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Dilapidate

1. Fall into decay or ruin. 2. Bring into a condition of decay or partial ruin by neglect or misuse.

Pegged / Pegged-down

1. Fastened by pegs. "the pegged-down branches of the plant will take root"

Frontispiece

1. Front illustration facing the title page of a book. 2. An ornamental facade.

Gird

"Gird your loins and prepare for battle!" Okay, no one says "gird your loins" anymore (which basically means "tighten your pants"), but gird is still used as a verb to mean "get ready for a dangerous situation." 1. Prepare oneself for a military confrontation. "The U.S. is girding for a conflict in the Middle East" 2. Put a girdle on or around. "gird your loins"

If anything

"If anything" is used to signal opposition to something that is stated or implied. It basically means that something is, if it is anything, not what the other argument states. 1. For example: He argued that the test actually did not help to rate students; if anything, it made it more difficult to get a good understanding of students' progress. So here, the test does not help to rate students. Indeed, if it does anything, it makes it more difficult to rate them.

Impresario

An impresario is a promoter: someone who books, promotes, and organizes shows such as concerts. 1. A sponsor who books and stages public entertainments.

Indignity

An indignity is something embarrassing. An indignity is usually something that happens to us rather than something we do ourselves. 1. An affront to one's dignity or self-esteem.

Tawdry

Tawdry means cheap, shoddy, or tasteless. It can be used to describe almost anything from clothes to people to even events or affairs. 1. Tastelessly showy. "tawdry ornaments" 2. Cheap and shoddy.

Broadside

************************************************************** 1. A speech of violent denunciation. ************************************************************** 2. Toward a full side. "a broadside attack" 3. With a side facing an object. "the train hit the truck broadside" "the wave caught the canoe broadside and capsized it"

Couching/ Couch

************************************************************** 1. Formulate in a particular style or language. ************************************************************ 2. A couch is a sofa — an upholstered piece of furniture that seats more than one person. It's nice to have a couch that's big enough for your whole family to sit on while you watch TV.

Categorically

****************************************************************** 1. Categorically means very clear and direct/explicit. Unequivocally. ****************************************************************** 2. In an unqualified manner. Synonyms: Flatly, Unconditionally.

Haze / Hazing

1. Harass by imposing humiliating or painful tasks, as in military institutions. 2. Become hazy, dull, or cloudy. 3. Confusion characterized by lack of clarity. 4. Atmospheric moisture or dust or smoke that causes reduced visibility

Purblind

1. Having greatly reduced vision. 2. Lacking in insight or discernment. ""a purblind oligarchy that flatly refused to see that history was condemning it to the dustbin"- Jasper Griffin" Synonyms: Obtuse.

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. 1. Overbearing pride or presumption.

Assimilate

1. If you are trying to fit in, you are trying to assimilate. 2. Make similar. "This country assimilates immigrants very quickly" 3. Become similar to one's environment. "Immigrants often want to assimilate quickly" 4. Take up mentally.

Incommensurable

1. Impossible to measure or compare in value or size or excellence. 2. Not having a common factor.

Intimately

1. In a close manner. "the two phenomena are intimately connected" Synonyms: Closely, Nearly 2. With great or especially intimate knowledge.

Curtly

1. In a curt, abrupt and discourteous manner. "he told me curtly to get on with it"

Primly

1. In a prissy manner.

Windily

1. In a verbose manner. Synonyms: Long-windedly, Verbosely, Wordily.

Rumple

1. In disarray; extremely disorderly. "a rumpled unmade bed"

About-face

1. It refers to a complete change in position, direction or attitude. 2. A 180° turn from the position of attention. 3. Act completely differently.

Middling

1. Lacking exceptional quality or ability. "the performance was middling at best" 2. To a moderately sufficient extent or degree. 3. Any commodity of intermediate quality or size (especially when coarse particles of ground wheat are mixed with bran)

Slobber

1. Let saliva drivel from the mouth. 2. Saliva spilling from the mouth.

Discountenance

1. Look with disfavor on. "The republic soon discountenanced its few friends" 2. Show disapproval by discouraging. "any measure tending to fuse invalids into a class with special privileges should be discountenanced"

Demonize

1. Make into a demon. "Power had demonized him" Synonyms: Demonise.

Indispose

1. Make unwilling. 2. Make unfit or unsuitable. 3. Cause to feel unwell. "She was indisposed" 4. Not inclined. Not dispose towards. Not be in favor.

Racy

1. Marked by richness and fullness of flavor. 2. Designed or suitable for competing in a race. 3. Full of zest or vigor. "a racy literary style" 4. Suggestive of sexual impropriety. "racy anecdotes"

Take exception

1. Means to disagree with.

Sway

1. Move back and forth or sideways. "the tall building swayed" 2. Win approval or support for. "His speech did not sway the voters" 3. Controlling influence.

Unenlightened

1. Not enlightened; Ignorant. "the devices by which unenlightened men preserved the unjust social order" 2. Lacking information or instruction. "lamentably unenlightened as to the laws"

Unsparing

1. Not forbearing; Ruthless. 2. Very generous.

Out of your depth

1. Not having the knowledge, experience, or skills to deal with a particular subject or situation. "I was out of my depth in the advanced class, so I moved to the intermediate class."

Scrounge/Scrounger

1. Obtain or seek to obtain by cadging or wheedling. 2. collect or look around for (food) 1. Someone who mooches or cadges (tries to get something free).

Abetter

1. One who helps or encourages or incites another.

Sophomoric

1. Overconfident. 2. Immature.

Sloganeering

1. Persuasion by means of empty slogans.

Buffeted

1. Pounded or hit repeatedly by storms or adversities.

Embattle

1. Prepare for battle or conflict. 2. Fortify by furnishing with battlements for defense. "an embattled castle"

Ward off

1. Prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening. 2. Vert, turn away, or repel. "Ward off danger"

Upholster

1. Provide furniture with padding, springs, webbing, and covers.

Disgruntle

1. Put into a bad mood or into bad humour. "The employees were disgruntled by their bad working conditions"

Sclerotic

1. Relating to or having sclerosis; hardened.. "a sclerotic patient" Synonyms: Sclerosed 2. Of or relating to the sclera of the eyeball. "sclerotic tissue"

Wallflower

1. Remains on sidelines at social event. (person) Who remains at a side at a party or dance.

Cobble

1. Repair or mend. "cobble shoes" 2. Rectangular paving stone with curved top; once used to make roads. "Cobbler"

Skewer

1. A long pin for holding meat in position while it is being roasted. 2. Drive a skewer through. "skewer the meat for the BBQ"

Obduracy

1. Resoluteness by virtue of being unyielding and inflexible.

Leaning

1. A natural inclination. Synonyms: Proclivity, Propensity. 2. An inclination to do something. "he felt leanings toward frivolity" 3. Departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal. "the leaning tower of Pisa"

Lickspittle

1. A person who behaves obsequiously to those in power. "he is a lickspittle for the Establishment" 2. An abject flatterer or parasite.

Anticlimactic

1. Coming after the climax especially of a dramatic or narrative plot. "everything after the discovery of the murderer was anticlimactic" 2. Of or relating to a sudden change from an impressive to a ludicrous style.

Politesse

1. Courtesy towards women.

Probing

1. Diligent and thorough in inquiry or investigation. "a probing inquiry" Synonyms: Inquisitory, Searching

Peter out/ Petered out

1. End weakly. 2. Use up all one's strength and energy and stop working.

Canonization

1. (Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church) The act of admitting a deceased person into the canon of saints.

Hard-pressed

1. (adj) Facing or experiencing financial trouble or difficulty

Takedown

1. (amateur wrestling) being brought to the mat from a standing position. 2. A crushing remark.

Virility

1. (in a man) the quality of having strength, energy, and a strong sex drive; manliness. "great importance is placed on a man's virility"

Blinkered

1. (of a horse) Wearing blinkers. "Aboyeur's blinkered head showed in front soon after the start" 2. Having or showing a narrow or limited outlook.

Sonic

1. (of speed) having or caused by speed approximately equal to that of sound in air at sea level. "a sonic boom" 2. Relating to audible sound. "a sonic wave"

Nominalism

1. (philosophy) The doctrine that the various objects labeled by the same term have nothing in common but their name.

Effect

1. (verb) Produce. 2. A phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon. "the magnetic effect was greater when the rod was lengthwise"

Folio

1. A book (or manuscript) consisting of large sheets of paper folded in the middle to make two leaves or four pages "the first folio of Shakespeare's plays" 2. A sheet of any written or printed material (especially in a manuscript or book). 3. The system of numbering pages.

Eudaimonia

1. A contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous.

Philistinism

1. A desire for wealth and material possessions with little interest in ethical or spiritual matters.

Declension

1. A downward slope or bend. 2. Process of changing to an inferior state.

Overseer

1. A person who directs and manages an organization.

Adulator

1. A person who uses flattery. Synonyms: Flatterer.

Positivism / Positivist

1. A quality or state characterized by certainty or acceptance or affirmation and dogmatic assertiveness. 2. The form of empiricism that bases all knowledge on perceptual experience (not on intuition or revelation) Synonyms: Logical positivism Positivist 1. Someone who emphasizes observable facts and excludes metaphysical speculation about origins or ultimate causes.

Ruminator

1. A reflective thinker characterized by quiet contemplation. Synonyms: Muller, Muser, Ponderer.

Contumely

1. A rude expression intended to offend or hurt. Synonyms: Abuse, Insult, Revilement, Vilification.

Hatchet

1. A small ax with a short handle used with one hand (usually to chop wood). 2. Weapon consisting of a fighting ax; used by North American Indians.

Splinter

1. A small thin sharp bit or wood or glass or metal. "he got a splinter in his finger" ******2. Withdraw from an organization or communion.******* 3. Break up into splinters or slivers. "The wood splintered"

Drubbing

1. A sound defeat. 2. The act of inflicting corporal punishment with repeated blows.

Bracing

1. A structural member used to stiffen a framework. 2. Imparting vitality and energy. "the bracing mountain air" Synonyms: Brisk, Fresh, Refreshful, Refreshing, Tonic.

Undertone

1. A subdued emotional quality underlying an utterance; implicit meaning. 2. A quiet or hushed tone of voice. "spoke in undertones" 3. A pale or subdued color.

Titillation

1. A tingling feeling of excitement (as from teasing or tickling) Type of: Excitement, Exhilaration 2. An agreeable arousal. 3. The act of tickling.

Screwball

1. A whimsically eccentric person. 2. Foolish; totally unsound. "a screwball proposal without a prayer of working"

Time-Honored

1. Acceptable for a long time. "time-honored customs" 2. Honored because of age or long usage. "time-honored institutions"

Disservice

1. An act intended to help that turns out badly. "he did them a disservice"

Upswing

1. An increase in strength or quantity; an upward trend. "an upswing in economic activity"

Entente

1. An informal alliance between countries. 2. A friendly understanding between political powers.

Stilted

1. Artificially formal. "a stilted letter of acknowledgment" "when people try to correct their speech they develop a stilted

Debasement

1. Being mixed with extraneous material; the product of adulterating. 2. Changing to a lower state (a less respected state).

Conterminous

1. Being of equal extent or scope or duration. 2. Connecting without a break; within a common boundary "the 48 conterminous states" Synonyms: Contiguous

Perforce

1. By necessity; By force of circumstance.

Neoclassical

1. Characteristic of a revival of an earlier classical style.

Lest

1. Roughly means "unless". OR 2. For fear that. OR 3. In order that something should not happen. "The father locked all of the windows and doors from the outside lest his daughter should sneak out." "Lest our leader returns soon, our plan will fail."

Redeemed

1. Saved from the bondage of sin.

Penitential

1. Showing or constituting penance. "penitential tears" "wrote a penitential letter apologizing for her hasty words"

Pronounced is totally different from pronounce

1. Strongly marked; easily noticeable. "a pronounced flavor of cinnamon"

Above Reproach / Beyond Reproach

1. Such that no criticism can be made; Perfect.. "his integrity is beyond reproach" Synonyms: Perfect, Beyond criticism, Blameless.

Shore up

1. Support by placing against something solid or rigid.

Savouring

1. Taking a small amount into the mouth to test its quality.

Aphoristic

1. Terse and witty and like a maxim. 2. Containing aphorisms or maxims.

Perpetration

1. The act of committing a crime.

Quantification

1. The act of discovering or expressing the quantity of something.

Enlisting

1. The act of getting recruits; enlisting people for the army (or for a job or a cause etc.) Synonyms: Recruitment.

Admixture

1. The act of mixing together. 2. An additional ingredient that is added by mixing with the base. "the growing medium should be equal parts of sand and loam with an admixture of peat moss and cow manure"

Plundering

1. The act of stealing valuable things from a place. "the plundering of the Parthenon" "his plundering of the great authors" 2. Given to taking by force what is desired.

Substantiation

1. The act of validating; finding or testing the truth of something. 2. Additional proof that something that was believed (some fact or hypothesis or theory) is correct.

Invigoration

1. The activity of giving vitality and vigour to something. 2. Quality of being active or spirited or alive and vigorous.

Foppishness

1. The manner and dress of a fop or dandy.

Outset

1. The time at which something is supposed to begin.

Fractiousness

1. The trait of being prone to disobedience and lack of discipline.

Save

1. The word "save" is something like "except." 2. prep. With the exception of; except. "No man enjoys self-reproach save a masochist" ( Philip Wylie). 3. conj. Were it not; except: The house would be finished by now, save that we had difficulty contracting a roofer. 4. So that phrase "save its practitioners" would be something like "except for its practitioners."

Cadge

1. To cadge is to plead or beg for something. A hungry child might cadge an extra cookie from her dad while he's baking. 2. Obtain or seek to obtain by cadging or wheedling. 3. Ask for and get free; be a parasite

Make light of something / Made light of something

1. To treat something as if it were unimportant or humorous. I wish you wouldn't make light of his problems. They're quite serious. I make light of my problems, and that makes me feel better.

Woodenly

1. Without grace; rigidly. "they moved woodenly"

Interlude

An interlude is a brief period of time that comes in the middle of something. You might enjoy a relaxing lemonade interlude in the middle of a tough day at your road-paving job. 1. An intervening period or episode. 2. Perform an interlude. "The guitar player interluded with a beautiful improvisation"

Ensue

If something happens after something else, it will ensue, meaning it will follow after or be the result. When a sneeze comes out, and he hears the "Achoo!," a "Bless you" or "Gesundheit" soon will ensue. 1. Issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end.

Baron

A baron is a nobleman — a member of the aristocracy. Barons are also important, powerful businessmen with huge influence over their industries. In Britain, a baron is called "Lord," but in the States, we call them "rich." 1. A nobleman (in various countries) of varying rank. 2. A very wealthy or powerful businessman. "an oil baron"

Bigot

A bigot is someone who doesn't tolerate people of different races or religions. If you have an uncle who is a bigot and tells racist jokes at Thanksgiving, you may need to talk to him and tell him it's not okay. 1. A prejudiced person who is intolerant of any opinions differing from his own.

Brook

A brook is a small stream. On a hot day, you might enjoy wading in a babbling brook. As a verb, brook is a rather stuffy word for "put up with." The lord of the manor might say, "I will brook no trespassing on my land." ************************************************************** 1. Put up with something or somebody unpleasant. ************************************************************** 2. A natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)

Encumbrance

A burden or serious concern is an encumbrance. Your being five feet tall could be an encumbrance when it comes to your dream of playing professional basketball. 1. An onerous or difficult concern. 2. Any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome. 3. A charge against property (as a lien or mortgage). Synonyms: Incumbrance

Carrel

A carrel is a cozy, private work area usually found in a library. When you have a long paper to write, you might want to settle into a carrel with your books and laptop. 1. Small individual study area in a library.

Inextricable

A chain that is very badly knotted and cannot be unraveled is inextricable. You cannot disentangle it. 1. Not permitting extrication; incapable of being disentangled or untied. "an inextricable knot" "inextricable unity"

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. 1. A flamboyant deceiver; one who attracts customers with tricks or jokes. 2. Charlatan could also refer to someone who pretends to have knowledge that he/she doesn't really have.

Clique

A clique is an exclusive group of people or friends. Before Rudolph pulled Santa's sled through the fog, the clique of flying reindeer never let him play their reindeer games. 1. An exclusive circle of people with a common purpose.

Contrivance

A contrivance is a gadget or device that can be used for some particular purpose. The spinning blade of a blender is a contrivance that turns fruits and yogurt into a tasty smoothie. Yum. 1. The faculty of contriving; inventive skill. "his skillful contrivance of answers to every problem" 2. The act of devising something. 3. A device or control that is very useful for a particular job. 4. Any improvised arrangement for temporary use. 5. An elaborate or deceitful scheme contrived to deceive or evade. "his testimony was just a contrivance to throw us off the track" 6. An artificial or unnatural or obviously contrived arrangement of details or parts etc. "the plot contained too many improbable contrivances to be believable"

Conviction

A conviction is something certain: a judgment of guilty in court and a strong belief are both convictions. 1. An unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence. 2. (criminal law) A final judgment of guilty in a criminal case and the punishment that is imposed. "the conviction came as no surprise"

Convulsive

A convulsive movement is jerky and uncontrollable. A convulsive sob is the kind where your body shakes when you cry, and convulsive dance moves at a party might scare your partner away. 1. Affected by involuntary jerky muscular contractions; resembling a spasm. "convulsive motions" 2. Resembling a convulsion in being sudden and violent. "a convulsive rage" "convulsive laughter"

Couch

A couch is a sofa — an upholstered piece of furniture that seats more than one person. It's nice to have a couch that's big enough for your whole family to sit on while you watch TV. 1. An upholstered seat for more than one person. ****************************************************************** 2. Formulate in a particular style or language. ******************************************************************

Coup

A coup is a pretty major achievement, whether it involves taking over a government by force, or landing a major business contract. 1. A sudden and decisive change of government illegally or by force. 2. A sudden and decisive change of government illegally or by force.

Court

A court is a room where justice is administered. Many popular television shows feature scenes in court, although it's debatable whether these depictions are realistic. *********************************************************** 1. Respectful deference. "pay court to the emperor" 2. Seek someone's favor. Synonyms: Woo. 3. Make amorous advances towards. "John is courting Mary" 4. Engage in social activities leading to marriage. "We were courting for over ten years" ***********************************************************

Delusion

A delusion is a belief that has no evidence in fact — a complete illusion. The cook at the hot dog stand who thinks he is the best chef in the world? That opinion is definitely a delusion. 1. A mistaken or unfounded opinion or idea. "he has delusions of competence" 2. The act of deluding; deception by creating illusory ideas. 3. (psychology) An erroneous belief that is held in the face of evidence to the contrary.

Denizen

A denizen is an inhabitant or frequenter of a particular place: a citizen of a country, a resident in a neighborhood, a maven of a museum, a regular at a bar, or, even, a plant that is naturalized in a region. 1. A plant or animal naturalized in a region. "denizens of field and forest" "denizens of the deep" 2. A person who inhabits a particular place.

Denunciation

A denunciation is a public reprimand in which you are told that you've done wrong. If you get caught skipping school, expect denunciation-by teachers, your principal, parents and maybe even your friends. 1. A public act of denouncing.

