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193 Cards in this Set
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abase
v |
to humble; disgrace
My intention was not to abase the comedian. syn: demean, humiliate |
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abate
v |
to reduce in amount, degree, or severity
As the hurrican's force abated, the winds dropped and the sea became calm. syn: ebb, laps, let up, moderate, relent, slacken, subside, wane |
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abdicate
v |
to give up a position, right, or power
With the angry mob clamoring outside the palace, the king abdicated his throne and fled. sun: cede, relinquish, resign, quit, yield |
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aberrant
adj |
deviating from what is normal or expected
SInce he had been a steady, cheerful worker for many years, his fellow postal workers did not expect his aberrant burst of rage. syn: abnormal, anomalous, deviant, divergent, errant, irregular |
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abeyance
n |
temporary suppression or suspension
The baseball game was beld in abeyance while it continued to rain. syn: deferral, delay, dormancy, postponement; remission |
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abjure
v |
to reject; abdon formally
The spy abjured his allegiance ot the US when he defected to Russia. syn: forswear, recall, recant, retract, take back |
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abscond
v |
to leave secretely
The patron absconded from the restaruant without paying his bill. syn:decamp, escape, flee |
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abstain
v |
to choose not to do something
Before the medical procedure, you must abstain from eating. syn: forbear, refrain, withhold |
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abstemious
adj |
moderate in appetite
Because Alyce is a vegetarian, she was only able to eat an abstemious meal at the Texas Steakhouse. syn: abstinent, continent, self-restraining, sober, temperate |
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abyss
n |
an exremely deep hole
The submarine dove into the abyss ot chart the previously unseen depths. syn: chasm, void |
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accretion
n |
a growth in size, an increase in amount
The committee's strong fund-raising efforts resulted in an accretion of scholarship money. syn: accumulation, buildup |
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acidulous
adj |
sour in taste or manner
The acidulous taste of the spoiled milk made the young bou's lips pucker. syn: acerbic, acetose, biting, piquant, pungent, tart |
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acme
n |
highest point; summit; the highest level or degree attainable
Just when he reached the acme of his power, the dictator was overthrown. syn:apex, peak, summit |
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adulterate
v |
to make impure
The restaurateur made his ketchup last longer by adulterating it with water. syn: debase, doctor, load |
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advocate
v |
to speak in favor of
The vegetarian advocated a diet containing no meat. syn: back, champion, support |
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aerie
n |
a nest built high inthe air; an elevated, often secluded dwelling
Perched high among the trees, the eagle's aerie was filled with eggs. syn: perch, stronghold |
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aesthetic
adj |
concerning the appreciation of beauty
The Aesthetic movement regarded the pursuit of beauty to be the only true purpose of art. syn: artistic, tasteful |
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affected
adj |
phony, artificial
The affected hairdresser spouted French phrases, though she had never been to France. syn: insincere, pretentious, put-on |
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aggrandize
v |
to increase in power, influence and reputation
The supervisor sought to aggrandize himself by claiming that the achievements of his staff were actually his own. syn: amplify, augment, elevate |
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alacrity
n |
promptness, cheerful readiness
The restaurant won a reputation for fine service since the wait staff responded to their client's requests with alacrity. syn: eagerness, swiftness |
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alleviate
v |
to ease, to make more bearable
Taking asprin helps to alleviate a headache. syn: lessen, lighten, mitigate, relieve |
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amalgamation
n |
a merger, a uniting of elements
The amalgamation of the two giant companies worried the small mom and pop stores. syn: compound, fusing |
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ambiguous
adj |
doubtful or uncertain; can be interpreted several ways
The directions he gave wer eso ambiguous that we disagreed on which way to turn. syn: obscure, unclear, vague |
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ameliorate
v |
to make better, to improve
The doctor was able to ameliorate the patient's suffering using painkillers. syn: pacify, upgrade, make more tolerable |
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amortize
v |
to diminish by installment payments
While college students are notorious for accumulating credit card debt, they are not as well known for amortizing it. |
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amulet
n |
ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits
