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Fancy Words Flashcards

1
Q

Solecism

A

noun

  1. a nonstandard or ungrammatical usage, as unflammable and they was.
  2. a breach of good manners or etiquette.
  3. any error, impropriety, or inconsistency.
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1
Q

Louche

A

adjective

  1. dubious; shady; disreputable.
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2
Q

Otoise

A

adjective (oh shee ohs)

  1. being at leisure; idle; indolent.
  2. ineffective or futile.
  3. superfluous or useless.
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3
Q

Ukase

A

noun (yoo keys)

  1. (in czarist Russia) an edict or order of the czar having the force of law.
  2. any order or proclamation by an absolute or arbitrary authority.
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4
Q

Lapidary

A

noun

  1. a worker who cuts, polishes, and engraves precious stones.
  2. an expert in precious stones and the art or techniques used in cutting and engraving them.
  3. the art of cutting, polishing, and engraving precious stones.
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5
Q

Arrant

A

adjective

  1. downright; thorough; unmitigated; notorious: an arrant fool.
  2. wandering; errant.
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6
Q

Fantod

A

noun

  1. a state of extreme nervousness or restlessness; the willies; the fidgets (usually preceded by the ): We all developed the fantods when the plane was late in arriving.
  2. a sudden outpouring of anger, outrage, or a similar intense emotion.
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7
Q

Epistemic

A

adjective

  1. of or pertaining to knowledge or the conditions for acquiring it.

[epistemology = “theory of knowledge”]

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8
Q

Cupidity

A

noun

  1. eager or excessive desire, especially to possess something; greed; avarice.
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9
Q

Apsidial

A

noun

  1. Architecture . a semicircular or polygonal termination or recess in a building, usually vaulted and used especially at the end of a choir in a church. See diag. under basilica
  2. Astronomy . an apsis.
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10
Q

Atavistic

A

adjective

of, pertaining to, or characterized by atavism; reverting to or suggesting the characteristics of a remote ancestor or primitive type.

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11
Q

Perspicuity

A

noun

  1. clearness or lucidity, as of a statement.
  2. the quality of being perspicuous.
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12
Q

Perspicacity

A

noun
1. keenness of mental perception and understanding; discernment; penetration.

  1. Archaic. keen vision.
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13
Q

Ague

A

Pathology (Ey gyoo)

  1. a malarial fever characterized by regularly returning paroxysms, marked by successive cold, hot, and sweating fits.
  2. a fit of fever or shivering or shaking chills, accompanied by malaise, pains in the bones and joints, etc.; chill.
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14
Q

Pertussis

A

Whooping cough

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15
Q

Berm

A

noun
1. Fortification . a horizontal surface between the exterior slope of a rampart and the moat.

  1. Also called bench. any level strip of ground at the summit or sides, or along the base, of a slope.
  2. Also called backshore , beach berm. a nearly flat back portion of a beach, formed of material deposited by the action of the waves.
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16
Q

Empyrean

A

noun

  1. the highest heaven, supposed by the ancients to contain the pure element of fire.
  2. the visible heavens; the firmament.
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17
Q

Semplice

A

adjective,adverb (sem pli chey)

  1. simple; straightforward.
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18
Q

Asthenia

A

noun

  1. lack or loss of strength; weakness.
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19
Q

Pyknic

A

adjective

  1. (of a physical type) having a fat, rounded build or body structure. Compare asthenic ( def 2 ), athletic ( def 5 ).
    noun
  2. a person of the pyknic type.
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20
Q

Laconic

A

adjective

  1. using few words; expressing much in few words; concise: a laconic reply.
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21
Q

Tautological

A

Adjective

  1. needless repetition of an idea, especially in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness, as in “widow woman.”
  2. an instance of such repetition.
  3. Logic.
    a compound propositional form all of whose instances are true, as “A or not A.”
    an instance of such a form, as “This candidate will win or will not win.”
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22
Q

Leitmotif

A

noun

  1. a motif or theme associated throughout a music drama with a particular person, situation, or idea.
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23
Q

Labile

A

adjective

  1. apt or likely to change.
  2. Chemistry . (of a compound) capable of changing state or becoming inactive when subjected to heat or radiation.
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24
Q

Coeval

A

adjective

  1. of the same age, date, or duration; equally old: Analysis has proved that this manuscript is coeval with that one.
  2. coincident: Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were only approximately coeval.

noun

  1. a contemporary: He is more serious than his coevals.
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25
Q

Desultory

A

adjective

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
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26
Q

Phillipic

A

noun

  1. any of the orations delivered by Demosthenes, the Athenian orator, in the 4th century b.c., against Philip, king of Macedon.
  2. (lowercase) . any speech or discourse of bitter denunciation.
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27
Q

Priaprism

A

noun

  1. Pathology . continuous, usually nonsexual erection of the penis, especially due to disease.
  2. prurient behavior or display.
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28
Q

Ayous

A

noun

  1. the wood of the obeche.
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29
Q

Oik

A

noun plural oicks, oiks. British Slang.

  1. oaf; lout.
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30
Q

Baedeker

A

noun

  1. Karl 1801–59 German publisher, notably of guidebooks for travelers.
    any of the series of guidebooks for travelers issued by the him or his successors.
  2. any guidebook, pamphlet, or the like, containing information useful to travelers: a Baedeker to the restaurants of the region.
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31
Q

Senescent

A

adjective

  1. growing old; aging.
  2. Cell Biology . (of a cell) no longer capable of dividing but still alive and metabolically active.
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32
Q

Prandial

A

adjective

  1. of or pertaining to a meal, especially dinner.
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33
Q

Leptosome

A

noun

  1. a person of asthenic build.
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34
Q

Prolegomenous

A

adjective

  1. prefatory; preliminary; introductory.
  2. characterized by unnecessary or lengthy prologuizing.
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35
Q

Milliner

A

noun

  1. a person who designs, makes, or sells hats for women.
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36
Q

Ossify

A

verb (used with object)
1. to convert into or cause to harden like bone.

verb (used without object)

  1. to become bone or harden like bone.
  2. to become rigid or inflexible in habits, attitudes, opinions, etc.: a young man who began to ossify right after college.
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37
Q

Ultracrepidarian

A

adjective

  1. noting or pertaining to a person who criticizes, judges, or gives advice outside the area of his or her expertise: The play provides a classic, simplistic portrayal of an ultracrepidarian mother-in-law.

noun

  1. an ultracrepidarian person.
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38
Q

Cincture

A

noun

  1. a belt or girdle.
  2. something that surrounds or encompasses as a girdle does; a surrounding border: The midnight sky had a cincture of stars.
  3. (on a classical column) a fillet at either end of a shaft, especially one at the lower end. Compare orle ( def 3b ).
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39
Q

Syncretic

A

noun

  1. the attempted reconciliation or union of different or opposing principles, practices, or parties, as in philosophy or religion.
  2. Grammar . the merging, as by historical change in a language, of two or more categories in a specified environment into one, as, in nonstandard English, the use of was with both singular and plural subjects, while in standard English was is used with singular subjects (except for you in the second person singular) and were with plural subjects.
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40
Q

Athwart

A

adverb

  1. from side to side; crosswise.

Nautical .

  1. at right angles to the fore-and-aft line; across.
  2. broadside to the wind because of equal and opposite pressures of wind and tide: a ship riding athwart.
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41
Q

Filigree

A

noun

  1. delicate ornamental work of fine silver, gold, or other metal wires, especially lacy jewelers’ work of scrolls and arabesques.
  2. anything very delicate or fanciful: a filigree of frost.

adjective

  1. composed of or resembling filigree.
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42
Q

Avarice

A

noun

  1. insatiable greed for riches; inordinate, miserly desire to gain and hoard wealth.
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43
Q

Slurry

A

noun
1. a thin mixture of an insoluble substance, as cement, clay, or coal, with a liquid, as water or oil.

  1. Ceramics . a thin slip.

verb (used with object)

  1. to prepare a suspension of (a solid in a liquid).
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44
Q

Alimentary

A

adjective

  1. concerned with the function of nutrition; nutritive.
  2. pertaining to food.
  3. providing sustenance or maintenance.
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45
Q

Convivial

A

adjective

  1. friendly; agreeable: a convivial atmosphere.
  2. fond of feasting, drinking, and merry company; jovial.
  3. of or befitting a feast; festive.
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46
Q

Striate

A

verb (used with object)

  1. to mark with striae; furrow; stripe; streak.

adjective
striated

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47
Q

Stave

A

noun

  1. one of the thin, narrow, shaped pieces of wood that form the sides of a cask, tub, or similar vessel.
  2. a stick, rod, pole, or the like.
  3. a rung of a ladder, chair, etc.

Prosody .
a verse or stanza of a poem or song.
the alliterating sound in a line of verse, as the w- sound in wind in the willows.

Music. staff1 ( def 9 ).

verb (used with object)
to break in a stave or staves of (a cask or barrel) so as to release the wine, liquor, or other contents.
to release (wine, liquor, etc.) by breaking the cask or barrel.
to break or crush (something) inward (often followed by in ).
to break (a hole) in, especially in the hull of a boat.
to break to pieces; splinter; smash.
to furnish with a stave or staves.
to beat with a stave or staff.
verb (used without object)
to become staved in, as a boat; break in or up.
to move along rapidly.
Verb phrases
stave off
to put, ward, or keep off, as by force or evasion.
to prevent in time; forestall: He wasn’t able to stave off bankruptcy.

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48
Q

Panicle

A

noun Botany

  1. a compound raceme. See illus. under inflorescence
  2. any loose, diversely branching flower cluster.
    Origin: 1590–1600; < Latin pānicula tuft (on plants), diminutive of pānus thread wound on a bobbin, a swelling, ear of millet < Doric Greek pânos ( Attic pênos ) a web; see -i-, -cle1
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49
Q

Ossuary

A

noun plural os·su·ar·ies.

  1. a place or receptacle for the bones of the dead.
  2. ossuarium.

Origin: 1650–60; < Late Latin ossuārium, variant of ossārium, equivalent to oss- (stem of os ) bone + -ārium -ary

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50
Q

Crevasse

A

noun

  1. a fissure, or deep cleft, in glacial ice, the earth’s surface, etc.
  2. a breach in an embankment or levee.

verb (used with object)

3.to fissure with crevasses.

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51
Q

Forbearance

A

noun

  1. the act of forbearing; a refraining from something.
  2. forbearing conduct or quality; patient endurance; self-control.
  3. an abstaining from the enforcement of a right.
  4. a creditor’s giving of indulgence after the day originally fixed for payment.
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52
Q

Paroxysm

A

noun

  1. any sudden, violent outburst; a fit of violent action or emotion: paroxysms of rage.
  2. Pathology . a severe attack or a sudden increase in intensity of a disease, usually recurring periodically.

Origin: 1570–80; earlier paroxismos < Greek paroxysmós irritation, derivative of paroxýnein to irritate. See par-, oxy-1 , -ism

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53
Q

Edict

A

noun

  1. a decree issued by a sovereign or other authority.
  2. any authoritative proclamation or command.

Origin: 1250–1300; Middle English < Latin ēdictum, noun use of neuter of ēdictus (past participle of ēdīcere to say out), equivalent to ē- e-1 + dictus said; see dictum

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54
Q

Hagiography

A

noun plural hag·i·og·ra·phies.

  1. the writing and critical study of the lives of the saints; hagiology.
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55
Q

Xanthic

A

adjective

  1. of or pertaining to a yellow or yellowish color.
  2. Chemistry. of or derived from xanthine or xanthic acid.
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56
Q

Sward

A

noun

  1. the grassy surface of land; turf.
  2. a stretch of turf; a growth of grass.
    - verb
  3. to cover with sward or turf.
  4. to become covered with sward.
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57
Q

Trousseau

A
  • noun

an outfit of clothing, household linen, etc., for a bride.

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58
Q

De profundis

A

Latin.

  1. out of the depths (of sorrow, despair, etc.).
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59
Q

Firmament

A

noun

  1. the vault of heaven; sky.
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60
Q

Hadal

A

adjective

  1. of or pertaining to the greatest ocean depths, below approximately 20,000 feet (6500 meters).
  2. of or pertaining to the biogeographic region of the ocean bottom below the abyssal zone.
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61
Q

Trachle

A

noun

  1. an exhausting effort, especially walking or working.
  2. an exhausted or bedraggled person.

verb (used with object)

  1. to fatigue; tire; wear out.
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62
Q

Omertá

A

noun Italian.

  1. secrecy sworn to by oath; code of silence.
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63
Q

Involution

A

noun

  1. an act or instance of involving or entangling; involvement.
  2. the state of being involved.
    something complicated.

Botany, Zoology .

  1. a rolling up or folding in upon itself.
  2. a part so formed.
  3. Biology . retrograde development; degeneration.
  4. Physiology . the regressive changes in the body occurring with old age.
  5. Grammar . a complex construction in which the subject is separated from its predicate by intervening clauses or phrases.
  6. Mathematics . a function that is its own inverse.
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64
Q

Hoary

A

adjective hoar·i·er, hoar·i·est.

