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| Abate (verb) decrease, decline, de-escalate, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, lessen, let up, lower, moderate, pall, phase down, ratchet (down) also rachet (down), recede, relent, remit, shrink, subside, taper, taper off, wane | 1. a : to put an end to <abate a nuisance> b : nullify 1 <abate a writ> 2 a : to reduce in degree or intensity : moderate <may abate their rancor to win peace> b : to reduce in value or amount : make less especially by way of relief <abate a tax> 3 : deduct, omit <abate part of the price> 4 a : to beat down or cut away so as to leave a figure in relief b obsolete : blunt 5 : deprive 2 intransitive verb 1 : to decrease in force or intensity 2a : to become defeated or become null or void b : to decrease in amount or value We waited for the wind to abate.>interest in the author's home abated as her novels waned in popularity>For a while, in the Cold War's aftermath, the public fascination for espionage may abate, though somehow I doubt it.>At about six, as the heat abated, people began to crowd the streets and marketplaces, and to fill the cafés. |
| ab·di·cate (verb) abnegate, cede, relinquish, renounce, resign, step aside (from), step down (from), surrender | 1. to leave the position of being a king or queen 2. to fail to do what is required by (a duty or responsibility) 3. (v) formally give up the throne (or some other power or responsibility) transitive verb--> 1 : to cast off : discard 2 : to relinquish (as sovereign power) formally intransitive verb : to renounce a throne, high office, dignity, or function >The king was forced to abdicate. >The king abdicated the throne. |
| Aberrant (adj) abnormal, deviant, exceptional, aberrated, anomalous, atypical, especial, exceeding, extraordinaire, extraordinary, freak, odd, peculiar, phenomenal, preternatural, rare, singular, uncommon, uncustomary, unique, unusual, unwonted | 1. different from the usual or natural type : unusual or abnormal 2. straying from the right or normal way 3. deviating from the usual or natural type : atypical >a year of aberrant weather—record rainfall in the summer, record heat in the autumn >aberrant behavior can be a sign of rabies in a wild animal >he stones, silvered in the moon's aberrant light, shone like spectral tombs, and the figures, which Dalgliesh knew were Helena, Lettie and the Bostocks, became discarnate shapes disappearing into the darkness |
| Abhor (v) detest, regard with disgust, hate, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, loathe | 1. to dislike (someone or something) very much 2. to regard with extreme repugnance : loathe >abhors the way people leave their trash at the picnic sites in the park > We believe we know that Americans abhor extremes and mistrust ideology >I abhor latter-day, modishly camp take-offs of my cherished boyhood heroes and heroines >He abhorred grandiosity. When he came to New York to revise his manuscripts and galley proofs, he would hole up in a little cubicle on the attic floor of the old 52nd Street mansion that went by the name of Random House. |
| Abjure (v) give up, renounce; repudiate, recant, or shun (especially formally or under oath), abnegate, forswear (also foreswear), recant, renege, renounce, repeal, repudiate, retract, take back, unsay, withdraw | 1. to reject (something) formally 2. to renounce upon oath 3. to reject solemnly 4. to abstain from : avoid <abjure extravagance> >abjured some long-held beliefs when she converted to another religion >a strict religious sect that abjures the luxuries, comforts, and conveniences of the modern world |
| Abrasive (adj) rough, suitable for grinding or polishing (such as sandpaper); causing irritation or annoyance, annoying, aggravating, bothersome, carking, chafing, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating, galling, irksome, irritating, maddening, nettlesome, nettling, peeving, pesky, pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, pesty, plaguey (also plaguy), rankling, rebarbative, riling, vexatious, vexing | 1. causing damage or wear by rubbing, grinding, or scraping : of or relating to abrasion 2. having a rough quality : used for rubbing something to make it smooth or shiny 3. very unpleasant or irritating 4. tending to abrade 5. causing irritation <abrasive manners> >The waves had an abrasive action on the rocks.>an abrasive display of rude behavior --- 1. substance that is used for rubbing something to make it smooth, shiny, or clean : an abrasive substance 2. a substance (as emery or pumice) used for abrading, smoothing, or polishing |
| Abridge (v) reduce or lessen; shorten by omitting parts throughout while retaining the main idea, abbreviate, shorten, curtail, cut back, dock, elide, syncopate, truncate | 1. to shorten (a book, a play, etc.) by leaving out some parts 2. to lessen the strength or effect of (something, such as a right) to reduce in scope : diminish <attempts to abridge the right of free speech> 3. to shorten in duration or extent <modern transportation that abridges distance>4. to shorten by omission of words without sacrifice of sense >abridge a dictionary by omitting rare words >the library's hours have been drastically abridged to cut costs |
| Abstain (v) hold back, refrain (especially from something bad or unhealthy); decline to vote | 1. to choose not to do or have something 2. to choose not to vote 3. to refrain deliberately and often with an effort of self-denial from an action or practice <abstain from drinking>>Ten members voted for the proposal, six members voted against it, and two abstained. -- to refrain deliberately and often with an effort of self-denial from an action or practice (as consumption of a food or a drug or indulgence in sexual intercourse) |
| Government & Politics terms | agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism |
| Acme (n) summit, peak, highest point, height, apex, apogee, capstone, climax, crescendo, crest, crown, culmination, head, high noon, high tide, high-water mark, meridian, ne plus ultra, noon, noontime, peak, pinnacle, sum, summit, tip-top, top, zenith | 1. the highest point of something 2. the highest point or stage; also : one that represents perfection of the thing expressed >His fame was at its acme. >the acme of their basketball season was their hard-won victory over last year's state champs -- the highest or most critical point or stage (as of growth or development) |
| Activism (n) | 1. the practice of pursuing political or other goals through vigorous action, often including protests and demonstrations 2. a doctrine or practice that emphasizes direct vigorous action especially in support of or opposition to one side of a controversial issue |
| Adhere (v) stick, cleave, cling, hew | 1. stick (to), such as with glue, or to a plan or belief 2. to attach firmly to something 3. to give support or maintain loyalty 4. to hold fast or stick by or as if by gluing, suction, grasping, or fusing 5. to bind oneself to observance <adhere to the rules> 6. transitive verb : to cause to stick fast >The stamp failed to adhere. >everyone started calling her “Cookie” when she was little and the name adhered -- intransitive verb 1 : to hold fast or stick by or as if by gluing, suction, grasping, or fusing <a gauze bandage adhering to the wound> 2 : to become joined (as in pathological adhesion) <the lung sometimes adheres to the pleura> transitive verb: to cause to stick fast |
| Admonish v rebuke, chide, reprimand, reproach, reprove, tick off | 1. mildly scold; caution, advise, or remind to do something 2. to speak to (someone) in a way that expresses disapproval or criticism 3. to tell or urge (someone) to do something. transitive verb 1 a : to indicate duties or obligations to b : to express warning or disapproval to especially in a gentle, earnest, or solicitous manner 2. to give friendly earnest advice or encouragement to >They were admonished to take advantage of the opportunity. >my physician is always admonishing me to eat more healthy foods>You landed in back of him,” said Paul, my guide and friend. As he admonished me, the fish turned obligingly, opened its mouth, wide and white, and engulfed my fly>Cops are, from the first day in the academy, admonished that juveniles must not be shot unless in dire emergency |
| Adverse adj counter, disadvantageous, hostile, inimical, negative, prejudicial, unfavorable, unfriendly, unsympathetic, untoward | 1. opposing, harmful 2. bad or unfavorable : not good 3. : acting against or in a contrary direction : hostile <hindered by adverse winds> 4 a : opposed to one's interests <an adverse verdict> <heard testimony adverse to their position>; especially : unfavorable <adverse criticism> b : causing harm : harmful <adverse drug effects>>all the adverse publicity really caused the movie star's popularity to suffer >the adverse effects of the drug are too severe to allow it to be marketed>The Bankruptcy Code requires that debtor's counsel be disinterested and not have an interest adverse to the estate. |
| Advocate (v, n) v - support, back, champion, endorse (also indorse), patronize, plump (for), plunk (for) or plonk (for) n - exponent, advocator, apostle, backer, booster, champion, expounder, espouser, friend, gospeler (or gospeller), herald, hierophant, high priest, paladin, promoter, proponent, protagonist, supporter | 1. speak or argue in favor of (verb); a person who pleads for a cause or on behalf of another person (noun) 2. a person who argues for or supports a cause or policy. 3: a person who works for a cause or group 4: a person who argues for the cause of another person in a court of law 5. to support or argue for (a cause, policy, etc.) >a passionate advocate of civil rights >She works as a consumer advocate. He has paid respectful attention to the home schooling movement by meeting with its advocates and endorsing their cause. >He advocates traditional teaching methods. The plan is advocated by the president.>He advocated the creation of a public promenade along the sea, with arbors and little green tables for the consumption of beer |
| Aesthetic (adj, n) adj - lovely, lovesome, pretty, ravishing, seemly, sightly, stunning, taking, well-favored | 1. concerning the appreciation of beauty or good taste, pertaining to the science of what is beautiful (adj); of or relating to art or beauty, appreciative of, responsive to, or zealous about the beautiful; >There are practical as well as aesthetic reasons for planting trees. >making aesthetic improvements to the building >My generation has an annoying penchant for treating luxuries as necessities and turning guilty pleasures into aesthetic and even moral touchstones. 2. a sense of beauty and taste of a particular time and place (noun), a set of ideas or opinions about beauty or art, he study of beauty especially in art and literature >Aesthetics is an important part of Greek philosophy. >the aesthetics of the gemstones |
| Other Fine Art Terms | Gothic, baroque, bas-relief, limn, oeuvre, pastiche, rococo, sfumato |
| Affable (adj) easygoing, breezy, devil-may-care, happy-go-lucky, laid-back, low-pressure, mellow | 1. warm and friendly, pleasant, approachable 2. being pleasant and at ease in talking to others <an affable host> 3. characterized by ease and friendliness <an affable manner> >a lively, affable young fellow <as the show's affable host, she keeps the freewheeling gabfest from getting out of hand> >Bertie's a bright, affable fellow, but every little success he has feels cheapened in comparison with his dad's overpowering accomplishments. |
| Affectation (n) pretense, affectedness, grandiosity, inflation, pretension, pretentiousness | 1. fake behavior (such as in speech or dress) adopted to give a certain impression 2. an unnatural form of behavior that is meant to impress others 3. the act of taking on or displaying an attitude or mode of behavior not natural to oneself or not genuinely felt 4. speech or conduct not natural to oneself : artificiality >His French accent is just an affectation. >a woman of great affectation at social gatherings |
| Aggrandize (v) exalt, canonize, deify, dignify, elevate, ennoble, enshrine, ensky, enthrone, glorify, magnify | 1. make greater; exaggerate 2. to make appear great or greater : praise highly 3. to enhance the power, wealth, position, or reputation of <exploited the situation to aggrandize himself><a movie that aggrandizes the bad guys and makes the cops look like dopes> <a generous grant, enabling the library to significantly aggrandize its collection of books on tape> |
| Aggregate (v, adj) v- add up (to), amount (to), come (to), count (up to), number, sum (to or into), total | 1. Verb - gather together, amount to (verb);to join or combine into a single group, to equal a specified number or amount>The Web site aggregates content from many other sites. <over time, her petty thefts aggregated a significant shortfall in the company's books> 2. Adj : constituting a whole made up of constituent parts (adj), clustered in a dense mass or head <an aggregate flower> (2) : formed from several separate ovaries of a single flower <aggregate fruit>, taking all units as a whole <aggregate sales>>The university receives more than half its aggregate income from government sources. The team with the highest aggregate score wins. There were to be thirty-seven playgrounds, twenty schools. There were to be a hundred and thirty-three miles of street, paved with an inch and a half of No. two macadam on an aggregate base. |
| Alacrity (n) amenability, gameness, goodwill, obligingness, willingness | 1. cheerful or speedy willingness 2. a quick and cheerful readiness to do something 3. promptness in response : cheerful readiness <accepted the invitation with alacrity> >She accepted the invitation with an alacrity that surprised me.>having just acquired his driver's license that morning, the teen agreed with alacrity to drive his cousin to the airport> Surely one of the most striking features of human dynamics is the alacrity with which those who have been oppressed will oppress whomever they can once the opportunity presents itself |
| Alienate (v) alien, estrange, disaffect, disgruntle, sour | 1. cause to become unfriendly, hostile, or distant 2. to make (someone) unfriendly : to cause (someone) to stop being friendly, helpful, etc., towards you 3. to cause (someone) to feel that she or he no longer belongs in a particular group, society, etc. 4. to make unfriendly, hostile, or indifferent especially where attachment formerly existed 5. to convey or transfer (as property or a right) usually by a specific act rather than the due course of law 6. to cause to be withdrawn or diverted>He alienated most of his colleagues with his bad temper. >Her position on this issue has alienated many former supporters. |
| Alleviate (v) allay, help, assuage, ease, mitigate, mollify, palliate, relieve, soothe | 1. lessen, make easier to endure 2. to make (as suffering) more bearable <her sympathy alleviated his distress> 3.to partially remove or correct <measures taken to alleviate a labor shortage>finding ways to alleviate stress>a car pool alleviates some of the stress of driving the kids to and from school every day>For decades, as you probably know, researchers have found that when you tell patients that you're giving them medicine, many report that their symptoms are alleviated, even if they're only taking sugar pills. |
| Ambiguous (adj) inexplicable,obscure, arcane, cryptic, dark, deep, Delphic, double-edged, elliptical (or elliptic), enigmatic (also enigmatical), equivocal, fuliginous, inscrutable, murky, mysterious, mystic, nebulous, occult, opaque | 1. not clear, hard to understand, open to having several meanings or interpretations 2. not expressed or understood clearly 3. doubtful or uncertain especially from obscurity or indistinctness <eyes of an ambiguous color> 4. capable of being understood in two or more possible senses or ways <an ambiguous smile> <an ambiguous term> <a deliberately ambiguous reply>>We were confused by the ambiguous wording of the message.>He looked at her with an ambiguous smile. >Due to the ambiguous nature of the question, it was difficult to choose the right answer. the ambiguous position of women in modern society>Greater familiarity with this artist makes one's assessment of him more tentative rather than less. >His best pictures exude a hypersensitive, ambiguous aura of grace. |
| Ambivalent (adj) | 1. uncertain; unable to decide, or wanting to do two contradictory things at once 2. simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings (as attraction and repulsion) toward an object, person, or action 3. continual fluctuation (as between one thing and its opposite) 4. uncertainty as to which approach to follow |
| Other Psychologial Term | fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal |
| Analogous (adj) akin, alike, cognate, comparable, connate, correspondent, corresponding, ditto, like, matching, parallel, resemblant, resembling, similar, such, suchlike | 1. comparable, corresponding in some particular way (making a good analogy) 2. similar in some way 3. showing an analogy or a likeness that permits one to draw an analogy 4. being or related to as an analogue >I could not think of an analogous situation. <bad-mouthing your sister is analogous to slapping her in the face—it's just as bad> … gluons, force particles analogous to the photons of electromagnetism. |
| Anarchy (n) lawlessness, misrule | 1. absence of law or government; chaos, disorder 2. a situation of confusion and wild behavior in which the people in a country, group, organization, etc., are not controlled by rules or laws 3. absence or denial of any authority or established order>Anarchy reigned in the empire's remote provinces.>When the teacher was absent, there was anarchy in the classroom. >Its immigration policies in the last five years have become the envy of those in the West who see in all but the most restrictive laws the specter of terrorism and social anarchy. |
| Anoint (v) smear, bedaub, besmear, daub | 1. rub or sprinkle oil on; make sacred, such as by ceremony that includes applying oil to someone 2. to officially or formally choose (someone) to do or to be something 3. to smear or rub with oil or an oily substance> The magazine anointed her the most popular actress of the year. <anoint the wound with antiseptic to prevent infection> |
| Anomaly (n) aberration, abnormality, exception, oddity, oddment, rarity | 1. deviation from what is common; inconsistency 2. something that is unusual or unexpected : something anomalous 3. deviation from the common rule : irregularity 4. something anomalous : something different, abnormal, peculiar, or not easily classified >We couldn't explain the anomalies in the test results. <her C grade is an anomaly, as she's never made anything except A's and B's before> In approximately 10% of patients, autism can be explained by genetic syndromes and known chromosomal anomalies |
| Antagonize (v) embitter, empoison, envenom | 1. make hostile or unfriendly 2. to cause (someone) to feel hostile or angry : to irritate or upset (someone) 3. to act in opposition to : counteract 4. to incur or provoke the hostility of <his criticism antagonized his friends> He didn't mean to antagonize you. >Her comments antagonized many people. |
| Apathy (n) affectlessness, emotionlessness, impassiveness, impassivity, insensibility, numbness, phlegm, indifference | 1. not caring; absence of feeling; lack of interest or concern 2. the feeling of not having much emotion or interest : an apathetic state 3. lack of feeling or emotion : impassiveness 4.lack of interest or concern : indifference >People have shown surprising apathy toward these important social problems. People have shown a surprising apathy toward these problems. That's the danger of a teeming cast of … characters: they get jumbled in the viewer's mind, and … apathy ensues. Novels can afford a rich banquet of personalities; it's what readers sign up for. But ratiocination isn't welcome in modern movies, which prefer visceral impact over intellect. |
| Apocryphal (adj) | 1. of questionable authenticity; false 2. well-known but probably not true 3. of doubtful authenticity : spurious >an apocryphal story about the president's childhood During these men's professional lives, Wall Street has become accustomed to getting what it wants from Washington. America's top bankers have an even longer history of not giving a hoot what the public thinks.>There is a story, perhaps apocryphal, about Leonard Bernstein and tax returns. On the line that asked him to list his profession, Bernstein didn't write “conductor” or “composer,” or “pianist,” or “teacher.” |
| Other Bible Terms | antediluvian, apocalyptic, apocrypha, behemoth |
| Arcane (adj) abstruse, profound, deep, esoteric, hermetic (also hermetical), recondite | 1. known or understood by only a few; obscure, secret 2. secret or mysterious : known or understood by only a few people 3. known or knowable only to the initiate : secret <arcane rites>; broadly : mysterious, obscure <arcane explanations>a theory filled with arcane details <grammatical rules that seem arcane to generations of students who were never taught grammar in the first place> |
| Archaic (adj) antiquated, obsolete, dated, démodé, demoded, fossilized, kaput (also kaputt), medieval (also mediaeval), moribund, mossy, moth-eaten, neolithic, Noachian, outdated, outmoded, out-of-date, outworn, passé, prehistoric (also prehistorical), rusty, Stone Age, superannuated | 1. characteristic of an earlier period, ancient, primitive 2. having the characteristics of the language of the past and surviving chiefly in specialized uses <an archaic word> 3. of, relating to, or characteristic of an earlier or more primitive time : antiquated <archaic legal traditions> 4. surviving from an earlier period; specifically : typical of a previously dominant evolutionary stage>The company needs to update its archaic computer systems. <a man with some archaic notions about the proper sphere for women> |
| Arduous (adj) hard, Augean, backbreaking, challenging, demanding, difficult, effortful, exacting, formidable, grueling (or gruelling), heavy, hellacious, herculean, killer, laborious, moiling, murderous, pick-and-shovel, rigorous, rough, rugged, severe, stiff, strenuous, sweaty, tall, testing, toilsome, tough, uphill | 1. very difficult, strenuous; severe, hard to endure 2. hard to accomplish or achieve : difficult <years of arduous training> 3. marked by great labor or effort : strenuous <a life of arduous toil — A. C. Cole> 4. hard to climb : steep <an arduous path> >He went through a long and arduous training program. an arduous journey across miles of desert>As yoga classes go, this is not an arduous one, but the students don't know that. |
| Articulate (adj, verb) Adj - eloquent, fluent, silver-tongued, well-spoken Verb - enunciate | 1. Adj : using language in a clear, fluent way (adj); clearly expressed and easily understood,able to express ideas clearly and effectively in speech or writing>She's an intelligent and articulate speaker. >He was very articulate about his feelings on the subject.>The baby is beginning to form articulate words and phrases. -- 2. Verb - speak distinctly or give clarity to an idea (verb), to express (something, such as an idea) in words,to say or pronounce (something, such as a word) in a way that can be clearly heard and understood>He had some trouble articulating his thoughts. >We disagree with the views articulated by the administration. a theory first articulated by ancient philosophers |
| Artifact (n) | 1. any object made by humans, especially those from an earlier time, such as those excavated by archaeologists 2. a simple object (such as a tool or weapon) that was made by people in the past 3. an accidental effect that causes incorrect results >The caves contained many prehistoric artifacts. >an artifact from the Colonial period>something created by humans usually for a practical purpose; especially : an object remaining from a particular period <caves containing prehistoric artifacts> a product of artificial character (as in a scientific test) due usually to extraneous (as human) agency |
| Archaeology Terms | Attic, Byzantine, Paleolithic, cairn, core, flint, horizon, neolithic, shard, stratum |
| Artless (adj) guileless, genuine, honest, ingenuous, innocent, naive (or naïve), natural, real, simple, sincere, true, unaffected, unpretending, unpretentious | 1. free of deceit or craftiness, natural, genuine; lacking skill or knowledge, crude, uncultured 2. lacking art, knowledge, or skill : uncultured <an artless brute> 3. made without skill : crude <an artless attempt to win votes> 4. free from artificiality : natural <artless grace> 5. free from guile or craft : sincerely simple <an artless young woman> Her simple artless charm won us over instantly. <a genuine and artless girl> |
| Ascertain (v) discover, catch on (to), find out, get on (to), hear, learn, realize, see, wise (up) | 1. find out with certainty 2. to learn or find out (something, such as information or the truth) 3. to make certain, exact, or precise 4. to find out or learn with certainty >The information can be ascertained by anyone with a computer. <was immediately able to ascertain that the girl was uncomfortable talking about her life at home> We look at digital media—images, audio and video—and we try to ascertain whether or not they've been manipulated. We use mathematical and computational techniques to detect alterations in them. |
