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Words You Probably Shouldn’t Know
PART VII
Trust us. If anyone uses one of the words on this list when talking about you, then you have been insulted. If any of these words apply to you, then change your life immediately!
abhorrent (ab-HOR-ent), adjective Loathsome or contemptible. Abhorrent refers to something that is reprehensible or repulsive. That which is repugnant or detestable is abhorrent.
Julie found the book’s recounting of the details of serial murders particularly ABHORRENT.
abstinence (AB-ste-nence), noun
Voluntarily foregoing the indulgence of an appetite. Abstinence is the act of abstaining from food, drink, or pleasure. Abstinence may refer to denial of certain foods and drinks thought to be harmful to one’s health; however, it can also refer to refraining from behavior considered immoral.
After years of indulgence, it was difficult for Evelyn to follow her doctor’s order of complete ABSTINENCE from liquor.
acrimonious (ak-ri-MO-nee-us), adjective
Mean-spirited, bitter, or ill-natured. Acrimonious refers to language or exchanges that are filled with animosity. Something characterized by sharpness or bitterness of speech is acrimonious.
Divorce is, we must remember, an expensive, emotionally devastating, and ACRIMONIOUS affair.
acrophobia (ak-ruh-FO-bee-a), noun
An abnormal fear of heights. Acrophobia refers to a person’s fear of high places; it is characterized by fealings of dread, danger, and helplessness.
Of course, his ACROPHOBIA ruled out any ride in the hot-air bolloon.
alienate (AY-lee-uh-nate), verb To cause someone to lose affection for someone or something else. If you keep taking advantage of Karen’s generosity, you’re going to ALIENATE a good friend.
aloof (uh-LOOF), adjective Indifferent or uninterested; unsociable. Chuck’s ALOOF attitude at our dinner party made us wonder if our usually talkative friend was trying to tell us something.
amoral (ay-MOR-uhl), adjective Without moral discretion or standards. To be amoral is to act as though the distinctions of right and wrong are nonexistent. A person who is amoral is neither moral nor immoral.
In the end, we find that war is not always “ for the right,” nor even “evil,” but far too often a completely AMORAL exercise.
anarchy (AN-ar-key), noun
The absence of government; a disordered and uncontrolled situation. Originally, anarchy referred to a specific doctrine advocating voluntary associations among individuals and arguing against any empowered government or rule of law. Today, anarchy is generally used to describe a temporarily chaotic social situation in which no central authority exists.
After the death of the Queen, many in the council feared a return to the ANARCHY of a decade earlier.
anathema (uh-NATH-eh-muh), noun
A person or thing regarded as wrong in the highest degree; a loathsome entity. To say something is anathema to a person is to say that it is as detestable and unacceptable to him as it can possibly be. The word has its root in a kind of formal religious curse or denunciation.
The ambassador warned us ahead of time not to attempt to discuss the issue of dropping sanctions against the dictator; that subject is ANATHEMA to his government.
arson (AR-son), noun
The act of destroying property with fire.
After Councilor Perry’s campaign headquarters burned down, his supporters were quick to accuse their opponents of ARSON; in fact, one of their own neglected cigarette butts was to blame.
asinine (ASS-ih-nine), adjective Showing a very noticeable lack of intelligence and/or good sense. I left halfway through the latest thriller because I could feel its ASININE plot depleting my brain cells.
authoritarian (aw-thor-uh-TARE-ee-un), adjective
Describes a form of social control in which the government demands the absolute, blind assent of its citizens.
The eerie, AUTHORITARIAN world of George Orwell’s 1984 continues to resonate today.
avarice (AV-er-iss), noun Great desire for riches. Avarice is extreme greed. Those who hoard wealth compulsively can be said to be avaricious. Although Matthew was an extremely successful businessman, AVARICE was certainly not in his nature.
bamboozle (bam-BOO-zul), verb To deceive; trick. Fred was BAMBOOZLED out of $15,000 by a con artist, who convinced him to invest money in nonexistent real estate.
barbarous (BAR-ber-us), adjective Uncivilized or primitive; characterized by brutality or savagery. To say that something or someone is barbarous is to say that it is
crude and lacks refinement. Barbarous treatment is uncivilized or even cruel and brutal.
Their captivity was marked by barbarous living conditions, psychological abuse, and little or no news of outside events.
biased (BYE-ussed), adjective
Predisposed to a particular view or direction; prejudiced.
Mr. Anderson’s claim that he has never made a BIASED hiring decision is undercut by the fact that his staff is composed exclusively of white male Ivy League graduates.
bigamy (BIG-uh-mee), noun The crime of taking marriage vows while still legally married to someone else. Bigamy is an offense involving illicit marriage, but it also describes other ecclesiastical violations of religious law regarding marital status.
By marrying June before her divorce was finalized, Stanley was technically guilty of BIGAMY.
bilious (BILL-yes), adjective
This word relates to bile, a bitter substance that helps in digestion. Thus, bilious has come to describe people who are irritable or peevish, as though afflicted by severe indigestion.
Benny’s bilious BEHAVIOR does not endear him to strangers.
bipolar (bye-POE-luhr), adjective
Possessing two sides or poles; marked by diametrically opposed extremes. A bipolar relationship is one between two opposites or counterparts.
Frank’s behavior on the job was generally unremarkable, but we later learned that his severe mood swings were symptoms of a BIPOLAR personality disorder.
blacklist (BLAK-list), verb To place on a list of disapproved or rejected persons and organizations. Many prominent entertainment figures were BLACKLISTED in Hollywood for alleged ties with Communism.
blase (blah-ZAY), adjective
Unimpressed; bored. Someone who has seen too much of something to become excited about it can be said to be blase.
I told Jim that he stood a very good chance of being fired this week, but to tell you the truth he seemed rather BLASE about the whole thing.
bloviate (BLOW-vee-ate), verb A blowhard bloviates because the word means to speak pompously and at great length. Don’t get Doug near alcohol because once he’s had a few he’ ll BLOVIATE until the cows come home.
bogus (BOE-guss), adjective
Fake; counterfeit.
Earnest-looking teens with obviously BOGUS IDs were nothing new to the area’s liquor store owners; a six-year-old with a revolver demanding two quarts of Thunderbird was something else again.
boorish (BOO-rish), adjective Offensive; lacking manners, civility, or consideration. A boorish person is one completely unfamiliar with social graces.
Everett’s BOORISH behavior at the party was completely out of character for him.
brassy (BRASS-ee), adjective Brazen; cheap or showy. Brassy can also refer to a bold, outgoing nature. The promotional campaign struck a BRASSY, daring tone that instantly won consumer attention.
bromidic (bro-MID-ick), adjective Trite and commonplace. The marketing executive groaned as one BROMIDIC ad campaign after another crossed her desk.
bulimia (buh-LEE-mee-uh), noun An eating disorder in which sufferers alternately binge, then purge, forcing themselves to vomit. The faculty health center featured a nurse with special training in dealing with BULIMIA and other eating disorders.
bureaucracy (byoo-ROK-ruh-see), noun The concentration of power and authority in administrative bodies. Also: an administrative body. Bureaucracy is often characterized by adherence to routine and lack of innovation.
As the company grew, the entrenched BUREAUCRACIES in the accounting and finance departments gained more and more influence.
burnout (BURN-out), noun
A condition of fatigue, low morale, or frustration resulting from excessive stress or overwork.
Although Leland’s family feared he would suffer BURNOUT if he continued to work fourteen hours a day, seven days a week, he seemed to be happier than anyone could remember seeing him.
cabal (kuh-BALL), noun
A group that meets secretly and plots to overthrow a government, religion, community, etc.
To call that sorry splinter group of the neighborhood improvement association a CABAL is to give its members way too much credit.
callous (KAL-uss), adjective
Unfeeling; insensitive; hardened. (See, for comparison, the entry for callus.)
The chauffeur couldn’t understand how Mr. Jensen could be so CALLOUS as to ride by the crowd of homeless people every day without taking the least notice of them.
cantankerous (kan-TANG-ker-us), adjective Ill-tempered; grumpy. “You kids stay off my lawn!” our CANTANKEROUS old neighbor barked.
capricious (kuh-PREE-shuss), adjective Characterized by a whimsical attitude. A person who acts impulsively or unpredictably can be said to be capricious. Given his CAPRICIOUS approach to life, it is not surprising that Andrew never settled into one field of employment.
captious (KAP-shuss), adjective
Extremely critical; likely to find fault. A person who makes many criticisms about petty matters can be said to be captious.
Myra had shown great tolerance throughout her stay, but when Mr. Clements subjected her to a CAPTIOUS interrogation about her academic career, she decided to leave.
carbuncle (KAR-bunk-uhl), noun
A painful inflammation of the skin similar to, but more serious than, a boil.
Jimmy’s inventive excuses for his absences reached a new level when he told his teacher he had been unable to attend Spanish class because of a CARBUNCLE.
carcinogen (kar-SIN-uh-gen), noun An agent that causes cancer. When experimenting with CARCINOGENS in the lab, the technicians would always wear protective masks.
carp (karp), verb
It’s not just a fish! To carp is to raise picky, trivial objections.
All the CARPING at the staff meeting kept anything substantive from being done.
celibacy (SELL-ih-bus-see), noun
The quality of being chaste; the act of abstaining from sexual activity. For instance, someone who remains unmarried in order to follow a religious calling is said to commit to a lifestyle of celibacy.
Although he took Holy Orders, David eventually found that he could not live a life of CELIBACY and left the priesthood.
censorious (sen-SOR-ee-us), adjective
Critical; easily finding fault.
When it came to grading term papers, Mrs. Edwards was seen by many as overly CENSORIOUS, even taking off points for using a paper clip instead of a staple.
charlatan (SHAR-luh-tun), noun A fake or humbug. A charlatan falsely claims to possess a given level of status, skills, or knowledge. The defendant, it has been claimed, is a CHARLATAN and a liar—but where is the evidence for this?
chemotherapy (kee-mo-THARE-uh-pee), noun The treatment of disease by means of administering chemicals that have a toxic effect on the microorganisms that cause the disease, or that can destroy a body’s cancerous cells.
The doctors warned Amelia that the CHEMOTHERAPY she was about to undergo would not be without side effects.
chicanery (shih-KAIN-uh-ree), noun
Cheating or deception, especially through the use of language.
The way the candidate consistently quibbled about the precise meaning of his statements made me feel he was guilty of CHICANERY.
chintzy (CHINT-see), adjective Considered cheap, tacky, or of low quality. Angela insisted on wearing a CHINTZY leopard-skin jumpsuit and high heels to the company Christmas party.
churlish (CHUR-lish), adjective
Ill-bred; boorish.
When he started drinking soup noisily straight from the bowl, Beverly decided she had seen enough of her blind date’s CHURLISH behavior.
coarse (koarss), adjective Clumsy and crude, lacking in social graces. Also, describes fabric that is rough to the touch. Ron’s COARSE manner is sure to get him caught in a sexual harassment suit.
cocksure (KAHK-sure), adjective Extremely, swaggeringly confident . . . probably overconfident. Steve always acts like the COCKSURE man-about-town just because his uncle is the mayor.
conspiracy (kun-SPEER-uh-see), noun
A treacherous plan involving two or more persons.
Your contention that Lyndon Johnson was part of a CONSPIRACY to assassinate President Kennedy amounts to what, in an earlier day, would have been called seditious libel, Mr. Oliver.
contemptuous (kun-TEMP-choo-us), adjective Feeling disdain or scorn. A contemptuous act is one that flies in the face of established procedures or traditions. The defendant’s CONTEMPTUOUS behavior on the stand was, amazingly, overlooked by the judge.
contentious (kuhn-TEN-chuss), adjective Argumentative, characterized by being prone to disputes and controversy. I walked away when the discussion heated up and got too CONTENTIOUS.
contraband (KAHN-truh-band), noun Illegal or prohibited goods. Jean tried to smuggle a tape recorder into the concert, but her CONTRABAND was quickly discovered and taken from her.
contretemps (KAHN-truh-tah), noun This French word means an embarrassing and inopportune occurrence. I really would have preferred to avoid that CONTRETEMPS with my wife while her parents were at our house.
covetous (KUHV-ih-tuss), adjective Greedy and willing to go to shameless lengths to earn wealth. “The COVETOUS behavior of the average game show contestant makes me feel sick to my stomach,” Helen said.
crass (krass), adjective Describes those who are coarse and crude in their actions and manner—and often—the language such people use. Will you please remember that you’re over fifty and stop being so CRASS?
culpable (KUL-puh-bull), adjective Blameworthy; accountable for error or wrongdoing. Someone who is culpable is responsible for misdeed. After Ryan was found CULPABLE for the financial mismanagement at his firm, he was forced to resign.
cupidity (kyoo-PID-ih-tee), noun Greed; extreme desire for wealth. One who is obsessed with acquiring money shows cupidity. Paul’s CUPIDITY led to much unhappiness and sorrow in later life, though his wealth was not to be denied.
dearth (durrth), noun An inadequate supply, especially one that leads to a catastrophic event. The DEARTH of rice worldwide has sparked fears of a global famine.
debacle (dih-BA-kull), noun Utter collapse or rout. A debacle is a complete (often ludicrous) failure. The word originally referred to collapsing sheets of river ice. The initiative seemed promising enough, but turned out to be another of George’s DEBACLES.
debase (dih-BASE), verb To lower in value. Once I lost its back bumper and crunched in its rear quarterpanel, my car was so DEBASED I practically had to give it away.
debauchery (dih-BOCH-er-ee), noun Licentiousness; overindulgent sexual expression. To accuse someone of debauchery is to say that person is intemperate and immoral with regard to indulgence in physical pleasures.
DeSade’s critics claimed they had only to consult his writings for evidence of his own DEBAUCHERY.
decadence (DEK-uh-dunce), noun
Characterized by declining moral standards. Decadence can refer to the declining standards of a nation, a period of time, or an individual.
After six months on the prairie, Clyde found it difficult to return to what he saw as the DECADENCE of city life.
decapitate (dee-KAP-ih-tate), verb
To remove the head of.
Although the guillotine was initially proposed as a humane method of execution, the idea of using a machine to DECAPITATE criminals now strikes most people as barbaric.
decrepit (di-KREP-it), adjective Enfeebled, as by old age. Decrepit can refer to a weakened person, or to an object or idea that is past its prime. The car’s DECREPIT appearance was deceiving; Colin found it capable of 75 mph on the highway, and it got very good mileage.
deface (dih-FACE), verb
To disfigure or damage.
It breaks my heart to see the old stone bridge, my one unchanging companion from boyhood, DEFACED with the spray painted grumblings of drunken teenagers.
defamation (def-uh-MAY-shun), noun False, baseless attack on a person’s or group’s reputation. To defame is to disgrace; defamation is the act of defaming. After the last of the Journal’s articles on her, Virginia decided she had put up with enough DEFAMATION and decided to sue.
defeatist (dih-FEET-ist), adjective
Accepting defeat as an unavoidable consequence of life; pessimistic.
Sheldon’s DEFEATIST attitude led Monica, his supervisor, to wonder whether he would ever complete the project he was working on.
defile (dih-FILE), verb
To pollute; to corrupt or make unclean.
The river that only a few years ago ran clean and clear is now DEFILED with a witches’ brew of chemicals, thanks to the new tanning plant.
delinquent (dih-LINK-went), adjective and noun Describes someone who—or some group that—offends due to the violation of laws. Also, delinquent describes a payment that is overdue.
Carl’s drawer full of unpaid parking tickets has caused the local police to label him a DELINQUENT.
demagogue (DEM-uh-gog), noun
An individual (usually a politician or other leader) who gains power by appealing to the emotions and passions of the people, especially by means of inflamed speech. Demagogues often address complicated issues by suggesting simplistic measures that appeal to public prejudice or misconception.
The senator’s aides honestly believed that they had agreed to go to work for a statesman, but saw now that they were furthering the ambitions of a DEMAGOGUE.
depraved (duh-PRAVED), adjective
Describes someone whose conduct or actions deviate considerably from what most believe is acceptable or morally right.
