Advanced English Vocabulary

Front 1

bucolic

Back 1

adjective:
1. relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.

"the church is lovely for its bucolic setting"

synonyms:
rustic, rural, pastoral, country, countryside; [literary] Arcadian, sylvan, georgic

"their farm had been used as the bucolic setting for two major motion pictures"

noun:
1. a pastoral poem.

Front 2

xenophobia

Back 2

noun:

intense or irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries.

Front 3

reprisal

Back 3

noun:

an act of retaliation.

"three youths died in the reprisals that followed"

synonyms:
retaliation, counterattack, comeback; revenge, vengeance, retribution, requital; (informal) a taste of one's own medicine

"following the violence, the fear is of reprisal"

- (historical) the forcible seizure of a foreign subject or their goods as an act of retaliation.

Front 4

circumscribe

Back 4

verb:

restrict (something) within limits.

"their movements were strictly monitored and circumscribed"

synonyms:

restrict, limit, keep within bounds, curb, confine, restrain; regulate, control

"the power of the local agency has been circumscribed by the national organization"

2. (geometry) draw (a figure) around another, touching it at points but not cutting it.

Front 5

ataraxia

Back 5

noun:

a state of serene calmness.

Front 6

liberty

Back 6

noun:

1. the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views.

"compulsory retirement would interfere with individual liberty"

synonyms:

independence, freedom, autonomy, sovereignty, self-government, self-rule, self-determination; civil liberties, human rights

"the fight for liberty"

antonyms:

tyranny

- an instance of this; a right or privilege, especially a statutory one.

"the Bill of Rights was intended to secure basic civil liberties"

synonyms:

right, birthright, prerogative, entitlement, privilege, permission, sanction, authorization, authority, license, power

"the liberty to go where you please"

antonyms:

constraint

- the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.

"people who have lost property or liberty without due process"

- the personification of liberty as a female figure.

"the Statue of Liberty"

2. the power or scope to act as one pleases.

"individuals should enjoy the liberty to pursue their own interests and preferences"

synonyms:

freedom, independence, free rein, license, self-determination, free will, latitude

"personal liberty"

antonyms:

constraint, slavery

[Philosophy] a person's freedom from control by fate or necessity.

[informal] a presumptuous remark or action.

"how did he know what she was thinking?—it was a liberty!"

[Nautical] shore leave granted to a sailor.

Front 7

enjoin

Back 7

verb:

instruct or urge (someone) to do something.

"the code enjoined members to trade fairly"

synonyms:

urge, encourage, admonish, press; instruct, direct, require, order, command, tell, call on, demand, charge; [formal] adjure; [literary] bid

"I enjoin you to admit your mistake"

- prescribe (an action or attitude) to be performed or adopted.

"the charitable deeds enjoined on him by religion"

- [law] prohibit someone from performing (a particular action) by issuing an injunction.

Front 8

hew

Back 8

verb:

1. chop or cut (something, especially wood) with an ax, pick, or other tool.

"we have finished hauling and hewing timber"

synonyms:

chop, hack, cut, lop, ax, cleave, split; fell

"the logs are freshly hewn"

- make or shape (something) by cutting or chopping a material such as wood or stone.

"a seat hewn out of a fallen tree trunk"

synonyms:

cut, carve, chisel, shape, fashion, sculpt

"steps had been hewn into the rock wall"

2. (North American) conform or adhere to.

"some artists took photographs that hewed to more traditional ideas of art"

Front 9

conciliation

Back 9

noun:

the action of stopping someone from being angry; placation.

"he held his hands up in a gesture of conciliation"

- the action of mediating between two disputing people or groups.

"many disputes are settled through conciliation by the official body"

Front 10

precedent

Back 10

noun:

1. an earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances.

"there are substantial precedents for using interactive media in training"

synonyms:

model, exemplar, example, pattern, previous case, prior instance/example; paradigm, criterion, yardstick, standard

"there are few precedents for this type of legislation"

- (law) a previous case or legal decision that may be or ( binding precedent ) must be followed in subsequent similar cases.

"the decision set a precedent for others to be sent to trial in the US"

adjective:

1. preceding in time, order, or importance.

"a precedent case"

Front 11

gambit

Back 11

noun:

a device, action, or opening remark, typically one entailing a degree of risk, that is calculated to gain an advantage.

"his resignation was a tactical gambit"

synonyms:

stratagem, scheme, plan, tactic, maneuver, move, course/line of action, device; machination, ruse, trick, ploy, wangle

"the most ambitious financial gambit in history"

- (in chess) an opening in which a player makes a sacrifice, typically of a pawn, for the sake of some compensating advantage.

Front 12

animus

Back 12

noun:

1. hostility or ill feeling.

"the author's animus toward her"

2. motivation to do something.

"the reformist animus came from within the Party"

3. [psychology] Jung's term for the masculine part of a woman's personality.

Front 13

untoward

Back 13

adjective:

unexpected and inappropriate or inconvenient.

"both tried to behave as if nothing untoward had happened"

synonyms:

inconvenient, unlucky, unexpected, unforeseen, surprising, unusual; unwelcome, unfavorable, adverse, unfortunate, infelicitous; [formal] malapropos

"an untoward occurrence"

- improper, unseemly; perverse

"untoward behavior"

Front 14

impugn

Back 14

verb:

dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of (a statement or motive); call into question.

"the father does not impugn her capacity as a good mother"

synonyms:

call into question, challenge, question, dispute, query, take issue with

"are you impugning my judgment?"

Front 15

capricious

Back 15

adjective:

given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.

"a capricious and often brutal administration"

synonyms:

fickle, inconstant, changeable, variable, mercurial, volatile, unpredictable, temperamental; whimsical, fanciful, flighty, quirky, faddish

"the capricious workings of fate"

antonyms:

consistent

Hint 15

"a capricious and often brutal administration"

Front 16

lecherous

Back 16

adjective:

having or showing excessive or offensive sexual desire.

"she ignored his lecherous gaze"

synonyms:

lustful, licentious, lascivious, libidinous, prurient, lewd, salacious, lubricious, debauched, dissolute, wanton, dissipated, degenerate, depraved, dirty, filthy; [formal] concupiscent

"the lecherous creep who lives in our building"

antonyms:

chaste

Hint 16

"she ignored his lecherous gaze"

Front 17

draconian

Back 17

adjective:

(of laws or their application) excessively harsh and severe.

synonyms:

harsh, severe, strict, extreme, drastic, stringent, tough;cruel, oppressive, ruthless, relentless, punitive; authoritarian, despotic, tyrannical, repressive

"collaborators suffered draconian reprisals"

antonyms:

lenient

Hint 17

"collaborators suffered draconian reprisals"

Front 18

surreptitious

Back 18

adjective:

kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of.

"they carried on a surreptitious affair"

synonyms:

secret, secretive, stealthy, clandestine, sneaky, sly, furtive; concealed, hidden, undercover, covert, veiled, cloak-and-dagger

"a surreptitious glance"

antonyms:

blatant

Hint 18

"a surreptitious glance"

Front 19

niggardly

Back 19

adjective:

1. not generous; stingy.

"serving out the rations with a niggardly hand"

synonyms:

cheap, mean, miserly, parsimonious, close-fisted, penny-pinching, cheeseparing, grasping, ungenerous, illiberal; [informal] stingy, tight, tightfisted

"a niggardly person"

antonyms:

generous

- meager; scanty.

"their share is a niggardly 2.7 percent"

synonyms:

meager, inadequate, scanty, scant, skimpy, paltry, sparse, insufficient, deficient, short, lean, small, slender, poor, miserable, pitiful, puny; [informal] measly, stingy, pathetic, piddling

"niggardly rations"

antonyms:

lavish, abundant

adverb:

1. [archaic] in a stingy or meager manner.

Hint 19

"serving out the rations with a niggardly hand"

Front 20

capitulate

Back 20

verb:

cease to resist an opponent or an unwelcome demand; surrender.

"the patriots had to capitulate to the enemy forces"

synonyms:

surrender, give in/up, yield, concede defeat, give up the struggle, submit, knuckle under; lay down one's arms, raise/show the white flag, throw in the towel

"the rebels had been forced to capitulate"

antonyms:

resist, hold out

Hint 20

"the rebels had been forced to capitulate"

Front 21

acrimony

Back 21

noun:

bitterness or ill feeling.

"a quagmire of lawsuits, acrimony, and finger-pointing"

synonyms:

bitterness, anger, rancor, resentment, ill feeling, ill will, bad blood, animosity, hostility, enmity, antagonism, waspishness, spleen, malice, spite, spitefulness, peevishness, venom

"the meeting ended with acrimony on both sides"

antonyms:

goodwill

Hint 21

"a quagmire of lawsuits, acrimony, and finger-pointing"

Front 22

boondoggle

Back 22

noun:

1.work or activity that is wasteful or pointless but gives the appearance of having value.

"writing off the cold fusion phenomenon as a boondoggle best buried in literature"

- a public project of questionable merit that typically involves political patronage and graft.

"they each drew $600,000 in the final months of the great boondoggle"

verb:

1. waste money or time on unnecessary or questionable projects.

Hint 22

"writing off the cold fusion phenomenon as a boondoggle best buried in literature"

Front 23

mercurial

Back 23

adjective:

1. (of a person) subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind.

"his mercurial temperament"

synonyms:

volatile, capricious, temperamental, excitable, fickle, changeable, unpredictable, variable, protean, mutable, erratic, quicksilver, inconstant, inconsistent, unstable, unsteady, fluctuating, ever-changing, moody, flighty, wayward, whimsical, impulsive; [technical] labile

"a mercurial temperament"

antonyms:

stable

- (of a person) sprightly; lively.

2. of or containing the element mercury.

3. of the planet Mercury.

noun:

1. a drug or other compound containing mercury.

Hint 23

"a mercurial temperament"

Front 24

cachinnate

Back 24

verb:
laugh loudly.

Hint 24

"I observe my fellow baskers complain, snap, cachinnate, straighten out government policy."

Front 25

piquant

Back 25

adjective:

having a pleasantly sharp taste or appetizing flavor.

synonyms:

spicy, tangy, peppery, hot; tasty, flavorful, appetizing, savory; pungent, sharp, tart, zesty, strong, salty

"a piquant sauce"

antonyms:

bland

- pleasantly stimulating or exciting to the mind.

synonyms:

intriguing, stimulating, interesting, fascinating, colorful, exciting, lively; spicy, provocative, racy; [informal] juicy

"a piquant story"

antonyms:

dull

Hint 25

"a piquant sauce"

Front 26

indubitably

Back 26

adjective:

too evident to be doubted : unquestionable.

Hint 26

"the indubitable fact that there are no more woolly mammoths or saber-toothed tigers around."

Front 27

desultory

Back 27

adjective:
lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm.

"a few people were left, dancing in a desultory fashion"

synonyms:
casual, cursory, superficial, token, perfunctory, half-hearted, lukewarm; random, aimless, erratic, unmethodical, unsystematic, chaotic, inconsistent, irregular, intermittent, sporadic, fitful

"the desultory interest you have in your child's welfare is appalling"

antonyms:
keen

- (of conversation or speech) going constantly from one subject to another in a halfhearted way; unfocused.

"the desultory conversation faded"

- occurring randomly or occasionally.

"desultory passengers were appearing"

Hint 27

"a few people were left, dancing in a desultory fashion"

Front 28

forsooth

Back 28

adverb:

indeed (often used ironically or to express surprise or indignation).

(archaic) humorous

"forsooth, there is no one I trust more"

Hint 28

"forsooth, there is no one I trust more"

Front 29

pulchritudinous

Back 29

adjective:

used of persons only; having great physical beauty

synonyms:

beautiful, delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

Hint 29

“pulchritudinous movie stars”

Front 30

balmy

Back 30

adjective:

1. (of the weather) pleasantly warm.

"the balmy days of late summer"

synonyms:

mild, gentle, temperate, summery, calm, tranquil, clement, fine, pleasant, benign, soothing, soft

"the balmy breezes of the West Indies"

antonyms:

harsh, wintry

2. [North American, dated]

extremely foolish; eccentric.

"this is a balmy decision"

- mad; crazy.

"I think he's gone balmy again"

Hint 30

"the balmy days of late summer"

Front 31

craven

Back 31

adjective:

1. contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly.

"a craven abdication of his moral duty"

synonyms:

cowardly, lily-livered, faint-hearted, chicken-hearted, spineless, timid, timorous, fearful, pusillanimous, weak, feeble; [informal] yellow, chicken, weak-kneed, gutless, yellow-bellied, wimpish; contemptible, abject, ignominious

"a craven surrender"

antonyms:

brave

noun:

[archaic] a cowardly person.

Front 32

abdicate

Back 32

verb:
(of a monarch) renounce one's throne.

"in 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated as German emperor"

synonyms:
resign, retire, stand down, step down, bow out, renounce the throne; (archaic) demit

"the king abdicated in 1936"

- resign from, relinquish, renounce, give up, surrender, vacate, cede; disclaim; (formal) abjure

"Ferdinand abdicated the throne"

antonyms:
be crowned, accede to

- fail to fulfill or undertake (a responsibility or duty).

"the government was accused of abdicating its responsibility"

synonyms:
disown, reject, renounce, give up, refuse, relinquish, repudiate, abandon, turn one's back on, wash one's hands of; forgo, waive; (formal) abjure; (literary) forsake

"the state abdicated all responsibility for their welfare"

antonyms:
accept, take on

Hint 32

"the king abdicated in 1936"

"the government was accused of abdicating its responsibility"

Front 33

lummox

Back 33

noun:

a clumsy, stupid person.

"watch it, you great lummox!"

Hint 33

"watch it, you great lummox!"

Front 34

impetuous

Back 34

adjective:

acting or done quickly and without thought or care.

"her friend was headstrong and impetuous"

synonyms:

impulsive, rash, hasty, overhasty, reckless, heedless, careless, foolhardy, bullheaded, headstrong, incautious, imprudent, injudicious, ill-considered, unthought-out; spontaneous, impromptu, spur-of-the-moment, precipitate, precipitous, hurried, rushed; (informal) devil-may-care, harum-scarum, hotheaded

"an impetuous decision"

antonyms:

considered, cautious

- moving forcefully or rapidly.

"an impetuous but controlled flow of water"

synonyms:

torrential, powerful, forceful, vigorous, violent, raging, relentless, uncontrolled; rapid, fast, fast-flowing, swift

"an impetuous flow of water"

antonyms:

sluggish

Hint 34

"an impetuous decision"

Front 35

perspicacious

Back 35

adjective:

having a ready insight into and understanding of things.

"it offers quite a few facts to the perspicacious reporter"

synonyms:

discerning, shrewd, perceptive, astute, penetrating, observant, percipient, sharp-witted, sharp, smart, alert, clear-sighted, farsighted, acute, clever, canny, intelligent, insightful, wise, sage, sensitive, intuitive, understanding, aware, discriminating; (informal) on the ball, heads-up, with it

"his perspicacious advisers recommended caution"

antonyms:

stupid

Hint 35

"it offers quite a few facts to the perspicacious reporter"

Front 36

sapient

Back 36

adjective:

1. (formal) wise, or attempting to appear wise.

- (chiefly in science fiction) intelligent.

"sapient life forms"

2. relating to the human species ( Homo sapiens ).

"our sapient ancestors of 40,000 years ago"

noun:

1. a human of the species Homo sapiens.

Hint 36

"an uncle who is always good for valuable insights and some sapient advice"

Front 37

viscous

Back 37

adjective:

having a thick, sticky consistency between solid and liquid; having a high viscosity.

"viscous lava"

synonyms:

glutinous, gelatinous, thick, viscid, mucous, mucoid, mucilaginous, gummy, gluey, adhesive, tacky, adherent, treacly, syrupy; technical - viscoelastic; informal - gooey, gloppy

"it's impossible to clean up this viscous substance with water"

Hint 37

"it's impossible to clean up this viscous substance with water"

Front 38

vacuous

Back 38

adjective:

having or showing a lack of thought or intelligence; mindless.

"a vacuous smile"

synonyms:

silly, inane, unintelligent, insipid, foolish, stupid, fatuous, idiotic, brainless, witless, vapid, vacant, empty-headed; informal - dumb, moronic, brain-dead, fluffy, fluffball

"that vacuous laugh of his drives me nuts"

antonyms:

intelligent

- (archaic) empty

Hint 38

"a vacuous smile"

Front 39

tyro

Back 39

noun:

a beginner or novice.

synonyms:

novice, beginner, learner, neophyte, newcomer, initiate, fledgling; apprentice, trainee, probationer, tenderfoot; (informal) rookie, newbie, greenhorn

"in 1925, he was a Capitol Hill tyro"

antonyms:

veteran

Hint 39

"in 1925, he was a Capitol Hill tyro"

Front 40

turpitude

Back 40

noun:

depravity; wickedness.

"acts of moral turpitude"

Hint 40

"acts of moral turpitude"

Front 41

nebulous

Back 41

adjective:

the form of a cloud or haze; hazy.

"a giant nebulous glow"

synonyms:

indistinct, indefinite, unclear, vague, hazy, cloudy, fuzzy, misty, blurred, blurry, foggy; faint, shadowy, obscure, formless, amorphous

"the figure was nebulous"

antonyms:

clear

- (of a concept or idea) unclear, vague, or ill-defined.

"nebulous concepts like quality of life"

synonyms:

vague, ill-defined, unclear, hazy, uncertain, indefinite, indeterminate, imprecise, unformed, muddled, confused, ambiguous

"nebulous ideas"

antonyms:

well defined

- another term for nebular.

Hint 41

"a giant nebulous glow"

Front 42

taciturn

Back 42

adjective:

(of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.

synonyms:

untalkative, uncommunicative, reticent, unforthcoming, quiet, secretive, tight-lipped, buttoned-up, close-mouthed; silent, mute, dumb, inarticulate; reserved, withdrawn

"our taciturn daughter has suddenly become a little chatty"

antonyms:

talkative

Hint 42

"after such gatherings she would be taciturn and morose"

Front 43

indignant

Back 43

feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment.

"he was indignant at being the object of suspicion"

synonyms:

aggrieved, resentful, affronted, disgruntled, displeased, cross, angry, mad, annoyed, offended, exasperated, irritated, piqued, nettled, in high dudgeon, chagrined; (informal) peeved, vexed, irked, put out, miffed, aggravated, riled, in a huff, huffy, ticked off, sore

"after the shabby way you've treated me, why shouldn't I be indignant?"

Hint 43

"he was indignant at being the object of suspicion"

Front 44

balmy

Back 44

adjective:

1. (of the weather) pleasantly warm.

"the balmy days of late summer"

synonyms:

mild, gentle, temperate, summery, calm, tranquil, clement, fine, pleasant, benign, soothing, soft

"the balmy breezes of the West Indies"

antonyms:

harsh, wintry

2. North American, dated:

extremely foolish; eccentric.

"this is a balmy decision"

- mad; crazy.

"I think he's gone balmy again"

Hint 44

"the balmy days of late summer"

Front 45

per se

Back 45

adverb:

(Latin translation) through itself

notes:

also "by itself" or "in itself".

Without referring to anything else, intrinsically, taken without qualifications etc.

"it is not these facts per se that are important"

synonyms:

in itself, of itself, by itself, in and of itself, as such, intrinsically; by its very nature, in essence, by definition, essentially

"possessing a knife was not per se an unlawful act"

- (legal) a common example is

"negligence per se"

- a doctrine within the law of United States of America whereby an act is considered negligent because it violates a statute (or regulation).

Hint 45

"it is not these facts per se that are important"

Front 46

abdicate

Back 46

verb:
(of a monarch) renounce one's throne.

"in 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated as German emperor"

synonyms:
resign, retire, stand down, step down, bow out, renounce the throne; (archaic) demit

"the king abdicated in 1936"

- resign from, relinquish, renounce, give up, surrender, vacate, cede; disclaim; (formal) abjure

"Ferdinand abdicated the throne"

antonyms:
be crowned, accede to

- fail to fulfill or undertake (a responsibility or duty).

"the government was accused of abdicating its responsibility"

synonyms:
disown, reject, renounce, give up, refuse, relinquish, repudiate, abandon, turn one's back on, wash one's hands of; forgo, waive; (formal) abjure; (literary) forsake

"the state abdicated all responsibility for their welfare"

antonyms:
accept, take on

Hint 46

"the king abdicated in 1936"

"the government was accused of abdicating its responsibility"

Front 47

rue

Back 47

verb:

bitterly regret (something one has done or allowed to happen).

"Ferguson will rue the day he turned down that offer"

synonyms:

regret, be sorry about, feel remorseful about, repent of, reproach oneself for; deplore, lament, bemoan, bewail

"she may live to rue this impetuous decision"

noun (archaic):

1. repentance; regret.

"with rue my heart is laden"

- compassion; pity.

"tears of pitying rue"

Hint 47

"she may live to rue this impetuous decision"

Front 48

impetuous

Back 48

adjective:

acting or done quickly and without thought or care.

"her friend was headstrong and impetuous"

synonyms:

impulsive, rash, hasty, overhasty, reckless, heedless, careless, foolhardy, bullheaded, headstrong, incautious, imprudent, injudicious, ill-considered, unthought-out; spontaneous, impromptu, spur-of-the-moment, precipitate, precipitous, hurried, rushed; (informal) devil-may-care, harum-scarum, hotheaded

"an impetuous decision"

antonyms:

considered, cautious

- moving forcefully or rapidly.

"an impetuous but controlled flow of water"

synonyms:

torrential, powerful, forceful, vigorous, violent, raging, relentless, uncontrolled; rapid, fast, fast-flowing, swift

"an impetuous flow of water"

antonyms:

sluggish

Hint 48

"an impetuous decision"

Front 49

magnanimous

Back 49

adjective:

very generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or someone less powerful than oneself.

synonyms:

generous, charitable, benevolent, beneficent, big-hearted, handsome, princely, altruistic, philanthropic, unselfish, chivalrous, noble; forgiving, merciful, lenient, indulgent, clement

"her magnanimous contributions to the art world"

antonyms:

mean-spirited, selfish

Hint 49

"her magnanimous contributions to the art world"

Front 50

humblebrag

Back 50

noun:

1. an ostensibly modest or self-deprecating statement whose actual purpose is to draw attention to something of which one is proud.

"social media status updates are basically selfies, humblebrags, and rants"

verb:

1. make an ostensibly modest or self-deprecating statement with the actual intention of drawing attention to something of which one is proud.

"she humblebragged about how 'awful' she looks without any makeup"

Hint 50

"social media status updates are basically selfies, humblebrags, and rants"

Front 51

ostensible

Back 51

adjective:

stated or appearing to be true, but not necessarily so.

"the delay may have a deeper cause than the ostensible reason"

synonyms:

apparent, outward, superficial, professed, supposed, alleged, purported

"the ostensible star is Lana Turner, but it's Juanita Moore who makes the movie click"

antonyms:

genuine

Hint 51

"the delay may have a deeper cause than the ostensible reason"

Front 52

ostentatious

Back 52

adjective:

characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice.

"books that people buy and display ostentatiously but never actually finish"

synonyms:

showy, pretentious, conspicuous, flamboyant, gaudy, brash, vulgar, loud, extravagant, fancy, ornate, overelaborate; (informal) flash, flashy, splashy, fancy-pants, over the top, glitzy, ritzy, superfly

"an ostentatious display of wealth"

antonyms:

restrained

Hint 52

"books that people buy and display ostentatiously but never actually finish"

Front 53

pretentious

Back 53

adjective:

attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.

"a pretentious literary device"

synonyms:

affected, ostentatious, showy; overambitious, pompous, artificial, inflated, overblown, high-sounding, flowery, grandiose, elaborate, extravagant, flamboyant, ornate, grandiloquent, magniloquent, sophomoric; (informal) flashy, highfalutin, fancy-pants, la-di-da, pseudo

"Clytemnestra is a pretentious name for a dog"

Hint 53

"a pretentious literary device"

Front 54

canard

Back 54

noun:

1. an unfounded rumor or story.

"the old canard that LA is a cultural wasteland"

2. a small winglike projection attached to an aircraft forward of the main wing to provide extra stability or control, sometimes replacing the tail.

Hint 54

"the old canard that LA is a cultural wasteland"

Front 55

nebulous

Back 55

adjective:

the form of a cloud or haze; hazy.

"a giant nebulous glow"

synonyms:

indistinct, indefinite, unclear, vague, hazy, cloudy, fuzzy, misty, blurred, blurry, foggy; faint, shadowy, obscure, formless, amorphous

"the figure was nebulous"

antonyms:

clear

- (of a concept or idea) unclear, vague, or ill-defined.

"nebulous concepts like quality of life"

synonyms:

vague, ill-defined, unclear, hazy, uncertain, indefinite, indeterminate, imprecise, unformed, muddled, confused, ambiguous

"nebulous ideas"

antonyms:well defined

- another term for nebular.

Hint 55

"a giant nebulous glow"

Front 56

umbrage

Back 56

noun:

offense or annoyance.

"she took umbrage at his remarks"

synonyms:

take offense, take exception, be aggrieved, be affronted, be annoyed, be angry, be indignant, be put out, be insulted, be hurt, be piqued, be resentful, be disgruntled, go into a huff, be miffed, have one's nose put out of joint, chafe

"I would take umbrage at that if I thought you were serious"

2. (archaic) shade or shadow, especially as cast by trees.

Hint 56

"she took umbrage at his remarks"

Front 57

indignant

Back 57

feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment.

"he was indignant at being the object of suspicion"

synonyms:

aggrieved, resentful, affronted, disgruntled, displeased, cross, angry, mad, annoyed, offended, exasperated, irritated, piqued, nettled, in high dudgeon, chagrined; (informal) peeved, vexed, irked, put out, miffed, aggravated, riled, in a huff, huffy, ticked off, sore

"after the shabby way you've treated me, why shouldn't I be indignant?"

Hint 57

"he was indignant at being the object of suspicion"

Front 58

ignominious

Back 58

adjective:

deserving or causing public disgrace or shame.

"no other party risked ignominious defeat"

synonyms:

humiliating, undignified, embarrassing, mortifying; ignoble, inglorious; disgraceful, shameful, dishonorable, discreditable

"he made an ignominious exit after 21 months in power"

antonyms:

glorious

Hint 58

"no other party risked ignominious defeat"

Front 59

per se

Back 59

adverb:

(Latin translation) through itself

notes:

also "by itself" or "in itself".

Without referring to anything else, intrinsically, taken without qualifications etc.

"it is not these facts per se that are important"

synonyms:

in itself, of itself, by itself, in and of itself, as such, intrinsically; by its very nature, in essence, by definition, essentially

"possessing a knife was not per se an unlawful act"

- (legal) a common example is "negligence per se", a doctrine within the law of United States of America whereby an act is considered negligent because it violates a statute (or regulation).

Hint 59

"it is not these facts per se that are important"

Front 60

tort (legal)

Back 60

noun:

a wrongful act, omission, or an infringement of a right (other than under contract) leading to civil legal liability.

Hint 60

"A tort claim has been filed by current and former employees."

Front 61

sycophant

Back 61

noun:

a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage.

synonyms:

yes-man, bootlicker, brown-noser, toady, lickspittle, flatterer, flunky, lackey, spaniel, doormat, stooge, cringer, suck, suck-up

"I thought you wanted a competent assistant, not a nodding sycophant"

Front 62

anathema

Back 62

noun:

1. something or someone that one vehemently dislikes.

"racial hatred was anathema to her"

synonyms:

an abomination, an outrage, an abhorrence, a disgrace, an evil, a bane, a bugbear, a bête noire; adjectivesabhorrent, hateful, repugnant, odious, repellent, offensive

"the idea of a poem as a mere exercise is anathema to me"

2. a formal curse by a pope or a council of the Church, excommunicating a person or denouncing a doctrine.

synonyms:

an abomination, an outrage, an abhorrence, a disgrace, an evil, a bane, a bugbear, a bête noire; adjectivesabhorrent, hateful, repugnant, odious, repellent, offensive

"the idea of a poem as a mere exercise is anathema to me"

- [literary] a strong curse.

"the sergeant clutched the ruined communicator, muttering anathemas"

Front 63

excoriated

Back 63

verb:

1. (formal) censure or criticize severely.

"the papers that had been excoriating him were now lauding him"

2. (medicine) damage or remove part of the surface of (the skin).

synonyms:

abrade, rub away, rub raw, scrape, scratch, chafe; strip away, skin

"the skin had been excoriated"

Front 64

deference

Back 64

noun:

humble submission and respect.

"he addressed her with the deference due to age"

synonyms:

respect, respectfulness, dutifulness; submissiveness, submission, obedience, surrender, accession, capitulation, acquiescence, complaisance, obeisance

"his writings show excessive deference to the wealthy"

antonyms:

disrespect

Front 65

nary

Back 65

adjective:

informal or dialect form of not.

"nary a murmur or complaint"

Front 66

appropriate (verb, 3 usages)

Back 66

verb:

1. take (something) for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission.

"his images have been appropriated by advertisers"

synonyms:

seize, commandeer, expropriate, annex, arrogate, sequestrate, sequester, take over, hijack

"the barons appropriated church lands"

- steal, take; (informal) swipe, nab, bag, pinch

"he had allegedly appropriated company funds"

- plagiarize, copy; poach, steal, borrow; (informal) rip off

"his images have been appropriated by advertisers"

2. devote (money or assets) to a special purpose.

"there can be problems in appropriating funds for legal expenses"

synonyms:

allocate, assign, allot, earmark, set aside, devote, apportion

"we are appropriating funds for these expenses"

Hint 66

"his images have been appropriated by advertisers"

"the barons appropriated church lands"

"he had allegedly appropriated company funds"

"there can be problems in appropriating funds for legal expenses"

"we are appropriating funds for these expenses"

Front 67

vitriol

Back 67

noun:

cruel and bitter criticism.

"her mother's sudden gush of fury and vitriol"

2. (archaic, literary) sulfuric acid.

Hint 67

"her mother's sudden gush of fury and vitriol"

Front 68

remuneration

Back 68

noun:

money paid for work or a service.

synonyms:

payment, pay, salary, wages; earnings, fee(s), reward, compensation, recompense, reimbursement; contingency fee; (formal) emolument(s)

"you will receive adequate remuneration for the work you have done"

Hint 68

"you will receive adequate remuneration"

Front 69

extoil

Back 69

verb:

praise enthusiastically.

"he extolled the virtues of the Russian peoples"

synonyms:

praise enthusiastically, go into raptures about/over, wax lyrical about, sing the praises of, praise to the skies, acclaim, exalt, eulogize, adulate, rhapsodize over, rave about, enthuse about/over, overpraise; (informal) go wild about, go on about, ballyhoo; (formal) laud; (archaic) panegyrize

"nutritionists extol the virtues of fiber"

antonyms:

criticize

Hint 69

"he extolled the virtues of the Russian peoples"

Front 70

panegyrize

Back 70

verb:

speak or write in praise of; eulogize.

Front 71

wonky

Back 71

adjective:

crooked; off-center; askew.

"you have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth"

- (of a thing) unsteady; shaky.

"they sat drinking, perched on the wonky stools"

- not functioning correctly; faulty.

"your sense of judgment is a bit wonky at the moment"

Hint 71

"your sense of judgment is a bit wonky at the moment"

Front 72

egregious

Back 72

adjective:
outstandingly bad; shocking.

"egregious abuses of copyright"

synonyms:
shocking, appalling, terrible, awful, horrendous, frightful, atrocious, abominable, abhorrent, outrageous; monstrous, heinous, dire, unspeakable, shameful, unforgivable, intolerable, dreadful; (formal) grievous

"an egregious error of judgment"

antonyms:
marvelous

2. (archaic) remarkably good.