| Ascetic (adj, n) | 1. Adj abstinent or austere in lifestyle (adj); a person who leads an austere and simple like without material pleasures, esp. someone who does this for religious reasons, 2. relating to or having a strict and simple way of living that avoids physical pleasure 3. practicing strict self-denial as a measure of personal and especially spiritual discipline 4. austere in appearance, manner, or attitude> an ascetic diet of rice and beans >y Hollywood standards, Calley's career path may seem enigmatic, but then, so is his personality. If Mark Canton, the previous Sony president, was the boastful, Armani-clad big spender, Calley is downright ascetic, a man who disdains Hollywood profligacy. |
| Assuage (v) allay, alleviate, help, ease, mitigate, mollify, palliate, relieve, soothe | 1. make milder, relieve; soothe, pacify, or calm 2. to lessen the intensity of (something that pains or distresses) : ease <unable to assuage their grief> 3. pacify, quiet <vainly strove … to assuage an implacable foe — Edward Gibbon> 4. to put an end to by satisfying : appease, quench <assuaging his thirst>He couldn't assuage his guilt over the divorce. <a mother cooing to her toddler and assuaging his fear of the dark> Life contains sorrows that cannot be assuaged, and it is important to be honest in acknowledging this. |
| Audacious (adj) arch, nervy, bold, bold-faced, brash, brassbound, brassy, brazen, brazen-faced, cheeky, cocksure, cocky, fresh, impertinent, impudent, insolent, sassy, saucy, wise | 1. very bold or brave, often in a rude or reckless way; extremely original 2. very confident and daring : very bold and surprising or shocking 3. contemptuous of law, religion, or decorum : insolent 4. marked by originality and verve <audacious experiments> They have audacious plans for the new school. This is her most audacious film so far. She made an audacious decision to quit her job.>This is an audacious claim, and Kramer anticipates, even encourages, the controversy it might provoke. |
| Augment (v) accelerate, add (to), aggrandize, amplify, increase, boost, build up, compound, enlarge, escalate, expand, extend, hype, multiply, pump up, raise, swell, stoke, supersize, up | 1. make larger 2. to increase the size or amount of (something) 3. to add something to (something) in order to improve or complete it >The money augmented his fortune. >Heavy rains augmented the water supply.>These reserve units will soon be augmented by full-time Maritime Safety and Security Teams. |
| Austere (adj) severe, authoritarian, flinty, hard, harsh, heavy-handed, ramrod, rigid, rigorous, stern, strict, tough | 1. severe in manner or appearance; very self-disciplined, ascetic; without luxury or ease; sober or serious 2. simple or plain : not fancy 4. of a person : having a serious and unfriendly quality 5. : having few pleasures : simple and harsh 6. giving little or no scope for pleasure <austere diets> They choose austere furnishings for the office. >He was known for his austere style of writing. >They lived an austere life in the country. |
| Autonomous (adj) free, freestanding, independent, self-governed, self-governing, self-ruling, separate, sovereign (also sovran) | 1. self-governing, independent 2. existing or acting separately from other things or people 3. having the power or right to govern itself 4. undertaken or carried on without outside control : self-contained <an autonomous school system>Native American nations are regarded as autonomous in many respects and thus not subject to a number of state and local laws. |
| Aver (v) affirm, allege, assert, claim, avouch, avow, contend, declare, insist, maintain, profess, protest, purport, warrant | 1. declare or affirm with confidence 2. to say (something) in a very strong and definite way 3. to verify or prove to be true in pleading a cause 4. to allege or assert in pleading 5. to declare positively >He averred that he was innocent. “I am innocent,” he averred. |
| Avid (adj) acquisitive, avaricious, greedy, coveting, covetous, grabby, grasping, mercenary, moneygrubbing, rapacious | 1. enthusiastic, dedicated, passionate; excessively desirous 2. wanting something very much 3. desirous to the point of greed : urgently eager : greedy <avid for publicity> 4. characterized by enthusiasm and vigorous pursuit <avid readers> He is an avid admirer of horror movies. >They took an avid interest in politics. >some of the newspaper's most avid readers |
| Balk (v) baffle, frustrate, beat, checkmate, discomfit, foil, thwart | 1. refuse to proceed or to do something 2. to suddenly show that you do not want to do something : to refuse to do what someone else wants you to do 3. of a horse, mule, etc. : to stop quickly and refuse to continue going 4. of an engine : to fail to work in the usual or expected way >The horse balked and would not jump the fence. >The runner on third base tried to make the pitcher balk. |
| Base (adj) ignoble, contemptible, currish, despicable, detestable, dirty, dishonorable, execrable, ignominious, low, low-down, low-minded, mean, nasty, paltry, snide, sordid, vile, wretched | 1. morally low, mean, dishonorable; of little or no value; crude and unrefined; counterfeit 2. not honest or good 3. of a metal : having low quality and value 4. resembling a villein : servile <a base tenant> 5. being of comparatively low value and having relatively inferior properties (as lack of resistance to corrosion) <a base metal such as iron> — compare noble 6. lacking or indicating the lack of higher qualities of mind or spirit : ignoble |
| Belie (v) misrepresent | 1. contradict or misrepresent, to give a false impression of b : to present an appearance not in agreement with 2 a : to show (something) to be false or wrong b : to run counter to : contradict 3. disguise >a tree whose delicate beauty belies its real toughness Their actions belie their claim to be innocent. |
| Benign (adj) anodyne, harmless, hurtless, innocent, innocuous, inoffensive, safe, white | 1. harmless; favorable; kindly, gentle, or beneficial; not cancerous 2. of a gentle disposition : gracious <a benign teacher> 3. of a mild type or character that does not threaten health or life; especially : not becoming cancerous <a benign lung tumor> 4. having no significant effect : harmless <environmentally benign> We were happy to hear that the tumor was benign. <around campus he's known as a real character, but one whose eccentricities are entirely benign> … substituting such benign power sources as the hybrid, the fuel cell, and the electric motor in place of … the internal-combustion engine. |
| Bogus (adj) artificial, imitation, dummy, ersatz, factitious, fake, false, faux, imitative, man-made, mimic, mock, pretend, sham, simulated, substitute, synthetic | 1. fake, fraudulent 2. not genuine : counterfeit, sham >It was just a bogus claim. The evidence was completely bogus. |
| Bolster (v) bear, support, brace, buttress, carry, prop (up), shore (up), stay, sustain, undergird, underpin, uphold | 1. strengthen or support 2. to make (something) stronger or better : to give support to (something) 3. to give a boost to <news that bolstered his spirits> She came with me to bolster my confidence. >a convincing argument that was bolstered by the speaker's reputation >She is thinking of ways to bolster her career. |
| Boor (n) bastard, beast, bleeder, swine, toad, varmint, vermin | 1. rude, ill-mannered, or insensitive person; a peasant or country bumpkin >I can't invite a boor like him to dinner! He'd offend the other guests. <a loudmouthed boor who embarrassed his family at every social event they attended> |
| Buffer (n) cushion, gentle, soften | 1. something that shields, protects, absorbs shock, or cushions 2. SLANG : fellow, man; especially : an old man 3. something that serves as a protective barrier: 4. a temporary storage unit (as in a computer); especially >The trees help buffer the house from the hot summer sun.>The wall buffers the noise of the traffic. |
| Bureaucracy (n) | 1. government characterized by many bureaus and petty administrators or by excessive, seemingly meaningless requirements 2. a large group of people who are involved in running a government but who are not elected>She was fed up with all the red tape and bureaucracy. Both candidates pledge to simplify the state's bloated bureaucracy. As Europe slipped deeper into the war, the uranium panel twiddled its thumbs. It was so mired in bureaucracy that by the spring of 1940, it had managed to approve only the $6,000 in research funds earmarked for Fermi and Szilard, so they could purchase uranium and graphite for their fission experiments. |
| Other Government and Politics Terms | agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism |
| Burgeon (v) accelerate, accumulate, appreciate, balloon, boom, build up, increase (also bourgeon), climb, enlarge, escalate, expand, gain, mount, multiply, mushroom, proliferate, rise, roll up, snowball, spread, swell, wax | 1. grow or flourish rapidly; put forth buds or shoots (of a plant) 2. to send forth new growth (as buds or branches) : sprout>The market for collectibles has burgeoned in recent years. <the trout population in the stream is burgeoning now that the water is clean> |
| Buttress (v, n) V - bear, bolster, brace, support, carry, prop (up), shore (up), stay, sustain, undergird, underpin, uphold N - anchor, dependence, mainstay, pillar, reliance, standby | 1. support or encourage (verb); The treaty will buttress the cause of peace. The theory has been buttressed by the results of the experiment. 2. a support or prop, esp. projecting from and supporting the wall of a building (noun), a structure built against a wall in order to support or strengthen it <the mother had always been the buttress of our family in trying times> <after the wall collapsed, the construction company agreed to rebuild it with a buttress> |
| Bygone (adj, n) extinct, bypast, dead, defunct, departed, done, expired, gone, nonextant, vanished | past, former (adj); that which is in the past (usually plural noun), gone by : past <bygone days>; especially : outmoded <bygone styles> the bygone days of our ancestors The stone wall is from a bygone age. |
| Cacophony (n) babel, blare, bluster, bowwow, brawl, bruit [archaic], noise, chatter, clamor, clangor, decibel(s), din, discordance, katzenjammer, racket, rattle, roar | 1. harsh, discordant, or meaningless mixture of sounds >The sounds of barking dogs and sirens added to the cacophony on the streets. <the cacophony of a pet store full of animals> The cacophony of phlegmatic and tubercular lungs was punctuated here and there by a moan or a scream of someone terrified, thrashing in the throes of a nightmare. |
| Candid (adj) frank, direct, forthcoming, forthright, foursquare, freehearted, free-spoken, honest, open, openhearted, out-front, outspoken, plain, plainspoken, straight, straightforward, unguarded, unreserved, up-front | 1. open, sincere, honest 2. expressing opinions and feelings in an honest and sincere way >He was quite candid about his past. She gave us her candid opinion on the matter. To be candid, I have wondered whether it is fair to write about a man for whom I cannot help but feel a real distaste.If Bart Knaggs had been totally candid, he would have told me that when his prospective father-in-law, who was a doctor, had heard that the cancer had moved into my lungs, he said to Bart, “Well, your friend is dead.” |
| Other Christian Terms | Pentateuch, blasphemy, curate, doxology, eremite, iconoclasm, liturgy, orison, pneuma, reliquary |
| Canonical (adj) | 1. authorized, recognized; pertaining to the canon, or body of accepted rules, standards or artistic works connected with or allowed by the laws of the Christian church 2. of or relating to the books that are considered to be part of a religion's official text 3. of or relating to the group of books, plays, poems, etc., that are traditionally considered to be very important 4. conforming to a general rule or acceptable procedure : orthodox |
| Capricious (adj) fickle, changeable, changeful, flickery, fluctuating, fluid, inconsistent, inconstant, mercurial, mutable, skittish, temperamental, uncertain, unpredictable, unsettled, unstable, unsteady, variable, volatile | 1. acting on impulse, erratic 2. changing often and quickly; especially : often changing suddenly in mood or behavior 3. not logical or reasonable : based on an idea, desire, etc., that is not possible to predict >employees who are at the mercy of a capricious manager >The court ruled that the punishment was arbitrary and capricious. >… every balloon voyage is a race between capricious winds and the amount of fuel on board.>She is capricious, however, and is said to take bribes and wantonly peddle her influence from time to time. >Lady Luck is a capricious mother who, as in a recurrent nightmare, always offers, never comes through, and never stops smiling. |
| Cartography (n) | 1. mapmaking 2. the process or skill of making maps >She studied cartography in college. Other Cartography Terms : Robinson projection, benchmark, plat, projection, topography |
| Castigate (v) baste, bawl out, berate, call down, scold, chastise, chew out, dress down, flay, hammer, jaw, keelhaul, lambaste (or lambast), lecture, rag, rail (at or against), rant (at), rate, ream (out), rebuke, reprimand, reproach, score, tongue-lash, upbraid | 1. criticize severely; punish in order to correct 2. to subject to severe punishment, reproof, or criticism >The author castigated the prime minister as an ineffective leader. <castigated him for his constant tardiness> |
| Catalyze (n) beget, breed, bring, bring about, bring on, effect, cause, create, do, draw on, effectuate, engender, generate, induce, invoke, make, occasion, produce, prompt, result (in), spawn, translate (into), work, yield | 1. causer of change 2. to bring about the catalysis of (a chemical reaction) 3. bring about, inspire> a reinstitution of the draft would catalyze protests around the country |
| Caustic (adj) acerb, acerbic, acid, acidic, acidulous, acrid, barbed, biting, sarcastic, corrosive, cutting, mordant, pungent, sardonic, satiric (or satirical), scalding, scathing, sharp, smart-aleck, smart-alecky, smart-mouthed, snarky, tart | 1. capable of corroding metal or burning the skin; very critical or sarcastic 2. very harsh and critical >The chemical was so caustic that it ate through the pipes.>She wrote a caustic report about the decisions that led to the crisis.>His [Roosevelt's] caustic cousin, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, called him a sissy and a mama's boy.>It was Schuyler's gift for satire and his caustic wit that distinguished his writings and led to his nickname, the Black Mencken. |
| Censure (n, v) n - commination, condemnation, denunciation, excoriation, objurgation, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reproof, riot act, stricture V - condemn, denounce, objurgate, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, bring to account, call to account | 1. strong disapproval or official reprimand (noun); >The country faces international censure for its alleged involvement in the assassination. <a rare censure of a senator by the full United States Senate for misconduct> 2. to issue such disapproval or reprimand (verb) >He was censured by the committee for his failure to report the problem. <a vote to censure the President for conduct that was unbecoming to his office> |
| Chauvinism (n) jingoism, nationalism, superpatriotism | 1. fanatical patriotism or blind enthusiasm for military glory; undue or biased devotion to any group, cause, etc. 2. excessive or blind patriotism — compare jingoism 3. undue partiality or attachment to a group or place to which one belongs or has belonged 4. an attitude of superiority toward members of the opposite sex; also : behavior expressive of such an attitude >their ingrained chauvinism has blinded them to their country's faults |
| Chronological (adj) | 1. arranged in or relating to time order 2. using time as a measurement >His art is displayed in roughly chronological order. a chronological account of their trip >chronological tables of American history |
| Clamor (v) howl, hubbub, hue and cry, hullabaloo, noise, outcry, roar, tumult, uproar, vociferation | 1. noisy uproar or protest, as from a crowd; a loud, continuous noise 2. insistent public expression (as of support or protest) >A clamor outside woke them in the night.> city streets filled with clamor a public clamor for an arrest in the case >There is growing clamor for reform. --- 1. to make a din 2 : to become loudly insistent <clamored for his impeachment> transitive verb 1 : to utter or proclaim insistently and noisily 2 : to influence by means of clamor |
| Clinch (v) decide, determine, nail, settle | 1. make final or settle conclusively; to fasten or hold together >His home run clinched the victory. >The new evidence clinches the case. Her work on the project should clinch her a promotion. >The photos of the city have clinched it for me. I have to visit Prague. >If they win tonight's game they'll clinch the pennant. |
| Coalesce (v) associate, unite, combine, conjoin, conjugate, connect, couple, fuse, interfuse, join, link (up), marry, unify | 1. come together, unite; fuse together 2. to grow together>a group of young reformers who gradually coalesced into a political movement The ice masses coalesced into a glacier over time. |
| Cogent (adj) compelling, conclusive, convincing, decisive, effective, forceful, persuasive, satisfying, strong, telling | 1. very convincing, logical 2. very clear and easy for the mind to accept and believe 3. having power to compel or constrain <cogent forces> ><the results of the DNA fingerprinting were the most cogent evidence for acquittal> … Honeyboy Edwards provides a cogent analysis of the shift within the blues over the years …>Your article provides cogent reading.>Your arguments, whether or not one agrees with them, are generally cogent, and at times elegantly expressed. |
| Commensurate (adj) commensurable, proportional, proportionate | 1. the same in size, extent, etc., equivalent; proportional >er new position came with a commensurate level of responsibility. <was given a job commensurate with her abilities and experience>… athletes are rewarded commensurate with their fame, not their intrinsic talent … > Because the effects of tobacco are slow—and iterative—and produce diseases that have other causes and explanations, often later in life, they seldom arouse fear commensurate with their impact.>I find it interesting that the meanest life, the poorest existence, is attributed to God's will, but as human beings become more affluent, as their living standard and style begin to ascend the material scale, God descends the scale of responsibility at a commensurate speed. |
| Complacent (adj) apathetic, casual, indifferent, disinterested, incurious, insensible, insouciant, nonchalant, perfunctory, pococurante, unconcerned, uncurious, uninterested | 1. self-satisfied, smug; overly content (and therefore lazy, neglectful, or some other bad quality), unconcerned, complaisant >The strong economy has made people complacent. We have grown too complacent over the years. >We can't afford to be complacent about illiteracy. >… I gazed at my mother's poised, beautiful profile as her face turned from side to side, calm or complacent, accepting what the route offered. > Davis organized his second great quintet in the mid-60's, but by then jazz had taken a new turn and many felt he had become passé, a complacent peacock. |
| Complementary (adj) correlative, reciprocal, supplemental, supplementary | 1. completing; fitting together well; filling mutual needs 2. going together well : working well together 3. serving to fill out or complete >She wore a new outfit with a complementary scarf. >My spouse and I have complementary goals. >Vann and Ellsberg were the odd couple, difficult men from different worlds satisfying complementary needs in each other. |
| Compliant (adj) amenable, biddable, obedient, conformable, docile, law-abiding, submissive, tractable | 1. obeying, submissive; following the requirements 2. agreeing with a set of rules, standards, or requirements >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. |
| Concede (v) acknowledge, agree, allow, admit, confess, fess (up), grant, own (up to) | 1. give in, admit, yield; acknowledge reluctantly; grant or give up (such as giving up land after losing a war) 2. to grant as a right or privilege >I concede that the work has been slow so far, but it should speed up soon. >“Your plan might work,” she conceded, “but I still think mine is better.” >Although it seems clear that he has lost the election, he still refuses to concede. >He's not ready to concede the election. >The former ruler was forced to concede power to a new government. The company says that workers are not conceding enough in negotiations. |
| Conciliatory (adj) accommodate, attune, harmonize, conform, coordinate, key, reconcile | 1. reconciling, appeasing, attempting to make the peace >The company's attempts to conciliate the strikers have failed. <it will be hard to conciliate the views of labor and management regarding health benefits> |
| Concur (v) coincide, agree | 1. approve, agree 2. to act together to a common end or single effect >We concur that more money should be spent on education. “I think more time is needed.” “I concur.” In Washington, Robert B. Zoellick, president of the World Bank, concurs that only a multinational solution can really work. |
| Condone (v) blink (at), brush (aside or off), excuse, discount, disregard, forgive, gloss (over), gloze (over), ignore, overlook, overpass, paper over, pardon, pass over, remit, shrug off, whitewash, wink (at) | 1. overlook, tolerate, regard as harmless 2. : to forgive or approve (something that is considered wrong) : to allow (something that is considered wrong) to continue >a government that has been accused of condoning racism <he is too quick to condone his friend's faults> “I don't condone violence, and I think ‘gangsta rap’ should be outlawed,” says [designer Tommy] Hilfiger >And then she told him all—told him the truth word by word, without attempting to shield herself or condone her error. |
| Confer (v) accord, award, grant, vest | 1. consult, compare views; bestow or give 2. to discuss something important in order to make a decision >The lawyer and judge conferred about the ruling. <the British monarch continues to confer knighthood on those who are outstanding in their fields of endeavor> The cameleers … conferred with each other about the safest path across. >It was a traditional compliment to be whinged at by an Englishman. It was his way of saying he trusted you, he was conferring upon you the privilege of getting to know the real him. |
| Connoisseur (n) cognoscente, dilettante | 1. expert, especially in the fine arts; person of educated, refined tastes 2. ne who enjoys with discrimination and appreciation of subtleties <a connoisseur of fine wines> She is a connoisseur of African art. <a forthcoming exhibit at the art museum that is eagerly awaited by connoisseurs of ancient Greek pottery>It was apple juice. Ortiz watched him drink it with all the delicacy of a wine connoisseur sampling new bordeaux.>He was a voracious reader, a strong critic, an art connoisseur in certain directions, a collector of books, but above all he was a man of the world by profession, and loved the contacts—perhaps the collisions—of society. |
| Console (v, n) n - buffet, closet, cabinet, cupboard, hutch, locker, press, sideboard V - assure, cheer, comfort, reassure, solace, soothe | 1. lessen the suffering or grief of (verb); a control panel, or small table or cabinet (noun) >a custom-built walnut console holds all of their home-theater components >Nothing could console her after his death. <the military officer who must console the bereaved at a soldier's funeral> |
| Consolidate (v) center, compact, concenter, concentrate, centralize, polarize, unify, unite | 1. unite, combine, solidify, make coherent 2. to make (something, such as a position of power or control) stronger or more secure>The two funds will consolidate into one. The administration hopes that such measures will consolidate its position. Rebel forces have consolidated their hold on the region. |
| Constrict (v) compress, condense, contract, shrink | 1. squeeze, compress; restrict the freedom of 2. to prevent or keep (something or someone) from developing freely >The drug is used to constrict blood vessels. The declining economy has constricted job opportunities. a life constricted by poverty and disease >He felt constricted by their notions of what was proper. |
| Construe (v) clarify, clear (up), explain, demonstrate, demystify, elucidate, explicate, expound, get across, illuminate, illustrate, interpret, simplify, spell out, unriddle | 1. interpret or translate 2. o understand (an action, event, remark, etc.) in a particular way 2. : to understand the meaning of (a word, phrase, or sentence) >The way the court construes various words has changed over time. <the role of the justices of the Supreme Court in construing the constitution> |
| Contentious (adj) aggressive, agonistic, argumentative, assaultive, bellicose, brawly, chippy, combative, confrontational, belligerent, discordant, disputatious, feisty, gladiatorial, militant, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent, warlike | 1. controversial; prone to causing arguments, especially gratuitous or petty ones > After a contentious debate, members of the committee finally voted to approve the funding. The dispute involves one of the region's most contentious leaders. >In the perpetual skirmish between science and religion, biological evolution is a contentious battle ground. >Historians, admittedly a contentious lot, have failed even to agree on what to call King Philip's War. |
