Words

 

CHURLISH (adjective) DEFINITION: rude, uncultured, or boorish SYNONYMS: boorish, coarse, crude, ill-mannered, rude, uncouth, gauche, vulgar ANTONYMS: cosmopolitan, polished, polite, refined, sophisticated, well-mannered TIP: In medieval English social order, a churl was a peasant from the lowest caste of freeman. Over time, the word has come to denote anyone who is rude, uncouth, or boorish. USAGE EXAMPLES: "Too much beer makes my husband act like a churl!" "Martha Stewmart would have been appalled by your churlish behavior." "Chuck's churlish conduct is not helping his career." OTHER FORM(S): churlishly (adv), churlishness (noun) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------DOGMATIC (adjective) PRONUNCIATION: (dawg MAT ik) DEFINITION: 1) stating opinions in an arrogant or dictatorial manner 2) of or like dogma; doctrinal SYNONYMS: biased, intolerant, opinionated, prejudiced ANTONYMS: complaisant, diffident, ""docile"", flexible, uncertain TIP: Dogma is a rigidly held belief or principle. Dogmatic persons arrogantly express their beliefs that their dogmas are true. USAGE EXAMPLES: "Phil became increasingly dogmatic as he grew older; no one could discuss with him even the possibility that some of his theories might be wrong." "Dogmatic people will often offend and alienate the very people they are trying to convince." "I appreciate that you have beliefs different from mine, but I wish you would express them in a less dogmatic manner." "Martha's dogmatic statements are not supported by any evidence." OTHER FORMS: dogmatically (adverb); dogmaticalness (noun) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------VICARIOUS (adjective) -SURROGATE PRONUNCIATION: (vye KAR ee us) DEFINITION: performed, exercised, received, or experienced through someone else SYNONYMS: by proxy, indirect, secondhand, substitute, "surrogate " ANTONYMS: direct, firsthand, personal USAGE EXAMPLES: "Someday I hope to enjoy firsthand the thrill of going on a safari, but for now I'll have to experience it vicariously through travel brochures."

 

"The bedridden old man lived his life vicariously through his children." "The ancient culture allowed vicarious punishment; a servant could suffer a puni shment in behalf of his master." "The fans take vicarious pleasure in the success of their team." OTHER FORM(S): vicariously (adv), vicariousness (noun) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------RIFE (adjective) -RAMPANT PRONUNCIATION: (ryfe) DEFINITION: 1) occurring frequently or with increasing prevalence 2) abundant SYNONYMS: epidemic, extensive, prevailing, prevalent,"" rampant"", widespread ANTONYMS: restrained, curbed TIP: "Prevailing," "prevalent," and "rife" each describe something that is in widespread existence. Prevailing applies to what is common or frequent at a cert ain time or place. Prevalent suggests widespread existence but not necessarily predo minance. Rife usually suggests that what is plentiful is also rapidly increasing or sprea ding. USAGE EXAMPLES: "Why are your meetings always rife with complaints and petty quarrels?" "Criticism of the proposal is rife among those who were once your biggest suppor ters." "The reports are rife with false allegations and misleading statements." "The old neighborhood is now rife with crime." OTHER FORM(S): rifely (adv), rifeness (noun) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------VITRIOLIC (Adjective) PRONUNCIATION: (vi tree AHL ik) DEFINITION: extremely bitter or caustic SYNONYMS: acerbic, acrimonious, biting, caustic, cutting, sarcastic, sardonic, satirical, scathing ANTONYMS: amiable, bland, compassionate, kind, mild, sweet TIP: Vitriolic gets its "caustic or bitter" meaning from oil of vitriol, which is another name for sulfuric acid. USAGE EXAMPLES: "Roswell couldn't bear any more of Mabel's vitriolic criticism, so he shaved his head and joined a monastery" "Did you really think that your vitriolic outbursts were appropriate?"

