mawkish

Main Entry: mawk·ish
Pronunciation: 'mo-kish
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English mawke maggot, probably from Old Norse mathkr -- more at MAGGOT
1 : having an insipid often unpleasant taste
2 : sickly or puerilely sentimental
- mawk·ish·ly adverb
- mawk·ish·ness noun

adumbrate

Main Entry: ad·um·brate
Pronunciation: 'a-d&m-"brAt, a-'d&m-
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -brat·ed; -brat·ing
Etymology: Latin adumbratus, past participle of adumbrare, from ad- + umbra shadow -- more at UMBRAGE
1 : to foreshadow vaguely : INTIMATE
2 : to suggest, disclose, or outline partially
3 : OVERSHADOW, OBSCURE
- ad·um·bra·tion /"a-(")d&m-'brA-sh&n/ noun
- ad·um·bra·tive /a-'d&m-br&-tiv/ adjective
- ad·um·bra·tive·ly adverb

simulacrum

Main Entry: sim·u·la·crum
Pronunciation: "sim-y&-'la-kr&m, -'lA-
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural sim·u·la·cra /-kr& /; also -crums
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin, from simulare
1 : IMAGE, REPRESENTATION < a reasonable simulacrum of reality -- Martin Mayer >
2 : an insubstantial form or semblance of something : TRACE

alembic

Main Entry: alem·bic
Pronunciation: &-'lem-bik
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French alambic & Medieval Latin alembicum, from Arabic al-anbIq, from al the + anbIq still, from Late Greek ambik-, ambix alembic, from Greek, cap of a still
1 : an apparatus used in distillation
2 : something that refines or transmutes as if by distillation < philosophy...filtered through the alembic of Plato's mind -- B. T. Shropshire >

eructation

Main Entry: eruc·ta·tion
Pronunciation: i-"r&k-'tA-sh&n, "E-
Function: noun
: an act or instance of belching

incondite

Main Entry: in·con·dite
Pronunciation: in-'kän-d&t, -"dIt
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin inconditus, from in- + conditus, past participle of condere to put together, from com- + -dere to put -- more at DO
: badly put together : CRUDE

anent

Main Entry: anent
Pronunciation: &-'nent
Function: preposition
Etymology: Middle English onevent, anent, from Old English on efen alongside, from on + efen even
: ABOUT, CONCERNING

nacre

Main Entry: na·cre
Pronunciation: 'nA-k&r
Function: noun
Etymology: French, from Middle French, from Old Italian naccara drum, nacre, from Arabic naqqAra drum
: MOTHER-OF-PEARL

phocine

phocine |ˈfōsīn; ˈfōsin| adjective Zoology of, relating to, or affecting the true (earless) seals.

winsome

Main Entry: win·some
Pronunciation: 'win(t)-s&m
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English winsum, from Old English wynsum, from wynn joy; akin to Old High German wunna joy, Latin venus desire -- more at WIN
1 : generally pleasing and engaging often because of a childlike charm and innocence < a winsome smile >
2 : CHEERFUL, LIGHTHEARTED
- win·some·ly adverb
- win·some·ness noun

inveigle

Main Entry: in·vei·gle
Pronunciation: in-'vA-g&l sometimes -'vE-
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): in·vei·gled; in·vei·gling /-g(&-)li[ng]/
Etymology: Anglo-French enveegler, aveogler, avogler to blind, hoodwink, from avogle, enveugle blind, from Medieval Latin ab oculis, literally, lacking eyes
1 : to win over by wiles : ENTICE
2 : to acquire by ingenuity or flattery : WANGLE
synonym see LURE
- in·vei·gle·ment /-g&l-m&nt/ noun
- in·vei·gler /-g(&-)l&r/ noun

poltroon

Main Entry: 1pol·troon
Pronunciation: päl-'trün
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French poultron, from Old Italian poltrone, probably akin to poltro colt, ultimately from Latin pullus young of an animal -- more at FOAL
: a spiritless coward : CRAVEN