| Contextualize (v) | 1. place in context, such as by giving the background or circumstances 2. to think about or provide information about the situation in which something happens>When the rebellion is historically contextualized, it becomes clear that there were many factors contributing to it. |
| Conundrum (n) closed book, mystery, enigma, head-scratcher, mystification, puzzle, puzzlement, riddle, secret | 1. riddle, the answer to which involves a play on words; any mystery 2. a confusing or difficult problem > the conundrum of how an ancient people were able to build such massive structures without the benefit of today's knowledge and technology> Mention of poor eyes and good eyes brings me to the creationist's favorite conundrum. What is the use of half an eye? |
| Converge (v) cluster, collect, concenter, concentrate, conglomerate, congregate, convene, assemble, forgather (or foregather), gather, meet, rendezvous | 1. move towards one another or towards a point; unite >The two roads converge in the center of town. >Students converged in the parking lot to say goodbye after graduation. Economic forces converged to bring the country out of a recession. >Many companies are combining rapidly converging communication technology into one device that can act as a phone, take photographs, and send e-mail. |
| Conversant (adj) abreast, acquainted, au courant, familiar, informed, knowledgeable, up, up-to-date, versed, well-informed | 1. knowledgeable about or experienced with >She's conversant in several languages. <a world traveler who is highly conversant with the customs of foreign cultures> |
| Conversely (adv) | 1. in an opposite way; on the other hand >being a logical or mathematical converse <the converse theorem> >One must also consider the converse case. |
| Convoluted (adj) baroque, byzantine, complicate, complicated, complex, daedal, elaborate, intricate, involute, involved, knotty, labyrinthian, labyrinthine, sophisticated, tangled | 1. twisted; very complicated ><a convoluted explanation that left the listeners even more confused than they were before> At base stands a profound respect for the integrity of history and the complex and convoluted relationship between present and the past. > They are pictures of convoluted tree trunks on an island of pink wave-smoothed stone … > … she has been fashioning sequences of plans too convoluted to materialize … > To therapists, stepfamilies may present convoluted psychological dilemmas … |
| Copious (adj) profuse, galore, gushing, lavish, riotous | 1. plentiful, bountiful >The storm produced a copious amount of rain. She sat in the front row and took copious notes during the lecture. It was no surprise that spin was more copious than ever during the election campaign. >These pockets of melted rock are rich in silica and release copious amounts of volatile gases that are held under high pressures. |
| Corroborate (v) argue, attest, authenticate, bear out, certify, confirm, substantiate, support, validate, verify, vindicate | 1. support, add evidence to > <the witnesses corroborated the policeman's testimony> <my personal experience does not corroborate your faith in the essential goodness of people> Studies that are wrong will be superseded by better studies with different results. Studies that are right will be corroborated by other good studies. |
| Cosmopolitan (adj) worldly–wise, smart, sophisticated, worldly | 1. belonging to the entire world, at home globally; free from local or national prejudices or attachments >Greater cultural diversity has led to a more cosmopolitan attitude among the town's younger generations. >the cosmopolitan taste of the store's customers >It's one of the country's more cosmopolitan cities. |
| Countenance (n, v) N - cast, look, expression, face, visage v - accept, care (for), approve (of), favor, OK (or okay), subscribe (to) | 1. facial expression or face (noun); approve or tolerate (verb) > Noun > The photograph showed his somber countenance. <a pleasant countenance that puts visitors at ease> Verb : ><I don't countenance such behavior in children of any age.> <countenanced the delays and inconveniences of traveling by air with good grace> |
| Counterintuitive (adj) | 1. against what one would intuitively expec, contrary to what one would intuitively expect >It may seem counterintuitive, but we do burn calories when we are sleeping. |
| Counterpoint (n) | 1. contrasting item, opposite; a complement; the use of contrast or interplay in a work of art > The guitar and bass are played in counterpoint. The dressing is a refreshing counterpoint to the spicy chicken. >The painting is a pleasant counterpoint to his earlier works. >The music works in counterpoint to the images on the screen. |
| Other Music Term | cacophony, chorister, concerto, madrigal, obbligato, presto, presto, refrain, riff, segue |
| Counterproductive (adj) ineffective, feckless, hamstrung, ineffectual, inefficacious, inefficient, inexpedient | 1. defeating the purpose; preventing the intended goal >His uncontrollable anger is very counterproductive to his attempt at saving his marriage. <harsh disciplinary measures that prove to be counterproductive> |
| Covert (adj) cloistered, secluded, hidden, isolated, quiet, remote, retired, secret, sheltered | 1. secret, veiled, undercover >He has taken part in a number of covert military operations. spy agencies taking covert action |
| Crafty (adj) beguiling, cagey (also cagy), artful, cunning, cute, designing, devious, dodgy [chiefly British], foxy, guileful, scheming, shrewd, slick, sly, subtle, tricky, wily | 1. cunning, skillful in deception or underhanded schemes, usually a deceptive or dishonest way >a crafty real estate broker who got people to sell their property at bargain prices |
| Craven (adj) chicken, chickenhearted, chicken-livered, cowardly, dastardly, gutless, lily-livered, milk-livered [archaic], poltroon, pusillanimous, recreant, spineless, unheroic, yellow | 1. very cowardly, lacking courage , very cowardly >a craven refusal to deliver the unwelcome news personally> |
| Credibility (n) actability, affability, arability, audibility, bankability, bearability, biddability, breathability, brushability, capability, | 1. believability, trustworthiness >The new evidence lends credibility to their theory. The scandal undermined her credibility as an honest politician. In this instance, the lawyer's job is to make the jury doubt the witness's credibility. |
| Credulous (adj) | 1. gullible; prone to believing or trusting too easily or without enough evidence 2. too ready to believe things : easily fooled or cheated >Few people are credulous enough to believe such nonsense. |
| Crescendo (n) acme, apex, apogee, capstone, climax, height, crest, crown, culmination, head, high noon, high tide, high-water mark, meridian, ne plus ultra, noon, noontime, peak, pinnacle, sum, summit, tip-top, top, zenith | 1. steady increase in force, intensity, or the loudness of a musical passage; a climactic moment or peak >The noise rose to a crescendo. <their divorce was merely the formal crescendo of a long period of marital stress and estrangement>>complaints about stifling smog conditions reach a crescendo — Down Beat |
| Culminate (v) cap (off), climax, crown | 1. reach the highest point or final stage 2. to be the end or final result of 3. of a celestial body : to reach its highest altitude; also : to be directly overhead >A bitter feud culminated months of tension. <culminated the school year with a trip to New York> |
| Cynical (adj) misanthropic, pessimistic | 1. thinking the worst of others' motivations; bitterly pessimistic 2. selfish and dishonest in a way that shows no concern about treating other people fairly >Cynical people say there is no such thing as true love. People are so cynical nowadays. She's become more cynical in her old age. Some people regard the governor's visit to the hospital as a cynical attempt to win votes. … if more and more people out there are willing to kill themselves in order to kill us, we've got to give the poor and cynical of the world something positive to believe in. |
| Daunt (v) chill, discourage, demoralize, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, frustrate, unman, unnerve | 1. discourage, dishearten, lessen the courage of >the raging inferno didn't daunt the firefighters for a moment |
| Debase (v) abase, bastardize, canker, cheapen, corrupt, debauch, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, deteriorate, lessen, pervert, poison, profane, prostitute, subvert, vitiate, warp | 1. degrade; lower in quality, value, rank, etc.; lower in moral quality >The governor debased himself by lying to the public. The holiday has been debased by commercialism. |
| Debunk (v) belie, confound, confute, disprove, disconfirm, discredit, falsify, rebut, refute, shoot down | 1. expose, ridicule, or disprove false or exaggerated claims 2. to show the falseness of (a story, idea, statement, etc.) 3. to expose the sham or falseness of >The article debunks the notion that life exists on Mars. The results of the study debunk his theory. |
| Decorous (adj) befitting, correct, decent, proper, de rigueur, genteel, nice, polite, respectable, seemly | 1. behaving with propriety and good taste; polite <we were asked to be on our most decorous behavior at the formal event> <the oppressively decorous standards of a royal court> |
| Deem (v) allow [chiefly Southern & Midland], conceive, consider, believe, esteem, feel, figure, guess, hold, imagine, judge, reckon [chiefly dialect], suppose, think | 1. judge; consider 2. to come to think or judge : consider <deemed it wise to go slow> >The principal will take whatever action she deems appropriate in this case. <I deem it fitting that we mark this solemn occasion with a day of prayer and thanksgiving.> |
| Deface (v) vandalize, trash | 1. vandalize, mar the appearance of 2. to ruin the surface of (something) especially with writing or pictures >The building was defaced with graffiti. He was fined for defacing public property. |
| Default (n, v) N - failure, delinquency, dereliction, misprision, neglect, negligence, nonfeasance, oversight | failure to act, neglect (noun); fail to fulfill an obligation, esp. a financial one (verb) Noun : The defendant has made no appearance in the case and is in default. >You can enter your own settings or use the defaults. Which font is the default in that computer program? Verb : > If the borrower defaults, the bank can take the house. >The program defaults to a standard font. |
| Deference (n) acquiescence, biddability, compliancy, compliance, docility, obedience, submissiveness | 1. respectful submission; yielding to the authority or opinion of another >Her relatives treat one another with deference. >He is shown much deference by his colleagues. > Deference to leaders and intolerance toward outsiders (and toward “enemies within”) are hallmarks of tribalism … >In the 1980s, in deference to the neighborhoods, City Hall would attempt a counter-reformation of downtown, forbidding “Manhattanization.”>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. |
| Deflect (v) turn, divert, redirect, swing, veer, wheel, whip | 1. cause to curve; turn aside, esp. from a straight course; avoid >armor that can deflect bullets The goalie deflected the ball with his hands. The ball deflected off the goalie's shoulder. They are trying to deflect attention from the troubled economy. The blame was deflected from the chairman. |
| Deleterious (adj) adverse, bad, baleful, baneful, damaging, dangerous, harmful, detrimental, evil, hurtful, ill, injurious, mischievous, nocuous, noxious, pernicious, prejudicial, wicked | 1. harmful, unhealthy 2. harmful often in a subtle or unexpected way <deleterious effects> <deleterious to health> The chemical is deleterious to the environment. The drug has no deleterious effects on patients. In developing countries, the imposition of boundaries around national parks and protected areas has been deleterious for both people and wildlife. >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. |
| Delineate (v) define, outline, silhouette, sketch, trace | 1. mark the outline of; sketch; describe in detail 2. to clearly show or describe >The report clearly delineates the steps that must be taken. >The characters in the story were carefully delineated. He plants his skates millimeters outside the blue-tinted 44-square-foot arena that delineates the crease and refuses to budge >Privacy plays a unique role in American law. Although considered a core value by most citizens, it is not explicitly delineated as a protected right by the U.S. Constitution |
| Denigrate (v) bad-mouth, belittle, cry down, decry, deprecate, depreciate, derogate, diminish, dis (also diss) [slang], discount, dismiss, disparage, kiss off, minimize, play down, poor-mouth, put down, run down, talk down, trash, trash-talk, vilipend, write off | 1. belittle, attack the reputation of 2. defame <denigrate one's opponents> Her story denigrates him as a person and as a teacher. No one is trying to denigrate the importance of a good education. We all know that it is crucial for success. denigrating the talents and achievements of women |
| Denote (v) mean, express, import, intend, signify, spell | 1. be a name or symbol for 2. to serve as an indication of : betoken 3. to serve as a linguistic expression of the notion of : mean >The word “derby” can denote a horse race or a kind of hat. Her death denoted the end of an era. |
| Deride (v) ridicule, gibe (or jibe), jeer, laugh (at), mock, scout, shoot down, skewer | 1. mock, scoff at, laugh at contemptuously 2. o talk or write about (someone or something) in a very critical or insulting way : to say that (someone or something) is ridiculous or has no value ><my brothers derided our efforts, but were forced to eat their words when we won first place |
| Derivative (adj) secondary, secondhand, by-product, derivate, derivation, offshoot, outgrowth, spin-off | 1. derived from something else; not original >A number of critics found the film derivative and predictable. > His style seems too derivative of Hemingway. >The word “childish” is a derivative of “child.” Tofu is one of many soybean derivatives. Petroleum is a derivative of coal tar. |
| Detached (adj) aloof, antisocial, asocial, buttoned-up, cold, cold-eyed, cool, distant, dry, frosty, offish, remote, standoff, standoffish, unbending, unclubbable, unsociable | 1. impartial, disinterested; unconcerned, distant, aloof >The house has a detached garage. <a detached observer at company parties, taking it all in and saying very little> |
| Deterrent (n) | 1. something that restrains or discourages 2. serving to deter <a deterrent effect> 3. relating to deterrence <a deterrent view of punishment> |
| Diatribe (n) tirade, harangue, jeremiad, philippic, rant | 1. bitter, abusive attack or criticism; rant 2. usually long speech or piece of writing that strongly criticizes someone or something >The article is a diatribe against mainstream media. > a bitter diatribe about how unfair the tax system is >I looked … and listened to her ahistorical and apolitical diatribe. Her comments were a more extreme form of the kind of Black bashing I've often heard … |
| Didactic (adj) sermonic, homiletic (or homiletical), moralistic, moralizing, preachy, sententious | 1. intended to instruct; teaching, or teaching a moral lesson 2. intended to convey instruction and information as well as pleasure and entertainment <didactic poetry> <the poet's works became increasingly didactic after his religious conversion> Slaves related human as well as animal trickster tales; they told Bible stories, explanatory tales, moralistic and didactic tales, supernatural tales and legends. >For two decades, many Americans, including some early advocates of the Vietnam intervention, have been relentlessly didactic, extracting cautionary lessons from Vietnam. |
| Digress (v) | 1. go off-topic when speaking or writing 2. to speak or write about something that is different from the main subject being discussed >He digressed so often that it was hard to follow what he was saying. If I can digress for a moment, I'd like to briefly mention her earlier films.>He had not written too much per se; he had digressed intolerably given the significance of the events under consideration. >Coleridge, of course, who happily called himself a … lover of parentheses, does not bridle himself, but merely produces |
| Din (n) babel, blare, bluster, bowwow, brawl, bruit [archaic], cacophony, chatter, clamor, clangor, decibel(s), noise, discordance, katzenjammer, racket, rattle, roar | 1. loud, confused noise, esp. for a long period of time >It was hard to hear anything above the din in the restaurant. <there's always a great din from the cafeteria during lunch> |
| Disabuse (v) disillusion, disenchant, undeceive | 1. free someone from a mistake in thinking 2. to free from error, fallacy, or misconception >let me disabuse you of your foolish notions about married life |
| Discerning (adj) wise, insightful, perceptive, prudent, sagacious, sage, sapient | 1. having good judgment or insight; able to distinguish mentally >She has a discerning eye for good art. <a discerning critic of modern art> Why should a discerning writer concern himself with such movies as Troy, Alexander, or 300? The answer is that he is uniquely qualified to transmute such trash into illuminating visions of the culturally confused age in which we live.>Many of FreshDirect's customers say they are using the service because food shopping in Manhattan can be agonizing. But the question is whether discerning food shoppers will trust it. |
| Discredit (v) abase, chasten, cheapen, debase, degrade, demean, humble, disgrace, dishonor, foul, humiliate, lower, shame, sink, smirch, take down | 1. injure the reputation of, destroy credibility of or confidence in >The prosecution discredited the witness by showing that she had lied in the past. Many of his theories have been thoroughly discredited. an attempt to discredit the governor |
| Discrepancy (n) contrast, disagreement, difference, disparateness, disparity, dissimilarity, dissimilitude, distance, distinction, distinctiveness, distinctness, diverseness, diversity, otherness, unlikeness | 1. difference or inconsistency >Discrepancies in the firm's financial statements led to an investigation. There were discrepancies between their accounts of the accident.>Why the difference? Why are some individuals so outwardly altered by time and others not? Or, in other words, why is there often a discrepancy between chronological age and biological age?>If an article is on one machine but not the other, a copy is made to eliminate the discrepancy. |
| Discriminating (adj) differential, discriminatory, discriminational, discriminative | 1. judicious, discerning, having good judgment or insight >accused of discriminating practices in the hiring of employees> <a discriminating feature of poison ivy is a compound leaf with three mitten-shaped leaflets> |
| Disingenuous (adj) | 1. insincere, not genuine >Her recent expressions of concern are self-serving and disingenuous. “It's had nine murders since 1937—about the same as you would get in many small towns.“ This was correct, but a wee disingenuous.>Unity is at best an ideal, at worst a disingenuous political slogan. —Salman Rushdie>he has a disingenuous way of resorting to slang when he wants to make a big point but is afraid of sounding pretentious. |
| Disinterested (adj) apathetic, casual, complacent, indifferent, incurious, insensible, insouciant, nonchalant, perfunctory, pococurante, unconcerned, uncurious, uninterested | 1. unbiased, impartial; not interested >the disinterested pursuit of truth <the city's philistines, naturally disinterested in art, voted to cut the museum's budget> |
| Disjointed (adj) choppy, disconnected, incoherent, unconnected | 1. disconnected, not coherent, jerky; having the joints separated 2. lacking order and organization >a disjointed harangue about a hodgepodge of things that are supposedly wrong with our society |
| Dismiss (v) ax (or axe), bounce, can, cashier, discharge, fire, muster out, pink-slip, release, remove, retire, sack, terminate, turn off, send packing, show (one) the door | 1. allow to disperse or leave; fire from a job; put aside or reject, esp. after only a brief consideration >I don't think we should dismiss the matter lightly. >The students were dismissed early because of the snowstorm. >Several employees were recently dismissed. |
| Dispassionate (adj) candid, disinterested, fair, equal, equitable, evenhanded, impartial, indifferent, just, nonpartisan, objective, square, unbiased, unprejudiced | 1. unbiased, not having a selfish or personal motivation; calm, lacking emotion >Journalists aim to be dispassionate observers. He spoke in a dispassionate tone about the accident. |
| Dispatch (n, v) consign, send, pack (off), ship, shoot, transfer, transmit, transport | 1. speed, promptness; send off or deal with in a speedy way 2. to defeat (a person or team) in a game, contest, etc. >Rescue workers were immediately dispatched to the area.>The hotel dispatched a limo to pick us up from the airport. >He dispatched the guard with one bullet. |
| Disperse (v) disassemble, dissipate, dissolve, scatter | 1. scatter, spread widely, cause to vanish >Police ordered the crowd to disperse. <the crowd dispersed once the show ended> |
| Disposition (n) grain, nature, temper, temperament | 1. a person's general or natural mood; tendency >a dog with an excellent disposition Her disposition was to always think negatively. >He has a disposition toward criminal behavior. >people with a genetic disposition toward a particular disease A will is a legal document that is used in the disposition of property. >They move jerkily, like puppets, but have a happy disposition; they are perpetually smiling and are given to frequent paroxysms of laughter. |
| Disquieting (adj) agitate, ail, alarm (also alarum), bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disturb, distemper, distract, distress, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, weird out, worry | 1. disturbing, causing anxiety >we were disquieted by the strange noises we heard outside our tent at night |
| Disseminate (v) broadcast, circulate, spread, propagate | 1. scatter, spread about, broadcast >The Internet allows us to disseminate information faster. >The findings were widely disseminated.>Jefferson helped found and back a friendly newspaper, the National Gazette, to help disseminate his views. >In this case, the filmmakers did not prevent information from being disseminated. And they have no greater moral obligation than do the highly paid Tom Brokaw or Dan Rather to help a TV network keep down its costs. |
| Dissent (v, n) v - differ, disagree, nonconcur n - conflict, disaccord, discordance, discordancy, disharmony, | 1. disagree or take an opposing view, esp. in relation to a formal body such as a government, political party, or church; such a view >The Supreme Court, with two justices dissenting, ruled that the law was constitutional. <anyone who dissented was encouraged to speak out while they had the chance> Noun : Church leaders permitted no dissent from church teachings. He did everything in his power to suppress political dissent. These dissents come from prominent scientists and should not be ignored. She argued in her dissent that Congress had exceeded its authority. |
| Dissonance (n) conflict, disaccord, discordance, discordancy, disharmony, dissension (also dissention), dissent, dissidence, discord, disunion, disunity, division, friction, infighting, inharmony, schism, strife, variance, war, warfare | 1. harsh, inharmonious sound; cacophony; disagreement, 2 lack of agreement; especially : inconsistency between the beliefs one holds or between one's actions and one's beliefs — compare cognitive dissonance >the dissonance between what we are told and what we see with our own eyes |
| Distill (v) drip (also distil), dribble, drop, trickle | 1. purify; extract the essential elements o They distill the whiskey from malted barley. He has perfectly distilled the meaning of the holiday into a poem. |
| Diverge (v) detour, deviate, turn, sheer, swerve, swing, turn off, veer, wheel | 1. differ, deviate; branch off or turn aside, as from a path 2. to be or become different >A prism causes rays of light to diverge. They were close friends in college, but after graduation, their lives diverged. |
| Divest (v) deprive dispossess unclothe | 1. deprive or strip of rank, title, etc., or of clothing or gear; to sell off holdings (opposite of invest) >His choice of "divest" leaves open the possibility that male-male friendships are inherently sensual; after all, one cannot divest what one does not already have.>"rule that statutes which in general terms divest preexisting rights or privileges will not be applied to the sovereign without express words to that effect." |
| Divine (v) Allah God ambrosial anticipate beautiful celestial clergyman cleric conjecture deific deiform deify deity delightful detect | 1. discover through divination or supernatural means; perceive by insight >Your creative centre is the source of what I call divine guidance.>And the rest is what we call divine creative coincidence.>Surely the physical definition implicit in ascribing masculinity to the divine is a contradiction of omnipotence in and of itself.>In 2003, Wanda quit on her own after what she calls a divine intervention that hit her on the way to buy drugs. |
| Document (v) brevet certificate charta charter commission diploma dogma evidence handwriting instruction | 1. support with evidence, cite sources in a detailed way, create documentary evidence of >No longer do job candidates simply present a Word document of their qualifications.>Any changes made from this point forward are made solely inside the page layout software, NOT in the Word document as well.>I bumped the keyboard as I was gathering them up, and a Word document popped up on the screen. |
