The Ever Evolving Lexicon

The Ever Evolving Lexicon

Fourth Edition

Kevin NEADLEY

having parts or aspects that are not equal or equivalent; unequal in some respect : the asymmetrical relationship between a landlord and a tenant. •

a

a.vant-garde |noun (usu. the avantgarde) new and unusual or experimental ideas, esp. in the arts, or the people introducing them : works by artists of the Russian avant-garde. adjective favoring or introducing such new ideas : a controversial avant-garde composer

a.sym.met.ri.cal |adjective having parts that fail to correspond to one another in shape, size, or arrangement; lacking symmetry : the church has an asymmetrical plan with an aisle only on one side.

DERIVATIVES

asymmetric adjective asymmetrically adverb

a.fore.men.tioned |adjective denoting a thing or person previously mentioned : songs from the aforementioned album.

a.fi.ci.o.na.do |noun ( pl. -dos) a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime : aficionados of the finest wines.

au.tar.ky |noun economic independence or self-sufficiency. •a country, state, or society that is economically independent.

ap.a.thy |noun lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern : widespread apathy among students.

ad.verse |adjective preventing success or development; harmful; unfavorable : taxes are having an adverse effect on production | adverse weather conditions. See note at hostile . DERIVATIVES: adversely

ad hoc |adjective & adverb formed, arranged, or done for a particular purpose only : [as adj. ] an ad hoc committee | the discussions were on an ad hoc basis | [as adv. ] the group was constituted ad hoc.

ac.tiv.ism |noun the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change. DERIVATIVES

activist noun

am.biv.a.lent |adjective having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone : some loved her, some hated her, few were ambivalent about her | an ambivalent attitude to terrorism. DERIVATIVES

ambivalence noun ambivalently adverb

al.lude |verb [ intrans. ] ( allude to)

suggest or call attention to indirectly; hint at : she had a way of alluding to Jean but never saying her name. • mention without discussing at length : we will allude briefly to the main points.

ax.i.om |noun a statement or proposition that is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true : the axiom that supply equals demand.

physics is the acme of scientific knowledge.

ac.ri.mo.ni.ous |adjective (typically of speech or a debate) angry and bitter : an acrimonious dispute about wages DERIVATIVES

acrimoniously adverb

ad lib |verb ( ad libbed , ad libbing ) speak or perform in public without previously preparing one's words : Charles had to ad lib because he'd forgotten his script | she ad libbed half the speech.

ac.me |noun the point at which someone or something is best, perfect, or most successful :

al.tru.ism |noun the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others : some may choose to work with vulnerable elderly people out of altruism. •Zoology behavior of an animal that benefits another at its own expense.

a figure of speech in which an opposition or contrast of ideas is expressed by parallelism of words that are the opposites of, or strongly contrasted with, each other, such as “hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins” : his sermons were full of startling antitheses. •

DERIVATIVES

altruist noun altruistic | adjective altruistically | adverb

ap.o.plec.tic |adjective informal overcome with anger; extremely indignant : Mark was apoplectic with rage at the decision. DERIVATIVES

apoplectically adverb

an.tith.e.sis |noun a person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else : love is the antithesis of selfishness. • a contrast or opposition between two things : the antithesis between occult and rational mentalities.

a.nach.ro.nism |noun a thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, esp. a thing that is conspicuously oldfashioned : everything was as it would have appeared in centuries past apart from one anachronism, a bright yellow construction crane. • an act of attributing a custom, event, or object to a period to which it does not belong. DERIVATIVES

anachronistic |adjective anachronistically |adverb

be.la.bor |verb [ trans. ] allude | verb [ intrans. ] ( allude to) suggest or call attention to indirectly; hint at : she had a way of alluding to Jean but never saying her name. • mention without discussing at length : we will allude briefly to the main points.

1 argue or elaborate (a subject) in excessive detail : critics thought they belabored the obvious. 2 attack or assault (someone) physically or verbally : Tyndale seized every opportunity to belabor the Roman Church.

bel.lig.er.ence |noun

b bul.wark |noun a defensive wall. • figurative a person, institution, or principle that acts as a defense : the security forces are a bulwark against the breakdown of society.

aggressive or warlike behavior : the reaction ranged from wild enthusiasm to outright belligerence.

but.tress |noun a projecting support of stone or brick built against a wall. • figurative a source of defense or support : there was a demand for a new stable order as a buttress against social collapse. verb [ trans. ] •figurative increase the strength of or justification for; reinforce : authority was buttressed by religious belief.

not harmful to the environment : [in combination ] an ozone-benign refrigerant. •

be.nev.o.lent |adjective well meaning and kindly : a benevolent smile. •(of an organization) serving a charitable rather than a profit-making purpose : a benevolent fund. DERIVATIVES

benevolence noun benevolently adverb

be.hest |noun a person's orders or command : they had assembled at his behest | the slaughter of the male children at the behest of Herod.

