machete: a large heavy cleaver-like knife used for agricultural purposes; e.g. cutting sugarcane and underbrush, and as a weapon
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Tuesday, August 30, 2011
FOPPISH
foppish: affecting very elegance in dress and manner; to dress to resemble a dandy; behaving in the manner of a fop
Example: Asked what made Carmichael popular on screen, Mr Durden-Smith, 76, said: "He had a twinkle in his eye, a wonderful sense of humour, he was marvellously foppish in a theatrical way. You used to wonder what he would say next." [Reference: BBC News: Actor Ian Carmichael dies at 89]
Example: Asked what made Carmichael popular on screen, Mr Durden-Smith, 76, said: "He had a twinkle in his eye, a wonderful sense of humour, he was marvellously foppish in a theatrical way. You used to wonder what he would say next." [Reference: BBC News: Actor Ian Carmichael dies at 89]
TURN IN
turn in:
- to deliver (Example: The police officer was ordered to turn in his badge after he was caught taking a bribe.)
- to give over
- (Informal) to go to bed (Example: He turned in at half past ten because he has an early start tomorrow morning.
- to deliver (Example: The police officer was ordered to turn in his badge after he was caught taking a bribe.)
- to give over
- (Informal) to go to bed (Example: He turned in at half past ten because he has an early start tomorrow morning.
Friday, August 26, 2011
PSHAW
pshaw: used to express irritation, disapproval, contempt, or disbelief
Example: Pshaw! Anyone else could have done this job in half the time that it took him.
Example: Pshaw! Anyone else could have done this job in half the time that it took him.
QUAFF
quaff:
- to drink a beverage heartily
- to drink a liquid heartily; to drink heartily or in one draught
- a hearty draft of liquid
PROCLIVITY
proclivity: natural or habitual inclination or tendency; propensity; predisposition; e.g., a proclivity to meticulousness
Example: America’s troubles are too serious to put someone in charge who shows a proclivity to lose interest – or nerve – when times get tough. [Reference: FROM THE RIGHT: Run, Sarah, run … and lose, www.barnstablepatriot.com]
Example: America’s troubles are too serious to put someone in charge who shows a proclivity to lose interest – or nerve – when times get tough. [Reference: FROM THE RIGHT: Run, Sarah, run … and lose, www.barnstablepatriot.com]
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
LETHARGY
lethargy:
- abnormal drowsiness
- the quality or state of being lazy, sluggish, or indifferent
Example: Research has shown that in response to illness, animals divert all their energy to fight infection. Lethargy, fever and loss of appetite are symptoms of the body's highly organized strategy to sacrifice biological and physiological priorities to provide the greatest chance of survival. [Reference: Why we feel bad when sick]
- abnormal drowsiness
- the quality or state of being lazy, sluggish, or indifferent
Example: Research has shown that in response to illness, animals divert all their energy to fight infection. Lethargy, fever and loss of appetite are symptoms of the body's highly organized strategy to sacrifice biological and physiological priorities to provide the greatest chance of survival. [Reference: Why we feel bad when sick]
IRKSOME
irksome: wearisome; tedious; disagreeable or troublesome by reason of long continuance or repetition
Example: Evelyn Waugh got it just right when he said, "Wodehouse's idyllic world can never stale. He will continue to release future generations from captivity that may be more irksome than our own. He has made a world for us to live in and delight in." [Reference: Ask Jeeves All About Him, http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2002/02/13/ask-jeeves-all-about-him.html]
Example: Evelyn Waugh got it just right when he said, "Wodehouse's idyllic world can never stale. He will continue to release future generations from captivity that may be more irksome than our own. He has made a world for us to live in and delight in." [Reference: Ask Jeeves All About Him, http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2002/02/13/ask-jeeves-all-about-him.html]
DEFATIGABLE
defatigable: capable of being wearied or tired out; easily tired or wearied
ANTONYM: indefatigable; tireless
Example: Thus the mantle of leadership fell on the quiet and unassuming but defatigable Senaka Bandara - line out specialist and a hard player on the loose. [Reference: Kandy SC favoured to win Caltex League rugby title, http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2011/08/14/spo02.asp]
ANTONYM: indefatigable; tireless
Example: Thus the mantle of leadership fell on the quiet and unassuming but defatigable Senaka Bandara - line out specialist and a hard player on the loose. [Reference: Kandy SC favoured to win Caltex League rugby title, http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2011/08/14/spo02.asp]
EGRESS
egress:
- the act of coming or going out; emergence
- the right to leave or go out; e.g., denied the refugees egress
- a path or opening for going out; an exit
- (verb) to go out; emerge; to go forth; to issue
Example: “Right now, the biggest reason for the closing of Baymont is the means of egress; the stairwell is not able to be used as a means of egress at this time, and that means you cannot occupy the building. Monday we plan on doing a further inspection to check out the electricity and see how it was handled through the lightning strike and the fire.” [Reference: Baymont closed at least until Monday, http://www.pulaskicountydaily.com/news.php?viewStory=2909].