fey

Main Entry: fey
Pronunciation: 'fA
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English feye, from Old English f[AE]ge; akin to Old High German feigi doomed and perhaps to Old English fAh hostile, outlawed -- more at FOE
1 a chiefly Scottish : fated to die : DOOMED b : marked by a foreboding of death or calamity
2 a : able to see into the future : VISIONARY b : marked by an otherworldly air or attitude c : CRAZY, TOUCHED
3 a : excessively refined : PRECIOUS b : quaintly unconventional : CAMPY
- fey·ly adverb
- fey·ness noun

sibilant

Main Entry: 1sib·i·lant
Pronunciation: 'si-b&-l&nt
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin sibilant-, sibilans, present participle of sibilare to hiss, whistle, of imitative origin
: having, containing, or producing the sound of or a sound resembling that of the s or the sh in sash < a sibilant affricate > < a sibilant snake >
- sib·i·lant·ly adverb

ribald

Main Entry: 2ribald
Function: adjective
1 : CRUDE, OFFENSIVE
2 : characterized by or using coarse indecent humor
synonym see COARSE

opalescent

Main Entry: opal·es·cent
Pronunciation: "O-p&-'le-s&nt
Function: adjective
: reflecting an iridescent light
- opal·es·cence /-s&n(t)s/ noun
- opal·es·cent·ly /-s&nt-lE/ adverb

solipsism

Main Entry: so·lip·sism
Pronunciation: 'sO-l&p-"si-z&m, 'sä-
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin solus alone + ipse self
: a theory holding that the self can know nothing but its own modifications and that the self is the only existent thing; also : extreme egocentrism
- so·lip·sist /'sO-l&p-sist, 'sä-l&p-, s&-'lip-/ noun
- so·lip·sis·tic /"sO-l&p-'sis-tik, "sä-/ adjective
- so·lip·sis·ti·cal·ly /-ti-k(&-)lE/ adverb

redolent

Main Entry: red·o·lent
Pronunciation: -l&nt
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin redolent-, redolens, present participle of redolEre to emit a scent, from re-, red- + olEre to smell -- more at ODOR
1 : exuding fragrance : AROMATIC
2 a : full of a specified fragrance : SCENTED b : EVOCATIVE, SUGGESTIVE < a city redolent of antiquity >
synonym see ODOROUS
- red·o·lent·ly adverb

seraphim

the highest order of angels

expiate

Main Entry: ex·pi·ate
Pronunciation: 'ek-spE-"At
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): -at·ed; -at·ing
Etymology: Latin expiatus, past participle of expiare to atone for, from ex- + piare to atone for, appease, from pius faithful, pious
transitive verb
1 obsolete : to put an end to
2 a : to extinguish the guilt incurred by b : to make amends for
intransitive verb : to make expiation
- ex·pi·a·ble /'ek-spE-&-b&l/ adjective
- ex·pi·a·tor /-spE-"A-t&r/ noun

apotheosis

Main Entry: apo·the·o·sis
Pronunciation: &-"pä-thE-'O-s&s, "a-p&-'thE-&-s&s
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural apo·the·o·ses /-"sEz/
Etymology: Late Latin, from Greek apotheOsis, from apotheoun to deify, from apo- + theos god
1 : elevation to divine status : DEIFICATION
2 : the perfect example : QUINTESSENCE
- apo·the·o·size /"a-p&-'thE-&-"sIz, &-'pä-thE-&-/ transitive verb

febrile

Main Entry:
fe·brile Listen to the pronunciation of febrile
Pronunciation:
\ˈfe-ˌbrī(-ə)l also ˈfē-\
Function:
adjective
Etymology:
Medieval Latin febrilis, from Latin febris fever
Date:
1651

: marked or caused by fever : feverish

wan

Main Entry:
wan
Pronunciation:
\ˈwän\
Function:
adjective
Inflected Form(s):
wan·ner; wan·nest
Etymology:
Middle English, from Old English wann dark, livid
Date:
14th century

