ALTIN LİSTE-KARIŞIK

pretentious

: having or showing the unpleasant quality of people who want to be regarded as more impressive, successful, or important than they really are : characterized by pretension: as a : making usually unjustified or excessive claims (as of value or standing) <the pretentious fraud who assumes a love of culture that is alien to him — Richard Watts> b : expressive of affected, unwarranted, or exaggerated importance, worth, or stature <pretentious language> <pretentious houses> : making demands on one's skill, ability, or means : ambitious <the pretentious daring of the Green Mountain Boys in crossing the lake — American Guide Series: Vermont> It is hard to be pretentious or elevated in Yiddish, and easy to poke fun. —Cynthia Ozick, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 1988 To anyone ignorant of the underlying physics, it might seem the most arrogant and pretentious necromancy. —Carl Sagan, Contact, 1985 She seemed at that first meeting a little pretentious and a would-be intellectual—she was studying sociology in the States, a subject which thrives on banalities and abstract jargon ... —Graham Greene, Getting to Know the General, 1984 ... and then a P.S. running into 20 pages both sides of the paper and coming back to the top of page one—Hegel, Nietzsche, Emerson, Gide, Beethoven, Suarez—all the boys trotted out in reams of pretentious blather. —Myles na Gopaleen (Flann O' Brien), The Best of Myles, 1968 The houses in the neighborhood are large and pretentious. <that pretentious couple always serves caviar at their parties, even though they themselves dislike it> Synonym Discussion of pretentious showy, pretentious, ostentatious mean given to excessive outward display. showy implies an imposing or striking appearance but usually suggests cheapness or poor taste <the performers' showy costumes>. pretentious implies an appearance of importance not justified by the thing's value or the person's standing <a pretentious parade of hard words>. ostentatious stresses vainglorious display or parade <the ostentatious summer homes of the rich>.

desolate

: lacking the people, plants, animals, etc., that make people feel welcome in a place : very sad and lonely especially because someone you love has died or left : devoid of inhabitants and visitors : deserted : joyless, disconsolate, and sorrowful through or as if through separation from a loved one <a desolate widow> a : showing the effects of abandonment and neglect : dilapidated <a desolate old house> b : barren, lifeless <a desolate landscape> c : devoid of warmth, comfort, or hope : gloomy <desolate memories> <a desolate house abandoned many years ago> <destitute and desolate since her husband walked out on her> Did You Know? Something that is desolate is literally or figuratively "abandoned," so you probably won't be surprised to learn that "desolate" has its roots in the Latin verb desolare, meaning "to abandon." The Middle English word desolat comes from the past participle of "desolare," which in turn combines the prefix de- and the adjective solus, meaning "alone." "Desolate" is not at all alone in this family of words. Some other familiar descendants of "solus" include "solitary," "sole," "solo," "solitude," and "soliloquy." Synonym Discussion of desolate alone, solitary, lonely, lonesome, lone, forlorn, desolate mean isolated from others. alone stresses the objective fact of being by oneself with slighter notion of emotional involvement than most of the remaining terms <everyone needs to be alone sometimes>. solitary may indicate isolation as a chosen course <glorying in the calm of her solitary life> but more often it suggests sadness and a sense of loss <left solitary by the death of his wife>. lonely adds to solitary a suggestion of longing for companionship <felt lonely and forsaken>. lonesome heightens the suggestion of sadness and poignancy <an only child often leads a lonesome life>. lone may replace lonely or lonesome but typically is as objective as alone <a lone robin pecking at the lawn>. forlorn stresses dejection, woe, and listlessness at separation from one held dear <a forlorn lost child>. desolate implies inconsolable grief at loss or bereavement <desolate after her brother's death>. dismal, dreary, bleak, gloomy, cheerless, desolate mean devoid of cheer or comfort. dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess <dismal weather>. dreary, often interchangeable with dismal, emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility <a dreary job>. bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten <the bleak years of the depression>. gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise <gloomy war news>. cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering <a drab and cheerless office>. desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect <a desolate outpost>.

nutshell

: the hard outer shell of a nut : the hard external covering in which the kernel of a nut is enclosed : something of small size, amount, or scope in a nutshell : in a very brief statement

truism

: a true statement that is very commonly heard : a common statement that is obviously true : an undoubted or self-evident truth; especially : one too obvious for mention <ended his letter with the overused truism, "You can't win them all!">

tenet

: a belief or idea that is very important to a group : a principle, belief, or doctrine generally held to be true; especially : one held in common by members of an organization, movement, or profession the central tenets of a religion one of the basic tenets of the fashion industry

coronation

: a ceremony in which a crown is placed on the head of a new king or queen : the act or occasion of crowning; also : accession to the highest office the coronation of Queen Elizabeth

printout

: a copy of a document produced by a printer : a printed record produced automatically (as by a computer) She gave me a printout of the directions.

anecdota

: a short story about an interesting or funny event or occurrence : a usually short narrative of an interesting, amusing, or biographical incident Like many Jesuits who then ate most of their meals in refectories, McKenzie was a master raconteur with endless anecdotes, stories, and one-liners. —Margaret O'Brien Steinfels, Commonweal, 11 Sept. 2009 If Antony had won, of course, the story would have been very different. Indeed, despite the dominance of the Augustan version of events, a few hostile anecdotes about the young Octavian probably offer a glimpse of what Antony's side was saying. —Mary Beard, New York Review of Books, 12 Feb. 2009 Alexander's use of the family's private papers—the Waughs were prolific writers of letters and diaries as well as books—not only adds richly to the entertainment value of his account but also serves to illuminate just how tangled are the threads of filial love, hurt, awe, and competitiveness that run through their work. Although he ranges freely over two centuries of family anecdotes, amusing and appalling by turn, the dominant figure here is, as it should be, Evelyn. —Evelyn Toynton, Harper's, August 2007 Any competent science reporter knows anecdotes are not data and that one dramatic story proves nothing. —Editor & Publisher, 4 Nov. 2002 Deeply convinced of her own unattractiveness, frequently lonely and unimaginably needy, Joplin was a person who lived all over the page. It is impossible to read about her and not crave more anecdotes and personal details of such a wanton, tragic life. —Kim France, New York Times Book Review, 2 May 1999 He told us all sorts of humorous anecdotes about his childhood. <told us once again that anecdote about the dog and the bike> Did You Know? The Byzantine official Procopius wrote three historical works in Greek. In the first two, he dealt with wars and public works projects, but the third was something of a departure from this kind of history. Referred to as "Anekdota," from the Greek a- meaning "not," and ekdidonai, meaning "to publish," it contained bitter attacks on the emperor Justinian, his wife, and other notables of contemporary Constantinople. Understandably, it was not published until after its writer's death. English speakers originally used an anglicized version of the book's name for similar secret or unpublished histories or biographies, and by the 17th century, the meaning of "anecdote" had been broadened to cover any interesting or amusing personal tale.

overt

: easily seen : not secret or hidden : open to view : manifest <overt hostility>

equivocal

: having two or more possible meanings : not easily understood or explained a : subject to two or more interpretations and usually used to mislead or confuse <an equivocal statement> b : uncertain as an indication or sign <equivocal evidence> a : of uncertain nature or classification <equivocal shapes> b : of uncertain disposition toward a person or thing : undecided <an equivocal attitude> c : of doubtful advantage, genuineness, or moral rectitude <equivocal behavior> When I go to galleries to see new art. ... I don't care about what I see unless it holds my eye, and that is an almost involuntary experience; but once something has that hold on me—even in a tentative, equivocal way—other factors come into play, and I find myself reaching for analogies, ideas, theories. —Jed Perl, New Republic, 20 Mar. 2000 He [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec] frequented the sleazy underworld of Paris, but moved in top circles too, and by virtue of his equivocal status as a landed gentleman-turned-bohemian artist, was sufficiently an outsider to be a detached observer of the diverse social classes among whom he ranged so freely. —Elizabeth Cowling, Times Literary Supplement, 8 Nov. 1991 ... in the past, photographs of real situations in color have invited a sense of ambiguity, an element of distrust on the part of viewers, perhaps because the saturated dyes of color film seem to have an equivocal relationship to the harsher realities of social conditions. —Naomi Rosenblum, A World History of Photography, 1989 He responded to reporters' questions with equivocal answers. The experiment produced equivocal results. Synonym Discussion of equivocal obscure, dark, vague, enigmatic, cryptic, ambiguous, equivocal mean not clearly understandable. obscure implies a hiding or veiling of meaning through some inadequacy of expression or withholding of full knowledge <obscure poems>. dark implies an imperfect or clouded revelation often with ominous or sinister suggestion <muttered dark hints of revenge>. vague implies a lack of clear formulation due to inadequate conception or consideration <a vague sense of obligation>. enigmatic stresses a puzzling, mystifying quality <enigmatic occult writings>. cryptic implies a purposely concealed meaning <cryptic hints of hidden treasure>. ambiguous applies to language capable of more than one interpretation <an ambiguous directive>. equivocal applies to language left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading <moral precepts with equivocal phrasing>.

nil

: none at all : a score of zero : nothing, zero They took a 2 to nil lead in the second half of the game. <the difference in the audio performance of those two CD players is nil>

tenacious

: not easily stopped or pulled apart : firm or strong : continuing for a long time : very determined to do something a : not easily pulled apart : cohesive <a tenacious metal> b : tending to adhere or cling especially to another substance <tenacious burs> a : persistent in maintaining, adhering to, or seeking something valued or desired <a tenacious advocate of civil rights> <tenacious negotiators> b : retentive <a tenacious memory> But raw capitalism has also proved tenacious, evolving its own means of endlessly restimulating consumption ... —Nicholas Fraser, Harper's, November 2003 This "Southern Operation" would seal off China from outside help, thus underwriting victory in Japan's frustrating four-year war against Chiang Kai-shek's feckless but tenacious Chinese army. —David M. Kennedy, Atlantic, March 1999 We have been nominally democratic for so long that we presume it is our natural condition rather than the product of persistent effort and tenacious responsibility. —Benjamin R. Barber, Harper's, November 1993 Some people claim that by election day this year François Mitterrand had very little power besides the power of his own tenacious, authoritative, and austere persona. —Jane Kramer, New Yorker, 30 May 1988 The company has a tenacious hold on the market. <a tenacious trainer, she adheres to her grueling swimming schedule no matter what> Did You Know? For all of its nearly 400 years, "tenacious" has adhered closely to its Latin antecedent: tenax, an adjective meaning "tending to hold fast." Almost from the first, "tenacious" could suggest either literal adhesion or figurative stick-to-itiveness. Sticker burrs are tenacious, and so are athletes who don't let defeat get them down. We use "tenacious" of a good memory, too - one that has a better than average capacity to hold information. But you can also have too much of a good thing. The addition in Latin of the prefix per- ("thoroughly") to "tenax" led to the English word pertinacious, meaning "perversely persistent." You might use "pertinacious" for the likes of rumors and telemarketers, for example. Synonym Discussion of tenacious strong, stout, sturdy, stalwart, tough, tenacious mean showing power to resist or to endure. strong may imply power derived from muscular vigor, large size, structural soundness, intellectual or spiritual resources <strong arms> <the defense has a strong case>. stout suggests an ability to endure stress, pain, or hard use without giving way <stout hiking boots>. sturdy implies strength derived from vigorous growth, determination of spirit, solidity of construction <a sturdy table> <people of sturdy independence>. stalwart suggests an unshakable dependability <stalwart environmentalists>. tough implies great firmness and resiliency <a tough political opponent>. tenacious suggests strength in seizing, retaining, clinging to, or holding together <tenacious farmers clinging to an age-old way of life>.

decent

: polite, moral, and honest : showing kindness : seeming to care about the feelings or problems of other people : good enough but not the best : adequate or acceptable archaic a : appropriate b : well-formed : handsome a : conforming to standards of propriety, good taste, or morality <decent behavior> b : modestly clothed : free from immodesty or obscenity <decent language> : fairly good : adequate, satisfactory <decent wages> : marked by moral integrity, kindness, and goodwill <hard-working and decent folks> <it's very decent of them to help> Not long afterward, his father's health starts to fail. Mrs. Queenan has kicked him out, and he's landed in a flophouse. When word reaches Joe, he takes out his checkbook and moves his father into a decent apartment. —James McManus, New York Times Book Review, 26 Apr. 2009 In a whiney, rambling speech at his sentencing he took a page from the script of the earlier case, once again portraying himself as a flawed but decent man unfairly caught up in circumstances. —Bill Hewitt et al., People, 22 Dec. 2008 Tommy Railles, the doctor's boy. Just a great kid. Smart at school, a decent athlete, great with the girls, wonderful with older people. —Ward Just, Forgetfulness, (2006) 2007 The next time an overly friendly blond sidles up in a crowded bar and asks you to order her a brand-name martini, or a cheery tourist couple wonder whether you can take their picture with their sleek new camera-in-a-cell phone, you might want to think twice. There's a —decentchance that these strangers are pitchmen in disguise, paid to oh-so-subtly pique your interest in their product. —Paul McFedries, Word Spy, 2004 I don't understand how so decent a person could be involved with this kind of crime. He is a decent guy who would help anyone in need. You need to do the decent thing and tell her what happened. Are there any decent schools in that area? I've got to get some decent clothes. Synonym Discussion of decent chaste, pure, modest, decent mean free from all taint of what is lewd or salacious. chaste primarily implies a refraining from acts or even thoughts or desires that are not virginal or not sanctioned by marriage vows <they maintained chaste relations>. pure differs from chaste in implying innocence and absence of temptation rather than control of one's impulses and actions <the pure of heart>. modest and decent apply especially to deportment and dress as outward signs of inward chastity or purity <preferred more modest swimsuits> <decent people didn't go to such movies>. halfway decent: fairly good <(informal) I'm willing to eat anywhere as long as the food is halfway decent.>

unequivocal

: very strong and clear : not showing or allowing any doubt : not equivocal : leaving no doubt : clear, unambiguous : unquestionable <production of unequivocal masterpieces — Carole Cook> Her answer was an unequivocal yes. <few of the candidates have yet staked out unequivocal positions on the hot-button issues>

affidavit

law : a written report which is signed by a person who promises that the information is true : a sworn statement in writing made especially under oath or on affirmation before an authorized magistrate or officer We have a signed affidavit stating that the two men were seen entering the building.

estrogen

medical : a substance (called a hormone) that occurs naturally in women : any of various natural steroids (as estradiol) that are formed from androgen precursors, that are secreted chiefly by the ovaries, placenta, adipose tissue, and testes, and that stimulate the development of female secondary sex characteristics and promote the growth and maintenance of the female reproductive system; also : any of various synthetic or semisynthetic steroids (as ethinyl estradiol) that mimic the physiological effect of natural estrogens

close-knit

used to describe a group of people who care about each other and who are very friendly with each other : bound together by intimate social or cultural ties or by close economic or political ties <close-knit families>

sequel

: a book, movie, etc., that continues a story begun in another book, movie, etc. : something that happens after and usually as a result of a previous event : consequence, result a : subsequent development b : the next installment (as of a speech or story); especially : a literary, cinematic, or televised work continuing the course of a story begun in a preceding one The new film is a sequel to the very successful comedy that came out five years ago. He is busy writing the book's sequel. There is an interesting sequel to my date with her that I'll share with you later.

skirmish

: a brief and usually unplanned fight during a war : a minor or brief argument or disagreement : a minor fight in war usually incidental to larger movements a : a brisk preliminary verbal conflict b : a minor dispute or contest between opposing parties <the debate touched off a skirmish> Skirmishes broke out between rebel groups. Violent skirmishes with the enemy continue despite talks of peace.

fetter

: a chain or shackle for the feet : something that confines : restraint <a time-honored tradition is fine as long as it doesn't become a fetter that prevents us from trying something new> <claims that government regulations are unnecessary fetters that keep him from achieving his business goals> Did You Know? While now used as a more general term for something that confines or restrains, "fetter" was originally applied specifically to a chain or shackle for the feet. Not surprisingly, the word's Old English ancestor, "feter," is etymologically shackled to "fōt," the Old English ancestor of "foot." Both words have a long history in the English language, dating back to the early 9th century, and are chained to Sanskrit "pad," Latin ped- and pes, Greek pod- and "pous," Gothic "fotus," Norse "fōtr," and Old High German fuoz.

compendium

: a collection of things (such as photographs, stories, facts, etc.) that have been gathered together and presented as a group especially in the form of a book : a brief summary of a larger work or of a field of knowledge : abstract a : a list of a number of items b : collection, compilation a one-volume compendium of information He published a compendium of folk tales.

corpus

: a collection of writings, conversations, speeches, etc., that people use to study and describe a language : a collection of poems, paintings, songs, etc. : the body of a human or animal especially when dead a : the main part or body of a bodily structure or organ <the corpus of the uterus> b : the main body or corporeal substance of a thing; specifically : the principal of a fund or estate as distinct from income or interest a : all the writings or works of a particular kind or on a particular subject; especially : the complete works of an author b : a collection or body of knowledge or evidence; especially : a collection of recorded utterances used as a basis for the descriptive analysis of a language a computerized corpus of English <Jane Austen's corpus is modest in number but magnificent in achievement.>

eminence

: a condition of being well-known and successful : a person of high rank or achievements : an area of high ground : a position of prominence or superiority : one that is eminent, prominent, or lofty: as a : an anatomical protuberance (as on a bone) b : a person of high rank or attainments —often used as a title for a cardinal c : a natural elevation <the eminence of the Nobel Prize in the field of awards and prizes> <the old citadel sits on an eminence with a commanding view of the city>

corpse

: a dead body archaic : a human or animal body whether living or dead a : a dead body especially of a human being b : the remains of something discarded or defunct <the corpses of rusting cars> a battlefield strewn with corpses <the startling discovery of a corpse required a call to the police>

dichotomy

: a difference between two opposite things : a division into two opposite groups : a division into two especially mutually exclusive or contradictory groups or entities <the dichotomy between theory and practice>; also : the process or practice of making such a division <dichotomy of the population into two opposed classes> : the phase of the moon or an inferior planet in which half its disk appears illuminated a : bifurcation; especially : repeated bifurcation (as of a plant's stem) b : a system of branching in which the main axis forks repeatedly into two branches c : branching of an ancestral line into two equal diverging branches : something with seemingly contradictory qualities <it's a dichotomy, this opulent Ritz-style luxury in a place that fronts on a boat harbor — Jean T. Barrett> The amusing spectacle of the recent presidential vote in Florida should remind us of the persistence of the federal-state dichotomy. —Eugene Genovese, Atlantic, March 2001 At the close of this millennium, the favored dichotomy features a supposed battle called "the science wars." —Stephen Jay Gould, Science, 14 Jan. 2000 ... to insist on its being either symbol or fact is to dwell needlessly on a false dichotomy. —Simon Schama, The Embarrassment of Riches, 1988 ... the Inuit concept of their environment was centred around the dichotomy between land and sea. —Ian Hodder, Reading the Past, 1986 Her essay discusses the dichotomy between good and evil in the author's novels. <her outfit is a sartorial dichotomy: an elegant gown and ratty old tennis shoes>

distinction

: a difference that you can see, hear, smell, feel, etc. : a noticeable difference between things or people : the separation of people or things into different groups : importance, excellence, or achievement a archaic : division b : class 4 : the distinguishing of a difference <without distinction as to race, sex, or religion>; also : the difference distinguished <the distinction between imply and infer> : something that distinguishes <regional distinctions> : the quality or state of being distinguishable <no distinction of facial features in the twins> a : the quality or state of being distinguished or worthy <a politician of some distinction> b : special honor or recognition <took a law degree with distinction> <won many distinctions> c : an accomplishment that sets one apart <the distinction of being the oldest to win the title> There are no obvious distinctions between the two designs. She made a distinction between the words "less" and "fewer." He was raised in a small town of no great distinction. Her talents gave distinction to the work. with distinction: with special awards or recognition <He graduated with distinction.>

menstruation

: a discharging of blood, secretions, and tissue debris from the uterus that recurs in nonpregnant breeding-age primate females at approximately monthly intervals and that is considered to represent a readjustment of the uterus to the nonpregnant state following proliferative changes accompanying the preceding ovulation; also : period <a first menstruation can be somewhat scary for girls who are unprepared>

breakdown

: a failure of a machine to function : an occurrence in which a machine (such as a car) stops working : the failure of a relationship or of an effort to discuss something : a failure that prevents a system from working properly : the action or result of breaking down: as a : a failure to function b : failure to progress or have effect : disintegration <a breakdown of negotiations> c : a physical, mental, or nervous collapse d : the process of decomposing e : division into categories : classification; also : an account analyzed into categories : a fast shuffling dance; also : music for such a dance The factory has had frequent equipment breakdowns. Both sides are to blame for the breakdown in communication. The irretrievable breakdown of a marriage can be grounds for divorce. trying to prevent a breakdown of the health-care system trying to prevent breakdown of the health-care system He suffered a breakdown after his wife died.

chagrin

: a feeling of being frustrated or annoyed because of failure or disappointment : disquietude or distress of mind caused by humiliation, disappointment, or failure As many a woman has learned to her chagrin, pathological liars are brilliant at deception. —Katha Pollitt, Nation, 16 June 2003 In World War I, to his chagrin, Eisenhower again found himself on the sidelines, performing training duties stateside while Pershing, MacArthur, and Patton earned their battle ribbons. —U.S. News & World Report, 16 Mar. 1998 In 1628, to the chagrin of Governor William Bradford, the Pilgrims erected an 80-foot Maypole, danced around it, drank beer, and sang. —E. C. Krupp, Sky & Telescope, May 1994 Imagine my chagrin when a whiz kid from Dayton made all A's in the first quarter while I made two B's and a C+. —John Hope Franklin, Race and History, 1989 The fact that he'd been unable to attend the funeral was a source of chagrin for Ted. She had gained five pounds over the winter, much to her chagrin. He decided to get a tattoo, to the chagrin of his parents. Did You Know? Chagrin comes from French, in which it means "grief," "sorrow," or essentially the same thing as our "chagrin," and in which it is also an adjective meaning "sad." Some etymologists have linked this "chagrin" with another French chagrin, meaning "rough leather or "rough skin." Supposedly, the rough leather used to rub, polish, or file became a metaphor in French for agitating situations. English-speakers have also adopted the leathery "chagrin" into our language but have altered the spelling to "shagreen."

disinclination

: a feeling of not wanting to do something : a tendency to avoid a particular activity : a preference for avoiding something : slight aversion <it's an understatement to say that our dog shows a disinclination to get into the car to go to the vet> <a strong disinclination for Brussels sprouts since birth>

fade

: a gradual change from one picture to another in a movie or television program a : fade-out b : a gradual changing of one picture to another in a motion-picture or television sequence : a fading of an automobile brake : a slight to moderate and usually intentional slice in golf : a hairstyle similar to a crew cut in which the hair on top of the head stands high The movie ends with a fade to black.

quintet

: a group of five singers or musicians who perform together : a piece of music for five singers or musicians : a musical composition or movement for five instruments or voices : a group or set of five: as a : the performers of a quintet b : a basketball team

syndicate

: a group of people or businesses that work together : a group of people who are involved in organized crime : a business that sells something (such as a piece of writing, comic strip, or photograph) to several different newspapers or magazines for publication at the same time : a business that syndicates something a : a council or body of syndics b : the office or jurisdiction of a syndic : an association of persons officially authorized to undertake a duty or negotiate business a : a group of persons or concerns who combine to carry out a particular transaction or project b : cartel 2 c : a loose association of racketeers in control of organized crime : a business concern that sells materials for publication in a number of newspapers or periodicals simultaneously : a group of newspapers under one management A syndicate owns the company. <a powerful banking syndicate that controls loans in the small country> : a group organized to carry out a particular transaction or enterprise : an association of organized criminals

constellation

: a group of stars that forms a particular shape in the sky and has been given a name : a group of people or things that are similar in some way : the configuration of stars especially at one's birth : any of 88 arbitrary configurations of stars or an area of the celestial sphere covering one of these configurations : an assemblage, collection, or group of usually related persons, qualities, or things <a constellation of ... relatives, friends, and hangers-on — Brendan Gill> <a constellation of symptoms> : pattern, arrangement <taking advantage of the shifting constellation of power throughout the known world — H. D. Lasswell> The constellation Ursa Major contains the stars of the Big Dipper. A large constellation of relatives and friends attended the funeral. The patient presented a constellation of symptoms.

brood

: a group of young birds (such as chickens) that were all born at the same time : the children in someone's family : the young of an animal or a family of young; especially : the young (as of a bird or insect) hatched or cared for at one time : a group having a common nature or origin : the children of a family a hen and her brood of chicks Mrs. Smith took her brood to church every Sunday.

pinnacle

: a high mountain top : the best or most important part of something : the point of greatest success or achievement : a tower on the roof of a building that comes to a narrow point at the top : an upright architectural member generally ending in a small spire and used especially in Gothic construction to give weight especially to a buttress : a structure or formation suggesting a pinnacle; specifically : a lofty peak : the highest point of development or achievement : acme <a singer who has reached the pinnacle of success> Did You Know? Pinnacle is one of several words that aspire to both literal and figurative heights. Others include summit, peak, climax, apex, acme, and culmination. All of these can refer to the highest point of a mountain or structure, or the highest point attained or attainable over a person's lifetime, career, etc. When referring to part of a building, pinnacle describes a projection on top of a tower (as on a Gothic cathedral). The word derives via Anglo-French from Late Latin pinnaculum, meaning "small wing," a diminutive of pinna, meaning "wing or battlement." When used figuratively, pinnacle sometimes implies a dizzying and insecure height, such as that brought on by unexpected fame. Synonym Discussion of pinnacle summit, peak, pinnacle, climax, apex, acme, culmination mean the highest point attained or attainable. summit implies the topmost level attainable <at the summit of the Victorian social scene>. peak suggests the highest among other high points <an artist working at the peak of her powers>. pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height <the pinnacle of worldly success>. climax implies the highest point in an ascending series <the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions>. apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge <the apex of Dutch culture>. acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing <a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty>. culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective <the culmination of years of effort>.

mug

: a large drinking cup with a handle : the liquid that is contained in a mug : the face or mouth of a person : a cylindrical drinking cup a : the face or mouth of a person b : grimace c : mug shot a chiefly British (1) : fool, blockhead (2) : a person easily deceived b : punk, thug a collection of coffee mugs He drank a mug of coffee. They're taking you for a mug.

spate

: a large number of things that appear or happen in a short period of time : freshet, flood a : a large number or amount <a spate of books on gardening> b : a sudden or strong outburst : rush <a spate of anger> A spate of books on the subject have come out recently. There was a spate of corporate mergers in the 1980s. in spate

ordinance

: a law or regulation made by a city or town government a : an authoritative decree or direction : order b : a law set forth by a governmental authority; specifically : a municipal regulation : something ordained or decreed by fate or a deity : a prescribed usage, practice, or ceremony The town has passed a zoning ordinance limiting construction. <a local ordinance forbids all street parking during snowstorms>

stricture

: a law or rule that limits or controls something : a strong criticism a : an abnormal narrowing of a bodily passage; also : the narrowed part b : a constriction of the breath passage in the production of a speech sound : something that closely restrains or limits : restriction <moral strictures> : an adverse criticism : censure <the church's strictures on the morals and mores of contemporary society> <the new zoning strictures effectively make further development along the riverfront commercially unviable>

payroll

: a list of the people who work for a company and the amount of money that the company has agreed to pay them : the total amount of money that a company pays to all of its employees : a paymaster's or employer's list of those entitled to pay and of the amounts due to each : the sum necessary for distribution to those on a payroll; also : the money to be distributed They cut him from their payroll. He's the manager of a baseball team with a $50 million payroll. Businesses are keeping their payrolls low by embracing new technologies. payroll tax: a tax that is paid by a company and that is based on the amount of money that the company spends paying all of its employees : a tax that is paid by a company and that is based on the amount of money that the company spends paying all of its employees : money that is taken from a person's pay and given directly to the government as income tax payroll deduction: money earned but not included in a paycheck because it is used to pay the employee's taxes, insurance costs, etc.

leap

: a long or high jump : the distance that a person or animal jumps : a great and sudden change, increase, or improvement a : an act of leaping : spring, bound b (1) : a place leaped over or from (2) : the distance covered by a leap a : a sudden passage or transition <a great leap forward> b : a choice made in an area of ultimate concern <a leap of faith> by leaps and bounds : with extraordinary rapidity <a town growing by leaps and bounds>

forebear

: a member of your family in the past : ancestor, forefather; also : precursor —usually used in plural His forebears fought in the American Civil War. <his forebears came to America on the Mayflower> Did You Know? Forebear (also sometimes spelled "forbear") was first used by our ancestors in the days of Middle English. Fore- means "coming before," just as in "forefather," and -bear means "one that is" (not to be confused with the "-bear" in the unrelated verb "forbear," which comes from Old English beran, meaning "to bear or carry"). The "be-" of "-bear" is from the verb "to be" (or, more specifically, from "been," an old dialect variant of "be"). The "-ar" is a form of the suffix -er, which we append to verbs to denote one that performs a specified action. In this case the "action" is simply existing or being - in other words, "-bear" implies one who is a "be-er."

