Verbal Advantage 5

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1. VOLUBLE (VAHL-yuh-buul)

Back 1

Talkative, talking much and easily, characterized by a great and continuous flow ofwords.
Synonyms: long-winded, glib (Level 3, Word 8), garrulous (Level 4, Word 8),loquacious, verbose (Level 2, Word 30), effusive.
Antonyms: reticent, terse (Level 3, Word 3), laconic (Level 3, Word 18), taciturn.

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2. COMMISERATE (kuh-MIZ-uh-rayt)

Back 2

To sympathize, feel or express sympathy, show sorrow or pity for.
Synonym: condole.
Usage tip: Commiserate is often followed by with: "They commiserated with her."

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3. DILEMMA (di-LEM-uh)

Back 3

A predicament, specifically, a predicament in which one must choose between equallyundesirable alternatives.
Synonyms: quandary (Level 3, Word 27), quagmire.
Usage tip: Dilemma is often used today of any difficult problem or troublesomesituation, but many good writers and speakers object to that as loose usage. Strictlyspeaking, dilemma should be used only of situations in which one faces a choice betweenequally undesirable alternatives. Officials often face the dilemma of either voting forwhat their constituents want and going against their conscience, or voting theirconscience and losing the support of their constituents.

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4. TRANSITORY (TRAM-si-tor-ee or TRAN-zi-for-ee)

Back 4

Passing, temporary, fleeting, not permanent or enduring.
Synonyms: transient (Level 2, Word 31), ephemeral (Level 4, Word 12), evanescent.
Etymology and related words: Transitory, transient, transit, and transition all comefrom the Latin transire, to go or pass over.

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5. PHILANTHROPIC (FIL-an-THRAHP-ik)

Back 5

Charitable, benevolent, humane, motivated by or done out of a desire to help or improvethe welfare of others.
Corresponding noun: philanthropy.
Etymology and related words: Philanthropy and philanthropic both come from theGreek philein, to love (as in philosophy, literally "love of wisdom," and philharmonic,literally "loving or devoted to music"), and anthropos, man (as in anthropology, the studyof mankind, of human customs, habits, and traditions, and anthropomorphic, shaped likeor resembling a man or human being).N.B. This discussion distinguishes the words philanthropic, humanitarian, altruistic, andcharitable, all of which mean "helping others."

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6. LETHARGY (LETH-ur-jee)

Back 6

Lack of energy, sluggishness, dullness, an abnormally dull, drowsy, inactive condition orstate of mind.
Synonyms: apathy, stupor, torpor, somnolence, lassitude, languor, stupefaction.
Corresponding adjective: lethargic.

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7. EXONERATE (eg-ZAHN-uh-rayt)

Back 7

To free from blame, free from a charge or the imputation of guilt, declare blameless orinnocent.
Synonyms: acquit, absolve, exculpate (ek-SKUHLpayt or EKS-kul-payt).
Etymology: Exonerate combines the Latin ex-, out, with onus, a burden, in modernusage, removing the burden of guilt.

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8. PUGNACIOUS (puhg-NAY-shus)

Back 8

Given to fighting, combative, quarrelsome, ready and willing to fight.
Synonyms: contentious, belligerent, bellicose.
Antonyms: peaceable, clement (Level 2, Word 43), amicable.
Etymology: Pugnacious comes from the Latin pugnare, to box, fight with the fists, readyto put up his dukes.

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9. CONTRITION (kun-TRISH-in)

Back 9

Remorse, penitence, repentance, deep and devastating sorrow for one's sins or forsomething one has done wrong.

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10. ABROGATE (AB-ruh-gayt)

Back 10

To abolish by legal or authoritative action or decree.
Synonyms: cancel, revoke, repeal, annul, nullify, rescind (Level 3, Word 31).

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11. OFFICIOUS (uh-FISH-us)

Back 11

Meddlesome, nosy, intrusive, interfering, prying, specifically, offering unwanted adviceor unnecessary services, especially in a highhanded, overbearing way.
Related word: quidnunc (KWID-nungk), a busybody, nosy person.

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12. INTRACTABLE (in-TRAK-tuh-buul)

Back 12

Hard to manage or control, stubborn, unruly.
Antonyms: obedient, compliant, malleable (Level 2, Word 29), docile, tractable.
Etymology and related words: The antonyms tractable and intractable, and the familiarwords traction and tractor, come from the Latin tractare, to drag around, haul, also, tomanage, control.