1 a: suggestive of poor health : sickly, pallid b: lacking vitality : feeble2: dim, faint3: languid < a wan smile >
— wan·ly adverb
— wan·ness Listen to the pronunciation of wanness \ˈwän-nəs\ noun

aetataureate

aetataureate

of or pertaining to a golden age; coined as a nonce-word by Michael Chabon, in the phrase: the usual hallmark of the aetataureate delusion

rubicund

Main Entry:
ru·bi·cund
Pronunciation:
\ˈrü-bi-(ˌ)kənd\
Function:
adjective
Etymology:
Middle English rubicunde, from Latin rubicundus, from rubēre to be red; akin to Latin rubeus
Date:
15th century

: ruddy
— ru·bi·cun·di·ty \ˌrü-bi-ˈkən-də-tē\ noun

... no amount of anxiety could have induced a pallor in that rubicund face.
M. Chabon

prescience

Main Entry:
pre·science
Pronunciation:
\ˈpre-sh(ē-)ən(t)s, ˈprē-, -s(ē-)ən(t)s\

Function:
noun

Etymology:
Middle English, from Late Latin praescientia, from Latin praescient-, praesciens, present participle of praescire to know beforehand, from prae- + scire to know — more at science
Date:
14th century

: foreknowledge of events: a: divine omniscience b: human anticipation of the course of events : foresight
— pre·scient \-sh(ē-)ənt, -s(ē-)ənt\ adjective
— pre·scient·ly adverb

nefarious

nefarious |niˈfe(ə)rēəs|

adjective (typically of an action or activity)

wicked or criminal :

the nefarious activities of the organized-crime syndicates.

DERIVATIVES nefariously adverb nefariousness noun

meretricious

Main Entry: mer·e·tri·cious
Pronunciation: "mer-&-'tri-sh&s
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin meretricius, from meretric-, meretrix prostitute, from merEre to earn -- more at MERIT
1 : of or relating to a prostitute : having the nature of prostitution
2 a : tawdrily and falsely attractive
b : superficially significant : PRETENTIOUS
synonym see GAUDY
- mer·e·tri·cious·ly adverb
- mer·e·tri·cious·ness noun

contumacious

Main Entry: con·tu·ma·cious

Pronunciation: "kän-tü-'mA-sh&s, -tyü-', -ch&-'

Function: adjective

: stubbornly disobedient : REBELLIOUS
- con·tu·ma·cious·ly adverb

captious

Main Entry: cap·tious

Pronunciation: 'kap-sh&s

Function: adjective

Etymology: Middle English capcious, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French captieux, from Latin captiosus, from captio deception, verbal quibble, from capere to take -- more at HEAVE

1 : marked by an often ill-natured inclination to stress faults and raise objections

2 : calculated to confuse, entrap, or entangle in argument < a captious question>

synonym see CRITICAL
- cap·tious·ly adverb
- cap·tious·ness noun

officious

Main Entry: of·fi·cious

Pronunciation: &-'fi-sh&s

Function: adjective

Etymology: Latin officiosus, from officium service, office

1 archaic a : KIND, OBLIGING b : DUTIFUL

2 : volunteering one's services where they are neither asked nor needed : MEDDLESOME

3 : INFORMAL, UNOFFICIAL

synonym see IMPERTINENT
- of·fi·cious·ly adverb
- of·fi·cious·ness noun

petulant

Main Entry: pet·u·lant

Pronunciation: -l&nt

Function: adjective

Etymology: Latin or Middle French; Middle French, from Latin petulant-, petulans; akin to Latin petere to go to, attack, seek -- more at FEATHER

1 : insolent or rude in speech or behavior

2 : characterized by temporary or capricious ill humor : PEEVISH
- pet·u·lant·ly adverb

winsome

Main Entry: win·some

Pronunciation: 'win(t)-s&m

Function: adjective

Etymology: Middle English winsum, from Old English wynsum, from wynn joy; akin to Old High German wunna joy, Latin venus desire -- more at WIN

1 : generally pleasing and engaging often because of a childlike charm and innocence < a winsome smile>

