Learn English Vocabulary - via Word of the Day

aghast [ uh'-GAST, uh'-GAHST ][ adjective ]MEANING :shocked, amazed, terrified or horrifiedUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Her aghast expression indicated she did not know about the accident.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :The court was so aghast by the fact that NHAI has seen five chairmen in the past two-and-a-half years that it recommended that a law be enacted to ensure that heads of public enterprises have fixed tenures of 3 to 5 years.

Accolade [ AK-uh'-leyd, -lahd; ak-uh'-LEYD, -LAHD ][ noun, transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (n.) award, honour or special acknowledgement
2. (n.) a ceremonial embrace or a touch with the flat side of a sword on the shoulder that is used to confer knighthood
3. (tr.v.) to honour or shower praises onUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Accolades were plentiful once his role in the freedom struggle became known.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Mr Jones received his accolade at the Evening Herald Gold Star Awards.

Adventitious [ ad-vuh' n-TISH-uh' s ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. accidental, extrinsic or not inherent
2. appearing or developing in unusual placesUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Her adventitious inclusion into the group turned to be blessing in disguise.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :These varieties prefer limey soil, and they have tiny, clinging (or adventitious) roots.

Veracious [ vuh'-REY-shuh's ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. honest, sincere or truthful
2. true, accurate, precise or genuineUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :He was considered to be a veracious young man.

Alacrity [ uh'-LAK-ri-tee ][ noun ]MEANING :1. promptness, eagerness or cheerful readiness
2. briskness, celerity or livelinessUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The alacrity with which the decision was taken was surprising.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :America's long-drawn-out presidential contest, diplomats believe, has given Putin an opportunity he has seized with alacrity.

Variegated [ VAIR-ee-i-gey-tid, VAIR-i-gey- ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. multicoloured or having streaks or patches of various colours
2. varied or diverseUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :His variegated T-shirt was eye-catching.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Our small populations of Kurdish Americans have nothing to fear from the variegated Americans around them.

Abysmal [ uh'-BIZ-muh'l ][ adjective ]MEANING :1.very bad,
2.severe or wretched unfathomable, profound or bottomlessUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The abysmal performance of the team was criticised.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :A leading Aslef official claimed trains travelling through the main line tunnel into Wales had to slow down, signals were worse and tracks were "abysmal".

Potable [ POH-tuh’-buh’ l ][ noun, adjective ]MEANING :1. one that is fit or healthy to be drunk or consumed
2. one that can be drunk; a beverage (esp. alcoholic)USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :There was a lack of potable drinking water.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :A well is bored thousands of feet beneath potable water supplies before branching out horizontally.

Ravenous [ RAV-uh’-nuh’ s ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. voracious, hungry, greedy or famished
2. predatory, avaricious or rapacious
3. eager or greedy for food, gratification or satisfactionUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :His ravenous need to be wealthy destroyed him.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Nigella Lawson could go straight to the kitchen from scrubbing the toilet with her bare hands and I'd still fall on her food like a ravenous dog.

Nuptial [ NUHP-shuh’ l, -chuh’ l ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. (adj.) of, related to or pertaining to marriage or a wedding
2. (adj.) pertaining to or of the mating or breeding season
3. (n.) a marriage or wedding ceremonyUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The nuptial decorations were beautiful.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Couples from both the communities tied the nuptial knot under a pandal in this first of its kind event.

Wrangle [ RANG-guh'l ][ noun, intransitive verb, transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (n.) an altercation, fight, argument or dispute
2. (intr.v.) to dispute, bicker, argue or fight
3. (tr.v.) to win or obtain by means of fighting or bickering
4. (tr.v.) to herd or tend esp. cattle and horses.USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The wrangle between the men escalated into a fight.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :The wrangle between the railways and the state government over the cause of the Magadh Express accident continues.

Sophomoric [ sof-uh’-MAWR-ik, -MOR- ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. over-confident, lacking good judgement or immature
2. pertaining to or characteristic of sophomoresUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :His sophomoric thoughts landed him in trouble.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :The blogs are more than sophomoric ramblings about college life.