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13. ALTRUISM (AL-troo-iz'm)

Back 13

Selflessness, unselfish concern for the welfare of others.
Antonym: egoism, self-centeredness, specifically, the doctrine that self-interest is theproper goal of the individual.
Usage tip: Egoism is distinguished from egotism, which denotes extreme selfinvolvement,excessive reference to oneself in speech or writing.
Corresponding noun: altruist, a person who puts the needs of others and of society first.

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14. ACCOLADE (ak-uh-LAYD, but see tip below)

Back 14

An award, sign of respect or esteem, expression of praise, mark of acknowledgment,anything done or given as a token of appreciation or approval.
Etymology: Accolade comes from the Latin accollare, to embrace, which comes in turnfrom ad-, meaning "to," and collum, the neck, the source of the word collar. Originally,an accolade was an embrace, specifically the ritual embrace used in conferringknighthood.
Pronunciation tip: Accolade may also acceptably be pronounced AK-uh-layd, ak-uh-LAHD, and AKuh-lahd.

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15. VERNACULAR (vur-NAK-yuh-lur)

Back 15

The native language of a people, especially, the common, everyday, informal language ofordinary people.
Corresponding adjective: vernacular, of or pertaining to the common, everydaylanguage of ordinary people, also, native as opposed to foreign.
Related expression: "In the vernacular" means in ordinary and unpretentious language.N.B. The vernacular comprises all language that is common and informal, any word orexpression that ordinary people use-whether it is considered bad or good, acceptable orimproper.

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16. JUDICIOUS (joo-DISH-us)

Back 16

Wise and careful, having or showing sound judgment.
Synonyms: sensible, levelheaded, prudent (Level 1, Word 47), discreet.
Antonyms: thoughtless, foolhardy, impetuous, temerarious.
Etymology and related words: From the Latin judex, a judge, and judicare, to judge,pass judgment, we inherit the words judge, judgment, judicial, judiciary, and judicious.
Spelling tip: Judge has an E at the end, but in American English there is no E in themiddle of the word judgment (the British spell it judgement).

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17. CHRYSALIS (KRIS-uh-lis)

Back 17

(1) The pupa of a butterfly, the stage during which the insect is enclosed in a case orcocoon.
(2) A sheltered and undeveloped state or stage of being.

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18. GENTEEL (jen-TEEL)

Back 18

Refined, polite, well-bred, sophisticated, elegantly stylish or fashionable, pertaining orbelonging to high society.
Usage tip: In current usage genteel often suggests an excessive or affected refinement.

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19. JOVIAL (JOH-vee-u1)

Back 19

Merry, full of good humor, hearty and fun-loving, jolly.
Synonyms: sociable, jolly, convivial (Level 5, Word 46).
Etymology: Jovial comes from the name Jove (also Jupiter), the chief deity in Romanmythology, called Zeus by the ancient Greeks. Jove was renowned for his love offeasting and merriment.

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20. SUBTERFUGE (SUHB-tur-fyooj)

Back 20

A deception, trick, underhanded scheme.
Synonyms: stratagem, artifice, ruse (rhymes with fuse and choose).
Usage tip: Subterfuge applies to any secret or illicit plan or activity designed to conceal amotive, escape blame, or avoid something unpleasant.
Pronunciation tip: Don't soften the G and say SUHB-tur-fyoozh. The fuge should rhymewith huge.

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21. EBULLIENCE (i-BUHL-yints or i-BUUL-yints)

Back 21

Lively enthusiasm, high spirits, bubbly excitement.
Synonyms: exuberance, exhilaration, effervescence.
Etymology and related words: The Latin ebullire, to boil, bubble, is the source of theEnglish words ebullition, ebullient, and ebullience.
Pronunciation tip: In the words ebullience and ebullient, the second syllable, -bul-,may be pronounced either like bul- in bulk or in bull.

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22. IMPERVIOUS (im-PUR-vee-us)

Back 22

Impenetrable, incapable of being entered or passed through, hence, unable to be movedor affected by something.
Synonyms: impassable, impermeable, opaque.
Antonyms: penetrable, passable, accessible, permeable, translucent, diaphanous.

