Tooth and Nail
Terms
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- accost
- to approach and speak to, often in an aggressive manner.
- abject
- miserable, wretched
- abstemious
- eating and drinking sparingly or in moderation, temperate.
- acquiesce
- to give in or agree without protest or complaint but also without interest or excitement.
- abstruse
- very hard to understand,
- acquisition
-
1. something acquired or owned.
2. the act of acquiring or owning things. - acquisitive
- eager to acquire or own things.
- acute
- sharp, intense
- acrid
- harsh, burning, or biting to the taste or smell.
- adage
- an old saying, a maxim, or proverb.
- adamant
- stubborn, unyielding, inflexible.
- adept
- very skillful, expert.
- adjunct
- something separate and less important that is added to a main thing.
- admonish
- to warn, caution, scold, or criticize gently, esp. aginst doing something wrong or bad.
- admonition
- a mild criticism or reprimand, a gentle warning.
- adroit
- skillful or clever at doing a difficult thing.
- adversary
- a person one fights against, enemy, opponent.
- advocate
- a person who speaks or writes in support of another person or of a cause or issue; defender, champion.
- aesthetic
- of or pert. to beauty, showing appreciation of or sensitivity to beauty in art or nature, tasteful, artistic.
- abate
- to reduce or become less in value, amount ,or intensity.
- affable
- easy to talk to, pleasant, kindly, courteous, gracious
- affinity
- a natural attraction, close relationship, or intense liking.
- affront
- intentional offense or insult
- alacrity
- eager willingness and promptness, speed, quickness.
- alchemical
- pert. to an early form of chemistry primarily concerned with changing common metals into gold and concocting a potion that would ensure eternal youth; hence, possessing a seemingly magical power to change something or someone's form or appearance.
- alienate
- to make unfriendly or hostile, lose the support of.
- altercation
- an angry, loud dispute
- altruistic
- unselfishly concerned with or interested in the welfare of others.
- amalgam
- a mixture or combination.
- ambivalent
- simultaneously having opposite or conflicting feelings, such as love and hate, toward a person or thing.
- amenable
- willing to yield or cooperate, responsive to advice or authority, agreeable.
- amiable
- friendly, good-natured, agreeable
- animosity
- hatred, bitterness, extreme dislike
- antediluvian
- before the biblical flood.
- anthology
- a collection of selected writings.
- antiquated
- old-fashioned, outmoded, out-of-date
- apathetic
- lacking interest or concern, unresponsive.
- apocryphal
- probably not true, genuine, or authentic; spec., of questionable authorship.
- appalling
- causing dismay or amazement, frightful
- appraise
- to officially decide the worth or price of, evaluate, estimate, judge
- apprehend
-
1. to become aware of through the senses; to understand, grasp mentally
2. to arrest (a suspected criminal). - apprehension
-
1. fear or worry of what may happen, dread.
2. the ability to understand a mental grasp. - apprehensive
- fearful, anxious about something in the future.
- apprise
- to inform, notify
- apt
-
1. having a natural tendency, likely.
2. to the point, suitable. - arbitrary
- based only on one's own will or feelings, not based on reason or law.
- arcane
- understood or known only by a few, mysterious.
- archaic
- of an earlier period, of a time long past, old-fashioned, no longer in ordinary use.
- artisan
- a worker trained or skilled in some trade, craftsperson.
- ascertain
- to find out, make certain of.
- ascetic
- holding back from pleasures or comforts, self-denying.
- assailant
- an attacker
- assent
- agreement, acceptance, consent.
- assert
- to state confidently or declare firmly.
- assess
- to determine the value, importance, or extent of; to evaluate, estimate, weigh.
- asset
- a valuable thing, quality, or resource.
- assiduous
- showing careful, constant attention.
- assuage
-
1. to make less severe or intense, mitigate, pacify.
2. to satisfy. - attest
- to state that something is true, correct, or genuine, give evidence of, confirm.