  1. gray or white with age: an old dog with a hoary muzzle.
  2. ancient or venerable: hoary myths.
  3. tedious from familiarity; stale: Please don’t tell that hoary joke at dinner again tonight.
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65
Q

Imago

A

noun plural i·ma·goes, i·ma·gi·nes

  1. Entomology . an adult insect.
  2. Psychoanalysis . an idealized concept of a loved one, formed in childhood and retained unaltered in adult life.
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66
Q

Apotheosis

A

noun plural a·poth·e·o·ses

  1. the elevation or exaltation of a person to the rank of a god.
  2. the ideal example; epitome; quintessence: This poem is the apotheosis of lyric expression.
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67
Q

Rapacious

A

adjective

  1. given to seizing for plunder or the satisfaction of greed.
  2. inordinately greedy; predatory; extortionate: a rapacious disposition.
  3. (of animals) subsisting by the capture of living prey; predacious.

Origin: 1645–55; < Latin rapāci- (stem of rapāx greedy, akin to rapere to seize; see rape1 ) + -ous

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68
Q

Pablum

A
  1. Trademark. a brand of soft, bland cereal for infants.

noun

  1. (lowercase) . trite, naive, or simplistic ideas or writings; intellectual pap.
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69
Q

Ontology

A

noun

  1. the branch of metaphysics that studies the nature of existence or being as such.
  2. (loosely) metaphysics.

(Onto-) a combining form meaning “being,” used in the formation of compound words: ontogeny.

especially before a vowel, ont-, .
Origin: < Neo-Latin < Greek ont- (stem of ón, neuter present participle of eînai to be) + -o- -o-

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70
Q

Anaclitic (anaclisis)

A

noun Psychoanalysis

  1. the choice of an object of libidinal attachment on the basis of a resemblance to early childhood protective and parental figures.

Origin: < Greek anáklisis a reclining, equivalent to anakli-, variant stem of anaklī́nein to lean (something) upon ( ana- ana- + klī́nein to lean) + -sis -sis

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71
Q

Herpetology

A

noun

  1. the branch of zoology dealing with reptiles and amphibians.

Origin: 1815–25; < Greek herpetó ( n ) a creeping thing (Compare hérpein to creep) + -logy; cf. serpent

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72
Q

Craven

A

adjective

  1. cowardly; contemptibly timid; pusillanimous.

noun

  1. a coward.

verb (used with object)

  1. to make cowardly.

Idioms
cry craven to yield; capitulate; give Idioms

  1. cry craven to yield; capitulate; give up.

Example Sentences
Origin: 1175–1225; Middle English cravant, cravaunde defeated < Old French craventé, past participle of cravanter to crush, overwhelm (< Vulgar Latin *crepantāre ), influenced by Middle English creaunt defeated (see recreant)

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73
Q

Sobriquet

A

noun plural so·bri·quets

  1. a nickname.
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74
Q

Proscenium

A
  1. Also called proscenium arch. the arch that separates a stage from the auditorium. Abbreviation: pros.
  2. (formerly) the apron or, especially in ancient theater, the stage itself.
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75
Q

Diffident

A

adjective
1. lacking confidence in one’s own ability, worth, or fitness; timid; shy.

  1. restrained or reserved in manner, conduct, etc.
  2. Archaic. distrustful
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76
Q

Recidivism

A

noun
1. repeated or habitual relapse, as into crime.

  1. Psychiatry. the chronic tendency toward repetition of criminal or antisocial behavior patterns.
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77
Q

Bubkes

A

Nothing, nada, zilch

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78
Q

Catalysis

A

noun plural ca·tal·y·ses

  1. Chemistry . the causing or accelerating of a chemical change by the addition of a catalyst.
  2. an action between two or more persons or forces, initiated by an agent that itself remains unaffected by the action: social catalyses occasioned by controversial writings.

Origin: 1645–55; < Neo-Latin < Greek katálȳsis dissolution, equivalent to katalȳ́ ( ein ) to dissolve ( kata- cata- + lȳ́ein to loosen) + -sis -sis

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79
Q

Obverse

A

noun

  1. the side of a coin, medal, flag, etc., that bears the principal design ( reverse).
  2. the front or principal surface of anything.
  3. a counterpart.
  4. Logic. a proposition obtained from another by obversion.

adjective

  1. facing the observer.
  2. corresponding to something else as a counterpart.
  3. having the base narrower than the top, as a leaf.
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80
Q

Antimony

A

noun plural an·tin·o·mies.

  1. opposition between one law, principle, rule, etc., and another.
  2. Philosophy . a contradiction between two statements, both apparently obtained by correct reasoning.
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81
Q

Hegemony

A

noun plural he·gem·o·nies.

  1. leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others, as in a confederation.
  2. leadership; predominance.
    (especially among smaller nations)
  3. aggression or expansionism by large nations in an effort to achieve world domination.
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82
Q

Sobriquet

A

noun plural so·bri·quets

  1. a nickname.
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83
Q

Proscenium

A
  1. Also called proscenium arch. the arch that separates a stage from the auditorium. Abbreviation: pros.
  2. (formerly) the apron or, especially in ancient theater, the stage itself.
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84
Q

Diffident

A

adjective
1. lacking confidence in one’s own ability, worth, or fitness; timid; shy.

  1. restrained or reserved in manner, conduct, etc.
  2. Archaic. distrustful
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85
Q

Recidivism

A

noun
1. repeated or habitual relapse, as into crime.

  1. Psychiatry. the chronic tendency toward repetition of criminal or antisocial behavior patterns.
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86
Q

Bubkes

A

Nothing, nada, zilch

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87
Q

Catalysis

A

noun plural ca·tal·y·ses

  1. Chemistry . the causing or accelerating of a chemical change by the addition of a catalyst.
  2. an action between two or more persons or forces, initiated by an agent that itself remains unaffected by the action: social catalyses occasioned by controversial writings.

Origin: 1645–55; < Neo-Latin < Greek katálȳsis dissolution, equivalent to katalȳ́ ( ein ) to dissolve ( kata- cata- + lȳ́ein to loosen) + -sis -sis

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88
Q

Obverse

A

noun

  1. the side of a coin, medal, flag, etc., that bears the principal design ( reverse).
  2. the front or principal surface of anything.
  3. a counterpart.
  4. Logic. a proposition obtained from another by obversion.

adjective

  1. facing the observer.
  2. corresponding to something else as a counterpart.
  3. having the base narrower than the top, as a leaf.
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89
Q

Antimony

A

noun plural an·tin·o·mies.

  1. opposition between one law, principle, rule, etc., and another.
  2. Philosophy . a contradiction between two statements, both apparently obtained by correct reasoning.
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90
Q

Hegemony

A

noun plural he·gem·o·nies.

  1. leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others, as in a confederation.
  2. leadership; predominance.
    (especially among smaller nations)
  3. aggression or expansionism by large nations in an effort to achieve world domination.
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91
Q

Wend

A

verb (used with object)

  1. to pursue or direct (one’s way).

verb (used without object)

  1. to proceed or go.
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92
Q

Spirant

A

noun
1. fricative ( def 2 ). (of a speech sound) characterized by audible friction produced by forcing the breath through a constricted or partially obstructed passage in the vocal tract; spirantal; spirant.

adjective

  1. fricative

Origin: 1865–70; < Latin spīrant- (stem of spīrāns, present participle of spīrāre to breathe); see spirit, -ant

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93
Q

Cognoscenti

A

(pl. cognoscente)
1. persons who have superior knowledge and understanding of a particular field, especially in the fine arts, literature, and world of fashion.

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94
Q

Uxorious

A

adjective

  1. doting upon, foolishly fond of, or affectionately submissive toward one’s wife.
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95
Q

Weltschmerz

A

noun German.

  1. sorrow that one feels and accepts as one’s necessary portion in life; sentimental pessimism.
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96
Q

Recombinant

A
  1. of or resulting from new combinations of genetic material: recombinant cells.

noun

  1. a cell or organism whose genetic complement results from recombination.
  2. the genetic material produced when segments of DNA from different sources are joined to produce recombinant DNA.
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97
Q

Pastiche

A
  1. a literary, musical, or artistic piece consisting wholly or chiefly of motifs or techniques borrowed from one or more sources.
  2. an incongruous combination of materials, forms, motifs, etc., taken from different sources; hodgepodge.
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98
Q

Attenuate

A
  1. to weaken or reduce in force, intensity, effect, quantity, or value: to attenuate desire.
  2. to make thin; make slender or fine.
  3. Bacteriology, Immunology . to render less virulent, as a strain of pathogenic virus or bacterium.

verb (used with object)

  1. to weaken or reduce in force, intensity, effect, quantity, or value:
    to attenuate desire.
  2. to make thin; make slender or fine.
  3. Bacteriology, Immunology . to render less virulent, as a strain of pathogenic virus or bacterium.
  4. Electronics. to decrease the amplitude of (an electronic signal).
    verb (used without object)
  5. to become thin or fine; lessen.

adjective

  1. weakened; diminishing.
  2. Botany . tapering gradually to a narrow extremity.
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99
Q

Etiology

A

[ ee-tee- ol - uh -jee ]
noun plural e·ti·ol·o·gies.
Pathology .
1. the study of the causes of diseases.

  1. the cause or origin of a disease.
    the study of causation.
  2. any study of causes, causation, or causality, as in philosophy, biology, or physics.
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100
Q

Prig

A

noun
1. a person who displays or demands of others pointlessly precise conformity, fussiness about trivialities, or exaggerated propriety, especially in a self-righteous or irritating manner.

Origin: 1560–70; formerly, coxcomb; perhaps akin to prink

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101
Q

Decoct

A

verb (used with object)

  1. to extract the flavor or essence of by boiling.
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102
Q

Spirant

A

noun
1. fricative ( def 2 ). (of a speech sound) characterized by audible friction produced by forcing the breath through a constricted or partially obstructed passage in the vocal tract; spirantal; spirant.

adjective

  1. fricative

Origin: 1865–70; < Latin spīrant- (stem of spīrāns, present participle of spīrāre to breathe); see spirit, -ant

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103
Q

Cognoscenti

A

(pl. cognoscente)
1. persons who have superior knowledge and understanding of a particular field, especially in the fine arts, literature, and world of fashion.

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104
Q

Uxorious

A

adjective

  1. doting upon, foolishly fond of, or affectionately submissive toward one’s wife.
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105
Q

Spirant

A

noun
1. fricative ( def 2 ). (of a speech sound) characterized by audible friction produced by forcing the breath through a constricted or partially obstructed passage in the vocal tract; spirantal; spirant.

adjective

  1. fricative

Origin: 1865–70; < Latin spīrant- (stem of spīrāns, present participle of spīrāre to breathe); see spirit, -ant

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106
Q

Cognoscenti

A

(pl. cognoscente)
1. persons who have superior knowledge and understanding of a particular field, especially in the fine arts, literature, and world of fashion.

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107
Q

Uxorious

A

adjective

  1. doting upon, foolishly fond of, or affectionately submissive toward one’s wife.
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108
Q

Aglet

A

noun

  1. a metal tag or sheath at the end of a lace used for tying, as of a shoelace.
  2. (in the 16th and 17th centuries) an ornament at the end of a point or other ribbon used to secure a garment.
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109
Q

Antediluvian

A

adjective

  1. of or belonging to the period before the Flood. Gen. 7, 8.
  2. very old, old-fashioned, or out of date; antiquated; primitive:
    antediluvian ideas.

noun

  1. a person who lived before the Flood.
  2. a very old or old-fashioned person or thing.
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110
Q

In toto

A

Latin.

  1. in all; completely; entirely; wholly.
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111
Q

Polemics

A

noun (used with a singular verb)

  1. the art or practice of disputation or controversy: a master of polemics.
  2. the branch of theology dealing with the history or conduct of ecclesiastical disputation and controversy.
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112
Q

Irenics

A

noun (used with a singular verb)

  1. the branch of theology dealing with the promotion of peace and conciliation among Christian churches.

Compare polemics ( def 2 ).

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113
Q

Apologia

A

noun

  1. an apology, as in defense or justification of a belief, idea, etc.
  2. Literature. a work written as an explanation or justification of one’s motives, convictions, or acts.
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114
Q

Geodesic

A

adjective

  1. pertaining to the geometry of curved surfaces, in which geodesic lines take the place of the straight lines of plane geometry.
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115
Q

Coffle

A

noun

  1. a line of animals, prisoners, or slaves chained and driven along together.
  2. verb (used with object)
    to chain in a coffle.
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116
Q

Eidetic

A

adjective

  1. of, pertaining to, or constituting visual imagery vividly experienced and readily reproducible with great accuracy and in great detail.
    of or pertaining to eidos.
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117
Q

Eidos

A

noun plural ei·de

  1. the formal content of a culture, encompassing its system of ideas, criteria for interpreting experience, etc.
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118
Q

Soteriol(ogy)

A

noun Theology

  1. the doctrine of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Origin: 1760–70; < Greek sōtērí ( a ) salvation, deliverance ( sōtēr- (stem of sōtḗr ) deliverer + -ia -y3 ) + -o- + -logy

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119
Q

Plangent

A

adjective

  1. resounding loudly, especially with a plaintive sound, as a bell.
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120
Q

Instantiate

A

verb (used with object) in·stan·ti·at·ed, in·stan·ti·at·ing.

