Vocabulary 4

Widdershins (withershins) (adverb)

Pronunciation: ['wid-êr-shinz]

Definition: Moving in a direction opposite the usual; moving counterclockwise or in the contrary direction (of the sun, especially).

Usage: Today's word is basically an adverb but may be used as an adjective without the final [s]. As a predicate adjective, however, the [s] is usually left on. D. H. Lawrence wrote in 'Plumed Serpent' (1926) "She made up her mind, to be alone, and to cut herself off from all the mechanical widdershin contacts. He, too, was widdershins, unwinding the sensations of disintegration and anti-life."

Suggested Usage: Today's word is another wonderword from the land of kilts and bagpipes that we should all fight to keep alive: "Gerard does everything widdershins; he will either turn out a grandiose success or an abrupt failure." Niches for this word abound in everyday conversations: "Remember, the prophets agree that you get nowhere walking widdershins up the escalator."

Etymology: Middle Low German weddersinnes based on wider "back," whence German wider "against" and wieder "again." The English adverb wither "wrong, perverse" is rarely used any more. The "shins" is from earlier "sinnes" and is related to Latin sentire "sense, feel" since both go back to an original root *sent- "go in or choose a direction." We borrowed "sense" from the noun of this verb. The same root also turns up in English send "to cause someone to go in a direction."

-===-

Vocabulary 3

Stogy (noun)

Pronunciation: ['sto-gee]

Definition: (1) A cheap cigar; (2) Far less often used to refer to rough, cheap workshoes.

Usage: A less desirable spelling is "stogie," an erroneous back derivation from the plural, "stogies." That is, it was derived by removing the plural "-s" marker but without replacing the "ie" with "y," as in "puppy: puppies," "lily : lilies," "pony : ponies."

Suggested Usage: This is a slang term, best used in jest: "No, he doesn't get the stogies he smokes at the cigar shop; I think he rolls them himself." "My neighbor from Cuba hasn't been home lately, so we'll have to smoke these stogies I got at the newsstand."

Etymology: A clipping from around 1853 of "Conestoga," the name of a town in Pennsylvania where one of the first cigar-making factories in the U. S. was built. Cigars made in Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New York were popular during the Civil War era, with those from the Pennsylvania factory being particularly well known.

==== === == =

word Group 12

fulsome disgustingly excessive

grovel crawl or creep on ground; remain prostrate

incense enrage; infuriate

indomitable unyielding ; that cannot be subdued or conquered / unconquerable

ingratiate bring oneself into favor, especially in order to gain an advantage ; flatter; become popular with

inveigle coax, cajole

lackey footman; toady

obsequious too eager to obey or advantage ; showing excessive respect from hope of reward or advantage; slavishly attentive; servile; sycophantic (Remember, Obsequies means funeral ceremony)

parasite animal or plant living on or in another and getting its food from it ; person supported by another and giving him nothing in return / animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant

sequacious eager to follow; ductile

servile of or like a slave ; lacking in the spirit of independence ; obsequious; slavish; cringing

spaniel a submissive, fawning, or cringing person

subjection

subservient useful as a means to a purpose ; giving ot much respect to / behaving like a slave; servile; obsequious

succumb give way to ; yield to temptation, flattery, etc. ; die; yield; give in; die

sycophant a servile flatterer, especially of those in authority or influence

sycophantic servilely flattering

toady flatter for favors

truckle curry favor; act in an obsequious way

word Group 11

xenophobe hatred of strangers

affray public brawl (remember, defray means pay )

altercation quarrel or noisy argument; wordy quarrel

bicker quarrel; to quarrel vi. 1 to have a petty quarrel; squabble 2 to move with quick, rippling noises [a bickering brook] 3 to flicker, twinkle, etc. n. 1 a petty quarrel 2 a rippling or pattering sound

bout n. 1 [Dial.] a going and coming back again, as across a field in plowing; turn 2 a struggle; contest or match [a championship bout] 3 a period of time taken up by some activity, illness, etc.; spell [a bout of the flu, a bout of shopping]

feud a bitter, long-continued, and deadly quarrel, esp. between clans or families vi. to carry on a feud; quarrel n. land held from a feudal lord in return for service; fief

fracas brawl; melee

fray brawl

spat n.[Rare] a slap/a quick, slapping sound/[Colloq.] a brief, petty quarrel or dispute vi.1[Rare] to slap/to strike with a quick, slapping sound/[Colloq.] to engage in a spat, or quarrel vt.[Rare] to slap SYN. quarrel

squabble vi. to quarrel noisily over a small matter; wrangle n.a noisy, petty quarrel or dispute; wrangle SYN. quarrel2

vendetta feud; private warfare

wrangle such an argument / take part in a noisy or angry argument / quarrel; obtain through arguing; herd cattle

adulation flattery: admiration

blandishment flattery

cajole coax; wheedle

cringe shrink back, as if in fear

encomiastic praising; eulogistic

fawning courting favor by cringing and flattering

word Group 10

conscientious scrupulous; careful; honest

discreet judicious

discretion carefulness ; prudence ; freedom of judgment, choice, or action / ability to adjust actions to circumstances

gingerly very carefully

judicious showing or having good sense; wise; determined by sound judgment

meticulous excessively careful

precise exact

prim very precise and formal; exceedingly proper

prudent acting only after careful thought or planning ; careful; cautious; careful

punctilious laying stress on niceties of conduct or form; precise

sagacious keen; shrewd; having insight

scrupulous conscientious; extremely thorough

scrutinize examine closely and critically

unobtrusive not too obvious or easily noticeable ; discreet / inconspicuous; not blatant

