Crushing Blow 1

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exonerate: verb [ trans. ] 1 (esp. of an official body) absolve (someone) from blame for a fault or wrongdoing, esp. after due consideration of the case : the court-martial ~ed me | they should ~ these men from this crime. See note at absolve . 2 ( ~ someone from) release someone from (a duty or obligation).
fawn: verb [ intrans. ] (of a person) give a servile display of exaggerated flattery or affection, typically in order to gain favor or advantage : congressmen ~ over the President. • (of an animal, esp. a dog) show slavish devotion, esp. by crawling and rubbing against someone.
uncouth: 1. Crude; unrefined. 2. Awkward or clumsy; ungraceful. 3. Archaic. Foreign; unfamiliar. [Middle English, unknown, strange, from Old English uncūth : un-, not; see un-1 + cūth, known.] adjective Lacking in delicacy or refinement: barbarian, barbaric, boorish, churlish, coarse, crass, crude, gross, ill-bred, indelicate, philistine, rough, rude, tasteless, uncivilized, uncultivated, uncultured, unpolished, unrefined, vulgar. See courtesy/discourtesy, smooth/rough.
tantrum: noun an uncontrolled outburst of anger and frustration, typically in a young child : he has temper ~s if he can't get his own way.
calumniate: To make maliciously or knowingly false statements about. See synonyms at malign.[] verb To make defamatory statements about: asperse, backbite, defame, malign, slander, slur, tear down, traduce, vilify. Law libel. Idioms: cast aspersions on. See attack/defend, crimes, law.
riotous: adjective marked by or involving public disorder : a riotous crowd. • characterized by wild and uncontrolled behavior : a riotous party. • having a vivid, varied appearance : a riotous display of bright red, green, and yellow vegetables. • hilariously funny : a riotous account of the making of the movie.
impasse: noun a situation in which no progress is possible, esp. because of disagreement; a deadlock : the current political ~.
barrage: noun a concentrated artillery bombardment over a wide area. • figurative a concentrated outpouring, as of questions or blows : she was not prepared for his ~ of questions | a barrage of 60-second television spots. verb [ trans. ] (usu. be ~ed) bombard (someone) with something : his doctor was ~ed with unsolicited advice.
felicitous: adjective well chosen or suited to the circumstances : a ~ phrase. • pleasing and fortunate : the view was the room's only ~ feature. []adjective Suitable for a particular person, condition, occasion, or place: appropriate, apt, becoming, befitting, correct, fit1, fitting, happy, meet2, proper, right, tailor-made. See right/wrong.
rind: n. A tough outer covering such as bark, the skin of some fruits, or the coating on cheese or bacon. [Middle English, from Old English.]
obtuseness: 1 annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand : he wondered if the doctor was being deliberately ~. See note at stupid . • difficult to understand : some of the lyrics are a bit ~. 2 (of an angle) more than 90° and less than 180°. • not sharp-pointed or sharp-edged; blunt.
disparage: verb [ trans. ] regard or represent as being of little worth : he never missed an opportunity to disparage his competitors | [as adj. ] ( disparaging) ~ing remarks.
acumen: noun the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions, typically in a particular domain : business ~.
hermetic: adj. 1. Completely sealed, especially against the escape or entry of air. 2. Impervious to outside interference or influence: the hermetic confines of an isolated life. 3. often Hermetic a. Mythology. Of or relating to Hermes Trismegistus or the works ascribed to him. b. Having to do with the occult sciences, especially alchemy; magical.
buccal: adjective technical of or relating to the mouth : the buccal cavity. • of or relating to the cheek : the buccal side of the molars.
comely: adjective (typically of a woman) pleasant to look at; attractive. • agreeable; suitable.
voluble: adjective speaking or spoken incessantly and fluently : she was as ~ as her husband was silent. See note at talkative .[]loquacious, garrulous, verbose, wordy, chatty, gossipy, effusive, gushing, forthcoming, conversational, communicative, expansive; articulate, fluent; informal mouthy, motormouthed, gabby, gassy, windy, talky. See note at talkative . antonym taciturn.
