprise" synonyms:condemnation, judgment of conviction, sentence

aristocrat

a member of an upper class of society, usually made up of hereditary nobility An aristocrat is someone from the ruling class, usually those with nobility, money, or both. Although not an aristocrat yourself, you may have the odd viscount on your family tree if you go back far enough. The word aristocrat comes from the Greek word aristokratia, which itself comes from the root words aristos, meaning "best," and kratos, meaning "rule." So, the aristocracy was the ruling class of (supposedly) the best and noblest people, and an aristocrat was a member of that class. Today the word can also be applied to anyone with superior standing: Count Basie was an aristocrat in the jazz world. Definitions of aristocrat noun a member of the aristocracy اشراف زاده Probability theory was invented to help rich aristocrats win more money with their gambling. Playing parlor games, dancing the minuet, making snide comments — aristocrats sure do know how to party.

mudslinging

a method in election campaigns that uses gossip and lies to make an opponent look bad A mudslinger is a person who tries to damage someone's reputation with accusations or insults. Mudslingers are always kept busy during political campaigns. If you spread rumors or gossip about another person, whether they are true or false, you are a mudslinger. The terms mudslinger and mudslinging began as "dirt throwing," probably from the Latin saying, "Throw plenty of dirt and some of it will be sure to stick." Some time in the late 1800s, this changed to mud-throwing, mud-gunning, and what was ultimately the term to stick, mudslinging. Definitions of mudslinger noun one who spreads real or alleged scandal about another (usually for political advantage)

quisling

a person who betrays his or her own country by aiding an invading enemy. A quisling is a traitor, especially one who collaborates with an enemy occupying force for personal gain. The term arose because in World War II, Vidkun Quisling, a Norwegian politician, volunteered to help the occupying Nazis rule Norway for Germany. Quisling was tried for treason and executed at the end of the war, and his name became synonymous with traitor and collaborator. The word quisling is not commonly used in the United States, however, probably because the American term for a traitor is "Benedict Arnold," the name of a Revolutionary War turncoat. Definitions of quisling noun someone who collaborates with an enemy occupying force We quickly see that Travis is a quisling, the guy the officers send out to calm down those less comfortable with occupation and imprisonment.

parvenu

a person who has suddenly become wealthy, but not socially accepted as part of a higher class arriviste A parvenu is an upstart, somebody who's suddenly rich but doesn't fit into his new social status. If you're a parvenu, people might also describe you as "nouveau-riche" or an "arriviste." Maybe it's not quite so insulting in French. The Beverly Hillbillies, a sitcom from the 1960s, featured the Clampetts, classic parvenus who strike oil in their backwoods swampland. They arrive at their mansion in Beverly Hills, dressed in overalls, in their pick-up truck, with their shabby furniture strapped on top. As parvenus, they don't fit in — to say the least. Parvenu is from French, and it's the past participle of parvenir, "arrived." Definitions of parvenu noun a person who has suddenly risen to a higher economic status but has not gained social acceptance of others in that class His mother, "born of samurai stock" and married to "a parvenu beneath herself," succumbed to mental illness six months after Ryunosuke's birth.

philistine

a person who is guided by materialism and is disdainful of intellectual or artistic values A philistine is a person who doesn't think a lot and isn't interested in learning. Your uncle Marvin, who's only interested in eating, sleeping, and watching game shows, could be considered a philistine. In the late 17th century, during a conflict in Jena, Germany, between townspeople and students, someone referred to the townspeople as "Philistines." Since then, philistine has described someone who stands against learning and the arts. And if you don't start reading the great Russian authors, someone might suggest that you have a philistine attitude toward literature — the word can also be used as an adjective describing a person or thing that displays indifference to the arts and intellectual pursuits. Definitions of philistine noun a person who is uninterested in intellectual pursuits Even for a philistine like me, who fell asleep when a date took her to the opera, "Aria Code" presents a mesmerizing appreciation of these powerful solo performances brimming with universal feelings. Let me reassure you, you are not a hopeless philistine if you find this all a bit foolish. **A philistine who used ideas solely to pursue her practical and above all moral purposes, Thatcher was the antithesis of an intellectual: "I am not by nature either introspective or retrospective," she declared.

pedantry

a pretentious display of knowledge You know that person who is always interrupting other people, correcting their grammar or their facts? That's pedantry, or inappropriately showing off your knowledge. The noun pedantry refers to the behavior of a pedant, which comes from the French word pédant, meaning "schoolmaster." While it is a schoolmaster's job to ensure that students learn, someone who is guilty of pedantry just seems to brag, using his or her knowledge to get attention or seem better educated than the people around him or her. Definitions of pedantry noun an ostentatious and inappropriate display of learning عالم نما This logician would be unbearably pedantic, but there is a grain of good taste in the pedantry. As Winston Churchill never actually said, it's the kind of pedantry "up with which I will not put".

panegyric

a public speech or published text in praise of someone or something. synonyms:encomium, eulogy, paean, pean A formal, high-minded speech can be described with a formal, high-minded word — the word panegyric, which is a very elaborate tribute to someone. You could consider most eulogies as panegyrics. eulogies: مدیحه سرایی It stands to reason that the original use of the word panegyris, from which panegyric derives, was to describe a public gathering in honor of a Greek god. The Latin, L. panegyricus, altered slightly to mean "public eulogy," which around the 16th Century shifted to the French panégyrique, which meant "laudation." In any case, the word today stands for high praise given in a speech or tribute as highfalutin as the word itself sounds. Definitions of panegyric adjective formally expressing praise synonyms: encomiastic, eulogistic, panegyrical complimentary conveying or resembling a compliment noun a formal expression of praise synonyms:encomium, eulogy, paean, pean type of: congratulations, extolment, kudos, praise an expression of approval and commendation از یکی حسابی تعریف کردن

enigma

a puzzle; a mystery Use the noun enigma to refer to something that is a puzzle or a mystery. Why do you have to learn difficult words like this? That is an enigma. Traveling to English from Greek by means of the Latin word for "riddle," enigma refers to something or someone that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to figure out. Many things have been named Enigma, including a rock band, a video game, a rollercoaster ride, and a very famous coding machine used in World War II. noun something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained "It is actually a lost piece, it is an enigma, but it is his most beloved piece. So I thought, OK, there are enough unknown parts that I can project myself." Howle's character is more of an enigma, but the bond these two strangers share ultimately changes their lives.

atavism

a reappearance of an earlier characteristic a tendency to revert to something ancient or ancestral. Atavism is a return to a previous way of doing, saying, or seeing things. It can be casual, like wearing retro clothing and listening to vinyl records, or committed, like living in a straw hut without electricity. It makes sense that atavism comes from a Latin word meaning "forefather," since it refers to a way of doing things like our ancestors did them. It's often used negatively, though, to refer to behavior the speaker finds primitive or unacceptable. Atavists are often called "throwbacks." In biology, the term atavism or "evolutionary throwback" is used when animals are born with features that had disappeared, such as legs on a whale. Definitions of atavism noun a reappearance of an earlier characteristic 1. شباهت به نیاکان 2. نیاکان گرایی They pick up a female Native American auto mechanic along the way, but her survival smarts, and her ethics, run up against the increasing atavism they encounter. Technicolor chivalry and cultural atavism aside,

chronicle

a record of events in order of time; a history To chronicle an event is to record it as it happens, and a chronicle is a record of those events. If your grandmother took the time to chronicle the details of her 1910 journey to Japan, you can read her chronicle today. To chronicle something is to describe past or current events. Chronicle is related to chronological and comes from the Greek ta khronika, which means "annals of time." Events are usually chronicled in the order in which they occurred. The noun chronicle is a record of things that happened — told in chronological order, like the diary you kept in elementary school. It is a chronicle of those years. Definitions of chronicle noun a record or narrative description of past events synonyms:account, history, story شرح وقایع، تاریخچه "In the morning, perhaps we will see the king march by. I'll record it for my chronicle."

reprisal

a retaliation for an injury A reprisal is an act of retaliation, especially one committed by one country against another. If you attack your enemy's village and cause lots of damage, expect a reprisal. Reprisal comes from the French for taking back, and used to mean the seizure of property as a compensation for some earlier loss. Now we use it more in the sense of a retaliatory attack. When Germany bombed London during World War II, the British reprisals included the bombing of Berlin. Reprisal doesn't always have to be about war; you can use it for any act of retaliation. Definitions of reprisal noun a retaliatory action against an enemy in wartime To be this vulnerable, effectively without fear of reprisal or public collapse, is perhaps the ultimate test of celebrity. Now many American allies and partners remain in the country, potentially vulnerable to Taliban reprisals. In reprisal, Angier doesn't print Ute's name in the book until the acknowledgments page, and does not list her in the index.

provocateur

a secret agent who incites suspected persons to commit illegal acts A provocateur has the job of convincing people to commit crimes. Usually, a provocateur works for a police department or government. If police want to catch a criminal in the act, they might use a provocateur to induce the suspect to buy drugs, for example, so officers can swoop in and make an arrest. Provocateur is a shortened form of "agent provocateur," used since the late 1800s to mean "person hired to make trouble." When police officers pretend to join protests — such as those at political conventions — with the goal of inciting people to violence and then arresting them, they act as provocateurs. Definitions of provocateur noun a secret agent who incites suspected persons to commit illegal acts With him, the composer as agent provocateur had arrived. Their role was to act as agents provocateurs, and they would attempt to push us around, take our food, and inhibit any political discussions we tried to have. The government also infiltrated spies and agents provocateurs into the organization. Coleman is a classicist who studied at Oxford and a former consultant for McKinsey & Company who clearly enjoys his role as a provocateur.

phantasmagoria

a sequence of real or imaginary images like those seen in a dream Dream-like visions can be called a phantasmagoria. If you've ever had a very high fever, you might have experienced seeing a phantasmagoria of strange images in your half-awake, feverish state. The strange, hallucinatory images you might see in a dream are a phantasmagoria. Even when you're awake, if you see odd or fantastic things — either real or imagined — they're a phantasmagoria. The word was invented by a French dramatist in 1801, who used the Greek word for "image," phantasma to make the French word phantasmagorie. The word referred to a "magic lantern" show, which in the 1800s was a popular display of projected images. Definitions of phantasmagoria noun a constantly changing medley of real or imagined images (as in a dream) They can help us grasp what Didion called "the shifting phantasmagoria" of the human experience. خواب های تشنجی

logjam

a situation that seems irresolvable A logjam is just what it sounds like: a bunch of logs all jammed together, blocking the flow of water in a river or stream. You can also call other kinds of blockages logjams — like a traffic logjam that develops due to rubbernecking drivers trying to check out a crash. Logjams change the way water flows in a river, sometimes creating new channels and pools from the overflow of water. This can be good for spawning fish, but sometimes a logjam causes flooding and other problems. This has given rise to the figurative logjam, a problem that stops or blocks progress: "The disagreement caused a logjam in Congress until the President stepped in." Definitions of logjam noun an immovable mass of logs blocking a river noun any stoppage attributable to unusual activity "the legislation ran into a logjam" This year, logistical logjams have made it even harder for booksellers to catch up to the surge in interest.

artifice

a skillful or ingenious device; a clever trick; a clever skill; trickery If a politician pretends to be angry as a way of rousing the anger of the voters and getting more votes, he's guilty of artifice — a subtle and crafty trick. Before taking on its current meaning, artifice meant a skilled piece of workmanship. A beautiful diamond bracelet might have been considered a piece of artifice, for example; now it would only be called artifice if the diamonds were fake. Definitions of artifice noun a deceptive maneuver (especially to avoid capture) Yes, "The Evil Dead" was a product of artifice, but it was a notably human artifice. it's about artifice and selling lies and keeping a sense of yourself while doing so. "Her one song is so genuinely moving," Catsoulis wrote, "it only underscores the emotional artifice surrounding it."

handful

a small number or amount A handful is just a little of something, or the amount you can hold in your hand. It can be a literal handful, like a handful of popcorn, or it can mean just a few, like a handful of trucks. You might find yourself eating handfuls of raspberries when you're supposed to be picking them to make jam. Another meaning of handful is "just a few," as in "There are only a handful of dogs at the dog park this morning." And a third way to use this word is to mean "incredibly difficult to handle." If your mom says, "You were a handful when you were a toddler," she means you were not easy. Definitions of handful noun the quantity that can be held in the hand

brook

a small stream tolerate or allow (something, typically dissent or opposition) A brook is a small stream. On a hot day, you might enjoy wading in a babbling brook. As a verb, brook is a rather stuffy word for "put up with." The lord of the manor might say, "I will brook no trespassing on my land." Brook is tailor-made for talking about what you won't stand for — it's always "brook no..." If you brook no criticism of your friend, it means you won't let people speak ill of her. If you brook no brooks, it means you've developed a bizarre hatred of streams and will spend the rest of your days trying to avoid them. I brook no foolishness if I can help it. But he also said no dissent would be brooked the brook pumps about 2.2 billion gallons of freshwater

pariah

a social outcast 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 noun a person who is rejected (from society or home) As detailed in the series, the woman who was once a darling of the Republican Party became a pariah as soon as she began insisting publicly on the president's corruption. Russia is already widely considered a pariah in international sporting circles after a yearslong, state-backed doping program corrupted a series of international sporting events, including world championships and multiple editions of the Olympic Games. ​

turmoil

a state of great confusion or disorder; mental strain or agitation Mashed potatoes flew in one direction, peas in another. Kids were standing on chairs. The principal was shouting, but no one listened. "Food fight!" the seniors cried. The cafeteria was in a state of turmoil. Turmoil rhymes with boil — think of the way that boiling water moves, and you'll understand what turmoil looks like. It refers to confusion, chaos, violent disturbance. The economy can be in turmoil — the markets behaving erratically, people losing their jobs, and no one understanding why. Definitions of turmoil noun a violent disturbance The streets were in turmoil, with people and carriages racing about. The phrase evokes one of the foundations of Kehlani's music: a commitment to openness and fearless vulnerability in the face of romantic turmoil.

martinet

a strict disciplinarian; a stickler for the rules Use the noun martinet to describe someone who is a stickler when it comes to following rules, such as the teacher who won't accept homework if it is written in a color other than blue. Pronounce martinet with the accent on the last syllable: "mar-ti-NET." Jean Martinet, the man for whom the word was coined, would insist you say his name correctly. He was a legendary drillmaster for the French army during the reign of Louis XIV. In 1779, a hundred years after Martinet's death, martinet came to mean any officer who was as strict and demanding in adhering to the rules as Martinet himself. Definitions of martinet noun someone who demands exact conformity to rules and forms His martinet father upbraids every family member present In her first autobiography, Davis described ruling her Girl Scout troupe like a martinet: "I had to be the best. Nothing ever satisfied me."

embodiment

a tangible or visible form of an idea, quality, or feeling The embodiment of something gives concrete form to an abstract idea. A flag is the embodiment of a country. When you talk about embodiment, you're talking about giving a form to ideas that are usually not physical: like love, hate, fear, justice, etc. A gavel is the embodiment of justice; a wedding ring can be the embodiment of love. The word body in embodiment is a clue to its meaning: this is a word for giving a body to things that usually don't have one. Definitions of embodiment noun a concrete representation of an otherwise nebulous concept "a circle was the embodiment of his concept of life" He was a sort of musical embodiment of Ellis Island, I must now become the actual leader, the face, the voice, the embodiment of the revolution. The Winstons were the embodiment of the Double V, and Mary took her duties as secretary as seriously as if she were the head of the club. "You are the embodiment of selfishness," she said.

anachronism

a thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, especially a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned. An anachronism is something that doesn't fit its time period, like if you say you'll "dial" your smartphone. Anachronism comes from the Greek roots ana- which means "against" and chron- which means "time." Together they represent a situation in which something happens that should not because it belongs to another time period. You see anachronisms all the time in the movies — they occur when you see a jet fly over a Civil War battle! Or knights jousting over a maiden during the time of Shakespeare! Definitions of anachronism noun the act of locating something at a time when it could not have existed or occurred synonyms:misdating, mistiming Nor are Fierstein's anachronisms and vulgar jokes about sex

chimera

a thing which is hoped for but is illusory or impossible to achieve. A chimera is something you've imagined that's bits and pieces of other things mashed together into a new horrible fantasy, something impossible in real life that only exists in your mind. In Greek mythology, a chimera is a monster that has a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail. And it breathes fire. No creature like that has ever existed, but the idea seemed real and terrifying to Greeks, and that's another meaning: an idea that feels real but is impossible, like the idea of a world without evil. Pronouncing the word is very possible though; just try it one of two ways: either kye-MEER-uh or kih-MEER-uh. Both work. Definitions of chimera noun a grotesque product of the imagination synonyms: chimera **Brit Bennett's new novel, "The Vanishing Half," grapples with that American racial chimera known as passing for white.

bromide

a trite or commonplace remark; a tiresome or boring person; a sedative A bromide is a common saying or proverb that is obvious and not that helpful, like "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." Some people love to say things like "Follow your dreams" and "Love takes hard work." Such trite, clichéd sayings are bromides. A bromide isn't very helpful or specific, and people tend to say them over and over again. The word bromide comes from the chemical compound made of the element bromine and another metal. This kind of bromide was historically used as a sedative, a medicine that dulls your senses, just as figurative bromides are boring and dull. Definitions of bromide noun a trite or obvious remark synonyms:banality, cliche, commonplace, platitude Similarly, the bromide "life is priceless" is less a thought than an evasion of thinking.

presentiment

a vague sense of approaching misfortune Do you ever have the feeling that something bad is about to happen? That's called a presentiment. The word presentiment comes from the Latin word præsentire, meaning "to sense beforehand." Some people call it a "gut feeling." For example, if you leave for a trip and something doesn't feel right, you may chalk it up to just being nervous. But later, when your flight is cancelled and you lose your luggage, you may remember that little twinge — the presentiment that something bad was about to happen. Definitions of presentiment noun a feeling of evil to come "the lawyer had a presentiment that the judge would dismiss the case" It snowed before dawn, a light dusting of snowflakes, a presentiment of the deep snows that would come further into the winter. Three Ligeti etudes from the 1980s and '90s proved that Rachmaninoff and Scriabin, as she presented them, were presentiments of the modernism of the distant future. It's also Southern California to its core, full of songs about journeys and dreams and enchantments and presentiments.

epigram

a witty saying expressing a single thought or observation An epigram is a short, clever remark. One of Oscar Wilde's many memorable epigrams is "I can resist everything but temptation." Epigram comes from the Latin word epigramma, which means "an inscription." If you've ever seen an inscription on, say, the back of a watch, you know the writing has to be brief. It won't surprise you, then, that epigrams are very short poems, sayings, or famous quotations, like Benjamin Franklin's "Little strokes fell great oaks," a memorable reminder to keep working toward big goals or to pay attention to little details, the opposite of an epigram from our era: "Don't sweat the small stuff." Definitions of epigram noun a witty saying synonyms:quip noun a short, witty, and often satirical poem focusing on a single topic or observation An epigram is a funny little remark or poem — you could get one by telegram! But an epigraph reminds you of your graphite pencil, because it's always written down.

malapropism

a word humorously misused A malapropism occurs when you say one word but you mean another, like instead of saying a certain restaurant is prosperous, you say it is preposterous. As you can tell, malapropisms are often humorous, though sometimes the joke is on the speaker. The word malapropism, pronounced "mah-luh-PRAH-pih-zum," comes from the French phrase mal à propos, which means "ill-suited." Playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan must have been thinking of the French phrase when he created his character Mrs. Malaprop, who made audiences howl with laughter when she used the wrong word. Examples include saying "allegory" instead of "alligator," and "illiterate him from your memory" instead of "obliterate." Definitions of malapropism noun the unintentional misuse of a word by Needless to say, the malapropism is completely nonsensical — and therefore hilarious.

protean

able to change shape; displaying great variety When Picasso is described as a protean genius, it means that not only was he brilliant, but he changed the way he worked many times. Protean means able to change shape. Proteus was a Greek god who could tell the future, but when he was asked a question he didn't want to answer, he would change shapes. With someone or something protean, you get all the power of shape-shifting, plus some of the menace of a god you cannot control. Definitions of protean adjective taking on different forms "eyes...of that baffling protean grey which is never twice the same" The ghost story shape-shifts because ghosts themselves are so protean — they emanate from specific cultural fears and fantasies. Top it off with his lovely holiday album from 2011, "A Dreamers Christmas," if you find yourself cheered by Zorn's consistently protean energies.

invective

abusive language Invective is harsh, abusive language, like "you dirty rotten scoundrel." I'm sure you can think of harsher and more obscene examples, but we won't get into them here. Invective comes from the Latin for "abusive." It kind of sounds like a harsh word, actually, with those sharp, dagger-like V's. People usually put a colorful verb or phrase before it. Some examples: "She spewed invective," "She hurled invective," "She burst forth into invective." You can follow it with a phrase like, "picking up her plate and throwing it across the room." Definitions of invective noun abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill will There was, of course, the defensiveness of Trump's supporters, who were at pains to insist that despite the elaborate insults and bullying invective, Trump meant no harm to anyone. After witnessing the bitter invectives hurled at her for recognizing the warnings her brain and body were providing, I really wish that these episodes of "Ted Lasso" were more broadly available. Mr. Smith routinely took President Trump to task for his falsehoods and invective

feat

achievement A feat is an exemplary, even bold achievement, often an act of great courage or skill. Getting your cat to wear a leash was quite a feat. The noun feat developed from the Latin facere, meaning "make do." Today, it gets applied to a deed that's noble or out of the ordinary. Have you ever accomplished amazing feats in your dreams, like flying? If so, I hope you didn't wake up on the roof. Maybe you perform feats of daring in your everyday life, if you're a firefighter or a tightrope walker. If you're afraid of heights, just taking the glass elevator counts as a courageous feat! Definitions of feat noun a notable achievement "he performed a great feat" Taking on Thatcher's unique British accent, however, was no small feat.

impetuous

acting or done quickly and without thought or care has to do with doing things on the spur of the moment Someone impetuous acts too hastily or carelessly. Hotheaded, impulsive folks are impetuous. If you're a careful person who thinks everything through and doesn't act rashly, then you're not very impetuous. Impetuous has to do with doing things on the spur of the moment — and not good things. Being impetuous usually goes along with being impatient and easily angered. If you're impetuous, you act quickly and thoughtlessly when you should just take a deep breath, relax, and think about the best thing to do. Definitions of impetuous adjective characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation "an impetuous display of spending and gambling" As I think about my impetuous brother, I can imagine him being that young man who made a run for the forest, doing everything he possibly could to try to survive. "Thalia would not have been my first choice to go on this quest. She's too impetuous. She acts without thinking. She is too sure of herself." He is an impetuous, impatient man, the type of fellow who stands in front of a microwave oven, aggravated it is not cooking faster.

perfunctory

acting routinely with little interest or care 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 adjective hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough "perfunctory courtesy" For months, Mr. Sullivan had barely uttered a word to Ms. Wagner, except for a perfunctory "hello" or "how was your weekend." سرسری

ingenue

actress playing the role of a naive young woman; naive young woman What do Ophelia, Snow White, and Sandy from the movie "Grease" all have in common? You could call each one an ingénue, or a young female character in literature or film who is wholesome and innocent. Ingénue comes from the French ingénu meaning "ingenuous, innocent." The term is used to describe the innocent girl stock character in film or literature. She's usually gentle, sweet, virginal, and pretty naive — which makes her susceptible to the harsh dangers of the world. Ingénue can also be used to describe an actress who specializes in playing this kind of character specifically. Definitions of ingenue noun an artless innocent young girl (especially as portrayed on the stage) "I don't know. I don't have that whole ingenue thing down like she does." But it was in cinema that she found herself cast as the perfect ingenue.

desiccated

adjective lacking vitality or spirit; lifeless To be desiccated is to be dried out. If you like desiccated fruit, you like dried fruit — such as raisins or dried apricots. Something that's described with the adjective desiccated is extremely dry, or parched. During a drought, the ground becomes cracked and desiccated. Removing moisture and humidity from something is what makes it become desiccated. The Latin root, desiccatus, means "to make very dry." Definitions of desiccated adjective thoroughly dried out synonyms:dried-out Wildland is land so desiccated that a spark can turn it into an uncontrollable wildfire.

