Verbal Advantage 6
Terms
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- VACUOUS
- [VAK-yoo-us] Empty, vacant, devoid of substance, intelligence; expression or meaning
- SUPERCILIOUS
- [SOO-pu-SIL-ee-us] Haughty, proud, scornful, contemptuous, disdainful
- ODIOUS (OH-dee-us)
- Hateful, detestable, offensive, revolting, arousing strong dislike or aversion. Synonyms: disgusting, obnoxious, objectionable, disagreeable, contemptible, repellent, repugnant, loathsome, abominable, abhorrent, heinous, opprobrious, flagitious, execrable. Etymology and related word: Latin odiosus, hateful, from odium, hatred, the direct source of the English noun odium, hatred (usually hatred experienced or incurred rather than felt).
- COMPLICITY
- [Kum-PLIS-i-tee] Conspiracy, partnership in wrongdoing, criminal participation, direct association in guilt, the state of being an accomplice
- PROCLIVITY (pro-KLIV-i-tee)
- An inclination, liking, leaning; a strong natural bent or tendency, often toward something disagreeable, objectionable, or wicked. Synonyms: partiality, penchant (Level 3, Word 9), predisposition, predilection (Level 8, Word 42), propensity.
- COMMENSURATE
- Proportionate, corresponding in amount, measure, or degree; also, equal, of the same size or extent
- CIRCUITOUS (sur-KYOO-i-tus)
- Roundabout, indirect, not straightforward, following a roundabout and often extended course. Synonyms: devious, meandering, sinuous, tortuous, serpentine, labyrinthine (like a labyrinth or maze).
- INCESSANT (in-SES-int)
- Constant, uninterrupted, continuous, unceasing. Etymology: Incessant combines the privative prefix in-, not, and the Latin cessare, to stop, cease. Synonyms: interminable, relentless, unremitting, continuous. Antonyms: occasional, irregular, intermittent, incidental, sporadic, fitful, erratic. N.B. This discussion distinguishes the words continuous and continual, which are often confused and misused. Continual means happening again and again at short intervals: continual reminders, continual attempts, continual laughter, the continual ringing of the telephone. Continuous means uninterrupted or unbroken: continuous noise, continuous rain, a continuous effort, the continuous rotation of the earth. This discussion also distinguishes continuous and incessant, which are close synonyms.
- VINDICATE (VIN-di-kayt)
- To clear from blame, free from suspicion of wrongdoing or dishonor; uphold or maintain the truth or innocence of something or someone in the face of criticism or imputations of guilt. Corresponding noun: vindication. N.B. This discussion distinguishes the verbs vindicate, exonerate, and acquit, which mean to free from blame.
- PUERILE
- [PYOOR-ul or PYOO-ur-ul] Childish, immature, hence, foolish, silly
- MNEMONIC
- [ni-MAHN-ik] Helping or pertaining to the memory, assisting or improving ability to recall
- PLETHORA (PLETH-uh-ruh)
- An excess, surplus, overabundance, oversupply. Synonyms: superabundance, profusion, superfluity, surfeit (Level 8, Word 49). Antonyms: scarcity, insufficiency, dearth (Level 3, Word 12), paucity (Level 10, Word 2).
- SONOROUS
- [suh-NOR-us] Resonant; deep; full and rich in sound; having or capable of producing a powerful, impressive sound
- SYCOPHANT (SIK-uh-fint)
- A flatterer, parasite, toady, fawning follower, hanger-on. N.B. This discussion explores the curious (and still uncertain) history of the word toady and sycophant. Corresponding adjective: sycophantic (SIK-uh-FAN-tik).
- TANGENTIAL (tan-JEN-shul)
- Not closely related, only slightly connected, digressive, divergent. Related word: tangent, (geometry) a line that touches a curve but does not intersect it; the phrase to go off on a tangent means to make an abrupt change of course (usually in speech), diverge, digress.
- EDIFY
- [ED-i-fy] To instruct, improve, teach, enlighten; especially, to instruct or improve intellectually, morally, spiritually
- BUCOLIC (byoo-KAHL-ik)
- ural, rustic, of or pertaining to country life. Synonyms: pastoral, provincial, agrarian, idyllic, Arcadian. Antonyms: urban, municipal, civic, metropolitan, cosmopolitan. Etymology: Latin and Greek words meaning a herdsman, shepherd, ultimately from the Greek bous, an ox.
- TRANSMUTE
- [tranz-MYOOT] to transform; specifically, to change from one nature, form or substance into another, escpecially to a higher, better or more refined one
- LEGERDEMAIN
- [LEJ-ur-duh-MAYN] Sleight of hand, a cleverly executed trick or deception.
- DISSEMBLE
- [di-SEM-buul] To disguise; conceal under a false appearance; speak or behave hypocritically, mask under a pretense or deceptive manner
- IMPALPABLE (im-PAL-puh-buul)
- Incapable of being felt or understood, not able to be perceived either by the sense of touch or by the mind. Synonyms: untouchable, imperceptible, intangible. Antonyms: palpable, perceptible, manifest, tangible. Etymology: Palpable and impalpable come from the Latin palpare, to touch or stroke gently. Related words: palpate, (medicine) to examine or explore by touch; palpation, the act of examining by touch
- OSTRACIZE (AHS-truh-syz)
- To banish, send into exile, expel from a place; to bar, exclude, or reject from a group or from acceptance by society. Corresponding noun: ostracism, banishment. Etymology and related word: Greek ostrakon, a potsherd, piece of broken pottery.
- ABSTRUSE
- [ab-STROOS] Difficult to understand, hard to grasp mentally, deep, profound, incomprehensive, unfathomable.
- CAPACIOUS
- [kuh-PAY-shus] Roomy, spacious, ample, able to contain or hold a great deal.
- Laodicean
- an indifferent or complacent person; (adjective) indifferent or lukewarm, especially in matters of religion.
- TENABLE (TEN-uh-buul)
- Defensible, reasonable; able to be defended, maintained, or upheld (as, a tenable law, a tenable reason). Etymology: Latin tenere, to hold, grasp. Related words: tenaculum, a pointed, hooked instrument used in surgery for lifting and holding parts, such as blood vessels; tenacious, holding firmly (a tenacious grip, a tenacious memory). Antonym: untenable, indefensible