sluice: n. 1. a.An artificial channel for conducting water, with a valve or gate to regulate the flow: sluices connecting a reservoir with irrigated fields. b. A valve or gate used in such a channel; a floodgate: open sluices to flood a dry dock. Also called sluice gate. 2. A body of water impounded behind a floodgate. 3. A sluiceway. 4. A long inclined trough, as for carrying logs or separating gold ore. v., sluiced, sluic·ing, sluic·es. v.tr. 1. To flood or drench with or as if with a flow of released water. 2. To wash with water flowing in a sluice: sluicing sediment for gold. 3. To draw off or let out by a sluice: sluice floodwater. 4. To send (logs, for example) down a sluice. v.intr. To flow out from or as if from a sluice. [Middle English scluse, from Old French escluse, from Late Latin exclūsa, from Latin, feminine past participle of exclūdere, to shut out. See exclude.]
inchoate: adjective just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary : a still ~ democracy. • Law (of an offense, such as incitement or conspiracy) anticipating a further criminal act. []USAGE Because ~ means 'just begun and so not fully formed or developed,' a sense of 'disorder' may be implied. But to extend the usage of ~ to mean 'chaotic, confused, incoherent' (: he speaks in an inchoate manner) is incorrect, although not uncommon. Perhaps even more common are incorrect pronunciations of ~, such as, which assumes two syllables (rather than three) and a ch sound like that of chair or chosen (rather than a k sound like that of charisma or chorus).
profuse: adjective (esp. of something offered or discharged) exuberantly plentiful; abundant : I offered my ~ apologies. • archaic (of a person) lavish; extravagant : they are ~ in hospitality.[]adjective 1 profuse apologies copious, prolific, abundant, liberal, unstinting, fulsome, effusive, extravagant, lavish, gushing; informal over the top, gushy. 2 profuse blooms luxuriant, plentiful, copious, abundant, lush, rich, exuberant, riotous, teeming, rank, rampant; informal jungly. antonym meager, sparse.
brazen: PHRASES ~ it out we were shaking in our boots, but we brazened it out put on a bold front, stand one's ground, be defiant, be unrepentant, be unabashed. adjective 1 bold and without shame : he went about his illegal business with a ~ assurance | a ~ hussy! See note at bold . 2 chiefly poetic/literary made of brass. • harsh in sound : the music's ~ chords.
demur: verb raise doubts or objections or show reluctance : normally she would have accepted the challenge, but she ~ed. • dated Law put forward a demurrer. noun [usu. with negative ] the action or process of objecting to or hesitating over something : they accepted this ruling without ~. See note at qualm .[]verb Steve demurred when the suggestion was made object, take exception, take issue, protest, cavil, dissent; voice reservations, be unwilling, be reluctant, balk, think twice; drag one's heels, refuse; informal boggle, kick up a fuss. noun they accepted without demur objection, protest, protestation, complaint, dispute, dissent, opposition, resistance; reservation, hesitation, reluctance, disinclination; doubts, qualms, misgivings, second thoughts; a murmur, a word. See note at qualms .
condiment: noun a substance such as salt or ketchup that is used to add flavor to food.
curtsy: noun ( pl. -sies or -seys) a woman's or girl's formal greeting made by bending the knees with one foot in front of the other : she bobbed a ~ to him.
defile: sully, mar, or spoil : the land was defiled by a previous owner. See note at pollute . • desecrate or profane (something sacred) : the tomb had been ~ed and looted. • archaic violate the chastity of (a woman). a steep-sided, narrow gorge or passage (originally one requiring troops to march in single file). verb |dəˌfaɪl| |diˌfaɪl| [ intrans. ] archaic (of troops) march in single file : we emerged after ~ing through the mountainsides.[]verb 1 her capacity for love had been defiled spoil, sully, mar, impair, debase, degrade; poison, taint, tarnish; destroy, ruin. antonym purify. 2 the sacred bones were defiled desecrate, profane, violate; contaminate, pollute, debase, degrade, dishonor. See note at pollute . antonym sanctify. 3 archaic : she was defiled by a married man rape, violate; literary ravish; dated deflower
blatant: adjective (of bad behavior) done openly and unashamedly : blatant lies. • completely lacking in subtlety; very obvious : forcing herself to resist his blatant charm.adjective it was a blatant lie flagrant, glaring, obvious, undisguised, unconcealed, open; shameless, barefaced, naked, unabashed, unashamed, unblushing, brazen. antonym inconspicuous, shamefaced.