I knew I needed to stop dating Jared immediately when I saw that all the books on his shelves concerned the lives of DEPRAVED murderers.
depravity (dih-PRAV-ih-tee), noun Corruption, moral reprehensibility. Someone who corrupts something or introduces wickedness to it commits depravity. The DEPRAVITY of those years is still summoned up with reverence by some of our more naive writers.
dereliction (dare-uh-LIK-shun), noun Willful neglect; shirking of responsibility. Dereliction is the knowing failure to perform one’s duty. The sergeant’s inaction that night led to troubling accusations of DERELICTION of duty.
deride (dih-RIDE), verb To ridicule with cruelty; to laugh at and make fun of. His classmates DERIDED Joe for wearing argyle socks to the prom.
derogatory (dih-ROG-uh-tore-ee), adjective Tending to lessen or impair someone or something; disparaging and negative. Butch’s DEROGATORY remarks about my girlfriend were meant to goad me into a fight, but I was determined to keep my cool.
desecrate (DESS-ih-krate), verb To abuse the sacred character of a thing. Those who write lewd sayings on a church wall, for instance, desecrate the church. Such profane language from our organization’s current leader serves only to DESECRATE the memory of the founder.
despotism (DESS-po-tiz-um), noun Authoritarian rule. Despotism is a system where one dominant figure exercises complete power. It was not until some years after the revolution began that the General’s DESPOTISM passed into history.
diabolical (die-uh-BOL-ih-kul), adjective Devilish, evil. Something diabolical is considered to be wicked or cruel. The terrorists, the papers claimed, had a DIABOLICAL agenda.
dilettante (DIL-uh-tont), noun
Someone with only an amateurish or aimless interest in a subject or discipline.
A man who cultivates a superficial knowledge of modern art solely to impress others, for instance, might be called a dilettante.
The cafe was once a meeting-place for struggling artists and poets of genuine talent, but by 1970 it was nothing more than a swamp of DILETTANTES.
disconsolate (dis-KON-suh-lut), adjective Beyond consolation; unable to be comforted; deep in grief or sorrow. Jamie was DISCONSOLATE after missing what should have been the game-winning field goal.
discordant (dis-KOR-dunt), adjective Conflicting; lacking in harmony. I find that composer’s DISCORDANT style difficult to listen to.
disenfranchise (diss-in-FRAN-chize), verb To take away someone’s right to vote or to deprive someone of legal rights or privileges. By changing the bylaws, the city council effectively DISENFRANCHISED residents who lived near the city’s urban core.
dissemble (diss-SEM-bul), verb
To act with an insincere or disguised motive.
Although many on the committee were convinced that the undersecretary was DISSEMBLING about how much he knew of rebel activities, there was no hard proof to support this view.
diuretic (die-er-ET-ik), noun
Tending to increase urination; a drug that causes this increase.
After being admitted to the clinic for anorexia, Danielle told the doctors how she had used amphetamines and DIURETICS to speed her weight loss.
dowdy (DOW-dee), adjective Lacking stylishness, most likely because one is dressed in a prim, out-of-date manner. After my grandmother retired, she dropped her DOWDY pantsuits and began to wear skirts and shoulder-exposing blouses.
dregs (dreggs), noun Literally, the (sediment-bearing) contents of the bottom of a nearly empty container of wine, coffee, or the like; also, something or someone perceived as worthless or as the last and least appealing in a series of choices.
Though many in her town looked on ex-convicts as the DREGS of society, it was Debbie’s job as a social worker to try to rehabilitate everyone who came through her door, regardless of past history.
dun (dunn), verb To torment, especially to torment someone because he or she has not paid a bill. Alan declared bankruptcy to stop being DUNNED by numerous creditors.
duplicity (doo-PLISS-ih-tee), noun Trickery; two-facedness; purposeful deceptiveness. Officer Wilkins began to suspect his informant of DUPLICITY, and wondered whether she was leading him into a trap.
dysfunctional (diss-FUNK-shun-uhl), adjective Characterized by not working properly. Charlie always blames his rotten behavior on being the product of a DYSFUNCTIONAL family.
dyspeptic (diss-PEP-tick), adjective
Dyspepsia is indigestion, so dyspeptic can describe something—such as certain foods—that causes dyspepsia, or it describes someone who is irritable as though suffering from dyspepsia.
No wonder Fred can’t get a girlfriend. His DYSPEPTIC temperament drives all potential mates away.
eczema (EG-zuh-muh), noun An inflammatory skin condition, characterized by red, itching skin that erupts into lesions that later become scaly, hard, and crusty. The skin cleanser Noxzema was named after its supposed ability to “ knock ECZEMA.”
effete (uh-FEET), adjective Lacking robust vitality; sterile; without force. Effete originally meant exhausted from the labors of childbirth, but is rarely if ever used in that context today.
Thomas was labeled an EFFETE snob by some, but Jane had seen him work miracles in the office through pure concentration of effort and solid teamwork.
egocentric (ee-go-SEN-trik), adjective Selfish; tending toward the belief that one’s own existence is all-important. An egocentric person places his interests above those of all others.
His was a strange and EGOCENTRIC way of life that had no place for a mate.
embezzle (im-BEZ-ul), verb
To appropriate funds for oneself that were placed in one’s care for another party.
Bill had always seemed to be a model employee, so the news that he had been EMBEZZLING money from the company for some years came as a complete shock to us all.
ethnocentricity (eth-no-sen-TRISS-ih-tee), noun
The belief that cultures different from one’s own are inherently inferior.
The Nazis displayed a monstrous ETHNOCENTRICITY, to be sure, but they were also pragmatic enough to know when an alliance with the Japanese served their interests.
excommunicate (eks-kuh-MYOO-nih-kate), verb and noun To banish; to revoke formally one’s status as member of a group. Excommunicate is used primarily with regard to members of the
Catholic church who are excluded from that church due to misconduct or doctrinal conflict.
The priest knew that he faced EXCOMMUNICATION if he refused to resign from the legislature.
execrable (ig-ZEK-ruh-bul), adjective
Disgusting; detestable; vulgar.
Collectors of unauthorized Beatles records must be prepared to pay high prices for the illegal discs, which often feature tracks of EXECRABLE recording quality.
exploitation (eck-sploy-TAY-shun), noun The use of something for profit, especially if the profit-making does not benefit the person or thing being used. Paying uneducated workers less than educated ones for the exact same work is an example of EXPLOITATION, Mr. Crowthers.
extradition (eks-tra-DISH-un), noun
The handing over of an alleged fugitive from one country, state, etc., to another.
Because there was no formal EXTRADITION agreement between the two countries, the trial of the accused did not begin until two years after the warrant for his arrest had been issued.
fascist (FASH-ist), adjective Fascism is a governmental system run with an iron grip by a dictator. The adjective form, fascist, has come to describe any person,
system, group, etc. that is run as though by dictatorial control.
As his supervisor got increasingly bossy and meddlesome, Paul began to describe him as FASCIST.
fastuous (FASS-chew-us), adjective Haughty and arrogant. Despite her beauty, Jenny rarely got asked out, due to her FASTUOUS behavior.
fatuous (FAT-yoo-uss), adjective Stupid or foolish. That which is complacently idiotic is fatuous.
She made so many FATUOUS remarks at the party that I became disgusted and stopped apologizing for her.
feckless (FEK-liss), adjective Ineffective or feeble. A person who lacks initiative or ability in a given area could be said to be feckless in that area. We had hoped for a well-trained and motivated consulting firm; what showed up was a pack of FECKLESS hangers-on.
felonious (fuh-LONE-ee-uss), adjective
Criminal; villainous; reminiscent of or relating to a felony crime.
Although no court in the land would consider it FELONIOUS, my brother’s attempt to blackmail me over that little dent I put in my parent’s car was, in my mind, worthy of a long jail sentence.
fetid (FET-id), adjective Smelly. That which has an unpleasant odor is fetid. The FETID contents of the abandoned apartment’s refrigerator are best left undescribed.
fetters (FET-urz), noun
Literally, shackles or handcuffs; a restraint. Also, as a verb (FET-ur), to restrain or restrict movement.
The prisoners were led to the bowels of the ship, where narrow wooden benches, FETTERS, and a thin scattering of straw awaited them.
fiasco (fee-ASS-koe), noun An utter and pathetic failure. Fiasco derives from an Italian verb meaning “to fail.” The failure of the Administration to get the housing bill through Congress is only the latest in a series of legislative FIASCOS.
filch (filch), verb To steal, especially to steal petty amounts or inexpensive goods. Brian is proud of how many motel towels he’s FILCHED over the years.
filibuster (FILL-ih-buss-ter), noun
A legislative tactic by which a member prevents or delays the passage of a law, typically by focusing on irrelevant issues during a long speech to prevent a vote from taking place; any similar technique that monopolizes the floor of a legislature by means of parliamentary maneuvers.
Even an epic FILIBUSTER staged by Southern legislators could not stop President Johnson from guiding the Civil Rights Act through Congress.
finagle (fih-NAY-gul), verb To wangle; to use clever, often underhanded methods to achieve one’s desires. Justin FINAGLED his way into the press conference by borrowing a pass from another reporter.
flak (flak), noun The bursting shell fired from antiaircraft guns, or an antiaircraft gun itself; also, impediments, arguments, or opposition (to a course of action or situation).
“If you give me any more FLAK about the time I set for your curfew,” my mom promised, “you won’t be going out at all.”
flibbertigibbet (FLIB-er-tee-jibb-it), noun A chatty, scatterbrained person. Estelle liked Phil at first, but she quickly realized he was a FLIBBERTIGIBBET and not worth her time.
flim-flam (FLIM-flam), noun and adjective A swindle. A flim-flam operation is a scam or confidence game. Vern may call himself an entrepreneur; it appears to me he’s nothing more than a FLIM-FLAM artist.
flippant (FLIP-unt), adjective
Disrespectful or harsh in tone; shallow or frivolous.
Mario, still upset about the previous night’s quarrel greeted his wife’s cheery “Good morning” with a FLIPPANT “Who says it is?”
foolhardy (FOOL-har-dee), adjective
Rash; hasty; unthinking.
Mack’s FOOLHARDLY decision to leave his job and visit Trinidad and Tobago for two years was apparently the result of a chance encounter with a palm reader he met in a Greyhound station in West Covina, California.
fop (fop), noun A dandy. An extravagant (male) person who is uncommonly vain or pretentious is a fop. I was cornered by Charles, the biggest FOP on campus, who subjected me to a lecture about how wonderfully he was dressed.
foreclosure (fore-CLOZH-er), noun The act of repossessing a mortgaged property due to a default on payments, resulting in the mortgagee losing all rights to the property.
Neither Mrs. Walker nor her estranged husband could keep up the mortgage payments on the condo during their divorce proceedings, and the bank made a FORECLOSURE on the property.
fratricide (FRAT-rih-side), noun The act of killing a brother. Fratricide refers to the murder of a male sibling; the word for killing a sister is sororicide. It is only when Hamlet is told of the king’s FRATRICIDE that a tragic chain of events is initiated.
froufrou (FROO-froo), noun
Excessive or unnecessary decoration; especially, an elaborate adornment in women’s fashion.
Angela had never seen so many ill-fitting tuxedoes and self-conscious frills and FROUFROUS as she beheld the night of the senior prom.
frowzy (FROW-zee), adjective
Sloppy; unkept; stale.
One would never know that beneath those FROWZY, oversized dresses and grungy cowboy hats was a model who had recently appeared on the cover of Vogue.
fumigate (FYOO-mih-gate), verb
To release fumes in order to get rid of insects or other pests.
We had the place FUMIGATED, used sound-waves, and set dozens of traps, but our house continued to be plagued by cockroaches.
fusty (FUHSS-tee), adjective Old-fashioned and out of date, or clinging to old-fashioned, conservative values. My father-in-law’s FUSTY opinions of “a woman’s place” make me want to sock him every time I have to see him!
garish (GAIR-ish), adjective Showy in an excessive and over-the-top manner. I’ d always thought of Martha as refined, so I was surprised by the GARISH way she decorated her home.
genocide (JENN-uh-side), noun The deliberate, systematic destruction of a culture, people, nation, etc. Attempts at tribal GENOCIDE have drawn attention to the African province of Darfur.
gingivitis (jin-jih-VIE-tuss), noun A gum disease; the condition of having swollen gums. The rinse promised lifetime protection against GINGIVITIS, a claim Fred viewed with some skepticism.
gruel (grool), noun
A thin, soup-like dish made from cooked cereal or grain.
In one of the most memorable scenes Dickens ever wrote, young Oliver Twist loses a lottery among the workhouse boys and must ask for an unprecedented second helping of GRUEL.
gullible (GULL-ih-bull), adjective Easily cheated, tricked, or deceived. I’m afraid Terry is a little too GULLIBLE to survive for long as an aspiring actor in a city like New York.
hackneyed (HAK-need), adjective Rendered less significant by common use. Literally, a hackney is a horse suited for routine riding or driving (and not a prime racehorse).
The primitive construction and reliance on HACKNEYED expressions make it perfectly clear: this is not the work of Shakespeare.
haggis (HAG-iss), noun
A dish originating in Scotland made by removing the heart, liver, and lungs of a sheep or cow, dicing these, adding onions, suet, oatmeal, and seasonings, and placing the mixture into the animal’s stomach, and boiling it.
Ivan had been enjoying the HAGGIS Mrs. MacIntyre had prepared for him until he asked her how it was made.
haughty (HAUT-ee), adjective Snobbishly proud. I tried to apologize for bumping into the woman, but she only gave me a HAUGHTY glance and inspected her fur coat for damage.
hedonist (HEE-duh-nist), noun One whose life is devoted solely or primarily to the pursuit of pleasure and gratification. I took offense at Jane’s implication that a glass of white wine during dinner made me some kind of HEDONIST.
hemorrhoid, (HEM-er-oid), noun A condition where the mass of tissues at the base of the anus becomes swollen as a result of dilated veins. After enduring a thirty-hour labor and a severe case of post-partum HEMORRHOIDS, Meg doubted she’d ever have another child.
hidebound (HIDE-bound), adjective Narrow and rigid in one’s beliefs or opinions . . . a somewhat nicer way to call someone stubborn. I wouldn’t mind Mary’s HIDEBOUND beliefs, if she just didn’t share them so freely!
histrionic (hiss-tree-AHN-ick), adjective Describes the on-stage work of actors and actresses, but, more broadly, histrionic describes people who are given to acting theatrical, affected, and self-consciously emotional when NOT on a stage.
Melinda’s HISTRIONIC behavior at the dinner party embarrassed everyone.
hubris (HYOO-briss), noun
Excessive pride. Hubris can refer to the “fatal flaw” of ancient Greek drama, or (more generally) to any disproportionate pride or self-love.
Colin may have begun as a pleasant and unassuming clerk, but by the time he took over the company in 1987 he showed signs of the HUBRIS that would accompany his downfall.
hypertension (hi-pur-TEN-shun), noun
High blood pressure; the condition that occurs as a result of high blood pressure.
Some over-the-counter cough, cold, and allergy medicines tend to cause elevated blood pressure, and include a warning that they may be hazardous to those suffering from HYPERTENSION.
hypocrite (HIP-uh-krit), noun A person pretending to be something he or she is not, or pretending, for the sake of appearance, to have high moral beliefs; a person who does not act according to espoused beliefs.
In Marilyn’s view, a marriage counselor who advised others to live up to the ideal of fidelity but who cheated on his own wife was the worst kind of HYPOCRITE.
ignoble (ig-NO-bull), adjective Dishonorable in nature. In contrast with ignominious (see below), ignoble carries the sense of baseness or lowness. Peter’s IGNOBLE aims were well known to all in the room.
illicit (ih-LISS-it), adjective Illegal or morally unjustifiable. Illicit refers to something not sanctioned by custom or law. We all know now that the money was acquired through ILLICIT means, don’t we?
imbecility (im-buh-SILL-ih-tee), noun
Foolishness; simplemindedness.
Although he lamented the IMBECILITY of mainstream television, Arnie was not above an occasional viewing of American Gladiators or Geraldo.
improvident (ihm-PRAHV-ih-dent), adjective Describes someone who does not plan well for the future or one who acts without thinking. It was cute when he was younger, but now Mike’s IMPROVIDENT behavior just makes him look like a total loser.
inane (in-ANE), adjective Pointless or lacking in substance. Something that is inane is vacuous. Among other INANE suggestions, Jeff proposed painting the lunchroom in a polkadot pattern.
indict (in-DITE), verb To charge formally with a crime or offense. (See, for comparison, the entry for indite.) Rumors that Mr. Brown would soon be INDICTED for his part in the scandal swept the city.
indiscreet (in-dih-SKREET), adjective Lacking good judgment and prudence; apt to run one’s mouth about things that others would like left private. Don’t get alcohol near Melanie. It makes her go from prudent to INDISCREET in less than sixty seconds!
infernal (in-FER-nul), adjective Fiendish; devilish. Infernal means, literally, “of or pertaining to hell.” It is often used as a mild expletive. This INFERNAL copier keeps breaking down!
infidelity (in-fi-DEL-ih-tee) noun The quality or act of having been untrue or inconsistent with a (often implied) standard. Infidelity is often used to describe extramarital affairs.
