untenable (un ten´ ə bəl) adj.
impossible to defend or justify
The judge’s dismissal of the defendant’s untenable claim was due to lack of evidence.
syn: groundless; unsupported; indefensible ant: sound; irrefutable
perambulate (pə ram´ byə lāt) v.
to walk about; to stroll
Though arthritic, the elderly woman could still perambulate among the brilliantly flowered paths of her garden.
syn: saunter; wander
veneer (və nēr´) n.
a thin, attractive layer that conceals something common or coarse
He disguised his greed with a veneer of smiles and charitable words.
syn: disguise; gloss; facade
timorous (tim´ ər əs) adj
timid
The puppy was so small and timorous that all its siblings bullied it.
syn: bashful; sheepish; reticent ant: bold; confident; courageous
luminous (lōō´ mə nəs) adj
emitting light
That wristwatch has luminous numbers so you can see them at night.
syn: glowing; radiant ant: dim; dark
circuitous (sər kyōō´ i təs) adj.
indirect; roundabout
The bridge flooded the highway, so we”“were forced to take a circuitous detour that added two hours to our trip.
syn: roundabout; meandering ant: direct; straight
perquisite (pər´ kwə zət) n.
a tip or payment in addition to regular wages
The perquisite of a company car offset the job’s mediocre salary.
syn: fringe benefit; perk; benefit
probity (prō´ bə tē) n.
integrity; respectability
Though still a teenager, Irene had the probity to be a trustworthy babysitter.
syn: rectitude; decency; trustworthiness ant: wickedness; impiety
polemical (pə lə´ mi kəl) adj.
relating to controversy or argument
The mayor’s polemical statement jeopardized his political career.
syn: controversial; contentious ant: indisputable; agreeable
tacit (tas´ it) adj.
indicated but not expressed; implied silently
Dad didn’t want me to go to the concert, but he gave his tacit approval by saying nothing when I asked permission to go.
syn: hinted; suggested; unspoken ant: explicit; frank
largesse (lär zhes´ ) n.
generosity
Building the art center would have been impossible if it were not for the largesse of several wealthy benefactors.
syn: magnanimity; munificence ant: stinginess
indolent (in´ də lənt) adj
lazy
The first round of firings removed indolent workers who looked as though they were not working[…]”“
circumlocution (sûr kəm lō kyōō´ shən) n.
unnecessarily wordy or evasive language
When the teacher asked about her progress on the science project, the student’s circumlocution revealed that she had not even begun it.
syn: discursiveness; indirectness; evasion ant: conciseness; brevity
depredate (dep ri dāt´) v.
to plunder and pillage
During the riot, revelers depredated the banks and museums.
syn: pilfer; ransack; ravage ant: enhance”
majordomo (mā jər-dō´ mō) n.
a chief butler or assistant
The baron’s majordomo tends the estate while his master is away.