| Dogma (n) doctrine opinion proposition tenet | 1. a system of principles laid down by an authority; established belief >The term dogma is often applied to statements put forward by someone who thinks, inappropriately, that they should be accepted without proof.>His dogma is notoriously gruesome, and it is why he is the perfect example for a short exercise I will now suggest.>The nuns and priests that are separated are not interested in dogma and national politics; they are interested in social justice.>Republicans and conservatives are real big about projecting their fears, wrapping them in dogma and generally screwing things up. |
| Dormant (adj) asleep inactive quiescent unerect | 1. asleep, inactive, on a break >A human thirst for revenge, long dead, awakened in dormant parts of the brainstem.>Clause 86 will remain dormant until the government chooses to enact it by order-in-council.>But this side of her nature had lain dormant through the years, waiting for the mate to appear.>How long they will remain dormant is anybody's guess. |
| Dubious (adj) doubtful doubting equivocal questionable uncertain undetermined unsettled | 1. doubtful, questionable, suspect >And Dr. Fauci, I know that you would maybe argue, by the way, about the term dubious quality control.>Citing a number of backdated transactions and what he characterized as dubious documentation the defendants received from>I'd thought there would, instead, be discussion of Plate XV and a certain dubious bit of film.>The prosecution team includes at least four prosecutors who have been involved in dubious cases. |
| Eccentric (adj) abnormal anomalous bizarre crank cranky crocheteer curiosity decentered eccentrical elliptic erratic excentrical fantastic guy hobbyist | 1. peculiar, odd, deviating from the norm esp. in a whimsical way >Dubosc was well aware that southwestern France is particularly rich in eccentric grapes, and he hoped somehow to bottle that charm.>The eccentric is forced, therefore, to tread a lonely way.>Writing that is alive is what we call eccentric (if in English) or experimental (if in French). |
| Eclectic (adj) choosing heterogeneous selecting | 1. selecting the best of everything or from many diverse sources >edited by Richard Vague - and sign up for what he describes as eclectic little excerpts delivered to your inbox every day.>Top of the list and most eclectic is this content-rich website from the La Laguna region of Durango and Coahuila.>Today, musical performers from Kanye West to Yo Yo Ma are called "eclectic.">Richard Cahan, co-author with Michael Williams of the 400-page art book "Edgar Miller and the Handmade Home," published in 2009, mentioned the word "eclectic" to describe Miller's style, then took it back. |
| Eclipse (n, v) cloud darken darkness gloom obscuration obscure outshine sully | 1. the obscuring of one thing by another, such as the sun by the moon or a person by a more famous or talented person (noun); to obscure, darken, make less important (verb) >A total solar eclipse is a phenomenon in which the Moon completely conceals the Sun.>Is it just me or when reading the books do you kinda feel you should wait about a month before e.g. eclipse is gunna come then read it Im worried about forgetting lol.>The word 'eclipse' comes from the Greek word ékleipsis, or ekleíp (ein), which means to leave out, forsake, fail to appear |
| Efficacy (n) effectiveness efficacity efficiency energy force potency virtue | 1. the quality of being able to produce the intended effect >It has been shown to have long-term efficacy, meaning it could be administered in small doses, potentially reducing severity of side effects.>If duration of efficacy is less than fifteen years, then no cancers are prevented, only postponed.>Duration of efficacy is key to the entire question.>However, one of our group has an interesting alternate proposal – that the points go up in efficacy as you use them. |
| Egalitarian (adj) equalitarian, democratic | 1. related to the belief in the equality of all people, esp. in political, economic, or social spheres >Only if one makes the dubious assumption of a certain egalitarian ethical outlook must a relatively high coefficient be justified.>They are still stuck believing in egalitarian fantasies and clean consciousness.>Does that make the idea of egalitarian eroticism make more sense?>Grim, sure, but true - not to mention ruthlessly egalitarian, which is why people rarely lob the P-word at those whose answer to life is, "Who knows?" |
| Egregious (adj) extraordinary outrageous surpassing conspicuous | 1. extraordinarily or conspicuously bad; glaring >The judge discovered what she called egregious government disclosures to expected witnesses.>I am advocating that bans on reimportation be lifted so that companies cannot engage in egregious price discrimination.>The one that I find to be egregious is requiring pre-screened questions.>That's why Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke protested Tuesday what he described as "egregious errors" in some reports, and released a staff memo with details. |
| Elated (adj) animated ecstatic elate euphoric exalted exhilarated exultant flushed glad inflated joyful jubilant overjoyed puffed-up swollen | 1. very happy, in high spirits >Invariably, she says, her patients are "elated" -- some so much that they come back for multiple sessions.>Manic mood, frequently characterized as elated and grandiose, is often as not riddled by depression, panic, and extreme irritability.>Mr. Yoshimitsu said his group was "elated" with the governor's decision. |
| Elevate (v) advanced aggrandize animate cheer cheer up dignify disparage elate elevated ennoble erect exalt excite flush heighten | 1. raise, lift up; lift the spirits of; move up to a higher rank or status or raise up to a higher spiritual or intellectual plane >It is true that fabric, construction, and a designer name on a label elevate the price of clothing.>And somehow, the sometimes-typoed subtitles elevate the whole thing to a higher comedy.>The public works department considered that a wage of 8s. a day was enough to elevate a kafir job 'to the level of civilized labour.>The only way to elevate is to increase the intrinsic worth. |
| Elicit (v) call call out draw draw forth draw out educe elicited evident evoke expiscate extort extract fetch open pump wrest wring | 1. call forth, bring out, evoke >The first step, however, was to elicit from the Germans a concrete statement of aims.>And this is pretty much the standard crest-and-trough reaction I elicit from the Chinese.>Meanwhile Dr Malan made an attempt to elicit from the Germans a more definite indication of their intentions towards South Africa. |
| Eloquent (adj) Ciceronian articulate facund oratorical well-spoken | 1. marked by forceful, fluid, apt speech; expressive, emotionally moving >There was little about his speech that could be called eloquent, despite the fact that he was well educated.>In an impressive address, His Lordship referred in eloquent terms to the life of the deceased, and various traits in his character.>The man stands up there and speaks in eloquent terms of part of the proposed legislation that is nothing more than smoke and mirrors. |
| Embellish (v) adorn beautify bedeck deck decorate emblaze emblazon enrich garnish grace illustrate ornament prettify vary | 1. decorate, add ornamentation; enhance (a story) with fictional or fanciful details >We kind of embellish on that, I guess you could say.>By 'embellish' he meant the share the artist has to bring to his picture in the first place. ">So Stetson has felt compelled to exaggerate and embellish what he actually did, and in some cases, make up or take credit for things he didn't do.>One Web app asks users to embellish on what they see in district boundaries. |
| Eminent (adj) celebrated conspicuous distinguished elevated exalted famous high illustrious lofty prominent remarkable renowned towering well-known | 1. prominent, distinguished, of high rank >God has the ideas in an eminent manner , and these ideas are the objects of His thought.>Supreme Court decision gives government broad latitude in eminent domain cases if taking property provides a public benefit.>Is it impossible to mention the role of the government in eminent domain without being Republican propaganda? |
| Empirical (adj) a posteriori, confirmable, data-based ,existential, experiential, experimenta,l falsifiable, observational, semiempirical, trial-and-error, verifiable, | 1. coming from, based on, or able to be verified by experience or experimentation; not purely based on theory >To all knowledge obtained through the observation of facts and phenomena, the term empirical is properly applied. >Do you consider this a valid example of what you call empirical evidence?>It is true that religions are not belief systems grounded in empirical results. |
| Emulate (v) add up (to), come (to), correspond (to), amount (to), equal | 1. copy in an attempt to equal or be better than >She grew up emulating her sports heroes. >artists emulating the style of their teachers >But China's model is sui generis; its specific mode of governance is difficult to describe, much less emulate, which is why it is not up for export.>SSG Jeff (USAR): Andrew Jackson is hardly the sort of President I would want any President to emulate from a constitutional standpoint. |
| Enervate debilitate devitalize emasculate enfeeble paralyze soften unnerve weak weaken weakened | 1. (v) weaken, tire >Presumably, if nothing else, our fear of hell purports to enervate good behavior.>The Kerry-Lieberman energy bill would enervate America.>I am not a fan of the time-wastin 'speechifyin', masturbatory roundtablin ', and high-fallutin' blue-ribbon panels that enervate our government.>Ward, so weakened a body already 'enervate' and emaciated, that at first the patient "was thought to be falling into the agonies of death." |
| Enhance (v) advance advanced aggravate augment exaggerate exalt heighten improve increase intensify | 1. raise to a higher value, desirability, etc. >For paint and appliance makers, the labels enhance their green bona fides and perhaps even boost sales. >The strategy works best in a sideways to slightly uptrending market in which the premiums from selling the calls enhance total returns>The important question is, will such an approach over the long term enhance or diminish his status as a blogger? |
| Enigma (n) mystery puzzle question riddle | 1. puzzle, mystery, riddle; mysterious or contradictory person >The C-value enigma is real, and there is a lot of research going on right now investigating it.>n fact, this juxtaposition, this enigma, is the theme of this show.>Such an enigma is man -- born to perish -- when he wars, as I do, against the established laws of his nature. |
| Entitlement (n) claim title | 1. having the right to certain privileges; believing, sometimes without cause, that one deserves or has a right to certain privileges >Someday maybe the powers that be will realize that their greed and sense of entitlement is what is killing this country.>As a former Hillary supporter, a sense of Clinton "entitlement" is the only rationale that appears to explain her behavior.>David Axelrod, a strategist for the president, called Mr. Romney's use of the term "entitlement nation" deeply offensive while speaking with reporters in Manhattan. |
| Enumerate (v) calculate compute count detail estimate mention number recapitulate reckon recount | 1. count or list; specify one-by-one >Business was a more critical partner in development than he could "enumerate", he said.>According to my Constitution, the census is to "enumerate" the people.>Since the constitutional mandate to the Congress was to ‘enumerate’, even obtaining the name and age seems to be more than called for. |
| Ephemeral (adj) diurnal ephemeron evanescent fleeting fugitive fungous momentary mushroom occasional short | 1. lasting only a short time, fleeting >And using the word ephemeral in its strict sense, Don Marquis is unquestionably the cleverest of our ephemeral philosophers.>That moment where you know something profound and ephemeral is happening and you are not just the witness, put part of the action, the experience, absorbing every moment into every cell. |
| Equitable (adj) candid fair honest impartial just reasonable right upright | 1. fair, equal, just >To help local government, we are introducing what we call the equitable share of revenue for local government.>What I think Google needs to do to make that equitable is to also reward the sites that the user visits to make the decision as to what ad it should show.>The only way to make it fair and equitable is to grant true joint custody. 6 months w/mommy, 6 months w/daddy and no money changing hands. |
| Erratic (adj) abnormal bowlder capricious changeable eccentric irregular moving odd queer rogue | 1. inconsistent, wandering, having no fixed course >In primaries McCain claimed and denounced the same multiple times, earning the title erratic> suppose it could be said, as Michael Gerson has alleged, that the Obama campaign's choice of the word erratic to describe McCain is also an insinuation.>And if things are sometimes a little convenient, or seem to happen in erratic collapsing tiers of coincidence, well, that's what fairy tales do. |
| Erroneous (adj) devious errant erring fallacious false incorrect misguided misleading misled mistaken | 1. mistaken, in error; improper, morally incorrect >Those small amounts totaled about $50 million in erroneous data charges.>All told, he's called Verizon's customer service each month for what he said was more than $300 in erroneous data services.>MedPAC uses data from cost report forms despite knowing full well that more than 20% of the forms contain erroneous data. |
| Erudite (adj) learne learned scholarly | 1. scholarly, knowledgeable; possessing a deep, often systematic, knowledge >In comparison with her, a woman, I might have been called erudite and well-informed.>As a teacher, while he could not be called erudite, he was uncommonly interesting and inspiring.>Victor Allen Crawford III, perhaps better known as the erudite Lord Breaulove Swells Whimsy, lives his life in miniature. by Brian James Kirk |
| Eschew (v) avoid shun | 1. shun, avoid, abstain from > I am also making daring use of the word "eschew," which is forbidden by some publications as being snooty. |
| Esoteric (adj) acroamatic arcane cerebral confidential esoterics interior private recondite secretive select | 1. understood by or intended for only a few; secret >"To fight back, I have prohibited my employees from describing events in esoteric terms," Stewart joked.>Speaking of chess programs, the show gets bonus points for occasionally throwing in esoteric trivia.>And any potential impact on longer-term esoteric growth?>"During the credit crisis the word 'esoteric' became associated with deals that were too complex for investors to understand," Mr. Wishengrad said.>What I will eschew is mispoona and rapa senza testa and bianca riccia da taglio and whatever else they can think up for me in the catalogues this winter>Of course, "eschew" isn't exactly right -- it is monks who eschew the world, in Weber's view. |
| Estimable (adj) admirable adorable creditable precious respectable valuable worshipful | 1. worthy of esteem, admirable; able to be estimated >"When a married man becomes what you call estimable," said Donna>"Aunt Julia says he is really a very estimable man -- Cordelia, if I was a man I just wouldn't be an 'estimable' one.">But the action was nonetheless 'estimable' and the navy commandos intercept the Mavi Marmara on its way to break the>He argues that the risk of a true asset class is "estimable". |
| Eulogy (n) applause approval encomium eulogism eulogium monody panegyric praise | 1. speech of praise or written work of praise, esp. a speech given at a funeral >I did not attend the funeral, but thanks to all that digitization, the eulogy is on the Internet for everyone to read.>The word eulogy is rooted in scripture, most often translated as some form of "bless," it literally means "to speak well of.">The last speech he gave, the so-called eulogy of bin Laden, he tried to imitate bin Laden by reciting poetry. |
| Exacerbate (v) exasperate irritate | 1. make worse (more violent, severe, etc.), inflame; irritate or embitter (a person) >"How everybody's all pretending they know what in hell the word exacerbate means.">He also warned Nato not to "exacerbate" its presence in the region.>Anamika, who tied for fifth in her debut last year, kept both hands behind her back as she rattled off "exacerbate" and "foggara." |
| Exacting (adj) exactive extortionary extortive fastidious harsh meticulous | 1. very severe in making demands; requiring precise attention >Patricia Lysaght observes that ritual cursing was often a means employed by women in exacting revenge against enemies and authorities who had caused them harm.>Then followed demands for punishment, in exacting which it was necessary to be pertinacious, if only to save her Majesty's Mission from dying of thirst. |
| Exculpate (v) absolve acquit clear disculpate excuse exonerate justify pardon vindicate | 1. clear from guilt or blame >If Stephen "exculpate"'d a little less, and "don't blame"'d a little more, he might lose the respect of his SCR but gain a wider audience.>Contrary to Chevron's assertions, Cabrera did not rule on the critical question of liability and did not "exculpate">“I know—I'm just saying,” he said, trying to exculpate himself from blame for the unintentional insult. |
| Exhaustive (adj) complete emptying full thorough | 1. comprehensive, thorough, exhausting a topic or subject, accounting for all possibilities; draining, tending to exhaust >I remember sitting around through a long dark afternoon as some people I thought I knew discussed in exhaustive detail the advantages of different kinds of winter boot.>Nor am I the mighty-brained kind, who knows every system in exhaustive detail and who can explain the thematic differences between 3rd and 4th edition.>So as I am sure this book will be reviewed in exhaustive detail elsewhere, I will simply offer up a few personal impressions and observations in no particular order. |
| Explicit (adj) clear express manifest open outspoken overt plain positive raunchy unambiguous | 4. direct, clear, fully revealed; clearly depicting sex or nudity >How explicit is the GOP in using web sites that their base does like Free Republic, Malkin, Atlas Juggs or Stormfront? |
| Exponent (n) adherent admirer advocate biographer champion critic defender disciple educator embodiment | 1. person who expounds or explains; champion, advocate, or representative >The short term exponent of about -1.5 is not too different from -5/3. >Perhaps its best-known living exponent is Marshal Pétain.>One has to keep in mind that numbers increase very, very quickly as the superscript called the exponent increases.>If the exponent is a positive number above 1, the rate of rise of the accumulation does indeed become rapid in time>The laws regarding child pornography are clear — possession of any depiction of a person under age of 18 engaged in explicit sexual activity is a felony.>The Parents Television Council is protesting what they term an "explicit" performance by pop artists Rihanna and Britney Spears on Sunday night's broadcast of the... |
| Extraneous (adj) additional alien extra foreign intrusive superfluous | 1. irrelevant; foreign, coming from without, not belonging >But as far as an "emergency fund," which I define as extraneous and unexpected expenses hospital bill, car wreck, etc.>The other thing to be aware of when looking at fonts is what I call extraneous fonts.>This book also they call extraneous, which some of the Jews prohibit to be read.>Although so much of it is too entrancing to be termed extraneous, it does mean a director has to deal with the abundant non-libretto passages. |
| Extrapolate (v) calculate cipher compute conclude cypher deduce deduct derive figure infer | 1. conjecture about an unknown by projecting information about something known; predict by projecting past experience >However, let me try to extrapolate from the business of publishing novels.>It's hard to extrapolate from a complete absence of evidence.>I really don't think you can extrapolate from the American example. |
| Facetious (adj) funny humorous jocular merry sportive witty | 1. joking, humorous, esp. inappropriately; not serious, concerned with frivolous things >I like the word facetious too, Zoom, because I associate it with a very funny story.>"White," called a facetious member, but White did not notice.>You say that kind of facetious-like, but it really is true.>He had meant to be a little facetious about the Greek words; but it was the slowly prepared and rather exasperating facetiousness of an ageing man, and he had dropped it listlessly, as though he himself had perceived this. |
| Facilitate (v) aid ease | 1. make easier, help the progress of >What research has shown though is that the interruptions that emails and phone calls facilitate affect our ability to remember things.>Almost all non-functional programmers are unaware that tail calls facilitate a programming paradigm that they have never seen.>Ambassador Margaret Scobey that the shift was made to "facilitate" better relations with Egypt's government. |
| Fallacious (ad) absurd deceptive delusive erroneous illogical misleading | 1. containing a fallacy, or mistake in logic; logically unsound; deceptive >Does he not on the contrary feel a freedom of will within him, which, though you may call it fallacious, still actuates him as he decides?>Both of these scenarios would rely upon the same evidence and upon equally fallacious, which is to say, ideological, perspectives>That type of argument is called a fallacious appeal to tradition, because the question is not "what has been done?" but rather "what is fair?" |
| Fanatical (adj) ardent bigoted impetuous insane irrational lawless obstinate passionate perverse religious | 1. excessively devoted, enthusiastic, or zealous in an uncritical way >its no coincidence that the word fanatical comes up so often when talking about this companys customer service ethic.>You know they are extremely verdant, as well as what you term fanatical, and they are not likely to make any capital out of such>Mainstream dailies denounced such reforms as "fanatical" - but years later they became law. |
| Fanciful (adj) capricious chimerical conceited crotchety curious fantasied fantasque fantastic fantastical ideal | 1. whimsical, capricious; imaginary; freely imaginative rather than based on reason or reality >Or a place in which the fanciful is allowed to commingle with reality.>Industrial parks surrounding Hermosillo contain fanciful buildings that feature companies like this Mattel assembly plant.>We must separate the fanciful from the real, or at least make the one subservient to the other.>It offended him both as a lawyer and as a lover of the sane and customary sides of life, to whom the fanciful was the immodest. |
| Fathom (v) brace explore fathom out figure out penetration profundity puzzle out reach sound span understand work out | 1. measure the depth of (usually of water) as with a sounding line; penetrate and discover the meaning of, understand >What I find very hard to fathom is that the Clintons who lost fair and square continue to seek ways to undermine Obama.>The thing that's so fascinating and hard to fathom is how much he pushes himself to get it, to do it right.>But the effect was huge, almost too huge to fathom from a personal perspective. |
| Feasible (adj) achievable doable possible practicable workable | 1. possible; logical or likely; suitable >In your opinion, how feasible is this kind of technology?>Hence, the only political solution feasible is one that is Afghan in nature.>It seems this technology is not feasible from a technological standpoint let alone a democratic one>And limiting the playoff field to eight teams not only makes it feasible from a timing standpoint, but such a system could easily be incorporated into the existing bowl structure. |
| Fidelity (n) faith faithfulness fealty honesty integrity loyalty veracity | 1. faithful, loyalty; strict observance of duty; accuracy in reproducing a sound or image >He thanked me many times for what he termed my fidelity to his sainted friend.>How Important is physical appearance to long-term fidelity?>Fewer than half of all cheaters believe that marital fidelity is always wrong.>Sexual fidelity is akin to religious fidelity — “not an avoidance of risk, but the creation of a context in which grace can abound.” |
| Figurative (adj) florid flowery representative typical | 1. metaphorical, based on figures of speech; containing many figures of speech (as fancy-sounding writing); related to portraying human or animals figures >It took me awhile to grasp that you meant slaughtered English in figurative terms. >Needless to say, in giving the term a figurative meaning as well, locals take up the challenge admirably.>The only difference between the verbs loan and lend is that loan can’t be used in figurative senses.>But these things are here foretold, as usual, in figurative expressions, which we are not to look for the literal accomplishment of, and yet they might be fulfilled nearer the letter than we know of. |