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------VULPINE (adjective) PRONUNCIATION: (vul PYNE) DEFINITION: 1) of or resembling a fox 2) crafty, cunning, or sly TIP: Vulpine is derived from the Latin word for fox, "vulpes." USAGE EXAMPLES: "If it weren't for his vulpine character, I might have considered going out with   Bernard." "My vulpine business partner wound up with all of the money and over 91 percent of the business." "Pardon me, I couldn't help notice your striking vulpine characteristics." "That vulpine salesperson would sell swampland to his own mother if he had the chance." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------POIGNANT (adjective) PRONUNCIATION: (POYN yunt) DEFINITION: 1) keenly distressing or painfully emotional 2) profoundly touching or moving 3) astute and to the point SYNONYMS: biting, cutting, heartrending, moving, penetrating, sharp, touching ," "piquant"" ANTONYMS: banal, cold, insipid, superficial, trite, unmoving, vapid TIP: Poignant comes from the root, "peuk-," meaning "to prick." This is also the root for similar "pricking" words like point, puncture, punctuate, and punge nt. USAGE EXAMPLES: "Even the judge was crying when the defendant finished his poignant account of his childhood hardships." "The director tried to make a poignant love scene, but the scene was cold and unmoving." "Your poignant comments showed much insight and changed the direction of the entire meeting." OTHER FORM(S): poignancy (noun), poignance (noun), poignantly (adv) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ABECEDARIAN (noun) PRONUNCIATION: (ay be cee DAR ee uhn) DEFINITION: 1) a person who studies or teaches the alphabet 2) a beginner in any study or field

 

SYNONYMS: beginner, amateur, tyro ANTONYMS: expert, professional TIP: Abecedarian can also be used as an adjective referring to anything alphabet ical, relating to the alphabet, or anything which is elementary or basic. "The listing s in the phone book are abecedarian--they are listed in alphabetical order." USAGE EXAMPLES: "Now that Maxwell is in the second grade, he feels it is his duty to help the abecedarians find their way around the school." "The old pro gave the abecedarian some tips on how to do the job." "The first days of school are always filled with abecedarian tasks." -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ARRIVISTE (noun) PRONUNCIATION: (ah ree VEEST) DEFINITION: someone who has achieved great power or high position through unscru pulous means or undue effort SYNONYMS: social climber, upstart, ladder climber TIP: Arriviste comes from the French word, "arriver" meaning "to arrive." Notice   the French pronunciation. USAGE EXAMPLES: "An unapologetic arriviste, Mitsy enjoys bragging about all of the people she trampled on her way to the top." "That little arriviste wouldn't be in the corner office if it had not been for all of the nasty rumors he spread about Walter." "Let me introduce you to my colleague, Phil, the company arriviste." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------IMMUTABLE (adjective) PRONUNCIATION: (i MYOO tuh bul) DEFINITION: not mutable or susceptible to change SYNONYMS: changeless, constant, enduring, incorruptible, lasting, permanent, stable, unalterable, unchangeable ANTONYMS: alterable, changeable, flexible, mutable, unstable, variable TIP: Immutable is based on the Latin words such as "mutable," "mutation," "I could not make sense of my date's ng and happy, the next minute she burst

root "mut," which means "change." Other and "commute" are based on this same root. mutable emotions; one minute she was laughi into tears and started throwing things."

USAGE EXAMPLES: "You will find that the board members are immutable in their decision; they will