vigilance watchfulness, keeping watch

wary cautious; very cautious

misanthrope hater of mankind ; person who avoids society / one who hates mankind

misogamy hatred of marriage

misogynist hater of women

misologist a hater of knowledge and enlightenment

Negrophobe a person who strongly fears or dislikes black people

word Group 9

snivel run at the nose; snuffle; whine

affray public brawl

bedlam St. Mary of Bethlehem(madhouse); [Archaic] any insane asylum ;any place or condition of noise and confusion

blatant loudly offensive

boisterous violent; rough; noisy

brouhaha n 1: loud confused noise from many sources [syn: hubbub, uproar] 2: a confused disturbance far greater than its cause merits

clangor loud, resounding noise

din continued loud noise

ferment agitation; commotion

fluster confuse

fulminate thunder; explode

raucous harsh and shrill

sedition tumult; resistance to authority; insubordination

seethe be disturbed; boil

stentorian extremely loud

strident loud and harsh

tumult commotion; riot; noise

turbulence state of violent agitation

turbulent violent ; disorderly ; uncontrolled

vociferous noisy, yelling; clamorous

assiduous working steadily, diligent ; eagerly attentive

chary cautiously watchful

circumspect cautious ; well-considered; prudent; cautious

word Group 8

resigned unresisting; patiently submissive

supple flexible; pliant

artless without guile; open and honest

artlessness n. The quality of being artless, or void of art or guile; simplicity; sincerity the quality of innocent naiveté [syn: innocence, ingenuousness, naturalness] 2: ingenuousness by virtue of being free from artful deceit [ant: artfulness]

cherubic angelic; innocent-looking

guileless without deceit

ingénue (Onjenoo) an artless girl; an actress who plays such parts

ingenuous frank ; open ; innocent ; natural; naive; young; unsophisticated

naiveté quality of being unsophisticated

unfeigned genuine; real

disconsolate unhappy at the loss of something ; withouut comfort or hope ; sad ; gloomy

dolorous sorrowful

elegiac like an elegy; mournful

funereal sad; solemn

grievous creating affliction

lachrymose producing tears

lugubrious mournful

maudlin effusively sentimental

mawkish sickening; insipid

plangent plaintive; resounding sadly

rheumy pertaining to a discharge from nose and eyes

rueful regretful; sorrowful; dejected

word Group 7

transient guest who is not a permanent resident in a hotel, boarding-house, etc. / lasting for a short time only ; ephemeral; fleeting; quickly passing away; staying for a short time

transitoriness impermanence

waive give up temporarily; yield

acquiescence submission; compliance

acquiescent accepting passively

amenable readily managed; willing to be led

complaisant disposed to please ; polite ; complaint / trying to please; obliging

compliance readiness to yield; conformity in fulfilling requirements

compliant ready or disposed to comply / yielding

conformity harmony; agreement

deference the act of obeying the judgment or opinion of another ; great respect; courteous regard for another's wish

docile easily trained or controlled; obedient; easily managed

insubordinate disobedient ; rebellious

lithe flexible; supple

malleable capable of being shaped by pounding

obeisance deep bow of respect or homage ; homage ; obedience, submission

pliable easily bent, shaped, or twisted ; easily influenced ; open to suggestion

recalcitrant obstinately stubborn

resigned unresisting; patiently submissive

supple flexible; pliant

artless without guile; open and honest

word Group 6

secular worldly; not pertaining to church matters; temporal

sojourn temporary stay

temporal not lasting forever; limited by time; secular

tentative provisional; experimental

transient guest who is not a permanent resident in a hotel, boarding-house, etc. / lasting for a short time only ; ephemeral; fleeting; quickly passing away; staying for a short time

transitoriness impermanence

waive give up temporarily; yield

acquiescence submission; compliance

acquiescent accepting passively

amenable readily managed; willing to be led

complaisant disposed to please ; polite ; complaint / trying to please; obliging

compliance readiness to yield; conformity in fulfilling requirements

compliant ready or disposed to comply / yielding

conformity harmony; agreement

deference the act of obeying the judgment or opinion of another ; great respect; courteous regard for another's wish

docile easily trained or controlled; obedient; easily managed

insubordinate disobedient ; rebellious

lithe flexible; supple

malleable capable of being shaped by pounding

obeisance deep bow of respect or homage ; homage ; obedience, submission

pliable easily bent, shaped, or twisted ; easily influenced ; open to suggestion

recalcitrant obstinately stubborn

word Group 5

adjunct something added to another thing, but not essential ; a person connected with another as a helper or subordinate associate / added or connected in a secondary or subordinate way ; temporarily employed; something attached to but holding an inferior position

bivouac temporary encampment

bout a going and coming back again, as across a field in plowing; turn 2 a struggle; contest or match [a championship bout] 3 a period of time taken up by some activity, illness, etc.; spell [a bout of the flu, a bout of shopping]

brink the edge of a high place

capricious fickle; incalculable

cursory quick ; hurried ; done without attention to details; casual; hastily done

ephemeral living for a very short time ; transitory; short-lived; fleeting

evanescent tending to fade from sight ; soon going from the memory ; ephemeral; fleeting; vanishing

flit fly; dart lightly; pass swiftly by

improvise make verse, music, etc. without preparation or plan ; provide something roughly for an immediate need; compose on the spur of the moment

meteoric swift; momentarily brilliant

mirage an image of a distant object, often upside down, seen as if it were near especially in the desert ; any illusion or hope that cannot be realized / unreal reflection; optical illusion

palliation act of making less severe or violent

perquisite any gain above stipulated salary

provisional tentative

reprieve postponement or remission of punishment, especially by death ; delay or respite / postpone or delay punishment ; give relief for a short time from danger, trouble, etc. / temporary stay