sterile: adjective 1 not able to produce children or young : the disease had made him sterile. • (of a plant) not able to produce fruit or seeds. • (of land or soil) too poor in quality to produce crops. • lacking in imagination, creativity, or excitement; uninspiring or unproductive : he found the fraternity's teachings sterile. 2 free from bacteria or other living microorganisms; totally clean : a sterile needle and syringes. See note at sanitary .
minstrel: noun a medieval singer or musician, esp. one who sang or recited lyric or heroic poetry to a musical accompaniment for the nobility. • a member of a band of entertainers with blackened faces who perform songs and music ostensibly of black American origin.
begrudging: tr.v., -grudged, -grudg·ing, -grudg·es. 1. To envy the possession or enjoyment of: She begrudged him his youth. See synonyms at envy. 2. To give or expend with reluctance: begrudged every penny spent.[] verb To feel envy towards or for: covet, envy, grudge. See desire.
anthology: a published collection of poems or other pieces of writing : an ~ of European poetry. • a similar collection of songs or musical compositions issued in one album.
deluge: noun a severe flood. • ( the ~ ~) the biblical Flood (recorded in Genesis 6-8). • a heavy fall of rain : a ~ ~ of rain hit the plains. • figurative a great quantity of something arriving at the same time : a ~ ~ of complaints. verb [ trans. ] (usu. be ~ ~d) inundate with a great quantity of something : he has been ~ ~d with offers of work. • flood : the country was ~ ~d with rain. []noun 1 homes were swept away by the deluge flood, torrent, spate. 2 the ~ turned the field into a swamp downpour, torrential rain; thunderstorm, thundershower, rainstorm, cloudburst. 3 a ~ of complaints barrage, volley; flood, torrent, avalanche, stream, spate, rush, outpouring, niagara. verb 1 homes were ~ed by the rains flood, inundate, submerge, swamp, drown. 2 we have been deluged with calls inundate, overwhelm, overrun, flood, swamp, snow under, engulf, bombard.
accredit: tr.v., -it·ed, -it·ing, -its. 1. To ascribe or attribute to; credit with. 2. a. To supply with credentials or authority; authorize. See synonyms at authorize. b. To appoint as an ambassador to a foreign government. 3. a. To attest to and approve as meeting a prescribed standard. See synonyms at approve. b. To recognize (an institution of learning) as maintaining those standards requisite for its graduates to gain admission to other reputable institutions of higher learning or to achieve credentials for professional practice. 4. To believe. [French accréditer : a-, to (from Latin ad-; see ad-) + crédit, credit (from Old French; see credit).]
lamina: n., pl. -nae (-nē') or -nas. 1. A thin plate, sheet, or layer. 2. Botany. 1. The expanded area of a leaf or petal; a blade. 2. The bladelike part of a kelp. 3. A thin layer of bone, membrane, or other tissue. 4. Zoology. A thin scalelike or platelike structure, as one of the thin layers of sensitive vascular tissue in the hoof of a horse. 5. Geology. A narrow bed of rock.
sophistry: n., pl. -tries. 1. Plausible but fallacious argumentation. 2. A plausible but misleading or fallacious argument.
thwart: verb [ trans. ] prevent (someone) from accomplishing something : he never did anything to ~ ~ his father | he was ~ ~ed in his desire to punish Uncle Fred. • oppose (a plan, attempt, or ambition) successfully : the government had been able to ~ ~ all attempts by opposition leaders to form new parties. noun a structural crosspiece sometimes forming a seat for a rower in a boat. preposition & adverb archaic or poetic/literary from one side to another side of; across : [as prep. ] a pink-tinged cloud spread ~ ~ the shore. ORIGIN Middle English thwerte, from the adjective thwert [perverse, obstinate, adverse,] from Old Norse thvert, neuter of thverr 'transverse,' from an Indo-European root shared by Latin torquere 'to twist.'; [] verb their plans to attack the embassy were ~ed foil, frustrate, stand in the way of, forestall, derail, dash; stop, check, block, stonewall, prevent, defeat, impede, hinder, obstruct; informal put a crimp in, put the kibosh on, scotch, scuttle, do for, stymie. antonym facilitate.