 

  never change their ruling." "Platinum is one of the most immutable metals." "An immutable rule in this business is that the customer is always right." OTHER FORM(S): immutability (noun), immutableness (noun), immutably (adv) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CORPOREAL (Adjective) PRONUNCIATION: (kor POR ee ul) DEFINITION: 1) of or relating to the physical body 2) physical as opposed to spiritual or mental SYNONYMS: bodily, material, mortal, physical, tangible, worldly ANTONYMS: ethereal, heavenly, intangible, metaphysical, spiritual TIP: "Corporeal" (kawr PAWR ee ul) and "corporal" (KAWR puh rul) share a central   meaning of "pertaining to the human body." Corporeal, however, is a more philoso phical and poetic word and usually refers to mortal aspects of the body as opposed to spiritual. Corporal is almost always used to refer to suffering inflicted on the human body (e.g., corporal punishment). USAGE EXAMPLES: "Corporeal pleasures are often fleeting, but true love is eternal." "On even days, a psychologist helps Jerrold with his emotional ills; on odd days , a general practitioner helps Jerrold with his corporeal ailments." "The psychic said she saw a good aura surrounding my corporeal being." OTHER FORM(S): corporeality (noun), corporealness (noun), corporally (adv) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------GROAK (Noun) PRONUNCIATION: (GROHK) DEFINITION: an animal or person that hangs around watching and hoping to get some food SYNONYMS: moocher, scavenger TIP: This word is extremely rare (you will be hard-pressed to find it in any common dictionary) but it is so useful, we just had to make it our Wacky Word of the day! USAGE EXAMPLES: "Each day after school, my little brother's -like friends hang around salivating over our snacks." "Melvin is the office , he is the first to appear any time there is food in the vicinity."

 

"You don't really expect me to go out with that , do you?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CRAVEN (adjective) PRONUNCIATION: (KRAY vun) DEFINITION: contemptibly timid or cowardly SYNONYMS: cowardly, dastardly, faint-hearted, fearful, spineless, timorous ANTONYMS: bold, brave, fearless, stalwart TIP: Craven means cowardly, but to a contemptible degree. USAGE EXAMPLES: "Refusing to stand up and protect the rights of those helpless children was a craven thing to do." "Sending anonymous letters to tell his girlfriend she needed to lose a few pound s was a craven act." "Maxwell is such a craven yes-man, he will do anything just to avoid the anger of Mr. Martini." OTHER FORM(S): cravenly (adv), cravenness (noun), craven (n) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------It's Quiz Time! 1) IGNOMINIOUS a) physical 2) CORPOREAL b) changeless 3) CRAVEN c) shameful 4) IMMUTABLE d) moocher 5) GROAK e) cowardly (Answers appear at the end of this e-mail.) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TRAVESTY (noun) PRONUNCIATION: (TRAV is tee) DEFINITION: 1) a grotesque or degrading imitation 2) a mockery or perversion SYNONYMS: burlesque, caricature, distortion, farce, lampoon, mockery, perversion , sham ANTONYMS: exactness, probity, truth, verity TIP: Travesty can also be a verb, meaning "to make a travesty of, ridicule or parody." USAGE EXAMPLES: "The trial was a travesty of justice; it made a mockery of our legal system." "The comedian is famous for his hilarious travesty of the president." "The election was a travesty of democracy; the candidates intimidated some voter

 

s and purchased votes from others." "The disclosure of bribery made a travesty of the beauty contest." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------PALPABLE (adjective) PRONUNCIATION: (PAL puh bul) DEFINITION: 1) easily or plainly seen, perceived, heard, etc.; obvious 2) capabl e of being felt or touched SYNONYMS: apparent, clear, discernible, evident, manifest, noticeable, obvious, perceivable, plain, visible; tangible, material, corporeal ANTONYMS: impalpable, imperceptible, indiscernible, indistinct, unnoticeable; intangible, immaterial, ethereal, incorporeal TIP: The opposite of palpable is impalpable. USAGE EXAMPLES: "The difference in their ages is palpable; it is obvious to everyone that she is at least twenty years older than her boyfriend." "Betty thought she could go unnoticed, but her phony accent and cheap wig told us instantly that she was a palpable impostor." "Your argument is palpably absurd." OTHER FORMS: palpably (adverb), palpability (noun), palpableness (noun) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------NUMISMATICS (Noun) PRONUNCIATION: (noo muhz MAD iks) DEFINITION: 1) the study of money or coins 2) the collecting of currency, coins,   and often medals SYNONYMS: coin collector TIP: Someone who studies or collects coins or currency is a "numismatist." The abbreviated form of this word is "numis." USAGE EXAMPLES: "No, I did not actually graduate from college, but I am an expert in numismatics ." "Bill is a Catholic, Butch is a Protestant, and my friend Avery is a confirmed numismatist." "I am not miserly, I just enjoy numismatics and find it necessary to save all of my money for my collections." "Don't tell anyone, but my son is a numismatist." OTHER FORMS: numismatist (noun), numismatically (adv), numismatic (adj)