Slippage

: a movement downward : an act of moving into a lower or worse condition or state : the act of sliding or slipping : an act, instance, or process of slipping : a loss in transmission of power; also : the difference between theoretical and actual output (as of power) The boot's sole prevents slippage.

aptitude

: a natural ability to do something or to learn something a : inclination, tendency <an aptitude for hard work> b : a natural ability : talent : capacity for learning <an aptitude for languages> : general suitability : aptness The new test is supposed to measure the aptitudes of the students. <bored teenagers with an aptitude for getting into trouble> Synonym Discussion of aptitude gift, faculty, aptitude, bent, talent, genius, knack mean a special ability for doing something. gift often implies special favor by God or nature <the gift of singing beautifully>. faculty applies to an innate or less often acquired ability for a particular accomplishment or function <a faculty for remembering names>. aptitude implies a natural liking for some activity and the likelihood of success in it <a mechanical aptitude>. bent is nearly equal to aptitude but it stresses inclination perhaps more than specific ability <a family with an artistic bent>. talent suggests a marked natural ability that needs to be developed <has enough talent to succeed>. genius suggests impressive inborn creative ability <has no great genius for poetry>. knack implies a comparatively minor but special ability making for ease and dexterity in performance <the knack of getting along>.

neologism

: a new word or expression or a new meaning of a word : a new word, usage, or expression psychology : a new word that is coined especially by a person affected with schizophrenia and is meaningless except to the coiner Did You Know? The English language is constantly picking up neologisms. Recently, for example, computer technology has added a number of new terms to the language. "Webinar," "malware," "netroots," and "blogosphere" are just a few examples of modern-day neologisms that have been integrated into American English. The word neologism was itself a brand-new coinage at the beginning of the 19th century, when English speakers first borrowed it from the French nèologisme. Its roots, however, are quite old. Ultimately, "neologism" comes from Greek neos (meaning "new") and "logos" (meaning "word").

facet

: a part or element of something : a small, flat surface on a jewel : a small plane surface (as on a cut gem) — see brilliant illustration : any of the definable aspects that make up a subject (as of contemplation) or an object (as of consideration) : the external corneal surface of an ommatidium : a smooth flat circumscribed anatomical surface (as of a bone) Each facet of the problem requires careful attention. the different facets of our culture Which facet of his character is most appealing? the facets of a diamond

mindset

: a particular way of thinking : a person's attitude or set of opinions about something : a mental attitude or inclination : a fixed state of mind : a mental inclination, tendency, or habit

epitome

: a perfect example : an example that represents or expresses something very well a : a summary of a written work b : a brief presentation or statement of something : a typical or ideal example : embodiment <the British monarchy itself is the epitome of tradition — Richard Joseph> : brief or miniature form —usually used with in Terns, nicknamed sea swallows by fishermen, are superb flying machines, the epitome of beauty on the wing. —E. Vernon Laux, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2001 Manchester, then known as 'Cottonopolis' and perceived throughout the world as the epitome of the whirling fierceness of the industrial revolution. ... —Roy Jenkins, Gladstone, (1995) 1997 Hamilton thought the bank was a fait accompli, but he had not reckoned on Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Jefferson, the lover of rural virtues, had a deep, almost visceral hatred of banks, the epitome of all that was urban. —John Steele Gordon, American Heritage, July/August 1990 I didn't tell him that, at the time, I thought the place to be the epitome of bourgeois comfort; in those days I thought that there was some connection between creative talent and penury. —Ishmael Reed, "August Wilson," 1987, in Writin' Is Fightin', 1988 <the golden rule is often cited as the epitome of moral conduct: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"> <the prestigious prep school prides itself on being widely regarded as the epitome of tradition and old-fashioned values> Did You Know? Epitome first appeared in print in 1520, when it was used to mean "summary." If someone asks you to summarize a long paper, you effectively cut it up, mentioning only the most important ideas in your synopsis, and the etymology of epitome reflects this process. The word descends from Greek epitemnein, meaning "to cut short," which in turn was formed from the prefix epi- and the verb temnein, which means "to cut." Your summary probably also presents all the key points of the original work, which may explain why epitome eventually came to be used for anything (such as a person or object) that is a clear or good example of an abstraction.

compatriot

: a person from the same country as someone else : a friend or colleague : someone who belongs to the same group or organization as someone else : a person born, residing, or holding citizenship in the same country as another : companion, colleague <her compatriots in academia> We watched our compatriots compete in the Olympics. the famous actor and his theater compatriots

standby

: a person or thing that is available especially in emergencies a : one to be relied on especially in emergencies b : a favorite or reliable choice or resource : one that is held in reserve ready for use : substitute on standby : ready or available for immediate action or use More police officers were sent as standbys. We bought an electric generator as a standby. : relating to or traveling by an airline service in which the passenger must wait for an available seat : held near at hand and ready for use <a standby power plant> <standby equipment> : relating to the act or condition of standing by <standby duty> <a standby period> : of, relating to, or traveling by an airline service in which the passenger must wait for an available unreserved seat <standby passengers> <a standby ticket>

nerd

: a person who behaves awkwardly around other people and usually has unstylish clothes, hair, etc. : a person who is very interested in technical subjects, computers, etc. : an unstylish, unattractive, or socially inept person; especially : one slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits <computer nerds> He dresses like a nerd. <was such a nerd in college that she spent Saturday nights at the library>

victor

: a person who defeats an enemy or opponent : one that defeats an enemy or opponent : winner the victors in the battle <the computer is usually the victor in a chess match against a human opponent>

dignitary

: a person who has a high rank or an important position : one who possesses exalted rank or holds a position of dignity or honor The dinner was attended by many foreign dignitaries

liaison

: a person who helps organizations or groups to work together and provide information to each other : a relationship that allows different organizations or groups to work together and provide information to each other : a secret sexual relationship : a binding or thickening agent used in cooking a : a close bond or connection : interrelationship b : an illicit sexual relationship : affair 3a a : communication for establishing and maintaining mutual understanding and cooperation (as between parts of an armed force) b : one that establishes and maintains communication for mutual understanding and cooperation : the pronunciation of an otherwise absent consonant sound at the end of the first of two consecutive words the second of which begins with a vowel sound and follows without pause Today's army works on rotations; soldiers are deployed for about a year and then (in principle at least) they come home. When that happens, local liaisons and intelligence relationships must be rebuilt. —James K. Galbraith, Mother Jones, March/April 2006 I had known Korologos when I was Solicitor General, and he was the Nixon White House's liaison to the Senate. He was a great support. —Robert H. Bork, The Tempting of America, 1990 Gossip columnists began to infer from Evelyn's disappearances that she was engaging in reckless liaisons, and her name was linked with dozens of men around town. —E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime, (1974) 1975 She acts as a liaison between the police department and city schools. Administrators need to maintain better liaison with employees. Administrators need to establish a close liaison with employees. He regretted his liaison with a woman from the office. Did You Know? If you took French in school, you might remember that liaison is the term for the phenomenon that causes a silent consonant at the end of one word to sound like it begins the next word when that word begins with a vowel, so that a phrase like beaux arts sounds like "bo zart." We can thank French for the origin of the term, as well. Liaison derives from the Middle French lier, meaning "to bind or tie," and is related to our word liable. Our various English senses of liaison apply it to all kinds of bonds-from people who work to connect different groups to the kind of relationship sometimes entered into by two people who are attracted to one another.

layman

: a person who is not a member of a particular profession : a person who belongs to a religion but is not a priest, minister, etc. : a person who is not a member of the clergy : a person who does not belong to a particular profession or who is not expert in some field For a layman, he knows a lot about the law. He's an important layman in his church. Did You Know? Layman began its run in English as the open compound "lay man." In this context, "lay" is an adjective that can mean "belonging or relating to those not in holy orders," "not of the clergy," and "not ecclesiastical." The origins of "lay" and "layman" can be traced back through French and Late Latin to Greek laikos, meaning "of the people." Layman was originally used to distinguish between non-clerical people and the clergy, but it was soon also being used to distinguish non-professionals from professionals in a field (such as law or medicine). In a similar fashion, the collective noun "laity" originally referred to non-clerical people but came to also mean "persons not of a particular profession."

regent

: a person who rules a kingdom when the king or queen is not able to rule because he or she is sick, too young, etc. : a person who governs a kingdom in the minority, absence, or disability of the sovereign : a person who rules or reigns : governor : a member of a governing board (as of a state university)

vendor

: a person who sells things especially on the street : a business that sells a particular type of product : one that vends : seller : vending machine <we're thinking of making a deal with that other software vendor>

bigot

: a person who strongly and unfairly dislikes other people, ideas, etc. : a bigoted person; especially : a person who hates or refuses to accept the members of a particular group (such as a racial or religious group) : a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance "It's scandalous," he said, in the tones once used by Colonel Blimp, Britain's best-loved bigot, who adorned the pages of the Evening Standard throughout the 1930s. —Nicholas Fraser, Harper's, September 1996 A bigot is a hater, she said. A bigot hates Catholics. A bigot hates Jews. ... It's no sin to be poor, she said. It is a sin to be a bigot. Don't ever be one of them. —Pete Hamill, A Drinking Life, 1994 One had always to be mindful, moreover, that being a black scholar did not exempt one from the humiliations and indignities that a society with more than its share of bigots can heap upon a black person, regardless of education ... —John Hope Franklin, "John Hope Franklin ... ," 1988, in Race and History, 1989 He was labeled a bigot after making some offensive comments. <an incorrigible bigot who hasn't entertained a new thought in years>

accomplice

: a person who works with or helps someone who is doing something wrong or illegal : one associated with another especially in wrongdoing He was convicted as an accomplice to murder. <the thief and his accomplices were eventually caught and brought to justice>

noggin

: a person's head : a small mug or cup : a small quantity (as a gill) of drink : a person's head He fell and got a bump on his noggin. <watch the lintel above the door, unless you want to bang your noggin> use one's noggin (informal) : to think carefully <"I don't understand the math homework." "Use your noggin and apply the rules you've learned.">

cliche

: a phrase or expression that has been used so often that it is no longer original or interesting : something that is so commonly used in books, stories, etc., that it is no longer effective : a trite phrase or expression; also : the idea expressed by it : a hackneyed theme, characterization, or situation : something (as a menu item) that has become overly familiar or commonplace Non-Amateur writers avoid industriously the word Orwellian, because even years ago it became an overused and underdefined cliché. —William F. Buckley, Jr., National Review, 1 May 2000 FILM "I Like It Like That": It has every cliché of the 'hood genre, elevated by a strong woman protagonist and a few comic moments. —Bell Hooks, Ms., September/October 1994 I'd never been out with a model before,so I hadn't even bargained on the cliché of the rock star and the model as being part of my life. —David Bowie,. quoted in Rolling Stone, 10 June 1993 Time has been the best healer for the pain of loss, just as the old cliché says, but letting go is still difficult. —Lynn McAndrews, My Father Forgets, 1990 ... don't seek the ultimate, general solution; find a corner that can be defined precisely and, as our new cliché proclaims, go for it. —Stephen Jay Gould, Natural History, July 1987 a speech filled with clichés about "finding your way" and "keeping the faith" The macho cop of Hollywood movies has become a cliché.

siren

: a piece of equipment that produces a loud, high-pitched warning sound : a woman who is very attractive but also dangerous Siren : one of a group of female creatures in Greek mythology whose singing attracted sailors and caused them to sail into dangerous water or toward rocks often capitalized : any of a group of female and partly human creatures in Greek mythology that lured mariners to destruction by their singing a : a woman who sings with enchanting sweetness b : temptress c : temptation 2 a : an apparatus producing musical tones especially in acoustical studies by the rapid interruption of a current of air, steam, or fluid by a perforated rotating disk b : a device often electrically operated for producing a penetrating warning sound <an ambulance siren> <an air-raid siren> [New Latin, from Latin] : either of two North American eel-shaped amphibians that constitute a genus (Siren) and have small forelimbs but neither hind legs nor pelvis and have permanent external gills as well as lungs the wailing of air-raid sirens <one of history's most famous sirens, Cleopatra charmed both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony>

resort

: a place where people go for vacations : something that you choose for help : the act of doing or using something especially because no other choices are possible a : one that affords aid or refuge : resource <went to them as a last resort> b : recourse 1a <have resort to outside help> a : frequent, habitual, or general visiting <a place of popular resort> b : persons who frequent a place : throng c (1) : a frequently visited place : haunt (2) : a place providing recreation and entertainment especially to vacationers Our first resort was to go to the police. <the island port was once the resort of smugglers, pirates, and other unsavory characters> Synonym Discussion of resort resource, resort, expedient, shift, makeshift, stopgap mean something one turns to in the absence of the usual means or source of supply. resource and resort apply to anything one falls back upon <exhausted all of their resources> <a last resort>. expedient may apply to any device or contrivance used when the usual one is not at hand or not possible <a flimsy expedient>. shift implies a tentative or temporary imperfect expedient <desperate shifts to stave off foreclosure>. makeshift implies an inferior expedient adopted because of urgent need or allowed through indifference <old equipment employed as a makeshift>. stopgap applies to something used temporarily as an emergency measure <a new law intended only as a stopgap>. without resort to: without doing (something) or using (something) <The police hope to end the standoff without resort to force.> last resort: something done only if nothing else works <Asking for more time should be our last resort.>

chaplain

: a priest or other Christian religious leader who performs religious services for a military group (such as the army) or for a prison, hospital, etc. : a clergyman in charge of a chapel : a clergyman officially attached to a branch of the military, to an institution, or to a family or court : a person chosen to conduct religious exercises (as at a meeting of a club or society) : a clergyman appointed to assist a bishop (as at a liturgical function)

crux

: a puzzling or difficult problem : an unsolved question : an essential point requiring resolution or resolving an outcome : a main or central feature (as of an argument) <the crux of the problem is that the school's current budget is totally inadequate> Did You Know? In Latin, crux referred literally to an instrument of torture, often a cross or stake, and figuratively to the torture and misery inflicted by means of such an instrument. Crux eventually developed the sense of "a puzzling or difficult problem"; that was the first meaning that was used when the word entered English in the early 18th century. Later, in the late 19th century, crux began to be used more specifically to refer to an essential point of a legal case that required resolution before the case as a whole could be resolved. Today, the verdict on crux is that it can be used to refer to any important part of a problem or argument, inside or outside of the courtroom. the crux: the most important part of something (such as a problem, issue, puzzle, etc.) —usually + of <The crux of the matter is that people are afraid of change.> <It's taken a while to get to the crux of the problem, but I think I finally understand it.>

altar

: a raised place on which sacrifices and gifts are offered in some religions : a platform or table used as a center of worship in Christian ceremonies and services : a usually raised structure or place on which sacrifices are offered or incense is burned in worship —often used figuratively to describe a thing given great or undue precedence or value especially at the cost of something else <sacrificed his family life on the altar of career advancement> : a table on which the eucharistic elements are consecrated or which serves as a center of worship or ritual lead to the altar: to ultimately lead to marriage <They started a romance that eventually led (them) to the altar.> leave at the altar: to not get married because the person one was going to marry has decided against it at the last moment <Her fiancé left her at the altar.>

defiance

: a refusal to obey something or someone : the act of defying someone or something : the act or an instance of defying : challenge : disposition to resist : willingness to contend or fight <any defiance of the authoritarian regime would have dire consequences> <the troubled youth seems to have an ingrained defiance to authority of any sort> in defiance of: against or despite the wishes, rules, or laws of (someone or something) <The group is acting in defiance of a government order.> <She married him in defiance of her parents.> <The dancers leap in seeming defiance of the laws of gravity.>

sect

: a religious group that is a smaller part of a larger group and whose members all share similar beliefs : a religious or political group that is connected to a larger group but that has beliefs that differ greatly from those of the main group a : a dissenting or schismatic religious body; especially : one regarded as extreme or heretical b : a religious denomination archaic : sex 1 <so is all her sect — Shakespeare> a : a group adhering to a distinctive doctrine or to a leader b : party c : faction <one sect of medical researchers holds the minority view that the disease is not caused by that virus>

precept

: a rule that says how people should behave : a command or principle intended especially as a general rule of action : an order issued by legally constituted authority to a subordinate official the basic precepts of a religion I was taught by precept and by example. Synonym Discussion of precept law, rule, regulation, precept, statute, ordinance, canon mean a principle governing action or procedure. law implies imposition by a sovereign authority and the obligation of obedience on the part of all subject to that authority <obey the law>. rule applies to more restricted or specific situations <the rules of the game>. regulation implies prescription by authority in order to control an organization or system <regulations affecting nuclear power plants>. precept commonly suggests something advisory and not obligatory communicated typically through teaching <the precepts of effective writing>. statute implies a law enacted by a legislative body <a statute requiring the use of seat belts>. ordinance applies to an order governing some detail of procedure or conduct enforced by a limited authority such as a municipality <a city ordinance>. canon suggests in nonreligious use a principle or rule of behavior or procedure commonly accepted as a valid guide <the canons of good taste>.

ward

: a section in a hospital for patients needing a particular kind of care : a section in a prison : one of the sections into which a city or town is divided for the purposes of an election a : the action or process of guarding b : a body of guards : the state of being under guard; especially : custody a : the inner court of a castle or fortress b : a division (as a cell or block) of a prison c : a division in a hospital; especially : a large room in a hospital where a number of patients often requiring similar treatment are accommodated a : a division of a city for representative, electoral, or administrative purposes b : a division of some English and Scottish counties corresponding to a hundred c : the Mormon local congregation having auxiliary organizations (as Sunday schools and relief societies) and one or more quorums of each office of the Aaronic priesthood : a projecting ridge of metal in a lock casing or keyhole permitting only the insertion of a key with a corresponding notch; also : a corresponding notch in a bit of a key : a person or thing under guard, protection, or surveillance: as a : a minor subject to wardship b : a person who by reason of incapacity (as minority or mental illness) is under the protection of a court either directly or through a guardian appointed by the court —called also ward of court c : a person or body of persons under the protection or tutelage of a government : a means of defense : protection She works in the cancer ward. the council representative from Ward 22 They were wards of the state.

template

: a shape or pattern that is cut out of a hard material (such as metal or plastic) and used to make the same shape and pattern in other pieces of material computers : a computer document that has the basic format of something (such as a business letter, chart, graph, etc.) and that can be used many different times : something that is used as an example of how to do, make, or achieve something : a short piece or block placed horizontally in a wall under a beam to distribute its weight or pressure (as over a door) a (1) : a gauge, pattern, or mold (as a thin plate or board) used as a guide to the form of a piece being made (2) : a molecule (as of DNA) that serves as a pattern for the generation of another macromolecule (as messenger RNA) b : overlay c : something that establishes or serves as a pattern The software includes templates for common marketing documents like pamphlets and flyers.

binge

: a short period of time when you do too much of something a : a drunken revel : spree b : an unrestrained and often excessive indulgence <a buying binge> c : an act of excessive or compulsive consumption (as of food) : a social gathering : party <weekend binges are a serious problem at many colleges and universities> <a shopping binge at the mall> : to eat, drink, etc., too much in a short period of time : to go on a binge <a program designed to educate college students about the dangers of bingeing>

hangover

: a sick feeling or condition that comes after drinking too much alcohol at an earlier time : something (as a surviving custom) that remains from what is past a : disagreeable physical effects following heavy consumption of alcohol or the use of drugs b : a letdown following great excitement or excess She woke up with a hangover. Did You Know? The effects of hangovers have been hanging around for ages. The word itself, however, has only been fermenting since the late 19th century. Originally, hangover described someone or something that remained or simply survived, but it was later distilled into common use as a word for the effects of overconsumption of alcohol or drugs. These days, hangover can also suggest an emotional letdown or an undesirable prolongation of notes or sounds from a loudspeaker.

austerity

: a simple and plain quality : an austere quality : a situation in which there is not much money and it is spent only on things that are necessary austerities : things that are done to live in a simple and plain way : the quality or state of being austere a : an austere act, manner, or attitude b : an ascetic practice : enforced or extreme economy the austerity of the design The austerity of their lifestyle was surprising. They lived through years of austerity after the war. the austerities practiced by monks austerity measures: things done to save money during difficult economic times <The government has announced a series of austerity measures.>

drift

: a slow and gradual movement or change from one place, condition, etc., to another : a large pile of snow or sand that has been blown by the wind : the general or basic meaning of something said or written a : the act of driving something along b : the flow or the velocity of the current of a river or ocean stream : something driven, propelled, or urged along or drawn together in a clump by or as if by a natural agency: as a : wind-driven snow, rain, cloud, dust, or smoke usually at or near the ground surface b (1) : a mass of matter (as sand) deposited together by or as if by wind or water (2) : a helter-skelter accumulation c : drove, flock d : something (as driftwood) washed ashore e : rock debris deposited by natural agents; specifically : a deposit of clay, sand, gravel, and boulders transported by a glacier or by running water from a glacier a : a general underlying design or tendency <perceiving the drift of the government's policies> b : the underlying meaning, import, or purport of what is spoken or written <the drift of a conversation> : something (as a tool) driven down upon or forced into a body : the motion or action of drifting especially spatially and usually under external influence: as a : the lateral motion of an aircraft due to air currents b : an easy moderate more or less steady flow or sweep along a spatial course c : a gradual shift in attitude, opinion, or position d : an aimless course; especially : a foregoing of any attempt at direction or control e : a deviation from a true reproduction, representation, or reading ; especially : a gradual change in the zero reading of an instrument or in any quantitative characteristic that is supposed to remain constant a : a nearly horizontal mine passageway driven on or parallel to the course of a vein or rock stratum b : a small crosscut in a mine connecting two larger tunnels a : an assumed trend toward a general change in the structure of a language over a period of time b : genetic drift : a grouping of similar flowers planted in an elongated mass the slow drift of the clouds As she got older, you could observe a drift in her writing towards more serious subjects. the government's drift towards a centralization of power Synonym Discussion of drift tendency, trend, drift, tenor, current mean movement in a particular direction. tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force <a general tendency toward inflation>. trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course <the long-term trend of the stock market is upward>. drift may apply to a tendency determined by external forces <the drift of the population away from large cities> or it may apply to an underlying or obscure trend of meaning or discourse <got the drift of her argument>. tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course <the tenor of the times>. current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course <an encounter that changed the current of my life>.

sway

: a slow movement back and forth : a controlling force or influence : the action or an instance of swaying or of being swayed : an oscillating, fluctuating, or sweeping motion : an inclination or deflection caused by or as if by swaying a : a controlling influence b : sovereign power : dominion c : the ability to exercise influence or authority : dominance the sway of the ship the sexy sway of her hips He has come under the sway of terrorists. The ancient Romans held sway over most of Europe. Synonym Discussion of sway power, authority, jurisdiction, control, command, sway, dominion mean the right to govern or rule or determine. power implies possession of ability to wield force, authority, or influence <the power to mold public opinion>. authority implies power for a specific purpose within specified limits <granted the authority to manage her estate>. jurisdiction applies to official power exercised within prescribed limits <the bureau having jurisdiction over parks>. control stresses the power to direct and restrain <you are responsible for the students under your control>. command implies the power to make arbitrary decisions and compel obedience <the army officer in command>. sway suggests the extent of exercised power or influence <the empire extended its sway over the region>. dominion stresses sovereign power or supreme authority <given dominion over all the animals>. power, force, energy, strength, might mean the ability to exert effort. power may imply latent or exerted physical, mental, or spiritual ability to act or be acted upon <the awesome power of flowing water>. force implies the actual effective exercise of power <used enough force to push the door open>. energy applies to power expended or capable of being transformed into work <a worker with boundless energy>. strength applies to the quality or property of a person or thing that makes possible the exertion of force or the withstanding of strain, pressure, or attack <use weight training to build your strength>. might implies great or overwhelming power or strength <the belief that might makes right>.

cult

: a small religious group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion and that has beliefs regarded by many people as extreme or dangerous : a situation in which people admire and care about something or someone very much or too much : a small group of very devoted supporters or fans : formal religious veneration : worship : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults> a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b : the object of such devotion c : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion She has developed a cult following. <long after it had gone off the air, the TV series continued to have a huge cult>

cushion

: a soft object or part that is used to make something (such as a seat) more comfortable or to protect a surface from damage : a soft pillow, pad, etc. : any one of the rubber parts that the ball bounces off along the inner edges of a billiard table : something (such as an extra amount of money) that you can use to reduce the bad effect of something (such as an unexpected problem or expense) : a soft pillow or pad usually used for sitting, reclining, or kneeling : a bodily part resembling a pad : something resembling a cushion: as a : pillow 2 b : rat 3 c : a pad of springy rubber along the inside of the rim of a billiard table d : a padded insert in a shoe e : an elastic body for reducing shock f : a mat laid under a large rug to ease the effect of wear a : something (as an economic factor or a medical procedure) serving to mitigate the effects of disturbances or disorders b : a reserve supply (as of money) c : a comfortable lead <a 4-0 cushion in the ninth inning> There is a cushion under the rug to protect the floor. We didn't have a financial cushion when my husband lost his job.

mystique

: a special quality that makes a person or thing interesting or exciting : an air or attitude of mystery and reverence developing around something or someone : the special esoteric skill essential in a calling or activity There's a certain mystique to people who fight fires. No one has been able to copy the legendary singer's mystique. the mystique of mountain climbing

solitude

: a state or situation in which you are alone usually because you want to be : the quality or state of being alone or remote from society : seclusion : a lonely place (as a desert) She wished to work on her novel in solitude. He enjoyed the peace and solitude of the woods. Synonym Discussion of solitude solitude, isolation, seclusion mean the state of one who is alone. solitude may imply a condition of being apart from all human beings or of being cut off by wish or circumstances from one's usual associates <a few quiet hours of solitude>. isolation stresses detachment from others often involuntarily <the isolation of the village in winter>. seclusion suggests a shutting away or keeping apart from others often connoting deliberate withdrawal from the world or retirement to a quiet life <lived in pastoral seclusion>.

tautology

: a statement in which you repeat a word, idea, etc., in a way that is not necessary a : needless repetition of an idea, statement, or word b : an instance of tautology : a tautologous statement "A beginner who has just started" is a tautology.

platitude

: a statement that expresses an idea that is not new : the quality or state of being dull or insipid : a banal, trite, or stale remark His speech was filled with familiar platitudes about the value of hard work and dedication. <"blondes have more fun" is a silly platitude>

disclaimer

: a statement that is meant to prevent an incorrect understanding of something (such as a book, a movie, or an advertisement) a : a denial or disavowal of legal claim : relinquishment of or formal refusal to accept an interest or estate b : a writing that embodies a legal disclaimer a : denial, disavowal b : repudiation The documentary opens with a disclaimer that many of its scenes are "fictional re-creations" of real events. <one brother filed a disclaimer, allowing all of the estate to go to his poorer siblings> : a refusal or disavowal of something that one has a right to claim; specifically : a relinquishment or formal refusal to accept an interest or estate — see also qualified disclaimer : a denial of responsibility for a thing or act: as a : a negation or limitation of the rights under a warranty given by a seller to a buyer b : a denial of coverage by an insurance company : a writing that embodies a disclaimer

beacon

: a strong light that can be seen from far away and that is used to help guide ships, airplanes, etc. : a radio signal that is broadcast to help guide ships, airplanes, etc. : someone or something (such as a country) that guides or gives hope to others : a signal fire commonly on a hill, tower, or pole a : a lighthouse or other signal for guidance b : a radio transmitter emitting signals to guide aircraft : a source of light or inspiration These countries are beacons of democracy. Our nation should be a beacon of peace to people around the world.

outburst

: a sudden expression of strong feeling : a sudden increase in activity : a violent expression of feeling <an outburst of anger> : a surge of activity or growth <new outbursts of creative power — C. E. Montague> : eruption <volcanic outbursts> <the judge directed the courtroom spectators to refrain from any outbursts when the verdict was read> <there was a remarkable outburst of work in the office as the visiting VIPs made their tour>

outbreak

: a sudden start or increase of fighting or disease a : a sudden or violent increase in activity or currency <the outbreak of war> b : a sudden rise in the incidence of a disease <an outbreak of measles> c : a sudden increase in numbers of a harmful organism and especially an insect within a particular area <an outbreak of locusts> : insurrection, revolt <there was an immediate outbreak of paper shuffling and a pretense of work when the supervisor passed through the room> <the government quelled the outbreak with ruthless efficiency>

surge

: a sudden, large increase : a sudden movement of many people : a large wave of water : a swelling, rolling, or sweeping forward like that of a wave or series of waves <a surge of interest> a : a large wave or billow : swell b (1) : a series of such swells or billows (2) : the resulting elevation of water level a : a movement (as a slipping or slackening) of a rope or cable b : a sudden jerk or strain caused by such a movement : a transient sudden rise of current or voltage in an electrical circuit The sport is enjoying a surge in popularity. a surge of support for the candidate There was a sudden surge toward the door. There has been a surge of immigrants into the city.

