Newmagooshi

"capacity noun " "

capacity noun "" ""empty"""

"cardinal " "

cardinal "" ""In Catholicism, a cardinal is a high-ranking bishop. In math, you use cardinal numbers to count. A cardinal rule is one that is central and should not be broken.,Okay, that's a lot of definitions. How exactly are they related? In all cases, cardinal means central or essential. It's a cardinal principle that you use it to describe words of behavior like rule or sin. In the Church, cardinals form the central governing body, and in math the cardinal numbers (one, two, three) are the numbers you learn and use first."""

"transient " "

transient "" ""Use the adjective transient to describe something that always changes or moves around, like how a teenage girl can have a temporary crush on one boy one week and another boy the next week.,Transient is most often used to modify nouns like nature, threat, source and cause, which suggests that the word often shows up in formal contexts, such as analysis of finance or global terrorism. But it can also be used for anything that moves quickly from one thing to another, like a transient feeling or facial expression. Transient is also a noun meaning \""a person who moves from place to place a homeless person.\"" The word comes from Latin transire, \""to pass over,\"" so you can think of it as describing things that are quickly passed over."""

"travail " "

travail "" ""If youأ¢آ€آ™ve had to bust your behind, burn the midnight oil, and shed blood, sweat, and tears to get where you are today, you could say youأ¢آ€آ™ve endured significant travail. In other words, back-breakingly hard mental exertion or physical labor.,Travail comes to us from a sinister Latin word: trepalium, meaning أ¢آ€آœinstrument of torture.أ¢آ€آ‌ The closest English word is probably toil, though travail means youأ¢آ€آ™re not just exerting monumental effort but suffering as you do so. If your life has been hard-knock enough to be the stuff of old blues songs or Shakespearean tragedies, youأ¢آ€آ™ve had your share of travails. In French, incidentally, travail simply means work. The Spanish trabajo (work) is closely related."""

"tribulation " "

tribulation "" ""Tribulation is suffering or trouble, usually resulting from oppression. The tribulations of a coal miner include a dangerous work environment, lung disease from black dust and a cramped, dark work space.,When you encounter the word tribulation, it will usually be in the company of the word trial as in, أ¢آ€آœShe suffered many trials and tribulations as an early feminist.أ¢آ€آ‌ The two words, while not identical, emphasize each other as they essentially mean testing and suffering. Tribulation comes from the Latin verb tribulare \""to oppress, afflict.\"""""

"turpitude " "

turpitude "" ""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."""

"uncompromising " "

uncompromising "" ""empty"""

"unprepossessing " "

unprepossessing "" ""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."""

"unscrupulous " "

unscrupulous "" ""Use the adjective unscrupulous to describe someone who behaves in a dishonest or unethical way.,Unscrupulous behavior is the unfortunate resort of many ambitious people أ¢آ€آ" itأ¢آ€آ™s the immoral stuff they do to make success more attainable. When you sell someone bad loans, when you hack into your competition's accounts, when you read your roommate's mail for signs of an opportunity with his girlfriend, you're being unscrupulous."""

"unstinting " "

unstinting "" ""empty"""

"untenable " "

untenable "" ""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."""

"vacuous " "

vacuous "" ""Reserved for the harmlessly stupid and truly meaningless, vacuous is a smart-sounding way to describe something dumb. Celebrity gossip and reality TV is usually pretty vacuous, even if it's fun.,If someone smiles at you in a way that seems fake or empty, you could describe the smile as vacuous. An example of a vacuous comment would be a politician promising to make things better without explaining how. If something is vacuous, it's like a vacuum أ¢آ€آ" hollow, empty, devoid of substance."""

"guffaw " "

guffaw "" ""A guffaw is a belly laugh: a laugh that bubbles up with good feeling and plenty of volume. At the end of a stressful day of work, itأ¢آ€آ™s good to have some guffaws with your friends.,Guffaw operates just like the word laugh: you can give a guffaw, or you can guffaw. It comes from the Scottish word gawf, which is onomatopoetic, meaning that itأ¢آ€آ™s spelled the way it sounds. Imagine a big happy Scotsman snorting \""gawf, gawf, gawf\"" at the end of a joke, and youأ¢آ€آ™ll know what a guffaw is. Refined ladies and gentlemen donأ¢آ€آ™t guffawأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"and are much the worse for it."""

"smug " "

smug "" ""A smug person is self-satisfied. You can usually recognize someone who is pleased with himself by his smug little smile and self-righteous remarks.,Smug is the opposite of modest and unsure. In cartoons, the smug character often walks around with his chest puffed out and his ego leading the way. أ¢آ€آœToo much good fortune can make you smug and unaware,أ¢آ€آ‌ thought Rachel Field, the childrenأ¢آ€آ™s author. What she means is that successes are appreciated much more when they don't come so often that you begin to feel entitled to them."""

"nettlesome " "

nettlesome "" ""empty"""

"smattering " "

smattering "" ""A smattering is a small but inexact amount of something. If you know a smattering of things about Australia, then you don't know much.,A smattering is a small amount of something, but it's hard to say how much. It's probably less than a bunch, but it's not much more than a whit or a jot. If you said \""There's a smattering of squirrels in the park,\"" then there are only a few squirrels. This word also implies that you don't understand a subject very well أ¢آ€آ" a smattering of knowledge is only a tiny bit of knowledge."""

"approbatory " "

approbatory "" ""empty"""

"besotted " "

besotted "" ""empty"""

"candidness " "

candidness "" ""empty"""

"creditable " "

creditable "" ""empty"""

"derogative " "

derogative "" ""empty"""

"lambast " "

lambast "" ""empty"""

"recrudesce " "

recrudesce "" ""empty"""

"sangfroid " "

sangfroid "" ""empty"""

"taxing " "

taxing "" ""empty"""

"imperil transitive"

"imperil transitive"" ""empty"""

"artlessness " "

artlessness "" ""empty"""

"complicit " "

complicit "" ""empty"""

"crystallize " "

crystallize "" ""empty"""

"hamstrung " "

hamstrung "" ""empty"""

"maunder " "

maunder "" ""empty"""

"broadside " "

broadside "" ""empty"""

"askance ad" "

askance ad"" ""empty"""

"inanity " "

inanity "" ""empty"""

"percipient " "

percipient "" ""empty"""

"plodding " "

plodding "" ""empty"""

"autonomously ad" "

autonomously ad"" ""empty"""

"mercurial "

"mercurial "" ""Mercurial describes someone whose mood or behavior is changeable and unpredictable, or someone who is clever, lively, and quick. With a mercurial teacher, you never know where you stand.,Mercury was the ancient Roman god of commerce and messenger of the gods, and the planet Mercury was named after the Roman god. In Middle English, this adjective meant \""relating to the planet or god Mercury\"" and derives from Latin mercuriأ„آپlis, from Mercurius \""Mercury.\"" A mercurial personality has the unpredictability associated with the god Mercury or, in astrology, is supposedly influenced by the planet."""

"amply ad" "

amply ad"" ""empty"""

"amuck ad" "

amuck ad"" ""empty"""

"byzantine " "

byzantine "" ""empty"""

"dictatorial " "

dictatorial "" ""empty"""

"doughty " "

doughty "" ""empty"""

"eke " "

eke "" ""empty"""

"raffish " "

raffish "" ""empty"""

"splenetic " "

splenetic "" ""empty"""

"artful "

"artful "" ""To be artful is to do something skillfully, especially in a cunning way. A con man must be artful.,To be an artist requires skill and talent: it's not easy to make art. Similarly, doing something in an artful way takes skill. A chess player is artful in escaping an opponent's attack. A politician is artful in appealing to different groups of people. This word also indicates that the skill shown is a little cunning or sneaky. In movies, villains are often artful, as they tell lies or hatch schemes. Often, artful is the opposite of straightforward."""

"censure "

"censure "" ""Censure is a noun referring to very strong criticism. the verb means to criticize very strongly. If you take your dad's car without telling him, you can expect him to censure you severely, and maybe even ground you as well.,The noun and verb are most closely associated with official expressions of disapproval, as when Congress censures a senator. The noun is from Latin cأ„آ"nsأ...آ«ra \""censorship,\"" from cأ„آ"nsor \""an ancient Roman censor.\"" The job of a Roman censor was to take the census and to supervise public morals and behavior. Our English word censorأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"which means to suppress speech or other forms of expressionأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"is from this Latin word."""

"frivolous "

"frivolous "" ""Frivolous things are silly or unnecessary. If something is frivolous, then you don't need it.,Frivolous things are goofy, useless, or just plain dumb. The word is often used to describe lawsuits. A frivolous lawsuit has no value and will be a waste of the court's time, like someone suing McDonald's for making the coffee too hot (which actually happened). If someone is frivolous, that person shouldn't be taken seriously because he's always fooling around and never gets anything done. Frivolous is pretty much the opposite of essential."""

"galvanize "

"galvanize "" ""The verb galvanize refers to stimulating muscles with an electrical current, and is also used to suggest stimulating someone into action.,The word galvanize was coined to honor the 18th Century scientist Luigi Galvani, who found that a spark could make a frog's legs move. This discovery led to further studies in bioelectrogenesis, or what Galvani called \""animal electricity,\"" and became the basis for the Mary Shelley book Frankenstein, in which a mad scientists attempts to use electricity to galvanize a monster to life. Nowadays, people use this term much more figuratively, like when they describe galvanizing a political movement or even a sports team into action."""

"profligate "

"profligate "" ""Profligate, as a noun or as an adjective, implies recklessly wasting your money on extravagant luxury. Profligate behavior is a lot of fun, but you'll regret it later أ¢آ€آ" when you get your charge card bill.,Any time someone behaves in a reckless, amoral, or wasteful way, they are engaging in profligate behavior. It usually refers to financial behavior but can cross over to social activity as well. A person who is a slave to their cravings and whose behavior is unrestrained and selfish can be called a profligate. Extravagantly profligate behavior is often wildly fun but usually comes with a heavy price to pay in the morning, both financially and morally."""

"relevant "

"relevant "" ""Something is relevant if it's appropriate or connected to the matter at hand. Relevant things are helpful and on point.,Relevant things are appropriate and make sense at that particular time. In the middle of history class, your teacher loves to get relevant questions: questions that have to do with the material. The teacher won't be thrilled to get a question about math: that's not relevant. You can also say a song or movie is relevant if it's connected to current events or issues people are talking about. When something is relevant, it just fits what is happening."""

"vindicate "

"vindicate "" ""Vindicate means to justify, prove, or reinforce an idea أ¢آ€آ" or to absolve from guilt. If your family thinks you hogged the last piece of pie on Thanksgiving, you'll be vindicated when your younger brother fesses up.,Vindicate derives from the Latin vindicatus, which is the past tense of vindicare, meaning \""lay claim to\"" or \""avenge.\"" When a physicist proves a theory that his colleagues derided, he vindicates it. When a lawyer clears her client's name in a trial, she vindicates him. Machiavelli argued that the results he got vindicated his tactics أ¢آ€آ" in other words, the ends justified the means."""

"abrogate " "

abrogate "" ""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."""

"accolade " "

accolade "" ""A knight being honored with the tap of a sword-blade was the earliest form of accolade. Today, an accolade is more than a way to bestow knighthood, it is a form of praise or an award.,In the early 17th century, the French accoler meant to \""embrace the neck,\"" which was done as part of a knighthood ceremony. By the 19th century, accolade came to mean \""award.\"" A person who achieves a goal in research or service may receive an official paper certificate or trophy, an accolade of achievement, while a performer or speaker might get an accolade in the form of applause from the audience. Rarely does either of these types of accolade involve a sword."""

"adamant " "

adamant "" ""If you stubbornly refuse to change your mind about something, you are adamant about it.,This word's story begins in ancient Greece, where philosophers spoke about a legendary unbreakable stone or metal they called adamas (literally, \""invincible\""). In English, people began to use the word to refer to something that cannot be altered, and then in the twentieth century أ¢آ€آ" after adamant had been in English for about a thousand years أ¢آ€آ" it came to be used as an adjective to mean \""unyielding as stone.\"" If you're adamant about something, no amount of persuasion is going to convince you otherwise."""

"adequate " "

adequate "" ""When you want to say that something is enough or good enough for a particular need, use the adjective adequate. You might have an adequate amount of flour for a batch of pancakes, but not a lot extra.,Adequate can also describe something that is acceptable or satisfactory, but not any better than that. You might say that a student's grades are adequate but need improvement. This word is from Latin adaequأ„آپre\""to make equal,\"" from the prefix ad- plus aequare \""to equal.\"""""

"adjudicate " "

adjudicate "" ""To adjudicate is to act like a judge. A judge might adjudicate a case in court, and you may have to adjudicate in the local talent show.,Do you see a similarity between judge and adjudicate? When you add the common Latin prefix ad meaning \""to\"" or \""toward,\"" you have a pretty good idea what the word means. But a judge isn't the only person who can adjudicate. If you're fighting with your little brother or sister and make them cry, your parents may adjudicate and send you to your room."""

"afford " "

afford "" ""To afford means you have enough money or time for something. If you only have ten dollars on you, you can't afford to buy a twenty dollar hat.,Afford is a verb that has to do with means. You either have a surplus and therefore can afford something, or else you have a deficit and canأ¢آ€آ™t. It can be in the monetary sense: \""$100 for cashmere socks? I canأ¢آ€آ™t afford that!أ¢آ€آ‌ It can also refer to time: أ¢آ€آœSince my train wasn't scheduled leave for another hour, I could afford to wait for my sister ten more minutes.أ¢آ€آ‌ Or even access: أ¢آ€آœThe castle walls afforded a wonderful view of the moat.أ¢آ€آ‌"""

"altruism " "

altruism "" ""If you see a stranger getting beat up on the playground and you rush in to rescue them, you have done something unselfish to help another person, otherwise known as an act of altruism.,Use the noun altruism to refer to feelings or actions that show an unselfish concern for other people. In science, altruism refers to animal behavior that could be harmful to the animal itself but that contributes to the survival of the animal group. It's related to the adjective altruistic. Someone known for their altruism is an altruist."""

"antipathy " "

antipathy "" ""An antipathy is a deep-seated dislike of something or someone. Usually it's a condition that is long-term, innate, and pretty unlikely to change أ¢آ€آ" like your antipathy for the Red Sox.,If you look at the Greek roots of this word أ¢آ€آ" anti- (meaning \""against\"") and pathos (meaning \""feeling\""), you can see that antipathy is a feeling against someone or something. In general, antipathies are considered feelings that are kept at least somewhat under wraps and are not out on the surface."""

"antiquated " "

antiquated "" ""Something is antiquated when it is so old that it is no longer useful. If your parents believe that you shouldn't use the Internet when you write papers for school, you might call their ideas antiquated.,Something is antiquated when it is so old, it's like an antique or recognizable from another era and has the negative feel of being thoroughly outmoded. Things like typewriters, sealing wax for letters, and ideas of proper etiquette all seem antiquated in modern society. Currently, things get antiquated ever faster أ¢آ€آ" 5-inch floppy disks for computers and dial-up modems were very modern fifteen years ago, but now they're antiquated."""

"aphorism " "

aphorism "" ""Use the noun aphorism when you have something compact and astute to say, such as \""People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.\"",An aphorism is a statement or saying that is both efficiently presented and either witty or wise. While there are loads of trite and silly statements, a good aphorism is supposed to stand the test of time and remain true and elegant أ¢آ€آ" a very difficult task! Friedrich Schlegel even wrote an aphorism about aphorisms: \""An aphorism ought to be entirely isolated from the surrounding world like a little work of art and complete in itself like a hedgehog.\"""""

"aphoristic " "

aphoristic "" ""empty"""

"apothegm " "

apothegm "" ""An apothegm is a short instructive saying that's easy to remember and sometimes even slightly witty, like \""haste makes waste.\"" An apothegm often expresses a fundamental truth or general rule.,To correctly pronounce apothegm, put the accent on the first syllable and give it the short a sound, as in apple: \""A-puh-them.\"" It comes from the Greek word apophthegma, meaning \""terse, pointed saying,\"" derived from apo-, meaning \""from,\"" and phthengesthai, meaning \""to utter.\"""""

"appease " "

appease "" ""Appease means to make or preserve peace with a nation, group, or person by giving in to their demands, or to relieve a problem, as in \""the cold drink appeased his thirst.\"",Appease often implies abandoning your moral principles to satisfy the demands of someone who is greedy for power: think of British Prime Minister Chamberlain's attempt to appease the Nazis at Munich. The verb appease comes from the Old French apaisier, \""to pacify, make peace, or be reconciled,\"" from the phrase \""a paisier,\"" which combines a-, or \""to,\"" and pais, \""peace,\"" from the Latin pax."""

"arrant " "

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."""

"artifice " "

artifice "" ""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 أ¢آ€آ" 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."""

"baleful " "

baleful "" ""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 أ¢آ€آ" maybe it's really the voice of a young woman murdered in the very bed where you sleep?"""

"behooves " "

behooves "" ""To behoove someone to do something is to make it advisable or necessary to do so, for their own good or that of others.,It would behoove you to study hard and work for the future you desire. It would behoove the legislature to pass a law behooving citizens to pay their taxes earlier. Behoove comes from the Old English word behofian, which means \""to be of use.\"""""

"belittle " "

belittle "" ""To belittle means to put down, or to make another person feel as though they aren't important. Saying mean things about another person literally makes them feel \""little.\"",To belittle someone is a cruel way of making someone else seem less important than yourself. A candidate for office might belittle his opponent by pointing out during a press conference that his fellow candidate has an inferior intellect. Belittling doesn't have to come in the form of verbal abuse. A manager who forces his administrative assistant to scrub his office floor with a toothbrush belittles her as well."""

"belligerent " "

belligerent "" ""If someone is belligerent, they're eager to fight. It's a good idea to avoid hardcore hockey fans after their team loses أ¢آ€آ" they tend to be belligerent.,Belligerent comes from the Latin word bellum, for \""war.\"" You can use it to talk about actual wars أ¢آ€آ" the nations taking part in a war are called belligerents أ¢آ€آ" but usually belligerent describes a psychological disposition. If you're running a school for aggressive boys, do plenty of arts and crafts to prevent them from becoming too belligerent. The stress is on the second syllable: bأ‰آ™-LIJ-أ‰آ™-rأ‰آ™nt."""

"bereft " "

bereft "" ""So, they took the thing you most loved, and you're never going to get it back. You've gone beyond just plain grief-stricken أ¢آ€آ" you're bereft.,The way in which bereft differs just from plain mournful or grief-stricken is in its sense of deprivation or lack. It can be used that way too, for example when you're bereft of words. It's the past tense of bereave, following the same pattern as leave and left. When you see your bereft relatives at a funeral, it's very sad, but if your friend says that their cookie is bereft of chocolate chips, you know they are using exaggerated language to be a little funny."""

"besmirch " "

besmirch "" ""To besmirch means to dirty or tarnish, particularly someone's reputation أ¢آ€آ" like when you call Billy a cheater at kickball (even though you know he's just better at bunting than you).,Besmirch may sound kind of funny, but it goes hand in hand with other hurtful words like defame and slander. It can also mean to literally stain something. So that time you tracked mud all over the new white carpet and then blamed it on your little brother? That was a double besmirching أ¢آ€آ" dirtying the rug and then falsely accusing a sibling."""

"blatant " "

blatant "" ""Something blatant is very obvious and offensive. Don't get caught in a blatant lie, because you won't be able to weasel your way out of it.,Blatant acts are done without trying to hide them. This adjective is probably from Latin blaterare \""to chatter, croak\"" or Latin blatأ„آ«re \""to chatter, gossip.\"" A near synonym is flagrant."""

"brazen " "

brazen "" ""With brazen disregard for the sign that said \""no cellphones please\"" the woman took a long call in the doctor's office waiting room. Brazen refers to something shocking, done shamelessly.,The Middle English word was brasen \""made of brass,\"" from Old English brأƒآ¦sen, from brأƒآ¦s \""brass.\"" In fact a near synonym of brazen is our English word brassy, which has the additional meaning of being loud and showy."""

"bristle " "

bristle "" ""A bristle is a stiff hair أ¢آ€آ" 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 أ¢آ€آ" 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."""

"bromide " "

bromide "" ""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, clichأƒآ©d 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."""

"brusquely ad" "

brusquely ad"" ""empty"""

"callow " "

callow "" ""If you're a rookie or new to something, you could be described as callow أ¢آ€آ" 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."""

"carping " "

carping "" ""Carping is petty and unjustified criticism that just wonأ¢آ€آ™t stop. People who find fault with you at every turn, who appreciate nothing and complain, complain, complain, are carping. Enough already!,Your annoying aunt Mildred who constantly picks on you, listing all the things she thinks are wrong about the way you dress, the style of your hair, who youأ¢آ€آ™re dating, and where youأ¢آ€آ™re working? Sheأ¢آ€آ™s carping. Carping can also be used as an adjective, to describe someone who is overly critical and impossible to please أ¢آ€آ" like that carping food critic who ruined the debut of your new restaurant."""

"cavalier " "

cavalier "" ""Cavalier means snobby. Someone who is cavalier has a bad attitude and regards other people as inferior.,The word cavalier dates from mid-16th-century French, from the Latin caballus, meaning أ¢آ€آœhorse.أ¢آ€آ‌ If you have a cavalier attitude, you look down on other people أ¢آ€آ" as if you are sitting on a very tall horse and other people are sitting down there on the ground."""

"charlatan " "

charlatan "" ""A charlatan is a quack, a person who is trying to deceive you with false claims. Beware of charlatans who try to sell you access to the fountain of youth or to a Ponzi scheme disguised as an exclusive investment fund.,A charlatan is one who pretends to possess knowledge he or she lacks. From the 16th century Italian ciarlatano \""a quack,\"" the usage of charlatan has not shifted much. Other words for charlatan are impostor, cheat, or pretender. Charlatans are marked by the elaborate schemes they cook up. Russian playwright Anton Chekhov said, \""No psychologist should pretend to understand what he does not understand...Only fools and charlatans know everything and understand nothing.\"""""

"chortle " "

chortle "" ""A chortle is a joyful, partly muffled laugh. If you have a toddler, you will recognize the sound of a delighted chortle, sort of louder and a bit more raucous than a giggle.,In 1871, Lewis Carroll, who wrote \""Alice in Wonderland,\"" coined the word chortle in the poem \""Jabberwocky,\"" about a son who slays a monster and comes back to his relieved and happy father: \""'O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy.\"" Experts consider the word a blend of the words chuckle and snort and the laugh itself is also a cross between the two. You may chortle in glee if you find out your work nemesis just got a new job in another office أ¢آ€آ" out of state."""

"cohesive " "

cohesive "" ""When the parts of the whole work or fit together well, they are cohesive, like a cohesive family whose members pitch in with everything from making dinner to painting the house.,The adjective cohesive comes from the Latin word cohaerere, or أ¢آ€آœto cleave together.أ¢آ€آ‌ Cohesive things stick together, so they are unified. A cohesive neighborhood's members get together to plan things like block parties, and they work together to solve problems. A cohesive fitness plan would include menus and exercise routines designed to lose weight, build muscle, and so on."""

"collusion " "

collusion "" ""If you are making secret agreements with someone, then you are in collusion with them. Every time gas prices jump, consumers suspect the gas station owners of collusion and price fixing.,The noun collusion almost always implies that plans are being made because of some nefarious, most likely illegal, purpose. An art thief could be in collusion with a museum director to steal a famous painting from an art museum. Things get sticky when there is collusion between government and business, between union and management, or between your siblings."""

"colossal " "

colossal "" ""Colossal describes something so large it makes you say, \""Whoa!\"" You might have a colossal amount of homework, or see a colossal pyramid while vacationing in Egypt.,Colossal can refer to an item's physical size, like a giant redwood tree, but it can also be used to describe the force or scope of something أ¢آ€آ" like the colossal force of a thunderstorm that knocked down the redwood tree, or the colossal scope of your school project on the history of the redwoods that seems like it will never, ever end. It comes from the Greek word kolossos, meaning \""gigantic statue.\"""""

"compound " "

compound "" ""If you compound a problem you add something to it to make it worse, like say, putting water on a grease fire. Compound means to combine a compound is a combination or mixture of two or more things.,Compound has several specialized uses. A compound is either a mixture or two or more things, or a heavily guarded residence, such as a drug lord might have. In botany, a compound leaf consists of more than one part. In linguistics, a compound is a word that consists of two or more independent words. In chemistry, a compound is a substance created when atoms from chemical elements join together."""

"conducive " "

conducive "" ""Conducive means tending to cause or produce something. Regular exercise is conducive to happiness and a feeling of well-being.,This adjective is usually followed by the preposition to, and it refers to bringing about something favorable or helpful: A positive attitude is conducive to good health. Conducive was formed in English from the less common verb conduce \""to lead or contribute to a result.\"" The verb conduce descends from Middle English conducen, from Latin conducere, from the prefix com- \""together\"" plus ducere \""to lead.\"" And the suffix أ¢آ€آ"ive means \""tending to.\"""""

"conspicuous " "

conspicuous "" ""Keep your eye on the adjective conspicuous for something that stands out so much you notice it right away أ¢آ€آ" like that zit in the center of your friend's forehead.,Conspicuous comes from the adjectival form of the Latin verb, conspicere, meaning \""to look at.\"" Conspicuous can mean either very obvious to the eye (like something that is conspicuous from a distance) or attracting attention (like conspicuous consumption). If you are doing something wrong, it's wise not to be conspicuous about it!"""