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------INANE (adjective) PRONUNCIATION: (i NAYNE) DEFINITION: 1) lacking sense, meaning, or substance 2) empty SYNONYMS: absurd, dumb, empty, foolish, meaningless, pointless, ridiculous, stup id, vacuous, vapid ANTONYMS: intelligent, meaningful, profound, sage, sensible, significant, sound,   thoughtful, wise TIP: Synonyms for "inane" include words like "stupid," "foolish," and "silly." Each implies a weakness in intellect or lack of judgment. Inane, however, has the added implication that the foolishness is notably lacking in sense, content,   or point. USAGE EXAMPLES: "After watching Hoyt's inane attempt to put the fire out with an ice cube, we decided to call the fire department and then a good psychologist." "Whose inane idea was it to submit this ridiculous proposal?" "After listening to her inane excuse about some flying elephant, we decided that   Belinda was ready for a long vacation." "No one could understand his inane desire to bungee jump off of Mount Rushmore."   OTHER FORM(S): inanely (adv) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------MORTIFY (verb) PRONUNCIATION: (MOR tuh fye) DEFINITION: 1) to injure pride or self-respect, to humiliate or shame 2) to disc ipline by self-inflicted privation or self-denial SYNONYMS: shame, humiliate, abash, disgrace, embarrass, humble ANTONYMS: gratify, uplift, make proud TIP: This word can be used to indicate discipline by self-inflicted privation or self-denial. "Bela believes that it is good for the soul to mortify oneself periodically." USAGE EXAMPLES: "Waldo was mortified when his wife talked about their marital problems on nation al television." "I was mortified by your comments to the press today."

 

"The vice president was mortified when he realized he had misspelled tomato in the spelling bee." OTHER FORM(S): mortifier (noun), mortifyingly (adv) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CLOY (verb) PRONUNCIATION: (kloy) DEFINITION: to cause disgust, distaste, or weariness because of excess or overin dulgence, especially of something rich, sweet, or originally pleasant SYNONYMS: gag, glut, gorge, nauseate, overdo, overindulge, satiate, saturate, surfeit, tire, weary ANTONYMS: limit, withhold TIP: Cloying is the adjective form of cloy meaning "sickeningly sweet." "Her cloying cuteness made us all want to gag." USAGE EXAMPLES: "After just three bites, Wilfred's award-winning ButterCream-BeerNut Truffles began to cloy." "Isabella's sickeningly sweet personality is cloying; it makes everyone nauseous ." "Wayne's new girlfriend is cloying; at first she seemed nice, but after a few weeks she was almost suffocating." "The smell of Mabel's new perfume is cloying." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOUNDER (Verb) PRONUNCIATION: (FOWN dur)

DEFINITION: 1) to sink 2) to completely fail 3) to stumble SYNONYMS: capsize, drown, go under, sink ANTONYMS: ascend, emerge, rise, surface TIP: Do not confuse founder (to sink or fail) with flounder (to thrash about or move clumsily). "The prosecutor's case foundered after her key witness flound ered on the witness stand." USAGE EXAMPLES: "The small boat foundered after the shark took a bite out of its hull." "Owen's once successful investment strategy foundered when the stock market took   an unexpected turn." "Folton's career as a politician foundered when his shady background was discove red."

