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| abstemious - vocabulary abstemious - adjective A state of self-denial or abstinence, regarding the use (usually overuse) of food or drink. When [Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121–180)] was eleven years old, he… |
| acumen - vocabulary acumen - noun Quickness of intellectual insight, or discernment; keenness of judgment, insight, discrimination. Note: The older pronunciation stresses the second … |
| abominate - vocabulary abominate - verb To dislike strongly; to regard with loathing; to execrate. Now is as good a time as ever to revisit the history of the Crusades, or the sorry history of partition in… |
| adduce - vocabulary adduce - verb To bring forward evidence in an argument; to cite as pertinent or even conclusive. As shown below, often used in legal proceedings: President Clinton, through undersign… |
| augur - vocabulary augur - verb Note: Used as either a transitive verb (where the verb requires an object) or an intransitive verb (where the verb does not require an object). Also not… |
| abject - vocabulary abject - adjective Sunk to a low condition, miserable, degraded, without self-respect, of the lowest kind. Note: Often used in the cliché, abject poverty, where a… |
| beset - vocabulary beset - verb To attack on all sides, to assail, to harass, as in beset by financial difficulties; to surround or hem in, as in the little town beset on all sides with housing develop… |
| audacious - vocabulary audacious - adjective Fearless, bold, daring, as in an audacious explorer; extremely original or inventive, as in his audacious vision for improving the tax laws. The Bush administra… |
| captious - vocabulary captious - adjective One who finds fault, is difficult to please; designed to perplex or confuse, as in captious questions. Pat Oliphant's cartoon is notable because of the classic g… |
| astringent - vocabulary astringent - noun A substance that contracts canals or tissues in the body; in cosmetics, a substance that cleans the skin and constricts the pores. adjective Harsh in disposit… |
| aver - vocabulary aver - verb To assert or affirm with confidence; to declare in a preemptory or positive manner. In law, to allege something as a fact, often followed by a that clause, as in The plai… |
| alacrity - vocabulary alacrity - noun A state of cheerful willingness, readiness, or promptness; liveliness or briskness, as in He accepted the promotion with alacrity. I have not that alacrity |
| assuage - vocabulary assuage - verb To cause to be less harsh, severe, or violent, usually in reference to appetite, pain, disease, or excitement, as in She assuaged the pain of her terminally ill patien… |
| circumspect - vocabulary circumspect - adjective Watchful, discreet, cautious, prudent, as in a circumspect investment strategy. I smiled, I waited, I was circumspect; O never, never, never … |
| aggrandize - vocabulary aggrandizement - noun Aggrandizement: the act of increasing the size or importance of something or somebody. aggrandize - verb Aggrandize: to widen or increase in size or intensity; … |
| abeyance - vocabulary abeyance - noun A state of suspension or temporary inaction; the condition of being temporarily set aside or held in suspension, as in They held the program in abeyance. In law, a co… |
| anecdote, antidote - vocabulary anecdote, antidote anecdote - noun A brief account of an interesting or even amusing event or incident. When the ladies removed after dinner Elizabeth ran up to her sister, and seein… |
| aphorism - vocabulary aphorism - noun A terse saying that embodies a general truth, as in (with apologies to Lord Acton) Power corrupts and Power Point corrupts absolutely. Note: In The World in a Phra… |
| approbation - vocabulary approbation - noun Approval, commendation, official sanction. Superstars strive for approbation; heroes walk alone. Superstars crave consensus; heroes define themsel… |
| amenable - vocabulary amenable - adjective Willing or ready to answer, serve, agree, yield, or act; agreeable, tractable; legally responsible or answerable, as in She was amenable for her husband’s debt. … |
| complement, compliment - vocabulary complement, compliment - verb Complement: to complete, to add to something, to provide something felt to be lacking, as in The two books complemented each other and … |
| cant - vocabulary cant - verb To talk in a singsong, preaching, whining tone; to speak tediously with affected solemnity. noun Monotonous speech crammed with platitudes; the special vocabulary o… |
| askance - vocabulary askance - adverb Usually describes the act of looking or glancing; with suspicion or mistrust, as in He looked askance at his boss, who seemed to bring bad tidings. “Do you suppose h… |
| apostasy, apostate - vocabulary apostasy, apostate - noun Apostasy: a total departure from one’s religious, political, or personal beliefs and principles. Apostate: a person who… |
| calumny - vocabulary calumny - noun A false and misleading statement designed to destroy the reputation of someone or something; the act of uttering calumnies. It is harder to kill a whisper than even a … |
