Learn English Vocabulary - via Word of the Day

abet [ uh'-BET ][ verb ]MEANING :to assist, encourage or support an activity or plan esp. some wrongdoingUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :To abet a criminal in any wrongdoing is a punishable offence in all the countries of the world.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :We believe it is crucial to have an open discussion about whether it is legitimate to aid and abet criminal activities – and the theft of data certainly qualifies as a criminal activity – by using substantial public resources to purchase stolen goods from a thief.

abrogate [ AB-ruh'-geyt ][ transitive verb ]MEANING :to abolish by formal or official means; annul by an authoritative act; repealUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The CPI(M) party's plea to the Congress to abrogate the India-US nuclear deal fell on deaf ears.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Demanding unilateral changes and threatening to abrogate an agreement that has increased trade and prosperity is nothing more than retreating behind protectionist walls.

affable [ AF-uh'-buh' l ][ adjective ]MEANING :approachable; friendly; pleasant and politeUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :His affable temperament won him many friends.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :The affable host thrives on the adrenaline rush of anything-can-happen live TV — and he can handle anything that comes his way.

iridescent [ ir-i-DES-uh’ nt ][ noun, adjective ]MEANING :1. (adj.) colourful and lustrous like a rainbow
2. (n.) material or cloth that displays lustrous colours like a rainbowUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The iridescent painting was eye-catching.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :An elephant hawk-moth's beautiful deep pink wings, edged in iridescent green, would put even the brightest of butterflies to shame.

expatiate [ ik-SPEY-shee-eyt ][ intransitive verb ]MEANING :1. to roam about or wander freely
2. to elaborate or explain in detailUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The guests expatiated around the country side.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :In other words, or variable words if you prefer, expatiated the Management Expert, you can't step into the same river twice.

imbroglio [ im-BROHL-yoh ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a misunderstanding, disagreement of a complicated or bitter nature, as between persons or nations.
2. an intricate and perplexing state of affairs; a complicated or difficult situation.
3. a confused heap. USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The Kashmir imbroglio threatens to push India and Pakistan into yet another major confrontation.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :The political imbroglio also appears to endanger the latest International Monetary Fund loan package for Russia, which is considered critical to avoid a default this year on the country's $17 billion in foreign debt.

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ignoramus [ ig-nuh'-REY-muh' s, -RAM-uh' s ][ noun ]MEANING :an absolutely ignorant personUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :A captain of industry position is not for the ill educated or an ignoramus.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Apart from Shilparamam, which holds little interest for a bachelor and art ignoramus like me, this city is not even half as happening as neighbouring Bangalore

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hypochondria [ hahy-puh'-KON-dree-uh' ][ noun ]MEANING :a persistent apprehension about one's health, usually when illness is neither present nor likelyUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :There is a marked difference between being health conscious and possessing hypochondria.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Hoggard does not possess Old's well-known hypochondria or his seam movement, but he does make the new ball count, something England may have cause to be grateful for in this match if their batsmen can occupy the crease over the next two days in pursuit of an eighth successive Test victory.

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facile [ FAS-ahyl; FAS-il ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. easily obtained or accomplished
2. superficial, shallow
3. flowing or moving freely; fluent
4. mild or affable; compliant; courteousUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Barcelona recorded a facile 2-0 victory over Manchester United in the recently held European Champion's League final.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Some say there's absolutely no proof that our political views are embedded in our DNA. "These are very facile studies that make outrageous claims," says Evan Charney, a political scientist at Duke University.

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lackadaisical [ lak-uh’-DEY-zi-kuh’ l ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. devoid of spirit or vigor; listless
2. lazy or reluctant to workUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Government babus are renowned for their lackadaisical attitude to work.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Such guidelines were essential to ensure that the erring officers were prosecuted and sent to jail for neglecting duty, it said, taking a strict view of the lackadaisical policing in the country.

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tacit [ TAS-it ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. unspoken; expressed without words; indicated or implied through means other than words
2. silent; quietUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :After the conduct of the underground nuclear tests in 1998, the Defence minister, George Fernandes, made a tacit admission that it considers China, and not Pakistan, to be India's main threat.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :The Chinese Government has made a tacit admission that it faces a serious Aids crisis in central China.

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dour [ doo’ r, douuh' r, DOU-er ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. gloomy; sullen; bleak
2. stubborn; obstinate
3. extremely strict and harsh; forbiddingUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The perpetually dour expression on his face made him unpopular.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Gone are the days when the traditional Chinese greeting "Have you eaten yet?" seemed like a bad joke in the dour capital where, as recently as the 1980s, staples were rationed, state-run canteens dished out the slop of the day in chipped enamel bowls and restaurants were few and far between.

hustings [ HUHS-tingz ][ noun ]MEANING :the proceedings of a parliamentary electionUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :During the recently held parliamentary hustings, voter apathy in Mumbai seemed to be at an all time high.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :With little chances of beating either Samajwadi Party (SP) or Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) at the hustings, both BJP and Congress are preparing to take on each other for next year's UP assembly polls.
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ignoble [ ig-NOH-buh' l ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. not belonging to the nobility; of humble rank or lineage
2. base; low; of inferior gradeUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :His ignoble purposes were soon revealed and he was asked to leave the company.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :A year later he declared himself Emperor Napoleon III, bringing an ignoble end to the Third Republic.
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BBC FLASHNEWS: Japan govt confirms radiation leak @ Fukushima nuclear plants. Asian countries should take necessary precautions. If rain comes, remain indoors first 24hrs. Close doors & windows. Swab neck skin with betadine where thyroid area is, radiation hits thyroid first. Take extra precautions. Radiation may hit Philippines at starting 4pm today. Plz forward this msg to as many as possible. ISSUED IN SOCIAL INTEREST by FAST FORWARD SMS