Hint 72

"an egregious error of judgment"

Front 73

katzenjammer

Back 73

noun:

confusion; uproar.

- a hangover; a severe headache resulting from a hangover.

Hint 73

"intellectual intoxication too. has its katzenjammer.

Front 74

incumbent

Back 74

adjective:

1. necessary for (someone) as a duty or responsibility.

"it is incumbent on all decent people to concentrate on destroying this evil"

synonyms:

necessary for one to, essential that, required that, imperative that; compulsory for one to, binding on one to, mandatory that

"it is incumbent on you to tell them"

2. (of an official or regime) currently holding office.

"the incumbent president had been defeated"

synonyms:

current, present, in office, in power; reigning

"the incumbent president"

noun:

1. the holder of an office or post.

synonyms:

holder, bearer, occupant

"the first incumbent of the post"

- [Christian Church] the holder of an ecclesiastical benefice.

Hint 74

"it is incumbent on all people"

Front 75

nefarious

Back 75

adjective:

(typically of an action or activity) wicked or criminal.

"the nefarious activities of the organized-crime syndicates"

synonyms:

wicked, evil, sinful, iniquitous, egregious, heinous, atrocious, vile, foul, abominable, odious, depraved, monstrous, fiendish, diabolical, unspeakable, despicable; villainous, criminal, corrupt, illegal, unlawful; (dated) dastardly

"the nefarious long-lost brother returns to steal Iris's inheritance"

antonyms:

good

Hint 75

"nefarious activities"

Front 76

rancor

Back 76

noun:

bitterness or resentfulness, especially when long-standing.

"he spoke without rancor"

synonyms:

bitterness, spite, hate, hatred, resentment, malice, ill will, malevolence, animosity, antipathy, enmity, hostility, acrimony, venom, vitriol

"partisans on both sides have created much rancor"

Hint 76

"he spoke without rancor"

Front 77

proletariat

Back 77

noun:

workers or working-class people, regarded collectively (often used with reference to Marxism).

"the growth of the industrial proletariat"

synonyms:

the workers, working-class people, wage earners, the working classes, the common people, the lower classes, the masses, the rank and file, the third estate, the plebeians; the lumpen, the lumpenproletariat; (derogatory) the hoi polloi, the plebs, the proles, the great unwashed, the mob, the rabble; (humorous) sheeple

"the voice of the proletariat"

antonyms:

(aristocracy) the lowest class of citizens in ancient Rome.

Hint 77

"the growth of the industrial proletariat"

Front 78

extol

Back 78

verb:

praise enthusiastically.

"he extolled the virtues of the Russian peoples"

synonyms:

praise enthusiastically, go into raptures about/over, wax lyrical about, sing the praises of, praise to the skies, acclaim, exalt, eulogize, adulate, rhapsodize over, rave about, enthuse about/over, overpraise; (informal) go wild about, go on about, ballyhoo; (formal) laud; (archaic) panegyrize

"nutritionists extol the virtues of fiber"

Hint 78

"he extolled the virtues of the Russian peoples"

Front 79

dissent

Back 79

noun:

1. the expression or holding of opinions at variance with those previously, commonly, or officially held.

"there was no dissent from this view"

synonyms:

disagreement, difference of opinion, argument, dispute; disapproval, objection, protest, opposition, defiance; conflict, friction, strife, infighting

"murmurs of dissent"

verb:

1. hold or express opinions that are at variance with those previously, commonly, or officially expressed.

"two members dissented from the majority"

Hint 79

"murmurs of dissent"

Front 80

jettison

Back 80

verb:

1. throw or drop (something) from an aircraft or ship.

"six aircraft jettisoned their loads in the sea"

- abandon or discard (someone or something that is no longer wanted).

"individuals are often forced to jettison certain attitudes and behaviors"

synonyms:

dump, drop, ditch, discharge, throw out, unload, throw overboard

"six aircraft jettisoned their loads"

- discard, dispose of, throw away/out, get rid of;reject, scrap, abandon, drop;(informal) chuck (out), dump, ditch, ax, trash, junk, deep-six

"he jettisoned his unwanted papers"

antonyms:

keep, retain

Hint 80

"he jettisoned his unwanted papers"

Front 81

vitriol

Back 81

noun:

cruel and bitter criticism.

"her mother's sudden gush of fury and vitriol"

2. (archaic, literary) sulfuric acid

Front 82

rescind

Back 82

verb:

revoke, cancel, or repeal (a law, order, or agreement).

"the government eventually rescinded the directive"

synonyms:

revoke, repeal, cancel, reverse, overturn, overrule, annul, nullify, void, invalidate, quash, abolish; vacate; (formal) abrogate

"the court can rescind a bankruptcy order"

antonyms:

enforce

Hint 82

"the government eventually rescinded the directive"

Front 83

sovereign

Back 83

noun:

1. a supreme ruler, especially a monarch.

synonyms:

ruler, monarch, crowned head, head of state, potentate, suzerain, overlord, dynast, leader; king, queen, emperor, empress, prince, princess, czar, royal duke, regent, mogul, emir, sheikh, sultan, maharaja, raja

"the daughter of their beloved sovereign"

2.a former British gold coin worth one pound sterling, now only minted for commemorative purposes.

adjective:

1.possessing supreme or ultimate power.

"in modern democracies the people's will is in theory sovereign"

synonyms:

supreme, absolute, unlimited, unrestricted, boundless, ultimate, total, unconditional, full; principal, chief, dominant, predominant, ruling; royal, regal, monarchical

"sovereign control"

Front 84

spunk

Back 84

noun:

1. (informal) courage and determination.

synonyms:

courage, bravery, valor, nerve, confidence, daring, audacity, pluck, spirit, grit, mettle, spine, backbone; (informal) guts, gumption, moxie; dated or (humor) ousderring-do

"it took a lot of spunk to blow the whistle on your own boss"

2. tinder; touchwood.

3. [BRITISH] (vulgar, slang) semen.

Front 85

pithy

Back 85

adjective:

1. (of language or style) concise and forcefully expressive.

synonyms:

succinct, terse, concise, compact, short (and sweet), brief, condensed, to the point, epigrammatic, crisp, thumbnail; significant, meaningful, expressive, telling; (formal) compendious

"pithy comments"

2. (of a fruit or plant) containing much pith.

Front 86

austere

Back 86

adjective:

severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance.

"an austere man, with a rigidly puritanical outlook"

synonyms:

severe, stern, strict, harsh, steely, flinty, dour, grim, cold, frosty, unemotional, unfriendly; formal, stiff, reserved, aloof, forbidding; grave, solemn, serious, unsmiling, unsympathetic, unforgiving; hard, unyielding, unbending, inflexible; (informal) hard-boiled"an outwardly austere man"antonyms:genial(of living conditions or a way of life) having no comforts or luxuries; harsh or ascetic.

"conditions in the prison could hardly be more austere"

synonyms:

ascetic, self-denying, self-disciplined, nonindulgent, frugal, spartan, puritanical, abstemious, abstinent, self-sacrificing, strict, temperate, sober, simple, restrained; celibate, chaste

"an austere life"

antonyms:

immoderate

- having an extremely plain and simple style or appearance; unadorned.

"the cathedral is impressive in its austere simplicity"

synonyms:

plain, simple, basic, functional, modest, unadorned, unembellished, unfussy, restrained; stark, bleak, bare, clinical, spartan, ascetic; informalno-frills, bare-bones

"the buildings were austere"

antonyms:

ornate

- (of an economic policy or measure) designed to reduce a budget deficit, especially by cutting public expenditure.

Front 87

hyperbole

Back 87

noun:

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

synonyms:

exaggeration, overstatement, magnification, embroidery, embellishment, excess, overkill, rhetoric; (informal) purple prose, puffery

"the media hyperbole that accompanied their championship series"

antonyms:

understatement

Front 88

vituperative

Back 88

adjective:

bitter and abusive.

"the criticism soon turned into a vituperative attack"

Hint 88

"the criticism soon turned into a vituperative attack"

Front 89

crass

Back 89

adjective:

lacking sensitivity, refinement, or intelligence.

"the crass assumptions that men make about women"

synonyms:

stupid, insensitive, mindless, thoughtless, ignorant, witless, oafish, boorish, asinine, coarse, gross, graceless, tasteless, tactless, clumsy, heavy-handed, blundering

"crass assumptions about women"

antonyms:

intelligent

Front 90

contravene

Back 90

verb:

violate the prohibition or order of (a law, treaty, or code of conduct).

"this would contravene the rule against hearsay"

synonyms:

break, breach, violate, infringe; defy, disobey, flout

"he contravened several laws"

antonyms:

comply with, uphold

- conflict with (a right, principle, etc.), especially to its detriment.

"this contravened Washington's commitment to its own proposal"

synonyms:

conflict with, be in conflict with, be at odds with, be at variance with, run counter to

"the prosecution contravened the rights of the individual"

Front 91

euphemism

Back 91

noun:

a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

"'downsizing' as a euphemism for cuts"

synonyms:

polite term, indirect term, circumlocution, substitute, alternative, understatement, genteelism

"'influential person' is the local euphemism for underworld don"

Front 92

salacious

Back 92

adjective:

(of writing, pictures, or talk) treating sexual matters in an indecent way and typically conveying undue interest in or enjoyment of the subject.

"salacious stories"

synonyms:

pornographic, obscene, indecent, crude, lewd, vulgar, dirty, filthy; erotic, titillating, arousing, suggestive, sexy, risqué, ribald, smutty, bawdy; X-rated; (informal) porn, porno, blue, XXX; (euphemistic) adult

"salacious writing"

lustful; lecherous.

"his salacious grin faltered"

synonyms:

lustful, lecherous, licentious, lascivious, libidinous, prurient, lewd; debauched, wanton, loose, fast, impure, unchaste, degenerate, sinful, depraved, promiscuous; (informal) randy, horny, hot to trot

"salacious women"

Front 93

legalism

Back 93

noun:

excessive adherence to law or formula.

- (theology) dependence on moral law rather than on personal religious faith.

Front 94

amelioration

Back 94

noun:

the act of making something better; improvement.

Front 95

vitriol

Back 95

noun: 1. cruel and bitter criticism.

"her mother's sudden gush of fury and vitriol"

2. (archaic, literary)sulfuric acid

Front 96

chyron

Back 96

noun:

an electronically generated caption superimposed on a television or movie screen.

Front 97

sovereign

Back 97

noun:

1. a supreme ruler, especially a monarch.

synonyms: ruler, monarch, crowned head, head of state, potentate, suzerain, overlord, dynast, leader; king, queen, emperor, empress, prince, princess, czar, royal duke, regent, mogul, emir, sheikh, sultan, maharaja, raja"the daughter of their beloved sovereign"2.a former British gold coin worth one pound sterling, now only minted for commemorative purposes.adjective1.possessing supreme or ultimate power."in modern democracies the people's will is in theory sovereign"synonyms: supreme, absolute, unlimited, unrestricted, boundless, ultimate, total, unconditional, full; principal, chief, dominant, predominant, ruling; royal, regal, monarchical"sovereign control"

Front 98

brash

Back 98

adjective:

self-assertive in a rude, noisy, or overbearing way.

"he could be brash, cocky, and arrogant"

synonyms:

self-assertive, pushy, cocksure, cocky, self-confident, arrogant, bold, audacious, brazen, bumptious, overweening, puffed up; forward, impudent, insolent, rude

"a brash man"

antonyms:

meekstrong, energetic, or irreverent.

"I like brash, vibrant flavors"

- (of a place or thing) having an ostentatious or tasteless appearance.

"the cafe was a brash new building"

synonyms:

self-assertive, pushy, cocksure, cocky, self-confident, arrogant, bold, audacious, brazen, bumptious, overweening, puffed up; forward, impudent, insolent, rude

"a brash man"

antonyms:

meek

- a mass of fragments, in particular loose broken rock or ice.

Front 99

consortium

Back 99

noun:

an association, typically of several business companies.

synonyms:

association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress

"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"

2. [LAW] the right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

noun: consortiums1.an association, typically of several business companies.synonyms:association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"2.LAWthe right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

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austere

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adjective:severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance."an austere man, with a rigidly puritanical outlook"synonyms: severe, stern, strict, harsh, steely, flinty, dour, grim, cold, frosty, unemotional, unfriendly; formal, stiff, reserved, aloof, forbidding; grave, solemn, serious, unsmiling, unsympathetic, unforgiving; hard, unyielding, unbending, inflexible; informalhard-boiled"an outwardly austere man"antonyms: genial(of living conditions or a way of life) having no comforts or luxuries; harsh or ascetic."conditions in the prison could hardly be more austere"synonyms: ascetic, self-denying, self-disciplined, nonindulgent, frugal, spartan, puritanical, abstemious, abstinent, self-sacrificing, strict, temperate, sober, simple, restrained; celibate, chaste"an austere life"antonyms: immoderatehaving an extremely plain and simple style or appearance; unadorned."the cathedral is impressive in its austere simplicity"synonyms: plain, simple, basic, functional, modest, unadorned, unembellished, unfussy, restrained; stark, bleak, bare, clinical, spartan, ascetic; informalno-frills, bare-bones"the buildings were austere"antonyms: ornate(of an economic policy or measure) designed to reduce a budget deficit, especially by cutting public expenditure.

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blather

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verb:

1. talk long-windedly without making very much sense.

"she began blathering on about spirituality and life after death"

synonyms:

prattle, babble, chatter, twitter, prate, go on, run on, rattle on, yap, jabber, maunder, ramble, burble, drivel, blabber, gab; informalyak, yatter, yammer, bloviate, talk a blue streak

"he just blathered about his old girlfriends"

noun:

1.long-winded talk with no real substance.synonyms:prattle, chatter, twitter, babble, prating, gabble, jabber, rambling; informalyatter, twaddle, gobbledygook; vulgar slangverbal diarrhea

"mindless blather"

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"mindless blather"

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vituperative

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adjective:bitter and abusive.

"the criticism soon turned into a vituperative attack"

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"the criticism soon turned into a vituperative attack"

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crass

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adjective:

lacking sensitivity, refinement, or intelligence."the crass assumptions that men make about women"synonyms: stupid, insensitive, mindless, thoughtless, ignorant, witless, oafish, boorish, asinine, coarse, gross, graceless, tasteless, tactless, clumsy, heavy-handed, blundering"crass assumptions about women"antonyms: intelligent

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vulgar

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adjective:

lacking sophistication or good taste; unrefined.

"the vulgar trappings of wealth"

synonyms:

tasteless, crass, tawdry, ostentatious, flamboyant, overdone, showy, gaudy, garish, brassy, kitsch, kitschy, tinselly, loud; (informal) flash, flashy, tacky

"the decor was lavish but vulgar"

-- impolite, ill-mannered, unmannerly, rude, indecorous, unseemly, ill-bred, boorish, uncouth, crude, rough;unsophisticated, unrefined, common, low-minded;unladylike, ungentlemanly

"it is vulgar to belch in public"

- making explicit and offensive reference to sex or bodily functions; coarse and rude.

"a vulgar joke"

synonyms:

rude, indecent, indelicate, offensive, distasteful, coarse, crude, ribald, risqué, naughty, suggestive, racy, earthy, off-color, bawdy, obscene, profane, lewd, salacious, smutty, dirty, filthy, pornographic, X-rated; (informal) sleazy, raunchy, blue, locker-room; saucy, salty; (euphemistic) adult

"a vulgar joke"

- (dated) characteristic of or belonging to the masses.

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euphemism

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noun:a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

"'downsizing' as a euphemism for cuts"

synonyms:

polite term, indirect term, circumlocution, substitute, alternative, understatement, genteelism

"'influential person' is the local euphemism for underworld don"

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circumlocution

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noun:

the use of many words where fewer would do, especially in a deliberate attempt to be vague or evasive.

"his admission came after years of circumlocution"

synonyms:

periphrasis, discursiveness, long-windedness, verbosity, verbiage, wordiness, prolixity, redundancy, pleonasm, tautology, repetitiveness, repetitiousness

"when you've finished your circumlocution, maybe you could just get to the point"

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"his admission came after years of circumlocution"

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legalism

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noun:excessive adherence to law or formula.

(theology) dependence on moral law rather than on personal religious faith.

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amelioration

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noun:the act of making something better; improvement.

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ego

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noun:

a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance.

"a boost to my ego"

synonyms:

self-esteem, self-importance, self-worth, self-respect, self-image, self-confidence

"the defeat was a bruise to his ego"

- (psychoanalysis) the part of the mind that mediates between the conscious and the unconscious and is responsible for reality testing and a sense of personal identity.

- (philosophy, in metaphysics) a conscious thinking subject.

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vanguard

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noun:

a group of people leading the way in new developments or ideas.

"the experimental spirit of the modernist vanguard"

- a position at the forefront of new developments or ideas.

"the prototype was in the vanguard of technical development"

synonyms:

forefront, advance guard, spearhead, front, front line, fore, van, lead, cutting edge; avant-garde, leaders, founders, founding fathers, pioneers, trailblazers, trendsetters, innovators, groundbreakers

"she was in the vanguard of the labor movement"

antonyms:

rear, followers

- the foremost part of an advancing army or naval force.

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brash

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adjectiveadjective: brash; comparative adjective: brasher; superlative adjective: brashestself-assertive in a rude, noisy, or overbearing way."he could be brash, cocky, and arrogant"synonyms: self-assertive, pushy, cocksure, cocky, self-confident, arrogant, bold, audacious, brazen, bumptious, overweening, puffed up; forward, impudent, insolent, rude"a brash man"antonyms: meekstrong, energetic, or irreverent."I like brash, vibrant flavors"(of a place or thing) having an ostentatious or tasteless appearance."the cafe was a brash new building"synonyms: self-assertive, pushy, cocksure, cocky, self-confident, arrogant, bold, audacious, brazen, bumptious, overweening, puffed up; forward, impudent, insolent, rude"a brash man"antonyms: meek

brash2braSH/Submitnouna mass of fragments, in particular.loose broken rock or ice.noun: brash

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consortium

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noun:

1. an association, typically of several business companies.

synonyms:
association, alliance, coalition, union, league, guild, syndicate, federation, confederation, confederacy, conglomerate, cooperative, combine, partnership, affiliation, organization; club, society, congress

"many small business owners felt pressured to join the consortium"

2. (law) the right of association and companionship with one's husband or wife.

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(to) cow

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verb:

cause (someone) to submit to one's wishes by intimidation.

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brazen

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adjective:

1. bold and without shame.

2. made of brass.

verb:

endure an embarrassing or difficult situation by behaving with apparent confidence and lack of shame.

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onerous

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adjective:

(of a task, duty, or responsibility) involving an amount of effort and difficulty that is oppressively burdensome.

"he found his duties increasingly onerous"

synonyms:

burdensome, arduous, strenuous, difficult, hard, severe, heavy, back-breaking, oppressive, weighty, uphill, challenging, formidable, laborious, Herculean, exhausting, tiring, taxing, demanding, punishing, grueling, exacting, wearing, wearisome, fatiguing; (archaic) toilsome

"the job had become onerous"

- (law) involving heavy obligations.

"an onerous lease"

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ignoble

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adjective:

1. not honorable in character or purpose.

"ignoble feelings of intense jealousy"

synonyms:

dishonorable, unworthy, base, shameful, contemptible, despicable, dastardly, vile, degenerate, shabby, sordid, mean; improper, unprincipled, discreditable; humble, low, lowly, common, plebeian

"the ignoble tradition of mudslinging"

2. of humble origin or social status.

"ignoble savages"

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sovereignty

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noun:

supreme power or authority.

"how can we hope to wrest sovereignty away from the oligarchy and back to the people?"

synonyms:

jurisdiction, rule, supremacy, dominion, power, ascendancy, suzerainty, hegemony, domination, authority, control, influence

"their sovereignty over the islands"

- the authority of a state to govern itself or another state.

"national sovereignty"

synonyms:

autonomy, independence, self-government, self-rule, home rule, self-determination, freedom

"the colony demanded full sovereignty"

- a self-governing state.

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cognate

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adjective:

1. [linguistics] (of a word) having the same linguistic derivation as another; from the same original word or root (e.g., English is, German ist, Latin est, from Indo-European esti ).

2. (formal) related; connected.

"cognate subjects such as physics and chemistry"

synonyms:

associated, related, connected, allied, linked; similar, like, alike, akin, kindred, comparable, parallel, corresponding, analogous

"the cognate words in English and German"

- related to or descended from a common ancestor.

synonyms:

associated, related, connected, allied, linked; similar, like, alike, akin, kindred, comparable, parallel, corresponding, analogous

"the cognate words in English and German"

noun:

1. [Linguistics] a cognate word.

2. [Law] a blood relative.

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hegemony

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noun:

leadership or dominance, especially by one country or social group over others.

"Germany was united under Prussian hegemony after 1871"

synonyms:

leadership, dominance, dominion, supremacy, authority, mastery, control, power, sway, rule, sovereignty

"the Prussian hegemony of the nineteenth century"

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apostasy

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noun:

the abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief.

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abrogation

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noun:

the repeal or abolition of a law, right, or agreement.

synonyms:

repeal, revocation, repudiation, rescinding, overturning, annulment, overruling, cancellation, invalidation, nullification, negation, dissolution, discontinuation; reversal, retraction, removal, withdrawal, abolition; (formal) rescission; (rare) deracination

"such a defense system would require amendment or abrogation of the 1972 antiballistic missile treaty"

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vociferous

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adjective:

(especially of a person or speech) vehement or clamorous."he was a vociferous opponent of the takeover"

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esoteric

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adjective:

intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest.

"esoteric philosophical debates"

synonyms:

abstruse, obscure, arcane, recherché, rarefied, recondite, abstract; enigmatic, inscrutable, cryptic, Delphic; complex, complicated, incomprehensible, opaque, impenetrable, mysterious

"in attendance were more than 50 antiques dealers brimming with esoteric knowledge"

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fascimile

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noun:

1. an exact copy, especially of written or printed material.

synonyms:

copy, reproduction, duplicate, photocopy, replica, likeness, print, reprint, printout, offprint, fax; (trademark) Xerox; (dated) carbon copy, photostat, mimeograph

"a facsimile of the manuscript"

antonyms:

original

- another term for fax.

verb:

1. make a copy of.

"the ride was facsimiled for Disney World"

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apocryphal

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adjective:

(of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.

"an apocryphal story about a former president"

synonyms:

fictitious, made-up, untrue, fabricated, false, spurious; unverified, unauthenticated, unsubstantiated; bogus

"the possibly apocryphal account of the meeting between Diogenes and Alexander the Great"

antonyms:

authentic

- of or belonging to the Apocrypha.

adjective:

the Apocryphal Gospel of Thomas"

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sang-froid

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noun:

composure or coolness, sometimes excessive, as shown in danger or under trying circumstances.

synonyms:

composure, equanimity, self-possession, equilibrium, aplomb, poise, self-assurance, self-control, nerve, calm, presence of mind; (informal) cool, unflappability

"he recovered his usual sangfroid"

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wanton

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adjective:

1. (of a cruel or violent action) deliberate and unprovoked.

"sheer wanton vandalism"

synonyms:

deliberate, willful, malicious, spiteful, wicked, cruel; gratuitous, unprovoked, motiveless, arbitrary, groundless, unjustifiable, needless, unnecessary, uncalled for, senseless, pointless, purposeless, meaningless, empty, random; capricious

"wanton destruction"

antonyms:

justifiable

2. (especially of a woman) sexually immodest or promiscuous.

synonyms:

promiscuous, immoral, immodest, indecent, shameless, unchaste, fast, loose, impure, abandoned, lustful, lecherous, lascivious, libidinous, licentious, dissolute, debauched, degenerate, corrupt, whorish, disreputable

"a wanton seductress"

antonyms:

chaste

3. (archaic) growing profusely; luxuriant.

"where wanton ivy twines"

- lively; playful.

"a wanton fawn"

noun (archaic):

1. a sexually immodest or promiscuous woman.

verb:

1. play; frolic.

2. behave in a sexually immodest or promiscuous way.

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demagogue

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noun:

a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument.

synonyms:

rabble-rouser, agitator, political agitator, soapbox orator, firebrand, fomenter, provocateur

"he was drawn into a circle of campus demagogues"

- (in ancient Greece and Rome) a leader or orator who espoused the cause of the common people.

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strife

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noun:

angry or bitter disagreement over fundamental issues; conflict.

"strife within the community"

synonyms:

conflict, friction, discord, disagreement, dissension, dispute, argument, quarreling, wrangling, bickering, controversy; ill/bad feeling, falling-out, bad blood, hostility, animosity

"these countries have been immersed in political strife for more than a hundred years"

antonyms:

peace

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malevolent

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adjective:

having or showing a wish to do evil to others.

"the glint of dark, malevolent eyes"

synonyms:

malicious, hostile, evil-minded, baleful, evil-intentioned, venomous, evil, malign, malignant, rancorous, vicious, vindictive, vengeful; (literary) malefic, maleficent

"a malevolent glare"

antonyms:

benevolent

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pedant

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noun:

a person who is excessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning.

synonyms:

dogmatist, purist, literalist, formalist, doctrinaire, perfectionist; quibbler, hair-splitter, casuist, sophist; (informal) nitpicker

"pedants insist that the twenty-first century starts with 2001"

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deference

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noun:

humble submission and respect."he addressed her with the deference due to age"synonyms:respect, respectfulness, dutifulness; submissiveness, submission, obedience, surrender, accession, capitulation, acquiescence, complaisance, obeisance "his writings show excessive deference to the wealthy"antonyms:disrespect

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detente

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noun:

the easing of hostility or strained relations, especially between countries."a serious effort at detente with the eastern bloc"

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conscription

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noun:

compulsory enlistment for state service, typically into the armed forces.

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communiqués

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noun:

an official announcement or statement, especially one made to the media.

synonyms:

official communication, press release, bulletin, message, missive, dispatch, statement, report, announcement, declaration, proclamation, advisory; (informal) memo

"a communiqué from the surgeon general is expected this morning"

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facile

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adjective:

1. (especially of a theory or argument) appearing neat and comprehensive only by ignoring the true complexities of an issue; superficial.

synonyms:

simplistic, superficial, oversimplified; shallow, glib, jejune, naive; dime-store

"a facile explanation"

- (of a person) having a superficial or simplistic knowledge or approach.

"a man of facile and shallow intellect"

2. (especially of success in sports) easily achieved; effortless.

"a facile victory"

synonyms:

effortless, easy, undemanding, unexacting, painless, trouble-free

"he achieved a facile victory"

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"a facile explanation"

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omnibus

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noun:

1.a volume containing several novels or other items previously published separately.

"an omnibus of her first trilogy"

2.(dated) a bus

adjective:

1.comprising several items.

"Congress passed an omnibus anticrime package"

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filibuster

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noun:

1. an action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly while not technically contravening the required procedures.

"it was defeated by a Senate filibuster in June"

synonyms:

stonewalling, delaying tactics, procrastination, obstruction, temporizing

"many hours in committee are characterized by filibuster"

2. (historical) a person engaging in unauthorized warfare against a foreign country.

verb:

1. act in an obstructive manner in a legislature, especially by speaking at inordinate length.

"several measures were killed by Republican filibustering"

- obstruct (a measure) by filibustering.

synonyms:

waste time, stall, play for time, stonewall, sandbag, procrastinate, buy time, employ delaying tactics

"the opposition are filibustering"

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audacious

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adjective:

1. showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks.

"a series of audacious takeovers"

synonyms:

bold, daring, fearless, intrepid, brave, courageous, valiant, heroic, plucky; daredevil, devil-may-care, reckless, madcap; venturesome, mettlesome; (informal) gutsy, gutty, spunky, ballsy, skookum; (literary) temerarious

"his audacious exploits"

antonyms:

timid

2. showing an impudent lack of respect.

"an audacious remark"

synonyms:

impudent, impertinent, insolent, presumptuous, cheeky, irreverent, discourteous, disrespectful, insubordinate, ill-mannered, unmannerly, rude, brazen, shameless, pert, defiant, cocky, bold (as brass); (informal) fresh, lippy, mouthy, saucy, sassy, nervy, ballsy; (archaic) contumelious

"an audacious remark"

antonyms:

polite

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evangelical

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adjective:

1.of or according to the teaching of the gospel or the Christian religion.synonyms: scriptural, biblical; fundamentalist"evangelical Christianity"of or denoting a tradition within Protestant Christianity emphasizing the authority of the Bible, personal conversion, and the doctrine of salvation by faith in the Atonement.synonyms: evangelistic, evangelizing, missionary, crusading, proselytizing; informalBible-thumping"an evangelical preacher"zealous in advocating something.nounnoun: evangelical; plural noun: evangelicals1.a member of the evangelical tradition in the Christian Church.

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atonement

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noun:reparation for a wrong or injury.

"she wanted to make atonement for her husband's behavior"

- (in religious contexts) reparation or expiation for sin.

"an annual ceremony of confession and atonement for sin"

- (christian theology) the reconciliation of God and humankind through Jesus Christ.

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dilatory

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adjective:

slow to act."he had been dilatory in appointing a solicitor"synonyms: slow, tardy, unhurried, sluggish, sluggardly, snaillike, lazy"he had been dilatory in appointing an executor"antonyms: fast, promptintended to cause delay."they resorted to dilatory procedural tactics, forcing a postponement of peace talks"synonyms: delaying, stalling, temporizing, procrastinating, time-wasting, filibustering"dilatory procedural tactics"

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rhetorical question

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noun:a question asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer."the presentation was characterized by impossibly long sentences and a succession of rhetorical questions"

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hyperbole

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noun:

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.synonyms: exaggeration, overstatement, magnification, embroidery, embellishment, excess, overkill, rhetoric; informalpurple prose, puffery"the media hyperbole that accompanied their championship series"antonyms: understatement

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acrimonious

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adjective:(typically of speech or a debate) angry and bitter."an acrimonious dispute about wages"synonyms: bitter, angry, rancorous, caustic, acerbic, scathing, sarcastic, acid, harsh, sharp, cutting; virulent, spiteful, vicious, vitriolic, hostile, venomous, nasty, bad-tempered, ill-natured, mean, malign, malicious, malignant, waspish; informalbitchy, catty"a heated and acrimonious discussion"

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florid

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adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion.

"a stout man with a florid face"

synonyms:

ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine

"a florid complexion"

antonyms:

pale

2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated.

"florid operatic-style music was out"

synonyms:

ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

adjective:1. having a red or flushed complexion."a stout man with a florid face"synonyms: ruddy, red, red-faced, rosy, rosy-cheeked, pink; flushed, blushing, high-colored; (archaic) sanguine"a florid complexion"antonyms: pale2. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated."florid operatic-style music was out"synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, embellished, curlicued, extravagant, flamboyant, baroque, rococo, fussy, busy"florid plasterwork"flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian"florid prose"antonyms: plain- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions."the florid prose of the nineteenth century"3. [medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form."florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

"florid plasterwork"

flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high-sounding, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, bombastic, elaborate, turgid, pleonastic;(informal) highfalutin;rarefustian

"florid prose"

antonyms:

plain

- (of language) using unusual words or complicated rhetorical constructions.

"the florid prose of the nineteenth century"

3. [medicine]

[medicine] (of a disease or its manifestations) occurring in a fully developed form.

"florid symptoms of psychiatric disorder"

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nascent

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adjective:

(especially of a process or organization) just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential.

"the nascent space industry"

synonyms:

just beginning, budding, developing, growing, embryonic, incipient, young, fledgling, evolving, emergent, dawning, burgeoning

"the nascent economic recovery"

- [chemistry] (chiefly of hydrogen) freshly generated in a reactive form.

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prescient

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adjective:

having or showing knowledge of events before they take place.