be.nign adjective 1 gentle; kindly : her face was calm and benign | his benign but firm manner. • (of a climate or environment) mild and favorable

DERIVATIVES

benignly adverb

be.moan |verb express discontent or sorrow over (something) : single women bemoaning the absence of men.

be.lat.ed |adjective coming or happening later than should have been the case : a belated apology. DERIVATIVES

belatedly adverb belatedness noun

ba.nal |adjective

so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring : songs with banal, repeated words. DERIVATIVES

banality |noun banally adverb

c con.du.cive |adjective making a certain situation or outcome likely or possible : the harsh lights and cameras were hardly conducive to a relaxed atmosphere.

cy.no.sure |noun a person or thing that is the center of attention or admiration : the Queen was the cynosure of all eyes.

carte blanche |noun complete freedom to act as one wishes or thinks best : we were given carte blanche. ORIGIN late 17th cent.: French, literally ‘blank paper’ (i.e., a blank sheet on which to write whatever one wishes, particularly one's own terms for an agreement).

cir.cum.vent |verb [ trans. ] find a way around (an obstacle). • overcome (a problem or difficulty), typically in a clever and surreptitious way : terrorists found the airport checks easy to circumvent. •archaic deceive; outwit : he's circumvented her with some of his stories. DERIVATIVES

circumvention noun

con.cur.rent |adjective

existing, happening, or done at the same time : there are three concurrent art fairs around the city. DERIVATIVES

concurrently adverb

ca.pri.cious |adjective given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior : a capricious and often brutal administration | a capricious climate.

circumspectly adverb

ca.coph.o.ny |noun ( pl. -nies) a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds : a cacophony of deafening alarm bells | figurative a cacophony of architectural styles | songs of unrelieved cacophony. DERIVATIVES

cacophonous adjective

DERIVATIVES

capriciously adverb capriciousness noun

cir.cum.spect |adjective wary and unwilling to take risks : the officials were very circumspect in their statements. DERIVATIVES

circumspection | noun

ce.re.bral |adjective 1 of the cerebrum of the brain : a cerebral hemorrhage | the cerebral cortex. • intellectual rather than emotional or physical : photography is a cerebral process. 2 Phonetics another term for retroflex . DERIVATIVES

cerebrally adverb

co.erce |verb [ trans. ] persuade (an unwilling person) to do something by using force or threats : they were coerced into silence. See note at compel . • obtain (something) by such means : their confessions were allegedly coerced by torture. DERIVATIVES

coercible adjective coercion noun

cordiality |noun cordially adverb

car.i.ca.ture |noun a picture, description, or imitation of a person or thing in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect. • the art or style of such exaggerated representation : there are elements of caricature in the portrayal of the hero. •a ludicrous or grotesque version of someone or something : he looked like a caricature of his normal self. DERIVATIVES

cor.dial |adjective warm and friendly : the atmosphere was cordial and relaxed. •strongly felt : I earned his cordial loathing. DERIVATIVES

caricatural adjective caricaturist noun

co.lo.ni.al.ism |noun the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.

DERIVATIVES

colonialist noun & adjective

cur.tail |verb (often be curtailed) reduce in extent or quantity; impose a restriction on : civil liberties were further curtailed. • ( curtail someone of) archaic deprive someone of (something) : I that am curtailed of this fair proportion. DERIVATIVES

curtailment noun

can.dor |( Brit. candour) noun the quality of being open and honest in expression; frankness : a man of refreshing candor.

col.lude |verb

come to a secret understanding for a harmful purpose; conspire : university leaders colluded in price-rigging | the president accused his opponents of colluding with foreigners. DERIVATIVES

colluder noun

con.note |verb (of a word) imply or suggest (an idea or feeling) in addition to the literal or primary meaning : the term “modern science” usually connotes a complete openness to empirical testing. • (of a fact) imply as a consequence or condition : in that period a log cabin connoted hard luck. DERIVATIVES

connotative |adjective

clan.des.tine |adjective kept secret or done secretively, esp. because illicit : she deserved better than these clandestine meetings. See note at secret . DERIVATIVES

clandestinely adverb clandestinity |noun

con.fab | noun an informal private conversation or discussion : they wandered off to the woods for a private confab. • a meeting or conference of members of a particular group : this year's annual American Booksellers Association confab. verb ( -fabbed , -fabbing ) [ intrans. ] engage in informal private conversation : Peter was confabbing with a curly-haired guy.

con.com.i.tant |adjective naturally accompanying or associated : she loved travel, with all its concomitant worries | concomitant with his obsession with dirt was a desire for order. noun a phenomenon that naturally accompanies or follows something : some of us look on pain and illness as concomitants of the stresses of living. DERIVATIVES

concomitantly adverb

d det.ri.men.tal |adjective tending to cause harm : releasing the documents would be detrimental to national security | moving her could have a detrimental effect on her health.

