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adjective
| admnt |
noun archaic
a legendary rock or mineral to which many, often contradictory, properties
were attributed, formerly associated with diamond or lodestone.
DERIVATIVES
adamance
noun .
ORIGIN
Old English (as a noun), from Old French adamaunt-, via Latin from Greek
adamas, adamant,untamable, invincible (later used to denote the hardest
metal or stone, hence diamond), from a- not + daman to tame. The phrase
to be adamant dates from the 1930s, although adjectival use had been
implied in such collocations as an adamant heart since the 16th cent.
adept
adjective | dept |
very skilled or proficient at something: he is adept at cutting through red
tape | an adept negotiator.
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
mid 17th cent.: from Latin adeptus achieved, past participle of adipisci
obtain, attain.
aloof
| lo of |
adjective
not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant: they were courteous but
faintly aloof | an aloof and somewhat austere figure.
conspicuously uninvolved and uninterested, typically through distaste: he
stayed aloof from the bickering.
DERIVATIVES
aloofly
adverb .
ORIGIN
mid 16th cent.: from A-2 (expressing direction) + LUFF. The term was
originally an adverb in nautical use, meaning away and to windward!, i.e.,
with the ship's head kept close to the wind away from a lee shore, etc.,
toward which it might otherwise drift. From this arose the sense at a
distance literally or figuratively.
arbitrary
adjective
| rbtrer |
ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the sense dependent on one's will or pleasure,
discretionary): from Latin arbitrarius, from arbiter judge, supreme ruler,
perhaps influenced by French arbitraire .
arduous
adjective
| rjo os |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
blatant
adjective
| bltnt |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
candor
| kandr |
(Brit. candour)
noun
ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the Latin sense): from Latin candor whiteness. The
current sense dates from the mid 18th cent.; the development of the senses
paralleled that of CANDID.
cantankerous
adjective
| kantaNGk()rs |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
capricious
adjective
| kpriSHs kprSHs |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
early 17th cent.: from French capricieux, from Italian (see CAPRICCIOSO) .
commodious
adjective
| kmds |
archaic convenient.
DERIVATIVES
commodiously
commodiousness
adverb .
noun
ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the sense beneficial, useful): from French
commodieux or medieval Latin commodiosus, based on Latin commodus
convenient.
concur
verb
1
| knkr |
be of the same opinion; agree: the authors concurred with the majority |
they concurred in the creation of the disciplinary procedures | That's
right, the chairman concurred.
(concur with) agree with (a decision, opinion, or finding): we strongly
concur with this recommendation.
ORIGIN
late Middle English (also in the senses collide and act in combination):
from Latin concurrere run together, assemble in crowds, from contogether with + currere to run.
congenial
adjective
| knjnl |
DERIVATIVES
adverb
creed
noun
| krd |
ORIGIN
digress
| dres |
verb [ no obj. ]
DERIVATIVES
digresser
noun .
ORIGIN
early 16th cent.: from Latin digress- stepped away, from the verb digredi,
from di- aside + gradi to walk.
flippant
adjective
| flipnt |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
early 17th cent.: from FLIP1 + -ANT, perhaps on the pattern of heraldic terms
such as couchant and rampant. Early senses included nimble and
talkative, hence playful, giving rise to the current use lacking
seriousness.
genesis
| jenss |
noun [ in sing. ]
the origin or mode of formation of something: this tale had its genesis in
fireside stories.
ORIGIN
inviolable
adjective
| invlbl |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
late Middle English: from French, or from Latin inviolabilis, from in- not +
violabilis able to be violated (from the verb violare).
jargon 1
noun
| jrn |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
jargon 2
noun
| jrn |
(also jargoon
| jro on | )
ORIGIN
mid 18th cent.: from French, from Italian giargone; probably ultimately related
to ZIRCON.
lacerate
| lasrt |
tear or make deep cuts in (flesh or skin): the point had lacerated his neck |
(as adj. lacerated) : his badly lacerated hands and knees.
criticize forcefully or severely: her true venom seems reserved for the
media itself as she lacerates our obsession with celebrity | (as adj.
lacerating) : a lacerating critique of the war.
ORIGIN
late Middle English: from Latin lacerat- mangled, from the verb lacerare,
from lacer mangled, torn.
legacy
noun
| les |
(pl. legacies)
adjective Computing
denoting software or hardware that has been superseded but is difficult to
replace because of its wide use.
ORIGIN
manifold
adjective
| manfld |
noun
1
DERIVATIVES
manifoldly
manifoldness
adverb .
noun
ORIGIN
Old English manigfeald; current noun senses date from the mid 19th cent.
monotonous
adjective
| mntns |
dull, tedious, and repetitious; lacking in variety and interest: the statistics
that he quotes with monotonous regularity.
(of a sound or utterance) lacking in variation in tone or pitch: soon we
heard a low, monotonous wailing of many voices.
DERIVATIVES
morose
adjective
| mrs |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
mid 16th cent.: from Latin morosus peevish, from mos, mor- manner.
negligible
adjective
| neljb()l |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
obligatory
adjective
| blitr |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
late Middle English: from late Latin obligatorius, from Latin obligat- obliged,
from the verb obligare (see OBLIGE) .
obstinate
adjective
| bstnt |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
omnipotent
adjective
| mnipd()nt |
DERIVATIVES
omnipotently
adverb
ORIGIN
Middle English (as a divine attribute): via Old French from Latin omnipotentall-powerful.
ostensible
| stensb()l stensb()l |
adjective [ attrib. ]
stated or appearing to be true, but not necessarily so: the delay may have
a deeper cause than the ostensible reason.