"convivial " "

convivial "" ""Use the adjective convivial to describe your friend who is \""the life of the party.\"",The Latin word convivium means \""a feast,\"" and when convivial was first coined in the 1660s, its meaning related to the excess of food and drink during such celebrations. You can also see convivial in convivere, meaning \""to carouse together.\"" Just when it seemed all convivial could ever do was describe people who overindulge, a new shade of meaning emerged: loving to be around people. After all, a big part of feasting is being with people you care about."""

"dearth " "

dearth "" ""If there is a dearth of something, there is not enough of it. A dearth of affordable housing is bad, but a dearth of bed bugs is a blessing.,Dearth is an Old English noun formed from the adjective deore \""precious, costly\"" and the noun-forming suffix -th. Though the relationship of dearth meaning \""lack, insufficient amount\"" to the adjective dear is not so obvious, it is still easy to imagine that something precious is probably also in short supply. Dearth is used almost exclusively in the phrase \""a dearth of.\"""""

"demean " "

demean "" ""To demean someone is to insult them. To demean is to degrade or put down a person or thing.,If you noticed the word mean in demean, that's a good clue to its meaning. To demean someone is very mean. You are demeaning your sister or brother if you run their underwear up a flagpole. A teacher could demean a student by saying \""You're stupid!\"" To demean is to insult: no one wants to be demeaned. Insulting language is often called demeaning. We can also say a bad president demeaned his office."""

"demure " "

demure "" ""A demure woman or girl can be described as polite and a little shy. A demure outfit is a modest oneأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"think high neckline and low hem.,Demure is a word you don't hear a lot these days, but it used to be a huge compliment for a woman or a girl, for them to be considered shy and quiet and modest. Those days are over, thank goodness, because demure people are nice and all, but they're also a little boring."""

"deter " "

deter "" ""Deter means to discourage. Many believe that the use of capital punishment deters people from committing murder. Others think that is hogwash.,From the Latin de meaning \""away\"" and terrere meaning \""frighten,\"" deter means to frighten away. \""Hopefully the idea of being expelled will deter kids from cheating in school.\"" Teddy Roosevelt's foreign policy dictum \""walk softly but carry a big stick\"" was meant to deter other countries from messing with the United States."""

"derisive " "

derisive "" ""Use the adjective derisive to describe something or someone that mocks, expresses contempt, or ridicules. You may sometimes catch your kids making derisive comments أ¢آ€آ" especially if you ask them to do chores instead of whatever they think is more important.,Derisive comes from the Latin word deridere, meaning \""to ridicule,\"" and is from the roots de-, which means \""down,\"" and ridere, which means \""to laugh.\"" The adjective derisory comes from the same Latin word, but it has a different sense. If you say something derisive, you show contempt or ridicule, as in a derisive glare at your noisy neighbors. If you say something is derisory, you mean it invites or deserves ridicule or contempt, especially if it is laughably small, such as a derisory diamond chip in an engagement ring."""

"derive " "

derive "" ""If you want to talk about something that comes from something else, but you want to sound sophisticated and maybe financial or scientific, use derive, like so: That scent? It's derived from a solution of roses boiled with toothpicks.,The word derive derives from (see how we did that?) the Latin rivus or stream, as in water. That image of the stream may help you remember the meaning of derive you may picture tracing tiny streams back to their main source. Derive is a verb, as you can see, but it's often in the news in the noun form derivative: something that is derived from something else, as in \""juice is a derivative of an orange.\"""""

"desecrate " "

desecrate "" ""To desecrate means to treat a sacred place or thing with violent disrespect. The news sometimes reports on vandals who have desecrated tombstones or places of worship.,The word consecrate from the Latin consecrare means \""to make sacred.\"" Substituting the prefix con- with de- reverses the meaning. When preparing for a foreign occupation, the military instructs troops not to desecrate sacred sites and risk offending the local population. You can also desecrate someone's memory if you spread malicious lies about him after his death."""

"detrimental " "

detrimental "" ""Detrimental is a formal way of saying \""harmful.\"" Anything detrimental hurts, hinders, or puts a damper on something. Detrimental things do damage.,Have you ever heard \""Smoking may be detrimental to your health\"" and wondered what it meant? It means that smoking is bad for your health: it's going to harm you in a bunch of ways. Detrimental is a more official, formal way of talking about things that do harm. A dog who likes digging holes can be detrimental to a garden. If you're writing a paper and want to pick an alternative to harmful that sounds more formal, detrimental is a great choice."""

"devolve " "

devolve "" ""You've probably heard that organisms evolve over time. Well, life is complicated, and sometimes things devolve instead أ¢آ€آ" to devolve is to get worse instead of better.,The de- in devolve is a clue to its meaning. When things devolve, they deteriorate, degenerate, fall apart, go to the dogs, and generally end up worse. When a classroom gets loud and rowdy, a teacher might say the class has devolved. There is another, less negative, meaning of devolve. You can devolve responsibilities: for example, the U.S. government could devolve a certain responsibility to the states. The non-negative meaning of devolve is kind of like passing things on in a will. If I devolve something to you, you inherit it."""

"enjoin " "

enjoin "" ""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."""

"discriminate " "

discriminate "" ""When you discriminate between two things, you can tell the difference between them and can tell them apart.,The ability to discriminate between similar objects is important. For example, if you want to be a good root farmer, it helps if you can discriminate between a turnip and a parsnip. However, some people take it too far and discriminate against other people, treating them differently based on their physical characteristics or abilities. To be able to discriminate between a turnip and a radish is good, but to discriminate against people is not."""

"discursive " "

discursive "" ""If people accuse you of rambling from topic to topic in your speech or writing, they may say you have a discursive style أ¢آ€آ" with changes in subject that are hard to follow. But it's okay because unicorns are shiny.,The adjective discursive is often used to describe speech or writing that tends to stray from the main point, but the word can also have almost the opposite meaning. Discursive can also be used to describe an argument based on reason instead of intuition: \""Her discursive dissertation on Colonial American women was well-argued and well-reasoned. Her professors were most impressed with her work.\"""""

"dissipate " "

dissipate "" ""Dissipate means \""disperse\"" or \""fade away\"" أ¢آ€آ" as a bad smell will dissipate (usually) if you wait long enough.,Dissipate can also mean أ¢آ€آœspend or use wastefully.أ¢آ€آ‌ If you win the lottery, you might suddenly find yourself with a group of new friends encouraging you to dissipate your money (on them). Note that dissipate can be used with or without an object: \""Once you dissipate your wealth, your new group of friends will dissipate without a trace.\"""""

"docile " "

docile "" ""If someone is docile, he is easily taught or handled. If you suddenly became a trouble-maker in class, your teachers would long for the days when you were sweet and docile.,Docile comes from Latin root for teaching, docere, so someone docile is easy to teach. A docile student is willing to be taught. A docile animal is easy to handle. If you behave well and do what people tell you to do, you're a docile person. Docile might be a word of praise, but it can also be a criticism of someone for being overly submissive. Some synonyms are amenable and compliant."""

"doleful " "

doleful "" ""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."""

"dupe " "

dupe "" ""A dupe is a furry, ceremonial hat occasionally worn during ancient pagan rituals... or not. Dupe actually means أ¢آ€آœtrick or deceive.أ¢آ€آ‌ Weأ¢آ€آ™re sorry we tried to dupe you into believing the wrong definition.,Dupe can also refer to the victim of a trick or hoax, and أ¢آ€آ" used in this sense أ¢آ€آ" it sometimes conveys the idea that the victim is easily fooled. Dupe comes from the French word for a type of bird called the hoopoe, which has an extravagant crest and a reputation for being dim-witted. (And no, that's not another attempt to dupe you it's the truth!)"""

"duress " "

duress "" ""Letأ¢آ€آ™s hope youأ¢آ€آ™re never denied food and sleep and forced to sign a confession, but if you are, that's called being under duress. Threats and harsh treatment meant to make you do something you donأ¢آ€آ™t want to do is duress.,The word duress came into English through French, with origins in the Latin word duritia, which means أ¢آ€آœhardness.أ¢آ€آ‌ First used to describe harsh or cruel treatment, duress soon took on the additional meaning of forcing someone to do something, usually through threats. Duress is typically used with the word under, as in a suspect who only signs a confession because he is under duress."""

"economical " "

economical "" ""Someone who is economical avoids wasting things, like money or food. So if someone sees you wrapping up a bite of food that could be part of tomorrow's lunch, don't let him call you \""cheap.\"" Tell him you are economical.,The adjective economical often describes someone who is frugal with money, but the word can apply to those who avoid wasting resources of any kind. An economical speaker, for example, avoids wasting words and doesnأ¢آ€آ™t talk any more than is absolutely necessary. Someone who is economical with his time gets things done efficiently, just as an economical dishwasher uses the precise amount of water and electricity."""

"elucidate " "

elucidate "" ""If you elucidate something, you explain it very clearly. If you don't understand fractions, a visit to the pie shop may elucidate the subject for you.,Elucidate is from Late Latin elucidare, from the Latin prefix e- \""thoroughly\"" plus lucidus \""clear, bright.\"" This Latin adjective is the source of English lucid, which describes someone who thinks clearly or something that is clear enough to understand."""

"elude " "

elude "" ""Elude means evade, or be hard to grasp. \""Tom eluded his captors by hiding under a table. Martha tried to understand chemistry, but the subject continued to elude her.\"",Elude has a slippery feeling to it. You elude the police, math can elude you أ¢آ€آ" and that yak you went to see on safari but never got a glimpse of, you might say that he has eluded you as well. Delude means \""to deceive,\"" and there are times when someone can both delude and elude you أ¢آ€آ" like when the conman took your money and then escaped out the back door."""

"enmity " "

enmity "" ""Enmity means intense hostility. If you're a football fanatic, you feel enmity for your opposing team.,Enmity comes from the same Latin root as enemy, and means the state of being an enemy. If you have always hated someone, you have a history of enmity with that person. Enmity is stronger than antagonism or animosity, which imply competitive feeling but don't go all the way to enemy status. Hopefully you are a peacemaker and don't experience too much enmity in your life."""

"espouse " "

espouse "" ""Use the verb espouse to describe the actions of someone who lives according to specific beliefs, such as your friends who espouse environmentalism and as a result walk whenever possible instead of taking the car.,You can see the word spouse in espouse, so you may be wondering what husbands and wives have to do with it. Originally espouse did mean \""to marry,\"" but its meaning has evolved to include other long-term commitments as well, such as support for a principle or a cause. Similar to marriage, if you espouse a belief system, the idea is that you've chosen to wed yourself to it."""

"exalt " "

exalt "" ""You might like your manager, but if you exalt her, it means you really put her on a pedestal and treat her like royalty.,To exalt is to hold or raise someone up to a high position or status. It doesn't have to mean literally putting that person into a high position, but instead treating them almost like nobility. Overly doting parents exalt their infant to the point where they praise him every time he wets his diaper and call the neighbors over every time he coos."""

"exemplify " "

exemplify "" ""If you exemplify something, you're the perfect example of it. Say you wear frilly shirts, knee-high boots, and black eye-make-up أ¢آ€آ" you exemplify the fashion world's obsession with pirates.,Exemplifying something can also mean make it clearer by offering an illustration or an example. If you want to exemplify your argument that, say, pirate gear is fashionable, you might want to show your friends some pictures of celebrities wearing eye patches."""

"exorbitant " "

exorbitant "" ""Use the adjective exorbitant when you want to describe something that is really just too much! You'll often hear people griping about exorbitant bank fees or exorbitant interest rates.,The adjective exorbitant was originally a legal term to describe a case that was outside the bounds of the law. It comes from the Latin roots أ¢آ€آ" the prefix ex, meaning \""out of,\"" and orbita, meaning \""wheel track.\"" You can see how the word now has come to be described as something that has gone way off the beaten track, especially in terms of price and value."""

"expunge " "

expunge "" ""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."""

"facile " "

facile "" ""If someone does something easily, or shows ease, it is described as facile in a good way, but if someone takes the easy way out and shows a lack of thought or care, it is facile in a bad way.,While it is a lovely sounding French word, facile is both a compliment and an insult depending on how it's used. Something that shows ready skill is facile, such as being facile with text messaging. But if something is too simple and superficial, or shows little care, it can also be called facile, or lame. \""Being too cowardly to tell the truth and admit he didn't do it, he used the facile and sarcastic excuse that the dog ate his homework.\"""""

"fete " "

fete "" ""A fأƒآھte is a party, often one thrown in someone's honor. You'll find fأƒآھte used as both a verb and a noun. If you want to fأƒآھte someone, throw them a fأƒآھte.,Fأƒآھte is a word taken directly from French. In fact, sometimes in English you'll see a circumflex accent over the first \""e\"" in fأƒآھte. This makes it especially easy to remember, because this accent looks almost like a party hat."""

"flippant " "

flippant "" ""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 blasأƒآ© 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."""

"flummox " "

flummox "" ""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 أ¢آ€آ" 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?"""

"forlorn " "

forlorn "" ""Sniff, sniff, boo-hoo... use the adjective forlorn to express loneliness and feeling left out.,When someone is forlorn it means that they not only feel miserable but simultaneously desolate because they also believe they are alone. Forlorn is a very old word in English, and in fact it comes from the Old English word forlesen and means \""to lose completely.\"" Synonyms for forlorn all have fairly sad meanings: disconsolate, pessimistic, despairing, despondent, abandoned, depressed, desperate."""

"frustrate " "

frustrate "" ""When you frustrate someone, you do your best to annoy, confuse, or even torment that poor person. Maybe you constantly change your mind أ¢آ€آ" that's sure to frustrate anyone who tries to make plans with you.,If you have ever been frustrated while writing, you may have dropped your pen أ¢آ€آ" or pushed away your keyboard أ¢آ€آ" and stared angrily out the window, thinking, \""How will I ever do this?\"" Well, that pent-up doubting that has made you stop is a sure sign you are frustrated. Plans, too, can be frustrated, like the snow that frustrates our efforts to run our errands."""

"gossamer " "

gossamer "" ""Gossamer is something super fine and delicate أ¢آ€آ" like a spider web or the material of a wedding veil.,The original gossamer, from which these meanings come from, is the fine, filmy substance spiders excrete to weave their webs. A dress can be gossamer-like, if its fabric is so sheer as to be see-through, or almost. Your chances of going to a good college are \""gossamer thin\"" if you've never cracked a book in high school."""

"hagiographic " "

hagiographic "" ""empty"""

"haphazard " "

haphazard "" ""Anything haphazard is random, disorganized, slipshod, or hit-or-miss. A tent erected haphazardly might look more like a big nylon bag of dirty laundry than a place to sleep.,Ever heard the expression \""I'll hazard a guess?\"" In it, the word hazard means \""chance,\"" as in \""take a chance.\"" Think of the hap in haphazard as short for \""happen.\"" Combine hap- and -hazard and you get something that happens (or appears to have happened) by chance. If you approach a math problem with haphazard reasoning, you're likely to get it wrong."""

"harried " "

harried "" ""Someone who is harried is feeling the stress of being rushed, overworked, or harassed. A harried parent might be exhausted but still have to make 3 dozen cupcakes for school and help with a science project.,Harried comes from the verb harry, which itself is from the Middle English word herigan, meaning to pillage, plunder, or make war. Today, harried doesn't imply an act of war, but rather someone who is frazzled or a situation that might cause that feeling. If the project you're working on has been harried from start to finish, you'll be lucky to keep your sanity."""

"haughty " "

haughty "" ""Someone who is haughty is arrogant and full of pride. When you're haughty, you have a big attitude and act like you're better than other people.,A haughty person acts superior and looks down on others. Haughty people are disdainful, overbearing, prideful, swaggering, and obnoxious. Acting amazed that others haven't heard of a hot new band is haughty. Speaking in a cocky or superior way is haughty. The word even sounds a little like its meaning: it's hard to say haughty without sounding like you have an attitude. If you're acting like others are beneath you, you're being haughty."""

"hector " "

hector "" ""To hector is to boss around or verbally bully someone. An older brother might hector his little sister until she hands over part of her Halloween candy.,When you bombard someone with words, nagging and badgering until you get what you want, you hector. A teacher might feel the need to hector a class that consistently forgets to hand in homework assignments, and a playground bully might hector another child to give him her lunch money. The verb hector comes from the character in Greek mythology أ¢آ€آ" Hector أ¢آ€آ" who rallied the Trojans to keep fighting."""

"histrionic " "

histrionic "" ""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 أ¢آ€آœactor.أ¢آ€آ‌ 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."""

"hobble " "

hobble "" ""When you hobble, you walk awkwardly or unsteadily because you're in pain. You might wipe out on your bike and then hobble back home, pushing it in front of you.,People who hobble, walking with a limp or a shuffle, have most often been injured in some way, though a disabled or elderly person might hobble as well. You can call the walk itself a hobble as well: \""I knew that football tackle hurt when I saw your hobble as you left the field.\"" The root of hobble is Old English أ¢آ€آ" it's related to the Dutch hobbelen, \""rock from side to side.\"""""

"hubris " "

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."""

"ignominious " "

ignominious "" ""Losing a football game stinks, but losing a game where, at the end, you are lying face down in a puddle of mud and the fans are burning effigies of you in the streets? That is an ignominious defeat.,Although ignominious can modify other words, it is nearly always attached to \""defeat.\"" It derives from the word ignominy, which means public shame or defeat. Ignominy derives from the Latin in- \""not\"" + a variant of nomen \""name.\"""""

"illustrious " "

illustrious "" ""Something that's Illustrious is well known or famous, leaving a trail of glory in its wake. An illustrious career, for example, is full of impressive achievements and celebrated contributions to society.,Coming from the Latin illustris, meaning أ¢آ€آœbright, distinguished, famous,أ¢آ€آ‌ illustrious is a powerful adjective. It's similar to luster, which is a brilliant shine أ¢آ€آ" so imagine that something illustrious is as wonderful as a sparkling diamond. Use this word to describe the career or reputation of someone really successful, like a bestselling author or business mogul."""

"inarticulate " "

inarticulate "" ""Use the adjective inarticulate to describe poor communication skills, like at your most inarticulate moments when you nervously fumble to find the right word and completely forget to make your most important point.,Inarticulate sounds أ¢آ€آ" a grunt, cry, scream, snort, wail, howl, moan, sob, snicker أ¢آ€آ" are heard but not easily understood. If something is inarticulate, it is hard to get the meaning, like an inarticulate speech whose main idea can't be found. Creative works can also be inarticulate, when it isn't clear what أ¢آ€آ" if anything أ¢آ€آ" they are trying to express, like a painter whose gallery show that is called \""inarticulate\"" by a critic: You can't grasp what the artist is trying to say."""

"infelicitous " "

infelicitous "" ""You can use the adjective infelicitous when something doesn't work quite right, whether it's a remark or a wrong turn down a dark street or an unfortunate outfit worn to a job interview.,If the ultimate outcome is awkward or unhappy, it's infelicitous. It would be infelicitous to complain about the broken air conditioning in your Mercedes while volunteering at a homeless shelter. In other words, it would be dreadfully inappropriate. Since the 1530s, infelicitous has been used to mean the opposite of felicitous, meaning \""happy,\"" which comes from the Latin word for \""happiness,\"" felicitas."""

"insolent " "

insolent "" ""Someone who's insolent is either really doing her own thing, even if it goes against what everyone else is doing, or sheأ¢آ€آ™s mildly disrespectful.,That student in your class who is constantly snubbing the teacher, snorting when he gives assignments, and rolling her eyes when he reads passages aloud from your vocabulary textbook? Insolent, definitely insolent. There might be another student who adorns her school uniform with pins and ribbons, cuts her hair shorter than the dress code allows, and rolls her socks down. This student is also insolent, in the sense that she defies the rules."""

"insolvent " "

insolvent "" ""Piggy bank empty? Nothing but lint in your pockets? Then you're probably unable to meet any financial obligations. In other words, you are insolvent.,Being insolvent isn't just about being poor. A person or business that's insolvent has no resources, no assets and no way to pay any of the bills. This adjective insolvent is a synonym for bankrupt, and surely the last thing anyone wants to be. The only way to solve the problem of insolvency? Start saving your pennies again from scratch."""

"insouciance " "

insouciance "" ""Insouciance is how you feel when you are feeling cool, like nothing can bother you.,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 أ¢آ€آ" 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."""

"intermittent " "

intermittent "" ""Reach for the adjective intermittent to describe periodic movement and stopping and starting over a period of time.,The adjective intermittent modifies things that work or stop and start at periodic intervals. An interesting use of something intermittent is a metronome, a device that marks off time in music by making a sound in a regular pattern. It provides structure for musicians, especially when there are several instruments all playing different melodies at the same time. Other intermittent things are the windshield wipers on your car and thank goodness for them when it rains!"""

"irk " "

irk "" ""The verb irk means \""annoy,\"" so if the incessant barking of your next door neighbor's pug is driving you crazy, you can say that the noise irks you.,Being irked is an individual thing أ¢آ€آ" what drives you crazy might be something your friend doesn't even notice. For example, it might irk your grammarian friend every time he hears someone says \""ain't,\"" but other people don't mind it. The earliest version of the word irk, irken, meant \""to feel weary or tired,\"" but it later came to mean \""to tire of or to be disgusted with.\"""""

"jovial " "

jovial "" ""Use jovial to describe people who show good humor and are full of joy. Santa Claus, with his constant \""ho-ho-hoing\"" is a jovial figure.,Jocose and jocular are similar words, but they refer more to things that actually cause laughter. Jovial is from Middle French, from Late Latin jovialis \""relating to Jupiter, the ancient Roman god of the sky,\"" from Jupiter \""Jupiter\"" plus the Latin prefix -alis \""relating to.\"" In astrology, people born under the sign of Jupiter are joyful."""

"jubilant " "

jubilant "" ""If you were the quarterback that threw the touchdown pass that won the Super Bowl, you would be jubilant: filled with joy.,When you feel jubilant, youأ¢آ€آ™re full of extreme happiness. Usually people are jubilant after great victories, whether in sports, politics, or life. When you're jubilant, it's a moment of extreme happiness, like giving birth or watching a child graduate. There can also be jubilant songs, jubilant performances, even jubilant periods in history, times when people are especially proud and filled with triumph. The end of World War II was just such a jubilant moment."""

"kowtow " "

kowtow "" ""Kowtow, which describes the act of kneeling and touching oneأ¢آ€آ™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 kأ¢آ€آ™o-tأ¢آ€آ™ou, which literally means أ¢آ€آœknock the head.أ¢آ€آ‌ As a verb, kowtow has the sense of أ¢آ€آœsucking upأ¢آ€آ‌ or \""flattering.\"" Maybe youأ¢آ€آ™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."""

"languish " "

languish "" ""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 Traviatta, Violetta, languishes from longing and eventually tuberculosis."""

"litany " "

litany "" ""If you've got a whole slew of complaints to get off your chest or requests to make, you've got yourself a litany أ¢آ€آ" a long, drawn-out list.,From Greek origins meaning \""entreaty\"" or \""supplication,\"" litany often refers to certain long responsive petitions offered to God, particularly by practitioners of the Christian faith. For some reason, litany is usually used in reference to negative things أ¢آ€آ" such as a litany of complaints or a litany of injuries."""

"loath " "

loath "" ""If you are loath to do something, you really don't want to do it. If you are reluctant to go swimming, people will say you are loath to swim, but if they are really mean أ¢آ€آ" they may throw you in anyway.,The adjective loath is used to describe being extremely opposed to something. The term is generally followed by to أ¢آ€آ" \""The teacher was loath to let the students turn in papers late, but he made an exception for the girl who had missed class due to illness.\"""""

"machinate " "

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.\"""""

"maladroit " "

maladroit "" ""If you are clumsy, you are maladroit. But the word can mean all kinds of clumsy. Trip over your words? You are verbally maladroit. Stumble in social situations? You're socially maladroit.,When someone is adroit, they are graceful and nimble they show a lot of dexterity. Maladroit is the opposite of that. It means clumsy, but with a hint of overall incompetence. If someone calls you maladroit, or says that you are a maladroit, they're not being the least bit nice. They mean that you've bungled something up with your fumbling."""

"martial " "

martial "" ""An adjective referring to the military, the word martial adds a warlike tone to any noun it describes.,The word martial derives from Mars, the Roman god of war. It refers to almost much anything military, including \""martial law,\"" in which the government orders the military to administer the law. The word definitely makes one think of fighting, as in the physical discipline known as the martial arts. But there is a lighter side to the word, too. Martial music, usually associated with the military, is usually bright and inspiring."""

"martinet " "

martinet "" ""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."""

"maudlin " "

maudlin "" ""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.\"""""

"meteoric " "

meteoric "" ""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 أ¢آ€آœhaving the characteristics of a meteor.أ¢آ€آ‌ Both words take their origin from the Greek meteأ...آچros, 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."""