DERIVATIVES

detrimentally adverb

dis.po.sit.ion |noun 1 a person's inherent qualities of mind and character : a sweet-natured girl of a placid disposition. •[often with infinitive ] an inclination or tendency : the cattle showed a decided disposition to run | the judge's disposition to clemency. the power to deal with something as one pleases : if Napoleon had had railroads at his disposition, he would have been invincible.

de.praved |adjective morally corrupt : a depraved indifference to human life. THE RIGHT WORD

There are many terms to describe the dark side of human nature.

Someone who preys on young children would be considered depraved, a term that means totally immoral and implies a warped character or a twisted mind (: a depraved man who stole money from his own mother and eventually murdered her).

di.chot.o.my |noun a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different : a rigid dichotomy between science and mysticism.

dis.sen.sus |noun widespread dissent : analysis reveals notable dissensus in evaluations of occupational roles.

dis.par.ity |noun ( pl. -ties)

a great difference : economic disparities between different regions of the country | the great disparity of weight between the sun and the planets.

showing contempt or lack of respect : with a last disdainful look, she turned toward the door.

dog.ma |noun

disdainfully adverb disdainfulness noun

a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true : the Christian dogma of the Trinity | the rejection of political dogma.

DERIVATIVES

dil.i.gence

1

|noun careful and persistent work or effort.

dis.sent |verb [ intrans. ] hold or express opinions that are at variance with those previously, commonly, or officially expressed : two members dissented from the majority | [as adj. ] ( dissenting) there were only a couple of dissenting voices.

dis.dain.ful |dɪsˌdeɪnfʊl|adjective

de.duce |verb arrive at (a fact or a conclusion) by reasoning; draw as a logical conclusion : little can be safely deduced from these figures | [with clause ] they deduced that the fish died because of water pollution. DERIVATIVES

deducible adjective

de.bunk |verb [ trans. ] expose the falseness or hollowness of (a myth, idea, or belief) : the magazine that debunks claims of the paranormal. •reduce the inflated reputation of (someone), esp. by ridicule : comedy takes delight in debunking heroes. DERIVATIVES

debunker noun debunkery noun

the exercise of absolute power, esp. in a cruel and oppressive way : the King's arbitrary despotism. •a country or political system where the ruler holds absolute power.

de.ri.sion |noun contemptuous ridicule or mockery : my stories were greeted with derision and disbelief. PHRASES

hold (or have) in derision archaic regard with mockery. DERIVATIVES

derisible |adjective

dé.tente |noun the easing of hostility or strained relations, esp. between countries : a serious effort at détente with the eastern bloc.

des.pot.ism |noun

de fac.to | adverb in fact, whether by right or not : the island has been de facto divided into two countries. Often contrasted with de jure . adjective [ attrib. ]

denoting someone or something that is such in fact : a de facto one-party system.

de.funct |adjective no longer existing or functioning : the now defunct communist common market.

deft |adjective neatly skillful and quick in one's movements : a deft piece of footwork. • demonstrating skill and cleverness : the script was both deft and literate. DERIVATIVES

deftly adverb deftness noun

e.gal.i.tar.i.an |adjective of, relating to, or believing in the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities : a fairer, more egalitarian society. noun a person who advocates or supports such a principle.

e.gre.gious |adjective 1 outstandingly bad; shocking : egregious abuses of copyright. DERIVATIVES

e esprit de corps |noun a feeling of pride, fellowship, and common loyalty shared by the members of a particular group.

egregiously adverb egregiousness noun

ex.po.si.tion |noun 1 a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory : an exposition and defense of Marx's writings.

en.am.or |( chiefly Brit. enamour) verb ( be enamored of/with/by) be filled with a feeling of love for : it is not difficult to see why Edward is enamored of her. • have a liking or admiration for : she was truly enamored of New York.

ev.a.nes.cent |adjective chiefly poetic/literary

soon passing out of sight, memory, or existence; quickly fading or disappearing : a shimmering evanescent bubble. See note at temporary . DERIVATIVES

evanescence noun evanescently adverb

ex.as.per.ate |verb irritate intensely; infuriate : this futile process exasperates prison officials | [as adj. ] ( exasperated) she grew

exasperated with his inability to notice anything | [as adj. ] ( exasperating) they suffered a number of exasperating setbacks. DERIVATIVES

exasperatedly adverb exasperatingly adverb exasperation |noun

en.dog.e.nous | adjective having an internal cause or origin : the expected rate of infection is endogenous to the system. Often contrasted with exogenous . • Biology growing or originating from within an organism : endogenous gene sequences. • chiefly Psychiatry (of a disease or symptom) not attributable to any external or environmental factor : endogenous depression. • confined within a group or society. DERIVATIVES

endogenously adverb

em.bel.lish |verb make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative details or features : blue silk embellished with golden embroidery. • make (a statement or story) more interesting or entertaining by adding extra details, esp. ones that are not true : she had real difficulty telling the truth because she liked to embellish things. DERIVATIVES

embellisher noun

e.gre.gious |adjective 1 outstandingly bad; shocking : egregious abuses of copyright. 2 archaic remarkably good. DERIVATIVES

egregiously adverb egregiousness noun

ex.tol |verb ( extolled , extolling ) [ trans. ] praise enthusiastically : he extolled the virtues of the Russian peoples. See note at praise.

