Word Power

[TW]

November 30, 2007

malapropos \mal-ap-ruh-POH\, adjective:
1. Unseasonable; unsuitable; inappropriate.

adverb:
1. In an inappropriate or inopportune manner; unseasonably.

[TW]

December 1, 2007

cavalcade \kav-uhl-KAYD; KAV-uhl-kayd\, noun:
1. A procession of riders or horse-drawn carriages.
2. Any procession.
3. A sequence; a series.

[TW]

December 2, 2007

vicissitude \vih-SIS-ih-tood; -tyood\, noun:
1. Regular change or succession from one thing to another; alternation; mutual succession; interchange.
2. Irregular change; revolution; mutation.
3. A change in condition or fortune; an instance of mutability in life or nature (especially successive alternation from one condition to another).

[TW]

December 3, 2007 soporific \sop-uh-RIF-ik; soh-puh-\, adjective:
1. Causing sleep; tending to cause sleep.
2. Of, relating to, or characterized by sleepiness or lethargy.

noun:
1. A medicine, drug, plant, or other agent that has the quality of inducing sleep; a narcotic.

[TW]

December 4, 2007

profuse \pruh-FYOOS; proh-\, adjective:
1. Pouring forth with fullness or exuberance; giving or given liberally and abundantly; extravagant.
2. Exhibiting great abundance; plentiful; copious; bountiful.

[TW]

December 5, 2007

tarradiddle \tair-uh-DID-uhl\, noun:
1. A petty falsehood; a fib.
2. Pretentious nonsense.

[TW]

December 6, 2007

deracinate \dee-RAS-uh-nayt\, transitive verb:
1. To pluck up by the roots; to uproot.
2. To displace from one's native or accustomed environment.

[TW]

December 7, 2007

surly \SUR-lee\, adjective:
1. Ill-humored; churlish in manner or mood; sullen and gruff.
2. Menacing or threatening in appearance, as of weather conditions; ominous.

[TW]

December 8, 2007

mendicant \MEN-dih-kunt\, noun:
1. A beggar; especially, one who makes a business of begging.
2. A member of an order of friars forbidden to acquire landed property and required to be supported by alms.

adjective:
1. Practicing beggary; begging; living on alms; as, mendicant friars.

[TW]

December 9, 2007

rapprochement \rap-rosh-MAWN\, noun:
The establishment or state of cordial relations.

[TW]

December 10, 2007

perspicacity \pur-spuh-KAS-uh-tee\, noun:
Clearness of understanding or insight; penetration, discernment.

[TW]

December 11, 2007

artifice \AR-tuh-fis\, noun:
1. Cleverness or skill; ingenuity; inventiveness.
2. An ingenious or artful device or expedient.
3. An artful trick or stratagem.
4. Trickery; craftiness; insincere or deceptive behavior.

[TW]

December 12, 2007

dishabille \dis-uh-BEEL\, noun:
1. The state of being carelessly or partially dressed.
2. Casual or lounging attire.
3. An intentionally careless or casual manner.

[TW]

December 13, 2007

cacophony \kuh-KAH-fuh-nee\, noun:
1. Harsh or discordant sound; dissonance.
2. The use of harsh or discordant sounds in literary composition.

[TW]

December 14, 2007

frangible \FRAN-juh-buhl\, adjective:
Capable of being broken; brittle; fragile; easily broken.