Vocabulary Flashcards
con•cil•i•ar
adj. of, relating to, or proceeding from a council, esp. an ecclesiastical one: conciliar decrees. late 17th cent.: from medieval Latin consiliarius ‘counselor’, from Latin concilium (see COUNCIL).
scho•las•ti•cism
n. the system of theology and philosophy taught in medieval European universities, based on Aristotelian logic and the writings of the early Church Fathers and having a strong emphasis on tradition and dogma. narrow-minded insistence on traditional doctrine.
di•a•lec•tic
n. (also di•a•lec•tics) [usu. treated as sing.] 1 the art of investigating or discussing the truth of opinions. 2 inquiry into metaphysical contradictions and their solutions. the existence or action of opposing social forces, concepts, etc. The ancient Greeks used the term dialectic to refer to various methods of reasoning and discussion in order to discover the truth. More recently, Kant applied the term to the criticism of the contradictions that arise from supposing knowledge of objects beyond the limits of experience, e.g., the soul. Hegel applied the term to the process of thought by which apparent contradictions (which he termed thesis and antithesis) are seen to be part of a higher truth (synthesis).
je•june
adj. 1 naive, simplistic, and superficial: their entirely predictable and usually jejune opinions. 2 (of ideas or writings) dry and uninteresting: the poem seems to me rather jejune. je•june•ly adv. je•june•ness n. early 17th cent.: from Latin jejunus ‘fasting, barren’. The original sense was ‘without food’, hence ‘not intellectually nourishing’.
syb•a•rit•ic
adj. fond of sensuous luxury or pleasure; self-indulgent: their opulent and sybaritic lifestyle. See note at SENSUOUS.
prolegomenon
n. (pl. -na ) a critical or discursive introduction to a book. pro•le•gom•e•nous adj. mid 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek, passive present participle (neuter) of prolegein ‘say beforehand’, from pro ‘before’ + legein ‘say’.
Thales
(c.624-c.545 BC), Greek philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer, living at Miletus. Judged by Aristotle to be the founder of physical science, he is also credited with founding geometry. He proposed that water was the primary substance from which all things were derived.
Thalia
1 [ GREEK & ROMAN MYTHOLOGY] the Muse of comedy. 2 [GREEK MYTHOLOGY] one of the Graces. Greek, literally ‘rich, plentiful’.
Anaximander
(c.610-c.545 BC), Greek scientist from Miletus. He believed the earth to be cylindrical and poised in space and is reputed to have taught that life began in water and that humans originated from fish.
turbid
adj. (of a liquid) cloudy, opaque, or thick with suspended matter: the turbid estuary | FIGURATIVE a turbid piece of cinéma vérité. tur•bid•i•ty n. tur•bid•ly adv. tur•bid•ness n. late Middle English (in the figurative sense): from Latin turbidus, from turba ‘a crowd, a disturbance’. Is it turbid or turgid? Turbid is used of a liquid or color to mean ‘muddy, not clear’: turbid water. Turgid means ‘swollen, inflated, enlarged’: turgid veins. Both turbid and turgid can also be used to describe language or literary style: as such, turbid means ‘confused, muddled’ ( the turbid utterances of Carlyle), and turgid means ‘pompous, bombastic’ ( a turgid and pretentious essay).
pragmatism
n. 1 a pragmatic attitude or policy: ideology was tempered with pragmatism. 2 [PHILOSOPHY] an approach that assesses the truth of meaning of theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application. prag•ma•tist n. prag•ma•tis•tic adj. mid 19th cent.: from Greek pragma, pragmat- ‘deed’ (see PRAGMATIC) + -ISM.
instrumentalism
n. 1 a pragmatic philosophical approach that regards an activity (such as science, law, or education) chiefly as an instrument or tool for some practical purpose, rather than in more absolute or ideal terms, in particular: [PHILOSOPHY] the pragmatic philosophy of John Dewey that supposes that thought is an instrument for solving practical problems and that truth is not fixed but changes as the problems change. (esp. in Marxist theory) the view that the state and social organizations are tools that are exploited by the ruling class or by individuals in their own interests.
incommensurable
adj. 1 not able to be judged by the same standard as something; having no common standard of measurement: the two types of science are incommensurable. 2 [MATHEMATICS] (of numbers) in a ratio that cannot be expressed as a ratio of integers. irrational. n. (usu. incommensurables) an incommensurable quantity. in•com•men•su•ra•bil•i•ty n. in•com•men•su•ra•bly adv. mid 16th cent. (in the mathematical sense): from late Latin incommensurabilis, from in- ‘not’ + commensurabilis (see COMMENSURABLE).
demimonde
n. (in 19th-century France) the class of women considered to be of doubtful morality and social standing. a group of people considered to be on the fringes of respectable society: the demimonde of arms deals. mid 19th cent.: from French demi-monde, literally ‘half-world’.
immanent
adj. existing or operating within; inherent: the protection of liberties is immanent in constitutional arrangements. (of God) permanently pervading and sustaining the universe. Often contrasted with TRANSCENDENT. im•ma•nence n. im•ma•nen•cy n. im•ma•nent•ism n. im•ma•nent•ist n. mid 16th cent.: from late Latin immanent- ‘remaining within’, from in- ‘in’ + manere ‘remain’.
hyperborean
POETIC/LITERARY n. an inhabitant of the extreme north. (Hyperborean) [GREEK MYTHOLOGY] a member of a race worshiping Apollo and living in a land of sunshine and plenty beyond the north wind. adj. of or relating to the extreme north. late Middle English: from late Latin hyperboreanus, from Greek huperboreos, from huper ‘beyond’ + boreas ‘north wind’.
obloquy
n. strong public criticism or verbal abuse: he endured years of contempt and obloquy. disgrace, esp. that brought about by public abuse: conduct to which no more obloquy could reasonably attach. ob•lo•qui•al adj. ob•lo•qui•ous adj.