magisterial

adjective offensively self-assured or given to exercising usually unwarranted power A person who is magisterial can be distinguished and grand, or possibly just conceited and bossy. You will learn a lot if you listen to a magisterial presentation of early American history. The Latin word for teacher is magister, so think of magisterial as describing a person with the great authority of a teacher or learned person. It can also mean related to the office of magistrate — think of magisterial documents or inquiries into a matter. If, however, someone calls you magisterial, he or she may think you are a bit pompous. It will irritate you if a person speaks to you in a magisterial tone! Definitions of magisterial adjective of or relating to a magistrate "official magisterial functions" adjective used of a person's appearance or behavior; befitting an eminent person "she reigned in magisterial beauty" synonyms:distinguished, grand, imposing dignified having or expressing dignity; especially formality or stateliness in bearing or appearance adjective offensively self-assured or given to exercising usually unwarranted power "managed the employees in an aloof magisterial way" synonyms: autocratic, bossy, dominating, high-and-mighty, peremptory domineering tending to domineer دیکتاتوروار The chaotic capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka is home to Kahn's magisterial Parliament complex, which was completed in 1983 and remains a constant source of inspiration for one of Asia's most vibrant architectural communities. Fawcett's magisterial study of conservatives in the United States, magisterial cleverness , a magisterial elegance. While remaining as fiery as ever, Sanders had developed an interest in soaring, magisterial melodies, and the rhythms of his recordings, while dense and multi-layered, often hewed toward a steady groove. A piece of magisterial art:

pyrrhic

adjective: describing a victory that comes at such a great cost that the victory is not worthwhile George W. Bush's win in the 2000 election was in many ways a pyrrhic victory: the circumstances of his win alienated half of the U.S. population. Use the adjective pyrrhic to describe a victory that is won, but at too great a cost. In this use as an adjective, the word is often capitalized. The word pyrrhic comes from the Greek general, Pyrrhus, who defeated the Romans at the Battle of Asculum but lost so many troops that he couldn't defeat Rome itself. If you are the winner in an argument with your brother, but the fight ends up ruining your relationship with him, it's a Pyrrhic victory. An ancient Greek war dance is also called a pyrrhic. Definitions of pyrrhic adjective of or relating to or resembling Pyrrhus or his exploits (especially his sustaining staggering losses in order to defeat the Romans) "a Pyrrhic victory"

Pollyannaish

adjective: extremely optimistic Synonyms : cheerful , upbeat Someone who is unfailingly cheerful — no matter what — can be described as pollyannaish. If your friend tells you some terribly bad news, it would be pollyannaish to say, "Yes, but it's such a beautiful day!" While the adjective pollyannaish describes an optimistic outlook and a determined cheeriness, it also implies that this attitude is taken too far. When you put a positive spin on everything, even things that call for sadness or discouragement, you're being pollyannaish. The word comes from a 1913 children's book by Eleanor H. Porter, Pollyanna, about a young girl who tries to find something positive in every situation — a trick she calls "the Glad Game." Definitions of pollyannaish adjective pleasantly (even unrealistically) optimistic Even in the midst of a lousy sales quarter, Debbie remained Pollyannaish, never losing her shrill voice and wide smile, even when prospective customers hung up on her. ​

meteoric

adjective: like a meteor in speed or brilliance or transience The early spectacular successes propelled the pitcher to meteoric stardom, but a terribly injury tragically cut short his career. Because meteors move through the sky so quickly, we often refer to something moving very fast as meteoric. A newly-popular singer might be said to experience a meteoric rise to the top. (The fall can be meteoric, too.) The "-ic" suffix on a word creates an adjective meaning "with the characteristics of." So meteoric means "having the characteristics of a meteor." Both words take their origin from the Greek meteōros, meaning "high up." By the way, a shooting star is meteoric, being a meteor that is burning up as it plunges through the earth's atmosphere. Definitions of meteoric adjective pertaining to or consisting of meteors or meteoroids "meteoric shower" "meteoric impacts" adjective of or pertaining to atmospheric phenomena, especially weather and weather conditions "meteoric (or meteorological) phenomena" synonyms:meteorologic, meteorological adjective like a meteor in speed or brilliance or transience "a meteoric rise to fame" Synonyms:fast acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly the meteoric rise Around the time "Moonlight" was released, a writer for The New York Times conceded that Ali's rise, unlike those of some of his peers, "has not been meteoric." meteoric rise

appurtenant

adjective: supply added support Synonyms : accessory , adjunct , adjuvant , ancillary , auxiliary In hiking Mt. Everest, sherpas are appurtenant, helping climbers both carry gear and navigate treacherous paths. Something that is appurtenant helps or supports something else. Good physical health is appurtenant to mental well-being. The adjective appurtenant sounds similar to pertinent, and you can use the two words in the same way, to show that something relates or belongs to something else. Appurtenant shows up a lot in scholarly writing, in situations like a building addition that fits, or is appurtenant to the original structure, or a legal decision about whether a claim of discrimination is appurtenant to a particular law. Definitions of appurtenant adjective furnishing added support synonyms: accessory, adjunct, adjuvant, ancillary, auxiliary supportive furnishing support or assistance مربوط و مرتبط هم معنی میدهد the danger that China might become politically appurtenant to some foreign power of group of powers. That which belongs to something else; an appurtenant.

indulge

allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of. "we indulged in a cream tea" allow (someone) to enjoy something desired. "a luxury service used to indulge the chief executive" when you indulge, you enjoy or take part in something just because you want to — like indulging in a celebrity gossip magazine: you know you should be doing something more constructive, but you don't care. When you indulge someone else, you go along with whatever they want to do. verb treat with excessive indulgence verb enjoy to excess "She indulges in ice cream" indulge his love of ice skating on its iced-over grounds. Just for a moment, let's indulge in a little hot take artist cosplay and look at the team's fake quarterback controversy. Rooney did, however, indulge Oliver's request "The rides got me involved again and also let me indulge my love for beers and biking." indulge in a lot of table work I try not to ever indulge in thoughts of feeling awkward or uncomfortable.

recrimination

an accusation made in reply; a counter charge Sometimes you accuse your opponent of refusing to compromise and he accuses you of the same thing. That's a recrimination, an accusation or insult that's hurled back at someone. If you've ever been in a verbal disagreement with someone, odds are that you've experienced recriminations. You can remember it by noticing that crim as in "crime" is part of the word. When recriminations fly back and forth between two sides, each accuses the other of crimes in the metaphorical sense. Once the emergencies of a disaster have been taken care of, recriminations are sometimes hurled at those in charge for the way the crisis was handled. Definitions of recrimination noun mutual accusations اتهام متقابل، تهمت متقابل I part from my wife with no recriminations. While the spat is full of unsubstantiated theories and unsolicited recriminations, it boils down to a fight about the house Fite built that adjoins his masterful creation. But feelings and recriminations among faculty, students and staff remain raw.

cult

an organized group of people with an obsessive devotion to a person or set of principles People argue about whether the major religions of the world are just well-established cults — that, age and size aside, they are no different from any group that follows a spiritual leader. A cult is group of people defined by a "religious" devotion to something — often a self-appointed leader. Most people view cults as strange and frightening, mostly because cults have, over the years, done some strange and frightening things, including murders and mass suicides. Sometimes, too, you'll see cult used as an adjective to describe something or someone with a small, devoted fan-base. John Water's movies are cult favorites, adored by a select group of film lovers but not by the public at large. Definitions of cult noun a system of religious beliefs and rituals فرقه a film that a certain group of people admire very much 2. ADJECTIVE [ADJECTIVE noun] Cult is used to describe things that are very popular or fashionable among a particular group of people. Since her death, she has become a cult figure. The film is destined to become a cult classic. The Osaka-based group is popular home in Japan and has developed a cult following in the United States. عده کوچکی طرفدار دو اتیشه چیزی باشن.مثلا یه کالت مووی Proficiency in the water, for me, has become a source of liberation from the cults of outrage and optimization (طرفداری بیش از اندازه از ...)on land. In the depths of the pandemic, an unlikely cult favorite emerged in the English-speaking world. The shuffle function of iPods acquired their own kind of cult following, the device choosing songs at random.

semblance

an outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading Semblance is all about illusion. Cramming all of your dirty clothes into the closet gives the semblance, or false appearance, that you've done your laundry — but the stench might give you away. Semblance comes from the 14th-century French word for "resemble," and it is a noun for things that look one way on the outside but are very different on the inside. A popular combination is to say that a person or place has the "semblance of order," when, underneath, everything is out of control. Definitions of semblance noun an outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading "he hoped his claims would have a semblance of authenticity" ظاهرش هست در حالی که توش یه چیز دیگس Afterward she went about the task of restoring a semblance of order to the mess the police had created. At least a semblance of normality has been restored to parts of the country. They had nursed Peter back to some semblance of health. Angela and Odessa seem scrambled, too; they exchange positions in their arguments, perhaps to maintain the semblance of conflict where little exists.

litany

any long, repetitive, or dull recital A litany is a long, repetitive list or series of grievances, like your picky brother's litany of complaints about dinner or the litany of critical comments your English teacher writes in the margins of your essay. The original meaning of litany is a purely religious one. During some Christian services, a member of the clergy recites a litany, a lengthy call-and-response type of prayer. The word's Greek root means "entreaty," and in this religious context, that's an entreaty to God. Its more popular, secular meaning tends to be used in a negative way, as in your grandpa's litany of aches and pains or the litany of complaints from passengers on a stalled subway car. Definitions of litany noun a prayer consisting of a series of invocations by the clergy with responses from the congregation noun any long and tedious address or recital "the patient recited a litany of complaints" "a litany of failures" A litany of personal humiliation, outrage, and anger turned sicklelike back to themselves as humor. When he came back on, he was quick and curt and aggressive, and rattled off a litany of questions. Though part of a litany aimed at Tuvy, her political rival, Dr. Sweet Mother's words are too explicit not to be a warning for the reader.

factitious

artificial If you create a "diamond" out of plastic, then you've created a factitious diamond, meaning that it's a phony. Factitious, pronounced "fac-TISH-us," means "fake," like a factitious compliment you give the person who cooked you an awful meal — you don't mean it, but you say it anyway, just to be nice. As he or she happily walks away, another friend might whisper, "Were you being facetious about the dinner being good?" Facetious, pronounced "fuh-SEE-shuhs," means "trying to be funny." Don't confuse factitious with facetious — or fictitious, which means "made up." Definitions of factitious adjective not produced by natural forces; artificial or fake It's good that he's sharing it with us, but it comes packaged with a theme so transparently factitious that one can't take it seriously. ​

moribund

at the point of death; in terminal decline Something that is moribund is almost dead, like a moribund economy that has been stuck in a recession for years. In Latin, mori means "to die." You probably recognize this root in words like mortal, mortician, and mortuary. Moribund means "near death," but it can also mean something that is coming to an end, nearly obsolete, or stagnant. For example, as streaming videos over the Internet becomes a more and more popular way to watch movies and television shows, the DVD has become a moribund medium. Definitions of moribund adjective being on the point of death; breathing your last "a moribund patient" Streaming, which helped turn around the moribund fortunes of the 21st-century music industry, has also cemented a pop production model in which few stars write their own material.

grandiloquent

attempting to impress with big words or grand gestures Grandiloquent is a fancy term for, well, being fancy or pretentious. In fact, you might say grandiloquent is itself a pretty grandiloquent word. The word grandiloquent generally refers to the way a person behaves or speaks. Politicians and schoolteachers are the usual suspects of this manner of behavior, known as grandiloquence, but it can refer to anything that's overbearing or pompous in style or manner. Architecture, especially, is highly guilty of being grandiloquent — if you check out just about anything built in the Baroque style, you could describe it as grandiloquent. Definitions of grandiloquent adjective lofty in style Steve would speak to the warders in a condescending and grandiloquent style that they probably did not understand. Its use in Black Swan is self-explanatory - it is more obviously grandiloquent and excessive and appropriate to the fireworks going off in Nina's head. It's all impressively grandiloquent stuff, but when it ends, the singer strikes a note of humility.

impute

attribute or credit to The verb impute can be used to blame someone for doing something bad, give credit for good work, or just tell it like it is, like when you impute your lateness to my not telling you where to meet me. When you impute something, you name the cause of something that has happened. For example, you might impute your ability to sing well to the thousands of dollars your parents spent in voice lessons. In other words, you name the source. You can also impute a person, like imputing to a teacher your love of learning — he or she helped you become more interested in school and your classes. Definitions of impute verb attribute or credit to "People impute great cleverness to cats" attribute (responsibility or fault) to a cause or source "The teacher imputed the student's failure to his nervousness" He imputes a political discomfort to critiques like Als's that isn't entirely fair, but he writes ardently and protectively. The bourgeois have very good reasons for imputing supernatural creative power to labour . Like Van Gogh's brush work, Thomas's imputes electricity or some other unseen energy to the whole of the universe.

effrontery

audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to If you rudely behave as if you have a right to something that you have no right to, you're committing effrontery. When a couple stroll into a crowded restaurant, demand the best table, and threaten the staff unless they're seated right away, that's effrontery. People have been guilty of outrageously self-centered behavior at least since 1715, when effrontery was coined. Tracing to the French word effronté, meaning "shameless," the word effrontery is also connected to brazen, which means "of brass," and describes someone so accustomed to effrontery that he's hardened to it and has no concern for the harm done to others. Definitions of effrontery noun audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to Leaving everybody to wonder where she had learned her effrontery from. He has the effrontery to tell me to my face that I'm too old to ride with him.

bilious

bad tempered; cross If an unpleasant meal has left you feeling grumpy and looking green, you're bilious in several senses of the word. This adjective can mean both "troubled by indigestion" and "irritable," and it can also be used to suggest a sickly green shade. The wonderfully descriptive word bilious comes from the root bile, which is a foul green fluid made in the liver and stored in the gall bladder — a fact that helps us picture something described as bilious as being really foul. Because of the connection with bile, we often refer to something that's an ugly shade of green as being bilious. Of course, the word can also be more kindly applied to someone who has a liver or gall bladder disorder. The paintings' bilious colors and sticky-looking surfaces only amplify their psychological effect. informal bad-tempered; irritable ​

epitomize

be a perfect example of If you epitomize something, you're a perfect example of that thing. If you never get nervous when playing basketball and can always make that last-second shot, your teammates might say you epitomize mental toughness. A person can epitomize something — usually an abstract quality, like grace or greed — but epitomize can apply to other things as well. A popular band might epitomize the spirit of the new decade, which means it has all the main characteristics associated with the era's music, like long folksy beards, pretty harmonies, and earnest lyrics. A frustrating situation at work involving careless coworkers might make you say that they epitomize everything that's wrong with your job. Definitions of epitomize verb embody the essential characteristics of or be a typical example of His play epitomizes the "valuable" part of MVP. And talented freshman Laila Phelia, who perhaps best epitomizes the direction of a program on the rise, managed to shake her defender for a couple of easy baskets. It also epitomized the efforts to not only improve the roster but expand the player pool since the program's epic failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Mississippi: Austin's struggles epitomized the game for the Rebels.

tyro

beginner; novice A tyro is a beginner, a new recruit, or someone who is just learning something. If you are the new guy at the job and you're wearing a big badge that says "Trainee" on it, you are a tyro. Tyro isn't used much these days but it's similar to newbie, novice, or recruit. We have all been tyros at some point. Tyro can also be used as an adjective to describe someone new to a particular scene — such as "the tyro congressman" or "the tyro quarterback." Definitions of tyro noun someone new to a field or activity synonyms:beginner, initiate, novice, tiro

benighted

being in a state of intellectual darkness; ignorant; unenlightened جهل اندیش، مردم و یا یک دوره تاریخی بدوی Being called benighted is much like being called naive. It means lacking in knowledge or understanding—the kind you might have if you were older or more sophisticated. Although it sounds a lot like "being knighted", benighted has nothing to do with knights and, in fact, includes the word "night" (as in the opposite of day) and not "knight" (as in "of the Round Table"). One way to remember what benighted means is to think of a person "being nighted" or, put into the dark. A benighted person is in the dark about things: they don't know because they can't see. The Dark Ages are thought to have been a benighted time, full of primitive ideas. Definitions of benighted adjective overtaken by night or darkness "benighted (or nighted) travelers hurrying toward home" These teams were affirmations that we had left the old, benighted South behind, and our major cities had joined mainstream America," Guillory said. Can there be any justification for continuing the benighted tradition of using such an offensive name to refer to the team?

coterminous

being of equal extent or scope or duration Use the word coterminous to describe things that are equal in scope. If an earthquake in Australia was coterminous with the earthquake in China, that means it caused the same amount of destruction. The adjective coterminous derives from the Latin word conterminus, meaning "bordering upon, having a common boundary." When something is coterminous, it has the same boundaries, or is of equal extent or length of time as something else. The expansion of the American Old West was coterminous with the expansion of the Great American Frontier. Your mayor's term in office might be conterminous with increased access to social services. Definitions of coterminous adjective being of equal extent or scope or duration synonyms:coextensive, conterminous commensurate corresponding in size or degree or extent در مفهم و معنی هم صدق میکند. Was it a club of democracies that were coterminous with predominantly Christian countries, or was it based on shared values, ideals and norms? Yes, our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan left fewer resources for nation-building at home, but the two realms are not coterminous. "Jewishness" is an ill-defined concept, coterminous with neither "Judaism" nor "Jews".

preternatural

beyond what is normal or natural Preternatural describes something that seems oddly abnormal and out of sync with everything else. If you hear a preternatural dog's barking, maybe it sounds like a police siren instead of a howl. Note that preternatural contains the word natural. Preter comes from the Latin word praeter which means "beyond"; so something preternatural is beyond nature. It is less commonly used than unnatural or supernatural but means the same thing. If you lift a truck off the ground and hold it above your head, people will marvel at you and say you have preternatural strength. Definitions of preternatural adjective existing outside of or not in accordance with nature synonyms:nonnatural, otherworldly, transcendental supernatural But he has also long had a preternatural grasp of the mechanisms of celebrity, how success is only truly impactful if it is imprinted onto others. As we frame an activist like Thunberg as a kind of celebrity oracle, we transfer our own responsibilities onto a teenager with a preternatural command of dismal statistics.

defiant

boldly resisting authority or an opposing force Have you ever seen a picture of a protester who is about to be carried off by police but is still shouting or resisting, fighting to the bitter end? That person is defiant. Someone who is defiant is bold, even in the face of defeat. A defiant person is usually fighting a powerful enemy. People who protest in countries controlled by dictators are defiant. Rosa Parks was defiant when she refused to give up her seat on the bus, even though the law at that time dictated that black people had to stand when whites needed a seat. Small children are defiant too, sometimes over nothing more than a request to share their toys. Definitions of defiant adjective boldly resisting authority or an opposing force "brought up to be aggressive and defiant" "a defiant attitude" This was defiant, ritualistic music — aggressive and forlorn, but with poignant warmth from its creation as a duo. Wearing black leggings and bright satin jackets, they are boldly defiant. It's a defiant, tender and vital work of art, and a watershed moment for American opera. Their statements were often defiant, and told of how they had persevered despite the abuse.

doughty

brave and persistent stalwart Someone who's doughty is brave and determined, like a doughty knight who fearlessly rides off to slay a terrifying giant. At first glance, you might confuse doughty with doughy, but the two words are quite different in meaning. Doughy things are soft and squishy, like unbaked bread. A doughty person is valiant and steadfast — like a doughty explorer who braves wild jungles and piranha-infested rivers in order to find the ruins of an ancient city. The word is derived from a root that means "strong." Definitions of doughty adjective possessing or displaying courage synonyms: stalwart, stouthearted who was as loyal and doughty a friend in life as any she played on screen. doughty senescence.

plucky

brave and spirited; courageous To be plucky is to show courage. Plucky people are often underdogs fighting against the odds, like a plucky kid who scares away a burglar or a plucky kitten who refuses to run away from a Great Dane. Pluck is courage or heart, so to be plucky is to have those qualities. This word describes brave people and actions, and it means about the same as feisty and spunky. It often applies to people who bravely struggle against powerful forces. A short person playing basketball is plucky. You can be plucky in fighting a terrible disease. Anyone who refuses to give up, no matter what, is plucky. Definitions of plucky adjective showing courage "Read this! Those plucky women are going after the legislature now!" But Greg is plucky and unshakable, plus he has a good marriage, a 7-year-old daughter he adores and a successful career under the tutelage of a benevolent boss. June is just a plucky, mouthy, joyful grandma, who wants to see her grandkids put themselves out there — and wants to put herself out there, too.

tame

brought from wildness into a domesticated state If something is tame, it cannot surprise or injure you. It's predictable. Tame can be used as an adjective or verb. A circus lion is tame (adjective) because it's been tamed (verb). A "lion-tamer" beat the wildness out of it. Sometimes tame isn't fun — and not just for the bears who ride bicycles under the Big Top. Tame isn't appealing when you're going on a rollercoaster or seeing a fireworks display. If a friend tells you a concert is tame, will you rush out for tickets? Tame, however, is not all bad. Some people take anger management courses to learn to "tame their tempers." Others work to "tame their tongues" after hurting another person with a careless comment. Definitions of tame adjective brought from wildness into a domesticated state "tame animals" "fields of tame blueberries" adjective flat and uninspiring Synonyms:unexcitingnot exciting adjective very restrained or quiet "a tame Christmas party" "she was one of the tamest and most abject creatures imaginable with no will or power to act but as directed" Sometimes he cannot tame the emotions that bubble up inside him.

phlegmatic

calm and unemotional in temperament Yes, phlegmatic has roots in that colorless, mucousy stuff called phlegm, but people who are phlegmatic aren't called that because they have lots of mucus. They are just a little dull in expressing feelings or showing emotion. It may be their training more than their natural behavior, but those palace guards who wear the red coats and big hats and show absolutely no expression on their faces are phlegmatic. Attempts to make them laugh, smile, or twist their faces in irritation won't work, because being phlegmatic is important to their role as stone-faced keepers of the palace. Phlegmatic people show less emotion on the outside — but who knows, they may be jumping up and down on the inside. Definitions of phlegmatic adjective showing little emotion "a phlegmatic...and certainly undemonstrative man" synonyms:phlegmatical unemotional unsusceptible to or destitute of or showing no emotion

sang-froid

calmness; composure or cool self-possession If you have sang-froid, you can keep your cool, even under stress. Your feathers aren't easily ruffled. This foreign-sounding word is another way of saying "poise under pressure." We borrowed it from French, where it literally means "cold blood." Great athletes who do well in the last two minutes of a game have sang-froid. James Bond definitely has sang-froid. You better have sang-froid when you're taking the SATs. If you're worried, nervous and starting to crack, you've pretty much lost your sang-froid. Definitions of sang-froid noun great coolness and composure under strain If there's anything to take from this film to get us through lockdown, it's Bond's sang-froid in the face of apocalypse. In the book, Mr. Iger writes that his sang-froid when things go wrong may have developed as "a defense mechanism" to the chaos in his house growing up. Hearst, for instance, isn't a yes man, and even he loses his sang-froid as the situation takes a tragic turn.

abrogate

cancel; deny; repeal; abolish Abrogate means to abolish or avoid. When someone cuts in front of you in line, they are abrogating your right to be the next one served. When you cut in line, you are abrogating your responsibility to those who were in line before you. The Latin root of this word is made up of the prefix ab- "away" and rogare "to propose a law." What does it mean if you propose a law away? You repeal it, of course, so abrogate means to officially revoke, cancel or abolish. The meaning of this word has expanded a bit since its earliest usage, but it still appears most often in a legal or political context, or when serious rights and responsibilities are being discussed. Definitions of abrogate verb revoke formally "Breaking Bad's" frequent fish-eye views — humans witnessed through the bottom of objects used in industrial or domestic processes — abrogate the primacy of the human gaze. It is the guarantee from one generation to the next that our rights cannot simply be abrogated at the whims of others or the fashion of the times.

palpable

capable of being touched or felt When something is palpable, you can touch or handle it, even though the word is often used to describe things that usually can't be handled or touched, such as emotions or sensations. You probably won't see palpable used to describe, say, an egg or a doorknob or a motorcycle. Palpable is usually reserved for situations in which something invisible becomes so intense that it feels as though it has substance or weight. Someone who has experienced a death in the family might say that her grief feels palpable. Definitions of palpable adjective capable of being perceived; especially capable of being handled or touched or felt "a barely palpable dust" "felt sudden anger in a palpable wave" "the air was warm and close-- palpable as cotton" "a palpable lie" The job kept me busy, but there was palpable anxiety radiating from the employees, and I didn't need a translator to understand why. At that point, there was a surreal and palpable sense that someone was missing, Yazbek said.