- the act of coming or going out; emergence
- the right to leave or go out; e.g., denied the refugees egress
- a path or opening for going out; an exit
- (verb) to go out; emerge; to go forth; to issue
Example: “Right now, the biggest reason for the closing of Baymont is the means of egress; the stairwell is not able to be used as a means of egress at this time, and that means you cannot occupy the building. Monday we plan on doing a further inspection to check out the electricity and see how it was handled through the lightning strike and the fire.” [Reference: Baymont closed at least until Monday, http://www.pulaskicountydaily.com/news.php?viewStory=2909].
HAUNCH
haunch:
- the hip, buttock, and upper thigh in humans and animals
- the loin and leg of a four-footed animal, especially as used for food; e.g., a haunch of venison
- in Architecture, either of the sides of an arch, curving down from the apex to an impost
- the hip, buttock, and upper thigh in humans and animals
- the loin and leg of a four-footed animal, especially as used for food; e.g., a haunch of venison
- in Architecture, either of the sides of an arch, curving down from the apex to an impost
EXPURGATE
expurgate: to cleanse of something morally harmful, offensive, or erroneous; especially to expunge objectionable parts from before publication or presentation; e.g., an expurgated edition of the letters
Sunday, August 7, 2011
NEMOROUS
nemorous: full of trees; dark with shady groves; woody
PRONUNCIATION: \ˈnɛmərəs\
SYNONYM:
Example: Paradise itself was but a kind of nemorous temple. [Reference: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)]
PRONUNCIATION: \ˈnɛmərəs\
SYNONYM:
- forested
- wooded
Example: Paradise itself was but a kind of nemorous temple. [Reference: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)]
BRAZEN-FACED
brazen-faced: shameless; impudent
Example: Our first few evenings back amid the Cambridge spires, we were at the TV screen, chomping our way through bags of salt and vinegar chips, agog at the unfolding story. At one level, we were watching a parable about the new ethic of British public life. In the past, British misconduct tended to come with a modicum of discretion, a little self-effacing humour. Nowadays, it seems to come with a glorious, brazen-faced cheek—a reality-defying hubris that may be found in elected MPs (remember the expenses scandal?) as well as in British tabloid press. [Source: Media’s David and Goliath moment]
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Example: Our first few evenings back amid the Cambridge spires, we were at the TV screen, chomping our way through bags of salt and vinegar chips, agog at the unfolding story. At one level, we were watching a parable about the new ethic of British public life. In the past, British misconduct tended to come with a modicum of discretion, a little self-effacing humour. Nowadays, it seems to come with a glorious, brazen-faced cheek—a reality-defying hubris that may be found in elected MPs (remember the expenses scandal?) as well as in British tabloid press. [Source: Media’s David and Goliath moment]
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Try Effective Brain Workouts & Exercises on Your Kindle!
RABID
rabid:
- of or affected by rabies
- raging; uncontrollable; e.g. rabid thirst
- extremely zealous or enthusiastic; fanatical; e.g. a rabid soccer fan
- of or affected by rabies
- raging; uncontrollable; e.g. rabid thirst
- extremely zealous or enthusiastic; fanatical; e.g. a rabid soccer fan
Thursday, August 4, 2011
CAPTIOUS
captious:
PRONUNCIATION: \ˈkap-shəs\
- marked by ill-natured inclination to stress faults and raise objections; e.g. captious critics
- intended to entrap or confuse, as in an argument e.g.; a captious question
Example: The U.S. Supreme Court rarely votes with unanimity. So, when it decides a case unanimously, the very fact of that unanimity causes even a typically captious observer to reflexively conclude that the result was correct. [Reference: Questioning Questionable Recusal Calls]
Note: In the above example:
unanimity means: the quality or state of being unanimous; where unanimous means "being of one mind; agreeing"
and
reflexively is the adverb for reflexive; where reflexive means "turned back on itself"; e.g. in [he dressed himself], the verb “dress” is reflexive.
PRONUNCIATION: \ˈkap-shəs\
- marked by ill-natured inclination to stress faults and raise objections; e.g. captious critics
- intended to entrap or confuse, as in an argument e.g.; a captious question
Example: The U.S. Supreme Court rarely votes with unanimity. So, when it decides a case unanimously, the very fact of that unanimity causes even a typically captious observer to reflexively conclude that the result was correct. [Reference: Questioning Questionable Recusal Calls]
Note: In the above example:
unanimity means: the quality or state of being unanimous; where unanimous means "being of one mind; agreeing"
and
reflexively is the adverb for reflexive; where reflexive means "turned back on itself"; e.g. in [he dressed himself], the verb “dress” is reflexive.
STUPEFY
stupefy:
- to make stupid, groggy, or insensible
- astonish, astound
Example: Life’s much more amusing than we thought. The word ‘amuse’ comes from the Old French ‘amuser’ which means to stupefy. Life stupefies us with its wonders, it occupies us in agreeable, pleasing ways, and it causes us to laugh or smile by giving pleasure. [Reference: MORE MIRTH ON EARTH]
- to make stupid, groggy, or insensible
- astonish, astound
Example: Life’s much more amusing than we thought. The word ‘amuse’ comes from the Old French ‘amuser’ which means to stupefy. Life stupefies us with its wonders, it occupies us in agreeable, pleasing ways, and it causes us to laugh or smile by giving pleasure. [Reference: MORE MIRTH ON EARTH]
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