Though she claimed it was not because of superstition, Vivian always wore and amulet around her neck. syn:fetish, talisman |
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anachronism
n |
something out of place in time
The aging hippie used anachronistic phrases like "groovy" and "far out" that had not been popular for years. syn: archaism, incongruity |
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analgesia
n |
a lessening of pain without loss of consciousness
After having her appendix removed, Tatiana welcomed the analgesia that the painkillers provided. |
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analogous
adj |
similar or alike in some way; equivalent to
His mother argued that not going to college was analogous to throwing his life away. syn: alike, comparable, parallel, similar |
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anodyne
n |
something that calms or soothes pain
The anodyme massage helped remove the knots from the lawyer's tense shoulders. syn: opiate |
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anomaly
n |
deviation from what is normal
Albino animals may display too great an anomaly in their coloring to attract normally colored mates. syn: aberration, abnormality, deviation, irregularity |
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antagonize
v |
to annoy or provoke to anger
The child discovered that he could antagonize the cat by pulling its tail. syn: clash, conflict, incite, irritate, oppose, pester, provoke, vex |
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antipathy
n |
extreme dislike
The antipathy between fans of the rival soccer reams made the game even more electrifying to watch. syn: animosity, animus, antagonism, aversion, enmity |
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apathy
n |
lack of interest or emotion
The apathy of voters is so great that fewer than half the people who are eligible to vote actually bother to do so. syn: disinterest, disregard, indifference, insensibility |
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apocryphal
adj |
of questionable authority or authenticity
There isno hard or authoritative evidence to support the apocryphal tales that link the Roswell, New Mexice incident to a downed UFO. syn: disputed, doubtful, fictitious, fraudulent |
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apostate
n |
one who renounced a religious faith
So that he could divorce his wife, the kig scoffed at the church doctrines and declared himself an apostate syn: defector, deserter, traitor |
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approbation
n |
approval and praise
The approbation that comedian Jerry Lewis received is France included a medal from the Ministry of Culture. syn: acclaim, adulation, applause, commendation, compliments |
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arbitrary
adj |
determined by chance or impulse
When you lack the information to judge what to do next, you are forced to make an arbitrary decision. syn: changeable, erratic, indiscriminate, random, wayward |
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arbitrate
v |
to judge a dispute between two opposing parties
Sincethe couple could not come to an agreement, a judge was forced to arbitrate their divorce proceedings. syn: adjudge, adjudicate, determine, intermediate, intervene, judge, moderate, referee, rule |
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archaic
adj |
ancient, old-fashioned
Her archaic Commodore computer could not run the latest software. syn: obsolete, outdated, vintage |
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ardor
n |
intense and passionalte feeling
Bishop's ardor for landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hudson Valley. Syn: devotion, enthusiasm, fervency, fervidity, fervidness, fervor, fire, passion, zeal, zealousness |
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arrogate
v |
to claim without justification, to claim for oneself without right
Gretchen watched in astonishment as her boss arrogated the credit for her brilliant work on the project. syn: appropriate, presume, take |
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articulate
adj |
able to speak clearly and expressively
She is extremely articulate when it comes to expressing her pro-labor views; as a result, unions are amond her strongest supporters. syn: eloquent, expressive, fluent, lucid, silver-tongued, smooth-spoken |
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assail
v |
to attack, assault
The foreign army will try to assail oru bases, but they will not be successful in their attack. syn: beset, strike, storm |
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assuage
v |
to make something unpleasant less severe
Like many people, Philip used food to assuage his sense of loneliness. syn: allay, alleviate, appease, ease, lighten, mitigate, mollify, pacify |
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attenuate
v |
to reduce in force or degree; to weaken
The Bill of Rights attenuated the traditional power of government ot change laws at will. syn: debilitate, devitalize, dilute, enervate, enfeeble, rarefy, sap, thin, undermine, undo, unnerve, water, weaken |
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audacious
adj |
fearless and daring
THe audacious peasant dared to insult the king's mother. syn: adventuresome, assertive, bold, brave, courageous, daring |
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augury
n |
prophecy; prediction of events
Troy hoped the rainbow was an augury of good things to come. syn: auspices, harbinger, omen, portent, presage |