"a prescient warning"

synonyms:

prophetic, predictive, visionary; psychic, clairvoyant; farsighted, prognostic, divinatory; insightful, intuitive, perceptive, percipient

"the outcome was predicted in Leonard's prescient article"

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consternation

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noun:

feelings of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected.

"I always welcomed clover, much to the consternation of the neighbors"

synonyms:

dismay, perturbation, distress, disquiet, discomposure; surprise, amazement, astonishment; alarm, panic, fear, fright, shock

"much to his colleagues' consternation, Victor was awarded the job in Paris"

antonyms:

satisfaction

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immolate

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verb:

kill or offer as a sacrifice, especially by burning.

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cockalorum

Back 151

noun:

a self-important little man.

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salvo

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noun:

a simultaneous discharge of artillery or other guns in a battle.

- a number of weapons released from one or more aircraft in quick succession.

- a sudden, vigorous, or aggressive act or series of acts.

"the pardons provoked a salvo of accusations"

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demur

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verb:

1. raise doubts or objections or show reluctance.

"normally she would have accepted the challenge, but she demurred"

synonyms:

object, take exception, take issue, protest, cavil, dissent; voice reservations, be unwilling, be reluctant, balk, think twice; drag one's heels, refuse; (informal) boggle, kick up a fuss

"Steve demurred when the suggestion was made"

- [law] (dated) put forward a demurrer.

noun:

1.the action or process of objecting to or hesitating over something.

"they accepted this ruling without demur"

synonyms:

objection, protest, protestation, complaint, dispute, dissent, opposition, resistance; reservation, hesitation, reluctance, disinclination; doubts, qualms, misgivings, second thoughts; a murmur, a word

"they accepted without demur"

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provocative

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adjective:

causing annoyance, anger, or another strong reaction, especially deliberately.

"a provocative article"

synonyms:

annoying, irritating, exasperating, infuriating, maddening, vexing, galling; insulting, offensive, inflammatory, incendiary, controversial; informalaggravating, in-your-face

"provocative remarks"

antonyms:

soothing, calming

- arousing sexual desire or interest, especially deliberately.

synonyms:

sexy, sexually arousing, sexually exciting, alluring, seductive, suggestive, inviting, tantalizing, titillating; indecent, pornographic, indelicate, immodest, shameless; erotic, sensuous, slinky, coquettish, amorous, flirtatious; (informal) tarty, come-hither

"a provocative pose"

antonyms:

modest, decorous

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fear-mongering

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noun:

the action of deliberately arousing public fear or alarm about a particular issue.

"his campaign for re-election was based on fearmongering and deception"

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fiduciary

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adjective:

1. involving trust, especially with regard to the relationship between a trustee and a beneficiary.

"the company has a fiduciary duty to shareholders"

- (archaic) held or given in trust.

"fiduciary estates"

- (finance, of a paper currency) depending for its value on securities (as opposed to gold) or the reputation of the issuer.

noun:

1. a trustee.

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trustee

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noun:

an individual person or member of a board given control or powers of administration of property in trust with a legal obligation to administer it solely for the purposes specified.

synonyms:

administrator, agent; custodian, keeper, steward, depositary; executor, executrix; board member; fiduciary

"Uncle Harris was appointed trustee of Esther's estate"

- a state made responsible for the government of a trust territory by the United Nations.

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futures (finance)

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(short for 'futures contract')

noun:

an agreement on an organized exchange to buy or sell assets, especially commodities or shares, at a fixed price but to be delivered and paid for later.

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derivative (finance)

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noun:

an arrangement or instrument (such as a future, option, or warrant) whose value derives from and is dependent on the value of an underlying asset.

"the derivatives market"

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trust (law)

Back 160

noun:

confidence placed in a person by making that person the nominal owner of property to be held or used for the benefit of one or more others.

- an arrangement whereby property is held in a trust.

"a trust was set up"

synonyms:

safekeeping, protection, charge, care, custody; trusteeship

"the money is held in trust for his son"

in trust, in the position of being left in the care or guardianship of another: "She left money to her uncle to keep in trust for her children."

A trust is a relationship whereby property is held by one party for the benefit of another. A trust is created by a settlor, who transfers property to a trustee. The trustee holds that property for the trust's beneficiaries. Trusts exist mainly in common law jurisdictions.

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commodities (finance)

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noun:

a raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold, such as copper or coffee.

synonyms:

item, material, product, article, object; import, export

"the prices of basic commodities have risen again"

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trust (law)

Back 162

confidence placed in a person by making that person the nominal owner of property to be held or used for the benefit of one or more others.

- an arrangement whereby property is held in a trust.

"a trust was set up"

synonyms:

safekeeping, protection, charge, care, custody; trusteeship

"the money is held in trust for his son"

in trust, in the position of being left in the care or guardianship of another: "She left money to her uncle to keep in trust for her children."

A trust is a relationship whereby property is held by one party for the benefit of another. A trust is created by a settlor, who transfers property to a trustee. The trustee holds that property for the trust's beneficiaries. Trusts exist mainly in common law jurisdictions.

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common law

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noun:

1. Law established by court decisions rather than by statutes enacted by legislatures.

2. The law of England adopted by its territories and colonies, including the United States at the time of its formation.

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statue

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noun:

a written law passed by a legislative body.

"violation of the hate crimes statute"

synonyms:

law, regulation, enactment, act, bill, decree, edict, rule, ruling, resolution, dictum, command, order, directive, order-in-council, pronouncement, proclamation, dictate, fiat, bylaw, ordinance

"she built her case around an all but forgotten statute"

- a rule of an organization or institution.

"the appointment will be subject to the statutes of the university"

- (archaic, in biblical use) a law or decree made by a sovereign, or by God.

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bill vs act (legal)

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A bill is proposed legislation under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an Act or a statute.

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dictum

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noun:

formal pronouncement from an authoritative source.

"the First Amendment dictum that 'Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech'"

synonyms:

pronouncement, proclamation, direction, injunction, dictate, command, commandment, order, decree, edict, mandate, diktat

"he received the dictum with evident reluctance"

- a short statement that expresses a general truth or principle.

"the old dictum 'might makes right.'"

synonyms:

saying, maxim, axiom, proverb, adage, aphorism, saw, precept, epigram, motto, truism, commonplace, platitude; expression, phrase, tag

"the old dictum 'might is right'"

- (law) short for obiter dictum.

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injunction (law)

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a judicial order that restrains a person from beginning or continuing an action threatening or invading the legal right of another, or that compels a person to carry out a certain act, e.g., to make restitution to an injured party.

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boisterous

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adjective:

(of a person, event, or behavior) noisy, energetic, and cheerful; rowdy.

"the boisterous conviviality associated with taverns of that period"

synonyms:

lively, animated, exuberant, spirited, rambunctious; rowdy, unruly, wild, uproarious, unrestrained, undisciplined, uninhibited, uncontrolled, rough, disorderly, riotous, knockabout; noisy, loud, clamorous

"a boisterous game of handball"

antonyms:

restrained, quiet (of wind, weather, or water) wild or stormy.

"the boisterous wind was lulled"

synonyms:

blustery, gusty, windy, stormy, wild, squally, tempestuous; howling, roaring; (informal) blowy

"a boisterous wind"

antonyms:

calm

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interdiction

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noun:

1. the action of prohibiting or forbidding something.

"the interdiction of the slave trade"

2. the action of intercepting and preventing the movement of a prohibited commodity or person.

"the interdiction of arms shipments"

- (military) the action of impeding an enemy force, especially by bombing lines of communication or supply.

"battlefield air interdiction"

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paralogize

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verb:

1. to draw conclusions that do not follow logically from a given set of assumptions.

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hew

Back 171

verb:

1. chop or cut (something, especially wood) with an ax, pick, or other tool.

"we have finished hauling and hewing timber"

synonyms:

chop, hack, cut, lop, ax, cleave, split; fell

"the logs are freshly hewn"

- make or shape (something) by cutting or chopping a material such as wood or stone.

"a seat hewn out of a fallen tree trunk"

synonyms:

cut, carve, chisel, shape, fashion, sculpt

"steps had been hewn into the rock wall"

2. (North American) conform or adhere to.

"some artists took photographs that hewed to more traditional ideas of art"

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gerrymandering

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verb:

manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class.

- achieve (a result) by manipulating the boundaries of an electoral constituency.

"a total freedom to gerrymander the results they want"

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caucus

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noun:

1. (in some US states) a meeting at which local members of a political party register their preference among candidates running for office or select delegates to attend a convention.

"Hawaii holds its nominating caucuses next Tuesday"

2. a conference of members of a legislative body who belong to a particular party or faction.

"Mr. Kerry attended the morning caucus in the Old Senate Chamber where his fellow Democrats selected the new minority leadership"

synonyms:

meeting, assembly, gathering, congress, conference, convention, rally, convocation

"caucuses will be held in eleven states"

- the members of a legislative body who belong to a particular party or faction, considered as a group.

"he expected that 50 to 60 Republicans would join a united Democratic caucus in voting for a resolution condemning the idea"

- an informal group composed of legislators who have shared concerns or interests.

"a member of the Congressional Black Caucus"

3. a group within an organization or political party which meets independently to discuss strategy or tactics.

"up to fifty caucuses met daily on conference grounds to discuss lobbying strategies"

synonyms:

members, party, faction, camp, bloc, group, set, band, ring, cabal, coterie, pressure group"the conservative caucus"

verb:

1. hold or form a legislative caucus.

"Republicans briefly caucused"

- (of a voter) attend an electoral caucus, especially on behalf of a particular candidate.

"more than half of those young people that caucused yesterday caucused for Barack Obama"

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nebulous

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adjective:

in the form of a cloud or haze; hazy.

"a giant nebulous glow"

synonyms:

indistinct, indefinite, unclear, vague, hazy, cloudy, fuzzy, misty, blurred, blurry, foggy; faint, shadowy, obscure, formless, amorphous

"the figure was nebulous"

antonyms:

clear

- (of a concept or idea) unclear, vague, or ill-defined.

"nebulous concepts like quality of life"

synonyms:

vague, ill-defined, unclear, hazy, uncertain, indefinite, indeterminate, imprecise, unformed, muddled, confused, ambiguous

"nebulous ideas"

antonyms:

well defined

- another term for nebular.

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caucas

Back 175

noun:

1. (in some US states) a meeting at which local members of a political party register their preference among candidates running for office or select delegates to attend a convention.

"Hawaii holds its nominating caucuses next Tuesday"

2. a conference of members of a legislative body who belong to a particular party or faction.

"Mr. Kerry attended the morning caucus in the Old Senate Chamber where his fellow Democrats selected the new minority leadership"

synonyms:

meeting, assembly, gathering, congress, conference, convention, rally, convocation

"caucuses will be held in eleven states"

- the members of a legislative body who belong to a particular party or faction, considered as a group.

"he expected that 50 to 60 Republicans would join a united Democratic caucus in voting for a resolution condemning the idea"

- an informal group composed of legislators who have shared concerns or interests.

"a member of the Congressional Black Caucus"

3. a group within an organization or political party which meets independently to discuss strategy or tactics.

"up to fifty caucuses met daily on conference grounds to discuss lobbying strategies"

synonyms:

members, party, faction, camp, bloc, group, set, band, ring, cabal, coterie, pressure group"the conservative caucus"

verb:

1.hold or form a legislative caucus.

"Republicans briefly caucused"

- (of a voter) attend an electoral caucus, especially on behalf of a particular candidate.

"more than half of those young people that caucused yesterday caucused for Barack Obama"

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gauche

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adjective:

lacking ease or grace; unsophisticated and socially awkward.

synonyms:

awkward, gawky, inelegant, graceless, ungraceful, ungainly, maladroit, klutzy, inept; lacking in social grace(s), unsophisticated, uncultured, uncultivated, unrefined, raw, inexperienced, unworldly

"Rose was embarrassed by her gauche relatives"

antonyms:

elegant, sophisticated

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cogent

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adjective:

(of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing.

synonyms:

convincing, compelling, strong, forceful, powerful, potent, weighty, impactful, effective; valid, sound, plausible, telling; impressive, persuasive, eloquent, credible, influential; conclusive, authoritative; logical, reasoned, rational, reasonable, lucid, coherent, clear

"a cogent argument"

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sycophant

Back 178

noun:

a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage.

synonyms:

yes-man, bootlicker, brown-noser, toady, lickspittle, flatterer, flunky, lackey, spaniel, doormat, stooge, cringer, suck, suck-up

"I thought you wanted a competent assistant, not a nodding sycophant"

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obsequious

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adjective:

obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.

"they were served by obsequious waiters"

synonyms:

servile, ingratiating, sycophantic, fawning, unctuous, oily, oleaginous, groveling, cringing, subservient, submissive, slavish; (informal) brown-nosing, bootlicking, smarmy; vulgar (slang) ass-kissing

"an elderly gentlemen surrounded by obsequious heirs"

antonyms:

domineering

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deference

Back 180

noun:

humble submission and respect.

"he addressed her with the deference due to age"

synonyms:

respect, respectfulness, dutifulness; submissiveness, submission, obedience, surrender, accession, capitulation, acquiescence, complaisance, obeisance

"his writings show excessive deference to the wealthy"

antonyms:

disrespect

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ominous

Back 181

adjective:

giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; threatening; inauspicious.

"there were ominous dark clouds gathering overhead"

synonyms:

threatening, menacing, baleful, forbidding, sinister, inauspicious, unpropitious, unfavorable, unpromising; portentous, foreboding, fateful, premonitory; black, dark, gloomy; (formal) minatory; (literary) direful; rareminacious

"ominous clouds"

antonyms:

promising, auspicious

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surreptitious

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adjective:

kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of.

"they carried on a surreptitious affair"

synonyms:

secret, secretive, stealthy, clandestine, sneaky, sly, furtive; concealed, hidden, undercover, covert, veiled, cloak-and-dagger

"a surreptitious glance"antonyms:blatant

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surreptitious

Back 183

adjective:

kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of.

"they carried on a surreptitious affair"

synonyms:

secret, secretive, stealthy, clandestine, sneaky, sly, furtive; concealed, hidden, undercover, covert, veiled, cloak-and-dagger

"a surreptitious glance"

antonyms:

blatant

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troglodyte

Back 184

noun:

(especially in prehistoric times) a person who lived in a cave.

- a hermit.

- a person who is regarded as being deliberately ignorant or old-fashioned.

- a person characterized by reclusive habits or outmoded or reactionary attitudes.

- a person of degraded, primitive, or brutal character.

- a prehistoric cave dweller.

- a person living in seclusion.

- a person unacquainted with affairs of the world.

- an animal living underground.

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troglodyte

Back 185

noun:

(especially in prehistoric times) a person who lived in a cave.

- a hermit.

- a person who is regarded as being deliberately ignorant or old-fashioned.

- a person characterized by reclusive habits or outmoded or reactionary attitudes.

- a person of degraded, primitive, or brutal character.

- a prehistoric cave dweller.

- a person living in seclusion.

- a person unacquainted with affairs of the world.

- an animal living underground.

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demoralize

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verb:1. cause (someone) to lose confidence or hope; dispirit."their rejection of the treaty has demoralized the diplomatic community"synonyms: dishearten, dispirit, deject, cast down, depress, dismay, daunt, discourage, unman, unnerve, crush, shake, throw, cow, subdue; break someone's spirit, knock the stuffing out of"the celebratory fuss made about young Browning's promotion has demoralized many of the older employees"dispirited, disheartened, downhearted, dejected, downcast, low, depressed, despairing;disconsolate, crestfallen, disappointed, dismayed, daunted, discouraged;crushed, humbled, subdued"the demoralized army broke and fled"antonyms: hearten2.archaiccorrupt the morals of (someone).

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demoralize

Back 187

verb:

1. cause (someone) to lose confidence or hope; dispirit.

"their rejection of the treaty has demoralized the diplomatic community"

synonyms:

dishearten, dispirit, deject, cast down, depress, dismay, daunt, discourage, unman, unnerve, crush, shake, throw, cow, subdue; break someone's spirit, knock the stuffing out of

"the celebratory fuss made about young Browning's promotion has demoralized many of the older employees"

"the demoralized army broke and fled"

antonyms:

hearten

2. [archaic] corrupt the morals of (someone).

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farce

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noun:

a comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay and typically including crude characterization and ludicrously improbable situations.

synonyms:

slapstick comedy, slapstick, burlesque, vaudeville, buffoonery

"the stories approach farce"

antonyms:

tragedy

- the genre of farce.

- an absurd event.

"the debate turned into a drunken farce"

synonyms:

mockery, travesty, absurdity, sham, pretense, masquerade, charade, joke, waste of time; [informal] shambles

"the trial was a farce"

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tendentious

Back 189

adjective:

expressing or intending to promote a particular cause or point of view, especially a controversial one.

"a tendentious reading of history"

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dichotomy

Back 190

noun:

a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different.

"a rigid dichotomy between science and mysticism"

synonyms:

contrast, difference, polarity, conflict; gulf, chasm, division, separation, split; rarecontrariety

"the great dichotomy between theory and practice"

- [BOTANY] repeated branching into two equal parts.

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byzantine

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adjective:

1. relating to Byzantium, the Byzantine Empire, or the Eastern Orthodox Church.

- of an ornate artistic and architectural style that developed in the Byzantine Empire and spread especially to Italy and Russia. The art is generally rich and stylized (as in religious icons) and the architecture typified by many-domed, highly decorated churches.

2. (of a system or situation) excessively complicated, typically involving a great deal of administrative detail.

"Byzantine insurance regulations"

- characterized by deviousness or underhanded procedure.

"Byzantine intrigues"

noun:

1. a citizen of Byzantium or the Byzantine Empire.

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externality

Back 192

noun:

1. [ECONOMICS] a side effect or consequence of an industrial or commercial activity that affects other parties without this being reflected in the cost of the goods or services involved, such as the pollination of surrounding crops by bees kept for honey.

2. [PHILOSOPHY] the fact of existing outside the perceiving subject.

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recourse

Back 193

noun:

a source of help in a difficult situation.

"surgery may be the only recourse"

synonyms:

option, possibility, alternative, resort, way out, hope, remedy, choice, expedient

"surgery may be the only recourse"

- the use of someone or something as a source of help in a difficult situation.

"a means of solving disputes without recourse to courts of law"

synonyms:

resort to, make use of, avail oneself of, turn to, call on, look to, fall back on

"we had recourse to the national committee for additional funding"

- the legal right to demand compensation or payment.

"the bank has recourse against the exporter for losses incurred"

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whiffler

Back 194

noun:

1. a person who frequently changes opinions or course

2. a person who uses shifts and evasions in argument

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false equivalence

Back 195

False equivalence is a logical fallacy in which two opposing arguments appear to be logically equivalent when in fact they are not. This fallacy is categorized as a fallacy of inconsistency.

The following statements are examples of false equivalence:"They're both soft, cuddly pets. There's no difference between a cat and a dog."

"We all bleed red. We're all no different from each other."

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false equivalence

Back 196

False equivalence is a logical fallacy in which two opposing arguments appear to be logically equivalent when in fact they are not. This fallacy is categorized as a fallacy of inconsistency.

The following statements are examples of false equivalence:

"They're both soft, cuddly pets. There's no difference between a cat and a dog."

"We all bleed red. We're all no different from each other."

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proselytize

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verb:convert or attempt to convert (someone) from one religion, belief, or opinion to another."the program did have a tremendous evangelical effect, proselytizing many"synonyms: evangelize, convert, save, redeem, win over, preach (to), recruit, act as a missionary"I'm not here to proselytize"advocate or promote (a belief or course of action)."Davis wanted to share his concept and proselytize his ideas"synonyms: promote, advocate, champion, advance, further, spread, proclaim, peddle, preach, endorse, urge, recommend, boost"he wanted to proselytize his ideas"

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proselytize

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verb:

convert or attempt to convert (someone) from one religion, belief, or opinion to another.

"the program did have a tremendous evangelical effect, proselytizing many"

synonyms:

evangelize, convert, save, redeem, win over, preach (to), recruit, act as a missionary

"I'm not here to proselytize"

- advocate or promote (a belief or course of action).

"Davis wanted to share his concept and proselytize his ideas"

synonyms:

promote, advocate, champion, advance, further, spread, proclaim, peddle, preach, endorse, urge, recommend, boost

"he wanted to proselytize his ideas"

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audacious

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adjective:

1. showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks.

"a series of audacious takeovers"

synonyms:

bold, daring, fearless, intrepid, brave, courageous, valiant, heroic, plucky; daredevil, devil-may-care, reckless, madcap; venturesome, mettlesome; [informal] gutsy, gutty, spunky, ballsy, skookum; [literary] temerarious

"his audacious exploits"

antonyms:

timid

2. showing an impudent lack of respect.

"an audacious remark"

synonyms:

impudent, impertinent, insolent, presumptuous, cheeky, irreverent, discourteous, disrespectful, insubordinate, ill-mannered, unmannerly, rude, brazen, shameless, pert, defiant, cocky, bold (as brass); [informal] fresh, lippy, mouthy, saucy, sassy, nervy, ballsy; [archaic] contumelious

"an audacious remark"

antonyms:

polite

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smug

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adjective:

having or showing an excessive pride in oneself or one's achievements.

"he was feeling smug after his win"

synonyms:

self-satisfied, self-congratulatory, complacent, superior, pleased with oneself, conceited

"he was feeling smug after his win"

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hegemony

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noun:

leadership or dominance, especially by one country or social group over others.

"Germany was united under Prussian hegemony after 1871"

synonyms:

leadership, dominance, dominion, supremacy, authority, mastery, control, power, sway, rule, sovereignty

"the Prussian hegemony of the nineteenth century"

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ensellure

Back 202

noun:

(anatomy) a concave curve formed by the spine, for example in women and horses; lumbar incurvation.

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junkets

Back 203

noun:

1. a dish of sweetened and flavored curds of milk, often served with fruit.

2. (informal) an extravagant trip or celebration, in particular one enjoyed by a government official at public expense.

synonyms:

excursion, outing, spree, trip, jaunt; celebration, party, jamboree, feast, festivity; (informal) bash, shindig

"the company sponsored a New Year's Eve gambling junket"

verb:

1. (informal) attend or go on a trip or celebration at public expense.

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puerile

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adjective:

childishly silly and trivial.

"you're making puerile excuses"

synonyms:

childish, immature, infantile, juvenile, babyish; silly, inane, fatuous, jejune, asinine, foolish, petty

"you're too old for these puerile outbursts"

antonyms:

mature, sensible

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interdiction

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noun:

1. the action of prohibiting or forbidding something.

"the interdiction of the slave trade"

2. the action of intercepting and preventing the movement of a prohibited commodity or person.

"the interdiction of arms shipments"

- [MILITARY] the action of impeding an enemy force, especially by bombing lines of communication or supply.

"battlefield air interdiction"

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Procrustean

Back 206

adjective:

(especially of a framework or system) enforcing uniformity or conformity without regard to natural variation or individuality.

"a fixed Procrustean rule"

designed or acting to secure conformity at any cost; drastic or ruthless

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vitriolic

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adjective:

filled with bitter criticism or malice.

"vitriolic attacks on the politicians"

synonyms:

acrimonious, rancorous, bitter, caustic, mordant, acerbic, trenchant, virulent, spiteful, savage, venomous, poisonous, malicious, splenetic; nasty, mean, cruel, unkind, harsh, hostile, vindictive, vicious, scathing, barbed, wounding, sharp, cutting, withering, sarcastic; (informal) bitchy, catty

"a vitriolic attack on the government"

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insular

Back 208

adjective:

ignorant of or uninterested in cultures, ideas, or peoples outside one's own experience.

"a stubbornly insular farming people"

synonyms:

narrow-minded, small-minded, inward-looking, parochial, provincial, small-town, shortsighted, hidebound, blinkered; set in one's ways, inflexible, rigid, entrenched; illiberal, intolerant, prejudiced, bigoted, biased, partisan, xenophobic; (informal) redneck

"insular attitudes"

antonyms:

broad-minded, tolerant

- lacking contact with other people.

"people living restricted and sometimes insular existences"

synonyms:

isolated, inaccessible, cutoff, segregated, detached, solitary, lonely, hermitic

"an insular existence"

antonyms:

cosmopolitan

2. relating to or from an island.

"the movement of goods of insular origin"

- relating to the art and craftwork of Britain and Ireland in the early Middle Ages, especially a form of Latin handwriting.

"insular illumination of the 6th century"

- (of climate) equable because of the influence of the sea.

3. [Anatomy] relating to the insula of the brain.

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nascent

Back 209

adjective: (especially of a process or organization) just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential."the nascent space industry"synonyms: just beginning, budding, developing, growing, embryonic, incipient, young, fledgling, evolving, emergent, dawning, burgeoning"the nascent economic recovery"CHEMISTRY(chiefly of hydrogen) freshly generated in a reactive form.

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nascent

Back 210

adjective:

(especially of a process or organization) just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential.

"the nascent space industry"

synonyms:

just beginning, budding, developing, growing, embryonic, incipient, young, fledgling, evolving, emergent, dawning, burgeoning

"the nascent economic recovery"

- [CHEMISTRY] (chiefly of hydrogen) freshly generated in a reactive form.

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pugnacious

Back 211

adjective:

eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight.

"the increasingly pugnacious demeanor of politicians"

synonyms:

combative, aggressive, antagonistic, belligerent, bellicose, warlike, quarrelsome, argumentative, contentious, disputatious, hostile, threatening, truculent; fiery, hot-tempered

antonyms:

peaceable

"this looks like the kind of dive that appeals to pugnacious patrons"

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raucous

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adjective:

making or constituting a disturbingly harsh and loud noise.

"raucous youths"

synonyms:

harsh, strident, screeching, piercing, shrill, grating, discordant, dissonant; noisy, loud, cacophonous, rowdy, noisy, boisterous, roisterous, wild

antonyms:soft, dulcet, restrained, quiet

"raucous laughter"

"a raucous party"

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fulsome

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adjective:

1.complimentary or flattering to an excessive degree.

"they are almost embarrassingly fulsome in their appreciation"

synonyms:

excessive, extravagant, overdone, immoderate, inordinate, over-appreciative, flattering, adulatory, fawning, unctuous, ingratiating, cloying, saccharine; enthusiastic, effusive, rapturous, glowing, gushing, profuse, generous, lavish; (informal) over the top, smarmy

"he paid fulsome tribute to his secretary"

2.of large size or quantity; generous or abundant.

"a fulsome harvest"

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rapt

Back 214

adjective:

1. completely fascinated by what one is seeing or hearing."Andrew looked at her, rapt"synonyms:fascinated, enthralled, spellbound, captivated, riveted, gripped, mesmerized, enchanted, entranced, bewitched, moonstruck; transported, enraptured, thrilled, ecstatic "a rapt teenage audience"antonyms:inattentiveindicating or characterized by a state of fascination."they listened with rapt attention"synonyms:fascinated, enthralled, spellbound, captivated, riveted, gripped, mesmerized, enchanted, entranced, bewitched, moonstruck; transported, enraptured, thrilled, ecstatic "a rapt teenage audience"antonyms:inattentivefilled with an intense and pleasurable emotion; enraptured."she shut her eyes and seemed rapt with desire"synonyms:fascinated, enthralled, spellbound, captivated, riveted, gripped, mesmerized, enchanted, entranced, bewitched, moonstruck; transported, enraptured, thrilled, ecstatic "a rapt teenage audience"antonyms:inattentive2. archaicliteraryhaving been carried away bodily or transported to heaven."he was rapt on high"

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witting

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adv:

1. with full knowledge and deliberation. knowing; aware; conscious

“he wittingly deleted the references”

synonyms:

knowingly

antonyms:

inadvertently, unknowingly, unwittingly

- without knowledge or intention

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bifurcate

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verb:

1. divide into two branches or forks.

"just below Cairo the river bifurcates"

adjective:

1. forked; branched.

"a bifurcate tree"

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iniquitous

Back 217

adjective:

grossly unfair and morally wrong.

"an iniquitous tax"

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heretical

Back 218

adjective:

believing in or practicing religious heresy.

"heretical beliefs"

- holding an opinion at odds with what is generally accepted.

"I feel a bit heretical saying this, but I think the film has too much action"

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gadfly

Back 219

noun:

a fly that bites livestock, especially a horsefly, warble fly, or botfly.

- an annoying person, especially one who provokes others into action by criticism.

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bellicose

Back 220

adjective:

demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight.

"a group of bellicose patriots"

synonyms:

belligerent, aggressive, hostile, warlike, warmongering, hawkish, antagonistic, pugnacious, truculent, confrontational, contentious, militant, combative; (informal) spoiling for a fight, scrappy

"I cannot endorse the bellicose nature of your organization"

antonyms:

peaceable

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repudiate

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verb:

refuse to accept or be associated with.

"she has repudiated policies associated with previous party leaders"

synonyms:

reject, renounce, abandon, give up, turn one's back on, disown, cast off, lay aside; (formal) forswear, abjure; literaryforsake

"he repudiated his Catholic faith"

- deny the truth or validity of.

"the minister repudiated allegations of human rights abuses"

synonyms:

deny, contradict, controvert, rebut, dispute, dismiss, brush aside; (formal) gainsay

"Hansen repudiated the allegations"

- [LAW] refuse to fulfill or discharge (an agreement, obligation, or debt).

"breach of a condition gives the other party the right to repudiate a contract"

synonyms:

cancel, revoke, rescind, reverse, overrule, overturn, invalidate, nullify; disregard, flout, renege on; disaffirm; (formal) abrogate

"Egypt repudiated the treaty"

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salvos

Back 222

noun:

a simultaneous discharge of artillery or other guns in a battle.

- a number of weapons released from one or more aircraft in quick succession.

- a sudden, vigorous, or aggressive act or series of acts.

"the pardons provoked a salvo of accusations"

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misgivings

Back 223

noun:

a feeling of doubt or apprehension about the outcome or consequences of something.

"we have misgivings about the way the campaign is being run"

synonyms:

qualm, doubt, reservation; suspicion; distrust, mistrust, lack of confidence, second thoughts; trepidation, skepticism, unease, uneasiness, anxiety, apprehension, disquiet

"we finally gave our consent to the marriage, but we still had misgivings"

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accretion

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noun:

the process of growth or increase, typically by the gradual accumulation of additional layers or matter.

"the accretion of sediments in coastal mangroves"

synonyms:

accumulation, formation, collecting, cumulation, buildup, accrual; growth, increase

"the accretion of sediments"

- a thing formed or added by gradual growth or increase

"about one-third of California was built up by accretions"

synonyms:

addition, extension, appendage, add-on, supplement

"architectural accretions"

[ASTRONOMY] the coming together and cohesion of matter under the influence of gravitation to form larger bodies.

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prevaricate

Back 225

verb:

speak or act in an evasive way.

"he seemed to prevaricate when journalists asked pointed questions"

synonyms:

be evasive, beat around the bush, hedge, fence, shilly-shally, dodge (the issue), sidestep (the issue), equivocate, waffle; temporize, stall (for time); hem and haw; (rare) tergiversate

"you have prevaricated so often through this testimony that the truth has become unrecognizable"

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tergiversate

Back 226

1.make conflicting or evasive statements; equivocate.

"the more she tergiversated, the greater grew the ardency of the reporters for an interview"

2.change one's loyalties; be apostate.

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equivocate

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verb:

use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself.

"“Not that we are aware of,” she equivocated"

synonyms:

prevaricate, be evasive, be noncommittal, be vague, be ambiguous, dodge the question, beat around the bush, hedge; vacillate, shilly-shally, waver; temporize, hesitate, stall, hem and haw; (informal) pussyfoot around, sit on the fence; (rare) tergiversate

"you have equivocated too often in the past"

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equivocate

Back 228

verb:

use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself.