2 : CHEERFUL, LIGHTHEARTED
- win·some·ly adverb
- win·some·ness noun

propitiate

Main Entry: pro·pi·ti·ate

Pronunciation: prO-'pi-shE-"At

Function: transitive verb

Inflected Form(s): -at·ed; -at·ing

Etymology: Latin propitiatus, past participle of propitiare, from propitius propitious
: to gain or regain the favor or goodwill of : APPEASE, CONCILIATE

synonym see PACIFY
- pro·pi·ti·a·tor /-"A-t&r/ noun

peremptory

Main Entry: pe·remp·to·ry

Pronunciation: p&-'rem(p)-t(&-)rE

Function: adjective

Etymology: Middle English peremptorie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin peremptorius, from Latin, destructive, from perimere to take entirely, destroy, from per- thoroughly + emere to take -- more at REDEEM

1 a : putting an end to or precluding a right of action, debate, or delay; specifically : not providing an opportunity to show cause why one should not comply < a peremptory mandamus > b : admitting of no contradiction

2 : expressive of urgency or command < a peremptory call >

3 a : characterized by often imperious or arrogant self-assurance b : indicative of a peremptory attitude or nature : HAUGHTY < a peremptory tone >
synonym see MASTERFUL

- pe·remp·to·ri·ly /-'rem(p)-t(&-)r&-lE; -"rem(p)-'tor-&-lE/ adverb
- pe·remp·to·ri·ness /-'rem(p)-t(&-)rE-n&s/ noun

hoary

Main Entry: hoary

Pronunciation: 'hor-E

Function: adjective

Inflected Form(s): hoar·i·er; -est
1 : gray or white with or as if with age
2 : extremely old : ANCIENT
- hoar·i·ness noun

solicitude

Main Entry: so·lic·i·tude

Pronunciation: s&-'li-s&-"tüd, -"tyüd

Function: noun

1 a : the state of being concerned and anxious b : attentive care and protectiveness; also : an attitude of earnest concern or attention

2 : a cause of care or concern -- usually used in plural

iniquity

Main Entry: in·iq·ui·ty

Pronunciation: -kw&-tE

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural -ties

Etymology: Middle English iniquite, from Anglo-French iniquité, from Latin iniquitat-, iniquitas, from iniquus uneven, from in- + aequus equal

1 : gross injustice : WICKEDNESS

2 : a wicked act or thing : SIN

brackish

Main Entry: brack·ish

Pronunciation: 'bra-kish

Function: adjective

Etymology: Dutch brac salty; akin to Middle Low German brac salty

1 : somewhat salty

2 a : not appealing to the taste b : REPULSIVE

- brack·ish·ness noun

"Briny, brackish, no use to man or cow." Rushdie, The Firebird's Nest

genuflect

Main Entry: gen·u·flect

Pronunciation: 'jen-y&-"flekt

Function: intransitive verb

Etymology: Late Latin genuflectere, from Latin genu knee + flectere to bend -- more at KNEE

1 a : to bend the knee b : to touch the knee to the floor or ground especially in worship

2 : to be servilely obedient or respectful

- gen·u·flec·tion /"jen-y&-'flek-sh&n/ noun

"When they see Mr Maharaj they make gestures of respect, they genuflect, they bow."
Salmon Rushdie, The Firebird's Nest

sere

Main Entry: sere

Variant(s): also sear /'sir/

Function: adjective

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sEar dry; akin to Old High German sOrEn to wither, Greek hauos dry, Lithuanian sausas

1 : being dried and withered

2 archaic : THREADBARE

"It is a hot place, flat and sere". Salmon Rushdie, The Firebird's Nest

viz.

Main Entry: viz
Function: abbreviation
videlicet

adverb

that is to say, namely

bugger all (Australian slang)

bugger all

noun

almost nothing

"There's bugger all on that street." - Jim Grundy

pike (Australian slang)

pike

verb

to stand up

"I'm going to pike on our workout" - Jim Grundy

metaphor

Dictionary

metaphor |ˈmetəˌfôr; -fər|

noun

a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable : “I had fallen through a trapdoor of depression,” said Mark, who was fond of theatrical metaphors | her poetry depends on suggestion and metaphor. • a thing regarded as representative or symbolic of something else, esp. something abstract : the amounts of money being lost by the company were enough to make it a metaphor for an industry that was teetering. DERIVATIVES metaphoric |ˌmetəˈfôrik| adjective metaphorical |ˌmetəˈfôrikəl| adjective metaphorically |ˌmetəˈfôrik(ə)lē| adverb ORIGIN late 15th cent.: from French métaphore, via Latin from Greek metaphora, from metapherein ‘to transfer.’