  1. to provide an instance of or concrete evidence in support of (a theory, concept, claim, or the like).
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121
Q

Moraine

A

noun

  1. a ridge, mound, or irregular mass of unstratified glacial drift, chiefly boulders, gravel, sand, and clay.
    a deposit of such material left on the ground by a glacier.

Origin: 1780–90; < French < Savoyard dialect morêna rise in the ground along the lower edge of a sloping field, equivalent to mour ( o ) mound, accumulation of earth (< *murr- mound, elevation, apparently pre-Latin ) + -ena suffix of landforms, probably of pre-Latin orig.; compare Upper Italian (Piedmont) morena heap of organic detritus, Spanish moreña heap of stones, moraine

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122
Q

Tympanum

A

noun plural tym·pa·nums, tym·pa·na

Anatomy, Zoology .
middle ear
tympanic membrane

Architecture .
the recessed, usually triangular space enclosed between the horizontal and sloping cornices of a pediment, often decorated with sculpture.

a similar space between an arch and the horizontal head of a door or window below.
.
Electricity . the diaphragm of a telephone.

a drum or similar instrument.

the stretched membrane forming a drumhead.

Example Sentences:

The top third was finished with a jarring pointed blind arch set in the tympanum .

The tympanum of the north entry is granite, with a small, paneled door beneath it.

123
Q

Falcate

A
  • adjective
    1. curved like a scythe or sickle; hooked; falciform.

Examples:
…
Mario did the choreography and most of the puppet-work personally—his little S-shaped arms and falcate digits are perfect for the forward curve from body to snout of a standard big-headed political puppet…
- David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest , 1996

The adult leaves are lanceolate, falcate , almost equally green on both sides.
Murray bail, eucalyptus

124
Q

Asperse

A

verb (used with object) as·persed, as·pers·ing.

  1. to attack with false, malicious, and damaging charges or insinuations; slander.
  2. to sprinkle; bespatter.
    Origin: 1480–90; < Latin aspersus besprinkled (past participle of aspergere ), equivalent to a- a-5 + -sper- (combining form of spar-, variant of sparg- sparge) + -sus, variant of -tus past participle suffix
125
Q

Feldspar

A

noun

  1. any of a group of minerals, principally aluminosilicates of potassium, sodium, and calcium, characterized by two cleavages at nearly right angles: one of the most important constituents of igneous rocks.

Example Sentences:

In various proportions are feldspar and traces of other minerals.

Until now, scientists had believed the moon was made of two basic types of rock: dark basalt and light, calcium-rich feldspar .

The coarse feldspar grains enclosed within the enclave are the same as the feldspar grains that make up the granite outside it.

126
Q

Bulrush

A

noun

  1. (in Biblical use) the papyrus, Cyperus papyrus.
  2. any of various rushes of the genera Scirpus and Typha.

Example Sentences:

bulrush is densely rhizomatous with abundant seed production.

It is continually plagued with dense stands of bulrush .

Lanes were shredded in the bulrush to encourage the cattle to graze other parts of the wetland.

127
Q

Rhizome

A

noun Botany

  1. a rootlike subterranean stem, commonly horizontal in position, that usually produces roots below and sends up shoots progressively from the upper surface.

Origin: 1835–45; < Neo-Latin rhizoma < Greek rhízōma root, stem, noun of result from rhizoûn to fix firmly, take root, derivative of rhíza root

128
Q

Decathect

A

verb (used with object)

  1. to withdraw one’s feelings of attachment from (a person, idea, or object), as in anticipation of a future loss: He decathected from her in order to cope with her impending death.

Noun decathexis

129
Q

Soigné

A

adjective

  1. carefully or elegantly done, operated, or designed.
  2. well-groomed
130
Q

Slake

A

verb (used with object)

  1. to allay (thirst, desire, wrath, etc.) by satisfying.
  2. to cool or refresh: He slaked his lips with ice.
  3. to make less active, vigorous, intense, etc.: His calm manner slaked their enthusiasm.
  4. to cause disintegration of (lime) by treatment with water. Compare slaked lime.
  5. Obsolete . to make loose or less tense; slacken.

verb (used without object)

  1. (of lime) to become slaked.
  2. Archaic. to become less active, intense, vigorous, etc.; abate.

Example Sentences:

And some of the water would continue to be used for irrigation or to slake the thirst of urban areas.

We have to slake our thirst for crude and invest immediately and aggressively in alternative energy sources.

The shales and siltstones are usually poor laminated and tend to air slake rapidly.

Origin: before 1000; Middle English slaken to mitigate, allay, moderate, lessen one’s efforts, Old English slacian to slacken, lessen one’s efforts, equivalent to slæc slack1 + -ian causative verb suffix
Related Forms—-

131
Q

Scurrilous

A

adjective

  1. grossly or obscenely abusive: a scurrilous attack on the mayor.
  2. characterized by or using low buffoonery; coarsely jocular or derisive: a scurrilous jest.
132
Q

Creel

A

noun

  1. a wickerwork basket worn on the back or suspended from the shoulder, used especially by anglers for carrying fish.
  2. a basket made of wicker or other material, for holding fish, lobsters, etc.
  3. a trap for fish, lobsters, etc., especially one made of wicker.
  4. a framework, especially one for holding bobbins in a spinning machine.

Example Sentences:

creel clerks are able to directly observe caught species.

Two creel clerks were employed to interview anglers at nine boats ramps throughout the season.

Origin: 1275–1325; Middle English crele, of uncertain origin

133
Q

Reliquary

A

noun plural rel·i·quar·ies.

  1. a repository or receptacle for relics.

Origin: 1650–60; < Middle French reliquaire < Medieval Latin reliquiārium, equivalent to Latin reliqui ( ae ) remains (see relic) + -ārium -ary

134
Q

Pacific

A

adjective

  1. tending to make or preserve peace; conciliatory: pacific overtures.
  2. not warlike; peaceable; mild: a pacific disposition.
  3. at peace; peaceful: a pacific era in history.
  4. is a pacific river.
  5. (initial capital letter) . of or pertaining to the Pacific Ocean.
  6. (initial capital letter) . of or pertaining to the region bordering on the Pacific Ocean: the Pacific states.
  7. noun (initial capital letter)
    Pacific Ocean
  8. a steam locomotive having a four-wheeled front truck, six driving wheels, and a two-wheeled rear truck.

Origin: 1540–50; < Latin pācificus literally, peacemaking, equivalent to pāci- (combining form of pāx ) peace + -ficus -fic

135
Q

Axon

A

noun

Cell Biology . the appendage of the neuron that transmits impulses away from the cell body.

ax·one , [ ak -sohn] /ˈæk soʊn/.

Example Sentences:

To communicate, a neuron fires an electrical signal down its axon , a single fiber extending away from the cell’s center.

Down to a neuron’s axon and molecules, the nerve cell is designed to be an information carrier.

There may be damage to the axon part of the nerve cell, which interferes with nerve signals.

Origin: 1835–45; < Neo-Latin <

Greek áxōn an axle, axis; akin to Latin axis

136
Q

Peripatetic

A

adjective

  1. walking or traveling about; itinerant.
  2. (initial capital letter) . of or pertaining to Aristotle, who taught philosophy while walking in the Lyceum of ancient Athens.
  3. (initial capital letter) . of or pertaining to the Aristotelian school of philosophy.

noun

  1. a person who walks or travels about.
  2. (initial capital letter) . a member of the Aristotelian school.

Example Sentences:

The Jets have found they make more money by being peripatetic in the preseason.

We were doing a reading on peripatetic philosophy.

Even considering necessary travel, it’s not easy to put our present peripatetic president into perspective.

Origin: 1400–50; late Middle English < Latin peripatēticus < Greek peripatētikós of Aristotle and his school, literally, walking about, equivalent to peripatē- (verbid stem of peripateîn to walk about, equivalent to peri- peri- + pateîn to walk; akin to path) + -tikos -tic

137
Q

Adipose

A

adjective

  1. fatty; consisting of, resembling, or relating to fat.

noun

  1. animal fat stored in the fatty tissue of the body.

Example Sentences:

adipose tissue responds to high insulin levels and diverts calories into fat.

The epicardial surface is smooth with a generous investment of adipose tissue.

So suggests research into a little-known type of adipose tissue called brown fat.

Origin: 1735–45; < Latin adip-, s of adeps fat, lard + -ose1

138
Q

Sedulous

A

adjective

  1. diligent in application or attention; persevering; assiduous.
  2. persistently or carefully maintained: sedulous flattery.

Origin: 1530–40; < Latin sēdulus, adj. derivative of the phrase sē dolō diligently, literally, without guile; replacing sedulious (see sedulity, -ous)

139
Q

Frottage

A

noun

  1. a technique in the visual arts of obtaining textural effects or images by rubbing lead, chalk, charcoal, etc., over paper laid on a granular or relieflike surface. Compare rubbing ( def 2 ).
  2. a work of art containing shapes and textures produced by frottage.
  3. the practice of getting sexual
    stimulation and satisfaction by rubbing against something, especially another person.

Origin: 1930–35; < French, equivalent to frott ( er ) to rub (of uncertain origin) + -age -age

140
Q

Onomatopoeia

A

noun

  1. the formation of a word, as cuckoo, meow, honk, or boom, by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent.
  2. a word so formed.
  3. the use of imitative and naturally suggestive words for rhetorical, dramatic, or poetic effect.

Example Sentences:

The onomatopoeia signaling that serious money can be made here provokes furious tapping and scribbling.

Discuss rhyming, alliteration and onomatopoeia to encourage interesting names for bars.

Origin: 1570–80; < Late Latin < Greek onomatopoiía making of words = onomato- (combining form of ónoma name) + poi- (stem of poieîn to make; see poet) + -ia -ia

141
Q

Erumpent

A

adjective

  1. bursting forth.
  2. (of fungi or algae) prominent; projecting from or bursting through host tissue.

Origin: 1640–50; < Latin ērumpent- (stem of ērumpēns ), present participle of ērumpere, equivalent to ē- e-1 + rumpere to break; see -ent

142
Q

Gambol

A

verb (used without object)

  1. to skip about, as in dancing or playing; frolic.

noun

  1. a skipping or frisking about; frolic.

Example Sentences:

The race’s leaders let low-ranked riders gambol for the second successive day, and there was only a small change at the top.

Where the graceful lambs played but now, unwieldy sea calves gambol .

They gambol and twitch, taking turns posing behind a colorfully framed, movable screen.

Origin: 1495–1505; earlier gambold, gambald, gamba ( u ) de < Middle French gambade; see gambade
Related Forms—-

143
Q

Recherché

A

adjective

  1. sought out with care.
  2. very rare, exotic, or choice; arcane; obscure.
  3. of studied refinement or elegance; precious; affected; pretentious.

Example Sentences:
The two share a facial-hair style, and a habit of closing their eyes when explaining something recherché.

Origin: 1715–25; < French, past participle of rechercher to search for carefully; see research

144
Q

Poniard

A 
Definition:  a small, slender dagger.
- noun
a small, slender dagger.
- verb
to stab with a poniard.

Examples:

He lifted himself up as far as the waist of Yvonnet and pricked him with his poniard. “Do yon feel the point of my poniard ?” he asked. “Yes, monseigneur. Mercy! mercy! I am afraid!” “It is sharp and keen,” continued Gabriel…
- Alexandre Dumas, père, The Two Dianas , 1846

He did not want to use the poniard yet, but he longed to possess it. If he could grasp its handle and try its edge, that blank in his mind—that past which fell away continually—would not make him feel so cruelly helpless…
- George Eliot, Romola , 1863

145
Q

Sartorial

A

adjective

  1. of or pertaining to tailors or their trade: sartorial workmanship.
    of or pertaining to clothing or style
  2. or manner of dress: sartorial splendor.
  3. Anatomy . pertaining to the sartorius.

Example Sentences:

We schoolchildren accepted uniforms all the more readily because our parents too appeared in sartorial lockstep.

The sartorial forecast this spring calls for ruffles with a chance of flowers and prints.

Charlie’s sartorial reputation may or may not have been deserved.

Origin: 1815–25; < Late Latin sartor tailor + -ial

146
Q

Ariose

A

adjective

  1. characterized by melody; songlike.

Origin: 1735–45; Anglicized variant of arioso

147
Q

Concomitant

A

adjective

  1. existing or occurring with something else, often in a lesser way; accompanying; concurrent: an event and its concomitant circumstances.

noun

  1. a concomitant quality, circumstance, or thing.

Example Sentences:

And there are powerful reasons for seeking to avoid the destruction of wilderness and the concomitant extinction of species.

In my long experience, good ones spend lots of time at their work, and scheduling that time comes as a natural concomitant .

The growing pie would was not matched by concomitant population increase.

Origin: 1595–1605; < Latin concomitant- (stem of concomitāns, present participle of concomitārī ), equivalent to con- con- + comit- (stem of comes ) comes + -ant- -ant

148
Q

Sartorius

A

noun plural sar·to·ri·i, Anatomy

  1. a long, flat, narrow muscle extending obliquely from the front of the hip to the inner side of the tibia, assisting in bending the hip or knee joint and in rotating the thigh outward: the longest muscle in humans.

Origin: 1695–1705; < Neo-Latin sartōrius, adj. derivative of Late Latin sartor tailor; see -tory1

149
Q

Crapehanger

A

noun
a person who sees the gloomy side of things; pessimist.