- auspicious
- showing signs of future success, indicating a happy or fortunate outcome, favorable.
- austere
-
1. stern or severe in appearance, grim.
2. severely simple, without luxury. - authenticate
- to establish the truth of or show to be genuine.
- authenticity
- the condition or quality of being genuine or true.
- authoritative
- commanding, giving orders, showing authority.
- avaricious
- greedy for wealth or possessions, miserly.
- banter
- good-humored, playful teasing, or joking conversation.
- barbarity
- cruelty, brutality, savagery.
- beguiling
- charming, amusing, delightful.
- belittle
- to make something or someone seem small or unimportant.
- belligerent
- ready and eager to fight, quarrel, or make war.
- beneficence
- the doing of good; generosity or kindness.
- beneficiary
- a person who receives a benefit, spec. an inheritance, bequest or legacy.
- benevolence
- an inclination to do good; kindliness
- benighted
- in a state of mental or moral ignorance.
- benign
- kind, good-natured, arising from or indicative of goodness or happiness, not malevolent or malicious.
- bequest
- money or property given or left to someone by means of a will.
- bestial
- having the qualities of a beast, cruel, brutish.
- bibliophile
- a lover of books, a book collector.
- blithe
- carefree, showing no concern, thoughtless.
- bombastic
- using or pert. to speech or writing that sounds grand or impressive but has little meaning or substance.
- bondage
- slavery, servitude, subjection, serfdom.
- boor
- a crude, insensitive person.
- breadth
- width, the measure of something from side to side.
- burgeoning
- growing or developing quickly.
- callous
- unfeeling, insensitive, hardhearted.
- candid
- open and direct, frank, straightforward.
- cantankerous
- quick to dispute or quarrel, argumentative.
- capacious
- able to contain a large quantity, roomy, large.
- capitulate
- to yield, surrender, esp. under specifically negotiated terms.
- capricious
- unpredictable, changing suddenly for no apparent reason, inconstant.
- castigate
- to criticize harshly or severely, berate
- categorical
- absolute, without any question or condition.
- celerity
- speed, quickness.
- charade
- an elaborate and obvious show or illusion.
- charlatan
- a fake, phony, quack, or fraud, esp. one who pretends to have great knowledge or skill.
- chasten
- to discipline or punish in order to correct or improve.
- chastise
- to criticize or scold harshly.
- chimerical
- imaginary, unrealistic, wildly improbable
- chronicler
- a person who records events in order of time.
- circumlocution
- a roundabout or wordy way of expressing an idea.
- circumspect
- cautious, careful, considering all conditions before acting.
- circumvent
- to go around, bypass, get around by clever maneuvering.
- clamor
- a loud and continuous noise, strong and noisy protest or outcry, hubbub, uproar.
- collaboration
- a working with another or others, as on a literary or scientific project.
- colloquium
- a meeting for discussion, esp. an academic seminar to exchange views on a particular subject.
- collusion
- a secret agreement or cooperation between persons for an illegal or wrongful purpose.
- collosal
- very great in size, gigantic, enormous.
- commonplace
- ordinary, dull, unremarkable
- communal
- of or relating to a community; public.
- concede
- to acknowledge as being true, reasonable, or proper.
- concoct
- to make up, invent, cook up.
- concomitant
- existing with something else, accompanying.
- concordance
- an alphabetical index of the important words in a written work (or works of an author) indicating the passages in which they occur.
- concur
- to agree.
- condescension
- a proud, snobbish attitude toward anyone considered inferior.
- confidant
- a person to whom one entrusts personal matters or secrets.
- conflagration
- a great, destructive fire.
- conjecture
- an opinion or conclusion based on insufficient evidence, a guess.
- conscientious
-
1. guided by conscience
2. showing thought and care. - conspiracy
- a secret plot to commit an evil or illegal act.
- constraint
- a restriction or limitation.
- contemplative
- thoughtful, devoted to meditation.
- contemporary
- a person living at the same time as another.