Thesaurus

metaphor noun the profusion of metaphors in her everyday speech has gotten pretty tiresome figure of speech, image, trope, analogy, comparison, symbol, word painting/picture.

plaintive

Dictionary

plaintive |ˈplāntiv|

adjective

sounding sad and mournful : a plaintive cry. DERIVATIVES plaintively adverb plaintiveness noun ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French plaintif, -ive, from plainte ‘lamentation’ (see plaint ).

Thesaurus

plaintive adjective a plaintive cry mournful, sad, wistful, doleful, pathetic, pitiful, piteous, melancholy, sorrowful, unhappy, wretched, woeful, forlorn, woebegone; literary dolorous.

plangent

Dictionary

plangent |ˈplanjənt|

adjective

chiefly poetic/literary (of a sound) loud, reverberating, and often melancholy. DERIVATIVES plangency noun plangently adverb ORIGIN early 19th cent.: from Latin plangent- ‘lamenting,’ from the verb plangere.

Thesaurus

plangent adjective literary a plangent moan from somewhere not too distant melancholy, mournful, plaintive; sonorous, resonant, loud.

Procrustean

Dictionary

Procrustean |prəˈkrəstēən; prō-|

adjective

(esp. of a framework or system) enforcing uniformity or conformity without regard to natural variation or individuality : a fixed Procrustean rule. ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from the name Procrustes + -an .

Procrustes

sanguine

Dictionary

sanguine |ˈsa ng gwin|

adjective

1 cheerfully optimistic : they are not sanguine about the prospect. • (in medieval science and medicine) of or having the constitution associated with the predominance of blood among the bodily humors, supposedly marked by a ruddy complexion and an optimistic disposition. • archaic (of the complexion) florid; ruddy. • archaic bloody or bloodthirsty.

2 poetic/literary & Heraldry blood-red. noun a blood-red color. • a deep red-brown crayon or pencil containing iron oxide. • Heraldry a blood-red stain used in blazoning. DERIVATIVES sanguinely adverb sanguineness noun ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French sanguin(e) ‘blood-red,’ from Latin sanguineus ‘of blood,’ from sanguis, sanguin- ‘blood.’

Thesaurus

sanguine adjective

1 he is sanguine about the advance of technology optimistic, bullish, hopeful, buoyant, positive, confident, cheerful, cheery; informal upbeat. antonym gloomy.

2 archaic : a sanguine complexion. See florid sense 1 .

serendipity

Dictionary

serendipity |ˌserənˈdipitē|

noun

the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way : a fortunate stroke of serendipity | a series of small serendipities.

DERIVATIVES serendipitous |-ˈdipitəs| adjective serendipitously adverb ORIGIN 1754:

coined by Horace Walpole, suggested by The Three Princes of Serendip, the title of a fairy tale in which the heroes “were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of.”

melancholy

Dictionary

melancholy |ˈmelənˌkälē|

noun

a deep, pensive, and long-lasting sadness. • another term for melancholia (as a mental condition). • historical another term for black bile . adjective sad, gloomy, or depressed : she felt a little melancholy | the dog has a melancholy expression. See note at glum . • causing or expressing sadness; depressing : the study makes melancholy if instructive reading.

DERIVATIVES melancholic |ˌmelənˈkälik| adjective melancholically |ˌmelənˈkälək(ə)lē| adverb ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French melancolie, via late Latin from Greek melankholia, from melas, melan- ‘black’ + kholē ‘bile,’ an excess of which was formerly believed to cause depression.