Origin:
1915–20, Americanism; crape + hanger

150
Q

Dilly

A

Informal. something or someone regarded as remarkable, unusual, etc.: a dilly of a movie.

Two pairs of long johns hanging from driftwood drying racks flapped in the breeze like nervous specters frantic to find their bodies. It would be a dilly of a painting.

– Susan Vreeland, The Forest Lover , 2004
That was a dilly of a fight, folks, what did I tell you, a dilly !
– Jack Todd, Come Again No More: A Novel , 2010

Origin:
Dilly is thought to have come to English by combining the first syllable of delightful and delicious with the -y suffix meaning “full or characterized by.”

151
Q

Callow

A

adjective

  1. immature or inexperienced: a callow youth.
  2. (of a young bird) featherless; unfledged.

noun

  1. a recently hatched worker ant.

Example Sentences:

Nicklaus was enthralled the first time he played in the Masters in 1959 as a callow 19-year-old amateur.

Seems the money-hungry merchant’s underpaid, callow clerks dream of romance and adventure, too.

Anyway, comments about my callow youthfulness or my “babbling” are more entertaining than anything else.

Origin: before 1000; Middle English, Old English calu bald; cognate with Dutch kaal, German kahl bald, OCS golŭ bare

152
Q

haggard

A

adjective

  1. having a gaunt, wasted, or exhausted appearance, as from prolonged suffering, exertion, or anxiety; worn: the haggard faces of the tired troops.
  2. wild; wild-looking: haggard eyes.
  3. Falconry. (especially of a hawk caught after it has attained adult plumage) untamed.
    noun
  4. Falconry. a wild or untamed hawk caught after it has assumed adult plumage.

Origin:
1560–70; orig., wild female hawk. See hag1 , -ard

153
Q

scurf

A

noun

  1. the scales or small shreds of epidermis that are continually exfoliated from the skin.
  2. any scaly matter or incrustation on a surface.

Origin:
before 1000; Middle English, Old English < Old Norse skurfa scurf, crust

154
Q

Intaglio

A

noun

  1. incised carving, as opposed to carving in relief.
  2. ornamentation with a figure or design sunk below the surface.
  3. a gem, seal, piece of jewelry, or the like, cut with an incised or sunken design.
  4. an incised or countersunk die.
  5. a figure or design so produced.
  6. a process in which a design, text, etc., is engraved into the surface of a plate so that when ink is applied and the excess is wiped off, ink remains in the grooves and is transferred to paper in printing, as in engraving or etching.
  7. an impression or printing from such a design, engraving, etc.
155
Q

grange

A

noun
1. a farm, with its farmhouse and nearby buildings.

  1. Chiefly British . a country house with its various farm buildings, usually constituting the dwelling of a yeoman or gentleman farmer.
  2. the Grange, See under Granger Movement.
  3. Archaic. a barn or granary.

Origin:
1150–1200; Middle English gra ( u ) nge barn < Anglo-French < Vulgar Latin *grānica (occurs in ML), equivalent to Latin grān ( um ) grain + -ica, feminine of -icus -ic

156
Q

Fledge

A

verb (used with object)

  1. to bring up (a young bird) until it is able to fly.
  2. to furnish with or as if with feathers or plumage.
  3. to provide (an arrow) with feathers.

verb (used without object)

  1. (of a young bird) to acquire the feathers necessary for flight.

adjective

  1. Archaic. (of young birds) able to fly.

Example Sentences:

In a good year, about half of the hatchlings survive to fledge .

Feather development won’t be complete until after they fledge and the eaglets may actually continue to gain weight.

Both parents care for the nestlings, which fledge in three to four weeks.

Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English flegge (fully-)fledged, Old English *flecge, as variant of -flycge; cognate with Old High German flucki, Middle Low German vlügge (> German flügge ); akin to fly1

157
Q

Wont

A

adjective

  1. accustomed; used (usually followed by an infinitive): He was wont to rise at dawn.

noun

  1. custom; habit; practice: It was her wont to walk three miles before breakfast.

verb (used with object)

  1. to accustom (a person), as to a thing.
  2. to render (a thing) customary or usual (usually used passively).
    verb (used without object)
  3. Archaic. to be wont.

Example Sentences:

Moderate honors are wont to augment, but immoderate to diminish.

Origin: 1300–50; (adj.) Middle English wont, woned, Old English gewunod, past participle of gewunian to be used to (see won2 ); cognate with German gewöhnt; (v.) Middle English, back formation from wonted or wont (past participle); (noun) apparently from conflation of wont (past participle) with obsolete wone wish, in certain stereotyped phrases

158
Q

Athenaeum

A

noun

  1. an institution for the promotion of literary or scientific learning.
  2. a library or reading room.
    (initial capital letter) . a sanctuary of Athena at Athens, built by the Roman emperor Hadrian, and frequented by poets and scholars.

Origin: 1720–30; < Latin < Greek Athḗnaion temple of Athena, where poets read their works

159
Q

Teleological

A

adjective Philosophy

of or pertaining to teleology, the philosopical doctrine that final causes, design, and purpose exist in nature. (Seemingly having to do with the Aristotelian idea of final causes, the end purpose for which something is produced).

tel·e·o·log·ic .

Example Sentences:

Evolution is not the ultra-fine teleological shaping tool people often mistake it to be.

Editor doesn’t seem to understand the danger of teleological argumentation.

His approach, on the other hand, is entirely teleological .

160
Q

Hew

A

verb (used with object)

  1. to strike forcibly with an ax, sword, or other cutting instrument; chop; hack.
  2. to make, shape, smooth, etc., with cutting blows: to hew a passage through the crowd; to hew a statue from marble.
  3. to sever (a part) from a whole by means of cutting blows (usually followed by away, off, out, from, etc.): to hew branches from the tree.
  4. to cut down; fell: to hew wood; trees hewed down by the storm.

verb (used without object)

  1. to strike with cutting blows; cut: He hewed more vigorously each time.
  2. to uphold, follow closely, or conform (usually followed by to ): to hew to the tenets of one’s political party.

Origin: before 900; Middle English hewen, Old English hēawan; cognate with German hauen, Old Norse hǫggva; akin to haggle

161
Q

Inhere

A

verb (used without object) in·hered, in·her·ing.

  1. to exist permanently and inseparably in, as a quality, attribute, or element; belong intrinsically; be inherent: the advantages that inhere in a democratic system.

Example Sentences:

Many other freedoms inhere in humanity and in citizenship, and neither the university nor anyone else should interfere with them.

Generally, a juror may not impeach the verdict as to matters that inhere therein after the jury has been discharged.

Because riparian rights inhere to land ownership, they do not need to be put to beneficial use in order to be kept alive.

Origin: 1580–90; < Latin inhaerēre, equivalent to in- in-2 + haerēre to stick

162
Q

Cartesian

A

adjective

  1. of or pertaining to Descartes, his mathematical methods, or his philosophy, especially with regard to its emphasis on logical analysis and its mechanistic interpretation of physical nature.

noun

  1. a follower of Cartesian thought.

Origin: 1650–60; < Neo-Latin Cartesiānus, equivalent to Cartesi ( us ) (Latinization of Descartes) + -ānus -an

163
Q

Quondam

A

adjective
1. former; onetime: his quondam partner.

. . . A distinguished quondam Oxonian . . .
Origin: 1580–90; < Latin

164
Q

Oxonian

A

adjective

  1. of or pertaining to Oxford, England, or to Oxford University (in England).

noun

  1. a member or graduate of Oxford University.
  2. a native or inhabitant of Oxford.

Origin: 1530–40; < Medieval Latin Oxoni ( a ) Oxford + -an

166
Q

Ablated

A

verb (used with object)

  1. to remove or dissipate by melting, vaporization, erosion, etc.: to ablate a metal surface with intense heat.

verb (used without object)

  1. to become ablated; undergo ablation.

Origin: 1535–45; < Latin ablātus carried away (past participle of auferre ), equivalent to ab- ab- + lātus (past participle of ferre to bear); see -ate1

166
Q

Storgé

A

The naturally occurring devotion and affection that arise among family members
(Definition from Romancing the shadow)

167
Q

Hieratic

A

adjective

  1. of or pertaining to priests or the priesthood; sacerdotal; priestly.
  2. noting or pertaining to a form of ancient Egyptian writing consisting of abridged forms of hieroglyphics, used by the priests in their records.
    noting or pertaining to certain styles in art in which the representations or methods are fixed by or as if by religious tradition.
  3. highly restrained or severe in emotional import: Some of the more hieratic sculptures leave the viewer curiously unmoved.

noun

  1. ancient Egyptian hieratic writing.
169
Q

Pluperfect

A

adjective
Grammar .

  1. perfect with respect to a point of reference in past time, as had done in He had done it when I came.
  2. designating a tense or other verb formation or construction with such meaning, as Latin portāveram “I had carried.”
  3. more than perfect: He spoke the language with pluperfect precision.
  4. the pluperfect tense, or other verb formation or construction with such meaning.
  5. a form in the pluperfect.

Origin: 1520–30; < Latin plū ( s quam ) perfectum (more than) perfect, translation of Greek hypersyntelikós

170
Q

Occluded

A

verb (used with object)

  1. to close, shut, or stop up (a passage, opening, etc.).
  2. to shut in, out, or off.
  3. Physical Chemistry . (of certain metals and other solids) to incorporate (gases and other foreign substances), as by absorption or adsorption.

verb (used without object)

  1. Dentistry. to shut or close, with the cusps of the opposing teeth of the upper and lower jaws fitting together.
  2. Meteorology . to form an occluded front.

Origin: 1590–1600; < Latin occlūdere to shut up, close up, equivalent to oc- oc- + -clūdere, combining form of claudere to close

171
Q

Avuncular

A

adjective

  1. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of an uncle: avuncular affection.

Example Sentences:

His demeanor is commanding, with a practiced avuncular charm.

In his place is a jolly, avuncular leader, seen playing with his grandchildren and appearing on lighter chat shows.

His avuncular manner goes down well in a country shaken by three years of non-stop politicking.

Origin: 1825–35; < Latin avuncul ( us ) a mother’s brother, equivalent to av ( us ) a forefather + *-ont- + *-l ( os ) diminutive suffix (cf. uncle) + -ar1

172
Q

Cortège

A

noun

  1. a procession, especially a ceremonial one: a funeral cortege.
  2. a line or train of attendants; retinue.
    cor·tège .

Example Sentences:

He ordered a memorial cross to be built wherever the cortege rested.

Crowds of people lined the streets and watched the cortege move slowly by.

Closes casket and leads funeral cortege to church or burial site.

Origin: 1670–80; < French < Italian corteggio courtly retinue, derivative of corteggiare to court, itself derivative of corte court

173
Q

Afflatus

A

noun

  1. inspiration; an impelling mental force acting from within.
  2. divine communication of knowledge.

Example Sentences:

The divine afflatus descends equally on the good and the bad, the lofty and the lowly.

He doesn’t know much about it, but the idea has given him a powerful afflatus .

Origin: 1655–65; < Latin afflātus a breathing on, equivalent to af- af- + flā- (stem of flāre to blow2 ) + -tus suffix of v. action

174
Q

Contumely

A

noun plural con·tu·me·lies.

  1. insulting display of contempt in words or actions; contemptuous or humiliating treatment.

a humiliating insult.

Example Sentences:

But the high points are in place as is a healthy share of contumely .

All those years he’s had to suffer all my contumely in my head.

Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English contumelie (< Anglo-French ) < Latin contumēlia, perhaps akin to contumāx (see contumacy), though formation and sense development are unclear

175
Q

Brio

A

noun

  1. vigor; vivacity.

Example Sentences:

With a salad and a simple dessert, this is a weeknight menu con brio .

Simple stuff, really, but delivered with a brio that kept generations of children giggling.

The writing is all in the same key, and strictly molto con brio .

Origin: 1725–35; < Italian < Spanish brío energy, determination < Celtic *brīgos; compare Old Irish bríg (feminine) power, strength, force, Middle Welsh bri (masculine) honor, dignity, authority

176
Q

Nugatory

A

adjective

  1. of no real value; trifling; worthless.
  2. of no force or effect; ineffective; futile; vain.
  3. not valid.

Example Sentences:

Moreover, such a reading would render the substantial factor test nugatory .

It was absurd, because they ought to have seen that their conditions are entirely nugatory .

Whether this, in turn, rendered official exaction nugatory remains unclear.

Origin: 1595–1605; < Latin nūgātōrius worthless, useless, trifling, equivalent to nūgā(rī ) to trifle + -tōrius -tory1

177
Q

Cloaca

A

noun plural clo·a·cae

Zoology .

  1. the common cavity into which the intestinal, urinary, and generative canals open in birds, reptiles, amphibians, many fishes, and certain mammals.
  2. a similar cavity in invertebrates.
  3. a sewer, especially an ancient sewer.

Origin: 1650–60; < Latin clo ( u ) āca, cluāca sewer, drain; probably akin to Greek klýzein to wash, wash away

178
Q

Squiffy

A

(Squiffed)

adjective Slang.

intoxicated

Origin: 1870–75; origin uncertain

179
Q

Tohubohu

A

noun

  1. chaos; disorder; confusion.

