Words-of-the-day

Vocabulary

3/22/05      
3/15/05 Assuage t.v. ease, relieve
3/08/05 enthusiast n. believer
3/01/05 Adroit adj. Clever, skillful
2/22/05 Munificent adj. very liberal in giving or bestowing, lavish
2/08/05 Morés n. established customs of a community
2/01/05 Ennui n. a feeling of weariness and dissatisfaction, boredom
1/25/05 adapt v. to fit, to make fit
1/18/05 proficient adj. to go forward, accomplish
1/11/05 Hoi Polloi n. the general populace, masses
1/04/05 Afresh adv. from a fresh beginning
12/21/04 Blithesome adj. gay, merry
12/14/04 Ubiquitous adj. existing or being everywhere at the same time
12/07/04 Love n. strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties
11/30/04 Caveat n. a warning enjoining one from certain acts or practices
11/23/04 Grateful adj. appreciative of benefits received
11/16/04 Opt i.v. to decide in favor of something
11/9/04 Compact n. an agreement or covenant between two or more parties
11/2/04 jingoism n. extreme chauvinism or nationalism marked especially by a belligerent foreign policy
10/26/04 Responsibility n. moral, legal, or mental accountability
10/19/04 Nostalgia n. a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition
10/5/04 Refute v.
n.
refutation
to disprove
9/28/04 Cultivate v. to foster the growth of
9/21/04 Avocation n. a subordinate occupation pursued in addition to one's vocation especially for enjoyment
9/7/04 Theatrical adj. of or relating to the theater or the presentation of plays
8/31/04 Visionary n. one who sees visions
8/17/04 Pulchritude n. physical comeliness
8/10/04 Hygiene n. conditions or practices (as of cleanliness) conducive to health
7/27/04 Sanguine adj. Cheerfully optimistic
7/20/04 Assist v. to give support or aid
7/6/04 Allege v. claim, assert, contend, charge, declare
06/29/04 widget n. gadget, gizmo; an unnamed small mechanical device.
06/22/04 quirk n. Peculiarity of action, behavior or personality
06/15/04 barrier n. a fence or railing; an obstruction natural or man-made; something that separates or keeps apart
06/08/04 canny adj. Careful, shrewd or skilled
06/01/04 extreme adj. going well beyond the ordinary, utmost in direction or distance
05/25/04 rebellious adj. resisting direction or control; unruly
05/18/04 nebulous adj. Indistinct, vague; relating to or resembling a nebula
05/11/04 amusing adj. entertaining or pleasing, arousing laughter
05/04/04 ecstatic adj. Relating to or marked by a state of extreme emotional excitement or rapturous delight
04/27/04 apprehensive adj troubled by fears, anxious, uneasy; able to apprehend, quick to learn or understand; having to do with perceiving or understanding
04/20/04 fluent adj flowing or moving smoothly; able to write or speak easily, smoothly and expressively
04/13/04 diversion n. the act of diverting; a recreation or pastime
04/06/04 emerge v. to come into view, to rise, to come into existence
03/30/04 Ken n. perception, understanding, knowledge; range of vision; view, sight
03/16/04 advocate n. a person who pleads a case on someone's behalf; (v) publicly recommend or support
03/09/04 concatenate v. to link together in a series or chain
03/02/04 abound v. To be present in large quantity; prevalent
02/24/04 averse adj. reluctant, unwilling, resistant
02/17/04 intractable adj. hard to manipulate or work; unruly or stubborn
02/03/04 vitiate v. to reduce the effectiveness or quality of; to invalidate
01/27/04 lineage n. direct descent from a common ancestor.
01/20/04 vernal adj. having to do with or appearing with spring; spring-like, youthful.
01/13/04 dogmatic adj. Stating a opinion in an arrogant manner without proof.
01/06/04 reverence n. A feeling or attitude of deep respect, love and awe.
12/16/03 mutable adj. subject to change, ever changing, inconsistent.
12/09/03 proficient adj. Skillful, expert, capable.
12/02/03 jostle v. to come in contact or into collision.
11/25/03 plenteous adj. fruitful, productive.
11/18/03 gauche adj. Awkward, tactless, lacking in social graces.
11/11/03 niche n. Place or position particularly suitable for the person or thing in it.
11/04/03 relegate v. To assign someone to an inferior place or position
10/28/03 apparition n. Anything that appears unexpectedly or in an extraordinary way.
10/21/03 palatable adj. Agreeable, pleasant, especially to the sense of taste.
10/14/03 diversion n. The act of diverting, a recreation or past time.
