VERBAL ADVANTAGE LEVEL 3 (COMPLETE)

PITTANCE (PIT-'ns)

A small amount, portion, or share, especially a small or meager amount of money. "Her inheritance was only a pittance"; "He received a pittance for his services"; "Some people will work for a pittance if the job is rewarding." Think of the pit of a fruit, which is small and hard, and you'll easily remember that a pittance is a small amount of money that is hard to live on.

EXTEMPORIZE (ek-STEM-puh-ryz)

To improvise, to speak or compose with little or no preparation or practice, perform something in an offhand or unpremeditated way: "She delivered her speech using notes, but during the question-and-answer session she extemporized." To improvise is the general word meaning to make up on the spur of the moment. You can improvise a speech, a tune on the piano, or a plan of action. Extemporize usually refers specifically to speaking in an offhand, spontaneous way. The corresponding adjective extemporaneous means spoken or composed with little or no preparation or practice. Extemporaneous remarks are impromptu, made up on the spur of the moment.

AMELIORATE (uh-MEEL-yuh-rayt)

To make or become better or more tolerable, improve, amend, correct, reform, rectify, raise the condition or state of. Ameliorate is used chiefly of improving something that needs help because it is inferior, oppressive, or intolerable. City officials may decide to ameliorate a run-down neighborhood. A charitable organization may work to ameliorate the hapless condition of the homeless or the poor.

PERQUISITE (PUR-kwi-zit)

A benefit, incidental gain or reward; specifically, an expected or promised benefit, privilege, or advantage received in addition to one's normal salary or wages. You may not have heard the word perquisite before, but I'll bet you're familiar with the noun perk, as in the phrase "a job with good perks," meaning a job with good benefits and privileges. Just as the word bennies has today become the popular, informal substitute for benefits, the word perk was created as a shorter, snappier, and informal synonym for perquisite. But unlike benny meaning benefit, which is recent slang and has yet to make it into a dictionary, perk dates back to the 1820s. Nevertheless, perk did not appear in an American dictionary until the 1960s, when Merriam-Webster's Third New International recorded it along with the label "chiefly British." Since then, however, perk has become fully standard in American usage, and because it has retained its informal flavor it is now more widely used than the original word, perquisite. Perquisite comes from a Latin noun meaning acquisition, and ultimately from a Latin verb meaning to ask or search for diligently. In modern usage, perquisite refers to a benefit or privilege accompanying a position. The perquisites of a job are the nice things you expect or that have been promised in addition to your salary. An expense account, a company car, a commodious office, and a profit-sharing plan all are nice perquisites—if you can get them.

VENDETTA (ven-DET-uh)

A bitter, protracted feud or rivalry. Vendetta comes through Italian from the Latin vindicta, revenge, vengeance, the source also of the English word vindictive (word 39 of Level 5), vengeful, seeking revenge. The vindictive person feels he has been wronged and is disposed to retaliate; in certain cases this may lead to a vendetta, a long, bitter, and often violent feud. Vendetta refers specifically to the violent tradition, formerly practiced in Italy, Sicily, and Corsica, of revenging the murder of a relative by killing the murderer or a member of his family. Of course, such private, extralegal vengeance usually leads to further retaliation, until a murderous rivalry ensues. Both in Italian and in English, these protracted blood feuds are known as vendettas. Anyone who's seen the Godfather film trilogy knows that vendettas are still common among the American Mafia, and they can last for generations. In English, vendetta may also be used more generally to mean any long, bitter feud or rivalry, not necessarily between families and not necessarily attended by bloodshed: "The mayor accused her opponent of waging a vendetta instead of a campaign." "At first Steve was excited about his new managerial position with Eye-for-an-Eye Incorporated, but he soon realized that the company was run by backstabbing executives engaged in vicious departmental vendettas."

BOON (rhymes with moon)

A blessing, timely and welcome benefit, something beneficial bestowed upon one, something to be thankful for. A boon once meant a favor or request. In stories of yore—of time long past—knights, courtiers, and all manner of supplicants would bow before their kings and queens and say, "As your humble servant, I beseech you to grant me this boon." Are you wondering what supplicant means? A supplicant (SUHP-li-kint) is a person who begs for something, and supplication is the act of begging for something humbly and earnestly. Getting back to boon, the meaning "favor, request" is now archaic (ahr-KAY-ik), or old-fashioned, and today boon is used to mean a blessing, a timely and welcome benefit, something to be thankful for, as in "This good weather is a boon"; "His efforts were a boon to their enterprise."

CATACLYSM (KAT-uh-KLIZ-'m)

A disaster, great mishap, catastrophe, violent upheaval. A disaster, a catastrophe, a calamity, a debacle, and a cataclysm all refer to accidents, misfortunes, and sudden or violent changes. Let's examine these words in order. The negative prefix dis- denotes the absence or reverse of what follows: dislike is an absence of affection, discomfort is the absence of comfort, and disadvantage is the reverse of an advantage. In the word disaster, dis- combines with the Latin astrum, a star, to mean literally a reversal of the stars, an unfavorable horoscope; hence, an absence of luck, misfortune. Today disaster refers to a great misfortune involving ruinous loss of life or property. The sinking of the Titanic and the stock market crash of 1929 were disasters. Catastrophe (kuh-TAS-truh-fee) combines the Greek kata-, down, with strophe, turn, to mean literally a down-turning. Originally catastrophe referred to the final turning point in a Greek tragedy where things go down the drain. Today catastrophe is used interchangeably with disaster, but properly disaster emphasizes the unforeseen, unlucky aspect of an event and catastrophe emphasizes its tragic and irreversible nature: The stock market crash of 1929 was a disaster for Wall Street, but it was only the beginning of the economic catastrophe we now call the Great Depression. A calamity (kuh-LAM-i-tee) is an event that produces great distress, hardship, or misery, particularly on a personal level: The death of a loved one is always painful, but there is no greater calamity than the death of a child. Debacle (di-BAH-kul) refers by derivation to a violent breaking up of ice in a river. It is often used today of any violent disruption or breakdown that leads to collapse or failure: "The breakup of the former Soviet Union was the debacle of communism"; "When Colosso Corporation laid off 20 percent of its workforce, company executives called it downsizing but employees called it a debacle." Our keyword, cataclysm, comes from a Greek verb meaning to wash away or dash over. In its original sense, still in good standing today, a cataclysm is a great flood, a deluge (DEL-yooj), specifically the biblical flood that inundated the earth for forty days and forty nights. (By the way, to inundate—pronounced IN-uhn-dayt or, less often, in-UHN-dayt—means to overflow or overwhelm.) In current usage, cataclysm most often refers to a violent upheaval that causes great destruction and change. The adjective is cataclysmic (KAT-uh-KLIZ-mik). A cataclysmic event may be geological—such as a devastating earthquake, fire, or flood—or it may be social or political. Many would say that World War II was the greatest cataclysm in the tumultuous course of twentieth-century history.