Although Gwen suspected her husband of INFIDELITY, she had not come across any tangible proof.
influenza (in-floo-EN-zuh), noun A contagious respiratory virus characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane, fever, prostration, aches, and pains. David was still weak from his bout with INFLUENZA.
ingrate (IN-grate), noun An ungrateful person. A person who does not show the proper respect or gratitude toward someone who has provided help might be called an ingrate.
He lived with us for six months, but that INGRATE Ralph hasn’t even written in over two years.
iniquity (ih-NIK-wih-tee), noun
Injustice or immoral action. Iniquity derives from the Latin for “unfairness.”
The many INIQUITIES suffered by American Indians at the hands of government authorities is only now being widely acknowledged.
insidious (in-SID-ee-uss), adjective Designed to entrap; happening or spreading harmfully but subtly; stealthily and seductively treacherous. Mark’s chess games were full of INSIDIOUS traps meant to lull his opponent into a sense of complacency.
insipid (in-SIP-id), adjective Lacking in vigor; dull. Insipid (usually applied to bland ideas, personalities, or works of art) derives from the Latin for “without taste.”
In Frank’s opinion, the novel’s plot was INSIPID and left much to be desired.
insolent (IN-suh-lnt), adjective Rude and arrogant. That which is insulting or disrespectful (especially speech) could be considered insolent. Her INSOLENT retorts to Joan’s well-intentioned queries stunned the dinner party.
insubordinate (in-suh-BOR-din-it), adjective
Failing to accept or obey proper authority. In the military, an enlisted man who insults an officer could be accused of an insubordinate act.
Frank, not eager to be branded INSUBORDINATE, did his best to carry out the colonel’s strange orders.
irascible (ih-RASS-uh-bul), adjective Easily angered. Those who are prone to fits of temper are irascible. Sebastian, an IRASCIBLE man, did his best to put on a show of conviviality when he visited his in-laws, most of whom irritated him.
jaded (JAY-dud), adjective
Worn out; dulled or satiated due to overindulgence.
Her parents thought that providing Tracy with everything her heart desired as a child would make her a happy person, but she grew up to be a JADED and selfish woman.
jaundice (JON-diss), noun
A yellowish tint to the body’s skin, fluids, and tissues as a result of the buildup of excessive bile; also, a biased, hostile attitude.
The cosmetics saleswoman tried to convince her that the makeover had given her a tanned appearance, but Shawna worried that she looked like she had JAUNDICE.
lacerated (LASS-uh-ray-tud), adjective Cut, torn, ripped, or mangled. Because I LACERATED my finger with the scissors while I was on the job, I was eligible to file a workers’ compensation claim.
lackadaisical (lack-uh-DAZE-ih-kul), adjective
Lacking spirit or energy; languid.
I was feeling rather LACKADAISICAL last Sunday, so I stayed in bed all day and watched football games instead of mowing the lawn.
lackluster (LACK-lus-tur), adjective
Dull; not shiny or brilliant.
Wanda’s LACKLUSTER performance as Hedda Gabler led one critic to remark that she probably had a long career ahead of her in the theater—as a stage weight.
libel (LIE-bull), noun
A written, printed, or pictorial statement or assertion that is unjustly negative, defaming, or hurtful to one’s character and reputation.
Several celebrities have sued the supermarket tabloid for LIBEL, but the parade of lurid and preposterous headlines has continued unabated.
libertine (LIB-ur-teen), noun
One who lives life unconcerned and unrestrained by popular convention or morality; a promiscuous person, especially a man.
Presumably because he is divorced, my elderly grandmother refers to my fiance Eric as “that LIBERTINE,” but everyone else in my family thinks he’s wonderful.
licentious (lie-SENN-shuss), adjective
Having little or no moral restraint, especially with regard to sex.
After months of watching Gary leave the nightclub with one woman after another, Paul finally decided to tell Maureen of her husband’s LICENTIOUS behavior.
lip-sync (LIP-sink), verb To simulate a live singing performance by mouthing along to a record. It is common these days for recording artists to LIP-SYNC for the bulk of a “ live” concert.
litigious (lih-TIJ-us), adjective Overly inclined to engage in lawsuits. Litigious can also mean “of or pertaining to litigation.” Mr. Green, a LITIGIOUS businessman in our town, once had seven cases pending at the same time.
lout (lowt), noun A clumsy, stupid, bumbling, moronic individual.
If you would stop acting like a LOUT, Walter, you’ d get a date once in a while.
lowbrow (LOE-brow), adjective
Uncultured; unsophisticated.
Earl’s LOWBROW humor may have been fine for his fellow mechanics down at the garage, but his wife did not consider her bridge companions the proper audience for such remarks.
lummox (LUM-ox), noun A dim-witted and awkward person; an oaf. Sherman had a heart of gold, but when it came to social etiquette, he was something of a LUMMOX.
lupine (LOO-pine), adjective Describes someone who acts like a wolf in that he or she is savage and predatory. Sid’s LUPINE behavior makes you feel like you should go home and take a shower after you’ve been around him for a little while.
maladroit (mal-uh-DROIT), adjective
Clumsy; uncoordinated.
Having earned a reputation as the most MALADROIT member of the family, Ernie came in for a lot of teasing when he announced his plans to take up figure skating.
malfeasance (mal-FEE-zunce), noun
An instance of breaking the law or otherwise engaging in wrongdoing, particularly with regard to the acts of a public official.
The D.A.’s much-publicized MALFEASANCE during the Cooper case—concealing evidence and manipulating testimony—ended up ruining his political career.
malicious (muh-LISH-uss), adjective Spitefully mean; evil; bad in intent. Fred said his comments were all intended as constructive criticism, but I detected a MALICIOUS note in some of his suggestions.
malign (muh-LINE), verb To defame; to besmirch (the reputation of). The much-MALIGNED team owner’s decision to trade his star quarterback turned out to be one of the best moves he ever made.
martyrdom (MAR-ter-dum), noun The condition of having suffered death as a martyr. A person who has attained martyrdom has died or been killed for a principle or cause, and has come to be regarded with reverence by others as a result.
Many say that John Brown’s MARTYRDOM served his cause more effectively than anything he did at Harper’s Ferry.
megalomania (meg-uh-lo-MAY-nee-uh), noun
Delusions of wealth and/or power. Literally, megalomania is a psychopathological condition in which a person is obsessed with fantasies of riches or authority. The word is also used to describe people whose ambitions and sense of self-importance are overblown.
Some have interpreted the tycoon’s purchase of the old castle as an uncharacteristically bad real estate deal; I see it as pure MEGALOMANIA.
messianic (mess-ee-AN-ick), adjective
With a capital letter, a Messiah is the expected deliverer of the Jewish people. A lower-case “messiah” is someone expected to deliver a situation or organization from ruin. The adjective form, “messianic,” often is used negatively, to describe someone with a mercenary or inflated view of his or her importance.
I’m sickened by the MESSIANIC zeal with which Irene tackles her duties as head of the neighborhood association.
migraine (MIE-grane), noun
An excruciating headache, caused by expanding capillaries, that occurs on one (usually the left) side of the head, and causes the sufferer nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light.
As a treatment for my MIGRAINES, the doctor gave me a new prescription, suggesting I take two tablets and lie down in a very dark room whenever I felt one coming on.
mildew (MIL-doo), noun
A pungent, fungus-like coating forming on paint, cloth, carpet, etc., as a result of excessive exposure to moisture.
I remembered too late that I had left my favorite sweater in the washer; after a week of sitting damp in the machine, it stank of MILDEW.
misanthrope (MISS-un-thrope), noun One who hates mankind or people; a person who expects only the worst in his dealings with others. In the course of a single night, Scrooge undergoes a remarkable transformation from MISANTHROPE to enlightened benefactor.
misanthropy (miss-ANN-thruh-pee), noun Hatred of mankind. Misanthropy refers to contempt for the human race. Scrooge’s MISANTHROPY was to end that Christmas Eve.
misogyny (my-SOJ-uh-nee), noun Hatred of women. Someone who holds a bitter contempt for all women practices misogyny. Rousseau’s prejudices against women frequently cross the line and harden into outright misogyny.
mononucleosis (mon-oh-noo-klee-OH-siss), noun An infectious illness caused by an increase of mononuclear leukocytes in the blood, and characterized by extremely swollen glands, a sore throat, and exhaustion.
Erika’s MONONUCLEOSIS caused her to miss nearly two months of school.
mossback (MAWSS-back), noun A person with outdated values and beliefs, especially someone who tries to foist those beliefs and values onto others. Far from being a MOSSBACK, my grandfather remains committed to new ideas.
mulct (muhlkt), verb To get something from someone else by swindling him or her. The grifter MULCTED ten bucks from the unsuspecting couple.
mulish (MYOO-lish), adjective Describes someone who acts like a mule: stubborn, intractable, etc. If you were any more MULISH about making compromises, Trevor, you’ d grow long ears!
myopic (my-AHP-ick), adjective This technical term for nearsightedness has come to mean, more broadly, narrow-mindedness or short-sightedness in one’s views. Your MYOPIC views will win you few votes during the election, senator.
napalm (NAY-pom), noun A type of burning plastic used as a weapon in military conflicts. Napalm is disfiguring and excruciatingly painful. The United States used NAPALM extensively during the Vietnam War.
natter (NA-tuhr), verb To talk mindlessly and at length. The old guy started NATTERING so much that I wished I hadn’t stopped and asked him for directions.
nefarious (nih-FARE-ee-uss), adjective Openly evil; wicked. The NEFARIOUS Darth Vader serves as the unforgettable villain of George Lucas’s Star Wars.
nepotism (NEP-uh-tiz-um), noun
The practice of favoring relatives.
The company practiced shameless NEPOTISM, regularly passing up qualified applicants and hiring the underqualified sons, daughters, and cousins of board members.
niggardly (NIG-urd-lee), adjective Stingy. Niggardly refers to an unwillingness to give, share, or spend. The NIGGARDLY merchant turned the begging man away with an impatient wave of the hand.
nihilism (NIE-uh-liz-im), noun
The belief that life is meaningless.
A profound NIHILISM seems to have fallen over the poet during the last six months she spent in London; her letters to her mother indicate a severe depression.
obstreperous (ob-STREP-er-us), adjective
Uncontrollably aggressive; defiant, boisterous.
Before announcing the plan for massive layoffs to his workers, the boss hired an extra security force to prevent certain OBSTREPEROUS persons from inciting a riot.
odious (OH-dee-us), adjective Abhorrent. Something that stirs disgust or hatred could be said to be odious. Such ODIOUS sentiments of racial prejudice have no place in this company.
off-color (off-KUH-lur), adjective
Questionable in taste or propriety; distasteful.
The comedienne was talented, but her frequent use of OFF-COLOR remarks kept her from getting bookings on network television shows.
onerous (OWE-nur-uss), adjective Troublesome and burdensome. Something that entails a heavy obligation might be considered onerous. This contract—a thoroughly one-sided agreement—is perhaps the most ONEROUS document I have ever seen.
ophidian (oh-FIDD-ee-un), adjective Describes snakes or something snake-like. More broadly, it can be used as a “nice” way to call someone dishonest or mean-spirited. The lawyer’s OPHIDIAN eyes made me second-guess myself with every question he asked.
ornery (ORE-nuh-ree), adjective
Stubborn or unyielding; inclined toward obstinate behavior.
Grandma insists that Grandpa was an easygoing fellow in his youth, but since their move from the country he has become quite ORNERY.
osteoporosis (oss-tee-oh-puh-ROE-sis), noun
A condition of fragile, brittle bones, particularly common in women of advanced age.
The doctor advised all of his female patients over fifty to make sure they took in plenty of calcium as a precaution against OSTEOPOROSIS.
ostracize (OSS-truh-size), verb To exclude or banish. To ostracize someone is to exclude him from a social circle. Desmond was OSTRACIZED from the group after the negative publicity his mother received.
otiose (OH-she-oass), adjective Useless, ineffective, or idle due to laziness. You’re never going to lose weight, Janine, if you don’t change your OTIOSE lifestlye.
parasitic (pair-uh-SIT-ick), adjective
Describes something or—more often—someone who acts like a parasite and lives off of another while doing little if anything useful.
My PARASITIC brother-in-law said he was just going to stay with us until he got back on his feet, but he’s been sitting around on our couch for nearly a month now!
pariah (puh-RIE-uh), noun
An outcast; one who is shunned, avoided, or despised.
After his firing, Milton had the nerve to show up unannounced at the company picnic, then seemed surprised when he was treated as a PARIAH.
passé (pass-SAY), adjective
No longer fashionable or current.
Marge’s insistence that platform shoes were PASSÉ led me to believe that she hadn’t been keeping up with fashion trends.
patsy (PAT-see), noun
Someone who is set up to take the blame of a crime or wrongdoing; one who is framed.
Although conspiracy theorists have seized on Lee Oswald’s description of himself as a PATSY, other observers remain unconvinced that he acted as part of an organized plot to kill President Kennedy.
peculate (PECK-you-late), verb To steal something, such as public funds, that has been entrusted to one’s care. The city manager lost his job and was arrested after PECULATING funds set aside for employee retirement.
pedant (PED-unt), noun
A person who displays learning inappropriately or excessively; also, someone who focuses too narrowly on rules and minor details.
Don’t get Roland started on Shakespearean tragedy; he’s a shameless PEDANT who’ ll dominate an entire lunch hour’s discussion with observations on the time problem in Othello.
pedantic (puh-DAN-tik), adjective Intellectually showy or overblown. A pedant is a person who makes a great display of knowledge; to be pedantic is to act in this
way. Pedantic can also mean “overly concerned with formal rules.”
I found James’s PEDANTIC manner quite condescending.
penury (PEN-you-ree), noun Extreme poverty. Not many of us would be willing to exchange our lot in life for the simple life of PENURY taken on by these monks.
perjure (PURR-jer), verb To lie or give false and misleading testimony. To perjure oneself is to commit the crime of testifying to something one knows is
untrue.
Although Mr. Frattori was not convicted on the main charges he faced, he may serve time in prison for having PERJURED himself during the trial.
perjury (PUR-juh-ree), noun
To lie purposely while under oath.
Rather than risk PERJURY charges by lying to the Senate committee, the witness was advised to refuse to answer questions pertaining to his activities in Central America.
pernicious (pur-NISH-uss), adjective
Harmful or destructive in nature.
Although the pesticide in question does safely prevent wheat from being ravaged by insects when used alone, environmentalists argue that it is PERNICIOUS—even lethal—when combined with other common farm compounds.
pettifoggery (pet-ee-FOG-er-ee), noun
Petty dishonesty or trickery.
“Let’s put all this PETTIFOGGERY behind us,” said Mr. Powers, “and start dealing with each other in a more straightforward manner.”
petty (PET-ee), adjective Describes something small and trifling, and petty often is used in a negative way, to suggest that someone is being small-minded and mean.
“I still can’t believe our relationship ended over such a PETTY argument,” Stewart said.
philander (fi-LAN-der), verb
To engage in amorous flirtations or exploits with someone who one cannot or does not intend to marry. Philander is used in reference to the sexual habits of men, not women.
These accusations of PHILANDERING, whether based in fact or not, have little to do with the question of whether the candidate will serve our state well in the United States Senate.
pilfer (PIL-fer), verb
To take without authorization or permission; to steal.
I had a feeling the tickets Wayne was trying to sell me had been PILFERED from someone, but he assured me that was not the case.
polygamy (puh-LIG-uh-mee), noun
The societal practice of having more than one spouse (especially, more than one wife) at a time.
The sect’s advocacy of POLYGAMY and group parenting eventually brought it into bitter conflict with the stern-minded townsfolk of Harris Hollow.
polygraph (POL-ee-graff), noun A machine used in lie detection that indicates changes in pulse, perspiration, blood pressure, and respiration. After the suspect passed a series of POLYGRAPH tests, police formally dropped some of the charges.
pompous (POM-puss), adjective
Pretentious; overblown; self-important.
The food was good and the service was prompt, but our waiter’s POMPOUS air and unceasing sneer made me consider leaving a single penny as a tip.
prate (prayt), verb
To talk at length in a pointless manner.