circuitry

: a system or group of electric circuits : the detailed plan or arrangement of an electric circuit : the components of an electric circuit : the network of interconnected neurons in the nervous system and especially the brain; also : circuit

typology

: a system used for putting things into groups according to how they are similar : the study of how things can be divided into different types : a doctrine of theological types; especially : one holding that things in Christian belief are prefigured or symbolized by things in the Old Testament : study of or analysis or classification based on types or categories

toll

: a tax or fee paid for some liberty or privilege (as of passing over a highway or bridge) : compensation for services rendered: as a : a charge for transportation b : a charge for a long-distance telephone call : a grievous or ruinous price <inflation has taken its toll>; especially : cost in life or health <the death toll from the hurricane>

nautical mile

: a unit of distance equal to 1,852 meters or 1.15 miles that is used for sea and air travel : any of various units of distance used for sea and air navigation based on the length of a minute of arc of a great circle of the earth and differing because the earth is not a perfect sphere: as a : a British unit equal to 6080 feet (1853.2 meters) b : an international unit equal to exactly 1852 meters (6076.115 feet or 1.15 statute miles) used officially in the United States since July 1, 1954

makeshift

: a usually crude and temporary expedient : substitute <when his belt broke, he was forced to use string as a makeshift>

deference

: a way of behaving that shows respect for someone or something : respect and esteem due a superior or an elder; also : affected or ingratiating regard for another's wishes in deference to : in consideration of <returned early in deference to her parents' wishes> Deference to leaders and intolerance toward outsiders (and toward "enemies within") are hallmarks of tribalism ... —Benjamin R. Barber, Atlantic, March 1992 In the 1980s, in deference to the neighborhoods, City Hall would attempt a counter-reformation of downtown, forbidding "Manhattanization." —Richard Rodriguez, Harper's, October 1990 She could have subtly appealed to the deference ... she knew was still in there, encoded in their middle-aged hearts; she never did. —Peggy Noonan, New York Times Magazine, 16 Dec. 1990 A sense of deference to the upper class among whites made it possible, in Sproat's estimation, for white leaders to contain the white supremacists. —Robert L. Harris, Jr., American Historical Review, December 1987 Her relatives treat one another with deference. He is shown much deference by his colleagues. Did You Know? The words deference and defer both derive from the Latin deferre, which means "to bring down" or "to carry away." At the same time you might also hear that defer traces to the Latin differre, which means "to postpone" or "to differ." Which root is right? Both. That's because English has two verbs, or homographs, spelled defer. One means "to submit or delegate to another" (as in "I defer to your greater expertise"). That's the one that is closely related to deference and that comes from deferre. The other means "to put off or delay" (as in "we decided to defer the decision until next month"); that second defer derives from differre. Synonym Discussion of deference honor, homage, reverence, deference mean respect and esteem shown to another. honor may apply to the recognition of one's right to great respect or to any expression of such recognition <the nomination is an honor>. homage adds the implication of accompanying praise <paying homage to Shakespeare>. reverence implies profound respect mingled with love, devotion, or awe <great reverence for my father>. deference implies a yielding or submitting to another's judgment or preference out of respect or reverence <showed no deference to their elders>. in deference to: in order to show respect for the opinions or influence of (someone or something) : out of respect for (someone or something) <He decided not to get a tattoo in deference to his mother.> <The police have not yet revealed the victim's name out of deference to his family.> <customs used in deference to tradition>

pejorative

: a word or phrase that has negative connotations or that is intended to disparage or belittle : a pejorative word or phrase : insulting to someone or something : expressing criticism : having negative connotations; especially : tending to disparage or belittle : depreciatory Children born with an extra chromosome 21 are healthy, conspicuously happy and destined to live for many years. But they are not considered, in that pejorative word, 'normal'. —Matt Ridley, Genome, 1999 The word barbarian was used by the Greeks, to designate an alien, and therefore, by definition, someone inferior in culture to a Hellene. The Romans applied this in the pejorative sense to the people who came to live along the Rhine-Danube frontier. —Norman F. Cantor, The Civilization of the Middle Ages, 1993 On occasion they expressed a preference for the terms Latino or Hispanic if that would assist them in escaping from the term Puerto Rican, which became, at times, almost pejorative. —John Hope Franklin, "The Land of Room Enough," 1981, in Race and History, 1989 a word with pejorative connotations <the reviewer used the pejorative word "versifier" to refer to the writer, whose poems had struck a responsive chord with the general public> Did You Know? If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. Moms have given that good advice for years, but unfortunately many people haven't heeded it. The word pejorative makes it clear that both English and Latin speakers have long known that disparaging words can make a bad situation worse. Pejorative derives from the Late Latin adjective pejoratus, which in turn comes from the Latin verb pejorare, meaning "to make or become worse." Although pejorative words have probably always been part of English, the adjective "pejorative" has only been found in English texts since the late 1880s. Before then, English speakers could rely on older synonyms of "pejorative" such as "derogatory" and "uncomplimentary" to describe disparaging words.

statute

: a written law that is formally created by a government : a written rule or regulation : a law enacted by the legislative branch of a government : an act of a corporation or of its founder intended as a permanent rule : an international instrument setting up an agency and regulating its scope or authority The state legislature passed the statute by an overwhelming margin. business practices that are prohibited by statute Synonym Discussion of statute law, rule, regulation, precept, statute, ordinance, canon mean a principle governing action or procedure. law implies imposition by a sovereign authority and the obligation of obedience on the part of all subject to that authority <obey the law>. rule applies to more restricted or specific situations <the rules of the game>. regulation implies prescription by authority in order to control an organization or system <regulations affecting nuclear power plants>. precept commonly suggests something advisory and not obligatory communicated typically through teaching <the precepts of effective writing>. statute implies a law enacted by a legislative body <a statute requiring the use of seat belts>. ordinance applies to an order governing some detail of procedure or conduct enforced by a limited authority such as a municipality <a city ordinance>. canon suggests in nonreligious use a principle or rule of behavior or procedure commonly accepted as a valid guide <the canons of good taste>.

prescription

: a written message from a doctor that officially tells someone to use a medicine, therapy, etc. : a medicine or drug that a doctor officially tells someone to use : something that is suggested as a way to do something or to make something happen a : the establishment of a claim of title to something under common law usually by use and enjoyment for a period fixed by statute b : the right or title acquired under common law by such possession : the process of making claim to something by long use and enjoyment : the action of laying down authoritative rules or directions a : a written direction for a therapeutic or corrective agent; specifically : one for the preparation and use of a medicine b : a prescribed medicine c : something (as a recommendation) resembling a doctor's prescription <prescriptions for economic recovery> a : ancient or long continued custom b : a claim founded upon ancient custom or long continued use : something prescribed as a rule The drug is only sold with a prescription. I have to pick up my prescription. by prescription: by having a written message from a doctor that officially tells one to use a medicine, therapy, etc. <The drug is only available by prescription.> on prescription: by having a written message from a doctor that officially tells one to use a medicine, therapy, etc. <The drug is only available on prescription.>

toddler

: a young child who is just learning to walk : one that toddles; especially : a young child

eligibility

: able to be chosen for something : able to do or receive something : suitable and desirable for marriage a : qualified to participate or be chosen <eligible to retire> b : permitted under football rules to catch a forward pass : worthy of being chosen <an eligible young bachelor> ... more than six years since the fall of the Taliban, fewer than 30% of eligible girls are enrolled in schools, and the infrastructure is so poor that only a tiny fraction are likely to get the education they need to enjoy the fruits of emancipation. —Aryn Baker, Time, 28 Jan. 2008 She wanted to start her own family. She was twenty-six and without prospects. At church her mother prayed, and at Crystal Nail, where she lacquered and lengthened, her mother asked customers about eligible young men. She kept Li En's graduation photo mounted in the right corner of her mirror, so that every customer would see her daughter, diploma in hand. —Max Apple, Atlantic, November 2003 I'd like to join but I'm not eligible yet. eligible bachelor: an unmarried man who is regarded as a desirable husband

contagious

: able to be passed from one person or animal to another by touching : having a sickness that can be passed to someone else by touching : capable of being easily spread to others : causing other people to feel or act a similar way : communicable by contact : catching <contagious diseases> : bearing contagion <contagious people> : used for contagious diseases <a contagious ward> : exciting similar emotions or conduct in others <contagious enthusiasm> It's a highly contagious virus. I have a cold and I'm still contagious. I'm sick, but the doctor says I'm not contagious.

compatibility

: able to exist together without trouble or conflict : going together well of devices and especially computers : able to be used together : capable of existing together in harmony <compatible theories> <compatible people> : capable of cross-fertilizing freely or uniting vegetatively : capable of forming a homogeneous mixture that neither separates nor is altered by chemical interaction : capable of being used in transfusion or grafting without immunological reaction (as agglutination or tissue rejection) : designed to work with another device or system without modification; especially : being a computer designed to operate in the same manner and use the same software as another computer two people with compatible personalities This printer is compatible with most PCs.

conversant

: able to talk in a foreign language archaic : having frequent or familiar association archaic : concerned, occupied : having knowledge or experience —used with with She's conversant in several languages. <a world traveler who is highly conversant with the customs of foreign cultures> Did You Know? The adjectives "conversant" and "conversational" are related; both are descendants of Latin conversari, meaning "to associate with." The earliest English meaning of "conversant" in the 1300s was simply "having familiar association." One way to associate with others is to have a conversation with them - in other words, to talk. For a short time in the 19th century "conversant" could mean "relating to or suggesting conversation," but for the most part that meaning stayed with "conversational" while "conversant" went in a different direction. Today, "conversant" is sometimes used, especially in the United States, with the meaning "able to talk in a foreign language," as in "she is conversant in several languages," but it is more often associated with knowledge or familiarity, as in "conversant with the issues."

sheikh

: an Arab chief, ruler, or prince : a leader of a Muslim organization or group : an Arab chief usually sheik : a man held to be irresistibly attractive to romantic young women

knack

: an ability, talent, or special skill needed to do something a : a clever trick or stratagem b : a clever way of doing something : a special ready capacity that is hard to analyze or teach archaic : an ingenious device; broadly : toy, knickknack <she's tried every knack in Cupid's book to get her guy to marry her> <a jazz musician with an incredible knack for improvisation> Synonym Discussion of knack gift, faculty, aptitude, bent, talent, genius, knack mean a special ability for doing something. gift often implies special favor by God or nature <the gift of singing beautifully>. faculty applies to an innate or less often acquired ability for a particular accomplishment or function <a faculty for remembering names>. aptitude implies a natural liking for some activity and the likelihood of success in it <a mechanical aptitude>. bent is nearly equal to aptitude but it stresses inclination perhaps more than specific ability <a family with an artistic bent>. talent suggests a marked natural ability that needs to be developed <has enough talent to succeed>. genius suggests impressive inborn creative ability <has no great genius for poetry>. knack implies a comparatively minor but special ability making for ease and dexterity in performance <the knack of getting along>.

truce

: an agreement between enemies or opponents to stop fighting, arguing, etc., for a certain period of time : a suspension of fighting especially of considerable duration by agreement of opposing forces : armistice, cease-fire : a respite especially from a disagreeable or painful state or action There's been an uneasy truce between her and her parents for the past several months. <both sides agreed to a 24-hour truce beginning at midnight on Christmas Eve>

armistice

: an agreement to stop fighting a war : temporary suspension of hostilities by agreement between the opponents : truce <both sides in the conflict agreed to an armistice during the solemn holy days> Did You Know? Armistice descends from Latin sistere, meaning "to come to a stand" or "to cause to stand or stop," combined with arma, meaning "weapons." An armistice, therefore, is literally a cessation of arms. Armistice Day is the name that was given to the holiday celebrated in the United States on November 11 before it was renamed Veterans Day by Congress in 1954. The original name refers to the agreement between the Allied Powers and Germany to end hostilities that constituted the first World War, designated to take effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Other armistices, involving Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Austria-Hungary, were effected on other dates before and after November 11.

gratuity

: an amount of money given to a person (such as a waiter or waitress) who has performed a service : an amount of money given to a retiring soldier or employee : something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service; especially : tip A 15 percent gratuity is automatically added to the restaurant bill. <for parties of eight or more, we automatically add a 15% gratuity onto the bill>

grant

: an amount of money that is given to someone by a government, a company, etc., to be used for a particular purpose (such as scientific research) : an area of land that is given to someone by a government : the act of granting : something granted; especially : a gift (as of land or money) for a particular purpose a : a transfer of property by deed or writing b : the instrument by which such a transfer is made; also : the property so transferred : a minor territorial division of Maine, New Hampshire, or Vermont originally granted by the state to an individual or institution Her study is being funded by a federal grant. They wrote a grant proposal to get funding for the project.

verge

: an area along the edge of a road, path, etc. a (1) : a rod or staff carried as an emblem of authority or symbol of office (2) obsolete : a stick or wand held by a person being admitted to tenancy while he swears fealty b : the spindle of a watch balance; especially : a spindle with pallets in an old vertical escapement c : the male copulatory organ of any of various invertebrates a : something that borders, limits, or bounds: as (1) : an outer margin of an object or structural part (2) : the edge of roof covering (as tiling) projecting over the gable of a roof (3) British : a paved or planted strip of land at the edge of a road : shoulder b : brink, threshold <a country on the verge of destruction — Archibald MacLeish> <the suspect was on the verge of confessing when the officers realized that he hadn't been read his rights> <the southern verge of the national park>

remit

: an area of responsibility and authority : an act of remitting (see 1remit) : something remitted to another person or authority

enclosure

: an area that is surrounded by a wall, fence, etc. : an enclosed space : something that is included with a letter or in a package : the act of enclosing something : the act or action of enclosing : the quality or state of being enclosed : something that encloses : something enclosed <a letter with two enclosures> During the day the horses are kept in an enclosure. a letter with two enclosures One of the enclosures was a photograph. the enclosure of a photograph with a letter the enclosure of the garden

mock

: an exam that does not count and that is done to practice for a real exam : a mock exam : an act of ridicule or derision : jeer : one that is an object of derision or scorn : mockery a : an act of imitation b : something made as an imitation <they made a mock of the new recruit in front of the whole unit> <obviously, the "priceless" Grecian urn that is destroyed in the movie was a mock> : not based on real or honest feelings : done or performed to look like the real thing : of, relating to, or having the character of an imitation : simulated, feigned <the mock solemnity of the parody> We stared at him in mock surprise. Every summer, our history club performs mock battles to relive our country's greatest war. : in an insincere or counterfeit manner —usually used in combination <mock-serious>

caveat

: an explanation or warning that should be remembered when you are doing or thinking about something a : a warning enjoining one from certain acts or practices b : an explanation to prevent misinterpretation c : a modifying or cautionary detail to be considered when evaluating, interpreting, or doing something : a legal warning to a judicial officer to suspend a proceeding until the opposition has a hearing Sound great? There's just one caveat: Knowledge about how genes work is still in the scientific Stone Age. —Andrea Knox, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2000 We'll add a caveat of our own for parents: After your kids walk through 17,500 gal. of swirling water, they're not going to be satisfied running through the lawn sprinkler. —Jim Wilson, Popular Mechanics, July 1999 But the youthquake in the new economy comes with a caveat that also may begin applying to politics. If you're inexperienced and you want a big job, you'd better be smart as hell. —Jonathan Alter, Newsweek, 22 Nov. 1999 ... a cluster bomb can destroy objects over a wider area, with the important caveat that it is effective only if the bomblets have sufficient destructive power on their own. —Norman Friedman, Desert Victory, 1991 His investment advice comes with a caveat: that the stock market is impossible to predict with absolute accuracy. Did You Know? You may be familiar with the old saying "caveat emptor," nowadays loosely translated as "let the buyer beware." In the 16th century, this adage was imparted as a safeguard for the seller: allow the buyer to examine the item (for example, a horse) before the sale is completed, so the seller can't be blamed if the item turns out to be unsatisfactory. "Caveat" in Latin means let him beware and comes from the verb "cavēre" ("to be on guard"). Perhaps you've also heard "caveat lector": "let the reader beware," a warning to take what one reads with a grain of salt. English retained "caveat" itself as a noun for something that serves to warn, explain, or caution. (The word caution is another descendant of "cavēre.") a : a warning enjoining one from certain acts or practices b : an explanation to prevent a misinterpretation : a notice to a court or judicial officer to suspend a proceeding until the opposition can be heard <a caveat entered in the probate court to stop the proving of the will>

outcry

: an expression of strong anger or disapproval by many people : a reaction showing that people are angry or unhappy about something a : a loud cry : clamor b : a vehement protest : auction They were surprised by the outcry against the casino proposal. There was a lot of public outcry over his racial comments.

meme

: an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture Related to meme top-10-authorisms-meme Meme, Ninja, Baseball: Who Used it First? meme Meme: Trended on October 18, 2012 Did You Know? In his 1976 book The Selfish Gene, British scientist Richard Dawkins defended his newly coined word meme, which he defined as "a unit of cultural transmission." Having first considered, then rejected, "mimeme," he wrote: "'Mimeme' comes from a suitable Greek root, but I want a monosyllable that sounds a bit like 'gene.' I hope my classicist friends will forgive me if I abbreviate 'mimeme' to 'meme.'" (The suitable Greek root was mim-, meaning "mime" or "mimic." The English suffix -eme indicates a distinctive unit of language structure, as in "grapheme," "lexeme," and "phoneme.") "Meme" itself, like any good meme, caught on fairly quickly, spreading from person to person as it established itself in the language.

gauge

: an instrument that is used for measuring something : something that can be used to measure or judge something else : the distance between the rails of a railroad a : a measurement (as of linear dimension) according to some standard or system: as (1) : the distance between the rails of a railroad (2) : the size of a shotgun barrel's inner diameter nominally expressed as the number of lead balls each just fitting that diameter required to make a pound <a 12-gauge shotgun> (3) : the thickness of a thin material (as sheet metal or plastic film) (4) : the diameter of a slender object (as wire or a hypodermic needle) (5) : the fineness of a knitted fabric expressed by the number of loops per unit width b : dimensions, size c : measure 1 <surveys are a gauge of public sentiment> : an instrument for or a means of measuring or testing: as a : an instrument for measuring a dimension or for testing mechanical accuracy b : an instrument with a graduated scale or dial for measuring or indicating quantity : relative position of a ship with reference to another ship and the wind : a function introduced into a field equation to produce a convenient form of the equation but having no observable physical consequences The broadest gauge of the economy—the gross domestic product, adjusted for inflation—has risen little more than 4% since the recovery began. —Alfred L. Malabre, Jr., Wall Street Journal, 26 July 1993 Synonym Discussion of gauge standard, criterion, gauge, yardstick, touchstone mean a means of determining what a thing should be. standard applies to any definite rule, principle, or measure established by authority <standards of behavior>. criterion may apply to anything used as a test of quality whether formulated as a rule or principle or not <questioned the critic's criteria for excellence>. gauge applies to a means of testing a particular dimension (as thickness, depth, diameter) or figuratively a particular quality or aspect <polls as a gauge of voter dissatisfaction>. yardstick is an informal substitute for criterion that suggests quantity more often than quality <housing construction as a yardstick of economic growth>. touchstone suggests a simple test of the authenticity or value of something intangible <fine service is one touchstone of a first-class restaurant>.

lot

: an object used as a counter in determining a question by chance a : the use of lots as a means of deciding something b : the resulting choice a : something that comes to one upon whom a lot has fallen : share b : one's way of life or worldly fate : fortune a : a portion of land b : a measured parcel of land having fixed boundaries and designated on a plot or survey c : a motion-picture studio and its adjoining property d : an establishment for the storage or sale of motor vehicles <a used car lot> a : a number of units of an article, a single article, or a parcel of articles offered as one item (as in an auction sale) b : all the members of a present group, kind, or quantity —usually used with the <sampled the whole lot of desserts> a : a number of associated persons : set <fell in with a rough lot> b : kind, sort : a considerable quantity or extent <a lot of money> <lots of friends> all over the lot : covering a wide or varied range <received bids all over the lot> a lot : to a considerable degree or extent <this is a lot nicer> : often, frequently <runs a lot every day> : lots He bought the vacant lot across the street. They own the house on the corner lot. We took a tour of the Universal lot. The organization has done much to improve the lot of underprivileged youth. Unhappy with her lot in life, she moved to the city to start over. Synonym Discussion of lot fate, destiny, lot, portion, doom mean a predetermined state or end. fate implies an inevitable and usually an adverse outcome <the fate of the submarine is unknown>. destiny implies something foreordained and often suggests a great or noble course or end <the country's destiny to be a model of liberty to the world>. lot and portion imply a distribution by fate or destiny, lot suggesting blind chance <it was her lot to die childless>, portion implying the apportioning of good and evil <remorse was his daily portion>. doom distinctly implies a grim or calamitous fate <if the rebellion fails, his doom is certain>.

lapse

: an occurrence in which you fail to think or act in the usual or proper way for a brief time and make a mistake : an occurrence in which someone behaves badly for usually a short period of time : a change that results in worse behavior a : a slight error typically due to forgetfulness or inattention <a lapse in table manners> b : a temporary deviation or fall especially from a higher to a lower state <a lapse from grace> : a becoming less : decline a (1) : the termination of a right or privilege through neglect to exercise it within some limit of time (2) : termination of coverage for nonpayment of premiums b : interruption, discontinuance <returned to college after a lapse of several years> : an abandonment of religious faith : a passage of time; also : interval He blamed the error on a minor mental lapse. a lapse into bad habits Synonym Discussion of lapse error, mistake, blunder, slip, lapse mean a departure from what is true, right, or proper. error suggests the existence of a standard or guide and a straying from the right course through failure to make effective use of this <procedural errors>. mistake implies misconception or inadvertence and usually expresses less criticism than error <dialed the wrong number by mistake>. blunder regularly imputes stupidity or ignorance as a cause and connotes some degree of blame <diplomatic blunders>. slip stresses inadvertence or accident and applies especially to trivial but embarrassing mistakes <a slip of the tongue>. lapse stresses forgetfulness, weakness, or inattention as a cause <a lapse in judgment>.

augur

: an official diviner of ancient Rome : one held to foretell events by omens <ancient Roman augurs who predicted the future by reading the flight of birds>

quota

: an official limit on the number or amount of people or things that are allowed : a specific amount or number that is expected to be achieved : a proportional part or share; especially : the share or proportion assigned to each in a division or to each member of a body : the number or amount constituting a proportional share : a fixed number or percentage of minority group members or women needed to meet the requirements of affirmative action The agency imposes strict fishing quotas. The company has imposed quotas on hiring. He lost his driver's license because he exceeded the quota of traffic violations. The department set new sales quotas in January.

adage

: an old and well-known saying that expresses a general truth : a saying often in metaphorical form that embodies a common observation <that old adage, "the early bird gets the worm">

recourse

: an opportunity or choice to use or do something in order to deal with a problem or situation a : a turning to someone or something for help or protection <settled the matter without recourse to law> b : a source of help or strength : resort <had no recourse left> : the right to demand payment from the maker or endorser of a negotiable instrument (as a check) The dispute was settled without recourse to law. <a toddler quickly learns that a tantrum is a surefire recourse when a polite request for something is met with parental indifference>

curfew

: an order or law that requires people to be indoors after a certain time at night : the period of time when such an order or law is in effect : the time set by a parent at which a child has to be back home after going out : the sounding of a bell at evening a : a regulation enjoining the withdrawal of usually specified persons (as juveniles or military personnel) from the streets or the closing of business establishments or places of assembly at a stated hour b : a signal to announce the beginning of a curfew c : the hour at which a curfew becomes effective d : the period during which a curfew is in effect The teens were stopped by police for violating the curfew. The city ordered a curfew soon after the rioting started. The town was placed under curfew. No one is allowed on the streets during the curfew. He has a 10 o'clock curfew.

acrimonious

: angry and bitter : caustic, biting, or rancorous especially in feeling, language, or manner <an acrimonious dispute> Each man came out of their acrimonious 200-meter showdown on July 23 with an injured hamstring and a decidedly negative vibe. —Tim Layden, Sports Illustrated, 11 Sept. 2000 My May 19, 1967, memorandum to the president unleashed a storm of controversy. ... It led to tense and acrimonious Senate hearings that pitted me against the Joint Chiefs of Staff and generated rumors they intended to resign en masse. —Robert McNamara, In Retrospect, 1995 But considering the momentousness of the issue, the original Darwinian debate was far less acrimonious than might have been expected ... —Gertrude Himmelfarb, American Scholar, Autumn 1981 We could tell, however, when debate became more acrimonious than professional, but this was from watching lawyers other than our father. —Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960 He went through an acrimonious divorce. <an acrimonious parting between the two former friends>

ante-

: before or earlier : in front of a : prior : earlier <antedate> b : anterior : forward <anteroom> : prior to : earlier than <antediluvian>

suave

: behaving in a relaxed, confident, and pleasant way in social situations : smoothly though often superficially gracious and sophisticated : smooth in texture, performance, or style I am pleased, also, to think I pulled it off. I didn't do anything too stupid or gauche, and even though it was my first time at a spa, I managed to bluff my way through in a suitably suave, urbane fashion without any embarrassing social gaffes. —Will Ferguson, Beauty Tips From Moose Jaw, 2004 When she had been Miss Tampa, a suave major leaguer had courted her till she found out he was married, with children. —Frank Deford, Sports Illustrated, 19 Mar. 2001 Bobby gets a lot of tough love at home. As suave and polite as he seems to outsiders, he has "two personalities," says his stepmother Wille. "He's a con artist." His parents kicked him out of the house in August, trying to scare him after he came home drunk at 5 a. m. —Stacy Perman, Time, 25 Oct. 1999 a suave and sophisticated businessman <the suave gentleman was a great favorite of the elegant ladies who attended parties at the embassy>

incomparable

: better than any other : having no equal : eminent beyond comparison : matchless : not suitable for comparison The quality of their products is incomparable. an incomparable view of the valley

malleable

: capable of being stretched or bent into different shapes : capable of being easily changed or influenced : capable of being extended or shaped by beating with a hammer or by the pressure of rollers a : capable of being altered or controlled by outside forces or influences b : having a capacity for adaptive change The brothers Warner presented a flexible, malleable world that defied Newton, a world of such plasticity that anything imaginable was possible. —Billy Collins, Wall Street Journal, 28-29 June 2008 At each landing the villagers had carved the wonderfully malleable silt into staircases, terraces, crenellations, and ziggurats. —Kenneth Brower, National Geographic Traveler, March 2000 The boy seemed to me possessed by a blind, invalid arrogance, and every human being, as his eye flicked over or flinched against them, became, immediately, as malleable as his mother and his father. —James Baldwin, The Evidence of Things Not Seen, 1985 <the cult leader took advantage of the malleable, compliant personalities of his followers> Did You Know? There is a hint about the origins of "malleable" in its first definition. The earliest uses of the word, which first appeared in English in the 14th century, referred primarily to metals that could be reshaped by beating with a hammer. The Middle English word malliable comes to us from Medieval Latin malleabilis, which in turn derives from the Latin verb malleare, meaning "to hammer." "Malleare" itself was created from the Latin word for "hammer": "malleus." If you have guessed that "maul" and "mallet," other English words for specific types of hammers, can also be traced back to "malleus," you have hit the nail on the head. Synonym Discussion of malleable plastic, pliable, pliant, ductile, malleable, adaptable mean susceptible of being modified in form or nature. plastic applies to substances soft enough to be molded yet capable of hardening into the desired fixed form <plastic materials allow the sculptor greater freedom>. pliable suggests something easily bent, folded, twisted, or manipulated <pliable rubber tubing>. pliant may stress flexibility and sometimes connote springiness <an athletic shoe with a pliant sole>. ductile applies to what can be drawn out or extended with ease <ductile metals such as copper>. malleable applies to what may be pressed or beaten into shape <the malleable properties of gold>. adaptable implies the capability of being easily modified to suit other conditions, needs, or uses <computer hardware that is adaptable>.

poignant

: causing a strong feeling of sadness : pungently pervasive <a poignant perfume> a (1) : painfully affecting the feelings : piercing (2) : deeply affecting : touching b : designed to make an impression : cutting <poignant satire> a : pleasurably stimulating b : being to the point : apt ... this movie isn't a soft-pedaled, poignant tale of addiction and recovery—it's just about the addiction. —David Crowley, Vibe, June 2001 In a poignant attempt to split the difference between the two camps, Justices Breyer and David Souter tried to prevent the Court from destroying itself. —Jeffrey Rosen, New Republic, 25 Dec. 2000 I've witnessed the poignant efforts of young whites striving to conform to the vague tenets of the mainstream, taking crushingly dull jobs, settling down with the least challenging of spouses ... —Jake Lamar, UTNE Reader, May/June 1992 ... a new and sharper and most poignant sense of loss for that broken musical instrument which had once been my leg. —Oliver Sacks, A Leg to Stand On, 1984 The photograph was a poignant reminder of her childhood. <a poignant story of a love affair that ends in tragedy> Did You Know? Poignant comes to us from French, and before that from Latin-specifically, the Latin verb pungere, meaning "to prick or sting." Several other common English words derive from pungere, including pungent, which can refer, among other things, to a "sharp" odor. The influence of pungere can also be seen in puncture, as well as punctual, which originally meant simply "of or relating to a point." Even compunction and expunge come from this pointedly relevant Latin word.