e.qua.nim.i.ty |noun

DERIVATIVES

mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, esp. in a difficult situation : she accepted both the good and the bad with equanimity.

ex.ac.er.bate |verb [ trans. ]

DERIVATIVES

equanimous | adjective

extoller noun extolment noun

make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse : the forest fire was exacerbated by the lack of rain.

president's emollient approach to differences. DERIVATIVES

DERIVATIVES

exacerbation |noun

emollience noun

ex.u.ber.ant |adjective filled with or characterized by a lively energy and excitement : giddily exuberant crowds | flamboyant and exuberant architectural invention. •growing luxuriantly or profusely : exuberant foliage. DERIVATIVES

exuberance noun exuberantly adverb

e.mol.lient |adjective having the quality of softening or soothing the skin : an emollient cream. •attempting to avoid confrontation or anger; soothing or calming : the

ech.e.lon |noun 1 a level or rank in an organization, a profession, or society : the upper echelons of the business world. • [often with adj. ] a part of a military force differentiated by position in battle or by function : the rear echelon. 2 Military a formation of troops, ships, aircraft, or vehicles in parallel rows with the end of each row projecting further than the one in front.

em.bar.go |noun ( pl. -goes)

an official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country : an embargo on grain sales | the oil embargo of 1973. •an official prohibition on any activity.

ex.trap.o.late |verb extend the application of (a method or conclusion, esp. one based on statistics) to an unknown situation by assuming that existing trends will continue or similar methods will be applicable : the results cannot be extrapolated to other patient groups. | [ intrans. ] it is always dangerous to extrapolate from a sample. • estimate or conclude (something) in this way : attempts to extrapolate likely human cancers from laboratory studies. DERIVATIVES

extrapolation |-ˌleɪʃ(ə)n| noun extrapolative |-lətɪv| adjective extrapolator noun

er.ro.ne.ous |adjective wrong; incorrect : employers sometimes make erroneous assumptions. DERIVATIVES

erroneously adverb erroneousness noun

f fal.li.ble |adjective capable of making mistakes or being erroneous : experts can be fallible. DERIVATIVES

fallibility |noun

fa.tal.ism |noun

the belief that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable. •a submissive attitude to events, resulting from such a belief.

DERIVATIVES

frugality |noun frugally adverb frugalness noun

DERIVATIVES

fatalist noun fatalistic |-ˌlɪstɪk| adjective fatalistically |-ˌlɪstɪk(ə)li| adverb

←

feu.dal |adjective

according to, resembling, or denoting the system of feudalism : feudal barons. •absurdly outdated or old-fashioned : his view of patriotism was more than old-fashioned—it was positively feudal.

fru.gal |adjective sparing or economical with regard to money or food : he led a remarkably frugal existence. See note at economical . • simple and plain and costing little : a frugal meal.

fac.toid |noun a brief or trivial item of news or information. •an assumption or speculation that is reported and repeated so often that it becomes accepted as fact.

fer.vent |adjective having or displaying a passionate intensity : a fervent disciple of tax reform. See note at eager . • archaic hot, burning, or glowing. DERIVATIVES

fervency noun fervently adverb

for.lorn |adjective 1 pitifully sad and abandoned or lonely : forlorn figures at bus stops. 2 (of an aim or endeavor) unlikely to succeed or be fulfilled; hopeless : a forlorn attempt to escape.

having or showing a great deal of nervous excitement or energy : a febrile imagination. •

DERIVATIVES

febrility |

DERIVATIVES

forlornly adverb forlornness |noun

foi.ble | noun 1 a minor weakness or eccentricity in someone's character : they have to tolerate each other's little foibles. See note at fault .

fe.brile |adjective having or showing the symptoms of a fever : a febrile illness.

feck.less |adjective (of a person) lacking in efficiency or vitality : a feckless mama's boy. •unthinking and irresponsible : the feckless exploitation of the world's natural resources. DERIVATIVES

fecklessly adverb

fecklessness noun

h hub.ris |noun excessive pride or self-confidence. •(in Greek tragedy) excessive pride toward or defiance of the gods, leading to nemesis. DERIVATIVES

hubristic |adjective

har.dy |adjective ( -dier , -diest ) robust; capable of enduring difficult conditions. •(of a plant) able to survive outside during winter.

het.er.o.ge.ne.ous |adjective

diverse in character or content : a large and heterogeneous collection. DERIVATIVES

heterogeneity |noun heterogeneously adverb heterogeneousness noun

hap.haz.ard |adjective lacking any obvious principle of organization : the kitchen drawers contained a haphazard collection of silver souvenir spoons. DERIVATIVES

haphazardly adverb haphazardness noun

har.bin.ger |noun a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another : witch hazels are the harbingers of spring.

a forerunner of something : these works were not yet opera, but they were the most important harbinger of opera. •

hith.er.to |adverb until now or until the point in time under discussion : there is a need to replace what has hitherto been a haphazard method of payment.

a situation in which no progress is possible, esp. because of disagreement; a deadlock : the current political impasse.

in.ter a.li.a |adverb among other things : the study includes, inter alia, computers, aircraft, and pharmaceuticals.

in.sol.vent |adjective unable to pay debts owed : the company became insolvent. •relating to insolvency : insolvent liquidation. DERIVATIVES

i im.passe |noun

insolvency noun

in.trac.ta.ble |adjective hard to control or deal with : intractable economic problems | intractable pain.