As her blind date continued to PRATE about his former girlfriends, Lydia considered jumping out of the moving car to get away from the guy.
prodigal (PROD-ih-gul), adjective
Extravagant or wasteful; imprudent.
Helen’s PRODIGAL spending habits were well known to the family, and were one of the main reasons they fought her bid to take over the business.
profligate (PROFF-lih-git), adjective Shamelessly immoral. Profligate can also mean extravagantly or recklessly wasteful. Cedric abandoned his PROFLIGATE ways and decided it was time to live life along the straight and narrow.
promiscuity (prom-ih-SKYOO-ih-tee), noun
Indiscriminate choice of sexual partners. A promiscuity can also be an instance of promiscuous sex.
The comparatively tolerant attitude toward the PROMISCUITY of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s changed dramatically with the onset of the AIDS crisis.
provincial (pruh-VIN-shull), adjective Describes people with narrow-minded, unsophisticated attitudes, such as those considered to originate in provinces. After moving to Manhattan from a small town, Phyllis quickly left behind her PROVINCIAL tastes.
psoriasis (suh-RIE-uh-suss), noun A chronic skin disease causing the skin to become covered with red patches and white scales. Emmett treated his first bout of PSORIASIS by applying copious amounts of moisturizer, but it did no good.
puerile (PYOO-ur-ul), adjective Juvenile. Puerile derives from a Latin word meaning “boyish.” Such PUERILE babbling is not fit to be printed in the Letters section of this newspaper.
pugnacious (pug-NAY-shuss), adjective Prone to quarrels or fights. A pugnacious person is one who is given to conflict or dispute. Aaron’s PUGNACIOUS attitude is the reason he is involved in so many arguments.
purloin (PURR-loin), verb To steal or to take by dishonest means. Bobby PURLOINED almost all the contents of his dad’s change jar before being discovered.
putrid (PYOO-trid), adjective Rotten . . . either in terms of vegetables OR in terms of behavior. Vivian’s PUTRID, drunken antics got us thrown out of the fancy French restaurant.
pyromaniac (pye-roe-MAY-nee-ak), noun
One who compulsively sets fires.
Police believe that the blaze is not the work of an arsonist out for commercial gain, as was initially suspected, but the art of a PYROMANIAC.
quarantine (KWOR-un-teen), verb To set apart; to isolate from others in order to prevent the spread of disease. An elementary knowledge of public health procedures would have led you to QUARANTINE this area immediately, Dr. Miller.
querulous (KWER-uh-luss), adjective Given to complaining. Someone who makes peevish complaints is querulous. Adrienne, a QUERULOUS young woman, complained about all her problems during lunch hours at work.
regime (ruh-ZHEEM), noun A government or ruling system in power. Regime tends to have a negative connotation. The fascist REGIME was toppled by freedom fighters.
regurgitate (rih-GURJ-ih-tate), verb
To vomit; to cast (something) back again.
Frankly, the prospect of working all night on the project made me want to REGURGITATE, but the deadline was near and it had to be met.
renege (ri-NEG), verb
To go back (on one’s word). Someone who breaks a promise or commitment reneges on an agreement.
Dalton was supposed to have been named vice president in exchange for his support, but Peterson RENEGED on the deal after assuming control.
reprehensible (rep-ri-HEN-sih-bull), adjective Abhorrent. That which is morally inexcusable is reprehensible. I agree that the crimes were REPREHENSIBLE; they were not, however, committed by my client.
reprobate (REP-ruh-bate), noun An unprincipled person. A reprobate is someone who has crossed an accepted line describing morally sound behavior. From that day on Johnson was considered a REPROBATE, and was shunned in the town.
repugnance (ri-PUG-nunce), noun Disgust. To show strong aversion for something is to show repugnance. We can greet the news of the terrorist bombing only with REPUGNANCE.
rogue (roag), noun A scalawag. A rogue is a person (usually a man) known to have low morals and habits. Everyone in Savannah knew that Rhett was a ROGUE, but somehow he managed to use that fact to his advantage.
sacrilegious (sak-ruh-LIDJE-uss), adjective
Profane; blasphemous toward something considered holy or sacred.
Some in the audience considered the director’s decision to omit the famous “to be or not to be” speech nothing short of SACRILEGIOUS.
sanctimonious (sank-tih-MONE-ee-uss), adjective
Hypocritical; two-faced, especially with regard to matters of morals or religion.
Despite his SANCTIMONIOUS brayings on issues of “ family values,” Reverend Wilton certainly seems to know his way around a certain part of town, according to the reporter who trailed him there last night.
schizophrenia (skits-uh-FREEN-ee-uh), noun A mental condition that often causes sufferers to hallucinate, to be disoriented, and often to withdraw from society. It is a common misconception that the term “SCHIZOPHRENIA” refers to the condition of multiple personalities.
schlemiel (shluh-MEEL), noun An unlucky or awkward individual who can never seem to get the best of a situation. My guess is, that used car salesman had Mike pegged for a SCHLEMIEL the second he stepped onto the lot.
schlimazel (shluh-MOZ-ul), noun
Someone who endures constant bad luck.
Over the past year, Jonah’s car was stolen, his house burned down, he lost his job, and he broke his leg—all of which earned him an impromptu “SCHLIMAZEL of the Year” award from his coworkers at the company party.
schmaltzy (SHMALT-see), adjective Overly sentimental (especially with regard to music or art); tastelessly overdone. Although Libby loved her great-grandfather, she found his SCHMALTZY taste in music hard to bear.
scourge (skuhrj), noun A scourge either is a whip used to torture, or it is a cause of affliction. Famine is one of humanity’s most horrific SCOURGES.
scurrilous (SKUR-ih-luss), adjective
Offensive to civilized discourse; verbally abusive.
Because they were made on the floor of the Senate, the Senator’s SCURRILOUS accusations against me were protected, but if he should dare to repeat them in another setting I will sue him for every penny he’s worth.
sectarian (seck-TEAR-ee-un), adjective Narrow-minded and limited in outlook. The competing cliques’ SECTARIAN squabbles captured the interest of the entire school.
segregate (SEG-ruh-gate), verb
To separate or keep apart from others.
As the judge seemed doomed to have to point out for the rest of his life, his order affected only those school districts whose officials deliberately practiced SEGREGATION in violation of law—not SEGREGATION that was purely the result of existing demographic patterns.
servile (SUR-vil), adjective Overly eager to serve; slavish. Marion’s uncharacteristically SERVILE demeanor can only mean one thing: He wants a raise.
sinister (SIN-uh-ster), adjective Describes or suggests something unfavorable and potentially harmful. Southpaws of the world will be unhappy to learn that the word is Latin for “left.”
The SINISTER music gave me gooseflesh.
slander (SLAN-dur), verb
An untrue and malicious statement intended to damage the reputation of another. (As a legal term, slander refers to oral, rather than written or pictorial, defamation.)
If I hear you SLANDER my father, Mr. Caen, you will be hearing from my attorney.
slovenly (SLUHV-in-lee), adjective Dirty or untidy in one’s personal habits. Burt’s SLOVENLY room is at odds with his tidy personal appearance.
smarmy (SMAR-mee), adjective Insincerely earnest. In between syrupy love songs, the SMARMY lounge singer repeatedly assured the crowd they were by far the best audience he’ d ever performed for.
sociopath (SO-see-uh-path), noun
A person who, because of mental illness, lacks restraint or moral responsibility toward fellow members of society.
Although motion pictures and popular fiction have shown an unending fascination with serial killers, the fact is that such SOCIOPATHS are quite rare.
solipsism (SOL-ip-siz-um), noun The idea that one’s own perceptions are the only meaningful reality. Solipsism was once used to describe a philosophical doctrine,
but it has also been taken to mean “the practice of extreme self-centeredness.”
To the store manager, bringing thirteen items to the twelve-items-only line at the supermarket was an example of unforgiveable SOLIPSISM.
solipsistic (sawl-up-SIS-tik), adjective
Believing that the self is the only reality.
It’s difficult to achieve the give-and-take qualities of a good discussion with Sandy, whose arguments tend to be a little SOLIPSISTIC.
sophomoric (sof-uh-MORE-ik), adjective Immature; overbearing in a conceited or pretentious way; characteristic of one with little learning but convinced that he or she is
brilliant.
Preston was intrigued by the fraternity’s offer of fun and games, but I found their SOPHOMORIC initiation rituals and elitist attitudes tough to take.
sordid (SORE-did), adjective Tawdry. That which is base or undignified is sordid. Desmond brought everyone up to date on all the latest gossip, omitting not a single SORDID detail.
squalid (SKWAHL-id), adjective Filthy and foul from lack of care or neglect. I shoved old banana peels and cigarette butts from the passenger seat of Mickey’s SQUALID car.
squalor (SKWAL-ur), noun
The state or quality of being filthy.
My mother knew full well that my roommates were not the tidiest men in the world, but she still seemed shocked when confronted with the unrepentant SQUALOR of our apartment.
stigmatize (STIG-muh-tize), verb
To mark as wicked or infamous.
Many people with AIDS find that coping with the physical trauma of their disease is only part of their difficulty; another part is being STIGMATIZED by others as somehow deserving of punishment.
stodgy (STAHJ-ee), adjective Dull, uninteresting, and tediously commonplace. I could only spend five minutes in the STODGY club before I left for a rowdier place.
straitlaced (STRAYT-LAYST), adjective
Describes someone with a prudish nature and very strict morality.
Before she went to college and began to loosen up a little, Wendy was best known for being the most STRAITLACED girl in her graduating class.
subterfuge (SUB-tur-fyoodge), noun
A misleading ruse or cunning evasion; a strategic avoidance employing deceit.
Nick knew he would have to come up with a clever SUBTERFUGE to get out of going to another boring Sunday dinner at his grandparents’ home.
sycophant (SIK-uh-funt), noun
One who tries to gain favor by flattering excessively.
Any film star used to being surrounded by an entourage of SYCOPHANTS is likely to find it difficult to keep things in perspective when questioned by an unsympathetic journalist.
tawdry (TODD-ree), adjective
Cheap and tasteless; also, ostentatious and gaudy.
Although many in the publishing world considered the actress’s tell-all book to be a sleazy foray into the TAWDRIEST kind of name-dropping, there were few who didn’t envy its sales totals.
totalitarian (toe-tahl-ih-TARE-ee-un), adjective Characteristic of a system of government in which political power is highly centralized and in which authorities tolerate no dissent, punishing efforts at pluralistic discourse; of or pertaining to a governmental system that controls or dictates many aspects of life.
Although the worldwide fall of Communism has been widely discussed, several of its familiar TOTALITARIAN governments— notably those of China and North Korea—are still alive and kicking.
traduce (truh-DOOCE), verb
To slander or defame; to speak falsely of or with malice toward (a person).
I was flabbergasted to learn that your campaign has tried to TRADUCE my character by offering cash payments to my ex-wife in return for her stories about me.
traitorous (TRAY-tur-uss), adjective Reminiscent of or pertaining to a traitor; perfidious. The third chapter of the book covered Benedict Arnold’s TRAITOROUS acts and his eventual exposure as a British agent.
trigamy (TRIG-uh-mee), noun
The condition of being married to three husbands or three wives simultaneously.
As a result of two identical filing errors on the part of the county clerk in the years before her third marriage, Beth learned to her dismay that she was, technically at least, guilty of TRIGAMY.
truculent (TRUCK-yuh-lunt), adjective
Inclined toward conflict; eager to fight.
I had a run-in with a rather TRUCULENT sales clerk, who insisted, despite my receipt, that I had not bought the defective blender at his store.
turgid (TUR-jid), adjective Swollen and overinflated. This word typically is used in a negative manner because it serves as a slightly nicer way to call someone a blowhard.
The speaker’s TURGID rhetoric caused many in the audience to develop drooping eyelids.
turncoat (TURN-kote), noun One who reverses sides in a conflict or changes principles easily. At the risk of being labeled a TURNCOAT, I’ve decided to support your candidacy— even though you’re a Democrat.
tyranny (TEER-uh-nee), noun The abusive and unrestrained exercise of power. Paine’s bold arguments against the TYRANNY of George III made Common Sense powerful reading.
unconscionable (un-KONSH-un-uh-bul), adjective Lacking in principles or conscience; beyond any reasonable boundary. Your decision to destroy those letters without attempting to get permission from the poet’s widow was UNCONSCIONABLE.
uncouth (un-KOOTH), adjective
Crude, without manners, unrefined.
Carl had an unfortunate way of belching loudly in public places, guessing (accurately and loudly) whether or not someone he just met had undergone plastic surgery, and otherwise acting in an UNCOUTH manner in front of strangers.
unctuous (UNK-choo-us), adjective
Oily; falsely and exaggeratedly earnest; unpleasantly smooth.
An UNCTUOUS salesman glided across the lot and shook us both by the hand, telling us what a pleasure it was to meet such intelligent and discriminating customers.
underhanded (UN-dur-hand), adjective Devious or deceitful in nature; not open, but crafty. Who knows what UNDERHANDED means were used to turn the decision in Milton’s favor?
undermine (UN-dur-mine), verb To defeat or destroy, as by sabotage. Little did I know that Wells was UNDERMINING my efforts to win a contract for the project.
unsavory (un-SAY-vuh-ree), adjective Likely to give social or moral offense. Also: unpleasant or distasteful. I have no patience for biographers who concern themselves only with the number of UNSAVORY episodes they can uncover.
unseemly (un-SEEM-ly), adjective
Inappropriate; unbecoming.
The family felt that Bill’s presence at the memorial service would have been UNSEEMLY, as he had been my sister-in-law’s bitterest business rival.
usurious (yoo-ZHOOR-ee-us), adjective Charging excessive interest on money loaned; characterized by usury. The rates we agreed to when we bought the house seem positively USURIOUS by today’s standards.
valetudinary (val-uh-tood-uhn-AIR-ee), adjective Sickly to the point of being an invalid. After catching the disease, Val stayed at home for three months in a VALETUDINARY state.
venal (VEE-nul), adjective Corruptible or excessively devoted to selfish interests (as opposed to public interests); susceptible to bribes. (See, for comparison, the entry for venial.)
The problem with politics by scandal, of course, is that it eventually leaves voters with the impression that all officeholders, regardless of ideology or experience, are VENAL, contemptible scalawags.
vilify (VIL-ih-fie), verb
To defame; to slander.
My opponent’s ceaseless attempts to VILIFY me during this campaign reached a new low when she accused me of being on the side of the neo-Nazi movement.
vindictive (vin-DIK-tiv), adjective
Mean-spirited; eager for revenge. A vindictive person is motivated by a desire for vengeance.
When angered, Lynn can be quite VINDICTIVE; those who work with her know that the most painless course is to stay on her good side.
virulent (VIR-yuh-lent), adjective Something or someone poisonous or intensely hostile. Virulent shares the same root as the word “virus.” Marla’s VIRULENT words were meant to hurt her sister deeply.
vitriolic (vit-ree-OL-ik), adjective Acidic (literally, but also in tone). Vitriolic speech or writing is harsh and caustic. McCarthy’s VITRIOLIC attacks on organizations with no actual Communist ties went completely unchallenged in the Senate.
vituperative (vie-TOO-per-uh-tive), adjective Scathing and harshly abusive, as criticism. You can’t hide your VITUPERATIVE attack behind a few surface pleasantries!
waspish (WAH-spish), adjective Easily irritated and annoyed and likely to “sting”—or act spitefully—in return for perceived slights. Wanda’s WASPISH behavior puts everyone in the office on eggshells.
wiseacre (WIZE-ake-ur), noun
A know-it-all; one who professes to know everything.
“Listen, you little WISEACRE,” Sergeant Artemis howled at Corporal Budworth, “ if you think you can train these recruits better than I can, you ought to try it sometime.”
xenophobe (ZEE-nuh-fobe), noun One who fears anything foreign or different; one who regards people, places, or customs that differ from one’s own as inherently dangerous.
I don’t believe my opponent is really a XENOPHOBE, despite his rhetoric against foreigners; he is simply a canny, wealthy, and extremely dangerous demagogue.
yammer (YAM-mer), verb To complain loudly; to whine. While Diane was YAMMERING about how hard it was to get the office plants watered properly, I was trying to make a deadline.
yokel (YOE-kul), noun
A bumpkin; a rustic person.
That one-set show may have impressed the YOKELS where you come from, but here in the big city we require a little more flash and stardust from our musicals.