jongleur
n. HISTORICAL an itinerant minstrel. French, variant of jougleur ‘juggler’, earlier jogleor ‘pleasant, smiling’, from Latin joculator ‘joker’.
soporific
adj. tending to induce drowsiness or sleep: the motion of the train had a somewhat soporific effect. sleepy or drowsy: some medicine made her soporific. tediously boring or monotonous: a libel trial is in large parts intensely soporific. n. a drug or other agent of this kind. sop•o•rif•i•cal•ly adv. mid 17th cent.: from Latin sopor ‘sleep’ + -IFIC.
démodé
adj. out of fashion. French, past participle of démoder ‘go out of fashion’.
monism
n. [PHILOSOPHY] & [THEOLOGY] a theory or doctrine that denies the existence of a distinction or duality in some sphere, such as that between matter and mind, or God and the world. the doctrine that only one supreme being exists. Compare with PLURALISM.
teleology
n. (pl. -gies) [PHILOSOPHY] the explanation of phenomena by the purpose they serve rather than by postulated causes. [THEOLOGY] the doctrine of design and purpose in the material world. tel•e•o•log•ic adj. tel•e•o•log•i•cal adj. tel•e•o•log•i•cal•ly adv. tel•e•ol•o•gism n. tel•e•ol•o•gist n. mid 18th cent. (denoting the branch of philosophy that deals with ends or final causes): from modern Latin teleologia, from Greek telos ‘end’ + -logia (see -LOGY).
quodlibet
n. 1 ARCHAIC a topic for or exercise in philosophical or theological discussion. 2 POETIC/LITERARY a lighthearted medley of well-known tunes. quod•li•be•tar•i•an n. late Middle English: from Latin, from quod ‘what’ + libet ‘it pleases’.
recrudesce
v. [intrans.] FORMAL break out again; recur. re•cru•des•cence n. re•cru•des•cent adj. late 19th cent.: back-formation from recrudescence ‘recurrence’, from Latin recrudescere ‘become raw again’, from re- ‘again’ + crudus ‘raw’.
anomie
n. lack of the usual social or ethical standards in an individual or group: the theory that high-rise architecture leads to anomie in the residents. a•nom•ic adj. 1930s: from French, from Greek anomia, from anomos ‘lawless’.
gyve
\ˈjīv\ n. (usu. gyves) ARCHAIC a fetter or shackle. gyved adj. Middle English: of unknown origin.
callow
adj. (esp. of a young person) inexperienced and immature: earnest and callow undergraduates. See notes at GULLIBLE, RUDE, YOUTHFUL. cal•low•ly adv. cal•low•ness n. Old English calu ‘bald ‘; probably from Latin calvus ‘bald’. This was extended to mean ‘unfledged’, which led to the present sense ‘immature’.
helot
n. a member of a class of serfs in ancient Sparta, intermediate in status between slaves and citizens. a serf or slave. hel•ot•age n. hel•ot•ism n. hel•ot•ry n. via Latin from Greek (plural), traditionally taken as referring to Helos, a Laconian town whose inhabitants were enslaved.
Lebensraum
n. the territory that a state or nation believes is needed for its natural development, esp. associated with Nazi Germany. German, literally ‘living space’ (originally with reference to Germany).
Lycurgus
(9th century BC), Spartan lawmaker. He is traditionally held to have been the founder of the constitution and military regime of ancient Sparta.
adumbrate
v. [trans.] FORMAL report or represent in outline: James Madison adumbrated the necessity that the Senate be somewhat insulated from public passions. indicate faintly: the walls were not more than adumbrated by the meager light. foreshadow or symbolize: what qualities in Christ are adumbrated by the vine? overshadow: her happy reminiscences were adumbrated by consciousness of something else. ad•um•bra•tion n. ad•um•bra•tive adj. late 16th cent.: from Latin adumbrat- ‘shaded’, from the verb adumbrare, from ad- ‘to’ (as an intensifier) + umbrare ‘cast a shadow’ (from umbra ‘shade’).
insuperable
adj. (of a difficulty or obstacle) impossible to overcome: insuperable financial problems. in•su•per•a•bil•i•ty n. in•su•per•a•bly adv. Middle English (in the general sense ‘invincible’): from Old French, or from Latin insuperabilis, from in- ‘not’ + superabilis (from superare ‘overcome’).
fiat
n. a formal authorization or proposition; a decree: adopting a legislative review program, rather than trying to regulate by fiat. an arbitrary order: the appraisal dropped the value from $75,000 to $15,000, rendering it worthless by bureaucratic fiat. late Middle English: from Latin, ‘let it be done’, from fieri ‘be done or made’.
sobriquet
(also sou•bri•quet ) n. a person’s nickname. mid 17th cent.: French, originally in the sense ‘tap under the chin’, of unknown origin.
Götterdämmerung
(in Germanic mythology) the downfall of the gods. German, literally ‘twilight of the gods’, popularized by Wagner’s use of the word as the title of the last opera of the Ring cycle.
apparat
n. CHIEFLY HISTORICAL the administrative system of a communist party, typically in a communist country. 1940s: Russian, from German, literally ‘apparatus’.
patois
n. (pl. same ) the dialect of the common people of a region, differing in various respects from the standard language of the rest of the country: the nurse talked to me in a patois that even Italians would have had difficulty in understanding. the jargon or informal speech used by a particular social group: the raunchy patois of inner-city kids. mid 17th cent.: French, literally ‘rough speech’, perhaps from Old French patoier ‘treat roughly’, from patte ‘paw’.
halberd
(also hal•bert ) n. HISTORICAL a combined spear and battle-ax. late 15th cent.: from French hallebarde, from Italian alabarda, from Middle High German helmbarde (from helm ‘handle’ + barde ‘hatchet’).
hypostatize
v. [trans.] FORMAL treat or represent (something abstract) as a concrete reality.
trenchant
adj. 1 vigorous or incisive in expression or style: she heard angry voices, not loud, yet certainly trenchant. 2 ARCHAIC or POETIC/LITERARY (of a weapon or tool) having a sharp edge: a trenchant blade. trench•an•cy n. (in sense 1). trench•ant•ly adv. (in sense 1). Middle English (sense 2): from Old French, literally ‘cutting’, present participle of trenchier (see TRENCH).