Panegyric

A formal, high-minded speech can be described with a formal, high-minded word — the word panegyric, which is a very elaborate tribute to someone. You could consider most eulogies as panegyrics. 1. Formally expressing praise. 2. A formal expression of praise.

Furrow

A furrow is a groove or a depression. Originally, furrows were created in soil for water to flow. Now, its most common meaning is of a deep line or wrinkle on the face, as in a "furrowed brow." 1. A long shallow trench in the ground (especially one made by a plow). 2. Hollow out in the form of a furrow or groove. "furrow soil" 3. Make wrinkled or creased. "furrow one's brow" 4. Cut a furrow into a columns.

Goad

A goad is a pointy stick or other instrument used to prod something along. To goad is to poke something with that pointy stick. Either way, the pointiness is really essential for making things leap into action. 1. Stab or urge on as if with a pointed stick. 2. A pointed instrument that is used to prod into a state of motion. 3. A verbalization that encourages you to attempt something.

Imperialistic

A government is imperialistic if it places the importance of its own strength and size over the rights and happiness of the world's people. 1. Of or relating to imperialism. "imperialistic wars"

Herald

A herald is a sign of things to come. A chilly day in October is a herald of the coming winter. 1. (formal) A person who announces important news. "the chieftain had a herald who announced his arrival with a trumpet" 2. Something that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someone. 3. Greet enthusiastically or joyfully. Synonyms: Hail. 4. Praise vociferously.

Hypocrite

A hypocrite preaches one thing, and does another. You're a hypocrite if you criticize other people for wearing fur, but pull out your big mink jacket as soon as it gets cold. 1. A person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his or her real feelings or motives.

Lacuna

A lacuna is a gap or missing part. If you complain that there's a major lacuna in the bake sale, the lack of brownies is probably to blame. 1. A blank gap or missing part. 2. An ornamental sunken panel in a ceiling or dome.

Liberal

A liberal is someone on the left wing of politics — the opposite of a conservative. Also, a liberal attitude toward anything means more tolerance for change. 1. Showing or characterized by broad-mindedness. "a liberal newspaper" 2. Having political or social views favoring reform and progress. 3. Tolerant of change; not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or tradition. 4. Given or giving freely. "a liberal backer of the arts" 5. Not literal. Synonyms: Free, Loose.

Magnanimous

A magnanimous person has a generous spirit. Letting your little sister have the last of the cookies, even though you hadn't eaten since breakfast, would be considered a magnanimous act. 1. Noble and generous in spirit. "a magnanimous conqueror" 2. Generous and understanding and tolerant. "magnanimous toward his enemies"

Dandy

A man who is very concerned with how he looks can be called a dandy. The term is rather old-fashioned — it was commonly used to refer to such men in the 1800s, like the famous dandy Beau Brummell. 1. Very good. 2. A man who is much concerned with his dress and appearance.a

Mantle

A mantle is a word for something that blankets over something else, like the loose cloak worn by Little Red Riding Hood or the layer of earth between the crust and core. 1. A sleeveless garment like a cloak but shorter. 2. Anything that covers. 3. The cloak as a symbol of authority. "place the mantle of authority on younger shoulders" 4. Spread over a surface, like a mantle. 5. Cover like a mantle. "The ivy mantles the building"

Mutinous

A mutiny is a revolt, when the led no longer obey the leader. To be mutinous is to behave this way, like when the entire class rises up against a substitute teacher. 1. Consisting of or characterized by or inciting to mutiny. "mutinous acts" "mutinous thoughts" "a mutinous speech" 2. Disposed to or in a state of mutiny "the men became mutinous and insubordinate"

Paean

A paean is a hymn of praise or thanksgiving. You might sing a paean in church, where many hymns extol the greatness of God. 1. (ancient Greece) A hymn of praise (especially one sung in ancient Greece to invoke or thank a deity). 2. A formal expression of praise.

Panoply

A panoply is a collection or an assortment of things. You might be eager to show off your panoply of bobble-head dolls when friends come to your house. 1. A complete and impressive array.

Paradigm

A paradigm is a standard, perspective, or set of ideas. A paradigm is a way of looking at something. 1. A standard or typical example. 2. The generally accepted perspective of a particular discipline at a given time. "he framed the problem within the psychoanalytic paradigm" 3. Systematic arrangement of all the inflected forms of a word.

Parody

A parody is a humorous or mocking imitation of something, using the same form as the original. To parody a poem, you have to write another poem. 1. A composition that imitates or misrepresents somebody's style, usually in a humorous way. 2. Humorous or satirical mimicry. 3. Make a spoof of or make fun of.

Paroxysm

A paroxysm is a convulsion or sudden fit, brought on because you're freaking out or coming down with something. 1. A sudden uncontrollable attack. "a paroxysm of giggling"

Patent

A patent is a government document that proves that an invention is yours and yours alone. In the U.S., as of 2009, over 7,000,000 patents were issued by the Patent and Trademark Office. 1. Grant rights to; grant a patent for. 2. Make open to sight or notice. "His behavior has patented an embarrassing fact about him" ************************************************************** 3. Clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment. "patent advantages" Synonyms: Apparent, Evident, Manifest, Plain, Unmistakable. **************************************************************

Peccadillo

A peccadillo is a minor offense or sin. Parents recognize that their kids have a few peccadilloes: they don't always remember to say please and thank you, don't put their dirty clothes in the hamper, and worst of all, they keep finding the chocolate stash! 1. A petty misdeed. Synonyms: Indiscretion.

Penchant

A penchant is a strong preference or tendency. If you have a penchant for pizza, you either eat it daily or wish you did. 1. A strong liking. "the Irish have a penchant for blarney"

Modest

A person is modest if he or she is very successful but does not call attention to this. 1. Marked by simplicity; having a humble opinion of yourself. "a modest apartment" "too modest to wear his medals" 2. Humble in spirit or manner; suggesting retiring mildness or even cowed submissiveness. 3. Not offensive to sexual mores in conduct or appearance.

Acolyte

A person who helps with religious services is an acolyte. An acolyte is also a fan or follower of the famous, so you can find an acolyte in church or at a concert. 1. Someone who assists a priest or minister in a liturgical service; a cleric ordained in the highest of the minor orders in the Roman Catholic Church but not in the Anglican Church or the Eastern Orthodox Churches. 2. People belonging to the same group.

Philistine

A philistine is a person who doesn't think a lot and isn't interested in learning. Your uncle Marvin, who's only interested in eating, sleeping, and watching game shows, could be considered a philistine. 1. A person who is uninterested in intellectual pursuits. 2. Smug and ignorant and indifferent or hostile to artistic and cultural values. 3. A Person who is hostile or indifferent to culture and the arts. "I am a complete philistine when it comes to paintings"

Populous

A populous place is full of people. If you left your cabin in the Maine woods to spend the weekend in New York City, you'd be particularly aware of how populous the city is. 1. Densely populated.

Relapse

A relapse is a decline, especially of someone's health. If your grandmother survived cancer only to have it return two years later, you could say she suffered a relapse. 1. Deteriorate in health. "he relapsed" 2. Go back to bad behavior. 3. A failure to maintain a higher state.

Presage

A presage is a sign that something bad is about to happen, like when you get that queasy feeling in your stomach because your mom found out you skipped band practice to go to the movies. 1. A foreboding about what is about to happen. Type of: Boding, Foreboding, Premonition, Presentiment 2. A sign of something about to happen. Synonyms: Omen, Portent, Prodigy, Prognostic, Prognostication. 3. Indicate by signs. Synonyms: Augur, Auspicate, Betoken, Bode, Forecast, Foreshadow, Foretell, Omen, Portend, Predict, Prefigure, Prognosticate.

Prissy

A prissy person likes things to be neat and tidy, and expects people to follow the rules and be extremely polite. If your prissy cousin invites you to a tea party, you'd better arrive on time and wear your white gloves. 1. Exaggeratedly proper. 2. Excessively fastidious and easily disgusted.

Proclamation

A proclamation is a formal public statement. If the mayor of your town issued a proclamation honoring the state champion field hockey team, this is an official statement of praise and celebration. 1. A formal public statement. 2. The formal act of proclaiming; giving public notice.

Proclivity

A proclivity is a natural tendency to like something, such as your sister's proclivity for restaurants that serve hot, spicy food. 1. A natural inclination. "he has a proclivity for exaggeration"

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. 1. A sign of something about to happen. 2. A statement made about the future. 3. Knowledge of the future (usually said to be obtained from a divine source).

Propensity

A propensity is a natural tendency to behave in a certain way. We all have propensities — things we tend to do. Dogs have a propensity to bark, and many people have a propensity for getting annoyed by it. 1. A natural inclination. 2. An inclination to do something. 3. A disposition to behave in a certain way. "the propensity of disease to spread"

Quibble

A quibble is a small argument or fight. As a verb, it means to pick a mini-fight over something that doesn't really matter. "Let's not quibble over price," people will say, usually when they plan to gouge you. 1. Evade the truth of a point or question by raising irrelevant objections. 2. Argue over petty things. "Let's not quibble over pennies" 3. An evasion of the point of an argument by raising irrelevant distinctions or objections.

Intrigue

An intrigue is a secret plot. If you ever become the monarch of a small island kingdom, keep watch for signs of any intrigue against you. 1. A crafty and involved plot to achieve your (usually sinister) ends. 2. Cause to be interested or curious. 3. A clandestine love affair.

Recoil

A recoil is a movement backwards, usually from some force or impact. The recoil of a gun is a backward movement caused by momentum. Your trip to the shooting range might make your mom recoil — from horror, not momentum. 1. Spring back; spring away from an impact. 2. Spring back, as from a forceful thrust. 3. A movement back from an impact.

Redeeming

A redeeming characteristic is one that counteracts or corrects something negative. If you can only think of one good thing about your next door neighbor, for example, that one thing is her redeeming quality. 1. Compensating for some fault or defect. "the redeeming feature of the plan is its simplicity" 2. Bringing about salvation or redemption from sin. "redemptive (or redeeming) love"

Regime

A regime is the ruling government of a country. The amount of freedom and restriction that citizens of a country have can change from regime to regime. 1. The organization that is the governing authority of a political unit. 2. (medicine) A systematic plan for therapy (often including diet).

Remittance

A remittance is a payment that gets sent somewhere else. If you get a bill in the mail, you will usually have at least a week to send your remittance. 1. A payment of money sent to a person in another place.

Remnant

A remnant is something that's left over, once the rest is used up. If you plan to sew a shirt using only a remnant, it might have to be a midriff shirt. 1. A small part or portion that remains after the main part no longer exists. 2. A piece of cloth that is left over after the rest has been used or sold.

Rite

A rite is a ceremony or event that leads to a new phase of life, like high school graduation or a bat mitzvah. 1. Any customary observance or practice. 2. An established ceremony prescribed by a religion. "the rite of baptism"

Rogue

A rogue is a sneaky person who has tricks up his sleeve, not like a magician, but like someone who would steal your wallet or cheat at cards. 1. A deceitful and unreliable scoundrel.

Screed

A screed is a long, boring speech or piece of writing with a bad attitude, like a rant. If you've had enough and you're not going to take it anymore, go ahead and write an angry screed. 1. A long monotonous harangue. 2. A long piece of writing.

Shibboleth

A shibboleth is like a motto or catchphrase that members of a group tend to say, like the conservative shibboleth that the only good government is a small government. 1. A favorite saying of a sect or political group. 2. A manner of speaking that is distinctive of a particular group of people.

Spout

A spout is the narrow opening in the edge of a container that makes it easier to neatly pour its contents. A pitcher's spout helps you direct your orange juice into your glass. 1. Gush forth in a sudden stream or jet. 2. Talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner. 3. An opening that allows the passage of liquids or grain.

Supposition

A supposition is a guess or a hypothesis. Your supposition that your kids will automatically wash their hands before dinner is probably false. You'd best remind them to do it or risk dirty hands at dinner. 1. The cognitive process of supposing. 2. A message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence. 3. A hypothesis that is taken for granted.

Tapestry

A tapestry is a picture woven into cloth. It's a decorative rug you hang on the wall, with detailed images or designs on it. Some tapestries, like the famous Unicorn Tapestries, tell stories with their pictures. 1. Something that resembles a tapestry in its complex pictorial designs. "the tapestry of European history"

Oust

A teacher may oust you from class if you are being disruptive, or you might oust your class president from her position if you beat her in the election. To oust is to "expel," "kick out," or "remove and replace." 1. Remove from a position or office. "The chairman was ousted after he misappropriated funds" 2. Remove and replace. "The word processor has ousted the typewriter"

Tenet

A tenet is a principle or belief honored by a person or, more often, a group of people. "Seek pleasure and avoid pain" is a basic tenet of Hedonism. "God exists" is a tenet of most major religions. 1. A religious doctrine that is proclaimed as true without proof.

Virulent

A virulent disease is one that's infectious, spreading, and making lots of people sick, while a virulent rant is just a verbal attack, causing sickness of the emotional kind. Either way, something virulent puts a strain on the people who get it. 1. Extremely poisonous or injurious; producing venom. "a virulent insect bite" 2. Infectious; having the ability to cause disease. 3. Harsh or corrosive in tone.

Tyro

A tyro is a beginner, a new recruit, or someone who is just learning something. If you are the new guy at the job and you're wearing a big dorky badge that says "Trainee" on it, you are a tyro. 1. Someone new to a field or activity.

Virtuoso

A virtuoso is an incredibly talented musician. You can also be a virtuoso in non-musical fields.virtuoso A virtuoso is an incredibly talented musician. You can also be a virtuoso in non-musical fields. 1. Someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field. 2. A musician who is a consummate master of technique and artistry. 3. Having or revealing supreme mastery or skill. "a virtuoso performance" Synonyms: Consummate, Masterful, Masterly

Vivacious

A vivacious person is lively and spirited: a vivacious dancer might do a back-flip off the wall and then jump into the arms of her partner. 1. Vigorous and animated. "a charming and vivacious hostess" "a vivacious folk dance"

Exclusion

An exclusion is an instance of leaving something or someone out. If you love someone to the exclusion of all others, he or she is the only one for you! 1. A deliberate act of omission. 2. The state of being excluded. 3. The act of forcing out someone or something.

Afield

Afield means at a far distance. When you go far afield, you travel a very long way. 1. Far away from home or one's usual surroundings. ""looking afield for new lands to conquer"- R.A.Hall" 2. Off the subject; beyond the point at issue. "such digressions can lead us too far afield" 3. In or into a field (especially a field of battle). "the armies were afield, challenging the enemy's advance" "unlawful to carry hunting rifles afield until the season opens"

Parity

All things being equal, parity means, basically, equality. It's used in finance, physics, math, and even sports. When people talk about parity in a football league, for example, they mean the teams are evenly matched. Go, evenly matched team, go! 1. Functional equality.

Askew

Although it sounds like a sneeze, the word askew means lopsided or turned and tilted to the side. Like your glasses might be after, well, a sneeze. 1. Turned or twisted to one side. "rugs lying askew" 2. Turned or twisted toward one side.

ambient

Ambient is an adjective used to describe an aspect of the environment that completely surrounds you, but in a mellow way, like ambient music played softly throughout a restaurant, or the ambient orange glow during a setting sun. 1. Completely enveloping. "the ambient air" "ambient sound" "the ambient temperature"

Ambit

An ambit is the area or range that someone controls or affects. The kid who's voted president of her sixth grade class is going to be thrilled, despite her relatively small ambit. 1. An area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet". "the ambit of municipal legislation"

Anomaly

An anomaly is an abnormality, a blip on the screen of life that doesn't fit with the rest of the pattern. If you are a breeder of black dogs and one puppy comes out pink, that puppy is an anomaly. 1. Deviation from the normal or common order or form or rule. 2. A person who is unusual.

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 — like your antipathy for the Red Sox. 1. A feeling of intense dislike. 2. The object of a feeling of intense aversion; something to be avoided.

Antithesis

An antithesis is the complete opposite of something. Though the counterculture was strong in America in 1968, voters elected Richard Nixon, the antithesis of a hippie. 1. Exact opposite. "his theory is the antithesis of mine" 2. The juxtaposition of contrasting words or ideas to give a feeling of balance.

Arch

An arch is a shape that resembles an upside down "U." You may find this shape in a carefully tweezed eyebrow or in the famous golden pair that make you hunger for a Big Mac. 1. (architecture) A masonry construction (usually curved) for spanning an opening and supporting the weight above it. 2. Form an arch or curve. "her back arches" ****************************************************************** 3. Naughtily or annoyingly playful. ****************************************************************** 4. (used of behavior or attitude) Characteristic of those who treat others with condescension. 5. Expert in skulduggery.

Archetype

An archetype is a perfect example or model of something. If you have long blonde hair, a sparkly ball gown, and a fairy godmother hovering over your head, you're the archetype of a fairytale princess. 1. Something that serves as a model or a basis for making copies.

Alienation

An easy way to experience alienation from your nice-smelling friends is to go a month without bathing. Alienation is a state of being cut off or separate from a person or group of people. 1. The action of alienating; the action of causing to become unfriendly. 2. Separation resulting from hostility. 3. The feeling of being alienated from other people. 4. (law) The voluntary and absolute transfer of title and possession of real property from one person to another. "the power of alienation is an essential ingredient of ownership"

Emeritus

An emeritus is a retired college professor or minister. When a professor stops teaching, she might be given the title of emeritus, which basically means she can still be remembered as a successful professor. 1. A professor or minister who is retired from assigned duties. 2. Honorably retired from assigned duties and retaining your title along with the additional title`emeritus' as in `professor emeritus'.paean

Epistemological

An epistemological argument is a philosophical discussion about the nature of knowledge and how you know what you know.

Exception

An exception is something that is left out or not done on purpose. An exception to a rule does not follow that rule. 1. An instance that does not conform to a rule or generalization. "the only exception was her last child" "an exception tests the rule" 2. A deliberate act of omission. "with the exception of the children, everyone was told the news" 3. Grounds for adverse criticism. "his authority is beyond exception"

Ordeal

An ordeal is something difficult or painful to go through. Something kind of hard like taking a test can be an ordeal, but often an ordeal is a serious and long-lasting event, like an illness or tragedy. 1. A severe or trying experience. 2. A primitive method of determining a person's guilt or innocence by subjecting the accused person to dangerous or painful tests believed to be under divine control; escape was usually taken as a sign of innocence

Ordinance

An ordinance is a local law. Many cities have recently passed ordinances making it illegal to smoke indoors or mandatory for pet owners to curb their dogs. 1. An authoritative rule. 2. A statute enacted by a city government. 3. The act of ordaining; the act of conferring (or receiving) holy orders.

Guild

Another word for a club, group, or society is guild, meaning a group of people who have joined together in pursuit of a common interest. Many fraternal and theatrical organizations still maintain buildings called guild halls for meetings and activities. 1. A formal association of people with similar interests.

Formulaic

Anything formulaic follows a formula or pattern, especially in a mechanical, by-the-numbers way. A formulaic TV show is predictable and probably similar to lots of other shows. 1. Characterized by or in accordance with some formula.