PLATITUDE (PLAT-i-t(y)ood)

A flat, dull, ordinary remark, a trite statement or hackneyed saying, especially one uttered as if it were original or profound: "Phil thought the management seminar was a big waste of time because the instructor kept repeating the same old platitudes he had heard many times before." Platitude comes from the French word for flat, and means literally "a flat remark." Synonyms of platitude include cliché, truism (TROO-iz-'m), and bromide (BROH-myd). Platitude also has several useful relatives. The adjective platitudinous (PLAT-i-T(Y)OO-di-nus) refers to speech or expression that is dull, ordinary, commonplace, insipid, banal. The verb to platitudinize (PLAT-i-T( Y)OO-di-nyz) means to utter platitudes. And a platitudinarian (PLAT-i-T(Y)OO-di-NAIR-ee-in) is a person who habitually utters platitudes—flat, dull, ordinary remarks. In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the character Polonius is considered a platitudinarian. In bidding leave to his son Laertes, the pompous old adviser cannot resist sharing his favorite precepts, among them "Neither a borrower nor a lender be," "To thine own self be true," and "The apparel oft proclaims the man." These and many other expressions from Shakespeare have since become platitudes—dull, ordinary statements uttered as if they were still meaningful and fresh.

DEARTH (rhymes with earth)

A lack, scarcity, insufficiency, inadequate supply of something needed. A more difficult synonym of dearth is paucity (PAW-si-tee, word 2 of Level 10). Antonyms of dearth include abundance, surplus, excess, superfluity (SOO-pur-FLOO-i-tee), plethora (PLETH-uh-ruh, word 19 of Level 6), and surfeit (SUR-fit, word 49 of Level 8). Dearth is a noun formed from the adjective dear. Something dear is precious, costly, highly valued. Literally, a dearth is a lack of something dear. Dearth is now used of any serious insufficiency or inadequate supply: a dearth of supplies; a dearth of hope; a dearth of opportunities in the job market.

PENCHANT (PEN-chint)

A liking, leaning, strong inclination, decided taste: "a penchant for sports," "a penchant for poetry," "a penchant for spicy food." More difficult synonyms of penchant include propensity, a profound, often irresistible inclination; and proclivity, a strong natural or habitual tendency, especially toward something objectionable or wicked. Career criminals have a proclivity for violence. Successful businesspeople have a propensity for discerning the bottom line and making a profit. And many people have a penchant for chocolate, a strong liking, decided taste.

STIGMA (STIG-muh)

A mark of shame or disgrace, a moral blemish, a stain on one's character or reputation. Stigma comes directly from Greek, and means literally a mark, brand, tattoo. In its original but no longer common sense, stigma refers to a brand or scar made with a red-hot iron in the flesh of slaves and criminals. Later it came to be used of anything that branded a person as unwholesome or disgraceful, a mark of shame, stain on one's character or reputation: the stigma of divorce; the stigma of a bad credit rating. The corresponding verb is stigmatize (STIG-muh-tyz), to brand as shameful, set a mark of disgrace upon: The media rarely have an indifferent view of celebrities and politicians; they either praise them or stigmatize them. The plural of stigma is either stigmas or stigmata (preferably STIG-muh-tuh; I'll elaborate in a moment). Stigmas is the anglicized plural—to anglicize means to make English, conform to English modes of spelling, pronunciation, and usage. Stigmata, the Latinate plural, is also an interesting word by itself. Specifically, stigmata refers to marks resembling the wounds on the crucified body of Jesus Christ that are believed to have been supernaturally impressed on the bodies of certain persons, such as St. Francis of Assisi. Now for a word of advice on pronunciation. For the plural stigmata, STIG-muh-tuh, with the stress on the first syllable, follows the Latin and Greek accentuation and is the traditional English pronunciation. The alternative pronunciation stig-MAH-tuh, with the accent on the second syllable, has been around since the 1920s; it is now standard and listed first in some dictionaries. Despite its popularity, however, stig-MAH-tuh is a pseudoclassical pronunciation; in other words, those who say it that way probably think they are following the proper classical accentuation. Although stig-MAH-tuh is not wrong, it carries a slight stigma of affectation. There is no such stigma associated with the pronunciation STIG-muh-tuh, which I recommend as having a longer tradition and greater authority.