| Finesse (n, v) acumen adroitness artifice boldness cleverness deceit decorum delicacy dexterity diplomacy | 1. extreme delicacy, subtlety, or diplomacy in handling a sensitive situation or in a performance or skill (noun); use tact or diplomacy; employ a deceptive strategy (verb) >Besides the multiple formations he devised, his run-first philosophy helped toughen a program that used to be damned with the label "finesse.">One face is very elegant and fine, close to Roman é e-Conti in finesse; the other side is more abrupt, monastic even.>One finesse is that the sample can be in a solution, in the case of proteins their natural environment in the cell.>Why does the mention of the word finesse incite so much anger inside an NFL locker room? |
| Flag (v) languish layer pendant pennant pennon pine raven slab standard streamer switch tricolor union | 1. get tired, lose enthusiasm; hang limply or droop >I have never heard that an upside-down flag is code for a distress signal.>Global outputdebug Function: \% A_ThisFunc\% flag = \% flag\% if Flag = 1 |
| Fleeting (adj) ephemeral evanescent transient transistor transitory | 1. passing quickly, transitory >His rivals have criticized him for failing to convene a meeting of the panel, using that fact to highlight what they call fleeting foreign policy experience.>Just exuberant bliss, he supposed, an expression of fleeting pleasure, not really a binding declaration.>That is what the word fleeting means when we talk about a fleeting stain.>For the great heart of this mother it was nothing to have this well-beloved son after others, and during only certain short fleeting hours. |
| Foment (v) abet bathe embrocate encourage fomentation foster instigate | 1. incite, instigate, stir up, promote the growth of; apply medicated liquid to a body part >The nut graph is this one, where Cramer explains how easy it is to create "foment" around a stock:>Isn't it weird that you never know about the s*** that's in the products you use until there's some kind of foment to take it out?>F.D.R. had to betray his own class to foment the reforms of the New Deal. |
| Foreshadow (v) adumbrate antitype foreshow indicate prefigure presage shadow signify | 1. indicate or suggest beforehand, presage >Think of these as warnings .... or maybe as those notes in classical music that 'foreshadow' a theme that comes later in the play.>The Lords rightly defeated them then, but it turns out that this time-wasting tactic would foreshadow the current absurd game-playing.>This head nod does not foreshadow an academic exercise where the director and curators create a show that is only accessible to a few highly educated art historians. |
| Forfeit (v) capitulate deodand escheat fine forfeiture forgo injury lost mischief mulct | 1. surrender or lose as a result of an error, crime, or failure to fulfill an obligation >If unsuccessful, she returns to her place and pays a forfeit, which is redeemed at the end of the game.>He knew that the minutest trifle must not escape his attention, or the forfeit might be his life.>Bhima strove with furious valour, for his forfeit was his life!>We have few signs and no ceremonies, but our promises are binding, and the forfeit is a painful death -- so painful that even you might flinch before it. |
| Fortify (v) battle brace brandy confirm countermure counterscrap embattle encourage entrench fence | 1. strengthen, invigorate, encourage >Faced with weak sales back in 2006, Burger King invested $3m to "fortify" its UK operation and a marketing push has since paid off.>And it is quite easy to "fortify" your property if you live in an area with a yard.>He encouraged owners to take measures to "fortify" their businesses with security measures, such as alarms. |
| Fringe (n, adj) bang bangs border bullion confine edge edging fimbria fimbriate fimbriation | 1. on the margin, periphery (adj); the people in a group who hold the most extreme views (noun) >They like her because she brags about being a "real American" – which to the fringe is code for white.>The term fringe -- as in the annual arts festival the Edinburgh Festival Fringe -- is a term many actors bridle at.>I mean, a fringe is a pretty big change, if they do it wrong it's like months until it looks ok again! |
| Frugal (adj) abstemious chary cheap economical saving sparing thrifty œconomical | 1. economically, thrifty, not wasteful with money; inexpensive >Just keep in mind that being frugal is not a bad thing, but being cheap is not so attractive.> The point you make about being frugal is one of the most amazing things Buffett has stuck to.>Matt found this recipe on one of his money blogs its called a frugal recipe, Get Rich Slowly & requested it for a dinner this week. |
| Futile (adj) fruitless idle ineffectual loquacious talkative tattling trivial unavailing useless vain | 1. producing no useful result, ineffective; trivial unimportant >It will cost millions in marketing and promotion, or what I call a futile attempt and waste of shareholder equity.>Cape Town after the union staged a go-slow following what it termed futile wage negotiations.>Instead, almost a year has been wasted in futile attempts to appease the Republicans and the Mass. disaster has struck. |
| Gainsay (v) contradict controvert deny dispute forbid | 1. declare false, deny; oppose >One hesitates to gainsay those who are putting their money where we journalists are only willing to put our mouths.>None of this is to gainsay the interests of the world economy in the region.>a proof of my assertion, which I do not think any of them will gainsay, which is, that they all laid down as a principle what they did not perfectly know. |
| Garrulous (adj) bombastic chatty loquacious noisy rambling talkative tonguey wordy | 1. talkative, wordy, rambling >Miss Letitia presided over the table in garrulous majesty.>Stanley Smith, a Philadelphia lawyer, called his garrulous group to order in the Penn Athletic Club one night last week.>The boy departed, and back came the prime minister, perturbed, ill at ease, and garrulous with apologetic explanation. |
| Gauche (adj) awkward crude gawky graceless tactless twisted unpolished unsophisticated warped winding | 1. tactless, lacking social grace, awkward, crude >Admission: I'm a southpaw myself, but my main gauche still lags behind its more popular sibling in terms of technique, so I'm not sure how much this would help me.>Who's the friggin' "gauche" one, you placenta-burying, nipple scalding freak?>Hippy Dippy told Blondie she was "gauche" for asking why she didn't just throw it out. |
| Gawky (adj) awkward clumsy gauche ungraceful | 1. physically awkward (esp. of a tall, skinny person, often used to describe teenagers) >Then he calls a gawky, red-haired chap, that stood good six-feet two:>Now to be called gawky when he thought the gesture was particularly graceful, was indeed discouraging.>As for the town of Brighton, it's what I would call a gawky piece of London.>I went to the Eagle in Atlanta and I felt like some kind of gawky white heron or an egret or something in a cave full of bears. |
| Germane (adj) apt germanium tetrahydride germanomethane monogermane on-topic pertinent relevant | 1. relevant and appropriate, on topic >Most germane is its inclusion of uncertainty in any interpretation of reality and the facts.>And there is another part which is certainly not less ridiculous, but being a trade in learning must be called by some name germane to the matter?>Possibly the spirit of the artist is foreign to you, sir, yet perhaps I may put it in terms germane to your own profession>"Academic freedom" only protects a professor's speech that is "germane" to the class 'subject. |
| Gist (n) basis ground reason | 1. main idea, essence >With the iPad app, the gist is the same -- free music based on your tastes. >To be fair, the main gist of the matter was how to learn to become a best-selling author and, to be candid, make money.>The gist is that Microsoft purchased a start up company that specializes in motion control. |
| Glib (adj) castrate emasculate flippant fluent geld slippery smooth voluble | 1. fluent and easy in a way that suggests superficiality or insincerity >Been-there-and-back soul, an ability to separate the glib from the gothic.>Just the suggestion of it and the underlying tension in his voice had caused the tongue he had termed glib to stick to the roof of her mouth.>During news coverage in 2007 of the story, Grant was referred to as glib, but Miller said that's not how he appears today.>Of course, we all remember when Tom Cruise went off on Lauer, calling him "glib" as they went at it over antidepressants. |
| Goosebumps (n) chill bumps cutis anserina goose flesh goose pimples | 1. the bumps created by hairs standing up on the skin in response to cold, fear, etc. >And goosebumps is exactly what I got while watching the teaser.>When I lived on campus, one of my neighbours got goosebumps from the texture of pear flesh on her tongue.>With the sun rising into a peach mist and the trees fading into haze, I listened to the track twice, breaking out in goosebumps.>Definitely check out this goosebump-inducing National Poetry Slam performance, entitled "Mom, will I be pretty?", by artist Katie Makkai |
| Gradation (n) degree rank series adaptation complexity diversity harmony inflection | 1. a progression, a process taking place gradually, in stages; one of these stages >But is there no gradation from the man of strong and sound intellect, down to the idiot?>She showed that the gradation is the same when the Slovenes say Ni vreden pol kurca!>As a rule, no colour exists in nature without gradation, which is to colours what curvature is to lines.>This is a reversal of the more usual notion, but the idea of gradation is equally present. |
| Gregarious (adj) outgoing sociable social | 1. sociable, pertaining to a flock or crowd >Kebron was the mortal enemy of the term "gregarious," likely to try and eliminate it from any dictionary in any language.>But public opinion, because of the tremendous urge to conformity in gregarious animals, is less tolerant than any system of law '.>MOTT pilots called the gregarious Murphy “The Mayor” because he could enter a room full of strangers and leave with two new friends. |
| Guile (n) artifice craft deceit deceitfulness deception duplicity treachery wile | 1. clever deceit, cunning, craftiness >Without his intending to, for he is a man wholly lacking in guile, Paul becomes a human, very vulnerable wedge between the two women, testing their love to the limits.>They have inherited their guile from the Dodo side of the family.>Stained freshly? have your hearts in guile grown old?>3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: 4 |
| Hackneyed (adj) banal clichéd commonplace shopworn stock threadbare timeworn tired trite unoriginal | 1. so commonplace as to be stale; not fresh or original >This along with others is listed under the headword "hackneyed phrases.">The lyrics that all the world loves and repeats, the poetry which is often called hackneyed, is on the whole the best poetry.>That I was inclined to look beyond the hackneyed was a clear signal sent out.>He rails about the kind of hackneyed movie he doesn't want to write -- the kind where characters learn tidy life-altering lessons. |
| Hardy (adj) barely bold brave compact confident daring enduring firm harshly intrepid | 1. bold, brave, capable of enduring hardship, fatigue, cold, etc. >Palin hardy put up with anything, and manufactured most of it herself anyway.>It's not very cold hardy and with the below-zero temperatures that can blanket the region, cold hardy is a characteristic that local vines need.>But a certain hardy minority think that the criticism is overblown and actually like using Vista. |
| Haven (adj) asylum harbor port refuge sanctuary shelter zoar | 1. harbor or port; refuge, safe place >Due to hit the App Store in March (the price and release date of the title haven't been revealed),>Some have their reservation over the term haven investments, as economically it is not an accurately sound terminology.>Manzanillo, their 3rd "haven" is probably an OK choice (I like it) but is not exactly what comes to mind when I think of 'haven'. |
| Hearken (v) attend hear heed inquire listen | 1. listen, pay attention to >To hear is to hearken, and to hearken is to obey, from a right faith in God.>Those stripes kind of hearken back to an old-fashioned ice cream parlor.>I want to just kind of hearken back to what he said about San Diego. |
| Hedonist (n) sensualist Epicureanism Sybarite assome bargee blasphemers | 1. person devoted to pleasure >You could be heavily reward dependent, indifferent to novelty, and mildly harm avoidant—a stay-at-home hedonist, in other words.>The body of a hedonist is the coffin of a dead soul and there's no soul more dead than one which died young.>He is perhaps the only perfectly frank and unmitigated "hedonist" which European literature at this hour offers. |
| Heterogeneous (adj) dissimilar diverse diversified hybrid hybridous indiscriminate miscellaneous mixed omnigenous unhomogeneous | 1. different in type, incongruous; composed of different types of elements > so think of entities as a table of tables - they use the term heterogeneous containment to describe this idea.>Make the category less heterogeneous, in other words, and it may actually start to have some scientific integrity.>You can see the different between two substances its called heterogeneous mixture. |
| Hierarchy (n) organisation organization series architecture aristocracy attribute boundary classification | 1. a ranked series; a classification of people according to rank, ability, etc.; a ruling body >The label hierarchy couldn't have been that disgruntled.>And the hierarchy is a "self-perpetuating elite," he continued.>Our agreed definition of a nested hierarchy is an ordered set such that each subset is strictly contained within its superset.>In less austere terms, a hierarchy is a collection of parts with ordered asymmetric relationships inside a whole. |
| Hodgepodge (n) farrago hotchpotch melange mingle-mangle mishmash mixture oddments odds and ends omnium-gatherum ragbag | 1. mixture of different kinds of things, jumble >Mercy Corps - Mercy Corps is described as hodgepodge of about 3700 professionals working to help millions in crisis around the world.>The song is a lot like the group itself - a revealingly rag-tag hodgepodge of goodness, an infectious combination of emotions, a mixture of joyful sounds. |
| Homogeneous (adj) alike congruous consubstantial like same similar uniform unigenous | 1. of the same kind; uniform throughout >It could also reflect the desire of blacks to live in homogeneous neighborhoods.>It must be noticed that Newton did not understand what we call a homogeneous spectrum; he did not produce it, and does not point out in his writings the conditions for producing it.>Muslims hate mosques and blow them up constantly and all the Arabs really want to live in homogeneous open-air prisons with limited access to food, water, and electricity |
| Hyperbole (n) exaggeration overstatement | 1. deliberate exaggeration for effect >It appears that you are looking past what you call hyperbole only to replace it with your own hyperbole by reading too much into this situation.>Because you chose to engage in hyperbole, and use the word “dwarfed”, you are now in an indefensible position, and you know it.>Aside from the fact that your hyperbole is laughable, I believe it is you and Dawkins who have missed the mark on this. |
| Idiosyncrasy (n) eccentricity idiocrasy peculiarit | 1. characteristic or habit peculiar to an individual; peculiar quality, quirk >With those who have lived years down south, one can easily realize that this idiosyncrasy is nothing more than commonplace and an inherent part of living with the natives.>It's quite possible to build a structured story and retain idiosyncrasy.>What has been termed idiosyncrasy must also be borne in mind. |
| Illiberality (n) meanness niggardliness | 1. narrow-mindedness, bigotry; strictness or lack of generosity >No explanation, apology or reason; just commonplace secular illiberality.>And illiberality always serves those with the most money and guns.>This kind of moral management, the authors concede, is always an approximation, but it avoids the illiberality of an exclusionary moral code. |
| Imminent (adj) at hand immediate impendent impending inevitable instant menacing near perilous threatening | 1. ready to occur, impending >Ever since the shooting we have heard a lot about mental illness, and specifically the term imminent danger.>With the new term imminent, the school's website says its location has yet to be finalised.>For days, the military has publicized what they call the imminent start of Operation Mushtarak, the Dari word for Together.>Keep an eye on this one ... apparently Obama gave the order to shoot if the hostage was in "imminent danger". |
| Impair (v) blemish break crush damage debase debilitate decline decrease deface deteriorate | 1. make worse, weaken >The order says that states may not "impair" or even "condition" a national bank's ability to exercise its powers.>We will ignore those requirements when we conclude that it will "impair" what occurs in the Executive branch.>It may kind of impair it, as well as your motor skills.>Should such a sum be issued it would be followed by a great "impair", if not utter loss of the public credit. |
| Impartial (adj) disinterested dispassionate equal equitable even fair indifferent just unbiased unpassionate | 1. unbiased, fair >For the BBC to call itself impartial is a sick joke, their political bias is clear and obvious and I am sure that I (and others) could list their built-in prejudices with ease.>The Gov, which should be impartial, is picking sides.>The concept that reporters can be impartial is ridiculous.>He assured the fans that City Hall would remain impartial, inviting Deputy Mayor Rudy Washington on stage, decked out in a Mets cap and shirt. |
| Impede (v) hinder obstruct | 1. hold back, obstruct the progress of >Does the R behind my name impede you from having a true debate?>Does fear of that label impede including race in our aesthetic debates and in our poems?>Planning may, in other words, impede itself from functioning as its proponents claim it should. |
| Implication (n) assumption complication comprehension comprisal connotation inference interlacing involution involvement meaning | 1. act of implying or that which is implied; close connection, esp. in an incriminating way >DID NOT make me the color that I am. the implication is the enemy is white folks ... and in the last example, the enemy is??>When Aretha Franklin sings opera arias, the implication is that she's so good she can even do this.>Granted, you write it much nicer than Lowell does, but the implication is there just the same.>The main implication is that the dripping water puts out the pilot from time to time, so unless you're constantly checking, you never know when your shower will be hot or cold. |
| Implicit (adj) complete complicated entangled implied infolded inherent intrinsic involved trustful unconditional | 1. implied, not stated directly; involved in the very essence of something, unquestionable >The president rejected what he described as the implicit suggestion from some quarters that the Public Protector was not up to this task.>"We aided and abetted it in implicit ways by not demanding more earlier.">Paralleling this, I observe significant reductions in implicit bias (0.20 to 0.57 standard deviations) among Hindu children. |
| Implode (v) break cave in collapse fall in founder give give way | 1. burst inward >You are about to implode from the weight of your own uselessness.>The system would implode from the bon mots and snark.>For that to explode, or implode, is going to be devastating, she explained.>Watching the repukelicans implode is the best entertainment I’ve seen in years. |
| Inadvertent (adj) careless heedless inattentive negligent | 1. unintentional; characterized by a lack of attention, careless >Mountain View, California-based Google called the inadvertent three-year-long collection>We also tend to test those cognitive skills that we consider most relevant, which means that real life might provide the cohort with what could be termed inadvertent practice. |
| Inasmuch (adv) as because for since | 1. in like manner, considering that (contradiction of "in as much," generally followed by "as") >I'm vain inasmuch as I think I'm terribly out of shape right now.>It is much easier to say 'No' in Arabic, [inasmuch as] the Arabs are a negative people.>Christ's Passion is recalled inasmuch as it was wrought in Him Who is our Head. |
| Incendiary (adj) agitator arsonist conflagrator dissentious exciter firer inflammatory seditious | 1. setting on fire, pertaining to arson; arousing strife, rebellion, etc.; "inflaming" the senses >When certain incendiary stories break in the news, I have found that it is almost always better to step back, let a little of the dust settle, and then weigh in.>Romney raised Gingrich's remarks on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, describing as "incendiary" Gingrich's claim that Palestinians were an "invented people". |
| Incentive (n) encouragement goad impelling incitement inciting incitive inducement influence instigation mainspring | 1. something that encourages greater action or effort, such as a reward >Another incentive is the tax and duty-free importation of raw materials to be used for book publishing.>Any extra incentive is a plus, and when you have a whole team that wants to shove Selig's Death Wish down his throat, it can only help>Lottery officials say the bonuses, which they call incentive payments, are commonly used in private industry to help retain top staffers. |
| Inchoate (adj) begin beginning elementary embryonic immature incipient incomplete initial nascent rudimentary | 1. just begun, undeveloped, unorganized >And I prefer "inchoate" at times to "fuckface", but hey, to each his own, I always say:>By the way, congratulations on using the word 'inchoate' in a sentence.>Apparently 'inchoate' I had to look it up means "partially but not fully in existence", which pretty much sums up the article. |
| Incipient (adj) beginner beginning commencing elementary emerging inceptor initial starting | 1. just beginning; in a very early stage >The hope, he felt, lay in incipient black militancy, in latent white decency, and, above all, in education.>To say "Margaret Thatcher" is to see every past president's eye light up, and the vocal chords quiver in incipient introduction.>"Dare take unto herself the glory of what she calls my incipient cure?>And the idea of incipient insanity in young Horne grew stronger than ever in Mr. Wedmore's mind. |
| Incongruous (adj) absurd disagreeing grotesque improper inappropriate incongruent inconsistent inharmonious unconstituted unfit | 1. out of place, inappropriate, not harmonious >People dig it when they see other people dancing in incongruous places.>That night -- I call it that though the constant weak daylight made the term incongruous -- activity showed in the City of Ice.>These backstories give the characters weight and depth that informs their actions and doesn't feel incongruous, which is quite an achievement. |
| Inconsequential (adj) inconsequent insignificant negligible trifling trivial unimportant | 1. insignificant, unimportant; illogical >It’s one thing to say you don’t like the changes, but to pretend they’re inconsequential is just … beyond silly.>If sense prevails, both of these formats will remain inconsequential. >I figure this pack of yapping hyenas will just keep prattling about the insignificant and the inconsequential, which is fine.>The others having been labelled inconsequential by the monolithic mass media. |
| Incorporate (v) assimilate associated blend combined corporate embodied embody incorporated incorporeal spiritual | 1. combine, unite; form a legal corporation; embody, give physical form to >Saying that corporations should have no rights because an individual can incorporate is inconsistent with judicial interpretation of the 1st amendment.>“The day you incorporate is the day your site stops being a “Blog” and becomes a Media Company.”>For the most part, a marketer's top-producing search terms incorporate its brand name. |
| Indeterminate (adj) indefinite indeterminant uncertain | 1. not fixed or determined, indefinite; vague >BALES: You get some that are called indeterminate, that just keep going all season.>'Solar Set' is a determinate variety, unlike many of our readers may be used to (called indeterminate).>Sex offenders would face open-ended prison sentences, known as "indeterminate," if members of a jury found them to be predatory.>Alligators are believed to have what is referred to as indeterminate growth, which means they continue growing throughout their lifetime, albeit at an ever-diminishing rate. |
| Indifferent (adj) Laodicean Spartan adiaphorist adiaphoristic adiaphorous apathetic calm careless cold cool disinterested distant dry dull easeful | 1. not caring, having no interest; unbiased, impartial >One thing I guarantee: it will be hard to remain indifferent after meeting Anthony, Daisy, Emily, Francisco and Bianca.>The health care law, whether good, bad, or indifferent, is the law precisely because our constitution allows our representatives to behave undemocratically if they prefer.>Like them, hate them, or remain indifferent to them, they have had a considerable impact on modern culture. |
| Inform (v) acquaint advertize advise animate appear appraise apprise certify deformed dob enlighten fashion figure flag formless | 1. inspire, animate; give substance, essence, or context to; be the characteristic quality of >A inform from a collision scene, in a meantime, can be see!>To once again inform you that Neodarwinism is not evolution (a finger-moon confusion) would do no good.">To once again inform you that Neodarwinism is not evolution (a finger-moon confusion) would do no good.>Authorities around the world, in short, inform us that professors don't come smarter or wiser than Mazrui.>The opening titles inform that this is an "action-film," and Godard has one of his characters indirectly explain what this means early on. |