insouciance

casual lack of concern; indifference (syn.) carefreeness, lightheartedness Insouciance is a feeling of careless indifference. There's a certain amount of lightheartedness in insouciance, but rather than merely being cheerful, someone with insouciance truly couldn't care less. Insouciance has roots in the French in, meaning "not," and se soucier, meaning "to care," giving the English word its "uncaring" meaning. Insouciance can be a positive state — like the childlike insouciance you feel when you are watching cartoons instead of paying your bills. However, insouciance is not always so sunny. Young voters are often accused of treating the right to vote with insouciance, meaning they just can't be bothered. Definitions of insouciance noun the cheerful feeling you have when nothing is troubling you Rishi wondered if he practiced that maddening insouciance in the mirror or if it came naturally. The staffs insouciance may have reflected the infrequency of acute injuries. He tried to tighten up his face into a mask of insouciance, worldliness, and control.

crystallize

cause to take on a definite and clear shape "He tried to crystallize his thoughts" As these two little strangers become friends, the story crystallizes. "The pandemic crystallized where we were both at," Mr. McGarry said.

stirring

causing great excitement or strong emotion; rousing Something that's stirring is gripping or moving—it inspires some kind of powerful emotion, like Martin Luther King, Jr.'s stirring "I Have a Dream" speech. When people sing stirring songs at church, during a protest march, or around the piano at home, they might make you cry, while a stirring public speaker often makes the crowd feel enthusiastic and roused to action. In the 15th century, this adjective had a much more literal meaning: "in active motion, or animated." The verb stir, "move, rouse, or agitate," shares a root with storm. Definitions of stirring adjective exciting strong but not unpleasant emotions "a stirring speech" a stirring symbol of death and renewal in literature. But that was merely a footnote on this stirring night. Then they pulled off one of their most stirring comebacks of the season.

chary

cautious 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 adjective characterized by great caution and wariness "chary of the risks involved" "a chary investor" Experts with long experience in treating depression were encouraged by the news, but also chary.

tempestuous

characterized by strong and turbulent or conflicting emotion A tempest is a storm, so you can use the adjective tempestuous to describe anything stormy or volatile — from a tempestuous hurricane to a tempestuous romance. The adjective tempestuous can describe violent weather, but it can also figuratively describe something that just has the characteristics of such blustery and turbulent weather. A person could be described as tempestuous if she's prone to violent mood swings and fits of passion. Impetuous is a synonym. The author Joseph Conrad once wrote, "To have his path made clear for him is the aspiration of every human being in our beclouded and tempestuous existence." Definitions of tempestuous adjective characterized by violent emotions or behavior synonyms:stormy unpeaceful not peaceful adjective (of the elements) as if showing violent anger synonyms: angry, furious, raging, wild Love is not a tempestuous sea; it is a calm river. To have his path made clear for him is the aspiration of every human being in our beclouded and tempestuous existence." For a wine salesman, Charles Heidsieck led a surprisingly tempestuous life, with dizzying highs and unexpected, harrowing lows. tempestuous and tragic imaginings. Her life story — from her institutionalizations to her tempestuous marriage to

puerile

childish; immature Some people like their movies to have sophisticated humor and others prefer the more puerile humor of pratfalls or jokes about smelly underwear, inappropriate belching, and passing gas. Although the adjective, puerile can be used to describe anything related to childhood, more often than not, it is used in a derisive manner to comment on the immaturity, silliness, or juvenile nature of something or someone. So if you hear someone talk about puerile toys, they may merely be remarking on the toys of childhood, but it is more likely they are discussing whoopee cushions, fake dog poo, and the like. Definitions of puerile adjective displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity "puerile jokes" synonyms: adolescent, jejune, juvenile, sophomoric immature characteristics of a lack of maturity adjective of or characteristic of a child "puerile breathing" A puerile tear dimmed my eye while I looked—a tear of disappointment and impatience; ashamed of it, I wiped it away. There's a puerile focus on their body parts: breasts, varicose veins, feet. It is his culture now, benighted but triumphant, where puerile amusements can never be questioned and the Simpsons have displaced the gods.

limpid

clear, transparent; readily understood The adjective limpid describes something (often liquid) that is clear, serene and bright. Nature calendars often feature glamour shots of a limpid stream or a limpid lake. The adjective limpid may also describe language that is easily understandable. Your teacher might ask you to give an answer in a single limpid sentence. But he probably won't because limpid is a word that's fallen out of use. Maybe because it sounds too much like limp. Or maybe because it's associated with the king of all clichés: "Her eyes were like limpid pools." Definitions of limpid adjective clear and bright "limpid blue eyes" These brief, limpid essays and stories range widely in approach and subject, but cohere through avid curiosity and delight. That's been annoying for some people who prefer limpid beauty to psychological torment.

chaotic

completely unordered and unpredictable and confusing Something chaotic is really out of control or disorganized. Chaotic starts with a hard "K" sound (kay-AH-tick), but things that are chaotic are usually not OK, they're crazy disordered, like your crammed locker at the end of the school year.

debonair

confident, stylish, and charming (typically used of a man) Someone debonair is charming or suave. They have good manners, and they probably look good too. This French word has a fancy feel to it, and it is a fancy kind of word. Being debonair is a specific form of being charming that applies mostly to men. When you're debonair, you impress women, other men, and pretty much everyone with your manners, wit, and style. Debonair is a little bit of an old-fashioned word. Old movie stars like Cary Grant were often called debonair, but not many people are today. Definitions of debonair adjective having a sophisticated charm "a debonair gentleman" synonyms:debonaire, debonnaire, suave adjective having a cheerful, lively, and self-confident air ""life that is gay, brisk, and debonair"- H.M.Reynolds" a debonair young man

belie

contradict; give a false impression To belie means to contradict. If you are 93 but look like you are 53, then your young looks belie your age. We get belie from the Old English beleogan, which meant "to deceive by lying." It suggests characteristics or behavior that inadvertently or deliberately hide the truth. To remember it, just think "be lying." Snow White's decision to barge into the Seven Dwarfs' home without invitation belied her gentle nature. Definitions of belie verb be in contradiction with VERB If one thing belies another, it hides the true situation and so creates a false idea or image of someone or something. His youthful face belies his 80 years. The destruction belied the artist's deep spirituality, gained from growing up in a Puerto Rican enclave in the largely Jewish Lower East Side of Manhattan. Murphy's live-in-concert repulsion fantasias belie a tenderness that resides at the core of some of his work.

restrained

controlled, repressed, restricted Use the adjective restrained to describe something that's kept under control, such as strong emotion or even physical movement. If you're angry but you don't want it to show, you might speak in a restrained manner. Restrained can describe someone or something that is physically immobilized or held back. For example, an angry crowd might have to be restrained by riot police. Or it can mean a different kind of holding back and describe something that is understated and discreet. Actresses who walk the red carpet often avoid attention-getting gowns in favor of more restrained outfits in times of war or national crisis. Definitions of restrained adjective under restraint If you describe someone's clothes or the decorations in a house as restrained, you mean that you like them because they are simple and not too brightly-coloured. Someone who is restrained is very calm and unemotional. Livy thought Caroline's greeting seemed a little restrained. Her black suit was restrained and expensive. Part of the mystery is that it's unclear what kind of story this is and where — with its charming child and restrained melancholy — it could be headed. Stony Hill has been making small amounts of cabernet sauvignon since 2009 in a restrained, classical style that I love.

nonchalant

cool and confident, unconcerned If your friend is acting cool, unconcerned or in an indifferent manner, call him nonchalant — like when he saunters by a group of whispering, giggling girls and just nods and says, "Hey." If you act nonchalant, you are literally acting cool, as nonchalant traces back to non- "not" and Latin calēre "to be warm." Isn't that cool? Sometimes, a nonchalant person acts indifferent or uninterested, but really cares very much. If you give a girl a nonchalant smile, you definitely want her to notice you! Even though it begins with non, nonchalant has no positive form — chalant is not a word. Definitions of nonchalant adjective marked by blithe unconcern "drove his car with nonchalant abandon" "was polite in a teasing nonchalant manner" synonyms:casual, insouciant unconcerned lacking in interest or care or feeling From James Bond to Jason Bourne, TV and film portrayals usually present those characters who kill for work as nonchalant and aloofly awesome. That led many to continue working at events where people were nonchalant about masks and social distancing.

gumption

courage and initiative; common sense . It takes **** to get things done — especially difficult things. If you have gumption, you have guts. People with gumption are determined and full of courage — and common sense, too. If you easily give up, and don't have a lot of confidence or smarts, then you are lacking in gumption. It takes gumption to get things done — especially difficult things. Someone who takes risks without being afraid has gumption. Having gumption is like having "chutzpah." We all could probably use more gumption. Like common sense, it isn't that common. Definitions of gumption noun fortitude and determination synonyms:backbone, grit, guts, moxie, sand But the more time I spend with Tatum's and Booker's eligible-bachelor hair, the more I appreciate the gumption of Young's. I got enough gumption to ask another teacher why Miss Carter wore that ring. But the story of family bonds, guilt and sly gumption misses the snap of its

forge

counterfeit; reproduce fraudulently; form by heating in a forge and hammering into shape; move with a sudden increase of speed or power; Ex. forged ahead in the last two years; N: furnace where metals are heated جعل کردن Have you ever seen a blacksmith make a horseshoe? Well, no, probably not, but they use a special furnace which is called a forge, and "to forge something" is also the act of bashing that hot object into shape. Forge has also taken on the more general sense of creating something. A new philosophy or art form might have been forged, as might an alibi or an excuse. To forge something also has the meaning of faking something, such as a painting or a signature with the intent to deceive. It can also mean to move ahead in a steady manner, either physically or metaphorically, much like those solid, regular blows of the blacksmith's hammer. They offered a sort of guidance — that was an intentional forging of a path.

mettle

courage; endurance Mettle is the courage to carry on. If someone wants to "test your mettle," they want to see if you have the heart to follow through when the going gets tough. Having the mettle to do something means you have guts. In short, you're a pretty impressive person. If you have the intellectual mettle to enter a political debate, not only do you know a lot about politics, but you have the spunk to show it off. Metal and mettle were once used interchangeably meaning a solid material like gold and the "stuff a person is made of" — until everyone got confused and the words went their separate ways. Definitions of mettle noun the courage to carry on The mettle that it takes to look away from the horror of our prison system, from police forces transformed into armies, from the long war against the black body, is not forged overnight. Mother stepped backward, but Shirley, anxious to prove her mettle, leaned forward an inch. Gradually in this tournament, the Blue Devils have found a mettle they had rarely shown during the regular season After the match, questions resurfaced about the United States' coaching, its tactics, its mettle.

unprepossessing

creating an unfavorable or neutral first impression If you find someone to be unprepossessing, you find them unattractive. Not that they're ugly, mind you! Just unprepossessing. Unprepossessing is a rather indirect way of calling someone unattractive, or at best OK-looking. Unprepossessing is not quite the same as "ugly." Rather, just a way of saying that someone's looks aren't what you're most likely to remember about them. Cinderella was most unprepossessing in the filthy clothes and worn-out shoes that her step-sisters forced her to wear. But when she was all decked out by her fairy godmother, she was the belle of the ball: she was no longer unprepossessing. Definitions of unprepossessing adjective creating an unfavorable or neutral first impression synonyms:unpresentable unattractive lacking beauty or charm She became a popular writer, and Heyrman catches her, in her fiction, dissing the very prototype of her "unprepossessing" father. At the end, a number of former campers reunite at the camp's unprepossessing present-day site. Most are modest in spirit and unprepossessing in appearance.

vitriol

cruel and bitter criticism vitriolic Vitriol is harsh, nasty criticism. You may have deserved some blame when the cake didn't rise, but the head chef's stream of vitriol was unnecessary. Back in the day, vitriol was the name for sulfuric acid, which burns through just about anything. So think of vitriol as language so mean-spirited and bitter that it could eat through metal: "As a divorce lawyer, you were familiar with vitriol, but nothing prepared you for the time you wore a Red Sox cap at Yankee Stadium." Definitions of vitriol noun abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill will So far, she has mostly ignored the vitriol directed at her, or responded with sarcasm, as she did in a "thank you" tweet she posted on New Year's Eve. "The vitriol that people were attaching you with, and people that we both know." "All I have to do is open my Twitter and get hit with the vitriol, the hate, the horrible comments, the profanity, the real abusive stuff," DuVernay said.

internecine

deadly to both sides (of a conflict) a conflict that tears an organization apart. Prepare yourself, because internecine is a gloomy word. It's an adjective you'd use to describe a bloody battle where both sides are badly hurt. On a lighter note, it can also mean a conflict that tears an organization apart. A combination of the Latin inter- ("among") and necare ("to kill"), internecine conflicts are full of blood and death, and they end up destroying everyone involved, which sounds fair but also awful. Many wars are internecine, as are most Shakespearean tragedies and Hollywood action films. An internecine meeting would be one where everyone gets mad, says really horrible things, and then suddenly leaves, plotting revenge. It's probably the last meeting for that group, which might be a good thing. Definitions of internecine adjective (of conflict) within a group or organization "an internecine feud among proxy holders" Synonyms:internal happening or arising or located within some limits or especially surface adjective characterized by bloodshed and carnage for both sides "internecine war" Synonyms:bloody having or covered with or accompanied by blood internecine fighting

Schadenfreude

delight in another person's misfortune When another person's bad luck secretly makes you feel good, that's Schadenfreude. Your brother's rejection from a college that also rejected you might give you a twinge of Schadenfreude. If you're fired from your difficult job, no one can blame you for a bit of Schadenfreude as you watch your replacement struggle with your old tasks. This German word perfectly captures that satisfied feeling everyone gets at times when someone else runs into misfortune. In German, Schadenfreude literally means "damage-joy," and it's always spelled with a capital S. The word came into English use in the 1920's, and you can spell it with a small s if you prefer. Definitions of Schadenfreude noun delight in another person's misfortune Schadenfreude is an ugly, base emotion and one we'd all be better off eschewing whenever possible. Oscar night itself has become a sort of National Day of Schadenfreude.

turpitude

depravity, moral corruption If you are guilty of turpitude, you should be ashamed of yourself. Turpitude is a word that represents depraved behavior. Prisons are filled with criminals who have engaged in acts of moral turpitude. Turpitude comes from the Latin word turpitudo, which means "repulsiveness." Corrupt politicians get booted out of office for acts of turpitude, like taking bribes in exchange for lucrative government contracts. Turpitude often follows the word moral, and acts of moral turpitude are usually crimes that are unusually sick or corrupt. Definitions of turpitude noun a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice "the various turpitudes of modern society Another category of restriction: "persons convicted of a crime or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude." The judges agreed, writing that the couple "committed a misdemeanor offense involving moral turpitude" and should be disciplined.

dissolute

devoted to sensual pleasure; lacking moral restraint (of a person or a way of life) overindulging in sensual pleasures. If you drop out of school, party all the time, and waste your life, you've chosen a **** lifestyle. adjective unrestrained by convention or morality synonyms:debauched, degenerate, degraded, dissipated, fast, libertine, profligate, riotous مفسدانه،مفسد

imbroglio

difficult or embarrassing situation An imbroglio is a complicated or confusing personal situation. To rephrase the J. Geils band song, "Love Stinks," if you love her and she loves him and he loves somebody else, you've got quite an imbroglio. Although an imbroglio is a tangled situation or a messy complicated misunderstanding, its history is just the opposite, clear as a bell. Imbroglio is just a borrowed word from Italian meaning "entanglement." If something embarrassing happens at a public event, such as a mishap during the musical performances at the Super Bowl, it is sometimes called an imbroglio. Definitions of imbroglio noun an intricate and confusing interpersonal or political situation The New York Post's Page Six column reported that Mr. Elkann's family was refusing to support him financially in this latest imbroglio. Steeled by that experience, Davis has been treading carefully around the sexual imbroglio engulfing the current president. But the saga would not have been complete without one last imbroglio: in mid-April, Netflix withdrew all its movies from Cannes after getting into a dispute with the festival. Maybe, by accident, "The Americans" is offering us a lurid reflection of the Trump-and-Russia imbroglio.

unfathomable

difficult or impossible to understand Unfathomable means impossible to ever understand. For most people, the field of quantum mechanics is unfathomable. Fathoms are seafaring units of measure equaling about six feet. So something that is unfathomable is also immeasurable, especially when it comes to depth. If your sonar isn't bouncing anything back to you, you're dealing with an unfathomable distance. Metaphorically, unfathomable can refer to something that resembles an abyss, some figurative notion that's so deep you can't even measure it. Definitions of unfathomable adjective impossible to come to understand She couldn't get around the unfathomable reality that Giti wasn't alive anymore. She loves the magical design of it all, the unfathomable architecture of the cosmos right down to the intricate masterpiece of the eye.

browbeat

discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner; intimidate 1. qaş döyüntüsü To browbeat is to intimidate with language. Picture yourself in a police station. The cops are trying to get you to talk by using tough, even abusive, language. They are browbeating you. When someone browbeats you, they're giving you a beating with their mouth and their mind. If your parents have to browbeat you into cleaning your room, they nag you, yell at you and they may even make fun of you and your bad cleaning habits. While the word brow means forehead, think that they're using their head, or brow, to beat you down. It's a figurative, rather than a literal, beating. Definitions of browbeat verb discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner; intimidate He almost makes you forget that he's browbeating Sarah into the denial of something she sees as a central, positive element of her personhood. This is not an article about the dangers of smoking or an invitation to browbeat people you don't know. Yet parents who are browbeaten concerning the birthing process aren't told the basic developmental stages of children. You use incredibly emotive language - "parental negligence", "browbeaten", "tragedy" of "Shakespearean" proportions no less - and although you admit to carrying huge anger I wonder if you understand how much that anger is carrying you.

crestfallen

discouraged, dejected, downcast brought low in spirit If you are crestfallen, you are dark, depressed, and down in the dumps. You are in need of a pep talk, or at least a hug. Although experts can't agree on the origins of crestfallen, they do know it has something to do with fallen or defeated animals. Some say it is cocks, with their crested heads, that are responsible for the words' origins. Others think it has to do with horses bowing their heads (touching their heads to the crest of their chests) when bested in battle. No matter which animal gave us the word, today's humans are crestfallen when they are in low spirits. Definitions of crestfallen adjective brought low in spirit synonyms:chapfallen, chopfallen, deflated "That's serious. No breakfast for you," he said.The boy looked crestfallen. I tried to sound crestfallen as I grabbed my bag and got out of the car. When I discovered that I would be ringing in the new year in quasi-isolation, I was crestfallen.

outdo

do better than To outdo is to beat or surpass: when you outdo your brother in a pie-eating contest, you manage to gobble down more lemon meringue than he does. You'll probably regret it later, but at least you'll have that blue ribbon! Anyone who outdoes another person wins against them in some contest, whether it's an actual competition or an unstated rivalry. You can also outdo your own record, like when you outdo last semester's grades with the help of all the As you get in English. And you can cheer for your favorite basketball team as they outdo their opponents by easily winning the game. Definitions of outdo verb be or do something to a greater degree verb get the better of Each will try to outdo the others with his hospitality. My lord father said he never ate half so well as when visiting the clans." The only reason that you work as an actor for this long is to try and outdo yourself every time.

deign

do something that one considers to be below one's dignity 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 verb do something that one considers to be below one's dignity synonyms: condescend, descend type of:act, move perform an action, or work out or perform (an action) When he deigned to look in my direction, he offered nothing but contempt. Despite this acknowledgement of less offensive intent, never throughout the entire segment, does anyone deign to mention the author by name. Zorach's sensitively rendered mother gazes toward her counterpart with an expression of concern, while the goddess, regally flicking a cape behind her nude body, deigns to look at no one.

duplicity

double-dealing, hypocrisy Though he said he didn't know anything about the footprints in the new sidewalk, his duplicity, or deceitfulness, was obvious from the cement caking his shoes. His mouth said one thing, his feet said another. Many words with "du" have meanings with "two" or "duo." Duplicity is from a Latin word meaning "twofold, having two parts." Someone who shows duplicity is two-faced — maybe showing one side in public and another in private — or is just a liar, saying something known to be untrue or misleading. A fraud uses duplicity to gain something with false promises, and someone described as "fake" might use duplicity just to fit in or be accepted. Definitions of duplicity noun acting in bad faith; deception by pretending to entertain one set of intentions while acting under the influence of another Dragons, if you must know, are wicked creatures—full of violence and duplicity and deceit. Some accused Liu of duplicity when dealing with fans in China.

pugnacious

eager to fight Pugnacious means ready for a fight. If you're pugnacious, you might find it hard to make friends. On the other hand, you might be a very successful professional boxer one day. Your brother is a pugnacious thug — always ready to use his fists to settle arguments, and he has the strength to do so. That's the literal sense of pugnacious. You can use pugnacious figuratively, too. When two candidates face off in a debate during a close election, one or the other might be pugnacious. He looks to pick a fight with his opponent and is willing to say almost anything, no matter how outrageous, to make his opponent look bad. Definitions of pugnacious adjective ready and able to resort to force or violence "" pugnacious spirits...lamented that there was so little prospect of an exhilarating disturbance"- Herman Melville" synonyms:rough aggressive having or showing determination and energetic pursuit of your ends His pugnacious tone indicated that they were not about to laugh at Xenophilius, despite the clear provocation. He turned with surprise to face a stout, pugnacious colonel with a large head and mustache and a smooth, florid skin. The week after United won away against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Louis van Gaal, in his typically pugnacious way, dismissed him as being "another Mourinho" who relied on the counterattack.

irascible

easily angered, irritable 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 adjective quickly aroused to anger ​

irritable

easily annoyed If you're feeling on edge, like the smallest thing could bother you or make you lose your temper, you are irritable. Did I say something wrong? Irritable means "easy to irritate or bother." If you have irritable skin, you get a rash from just about anything. An irritable person is not easy-going and often not very easy to be around. You might feel like you're "walking on eggshells," or being extra careful not to upset your brother when he's in an irritable mood. Is there anything I can do to make you less irritable? Fetch your favorite blanket? Maybe I'll just go away now. Definitions of irritable adjective easily irritated or annoyed Doc Severinsen hadn't been able to practice his trumpet in a couple of days, and by his own admission, it was making him irritable. ​

chagrin

embarrassment; a complete loss of courage Chagrin is a noun that represents an emotion or feeling and it's an uncomfortable one. If you feel chagrin, it means that you are embarrassed or distressed as a result of a failure. The word chagrin, a noun, comes from the French word of the same spelling and means "melancholy, anxiety, vexation." An odd fact about the word in English is that it had been thought to be related to another, similar-sounding word, shagreen, "rough, untanned leather." When one mistakes one word as a relative of another, it's called "false etymology." Definitions of chagrin noun strong feelings of embarrassment They cook Indian food, join the Indian club on campus, and regularly watch Bollywood films in their dorm, much to Kris' chagrin.

patent

evident or obvious You use **** to describe something, especially something bad, in order to indicate in an emphatic way that you think its nature or existence is clear and obvious. adjective clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment "patent advantages" verb make open to sight or notice "His behavior has patented an embarrassing fact about him" the patent midi skirt چرم براق

poignant

evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret Something that is poignant touches you deeply. Watching a poignant YouTube video about baby penguins chasing their mothers, for example, might give you a lump in your throat. Poignant comes from the Latin pungere "to prick," the same root as pungent. But something that's pungent pricks your sense of smell, whereas poignant refers to something that pricks your emotions, especially in a melancholy way. Movie critics might describe a touching portrayal as poignant if there isn't a dry eye in the house. Definitions of poignant adjective keenly distressing to the mind or feelings "poignant anxiety" "poignant grief cannot endure forever" It would make for a poignant moment of television. Another kind of solace after death arrives in the quietly poignant title track of "Just Like That," also written by Raitt.