cleanly: adverb 1 in a way that produces no dirt, noxious gases, or other pollutants : the engine burns very ~. 2 without difficulty or impediment; smoothly and efficiently : he vaulted ~ through the open window. [ORIGIN: Old English clǣnlīce (see clean , -ly 2 ).]
insinuate: verb [ trans. ] 1 suggest or hint (something bad or reprehensible) in an indirect and unpleasant way : [with clause ] he was ~ing that she had slept her way to the top. 2 ( ~ oneself into) maneuver oneself into (a position of favor or office) by subtle manipulation : she seemed to be taking over, ~ing herself into the family. • [ trans. ] slide (oneself or a thing) slowly and smoothly into a position : the bugs ~ themselves between one's skin and clothes.
abomination: noun a thing that causes disgust or hatred : the Pharisees regarded Gentiles as an abomination to God | informal concrete ~s masquerading as hotels. • a feeling of hatred : their ~ of indulgence.
cringe: To support slavishly every opinion or suggestion of a superior: bootlick, cringe, grovel, kowtow, slaver, toady, truckle. Informal apple-polish, brownnose, cotton. Slang suck up. Idioms: curry favor, dance attendance, kiss someone's feet, lick someone's boots. See over/under.
aerosol: n. 1. A gaseous suspension of fine solid or liquid particles. 2. 1. A substance, such as paint, detergent, or insecticide, packaged under pressure with a gaseous propellant for release as a spray of fine particles. 2. An ~ bomb.
unstinting: adjective given or giving without restraint; unsparing : he was ~ in his praise.
insouciance: noun casual lack of concern; indifference : an impression of boyish ～.
equanimity: n. The quality of being calm and even-tempered; composure. [Latin aequanimitās, from aequanimus, even-tempered, impartial : aequus, even + animus, mind.]
integument: n. 1. A natural outer covering or coat, such as the skin of an animal or the membrane enclosing an organ. 2. Botany. The envelope of an ovule. [Latin integumentum, from integere, to cover : in-, on; see in-2 + tegere, to cover.]
reverence: deep respect for someone or something : rituals showed honor and ~ ~ for the dead. See note at honor . • archaic a gesture indicative of such respect; a bow or curtsy : the messenger made his ~ ~. • ( His/Your ~ ~) a title given to a member of the clergy, or used in addressing them. verb [ trans. ] regard or treat with deep respect : the many divine beings ~ ~d by Hindu tradition. ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French, from Latin reverentia, from revereri 'stand in awe of' (see revere ).
forthcoming: adjective 1 planned for or about to happen in the near future : the forthcoming baseball season. 2 [ predic. ] [often with negative ] (of something required) ready or made available when wanted or needed : financial support was not forthcoming. • (of a person) willing to divulge information : their daughter had never been ~ about her time in Europe.
sycophant: noun a person who acts obsequiously toward someone in order to gain advantage; a servile flatterer.
apportion: verb [ trans. ] divide and allocate : voting power will be apportioned according to contribution. • assign : they did not apportion blame or liability to any one individual.
extol: praise enthusiastically : he ~ed the virtues of the Russian peoples. See note at praise .
errant: adjective 1 [ attrib. ] erring or straying from the proper course or standards : he could never forgive his daughter's ~ ways. • Zoology (of a polychaete worm) of a predatory kind that moves about actively and is not confined to a tube or burrow. 2 [often postpositive ] archaic or poetic/literary traveling in search of adventure : that same lady errant. See also knight-~ .
predilection: a preference or special liking for something; a bias in favor of something : my ~ for Asian food. ORIGIN mid 18th cent.: from French prédilection, from Latin praedilect- 'preferred,' from the verb praediligere, from prae 'in advance' + diligere 'to select.'
genuflection: verb [ intrans. ] lower one's body briefly by bending one knee to the ground, typically in worship or as a sign of respect : she genuflected and crossed herself. • [with adverbial ] figurative show deference or servility : politicians had to genuflect to the far left to advance their careers.