"“Not that we are aware of,” she equivocated"

synonyms:

prevaricate, be evasive, be noncommittal, be vague, be ambiguous, dodge the question, beat around the bush, hedge; vacillate, shilly-shally, waver; temporize, hesitate, stall, hem and haw; [informal] pussyfoot around, sit on the fence; [rare] tergiversate

"you have equivocated too often in the past"

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profundity

Back 229

noun:

deep insight; great depth of knowledge or thought.

"the simplicity and profundity of the message"

- great depth or intensity of a state, quality, or emotion.

"the profundity of her misery"

- a statement or idea that shows great knowledge or insight.

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visceral

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adjective:

relating to the viscera.

"the visceral nervous system"

- relating to deep inward feelings rather than to the intellect.

"the voters' visceral fear of change"

synonyms:

instinctive, instinctual, gut, deep-down, deep-seated, deep-rooted, inward; emotional; animal

"a visceral fear of change"

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bucolic

Back 231

adjective:

1. relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.

"the church is lovely for its bucolic setting"

synonyms:

rustic, rural, pastoral, country, countryside; (literary) Arcadian, sylvan, georgic

"their farm had been used as the bucolic setting for two major motion pictures"

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magnanimous

Back 232

adjective:

very generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or someone less powerful than oneself.

synonyms:

generous, charitable, benevolent, beneficent, big-hearted, handsome, princely, altruistic, philanthropic, unselfish, chivalrous, noble; forgiving, merciful, lenient, indulgent, clement

"her magnanimous contributions to the art world"

antonyms:

mean-spirited, selfish

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sulk

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verb:

1. be silent, morose, and bad-tempered out of annoyance or disappointment.

"he was sulking over the breakup of his band"

synonyms:

mope, brood, be sullen, have a long face, be in a bad mood, be in a huff, be grumpy, be moody; (informal) be down in the dumps

"Dad was sulking"

noun:

1. a period of gloomy and bad-tempered silence stemming from annoyance and resentment.

"she was in a fit of the sulks"

synonyms:

(bad) mood, fit of ill humor, fit of pique, pet, huff, (bad) temper; the sulks, the blues

"she sank into a deep sulk"

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sulk

Back 234

verb:

1. be silent, morose, and bad-tempered out of annoyance or disappointment.

"he was sulking over the breakup of his band"

synonyms:

mope, brood, be sullen, have a long face, be in a bad mood, be in a huff, be grumpy, be moody; (informal) be down in the dumps

"Dad was sulking"

noun:

1. a period of gloomy and bad-tempered silence stemming from annoyance and resentment.

"she was in a fit of the sulks"

synonyms:

(bad) mood, fit of ill humor, fit of pique, pet, huff, (bad) temper; the sulks, the blues

"she sank into a deep sulk"

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lassitude

Back 235

noun:

a state of physical or mental weariness; lack of energy.

"she was overcome by lassitude and retired to bed"

synonyms:

lethargy, listlessness, weariness, languor, sluggishness, tiredness, fatigue, torpor, lifelessness, apathy

"prolonged periods of lassitude"

antonyms:

vigor

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hubris

Back 236

noun:

excessive pride or self-confidence.

synonyms:

arrogance, conceit, haughtiness, hauteur, pride, self-importance, egotism, pomposity, superciliousness, superiority; (informal) big-headedness, cockiness

"the hubris among economists was shaken"

antonyms:

humility(in Greek tragedy) excessive pride toward or defiance of the gods, leading to nemesis.

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smug

Back 237

adjective:

having or showing an excessive pride in oneself or one's achievements.

"he was feeling smug after his win"

synonyms:

self-satisfied, self-congratulatory, complacent, superior, pleased with oneself, conceited

"he was feeling smug after his win"

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deference

Back 238

noun:

humble submission and respect.

"he addressed her with the deference due to age"

synonyms:

respect, respectfulness, dutifulness; submissiveness, submission, obedience, surrender, accession, capitulation, acquiescence, complaisance, obeisance

"his writings show excessive deference to the wealthy"

antonyms:

disrespect

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legitimacy

Back 239

noun: 1.conformity to the law or to rules."refusal to recognize the legitimacy of both governments"(with reference to a child) the quality of being legitimate."disputes over the legitimacy of heirs"2.ability to be defended with logic or justification; validity."it is difficult to judge the legitimacy of the rumor"

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legitimacy

Back 240

noun:

1.conformity to the law or to rules.

"refusal to recognize the legitimacy of both governments"

- (with reference to a child) the quality of being legitimate.

"disputes over the legitimacy of heirs"

2.ability to be defended with logic or justification; validity.

"it is difficult to judge the legitimacy of the rumor"

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lame duck

Back 241

noun:

[NORTH AMERICAN] an official (especially the president) in the final period of office, after the election of a successor.

"as a lame duck, the president had nothing to lose by approving the deal"

- an ineffectual or unsuccessful person or thing.

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-monger

Back 242

combining form

suffix: -monger

denoting a dealer or trader in a specified commodity.

"fishmonger"

- a person who promotes a specified activity, situation, or feeling, especially one that is undesirable or discreditable.

"rumormonger"

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farce

Back 243

noun:

a comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay and typically including crude characterization and ludicrously improbable situations.

synonyms:

slapstick comedy, slapstick, burlesque, vaudeville, buffoonery

"the stories approach farce"

antonyms:

tragedy

- the genre of farce.

- an absurd event.

"the debate turned into a drunken farce"

synonyms:

mockery, travesty, absurdity, sham, pretense, masquerade, charade, joke, waste of time; (informal) shambles

"the trial was a farce"

Front 244

amorphous

Back 244

adjective:

without a clearly defined shape or form.

"amorphous blue forms and straight black lines"

synonyms:

shapeless, formless, structureless, indeterminate; vague, nebulous, indefinite

"an amorphous lump of clay"

- vague; ill-organized; unclassifiable.

"make explicit the amorphous statements"

- (of a group of people or an organization) lacking a clear structure or focus.

"an amorphous and leaderless legislature"

- [MINERALOGY] [CHEMISTRY] (of a solid) noncrystalline; having neither definite form nor apparent structure.

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gravitas

Back 245

noun:

dignity, seriousness, or solemnity of manner.

"a post for which he has the expertise and the gravitas"

synonyms:

dignity, seriousness, solemnity, gravity, sobriety; authority, weightiness

"a man of gravitas"

antonyms:

frivolity

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crossed the Rubicon

Back 246

The idiom "Crossing the Rubicon" means to pass a point of no return, and refers to Julius Caesar's army's crossing of the Rubicon River (in the north of Italy) in 49 BC, which was considered an act of insurrection and treason. Julius Caesar uttered the famous phrase "alea iacta est"—the die is cast—as his army marched through the shallow river.

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insurrection

Back 247

noun:

a violent uprising against an authority or government.

"the insurrection was savagely put down"

synonyms:

rebellion, revolt, uprising, mutiny, revolution, insurgence, riot, sedition, subversion; civil disorder, unrest, anarchy; coup (d'état)

"the suspects all escaped after a prison insurrection"

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cogent

Back 248

adjective:

(of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing.

synonyms:

convincing, compelling, strong, forceful, powerful, potent, weighty, impactful, effective; valid, sound, plausible, telling; impressive, persuasive, eloquent, credible, influential; conclusive, authoritative; logical, reasoned, rational, reasonable, lucid, coherent, clear

"a cogent argument"

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scuttle

Back 249

verb (RUN):

to move quickly, with small, short steps

"We heard rats scuttling by in the dark."

verb (GIVE UP):

to give up a plan or activity, or spoil a possibility for success

"Angry workers scuttled all hope of quick agreement on a new contract."

scuttle

verb (SINK):

to intentionally sink a ship by opening a hole in the bottom or sides

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coup

Back 250

noun:

(plural: coup d'états)

1. a sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government.

"he was overthrown in an army coup"

synonyms:

seizure of power, coup d'état, putsch, overthrow, takeover, deposition; revolution, palace revolution, rebellion, revolt, insurrection, mutiny, insurgence, uprising

"a violent military coup"

2. a notable or successful stroke or move.

"it was a major coup to get such a prestigious contract"

synonyms:

success, triumph, feat, accomplishment, achievement, scoop, master stroke, stroke of genius

"a major publishing coup"

- an unusual or unexpected but successful tactic in card play.

3. a contusion caused by contact of the brain with the skull at the point of trauma.

4. [historical] (among North American Indians) an act of touching an armed enemy in battle as a deed of bravery, or an act of first touching an item of the enemy's in order to claim it.

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vacillate

Back 251

verb:

alternate or waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive.

"I had for a time vacillated between teaching and journalism"

synonyms:

dither, waver, be indecisive, be undecided, be ambivalent, hesitate, be of two minds, blow hot and cold, keep changing one's mind, be conflicted; fluctuate, oscillate, hem and haw; (informal) dilly-dally, shilly-shally

"I vacillated between teaching and journalism"

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scintilla

Back 252

noun:a tiny trace or spark of a specified quality or feeling.

"a scintilla of doubt"

synonyms:

particle, iota, jot, whit, atom, speck, bit, trace, ounce, shred, crumb, fragment, grain, drop, spot, modicum, hint, touch, suggestion, whisper, suspicion; (informal) smidgen, tad

"you haven't got a scintilla of evidence to back that up"

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scintilla

Back 253

noun:

a tiny trace or spark of a specified quality or feeling.

"a scintilla of doubt"

synonyms:

particle, iota, jot, whit, atom, speck, bit, trace, ounce, shred, crumb, fragment, grain, drop, spot, modicum, hint, touch, suggestion, whisper, suspicion; (informal) smidgen, tad

"you haven't got a scintilla of evidence to back that up"

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au contraire mon frère

Back 254

on the contrary, my brother

variations:

au contraire, mon cheri

- on the contrary, my darling

au contraire mon ami

- on the contrary, my friend

au contraire mon amour

- on the contrary, my love

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sedition

Back 255

noun:

conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch.

synonyms:

rabble-rousing, incitement to rebel, subversion, troublemaking, provocation; rebellion, insurrection, mutiny, insurgence, civil disorder

"the on-campus protestors were charged with sedition"

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precipitously

Back 256

adverb:

1. very steeply.

"off the coast, the depth of the sea floor drops precipitously"

- (with reference to a change to a worse situation) suddenly and dramatically.

"sales dropped precipitously"

2. hastily and without careful consideration.

"several columnists criticized the government for acting precipitously"

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junket

Back 257

noun: 1.a dish of sweetened and flavored curds of milk, often served with fruit.2.informalan extravagant trip or celebration, in particular one enjoyed by a government official at public expense.synonyms: excursion, outing, spree, trip, jaunt; celebration, party, jamboree, feast, festivity; informalbash, shindig"the company sponsored a New Year's Eve gambling junket"verbinformalverb: junket; 3rd person present: junkets; past tense: junketed; past participle: junketed; gerund or present participle: junketing1.attend or go on a trip or celebration at public expense.

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junket

Back 258

noun:

1. a dish of sweetened and flavored curds of milk, often served with fruit.

2. (informal) an extravagant trip or celebration, in particular one enjoyed by a government official at public expense.

synonyms:

excursion, outing, spree, trip, jaunt; celebration, party, jamboree, feast, festivity; (informal) bash, shindig

"the company sponsored a New Year's Eve gambling junket"

verb:

(informal) attend or go on a trip or celebration at public expense.

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sisu

Back 259

Sisu is a Finnish term that could be roughly translated into English as strength of will, determination, perseverance, and acting rationally in the face of adversity. The equivalent in English is "to have guts", and indeed, the word derives from sisus , which means something inner or interior.

- commonly used to describe stoic toughness

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indolence

Back 260

noun:

avoidance of activity or exertion; laziness.

"my failure is probably due to my own indolence"

synonyms:

laziness, idleness, slothfulness, sloth, shiftlessness, inactivity, inaction, inertia, sluggishness, lifelessness, lethargy, languor, languidness, torpor, torpidity; rareotiosity; (literary) hebetude

"his musical gifts dissolved in the indolence of his nature"

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obeisance

Back 261

noun:

deferential respect.

"they paid obeisance to the prince"

synonyms:

respect, homage, worship, adoration, reverence, veneration, honor, submission, deference

"he made a very formal, elaborate gesture of obeisance"

- a gesture expressing deferential respect, such as a bow or curtsy

"she made a deep obeisance"

synonyms:

bow, curtsy, bob, genuflection, salaam; (historical) kowtow

"he made a half-bow, half-curtsy, a sort of unisex obeisance"

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flummox

Back 262

verb: (informal)perplex (someone) greatly; bewilder.

"he was completely flummoxed by the question"synonyms: baffle, perplex, puzzle, bewilder, mystify, bemuse, confuse, confound; informalfaze, stump, beat, fox, be all Greek to, floor, discombobulate"at age ten, he created intricate math problems that flummoxed his teachers"

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flummox

Back 263

verb (informal):

perplex (someone) greatly; bewilder.

"he was completely flummoxed by the question"

synonyms:

baffle, perplex, puzzle, bewilder, mystify, bemuse, confuse, confound; (informal) faze, stump, beat, fox, be all Greek to, floor, discombobulate

"at age ten, he created intricate math problems that flummoxed his teachers"

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surreptitious

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adjective:

kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of.

"they carried on a surreptitious affair"

synonyms:

secret, secretive, stealthy, clandestine, sneaky, sly, furtive; concealed, hidden, undercover, covert, veiled, cloak-and-dagger

"a surreptitious glance"

antonyms:

blatant

Front 265

fusillade

Back 265

noun:

1. a series of shots fired or missiles thrown all at the same time or in quick succession.

"marchers had to dodge a fusillade of missiles"

synonyms:

salvo, volley, barrage, bombardment, cannonade, battery, burst, blast, hail, shower, rain, stream; (historical) broadside

"a fusillade of missiles"

verb (archaic):

1. attack (a place) or shoot down (someone) by a series of shots fired at the same time or in quick succession.

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incredulous

Back 266

adjective:

(of a person or their manner) unwilling or unable to believe something.

"an incredulous gasp"

synonyms:

disbelieving, skeptical, unbelieving, distrustful, mistrustful, suspicious, doubtful, dubious, unconvinced; cynical

"we were incredulous when the congressman was not more forthcoming in his first broadcast interview about the case"

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traipse

Back 267

verb:

walk or move wearily or reluctantly.

"students had to traipse all over Washington to attend lectures"

synonyms:

trudge, trek, tramp, tromp, trail, plod, drag oneself, slog, schlep

"I haven't the time to go traipsing around art galleries"

- walk about casually or needlessly.

"there's people traipsing in and out all the time"

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intractable

Back 268

adjective:

hard to control or deal with.

"intractable economic problems"

synonyms:

unmanageable, uncontrollable, difficult, awkward, troublesome, demanding, burdensome

"intractable problems"

antonyms:

manageable

- (of a person) difficult; stubborn.

synonyms:

stubborn, obstinate, obdurate, inflexible, headstrong, willful, unbending, unyielding, uncompromising, unaccommodating, uncooperative, difficult, awkward, perverse, contrary, pigheaded, stiff-necked

"an intractable man"

antonyms:

compliant

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portmanteau

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noun:

1. a large trunk or suitcase, typically made of stiff leather and opening into two equal parts.

2. a word blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others, for example motel (from ‘motor’ and ‘hotel’) or brunch (from ‘breakfast’ and ‘lunch’).

"podcast is a portmanteau, a made-up word coined from a combination of the words iPod and broadcast"

- consisting of or combining two or more aspects or qualities.

"a portmanteau movie composed of excerpts from his most famous films"

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machination

Back 270

noun:

a plot or scheme.synonyms:

scheming, schemes, plotting, plots, intrigues, conspiracies, ruses, tricks, wiles, stratagems, tactics, maneuvering"they were always wary of the machinations of rival gangs"

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machination

Back 271

noun:

a plot or scheme.

synonyms:

scheming, schemes, plotting, plots, intrigues, conspiracies, ruses, tricks, wiles, stratagems, tactics, maneuvering

"they were always wary of the machinations of rival gangs"

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deleterious

Back 272

adjective: causing harm or damage. "divorce is assumed to have deleterious effects on children" synonyms: harmful, damaging, detrimental, injurious; adverse, disadvantageous, unfavorable, unfortunate, undesirable, bad "the deleterious effects of smoking" antonyms: beneficial

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deleterious

Back 273

adjective:

causing harm or damage.

"divorce is assumed to have deleterious effects on children"

synonyms:

harmful, damaging, detrimental, injurious; adverse, disadvantageous, unfavorable, unfortunate, undesirable, bad

"the deleterious effects of smoking"

antonyms:

beneficial

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seditious

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adjective:

inciting or causing people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch.

"the letter was declared seditious"

synonyms:

rabble-rousing, provocative, inflammatory, subversive, troublemaking; rebellious, insurrectionist, mutinous, insurgent;treacherous, disloyal

"a seditious speech"

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auspice

Back 275

1. kindly patronage and guidance doing research under the auspices of the local historical society

2 . a prophetic sign; especially : a favorable sign

3 . observation by an augur especially of the flight and feeding of birds to discover omens

Hint 275

"a program for inner-city youths that is under the auspices of a national corporation"

"interpreted the teacher's smile as an auspice that he would get an A on his presentation"

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sordid

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adjective:

involving ignoble actions and motives; arousing moral distaste and contempt.

"the story paints a sordid picture of bribes and scams"

synonyms:

sleazy, dirty, seedy, seamy, unsavory, tawdry, cheap, debased, degenerate, dishonorable, disreputable, discreditable, contemptible, ignominious, shameful, abhorrent

"a sordid love affair"

antonyms:

respectable

- dirty or squalid.

"the overcrowded housing conditions were sordid and degrading"

synonyms:

squalid, slummy, insalubrious, dirty, filthy, foul, mucky, grimy, shabby, messy, soiled, scummy, unclean; (informal) cruddy, grungy, crummy, scuzzy, skeevy

"a sordid street at the end of town"

antonyms:

immaculate

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putative

Back 277

adjective:

generally considered or reputed to be.

"the putative father of a boy of two"

synonyms:

supposed, assumed, presumed; accepted, recognized; commonly regarded, presumptive, alleged, reputed, reported, rumored

"the putative cause of the brain damage was lead poisoning"

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penultimate

Back 278

adjective:

last but one in a series of things; second to the last.

"the penultimate chapter of the book"

synonyms:

next-to-last, second-to-last, second-last

"the penultimate movie on my top-ten list is an animated feature"

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bulwark

Back 279

noun:

1. a defensive wall.

synonyms:

wall, rampart, fortification, parapet, stockade, palisade, barricade, embankment, earthwork

"ancient bulwarks"

- a person, institution, or principle that acts as a defense.

"the security forces are a bulwark against the breakdown of society"

synonyms:

protector, defender, protection, guard, defense, supporter, buttress; mainstay, bastion, stronghold

"a bulwark of liberty"

2. an extension of a ship's sides above the level of the deck.

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tautology

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noun:

the saying of the same thing twice in different words, generally considered to be a fault of style (e.g., they arrived one after the other in succession ).

synonyms:

pleonasm, repetition, reiteration, redundancy, superfluity, duplication

"avoid such tautology as "let's all work together, everyone, as a team" by saying simply "let's work together""

- a phrase or expression in which the same thing is said twice in different words.

- [LOGIC] a statement that is true by necessity or by virtue of its logical form.

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polemic

Back 281

noun:

1. a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something.

"his polemic against the cultural relativism of the sixties"

synonyms:

diatribe, invective, rant, tirade, broadside, attack, harangue, condemnation, criticism, stricture, admonition, rebuke; abuse; (informal) blast; (formal) castigation; (literary) philippic

"a polemic against injustice"

-- argumentation, argument, debate, contention, disputation, discussion, altercation; (formal) contestation

"he is skilled in polemics"

- the art or practice of engaging in controversial debate or dispute.

"the history of science has become embroiled in religious polemics"

adjective:

1. another term for polemical.

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contestation

Back 282

noun:

the action or process of disputing or arguing.

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wax

Back 283

verb:

(of the moon between new and full) have a progressively larger part of its visible surface illuminated, increasing its apparent size.

synonyms:

get bigger, increase, enlarge

"the moon is waxing"

antonyms:

wane

- [literary] become larger or stronger.

"his anger waxed"

synonyms:

get bigger, increase, enlarge

"the moon is waxing"

antonyms:

wane

- begin to speak or write about something in the specified manner.

"they waxed lyrical about the old days"

synonyms:

get bigger, increase, enlarge

"the moon is waxing"

-- be enthusiastic, enthuse, eulogize, rave, gush, get carried away

"sorry, I didn't mean to wax lyrical about the good old days"

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wax lyrical

Back 284

verb:

1. talk in a highly enthusiastic and effusive way.

"waxing lyrical about his splendid son-in-law"

synonyms:

enthusiastic, rhapsodic, effusive, rapturous, ecstatic, euphoric, carried away

"she was lyrical about her success"

antonyms:

unenthusiastic

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vaunt

Back 285

verb:

boast about or praise (something), especially excessively.

"the much vaunted information superhighway"

synonyms:

boast about, brag about, make much of, crow about, parade, flaunt; acclaim, trumpet, praise, extol, celebrate; (informal) show off about, hype; (formal) laud

"their much vaunted record of accuracy"

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vaunt

Back 286

verb:

boast about or praise (something), especially excessively.

"the much vaunted information superhighway"

synonyms:

boast about, brag about, make much of, crow about, parade, flaunt; acclaim, trumpet, praise, extol, celebrate; [informal] show off about, hype; [formal] laud

"their much vaunted record of accuracy"

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dystopian

Back 287

dystopian

Front 288

concupiscent

Back 288

adjective:

filled with sexual desire; lustful.

"concupiscent dreams"

Front 289

castigate

Back 289

verb (formal):

reprimand (someone) severely.

"he was castigated for not setting a good example"

synonyms:

reprimand, rebuke, admonish, chastise, chide, censure, upbraid, reprove, reproach, scold, berate, take to task, lambaste, give someone a piece of one's mind; (informal) rake/haul over the coals, tell off, give someone an earful, give someone a tongue-lashing, give someone a roasting, rap someone on the knuckles, slap someone's wrist, dress down,bawl out, give someone hell, blow up at, lay into, blast, zing, have a go at, give someone what for, chew out, ream out; (rare) reprehend

"Leopold castigated his son for leaving the archbishop's service"

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castigate

Back 290

verb (formal):

reprimand (someone) severely.

"he was castigated for not setting a good example"

synonyms:

reprimand, rebuke, admonish, chastise, chide, censure, upbraid, reprove, reproach, scold, berate, take to task, lambaste, give someone a piece of one's mind; [informal] rake/haul over the coals, tell off, give someone an earful, give someone a tongue-lashing, give someone a roasting, rap someone on the knuckles, slap someone's wrist, dress down, bawl out, give someone hell, blow up at, lay into, blast, zing, have a go at, give someone what for, chew out, ream out; [rare] reprehend

"Leopold castigated his son for leaving the archbishop's service"

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dystopian

Back 291

adjective: 1.relating to or denoting an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one."the dystopian future of a society bereft of reason"nounnoun: dystopian; plural noun: dystopians1.a person who advocates or describes an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad."a lot of things those dystopians feared did not come true"

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dystopian

Back 292

adjective:

1. relating to or denoting an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one.

"the dystopian future of a society bereft of reason"

noun:

1. a person who advocates or describes an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad.

"a lot of things those dystopians feared did not come true"

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engender

Back 293

verb:

cause or give rise to (a feeling, situation, or condition).

"the issue engendered continuing controversy"

synonyms:

cause, be the cause of, give rise to, bring about, occasion, lead to, result in, produce, create, generate, arouse, rouse, inspire, provoke, prompt, kindle, trigger, spark, stir up, whip up, induce, incite, instigate, foment;(literary) beget, enkindle

"his works engendered considerable controversy"

- [archaic] (of a father) beget (offspring).

synonyms:

father, sire, bring into the world, spawn, breed; (literary) beget

"he engendered six children"

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engender

Back 294

verb:

cause or give rise to (a feeling, situation, or condition).

"the issue engendered continuing controversy"

synonyms:

cause, be the cause of, give rise to, bring about, occasion, lead to, result in, produce, create, generate, arouse, rouse, inspire, provoke, prompt, kindle, trigger, spark, stir up, whip up, induce, incite, instigate, foment;(literary) beget, enkindle

"his works engendered considerable controversy"

- [archaic] (of a father) beget (offspring).

synonyms:

father, sire, bring into the world, spawn, breed; [literary] beget

"he engendered six children"

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arrant

Back 295

adjective:

complete, utter.

"what arrant nonsense!"

synonyms:

utter, complete, total, absolute, downright, outright, thorough, out-and-out, sheer, pure, unmitigated, unqualified; blatant, flagrant

"what arrant nonsense!"

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slovenly

Back 296

adjective:

(especially of a person or their appearance) messy and dirty.

"he was upbraided for his slovenly appearance"

synonyms:

scruffy, untidy, messy, unkempt, ill-groomed, slatternly, disheveled, bedraggled, tousled, rumpled, frowzy; (informal) slobbish, slobby, raggedy, scuzzy

"his slovenly appearance"

antonyms:

tidy (especially of a person or action) careless; excessively casual.

"slovenly speech"

synonyms:

careless, slapdash, slipshod, haphazard, hit-or-miss, untidy, messy, negligent, lax, lackadaisical, slack; (informal) sloppy, slaphappy

"his work is slovenly"

antonyms:

careful

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dun

Back 297

verb (used with object), dunned, dunning:

1. to make repeated and insistent demands upon, especially for the payment of a debt.

Dunning, in the business context, refers to the collections process, whereby a business communicates with customers who have fallen behind in paying their bills.

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/dunning.asp

noun:

2. a person, especially a creditor, who duns another.

3. a demand for payment, especially​ a written one.

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infelicity

Back 298

noun:

a thing that is inappropriate, especially a remark or expression.

"she winced at their infelicities and at the clumsy way they talked"

- (archaic) unhappiness; misfortune.

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felicity

Back 299

noun: 1.intense happiness."domestic felicity"synonyms:happiness, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, bliss, delight, cheerfulness;contentedness, satisfaction, pleasure"domestic felicity"antonyms:unhappiness2.the ability to find appropriate expression for one's thoughts."speech that pleased by its accuracy, felicity, and fluency"synonyms:eloquence, aptness, appropriateness, suitability, suitableness, applicability, fitness, relevance, pertinence"David expressed his feelings with his customary felicity"antonyms:inappropriatenessa particularly effective feature of a work of literature or art.plural noun: felicities"the King James version, thanks to its felicities of language, ruled supreme"

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felicity

Back 300

noun:

1. intense happiness.

"domestic felicity"

synonyms:

happiness, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, bliss, delight, cheerfulness; contentedness, satisfaction, pleasure

"domestic felicity"

antonyms:

unhappiness

2. the ability to find appropriate expression for one's thoughts.

"speech that pleased by its accuracy, felicity, and fluency"

synonyms:

eloquence, aptness, appropriateness, suitability, suitableness, applicability, fitness, relevance, pertinence

"David expressed his feelings with his customary felicity"

antonyms:

inappropriateness

- a particularly effective feature of a work of literature or art.

"the King James version, thanks to its felicities of language, ruled supreme"

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tutelage

Back 301

noun:

protection of or authority over someone or something; guardianship.

"the organizations remained under firm government tutelage"

- instruction; tuition.

"he felt privileged to be under the tutelage of an experienced actor"

Front 302

foist

Back 302

verb:

impose an unwelcome or unnecessary person or thing on.

"don't let anyone foist inferior goods on you"

synonyms:

impose on, force on, thrust on, offload on, unload on, dump on, palm off on; pass off on; saddle someone with, land someone with

"why are you trying to foist your crummy old furniture on me?"

- introduce someone or something surreptitiously or unwarrantably into.

"he attempted to foist a new delegate into the conference"

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occasion (verb)

Back 303

verb:

cause (something).

"something vital must have occasioned this visit"

synonyms:

cause, give rise to, bring about, result in, lead to, prompt, elicit, call forth, evoke, make for, produce, create, arouse, generate, engender, precipitate, provoke, stir up, inspire, spark (off), trigger; (literary) beget

"her situation occasioned a good deal of sympathy"

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bellicose

Back 304

adjective:

demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight.

"a group of bellicose patriots"

synonyms:

belligerent, aggressive, hostile, warlike, warmongering, hawkish, antagonistic, pugnacious, truculent, confrontational, contentious, militant, combative; (informal) spoiling for a fight, scrappy

"I cannot endorse the bellicose nature of your organization"

antonyms:

peaceable

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beseech

Back 305

verb:

ask (someone) urgently and fervently to do something; implore; entreat.

"they beseeched him to stay"

synonyms:

implore, beg, entreat, importune, plead with, appeal to, exhort, call on, supplicate, importune, pray to, ask, request, petition;(rare) obtest, impetrate, obsecrate

"I do beseech you, sir, trouble yourself no further"

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atavistic

Back 306

adjective:

relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral.

"atavistic fears and instincts"

Front 307

conciliatory

Back 307

adjective:

intended or likely to placate or pacify.

"a conciliatory approach"

synonyms:

propitiatory, placatory, appeasing, pacifying, mollifying, peacemaking

"a conciliatory gesture"

Hint 307

"a conciliatory gesture"

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petulant

Back 308

adjective: (of a person or their manner) childishly sulky or bad-tempered."he was moody and petulant"synonyms:peevish, bad-tempered, querulous, pettish, fretful, cross, irritable, sulky, snappish, crotchety, touchy, tetchy, testy, fractious, grumpy, disgruntled, crabby;informalgrouchy, cranky"he's as petulant as a spoiled child"antonyms:good-humored

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petulant

Back 309

adjective:

(of a person or their manner) childishly sulky or bad-tempered.

"he was moody and petulant"

synonyms:

peevish, bad-tempered, querulous, pettish, fretful, cross, irritable, sulky, snappish, crotchety, touchy, tetchy, testy, fractious, grumpy, disgruntled, crabby; (informal) grouchy, cranky

"he's as petulant as a spoiled child"

antonyms:

good-humored

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ulterior

Back 310

adjective:

existing beyond what is obvious or admitted; intentionally hidden.

"could there be an ulterior motive behind his request?"

synonyms:

underlying, undisclosed, undivulged, concealed, hidden, covert, secret, personal, private, selfish

"his ulterior objectives were disguised by feigned concern"

antonyms:

overt

- beyond what is immediate or present; coming in the future.

"ulterior pay promised to the mariners"

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lame duck

Back 311

noun:

[NORTH AMERICAN] an official (especially the president) in the final period of office, after the election of a successor.

"as a lame duck, the president had nothing to lose by approving the deal"

- an ineffectual or unsuccessful person or thing.

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term of art

Back 312

noun:

a word or phrase that has a precise, specialized meaning within a particular field or profession.

" 'public domain' is a term of art in copyright law and you shouldn't throw it around if you don't know what it means"

Front 313

parry

Back 313

verb:

ward off (a weapon or attack), especially with a countermove.

"he parried the blow by holding his sword vertically"

synonyms:

ward off, fend off; deflect, hold off, block, counter, repel, repulse

"Alfonso parried the blow"

- answer (a question or accusation) evasively.

"he parried questions from reporters outside the building"

synonyms:

evade, sidestep, avoid, dodge, answer evasively, field, fend off

"I parried her constant questions"

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recalcitrant

Back 314

adjective:

1. having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline.

"a class of recalcitrant fifteen-year-olds"

synonyms:

uncooperative, intractable, obstreperous, truculent, insubordinate, defiant, rebellious, willful, wayward, headstrong, self-willed, contrary, perverse, difficult;[formal] refractory; [archaic] froward,contumacious

"Amy was unprepared to deal with three recalcitrant stepchildren"

antonyms:

amenable

noun:

a person with an obstinately uncooperative attitude

Front 315

extol

Back 315

verb:

praise enthusiastically.