If you’re trenchant, it means you think or say smart, sharply worded things tht cur right to the heart of the matter. (vocab)
He has offered a trenchant critique of the limits of global capitalism.
tergiversate
ˈtər-jə-vər-ˌsāt v. [intrans.] 1 make conflicting or evasive statements; equivocate: the more she tergiversated, the greater grew the ardency of the reporters for an interview. 2 change one’s loyalties; be apostate. ter•gi•ver•sa•tion n. ter•gi•ver•sa•tor n. mid 17th cent.: from Latin tergiversat- ‘with one’s back turned’, from the verb tergiversari, from tergum ‘back’ + vertere ‘to turn’.
Diogenes
(c.400-c.325 BC), Greek philosopher. The most noted of the Cynics, he emphasized self-sufficiency and the need for natural, uninhibited behavior, regardless of social conventions.
hetaera
(also he•tai•ra ) n. (pl. -tae•ras or -tae•rae ) a courtesan or mistress, esp. one in ancient Greece akin to the modern geisha. from Greek hetaira, feminine of hetairos ‘companion’.
bibulous
adj. FORMAL excessively fond of drinking alcohol. late 17th cent. (in the sense ‘absorbent’): from Latin bibulus ‘freely or readily drinking’ (from bibere ‘to drink’) + -OUS.
valetudinarian
n. a person who is unduly anxious about their health. a person suffering from poor health. adj. showing undue concern about one’s health. suffering from poor health. val•e•tu•di•nar•i•an•ism n. early 18th cent.: from Latin valetudinarius ‘in ill health’ (from valetudo ‘health’, from valere ‘be well’) + -AN.
peroration
n. the concluding part of a speech, typically intended to inspire enthusiasm in the audience. late Middle English: from Latin peroratio(n-), from perorare ‘speak at length’ (see PERORATE).
puissant
adj. ARCHAIC or POETIC/LITERARY having great power or influence. pu•is•sant•ly adv. late Middle English: via Old French from Latin posse ‘be able’.
philter
(BRIT. phil•tre) n. a drink supposed to excite sexual love in the drinker. late 16th cent.: from French philtre, via Latin from Greek philtron, from philein ‘to love’.
Gnosticism
n. a prominent heretical movement of the 2nd-century Christian Church, partly of pre-Christian origin. Gnostic doctrine taught that the world was created and ruled by a lesser divinity, the demiurge, and that Christ was an emissary of the remote supreme divine being, esoteric knowledge (gnosis) of whom enabled the redemption of the human spirit.
hecatomb
n. (in ancient Greece or Rome) a great public sacrifice, originally of a hundred oxen. FIGURATIVE an extensive loss of life for some cause. late 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek (from hekaton ‘hundred’ + bous ‘ox’).
sacerdotal
adj. relating to priests or the priesthood; priestly. [THEOLOGY] relating to or denoting a doctrine that ascribes sacrificial functions and spiritual or supernatural powers to ordained priests. sac•er•do•tal•ism n. late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin sacerdotalis, from sacerdos, sacerdot- ‘priest’.
censorious
adj. severely critical of others: modest, charitable in his judgments, never censorious, Jim carried tolerance almost too far. cen•so•ri•ous•ly adv. cen•so•ri•ous•ness n. mid 16th cent.: from Latin censorius (from censor ‘magistrate’) + -IOUS.
simulacrum
n. (pl. -la•cra or -la•crums) an image or representation of someone or something. an unsatisfactory imitation or substitute. late 16th cent.: from Latin, from simulare (see SIMULATE). Ex: But when Neo opened it to the chapter “On Nihilism,” it turned out to be just a simulacrum of a book, hollowed out to hold computer disks.
sedulous
adj. (of a person or action) showing dedication and diligence: he watched himself with the most sedulous care. See note at BUSY. se•du•li•ty n. sed•u•lous•ly adv. sed•u•lous•ness n. mid 16th cent.: from Latin sedulus ‘zealous’ + -OUS.
chatelaine
n. DATED a woman in charge of a large house. HISTORICAL a set of short chains attached to a woman’s belt, used for carrying keys or other items. mid 19th cent.: from French châtelaine, feminine of châtelain ‘castellan’, from medieval Latin castellanus (see CHATELAIN).
arrogate
v. [trans.] take or claim (something) for oneself without justification: they arrogate to themselves the ability to divine the nation’s true interests. ar•ro•ga•tion n. mid 16th cent.: from Latin arrogat- ‘claimed for oneself’, from the verb arrogare, from ad- ‘to’ + rogare ‘ask’.
Erastianism
n. the doctrine that the state should have supremacy over the Church in ecclesiastical matters (wrongly attributed to Erastus). E•ras•tian n. & adj.
Lohengrin
(in medieval French and German romances) the son of Perceval (Parsifal). He was summoned from the temple of the Holy Grail and taken in a boat to Antwerp, where he consented to marry Elsa of Brabant on condition that she not ask who he was. Elsa broke this condition, and he was carried away again in the boat.
breviary
n. (pl. -ar•ies) a book containing the service for each day, to be recited by those in orders in the Roman Catholic Church. late Middle English (also denoting an abridged version of the psalms): from Latin breviarium ‘summary, abridgment’, from breviare ‘abridge’, from brevis ‘short, brief’.
catalepsy
n. a medical condition characterized by a trance or seizure with a loss of sensation and consciousness accompanied by rigidity of the body. cat•a•lep•tic adj. & n. late Middle English: from French catalepsie or late Latin catalepsia, from Greek , from katalambanein ‘seize upon’.
propinquity
n. 1 the state of being close to someone or something; proximity: he kept his distance as though afraid propinquity might lead him into temptation. 2 TECHNICAL close kinship. late Middle English: from Old French propinquité, from Latin propinquitas, from propinquus ‘near’, from prope ‘near to’.