Thesaurus

melancholy adjective a melancholy expression sad, sorrowful, unhappy, desolate, mournful, lugubrious, gloomy, despondent, dejected, depressed, downhearted, downcast, disconsolate, glum, miserable, wretched, dismal, morose, woeful, woebegone, doleful, joyless, heavy-hearted; informal down in the dumps, down in/at the mouth, blue; literary atrabilious. See note at glum . antonym cheerful. noun a feeling of melancholy sadness, sorrow, unhappiness, woe, desolation, melancholia, dejection, depression, despondency, cafard, gloom, gloominess, misery; informal the dumps, the blues.

inveterate

Dictionary

inveterate |inˈvetərit|

adjective [ attrib. ]

having a particular habit, activity, or interest that is long-established and unlikely to change : he was an inveterate gambler. • (of a feeling or habit) long-established and unlikely to change. DERIVATIVES inveteracy |-rəsē| noun inveterately adverb ORIGIN late Middle English (referring to disease, in the sense [of long standing, chronic] ): from Latin inveteratus ‘made old,’ past participle of inveterare (based on vetus, veter- ‘old’ ).

Thesaurus

inveterate

adjective

1 an inveterate gambler confirmed, hardened, incorrigible, addicted, habitual, compulsive, obsessive; informal pathological, chronic.

2 an inveterate liberal staunch, steadfast, committed, devoted, dedicated, dyed-in-the-wool, out and out, diehard, hard-core. 3 inveterate corruption ingrained, deep-seated, deep-rooted, entrenched, congenital, ineradicable, incurable.

deleterious

Main Entry: del·e·te·ri·ous

Pronunciation: "de-l&-'tir-E-&s

Function: adjective

Etymology: Greek dElEtErios, from dEleisthai to hurt
: harmful often in a subtle or unexpected way
synonym see PERNICIOUS

cull

Dictionary

cull |kəl|

verb [ trans. ]

(usu. be culled) select from a large quantity; obtain from a variety of sources : anecdotes culled from Greek and Roman history. • reduce the population of (a wild animal) by selective slaughter : he sees culling deer as a necessity | [as n. ] ( culling) kangaroo culling. • send (an inferior or surplus animal on a farm) to be slaughtered. • poetic/literary pick (flowers or fruit) : [as adj. ] ( culled) fresh culled daffodils. noun a selective slaughter of wild animals. • [usu. as adj. ] an inferior or surplus livestock animal selected for killing : a cull cow. DERIVATIVES culler noun ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French coillier, based on Latin colligere (see collect 1 ).

Thesaurus

cull

verb

1 anecdotes culled from Greek history select, choose, pick, take, obtain, glean.

2 he sees culling deer as a necessity kill, slaughter, destroy, harvest.

cudgel

Dictionary

cudgel |ˈkəjəl|

noun

a short thick stick used as a weapon.

verb ( cudgeled , cudgeling ; Brit. cudgelled, cudgelling) [ trans. ]

beat with a cudgel. PHRASES cudgel one's brain (or brains) think hard about a problem. take up the cudgels start to defend or support someone or something strongly : there was no one else to take up the cudgels on their behalf. ORIGIN Old English cycgel, of unknown origin.

Thesaurus

cudgel noun a thick wooden cudgel club, bludgeon, stick, truncheon, baton, mace, blackjack, billy club, nightstick, shillelagh. verb the victim was cudgeled to death bludgeon, club, beat, batter, bash.

crepuscular

Dictionary

crepuscular |krəˈpəskyələr|

adjective

of, resembling, or relating to twilight. • Zoology (of an animal) appearing or active in twilight. ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from Latin crepusculum ‘twilight’ + -ar 1 .

callow

Dictionary

callow |ˈkalō|

adjective (esp. of a young person)

inexperienced and immature : earnest and callow undergraduates. See notes at gullible, rude, youthful . DERIVATIVES callowly adverb callowness noun ORIGIN Old English calu ‘bald’ ; probably from Latin calvus ‘bald.’ This was extended to mean ‘unfledged,’ which led to the present sense ‘immature.’

Thesaurus

callow adjective she toyed with the emotions of Laughton when he was a callow and insecure young man immature, inexperienced, juvenile, adolescent, naive, green, raw, untried, unworldly, unsophisticated; informal wet behind the ears. See notes at gullible, rude, youthful . antonym mature.

anathema

Dictionary

anathema |əˈnaθəmə|

noun

1 something or someone that one vehemently dislikes : racial hatred was anathema to her.

