Word Power

[TW]

May 14, 2009


unctuous \UNGK-choo-us\, adjective:
1. Of the nature or quality of an unguent or ointment; fatty; oily; greasy.
2. Having a smooth, greasy feel, as certain minerals.
3. Insincerely or excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech; marked by a false or smug earnestness or agreeableness.


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[TW]

May 15, 2009


querulous \KWER-uh-luhs; -yuh\ , adjective:
1. Apt to find fault; habitually complaining.
2. Expressing complaint; fretful; whining.


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[TW]

May 16, 2009


stolid \STOL-id\ , adjective:
Having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily excited.


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[TW]

May 17, 2009

exigency \EK-suh-jun-see; ig-ZIJ-un-see\ , noun:
1. The quality or state of requiring immediate aid or action; urgency.
2. A case demanding immediate action or remedy; a pressing or urgent situation.
3. That which is demanded or required in a particular situation -- usually used in the plural.


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[TW]

May 18, 2009

pernicious \pur-NISH-us\ , adjective:
Highly injurious; deadly; destructive; exceedingly harmful.


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[TW]

May 19, 2009

fey \FAY\ , adjective:
1. Possessing or displaying a strange and otherworldly aspect or quality; magical or fairylike; elfin.
2. Having power to see into the future; visionary; clairvoyant.
3. Appearing slightly crazy, as if under a spell; touched.
4. (Scots.) Fated to die; doomed.
5. (Scots.) Marked by a sense of approaching death.


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[TW]

May 20, 2009

satiety \suh-TY-uh-tee\ , noun:
The state of being full or gratified to or beyond the point of satisfaction.


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[TW]

May 21, 2009

immure \ih-MYUR\ , verb:
1. To enclose within walls, or as if within walls; hence, to shut up; to imprison; to incarcerate.
2. To build into a wall.
3. To entomb in a wall.

[TW]

May 22, 2009

buss \BUS\ , noun, verb:
1. A kiss; a playful kiss; a smack.

transitive verb:
1. To kiss; especially to kiss with a smack.


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[TW]

May 23, 2009

equanimity \ee-kwuh-NIM-uh-tee; ek-wuh-\ , noun:
Evenness of mind; calmness; composure; as, "to bear misfortunes with equanimity."


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[TW]

May 24, 2009

depredation \dep-ruh-DAY-shun\ , noun:
1. An act of plundering or despoiling; a raid.
2. [Plural] Destructive operations; ravages.


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[TW]

May 25, 2009

fillip \FIL-uhp\ , noun:
1. A snap of the finger forced suddenly from the thumb; a smart blow.
2. Something serving to rouse or excite; a stimulus.
3. A trivial addition; an embellishment.

transitive verb:
1. To strike with the nail of the finger, first placed against the ball of the thumb, and forced from that position with a sudden spring; to snap with the finger.
2. To snap; to project quickly.
3. To urge on; to provide a stimulus, by or as if by a fillip.


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[TW]

May 26, 2009

pejorative \pih-JOR-uh-tiv\ , adjective:
1. Tending to make or become worse.
2. Tending to disparage or belittle.

noun:
1. A belittling or disparaging word or expression.


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[TW]

May 27, 2009

sagacious \suh-GAY-shus\ , adjective:
Having or showing keen discernment, sound judgment, and farsightedness.


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[TW]

May 28, 2009

avoirdupois \av-uhr-duh-POIZ; AV-uhr-duh-poiz\ , noun:
1. Avoirdupois weight, a system of weights based on a pound containing 16 ounces or 7,000 grains (453.59 grams).
2. Weight; heaviness; as, a person of much avoirdupois.


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