baneful

: causing destruction or serious damage : bad or evil : productive of destruction or woe : seriously harmful <a baneful influence> archaic : poisonous The legislation could have a baneful effect on the poor. the baneful consequences of war

pernicious

: causing great harm or damage often in a way that is not easily seen or noticed : highly injurious or destructive : deadly archaic : wicked The notion that poll data are a legitimate form of news has to be one of the most pernicious tenets of late-twentieth-century American journalism ... —Barbara Ehrenreich, Nation, 20 Nov. 1995 The more it [the Papacy] took part in the temporal conflicts with consistently pernicious result, the more impotent among the monarchs it revealed itself ... —Barbara W. Tuchman, The March of Folly, 1984 At its most pernicious, paper entrepreneurialism involves little more than imposing losses on others for the sake of short-term profits for the firm. —Robert B. Reich, Atlantic, March 1983 More pernicious still has been the acceptance of the author's controversial ideas by the general public. the pernicious effects of jealousy She thinks television has a pernicious influence on our children. Synonym Discussion of pernicious pernicious, baneful, noxious, deleterious, detrimental mean exceedingly harmful. pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining <the claim that pornography has a pernicious effect on society>. baneful implies injury through poisoning or destroying <the baneful notion that discipline destroys creativity>. noxious applies to what is both offensive and injurious to the health of a body or mind <noxious chemical fumes>. deleterious applies to what has an often unsuspected harmful effect <a diet found to have deleterious effects>. detrimental implies obvious harmfulness to something specified <the detrimental effects of excessive drinking>.

brash

: confident and aggressive in usually a rude or unpleasant way : very strong or harsh : brittle <brash wood> a : heedless of the consequences : audacious <a brash adventurer> b : done in haste without regard for consequences : rash <brash acts> a : full of fresh raw vitality <a brash frontier town> b : uninhibitedly energetic or demonstrative : bumptious <a brash comedian> a : lacking restraint and discernment : tactless <brash remarks> b : aggressively self-assertive : impudent <brash to the point of arrogance> : piercingly sharp : harsh <a brash squeal of brakes> : marked by vivid contrast : bold <brash colors> She asks such brash questions. <a brash request to get something for free>

assertive

: confident in behavior or style : disposed to or characterized by bold or confident statements and behavior <an assertive leader> : having a strong or distinctive flavor or aroma <assertive wines> When my mother brought my baby sister home on the train from the Chicago adoption agency, she had hired a woman from the South named Arizona, much younger than Hope, vigorous, boisterous, taller, darker, and less acclimated to the behavior expected of servants in an upscale Wasp suburb up North. She was a blithe spirit, as I remember her, assertive, gleeful, expansive, loud and goofy with me when, to tease her, I'd pull on the bow of her apron strings ... —Edward Hoagland, Harper's, July 2004 Don't substitute corn syrup or molasses for cane syrup. Corn syrup is thinner, lighter and milder than cane syrup, and molasses is thicker, darker and much more assertive. —Denise Landis, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2002 One of the points I think that's important is the way in which the United States has responded to the initiatives in the African Renaissance, and a lot of the developments that we have seen, in fact, have their roots in Africa. What it means for U.S. policy is that the Africans themselves are being much more assertive than they have been in the past. —Emerge, June 1998 Daily newspaper in Chicago metro region seeks aggressive, assertive crime reporter who thrives on getting obligatory ... items done fast in order to devote time to colorful stories about villains, victims and everything in between. —Editor & Publisher, 31 Oct. 1998 Their daughter is an assertive little girl. If you want people to listen to your opinions, you'll need to learn to be more assertive. Synonym Discussion of assertive aggressive, militant, assertive, self-assertive mean obtrusively energetic especially in pursuing particular goals. aggressive implies a disposition to dominate often in disregard of others' rights or in determined and energetic pursuit of one's ends <aggressive in his business dealings>. militant also implies a fighting disposition but suggests not self-seeking but devotion to a cause, movement, or principle <militant protesters rallied against the new law>. assertive suggests bold self-confidence in expression of opinion <the more assertive speakers dominated the forum>. self-assertive connotes forwardness or brash self-confidence <a self-assertive young upstart>.

votive

: consisting of or expressing a religious vow, wish, or desire : offered or performed as an expression of thanks or devotion to God : consisting of or expressing a vow, wish, or desire <a votive prayer> : offered or performed in fulfillment of a vow or in gratitude or devotion

discipline

: control that is gained by requiring that rules or orders be obeyed and punishing bad behavior : a way of behaving that shows a willingness to obey rules or orders : behavior that is judged by how well it follows a set of rules or orders : punishment obsolete : instruction : a field of study : training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character a : control gained by enforcing obedience or order b : orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior c : self-control : a rule or system of rules governing conduct or activity Sir Robert Peel is credited with creating the first modern police force, the bobbies, in London, in 1829, but the transformation of law enforcement, and especially forensic science, into a professional discipline was a haphazard affair. —Jeffrey Toobin, New Yorker, 7 May 2007 Pragmatism became America's most important contribution to the life of the mind in the 20th century. Filtered through scores of later interpreters, it percolated across a broad segment of academic culture and influenced disciplines as diverse as literary criticism and legal theory. —Theo Anderson, Wilson Quarterly, Summer 2007 So the next fall I went to Hampshire College and began studying under Herbert Bernstein. Without him, I would never have become a scientist. He shamed me into doing the hard work necessary to be able not just to talk about math and physics but to calculate. Without that discipline, my story would have been very different ... —Lee Smolin, Curious Minds, (2004) 2005 He stood erect, his bearing patrician, his dress impeccable. His face was stern and his pale eyes unsmiling behind his trifocals, like a man who had been called from important duties in the principal's office to administer discipline to an unruly classroom. —Nick Taylor, Laser, 2000 The teacher has a hard time maintaining discipline in the classroom. The troops were praised for their dedication and discipline. Some parents feel that the school's principal has been too harsh in meting out discipline. Keeping a journal is a good discipline for a writer.

fuzzy

: covered with short, soft hairs, fur, etc. : covered with fuzz : not clear : not sharp or distinct : not clear in thought : marked by or giving a suggestion of fuzz <a fuzzy covering of felt> : lacking in clarity or definition <moving the camera causes fuzzy photos> : being, relating to, or invoking pleasant and usually sentimental emotions <warm and fuzzy feelings> The plant has fuzzy leaves. Without my glasses everything looks fuzzy. The line between our areas of responsibility is fuzzy. I think his reasoning is a little fuzzy.

lay

: covert, lair : something (as a layer) that lies or is laid (see 1lay) a : line of action : plan b : line of work : occupation a : terms of sale or employment : price b : share of profit (as on a whaling voyage) paid in lieu of wages a : the amount of advance of any point in a rope strand for one turn b : the nature of a fiber rope as determined by the amount of twist, the angle of the strands, and the angle of the threads in the strands : the way in which a thing lies or is laid in relation to something else <the lay of the land> : the state of one that lays eggs <hens coming into lay> a usually vulgar : a partner in sexual intercourse b usually vulgar : sexual intercourse : not trained in a certain profession : not having a lot of knowledge about a certain thing : belonging to a religion but not officially a priest, minister, etc. : of or relating to the laity : not ecclesiastical : of or relating to members of a religious house occupied with domestic or manual work <a lay brother> : not of a particular profession <the lay public>; also : lacking extensive knowledge of a particular subject a science magazine written for the lay public

deleterious

: damaging or harmful : harmful often in a subtle or unexpected way <deleterious effects> <deleterious to health> In developing countries, the imposition of boundaries around national parks and protected areas has been deleterious for both people and wildlife. —Kristin B. Gunther, Association of American Geographers, 2002 Most everyone now knows the action of pressing mouse keys is far more deleterious to the tender structures of the wrist and hand than typing is. —Michael Finley, Albany (New York) Times-Union, 2 Sept. 1998 This skewed allocation of resources away from those most in need, in turn, insures that many young people from low-income families will continue to be shut out of the economy, with obvious deleterious family and social consequences. —Iris C. Rotberg, Education Week, 9 Mar. 1994 For as James Keirans pointed out to me, ticks are the world's most notorious carriers of the agents of diseases that strike animals, wild and domestic. And they rank second only to mosquitoes in their deleterious effect on humans. —Edwards Park, Smithsonian, January 1987 The chemical is deleterious to the environment. The drug has no deleterious effects on patients.

consecrate

: dedicated to a sacred purpose <the consecrate gold tablets which Joseph Smith claimed to have found>

offbeat

: different from the ordinary, usual, or expected eccentric, unconventional She has an offbeat sense of humor. He often plays offbeat characters in his films. an offbeat approach to teaching The performance was refreshingly offbeat.

antithetic

: directly opposite or opposed : constituting or marked by antithesis : being in direct and unequivocal opposition the antithetical forces of good and evil <spiritual concerns and ideals that are antithetical to the materialism embraced by modern society> Did You Know? Antithetical and "antithesis" entered English in the 16th century. Their etymological paths pass through Late Latin and ultimately lead to Greek (the Greek words antitithenai and "antithesis" mean "to oppose" and "opposition," respectively). The oldest sense of the English "antithesis" refers to a language pattern that contrasts parallel ideas, as in "action, not words" or "they promised freedom and provided slavery." "Antithetical" can mean "constituting or marked by such language patterns." For example, you could say "The phrase 'action, not words' is an antithetical construction." It is more common in current use, however, for "antithesis" to mean "the exact opposite" and for "antithetical" to mean "directly opposite." Synonym Discussion of antithetical opposite, contradictory, contrary, antithetical mean being so far apart as to be or seem irreconcilable. opposite applies to things in sharp contrast or in conflict <opposite views on foreign aid>. contradictory applies to two things that completely negate each other so that if one is true or valid the other must be untrue or invalid <made contradictory predictions about whether the market would rise or fall>. contrary implies extreme divergence or diametrical opposition <contrary assessments of the war situation>. antithetical stresses clear and unequivocal diametrical opposition <a law that is antithetical to the very idea of democracy>.

dissident

: disagreeing especially with an established religious or political system, organization, or belief <dissident elements within the Catholic Church>

grandstand

: done in a way that is intended to impress the people who are watching : done for show or to impress onlooker The outfielder made a grandstand play out of what should have been a routine catch.

mundane

: dull and ordinary : relating to ordinary life on earth rather than to spiritual things : of, relating to, or characteristic of the world : characterized by the practical, transitory, and ordinary : commonplace <the mundane concerns of day-to-day life> On him, a mundane navy blazer looked like an Armani dinner jacket; around him, a dusky locker room became the chandeliered lobby of the Savoy. —Curry Kirkpatrick, ESPN, 19 Mar. 2001 How did our ancestors pass from the mundane activity of counting to the concept of 'number' in the abstract, devoid of any particular collection of objects to label? —John D. Barrow, Pi in the Sky, 1992 They decided on buttock tattoos, rather than the more mundane engagement ring, because a tattoo is permanent. You can always pawn a ring. —Mike Royko, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 1988 The day began with the mundane business of getting my white chiffon dress shortened ... —Lady Bird Johnson, January 14, 1964, in A White House Diary, 1970 mundane chores, like washing dishes They lead a pretty mundane life. prayer and meditation helped her put her mundane worries aside Synonym Discussion of mundane earthly, worldly, mundane mean belonging to or characteristic of the earth. earthly often implies a contrast with what is heavenly or spiritual <abandoned earthly concerns and entered a convent>. worldly and mundane both imply a relation to the immediate concerns and activities of human beings, worldly suggesting tangible personal gain or gratification <worldly goods> and mundane suggesting reference to the immediate and practical <a mundane discussion of finances>.

vicarious

: experienced or felt by watching, hearing about, or reading about someone else rather than by doing something yourself a : serving instead of someone or something else b : that has been delegated <vicarious authority> : performed or suffered by one person as a substitute for another or to the benefit or advantage of another : substitutionary <a vicarious sacrifice> : experienced or realized through imaginative or sympathetic participation in the experience of another <a vicarious thrill> : occurring in an unexpected or abnormal part of the body instead of the usual one <vicarious menstruation manifested by bleeding from the nose> I am a vicarious eater, often preferring a description of a meal to eating it. I hoard the Wednesday food section of the New York Times, savoring it as my late-night reading, finishing always with the restaurant review. —Anne-Marie Slaughter, Commonweal, 14 June 2002 Most people caged in the humdrum routines of modern life are eager for vicarious glimpses of pain, joy, and especially vitality. —Robert Jackall et al., Image Makers, 2000 There is an immense sub-middle class with enough money to preserve it from rancorous envy of the rich, but not enough to preserve it from boredom; it needs vicarious compensations and manages to find them in the gossip columns. —Aldous Huxley, The Olive Tree, 1937 To give himself the vicarious illusion of companionship, he fell back on letters. —Amy Lowell, John Keats, 1925 By means of ferocious jokes ... he could vent his hatred of pioneer life and all its conditions, those conditions that were thwarting his creative life; he could, in this vicarious manner, appease the artist in him ... —Van Wyck Brooks, The Ordeal of Mark Twain, 1920 Did You Know? If you act in someone's stead, you take his or her place, at least temporarily. The oldest meaning of "vicarious," which was first recorded in 1637, is "serving in someone or something's stead." The word vicarious derives from the Latin noun vicis, which means "change," "alternation," or "stead." "Vicis" is also the source of the English prefix vice- (as in "vice president"), meaning "one that takes the place of."

torment

: extreme physical or mental pain : something that causes extreme physical or mental pain : the infliction of torture (as by rack or wheel) : extreme pain or anguish of body or mind : agony : a source of vexation or pain No one could understand his inner torment. After years of torment, she left her husband. The mosquitoes were a constant torment. : to cause (someone or something) to feel extreme physical or mental pain : to cause severe usually persistent or recurrent distress of body or mind to <cattle tormented by flies> : distort, twist Not knowing where she was tormented him. <he was tormented by nightmares about the accident> Synonym Discussion of torment afflict, try, torment, torture, rack mean to inflict on a person something that is hard to bear. afflict is a general term and applies to the causing of pain or suffering or of acute annoyance, embarrassment, or any distress <ills that afflict the elderly>. try suggests imposing something that strains the powers of endurance or of self-control <children often try their parents' patience>. torment suggests persecution or the repeated inflicting of suffering or annoyance <a horse tormented by flies>. torture adds the implication of causing unbearable pain or suffering <tortured by a sense of guilt>. rack stresses straining or wrenching <a body racked by pain>.

outstanding

: extremely good or excellent : easy to notice especially because of being important or very good : not yet paid : standing out : projecting a : unpaid <left several bills outstanding> b : continuing to exist : unresolved <a long outstanding problem in astronomy> c of securities : publicly issued and sold a : standing out from a group : conspicuous b : marked by eminence and distinction Tonight we will honor the school's most outstanding students. You did an outstanding job on the project. the outstanding quality of your work a wine that is outstanding in quality As a president, he was outstanding in many ways. Her novels are outstanding for their complex characters and interesting plots. The painting is an outstanding example of the artist's style. Outstanding among the menu items were the tomato soup and the swordfish. She had several outstanding parking tickets in her car. He left a balance of 50 dollars outstanding on his account. Synonym Discussion of outstanding noticeable, remarkable, prominent, outstanding, conspicuous, salient, striking mean attracting notice or attention. noticeable applies to something unlikely to escape observation <a piano recital with no noticeable errors>. remarkable applies to something so extraordinary or exceptional as to invite comment <a film of remarkable intelligence and wit>. prominent applies to something commanding notice by standing out from its surroundings or background <a doctor who occupies a prominent position in the town>. outstanding applies to something that rises above and excels others of the same kind <honored for her outstanding contributions to science>. conspicuous applies to something that is obvious and unavoidable to the sight or mind <conspicuous bureaucratic waste>. salient applies to something of significance that merits the attention given it <the salient points of the speech>. striking applies to something that impresses itself powerfully and deeply upon the observer's mind or vision <the region's striking poverty>. to good/great/fine/outstanding effect: in a way that produces good results <The city has used these resources to good effect.> <These changes have been implemented to great effect.>

restive

: feeling bored or impatient while waiting for something to happen or change : stubbornly resisting control : balky : marked by impatience or uneasiness : fidgety <the restive horse threw its head and refused to move when the rider urged it forward> <spent a restive night worrying about the next day's exam> Did You Know? Restive ultimately comes from the Anglo-French word rester, meaning "to stop, resist, or remain." In its earliest use, restive meant "sluggish" or "inactive," though this sense is no longer in use. Another early sense was "stubborn, obstinate." Specifically, restive often referred to horses that refused to do as commanded. This general application to unruly horses may have influenced the development of the "fidgety, impatient" sense of restive. Some usage commentators have objected to this newer sense, but it has been in use for well over a century, and is now the more common of the uses. Synonym Discussion of restive contrary, perverse, restive, balky, wayward mean inclined to resist authority or control. contrary implies a temperamental unwillingness to accept orders or advice <a contrary child>. perverse may imply wrongheaded, determined, or cranky opposition to what is reasonable or normal <a perverse, intractable critic>. restive suggests unwillingness or inability to submit to discipline or follow orders <tired soldiers growing restive>. balky suggests a refusing to proceed in a desired direction or course of action <a balky witness>. wayward suggests strong-willed capriciousness and irregularity in behavior <a school for wayward youths>.

fervent

: felt very strongly : having or showing very strong feelings : very hot : glowing : exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling : zealous <fervent prayers> <a fervent speech that called for tolerance and compassion for those who are different> <in the thick, fervent air of a tropical afternoon, a languor set in> Synonym Discussion of fervent impassioned, passionate, ardent, fervent, fervid, perfervid mean showing intense feeling. impassioned implies warmth and intensity without violence and suggests fluent verbal expression <an impassioned plea for justice>. passionate implies great vehemence and often violence and wasteful diffusion of emotion <a passionate denunciation>. ardent implies an intense degree of zeal, devotion, or enthusiasm <an ardent supporter of human rights>. fervent stresses sincerity and steadiness of emotional warmth or zeal <fervent good wishes>. fervid suggests warmly and spontaneously and often feverishly expressed emotion <fervid love letters>. perfervid implies the expression of exaggerated or overwrought feelings <perfervid expressions of patriotism>.

leeway

: freedom to do something the way you want to do it a : off-course lateral movement of a ship when under way b : the angle between the heading and the track of an airplane : an allowable margin of freedom or variation : tolerance They give their students leeway to try new things. <you will be given some leeway in choosing how to carry out the project> make up (the) leeway (British) : to get back into a good position or situation after one has fallen behind <They're so far behind that they have little hope of making up the leeway on the leaders.>

amiable

: friendly and pleasant archaic : pleasing, admirable a : generally agreeable <an amiable comedy> b : being friendly, sociable, and congenial ... an amiable man, a gray-headed, fiftyish, good old boy with a long career in media and public relations, and a hellish taste for margaritas ... —Denis Johnson, Rolling Stone, 17 Aug. 2000 These strained plot contortions aren't really necessary: the funny, amiable heart of the movie is in the scenes of these tough old duffers scamming their way through the training program. —David Ansen, Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2000 The book pivots around Molly Bonner, an amiable, 40-ish woman whose second husband has just died in a helicopter accident, leaving her grief-struck and rich. —Tad Friend, Vogue, March 1997 Gianni Versace is an amiable smoothy with a light touch and a corona of gray hair. —Marie Brenner, Vanity Fair, January 1997 Everyone knew him as an amiable fellow. She had an amiable conversation with her friend. Did You Know? Amiable derives from the Late Latin adjective amicabilis, meaning "friendly," which in turn comes from the Latin word for "friend" and can ultimately be traced back to amare, meaning "to love." When amiable was adopted into English in the 14th century, it meant "pleasing" or "admirable," but that sense is now obsolete. The current, familiar senses of "generally agreeable" ("an amiable movie") and "friendly and sociable" came centuries later. Amare has also given English speakers such words as amative and amorous (both meaning "strongly moved by love"), amour ("a usually illicit love affair"), and even amateur (which originally meant "admirer"). Full Definition of amiable 1 archaic : pleasing, admirable 2 a : generally agreeable <an amiable comedy> b : being friendly, sociable, and congenial amiability play \ˌā-mē-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun amiableness play \ˈā-mē-ə-bəl-nəs\ noun amiably play \-blē\ adverb See amiable defined for English-language learners See amiable defined for kids Examples of amiable in a sentence ... an amiable man, a gray-headed, fiftyish, good old boy with a long career in media and public relations, and a hellish taste for margaritas ... —Denis Johnson, Rolling Stone, 17 Aug. 2000 These strained plot contortions aren't really necessary: the funny, amiable heart of the movie is in the scenes of these tough old duffers scamming their way through the training program. —David Ansen, Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2000 The book pivots around Molly Bonner, an amiable, 40-ish woman whose second husband has just died in a helicopter accident, leaving her grief-struck and rich. —Tad Friend, Vogue, March 1997 Gianni Versace is an amiable smoothy with a light touch and a corona of gray hair. —Marie Brenner, Vanity Fair, January 1997 Everyone knew him as an amiable fellow. She had an amiable conversation with her friend. Did You Know? Amiable derives from the Late Latin adjective amicabilis, meaning "friendly," which in turn comes from the Latin word for "friend" and can ultimately be traced back to amare, meaning "to love." When amiable was adopted into English in the 14th century, it meant "pleasing" or "admirable," but that sense is now obsolete. The current, familiar senses of "generally agreeable" ("an amiable movie") and "friendly and sociable" came centuries later. Amare has also given English speakers such words as amative and amorous (both meaning "strongly moved by love"), amour ("a usually illicit love affair"), and even amateur (which originally meant "admirer"). Origin of amiable Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin amicabilis friendly, from Latin amicus friend; akin to Latin amare to love First Known Use: 14th century Related to amiable Synonyms affable, agreeable, genial, good-natured, good-tempered, gracious, mellow, nice, pleasant, sweet, well-disposed Antonyms disagreeable, ill-natured, ill-tempered, unamiable, ungenial, ungracious, unpleasant Related Words amicable, clever [dialect], cordial, friendly, neighborly; benign, gentle, kind; cheerful, cheery, glad [archaic], sunny; companionable, conversable, sociable; civil, considerate, courteous, polite, thoughtful; accommodating, amenable, obliging; attractive, delightful, enjoyable, likable (or likeable) Near Antonyms boorish, discourteous, ill-mannered, impolite, inconsiderate, rude, surly, uncivil, unkind, unmannerly, unsociable; bearish, bilious, cantankerous, choleric, churlish, crabby, cranky, dyspeptic, fussy, grouchy, grumpy, ill-humored, irascible, irritable, peevish, petulant, quick-tempered, snappish, testy, touchy; argumentative, contentious, contrary, ornery, querulous; unappealing, unattractive; sour, vinegary Synonym Discussion of amiable amiable, good-natured, obliging, complaisant mean having the desire or disposition to please. amiable implies having qualities that make one liked and easy to deal with <an amiable teacher not easily annoyed>. good-natured implies cheerfulness or helpfulness and sometimes a willingness to be imposed upon <a good-natured girl who was always willing to pitch in>. obliging stresses a friendly readiness to be helpful <our obliging innkeeper found us a bigger room>. complaisant often implies passivity or a yielding to others because of weakness <was too complaisant to protest a decision he thought unfair>.

virulent

: full of hate or anger : extremely or excessively harsh or strong : extremely dangerous and deadly and usually spreading very quickly a : marked by a rapid, severe, and destructive course <a virulent infection> b : able to overcome bodily defensive mechanisms : markedly pathogenic <virulent bacteria> : extremely poisonous or venomous : full of malice : malignant <virulent racists> : objectionably harsh or strong <virulent criticism> The country seemed to be returning to the virulent nationalism of its past. <the virulent look on her face warned me that she was about to say something unkind>

witty

: funny and clever archaic : having good intellectual capacity : intelligent : amusingly or ingeniously clever in conception or execution <the costumes are sumptuous and witty — Virgil Thomson> <the musical background is ... often witty — Wolcott Gibbs> : marked by or full of clever humor or wit: smartly facetious or jocular <a witty novel> : quick or ready to see or express illuminating or amusing relationships or insights <a witty raconteur> We'd kept everything witty and cool, until the air between us was so ironized that to say anything in earnest would have been a breach of manners, even of trust. —Tobias Wolff, Old School, 2003 ... when she walked up to me and made a caustic remark on the principal's address of the morning, I couldn't help laughing, as she was obviously not only intelligent but very witty. —Margaret A. Edwards, The Fair Garden and the Swarm of Beasts, 1994 Yet for all his solemnity, Hamlet was also the play's and Shakespeare's wittiest wit, with as many one-liners as any comic in the whole canon. —Reed Whittemore, Pure Lives, 1988 a witty talk show host <a witty and sardonic blogger who never fails to amuse his legion of readers> Synonym Discussion of witty witty, humorous, facetious, jocular, jocose mean provoking or intended to provoke laughter. witty suggests cleverness and quickness of mind <a witty remark>. humorous applies broadly to anything that evokes usually genial laughter and may contrast with witty in suggesting whimsicality or eccentricity <humorous anecdotes>. facetious stresses a desire to produce laughter and may be derogatory in implying dubious or ill-timed attempts at wit or humor <facetious comments>. jocular implies a usually habitual fondness for jesting and joking <a jocular fellow>. jocose is somewhat less derogatory than facetious in suggesting habitual waggishness or playfulness <jocose proposals>.

profuse

: given, produced, or existing in large amounts : pouring forth liberally : extravagant <profuse in their thanks> : exhibiting great abundance : bountiful <a profuse harvest> He offered profuse apologies for being late. They were profuse in their thanks. Synonym Discussion of profuse profuse, lavish, prodigal, luxuriant, lush, exuberant mean giving or given out in great abundance. profuse implies pouring forth without restraint <profuse apologies>. lavish suggests an unstinted or unmeasured profusion <a lavish party>. prodigal implies reckless or wasteful lavishness threatening to lead to early exhaustion of resources <prodigal spending>. luxuriant suggests a rich and splendid abundance <a luxuriant beard>. lush suggests rich, soft luxuriance <a lush green lawn>. exuberant implies marked vitality or vigor in what produces abundantly <an exuberant imagination>.

swift

: happening or done quickly or immediately : moving or able to move very fast : smart or intelligent : moving or capable of moving with great speed <a swift runner> : occurring suddenly or within a very short time <a swift transition> : quick to respond : ready a swift and accurate response <the sleekest, swiftest boat ever to have sailed in the regatta> Synonym Discussion of swift fast, rapid, swift, fleet, quick, speedy, hasty, expeditious mean moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity. fast and rapid are very close in meaning, but fast applies particularly to the thing that moves <fast horses> and rapid to the movement itself <rapid current>. swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement <returned the ball with one swift stroke>. fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness <fleet runners>. quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time <a quick wit>. speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment <speedy delivery of mail> and may also suggest unusual velocity. hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness <a hasty inspection>. expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment <the expeditious handling of an order>.

noxious

: harmful to living things a : physically harmful or destructive to living beings <noxious waste> b : constituting a harmful influence on mind or behavior; especially : morally corrupting <noxious doctrines> : disagreeable, obnoxious <mixing bleach and ammonia can cause noxious fumes that can seriously harm you> <noxious smog that for years has been encrusting the historic cathedral with soot> Synonym Discussion of noxious pernicious, baneful, noxious, deleterious, detrimental mean exceedingly harmful. pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining <the claim that pornography has a pernicious effect on society>. baneful implies injury through poisoning or destroying <the baneful notion that discipline destroys creativity>. noxious applies to what is both offensive and injurious to the health of a body or mind <noxious chemical fumes>. deleterious applies to what has an often unsuspected harmful effect <a diet found to have deleterious effects>. detrimental implies obvious harmfulness to something specified <the detrimental effects of excessive drinking>.