 

OTHER FORM(S): founder (noun) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------BURGEON (verb) PRONUNCIATION: (BUR jun) DEFINITION: 1) to grow or bloom quickly 2) to begin to grow, like a bud SYNONYMS: develop, enlarge, escalate, expand, flourish, grow, increase, mushroom , proliferate, shoot up, spread, spring up, thrive ANTONYMS: decline, die, fade, fail, languish, wither TIP: Burgeon can also be spelled "bourgeon." USAGE EXAMPLES: "The new country burgeoned into a strong democratic nation." "The burgeoning apricot tree soon produced several pounds of fruit." "Communism is failing and the movement toward democracy is beginning to burgeon. " "We are pleased to help the small company burgeon into a large corporation." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SUBTERFUGE (Noun) PRONUNCIATION: (SUB tur fyooj) DEFINITION: a device or stratagem used to deceive SYNONYMS: artifice, deception, evasion, ruse, scheme, sham, smoke screen, strata gem, trick TIP: Subterfuge comes from the Latin, "subter," meaning "secretly or beneath." USAGE EXAMPLES: "The ingenious subterfuge was the brainchild of the desperate soldier." "Your subterfuge has been discovered; your little ruse will not work any longer. " "Next time, just tell me immediately instead of resorting to this kind of subter fuge." "The experienced judge realized that the wheelchair and neck-brace were merely part of a subterfuge to get more money." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------REDRESS (verb) PRONUNCIATION: (rih DRES)

 

DEFINITION: 1) to set right or make amends for, to rectify SYNONYMS: amend, compensate for, correct, rectify, reform, set right ANTONYMS: worsen TIP: Redress can also be a noun, meaning compensation or restitution. The court ordered Celia to pay back wages as a form of redress for wrongfully firing her secretary. USAGE EXAMPLES: "The ex-convict redressed the damage he had caused; he worked diligently to repa y all the money he had swindled from his friends." "You will never be happy until you try to redress the injustices suffered by those around you." "The queen redressed past injustices by granting the villagers their own land." OTHER FORM(S): redress (REE dres) (noun), redresser (noun), redressor (noun), redressable (adj), redressible (adj) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------DESICCATE (verb) PRONUNCIATION: (DES i kayt) DEFINITION: 1) to dry thoroughly 2) to preserve (food) by removing moisture

SYNONYMS: dehydrate, dry, parch, shrivel, wither ANTONYMS: dampen, irrigate, moisten TIP: Desiccated can also be used figuratively to mean "dried up" in the sense of "lacking spirit or animation": The room was filled with listless bachelors and desiccated old maids." USAGE EXAMPLES: "If you don't irrigate the field, the summer heat will desiccate the crop." "Prunes are just desiccated Italian plums." "Jules was once vivacious, but years of heartache and poverty have left her desi ccated." OTHER FORM(S): desiccation (n), desiccator (n), desiccated (adj), desiccative (adj), desiccant (n) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CONFABULATE (verb) PRONUNCIATION: (kuhn FAB yuh layt) DEFINITION: 1) to casually talk, chat 2) in psychology, to replace fact with fantasy unconsciously in memory

 

TIP: Confabulate and "fable" both come from the same Latin word, "fabula," meani ng "conversation." Someone who confabulates is a confabulator. "Marvin is the best confabulator in this organization." USAGE EXAMPLES: "If you have something important to say, say it. I did not come here just to confabulate." "After listening to all of the confabulators drone on around the water cooler, Beatrice decided it was time to quit and become a nun." "Somehow in Larry's mind he has managed to confabulate a memory of a date with Miss Alaska." OTHER FORM(S): confabulation (n), confabulation (n), confabulatory (n) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ASCRIBE (verb) PRONUNCIATION: (uh SKRYB)