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
mid 18th cent.: from French, from medieval Latin ostensibilis from Latin
ostens- stretched out to view, from the verb ostendere, from ob- in view
of + tendere to stretch.
paraphrase
verb [ with obj. ]
| perfrz |
noun
a rewording of something written or spoken by someone else.
DERIVATIVES
paraphrasable adjective .
paraphrastic | perfrastik | adjective
ORIGIN
mid 16th cent. (as a noun): via Latin from Greek paraphrasis, from
paraphrazein, from para- (expressing modification) + phrazein tell.
peevish
adjective
| pviSH |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the sense foolish, insane, spiteful): of unknown
origin.
personable
adjective
| prs()nb()l |
DERIVATIVES
personableness
noun .
pliant
adjective
| plnt |
DERIVATIVES
adverb
ORIGIN
Middle English: from Old French, literally bending, present participle of plier
.
pragmatic
adjective
| pramadik |
ORIGIN
late 16th cent. (in the senses busy, interfering, conceited): via Latin from
Greek pragmatikos relating to fact, from pragma deed (from the stem of
prattein do). The current sense dates from the mid 19th cent.
precocious
adjective
| prkSHs |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
mid 17th cent.: from Latin praecox, praecoc- (from praecoquere ripen fully,
from prae before + coquere to cook) + -IOUS.
proximity
noun
| prksimd |
ORIGIN
late 15th cent.: from French proximit, from Latin proximitas, from proximus
nearest.
prudent
adjective
| pro odnt |
acting with or showing care and thought for the future: no prudent money
manager would authorize a loan without first knowing its purpose.
ORIGIN
late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin prudent-, contraction of
provident- foreseeing, attending to (see PROVIDENT) .
Renaissance
| rensns |
the revival of art and literature under the influence of classical models in
the 14th16th centuries.
the culture and style of art and architecture developed during the
Renaissance.
(as nouna renaissance) a revival of or renewed interest in something: rail
travel is enjoying a renaissance.
ORIGIN
from French renaissance, from re- back, again + naissance birth (from
Latin nascentia, from nasci be born).
resolute
adjective
| rezl(y)o ot |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the sense paid, describing a rent): from Latin
resolutus loosened, released, paid, past participle of resolvere (see
RESOLVE) .
retort 1
verb
| rtrt |
[ with obj. ] archaic repay (an insult or injury): it was now his time to retort
the humiliation.
turn (an insult or accusation) back on the person who has issued it: he
was resolute to retort the charge of treason on his foes.
use (an opponent's argument) against them: the answer they make to us
may very easily be retorted.
noun
a sharp, angry, or wittily incisive reply to a remark: she opened her mouth
to make a suitably cutting retort.
ORIGIN
late 15th cent. (in the sense hurl back (an accusation or insult)): from Latin
retort- twisted back, cast back, from the verb retorquere, from re- in
return + torquere to twist.
retort 2
noun
| rtrt |
retort2 2
ORIGIN
early 17th cent.: from French retorte, from medieval Latin retorta, feminine
past participle of retorquere twist back (with reference to the long recurved
neck of the laboratory container).
saturated
adjective
1
| saCHrdd |
(of color) very bright, full, and free from an admixture of white: intense and
saturated color.
saturate
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
late Middle English (as an adjective in the sense satisfied): from Latin
saturat- filled, glutted, from the verb saturare, from satur full. The early
sense of the verb (mid 16th cent.) was satisfy; the noun dates from the
1950s.
sporadic
adjective
| spradik |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
late 17th cent.: via medieval Latin from Greek sporadikos, from sporas,
sporad- scattered; related to speirein to sow.
subjugate
| sbjt |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
late Middle English: from late Latin subjugat- brought under a yoke, from
the verb subjugare, based on jugum yoke.
supposition
noun
| spziSH()n |
an uncertain belief: they were working on the supposition that his death
was murder | their outrage was based on supposition and hearsay.
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
late Middle English (as a term in scholastic logic): from Old French, or from
late Latin suppositio(n-) (translating Greek hupothesis hypothesis), from
the verb supponere (see SUPPOSE) .
tawdry
adjective
| tdr |
(tawdrier, tawdriest)
noun archaic
cheap and gaudy finery.
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
early 17th cent.: short for tawdry lace, a fine silk lace or ribbon worn as a
necklace in the 16th17th centuries, contraction of St. Audrey's lace:Audrey
was a later form of Etheldrida (died 679), patron saint of Ely, England, where
tawdry laces, along with cheap imitations and other cheap finery, were
traditionally sold at a fair.
uncanny
adjective
| nkan |
(uncannier, uncanniest)
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
late 16th cent. (originally Scots in the sense relating to the occult,
malicious): from UN-1not + CANNY.
unscrupulous
adjective
| nskro opyls |
DERIVATIVES
urbane
adjective
| rbn |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
mid 16th cent. (in the sense urban): from French urbain or Latin urbanus
(see URBAN) .
vanguard
noun
| vanrd |
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
warrant
noun
1
| wrnt |
PHRASES
DERIVATIVES
ORIGIN
Middle English (in the senses protector and safeguard, also, as a verb,
keep safe from danger): from variants of Old French guarant (noun),
guarantir (verb), of Germanic origin; compare with GUARANTEE.
wry
| r |
adjective
DERIVATIVES
wryly | rl | adverb .
wryness | rns | noun
ORIGIN
early 16th cent. (in the sense contorted): from Old English wrgiantend,
incline, in Middle Englishdeviate, swerve, contort.