Wearisome

Anything that's boring, tedious, or so dull that it puts you to sleep can be described as wearisome. Long bus rides and long classroom lectures can both be wearisome. 1. So lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness. "other people's dreams are dreadfully wearisome"

Thoroughgoing

Anything thoroughgoing is comprehensive — it pays extremely careful attention to details. Your thoroughgoing research most likely involved endless hours of sifting through multiple sources. 1. Performed comprehensively and completely. "thoroughgoing research" Synonyms: Exhaustive, Thorough. 2. Without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers. "a thoroughgoing villain"

Vexing

Anything vexing is bothersome or annoying. The noise of a car alarm is extremely vexing to everyone around. 1. Extremely annoying or displeasing. 2. Causing irritation or annoyance. "it is vexing to have to admit you are wrong"

BLOG ANYWHERE ANYTIME LEARNING

Anywhere Anytime Learning. Anywhere might be mere 8 letters but the brevity of the word, lies in how ingenious the reader is. If one were to ask me, Anywhere anytime learning has been since forever, just that the place, washroom is the same and its just that the newspapers have been replaced with the apps of our cell phones :) With advent of Siri, Cortana and the mystical woman behind google voice, learning couldn't have got more feasible. Learning has got so easy, all one has to do it use his/her thumb, touch that mic button and just "blah.....blah....blah...blah" and there conjures on your screen whatever you wanted to learn, its analogous to a kid using a thumb pin in the 1990's. We learn every single moment, you reading my blog is learning as well, it could be informative for some and may be for others who feel enthralled by this blog would want to learn who wrote this. Learning is indeed comprehensive - from the person sitting next to me learning that his girlfriend cheated on him, my 10-year old who learns daily something new about our universe from the app on his phone, to you learning how much did your company pay you this month on Ultimatix is nothing but learning. A thing about me is that I love to observe people specially in TCS for what keeps me intrigued is "How on earth does everyone appear so busy ?" :P and yes it didn't take me long, to learn that a copious number of people in there late twenties are preparing for a competitive exam, some even for 2 or many, after all its the same banal/cliché/trite/hackneyed Aptitude and English, oh and not to offend you please feel happy to replace English with "Logical reasoning". Trying hard not to digress, these contemporaries have now gone digital. With an app for every examination occupying bytes after bytes on their phone everyone has found a way out to sit through the long trite client meetings and hence the plausibility of them being busy or occupied/devoted. And it's not just office, they have even found a way out on how to make the best use of the time back home in their cabs. I dare you to make a conversation with them about what they preparing for, and I bet you would be shrugged off by a cold enough to draw that line. One wouldn't be wrong if he/she is inclined to the fact that it's only when we went digital that AAL (Anywhere Anytime Learning) burgeoned. Think again, we have always had Posters, hoardings, on the roadsides enough to sate one's mindfulness. AAL has always been around since forever, Old ways have evolved and so has the technology and so have the people. So, from my mum learning about how many calories in piece of jalebi to you learning about why "someone went bewafa" whether its over coffee or over tea, whether its night or early morning, Sir/Madam, wish you the best for your Anywhere Anytime learning. Yesterday I wanted to reach somewhere asking directions been replaced by GPS. Made me wonder if its the anywhere anytime learning that's making me less loquacious than I was. Give away information was a classic anywhere anytime learning. Aware- see knowldge on more stuff.

Apropos

Apropos means regarding or appropriate to, as in: Apropos of your interest in fishing, your grandfather gave you his set of championship lures, rods, reels and lucky tackle box. 1. Of an appropriate or pertinent nature. 2. Introducing a different topic; in point of fact. 3. At an opportune time. "your letter arrived apropos"

Jeer

As a noun, jeer is the act of scoffing, taunting, or mocking. Think of it as an anti-cheer. If you offer cheers for the visiting team and jeers for the home team, you might not be too popular in the stands. 1. Laugh at with contempt and derision. "The crowd jeered at the speaker" 2. Showing your contempt by derision.

Maraud

As a verb maraud means to rove about the countryside looking for goods to steal and in general, to make mayhem and trouble. The Gilbert and Sullivan opera "The Pirates of Penzance" is about a band of marauding pirates, the daughters of Major-General Stanley, and a big misunderstanding. 1. Raid and rove in search of booty. "maraudi ng rebels overran the countryside" 2. A sudden short attack.

Staunch

As an adjective, staunch means firm. You might want to go to that concert Friday night, but your parents' staunch opposition prevents you. 1. Firm and dependable especially in loyalty. "a staunch defender of free speech" 2. Stop the flow of a liquid. "staunch the blood flow"

Banner

As you listen to your guests sing to you on your birthday, you may see a long banner, or sign, hanging from the ceiling and announcing in sparkly letters, "Happy Birthday to You!" 1. Long strip of cloth or paper used for decoration or advertising. ****************************************************************** 2. Unusually good; outstanding. ******************************************************************

Communism

At the opposite end of the spectrum from capitalism, communism is an economic theory favoring a classless society and the abolition of private property. 1. A political theory favoring collectivism in a classless society. 2. A form of socialism that abolishes private ownership.

Attrition

Attrition is a gradual process of wearing down, weakening, or destroying something. 1. The act of rubbing together; wearing something down by friction. 2. The wearing down of rock particles by friction due to water or wind or ice. 3. A wearing down to weaken or destroy. "a war of attrition" 4. Sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation.

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 — someone with the behavior of a dictator. 1. Characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule; having absolute sovereignty. "autocratic government" 2. Offensively self-assured or given to exercising usually unwarranted power. "an autocratic person" "autocratic behavior"

Bashful

Bashful means shy or timid. You might feel bashful when meeting a famous actress, a high-ranking government official, or just someone whom you find really good-looking. 1. Self-consciously timid. "I never laughed, being bashful" 2. Disposed to avoid notice. "they considered themselves a tough outfit and weren't bashful about letting anybody know it" "(`blate' is a Scottish term for bashful)"

Beatification

Beatification is making someone blissful or extremely happy. It's also an action by the Pope that honors a dead person for being holy. 1. The action of rendering supremely blessed and extremely happy. 2. A state of supreme happiness.

Adherent

Because an adherent is usually something or someone that sticks to something or someone else, it's logical that it can also mean a person who believes in and supports a certain philosophy or leader. 1. someone who believes and helps to spread the doctrine of another. 2. Sticking fast.

Permissive

Being permissive is the opposite of being strict. Permissive parents let their kids stay up later and have more sweets. 1. Granting or inclined or able to grant permission; not strict in discipline. "direct primary legislation is largely permissive rather than prescriptive" "permissive parents" 2. Not preventive.

Blasphemous

Blasphemous is an adjective that describes profane words and actions, especially when they are connected to something religious. If you draw Jesus Christ wearing lipstick or call Buddha a fat slob, you're displaying blasphemous behavior. 1. Grossly irreverent toward what is held to be sacred. "blasphemous rites of a witches' Sabbath" 2. Characterized by profanity or cursing. "foul-mouthed and blasphemous"

Boisterous

Boisterous is a word used to describe someone spirited, loud, and slightly out of control — like someone with a spring in their step and a song in their heart singing to strangers on the street. 1. Full of rough and exuberant animal spirits. "boisterous practical jokes" 2. Noisy and lacking in restraint or discipline. "a boisterous crowd" 3. Violently agitated and turbulent. "boisterous winds and waves"

Quarry

Both meanings of quarry have to do with going after something. An animal being hunted is called quarry, and when you dig a hole in the earth looking for rocks, both the digging and the hole are called quarry as well. 1. Animal hunted or caught for food. 2. A person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence. 3. A surface excavation for extracting stone or slate. 4. Extract (something such as stones) from or as if from a quarry. "quarry marble"

Torment

By repeatedly trying to make someone miserable you torment them. The noun torment is the result of the verb torment.. 1. Intense feelings of suffering; acute mental or physical pain. "the torments of the damned" 2. Unbearable physical pain. 3. Treat cruelly. "The children tormented the stuttering teacher" 4. The act of harassing someone. 5. Subject to torture. "The sinners will be tormented in Hell, according to the Bible"

Cast generalizations so wide

Cast generalizations so wide => Indicates that the book is unconvincing.

Clairvoyance

Clairvoyance is a magical kind of intuition. You could attempt to prove your clairvoyance by predicting which team will win the Superbowl. 1. Apparent power to perceive things that are not present to the senses.

Cleave

Cleave, a verb, has two very different meanings. It can describe cutting or splitting something apart with a sharp instrument, or — oddly enough — it can describe sticking to something like glue. 1. Separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument. "cleave the bone" 2. Make by cutting into. "The water is going to cleave a channel into the rock" 3. come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation. Synonyms: Adhere, Cling, Cohere, Stick

Confluence

Confluence means a flowing together. In a literal sense, it's about rivers. But it's more often used to talk about the coming together of factors or ideas, or of cultures in a diverse city. 1. A place where things merge or flow together (especially rivers). "Pittsburgh is located at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers" 2. A coming together of people. Synonyms: Concourse

Credo

Credo is Latin for, literally, "I believe," and originally meant a particular religious belief. Now it has the far broader meaning of any system of principles that guide a person or group. 1. Any system of principles or beliefs.

Occult

Dark and mysterious, the occult is a kind of supernatural power or magic. If you see your neighbor chanting over a giant vat of bubbling brew in the middle of the night, there's a chance he's dabbling in the occult. 1. Supernatural forces and events and beings collectively. 2. Hide from view. "The lids were occulting her eyes" 3. Supernatural practices and techniques. "he is a student of the occult"

Dialectic

Dialectic is a formal system of reasoning that arrives at the truth through the exchange of logical arguments. 1. A contradiction of ideas that serves as the determining factor in their interaction. "this situation created the inner dialectic of American history" 2. Any formal system of reasoning that arrives at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments.

Feint

Did you ever tell your parents you were going off to school, grabbed your book bag, and headed out the door... only to spend the rest of the day hanging out with your friends? Well, that was a feint, a super sneaky move designed to fool someone. 1. Any distracting or deceptive maneuver (as a mock attack). 2. Deceive by a mock action. "The midfielder feinted to shoot"

Dire

Dire refers to situations or events that cause great fear and worry. A dire calamity causes much suffering. 1. Fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless. "a dire emergency" 2. Causing fear or dread or terror. "dire news"

Discredit

Discredit means to cause mistrust or cast the accuracy of something into doubt. If you say that schooling is important to you, but you never study, your actions discredit you and your words. 1. The state of being held in low esteem. "your actions will bring discredit to your name" 2. Damage the reputation of. "This newspaper story discredits the politicians" 3. Reject as false; refuse to accept. 4. Cause to be distrusted or disbelieved. "The paper discredited the politician with its nasty commentary"

Dispassionate

Dispassionate describes someone who is not getting carried away by—or maybe not even having—feelings. It's something you'd want to see in a surgeon, who keeps cool under pressure, but not in a romantic partner. 1. Unaffected by strong emotion or prejudice. "a journalist should be a dispassionate reporter of fact"

Dogma

Dogma means the doctrine of belief in a religion or a political system. 1. A doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative. "he believed all the Marxist dogma" 2. A religious doctrine that is proclaimed as true without proof.

Unremitting

During a heat wave, it's not always the temperature itself that's a problem. It's that the heat is unremitting--you don't get a break from it. It's sweltering hot day after day after day. 1. Uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing. "unremitting demands of hunger"

ESB

ESB- Stands for Enterprise Service Bus. What is the need For ESB ? In smaller environment we had "client-Server" system, which indeed worked like a charm in the snaller environment ! until its nemesis "a bigger environment" comes in to the picture !. Smaaler environment meant a smaller number of Requests. Smaller requests meant smaller responses, say one request and one resposne. But in bigegr Environments, like "Banking" 10 different applications work in 10 different applications in the frontend itself and 10 diferent Backend responses in 10 other different languages meant copious number of interface requirements. So, ESB was neded to act as an intermediator between the backend and Frontend in bigger environments. Wish ESB to interact with the consumer, one language is suffice and for the response from the backend also meant an evern lesser number of interfaces ! So ESB acts as a middleware between the consumer and the host/provider. The services are constituted of many different operations. An operation has a request and a response. For servicces we haev 2 files - WISDL and Schema(.XSD). The consumer sends the fields to ESB and ESB gets a resposne from the provider. A datatype "complex datatype" is one which is constituted of many fields. Like "Address" may be constitued of "Flat no.", "Street no." etc. Based on Complex types, WISDL anad Schema filesd differ. For, WISDL its in the same file that the complex type is referred ! Whereas in the Schema file Complex fields may be referred in the same file or referred from some other "entity file". If for one request from the consumer we get one response from the producer, we call such operation as "Atomic" operation. Many "Atomic" operation coalesce to make a "Composite operation". In case of Composite Operations, first request is send by the consumer to ESB. ESB then sends it to the Host, and the same response will act as a request to some other Host, until the desired respose to be sent to the "Requestor" is recieved by the ESB. To keep track of the variables, there are 2 kinds of Mappings, "ESB Consumer Mapping" and "ESB Provider Mapping" and as the eponym suggests, "ESB consumer Mapping" is between the ESB and the Consumer, whereas the "ESB Provider Mapping" is between the ESB and the Provider. Hitherto, for commutation of the requests and responses SOAP protocol was used over HTTPs. But now, SOAP is used over REST. And this SOAP over REST is referred as "API". An API is constituted of 4 components: #Method - which may be POST, GET, PUT or DELETE. #URI #QuerryString and #Body

Subliminal

Each of your five senses constantly sends new information to your brain. And there's another way your brain receives information: through subliminal messages. The unconscious mind picks up on things you don't even realize. 1. Below the threshold of conscious perception. Synonyms: Imperceptible, Unperceivable

Elitist

Elitist is another word for snob.If you wear only the finest silk suits, expect caviar at every meal, and refuse to speak to anyone who doesn't have a PhD, then you might be an elitist. 1. Someone who believes in rule by an elite group.

Emphatic

Emphatic means forceful and clear. Nicole's mother was emphatic when she told her not to come home late again. 1. Spoken with emphasis. "an emphatic word" 2. Sudden and strong. "an emphatic no" 3. Forceful and definite in expression or action. "the document contained a particularly emphatic guarantee of religious liberty"

Liaison

Employ the French-sounding word liaison to refer to a relationship, a link between people or groups who aids communication. 1. A channel for communication between groups. "he provided a liaison with the guerrillas" 2. A usually secretive or illicit romantic relationship.

Exhilaration

Exhilaration is great joy, and excitement and liveliness! When you ride an ocean wave, hear a favorite song, or have a long and uncontrollable laugh with friends, there's a feeling of exhilaration, an overflow of happiness. 1. The feeling of lively and cheerful joy.

Delirium

Experiencing delirium? Then you're out of your mind and so excited you're hallucinating. Many things can cause delirium, including illness, high stress, and your team winning the World Series after 100 years of trying. 1. A usually brief state of excitement and mental confusion often accompanied by hallucinations. 2. State of violent mental agitation.

Extrication

Extrication is when you set someone or something free. If your dog gets tangled in your neighbor's hammock, she might require some extrication. 1. The act of releasing from a snarled or tangled condition.

Fisticuffs

Fisticuffs is the act of fighting, or boxing, with bare hands. A heated argument can sometimes end in fisticuffs, with both participants punching wildly at each other. 1. A fight with bare fists. 2. Fighting with the fists.

Folly

Folly is a noun that means "foolish or crazy behavior." It would be folly to spend all night playing video games when you have a difficult exam the next day. 1. The trait of acting stupidly or rashly. 2. The quality of being rash and foolish. "trying to drive through a blizzard is the height of folly" 3. A stupid mistake. 4. Foolish or senseless behavior.

Fortified

Fortified means strengthened or protected. When you've taken lots of vitamins, you should be fortified against getting sick! 1. Having something added to increase the strength. "fortified wine" 2. Secured with bastions or fortifications.

Exhort

French roots for the word exhort mean "thoroughly encourage," so to exhort is to fill up with encouragement! "When he heard the crowd exhort him with stomping and cheers, he knew that he could finish the marathon." 1. Spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts. 2. Force or impel in an indicated direction Synonyms: Press, Urge, Urge on.

Effusive

Getting a compliment from your effusive Aunt Sally can be a little embarrassing. Since she's so effusive, Aunt Sally holds nothing back, gushing with enthusiasm. 1. Uttered with unrestrained enthusiasm. 2. Extravagantly demonstrative. "insincere and effusive demonstrations of sentimental friendship"

Graft

Graft can mean bribery or corruption. It's also a way of transplanting skin or bones in medicine, as in a skin graft. 1. Cause to grow together parts from different plants. "graft the cherry tree branch onto the plum tree" 2. The practice of offering something (usually money) in order to gain an illicit advantage. Synonyms: Bribery

Gratuitous

Gratuitous means "without cause" or "unnecessary." Telling ridiculous jokes at a somber occasion would be a display of gratuitous humor. 1. Unnecessary and unwarranted. 2. Without cause. "a gratuitous insult" 3. Costing nothing.

Finesse

Having finesse means you can handle difficult situations with diplomacy and tact, like the finesse it takes to help two friends work out their differences — without taking sides or alienating either one. 1. Subtly skillful handling of a situation.

Hearken

Hearken is an old fashioned form of the word hark, meaning "to listen" (see hark). In the Bible, prophets and saints are always telling people to hearken to their words. 1. Listen; used mostly in the imperative.

Hegemony

Hegemony is political or cultural dominance or authority over others. The hegemony of the popular kids over the other students means that they determine what is and is not cool. 1. The dominance or leadership of one social group or nation over others. "the hegemony of a single member state is not incompatible with a genuine confederation" "to say they have priority is not to say they have complete hegemony" "the consolidation of the United States' hegemony over a new international economic system"

Hideous

Hideous is a word that means extremely ugly. Anything or anybody that is painful — and a little scary — to look at is hideous. 1. Grossly offensive to decency or morality; causing horror. "a hideous pattern of injustice" 2. So extremely ugly as to be terrifying. "a hideous scar"

Overwrought

High on drama and lacking any emotional restraint, overwrought is an adjective that means deeply, excessively agitated or nervous. 1. Deeply agitated especially from emotion.

Objurgate

How dare you! To objurgate is to scold or reprimand. Don't objurgate yourself, or beat yourself up if you didn't know it — it's an old word that people don't use much anymore. 1. Censure severely. Synonyms: Castigate, Chasten, Chastise, Correct. 2. Express strong disapproval of. Synonyms: Condemn, Decry, Excoriate, Reprobate.

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. 1. Impossible to avoid or evade:"inescapable conclusion" "an ineluctable destiny" Synonyms: Inescapable, Unavoidable, Inexorable, Inevitable.