( “without form and void” according to Jim Holt)
Origin: 1605–15; < Hebrew tōhū wā-bhōhū

180
Q

Loggerhead

A

noun

  1. a thick-headed or stupid person; blockhead.
  2. loggerhead turtle
  3. loggerhead shrike
  4. a ball or bulb of iron with a long handle, used, after being heated, to melt tar, heat liquids, etc.
  5. a rounded post, in the stern of a whaleboat, around which the harpoon line is passed.
  6. a circular inkwell having a broad, flat base.

Idioms

at loggerheads engaged in a disagreement or dispute; quarreling: They were at loggerheads over the distribution of funds.

Example Sentences:

Northern mockingbirds, blue grosbeaks and loggerhead shrike nest nearby.

Sato’s findings may also help the endangered loggerhead sea turtle.

It is also home to green sea turtles and loggerhead sea turtles, which are both eaten by tiger sharks.

Origin: 1580–90; logger block of wood (first attested alone in 18th century) + head

181
Q

Sophist

A

noun

(often initial capital letter), Greek History .

A. any of a class of professional teachers in ancient Greece who gave instruction in various fields, as in general culture, rhetoric, politics, or disputation.
B. a person belonging to this class at a later period who, while professing to teach skill in reasoning, concerned himself with ingenuity and specious effectiveness rather than soundness of argument.
  1. a person who reasons adroitly and speciously rather than soundly.
  2. a philosopher.

Origin: 1535–45; < Latin sophista < Greek sophistḗs sage, derivative of sophízesthai

182
Q

Dappled

A

adjective

  1. having spots of a different shade, tone, or color from the background; mottled.

Example Sentences:

Its upper body is usually profusely dappled with large, irregular, dark-chocolate spots.

Three were landscapes: a beechwood, a dappled apple tree, houses by a river.

Fawns are born with a reddish-brown coat dappled with white spots.

Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English, probably < Scandinavian; akin to Old Norse depill spot

183
Q

Acidulous

A

adjective
1. slightly sour.

  1. sharp; caustic: his acidulous criticism of the book.
  2. moderately acid or tart; subacid.
  3. acidulent.

Example Sentences:

Invective-hilarious, acidulous invective, often served up with false apologies-is everywhere.

Spacey, after a long career of playing acidulous bad guys, gives a performance of surprising gentleness.

Origin: 1760–70; < Latin acidulus. See acid, -ulous

184
Q

Demiurge

A

noun
Philosophy .

  1. Platonism. the artificer of the world.
  2. (in the Gnostic and certain other systems) a supernatural being imagined as creating or fashioning the world in subordination to the Supreme Being, and sometimes regarded as the originator of evil.
  3. (in many states of ancient Greece) a public official or magistrate.

Example Sentences:

On each side of him is a smaller image of a standing demiurge .

Origin: 1590–1600; < Greek dēmiourgós a worker for the people, skilled worker, equivalent to dḗmio ( s ) of the people (derivative of dêmos the people) + -ergos a worker, derivative of érgon work, with oe > ou

185
Q

Gnostic

A

adjective

  1. pertaining to knowledge.
    possessing knowledge, especially esoteric knowledge of spiritual matters.
  2. (initial capital letter) . pertaining to or characteristic of the Gnostics.

noun

  1. (initial capital letter) . a member of any of certain sects among the early Christians who claimed to have superior knowledge of spiritual matters, and explained the world as created by powers or agencies arising as emanations from the Godhead.

Example Sentences:

Unlike gnostic atheists, gnostic theists are extremely common.

Origin: 1555–65; < Late Latin Gnōsticī (plural) name of the sect < Greek gnōstikós (singular) pertaining to knowledge, equivalent to gnōst ( ós ) known + -ikos -ic

186
Q

Caliph

A

noun

  1. a spiritual leader of Islam, claiming succession from Muhammad.
  2. any of the former Muslim rulers of Baghdad (until 1258) and of the Ottoman Empire (from 1571 until 1924).

Also, calif, kalif, kaliph, khalif.

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English caliphe, califfe < Middle French < Medieval Latin calipha < Arabic khalīf ( a ) successor (of Muhammad), derivative of khalafa succeed

187
Q

Gelid

A

adjective

very cold; icy.

Origin: 1600–10; < Latin gelidus icy cold, equivalent to gel ( um ) frost, cold + -idus -id4

188
Q

Ambit

A

[ am -bit ]
noun

  1. circumference; circuit.
  2. boundary; limit.
  3. a sphere of operation or influence; range; scope: the ambit of such an action.

Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English < Latin ambitus a going around, equivalent to amb- ambi- + itus a going ( i- (stem of īre to go) + -tus suffix of v. action)

189
Q

Jejune

A

adjective

  1. without interest or significance; dull; insipid: a jejune novel.
  2. juvenile; immature; childish: jejune behavior.
  3. lacking knowledge or experience; uninformed: jejune attempts to design a house.
  4. deficient or lacking in nutritive value: a jejune diet.

Origin: 1605–15; < Latin jējūnus empty, poor, mean

190
Q

Unctuous

A

[ uhngk -choo- uh s ]

adjective

  1. characterized by excessive piousness or moralistic fervor, especially in an affected manner; excessively smooth, suave, or smug.
  2. of the nature of or characteristic of an unguent or ointment; oily; greasy.
  3. having an oily or soapy feel, as certain minerals.

Example Sentences:

When bitten, they collapsed with an unctuous squelch.

In the testing of unctuous materials that adhere readily to the skin, mesh
wire screen may be employed instead of the sleeve.

Dinner specials are described by waiters in the tones of unctuous coroners announcing the results of autopsies.

Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin ūnctuōsus, equivalent to Latin ūnctu ( s ) act of anointing ( ung ( uere ) to smear, anoint + -tus suffix of v. action) + -ōsus -ous

191
Q

Dessicate

A

[ des -i-keyt ]
verb (used with object)

1. to dry thoroughly; dry up.
to preserve (food) by removing moisture; dehydrate.

verb (used without object)

  1. to become thoroughly dried or dried up.

Example Sentences:

Still retaining a bit of moisture, grilled cod and salmon escaped the flames in time, but on two tries the halibut was desiccated .

Ranchers are staring at dry water holes and desiccated pasture, forcing them either to sell cattle or buy feed.

It smolders in secret for a few days, consuming dead wood and desiccated brush.

Origin: 1565–75; < Latin dēsiccātus dried up, past participle of dēsiccāre, equivalent to dē- de- + siccāre, derivative of siccus dry; see -ate1

192
Q

Obstreperous

A

adjective

  1. resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly.
  2. noisy, clamorous, or boisterous: obstreperous children.

Example Sentences:

Refraining from abusive or obstreperous conduct is a corollary of the advocate’s right to speak on behalf of litigants.

Murphy has let a few, disturbers into conventions, but promptly ejected them when they became obstreperous .

Here, however, the testimony was that appellant was constantly obstreperous throughout his contact with police.

Origin: 1590–1600; < Latin obstreperus clamorous, akin to obstrepere to make a noise at ( ob- ob- + strepere to rattle); see -ous

193
Q

Creosote

A

noun

  1. an oily liquid having a burning taste and a penetrating odor, obtained by the distillation of
    coal and wood tar, used mainly as a preservative for wood and as an antiseptic.

coal-tar creosote

verb (used with object)

  1. to treat with creosote.

Example Sentences:

creosote is irritating to skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.

Franken suggested runoff from a nearby creosote plant.

The sharp smell of creosote bush comes from natural oils and wax which coat its leaves to seal in water.

Origin: < German Kreosote (1832) < Greek kreo-, combining form of kréas flesh + sōtēr savior, preserver (in reference to its antiseptic properties)

194
Q

Factotum

A

noun

  1. a person, as a handyman or servant, employed to do all kinds of work around the house.
  2. any employee or official having many different responsibilities.

Origin: 1560–70; < Medieval Latin, equivalent to Latin fac make, do (imperative of facere ) + tōtum, neuter of tōtus all

195
Q

Insouciant

A

adjective

  1. free from concern, worry, or anxiety; carefree; nonchalant.

Origin: 1820–30; < French, equivalent to in- in-3 + souciant present participle of soucier to worry < Vulgar Latin *sollicītāre, for Latin sollicitāre to disturb; see solicitous

196
Q

Ideogram

A

noun

  1. a written symbol that represents an idea or object directly rather than a particular word or speech sound, as a Chinese character.
  2. a written symbol, as 7, =, logogram.

Example Sentences:

The smaller the page length, the smaller and more distorted the ideogram map will be.

Origin: 1830–40; ideo- + -gram1

197
Q

Pulchritude

A

noun

  1. physical beauty; comeliness.

Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English

< Latin pulchritūdō beauty, equivalent to pulchri- (combining form of pulcher beautiful) + -tūdō -tude

198
Q

Entomological

A

noun

  1. the branch of zoology dealing with insects.

Origin: 1760–70; entomo- + -logy

199
Q

Mien

A

noun

  1. air, bearing, or demeanor, as showing character, feeling, etc.: a man of noble mien.

Example Sentences:

Voters seemed put off by his gloomy and aloof mien .

There is nothing of despondency in their sorrowing mien .

Slow was her step, and awful was her mien .

Origin: 1505–15; probably aphetic variant of obsolete demean bearing, demean2 ; spelled with -ie- to distinguish it from mean2

200
Q

Crepuscular

A

adjective

  1. of, pertaining to, or resembling twilight; dim; indistinct.
  2. Zoology . appearing or active in the twilight, as certain bats and insects.

Origin:
1660–70; crepuscule + -ar1

201
Q

Capitulate

A

verb (used without object) ca·pit·u·lat·ed, ca·pit·u·lat·ing.

  1. to surrender unconditionally or on stipulated terms.
  2. to give up resistance: He finally capitulated and agreed to do the job my way.

Example Sentences:

Certainly the present holders of economic power are not going to capitulate until they are faced with overwhelming odds.

He has seemingly no escape, and must fight or capitulate .

Faced with an omnipotent enemy, mankind’s only alternative is to refuse to capitulate and to attempt to endure.

Origin: 1570–80; < Medieval Latin capitulātus (past participle of capitulāre to draw up in sections), equivalent to capitul ( um ) section (literally, small head; see capitulum) + -ātus -ate1

202
Q

Anodyne

A

noun

  1. a medicine that relieves or allays pain.
    anything that relieves distress or pain: The music was an anodyne to his grief.

adjective

  1. relieving pain.
  2. soothing to the mind or feelings.

Origin: 1535–45; < Latin anōdynus < Greek anṓdynos painless, equivalent to an- an-1 + ōdyn- (stem of odýnē pain, with lengthening of o ) + -os adj. suffix

203
Q

Olla podrida

A

noun

  1. a spicy Spanish stew of sausage and other meat, chickpeas, and often tomatoes and other vegetables.
  2. an incongruous mixture or miscellany; olio.

Origin: 1590–1600; < Spanish: literally, rotten pot

204
Q

Dentate

A

adjective Botany, Zoology

  1. having a toothed margin or toothlike projections or processes.

Origin: 1800–10; < Latin dentātus, equivalent to dent- (stem of dēns ) tooth + -ātus -ate1

205
Q

Heliocentric

A

adjective Astronomy

  1. measured or considered as being seen from the center of the sun.
  2. having or representing the sun as a center: the heliocentric concept of the universe.

Example Sentences:

Note that the heliocentric orbit energy is constant until a near encounter with a planet occurs.

However, he did say that he did not think evolution as well established a fact as the heliocentric nature of the universe.

Neither does atomic theory of matter, the heliocentric model of the solar system, or plate tectonics.

Origin: 1660–70; helio- + -centricp

206
Q

Scutter

A

(Scurry) verb (used without object)

  1. to go or move quickly or in haste.
    verb (used with object)
  2. to send hurrying along.

noun

  1. a scurrying rush: the scurry of little
  2. a short run or race.

Example Sentences:

scurry couldn’t catch a cold in that game and is so old she can’t even get a goal kick past half field.

Critters big and small trample, crush, and plow rocks as they scurry across the surface and burrow underground.

Press the corresponding button on this repeller, and the critter will scurry away.

Origin: 1800–10; extracted from hurry-scurry

207
Q

Hyperborean

A

noun

  1. Classical Mythology . one of a people supposed to live in a land of perpetual sunshine and abundance beyond the north wind.
  2. an inhabitant of an extreme northern region.
    adjective
  3. of or pertaining to the Hyperboreans.
    (lowercase) . of, pertaining to, or living in a far northern region.

Origin: < Latin hyperbore ( us ) < Greek hyperbóreos beyond the north wind, northern, polar ( hyper- hyper- + boréas the north, the north wind) + -an; see Boreas

208
Q

Mummer

A

noun

  1. a person who wears a mask or fantastic costume while merrymaking or taking part in a pantomime, especially at Christmas and other festive seasons.
  2. an actor, especially a pantomimist.

Origin: 1400–50; late Middle English mommer. See mum2 , -er1

209
Q

Dogsbody

A

noun plural dogs·bod·ies. Chiefly British Slang.

  1. a menial worker; drudge.

Origin: 1810–20; originally a junior naval officer, earlier a sailor’s term for soaked sea biscuits or pease pudding

210
Q

Epistemology

A

noun
1. a branch of philosophy that investigates the origin, nature, methods, and limits of human knowledge.