"he extolled the virtues of the Russian peoples"

synonyms:

praise enthusiastically, go into raptures about/over, wax lyrical about, sing the praises of, praise to the skies, acclaim, exalt, eulogize, adulate, rhapsodize over, rave about, enthuse about/over, overpraise; [informal] go wild about, go on about, ballyhoo;[formal] laud; [archaic] panegyrize

"nutritionists extol the virtues of fiber"

antonyms:

criticize

Front 316

coterminous

Back 316

adjective:

having the same boundaries or extent in space, time, or meaning.

"the southern frontier was coterminous with the French Congo colony"

Front 317

recompense

Back 317

verb:

1. make amends to (someone) for loss or harm suffered; compensate.

"offenders should recompense their victims"

synonyms:

compensate, indemnify, repay, reimburse, make reparation to, make restitution to, make amends to

"offenders should recompense their victims"

- pay or reward (someone) for effort or work.

"he was handsomely recompensed"

synonyms:

reward, pay back

"she wanted to recompense him"

- make amends to or reward someone for (loss, harm, or effort).

"he thought his loyalty had been inadequately recompensed"

synonyms:

make up for, compensate for, make amends for, make restitution for, make reparation for, restore, redress, make good

"nothing could recompense her loss"

- [archaic] punish or reward (someone) appropriately for an action.

"according to their doings will he recompense them"

noun:

1. compensation or reward given for loss or harm suffered or effort made.

"substantial damages were paid in recompense"

synonyms:

compensation, reparation, restitution, indemnification, indemnity; reimbursement, repayment, redress; [archaic] guerdon

"damages were paid in recompense"

- [archaic] restitution made or punishment inflicted for a wrong or injury.

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beguile

Back 318

verb:

1. charm or enchant (someone), sometimes in a deceptive way.

"every prominent American artist has been beguiled by Maine"

synonyms:

charm, attract, enchant, entrance, win over, woo, captivate, bewitch, spellbind, dazzle, hypnotize, mesmerize, seduce

"she was beguiled by his beauty"

antonyms:

repel

- trick (someone) into doing something.

"they were beguiled into signing a peace treaty"

2. [dated] help (time) pass pleasantly.

"to beguile some of the time they went to the movie theater"

synonyms:

entertain, amuse, delight, please, occupy, absorb, engage, distract, divert, fascinate, enthrall, engross

"the program has been beguiling children for years"

antonyms:

bore

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succor

Back 319

noun:

1. assistance and support in times of hardship and distress.

synonyms:

aid, help, a helping hand, assistance; comfort, ease, relief, support, TLC

"they are providing succor in times of need"

- (archaic)

reinforcements of troops.

verb:

1. give assistance or aid to.

"prisoners of war were liberated and succored"

synonyms:

help, aid, bring aid to, give/render assistance to, assist, lend a (helping) hand to; minister to, care for, comfort, bring relief to, support, take care of, look after, attend to

"the prisoners were succored"

Front 320

insolence

Back 320

noun:

rude and disrespectful behavior.

"she was sacked for insolence"

Front 321

well-nigh

Back 321

adverb:

almost.

"a task that is well-nigh impossible"

synonyms:

almost, nearly, just about, more or less, practically, virtually, all but, as good as, nearing, close to, approaching; roughly, approximately; [informal] pretty much, nigh on

"enforcing the recycling ordinance is well-nigh impossible"

Front 322

compeer

Back 322

noun [formal]:

a person of equal rank, status, or ability.

"he was better versed in his profession than his compeers"

- (archaic)

a companion or associate.

Front 323

sojurn

Back 323

noun [formal]:

1. a temporary stay.

"her sojourn in Rome"

synonyms:

stay, visit, stop, stopover; vacation

"a sojourn in France"

verb:

1. stay somewhere temporarily.

"she had sojourned once in Egypt"

synonyms:

stay, live, put up, stop (over), lodge, room, board; vacation

"they sojourned in the monastery"

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piety

Back 324

noun:

the quality of being religious or reverent.

"acts of piety and charity"

synonyms:

devoutness, devotion, piousness, religion, holiness, godliness, saintliness; veneration, reverence, faith, religious duty, spirituality, religious zeal, fervor; pietism, religiosity

"the piety of a saint"

- a belief or point of view that is accepted with unthinking conventional reverence.

"the accepted pieties of our time"

synonyms:

devoutness, devotion, piousness, religion, holiness, godliness, saintliness; veneration, reverence, faith, religious duty, spirituality, religious zeal, fervor; pietism, religiosity

"the piety of a saint"

Front 325

transgress

Back 325

verb:

infringe or go beyond the bounds of (a moral principle or other established standard of behavior).

"she had transgressed an unwritten social law"

synonyms:

misbehave, behave badly, break the law, err, fall from grace, stray from the straight and narrow, sin, do wrong, go astray;[archaic] trespass

"if they transgress, the punishment is harsh"

- infringe, breach, contravene, disobey, defy,violate, break, flout

"she had transgressed an unwritten social law"

- [GEOLOGY] (of the sea) spread over (an area of land).

Front 326

abase

Back 326

verb:

behave in a way so as to belittle or degrade (someone).

"I watched my colleagues abasing themselves before the board of trustees"

synonyms:

humble, humiliate, belittle, demean, lower, degrade, debase, cheapen, discredit, bring low

"Dunlap had a reputation for openly abasing his employees"

- grovel, kowtow, bow and scrape, toady, fawn; [informal] crawl, suck up to someone, lick someone's boots

"I'd rather lose my job than continue to abase myself"

Front 327

smite

Back 327

verb:

1. [literary] strike with a firm blow.

"he smites the water with his sword"

- [archaic] defeat or conquer (a people or land).

"he may smite our enemies"

- (especially of disease) attack or affect severely.

"various people had been smitten with untimely summer flu"

2. be strongly attracted to someone or something.

"she was so smitten with the boy"

noun:

a heavy blow or stroke with a weapon or the hand

Front 328

circumspect

Back 328

adjective:

wary and unwilling to take risks.

"the officials were very circumspect in their statements"

synonyms:

cautious, wary, careful, chary, guarded, on one's guard; watchful, alert, attentive, heedful, vigilant, leery; [informal] cagey, playing one's cards close to one's chest

"she would have to be circumspect in her dealings with Catherine"

antonyms:

unguarded

Front 329

pendulous

Back 329

adjective:

hanging down loosely.

"pendulous branches"

synonyms:

drooping, dangling, trailing, droopy, sagging, saggy, floppy; hanging, pendent, pensile

"large, pendulous flowers"

Front 330

denouement

Back 330

noun:

the final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved.

synonyms:

finale, final scene, epilogue, coda, end, ending, finish, close; culmination, climax, conclusion, resolution, solution

"the film's denouement"

antonyms:

beginning

- the climax of a chain of events, usually when something is decided or made clear.

"I waited by the eighteenth green to see the denouement"

synonyms:

outcome, upshot, consequence, result, end; [informal] payoff

"the debate had an unexpected denouement"

antonyms:

origin

Hint 330

"the film's denouement"

Front 331

anoetic

Back 331

noun.

1. a state of mind consisting of pure sensation or emotion without cognitive content.

Front 332

obsequious

Back 332

adjective:

obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.

"they were served by obsequious waiters"

synonyms:

servile, ingratiating, sycophantic, fawning, unctuous, oily, oleaginous, groveling, cringing, subservient, submissive, slavish; [informal] brown-nosing, bootlicking, smarmy; vulgar [slang] ass-kissing

"an elderly gentlemen surrounded by obsequious heirs"

antonyms:

domineering

Front 333

fanfaronade

Back 333

noun:

arrogant or boastful talk.

Front 334

portend

Back 334

verb:

be a sign or warning that (something, especially something momentous or calamitous) is likely to happen.

"the eclipses portend some major events"

synonyms:

presage, augur, foreshadow, foretell, prophesy; be a sign, warn, be an omen, indicate, herald, signal, bode, promise, threaten, signify, spell, denote; [literary] betoken, foretoken, forebode

"the sight of a dead bird was believed to portend tragedy"

Front 335

sanguine

Back 335

adjective:

1. optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation.

"he is sanguine about prospects for the global economy"

synonyms:

optimistic, bullish, hopeful, buoyant, positive, confident, cheerful, cheery; [informal] upbeat

"he is sanguine about the advance of technology"

antonyms:

gloomy (in medieval science and medicine) of or having the constitution associated with the predominance of blood among the bodily humors, supposedly marked by a ruddy complexion and an optimistic disposition.

- [archaic] (of the complexion) florid; ruddy.

2. [HERALDRY, literary] blood-red.

3. [archaic] bloody or bloodthirsty.

Front 336

cloture

Back 336

noun (US):

(in a legislative assembly) a procedure for ending a debate and taking a vote.

"a cloture motion"

Front 337

ideologue

Back 337

noun:

an adherent of an ideology, especially one who is uncompromising and dogmatic.

"a conservative ideologue"

Front 338

demur

Back 338

verb:

1. raise doubts or objections or show reluctance.

"normally she would have accepted the challenge, but she demurred"

synonyms:

object, take exception, take issue, protest, cavil, dissent; voice reservations, be unwilling, be reluctant, balk, think twice;drag one's heels, refuse; [informal] boggle, kick up a fuss

"Steve demurred when the suggestion was made"

- [LAW, dated] put forward a demurrer.

noun:

1. the action or process of objecting to or hesitating over something.

"they accepted this ruling without demur"

synonyms:

objection, protest, protestation, complaint, dispute, dissent, opposition, resistance;reservation, hesitation, reluctance, disinclination; doubts, qualms, misgivings, second thoughts; a murmur, a word

"they accepted without demur"

Front 339

chasten

Back 339

verb:

(of a reproof or misfortune) have a restraining or moderating effect on.

"the director was somewhat chastened by his recent flops"

synonyms:

subdue, humble, cow, squash, deflate, abase; [informal] flatten, take down a peg or two, put someone in their place, cut down to size, settle someone's hash

"both men were chastened"

- [archaic] (especially of God) discipline; punish.

Front 340

excoriate

Back 340

verb:

1. [formal] censure or criticize severely.

"the papers that had been excoriating him were now lauding him"

2. [MEDICINE] damage or remove part of the surface of (the skin).

synonyms:

abrade, rub away, rub raw, scrape, scratch, chafe; strip away, skin

"the skin had been excoriated"

Front 341

ostensibly

Back 341

adverb:

apparently or purportedly, but perhaps not actually.

"portrayed as a blue-collar type, ostensibly a carpenter"

synonyms:

apparently, seemingly, on the face of it, to all intents and purposes, outwardly, superficially, allegedly, supposedly, purportedly

"it is ostensibly a book about football"

Front 342

exhort

Back 342

verb:

strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something.

"the media have been exhorting people to turn out for the demonstration"

synonyms:

urge, encourage, call on, enjoin, charge, press; bid, appeal to, entreat, implore, beg; [formal] adjure; [literary] beseech

"the president exhorted state legislatures to beef up educational standards"

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festoon

Back 343

verb:

adorn (a place) with ribbons, garlands, or other decorations.

"the room was festooned with balloons and streamers"

synonyms:

decorate, adorn, ornament, trim, deck (out), hang, loop, drape, swathe, garland, wreathe, bedeck; [informal] do up/out, get up, trick out; [literary] bedizen

"the room was festooned with streamers"

Front 344

nihlist

Back 344

noun:

a person who believes that life is meaningless and rejects all religious and moral principles.

"dogmatic atheists and nihilists could never defend the value of human life"

synonyms:

skeptic, negativist, cynic, pessimist;disbeliever, unbeliever, agnostic, atheist

"he contends that his being a nihilist should not discount his ability to teach biblical history"

- [historical] a supporter of an extreme Russian revolutionary party c. 1900 which found nothing to approve of in the established social order.

Front 345

rue

Back 345

verb:

1. bitterly regret (something one has done or allowed to happen).

"Ferguson will rue the day he turned down that offer"

synonyms:

regret, be sorry about, feel remorseful about, repent of, reproach oneself for; deplore, lament, bemoan, bewail

"she may live to rue this impetuous decision"

noun (archaic):

1. repentance; regret.

"with rue my heart is laden"

Front 346

pretext

Back 346

noun:

a reason given in justification of a course of action that is not the real reason.

"the rebels had the perfect pretext for making their move"

synonyms:

excuse, false excuse, ostensible reason, alleged reason; guise, ploy, pretense, ruse

"he used the pretext of looking for his dog to come into our yard"

Front 347

reproof

Back 347

noun:

an expression of blame or disapproval.

"she welcomed him with a mild reproof for leaving her alone"

synonyms:

rebuke, reprimand, reproach, admonishment, admonition; disapproval, censure, criticism, condemnation; [informal] dressing down

"he muttered a reproof"

Front 348

contumelious

Back 348

adjective:

(of behavior) scornful and insulting; insolent.

Front 349

brusque

Back 349

adjective:

abrupt or offhand in speech or manner.

"she could be brusque and impatient"

synonyms:

curt, abrupt, blunt, short, sharp, terse, peremptory, gruff; offhand, discourteous, impolite, rude; [informal] snappy

"his brusque manners"

antonyms:

polite

Front 350

reticence

Back 350

reticence

Front 351

prudent

Back 351

adjective:

acting with or showing care and thought for the future.

"no prudent money manager would authorize a loan without first knowing its purpose"

synonyms:

wise, well judged, sensible, politic, judicious, sagacious, sage, shrewd, advisable, well advised

"it is prudent to obtain consent"

- cautious, careful, provident, farsighted, judicious, shrewd, circumspect;thrifty, economical

"a prudent approach to borrowing"

Front 352

welter

Back 352

welter

Front 353

loutish

Back 353

adjective:

(of a man or boy) uncouth and aggressive.

Front 354

uncouth

Back 354

adjective:

(of a person or their appearance or behavior) lacking good manners, refinement, or grace.

"he is unwashed, uncouth, and drunk most of the time"

synonyms:

uncivilized, uncultured, uncultivated, unrefined, unpolished, unsophisticated, bush-league, common, plebeian, low, rough, rough-hewn, coarse, loutish, boorish, oafish, troglodyte; churlish, uncivil, rude, impolite, discourteous, disrespectful, unmannerly, bad-mannered, ill-bred, indecorous, crass, indelicate; vulgar, crude, raunchy

"I was hoping you'd be less uncouth in public"

- (especially of art or language) lacking sophistication or delicacy.

"uncouth sketches of peasants"

- [archaic] (of a place) uncomfortable, especially because of remoteness or poor conditions.

Front 355

effusive

Back 355

adjective:

1. expressing feelings of gratitude, pleasure, or approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner.

"an effusive welcome"

synonyms:

gushing, gushy, unrestrained, extravagant, fulsome, demonstrative, lavish, enthusiastic, lyrical; expansive, wordy, verbose, over the top

"effusive compliments"

antonyms

:restrained

2. [GEOLOGY] - (of igneous rock) poured out when molten and later solidified.

- relating to the eruption of large volumes of molten rock.

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stalwart

Back 356

adjective:

1. loyal, reliable, and hardworking.

"he remained a stalwart supporter of the cause"

synonyms:

staunch, loyal, faithful, committed, devoted, dedicated, dependable, reliable, steady, constant, trusty, solid, hard-working, steadfast, redoubtable, unwavering

"a stalwart supporter of the cause"

antonyms:

disloyal, unfaithful, unreliabledatedstrongly built and sturdy.

"he was of stalwart build"

noun:

1. a loyal, reliable, and hardworking supporter or participant in an organization or team.

"the stalwarts of the Ladies' Auxiliary"

Front 357

rebarbative

Back 357

adjective:

unattractive and objectionable.

"rebarbative modern buildings"

- causing annoying, irritation, or aversion; repellent

Front 358

bulwark

Back 358

noun:

1. a defensive wall.

synonyms:

wall, rampart, fortification, parapet, stockade, palisade, barricade, embankment, earthwork

"ancient bulwarks"

- a person, institution, or principle that acts as a defense.

"the security forces are a bulwark against the breakdown of society"

synonyms:

protector, defender, protection, guard, defense, supporter, buttress; mainstay, bastion, stronghold

"a bulwark of liberty"

2. an extension of a ship's sides above the level of the deck.

Front 359

paean

Back 359

noun:

a song of praise or triumph.

- a thing that expresses enthusiastic praise.

"his books are paeans to combat"

synonyms:

song of praise, hymn, alleluia; plaudit, glorification, eulogy, tribute, panegyric, accolade, acclamation; [formal] encomium

"a great paean of triumph"

Front 360

recalcitrant

Back 360

adjective:

1. having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline.

"a class of recalcitrant fifteen-year-olds"

synonyms:

uncooperative, intractable, obstreperous, truculent, insubordinate, defiant, rebellious, willful, wayward, headstrong, self-willed, contrary, perverse, difficult; [formal] refractory;

- [archaic] froward, contumacious

"Amy was unprepared to deal with three recalcitrant stepchildren"

noun:

1. a person with an obstinately uncooperative attitude.

Front 361

presage

Back 361

verb:

(of an event) be a sign or warning that (something, typically something bad) will happen.

"the outcome of the game presaged the coming year"

synonyms:

portend, augur, foreshadow, foretell, prophesy, be an omen of, herald, be a sign of, be the harbinger of, warn of, be a presage of, signal, bode, promise, threaten;[literary] betoken, foretoken, forebode

"the owl's hooting is thought to presage death"

- [archaic] (of a person) predict.

"lands he could measure, terms and tides presage"

Front 362

intransigent

Back 362

adjective:

1. unwilling or refusing to change one's views or to agree about something.

synonyms:

uncompromising, inflexible, unbending, unyielding, diehard, unshakable, unwavering, resolute, rigid, unaccommodating, uncooperative, stubborn, obstinate, obdurate, pigheaded, single-minded, iron-willed, stiff-necked

"the regime remained intransigent in its opposition to wider participation in the political process"

noun:

1. an intransigent person.

Front 363

onomatopoeia

Back 363

noun:

- the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named (e.g., cuckoo, sizzle ).

- the use of onomatopoeia for rhetorical effect.

Front 364

cogent

Back 364

adjective:

(of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing.

synonyms:

convincing, compelling, strong, forceful, powerful, potent, weighty, impactful, effective; valid, sound, plausible, telling; impressive, persuasive, eloquent, credible, influential; conclusive, authoritative; logical, reasoned, rational, reasonable, lucid, coherent, clear

"a cogent argument"

Front 365

dogmatic

Back 365

adjective:

inclined to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true.

"he gives his opinion without trying to be dogmatic"

synonyms:

opinionated, peremptory, assertive, insistent, emphatic, adamant, doctrinaire, authoritarian, imperious, dictatorial, uncompromising, unyielding, inflexible, rigid

"your being so dogmatic does not attract me to your religious philosophy"

Front 366

castigate

Back 366

verb:

reprimand (someone) severely.

"he was castigated for not setting a good example"

synonyms:

reprimand, rebuke, admonish, chastise, chide, censure, upbraid, reprove, reproach, scold, berate, take to task, lambaste, give someone a piece of one's mind; [informal] rake/haul over the coals, tell off, give someone an earful, give someone a tongue-lashing, give someone a roasting, rap someone on the knuckles, slap someone's wrist, dress down, bawl out, give someone hell, blow up at, lay into, blast, zing, have a go at, give someone what for, chew out, ream out; [rare] reprehend

"Leopold castigated his son for leaving the archbishop's service"

antonyms:

praise, commend

Front 367

consternation

Back 367

noun:

feelings of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected.

"I always welcomed clover, much to the consternation of the neighbors"

synonyms:

dismay, perturbation, distress, disquiet, discomposure; surprise, amazement, astonishment; alarm, panic, fear, fright, shock

"much to his colleagues' consternation, Victor was awarded the job in Paris"

antonyms:

satisfaction

Front 368

pilloried

Back 368

verb: [historical]

put (someone) in the pillory.

2. attack or ridicule publicly.

"he found himself pilloried by members of his own party"

synonyms:

attack, criticize, censure, condemn, denigrate, lambaste, savage, stigmatize, denounce; [informal] knock, slam, pan, bash, crucify, hammer, pummel; [formal] excoriate

"he was pilloried by the press"

- ridicule, jeer at, sneer at, deride, mock, scorn, make fun of, poke fun at, laugh at,scoff at, tease, taunt; [informal] rib, josh, razz

"they were pilloried at school"

Front 369

kowtow

Back 369

verb:

1. act in an excessively subservient manner.

"she didn't have to kowtow to a boss"

synonyms:

grovel to, be obsequious to, be servile to, be sycophantic to, fawn over/on, cringe to, bow and scrape to, toady to, truckle to, abase oneself before, humble oneself to; curry favor with, dance attendance on, ingratiate oneself with, suck up to, kiss up to, brown-nose, lick someone's boots

"she didn't have to kowtow to a boss"

2. [historical] kneel and touch the ground with the forehead in worship or submission as part of Chinese custom.

synonyms:

prostrate oneself before, bow (down) to/ before, genuflect to/before, do/make obeisance to/before, fall on one's knees before, kneel before

"they kowtowed to the emperor"

noun: [historical]

1. an act of kowtowing as part of Chinese custom.

Front 370

antipathy

Back 370

noun:

a deep-seated feeling of dislike; aversion.

"his fundamental antipathy to capitalism"

synonyms:

hostility, antagonism, animosity, aversion, animus, enmity, dislike, distaste, hatred, hate, abhorrence, loathing

"I never encountered racial antipathy until I went to college"

antonyms:

liking, affinity

Front 371

rapprochement

Back 371

noun:

(especially in international relations) an establishment or resumption of harmonious relations.

"there were signs of a growing rapprochement between the two countries"

synonyms:

reconciliation, increased understanding, detente, restoration of harmony, agreement, cooperation, harmonization, softening

"growing political and diplomatic rapprochement between the two countries"

Front 372

hackles

Back 372

noun:

erectile hairs along the back of a dog or other animal that rise when it is angry or alarmed.

2. a long, narrow feather on the neck or saddle of a domestic rooster or other bird.

- [fishing] a feather wound around a fishing fly so that its filaments are splayed out.

- fly-fishing feathers collectively.

- a bunch of feathers in a military headdress.

3. a steel comb for separating flax fibers.

verb:

1. dress or comb with a hackle.

Front 373

warren

Back 373

noun: (rabbit warrens)

- a network of interconnecting rabbit burrows.

- a densely populated or labyrinthine building or district.

"a warren of narrow gas-lit streets"

- [British, historical]

- an enclosed piece of land set aside for breeding game, especially rabbits.

Front 374

beleaguered

Back 374

verb:

lay siege to.

"he is leading a relief force to the aid of the beleaguered city"

synonyms:

besieged, under siege, blockaded, surrounded, encircled, beset, hemmed in, under attack

"the beleaguered garrison"

- beset with difficulties.

"the board is supporting the beleaguered director amid calls for his resignation"

synonyms:

hard-pressed, troubled, in difficulties, under pressure, under stress, with one's back to the wall, in a tight corner, in a tight spot, up against it; beset, assailed

"a beleaguered government"

Front 375

parlous

Back 375

adjective:

1. full of danger or uncertainty; precarious.

"the parlous state of the economy"

synonyms:

bad, dire, dreadful, awful, terrible, grave, serious, desperate, precarious; sorry, poor, lamentable, hopeless; unsafe, perilous, dangerous, risky; [informal] dicey, hairy, woeful

"the parlous state of the industry"

adverb: [archaic]

1. greatly or excessively.

"she is parlous handsome"

Front 376

compathy

Back 376

noun:

feelings, as happiness or grief, shared with another or others.

Front 377

effete

Back 377

adjective :

(of a person) affected, overrefined, and ineffectual.

"effete trendies from art college"

synonyms:

affected, pretentious, precious, mannered, overrefined; ineffectual; [informal] la-di-da

"effete trendies"

antonyms:

unpretentious

- no longer capable of effective action.

"the authority of an effete aristocracy began to dwindle"

synonyms:

weak, enfeebled, enervated, worn out, exhausted, finished, drained, spent, powerless, ineffectual

"the fabric of society is effete"

antonyms:

powerful

Front 378

reticent

Back 378

adjective:

not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily.

"she was extremely reticent about her personal affairs"

synonyms:

reserved, withdrawn, introverted, inhibited, diffident, shy; uncommunicative, unforthcoming, unresponsive, tight-lipped, buttoned-up, quiet, taciturn, silent, guarded, secretive

"Smith was reticent about his personal affairs"

Front 379

abscond

Back 379

verb:

leave hurriedly and secretly, typically to avoid detection of or arrest for an unlawful action such as theft.

"she absconded with the remaining thousand dollars"

synonyms:

run away, escape, bolt, flee, make off, take flight, take off, decamp; make a break for it, take to one's heels, make a quick getaway, beat a hasty retreat, run for it, make a run for it; disappear, vanish, slip away, split, steal away, sneak away; clear out, duck out; [informal] cut and run, skedaddle, skip, skip town, head for the hills, do a disappearing act, fly the coop, take French leave, vamoose, take a powder

"it seems that the one they entrusted with their stolen goods has absconded"

- (of someone on bail) fail to surrender oneself for custody at the appointed time.

- (of a person kept in detention or under supervision) escape.

"176 detainees absconded"

- (of a colony of honeybees, especially Africanized ones) entirely abandon a hive or nest.

Front 380

augur

Back 380

verb:

1. (of an event or circumstance) portend a good or bad outcome.

"the end of the Cold War seemed to augur well"

synonyms:

bode, portend, herald, be a sign of, warn of, forewarn of, foreshadow, be an omen of, presage, indicate, signify, signal, promise, threaten, spell, denote; predict, prophesy; [literary] betoken, foretoken, forebode

"the war heightened anxiety and augured higher taxes"

noun:

1. (in ancient Rome) a religious official who observed natural signs, especially the behavior of birds, interpreting these as an indication of divine approval or disapproval of a proposed action.

synonyms:

bode, portend, herald, be a sign of, warn of, forewarn of, foreshadow, be an omen of, presage, indicate, signify, signal, promise, threaten, spell, denote; predict,prophesy; [literary] betoken, foretoken, forebode

"the war heightened anxiety and augured higher taxes"

Front 381

portend

Back 381

verb:

be a sign or warning that (something, especially something momentous or calamitous) is likely to happen.

"the eclipses portend some major events"

synonyms:

presage, augur, foreshadow, foretell, prophesy; be a sign, warn, be an omen, indicate, herald, signal, bode, promise,threaten, signify, spell, denote; [literary] betoken, foretoken, forebode

"the sight of a dead bird was believed to portend tragedy"

Front 382

inured

Back 382

verb:

1. accustom (someone) to something, especially something unpleasant.

"these children have been inured to violence"

synonyms:

harden, toughen, season, temper, condition; accustom, habituate, familiarize, acclimatize, adjust, adapt, desensitize

"they had become inured to poverty"

antonyms:

sensitize

2. [law] come into operation; take effect.

"a release given to one of two joint contractors inures to the benefit of both"

Front 383

provenance

Back 383

noun:

the place of origin or earliest known history of something.

"an orange rug of Iranian provenance"

synonyms:

origin, source, place of origin; birthplace, fount, roots, pedigree, derivation, root, etymology; [formal] radix

"the provenance of the paintings"

- the beginning of something's existence; something's origin.

"they try to understand the whole universe, its provenance and fate"

- a record of ownership of a work of art or an antique, used as a guide to authenticity or quality.

"the manuscript has a distinguished provenance"

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halcyon

Back 384

adjective:

1. denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful.

"the halcyon days of the mid-1980s, when profits were soaring"

synonyms:

happy, golden, idyllic, carefree, blissful, joyful, joyous, contented; flourishing, thriving, prosperous, successful; serene, calm, tranquil, peaceful

"the halcyon days of our youth"

noun:

a tropical Asian and African kingfisher with brightly colored plumage.

2. a mythical bird said by ancient writers to breed in a nest floating at sea at the winter solstice, charming the wind and waves into calm.

Front 385

sententious

Back 385

adjective:

given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner.

"he tried to encourage his men with sententious rhetoric"

synonyms:

moralistic, moralizing, sanctimonious, self-righteous, pietistic, pious, priggish, judgmental; pompous, pontifical, self-important; [informal] preachy

"her later works are sometimes diffuse and sententious"

Front 386

sanctimonious

Back 386

adjective: [derogatory]

making a show of being morally superior to other people.

"what happened to all the sanctimonious talk about putting his family first?"

synonyms:

self-righteous, holier-than-thou, pious, pietistic, churchy, moralizing, preachy, smug, superior, priggish, hypocritical, insincere; [informal] goody-goody

"no one wants to hear your sanctimonious hot air"

Front 387

frenetic

Back 387

adjective:

fast and energetic in a rather wild and uncontrolled way.

"a frenetic pace of activity"

synonyms:

frantic, wild, frenzied, hectic, fraught, feverish, fevered, mad, manic, hyperactive, energetic, intense, amped-up, fast and furious, turbulent, tumultuous

"the frenetic bustle of the city"

antonyms:

calm

Front 388

bellicose

Back 388

adjective:

demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight.

"a group of bellicose patriots"

synonyms:

belligerent, aggressive, hostile, warlike, warmongering, hawkish, antagonistic, pugnacious, truculent, confrontational, contentious, militant, combative; [informal] spoiling for a fight, scrappy

"I cannot endorse the bellicose nature of your organization"

antonyms:

peaceable

Front 389

hyperbole

Back 389

noun: exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

synonyms:

exaggeration, overstatement, magnification, embroidery, embellishment, excess, overkill, rhetoric; [informal] purple prose, puffery

"the media hyperbole that accompanied their championship series"

antonyms:

understatement

Front 390

avarice

Back 390

noun:

extreme greed for wealth or material gain.

synonyms:

greed, greediness, acquisitiveness, cupidity, covetousness, rapacity, materialism, mercenariness; [rare] pleonexia; [informal] money-grubbing, affluenza

"the job had become less about integrity and more about avarice"

antonyms:

generosity

Front 391

emissary

Back 391

noun:

a person sent on a special mission, usually as a diplomatic representative.

synonyms:

envoy, ambassador, delegate, attaché, consul, plenipotentiary; agent, representative, deputy; messenger, courier; nuncio

"the president sent emissaries to several African countries"

Front 392

accede

Back 392

verb (formal):

1. assent or agree to a demand, request, or treaty.

"the authorities did not accede to the strikers' demands"

synonyms:

agree to, consent to, accept, assent to, acquiesce in, comply with, go along with, concur with, surrender to, yield to, give in to, give way to, defer to

"he acceded to the government's demands"

2. assume an office or position.

"he acceded to the post of director in September"

synonyms:

succeed to, come to, assume, inherit, take

"Elizabeth I acceded to the throne in 1558"

- become a member of a community or organization.

"Albania acceded to the IMF in 1990"

synonyms:

join, become a member of, sign on to, sign up for

"Albania acceded to the IMF in 1990"

Front 393

conscription

Back 393

noun:

compulsory enlistment for state service, typically into the armed forces.

Front 394

repudiate

Back 394

verb:

refuse to accept or be associated with.

"she has repudiated policies associated with previous party leaders"

synonyms:

reject, renounce, abandon, give up, turn one's back on, disown, cast off, lay aside; [formal] forswear, abjure; [literary] forsake

"he repudiated his Catholic faith"

- deny the truth or validity of.

"the minister repudiated allegations of human rights abuses"

synonyms:

deny, contradict, controvert, rebut, dispute, dismiss, brush aside; [formal] gainsay

"Hansen repudiated the allegations"

- [LAW] refuse to fulfill or discharge (an agreement, obligation, or debt).

"breach of a condition gives the other party the right to repudiate a contract"

synonyms:

cancel, revoke, rescind, reverse, overrule, overturn, invalidate, nullify; disregard, flout, renege on; disaffirm; [formal] abrogate

"Egypt repudiated the treaty"

Front 395

paradox

Back 395

noun:

a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true.