thick

: having a large distance between the top and bottom or front and back surfaces : not thin : having a specified distance from one surface to the opposite surface : having a specified thickness : having parts that are close together a : having or being of relatively great depth or extent from one surface to its opposite <a thick plank> b : heavily built : thickset a : close-packed with units or individuals <the air was thick with snow> b : occurring in large numbers : numerous c : viscous in consistency <thick syrup> d : sultry, stuffy e : marked by haze, fog, or mist <thick weather> f : impenetrable to the eye : profound <thick darkness> g : extremely intense <thick silence> : measuring in thickness <12 inches thick> a : imperfectly articulated : indistinct <thick speech> b : plainly apparent : decided <a thick French accent> c : producing inarticulate speech <a thick tongue> : obtuse, stupid <too thick to understand> : associated on close terms : intimate <was quite thick with his pastor> : exceeding bounds of propriety or fitness : excessive <called it a bit thick to be fired without warning> thick on the ground : plentiful, abundant a thick layer of ice a thick slice of ham pizza with a thick crust a bodybuilder with a thick, short body The planks were two inches thick. The log was 12 inches thick. The recipe calls for one cup of mushrooms sliced {frac1 inch thick. a dog with thick fur She has thick, curly hair. The fog was thick this morning. : in a way that makes thick pieces, layers, etc. : in great numbers : in a thick manner : thickly Apples hung thick on the trees. : the most crowded or active part <in the thick of the battle> : the part of greatest thickness <the thick of the thumb> <in the thick of winter many Northerners are dreaming of tropical islands>

astute

: having or showing an ability to notice and understand things clearly : mentally sharp or clever : having or showing shrewdness and perspicacity <an astute observer> <astute remarks>; also : crafty, wily We thought they were not very intellectually astute, but we didn't really understand how political a lot of what they were doing was. —Ben Wallace-Wells, Rolling Stone, 15 Nov. 2007 He asked astute diagnosticians around the country how they approached and cracked difficult diagnoses and what happened when they failed. Misdiagnosis is not an insignificant problem: Groopman cites a finding that between one in six and one in seven patients is incorrectly assessed. —Ruth Levy Guyer, Wilson Quarterly, Summer 2007 And finally, even if she had never actually uttered the bon mot that would be famously attributed to her, that if she had two heads, she would risk one in the king's service, could the astute young duchess actually have had input into the implausible negotiations? —Harvey Rachlin, Scandals, Vandals, and Da Vincis, 2007 Focusing largely upon Western alchemy during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, she has a sharp eye for how alchemical images surface in literature of that period. Readers of Ben Jonson, Christopher Marlowe, and William Shakespeare will find illuminating insights. Abraham reveals the far reaches of her astute literary intelligence by analyzing alchemical imagery encoded in a broad range of works, from Chaucer and Milton to Vladimir Nabokov and P.G. Wodehouse. —Norman Weinstein, Parabola, November 1999 He is an astute observer of the current political scene. Astute readers will notice the error. His analysis of the battle was very astute. Did You Know? Astute is similar in meaning to "shrewd" and "sagacious," but there are subtle differences in connotation among them. All three suggest sharp thinking and sound judgment, but "shrewd" stresses practical, hardheaded cleverness and judgment ("a shrewd judge of character"), whereas "sagacious" implies wisdom and foresight combined with good judgment ("sagacious investors"). "Astute," which derives from the Latin noun astus, meaning "craft, suggests cleverness, mental sharpness, and diplomatic skill" ("an astute player of party politics"). Synonym Discussion of astute shrewd, sagacious, perspicacious, astute mean acute in perception and sound in judgment. shrewd stresses practical, hardheaded cleverness and judgment <a shrewd judge of character>. sagacious suggests wisdom, penetration, and farsightedness <sagacious investors got in on the ground floor>. perspicacious implies unusual power to see through and understand what is puzzling or hidden <a perspicacious counselor saw through the child's facade>. astute suggests shrewdness, perspicacity, and diplomatic skill <an astute player of party politics>.

perspicacious

: having or showing an ability to notice and understand things that are difficult or not obvious : of acute mental vision or discernment : keen Did You Know? Perspicacious is similar in meaning to shrewd and astute, but a sharp mind will discern subtle differences among them. All three mean acute in perception and sound in judgment, but shrewd stresses practical, hardheaded cleverness, whereas perspicacious implies unusual power to see through and comprehend what is puzzling or hidden. (You can see this shade of meaning in the root of perspicacious - the Latin word perspicere, meaning "to look through" or "to see clearly.") Astute suggests both shrewdness and perspicacity, as well as diplomatic skill. Synonym Discussion of perspicacious shrewd, sagacious, perspicacious, astute mean acute in perception and sound in judgment. shrewd stresses practical, hardheaded cleverness and judgment <a shrewd judge of character>. sagacious suggests wisdom, penetration, and farsightedness <sagacious investors got in on the ground floor>. perspicacious implies unusual power to see through and understand what is puzzling or hidden <a perspicacious counselor saw through the child's facade>. astute suggests shrewdness, perspicacity, and diplomatic skill <an astute player of party politics>.

sagacious

: having or showing an ability to understand difficult ideas and situations and to make good decisions obsolete : keen in sense perception a : of keen and farsighted penetration and judgment : discerning <sagacious judge of character> b : caused by or indicating acute discernment <sagacious purchase of stock> ... the winner is praised for his sagacious grasp of the hopes and anxieties of the public, the loser is excoriated for the many and obvious blunders that derailed his candidacy ... —Hendrik Hertzberg, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2000 It has allowed him to pre-empt conservative political attacks, to appear sagacious despite his inexperience... —Alan Tonelson, Atlantic, June 1993 With commendably sagacious foresight, I sneaked spoils as well to the elders of key Judean cities whose good will I was cultivating for the future ... —Joseph Heller, God Knows, 1984 It has been suggested that we go to sleep at night because it is then too dark to do anything else; but owls, who are a venerably sagacious folk, do not sleep in the night-time. —James Stephens, The Crock of Gold, 1912 <a sagacious critique of the current social climate in our nation> Did You Know? You might expect the root of sagacious to be sage, which means "wise" or "wise man," but that wouldn't be a wise assumption. Despite their similarities, the two words are not all that closely related. Sagacious traces back to sagire, a Latin verb meaning "to perceive keenly." It's also related to the Latin adjective sagus ("prophetic"), which is the ancestor of our verb seek. Etymologists believe that sage comes from a different Latin verb, sapere, which means "to taste," "to have good taste," or "to be wise."

profane

: having or showing disrespect for religious things : relating to ordinary life : not religious or spiritual : not concerned with religion or religious purposes : secular : not holy because unconsecrated, impure, or defiled : unsanctified a : serving to debase or defile what is holy : irreverent b : obscene, vulgar a : not being among the initiated b : not possessing esoteric or expert knowledge <it was hard to juggle the requirements of church and our more profane duties> <offended by the profane language that her coworkers used so casually>

mighty

: having or showing great strength or power : very great : possessing might : powerful : accomplished or characterized by might <a mighty thrust> : great or imposing in size or extent : extraordinary The barbarians faced a mighty army. the decline of a mighty empire With a mighty leap, he jumped across the stream. A mighty famine devastated the land. It took a mighty effort to get everything done on time. : to a great degree : extremely, very <a mighty handy gadget> Usage Discussion of mighty Mighty used as an intensive usually conveys a folksy down-home feeling <plain and simple fare ... but mighty filling and mighty satisfying — Asheville (North Carolina) Citizen-Times>. It is used especially to create a chatty style <turnip greens, corn bread and biscuits. That sounds mighty good to me — Julia Child> or to stress a rural atmosphere <a man must be mighty serious about his squirrel hunting — Stuart Williams, Field & Stream>. In a more formal context, mighty is used to create emphasis by drawing attention to itself <the chairman made sure that there were mighty few of them — Mollie Panter-Downes>. Your father and I are mighty proud of you. That was a mighty tasty dinner. He made the offer mighty appealing. She has some mighty important decisions to make. It sure was mighty cold last night. We're mighty glad to be here. mighty mite : something that is small but very strong or powerful <This little vacuum cleaner is a mighty mite.>

erudite

: having or showing knowledge that is learned by studying : having or showing knowledge that is gained by studying : possessing or displaying erudition <an erudite scholar> He wasn't bashful about showing himself to be feverishly erudite, ... terminally droll, and a wizard phrasemaker. —Susan Sontag, New Yorker, 18 & 25 June 2001 ... an engaging fellow: erudite, entertaining, intolerant of trendiness and fearlessly old-fashioned. ... He can turn a nice phrase, too. —Mordecai Richler, Wall Street Journal, 2 May 1995 He was well read, especially in the works of Kipling, a field in which Violet could give him a game, and from time to time they would exchange erudite letters about Kipling characters. —Anthony Powell, The Strangers All are Gone, 1982 <the most erudite people in medical research attended the conference> <an erudite lecture on the latest discoveries in astronomy> Did You Know? Erudite derives via Middle English "erudite" from Latin eruditus, the past participle of the verb erudire, meaning "to instruct." A closer look at that verb shows that it is formed by combining the prefix e-, meaning "missing" or "absent," with the adjective "rudis," which means "rude" or "ignorant" and is also the source of our word rude. We typically use the word rude to mean "discourteous" or "uncouth" but it can also mean "lacking refinement" or "uncivilized"; someone who is erudite, therefore, has been transformed from a roughened or uninformed state to a polished and knowledgeable one through a devotion to learning.

impersonal

: having or showing no interest in individual people or their feelings : lacking emotional warmth : not relating to or influenced by personal feelings grammar : having no specified subject or no subject other than "it" a : denoting the verbal action of an unspecified agent and hence used with no expressed subject (as methinks) or with a merely formal subject (as rained in it rained) b of a pronoun : indefinite a : having no personal reference or connection <impersonal criticism> b : not engaging the human personality or emotions <the machine as compared with the hand tool is an impersonal agency — John Dewey> c : not existing as a person : not having human qualities or characteristics We discussed the weather and other impersonal topics. He maintained an impersonal, professional attitude. "Rained" in "it rained" is an impersonal verb.

avail

: help toward reaching a goal : advantage toward attainment of a goal or purpose : use <effort was of little avail> It seemed to be the national dish, as it appeared on every menu. It is a spicy pork or veal stew with tomatoes and onions and a little sour cream on top. It was fabulous, and I'm dying to get the recipe. I've spent hours looking for it on the internet to no avail. —Linda Walker, Cook's Country, June 1995 In the 14th century the porcelain from China made its way westward along trade routes to Europe's rich and royal. The artisans of Europe tried to duplicate the Chinese formula and process, but to no avail. —Hattie Clark, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Aug. 1987 <although I appreciate the concern, your help would be of little avail in this situation>

incomprehensible

: impossible to understand : not comprehensible archaic : having or subject to no limits : impossible to comprehend : unintelligible <incomprehensible instructions> I found his behavior utterly incomprehensible. It's incomprehensible to me that he could have acted that way.

erudition

: impressive knowledge that is learned by studying : extensive knowledge acquired chiefly from books : profound, recondite, or bookish learning a scholar of remarkable erudition <a theologian of impressive erudition but with a down-to-earth manner> Synonym Discussion of erudition knowledge, learning, erudition, scholarship mean what is or can be known by an individual or by humankind. knowledge applies to facts or ideas acquired by study, investigation, observation, or experience <rich in the knowledge of human nature>. learning applies to knowledge acquired especially through formal, often advanced, schooling <a book that demonstrates vast learning>. erudition strongly implies the acquiring of profound, recondite, or bookish learning <an erudition unusual even in a scholar>. scholarship implies the possession of learning characteristic of the advanced scholar in a specialized field of study or investigation <a work of first-rate literary scholarship>.

at stake

: in a position to be lost or gained <Millions of dollars are at stake in the battle over his inheritance.> <Thousands of jobs are at stake.> <Many lives are at stake.> <My reputation is at stake if this project fails and the damage will be hard to overcome.>

beforehand

: in advance : at an earlier or previous time a : in anticipation b : in advance : ahead of time : early

pristine

: in perfect condition : completely clean, fresh, neat, etc. : not changed by people : left in its natural state : belonging to the earliest period or state : original <the hypothetical pristine lunar atmosphere> a : not spoiled, corrupted, or polluted (as by civilization) : pure <a pristine forest> b : fresh and clean as or as if new <used books in pristine condition> My office is a mess but her office is always pristine. He was wearing a pristine white shirt. Did You Know? When pristine was anglicized in the 16th century, people borrowed the meanings of "early" and "original" from the Latin word pristinus and applied those meanings to what is desirable as well as to what is not. But it has long been a tendency of civilized people to admire a simpler and unsullied past. The supposition is that when things were in their oldest or original state, they were better. Thus, pristine was extended to describe the notion of an unspoiled, uncorrupted, or unpolluted state. And what is unspoiled or uncontaminated may connote the freshness and cleanness of something that has just been made, which explains how pristine has also come to mean "fresh and clean." pristine condition : a state of being like new : perfect condition <The car is 10 years old but it's still in pristine condition.>

ire

: intense anger : intense and usually openly displayed anger He directed his ire at the coworkers who reported the incident. <the patronizing comment from the snooty waiter roused her ire> Synonym Discussion of ire anger, ire, rage, fury, indignation, wrath mean an intense emotional state induced by displeasure. anger, the most general term, names the reaction but by itself does not convey cause or intensity <tried to hide his anger>. ire, more frequent in literary contexts, suggests an intense anger, often with an evident display of feeling <cheeks flushed with ire>. rage and fury suggest loss of self-control from violence of emotion <shook with rage> <could not contain his fury>. indignation stresses righteous anger at what one considers unfair, mean, or shameful <a comment that caused general indignation>. wrath is likely to suggest a desire or intent to punish or get revenge <I feared her wrath if I was discovered>.

inimical

: likely to cause damage or have a bad effect : not friendly : being adverse often by reason of hostility or malevolence <forces inimical to democracy> a : having the disposition of an enemy : hostile <inimical factions> b : reflecting or indicating hostility : unfriendly <his father's inimical glare> <received an inimical response rather than the anticipated support> <laws designed to enhance national security that some regard as inimical to cherished freedoms> Did You Know? In inimical, one finds both a friend and an enemy. The word descends from Latin inimicus, which combines amicus, meaning "friend," with the negative prefix in-, meaning "not." In current English, inimical rarely describes a person, however. Instead, it is generally used to describe forces, concepts, or situations that are in some way harmful or hostile. For example, high inflation may be called inimical to economic growth. Inimicus is also an ancestor of enemy, whereas amicus gave us the much more congenial amicable (meaning "friendly" or "peaceful") and amiable (meaning "agreeable" or "friendly").

recumbent

: lying down a : suggestive of repose : leaning, resting b : lying down : representing a person lying down <a recumbent statue> ... the psychiatrist's popular image remains that of a little bearded figure with a Central European accent, scribbling away in a notebook behind his recumbent patient. —Roland Littlewood, Times Literary Supplement, September 1984 A recumbent figure started up from the grass and came running toward them through the flickering screen of light and shade. —Willa Cather, O Pioneers!, 1913 The Egyptian sphinx has the body of a recumbent lion. Synonym Discussion of recumbent prone, supine, prostrate, recumbent mean lying down. prone implies a position with the front of the body turned toward the supporting surface <push-ups require a prone position>. supine implies lying on one's back and suggests inertness or abjectness <lying supine on the couch>. prostrate implies lying full-length as in submission, defeat, or physical collapse <a runner fell prostrate at the finish line>. recumbent implies the posture of one sleeping or resting <a patient comfortably recumbent in a hospital bed>.

importunate

: making repeated or annoying requests or demands : causing annoyance or trouble : troublesomely urgent : overly persistent in request or demand <importunate creditors> : troublesome <the demands of the chairmanship were becoming too importunate for me to continue without an assistant> Did You Know? Importunate has been part of the English language since the 16th century, and the synonymous "importune" arrived even earlier, in the 15th century. The seemingly superfluous inclusion of the suffix -ate in "importunate" is a bit mysterious; one theory is that English speakers modeled the adjective after words like "obstinate." "Importune" and "importunate" come from Latin importunus. The prefix im- means "not," and "importunus" can be contrasted with Latin opportunus, which shares its meaning with and is the ancestor of our opportune, meaning "suitable or timely." (The connection is obscure now, but "opportunus" itself harks back to the Latin phrase ob portum, meaning "[coming] to harbor.") "Importune," and later "importunate," once meant "inopportune, untimely," but that sense is now obsolete.

unassailable

: not able to be doubted, attacked, or questioned : not assailable : not liable to doubt, attack, or question <an unassailable argument> <an unassailable alibi> <one of the unassailable beliefs of that political party>

delirious

: not able to think or speak clearly especially because of fever or other illness : very excited : of, relating to, or characteristic of delirium <delirious mutterings> : affected with or marked by delirium <delirious with fever> <delirious fans> As the child's temperature went up, he became delirious and didn't know where he was. He was delirious with fever. a group of delirious fans celebrating the team's victory

illicit

: not allowed by law : unlawful or illegal : involving activities that are not considered morally acceptable : not permitted : unlawful The wedding is mounted in traditional Punjabi style, but underneath the formal fanfare simmer dysfunctional-family tensions, deep dark secrets, ... and illicit affairs. —David Ansen, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2002 "Thank you, Lieutenant," she said, bowing her head, just as she might in everyday, civilian life, and I felt suddenly illicit in her presence, as though we'd slipped out of sight of our chaperons ... —Chang-rae Lee, A Gesture Life, 1999 The companies that carry cellular ... have adopted a number of monitoring techniques to detect illicit calls ... —Paul Wallich, Scientific American, March 1994 He was arrested for selling illicit copies of the software. She had an illicit affair with her boss. illicit and elicit Illicit, while not exactly an everyday word, is far more common than its antonym, licit ("not forbidden by law, permissible"). Perhaps this is a function of our oft-noted fascination with bad behavior and boredom with rectitude. In any case, illicit may be used of behavior that is either unlawful or immoral. These categories frequently overlap, but they are not always synonymous, as some unlawful activities (illicit cigarette smoking) may not be considered immoral, while some immoral activities (an illicit affair) are not illegal. Illicit is occasionally confused with elicit because of the similarity in their pronunciations, but the two words have decidedly different meanings and functions: in contemporary English, elicit is a verb meaning "to get (a response, information, etc.) from someone," while illicit appears solely as an adjective.

vague

: not clear in meaning : stated in a way that is general and not specific : not thinking or expressing your thoughts clearly or precisely : not completely formed or developed a : not clearly expressed : stated in indefinite terms <vague accusations> b : not having a precise meaning <a vague term of abuse> a : not clearly defined, grasped, or understood : indistinct <only a vague notion of what's needed>; also : slight <a vague hint of a thickening waistline> <hasn't the vaguest idea> b : not clearly felt or sensed : somewhat subconscious <a vague longing> : not thinking or expressing one's thoughts clearly or precisely <vague about dates and places> : lacking expression : vacant <vague eyes> <a vague stare> : not sharply outlined : hazy <met by vague figures with shaded torchlights — Earle Birney> When my three years of military service ended, I looked around for some way to get to spend time in rural Vietnam as a civilian. The driving force was still primarily intellectual curiosity, along with a desire to improve my language ability in a non-Western language and some vague idea of doing folkloristic or literary studies in the future. —Neil L. Jamieson, Understanding Vietnam, (1993) 1995 There are vague memories in our souls of those misty centuries when the world was in its childhood. —Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet, 1887 At the end of half an hour Tom had a vague general idea of his lesson, but no more, for his mind was traversing the whole field of human thought, and his hands were busy with distracting recreations. —Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, 1876 It thrilled him with a vague uncertain horror, to know that behind the dusky shroud, there were ghostly eyes intently fixed upon him, while he, though he stretched his own to the utmost, could see nothing but a spectral hand and one great heap of black. —Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, 1843 The instructions she left were vague and difficult to follow. He gave only a vague answer. The judges determined that the law was too vague to be fairly enforced. She has been vague about her plans for college. We had only a vague idea of where we were. I think I have a vague understanding of how it works. He longed in some vague way for something different. She felt a vague sense of uneasiness when she was around him. I had the vague impression that they were withholding information. We could just barely make out the vague outline of a plane in the sky. Synonym Discussion of vague obscure, dark, vague, enigmatic, cryptic, ambiguous, equivocal mean not clearly understandable. obscure implies a hiding or veiling of meaning through some inadequacy of expression or withholding of full knowledge <obscure poems>. dark implies an imperfect or clouded revelation often with ominous or sinister suggestion <muttered dark hints of revenge>. vague implies a lack of clear formulation due to inadequate conception or consideration <a vague sense of obligation>. enigmatic stresses a puzzling, mystifying quality <enigmatic occult writings>. cryptic implies a purposely concealed meaning <cryptic hints of hidden treasure>. ambiguous applies to language capable of more than one interpretation <an ambiguous directive>. equivocal applies to language left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading <moral precepts with equivocal phrasing>.

faint

: not clearly seen, heard, tasted, felt, etc. : very slight or small : weak and dizzy : lacking courage and spirit : cowardly <faint of heart> : weak, dizzy, and likely to faint : lacking strength or vigor : performed, offered, or accomplished weakly or languidly <faint praise> : producing a sensation of faintness : oppressive <the faint atmosphere of a tropical port> a : hardly perceptible : dim <faint handwriting> b : vague 2a <haven't the faintest idea> We heard a faint noise. the faint glow of a distant light There was a faint smile on her lips. There's just a faint chance that the weather will improve by tomorrow. a faint reminder of their former greatness I'd better lie down; I feel faint. She felt faint from hunger.

erroneous

: not correct : containing or characterized by error : mistaken <erroneous assumptions> <gave an erroneous impression> archaic : wandering When you're done, the programs scour your return for potential problems and erroneous data and let you correct them. Then, poof! Either print out your 1040 and related documents or follow the software prompts to file electronically. —Kathy Yakal, PC Magazine, 9 Mar. 1999 Here we come face-to-face with the uncompromising rules of golf as Mr. Dobereiner recounts how Roberto de Vincenzo lost the 1968 Masters Tournament by a single stroke because he signed an erroneous scorecard. —Robert R. Harris, New York Times Book Review, 21 Oct. 1984 To say truth, nothing is more erroneous than the common observation, that men who are ill-natured and quarrelsome when they are drunk, are very worthy persons when they are sober: for drink, in reality, doth not reverse nature, or create passions in men which did not exist in them before. —Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, 1749 <a news article about the new virus that was filled with much erroneous information> in the mistaken/erroneous belief that: being mistaken in thinking that <Many people arrived early in the mistaken/erroneous belief that free tickets would be available.>

dormant

: not doing anything at this time : not active but able to become active : represented on a coat of arms in a lying position with the head on the forepaws : marked by a suspension of activity: as a : temporarily devoid of external activity <a dormant volcano> b : temporarily in abeyance yet capable of being activated a : asleep, inactive b : having the faculties suspended : sluggish c : having biological activity suspended: as (1) : being in a state of suspended animation (2) : not actively growing but protected (as by bud scales) from the environment —used of plant parts : associated with, carried out, or applied during a period of dormancy <dormant grafting> The seeds will remain dormant until the spring. Her emotions have lain dormant for many years. Synonym Discussion of dormant latent, dormant, quiescent, potential mean not now showing signs of activity or existence. latent applies to a power or quality that has not yet come forth but may emerge and develop <a latent desire for success>. dormant suggests the inactivity of something (as a feeling or power) as though sleeping <their passion had lain dormant>. quiescent suggests a usually temporary cessation of activity <the disease was quiescent>. potential applies to what does not yet have existence or effect but is likely soon to have <a potential disaster>.

intractable

: not easily managed, controlled, or solved : not easily relieved or cured : not easily governed, managed, or directed <intractable problems> : not easily manipulated or wrought <intractable metal> : not easily relieved or cured <intractable pain> Contrary to the idea of black holes sucking everything, even light, into inconceivable nothingness, Hawking proposed that there was one thing that could escape a black hole's intractable grip: thermal radiation ... —Bruno Maddox, Discover, September 2006 Sepsis, which is what happens to the body when an infection goes bad, is one of mankind's oldest and most intractable foes. —Leon Jaroff, Time, 24 July 2000 But now anesthesiologists have begun turning to an herb to help treat a deadly and often intractable lung condition that affects hundreds of thousands of people a year. —Eric Nagourney, New York Times, 26 Oct. 1999 a patient experiencing intractable pain <an intractable child who deliberately does the opposite of whatever he is told> Synonym Discussion of intractable unruly, ungovernable, intractable, refractory, recalcitrant, willful, headstrong mean not submissive to government or control. unruly implies lack of discipline or incapacity for discipline and often connotes waywardness or turbulence of behavior <unruly children>. ungovernable implies either an escape from control or guidance or a state of being unsubdued and incapable of controlling oneself or being controlled by others <ungovernable rage>. intractable suggests stubborn resistance to guidance or control <intractable opponents of the hazardous-waste dump>. refractory stresses resistance to attempts to manage or to mold <special schools for refractory children>. recalcitrant suggests determined resistance to or defiance of authority <acts of sabotage by a recalcitrant populace>. willful implies an obstinate determination to have one's own way <a willful disregard for the rights of others>. headstrong suggests self-will impatient of restraint, advice, or suggestion <a headstrong young cavalry officer>. Medical Definition of intractable : not easily managed or controlled (as by antibiotics or psychotherapy) <an intractable child> <activity against many intractable Proteus and Pseudomonas species of bacteria—Annual Report Pfizer> : not easily relieved or cured <intractable pain> <intractable bleeding in duodenal ulcer—Journal of the American Medical Association>

wary

: not having or showing complete trust in someone or something that could be dangerous or cause trouble : marked by keen caution, cunning, and watchfulness especially in detecting and escaping danger Great critics are sometimes wary of great authors. Eliot and Pound usually sidled past Shakespeare. —William Logan, New York Times Book Review, 11 Feb. 2001 Though sycamore wood was much used, pioneers were wary of the tree's fuzzy leaves, which they believed brought allergies and even consumption. —Arthur Plotnik, The Urban Tree Book: An Uncommon Field Guide for City and Town, 2000 Modern literary novelists ... wary of neat solutions and happy endings, have tended to invest their mysteries with an aura of ambiguity and to leave them unresolved. —David Lodge, The Art of Fiction, 1992 The store owner kept a wary eye on him. Investors are increasingly wary about putting money into stocks. Synonym Discussion of wary cautious, circumspect, wary, chary mean prudently watchful and discreet in the face of danger or risk. cautious implies the exercise of forethought usually prompted by fear of danger <a cautious driver>. circumspect suggests less fear and stresses the surveying of all possible consequences before acting or deciding <circumspect in his business dealings>. wary emphasizes suspiciousness and alertness in watching for danger and cunning in escaping it <keeps a wary eye on the competition>. chary implies a cautious reluctance to give, act, or speak freely <chary of signing papers without having read them first>.

unprincipled

: not having or showing concern for what is right : lacking moral principles : unscrupulous a dishonest and unprincipled attack on his reputation <an unprincipled businessman who made a lot of money—and didn't care how he did it>

unscrupulous

: not honest or fair : doing things that are wrong, dishonest, or illegal : not scrupulous : unprincipled unscrupulously adverb <an unscrupulous businessman manipulated them into selling their land for practically nothing>

humdrum

: not interesting : dull, boring, and ordinary : monotonous, dull She liked the movie, but I thought it was humdrum. another humdrum day at the office

bland

: not interesting or exciting : lacking strong flavor : showing no emotion, concern, etc. a : smooth and soothing in manner or quality <a bland smile> b : exhibiting no personal concern or embarrassment : unperturbed <a bland confession of guilt> a : not irritating, stimulating, or invigorating : soothing b : dull, insipid <bland stories with little plot or action> The vegetable soup was rather bland. The diplomat's bland statement did nothing to calm the situation.

unclassified

: not kept secret by the government : not placed or belonging in a class : not subject to a security classification <unclassified information>

gratuitous

: not necessary or appropriate a : given unearned or without recompense b : not involving a return benefit, compensation, or consideration c : costing nothing : free : not called for by the circumstances : unwarranted <gratuitous insolence> <a gratuitous assumption> The film was criticized for its gratuitous violence. <they will throw in a gratuitous box of chocolates when you spend $30 or more in their shop> Did You Know? Like gratitude, grace, and congratulate, gratuitous is a descendant of the Latin word gratus, which means "pleasing" or "grateful." When gratuitous was first used in the middle of the 17th century, it meant "free" or "given without return benefit or compensation." The extended meaning "done without good reason" or "unwarranted" came about just a few decades later, perhaps from the belief held by some people that one should not give something without getting something in return. Today, that extended meaning is the more common sense, often used in such phrases as "a gratuitous insult" or to describe elements of a story that are not relevant to the plot. : not involving a return benefit, compensation, or consideration — compare onerous

precarious

: not safe, strong, or steady : depending on the will or pleasure of another : dependent on uncertain premises : dubious <precarious generalizations> a : dependent on chance circumstances, unknown conditions, or uncertain developments b : characterized by a lack of security or stability that threatens with danger These states are corrupt and brutal. They are theocracies, or precarious autocracies, or secular totalitarian states: tyrannies all, deniers of freedom, republics of fear, enemies of civility and human flourishing. —Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review, 15 Oct. 2001 Such folks led a precarious existence, their homes routinely destroyed in pursuit of a scorched earth policy whenever Florence came under siege. —R.W.B. Lewis, Dante, 2001 She was the first baby he had ever held; he had thought it would be a precarious experience, shot through with fear of dropping something so precious and fragile, but no, in even the smallest infant there was an adhesive force, a something that actively fit your arms and hands, banishing the fear. —John Updike, The Afterlife, 1994 He earned a precarious livelihood by gambling. The strong wind almost knocked him off of his precarious perch on the edge of the cliff. Did You Know? This little happiness is so very precarious, that it wholly depends on the will of others. Joseph Addison, in a 1711 issue of Spectator magazine, couldn't have described the oldest sense of precarious more precisely-the original meaning of the word was "depending on the will or pleasure of another." Prayers and entreaties directed at that "other" might or might not help, but what precariousness really hangs on, in the end, is prex, the Latin word for prayer. From prex came the Latin word precarius, meaning "obtained by entreaty," from whence came our own adjective precarious. Anglo-French priere, also from precarius, gave us prayer. Synonym Discussion of precarious dangerous, hazardous, precarious, perilous, risky mean bringing or involving the chance of loss or injury. dangerous applies to something that may cause harm or loss unless dealt with carefully <soldiers on a dangerous mission>. hazardous implies great and continuous risk of harm or failure <claims that smoking is hazardous to your health>. precarious suggests both insecurity and uncertainty <earned a precarious living by gambling>. perilous strongly implies the immediacy of danger <perilous mountain roads>. risky often applies to a known and accepted danger <shied away from risky investments>.