Example Sentences:

It’s pretty clear that mainstream econ is still floundering because of weaknesses in epistemology .

However, it is not the only view: the rejection of the distinction can be thought of as a naturalized epistemology .

His epistemology often intertwined description and explanation.

Origin: 1855–60; < Greek epistḗm ( ē ) knowledge + -o- + -logy

211
Q

granitic

A

noun

  1. a coarse-grained igneous rock composed chiefly of orthoclase and albite feldspars and of quartz, usually with lesser amounts of one or more other minerals, as mica, hornblende, or augite.
  2. anything compared to this rock in great hardness, firmness, or durability.

Origin: 1640–50; < Italian granito grainy. See grain, -ite1

212
Q

ribald

A

adjective
1. vulgar or indecent in speech, language, etc.; coarsely mocking, abusive, or irreverent; scurrilous.

noun

  1. a ribald person.

Origin: 1200–50; Middle English ribald, ribaud (noun) < Old French ribau ( l ) d, equivalent to rib ( er ) to be licentious (< Old High German rīben to copulate, be in heat, literally, rub) + -au ( l ) d, -alt < Frankish *-wald a suffix in personal names, derivative of *walden to rule; compare parallel development of -ard

213
Q

portmanteau

A

— n , pl -teaus , -teaux

  1. (formerly) a large travelling case made of stiff leather, esp one hinged at the back so as to open out into two compartments
  2. ( modifier ) embodying several uses or qualities: the heroine is a portmanteau figure of all the virtues

[C16: from French: cloak carrier, from porter to carry + manteau cloak, mantle ]

214
Q

concatenate

A

verb (used with object)

  1. to link together; unite in a series or chain.

adjective
2. linked together, as in a chain.

Origin:
1425–75; late Middle English (past participle) < Late Latin concatēnātus (past participle of concatēnāre ), equivalent to con- con- + Latin catēn ( a ) chain + -ātus -ate1

215
Q

Phlegmatic

A

adjective

  1. not easily excited to action or display of emotion; apathetic; sluggish.
  2. self-possessed, calm, or composed.
    of the nature of or abounding in the humor phlegm.

phleg·mat·i·cal .

Example Sentences:

But in some sense, a kind of man – wishy-washy and phlegmatic – has gone out of style.

Our impressions of phlegmatic pace were reinforced, upon arriving, when no one seemed to be in any rush to greet us.

He was calm, almost phlegmatic in conversation, but the minute he walked on a platform he was transformed.

Origin: 1300–50; < Late Latin phlegmaticus < Greek phlegmatikós pertaining to phlegm, equivalent to phlegmat- (stem of phlégma phlegm) + -ikos -ic; replacing Middle English fleumatik < Middle French fleumatique < Late Latin, as above

216
Q

Privation

A

noun

  1. lack of the usual comforts or necessaries of life: His life of privation began to affect his health.
  2. an instance of this.
  3. the act of depriving.
  4. the state of being deprived.

Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English (< Middle French privacion ) < Latin prīvātiōn- (stem of prīvātiō ) a taking away. See private, -ion

217
Q

Admixture

A

noun

  1. the act of mixing; state of being mixed.
  2. anything added; any alien element or ingredient: This is a pure product; there are no admixtures.
    a compound containing an admixture.

Example Sentences:

Early recipes present another admixture of the familiar and the jarring.

But there is a sturdiness of character and stirring intensity of action, with a happy admixture of buffoonery, through it all.

It is that admixture of principled hopefulness and intense skepticism that characterizes what he does.

218
Q

Rictus

A

noun plural ric·tus, ric·tus·es.

  1. the gape of the mouth of a bird.
  2. the gaping or opening of the mouth.

Example Sentences:

It’s a stiff rictus of hatred, and pointy-headed at that.

At the meeting the editor tried to be affable and he even gave us his rictus of a smile.

Origin: 1750–60; < Latin: wide-open mouth, equivalent to rig-, variant stem of ringī to open the mouth wide + -tus suffix of v. action.

219
Q

Celerity

A

noun

  1. swiftness; speed.

Example Sentences:

The findings support the swiftness or celerity element of deterrence theory.

For deep water waves, the wave height is virtually unaffected by the depth and the wave celerity is unaffected by the bottom.

As the storm sewer fills, the flow will return to subcritical as the celerity increases rapidly.

Origin: 1480–90; earlier celerite < Middle French < Latin celeritās, equivalent to celer swift + -itās -ity

220
Q

Preterite

A

noun Grammar

  1. past ( def 12 ).
  2. a preterit tense.
  3. a verb form in this tense.
  4. Grammar . noting a past action or state.
  5. Archaic. bygone; past.
    pret·er·ite .

Example Sentences:

The distinctions between preterite and imperfect forms also uses a mnemonic acronym.

Verb tenses in the packet are restricted to the present and the preterite .

Origin: 1300–50; Middle English < Latin praeteritus past, past participle of praeterīre to go by, equivalent to praeter- preter- + -i-, base of īre to go + -tus past participle suffix; as tense name < Latin ( tempus ) praeteritum

221
Q

Martinet

A

noun

  1. a strict disciplinarian, especially a military one.
    someone who stubbornly adheres to methods or rules.

Origin: 1670–80; after General Jean Martinet (died 1672), French inventor of a system of drill

222
Q

Spume

A

verb (used with object)

  1. to eject or discharge as or like foam or froth; spew (often followed by forth ).

verb (used without object)

2.to foam; froth.

noun

  1. foam, froth, or scum.

Example Sentences:

And the flung spray and the blown spume ,and the sea-gulls crying.

And the flung spray and the blown spume , and the sea-gulls crying.

Origin: 1300–50; Middle English < Latin spūma foam, froth; akin to foam

223
Q

Sedulous

A

adjective

  1. diligent in application or attention; persevering; assiduous.
  2. persistently or carefully maintained: sedulous flattery.

Origin: 1530–40; < Latin sēdulus, adj. derivative of the phrase sē dolō diligently, literally, without guile; replacing sedulious (see sedulity, -ous)

224
Q

Sybaritic

A

adjective

  1. (usually lowercase) . pertaining to or characteristic of a sybarite; characterized by or loving luxury or sensuous pleasure: to wallow in sybaritic splendor.
  2. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Sybaris or its inhabitants.

Syb·a·rit·i·cal .

Example Sentences:

The master suite contains a sparkling new bath of truly sybaritic pleasure.

Conspicuous consumption and sybaritic elegance also count.

But if you go, forget the sybaritic habits of a modern tourist and treat the trip as an adventure or a pilgrimage.

Origin: < Latin Sybarīticus < Greek Sybarītikós, equivalent to Sybarī́t ( ēs ) Sybarite + -ikos -ic

225
Q

Saturnine

A

adjective
1. sluggish in temperament; gloomy; taciturn.

  1. suffering from lead poisoning, as a person.
    due to absorption of lead, as bodily disorders.

Example Sentences:

Her saturnine look in the movie mirrors that in several collections on the fall runways.

Levy is wide-shouldered and tight-suited, with careful hair and a saturnine expression.

He is noticeably saturnine and stiff, not to mention a little foolish-looking, with a ridge of hair across his shaven head.

Origin: 1400–50; late Middle English < Medieval Latin sāturnīnus (see Saturn, -ine1 )

226
Q

Diaphanous

A

adjective

  1. very sheer and light; almost completely transparent or translucent.
  2. delicately hazy.

Origin: 1605–15; < Medieval Latin diaphanus < Greek diaphan ( ḗs ) transparent (equivalent to diaphan-, stem of diaphaínein to show through (see dia-, -phane ) + -ēs adj. suffix) + -ous

227
Q

Accretive

A

noun

  1. an increase by natural growth or by gradual external addition; growth in size or extent.
  2. the result of this process.
  3. an added part; addition: The last part of the legend is a later accretion.
  4. the growing together of separate parts into a single whole.
  5. Law. increase of property by gradual natural additions, as of land by alluvion.

Example Sentences:

The shift from variable, to stable, to accretive coincides with small changes in coastline orientation.

Pursue accretive acquisitions or construction of facilities in new areas.

Origin: 1605–15; < Latin accrētiōn- (stem of accrētiō ), equivalent to accrēt ( us ), past participle of accrēscere to grow ( ac- ac- + crē- grow + -tus past participle suffix) + -iōn- -ion

228
Q

Episcopate

A

noun

  1. the office and dignity of a bishop; bishopric.
  2. the order or body of bishops.
  3. the incumbency of a bishop.
  4. the diocese of a bishop.

Origin: 1635–45; < Late Latin episcopātus the office of a bishop. See bishop, -ate3

229
Q

Sapropel

A

noun

  1. mud consisting chiefly of decomposed organic
    matter formed at the bottom of a stagnant sea or lake.

Origin: 1905–10; sapro- + -pel < Greek pēlós mud

230
Q

Picayune

A

adjective Informal.

  1. of little value or account; small; trifling: a picayune amount.
  2. petty, carping, or prejudiced: I didn’t want to seem picayune by criticizing.

noun
3. (formerly, in Louisiana, Florida, etc.) a coin equal to half a Spanish real.

  1. any small coin, as a five-cent piece.
  2. Informal. an insignificant person or thing.

Origin: 1780–90; < Provençal picaioun small copper coin (compare French picaillons ), derivative of an onomatopoetic base *pikk- beat, here referring to the coining of coppers

231
Q

Mavourneen

A

[ m uh - v oo r -neen, - vawr -, - vohr - ]

noun Irish English

  1. darling; dear.

ma·vour·nin .

Origin: 1790–1800; < Irish mo mhuirnín my darling

232
Q

Thanatotic

A

noun

  1. an ancient Greek personification of death.
  2. Psychoanalysis, (usually lowercase) . the death instinct, especially as expressed in violent aggression.

Related Forms—-
Than·a·tot·ic , [than- uh - tot -ik] adjective

233
Q

Lapis lazuli

A

noun

  1. a deep-blue mineral composed mainly of lazurite with smaller quantities of other minerals, used mainly as a gem or as a pigment.
  2. a sky-blue color; azure.

Also called, lapis, lazuli.

Example Sentences:

The improved access means the region’s stunning lapis lazuli jewelry will reach more markets.

Gold comes down iu showers, aud the heavens are all lapis lazuli .

These are beautifully decorated, with white marble lattice and marble mosaics studded with green jade, lapis lazuli and agate.

Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin, equivalent to Latin lapis stone + Medieval Latin lazulī, genitive of lazulum lapis lazuli; see azure

234
Q

Moribund

A

adjective
1. in a dying state; near death.
on the verge of extinction or termination.

  1. not progressing or advancing; stagnant: a moribund political party.

Example Sentences:

The point is that their slick, prosperous world is in fact moribund , so corrupt and monstrous that it is rotting on its feet.

On the other hand, it might only invite rampant corruption, or grant a temporary reprieve to a moribund political system.

Multilateralism has hardly been moribund as regional deals have mushroomed.

Origin: 1715–25; < Latin moribundus dying, equivalent to mori- (stem of morī to die) + -bundus adj. suffix

235
Q

Concinnity

A

noun plural con·cin·ni·ties.

Rhetoric .

  1. a close harmony of tone as well as logic among the elements of a discourse.
  2. an instance of this.
  3. any harmonious adaptation of parts.

Origin: 1525–35; < Latin concinnitās, equivalent to concinn ( us ) concinnous + -itās -ity

236
Q

Ontic

A

adjective Philosophy

  1. possessing the character of real rather than phenomenal existence; noumenal.