| Ingenuous (adj) artless candid fair frank freeborn generous high-minded honorable ingenious magnanimous | 1. genuine, sincere, not holding back; naive >Criminals on trains often adopted what the researchers described as ingenuous tactics in their activities.>George Kembel, head of the Stanford d. school, calls the ingenuous device a $19,975 cost-savings.>He might alter the word to "ingenuous" or "ingenious," either would be finely sarcastic, but then -- there was his foreman, who would detect it!>Society in the 18th Century_, p. 207.)] [Footnote 304: _Lockhart_, Vol. III, p. 197.] [Footnote 305: The reader will at once recall the ingenuous remark of |
| Ingrained (adj) atavistic deep-rooted habitual hereditary ill-concealed inborn incurable ineradicable inherent instinctive | 1. deep-rooted, forming part of the very essence; worked into the fiber >I've always wondered if there is something genetically inherent in a redhead to be like this, or whether it's a habit ingrained from a lifetime of people just expecting that one will pop off at any given moment.>I stooped down and picked up the paper and would you believe it – so ingrained is my Parisian sense of comme il faut – I murmured "pardon" before I read it.But football comes with a warning label ingrained in every parent's worrisome mind.>Such assumptions are ingrained, which is why I advised Republicans not to hold their collective breath “courting the black vote.” |
| Inherent (adj) essential immanent inalienable inborn inbred indispensable indwelling inexistent innate inseparable | 1. existing as a permanent, essential quality; intrinsic >PALCA: But like scuba diving, there are certain inherent risks and they want to get you acquainted with those.>I feel like politicians, there is a certain inherent, you know, the way I always explain it is, when you go to the zoo and a monkey throws its feces, its a monkey.>The assumption was that the forces of economic development and the forces of environmental protection were in inherent conflict.>The totalitarian potential in socialist thought has been inherent from the beginning — at least since Rousseau and the ‘general will’ — which supports what you call the “born bad” theory. |
| Innocuous (adj) harmless innoxious | 1. harmless, inoffensive >He noted what he called an innocuous collection of photos of junior boxing groups.>A speech by the president should be in innocuous exercise in civics and public discourse.>Explaining your challenge to something fairly innocuous is a courteous, adult thing to do.>But the young women soon heard that their shafts passed over Kirsteen's head and fell innocuous, which is the most safe and speedy extinguisher of malice. |
| Intelligible (adj) clear comprehensible easy evident lucid manifest obvious open palpable perspicuous | 1. able to understood, clear >The younger you are, it seems the less intelligence is passed down, thus the decline in intelligible television.>We must just have faith enough to strive honestly till then, even though the reason and the motive cannot be spoken in intelligible words. |
| Intractable (adj) contrarious cross crossgrained headstrong idocile impracticable indisciplinable irreconcilable mulish obstinate | 1. difficult to control, manage, or manipulate; hard to cure; stubborn >This society does not deal well with long-term intractable problems of any kind.>Volcker saw the problem as "intractable" -- and perhaps sarcastically recognized the>The conflict implied by this corrosive term is one the social scientists call intractable. |
| Intrepid (adj) bold bolt brave courageous daring dauntless doughty fearless heroic resolute | 1. fearless, brave, enduring in the face of adversity >We Memphians call our intrepid little corner of Tennessee "Roundtown," and it isn't because we're officially the most obese city in the nation.>That appeals to the kind of intrepid older travelers who have already done Peru's Machu Picchu and Cambodia's Angkor Wat>Ms. France's browsers are, as the magazine puts it, "intrepid" – it's war out there. |
| Intrinsic (adj) essential genuine inherent innate internal inward natural real | 1. belonging to the essential nature of a thing >Maybe that should be regarded as a clue to the main intrinsic purpose of the institution.>I think for someone sensitive who truly believes in intrinsic goodness would pretty much have had to kill themselves after WWII.>This population is already prone to deficiency in intrinsic factor, necessary for B12 absorption.>It's typically easier to establish the market value for an urban property in places like Manhattan, where other high-end homes are for sale and the location itself is expected to provide long-term intrinsic value. |
| Jargon (n) argot babel cant canting chinook dialect gibberish hegelese intalk shop | 1. vocabulary specific to a group or occupation; convoluted or unintelligible language >While the jargon is all retro health and safety-education material, the culty fetishism is more J.G. Ballard than CPR.>While the jargon is all retro health and safety-education material, the culty fetishism is more J.G. Ballard than CPR.>They may wrap their writing in jargon and statistical mumbo jumbo, but the ideas themselves are not that hard to grasp (comparative advantage not withstanding!).>The language is pretty vague and excessively rich in jargon, but we see that as more of an ‘episode’ than just ‘DLC.’ |
| Jocular (adj) dismissive jesting jocose jokey merry silly; see also Wikisaurus:witty sportive unemotional | 1. joking or given to joking all the time; jolly, playful >This, and my being esteem'd a pretty good riggite, that is, a jocular verbal satirist, supported my consequence in the society.>If a reporter asks a question and gets only a hand gesture as a response, what exactly makes it read as "jocular"?>That which is commonly known by the term jocular and comick, is nothing but a turn of expression, an airy phantom, that must be caught at a particular point. |
| Judicious (adj) discerning discreet judgmatic judicial prudent rational sagacious sensible skillful well-advised | 1. using good judgment; wise, sensible >So Europe Between the Oceans, at once compelling and judicious, is an extraordinary book.>A serious part of the gardener's work during the average summer consists in judicious watering of the garden.>"In this context, the phrase 'more judicious' is really code for 'let's appease Pakistani sensitivities,' " said a U.S. official.>And palate call judicious; I the praife xoxo Yield thee, fo well this day thou haft purveyed. |
| Juncture (n) alliance articulation combination concurrence conjunction contingency crisis emergency exigency joining | 1. critical point in time, such as a crisis or a time when a decision is necessary; a place where two things are joined together >One concern I should mention at this juncture is the need for recognition that there are certain hazards associated with getting involved in unfamiliar business or financial territory.>If the juncture is as I have drawn it, it brings Gibeon, Nob, and Mizpah all down too close to Jerusalem on the>Dropping out of the discussion at this juncture is simply unacceptable.>This time the snare of participial juncture is smoothly mutual and binding, rather than viscous and thickening — as in |
| Keen (adj) acrimonious acute ardent biting bitter cutting delightful discerning eager fierce | 1. sharp, piercing; very perceptive or mentally sharp; intense (of a feeling) >Japan's prime minister is expressing what he calls keen remorse and heartfelt apologies for his country's role in World War II.>It was still raining in torrents after lunch, and Thomas, who is not what I call keen about golf, preferred to remain before the fire>My first surprise was to find him described as a keen, all-round sportsman.. |
| Kudos (n) extol fame glorify glory praise renown | 1. praise, honor, congratulations >Schools that successfully encourage high-impact activities win kudos from the National Survey of Student Engagement.>This came after Jones had received some kudos from the coaching staff for making progress at his natural position on defense. |
| Lackluster (adj) bore dull mediocre | 1. not shiny; dull, mediocre, lacking brilliance or vitality >Martin O'Malley, criticizing the incumbent for what he called a lackluster legislative session Tuesday.>Others fault the city for what they call lackluster attempts at outreach and law enforcement.>My blog-neighborliness has been sorely lacking lo these last few days, and can be expected to remain lackluster until I get back from NYC at the end of the week.>With grades he described as "lackluster" - he had an A - average-he settled for the University of Rochester. |
| Laconic (adj) Brie brief brusque concise cruel laconian laconism pithy pointed sententious | 1. using few words, concise >Bush, on the other hand, was characterized as a laconic, likable fella who you'd want to have a beer with at a backyard cook-out.>This style of speaking, where much was said in few words, was so usual in the whole country of Laconia, that it is still known as the laconic style.>The screen writers did their homework in preserving many famous sayings attributed to the Spartans, who were noted in antiquity for their "laconic" style of speaking.>Tanaka Gin was a slender, dark-faced man with the kind of laconic grace one often found in Japan's cinema detec - tives or samurai heroes |
| Lament (v, n) bemoan bewail complain deplore lamentation moaning mourn regret sorrow wailing | 1. mourn; express grief, sorrow, or regret (verb); an expression of grief, esp. as a song or poem (noun) >Even while some voices sing "Good Times - ain't we lucky we got 'em", others cry out in lament "Temporary lay-offs!">What we should lament is the fact that a Bad Story exists, not that characters or setting were stolen to make a Bad Story.>What you could lament is the lack of "alias" in Windows, which would obviate the need for the batch file.>David Copperfield's lament is given here with my further typographical highlights on the kinds of anaphoric returns and alphabetic reversals by which Gass is intrigued: From |
| Lampoon (n, v) defame lash libel satirize | 1. a harsh satire (noun); ridicule or satirize (verb) >Joining the lampoon will be the likes of Kim Basinger, Chevy Chase and Ringo Starr.>Lord President Stair; and the lampoon, which is written with much more malice than art, bears the following motto:>The so-called lampoon is designed to provoke outrage against Google's perceived privacy intrusions, but some viewers may find the privacy group's tactics even more outrageous.>Mr. Crinklaw also forwarded by e-mail a statement from Chevron that called the lampoon |
| Landmark (n, adj) boundary guide hoarstone mark meith mere merestone | 1. object (such as a building) that stands out and can be used to navigate by; very important place, event, etc. >But she said to me, nonetheless, they are laying the groundwork to eventually pass what they call landmark legislation.>AFL has announced what it calls a landmark agreement to broadcast matches live into China.>Another landmark is the monument to the deer (symbol of the city). |
| Languid (adj) | 1. drooping from exhaustion, sluggish, slow; lacking in spirit >Even in languid humid climes it is the season of matings and revolutions.>After a backbench query about the AV referendum, Bercow rose up again and called another languid halt.>Productivity, he explained, is "languid" in construction, so the decline of building as a share of the economy in recent quarters "is certainly going to be positive for productivity" on average. |
| Lassitude (n) apathy debility faintness languor weariness | 1. tiredness, weariness; lazy indifference >Bush has taken the opposite approach and for all his swagger and protectiveness of executive prerogatives is becoming a disturbing study in lassitude in the executive branch.>The lassitude which is a kind of spurious resignation poisons courage, or quenches it as water quenches fire.>This alone would account for the general air of lassitude which is one of the most noticeable features of German life.>A kind of lassitude compelled him to play this game. |
| Laudable (adj) commendable healthful healthy normal praiseworthy salubrious | 1. worthy of praise >Also laudable is the fact that someone famous owned up to her own difficulty with substance abuse.>Verges's tale is also a story of the mutation of the terror zeitgeist, from what many would call the laudable struggle of the Algerian people to the decadent terror-chic of Carlos and Magdelena Kopp >Oh, those textual scholars, with their "laudable" by which I mean, sweetly pathetic devotion to a "scientifically pure" text!>Given Borat's mass appeal, ads that recite the kind of laudable but dull facts you find in "special advertising sections" are not enough.>Jacobs congratulated the schools saying they have shown "laudable" improvements in spite of the less than ideal conditions in which they function. |
| Lavish (adj, v) abundant bestow deluge excessive extravagant exuberant immoderate pour prodigal profuse | 1. abundant or giving in abundance; marked by excess (adj); give very generously (verb) >Japanese socialites were also participating in lavish balls in Western-style evening gowns and tuxedos.>Read: eMeg and her fellow million-and-billionaires would soak in lavish returns while California's budget continues to shrink.>But defenders say that what some call a lavish perk is in reality a necessary security requirement and productivity booster for top corporate officials.>He bought a refrigerator and a freezer hidden behind what the paper describes as lavish wood paneling, and apparently got monogrammed towels. |
| Layperson (n) layman | 1. a person who is not a member of the clergy or not a member of a particular profession (such as medicine, law, etc.) >And then to have to translate that knowledge to the layperson is a challenge.>The problem is getting the science right in a form that is understandable and interesting to the layperson is a very difficult challenge.>Media Watch: I was reading Asteroids by Curtis Peebles (2000, Smithsonian Institution Press) when I saw some things I hadn't expected to see in this kind of layperson's science book. |
| Levity (n) buoyancy fickleness flightiness frivolity inconsideration inconstancy lightness sportiveness thoughtlessness unsteadiness | 1. lightness (of mind, spirit, or mood) or lack of seriousness, sometimes in an inappropriate way>A little levity is good during a press conference, but his remarks are always critical or insulting>And, Mary fairly lost to him, his constitutional indifference to money, a certain French levity of temper,>a certain French levity of temper, a persuasion that his life was nearing its wasted close, had left him without regret, as without resentment, at his kinsman's decision. |
| Levy (v, n) | 1. collect tax from, wage war on, or enlist for military service (verb); act of collecting tax or amount owed, or the drafting of troops into military service (noun) >"In the end it all flows from prize money and the levy is the key contributor to prize money.">The chancellor should drop his hyperbole about banks making a "fair contribution": the levy is a gentle measure.>The argument for the levy is the same one I made on a prior thread regarding whether people should buy school supplies for low-income children. |
| Liberal (adj, n) Catholic abundant ample beneficent bounteous bountiful broad broad-minded broadish democratic discomisado eclectic free freethinker generous grit independent indifferent large latitudinarian | 1. favorable to progress or reform; believing in maximum possible individual freedom; tolerant, open-minded; generous (adj); a person with such beliefs or practices (noun) >I think the use of the term liberal from the short snipit that we are given is not the same liberal that the blogger is useing.>But the term liberal used in this way evokes a whole narrative that is nearly universal in many fundamentalist/Evangelical circles.>The term liberal in liberal arts is from the Latin word liberalis, meaning "appropriate for free men", and they were contrasted with the servile arts.>One possible problem is that in French, the phrase 'liberal media' very handily translates to 'libéral media,' so you know they're going to trot that one out very early into the new paradigm. |
| Libertine (n) | 1. morally or sexually unrestrained person; freethinker (regarding religion) |
| Likewise (adv) | 1. also, in addition to; similarly, in the same way |
| Log (v, n) | 1. keep a record of, write down; travel for or at a certain distance or speed (verb); a written record (noun) |
| Loquacious (adj) | 1. talkative, wordy |
| Lucid (adj) | 1.clear, eas y to understand; rational, sane |
| Lull (n, v) | 1. soothe or cause to fall asleep (as in a lullaby); quiet down; make to feel secure, sometimes falsely (verb); a period of calm or quiet (noun) |
| Makeshift (n, adj) | 1. a temporary, often improvised, substitute (noun); improvised for temporary use (adj) |
| Malleable (adj) | able to be bent, shaped, or adapted |
| Maverick (n) | 1. rebel, individualist, dissenter |
| Mendacious (adj) counterfeit false lying | 1. lying, habitually dishonest >The bigger the unit you deal with, the hollower, the more brutal, the more mendacious is the life displayed.>The suggestion that 40 million people died because of the power of words might seem trite until one recalls the mendacious blabberings of the leaders of a war we are still fighting.>And here he exposes himself as just the kind of mendacious, chicaning, empty bag of wind he has always appeared to be.>During six months spent by the "mendacious" Pinto on the island, the imitative people made no fewer than six hundred match-locks or arquebuses.>You end up with the mendacious garbled into incoherence. |
| Mercurial (adj) active changeable crafty fickle sprightly swift volatile | 1. quickly unpredictably changing moods; fickle, flighty >Jobs is often described as mercurial and prone to outbursts, while Cook, who was raised in a small town in Alabama, is polite and soft-spoken, The Times reports.>A number of people have described Denny as "mercurial" - the commanding personality who was sometimes afraid to go onstage.>As a businesswoman, she was called mercurial, cunning, cynical, and calculating, but personally she was softhearted and had a passion for helping the less fortunate who called her “the Angel of the West”. |
| Meticulous (adj) careful fearful painstaking precise rigorous scrupulous timid | 1. taking extreme care in regards to details; precise, fussy >She was referring to her meticulous joke file, featured in her 2010 documentary, "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work.">But with great patience, he always explained them to me in meticulous detail.>They plan it in meticulous detail over the course of a very condensed week.>The report describes in meticulous detail over three volumes the failures of both the medical and legal systems.>An argument between married lawyers has continued longer than expected whilst each of them takes turns to cross-examine the other in meticulous detail. |
| Metamorphosis (n) alteration biological process organic process revision transformation translation | 1. a complete change or transformer (in biology, a change such as a caterpillar becoming a pupa and then a butterfly) >The word larva referring to the newly hatched form of insects before they undergo metamorphosis comes from the Latin word lārva, meaning “evil spirit, demon, devil.”>The term metamorphosis includes both of these processes; and in the normal condition of the system presupposes a perfect equilibrium between them.>Mutual funds sometimes undergo a name metamorphosis, emerging from their original gray cocoons as beautiful butterflies that will fly your investment returns higher than ever but does this flight really happen?>But really, season one is all about the Born Again metamorphosis of John Locke. |
| Mitigate (v) allay alleviate ameliorate assuage check diminish ease lessen lighten meliorate | 1. make less severe; lessen or moderate (damage, grief, pain, etc.) >The easies way to mitigate is to lock down the desktops, have specific/tight firewall rules, and do content filtering.>Stating reasons in direct, honest terms mitigate fears you're looking for temporary job>The bank, on an analysts 'call this month, said it would "mitigate" lower service charge income by considering moves such as imposing account maintenance fees.>Now that we have created huge financial bubbles, through the creation of money and credit, to "mitigate" the ill-effects of the destruction of capital, we have a problem. |
| Modest (adj) bashful becoming boastless chaste coy decent decorous delicate demure diffident humble inobtrusive moderate quiet reserved | 1. humble; simple rather than showy; decent (esp. "covering up" in terms of dress); small, limited >Well, I think we gave pretty specific guidance on growth rates and we used the term modest leverage.>Nawas is just one of a group of athletic Kansas City area young Muslim women who wear the hijab and what they term "modest" dress long sleeves and pants or long skirts>Pentagon officials say they are contemplating now what they call a modest increase in those forces.>The SA Communist Party welcomed what it described as modest measures, and proposed that the school-feeding scheme be revived. |
| Mollify (v) calm comfort pacify qualify satisfy soften soothe | 1. calm or soothe (an angry person); lessen or soften >The fact that she's a "straight shooter" on global warming may be related to the fact that she couldn't "mollify" people about Thiomersal.>The fact that she's a "straight shooter" on global warming may be related to the fact that she couldn't "mollify" people about>Obama memo from Gibbs and Simmons says Palin appointment done to "mollify" right wingers.>House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, was forced to delay a vote 24 hours Thursday and add a stronger balanced budget amendment proposal to mollify conservatives.>As All Things Digital notes, that was one of the concessions that Epix (which is a budding cable channel in addition to a Web property) had to make to "mollify" its cable partners. |
| Monotony (n) drearihead drearihood dreariment dreariness humdrum monotone sameliness sameness | 1. sameness or repetitiousness to the point of being boring; lack of variation, uniformity, esp. repetition in sound >All she has to break the monotony is the scarce book collection at the horribly deficient community library.>However, any possible monotony is eradicated by this montage's use of the Tito Puente soundtrack.>The repetition of the same themes could create a certain monotony, but his acute analyses and sure touch awaken the same admiration with each new encounter.>Occasionally its monotony is broken by the passage of a train of emigrant waggons bound west to California or |
| Moreover (adv) also besides du reste further furthermore likewise | 1. besides; in addition to what was just stated >The erasure, moreover, is highly restricted to the memory being retrieved while leaving other memories intact.>The break in the calm, moreover, is not merely caused by the threat of physical violence echoed by the poet; it is in fact ignited by him.>Speculating on what a reader might like, moreover, is in a way judging him, I guess.>Raising this in the FTC, moreover, is off base, because the statement is not made about GM products. |
| Mores (n) customs habits | 1. customs, manners, or morals of a particular group >Romans used generally, for this idea, the term mores, and hence Cicero and>Dionisio said the event, which includes a hayride and fires to make s'mores, is the group's biggest fundraiser.>Later philosophers, examining the principles of republicanism, argued that this sort of constraint by mores is desirable, because it holds behaviour in check more effectively.>But my Church, using our institution's religious mores, is happy to perform a "marriage" ceremony for two people of the same gender. |
| Mundane (adj) banal boring commonplace earthly everyday ordinary routine terrestrial workaday worldly | 1. common, ordinary, everyday >"I'd revert back to thinking about guys getting blown up, getting shot at," he says, instead of focusing on what he called his "mundane and menial" schoolwork.>What if the mundane is the socio-cultural equivalent of the primordial soup?>After a big block of text, here is my real topic: what kind of powers could be used effectively in mundane situations?>I want to study it and study it to see how he does that, how the mundane is suddenly underlaid with the utmost revelations and profoundities. |
| Naive (adj) artless credulous frank ingenuous | 1. simple and unsophisticated, unsuspecting, lacking worldly experience and critical judgment >Once it's here, it's spreading like a virus that's going into what we call a naive population.>At a news conference today with the visiting president of Afghanistan, Mr. Bush attacked what he called a naive conclusion drawn from a major government report on the war on terror.>He directed his ire at Hansen who had used the word "naive" in his assessment of the game in Monday's newspaper.>There's lots of highly sohpisticated people here and on our city council, and in fact, being naive is a virtue; we're not so cynical. |