Uncharted

If a place is uncharted, it means it isn't found on any map, like the uncharted wilderness settlers found when heading west, or, more figuratively — the uncharted territory of a new strategy. 1. (of unknown regions) Not yet surveyed or investigated. "uncharted seas"

Remiss

If it's your turn to bring in the coffee and donuts for your early morning meeting, and you forget, then your co-workers can say that you were remiss in fulfilling your responsibility to keep them awake with sugar and caffeine. Don't expect to get much done at your meeting. 1. Failing in what duty requires. "remiss of you not to pay your bills"

Discursive

If people accuse you of rambling from topic to topic in your speech or writing, they may say you have a discursive style — with changes in subject that are hard to follow. But it's okay because unicorns are shiny. 1. Proceeding to a conclusion by reason or argument rather than intuition. 2. (of e.g. speech and writing) Tending to depart from the main point or cover a wide range of subjects. "a rambling discursive book"

Reductionist

If someone believes that you can break complex theories into simple, smaller parts, you can call that person a reductionist. A reductionist might explain religion, for example, as simply an attempt to explain why the world exists. 1. Of or relating to the theory of reductionism. "reductionist arguments"

Revered

If someone is revered, it means he or she is held in deep respect and devotion. Religious leaders, saints, and martyrs are often considered as revered. Celebrities? Not so much. There's a touch of the other worldly about revered. 1. Profoundly honored. "revered holy men"

Recalcitrant

If someone is so pig-headed that he won't budge on an issue, call him recalcitrant. Not that it will make a difference... 1. Stubbornly resistant to authority or control. 2. Marked by stubborn resistance to authority. "the University suspended the most recalcitrant demonstrators"

Quintessential

If someone tells you you're the quintessential rock musician, that means they think that everything about you screams "rock and roll." Quintessential means embodying or possessing the essence of something. 1. Representing the perfect example of a class or quality.

Stigma

If something has a negative association attached to it, call this a stigma. Bed-wetting can lead to a social stigma for a six year old, while chewing tobacco might have the same effect for a sixty year old. 1. Symbol of disgrace or infamy.

Irredeemable

If something is beyond all hope, you can describe it as irredeemable — like your disastrously bad performance at the school talent show. 1. Insusceptible of reform. "irredeemable sinners" 2. (of paper money) Not convertible into coin at the pleasure of the holder.

Unduly /Undue

If something is done unduly, it's done out of proportion with what's reasonable or right. If you're unduly treated, you're not treated in the way you deserve to be. 1. To an undue degree. "she was unduly pessimistic about her future" 2. Excessive. Undue When something isn't appropriate or justified, you can describe it as undue. For example, an undue delay in a hospital waiting room can be dangerous for someone with a bad injury. 1. Not appropriate or proper (or even legal) in the circumstances. "undue influence" "I didn't want to show undue excitement" "accused of using undue force" 2. Lacking justification or authorization. "desire for undue private profit" 3. Beyond normal limits. "his dress stops just short of undue elegance"

Recurrence

If something is happening yet again, there's a recurrence of it. Most sports fans hope there isn't a recurrence of last year's losing season. 1. Happening again (especially at regular intervals).

Oblique

If something is oblique, it has a slanting position or direction. In figurative use, oblique means indirect or purposely misleading. "What is two plus two?" "Fish!" as an answer is completely oblique. 1. Slanting or inclined in direction or course or position--neither parallel nor perpendicular nor right-angled. "the oblique rays of the winter sun" "acute and obtuse angles are oblique angles" "the axis of an oblique cone is not perpendicular to its base" 2. Indirect in departing from the accepted or proper way; misleading. "gave oblique answers to direct questions" "oblique political maneuvers"

Outlandish

If something is outlandish it's bizarre or unfamiliar, far outside the boundaries of expected or normal behavior. Driving around the city in a golf cart and eating spaghetti with pineapple sauce are both examples of outlandish behavior. 1. Conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual. "the outlandish clothes of teenagers"

Revile

If something is reviled, you alone don't dislike it; a whole community of like-minded souls has to hate its guts. For instance, spam is widely reviled. (The junk e-mails, not the potted meat. Somebody out there really does like that potted meat.). 1. Spread negative information about. Synonyms: Rail, Vilify, Vituperate.

Tame

If something is tame, it cannot surprise or injure you. It's predictable. Tame can be used as an adjective or verb. A circus lion is tame (adjective) because it's been tamed (verb). A "lion-tamer" beat the wildness out of it. 1. Brought from wildness into a domesticated state "tame animals" "fields of tame blueberries" 2. Very docile. "tame obedience" 3. Overcome the wildness of; make docile and tractable "He tames lions for the circus" 4.Make less strong or intense; soften. "The author finally tamed some of his potentially offensive statements" 5. Correct by punishment or discipline.

Vogue

If something is the latest vogue, it is the latest fashion. When your new hairstyle catches on, it's in vogue — or if it becomes unpopular, it's not. 1. A current state of general acceptance and use. 2. The popular taste at a given time. "leather is the latest vogue"

Inviolate

If something's inviolate, it'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. 1. Must be kept sacred. Synonyms: Inviolable, Sacrosanct.

Despise

If the mere thought of a burrito with sour cream in it turns your stomach, you could say that you despise sour cream. You loathe it, abhor it, hate it, and think it's vile. 1. Look down on with disdain. "He despises the people he has to work for"

Orotund / Orotundity

If the reviews of your concert describe your singing as orotund, you can pop open the champagne — your reviewers have noticed your full, rich sound. 1. Ostentatiously lofty in style. 2. (of sounds) Full and rich. "orotund tones"

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." 1. Resembling or characteristic of or appropriate to an elegy. "an elegiac poem on a friend's death" 2. Expressing sorrow often for something past. "an elegiac lament for youthful ideals"

Perky

If you are a perky person, you are upbeat, lively and positive. A perky friend would be the one who's always up for games and activities and constantly declaring, "Hey guys, this is fun!" 1. Characterized by liveliness and lightheartedness "a perky little widow in her 70s"

Pacify

If you are bringing peace or calm to a state of unrest, you are pacifying the situation. Just think of the transformation a squalling baby undergoes when a pacifier is placed within his mouth, and you will remember the power of the verb to pacify. 1. Cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of. 2. Fight violence and try to establish peace in (a location). "The U.N. troops are working to pacify Bosnia"

Circumspect

If you are circumspect, you think carefully before doing or saying anything. A good quality in someone entrusted with responsibility, though sometimes boring in a friend. 1. Heedful of potential consequences. "circumspect actions" "physicians are now more circumspect about recommending its use"

Conservative

If you are conservative, you aren't necessarily a card-carrying member of the Republican party (though you might be); it means you resist change. 1. Resistant to change. 2. Conforming to the standards and conventions of the middle class. 3. Unimaginatively conventional. 4. A person who is reluctant to accept changes and new ideas.

Writ

If you are ever served with a writ, then you better do what it says. A writ is a written document issuing a legal order. 1. (law) A legal document issued by a court or judicial officer.

Fuss

If you are making a fuss, settle down! A fuss is a state of excitement, and it's usually about something not worth worrying or "fussing" about. 1. An excited state of agitation. 2. Worry unnecessarily or excessively. "don't fuss too much over the grandchildren--they are quite big now" 3.An angry disturbance. "he didn't want to make a fuss" 4. A quarrel about petty points.

Politic

If you are politic, you are smooth and diplomatic. You'd probably make a good politician. 1. Marked by artful prudence, expedience, and shrewdness. "it is neither polite nor politic to get into other people's quarrels" "a politic decision" "a politic manager" "a politic old scoundrel" "a shrewd and politic reply" 2. Smoothly agreeable and courteous with a degree of sophistication. "he was too politic to quarrel with so important a personage"

Amorous

If you are shot with a mythological arrow by Cupid, the Greek god of love, you may find yourself making amorous advances on the next person you meet. Amorous means having strong feelings of love, especially sexual love. 1. Inclined toward or displaying love. "feeling amorous" 2. Expressive of or exciting sexual love or romance. "amorous glances"

Tendentious

If you are writing a report on climate change and you ignore evidence that the earth is warming, the paper might be called tendentious. Tendentious means promoting a specific, and controversial, point of view. 1. Having or marked by a strong tendency/bias especially a controversial one. "a tendentious account of recent elections" "distinguishing between verifiable fact and tendentious assertion"

Botch

If you botch something, you make a mess of it or you ruin it. If you totally botch your lines in the school play, you stammer and stutter your way through the whole thing. 1. Make a mess of, destroy or ruin. "I botched the dinner and we had to eat out" 2. An embarrassing mistake.

Fop

If you know someone who's obsessed with how he looks and what he's wearing, you can call him a fop. If you're a fop, you make sure you're always well dressed. 1. A man who is much concerned with his dress and appearance.

Neurotic

If you call someone neurotic, you are saying she is stressed out. Neurotic can be a psychological term or it can be used more loosely. You may have a neurotic tendency to bite your nails or to pull out your hair. Ouch. 1. Characteristic of or affected by neurosis. "neurotic disorder" "neurotic symptoms" 2. Affected with emotional disorder.

Narcissistic

If you can't stop talking about yourself and obsess constantly about the way you look, you could be exhibiting narcissistic tendencies, meaning you're obsessed with yourself, especially your outside appearance. 1. Characteristic of those having an inflated idea of their own importance.

Accord

If you clean your room of your own accord, your parents will be pleased—it means you did it without having to be asked. They might even accord you an extra privilege. Warring nations make peace accords. 1. Concurrence of opinion. "we are in accord with your proposal" 2. Be harmonious or consistent with. 3. Allow to have.

Supersede

If you click on the link after this description, a new screen will supersede, or replace, this one. A longer description will supplant, or supersede, by replacing this brief one. 1. Take the place or move into the position of.

Indiscretion

If you commit an indiscretion you are doing something wrong that shows a lack of judgment. Perhaps stealing candy was your first indiscretion. Likely it will not be your last. 1. The trait of being injudicious. 2. A petty misdeed.

Quarantine

If you contract something highly infectious, such as pinkeye, please quarantine yourself so that you don't infect others with it. This means you'll have to stay in isolation and avoid contact with other people. 1. Place into enforced isolation, as for medical reasons. "My dog was quarantined before he could live in England"

Amuse

If you enjoy making people laugh, you like to amuse them, which is a good trait to have as long as you don't amuse people during a math test or other solemn occasion. 1. Occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion. "The play amused the ladies" 2. Make (somebody) laugh. "The clown amused the children"

Ensconce

If you ensconce yourself somewhere, you settle in for quite a while, such as when you're home with the flu and ensconce yourself on the couch with the remote control, tissues, your phone, and a big glass of orange juice. 1. Fix firmly. "He ensconced himself in the chair"

Allure

If you find yourself making eyes at that stranger across the coffee shop, chances are there is an allure about him or her — something mysteriously, powerfully attractive and tempting. 1. The power to entice or attract through personal charm. 2. Dispose or incline or entice to.

Hurtle

If you forcefully throw or fling something, you hurtle it. In a food fight, you may hurtle chocolate pudding across the room, but be prepared for someone to launch peas at you in retaliation. Duck! 1. Move with or as if with a rushing sound. "The cars hurtled by" 2. Throw forcefully. 3. Make a thrusting forward movement.

Astray

If you go astray, you lose the path. If you went to college intending to become a doctor, but instead became interested in making violent video games, your parents might feel you have gone astray. 1. Away from the right path or direction. "he was led astray" 2. Far from the intended target. "a bullet went astray and killed a bystander"

Patina

If you have an old bronze sculpture with a surface that has oxidized and turned green or brown, that coating is called a patina. A patina can appear on anything made of metal. 1. A fine coating of oxide on the surface of a metal. ******************************************************************2. Gives appearance of. ******************************************************************

Urge

If you have an urge to eat candy, you really want to eat those sweets. Your mother might urge you to wait until after dinner. As a noun, urge means a desire. As a verb, it means to strongly encourage. 1. Force or impel in an indicated direction. "I urged him to finish his studies" 2. Push for something. 3. An instinctive motive. Synonyms: Impulse. 4. A strong, restless desire. "why this urge to travel?"

Leverage

If you have leverage, you hold the advantage in a situation or the stronger position in a contest, physical or otherwise. 1. The mechanical advantage gained by being in a position to use a lever. 2. Strategic advantage; power to act effectively. "relatively small groups can sometimes exert immense political leverage" 3. Supplement with leverage. "leverage the money that is already available"

Inoculate

If you inoculate someone, you try to make him immune to a disease by injecting a little dose of it, so his body can make antibodies to fight it off. When you were little you probably got a vaccine to inoculate you against smallpox. 1. Impregnate with the virus or germ of a disease in order to render immune. 2. Perform vaccinations or produce immunity in by inoculation. 3. Introduce an idea or attitude into the mind of. "My teachers inoculated me with their beliefs" 4. Insert a bud for propagation.

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. 1. Expressing extreme contempt.

Braggart

If you know someone who is a real show off and is always bragging about how great they are, then you might call this boaster a braggart. 1. A very boastful and talkative person. 2. Exhibiting self-importance.

Mordant

If you like mordant and "The Addams Family," you have a taste for mordant entertainment — that is, anything particularly grim or dark in nature. 1. Harshly ironic or sinister. "fun ranging from slapstick clowning ... to savage mordant wit" 2. Of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action. Synonyms: Caustic, Corrosive, Erosive, Vitriolic

Cordial

If you like someone but you wouldn't say they're your friend, you might describe your relationship as cordial. Use cordial to describe a greeting or relationship that is friendly and sincere. 1. Politely warm and friendly. "a cordial handshake" 2. Diffusing warmth and friendliness. "cordial relations" "a cordial greeting" 3. Sincerely or intensely felt. "a cordial regard for his visitor's comfort" "a cordial abhorrence of waste"

Fundamentalist

If you love to talk about what a strict vegan you are, your friends might start calling you a fundamentalist, or a person who sticks very closely to a particular set of principles. 1. A supporter of fundamentalism. 2. Of or relating to or tending toward fundamentalism.

Malign

If you malign someone, you badmouth them — just like the jilted girlfriend who tells the whole school her ex has bad breath and head lice. 1. Speak unfavorably about. 2. Evil or harmful in nature or influence. "prompted by malign motives" "believed in witches and malign spirits" "gave him a malign look" "a malign lesion"

Proprietary

If you own something, especially something of value, then you have proprietary rights. The word is most often used in relation to new inventions or patents. 1. Protected by trademark or patent or copyright; made or produced or distributed by one having exclusive rights. "`Tylenol' is a proprietary drug of which `acetaminophen' is the generic form 2. An unincorporated business owned by a single person who is responsible for its liabilities and entitled to its profits.

Contingency

If you plan to walk home if the weather is nice, but bring subway fare just in case, then taking the subway is your contingency plan. A contingency is an event you can't be sure will happen or not. 1. The state of being contingent on something. 2. A possible event or occurrence or result.

Rave

If you rave about a book you just read, you're telling people you think it's great, or you're giving it a rave review.

Nihilist

If you reject all moral beliefs and take the view that life has no meaning, you could be called a nihilist. 1. Someone who rejects all theories of morality or religious belief. 2. An advocate of anarchism.

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. 1. Reject with contempt. "She spurned his advances"

Surmise

If you see the empty ice cream containers, the sprinkles littering the ground, a kicked can of Reddi-wip in the trash, you can surmise what has happened: Sundaes. To surmise is to form an opinion or make a guess about something. 1. Infer from incomplete evidence. 2. Imagine to be the case or true or probable. "I surmised that the butler did it" 3. A message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence.

Disapprobation

If you show up for Thanksgiving dinner an hour late and covered in mud from a tag football game, your parents will give you a look of disapprobation. This means they seriously disapprove of your actions, despite the fact that you scored the winning touchdown. 1. An expression of strong disapproval; pronouncing as wrong or morally culpable.

Totter

If you spin yourself around until you are dizzy, you will likely totter if you try to step forward. Totter is a verb that means "move unsteadily, as though you are about to fall down." 1. Move without being stable, as if threatening to fall. "The drunk man tottered over to our table" 2. Move unsteadily, with a rocking motion. 3. Walk unsteadily.

Bluster

If you tell the captain of the basketball team that you're going to beat him at a game of hoops even though you've never played, you're speaking with a lot of bluster or false confidence and bravado. 1. Blow hard; be gusty, as of wind. "A southeaster blustered onshore" "The flames blustered" 2. Act in an arrogant, overly self-assured, or conceited manner. 3. Show off. 4. A swaggering show of courage.

Ancillary

If you use the adjective ancillary to describe your position you are subordinate or supporting something or someone else. 1. Furnishing added support. "an ancillary pump"

Discourse

If you use the word discourse, you are describing a formal and intense discussion or debate. 1. An extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic. 2. Consider or examine in speech or writing. Synonyms: Discuss, Talk about. 3. Carry on a conversation. Synonyms: Converse 4. Talk at length and formally about a topic.

Magniloquent

If you want to impress people, you might try using magniloquent language. That is, fancy and flowery language. For instance, you could use the word magniloquent, which come to think of it, is a magniloquent word itself. 1. Lofty in style.

Canny

If you're a canny investor, you know how to spend money to make money — that is, you're prudent, farsighted, and capable of protecting your own interests, particularly in matters of finance or business. 1. Showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others.

Callow

If you're a rookie or new to something, you could be described as callow — like callow freshmen in high school or the callow receptionist who can't figure out how to transfer a call. 1. Young and inexperienced.

Certitude

If you're absolutely convinced your team is going to the Super Bowl, you state it with certitude or confidence. 1. Total certainty or greater certainty than circumstances warrant.

Blissful

If you're blissful, you're happy and at peace. You can never have too many blissful moments. 1. Completely happy and contented. "blissful young lovers" "in blissful ignorance

Delirious

If you're delirious you're uncontrollably excited or a bit crazy, like when you win the lottery and run screaming through the streets, delirious with happiness. 1. Experiencing delirium. 2. Marked by uncontrolled excitement or emotion. "a crowd of delirious baseball fans"

Predicament

If you're engaged to get married, but suddenly fall in love with someone else, you have got yourself in quite a predicament. A predicament is a difficult, confusing, and unpleasant situation. 1. A situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one. "finds himself in a most awkward predicament"

Intuitive

If you're intuitive, you can probably guess what this word means just by looking at it. No? Maybe you're not so intuitive, after all. Intuitive means having the ability to understand or know something without any direct evidence or reasoning process. 1. Spontaneously derived from or prompted by a natural tendency. "an intuitive revulsion" 2. Obtained through intuition rather than from reasoning or observation.

Mettlesome

If you're spirited and brave, you're mettlesome. It takes a mettlesome person to hike the Appalachian Trail all alone. 1. Having a proud and unbroken spirit. 2. Willing to face danger.

Incapacitated

If you've been sick with the flu for a week, barely able to get out of bed, then you've got an idea of what it's like to be incapacitated. Incapacitated means "empty of strength," "helpless," or "powerless." 1. Lacking in or deprived of strength or power.

Giddy

If you've ever spun in circles until you fell to the ground laughing, you know how it feels to be giddy. This adjective can mean dizzy, elated, or — as in the spinning around example -- a lightheaded, lighthearted combination of the two. 1. Lacking seriousness; given to frivolity. 2. Having or causing a whirling sensation; liable to falling. "had a headache and felt giddy" "a giddy precipice"

Travail

If you'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 you've endured significant travail. In other words, back-breakingly hard mental exertion or physical labor. 1. Use of physical or mental energy; hard work. 2. Work hard.