DEFINITION: to assign as a cause or source SYNONYMS: assign, associate, attribute, charge to, credit, impute, trace to ANTONYMS: deny, discount, discredit, dissociate TIP: Ascribe comes from the Latin word "scribere" meaning "to write." Some other   words derived from this word are scribble, scribe, script, scripture, describe, inscribe, transcribe, and subscribe. USAGE EXAMPLES: "The dog's mysterious death was ascribed to an unknown source of poison." "The psychic ascribed Sly's depression to the alignment of the stars." "The audience cheered when the politician ascribed all the current political problems to his opponent." "The economic slowdown was ascribed to higher interest rates." OTHER FORM(S): ascribable (adj) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------It's Quiz Time! Match the past five words with their closest synonym: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)

CONFABULATE a) assign LAMENT b) dehydrate DESICCATE c) compensate for REDRESS d) mourn ASCRIBE e) chat

 

(Answers appear at the end of this e-mail.) MALEVOLENT (verb) PRONUNCIATION: (muh LEV uh lunt) DEFINITION: 1) wishing or exhibiting ill will for others 2) producing a harmful effect on others SYNONYMS: acrimonious, ill-intentioned, ill-willed, malicious, malignant, resent ful, spiteful, vicious ANTONYMS: amiable, benevolent, benign, friendly, kind, magnanimous TIP: The opposite of malevolent is benevolent. "My benevolent Aunt Oralynn would   never have uttered such a malevolent remark." USAGE EXAMPLES: "The infamous tyrant was known for his malevolence and his sinister laugh." "Your malevolent rumor almost cost me my job!" "The malevolent hurricane threatened to destroy the tiny village" OTHER FORM(S): malevolence (noun), malevolently (adv) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------QUIESCENT (adjective) PRONUNCIATION: (kwee ES unt; kwye ES unt) DEFINITION: quiet, inactive, or motionless SYNONYMS: at rest, calm, inactive, motionless, quiet ANTONYMS: active, mobile TIP: Quiescent comes from the Latin word, "quies," meaning "quiet." USAGE EXAMPLES: "My fears became quiescent when the doctor diagnosed Junior's green tongue as the natural result of eating too many green jawbreakers." "The feuding between the in-laws became temporarily quiescent during the birth of their grandchild." "The quiescent water became rough and dangerous during the fierce storm." "My grandmother has become peacefully quiescent in her old age; she is calm and at rest."

OTHER FORM(S): quiescently (adv), quiescence (noun), quiescency (noun) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ABORTIVE (adjective) PRONUNCIATION: (uh BOR tiv)

 

DEFINITION: failing to succeed, fruitless SYNONYMS: futile, unavailing, unsuccessful, useless, vain, worthless ANTONYMS: fruitful, productive, successful TIP: This word comes from the Latin, "abortare," meaning "to disappear or miscar ry." USAGE EXAMPLES: "After several abortive attempts to meet with the president, Joe finally succeed ed in getting an appointment." "After breaking his leg, Alfred had to abort his attempt to run in the marathon. " "The spy made an abortive attempt to steal the documents." "Hal's abortive attempt to run for reelection cost him a great deal of money." OTHER FORM(S): abortively (adv), abortiveness (noun), abort (verb) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------NEOPHYTE (noun) PRONUNCIATION: (NEE uh fyte) DEFINITION: 1) a beginner or novice or belief

2) a recent convert to a religion

SYNONYMS: apprentice, beginner, convert, freshman, newcomer, novice, recruit, rookie, trainee ANTONYMS: expert, old hand, veteran TIP: Note carefully the pronunciation of neophyte (NEE uh fyte). USAGE EXAMPLES: "I refuse to let a neophyte surgeon do my heart transplant!" "The neophyte attorney was intimidated by his experienced counterpart." "You may think that college has prepared you for the harsh realities of business, but you are still a neophyte." "The preacher urged his congregation to help the neophytes feel welcome." OTHER FORM(S): neophytic (adj), neophytism (n) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------