| Nascent (adj) beginning emergent emerging evolving immature inchoate incipient young | 1. coming into existence, still developing >This all seems like foolish talk because Bond 23 is in nascent stages.>For example, Whitehouse and others supposedly called their nascent group "Clean Up National TV" until her husband pointed out the unfortunate acronym - they then changed it to "Clean Up TV.">You mentioned in some of your opening comments [that] in the course of the '70s and thereafter, you see the rise of something that people generally label the nascent> |
| Negate (v) demonstrate depart deviate differ disagree dissent diverge establish prove shew | 1. deny or refute; make void or cause to be ineffective >The absolute undisputable unmoveable authority of the second amendment - which if any "law" attempts to negate is to be disregarded as illegal.>These next 2 installments kind of negate the whole point of the first film.>I will make it even simpler; they don't need carriers - since they can "negate" ours easily.>You hate for one start to kind of negate the little bit of progress he was making. |
| Net (adj, v) bobbinet catch clear development drift ensnare entrap fabric flew flue | 1. remaining after expenses or other factors have been deducted; ultimate (adj); to bring in as profit or to catch as in a net (verb) >Generally avoid the term net sales, even if the company uses it to factor in such things as returns and cash discounts.>As interesting as these playoffs have been, what's happening in net is even more fascinating.>However, the company's use of the term net operating income may not be comparable to that of other real estate companies as they may have different methodologies for computing this amount.> |
| Nevertheless/Nonetheless (adv) at least however nonetheless notwithstanding still though yet | 1. however, even so, despite that >Nevertheless, the court reasoned that in the context of a traffic stop, the passenger, although innocent of any wrongdoing, nevertheless is subject to detention for the duration of the stop:>He may mean it to be risible, but it nevertheless is pretty impressive.>Although Sadowski said he does not expect the foreclosure crisis to result in significant losses to the company, Fidelity National nevertheless is building up its cash on hand.> |
| Notoriety (n) esclandre ill fame infamy notoriousness proverbialness | 1. ill fame; the state of being well-known for a disgraceful reason >Is the real story here that Fox created these bogus interviews because Fox has figured out that no one of any notoriety is going to let Sarah Palin interview them?>Holly's exitement about her increased notoriety is expressed her in her own words on her blog.>With the exception of a few arthouse hits, the type of Japanese films that gain notoriety in America tend to lean towards the violent or random.>A passion for the poem and not a passion for the notoriety is what makes a major poet happen, when you least expect it. |
| Novel (adj) fresh modern net new news novelty rare recent strange surprising | 1. new, fresh, original >Its preface features a history of the novel and Sade’s theories on the ‘modern novel‘:>Paul Ruditis is the author of the Alias novel Vigilance and the official episode guide for the first four seasons of the series: Alias: Authorized Personnel Only.>Because I see Wood primarily as a critic with the ability to define the genre again, the term novel otherwise incorporating so many varied beasts that it has become meaningless.>SILK EGG, by the way, is the title novel for a larger manuscript entitled SILK EGG: COLLECTED NOVELS. |
| Nuance (n) ambiguity complexity cue diversity elaboration finesse gradation implication inflection interplay | 1. a subtle difference in tone, meaning, and expression >Bush has shown himself to be aware of the meaning of the word nuance and applies it to diplomatic jargon.>Of course, that kind of nuance is lost on the holy-rolling knuckledraggers of the radical right.>So whilst there are differences in nuance, I think overall China doesn't have a great preference one way or the other.>Would there be a difference in nuance and focus if such a book was written by a male veteran who'd actually fought in a war? |
| Objective (adj) external extrinsic fair goal outward subjective unbiased unprejudiced | 1. factual, related to reality or physical objects; not influenced by emotions, unbiased >Yet he insisted, on the contrary, that values are objective, even going so far as to label his position ˜objective pluralism™.>We must protect our struggle against forces which sound correct but whose objective is entirely to destroy the cause, the ·objective, of our revolutionary struggle ".>The main objective is for the fellow to gain an appreciation of the dynamic nature of the studies that is lost on review of the static images.>The main objective is for the fellow to view numerous biopsy specimens daily and to see multiple normal biopsies with the pathologists. |
| Obsequious (adj) abject compliant cringing devoted fawning funereal ingratiating kiss-ass obedient parasitic | 1. servile, very compliant, fawning >I dare say you know two types of natives, which may be called the obsequious and the sullen>That kind of obsequious attitude plus Gordon Brown's 'light touch regulation' were taken by the 'spiv' element in the City as the signal that anything goes.>I am impressed, you appear to have used the word "obsequious" properly even if what you were saying was false.>OK: we're all familiar at this point with the sickeningly prissy, obsequious, condescending tone of the now-infamous column by the Toronto Star's "public editor," Kathy English. |
| Obsolete (adj) abortive ancient antiquated antique archaic dead demoted discarded disused exploded | 1. out of date, no longer in use >What it has done and how it has done it, "published later as Tract 41 and renamed, when the passage of years rendered the title obsolete," The>A term obsolete in Science if used with reference to Spirit, or Deity.>Not inspiring the youth will result in obsolete soon to be retired workforce.>The likelihood of Sirius going bankrupt and obsolete is a joke and if it does it will be in three years when the 500 million is used up. |
| Obstinate (adj) asinine bloody-minded bullish camelish cantankerous contumacious cussed dogged dour firm hard-hearted hardened headstrong heady immovable | 1. stubborn or hard to control >So obstinate is she that God has to "allure her," that is, so to temper judgment with unlooked-for grace as to win her to His ways.>I heard myself called obstinate and wilful, only because I believed myself in the right, and persisted in it.>Numidia, the strong inland city of Corta still persisted in obstinate independence.>I'm sure he'll remain obstinate and continue to promote abortion. |
| Obviate (v) anticipate overcome | 1. prevent, eliminate, or make unnecessary >Mostly, I've narrowed it down to Lakeside or Cuernavaca, though my mind, regrettably, isn't narrow enough to obviate any changes that may include somewhere else.>Mr. Obama's jobs bill, which proposes $130 billion of aid for state and local governments, would obviate these reforms and take lawmakers off the hook for goosing workers' pensions in return for their political support.>In a (rare) moment of self-doubt I looked up 'obviate' wondering if it's one of those words I've either misheard or used incorrectly.> |
| Occult (n, adj, v) concealed eclipse hide invisible secret unknown | 1. the supernatural (noun); pertaining to magic, astrology, etc.; mysterious, secret or hidden (adj); to hide, to shut off from view >Many people think the word psychic is synonymous with the word occult and, therefore, connected with Satan.>Even nowadays, the following injunction may be found in occult schools: “know, dare, do, and be silent.”>Astronomers refer to this phenomenon as an "occultation," taken from the Latin word occultÄre, which means "to conceal.">Although the theme of enlightenment vs. occult is ... okay, there I go, being too close to the material again. |
| Offhand (adj) ability abrupt act agency agent careless deed dexterity direction extemporaneous | 1. casual, informal; done without preparation or forethought; rude in a short way, brusque >The only answer I can think of offhand is the bond market & those who have an interest in fixed incomes since inflation would be painful for both.>Shooting offhand is a humbling experience, it's much more fun to shoot tiny groups but it has little to do with hunting unless you're out west with your rifle laid on a bedroll.>While standing offhand is my best position I can't hit a thing with this particular gun beyond 40 yd because it is so light.> |
| Officious (adj) mpertinent kind meddlesome meddling obliging | 1. excessively eager in giving unwanted advice or intruding where one is not wanted; meddlesome, pushy >A simplistic way of looking at this would be to adopt a kind of officious bystander test who is stood alongside the states making the treaties.>There is a kind of officious attentiveness which is really the expression of a species of vanity.>"officious" action, and how subtle are the changes which can be rung upon the two, but there was nothing of that description here.> |
| Offset (v, n) balance branch counterpoise neutralize ornament set-off start | 1. counteract, compensate for (verb); a counterbalance (noun) >And while there was no money for a solar-powered studio, the label offset its energy use by purchasing credits from Native Energy.>Also with them to the right of the formation, offset from the line of scrimmage, was wide receiver Jarrett Boykin.>Also, under the current rules, foreign companies that receive import orders in excess of 3 billion rupees $60.9 million must draw at least 30% of that order from domestic suppliers or make a similar-sized investment within India, in what is known as an offset obligation.> |
| Onerous (adj) burdensome demanding difficult oppressive taxing wearing | 1. burdensome, oppressive, hard to endure >Internet broadcasters have been subject to what they call onerous rates since a ruling by the Copyright Royalty Board in June of 2007.>The company has also taken a £50m hit on what it called onerous sports rights contracts.>However, the number of reports required and monthly quotas and taxes remain onerous in a country where most people have no car or telephone.> |
| Opaque (adj) blur cloud nontranslucent obscure opacity opacous unintelligible | 1. not translucent; not allowing light, hear, etc. to pass through; dark, dull, unclear or stupid >That was the agreed signal, a word opaque enough to confuse anyone trying to listen in.>To get there, Artprice limited its scope to fine-art sales at public auctions, filtering out results from what they refer to as the "opaque" gallery market.>Keeping prices opaque is one way medical institutions seek to avoid competition and thereby keep prices up.> |
| Optimal/Optimum (adj) best ideal optimum | 1. best, most desirable or favorable >One suspects that the term optimal came into widespread use among economists as a marketing device to promote their normative propositions based on efficiency.>In order to achieve what I call "optimal stress," you must realize that stress is a process, not an event.>> |
| Orthodox (adj) | 1. adhering to a traditional, established faith, or to anything customary or commonly accepted >The opposite is true of Christianity: The Eastern Orthodox Church gave itself the term orthodox, meaning "correct belief.">> |
| Oscillate (v) sway swing vibrate | 1. swing back and forth; waver, change one's mind >The only place to spot them is in a vacuum, where they should sometimes "oscillate" into normal photons.>Print newspapers, because of their structure, catchment areas and sheer physicality, don't oscillate wildly from month to month or year to year.>I oscillate between shame, self forgiveness and anger with the world at large. |
| Outstrip (v) | 1. surpass, exceed; be larger or better than; leave behind >Divorce lawyer Vanessa Lloyd Platt said Mrs Rooney's income may in the long-term outstrip that of her husband, who earns an estimated £7 million a year from>Technology changes 'outstrip' netbooks photo: Creative Commons/Flickr upload bot>CIGS PV cells will eventually "outstrip" the baseline mc-Si cell in terms of conversion efficiency. " |
| Overshadow (v) cloudy darken obscure | 1. cast a shadow over, darken; dominate, make to seem less important >However, the difficulty there is finding someone who can demand the kind of budget the film needs while not having his name overshadow the character.>Even if the wines are well-made, will the name overshadow the success of the winermaker?>The custody battle and divorce case, he said last week, could "overshadow" his free-agent maneuvering |
| Paradigm (n) example exemplar model pattern world view worldview | 1. model or pattern; worldview, set of shared assumptions, values, etc. >Now, the term paradigm shift is used to suggest the groundbreaking importance of statements such as this:>After the 1962 publication of Structure, however, the word paradigm came to mean something bigger and more complicated than a mere example.>Interestingly the paradigm is associated with an intelligent design approach; for where do we find symbolic coding systems? |
| Paradox (n) contradiction enigma juxtaposition koan puzzle quandary reverse psychology riddle shocker | 1. contradiction, or seeming contradiction that is actually true >"Quite naturally, in the literature they don't use the term paradox, of course.">"To give you some background, the word paradox is Latin for 'beyond opinion.'>I thought the writers were staying with mind transport only (into your future/past body), so that a paradox is avoided.>When the paradox is addressed, it is usually done so only briefly, by saying that the one who feels the acceleration is the one who is younger at the end of the trip |
| Pariah (n) | 1. Social outcast, untouchable >The players of the paRai were of a low social order and the term pariah eventually became the descriptor for the lowest caste - the untouchables - in parts of Sri Lanka.>The country's formal diplomatic links were largely confined to a number of countries with whom apartheid South Africa had historical links, or with the so-called pariah countries.>India, called pariah dogs; since the latter, although not owned by individuals, dwell in the villages, and of course associate with man. |
| Partial (adj) | 1. biased, prejudiced, favoring one over the others; having a special liking for something or someone (usually partial to) >Abortion proponents hate the term partial-birth abortion because it accurately and understandably describes that which they would rather euphemize as a form of "choice" or obscure with technical terminology.>The term partial insanity comprises chiefly those varieties known as impulsive, emotional, and moral.>Many lenders are reporting loan modifications as what they call partial payment plans, which is considered negative by the FICO score. |
| Partisan (adj, n) staff party-spirited tendencious tendentious | 1. devoted to a particular group, cause, etc. (adj); fervent supporter of a group, party, idea, etc.; guerilla fighter (noun) >Jeremy: I wouldn't use the term partisan hack after what you just wrote.>"I also think you can use the term partisan when it comes to style, how you express yourself and how you communicate in the public square.">The defining characteristic of a partisan is the inability to apply the same standards to oneself as one does to the opposition. |
| Patent (adj, n) apparent conspicuous document evident expanded manifest open patented public right | 1. obvious, apparent, plain to see (adj); a letter from the government guaranteeing an inventor rights to his or her invention (noun) >Google's biggest ever deal probably catapulted the word patent up the list of the week's most searched for terms.>You don't believe in the term patent troll, but you also have a problem with Nilay saying that i4i isn't one?>Assuming that my grasp of the patent is accurate and considering the likelihood of Kind Code being optional, I really don't see what the big deal is here. |
| Pathological (adj) morbid morbific pathologic | 1. relating to or caused by disease; relating to compulsive bad behavior >I think that she had what we call pathological envy, meaning she didn ` t want anyone else to be happy but her.>Then, once they became what he terms pathological gamers, their grades were more likely to drop, and their relationships with their parents deteriorated.>The claim that she's "pathological" is a reference to Nevada journalist Jon Ralston's tireless efforts to document what he describes as her "pathological" tendency to rewrite history and pretend she never said what she plainly did say. |
| Patronizing (adj) condescending | 1. condescending, having a superior manner, treating as an inferior >Third, "patronizing" is an understandable complaint but I do have honest respect and admiration for most people at TT.>My messages were aimed at warning other locals of the dangers inherent in patronizing that parking lot so that readers would be on the alert at all times there and, if they are smarter than I was, accept no help of any kind from anyone.>We are pioneering both tours and academic seminars to the Middle East and beyond, where we specialize in patronizing small businesses with a reputation for fair wages. |
| Paucity (n) dearth exiguity fewness insufficiency rarity scantiness scarcity | 1. scarcity, the state of being small in number >Flash works when time is in paucity, and when readers need a tiny piece of wonderful writing to make them smile.>Some writers would not use the word paucity in this place without first knowing the meaning of it, but I am not that way.>Impoverishment refers to a paucity of species in certain places; disharmony refers to unequal representation of species, or groups of species, in different places. |
| Peccadillo (n) fault | 1. small sin or fault >They cannot figure out why a sexual peccadillo is given so much attention.>When some brave souls pointed out that the peccadillo was a notoriously flightless bird they were hung, drawn and hacked up into bite-sized portions as a precaution.>It is an action between friends, just as my silence on the subject of your peccadillo is a friendly action. |
| Pedestrian (adj) | 1. ordinary, dull, commonplace >Hitting one of those berms while trying to avoid an oncoming cyclist or a pedestrian is a good way to slam face first into the roadway right in front of a speeding car.>It isn't terrible - it's hard for a competent musician to destroy the strong melodies and lyrical fireworks of Cole Porter - but the word "pedestrian" is floating across my mind.>The initiative comes at a time when New York City has hit a 100-year low in pedestrian deaths, according to Ms. Sadik-Khan. |
| Penchant (n) bias desire inclination | 1. liking or inclination >His penchant is for the gargantuan – auto companies, school violence, capitalism, health care.>That agents of the state of Israel are behind much if not all of the "Hamas rockets" is a reasonable conclusion and backed up by the Israeli governments long term penchant for fabricating Muslim terrorism.>And he fears updating the Copyright Act will blow up because of the Tory's short-term penchant for slogans and electioneering. |
| Perfidious (adj) diisloyal faithless teacherous traitorous treacherous unfaithful | 1. disloyal, treacherous, violating one's trust >Then Miriam was furious, and complained to Minna about what she called her perfidious conduct; but Minna only laughed, and told her she could have Petrofsky instead. >Jews and Judaism are characterized as the perfidious enemy of Islam and Israel becomes the Salmon Rushdie of the nations>He wouldn't have found The Albion "perfidious" in the matter of "turtle and fine living," -- which was Mrs.R. 's description of the Pharisee. |
| Peripheral (adj) external peripheral device peripheric circumferential encircling fringy incident incidental | 1. relating to or making up an outer boundary or region; not of primary importance >I suspect Martha had seen and/or felt these nodes on Bailey as they were enlarged, a condition we term peripheral lymphadenopathy.>The team also found that nerves of patients with certain peripheral nerve disorders had defective JAM-C.>Engineers from the University of Pennsylvania warn against an entirely new threat to computer security: bugs implanted in peripheral devices, such as keyboards or mice.>Similarly, blood clots can form in the arteries that supply the arms or legs; this condition is called peripheral artery disease. |
| Permeate (v) pervade penetrate perforate undefined | 1. spread or penetrate throughout >The permeate is processed to remove the lactose, which is used to create ethanol.>He encouraged the students to "permeate" themselves with "the full spirit of the age" if they hoped to give architecture "true art forms.">To create those noxious odors would mean it would be too intense at the source and permeate the whole valley, company project manager Mark Patton says. |
| Pervasive (adj) penetrating permeating pervading | 1. tending to spread throughout >He blamed a culture of political correctness, which he described as pervasive even through the military.>Reply to this tom smith how pervasive is sexual harassment of women in Egypt? is it something that happens in public and regularly?>President Clinton made a dent in pervasive inequality by raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans and investing in education, healthcare, jobs and tax breaks for working families. |
| Philanthropy (n) aid economic aid financial aid | 1. efforts to improve the well-being of humankind, generally through giving money >"We certainly didn't have the confidence in philanthropy that we did in business when we first started," said Mr. Buffett of himself and Mr. Gates.>We brought out a demographic and a crowd that has never been involved in philanthropy in Pakistan.>A hundred years ago, we called philanthropy "charity," and it looked very much like human connection. |
| Phony (adj) bogus counterfeit fake fraudulent hypocritical insincere | 1. fake, counterfeit; insincere, not genuine >One thing is certain; this country has endured many periods of debt and the term phony crisis is warranted.>Silberman said that unlike the criticism of Scalia and Thomas, which he termed phony issues, O'Connor's advocacy "is a real ethical issue.">McCain forces said that -- excuse me Senator Obama fired back, basically, at the McCain campaign today sharply what he called phony outrage |
| Pious (adj) devout dutiful godly obedient religious reverent reverential righteous | 1. devout; religiously reverent and dutiful >The word pious fits because Republicans really do worship the top 1 percent and the Wall Street tycoons like Romney who manipulate money but don't actually build anything or create net new jobs.>Martita kneeled on the front row with her hands pressed together in pious prayer-like fashion.>He has long abandoned the belief that one must speak in pious platitudes about doing what the framers intended, or not legislating from the bench. |
| Pith (n) cord core decerebrize essence general tenor gist heart heart and soul importance inwardness kernel marrow meat medulla nitty-gritty | 1. core, essence; significance or weight >Not a lot of guys in pith helmets learning much more local dialogue than “tea, white” and “boots, polish”.>How to make zest: Zesting a lemon is getting the colored outer layer of the peel off, without taking the white part with it, which is called the pith.>In Vajrayana Buddhism, such words are called pith instructions or heart wisdom.>When peeling an orange, make sure to remove all the white membrane, called the pith. |
| Placate (v) appease concilate mollify pacify satisfy | 1. satisfy or calm down (angry or dissatisfied person), esp. by conciliatory gestures >Many men that "attend church" do so to pacify their wives and/or "keep up an image" or ignorantly attemp to "placate" the God they don't even know.>The human-rights group Amnesty International on Wednesday urged the United Nations not to "placate" the government of the>Sacrifice no longer serves to "placate" the divinity, but rather to placate man and to make him desist from his hostility toward God and his neighbor. |
| Placid (adj) calm contented gentle peaceful pleased quiet serene tranquil undisturbed unruffied | 1. peaceful, calm, tranquil >The lawyers would address the House at the Bar and lay down, in placid, conversational style, the facts of the case and the points of law on which he relied for judgment.>He sat calmly smoking a cigarette, his eyes upturned in placid and Oriental contemplation of the heavens.>The couple don't blame the driver for the loss of their little boy who they described as a placid yet cheeky kid. |
| Plastic (adj) Think what has been done in plastic surgery, what is being done in what I call plastic psychology! | 1. able to be shaped or formed; easily influenced >Although almost all the talks given at the conference were about plastic pollution in our oceans, the resulting "Honolulu Strategy Document" from the conference doesn't use the term plastic pollution once.>Some lakes don't allow real minnows at all (dead or alive), so the plastic is a great way to get the minnow in to the fish.>Think what has been done in plastic surgery, what is being done in what I call plastic psychology! |
| Plausible (n) bland colorable colored commendable fair-seeming fair-spoken praiseworthy ready smooth specious | 1. believable; having the appearance of truth >Ever since Ronald Reagan's henchmen coined the phrase "plausible deniability," that's become our national motto.>To the skeptic's ear, when the word "plausible" needs to be included, this is a warning sign that what is described may not, in fact, be so plausible.>The Gang of Six relies on what it calls a "plausible baseline" of future tax rates, but that baseline does not assume a continuation of current tax policies. |