- contemptuous
- full of contempt, thinking or treating as inferior or worthless.
- contention
- a claim that someone supports and argues for.
- conviction
- a strong belief or opinion.
- convivial
-
1. festive
2. fond of good company, esp. when eating and drinking, sociable - corroborate
- to support with more evidence, make more certain or believable, provide further proof.
- coup
- a brilliant move or action, clever maneuver.
- coveted
- possessing so much value as to inspire greed or envy
- covetous
- having a strong desire for something that belongs to someone else.
- credence
- belief or confidence in the truth of something.
- cryptic
- mysterious, baffling, having a hidden meaning.
- cupidity
- greed
- cursory
- done quickly with little attention to detail
- cynical
- expressing disbelief in or distrust of others out of a sense that everyone's motives and actions are selfish.
- dearth
- scarcity, scant supply, lack.
- debase
- to make lower in value, quality, character, or dignity.
- debilitate
- to make weak, enfeeble.
- decadent
- in a state of decline (as in art, literature, morals, etc.), self-indulgent or self-gratifying
- decorum
- formal, proper, or suitable behavior, dress, speech, etc.; conduct suitable to a situation.
- deflate
- to reduce the confidence or lessen the importance of
- deft
- skillful in a quick, smooth way.
- deluge
- a great flood or downpour.
- denigrate
- to defame, damage the reputation of
- deplorable
-
1. very bad or unfortunate, regrettable
2. deserving strong disappoval or condemnation. - depraved
- wicked, immoral, evil
- derision
- scornful or sneering laughter, taunting, mockery
- desultory
- moving or passing from one thing to another, not proceeding in an orderly or organized way, aimless, disconnected.
- deteriorate
- to grow worse, fall into disrepair, become lower in quality or value.
- deviant
- not normal, standard, acceptable; abnormal.
- devil's advocate
- a person who upholds an unpopular case or defends a questionable position for the sake of argument or out of sheer perversity.
- devious
- not honest and straightforward, sly, shifty, tricky
- diagnosis
- a careful examination of the facts or nature of something as a decision based on such an examination esp. one by a physician.
- diction
- manner of expression, choice and arrangement of words.
- didactic
- designed to instruct or guide behavior
- diligence
- steady and careful attention, esp. to work or duties.
- din
- a continuous, loud, annoying noise; uproar.
- dire
- causing great fear or distress, disastrous, terrible
- disaffected
- discontented, rebellious.
- discern
- to detect with the eyes or other senses, recognize mentally.
- discerning
- having or showing sharp perception and judgment, rapidly noticing small differences or fine distinctions
- disclose
- uncover, expose to view, reveal
- disconcerting
- upsetting, frustrating, or embarassing.
- discordant
- disagreeing, conflicting, clashing, not in harmony.
- discourse
- to talk, carry on a conversation
- discreet
- cautious in one's speech or actions, tactful
- discretion
- the exercise of caution or good judgment.
- disdain
- scorn, a feeling or show of dislike or disregard for something or someone considered inferior
- disgruntled
- dissatisfied, resentful, discontented.
- disorient
- to disturb someone's sense of time, place, or identity.
- disparage
- to speak of, treat, or regard as inferior or unimportant.
- dispense
-
1. to deal out in portions, distribute, administer.
2. to get rid of, do away with, do without. - disposition
- arrangement, makeup, composition.
- disseminate
- to scatter widely, spread abroad.
- dissertation
- a lengthy, formal piece of writing, spec. a thesis prepared for a doctoral degree.
- dissonant
- harsh and disagreeable in sound, jarring to the ear.
- divergent
- branching off, departing from a set course or opinion, deviating.
- divulge
- to make known, reveal (usu. something private or secret)
- dogged
- refusing to give up despite difficulties.
- dogmatic
- stating opinions in an overbearing manner, opinionated, dictatorial.
- dotard
- a feeble old person
- dour
- gloomy, severe, stern
- drastic
- extreme, severe, harsh, having a strong effect.