Origin: 1940–45; < Greek ont- (see onto-) + -ic

237
Q

Culvert

A

noun
a drain or channel crossing under a road, sidewalk, etc.; sewer; conduit.
Example Sentences:
The work includes the removal and replacement of a flood damaged culvert .
Huge culvert pipes and heavy concrete boxes had been laid on their sides nearby to serve as shelters, but they were not much used.
The existing culvert is a bottomless structural plate arch mounted on concrete footings.
Origin: 1765–75; origin uncertain

238
Q

Windbreak

A

noun
a growth of trees, a structure of boards, or the like, serving as a shelter from the wind.
Example Sentences:
Trees can provide refreshing shade and a windbreak for campers.
The planned windbreak must create a visual barrier between the road or residence and the animal feeding operation.
We will discuss the basic principles of windbreak s and windbreak design.
Origin: 1765–75; wind1 + break

239
Q

Incursion

A

[ in- kur -zh uh n, -sh uh n ]
noun
a hostile entrance into or invasion of a place or territory, especially a sudden one; raid: The bandits made brief incursions on the village.
a harmful inroad.
a running in: the incursion of sea water.
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Example Sentences:
None see the need for major military incursion beyond their own boarders.
The structure stands today even though it was at the center of heavy fighting during the incursion .
The major networks are fighting to protect against an incursion into the market of their local affiliates.
Origin: 1400–50; late Middle English < Latin incursiōn- (stem of incursiō ) raid, equivalent to incurs ( us ) (past participle of incurrere to incur) + -iōn- -ion; see excursion

240
Q

Piebald

A

adjective
having patches of black and white or of other colors; parti-colored.
noun
a piebald animal, especially a horse.
Example Sentences:
Auditory response characteristics of the piebald odorous frog and their implications.
Occasionally, you may see an all-white or a piebald deer, which are simply color variations of the species.
piebald deer can be more common on a local basis, especially in areas where deer hunters protect them.
Origin: 1580–90; pie2 (see pied) + bald

241
Q

Qua

A

adverb
as; as being; in the character or capacity of: The work of art qua art can be judged by aesthetic criteria only.
Example Sentences:
Losing the ability to desire is the sine qua non of serious depression.
Thus, punishing wrong doers is not a sine qua non for ever lasting peace.
Nevertheless, in a free society the right to pursue one’s own notions of happiness is a sine qua non.
Origin: 1640–50; < Latin quā feminine ablative singular of quī who

242
Q

Rheostat

A

noun Electricity
an adjustable resistor so constructed that its resistance may be changed without opening the circuit in which it is connected, thereby controlling the current in the circuit.
Origin: 1843; rheo- + -stat

243
Q

irascability

A

adjective
1.
easily provoked to anger; very irritable: an irascible old man.
2.
characterized or produced by anger: an irascible response.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English irascibel < Late Latin īrāscibilis, equivalent to Latin īrāsc- (stem of īrāscī to grow angry; equivalent to īr ( a ) ire + -ā- theme vowel + -sc- inchoative suffix + -ī infinitive ending; see -esce) + -ibilis -ible

244
Q

prolix

A

adjective
extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length; long and wordy.
(of a person) given to speaking or writing at great or tedious length.
Origin: 1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin prōlixus extended, long, equivalent to prō- pro-1 + -lixus, akin to līquī to flow; see liquor

245
Q

murmuration

A 
[ mur-m uh - rey -sh uh n ]
noun
an act or instance of murmuring.
a flock of starlings.
Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English  < Latin murmurātiōn-  (stem of murmurātiō ). See murmur, -ation
246
Q

Od

A

od
[ od, ohd ]
Definition: a hypothetical force formerly held to pervade all nature and to manifest itself in magnetism, mesmerism, chemical action, etc.
- noun
a hypothetical force formerly held to pervade all nature and to manifest itself in magnetism, mesmerism, chemical action, etc.

Examples:
“I studied mind-cure, or metaphysical healing, which strikes at the root of disease; I went into hypnotism, mesmerism, and phreno-magnetism, and the od force—I don’t suppose you know about the od which Reichenbach discovered.”
- Edward Eggleston, The Faith Doctor: a Story of New York , 1891
In these experiments, different substances from which the od was supposed to emanate were arranged on a collodion plate.

  • Edited by Clément Chéroux, The Perfect Medium: Photography and the Occult , 2005
247
Q

effluvium

A

[ ih- floo -vee- uh m ]
noun plural ef·flu·vi·a, ef·flu·vi·ums.
a slight or invisible exhalation or vapor, especially one that is disagreeable or noxious.
Origin: 1640–50; < Latin, equivalent to ef- ef- + fluv-, base of fluere to flow (see effluent) + -ium -ium

248
Q

escutcheon

A

noun
a shield or shieldlike surface on which a coat of arms is depicted. See illus. under coat of arms
an ornamental or protective plate around a keyhole, door handle, drawer pull, light switch, etc.
Nautical . a panel on the stern of a vessel bearing its name and port of registry.
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Idioms
blot on one’s escutcheon a stain on one’s reputation; disgrace.
Example Sentences:
To repair it, remove the faucet handle and escutcheon .
Other installments emphasize the putti with the papal escutcheon at the top.
All damaged plaster or wall surfaces shall be concealed by the jack escutcheon plate.
Origin: 1470–80; < Old North French escuchon ≪ Latin scūtum shield

249
Q

sinecure

A

Example Sentences:
He wrote scholarly papers, jousted in the departmental lists, aspired to the sinecure of tenure.
Many of the comments put forward interesting ideas about how to provide security without creating a sinecure .
The message boards erupted in panic, some of it from veteran players who didn’t want to lose their sinecure .
Origin: 1655–65; < Medieval Latin ( beneficium ) sine cūrā (benefice) without care; see cure

250
Q

Fenian

A

noun
a member of an Irish revolutionary organization founded in New York in 1858, which worked for the establishment of an independent Irish republic.
(in late Irish legends) a member of a group of warriors always ready to defend Ireland against its enemies.
Origin: 1810–20; < Irish féinne (genitive of fiann band of Fenians) + -ian; influenced by Old Irish féne ancient inhabitant of Ireland
Related Forms—-
Fe·ni·an·ism , noun

251
Q

splenetic

A

adjective
of the spleen; splenic.
irritable; peevish; spiteful.
Obsolete . affected with, characterized by, or tending to produce melancholy.
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noun
a splenetic person.
Origin: 1535–45; < Late Latin splēnēticus. See splen-, -etic

252
Q

saturnalia

A

noun plural Sat·ur·na·li·a, Sat·ur·na·li·as.
(sometimes used with a plural verb) . the festival of Saturn, celebrated in December in ancient Rome as a time of unrestrained merrymaking.
(lowercase) . unrestrained revelry; orgy.
Origin: 1585–95; < Latin Sāturnālia, equivalent to Sāturn ( us ) Saturn + -ālia, neuter plural of -ālis -al1

253
Q

apostasy

A

noun plural a·pos·ta·sies.
a total desertion of or departure from one’s religion, principles, party, cause, etc.
Example Sentences:
He was a youngish up-and-comer then, but physics rarely forgives apostasy .
There were wrathful denunciations of this apostasy .
Now he wants to make drilling safer — apostasy to these industry apologists.
Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English apostasye (< Anglo-French ) < Late Latin apostasia < Greek: a standing away, withdrawing, equivalent to apóstas ( is ) ( apo- apo- + sta- stand + -sis -sis) + -ia -ia

254
Q

impecuniosity

A

adjective
having little or no money; penniless; poor.
Example Sentences:
For them, their impecuniosity narrows the rental housing market.
If you cannot afford the fee, you can file an affidavit of impecuniosity .
Origin: 1590–1600; im-2 + obsolete pecunious wealthy < Latin pecūniōsus, equivalent to pecūni ( a ) wealth + -ōsus -ous
Related Forms—-
im·pe·cu·ni·ous·ly , adverb
im·pe·cu·ni·ous·ness , im·pe·cu·ni·os·i·ty , [im-pi-kyoo-nee- os -i-tee] noun

255
Q

fleet

A

Pathology .
a thin, morbid discharge, as from a wound.
persistent or chronic gonorrhea.
Also called nasal gleet. Veterinary Pathology an inflammation of the nasal passages of a horse, producing a thick discharge.
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Origin: 1300–50; Middle English glete < Middle French glete, Old French glette < Latin glittus sticky

256
Q

punctilio

A

noun plural punc·til·i·os
a fine point, particular, or detail, as of conduct, ceremony, or procedure.
strictness or exactness in the observance of formalities or amenities.
Example Sentences:
No mission should ever be compromised by diplomatic punctilio .
They really seem to show a readiness to stand on punctilio and ceremony.
Origin: 1590–1600; alteration of Italian puntiglio < Spanish puntillo, diminutive of punto < Latin pūnctum point

257
Q

chiliasm

A

noun Theology
the doctrine of Christ’s expected return to reign on earth for 1000 years; millennialism.
Origin: 1600–10; < Greek chīliasmós, equivalent to chī́li ( oi ) 1000 + -asmos, variant of -ismos -ism before stems ending in -i-
Related Forms—-
chil·i·ast , [ kil -ee-ast] noun
chil·i·as·tic , adjective

258
Q

plebiscite

A

noun
a direct vote of the qualified voters of a state in regard to some important public question.
the vote by which the people of a political unit determine autonomy or affiliation with another country.
Example Sentences:
The plebiscite is scheduled to occur on the same day as a referendum on southern secession.
All the more reason to wonder whether this election can be construed as a national plebiscite on net neutrality.
What annoys governments about stateless money is that it functions as a plebiscite on your policy.
Origin: 1525–35; < French < Latin plēbīscītum decree of the plebs, equivalent to plēbī (for plēbis, plēbēī genitive singular of plēbs, plēbēs plebs) + scītum resolution, decree, noun use of neuter of scītus, past participle of scīscere to enact, decree, orig., to seek to know, learn, inchoative of scīre to know

259
Q

peripatetic

A

adjective
walking or traveling about; itinerant.
(initial capital letter) . of or pertaining to Aristotle, who taught philosophy while walking in the Lyceum of ancient Athens.
(initial capital letter) . of or pertaining to the Aristotelian school of philosophy.
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noun
a person who walks or travels about.
(initial capital letter) . a member of the Aristotelian school.
Example Sentences:
We were doing a reading on peripatetic philosophy.
No longer was English speech the limited possession of the educated, the wealthy and the peripatetic social elite.
This partly reflected his own restless, peripatetic imagination.
Origin: 1400–50; late Middle English < Latin peripatēticus < Greek peripatētikós of Aristotle and his school, literally, walking about, equivalent to peripatē- (verbid stem of peripateîn to walk about, equivalent to peri- peri- + pateîn to walk; akin to path) + -tikos -tic

260
Q

ablution

A

noun
a cleansing with water or other liquid, especially as a religious ritual.
the liquid thus used.
a washing of the hands, body, etc.
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Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English < Latin ablūtiōn- (stem of ablūtiō ), equivalent to ablūt ( us ), past participle of abluere (see abluent) + -iōn- -ion
Related Forms—-
ab·lu·tion·ar·y , adjective

261
Q

oblation

A

noun
the offering to God of the elements of bread and wine in the Eucharist.
the whole office of the Eucharist.
the act of making an offering, especially to a deity.
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any offering for religious or charitable uses.
Origin: 1375–1425; late Middle English oblacion < Late Latin oblātion- (stem of oblātiō ), equivalent to oblāt ( us ) (see oblate2 ) + -iōn- -ion
Related Forms—-
ob·la·to·ry , [ ob -l uh -tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] ob·la·tion·al , adjective

262
Q

liana

A

noun
any of various usually woody vines that may climb as high as the tree canopy in a tropical forest.
li·ane , [lee- ahn ] /liˈɑn/.
Origin: 1790–1800; earlier liannes (plural), apparently misspelling of French lianes, plural of liane, derivative of lier to bind; spelling with -a is Latinized or pseudo-Spanish
Related Forms—-
li·a·noid , adjective

263
Q

micturate

A

verb (used without object) mic·tu·rat·ed, mic·tu·rat·ing.
to pass urine; urinate.
Example Sentences:
At home among quiet surroundings and during the night there was no such desire to micturate .
Origin: 1835–45; < Latin mictur ( īre ) to desire to urinate ( mict ( us ), past participle of mingere to urinate + -ur- desiderative suffix + -ī- theme vowel + -re infinitive ending) + -ate1

264
Q

massif

A

noun
a compact portion of a mountain range, containing one or more summits.
a large elevated block of old complex rocks resistant to both erosion and crustal folding.
a band or zone of the earth’s crust raised or depressed as a unit and bounded by faults.
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Origin: 1515–25; < French, noun use of massif massive

265
Q

trundle

A

verb (used with object)
to cause (a circular object) to roll along; roll.
to convey or move in a wagon, cart, or other wheeled vehicle; wheel: The farmer trundled his produce to market in a rickety wagon.
Archaic. to cause to rotate; twirl; spin.
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verb (used without object)
to roll along.
to move or run on a wheel or wheels.
to travel in a wheeled vehicle: He got into his car and trundled downtown.
to move or walk with a rolling gait.
noun
a small wheel, roller, or the like.
a lantern wheel.
each of the bars of a lantern wheel.
a truck or carriage on low wheels.

266
Q

bibulous

A

adjective
fond of or addicted to drink.
absorbent; spongy.
Example Sentences:
As the season draws nigh, the calls begin from friends asking what they should get their bibulous spouses.
Origin: 1665–75; < Latin bibulus ( bib ( ere ) to drink (cognate with Sanskrit píbati (he) drinks) + -ulus -ulous)

267
Q

erse

A

noun
Gaelic, especially Scots Gaelic.
adjective
of or pertaining to Gaelic, especially Scots Gaelic.