vanity

excessive pride Vanity is the quality of being vain, or having a ridiculous amount of pride. If you have excessive vanity in your appearance, you probably spend long hours sitting at your vanity table doing your makeup or plucking your nose hairs. If you pride yourself on looking absolutely perfect and refuse to do any work that might dirty your clothes or mess up your hair, someone might accuse you of vanity. Often vanity is empty, like the emperor's in The Emperor's New Clothes. If someone pays to have her own book published even though it's really bad, we say it is a vanity printing. Definitions of vanity noun feelings of excessive pride

officious

excessively eager to deliver unasked-for or unwanted help 1.assertive of authority in a domineering way, especially with regard to trivial matters. "the security people were very officious" 2.intrusively enthusiastic in offering help or advice; interfering. "an officious bystander" Though officious sounds like official, it means being annoyingly eager to do more than is required. "The officious lunch lady made everyone's food choices her business, and made nasty comments when students chose cookies over carrots." Officious is a tricky word as it seems like it might mean something like office or official. Instead, it is a word to describe someone that acts more official than they actually are. People who are officious are busybodies. They want to make their opinions known and followed, despite not having any kind of real power. Definitions of officious adjective intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner "bustling about self-importantly making an officious nuisance of himself" synonyms:busy, busybodied, interfering, meddlesome, meddling

maudlin

excessively sentimental You can use maudlin to describe something that brings tears to your eyes, or makes you feel very emotional. Tearjerkers like "Forrest Gump" and "Titanic" can be described as maudlin. Maudlin was a form of the name Mary Magdalene, a character from the Bible represented in paintings as a weeping sinner asking forgiveness from Jesus. Maudlin is often paired with sentimental, or even schlocky, to describe cry-fests, as in "I can't watch another second of that overly-sentimental, maudlin soap opera. Turn that schlock off." Definitions of maudlin adjective effusively or insincerely emotional Now I'm going to be maudlin for the next few days, remembering times gone by. Luckily, Tatum's self-deprecating charm and Carolin's script keep the story on the tolerable side of maudlin. "Heart in Your Hands," a rather maudlin song with angelic harmonies.

garrulous

excessively talkative A garrulous person just won't stop talking (and talking, and talking, and talking...). Garrulous comes from the Latin word garrire for "chattering or prattling." If someone is garrulous, he doesn't just like to talk; he indulges in talking for talking's sake — whether or not there's a real conversation going on. If you discover that you have a garrulous neighbor sitting next to you on the plane, you might just want to feign sleep, unless you really want to hear everything going through his mind for the entire trip. adjective full of trivial conversation On his next visit, Chief was his usual garrulous self. They were irritatingly garrulous, prone to fits of chicanery, and often surprisingly incompetent at what seemed to Indians like basic tasks. Traveling creatures, migratory birds, wandering foxes, rambling squirrels and garrulous hares—they all stopped and chatted with the old mouse, partaking of his hospitality, never dreaming of hurting him in any way. Dove was garrulous, indolent, complaining, and boastful, but it hurt Johnny when the other boys bulbed him and his masters beat him.

dispensation

exemption from a rule or usual requirement The act of giving or portioning something out is called dispensation. Your teacher will have a hard time with the dispensation of biology textbooks if there aren't enough copies for everyone in the class. The Latin root word of dispensation is dispensare, which means to disburse or administer. Doctors and pharmacists commonly talk about the dispensation of prescription medication. Another meaning of dispensation is an exemption from a rule. Your teacher might give you a dispensation to take the algebra final at a later date if you're sick on the scheduled day, for example. Definitions of dispensation noun the act of dispensing (giving out in portions) noun a share that has been dispensed or distributed noun an exemption from some rule or obligation معافیت "You can't do that to a poor aunt unless you have a special dispensation from the Pope." It was a dispensation that privileged "community well-being," however defined, over individual liberty. "I was seeking a special dispensation to leave the priesthood," Mr. Morris said.

dolorous

exhibiting sorrow or pain dolourous, lachrymose, tearful, weeping Dolorous is not a woman's name (that's Dolores), it is an adjective that describes someone showing great sadness. If your friend Dolores is crying about a lost puppy, you could call her dolorous Dolores. Music written in a minor key can have a dolorous effect. It sounds really sad, and can make you feel the same way. Dolorous shares the same root with the word, condolence, an expression of sympathy with someone's sadness. Both of these words come from the Latin word for grief, dolor, which in current Spanish happens to mean pain. Definitions of dolorous adjective showing sorrow synonyms:dolourous, lachrymose, tearful, weeping sorrowful experiencing or marked by or expressing sorrow especially that associated with irreparable loss

approbatory

expressing praise or approval Mrs. Colesworthy enfolded her in an approbatory embrace, and hurried home to tell me about it. Perhaps something of this kind is to be found in the approbatory response, from which the French are said to have made up the word Iroquois.

ethereal

extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world An **** substance or sound is one that carries the feeling of light and air — something you might see in a vision that strikes you as heavenly or supernatural. delicate Something ethereal is airy and insubstantial, like a ghostly figure at the top of the stairs. This word can also describe something delicate and light, like a singer's ethereal voice. Ethereal comes from the Greek word for ether, which means "air" or more specifically "the upper regions of space." An ethereal substance or sound is one that carries the feeling of light and air — something you might see in a vision that strikes you as heavenly or supernatural. Definitions of ethereal adjective characterized by lightness and insubstantiality; as impalpable or intangible as air "physical rather than ethereal forms" synonyms: aerial, aeriform, aery, airy adjective characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy "this smallest and most ethereal of birds" synonyms: gossamer delicate adjective of heaven or the spirit "ethereal melodies" synonyms:celestial, supernal heavenly of or belonging to heaven or god ethereal, pillow-talk-heavy drama. Robinson often rooted his descriptions of Martian landscapes in his observations of the Sierra's ethereal peaks, valleys and basins ethereal high notes and carefree charm.

equitable

fair Equitable distribution means everyone gets their fair share of something.If you work on a group project in class, you want an equitable share of the credit. When you look at equitable, you might think you see the word, equal, but it doesn't mean fair in the sense of exactly the same. If you worked ten hours at a lemonade stand and your friend worked five, you'd want an equitable share of the profits rather than an equal share. Equitable would take into account the amount of work you did, equal would not. Definitions of equitable adjective fair to all parties as dictated by reason and conscience "equitable treatment of all citizens" "an equitable distribution of gifts among the children" Castro promised a more equitable society based on communist principles. "It is about the good morning of an equitable and just world after wishing racism goodnight."

notorious

famous or well known, typically for some bad quality or deed. Use the adjective notorious to describe people, places, or things that are famous for a bad reason. A good synonym for notorious is infamous; both words mean "well-known, and not in a good way." A celebrity convicted of a series of crimes might be referred to as notorious, as might a book that has been banned in several countries. The word originally meant just "famous" and could carry either positive or negative connotations. Only in recent centuries did the negative uses start to outweigh the positive ones. In general, you'd rather be famous than notorious — unless you're looking to build a bad reputation. Definitions of notorious adjective known widely and usually unfavorably "a notorious gangster" There was a notorious TV report around 2014: a story of how Ukrainians crucify a Russian boy. So how did the Godfather of Soul wind up playing for an audience of youths at one of New York's most notorious jails?

apogee

farthest or highest point; culmination; zenith For an object in orbit around the earth, the apogee is the point that is highest or farthest from the earth. Early satellites had low apogees, so it wasn't long before they burnt up in the atmosphere. Apogee comes from two Greek words meaning "away" and "earth," so it's specific to things orbiting the earth. If you're talking about something orbiting the sun, the equivalent word is aphelion, "away" + "sun." Because apogee denotes the highest point something reaches in an orbit before falling back, it can also figuratively refer to other highs. For example, "Child stars sometimes reach their apogee by 20, and there's nowhere to go but down from there." In those days, Spontini was at the apogee of the opera world. The company's public soul-searching reached its apogee at Lincoln Center last week at the company's fall gala, its most important and glittery fund-raiser of the year.

truculuent

fierce and cruel, agressive If you are quick to argue, always looking for a fight, and hard to please, you are truculent. You can also write a truculent essay, and fans upset by a loss can become truculent. This word has no connection to truck, but the similar sound is still a good way to remember it: truculent folks are like monster trucks, ready to run over anything that gets in their way. To be truculent is to be defiant, aggressive, and quarrelsome. A truculent student will get in trouble with teachers, and a truculent teacher might get fired. In a violent sport like football, it helps to be truculent, but it's usually not a great quality. Definitions of truculent adjective defiantly aggressive "a truculent speech against the new government" Rosbaud gave us a blueprint," this ordinarily truculent Chicago Tribune critic wrote after hearing him lead Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring." Despite the debacle in Iraq, the very same truculent impulses continue to linger in the Trump administration, which has been steadily pushing for regime change in Iran. ​

sycophancy

flattery excessive flattery, obsequiousness Effective negotiators need less ego and sycophancy, more humility and coordination with members of their own side. But we might only imagine the calls on your time, the distractions, the sycophancy, the line of multinational companies seeking to buy into your image.

guileless

free of cunning or deceit; artless If you are guileless, you are not a liar; you are innocent, and you might be a touch on the gullible side. To be guileless is to be without guile. Guile is "deceit, duplicity and trickery." The young and uninitiated are the ones we call guileless, and they are the ones who often get stung by the more heartless among us. You might recall being a guileless freshman trying out for the school play, and being told by a veteran performer that it would be best to come to the audition for Our Town in a chicken costume, so you did. Definitions of guileless adjective free of deceit synonyms:transparent Her face is open and guileless, her beauty plain. I saw again their large eyes, guileless, not yet aware that doors into wonderlands of security, opportunity and hope were closed to them. But in "Outer Range," Poots is harder to read. Her every sentence contains multitudes — lines as simple as "What is this?" or "Tell your dad I say, 'Hi'" can scan as either guileless or insidious.

fecund

fruitful in offspring or vegetation; intellectually productive The adjective fecund describes things that are highly fertile and that easily produce offspring or fruit. Rabbits are often considered to be fecund animals, and you may hear jokes in poor taste about people reproducing like rabbits if they have a lot of children. The word fecund comes from the Latin word fecundus, meaning fruitful. But the English word does not just describe something or someone fertile, the adjective fecund can also be used to describe someone who is innovative or highly intellectually productive. Your fecund imagination will be an asset if you have to tell ghost stories around the fire at camp while eating s'mores but that same fecund imagination could be less helpful if you're at home alone on a stormy night and you think you hear a knock at the door! Definitions of fecund adjective capable of producing offspring or vegetation Synonyms:fertile capable of reproducing adjective intellectually productive "a fecund imagination" synonyms:fertile, prolific Does the weight of the evidence point to the band being joyful and creatively fecund, or fed up with each other's company? fecund days of 1970s American cinema.

rationale

fundamental reason The rationale for something is the basic or underlying reason or explanation for it. This noun (pronounced "rash-uh-NAL") is usually used in the singular: What was the rationale behind his decision to quit? The related adjective rational means "based on facts or reason" or "having the ability to think clearly." An example of a rational rationale? You add extra baking soda to pancake batter under the rationale that if you want them to be fluffier, you need more rising agent. Rationale is from Latin, from rationalis "relating to reason," from ratio "calculation, reason," from rērī "to consider, think." Definitions of rationale noun (law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature) "the rationale for capital punishment" "The underlying rationale," said Andreessen, "was: If you can afford to pay for it, please do so. If not, use it anyway." ​

outrageous

greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation shockingly bad or excessive. Something outrageous is extreme, over the top, beyond reason. It's hard to believe, and usually not in a good way. If the police came in and stole your TV, that would be outrageous. If you know what outrage means, then you're on your way to understanding outrageous. Outrageous things make people outraged, really angry, or astounded because they're just so ridiculous. If your teacher gave everyone an F for no reason, that would be outrageous. If a friend spilled your secrets to everyone: outrageous. Lady Gaga rolling up to the Grammy's in a giant egg? Totally outrageous, but in a wacky and extravagant kind of way. Definitions of outrageous adjective greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation "spends an outrageous amount on entertainment" synonyms:exorbitant, extortionate, extravagant, steep, unconscionable, usurious immoderate beyond reasonable limits adjective grossly offensive to decency or morality; causing horror "subjected to outrageous cruelty" synonyms:hideous, horrid, horrific offensive unpleasant or disgusting especially to the senses Gaspar Noé's new film, "Vortex," is sure to make audiences uncomfortable — but not in the way his earlier, outrageous films, "Irréversible," or "Climax," have done. Her father cajoled her into outrageous behavior, like stowing away on a flight to New York when she was 13.

cupidity

greed; strong desire for money Remember the saying "Greed is good"? It could just as easily be "Cupidity is good," though admittedly it doesn't roll off the tongue quite the same way. Cupidity means a burning desire to have more wealth than you need. Though it sounds like it might have something to do with the little winged figure who shoots arrows and makes folks fall in love on Valentine's Day, cupidity is all about the love of money. It comes to us from Latin cupidus, which means "desirous." It's not a word that crops up a lot in conversation, though you might run across it in newspapers and magazines, particularly those blaming Wall Street's unbridled cupidity for America's economic woes. Definitions of cupidity noun extreme greed for material wealth The cupidity of the government and white real estate developers leaves working-class locals, women especially, with few options.

contented

happy and at ease If you're contented, you're happy and not complaining. In the early 1900s, a dairy company cleverly used the word in their advertising slogan — "Milk from contented cows." Who wouldn't like to imagine cows without a care, contented and grazing in sunny, green pastures, every now and then emitting a satisfied moo? The company, which is still in business, became known by that slogan, which they used for many years. They even sponsored a radio show called "The Contented Hour," broadcast from 1931 until 1951. Definitions of contented adjective satisfied or showing satisfaction with things as they are He held his hands at his hips, a contented smile on his face. contented movie stars

asperity

harshness of tone or manner Asperity is the harsh tone or behavior people exhibit when they're angry, impatient, or just miserable. Did your supervisor snap "Late again!" when you showed up 20 minutes after your shift was supposed to start? She's speaking with asperity. The harshness that asperity implies can also apply to conditions, like "the asperities of life in a bomb shelter." The word can be used even more literally to refer to surfaces, as in "the asperity of an unfinished edge." But, most often, you will see asperity used in reference to grumpy voices or irritable behavior. Definitions of asperity noun harshness of manner noun something hard to endure "the asperity of northern winters" "Now where," he answered with asperity, "where except in the great tea shop on the main street of the town?" With asperity but also love, "Slave Play" lets us all see ourselves in the muddle that is race in America now. This is a drama full of warmth between both women and men, yet full, too, of asperity and political scepticism.

morose

having a gloomy or sullen manner; not friendly or sociable 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 adjective showing a brooding ill humor "a morose and unsociable manner"

elegiac

having a mournful quality; doleful; expressing sorrow for that which is irrecoverably past If there's one song on your playlist that always brings tears to your eyes, maybe it's because it has an elegiac quality. Elegiac means "mournful or sad." The adjective elegiac is useful when you're talking about music, a movie, a book, or another work of art that has a sorrowful tone. Sometimes elegiac specifically refers to something or someone that's gone: a person who's died, or a time in the past, especially if you feel a sense of longing for it. You can speak in an elegiac way, or sing an elegiac tune. The word comes from the Greek elegos, "poem or song of lament." Definitions of elegiac adjective resembling or characteristic of or appropriate to an elegy "an elegiac poem on a friend's death" adjective expressing sorrow often for something past "an elegiac lament for youthful ideals" Synonyms:sorrowful Other elegiac poets Lindeman's elegiac vocals

unflappable

having or showing calmness in a crisis To be unflappable is to be calm and relaxed, even in a stressful situation. A confident person is usually unflappable. Some people get nervous and jittery under pressure, while others are unflappable. If you're unflappable, you stay calm, relaxed, and poised no matter what's happening. A good kindergarten teacher stays unflappable in the midst of chaos, and a successful businessperson is unflappable when faced with deadlines and unexpected problems. The earliest use of this word was in 1953, in reference to the British prime minister. At its root is flap, twentieth-century British slang meaning "disturbance or tumult." Definitions of unflappable adjective not easily perturbed, excited, or upset; marked by extreme calm and composure "unflappable in a crisis" Even the normally unflappable Toby seemed momentarily panicked. "I sleep eight hours every night," said Costanzo, who turns 40 in May and speaks with unflappable effervescence. Throughout, Art Cullen remains an unflappable voice of reason — except when there's a deadline.

ribald

humorous in a vulgar way Something ribald is funny, but in a vulgar or off-color way. If someone makes a ribald joke in class, she will probably be sent to the principal's office. The word ribald can be used to describe a joke, a movie, or even a person, like a ribald comedian on a late-night talk show. Ribald humor is generally considered to be inappropriate around children, and if you make a ribald comment, you might inadvertently offend someone. This word derives from an Old French word meaning "rogue" or "debauched." Definitions of ribald adjective humorously vulgar "ribald language" noun a ribald person; someone who uses vulgar and offensive language

evanescent

if you stumble over pronunciation when you need this word the most, whatever you're describing — be it a shooting star or a whiff of fragrant perfume — will be gone. A beautiful sunset, a rainbow, a wonderful dream right before your alarm clock goes off — all of these could be described as ****

phantasmagorical

illusive; unreal Anything phantasmagorical feels or looks like a crazy dream. If you see a psychedelic music video that looks like it was shot through a kaleidoscope, you can call it phantasmagorical. A phantasmagorical film is surreal and strange, rather than straightforward and literal (think the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine"), and phantasmagorical paintings are equally full of odd, impressionistic images, colors, and designs. If you have a phantasmagorical nightmare, it might be hard to describe to another person, it's so weird and fantastic. The adjective phantasmagorical comes from phantasmagoria, the name given to a "magic lantern" show in 1802, from the Greek phantasma, "apparitition." Definitions of phantasmagorical adjective characterized by fantastic imagery and incongruous juxtapositions خیال انگیز "Jake Squared" aspires to the tradition of "8 ½" and "Synecdoche, New York," phantasmagorical portraits of artists seeking perspective on their lives. When I was a kid my dad described such otherworldly dreamscapes as "phantasmagorical."

capricious

impulsive and unpredictable Capricious is an adjective to describe a person or thing that's impulsive and unpredictable, like a bride who suddenly leaves her groom standing at the wedding altar. You can criticize a fickle-minded person as capricious, but it could just as well describe quickly changing weather, as in "capricious spring storms." It's the adjective form of the noun caprice, which means a sudden change of mood. Caprice might come from capra, the Italian word for "goat" (because goats are frisky), or from capo, "head" + riccio, "hedgehog." Why bring hedgehogs into it? If you have a "hedgehog head," you are so scared that your hair is standing straight on end. A scared person makes sudden starts this way and that, just as a capricious person does. Definitions of capricious adjective determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason "a capricious refusal" "authoritarian rulers are frequently capricious" Ditlevsen writes about her early years and her beautiful, capricious and cruel mother; the joy and necessity she found in writing poetry; and the dark ecstasy of discovering the opioid Demerol. In this version of the tale, Orfeo and Euridice become pawns in the hands of capricious godly and allegorical characters: Venus and Amore, Pluto and Proserpina and personifications of Jealousy and Suspicion.

slyly

in a sneaky or crafty manner 1. ADJECTIVE [usually ADJECTIVE noun] A sly look, expression, or remark shows that you know something that other people do not know or that was meant to be a secret. His lips were spread in a sly smile. He gave me a sly, meaningful look. Synonyms: roguish, knowing, arch, teasing slyly ADVERB Anna grinned slyly. "You want to know about girls? This is the one," he said slyly. حیله گر، حیله گرانه

inchoate

in an initial stage; not fully formed Inchoate means just beginning to form. You can have an inchoate idea, like the earliest flickers of images for your masterpiece, or an inchoate feeling, like your inchoate sense of annoyance toward your sister's new talking parrot. Inchoate comes from a Latin word for beginning. When something is inchoate, although you don't yet understand what it is fully, you have a strong sense that it is indeed coming. It's stronger than the wisp of an idea that never turns into anything. But it's hard to really find the language to describe an inchoate idea. That's the whole point: you don't have the words for it yet! adjective only partly in existence; imperfectly formed All over the inchoate solar system, the same was happening. Richard paused, pleased to feel the strangely inchoate intimacy that came with talking about himself, something he rarely did. Feelings of contempt born of inchoate, unacknowledged fear—civilization's fear of nature, men's fear of women, power's fear of powerlessness. She had spoken English all her life, led the debating society in secondary school, and always thought the American twang inchoate; she should not have cowered and shrunk, but she did.

impervious

incapable of being affected An impervious surface is one that can't be penetrated. The word is often followed by "to," as in "His steely personality made him impervious to jokes about his awful haircut." Most of the sentences you'll run across using impervious will be followed by the word "to" and a noun. Things are often described as being impervious to physical assaults like heat, water, bullets, weather, and attack, but just as frequently to less tangible things, like reason, criticism, pain, and pressure. The word comes from Latin: in- + pervius, meaning "not letting things through." A common synonym is impermeable. Definitions of impervious adjective not admitting of passage or capable of being affected "a material impervious to water" "someone impervious to argument" synonyms:imperviable Rutger Hauer's character leads a group of mercenaries who claim a divine mandate, but the encroaching plague proves impervious to superstition. By taking various precautions — part childish desire to protect their cool little club, part survival response to actual danger — the group believes itself impervious to outside forces. And any viewer will be alarmed when a tough older girl encourages Beans to harm herself so she will be impervious to the pain inflicted by others. The print shop, the century-old presses and the wholesome man who operates them — they all seem impervious to the flow of time.

ineffable

inexpressible Anything ineffable is unspeakably beautiful, moving, or horrible. It's beyond expression. If something is so powerful or emotional that you can't even describe it, it's ineffable. Ineffable ideas and emotions are difficult to put into words. Parents might feel an ineffable sadness and pride when watching their youngest child graduate from high school. Ineffable can also be used to describe a name that is so sacred you're not allowed to say it.This word comes from the adjective effable, which means "something that can lawfully be expressed in words," and isn't used much anymore. Definitions of ineffable adjective defying expression or description "ineffable ecstasy" synonyms:indefinable, indescribable, unspeakable, untellable, unutterable adjective too sacred to be uttered "the ineffable name of the Deity" synonyms:unnameable, unspeakable, unutterable Ultimately, the tale of what has happened on Pitcairn over the years is "the oldest one in the book: the ineffable quest to return to paradise," Presser writes. And while it's always the shots that get the most attention, the most ineffable part of a cinematographer's job is their relationship with actors.

disingenuous

insincere Use the adjective disingenuous to describe behavior that's not totally honest or sincere. It's disingenuous when people pretend to know less about something than they really do. Disingenuous combines dis-, meaning "not," with ingenuous (from the Latin gen-, meaning "born") which was originally used to distinguish free-born Romans from slaves, and later came to mean honest or straightforward. So disingenuous means dishonest. Ingenuous is less common now than disingenuous, but we still use it for someone who is sincere to the point of naiveté. A good synonym is insincere. Definitions of disingenuous adjective not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness ""an ambitious, disingenuous, philistine, and hypocritical operator, who...exemplified...the most disagreeable traits of his time"- David Cannadine" "a disingenuous excuse" synonyms:artful vicdansız دو رو غیرصمیمی Tomlinson diagnosed the insult as a disingenuous play for content and calmly told Cummings to stop. Mr. Amabebe ate a vegan diet for 13 years, but said that identifying as a vegan felt disingenuous. And you are being a little disingenuous by ignoring the sentimental value of baby gifts from a loving grandmother. It's disingenuous to pretend these facts don't matter!

formidable

inspiring fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, intense, or capable People who are formidable inspire fear and respect thanks to their size, or special ability, or unusual qualities. If you're a wildly popular celebrity, you probably don't go anywhere without a formidable bodyguard. What's interesting about formidable is that we often tend to use it about things that are simultaneously a scary and impressive. A formidable opponent is almost by definition a worthy one; a formidable challenge is almost by definition one worth rising to. Not surprisingly, this word is derived from the Latin formidare, "to fear." Definitions of formidable adjective extremely impressive in strength or excellence "a formidable opponent" "the challenge was formidable" "had a formidable array of compositions to his credit" "the formidable army of brains at the Prime Minister's disposal"

complicit

involved with others in an illegal activity or wrongdoing When you're complicit, you're guilty of being involved in some underhanded or illegal activity. If you see your brother steal the neighbor's cat and don't say anything, you're complicit in a catnapping! Whenever someone makes it easier for a crime or wrongdoing to be committed, they're complicit in it. A getaway driver may not have actually robbed a bank, but she's still complicit in the crime of robbery because she helped the robber. And you may not be responsible for taking the neighbor's cat, but if you suggested to your brother that nobody would notice if he did (and promised not to tell), you're completely complicit! Definitions of complicit adjective culpably involved synonyms:concerned, implicated involved connected by participation or association or use همدست، شما هم پاتون گیره

conflate

is a more formal way to say "mix together," and it's typically used for texts or ideas. Conflate is a more formal way to say "mix together," and it's typically used for texts or ideas. You probably wouldn't say you conflated the ingredients for a cake, but if you blended two different stories together to make a new one, conflate would work. The verb conflate comes to us from the Latin word conflare, which literally means "to blow together." So think of using this word when you want to talk about two things getting thrown together and combined. Things that have been conflated often seem mixed up or confused. In fact, this word is also now sometimes used to mean "confuse or mix up." Definitions of conflate verb mix together different elements synonyms:blend, coalesce, combine, commingle, flux, fuse, immix, meld, merge, mix verb mistake one thing for another synonyms:confound, confuse others cautioned against conflating what happened to Mr. Rock and Mr. Chappelle and drawing overly broad conclusions. you might begin to conflate the artist with the archetypes she embodies

obtuse

lacking sharpness of intellect The adjective obtuse is good for describing someone slow on the uptake: "Don't be so obtuse: get with the program!" The adjective obtuse literally means "rounded" or "blunt," but when it's used for a person, it means "not quick or alert in perception" — in other words, not the sharpest tool in the shed. It's not just for dull people, but also dull angles: in geometry, an obtuse angle is one that is not so sharp (between 90 and 180 degrees). Definitions of obtuse adjective lacking in insight or discernment "too obtuse to grasp the implications of his behavior" synonyms: purblind undiscerning lacking discernment adjective slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity "he was either normally stupid or being deliberately obtuse" synonyms: dense, dim, dull, dumb, slow stupid lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity

nadir

lowest point 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 noun an extreme state of adversity; the lowest point of anything Often called "the crime of crimes," genocide is considered the absolute nadir of human behavior.