•(of a person) difficult; stubborn. DERIVATIVES

intractability |noun intractableness noun intractably adverb

in.con.tro.vert.i.ble |adjective not able to be denied or disputed : incontrovertible proof. DERIVATIVES

incontrovertibility | noun incontrovertibly adverb

in.cum.bent |adjective 1 [ predic. ] ( incumbent on/upon) necessary for (someone) as a duty or responsibility : it is incumbent on all

decent people to concentrate on destroying this evil. 2 [ attrib. ] (of an official or regime) currently holding office : the incumbent president had been defeated. noun the holder of an office or post.

in.can.des.cent |adjective emitting light as a result of being heated : plumes of incandescent liquid rock. • (of an electric light) containing a filament that glows white-hot when heated by a current passed through it. • extremely angry : she was incandescent at the way the IRS acted. • of outstanding and exciting quality; brilliant : Mravinsky's incandescent performance of Siegfried's Funeral March. DERIVATIVES

incandescence noun incandescently adverb

in.fi.del.i.ty |noun ( pl. -ties) 1 the action or state of being unfaithful to a spouse or other sexual partner : her infidelity continued after her marriage | I ought not to have tolerated his infidelities. 2 unbelief in a particular religion, esp. Christianity.

il.lic.it |adjective forbidden by law, rules, or custom : illicit drugs | illicit sex. DERIVATIVES

DERIVATIVES

inferential |adjective inferentially |adverb

in.dig.nant |adjective feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment : he was indignant at being the object of suspicion. DERIVATIVES

indignantly adverb

in.tel.li.gi.ble |adjective

illicitly adverb illicitness noun

able to be understood; comprehensible : this would make the system more intelligible to the general public.

in.fer.ence |noun

DERIVATIVES

a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning. •the process of reaching such a conclusion : his emphasis on order and health, and by inference cleanliness.

intelligibility |noun intelligibly adverb

j ju.ris.pru.dence |noun the theory or philosophy of law. •a legal system : American jurisprudence. DERIVATIVES

jurisprudent adjective & noun jurisprudential | adjective

jin.go | jin.go.ism | a vociferous supporter of policy favoring war, esp. in the name of patriotism. noun chiefly derogatory extreme patriotism, esp. in the form of aggressive or warlike foreign policy. DERIVATIVES

jingoist noun jingoistic adjective

jux.ta.pose |verb place or deal with close together for contrasting effect : black-and-white photos of slums were starkly juxtaposed with color images. DERIVATIVES

juxtaposition noun juxtapositional adjective

k kil.ter |noun (in phrase out of kilter) out of harmony or balance : daylight savings throws everybody's body clock out of kilter.

kudos |noun praise and honor received for an achievement.

l lex.i.con |noun ( pl. -cons or -ca ) 1 the vocabulary of a person, language, or branch of knowledge : the size of the English lexicon.

leit.mo.tif |noun a recurrent theme throughout a musical or literary composition, associated with a particular person, idea, or situation.

laissez-faire |noun a policy or attitude of letting things take their own course, without interfering. •Economics abstention by governments from interfering in the workings of the free market : [as adj. ] laissez-faire capitalism. DERIVATIVES

laissez-faireism noun

m mis.no.mer |noun a wrong or inaccurate name or designation : “king crab” is a misnomer—these creatures are not crustaceans at all. •a wrong or inaccurate use of a name or term : to call this “neighborhood policing” would be a misnomer.

mag.nan.i.mous |adjective very generous or forgiving, esp. toward a rival or someone less powerful than oneself. DERIVATIVES

magnanimity |noun magnanimously adverb

(of a building) very large and characterless. 2 (of an organization or system) large, powerful, and intractably indivisible and uniform : rejecting any move toward a monolithic European superstate. •

mel.an.chol.y |noun a deep, pensive, and long-lasting sadness. • another term for melancholia (as a mental condition). • historical another term for black bile . adjective sad, gloomy, or depressed : she felt a little melancholy | the dog has a melancholy expression. • causing or expressing sadness; depressing : the study makes melancholy if instructive reading. DERIVATIVES

melancholic |-ˌkɒlɪk| adjective melancholically |-ˌkɒlɪk(ə)li| adverb

mon.o.lith.ic |adjective 1 formed of a single large block of stone.