268
Q

avoirdupois

A

noun
avoirdupois weight: noun
the system of weights in British and U.S. use for goods other than gems, precious metals, and drugs: 27 11 / 32 grains = 1 dram; 16 drams = 1 ounce; 16 ounces = 1 pound; 112 pounds (Brit.) or 100 pounds (U.S.) = 1 hundredweight; 20 hundredweight = 1 ton. The pound contains 7000 grains. Abbreviation: av.; avdp.; avoir.
Origin: 1610–20

Informal. bodily weight: He carries around a lot of excess avoirdupois.
Example Sentences:
Above weights of food are net in avoirdupois ounces.
Net weight shall be expressed in metric as well as avoirdupois units.
It is acceptable to state the net weight in metric weight in addition to the avoirdupois weight.
Origin: 1250–1300; Middle English avoir de pois literally, property of weight < Old French, equivalent to avoir (earlier aveir < Latin habēre to have) + de (< Latin dē ) + pois (earlier peis < Latin pēnsum )

269
Q

bowdlerize

A

verb (used with object) bowd·ler·ized, bowd·ler·iz·ing.
to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable.
especially British, bowd·ler·ise .
Origin: 1830–40; after Thomas Bowdler (1754–1825), English editor of an expurgated edition of Shakespeare

270
Q

torpid

A

adjective
inactive or sluggish.
slow; dull; apathetic; lethargic.
dormant, as a hibernating or estivating animal.
Example Sentences:
Contemporary avian and mammalian scavengers aren’t exclusively torpid and slow.
They usually sit in little tents, and make holes in the ice from which they capture torpid fish.
It is as if some moribund heiress had endowed a torpid old desert sheik, already stupefied by riches, with another million.
Origin: 1605–15; < Latin torpidus numb, equivalent to torp ( ēre ) to be stiff or numb + -idus -id4
Related Forms—-

271
Q

orrery

A

noun plural or·rer·ies.
an apparatus for representing the positions, motions, and phases of the planets, satellites, etc., in the solar system.
any of certain similar machines, as a planetarium.
Origin: 1705–15; named after Charles Boyle, Earl of Orrery (1676–1731), for whom it was first made

272
Q

Bildungsroman

A

noun plural Bil·dungs·ro·mans, German, Bil·dungs·ro·ma·ne
a type of novel concerned with the education, development, and maturing of a young protagonist.
Origin: 1905–10; < German, equivalent to Bildung formation + -s noun ending in compounds + Roman novel

273
Q

alembic

A

noun
a vessel with a beaked cap or head, formerly used in distilling.
anything that transforms, purifies, or refines.
Example Sentences:
Distilled four times for smoothness using a traditional pot or alembic still, which helps retain the flavors of the spirit.
Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English, variant of alambic < Medieval Latin alambicus < dialectal Arabic al the anbīq still < Greek ámbix cup

274
Q

oneiric

A

adjective
of or pertaining to dreams.
Example Sentences:
Indeed, every great image has an unfathomable oneiric depth to which the personal past adds special color.
Origin: 1855–60; < Greek óneir ( os ) dream + -ic

275
Q

Pari passu

A

Latin.
with equal pace or progress; side by side.
without partiality; equably; fairly.

276
Q

ciborium

A

noun plural ci·bo·ri·a
a permanent canopy placed over an altar; baldachin.
any container designed to hold the consecrated bread or sacred wafers for the Eucharist.
Archaic. a severy.
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Origin: 1645–55; < Latin: drinking-cup < Greek kibṓrion literally, the seed vessel of the Egyptian lotus, which the cup apparently resembled

277
Q

cavil

A

verb (used without object)
to raise irritating and trivial objections; find fault with unnecessarily (usually followed by at or about ): He finds something to cavil at in everything I say.
verb (used with object)
to oppose by inconsequential, frivolous, or sham objections: to cavil each item of a proposed agenda.
noun
a trivial and annoying objection.
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the raising of such objections.
Example Sentences:
As a sensitive representation of the music, it was beyond cavil .
The critics will doubtless find new reasons to cavil soon enough.
If one were to cavil about any aspect of the sushi bar, it would be that the selection could be enlarged.
Origin: 1540–50; < Latin cavillārī to jeer, scoff, quibble, verbal derivative of cavilla jesting, banter

278
Q

treble

A

adjective
threefold; triple.
Music.
of or pertaining to the highest part in harmonized music; soprano.
of the highest pitch or range, as a voice part, voice, singer, or instrument.
high in pitch; shrill.
noun
Music.
the treble or soprano part.
a treble voice, singer, or instrument.
a high or shrill voice or sound.
the highest-pitched peal of a bell.
verb (used with object),verb (used without object)
to make or become three times as much or as many; triple.
Example Sentences:
In its first version the scheme was even grander: its aim was to treble today’s transfer.
Carrying a lock would probably treble the weight of the bike.
Experts predict that to meet the growing demand, operators in developed countries may have to treble the number of base stations.
Origin: 1275–1325; (adj. and noun) Middle English < Middle French < Latin triplus triple; (v.) Middle English treblen, derivative of the adj.

279
Q

suasion

A

noun
the act of advising, urging, or attempting to persuade; persuasion.
an instance of this; a persuasive effort.
Example Sentences:
While maturing behind bars, he decided that moral suasion might work where bombs had failed.
In the meantime, its chief weapon is moral suasion aimed at companies.
Cuomo used the standard levers of political pressure more than moral suasion .
Origin: 1325–75; Middle English < Latin suāsiōn- (stem of suāsiō ), equivalent to suās ( us ), past participle of suādēre to advise ( suād-, verb stem + -tus past participle suffix, with dt > s ) + -iōn- -ion

280
Q

viaticum

A

Ecclesiastical . the Eucharist or Communion as given to a person dying or in danger of death.
(among the ancient Romans) a provision or allowance for traveling, originally of transportation and supplies, later of money, made to officials on public missions.
money or necessities for any journey.
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Origin: 1555–65; < Latin viāticum, neuter of viāticus, equivalent to viāt ( us ) (past participle of viāre to travel; see via, -ate1 ) + -icus -ic; cf. voyage

281
Q

ewig-weibliche

A

noun German.

the eternal feminine.

282
Q

simony

A

noun
the making of profit out of sacred things.
the sin of buying or selling ecclesiastical preferments, benefices, etc.
Origin: 1175–1225; Middle English simonie < Late Latin simōnia; so called from Simon Magus, who tried to purchase apostolic powers; see Simon (def 5), -y3

283
Q

Rosicrucian

A

(in the 17th and 18th centuries) a person who belonged to a secret society laying claim to various forms of occult knowledge and power and professing esoteric principles of religion.
a member of any of several later or modern bodies or societies professing principles derived from or attributed to the earlier Rosicrucians, especially of an organization (Rosicrucian Order or Ancient Mystic Order Rosae Crucis) that is active in America.
adjective
of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the Rosicrucians.
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Origin: 1615–25; < Latin Rosicruc- (Latinized form of (Christian) Rosenkreuz, name of the supposed 15th-century founder of the society, equivalent to ros ( a ) rose + -i- -i- + cruc- (stem of crux ) cross) + -ian

284
Q

truculent

A

adjective
fierce; cruel; savagely brutal.
brutally harsh; vitriolic; scathing: his truculent criticism of her work.
aggressively hostile; belligerent.
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Example Sentences:
Destructive truculence is why you have governments telling companies exactly what they must disclose.
On and on they went until the feeling of celebration became self-congratulatory to the point of truculence .
Economists predict that greed will quickly wear down foreign investors’ truculence .
Origin: 1530–40; < Latin truculentus, equivalent to truc-, stem of trux savage, pitiless + -ulentus -ulent

285
Q

breviary

A

noun plural bre·vi·ar·ies.
Roman Catholic Church . a book containing all the daily psalms, hymns, prayers, lessons, etc., necessary for reciting the office.
a book of daily prayers and readings in some other churches.
Example Sentences:
He used to stroll down the alley behind our house, reading his breviary .
He changed his new gilt breviary for an old one, and after did so in his habit and other things.
Her big pale face had a softly frightened look, and in her hand she carried her neatly kept breviary .
Origin: 1540–50; < Latin breviārium an abridgment. See brevi-, -ary

286
Q

cuspidor

A

noun
a large bowl, often of metal, serving as a receptacle for spit, especially from chewing tobacco: in wide use during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Origin: 1770–80; < Portuguese: literally, spitter, equivalent to cusp ( ir ) to spit (≪ Latin conspuere to cover with spit; con- con- + spuere to spit) + -idor < Latin -i-tōrium; see -i-, -tory2

287
Q

badinage

A

noun
light, playful banter or raillery.
verb (used with object)
to banter with or tease (someone) playfully.
Example Sentences:
Sometimes there’s no harm in a little badinage among colleagues.
Chuck’s many talents do not now and did not then include rough, boisterous badinage .
The badinage feels natural precisely because directors and actors are so attentive to what bodies say that words don’t.
Origin: 1650–60; < French, equivalent to badin ( er ) to joke, trifle (verbal derivative of badin joker, banterer < Old Provençal: fool; bad ( ar ) to gape (< Vulgar Latin batāre; cf. bay2 ) + -in < Latin -īnus -ine1 ) + -age -age

288
Q

Jejune

A

adjective
without interest or significance; dull; insipid: a jejune novel.
juvenile; immature; childish: jejune behavior.
lacking knowledge or experience; uninformed: jejune attempts to design a house.
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deficient or lacking in nutritive value: a jejune diet.
Example Sentences:
Inconsistencies of character and plot mar this lively but jejune debut.
Without vigour or colour, without grace or ornament, his style is singularly jejune and feeble.
There’s more than a touch of the jejune to these happily rough-hewn clothes.
Origin: 1605–15; < Latin jējūnus empty, poor, mean

289
Q

usquebaugh

A

noun
(in Scotland and Ireland) whiskey.
Origin: 1575–85; < Irish uisce beatha or Scots Gaelic uisge beatha; see whiskey

290
Q

paronymous

A

adjective Grammar
containing the same root or stem, as the words wise and wisdom.
Origin: 1655–65; < Greek parṓnymos. See paronym, -ous

291
Q

husbandman

A

noun plural hus·band·men.
a farmer.
Origin: 1300–50; Middle English husbondeman. See husband, man1

292
Q

philology

A

the study of literary texts and of written records, the establishment of their authenticity and their original form, and the determination of their meaning.
(especially in older use) linguistics, especially historical and comparative linguistics.
Obsolete . the love of learning and literature.
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Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English philologie < Latin philologia < Greek philología love of learning and literature, equivalent to philólog ( os ) literary, studious, argumentative + -ia -y3 . See philo-, -logy

293
Q

sinecure

A

noun
an office or position requiring little or no work, especially one yielding profitable returns.
an ecclesiastical benefice without cure of souls.
Example Sentences:
He wrote scholarly papers, jousted in the departmental lists, aspired to the sinecure of tenure.
Many of the comments put forward interesting ideas about how to provide security without creating a sinecure .
The message boards erupted in panic, some of it from veteran players who didn’t want to lose their sinecure .
Origin: 1655–65; < Medieval Latin ( beneficium ) sine cūrā (benefice) without care; see cure

294
Q

boodle

A

—noun

the lot, pack, or crowd: Send the whole boodle back to the factory.
a large quantity of something, especially money: He’s worth a boodle.
a bribe or other illicit payment, especially to or from a politician; graft.
stolen goods; loot; booty; swag.
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—verb (used without object)

to obtain money dishonestly, as by bribery or swindling.
—Idioms

kit and boodle. kit1 (def 10).

295
Q

myrmidon

A

—noun, plural Myr·mi·dons, Myr·mid·o·nes [mur-mid-n-eez] Show IPA.

Classical Mythology. one of the warlike people of ancient Thessaly who accompanied Achilles to the Trojan War.
(lowercase) a person who executes without question or scruple a master’s commands.

296
Q

mugwumps

A

—noun

a Republican who refused to support the party nominee, James G. Blaine, in the presidential campaign of 1884.

a person who is unable to make up his or her mind on an issue, especially in politics; a person who is neutral on a controversial issue.

297
Q

Treacle

A

contrived or unrestrained sentimentality: a movie plot of the most shameless treacle.
British.
molasses, especially that which is drained from the vats used in sugar refining.
Also called golden syrup. a mild mixture of molasses, corn syrup, etc., used in cooking or as a table syrup.
Pharmacology Obsolete. any of various medicinal compounds, formerly used as antidotes for poison.

298
Q

sapience

A

—adjective

having or showing great wisdom or sound judgment.

299
Q

palimpsest

A

—noun

a parchment or the like from which writing has been partially or completely erased to make room for another text.

300
Q

descant

A

— noun

Music.
a melody or counterpoint accompanying a simple musical theme and usually written above it.
(in part music) the soprano.
a song or melody.
a variation upon anything; comment on a subject.
— adjective

( Music chiefly British )
soprano: a descant recorder.
treble: a descant viol.
— verb (used without object)

Music. to sing.
to comment or discourse at great length.
Also, discant.

— Related forms
des·cant·er, noun

301
Q

hind

A

—adjective

situated in the rear or at the back; posterior: the hind legs of an animal.
hind1
—noun, plural hinds (especially collectively) hind.

Zoology. the female of the deer, chiefly the red deer, especially in and after the third year.
any of several speckled serranid fishes of the genus Epinephelus, found in the warmer waters of the western Atlantic Ocean.
hind2
—noun

a peasant or rustic.
Scot. and North England. a farm laborer.

302
Q

garrulous

A

—adjective

excessively talkative in a rambling, roundabout manner, especially about trivial matters.

wordy or diffuse: a garrulous and boring speech.

303
Q

semaphore

A

an apparatus for conveying information by means of visual signals, as a light whose position may be changed.
any of various devices for signaling by changing the position of a light, flag, etc.
a system of signaling, especially a system by which a special flag is held in each hand and various positions of the arms indicate specific letters, numbers, etc.
—verb (used with object), verb (used without object)

to signal by semaphore or by some system of flags.

304
Q

temerity

A

noun

reckless boldness; rashness.

305
Q

turbid

A

—adjective

not clear or transparent because of stirred-up sediment or the like; clouded; opaque; obscured: the turbid waters near the waterfall.
thick or dense, as smoke or clouds.
confused; muddled; disturbed.
—Related forms
tur·bid·i·ty, tur·bid·ness, noun 
tur·bid·ly, adverb 
un·tur·bid, adjective 
un·tur·bid·ly, adverb

Fancy Words (2 decks)

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