"misanthrope " "

misanthrope "" ""A misanthrope is a person who hates or mistrusts other people. Your great aunt Edna who lashes out at anyone who approaches, convinced they'll steal the jewelry she keeps in her handbag on her lap? A misanthrope indeed.,This is a formal word, derived from Greek misanthrأ...آچpos \""hating mankind,\"" from misein \""to hate\"" plus anthrأ...آچpos \""a man.\"" From the same root, we get the English word anthropology \""the study of humans.\"" If you make a statement or do something that is particularly hostile or untrusting, you can call that misanthropic."""

"moot " "

moot "" ""When a point is moot, it's too trivial to think about. If your basketball team loses by 40 points, the bad call by the official in the first quarter is moot: it isn't important.,Though moot can mean to debate endlessly without any clear decision or to think about something carefully, it most often describes ideas and arguments that don't really matter. If your plane is crashing, whether or not your socks match is a moot point. When someone accuses you of making a moot point, he's basically saying, \""Come on! Let's talk about what's important.\"" As with so many things, people don't always agree on what's moot and what's not."""

"negligible " "

negligible "" ""When something is meaningless or insignificant because it is so little, it's negligible. The amount of interest you'll get on your savings is negligible, so you might as well spend your money.,If you work really hard on something, but the praise you get for it is negligible, you won't try so hard next time. Besides meaning very small, negligible can mean unimportant or not worth paying attention to. If you get into a fender-bender, you've gotten into a car accident with negligible damage. School concert programs always offer a word of thanks to the principal and other members of the administration whose role in the concert seems to be negligible."""

"nonchalant " "

nonchalant "" ""If your friend is acting cool, unconcerned or in an indifferent manner, call him nonchalant أ¢آ€آ" 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 calأ„آ"re \""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 أ¢آ€آ" chalant is not a word."""

"nonplussed " "

nonplussed "" ""If a conversation with someone leaves you scratching your head and wondering what point they were trying to make, you are nonplussed: bewildered, puzzled, often speechless.,Interestingly, there is no word plussed. You can only be nonplussed. People are nonplussed when theyأ¢آ€آ™re astounded, exasperated, or at a loss. \""I'm nonplussed,\"" you say when your mother tells you she's marrying her 25-year-old personal trainer. \""I'm nonplussed,\"" you say when your boss fires you, even though he tells you youأ¢آ€آ™re the best employee he's ever had. Since so many things are confusing and odd, thereأ¢آ€آ™s a lot in life that can leave you nonplussed."""

"obliging " "

obliging "" ""If you're obliging, you're easy to get along with and eager to help. An obliging neighbor, for example, might volunteer to shovel your sidewalk after it snows.,The adjective obliging is perfect for describing someone who is especially considerate and helpful. An obliging co-worker will always come to your aid or chip in for donuts, and an obliging roommate will turn off her light when you're ready to go to sleep. The word has been around since the mid-1600s, and it comes from the verb oblige, with its Latin root obligare, which means both \""to bind up or bandage\"" and \""to put under obligation or commitment.\"""""

"obscure " "

obscure "" ""If something is obscure, it's vague and hard to see. Be careful if you're driving in heavy rain أ¢آ€آ" the painted lines can be obscure.,Obscure comes from Latin obscurus, which can mean \""dark, dim,\"" \""unclear, hard to understand,\"" or \""insignificant, humble.\"" We tend to use obscure in the metaphorical senses: an obscure sound is unclear, an obscure village is hidden away in the countryside, and an obscure poet is little known and probably insignificant. Obscure can also be used as a verb. If you get really nervous when you speak during a debate, your embarrassing twitches and shaking hands can obscure your argument."""

"opulence " "

opulence "" ""Something with opulence is drenched in wealth and luxury. You'll need gold brocaded curtains, diamond-encrusted watches, and a world-renowned personal chef if you want to add some opulence to your life.,Not surprisingly, the noun opulence comes from the Latin opulentia, meaning أ¢آ€آœwealthy.أ¢آ€آ‌ A word that suggests extravagant excess, opulence describes lavish and visibly over-the-top living. Synonyms include abundance, prosperity, and riches. Said the novelist Joseph Conrad, أ¢آ€آœProtection is the first necessity of opulence and luxury.أ¢آ€آ‌ Meaning, first secure oneأ¢آ€آ™s riches and safety, and then enjoy without a care in the world!"""

"pecuniary " "

pecuniary "" ""If something has to do with money, it's pecuniary. If your grandfather's antique watch has pecuniary value, it's worth money أ¢آ€آ" 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 pecأ...آ« 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."""

"palatable " "

palatable "" ""Something that is palatable is acceptable to oneأ¢آ€آ™s sense of tasteأ¢آ€آ"literally or figuratively. If it's palatable, then you can put up with it أ¢آ€آ" 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 tolerableأ¢آ€آ"edible, rather than delicious."""

"peevish " "

peevish "" ""When you're peevish, you're easily irritated and grumpy. Everything seems to get under your skin.,Know someone who always seems annoyed, grumpy, cranky, or irritated? That person is peevish. Some people are peevish in general, but most people can be peevish about certain subjects أ¢آ€آ" we all have a pet peeve. Lots of people get peevish about language: like using the word like all the time as verbal filler. Being peevish is almost always considered a form of pettiness أ¢آ€آ" it's not a good thing. When you're peevish, you're not really looking at the big picture."""

"penurious " "

penurious "" ""Don't have two nickels to rub together? You're penurious أ¢آ€آ" a lovely long way of saying you're flat broke.,Penurious also means a general dislike of spending money. If someone accuses you of being cheap, tell them you prefer to be thought of as penurious. It sounds so much classier. It's related to a similar word, penury, which means \""a state of extreme poverty.\"""""

"perpetuate " "

perpetuate "" ""Some things should last forever and others should not be perpetuated at all. Things that should NOT be perpetuated? Ugly rumors, arms races, and your Aunt Martha's annual fruit cake.,Be careful not to confuse perpetuate with perpetrate. Although they differ in spelling by only one letter, they differ greatly in meaning. If you perpetuate something, you help it last. Perpetrate, on the other hand, means to commit a criminal act. Needless to say, you wouldn't want to perpetuate the acts of perpetrators!"""

"ploy " "

ploy "" ""A ploy is a clever plan that helps you get what you want. A manipulative little girl might shed tears simply as a ploy to get her mother to buy her ice cream.,A politician might add amendments to a bill as a ploy to delay voting, or a hooligan might yell, \""Fire!\"" in a movie theater as a ploy to sneak his friends in. A sneaky move in a game is a ploy, and sensational news about a celebrity can be just a ploy to get him more media attention. The first recorded use of ploy was in 1722, meaning \""anything with which one amuses oneself\"" in Scottish and Northern English dialects."""

"poignant " "

poignant "" ""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."""

"presentiment " "

presentiment "" ""Do you ever have the feeling that something bad is about to happen? Thatأ¢آ€آ™s called a presentiment.,The word presentiment comes from the Latin word prأƒآ¦sentire, meaning أ¢آ€آœto sense beforehand.أ¢آ€آ‌ 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 أ¢آ€آ" the presentiment that something bad was about to happen."""

"presumption " "

presumption "" ""The noun presumption pretty much means jumping to conclusions. It is taking something for granted أ¢آ€آ" an idea, an answer, an event أ¢آ€آ" without having any real knowledge about it, and that is usually not a good thing.,Making a presumption means assuming something is true or false without getting all the information necessary for verification. You can decipher this from the prefix pre, which means \""before,\"" together with the sume أ¢آ€آ" from the Latin sumere, \""to take.\"" Because so many times a presumption turns out to be false, the word has a negative connotation to it there's something reckless about making up your mind before you know all the facts."""

"proselytize " "

proselytize "" ""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 moms proselytize about the benefits of eating vegetables."""

"pyrrhic " "

pyrrhic "" ""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."""

"quail " "

quail "" ""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 youأ¢آ€آ™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."""

"rapprochement " "

rapprochement "" ""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 أ¢آ€آ" 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.\"""""

"rebuke " "

rebuke "" ""If you receive a rebuke, it means that you have been reprimanded, or scolded. You're sure to get a rebuke if you forget to do your math homework four days in a row.,The word rebuke can be a verb, meaning to sternly reprimand or scold, but it can also be a noun, because a rebuke is the result of being scolded. The root comes from the Old French rebuchier and means \""to hack down,\"" or \""beat back.\"" A rebuke, then, is meant to be critical and to chide أ¢آ€آ" in today's terms, a rebuke is verbal smack-down!"""

"reconcile " "

reconcile "" ""Reach for the verb reconcile to make different things come together or resolve a matter.,If you've ever had an argument with someone and then made up, you have reconciled. Reconcile is a verb that can mean \""to become resigned\"" like if you're reconciled to getting the bottom bunk when you wanted the top. It also means to \""bring into agreement and harmony.\"" Words like it are pacify, harmonize, and accommodate أ¢آ€آ" reconcile is definitely an agreeable word!"""

"recrimination " "

recrimination "" ""Sometimes you accuse your opponent of refusing to compromise and he accuses you of the same thing. Thatأ¢آ€آ™s a recrimination, an accusation or insult thatأ¢آ€آ™s hurled back at someone.,If youأ¢آ€آ™ve ever been in a verbal disagreement with someone, odds are that youأ¢آ€آ™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."""

"register " "

register "" ""Register has several meanings, but one of the most common is to write down or record officially. Like registering your car with the DMV and registering for classes at the beginning of a semester.,Someone needs to register all the ways you can use the word register: As a noun it means the actual book that you record things in. But a register is also the range of sound your voice can make, and that thing the checkout lady uses to ring up your grocery bill. As a verb, register means to mark down officially or sign up, but also to show emotion: if cats and dogs rain from the sky, your face will likely register a look of disbelief."""

"renege " "

renege "" ""To renege is to go back on your word or fail to keep a promise.,Not quite lying, reneging is more a sin of omission أ¢آ€آ" failing to do what you said you would. The Latin negأ„آپre means \""to deny,\"" so by reneging on your word, you are denying someone whatever you promised them. In card games, you are said to renege if you play against the rules. To renege may be wrong, but it's not necessarily a punishable offense (unless you put that promise legally binding in writing). Still, it certainly doesn't make you look good!"""

"reprisal " "

reprisal "" ""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."""

"reservation " "

reservation "" ""A reservation is something set aside, like a table at a restaurant or land for Native Americans.,For fancy restaurants and hotels, you need a reservation: you call ahead and ask them to set aside a table or room for you. A reservation is also a piece of land set aside by the government for a group. In the U.S., there are Native American reservations. Sometimes a reservation is a doubt. If you have reservations about taking a trip to Australia, then you're not sure about it. You're not rushing to make reservations at a hotel there."""

"rile " "

rile "" ""To rile someone is to annoy or bother them. For example, a friend might rile you by constantly texting when you're trying to have a conversation with her. You can also rile water, meaning you make it muddy by stirring it up.,The verb rile is derived from roil, and they basically mean the same thing. However, rile is more commonly used to mean \""annoy\"" and roil mostly describes stirred liquid. If you rile up your sister, what you say makes gets her worked up, ready to argue with you. When a kid splashes around in the tub, the water is roiled أ¢آ€آ" but if it gets all over the floor, his parents will be riled."""

"scrupulous " "

scrupulous "" ""Scrupulous means very careful to do things properly and correctly, such as paying friends back for money borrowed right away, or not returning a pair of shoes after they've been worn outdoors.,A scrupulous person is full of scruples, which are concerns about doing things that are morally right. Such a person is hesitant or doubtful, and might have trouble deciding what is morally right or wrong. The adjective scrupulous is from Latin scrأ...آ«pulأ...آچsus, from scrأ...آ«pulus \""scruple.\"" A near synonym is punctilious."""

"self-effacing " "

self-effacing "" ""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.\"""""

"semblance " "

semblance "" ""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 أ¢آ€آ" 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."""

"sordid " "

sordid "" ""Describe a person's actions as sordid if they are so immoral or unethical that they seem dirty. Think of the worst parts of a bad soap opera!,Sordid comes from the Latin word sordes \""dirt.\"" Something that is filthy or run down such as a neighborhood or someone's living conditions can be called sordid, but it is usually used figuratively to mean immoral or dishonest. If you want to hear the sordid details of someone's actions, it's because they were extremely dishonest or sexually immoral and also because they were supposed to be kept a secret."""

"spendthrift " "

spendthrift "" ""A spendthrift person is reckless and wasteful with his money. Spendthrifts who like to take you out to nice lunches are good people to be friends with, but it's generally a bad way to handle your own bank account.,Spendthrift was created by sticking two opposite words together: spend and thrift, which means أ¢آ€آœsavings, wealth.أ¢آ€آ‌ So a spendthrift spends all of his savings. Spendthrift people are the worst nightmare of retirement planners and Scrooges all over the globe. So unless you want to be called a spendthrift, think twice about your next purchase."""

"staid " "

staid "" ""Something that is staid is dignified, respectable أ¢آ€آ" possibly even boring, like a staid dinner party that is heavy on the important guests but light on the laughs.,Staid is pronounced just like \""stayed\"" أ¢آ€آ" in fact, it comes from stay, meaning \""fixed\"" or \""permanent.\"" Something that is staid is sedate, slightly dull, and tends to stay the same. Whether itأ¢آ€آ™s a middle-class lifestyle, a conservative law firm, your unadventurous aunt, or an old navy plaid sofa, the word staid can be used to describe anything that maintains a respectable self-restraint and takes no chances."""

"stringent " "

stringent "" ""That teacher's demands are stringent أ¢آ€آ" she wants the homework typed in her favorite font, on special paper, and each essay must be exactly 45 lines!,While the word stringent might seem foreign, if you're afflicted with pimples, you'll know the word astringent. An astringent causes your skin to tighten like it's shrinking your pores. This tightening, constricting feel describes stringent with regard to rules. Stringent safety procedures prevent accidents in a dangerous work environment. And restaurants must adhere to stringent health regulations."""

"sullen " "

sullen "" ""A bad-tempered or gloomy person is sullen. Sullen people are down in the dumps.,If someone is dark, dour, glum, moody, morose, or sour, they're also sullen. Teenagers are often described as sullen, especially when they're being grumpy and silent. You often hear about \""a sullen silence,\"" which is when someone is quiet, but obviously in a lousy mood. If a sullen person is talking, they're probably not saying much, and they might not be doing much beyond grunting. A sullen person isn't much fun to be around."""

"surreptitious " "

surreptitious "" ""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!"""

"temerity " "

temerity "" ""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.\"""""

"tempestuous " "

tempestuous "" ""A tempest is a storm, so you can use the adjective tempestuous to describe anything stormy or volatile أ¢آ€آ" 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 sheأ¢آ€آ™s prone to violent mood swings and fits of passion. Impetuous is a synonym. The author Joseph Conrad once wrote, أ¢آ€آœTo have his path made clear for him is the aspiration of every human being in our beclouded and tempestuous existence.أ¢آ€آ‌"""

"tenacious " "

tenacious "" ""Use tenacious to mean \""not easily letting go or giving up,\"" like a clingy child who has a tenacious grip on his mother's hand.,A strong grip or an unyielding advocate might both be described as tenacious, a word whose synonyms include resolute, firm, and persistent. The word comes from the Latin root tenax, which means \""holding fast.\"" The basketball commentator Marv Albert, impressed by a defender's skill, once uttered the sound bite, \""That's some tenacious D!\"" (\""D\"" is short for \""defense.\"") The musicians Jack Black and Kyle Gass borrowed the phrase for the name of their comedy-rock band, Tenacious D."""

"thwart " "

thwart "" ""A villain's worst nightmare is the superhero who always seems to thwart his efforts, preventing him from carrying out his plans to take over the world.,Thwart is a word you'll hear in a lot of action movies, and usually it's the hero who is trying to thwart the evil plan of some super-villain. Yet even mere mortals can be thwarted in their efforts the word simply means to prevent someone from carrying out his or her plans. An aggressive driver can thwart your attempt to snag a parking space at a crowded mall by pulling into the space before you. An aggressive shopper at that same mall can thwart your efforts to buy the last Dancing Snoopy doll by grabbing it off the shelf first."""

"truculence " "

truculence "" ""If you get into fights all of the time, you might be accused of truculence and sent for anger management classes. Truculence is showing a fierce kind of aggression.,If your basketball team wins a game by sheer truculence, it means that they win not by skill or talent, but by playing with ferocious aggression. It would be a dirty win, one with lots of fouls and thrown elbows. Truculence comes from the Latin word for trux meaning fierce or wild."""

"tout " "

tout "" ""To tout means to praise, boast, or brag about. If you like to tout your skill as a skier, you tell people you can go down expert-level hills.,Sometimes parents will get into bragging wars about their children, each touting the accomplishments of his or her child. Sometimes the word means more of \""to claim.\"" The company touted the lotion as a solution to wrinkles. Broccoli has been touted as the cancer-fighting vegetable. In England, a tout is a person who gives advice about gambling. If you're looking to play some money on the ponies, go see the tout who hangs out at Jackieأ¢آ€آ™s bar for a tip."""

"transmute " "

transmute "" ""Transmute is a verb meaning to change in appearance or form. For example, magical creatures can transmute into other beings. When you slay a dragon, donأ¢آ€آ™t be surprised if changes into a small, winged insect.,More realistically, you, too, can transmute your appearance أ¢آ€آ" by dying your hair, piercing your nose, or changing your style of dress. Transmute often describes physical change أ¢آ€آ" like when alchemists tried to transmute lead into gold أ¢آ€آ" 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."""

"truncate " "

truncate "" ""The verb truncate means to cut off or shorten. You can truncate a board that is too long using a power saw, a chain saw, or perhaps even a karate kick.,The word truncate is from a Latin word, truncare, which means \""to maim or to cut off.\"" Although this brings to mind a more grisly image (\""truncate a limb in an accident\""), you can actually truncate things that are not related to anatomy. You could truncate an essay by omitting a paragraph or two, or you could even truncate your vacation in Belize by heading home early."""

"tumult " "

tumult "" ""If a principal steps into a classroom and is greeted by a tumult of voices, with the teacher shouting for his kids' attention, she will not be pleased. A tumult is a state of noisy confusion.,Very often a crowd of people will cause a tumult. But your mind can also be in tumult, when you're confused and overwhelmed by strong emotions. If you want an adjective to describe these types of bewildering situations, use tumultuous. Tumult is from the Latin tumultus \""an uproar,\"" which is related to the Latin verb tumأ„آ"re \""to be excited.\"""""

"unassailable " "

unassailable "" ""The adjective unassailable means without flaws or indefensible. 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."""

"uncanny " "

uncanny "" ""If something is uncanny, it is so mysterious, strange, or unfamiliar that it seems supernatural. If you hear strange music echoing through your attic, you might refer to it as positively uncanny.,You can also use uncanny to refer to something that is so remarkable that it is beyond what is natural: as in \""uncanny abilities.\"" This adjective was formed in English from the prefix un- \""not\"" and canny \""fortunate, safe.\"" The current meaning of English canny is \""careful and clever, especially in handling money.\"""""

"unflappable " "

unflappable "" ""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.\"""""

"unforthcoming " "

unforthcoming "" ""empty"""

"unimpeachable " "

unimpeachable "" ""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 im- 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."""

"unpropitious " "

unpropitious "" ""empty"""

"unruly " "

unruly "" ""Unruly means lacking in restraint or not submitting to authority. Spitballs, shouting kids, a shouting teacherأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"these are all signs of an unruly classroom. Often, one unruly student is all it takes.,It's easy to see how un- \""not\"" and ruly \""rule\"" create a word that is all about not following rules. An unruly person refuses to obey authority, while an unruly piece of hair might refuse to stay inside a clip."""

"untrammeled " "

untrammeled "" ""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 أ¢آ€آ" 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.\"""""

"unviable " "

unviable "" ""empty"""

"urbane " "

urbane "" ""Urbane people are sophisticated, polished, cultured, refined. Spend enough time in an urban settingأ¢آ€آ"-going to concerts, museums, spending time in crowdsأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"and you'll be urbane too.,Both urbane and urban derive from the Latin urbanus, \""city,\"" but while urban has connotations of gritty living and crime, urbane assumes that everyone sees the city from the roof deck of their penthouse apartment, drinking champagne and exchanging bon mots with friends. Add a Cole Porter soundtrack and the image is complete."""

"vacillate " "

vacillate "" ""Vacillate means to waver back and forth, unable to decide. You might vacillate between ordering waffles and pancakes at your favorite diner أ¢آ€آ" itأ¢آ€آ™s hard to pick just one when both are so tasty!,Something that vacillates sways or fluctuates, often quite unsteadily. So use this verb to describe the staggering motions of a person who has had too much to drink, as well as the opinions of someone who canأ¢آ€آ™t make up her mind. Synonyms include vibrate, hesitate, and waver. A wise Ethiopian proverb advises, \""Do not vacillate or you will be left in between doing something, having something, and being nothing.أ¢آ€آ‌"""

"vehement " "

vehement "" ""You can use the adjective vehement to describe an extremely strong, powerful, or intense emotion or force. The teenager argued for a much later curfew in a vehement speech to her parents her parents responded with an equally vehement أ¢آ€آœNo way!أ¢آ€آ‌,Vehement is from Latin and was originally applied to intense natural phenomena: pain, heat, wind, etc. It is now more commonly used for intense emotions or beliefs. With the adverb form, people can be vehemently in favor of something, but the more common usage is for people to be vehemently opposed to something. Many people, for example, are vehemently opposed to politicians they didn't vote for, other people spoiling the endings of movies or books, or someone else taking the last piece of chocolate. The stress is on the first syllable (VEE-uh-ment)."""

"veritable " "

veritable "" ""When something is veritable it is true, or at least feels that way. \""The trees and lights turned the campus into a veritable wonderland\"" means that the campus seemed to be transformed into a true wonderland (if there is such a thing).,Veritable comes from the Latin veritas which means true. But unlike true, it does not describe things like statements. It is often used to enhance the word that follows it. \""A veritable cornucopia of food\"" is a lot of food of different varieties. If someone calls you \""a veritable force of nature,\"" they don't mean that you are actually a hurricane they just mean that you have the unstoppable quality of a big old storm."""

"vie " "

vie "" ""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, vأ„آ« and vأ„آ" 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. أ¢آ€آœHe intends to vie for the top prize,أ¢آ€آ‌ but أ¢آ€آœHe is vying for the top prize.أ¢آ€آ‌"""

"abstruse " "

abstruse "" ""Abstruse things are difficult to understand because they are so deep and intellectually challenging. It might be hard to figure out how a toilet flushes but the technology that goes into making the Internet function is abstruse.,The Latin roots of the word abstruse are about concealing or hiding something, which is a good way to remember the meaning of this word. It is useful when describing something that is overly confusing, or if someone is deliberately making a story or a situation more complicated than necessary. It sounds and looks like obtuse, but abstruse is almost its opposite. Obtuse is dull or lacking a sharpness of intellect. While Abstruse is president of the chess club, Obtuse is hanging out by the parking lot smoking cigarettes."""

"abysmal " "

abysmal "" ""If you want to say something is really, really bad أ¢آ€آ" then call it abysmal. If one person shows up to your party, well then that is an abysmal turnout. The 1958 Ford Edsel? An abysmal failure.,When someone describes the hole you just dug as abysmal, you may not know whether to take it as positive or negative feedback. That's because starting in the 1650s, abysmal simply meant أ¢آ€آœresembling an abyss in depth.أ¢آ€آ‌ By that definition you've just received a compliment on your deep digging skills. But since the early twentieth century, abysmal has been more commonly used to identify something as \""extremely bad.\"" So it's more likely that your hole has just been insulted."""

"admonitory " "

admonitory "" ""Something that's admonitory is meant to correct or scold. If you're caught throwing paper airplanes in class, your teacher will probably give you an admonitory lecture.,Use the adjective admonitory to describe something that's done in a warning or reproachful way. When kids are loud in the library, the librarian might shush them in an admonitory way. If your piano teacher always finds fault with your playing, she is consistently admonitory. The root of admonitory is the verb admonish, which means \""to scold or reprimand.\"" The Latin origin of both is admonere, \""remind or suggest,\"" but also \""warn or urge.\"""""

"anemic " "

anemic "" ""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."""

"antic " "

antic "" ""An antic is a prank to the extreme. Itأ¢آ€آ™s outrageous, but itأ¢آ€آ™s usually meant to be funny. When the senior class steals the principalأ¢آ€آ™s car and manages to get it inside the gym, the antic may be condemned by the school, but everyone else probably thinks itأ¢آ€آ™s hilarious.,The noun antic is most commonly used in the plural form, as in أ¢آ€آœthe coach was growing tired of his star playerأ¢آ€آ™s silly antics after scoring.أ¢آ€آ‌ 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 basically \""to act like a clown.\"""""

"apathetic " "

apathetic "" ""Apathetic is an adjective that describes the feeling of being bored with whatأ¢آ€آ™s going on around you. If you donأ¢آ€آ™t care one way or another, youأ¢آ€آ™re apathetic.,The Greek word pathos describes a type of emotional suffering that afflicts people who are super sensitive to their environment. Pathos is a root word of apathetic, but the prefix a- turns it into the opposite: emotional boredom, insensitivity, and a lack of enthusiasm. Maybe you feel apathetic because nothing around you stirs your interest, or maybe itأ¢آ€آ™s because you need some coffee."""