"in a paradox, he has discovered that stepping back from his job has increased the rewards he gleans from it"

synonyms:

contradiction, contradiction in terms, self-contradiction, inconsistency, incongruity; oxymoron; conflict, anomaly; enigma, puzzle, mystery, conundrum

"the paradox of war is that you have to kill people in order to stop people from killing each other"

- a statement or proposition that, despite sound (or apparently sound) reasoning from acceptable premises, leads to a conclusion that seems senseless, logically unacceptable, or self-contradictory.

"a potentially serious conflict between quantum mechanics and the general theory of relativity known as the information paradox"

- a situation, person, or thing that combines contradictory features or qualities.

"the mingling of deciduous trees with elements of desert flora forms a fascinating ecological paradox"

Front 396

tout de suite

Back 396

adverb:

immediately; at once.

"she left tout de suite"

Front 397

espouse

Back 397

verb:

1. adopt or support (a cause, belief, or way of life).

"he turned his back on the modernism he had espoused in his youth"

synonyms:

adopt, embrace, take up, accept, welcome; support, back, champion, favor, prefer, encourage; promote, endorse, advocate

"do you espouse the political beliefs of your parents?"

antonyms:

reject​

2. [archaic] marry.

"Edward had espoused the Lady Grey"

- (of a woman) be engaged to (a particular man).

Front 398

dialectics

Back 398

noun:

1. the art of investigating or discussing the truth of opinions.

synonyms:

discussion, debate, dialogue, logical argument, reasoning, argumentation, polemics; [formal] ratiocination

"feminism has of course contributed to this dialectic"

2. inquiry into metaphysical contradictions and their solutions.

- the existence or action of opposing social forces, concepts, etc.

adjective:

1. relating to dialectic or dialectics; dialectical.

synonyms:

discussion, debate, dialogue, logical argument, reasoning, argumentation, polemics; [formal] ratiocination

"feminism has of course contributed to this dialectic"

NOTE:

Also known as the 'dialectical method'.

- a discourse between two or more people holding different points of view about a subject but wishing to establish the truth through reasoned arguments

Front 399

envoy

Back 399

noun:

1. a messenger or representative, especially one on a diplomatic mission.

synonyms:

ambassador, emissary, diplomat, consul, attaché, chargé d'affaires, plenipotentiary; nuncio; representative, delegate, proxy, surrogate, liaison, spokesperson; agent, intermediary, mediator; [informal] go-between; [historical] legate

"he was a special diplomatic envoy to Rome in 1639"

2. short for envoy extraordinary.

Front 400

salvo

Back 400

noun:

a simultaneous discharge of artillery or other guns in a battle.

- a number of weapons released from one or more aircraft in quick succession.

- a sudden, vigorous, or aggressive act or series of acts.

"the pardons provoked a salvo of accusations"

Front 401

vacuous

Back 401

adjective:

having or showing a lack of thought or intelligence; mindless.

"a vacuous smile"

synonyms:

silly, inane, unintelligent, insipid, foolish, stupid, fatuous, idiotic, brainless, witless, vapid, vacant, empty-headed; [informal] dumb, moronic, brain-dead, fluffy, fluffball

"that vacuous laugh of his drives me nuts"

antonyms:

intelligent

- [archaic] empty.

Front 402

germain

Back 402

adjective:

[obsolete]

1. closely akin

2 : being at once relevant and appropriate

synonym:

fitting

- omit details that are not germane to the discussion

Front 403

cogent

Back 403

adjective:

(of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing.

synonyms:

convincing, compelling, strong, forceful, powerful, potent, weighty, impactful, effective; valid, sound, plausible, telling; impressive, persuasive, eloquent, credible, influential; conclusive, authoritative; logical, reasoned, rational, reasonable, lucid, coherent, clear

"a cogent argument"

Front 404

anathema

Back 404

noun:

1. something or someone that one vehemently dislikes.

"racial hatred was anathema to her"

synonyms:

an abomination, an outrage, an abhorrence, a disgrace, an evil, a bane, a bugbear, a bête noire; [adjectives] abhorrent, hateful, repugnant, odious, repellent, offensive

"the idea of a poem as a mere exercise is anathema to me"

2. a formal curse by a pope or a council of the Church, excommunicating a person or denouncing a doctrine.

synonyms:

an abomination, an outrage, an abhorrence, a disgrace, an evil, a bane, a bugbear, a bête noire; [adjectives] abhorrent, hateful, repugnant, odious, repellent, offensive

"the idea of a poem as a mere exercise is anathema to me"

- [literary] a strong curse.

"the sergeant clutched the ruined communicator, muttering anathemas"

Front 405

apropos

Back 405

preposition:

1. with reference to; concerning

"she remarked apropos of the initiative, “It's not going to stop the abuse.”"

synonyms:

with reference to, with regard to, with respect to, regarding, concerning, on the subject of, connected with, about, re

"he was asked a question apropos his resignation"

adverb:

1. used to state a speaker's belief that someone's comments or acts are unrelated to any previous discussion or situation.

"Isabel kept smiling apropos of nothing"

synonyms:

irrelevantly, arbitrarily, at random, for no reason, illogically

"apropos of nothing, she started speaking only in rhyme"

adjective:

1. very appropriate to a particular situation.

"the composer's reference to child's play is apropos"

synonyms:

appropriate, pertinent, relevant, apposite, apt, applicable, suitable, germane, fitting, befitting, material; right on

"the word “conglomerate” was decidedly apropos"

antonyms:

inappropriate

Front 406

indelible

Back 406

adjective:
indelible(of ink or a pen) making marks that cannot be removed.

synonyms:
ineradicable, permanent, lasting, ingrained, persisting, enduring, unfading, unforgettable, haunting, never to be forgotten

"indelible memories"

- not able to be forgotten or removed.

"his story made an indelible impression on me"

synonyms:
ineradicable, permanent, lasting, ingrained, persisting, enduring, unfading, unforgettable, haunting, never to be forgotten

"indelible memories"

Front 407

laconic

Back 407

adjective:

(of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words.

"his laconic reply suggested a lack of interest in the topic"

synonyms:

brief, concise, terse, succinct, short, pithy

"his laconic comment"

- taciturn, uncommunicative, reticent, quiet, reserved, silent, unforthcoming, brief

"their laconic press agent"

antonyms:

verbose, loquacious

Front 408

squall

Back 408

noun:

1. a sudden violent gust of wind or a localized storm, especially one bringing rain, snow, or sleet.

"low clouds and squalls of driving rain"

synonyms:

gust, storm, blast, flurry, shower, gale, blow, rush

"the first squall we hit was just two hours after setting sail"

- a loud cry.

"he emitted a short mournful squall"

verb:

1. (of a baby or small child) cry noisily and continuously.

"Sarah was squalling in her crib"

Front 409

prosaic

Back 409

adjective:

having the style or diction of prose; lacking poetic beauty.

"prosaic language can't convey the experience"

synonyms:

ordinary, everyday, commonplace, conventional, straightforward, routine, run-of-the-mill, by-the-numbers, workaday; unimaginative, uninspired, uninspiring, matter-of-fact, dull, dry, dreary, tedious, boring, humdrum, mundane, uninvolving, pedestrian, tame, plodding; bland, insipid, banal, trite, literal, factual, unpoetic, unemotional, unsentimental

"a prosaic lecture that had us fighting to stay awake"

antonyms:

interesting, imaginative, inspired

- commonplace; unromantic.

"the masses were too preoccupied by prosaic day-to-day concerns"

synonyms:

ordinary, everyday, commonplace, conventional, straightforward, routine, run-of-the-mill, by-the-numbers, workaday; unimaginative, uninspired, uninspiring, matter-of-fact, dull, dry, dreary, tedious, boring, humdrum, mundane, uninvolving, pedestrian, tame, plodding; bland, insipid, banal, trite, literal, factual, unpoetic, unemotional, unsentimental

"a prosaic lecture that had us fighting to stay awake"

antonyms:

interesting, imaginative, inspired

Front 410

pablum

Back 410

noun:

bland or insipid intellectual fare, entertainment, etc.; pap.

Front 411

salient

Back 411

adjective:

1. most noticeable or important.

"it succinctly covered all the salient points of the case"

synonyms:
important, main, principal, major, chief, primary; notable, noteworthy, outstanding, conspicuous, striking, noticeable, obvious, remarkable, prominent, predominant, dominant; key, crucial, vital, essential, pivotal, prime, central, paramount

"the most salient point is that the suggested cost is beyond our budget"

antonyms:
minor

- prominent; conspicuous.

"it was always the salient object in my view"

- (of an angle) pointing outward.

2. [Heraldry] (of an animal) standing on its hind legs with the forepaws raised, as if leaping.

noun:
1. a piece of land or section of fortification that juts out to form an angle.an outward bulge in a line of military attack or defense.

Front 412

prima donna

Back 412

noun:

the chief female singer in an opera or opera company.

synonyms:

leading soprano, leading lady, diva, star, opera star, principal singer

"this scene was added to give the prima donna another aria"

- a very temperamental person with an inflated view of their own talent or importance.

synonyms:

ego, self-important person, his nibs, temperamental person, princess, diva, pooh-bah; [informal] drama queen

"a city council filled with prima donnas"

Front 413

impetus

Back 413

noun:

the force or energy with which a body moves.

"hit the booster coil before the flywheel loses all its impetus"

synonyms:

momentum, propulsion, impulsion, motive force, driving force, drive, thrust; energy, force, power, push, strength

"the flywheel lost all its impetus"

- the force that makes something happen or happen more quickly.

"the crisis of the 1860s provided the original impetus for the settlements"

synonyms:

motivation, stimulus, incitement, incentive, inducement, inspiration, encouragement, boost, fillip, springboard; [informal] a shot in the arm

"the sales force were given fresh impetus"

Front 414

avid

Back 414

adjective:

having or showing a keen interest in or enthusiasm for something.

"an avid reader of science fiction"

synonyms:

keen, eager, enthusiastic, ardent, passionate, zealous, hard-core; devoted, dedicated, wholehearted, earnest

"an avid reader of science fiction"

antonyms:

apathetic

- having an eager desire for something.

"she was avid for information about the murder inquiry"

Front 415

accede

Back 415

verb [formal]:

1. assent or agree to a demand, request, or treaty.

"the authorities did not accede to the strikers' demands"

synonyms:

agree to, consent to, accept, assent to, acquiesce in, comply with, go along with, concur with, surrender to, yield to, give in to, give way to, defer to

"he acceded to the government's demands"

2. assume an office or position.

"he acceded to the post of director in September"

synonyms:

succeed to, come to, assume, inherit, take

"Elizabeth I acceded to the throne in 1558"

- become a member of a community or organization.

"Albania acceded to the IMF in 1990"

synonyms:

join, become a member of, sign on to, sign up for

"Albania acceded to the IMF in 1990"

Front 416

assent

Back 416

noun:

1. the expression of approval or agreement.

"a loud murmur of assent"

- official agreement or sanction.

"the governor has power to withhold his assent from a bill"

synonyms:

agreement, acceptance, approval, approbation, consent, acquiescence, compliance, concurrence; sanction, endorsement, confirmation; permission, leave, blessing; [informal] the go-ahead, the nod, the green light, the OK, the thumbs up

"they are likely to give their assent"

antonyms:

dissent, refusal

verb:

1. express approval or agreement, typically officially.

"Roosevelt assented to the agreement"

synonyms:

agree to, accept, approve, consent to, acquiesce in, concur in, give one's blessing to; sanction, endorse, confirm; [informal] give the go-ahead to, give the nod to, give the green light to, give the OK to, OK, give the thumbs up to; [formal] accede to

"he assented to the change"

antonyms:

refuse

Front 417

demagogues

Back 417

noun:

a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument.

synonyms:

rabble-rouser, agitator, political agitator, soapbox orator, firebrand, fomenter, provocateur

"he was drawn into a circle of campus demagogues"

- (in ancient Greece and Rome) a leader or orator who espoused the cause of the common people.

Front 418

perfidious

Back 418

adjective:

deceitful and untrustworthy.

"a perfidious lover"

synonyms:

treacherous, duplicitous, deceitful, disloyal, faithless, unfaithful, traitorous, treasonous, false, false-hearted, double-dealing, two-faced, Janus-faced, untrustworthy

"a perfidious lover"

antonyms:

faithful

Front 419

malfeasance

Back 419

noun:

wrongdoing, especially by a public official

Front 420

fealty

Back 420

noun:

[historical] a feudal tenant's or vassal's sworn loyalty to a lord.

"they owed fealty to the Earl rather than the King"

- formal acknowledgment of this.

"a property for which she did fealty"

Front 421

contentious

Back 421

adjective:

causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial.

"a contentious issue"

synonyms:

controversial, disputable, debatable, disputed, open to debate, vexed

"a contentious issue"

- involving heated argument.

"the socioeconomic plan had been the subject of contentious debate"

synonyms:

heated, vehement, fierce, violent, intense, impassioned

"a contentious debate"

- (of a person) given to arguing or provoking argument.

"a contentious amateur politician who has offended minority groups"

- [law] relating to or involving differences between contending parties.

Front 422

pernicious

Back 422

adjective:

having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way.

"the pernicious influences of the mass media"

synonyms:

harmful, damaging, destructive, injurious, hurtful, detrimental, deleterious, dangerous, adverse, inimical, unhealthy, unfavorable, bad, evil, baleful, wicked, malign, malevolent, malignant, noxious, poisonous, corrupting; [literary] maleficent

"a pernicious influence on society"

antonyms:

beneficial

Front 423

excoriate

Back 423

1. [formal] censure or criticize severely.

"the papers that had been excoriating him were now lauding him"

2. [medicine] damage or remove part of the surface of (the skin).

synonyms:

abrade, rub away, rub raw, scrape, scratch, chafe; strip away, skin

"the skin had been excoriated"

Front 424

patronize

Back 424

verb:

1.treat with an apparent kindness that betrays a feeling of superiority.

"“She's a good-hearted girl,” he said in a patronizing voice"

synonyms:

treat condescendingly, condescend to, look down on, talk down to, put down, treat like a child, treat with disdain

"don't patronize me!"

- condescending, disdainful, supercilious, superior, imperious, scornful,contemptuous; [informal] uppity, high and mighty

"your patronizing mother just told me how "adequate" my dress is"

2. frequent (a store, theater, restaurant, or other establishment) as a customer.

"restaurants remaining open in the evening were well patronized"

synonyms:

do business with, buy from, shop at, be a customer of, be a client of, deal with, trade with, frequent, support

"they patronized local merchants"

- give encouragement and financial support to (a person, especially an artist, or a cause).

"local churches and voluntary organizations were patronized by the family"

synonyms:

sponsor, back, fund, finance, be a patron of, support, champion

"he patronized a national museum"

Front 425

hawkish

Back 425

adjective:

1. resembling a hawk in nature or appearance.

"his hawkish nose"

2. advocating an aggressive or warlike policy, especially in foreign affairs.

"the administration's hawkish stance"

Front 426

minatory

Back 426

adjective [formal]:

expressing or conveying a threat.

"he is unlikely to be deterred by minatory finger-wagging"

Front 427

druthers

Back 427

noun [informal]:

[North American] a person's preference in a matter.

"if I had my druthers, I would prefer to be a writer"

Front 428

gaslight

Back 428

verb:

manipulate (someone) by psychological means into questioning their own sanity.

"in the first episode, Karen Valentine is being gaslighted by her husband"

Front 429

recalcitrant

Back 429

adjective:

1. having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline.

"a class of recalcitrant fifteen-year-olds"

synonyms:

uncooperative, intractable, obstreperous, truculent, insubordinate, defiant, rebellious, willful, wayward, headstrong, self-willed, contrary, perverse, difficult; [formal] refractory; [archaic] froward, contumacious

"Amy was unprepared to deal with three recalcitrant stepchildren"

noun:

1. a person with an obstinately uncooperative attitude

Front 430

visceral

Back 430

adjective:

relating to the viscera.

"the visceral nervous system"

- relating to deep inward feelings rather than to the intellect.

"the voters' visceral fear of change"

synonyms:

instinctive, instinctual, gut, deep-down, deep-seated, deep-rooted, inward; emotional; animal

"a visceral fear of change"

Front 431

prodromal

Back 431

adjective:

[medicine] relating to or denoting the period between the appearance of initial symptoms and the full development of a rash or fever.

Front 432

germane

Back 432

adjective:

relevant to a subject under consideration.

"that is not germane to our theme"

synonyms:

relevant, pertinent, applicable, apposite, material; apropos, appropriate, apt, fitting, suitable; connected, related, akin; on-topic

"your question is not germane to the topic at hand"

antonyms:

irrelevant

Front 433

intemperate

Back 433

adjective:

having or showing a lack of self-control; immoderate.

"intemperate outbursts concerning global conspiracies"

synonyms:

immoderate, excessive, undue, inordinate, extreme, unrestrained, uncontrolled; self-indulgent, overindulgent, extravagant, lavish, prodigal, profligate; imprudent, reckless, wild; dissolute, debauched, wanton, dissipated

"a man of intemperate taste may soon find himself with little left to taste"

- given to or characterized by excessive indulgence, especially in alcohol.

"an intemperate social occasion"

Front 434

nascent

Back 434

adjective:

(especially of a process or organization) just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential.

"the nascent space industry"

synonyms:

just beginning, budding, developing, growing, embryonic, incipient, young, fledgling, evolving, emergent, dawning, burgeoning

"the nascent economic recovery"

- [chemistry] (chiefly of hydrogen) freshly generated in a reactive form.

Front 435

chicanery

Back 435

noun:

the use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose.

"an underhanded person who schemes corruption and political chicanery behind closed doors"

synonyms:

trickery, deception, deceit, deceitfulness, duplicity, dishonesty, deviousness, unscrupulousness, underhandedness, subterfuge, fraud, fraudulence, swindling, cheating, duping, hoodwinking; [informal] crookedness, monkey business, hanky-panky, shenanigans, skulduggery, monkeyshines; [archaic] management, knavery

"we didn't catch on to his chicanery until it was too late"

Front 436

wanton

Back 436

adjective:

1. (of a cruel or violent action) deliberate and unprovoked.

"sheer wanton vandalism"

synonyms:

deliberate, willful, malicious, spiteful, wicked, cruel; gratuitous, unprovoked, motiveless, arbitrary, groundless, unjustifiable, needless, unnecessary, uncalled for, senseless, pointless, purposeless, meaningless, empty, random; capricious

"wanton destruction"

2. (especially of a woman) sexually immodest or promiscuous.

synonyms:

promiscuous, immoral, immodest, indecent, shameless, unchaste, fast, loose, impure, abandoned, lustful, lecherous, lascivious, libidinous, licentious, dissolute, debauched, degenerate, corrupt, whorish, disreputable

"a wanton seductress"

noun:

[archaic]

1. a sexually immodest or promiscuous woman.

verb:

[archaic]

[literary]

1. play; frolic.

2. behave in a sexually immodest or promiscuous way.

Front 437

ingratiate

Back 437

verb:

bring oneself into favor with someone by flattering or trying to please them.

"a social climber who had tried to ingratiate herself with the city gentry"

synonyms:

curry favor with, cultivate, win over, get in good with; toady to, grovel to, fawn over, kowtow to, play up to, pander to, flatter, court, wheedle, schmooze;] informal] suck up to, lick someone's boots, butter up, brown-nose

"he ingratiated himself with colleagues to get into a position of trust"

Front 438

screed

Back 438

noun:

1. a long speech or piece of writing, typically one regarded as tedious.

2. a leveled layer of material (e.g., cement) applied to a floor or other surface.

- a strip of plaster or other material placed on a surface as a guide to thickness.

verb:

1. level (a floor or layer of concrete) with a straight edge using a back and forth motion while moving across the surface.

Front 439

sophistry

Back 439

noun:

the use of fallacious arguments, especially with the intention of deceiving.

- a fallacious argument.

synonyms:

specious reasoning, fallacy, sophism, casuistry

"to claim this is pure sophistry"

fallacious argument, sophism, fallacy; paralogism

"a speech full of sophistries"

Front 440

indigent

Back 440

adjective:

1. poor; needy.

synonyms:

poor, impecunious, destitute, penniless, impoverished, insolvent, poverty-stricken; needy, in need, hard up, disadvantaged, badly off; [informal] (flat) broke, strapped (for cash), on skid row, down-and-out; [formal] penurious

"indigent families"

antonyms:

rich

noun:

1. a needy person.

synonyms:

vagrant, homeless person, down-and-out, beggar, pauper, derelict, have-not; [informal] bum

"a shelter for the city's indigents"

Front 441

impecunious

Back 441

adjective:

having little or no money.

"a titled but impecunious family"

synonyms:

penniless, poor, impoverished, indigent, insolvent, hard up, poverty-stricken, needy, destitute; in straitened circumstances, unable to make ends meet; [informal] (flat) broke, strapped (for cash); [formal] penurious

"she left Evansville to escape the solicitations of her impecunious relatives"

antonyms:

wealthy

Front 442

penurious

Back 442

adjective:

1. extremely poor; poverty-stricken.

"a penurious old tramp"

synonyms:

poor, poor as a church mouse, poverty-stricken, destitute, necessitous, impecunious, impoverished, indigent, needy, in need/want, badly off, in reduced/straitened circumstances, hard up, unable to make ends meet, penniless, without a cent (to one's name), without a sou; [informal] (flat) broke, strapped for cash

"a penurious student"

antonyms:

wealthy

- characterized by poverty or need.

"penurious years"

2. parsimonious; mean.

"he was generous and hospitable in contrast to his stingy and penurious wife"

synonyms:

mean, miserly, niggardly, parsimonious, penny-pinching, close-fisted, Scroogelike;[informal] stingy, mingy, tight, tightfisted, money-grubbing; [archaic] near

"a penurious old skinflint"

antonyms:

generous

Front 443

clarion

Back 443

noun:

[historical]

1. a shrill, narrow-tubed war trumpet.

- an organ stop with a quality resembling that of a clarion.

adjective:

1. loud and clear.

"clarion trumpeters"

Front 444

upbraid

Back 444

verb:

find fault with (someone); scold.

"he was upbraided for his slovenly appearance"

synonyms:

reprimand, rebuke, admonish, chastise, chide, reprove, reproach, scold, berate, take to task, lambaste, give someone a piece of one's mind, give someone a tongue-lashing, rake/haul over the coals, lecture; [informal] tell off, give someone a talking-to, tear a strip off (of), dress down, give someone an earful, rap over the knuckles, bawl out, lay into, chew out, ream out; [formal] castigate; [rare] reprehend

"we were upbraided for leaving the back door unlocked"

Front 445

gaggle

Back 445

noun:

1. a flock of geese.

2. [informal] a disorderly or noisy group of people.

"the gaggle of reporters and photographers that dogged his every step"

Front 446

deadpan

Back 446

adjective:

1. deliberately impassive or expressionless.

"answers his phone in a deadpan tone"

synonyms:

blank, expressionless, inexpressive, impassive, inscrutable, poker-faced, straight-faced; stony, wooden, vacant, fixed, lifeless

"his deadpan expression"

antonyms:

expressive

adverb:

1. in a deadpan manner.

verb:

1. say something amusing while affecting a serious manner.

"“I'm an undercover dentist,” he deadpanned"

Front 447

adjudge

Back 447

verb:

consider or declare to be true or the case.

"she was adjudged guilty"

synonyms:

judge, deem, find, pronounce, proclaim, rule, hold, determine; consider, think, rate, reckon, perceive, believe

"the court adjudges and decrees that the company's conduct violates Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act"

- (in legal use) award something judicially to (someone).

"the court adjudged legal damages to her"

- (in legal use) condemn (someone) to pay a penalty.

"the defaulter was adjudged to pay the whole amount"

Front 448

vociferous

Back 448

adjective:

(especially of a person or speech) vehement or clamorous.

"he was a vociferous opponent of the takeover"

Front 449

saudade

Back 449

noun:

a feeling of longing, melancholy, or nostalgia that is supposedly characteristic of the Portuguese or Brazilian temperament.

Front 450

kurfuffle

Back 450

noun [British]:

[informal] a commotion or fuss, especially one caused by conflicting views.

"there was a kerfuffle over the chairmanship"

Front 451

impetuous

Back 451

adjective:

acting or done quickly and without thought or care.

"her friend was headstrong and impetuous"

synonyms:

impulsive, rash, hasty, overhasty, reckless, heedless, careless, foolhardy, bullheaded, headstrong, incautious, imprudent, injudicious, ill-considered, unthought-out; spontaneous, impromptu, spur-of-the-moment, precipitate, precipitous, hurried, rushed; [informal] devil-may-care, harum-scarum, hotheaded

"an impetuous decision"

antonyms:

considered, cautious

- moving forcefully or rapidly.

"an impetuous but controlled flow of water"

synonyms:

torrential, powerful, forceful, vigorous, violent, raging, relentless, uncontrolled;rapid, fast, fast-flowing, swift

"an impetuous flow of water"

antonyms:

sluggish

Front 452

extemporaneous

Back 452

adjective:

spoken or done without preparation.

"an extemporaneous speech"

Front 453

pique

Back 453

(not to be confused with piqué, a stiff fabric, typically cotton, woven in a strongly ribbed or raised pattern.)

noun:

1. a feeling of irritation or resentment resulting from a slight, especially to one's pride.

"he left in a fit of pique"

synonyms:

irritation, annoyance, resentment, anger, displeasure, indignation, petulance, ill humor, vexation, exasperation, disgruntlement, discontent; offense, umbrage

"a fit of pique"

verb:

1.stimulate (interest or curiosity).

"you have piqued my curiosity about the man"

synonyms:

stimulate, arouse, rouse, provoke, whet, awaken, excite, kindle, stir, galvanize

"his curiosity was piqued"

2. feel irritated or resentful.

"she was piqued by his curtness"

synonyms:

irritate, annoy, bother, vex, displease, upset, offend, affront, anger, exasperate, infuriate, gall, irk, nettle; [informal] peeve, aggravate, miff, rile, bug, needle, get someone's back up, get someone's goat, tick off, tee off

"she was piqued by his neglect"

3. [archaic] pride oneself.

Front 454

mutually exclusive

Back 454

being related such that each excludes or precludes the other

"mutually exclusive events"

- incompatible

"their outlooks were not mutually exclusive"

"Mutually exclusive" is a statistical term describing two or more events that cannot occur simultaneously. For example, it is impossible to roll a five and a three on a single die at the same time. Another clear example is the set of outcomes of a single coin toss, which can result in either heads or tails, but not both.

Front 455

tempest

Back 455

noun:

a violent windy storm.

synonyms:

storm, gale, hurricane; tornado, whirlwind, cyclone, typhoon

"the skies opened and a tempest erupted"

Front 456

pretext

Back 456

noun:

a reason given in justification of a course of action that is not the real reason.

"the rebels had the perfect pretext for making their move"

synonyms:

excuse, false excuse, ostensible reason, alleged reason; guise, ploy, pretense, ruse

"he used the pretext of looking for his dog to come into our yard"

Front 457

farce

Back 457

noun:

a comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay and typically including crude characterization and ludicrously improbable situations.

synonyms:

slapstick comedy, slapstick, burlesque, vaudeville, buffoonery

"the stories approach farce"

antonyms:

tragedythe genre of farce.an absurd event.

"the debate turned into a drunken farce"

synonyms:

mockery, travesty, absurdity, sham, pretense, masquerade, charade, joke, waste of time; [informal] shambles

"the trial was a farce"

Front 458

anecdote/anecdotal

Back 458

ANECDOTE

noun:

a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person.

"told anecdotes about his job"

synonyms:

story, tale, narrative, incident; urban myth/legend; [informal] yarn

"amusing anecdotes"

- an account regarded as unreliable or hearsay.

"his wife's death has long been the subject of rumor and anecdote"

- the depiction of a minor narrative incident in a painting.

ANECDOTAL

adjective:

(of an account) not necessarily true or reliable, because based on personal accounts rather than facts or research.

"while there was much anecdotal evidence there was little hard fact"

- characterized by or fond of telling anecdotes.

"her book is anecdotal and chatty"

- (of a painting) depicting small narrative incidents.

"nineteenth-century French anecdotal paintings"

Front 459

metaphors

Back 459

noun:

a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.

"“I had fallen through a trapdoor of depression,” said Mark, who was fond of theatrical metaphors"

synonyms:

figure of speech, image, trope, analogy, comparison, symbol, word painting/picture

"the profusion of metaphors in her everyday speech has gotten pretty tiresome"

- a thing regarded as representative or symbolic of something else, especially something abstract.

"the amounts of money being lost by the company were enough to make it a metaphor for an industry that was teetering"

Front 460

conflagrations

Back 460

noun:

an extensive fire that destroys a great deal of land or property.

synonyms:

fire, blaze, flames, inferno, firestorm

"the conflagration spread rapidly through the wooden buildings"

Front 461

auspicious

Back 461

adjective:

conducive to success; favorable.

"it was not the most auspicious moment to hold an election"

synonyms:

favorable, propitious, promising, rosy, good, encouraging; opportune, timely, lucky, fortunate, providential, felicitous, advantageous

"thanks for joining us on this auspicious occasion"

- giving or being a sign of future success.

"they said it was an auspicious moon—it was rising"

- [archaic] characterized by success; prosperous.

"he was respectful to his auspicious customers"

Front 462

felicitous

Back 462

adjective:

well chosen or suited to the circumstances.

"a felicitous phrase"

synonyms:

apt, well chosen, fitting, suitable, appropriate, apposite, pertinent, germane, relevant

"his nickname was particularly felicitous"

antonyms:

inappropriate

- pleasing and fortunate.

"the view was the room's only felicitous feature"

synonyms:

favorable, advantageous, good, pleasing

"the room's only felicitous feature"

antonyms:

unfortunate

Front 463

insolvent

Back 463

adjective:

1. unable to pay debts owed.

"the company became insolvent"

synonyms:

bankrupt, ruined, wiped out, in receivership; penniless, poor, impoverished, impecunious, destitute, without a penny (to one's name), in debt, in arrears, overleveraged; [informal] bust, (flat) broke, belly up, in the red, hard up, strapped (for cash), cleaned out; [formal] penurious

"even his family never suspected that he was insolvent"

- relating to insolvency.

"insolvent liquidation"

noun:

1. an insolvent person.

Front 464

impecunious

Back 464

adjective:

having little or no money.

"a titled but impecunious family"

synonyms:

penniless, poor, impoverished, indigent, insolvent, hard up, poverty-stricken, needy, destitute; in straitened circumstances, unable to make ends meet; [informal] (flat) broke, strapped (for cash); [formal] penurious

"she left Evansville to escape the solicitations of her impecunious relatives"

antonyms:

wealthy

Front 465

aphorism

Back 465

noun:

a pithy observation that contains a general truth, such as, “if it ain't broke, don't fix it.”.

synonyms:

saying, maxim, axiom, adage, epigram, dictum, gnome, proverb, saw, tag; [rare] apophthegm

"she was a fount of Orwellian aphorisms"

- a concise statement of a scientific principle, typically by an ancient classical author.

Front 466

pithy

Back 466

adjective:

1. (of language or style) concise and forcefully expressive.

synonyms:

succinct, terse, concise, compact, short (and sweet), brief, condensed, to the point, epigrammatic, crisp, thumbnail; significant, meaningful, expressive, telling; [formal] compendious

"pithy comments"

antonyms:

verbose

2. (of a fruit or plant) containing much pith.

Front 467

compendious

Back 467

adjective:

containing or presenting the essential facts of something in a comprehensive but concise way.