Words You Probably Shouldn’t Know
PART VII
Trust us. If anyone uses one of the words on this list when talking about you, then you have been insulted. If any of these words apply to you, then change your life immediately!
abhorrent (ab-HOR-ent), adjective Loathsome or contemptible. Abhorrent refers to something that is reprehensible or repulsive. That which is repugnant or detestable is abhorrent.
Julie found the book’s recounting of the details of serial murders particularly ABHORRENT.
abstinence (AB-ste-nence), noun
Voluntarily foregoing the indulgence of an appetite. Abstinence is the act of abstaining from food, drink, or pleasure. Abstinence may refer to denial of certain foods and drinks thought to be harmful to one’s health; however, it can also refer to refraining from behavior considered immoral.
After years of indulgence, it was difficult for Evelyn to follow her doctor’s order of complete ABSTINENCE from liquor.
acrimonious (ak-ri-MO-nee-us), adjective
Mean-spirited, bitter, or ill-natured. Acrimonious refers to language or exchanges that are filled with animosity. Something characterized by sharpness or bitterness of speech is acrimonious.
Divorce is, we must remember, an expensive, emotionally devastating, and ACRIMONIOUS affair.
acrophobia (ak-ruh-FO-bee-a), noun
An abnormal fear of heights. Acrophobia refers to a person’s fear of high places; it is characterized by fealings of dread, danger, and helplessness.
Of course, his ACROPHOBIA ruled out any ride in the hot-air bolloon.
alienate (AY-lee-uh-nate), verb To cause someone to lose affection for someone or something else. If you keep taking advantage of Karen’s generosity, you’re going to ALIENATE a good friend.
aloof (uh-LOOF), adjective Indifferent or uninterested; unsociable. Chuck’s ALOOF attitude at our dinner party made us wonder if our usually talkative friend was trying to tell us something.
amoral (ay-MOR-uhl), adjective Without moral discretion or standards. To be amoral is to act as though the distinctions of right and wrong are nonexistent. A person who is amoral is neither moral nor immoral.
In the end, we find that war is not always “ for the right,” nor even “evil,” but far too often a completely AMORAL exercise.
anarchy (AN-ar-key), noun
The absence of government; a disordered and uncontrolled situation. Originally, anarchy referred to a specific doctrine advocating voluntary associations among individuals and arguing against any empowered government or rule of law. Today, anarchy is generally used to describe a temporarily chaotic social situation in which no central authority exists.
After the death of the Queen, many in the council feared a return to the ANARCHY of a decade earlier.
anathema (uh-NATH-eh-muh), noun
A person or thing regarded as wrong in the highest degree; a loathsome entity. To say something is anathema to a person is to say that it is as detestable and unacceptable to him as it can possibly be. The word has its root in a kind of formal religious curse or denunciation.
The ambassador warned us ahead of time not to attempt to discuss the issue of dropping sanctions against the dictator; that subject is ANATHEMA to his government.
arson (AR-son), noun
The act of destroying property with fire.
After Councilor Perry’s campaign headquarters burned down, his supporters were quick to accuse their opponents of ARSON; in fact, one of their own neglected cigarette butts was to blame.
asinine (ASS-ih-nine), adjective Showing a very noticeable lack of intelligence and/or good sense. I left halfway through the latest thriller because I could feel its ASININE plot depleting my brain cells.
authoritarian (aw-thor-uh-TARE-ee-un), adjective
Describes a form of social control in which the government demands the absolute, blind assent of its citizens.
The eerie, AUTHORITARIAN world of George Orwell’s 1984 continues to resonate today.
avarice (AV-er-iss), noun Great desire for riches. Avarice is extreme greed. Those who hoard wealth compulsively can be said to be avaricious. Although Matthew was an extremely successful businessman, AVARICE was certainly not in his nature.
bamboozle (bam-BOO-zul), verb To deceive; trick. Fred was BAMBOOZLED out of $15,000 by a con artist, who convinced him to invest money in nonexistent real estate.
barbarous (BAR-ber-us), adjective Uncivilized or primitive; characterized by brutality or savagery. To say that something or someone is barbarous is to say that it is
crude and lacks refinement. Barbarous treatment is uncivilized or even cruel and brutal.
Their captivity was marked by barbarous living conditions, psychological abuse, and little or no news of outside events.
biased (BYE-ussed), adjective
Predisposed to a particular view or direction; prejudiced.
Mr. Anderson’s claim that he has never made a BIASED hiring decision is undercut by the fact that his staff is composed exclusively of white male Ivy League graduates.
bigamy (BIG-uh-mee), noun The crime of taking marriage vows while still legally married to someone else. Bigamy is an offense involving illicit marriage, but it also describes other ecclesiastical violations of religious law regarding marital status.
By marrying June before her divorce was finalized, Stanley was technically guilty of BIGAMY.
bilious (BILL-yes), adjective
This word relates to bile, a bitter substance that helps in digestion. Thus, bilious has come to describe people who are irritable or peevish, as though afflicted by severe indigestion.
Benny’s bilious BEHAVIOR does not endear him to strangers.
bipolar (bye-POE-luhr), adjective
Possessing two sides or poles; marked by diametrically opposed extremes. A bipolar relationship is one between two opposites or counterparts.
Frank’s behavior on the job was generally unremarkable, but we later learned that his severe mood swings were symptoms of a BIPOLAR personality disorder.
blacklist (BLAK-list), verb To place on a list of disapproved or rejected persons and organizations. Many prominent entertainment figures were BLACKLISTED in Hollywood for alleged ties with Communism.
blase (blah-ZAY), adjective
Unimpressed; bored. Someone who has seen too much of something to become excited about it can be said to be blase.
I told Jim that he stood a very good chance of being fired this week, but to tell you the truth he seemed rather BLASE about the whole thing.
bloviate (BLOW-vee-ate), verb A blowhard bloviates because the word means to speak pompously and at great length. Don’t get Doug near alcohol because once he’s had a few he’ ll BLOVIATE until the cows come home.
bogus (BOE-guss), adjective
Fake; counterfeit.
Earnest-looking teens with obviously BOGUS IDs were nothing new to the area’s liquor store owners; a six-year-old with a revolver demanding two quarts of Thunderbird was something else again.
boorish (BOO-rish), adjective Offensive; lacking manners, civility, or consideration. A boorish person is one completely unfamiliar with social graces.
Everett’s BOORISH behavior at the party was completely out of character for him.
brassy (BRASS-ee), adjective Brazen; cheap or showy. Brassy can also refer to a bold, outgoing nature. The promotional campaign struck a BRASSY, daring tone that instantly won consumer attention.
bromidic (bro-MID-ick), adjective Trite and commonplace. The marketing executive groaned as one BROMIDIC ad campaign after another crossed her desk.
bulimia (buh-LEE-mee-uh), noun An eating disorder in which sufferers alternately binge, then purge, forcing themselves to vomit. The faculty health center featured a nurse with special training in dealing with BULIMIA and other eating disorders.
bureaucracy (byoo-ROK-ruh-see), noun The concentration of power and authority in administrative bodies. Also: an administrative body. Bureaucracy is often characterized by adherence to routine and lack of innovation.
As the company grew, the entrenched BUREAUCRACIES in the accounting and finance departments gained more and more influence.
burnout (BURN-out), noun
A condition of fatigue, low morale, or frustration resulting from excessive stress or overwork.
Although Leland’s family feared he would suffer BURNOUT if he continued to work fourteen hours a day, seven days a week, he seemed to be happier than anyone could remember seeing him.
cabal (kuh-BALL), noun
A group that meets secretly and plots to overthrow a government, religion, community, etc.
To call that sorry splinter group of the neighborhood improvement association a CABAL is to give its members way too much credit.
callous (KAL-uss), adjective
Unfeeling; insensitive; hardened. (See, for comparison, the entry for callus.)
The chauffeur couldn’t understand how Mr. Jensen could be so CALLOUS as to ride by the crowd of homeless people every day without taking the least notice of them.
cantankerous (kan-TANG-ker-us), adjective Ill-tempered; grumpy. “You kids stay off my lawn!” our CANTANKEROUS old neighbor barked.
capricious (kuh-PREE-shuss), adjective Characterized by a whimsical attitude. A person who acts impulsively or unpredictably can be said to be capricious. Given his CAPRICIOUS approach to life, it is not surprising that Andrew never settled into one field of employment.
captious (KAP-shuss), adjective
Extremely critical; likely to find fault. A person who makes many criticisms about petty matters can be said to be captious.
Myra had shown great tolerance throughout her stay, but when Mr. Clements subjected her to a CAPTIOUS interrogation about her academic career, she decided to leave.
carbuncle (KAR-bunk-uhl), noun
A painful inflammation of the skin similar to, but more serious than, a boil.
Jimmy’s inventive excuses for his absences reached a new level when he told his teacher he had been unable to attend Spanish class because of a CARBUNCLE.
carcinogen (kar-SIN-uh-gen), noun An agent that causes cancer. When experimenting with CARCINOGENS in the lab, the technicians would always wear protective masks.
carp (karp), verb
It’s not just a fish! To carp is to raise picky, trivial objections.
All the CARPING at the staff meeting kept anything substantive from being done.
celibacy (SELL-ih-bus-see), noun
The quality of being chaste; the act of abstaining from sexual activity. For instance, someone who remains unmarried in order to follow a religious calling is said to commit to a lifestyle of celibacy.
Although he took Holy Orders, David eventually found that he could not live a life of CELIBACY and left the priesthood.
censorious (sen-SOR-ee-us), adjective
Critical; easily finding fault.
When it came to grading term papers, Mrs. Edwards was seen by many as overly CENSORIOUS, even taking off points for using a paper clip instead of a staple.
charlatan (SHAR-luh-tun), noun A fake or humbug. A charlatan falsely claims to possess a given level of status, skills, or knowledge. The defendant, it has been claimed, is a CHARLATAN and a liar—but where is the evidence for this?
chemotherapy (kee-mo-THARE-uh-pee), noun The treatment of disease by means of administering chemicals that have a toxic effect on the microorganisms that cause the disease, or that can destroy a body’s cancerous cells.
The doctors warned Amelia that the CHEMOTHERAPY she was about to undergo would not be without side effects.
chicanery (shih-KAIN-uh-ree), noun
Cheating or deception, especially through the use of language.
The way the candidate consistently quibbled about the precise meaning of his statements made me feel he was guilty of CHICANERY.
chintzy (CHINT-see), adjective Considered cheap, tacky, or of low quality. Angela insisted on wearing a CHINTZY leopard-skin jumpsuit and high heels to the company Christmas party.
churlish (CHUR-lish), adjective
Ill-bred; boorish.
When he started drinking soup noisily straight from the bowl, Beverly decided she had seen enough of her blind date’s CHURLISH behavior.
coarse (koarss), adjective Clumsy and crude, lacking in social graces. Also, describes fabric that is rough to the touch. Ron’s COARSE manner is sure to get him caught in a sexual harassment suit.
cocksure (KAHK-sure), adjective Extremely, swaggeringly confident . . . probably overconfident. Steve always acts like the COCKSURE man-about-town just because his uncle is the mayor.
conspiracy (kun-SPEER-uh-see), noun
A treacherous plan involving two or more persons.
Your contention that Lyndon Johnson was part of a CONSPIRACY to assassinate President Kennedy amounts to what, in an earlier day, would have been called seditious libel, Mr. Oliver.
contemptuous (kun-TEMP-choo-us), adjective Feeling disdain or scorn. A contemptuous act is one that flies in the face of established procedures or traditions. The defendant’s CONTEMPTUOUS behavior on the stand was, amazingly, overlooked by the judge.
contentious (kuhn-TEN-chuss), adjective Argumentative, characterized by being prone to disputes and controversy. I walked away when the discussion heated up and got too CONTENTIOUS.
contraband (KAHN-truh-band), noun Illegal or prohibited goods. Jean tried to smuggle a tape recorder into the concert, but her CONTRABAND was quickly discovered and taken from her.
contretemps (KAHN-truh-tah), noun This French word means an embarrassing and inopportune occurrence. I really would have preferred to avoid that CONTRETEMPS with my wife while her parents were at our house.
covetous (KUHV-ih-tuss), adjective Greedy and willing to go to shameless lengths to earn wealth. “The COVETOUS behavior of the average game show contestant makes me feel sick to my stomach,” Helen said.
crass (krass), adjective Describes those who are coarse and crude in their actions and manner—and often—the language such people use. Will you please remember that you’re over fifty and stop being so CRASS?
culpable (KUL-puh-bull), adjective Blameworthy; accountable for error or wrongdoing. Someone who is culpable is responsible for misdeed. After Ryan was found CULPABLE for the financial mismanagement at his firm, he was forced to resign.
cupidity (kyoo-PID-ih-tee), noun Greed; extreme desire for wealth. One who is obsessed with acquiring money shows cupidity. Paul’s CUPIDITY led to much unhappiness and sorrow in later life, though his wealth was not to be denied.
dearth (durrth), noun An inadequate supply, especially one that leads to a catastrophic event. The DEARTH of rice worldwide has sparked fears of a global famine.
debacle (dih-BA-kull), noun Utter collapse or rout. A debacle is a complete (often ludicrous) failure. The word originally referred to collapsing sheets of river ice. The initiative seemed promising enough, but turned out to be another of George’s DEBACLES.
debase (dih-BASE), verb To lower in value. Once I lost its back bumper and crunched in its rear quarterpanel, my car was so DEBASED I practically had to give it away.
debauchery (dih-BOCH-er-ee), noun Licentiousness; overindulgent sexual expression. To accuse someone of debauchery is to say that person is intemperate and immoral with regard to indulgence in physical pleasures.
DeSade’s critics claimed they had only to consult his writings for evidence of his own DEBAUCHERY.
decadence (DEK-uh-dunce), noun
Characterized by declining moral standards. Decadence can refer to the declining standards of a nation, a period of time, or an individual.
After six months on the prairie, Clyde found it difficult to return to what he saw as the DECADENCE of city life.
decapitate (dee-KAP-ih-tate), verb
To remove the head of.
Although the guillotine was initially proposed as a humane method of execution, the idea of using a machine to DECAPITATE criminals now strikes most people as barbaric.
decrepit (di-KREP-it), adjective Enfeebled, as by old age. Decrepit can refer to a weakened person, or to an object or idea that is past its prime. The car’s DECREPIT appearance was deceiving; Colin found it capable of 75 mph on the highway, and it got very good mileage.
deface (dih-FACE), verb
To disfigure or damage.
It breaks my heart to see the old stone bridge, my one unchanging companion from boyhood, DEFACED with the spray painted grumblings of drunken teenagers.
defamation (def-uh-MAY-shun), noun False, baseless attack on a person’s or group’s reputation. To defame is to disgrace; defamation is the act of defaming. After the last of the Journal’s articles on her, Virginia decided she had put up with enough DEFAMATION and decided to sue.
defeatist (dih-FEET-ist), adjective
Accepting defeat as an unavoidable consequence of life; pessimistic.
Sheldon’s DEFEATIST attitude led Monica, his supervisor, to wonder whether he would ever complete the project he was working on.
defile (dih-FILE), verb
To pollute; to corrupt or make unclean.
The river that only a few years ago ran clean and clear is now DEFILED with a witches’ brew of chemicals, thanks to the new tanning plant.
delinquent (dih-LINK-went), adjective and noun Describes someone who—or some group that—offends due to the violation of laws. Also, delinquent describes a payment that is overdue.
Carl’s drawer full of unpaid parking tickets has caused the local police to label him a DELINQUENT.
demagogue (DEM-uh-gog), noun
An individual (usually a politician or other leader) who gains power by appealing to the emotions and passions of the people, especially by means of inflamed speech. Demagogues often address complicated issues by suggesting simplistic measures that appeal to public prejudice or misconception.
The senator’s aides honestly believed that they had agreed to go to work for a statesman, but saw now that they were furthering the ambitions of a DEMAGOGUE.
depraved (duh-PRAVED), adjective
Describes someone whose conduct or actions deviate considerably from what most believe is acceptable or morally right.