tame

: not wild : trained to obey people : not afraid of people : not exciting or interesting : reduced from a state of native wildness especially so as to be tractable and useful to humans : domesticated <tame animals> : made docile and submissive : subdued : lacking spirit, zest, interest, or the capacity to excite : insipid <a tame campaign> The island's birds are quite tame. They ran a pretty tame campaign. Some people were shocked by the movie, but I found the story pretty tame. Members of the audience were too tame to interrupt the speaker.

second

: occupying the number two position in a series : next to the first in importance or rank : another of the same kind a : next to the first in place or time <was second in line> b (1) : next to the first in value, excellence, or degree <his second choice of schools> (2) : inferior, subordinate <was second to none> c : ranking next below the top of a grade or degree in authority or precedence <second mate> d : alternate, other <elects a mayor every second year> e : resembling or suggesting a prototype : another <a second Thoreau> f : being the forward gear or speed next higher than first in a motor vehicle : relating to or having a part typically subordinate to and lower in pitch than the first part in concerted or ensemble music We sat in the second row. the second house on the left B is the second letter in the alphabet. That's the second time I've seen him today. Chocolate is my first choice; vanilla is my second choice. The chair needs a second coat of paint. She plays second violin in the city orchestra. a — see number table b : one that is next after the first in rank, position, authority, or precedence <the second in line> : one that assists or supports another; especially : the assistant of a duelist or boxer a : the musical interval embracing two diatonic degrees b : a tone at this interval; specifically : supertonic c : the harmonic combination of two tones a second apart a plural : merchandise that is usually slightly flawed and does not meet the manufacturer's standard for firsts or irregulars b : an article of such merchandise : the act or declaration by which a parliamentary motion is seconded : a place next below the first in a competition, examination, or contest : second base : the second forward gear or speed of a motor vehicle plural : a second helping of food a poor second/third/fourth, etc. : used to say that someone's particular finish in a race or contest was a long way behind the winner <He came in a poor second in the race.> <She was a poor third in the tournament.> give (something) a second look : to look at something again <She liked the house enough to give it a second look.> give a second thought to : to worry about —used in negative statements <Don't give a second thought to that broken vase.>

fetal

: of or relating to a developing animal or human being that is not yet born : of or relating to a fetus : of, relating to, or being a fetus

spatial

: of or relating to space and the relationship of objects within it : relating to, occupying, or having the character of space : of or relating to facility in perceiving relations (as of objects) in space <tests of spatial ability> When patients have this kind of problem, they can't feel the relationship between their body and their feet, so they must rely on visual cues to keep themselves upright. Without these cues, they lose their spatial orientation and fall. —John Pettinato, Discover, October 2004 Williams syndrome, which was first described in 1961, results when a group of genes on one copy of chromosome 7 is deleted during embryonic development. Most people with Williams resemble each other more than they do their families, with wide-set hazel eyes, upturned noses, and wide mouths. They also share a peculiar set of mental impairments. Most stumble over the simplest spatial tasks, such as putting together a puzzle, and many not read or write beyond the level of a first grader. —U.S. News & World Report, 15 June 1998 Several new ground-based and orbiting astronomical facilities that could provide high spatial and spectral resolution appear technologically ready for development during the next several decades. —Robert D. Gehrz et al., Science, 25 May 1984 the spatial dimensions of a room

furnace

: one for melting metals : one for heating a building or apartment : an enclosed structure in which heat is produced (as for heating a house or for reducing ore)

pluperfect

: past perfect : utterly perfect or complete

expedient

: providing an easy and quick way to solve a problem or do something : suitable for achieving a particular end in a given circumstance : characterized by concern with what is opportune; especially : governed by self-interest Marley found it expedient to maintain social relationships with gunmen and politicans from both political parties. —Robert Palmer, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 1994 The marble floor ... gave the hall the aspect of a cathedral, and the walls were decorated with aphorisms such as Cicero's THE WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE IS THE HIGHEST LAW, a phrase he found curiously—or at least potentially—expedient in what was certainly designed as a temple to the idea of law. —Tom Clancy, Patriot Games, 1987 Under political pressure and at the urging of Jefferson, Madison finally (but grudgingly) admitted that a bill of rights might help, over time, to instill in the people a greater respect for "the fundamental maxims of free government." But even as he was sheparding the first amendments through Congress, in 1789, he privately described them (amazingly enough) as a "nauseous project," required only for expedient reasons of politics. —Jack N. Rakove, Atlantic, December 1986 They found it expedient to negotiate with the terrorists. Do the right thing, not the expedient thing. Synonym Discussion of expedient expedient, politic, advisable mean dictated by practical or prudent motives. expedient usually implies what is immediately advantageous without regard for ethics or consistent principles <a politically expedient decision>. politic stresses judiciousness and tactical value but usually implies some lack of candor or sincerity <a politic show of interest>. advisable applies to what is practical, prudent, or advantageous but lacks the derogatory implication of expedient and politic <sometimes it's advisable to say nothing>. : an easy and quick way to solve a problem or do something : an expedient solution : something done or used to achieve a particular end usually quickly or temporarily : an expedient action or solution In 1882, racing to meet the deadline on Life on the Mississippi, he [Mark Twain] boasted to W.D. Howells that he had managed to churn out 9,500 words in a day, having resorted to the old hack's expedient of copying out large chunks from other people's books ... —Jonathan Raban, Times Literary Supplement, 21-27 Sept. 1990 The Viet Cong taught the peasants to dig cave shelters under the sleeping platforms rural Vietnamese cover with mats of woven straw and use as beds. This expedient gave the peasants a handy shelter right inside the house, unless that house happened to be one of those set afire by the napalm or the white phosphorus, called Willy Peter in U.S. military idiom. —Neil Sheehan, A Bright Shining Lie, 1988 For government is an expedient, by which men would fain succeed in letting one another alone; and, as has been said, when it is most expedient, the governed are most let alone by it. —Henry David Thoreau, "Civil Disobedience," 1849 For it is plain that every word we speak is in some degree a diminution of our lungs by corrosion, and consequently contributes to the shortening of our lives. An expedient was therefore offered, that since words are only names for things, it would be more convenient for all men to carry about them such things as were necessary to express the particular business they are to discourse on. —Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels, 1726 The government chose short-term expedients instead of a real economic policy. We can solve this problem by the simple expedient of taking out another loan. Synonym Discussion of expedient resource, resort, expedient, shift, makeshift, stopgap mean something one turns to in the absence of the usual means or source of supply. resource and resort apply to anything one falls back upon <exhausted all of their resources> <a last resort>. expedient may apply to any device or contrivance used when the usual one is not at hand or not possible <a flimsy expedient>. shift implies a tentative or temporary imperfect expedient <desperate shifts to stave off foreclosure>. makeshift implies an inferior expedient adopted because of urgent need or allowed through indifference <old equipment employed as a makeshift>. stopgap applies to something used temporarily as an emergency measure <a new law intended only as a stopgap>.

attenuate

: reduced especially in thickness, density, or force : tapering gradually usually to a long slender point <attenuate leaves>

dilute

: reduced in strength as a result of containing an added liquid : weak, diluted a dilute solution of acid <a dilute acid that's safe to handle in the classroom>

collateral

: related but not in a direct or close way a : accompanying as secondary or subordinate : concomitant <digress into collateral matters> b : indirect c : serving to support or reinforce : ancillary : belonging to the same ancestral stock but not in a direct line of descent — compare lineal 3a : parallel, coordinate, or corresponding in position, order, time, or significance <collateral states like Athens and Sparta> a : of, relating to, or being collateral used as security (as for payment of a debt or performance of a contract) b : secured by collateral the collateral effects of the government's policies : something that you promise to give someone if you cannot pay back a loan

upscale

: relating to or appealing to people who have a lot of money : relating to, being, or appealing to affluent consumers; also : of a superior quality <a new upscale shopping center is under construction on the west end of town> go/move upscale: to start to sell products for people with more money <The brand is going/moving upscale.>

pertinent

: relating to the thing that is being thought about or discussed : having a clear decisive relevance to the matter in hand At the dawn of the common-law court system, jurors took their places as residents of the neighborhood where the pertinent events had occurred, who were assumed to possess special knowledge of the facts and, more important, of every witness's credibility. —Hiller B. Zobel, American Heritage, July/August 1995 A more pertinent question than "What am I?" is "How can I be who I am and still hack it in America?" —C. Eric Lincoln, Lure and Loathing, 1993 But as my moment of fame ticks by, a more pertinent issue persists: What hath CNN wrought in the worlds of communications, of diplomacy, of politics? —Peter Arnett, Washington Post, 25-31 Mar. 1991 No recurrent symbolism in the Odyssey is more pertinent than the long and deliberate stripping its hero undergoes: of his ships, of his men, of his hopes, of his clothes, even of his very skin on the cliffs of Corfu. —John Fowles, Island, 1978 <he impressed the jury with his concise, pertinent answers to the attorney's questions> Synonym Discussion of pertinent relevant, germane, material, pertinent, apposite, applicable, apropos mean relating to or bearing upon the matter in hand. relevant implies a traceable, significant, logical connection <found material relevant to her case>. germane may additionally imply a fitness for or appropriateness to the situation or occasion <a point not germane to the discussion>. material implies so close a relationship that it cannot be dispensed with without serious alteration of the case <facts material to the investigation>. pertinent stresses a clear and decisive relevance <a pertinent observation>. apposite suggests a felicitous relevance <add an apposite quotation to the definition>. applicable suggests the fitness of bringing a general rule or principle to bear upon a particular case <the rule is not applicable in this case>. apropos suggests being both relevant and opportune <the quip was apropos>.

strenuous

: requiring or showing great energy and effort a : vigorously active : energetic b : fervent, zealous <his most strenuous supporters> : marked by or calling for energy or stamina : arduous <a strenuous hike> Avoid all strenuous exercise until the sprain heals. Today has been a very strenuous day. The proposal has faced strenuous opposition. Synonym Discussion of strenuous vigorous, energetic, strenuous, lusty, nervous mean having or showing great vitality and force. vigorous further implies showing no signs of depletion or diminishing of freshness or robustness <as vigorous as a youth half his age>. energetic suggests a capacity for intense activity <an energetic campaigner>. strenuous suggests a preference for coping with the arduous or the challenging <the strenuous life on an oil rig>. lusty implies exuberant energy and capacity for enjoyment <a lusty appetite for life>. nervous suggests especially the forcibleness and sustained effectiveness resulting from mental vigor <full of nervous energy>.

insolent

: rude or impolite : having or showing a lack of respect for other people : insultingly contemptuous in speech or conduct : overbearing : exhibiting boldness or effrontery : impudent ... the tempos were all-out fast and the tone was flat-out insolent. To some, rock-and-roll was as threatening as Communism and desegregation. —Margo Jefferson, New York Times, 26 Oct. 1994 Sweating, cursing the whole Mickey Mouse operation, they paced themselves with their own insolent complaints while the foreman cursed loudest ... —Jayne Anne Phillips, Granta, Spring 1991 They could go days without food or water; they could withstand burning heat ... ; and if they were horribly cruel to their captives, they could themselves accept torture with insolent defiance. —James A. Michener, Texas, 1985 Insolent behavior will not be tolerated. <an appallingly insolent reply to a reasonable request> Synonym Discussion of insolent proud, arrogant, haughty, lordly, insolent, overbearing, supercilious, disdainful mean showing scorn for inferiors. proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness <too proud to take charity>. arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted <a conceited and arrogant executive>. haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position <a haughty aristocrat>. lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power <a lordly condescension>. insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness <ignored by an insolent waiter>. overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence <an overbearing supervisor>. supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness <an aloof and supercilious manner>. disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness <disdainful of their social inferiors>.

dejected

: sad because of failure, loss, etc. : cast down in spirits : depressed a obsolete of the eyes : downcast b archaic : thrown down obsolete : lowered in rank or condition The dejected players left the field. <the dejected players slowly made their way back to the locker room, where they could mourn their defeat in private>

glib

: said or done too easily or carelessly : showing little preparation or thought : speaking in a smooth, easy way that is not sincere a : marked by ease and informality : nonchalant b : showing little forethought or preparation : offhand <glib answers> c : lacking depth and substance : superficial <glib solutions to knotty problems> archaic : smooth, slippery : marked by ease and fluency in speaking or writing often to the point of being insincere or deceitful <a glib politician> Or they could have saddled us with "The Stranger," which had the mitigating charm of being glib and pretentious and would thus have kept the kids who were obviously going to end up at Bard happy. —Joe Queenan, New York Times Book Review3 June 2007 The problem was that the candidate anticipated all the questions, knew all the answers and tended to pop out the reply the moment the question was asked; it made him seem like a smart aleck, too glib. —William Safire, New York Times Magazine, 16 June 1991 Some of the glibbest persons in the nation are oddly tongue-tied when the Bible is brought up. —Garry Wills, Under God, 1990 I expected a glib ladies' man, which he's not. He is an introspective man with deep emotions. —Loni Anderson, quoted in People Weekly, 6 Nov. 1989 Politicians need to do more than provide glib answers to difficult questions. the actor's glib portrayal of a drug addict

indecent

: sexually offensive or shocking of clothes : not covering enough of your body : using language that offends people : including behavior or ideas that people find offensive : not decent: as a : grossly improper or offensive <indecent language> b : unseemly, inappropriate <he took indecent pleasure in her troubles> He took indecent pleasure in her troubles. <paintings of nude figures are artistic, not indecent>

politic

: showing good judgment especially in dealing with other people : political : characterized by shrewdness in managing, contriving, or dealing : sagacious in promoting a policy : shrewdly tactful It would not be politic to ignore them. <the actor is politic in discussing the aborted film project, being content to say that there were "creative differences"> Synonym Discussion of politic expedient, politic, advisable mean dictated by practical or prudent motives. expedient usually implies what is immediately advantageous without regard for ethics or consistent principles <a politically expedient decision>. politic stresses judiciousness and tactical value but usually implies some lack of candor or sincerity <a politic show of interest>. advisable applies to what is practical, prudent, or advantageous but lacks the derogatory implication of expedient and politic <sometimes it's advisable to say nothing>. suave, urbane, diplomatic, bland, smooth, politic mean pleasantly tactful and well-mannered. suave suggests a specific ability to deal with others easily and without friction <a suave public relations coordinator>. urbane implies high cultivation and poise coming from wide social experience <an urbane traveler>. diplomatic stresses an ability to deal with ticklish situations tactfully <a diplomatic negotiator>. bland emphasizes mildness of manner and absence of irritating qualities <a bland master of ceremonies>. smooth suggests often a deliberately assumed suavity <a smooth salesman>. politic implies shrewd as well as tactful and suave handling of people <a cunningly politic manager>.

puerile

: silly or childish especially in a way that shows a lack of seriousness or good judgment : juvenile : childish, silly <puerile remarks> <told the teenagers that such puerile behavior would not be tolerated during the ceremony> <allowed the company to be taken over by a bunch of puerile whippersnappers fresh out of business school> Did You Know? Puerile may call to mind qualities of youth and immaturity, but the term itself is no spring chicken. On the contrary, it's been around for more than three centuries, and its predecessors in French and Latin, the adjectives puéril and puerilis, respectively, are far older. Those two terms have the same basic meaning as the English word puerile, and they both trace to the Latin noun puer, meaning "boy" or "child." Nowadays, puerile can describe the acts or utterances of an actual child, but it more often refers (usually with marked disapproval) to occurrences of childishness where adult maturity would be expected or preferred.

stupendous

: so large or great that it amazes you : causing astonishment or wonder : awesome, marvelous : of amazing size or greatness : tremendous a person with stupendous wealth <the stupendous engineering feats achieved by the ancient Romans> Synonym Discussion of stupendous monstrous, prodigious, tremendous, stupendous mean extremely impressive. monstrous implies a departure from the normal (as in size, form, or character) and often carries suggestions of deformity, ugliness, or fabulousness <the monstrous waste of the project>. prodigious suggests a marvelousness exceeding belief, usually in something felt as going far beyond a previous maximum (as of goodness, greatness, intensity, or size) <made a prodigious effort and rolled the stone aside>. tremendous may imply a power to terrify or inspire awe <the tremendous roar of the cataract>. stupendous implies a power to stun or astound, usually because of size, numbers, complexity, or greatness beyond description <a stupendous volcanic eruption>.

stopgap

: someone or something that is intended to be used for a short time and then replaced by someone or something better : a temporary substitute : something that serves as a temporary expedient : makeshift <stopgap measures> The new law is intended only as a stopgap. <the coach we have now was only hired as a stopgap until someone with more experience is found>

disciple

: someone who accepts and helps to spread the teachings of a famous person : one of a group of 12 men who were sent out to spread the teachings of Jesus Christ : one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another: as a : one of the twelve in the inner circle of Christ's followers according to the Gospel accounts b : a convinced adherent of a school or individual capitalized : a member of the Disciples of Christ founded in the United States in 1809 that holds the Bible alone to be the rule of faith and practice, usually baptizes by immersion, and has a congregational polity a disciple of Sigmund Freud <a circle of dedicated disciples who conscientiously wrote down everything the prophet said> Synonym Discussion of disciple follower, adherent, disciple, partisan mean one who gives full loyalty and support to another. follower may apply to people who attach themselves either to the person or beliefs of another <an evangelist and his followers>. adherent suggests a close and persistent attachment <adherents to Marxism>. disciple implies a devoted allegiance to the teachings of one chosen as a master <disciples of Gandhi>. partisan suggests a zealous often prejudiced attachment <partisans of the President>.

exponent

: someone who supports a particular cause, belief, etc. : someone who is known for a particular method, style, etc. mathematics : a symbol that is written above and to the right of a number to show how many times the number is to be multiplied by itself : a symbol written above and to the right of a mathematical expression to indicate the operation of raising to a power a : one that expounds or interprets b : one that champions, practices, or exemplifies She has become one of America's foremost exponents of the romantic style in interior design. The exponent 3 in 103 indicates 10 x 10 x 10. Did You Know? You probably won't be surprised to learn that "exponent" shares an ancestor with "proponent" - and indeed, the Latin ponere ("to put") is at the root of both terms. "Exponent" descends from "exponere" ("to explain" or "to set forth"), which joins "ponere" with "ex-" ("out"). "Proponent" traces to "proponere" ("to display" or "to declare"), from "ponere" and "pro-" ("before"). "Proponent" can describe someone who offers a proposal (it's related to "propose," which also ultimately comes from "proponere"), but today it usually means "one who argues in favor of something." "Exponent" can also refer to someone who is an advocate, but it tends to refer especially to someone who stands out as a shining representative of something, and in addition it has retained its earlier meaning of "one who expounds."

offshoot

: something (such as a business) that develops from something larger : a branch that grows on one of the main stems of a plant a : a collateral or derived branch, descendant, or member : outgrowth b : a lateral branch (as of a mountain range) : a branch of a main stem especially of a plant The business started as an offshoot of an established fashion design company. <we knew the rosebush had survived the harsh winter when it began producing offshoots and turning green again>

polity

: something (such as a country or state) that has a government : a politically organized unit : a form of government : political organization : a specific form of political organization : a politically organized unit a : the form or constitution of a politically organized unit b : the form of government of a religious denomination the polities of medieval Italy

aberration

: something (such as a problem or a type of behavior) that is unusual or unexpected : the fact or an instance of deviating or being aberrant especially from a moral standard or normal state : failure of a mirror, refracting surface, or lens to produce exact point-to-point correspondence between an object and its image : unsoundness or disorder of the mind : a small periodic change of apparent position in celestial bodies due to the combined effect of the motion of light and the motion of the observer : an aberrant individual Recently geneticists have taken a closer look at a genetic aberration previously considered rare ... . The genes may be perfectly normal, yet there is a shortage or surplus of DNA sequences that may play a role in diseases that defy straightforward genetic patterns ... —Melinda Wenner, Scientific American, June 2009 He did hit five homers for Texas in 1987, but that was an aberration. In no other major league season has he hit more than three, and last season he actually came up with a goose egg. —E.M. Swift, Sports Illustrated, 5 Apr. 1989 Gilliard's studies of numerous bird of paradise species brought them from the realm of exotic aberrations to the forefront of sociobiology. —Jared M. Diamond, Nature, 24-30 Sept. 1981 For her, such a low grade on an exam was an aberration. a study of sexual aberration

mounting

: something on which something else is or can be attached a mounting for an engine a mounting for a diamond

gag

: something said or done to make people laugh : something done as a playful trick : something (such as a piece of cloth) that is put into or over someone's mouth in order to prevent speech : something thrust into the mouth to keep it open or to prevent speech or outcry : an official check or restraint on debate or free speech <a gag rule> : a laugh-provoking remark or act : prank, trick The movie relies on simpleminded gags for laughs. They hid his clothes as a gag. They tied up the hostages and put gags in their mouths. The government is trying to put a gag on the press. running joke/gag: a joke/gag that is repeated many times in slightly different ways

prelude

: something that comes before and leads to something else : a short piece of music that introduces a longer piece : an introductory performance, action, or event preceding and preparing for the principal or a more important matter a : a musical section or movement introducing the theme or chief subject (as of a fugue or suite) or serving as an introduction to an opera or oratorio b : an opening voluntary c : a separate concert piece usually for piano or orchestra and based entirely on a short motif <an eruption of sectarian violence that proved to be the prelude to all-out civil war> <the musical had a brief prelude to get the audience in the proper mood>

fait accompli

: something that has been done and cannot be changed : a thing accomplished and presumably irreversible By the time we learned about the decision, it was already a fait accompli.

Corollary

: something that naturally follows or results from another thing : a proposition inferred immediately from a proved proposition with little or no additional proof a : something that naturally follows : result b : something that incidentally or naturally accompanies or parallels <one corollary of the rise of television was a massive makeover of radio's programming> <increased taxes—or expanding deficits—are the inevitable corollary to any new government spending program> Did You Know? Corollary comes from the Late Latin noun corollarium, which can be translated as "a garland given as a reward." "Corollarium" comes from the Latin corolla, meaning "small crown or garland." If you know that a garland or small crown was sometimes given to actors in addition to their pay, it makes sense that another sense of "corollarium" is "gratuity." Later, "corollarium" developed the philosophical sense of a supplementary proposition that follows directly from one that has been proved. (You can think of a corollary as a "bonus" that follows from the proof of something else.) The broader modern sense, "something that naturally follows," evolved from the philosophical one.

succor

: something that you do or give to help someone who is suffering or in a difficult situation : relief; also : aid, help : something that furnishes relief We see it as our duty to give succor to those in need. Did You Know? If you're in need of an explanation of the origins of "succor," we can help. Middle English speakers adapted "socour," the predecessor of "succor," from the Anglo-French sucors, which essentially had the same meaning as our modern word. "Sucors," in turn, derives from the Medieval Latin succursus, itself a derivative of the Latin verb succurrere, meaning "to run to the rescue or "to bring aid." That Latin verb was a composite of the prefix sub- (meaning "from below") and the verb "currere" (meaning "to run"). "Succor" has been saving the day in English (as both a noun and a verb) since at least the 13th century.

commentary

: spoken or written discussion in which people express opinions about someone or something : a spoken description of an event (such as a sports contest) as it is happening : something that shows or makes a statement about the true state or condition of something a : an explanatory treatise —usually used in plural b : a record of events usually written by a participant —usually used in plural a : a systematic series of explanations or interpretations (as of a writing) b : comment 2 a : something that serves for illustration or explanation <the dark, airless apartments and sunless factories ... are a sad commentary upon our civilization — H. A. Overstreet> b : an expression of opinion The television show features political commentary by well-known journalists. The magazine includes humor and social commentary. The book is a commentary on her experiences abroad. I like listening to his social commentaries. He provided commentary during the game. The major television stations provided running commentaries on the election results.

congenial

: suitable or appropriate : pleasant and enjoyable : very friendly : having the same nature, disposition, or tastes : kindred <congenial companions> a : existing or associated together harmoniously b : pleasant; especially : agreeably suited to one's nature, tastes, or outlook <a congenial atmosphere> c : sociable, genial <a congenial host> She moved on, leaving behind the world of politics for the more congenial sphere of the arts. —Amy Fine Collins, Vanity Fair, March 2001 Jackson may walk up to home plate with the cool strut of a superstar, but off the field he is warm and congenial. —Peter Gammons, Sports Illustrated, 12 June 1989 It turned out to be, for me, one of the most congenial and, in a way, lustrous gatherings that I have ever had in the White House. —Lady Bird Johnson, 4 May 1965, in A White House Diary, 1970 The town is a congenial place for raising children. We studied in the congenial atmosphere of the library. He found the work to be congenial. She was congenial and easygoing. Did You Know? According to ancient Roman and Greek mythology, each person at birth was assigned a guardian spirit. The Latin name for this attendant spirit was genius. Two people who get along well together can be thought of as sharing a similar spirit; they might even be described by a word combining the Latin prefix com- (meaning "with, together") and genius. And, indeed, it was this com-genius combination that gave rise in the 17th century to the English word congenial. (The Greek word for the guardian spirit, daimōn, gave us eudaemonia, meaning "well-being" or "happiness," but that word is extremely rare.)

resilience

: the ability to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens : the ability of something to return to its original shape after it has been pulled, stretched, pressed, bent, etc. : the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress : an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change ... the concert remained a remarkable tribute to Dylan's resilience and continued relevance. —Susan Richardson, Rolling Stone, 15 Dec. 1994 He squeezed the rubber with a clamp and then released it—demonstrating with this painfully simple experiment that the material lost its resilience and therefore its ability to flex rapidly enough to protect the rocket joint from tumultuous hot gases. —James Gleick, New York Times Book Review, 13 Nov. 1988 With amazing resilience the two tribes pulled together and set out to found a new town farther up the river. —Carolyn Gilman, American Indian Art Magazine, Spring 1988 It is really wonderful how much resilience there is in human nature. Let any obstructing cause, no matter what, be removed in any way, even by death, and we fly back to first principles of hope and enjoyment. —Bram Stoker, Dracula, 1897 The rescue workers showed remarkable resilience in dealing with the difficult conditions. Cold temperatures caused the material to lose resilience.

disbursement

: the act of disbursing; also : funds paid out <substantial disbursements for research and development> <the disbursement of the foundation's funds to several cancer research centers>

exposition

: the act of explaining something : clear explanation : a public show or exhibition : a setting forth of the meaning or purpose (as of a writing) a : discourse or an example of it designed to convey information or explain what is difficult to understand b (1) : the first part of a musical composition in sonata form in which the thematic material of the movement is presented (2) : the opening section of a fugue : a public exhibition or show This is not an easy book, and the reader may find the layers of detail challenging. There are long expositions of the knotty tangles of monarchical lineage, and the necessary chronicle of historical events occasionally consumes the novel's narrative drive. —Lucy Lethbridge, Commonweal, 23 Oct. 2009 He is masterly in absorbing information and masterful in organizing it—skeptical of fashion, clear in exposition, fluent in communication, unremittingly scholarly. —Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, New York Times Book Review, 11 June 2000 Although they were invited to use an early X ray machine on display at the exposition, they turned down the offer, and they never found the bullet. —T. Burton Smith, American Heritage, September 1992 The subject requires some exposition. a clear exposition of his ideas

prod

: the act of pushing someone or something with your finger or a pointed object : something (such as a long stick) that is used to prod an animal : something said or done to encourage or remind someone to do something : a pointed instrument used to prod : an incitement to act <needed a few prods to remember her lines> She gave him a sharp prod in the back. He picked up a stick and used it as a prod to get the donkey moving. He needed a few prods to remember his lines. She called me and gave me a prod about finishing the report. abbreviation of : product; production

referral

: the act of sending someone to another person or place for treatment, help, advice, etc. : the act, action, or an instance of referring <gave the patient a referral to a specialist> : one that is referred : the process of directing or redirecting (as a medical case or a patient) to an appropriate specialist or agency for definitive treatment : an individual that is referred

subversion

: the act of subverting : the state of being subverted; especially : a systematic attempt to overthrow or undermine a government or political system by persons working secretly from within obsolete : a cause of overthrow or destruction

break-in

: the act or crime of illegally entering a house, building, etc., especially by using force : the act or action of breaking in <a rash of break-ins at the new apartment house> : a performance or a series of performances serving as a trial run : an initial period of operation during which working parts begin to function efficiently

diminution

: the act or process of becoming less : the act, process, or an instance of diminishing : decrease <a diminution of 60 percent over the course of the month> Did You Know? We find "diminution" in print for the first time in Geoffrey Chaucer's poetical work "Troilus and Criseyde." Chaucer used "make diminution" in contrast to the verb "increase" (he could have used the verb "decrease," but he needed to create a weak rhyme with "discretion"). "Diminution" came to English by way of Anglo-French from Latin. Its Latin ancestor deminuere ("to diminish") is also an ancestor of "diminishment," a synonym of "diminution" that English speakers have been using since the 16th century.