flamboyant [ flam-BOI-uh' nt ][ noun, adjective ]MEANING :1. (adj.) ornate, showy or florid
2. (adj.) richly colorful, brilliant or flame like
3. (adj.) pertaining to the french Gothic architecture of the 15th and 16th century that had characteristic flame like forms and wavy lines
4.(n.) another name for the royal poinciana treeUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Her flamboyant personality made her famous.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Flamboyant costumes for this year's Notting Hill Carnival are being put on show at Alexandra Palace, north London.
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humdrum [ HUHM-druhm ][ noun, adjective ]MEANING :1. (adj.) not challenging; dull and tedious; lacking excitement and variety
2. (v.) routine or monotonous talkUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Spectators soon lost interest in the humdrum quiz contest taking place.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :It may be one of the most humdrum metaphors in the sporting lexicon, but Brent Romany's story begins with him being - actually, physically - thrown in at the deep end.
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ethos [ EE-thos, EE-thohs, ETH-os, -ohs ][ noun ]MEANING :fundamental or distinguishing character, disposition, beliefs or moral nature of a person, group, institution, etc.USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Love for the outdoors seems to be the ethos of the Australian people.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :I can give them absolute reassurance, in terms of what they are concerned about, of maintaining the ethos and the character of their schools, they will not notice any difference.
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adroit [ uh'-DROIT ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. dextrous; agile
2. skilful; resourcefulUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :His adroit debating skills helped our college secure the first rank in the debating competition.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Mr Sullivan become the third “Spitzer boss” to fall, joining two lawyers, Mr Prince and Mr Cherkasky, both of whom were considerably less adroit at running companies than they were at cosying up to Mr Spitzer.

gaunt [ gawnt ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. thin, bony, haggard or emaciated
2. desolate, barren, grim or bleakUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :He had a gaunt face with a pale complexion.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :What remains is the immensity of the sky, gaunt slopes scrubby with thistles and wild grasses, the roar of glacial torrents in dark ravines, and the powerful pull of the first gods ever feared by men.
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grotesque [ groh-TESK ][ noun, adjective ]MEANING :1. (adj.) unnatural or outlandish appearance or behavior
2. (n.) characterized by extravagant, distorted and hideous shape and size
(n.) art that features fantastic and absurd human and animal figures intertwined with foliage, scrolls etc. USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The burnt corpses looked grotesque in the bright morning sun.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :In an editorial, the tabloid newspaper, The Sun, said Gibbons' jailing was a "grotesque insult to Islam" and called Gibbons "an innocent abroad."
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ad nauseam [ ad NAW-zee-uh'm, -am ][ adverb ]MEANING :to a sickening or disgusting degree; to the point of nauseaUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :All news channels showed the capture of the terrorist ad nauseam.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Through the haze of Bud Light and Stoli, the authentic Russian vodka, the sickening images of the second plane slicing through the World Trade Centre were played ad infinitum and ad nauseam.
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epitome [ i-PIT-uh'-mee ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a brief account, summary or abstract
2. an example, representative or one that exemplifies the qualities of a group or class USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :He was the epitome of what a gentleman should be.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :He is a man typical of the times, the epitome of how the world works today.

hovel [ HUHV-uh' l, HOV- ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a small and miserable dwelling
2. an open shed which is lowUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Being a man without means, the best accommodation he could afford in Mumbai was a hovel.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :When your home is a hovel, a neighbor seems an enemy because everybody is fighting for too little space.
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idée fixe [ ee-dey FEEKS ][ noun ]MEANING :an idea that one has entertained for a long time; a fixed idea; obsessionUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The British psychedelic band Pink Floyd's idee fixe of incorporating technology in music was considered ahead of its time.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Again, Berlioz's idée fixe puts in an appearance, with a heart-pounding variation for cellos and basses over which the theme itself floats in fragments.
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iconoclast [ ahy-KON-uh'-klast ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a person who destroys religious images or objects to their worship
2. a person who attacks prejudices, beliefs or institutions that are based on superstitions or erroneous rationaleUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Only an iconoclast like Raja Rammohan Roy could have succeeded in abolishing sati from Hindu society.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :A natural-born iconoclast, Fela was a legend in his own lifetime; as infamous for his lifestyle and politics as he was acclaimed for his music.
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hoary [ HAWR-ee, HOHR-ee ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. extremely old, and often impressive and admired
2. greyish white or white due to age
3. white or whitish in colourUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :I found an old dog with a hoary muzzle sleeping in my front verandah.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :He used the hoary metaphor of thousands of planes landing safely at the airport every day, but we only hear about the ones with bumpy landings.

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eschew [ es-CHOO ][ verb ]MEANING :to avoid or keep away from, esp. from wrongdoings or evil; to shunUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :All religions advise their people to eschew wickedness and evil from their daily lives.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :If this was not enough, the PMO statement, talking about the meeting of Left leaders with PM, went to the extent of indirectly advising the Left parties to "eschew the temptation of politicising the misery of the people". This is the first time in four years that PMO has reacted so bitterly. 

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ensconce [ en-SKONS ][ transitive verb ]MEANING :1. to conceal, hide or secure snugly
2. to settle or place in a snug or comfortable mannerUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :She was ensconced in a snug tweed jacket.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Appropriately enough, Brother Claus spent much of his life ensconced in an Alpine cave in solitary reflection.

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fallible [ FAL-uh-buh' l ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. (of persons) very likely to make a mistake or be misled
2. likely to be erroneous, faulty or falseUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Since we humans are fallible, we have not yet succeeded in building a perfect world.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :The final Test in Adelaide (next week) will be a cliffhanger because the Indians have now smelt blood and know this Australian team is fallible.