Synoptic

If you've heard of a movie synopsis, which gives an overview of the plot, you can guess what synoptic means: summarizing. At the end of your 900-page treatise on morals, try to give a synoptic conclusion to drive your ideas home. 1. Presenting a summary or general view of a whole. "a synoptic presentation of a physical theory" 2. Presenting or taking the same point of view; used especially with regard to the first three gospels of the New Testament. "synoptic sayings"

Oodles

When you have oodles of something, you have a whole lot of it. If you have a big bowl of spaghetti, then you can say that you have "oodles of noodles." 1. A large number or amount.

Slander

If your classmate spreads a false rumor that you cheated on the math test, that's slander. Slander is the act of saying an untrue, negative statement about someone. 1. Words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another. 2. An abusive attack on a person's character or good name. 3. Charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone.

Demur

If your mother asks you to clean your room and you refuse, you demur. And if your friend invites you to the Death Metal Forever concert but you hesitate, you demur. Whether you object, politely disagree, or hesitate, you demur. 1. Take exception to. "he demurred at my suggestion to work on Saturday" 2. (law) A formal objection to an opponent's pleadings.

Injunction

If your school begins building a swimming pool on land that does not belong to it, the city might issue an injunction to stop it. An injunction is an official order issued by a judge. 1. (law) A judicial remedy issued in order to prohibit a party from doing or continuing to do a certain activity. "injunction were formerly obtained by writ but now by a judicial order" 2. A formal command or admonition.

Immolate

Immolate is a verb that means to destroy something or someone, usually using fire, as a sacrifice to a higher cause. Do not try this at home. 1. Offer as a sarifice by killing or by giving up to destruction.expound "The Aztecs immolated human victims" "immolate the valuables at the temple"

Improvisation

Improvisation is making it up as you go along, like taking a long stroll with no destination in mind and walking down random streets for the fun of it. 1. A performance given extempore without planning or preparation. 2. A creation spoken or written or composed extemporaneously (without prior preparation). 3. An unplanned expedient.

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. 1. Lacking propriety and good taste in manners and conduct. "indecorous behavior" 2.

Invigorate

Invigorate means to give strength or energy to something or someone. If you're the new cheerleading coach, you can invigorate the team by bringing them your exciting new cheers, and the team's growing popularity will invigorate them even more. 1. Give life or energy to. "The cold water invigorated him" 2. Impart vigor, strength, or vitality to. "Exercise is invigorating" 3. Heighten or intensify. 4. Make lively.

Inviting

Inviting things are very appealing. Your host's inviting smile makes you truly feel welcomed and even a little bit charmed. 1. Attractive and tempting. "an inviting offer"

Ramshackle

Is your house in terrible condition? Does the roof leak? Is it half tumbling down? Congratulations! It's ramshackle — in other words, in terrible condition and barely holding together. 1. In deplorable condition. "a ramshackle old pier"

Augury

Is your team losing 15-0? Has your girlfriend just slapped your face? Dude, these are auguries — signs of how things are going to work out in the future. And these two examples don't look good. 1. An event that is experienced as indicating important things to come. "he hoped it was an augury"

Acquisitive

It may seem like your acquisitive cousin never talks about anything but shopping. Someone who's acquisitive is preoccupied with possessing material things. 1. Eager to acquire and possess things especially material possessions or ideas. "an acquisitive mind" "an acquisitive society in which the craving for material things seems never satisfied"

Levity

Joking that your dead grandmother "never looked better" could inject some levity, or frivolity, into her funeral, but your relatives might find your joke inappropriate to the occasion. 1. A manner lacking seriousness. 2. Feeling an inappropriate lack of seriousness.

Lethal

Lethal refers to anything dangerous enough to cause death. The cobra's venom is so lethal that if you get bitten and can't find the antidote, it's lights out forever. 1. Of an instrument of certain death. "lethal weapon" "a lethal injection"

Frigid

Like the North Pole on the coldest day of winter, frigid is an adjective that means extremely chilly. It applies to both temperatures and personalities. 1. Extremely cold. "a frigid day" 2. Devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain. "a frigid greeting" 3. Sexually unresponsive. "a frigid woman"

Expectorate

Looking for a fancy way to say "cough up phlegm"? Try expectorate. 1. Clear out the chest and lungs. "This drug expectorates quickly" 2. Discharge (phlegm or sputum) from the lungs and out of the mouth.

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. 1. (used of conduct or character) Deserving or bringing disgrace or shame. "an ignominious retreat"

Surveillance

Many times, a person suspected of something illegal by the authorities is placed under surveillance, meaning he or she is closely watched to see if their suspicions are well-founded. 1. Close observation of a person or group (usually by the police).

Saturnine

Medieval alchemists ascribed to the planet Saturn a gloomy and slow character. When people are called saturnine, it means they are like the planet--gloomy, mean, scowling. Not exactly the life of the party. 1. Bitter or scornful. ""the face was saturnine and swarthy, and the sensual lips...twisted with disdain"- Oscar Wilde" 2. Showing a brooding ill humor. ""a saturnine, almost misanthropic young genius"- Bruce Bliven"

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. 1. Interpret in the wrong way. "She misconstrued my remarks"

Modernism

Modernism describes things you do that are contemporary or current. Your modernism may be seen in your up-to-date clothing, your contemporary taste in books, and your willingness to stay up on current trends. 1. Practices typical of contemporary life or thought. 2. The quality of being current or of the present.

Momentous

Momentous describes an important event or moment in time. It is used for a time of great consequence or for a major accomplishment, and is almost always reserved for good things. 1. Of very great significance. "a momentous event"

Punctuate

Most commonly, punctuate means to insert standard marks (like periods, commas, and exclamation points) into written sentences. 2. Interrupt periodically. "Her sharp questions punctuated the speaker's drone" 3. Stress; single out as important. 3. Insert punctuation marks into.

Ruse

Movie bank robbers always seem to pull some kind of ruse, a deceptive trick or tactic like hiding the money underneath the bank while they drive off in the getaway car to avoid capture by the police. 1. A deceptive maneuver (especially to avoid capture).

Impetuous

Someone impetuous acts too hastily or carelessly. Hotheaded, impulsive folks are impetuous. 1. Characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation. "an impetuous display of spending and gambling" 2. Mdisquietingarked by violent force. "impetuous heaving waves"

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. 1. Uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing. "night and day we live with the incessant noise of the city"

Clime

Not to be confused with "climb", a clime is a region known for its weather. In the dead of winter, we dream about heading to sunny climes, where we can hang out in shorts. 1. The weather in some location averaged over some long period of time. "plants from a cold clime travel best in winter"

Wistful

Only one letter separates the two words, but "wishful" is having hope for something, and wistful is having sadness or melancholy about something. "Wist" isn't even a word that's used anymore, but you can still be wistful. 1. Showing pensive sadness. "the sensitive and wistful response of a poet to the gentler phases of beauty"

Ossify

Ossify means to become bony. When a baby is born, some of their "bones" are actually soft cartilage, which allows for growth. As the child grows, these soft areas ossify into actual bone. The knee cap, for example, begins to ossify between ages 3 and 6. 1. Become bony. "The tissue ossified" 2. Cause to become hard and bony. "The disease ossified the tissue" 3. Make rigid and set into a conventional pattern. "ossified teaching methods"

Per se

Per se is the phrase to use when you want to refer to a particular thing on its own. It is not this Latin phrase, per se, that is important, but rather the concept it represents. 1. With respect to its inherent nature. "this statement is interesting per se"

Persecution

Persecution is unfair or abusive treatment toward a person or group of people, such as the persecution of someone who is different by calling him or her rude names and making threats. 1. The act of persecuting (especially on the basis of race or religion).

Perspicacious

Perspicacious is an adjective that means "shrewd" and "wise." A perspicacious child can't be fooled when her parents try to keep a secret by talking in Pig Latin. 1. Mentally acute or penetratingly discerning. "much too perspicacious to be taken in by so spurious an argument" 2. Acutely insightful and wise. "much too perspicacious to be taken in by such a spurious argument" Synonyms: Sagacious, Sapient.

Perspicuous

Perspicuous is an adjective describing language that is clear and easy to understand. When you give a presentation, you should speak in a perspicuous manner so that everyone will be able to follow you. 1. (of language) Transparently clear; easily understandable. "a perspicuous argument"

Potent

Potent means really strong, but not like a body builder. Use potent instead to describe things like intense smells, powerful magic potions, and very influential people. 1. Having or wielding force or authority. "providing the ground soldier with increasingly potent weapons" 2. Having great influence. 3. Having a strong physiological or chemical effect. "a potent toxin" "potent liquor" ""a potent cup of tea", "a stiff drink"

Premature

Premature means "not yet ready." Something that is premature arrives early, like a premature baby born before her due date, or the soggy cake you took out of the oven prematurely. 1. Too soon or too hasty. "a premature judgment" 2. Uncommonly early or before the expected time. "illness led to his premature death"

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. 1. Be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance. 2. Prove superior. "The champion prevailed, though it was a hard fight" 3. Continue to exist. 4. Use persuasion successfully. "He prevailed upon her to visit his parents" 5. Be valid, applicable, or true.

Prevalence

Prevalence means there is a lot of something. If you get a bad grade on a paper for having a prevalence of typos, you need to proofread your work more carefully. 1. The quality of prevailing generally; being widespread. "he was surprised by the prevalence of optimism about the future" 2. A superiority in numbers or amount. 3. (epidemiology) The ratio (for a given time period) of the number of occurrences of a disease or event to the number of units at risk in the population.

Priggish

Priggish people are snobby and self-righteous. An overly prim and proper movie character who's always telling other people what they should do is priggish. 1. Exaggeratedly proper.

Primordial

Primordial, an adjective, describes something that has been around forever, like cockroaches. 1. Having existed from the beginning; in an earliest or original stage or state. "primordial matter" "primordial forms of life"

Profane

Profane language is the kind that gets bleeped on TV. The word profane can also describe behavior that's deeply offensive because it shows a lack of respect, especially for someone's religious beliefs. 1. Grossly irreverent toward what is held to be sacred. "profane utterances against the Church" 2. Not concerned with or devoted to religion. "sacred and profane music" ""secular architecture", "children being brought up in an entirely profane environment" 3. Violate the sacred character of a place or language. "profane the name of God" 4. Corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality.

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 — when you get your charge card bill. 1. Unrestrained by convention or morality. 2. Recklessly wasteful. 3. A recklessly extravagant consumer. Synonyms: Prodigal, Squanderer.

Profundity

Profundity describes being thoughtful, deep, and wise. Your profundity might inspire friends to come to you for advice. 1. The quality of being physically deep. "the profundity of the mine was almost a mile" 2. Intellectual depth; penetrating knowledge; keen insight; etc. 3. The intellectual ability to penetrate deeply into ideas.

Quizzical

Quizzical usually means puzzled or questioning, though it can also mean confused, surprised, comical, or mocking. If someone's looking at you with a quizzical expression when you mention your summer, it might mean they don't know about your adventures at space camp. 1. Perplexed (as if being expected to know something that you do not know). "he had a quizzical expression" 2. Playfully vexing (especially by ridicule). ""His face wore a somewhat quizzical almost impertinent air"- Lawrence Durrell"

Quotidian

Quotidian is a fancy way of saying "daily" or "ordinary." Quotidian events are the everyday details of life. 1. Found in the ordinary course of events. ""there's nothing quite like a real...train conductor to add color to a quotidian commute"- Anita Diamant"

Rancid

Rancid means sour, rotten, and nasty and refers most specifically to the sharp bad smell of decomposing oils or fats. "Rancid" is a great name for a post-punk band, but a lousy way to describe the sauce on your eggs Benedict. 1. (used of decomposing oils or fats) Having a rank smell or taste usually due to a chemical change or decomposition. "rancid butter" "rancid bacon" 2. Smelling of fermentation or staleness.

Ratification

Ratification is the official way to confirm something, usually by vote. It is the formal validation of a proposed law. 1. Making something valid by formally ratifying or confirming it. "the ratification of the treaty"

Satire

Satire is a way of making fun of people by using silly or exaggerated language. Politicians are easy targets for satire, especially when they're acting self-righteous or hypocritical. 1. Witty language used to convey insults or scorn. "" Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own"--Jonathan Swift"

Reconciliation

Reconciliation is the act of getting two things to be compatible with one another. You might have a reconciliation with a former enemy, or your mom might call for a reconciliation between your spending habits and your diminishing bank account. 1. The reestablishing of cordial relations. Synonyms: Rapprochement. 2. Getting two things to correspond. "the reconciliation of his checkbook and the bank statement"

Remote

Remote describes something far, far away, like a campsite way out in the woods, a distant planet, or the chance you'll win the lottery. 1. Located far away spatially. "remote stars" 2. Inaccessible and sparsely populated. 3. Separate or apart in time. "the remote past or future" 4. Far apart in relevance or relationship or kinship. "a remote relative" "considerations entirely removed (or remote) from politics" 5. Very unlikely. "a remote possibility" "a remote contingency"

Repose

Repose is a formal or literary term used to mean the act of resting, or the state of being at rest. Repose is also a state of mind: freedom from worry. 1. Freedom from activity (work or strain or responsibility). "took his repose by the swimming pool" 2. The absence of mental stress or anxiety. 3. Be inherent or innate in; Synonyms: Reside, Rest 4. Lean in a comfortable resting position. "He was reposing on the couch" 5. Lie when dead. "Mao reposes in his mausoleum"

Reproach

Reproach means to mildly criticize. If you show poor manners at your grandmother's dinner table, she will reproach you. 1. Express criticism towards. "The president reproached the general for his irresponsible behavior" 2. A mild rebuke or criticism. "words of reproach" 3. Disgrace or shame. "he brought reproach upon his family"

Irony

Reserve irony for situations where there's a gap between reality and expectations, especially when such a gap is created for dramatic or humorous effect. 1. Incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs. "the irony of Ireland's copying the nation she most hated" 2. A trope that involves incongruity between what is expected and what occurs. 3. Witty language used to convey insults or scorn. "irony is wasted on the stupid"

Vapid

Reserve the adjective vapid for the airhead in your office who brings nothing to the table, except maybe the doughnuts. Vapid is an adjective to describe someone or something that is dull or uninspiring. 1. Lacking significance or liveliness or spirit or zest. "a vapid conversation" "a vapid smile" "a bunch of vapid schoolgirls" 2. Lacking taste or flavor or tang. "vapid beer" "vapid tea"

Retrospective

Retrospective means looking back. An art exhibit that cover an artist's entire career is called a retrospective because it looks back at the work the artist has produced over many years. 1. Concerned with or related to the past. "retrospective self-justification" 2. An exhibition of a representative selection of an artist's life work.

Salvation

Salvation is the act of saving from sin or evil, or sometimes just from an unpleasant situation. 1. Saving someone or something from harm or from an unpleasant situation. "the salvation of his party was the president's major concern" 2. A means of preserving from harm or unpleasantness. "tourism was their economic salvation" "they turned to individualism as their salvation" 3. The state of being saved or preserved from harm. 4. (theology) The act of delivering from sin or saving from evil. Synonyms: Redemption

Nominal

Schools, libraries, and other organizations often ask you to make a nominal donation to their cause. While you want to support many causes, these nominal donations soon add up to a substantial portion of your budget! 1. Relating to or constituting or bearing or giving a name. "the Russian system of nominal brevity" "a nominal lists of priests" "taxable males as revealed by the nominal rolls". 2. Existing in name only. "the nominal (or titular) head of his party" ****************************************************************** Nominally means "in name only; not in reality ****************************************************************** 3. Insignificantly small; a matter of form only (`tokenish' is informal). "the fee was nominal" 4. Of, relating to, or characteristic of an amount that is not adjusted for inflation. "the nominal GDP" "nominal interest rates"

Secular

Secular things are not religious. Anything not affiliated with a church or faith can be called secular. 1. Someone who is not a clergyman or a professional person. Synonyms: Layman, Layperson 2. Characteristic of or devoted to the temporal world as opposed to the spiritual world. 3. Not concerned with or devoted to religion. "secular drama" 4. Of or relating to the doctrine that rejects religion and religious considerations.

Pensive

See that person staring out the window who looks so sad and lost in thought? He is pensive, the opposite of cheery and carefree. 1. Deeply or seriously thoughtful. 2. Showing pensive sadness.

Semantics

Semantics is the study of meaning in language. It can be applied to entire texts or to single words. For example, "destination" and "last stop" technically mean the same thing, but students of semantics analyze their subtle shades of meaning. 1. The study of language meaning. 2. The meaning of a word, phrase, sentence, or text. "a petty argument about semantics"

Skulduggery

Skulduggery is dishonest words that are meant to trick people, like your brother's fast-talking that leaves you doing all of his chores and your own, plus giving him your allowance. He's a master of skulduggery. 1. Verbal misrepresentation intended to take advantage of you in some way.

Sleuth

Sleuth is a fun, sometimes playful, word for "detective." As a verb, it's also what a detective does. When you seek clues, you sleuth. You, sleuth, you! 1. A detective who follows a trail. 2. Watch, observe, or inquire secretly.

Abridge

So the editor wants to cut your epic 800-page history of the stapler to a 150-page summary instead. Don't cry — he just wants to abridge your masterpiece, trimming it down to the more readable essential elements. 1. Lessen, diminish, or curtail. "the new law might abridge our freedom of expression" 2. Reduce in scope while retaining essential elements.

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 — you're bereft. 1. Sorrowful through loss or deprivation. "bereft of hope" 2. Unhappy in love; Suffering from unrequited love.

Machiavellian

Someone Machiavellian is sneaky, cunning, and lacking a moral code. The word comes from the Italian philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli, who wrote the political treatise The Prince in the 1500s, that encourages "the end justifies the means" behavior, especially among politicians. 1. Of or relating to Machiavelli or the principles of conduct he recommended. "Machiavellian thinking" 2. A follower of Machiavelli's principles.

Conniving

Someone conniving is calculating, scheming, and shrewd — in other words, sneaky and up to no good. 1. Acting together in secret toward a fraudulent or illegal end. 2. Used of persons.

Sentient

Someone sentient is able to feel things, or sense them. Sentient usually occurs in phrases like "sentient beings" and "sentient creatures," making it clear that things that don't have life don't have feelings. Explain that to a pet rock. 1. Endowed with feeling and unstructured consciousness. ""the living knew themselves just sentient puppets on God's stage"- T.E.Lawrence" 2. Consciously perceiving. "sentient of the intolerable load" ""a boy so sentient of his surroundings"- W.A.White"

Surrogate

Someone who acts as a surrogate takes the place of another person. If a celebrity leaves her seat to use the restroom in the middle of a big Hollywood awards ceremony, a surrogate will take his or her place until she returns. 1. Someone who takes the place of another person. Synonyms: Alternate, Replacement. 2. A person appointed to represent or act on behalf of others. 3. Providing or receiving nurture or parental care though not related by blood or legal ties.underpin "surrogate father"

Paranoid

Someone who is paranoid has an irrational and obsessive distrust of others, like your paranoid friend who worries that everyone from the principal to the neighborhood pre-schoolers are out to get him. 1. Suffering from paranoia.

