Learn English Vocabulary - via Word of the Day

Nexus [ NEK-suh' s ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a link or connection
2. a series or group that is connected
3. the core or focusUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :They had a direct nexus to the underworld through the local goon.

Mayhem [ MEY-hem, mey-uh’ m ][ noun ]MEANING :1. (law) an offence or crime of physically crippling, severely injuring or maiming another person
2. deliberate and needless destruction or violence
3. a state of chaos or random disorderUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Mayhem resulted as people panicked and ran helter skelter.

Sagacious [ suh’-GEY-shuh’s ][ adjective ]MEANING :shrewd, wise, farsighted or having an acute judgementUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :She was considered to be a sagacious old lady.

Matriarch [ MEY-tree-ahrk ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a female or woman heading or leading a group, family or tribe
2. a mother or woman who is highly respectedUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The matriarch of the household, often the wife of the senior most male member, wields supreme power in tackling domestic issues.

Lament [ luh'-MENT ][ noun, intransitive verb, transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (tr. v.) to show sorrow for
2. (intr. v.) to be sorrowful
3. (intr. v.) to bemoan
4. (n.) a display of grief
5. (n.) a song of mourningUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :In the book "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", the phoenix lamented the death of his beloved master, Albus Dumbledore by singing a very beautiful tune.

Lustrous [ LUHS-truh' s ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. shining
2. well-knownUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The mobile handset was sleek and had a lustrous, metallic body.

Wanderlust [ WON-der-luh'st ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a very strong desire to travel
2. the urge to rove about
3. an irresistible impulse to travelUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :She said that if she won the lottery, she would give vent to her wanderlust and explore the farthest reaches of the earth.

Imperil [ im-PER-uh'l ][ transitive verb ]MEANING :1. to put at risk or endanger
2. to expose to dangerUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :He imperilled the financial stability of his company by embarking upon a major high risk venture which no other company was willing to undertake.

Opulence [ OP-yuh'-luh'ns ][ noun ]MEANING :1. wealth
2. affluence
3. great abundanceUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :In India, the name ‘Ambani’ is synonymous with untold wealth and opulence.

Latent [ LEYT-nt ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. existing but not able to be seen
2. an undeveloped stageUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :His latent talent came to light during the competition, much to the chagrin of his opponents.

Rustic [ RUHS-tik ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. (adj.) rural or pertaining to the countryside
2. (adj.)simple, unsophisticated or lacking elegance
3. (adj.) made by using rough wood
4. (n.) persons who belong to rural locales
5. (n.) unsophisticated or simple personsUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The rustic countryside was attractive.

Maul [ mawl ][ noun, transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (n.) a hammer that is heavy and used to drive wedges or stakes
2. (tr.v.) to use or handle in a rough manner
3. (tr.v.) to batter, injure or rough upUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :A maul was used to drive the wooden stakes into the ground.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :A woman mauled by a chimpanzee two weeks ago has lost her hands, nose, lips and eyelids and may be blind and suffering brain damage, hospital officials have said.

Muse [ myooz ][ noun, intransitive verb, transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (tr.v.) to meditate or think deeply
2. (intr.v.) to ponder or deeply meditate
3. (n.) a dreamy abstraction or a state of deep meditation
4. (n.) a poet
5. (n.) a guiding force or light or the source of one's inspirationUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :They often mused about the secrets of the universe.

Slaked [ sleyk ][ transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (tr.v.) to quench or satiate a desire or craving
2. (tr.v.) to rejuvenate or invigorate
3. (tr.v.) to disintegrate lime by hydrating it
4. (tr.v.) to curb or diminish
5. (intr.v.) to cause lime to undergo slaking by hydration
6. (intr.v.) to abate or curbUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :He slaked his thirst by drinking an entire bottle of cold water.

Dire [ dahy-uh'r ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. causing dread
2. involving disaster or misfortune
3. desperate or urgentUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :He was warned of dire consequences if he disclosed the name of the bully.

Irate [ ahy-REYT, AHY-reyt ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. furious
2. pertaining to angerUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The irate customer yelled at the poor customer service executives.

Improvise [ IM-pruh'-vahyz ][ intransitive verb, transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (tr. v.) extemporize or perform without previous preparation
2. (tr. v.) to provide from what is available
3. (intr. v.) to perform something on the spur of the moment or without previously preparing for it
4. (intr. v.) to make do with what is availableUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The professor told the student that he should improvise instead of complaining the lack of proper equipment to conduct the experiment.

Shambles [ sham-buh'l-es ][ noun, intransitive verb ]MEANING :1. (n.) a scene of complete ruin, clutter or disorder
2. (n.) a scene of bloodshed or carnage
3. (n.) a slaughterhouse
4. (intr. v.) to walk by shuffling the feet or in an awkward, unsteady mannerUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The entire house was left in a shambles after the police searched the place for concealed drugs.

Ominous [ OM-uh'-nuh's  ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. foreboding, portentous or inauspicious
2. of or being a omen esp. one that is evilUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :He had an ominous feeling that something was bound to go wrong ever since a black cat crossed his path early in the morning.

Nostalgia [ no-STAL-juh' ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a sentimental longing for the happiness of a former place or time
2. a condition of being homesick or a display of homesicknessUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The old man talked about the carefree days of his childhood with nostalgia.

Odium [  OH-dee-uh'm  ][ noun ]MEANING :1. (n.) detestation or extreme hatred
2. (n.) opprobrium or disgrace that has been brought upon oneself by a hateful actionUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The extremist leader brought public odium upon himself by delivering a blasphemous speech.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :The vast majority of these people want nothing more than the American dream of working hard, making money, spending money, educating their kids, and living in peace and protection from the odium of governments that are not free.

Supplant [ suh’-PLANT, -PLAHNT ][ transitive verb ]MEANING :1. to supersede or usurp one's place by trickery or plotting
2. to uproot, displace or substituteUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The general tried to supplant the king by planning a military coup.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :David Miliband, the man who is thought to want to supplant Gordon Brown at 10, Downing Street, leaves the Labour Party conference as damaged goods, largely caused by self-inflicted wounds.

Exult [ ig-ZUHLT ][ intransitive verb ]MEANING :1. to rejoice with enthusiasm
2. to be jubilant or triumphant
3. to jump for joyUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :They were exulted when their team won the match.
Wishing all our patrons a Happy New Year! May you exult in the new beginning!