"apex " "

apex "" ""When there's no mountain left to climb and nothing but blue sky above, you know you've reached the highest peak أ¢آ€آ" the apex.,Apex can mean the highest point in a literal sense, like climbing to the apex of the Eiffel Tower for a fabulous view of Paris. It also can be used to mean the highest point in a figurative sense. An actor who wins an Oscar can say she's reached the apex of her career. If you're describing more than one high point, you could add an -es to form the plural apexes, but apices would also be correct. And if you're a botanist, you'd probably use apex to describe the tip of a flower or leaf."""

"appreciable " "

appreciable "" ""Movie theater popcorn tastes much better than microwave popcorn. The difference between them is appreciable أ¢آ€آ" that is, you notice it.,A good way to remember appreciable is to think of the related word appreciate. You appreciate the quality of the popcorn at the movie theater because it is significantly better than what you make at home. Of course, appreciable differences aren't always appreciated. There has been an appreciable improvement in the quality of televisions in the last 20 years, but if you've got an old TV, that isn't much comfort."""

"apprehension " "

apprehension "" ""Lucky you! Apprehension has three meanings: 1) the capture of a criminal 2) the understanding of an idea"

"appurtenant " "

appurtenant "" ""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."""

"arbitrary " "

arbitrary "" ""Something that's arbitrary seems like it's chosen at random instead of following a consistent rule. Team members would dislike their coach using a totally arbitrary method to pick starting players.,Even though arbitrary comes from a word meaning \""judge\"" (arbiter), that doesn't mean judges are always fair. Calling a decision-maker arbitrary is usually a negative thing, suggesting the person is making rules based on whim rather than justice. A coach who selects starting players arbitrarily isn't strictly applying a rule he could just be picking names out of a hat."""

"arriviste " "

arriviste "" ""empty"""

"ascendancy " "

ascendancy "" ""When you assume ascendancy over someone else, you become more powerful than they are. Ascendancy is the state of being in a higher position.,If you look at ascendancy, you see the word, ascend, which means to go up. Ascendancy is not so much about going up, but about being up. Another word for it is dominance, especially in the context of foreign or domestic relations. In school, if you question a teacher's ascendancy, you might be told to go to the principal's office. In this case, you're challenging the teacher's authority."""

"assiduously ad" "

assiduously ad"" ""empty"""

"atavism " "

atavism "" ""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 أ¢آ€آœforefather,أ¢آ€آ‌ since it refers to a way of doing things like our ancestors did them. Itأ¢آ€آ™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 أ¢آ€آœevolutionary throwbackأ¢آ€آ‌ is used when animals are born with features that had disappeared, such as legs on a whale."""

"audacity " "

audacity "" ""If you have audacity then you're one daring أ¢آ€آ" and perhaps reckless أ¢آ€آ" character. Running a red light with three previous tickets under your belt certainly shows audacity. And stupidity.,The noun audacity developed from the Latin word audacitas, which means أ¢آ€آœboldness.\"" So someone who shows audacity makes bold moves أ¢آ€آ" and isn't afraid of the consequences. Audacity can be admired or frowned upon, depending how far it's taken and how it rears its head. But as former British Prime Minister and novelist Benjamin Disraeli once said, أ¢آ€آœSuccess is the child of audacity.أ¢آ€آ‌"""

"autocratic " "

autocratic "" ""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 أ¢آ€آ" 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 أ¢آ€آ" including the boss who threatens to fire you if you refuse to polish his shoes and work every holiday."""

"avaricious " "

avaricious "" ""Someone who is avaricious is greedy or grasping, concerned with gaining wealth. The suggestion is that an avaricious person will do anything to achieve material gain, and it is, in general, not a pleasant attribute.,The Latin verb avأ„آ"re, meaning \""to crave\"" provides the groundwork for the word avaricious and its definition as \""greedy or covetous.\"" The adjective is applied to anyone who \""craves\"" great wealth, and suggests that desire for personal gain is an overriding influence in the avaricious person's life. The widespread quality of this selfishness was cleverly noted by Voltaire, who wrote, أ¢آ€آœMen hate the individual whom they call avaricious only because nothing can be gained from him.أ¢آ€آ‌"""

"avert " "

avert "" ""To avert is to turn away or to prevent. You might avert your gaze or avert a disaster أ¢آ€آ" either way, you are avoiding something.,The verb avert comes from Latin roots that mean \""to turn away from.\"" Averting has that sense of deflecting, turning away, or preventing something (usually bad) from happening. You might put salt on an icy sidewalk to avert accidents, or you might avert a toddler's meltdown by supplying a lollipop."""

"banality " "

banality "" ""A banality is a trite, boring, or overused remark. That includes clichأƒآ©s like \""life is short\"" and your basic small talk about the weather.,Banalities are sayings that almost everyone uses, and because they're so well-known, they've lost all their power. These expressions are clichأƒآ©d and many people find them annoying. \""When life hands you lemons, make lemonade\"" is one good example. When you're writing or speaking, you're much better off trying to find fresh language because one tends to hear the same old banalities again and again."""

"banish " "

banish "" ""To banish is to get rid of. Think very carefully before you banish someone from your group. Someday, you may want that person around again.,Banish rhymes with vanish, which is exactly what happens when you banish someone. Suppose a king, angry with some of his subjects, banishes them. They have to leave the kingdom and vanish أ¢آ€آ" not just go home and wait for the king to change his mind. Banish comes from the Old French word banir, which means أ¢آ€آœproclaim as an outlaw.أ¢آ€آ‌ It is serious and absolute. You can see the word ban in banish, but to ban something is not as harsh as banishing it."""

"begrudge " "

begrudge "" ""To begrudge someone for something is to wish them ill for it or to envy them. Try not to begrudge his getting the promotion over you أ¢آ€آ" he's been at the company longer.,An understudy might begrudge the lead her role and even go so far as to put glass in her shoes so she can't perform. An easy way to remember the meaning of this verb is to note the noun grudge lurking inside it. A grudge is ill will that you hold toward someone: to begrudge is to hold that grudge. If you begrudge your friend his happiness because he got the nicer car, your friendship will suffer."""

"bemoan " "

bemoan "" ""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!"""

"boorish " "

boorish "" ""If your cousin tells revolting jokes, belches, and smells like he spent the winter in a cave, he could be described as boorish أ¢آ€آ" an adjective used for people with bad manners and a sloppy appearance.,We almost always use the word boorish for men. This may be because it can be traced back to a 13th century word for أ¢آ€آœherdsman.أ¢آ€آ‌ Herdsmen spent a lot of time alone with their sheep, sleeping in tents, and cooking over open fires, so it was no wonder that they didn't have the same refined manners as city folk. If someone offends you by acting boorishly أ¢آ€آ" say, by cutting you off in traffic أ¢آ€آ" you could exclaim, أ¢آ€آœWhat a boor!أ¢آ€آ‌ Just don't confuse boor with bore: bad manners may be offensive, but they're rarely boring."""

"bowdlerize " "

bowdlerize "" ""To bowdlerize means edit offensive parts out of something. If the hero in an R-rated movie adapted for TV exclaims, أ¢آ€آœOh shoot fudge darn!أ¢آ€آ‌ 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, weأ¢آ€آ™re implying that it was edited in a prudish way."""

"bridle " "

bridle "" ""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.,The word bridle comes from the Old English bridel meaning \""rein, curb, restraint,\"" which is precisely what the purpose of a bridle is أ¢آ€آ" to help restrain a horse's movements when necessary. You can bridle a horse, which is the act of putting a bridle on it. If you yank too hard on the reins, your horse might bridle, or take offense to your aggressiveness, just like you might bridle if someone insulted you."""

"browbeat " "

browbeat "" ""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."""

"buck " "

buck "" ""A buck is an adult male deer, antelope, reindeer, or rabbit. You can usually tell a buck by its large horns. If itأ¢آ€آ™s a bunny, you just have to ask. A buck is also slang for an American dollar.,Full-grown male kangaroos are bucks, too. When a male animal is a buck, the female is a doe. A buck is a male deer, and so a doe is a female deer. When it's used as a verb, buck means to move in an abrupt, jerky way أ¢آ€آ" when a horse bucks, it jumps and kicks its back legs out behind it. If someone bucks the system, theyأ¢آ€آ™re pushing against it. Colloquially, \""to buck upأ¢آ€آ‌ means to cheer up."""

"bumbling " "

bumbling "" ""empty"""

"cede " "

cede "" ""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.\"""""

"celerity " "

celerity "" ""While it looks a lot like celery, celerity means something that vegetables are not أ¢آ€آ" fast moving. Gossip often travels with celerity, as do children trying to get to a big plate of cookies.,When you see the word celerity, think accelerate, like a car when you step on the gas. Both words share the Latin root celer which means swift. You may want to study for exams with celerity, but using a slower, more methodical approach will often yield better results."""

"censor " "

censor "" ""A censor takes out things that are objectionable or inappropriate, like the censors at the TV networks bleeping out all the bad words in a show.,To put it simply, a censor judges. Originating in the 1530أ¢آ€آ™s, a censor was originally a Roman magistrate who took censuses and oversaw public morals. Censors today are hired by TV stations, publishers and the government to examine books, films and other material and strip out or flag all the amoral, offensive or otherwise bad stuff. Thankfully, in the U.S. free speech usually wins out over censorship."""

"cerebral " "

cerebral "" ""If you are a cerebral person, no one would ever call you a drama queen. You make decisions using your intelligence and cold, hard facts, instead of your emotions.,The word cerebral gets its meaning from cerebrum, which is Latin for brain. Cerebral people use their brains instead of their hearts. The cerebrum is a particular section of the brain, and anything related to that part is also cerebral, like in medicine. A cerebral hemorrhage, for example, means a hemorrhage has occurred in the brain أ¢آ€آ" a phrase you'd never want to hear coming from a doctor."""

"chagrin " "

chagrin "" ""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, \""an untanned leather with a granular surface, prepared from the hide of a horse, shark, seal, etc.\"" When one mistakes one word as a relative of another, it's called \""false etymology.\"""""

"champion " "

champion "" ""A champion is a winner, or someone who's really good at something. If you are a champion chess player, you are a superstar! When crowds sing Queen's \""We Are the Champions\"" at football games, they are celebrating the fact that their team won.,Champion comes from the Latin word campionem for \""gladiator, fighter.\"" Rarr! No need to grab your sword, but a champion is also a person who fights for a cause. If you are the champion of fundraising, you keep pushing to raise money. As a verb, to champion means to protect or fight for something. You champion your little brother by defending him against meanies أ¢آ€آ" no matter what, you are always on his side."""

"chimera " "

chimera "" ""A chimera is something youأ¢آ€آ™ve imagined thatأ¢آ€آ™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 lionأ¢آ€آ™s head, a goatأ¢آ€آ™s body, and a serpentأ¢آ€آ™s tail. And it breathes fire. No creature like that has ever existed, but the idea seemed real and terrifying to Greeks, and thatأ¢آ€آ™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."""

"chivalrous " "

chivalrous "" ""A man who is courteous and attentive to women can be described as chivalrous: أ¢آ€آœThe chivalrous stranger picked up the packages Veronica dropped and held the door open while she entered the apartment building.أ¢آ€آ‌,The word chivalrous originally described gallantry, valor, honor, and courtesy, associated with the medieval code of knighthood. Medieval knights are no longer with us, but chivalrous has survived in modern usage to describe a man أ¢آ€آ" or a behavior أ¢آ€آ" showing courtesy or attentiveness toward women. So the guy holding the door open for you with a flourish may or may not be your أ¢آ€آœknight in shining armor,\"" but his chivalrous act gives him something in common with the medieval knights of lore."""

"choleric " "

choleric "" ""Are you easy to tick off? Known to have a short fuse? Then, you could be described as choleric. Don't worry it's not a disease related to cholera. Choleric just means you're testy and irritable.,Before the advent of modern medicine, most folks believed that health and disease were the result of the balance of \""humors\"" in the body. If you were quick to anger, you were thought to have too much choler in your system. You were called choleric. W. C. Fields, Richard Nixon, and Ebinezer Scrooge are just a few people famous for being choleric, easy to tick off."""

"circumvent " "

circumvent "" ""To circumvent is to avoid. Someone who trains elephants but somehow gets out of picking up after them has found a way to circumvent the cleaning of the circus tent.,Circum in Latin means \""around\"" or \""round about,\"" and vent- comes from venire, \""to come,\"" but painting a picture from these two parts of the word helps. Picture someone circling around a barrier instead of climbing over it. That's what you do when you circumvent. You find a smart way around rules or barriers, or avoid doing something unpleasant altogether."""

"clemency " "

clemency "" ""Say you're playing a role-playing game and you end up in one of the other player's dungeons. You could try begging him for clemency أ¢آ€آ" compassion shown by people in power towards people who rebel or break the law.,Clemency is also a weather word, though nowadays it's much more common to hear people talk about \""inclement weather\"" than, say, \""the clemency of the storm.\"" Derived from the Latin for \""gentle\"", it came into usage in the 1550s. If you have trouble remembering its meaning, get rid of the \""cle\"" and replace the \""n\"" with an \""r\"". You're left with \""mercy\"", which more or less means the same thing."""

"commendable " "

commendable "" ""If something's commendable it deserves whatever praise it receives. When you developed a car that could run on solar power, that was a commendable accomplishment. Now, it's time to move from Seattle.,Coming from the verb \""to commend,\"" commendable can find its roots in the Latin commendأ„آپre, meaning \""to praise.\"" So, it only makes sense that someone who has done some commendable deed should get praise for it. American author James Branch Cabell once wrote: \""While it is well enough to leave footprints on the sands of time, it is even more important to make sure they point in a commendable direction.\"""""

"concomitant " "

concomitant "" ""Concomitant means accompanying. If you run into someone that you have a crush on you might feel nervousness with a concomitant forgetfulness.,Concomitant is one of those Latin-based words you can break down into little pieces: con means with, and comit means companion. So something that is concomitant is like the companion of the main event. If you start training really hard at the gym, the main effect is that you become stronger, but there are concomitant effects, like better circulation, or a rosy glow, or getting happy from all those endorphins youأ¢آ€آ™re releasing."""

"conflagration " "

conflagration "" ""A conflagration isn't just a few flames it's an especially large and destructive fire that causes devastation.,That tiny campfire that somehow turned into a raging forest inferno? You could call that intense, uncontrolled blaze a conflagration. Mrs. O'Leary's cow knew a thing or two about conflagrations: It was that unknowing animal that kicked over a kerosene lamp in the night, setting the O'Leary's barn on fire and sending four square miles of the Windy City into that blistering conflagration known as the Great Chicago Fire of 1871."""

"conflate " "

conflate "" ""Conflate is a more formal way to say \""mix together.\"" 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, as when you conflate two different ideas, taking parts of one and parts of another to build your own Frankenstein version of things."""

"conniving " "

conniving "" ""Someone conniving is calculating, scheming, and shrewd أ¢آ€آ" in other words, sneaky and up to no good.,Do you know anyone who is always trying to get away with things? Do they constantly look for ways to get out of trouble or work? Those kind of people are conniving. This is a word for secretive, shifty behavior. However, being conniving isn't the worst thing in the world أ¢آ€آ" it's negative, but you probably wouldn't say a murderer is conniving. It's usually reserved for con men, shady business moguls, and manipulative social climbers."""

"consecrate " "

consecrate "" ""Consecrate means to make holy or to dedicate to a higher purpose. You need to consecrate a building to turn it into a church, but you can also consecrate a week in New York City to the pursuit of the perfect bagel.,The secr part of consecrate comes from the Latin sacer \""sacred.\"" Remember that something consecrated is dedicated to God and thus sacred. And then remember that the meanings of words tend to stretch over time this one moved from \""dedicated to God\"" to \""dedicated to whatever\"": jelly donuts, the perfect tan, finding a solution to Rubik's Cube."""

"constituent " "

constituent "" ""Constituent means part of a whole, as in \""we'll break this down into its constituent parts.\"" The word comes up often in political contexts: constituents are the people politicians have been elected to represent.,To understand constituent, look at constitute, which means to make up. A politician's electorate is constituted of individual constituent voters. Chex Party Mix is constituted of a delightful mix of constituent parts: Chex cereal, pretzels, cheese doodles and those little orange stick things no one has a name for."""

"constraint " "

constraint "" ""A constraint is a limit or restriction. Hopefully your school won't cut the sports or music programs due to budget constraints!,You might notice that constraint is similar to the verb constrict, as in boa constrictor. A constraint tightens around you like a snake and prevents you from doing what you want. Financial constraints prevent you from buying the latest electronic device. Are you tired of living under the constraint of your parents' rules? Sometimes your worries or feelings act as a constraint. You know that someone has become a close friend when you can talk to them without constraint."""

"consummate " "

consummate "" ""Consummate means complete, finished, or masterful. If you refer to someone as a consummate chef, then you are saying he is the ultimate chef. If you say someone is a consummate jerk, then you are saying he is the ultimate jerk.,Consummate can be used to describe something good or bad: consummate joy, a consummate liar. To consummate means to bring something to completion, but it often refers specifically to making a marriage complete by having sexual relations. The adjective is pronounced Kأƒآ„N-sأ‰آ™-mit, but the verb is pronounced Kأƒآ„N-sأ‰آ™-mأ„آپt."""

"contemptuous " "

contemptuous "" ""If you insult someone or dismiss them in a hateful way, you're being contemptuous. The difference between being hateful and contemptuous is subtle. It involves disdain.,Being contemptuous of someone or something means that you're combining a deep dislike for them with condescension. To insult someone is a good way of showing contempt, i.e., of being contemptuous. \""You disgust me,\"" is one of the simplest and most contemptuous things you can say to someone. \""You're stupid,\"" is another. If you can think of something that both hurts a person and suggests that you're looking down on them, you've come up with a contemptuous thing to say."""

"contingent " "

contingent "" ""The adjective contingent can be used to describe when something can occur only when something else does first. Making money is contingent on finding a good-paying job.,When something is contingent it means that the possibility of an event or situation depends on another happening or being true first. For example, sometimes people want to buy a new house but they make the purchase of the house they want to buy contingent upon someone else buying their old house first. That way they don't end up owning two houses!"""

"contrition " "

contrition "" ""In the truest sense, contrition is feeling sorry for committing a religious sin and being scared about the consequences. But anyone can feel general contrition for something they've done wrong.,Contrition is a strong, powerful feeling that people get when they've done something wrong. Originally, this feeling came from having sinned and a fear of going to hell for it. But over the years, the idea of contrition has gotten broader. Anyone can feel contrition if they do something wrong, whether it's a tiny thing like littering or a huge thing like murdering. If you did wrong and feel bad about it, you're feeling contrition أ¢آ€آ" you're contrite."""

"contrive " "

contrive "" ""When you contrive, you make a plan or a plot. It may take you longer to contrive your way out of doing your homework than would to actually do it.,Even though contrive often has a false or cunning feel to it, it is not always a bad thing. Mental effort is always required though, as contrive is often used in connection with inventing schemes and plans to make something happen. Contraption, a complicated mysterious device that does something, is related to contrive. Have you ever seen a Rube Goldberg contraption? When you contrive to do something, your plan may end up being that complicated."""

"cornucopia " "

cornucopia "" ""A grocery store with a large selection of fruits and vegetables could be said to have a cornucopia of produce. A cornucopia is a lot of good stuff.,Around Thanksgiving in the United States, you'll often see cornucopias or horn-shaped baskets filled with fruit and other goodies as centerpieces. Originally, a cornucopia was a goat's horn filled with corn and fruit to symbolize plenty. Nowadays, a cornucopia is probably made of some kind of plaster or wicker, but it still symbolizes the same thing أ¢آ€آ" a good harvest season."""

"corollary " "

corollary "" ""Corollary describes a result that is the natural consequence of something else. You could say that your weight gain is a corollary of the recent arrival of a bakery across the street from your house.,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 أ¢آ€آœtoأ¢آ€آ‌ or أ¢آ€آœof,\"" as in أ¢آ€آœa corollary to fortune is fame.أ¢آ€آ‌ 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."""

"cosseted " "

cosseted "" ""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.\"""""

"coterminous " "

coterminous "" ""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."""

"countermand " "

countermand "" ""When an officer in the military shouts, أ¢آ€آœBelay that order, Private!أ¢آ€آ‌ that is a countermand. A countermand is an order that cancels or reverses an earlier command. Countermand is also used as a verb meaning أ¢آ€آœto cancel or revoke.أ¢آ€آ‌,Counter means أ¢آ€آœopposingأ¢آ€آ‌ or أ¢آ€آœopposite,أ¢آ€آ‌ and mand is short for أ¢آ€آœmandateأ¢آ€آ‌ or أ¢آ€آœcommand.أ¢آ€آ‌ Put them together and youأ¢آ€آ™ve got countermand أ¢آ€آ" an أ¢آ€آœopposing command.أ¢آ€آ‌ When you issue a countermand, you cancel the original command and usually replace it with a new one. Countermand is often used in a military context, but it can be applied more widely. If your parents tell you to take out the trash, you might countermand these orders by telling your little brother to do it instead."""

"credence " "

credence "" ""Credence means truthfulness, or believability. A video of a funnel cloud entering Central Park would give credence to rumors of a tornado in Manhattan.,Generally, credence is given to an idea or topic by something else. You'll see it often coming after words like lend, give, and impart. When something is given credence, it is made more believable. But it can also be used like this: Mary talked a lot about the poltergeist in her house. To most, her story had little credence, but I like a good ghost story, and so, decided to believe."""

"credulity " "

credulity "" ""Did you know that if you say credulity ten times fast it starts to sound like orange? If you believe that, then you have a lot of credulity. Credulity means gullibility, or a willingness to believe anything.,Credulity is a tendency to believe in things too easily and without evidence. If a swindler is trying to sell you fake medicine, then he is \""preying on your credulity.\"" This noun is associated with being naأƒآ¯ve, gullible or innocent. It shouldnأ¢آ€آ™t be confused with credibility, which means أ¢آ€آœbelievability,أ¢آ€آ‌ although it is often misused in this way. You might hear someone say, أ¢آ€آœthe farfetched plot of that movie strained credulity,أ¢آ€آ‌ but what he or she really means is أ¢آ€آœbelievability,أ¢آ€آ‌ or أ¢آ€آœcredibility.أ¢آ€آ‌"""

"crestfallen " "

crestfallen "" ""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."""

"cryptic " "

cryptic "" ""\""White bunny. Moon. Square.\"" Do you understand what that means? Of course not! It's totally cryptic. Cryptic comments or messages are hard to understand because they seem to have a hidden meaning.,Cryptic is from Late Latin crypticus, from Greek kryptikos, from kryptos \""hidden.\"" This Greek adjective is the source of our English word crypt, referring to a room under a church in which dead people are buried. That might account for why the word cryptic has an eerie tone to it."""

"cumbersome " "

cumbersome "" ""You have to wrestle a bit with the longish word cumbersome it's cumbersome, or kind of long and clumsy, to tumble out in a sentence. It's hard to use it gracefully.,A \""cumber\"" is something that slows you down, and though the words aren't related, \""lumber\"" includes big pieces of heavy wood, which might slow down the person carrying them. Moving lumber is cumbersome, because it's a heavy and awkward job. Getting your laundry down the stairs or putting a Rottweiler in the bathtub can be cumbersome too."""

"cupidity " "

cupidity "" ""Remember the saying أ¢آ€آœGreed is goodأ¢آ€آ‌? It could just as easily be أ¢آ€آœCupidity is good,أ¢آ€آ‌ though admittedly it doesnأ¢آ€آ™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 Valentineأ¢آ€آ™s Day, cupidity is all about the love of money. It comes to us from Latin cupidus, which means \""desirous.\"" Itأ¢آ€آ™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 Streetأ¢آ€آ™s unbridled cupidity for Americaأ¢آ€آ™s economic woes."""

"curmudgeon " "

curmudgeon "" ""Old, cranky, and more than a little stubborn, a curmudgeon is the crusty 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 أ¢آ€آœevil heart,أ¢آ€آ‌ but that theory has been long discarded. Don't worry though, youأ¢آ€آ™ll know a curmudgeon when you see one: Heأ¢آ€آ™ll be ill-tempered and miserly, eager to shake his fist and spout disagreeable opinions."""

"debonair " "

debonair "" ""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 a little bit of an old-fashioned word. Old movie stars like Cary Grant were often called debonair, but not many people are today."""

"decimation " "

decimation "" ""empty"""

"decorum " "

decorum "" ""Decorum is proper and polite behavior. If you let out a big belch at a fancy dinner party, you're not showing much decorum.,This noun is from Latin decأ...آچrus \""proper, becoming, handsome,\"" from dأƒآ©cor \""beauty, grace,\"" which is also the source of English dأƒآ©cor. The corresponding adjective is decorous, meaning \""well-behaved in a particular situation.\"" Both decorum and decorous are often used to describe behavior in a classroom or courtroom."""

