Learn English Vocabulary - via Word of the Day

quietus [ kwahy-EE-tuh’ s ][ noun ]MEANING :1. final settlement; finishing stroke that settles or ends
2. discharge from activity; release from lifeUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :His lengthy speech served as a quietus to the argument.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :For each German soldier killed by Briton and their allies, 10 got their quietus from the Soviet Red Army.

pallid [ PAL-id ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. lacking in colour; pale
2. lacking in interest or livelinessUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Her pallid countenance indicated the fact that she was not well.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Sure, if you've got 70- odd quid to spare, you can get an excellent meal in a gourmet restaurant or gastro-pub. If you haven't it's fish 'n' chips, soggy sandwiches, pallid pizza, hot dogs with onions, and chips with everything.

lionize [ LAHY-uh’-nahyz ][ intransitive verb, transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (tr.v.) to treat one as a celebrity or as an object of great importance
2. (tr.v.) (british) to pay a visit to the noteworthy sights of a region or place
3. (intr.v.) to seek the company of or pursue celebrities
4. (intr.v.) to pay a visit to interesting sights of a placeUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :He was lionized for his bravery on the battle-field.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :This was the year when the Centre was expected to lionize their brave actions and salute the forces' heroes.

impugn [ im-PYOON ][ transitive verb ]MEANING :1. to assail someone with arguments or words
2. to attack or oppose as being falseUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The judge impugned the defence attorney's arguments.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Hansen did not impugn the integrity of those Australians claiming they heard the offensive word used by Harbhajan.

propitious [ pruh’-PISH-uh’s ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. favourable conditions
2. favourable signs or omens; auspicious
3. favourably disposed or inclinedUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The propitious weather in April and May in South Africa was one of the main reasons why the IPL T20 league was held in that country.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Poverty, unemployment, civil disorder, political repression and gender and racial discrimination make for an all too propitious environment for traffickers' exploitation of vulnerable people.

lissome [ LIS-uh’ m ][ adjective ]MEANING :supple, agile, lithe, flexible, nimbleUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The lissome, fast bowler's sprint to the wicket was a sight to behold.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :The fair, light-eyed face and the lissome, five-feet-seven-inch frame has graced many an advertisement campaign.

profane [ pruh’-FEYN, proh- ][ verb, adjective ]MEANING :1. (v.) to debase, defile by an unworthy or wrong use.
2. (n.) to treat with contempt or irreverence
3. (adj.) devoted to unholy, heathen purposes
4. (adj.) characterised by contempt or disrespect for god or all sacred principles USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Bhagwan Rajneesh's cult was regarded as profane by all major religious bodies and, as a consequence, he was deported from the US.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :The world of rodeo is violent but sweet, harsh but full of affection, profane but religious, obscure to most of the American public but central to our roots.

fervid [ FUR-vid ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. highly passionate or vehement; showing great fervour
2. extremely hotUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The fervid crowd greeted the six hit by the home team batsman with a loud roar that could probably be heard several miles away.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Nationalist sentiment is often both fervid and genuine; but it is also sometimes channeled and manipulated by an adept Chinese government for political ends.

kitsch [ kich ][ noun ]MEANING :1. (n.) art in pretentious bad taste
2. (adj.) a display that is tawdry or vulgarUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Bollywood kitsch music has swept the country, even in places which are not Hindi-speaking.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Kitsch never came closer to a nation's patriotic heart.

imprecation [ im-pri-KEY-shuh’ n ][ noun ]MEANING :1. the act of calling upon evil on someone; the act of cursing
2. a curse; maledictionUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Tantriks reputedly have the ability to cast an imprecation.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :She spits the words out like an imprecation, no need to explain why this is such a disaster.

kiosk [ KEE-osk, kee-OSK ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a small open gazebo or pavilion, supported by pillars
2. a lightly constructed small structure, often used as a newsstand or boothUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The Railways is mulling over the proposal to introduce reservation kiosks all over the country.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :The survey showed that among other extras guests have requested from the hotels are in-room entertainment systems and airline check-in kiosks.

fastidious [ fa-STID-ee-uh' s, fuh'- ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. difficult to please; excessively critical; having high and often whimsical standards
2. requiring or displaying excessive care and delicacyUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Being fastidious about his attire, he frequented only a few select high end stores.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :There is one thing that matters to set a chime of words tinkling in the minds of a few fastidious people.

abstemious [ ab-STEE-mee-uh's  ][ noun ]MEANING :1. moderate or sparing esp. in eating and drinking
2. characterised by abstinenceUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The secret to a long life may very well lie in being abstemious.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Until recently you would associate gout with boozing and rich food, but there are plenty of other patients who are quite abstemious. This might be a genetic marker for gout risk.

puerile [ PYOO-er-il, -uh’-rahyl, PYOO’ R-il, -ahyl ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. juvenile; of or relating to a child or childhood
2. childish; immature; trivialUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The student's puerile arguments infuriated the professor.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :One year after the country took a dark turn into state control and an unpleasant, puerile attitude to other people's business. Or is it one year into a brave new world where the country became fitter, healthier and more civilised?

kindle [ KIN-dl ][ intransitive verb, transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (tr. v.) to build or fuel a fire; to ignite
2. (tr. v.) to light up
3. (tr. v.) to arouse an emotion
4. (intr. v.) to burst into flames
5. (intr. v.) to become inflamed
6. to be stirred upUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :A short circuit can very often kindle a fire.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Hundreds of concrete slabs — each about 12-by-6-feet and designed to shield against car bombs and other threats — were gradually turned into an open air art gallery meant to boost spirits and kindle optimism.

immanent [ IM-uh'-nuh' nt ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. inherent; dwelling or existing within
2. taking place inside the mind without having any consequences outsideUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Values immanent in our culture are to be preserved and instilled to the next generation.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Though Britain has no written constitution or pledge of allegiance, we have values which are immanent in our culture, and which every citizen should be expected to agree with.

triumph [TRI-yumph ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a successful ending of a struggle or contest;
2. [noun] the exultation of victory
3. [verb] to express great joy;USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :M.S. Dhoni's cool mindedness lead team India to the triumph to cherish forever.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :Sachin triumphant, even after missing the 100th century.

facsimile [ fak-SIM-uh'-lee ][ noun ]MEANING :1. an exact copy
2. a system or device for transmitting and reproducing exact replicas of documents, photographs, etc. by means of radio signals or through telephone lines
3. (adj.) duplicate or reproduced exactly like the originalUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Facsimile copies of Vincent Van Gogh's painting, “The Sunflowers” are so popular that they can be found adorning the walls of offices and living rooms all over the world.USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :But there are many facsimile copies of the Lincoln documents that remain to be discovered in trunks, behind framed pictures, within the pages of a book or some other unusual place.