grudge: tr.v., grudged, grudg·ing, grudg·es. 1. To be reluctant to give or admit: even grudged the tuition money. 2. To resent for having; begrudge: ~ed him his good ways with the children. n. A deep-seated feeling of resentment or rancor: bears a grudge about the accident. [Middle English gruggen, grucchen, to grumble, complain, from Old French grouchier.]
reticent: adjective not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily : she was extremely ~ about her personal affairs.
artery: n., pl. -ies. 1. Anatomy. Any of the muscular elastic tubes that form a branching system and that carry blood away from the heart to the cells, tissues, and organs of the body. 2. A major route of transportation into which local routes flow. See synonyms at way. [Middle English arterie, from Latin artēria, from Greek artēriā, windpipe, artery.]
resuscitate: verb [ trans. ] revive (someone) from unconsciousness or apparent death : an ambulance crew tried to ~ him. • figurative make (something such as an idea or enterprise) active or vigorous again : measures to ~ the ailing Japanese economy.
pusillanimous: adjective showing a lack of courage or determination; timid. [from pusillus 'very small' + animus 'mind,' + -ous .]
phosphorus: 磷
patriarchal: of or relating to a church parish : the ~ church council. • having a limited or narrow outlook or scope : this worldview seems incredibly naive and ~.
prate: verb [ intrans. ] talk foolishly or tediously about something.
waterlogged: adjective saturated with or full of water : the race was called off after parts of the course were found to be waterlogged. ORIGIN mid 18th cent.: past participle of the verb waterlog [make (a ship) unmanageable by flooding,] from water + the verb log 1 .
asinine: adjective extremely stupid or foolish : Lydia ignored his ~ remark. See note at stupid .
alga: noun (usu. in pl. -gae |ˌøldʒi| |ˌølgaɪ|) a simple nonflowering plant of a large group that includes the seaweeds and many single-celled forms. Algae contain chlorophyll but lack true stems, roots, leaves, and vascular tissue. • Divisions Chlorophyta ( green algae), Heterokontophyta ( brown algae), and Rhodophyta ( red algae); some (or all) are frequently placed in the kingdom Protista. See also blue-green algae .
torrent: a strong and fast-moving stream of water or other liquid : rain poured down in ~s | after the winter rains, the stream becomes a raging ~.
evict: tr.v., e·vict·ed, e·vict·ing, e·victs. 1. To put out (a tenant, for example) by legal process; expel. 2. To force out; eject. See synonyms at eject. 3. Law. To recover (property, for example) by a superior claim or legal process.[]verb To put out by force: bump, dismiss, eject, expel, oust, throw out. Informal chuck. Slang boot1 (out), bounce, kick out. Idioms: give someone the boot, give someone theheave-hoold heave-ho, send packing, show someone the door, throw out on one's ear. See keep/release.
expansive: adjective 1 covering a wide area in terms of space or scope; extensive or wide-ranging : deep, ~ canyons. 2 (of a person or their manner) open, demonstrative, and communicative : she felt ~ and inclined to talk. 3 tending toward economic or political expansion : ~ domestic economic policies.
quail: To shrink back in fear; cower.
hypoxia: deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching the tissues. • oxygen deficiency in a biotic environment leading to this : aquatic ~.
exculpate: [ trans. ] formal exculpate show or declare that (someone) is not guilty of wrongdoing : the article exculpated the mayor.[]verb To free from a charge or imputation of guilt: absolve, clear, exonerate, vindicate. Law acquit, purge. See law.
curt: adjective rudely brief : his reply was curt. See note at brusque .
crass: adj., crass·er, crass·est. So crude and unrefined as to be lacking in discrimination and sensibility.
quiescent: adjective in a state or period of inactivity or dormancy : strikes were headed by groups of workers who had previously been ~ | ~ ulcerative colitis. See note at latent .
brown-nose: a person who acts in a grossly obsequious way. verb [ trans. ] curry favor with (someone) by acting in such a way : academics were ~ing the senior faculty | [ intrans. ] I dedicated a book to him—I was not ~ing.