stalwart

loyal, reliable, and hardworking To be stalwart is to be courageous and dependable, like a stalwart knight who defends a kingdom from a ferocious dragon. Stalwart can describe someone who's able to keep on going even when things get hard, like a marathon runner who doesn't slow down even after spraining an ankle, or a supporter of a political cause that everyone else has long declared over. In U.S. history, the word stalwart was used in 1877 to describe Republicans who remained unwilling to trust the South, even though the Civil War was long over by that time. Definitions of stalwart adjective having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships "proud of her tall stalwart son" "the stalwart citizens at Lexington" "a stalwart supporter of the UN" "a stalwart knight" While keeping a stalwart female perspective, "Simple Passion" follows an arc so standard it could be called banal. In "I'm Still Standing," the stalwart melody underscores lyrics that embrace the physical changes brought by time A specialist in early 20th-century American art and a stalwart of the fair New York gallerist Bernard Goldberg is stationed, as usual, just inside its entrance. Both South Carolina and UConn have been stalwarts on defense all season long. Norwell is a stalwart who has missed only 12 games in eight years Glance behind the bench, and many of the old stalwarts were standing and watching their old coach, their faces turning toward him as much as the scoreboard above.

antic

ludicrously odd An antic is a prank to the extreme. It's outrageous, but it's usually meant to be funny. When the senior class steals the principal's car and manages to get it inside the gym, the antic may be condemned by the school, but everyone else probably thinks it's hilarious. The noun antic is most commonly used in the plural form, as in "the coach was growing tired of his star player's silly antics after scoring." Sometimes antics can lean toward the not-so-funny side as well. Really ridiculous behavior that is more foolish than funny can also be called antics. Antic can also be used an as adjective, as in "her antic stand-up routine had everyone rolling in the aisles." It more infrequently can be used as a verb meaning "to act like a clown." Definitions of antic adjective ludicrously odd "Hamlet's assumed antic disposition" synonyms: fantastic, fantastical, grotesque "Spy all you like, young one. You are probably right, no one will notice your antics. You might even find out something." His antics definitely would have gotten under her skin. His antics — broken drawing-room windows, midnight feasts, theft — have captured the imagination of millions over the decades, the stories adapted for radio, stage and television.

spartan

marked by simplicity and lack of luxury A spartan existence is kind of like being a monk. Your room is bare, you live simply and eat sparingly, and your sheets are probably scratchy. In ancient Greece, there were two great city states: Athens and Sparta. Athens had the artists, the good food, the great parties. Sparta had the warriors — the guys who went to bed early and drilled all day. They lived in bare rooms and didn't get sick days or time off. A spartan life is a life of discipline and self-denial. Some people like it like that. Go figure. Definitions of spartan adjective unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment adjective practicing great self-denial "a spartan diet" "a spartan existence" It feels clean and open, but it isn't spartan, because everything is opulent. This was a slum school, built with Comic Relief money: spartan and still short of books. "I was very spartan — work, sleep, work, sleep," he said.

unhinged

mentally unbalanced; deranged If someone's unhinged, they aren't completely sane. Unhinged is another way to say "crazy" or "out to lunch." Babysitting six kids between the ages of three and ten for an entire day might leave you feeling a little unhinged. More serious is when voters begin to worry that one of the presidential candidates is actually unhinged, appearing irrational and unpredictable. Unhinged stems from the less common verb unhinge, which meant "disorder the mind" before it was ever used to mean "take a door off its hinges." Definitions of unhinged adjective affected with madness or insanity unhinged moment

muddling

mixed up in a confused manner "the muddling of fact and fiction is a tried-and-true tactic of totalitarian regimes" qarmaqarışıqlıq The muddling of those emotions, the trickery of it, is what made it so fun

lugubrious

mournful; gloomy Funerals are lugubrious. So are rainy days and Mondays. Anything that makes you sad, gloomy, or mournful can be called lugubrious. Lugubrious comes from the Latin verb lūgēre, "to mourn." You can also listen to the sound of the word: lugubrious sounds slow, heavy, and sad. Sometimes, just the "feel" of a word is enough to clue you in to its meaning, and lugubrious is one of those words. I was feeling great when I got to the concert, but the lugubrious music left me in a terrible mood. Definitions of lugubrious adjective excessively mournful Synonyms:sorrowful experiencing or marked by or expressing sorrow especially that associated with irreparable loss He had the lugubrious face of one who simply refuses to be consoled. At first, Chan's novel moves at a lugubrious pace; there are many pages detailing Nga-Yee's miserable family history before we get to the tragedy that triggers the plot.

inviolable

never to be broken, infringed, or dishonored unassailable Wedding vows and vault combinations that can't be broken are considered inviolable. (Of course, divorce lawyers and bank robbers consider this a challenge.) The word can refer to a physical structure (a fortress, for instance) or something more conceptual (human rights or morals, perhaps). Inviolable has changed little from its Latin origin of inviolabilis, which combines the prefix in- (meaning "not") with the verb violare ("to violate"). Inviolable turns up in religious settings too, usually in reference to texts or rites. In that context, it means "sacred." No surprise: the antonym of inviolable is violable ("accessible or penetrable"). Definitions of inviolable adjective incapable of being transgressed or dishonored "the person of the king is inviolable" "an inviolable oath" Synonyms: unassailable, untouchable impossible to assail adjective immune to attack; incapable of being tampered with "fortifications that made the frontier inviolable" مصون،تخدی ناپذیر،مقدس،شکست ناپذیر I save my inviolable opinions for my fiction, where I don't worry whether I hurt people's feelings. Just by meeting with blacks he had crossed the inviolable color line. And then there's Angel Serena, set apart: I like her inviolable self-possession, her fight with her father who thought he owned her because he'd prayed for her. But it's no coincidence that, as the art form has begun to borrow more from other traditions, the stuff that was once inviolable within jazz is now available for new experimentation.

defunct

no longer existing or functioning Defunct describes something that used to exist, but is now gone. A magazine that no longer publishes, like Sassy, the girl-power mag from the '90s, is defunct, for example. Although defunct comes from the Latin word defunctus meaning "dead," it's not usually used to describe a person who's no longer with us, but rather institutions, projects, companies and political parties — you know, the boring stuff. Keep digging and you'll find that defunctus comes from defungi, meaning, "to finish," which is closer to how it's used today. Defunct can also refer to a rule or law that's no longer used or has become inactive, like prohibition. Definitions of defunct adjective no longer in force or use; inactive "a defunct law" "a defunct organization" The show is held in a small defunct supermarket, west on Bloor Street. With my cigar box of dollars and scrip left from my defunct newspaper delivery business, I went to Junior, the clerk at the drugstore counter, to find out. Russia also said Thursday that its forces were leaving the defunct Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, according to a statement from Ukraine's state-run energy company.

obstreperous

noisy and difficult to control Obstreperous means boisterous, noisy, aggressive, defiant. You've probably seen an obstreperous child in the grocery store, pulling away from her mother, screaming at the top of her lungs. If you've been to a large concert where the band doesn't come on stage for hours, you might have been part of an obstreperous crowd: increasingly impatient, with fights breaking out, things thrown up onto the stage, and demands being shouted, "Give us some music before the night is out!" Some people are kind and gentle with strangers, but around their own family turn obstreperous, shouting "You never loved me!" at their mom when she gives them the smaller of two cookies. Definitions of obstreperous adjective noisily and stubbornly defiant "obstreperous boys" Synonyms: defiant, noncompliant boldly resisting authority or an opposing force adjective boisterously and noisily aggressive "kept up an obstreperous clamor" Synonyms: aggressive having or showing determination and energetic pursuit of your ends By chance she had chosen the three most obstreperous pupils in the school to be her thieves and robbers. Though he could be a sweet boy, he was often short-tempered and obstreperous.

peremptory

not allowing refusal or delay; imperative ant: roundabout; passive; equivocal Peremptory comments are like orders. If you say something in a peremptory manner, you want people to stop what they're doing and do what you say. Peremptory comments put an end to a discussion, and that's final! The word peremptory comes from the Latin peremptorius for "decisive, final." Trace it further and find that peremptor means "destroyer," from perimpere for "destroy, cut off." Basically, peremptory commands destroy the conversation. They are given with an air of authority, and they are often barked. In the courtroom, peremptory orders are not open to appeal; they're final. Outside of the courtroom, a peremptory manner is just plain rude. Definitions of peremptory adjective putting an end to all debate or action "a peremptory decree" "spoke in peremptory tones" "peremptory commands" Prosecutors used peremptory challenges to remove the only two Black potential jurors, so LaMar's case was heard by an all-white jury. "We want you to be happy," one of them said to me, with peremptory cheer.

inimitable

not capable of being copied or imitated Use the adjective inimitable to describe someone or something that is so special or unique, it is impossible to duplicate, like that superstar tennis player with the inimitable serve no other player can copy. To correctly pronounce inimitable, accent the second syllable: "ih-NIH-muh-tuh-bul" Inimitable comes from imitabilis, meaning "imitable," or "that which can be imitated." Comedians, for example, find the way certain celebrities talk to be quite imitable. But add the prefix in-, meaning "not," and you get "not imitated." Use this word to describe things that are truly one-of-a-kind and just can't be copied. Definitions of inimitable adjective defying imitation; matchless "an inimitable style" Synonyms:irreproducible, unreproducible impossible to reproduce or duplicate she'd mastered the right half of the Mona Lisa's inimitable smile . And it can also serve as a compelling introduction to the inimitable style of this composer, singer and pianist. "The reason that we are awestruck by a Beethoven symphony or a Klimt painting is because they had something that's inimitable." gave the group's sound a barely perceptible but inimitable rhythmic drag.

unflagging

not coming to an end; continuous. adjective showing sustained enthusiastic action with unflagging vitality Her unflagging professionalism in it not just admirable but heroic. Still, his oratorical skills, unflagging enthusiasm and abiding sense of faith made him for many an irresistible figure.

untrammeled

not deprived of freedom of action or expression; not restricted or hampered Something that's untrammeled is completely free and unrestricted. If you live a truly untrammeled life, you feel free to follow your dreams. As opposed to a lion in a zoo, a wild animal is untrammeled, or free to roam. You could also describe a dictator's power as untrammeled, in a much less positive sense — he is free to make any laws he wants, and to treat his subjects however he chooses. Untrammeled comes from trammel, or "restriction," which also refers to a particular kind of fishing net. The root is Late Latin, tremaculum, "net made of three layers." Definitions of untrammeled adjective not confined or limited "the gift of a fresh eye and an untrammeled curiosity"- Russell Lord" "the untrammeled rush that the snows had shown in the first spring sun"- Farley Mowat" limitless, unlimited having no limits in range or scope She looks back with amazement at the untrammeled single life she enjoyed not so long ago. untrammeled greed/arrogance untrammeled free market and another on 100 acres of untrammeled California coastland.

self-effacing

not drawing attention to oneself; modest Someone who's self-effacing is shy and likes to stay out of the spotlight, shunning attention and praise. To efface something is to erase it, so to be self-effacing is to try to remove yourself from various situations, especially ones that draw attention. If someone says you did a great job and you say, "It was nothing," that's self-effacing. It is usually considered a positive quality, since it's the opposite of being cocky, egotistical, and attention-hogging. The root of effacing is the Old French word esfacier, which means "to wipe out or destroy," literally "to remove the face." Definitions of self-effacing adjective reluctant to draw attention to yourself synonyms:reticent, retiring he is modest and self-effacing "He might have been making fun of me with my Crest toothpaste face," he added with a self-effacing laugh. his own self-effacing nature.

improvident

not having or showing foresight; spendthrift or thoughtless improviden Advanced Search Random Word improvident Share Someone who is improvident doesn't worry about the future — or plan wisely for it. If you spend all your money on video games even though you know you have to buy your mom a birthday present next week, you have made an improvident decision. In the adjective improvident, the prefix im- means "opposite" or "not." Provident comes from the Latin word providere, meaning "foresee, provide." Put that together and you get something that lacks foresight and consideration for the future, like an improvident town council that spends the whole budget on playground equipment, leaving nothing to cover the inevitable repairs to fire trucks or public restrooms. Definitions of improvident adjective not provident; not providing for the future In one heat, a driver made an improvident move and three cars collided, one flipping on its side. One can at least sympathize with their reluctance to run what looks like a giant charity for improvident fellow Europeans.

subtle

not obvious; hard to spot Something that is subtle is not obvious: a professional food taster might be able to perceive subtle differences of flavor that most people don't notice. Subtle is used for things that are hard to describe because of their complexity or delicacy: a way of thinking, arguing, or creating a work of art. The word is pronounced like "suttle" and it was originally spelled that way when it was borrowed from Old French, but the b got imported to make the word look more like its ultimate source, the Latin adjective subtilis. If you try to pronounce the b, your ignorance of how to say the word properly won't be very subtle! Definitions of subtle 1. adjective difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze "his whole attitude had undergone a subtle change" "a subtle difference" 2. adjective able to make fine distinctions "a subtle mind" دقیق، تیز و نافذ "You don't think I could find a subtler way of doing that? I'm trying to help you, you idiot." Frank felt a subtle vibration in his own body, like a tuning fork pressed against his sternum.

unsolicited

not requested Something unsolicited was not asked for and possibly not wanted. Unsolicited calls and advice come whether we want them or not. One very common use of this word is in discussing "unsolicited advice" or feedback, which definitely has a negative spin. If someone is butting into your business, telling you what you should do, they're giving unsolicited advice. Junk mail is unsolicited. Phone calls trying to sell you something are unsolicited. Unsolicited seems negative, but it can be used positively. If you give compliments that are unsolicited, then you offer them spontaneously and honestly — that's something people like. Definitions of unsolicited adjective not asked for "unsolicited junk mail"

reticent

not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily reticent means either quiet or restrained. If you're reticent about your feelings, you like to keep them to yourself, and you're probably quiet in rowdy groups where everyone is talking over each other. The original meaning of reticent describes someone who doesn't like to talk. Be careful in your context, however. Reticent can refer to someone who is restrained and formal, but it can also refer to someone who doesn't want to draw attention to herself or who prefers seclusion to other people. Don't confuse reticent with reluctant, which means unwilling. Definitions of reticent adjective reluctant to draw attention to yourself adjective cool and formal in manner adjective not inclined to talk or provide information They were reticent about their main concerns, and few wanted to talk about how they voted. The mustache and beard deny us the opportunity to get too close to the man, whose reticent gaze appears fixed to the floor. Korchagin, usually calm and reticent, spoke with a passion that surprised Tsvetayev

dissolution

noun separation into component parts noun dissolute indulgence in sensual pleasure The dissolution of a relationship means that it's broken up or ended. The dissolution of your band means you better get started on your solo album. Dissolution comes from the Latin word dissolutio, meaning "a dissolving of something." Dissolution looks very similar to "dissolve," so to help you remember the meaning, think about what happens if you put paper in water — it breaks apart. A dissolution of a marriage is the same thing as divorce. Although it sounds like disillusion, if you try to use them interchangeably, your logic will fall apart. فساد Watching that moment of dissolution is particularly moving. Demma, who had joined the institution with a plan to reinvigorate Wells Fargo's programming, now found herself the manager of its dissolution. But Sigunsdotter's honest voice and Eriksson's sophisticated and generously distributed art come together to honor the passion of these friendships, and the pain that accompanies their dissolution. "Servants" sees the dissolution of one friendship as a small price to pay toward the restoration of a school's — and nation's — purity of faith.

umbrage

noun a feeling of anger caused by being offended When someone takes umbrage at something, they find it offensive, and it probably makes them angry. Umbrage comes from the same source as umbrella, the Latin umbra, "shade, shadow." The umbrella was invented to keep you in shade, and when you take umbrage at something, you're casting a shadow over the person or thing responsible for the offense. I take umbrage at the suggestion that I'm not a nice person: it's offensive and infuriating. After having devoted my life to helping animals, I might take umbrage at the notion that I've been doing it for publicity purposes: I resent the idea that it was for any other reason than my love of animals. Definitions of umbrage noun a feeling of anger caused by being offended "I take umbrage at that, sir! I am not drunk." The world's best players are not prone to taking umbrage with the media.

arriviste

noun: a person who has recently reached a position of power; a social climber Synonyms : nouveau-riche , parvenu , upstart The city center was aflutter with arrivistes who each tried to outdo one another with their ostentatious sports cars and chic evening dress. An arriviste is someone who's moved up in the world quickly and ends up being resented. You might visit your hometown and feel like it's full of arrivistes who can pay exorbitant prices for enormous houses. When someone suddenly earns a whole lot more money than they did before, they find themselves in a new economic class. If the people who have belonged to this group for a long time (maybe they inherited their wealth from their grandparents, for example) are resentful of this person and their "new money," they might use the word arriviste. An arriviste is newly arrived in this world — as you can see in the French root, arriver, "to arrive." Definitions of arriviste noun a person who has suddenly risen to a higher economic status but has not gained social acceptance of others in that class Her extravagant new home was designed to emulate grand European houses, as were the mansions built by real-life New York arrivistes of the era. Their arriviste status is established right away, with the appearance of wagons carrying crates of statuary presumably ransacked from European homes and churches.

rarefied

of high moral or intellectual value Use the adjective rarefied to describe things that are so stylish, smart, or moral that they seem elevated above the ordinary, like the rarefied conversation of brilliant scholars. To correctly pronounce rarefied, accent the first syllable: "RARE-uh-fied." In addition to high-minded conversation, the word rarefied can also describe the air in high elevations that has less oxygen, like the rarefied air that can be challenging to mountain climbers. Sometimes the quality of airlessness shades the other meaning of the word, implying that the rarefied world of elegant people isn't comfortable to everyone. Definitions of rarefied adjective of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style synonyms:elevated noble having or showing or indicative of high or elevated character adjective having low density "lightheaded from the rarefied mountain air" Because the Oscars' rarefied sensibility actually means something. Most wine drinkers, admittedly, will neither want nor need such rarefied glasses. the rarefied elite who meet with rather ridiculous fates brought on by their pricey equipment.

portentous

ominous The black crows slowly circling the front entrance to your office building at 6:00 am may have a portentous quality, meaning it seems like they're an omen indicating something bad will happen. Use the adjective portentous to describe something that seems to be a sign related to a future event — generally an ominous sign. Something that is portentous often seems to hint at or warn of a future disaster. For example, in a movie ominous music playing in the background while someone turns a dark corner can have a portentous quality, predicting doom for the hapless character. Definitions of portentous adjective of momentous or ominous significance ""such a portentous...monster raised all my curiosity"- Herman Melville" It was France's second defeat since the 2014 World Cup, and proved a portentous sign before their loss to Portugal in the final at Saint‑Denis a little over 12 months later. But there was still something portentous about a large whale stranding.

apostate

one who abandons long-held religious or political convictions 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 adjective not faithful to religion or party or cause Not only was she a member of the Hazara ethnic group, Shiite Muslims who the Taliban regard as apostates, she was a woman living alone, her husba ​

interloper

one who moves in where he or she is not wanted or has no right to be, an intruder If you intrude on people without their permission, you are an interloper. An interloper crashes parties and laughs at "No Trespassing" signs. Interloper was likely formed by combining inter-, ("between") with -loper, (from landloper, meaning "vagabond" or "adventurer"). An interloper, then, is someone who has ventured or traveled where he was not welcome. The noun interloper may also refer to something other than a person: "The new chain superstore built at the edge of town and was an interloper among the various mom-and-pop grocery stores in the area." Definitions of interloper noun someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another without permission

egregious

outstandingly bad Something that is egregious stands out, but not in a good way — it means "really bad or offensive." If you make an egregious error during a championship soccer match, your coach might bench you for the rest of the game. An egregious error is so bad that it might not be forgivable. Some synonyms are appalling and intolerable. The word has made a 180-degree turn from its original sense in Latin, when it meant "exceptionally good." Word historians have speculated that the negative usage was originally meant to be ironic, but it is the only sense that has survived. Be careful not to use it to mean "outstanding," since no one wants to be called egregious. Definitions of egregious adjective conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible "an egregious lie" یک چیز بد فاحش مانند اشتباه فاحش، دروغ فاحش also to commit egregious abuses of power. How had I made such an egregious mistake? "Legendaddy" also has some egregious missteps: two EDM fusions, the globally popular style that has recently had a grip on the Latin charts. There's no way to address all of Weber's misstatements here so I will confine myself to some of the more egregious examples.(مهم،مانند سوالات امتحان)

histrionic

overly dramatic, theatrical Anything that has to do with actors or acting can be called histrionic, like a Broadway actor's histrionic voice projection that would sound strange in everyday life but is perfect for the stage. The adjective histrionic, pronounced "his-tree-ON-ic," comes from the Latin words histrionicus and histrio which mean "actor." It can describe things that have to do with acting on the stage, but it can also describe a person who in regular life is a little too dramatic and even over-acts, like your friend whose histrionic rantings make a trip to the grocery store seem like a matter of life and death. Definitions of histrionic adjective overly dramatic or emotional their histrionic expressions are all perfectly clear, from Reynard's guile to the lion's slightly stupid outrage. Schwanengesang" wouldn't benefit from histrionics, anyway; a loose collection of Schubert's final songs, it lacks the through line of his cycles, packing their intensity into discrete pieces that demand discrete interpretations.

quixotic

overly idealistic; impractical Use quixotic for someone or something that is romantic and unrealistic, or possessed by almost impossible hopes. Your quixotic task is easy to understand, if difficult to achieve: establish world peace. What a wonderful word quixotic is! While it is most often used to mean equally impractical and idealistic, it also has the sense of romantic nobility. Its source is from the great Spanish novel "Don Quixote," whose title character is given to unrealistic schemes and great chivalry. In the middle of a recession and high unemployment, it would be quixotic to imagine that you could quit your job and find another easily. Definitions of quixotic adjective not sensible about practical matters; idealistic and unrealistic He describes Kelling, in fact, as his intellectual mentor, and so his first step as police chief was as seemingly quixotic as Gunn's. warns that these trips are often quixotic and can easily backfire.

hail

pellets of frozen rain that fall in showers from cumulonimbus clouds. to come from Hail is when chunks of ice fall from the sky. Also, to hail someone is to greet them or say good things about them. Or it can be a way to tell people of your homeland, as in: "I hail from the Moon." If twenty third-graders all sent spit-balls up in the air at once, the spit-balls would then hail down on the class. If a presidential candidate has an idea for fixing the nation's woes, many people will hail that idea. If you see your former prom date walking down the street, you may want to hail them to say hello — or perhaps you'll want to hail a cab and get out of there as fast as you can. Definitions of hail noun precipitation of ice pellets when there are strong rising air currents Before the colonel could get to his car, a voice hailed him from behind. Hamlet took up his pen again and wrote a letter hailing me as the beautified Ophelia. Fivio's resulting marathon verse was immediately hailed as one of the year's biggest breakouts.