comestible
n. (usu. comestibles) an item of food: a fridge groaning with comestibles. adj. edible: comestible plants. late 15th cent.: from Old French, from medieval Latin comestibilis, from Latin comest- ‘eaten up’, from the verb comedere, from com- ‘altogether’ + edere ‘eat’.
precipitate (adj)
adj. done, made, or acting suddenly or without careful consideration: I must apologize for my stafftheir actions were precipitate. (of an event or situation) occurring suddenly or abruptly: a precipitate decline in cultural literacy.
rapprochement
n. (esp. in international relations) an establishment or resumption of harmonious relations: there were signs of a growing rapprochement between the two countries. French, from rapprocher, from re- (expressing intensive force) + approcher ‘to approach’.
maunder
v. [intrans.] talk in a rambling manner: Dennis maundered on about the wine. [with adverbial] move or act in a dreamy or idle manner: he maunders through the bank, composing his thoughts. early 17th cent.: perhaps from obsolete maunder ‘to beg’.
divagate
v. POETIC/LITERARY [intrans.] stray; digress: Yeats divagated into Virgil’s territory only once. di•va•ga•tion n. late 16th cent.: from Latin divagat- ‘wandered around’, from the verb divagari, from di- ‘widely’ + vagari ‘wander’.
Deborah
a biblical prophet and leader who inspired the Israelite army to defeat the Canaanites. The “Song of Deborah,” a song of victory attributed to her, is thought to be one of the oldest sections of the Bible.
hagiology
n. literature dealing with the lives and legends of saints. hag•i•o•log•i•cal adj. hag•i•ol•o•gist n.
quiescent
adj. in a state or period of inactivity or dormancy: strikes were headed by groups of workers who had previously been quiescent; quiescent ulcerative colitis. See note at LATENT. qui•es•cence n. qui•es•cent•ly adv. mid 17th cent.: from Latin quiescent- ‘being still’, from the verb quiescere, from quies ‘quiet’.
desideratum
n. (pl. -ta ) something that is needed or wanted: integrity was a desideratum. mid 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘something desired’, neuter past participle of desiderare (see DESIDERATE). Both models, indeed, realize admirably the desideratum of diminished exposure to shot, but with respect to the other desideratum of perfect seaworthiness, the experiment is much less successful.
thaumaturge
n. a worker of wonders and performer of miracles; a magician. thau•ma•tur•gic adj. thau•ma•tur•gi•cal adj. thau•ma•tur•gist n. thau•ma•tur•gy n. early 18th cent. (as thaumaturg): via medieval Latin from Greek thaumatourgos, from thauma ‘marvel’ + -ergos ‘-working’.
garron
n. a small, sturdy workhorse of a breed originating in Ireland and Scotland. mid 16th cent.: from Scottish Gaelic gearran, Irish gearrán.
investiture
n. 1 the action of formally investing a person with honors or rank: the investiture of bishops. a ceremony at which honors or rank are formally conferred on a particular person. 2 the action of clothing or robing. a thing that clothes or covers. late Middle English: from medieval Latin investitura, from investire (see INVEST).
Septuagint
n. a Greek version of the Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament), including the Apocrypha, made for Greek-speaking Jews in Egypt in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC and adopted by the early Christian Churches. mid 16th cent. (originally denoting the translators themselves): from Latin septuaginta ‘seventy’, because of the tradition that it was produced, under divine inspiration, by seventy-two translators working independently.
Vulgate
(ˈvəl-ˌgāt) n. 1 the principal Latin version of the Bible, prepared mainly by St. Jerome in the late 4th century, and (as revised in 1592) adopted as the official text for the Roman Catholic Church. 2 (vul•gate) [in sing.] FORMAL common or colloquial speech: I required a new, formal language in which to address him, not the vulgate. 3 (vul•gate) the traditionally accepted text of any author. from Latin vulgata (editio) ‘(edition) prepared for the public’, feminine past participle of vulgare, from vulgus ‘common people’.
pogrom
n. an organized massacre of a particular ethnic group, in particular that of Jews in Russia or eastern Europe. early 20th cent.: from Russian, literally ‘devastation’, from ‘destroy by the use of violence’.
cavil
v. [intrans.] make petty or unnecessary objections: they caviled at the cost. n. an objection of this kind. cav•il•er n. mid 16th cent.: from French caviller, from Latin cavillari, from cavilla ‘mockery’.
manticore
n. a mythical beast typically depicted as having the body of a lion, the face of a man, and the sting of a scorpion. late Middle English: from Old French, via Latin from Greek , corrupt reading in Aristotle for martikhoras, from an Old Persian word meaning ‘man-eater’.
famulus
n. (pl. -li ) HISTORICAL an assistant or servant, esp. one working for a magician or scholar. mid 19th cent.: from Latin, ‘servant’.
concupiscence
n. FORMAL strong sexual desire; lust. Middle English: via Old French from late Latin concupiscentia, from Latin concupiscent- ‘beginning to desire’, from the verb concupiscere, from con- (expressing intensive force) + cupere ‘to desire’.
lacuna
n. (pl. -nae or -nas) an unfilled space or interval; a gap: the journal has filled a lacuna in Middle Eastern studies. a missing portion in a book or manuscript. [ANATOMY] a cavity or depression, esp. in bone. la•cu•nal adj. lac•u•nar•y adj. la•cu•nate adj. la•cu•nose adj. mid 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘pool’, from lacus ‘lake’.
pustule
n. [MEDICINE] a small blister or pimple on the skin containing pus. [BIOLOGY] a small raised spot or rounded swelling, esp. one on a plant resulting from fungal infection. pus•tu•lar adj. late Middle English: from Latin pustula.