QUANDARY (KWAHN-duh-ree or KWAHN-dry)

A state of uncertainty, perplexity, or doubt. Predicament, dilemma, and quandary all apply to situations or conditions that are difficult and perplexing. A predicament is a situation that is especially unpleasant or unfortunate: "Larry looked at his smashed-up car lying in the ditch, then at his mistress who was more smashed than his car, and he wondered how he had gotten himself into this predicament." Dilemma (word 3 of level 5) is often used today of any difficult problem or troublesome situation, but many good writers and speakers object to that as loose usage. Dilemma comes from the greek di-, meaning two, and lemma, a proposition, and by derivation means a choice between two propositions. Strictly speaking, dilemma should be used only of situations in which one faces a choice between equally undesirable alternatives, as "The soldiers who defended the Alamo faced a terrible dilemma: to surrender or die." A quandary is a state of uncertainty or confusion that renders one unable to act. To be "in a quandary" means to be puzzled, full of doubts, and not sure what to do: "Julie was in a quandary over whether to look for a better job"; "the thought of buying a new house put them in a quandary: they wanted a nicer place with more room for the kids, but could they afford it?"

FOIBLE (FOY-bul)

A weak point, slight fault or flaw, minor failing, especially a weakness in a person's character. By derivation foible means the weak part of a sword, and it is related to the word feeble, weak, frail. A foible is not a serious defect in character but rather a minor flaw or weakness that is usually forgivable: "A penchant for rich desserts is her only foible."

CATEGORICAL (KAT-uh-GOR-i-kul)

Absolute, unqualified, explicit; without exceptions, conditions, or qualifications. Antonyms of categorical include ambiguous (word 25 of Level 2), and doubtful, dubious, indefinite, enigmatic, and equivocal. In the philosophy of logic, a categorical proposition affirms something absolutely without resorting to conditions or hypothesis. In the philosophy of ethics, Immanuel Kant's famous categorical imperative is, as the third edition of The American Heritage Dictionary puts it, "an unconditional moral law that applies to all rational beings and is independent of any personal motive or desire." In general usage, categorical refers to statements or assertions that are absolute, unqualified, direct and explicit. A categorical reply is direct and explicit; a categorical refusal is complete and unconditional; a categorical denial is absolute and unqualified. Although categorical may be used of any utterance that is absolute and unqualified, today it often suggests a statement or state of mind that is rigid, narrow, arrogant, or arbitrary. A categorical decision may seem universal to some but unfair and arbitrary to others. And when someone calls a creed or opinion categorical, the implication is that some assert that it is absolute while others believe it is narrow-minded or false.

TERSE (rhymes with worse)

Brief and to the point, free of superfluous words, expressed in a pointed and polished way. More difficult synonyms of terse include concise, pithy(PITH-ee), succinct (suhk-SINGKT), and laconic (luh-KAHN-ik, word 18 of this level). Antonyms include long-winded, redundant, verbose (word 30 of Level 2), and prolix (word 1 of Level 9). Concise, succinct, and terse all suggest brevity, expressing something in a brief and direct way. Concise implies eliminating anything unnecessary or superfluous: "Her presentation was persuasive and concise." Succinct implies getting the point across in the fewest possible words: "An effective letter to the editor must be succinct." By the way, I'm sure you've heard the beastly mispronunciation suh-SINGKT, which in recent years has become widespread among educated speakers. Good speakers don't say ASS-uh-dent for accident, uh-SEPT for accept, or suh-SEED for succeed, so there's no logical reason for saying suh-SINGKT. Take care to pronounce the cc in succinct like k-s: suhk-SINGKT. But let's get back to our keyword, terse. Terse writing or speech is brief, pointed, and polished. It communicates smoothly and effectively, without digressions or excess words. Terse may also suggest expression that is blunt or brusque (rhymes with dusk). A terse reply is brief and pointed, but it stops just short of being rude.

CIRCUMSPECT (SUR-kum-spekt)

Careful, cautious, wary, watchful, carefully considering all circumstances before acting or making a judgment. Synonyms of circumspect include discreet, vigilant, and prudent (word 47 of Level 1). Earlier in this level you learned the word circumscribe, to limit, confine, restrict. As in that word, the circum- in circumspect means around. The second half of circumspect comes from the Latin specere, to look at carefully, observe. The Latin specere is also the source of the words spectator, one who looks on; spectacle, something unusual to look at, an impressive display; and spectacular, wonderful to behold. By derivation, circumspect means looking around carefully before making a decision or taking action, and that's the meaning of the word today. Careful implies close attention and concern; one is careful to pronounce words properly. Cautious implies guarding against danger and risk; you should be cautious when crossing the street. Circumspect implies a worried care, a nervous, wary cautiousness. The circumspect person is concerned about unforseen circumstances and unfavorable consequences, and so is careful to avoid making an ill-considered move.

LUCID (LOO-sid)

Clear, easy to see or understand, plainly expressed. Lucid is also commonly used to mean clear of mind, mentally sound, rational, sane: "His ninety-year-old mother is senile, but she still has some lucid days." Synonyms of lucid in the first sense—clear, easy to understand—include intelligible, comprehensible, limpid (LIM-pid), and perspicuous (pur-SPIK-yoo-us). Antonyms include murky, obscure, befuddled, nebulous (word 5 of Level 2), ambiguous (word 25 of Level 2), and abstruse (ab-STROOS, word 5 of Level 6), which means complicated, hard to understand. Anything that is clearly understood or plainly expressed can be described as lucid: a lucid explanation; a lucid question; a lucid account of the issues. The unusual but useful word pellucid (puh-LOO-sid) intensifies the meaning of lucid; pellucid means exceptionally clear, extremely easy to see or understand.

SOLICITOUS (suh-LIS-i-tus)

Concerned, showing care and attention, especially in a worried, anxious, or fearful way. Solicitous suggests great concern, usually displayed by thoughtful care or hovering attention. In this sense solicitous may be followed by the prepositions of, for, or about: one may be solicitous about the outcome of an event, solicitous of a child, or solicitous for the welfare of another. Solicitous may also be used to mean eager, full of desire, willing. In this slightly different sense it is followed by the preposition to and still conveys anxious concern: solicitous to gain the advantage; solicitous to know the results of the election; solicitous to go ahead with the plan.