I knew I needed to stop dating Jared immediately when I saw that all the books on his shelves concerned the lives of DEPRAVED murderers.
depravity (dih-PRAV-ih-tee), noun Corruption, moral reprehensibility. Someone who corrupts something or introduces wickedness to it commits depravity. The DEPRAVITY of those years is still summoned up with reverence by some of our more naive writers.
dereliction (dare-uh-LIK-shun), noun Willful neglect; shirking of responsibility. Dereliction is the knowing failure to perform one’s duty. The sergeant’s inaction that night led to troubling accusations of DERELICTION of duty.
deride (dih-RIDE), verb To ridicule with cruelty; to laugh at and make fun of. His classmates DERIDED Joe for wearing argyle socks to the prom.
derogatory (dih-ROG-uh-tore-ee), adjective Tending to lessen or impair someone or something; disparaging and negative. Butch’s DEROGATORY remarks about my girlfriend were meant to goad me into a fight, but I was determined to keep my cool.
desecrate (DESS-ih-krate), verb To abuse the sacred character of a thing. Those who write lewd sayings on a church wall, for instance, desecrate the church. Such profane language from our organization’s current leader serves only to DESECRATE the memory of the founder.
despotism (DESS-po-tiz-um), noun Authoritarian rule. Despotism is a system where one dominant figure exercises complete power. It was not until some years after the revolution began that the General’s DESPOTISM passed into history.
diabolical (die-uh-BOL-ih-kul), adjective Devilish, evil. Something diabolical is considered to be wicked or cruel. The terrorists, the papers claimed, had a DIABOLICAL agenda.
dilettante (DIL-uh-tont), noun
Someone with only an amateurish or aimless interest in a subject or discipline.
A man who cultivates a superficial knowledge of modern art solely to impress others, for instance, might be called a dilettante.
The cafe was once a meeting-place for struggling artists and poets of genuine talent, but by 1970 it was nothing more than a swamp of DILETTANTES.
disconsolate (dis-KON-suh-lut), adjective Beyond consolation; unable to be comforted; deep in grief or sorrow. Jamie was DISCONSOLATE after missing what should have been the game-winning field goal.
discordant (dis-KOR-dunt), adjective Conflicting; lacking in harmony. I find that composer’s DISCORDANT style difficult to listen to.
disenfranchise (diss-in-FRAN-chize), verb To take away someone’s right to vote or to deprive someone of legal rights or privileges. By changing the bylaws, the city council effectively DISENFRANCHISED residents who lived near the city’s urban core.
dissemble (diss-SEM-bul), verb
To act with an insincere or disguised motive.
Although many on the committee were convinced that the undersecretary was DISSEMBLING about how much he knew of rebel activities, there was no hard proof to support this view.
diuretic (die-er-ET-ik), noun
Tending to increase urination; a drug that causes this increase.
After being admitted to the clinic for anorexia, Danielle told the doctors how she had used amphetamines and DIURETICS to speed her weight loss.
dowdy (DOW-dee), adjective Lacking stylishness, most likely because one is dressed in a prim, out-of-date manner. After my grandmother retired, she dropped her DOWDY pantsuits and began to wear skirts and shoulder-exposing blouses.
dregs (dreggs), noun Literally, the (sediment-bearing) contents of the bottom of a nearly empty container of wine, coffee, or the like; also, something or someone perceived as worthless or as the last and least appealing in a series of choices.
Though many in her town looked on ex-convicts as the DREGS of society, it was Debbie’s job as a social worker to try to rehabilitate everyone who came through her door, regardless of past history.
dun (dunn), verb To torment, especially to torment someone because he or she has not paid a bill. Alan declared bankruptcy to stop being DUNNED by numerous creditors.
duplicity (doo-PLISS-ih-tee), noun Trickery; two-facedness; purposeful deceptiveness. Officer Wilkins began to suspect his informant of DUPLICITY, and wondered whether she was leading him into a trap.
dysfunctional (diss-FUNK-shun-uhl), adjective Characterized by not working properly. Charlie always blames his rotten behavior on being the product of a DYSFUNCTIONAL family.
dyspeptic (diss-PEP-tick), adjective
Dyspepsia is indigestion, so dyspeptic can describe something—such as certain foods—that causes dyspepsia, or it describes someone who is irritable as though suffering from dyspepsia.
No wonder Fred can’t get a girlfriend. His DYSPEPTIC temperament drives all potential mates away.
eczema (EG-zuh-muh), noun An inflammatory skin condition, characterized by red, itching skin that erupts into lesions that later become scaly, hard, and crusty. The skin cleanser Noxzema was named after its supposed ability to “ knock ECZEMA.”
effete (uh-FEET), adjective Lacking robust vitality; sterile; without force. Effete originally meant exhausted from the labors of childbirth, but is rarely if ever used in that context today.
Thomas was labeled an EFFETE snob by some, but Jane had seen him work miracles in the office through pure concentration of effort and solid teamwork.
egocentric (ee-go-SEN-trik), adjective Selfish; tending toward the belief that one’s own existence is all-important. An egocentric person places his interests above those of all others.
His was a strange and EGOCENTRIC way of life that had no place for a mate.
embezzle (im-BEZ-ul), verb
To appropriate funds for oneself that were placed in one’s care for another party.
Bill had always seemed to be a model employee, so the news that he had been EMBEZZLING money from the company for some years came as a complete shock to us all.
ethnocentricity (eth-no-sen-TRISS-ih-tee), noun
The belief that cultures different from one’s own are inherently inferior.
The Nazis displayed a monstrous ETHNOCENTRICITY, to be sure, but they were also pragmatic enough to know when an alliance with the Japanese served their interests.
excommunicate (eks-kuh-MYOO-nih-kate), verb and noun To banish; to revoke formally one’s status as member of a group. Excommunicate is used primarily with regard to members of the
Catholic church who are excluded from that church due to misconduct or doctrinal conflict.
The priest knew that he faced EXCOMMUNICATION if he refused to resign from the legislature.
execrable (ig-ZEK-ruh-bul), adjective
Disgusting; detestable; vulgar.
Collectors of unauthorized Beatles records must be prepared to pay high prices for the illegal discs, which often feature tracks of EXECRABLE recording quality.
exploitation (eck-sploy-TAY-shun), noun The use of something for profit, especially if the profit-making does not benefit the person or thing being used. Paying uneducated workers less than educated ones for the exact same work is an example of EXPLOITATION, Mr. Crowthers.
extradition (eks-tra-DISH-un), noun
The handing over of an alleged fugitive from one country, state, etc., to another.
Because there was no formal EXTRADITION agreement between the two countries, the trial of the accused did not begin until two years after the warrant for his arrest had been issued.
fascist (FASH-ist), adjective Fascism is a governmental system run with an iron grip by a dictator. The adjective form, fascist, has come to describe any person,
system, group, etc. that is run as though by dictatorial control.
As his supervisor got increasingly bossy and meddlesome, Paul began to describe him as FASCIST.
fastuous (FASS-chew-us), adjective Haughty and arrogant. Despite her beauty, Jenny rarely got asked out, due to her FASTUOUS behavior.
fatuous (FAT-yoo-uss), adjective Stupid or foolish. That which is complacently idiotic is fatuous.
She made so many FATUOUS remarks at the party that I became disgusted and stopped apologizing for her.
feckless (FEK-liss), adjective Ineffective or feeble. A person who lacks initiative or ability in a given area could be said to be feckless in that area. We had hoped for a well-trained and motivated consulting firm; what showed up was a pack of FECKLESS hangers-on.
felonious (fuh-LONE-ee-uss), adjective
Criminal; villainous; reminiscent of or relating to a felony crime.
Although no court in the land would consider it FELONIOUS, my brother’s attempt to blackmail me over that little dent I put in my parent’s car was, in my mind, worthy of a long jail sentence.
fetid (FET-id), adjective Smelly. That which has an unpleasant odor is fetid. The FETID contents of the abandoned apartment’s refrigerator are best left undescribed.
fetters (FET-urz), noun
Literally, shackles or handcuffs; a restraint. Also, as a verb (FET-ur), to restrain or restrict movement.
The prisoners were led to the bowels of the ship, where narrow wooden benches, FETTERS, and a thin scattering of straw awaited them.
fiasco (fee-ASS-koe), noun An utter and pathetic failure. Fiasco derives from an Italian verb meaning “to fail.” The failure of the Administration to get the housing bill through Congress is only the latest in a series of legislative FIASCOS.
filch (filch), verb To steal, especially to steal petty amounts or inexpensive goods. Brian is proud of how many motel towels he’s FILCHED over the years.
filibuster (FILL-ih-buss-ter), noun
A legislative tactic by which a member prevents or delays the passage of a law, typically by focusing on irrelevant issues during a long speech to prevent a vote from taking place; any similar technique that monopolizes the floor of a legislature by means of parliamentary maneuvers.
Even an epic FILIBUSTER staged by Southern legislators could not stop President Johnson from guiding the Civil Rights Act through Congress.
finagle (fih-NAY-gul), verb To wangle; to use clever, often underhanded methods to achieve one’s desires. Justin FINAGLED his way into the press conference by borrowing a pass from another reporter.
flak (flak), noun The bursting shell fired from antiaircraft guns, or an antiaircraft gun itself; also, impediments, arguments, or opposition (to a course of action or situation).
“If you give me any more FLAK about the time I set for your curfew,” my mom promised, “you won’t be going out at all.”
flibbertigibbet (FLIB-er-tee-jibb-it), noun A chatty, scatterbrained person. Estelle liked Phil at first, but she quickly realized he was a FLIBBERTIGIBBET and not worth her time.
flim-flam (FLIM-flam), noun and adjective A swindle. A flim-flam operation is a scam or confidence game. Vern may call himself an entrepreneur; it appears to me he’s nothing more than a FLIM-FLAM artist.
flippant (FLIP-unt), adjective
Disrespectful or harsh in tone; shallow or frivolous.
Mario, still upset about the previous night’s quarrel greeted his wife’s cheery “Good morning” with a FLIPPANT “Who says it is?”
foolhardy (FOOL-har-dee), adjective
Rash; hasty; unthinking.
Mack’s FOOLHARDLY decision to leave his job and visit Trinidad and Tobago for two years was apparently the result of a chance encounter with a palm reader he met in a Greyhound station in West Covina, California.
fop (fop), noun A dandy. An extravagant (male) person who is uncommonly vain or pretentious is a fop. I was cornered by Charles, the biggest FOP on campus, who subjected me to a lecture about how wonderfully he was dressed.
foreclosure (fore-CLOZH-er), noun The act of repossessing a mortgaged property due to a default on payments, resulting in the mortgagee losing all rights to the property.
Neither Mrs. Walker nor her estranged husband could keep up the mortgage payments on the condo during their divorce proceedings, and the bank made a FORECLOSURE on the property.
fratricide (FRAT-rih-side), noun The act of killing a brother. Fratricide refers to the murder of a male sibling; the word for killing a sister is sororicide. It is only when Hamlet is told of the king’s FRATRICIDE that a tragic chain of events is initiated.
froufrou (FROO-froo), noun
Excessive or unnecessary decoration; especially, an elaborate adornment in women’s fashion.
Angela had never seen so many ill-fitting tuxedoes and self-conscious frills and FROUFROUS as she beheld the night of the senior prom.
frowzy (FROW-zee), adjective
Sloppy; unkept; stale.
One would never know that beneath those FROWZY, oversized dresses and grungy cowboy hats was a model who had recently appeared on the cover of Vogue.
fumigate (FYOO-mih-gate), verb
To release fumes in order to get rid of insects or other pests.
We had the place FUMIGATED, used sound-waves, and set dozens of traps, but our house continued to be plagued by cockroaches.
fusty (FUHSS-tee), adjective Old-fashioned and out of date, or clinging to old-fashioned, conservative values. My father-in-law’s FUSTY opinions of “a woman’s place” make me want to sock him every time I have to see him!
garish (GAIR-ish), adjective Showy in an excessive and over-the-top manner. I’ d always thought of Martha as refined, so I was surprised by the GARISH way she decorated her home.
genocide (JENN-uh-side), noun The deliberate, systematic destruction of a culture, people, nation, etc. Attempts at tribal GENOCIDE have drawn attention to the African province of Darfur.
gingivitis (jin-jih-VIE-tuss), noun A gum disease; the condition of having swollen gums. The rinse promised lifetime protection against GINGIVITIS, a claim Fred viewed with some skepticism.
gruel (grool), noun
A thin, soup-like dish made from cooked cereal or grain.
In one of the most memorable scenes Dickens ever wrote, young Oliver Twist loses a lottery among the workhouse boys and must ask for an unprecedented second helping of GRUEL.
gullible (GULL-ih-bull), adjective Easily cheated, tricked, or deceived. I’m afraid Terry is a little too GULLIBLE to survive for long as an aspiring actor in a city like New York.
hackneyed (HAK-need), adjective Rendered less significant by common use. Literally, a hackney is a horse suited for routine riding or driving (and not a prime racehorse).
The primitive construction and reliance on HACKNEYED expressions make it perfectly clear: this is not the work of Shakespeare.
haggis (HAG-iss), noun
A dish originating in Scotland made by removing the heart, liver, and lungs of a sheep or cow, dicing these, adding onions, suet, oatmeal, and seasonings, and placing the mixture into the animal’s stomach, and boiling it.
Ivan had been enjoying the HAGGIS Mrs. MacIntyre had prepared for him until he asked her how it was made.
haughty (HAUT-ee), adjective Snobbishly proud. I tried to apologize for bumping into the woman, but she only gave me a HAUGHTY glance and inspected her fur coat for damage.
hedonist (HEE-duh-nist), noun One whose life is devoted solely or primarily to the pursuit of pleasure and gratification. I took offense at Jane’s implication that a glass of white wine during dinner made me some kind of HEDONIST.
hemorrhoid, (HEM-er-oid), noun A condition where the mass of tissues at the base of the anus becomes swollen as a result of dilated veins. After enduring a thirty-hour labor and a severe case of post-partum HEMORRHOIDS, Meg doubted she’d ever have another child.
hidebound (HIDE-bound), adjective Narrow and rigid in one’s beliefs or opinions . . . a somewhat nicer way to call someone stubborn. I wouldn’t mind Mary’s HIDEBOUND beliefs, if she just didn’t share them so freely!
histrionic (hiss-tree-AHN-ick), adjective Describes the on-stage work of actors and actresses, but, more broadly, histrionic describes people who are given to acting theatrical, affected, and self-consciously emotional when NOT on a stage.
Melinda’s HISTRIONIC behavior at the dinner party embarrassed everyone.
hubris (HYOO-briss), noun
Excessive pride. Hubris can refer to the “fatal flaw” of ancient Greek drama, or (more generally) to any disproportionate pride or self-love.
Colin may have begun as a pleasant and unassuming clerk, but by the time he took over the company in 1987 he showed signs of the HUBRIS that would accompany his downfall.
hypertension (hi-pur-TEN-shun), noun
High blood pressure; the condition that occurs as a result of high blood pressure.
Some over-the-counter cough, cold, and allergy medicines tend to cause elevated blood pressure, and include a warning that they may be hazardous to those suffering from HYPERTENSION.
hypocrite (HIP-uh-krit), noun A person pretending to be something he or she is not, or pretending, for the sake of appearance, to have high moral beliefs; a person who does not act according to espoused beliefs.
In Marilyn’s view, a marriage counselor who advised others to live up to the ideal of fidelity but who cheated on his own wife was the worst kind of HYPOCRITE.
ignoble (ig-NO-bull), adjective Dishonorable in nature. In contrast with ignominious (see below), ignoble carries the sense of baseness or lowness. Peter’s IGNOBLE aims were well known to all in the room.
illicit (ih-LISS-it), adjective Illegal or morally unjustifiable. Illicit refers to something not sanctioned by custom or law. We all know now that the money was acquired through ILLICIT means, don’t we?
imbecility (im-buh-SILL-ih-tee), noun
Foolishness; simplemindedness.
Although he lamented the IMBECILITY of mainstream television, Arnie was not above an occasional viewing of American Gladiators or Geraldo.
improvident (ihm-PRAHV-ih-dent), adjective Describes someone who does not plan well for the future or one who acts without thinking. It was cute when he was younger, but now Mike’s IMPROVIDENT behavior just makes him look like a total loser.
inane (in-ANE), adjective Pointless or lacking in substance. Something that is inane is vacuous. Among other INANE suggestions, Jeff proposed painting the lunchroom in a polkadot pattern.
indict (in-DITE), verb To charge formally with a crime or offense. (See, for comparison, the entry for indite.) Rumors that Mr. Brown would soon be INDICTED for his part in the scandal swept the city.
indiscreet (in-dih-SKREET), adjective Lacking good judgment and prudence; apt to run one’s mouth about things that others would like left private. Don’t get alcohol near Melanie. It makes her go from prudent to INDISCREET in less than sixty seconds!
infernal (in-FER-nul), adjective Fiendish; devilish. Infernal means, literally, “of or pertaining to hell.” It is often used as a mild expletive. This INFERNAL copier keeps breaking down!
infidelity (in-fi-DEL-ih-tee) noun The quality or act of having been untrue or inconsistent with a (often implied) standard. Infidelity is often used to describe extramarital affairs.