eschatology
n. the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind. es•cha•to•log•i•cal adj. es•cha•tol•o•gist n. mid 19th cent.: from Greek eskhatos ‘last’ + -LOGY. Linked entries: -LOGY es•cha•ton n. (the eschaton) [THEOLOGY] the final event in the divine plan; the end of the world. 1930s: from Greek eskhaton, neuter of eskhatos ‘last’. Beginning perhaps with the Y2K predictions of a technological catastrophe, this eschatological mood certainly did not soften with the events of Sept. 11.
eremite
n. a Christian hermit or recluse. er•e•mit•ic adj. er•e•mit•i•cal adj. Middle English: from Old French eremite, from late Latin eremita (see HERMIT).
expostulate
v. [intrans.] express strong disapproval or disagreement: I expostulated with him in vain. ex•pos•tu•la•tion n. ex•pos•tu•la•tor n. ex•pos•tu•la•to•ry adj. mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘demand how or why, state a complaint’): from Latin expostulat- ‘demanded’, from the verb expostulare, from ex- ‘out’ + postulare ‘demand’.
suppositious
adj. 1 substituted for the real thing; not genuine: the supposititious heir to the throne. 2 based primarily on surmise rather than adequate evidence. Then why permit the bond to be severed by a wholly suppositiou breach. sup•pos•i•ti•tious•ly adv. sup•pos•i•ti•tious•ness n. early 17th cent.: from Latin supposititius (from supponere ‘to substitute’) + -OUS.
Unfounded, based on a supposition, which is an unfounded belief
simper
v. [intrans.] smile or gesture in an affectedly coquettish, coy, or ingratiating manner: she simpered, looking pleased with herself. See note at SMILE. n. [usu. in sing.] an affectedly coquettish, coy, or ingratiating smile or gesture: an exaggerated simper. sim•per•ing•ly adv. mid 16th cent.: of unknown origin; compare with German zimpfer ‘elegant, delicate’.
superannuate
v. [trans.] (usu. be superannuated) retire (someone) with a pension: his pilot’s license was withdrawn and he was superannuated. [as adj.] (superannuated) (of a position or employee) belonging to a superannuation plan: she is not superannuated and has no paid vacation. [usu. as adj.] (superannuated) cause to become obsolete through age or new technological or intellectual developments: superannuated computing equipment. su•per•an•nu•a•ble adj. mid 17th cent.: back-formation from superannuated, from medieval Latin superannuatus, from Latin super- ‘over’ + annus ‘year’.
trundle
v. [intrans.] (of a wheeled vehicle or its occupants) move slowly and heavily, typically in a noisy or uneven way: ten vintage cars trundled past. (of a person) move in a similar way: she could hear him coughing as he trundled out. [trans.] cause (something, typically a wheeled vehicle) to roll or move in such a way: we trundled a wheelbarrow down to the river and collected driftwood. n. [in sing.] an act of moving in such a way. mid 16th cent. (denoting a small wheel or roller): a parallel formation to obsolete or dialect trendle, trindle ‘(cause to) revolve’; related to TREND.
Tartar
n. HISTORICAL a member of the combined forces of central Asian peoples, including Mongols and Turks, who under the leadership of Genghis Khan conquered much of Asia and eastern Europe in the early 13th century, and under Tamerlane (14th century) established an empire with its capital at Samarkand. See also TATAR. (tartar) a harsh, fierce, or intractable person: “Merciful God! but you’re a tartar, miss!” said the sheriff, ruefully. Tar•tar•i•an adj. from Old French Tartare or medieval Latin Tartarus, alteration (influenced by TARTARUS) of TATAR.
exordium
n. (pl. -di•ums or -di•a ) FORMAL the beginning or introductory part, esp. of a discourse or treatise. ex•or•di•al adj. late 16th cent.: from Latin, from exordiri ‘begin’, from ex- ‘out, from’ + ordiri ‘begin’.
bruit
v. [trans.] spread (a report or rumor) widely: I didn’t want to have our relationship bruited about the office. n. 1 ARCHAIC a report or rumor. 2 a sound, typically an abnormal one, heard through a stethoscope; a murmur. late Middle English (as a noun): from Old French bruit ‘noise’, from bruire ‘to roar’.
interdict
n. an authoritative prohibition: an interdict against marriage of those of close kin. (in the Roman Catholic Church) a sentence barring a person, or esp. a place, from ecclesiastical functions and privileges: a papal interdict. v. [trans.] 1 prohibit or forbid (something): society will never interdict sex. See note at PROHIBIT. (interdict someone from) prohibit someone from (doing something): I have not been interdicted from consuming or holding alcoholic beverages. 2 intercept and prevent the movement of (a prohibited commodity or person): the police established roadblocks throughout the country for interdicting drugs. [MILITARY] impede (an enemy force), esp. by aerial bombing of lines of communication or supply. in•ter•dic•tion n. Middle English entredite (in the ecclesiastical sense), from Old French entredit, from Latin interdictum, past participle of interdicere ‘interpose, forbid by decree’, from inter- ‘between’ + dicere ‘say’. The spelling change in the 16th cent. was due to association with the Latin form.
balustrade
n. a railing supported by balusters, esp. an ornamental parapet on a balcony, bridge, or terrace. bal•us•trad•ed adj. mid 17th cent.: from French, from balustre (see BALUSTER).
sexton
n. a person who looks after a church and churchyard, sometimes acting as bell-ringer and formerly as a gravedigger. Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French segrestein, from medieval Latin sacristanus (see SACRISTAN).