SALIENT (SAY-lee-int)

Conspicuous, noticeable, prominent; sticking or jutting out. Synonyms of salient include protruding, manifest (MAN-i-fest), obtrusive (uhb-TROO-siv), and protuberant (proh-T(Y)OO-bur-int). Antonyms include inconspicuous, unassuming, unobtrusive, indiscernible, and unostentatious (uhn-AHS-ten-TAY-shus). Salient comes from the Latin verb salire, to leap, jump, spring. That which is salient seems to leap out at you, jump into view, or spring forward to command your attention. People often have salient noses or other salient physical features. A salient characteristic is a person's most conspicuous or noticeable characteristic. A salient wit is forceful and prominent. Salient may apply to things that are attractive or unattractive. Salient beauty and salient ugliness are both striking and conspicuous; they leap out at you with equal force.

FASTIDIOUS (fa-STID-ee-us)

Extremely delicate, sensitive, or particular, especially in matters of taste or behavior; dainty, fussy, finicky, overnice: fastidious table manners; a fastidious dresser; a fastidious worker who agonizes over every detail of the job. Fastidious may also mean hard to please, extremely picky or demanding, exacting, critical to a fault: a fastidious ear for music; fastidious in one's choice of friends; a fastidious client for whom a good job is never good enough. Fastidious descends from Latin words meaning squeamish, disgusted, disdainful, and conceited. More than a trace of these unpleasant words remains in the way fastidious is used today. The fastidious person is so excessively concerned with details that he may become squeamish or disgusted if things are not just right. The fastidious person may also be so hard to please, so critical and demanding, that she appears contemptuous of others. According to the great Century Dictionary (1914), "Fastidious almost always means a somewhat proud or haughty particularity; a fastidious person is hard to please, because he objects to minute points or to some point in almost everything." Scrupulous, meticulous, punctilious, and fastidious all suggest demanding standards and careful attention to every aspect or detail. Scrupulous (SKROO-pyuh-lus) means having scruples or principles; hence, rigorously careful and exact about doing what is correct and proper: "City officials called for a scrupulous investigation into the alleged embezzlement of public funds"; "All employees must follow company regulations scrupulously." Meticulous (muh-TIK-yuh-lus) is often used today to mean painstaking, taking pains to attend to details or exercise care, as in "The report showed meticulous research," or "Doctors must wash their hands meticulously before examining patients." Bear in mind, however, that meticulous comes through the Latin meticulosus, timid, from metus, fear, and by derivation properly suggests exaggerated attention to details or unimportant matters out of nervousness or timidity: "Albert dressed for the interview with meticulous care, all the while reminding himself that making a good first impression was the key to getting the job." Punctilious (puhngk-TIL-ee-us) comes from the Latin punctum, a point. From the same Latin punctum comes the English word punctilio (puhngk-TIL-ee-oh), a fine point, nice detail. By derivation, punctilious means exact and often excessive attention to punctilios, to fine points or minute details, especially in observing customs, ceremonies, or procedures: "The new executive director seemed to have Robert's Rules of Order memorized, for she cited chapter and verse as she guided the board through each item on the agenda with a stern and punctilious hand." Fastidious means having extremely delicate, sensitive, or particular tastes; fussy, picky, or demanding in a condescending way. As Webster's New International Dictionary, second edition (1934), puts it, fastidious suggests "a certain disdainfulness in rejecting what is displeasing to one's taste."

INGRATIATING (in-GRAY-shee-AY-ting)

Flattering, attempting to win approval or curry favor, trying to gain acceptance, done to charm or please another. The word unctuous (UHNGK-choo-us), which was discussed under glib, keyword 8 in this level, is a close synonym of ingratiating. Ingratiating comes from the Latin in, which means in or into, and gratia, grace. By derivation ingratiating means getting into the good graces of another. Dictionaries and thesauruses often give charming, pleasing, and agreeable as synonyms of ingratiating, but today the word is rarely used in a positive sense. Invariably it has the negative suggestion of charming in an insincere way, pleasing in an attempt to win approval or curry favor, agreeable so as to get into the good graces of another: "Every time Don walked by the boss's office or passed him in the hallway, he would flash a fake, ingratiating smile. That, and other unctuous gestures, soon made Don's coworkers loathe him."

MERCENARY (MUR-suh-NER-ee)

Greedy, done for payment only, motivated by a selfish desire for money or other reward. Synonyms include covetous and avaricious, which are discussed in word 40 of Level 2. Mercenary is also close in meaning to the challenging word venal (VEE-nul). Venal means corruptible, capable of being bribed or bought off: a venal social climber; a venal politician. The noun a mercenary denotes a hired soldier, one who fights not for a cause or for love of country but for money. The adjective mercenary means done for payment only, motivated by greed: "Harry's interest in the deal was strictly mercenary."

CLAIRVOYANT (klair-VOY-int)

Having exceptional powers of perception, unusually clear-sighted or discerning; specifically, able to see objects or events that others cannot, having extrasensory perception or the power of divination. Clairvoyant comes through French from the Latin clarus, clear, and videre, to see. By derivation clairvoyant means having the power to see clearly what others cannot. The corresponding noun clairvoyance means exceptional insight or perception, the ability to see things others can't. Clairvoyant may also be used to mean a person who supposedly possesses the power to see into the future, a medium, soothsayer. With the advent of modern science, clairvoyance has fallen into disrepute. Yet economists continually attempt to be clairvoyant (though they rarely are), and many ordinary people experience occasional clairvoyant moments full of startling, exceptional insight.