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23. REMONSTRATE (ruh-MAHN-strayt)

Back 23

To object, protest, reprove, rebuke, argue or plead against.
Synonym: expostulate

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24. EFFACE (i-FAYS)

Back 24

(1) To rub out, wipe out, erase.
(2) To withdraw from notice, make oneself inconspicuous.
Synonyms: obliterate, expunge.
Usage tip: Take care to distinguish efface and deface, to spoil the appearance of, ruin,disfigure,

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25. CHIMERA (ky-MEER-uh, also ki-MEER-uh)

Back 25

A foolish fancy, fantastic notion or idea, figment of the imagination.
Synonyms: whimsy, crotchet, maggot, caprice.
Etymology: In Greek mythology, the Chimera was a fire-breathing monster with thehead of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a serpent. In modern usage chimera mayrefer to that fabulous creature or to any absurd and fabulous creation of the mind.
Corresponding adjective: chimerical, imaginary, fantastic, preposterous, absurd.

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26. INCORRIGIBLE (in-KOR-ij-uh-buul)

Back 26

(1) Bad beyond correction or reform, hopeless, irreformable.
Synonyms: irredeemable, irreclaimable, unrepentant, inveterate, unregenerate.
(2) Unruly, unmanageable, difficult to control.
Synonyms: obstinate (Level 1, word 34), willful, intractable.
Antonym: corrigible, capable of being corrected, amended, or reformed.

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27. JUXTAPOSE (juks-tuh-POHZ)

Back 27

To place side by side or close together, especially so as to compare or contrast.
Etymology and related words: Juxtapose comes from the Latin juxta, near, close by,and ponere, to put, place, the source also of position and posit (PAH-zit), to put forwardas true, set down as a fact.
Corresponding noun: juxtaposition.

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28. CONVERSANT (kun-VUR-sint)

Back 28

Familiar, acquainted, well-informed or well-versed.
Etymology and related words: Conversant comes from the Latin conversari, toassociate with, the source also of converse and conversation.N.B. This discussion distinguishes the synonyms conversant and versed.

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29. ESOTERIC (ES-o-TER-ik)

Back 29

Intended for or designed to be understood only by a select group, known only by a fewpeople, hence, not public, secret, confidential.
Synonyms: mysterious, impenetrable, inscrutable (Level 3, Word 48), cryptic, abstruse,arcane, recondite (REK-un-dyt).
Antonyms: plain, apparent, accessible, manifest, discernible (Level 3, Word 32), lucid(Level 3, Word 45), perspicuous. The direct antonym is exoteric.

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30. AUSPICIOUS (aw-SPISH-us)

Back 30

Favorable, fortunate, marked by favorable circumstances or good fortune, conducive tosuccess, boding well.
Synonym: propitious.
Etymology: Latin auspicium, the act of predicting the future by observing the flight ofbirds (from avis, bird, and specere, to look at, observe)

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31. ITINERANT (eye-TIN-ur-int)

Back 31

Wandering, traveling about, moving from place to place, especially to perform work.
Synonyms: migratory, wayfaring, vagrant, nomadic, ambulatory, peripatetic (Level 9,Word 47).
Etymology and related words: Itinerant and itinerary come from the Late Latin verbitinerari, to travel, go on a journey. An itinerary is a route or course taken on a journey,especially a detailed plan or list of places to visit while traveling.
Corresponding noun: Itinerant, an itinerant person, a wanderer, wayfarer, someone whotravels from place to place.
Usage tip: Itinerary and agenda are not synonymous. An agenda is a list of things to bedone or dealt with, especially a list of items to be addressed in a meeting. An itinerary isa list of places to go, a detailed plan for a journey.N.B. This discussion distinguishes the words itinerant, nomadic, vagrant, andambulatory all of which mean moving or traveling about.

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32. CULL (KUHL, rhymes with gull)

Back 32

To pick out, select from various sources, gather, collect.
Etymology and related words: Cull comes from the Latin colligere, to gather, thesource also of collect and collection.N.B. This discussion distinguishes the verbs cull and glean.

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33. PROMULGATE (pruh-MUHL-gayt or PRAHM-ul-gayt)

Back 33

To make known, publish, proclaim, make public in an official manner.
Synonyms: announce, advertise, broadcast, disseminate, bruit (like brute). All thesewords suggest bringing something to the attention of the public, making it widely known.
Corresponding nouns: promulgation, the act of making something public or widelyknown, promulgator, a person who makes something widely known, who proclaims orpublicizes it.
Etymology and usage: Promulgate comes from the Latin promulgare, to publish,proclaim. The word applies chiefly to making something known in a formal or officialway.