10/07/03 usurp v. To take over or replace
09/30/03 cquiesce v. To accept or to submit passively or quietly
09/23/03 fallacy n. Aptness to mislead, being deceptive, delusive quality
09/16/03 amend v. To change formally
09/09/03 plethora n. Excess, super abundance
09/02/03 hiatus n. An interruption in time or continuity.
08/19/03 improvident adj. Failure to plan for the future
08/12/03 radiance n. Brilliance, reliance, splendor, luster
08/05/03 obfuscate v. To cloud over, obscure, make dark or unclear
07/29/03 tutelage n. The state of being under a guardian or tutor.
07/22/03 lineage n. A direct line of descent from an ancestor.
07/15/03 charette n. A final intense effort to complete a design project.
07/08/03 peruse v. To read thru as with thoroughness or care.
07/01/03 telic adj. tending toward an end
06/24/03 hubris n. Insolence or arrogance resulting from excessive pride
06/17/03 deasil adv. To rotate counter-clockwise
06/10/03 recreate v. To refresh, restore, to begin anew
06/03/03 matriculate v. To enroll in a college or university
05/27/03 reflection n. To reflect, attentive or continued consideration or meditation.
05/20/03 play n.,adj. To have fun, (playful-adj.) having a fun-loving attitude or manner
05/13/03 nurture n. Education; breeding; nourishes; food. To train or bring up.
05/06/03 resplendent adj. brilliant
04/29/03 mien n. Manner, appearance, a way of conducting oneself or looking
04/22/03 splendor n. great brightness or luster; brilliance
04/15/03 gambol v.j./n. To skip and jump around in play. To frolic, to leap.
04/08/03 hullabalo n. Noise, excitement
04/01/03 abhor n. to regard with extreme repugnance, to loath, strongly opposed; abhorrence (n.) the feeling of one who abhors; abhorrent (adj.). showing abhorrence
03/25/03 brilliant adj Accomplished, illustrious, splendid, very bright
03/18/03 lascivious adj Lewd or lustful
03/11/03 blarney n.v To flatter or coax. (v) blarneyed or blarneying
02/25/03 adroit n.adv Clever, skillful
02/11/03 partisan n. A firm adherent to a party, faction, cause or person
02/04/03 impious n . Wanting in reverence; profane; lacking in respect
01/28/03 periodical adj. Of or pertaining to a publication, such as a magazine or journal, appearing at regular intervals
01/21/03 relevant n. To the purpose, applicable, bearing on the issue in question
01/14/03 Vim n. Power, force, energy, spirit
01/07/03 Resplendent adj. Shining brilliantly; characterized by glowing splendor
12/17/02 permeate v. To pass through, spread
12/10/02 assiduous adj. Marked by careful unremitting attention or persistent application
12/03/02 pretentious adj. Behaving in a false or exaggerated manner, often for the purpose of impressing others
11/26/02 love n. Strong affection or liking for a person/thing; the object of such affection; a score of zero in tennis
11/19/02 ineffable adj. Indescribable; not to be uttered
11/12/02 expeditious adj. Acting or done with speed and efficiency
11/05/02 creative adj. Marked by the ability to create; inventive; imaginative
10/29/02 immutable adj. Never changing or varying - unchangeable
10/22/02 commune n./
v.
Group of people sharing accommodation and goods
Speak intimately; feel in close tough
10/15/02 discern n. To detect; to recognize/identify as separate and distinct
10/08/02 health care n. To care for one’s well being
10/01/02 ameliorate v. To improve, to make better
09/24/02 vegetate vi. To exist with little mental & physical activity. Lead an inactive life.
09/17/02 encourage v. To inspire with courage, confidence or hope
09/10/02 liberty n. state of being free from oppression, tyranny, slavery; freedom
09/03/02 artificer n. A person who is skillful or clever in devising ways of making things. An inventor
08/20/02 egalitarian adj. Belief that everyone should have equal political, social, and economic rights
08/13/02 facetious adj. Not meant to be taken seriously or literally; humorous
08/06/02 itinerant adj. Traveling from place to place; covering a circuit
07/30/02 predilection n. A partiality or preference
07/23/02 adversity n. A condition of suffering, destitution, or affliction
07/16/02 supplant vt. To supercede (another) especially by force or treachery
07/09/02 fastidious adj. Possessing or displaying careful & meticulous attention to detail
07/02/02 savoir faire n. The ability to say and do the right thing in any situation
06/25/02 penury n. Extreme poverty, absence of resources, insufficiency
06/18/02 permeate vt. Pass through, spread
06/11/02 fait accompli a thing accomplished and presumably irreversible
06/04/02 foment vt. Stir up, arouse, incite
05/28/02 hoi polloi n. the many, the masses, the common people. Usually patronizing or contemptuous
05/21/02 venerable adj. Worthy of respect or reverence, because of great age, high office or noble character
05/14/02 rogue n. An unprincipled person; scoundrel
05/07/02 equivocate vi. To speak ambiguously in order to confuse or mislead
04/30/02 elate v. To make one happy, proud, joyful
04/23/02 excogitate v. To consider or think (something) out carefully
04/16/02 riant adj. Laughing, smiling or cheerful
04/09/02 pedestrian adj. Ordinary, dull, prosaic. Also: going by foot
04/02/02 Erudite adj. Having a wide knowledge gained from reading. Learned, scholarly
03/26/02 pretentious adj. Making claims to some distinction, importance, etc.