INSCRUTABLE (in-SKROO-tuh-bul)

Incomprehensible, unfathomable, extremely difficult to understand, not open to investigation or analysis. Synonyms of inscrutable include mysterious, impenetrable, esoteric (ES-uh-TER-ik, word 29 of Level 5), arcane (ahr-KAYN), and abstruse (word 5 of Level 6). Antonyms include comprehensible, lucid (word 45 of this level), and perspicuous (pur-SPIK-yoo-us). Inscrutable combines the negative prefix in-, which means not, with the Latin scrutari, to examine, inspect, search thoroughly. Scrutari is also the source of the English words scrutinize, to investigate, examine closely, and scrutiny, a close examination. By derivation inscrutable means incapable of being scrutinized, not able to be examined or investigated. Anything that cannot be fathomed, that does not open itself readily to the understanding, may be called inscrutable. Many of the workings of nature are inscrutable, even to biologists. Human nature and the functions of the mind are still inscrutable to psychiatrists and neurologists. And even to philosophers and theologians the meaning of life is still—and probably always will be—inscrutable. Now for some advice on usage: Chances are you've heard inscrutable used in the phrase "an inscrutable smile." That's a cliché, a hackneyed expression. Unless you're trying to be humorous, it's best to avoid it altogether. When you use inscrutable, strive for an original turn of phrase. And one other word of caution: In the past, perhaps because of the popularity of the fictional characters Fu Manchu and Charlie Chan, the word inscrutable was often applied to Asians or to the Asian race. You should be aware that today this use is considered not only cliché but also derogatory and offensive.

ERUDITE (traditionally, ER-uh-DYT; now usually ER-yuh-DYT)

Learned, scholarly, possessing extensive knowledge acquired chiefly from books. Erudite comes from the Latin erudire, to instruct, educate, polish, free from roughness or rudeness. The corresponding noun is erudition, extensive knowledge acquired from reading books: "He displayed his erudition with wit and grace." People and things can both be erudite. For example, erudite professors often write erudite studies of obscure subjects. Reading Verbal Advantage will help you build an erudite vocabulary, which in turn will help you become a more erudite person, someone who possesses a wide store of knowledge. I should point out that my pronunciation of erudite and erudition is slightly different from most educated speakers. Today most people pronounce these words with a long u: AIR-yoo-DYT (or AIR-yuh-) and AIR-yoo-DISH -un (or AIR-yuh-). The interesting thing is that the speakers who prefer these long-u pronunciations rarely take pains to preserve the traditional long-u sound in duty, assume, student, opportunity, or prelude (properly PREL-yood, not PRAY-lood). Yet they have trained themselves to say AIR-yoo-DYT and AIR-yoo-DISH-un presumably because the cultivated sound of the long u complements the meaning of these words. The long-u pronunciations of erudite and erudition are not incorrect. In fact, they have been acceptable for several decades and all current dictionaries list them. However, to my hypercritical ear they smack of pseudosophistication, or sham erudition, because they ignore the etymologically significant rude dwelling within these words and illogically transform a short Latin u into a long English u. And so I remain faithful to the older, though now less popular, pronunciations ER-uh-DYT and ER-uh- DISH-un. (For more on the pronunciation of erudite, see my Big Book of Beastly Mispronunciations.)

FERVENT (FUR-vint)

Passionate, having or showing great warmth or intensity of feeling, fiery, earnest, impassioned. Synonyms of fervent include vehement, ardent, fervid, and zealous (ZEL-us). Antonyms of fervent include lukewarm, listless, apathetic, indifferent, impassive, and phlegmatic (fleg-MAT-ik, word 33 of Level 9). Fervent and fervid both come from the Latin fervere, to boil, glow, and both are still used to mean very hot, boiling, glowing, burning. When used of feelings, fervent suggests great warmth and earnestness. Fervid is stronger and suggests intense, even violent emotion. A fervent speech or a fervent belief is fiery and passionate, but a fervid debate or a fervid protest is vehement, overheated, boiling over with passionate intensity.

INDIGENT (IN-di-jint)

Poor, needy, penniless, impoverished, down-and-out. Challenging synonyms of indigent include destitute and impecunious (IM-pe-KYOO-nee-us). The impecunious person has little or no money: "Many great writers have suffered through long periods of impecunious obscurity"; "He is a lazy, impecunious wretch posing as a gentleman." The destitute person has no visible means of support: "Ralph's addiction to booze and gambling eventually left his family destitute"; "the starving, destitute refugees of a war-torn nation." Indigent comes from the Latin indigentis, in need, wanting. The indigent person is down-and-out and in need of assistance or relief: "They built a new shelter for the homeless and the indigent"; "Some people resent paying taxes to support the indigent members of society."

DISCERNIBLE (di-SURN-i-bul)

Recognizable, detectible, perceptible, capable of being recognized by the senses or by the mind. Synonyms of discernible include apparent, evident, distinguishable, and manifest (MAN-i-fest). Antonyms of discernible include obscure, invisible, indistinct, and imperceptible. Discernible and the related words discern, discernment, and discerning come from a Latin word meaning to sift, separate, distinguish between, and all of these words pertain to sifting or separating things in order to distinguish them. The verb to discern means to recognize with the senses or the mind, especially to perceive something hidden or obscure: the philosopher's goal is to discern the truth; the doctor's job is to discern the cause of a disease; the numismatist—n(y)oo-MIZ-muh-tist, an expert on coins—can discern the genuine from the counterfeit. The noun discernment denotes the ability to make accurate distinctions or discriminate keenly and wisely. Discernment is what enables a good manager to hire the most capable, loyal employees. The psychologist and the detective both must show discernment in reading people's character and assessing their motives. Challenging synonyms of discernment include astuteness, acumen (uh-KYOO-men), and perspicacity (PUR-spi- KAS-i-tee). The adjective discerning means having or showing discernment, revealing knowledge or insight: a wine taster must have a discerning palate; the person with a discerning eye has an exceptional ability to make subtle judgments or distinctions. The adjective discernible, our keyword, means distinguishable, perceptible, capable of being discerned: "The faint light of dawn was barely discernible on the horizon"; "Industry analysts concluded that there was no discernible difference between the company's performance before and after the merger."