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34. GRATUITOUS (gruh-T(Y)OO-i-tus)

Back 34

(1) Free, given without charge or obligation.
(2) Without legitimate cause or reason, uncalledfor, unjustified, baseless, unwarranted.
Etymology and related words: Gratuitous comes from the Latin gratuitus, meaning notpaid for, unprovoked, or spontaneous. From the same source come gratis (rhymes withlattice), free, without charge, and gratuity, a gift or favor given in return for a service.
Usage tip: This discussion concludes with an admonition to avoid the redundant phrases"free gift" (all gifts are free) and "toll-free 800 number" (all 800 numbers are tollfree),and to drop the unnecessary for in the illogical phrase "for free." (You get somethingeither free or for nothing, not for free.)
Interesting word: joculism (as defined by William Safire, language columnist for TheNew York Times), "a word or phrase intended to be an amusing error that is taken up asaccurate by the unwary."

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35. NOMENCLATURE (NOH-men-KLAY-chur)

Back 35

A system of names, especially a system of names used in a science, art, or branch ofknowledge.
Etymology and related word: Nomenclature combines the Latin nomen, name, withcalare, to call. From the same source comes nomenclator (NOH-men-KLAY-tur),originally (in ancient Rome) an attendant who informed candidates for office of thenames of the persons they met, in modern usage, a person who assigns names inscientific classification.

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36. DROLL (rhymes with coal and hole)

Back 36

Amusing, humorous, comical, especially, funny or witty in an odd or outrageous way.
Synonyms: ridiculous, ludicrous, farcical, waggish.
Antonyms: sober, sedate, staid (rhymes with fade), austere (Level 3, Word 17).
Corresponding noun: drollery.

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37. INSATIABLE (in-SAY-shuh-buul)

Back 37

Greedy, hungry, unable to be satisfied or appeased.
Synonyms: ravenous, voracious, unquenchable, unappeasable.
Antonym: satiable, capable of being satisfied.
Etymology and related words: From the Latin satis, enough, sufficient, English hasinherited the words insatiable, satiable, satisfy, and satiate, to satisfy completely orsomewhat to excess,and satiety, a state of excessive gratification, satisfaction beyondwhat one normally desires.

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38. BEGUILE (bi-GYL, rhymes with a smile)

Back 38

(1) To deceive, delude, or mislead.
Synonyms: dupe, gull, hoodwink, swindle, bamboozle, ensnare, cozen (pronounced likecousin).
(2) To charm, amuse, or delight.
Synonyms: enchant, enrapture, enthrall, ensorcel (en-SOR-sul).
Etymology: The prefix be- at the beginning of the verb to beguile is an intensifiermeaning "completely, thoroughly," as in besmirch, befuddle, and beware. The word guile(craftiness, deceit, treacherous cunning) comes through Old French probably from an OldEnglish word meaning sorcery or divination.

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39. VINDICTIVE (vin-DIK-tiv)

Back 39

Seeking or wanting revenge, vengeful, characterized by a desire to get even.N.B. This discussion distinguishes the synonyms vengeful and vindictive.
Related word: retribution, repayment in the form of punishment in return for a wrong.

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40. REPLETE (ri-PLEET)

Back 40

Fully or richly supplied, well-stocked, chock-full, filled to capacity.
Synonyms: stuffed, crammed, gorged, abounding, brimming, teeming, laden,surfeited.
Etymology and related words: Replete comes from the Latin replere, to refill, fillagain, from reagain, and plere, to fill. From the Latin plere and the adjective plenus,full, come the English words plenty, plentiful, plenitude, an abundance, ampleamount, and plenary (PLEE-nuh-ree), full or complete in all respects.N.B. This discussion distinguishes the words replete and fraught.
Usage tip: Replete and complete are not synonymous or interchangeable. Complete
means lacking nothing, having all necessary elements, ingredients, or parts: a
complete set of encyclopedias. Replete means well-stocked, fully or richly supplied:a river replete with fish.

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41. PRECLUDE (pri-KLOOD)

Back 41

To prevent, make impossible, exclude or shut off all possibility of somethinghappening.
Synonyms: avert, obviate, forestall.
Antonyms: incite, instigate, engender.
Etymology: Latin prae-, before, and claudere, to shut, close up.

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42. CASTIGATE (KAS-ti-gayt)

Back 42

To punish or criticize severely.
Synonyms: chasten, chastise, rebuke, reprimand, reprove, censure (Level 3, Word 28).
Antonyms: approve, reward, praise, commend, laud, extol, eulogize.N.B. This discussion distinguishes the verbs to castigate, to chasten, and to chastise (thecorresponding noun, chastisement, may be pronounced either CHAS-tiz-mint or chas-TYZ-mint.)
Corresponding noun: castigation.