"a compendious study"

synonyms:

succinct, pithy, short and to the point, concise, compact, condensed, compressed, abridged, summarized, synoptic, capsule; [informal] snappy

"a compendious essay on Italian music"

antonyms:

expanded

Front 468

bereft

Back 468

1. [archaic] past participle of bereave.

adjective:

1. deprived of or lacking something, especially a nonmaterial asset.

"her room was stark and bereft of color"

synonyms:

deprived of, robbed of, stripped of, devoid of, bankrupt of; wanting, in need of, lacking, without; [informal] minus, sans, clean out of

"are you totally bereft of common sense?"

- (of a person) lonely and abandoned, especially through someone's death or departure.

"his death in 1990 left her bereft"

Front 469

bombastic

Back 469

adjective:

high-sounding but with little meaning; inflated.

"bombastic rhetoric"

synonyms:

pompous, blustering, turgid, verbose, orotund, high-flown, high-sounding, overwrought, pretentious, ostentatious, grandiloquent; [informal] highfalutin, puffed up; [rare] fustian

"his bombastic speeches could send thousands into the streets"

Front 470

cabal

Back 470

noun:

a secret political clique or faction.

"a cabal of dissidents"

synonyms:

clique, faction, coterie, cell, sect, junta, camarilla; lobby (group), pressure group

"a cabal of dissidents"

Front 471

uncouth

Back 471

adjective:

(of a person or their appearance or behavior) lacking good manners, refinement, or grace.

"he is unwashed, uncouth, and drunk most of the time"

synonyms:

uncivilized, uncultured, uncultivated, unrefined, unpolished, unsophisticated, bush-league, common, plebeian, low, rough, rough-hewn, coarse, loutish, boorish, oafish, troglodyte; churlish, uncivil, rude, impolite, discourteous, disrespectful, unmannerly, bad-mannered, ill-bred, indecorous, crass, indelicate; vulgar, crude, raunchy

"I was hoping you'd be less uncouth in public"

- (especially of art or language) lacking sophistication or delicacy.

"uncouth sketches of peasants"

- [archaic] (of a place) uncomfortable, especially because of remoteness or poor conditions.

Front 472

consternation

Back 472

noun:

feelings of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected.

"I always welcomed clover, much to the consternation of the neighbors"

synonyms:

dismay, perturbation, distress, disquiet, discomposure; surprise, amazement, astonishment; alarm, panic, fear, fright, shock

"much to his colleagues' consternation, Victor was awarded the job in Paris"

antonyms:

satisfaction

Front 473

draconian

Back 473

adjective:

(of laws or their application) excessively harsh and severe.

synonyms:

harsh, severe, strict, extreme, drastic, stringent, tough; cruel, oppressive, ruthless, relentless, punitive; authoritarian, despotic, tyrannical, repressive

"collaborators suffered draconian reprisals"

Front 474

satire

Back 474

noun:

the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.

synonyms:

mockery, ridicule, derision, scorn, caricature; irony, sarcasm

"he has become the subject of satire"

- a play, novel, film, or other work that uses satire.

"a stinging satire on American politics"

synonyms:

parody, burlesque, caricature, lampoon, skit ;[informal] spoof, takeoff, sendup

"a satire on Canadian politics"a

- genre of literature characterized by the use of satire.

- (in Latin literature) a literary miscellany, especially a poem ridiculing prevalent vices or follies.

Front 475

ultracrepidarian

Back 475

adjective:

1.expressing opinions on matters outside the scope of one's knowledge or expertise.

"“Dad, how do we know the universe is expanding?” inquires your six-year-old. Try answering that without resorting to an ultracrepidarian trick here or there"

noun:

1. a person who expresses opinions on matters outside the scope of their knowledge or expertise.

"most patients are ultracrepidarians when it comes to medicine"

Origin:

early 19th century: from Latin ultra ‘beyond’ and crepida ‘shoe, sandal,’ with allusion to the remark ne supra crepidam sutor iudicaret ‘the cobbler should not judge beyond his shoe,’ attributed to the painter Apelles of Kos in response to criticism from a shoemaker in Pliny the Elder's Natural History (AD 77).

Front 476

nexus

Back 476

noun:

a connection or series of connections linking two or more things.

"the nexus between industry and political power"

- a connected group or series."a nexus of ideas

"the central and most important point or place."

- the nexus of all this activity was the disco"

Front 477

archipelago

Back 477

noun:

a group of islands.

- a sea or stretch of water containing many islands.

Front 478

precept

Back 478

noun:

1. a general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought.

"moral precepts"

synonyms:

principle, rule, tenet, canon, doctrine, command, order, decree, dictate, dictum, injunction, commandment; mitzvah;[formal] prescript

"the precepts of Orthodox Judaism"

2. a writ or warrant.

"the Commissioner issued precepts requiring the companies to provide information"

Front 479

cretin

Back 479

noun:

1. [informal, offensive] a stupid person (used as a general term of abuse).

2. [Medicine, dated] a person who is deformed and mentally handicapped because of congenital thyroid deficiency.

Front 480

erudite

Back 480

adjective:

having or showing great knowledge or learning.

synonyms:

learned, scholarly, educated, knowledgeable, well read, well informed, intellectual; intelligent, clever, academic, literary; bookish, highbrow, sophisticated, cerebral;[informal] brainy; [dated] lettered

"our erudite cousin, Norma"

antonyms:

ignorant

Front 481

cantankerous

Back 481

adjective:

bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative.

"a crusty, cantankerous old man"

Front 482

pantheon

Back 482

noun:

all the gods of a people or religion collectively.

"the deities of the Hindu and Shinto pantheons"

- (especially in ancient Greece and Rome) a temple dedicated to all the gods.

noun: Pantheon

- building in which the illustrious dead of a nation are buried or honored.a group of particularly respected, famous, or important people.

"the pantheon of the all-time greats"

Front 483

dissolution

Back 483

noun:

1. the closing down or dismissal of an assembly, partnership, or official body.

"the dissolution of their marriage"

synonyms:

cessation, conclusion, end, ending, termination, winding up/down, discontinuation, suspension, disbanding; prorogation, recess

"the dissolution of the legislative session"

- [technical] the action or process of dissolving or being dissolved.

"minerals susceptible to dissolution"

synonyms:

dissolving, liquefaction, melting, deliquescence; breaking up, decomposition, disintegration

"the dissolution of a polymer in a solvent"

- disintegration; decomposition.

"the dissolution of the flesh"

synonyms:

disintegration, breaking up; decay, collapse, demise, extinction

"the dissolution of the empire"

- [formal] death.

2. debauched living; dissipation.

"an advanced state of dissolution"

Front 484

h

Back 484

b

Front 485

harangue

Back 485

noun:

1. a lengthy and aggressive speech.

synonyms:

tirade, diatribe, lecture, polemic, rant, fulmination, broadside, attack, onslaught; criticism, condemnation, censure, admonition, sermon; declamation, speech; [informal] blast; [literary] philippic

"a ten-minute harangue"

verb:

lecture (someone) at length in an aggressive and critical manner.

"the kind of guy who harangued total strangers about PCB levels in whitefish"

synonyms:

rant at, hold forth to, lecture, shout at; berate, criticize, attack; [informal] sound off at, mouth off to

"he harangued his erstwhile colleagues"

Front 486

galvanize

Back 486

verb:

1. shock or excite (someone), typically into taking action.

"the urgency of his voice galvanized them into action"

synonyms:

jolt, shock, startle, impel, stir, spur, prod, urge, motivate, stimulate, electrify, excite, rouse, arouse, awaken; invigorate, fire, animate, vitalize, energize, exhilarate, thrill, catalyze, inspire, light a fire under; [informal] give someone a shot in the arm

"the reverend's words galvanized our group into action"

2. coat (iron or steel) with a protective layer of zinc.

"an old galvanized bucket"

Front 487

jettison

Back 487

verb:

1. throw or drop (something) from an aircraft or ship.

"six aircraft jettisoned their loads in the sea"

- abandon or discard (someone or something that is no longer wanted).

"individuals are often forced to jettison certain attitudes and behaviors"

synonyms:

dump, drop, ditch, discharge, throw out, unload, throw overboard

"six aircraft jettisoned their loads"

- discard, dispose of, throw away/out, get rid of; reject, scrap, abandon, drop; [informal] chuck (out), dump, ditch, ax, trash, junk, deep-six

"he jettisoned his unwanted papers"

antonyms:

keep, retain

noun:

1. the action of jettisoning something.

Front 488

accede

Back 488

verb [formal]:

1. assent or agree to a demand, request, or treaty.

"the authorities did not accede to the strikers' demands"

synonyms:

agree to, consent to, accept, assent to, acquiesce in, comply with, go along with, concur with, surrender to, yield to, give in to, give way to, defer to

"he acceded to the government's demands"

2. assume an office or position.

"he acceded to the post of director in September"

synonyms:

succeed to, come to, assume, inherit, take

"Elizabeth I acceded to the throne in 1558"

- become a member of a community or organization.

"Albania acceded to the IMF in 1990"

synonyms:

join, become a member of, sign on to, sign up for

"Albania acceded to the IMF in 1990"

Front 489

winsome

Back 489

adjective:

attractive or appealing in appearance or character.

"a winsome smile"

Front 490

invective

Back 490

noun:

insulting, abusive, or highly critical language.

"he let out a stream of invective"

synonyms:

abuse, insults, expletives, swear words, swearing, curses, foul language, foul language, vituperation; denunciation, censure, vilification, revilement, reproach, castigation, recrimination; [informal] tongue-lashing, trash talk; [formal] obloquy, contumely

"the invective that spewed from his lips left everyone speechless"

antonyms:

praise

Front 491

vituperative

Back 491

adjective:

bitter and abusive.

"the criticism soon turned into a vituperative attack"

Front 492

cordial

Back 492

adjective:

1. warm and friendly.

"the atmosphere was cordial and relaxed"

synonyms:

friendly, warm, genial, affable, amiable, pleasant, fond, affectionate, warmhearted, good-natured, gracious, hospitable, welcoming, hearty

"a cordial welcome"

- strongly felt.

"I earned his cordial loathing"

noun:

1. [North American] another term for liqueur.

synonyms:

liqueur, drink

"fruit cordial"

- [British] a sweet fruit-flavored drink.

"wine cups and fruit cordials"

2. a comforting or pleasant-tasting medicine.

Front 493

irony

Back 493

noun:

the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.

"“Don't go overboard with the gratitude,” he rejoined with heavy irony"

synonyms:

sarcasm, causticity, cynicism, mockery, satire, sardonicism

"that note of irony in her voice"

antonyms:

sincerity

- a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result.

plural noun: ironies

"the irony is that I thought he could help me"

synonyms:

paradox, incongruity, incongruousness

"the irony of the situation"

antonyms:

logic

- a literary technique, originally used in Greek tragedy, by which the full significance of a character's words or actions are clear to the audience or reader although unknown to the character.

noun: dramatic irony

Front 494

ironic

Back 494

adjective:

using or characterized by irony.

"his mouth curved into an ironic smile"

synonyms:

sarcastic, sardonic, cynical, mocking, satirical, caustic, wry

"Edward's tone was ironic"

antonyms:

sincere

- happening in the opposite way to what is expected, and typically causing wry amusement because of this.

"it was ironic that now that everybody had plenty of money for food, they couldn't obtain it because everything was rationed"

synonyms:

paradoxical, incongruous

"it's ironic that a former illiterate is now a successful writer"

antonyms:

logical

Front 495

beleaguer

Back 495

verb:

lay siege to.

"he is leading a relief force to the aid of the beleaguered city"

synonyms:

besieged, under siege, blockaded, surrounded, encircled, beset, hemmed in, under attack

"the beleaguered garrison"

- beset with difficulties.

"the board is supporting the beleaguered director amid calls for his resignation"

synonyms:

hard-pressed, troubled, in difficulties, under pressure, under stress, with one's back to the wall, in a tight corner, in a tight spot, up against it; beset, assailed

"a beleaguered government"

Front 496

relegate

Back 496

verb:

consign or dismiss to an inferior rank or position.

"they aim to prevent women from being relegated to a secondary role"

synonyms:

downgrade, lower, lower in rank/status, put down, move down; demote, degrade

"cooperatives may be relegated to a secondary role in the sector"

Front 497

venal

Back 497

adjective:

showing or motivated by susceptibility to bribery.

"why should these venal politicians care how they are rated?"

synonyms:
corrupt, corruptible, bribable, open to bribery; dishonest, dishonorable, untrustworthy, unscrupulous, unprincipled; mercenary, greedy; [informal] crooked

"they ran the town according to their own venal system of 'law and order'"

antonyms:
honorable, honest

1. capable of being bought or obtained for money or other valuable consideration : purchasable; especially : open to corrupt influence and especially bribery : mercenary "a venal legislator"

2. originating in, characterized by, or associated with corrupt bribery a venal arrangement with the police

Front 498

excoriate

Back 498

verb:

1. [formal] censure or criticize severely.

"the papers that had been excoriating him were now lauding him"

2. [medicine] damage or remove part of the surface of (the skin).

synonyms:

abrade, rub away, rub raw, scrape, scratch, chafe; strip away, skin

"the skin had been excoriated"

Front 499

insolvent

Back 499

adjective:

1. unable to pay debts owed.

"the company became insolvent"

synonyms:

bankrupt, ruined, wiped out, in receivership; penniless, poor, impoverished, impecunious, destitute, without a penny (to one's name), in debt, in arrears, overleveraged; [informal] bust, (flat) broke, belly up, in the red, hard up, strapped (for cash), cleaned out; [formal] penurious

"even his family never suspected that he was insolvent"

- relating to insolvency.

"insolvent liquidation"

noun:

an insolvent person.

Front 500

penurious

Back 500

adjective:

1. extremely poor; poverty-stricken.

"a penurious old tramp"

synonyms:

poor, poor as a church mouse, poverty-stricken, destitute, necessitous, impecunious, impoverished, indigent, needy, in need/want, badly off, in reduced/straitened circumstances, hard up, unable to make ends meet, penniless, without a cent (to one's name), without a sou; [informal] (flat) broke, strapped for cash

"a penurious student"

antonyms:

wealthy

- characterized by poverty or need.

"penurious years"

2. parsimonious; mean.

"he was generous and hospitable in contrast to his stingy and penurious wife"

synonyms:

mean, miserly, niggardly, parsimonious, penny-pinching, close-fisted, Scroogelike; [informal] stingy, mingy, tight, tightfisted, money-grubbing; [archaic] near

"a penurious old skinflint"antonyms:generous

Front 501

bifurcate

Back 501

verb:

divide into two branches or forks.

"just below Cairo the river bifurcates"

adjective:

1. forked; branched.

"a bifurcate tree"

Front 502

effete

Back 502

adjective:

(of a person) affected, overrefined, and ineffectual.

"effete trendies from art college"

synonyms:

affected, pretentious, precious, mannered, overrefined; ineffectual; [informal] la-di-da

"effete trendies"

antonyms:

unpretentious

- no longer capable of effective action.

"the authority of an effete aristocracy began to dwindle"

synonyms:

weak, enfeebled, enervated, worn out, exhausted, finished, drained, spent, powerless, ineffectual

"the fabric of society is effete

antonyms:

powerful

Front 503

pithy

Back 503

adjective:

1. (of language or style) concise and forcefully expressive.

synonyms:

succinct, terse, concise, compact, short (and sweet), brief, condensed, to the point, epigrammatic, crisp, thumbnail; significant, meaningful, expressive, telling; [formal] compendious

"pithy comments"

antonyms:

verbose

2. (of a fruit or plant) containing much pith.

Front 504

glib

Back 504

adjective:

(of words or the person speaking them) fluent and voluble but insincere and shallow.

"she was careful not to let the answer sound too glib"

synonyms:

slick, pat, fast-talking, smooth-talking; disingenuous, insincere, facile, shallow, superficial, flippant; smooth, silver-tongued, urbane; [informal] flip, sweet-talking

"glib phrases rolled off his tongue"

antonyms:

sincere

Front 505

voluble

Back 505

adjective:

speaking or spoken incessantly and fluently.

"she was as voluble as her husband was silent"

synonyms:

talkative, loquacious, garrulous, verbose, wordy, chatty, gossipy, effusive, gushing, forthcoming, conversational, communicative, expansive; articulate, fluent; [informal] mouthy, motormouthed, gabby, gassy, windy, talky

"she was as voluble as her husband was silent"

antonyms:

taciturn

Front 506

contradistinction

Back 506

noun:

distinction made by contrasting the different qualities of two things.

"the bacterium is termed “rough” in contradistinction to its ordinary smooth form"

Front 507

rife

Back 507

adjective:

1. (especially of something undesirable or harmful) of common occurrence; widespread.

"male chauvinism was rife in medicine in those days"

synonyms:

widespread, general, common, universal, extensive, ubiquitous, omnipresent, endemic, inescapable, insidious, prevalent

"violence is rife"

antonyms:

scarce, unknown

- full of.

"the streets were rife with rumor and fear"

synonyms:

overflowing, bursting, alive, teeming, abounding

"the village was rife with gossip"

antonyms:

devoid

adverb:

1. in an unchecked or widespread manner.

"speculation ran rife that he was an arms dealer"

Front 508

imbroglios

Back 508

noun:

an extremely confused, complicated, or embarrassing situation.

"the Watergate imbroglio"

synonyms:

complicated situation, complication, problem, difficulty, predicament, trouble, confusion, quandary, entanglement, muddle, mess, quagmire, morass, sticky situation; [informal] bind, jam, pickle, fix, corner, hole, scrape

"the company may not survive another legal imbroglio"

- [archaic] confused heap.

Front 509

rout

Back 509

noun:

1. a disorderly retreat of defeated troops.

"the retreat degenerated into a rout"

synonyms:

retreat, flight

"the army's ignominious rout"

- a decisive defeat.

"the party lost more than half their seats in the rout"

synonyms:

crushing defeat, trouncing, annihilation; debacle, fiasco; [informal] licking, hammering, thrashing, drubbing, massacre

"the game was a rout for the Marlins"

antonyms:

victory

2 . [law, dated]

an assembly of people who have made a move toward committing an illegal act that would constitute an offense of riot.

- [archaic] a disorderly or tumultuous crowd of people.

"a rout of strangers ought not to be admitted"

3. [British, archaic] a large evening party or reception.

verb:

1. defeat and cause to retreat in disorder.

"in a matter of minutes the attackers were routed"

synonyms:

put to flight, drive off, scatter; defeat, beat, conquer, vanquish, crush, overpower

"his army was routed"

Front 510

ignominious

Back 510

adjective:

deserving or causing public disgrace or shame.

"no other party risked ignominious defeat"

synonyms:

humiliating, undignified, embarrassing, mortifying; ignoble, inglorious; disgraceful, shameful, dishonorable, discreditable

"he made an ignominious exit after 21 months in power"

antonyms:

glorious

Front 511

besmirch

Back 511

verb:

damage the reputation of (someone or something) in the opinion of others.

"he had besmirched the good name of his family"

synonyms:

sully, tarnish, blacken, drag through the mud/mire, stain, taint, smear, disgrace, dishonor, bring discredit to, damage, debase, ruin; slander, malign, defame; [literary] besmear, smirch; [archaic] breathe on

"I'm not trying to besmirch the victim, but the woman had an extensive history of drug-related arrests"

- [literary] make (something) dirty or discolored.

"the ground was besmirched with blood"

Front 512

brinksmanship

Back 512

noun:

the art or practice of pursuing a dangerous policy to the limits of safety before stopping, typically in politics.

Front 513

hegemony

Back 513

noun:

leadership or dominance, especially by one country or social group over others.

"Germany was united under Prussian hegemony after 1871"

synonyms:

leadership, dominance, dominion, supremacy, authority, mastery, control, power, sway, rule, sovereignty

"the Prussian hegemony of the nineteenth century"

Front 514

recalcitrant

Back 514

adjective:

1. having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline.

"a class of recalcitrant fifteen-year-olds"

synonyms:

uncooperative, intractable, obstreperous, truculent, insubordinate, defiant, rebellious, willful, wayward, headstrong, self-willed, contrary, perverse, difficult; [formal] refractory; [archaic] froward,contumacious

"Amy was unprepared to deal with three recalcitrant stepchildren"

antonyms:

amenable

noun:

1. a person with an obstinately uncooperative attitude.

Front 515

obstinate

Back 515

adjective:

stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so.

synonyms:

stubborn, unyielding, inflexible, unbending, intransigent, intractable, obdurate, mulish, bullheaded, stubborn as a mule, pigheaded, self-willed, strong-willed, headstrong, willful, contrary, perverse, recalcitrant, refractory, uncooperative, unmanageable, stiff-necked, rigid, uncompromising, implacable, unrelenting, immovable, unshakable; persistent, tenacious, pertinacious,dogged, single-minded

"it's unusual for two such obstinate people to have a happy marriage"

antonyms:

compliant

- (of an unwelcome phenomenon or situation) very difficult to change or overcome.

"the obstinate problem of unemployment"

Front 516

contemporaneous

Back 516

adjective:

existing or occurring in the same period of time.

"Pythagoras was contemporaneous with Buddha"

Front 517

roil

Back 517

verb:

1. make (a liquid) turbid or muddy by disturbing the sediment.

"winds roil these waters"

- (of a liquid) move in a turbulent, swirling manner.

"the sea roiled below her"

2. [US] another term for rile (sense 1).

Front 518

abdicate

Back 518

verb:

(of a monarch) renounce one's throne.

"in 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated as German emperor"

synonyms:

resign, retire, stand down, step down, bow out, renounce the throne; [archaic] demit

"the king abdicated in 1936"

-- resign from, relinquish, renounce, give up, surrender, vacate, cede; disclaim; [formal] abjure

-- "Ferdinand abdicated the throne"

antonyms:

be crowned, accede to

- fail to fulfill or undertake (a responsibility or duty).

"the government was accused of abdicating its responsibility"

synonyms:

disown, reject, renounce, give up, refuse, relinquish, repudiate, abandon, turn one's back on, wash one's hands of; forgo, waive; [formal] abjure; [literary] forsake

"the state abdicated all responsibility for their welfare"

antonyms:

accept, take on

Front 519

surreptitious

Back 519

adjective:

kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of.

"they carried on a surreptitious affair"

synonyms:

secret, secretive, stealthy, clandestine, sneaky, sly, furtive; concealed, hidden, undercover, covert, veiled, cloak-and-dagger

"a surreptitious glance"

antonyms:

blatant

Front 520

corroborate

Back 520

verb:

confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding).

"the witness had corroborated the boy's account of the attack"

synonyms:

confirm, verify, endorse, ratify, authenticate, validate, certify; support, back up, uphold, bear out, bear witness to, attest to, testify to, vouch for, give credence to, substantiate, sustain

"the witness can corroborate Brueller's story"

antonyms:

contradict

Front 521

prelapsarian

Back 521

adjective:

[theology] characteristic of the time before the Fall of Man; innocent and unspoiled.

"a prelapsarian Eden of astonishing plenitude"

Front 522

sacrosanct

Back 522

adjective:

(especially of a principle, place, or routine) regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with.

"the individual's right to work has been upheld as sacrosanct"

synonyms:

sacred, hallowed, respected, inviolable, inviolate, unimpeachable, invulnerable, untouchable, inalienable; protected, defended, secure, safe

"the separation of church and state is sacrosanct"

Front 523

embroil

Back 523

verb:

involve (someone) deeply in an argument, conflict, or difficult situation.

"she became embroiled in a dispute between two women she hardly knew"

synonyms:

involve, entangle, ensnare, enmesh, catch up, mix up, bog down, mire

"I don't want to get embroiled in your crazy schemes"

- bring into a state of confusion or disorder.

Front 524

recapitulate

Back 524

verb:

summarize and state again the main points of.

"he began to recapitulate his argument with care"

synonyms:

summarize, sum up; restate, repeat, reiterate, go over, review; [informal] recap

"I will recapitulate the main points"

- [Biology] repeat (an evolutionary or other process) during development and growth.

Front 525

impertinent

Back 525

adjective:

1. not showing proper respect; rude.

"an impertinent question"

synonyms:

rude, insolent, impolite, ill-mannered, bad-mannered, uncivil, discourteous, disrespectful; impudent, cheeky, pert, audacious, bold, brazen, brash, presumptuous,forward; tactless, undiplomatic; [informal] saucy, sassy, smart-alecky

"impertinent remarks"

2. [formal] not pertinent to a particular matter; irrelevant.

"talk of “rhetoric” and “strategy” is impertinent to this process"

synonyms:

rude, insolent, impolite, ill-mannered, bad-mannered, uncivil, discourteous, disrespectful; impudent, cheeky, pert, audacious,bold, brazen, brash, presumptuous,forward; tactless, undiplomatic; [informal] saucy, sassy, smart-alecky

"impertinent remarks"

Front 526

ingratiate

Back 526

verb:

bring oneself into favor with someone by flattering or trying to please them.

"a social climber who had tried to ingratiate herself with the city gentry"

synonyms:

curry favor with, cultivate, win over, get in good with; toady to, grovel to, fawn over, kowtow to, play up to, pander to, flatter, court, wheedle, schmooze; [informal] suck up to, lick someone's boots, butter up, brown-nose

"he ingratiated himself with colleagues to get into a position of trust"

Front 527

intrepid

Back 527

adjective:

fearless; adventurous (often used for rhetorical or humorous effect).

"our intrepid reporter"

synonyms:

fearless, unafraid, undaunted, unflinching, unshrinking, bold, daring, gallant, audacious, adventurous, heroic, dynamic, spirited, indomitable; brave, courageous, valiant, valorous, stouthearted, stalwart, plucky, doughty; [informal] gutsy, gutty, spunky, ballsy

"our intrepid leader inspired us to forge ahead"°

antonyms:

timid

Front 528

rhetorical

Back 528

adjective:

relating to or concerned with the art of rhetoric.

"repetition is a common rhetorical device"

synonyms:

stylistic, oratorical, linguistic, verbal

"rhetorical devices"

- expressed in terms intended to persuade or impress.

"the rhetorical commitment of the government to give priority to primary education"

synonyms:

extravagant, grandiloquent, magniloquent, high-flown, orotund, bombastic, grandiose, pompous, pretentious, overblown, oratorical, turgid, flowery, florid; [informal] highfalutin; [rare] fustian

"rhetorical hyperbole"

- (of a question) asked in order to produce an effect or to make a statement rather than to elicit information.

Front 529

rhetoric

Back 529

noun:

the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.

synonyms:

oratory, eloquence, command of language, way with words

"a form of rhetoric"

- language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect on its audience, but often regarded as lacking in sincerity or meaningful content.

"all we have from the opposition is empty rhetoric"

synonyms:

bombast, turgidity, grandiloquence, magniloquence, pomposity, extravagant language, purple prose; wordiness, verbosity, prolixity; [informal] hot air; [rare] fustian

"empty rhetoric"

Front 530

expostulate

Back 530

verb :

express strong disapproval or disagreement.

"I expostulated with him in vain"

synonyms:

remonstrate with, disagree with, argue with, take issue with, protest against, reason against, express disagreement with, raise objections to, rail against

"Jim expostulated with the teacher's opinion to no avail"

Front 531

remonstrate

Back 531

verb:

make a forcefully reproachful protest.

"he turned angrily to remonstrate with Tommy"

synonyms:

protest, complain, expostulate; argue with, take issue with

"“I'm not a child!” he remonstrated"

- object strongly to, complain vociferously about, protest against, argue against, oppose strongly, make a fuss about, challenge; deplore, condemn, denounce, criticize; [informal] kick up a fuss/stink about

"we remonstrated against this proposal"

Front 532

vociferous

Back 532

adjective:

(especially of a person or speech) vehement or clamorous.

"he was a vociferous opponent of the takeover"

Front 533

reproach

Back 533

verb:

1. address (someone) in such a way as to express disapproval or disappointment.

"critics of the administration reproached the president for his failure to tackle the deficiency"

- accuse someone of.

"his wife reproached him with cowardice"

- [archaic] censure or rebuke (an offense).

noun:

1. the expression of disapproval or disappointment.

"he gave her a look of reproach"

- a thing that makes the failings of someone or something else more apparent.

"his elegance is a living reproach to our slovenly habits"

synonyms:

disgrace, discredit, source of shame, blemish, stain, blot; [literary] smirch

"this party is a reproach to Canadian politics"

- (in the Roman Catholic Church) a set of antiphons and responses for Good Friday representing the reproaches of Jesus Christ to his people.

plural noun: Reproaches

Front 534

clamorous

Back 534

adjective:

making a loud and confused noise.

"a jostling, clamorous mob"

synonyms:

noisy, loud, vocal, vociferous, raucous, rowdy; importunate, demanding, insistent, vehement

"a crowd of clamorous children"

antonyms:

quiet

- expressing or characterized by vehement protests or demands.

"the clamorous radical wing of the party"

synonyms:

noisy, loud, vocal, vociferous, raucous, rowdy; importunate, demanding, insistent, vehement

"a crowd of clamorous children"

antonyms:

quiet

Front 535

importunate

Back 535

adjective:

persistent, especially to the point of annoyance or intrusion.

"importunate creditors"

Front 536

smirch

Back 536

verb:

1. make (something) dirty; soil.

"the window was smirched by heat and smoke"

-- discredit (a person or their reputation); taint.

"I am not accustomed to having my honor smirched"

noun:

1. a dirty mark or stain.

-- a blot on someone's character; a flaw.

Front 537

turgid

Back 537

adjective:

swollen and distended or congested.

"a turgid and fast-moving river"

synonyms:

swollen, distended, tumescent, engorged, bloated, tumid

"the tissues become turgid"

- (of language or style) tediously pompous or bombastic.

"some turgid verses on the death of Prince Albert"

synonyms:

bombastic, pompous, overblown, inflated, tumid, high-flown, puffed up, affected, pretentious, grandiose, florid, ornate, grandiloquent, orotund; [informal] highfalutin, purple

"his turgid prose"

antonyms:

simple

Front 538

pompous

Back 538

adjective:

affectedly and irritatingly grand, solemn, or self-important.

"a pompous ass who pretends he knows everything"

synonyms:

self-important, imperious, overbearing, domineering, magisterial, pontifical, sententious, grandiose, affected, pretentious, puffed up, arrogant, vain, haughty, proud, conceited, egotistic, supercilious, condescending, patronizing; [informal] snooty, uppity, uppish

"pompous officials"

antonyms:

modest

- [archaic] characterized by pomp or splendor.

"there were many processions and other pompous shows"

Front 539

imperious

Back 539

adjective :

assuming power or authority without justification; arrogant and domineering.

"his imperious demands"

synonyms:

peremptory, high-handed, commanding, imperial, overbearing, overweening, domineering, authoritarian, dictatorial, autocratic, authoritative, lordly, assertive, bossy, arrogant, haughty, presumptuous; [informal] pushy, high and mighty

"Black tells stories of imperious judges and duplicitous witnesses"

Front 540

verisimilitude

Back 540

noun:

the appearance of being true or real.

"the detail gives the novel some verisimilitude"

synonyms:

realism, believability, plausibility, authenticity, credibility, lifelikeness

"the verisimilitude of her performance is gripping"

Front 541

eschew

Back 541

verb:

deliberately avoid using; abstain from.

"he appealed to the crowd to eschew violence"

synonyms:

abstain from, refrain from, give up, forgo, shun, renounce, steer clear of, have nothing to do with, fight shy of; relinquish, reject, disavow, abandon, spurn, wash one's hands of, drop; [informal] kick, pack in; [formal] forswear, abjure

"he firmly eschewed political involvement"

Front 542

cerebral

Back 542

adjective:

1. of the cerebrum of the brain.

"a cerebral hemorrhage"

- intellectual rather than emotional or physical.

"photography is a cerebral process"

synonyms:

intellectual, academic, rational, logical, analytical, scholarly; bookish, brainy

"their subversive brand of cerebral comedy"

antonyms:

emotional

2. [phonetics] another term for retroflex.