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august
adj |
dignified, grandiose
The august view of the Grand Teton summit took my breath away. syn: admirable, awesome, grand, majestic |
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austere
adj |
severe or stern in appearance; undecorated
The lack of decoration makes Zen temples seem austere to the untrained eye. syn: bleak, dour, grim, hard, harsh, severe |
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axiom
n |
premise, postulate; self-evident truth
Halle lived her life based on the axioms her grandmother had passed on to her. syn: adage, apothegm, aphorism, maxim, rule |
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banal
adj |
predictable, cliched, boring
His conversation consisted of banal phrases like "Have a nice day" or "Another day, another dollar". syn: bland, cliched, commonplace, tired, trite, vapid, worn-out |
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belfry
n |
bell tower; room in which a bell is hung
The town was shocked when a bag of money was found stashed in the old belfry of the church. syn: spire, steeple |
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bevy
n |
group
As predicted, a bevy of teenagers surrounded the rock star's limousine. syn: band, bunch, gang, pack, troop |
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bifurcate
v |
divide into two parts
The large corporation just released a press statement announcing its plans to bifurcate. syn: bisect |
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bilk
v |
to cheat, defraud
When the greedy salesman realized that his customer spoke poor French, he bilked the tourist out of 20 euros. syn: beat, defraud, diddle, gyp, overreach |
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blight
v |
to afflict; to destroy
The farmers feared that the night's frost would blight the potato crops entirely. syn: damage, plague |
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blithe
adj |
joyful, cheerful, or without appropriate thought
Summer finally came, and the blithe students spent their days at the beach. syn: carefree, lighthearted, merry |
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bolster
v |
to support; to prop up
The presence of giant footprints bolstered the argument that Bigfoot was in the area. syn: brace, buttress, crutch, prop, stay, support, sustain, underpinning, uphold |
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bombastic
adj |
pompous in speech and manner
Mussolini's speeches were mostly bombastic; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact. syn: bloated; declamatory, fustain, grandiloquent, grandiose, high-flown, magniloquent, orotund, pretentious, rhetorical, self-important |
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bonhomie
n |
good natured geniality; atmosphere of good cheer
The aspects of her job that Dana loved the most were the flexible hours and the pleasant bonhomie in the office. |
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boor
n |
crude person, one lacking manners or taste
"That utter boor ruined my recital with his constant guffawing!" wailed the pianist. syn: clod, lout, oaf, vulgarian, yahoo |
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burgeon
v |
to grow and flourish
Faulkner neither confirmed nor denied stories about himself, allowing rumor to burgeon where it would. syn: bloom; burgeon, flourish, prosper, thrive |
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burnish
v |
to polish
He burnished the silver coffee pot until it shone brightly. syn: buff, luster, polish, scour |
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cabal
n |
a secret group seeking to overturn something
The boys in the street formed a cabal to keep girls out of their tree house. Syn: camp, circle, clan, clique, coterie, in-group, mafia, mob, ring |
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cacophony
noun |
harsh, jarring nois
The junior high orchestra created an almost unbearable cacophony as they tried to tune their instruments. Syn: chaos, clamor, din, discord, disharmony, noise |
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calumny
noun |
a false and malicious accusation; misrepresentation
The unscrupulous politician used calumny to bring down his opponent in the senatorial race. syn: defamation, libel, slander |
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canard
noun |
a lie
That tabloid's feature story about a goat giving birth to a human child was clearly a canard. syn: falsehood, falsity, fib, misrepresentation, prevarication, tale, untruth |
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candid
adj |
impartial and honest in speech
The observations of a child can be charming since they are candid and unpretentious. syn: direct, forthright, frank, honest, open, sincere, straight, straightforward, undisguised |
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capricious
adj |
changing one's mind quickly and often
Queen Elizabeth I was quite capricious; her courtiers could never be sure which one would catch her fancy. syn: arbitrary, chance, changeable, erratic, fickle, inconstant, mercurial, random, whimsical, willfull |
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cartography
noun |
science or art of making maps
Gails' interest in cartography may stem from the extensive traveling she did as a child. syn: charting, surveying, topography |
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castigate
verb |
to punish or criticize harshly