decant: verb [ trans. ] gradually pour (liquid, typically wine or a solution) from one container into another, esp. without disturbing the sediment : the wine was ~ed about 40 minutes before being served. • figurative empty out; move as if by pouring : she had learned to ~ her seizures of feeling into theatrical performances.
jocund: adjective formal cheerful and lighthearted : a ~ wedding party.
fulsome: adjective 1 complimentary or flattering to an excessive degree : they are almost embarrassingly ~ in their appreciation. 2 of large size or quantity; generous or abundant : a ~ harvest.
gushing: adjective Randall was embarrassed by the ~ praise effusive, enthusiastic, overenthusiastic, unrestrained, extravagant, lavish, fulsome, rhapsodic, lyrical; informal over the top. antonym restrained.
baffle: 1 totally bewilder or perplex : an unexplained occurrence that ~ed everyone | [as adj. ] ( baffling) the baffling murder of her sister. See note at thwart . 2 restrain or regulate (a fluid, a sound, etc.) : to baffle the noise further, I pad the gunwales.
balk: verb 1 I ~ ~ at paying that much be unwilling to (be), draw the line at, be reluctant to (be), hesitate over; eschew, resist, refuse to (be), take exception to; draw back from, flinch from, shrink from, recoil from, demur from, hate to (be). antonym accept. 2 they were ~ ~ed by traffic impede, obstruct, thwart, hinder, prevent, check, stop, curb, halt, bar, block, forestall, frustrate. See note at thwart . antonym assist.
ebullient: adjective 1 cheerful and full of energy : she sounded ~ and happy. 2 archaic or poetic/literary (of liquid or matter) boiling or agitated as if boiling : misted and ~ seas.
supererogatory: noun the performance of more work than duty requires. adjective 1. Being more than is needed, desired, or appropriate: de trop, excess, extra, spare, superfluous, supernumerary, surplus. See excess/insufficiency/enough. 2. Not required, necessary, or warranted by the circumstances of the case: gratuitous, supererogative, uncalled-for, wanton. See necessary/unnecessary.
lamina: n., pl. -nae (-nē') or -nas. 1. A thin plate, sheet, or layer. 2. Botany. 1. The expanded area of a leaf or petal; a blade. 2. The bladelike part of a kelp. 3. A thin layer of bone, membrane, or other tissue. 4. Zoology. A thin scalelike or platelike structure, as one of the thin layers of sensitive vascular tissue in the hoof of a horse. 5. Geology. A narrow bed of rock.
spate: noun 1 [usu. in sing. ] a large number of similar things or events appearing or occurring in quick succession : a ~ of attacks on travelers. 2 chiefly Brit. a sudden flood in a river, esp. one caused by heavy rains or melting snow. PHRASES in ( full) ~ (of a river) overflowing due to a sudden flood. • figurative (of a person or action) at the height of activity : work was in full ~.
stunt: verb [ trans. ] [often as adj. ] ( stunted) retard the growth or development of : trees damaged by acid rain had stunted branches. • frustrate and spoil : she was concerned at the stunted lives of those around her.
buttress: noun a projecting support of stone or brick built against a wall. • a projecting portion of a hill or mountain. • figurative a source of defense or support : there was a demand for a new stable order as a ~ against social collapse. verb [ trans. ] provide (a building or structure) with projecting supports built against its walls : [as adj. ] ( ~ed) a ~ed wall. • figurative increase the strength of or justification for; reinforce : authority was buttressed by religious belief.
truss: noun 1 a framework, typically consisting of rafters, posts, and struts, supporting a roof, bridge, or other structure ~ ~ 1 : roof ~ ~es. • a surgical appliance worn to support a hernia, typically a padded belt. • a large projection of stone or timber, typically one supporting a cornice. 2 Brit., chiefly historical a bundle of old hay (56 lb), new hay (60 lb), or straw (36 lb). 3 a compact cluster of flowers or fruit growing on one stalk. 4 Sailing a heavy metal ring securing a lower yard to its mast. verb [ trans. ] 1 tie up the wings and legs of (a chicken or other bird) before cooking. • tie up (someone) with their arms at their sides : I found him ~ ~ed up in his closet. 2 [usu. as adj. ] ( ~ ~ed) support (a roof, bridge, or other structure) with a ~ ~ or ~ ~es.

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