ma.lev.o.lent |adjective having or showing a wish to do evil to others : the glint of dark, malevolent eyes | some malevolent force of nature. DERIVATIVES

malevolence noun malevolently adverb

mo.dus vi.ven.di | an arrangement or agreement allowing conflicting parties to coexist peacefully, either indefinitely or until a final settlement is reached. • a way of living.

mo.dus op.e.ran.di |

a particular way or method of doing something, esp. one that is characteristic or well-established : the volunteers were instructed to buy specific systems using our usual modus operandi—anonymously and with cash. •the way something operates or works.

a small quantity of a particular thing, esp. something considered desirable or valuable : his statement had more than a modicum of truth.

ma.lign |adjective evil in nature or effect; malevolent : she had a strong and malign influence. speak about (someone) in a spitefully critical manner : don't you dare malign her in my presence. DERIVATIVES

maligner noun malignity |noun malignly adverb

mod.i.cum |noun [in sing. ]

n nex.us |noun ( pl. same or -uses ) a connection or series of connections linking two or more things : the nexus between industry and political power. • a connected group or series : a nexus of ideas. •the central and most important point or place : the nexus of all this activity was the disco.

nep.o.tism |noun the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, esp. by giving them jobs. DERIVATIVES

os.ten.sibly |adverb [ sentence adverb ] apparently or purportedly, but perhaps not actually : portrayed as a blue-collar type, ostensibly a carpenter.

nepotist noun nepotistic |adjective

o om.nip.o.tent |adjective (of a deity) having unlimited power; able to do anything. •having ultimate power and influence : an omnipotent sovereign. DERIVATIVES

omnipotence noun omnipotently adverb

os.ten.ta.tious |adjective characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice : books that people buy and display ostentatiously but never actually finish. DERIVATIVES

ostentatiously adverb ostentatiousness noun

o.pine |verb [ reporting verb ] formal

•

hold and state as one's opinion : [with direct speech ] “The man is a genius,” he opined | [with clause ] the critic opined that the most exciting musical moment occurred when the orchestra struck up the national anthem.

DERIVATIVES

o.pac.i.ty |noun the condition of lacking transparency or translucence; opaqueness : thinner paints need black added to increase opacity.

ordain |verb [ trans. ] 1 make (someone) a priest or minister; confer holy orders on. 2 order or decree (something) officially : equal punishment was ordained for the two crimes.

(esp. of God or fate) prescribe; determine (something) : the path ordained by God. ordainer noun ordainment noun

ob.fus.cate |verb [ trans. ] render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible : the spelling changes will deform some familiar words and obfuscate their etymological origins. •bewilder (someone) : it is more likely to obfuscate people than enlighten them. DERIVATIVES

obfuscation |noun obfuscatory adjective

op.u.lent |adjective ostentatiously rich and luxurious or lavish : the opulent comfort of a limousine. • wealthy : his more opulent tenants.

DERIVATIVES

opulence noun opulently adverb

om.i.nous |adjective giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; threatening; inauspicious : there were ominous dark clouds gathering overhead. DERIVATIVES

ominously adverb ominousness noun

o.paque |adjective ( opaquer, opaquest)

not able to be seen through; not transparent : the windows were opaque with steam. •figurative (esp. of language) hard or impossible to understand; unfathomable : technical jargon that was opaque to her. DERIVATIVES

opaquely adverb opaqueness noun

op.pro.bri.um |noun harsh criticism or censure : his films and the critical opprobrium they have generated. •the public disgrace arising from someone's shameful conduct : the opprobrium of being closely associated with thugs and gangsters.

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p

pan.a.ce.a |noun a solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases : the panacea for all corporate ills | the time-honored panacea, cod liver oil.

clear to the mind or plain to see : to talk of dawn raids in the circumstances is palpable nonsense. •

DERIVATIVES

palpability |-ˌbɪlɪti| noun palpably adverb

prom.is.so.ry |adjective chiefly Law

panacean adjective

conveying or implying a promise : statements that are promissory in nature | promissory words. •archaic indicative of something to come; full of promise : the glow of evening is promissory of the splendid days to come.

pal.pa.ble |adjective

pro.cras.ti.nate |verb [ intrans. ]

DERIVATIVES

able to be touched or felt : the palpable bump at the bridge of the nose. See note at tangible . • (esp. of a feeling or atmosphere) so intense as to be almost touched or felt : a palpable sense of loss.

delay or postpone action; put off doing something : it won't be this price for long, so don't procrastinate. DERIVATIVES

procrastination |noun procrastinator noun procrastinatory adjective

pos.ter.i.ty |noun all future generations of people : the victims' names are recorded for posterity. •archaic the descendants of a person : God offered Abraham a posterity like the stars of heaven.

pe.ruse |verb [ trans. ] formal read thoroughly or carefully : the pursed lips of an auditor perusing an unsatisfactory set of accounts. •examine carefully or at length : Laura perused a Caravaggio.

pe.ru.sal |noun formal the action of reading or examining something : I continued my perusal of the instructions.

pro.po.nent |noun a person who advocates a theory, proposal, or project : a collection of essays

by both critics and proponents of graphology.

pro.cure.ment noun the action of obtaining or procuring something : financial assistance for the procurement of legal advice | the company's procurements from foreign firms.

pen.sive |adjective engaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thought : a pensive mood. DERIVATIVES

pensively adverb pensiveness noun

pre.ten.tious |adjective attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed : a pretentious literary device.