03/26/02 precocious adj. Matured earlier than usual
03/19/02 alacrity n. Eagerness, readiness, willingness.
03/12/02 voluble adj. Characterized by ready or rapid speech. Fluent.
03/05/02 plebeian n. 1. One of the common people 2. a vulgar, coarse person
02/26/02 prolix adj. Wordy, long-winded, drawn-out
02/19/02 dogmatic adj. Stating an opinion in an arrogant manner, or without proof
02/05/02 venerable adj. Worthy of respect or reverence because of age, dignity, etc.
01/22/02 preponderant adj. To be superior in amount, power, etc.
01/15/02 xenophobia n. Fear or hatred of strangers or foreigners
01/08/02 kinesics n. The study of body movements
12/18/01 serene adj. Calm & unruffled, repose or quietude
12/11/01 pontificate i.v. To speak or express opinions in a pompous or dogmatic way
12/04/01 assuage v. To relieve something unpleasant; to provide relief from something distressing or painful
11/27/01 unequivocal adj. Plain, clear, not ambiguous, (opposite of equivocal)
11/20/01 amenable adj. Obedient, agreeable, accountable
11/13/01 singularity n. 1. Something that is distinctive, unusual or remarkable; 2. a unique quality.
11/06/01 nefarious adj. Flagrant, wicked or impious, evil
10/23/01 serendipity n. The faculty of discovering desirable or valuable things accidentally or unexpectedly
10/16/01 propinquity n. Nearness in time or place or relationship; Kinship
10/09/01 permeate v. Pass through, spread
10/02/01 caveat n. a warning enjoining one from certain acts or practices; an explanation to prevent misinterpretation
09/25/01 resplendent adj. Brilliant, lustrous.
09/18/01 vituperate vt. To speak abusively to or about.
09/11/01 reciprocal adj. Given or felt by each toward the other; mutual; equivalent; counterpart; complement
09/04/01 debase vt. Cheapen, made lower in value, quality, character or dignity.
08/28/01 revamp vt. To revise, redo.
08/21/01 umbrage n. A feeling of resentment or offense.
08/14/01accretionn.Growth in size, esp. By addition or accumulation.
08/07/01colludevi.To have a secret share in a scheme; to conspire in a fraud.
07/24/01procrastinatevi., vtto put off doing (something) until later, delay.
07/17/01pedagoguen.A school teacher, educator, one who instructs in a pedantic or dogmatic manner.

07/10/01

perspicacious adj. Discerning; Having keen judgment.
07/03/01mavenn.An expert or connoisseur.
06/26/01debasevt.Cheapen, make lower in value, quality, dignity or character.
06/19/01Fogyn.A dull old fashion person.
06/12/01Hiatusn.An interruption in time or continuity. A gap in a sequence.
05/22/01Longueuradj.A dull and tedious passage or section (as of a book).
05/08/01Disputatiousadj.Inclined to dispute, fond of arguing, contentious.
05/01/01Expedientadj.Suitable for achieving a particular end in a given circumstance, characterized by concern with “what is opportunistic” esp. governed by self-interest.
04/24/01Nocuousadj.Harmful, poisonous, noxious.
04/17/01Intractableadj.Hard to manage, unruly, stubborn.
04/10/01Bucolicadj.Pastoral, relating to or typical of rural life.
04/03/01Intrepidadj.To be not afraid, bold, very brave, fearless, dauntless.
03/27/01Emulousadj.Ambitious, eager to emulate.
03/20/01Salubriousadj.Favorable to or promoting health or well being.
03/13/01Judiciousadj.Having, applying, or showing sound judgment; wise & careful.
03/06/01Elicit or Educevt.To extract, obtain, extort.
02/27/01Fatuousadj.Complacently stupid or inane; silly; foolish.