"decry " "

decry "" ""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."""

"deferential " "

deferential "" ""When a young person shows respect and obedience to an older person, theyأ¢آ€آ™re being deferential to the elderأ¢آ€آ™s wisdom and experience.,To be obedient, courteous, or dutiful are all ways of being deferential. Bowing low to the Queen is a deferential act when visiting Buckingham Palace. On sports teams, rookies are usually deferential to the veterans and star players, while all players should be deferential to the coach. All employees are expected to be at least a little deferential to their bosses. Being deferential shows respect, but also means \""I know my place, and it's lower than yours.\"""""

"defray " "

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."""

"degrade " "

degrade "" ""Degrade means to put downأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"a degrading comment is one that makes the subject feel bad, a degraded field is one whose soil has been worn out. If you move from an A average to a B, you've been degraded.,When you whistle at a passing woman, you're being disrespectfulأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"your behavior is degrading to women. In science, degrade means to break down. Old paper or photographs can degrade when left in the lightأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"their material breaks down so that they crumble at a touch."""

"deign " "

deign "" ""Deign means to reluctantly agree to do something you consider beneath you. When threatened with the loss of her fortune, an heiress might deign to get a job, but she might look down her nose at the people she'd have to work with.,Deign has the same origins as dignity. Both descend from the Latin word, dignare, meaning \""to deem worthy.\"" If you deign to do something, you don't feel it's worthy of your lofty stature, but you do it anyway أ¢آ€آ" 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!\"""""

"delegate " "

delegate "" ""Delegate lends an official air to passing off your work. If you don't like cleaning the bathroom, you can try to delegate that task to your little brother.,A delegate is also an elected official, or the person who is doing the task you delegated them to do. In presidential primaries in the United States, you do not vote for a candidate, you vote for a delegate whose job it is to vote for that candidate at a convention. Be careful with how you pronounce the end of the word. The elected official is pronounced DE-lأ‰آ™-git whereas delegate as a verb should be DE-lأ‰آ™-gأ„آپt."""

"deliberate " "

deliberate "" ""To deliberate means to carefully think or talk something through أ¢آ€آ" it also means slow and measured, the pace of this kind of careful decision making. If you chose deliberately, you make a very conscious, well-thought-through choice.,The verb deliberate ends with an \""ate\"" sound أ¢آ€آ" at the end of a trial, after the evidence is presented, the twelve members of a jury retreat to a room to deliberate, i.e., talk through the trial and come to a verdict. The adjective deliberate ends with an \""it\"" sound. If you walk with a deliberate pace, you're slow and steady."""

"demonstrative " "

demonstrative "" ""People who are demonstrative easily and clearly show their emotions. A demonstrative person might shout \""Hooray\"" and jump for joy at good news. A non-demonstrative person might feel no less excited, but refrain from demonstrating it.,To demonstrate means to show, so think of demonstrative as showing. In legal terms, demonstrative is used to describe evidence that shows that something happenedأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"a note that says \""I did it\"" might show, or demonstrate, an accused person's guilt. In grammar, demonstrative pronounsأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"this, that, these, thoseأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"indicate the thing or person that is being pointed out, or shown, as in أ¢آ€آœOfficer, it was أ¢آ€آکthatأ¢آ€آ™ man who stole my purse!أ¢آ€آ‌"""

"denouement " "

denouement "" ""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."""

"derelict " "

derelict "" ""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 أ¢آ€آ" 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."""

"desiccated " "

desiccated "" ""To be desiccated is to be dried out. If you like desiccated fruit, you like dried fruit أ¢آ€آ" 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.\"""""

"destitute " "

destitute "" ""When you think of the word destitute, which means poor or lacking other necessities of life, think of someone who is in desperate straits. A very, very tight budget is poor. Living on the streets is destitute.,Destitute essentially means not having something. When you're destitute in the sense of being poor, you're technically \""destitute of money.\"" You can be destitute of other things as well. If all your friends have abandoned you, you're \""destitute of friends.\"" If you are applying for a job as a waitress but have never worked in a restaurant in any capacity, you're \""destitute of experience.\"""""

"differentiate " "

differentiate "" ""To differentiate is to identify the differences between things, to discriminate among them. For example, if the light is dim at the party, you might find it hard to differentiate between the spicy bean dip and the chocolate sauce.,You can see different in differentiate. This will help you remember that it has to do with finding how things are different, or making them different. For example, identical twins look alike but if you get to know them, personality traits, speech patterns and their likes and dislikes help differentiate one from another. Also, when you wear a team uniform the number on your back helps coaches differentiate between teammates when everyone is playing fast."""

"dilapidated " "

dilapidated "" ""Falling down and in total disrepair, something that's dilapidated is going to need a lot of fixing up.,Sure, there might be crooked floorboards, mice scurrying underfoot, and pieces missing from the ceiling, but that dilapidated house does come with one perk: a cheaper price tag! Dilapidated is a word that implies deterioration, often because of neglect. So if you donأ¢آ€آ™t take care of things, they can become dilapidated. That goes for houses, tree forts, relationships, health أ¢آ€آ" you name it!"""

"diligent " "

diligent "" ""Someone who is diligent works hard and carefully. If you want to write the epic history of your family, you'll have to be very diligent in tracking down and interviewing all of your relatives.,Diligent comes from the Latin diligere, which means \""to value highly, take delight in,\"" but in English it has always meant careful and hard-working. If you're a diligent worker, you don't just bang away at your job you earnestly try to do everything right. Although being lucky and talented doesn't hurt, it's the diligent person who eventually succeeds."""

"disaffected " "

disaffected "" ""The adjective disaffected describes someone who is dissatisfied or rebellious. Usually if you're disaffected, you're upset with people in authority. You and your fellow disaffected workers might become so upset about the lack of raises that you decided to boycott work.,You might have heard the term \""disaffected youth,\"" which refers to young people rebelling against some aspect of society. For example, disaffected youth might fight against their lack of political freedom. Disaffected can also be used to describe things rather than people, like the disaffected lyrics in a song or the disaffected mood of a poem describing an unhappy or bitter state of mind. The word disaffected comes from disaffect, meaning \""estranged, hostile.\"""""

"discord " "

discord "" ""Discord is the strife and tension that arises when two sides disagree on something, like the high pitched screaming of two kids fighting over the front seat of the car.,Discord can be broken down into the prefix dis, meaning \""different,\"" and cord, which stems from an old word for \""heart.\"" So that leaves us with \""different hearts.\"" So if we're talking about music, discord means a lack of harmony أ¢آ€آ" tones that clash so badly your ears bleed. But when there's discord between people, their hearts are in different places أ¢آ€آ" which usually results in more than a few raised voices clashing disharmoniously."""

"discreet " "

discreet "" ""Discreet describes someone or something that is appropriately quiet, prudent, and restrained. If you are wearing a discreet gray suit, it is unlikely that anyone at that business meeting will notice you.,Often people use discreet not only to indicate modesty or carefulness, but also to show a sort of secretiveness along the lines of أ¢آ€آœYou're going to keep this a secret, right?أ¢آ€آ‌ If no one in your family knows that you like to dress up as a bear, but then your cousin finds out, you may ask him to please be discreet."""

"disenfranchise " "

disenfranchise "" ""Enfranchise means to give someone the right to vote. Disenfranchise means to take it away. The U.S. has a shameful history of disenfranchising African-American citizens through bogus laws and outright intimidation.,Being disenfranchised can make you feel like you don't belong or that you have no power. When kids feel disenfranchised in schoolأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"when they feel like what they're being asked to learn doesn't matter, or that their teachers don't care about them, that whether they try or not they're going to failأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"they stop learning."""

"disheartened " "

disheartened "" ""When you're disheartened, you feel discouraged or let down. It's easy to become disheartened if the grades on your report card don't reflect the hard work and dedication you exerted.,You might be disheartened to read about the high unemployment rate in the newspaper, or disheartened by the way your carefully constructed rocket ship cake flopped. When you feel your spirits sink or your courage fail, you're disheartened. The first recorded use of the word dishearten showed up in Shakespeare's play Henry V, where he invented it to mean the opposite of hearten, or \""encourage.\"""""

"dispensation " "

dispensation "" ""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."""

"dogmatic " "

dogmatic "" ""Someone who is dogmatic has arrogant attitudes based on unproved theories. If you dogmatically assert that the moon is made of green cheese, you'll just get laughed at.,The most basic definition of the adjective dogmatic is that it is related to dogma أ¢آ€آ" doctrines relating to morals and faith أ¢آ€آ" but what it has come to mean is attitudes that are not only based on unproved theories but are also arrogant in nature. The root of dogmatic is the Greek word dogmatikos. A synonym of dogmatic is \""dictatorial\"" and because there are religious associations to the root word dogma, someone who is dogmatic tends to \""pontificate.\"""""

"dolorous " "

dolorous "" ""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."""

"edifying " "

edifying "" ""Anything edifying is enlightening. Edifying things uplift people intellectually or morally and help them learn. Good literature, art, and music are edifying.,The original meaning of edify was \""to build,\"" and things that are edifying build up a person, especially in an intellectual or moral way. Itأ¢آ€آ™s often used in the negative. If you say something is not edifying, you mean that itأ¢آ€آ™s unpleasant and unacceptable. Edifying applies to things that help you become a better person. A wise saying is edifying. A powerful documentary is edifying. The words of a good teacher are often edifying. Word definitions are definitely edifying!"""

"effervescent " "

effervescent "" ""Something effervescent has bubbles or froth, like a sparkling wine or a bubble bath. If you have a happy, light, cheerful personality أ¢آ€آ" if you are \""bubbly\"" أ¢آ€آ" you too are effervescent.,Coming from the Latin effervأ„آ"scere, the original meaning was more boiling than bubbly, thanks to the ferv part, which means \""hot.\"" The word literally refers to bubbles giving off gas, and any drinks you enjoy that are nose-ticklingly effervescent make bubbles that pop and release into the air. Remember, someone with an effervescent personality is just bubbly, not full of gas!"""

"efficacious " "

efficacious "" ""When you really want to do something right, really nail it, really get at what you were going for أ¢آ€آ" you're trying to be efficacious, or produce the effect you intended.,The word efficacious is made up of the Latin efficere meaning \""accomplish\"" and the suffix -ious meaning \""full of.\"" Something that's efficacious is full of accomplishment. An efficacious medicine is one that cures you of the ailment you had. An efficacious recipe is on that comes out the way you intended it to taste. Remember that efficacious has two fs and two cs in it and you'll be efficacious in your spelling of the word."""

"egotist " "

egotist "" ""An egotist is an extremely self-absorbed, bragging person. If you share some bad news with an egotist, he'll be most concerned with how it affects him.,Egotists believe that the world revolves around them أ¢آ€آ" when an egotist reads the newspaper, the stories that concern her most are the ones that involve her own interests. You might have a hint that a new acquaintance is an egotist if he uses the word I constantly during your conversations. Egotist was first used in the 1700s, and it initially meant specifically \""talking too much about one's self,\"" from the Latin ego, or \""I.\"""""

"elaborate " "

elaborate "" ""Use the adjective elaborate when you want to describe how something is very detailed or especially complicated, like a devilish prank planned out weeks in advance.,The adjective elaborate is used to describe when something is planned with a lot of attention to detail or when something is intricate or detailed itself. The word comes from the Latin elaborare, which means \""to produce by labor\"" but it has come to mean a lot of labor, especially work that is very complicated and precise. To imagine this word, think of a painting with lots of flourishes or a story with many sub-plots and characters that all fit together in extensive ways."""

"elegiac " "

elegiac "" ""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.\"""""

"embellish " "

embellish "" ""The word \""bell\"" shows up in the middle of embellish, and bells are something that decorate, or embellish something, making it more attractive. If you embellish speech, though, it can get ugly if you add a lot of details that aren't true.,Embellish often has the positive meaning of adding something to make it more handsome or beautifully decorated. But, while adding bells to something looks great at first, after a couple of hours of bells ringing in the ears, what was meant to embellish and beautify can get annoying. That's what can happen when you embellish by adding too many false or exaggerated details to a story. Embellishing with true, colorful details and vivid descriptions is what can really enhance the beauty of a story."""

"embroiled " "

embroiled "" ""When you're embroiled in something, you're tangled or mired in it أ¢آ€آ" in other words, you're involved so completely that it's hard to get away from it. You might be embroiled in an argument between two friends, unable to step back and be neutral.,Two warring countries might be embroiled in peace talks, or two characters on your favorite TV show could be embroiled in a scandal. In either case, people are tangled in a complicated situation or a serious conflict. The earliest meaning of embroil was \""throw into disorder,\"" from the French root embrouillier, \""entangle or confuse.\"""""

"embryonic " "

embryonic "" ""If something is described as embryonic, it's just starting to develop or come together. An \""embryo\"" is a person or animal that is still growing in the womb or egg, and embryonic means \""like an embryo.\"",The idea for Facebook was still embryonic when its creators agreed to be partners. At that early stage, none of them could have imagined what an enormous company it would become. Scientists working on embryonic stem-cell research are working on stem cells from embryos, which have special properties not found in any other cells. Our relationship was still embryonic when you suggested we move in together, but for me, the first date is way too early to think about such things."""

"empathetic " "

empathetic "" ""An empathetic person is someone who can share another person's feelings. If you tell an empathetic person that your heart is broken, she might touch her own heart and gaze at you sadly through moist eyes.,Empathetic is a recent term it comes from empathy, which was coined by the German philosopher Rudolf Lotze in 1858. Lotze believed that when you look at a work of art, you project your own sensibilities onto it. So if you feel sad when you see a painting of a woman weeping over a dying lover, that's because you can imagine what it's like to lose someone you love. To make the word, Lotze turned to the ancient Greek empatheia, which means \""passion.\"""""

"empiricism " "

empiricism "" ""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 أ¢آ€آ" 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."""

"enamor " "

enamor "" ""When you are enamored by something or someone, you love it. It attracts you. You might say that you're enamored with your new car, or enamored of the new kid in school.,Enamor is a strange verbأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"it doesn't mean anything on its own. One cannot just enamorأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"that means nothing. One cannot even enamor somethingأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"that also is a meaningless proposition. Rather, you're enamored by the thing that attracts you. The verb is almost always used in a passive construction."""

"encumber " "

encumber "" ""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 canأ¢آ€آ™t go to the concert Saturday night. The root, cumber, has several shades of meaning أ¢آ€آ" including \""to burden\"" and \""to be overwhelmed.\"""""

"evanescent " "

evanescent "" ""A beautiful sunset, a rainbow, a wonderful dream right before your alarm clock goes off أ¢آ€آ" all of these could be described as evanescent, which means أ¢آ€آœfleetingأ¢آ€آ‌ or أ¢آ€آœtemporary.أ¢آ€آ‌,Evanescent comes from the Latin ex, meaning \""out of,\"" and vanescere, meaning \""to vanish.\"" When pronouncing this word, emphasize the third syllable and note that the c is silent. You might want to practice saying evanescent a few times right now if you stumble over pronunciation when you need this word the most, whatever youأ¢آ€آ™re describing أ¢آ€آ" be it a shooting star or a whiff of fragrant perfume أ¢آ€آ" will be gone."""

"enthrall " "

enthrall "" ""Whether it's a thrilling action-adventure film, a collection of Valentino shoes, or that enigmatic girl you see on the subway, when something is so fascinating that it holds all your attention, it is said to enthrall.,If youأ¢آ€آ™ve even fallen under someoneأ¢آ€آ™s spell, it wonأ¢آ€آ™t surprise you to learn that when enthrall first entered the English language it carried the meaning of أ¢آ€آœto hold in mental or moral bondageأ¢آ€آ‌ or أ¢آ€آœto enslave.أ¢آ€آ‌ 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 أ¢آ€آ" in a sense, a slave to your charms."""

"entice " "

entice "" ""Let's say your friend wants to go to the movies and you don't want to. Your friend might try to entice you by offering to buy you popcorn and a soda. Entice means to persuade with promises of something.,The word entice means to lure or tempt someone by promising them something that they like. It is a little manipulative but in a fairly straightforward way. You always know it when someone is enticing you. If a company really wants to hire you, they will entice you with a good salary and generous benefits. The promise of a gold star is often enough to entice small children to get good grades."""

"entrenched " "

entrenched "" ""When you're entrenched, you're dug in. Sometimes that means you're literally in a trench, but usually it means you just won't budge from a position or belief.,Entrenched things are buried so solidly that they can't move أ¢آ€آ" or just behave like they're firmly lodged in some deep hole. Usually this word refers to views people hold very strongly. Having turkey on Thanksgiving is a tradition that's entrenched in American culture أ¢آ€آ" it's long been established and isn't going anywhere. When you're entrenched, you're being stubborn or consistent, depending on your view."""

"epigram " "

epigram "" ""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.\"""""

"epiphany " "

epiphany "" ""When inspiration hits you out of the blue, call it an epiphany.,In the Christian tradition, Epiphany (أ‰آ™-PIF-أ‰آ™-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 أ¢آ€آ" 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."""

"eradicate " "

eradicate "" ""To eradicate something is to get rid of it, to destroy it, and to kiss it goodbye.,Eradicate is from the Latin word eradicare meaning \""to root out.\"" When you yank that weed up by the roots, it has been eradicated it's not coming back. Eradicate often means to kill a bunch of somethings, like what you want the poison to do to the roach family and their extended relatives living in your house, and what we thought we did to bedbugs. You can also eradicate corruption, poverty, or diseases. Although there are all kinds of things to get rid of, we usually want to only eradicate the bad things."""

"err " "

err "" ""Err is just a formal way of saying you've made a mistake or done something wrong. A married man might err by going on a date with another woman, but he will surely feel the repercussions of his wrongdoing when he gets home!,By itself, err means to make a mistake. The old proverb \""To err is human, to forgive divine,\"" is an old-fashioned way of saying, \""Hey, everyone makes mistakes. Why don't you be the bigger person and let it go?\"" Err can also mean to go in a certain direction, as in another common saying, \""Err on the side of caution,\"" which just means, \""Play it safe.\"""""

"errant " "

errant "" ""Something or someone described as errant has gone astray or done wrong by going in an unexpected direction. An errant bird might end up in northern Canada while his friends fly to southern Mexico for the winter.,Although errant is commonly used as a synonym for \""misbehaving\"" or \""naughty,\"" it also refers to things that are just out of place. An errant bomb can hit a house instead of an army base, and an errant lock of hair can get in your eyes. Errant can be intentional, as in \""the errant boys skipped school to go to the movies,\"" or unintentional, as in \""an errant snowball hit your neighbor instead of your arch enemy.\"""""

"ethereal " "

ethereal "" ""Ethereal is something airy and insubstantial, such as a ghostly figure at the top of the stairs. It might also be something delicate and light, like a translucent fabric, or a singerأ¢آ€آ™s delicate voice.,Ethereal comes from the Greek word for ether, which is a drug that makes you feel light headed and, in larger doses, causes you to lose consciousness. An ethereal substance or sound is one that carries the feeling of etherأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"something you might see in a vision, that might strike you as heavenly or supernatural."""

"euphoria " "

euphoria "" ""Use euphoria to describe a feeling of great happiness and well-being, but know that euphoria often more than thatأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"it's unusually, crazy happy, over the top.,Euphoria can even be classified as a mental illness. The earliest use of euphoria was to describe the relief provided by a medical procedure. The word was borrowed from New Latin, from the Greek word meaning \""ability to bear easily, fertility,\"" from euphoros \""healthy,\"" from the prefix eu- \""good, well\"" plus pherein \""to bear.\"""""

"evasive " "

evasive "" ""To be evasive is to avoid something, whether it's a touchy subject or the person who's \""it\"" in a game of tag.,If you're dodging the truth and not giving straight answers, then you're being evasive. Which is probably not the best strategy when the police are asking the questions. From the French أƒآ©vasif, itأ¢آ€آ™s an adjective that describes someone who's being intentionally shifty or vague. But a concept thatأ¢آ€آ™s hard to pin down or comprehend can also be considered evasive."""

"evenhanded " "

evenhanded "" ""Evenhanded means fair to all sides. If your essay is evenhanded, it should look at both sides of an argument, without showing preference for one side or the other.,When you talk about two opposing ideas, you often invoke the idea of hands. أ¢آ€آœOn the one hand,أ¢آ€آ‌ you begin, discussing the first idea, and then move on to discuss its opposite, starting in with, أ¢آ€آœOn the other hand.أ¢آ€آ‌ Evenhanded means treating both أ¢آ€آœhandsأ¢آ€آ‌ evenly. Of course, you're not really talking about hands أ¢آ€آ" you're talking about sides of an arguments, or siblings splitting a cookie."""

"exasperate " "

exasperate "" ""To exasperate someone is to annoy him or her to the point of impatience, frustration and irritation, like when you exasperate a busy waiter by asking questions like \""what are all the ingredients in the salad dressing?\"" and making him repeat the specials five times.,The verb exasperate comes from the Latin word exasperatus, which means أ¢آ€آœto roughen,أ¢آ€آ‌ أ¢آ€آœirritate,أ¢آ€آ‌ or أ¢آ€آœprovoke.أ¢آ€آ‌ To exasperate is to make something that is already bad even worse, like when sitting in traffic that is sure to make you late, you exasperate the person who is driving by bringing up an unpleasant topic, or the addition of twenty more students that exasperates the crowding in the cafeteria."""

"excruciating " "

excruciating "" ""Something thatأ¢آ€آ™s really intense or painful is excruciating. If you go skiing and break your leg in several places, the ride from the slope to the hospital will be excruciating أ¢آ€آ" unless you're unconscious, too.,Excruciating doesn't just hurt. It feels like torture. This adjective actually comes to us from the Latin excruciatus, which means أ¢آ€آœto afflict, harass, vex, torment.أ¢آ€آ‌ Extremely painful injuries are certainly excruciating, but sometimes so are tedious tasks or long waits: Watching the old lady in front of you pay for her groceries one nickel at a time can be just as excruciating as 4 broken ribs, especially if you're in a hurry."""

"exemplar " "

exemplar "" ""A high school valedictorian is an exemplar of dedication and hard work. Most parents would love for their children to emulate a student with such excellent grades.,Notice the similarity between the words exemplar and example. This word can mean both أ¢آ€آœperfect exampleأ¢آ€آ‌ and أ¢آ€آœtypical example.أ¢آ€آ‌ A fireman can be an exemplar of courage, and a building can be an exemplar of the architecture from a certain period."""

"expound " "

expound "" ""If given recipe directions that include \""some sugar,\"" \""some onions,\"" and \""some flour\"" as ingredients, you might ask the cook to expound by adding measurements of how much of each to use. When you expound, you explain or provide details.,Expound came into English from a 14th-century French word espondre meaning \""to elaborate\"" or \""put forth.\"" Often when you expound something you are clarifying or giving the particulars. A more formal way to expound is to offer exposition, often going line by line to explain precise meanings in a text or legal document."""

"fickle " "

fickle "" ""People who are fickle change their minds so much you can't rely on them. If your best friend suddenly decides that she doesn't like you one week, and then the next week she wants to hang out again, she's being fickle.,Fickle comes from the Old English word ficol, for deceitful. We usually use fickle to talk about people, but it can also be used for abstract things that alternately favor you and abuse you, like the weather. If you win the lottery and then lose everything else in the world that's important to you, fate is being fickle."""

"finagle " "

finagle "" ""When you finagle, you get out of something using devious methods, like when you pretend you're sick to avoid taking a pop quiz.,Finagle is a word with a usually negative connotation, as it means to get something by being dishonest or tricking someone. To get a student discount from a bookstore by pretending you're a student is to finagle the store clerk. Finagle might also mean to get your way by being clever, as when you convince your sister that what she really wants for her birthday is that video game you've been dreaming of for months."""

"firebrand " "

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."""

"fleece " "

fleece "" ""A fleece is a sheep's coat. Or a goat's. Or a yak's. A person's coat can be called a fleece, too, if it comes from a sheep or goat or a yak or even if it just looks like it did.,You can also use fleece in an informal way to mean cheating someone. Remember how Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow? Well, it was such a nice, clean fleece that Mary tricked the lamb into trusting her, then robbed him of his fleece and turned it into a bomber jacket and a pair of boots. She totally fleeced him!"""

"flux " "

flux "" ""The noun flux describes something that constantly changes. If your likes, dislikes, attitudes, dreams, and even friends are changing all the time, you may be in flux.,Flux can also describe being unsure about how to respond to something while you're waiting for something else to happen. Suppose you just had a great job interview and feel confident that you'll get an offer. In the meantime, your friend invites you to go to Australia with her. You don't know what to do because you don't want to miss that call أ¢آ€آ" or Sydney! You're in flux until you hear from the potential employer."""

"glean " "

glean "" ""Seeing a word in context lets you glean information about how it's used. Glean means to gather bit by bit. You might say, \""I couldn't understand her accent, but from what I could glean, she needs money to take the bus.\"",In the Book of Ruth in The Bible, Ruth meets her future husband when she asked permission to glean from his fields, which means follow the grain cutters, gathering the seed kernels that have fallen on the ground. For the very poor at this time, gleaning was often means of getting food."""