Ixion
GREEK MYTHOLOGY] a king who, by Zeus’s command, was pinned to a fiery wheel that revolved unceasingly through the underworld, as punishment for his alleged seduction of Hera.
sylph
n. 1 an imaginary spirit of the air. a slender woman or girl. 2 a mainly dark green and blue hummingbird, the male of which has a long forked tail. Genus Aglaiocercus (and Neolesbia), family Trochilidae: three species. mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin sylphes, sylphi and the German plural Sylphen, perhaps based on Latin sylvestris ‘of the woods’ + nympha ‘nymph’.
galvanic
adj. 1 relating to or involving electric currents produced by chemical action. 2 sudden and dramatic: hurry with awkward galvanic strides. gal•van•i•cal•ly adv. late 18th cent.: from French galvanique, from GALVANI.
supernumary
adj. present in excess of the normal or requisite number, in particular: (of a person) not belonging to a regular staff but engaged for extra work. not wanted or needed; redundant: books were obviously supernumerary, and he began jettisoning them. [BOTANY] & [ZOOLOGY] denoting a structure or organ occurring in addition to the normal ones: a pair of supernumerary teats. (of an actor) appearing on stage but not speaking. n. (pl. -ar·ies) a supernumerary person or thing. early 17th cent.: from late Latin supernumerarius ‘(soldier) added to a legion after it is complete’, from Latin super numerum ‘beyond the number’.
cannonade
n. a period of continuous, heavy gunfire. v. [intrans.] discharge heavy guns continuously: [as n.] (cannonading) the daily cannonading continued. mid 16th cent.: from French, from Italian cannonata, from cannone (see CANNON).
éclat
n. brilliant display or effect: she came into prominence briefly but with éclat. social distinction or conspicuous success: such action bestows more éclat upon a warrior than success by other means. late 17th cent.: from French, from éclater ‘burst out’.
formication
n. a sensation like insects crawling over the skin. early 18th cent.: from Latin formicatio(n-), from formicare ‘crawl like an ant’ (said of the pulse or skin), from formica ‘ant’.
discursive
adj. 1 digressing from subject to subject: students often write dull, secondhand, discursive prose. (of a style of speech or writing) fluent and expansive rather than formulaic or abbreviated: the short story is concentrated, whereas the novel is discursive. 2 of or relating to discourse or modes of discourse: the attempt to transform utterances from one discursive context to another. 3 ARCHAIC [PHILOSOPHY] proceeding by argument or reasoning rather than by intuition. dis•cur•sive•ly adv. dis•cur•sive•ness n. late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin discursivus, from Latin discurs-, literally ‘gone hastily to and fro’, from the verb discurrere (see DISCOURSE).
hidebound
adj. unwilling or unable to change because of tradition or convention: you are hidebound by your petty laws. (of cattle) with their skin clinging close to their back and ribs as a result of bad feeding. (of a tree) having the bark so tightly adherent as to impede growth. mid 16th cent. (as a noun denoting a condition of cattle): from HIDE2 + BOUND4. The earliest sense of the adjective (of cattle) was extended to emaciated human beings, and then applied figuratively in the sense ‘narrow, cramped, or bigoted in outlook’.
martinet
n. a strict disciplinarian, esp. in the armed forces. mar•ti•net•ish (also mar•ti•net•tish) adj. late 17th cent. (denoting the drill system invented by Martinet): named after Jean Martinet, 17th-cent. French drillmaster.
suet
\ˈsü-ət\ n. the hard white fat on the kidneys and loins of cattle, sheep, and other animals, used to make foods including puddings, pastry, and mincemeat. su•et•y adj. Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, from the synonymous word su, from Latin sebum ‘tallow’.
ephebe
n. (in ancient Greece) a young man of 18-20 years undergoing military training. e•phe•bic adj. via Latin from Greek , from epi ‘near to’ + ‘early manhood’.
monopsony
n. (pl. -nies) [ECONOMICS] a market situation in which there is only one buyer. 1930s: from MONO- ‘one’ + Greek ‘buy provisions’ + -Y3.
firth
n. a narrow inlet of the sea; an estuary. Middle English (originally Scots), from Old Norse (see FJORD).
fisc
n. [ROMAN HISTORY] the public treasury of Rome or the emperor’s privy purse. a public treasury or exchequer. late 16th cent.: from French, or from Latin fiscus ‘rush basket, purse, treasury’.
bromide
n. 1 [CHEMISTRY] a compound of bromine with another element or group, esp. a salt containing the anion Br or an organic compound with bromine bonded to an alkyl radical. a reproduction or piece of typesetting on bromide paper. DATED a sedative preparation containing potassium bromide. 2 a trite and unoriginal idea or remark, typically intended to soothe or placate: feel-good bromides create the illusion of problem solving. bro•mid•ic adj. (in sense 2).
Curia
the papal court at the Vatican, by which the Roman Catholic Church is governed. It comprises various Congregations, Tribunals, and other commissions and departments. Cu•ri•al adj. mid 19th cent.: from Latin curia, denoting a division of an ancient Roman tribe, also (by extension) the senate of cities other than Rome; later the term came to denote a feudal or Roman Catholic court of justice, whence the current sense.
demiurge
n. a being responsible for the creation of the universe, in particular: (in Platonic philosophy) the Maker or Creator of the world. (in Gnosticism and other theological systems) a heavenly being, subordinate to the Supreme Being, that is considered to be the controller of the material world and antagonistic to all that is purely spiritual. dem•i•ur•gic adj. dem•i•ur•gi•cal adj. early 17th cent. (denoting a magistrate in certain ancient Greek states): via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek ‘craftsman’, from ‘public’ (from ‘people’) + -ergos ‘working’.
lassitude
n. a state of physical or mental weariness; lack of energy: she was overcome by lassitude and retired to bed; a patient complaining of lassitude and inability to concentrate. late Middle English: from French, from Latin lassitudo, from lassus ‘tired’.
nescient
adj. POETIC/LITERARY lacking knowledge; ignorant: I ventured into the new Korean restaurant with some equally nescient companions. nesc•ience n. late Middle English: from Latin nescient- ‘not knowing’, from the verb nescire, from ne- ‘not’ + scire ‘know’.
suzerain
n. a sovereign or state having some control over another state that is internally autonomous. HISTORICAL a feudal overlord. su•ze•rain•ty n. early 19th cent.: from French, apparently from sus ‘above’ (from Latin su(r)sum ‘upward’), suggested by souverain ‘sovereign’.