palatable

pleasant or acceptable to the taste tolerable Something that is palatable is acceptable to one's sense of taste—literally or figuratively. If it's palatable, then you can put up with it — whether it's leftovers or a mediocre made-for-TV movie. The palate is the roof of the mouth, the combination of structures that separates the mouth from the nose. Early anatomists believed that the sense of taste was located in the palate, and, just as taste is metaphorically expanded to include sensibilities beyond the experience of food and drink, so palatable can be used to describe phenomena beyond the culinary. And, while palatable can mean pleasing or agreeable, it generally means merely tolerable—edible, rather than delicious. Definitions of palatable adjective acceptable to the taste or mind "palatable food" "a palatable solution to the problem" synonyms:toothsome makbul The Kids had an outsider spirit, an ambition to unsettle the audience and not be, even in success, too easily palatable. Niffenegger said she decided it would be "unbearable" to both write and read and opted for something more palatable. At the time, The Guardian reported: "AOC's cooking live streams perfect the recipe for making politics palatable." Black people fought those negative caricatures by constructing a version of Blackness that appeared more palatable to whites.

impecunious

poor If you are hard up, broke, penniless, or strapped for cash, you could describe yourself as impecunious. Then maybe you could make some money teaching vocabulary words. Impecunious comes from the old Latin word for money, pecunia, combined with the prefix im, meaning not or without. But impecunious doesn't just mean having no money. It means that you almost never have any money. If you go into the arts, you are most likely facing an impecunious future. If you gamble away your cash instead of saving it for rent, your landlord might throw you out for being impecunious. Definitions of impecunious adjective not having enough money to pay for necessities The formal study of the history of art, with its generally impecunious career prospects, may well remain a niche subject.

indigent

poor, needy 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 adjective poor enough to need help from others

puissant

powerful, mighty Puissant means powerful and in possession of authority, and is often used to describe the political power of someone, like a prince or president. Said the English poet, historian, and arguably puissant scholar John Milton, "Methinks I see in my mind a noble and puissant nation rousing herself like a strong man after sleep, and shaking her invincible locks." Synonyms for this somewhat rarely used adjective include forcible, mighty, strong, steady, unyielding, and vigorous. Definitions of puissant adjective powerful Synonyms:powerful His black sorcerer was more puissant than all of Euron's three, even if you threw them in a pot and boiled them down to one. "Sweet Petyr, surely you do not mean to suggest that these puissant lords and noble knights could be bought like so many chickens in the market."

viable

practicable, capable of developing anty: Unviable When something is viable, it has the ability to grow or function properly. A viable seed can develop into a plant, while a viable company has the resources to succeed. The adjective viable refers to something able to function properly and even grow. It is made up of the Latin root vita, which means "life," and the ending -able, which means "to be possible." In terms of science or botany, when a plant is viable it can live and flourish in an environment such as a cactus in the desert. Consider also the Wright brothers, who were the first to develop a viable airplane after many tries and spectacular failures. Definitions of viable adjective capable of life or normal growth and development "viable seeds" I thought a one- party state was a viable option for South Africa. Because of high rates of joblessness and incarceration among black men, marriage is not a viable option for many poor single mothers. Those protocols, unthinkable just two years ago, are now viewed as the necessary cost of making this competition viable.

prognostication

prediction A prognostication is a prediction about the future. If you make gloomy prognostications about how much traffic there will be on the way home, you'll be pleasantly surprised to find the drive fast and easy. Use the noun prognostication when someone's making a forecast or a guess about upcoming events. Your prognostication about whether or not it will rain tomorrow might lead to your family's picnic being cancelled. Another way to use the word is to mean a sign or portent: "I hope that black cat isn't a prognostication of bad luck!" The Latin root, prognostica, means "sign to forecast weather," and it comes from the Greek prognostikos, "foreknowing." Definitions of prognostication noun a sign of something about to happen Royal Brougham, despite his earlier gloomy assessment, had already announced his personal prognostication: Washington to win, Cornell in second, California third. But now that we know which teams are in, let's get back in prognostication business and look at five bold predictions. But his actual future has turned out better than his prognostications, so far.

provident

preparing for the future; providing for the future; frugal If you are provident, that means you plan carefully for the future. You have your Christmas lights up in early December, you have a well-stocked pantry, and you have some savings tucked away just in case. The word provident traces back to the Latin word providere, meaning "foresee, provide." The word can be used to describe someone who looks into the future — foresees the future, in a sense — and makes decisions based on future needs. It's often used to describe a thrifty individual who denies himself something today in order to save up for tomorrow, but it can describe actions as well — such as a provident decision that ends up preventing ruin down the road. Definitions of provident adjective providing carefully for the future "wild squirrels are provident" "a provident father plans for his children's education" adjective careful in regard to your own interests "wild squirrels are provident" Synonyms:prudentcareful and sensible; marked by sound judgment In April, banks in over 23 cities loosened limits on provident housing funds for certain home buyers. In contrast, Neolithic farmers assumed full responsibility for "making" their environments provident. Housing provident funds are a compulsory savings program to which all Chinese workers and their employers must contribute.

ubiquitous

present or existing everywhere It's everywhere! It's everywhere! When something seems like it's present in all places at the same time, reach for the adjective ubiquitous. "Cities like Singapore aim to cloak themselves in ubiquitous, free Wi-Fi in the next few years," The Wall Street Journal reported recently — meaning that those savvy Singaporeans will find a wireless connection everywhere they go. The word comes from the Latin ubique, meaning — you guessed it — "everywhere." The usual pronunciation is "yoo-BIK-wih-tihs," but Joseph Heller must have had the older variant "ooh-BIK-wih-tihs" in mind when he wrote in Catch-22 that a character "padded through the shadows fruitlessly like an ubiquitous spook." Definitions of ubiquitous "yoo-BIK-wih-tihs," adjective being present everywhere at once But for millions of Americans, the pandemic remains a ubiquitous threat to their lives and livelihoods. Putin, who had been ubiquitous on Russian television in the early days of the war. During the years of the hearings and after, I had come to understand, despite my shock, that lies had become ubiquitous," she says.

propitious

presenting favorable circumstances When the timing of something is propitious, it's likely to turn out well. A propitious time for taking a big test is when you've studied hard and had a good night's sleep. If you believe in astrology, you might check your horoscope to settle on a propitious day for your wedding. A propitious moment to ask your parents about that spring break trip to Cancun might be when you've just unveiled your straight-A report card. Definitions of propitious adjective presenting favorable circumstances; likely to result in or show signs of success "propitious omens" "propitious gales speeded us along" "a propitious alignment of planets for space exploration" Synonyms:auspicious auguring favorable circumstances and good luck favorable, favourable, golden, lucky, prosperous presaging or likely to bring good luck gracious disposed to bestow favors favorable, favourable(of winds or weather) tending to promote or facilitate Antonyms:unpropitious not propitious Paul's idea for a Washington march came at the most propitious of times. to wait for a more propitious time to propose a solution. It is both a propitious and a terrible time to be plugging a book about how the experiences of a Hollywood movie star can improve your life.

insidious

proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects If something is slowly and secretly causing harm, it's insidious — like the rumors no one seems to listen to until suddenly someone's reputation is ruined. Insidious is related to the Latin noun, īnsidiae meaning "ambush" which comes from the Latin verb, īnsidēre "to lie in wait for." This is very fitting as an insidious rumor or problem is one whose negative effect is not realized until the damage is already done. Similarly, an insidious disease develops internally without symptoms, so that you don't realize right away that you are sick. Definitions of insidious adjective working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way "glaucoma is an insidious disease" Cancer can be insidious, lurking in your body without your knowing it. And action is the only remedy to indifference, the most insidious danger of all. I fluctuated between anticipation so intense that it was very nearly pain, and an insidious fear that picked at my resolve. Things take an insidious turn when some of those colleagues begin to die.

demurred

raise doubts or objections or show reluctance If you demur, you say that you do not agree with something or will not do something that you have been asked to do. normally she would have accepted the challenge, but she demurred

objurgate

rebuke severely; scold How dare you! To objurgate is to scold or reprimand. Don't objurgate yourself, or beat yourself up if you didn't know it — it's an old word that people don't use much anymore. To scold — or to express your disgust and condemnation of — is to objurgate, although this useful word has become quite rare. You're more likely to hear someone use words like castigate or reprimand these days. Objurgate comes directly from the Latin obiurgare, "to chide or rebuke." Definitions of objurgate verb censure severely synonyms: castigate, chasten, chastise, correct verb express strong disapproval of synonyms: condemn, decry, excoriate, reprobate

temerity

recklessness; a foolish disregard of danger excessive confidence or boldness; audacity. Use the noun temerity to mean the quality of being unafraid of danger or punishment. If you have the temerity to jump off the bridge even after hearing about the risk of instant death, you truly are a nutcase. Someone who has the temerity to do something is usually considered to be bold in a foolish way. Near synonyms are audacity and recklessness. Temerity is from Middle English temeryte, from Latin temeritas, from temere "by chance, rashly." Definitions of temerity noun fearless daring , but none had the temerity to challenge him. Four times I was honked at for having the temerity to proceed through town without benefit of metal. Brooklyn Rider had the temerity to sequence new pieces between the movements of Beethoven's Opus 132 on their double-disc set "Healing Modes."

intransigent

refusing to compromise, irreconcilable Intransigent means inflexible, stubborn, entrenched. Argue all you like with an intransigent three-year-old. He will never back down from the position that he wants the lollipop NOW. Trans has to do with movement — think transportation, or a package in transit, i.e. "on the way." The in- of intransigent means "not," so something or someone who is intransigent is not moving. If one political party wants to raise funds to improve schools but the other is intransigent on the subject of higher taxes, the debate will get nowhere. Definitions of intransigent adjective impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, or reason If you describe someone as intransigent, you mean that they refuse to behave differently or to change their attitude to something. That sense of overcoming intransigent obstacles is an enduring feature of Mr. Jarrett's myth. Even when he's sent to the Tower, his life in peril, he remains a quietly intransigent dissenter to the rampaging egomania of King Henry VIII.

dislodge

remove (forcibly); force out of a position; Ex. dislodge the food caught in his throat; CF. lodge If you want to underscore just how commonly found and present something is within a particular place, try the word endemic. The saguaro cactus is endemic, or native, to the American southwest — so watch out for its sharp spines when you're hiking in Arizona! Although endemic meaning "prevalent" often describes a plant or disease, it can also refer to something less tangible and more unwanted such as violence or poverty. Many complain of endemic corruption in the local government. Despite its -ic ending, endemic can also be used as a noun to signify a plant or animal that is prevalent in a certain region. If an endemic is brought to another area which it takes over, destroying the local population, it's classified as an invasive species. Definitions of endemic adjective native to or confined to a certain region "the islands have a number of interesting endemic species" verb remove or force out from a position "The dentist dislodged the piece of food that had been stuck under my gums" Days became shapeless, dislodged from the past, divorced from the future; Once the false claim gets into people's heads, it's hard to dislodge. War horses are much harder to dislodge from their entrenched meanings.

alienated

removed or disassociated from (friends, family, or homeland) An alienated person feels estranged or divided from others, like a shy bookworm sitting in a group of enthusiastic sports fans. The word alienated comes from the Latin alienus, which means "of or belonging to another place" — like an alien! A person who feels alienated may not actually be from another place (or planet), but he sure feels that way. You may feel alienated from your friends if they have all decided that punk rock is the greatest thing on earth, but you are still loyal to the classic rock that you all used to love. adjective caused to be unloved synonyms:estranged "I am without a home, forever alienated. Though I am not a nun like you, I also died to the world in coming here." For the first time I am feeling alienated from the rest of the class. But she acknowledged that her reaching out to a wider audience may have alienated her Vietnamese customers. Even though Natasha doesn't want the baby, he immediately dominates her life and causes her to alienate her friends in exactly the ways they alienated her.

opulent

rich, luxurious; wealthy Opulent is a word that you will hear a lot around rich people looking to show off. "Remember the opulent buffet at Carrie's sweet sixteen? Sixteen chocolate cakes iced in gold leaf!" If you want to remember that opulent is a word describing lavish displays of wealth, you can think of the word opal to help you remember it — opal being a rare gem. And if you are lucky enough to be able to afford opulence yourself, don't describe it that way. The word contains connotations of pretentious. And gold leaf cake aside, who wants that? Definitions of opulent adjective rich and superior in quality At the U.N.-backed climate week event, which took place at the opulent Altantis hotel, he said the push to divest from hydrocarbons has led to a supply crunch. Many brands are springing for larger and more opulent spaces and outfitting them with private shopping suites, cocktail lounges and live-streaming studios. Sep 10, 2021In unprecedented fashion that year, his forces arrested the country's most powerful figures and held them incommunicado at the opulent Ritz-Carlton

preposterous

ridiculous, senseless To a vegetarian, the idea of eating a 52-ounce T-bone steak would seem preposterous — absolutely absurd. When the word preposterous was first used, it meant reversing the normal order of things — putting what was last first, and vice versa. Imagine putting on your underwear over your pants and you'll see that there's a kind of absurdity in something that's backwards, which is why preposterous came to mean "ridiculous." The word is often used as part of an exclamation: a chef who is asked to cook with nothing but jelly beans might exclaim, "That's preposterous!" Definitions of preposterous adjective incongruous;inviting ridicule "a preposterous attempt to turn back the pages of history" But, as Mr. Abloh said in that Dazed interview, "what seems preposterous actually becomes the new norm."

churlish

rude in a mean-spirited and surly way 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 adjective having a bad disposition; surly He thought it would be churlish not to go. The churlish shopkeeper at the old-time general store would glare at her and any Black people who wanted to exercise their right to spend money there. ​

autocratic

ruling with absolute authority; extremely bossy Autocratic describes a way of ruling, but not in a nice way. An autocratic leader is one who rules with an iron fist; in other words — someone with the behavior of a dictator. Autocratic rulers don't tend to be popular. They use fear and control to gain total power over their people. Often, their country is left destitute as a result of their actions. The word autocratic is often used to describe the head of a country, but really, anyone who is a despotic leader can qualify — including the boss who threatens to fire you if you refuse to polish his shoes and work every holiday. Definitions of autocratic adjective characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule; having absolute sovereignty "autocratic government" synonyms:authoritarian, despotic, dictatorial, tyrannic, tyrannical undemocratic not in agreement with or according to democratic doctrine or practice or ideals adjective offensively self-assured or given to exercising usually unwarranted power "an autocratic person" "autocratic behavior" synonyms:bossy, dominating, high-and-mighty, magisterial, peremptory domineering tending to domineer autocratic regimes in Asia autocratic way of fathers autocratic and ruthless style the leader of an autocratic party organization America lucked out, Walter says, because "its first modern autocratic president was neither smart nor politically experienced." And therein, she says, lies the paradox of how some autocratic figures were worshiped democratically

ironic

satiric; unexpected If something is ironic it's unexpected, often in an amusing way. If you're the world chess champion, it would be pretty ironic if you lost a match to someone who just learned to play yesterday. Ironic is the adjective for the noun irony. In contemporary speech, when we call something ironic, we often mean sarcastic. If you spill coffee all over drawings you've been working on all morning, you might ironically tell your coworker, "I've done something wonderful!" An ironic outcome is the opposite of what's intended. Having someone splash mud on you is always annoying, but it would be ironic if they had splashed you because they were running up to wipe dirt off you. Definitions of ironic adjective characterized by often poignant difference or incongruity between what is expected and what actually is "madness, an ironic fate for such a clear thinker" Seeing a Hollywood spat push aside an earnest message on climate change was "almost hilariously ironic," Mr. McKay said.

strewn

scattered untidily scattered. "strewn flower petals" covered with untidily scattered things. "boulder-strewn slopes" səpələnmiş

appointed

selected for a job To be appointed is to be given a task or job. If you're appointed as the week's doughnut fetcher at work, it means you've been assigned the job of bringing treats for everyone. You might be appointed for a small duty or for a large promotion, as when the gym teacher at school is unexpectedly appointed principal. Another way to use the adjective appointed is to mean "well furnished." Lovely homes and fancy hotels are often described as "well appointed" or "luxuriously appointed. Definitions of appointed adjective selected for a job "the one appointed for guard duty"

ossified

set in a rigidly conventional pattern of behavior, habits, or beliefs Use the adjective ossified to describe someone who's become stuck in his ways. You might feel that your uncle has become an ossified suburban soccer dad, set in his unbending view of the world and comfortable lifestyle. When your habits or views have solidified into inflexible patterns — especially if those views are conservative — you can describe yourself as ossified. It's not a compliment to call someone ossified, since it implies an inability to change or bend or even to consider another person's viewpoint. The root is ossify, "to turn into bone," from the Latin word for "bone," os. Definitions of ossified adjective set in a rigidly conventional pattern of behavior, habits, or beliefs "an ossified bureaucratic system" sümükləşmişdir All past oligarchies have fallen from power either because they ossified or because they grew soft. But those ideas become ossified once they have been polished and plastered on cue cards. It's about the longing to escape our ossified selves — to become, if only for a moment or within the pages of a novel, someone wilder and more radically free.

malingerer

someone shirking duty by feigning illness or incapacity Have you ever pretended to be sick or hurt to get out of taking a test or doing a chore? Then you, my dear, are a malingerer, and should be ashamed of yourself. Shape up! Knowing that the prefix mal is from the Latin for "bad," we can tell right off that being a malingerer is not a good thing. This noun form of the verb malinger comes from the French malingre which means "sickly." (Obviously, it's bad to pretend to be sick.) In Jack London's Call of the Wild, the new dog, Pike, is referred to as "a clever malingerer and thief," giving a clear negative context to the word. Definitions of malingerer noun someone shirking their duty by feigning illness or incapacity synonyms:shammer, skulker **type of:shirker, slacker a person who shirks his work or duty (especially one who tries to evade military service in wartime)**

catalyst

something that brings about a change in something else A catalyst is an event or person causing a change. Getting kicked out of your parents' house might be a catalyst for becoming more independent.

anodyne

something that calms or soothes pain When your back is killing you from helping your friend move furniture into his new apartment, you need to take an anodyne, a painkiller. An anodyne doesn't have to be actual medicine. If the pure joy of helping your friend is soothing enough to make you forget your aching back, that counts as an anodyne too (though perhaps an unlikely one). Anodyne can also be used as an adjective to describe something that relieves pain, or is at least inoffensive. When you're stressed out or unhappy, try looking at anodyne pictures of kittens. Er, unless you had a bad experience with a cat once. Definitions of anodyne adjective capable of relieving pain "the anodyne properties of certain drugs" adjective not causing disapproval بی ازار، بدون ضرر

corollary

something that follows; a natural consequence Corollary describes a result that is the natural consequence of something else. You could say that your renewed love of books is a corollary to the recent arrival of a book store in your neighborhood. The noun corollary describes an action's consequence, such as having to study more, a corollary to getting a bad grade. The word is often seen with the prepositions "to" or "of," as in "a corollary to fortune is fame." Math enthusiasts may already be familiar with the word corollary, which can be used more formally to describe a new proof or proposition that follows naturally from an established one. Definitions of corollary noun (logic) an inference that follows directly from the proof of another proposition noun a practical consequence that follows naturally "blind jealousy is a frequent corollary of passionate love" adjective following or occurring as a consequence synonyms: accompanying, attendant, concomitant, consequent, ensuant, incidental, resultant, sequent subsequent following in time or order نتیجه A corollary of something is an idea, argument, or fact that results directly from it. [formal] The number of prisoners increased as a corollary of the government's determination to combat violent crime. the huge increases in unemployment were the corollary of expenditure cuts The amputee, fully aware that his answer would raise an immediate corollary question, said, "They were bit off." Arguing about VAR: regrettable but perhaps an inevitable corollary of a botched law and an increasingly heated public discourse. There is also no real corollary at this level of sports. The movement from agricultural areas to urban ones has had as a logical corollary the growth of the urban population. Isn't weak pay the natural corollary of weak productivity growth? Nietzsche's maxim, that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger, has a corollary in the book world: What doesn't kill you will be the topic of your memoir.

palimpsest

something that has been changed numerous times but on which traces of former iterations can still be seen If you are writing fast and hastily erase something not quite all the way and continue writing right over the smudgy bit, then you've created a palimpsest — which means you can see traces of the earlier writing mixed in with the new. The noun palimpsest originally described a document, such as a page from a manuscript written on parchment, that had been rubbed smooth so it could be used again, with traces of the original writing showing through. The word still carries that meaning, but ancient manuscripts are rare these days, so you're more likely to hear palimpsest used to describe something that has traces of early stages showing through, like "the palimpsest of an urban neighborhood" — in which hints of earlier styles and designs are still evident among the new highrises. Definitions of palimpsest noun a manuscript (usually written on papyrus or parchment) on which more than one text has been written with the earlier writing incompletely erased and still visible The palimpsest effect is protective, as we mentally write over old loves and experiences with new ones so that pains get reduced, replaced and outnumbered. The resulting palimpsest reflects the contradictions and possibilities of American cinema in the 21st century. And I suspect that what many listeners heard was a palimpsest combining the Perlman they knew from recordings with the one playing live in front of them. Dating him forces her to reconceptualize the city not as a symbol—a palimpsest of elsewheres—but as a real location.

pontificate

speak pompously or dogmatically To pontificate is to talk in a dogmatic and pompous manner. To pontificate properly, you need to be a know-it-all with very strong opinions and the urge to share them. Pontificate comes from the French word pontiff, another word for the Pope, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. As a verb (pronounced pon-TIF-i-kate), it meant "to perform the functions of the Pope or other high official in the Church." The noun pontificate (pronounced pon-TIF-i-kit) refers to the government of the Roman Catholic Church. Another word for this is the papacy. Definitions of pontificate verb administer a pontifical office see more verb talk in a dogmatic and pompous manner "The new professor always pontificates" اظهار فضل کردن، در مورد موضوعی حرف زدن طوری که انگار دانش و عقل زیادی دارند. یکه یکه دانیشماخ How pleasant to listen to Dr. Johnson pontificate!

effervescence

state of high spirits or liveliness; process of bubling as gas escapes Soda has effervescence. How can you tell? Just look for bubbles. Things that bubble have effervescence. Effervescence derives from French. To pronounce it correctly, say "eff er VES ence." Originally it meant "the action of boiling up," but it has also come to mean "lively," such as the effervescence of someone who has energy and charisma. It is the opposite of flatness, in which things seem slow, dead, or just "off," like all the air — or energy — is gone. Definitions of effervescence noun the process of bubbling as gas escapes noun the property of giving off bubbles synonyms: bubbliness, frothiness noun irrepressible liveliness and good spirit synonyms:buoyancy, irrepressibility where he stands out for his effervescence and relatively wholesome persona. The goal, Trimbur said, was to attain the effervescence of children putting on a backyard dance show. **"I sleep eight hours every night," said Costanzo, who turns 40 in May and speaks with unflappable effervescence. If it is skillfully and traditionally made, it can keep for days without losing energy or effervescence.

apposite

strikingly appropriate and relevant Something apposite is fitting or relevant. It is apposite that radio stations play Christmas carols on Christmas Eve, and that your tax accountant takes vacation after April 15th. It all makes sense. The adjective apposite is derived from the Latin terms appositus and apponere. Ponere means to place, and thus apponere is "well-placed or well-put." Don't confuse apposite with opposite; they have almost opposite meanings! Definitions of apposite adjective being of striking appropriateness and pertinence "the successful copywriter is a master of apposite and evocative verbal images" به جا I doubt whether this diversity of cultural reference is strictly apposite to Mr. Koubi's Algerian quest. The direction, by the Mint's artistic director, Jonathan Bank, is appealing and apposite.

animosity

strong dislike hatred 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 noun a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility "There was a lot of animosity in the room," Ms. Luyendyk said

menacing

suggesting the presence of danger; threatening Something that is menacing is threatening or suggestive of coming danger. If you're backing away slowly from something, you can probably use the adjective menacing to describe it! Menacing means "threatening" — whether it's on purpose or not. A menacing tone is intended to scare you, but that menacing raincloud isn't actually trying to ruin your day. Menacing can describe the behavior of a menace, but only the mean or dangerous kind — not just a pest: "The raccoon that always knocks over your garbage can is a menace, but it's not menacing (unless it also chases you around your house)." Definitions of menacing adjective threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments "his tone became menacing" She was particularly intrigued by van Gogh's "Wheatfield With Crows," because of its menacing sky and hovering birds. As Roy, Simon Russell Beale is not menacing enough; his threats feel empty, which makes it hard to take his storyline seriously.

