Words of the Week (2005) 05

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Weekly vocabulary for writers: Feb. 21, 2005.
946 words
3.82
67.3k
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Part 5 of the 16 part series

Updated 11/01/2022
Created 06/04/2004
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velvetpie
velvetpie
1,281 Followers

Whenever I read, I keep a pencil handy and I underline words that I don't know and dog ear the page so that I can go back and look them up in the dictionary. I have always been interested in etymology and even took Latin for three years. I hope that these words can help all of us in our writings. Be sure to check out your dictionary for additional usages of the words and spellings associated with changing the word from adjective to adverb to noun ... etc.

ASSIDUOUS
adjective

Pronounced: ah-SID-due-uss

Meaning: Constant, unremitting; Working diligently at a task; persevering, industrious.

* * * * *

BALEFUL
adjective

Pronounced: BAIL-full

Meaning: Menacing or malign; threatening evil.

* * * * *

CONTUMACIOUS
adjective

Pronounced: kon-too-MAY-shus

Meaning: Stubbornly perverse or rebellious; willfully disobedient.

* * * * *

DROSS
noun

Pronounced: DRAWSS

Meaning: Waste matter or refuse; A waste product taken off molten metal during smelting, essentially metallic in character.

* * * * *

EQUIPOISE
noun

Pronounced: EH-qwi-poiz

Meaning: An equal distribution of weight; even balance; equilibrium.

* * * * *

FERVID
adjective

Pronounced: FUR-vid

Meaning: Heated or vehement in spirit, enthusiasm, etc.; burning, glowing.

* * * * *

GARNER
verb

Pronounced: GARR-nur

Meaning: To gather or deposit in or as if in a granary or other storage place; to get, acquire or earn.

* * * * *

HARROW
verb

Pronounced: HARE-row

Meaning: To disturb painfully or keenly; to distress the mind or feelings of.

* * * * *

IMPASSIVE
adjective

Pronounced: em-PA-siv

Meaning: Showing or feeling no emotion; unmoved; not subject to suffering.

* * * * *

JABBERWOCKY
noun

Pronounced: JAH-bur-wock-kee

Meaning: Writing or speech with nonsensical words.

* * * * *

KANJI
noun

Pronounced: KAHN-jee

Meaning: A system of Japanese writing using Chinese-derived characters.

* * * * *

LOQUACIOUS
adjective

Pronounced: low-KWAY-shus

Meaning: Talking or tending to talk much freely; talkative; characteristic of excessive talk; wordy.

* * * * *

MOROSE
adjective

Pronounced: MORE-ohs

Meaning: Gloomily or sullently ill-humored, as a person or mood; characterized by or expressing gloom.

* * * * *

NOISOME
adjective

Pronounced: NOY-sum

Meaning: Offensive or disgusting, as in odor; harmful or injurious to health; noxious.

* * * * *

OSTENSIBLE
adjective

Pronounced: oss-TEN-sih-bull

Meaning: Outwardly appearing as such; professed; pretended.

* * * * *

PRECEPT
noun

Pronounced: PREE-sept

Meaning: A commandment or direction given as a rule of action or conduct; an injunction as to moral conduct; a maxim.

* * * * *

QUIESCENT
adjective

Pronounced: kwee-ESS-cent

Meaning: Being at rest; quiet;still; inactive or motionless.

* * * * *

REFRACTORY
adjective

Pronounced: ree-FRACK-tore-ree

Meaning: Hard or impossible to manage; stubbornly disobedient.

* * * * *

SQUALID
adjective

Pronounced: SKWA-lid

Meaning: Filthy or repulsive as from neglect; degraded; sordid.

* * * * *

TRUCULENT
adjective

Pronounced: TRUCK-cue-lunt

Meaning: Aggressively hostile; belligerent; brutally harsh; scathing or savagely brutal.

* * * * *

UNTOWARD
adjective

Pronounced: un-too-WARD

Meaning: Unfavorable or unfortunate; improper.

* * * * *

VERISIMILITUDE
noun

Pronounced: vair-ih-sim-MIL-lih-tood

Meaning: The appearance or semblance of truth; likelihood; probability.

* * * * *

WANE
noun

Pronounced: WAIN

Meaning: To decrease in strength and intensity, etc.; to decline in power, importance, etc.

* * * * *

XENOBIOTIC
noun

Pronounced: ZEN-o-buy-ot-tick

Meaning: A chemical or substance that is foreign to an organism or biological system.

* * * * *

YAMMER
noun

Pronounced: YAMM-mur

Meaning: To whine or complain; to talk loudly or persistently.

* * * * *

ZEN
noun

Pronounced: ZIN

Meaning: A movement of Buddhism, introduced into China in the 6th century and into Japan in the 12th century, that emphasizes enlightenment by means of meditation and direct, intuitive insights.

* * * * *

AVER
verb

Pronounced: ah-VURR

Meaning: To assert or affirm with confidence; declare in a positive or peremptory manner.

* * * * *

BLITHE
adjective

Pronounced: BLYTH

Meaning: Lighthearted in disposition; cheerful; carefree; heedless.

* * * * *

CREDULOUS
adjective

Pronounced: KRED-yoo-luss

Meaning: Willing to believe or trust to readily; gullible.

* * * * *

DEMUR
verb

Pronounced: dih-MURR

Meaning: To make objection, especially on the grounds of scruples; take exception; object.

* * * * *

EPITOME
noun

Pronounced: ee-PIT-toh-mee

Meaning: A person or thing that is typical of or possesses to a high degree the features of a whole class; embodiment.

* * * * *

FROWARD
adjective

Pronounced: FRO-word

Meaning: Willfully contrary; not easily managed.

* * * * *

GRIEVOUS
adjective

Pronounced: GREE-vuss

Meaning: Causing grief or great sorrow; causing serious harm; characterized by great pain or suffering.

* * * * *

HEDONISM
noun

Pronounced: HEE-dun-izm

Meaning: The doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the highest good; devotion to pleasure and self-gratification as a way of life.

* * * * *

INTRANSIGENT
adjective

Pronounced: in-TRAN-sih-gent

Meaning: Refusing to agree or compromise; uncompromising; inflexible.

* * * * *

JEREMIAD
noun

Pronounced: jair-ih-MY-add

Meaning: A prolonged lament; compliant.

* * * * *

KECK
verb

Pronounced: KECK

Meaning: To retch; to feel or show disgust or strong dislike.

* * * * *

LUBRICIOUS
adjective

Pronounced: loo-BRISH-uss

Meaning: Arousing or expressive of sexual desire; lustful; lecherous.

* * * * *

MENDACITY
noun

Pronounced: min-DAH-city

Meaning: The quality of being false or untrue; lie or falsehood.

* * * * *

NEXUS
noun

Pronounced: NECKS-uss

Meaning: A means of connection, tie or link; a connected series or group; the core or center, as of a matter or situation.

* * * * *

OBVIATE
verb

Pronounced: OBB-vee-ate

Meaning: To anticipate and prevent or render unnecessary by effective measures.

velvetpie
velvetpie
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Johnboy9Johnboy9about 4 years ago
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I really like what you're doing here on this site, but I think you need to check up on "Jeremiad..." you wrote compliant when I think you meant complaint.

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