Long-winded

Someone who's long-winded takes way too long to tell a story or give a speech. Once your long-winded history teacher gets started on an anecdote about the Civil War, everyone in the class sighs deeply. 1. Using or containing too many words. "long-winded (or windy) speakers"

Misbegotten

Someone who's misbegotten is born to two parents who aren't legally married. In the past, being misbegotten was quite embarrassing. 1. t 2. Badly conceived or planned. 3. Contemptible (used as a term of abuse). "you misbegotten hound!" Synonyms: Contemptible, Despicable, Wretched, Miserable, Confounded, Blithering, Footling, Infernal, Damned, Cursed, Accursed, Flaming.

Puckish

Someone who's puckish is up to a little trouble. Your puckish friend might play practical jokes on you, but they're more silly than mean spirited. 1. Naughtily or annoyingly playful.

Venal

Someone with venal motives is corrupt and maybe a little evil. Nobody wants to be thought of as venal. 1. Capable of being corrupted. "a venal police officer"

Baroque

Something baroque is overly ornate, like a paisley red velvet jacket with tassels, or music that has a lot going on and might include a harpsichord. 1. Of or relating to or characteristic of the elaborately ornamented style of architecture, art, and music popular in Europe between 1600 and 1750. 2. Having elaborate symmetrical ornamentation. ""the building...frantically baroque"-William Dean Howells" 3. Elaborate and extensive ornamentation in decorative art and architecture that flourished in Europe in the 17th century.

Contextual

Something contextual relies on its context or setting to make sense. If you touch someone and shout "You're it!" in a game of tag, people get it, but if you're in the grocery store tapping strangers on the shoulder and yelling at them, it's less contextual. 1. Relating to or determined by or in context. "contextual information"

Ethereal

Something ethereal is airy and insubstantial, such as a ghostly figure at the top of the stairs. It might also be something delicate and light, like a singer's ethereal voice. 1. Characterized by lightness and insubstantiality ; as impalpable or intangible as air. "physical rather than ethereal forms" 2. Characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy. "this smallest and most ethereal of birds" 3. Of heaven or the spirit. "ethereal melodies" 4. Of or containing or dissolved in ether. "ethereal solution"

Eugenic

Something eugenic relates to the idea that self-selecting genetic characteristics, like hair or eye color, can improve a race. The Nazis' eugenic plans to create a "master race" marked one of the darkest periods in the twentieth century. 1. Pertaining to or causing improvement in the offspring produced.

Farfetched

Something farfetched is imaginative but very unlikely. It's a lot easier to think of than to do. 1. Highly imaginative but unlikely. "a farfetched excuse"

Flagrant

Something flagrant is bad — so bad you can't ignore it. A flagrant foul in sports might send you to the bench, and a flagrant violation of the law might send you to the slammer. 1. Conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible. "flagrant violation of human rights"

Incriminating

Something incriminating makes it clear that you're guilty. Incriminating evidence is often enough for police to arrest a suspect. 1. Charging or suggestive of guilt or blame. Incriminate Is your homework in shreds and the dog chewing something? Then you can incriminate poor Fido for eating your homework. To incriminate someone (or some dog) of a crime, is more than just accusing them; it's offering some evidence they're guilty. 1. Suggest that someone is guilty. 2. Bring an accusation against; level a charge against.

Ironclad

Something ironclad is either covered in iron for protection or protected in a different way. An ironclad guarantee can't be broken or taken back. 1. Inflexibly entrenched and unchangeable. "an ironclad rule" 2. Sheathed in iron plates for protection. 3. A wooden warship of the 19th century that is plated with iron or steel armor.

Leaden

Something leaden moves in a heavy, slow way. After a sleepless night, your leaden feet will walk more sluggishly than usual to the bus stop. 1. (of movement) Slow and laborious. "leaden steps" 2. Lacking lightness or liveliness. "a leaden conversation"

Reassuring

Something reassuring comforts or inspires you. A reassuring smile can help to calm a nervous speaker who's about to give a speech. 1. Restoring confidence and relieving anxiety. "a very reassuring remark"

Resurgent

Something resurgent comes back to life or is reinvigorated. An old song's popularity might be resurgent after it's featured on the soundtrack of a popular new movie. 1. Rising again as to new life and vigor. "resurgent nationalism"

Fallow

Something that is fallow is left unused. If you're smart but lazy, someone might say you have a fallow mind. 1. Left unplowed and unseeded during a growing season. "fallow farmland" 2. Undeveloped but potentially useful. "a fallow gold market" 3. Cultivated land that is not seeded for one or more growing seasons.

Ascendant

Something that's ascendant is increasing its power or status. An ascendant political party is one that captures more and more seats in Congress with every election. 1. Tending or directed upward. ""rooted and ascendant strength like that of foliage"- John Ruskin" 2. Most powerful or important or influential. "the economically ascendant class" 3. Position or state of being dominant or in control. "that idea was in the ascendant" 4. Someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent).

Creaky

Something that's creaky makes a groaning or scraping sound. If your front door is creaky, its hinges might need to be oiled. 1. Having a rasping or grating sound. "creaky stairs" 2. Worn and broken down by hard use. "a creaky shack" 3. Of or pertaining to arthritis "my creaky old joints"

Encompassing

Something that's encompassing completely encloses or surrounds something else. An island, for example, sits in the midst of encompassing ocean waves. 1. Closely encircling. "encompassing mountain ranges" 2. Broad in scope or content.

Flinty

Something that's made of or contains flint, or hard silica rock, is flinty. Flinty soil is rough and rocky, and not the best for planting a garden. 1. Showing unfeeling resistance to tender feelings. "his flinty gaze" 2. Containing flint.

Nebulous

Something that's nebulous is clouded or hazy. When you walk through the woods on a foggy morning, the trees may all have a mysterious, nebulous look to them. 1. Lacking definite form or limits. "nebulous distinction between pride and conceit" Synonyms: Cloudy, Nebulose 2. Lacking definition or definite content. "nebulous reasons" 3. Of or relating to or resembling a nebula.

Anachronistic

Something that's old-fashioned and maybe a little out of place is anachronistic, like a clunky black rotary-dial telephone sitting on a desk beside a sleek new smart-phone (or whatever the new technology when you read this). 1. Chronologically misplaced. "English public schools are anachronistic"

Onus

Take the noun, onus, as a formal word for responsibility or obligation. If your teacher assigns onus as a vocabulary word, it puts the onus on you to find out what it means. 1. An onerous or difficult concern. Synonyms: Burden, Encumbrance, Incumbrance, Load.

Strident

Something that's strident is loud, grating, and obnoxious. Your roommate's strident laughter as he watches cartoons late into the night might inspire you to buy a pair of ear plugs. 1. Unpleasantly loud and harsh. 2. Conspicuously and offensively loud; given to vehement outcry. "strident demands" 3. Being sharply insistent on being heard. "strident demands"

Untrammeled

Something that's untrammeled is completely free and unrestricted. If you live a truly untrammeled life, you feel free to follow your dreams. 1. Not confined or limited. ""the gift of a fresh eye and an untrammeled curiosity"- Russell Lord" ""the untrammeled rush that the snows had shown in the first spring sun"- Farley Mowat"

Unsolicited

Something unsolicited was not asked for and possibly not wanted. Unsolicited calls and advice come whether we want them or not. 1. Not asked for. "unsolicited junk mail"

Stereotypical

Stereotypical describes an action or a characterization that is oversimplified, widely imitated, or handed down by tradition. 1. Lacking spontaneity or originality or individuality.

Folklore

Stories, customs, and beliefs that are passed from one generation to the next are called folklore. According to folklore, you shouldn't take rocks from the volcanoes in Hawaii because Pele, the volcano goddess, will be angry and curse you. 1. The unwritten lore (stories and proverbs and riddles and songs) of a culture.

Stout

Stout describes something fat, dependable, or rugged. If someone calls you stout, ask them exactly what they mean before bursting into tears and skipping dinner. It could be a compliment! 1. Having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships. "stout seamen" 2. Dependable. "stout hearts"

Succor

Succor is relief or help. If you've just woken up in the midst of a lion's den, wearing nothing but raw meat pajamas — sounds like you could use some succor! 1. Assistance in time of difficulty. 2. Help in a difficult situation.

Sweltering

Sweltering means uncomfortably hot. Walking home from work on a sweltering day will leave you sweating. 1. Excessively hot and humid or marked by sweating and faintness. "a sweltering room" "sweltering athletes"

Decrepit

That building falling down on the corner of your block? It's decrepit. So is the old man who lives there, if he is weak from age. Decrepit means broken down ***by hard use.*** 1. Worn and broken down by hard use. "a decrepit bus...its seats held together with friction tape" 2. Lacking bodily or muscular strength or vitality.

Stringent

That teacher's demands are stringent — she wants the homework typed in her favorite font, on special paper, and each essay must be exactly 45 lines! 1. Demanding strict attention to rules and procedures. "stringent safety measures"

Ajar

The adjective ajar describes something that is slightly open. A door that has been left ajar is easily pushed open by the wind or a nosy person. 1. Slightly open. "the door was ajar"

Ballistic

The adjective ballistic describes the flight of an object through space. It usually applies to projectiles like bullets or rockets that are fired from weapons. If you're in the path of a ballistic missile, get out of the way! 1. Relating to or characteristic of the motion of objects moving under their own momentum and the force of gravity. "ballistic missile"

Bygone

The adjective bygone is good for describing long-ago times. Your grandparents might enjoy looking at old photo albums and reminiscing about bygone days. 1. Well in the past; Former. "bygone days" 2. Past events to be put aside. "let bygones be bygones"

Critical

The adjective critical has several meanings, among them, "vital," "verging on emergency," "tending to point out errors," and "careful." 1. Of or involving or characteristic of critics or criticism. "critical acclaim" 2. Characterized by careful evaluation and judgment. "a critical reading" "a critical dissertation" "a critical analysis of Melville's writings" 3. Marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws. "a critical attitude" 4. Urgently needed; absolutely necessary. "a critical element of the plan" "critical medical supplies" 5. At or of a point at which a property or phenomenon suffers an abrupt change especially having enough mass to sustain a chain reaction. "a critical temperature of water is 100 degrees C--its boiling point at standard atmospheric pressure" "critical mass" "go critical"

Irenic

The adjective irenic describes something that is peaceful. Although you and your sister constantly fought as young children, your relationship might become more irenic as you grow older. 1. Conducive to peace. "irenic without being namby-pamby" "an irenic attitude toward former antagonists"

Offhand

The adjective offhand describes a remark or comment that is made without previous thought or preparation. If you are at a wedding, you may want to make a few offhand but nice remarks about the newlyweds. 1. With little or no preparation or forethought. "offhand excuses" 2. Casually thoughtless or inconsiderate. "an offhand manner" "she treated most men with offhand contempt" 3. Casually thoughtless or inconsiderate. "an offhand manner" "she treated most men with offhand contempt" 4. In a casually inconsiderate manner "replied offhand, his mind a million miles away"

Promiscuous

The adjective promiscuous is often used pejoratively to refer to someone who has many romantic partners. However, the word can also be used in a general sense to mean "not limited, restrained, or restricted." If you're a promiscuous reader, you'll read just about anything — from biographies to science fiction to the back of the cereal box. 1. Casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior. 2. Not selective of a single class or person. "Clinton was criticized for his promiscuous solicitation of campaign money"

Subcutaneous

The adjective subcutaneous is a medical term that describes anything that exists or is inserted just below the skin. 1. Relating to or located below the epidermis. "subcutaneous implant"

Sylvan

The adjective sylvan refers to a shady, wooded area. The word suggests a peaceful, pleasant feeling, as though you were far away from the noise of modern life. 1. Relating to or characteristic of wooded regions. "a shady sylvan glade" 2. A spirit that lives in or frequents the woods.

Utilitarian

The adjective utilitarian describes something that is useful or functional. If you are attracted to a car for its storage space and gas mileage — as opposed to its sparkly tire rims — then chances are you value a car's utilitarian features. 1. Having a useful function. "utilitarian steel tables" 2. Having utility often to the exclusion of values. "plain utilitarian kitchenware" 3. Someone who believes that the value of a thing depends on its utility.

Doggedly

The adverb doggedly means tenaciously or with strong determination. If your dog ran away, you might doggedly pursue him across the park, down the road, and through the woods. 1. With obstinate determination. "he pursued her doggedly"

Allegory

The figurative style known as allegory has nothing do with alligators — unless you're telling a story where alligators represent evil forces snapping at humanity. 1. A short moral story (often with animal characters). 2. A visible symbol representing an abstract idea.

Curb

The hard thing about learning how to parallel park is trying to get the car close enough to the curb without hitting it. A curb is the edge of the sidewalk beside the road. 1. The act of restraining power or action or limiting excess. Synonyms: Bridle 2. Lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits. Synonyms: Check, Contain, Control, Hold, Hold in, Moderate. 3. Place restrictions on. Synonyms: Curtail, Cut back, Restrict 4. To put down by force or authority. Synonyms: Conquer, Inhibit, Stamp down, Subdue, Suppress. 5. Keep to the curb. "curb your dogs" Type of: Constrain, Cumber, Encumber, Restrain

Cataclysm

The hurricane battered the coast, causing the city to flood, and tens of thousands of people were stranded without food or water. When an event causes great suffering, we call it a cataclysm. 1. A sudden violent change in the earth's surface. 2. An event resulting in great loss and misfortune.

Abomination

The noun abomination means a thing or action that is vile, vicious or terrible. For example, if you see a neighbor kick an old blind dog that's done nothing wrong, you might remark, "That kind of cruelty is an abomination!" 1. Hate coupled with disgust. 2. A person who is loathsome or disgusting. 3. An action that is vicious or vile; an action that arouses disgust or abhorrence. "his treatment of the children is an abomination"

Insularity

The noun insularity refers to the quality of being isolated or detached. In fact, the word is based on the Latin word insula, for "island." The phrase "no man is an island" means that no one can be completely separate from others. 1. The state of being isolated or detached.

Alteration

The pants are too long, the jacket too tight and the vest is too short. Looks like your suit is in need of some serious alteration, or adjustment. 1. The act of revising or altering (involving reconsideration and modification) 2. An event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another.

Schism

The sound of the word schism reminds some people of the sound of a piece of paper being torn in two; which makes sense -- when a group has a big fight and the group is torn in two, that's a schism. 1. Division of a group into opposing factions. "another schism like that and they will wind up in bankruptcy" 2. The formal separation of a church into two churches or the withdrawal of one group over doctrinal differences.

Allay

The verb allay is used when you want to make something better or eliminate fears and concerns. 1. Lessen the intensity of or calm 2. Satisfy (thirst).

Bode

The verb bode suggests forecasting. Something bodes well when the clues or signs imply a favorable outcome. But if something bodes ill, you'd better watch out! 1. Indicate by signs. "These signs bode bad news"

Desiccate

The verb desiccate means to dry out, dry up and dehydrate. It's helpful to desiccate weeds but certainly not crops. 1. Lacking vitality or spirit; lifeless. "a desiccate romance" 2. Remove water from. 3. Lose water or moisture. 4. Preserve by removing all water and liquids from.

Opine

The verb opine is used when someone speaks up and expresses an opinion. You might opine that dogs are highly preferable to cats. 1. Express one's opinion openly and without fear or hesitation. 2. Expect, believe, or suppose.

Alight

The word alight has two distinct meanings: it can mean coming down or settling in a delicate manner, such as a bird perching, or it can be a rather poetic way to describe something that's on fire (or "afire"). 1. To come to rest, settle. 2. Come down. "the birds alighted" 3. Lighted up by or as by fire or flame. "candles alight on the tables"

Aristocratic

The word aristocratic describes a person at the highest level of society — such as a prince or a duchess — or those people or things that are so distinguished that they seem to belong to that group. 1. Belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy. "an aristocratic family" "aristocratic Bostonians" "aristocratic government" "aristocratic bearing" "aristocratic features"

Arrant

The word arrant intensifies. An arrant criminal is one heck of a criminal. Arrant nonsense is total nonsense. 1. Without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers. "an arrant fool"

Fiscal

The word fiscal resembles the word financial, which makes sense because both involve money. 1. Involving financial matters. "fiscal responsibility"

Unassuming

The word unassuming means modest, lacking in arrogance, pleasant, or polite. You'll find that some of the most unassuming people are actually the most interesting and powerful of all. They're just decent enough not to display it all the time. 1. Not arrogant or presuming. "unassuming to a fault, skeptical about the value of his work"

Abreast / Kept abreast of

There's nothing worse than being stuck on a narrow path between two people walking abreast of one another. If they only knew you were there, they'd walk single file so you could pass them. Abreast means side by side. 1. Alongside each other, facing in the same direction. 2. Being up to particular standard or level especially in being up to date in knowledge. "kept abreast of the latest developments"

Tenor

Think of a tenor as a tone — in music, it's the range between baritone and alto in the human voice or in an instrument such as a tenor saxophone. It also is the "tone" or meaning of a spoken comment 1. The general meaning or substance of an utterance. "although I disagreed with him I could follow the tenor of his argument"

Analogue

Think of analogue as referring to something parallel or comparable to something else. For example, a lobster's claw might be considered an analogue to the human hand, as both have similar functions of grabbing and holding. Keep your claws to yourself! 1. Something having the property of being analogous to something else. 2. Of a circuit or device having an output that is proportional to the input. "analogue device"

Oppressive

Think of something crushing you, and you will understand what oppressive is. It can be something that crushes your spirit, like a bad relationship, or something that crushes you with its tyranny, like the oppressive rule of a dictator. 1. Weighing heavily on the senses or spirit. "the atmosphere was oppressive" "oppressive sorrows" 2. Marked by unjust severity or arbitrary behavior. "the oppressive government" "oppressive laws"

Lax

Those parents who let their kids eat all their Halloween candy the night of October 31st? Their parenting style might be described as lax. A paperclip chain used as a bike lock? That's an example of lax security. 1. Lacking in rigor or strictness. "such lax and slipshod ways are no longer acceptable" "lax in attending classes" 2. Lacking in strength or firmness or resilience. "a lax rope" 3. Emptying easily or excessively.

Probity

Though probity sounds like what you might do with a sharp stick, it actually means being morally and ethically above reproach, having integrity. 1. Complete and confirmed integrity; having strong moral principles. "In a world where financial probity may not be widespread" "He enjoys an exaggerated reputation for probity"

Delineate

Though you pronounce it duh-LIN-ee-ate, there is a "line" in the middle of delineate. This might help you remember that to delineate is to outline and define something in detail or with an actual marking of lines and boundaries. 1. Represented accurately or precisely. 2. Show the form or outline of. 3. Describe in vivid detail. 4. Determine the essential quality of.

Amble

To amble is to take a leisurely, pleasurable walk. Care to amble down a pleasant country road instead of reading the rest of this word description? That would certainly be understandable. 1. Walk leisurely. 2. A leisurely walk (usually in some public place).

Atone

To atone is to do something "right" to make up for doing something wrong. Religious believers are known to atone for their sins, but even students can atone for a past failure by acing a quiz or two. 1. Turn away from sin or do penitence. 2. Make amends for.