"foible " "

foible "" ""If you repeat foible out loud enough times, it sounds so funny that you can laugh at it and maybe remember to laugh at the odd and distinctive weaknesses of others أ¢آ€آ" the foible or two or a hundred that we all have.,Sometimes a foible helps make a person who they are, even if the foible, or weakness (\""feeble\"" is a close relative), is a little odd. Synonyms for foible in a negative sense are \""failing,\"" \""shortcoming,\"" and in a more positive sense \""quirk,\"" \""eccentricity.\"" It can likewise be annoying or endearing. Most people have a foible, or idiosyncrasy, that stands out to others, but interestingly, a person rarely sees his or her own characteristic foible."""

"foment " "

foment "" ""Stand outside the school cafeteria passing out flyers with nutritional details on school food, and you may foment a revolutionأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"foment means stirring up something undesirable, such as trouble.,You would never say, \""Hooray, we fomented a revolution.\"" Instead you'd say, \""Those good for nothing scalawags fomented the rebellion.\"" Don't confuse foment and ferment. Ferment can mean \""to stir up\"" in a good wayأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"a football game can ferment excitement in a town, or foment trouble through traffic tie-ups and litter."""

"foolhardy " "

foolhardy "" ""If you decide you are going to scale Mt. Everest next weekend without any training or experience, that would be a foolhardy decision. Use the adjective foolhardy when someone rushes into action without considering the consequences.,Foolhardy is a combination of the noun fool and the adjective hardy, meaning \""brave\"" or \""bold.\"" Put them together and youأ¢آ€آ™ve got أ¢آ€آœfoolishly brave.أ¢آ€آ‌ Someone who is foolhardy throws caution to the wind and takes reckless chances. A foolhardy mistake is typically the result of this kind of impulsive behavior. But foolhardy doesnأ¢آ€آ™t always imply foolishness or stupidity foolhardy can convey courage and romance, as in the case of a foolhardy passion or desire."""

"forthcoming " "

forthcoming "" ""You know when you go to a movie and they show the previews under the heading \""coming soon?\"" They could just as well say forthcoming, because it means the same thing. Only who would want to see that stuffy movie?,\""Forthcoming with\"" means \""providing\""أ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"if your neighbors are not forthcoming with candy on Halloween, you might have to egg their house. When parents complain that their teenagers are not forthcoming with information about their life at school, they should remember how much they valued their privacy when they were their kid's age."""

"forthright " "

forthright "" ""When a person is being forthright, they're being direct, clear, or even straight-up. The opposite of forthright might be evasive, shifty, indirect or circuitous. But we're not here to talk about those. We're here to talk about forthright.,For the most part, people really appreciate it when others are forthright. It's so much easier to understand what someone wants when they just come out and say it. However, being direct and honest and saying what you really mean isn't easy for everyone. For some reason, a lot of us can be embarrassed to say what we want, and we spend our entire lives learning how to be forthright. imple way to remember what forthright means is this: if you bring it \""forth\"", it will be \""right.\"""""

"gaffe " "

gaffe "" ""A gaffe is a mistake that embarrasses you in front of others. If you run into a friend out with her grey-haired father, and you blurt out, \""Oh, hi, you must be Tara's grandfather!\"" then you've made a gaffe.,Gaffe rhymes with laugh, and you'll be lucky if that's how people respond to your social blunder. A gaffe seems to occur most often when you literally don't know your audience أ¢آ€آ" you make a joke about the mayor you didn't know you were talking to his sister. That's definitely a gaffe. And who knew your hosts come from a culture that takes offense if you refuse to try every dish?"""

"gambit " "

gambit "" ""A gambit is a strategic move, often in chess but also in politics or business, where a player sacrifices something up front for future gain.,The noun gambit comes from an Italian word, gambetto, which means أ¢آ€آœtripping up.أ¢آ€آ‌ When you make an opening move, offer something, or start a conversation with something that seems self-sacrificing but is really a ploy for greater advantage in the long run, that's a gambit. In chess, a gambit is when you sacrifice a pawn early for better positioning. When you offer to drive the morning carpool, that might be a gambit to get the afternoon shift off."""

"genial " "

genial "" ""If you're friendly and outgoing, you're genial. You can be a genial host or a genial guest.,This is mainly a word for pleasant kindness. Besides people or animals, climates and weather can be genial, which means they too are warm and sunny أ¢آ€آ" good for growing things. In older literature, genial might have something to do with marriage and family, and sometimes brilliance, as in genius. Those uses are very rare nowadays, as is the sense of genial as having to do with the jaw. These days, warmth and friendliness are the main meanings."""

"genteel " "

genteel "" ""Although the adjective genteel means high-class and refined, it is often used today in a somewhat mocking tone, as though good manners and elegance are passأƒآ©. Still, it would be nice if more people were a little more genteel.,The word genteel comes from the Old French word gentil, \""high-born, noble.\"" We can see the similarity to the word gentle, as in gentleman and gentlewoman. The word is especially powerful in describing Chaucer's Knight in the Canterbury Tales as \""a verray, parfit gentil knyght\"" أ¢آ€آ" \""a true, perfect, noble knight,\"" dignified, patrician, and as genteel as they come. Today, it describes someone elegant, fashionable, and well-bred. Picture someone in riding jodhpurs reading \""Town and Country\"" while astride a magnificent show horse."""

"guileless " "

guileless "" ""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."""

"gumption " "

gumption "" ""If you have gumption, you have guts. People with gumption are determined and full of courage أ¢آ€آ" 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 أ¢آ€آ" 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."""

"hail " "

hail "" ""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 as the next great panacea. If you see your former prom date walking down the street, you may want to hail him to say hello or, perhaps, you will want to hail a cab and get out of there as fast as you can."""

"hamper " "

hamper "" ""Use the verb hamper to describe an action that slows progress or makes it difficult to do something, like the presence of your parents that hamper your ability to look cool at the mall.,The verb hamper is for those times when normal progress is slow but not shut down completely. Hamper often describes travel during bad weather, like icy conditions that could hamper holiday travel. Hamper means \""slow going.\"" You may have heard of noun form of hamper, a container for holding dirty laundry: If your hamper is full, the need to do laundry could hamper your plans of going out and having fun."""

"iconoclastic " "

iconoclastic "" ""The word iconoclastic is an adjective referring to a breaking of established rules or destruction of accepted beliefs. It might refer to an artist with an unorthodox style, or an iconoclastic attack, either physical or verbal, on a religious doctrine or image.,Consider the Greek word eikأ...آچn, or \""image,\"" coupled with -klastأ„آ"s, \""one who breaks,\"" and you get a good image of someone who is iconoclastic. An iconoclastic approach to religion involves tearing down the icons representing the church. While this was once done physically, through riots and mayhem, todayأ¢آ€آ™s iconoclasts usually prefer using words. Not all iconoclasts are destructive, however. An iconoclastic approach to art and music has given rise to the development of new genres and styles through breaking the rules."""

"illicit " "

illicit "" ""Illicit means not allowed by law or custom. An illicit drug trade is one that happens under the radar of the law.,Illicit usually refers to something that is not morally proper or acceptable, such as an illicit affair with a married man, or illicit sex. Illicit is from Latin illicitus, from the prefix in- \""not\"" plus licitus \""lawful.\"""""

"imbroglio " "

imbroglio "" ""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."""

"immure " "

immure "" ""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 أ¢آ€آ" 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."""

"impeccable " "

impeccable "" ""The adjective impeccable describes something or someone without any flaws. A stand-up comedian needs impeccable timing for his jokes to work.,The adjective impeccable refers to something or someone without marking or error أ¢آ€آ" but it can also mean to be spotless or clean. The word comes from the Latin impeccabilis and means \""to be sinless,\"" which is also one of the senses, now outdated, in English. You can see how \""clean\"" comes from \""sinless.\"" Because of the messy nature of picnic food, it is highly unlikely that you would leave with your clothing still as impeccable as when you arrived, especially if you like mustard and ketchup!"""

"impecunious " "

impecunious "" ""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 doesnأ¢آ€آ™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."""

"impending " "

impending "" ""If something is impending, it is about to happen. If you hear thunder in the distance, you might go inside to escape the impending storm.,The word impending often refers to something threatening or frightening: impending doom, impending disaster. Something that is impending hangs over you أ¢آ€آ" you might say, \""I was so distracted by thoughts of my impending failure in my exams, I couldn't study.\"" A synonym is imminent."""

"implausible " "

implausible "" ""Something that's Implausible is farfetched or unlikely. If it's 3pm and you still have to study for three exams and write an essay before midnight, itأ¢آ€آ™s implausible that youأ¢آ€آ™ll also have time to watch a movie.,The adjective implausible breaks down into im, meaning أ¢آ€آœnot,أ¢آ€آ‌ and \""plausible,\"" meaning likely. So it simply means \""not likely.\"" Implausible ideas or stories usually get high marks for creativity, but they're just too crazy to be believable. But as philosopher Rene Descartes noted, أ¢آ€آœOne cannot conceive anything so strange and so implausible that it has not already been said by one philosopher or another.أ¢آ€آ‌"""

"implicate " "

implicate "" ""The verb implicate means \""to connect or involve in something.\"" For example, your cousins might implicate you in the planning of a big party for your grandparents.,Implicate comes from the Latin word implicare, meaning \""to entwine, involve.\"" When you implicate someone, you bring him or her into a group or to pitch in on a project. Implicate can have criminal connotations when it means \""to connect in an incriminating manner,\"" like when detectives figure out who drove the getaway car in the bank robbery أ¢آ€آ" that person will be implicated for his or her role in the crime."""

"imponderable " "

imponderable "" ""Imponderable describes a situation that isn't able to be completely explained. \""Where did we come from?\"" is one of those imponderable questions that defy human's ability for understanding.,If something is ponderable, it is capable of being assessed or weighed stick im- in front and you get the opposite effect. Use imponderable to describe something that is elusive and vague, perhaps even evasive. When your question doesn't have a definitive answer, you are in imponderable territory: \""Life has many imponderable questions, such as why you park in a driveway and drive on parkway.\"""""

"importuned " "

importuned "" ""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."""

"impregnable " "

impregnable "" ""When something is impregnable it is not easily taken by force and can stand up to any attack. We usually use it in reference to some form of protection, like a fort or a solid defensive line in football.,The genealogy of the adjective impregnable includes the Middle French word prenable, meaning \""vulnerable, easily conquered,\"" which itself came from the verb prendre, which meant \""to take.\"" The addition of the negative prefix im- flipped the meaning. Impregnable can be used to describe anything that cannot be entered or successfully attacked. Seventeenth-century theater critic Jeremy Collier once said, \""True courage is a result of reasoning. A brave mind is always impregnable.\"""""

"improvident " "

improvident "" ""Someone who is improvident doesn't worry about the future أ¢آ€آ" 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."""

"imprudent " "

imprudent "" ""To be imprudent means lacking self-restraint when it would be wise to have it, like that time you started dancing on the table during a math test. Remember that? Everybody else does.,Prudent means \""wise or shrewd,\"" but add the prefix im- meaning \""not,\"" suddenly you have an adjective that describes the opposite of being wise or shrewd. An imprudent person doesn't think about the consequences and might cross the street without looking both ways or bring the radio into the bath for a little light listening. Careless, wild, imprudent behavior can get you into big trouble!"""

"impudent " "

impudent "" ""An impudent person is bold, sassy, and shameless. If you want to get into a fancy nightclub and you tell the bouncer, أ¢آ€آœLet me in, Iأ¢آ€آ™m much more beautiful than all these ugly losers in line,أ¢آ€آ‌ thatأ¢آ€آ™s impudent behavior.,Impudent comes from the Latin combination of im, meaning without, and pudens, meaning shame. We often call someone impudent if theyأ¢آ€آ™re disrespectful, snotty, or inappropriate in a way that makes someone feel bad. If you know someone has just lost all their money on the stock market, donأ¢آ€آ™t be impudent and ask them how theyأ¢آ€آ™re going to afford gas money for their yacht."""

"incense " "

incense "" ""Incense means both \""to make angry\"" and a stick that burns slowly and emits a strong smell. If your new college roommate burns incense in your tiny dorm room, you might get incensed and storm out.,How can a word that means a substance that is burned for its sweet odor come to mean \""make very angry\""? Both have to do with the idea of burning, and the Latin root incendere, \""to set on fire.\"" A stick of incense must be lit, or set on fire to release its smell. When you are incensed by something, such as your teacher slamming you with homework on the night of the prom, you feel like you are burning with anger."""

"incessant " "

incessant "" ""Something incessant continues without interruption. When you're on a cross country flight, it's tough to tolerate the incessant crying of a baby.,In Latin, cessare means 'to stop,' so when you add the negative prefix in- you get a word meaning never stopping. A near synonym is continual, but something incessant is more relentless ceaseless is a closer synonym. It's rare to find incessant used in a positive way. Even incessant sunshine would grow boring."""

"incisive " "

incisive "" ""The adjective incisive describes something that is sharp, decisive, and direct. A comment that cuts right to the bone can be just as incisive as an actual knife.,The word incisive is rooted in a Latin word that literally means \""to cut with a sharp edge.\"" To help you remember the meaning, you can think of the similar word, incisors, which are the teeth that are sharp and cut and tear. The more figurative meaning of describing something that is mentally sharp first appeared in the 1850s. Keen criticism and cutting remarks have been called incisive ever since."""

"inclement " "

inclement "" ""Inclement usually refers to severe or harsh weather that is cold and wet. When packing for a trip to the Caribbean bring tank tops and shorts, but don't forget a raincoat in case of inclement weather.,This adjective can also refer to a person or action that is harsh and unmerciful. Inclement is from a Latin root formed from the prefix in- \""not\"" plus clemens \""clement.\"" This English adjective clement can mean either mild or merciful the more commonly used noun clemency can mean mildness or mercy."""

"incontrovertible " "

incontrovertible "" ""When something is incontrovertible, it is undeniably, absolutely, 100 percent, completely true. That rain is wet is an incontrovertible fact.,If you look at incontrovertible, you see that -controver-, as in controversy, is hiding inside. Add in the prefix, and it's easy to see that incontrovertible means there is no controversy about something, or, in other words, it is unchangeable and true. Incontrovertible evidence or proof is what you are looking for if you suspect that someone is doing something wrong."""

"incorrigible " "

incorrigible "" ""Someone incorrigible seems to be beyond correcting, improving, or changing. When you talk about an incorrigible bully, you're saying they're always going to push other people around.,Even though incorrigible implies a person is kind of hopeless, it's often used as a light-hearted word. When we describe someone as an incorrigible flirt or as an incorrigible gossip, we mean that this is just the way they are, and it would be foolish to try and change them. If someone is just being obnoxious as usual, you could say \""You're incorrigible!\"""""

"incumbent " "

incumbent "" ""An incumbent is an official who holds an office. If you want to run for congress, you're going to have to beat the incumbent.,Incumbent comes from the Latin word incumbens, which means lying in or leaning on, but came to mean holding a position. It was first used in English for someone holding a church office, and then someone holding any office. You'll most likely hear it today for political officials. In a race for mayor, the incumbent mayor faces a challenger. Incumbent also means obligation. It is incumbent upon you to do the dishes."""

"indecorous " "

indecorous "" ""Indecorous behavior isn't proper or socially acceptable. It would be indecorous to publish your sister's diary in the newspaper or to tell your extended family an offensive joke at Thanksgiving dinner.,Rude or off-color remarks are indecorous, and wearing a bikini to a formal dinner would also be indecorous. Indecorous things lack decorum, which is good manners or proper behavior. Indecorous, from the Latin decorus, \""becoming or seemly,\"" comes from the root word decus, \""ornament,\"" and is related to words like \""decorate\"" and \""decent.\"""""

"indict " "

indict "" ""If you accuse someone of committing an offense, you indict them. A book that indicts the entire education system might lay out all the reasons that schools are failing kids.,In a legal sense, the verb indict means to bring formal charges against someone, especially in a court of law, as in a federal grand jury. The grand jury indicted, the man on 12 counts of murder. Although it's true the boy had stolen cookies from the cookie jar in the past, that is no reason to indict him out of hand in the present case. There were no witnesses and the crumb evidence would suggest someone else committed the crime."""

"indigenous " "

indigenous "" ""Use indigenous to describe a plant, animal or person that is native or original to an area. Though Switzerland is known for its chocolates, chocolate, which comes from the cocoa plant, is indigenous to South America.,Indigenous, aboriginal and native all mean the same thing. Aboriginal, however, is commonly used in connection with Australia, and native with North America. The most neutral of the three terms, indigenous comes from the Latin word, indigena meaning \""a native.\"" An indigenous ceremony or religion is one traditionally used by a certain group of people."""

"indigent " "

indigent "" ""An indigent person is extremely poor, lacking the basic resources of a normal life. Often the indigent lack not only money but homes.,Indigent comes from a Latin word meaning wanting, which we used to use to mean أ¢آ€آœlackingأ¢آ€آ‌ 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."""

"indignant " "

indignant "" ""When you're indignant, you're angry about an unfair situation. If you discovered that a teacher gave ten extra points on a test to all students who sat in the front row, you'd be indignant.,Indignant is from Latin indignus \""unworthy,\"" and it refers to anger based on unworthy or unfair behavior rather than merely injury to one's own interests. You may be angry, even furious, if someone shoves you, but you are indignant if the shove is directed at someone weak or helpless. The related noun is indignation, and something that arouses indignation is an indignity."""

"industrious " "

industrious "" ""If someone comments that you are very industrious, they are complimenting you for working hard and tirelessly. You can have the evening to yourself if you're industrious enough during the afternoon to get your homework and chores done.,The word industrious is closely related to the word industry, used for both the quality of being hardworking, أ¢آ€آœHe is a model of industry,أ¢آ€آ‌ as well as a field of business, \""the construction industry.\"" It might help to remember the Industrial Revolution, the time when machinery was introduced to the manufacturing world. If you're industrious, you work as hard as machines do!"""

"ineffable " "

ineffable "" ""When you find something hard to express or difficult to pin down, it's ineffable. The feeling when you get a new puppy is ineffable أ¢آ€آ" too strange and wonderful to define.,You could call something \""indescribable\"", but it wouldn't be quite the same as calling it ineffable. An ineffable feeling, for example, has an almost ghostly quality. You can almost touch it, but it slips away just before you do. The bubbles in a glass of champagne have an ineffable joy to them. The sense of sadness that you feel watching certain TV commercials is often ineffable: you simply can't explain it. You know that strange feeling of satisfaction you feel when you learn a new word? That's an ineffable feeling."""

"ineluctable " "

ineluctable "" ""Huh? Are you scratching your head at this word? The ineluctable conclusion is that you haven't the faintest idea what it means. Ineluctable means impossible to avoid.,A five syllable beauty like ineluctable is obviously not the kind of word you throw around in daily speech. It's far more often used as a written word, as in the common phrase \""ineluctable conclusion.\"" Used interchangeably with the more common unavoidable, though ineluctable implies an unsuccessful attempt to battle against whatever is ineluctable: after all, it comes from the Latin word \""to struggle.\"""""

"ingenuity " "

ingenuity "" ""Ingenuity is the ability to think creatively about a situation or to solve problems in a clever way. If you want to build a boat out of toothpicks and yarn, youأ¢آ€آ™ll need a lot of ingenuity.,The Latin word for أ¢آ€آœmind, intellectأ¢آ€آ‌ is a root of ingenuity, and it takes a bright and fast-thinking intellect to use ingenuity in a situation. Athletes show ingenuity all the time, finding exciting ways to outwit their opponents and to achieve victory. Master criminals rely on their ingenuity in order to evade the law when they are chased. Ingenuity is all about imagination, and an imaginative mind knows that every obstacle can be overcome with a little ingenuity."""

"inimitable " "

inimitable "" ""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 أ¢آ€آœimitable,أ¢آ€آ‌ or أ¢آ€آœthat which can be imitated.أ¢آ€آ‌ Comedians, for example, find the way certain celebrities talk to be quite imitable. But add the prefix in-, meaning أ¢آ€آœnot,أ¢آ€آ‌ and you get أ¢آ€آœnot imitated.أ¢آ€آ‌ Use this word to describe things that are truly one-of-a-kind and just can't be copied."""

"inkling " "

inkling "" ""Is someone yapping on and on and you only have the vaguest idea of what they're talking about? Then you understood just an inkling أ¢آ€آ" a glimmer, a fraction أ¢آ€آ" of what they were saying.,Inkling can also mean a sly suggestion or faint implication. If someone drops a hint you're not wanted they've given you an inkling you're not wanted. The word comes from the medieval English word inclen, which suitably enough means \""to utter in an undertone.\"" In other words, what's really being said is in between the lines of what's actually being said on the surface. By now you've probably got the inkling that inklings can be sneaky things."""

"inscrutable " "

inscrutable "" ""Any person or thing that's mysterious, mystifying, hard to read, or impossible to interpret is inscrutable. You ever notice how it's hard to tell what some people are thinking? Those folks are inscrutable.,A good way to think about what inscrutable means is to consider cats and dogs. Dogs wear their hearts on their sleeves, shaking when they're afraid and bouncing up and down when they're happy. Dogs are definitely not inscrutable, because you can tell what they're thinking and feeling. On the other hand, cats are very difficult to read. Even longtime cat owners aren't always sure what's going on with their kitty. Cats are very inscrutable animals."""

"insidious " "

insidious "" ""If something is slowly and secretly causing harm, it's insidious أ¢آ€آ" like the rumors no one seems to listen to until suddenly someone's reputation is ruined.,Insidious is related to the Latin noun, أ„آ«nsidiae meaning \""ambush\"" which comes from the Latin verb, أ„آ«nsidأ„آ"re \""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."""

"juggernaut " "

juggernaut "" ""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 cartأ¢آ€آ™s wheels."""

"internecine " "

internecine "" ""Prepare yourself, because internecine is a gloomy word. Itأ¢آ€آ™s an adjective youأ¢آ€آ™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- (أ¢آ€آœamongأ¢آ€آ‌) and necare (أ¢آ€آœto killأ¢آ€آ‌), 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. Itأ¢آ€آ™s probably the last meeting for that group, which might be a good thing."""

"intimation " "

intimation "" ""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."""

"inveterate " "

inveterate "" ""If you're an inveterate doodler, all your notebooks are covered with drawings. If you're an inveterate golf player, you probably get twitchy if you haven't been out on a course in a week.,In Middle English inveterate was associated with chronic disease. Now it simply refers to something that is a signature habit with a person. Unless you're an inveterate gambler, drinker or smokerأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"in which case you're addicted and we're back to talking about being sick."""

"inviolable " "

inviolable "" ""Wedding vows and vault combinations that canأ¢آ€آ™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\"")."""

"inviolate " "

inviolate "" ""If somethingأ¢آ€آ™s inviolate, itأ¢آ€آ™s sacred and must be protected. If you make an inviolate promise to your sister to never reveal her secret superhero identity, it's one you must honor and take very seriously.,Inviolate comes from the Latin word inviolatus, made up of in-, meaning أ¢آ€آœnotأ¢آ€آ‌ and violare, meaning أ¢آ€آœviolate.أ¢آ€آ‌ So inviolate describes something so sacred or pure that it must not be violated. It can be used to describe fundamental principles or rights, such as the inviolate right of free speech, but it can also describe things that must be kept safe and pure. You might believe that the natural coastline outside your city should remain inviolate and not be developed."""

"irrefutable " "

irrefutable "" ""Have you ever had to prove a point? If so, you probably needed to find evidence that could not be denied أ¢آ€آ" that was absolutely true. That evidence would be considered irrefutable, impossible to disprove.,The adjective irrefutable comes from the Latin verb refutأ„آپre, \""repel or beat,\"" with the added negative prefix in-. Some things are simply irrefutable. These are things based in logic (if a=b and b=c, then a=c), or in fact (George Washington was the first president of the United States). But some things that are irrefutable, while maybe not logical, are simply not arguable, as when someone responds to \""Why not?\"" with \""Because I don't want to\""!"""

"irrevocable " "

irrevocable "" ""If you're on a diet but eat one tiny piece of chocolate, it might start an irrevocable slide into bad eating. Describe something as irrevocable if it cannot be undone or taken back.,If you break down irrevocable, you wind up with ir \""not,\"" re \""back\"" and vocable from the Latin vocare \""to call.\"" So if something is irrevocable, you cannot call it back أ¢آ€آ" it is permanent. You must fulfill an irrevocable promise and live with an irrevocable decision. A law is irrevocable if it states within the law that it cannot be nullified. Now that's final!"""

"label " "

label "" ""The saying أ¢آ€آœlabels are for jars not peopleأ¢آ€آ‌ means itأ¢آ€آ™s OK to put a description on a jar so you know whatأ¢آ€آ™s inside (a label), but itأ¢آ€آ™s not okay to judge people by attaching a label, or description to them, such as \""nerd,\"" \""jock,\"" or \""burnout.\"",Label is a busy word. It refers to the paper or identifying marks on a jar that tells you something about whatأ¢آ€آ™s inside the jar. Put such an identifier on the jar, and you label it. Related to that is a judgment about someone or something, a label. When you call yourself a superstar, you label yourself. Finally, you can use label as a short form of recording label, a company that produces musical recordings."""