Martina castigated her boyfriend for not remembering her birthday. syn: admonish, chastise, chide, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, scold, tax, upbraid |
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catalyst
n |
something that brings about a change in something else
The imposition of harsh taxes was the catalyst that finally brought on the revolution. syn: accelerator, impetus, stimulant |
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catholic
adj |
universal; broad and comprehensive
Hot tea with honey is a catholic remedy for a sore throat. syn: extensive; general |
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caustic
adj |
biting in wit
Dorothy Parker gained her reputation for being caustic from her cutting, yet witty, insults. syn: acerbic, biting, mordant, trenchant |
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chaos
n |
great disorder or confused situation
In most religious traditions, God created an ordered universe from chaos. syn: clutter, confusion, disarrangement, disarray, disorder, disorderliness, disorganization, jumble, mess, muddle, scramble, snarl, turmoil |
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chauvinist
n |
someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs
The attitude that men should earn more money than women is common among male chauvinists. syn: baised, colored, one-sided, partial, partisan, prejudical |
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chicanery
n |
description by means of craft of guile
Dishonest used-car salesman often use chicanery to sell their beat-up old cars. syn: atrifice, conniving, craftiness, deception, deviousness, misrepresentation |
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circumspect
adj |
cautious, aware of potential consequences
She was circumspect in her language and behavior when introduced to her fiancee's parents. syn: alert, cautious, heedful, mindful, prudent, solicitous, vigilant, wary |
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cloying
adj |
sickly sweet, excessive
When Enid and Jay first started dating, their cloying affection toward one another often made their friends ill. syn: excessive, fulsome |
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coalesce
v |
to grow together to form a single whole
The sun and planets eventually coalesced out of a vast cloud of gas and dust. syn: amalgamate, blend, coalesce, condense, consolidate, fust, unite |
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coffer
n |
strongbox, large chest for money
The bulletproof glass of the coffer is what keeps the crown jewels secure. syn: chest, exchequer, treasury, war chest |
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cogent
adj |
convincing and well-reasoned
Swayed by the cogent argument of the defense, the jury had no choice by to acquire the defendent. syn: convincing, persuasive, solid, sound, telling, valid |
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collusion
n |
collaboration, complicity, conspiracy
It came to light that the police chief and the mafia had a collusion in running the numbers racket. syn: connivance, intrigue, machination |
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condone
v |
to overlook, to pardon, to disregard
Some theorists believe that failing to presecute minor crimes is the same as condoning an air lawlessness. syn: exculpate, excuse, pardon, remit |
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connoisseur
n |
a person with expert knowledge or discriminating tastes
Dr. Crane was a connoisseur of fine food and wine, drinking and eating only the best. syn: authority, epicure, expert, gastronome, gourmet |
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contrite
adj |
deeply sorrowful and repentant for a wrong
After three residents were mugged in the lobby while the watchman was away from his post, he felt very contrite. syn: apologetic, regretful, remorseful |
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contumacious
adj |
rebellious
The contumacious teenager ran away from home when her parents told her she was grounded. syn: factious, insubordinate, insurgent, mutinous, rebellious, seditious |
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convoluted
adj |
intricate and complicated
Although many people bought the professor's book, few people could follow its convoluted ideas and theories. syn: Byzantine, complex, elaborate, intricate, knotty, labyrinthine, perplexing, tangled |
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corroborate
v |
to support with evidence
All the DA needed was fingerprints to corroborate the witness's testimony. syn: authenticate, back, buttress, confirm, substantiate, validate, verify |
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cosset
v |
to pamper, to treat with great care
Marta just loves to cosset her first and only grandchild. syn: cater to, cuddle, dandle, fondle, love, pamper, spoil |
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coterie
n |
an intimate group of persons with a similar purpose
Angel invited a coterie of fellow stamp enthusiasts to a stamp-trading part. syn: clique, set |
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craven
adj |
lacking courage
The craven lion cringed in the corner of his cage, terrified of the mouse. syn: faint-hearted, spineless, timid |
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credulous
adj |
too trusting, gullible
Though many 4-year-olds believe in the Tooth Fairy, only the most credulous 9-year-olds also believe in her. syn: naive, susceptible, trusting |
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crescendo
n |
steadily increasing in volume or force