NARCISSISM (NAHR-si-SIZ-'m)

Self-love, excessive admiration of oneself. Synonyms of narcissism include vanity, conceit, egotism, and amour-propre (ah-MOOR PRAWP-ruh or PRAWP-ur). Antonyms include humbleness, modesty, and humility. Narcissism comes from Narcissus (nahr-SIS-us), a character in Greek mythology who fell in love with his reflection in a pool of water. A narcissist is a person afflicted with narcissism, self-love, excessive admiration of one's appearance, abilities, or achievements. Narcissistic is the adjective: "Amy was sick of dating narcissistic men whose only topic of conversation was me, me, me."

AUSTERE (aw-STEER)

Severe, somber, stern, serious, grim, grave, dour (properly rhymes with poor, not sour). Austere may mean severe or stern in appearance, manner, or practice. An austere person is forbidding, somber, grave. An austere lifestyle is characterized by strict self-discipline or severe self-denial. Austere surroundings have a dearth of creature comforts or decoration; they are grim and barren.

BREVITY (BREV-i-tee)

Shortness, briefness, as the brevity of life, the brevity of a child's attention span. Brevity may also mean brief expression, shortness of speech, as "Forcefulness and brevity are the most important characteristics of a good speaker." Synonyms of brevity in this sense include conciseness, succinctness (suhk-SINGKT-nis), terseness, and pithiness. Brief and brevity both come from the Latin brevis, short, the source also of the unusual word breve (BREEV, rhymes with leave and grieve). A breve is one of the diacritical marks or symbols used to indicate pronunciation. It's a small curve, like a tiny smile, placed over a vowel to indicate a short sound, as in the e in pet or the a in cat. You've probably seen the breve many times in your dictionary without realizing what it is. Well, now when you see it again you'll know what it's called, and you will also know that the breve is a symbol for brevity, shortness, briefness.

OSTENTATIOUS (AHS-ten-TAY-shus)

Showy, extremely conspicuous, extravagant, flamboyant; specifically, displayed or done in a flashy, vain manner. Antonyms of ostentatious include simple, plain, modest, and unassuming. Pretentious, pompous, and ostentatious all refer to persons or things that are showy, extravagant, and self-important. All three words are often used of style, as in writing, speech, fashion, art, music, or architecture. Pretentious means laying claim to a level of distinction or worth that is undeserved. The pretentious person asserts his self-importance in a demanding, arrogant way. That which is pretentious draws attention to itself by strutting and bragging. Pompous means puffed up with exaggerated self-importance. The pompous person is full of solemn reverence for himself or his opinions. That which is pompous takes itself too seriously. Ostentatious emphasizes conspicuousness and vanity. The ostentatious person puts on an extravagant show to impress others. Ostentatious clothing parades itself. An ostentatious display of wealth is an exaggerated, unnecessary show of wealth.

TACITURN (TAS-i-turn)

Silent, not talkative, holding one's tongue, reserved, uncommunicative, reticent (RET-i-sint). Challenging antonyms of taciturn include garrulous (word 8 of Level 4), loquacious (loh-KWAY-shus), effusive (e-FYOO-siv, word 13 of Level 7), and voluble (VAHL-yuh-bul, word 1 of Level 5). Taciturn comes from the same Latin root as tacit (word 9 in Level 2). Tacit means unspoken, done or made in silence. Taciturn means silent by nature, preferring not to speak. Taciturn and reticent both mean not talkative, uncommunicative. Reticent suggests a disinclination to express one's feelings or supply information. Taciturn refers to a person who is habitually silent and withdrawn. A word of caution about reticent. Though you increasingly hear people use reticent to mean reluctant, in careful usage these words are not synonymous. Reluctant means unwilling, hesitant, disinclined. Reticent means reluctant to speak.

ADROIT (uh-DROYT)

Skillful, clever, dexterous; specifically, showing skill in using one's hands or in using one's brains. Synonyms of adroit include deft, resourceful, ingenious, artful, and adept (word 7 of Level 1). Antonyms of adroit include awkward, clumsy, inept, and maladroit (MAL-uh-DROYT). Adroit comes from Latin through the French droit, right, and means literally "to the right." Historically, the English language has always favored the right hand as the better, more skillful hand. Yes, I know that's unfair to southpaws, but my job is not to "say it ain't so" but to "call 'em like I see ' em." The fact is, a bias for right-handed words is ingrained in the language, which is one reason we don't say "out in right field" to mean crazy, weird, unorthodox. Let's take a brief look at some of these "handy" English words. The Latin dexter means on the right side, skillful. From dexter we inherit the word dexterous, skilled with the hands or body. Now, here's where things get sinister for lefties. The Latin sinister means left, on the left side, and also wrong, evil, unfavorable, adverse, the meaning of the English word sinister today. People who are ambidextrous are equally skillful or dexterous with both hands. Can you guess what the opposite of ambidextrous is? The unusual word ambisinister means literally having two left hands, equally awkward with both hands. Latin is not the only language that favors righties and disdains lefties. The French gauche (GOHSH) means left, but also crooked, awkward, clumsy. Gauche entered English in the eighteenth century, and since then it has been used to refer to a person who is awkward, crude, or blundering, or to behavior that lacks culture or social grace. On the other hand (so to speak), from French we have also assimilated the word adroit, done with the right hand, and therefore skillful, clever, dexterous. Adroit may refer to physical dexterity, but it is also often used of mental ingenuity; for example, you can make an adroit maneuver in a wrestling match or in a game of chess. Adroit also often implies exhibiting either physical or mental dexterity to elude danger or extricate oneself from a difficult situation.