Front 543

zealot

Back 543

noun:

a person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political, or other ideals.

synonyms:

fanatic, enthusiast, extremist, radical, young Turk, diehard, true believer, activist, militant; bigot, dogmatist, sectarian, partisan; [informal] fiend, maniac, ultra, nut; eager beaver

"York was too much of a zealot for the party to endorse seriously"

[historical]

a member of an ancient Jewish sect aiming at a world Jewish theocracy and resisting the Romans until AD 70.

noun: Zealot; plural noun: Zealots

Front 544

bellwether

Back 544

noun:

the leading sheep of a flock, with a bell on its neck.

- an indicator or predictor of something.

"college campuses are often the bellwether of change"

synonyms:

harbinger, herald, indicator, predictor

"a bellwether of change"

Front 545

referendum

Back 545

noun:

a general vote by the electorate on a single political question that has been referred to them for a direct decision.

synonyms:

popular vote, vote, public vote, plebiscite, ballot, poll

"he called for a referendum on the death penalty"

Front 546

bluster

Back 546

verb:

1. talk in a loud, aggressive, or indignant way with little effect.

"you threaten and bluster, but won't carry it through"

synonyms:

rant, rave, thunder, bellow, sound off; be overbearing; [informal] throw one's weight around/about

"he started blustering about the general election"

- (of a storm, wind, or rain) blow or beat fiercely and noisily.

"a winter gale blustered against the sides of the house"

synonyms:

blast, gust, storm, roar, rush

"storms bluster in from the sea"

noun:

1. loud, aggressive, or indignant talk with little effect.

"their threats contained a measure of bluster"

synonyms:

ranting, thundering, hectoring, bullying; bombast, bravado, bumptiousness, braggadocio

"his bluster turned to cooperation"

Front 547

anathema

Back 547

noun:

1. something or someone that one vehemently dislikes.

"racial hatred was anathema to her"

synonyms:

an abomination, an outrage, an abhorrence, a disgrace, an evil, a bane, a bugbear, a bête noire; [adjectives] abhorrent, hateful, repugnant, odious, repellent, offensive

"the idea of a poem as a mere exercise is anathema to me"

2. a formal curse by a pope or a council of the Church, excommunicating a person or denouncing a doctrine.

synonyms:

an abomination, an outrage, an abhorrence, a disgrace, an evil, a bane, a bugbear, a bête noire;[adjectives] abhorrent, hateful, repugnant, odious, repellent, offensive

"the idea of a poem as a mere exercise is anathema to me"

- [literary] a strong curse.

"the sergeant clutched the ruined communicator, muttering anathemas"

Front 548

harbinger

Back 548

noun:

a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another.

"witch hazels are the harbingers of spring"

synonyms:

herald, sign, indication, signal, portent, omen, augury, forewarning, presage; forerunner, precursor, messenger; [literary] foretoken

"I long to see the robins, crocuses, and other harbingers of spring"

- a forerunner of something.

"these works were not yet opera, but they were the most important harbinger of opera"

Front 549

stout

Back 549

adjective:

1. (of a person) somewhat fat or of heavy build.

"stout middle-aged men"

synonyms:

fat, plump, portly, rotund, dumpy, chunky, corpulent; stocky, burly, bulky, hefty, heavyset, solidly built, thickset; [informal] tubby, pudgy, zaftig, corn-fed

"a short stout man"

antonyms:

thin, slender

- (of an object) strong and thick.

"Billy had armed himself with a stout stick"

synonyms:

strong, sturdy, solid, substantial, robust, tough, durable, hardwearing

"stout leather shoes"

antonyms:

fragile, flimsy

2. (of an act, quality, or person) brave and determined.

"he put up a stout defense in court"

synonyms:

determined, vigorous, forceful, spirited; staunch, steadfast, stalwart, firm, resolute, unyielding, dogged; brave, bold, courageous, valiant, valorous, gallant, fearless, doughty, intrepid; [informal] gutsy, gutty, spunky

"stout resistance"

antonyms:

halfhearted, feeble

noun:

1. a kind of strong, dark beer brewed with roasted malt or barley.

Front 550

nexus

Back 550

noun:

a connection or series of connections linking two or more things.

"the nexus between industry and political power"

- a connected group or series.

"a nexus of ideas"

- the central and most important point or place.

"the nexus of all this activity was the disco"

Front 551

odious

Back 551

h

Front 552

conscription

Back 552

noun:

compulsory enlistment for state service, typically into the armed forces.

Front 553

winnow

Back 553

verb:

1. blow a current of air through (grain) in order to remove the chaff.

- remove (chaff) from grain.

"women winnow the chaff from piles of unhusked rice"

synonyms:

separate (out), divide, segregate, sort out, sift out, filter out; isolate, narrow down; remove, get rid of

"the chaff is winnowed from the grain"

- remove (people or things) from a group until only the best ones are left.

"the contenders had been winnowed to five"

- find or identify (a valuable or useful part of something).

"amidst this welter of confusing signals, it's difficult to winnow out the truth"

synonyms:

separate (out), divide, segregate, sort out, sift out, filter out; isolate, narrow down; remove, get rid of

"the chaff is winnowed from the grain"

2. [literary]

(of the wind) blow.

"the autumn wind winnowing its way through the grass"

- (of a bird) fan (the air) with wings.

Front 554

fastidious

Back 554

adjective:

very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail.

"he chooses his words with fastidious care"

synonyms:

scrupulous, punctilious, painstaking, meticulous; perfectionist, fussy, finicky, overparticular; critical, overcritical, hypercritical, hard to please, exacting, demanding; [informal] persnickety, nitpicking, choosy, picky, anal

"he was fastidious about personal hygiene"

antonyms:

laxvery concerned about matters of cleanliness.

"the child seemed fastidious about getting her fingers sticky or dirty"

Front 555

piquancy

Back 555

noun:

a pleasantly sharp and appetizing flavor.

"these tomatoes have an intense flavor of great piquancy"

- the quality of being pleasantly stimulating or exciting.

"the tragedy only adds piquancy to the tale"

Front 556

austere

Back 556

adjective:

severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance.

"an austere man, with a rigidly puritanical outlook"

synonyms:

severe, stern, strict, harsh, steely, flinty, dour, grim, cold, frosty, unemotional, unfriendly; formal, stiff, reserved, aloof, forbidding; grave, solemn, serious, unsmiling, unsympathetic, unforgiving; hard, unyielding, unbending, inflexible; [informal] hard-boiled

"an outwardly austere man"

antonyms:

genial

- (of living conditions or a way of life) having no comforts or luxuries; harsh or ascetic.

"conditions in the prison could hardly be more austere"

synonyms:

ascetic, self-denying, self-disciplined, nonindulgent, frugal, spartan, puritanical, abstemious, abstinent, self-sacrificing, strict, temperate, sober, simple, restrained; celibate, chaste

"an austere life"

antonyms:

immoderate

- having an extremely plain and simple style or appearance; unadorned.

"the cathedral is impressive in its austere simplicity"

synonyms:

plain, simple, basic, functional, modest, unadorned, unembellished, unfussy, restrained; stark, bleak, bare, clinical, spartan, ascetic; [informal] no-frills, bare-bones

"the buildings were austere"

antonyms:

ornate

- (of an economic policy or measure) designed to reduce a budget deficit, especially by cutting public expenditure.

Front 557

bellicose

Back 557

adjective:

demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight.

"a group of bellicose patriots"

synonyms:

belligerent, aggressive, hostile, warlike, warmongering, hawkish, antagonistic, pugnacious, truculent, confrontational, contentious, militant, combative;[informal] spoiling for a fight, scrappy

"I cannot endorse the bellicose nature of your organization"

antonyms:

peaceable

Front 558

nascent

Back 558

adjective:

(especially of a process or organization) just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential.

"the nascent space industry"

synonyms:

just beginning, budding, developing, growing, embryonic, incipient, young, fledgling, evolving, emergent, dawning, burgeoning

"the nascent economic recovery"

- [chemistry] (chiefly of hydrogen) freshly generated in a reactive form.

Front 559

probity

Back 559

noun:

the quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency.

"financial probity"

synonyms:

integrity, honesty, uprightness, decency, morality, rectitude, goodness, virtue, right-mindedness, trustworthiness, truthfulness, honor

"the committee feels that he has demonstrated little probity in this matter"

antonyms:

untrustworthiness

Front 560

pillory

Back 560

verb:

1. put (someone) in the pillory.

2. attack or ridicule publicly.

"he found himself pilloried by members of his own party"

synonyms:

attack, criticize, censure, condemn, denigrate, lambaste, savage, stigmatize, denounce; [informal] knock, slam, pan, bash, crucify, hammer, pummel; [formal] excoriate

"he was pilloried by the press"

- ridicule, jeer at, sneer at, deride,mock, scorn, make fun of, poke fun at, laugh at, scoff at, tease, taunt; [informal] rib, josh, razz

"they were pilloried at school"

Front 561

conflate

Back 561

verb:

combine (two or more texts, ideas, etc.) into one.

"the urban crisis conflates a number of different economic and social issues"

synonyms:

mix, blend, fuse, unite, integrate

"the plot gets weighed down when the writers conflate too many issues into one episode"

Front 562

inimical

Back 562

adjective:

tending to obstruct or harm.

"actions inimical to our interests"

synonyms:

harmful, injurious, detrimental, deleterious, prejudicial, damaging, hurtful, destructive, ruinous, pernicious; antagonistic, contrary, antipathetic, unfavorable, adverse, opposed; hostile, unkind, unsympathetic, unfriendly, ill-disposed, malevolent; unwelcoming, cold, frosty; [literary] malefic

"an inimical gaze"

antonyms:

friendly, favorable

- unfriendly; hostile.

"an inimical alien power"

synonyms:

harmful, injurious, detrimental, deleterious, prejudicial, damaging, hurtful, destructive, ruinous, pernicious; antagonistic, contrary, antipathetic, unfavorable, adverse, opposed; hostile, unkind, unsympathetic, unfriendly, ill-disposed, malevolent; unwelcoming, cold, frosty; [literary] malefic

"an inimical gaze"

antonyms:

friendly, favorable

Front 563

feckless

Back 563

adjective:

lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible.

"a feckless mama's boy"

synonyms:

useless, worthless, incompetent, inept, good-for-nothing, ne'er-do-well; lazy, idle, slothful, indolent, irresponsible, shiftless; [informal] no-good, no-account

"the feckless bum hasn't gotten off our sofa for ten days"

Front 564

internecine

Back 564

adjective:

destructive to both sides in a conflict.

"the region's history of savage internecine warfare"

- relating to conflict within a group or organization.

"the party shrank from the trauma of more internecine strife"

Front 565

circumspect

Back 565

adjective:

wary and unwilling to take risks.

"the officials were very circumspect in their statements"

synonyms:

cautious, wary, careful, chary, guarded, on one's guard; watchful, alert, attentive, heedful, vigilant, leery; [informal] cagey, playing one's cards close to one's chest

"she would have to be circumspect in her dealings with Catherine"

antonyms:

unguarded

Front 566

liberty

Back 566

noun:

1. the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views.

"compulsory retirement would interfere with individual liberty"

synonyms:

independence, freedom, autonomy, sovereignty, self-government, self-rule, self-determination; civil liberties, human rights

"the fight for liberty"

antonyms:

tyranny

- an instance of this; a right or privilege, especially a statutory one.

"the Bill of Rights was intended to secure basic civil liberties"

synonyms:

right, birthright, prerogative, entitlement, privilege, permission, sanction, authorization, authority, license, power

"the liberty to go where you please"

antonyms:

constraint

- the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.

"people who have lost property or liberty without due process"

- the personification of liberty as a female figure.

noun: Liberty

"the Statue of Liberty"

2. the power or scope to act as one pleases.

"individuals should enjoy the liberty to pursue their own interests and preferences"

synonyms:

freedom, independence, free rein, license, self-determination, free will, latitude

"personal liberty"

antonyms:

constraint, slavery

- [philosophy] a person's freedom from control by fate or necessity.

- [informal] a presumptuous remark or action.

"how did he know what she was thinking?—it was a liberty!"

- [nautical] shore leave granted to a sailor.

Front 567

avaricious

Back 567

adjective:

having or showing an extreme greed for wealth or material gain.

"a corrupt and avaricious government"

synonyms:

greedy, acquisitive, covetous, rapacious, grasping, materialistic, mercenary; [informal] money-grubbing

"his avaricious children cared only about their inheritance"

antonyms:

generous

Front 568

recalcitrant

Back 568

adjective:

1. having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline.

"a class of recalcitrant fifteen-year-olds"

synonyms:

uncooperative, intractable, obstreperous, truculent, insubordinate, defiant, rebellious, willful, wayward, headstrong, self-willed, contrary, perverse, difficult; [formal] refractory; [archaic] froward, contumacious

"Amy was unprepared to deal with three recalcitrant stepchildren"

antonyms:

amenable

noun:

1. a person with an obstinately uncooperative attitude.

Front 569

obstinate

Back 569

adjective:

stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so.

synonyms:

stubborn, unyielding, inflexible, unbending, intransigent, intractable, obdurate, mulish, bullheaded, stubborn as a mule, pigheaded, self-willed, strong-willed, headstrong, willful, contrary, perverse, recalcitrant, refractory, uncooperative, unmanageable, stiff-necked, rigid, uncompromising, implacable, unrelenting, immovable, unshakable; persistent, tenacious, pertinacious, dogged, single-minded

"it's unusual for two such obstinate people to have a happy marriage"

antonyms:

compliant

- (of an unwelcome phenomenon or situation) very difficult to change or overcome.

"the obstinate problem of unemployment"

Front 570

inimitable

Back 570

adjective:

so good or unusual as to be impossible to copy; unique.

"the inimitable ambience of Hawaii"

synonyms:

incomparable, unparalleled, unrivaled, peerless, matchless, unequaled, unsurpassable, superlative, supreme, perfect, beyond compare, second to none, in a class of one's own; unique, distinctive, individual; [formal] unexampled, sui generis

"after years of trying to imitate Hitchcock, I finally accepted the fact that the master is inimitable"

Front 571

dystopian

Back 571

adjective:

1. relating to or denoting an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one.

"the dystopian future of a society bereft of reason"

noun:

1. a person who advocates or describes an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad.

"a lot of things those dystopians feared did not come true"

Front 572

beleaguer

Back 572

verb:

lay siege to.

"he is leading a relief force to the aid of the beleaguered city"

synonyms:

besieged, under siege, blockaded, surrounded, encircled, beset, hemmed in, under attack

"the beleaguered garrison"

- beset with difficulties.

"the board is supporting the beleaguered director amid calls for his resignation"

synonyms:

hard-pressed, troubled, in difficulties, under pressure, under stress, with one's back to the wall, in a tight corner, in a tight spot, up against it; beset, assailed

"a beleaguered government"

Front 573

augur

Back 573

verb:

1. (of an event or circumstance) portend a good or bad outcome.

"the end of the Cold War seemed to augur well"

synonyms:

bode, portend, herald, be a sign of, warn of, forewarn of, foreshadow, be an omen of, presage, indicate, signify, signal, promise, threaten, spell, denote; predict, prophesy; [literary] betoken, foretoken, forebode

"the war heightened anxiety and augured higher taxes"

- portend or bode (a specified outcome).

"a new coalition would not augur a new period of social reforms"

- [archaic] foresee or predict.

noun:

1. (in ancient Rome) a religious official who observed natural signs, especially the behavior of birds, interpreting these as an indication of divine approval or disapproval of a proposed action.

synonyms:

bode, portend, herald, be a sign of, warn of, forewarn of, foreshadow, be an omen of, presage, indicate, signify, signal, promise, threaten, spell, denote; predict, prophesy; [literary] betoken, foretoken, forebode

"the war heightened anxiety and augured higher taxes"

Front 574

portend

Back 574

verb:

be a sign or warning that (something, especially something momentous or calamitous) is likely to happen.

"the eclipses portend some major events"

synonyms:

presage, augur, foreshadow, foretell, prophesy; be a sign, warn, be an omen, indicate, herald, signal, bode, promise, threaten, signify, spell, denote; [literary] betoken, foretoken, forebode

"the sight of a dead bird was believed to portend tragedy"

Front 575

elide

Back 575

verb:

omit (a sound or syllable) when speaking.

"the indication of elided consonants or vowels"

- join together; merge.

"whole periods of time are elided into a few seconds of screen time"

Front 576

sacrosanct

Back 576

adjective:

(especially of a principle, place, or routine) regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with.

"the individual's right to work has been upheld as sacrosanct"

synonyms:

sacred, hallowed, respected, inviolable, inviolate, unimpeachable, invulnerable, untouchable, inalienable; protected, defended, secure, safe

"the separation of church and state is sacrosanct"

Front 577

cosmopolitan

Back 577

adjective:

1. familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures.

"his knowledge of French, Italian, and Spanish made him genuinely cosmopolitan"

synonyms:

worldly, worldly-wise, well travelled, experienced, unprovincial, cultivated, cultured, sophisticated, suave, urbane, glamorous, fashionable, stylish; [informal] jet-setting, cool, hip, styling/stylin'

"a cosmopolitan audience"

- including people from many different countries.

"immigration transformed the city into a cosmopolitan metropolis"

synonyms:

multicultural, multiracial, international, worldwide, global

"the student body has a cosmopolitan character"

- having an exciting and glamorous character associated with travel and a mixture of cultures.

"their designs became a byword for cosmopolitan chic"

- (of a plant or animal) found all over the world.

noun:

1. a cosmopolitan person.

- a cosmopolitan organism or species.

2. a cocktail typically made with vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice, and lime juice.

Front 578

aspersion

Back 578

noun:

an attack on the reputation or integrity of someone or something.

"I don't think anyone is casting aspersions on you"

synonyms:

vilify, disparage, denigrate, defame, run down, impugn, belittle, criticize, condemn, decry, denounce, pillory; malign, slander, libel, discredit; [informal] pull apart, throw mud at, knock, badmouth, dis

"in saying this, I do not mean to cast aspersions on the Senator"

Front 579

consuetude

Back 579

noun:

an established custom, especially one having legal force.

Front 580

debonair

Back 580

adjective: (of a man) confident, stylish, and charming.

synonyms:

suave, urbane, sophisticated, cultured, self-possessed, self-assured, confident, charming, gracious, courteous, gallant, chivalrous, gentlemanly, refined, polished, well bred, genteel, dignified, courtly; well groomed, elegant, stylish, smart, dashing; [informal] smooth, sharp, cool, slick, fly

"as debonair as Cary Grant"

antonyms:

unsophisticated

Front 581

impolitic

Back 581

adjective:

failing to possess or display prudence; unwise.

"it was impolitic to pay the slightest tribute to the enemy"

synonyms:

imprudent, unwise, injudicious, incautious, irresponsible; ill-judged, ill-advised, misguided, rash, reckless, foolhardy, foolish, shortsighted; undiplomatic, tactless, thoughtless

"it was impolitic of you to alienate the very people who could finance our program"

antonyms:

prudent, wise

Front 582

reverie

Back 582

noun:

a state of being pleasantly lost in one's thoughts; a daydream."a knock on the door broke her reverie"

synonyms:

daydream, daydreaming, trance, musing; inattention, inattentiveness, woolgathering, preoccupation, absorption, abstraction, lack of concentration

"she was startled out of her reverie by a loud crash"

- [music] an instrumental piece suggesting a dreamy or musing state.

- [archaic] a fanciful or impractical idea or theory.

Front 583

grift

Back 583

[NORTH AMERICAN]

verb: [informal]

1. engage in petty swindling.

noun:

1. a petty swindle.

Front 584

sinecure

Back 584

noun:

a position requiring little or no work but giving the holder status or financial benefit.

synonyms:

easy job, cushy job, soft option;[informal] picnic, cinch, easy money, free ride, gravy train

"mowing the Ortons' lawn is a sinecure"

Front 585

cosmopolitanism

Back 585

Cosmopolitanism is the ideology that all human beings belong to a single community, based on a shared morality.

Front 586

epithet

Back 586

noun:

an adjective or descriptive phrase expressing a quality characteristic of the person or thing mentioned.

"old men are often unfairly awarded the epithet “dirty.”"

synonyms:

sobriquet, nickname, byname, title, name, label, tag; description, designation; [informal] moniker, handle; [formal] appellation, denomination

"Rome befits its epithet "the Eternal City""

- an epithet as a term of abuse.

"the woman begins to hurl racial epithets at them"

Front 587

fastidious

Back 587

adjective:

very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail.

"he chooses his words with fastidious care"

synonyms:

scrupulous, punctilious, painstaking, meticulous; perfectionist, fussy, finicky, overparticular; critical, overcritical, hypercritical, hard to please, exacting, demanding; [informal] persnickety, nitpicking, choosy, picky, anal

"he was fastidious about personal hygiene"

antonyms:

laxvery concerned about matters of cleanliness.

"the child seemed fastidious about getting her fingers sticky or dirty"

Front 588

salacious

Back 588

adjective:

(of writing, pictures, or talk) treating sexual matters in an indecent way and typically conveying undue interest in or enjoyment of the subject.

"salacious stories"

synonyms:

pornographic, obscene, indecent, crude, lewd, vulgar, dirty, filthy; erotic, titillating, arousing, suggestive, sexy, risqué, ribald, smutty, bawdy; X-rated; [informal] porn, porno, blue, XXX; [euphemistic] adult

"salacious writing"lustful; lecherous."

- his salacious grin faltered"

synonyms:

lustful, lecherous, licentious, lascivious, libidinous, prurient, lewd; debauched, wanton, loose, fast, impure, unchaste, degenerate, sinful, depraved, promiscuous; [informal] randy, horny, hot to trot

"salacious women"

Front 589

patsy

Back 589

noun:

a person who is easily taken advantage of, especially by being cheated or blamed for something.

Front 590

pernicious

Back 590

adjective:

having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way.

"the pernicious influences of the mass media"

synonyms:

harmful, damaging, destructive, injurious, hurtful, detrimental, deleterious, dangerous, adverse, inimical, unhealthy, unfavorable, bad, evil, baleful, wicked, malign, malevolent, malignant, noxious, poisonous, corrupting; [literary] maleficent

"a pernicious influence on society"

antonyms:

beneficial

Front 591

recalcitrant

Back 591

adjective

1. having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline.

"a class of recalcitrant fifteen-year-olds"

synonyms:

uncooperative, intractable, obstreperous, truculent, insubordinate, defiant, rebellious, willful, wayward, headstrong, self-willed, contrary, perverse, difficult; [formal] refractory; [archaic] froward, contumacious

"Amy was unprepared to deal with three recalcitrant stepchildren"

noun:

1. a person with an obstinately uncooperative attitude.

Front 592

virago

Back 592

noun:

a domineering, violent, or bad-tempered woman.

synonyms:

harridan, shrew, dragon, termagant, vixen; fishwife, witch, hellcat, she-devil, tartar, martinet, ogress; [informal] battle-ax; [archaic] scold

"she unfairly labeled her sister-in-law a backstabbing virago"

- [archaic] a woman of masculine strength or spirit; a female warrior.

Front 593

seditious

Back 593

adjective:

inciting or causing people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch.

"the letter was declared seditious"

synonyms:

rabble-rousing, provocative, inflammatory, subversive, troublemaking; rebellious, insurrectionist, mutinous, insurgent; treacherous, disloyal

"a seditious speech"

Front 594

sapiosexual

Back 594

adjective:

1. (of a person) finding intelligence sexually attractive or arousing.

"I met a PhD student from Germany who told me that he was sapiosexual"

noun:

1. a person who finds intelligence sexually attractive or arousing.

"I'm a sapiosexual and I like to talk"

Front 595

bombast

Back 595

noun:

high-sounding language with little meaning, used to impress people.

Front 596

bluster

Back 596

verb:

1. talk in a loud, aggressive, or indignant way with little effect.

"you threaten and bluster, but won't carry it through"

synonyms:

rant, rave, thunder, bellow, sound off; be overbearing; [informal] throw one's weight around/about

"he started blustering about the general election"

- (of a storm, wind, or rain) blow or beat fiercely and noisily.

"a winter gale blustered against the sides of the house"

synonyms:

blast, gust, storm, roar, rush

"storms bluster in from the sea"

noun:

1. loud, aggressive, or indignant talk with little effect.

"their threats contained a measure of bluster"

synonyms:

ranting, thundering, hectoring, bullying; bombast, bravado, bumptiousness, braggadocio

"his bluster turned to cooperation"

Front 597

confabulate

Back 597

verb:

1. [formal] engage in conversation; talk.

"she could be heard on the telephone confabulating with someone"

2. [PSYCHIATRY] fabricate imaginary experiences as compensation for loss of memory.

Front 598

obsequious

Back 598

adjective:

obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.

"they were served by obsequious waiters"

synonyms:

servile, ingratiating, sycophantic, fawning, unctuous, oily, oleaginous, groveling, cringing, subservient, submissive, slavish; [informal] brown-nosing, bootlicking, smarmy; vulgar [slang] ass-kissing

"an elderly gentlemen surrounded by obsequious heirs"

antonyms:

domineering

Front 599

putative

Back 599

adjective:

generally considered or reputed to be.

"the putative father of a boy of two"

synonyms:

supposed, assumed, presumed; accepted, recognized; commonly regarded, presumptive, alleged, reputed, reported, rumored

"the putative cause of the brain damage was lead poisoning"

Front 600

geld

Back 600

verb:

castrate (a male animal).

synonyms:

castrate, neuter, fix, alter, desex, doctor

"Mitch selects the horses that are to be gelded"

- deprive of vitality or vigor.

"the English version of the book has been gelded"

Front 601

linchpin

Back 601

noun:

1. a person or thing vital to an enterprise or organization.

"regular brushing is the linchpin of all good dental hygiene"

2. a pin passed through the end of an axle to keep a wheel in position.

Front 602

apologetic

Back 602

adjective:

regretfully acknowledging or excusing an offense or failure.

"she was very apologetic about the whole incident"

synonyms:

regretful, sorry, contrite, remorseful, rueful, penitent, repentant; conscience-stricken,compunctious, shamefaced, ashamed

"the students who defaced the lockers seemed truly apologetic"

- of the nature of a formal defense or justification of something such as a theory or religious doctrine.

"the apologetic proposition that production for profit is the same thing as production for need"

Front 603

confab (informal)

Back 603

noun:

1. an informal private conversation or discussion.

"they wandered off to the woods for a private confab"

NORTH AMERICAN

- a meeting or conference of members of a particular group.

"this year's annual American Booksellers Association confab"

verb:

1. engage in informal private conversation.

"Peter was confabbing with a curly-haired guy"

Front 604

bonhomie

Back 604

noun:

cheerful friendliness; geniality.

"he exuded good humor and bonhomie"

Front 605

fait accompli

Back 605

noun:

a thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept.

"the results were presented to shareholders as a fait accompli"

Front 606

sophism

Back 606

noun:

a fallacious argument, especially one used deliberately to deceive

Front 607

conflate

Back 607

verb:

combine (two or more texts, ideas, etc.) into one.

"the urban crisis conflates a number of different economic and social issues"

synonyms:

mix, blend, fuse, unite, integrate

"the plot gets weighed down when the writers conflate too many issues into one episode"

Front 608

lassitude

Back 608

noun:

1. weariness of body or mind from strain, oppressive climate, etc.; lack of energy; listlessness; languor.

2. a condition of indolent indifference.

"the pleasant lassitude of the warm summer afternoon"

Front 609

mollify

Back 609

verb:

appease the anger or anxiety of (someone).

"nature reserves were set up around the power stations to mollify local conservationists"

synonyms:

appease, placate, pacify, conciliate, soothe, calm (down)

"they tried to mollify the protesters"

- rare:

reduce the severity of (something); soften.

synonyms:

allay, assuage, alleviate, mitigate, ease, reduce, moderate, temper, tone down, soften; [informal] blunt

"mollifying the fears of the public"

Front 610

acrimony

Back 610

noun:

bitterness or ill feeling.

"a quagmire of lawsuits, acrimony, and finger-pointing"

synonyms:

bitterness, anger, rancor, resentment, ill feeling, ill will, bad blood, animosity, hostility, enmity, antagonism, waspishness, spleen, malice, spite, spitefulness, peevishness, venom

"the meeting ended with acrimony on both sides"

antonyms:

goodwill

Front 611

inveigle

Back 611

verb:

persuade (someone) to do something by means of deception or flattery.

"we cannot inveigle him into putting pen to paper"

synonyms:

entice, tempt, lure, seduce, beguile; wheedle, cajole, coax, persuade; [informal] sweet-talk, soft-soap, con, sucker, snow

"planted in colleges are members whose only mission is to inveigle unsuspecting students into the cult"

- gain entrance to (a place) by persuading (someone) with deception or flattery.

Front 612

ostentatious

Back 612

adjective:

characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice.

"books that people buy and display ostentatiously but never actually finish"

synonyms:

showy, pretentious, conspicuous, flamboyant, gaudy, brash, vulgar, loud, extravagant, fancy, ornate, overelaborate; [informal] flash, flashy, splashy, fancy-pants, over the top, glitzy, ritzy, superfly

"an ostentatious display of wealth"

antonyms:

restrained

Front 613

vituperative

Back 613

adjective:

bitter and abusive.

"the criticism soon turned into a vituperative attack"

Front 614

surreptitious

Back 614

adjective:

kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of.

"they carried on a surreptitious affair"

synonyms:

secret, secretive, stealthy, clandestine, sneaky, sly, furtive; concealed, hidden, undercover, covert, veiled, cloak-and-dagger

"a surreptitious glance"

Front 615

calumny

Back 615

noun:

the making of false and defamatory statements in order to damage someone's reputation; slander.

synonyms:

slander, defamation (of character), character assassination, libel; vilification, traducement, obloquy, verbal abuse; [informal] mudslinging, trash-talk; [rare] contumely

"voters were tired of the candidates' endless barrage of calumny"

- a false and slanderous statement

Front 616

vaunt

Back 616

verb:

1. boast about or praise (something), especially excessively.

"the much vaunted information superhighway"

synonyms:

boast about, brag about, make much of, crow about, parade, flaunt; acclaim, trumpet, praise, extol, celebrate; [informal] show off about, hype; [formal] laud

"their much vaunted record of accuracy"

noun:

1. a boast.

Front 617

limn

Back 617

verb [literary]

3rd person present: limns

depict or describe in painting or words.

synonyms:

describe, portray, depict, illustrate

"his earlier works limned violence"

- suffuse or highlight (something) with a bright color or light.

"a crescent moon limned each shred with white gold"

synonyms:

highlight, adorn, embellish, paint, illuminate, suffuse

"he created striated forms limned with bold black contour lines"

Front 618

contemporaneously

Back 618

adjective:

existing, occurring, or originating during the same period of time.

"Pythagoras was contemporaneous with Buddha"

"social and political events that were contemporaneous with each other"

Front 619

bemused

Back 619

verb

puzzle, confuse, or bewilder (someone).

"her bemused expression"

synonyms:

bewildered, confused, puzzled, perplexed, baffled, mystified, nonplussed, muddled, befuddled, dumbfounded, at sea, at a loss, taken aback, disoriented, disconcerted; [informal] flummoxed, bamboozled, clueless, fazed, discombobulated

"bemused expressions on their faces"

Front 620

bulwark

Back 620

1. a defensive wall.

synonyms:

wall, rampart, fortification, parapet, stockade, palisade, barricade, embankment, earthwork

"ancient bulwarks"

- a person, institution, or principle that acts as a defense.

"the security forces are a bulwark against the breakdown of society"

synonyms:

protector, defender, protection, guard, defense, supporter, buttress; mainstay, bastion, stronghold

"a bulwark of liberty"

2. an extension of a ship's sides above the level of the deck.