"laborious " "

laborious "" ""Laborious describes something that requires a lot of hard work, such as Victor Frankensteinأ¢آ€آ™s laborious undertaking of digging graves to find monster parts.,Laborious comes from the familiar word for work, labor, which doesnأ¢آ€آ™t veer far from its roots in Old French meaning \""exertion of the body,\"" and from Latin أ¢آ€آœtoil, pain, exertion, fatigue.أ¢آ€آ‌ Anything that requires blood, sweat, and tears is laborious, and while itأ¢آ€آ™s usually a good thing to work hard, laborious can also describe something over-thought, such as the heavy-handed plot of a bad TV show. Think labor plus boring, said like an old-fashioned English aristocrat: luh-bohr-ee-uhs."""

"lacerate " "

lacerate "" ""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."""

"lascivious " "

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.\"""""

"magisterial " "

magisterial "" ""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 أ¢آ€آ" 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!"""

"malady " "

malady "" ""A malady is an illness, like a malady that keeps you home, sick in bed for days, or something that causes you to have trouble or to suffer, like jet lag أ¢آ€آ" a malady that affects travelers.,Malady, pronounced \""MAL-uh-dee,\"" comes from the Latin words male, meaning \""bad or ill\"" and habitus for \""have, hold.\"" When you have a malady, it is like something bad is holding you, such as an illness أ¢آ€آ" the common cold: a malady of winter. Some bad habits cause maladies, such as never having any money أ¢آ€آ" the malady of people who spend freely, not thinking of the future."""

"malevolent " "

malevolent "" ""If someone is malevolent, they wish evil on others. If you find yourself approaching someone with a malevolent look in her eye, best to run the other way.,Malevolent comes from the Latin word malevolens, which means \""ill-disposed, spiteful\"" its opposite is benevolent, which means \""wishing good things for others.\"" A malevolent person might display satisfaction at someone else's problems. But it's not only individuals who can be malevolent. If you think that television violence influences viewers to violence, you see television as a malevolent force. The stress is on the second syllable: muh-LEV-uh-lent."""

"malfeasance " "

malfeasance "" ""Whenever you see the prefix \""mal-,\"" you know it's not good. Malfeasance is bad behavior, especially from officials or people who should know better.,If nothing else, the mal- in malfeasance will alert you to the fact that something bad is going on. If you know French, fease-, faise- will ring a bell, as it often means \""to do.\"" You can probably then infer that malfeasance means \""to do bad.\"" Today, it's usually a bad deed done by an official or an organization. You wouldn't accuse a dog who peed on the carpet of malfeasance, but you would accuse a mayor who took a bribe of malfeasance."""

"malodorous " "

malodorous "" ""You can use the adjective malodorous as a nicer way to say that something's stinky. Maybe you think your feet smell like roses, but if people move far away when your shoes come off, your rosy feet are probably malodorous.,Mal- is used to form words for bad things, and in this case, mal-odor-ous means having a bad odor. Synonyms for malodorous include \""smelly,\"" \""rank,\"" and \""funky\"" أ¢آ€آ" but not funky in a \""get on with your bad self\"" good way, just funky bad. If you walk into a malodorous room, you might start checking the bottoms of your shoes to see if you stepped in something, and if a plate of malodorous food is served, you might cover your nose and mouth."""

"mawkish " "

mawkish "" ""Mawkish means excessively sentimental or so sappy it's sickening. Which is how you'd describe two lovebirds gushing over each other or your grandmaأ¢آ€آ™s cooing, cheek pinches, and sloppy-lipstick kisses.,The adjective mawkish came into vogue in the 1600s. Oddly enough, it's rooted in the Middle English word maggot and originally meant أ¢آ€آœsickly or nauseated.أ¢آ€آ‌ But mawkish eventually evolved to mean something so overly sentimental it makes you sick. It's not a word you hear very often these days, but feel free to use it to describe really lame love poems and annoyingly mushy Valentine's Day cards."""

"meander " "

meander "" ""To meander means to wander aimlessly on a winding roundabout course. If you want some time to yourself after school, you might meander home taking the time to window shop and look around.,Meander comes from a river in modern-day Turkey, the Maiandros, which winds and wanders on its course. Today, a stream or a path meanders, as does a person who walks somewhere in a roundabout fashion. If your speech meanders, you don't keep to the point. It's hard to understand what your teacher is trying to impart if he keeps meandering off with anecdotes and digressions. Pronounce meander with three syllables not two أ¢آ€آ" me-AN-der."""

"melancholy " "

melancholy "" ""Melancholy is beyond sad: as a noun or an adjective, it's a word for the gloomiest of spirits.,Being melancholy means that you're overcome in sorrow, wrapped up in sorrowful thoughts. The word started off as a noun for deep sadness, from a rather disgusting source. Back in medieval times, people thought that secretions of the body called \""humors\"" determined their feelings, so a depressed person was thought to have too much of the humor known as melancholy أ¢آ€آ" literally \""black bile\"" secreted from the spleen. Fortunately, we no longer think we're ruled by our spleens, and that black bile has been replaced by another color of sorrow: the \""blues.\"""""

"mendacity " "

mendacity "" ""Mendacity is a tendency to lie. Your friend might swear that he didn't eat your secret chocolate stash, but you'll find it hard to believe him if he's known for his mendacity.,Anyone in the habit of lying frequently has the characteristic of mendacity. People often accuse government officials of mendacity, or being less than honest. You're bound to get frustrated by the mendacity of your friend who's a pathological liar. Mendacity comes from the Latin root word mendacium, or \""lie.\"" Don't confuse mendacity with a similar-sounding word, audacity أ¢آ€آ" which means \""fearlessness, daring, or bravery.\"""""

"misattribute " "

misattribute "" ""empty"""

"misconstrue " "

misconstrue "" ""Misconstrue means something is interpreted the wrong way. If you see your brother walking your best friend home, you may misconstrue the situation and think they're dating when really he's only picking up your birthday present.,The verb misconstrue originates from the words mis-, meaning \""wrong,\"" and construe, meaning \""construction.\"" Combined they mean \""to put a wrong construction on\"" أ¢آ€آ" in other words, something is given the wrong interpretation. You may misconstrue your brother's intentions when he takes your bike without asking. Sometimes people can intentionally allow others to misconstrue something for personal gain. A politician may let voters misconstrue his voting record to get elected."""

"miscreant " "

miscreant "" ""A miscreant is a person who is badأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"who lies, breaks the law, yells at small puppies. It's a somewhat old-fashioned word, popular with old ladies shocked at having their purses stolen at the opera.,Miscreant, like lout, lecher, good-for-nothing أ¢آ€آ" they're the words proper people use to condemn the improper. Improper people consult an entirely different thesaurus of condemnation, perhaps familiar to you but not possible to quote from in this PG-rated word blurb."""

"miser " "

miser "" ""A miser is someone who hoards his or her own wealth and doesnأ¢آ€آ™t share or spend any of it. If you remember the old saying أ¢آ€آœYou canأ¢آ€آ™t take it with you!أ¢آ€آ‌ أ¢آ€آ" then you won't end up acting stingy like a miser.,The most famous fictional miser is probably Scrooge in Dickensأ¢آ€آ™s A Christmas Carol. The image of his shivering with cold while he counts his coins illustrates the misery often associated with misers. To be a miser, your impulse to hoard means you wonأ¢آ€آ™t even indulge yourself by spending money for fear of depleting your stash."""

"misogynist " "

misogynist "" ""If you're someone who believes women belong in the kitchen and shouldn't be accorded the same respect as men, you might be a misogynist. A misogynist is a person who hates or doesn't trust women.,Misogynist is from Greek misogynأ،آ¸آ—s, from the prefix miso- \""hatred\"" plus gynأ،آ¸آ— \""a woman.\"" The English suffix -ist means \""person who does something.\"" The prefix mis-, a variant of miso- before a vowel, appears in the opposite term misandrist, which is a person who hates or doesn't trust men. The corresponding nouns are mysogyny and misandry."""

"mordant " "

mordant "" ""If you like Edgar Allan Poe and \""The Addams Family,\"" you have a taste for mordant entertainment أ¢آ€آ" that is, anything particularly grim or dark in nature.,The original meaning of mordant (which comes from the Latin word modere, meaning \""to bite or sting,\"") was that of a physical substance that literally bit into something, such as the one used to set dye into fabrics, or etch lines into a copper plate. Now, mordant generally refers to a dark or biting artistic style, sense of humor, or psychological outlook."""

"moribund " "

moribund "" ""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."""

"morph " "

morph "" ""To morph is to change from one shape to another. A cute bunny, for example, might morph into a killer dragon in a fairy tale or an animated film.,Morph comes from the word metamorphosis, which is a Greek word meaning \""a transforming.\"" As a verb, it has only been around since the 1980s, when computers allowed animators to make things change shape in an apparently seamlessly way. With the right skills, you can morph a toaster into a highly intelligent robot that helps fight crime, offers dating advice to the protagonist of the film, and still makes an excellent piece of toast."""

"muted " "

muted "" ""Something muted has a softened tone or quieted sound. When you try to listen through the wall at what someone is saying, it's really muted and mumbly, even if you put a glass to your ear.,When you mute the TV or computer speakers, all of the sound goes quiet, but something described as muted is just toned down or turned down. When you whisper you speak in a muted voice it's not completely quiet or no one would hear you, but it's quiet enough to muffle the sounds or secrets you share. Muted colors donأ¢آ€آ™t stand out as much as bright ones. Beiges and soft grays are muted, and they're great for showing off bright contrasts like a turquoise scarf or red tie."""

"piquant " "

piquant "" ""Feeling a little saucy? Perhaps a bit provocative أ¢آ€آ" but in a good way? Then it's safe to say your personality is a little piquant.,Coming to us from the French word piquer, which means \""to prick,\"" something that's piquant certainly piques your interest. Someone who's piquant engages you with charm and wit. A story that's filled with piquant details has plenty of juicy, provocative points. And grandma's homemade gravy? It's certainly zesty and piquant, even with all the lumps."""

"objurgate " "

objurgate "" ""empty"""

"obstreperous " "

obstreperous "" ""Obstreperous means boisterous, noisy, aggressive, defiant. Youأ¢آ€آ™ve probably seen an obstreperous child in the grocery store, pulling away from her mother, screaming at the top of her lungs.,If youأ¢آ€آ™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."""

"obtain " "

obtain "" ""Obtain means to get something that is not so easy to come by such as knowledge, rights, or a large amount of money. You wouldn't say you obtained a pair of pants, unless they were one of a kind.,At times in its history, obtain has meant to be victorious or to succeed. Today, it mostly means to acquire, but keeping its prior meanings in mind helps you to use it in the right way. College degrees are something that you obtain as is permission from your parents to go to a party. When you obtain something, you have worked hard to get it, so you are pretty happy to have it."""

"obtuse " "

obtuse "" ""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\"" أ¢آ€آ" 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)."""

"ornate " "

ornate "" ""If something is ornate أ¢آ€آ" whether it's a ball gown, a set of dishes, or a poem أ¢آ€آ" it seems to be covered in ornaments. It's lavish, flowery, or heavily adorned.,Look at the first four letters of ornate, and you'll spot the beginning of its close relative ornament. Ornate most often describes how something looks, but it doesn't have to be visual. The prose in Victorian love letters was more ornate than the email messages people send today. The ornate gilded mirrors and enormous chandeliers in the palace at Versailles were the height of fashion in Marie Antoinette's time, but home decor is simpler today. Now, it seems too ornate."""

"ostracize " "

ostracize "" ""If you banish someone or ignore him, you ostracize him. When the Iranian president claimed that the Holocaust was a hoax, he was ostracized by the international community.,Ostraka is an ancient Greek word for pottery shard. Thousands of years ago, in the Greek city of Athens, there was a public process where you would write the name of someone you wanted to kick out of town on a broken ceramic fragment. If enough Athenians wrote the same name, that person was sent away for ten years. This process was called an ostracism."""

"palaver " "

palaver "" ""Palaver is a type of empty nonsense. In other words, a more refined way of saying \""BS.\"",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 أ¢آ€آ" empty words from a blowhard. Palaver can also be sweet talk أ¢آ€آ" 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."""

"paradoxical " "

paradoxical "" ""أ¢آ€آœYou have to spend money to make money.أ¢آ€آ‌ Thatأ¢آ€آ™s a paradoxical statement used by people in business, and it seems to say two opposite things that contradict each other, but if you think about it, itأ¢آ€آ™s actually kind of true.,Paradoxical is an adjective that describes a paradox, something with two meanings that donأ¢آ€آ™t make sense together. Its Greek roots translate to أ¢آ€آœcontrary opinion,أ¢آ€آ‌ and when two different opinions collide in one statement or action, thatأ¢آ€آ™s paradoxical. In Shakespeareأ¢آ€آ™s play \""Hamlet,\"" Hamletأ¢آ€آ™s mother marries the man who killed Hamletأ¢آ€آ™s father, but she doesnأ¢آ€آ™t know it. As Hamlet plots to kill the murderer to protect his mother, he says this paradoxical phrase: أ¢آ€آœI must be cruel to be kind.أ¢آ€آ‌"""

"parvenu " "

parvenu "" ""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 struck oil on their backwoods West Virginia 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 donأ¢آ€آ™t fit in أ¢آ€آ" to say the least. Parvenu is from French, and it's the past participle of parvenir, \""arrived.\"""""

"pastoral " "

pastoral "" ""Pastoral refers to the countryside, particularly an idealized view of the country. If you draw cheery pictures with lush grassy fields, calm skies, a farm animal or two, and some flowers, you draw pastoral scenes.,Pastoral can also mean something done by, you guessed it, a pastor. If a pastor writes a letter to his congregation, it is a pastoral letter. How are they related? Shepherds, of course. Pastors are often referred to as shepherds of their flock (i.e., the members of their church congregation). Actual shepherds, the kind who tend sheep, work in pastoral settings."""

"patronize " "

patronize "" ""If you patronize a business, you shop there regularly. But if someone patronizes you, it's not so pleasant أ¢آ€آ" they talk to you as if you were inferior or not very intelligent.,Patronize comes from Latin patronus \""protector, master,\"" related to pater \""father.\"" So if you patronize a person, you talk down to them like a father might do to his child or a master to his apprentice. If you want to take an advanced class and your advisor warns you of all the hard work, you can tell him to stop patronizing you أ¢آ€آ" you know a hard class involves hard work. This sounds much better than saying, \""I'm not stupid!\"""""

"pedantic " "

pedantic "" ""There's nothing wrong with focusing on the details, but someone who is pedantic makes a big display of knowing obscure facts and details.,Pedantic means \""like a pedant,\"" someone who's too concerned with literal accuracy or formality. It's a negative term that implies someone is showing off book learning or trivia, especially in a tiresome way. You don't want to go antique-shopping with a pedantic friend, who will use the opportunity to bore you with his in-depth knowledge of Chinese porcelain kitty-litter boxes."""

"perceive " "

perceive "" ""When we perceive something, we become aware of or notice it. Sometimes we perceive things by using our senses of sight, hearing, and smell.,Or we can use our mind to perceive things, which means that we are able to recognize or understand them. We can also perceive a person or thing as having certain qualities: Do you perceive yourself as a good student? The Latin root percipere means \""to receive, understand,\"" from the prefix per- \""thoroughly\"" plus capere \""to seize, take.\"""""

"peremptory " "

peremptory "" ""Peremptory comments are like orders. If you say something in a peremptory manner, you want people to stop what theyأ¢آ€آ™re doing and do what you say. Peremptory comments put an end to a discussion, and thatأ¢آ€آ™s final!,The word peremptory comes from the Latin peremptorius for أ¢آ€آœdecisive, final.أ¢آ€آ‌ Trace it further and find that peremptor means \""destroyer,\"" from perimpere for \""destroy, cut off.أ¢آ€آ‌ 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 theyأ¢آ€آ™re final. Outside of the courtroom, a peremptory manner is just plain rude."""

"perquisite " "

perquisite "" ""Perquisites are the benefits or \""perks\"" that come along with a job. Free air travel for air hostesses? Free company car for corporate execs? Free pork for politicians? That's right, they're all perquisites.,Not to be confused with prerequisite, which happens about ninety-nine percent of the time. A prerequisite is something that must occur before something else can happen. A prerequisite of getting a job, for example, is passing the interview. Of course, for some people to take a particular job, a prerequisite is that there are suitable perquisites or privileges that come with a particular position."""

"pertinent " "

pertinent "" ""Something pertinent is relevant and on-point. If you give your best friend pertinent advice, that means the advice is appropriate for the situation.,Something pertinent is related to the current topic or situation أ¢آ€آ" and probably helpful too. If you're in math class and you make a comment about World War I, that's likely not pertinent. If you're in music class and you talk about a cello, that probably is pertinent. Pertinent things are appropriate and logical. In most situations, people like to get comments and questions that are pertinent أ¢آ€آ" anything else can just seem like a distraction."""

"perturb " "

perturb "" ""To perturb is to bug or bother someone by confusing them or throwing them off balance. You can try, but it's almost impossible to perturb the guards outside Buckingham Palace.,If you're having trouble getting used to the word perturb, you're in luck! It's similar in meaning to the verb \""disturb.\"" That's right, to perturb is to disturb, but in a way that suggests you're throwing it off its usual path or routine. The movie Born Free truly perturbed widespread views about animalsأ¢آ€آ"people suddenly started seeing them as individuals. If you stare at a person you don't know, it won't be long before you perturb them."""

"petulant " "

petulant "" ""Choose the adjective, petulant, to describe a person or behavior that is irritable in a childish way.,The adjective, petulant, is a disapproving term used to describe a bad-tempered child, an adult behaving like an angry child or behavior or this type. Angry or annoyed mean the same thing, but if you choose the word, petulant, you are indicating that it is unreasonable or unjustified. Petulant came to English in the late 16th century from the Latin petulantem \""forward, insolent\"" but was not recorded to mean childishly irritable until the late 1700s."""

"picayune " "

picayune "" ""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."""

"pillory " "

pillory "" ""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 أ¢آ€آ" 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!"""

"pine " "

pine "" ""If you pine for someone, you desperately want to see them, be with them, or perhaps smother them with kisses. If you're texting your ex-boyfriend over 50 times a day, there's a pretty good chance that you still pine for him.,In Old English, pine meant \""to torture or cause to experience pain,\"" which seems quite fitting if you've known what it's like to pine for something or someone. The verb pine should not be confused with the noun pine, as in the evergreen tree. If you are from the Northeast and find yourself living in the Caribbean, you may pine for the sight of a pine tree, but the lovely weather should ease the pain."""

"pinnacle " "

pinnacle "" ""Going as far into the sky as you can go on foot, you'll reach the highest point, or pinnacle, of the Himalayas. A successful climb like that might also become the pinnacle, or peak, of your success.,Two synonyms for pinnacle also start with the letter \""p,\"" \""peak\"" and \""point.\"" A pinnacle can be a physical thing, like the top of a high mountain or the antenna on the very top of a building, or it can be a high point that canأ¢آ€آ™t be measured with a ruler, like an achievement or a goal. Whatever the pinnacle is, reaching it is almost always a completion of something where you have gone the highest you can go. \""Acme\"" is a great synonym for pinnacle."""

"pithy " "

pithy "" ""A pithy phrase or statement is brief but full of substance and meaning. Proverbs and sayings are pithy newspaper columnists give pithy advice.,The root of this word is pith, which refers to the spongy tissue in plant stems, or the white part under the skin of citrus fruits. Pith is also used figuratively to refer to the essential part of something: They finally got to the pith of the discussion. Pith descends from Middle English, from Old English pitha \""the pith of plants.\"" In the adjective pithy, the suffix أ¢آ€آ"y means \""characterized by.\"""""

"pittance " "

pittance "" ""A pittance is a tiny payment or small reimbursement for work أ¢آ€آ" generally an amount that's inadequate. The restaurant may pay you a pittance, but you can do well if you get a lot of good tips.,The word pittance came into English from the Old French word pitance, meaning أ¢آ€آœallowance of food to a monk or poor person,أ¢آ€آ‌ which in turn came from the Latin word pietas, meaning أ¢آ€آœpity.أ¢آ€آ‌ Although a pittance may have originally meant that you were taking pity on someone with less wealth by giving them money or food, these days when you get a pittance it means that you earn a pitiful wage."""

"pontificate " "

pontificate "" ""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."""

"portentous " "

portentous "" ""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 theyأ¢آ€آ™re an omen indicating something bad will happen.,Use the adjective portentous to describe something that seems be a sign related to a future event أ¢آ€آ" 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."""

"powwow " "

powwow "" ""To powwow or have a powwow is to have a quick meeting. People powwow when they need to discuss something.,Originally, powwow was a Native American term for a type of meeting or council. The term has since become a more general term for meetings and conferences, especially brief ones. Football players in a huddle are having a powwow. Two police officers may powwow before approaching a suspect. Anytime there's something to discuss and debate, you might need to powwow. At the end of a powwow, you should come to some kind of decision."""

"precedent " "

precedent "" ""A precedent is something that sets a standard for future events. It's hard to say what the legal community would do without the word precedent, since so many legal judgments and decisions are based on what came before.,Lawyers and judges often look for a precedent can be used as a guide for a similar case. This word is used elsewhere too. Your mom might not let you stay up late because it would set a bad precedent for future bedtimes. A teacher who lets kids chew gum is setting a precedent that gum-chewing will be OK in the future. People often refer to a precedent later on as a reference point for how things should be."""

"precipitous " "

precipitous "" ""A sharp, steep drop أ¢آ€آ" whether it's in a stock price, a roller coaster, or a star's popularity أ¢آ€آ" could be described as a precipitous one. Put simply, Precipitous means perilously steep.,Look closely and you'll spot most of the word precipice (a sheer, almost vertical cliff) in precipitous. Now imagine how you'd feel standing at the edge peering over, and you'll grasp the sense of impending danger that precipitous tends to imply. Precipitous declines in sales lead to bankruptcy. Precipitous mountainside hiking trails are not for the acrophobic. It can describe an ascent, but precipitous is most often used for things going literally or figuratively downhill."""

"preclude " "

preclude "" ""To preclude something is to prevent it from happening. A muzzle precludes a dog from biting.,This is a very formal word, but it has a simple meaning: when something is precluded, it can't happen. See the prefix pre in preclude and in prevent? It is signaling that these words are all about things done before another action would happen أ¢آ€آ" to make it impossible. Staying away from water precludes the possibility of drowning, though it also precludes any chance of having fun swimming."""

"precocious " "

precocious "" ""That high school hoops phenom who plays like an NBA pro? The sixth grader who's already asking questions about organic chemistry? They're both precocious أ¢آ€آ" meaning they're way beyond their years in skill or knowledge.,When you look at the Latin roots of precocious, it all makes sense. When pre (meaning \""before\"") joins coquere (meaning \""to ripen\""), you have something that is ripening prematurely. And in the case of precocious, you are usually describing young people who have some adult-like quality about them. Maybe it's their vast vocabulary, maybe it's their ease with Calculus, or maybe it's just applying lipstick."""

"prescience " "

prescience "" ""Do you already know what happens tomorrow? Next week? Next year? If you can see into the future, then you have prescience.,The word prescience might look like pre + science, but it really comes from the Latin word praescientia, which means \""fore-knowledge\"" أ¢آ€آ" or knowledge you know before anyone else. Don't assume it's a crystal ball kind of power that lets someone with prescience see the future. It's more like a state of mind or level of expertise that allows for excellent foresight and planning."""

"prevail " "

prevail "" ""Prevail means to successfully persuade someone of something. If you were a Presidential advisor and you convinced him to make a National Day of Pet Appreciation, then you prevailed upon him to recognize pets.,Prevail can be used for different kinds of success. If you prevail upon someone, you have influence on them. If you prevail over someone, you win. Say youأ¢آ€آ™re a big fan of a losing team. You might cheer, أ¢آ€آœDespite all odds, we will prevail!أ¢آ€آ‌ To use prevail there has be some kind of contest. That could be internal, like when youأ¢آ€آ™re on a diet and your desire to eat chocolate cake prevails over your discipline."""

"profusion " "

profusion "" ""If there's an abundance of something, you can say that there's a profusion of it. Hilarious and bizarre YouTube videos certainly exist in profusion.,The noun profusion comes from a Latin word profusionem, meaning \""a pouring out.\"" So you can think of profusion as an outpouring of something أ¢آ€آ" an overflow or cornucopia of it. An area known for wine making should have a profusion of grapes growing along the hillsides. And an awesome performance should garner a profusion of compliments and shouts of \""encore!\"""""

"prognostication " "

prognostication "" ""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.\"""""

"prolific " "

prolific "" ""Someone or something that is prolific is fruitful or highly productive. A prolific songwriter can churn out five hit tunes before breakfast.,It is interesting to note that many of the words used to describe the adjective prolific are relayed in biological terms, such as \""to give birth,\"" \""nourish,\"" and \""fertile.\"" Other uses of the word pertain to having many ideas or an active and expressive mind, such as a \""prolific writer.\"" Clearly, people like to consider that the ideas or things that they make are in some way produced by them like flowers or fruit!"""