The crescendo of tension became unbearable as Evel Knievel prepared to jump his motorcycle over the school buses. syn: acme, capstone, climax, crest, culmen, culmination, meridian, peak |
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cupidity
n |
greed, strong desire
The thief stared at teh shining jewels with cupidity in his gleaming eyes. syn: avarice, covetousness, rapacity |
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curmudgeon
n |
cranky person, usually odd
Ernesto was a notorious curmudgeon who snapped at anyone who disturbed him. |
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debutante
n |
young woman making debut in high society
The debutante spent hours dressing for her very first ball, hoping to catch the eye of an eligible bachelor. syn: lady, maiden |
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declivity
n |
downward slope
Because the village was situated on the declivity of a hill, it never flooded. syn: decline, descent, grade, slant, tilt |
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decorous
adj |
proper, tasteful, socially correct
The countess trained her daughters inthe finer points of decorous behavior, hoping they would make a good impression when she presented them at court. syn: appropriate, courteous, polite |
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decorum
n |
appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety
The countess complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the decorum appropriate for a visit to the palace. syn: correctness, decency, etiquette, manners, mores, propriety, seemliness |
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deface
v |
to mar the appearance of, to vandalize
After the wall was torn down, the students began to deface the statues of Communist leaders of the former Eastern bloc. syn: disfigure, impair, spoil |
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deference
n |
repeat, courtesy
The respectful young law clerk treated teh Supreme Court justice with the utmost deference. syn: courtesy, homage, honor, obeisance, respect, reverence, veneration |
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deleterious
adj |
subtly or unexpectedly harmful
If only we had known the clocks were defective before putting them on the market, it wouldn't have beenquite so deleterious to our reputation. syn: adverse, inimical, injurious, hurtful |
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demagogue
n |
a leader, rabble-rouser, usually appealing to emotion or prejudice
He began his career as a demagogue, giving fiery speeches at political rallies. syn: agitator, inciter, instigator |
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demur
v |
to express doubts or objections
When scientific authorities claimed that all the planets revolved around the Earth, Galileo, with his superior understanding of the situation was forced to demur. syn: dissent, expostulate, kick, protest, remonstrate |
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deride
v |
to speak of or treat with contempt, to mock
The awkward child was often derided by his 'cooler' peers. syn: gibe, jeer, mock, ridicule |
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desiccate
v |
to dry out throroughly
After a few weeks lying in the desert, the cow's carcass became completely desiccated. syn: dehydrate, dry, parch |
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desultory
adj |
jumping from one thing to another, disconnected
Athena had a desultory academic record; she had changed majors 12 times in three years. syn: erratic, haphazard, indiscriminate, random |
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diaphanous
adj |
allowing light to show through; delicate
These diaphanous curtains do nothing to block out the sunlight. syn: gauzy, sheer, tenuous, translucent, transparent |
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diatribe
n |
an abusive, codemnatory speech
The trucker bellowed a diatribe at the driver who had cut him off. syn: fulmination, harangue, invective |
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dictum
n |
authoritative statement
"You have time to learn, you have time to clean," was the dictum our boss made us live by. syn: adage, apothegm, aphorism, decree, edict |
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diffident
adj |
lacking self-confidence
Steve was diffident during the job interview because of his nervous nature and lack of experience in the field. syn: backward, bashful, coy, demure, modest, retiring, self-effacing, shy, timid |
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dilatory
adj |
intended to delay, procrastinating
The congressman used dilatory measures to delay the passage of the bill. syn: sluggish, putting off |
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dilettante
n |
someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
Jerry's friends were such dilettantes they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week. syn: amateur, dabbler, rookie |
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dirge
n |
a funeral hymn or mournful speech
Melville wrote the poem "A Dirge for James McPherson" for the funeral of a Union general who was killed in 1864. syn: elegy, lament |
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disabuse
v |
to set right, to free from error
The scientist's observations disabused scholars of the notion that wheat could be turned into gold. syn: correct, dismiss, undeceive |
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lampoon
n |
1. a composition that imitates or misrepresents someone's style, usually in a humorous way