GLIB (rhymes with rib)

Smooth-spoken, speaking in a ready, fluent manner, with natural or offhand ease, talkative in a nonchalant way. Synonyms of glib include suave, facile, bland, voluble (word 1 of Level 5), flippant, and unctuous (UHNGK-choo-us). By the way, I really like the word unctuous. It comes from the Latin ungere, to anoint, which is also the source of the English word unguent (UHNG-gwent), a medicinal ointment, salve (SAV or SAHV). By derivation unctuous means oily, fatty, having a greasy or soapy feel, and today unctuous is used to mean having a slimy, slippery, or smarmy manner. The unctuous person appears agreeable or earnest, but in an affected, self-serving, and insincere way. Our keyword, glib, also has a slightly unpleasant aroma. In general glib refers to the ability to speak or to something spoken in a smooth, easy, nonchalant way, but the word usually suggests a manner that is too smooth and easy to be convincing. Glib answers may be thoughtless, ill-considered; glib proposals or solutions may be superficial; and a glib salesperson or a glib politician may be persuasive but insincere.

QUIESCENT (kwy-ES-int)

Still, quiet, tranquil, inactive, at rest or repose. Antonyms of quiescent include vigorous, animated, sprightly, vivacious, and ebullient (i-BUHL-yint or i-BUUL-yint). The words latent, dormant, and quiescent are related in meaning. Latent applies to something that has not yet been revealed: a latent ability, a latent desire. Dormant applies to something inactive or that seems asleep: a dormant volcano, a dormant power. Quiescent suggests a temporary cessation of activity, a period of rest or repose: the sea was quiescent after the storm.

PROLETARIAT (PROH-luh-TAIR-ee-it)

The working class, especially the industrial wage-earning class, which earns its living by manual labor. The adjective is proletarian (PROH-luh-TAIR -ee-in), of or relating to the working class. In the philosophy of Karl Marx, the famous exponent (ek-SPOH-nint; do you need to look it up?) of communism, the proletariat comprises those members of society without property or capital who must sell their labor to survive. Proletariat comes through French from the Latin proletarius, which means a Roman citizen of the lowest class. Today the word is still used to mean the lowest and poorest class of people in any society.

ASSIMILATE (uh-SIM-i-layt)

To absorb, take in, incorporate, appropriate. In physiology, assimilate means to absorb into the body, convert to nourishment, digest. In general use, assimilate has two senses. It may mean to absorb or take into the mind, comprehend, as to assimilate ideas, to assimilate new words into your vocabulary. It is also commonly used to mean to adapt to or become absorbed by a system or culture: "American society is composed of generations of immigrants, some more assimilated than others." "He feared that if he accepted the job, he would have to assimilate into the faceless machine of the bureaucracy."

CENSURE (SEN-shur)

To blame, condemn, find fault with, criticize harshly, express stern disapproval of. Synonyms of censure include denounce, reprimand, and reprehend (rep-ri-HEND). Antonyms include commend, extol (ek-STOHL), and laud (rhymes with sawed). Censure is often used today to mean to reprimand formally, blame or condemn in an official manner, as "The Senate censured one of its members for unethical conduct." But you may also use censure less formally to mean to express stern disapproval of, criticize harshly, as to censure an employee for lackadaisical performance. Censure usually implies condemnation of irresponsible behavior rather than condemnation of character. Be careful not to confuse the words censure and censor. To censor (SEN-sur) is to suppress or delete something objectionable, as to censor a book, or to censor unpopular opinions. To censure (SEN-shur) is to blame, condemn, find fault with.

RESCIND (ri-SIND)

To cancel, take back, take away, remove; also, to render void, annul, repeal. Rescind comes from a Latin verb meaning to cut, and by derivation means to cut back or away; hence, to remove, cancel, take back something one has said or done. When you rescind an order, rescind a contract, or rescind a law, you cancel it, make it void. When you rescind a statement you take it back, remove it from the record.

INCRIMINATE (in-KRIM-uh-nayt)

To charge with a crime, accuse of wrongdoing, implicate, present evidence or proof of involvement in a wrongful act. You can see all but the last letter of the word criminal in the spelling of incriminate. When you incriminate someone, you accuse that person of doing something illegal or unethical. Incriminating evidence corroborates a person's involvement in a wrongful act. An incriminating statement is a statement that makes one appear guilty of wrongdoing.

CAVIL (KAV-ul)

To criticize or complain unnecessarily, point out petty flaws, raise trivial or frivolous objections. Synonyms of cavil include nitpick, niggle, carp, and quibble. All these words suggest making unnecessary criticisms or complaining about trivial things. A good editor corrects your grammar and punctuation but doesn't nitpick every sentence. A boss who niggles about every detail will eventually exasperate the employees. Husbands and wives often carp at each other about household expenses and domestic chores. Professors quibble with their colleagues about minor points of scholarship. Newspaper critics will often cavil in their reviews just to assert their authority as critics. To cavil means to complain unnecessarily, point out petty flaws, raise trivial or frivolous objections.

PROTRACT (proh-TRAKT)

To draw out, drag out, extend in time, lengthen, prolong, especially to excess. Antonyms of protract include abbreviate, condense, curtail, and truncate (TRUHNG-kayt). Prolong and protract both refer to increasing the duration of something. Prolong suggests making it longer than usual, lengthening it beyond ordinary limits: to prolong a meeting, a prolonged illness. Protract comes from the Latin tractare, to draw, drag around. It suggests drawing or dragging something out needlessly, often to the point of irritation or boredom. A protracted trial is long and tedious. A protracted debate seems to drag on forever. And now, before you accuse me of protracting this discussion, I shall curtail it—cut it short—and move on to the next word.

EXPUNGE (ek-SPUHNJ)

To erase, delete, cancel; punch, strike, or wipe out; eradicate, obliterate. To erase means literally to rub or scratch out. You erase a blackboard or a pencil mark. To cancel means literally to cross out with lines. You cancel a check or a clause in a contract. To delete means to remove written material. On a computer you can delete a word, a paragraph, or an entire document with a few keystrokes or clicks of the mouse. To expunge means to wipe out something completely so it appears as though it had never existed: to expunge a name from a list; to expunge all record of an event; to expunge a word from your vocabulary.