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. 1. Not prudent or wise. "very imprudent of her mother to encourage her in such silly romantic ideas" ""would be imprudent for a noneconomist to talk about the details of economic policy"- A.M.Schlesinger" 2. Lacking wise self-restraint. "an imprudent remark"

Languorous

To be languorous is to be dreamy, lackadaisical, and languid. When someone is languorous, she's lying around, daydreaming, possibly fanning herself lazily. It's a little self-indulgent. 1. Lacking spirit or liveliness. "a hot languorous afternoon"

Prescient

To be prescient is to have foresight or foreknowledge. We can use this word to describe people themselves, or what they say or do at a given moment. 1. Perceiving the significance of events before they occur. ""extraordinarily prescient memoranda on the probable course of postwar relations"-R.H.Rovere"

Prudish

To be prudish is to be extremely proper, almost a little too proper. To be called prudish isn't a compliment. 1. Exaggeratedly proper

Pudgy

To be pudgy is to be a chubby and short. Baby piglets are sometimes pudgy, but not the runts. Pudgy can describe body parts, too, like a baby's pudgy cheeks. 1. Short and plump.

Rapt

To be rapt is to be carried away, caught up, or otherwise engrossed in something. If a performer is really good or particularly mesmerizing, the audience will be totally rapt. 1. Feeling great rapture or delight.

Bemuse

To bemuse is to confuse or puzzle. You could bemuse your teacher by writing an essay as a series of haikus, but don't. Usually a bemused teacher is not a happy one. 1. Cause to be confused emotionally. Synonyms: Bewilder, Discombobulate, throw

Besmirch

To besmirch means to dirty or tarnish, particularly someone's reputation — like when you call Billy a cheater at kickball (even though you know he's just better at bunting than you). 1. Smear so as to make dirty or stained. 2. Charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone.

Bloviate

To bloviate is to talk, but not just to chat. To bloviate means to go on and on and on and on, usually in a pompous way. 1. Orate verbosely and windily.

Brandish

To brandish something is to wave it about aggressively, as one might brandish a sword or tennis racket (if it's a particularly intense game). 1. Move or swing back and forth. 2. Exhibit aggressively. "brandish a sword"

Cite

To cite something means to do right by whoever said it and give them credit — for instance, if you add a brilliant statement to a paper but you're not the one who originally wrote it, you should cite, or point to, the original author 1. Make reference to. 2. Repeat a passage from. 3. Commend. "he was cited for his outstanding achievements"

Deem

To deem is a verb that means to view as or judge. Your parents or boss may deem something necessary that you don't, like coming home by midnight or working late. 1. Keep in mind or convey as a conviction or view.

Demean

To demean someone is to insult them. To demean is to degrade or put down a person or thing. 1. Reduce in worth or character, usually verbally.

Dispense

To dispense means to give out or distribute something. A school nurse can dispense students' medication and we all can dispense advice. 1. Administer or bestow, as in small portions. "the machine dispenses soft drinks" 2. Give or apply (medications). 3. Grant a dispensation; grant an exemption. "I was dispensed from this terrible task"

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! 1. Hold back. Synonyms: Constrain, Cumber, Restrain.

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. 1. Give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority. Urge/Instruct. 2. Issue an injunction. 3. To Prohibit.

Entwine

To entwine is to twist and tangle or weave together. When you hold hands with someone, you entwine your fingers together. 1. Spin, wind, or twist together. 2. Tie or link together.

Expose

To expose means to uncover or allow to be in the open air. If you take off your coat and expose your bare arms to the terrible cold, your tattoos might freeze off. (Note: We don't actually know if this is physically possible.) 1. Show; make visible or apparent. 2. Put in a dangerous, disadvantageous, or difficult position. 3. Expose while ridiculing; especially of pretentious or false claims and ideas.

Underwhelm

To fail to excite, stimulate, or impress: "He is just as entitled to be underwhelmed by the prospect of reigning over a fourth-class nation as the rest of us are by the prospect of living in it" ( Peter Jay). 1. To fail to impress; to perform disappointingly. 2. To interest less than anticipated; to be dull to (a person).

Fester

To fester is to grow and spread, not in a good way. When a cut gets infected it starts to fester and smell bad. Emotional wounds stink too, like when you hold on to anger or pain until it starts to fester and explodes. 1. Ripen and generate pus. "her wounds are festering" 2. A sore that has become inflamed and formed pus.

Flout

To flout is to scorn or show contempt for. "I flout the law and the concept of civilian safety by making a concerted effort to jaywalk every time I cross a street." 1. Treat with contemptuous disregard. "flout the rules" 2. Laugh at with contempt and derision.

Galumph

To galumph is to move in a heavy, clumsy, ungainly way. Ballerinas are unlikely to galumph. 1. Move around heavily and clumsily. "the giant tortoises galumphed around in their pen"

Garner

To garner means to gather or earn. If you want to run for office without belonging to a political party, you must garner enough signatures — usually a few thousand — to get onto the ballot. 1. Assemble or get together. 2. Acquire or deserve by one's efforts or actions. Synonyms: Earn. 3. A storehouse for threshed grain or animal feed.

Incite

To incite is to cause to act or occur. Violent words can incite violent actions which, in turn, might incite public outcry against violence. 1. Provoke or stir up. "incite a riot" 2. Urge on; cause to act. 3. Give an incentive for action.

Jibe

To jibe with someone is to agree with them. Jibe can also mean "be compatible with or similar to." If two people jibe, they get along quite well. 1. Shift from one side of the ship to the other. 2. be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics. Synonyms: Agree, Check, Correspond, Fit, Gibe, Match, Tally.

Liberate

To liberate something means to release it from confinement. As the saying goes, "If you love something, set it free," — liberate it. 1. Grant freedom to; free from confinement. 2. Grant freedom to. "The students liberated their slaves upon graduating from the university" 3. Give equal rights to; of women and minorities 4. That serves to liberate, especially to free the mind to accept new ideas.

Lurch

To lurch is to suddenly move — usually forward. If you are on a ship that lurches a lot during a storm, you may find your body lurching in one direction and your stomach going in the opposite one. 1. Walk as if unable to control one's movements. 2. Move slowly and unsteadily. "The truck lurched down the road" 3. Move abruptly. "The ship suddenly lurched to the left" 4. A decisive defeat in a game. 5. The act of moving forward suddenly.

Meddle / Meddlesome

To meddle is to interfere. You can meddle in someone else's affairs, and you can meddle with someone else's things. Either way, you're messing with someone else's stuff and she probably doesn't like it. 1. Intrude in other people's affairs or business; interfere unwantedly. "Don't meddle in my affairs!" A meddlesome person gets in your business in a way that's totally annoying. In other words, they meddle. Respect people's privacy by not being meddlesome. 1. Intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner.

Mooch/Moocher

To mooch is to take advantage of other people's generosity without giving anything in return. If you constantly mooch rides from your friend, she's going to get tired of agreeing to drive you around. 1. Ask for and get free; be a parasite. 2. Someone who mooches or cadges (tries to get something free)

Obligate

To obligate is to either force someone to do something or be compelled to do something. You're obligated to get to work on time if you want to keep your job. 1. Force somebody to do something. 2. Commit in order to fulfill an obligation. "obligate money" 3. Bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted. 4. Restricted to a particular condition of life. "an obligate anaerobe can survive only in the absence of oxygen"

Purge

To purge is to get rid of something or someone, and often it's done suddenly. Purge rhymes with urge, and when you have a really strong urge to throw stuff away or clean something out, you have an urge to purge. 1. Rid of impurities "purge the water" "purge your mind" 2. Rinse, clean, or empty with a liquid. "purge the old gas tank" 3. An act of removing by cleansing; ridding of sediment or other undesired elements. 4. An abrupt or sudden removal of a person or group from an organization or place. "he died in a purge by Stalin" 5. Excrete or evacuate (someone's bowels or body). "The doctor decided that the patient must be purged" 6. Eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth. "He purged continuously"

Ratify

To ratify a treaty or contract is to officially approve it by signing or voting for it. You and your brothers and sisters might devise a plan for a family vacation to Disney World, but it would need to be ratified by your parents. 1. Approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation. "All parties ratified the peace treaty"

Transmute

Transmute is a verb meaning to change in appearance or form. For example, magical creatures can transmute into other beings. When you're fighting a wizard, don't be surprised if he transmutes into a terrifying dragon. 1. Change or alter in form, appearance, or nature. 2. Change in outward structure or looks. 3. Alter the nature of (elements).

Romanticize

To romanticize is either to put a positive spin on something that wasn't great or to behave in a romantic way. If you're sea sick on a cruise and spend the whole time clutching the railing but later say it was the best trip ever, you have romanticized your experience. 1. Interpret romantically. "Don't romanticize this uninteresting and hard work!" 2. Make romantic in style. "The designer romanticized the little black dress" 3. Act in a romantic way.

Slump

To slump is to fall or slouch down. It's also a downturn in performance — a struggling ballplayer and a sinking economy are both in a slump. 1. Fall or sink heavily. "He slumped onto the couch" 2. Assume a drooping posture or carriage. 3. Fall heavily or suddenly; decline markedly. 4. A noticeable deterioration in performance or quality. "the team went into a slump"

Snarl

To snarl or make a snarl is to growl like an angry dog or speak abruptly and aggressively. A snarl can also be something tangled or confused. 1. Make a snarling noise or move with a snarling noise. "Bullets snarled past us" 2. Utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone. "The guard snarled at us" 3. Make more complicated or confused through entanglements. 4. Something jumbled or confused.

Refuge

To take refuge is to find a safe place. You might take refuge under a bridge in a hail storm, or in a basement during a tornado. 1. Something or someone turned to for assistance or security. "took refuge in lying" 2. A safe place. 3. A shelter from danger or hardship. 4. Act of turning to for assistance.

Evocative

Use the adjective evocative when you want to describe something that reminds you of something else. If your mom baked a lot when you were a kid, the smell of cookies in the oven is probably evocative of your childhood. 1. Serving to bring to mind.

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. 1. Compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others.

Wail

To wail is to let loose a long loud cry. If you're feeling truly miserable, take a deep breath and wail as loudly as possible. 1. A cry of sorrow and grief. 2. Emit long loud cries. "wail in self-pity" 3. Cry weakly or softly. "she wailed with pain"

Wheedle/Wheedling

To wheedle is to sweet talk, or flatter someone in the hopes of getting something in return. You might try to wheedle a meter maid into not giving you a parking ticket. Good luck with that. 1. Influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering. 2. The act of urging by means of teasing or flattery.

Toiler

Toilers are people who work long and hard. Any employer would be grateful to have toilers as employees. 1. One who works strenuously.

Ask doubt on facebook.

Ultimately, most of these works have done little more than to show that Hemingway the myth and Hemingway the man were not too dissimilar (Hemingway lived to hunt big game so should we be surprised at his virility, not to mention that of many of the author's--chiefly male--protagonists?).

Apocryphal

Urban legends — stories about phantom hitchhikers, deep-fried rats, and spider eggs in bubblegum — are classic examples of apocryphal tales. They're told as if they're true, but no one can ever identify their origins. 1. Being of questionable authenticity.

Grotesque

Use grotesque to describe things that are very strange and ugly in an unnatural way. If something "grosses you out," you can safely refer to it as grotesque. 1. Distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal and hideous. "tales of grotesque serpents eight fathoms long that churned the seas" 2. Ludicrously odd. "a grotesque reflection in the mirror"

Lucrative

Use lucrative to refer to a business or investment that makes money. The drug trade has proved very lucrative, if dangerous, for people willing to risk their lives to take part in it. 1. Producing a sizeable profit.

Quasi

Use quasi when you want to say something is almost but not quite what it describes. A quasi mathematician can add and subtract adequately, but has trouble figuring out fractions. 1. Having some resemblance. "a quasi success" "a quasi contract"

Acute

Use the adjective acute for when you want to describe something as sharp or extremely serious. 1. Ending in a sharp point. Needle like. 2. Extremely sharp or intense. "acute pain" "felt acute annoyance" 3. Having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions. "an acute observer of politics and politicians" 4. Of critical importance and consequence. "an acute (or critical) lack of research funds" 5. Having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course. "acute appendicitis" "the acute phase of the illness" "acute patients"

Campy

Use the adjective campy to describe something that has a ridiculous, wacky appeal. Some movies are so exaggeratedly bad that they've got a campy kind of charm. 1. Providing sophisticated amusement by virtue of having artificially (and vulgarly) mannered or banal or sentimental qualities. "campy Hollywood musicals of the 1940's"

Clandestine

Use the adjective clandestine to describe something that is done in secret, like your clandestine attempts to steal your brother's Halloween candy. 1. Conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods. "clandestine intelligence operations"

Jejune

Use the adjective jejune to describe something that is uninteresting or insignificant. Many people claim to find celebrity gossip jejune, but ask them about a recent movie star scandal and chances are they know all about it. 1. Lacking interest or significance or impact. "jejune novel" 2. Displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity. "jejune responses to our problems" 3. Lacking in nutritive value. "the jejune diets of the very poor"

Nary

Use the adjective nary to mean "none," or "not a single one." If you hope for a snowy morning, when you wake up you'll be sad to see nary a snowflake. 1. (used with singular count nouns) Colloquial for `not a' or `not one' or `never a'. "heard nary a sound"

Treacly

Use the adjective treacly to describe something that has a sticky, sweet flavor. Your dad's chocolate pecan pie might be a little too treacly for your taste. 1. Overly sweet. ************************************************************** 2. Overly sentimental. **************************************************************

Populist / Populism

Use the noun populist to describe a person — especially a politician or activist — who works to give regular working people a voice in their government. 1. An advocate of democratic principles. Populism If you feel that ordinary working people should have the strongest political voice, you can say you believe in populism. 1. The political doctrine that supports the rights and powers of the common people in their struggle with the privileged elite.

Salon

Use the noun salon when you talk about the place you get your hair cut. A salon is a good place to get a perm or highlights, to get your nails painted, or just to get a trim. 1. Elegant sitting room where guests are received. 2. Gallery where works of art can be displayed. 3. A shop where hairdressers and beauticians work.

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. 1. Choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans. "The candidate espouses Republican ideals" 2. Take up the cause, ideology, practice, method, of someone and use it as one's own.

Cheesy

Use the word cheesy to describe something that's cheap or badly made. You might hope your fake Rolex watch will impress your friends, but they're bound to see how cheesy it is. 1. Of very poor quality; flimsy.

Usurpation

Usurpation means taking someone's power or property by force. Locking the teacher outside of the classroom and taking charge of math class is a form of usurpation. 1. Wrongfully seizing and holding (an office or powers) by force (especially the seizure of a throne or supreme authority). "a succession of generals who ruled by usurpation" 2. Entry to another's property without right or permission.

Verbosity

Verbosity is a quality possessed by people who talk a lot while saying very little at all. 1. An expressive style that uses excessive or empty words.

Vicious

Vicious is an adjective that means intentionally harmful or nasty. If you spread vicious rumors about a person, you're telling people things that will hurt her feelings or ruin her reputation. Cut it out! 1. Marked by deep ill will; deliberately harmful. "vicious gossip" 2. Bringing or deserving severe rebuke or censure. 3. (of persons or their actions) Able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering. "vicious kicks"

Voluble / Volubility

Voluble describes someone who talks a lot, like your aunt who can't stop telling you to cut your hair or a political candidate who makes twenty speeches on the day before the election. 1. Marked by a ready flow of speech. "she is an extremely voluble young woman who engages in soliloquies not conversations" 1. The quality of being facile in speech and writing. Synonyms: Articulateness, Fluency.

Weary

Weary as an adjective means "very tired or worn out," like weary students who finished a long week of studying and taking tests. 1. Physically and mentally fatigued. 2. Exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress. 3. Lose interest or become bored with something or somebody

Inviolable

Wedding vows and vault combinations that can't be broken are considered inviolable. (Of course, divorce lawyers and bank robbers consider this a challenge.) 1. Incapable of being transgressed or dishonored. "the person of the king is inviolable" "an inviolable oath" 2. Immune to attack; incapable of being tampered with. "fortifications that made the frontier inviolable" 3. Not capable of being violated or infringed. 4. Having to be kept sacred. Synonyms: Inviolate, Sacrosanct

Machination

When a James Bond villain comes up with a plan to destroy the world, he doesn't use a simple plan. No, he uses a machination — a complex plot that relies on numerous elements coming together to work. 1. A crafty and involved plot to achieve your (usually sinister) ends.

Annul

When a celebrity wakes up in Las Vegas with a mysterious wedding ring on her finger, the first thing she'll probably want to do is annul the marriage. That will declare it invalid and officially cancel the whole deal. 1. Cancel officially. 2. Declare invalid. "The contract was annulled"

Heist

When a man with a gun walks into a bank and says, "Give me all your money," that's a heist or a robbery at gunpoint. 1. The act of stealing. 2. Commit a burglary; enter and rob a dwelling. 3. Robbery at gunpoint.

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. 1. Showing inappropriate levity.

Feral

When animal control finds a feral dog, they have to handle it very carefully because the animal is so wild that it's probably afraid of humans and likely to bite. 1. Wild and menacing. "a pack of feral dogs"

Lurid

When people are lured into looking at something, they may be drawn to it because it's a shocking, graphic, or horrible scene, something lurid and very vivid that pulls them in. Your mother might complain that she hates lurid TV shows — ones that are overly sensationalized and meant to shock. 1. Glaringly vivid and graphic; marked by sensationalism. "lurid details of the accident" 2. Horrible in fierceness or savagery. "lurid crimes" "a lurid life" 3. Shining with an unnatural red glow as of fire seen through smoke. "a lurid sunset" "lurid flames" 4. Ghastly pale. "moonlight gave the statue a lurid luminence"

Deceased

When someone is deceased, they are dead — not dying or even just about to die. They are dead. 1. Someone who is no longer alive. 2. Dead. "he is deceased"

Heretofore

When someone says heretofore, they're describing things that have happened up to the present moment. This formal word means "thus far" and often appears in legal or other official documents. 1. Used in negative statement to describe a situation that has existed up to this point or up to the present time.

mellow

When something becomes mellow, it gets softer or more relaxed. People are often said to mellow with age, meaning their aggressiveness, their sarcasm, and their short temper have given way to a more easygoing, genial manner. 1. Having a full and pleasing flavor through proper aging. "a mellow port" 2. Unhurried and Relaxed. "a mellow conversation" 3. Having attained to kindliness or gentleness through age and experience. "mellow wisdom" "the peace of mellow age" 4. Soften, make mellow. "Age and experience mellowed him over the years" 6. Make or grow (more) mellow. "These apples need to mellow a bit more" "The sun mellowed the fruit"

Vibrancy

When something has vibrancy, it possesses deep and rich sounds. The very best singers bring vibrancy to their performances. 1. Having the character of a loud deep sound; the quality of being resonant.

