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Sunday, March 2, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
english vocabularies
periphrasis
Definition: (noun) A style that involves indirect ways of expressing things.
Synonyms: ambage, circumlocution
Usage: Parents often engage in periphrasis when discussing adult matters in the presence of their children.
criterion
Definition: (noun) A basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated.
Synonyms: standard, touchstone, measure
Usage: Their criterion of a good rider is, a man who can manage an untamed colt, or who, if his horse falls, alights on his own feet.
pourboire
Definition: (noun) A relatively small amount of money given for services rendered.
Synonyms: baksheesh, gratuity, tip
Usage: The bellboy waited expectantly, but no pourboire was forthcoming
obtuse
Definition: (adjective) Slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity.
Synonyms: dumb, slow, dense, dim, dull
Usage: Though he was generally regarded as obtuse by his fellow students, his math scores were the highest in the class.
foramen
Definition: (noun) An opening or orifice, as in a bone or in the covering of the ovule of a plant.
Synonyms: hiatus
Usage: The tribe made necklaces by passing string through the foramens of fang-shaped bones.
perspicuous
Definition: (adjective) Clearly expressed or presented; easy to understand.
Synonyms: lucid, luculent, pellucid, crystal clear, limpid
Usage: The lawyer presented a perspicuous closing argument, clarifying the forensic evidence for the confused jurors.
zoophagous
Definition: (adjective) Feeding on animal matter; carnivorous.
Synonyms: flesh-eating, meat-eating
Usage: Zoophagous insects include predators and parasites.
remunerate
Definition: (verb) To pay (a person) a suitable equivalent in return for goods provided, services rendered, or losses incurred.
Synonyms: recompense, compensate
Usage: John carefully weeded his neighbors' gardens, aware that they would remunerate him for a job well done.
sagacity
Definition: (noun) The quality of being discerning, sound in judgment, and farsighted; wisdom
Synonyms: discernment, sagaciousness, judgment
Usage: Spies cannot be usefully employed without a certain intuitive sagacity.
fulminate
Definition: (verb) To issue a thunderous verbal attack or denunciation.
Synonyms: rail
Usage: He fulminated against corruption in governmental institutions
prudery
Definition: (noun) Excessive or affected modesty.
Synonyms: Grundyism, primness, prudishness
Usage: Casting prudery to the wind, I lifted my head, looked him in the eyes, and professed my undying love.
centerboard
Definition: (noun) A movable keel in a sailboat that can be pivoted upward to reduce the boat's draft in shallow water.
Synonyms: drop keel, sliding keel
arid
Definition: (adjective) Lacking moisture, especially having insufficient rainfall to support trees or woody plants.
Synonyms: waterless
Usage: Only a few cacti managed to survive in the arid climate.
farrier
Definition: (noun) A person who shoes horses.
Synonyms: horseshoer
Usage: The farrier took a look at the limping horse and declared that a badly fitted horseshoe was the culprit.
spline
Definition: (noun) A wooden or metal strip.
Synonyms: slat
Usage: Humidity and weathering had caused the spline on the edge of the door to detach.
mugwump
Definition: (noun) A person who acts independently or remains neutral, especially in politics.
Synonyms: fencesitter, independent
Usage: The public relations firm believed that the key to victory was to capture the hearts and minds of the mugwumps who would otherwise remain passive.
gambol
Definition: (verb) To leap about playfully.
Synonyms: frisk, frolic, lark, rollick, romp, cavort
Usage: Then he ran back to the shed pulling the playful young horse, who wanted to gambol all over the yard, by the rein.
pestilence
Definition: (noun) A usually fatal epidemic disease, especially bubonic plague.
Synonyms: plague
Usage: The place might have been desolated by a pestilence, so empty and so lifeless did it now appear.
revivalist
Definition: (noun) A preacher of the Christian gospel.
Synonyms: evangelist, gospeller
Usage: The revivalist drew a crowd of devoted followers to his weekly prayer meetings.
drachm
Definition: (noun) A unit of capacity or volume in the apothecary system equal to one eighth of a fluid ounce.
Synonyms: fluidram, fluid drachm
Usage: She measured out a drachm of the sweet-smelling elixir and administered it to the ailing child.
abase
Definition: (verb) Cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of.
Synonyms: chagrin, humiliate, humble, mortify
Usage: Today she overwhelmed me with shrill reproaches, and abased me to the level of a hearth-brush.
exigent
Definition: (adjective) Requiring much effort or expense; demanding attention.
Synonyms: crying, insistent, clamant, instant
Usage: The professor regarded literary questions as exigent and momentous.