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43. COLLOQUIAL (kuh-LOH-kwee-ul)

Back 43

Conversational, pertaining to, characteristic of, or used in spoken language, hence,informal, casual, natural.
Etymology and related words: Colloquial comes from the Latin loqui, to speak,converse-the source also of loquacious, extremely talkative, a synonym of garrulous(Level 4, Word 8), colloquy (KAHLuh-kwee), a conversation-specifically, a formal orintellectual discussion, and colloquium (kuh-LOHkwee-um), a conference or meeting fordiscussion.
Corresponding noun: colloquialism, a colloquial expression, a bit of vernacularlanguage, a word or phrase used in common, everyday, informal speech.
Dictionary usage tip: When you see the abbreviation coll. or colloq. in a dictionary, itmeans colloquial, appropriate to or characteristic of informal speech.
Colloquial usage tip: Avoid the expression "I could care less", instead say "I could notcare less." If you can care less, that means you still have some caring left in you, if youcannot care less, then you do not care at all.N.B. This discussion concludes with an exploration of the nature of colloquial speech andcolloquialisms.

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44. OBFUSCATE (uhb-FUHS-kayt or AHB-fuh-skayt)

Back 44

To make obscure, cloud over, darken, make unclear or indistinct.
Synonyms: confuse, complicate, muddle, bewilder, shroud, eclipse, adumbrate (ad-UHMbrayt or AD-uhm-brayt).
Antonyms: expose, unveil, clarify, elucidate.
Corresponding noun: obfuscation.
Etymology: Latin obfuscare, to darken.

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45. FACILE (FAS'l)

Back 45

rhymes with castle, Easy, easily done, performed or achieved in an easy, effortless way, working or acting ina smooth, free, and unrestrained manner.
Synonyms: quick, ready, fluent, nimble, dexterous, expert, adroit (Level 3, Word 41).
Antonyms: difficult, awkward, unwieldy, laborious, irksome, obstinate (Level 1, Word 34), onerous (Level 4, Word 13), intractable (Level 5, Word 12), refractory (ri-FRAKtuh-ree).
Etymology and related words: facile, facility, and facilitate all come through the Latinfacilis, easy to do, from facere, to make or do.

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46. CONVIVIAL (kun-VIV-ee-ul)

Back 46

Sociable, merry, festive.
Synonyms: jovial (Level 5, Word 19), genial, companionable, affable, gregarious.
Antonyms: unsociable, reserved, solitary, aloof.
Etymology: Latin convivium, a feast, banquet, from con-, meaning "together," andvivere, to live. By derivation convivial means gathering together to eat, drink, and bemerry.

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47. ESCHEW (es-CHOO)

Back 47

To avoid, shun, abstain from, keep away from something harmful, wrong, or distasteful.
Usage tip: Eschew has nothing to do with chewing-for which the fancy synonym ismastication.

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48. PRODIGIOUS (pruh-DIJ-us)

Back 48

Enormous, huge, tremendous, immense, extraordinary in size, extent, force, or degree.
Synonyms: mammoth, monumental, colossal, gargantuan, elephantine (EL-uh-FAN-tin,EL-uh-FAN-teen, or EL-uh-FAN-tyn, in order of preference), herculean (hur-KYOOlee-
in or HUR-kyoo-LEE-in), Brobdingnagian (BRAHB-ding-NAG-ee-in, antonym:Lilliputian). The last four synonyms listed are discussed in detail.
Etymology and related word: Latin prodigiosus, strange, wonderful, marvelous, fromprodigium, an omen, portent, sign. From the same source comes prodigy, a person ofmarvelous talent or wonderful ahilitv.

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49. IDIOSYNCRASY (ID-ee-oh-SIN-kruh-see)

Back 49

A peculiarity, distinctive characteristic of a person or group, an identifying trait ormannerism.N.B. This lesson distinguished the synonyms idiosyncrasy, eccentricity, and quirk, whichdesignate behavior that is peculiar or distinctive.
Corresponding adjective: idiosyncratic, peculiar, distinctive, odd.

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50. APPROBATION (AP-roh-BAY-shin)

Back 50

Approval, acceptance, especially, official approval or authorization.
Synonyms: commendation, endorsement, sanction, ratification, acclamation.
Antonyms: rejection, opposition, disapprobation, renunciation, repudiation, disavowal,abjuration.
Etymology: Latin approbare, to approve.