DERIVATIVES

pretentiously adverb pretentiousness noun

pol.ly.an.na |noun an excessively cheerful or optimistic person.

pro.pi.tious |adjective giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable : the timing for such a meeting seemed propitious. •archaic favorably disposed toward someone : there were points on which they did not agree, moments in which she did not seem propitious. DERIVATIVES

pro.voc.a.tive |adjective causing annoyance, anger, or another strong reaction, esp. deliberately : a provocative article | his provocative remarks on race. •arousing sexual desire or interest, esp. deliberately. DERIVATIVES

provocatively adverb provocativeness noun

propitiously adverb propitiousness noun

per.me.ate |verb [ trans. ] spread throughout (something); pervade : the aroma of soup permeated the air | [ intrans. ] his personality has begun to permeate through the whole organization. DERIVATIVES

permeation |noun

per.en.ni.al |adjective lasting or existing for a long or apparently infinite time; enduring : his perennial distrust of the media. • (of a plant) living for several years : tarragon is perennial. Compare with annual , biennial . •(esp. of a problem or difficult situation) continually occurring : perennial manifestations of urban crisis. DERIVATIVES

perennially adverb

par.a.dox.i.cal |adjective seemingly absurd or self-contradictory : by glorifying the acts of violence they achieve the paradoxical effect of making them trivial. DERIVATIVES

paradoxically adverb : [ sentence adverb ] paradoxically, the more fuel a star starts off with, the sooner it runs out.

pe.nul.ti.mate |adjective [ attrib. ] last but one in a series of things; second to the last : the penultimate chapter of the book.

prag.mat.ic |adjective dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations : a pragmatic approach to politics. • relating to philosophical or political pragmatism. DERIVATIVES

pragmatically adverb

pro.bi.ty |noun formal

the quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency : financial probity.

pen.u.ry |noun extreme poverty; destitution : he died in a state of virtual penury.

par.ti.san |noun 1 a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person. 2 a member of an armed group formed to fight secretly against an occupying force, in particular one operating in enemyoccupied Yugoslavia, Italy, and parts of eastern Europe in World War II. adjective prejudiced in favor of a particular cause : newspapers have become increasingly partisan. DERIVATIVES

partisanship noun

pre.clude |verb [ trans. ] prevent from happening; make impossible : the secret nature of his work precluded official recognition. See note at prohibit . •( preclude someone from) (of a situation or condition) prevent someone from doing something : his difficulties preclude him from leading a normal life. DERIVATIVES

preclusion |noun preclusive |adjective

par.ti pris |noun ( pl. partis pris pronunc. same) a preconceived view; a bias. adjective prejudiced; biased.

pas.tiche |noun an artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period : the operetta is a pastiche of 18th century styles | the songs amount to much more than blatant pastiche. • an artistic work consisting of a medley of pieces taken from various sources. •a confused mixture or jumble : his speech is a pastiche of false starts and unfinished sentences.

pleth.o.ra |noun ( a plethora of) an excess of (something) : a plethora of committees and subcommittees

pro.fess.ed.ly adverb ostensibly; apparently (used in reference to something claimed or asserted, possibly falsely) : restrictions professedly designed to stop the use of political propaganda.

pug.na.cious |adjective eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight : the increasingly pugnacious demeanor of politicians. • having the appearance of a willing fighter : the set of her pugnacious jaw. DERIVATIVES

pugnaciously adverb pugnacity |-ˌnasɪti| noun

per.ti.nent |adjective relevant or applicable to a particular matter; apposite : she asked me a lot of very pertinent questions | the unreleased section of tape was not pertinent to the investigation. DERIVATIVES

pertinence noun pertinency noun pertinently adverb

r

prof.li.gate |adjective recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources : profligate consumers of energy. •licentious; dissolute : he succumbed to drink and a profligate lifestyle.

rat.i.fy |verb ( -fies, -fied) [ trans. ] sign or give formal consent to (a treaty, contract, or agreement), making it officially valid. See note at approve .