- droll
- amusingly strange, humorously odd.
- dupe
- someone easily fooled, tricked, or cheated.
- duplicity
- dishonesty, double-dealing, acting contrary to one's real feelings and beliefs in order to fool or cheat.
- dwindle
- to decrease steadily, shrink, diminish.
- ebullient
- overflowing with high spirits, enthusiasm, or excitement
- eclectic
- selecting, or consisting of selections, from a variety of sources, esp. the best of those sources; varied.
- eclipse
- to darken, diminish the brightness or importance of, overshadow, surpass, outshine.
- edification
- moral, spiritual, or intellectual improvement or instruction
- edifying
- morally, spiritually, or intellectually instructive.
- egalitarian
- promoting equal treatment for people, esp. as to social, political, and economic rights.
- egregious
- very bad or offensive in an obvious way, flagrant.
- elated
- full of joy or happiness, blissful
- elicit
- to bring out, draw forth.
- elitism
- a preference for rule or leadership by the elite class.
- eloquent
- expressed in a strong, clear, graceful, and persuasive way; moving, forceful.
- elucidate
- to make clear, explain
- elude
- to escape, avoid
- elusive
-
1. hard to get hold of or capture.
2. hard to define, describe, understand, or remember. - embellish
- to make beautiful by adding decoration
- eminence
- great distinction, superiority, or importance.
- empathy
- an identification with and ability to share another person's feelings or situation.
- emphatic
- expressed or done with emphasis, forceful.
- emulate
- to try to do as well as or better than, esp. by imitating; compete with, rival.
- enamored
- filled with love or desire, charmed
- enervated
- weakened, drained of stength or energy
- enigma
- a riddle, mystery, puzzle; a person, situation, statement, or text that causes confusion, doubt, or bewilderment
- ensconced
- settled securely or snuggly.
- ensue
- to follow as a consequence or result, occur next.
- entail
- to require as a necessary consequence, necessitate.
- entity
- something that exists and can be recognized as a particular and distinct unit.
- enumerate
- to list one after the other, count off, name individually
- epic
- pert. to or having the qualities of a long poem, novel, or play usu. written in a dignified or elevated style, celebrating heroes and heroic deeds.
- equanimity
- the quality or state of being calm, composed, and even-tempered
- equivocate
- to intentionally mislead or confuse by using language that can be understood in two or more ways.
- erratic
-
1. not regular or consistent (as in quality or progress).
2. odd or peculiar. - erudite
- having or exhibiting deep and extensive learning
- esoteric
- intended for or understood only by a select group.
- estimable
- deserving esteem
- evanescent
- vanishing, short-lived, fleeting
- evasive
- meaning to evade, not forthright; indirect, intentionally vague or misleading
- evocative
- having the power to call forth certain ideas or memories.
- exasperate
- to irritate extremly, to try the patience of.
- exlusive
- admitting only certain people as friends or members
- exegesis
- detailed explanation or analysis, esp. of a text.
- exemplary
- worthy to serve as a model
- exert
- to put forth or bring to bear
- exonerate
- to declare blameless, find innocent
- exorbitant
- far beyond what is usual or proper; excessive
- expedient
- a means to an end
- exploit
- a daring deed, heroic feat.
- expound
- to explain by giving detail
- exquisite
- of extreme beauty and excellence
- extant
- still existing
- exultant
- filled with great joy, expressing triumph
- exultation
- great rejoicing and jubilation, the state of being exultant
- facade
- an artificial or deceptive appearance
- faculty
- a power or capability of the mind or body, either natural or acquired.
- far-fetched
- not likely to be true or to happen
- fatuous
- silly or stupid in a complacent way.
- feisty
- full of spirit or nerve
- felicitous
- well suited or appropriate
- fervid
- glowing with feeling, fiery
- fetid
- having an offensive smell (as of decay), stinking.
- fiasco
- a total and ignominious failure.
- fickle
- not loyal or constant (as in affections), given to casual change.