compliance

: the act or process of doing what you have been asked or ordered to do : the act or process of complying a : the act or process of complying to a desire, demand, proposal, or regimen or to coercion b : conformity in fulfilling official requirements : a disposition to yield to others : the ability of an object to yield elastically when a force is applied : flexibility She was rewarded for her compliance. There has been a low rate of compliance with the new law. : the ability or process of yielding to changes in pressure without disruption of structure or function <a study of pulmonary compliance> <the tone of colonic muscle as judged by compliance of the gut wall—S. C. Truelove> : the process of complying with a regimen of treatment <simplified drug regimens may encourage better compliance>

betterment

: the act or result of making something better : a making or becoming better : an improvement that adds to the value of a property or facility working for the betterment of the lives of working people

culmination

: the end or final result of something : the action of culminating : culminating position : climax This study is the culmination of years of research. <an acting performance that was seen as the culmination of a brilliant career on the stage> Synonym Discussion of culmination summit, peak, pinnacle, climax, apex, acme, culmination mean the highest point attained or attainable. summit implies the topmost level attainable <at the summit of the Victorian social scene>. peak suggests the highest among other high points <an artist working at the peak of her powers>. pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height <the pinnacle of worldly success>. climax implies the highest point in an ascending series <the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions>. apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge <the apex of Dutch culture>. acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing <a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty>. culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective <the culmination of years of effort>.

commonality

: the fact of sharing features or qualities : a shared feature or quality : the common people a : possession of common features or attributes : commonness b : a common feature or attribute The plans share important commonalities. <one commonality between the two very different women is their passion for charity work>

hindsight

: the knowledge and understanding that you have about an event only after it has happened : perception of the nature of an event after it has happened It's easy for us to say that the war was wrong, but we have the advantage of hindsight. twenty-twenty hindsight: the full knowledge and complete understanding that one has about an event only after it has happened <With 20/20 hindsight we now see where our strategy went wrong.>

fare

: the money a person pays to travel on a bus, train, boat, or airplane or in a taxi : a passenger who pays a fare : a specified kind of food a : range of food : diet b : material provided for use, consumption, or enjoyment a : the price charged to transport a person b : a paying passenger on a public conveyance Bush and Siberry's sixth albums find them trying harder than before to reach an audience less willing to indulge their wanderings—both albums communicate more directly, and sound more familiar, than their usual fairy-tale fare. —Ann Powers, Village Voice, 7 Dec. 1993 Who would ever consider robbing this place for more than getaway bus fare? —Amy Tan, The Kitchen God's Wife, 1991 As for Ronald Reagan, solid heartland —farelike macaroni and cheese and hamburger soup is his favorite ... —Guy D. Garcia, Time , 14 Mar. 1988 I need some coins for the bus fare. The taxi driver picked up his fares at the airport. Less expensive fare is available at the restaurant across the street.

conscience

: the part of the mind that makes you aware of your actions as being either morally right or wrong : a feeling that something you have done is morally wrong a : the sense or consciousness of the moral goodness or blameworthiness of one's own conduct, intentions, or character together with a feeling of obligation to do right or be good b : a faculty, power, or principle enjoining good acts c : the part of the superego in psychoanalysis that transmits commands and admonitions to the ego archaic : consciousness : conformity to what one considers to be correct, right, or morally good : conscientiousness : sensitive regard for fairness or justice : scruple ... it is a politician's natural instinct to avoid taking any stand that seems controversial unless and until the voters demand it or conscience absolutely requires it. —Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, 2006 We like to imagine literature as the still, small voice of human conscience. It is that only rarely, however. Actively and passively, it has always borne along pernicious ideas. —Marilynne Robinson, New York Times Book Review, 15 Mar. 1987 The rat had no morals, no —conscience, no scruples, no consideration, no decency ... —E. B. White, Charlotte's Web, 1952 So she had lied to him, but so had he to her, they were quits on that score and his conscience was calm. —Bernard Malamud, The Magic Barrel, (1950) 1958 The thief must have had an attack of conscience, because he returned the wallet with nothing missing from it. clear conscience: a knowledge or belief that one has done nothing bad or wrong <At least now I can face him with a clear conscience.> social conscience: caring or concern about important social issues <I can't work for a company that has no social conscience.> vote one's conscience: to vote as one feels he or she should <I urged the senator to vote his conscience, even if it was at odds with the party line.> guilty/troubled conscience: a bad feeling caused by knowing or thinking that one has done something bad or wrong : a feeling of guilt <She had a guilty/troubled conscience.>

laity

: the people of a religion who are not priests, ministers, etc. : the people of a religious faith as distinguished from its clergy : the mass of the people as distinguished from those of a particular profession or those specially skilled a member of the laity The laity has played an important role in the history of the church.

puberty

: the period of life when a person's sexual organs mature and he or she becomes able to have children : the condition of being or the period of becoming first capable of reproducing sexually marked by maturing of the genital organs, development of secondary sex characteristics, and in the human and in higher primates by the first occurrence of menstruation in the female : the age at which puberty occurs often construed legally as 14 in boys and 12 in girls He reached puberty later than most of his classmates.

nest

: the place where a bird lays its eggs and takes care of its young : a place where an animal or insect lives and usually lays eggs or takes care of its young : a home where people live a : a bed or receptacle prepared by an animal and especially a bird for its eggs and young b : a place or specially modified structure serving as an abode of animals and especially of their immature stages <an ants' nest> c : a receptacle resembling a bird's nest a : a place of rest, retreat, or lodging : home <grown children who have left the nest> b : den, hangout : the occupants or frequenters of a nest a : a group of similar things <a nest of giant mountains — Helen MacInnes> b : hotbed 2 <a nest of rebellion> : a group of objects made to fit close together or one within another : an emplaced group of weapons The bird built a nest out of small twigs. If you look closely, you can see a nest in that tree. They lived in a cozy little nest in the suburbs.

potency

: the power to influence someone : the strength or effectiveness of something : the ability of a man to have sex a : force, power b : the quality or state of being potent c : the ability or capacity to achieve or bring about a particular result : potentiality The drug can improve sexual potency. <vitamins of high potency that should be taken only in the proper dosage> plural potencies : the quality or state of being potent: as a: chemical or medicinal strength or efficacy <a drug's potency> b: the ability to copulate—usually used of the male c: initial inherent capacity for development of a particular kind <cells with a potency for eye formation>

aegis

: the power to protect, control, or support something or someone : a shield or breastplate emblematic of majesty that was associated with Zeus and Athena a : protection <under the aegis of the Constitution> b : controlling or conditioning influence <passed new laws under the aegis of national security> a : auspices, sponsorship <under the aegis of the museum> b : control or guidance especially by an individual, group, or system <having no claim to the land under the aegis of the law, the cattle baron decided to claim it by force> <a medical study that was questioned by many because it was done under the aegis of a major pharmaceutical company> Did You Know? We borrowed "aegis" from Latin, but the word ultimately derives from the Greek noun aigis, which means "goatskin." In ancient Greek mythology, an aegis was something that offered physical protection. In some stories, it was the thundercloud where Zeus kept the thunderbolts he used as weapons. In others, the aegis was a magical protective cloak made from the skin of the goat that had suckled Zeus as an infant. The word first entered English in the 16th century as a noun meaning "shield" or "protection," and by the 20th century it had acquired the extended senses of "auspices" or "sponsorship."

rectitude

: the quality of being honest and morally correct : the quality or state of being straight : moral integrity : righteousness : the quality or state of being correct in judgment or procedure <encouraged the graduates to go on to live lives of unimpeachable rectitude and integrity> <has a finely honed sense of rectitude that keeps him from cheating on exams> Did You Know? Rectitude has a righteous derivation. It comes straight from the Latin noun rectus, which means both "right" and "straight." "Rectitude" itself can mean either "straightness" (an early use referred to literal straightness of lines, although this sense is now rare) or "rightness" of character. "Rectus" has a number of other descendants in English, including "rectangle" (a figure with four right angles), "rectify" ("to make right"), "rectilinear" ("moving in or forming a straight line"), and even "rectus" itself (a medical term for any one of several straight muscles in the body).

exactitude

: the quality or state of being accurate and correct : the quality or an instance of being exact : exactness <after its opening weekend, a movie's final box office gross can be estimated with considerable exactitude>

tenacity

: the quality or state of being tenacious If there is a particular tenacity in Islamist forms of terrorism today, this is a product not of Islamic scripture but of the current historical circumstance that many Muslims live in places of intense political conflict. —Max Rodenbeck, New York Book Review, 30 Nov. 2006 ... everything about a person, even the most blameless of facts, can have the sticky tenacity of a secret. —Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2002 A tribute to tenacity, the free ascent of Trango Tower was the fulfillment of a cowboy climber's dream. —Todd Skinner, National Geographic, April 1996 Synonym Discussion of tenacity courage, mettle, spirit, resolution, tenacity mean mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship. courage implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty <the courage to support unpopular causes>. mettle suggests an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience <a challenge that will test your mettle>. spirit also suggests a quality of temperament enabling one to hold one's own or keep up one's morale when opposed or threatened <her spirit was unbroken by failure>. resolution stresses firm determination to achieve one's ends <the resolution of pioneer women>. tenacity adds to resolution implications of stubborn persistence and unwillingness to admit defeat <held to their beliefs with great tenacity>.

thumb

: the short, thick finger on the side of your hand : the part of a glove or mitten that covers a thumb : the short thick digit of the human hand that is analogous in position to the big toe and differs from the other fingers in having only two phalanges, allowing greater freedom of movement, and being opposable to each of them; also : a corresponding digit in lower animals : the part of a glove or mitten that covers the thumb : a convex molding : ovolo all thumbs : extremely awkward or clumsy under one's thumb or under the thumb : under control : in a state of subservience <her father did not have her that much under his thumb — Hamilton Basso> a little girl sucking her thumb I accidentally cut my thumb. My mitten has a hole in the thumb.

jurisprudence

: the study of law : the science or philosophy of law a : a system or body of law b : the course of court decisions : a department of law <medical jurisprudence> Did You Know? For a farewell to our jurisprudent, I wish unto him the gladsome light of jurisprudence. . . . With this valedictory to English jurist Sir Thomas Littleton, another jurist, Sir Edward Coke, welcomed two new words into English. In 1628, his jurisprudence meant "knowledge of or skill in law," a now archaic sense that reflects the literal meaning of the word. "Jurisprudence" goes back to Latin prudentia juris (literally "skill in law"), from which was derived the Late Latin formation jurisprudentia, and subsequently our word. The noun jurisprudent means "one skilled in law" - in other words, "a jurist." There's also "jurisprude," a 20th-century back- formation created from "jurisprudence" with influence from "prude." It means "one who makes ostentatious show of jurisprudential learning." Legal Definition of jurisprudence a : a system or body of law <in the federal jurisprudence>; especially : a body of law dealing with a specific issue or area <labor jurisprudence> b : the course of court decisions as distinguished from legislation and doctrine <the jurisprudence decided under the source provisions — Louisiana Civil Code> : the science or philosophy of law <they have no theories of jurisprudence but...decide each case on its facts — R. H. Bork>

menopause

: the time in a woman's life when blood stops flowing from her body each month : the time when a woman stops menstruating : the natural cessation of menstruation that usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55; also : the period during which such cessation occurs —called also climacteric — compare perimenopause : cessation of menstruation from other than natural causes

commencement

: the time when something begins : a ceremony during which degrees or diplomas are given to students who have graduated from a school or college : an act, instance, or time of commencing a : the ceremonies or the day for conferring degrees or diplomas b : the period of activities at this time A poet will speak at the commencement. <there was a large turnout at the commencement of the conference, but the numbers dwindled as it progressed>

ebb

: the time when the tide flows out from the land : a low point or condition : a condition of weakness, failure, etc. : the reflux of the tide toward the sea : a point or condition of decline <our spirits were at a low ebb> Morale seems to have reached its lowest ebb. <a surprising ebb in the quality of workmanship in goods coming from that country>

brevity

: the use of few words to say something : the quality or fact of lasting only for a short period of time : shortness of duration; especially : shortness or conciseness of expression Mike Espy resigned under pressure as Secretary of Agriculture yesterday at a news conference remarkable for its brevity and general absence of whining. —New York Times, 4 Oct. 1994 Lincoln was able to achieve the loftiness, ideality, and brevity of the Gettysburg Address because he had spent a good part of the 1850s repeatedly relating all the most sensitive issues of the day to the Declaration's supreme principle. —Garry Wills, Lincoln At Gettysburg, 1992 The book's brevity is its major defect. Admittedly, readers of military history have been smothered by portentous tomes of a thousand pages or more. But 365 pages are too few to tell the Normandy story. —Drew Middleton, New York Times Book Review, 15 Aug. 1982 "Maudie, I'm sure I don't know what you mean," said Mrs. Merriweather. "I'm sure you do," Miss Maudie said shortly. She said no more. When Miss Maudie was angry, her brevity was icy. —Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960 The book's major flaw is its brevity. <the best quality a graduation speech can have is brevity>

outlook

: the way that a person thinks about things : a set of conditions that will probably exist in the future : the future of someone or something : a place where you can look out over a wide area; also : a view from such a place a : a place offering a view b : a view from a particular place : point of view <a positive outlook on life> : the act of looking out : the prospect for the future <the outlook for steel demand in the United States — Wall Street Journal> The students all seemed to have the same outlook. Despite our differences in outlook, we got along together very well. scenic outlooks along the highway Synonym Discussion of outlook prospect, outlook, anticipation, foretaste mean an advance realization of something to come. prospect implies expectation of a particular event, condition, or development of definite interest or concern <the prospect of a quiet weekend>. outlook suggests a forecasting of the future <a favorable outlook for the economy>. anticipation implies a prospect or outlook that involves advance suffering or enjoyment of what is foreseen <the anticipation of her arrival>. foretaste implies an actual though brief or partial experience of something forthcoming <the frost was a foretaste of winter>.

afflict

: to cause pain or suffering to (someone or something) obsolete a : humble b : overthrow a : to distress so severely as to cause persistent suffering or anguish <afflicted with arthritis> b : trouble, injure The disease afflicts an estimated two million people every year. <the South was afflicted by a severe drought> Synonym Discussion of afflict afflict, try, torment, torture, rack mean to inflict on a person something that is hard to bear. afflict is a general term and applies to the causing of pain or suffering or of acute annoyance, embarrassment, or any distress <ills that afflict the elderly>. try suggests imposing something that strains the powers of endurance or of self-control <children often try their parents' patience>. torment suggests persecution or the repeated inflicting of suffering or annoyance <a horse tormented by flies>. torture adds the implication of causing unbearable pain or suffering <tortured by a sense of guilt>. rack stresses straining or wrenching <a body racked by pain>.

engross

: to hold the complete interest or attention of (someone) a : to copy or write in a large hand b : to prepare the usually final handwritten or printed text of (an official document) [Middle English, from Anglo-French engrosser, from en gros wholesale, in quantity] a : to purchase large quantities of (as for speculation) b archaic : amass, collect c : to take or engage the whole attention of : occupy completely <ideas that have engrossed the minds of scholars for generations> <a mystery story that will engross readers all the way to the surprise ending>

disconcert

: to make (someone) upset or embarrassed : to throw into confusion : to disturb the composure of News of his criminal past has disconcerted even his admirers. <we were disconcerted by the unexpected changes to the program> Synonym Discussion of disconcert embarrass, discomfit, abash, disconcert, rattle mean to distress by confusing or confounding. embarrass implies some influence that impedes thought, speech, or action <embarrassed to admit that she liked the movie>. discomfit implies a hampering or frustrating accompanied by confusion <hecklers discomfited the speaker>. abash presupposes some initial self-confidence that receives a sudden check, producing shyness, shame, or a feeling of inferiority <abashed by her swift and cutting retort>. disconcert implies an upsetting of equanimity or assurance producing uncertainty or hesitancy <disconcerted by finding so many in attendance>. rattle implies an agitation that impairs thought and judgment <rattled by all the television cameras>.

ostracize

: to not allow (someone) to be included in a group : to exclude (someone) from a group : to exile by ostracism : to exclude from a group by common consent She was ostracized from the scientific community for many years because of her radical political beliefs. The other girls ostracized her because of the way she dressed. Did You Know? In ancient Greece, prominent citizens whose power or influence threatened the stability of the state could be exiled by a practice called ostracism. Voters would elect to banish another citizen by writing that citizen's name down on a potsherd (a fragment of earthenware or tile). Those receiving enough votes would then be subject to temporary exile from the state (usually for ten years). The English verb "ostracize" can mean "to exile by the ancient method of ostracism," but these days it usually refers to the general exclusion of one person from a group at the agreement of its members. "Ostracism" and "ostracize" derive from the Greek ostrakizein ("to banish by voting with potsherds"). Its ancestor, the Greek ostrakon ("shell" or "potsherd"), also helped to give English the word oyster.

overthrow

: to remove (someone or something) from power especially by force sports : to throw a ball over or past (someone) : overturn, upset : to cause the downfall of : bring down, defeat : to throw a ball over or past (as a base or a receiver) The quarterback overthrew his receiver.

bequeath

: to say in a will that (your property) will be given to (a person or organization) after you die : to give (ideas, knowledge, etc.) to (younger people) as part of their history : to give or leave by will —used especially of personal property : to hand down : transmit He bequeathed his paintings to the museum. Lessons of the past are bequeathed to future generations.

lateral

: toward, on, or coming from the side : of or relating to the side : situated on, directed toward, or coming from the side : extending from side to side <the lateral axis of an airplane> : produced with passage of breath around the side of a constriction formed with the tongue <\l\ is lateral> the lateral force of an earthquake <from the lateral view you can see how thick the wall really is>

confederate

: united in a league : allied capitalized : of or relating to the Confederate States of America : a person who helps someone do something Confederate : a soldier, citizen, or supporter of the Confederacy during the American Civil War : ally, accomplice capitalized : an adherent of the Confederate States of America or their cause the Yankees and the Confederates <the police were able to track down his confederates once the thief started talking>

apposite

: very appropriate : suitable for the occasion or situation : highly pertinent or appropriate : apt <apposite remarks> <enriched his essay on patriotism with some very apposite quotations from famous people on the subject> Did You Know? Apposite and "opposite" sound so much alike that you would expect them to have a common ancestor - and they do. It is the Latin verb ponere, which means "to put or place." Adding the prefix ad- to "ponere" created apponere, meaning "to place near" or "to apply to," and that branch of the "ponere" family tree led to "apposite." The word is used to describe something that applies well to or is very appropriate for something else, a notion perhaps suggested by the close proximity of two objects. To get "opposite," the prefix ob- was added to "ponere" to create opponere, meaning "to place against or opposite." The related verb componere, meaning "to put together," gave us "compound" and "composite." Synonym Discussion of apposite relevant, germane, material, pertinent, apposite, applicable, apropos mean relating to or bearing upon the matter in hand. relevant implies a traceable, significant, logical connection <found material relevant to her case>. germane may additionally imply a fitness for or appropriateness to the situation or occasion <a point not germane to the discussion>. material implies so close a relationship that it cannot be dispensed with without serious alteration of the case <facts material to the investigation>. pertinent stresses a clear and decisive relevance <a pertinent observation>. apposite suggests a felicitous relevance <add an apposite quotation to the definition>. applicable suggests the fitness of bringing a general rule or principle to bear upon a particular case <the rule is not applicable in this case>. apropos suggests being both relevant and opportune <the quip was apropos>. Legal Definition of apposite : highly pertinent or appropriate

dire

: very bad : causing great fear or worry : warning of disaster : showing a very bad future : requiring immediate action : very urgent a : exciting horror <dire suffering> b : dismal, oppressive <dire days> : warning of disaster <a dire forecast> a : desperately urgent <dire need> b : extreme <dire poverty> The alleged threat posed by Yellowstone's 3,600 buffalo came from the fact that they carry brucella, a bacterium that cycles harmlessly enough in Bison bison but has considerably more dire effects on cattle. —Christopher Ketcham, Harper's , June 2008 Whether one is a lowly farmer or an urban worker, a student, professional, or a member of the elite, a meal is not complete unless rice is served to accompany the main viand of pork, fish, chicken, beef, vegetables or in the most dire circumstances, dry fish or salt. —Georgina R. Encanto, Food , April 2000 All wild tigers are threatened with extinction, but Sumatran tigers are in especially dire straits because the world's zoos have only 235 of them in captive-breeding programs. —Audubon, November-December 1998 The circumstances are now more dire than ever. Some analysts are issuing dire economic forecasts. They live in dire poverty.

scrupulous

: very careful about doing something correctly : careful about doing what is honest and morally right : having moral integrity : acting in strict regard for what is considered right or proper : punctiliously exact : painstaking <working with scrupulous care> While many assume that a conservative reading of the Constitution will lead inevitably to a conservative interpretation, Amar has argued, in scholarly articles and in a previous book, "The Bill of Rights," that paying scrupulous attention to the text, history and structure of the Constitution often reveals support for liberal outcomes. —James Ryerson, New York Times Book Review, 6 Nov. 2005 Most clients praise the lawyer effusively. Rubenstein declares that Grubman never represents both parties in any one matter, is scrupulous in disclosing his relations to all his clients and abides by the conflict rules of the legal profession. —Johnnie L. Roberts, Newsweek, 6 Aug. 2001 Tax-shelter proliferation has reached such epidemic proportions that it has actually spurred a backlash among the more conscientious members of the tax profession. A few scrupulous tax lawyers have anonymously leaked details of shelter schemes to the IRS. —Franklin Foer, New Republic, 5 June 2000 She was always scrupulous about her work. The work requires scrupulous attention to detail. Less scrupulous companies find ways to evade the law. Did You Know? Scrupulous and its close relative "scruple" ("an ethical consideration") come from the Latin noun scrupulus, the diminutive of "scrupus." "Scrupus" refers to a sharp stone, so scrupulus means "small sharp stone." "Scrupus" retained its literal meaning but eventually also came to be used with the metaphorical meaning "a source of anxiety or uneasiness," the way a sharp pebble in one's shoe would be a source of pain. When the adjective "scrupulous" entered the language in the 15th century, it meant "principled." Now it also commonly means "painstaking" or "careful." Synonym Discussion of scrupulous upright, honest, just, conscientious, scrupulous, honorable mean having or showing a strict regard for what is morally right. upright implies a strict adherence to moral principles <a stern and upright minister>. honest stresses adherence to such virtues as truthfulness, candor, fairness <known for being honest in business dealings>. just stresses conscious choice and regular practice of what is right or equitable <workers given just compensation>. conscientious and scrupulous imply an active moral sense governing all one's actions and painstaking efforts to follow one's conscience <conscientious in the completion of her assignments> <scrupulous in carrying out the terms of the will>. honorable suggests a firm holding to codes of right behavior and the guidance of a high sense of honor and duty <a difficult but honorable decision>. careful, meticulous, scrupulous, punctilious mean showing close attention to detail. careful implies attentiveness and cautiousness in avoiding mistakes <a careful worker>. meticulous may imply either commendable extreme carefulness or a hampering finicky caution over small points <meticulous scholarship>. scrupulous applies to what is proper or fitting or ethical <scrupulous honesty>. punctilious implies minute, even excessive attention to fine points <punctilious observance of ritual>.

cogent

: very clear and easy for the mind to accept and believe : having power to compel or constrain <cogent forces> a : appealing forcibly to the mind or reason : convincing <cogent evidence> b : pertinent, relevant <a cogent analysis> ... Honeyboy Edwards provides a cogent analysis of the shift within the blues over the years ... —David Hajdu, Mother Jones, September/October 2003 Your article provides cogent reading. —Mario Cuomo, letter, U.S. News & World Report, 23 Mar. 1992 Your arguments, whether or not one agrees with them, are generally cogent, and at times elegantly expressed. —Willard R. Espy, letter, Wall Street Journal, 24 Apr. 1990 The author ... makes a cogent and finely nuanced case for the wisdom—indeed, the necessity of this vision. —Marian Sandmaier, New York Times Book Review, 8 Feb. 1987 <the results of the DNA fingerprinting were the most cogent evidence for acquittal> Did You Know? Trained, knowledgeable agents make cogent suggestions . . . that make sense to customers. It makes sense for us to include that comment from the president of a direct marketing consulting company because it provides such a nice opportunity to point out the etymological relationship between the words "cogent" and "agent." Agent derives from the Latin verb agere, which means "to drive," "to lead," or "to act." Adding the prefix co- to "agere" gave Latin cogere, a word that literally means "to drive together"; that ancient term ultimately gave English "cogent." Something that is cogent figuratively pulls together thoughts and ideas, and the cogency of an argument depends on the driving intellectual force behind it. Synonym Discussion of cogent valid, sound, cogent, convincing, telling mean having such force as to compel serious attention and usually acceptance. valid implies being supported by objective truth or generally accepted authority <a valid reason for being absent> <a valid marriage>. sound implies a basis of flawless reasoning or of solid grounds <a sound proposal for reviving the economy>. cogent may stress either weight of sound argument and evidence or lucidity of presentation <the prosecutor's cogent summation won over the jury>. convincing suggests a power to overcome doubt, opposition, or reluctance to accept <a convincing argument for welfare reform>. telling stresses an immediate and crucial effect striking at the heart of a matter <a telling example of bureaucratic waste>.

involved

: very complicated : having a part in something : included in something : actively participating in something : involute, twisted a : marked by extreme and often needless or excessive complexity b : difficult to deal with because of complexity or disorder : being affected or implicated a long and involved story The instructions for assembling the toy are very involved. The process is quite involved. Those of us who were involved knew exactly what happened. Students who stay involved get more out of the program. If you want to make things better, you need to get involved. They quickly became romantically involved. No one knew that they were involved. Synonym Discussion of involved complex, complicated, intricate, involved, knotty mean having confusingly interrelated parts. complex suggests the unavoidable result of a necessary combining and does not imply a fault or failure <a complex recipe>. complicated applies to what offers great difficulty in understanding, solving, or explaining <complicated legal procedures>. intricate suggests such interlacing of parts as to make it nearly impossible to follow or grasp them separately <an intricate web of deceit>. involved implies extreme complication and often disorder <a rambling, involved explanation>. knotty suggests complication and entanglement that make solution or understanding improbable <knotty ethical questions>.

fleet

: very fast : swift in motion : nimble : fleeting <a jewel thief said to be light of heart and fleet of foot> Synonym Discussion of fleet fast, rapid, swift, fleet, quick, speedy, hasty, expeditious mean moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity. fast and rapid are very close in meaning, but fast applies particularly to the thing that moves <fast horses> and rapid to the movement itself <rapid current>. swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement <returned the ball with one swift stroke>. fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness <fleet runners>. quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time <a quick wit>. speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment <speedy delivery of mail> and may also suggest unusual velocity. hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness <a hasty inspection>. expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment <the expeditious handling of an order>. fleet of foot: literary : able to run fast : a group of military ships that are controlled by one leader : all of a country's military ships : a group of ships or vehicles that move or work together or that are controlled or owned by one company : a number of warships under a single command; specifically : an organization of ships and aircraft under the command of a flag officer : group 2a, b; especially : a group (as of ships, planes, or trucks) operated under unified control He was the commander of the Pacific fleet. The company has a large fleet of delivery trucks.