determinism
n. [PHILOSOPHY] the doctrine that all events, including human action, are ultimately determined by causes external to the will. Some philosophers have taken determinism to imply that individual human beings have no free will and cannot be held morally responsible for their actions. de•ter•min•ist n. & adj. de•ter•min•is•tic adj. de•ter•min•is•ti•cal•ly adv.
nominalism
n. [PHILOSOPHY] the doctrine that universals or general ideas are mere names without any corresponding reality, and that only particular objects exist; properties, numbers, and sets are thought of as merely features of the way of considering the things that exist. Important in medieval scholastic thought, nominalism is associated particularly with William of Occam. Often contrasted with REALISM (sense 3). nom•i•nal•ist n. nom•i•nal•is•tic adj. mid 19th cent.: from French nominalisme, from nominal ‘relating to names’ (see NOMINAL).
latitudinarian
adj. allowing latitude in religion; showing no preference among varying creeds and forms of worship. n. a person with a latitudinarian attitude. lat•i•tu•di•nar•i•an•ism n. mid 17th cent.: from Latin latitudo ‘breadth’ (see LATITUDE) + -ARIAN.
shibboleth
n. a custom, principle, or belief distinguishing a particular class or group of people, esp. a long-standing one regarded as outmoded or no longer important: the party began to break with the shibboleths of the left. mid 17th cent.: from Hebrew ‘ear of corn’, used as a test of nationality by its difficult pronunciation (Judg. 12:6).
heresiarch
n. the founder of a heresy or the leader of a heretical sect. mid 16th cent.: via ecclesiastical Latin from ecclesiastical Greek ‘leader of a sect’, from hairesis ‘heretical sect, heresy’ + ‘ruler’.
excogitate
v. [trans.] FORMAL think out, plan, or devise: scholars straining to excogitate upon subjects of which they know little. ex•cog•i•ta•tion n. early 16th cent.: from Latin excogitat- ‘found by process of thought’, from the verb excogitare, from ex- ‘out’ + cogitare ‘think’.
plutocrat
n. OFTEN DEROGATORY a person whose power derives from their wealth.
détente
(also de•tente) n. the easing of hostility or strained relations, esp. between countries: a serious effort at détente with the eastern bloc. early 20th cent.: French, literally ‘loosening, relaxation’.
Walpurgisnacht
n. German for WALPURGIS NIGHT. Linked entries: WALPURGIS NIGHT Wal•pur•gis night n. (in German folklore) the night of April 30 (May Day’s eve), when witches meet on the Brocken mountain and hold revels with the Devil. named after St. Walburga, an English nun who in the 8th cent. helped to convert the Germans to Christianity; her feast day coincided with an ancient pagan festival whose rites were intended to give protection from witchcraft.
debouch
v. [intrans.] emerge from a narrow or confined space into a wide, open area: the soldiers debouched from their jeeps and dispersed among the trees; the stream finally debouches into a silent pool. de•bouch•ment n. mid 18th cent.: from French déboucher, from dé- (expressing removal) + bouche ‘mouth’ (from Latin bucca ‘cheek’).
Bakelite
n. TRADEMARK an early form of brittle plastic, typically dark brown, made from formaldehyde and phenol, used chiefly for electrical equipment. early 20th cent.: named after Leo H. Baekeland (1863-1944), the Belgian-born American chemist who invented it, + -ITE1.
distrait
\di-ˈstrā\ adj. (fem. dis•traite ) [predic.] distracted or absentminded: he seemed oddly distrait. mid 18th cent.: French, from Old French destrait, past participle of destraire ‘distract’, from Latin distrahere ‘pull apart’ (see DISTRACT).
farrago
\fə-ˈrä-(ˌ)gō\ n. (pl. -goes) a confused mixture: a farrago of fact and myth about Abraham Lincoln. See note at JUMBLE. far•rag•i•nous adj. mid 17th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘mixed fodder’, from far ‘corn’.
Actaeon
[GREEK MYTHOLOGY] a hunter who, because he accidentally saw Artemis bathing, was changed into a stag and killed by his own hounds.
susurrus
(also su•sur•ra•tion ) n. POETIC/LITERARY whispering, murmuring, or rustling: the susurrus of the stream. su•sur•rant adj. su•sur•rate v. su•sur•rous adj. late Middle English: from late Latin susurratio(n-), from Latin susurrare ‘to murmur, hum’.
scrofula
n. CHIEFLY HISTORICAL a disease with glandular swellings, probably a form of tuberculosis. Also formerly called KING’S EVIL. scrof•u•lous adj. late Middle English: from medieval Latin, diminutive of Latin scrofa ‘breeding sow’ (said to be subject to the disease).
oleaginous
adj. rich in, covered with, or producing oil; oily or greasy. FIGURATIVE exaggeratedly and distastefully complimentary; obsequious: candidates made the usual oleaginous speeches in the debate. late Middle English: from French oléagineux, from Latin oleaginus ‘of the olive tree’, from oleum ‘oil’.
frisson
n. a sudden strong feeling of excitement or fear; a thrill: a frisson of excitement. late 18th cent.: French, literally ‘a shiver or thrill’.
anthroposophy
a philosophy founded by Rudolf Steiner, postulates the existence of an objective, intellectually comprehensible spiritual world accessible to direct experience through inner development. – Steiner’s distrust of science, his claim that the technological mind-set of modern society made phenomena inaccessible, depriving human beings of the imaginitive connection with the unseen they’d previously enjoyed and thereby enervating their spiritual lives, was something Bellow had long felt to be the case.
carapace
n. the hard upper shell of a turtle or crustacean. mid 19th cent.: from French, from Spanish carapacho, of unknown origin.
bricolage
n. (pl. same or -lag•es) (in art or literature) construction or creation from a diverse range of available things: the chaotic bricolage of the novel is brought together in a unifying gesture. something constructed or created in this way: bricolages of painted junk. mid 20th cent.: French, from bricoler ‘do odd jobs, repair’.