mellifluous

sweetly flowing Use the adjective mellifluous to describe something that sounds sweet and smooth, like the honeyed voice of a late-night radio DJ. You might think that that mell in mellifluous has something to do with mellow. Actually, it's related to Melissa. In Greek mythology, Melissa was a nymph who discovered that you could eat the smooth, sweet stuff that bees make. Honeybees were named after her, and their tasty product was called meli. Mellifluous means to "flow as if with honey." Definitions of mellifluous adjective pleasing to the ear "Don't think ill of him," Scythe Curie told Rowan and Citra, her voice mellifluous, yet sharp at the same time. The through line for these seemingly disparate selections is his buoyant and mellifluous voice, capable of roping any and all material into the realm of genuine romance. My father's laugh was high and spirited, but his speaking voice was lower — a mellifluous, accented baritone.

precursor

that which comes before; forerunner You've heard the old saying "Pride comes before the fall?" Well, you could just as easily say pride is a precursor to the fall. A precursor is something that happens before something else. You don't have to be a dead languages scholar to guess that this word springs from a Latin source — praecursor, "to run before." A precursor is usually related to what it precedes. It's a catalyst or a harbinger, leading to what follows or providing a clue that it's going to happen. Binging on holiday candy is a precursor to tummy aches and promises to exercise more. Draconian policies in unstable nations are often a precursor to rebellion. Definitions of precursor noun something that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someone synonyms:forerunner, harbinger, herald, predecessor noun a person who goes before or announces the coming of another synonyms:forerunner noun a substance from which another substance is formed (especially by a metabolic reaction)

jaundice

the distortion of opinions due especially to envy or resentment: "I hope my winning another acting award won't jaundice your feelings about being in plays." Jaundice is a medical condition that causes a slight yellowing of the skin. Many newborn babies are diagnosed with slight jaundice and need to spend time in the sunlight every day for a few weeks. A patient with jaundice looks a little yellow, a condition that's caused by excess pigmentation due to deficiencies in the liver or bile duct. One common medical cause of jaundice is hepatitis, a liver condition. Another meaning of jaundice is the distortion of opinions due especially to envy or resentment: "I hope my winning another acting award won't jaundice your feelings about being in plays." The Latin root is galbinus, "greenish yellow," a color once associated with bitterness and envy. If someone has a jaundiced view of something, they can see only the bad aspects of it. The financial markets are taking a jaundiced view of the Government's motives. The general watched the proceedings with a jaundiced eye. Synonyms: cynical, bitter, hostile, prejudiced More Synonyms of jaundiced. In response to George Will's review, I offer a liberal's more jaundiced analysis of conservatism's ideas and mission. And that view of marriage — as a constant battle of wills that will be sometimes horrible but never boring — combines cynicism and idealism in a way that matches the movie's jaundiced, loving view of journalism.

autopsy

the examination of a corpse to determine the cause of death

denouement

the final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved. You know that part of every movie after the big action scene, where things get explained, and the characters tie up loose ends? That's called the denouement, or the showing of how the plot eventually turns out. Denouement is a French word that literally means the action of untying, from a verb meaning to untie. The English word is pronounced like the French: day-noo-MON. The last syllable has a nasalized vowel instead of the n sound. You can use it outside the context of plays or novels, too: you might describe the denouement of an argument between two friends. Definitions of denouement noun the outcome of a complex sequence of events Her camouflaging tactics are so adroit that the film's denouement is both shocking and, somehow, deflating. Polanski's release and the end of his enforced and lengthy isolation brings a denouement to months of cat-and-mouse games between the director and the media. I liked the way Seneca's letters delivered their lessons succinctly, with no throat-clearing at the start or denouement at the finish. If not exactly a happy ending, it's a good deal happier than the "Diary" denouement.

apotheosis

the finest example If your teacher says the term paper you handed in last week is a work of genius that sets a new gold standard for the school, he's telling you your work is the apotheosis of term papers. The epitome. Perfection. Hidden in the middle of apotheosis you'll find the Greek theos, meaning god. (Theology, the study of religion, has the same root.) Combine theos with apo "from" and you get a person, place, or thing that is so out-of-this-world amazing that it seems as if it's "from God." It's divine. You could make the assertion that Leonardo da Vinci was the apotheosis of genius and that the Mona Lisa is the apotheosis of all his paintings. Definitions of apotheosis noun model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal خدای یه چیزی. مثلا خدای نقاشی ها، خدای هوش و ... And the apotheosis of Biggie and Tupac — only six and seven years dead — left virtually all remaining aspirants vying for third place. Its apotheosis was Donald Trump, who in 1999 used King's show to announce his first, short-lived, exploration of the possibility of becoming a presidential candidate. The Seattle Art Museum show is an apotheosis of sorts.

probity

the quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency, integrity a high standard of correct moral behaviour. Though probity sounds like what you might do with a sharp stick, it actually means being morally and ethically above reproach, or having integrity. If you show fiscal probity, it means you are responsible and ethical with your money. The story of George Washington chopping down the cherry tree and refusing to lie about it is a story of probity. The story was first told by a pastor, who may have made the whole thing up according to today's scholars, possibly to sell books — no act of probity. Definitions of probity noun complete and confirmed integrity; having strong moral principles "in a world where financial probity may not be widespread" "he enjoys an exaggerated reputation for probity" پاک دامنی، درستی It is hard today to imagine a world in which the written word meant so much that one writer's refusal to publish made him a national example of moral probity. Legorjus, a man of probity torn between doing what is right and fulfilling his duty as a military man, is sensitively played by Kassovitz himself. But there's also a chilling scene in which Richard turns ruthless when his probity is called into question.

recrudescence

the recurrence of an undesirable condition. When something that's bad comes back to haunt you, call it a recrudescence. It's not a word you'll hear often, but it's useful. As a bonus, it lets you say "crud" while sounding really smart. Don't confuse recrudescence with resurgence, which is neutral and could be used just as easily to describe an increase in crime as to describe the return of warm weather in the spring. Recrudescence is bad. Use it to talk about a new growth of pimples, the return of the symptoms of a disease, or an underground crime ring. noun a return of something after a period of abatement "a recrudescence of racism" "a recrudescence of the symptoms" type of: epidemic, eruption, irruption, outbreak a sudden violent spontaneous occurrence (usually of some undesirable condition) "If there's recrudescence happening frequently, and people are getting severely ill the second time around, that's potentially its own problem," she said

rapprochement

the reestablishing of cordial relations Rapprochement is the reestablishment of a happy relationship or arrangement. A peace treaty between warring nations is a kind of rapprochement. People who usually get along sometimes come into conflict: formerly allied nations go to war, friends feud, and spouses divorce. If a conflict ends and the parties go back to being on good terms, they achieve rapprochement. This term is most often used in international politics — for example, when two countries make peace after a long war, that's rapprochement. The word means "reunion" or "reconciliation" in French, and its root is rapprocher, "to bring near." Definitions of rapprochement noun the reestablishing of cordial relations Haiti's two former colonizers described their joint action as both a rapprochement after their friction over the Iraq War said rapprochement with Russia would be her foreign-policy priority once the fighting in Ukraine stopped.

empiricism

the view that knowledge originates in experience and that science should, therefore, rely on observation and experimentation Empiricism means a method of study relying on empirical evidence, which includes things you've experienced: stuff you can see and touch. Empiricism is based on facts, evidence, and research. Scholars and researchers deal in empiricism. If you believe in the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, or Santa Claus, you're out of the realm of empiricism — there are no facts to support those myths. If you want to get something practical done, or to really know what the deal is with something, empiricism is the way to go. Definitions of empiricism noun (philosophy) the doctrine that knowledge derives from experience

gamut

the whole range or extent "a face that expressed a gamut of emotions" A visit with a long-lost cousin might arouse emotions that run the gamut of from joy to nostalgia to sorrow. A gamut is a full or complete range. In the 16th century, the gamut was the lowest note on the musical scale. In music as well as life, the word has expanded to mean from high to low, or the whole range. The word is often associated with "run," as in "run the gamut from totally excited to so terrified you're quaking with fear." And if you've talked about every discussion point on your agenda, you've covered the gamut of issues that need discussing. Definitions of gamut noun a complete extent or range: "a face that expressed a gamut of emotions" There are many options, measurements are tricky, and costs run the gamut. New works run the gamut from "something you might sing down the pub" to "refined and elegant compositions," like McDowall's, he added.

Venial

think "forgivable," "excusable," and "no biggie." Some crimes are unforgivable. Others are venial — venial crimes and sins are excusable. They're not a big deal. In school, there are so many things that are against the rules: talking during class, tossing spitballs, pulling the fire alarm, stealing a basketball, etc. Something venial would be something against the rules but forgivable. For example, if you were late for school because your parents were in the hospital, that lateness is venial. If you burned the gym down, that could never be considered venial. When you see venial, think "forgivable," "excusable," and "no biggie." Definitions of venial adjective warranting only temporal punishment "venial sin" Perhaps my ears deceived me; but if he did do that, it was a venial sin. Who sins through weakness, is less guilty thought; Indulge my crime, and spare a venial fault.

baleful

threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments زمینه چینی یک اتفاق بد، شیطانی synonyms:forbidding, menacing, minacious, minatory, ominous, sinister, threatening Baleful means the foreshadowing of tragic or evil events. If no one's listening in class and your teacher reprimands you with a baleful glance, expect a pop quiz. If your car breaks down and you take refuge in a deserted mansion, you might huddle under a dusty blanket and find yourself thinking that the wind moaning at the windows sounds baleful — maybe it's really the voice of a young woman murdered in the very bed where you sleep? Definitions of baleful adjective threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments "a baleful look" synonyms: forbidding, menacing, minacious, minatory, ominous, sinister, threatening alarming frightening because of an awareness of danger adjective deadly or sinister "the Florida eagles have a fierce baleful look" synonyms:baneful maleficent harmful or evil in intent or effect With his road-traveled face and baleful gaze baleful eyes a baleful catalog of affronts A baleful fog moves across all these chapters, as the story drifts from one character to another. The threatening atom bomb casts a baleful shadow over the serious young people

vituperate

to abuse verbally; berate To vituperate is to speak or write in an extremely negative way about someone. Just as vituperation consists of negative, explosive, malicious outbursts, to vituperate is to communicate in this way. Negative political ads vituperate against opponents. When you insult someone and swear at them, you vituperate. People with a short temper tend to vituperate often — it's similar to railing, vilifying, and reviling. The root word is the Latin vituperationem, "blame or censuring," from vitium, "fault or defect." Definitions of vituperate verb spread negative information about He also seemed very driven, and he could be vituperative towards timewasters. Trump, needless to say, has been the most vituperative. That drew so many vituperative remarks on YouTube that the commenting function was disabled.

remonstrate

to argue with someone against something, protest against Remonstrate means to call someone on something that's wrong. If your mother yells at you in public, you might call this getting chewed out. She might call it remonstrating. Either way, it's embarrassing. Remonstrate has its roots in a Latin verb meaning "to show," and it used to mean "to make plain." Which is why remonstrate is a word that puts the glow of respectability on the action of yelling at someone or telling them that they're wrong. The sense is that the person remonstrating is the victim — they're just making the injustice plain. Definitions of remonstrate verb argue in protest or opposition ​

importune

to ask persistently; to beg Sure, to importune is to beg, but use it only when you're talking about going beyond mere begging into more urgent territory. The woman importuned the judge to release her innocent brother from jail. The original Latin term actually meant something closer to "to bother." Bear that in mind when you're deciding whether to use importune, because that's the kind of begging you'd want to be talking about when you do. Imagine needing something so badly that you cannot stop asking for it: then you might importune someone to get it. After a year of being importuned, dad let me have the car. Definitions of importune verb beg persistently and urgently "I importune you to help them" And at the same time I fear to importune it too much, because I do not know what might happen then. "Rob, this is Helen at Base Camp," Wilton importuned, sounding as if she was on the brink of tears.

hedge

to avoid giving a clear answer, thereby escaping responsibility or blame A hedge is a living fence made of closely planted bushes, which, as they grow and get trimmed and shaped, form a wall of green. Hedge can also be used as a verb. If someone asks you a question and you hedge, you're avoiding a straight answer. If you're not sure what your boss's political views are, you can hedge by not revealing yours. If you hedge your bets, you're trying to minimize risk or loss — that is, you're trying to cover yourself no matter what happens. Definitions of hedge 1. noun a fence formed by a row of closely planted shrubs or bushes 2. noun any technique designed to reduce or eliminate financial risk; for example, taking two positions that will offset each other if prices change type of: protection, security defense against financial failure; financial independence 3. verb minimize loss or risk "diversify your financial portfolio to hedge price risks" "hedge your bets" type of: minimize, minimize make small or insignificant And while she and Channing Tatum are the headliners, the studio has hedged its bets by also cramming in a leering goat and a Fabio-ed Brad Pitt. After obtaining a teaching certificate, Ms. Wertmüller hedged her bets by enrolling simultaneously in law school and a Stanislavskian drama academy in Rome. In recent years, many watch enthusiasts have come to view fine watches as an alternative asset class, a hedge against a wobbly market for stocks, bonds and cryptocurrencies. (اینجا معنی حصار یا مانع میدهد) She did all of this while attempting to secure a $25 million loan from a hedge fund to create an exclusive arts club. (hedge fund به معنی : a type of investment that can make a lot of profit but involves a large risk)

languish

to become weak or feeble; to lose strength To languish is to become pitiful or weak because you're sick, in love, or stuck somewhere. A prisoner might languish in jail, longing for her freedom. Languish, like languid, is from the Latin word languere which means "to be weak or faint." Your houseplants might languish in a dark dry corner. A Romantic poet might languish on a velvet couch with the back of her hand to her forehead. People in operas love to languish: The main character in La Traviata, Violetta, languishes from longing and eventually tuberculosis. Definitions of languish verb become feeble "The prisoner has be languishing for years in the dungeon" 1. nisgilli The seven Tony nominations for "For Colored Girls" are a bittersweet triumph for a production that has been languishing at the box office and had already announced an early closing date. leaving Alex and his disability to languish in the shadows. Newton languished for months, reportedly unwilling to be a backup.

plead

to beg To plead with someone is to try to convince them to see it your way. Your kids may plead with you to let them go on the super-huge outrageous roller coaster built in 1968, but you know better. The term plead comes from the word plea, which is from the legal system, where lawyers make a plea to the court and argue a case for their client. To plead is to ask for something from someone, often on the verge of begging. You may plead with the phone company to give an appointment time that spans only three hours, but, regardless of your pleading, they will make you wait eight hours for the technician to finally show. Definitions of plead verb appeal or request earnestly "I pleaded with him to stop"

splinter

to break up into sharp, thin pieces A splinter is a narrow, pointed sliver that breaks off something larger. If you walk barefoot on a wooden floor, dock, or boardwalk, you might get a splinter of wood in your foot. Ouch! We often use the word splinter to refer to tiny shards of wood that lodge under the skin, but a sliver of any hard material — stone, glass, bone, wood, metal — can be called a splinter. When something splinters, it breaks into individual bits. You can also use the word figuratively to describe something that separates in a violent or forceful way, like when a mainstream political party splinters into more or less extreme groups. Definitions of splinter noun a small thin sharp bit or wood or glass or metal "he got a splinter in his finger" جدا کردن یک گروه هم میشه The unionists, who have splintered into three parties, could still end up with the largest bloc of votes, according to political analysts. The separation from a splintered Soviet Union left scars.

Hector

to bully; to pester 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 verb be bossy towards While Slick told stories, the coyote hectored him: "Duane, stick to the subject. Why are you here?" Caught between his own pessimism and his boss's hectoring, Helms "just slacked off on providing information on Vietnam," one of his staffers tells Whipple.

impugn

to call into question; to attack as false (SYN: challenge, deny, dispute, query, question) (ANT: confirm, prove, verify, validate) If a candidate has a record that cannot be impugned, his or her opponent might go for a character attack. If you take pride in your work, you will be especially insulted if someone impugns your professionalism or integrity. To impugn means to call into question or attack as wrong. If your usually grumpy brother is suddenly nice and sweet, you'll impugn his motives if you're smart — he probably just wants something from you. The root of impugn is the Latin pugnare which means "to fight," so when you impugn, you are fighting or attacking, but by saying that something is false or wrong. If a candidate has a record that cannot be impugned, his or her opponent might go for a character attack. If you take pride in your work, you will be especially insulted if someone impugns your professionalism or integrity. Definitions of impugn verb attack as false or wrong It avoids impugning the people with actual power, Racist caricatures impugned everything from a woman's intelligence Just think of President Trump's regular impugning of the loyalty of those who work for the American government, in the F.B.I., for example.

arrogate

to claim without justification; to claim for oneself without right To arrogate is to take over. When the teacher steps out of the classroom and some bossy student marches up to the front of the class and begins scolding the other kids? The student is trying to arrogate the teacher's authority. When someone takes control of something, often without permission, such as when a military general assumes the power of a country's government after getting rid of the previous leader, they arrogate power or control to themselves. Occasionally the verb arrogate means something like "assert one's right to," or take something that is deserved, but more often it implies a taking by force. Definitions of arrogate verb seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as one's right or possession The US still arrogates to itself the title of champion of oppressed nations. a sport that arrogates to itself a particular moral sanctimony. "By arrogating to himself the power to overturn that decision, Justice Breyer does not just reject the death penalty, he rejects the Enlightenment," Scalia wrote.

bemoan

to complain about Some people love to complain, don't they? Complainers also tend to bemoan things, which can be translated to "Oh no! Why me?" A more casual expression for bemoan is to moan and groan. If you step in a puddle and get your shoes wet, you might moan and groan about, or bemoan, your bad luck to whoever will listen. Just about any bad or annoying thing can be bemoaned. In fact, people love to bemoan how much other people are moaning and groaning about things! Definitions of bemoan verb regret strongly synonyms:bewail, deplore, lament sızlanmak In the show's final episode, one of the duchess's aristocratic friends bemoans the British public's desire to know what the upper classes are up to. **He fears that some critics may bemoan a loss of scholarship if these efforts continue at the Baltimore Museum of Art and other institutions.

flummox

to confuse or perplex Does the word flummox bewilder, confound, dumbfound and generally mystify you? Well, fear no more, because flummox means all of these things! Things that flummox you are probably not that serious, and often pretty amusing and informal: a TV remote or a crossword puzzle, for example, rather than something major like why your boyfriend or girlfriend broke up with you. (Now that's unfathomable.) Get this: linguists are actually mystified as to where the word flummox comes from — they're flummoxed, in other words. It may come from an old English word, flummock, meaning "to make untidy or confuse," but no one is really sure. Now, what could be more suitable? Definitions of flummox verb be a mystery or bewildering to I stood for a minute, speechless and flummoxed, too tired to be indignant. She didn't know how to answer and she looked at him, quite flummoxed.

excoriate

to criticize severely When it comes to "telling someone off," excoriate is reserved for the most severe cases. So, before you excoriate your little sister for borrowing your favorite jacket without permission, consider whether she truly deserves such harsh treatment. If you excoriate someone, you let that person know that you really, really disagree with them. This verb goes beyond mere criticism; it implies anger, a harsh and insulting tone, and even a scathing attack. Synonyms of excoriate include denounce, decry, and condemn. In a medical sense, excoriate means "to tear skin off by chafing." A bad rug burn can excoriate your skin. If someone excoriates you verbally, it might make you feel like you've been physically excoriated. Definitions of excoriate verb express strong disapproval of After both games, rookie coach Chauncey Billups excoriated his team's lack of effort, sounding like a man who doesn't know what else to do. which has excoriated the federation for underpaying the women's team in public statements

squelch

to crush as if by trampling; squash When you squelch something, you're putting an end to it. You can squelch an idea or a rebellion. This word has several meanings, but it's usually a verb for crushing things. A mean remark could squelch your self-confidence, and a powerful military could squelch an invading country. Squelching can also mean to make a squelch-like sucking sound — or to slop, slosh, splash, and squish through the mud. There's also a type of electric circuit that cuts off when the signal is weak: that's a squelch circuit, which squelches the connection. Definitions of squelch verb suppress or crush completely "squelch any sign of dissent" I was startled to find how frequently we were accused of deliberately conspiring to squelch democracy. The Communist Party goes to great lengths to squelch displays of grief and anger, but still retains broad domestic support for its efforts.

mulct

to defraud or swindle The meaning of mulct is as nasty as it sounds; it means to fine someone or the money you collect as a result of a fine. No one wants to pay an extra mulct to the city, when it's the city who mismanaged the budget. Got mulct? Then somebody took your money. They "milked" you by mulcting you. And the money that they took? That's called mulct, too. Some people believe that there's no difference between being mulcted by the state and being shaken down by the mob. In fact, the word mulct is often used to mean having your money taken unfairly or as a kind of punishment or as extortion. Definitions of mulct noun money extracted as a penalty پول آدم رو با اخاذی گرفتن، ناعادلانه گرفتن The tax on advertisements checks information, fines poverty, mulcts charity, depresses literature, and impedes every species of mental activity, to realize £150,000 per annum.

execrate

to denounce as vile or evil; to curse; to detest Just when you thought you knew every word in the book for hate, here's a new one: execrate. The word means to despise or also to curse. Broken down to its Latin root, the word execrate means the opposite of being sacred or devoted to. When you execrate something, you are cursing it instead of making it holy. The word is not used all that often. If you say to someone, "I execrate you!" they might think you're casting an evil spell on them. Which in a way, by cursing them, you are. Definitions of execrate verb curse or declare to be evil or anathema or threaten with divine punishment This man they'd execrated and denounced had shocked the world—not just by being his shocking self but by winning; nobody expected him to win!—and yet from them this evoked no reaction. Many Democrats striving to replace President Trump are, while execrating him, paying him the sincerest form of flattery: imitation. And of the fact that the president has repeatedly execrated the invasion of Iraq that Bolton advocated.

gainsay

to deny, contradict, controvert; to dispute, oppose Gainsay, a verb, means "contradict" or "speak out against." When you challenge authority, you gainsay, as in teachers don't like it when unruly students gainsay them. Gainsay comes from an Old English word that means "contradict" or "say against," as in, "no one dared gainsay the principal, who is well-known for giving detention to students who so much as frown at him." If you know someone who constantly corrects others, tells them that they're wrong, and says, "That's not true," more than anyone else, you have first-hand experience with the art of the gainsay. Definitions of gainsay verb take exception to Who could possibly gainsay such a judgment? There is no gainsaying the fact that they have been responsible for a truly great building Yet Chazelle's verdict on the two films' relative merits is hard to gainsay. "Whether one agrees with her opinions or not, there's no gainsaying her prominent place in the history of American political thought," he said.

enjoin

to direct or order To enjoin is to issue an urgent and official order. If the government tells loggers to stop cutting down trees, they are enjoining the loggers to stop. Enjoin looks like it should mean bring together, and at one time, it did have that meaning. But in current usage, the only thing enjoin brings together is a command and the person on the receiving end of that order. If your doctor enjoins you to stop smoking, he is suggesting strongly that you quit. Definitions of enjoin verb give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority Elsewhere, a woman in a lecture hall passionately enjoins her audience to ask: What did the artist mean? The artists enjoins those who stand before his paintings and see only artistic junk food to "look harder."

gerrymander

to divide an area into voting districts in a way that favors a political party Some politicians change the boundaries of their voting districts in order to benefit themselves or their political party. To manipulate the boundaries like this — often viewed as unfair — is to gerrymander. The verb gerrymander first appeared in 1812 when Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry redrew district boundaries, hoping it would help his party in an upcoming senate election. Then somebody noticed that the new district looked like a salamander, so they combined Gerry and -mander to create the new word gerrymander. And then a newspaper printed a cartoon with a giant salamander making fun of Gerry, which is what happens to politicians who don't behave. Definitions of gerrymander verb divide unfairly and to one's advantage; of voting districts "It was gerrymandering over football," said Gomez, who had not been in the least surprised. Most representatives in Texas don't need to worry about the general election because gerrymandering already decided that part.

quail

to draw back in fear Smaller than the chicken and not as well known as the pigeon, quail is like the often-overlooked middle child of the ground-dwelling bird family. Quail can also mean to cringe in fear or pain. So if you are a quail, you might quail at the thought of quail-hunting season. Quail is a broad, catchall word; it can refer to any one of many small domestic game birds. So if you're bragging about the quail you shot on a hunting trip to your uptight, bird-obsessed pals, they might demand to know if it was the Bobwhite quail, the Valley quail or the Scaled quail, to name just a few. If you use this word as a verb, it means to draw back in fear or pain. You might quail in fear at the sight of a playground bully. A good way to remember this verb meaning is to think of how the word chicken is also associated with fear. DeInvestors quailed at times, sending stocks down by as much as 10 percent.finitions of quail noun small gallinaceous game birds noun flesh of quail; suitable for roasting or broiling if young; otherwise must be braised verb draw back, as with fear or pain synonyms:cringe, flinch, funk, recoil, shrink, squinch, wince Investors quailed at times, sending stocks down by as much as 10 percent.