ravenous

: very hungry : rapacious <ravenous wolves> : very eager or greedy for food, satisfaction, or gratification <a ravenous appetite> By the time dinner was ready, we were ravenous. <we were ravenous after our canoe paddling, and the chili bubbling over the campfire smelled heavenly> Synonym Discussion of ravenous voracious, gluttonous, ravenous, rapacious mean excessively greedy. voracious applies especially to habitual gorging with food or drink <teenagers are often voracious eaters>. gluttonous applies to one who delights in eating or acquiring things especially beyond the point of necessity or satiety <an admiral who was gluttonous for glory>. ravenous implies excessive hunger and suggests violent or grasping methods of dealing with food or with whatever satisfies an appetite <a nation with a ravenous lust for territorial expansion>. rapacious often suggests excessive and utterly selfish acquisitiveness or avarice <rapacious developers indifferent to environmental concerns>. ravenous appetite: a great desire for food <After hiking all day, I had a ravenous appetite.>

splendid

: very impressive and beautiful : very good : possessing or displaying splendor: as a : shining, brilliant b : marked by showy magnificence : illustrious, grand a : excellent <a splendid opportunity> b : being out of the ordinary : singular We have a splendid opportunity to do something really useful. I have some splendid news. "We'll be coming out to visit over the summer." "Oh, splendid!" Synonym Discussion of splendid splendid, resplendent, gorgeous, glorious, sublime, superb mean extraordinarily or transcendently impressive. splendid implies outshining the usual or customary <the wedding was a splendid occasion>. resplendent suggests a glowing or blazing splendor <resplendent in her jewelry>. gorgeous implies a rich splendor especially in display of color <a gorgeous red dress>. glorious suggests radiance that heightens beauty or distinction <a glorious sunset>. sublime implies an exaltation or elevation almost beyond human comprehension <a vision of sublime beauty>. superb suggests an excellence reaching the highest conceivable degree <her singing was superb>.

brainy

: very intelligent : having or showing a well-developed intellect : intelligent

copious

: very large in amount or number a : yielding something abundantly <a copious harvest> <copious springs> b : plentiful in number <copious references to other writers> a : full of thought, information, or matter b : profuse or exuberant in words, expression, or style <a copious talker> : present in large quantity : taking place on a large scale <copious weeping> <copious food and drink> It was no surprise that spin was more copious than ever during the election campaign. —Michael Kinsley, Time, 25 Dec. 2000-1 Jan. 2001 These pockets of melted rock are rich in silica and release copious amounts of volatile gases that are held under high pressures. —Sandra Blakeslee, New York Times, 7 Apr. 1998 ... travelers grew accustomed to having copious helpings of meat when they visited Quimper's inn. —James A. Michener, Texas, 1985 The Constants—ignorant, vulgar, and brash—had copious quantities of dumb luck. —Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., The Sirens Of Titan, 1959 The storm produced a copious amount of rain. She sat in the front row and took copious notes during the lecture. Did You Know? Copious derives from Latin copia ("abundance"), which in turn combines the prefix co- and ops ("wealth" or "power"). "Copious" and "opulent" (also from "ops"), along with "ample," "plentiful," and "abundant," all mean "more than sufficient." "Ample" implies a generous sufficiency to satisfy a particular requirement ("ample proof"). "Copious" puts emphasis upon largeness of supply more than on fullness or richness ("copious toasts to the bride and groom"). "Plentiful" implies a rich, and usually more than sufficient, supply ("a plentiful supply of textbooks"). "Abundant" suggests a greater or richer supply than "plentiful" does ("moved by the abundant offers to help"). But use "opulent" when the supply is both abundant and infused with a richness that allows an extra measure of gratification ("the opulent blossoms of the cherry trees"). Synonym Discussion of copious plentiful, ample, abundant, copious mean more than sufficient without being excessive. plentiful implies a great or rich supply <peaches are plentiful this summer>. ample implies a generous sufficiency to satisfy a particular requirement <ample food to last the winter>. abundant suggests an even greater or richer supply than does plentiful <streams abundant with fish>. copious stresses largeness of supply rather than fullness or richness <copious examples of bureaucratic waste>.

presumably

: very likely : by reasonable assumption <presumably he's going on the trip for business reasons, but we have our doubts>

draconian

: very severe or cruel : of, relating to, or characteristic of Draco or the severe code of laws held to have been framed by him : cruel; also : severe <draconian littering fines> The editorial criticizes the draconian measures being taken to control the spread of the disease. Did You Know? Draconian comes from Draco, the name of a 7th-century B.C. Athenian legislator who created a written code of law. Draco's code was intended to clarify preexistent laws, but its severity is what made it really memorable. In Draco's code, even minor offenses were punishable by death, and failure to pay one's debts could result in slavery. Draconian, as a result, became associated with things cruel or harsh. Something draconian need not always be as cruel as the laws in Draco's code, though - today the word is used in a wide variety of ways and often refers to measures (steep parking fines, for example) that are relatively minor when compared with the death penalty.

inane

: very silly or stupid : empty, insubstantial : lacking significance, meaning, or point : silly <inane comments> All around us swirls the battering of gargantuan films, Styrofoam epics with megatons of special effects, gleefully inane adolescent films, horror films that really are horrible. —Stanley Kauffmann, New Republic, 15 Mar. 2004 The surfeit of home runs is a sop to all the Philistines who require inane diversions like programmed races between electronic dots on the scoreboard to make it through a two-hit shutout. —Nicholas Dawidoff, New York Times Magazine, 4 Apr. 1999 Though feminist leaders are mostly aligned with those sentiments, they can't separate their quest for economic equity from the inane political correctness of their extremist sisters. —Mary Matalin, Newsweek, 25 Oct. 1993 I quickly tired of their inane comments. The film's plot is inane and full of clichés. Synonym Discussion of inane insipid, vapid, flat, jejune, banal, inane mean devoid of qualities that make for spirit and character. insipid implies a lack of sufficient taste or savor to please or interest <an insipid romance with platitudes on every page>. vapid suggests a lack of liveliness, force, or spirit <an exciting story given a vapid treatment>. flat applies to things that have lost their sparkle or zest <although well-regarded in its day, the novel now seems flat>. jejune suggests a lack of rewarding or satisfying substance <a jejune and gassy speech>. banal stresses the complete absence of freshness, novelty, or immediacy <a banal tale of unrequited love>. inane implies a lack of any significant or convincing quality <an inane interpretation of the play>. : void or empty space <a voyage into the limitless inane — V. G. Childe> And thus likewise we sometimes speak of place, distance, or bulk in the great inane beyond the confines of the world. —John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, 1689 Did You Know? The adjective "inane" is now most commonly encountered as a synonym of "shallow" or "silly." But when this word first entered the English language in the early 17th century, it was used to mean "empty" or "insubstantial." It was this older sense that gave rise, in the latter half of the 17th century, to the noun "inane," which often serves as a poetic reference to the void of space ("the illimitable inane," "the limitless inane," "the incomprehensible inane"). This noun usage has not always been viewed in a favorable light. Samuel Johnson, in his Dictionary of the English Language (1755), says of "inane" that "it is used licentiously for a substantive," which in current English means that it is used as a noun without regard to the rules.

diminutive

: very small linguistics : indicating small size : indicating small size and sometimes the state or quality of being familiarly known, lovable, pitiable, or contemptible —used of affixes (as -ette, -kin, -ling) and of words formed with them (as kitchenette, manikin, duckling), of clipped forms (as Jim), and of altered forms (as Peggy) — compare augmentative : exceptionally or notably small : tiny <a diminutive performer> a radio with a diminutive set of speakers the diminutive suffixes "-ette" and "-ling" Synonym Discussion of diminutive small, little, diminutive, minute, tiny, miniature mean noticeably below average in size. small and little are often interchangeable, but small applies more to relative size determined by capacity, value, number <a relatively small backyard>. little is more absolute in implication often carrying the idea of petiteness, pettiness, insignificance, or immaturity <your pathetic little smile>. diminutive implies abnormal smallness <diminutive bonsai plants>. minute implies extreme smallness <a minute amount of caffeine in the soda>. tiny is an informal equivalent to minute <tiny cracks formed in the painting>. miniature applies to an exactly proportioned reproduction on a very small scale <a dollhouse with miniature furnishings>.

scant

: very small in size or amount a : excessively frugal b : not prodigal : chary a : barely or scarcely sufficient; especially : not quite coming up to a stated measure <a scant teaspoon> b : lacking in amplitude or quantity <scant growth> : having a small or insufficient supply <he's fat, and scant of breath — Shakespeare> Food was in scant supply. She paid scant attention to the facts. Police found scant evidence of fraud. Synonym Discussion of scant meager, scanty, scant, skimpy, spare, sparse mean falling short of what is normal, necessary, or desirable. meager implies the absence of elements, qualities, or numbers necessary to a thing's richness, substance, or potency <a meager portion of meat>. scanty stresses insufficiency in amount, quantity, or extent <supplies too scanty to last the winter>. scant suggests a falling short of what is desired or desirable rather than of what is essential <in January the daylight hours are scant>. skimpy usually suggests niggardliness or penury as the cause of the deficiency <tacky housing developments on skimpy lots>. spare may suggest a slight falling short of adequacy or merely an absence of superfluity <a spare, concise style of writing>. sparse implies a thin scattering of units <a sparse population>. : scarcely, hardly

outlandish

: very strange or unusual : extremely different from what is normal or expected : of or relating to another country : foreign a : strikingly out of the ordinary : bizarre <an outlandish costume> b : exceeding proper or reasonable limits or standards : remote from civilization She fills her books with outlandish characters. The actress wore an outlandish dress to the awards ceremony. Did You Know? In olden times, English speakers used the phrase outlandish man to refer to a foreigner - or, one who came from an outland, which originally meant "a foreign land." From here, outlandish broadened in usage from a word meaning "from another land" to one describing something unfamiliar or strange. Dress was a common early target for the adjective - Henry Fielding, in Tom Jones (1749), writes of a woman who was drest in one of your outlandish Garments. Nowadays, the word can be applied to anything that strikes us as out of the ordinary, as in the description of one man's outlandish proposal to replace the aging Tappan Zee Bridge with a seven-mile tunnel, from the New York Times, September 16, 2001. Synonym Discussion of outlandish strange, singular, unique, peculiar, eccentric, erratic, odd, quaint, outlandish mean departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected. strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable <a journey filled with strange sights>. singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness <a singular feeling of impending disaster>. unique implies singularity and the fact of being without a known parallel <a career unique in the annals of science>. peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness <the peculiar status of America's first lady>. eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior <the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers>. erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating <a friend's suddenly erratic behavior>. odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected <an odd sense of humor>. quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness <a quaint fishing village>. outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric <outlandish fashions of the time>.

hard-nosed

: very tough : not influenced by emotions : practical and realistic : being tough, stubborn, or uncompromising : hardheaded, tough-minded

nasty

: very unpleasant to see, smell, taste, etc. : indecent and offensive : unpleasant and unkind a : disgustingly filthy b : physically repugnant : indecent, obscene : mean, tawdry a : extremely hazardous or harmful <a nasty undertow> b : causing severe pain or suffering <a nasty wound> <a nasty fall> c : sharply unpleasant : disagreeable <nasty weather> a : difficult to understand or deal with <a nasty problem> <a nasty curveball> b : psychologically unsettling : trying <a nasty fear that she was lost> : lacking in courtesy or sportsmanship <a nasty trick> She has a nasty habit of biting her fingernails. The medicine left a nasty taste in my mouth. That nasty old man yelled at me just for stepping on his lawn! He sent a nasty letter to the company. She's got quite a nasty temper. He said lots of downright nasty things about her. She called him a few nasty names and left. Synonym Discussion of nasty dirty, filthy, foul, nasty, squalid mean conspicuously unclean or impure. dirty emphasizes the presence of dirt more than an emotional reaction to it <a dirty littered street>. filthy carries a strong suggestion of offensiveness and typically of gradually accumulated dirt that begrimes and besmears <a stained greasy floor, utterly filthy>. foul implies extreme offensiveness and an accumulation of what is rotten or stinking <a foul-smelling open sewer>. nasty applies to what is actually foul or is repugnant to one expecting freshness, cleanliness, or sweetness <it's a nasty job to clean up after a sick cat>. In practice, nasty is often weakened to the point of being no more than a synonym of unpleasant or disagreeable <had a nasty fall> <his answer gave her a nasty shock>. squalid adds to the idea of dirtiness and filth that of slovenly neglect <squalid slums>. All these terms are also applicable to moral uncleanness or baseness or obscenity. dirty then stresses meanness or despicableness <don't ask me to do your dirty work>, while filthy and foul describe disgusting obscenity or loathsome behavior <filthy street language> <a foul story of lust and greed>, and nasty implies a peculiarly offensive unpleasantness <a stand-up comedian known for nasty humor>. Distinctively, squalid implies sordidness as well as baseness and dirtiness <engaged in a series of squalid affairs>.

pending

: while waiting for (something) : during : while awaiting <pending approval> He is being held in jail pending trial. She received a four-year sentence and is currently out on bail pending appeal. : not yet decided or acted on : happening or likely to happen soon : not yet decided : being in continuance <the case is still pending> : imminent, impending The results of the investigation are pending. There are lawsuits pending against the company.

compliant

: willing to do whatever you are asked or ordered to do : ready and willing to comply : agreeing with a set of rules, standards, or requirements : ready or disposed to comply : submissive <a corrupt regime aided by a compliant press> : conforming to requirements <compliant software> I asked him for a favor, and he was compliant. The student's shirt was not compliant with the school's dress code. The software is compliant with the latest standards.

prose

: writing that is not poetry : ordinary writing a : the ordinary language people use in speaking or writing b : a literary medium distinguished from poetry especially by its greater irregularity and variety of rhythm and its closer correspondence to the patterns of everyday speech : a dull or ordinary style, quality, or condition ... the esteemed critic James Wood reaches out to assure "the common reader" ... that his prose is as free as he can make it of what James Joyce termed "the true scholastic stink" of so much academic writing. —Walter Kirn, New York Times Book Review, 17 Aug. 2008 Like many two-person writing teams, this one produces its share of three-legged prose and redundancy. —James McManus, New York Times Book Review, 15 Apr. 2001 In my own work I felt a need to hurry from climax as in film montage, or even in Joycean prose with its strings of firecracker words ... —Arthur Miller, Timebends, 1987 She writes in very clear prose.

perverse

: wrong or different in a way that others feel is strange or offensive a : turned away from what is right or good : corrupt b : improper, incorrect c : contrary to the evidence or the direction of the judge on a point of law <perverse verdict> a : obstinate in opposing what is right, reasonable, or accepted : wrongheaded b : arising from or indicative of stubbornness or obstinacy : marked by peevishness or petulance : cranky : marked by perversion their perverse cruelty to animals She has a perverse fascination with death. He seems to take perverse pleasure in making things as difficult as possible. His friends all enjoy his perverse sense of humor. Is this some kind of perverse joke? Synonym Discussion of perverse contrary, perverse, restive, balky, wayward mean inclined to resist authority or control. contrary implies a temperamental unwillingness to accept orders or advice <a contrary child>. perverse may imply wrongheaded, determined, or cranky opposition to what is reasonable or normal <a perverse, intractable critic>. restive suggests unwillingness or inability to submit to discipline or follow orders <tired soldiers growing restive>. balky suggests a refusing to proceed in a desired direction or course of action <a balky witness>. wayward suggests strong-willed capriciousness and irregularity in behavior <a school for wayward youths>.

stint

a : a definite quantity of work assigned b : a period of time spent at a particular activity <served a brief stint as a waiter> : restraint, limitation Synonym Discussion of stint task, duty, job, chore, stint, assignment mean a piece of work to be done. task implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance <charged with a variety of tasks>. duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance <the duties of a lifeguard>. job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance <the job of turning the company around>. chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm <every child was assigned chores>. stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service <a 2-month stint as a reporter>. assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority <a reporter's assignment>.

cap

a : a head covering especially with a visor and no brim b : a distinctive head covering emblematic of a position or office: as (1) : a cardinal's biretta (2) : mortarboard : a natural cover or top: as a : an overlying rock layer that is usually hard to penetrate b (1) : pileus (2) : calyptra c : the top of a bird's head or a patch of distinctively colored feathers in this area a : something that serves as a cover or protection especially for a tip, knob, or end <a bottle cap> b : a fitting for closing the end of a tube c British : cervical cap d : an artificial crown for a tooth : an overlaying or covering structure : a paper or metal container holding an explosive charge (as for a toy pistol) : an upper limit (as on expenditures) : ceiling : the symbol ∩ indicating the intersection of two sets — compare cup 9 : a cluster of molecules or chemical groups bound to one end or a region of a cell, virus, or molecule cap in hand : in a respectful, humble, or sometimes fearful manner

canon

a : a regulation or dogma decreed by a church council b : a provision of canon law [Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin, from Latin, model] : the most solemn and unvarying part of the Mass including the consecration of the bread and wine [Middle English, from Late Latin, from Latin, standard] a : an authoritative list of books accepted as Holy Scripture b : the authentic works of a writer c : a sanctioned or accepted group or body of related works <the canon of great literature> a : an accepted principle or rule b : a criterion or standard of judgment c : a body of principles, rules, standards, or norms [Late Greek kanōn, from Greek, model] : a contrapuntal musical composition in which each successively entering voice presents the initial theme usually transformed in a strictly consistent way : a clergyman belonging to the chapter or the staff of a cathedral or collegiate church : canon regular

spark

a : a small particle of a burning substance thrown out by a body in combustion or remaining when combustion is nearly completed b : a hot glowing particle struck from a larger mass; especially : one heated by friction a : a luminous disruptive electrical discharge of very short duration between two conductors separated by a gas (as air) b : the discharge in a spark plug c : the mechanism controlling the discharge in a spark plug : sparkle, flash : something that sets off a sudden force <provided the spark that helped the team to rally> : a latent particle capable of growth or developing : germ <still retains a spark of decency> plural but sing in constr : a radio operator on a ship

rush

a : a violent forward motion b : attack, onset c : a surging of emotion a : a burst of activity, productivity, or speed b : a sudden insistent demand : a thronging of people usually to a new place in search of wealth <a gold rush> a : the act of carrying a football during a game : running play b : the action or an instance of rushing a passer or kicker in football <a pass rush> a : a round of attention usually involving extensive social activity b : a drive by a fraternity or sorority to recruit new members : a print of a motion-picture scene processed directly after the shooting for review by the director or producer —usually used in plural a : the immediate pleasurable feeling produced by a drug (as heroin or amphetamine) —called also flash b : a sudden feeling of intense pleasure or euphoria : thrill

lunatic

a : affected with lunacy : insane b : designed for the care of insane persons <lunatic asylum> : wildly foolish <a lunatic idea> He hatched a lunatic plot to overthrow the government. another of his lunatic ideas

dumb

a : lacking the human power of speech <dumb animals> b of a person often offensive : lacking the ability to speak : temporarily unable to speak (as from shock or astonishment) <struck dumb with fear> : not expressed in uttered words <dumb grief> : silent; also : taciturn : lacking some usual attribute or accompaniment; especially : having no means of self-propulsion <a dumb barge> a : lacking intelligence : stupid b : showing a lack of intelligence <asking dumb questions> c : requiring no intelligence <dumb luck> : not having the capability to process data <a dumb terminal> — compare intelligent Usage Discussion of dumb There is evidence that, when applied to persons who cannot speak, dumb has come to be considered offensive. I'm not dumb enough to believe that. It was a dumb idea in the first place. He just stood there with a dumb grin on his face. This is one of the dumbest TV shows I've ever seen. It was dumb luck that we found this place at all. His success is just a matter of dumb luck. He was born deaf and dumb.

modality

a : the quality or state of being modal b : a modal quality or attribute : form : the classification of logical propositions according to their asserting or denying the possibility, impossibility, contingency, or necessity of their content : one of the main avenues of sensation (as vision) : a usually physical therapeutic agency

discern

a : to detect with the eyes <discerned a figure approaching through the fog> b : to detect with senses other than vision <discerned a strange odor> : to recognize or identify as separate and distinct : discriminate <discern right from wrong> : to come to know or recognize mentally <unable to discern his motives> : to see or understand the difference Examples of discern in a sentence A careful analysis of the "Nutrition Facts" panels might provide some guidance, but you would have to do a lot of math before you could discern the best choice. —David L. Katz, O, The Oprah Magazine, August 2008 The ability to discern value at a glimpse, to sift the useful out of the rejected with as little expenditure of energy as possible, is the great talent of the scavenger. —Matthew Power, Harper's, December 2006 Astronomers are delighted to have found 19 galaxies that appear to be bent out of shape. The distorted images are cosmic mirages, arcs or rings of light created when the gravity of a massive foreground object bends and magnifies the light from a galaxy lying behind it. Albert Einstein predicted the effect ... in 1936, but telescopes at the time weren't powerful enough to discern it. —R. Cowen, Science News, 21 Jan. 2006 Despite the layers of ironic hesitation, the reader soon discerns that the emotions informing the book are raw and, more importantly, authentic. —Publishers Weekly, 13 Dec. 1999 The reasons behind this sudden change are difficult to discern. <barely able to discern the garden gate through the mist>

antecedent

grammar : a word or phrase that is represented by another word (such as a pronoun) : something that came before something else and may have influenced or caused it antecedents : the people in a family who lived in past times : a substantive word, phrase, or clause whose denotation is referred to by a pronoun (as John in "Mary saw John and called to him"); broadly : a word or phrase replaced by a substitute : the conditional element in a proposition (as if A in "if A, then B") : the first term of a mathematical ratio a : a preceding event, condition, or cause b plural : the significant events, conditions, and traits of one's earlier life a : predecessor; especially : a model or stimulus for later developments b plural : ancestors, parents "John" is the antecedent of the pronoun "him" in "Mary saw John and thanked him." <what are the antecedents of the American Revolutionary War?> : earlier in time : prior <I'd like to follow up on an antecedent question from another reporter.>

null

law : having no legal power : having no legal or binding force : invalid : amounting to nothing : nil : having no value : insignificant a : having no elements <null set> b : having zero as a limit <null sequence> c of a matrix : having all elements equal to zero a : indicating usually by a zero reading on a scale when a given quantity (as current or voltage) is zero or when two quantities are equal —used of an instrument b : being or relating to a method of measurement in which an unknown quantity (as of electric current) is compared with a known quantity of the same kind and found equal by a null detector : of, being, or relating to zero : zero <the contract was null because one party forgot to sign it> <that information is as null as no information at all> Did You Know? English borrowed "null" from the Anglo-French nul, meaning "not any." That word, in turn, traces to the Latin word nullus, from ne-, meaning "not," and ullus, meaning "any." "Null" often pops up in legal and scientific contexts. It was originally used in Scottish law and still carries the meaning "having no legal or binding force." In math, it is sometimes used to mean "containing nothing"; for example, the set of all whole numbers that are divisible by zero is the "null set" (that is, there are no numbers that fit that description). But "null" also has some more general uses. We often use it with the meaning "lacking meaning or value" (as in "by the time I heard it, the news was null"). : zero a : a condition of a radio receiver when minimum or zero signal is received b : a minimum or zero value of an electric current or of a radio signal

domicile

law : the place where you live : your home : a dwelling place : place of residence : home a : a person's fixed, permanent, and principal home for legal purposes b : residence 2b You will need to report your change of domicile to your insurance company. Students must establish a domicile in the state to be eligible for reduced tuition. Full Definition of domicile 1 : a dwelling place : place of residence : home 2 a : a person's fixed, permanent, and principal home for legal purposes b : residence 2b See domicile defined for English-language learners See domicile defined for kids Examples of domicile in a sentence You will need to report your change of domicile to your insurance company. Students must establish a domicile in the state to be eligible for reduced tuition. Did You Know? Domicile traces to Latin domus, meaning "home," and English speakers have been using it as a word for "home" since at least the 15th century. In the eyes of the law, a domicile can also be a legal residence, the address from which one registers to vote, licenses a car, and pays income tax. Wealthy people may have several homes in which they live at different times of the year, but only one of their homes can be their official domicile for all legal purposes.

cognate

linguistics : having the same origin : of the same or similar nature : generically alike : related by blood; also : related on the mother's side a : related by descent from the same ancestral language b of a word or morpheme : related by derivation, borrowing, or descent c of a substantive : related to a verb usually by derivation and serving as its object to reinforce the meaning English "eat" and German "essen" are cognate. Spanish and French are cognate languages. Did You Know? The story of "cognate" is all relative: that is, it's all about relatives. Cognate words share an ancestor, like "allude" and "prelude" (which both trace to the Latin root ludere) and the English "brother" and the German Bruder (which are both related to the Greek phrater). Cognate languages, like French, Spanish, and Italian, descend from the same ancestral language. People related through a common ancestor are cognate, and groups of people, such as tribes, can be cognate to one another. "Cognate" also describes things related in a more figurative way, as in "cognate developments," "cognate disciplines," or "cognate problems." "Cognate" itself comes from the Latin cognatus which traces to Latin nasci meaning "to be born." Some words cognate to "cognate" include "innate," "nascent," "native," and "Renaissance."

neurosis

medical : an emotional illness in which a person experiences strong feelings of fear or worry : a mental and emotional disorder that affects only part of the personality, is accompanied by a less distorted perception of reality than in a psychosis, does not result in disturbance of the use of language, and is accompanied by various physical, physiological, and mental disturbances (as visceral symptoms, anxieties, or phobias) LBJ by legend watched the evening news about Vietnam simultaneously on three TVs, a ticket to a neurosis and night sweats. —Daniel Henninger, Wall Street Journal, 2 Dec. 2005 He's self-conscious about few things, period, and so utterly lacking in neurosis that it's unnerving, frankly. —Ned Zeman, Vanity Fair, February 2001 None of this official intervention did much to calm the fretfulness about maidservants, for the anxiety about their being both unreliable yet indispensable marked the birth of an authentically bourgeois neurosis. —Simon Schama, The Embarrassment of Riches, 1988 : a mental and emotional disorder that affects only part of the personality, is accompanied by a less distorted perception of reality than in a psychosis, does not result in disturbance of the use of language, and is accompanied by various physical, physiological, and mental disturbances (as visceral symptoms, anxieties, or phobias)

malignant

medical : very serious and dangerous : tending or likely to grow and spread in a rapid and uncontrolled way that can cause death : very evil a obsolete : malcontent, disaffected b : evil in nature, influence, or effect : injurious c : passionately and relentlessly malevolent : aggressively malicious : tending to produce death or deterioration <malignant malaria>; especially : tending to infiltrate, metastasize, and terminate fatally <a malignant tumor> a highly malignant form of cancer a powerful and malignant influence

premise

premises : a building and the area of land that it is on : a statement or idea that is accepted as being true and that is used as the basis of an argument a : a proposition antecedently supposed or proved as a basis of argument or inference; specifically : either of the first two propositions of a syllogism from which the conclusion is drawn b : something assumed or taken for granted : presupposition plural : matters previously stated; specifically : the preliminary and explanatory part of a deed or of a bill in equity plural [from its being identified in the premises of the deed] a : a tract of land with the buildings thereon b : a building or part of a building usually with its appurtenances (as grounds) Called behavioral ecology, it starts from the premise that social and environmental forces select for various behaviors that optimize people's fitness in a given environment. Different environment, different behaviors—and different human "natures." —Sharon Begley, Newsweek, 29 June 2009 Although the Voting Rights Act served, in some measure, to formalize the notion of racial representation, its consequences undermined its premise—that a transparency of interests existed between the representative and the represented. —Henry Louis Gates, Jr., New Yorker, 24 Oct. 1994 Thirty years ago the modesty of the general expectation was still consistent with the original American premise of self-government. —Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, November 1992 They were asked to leave the premises. The company leases part of the premises to smaller businesses. The premises were searched by the police. He disagreed with her premise. the basic premises of the argument a theory based on the simple premise that what goes up must come down

abreast

used to describe two or more people or things that are next to each other in a line : beside one another with bodies in line <columns of men five abreast> : up to a particular standard or level especially of knowledge of recent developments <keeps abreast of the news> abreast of: next to (someone or something) <She was running alone for a while, then another runner drew abreast of her.> : aware of or informed about (new occurrences, facts, etc.) <She is always abreast of the latest political news.> <He likes to keep/stay abreast of the news.>

sheer

used to emphasize the large amount, size, or degree of something : complete and total : very steep : almost straight up and down obsolete : bright, shining : of very thin or transparent texture : diaphanous a : unqualified, utter <sheer folly> <sheer ignorance> b : being free from an adulterant : pure, unmixed c : viewed or acting in dissociation from all else <in terms of sheer numbers> : marked by great and continuous steepness a sheer drop to the sea <we had to get window shades because passersby could see right through our sheer curtains> Synonym Discussion of sheer steep, abrupt, precipitous, sheer mean having an incline approaching the perpendicular. steep implies such sharpness of pitch that ascent or descent is very difficult <a steep hill> <a steep dive>. abrupt implies a sharper pitch and a sudden break in the level <a beach with an abrupt drop-off>. precipitous applies to an incline approaching the vertical <the river winds through a precipitous gorge>. sheer suggests an unbroken perpendicular expanse <sheer cliffs that daunted the climbers>. : straight up or down : in a complete manner : altogether : straight up or down without a break : perpendicularly mountains rising sheer from the plains

alas

—used to express sadness, sorrow, disappointment, etc. —used to express unhappiness, pity, or concern <Juliet's pitiful lament, "alas, poor Romeo, he is already dead!".>