brocade
n. a rich fabric, usually silk, woven with a raised pattern, typically with gold or silver thread: [as adj.] a heavy brocade curtain. v. [trans.] [usu. as adj.] (brocaded) weave (something) with this design: a heavily brocaded blanket. late 16th cent.: from Spanish and Portuguese brocado (influenced by French brocart), from Italian broccato, from brocco ‘twisted thread’.
dais
ˈdā-əs n. a low platform for a lectern, seats of honor, or a throne. Middle English (originally denoting a raised table for distinguished guests): from Old French deis, from Latin discus ‘disk or dish’ (later ‘table’). Little used after the Middle English period, the word was revived by antiquarians in the early 19th cent. with the disyllabic pronunciation.
aleatory
adj. depending on the throw of a die or on chance; random. relating to or denoting music or other forms of art involving elements of random choice (sometimes using statistical or computer techniques) during their composition, production, or performance. late 17th cent.: from Latin aleatorius (see ALEATORIC).
necrosis
n. [MEDICINE] the death of most or all of the cells in an organ or tissue due to disease, injury, or failure of the blood supply. ne•crot•ic adj. mid 17th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek (see NECRO-, -OSIS).
quondam
adj. [attrib.] FORMAL that once was; former: quondam dissidents joined the establishment; its quondam popularity. late 16th cent.: from Latin, ‘formerly’.
solipsism
n. the view or theory that the self is all that can be known to exist. sol•ip•sist n. sol•ip•sis•tic adj. sol•ip•sis•ti•cal•ly adv. late 19th cent.: from Latin solus ‘alone’ + ipse ‘self’ + -ISM.
bosky
adj. wooded; covered by trees or bushes: a river meandering between bosky banks. late 16th cent.: from Middle English bosk, variant of BUSH1 .
heuristic
adj. enabling a person to discover or learn something for themselves: a “hands-on” or interactive heuristic approach to learning. [COMPUTING] proceeding to a solution by trial and error or by rules that are only loosely defined. ■ n. a heuristic process or method. (heuristics) [usu. treated as sing.] the study and use of heuristic techniques. heu•ris•ti•cal•ly adv. early 19th cent.: formed irregularly from Greek heuriskein ‘find’.
numinous
adj. having a strong religious or spiritual quality; indicating or suggesting the presence of a divinity: the strange, numinous beauty of this ancient landmark. mid 17th cent.: from Latin numen, numin- ‘divine power’ + -OUS.
lapidary
adj. (of language) engraved on or suitable for engraving on stone and therefore elegant and concise: a lapidary statement. of or relating to stone and gems and the work involved in engraving, cutting, or polishing. ■ n. (pl. -dar•ies) a person who cuts, polishes, or engraves gems. - the art of cutting, polishing, or engraving gems. Middle English (as a noun): from Latin lapidarius (in late Latin ‘stonecutter’), from lapis, lapid- ‘stone’. The adjective dates from the early 18th cent.
votary
n. (pl. -ries) a person, such as a monk or nun, who has made vows of dedication to religious service. a devoted follower, adherent, or advocate of someone or something: he was a votary of John Keats. vo•ta•rist n. mid 16th cent.: from Latin vot- ‘vowed’ (from the verb vovere) + -ARY1 .
avocation
n. a hobby or minor occupation. av•o•ca•tion•al adj. mid 17th cent.: from Latin avocatio(n-), from avocare ‘call away’, from ab- ‘from’ + vocare ‘to call’.
precipitate
v. [trans.] 1 cause (an event or situation, typically one that is bad or undesirable) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely: the incident precipitated a political crisis. - [trans.] cause to move suddenly and with force: suddenly the ladder broke, precipitating them down into a heap. - (precipitate someone/something into) send someone or something suddenly into a particular state or condition: they were precipitated into a conflict for which they were quite unprepared. 2 (usu. be precipitated) [CHEMISTRY] cause (a substance) to be deposited in solid form from a solution. cause (drops of moisture or particles of dust) to be deposited from the atmosphere or from a vapor or suspension. ■ adj. done, made, or acting suddenly or without careful consideration: I must apologize for my stafftheir actions were precipitate. (of an event or situation) occurring suddenly or abruptly: a precipitate decline in cultural literacy. ■ n. [CHEMISTRY] a substance precipitated from a solution. from modern Latin praecipitatum. pre•cip•i•ta•ble adj. pre•cip•i•tate•ly adv. pre•cip•i•tate•ness n. early 16th cent.: from Latin praecipitat- ‘thrown headlong’, from the verb praecipitare, from praeceps, praecip(it)- ‘headlong’, from prae ‘before’ + caput ‘head’. The original sense of the verb was ‘hurl down, send violently’; hence ‘cause to move rapidly’, which gave rise to sense 1 (early 17th cent.). The adjectives precipitate and precipitous are sometimes confused. Precipitate means ‘sudden, hasty’: a precipitate decision; the fugitive’s precipitate flight. Precipitous means ‘steep’: the precipitous slope of the mountain; a precipitous decline in stock prices.
inveterate
1: firmly established by long persistence
2: confirmed in a habit : HABITUAL <an inveterate liar
precatory
expressing a wish; “Even worse, [the proposed amendment] is a deception because it amounts to nothing more than a precatory expression of pious hope.”
sine qua non
/si-ni-ˌkwä-ˈnän/ An essential or indispensable element, condition, or ingredient. Since “the notoriously perfectionistic parenting ethos of the community elevates child-rearing to the sine qua non of marriage,” this displacement is taken to extremes.
modus vivendi
1: a feasible arrangement or practical compromise; especially : one that bypasses difficulties
2: a manner of living : a way of life
plenary
1: complete in every respect : absolute, unqualified
2: fully attended or constituted by all entitled to be present <a>
A major reason for this approach by these Justices was their legal philosophy that the several states possessed plenary ‘‘police’’ powers, i.e., power to legislate in such matters as health, safety, welfare and morals, while the Federal Government had no such plenary ‘‘police’’ power, but had only enumerated powers, like the power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce.</a>