2 a formal curse by a pope or a council of the Church, excommunicating a person or denouncing a doctrine. • poetic/literary a strong curse : the sergeant clutched the ruined communicator, muttering anathemas. ORIGIN early 16th cent.: from ecclesiastical Latin, ‘excommunicated person, excommunication,’ from Greek anathema ‘thing dedicated,’ (later) ‘thing devoted to evil, accursed thing,’ from anatithenai ‘to set up.’

Thesaurus

anathema

noun

a nation viewed as a sponsor of terrorism, which is anathema in the West an abomination, an outrage, an abhorrence, a disgrace, an evil, a bane, a bugbear, a bête noire; adjectives abhorrent, hateful, repugnant, odious, repellent, offensive.

anomie

Dictionary

anomie |ˈanəˌmē| (also anomy)

noun

lack of the usual social or ethical standards in an individual or group : the theory that high-rise architecture leads to anomie in the residents. DERIVATIVES anomic |əˈnämik; əˈnō-| adjective ORIGIN 1930s: from French, from Greek anomia, from anomos ‘lawless.’

vatic

Dictionary

vatic |ˈvatik|

adjective poetic/literary

describing or predicting what will happen in the future : vatic utterances. ORIGIN early 17th cent.: from Latin vates ‘prophet’ + -ic .

tendentious

Dictionary

tendentious |tenˈden sh əs|

adjective

expressing or intending to promote a particular cause or point of view, esp. a controversial one : a tendentious reading of history.

DERIVATIVES tendentiously adverb tendentiousness noun ORIGIN early 20th cent.: suggested by German tendenziös.

palaver

Dictionary
palaver |pəˈlavər; -ˈläv-|

noun

prolonged and idle discussion : an hour of aimless palaver. • dated a parley or improvised conference between two sides. verb [ intrans. ] talk unnecessarily at length : it's too hot for palavering. ORIGIN mid 18th cent.(in the sense [a talk between tribespeople and traders] ): from Portuguese palavra ‘word,’ from Latin parabola ‘comparison’ (see parable ).

Thesaurus

palaver

informal noun

holy cow, what a palaver we caused in the girls' dormitory! fuss, commotion, trouble, rigmarole, folderol; informal song and dance, performance, to-do, carrying-on, hoo-ha, hullabaloo, ballyhoo.

nimbus

Dictionary

nimbus |ˈnimbəs|

noun ( pl. -bi |-ˌbī|or -buses )

1 a luminous cloud or a halo surrounding a supernatural being or a saint. • a light, aura, color, etc., that surrounds someone or something.

2 a large gray rain cloud : [as adj. ] nimbus clouds. ORIGIN early 17th cent.: from Latin, literally ‘cloud, aureole.’

ferrule

Dictionary

ferrule |ˈferəl| noun a ring or cap, typically a metal one, that strengthens the end of a handle, stick, or tube and prevents it from splitting or wearing. • a metal band strengthening or forming a joint. ORIGIN early 17th cent.: alteration (probably by association with Latin ferrum ‘iron’ ) of obsolete verrel, from Old French virelle, from Latin viriola, diminutive of viriae ‘bracelets.’

feckless

feckless |ˈfekləs|

adjective (of a person)

lacking in efficiency or vitality : a feckless mama's boy. • unthinking and irresponsible : the feckless exploitation of the world's natural resources.

DERIVATIVES fecklessly adverb fecklessness noun ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from Scots and northern English dialect feck (from effeck, variant of effect ) + -less .

Thesaurus

feckless

adjective the feckless bum hasn't gotten off our sofa for ten days useless, worthless, incompetent, inept, good-for-nothing, ne'er-do-well; lazy, idle, slothful, indolent, irresponsible, shiftless; informal no-good, no-account.

uxorious

ux·o·ri·ous

–adjective

doting upon, foolishly fond of, or affectionately submissive toward one's wife.

[Origin: 1590–1600; < L ūxōrius, equiv. to ūxor wife + -ius -ious]

—Related forms
ux·o·ri·ous·ly, adverb
ux·o·ri·ous·ness, noun

American Pastoral : Phillip Roth : p 412

... the forlorn reason for a straight arrow so assertively
uxorious, so intensely and spotlessly monogamous...