2. a light, good-humored satire 3. ridicule with satire |
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hidebound
adj |
narrow-minded and stubborn
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declaim
v |
to orate; to speak in a loud and emotional manner
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peculate
v |
to steal money or goods entrusted to one; embezzle
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beseech
v |
to ask earnestly; implore
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ellipsis
n |
three dots used to show an omission in writing or printing; the omission of a word or words in text
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nocuous
adj |
very hurtful; noxious
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hermetic
adj |
1. closed tightly; airtight
2. obscure; magical |
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consternation
n |
sudden dread or paralyzing terror
To our consternation, the phone rang just as we were about to leave. |
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burnish
v, n |
1. to make shiny by polishing
2. a polish or shine A burnish on the copper pots made them very attractive. |
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interminable
adj |
so long as to seem endless; never stopping
The mother-in-law's talking was interminable. |
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pinchbeck
n, adj |
1. an alloy of zinc and copper used to imitate gold in jewelry-making; by extension, something counterfeit; an imitation
2. not genuine; fake Watch out for the pinchbeck on the auction site. |
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myopia
n |
1. an abnormal eye condition in which only closeup objects are seen clearly; nearsightedness
2. shortsightedness; lack of foresight |
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expurgate
v |
to remove objectionable words or passages from a document
Grimms' fairy tales have been expurgated for children. |
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froward
adj |
not easily managed; contrary
The mule is a froward animal. |
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tome
n |
a large, often scholarly, book
An unabridged dictionary is a tome. |
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denigrate
v |
to attack the character or reputation of; defame
My sister denigrates her husband in every conversation. |
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erstwhile
adj |
former/formerly
Before I move, I will tell off my erstwhile friends. |
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unwitting
adj |
not knowing; unaware; unintentional
We are unwitting victims of the system. |
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virtuoso
n, adj |
1. a person skilled in the techniques of an art, esp. playing a musical instrument; by extension, a person with a cultivated appreciation of artistry
2. showing mastery in artistic skills |
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defalcate
v |
to steal or misuse money or property entrusted to one's care
The stockbroker defalcated millions from investment clients. |
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chaff
n, v |
1. the stiff strawlike part of grains such as wheat, oats, rye
2. to make good-natured fun of someone 3. worthless material; detritus |
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victuals
n |
food or provisions, esp. for humans
Before the hurricane hit, we went to the store for victuals. |
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bemoan
v |
to moan about or weep for; mourn
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wanton
adj |
1. reckless, heartless, or malicious; without reason or excuse
2. not moral; lewd, lascivious |
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vacuous
adj |
1. showing no intelligence or thought
2. having no meaning or direction; empty |
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unconscionable
adj |
1. not influenced or guided by conscience
2. very great |
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sallow
adj |
having a sickly, yellowish color
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rancor
n |
bitter resentment or ill will; extreme hatred or spite
The day quickly degenerated into rancor as Palestinians and Jews staged competing protests and Arab participants were accused of harassing Jewish delegates. |
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pandiculation
n |
an instinctive stretching, as on awakening or while yawning
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tacit
adj |
1. understood without being openly expressed; implied: tacit approval.
2. silent; saying nothing: a tacit partner. 3. unvoiced or unspoken: a tacit prayer. |
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bilk
v, n |
1. to defraud; cheat
2. to frustrate 3. to escape from; elude 4. a trick; fraud; deceit. 5. a cheat, swindler |
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martial
adj |
suitable or used for war; warlike
But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him. |
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parry
v, n |
1. to ward off; turn aside (as a thrust or weapon)
2. the act of warding off I am not saying the whole group's survival is at stake. But we have to act today if we are to parry the harder onslaught of our competitors tomorrow. -- Bernd Pischetsrieder |
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temerity
n |
Unreasonable or foolhardy contempt of danger; rashness.