"prolixity " "

prolixity "" ""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 أ¢آ€آ" 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\"" أ¢آ€آ" using too many words, or too many long words أ¢آ€آ" when a few would get the job done."""

"promulgate " "

promulgate "" ""To promulgate is to officially put a law into effect. Your state may announce a plan to promulgate a new traffic law on January 1st.,Laws aren't the only things you can promulgate. The word promulgate comes from the Latin word promulgatus, meaning \""make publicly known.\"" Someone can promulgate values, belief systems, and philosophies أ¢آ€آ" it just means they're promoted or made public. For example, you might write an article to promulgate the benefits of eating only organic foods."""

"proponent " "

proponent "" ""Proponent means someone who is in favor of something. You might be a proponent of longer vacations, but your parents are proponents of a longer school year.,If youأ¢آ€آ™re in favor of long school vacations, youأ¢آ€آ™re pro or \""for\"" long vacations. The prefix pro- also carries the meaning of أ¢آ€آœforward,أ¢آ€آ‌ أ¢آ€آœahead,أ¢آ€آ‌ or أ¢آ€آœbefore.أ¢آ€آ‌ All of these senses are at work in proponent: someone who suggests (puts forward) an idea or who is in favor of an idea. A proponent proposes an idea or advocates for a proposal or a proposition."""

"provident " "

provident "" ""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 أ¢آ€آ" foresees the future, in a sense أ¢آ€آ" and makes decisions based on future needs. Itأ¢آ€آ™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 أ¢آ€آ" such as a provident decision that ends up preventing ruin down the road."""

"provincial " "

provincial "" ""A provincial person comes from the backwaters. Someone from a small province outside of Provence, France, might seem a little more provincial and less worldly than someone from, say, Paris.,Something or someone provincial belongs to a province, or region outside of the city. Provincial has a straightforward meaning when describing where someone is from, but it has some other shades of meaning too. Something provincial can be quaint and in a pleasing rural or country style, but it also can imply someone less sophisticated, as in someone with provincial, or simple, tastes. Individuals or groups of people who are considered narrow-minded are often labeled provincial, even if they're from the city."""

"provisional " "

provisional "" ""Something provisional is temporary, in the sense that it's only valid for a while. You'll often hear provisional used to describe things such as governments, elections, contracts, and agreements, all of which can change into something permanent.,People who go camping take provisions, which means supplies for the trip. This can be helpful when you're trying to use provisional properly. Remember that those provisions are, well, provisionalأ¢آ€آ"they're only supposed to last until the campers get home, where the real food is waiting. If you're in a rush to start filming, you might consider giving your star a provisional contract, so that you can at least get started. You'll have time to replace the provisional one with a permanent one while you film."""

"puissant " "

puissant "" ""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, أ¢آ€آœMethinks I see in my mind a noble and puissant nation rousing herself like a strong man after sleep, and shaking her invincible locks.أ¢آ€آ‌ Synonyms for this somewhat rarely used adjective include forcible, mighty, strong, steady, unyielding, and vigorous."""

"punctilious " "

punctilious "" ""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."""

"qualm " "

qualm "" ""A qualm is a feeling of uneasiness, or a sense that something you're doing is wrong, and it sounds almost like how it makes your stomach feel. If you had qualms about taking candy from the bulk bins at the store, your conscience probably told you to go back to the cashier and pay.,Qualm entered English in the 16th century, with meanings like \""doubt\"" and \""uneasiness.\"" Usually a qualm comes from doubt about an action and a feeling that you are doing, or are about to do, something wrong. It isnأ¢آ€آ™t a bad feeling about another person's behavior but about your own. If you have qualms about lying to get into the over-18 dance club, you might decide to follow your gut-check and meet your friends for coffee instead."""

"quip " "

quip "" ""A quip أ¢آ€آ" a short, witty comment أ¢آ€آ" can be pleasant, wise, or sarcastic, but usually carries an element of humor.,A quip, often taken as a sign of cleverness, is a witty remark that sounds spur-of-the-moment. A successful quip must sound offhand, as though it were an afterthought, even if the speaker has been honing the statement for days. Dorothy Parker was a famous writer known for her quick quips, such as, \""The best way to keep children home is to make the home atmosphere pleasant أ¢آ€آ" and let the air out of the tires.\"""""

"rakish " "

rakish "" ""Ladies, the rakish fellow you met last night with the suave dance moves, smoothly rehearsed lines, and your number listed as أ¢آ€آœGoddess #14أ¢آ€آ‌ in his phone is fine for a flirt, but probably isnأ¢آ€آ™t meet-the-parents material.,Used as an adjective to describe a dashing ladiesأ¢آ€آ™ man or a streamlined ship, rakish comes from the fusing of rake + -ish. Don Juan, the famous Spanish nobleman immortalized in 17th century Spanish tales, is the epitome of rakish: stylishly handsome and prone to saucy, fast behavior. Synonyms include charming, flashy, and immoral."""

"rankle " "

rankle "" ""Rankle is a cranky-sounding verb that means to eat away at or aggravate to the point of causing anger. If you want to rankle a cat, try splashing it with water and then putting it in the bathtub.,Rankle goes back to the French verb rancler, which comes from an old word for \""festering sore,\"" which paints a pretty negative picture of what it means to rankle. A sore that festers gets worse and worse, or more infected, and if you rankle someone, they will get more and more angry. \""Ankle\"" rhymes with rankle, and if you were to prank a friend and hold him by his ankles over a trash can every day for a week, it would definitely rankle him."""

"rash " "

rash "" ""A rash is something that spreads like wild fire أ¢آ€آ" red itchy skin or a series of unfortunate events. It can also describe an impulsive, wild decision.,As an adjective, rash has meant \""quick, vigorous\"" since the 1300s by way of Scotland. The meaning shifted to \""reckless\"" a few hundred years later, and can still be used that way أ¢آ€آ" a \""rash decision\"" is a sudden, not well thought out one. Rash, the noun that no one wants on their skin, came a few hundred years after that, but from the French word rache which at some point meant \""ringworm.\"" Ringworm still gives us a red, itchy rash. Fun! Rash can also mean a lot of unpleasant things happening in a short amount of time, like robberies or earthquakes."""

"ravenous " "

ravenous "" ""A ravenous person feels like they haven't eaten in days and could probably finish off 10 pizzas without help. So ravenous is not a good state to be in when you go grocery shopping.,Back in the early 15th century, you would have been called ravenous if you were greedy and obsessed with stealing, much like a pirate. Nowadays, itأ¢آ€آ™s often used to describe extreme hunger or desire. Having a ravenous appetite means you're literally hungry like the wolf, snarling and growling (stomach) included. So do everyone in the lunchroom a favor and remember to eat breakfast."""

"recapitulation " "

recapitulation "" ""A recapitulation is a short summary. At the end of an hour-long speech, you should probably give a recapitulation if you want your audience to remember anything youأ¢آ€آ™ve just said.,A recapitulation, or \""recap,\"" is a summary, review, or restatement. The purpose of a recapitulation is to remind your reader or audience of your main points. There's no new information in a recapitulation, just the same information in a smaller, more condensed form. The prefix re- is a signal that a recapitulation involves repeating something."""

"redoubtable " "

redoubtable "" ""Redoubtable means honorable, maybe even intimidatingly so. If your grandmother worked tirelessly to raise four kids on her own and start 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 أ¢آ€آœto dread,أ¢آ€آ‌ a combination of the prefix re-, which adds emphasis, and duter, which mean أ¢آ€آœto doubt.أ¢آ€آ‌ But it isn't the redoubtable person that you doubt أ¢آ€آ" 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."""

"reprobate " "

reprobate "" ""There's no way around it, a reprobate is a bad egg. The black sheep of the family, missing a moral compass أ¢آ€آ" a reprobate's been called everything from a deviant to an evildoer to a scoundrel.,Selfish, depraved, disreputable, a reprobate is not known for his inner goodness. In fact, reprobates were once considered \""rejected by God,\"" the meaning of the noun in the 1500s. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, a reprobate was a popular literary character, sometimes amusing, as noted in Henry James' Daisy Miller, \""What a clever little reprobate she was, and how smartly she played an injured innocence!\"""""

"resignation " "

resignation "" ""Resignation can either mean to step down from a job or office, or to accept an unpleasant but inevitable situation. You could even feel resignation as you announce your resignation.,Once you've announced or handed in your formal resignation to a job, organization, or political office, you're finished. You've formally quit or stepped down. If you've left the position due to budget cuts, you'll probably leave with a feeling of resignation أ¢آ€آ" acknowledging that there's absolutely nothing you can do about it."""

"resource " "

resource "" ""A resource is any personal talent or outside supply that can be tapped for help or support.,Resource comes from an old French word meaning \""relief\"" or \""recovery,\"" which certainly ties in with the idea of a resource being something that offers necessary aid. However, the word resource also refers to the natural resources available in and on our Earth أ¢آ€آ" things that we are constantly drawing on and depleting, such as our trees, ores, and atmosphere. Once such a natural resource is used up, itأ¢آ€آ™s usually gone forever, and is no longer a resource."""

"respite " "

respite "" ""A respite is a break from something that's difficult or unpleasant. If you're cramming for exams, take an occasional walk to give yourself a respite from the intensity.,Respite may look like it rhymes with despite, but this word has a stress on its first syllable (RES-pit). It comes from the Latin word respectus, meaning refuge, but we almost always use respite to describe a time, not a place, of relief. If you've been fighting with your partner, a visit from a friend might offer a brief respite from the argument, but the fight will pick up again when she leaves."""

"retract " "

retract "" ""Have you ever said something you wish you could retract, or take back? You're not alone. Even newspapers and magazines have sections where the editors can retract something written that was incorrect.,The sense of the word retract meaning to draw back or withdraw comes from the mid-16th century, and its meaning was clear when Napoleon Bonaparte said, \""In politics...never retreat, never retract...never admit a mistake.\"" Still, sometimes you wish you could retract something you said or did. Cats can retract their claws, and some snakes can retract their fangs, but words spoken in anger can never be fully retracted, or taken back."""

"robust " "

robust "" ""Use robust to describe a person or thing that is healthy and strong, or strongly built. This adjective also commonly describes food or drink: a robust wine has a rich, strong flavor.,If your school has a robust sports program, it means they offer lots of different kinds of sports and that a lot of kids participate. If you have a robust speaking voice, it means you have a voice that's deep and loud and strong. Robust is from Latin robustus \""of oak, hard, strong,\"" from robur \""oak tree, strength.\"""""

"sanctimonious " "

sanctimonious "" ""The sanctimonious person sounds like a hypocrite when he preaches to a friend about the evils of drugs, while he drinks one beer after another.,Sanctimonious is a twist on the words sanctity and sacred, which mean holy or religious. A sanctimonious person might think he's holy, but their attitude comes across more like \""holier-than-thou.\"" Though sanctimonious people might try to act like saints, their actions are far from pure or holy, which just makes them sound like hypocrites."""

"saturnine " "

saturnine "" ""Medieval alchemists ascribed to the planet Saturn a gloomy and slow character. When people are called saturnine, it means they are like the planetأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"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 Heathcliffأ¢آ€آ"أ¢آ€آ"and for clarification's sake, that would be the brooding, bitter, obsessed hero of \""Wuthering Heights,\"" not the lovably pudgy cat of comic-strip fame."""

"savvy " "

savvy "" ""You are known as someone with a lot of business savvy, but only because you've managed to keep your staggering debts a secret. Which is actually pretty savvy. Someone who is savvy is shrewd and perceptive.,Most English words stem directly from other European languages, like French and Latin. Not savvy. It comes from the West Indies, a twist on the French savez vous? أ¢آ€آ" أ¢آ€آœDo you know?أ¢آ€آ‌ Savvy was first recorded in its adjective form in 1905. Synonyms for the noun form include acumen, discernment, grasp, perception, and sharpness."""

"sentimental " "

sentimental "" ""Call a person sentimental if he or she is led more by emotions than by reason. If you have a sentimental attachment to a favorite stuffed animal, you'll probably even bring it to college with you.,Sentimental describes a person who relies on emotions more than reason, or a novel or film that is overly emotional. Derived from the Latin verb, sentire \""to feel,\"" sentimental always implies that the emotions are involved a little too much. If you do something for sentimental reasons, you are only doing it because of an emotional attachment."""

"serene " "

serene "" ""Choose the adjective, serene, to describe someone who is calm and untroubled. If you tell someone horrible news and they remain serene, you might wonder if they heard you!,Related to the Latin word serenus \""peaceful, calm, clear,\"" serene was originally used in English, as in Latin, to describe calm weather. By the mid 1600s, however, it was used figuratively to describe a calm, untroubled person as well. Though people show their emotions pretty openly today, Victorian novels are full of characters who remain serene no matter how terrible the news."""

"snide " "

snide "" ""Snide means insulting or contemptuous in an indirect way. If your friend is wearing too much purple eye shadow and your other friend whispers to you, أ¢آ€آœWhat? Was she in a car wreck?أ¢آ€آ‌ thatأ¢آ€آ™s a snide comment.,Snide remarks are the kinds of things people say with a sneer on their face. When you leave a movie theater and your friend says, أ¢آ€آœI canأ¢آ€آ™t believe someone was actually paid to write that screenplay,أ¢آ€آ‌ heأ¢آ€آ™s being snide. Instead of saying, أ¢آ€آœThat movie was terrible,أ¢آ€آ‌ he's expressing his disdain in a more underhanded and indirect way."""

"snub " "

snub "" ""To snub is to ignore or refuse to acknowledge someone. If you want to snub your former best friend, you can refuse to even look at her when you pass in the hallway.,When you snub someone, you deliver an insult by pretending to not even notice someone that you know. Thereأ¢آ€آ™s an element of disdain and rejection to a snub, as if youأ¢آ€آ™re too good to even acknowledge the person. As a noun, a snub is that act of cold rejection. Your former friend probably noticed the snub, and sheأ¢آ€آ™ll probably snub you from now on. Snub also means \""very short,\"" like the nose on a bulldog."""

"solicitude " "

solicitude "" ""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 أ¢آ€آ" which is also the root of solicitude."""

"spurious " "

spurious "" ""Something false or inauthentic is spurious. Don't trust spurious ideas and stories. Spurious statements often are lies, just as a spurious coin is a counterfeit coin أ¢آ€آ" a fake.,Anytime you see the word spurious, you're dealing with things that can't be trusted or accepted at face value. A spurious claim is one that's not backed up by the facts. A spurious argument relies on faulty reasoning أ¢آ€آ" and maybe some lies. Politicians often accuse each other of saying things that are spurious and meant to deceive the voters. As long as you're honest, clear, and not trying to trick anyone, nobody can say you're being spurious."""

"spurn " "

spurn "" ""If you reject your mother's offer to buy you a pair of lederhosen with a snort and eye roll, you are spurning her generosity. To spurn means to reject with disdain.,Originally, to spurn was to kick away. Though it's not used in that context so often anymore, being spurned still feels like a kick in the gut. You can reject someone kindly, or let them down easily, but you can't spurn someone with anything but malice."""

"squander " "

squander "" ""To squander means to spend extravagantly, thoughtlessly, or wastefully. If you need to save for college, don't squander her income on nightly sushi dinners.,Squander used to mean scatter, and the way we use it now implies throwing something (like money) all over the place. You can squander time as well as money. If you have a big deadline but you are chatting away or looking at social networking sites, you are squandering your time. If you have a big chance to play for a major league baseball team, but show up to the tryouts hung over, you have squandered your chance."""

"stalwart " "

stalwart "" ""To be stalwart is to be loyal, no matter what, like your friend who remains a devoted fan of an actor she's admired since childhood, even if that was the last time the guy made a decent movie.,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."""

"staunch " "

staunch "" ""As an adjective, staunch means firm. You might want to go to that concert Friday night, but your parents' staunch opposition prevents you.,Staunch is sometimes used as a verb to mean \""to stop the flow of a liquid,\"" but most usage books will tell you it's better to use the word stanch for the verb. Think of a soldier stopping and standing still, and you will understand the connection between the two meanings. The adjectival form should make you think of \""stand,\"" as in أ¢آ€آœstand firm,أ¢آ€آ‌ or \""take a stand.\"" It comes from the French estanche meaning أ¢آ€آœwatertightأ¢آ€آ‌ and the Latin stanticare, which is probably from stans for أ¢آ€آœstand.أ¢آ€آ‌"""

"steadfast " "

steadfast "" ""Someone who is firm and determined in a belief or a position can be called steadfast in that view, like your mom when she thinks you really shouldnأ¢آ€آ™t wear that outfit.,The word steadfast traces back to the Old English word stedefأƒآ¦st, a combination of stede, meaning \""place,\"" and fأƒآ¦st, meaning \""firmly fixed.\"" Picture a steadfast person standing firmly in place, not wavering or budging an inch, and youأ¢آ€آ™ll have a good sense of what this word means. Someone can be steadfast in a belief, an effort, a plan, or even a refusal. Whatever it is, it means that the person will calmly hold firm to the chosen position and follow through with determination."""

"stipend " "

stipend "" ""A stipend is a fixed, regular payment, usually meant to pay for something specific. It's kind of like an allowance, but for grownups أ¢آ€آ" a college scholarship might include a stipend each semester for books, for example.,Coming from the Latin stipendium, which means أ¢آ€آœtax, pay, or gift,أ¢آ€آ‌ the noun stipend is defined as a regular, unchanging payment usually given as reward for services, but sometimes given as an allowance with no services or expectations attached. A summer internship that does not offer a full salary might instead include a weekly stipend that covers transportation and lunch costs. Synonyms include salary and payment."""

"stultify " "

stultify "" ""When something stultifies you, it drains you of your energy, enthusiasm, or pleasure. A well-acted Shakespeare play can be a thrill. A poorly-acted one can stultify like nothing else.,The verb stultify is sometimes used in place of \""bore\"" or \""exhaust,\"" but only if something is so boring or exhausting that it makes you feel as though you might just die. It's a very negative word. If you're in a relationship that's stultifying, you should find a way out. Relationships should make you feel more alive, not less. Constant construction noise can have a stultifying effect, leaving a person almost unable to function."""

"subsume " "

subsume "" ""Subsume means to absorb or include. A successful company might subsume a failing competitor through a merger, or love may subsume you in the early stages of a romance.,Subsume is a verb that comes from the Latin words sub, which means أ¢آ€آœfrom below,أ¢آ€آ‌ and sumere, which means أ¢آ€آœtake.أ¢آ€آ‌ So subsume means أ¢آ€آœto take from below,أ¢آ€آ‌ like a sneak attack by some kind of deep-sea creature. Sailors and scuba divers should beware of monsters from the blackest depths waiting to subsume them."""

"subterfuge " "

subterfuge "" ""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.\"""""

"subversive " "

subversive "" ""You might want to call someone subversive if they are sneakily trying to undermine something, from the social structure of your high school to an entire system of government.,You can use subversive as a noun or an adjective without changing it one whit. Note the prefix sub meaning \""underneath\"" with the remainder coming from the Latin vertere \""to turn.\"" Think about a subversive as a sneaky kind of revolutionary who tries to turn the system from underneath. Art or literature is considered subversive if it attempts to undermine the morals and traditions of a society."""

"summit " "

summit "" ""What better place for the mountain climbing summit than on the summit of the mountain. A summit can mean either a meeting between people who are interested in the same subject or the peak of the mountain.,Although originally meant to describe a meeting between the heads of state, summit can be used to describe any gathering of people who care deeply about the same topic. If, for example, you are the captain of your chess club, you might attend the upcoming Chess Club Summit, at which new rules of the tournament will be discussed.eover, while summit also means the very top of a mountain, summit can be used metaphorically to mean a variety of heights, such as the summit of a career, an industry, or any kind of major effort."""

"superfluous " "

superfluous "" ""When something is so unnecessary that it could easily be done away with, like a fifth wheel on a car or a fifth person on a double date, call it superfluous.,Superfluous (soo-PER-floo-uhs) means \""more than required.\"" Use it when pointing out something that could be removed without detracting from the quality of something: \""For a climb over a glacier, the very thickest shoes are absolutely necessary beyond these, all else seems superfluous to me,\"" wrote the adventurer Charles Stoddard in 1899. The word comes from Latin and literally means \""overflowing\"": super, \""over\"" + fluere, \""to flow.\"" So you can think of a superfluous addition as flowing over the boundaries of what's needed."""

"tact " "

tact "" ""To talk carefully without hurting anyoneأ¢آ€آ™s feelings, thatأ¢آ€آ™s tact. Politicians have tact, which makes them good at speaking about sensitive matters without making fools of themselves. At least, sometimes they have tact.,Around a friend whoأ¢آ€آ™s afraid of snakes, you use tact when talking about reptiles because you donأ¢آ€آ™t want to upset them. The Latin root word tangere means أ¢آ€آœtouch,أ¢آ€آ‌ and a person with tact avoids touching dangerous words like they are an electric fence. When you say something without tact, you أ¢آ€آœput your foot in your mouth,أ¢آ€آ‌ as the phrase goes. You donأ¢آ€آ™t literally put your foot in your mouth, although if you did youأ¢آ€آ™d avoid offending people with words."""

"tantamount " "

tantamount "" ""When something is tantamount to another thing it is essentially its equivalent. For some animal activists, wearing fur is tantamount to murder.,Tantamount often refers to an action or thing being compared to another greater action or quality, as in, أ¢آ€آœMissing your finals is tantamount to dropping out of college.أ¢آ€آ‌ While the two sides are essentially equal, you would not say, \""Dropping out of school is tantamount to missing your finals.أ¢آ€آ‌ A related word is paramount, which means أ¢آ€آœthe highestأ¢آ€آ‌ or أ¢آ€آœprimary.أ¢آ€آ‌"""

"tarnish " "

tarnish "" ""To tarnish is to become dull or discolored. Silver tends to tarnish easily, which is why your mother is always having you polish the family silver.,As a noun, a tarnish is the dull layer of corrosion that sometimes forms on metal items, usually the result of the metal reacting to oxygen in the air. Metals are most likely to tarnish, but so can anything that once felt sparkly and bright but has lost its luster أ¢آ€آ" even you. If the new kid just beat you in chess, your reputation as the best chess player in your class has started to tarnish. Better not lose again!"""

"tempered " "

tempered "" ""empty"""

"vanquish " "

vanquish "" ""To vanquish is to be the complete and total winner, to overpower and overcome, whether in a contest, a race, or a war. It generally suggests a total trouncing, to the point of humiliation أ¢آ€آ" or worse أ¢آ€آ" for the loser.,Sometimes words for the same thing are effective in different ways because they offer different levels of meaning. For example, in a game, you can simply win, or you can vanquish your opponent. The former is enough, but the latter makes that defeat sound so much worse, like a total rout. Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once stated, \""Against war it may be said that it makes the victor stupid and the vanquished revengeful.\"""""

"vaunted " "

vaunted "" ""To vaunt is to brag and boast and flaunt and go on and on about how great something is. It's over-the-top showing off, and when you taunt and exaggerate your greatness, you vaunt to the point of no longer seeming so great.,From the Latin vأ„آپnitأ„آپre أ¢آ€آ" which comes from vأ„آپnus, meaning \""vain\"" or \""empty\"" أ¢آ€آ" vaunt is a verb for taking praise too far or talking something up too much. Even if it's earned or deserved bragging, vaunting about something gets old and loses it impact. Other times, vaunt, as a noun, is a sure sign that a hard sell is going on أ¢آ€آ" someone is talking big but can't deliver."""

"veneer " "

veneer "" ""You know how some furniture looks like solid oak or maple until it gets chipped and reveals itself to be nothing more than some cheap particle-board covered with a thin layer of fancy wood? That thin layer is called a veneer.,A veneer can be anything that makes something look more elegant or attractive than it is. Originally it was a furniture word, but over time its meaning expanded. If someone smiles at you while making some passive-aggressive remark, like, \""Gee, you actually look really nice today,\"" you could say that her inner meanness is showing through her veneer of sweetness."""

"venial " "

venial "" ""Some crimes are unforgivable. Others are venial أ¢آ€آ" 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.\"""""

"vilify " "

vilify "" ""To vilify someone is to spread nasty stories about them, whether true or not.,The verb vilify comes from the same root as the word vile and is a negative word if ever there was one! One way to remember the word is to think about how it sounds أ¢آ€آ" like the word villain (which is unrelated and comes from villa). This suggests that when you vilify someone, you make them sound villainous. So avoid spreading vile words that vilify another and make him or her seem like a villain."""

"vitriolic " "

vitriolic "" ""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 أ¢آ€آ" 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 أ¢آ€آ" and your dignity."""

"volubility " "

volubility "" ""empty"""

"voracious " "

voracious "" ""Voracious is an adjective used to describe a wolflike appetite. It might be a craving for food or for something else, such as power, but the word usually denotes an unflattering greediness.,Voracious comes from the Latin vorأ„آپre, \""to devour.\"" The word is usually associated with swallowing or devouring food in a ravenous manner, but it can be used of someone intensely involved in any activity. Pierre Salinger referred to President Kennedy as a \""voracious reader,\"" while Robert Bakker once likened the IRS to a \""voracious, small-minded predator.\"""""