Learn English Vocabulary - via Word of the Day

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Showing posts from September, 2012

Inchoate

By Shamli Seth - September 30, 2012

Inchoate [ IN-koh-yet; in-KOH-it, -eyt ] [ adjective ] MEANING : 1. not yet formed or developed completely 2. just begun; in a beginning stage 3. not organised; disorderly USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : His inchoate ideas on how to turn the company around did not impress the company's management. USAGE EXAMPLE 2 : But even law schools were not totally immune from the trends that were pushing the nation's politics to the right, and a small group of students like Calabresi decided to turn these inchoate tendencies into something more enduring.

Bulwark

By Shamli Seth - September 28, 2012

Bulwark [ BOO' L-werk, -wawrk, BUHL- ] [ noun, transitive verb ] MEANING : 1. (n.) a solid wall built for defence; a rampart 2. (n.) something serving as a strong support or protection 3. (n.) breakwater 4. (n.) (usu. plural) the side of a ship above the upper deck 5. (tr. v.) to fortify or protect with a bulwark USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The Great wall of China- built as a bulwark against invading Mongols- is one of the greatest engineering feats of all time. USAGE EXAMPLE 2 : Clinton hopes Texas will serve as a bulwark against Obama's wave of growing political support.

Obviate

By Shamli Seth - September 27, 2012

Obviate [ OB-vee-eyt ] [ verb ] MEANING : to anticipate and remove a difficulty USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The risk of serious injury suffered by motorists can be obviated by wearing a helmet. USAGE EXAMPLE 2 : The system will allow cricketers to challenge the umpire's decision to obviate controversies and bring in greater transparency in the game.

Eschew

By Shamli Seth - September 26, 2012

Eschew [ es-CHOO ] [ verb ] MEANING : to avoid or keep away from, esp. from wrongdoings or evil; to shun USAGE 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.

Ersatz

By Shamli Seth - September 25, 2012

Ersatz [ ER-zahts, -sahts, er-ZAHTS, -SAHTS ] [ adjective ] MEANING : an artificial and usually inferior substitute or imitation USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : At the seminar they served us ersatz coffee made of chicory. USAGE EXAMPLE 2 : The remaining sites would then be rebuilt in traditional style. Such conservation would not be ersatz antiquarianism but merely use appropriate materials to rescue a neighbourhood whose character should be as critical to old Kabul as saving Covent Garden was to London’s West End.

Immure

By Shamli Seth - September 24, 2012

Immure [ i-MYOO’ R ] [ transitive verb ] MEANING : 1. to surround or enclose within walls; imprison 2. to build into or entomb in wall USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The dreaded terrorist was immured in a high security prison. USAGE EXAMPLE 2 : True, there was a Mughal emperor in Delhi until 1857, but he was emperor in name only, the shadow of a memory, described by Lord Macaulay as 'a mock sovereign immured in a gorgeous state prison'.

Acquiesce

By Shamli Seth - September 21, 2012

Acquiesce [ ak-wee-ES ] [ verb ] MEANING : to agree without protest; to consent or comply tacitly USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The essence of military training is for a young cadet to be able to acquiesce to commands made by a superior officer. USAGE EXAMPLE 2 : Though adhering to that ideal brought the roof crashing down during the team's Spanish period, McLaren were delighted to acquiesce.

Highbrow

By Shamli Seth - September 20, 2012

Highbrow [ HAHY-brou ] [ noun, verb ] MEANING : 1. (n.) a person who has or affects a highly cultivated and intellectual taste 2. (v.) of, relating to or being intellectual or cultivated USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : Lawrence Durrell's highbrow tetralogy “The Alexandra Quartet” is widely regarded as one of the most important novels of the twentieth century. USAGE EXAMPLE 2 : THE post-apocalyptic seems to be all the rage with readers of novels and short stories, both highbrow and low.

Ignoble

By Shamli Seth - September 18, 2012

Ignoble [ ig-NOH-buh' l ] [ adjective ] MEANING : 1. not belonging to the nobility; of humble rank or lineage 2. base; low; of inferior grade USAGE 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.

Iconoclast

By Shamli Seth - September 17, 2012

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 rationale USAGE 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.

Innuendo

By Shamli Seth - September 12, 2012

Innuendo [ in-yoo-EN-doh ] [ noun ] MEANING : 1. an allusion about a person or a thing esp. in a derogatory fashion 2. a parenthetical explanation or specification present in a legal document USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The innuendo made by the boss about his subordinate's mental faculties and state of mental health so enraged the subordinate that he immediately tendered his resignation. USAGE EXAMPLE 2 : This case must be decided on evidence — not fear and innuendo.

Crone

By Shamli Seth - September 11, 2012

Crone [ krohn ] [ noun ] MEANING : an old and withered woman USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : A crone seeking alms is a common sight in our country. USAGE EXAMPLE 2 : Pip meets a mysterious aged crone who can help him escape from Britain's most terrifying school and the clutches of his evil guardian.

Rapine

By Shamli Seth - September 10, 2012

Rapine [ RAP-in, -ahyn ] [ noun ] MEANING : the act of forcefully taking away someone else's property; pillage USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The rapine of Hindustan by Nadir Shah has been well documented. USAGE EXAMPLE 2 : But Japan’s relations with its nearest neighbours are still bedevilled by problems of acknowledging its rapine wartime past.

Lambast

By Shamli Seth - September 07, 2012

Lambast [ lam-BEYST, -BAST ] [ transitive verb ] MEANING : to beat or denounce severely USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : Instead of verbally lambasting politicians, the middle class in India would be better served if they were to be active participants in the democratic process and be vigilant citizens at all times. USAGE EXAMPLE 2 : The prime minister, who lambasts his main rival as a “shallow salesman”, has been unable to sell himself.

Adroit

By Shamli Seth - September 06, 2012

Adroit [ uh'-DROIT ] [ adjective ] MEANING : 1. dextrous; agile 2. skilful; resourceful USAGE 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.

Imprecation

By Shamli Seth - September 04, 2012

Imprecation [ im-pri-KEY-shuh’ n ] [ noun ] MEANING : 1. the act of calling upon evil on someone; the act of cursing 2. a curse; malediction USAGE 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.

Effete

By Shamli Seth - September 03, 2012

Effete [ i-FEET ] [ adjective ] MEANING : 1. infertile; sterile; unable to produce 2. depleted of all vitality, effectiveness, or strength 3. characterised by decadence, self-indulgence or triviality 3. over refined; soft due to a pampered upbringing USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The actor's effete ways irked the audience. USAGE EXAMPLE 2 : The figure of Satan appears as a very effete character throughout the film, but not everybody will understand that.

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