Although Gwen suspected her husband of INFIDELITY, she had not come across any tangible proof.
influenza (in-floo-EN-zuh), noun A contagious respiratory virus characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane, fever, prostration, aches, and pains. David was still weak from his bout with INFLUENZA.
ingrate (IN-grate), noun An ungrateful person. A person who does not show the proper respect or gratitude toward someone who has provided help might be called an ingrate.
He lived with us for six months, but that INGRATE Ralph hasn’t even written in over two years.
iniquity (ih-NIK-wih-tee), noun
Injustice or immoral action. Iniquity derives from the Latin for “unfairness.”
The many INIQUITIES suffered by American Indians at the hands of government authorities is only now being widely acknowledged.
insidious (in-SID-ee-uss), adjective Designed to entrap; happening or spreading harmfully but subtly; stealthily and seductively treacherous. Mark’s chess games were full of INSIDIOUS traps meant to lull his opponent into a sense of complacency.
insipid (in-SIP-id), adjective Lacking in vigor; dull. Insipid (usually applied to bland ideas, personalities, or works of art) derives from the Latin for “without taste.”
In Frank’s opinion, the novel’s plot was INSIPID and left much to be desired.
insolent (IN-suh-lnt), adjective Rude and arrogant. That which is insulting or disrespectful (especially speech) could be considered insolent. Her INSOLENT retorts to Joan’s well-intentioned queries stunned the dinner party.
insubordinate (in-suh-BOR-din-it), adjective
Failing to accept or obey proper authority. In the military, an enlisted man who insults an officer could be accused of an insubordinate act.
Frank, not eager to be branded INSUBORDINATE, did his best to carry out the colonel’s strange orders.
irascible (ih-RASS-uh-bul), adjective Easily angered. Those who are prone to fits of temper are irascible. Sebastian, an IRASCIBLE man, did his best to put on a show of conviviality when he visited his in-laws, most of whom irritated him.
jaded (JAY-dud), adjective
Worn out; dulled or satiated due to overindulgence.
Her parents thought that providing Tracy with everything her heart desired as a child would make her a happy person, but she grew up to be a JADED and selfish woman.
jaundice (JON-diss), noun
A yellowish tint to the body’s skin, fluids, and tissues as a result of the buildup of excessive bile; also, a biased, hostile attitude.
The cosmetics saleswoman tried to convince her that the makeover had given her a tanned appearance, but Shawna worried that she looked like she had JAUNDICE.
lacerated (LASS-uh-ray-tud), adjective Cut, torn, ripped, or mangled. Because I LACERATED my finger with the scissors while I was on the job, I was eligible to file a workers’ compensation claim.
lackadaisical (lack-uh-DAZE-ih-kul), adjective
Lacking spirit or energy; languid.
I was feeling rather LACKADAISICAL last Sunday, so I stayed in bed all day and watched football games instead of mowing the lawn.
lackluster (LACK-lus-tur), adjective
Dull; not shiny or brilliant.
Wanda’s LACKLUSTER performance as Hedda Gabler led one critic to remark that she probably had a long career ahead of her in the theater—as a stage weight.
libel (LIE-bull), noun
A written, printed, or pictorial statement or assertion that is unjustly negative, defaming, or hurtful to one’s character and reputation.
Several celebrities have sued the supermarket tabloid for LIBEL, but the parade of lurid and preposterous headlines has continued unabated.
libertine (LIB-ur-teen), noun
One who lives life unconcerned and unrestrained by popular convention or morality; a promiscuous person, especially a man.
Presumably because he is divorced, my elderly grandmother refers to my fiance Eric as “that LIBERTINE,” but everyone else in my family thinks he’s wonderful.
licentious (lie-SENN-shuss), adjective
Having little or no moral restraint, especially with regard to sex.
After months of watching Gary leave the nightclub with one woman after another, Paul finally decided to tell Maureen of her husband’s LICENTIOUS behavior.
lip-sync (LIP-sink), verb To simulate a live singing performance by mouthing along to a record. It is common these days for recording artists to LIP-SYNC for the bulk of a “ live” concert.
litigious (lih-TIJ-us), adjective Overly inclined to engage in lawsuits. Litigious can also mean “of or pertaining to litigation.” Mr. Green, a LITIGIOUS businessman in our town, once had seven cases pending at the same time.
lout (lowt), noun A clumsy, stupid, bumbling, moronic individual.
If you would stop acting like a LOUT, Walter, you’ d get a date once in a while.
lowbrow (LOE-brow), adjective
Uncultured; unsophisticated.
Earl’s LOWBROW humor may have been fine for his fellow mechanics down at the garage, but his wife did not consider her bridge companions the proper audience for such remarks.
lummox (LUM-ox), noun A dim-witted and awkward person; an oaf. Sherman had a heart of gold, but when it came to social etiquette, he was something of a LUMMOX.
lupine (LOO-pine), adjective Describes someone who acts like a wolf in that he or she is savage and predatory. Sid’s LUPINE behavior makes you feel like you should go home and take a shower after you’ve been around him for a little while.
maladroit (mal-uh-DROIT), adjective
Clumsy; uncoordinated.
Having earned a reputation as the most MALADROIT member of the family, Ernie came in for a lot of teasing when he announced his plans to take up figure skating.
malfeasance (mal-FEE-zunce), noun
An instance of breaking the law or otherwise engaging in wrongdoing, particularly with regard to the acts of a public official.
The D.A.’s much-publicized MALFEASANCE during the Cooper case—concealing evidence and manipulating testimony—ended up ruining his political career.
malicious (muh-LISH-uss), adjective Spitefully mean; evil; bad in intent. Fred said his comments were all intended as constructive criticism, but I detected a MALICIOUS note in some of his suggestions.
malign (muh-LINE), verb To defame; to besmirch (the reputation of). The much-MALIGNED team owner’s decision to trade his star quarterback turned out to be one of the best moves he ever made.
martyrdom (MAR-ter-dum), noun The condition of having suffered death as a martyr. A person who has attained martyrdom has died or been killed for a principle or cause, and has come to be regarded with reverence by others as a result.
Many say that John Brown’s MARTYRDOM served his cause more effectively than anything he did at Harper’s Ferry.
megalomania (meg-uh-lo-MAY-nee-uh), noun
Delusions of wealth and/or power. Literally, megalomania is a psychopathological condition in which a person is obsessed with fantasies of riches or authority. The word is also used to describe people whose ambitions and sense of self-importance are overblown.
Some have interpreted the tycoon’s purchase of the old castle as an uncharacteristically bad real estate deal; I see it as pure MEGALOMANIA.
messianic (mess-ee-AN-ick), adjective
With a capital letter, a Messiah is the expected deliverer of the Jewish people. A lower-case “messiah” is someone expected to deliver a situation or organization from ruin. The adjective form, “messianic,” often is used negatively, to describe someone with a mercenary or inflated view of his or her importance.
I’m sickened by the MESSIANIC zeal with which Irene tackles her duties as head of the neighborhood association.
migraine (MIE-grane), noun
An excruciating headache, caused by expanding capillaries, that occurs on one (usually the left) side of the head, and causes the sufferer nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light.
As a treatment for my MIGRAINES, the doctor gave me a new prescription, suggesting I take two tablets and lie down in a very dark room whenever I felt one coming on.
mildew (MIL-doo), noun
A pungent, fungus-like coating forming on paint, cloth, carpet, etc., as a result of excessive exposure to moisture.
I remembered too late that I had left my favorite sweater in the washer; after a week of sitting damp in the machine, it stank of MILDEW.
misanthrope (MISS-un-thrope), noun One who hates mankind or people; a person who expects only the worst in his dealings with others. In the course of a single night, Scrooge undergoes a remarkable transformation from MISANTHROPE to enlightened benefactor.
misanthropy (miss-ANN-thruh-pee), noun Hatred of mankind. Misanthropy refers to contempt for the human race. Scrooge’s MISANTHROPY was to end that Christmas Eve.
misogyny (my-SOJ-uh-nee), noun Hatred of women. Someone who holds a bitter contempt for all women practices misogyny. Rousseau’s prejudices against women frequently cross the line and harden into outright misogyny.
mononucleosis (mon-oh-noo-klee-OH-siss), noun An infectious illness caused by an increase of mononuclear leukocytes in the blood, and characterized by extremely swollen glands, a sore throat, and exhaustion.
Erika’s MONONUCLEOSIS caused her to miss nearly two months of school.
mossback (MAWSS-back), noun A person with outdated values and beliefs, especially someone who tries to foist those beliefs and values onto others. Far from being a MOSSBACK, my grandfather remains committed to new ideas.
mulct (muhlkt), verb To get something from someone else by swindling him or her. The grifter MULCTED ten bucks from the unsuspecting couple.
mulish (MYOO-lish), adjective Describes someone who acts like a mule: stubborn, intractable, etc. If you were any more MULISH about making compromises, Trevor, you’ d grow long ears!
myopic (my-AHP-ick), adjective This technical term for nearsightedness has come to mean, more broadly, narrow-mindedness or short-sightedness in one’s views. Your MYOPIC views will win you few votes during the election, senator.
napalm (NAY-pom), noun A type of burning plastic used as a weapon in military conflicts. Napalm is disfiguring and excruciatingly painful. The United States used NAPALM extensively during the Vietnam War.
natter (NA-tuhr), verb To talk mindlessly and at length. The old guy started NATTERING so much that I wished I hadn’t stopped and asked him for directions.
nefarious (nih-FARE-ee-uss), adjective Openly evil; wicked. The NEFARIOUS Darth Vader serves as the unforgettable villain of George Lucas’s Star Wars.
nepotism (NEP-uh-tiz-um), noun
The practice of favoring relatives.
The company practiced shameless NEPOTISM, regularly passing up qualified applicants and hiring the underqualified sons, daughters, and cousins of board members.
niggardly (NIG-urd-lee), adjective Stingy. Niggardly refers to an unwillingness to give, share, or spend. The NIGGARDLY merchant turned the begging man away with an impatient wave of the hand.
nihilism (NIE-uh-liz-im), noun
The belief that life is meaningless.
A profound NIHILISM seems to have fallen over the poet during the last six months she spent in London; her letters to her mother indicate a severe depression.
obstreperous (ob-STREP-er-us), adjective
Uncontrollably aggressive; defiant, boisterous.
Before announcing the plan for massive layoffs to his workers, the boss hired an extra security force to prevent certain OBSTREPEROUS persons from inciting a riot.
odious (OH-dee-us), adjective Abhorrent. Something that stirs disgust or hatred could be said to be odious. Such ODIOUS sentiments of racial prejudice have no place in this company.
off-color (off-KUH-lur), adjective
Questionable in taste or propriety; distasteful.
The comedienne was talented, but her frequent use of OFF-COLOR remarks kept her from getting bookings on network television shows.
onerous (OWE-nur-uss), adjective Troublesome and burdensome. Something that entails a heavy obligation might be considered onerous. This contract—a thoroughly one-sided agreement—is perhaps the most ONEROUS document I have ever seen.
ophidian (oh-FIDD-ee-un), adjective Describes snakes or something snake-like. More broadly, it can be used as a “nice” way to call someone dishonest or mean-spirited. The lawyer’s OPHIDIAN eyes made me second-guess myself with every question he asked.
ornery (ORE-nuh-ree), adjective
Stubborn or unyielding; inclined toward obstinate behavior.
Grandma insists that Grandpa was an easygoing fellow in his youth, but since their move from the country he has become quite ORNERY.
osteoporosis (oss-tee-oh-puh-ROE-sis), noun
A condition of fragile, brittle bones, particularly common in women of advanced age.
The doctor advised all of his female patients over fifty to make sure they took in plenty of calcium as a precaution against OSTEOPOROSIS.
ostracize (OSS-truh-size), verb To exclude or banish. To ostracize someone is to exclude him from a social circle. Desmond was OSTRACIZED from the group after the negative publicity his mother received.
otiose (OH-she-oass), adjective Useless, ineffective, or idle due to laziness. You’re never going to lose weight, Janine, if you don’t change your OTIOSE lifestlye.
parasitic (pair-uh-SIT-ick), adjective
Describes something or—more often—someone who acts like a parasite and lives off of another while doing little if anything useful.
My PARASITIC brother-in-law said he was just going to stay with us until he got back on his feet, but he’s been sitting around on our couch for nearly a month now!
pariah (puh-RIE-uh), noun
An outcast; one who is shunned, avoided, or despised.
After his firing, Milton had the nerve to show up unannounced at the company picnic, then seemed surprised when he was treated as a PARIAH.
passé (pass-SAY), adjective
No longer fashionable or current.
Marge’s insistence that platform shoes were PASSÉ led me to believe that she hadn’t been keeping up with fashion trends.
patsy (PAT-see), noun
Someone who is set up to take the blame of a crime or wrongdoing; one who is framed.
Although conspiracy theorists have seized on Lee Oswald’s description of himself as a PATSY, other observers remain unconvinced that he acted as part of an organized plot to kill President Kennedy.
peculate (PECK-you-late), verb To steal something, such as public funds, that has been entrusted to one’s care. The city manager lost his job and was arrested after PECULATING funds set aside for employee retirement.
pedant (PED-unt), noun
A person who displays learning inappropriately or excessively; also, someone who focuses too narrowly on rules and minor details.
Don’t get Roland started on Shakespearean tragedy; he’s a shameless PEDANT who’ ll dominate an entire lunch hour’s discussion with observations on the time problem in Othello.
pedantic (puh-DAN-tik), adjective Intellectually showy or overblown. A pedant is a person who makes a great display of knowledge; to be pedantic is to act in this
way. Pedantic can also mean “overly concerned with formal rules.”
I found James’s PEDANTIC manner quite condescending.
penury (PEN-you-ree), noun Extreme poverty. Not many of us would be willing to exchange our lot in life for the simple life of PENURY taken on by these monks.
perjure (PURR-jer), verb To lie or give false and misleading testimony. To perjure oneself is to commit the crime of testifying to something one knows is
untrue.
Although Mr. Frattori was not convicted on the main charges he faced, he may serve time in prison for having PERJURED himself during the trial.
perjury (PUR-juh-ree), noun
To lie purposely while under oath.
Rather than risk PERJURY charges by lying to the Senate committee, the witness was advised to refuse to answer questions pertaining to his activities in Central America.
pernicious (pur-NISH-uss), adjective
Harmful or destructive in nature.
Although the pesticide in question does safely prevent wheat from being ravaged by insects when used alone, environmentalists argue that it is PERNICIOUS—even lethal—when combined with other common farm compounds.
pettifoggery (pet-ee-FOG-er-ee), noun
Petty dishonesty or trickery.
“Let’s put all this PETTIFOGGERY behind us,” said Mr. Powers, “and start dealing with each other in a more straightforward manner.”
petty (PET-ee), adjective Describes something small and trifling, and petty often is used in a negative way, to suggest that someone is being small-minded and mean.
“I still can’t believe our relationship ended over such a PETTY argument,” Stewart said.
philander (fi-LAN-der), verb
To engage in amorous flirtations or exploits with someone who one cannot or does not intend to marry. Philander is used in reference to the sexual habits of men, not women.
These accusations of PHILANDERING, whether based in fact or not, have little to do with the question of whether the candidate will serve our state well in the United States Senate.
pilfer (PIL-fer), verb
To take without authorization or permission; to steal.
I had a feeling the tickets Wayne was trying to sell me had been PILFERED from someone, but he assured me that was not the case.
polygamy (puh-LIG-uh-mee), noun
The societal practice of having more than one spouse (especially, more than one wife) at a time.
The sect’s advocacy of POLYGAMY and group parenting eventually brought it into bitter conflict with the stern-minded townsfolk of Harris Hollow.
polygraph (POL-ee-graff), noun A machine used in lie detection that indicates changes in pulse, perspiration, blood pressure, and respiration. After the suspect passed a series of POLYGRAPH tests, police formally dropped some of the charges.
pompous (POM-puss), adjective
Pretentious; overblown; self-important.
The food was good and the service was prompt, but our waiter’s POMPOUS air and unceasing sneer made me consider leaving a single penny as a tip.
prate (prayt), verb
To talk at length in a pointless manner.