Implode

When something implodes, it explodes inward — instead of outward. With extremely large buildings, it helps to implode them rather than explode them, because by falling inward they take up less space. 1. Burst inward. "The bottle imploded"

Monolithic

When something is monolithic it's big, and made of one thing. A large piece of stone jutting from the earth is a monolith, and Detroit's economy when it depended entirely on the auto industry was monolithic. 1. Imposing in size or bulk or solidity. "the monolithic proportions of Stalinist architecture" 2. Characterized by massiveness and rigidity and total uniformity. "a monolithic society" "a monolithic worldwide movement"

Unwavering

When something is unwavering, it is firm or unshakable. If you're a good hockey goalie, then you'll show an unwavering determination to keep the puck out of your goal. 1. Marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable. "unwavering loyalty" 2. Not showing abrupt variations.

Plague

When the homeowner described her ant problem as a plague, the exterminator thought she was being a bit melodramatic. After all, a few bugs aren't exactly a huge calamity. 1. Any large-scale calamity (especially when thought to be sent by God). 2. Any epidemic disease with a high death rate. ****************************************************************** 3. An annoyance. "those children are a damn plague" 4. Annoy continually or chronically. ******************************************************************

Gratis

When there's a concert you want to go to and your best friend gets tickets and takes you gratis, be grateful: that means you're going for free. 1. Costing nothing. 2. Without payment. "I'll give you this gratis"

Antedate

When things antedate something else, they come before it, or happen earlier than it does. World War I antedates World War II. 1. Be earlier in time; go back further. 2. Establish something as being earlier relative to something else.

Interwoven

When things are knitted or laced together, they're interwoven. Baskets are traditionally made with interwoven strips of straw, bamboo, or palm. 1. Linked or locked closely together as by dovetailing. 2. Existing as an essential constituent or characteristic. 3. In the nature of something though not readily apparent. "shortcomings inherent in our approach"

Coeval

When two things live or happen during the same period of time, they are coeval. If you annotate an old poem, the annotations and the text of the poem are not coeval. 1. Of the same period. 2. A person of nearly the same age as another.quibble

Adduce

When you adduce something, you offer proof in support of an argument. You might adduce the contents of your nearly empty closet in an effort to get your mom to take you clothing shopping. 1. Advance evidence for.

Administer

When you administer something, you give it to others. This can apply to a dose of medicine, an order, a survey, or a punishment. Administer can also mean to run something — such as a school or an office. 1. Work in an administrative capacity; supervise or be in charge of. "administer a program" "she administers the funds" 2. Direct the taking of. "administer an exam" "administer an oath" 3. Perform (a church sacrament) ritually. "administer the last unction" 4. Give or apply (medications). 5. Administer or bestow, as in small portions. "administer critical remarks to everyone present"

Allude

When you allude to something, you don't identify it or mention it specifically. If you allude to the fact that a cop is sitting right behind you, your friends might stop talking about their plans to rob a bank. 1. Make a more or less disguised reference to. "He alluded to the problem but did not mention it"

Anxious

When you are anxious, you are very concerned or worried, but it can also refer to when you are quite interested in something. You might be anxious to improve your performance in math class after falling asleep during a big test. 1. Causing or fraught with or showing anxiety. "spent an anxious night waiting for the test results" "cast anxious glances behind her" 2. Eagerly desirous. "anxious to see the new show at the museum"

Equivocate

When you are unwilling to make a decision and almost intentionally go back and forth between two choices, you are equivocating. When politicians equivocate, they are often afraid of upsetting, and thus alienating, voters with their decisions. 1. Be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information. 2. Someone equivocates when they're intentionally trying to mislead someone.

Presupposition

When you assume some fact at the very beginning of an argument, that's presupposition. If a book critic decides that a novel is intended for young adult readers before writing her review, she makes a presupposition. 1. The act of presupposing; a supposition made prior to having knowledge (as for the purpose of argument).

Dictate

When you dictate something, you are giving orders — acting a bit like a dictator. ****************************************************************** 1. A guiding principle. "the dictates of reason" ****************************************************************** 2. Issue commands or orders for. 3. Say out loud for the purpose of recording "He dictated a report to his secretary"

Distill

When you distill something, you are boiling it down to its essence — its most important part. Whether it's alcohol or ideas, the distilled part is the most powerful. 1. Undergo condensation; change from a gaseous to a liquid state and fall in drops. "The acid distills at a specific temperature" 2. Remove impurities from, increase the concentration of, and separate through the process of distillation Synonyms: Make pure, Purify, Sublimate 3. Extract by the process of distillation. "distill the essence of this compound"

Airily

When you do something airily, you do it in a casual, offhanded way. You might hide your excitement at meeting a movie star by airily saying, "Oh, hi." 1. In a flippant manner. "this cannot be airily explained to your children"

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. 1. Express strong disapproval of.

Elope

When you elope, you run away with the person you love. Usually, you elope to get married without anyone knowing in advance. 1. Run away secretly with one's beloved. "The young couple eloped and got married in Las Vegas"

Endeavor

When you endeavor to do something, you try hard to make it happen. A determined student might endeavor to get straight As on her report card. 1. Attempt by employing effort. "we endeavor to make our customers happy" 2. Earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something. "wished him luck in his endeavor" 3. A purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness).

Hurl

When you hurl something, you throw it hard. You might hurl your shoe at a horrible bug if it suddenly scuttled across the floor. 1. Throw forcefully. 2. Utter with force; utter vehemently. "hurl insults" 3. A violent throw

Immure

When you immure someone or something, you put it behind a wall, as in a jail or some other kind of confining space. 1. Lock up or confine, in or as in a jail.

Pat

When you pat, you tap lightly with your hand. A sad friend might be comforted by a kind pat on the shoulder. But that sad friend would not be comforted by a pat, insincere, comment. 1. Hit lightly. "pat him on the shoulder" 2. Exactly suited to the occasion. "a pat reply" 3. Completely or perfectly. "he has the lesson pat" "had the system down pat" 4. Light touch or stroke. ************************************************************** 5. Having only superficial plausibility. **************************************************************

Duly

When you put in a lot of overtime hours at your job, you assume you'll be duly paid. Duly means "properly" or "appropriately." 1. At the proper time. "she was duly apprised of the raise"

Apposition

When you put two things right next to each other, you can call that apposition. The apposition of your dog and your cat makes an adorable photograph. 1. The act of positioning close together (or side by side). Synonyms: Collocation, Juxtaposition.

Creed

Without reading the long document about the group's beliefs — its creed — he knew he didn't fit in, because he just couldn't bow to the 12-foot statue of a rabbit, no matter what it symbolized. 1. Any system of principles or beliefs. 2. The written body of teachings of a religious group that are generally accepted by that group.

Obliterate

When you see obliterate, think of evil alien invaders that zap a planet with a destructive ray. In one blast, the planet and all of the people on it are vaporized. The planet is truly obliterated, or completely wiped out. 1. Remove completely from recognition or memory. 2. Do away with completely, without leaving a trace. 3. Reduced to nothingness.

Trivialize

When you trivialize something, you make it seem less important than it really is. Some people complain that TV news tends to trivialize complicated political stories. 1. Make trivial or insignificant. "Don't trivialize the seriousness of the issue!"

Uphold

When you uphold something, you stick up for or support it. Police officers are paid to uphold the law, and crazy Elvis fans uphold their belief that he's still alive out there somewhere. 1. Stand up for; stick up for; of causes, principles, or ideals. 2. Support against an opponent. "The appellate court upheld the verdict" 3. Keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last.

Vent

When you vent, you let something out, whether it's hot air or your feelings. If you vent your feelings, you let out a strong and sometimes angry emotion and just say what you think. 1. A hole for the escape of gas or air. 2. Give expression or utterance to. "She vented her anger"

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. 1. The act of restraining power or action or limiting excess. "his common sense is a bridle to his quick temper" 2. Headgear for a horse; includes a headstall and bit and reins to give the rider or driver control. 3. Anger or take offense. "She bridled at his suggestion to elope"

Anodyne

When your back is killing you from helping your friend move furniture into his new apartment, you need to take an anodyne, a painkiller. 1. Capable of relieving pain. "the anodyne properties of certain drugs" 2. A medicine used to relieve pain.

Careen

Whether it's an unsteady ship, a speeding bus, or a person who is woozy, use the verb careen to describe something that's teetering from side to side. 1. Pitching dangerously to one side. Synonyms: Rock, Sway, Tilt. 2. Move sideways or in an unsteady way. "The ship careened out of control" 3. Walk as if unable to control one's movements.

Impinge

Whether you have a habit of standing too close when talking to others or bringing luggage on a crowded rush-hour subway car, you'll find people don't like it when you impinge on their personal space. 1. Impinge or infringe upon. "This impinges on my rights as an individual" 2. Advance beyond the usual limit.

Gargantuan

Whether you're talking about your gargantuan appetite or a gargantuan building, use the word gargantuan to describe something so big that big just isn't, well, big enough to accurately describe it. 1. Of great mass; huge and bulky.

Coddle

While it is okay for parents to coddle, spoil, or pamper a young child, it's a little unnerving when parents coddle, or pamper adult children. And downright weird when adult children wear Pampers. 1. Cook in nearly boiling water. "coddle eggs" 2. Treat with excessive indulgence.

Whit

Whit means a small tiny part of something. If you don't even have a whit of courage, you are most likely a chicken. 1. A tiny or scarcely detectable amount.

Buttress

You can buttress an argument with solid facts or your financial portfolio with safe investments. You may find that giving compliments to everyone you meet buttresses your popularity. To buttress is to sustain or reinforce. 1. A support usually of stone or brick; supports the wall of a building. 2. Reinforce with a buttress. "Buttress the church" 3. Make stronger or defensible. "buttress your thesis"

Totalitarian

You can decipher the meaning of totalitarian by the first part: "total." It refers to a government with total power, one that exercises complete, even oppressive control over the people and their activities. (You can also figure it's not nice.) 1. Characterized by a government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control. ""a totalitarian regime crushes all autonomous institutions in its drive to seize the human soul"- Arthur M.Schlesinger, Jr." 2. Of or relating to the principles of totalitarianism according to which the state regulates every realm of life. "totalitarian theory and practice" 3. An adherent of totalitarian principles or totalitarian government.

Worldly

You can use the adjective worldly to describe people who have knowledge of many topics or experience in many areas. You don't have to travel the globe to be worldly; reading and talking about many things with knowledge and enthusiasm is worldly too. 1. Characteristic of or devoted to the temporal world as opposed to the spiritual world. "worldly goods and advancement" 2. Very sophisticated especially because of surfeit; versed in the ways of the world. "the benefits of his worldly wisdom"

Gavel

You know that wooden hammer a judge slams down on his desk when he's trying to bring order to the court? That's a gavel. 1. A small mallet used by a presiding officer or a judge.

Acclaim

You know you've hit it big when you earn acclaim, or enthusiastic approval. And when you have achieved "critical acclaim," even the grouchy critics approve of you. 1. Enthusiastic approval. "the book met with modest acclaim" 2. Praise vociferously. 3. Clap one's hands or shout after performances to indicate approval.

Understatement

You make an understatement when you say a lot less than you could. If you say "We didn't do our best" when your team loses 56 to 0, that's quite an understatement. 1. A statement that is restrained in ironic contrast to what might have been said.

Askance

You may have trouble looking directly at the human specimens onstage at the freak show, but you also won't be able to look away. Find a happy medium by looking askance, or subtly out of the corner of your eye. 1. With suspicion or disapproval. "he looked askance at the offer" 2. With a side or oblique glance. "did not quite turn all the way back but looked askance at me with her dark eyes" 3. (used especially of glances) Directed to one side with or as if with doubt or suspicion or envy.unduly ""her eyes with their misted askance look"- Elizabeth Bowen"

Endue

You probably hope that your years of ballet classes will endue you with the ability to dance like Baryshnikov. In other words, you're dreaming that all of those arabesques and pirouettes will provide you with the dancing talent you wish for. 1. Give qualities or abilities to.

Squint

You squint when you squeeze your eyes almost shut. If you are trying to see something far away, you will probably squint while you strain your eyes to see more clearly. 1. Partly close one's eyes, as when hit by direct blinding light. "The driver squinted as the sun hit his windshield" 2. Be cross-eyed; have a squint or strabismus. 3. (used especially of glances) Directed to one side with or as if with doubt or suspicion or envy.

Nothing if not

You use nothing if not in front of an adjective to indicate that someone or something clearly has a lot of the particular quality mentioned. [emphasis] ⇒ Professor Fish has been nothing if not professional. ⇒ Hollywood is nothing if not creative, especially if someone else will pick up the bills.

Precursor

You've heard the old saying "Pride comes before the fall?" Well, you could just as easily say pride is a precursor to the fall. A precursor is something that happens before something else. 1. Something that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someone. 2. A person who goes before or announces the coming of another. 3. An ordeal substance from which another substance is formed (especially by a metabolic reaction).

Demeanor

Your demeanor is defined as being either your facial appearance or your behavior. When playing poker, don't let your demeanor give away how good your cards are. 1. (behavioral attributes) The way a person behaves toward other people.

Anthropomorphic

Your favorite TV shows when you were a toddler probably had anthropomorphic characters like Thomas the Tank Engine or Arthur, who are non-human, but have human characteristics, such as human faces and the ability to talk. 1. Suggesting human characteristics for animals or inanimate things.

Kindred

Your kindred are your people. If you say are going to visit your kindred during the holidays, that means you are going to visit your relatives. 1. Group of people related by blood or marriage. 2. Related by blood or marriage. "kindred clans" 3. Similar in quality or character. "kindred souls"

Improbable

Your parents might tell you it's improbable that they'll buy you a car when you turn 16. Since improbable means something is unlikely but not impossible, your optimism allows you to keep hoping. 1. Having a probability too low to inspire belief. 2. Too improbable to admit of belief. 3. Not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred. "an improbable event"

Worldliness

Your worldliness means that you've had enough experience, through travel and meeting different kinds of people, that you understand the way the world works. 1. The quality or character of being intellectually sophisticated and worldly through cultivation or experience or disillusionment. 2. Concern with worldly affairs to the neglect of spiritual needs. "he disliked the worldliness of many bishops around him"

Knee pain

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3540231/

STOMACH

https://www.realself.com/question/visible-crease-lines-my-stomach-shown-in-image https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/4i3y27/deep_crease_line_on_stomach/ https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090122201038AAt4Bxr http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=510165 https://forums.soompi.com/en/topic/37459-line-on-your-stomach-from-sitting-downslouching/ https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=lines+on+stomach&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwigrMyI78bRAhUBK48KHSrmDZEQ_AUICCgB#imgrc=Owi8H1e8zi0fhM%3A http://www.livestrong.com/article/535950-how-to-get-rid-of-belly-creases/ http://www.livestrong.com/article/107229-rid-fat-lines-stomach/ https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=lines+on+stomach&oq=lines+on+stomach&aqs=chrome..69i57.7472j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Trying

************************************************************** 1. Hard to endure. "fell upon trying times" ************************************************************** 2. Extremely irritating to the nerves. "a trying day at the office"

Contrarian

1. An investor who deliberately decides to go against the prevailing wisdom of other investors.

Rabble-rousing

1. Arousing to action or rebellion.

Littered

1. Filled or scattered with a disorderly accumulation of objects or rubbish.

Daintily

1. In a refined manner. "she nibbled daintily at her cake" 2. In a delicate manner. "the invitation cards were written up daintily in white and gold"

Faddish

1. Something that's faddish is in style, often for a brief length of time. 2. Intensely fashionable for a short time

Squirm

1. To move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling). 2. The act of wiggling.

Concierge

A concierge works at a hotel helping guests make restaurant reservations, get directions, or anything else they need assistance with. If you were staying at a hotel, the concierge could recommend where to find the best coffee in town. 1. A French caretaker of apartments or a hotel; lives on the premises and oversees people entering and leaving and handles mail and acts as janitor or porter

Morass

A morass is a mushy, muddy patch of ground that you might find in a bog. In other words, it's something you probably don't want to get stuck in. 1. A soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot.

Inured

If you have gotten so many mosquito bites in your life that they no longer bother you, you have become inured to them. This means you have become accustomed to tolerating them. 1. Made tough by habitual exposure. ""a peasant, dark, lean-faced, wind- inured"- Robert Lynd" ""our successors...may be graver, more inured and equable men"- V.S.Pritchett" 2. To inure is to get used to something difficult or unpleasant. If after spending an hour in your brother's room, you stop noticing the stinky-sock smell, you have become inured to the odor. 3. Cause to accept or become hardened to; habituate. "He was inured to the cold"

Imperialism

Imperialism is a type of government that seeks to increase its size, either by forcing (through war) or influencing (through politics) other countries to submit to their rule. 1. A policy of extending your rule over foreign countries. 2. A political orientation that advocates imperial interests. 3. Any instance of aggressive extension of authority.

Indelicate

Indelicate things are offensive or rude. If you tell an indelicate joke to your sweet, old-fashioned great-grandmother, it'll make her blush. 1. In violation of good taste even verging on the indecent. "an indelicate remark" 2. Verging on the indecent. "an indelicate proposition" 3. Lacking propriety and good taste in manners and conduct.

Denunciatory

Like to play the blame game? Try the adjective denunciatory! Anything denunciatory reproaches someone or threatens to punish them. If you blame the mayor for your town's woes, write a denunciatory editorial for the local paper. 1. Containing warning of punishment.

Heady

Something that's heady is extremely thrilling. You might have a heady feeling as you walk up on stage to get your high school diploma. 1. Extremely exciting as if by alcohol or a narcotic. 2. Marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences. 3. Marked by the exercise of good judgment or common sense in practical matters.

Perverse

Something that's perverse is deviant — it's not completely acceptable, and it may be even a little strange. Your perverse sense of humor probably makes some of your friends laugh while others just look uncomfortable. 1. Deviating from what is considered moral or right or proper or good. 2. Marked by a disposition to oppose and contradict. "took perverse satisfaction in foiling her plans" 3. Resistant to guidance or discipline. "a perverse mood" Perversely 4. deliberately deviant 5. In a contrary disobedient manner.

Elysian

The adjective elysian describes a blissful state, like the one most people hope to enjoy on a Hawaiian vacation. 1. Relating to the Elysian Fields. 2. Being of such surpassing excellence as to suggest inspiration by the gods. "an elysian meal"

Macabre

The adjective macabre is used to describe things that involve the horror of death or violence. If a story involves lots of blood and gore, you can call it macabre. 1. Shockingly repellent; inspiring horror. "macabre tales of war and plague in the Middle ages" "macabre tortures conceived by madmen"

Maim

To maim something is to disfigure it through force or violence. Wartime battles have a tendency to maim soldiers. 1. Injure or wound seriously and leave permanent disfiguration or mutilation. "people were maimed by the explosion"

Mince

To mince is to chop into tiny bits. Your favorite soup recipe might include directions to mince four cloves of garlic. 1. Cut into small pieces "mince the garlic" 2. Make less severe or harsh. 3. Walk daintily. "She minced down the street"

Foreboding

When you get a foreboding, you get a sense that something bad is going to happen. A foreboding is a foretelling, a sign or a glimpse, that "something wicked this way comes" — or might come. 1. A feeling of evil to come. "a steadily escalating sense of foreboding" Synonyms: Boding, Premonition, Presentiment. 2. An unfavorable omen. Type of: omen, Portent, presage, Prodigy, prognostic, Prognostication 3. Ominously prophetic.