cow

to intimidate The verb form of cow, "to frighten or subdue," comes from the docile nature of most cows — they are fairly easy to intimidate, or easily cowed. The Old English root is cu, from the Indo-European gwous, which might have developed from the sound that cows make. ​

regale

to entertain You may have heard it said that the fastest way to a person's heart is through his stomach. So, if you need to please or impress someone, regale them — that is, treat them to lavish food and drink. While food is a reliable way to regale someone, regale can also involve providing forms of entertainment such as music or storytelling. Regale is akin to the word gala, meaning "a festive party," and gallant, which can mean "spirited and adventurous" (though gallant can also mean "noble and brave"). If you regale someone with a gala attended by partygoers who are gallant, in either sense of the word, everyone should have a pretty good time. Definitions of regale verb occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion He regaled us with stories of his trips to Johannesburg, a place none of us had ever been before. Njemile regaled him with tales of her first foray into online dating. Now she lay in wait to regale Mother with her own misfortunes at the hands of unappreciative men.

expunge

to erase or eliminate To expunge is to cross out or eliminate. After Nicholas proved he had been in school on the day in question, the absence was expunged from his record. Expunge is often something you do to a document. When government censors block out text in documents before making them public, they are expunging the text. You can also use the word in a more metaphorical sense. The principal tried to expunge all traces of bullying from the school by implementing a kindness initiative and treating all complaints as serious. Definitions of expunge verb remove by erasing or crossing out or as if by drawing a line The suit calls for DNA profiles that lawyers argue were gathered unlawfully to be expunged and for the database to be shut down entirely. The charges were expunged from his record after Kendrick completed a pretrial intervention program.

mesmerize

to fascinate or hypnotize You meet someone and you can't take your eyes off them, like you are connected by an invisible cord and can't break free. Those kinds of people have the power to mesmerize, holding your attention like you're under hypnosis. The word mesmerize comes from the last name of 18th century German physician Franz Mesmer, who believed that all people and objects are pulled together by a strong magnetic force, later called mesmerism. If you ever start to feel mesmerized, maybe it's because you find someone fascinating, or maybe you've been hypnotized by a magician. Hard to tell from here. Definitions of mesmerize verb attract strongly, as if with a magnet He smiles, but it doesn't mesmerize me like the day I first saw him at his house. Even if he were to say nonsense, his mesmerized students would never know because of his unquenchable self-confidence. We filmed in front of the biggest blue screen in Europe, so the whole time I was completely awe struck and mesmerized by working in this big expanse of space,

proscribe

to forbid disallow, forbid, interdict, nix, prohibit, veto **ant: prescribe To proscribe something is to forbid or prohibit it, as a school principal might proscribe the use of cell phones in class. Proscribe sounds similar to the word prescribe, but be careful: these words are essentially opposite in meaning. While proscribe means forbid, prescribe is used when a doctor recommends a medicine or remedy. Of course, if you want an excuse for not following your doctor's orders, you could say you were confused about the meaning of these two words — but that would be lying, which is proscribed by most people's value systems. And it would also be bad for your health. Definitions of proscribe verb command against

cede

to give up To cede is to give up or surrender land, position, or authority. "She reluctantly ceded the coveted position as the baby of the family to her brother when he was born. She would not, however, cede her bedroom to him." Cede is a word often used in discussing diplomatic issues. It is more commonly used in reference to actual physical things, like geographic areas or objects, but can also be used in reference to attitudes or opinions. "The rebels ceded territory after the siege failed." "Dad tried but finally ceded control and let me have my own Facebook account." Definitions of cede verb give over; surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another verb relinquish possession or control over And yet the nature of both jobs was that, ceding the decision making to commanding officers, you went anyway. But why isn't he ceding the opportunity to somebody else who is more appropriate? Women and pregnant people must cede control of their own bodies and reproductive choices for the sake of the children — or, in the case of unwanted pregnancies "the pre-born."

inure

to harden; accustom; become used to To inure is to get used to something difficult or unpleasant. If after spending an hour in your brother's room, you stop noticing the stinky-sock smell, you have become inured to the odor. Although the Latin roots of inure mean "in work," it may be easier to think of "in use" when you see inure. Got new shoes that give you blisters? When they are "in use" long enough, your feet will become inured to the spots that rub, and while you may have calluses, you will not be in pain. You can be inured to more abstract things too. When weathermen constantly play up the next big snowstorm or blizzard, you become inured to it and stop paying attention to them. Definitions of inure verb cause to accept or become hardened to; habituate "He was inured to the cold" They still whispered Minya's words to her, but she had inured herself to them. That may suggest that we're so inured to the idea of a female leader that we have ceased to focus on it at all, a theory that falls into the too-good-to-be-true category. By that point, people are inured to the reality of what it actually is, yet it is still extreme policy.

blinkered

to have a limited outlook or understanding When someone is blinkered, they're narrow-minded, or have a limited understanding. Your brother is blinkered by his belief that only boys should belong to his secret club. The adjective blinkered describes anyone who lacks the ability to include different viewpoints and experiences in their own understanding of the world. Your might think your grandfather wouldn't make a good president because, despite being a nice guy, he's blinkered by his old-fashioned opinions. This figurative meaning comes from the blinkers or "blinders" worn by horses that force them to focus only on the path in front of them. Definitions of blinkered adjective lacking tolerance or flexibility or breadth of view Instead — as happens recurrently in this fierce, intelligent movie — grown-ups get in the way, blinkered by their obeisance to rules, regulations and pedagogical imperatives. The result has been to create a blinkered view of the war that few dare pierce. The anti-abortion movement demonstrates only the most blinkered, shallow understanding of the term "life."

spur

to move to action; an incentive To spur something on is to get it going, to encourage it, to hasten it or stimulate. Cowboys wear spiky metal tools called spurs on their boots to kick their horses and spur them to greater speed. Economists talk of lowering interest rates to spur spending. A new source of funding for research will hopefully spur new proposals for research from scientists. An earthquake in China might spur cities in California to a higher standard of earthquake preparedness. You might spur your team on to victory by cheering from the sidelines. VERB If one thing spurs you to do another, it encourages you to do it. It's the money that spurs these fishermen to risk a long ocean journey in their flimsy boats.

proselytize

to persuade someone to convert to a faith, belief, or cause To proselytize is to try to persuade someone to switch to your religious beliefs or your way of living. If you are going to proselytize, try not to be too pushy! The word proselytize can specifically refer to religious evangelism, as in: "Proselytizing is a fundamental component of Mormonism." Proselytize, however, can also be used for any situation when people are trying to convince others to try something or to join something. TV ads proselytize about the pleasures of life with mouthwash, friends proselytize about how great their favorite video games are, and parents proselytize about the benefits of eating vegetables. Definitions of proselytize verb convert to another faith or religion synonyms:proselytise She never proselytized in the classroom The rationale was to avoid proselytizing in the Legislature Yes, you should ask your parents to stop proselytizing to you.

bristle

to react in an angry or offended manner A bristle is a stiff hair — the kind men shave off their face or the kind badgers have all over. Bristle also means to get angry. Tell an animal rights activist you use a badger's bristle shaving brush and you'll get the idea. The emotional meaning of to bristle comes from the fact that most animal bristles used by man are so-called erectile hairs — the ones that stand up on the neck or along the back of animal when it's angry or surprised. A common word associated with bristle is hackle, another name for such erectile animal hairs. Thus the saying "to get one's hackles up," which is pretty much identical to bristling. Definitions of bristle noun a stiff hair verb rise up as in fear "The dog's fur bristled" verb react in an offended or angry manner "He bristled at her suggestion that he should teach her how to use the program" noun 1. tük 2. qıl verb 1. qabarmaq 2. ürpənmək ** Definition of bristle with (something) 1: to be covered with (something)a bush bristling with thorns 2: to be full of (something)The movie bristles with excitement.He bristles with energy. *** As they walked through the armory, Ghost sniffed at them, his tail upraised and bristling. But it also bristles, unmistakably, with the excitement of an artist always pushing herself in new directions. She regularly appears nude and bristles at being called "brave" for it. As he got sicker, she noticed that his personality, which she had often bristled at, was shifting.

attenuate

to reduce in force or degree; to weaken 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 verb become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude This creates a soft halo that attenuates the contrast between the light source and the surrounding darkness. You know the rest of this story, or may think you do: There was no stopping the virus, though, as Wang suggests, it surely could have been attenuated. In other words, the ones whose "it's all nurture" attitude was likely attenuated by the birth of a second child with a different "nature."

abjure

to reject; abandon formally Abjure means to swear off, and it applies to something you once believed. You can abjure a religious faith, you can abjure your love of another person, and you can abjure the practice of using excessive force in interrogation. Abjure is a more dramatic way to declare your rejection of something you once felt or believed. When you see its Latin roots, it makes sense: from ab- (meaning "away") and jurare ("to swear"). When you abjure something, you swear it away and dissociate yourself with it. You might abjure the field of astrology after receiving a bad fortune, or you might abjure marriage after a bitter divorce. Definitions of abjure verb formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure "She abjured her beliefs" synonyms:forswear, recant, resile, retract گراغا گویماخ و دای یوخون توشممغ رد المخ و دای یوخون توشممغ چشم پوشی کردن imtina etmək Perhaps what ultimately tips "Skeleton Crew" in the other direction is the way it abjures cynicism in favor of connection. For people who abjure racism and bigotry ***abjured his wealth and joined the beggars. Because the play abjured psychology in favor of gesture "The music builds unbearable tension, abjures all 'Brahmsian' restraint or relaxation

bowdlerize

to remove offensive passages of a play, novel, etc. To bowdlerize means to edit offensive parts out of something. If the hero in an R-rated movie adapted for TV exclaims, "Oh shoot fudge darn!" but his lips seem to be saying something else, that movie has been bowdlerized. The word bowdlerized comes from the name of Dr. T. Bowdler, who decided to publish an edition of Shakespeare without sexual references or double-entendres (which is when a word has two meanings, one of them cheeky). Mr. Bowdler thought he was performing a great service for humanity, but generally if we call something bowdlerized, we're implying that it was edited in a prudish way. Definitions of bowdlerize verb edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate "bowdlerize a novel" But despite bowdlerizing content, my family has been entirely faithful about visiting. In that way of overprotective parents, I used to skip this passage, before my kids were old enough to catch me bowdlerizing.

lampoon

to ridicule with satire criticizes someone or something very strongly, using humorous means. synonyms:satirise, satirize When you make fun of something by imitating it in a humorous way, you're lampooning it. The writers at The Onion, Saturday Night Live and FunnyOrDie.com are all experts in the art of the lampoon. Lampoon can be both a verb and a noun. To lampoon is ridicule. A lampoon is a parody or satire. Imagine you were frustrated by having your allowance reduced, so you wrote a funny play portraying mom and dad as dictators extracting lots of unfair taxes from their people. That's lampooning. And it probably won't help your allowance situation. Definitions of lampoon verb ridicule with satire In the first 60 seconds alone, the show lampoons The Flintstones, Beverly Hills Cop and Silence of the Lambs. The walkout prompted a rhetorical "What do you expect from an Adam Sandler film?," and a Netflix spokesman said that in the movie, blacks, Mexicans and whites were lampooned as well. He entertained his readers by lampooning the pretensions of the rich. [VERB noun] He was lampooned for his short stature and political views. [be VERB-ed]

lacerate

to rip, maul, tear, mutilate, or mangle The verb lacerate means to cut or tear. So the envelope that gave you that nasty paper cut? It lacerated your finger. Something usually needs to be sharp or jagged to lacerate you, like broken glass or a sharp stick. You won't be getting lacerated anytime soon by lace or cotton balls, that's for sure. But watch out for sharp-tongued people hurling hateful words your way; those snide remarks and personal digs can lacerate feelings like a knife slicing through butter. Definitions of lacerate verb cut or tear irregularly verb deeply hurt the feelings of; distress "his lacerating remarks" Phil is a great talker, when he chooses, and has a razor-sharp tongue, with many of his most lacerating comments directed at his brother. From the couple's lacerating arguments, a picture emerges of the troubled boy's shocking behavior — and its connection to Ema's aberrant mothering. Even as she lacerates the form, she acknowledges that "I'm not very good at this structure. I keep going on too long." Some of my memories of theatergoing in the Trump era seem even more lacerating now.

crack down on

to start dealing with someone or something much more strictly Especially not since the Governor was using that fire as a reason to crack down on the people. His conviction was widely seen within Russia as an attempt to crack down on artistic freedom. Australia has pursued an isolationist policy, with a particular focus on cracking down on immigration.

inanity

total lack of meaning or ideas Inanity is complete nonsense. You may be a huge fan of an action movie, but the inanity of its sequel means you're likely to skip the third and fourth installments. A lot of what passes for comedy on TV is really just inanities: foolish characters in ridiculous situations. And while one political figure makes meaningful speeches that truly inspire you, another tends to spout inanities. An earlier definition of inanity was "emptiness," from a Latin root meaning "empty or useless." During the 18th century, the word came to mean "empty of intelligence, or silly." Definitions of inanity noun total lack of meaning or ideas synonyms:mindlessness, pointlessness, senselessness, vacuity There's something almost quaint now about watching a prepandemic show whose focus is the inanity of office culture. He narrates his reporting, mumbling inanities like "A Sabbath silence brooded over the mire."

pellucid

transparent; clear syn: limpid ant: obscure; opaque Pellucid water is clear, a pellucid sky is a particularly intense shade of blue, pellucid prose is writing that's easy to understand, and pellucid singing is clear and light in tone. A sentence that teaches a new vocabulary word should always be pellucid, that is, its style and meaning should be easily understandable so that you can derive the definition from the sentence. You may have heard the word lucid, which means clear. Both lucid and pellucid derive from a Latin word that means "to shine through." Pellucid water is clear, a pellucid sky is a particularly intense shade of blue, pellucid prose is writing that's easy to understand, and pellucid singing is clear and light in tone. Definitions of pellucid adjective transmitting light; able to be seen through with clarity "a pellucid brook" synonyms:crystal clear, crystalline, limpid, lucid, transparent adjective (of language) transparently clear; easily understandable "pellucid prose" synonyms:crystal clear, limpid, lucid, luculent, perspicuous pellucid and startlingly intelligent poetry pellucid manner It is little surprise, then, that the pellucid perfume trend is now back, but with a youthful twist. pellucid sound

unassailable

unable to be attacked, questioned, or defeated without flaws or loopholes immune to attack or doubt unassailable military holding or an unassailable reputation The adjective unassailable means without flaws or loopholes. If you are going to get home late (again!), you'd better have an unassailable alibi for your parents, or else you should plan on not seeing the outside of your room for a while. The adjective unassailable also means immune to attack or doubt, such as an unassailable military holding or an unassailable reputation. Unassailable can also mean untouchable or unable to be defeated. If your high school basketball team is leading 92 to 14 with just a couple of seconds to go, the announcer might say you have an unassailable lead. The corrupt politician had so many connections, he seemed unassailable; he always seemed to manage to deflect even a hint of scandal onto others in the party. Definitions of unassailable adjective impossible to assail synonyms:untouchable inviolable incapable of being transgressed or dishonored adjective immune to attack; incapable of being tampered with synonyms:impregnable, inviolable, secure, strong, unattackable invulnerable immune to attack; impregnable adjective without flaws or loopholes synonyms:bulletproof, unshakable, watertight incontestable, incontestable incapable of being contested or disputed unassailable logic unassailable prose unassailable position the unassailable civil

stultify

verb deprive of strength or efficiency; make useless or worthless is sometimes used in place of to "bore" or "exhaust." When something stultifies you, it drains you of your energy, enthusiasm, or pleasure. Listening to an hour-long graduation speech on a hot, humid day might stultify you. The word stultify is sometimes used in place of to "bore" or "exhaust." An uninspiring boss, too many rules, or a badly performed play can be stultifying. If you hang out in the hot sun all day, the stultifying heat might make you feel limp and listless. Even constant construction noise could stultify a person. To stultify a plan or person is to dampen enthusiasm in a big way. Definitions of stultify verb deprive of strength or efficiency; make useless or worthless "Their behavior stultified the boss's hard work" synonyms:cripple verb cause to appear foolish "He stultified himself by contradicting himself and being inconsistent" see more verb prove to be of unsound mind or demonstrate someone's incompetence "nobody is legally allowed to stultify himself" type of:demonstrate, establish, prove, shew, show susdurmaq Electric dominance has been replaced by stultifying mediocrity. After last week's snoozy win over the Eagles — arguably the dullest nail-biter of the season — the Giants topped themselves with an even more stultifying game against the Dolphins on the road, losing, 20-9. It could also be a stultifying goalless bore, but where's the benefit in negativity? They expect this for an event usually staged in stultifying Junes but postponed to the easier air and lesser daylight of September because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

machinate

verb: engage in plotting or enter into a conspiracy, swear together Synonyms : cabal , complot, conjure , conspire The rebels met at night in an abandoned barn to machinate. To machinate is to scheme or plan something. You might, for example, machinate a way to defeat the more popular candidate in an election for school president. You can use the verb machinate in two ways: to arrange or plan in a carefully detailed way, or to plot in an equally careful but somewhat sneaky or underhanded way. While a teacher might machinate to best organize and inspire her class, a movie villain also machinates in order to defeat the hero. Both meanings come from the same root, the noun machination, "plotting or intrigue," which is ultimately rooted in the Latin machina, "device or machine." Definitions of machinate verb arrange by systematic planning and united effort "machinate a plot" synonyms: device, get up, organize, organize, prepare verb engage in plotting or enter into a conspiracy, swear together synonyms:cabal, complot, conjure, conspire + دسیسه چیدن - و یا تدبیر کردن طرح ریختن But my father, meanwhile, I didn't know this at the time, was busy machinating on behalf of the United States to keep the oil flowing to the West. If the behind-the-scenes machinating among the ' front office this week was unseemly, it was a lot more watchable than their football.

bridle

verb: the act of restraining power or action or limiting excess Synonyms : check , curb New curfew laws have bridled people's tendency to go out at night. verb: anger or take offense The hostess bridled at the tactless dinner guests who insisted on eating before everybody had gotten their food. **As a verb, it can be used to mean restrain, as you would a horse in its bridle. If you bridle at something, you're angry or offended. When you're riding a horse and scream "Whoa!" to make it stop, you're pulling on the reins, which are attached to a thing called the bridle, the buckled straps around a horse's head that help you control its movements.

maunder

verb: wander aimlessly Max liked to maunder down by the seaside and pick up whatever sea shells he would stumble upon. verb: speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly After drinking two espressos each, the animated couple would maunder loudly, annoying the other patrons in the coffee shop. When you maunder, you talk in a rambling mutter. People being questioned by reporters should try to answer articulately — they shouldn't just maunder in response. The difference between a great speech and an interminably boring one is that a good speaker keeps it short (and often funny), but a bad one tends to maunder in a mumbling voice. A novelist who tends to have her characters maunder on endlessly needs a skilled editor. Although maunder sometimes also means "wander aimlessly," it doesn't come from the similar meander but probably from a root meaning "to beg." In elementary school, I sat in class with a book in my lap while the teacher maundered on about fractions. I admit to being a sucker for this kind of intellectual maundering about the meaning of sports, but I know plenty of sports fans can't stand it. Rose is an assertive 9-year-old, though given to existential maundering: "Why am I a little girl/Where am I a little girl/When am I a little girl/Which little girl am I."

unstinting

very generous synonyms:lavish, munificent, overgenerous, too-generous, unsparing, unstinted Hinton's unstinting examination of this history ultimately leaves one with hope for the future. A half-century later, all of it — her extraordinary clarity and imperfect femininity, her unstinting account of the struggle to reconcile art and life — still lands. his later unstinting work for the World Wildlife Federation She recommends unstinting regard for language and sedulous habits of self-revision

hoary

very old; whitish or gray from age Use the adjective hoary to describe something that is old and worn out — like the hoary jokes your great uncle Albert clings to. The word hoary can also be used to describe something that is white or gray with age. Santa is usually depicted with a hoary beard and hoary hair, although sometimes mall Santas have to fake this with wigs and artificial beards. Hoary can also mean covered with fine white hairs or with down — "The hoary leaves felt like velvet to the touch." Definitions of hoary adjective showing characteristics of age, especially having grey or white hair "nodded his hoary head" adjective ancient "hoary jokes" Grapes and their relative merits are one of the hoarier topics in wine. As a piece of theater, the show is a bit of a mess; the jokes, even some of the hoary ones, work better than the storytelling, and the acting styles are all over the place. **We first see the chef, Andy Jones, on the phone, contending with one of the hoarier clichés of overworked men, that of having missed an important event in the development of one of his children.

anemic

weak; lacking power, vigor, vitality; wishy-washy Sometimes you can tell just from looking at someone's pale face and lips that they're anemic. If you're anemic, your body has a shortage of healthy red blood cells. Often when someone's diagnosed as being anemic, they're counseled to eat more foods that contain iron, which can help rebuild the red blood cells in their body. Besides looking pale, an anemic person is often tired and weak. Another, non-medical, meaning of anemic is simply "lacking in vitality or energy." Both meanings come originally from the Greek anaimia, "lack of blood." The British spelling of anemic is anaemic. Definitions of anemic adjective relating to anemia or suffering from anemia adjective lacking vigor or energy "an anemic attempt to hit the baseball" Glen is pulled back into a busily plotted yet anemic story that involves a woman who may or may not be pregnant, a conservative politician, and some lab-coat types milling around a Cronenbergian research facility. Washington's anemic three-point defense wasn't much of an issue against the second-worst long-range shooting team in the league, but Detroit throttled the visitors in the paint. Then he joined this offseason as the Titans' biggest free agent signing to help boost an anemic pass rush.

sagacious

wise; having keen perception and sound judgement Use the formal adjective sagacious to describe someone who is wise and insightful like an advisor to the president or a Supreme Court justice. Someone like an inspirational leader or an expert in a field who seeks knowledge and has foresight can be described as sagacious. If you comment on something at a deeper level, you are making a sagacious observation. The word is a descendent of Latin sagus "prophetic" and is related to the Old English word seek. Synonyms include discerning, insightful and another formal word perspicacious. Definitions of sagacious adjective acutely insightful and wise "observant and thoughtful, he was given to asking sagacious questions" I have found that the elderly can be either deranged or sagacious. Instead, it demonstrates how a sagacious musician could create his own style through the syntax of others. In all these areas, his commentary is sagacious and valuable.

perspicacious

wise; insightful; acutely intelligent sagacious Perspicacious is an adjective that means "shrewd" and "wise." A perspicacious child can't be fooled when her parents try to keep a secret by talking in Pig Latin. The adjective perspicacious is a long word for a short definition: "keen" or "shrewd." This word is descended from the Latin word perspicere, which means "to look closely." In other words, if you look closely at something you are paying attention to it and know it well. A definition of perspicacious that is out of date but still relevant is "having keen eyesight" and people who can see clearly are also aware and attentive! Definitions of perspicacious adjective mentally acute or penetratingly discerning "much too perspicacious to be taken in by so spurious an argument" synonyms:clear-eyed, clear-sighted adjective acutely insightful and wise "much too perspicacious to be taken in by such a spurious argument" synonyms:sagacious, sapient She is enthusiastic, perspicacious and informed, and I look forward to working with her. But even the most perspicacious editor cannot bring a piece to life alone.

assiduously

with care and persistence Something done assiduously is done with care and dedication. If you assiduously count your lemonade stand earnings, you tally up the dimes and quarters very carefully, possibly counting them twice to make sure you get it right. Diligence, care, thoroughness, precision — all of these describe what's needed to do something assiduously. It comes from the Latin word assiduus, which means "busy, incessant, continual, or constant." The people who shelf books at your local library do so assiduously — they take great care to put the books exactly where they belong in the stacks so that others can find them. Definitions of assiduously adverb with care and persistence "she worked assiduously on the senior thesis" He had cultivated Groves assiduously is assiduously explored If contemplating your own demise is something you assiduously avoid, then consider this novel about a young woman training as a death doula.