| Plummet (v) Bob dive drop fall lead plumb weight | 1. plunge, fall straight down >Church invented nothing new of her own when she began to extol Mary; she did not plummet from the worship of the one God to the praise of man.>Complaints about unwanted telemarketing calls plummet ACMA>If people stop buying stuff, suddenly sales tax collection plummet, which is exactly what happened. |
| Polarized (adj) | 1. divided into sharply opposed groups >Here, you see, is our ray of light: we have first to make it what we call polarized; but about that you need not trouble yourselves; it is only to make our illustration more clear.>Scratch resistent glass doesn't distort, amber tint, polarized is the only way to go for fishing>What makes congress polarized is when even the most-liberal Republican is more conservative than the most-conservative Democrat. |
| Ponderous (adj) dull forcible heavy important labored massive momentous oppressive serious wanting weighty | 1. heavy; bulky and unwieldy; dull, labored >I surely hope the slave is within it," called the ponderous fellow to the audience, "as I do wish to recover her!">They're all very slow and ponderous, which is odd as everyone says its an upbeat happy album.>It felt as though there were just too many sequences of Scrooge flying around, punctuated by kind of ponderous, talky scenes to give plot points. |
| Posthumous (adj) autobiographical best-known best-selling biographical enviable especial fictional forthcoming fulsome imperishable | 1. happening or continuing after death >This is why we call the posthumous life the only reality, and the terrestrial one, including the personality itself, only imaginary.>He brings this question as a plaintiff in the case he describes as a posthumous "love letter to the things Gerry believed in.">Today's excerpts from Henry David Thoreau's Journal are in posthumous dialogue with The New York Times. |
| Potentate (n) ruler swayer | 1. ruler, person of great power >Nothing helps her more than to be attacked by her enemies (think of the phenomenon as a slightly bizarre twist on FDR's maxim about an unsavory Latin American potentate: >The world has never seen a meaner scoundrel, and we may almost bring ourselves to pity the Kaiser, whom circumstances have forced to accept on equal terms a potentate so verminous.>By his agency, and his dealings with the native tribes, he had acquired great wealth, and become a kind of potentate in the Indian country. |
| Pragmatic (adj) busy down-to-earth functional material meddlesome officious philosophical practical realistic utilitarian | 1. practical; dealing with actual facts and reality >Russian envoy Grigory Berdennikov said world powers expect Iran to show what he called a "pragmatic attitude" and respond positively.>The semantic difficulty may be seen in the various ways historians have used the word pragmatic.>First, in pragmatic terms it suggests a mostly balanced and not unreasonable view of 4A protections (at least in comparison to some of the competing theories). |
| Pre-empt (v) acquire bid bidding call get replace supercede supersede supervene upon supplant | 1. prevent; take the place of, supplant; take before someone else can >f the United States believes that there's a potential threat out there, should it preempt, which is a relatively different strategy from earlier U.S. presidents?>Reporting Act (FCRA) and in doing so, may override or "preempt" state laws on affiliate sharing of personal information.>Obama's advisors explain that the president's moves are designed to "preempt" the resurgent |
| Preamble (n) introduction preface | 1. introductory statement, preface >This preamble is to note that I discovered quite a few very good authors for the first time via the editor's recommendation route.>Now, the only reason I am making this preamble is to make the point that quite definitely the theatre is not as important or of as much interest to you as it is to me.>This preamble is to say that I finally got around to finishing an article in last week's (6 February) issue, pp 24-25, "Northern Lights", introducedthus: "The latest surge of Scandinavian novels is leading a crime-in-translation boom from across the continent. |
| Precarious (adj) doubtful dubious equivocal uncertain unsettled unsteady | 1. unstable, insecure, dangerous >The quality of jobs changed dramatically in the way that we have what we call 'precarious employment' in Germany," he says.>And Jennifer Klein, professor of history at Yale University, adds that women often work in "precarious" jobs with irregular hours and low benefits.>It cannot see how precarious is its position, cannot comprehend the power and the portent of the revolution. |
| Precursor (n) forerunner harbinger messenger omen predecessor sign | 1. something that comes before, esp. something that also announces or suggests something on its way >For instance if certain precursor components are too large, too small, too weak, have too much torque, don't fit well with others, then you can't just tweak it for a fix.>Requirements relating to the largest exporting and importing countries of certain precursor chemicals.>5-HTP is a serotonin precursor similar to Tryptophan, a product banned by the FDA when it was found to contain contaminants.>Mr. Lang's next film, "You Only Live Once" (1937), has been called a precursor to Jean-Luc Godard's "Pierrot le Fou" (1965) and Arthur Penn's "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967). |
| Predisposed (adj) susceptible | 1. having an inclination or tendency beforehand; susceptible >But I don't see how anyone can see a racist message in the Hillary ad without being predisposed in other words... prejudiced... to see racism in absolutely everything.>KARA: Well, yes, but I think they're both kind of predisposed to psychosis, and that he brought it out of her as much as she made him hide his from his wife.>So if he did something, yeah, I'm kind of predisposed to that, and that's the way that most people think, and it's not that it's a wrong way to think. |
| Presumptive (adj) arrogant assumed likely presumed presumptuous probable | 1. based on inference or assumption; providing reasonable grounds for belief >As you said, there was what we called a presumptive positive test on green onions about a week ago.>If false, it suggests that the Democratic nominee-presumptive is audacious about more than just hope.>Stephen Levinson (1995, 2000) argues for default interpretations that he calls presumptive meanings and classifies as implicatures. |
| Presumptuous (adj) arrogant assured audacious conceited foolhardy forward impudent insolent overconfident presuming | too bold or forward; going beyond that which is proper >He said there was no truth in the story, which he described as presumptuous in that it attempted to portray him as a "great fixer-up" of all problems.>It was asked everyday of his Mid East and European trip, “Is he too presumptuous, is he trying too hard to be a rock star?”>My favorite thing, which may sound a little presumptuous, is to try to elevate the material. |
| Pretentious (adj) arrogant assuming poseur presuming | 1. claiming or demanding a position of importance or dignity, esp. when unjustified; showing off creating deceptive, false show of worth >One thing I noticed about the comments on your blog is that folks often use the term pretentious to describe a restaurant.>Although he finds the phrase "pretentious," he realized he was bearing witness so that peoples' suffering "will not have happened in vain.">He studied the row of buttons on the trendy contraption that some would call a coffee machine and he called a pretentious piece of pain-in-the-ass machinery. |
| Principled (adj) anti-abortion assertive charismatic clear-eyed clear-headed compassionate conducive conscientious courageous equitable | 1. having high moral standards >Mr. Clinton said it is important to achieve what he called principled compromise in a time of divided government, without which he said there would be paralysis>A certain principled conservative I have a good deal of respect for regards Niebuhr as a prophet.>He had a completely different set of dumb-ass reasons for opposing the Civil Rights Act. You see the same thing in principled pro-Sweat Shop (heh) pundits. |
| Pristine (adj) old original primeval primitive | 1. in an original, pure state; uncorrupted >"GOD BLESS YOU!" the priest clad in pristine white vestments shouted as he doused the boat and Vitter three times with water from a plastic oyster tub.>My point is that decommissioning the orbiters and sending them to a museum in pristine condition seems wasteful.>But if you have the spare cash and want your figures in pristine condition to display then new figures is the way to go. |
| Probity (n) decency godliness goodness honesty honor integrity rectitude saintliness uprightness virtue | 1. honesty, integrity >"A reputation for probity is vital to exercising influence on the international stage and in conducting business successfully.">As for the so-called probity of private central banks, even their friends understand the problem:>There are certain men in office who, in discharge of their functions, arrogate to themselves a degree of probity, which is to exclude all imputations and all inquiry. |
| Prodigal (adj) abundant extravagant generous lavish profuse spendthrift squandering wasteful waster | 1. wasteful, extravagant; giving abundantly, lavish >Yo, bible bashing book dad, your bastard prodigal is a man of science.>Let it be noticed that this is a thoroughly Calvinistic parable in that the prodigal was a son, and could not lose that relationship.>It not only recalls the prodigal formula of the series 'first iteration -- it improves on that formula in countless clever ways. |
| Prodigious (adj) Ruthian amazing astonishing colossal enormous extraordinary gigantic huge immense marvelous | 1. extraordinarily large, impressive, etc. >He grew foolishly proud and fond of what he called my prodigious advance.>In a memo of an April 9, 2009 interview the ethics office conducted with Jackson, Nayak was described as a "prodigious and obsessive supporter" of Blagojevich.>Ancient Egyptians have long been known as prodigious beer drinkers, sipping brews both sociably and as medicine. |
| Profligate (adj) abandoned abundant beaten conquered corrupt depraved dissipated dissipater dissolute extravagant | 1. completely and shamelessly immoral, or extremely wasteful >N'dour has strongly criticised what he calls the profligate spending of the Wade leadership in a country where formal employment is rare and average income per head is $3 a day.>Moyo shows well how fundamental economic liberalisation espoused by what she calls the profligate, greedy, self-interested west has come back to bite it.>Know, O King that a certain profligate man, who was addicted to the sex, once heard of a beautiful and lovely woman who dwelt in a city other than his own. |
| Profound (adj) abstruse abyss deep dense far-reaching intense learned low lowly overmastering | 1. very insightful, penetrating deeply into a subject; pervasive intense, "down to the very bottom;" at the very bottom >In the introduction to Yale University Press's catalog of the show, the Whitney's director Adam Weinberg identifies what he calls a "profound sense of pathos" in Ms. Levine's work.>A key to this social transformation is in how we look at vulnerability, which I define as a profound openness.>When the patient has been cooled to what we call profound hypothermia, the bypass machine is turned off for the duration of circulatory arrest. |
| Profuse (adj) abundant bountiful excessive extravagant exuberant generous lavish prodigal squander superabundant | 1. abundant, extravagant, giving or given freely >Peter Kemp further complains of the "pitiless prolixity" with which Aue tells his story and doubts "Aue's prodigious capacity to recall in profuse, minute detail all that was done and said >Fruits and flowers, interwoven in heavy garlands and overflowing from baskets and urns, carry out the idea of profuse abundance.>Here they may produce an inflammation of the lining of the womb, causing severe pain and other symptoms, such as profuse discharge. |
| Prohibitive (adj) prohibitory preventative preventive | tending to forbid something, or serving to prevent something >Your comment about anise being cost prohibitive is true, but what I started doing last year is to go to the pharmacy and buy a syringe (like diabetics use) and squirt proper amount on my bait.>Who now could deny that it would be folly to oppose the resources of ordinary warfare to those of what might be called prohibitive warfare.>The city reserves the right to cancel the arena project, which is to be financed jointly by the city and the province, should a detailed cost study make the price tag prohibitive. |
| Proliferate (v) grow manifold multiply | increase or spread rapidly or excessively >As titles for the entitled proliferate, we are in danger of becoming a nation of all chiefs and no Indians>And as these labels proliferate to envelop just about every piece of unconventional childhood behavior, our view of what is normal is shrinking.>Momentum trades-trades, not investments- can gather momentum on the downside in a steeper run if the margin calls proliferate. |
| Prologue (n) epilogue preface | introductory part to a book, play, etc. >Here is the result: Langbaine calls attention to the prologue in question as an _excellent prologue_, and>If the prologue is a better hook, then you need to add it to the beginning right now.>I think the prologue is going okay now, though, and I should have it done before I make myself eat lunch, and no, that doesn't mean I will not make myself eat if Carter starts balking again. |
| Pronounced (adj) broad decided great unequivocal | distinct, strong, clearly indicated >I just hope politicians like Michele Bachman make sure they hear the word pronounced before attempting to use it.>A good quote surfaced in the comments: A name pronounced is the recognition of the individual to whom it belongs.>The shock of hearing this title pronounced was equally distributed between Ruth and her husband; but it aroused two absolutely different emotions. |
| Propriety (n) accuracy appropriateness becomingness bienseance biensèance chasteness correctness decency decorousness decorum | conforming to good manners or appropriate behavior; justness >The passion to know, in the face of censure and propriety, is what advances our understanding of the world.>Blogathon actions are unusual, and the best way to ensure propriety is to do it through their system.>Victorian propriety is an important element of the story, the atmosphere to be upended over and over by slapstick action and sudden death. |
| Prosaic (adj) boring commonplace dull prosy unimaginative uninteresting unpoetical | dull, ordinary >My most cordial thanks therefore for the gift which you call prosaic, and my best regards to your husband.>Still other manufacturers wrap their cars in prosaic disguises in an attempt to travel on public streets without tipping off the paparazzi.>The greatest things that the world has seen have been wrought out under the eyes of us, plain prosaic men that we are. |
| Proscribe (v) exile forbid interdict outlaw prohibit | prohibit, outlaw; denounce; exile or banish >When I commented that you were in error in your use of the word proscribe, I meant exactly that, bit.>On most washdays I use chlorine bleach on several articles whose labels proscribe it, without the slightest damage, and many of these have been receiving chlorine bleach now and then for years.>It was more than just symbolic literary resistance because The Satanic Verses is still banned in India, which enjoys the dubious honour of having been the first country to proscribe the book. |
| Prospective (adj) future perspective prospect view | potential, in the future >They worry that paying donors will discourage altruistic people from signing up, possibly leading to an overall decline in prospective donors.>But the commute should be a bigger factor in prospective employment and in choosing where to live than it is.>In blind faith, you call the prospective doctors office and schedule the first appointment you can get. |
| Prudent (adj) careful cautious chary circumspect considerate discreet economical frugal judicious provident | wise in practical matters, carefully providing for the future >He indicated all that is not yet in place, but the alliance is doing what he called "prudent planning.">I know that the Pentagon has done what they call prudent -- has urged prudent contingency planning and said anyone who can get out safely should get.>I aint in love with myself, at all, when I'm sober; and, as for being what you call prudent, why, the thing's onreasonable. |
| Pugnacious (adj) bellicose combative contentious fighting militant quarrelsome | inclined to fight, combative >On the middle step was what vaguely resembled a cat but could more correctly be described as a pugnacious face in the middle of an otherwise featureless ragged dirty grey furball.>The Mindset Media study found that Housewives fans are "pugnacious" "antagonists" who like Botox.>STRANGER: That part of the pugnacious which is a contest of bodily strength may be properly called by some such name as violent. |
| Qualified (adj) able adapted competent eligible fit limited modified | modified, limited, conditional on something else >I must insist that in each case the terms are qualified by their whole [_qualified how?>he term "qualified individual with a disability" means an individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the position.>Spain qualified from a group consisting of Republic of Ireland, Hungary, Northern Ireland, and Malta.> |
| Quandary (n) doubt perplexity predicament uncertainty | uncertainty or confusion about what to do, dilemma >The answer to your quandary is that you always have an “opportunity to respond” at this blog.>The easiest way to solve that quandary is to bring fantasy baseball into the world of modern statistical analysis.>Hapthorn's quandary is that the men of Olkney have been robbed of their wealth, looks and intelligence, possibly because of the presence of magic. |
| Quibble (v) cavil dispute equivocate evasion prevaricate prevarication pun shuffle squabble trifle | make trivial arguments or criticisms, find faults in a petty way, esp. to evade something more important >As 'teleonomy' was specifically coined (Pittendrigh, 1958) to distinguish between actual and apparent purpose, the quibble is appropriate.>The only quibble is that I think she takes better care of her soldiers than Grant. rea says:>I really don't get what your quibble is - other than to have one, perhaps??? |
| Quotidian (adj) daily trivial | daily; everyday, ordinary >English landscape, Austen offers a sort of test case that asks how the sensibility endorsed by the eighteenth-century novel fares in quotidian England.>I never heard the word quotidian in this sense, and I imagined it to be a word of Dr. Johnson's own fabrication; but I have since found it in>I never heard the word quotidian in this sense, and I imagined it to be a word of Dr Johnson's own fabrication; but I have since found it in Young's |
| Ranks (n) | personnel; a group of people considered all together >When it comes to soccer pioneers in the U.S., his name ranks right up there.>The only thing standing between the governments police funding scandal and revolt within the ranks is the insistence by senior officers that the massive funding cuts are actually just ‘challenging gaps’.>The decline of personality in the Labour ranks is a legacy of the infamous selection process of 1999. |
| Reap (v) cut gain gather harvest obtain shave | harvest, such as by cutting; gather; get as a result of one's effort >They will continue to reap from the sick and the dying until we have a fair public option.>Paradoxically, where are the benefits that we were meant to reap from the former grammar schools?>Has he himself some master, who would fain reap where he has not sown and gather where he has not strawed, and who has no pity for his servants who strive? |
| Recluse (n) hermit reclusive seclude solitary | person who lives in seclusion >The Duchess of Kent has withdrawn from public life to such an extent that she is often described as a recluse, but her son Lord Nicholas Windsor is determined to speak out over causes that he believes in.>One of the things about it, it's called a recluse spider because it typically comes out in the dark or at night.>Though she hasn't made a film in 30 years and is often described as a recluse, Bardot, now 68, never really exits the spotlight here. |
| Refute (v) confute deny disprove gainsay reject repudiate | prove to be false >But one point Matt made tonight that I'd like to hear someone refute is the stupidity of canceling public option as a way to get Republicans to vote for the bi>I take it by "rebut" you mean the legal sense of "refute" - but refute implies success i.e. that you have disproved my contention.>YOu didn't "refute" anything .... all you did was try to go on the personal attacks, other than you one point regarding the tax cuts but the fact is that the IRS stats do not support your argument. |
| Relegate (v) assign attribute delegate depute designate expel kick out subject submit throw out | send or commit to an inferior place, rank, condition, etc.; exile, banish; assign (a task) to someone else >Keeping a journal about your experience may help relegate the emotional trauma of divorce to part of your past, not your present.>Would you relegate the truth to an obscure blog, or one that receives a lot of traffic? freeman has every right to post links from his own blog posts here on TP, just as we do from the Zoo.>It is going to be a long night if you relegate yourself to naming the things that are NOT their speciality. |
| Remedial (adj) curative reparative | providing a remedy, curative; correcting a deficient skill >If this Washington Post article is to be believed, I think some prominent Washington figures may need a course in remedial math:>Collins said he would like to see states move remove "rigid census dates and seat-time requirements," which he argued hinder innovation in remedial coursework design.>She should be groveling over her chosen incompetence and engaging in remedial studies, and nobody should be giving her the slightest respect until she does that. bob h Says: |
| Render (v) contribute deliver furnish interpret pass payment render off requite restore return | give, submit, surrender; translate; declare formally; cause to become >By Tusar N Mohapatra 6:39 AM You maintain that "the extreme diversity of intended meanings of the term render it effectively meaningless.">He must also be prepared to lend a hand in carrying the wounded; and, in short, render himself as useful as possible, and thus prove himself a friend of officer and man.>Why does the NAB and in this case also the New Jerusalem Bible render the Greek word πορνείᾳ (porneia) as "unlawful marriage" |
| Replete (adj) abounding abundant charged full plentiful stuffed | supplied in abundance, filled, gorged (used with with) >But this team has a name replete with an altogether different history.>Leaves are "replete" (fully supported with nutrients) with water-conserving characteristics.>On the contrary, the criminal code is "replete" with instances of "statutory elements that call for juries to use common sense to evaluate terms such as severe pain, serious bodily injury, severe mental or physical pain." |
| Reproach (n, v) abuse blame censure chide condemn contempt contumely discredit disgrace dishonor disrepute ignominy infamy insolence insult | blame, disgrace (noun); criticize, express disappointment in (verb) >She looked at him in reproach so deep that the last vestige of the terror of death was gone from her eyes>She was like the woman in Scripture whose reproach is taken away, and who becomes a joyful mother of children when all hope is over.>Why anybody would vote for people who want to extend government's control to be able to do this kind of thing without reproach is beyond me. |
| Repudiate (v) disavow disclaim divorce reject renounce | reject, cast off, deny that something has authority >Will demands that John McCain repudiate John Hagee be balanced by calls for Barack Obama to distance himself from James Carroll?>"Shakespeare liked to coin new words too," she said. tweet following her use of the word - something of a mix of 'refute' and 'repudiate' ->n the summer NAACP members called on tea party groups to "repudiate" what they called "racist elements" in the movement. |
| Requite (v) compensate pay punish recompense remunerate repay retaliate return revenge reward | reciprocate, repay, or revenge >He is desperate to be shadow chancellor, the second most important role on the opposition frontbench after your own, and he will be unforgiving if you don't requite his ambition.>The report by the President's Cancer Panel emphasize how "the requite knowledge and technologies exist" to provide safe "alternatives" to cancer-causing agents.>He had made her of none account, and she would requite the injury in full. |
| Rescind (v) | annul, repeal, make void >>> |
| Resolution (n) | the quality of being firmly determined; resolving to do something; a formal judgment, esp. decided by a vote >>> |
| Resolve (v, n) | find a solution to; firmly decide to do something; decide by formal vote (verb); firmness of purpose (noun) >>> |
| Respectively (adv) | in the order given >>> |
| Restive (adj) | impatient or uneasy under the control of another; resisting being controlled >>> |
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