As her blind date continued to PRATE about his former girlfriends, Lydia considered jumping out of the moving car to get away from the guy.
prodigal (PROD-ih-gul), adjective
Extravagant or wasteful; imprudent.
Helen’s PRODIGAL spending habits were well known to the family, and were one of the main reasons they fought her bid to take over the business.
profligate (PROFF-lih-git), adjective Shamelessly immoral. Profligate can also mean extravagantly or recklessly wasteful. Cedric abandoned his PROFLIGATE ways and decided it was time to live life along the straight and narrow.
promiscuity (prom-ih-SKYOO-ih-tee), noun
Indiscriminate choice of sexual partners. A promiscuity can also be an instance of promiscuous sex.
The comparatively tolerant attitude toward the PROMISCUITY of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s changed dramatically with the onset of the AIDS crisis.
provincial (pruh-VIN-shull), adjective Describes people with narrow-minded, unsophisticated attitudes, such as those considered to originate in provinces. After moving to Manhattan from a small town, Phyllis quickly left behind her PROVINCIAL tastes.
psoriasis (suh-RIE-uh-suss), noun A chronic skin disease causing the skin to become covered with red patches and white scales. Emmett treated his first bout of PSORIASIS by applying copious amounts of moisturizer, but it did no good.
puerile (PYOO-ur-ul), adjective Juvenile. Puerile derives from a Latin word meaning “boyish.” Such PUERILE babbling is not fit to be printed in the Letters section of this newspaper.
pugnacious (pug-NAY-shuss), adjective Prone to quarrels or fights. A pugnacious person is one who is given to conflict or dispute. Aaron’s PUGNACIOUS attitude is the reason he is involved in so many arguments.
purloin (PURR-loin), verb To steal or to take by dishonest means. Bobby PURLOINED almost all the contents of his dad’s change jar before being discovered.
putrid (PYOO-trid), adjective Rotten . . . either in terms of vegetables OR in terms of behavior. Vivian’s PUTRID, drunken antics got us thrown out of the fancy French restaurant.
pyromaniac (pye-roe-MAY-nee-ak), noun
One who compulsively sets fires.
Police believe that the blaze is not the work of an arsonist out for commercial gain, as was initially suspected, but the art of a PYROMANIAC.
quarantine (KWOR-un-teen), verb To set apart; to isolate from others in order to prevent the spread of disease. An elementary knowledge of public health procedures would have led you to QUARANTINE this area immediately, Dr. Miller.
querulous (KWER-uh-luss), adjective Given to complaining. Someone who makes peevish complaints is querulous. Adrienne, a QUERULOUS young woman, complained about all her problems during lunch hours at work.
regime (ruh-ZHEEM), noun A government or ruling system in power. Regime tends to have a negative connotation. The fascist REGIME was toppled by freedom fighters.
regurgitate (rih-GURJ-ih-tate), verb
To vomit; to cast (something) back again.
Frankly, the prospect of working all night on the project made me want to REGURGITATE, but the deadline was near and it had to be met.
renege (ri-NEG), verb
To go back (on one’s word). Someone who breaks a promise or commitment reneges on an agreement.
Dalton was supposed to have been named vice president in exchange for his support, but Peterson RENEGED on the deal after assuming control.
reprehensible (rep-ri-HEN-sih-bull), adjective Abhorrent. That which is morally inexcusable is reprehensible. I agree that the crimes were REPREHENSIBLE; they were not, however, committed by my client.
reprobate (REP-ruh-bate), noun An unprincipled person. A reprobate is someone who has crossed an accepted line describing morally sound behavior. From that day on Johnson was considered a REPROBATE, and was shunned in the town.
repugnance (ri-PUG-nunce), noun Disgust. To show strong aversion for something is to show repugnance. We can greet the news of the terrorist bombing only with REPUGNANCE.
rogue (roag), noun A scalawag. A rogue is a person (usually a man) known to have low morals and habits. Everyone in Savannah knew that Rhett was a ROGUE, but somehow he managed to use that fact to his advantage.
sacrilegious (sak-ruh-LIDJE-uss), adjective
Profane; blasphemous toward something considered holy or sacred.
Some in the audience considered the director’s decision to omit the famous “to be or not to be” speech nothing short of SACRILEGIOUS.
sanctimonious (sank-tih-MONE-ee-uss), adjective
Hypocritical; two-faced, especially with regard to matters of morals or religion.
Despite his SANCTIMONIOUS brayings on issues of “ family values,” Reverend Wilton certainly seems to know his way around a certain part of town, according to the reporter who trailed him there last night.
schizophrenia (skits-uh-FREEN-ee-uh), noun A mental condition that often causes sufferers to hallucinate, to be disoriented, and often to withdraw from society. It is a common misconception that the term “SCHIZOPHRENIA” refers to the condition of multiple personalities.
schlemiel (shluh-MEEL), noun An unlucky or awkward individual who can never seem to get the best of a situation. My guess is, that used car salesman had Mike pegged for a SCHLEMIEL the second he stepped onto the lot.
schlimazel (shluh-MOZ-ul), noun
Someone who endures constant bad luck.
Over the past year, Jonah’s car was stolen, his house burned down, he lost his job, and he broke his leg—all of which earned him an impromptu “SCHLIMAZEL of the Year” award from his coworkers at the company party.
schmaltzy (SHMALT-see), adjective Overly sentimental (especially with regard to music or art); tastelessly overdone. Although Libby loved her great-grandfather, she found his SCHMALTZY taste in music hard to bear.
scourge (skuhrj), noun A scourge either is a whip used to torture, or it is a cause of affliction. Famine is one of humanity’s most horrific SCOURGES.
scurrilous (SKUR-ih-luss), adjective
Offensive to civilized discourse; verbally abusive.
Because they were made on the floor of the Senate, the Senator’s SCURRILOUS accusations against me were protected, but if he should dare to repeat them in another setting I will sue him for every penny he’s worth.
sectarian (seck-TEAR-ee-un), adjective Narrow-minded and limited in outlook. The competing cliques’ SECTARIAN squabbles captured the interest of the entire school.
segregate (SEG-ruh-gate), verb
To separate or keep apart from others.
As the judge seemed doomed to have to point out for the rest of his life, his order affected only those school districts whose officials deliberately practiced SEGREGATION in violation of law—not SEGREGATION that was purely the result of existing demographic patterns.
servile (SUR-vil), adjective Overly eager to serve; slavish. Marion’s uncharacteristically SERVILE demeanor can only mean one thing: He wants a raise.
sinister (SIN-uh-ster), adjective Describes or suggests something unfavorable and potentially harmful. Southpaws of the world will be unhappy to learn that the word is Latin for “left.”
The SINISTER music gave me gooseflesh.
slander (SLAN-dur), verb
An untrue and malicious statement intended to damage the reputation of another. (As a legal term, slander refers to oral, rather than written or pictorial, defamation.)
If I hear you SLANDER my father, Mr. Caen, you will be hearing from my attorney.
slovenly (SLUHV-in-lee), adjective Dirty or untidy in one’s personal habits. Burt’s SLOVENLY room is at odds with his tidy personal appearance.
smarmy (SMAR-mee), adjective Insincerely earnest. In between syrupy love songs, the SMARMY lounge singer repeatedly assured the crowd they were by far the best audience he’ d ever performed for.
sociopath (SO-see-uh-path), noun
A person who, because of mental illness, lacks restraint or moral responsibility toward fellow members of society.
Although motion pictures and popular fiction have shown an unending fascination with serial killers, the fact is that such SOCIOPATHS are quite rare.
solipsism (SOL-ip-siz-um), noun The idea that one’s own perceptions are the only meaningful reality. Solipsism was once used to describe a philosophical doctrine,
but it has also been taken to mean “the practice of extreme self-centeredness.”
To the store manager, bringing thirteen items to the twelve-items-only line at the supermarket was an example of unforgiveable SOLIPSISM.
solipsistic (sawl-up-SIS-tik), adjective
Believing that the self is the only reality.
It’s difficult to achieve the give-and-take qualities of a good discussion with Sandy, whose arguments tend to be a little SOLIPSISTIC.
sophomoric (sof-uh-MORE-ik), adjective Immature; overbearing in a conceited or pretentious way; characteristic of one with little learning but convinced that he or she is
brilliant.
Preston was intrigued by the fraternity’s offer of fun and games, but I found their SOPHOMORIC initiation rituals and elitist attitudes tough to take.
sordid (SORE-did), adjective Tawdry. That which is base or undignified is sordid. Desmond brought everyone up to date on all the latest gossip, omitting not a single SORDID detail.
squalid (SKWAHL-id), adjective Filthy and foul from lack of care or neglect. I shoved old banana peels and cigarette butts from the passenger seat of Mickey’s SQUALID car.
squalor (SKWAL-ur), noun
The state or quality of being filthy.
My mother knew full well that my roommates were not the tidiest men in the world, but she still seemed shocked when confronted with the unrepentant SQUALOR of our apartment.
stigmatize (STIG-muh-tize), verb
To mark as wicked or infamous.
Many people with AIDS find that coping with the physical trauma of their disease is only part of their difficulty; another part is being STIGMATIZED by others as somehow deserving of punishment.
stodgy (STAHJ-ee), adjective Dull, uninteresting, and tediously commonplace. I could only spend five minutes in the STODGY club before I left for a rowdier place.
straitlaced (STRAYT-LAYST), adjective
Describes someone with a prudish nature and very strict morality.
Before she went to college and began to loosen up a little, Wendy was best known for being the most STRAITLACED girl in her graduating class.
subterfuge (SUB-tur-fyoodge), noun
A misleading ruse or cunning evasion; a strategic avoidance employing deceit.
Nick knew he would have to come up with a clever SUBTERFUGE to get out of going to another boring Sunday dinner at his grandparents’ home.
sycophant (SIK-uh-funt), noun
One who tries to gain favor by flattering excessively.
Any film star used to being surrounded by an entourage of SYCOPHANTS is likely to find it difficult to keep things in perspective when questioned by an unsympathetic journalist.
tawdry (TODD-ree), adjective
Cheap and tasteless; also, ostentatious and gaudy.
Although many in the publishing world considered the actress’s tell-all book to be a sleazy foray into the TAWDRIEST kind of name-dropping, there were few who didn’t envy its sales totals.
totalitarian (toe-tahl-ih-TARE-ee-un), adjective Characteristic of a system of government in which political power is highly centralized and in which authorities tolerate no dissent, punishing efforts at pluralistic discourse; of or pertaining to a governmental system that controls or dictates many aspects of life.
Although the worldwide fall of Communism has been widely discussed, several of its familiar TOTALITARIAN governments— notably those of China and North Korea—are still alive and kicking.
traduce (truh-DOOCE), verb
To slander or defame; to speak falsely of or with malice toward (a person).
I was flabbergasted to learn that your campaign has tried to TRADUCE my character by offering cash payments to my ex-wife in return for her stories about me.
traitorous (TRAY-tur-uss), adjective Reminiscent of or pertaining to a traitor; perfidious. The third chapter of the book covered Benedict Arnold’s TRAITOROUS acts and his eventual exposure as a British agent.
trigamy (TRIG-uh-mee), noun
The condition of being married to three husbands or three wives simultaneously.
As a result of two identical filing errors on the part of the county clerk in the years before her third marriage, Beth learned to her dismay that she was, technically at least, guilty of TRIGAMY.
truculent (TRUCK-yuh-lunt), adjective
Inclined toward conflict; eager to fight.
I had a run-in with a rather TRUCULENT sales clerk, who insisted, despite my receipt, that I had not bought the defective blender at his store.
turgid (TUR-jid), adjective Swollen and overinflated. This word typically is used in a negative manner because it serves as a slightly nicer way to call someone a blowhard.
The speaker’s TURGID rhetoric caused many in the audience to develop drooping eyelids.
turncoat (TURN-kote), noun One who reverses sides in a conflict or changes principles easily. At the risk of being labeled a TURNCOAT, I’ve decided to support your candidacy— even though you’re a Democrat.
tyranny (TEER-uh-nee), noun The abusive and unrestrained exercise of power. Paine’s bold arguments against the TYRANNY of George III made Common Sense powerful reading.
unconscionable (un-KONSH-un-uh-bul), adjective Lacking in principles or conscience; beyond any reasonable boundary. Your decision to destroy those letters without attempting to get permission from the poet’s widow was UNCONSCIONABLE.
uncouth (un-KOOTH), adjective
Crude, without manners, unrefined.
Carl had an unfortunate way of belching loudly in public places, guessing (accurately and loudly) whether or not someone he just met had undergone plastic surgery, and otherwise acting in an UNCOUTH manner in front of strangers.
unctuous (UNK-choo-us), adjective
Oily; falsely and exaggeratedly earnest; unpleasantly smooth.
An UNCTUOUS salesman glided across the lot and shook us both by the hand, telling us what a pleasure it was to meet such intelligent and discriminating customers.
underhanded (UN-dur-hand), adjective Devious or deceitful in nature; not open, but crafty. Who knows what UNDERHANDED means were used to turn the decision in Milton’s favor?
undermine (UN-dur-mine), verb To defeat or destroy, as by sabotage. Little did I know that Wells was UNDERMINING my efforts to win a contract for the project.
unsavory (un-SAY-vuh-ree), adjective Likely to give social or moral offense. Also: unpleasant or distasteful. I have no patience for biographers who concern themselves only with the number of UNSAVORY episodes they can uncover.
unseemly (un-SEEM-ly), adjective
Inappropriate; unbecoming.
The family felt that Bill’s presence at the memorial service would have been UNSEEMLY, as he had been my sister-in-law’s bitterest business rival.
usurious (yoo-ZHOOR-ee-us), adjective Charging excessive interest on money loaned; characterized by usury. The rates we agreed to when we bought the house seem positively USURIOUS by today’s standards.
valetudinary (val-uh-tood-uhn-AIR-ee), adjective Sickly to the point of being an invalid. After catching the disease, Val stayed at home for three months in a VALETUDINARY state.
venal (VEE-nul), adjective Corruptible or excessively devoted to selfish interests (as opposed to public interests); susceptible to bribes. (See, for comparison, the entry for venial.)
The problem with politics by scandal, of course, is that it eventually leaves voters with the impression that all officeholders, regardless of ideology or experience, are VENAL, contemptible scalawags.
vilify (VIL-ih-fie), verb
To defame; to slander.
My opponent’s ceaseless attempts to VILIFY me during this campaign reached a new low when she accused me of being on the side of the neo-Nazi movement.
vindictive (vin-DIK-tiv), adjective
Mean-spirited; eager for revenge. A vindictive person is motivated by a desire for vengeance.
When angered, Lynn can be quite VINDICTIVE; those who work with her know that the most painless course is to stay on her good side.
virulent (VIR-yuh-lent), adjective Something or someone poisonous or intensely hostile. Virulent shares the same root as the word “virus.” Marla’s VIRULENT words were meant to hurt her sister deeply.
vitriolic (vit-ree-OL-ik), adjective Acidic (literally, but also in tone). Vitriolic speech or writing is harsh and caustic. McCarthy’s VITRIOLIC attacks on organizations with no actual Communist ties went completely unchallenged in the Senate.
vituperative (vie-TOO-per-uh-tive), adjective Scathing and harshly abusive, as criticism. You can’t hide your VITUPERATIVE attack behind a few surface pleasantries!
waspish (WAH-spish), adjective Easily irritated and annoyed and likely to “sting”—or act spitefully—in return for perceived slights. Wanda’s WASPISH behavior puts everyone in the office on eggshells.
wiseacre (WIZE-ake-ur), noun
A know-it-all; one who professes to know everything.
“Listen, you little WISEACRE,” Sergeant Artemis howled at Corporal Budworth, “ if you think you can train these recruits better than I can, you ought to try it sometime.”
xenophobe (ZEE-nuh-fobe), noun One who fears anything foreign or different; one who regards people, places, or customs that differ from one’s own as inherently dangerous.
I don’t believe my opponent is really a XENOPHOBE, despite his rhetoric against foreigners; he is simply a canny, wealthy, and extremely dangerous demagogue.
yammer (YAM-mer), verb To complain loudly; to whine. While Diane was YAMMERING about how hard it was to get the office plants watered properly, I was trying to make a deadline.
yokel (YOE-kul), noun
A bumpkin; a rustic person.
That one-set show may have impressed the YOKELS where you come from, but here in the big city we require a little more flash and stardust from our musicals.
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