DERIVATIVES

profligacy |-gəsi| noun profligately adverb

q quid pro quo |noun ( pl. quos) a favor or advantage granted or expected in return for something : the pardon was a quid pro quo for their help in releasing hostages.

ret.i.cent |adjective not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily : she was extremely reticent about her personal affairs. DERIVATIVES

reticence noun reticently adverb

rec.i.pro.city |noun the practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit, esp. privileges

granted by one country or organization to another.

re.nege |verb go back on a promise, undertaking, or contract : the administration had reneged on its election promises. • another term for revoke (sense 2). •[ trans. ] archaic renounce or abandon (someone or something). DERIVATIVES

s sine qua non |noun an essential condition; a thing that is absolutely necessary : grammar and usage are the sine qua non of language teaching and learning

reneger noun

sty.mie |verb ( -mies , -mied , -mying or

ret.i.cent |adjective

-mieing ) [ trans. ] informal prevent or hinder the progress of : the changes must not be allowed to stymie new medical treatments.

not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily : she was extremely reticent about her personal affairs. DERIVATIVES:

reticence noun reticently adverb

su.per.flu.ous |adjective unnecessary, esp. through being more than enough : the purchaser should avoid asking for superfluous information

sec.u.lar |adjective 1 denoting attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis : secular buildings | secular moral theory. Contrasted with sacred . (of a fluctuation or trend) occurring or persisting over an indefinitely long period : there is evidence that the slump is not cyclical but secular. Economics

DERIVATIVES

secularism noun secularist noun secularity |noun secularization | noun secularize verb secularly adverb

sac.ro.sanct |adjective

(esp. of a principle, place, or routine) regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with : the individual's right to work has been upheld as sacrosanct. DERIVATIVES

sacrosanctity |noun

ser.en.dip.i.ty |noun the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way : a fortunate stroke of serendipity | a series of small serendipities. DERIVATIVES

serendipitous adjective serendipitously adverb

sol.ace |noun comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness : she sought solace in her religion.

san.guine |adjective

1 cheerfully optimistic : they are not sanguine about the prospect. DERIVATIVES

sanguinely adverb sanguineness noun

ask (someone) for something : historians and critics are solicited for opinions by the auction houses. •

DERIVATIVES

solicitation |noun

syc.o.phant |noun a person who acts obsequiously toward someone in order to gain advantage; a servile flatterer. DERIVATIVES

sycophancy noun sycophantic |adjective sycophantically |adverb

so.lic.it |verb ( -ited , -iting ) ask for or try to obtain (something) from someone : he called a meeting to solicit their views. See note at beg .

sac.ro.sanct |adjective (esp. of a principle, place, or routine) regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with : the individual's right to work has been upheld as sacrosanct. DERIVATIVES

sacrosanctity |noun

su.per.la.tive |adjective 1 of the highest quality or degree : a superlative piece of skill.

2 Grammar (of an adjective or adverb) expressing the highest or a very high degree of a quality (e.g., bravest, most fiercely). Contrasted with positive and comparative .

t tan.gi.ble |adjective perceptible by touch : the atmosphere of neglect and abandonment was almost tangible. • clear and definite; real : the emphasis is now on tangible results. noun (usu. tangibles) a thing that is perceptible by touch.

sub.sume |verb (often be subsumed) include or absorb (something) in something else : most of these phenomena can be subsumed under two broad categories. DERIVATIVES

subsumable adjective subsumption |noun

DERIVATIVES

tangibility | noun tangibleness noun tangibly | adverb

tem.er.i.ty |noun excessive confidence or boldness; audacity : no one had the temerity to question his conclusions.

u

un.ten.a.ble |adjective

u.biq.ui.tous |adjective

(esp. of a position or view) not able to be maintained or defended against attack or objection : this argument is clearly untenable.

present, appearing, or found everywhere : his ubiquitous influence was felt by all the family | cowboy hats are ubiquitous among the male singers.

DERIVATIVES

DERIVATIVES

untenability | noun untenably adverb

ubiquitously adverb ubiquitousness noun ubiquity noun

un.eq.uiv.o.cal |adjective leaving no doubt; unambiguous : an unequivocal answer | he was unequivocal in condemning the violence. DERIVATIVES

unequivocally adverb unequivocalness noun

un.am.big.u.ous |adjective not open to more than one interpretation : instructions should be unambiguous. DERIVATIVES: unambiguity,

unambiguously

v ve.he.ment |adjective

showing strong feeling; forceful, passionate, or intense : her voice was low but vehement | vehement criticism. DERIVATIVES

vehemence noun vehemently adverb

vi.va | exclamation long live! (used to express acclaim or support for a specified person or thing) : “Viva Mexico!” noun a cry of this as a salute or cheer.

an abrupt and complete reversal of attitude, opinion, or position : a remarkable volte-face on taxes. •

vir.u.lent |adjective 1 (of a disease or poison) extremely severe or harmful in its effects. • (of a pathogen, esp. a virus) highly infective. 2 bitterly hostile : a virulent attack on liberalism. DERIVATIVES

virulence noun virulently adverb

va.de me.cum |noun a handbook or guide that is kept constantly at hand for consultation.

volte-face |noun ( pl. same) an act of turning around so as to face in the opposite direction.

w where.with.al |noun the money or other means needed for a particular purpose : they lacked the wherewithal to pay.

z zeitgeist |noun the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time : the story captured the zeitgeist of the late 1960s.