Definition: (noun) A style that involves indirect ways of expressing things.
Synonyms: ambage, circumlocution
Usage: Parents often engage in periphrasis when discussing adult matters in the presence of their children.
criterion
Definition: (noun) A basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated.
Synonyms: standard, touchstone, measure
Usage: Their criterion of a good rider is, a man who can manage an untamed colt, or who, if his horse falls, alights on his own feet.
pourboire
Definition: (noun) A relatively small amount of money given for services rendered.
Synonyms: baksheesh, gratuity, tip
Usage: The bellboy waited expectantly, but no pourboire was forthcoming
obtuse
Definition: (adjective) Slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity.
Synonyms: dumb, slow, dense, dim, dull
Usage: Though he was generally regarded as obtuse by his fellow students, his math scores were the highest in the class.
foramen
Definition: (noun) An opening or orifice, as in a bone or in the covering of the ovule of a plant.
Synonyms: hiatus
Usage: The tribe made necklaces by passing string through the foramens of fang-shaped bones.
perspicuous
Definition: (adjective) Clearly expressed or presented; easy to understand.
Synonyms: lucid, luculent, pellucid, crystal clear, limpid
Usage: The lawyer presented a perspicuous closing argument, clarifying the forensic evidence for the confused jurors.
zoophagous
Definition: (adjective) Feeding on animal matter; carnivorous.
Synonyms: flesh-eating, meat-eating
Usage: Zoophagous insects include predators and parasites.
remunerate
Definition: (verb) To pay (a person) a suitable equivalent in return for goods provided, services rendered, or losses incurred.
Synonyms: recompense, compensate
Usage: John carefully weeded his neighbors' gardens, aware that they would remunerate him for a job well done.
sagacity
Definition: (noun) The quality of being discerning, sound in judgment, and farsighted; wisdom
Synonyms: discernment, sagaciousness, judgment
Usage: Spies cannot be usefully employed without a certain intuitive sagacity.
fulminate
Definition: (verb) To issue a thunderous verbal attack or denunciation.
Synonyms: rail
Usage: He fulminated against corruption in governmental institutions
prudery
Definition: (noun) Excessive or affected modesty.
Synonyms: Grundyism, primness, prudishness
Usage: Casting prudery to the wind, I lifted my head, looked him in the eyes, and professed my undying love.
centerboard
Definition: (noun) A movable keel in a sailboat that can be pivoted upward to reduce the boat's draft in shallow water.
Synonyms: drop keel, sliding keel
arid
Definition: (adjective) Lacking moisture, especially having insufficient rainfall to support trees or woody plants.
Synonyms: waterless
Usage: Only a few cacti managed to survive in the arid climate.
farrier
Definition: (noun) A person who shoes horses.
Synonyms: horseshoer
Usage: The farrier took a look at the limping horse and declared that a badly fitted horseshoe was the culprit.
spline
Definition: (noun) A wooden or metal strip.
Synonyms: slat
Usage: Humidity and weathering had caused the spline on the edge of the door to detach.
mugwump
Definition: (noun) A person who acts independently or remains neutral, especially in politics.
Synonyms: fencesitter, independent
Usage: The public relations firm believed that the key to victory was to capture the hearts and minds of the mugwumps who would otherwise remain passive.
gambol
Definition: (verb) To leap about playfully.
Synonyms: frisk, frolic, lark, rollick, romp, cavort
Usage: Then he ran back to the shed pulling the playful young horse, who wanted to gambol all over the yard, by the rein.
pestilence
Definition: (noun) A usually fatal epidemic disease, especially bubonic plague.
Synonyms: plague
Usage: The place might have been desolated by a pestilence, so empty and so lifeless did it now appear.
revivalist
Definition: (noun) A preacher of the Christian gospel.
Synonyms: evangelist, gospeller
Usage: The revivalist drew a crowd of devoted followers to his weekly prayer meetings.
drachm
Definition: (noun) A unit of capacity or volume in the apothecary system equal to one eighth of a fluid ounce.
Synonyms: fluidram, fluid drachm
Usage: She measured out a drachm of the sweet-smelling elixir and administered it to the ailing child.
abase
Definition: (verb) Cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of.
Synonyms: chagrin, humiliate, humble, mortify
Usage: Today she overwhelmed me with shrill reproaches, and abased me to the level of a hearth-brush.
exigent
Definition: (adjective) Requiring much effort or expense; demanding attention.
Synonyms: crying, insistent, clamant, instant
Usage: The professor regarded literary questions as exigent and momentous.