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sanguine
adj, n |
1. cheerfully optimistic, hopeful, or confident
2. reddish; ruddy 3. (in old physiology) having blood as the predominating humor and consequently being ruddy-faced, cheerful, etc. 4. blood-red; red 5. Heraldry. a reddish-purple tincture. 6. a red iron-oxide crayon used in making drawings I had now arrived at my seventeenth year, and had attained my full height, a fraction over six feet. I was well endowed with youthful energy, and was of an extremely sanguine temperament. -- Henry Bessemer |
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magnanimous
adj |
1. noble in mind or soul; free from mean or petty feelings or acts
2. showing a generous spirit; generous in forgiving But an even greater responsibility falls on Obama as the nominee. Losers have to be gracious, but winners have to be magnanimous. |
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laissez-faire
adj |
1. the principle that business, industry, trade, etc. should operate with a minimum of regulation and interference by government
2. maintaining the principle of letting people do as they please Some Ryder Cup captains take a laissez-faire approach. Jack Nicklaus told me jokingly last week, in an interview posted on WSJ.com, that his job as captain was to deliver a few speeches and make sure the players had "fresh towels, sunscreen and tees." |
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jettison
v |
1. to throw goods overboard to lighten a ship or aircraft in distress
2. the act of throwing goods overboard when a craft is in distress; also, the goods thrown overboard 3. (figurative) to throw away; discard He guessed that Richardson decided to jettison the facial hair after his wife found it scratchy. |
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iconoclast
n |
a person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions as foolish or wrong
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hapless
adj |
unlucky; unfortunate
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fastidious
adj |
hard to please; extremely refined or critical
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eclectic
adj |
1. selecting and using what seems best from various sources or systems; made up of selections from various sources
2. broad in acceptance of ideas or approval from other sources But, populated by an eclectic collection of Taino Indians, Spanish colonialists, black Africans and -- later on -- vacationing Americans, the city's disparate ethnic roots were to provide ideal ingredients for an impending cooking revolution. |
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daunt
v |
1. to frighten; overcome with fear
2. to discourage; lesson the courage of "The huge size of a vessel does not seem to daunt the pirates," he said. "It shows their high degree of audacity and resources." |
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candor
n |
1. honesty in giving one's view or opinion; frankness and sincerity
2. fairness; impartiality |
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beleaguer
v |
1. to surround with troops; besiege
2. to surround or beset |
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zealous
adj |
full of zeal; actively enthusiastic
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yegg
n |
a burglar who robs safes; safecracker
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xanthous
adj |
yellow; yellowish
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wanderlust
n |
a strong desire to wander or travel
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sacrilege
n |
an intentional injury to anything held sacred; disrespectful treatment of something sacred
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ramble
v, n |
1. to wander about
2. a walk for pleasure without predetermined destination 3. to talk or write about one thing and then another without useful connection |
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paltry
adj |
1. almost worthless; trifling
2. of no worth; contemptible, despicable |
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jaded
adj |
worn out; tired, weary
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iambic
adj |
1. of or consisting of iambic measures
2. a foot or measure in poetry consisting of two syllables, an unaccented followed by an accented or a short syllable followed by a long |
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hackneyed
adj |
1. used too often; commonplace
2. habituated; experienced |
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gaffe
n |
a blunder; faux pas
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dastard
n |
a mean coward
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cached
adj |
1. stored; hidden
2. in computing, stored in a part of memory used as a cache |
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beatific
adj |
1. exaltedly happy; blissful
2. blessing or making exceedingly happy |
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elocution
n |
the art of speaking or reading clearly in public, including gestures, pronunciation, and tones
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sepulcher
n |
1. a burial place; tomb
2. a structure or niche in a church in which sacred relics are deposited on Good Friday and removed on Easter |
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sequacious
adj |
1. proceeding smoothly and regularly
2. disposed to follow, especially slavishly |
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sentinel
n, v |
1. to stand guard and watch
2. a person stationed to keep watch and guard |
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dissever
v |
to separate or part; sever
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caitiff
n, adj |
1. cowardly and mean
2. a mean, cowardly person |
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incursion
n |
1. a sudden attack; invasion, raid
2. a running or flowing in |
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bulwark
n, v |
1. to defend or protect, serve as a bulwark; shelter
2. a person, thing, or concept that is a defense or protection 3. an embankment of earth or other material used as a defense against a threat; rampart 4. the sides of a ship extending like a fence above the deck level |
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valediction
n |
the action of bidding farewell; a farewell
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balustrade
n |
a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling
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emollient
adj |
1. softening or soothing
2. something that softens or soothes |
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reprobate
n, adj |
1. a very wicked, unprincipled person; scoundrel
2. very wicked; unprincipled 3. to disapprove; condemn, censure 4. a person predestined to damnation, rejected by God 5. rejected by God; damned 6. to reject from salvation; predestine to eternal punishment |
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guerdon
n |
1. a reward
2. to reward, pay back |
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escutcheon
n |
1. a shield decorated with a coat of arms
2. the protective metal plate around a keyhole and lock, drawer handle or pull, light switch, etc. 3. the panel on a ship's stern bearing her name |
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nabob
n |
1. a native ruler in India in the Mogul empire; by extension, a person from India who made a fortune there
2. a very wealthy and prominent person; mogul |
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lucullan
adj |
rich; magnificent and luxurious
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