CONSTRUE (kun-STROO)

To interpret, explain the meaning or intention of. Construe comes from the same Latin source as the familiar words construct and construction. One less common meaning of the word construction is an explanation or interpretation; in this sense, to put a construction on something—such as a statement or an action—means to assign a meaning to it, explain its significance or intent. For example, in every case decided by the United States Supreme Court, the role of the justices is to put their particular construction on how the Constitution shall influence the law of the land. By derivation, the verb to construe means to put a particular construction on something, to interpret it, explain its underlying meaning or intention. Silence is often construed as agreement. An ambiguous reply is difficult to construe. Some men insist on construing that when a woman says no, she really means yes. If your boss asks you why you were late to work three days in a row, while you dream up an excuse you can buy time by responding, "I'm not sure how to construe your question."

CIRCUMSCRIBE (sur-kum-SKRYB or SUR-kum-skryb)

To limit, restrict, confine, hem in, fix the boundaries of. The scribe in circumscribe means to write, draw, and circum- means around. Literally, circumscribe means to draw a line around, encircle; figuratively, it means to enclose within narrow limits, restrict, confine: the circumscribed routine of daily life; a law that circumscribes certain rights. You can see the combining form circum- at work in many English words. Circumstance combines circum-, around, with the Latin stare, to stand, and means literally "that which stands around"; hence, a condition or factor influencing a situation or surrounding an event. Circumcision combines circum- with incision to mean literally "a cutting around." Circumvent combines circum-, around, with the Latin venire, to go, and means to go around, bypass, especially in a clever or resourceful way: "She had to circumvent a lot of red tape to get the job done." From this somewhat circumlocutory (SUR-kum-LAHK-yuh-tor-ee), or roundabout, discussion, can you guess the meaning of circumnavigate? That's right: It means to navigate or sail around, as to circumnavigate the earth. Our keyword, circumscribe, means literally to draw a line around; hence, to enclose within narrow limits, fix the boundaries of: "A limited vocabulary can circumscribe your career and undermine your chances for success."

DEFRAY (di-FRAY)

To pay, provide money for, cover the cost or expenses of. Pay and defray are synonymous, but they are not interchangeable. You pay for a meal in a restaurant, you don't defray it. You pay your bills, you don't defray them. In current usage defray means to cover the cost or expense of something, especially to provide money for a portion of that cost or expense. For example, you might use an income tax refund to help defray the expense of a trip to Europe. A nonprofit corporation that receives a grant or donation might use it to defray the cost of office equipment and supplies.

ALLUDE (uh-LOOD)

To refer to something indirectly, make a casual reference. Synonyms of allude include suggest, hint, insinuate, and intimate (IN-ti-mayt). Antonyms include indicate, specify, detail, and enumerate (i-N(Y)OO-mur-ayt). To allude and to refer are synonymous but differ markedly in usage. To refer is to mention something specifically, point it out distinctly: The Declaration of Independence refers to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" as "unalienable rights." To allude is to refer to something indirectly or casually, without mentioning it. A political candidate might allude that an opponent has a skeleton in the closet. In a report or proposal you might allude to a study that supports your point without citing it directly. Someone who is afraid of heights might allude to a disturbing childhood experience as the source of the phobia. The corresponding noun is allusion (uh-LOO-zhun). An allusion is an indirect, casual, or passing reference: "The novel contains many allusions to Shakespeare"; "Only by allusion did the article suggest that the company was in financial trouble."

LACONIC (luh-KAHN-ik)

Using few words, briefly and often bluntly expressed. Laconic comes from the Greek lakonikos, a Spartan, a resident of the ancient city state of Sparta, which was renowned for its austere and warlike people. By derivation laconic refers to the Spartans' reputation for rigorous self-discipline and reticence. Synonyms of laconic include succinct, concise, terse, and pithy. We discussed some of these words earlier in this level, under terse (word 3), but it's worth going over them again so you can clearly distinguish their meanings. Succinct means expressed in the briefest, most compressed way possible: a succinct update on the issue. Concise implies expression that is free from all superfluous words: a concise letter of resignation. Terse adds to concise the suggestion of pointedness and polish: a terse presentation. Pithy refers to concise expression that is full of meaning and substance, that is both brief and profound: pithy advice. Laconic expression may be either terse or pithy, but it also implies an abruptness that can seem brusque or indifferent. Julius Caesar's three-word pronouncement, "Veni, vidi, vici" (I came, I saw, I conquered), is one of the most famous laconic statements of all time. There is also the anecdote about Calvin Coolidge, the thirtieth president of the United States, who was legendary for his taciturnity, extreme reluctance to speak. As the story goes, someone once approached Coolidge and said, "Mr. President, I bet I can make you say more than three words." Without hesitating or even cracking a smile, Coolidge shot back, "You lose." Now that's laconic wit. Like the ancient Spartans, the laconic speakers and writers of today are determined to use no more words than are necessary to get the point across, even at the risk of giving offense.

HETEROGENEOUS (HET-uh-roh-JEE-nee-us)

Varied, composed of parts of different kinds, made up of unrelated or diverse elements, mixed, dissimilar, miscellaneous. The opposite of heterogeneous is homogeneous (HOH-moh-JEE-nee-us, five syllables), of the same or similar nature or kind. The prefix homo- means same, similar, like, as in homosexual, attracted to the same sex; homogenize, to blend, make similar or homogeneous; and homonym (HAHM-uh-nim), a word that is pronounced the same as another word but that has a different origin and meaning, such as fair and fare. The prefix hetero- means other, different, unlike, as in heterosexual, attracted to the other sex; heterodox (HET-ur-uh-dahks), having an opinion different from the accepted opinion, the opposite of orthodox (OR-thuh-dahks); and heterogeneous, varied, dissimilar, diverse, consisting of different elements or kinds.