Learn English Vocabulary - via Word of the Day

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Showing posts from January, 2014

Nexus

By Shamli Seth - January 31, 2014

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

Mayhem

By Shamli Seth - January 30, 2014

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 disorder USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : Mayhem resulted as people panicked and ran helter skelter.

Sagacious

By Shamli Seth - January 29, 2014

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

Matriarch

By Shamli Seth - January 28, 2014

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 respected USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The matriarch of the household, often the wife of the senior most male member, wields supreme power in tackling domestic issues.

Lament

By Shamli Seth - January 27, 2014

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 mourning USAGE 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

By Shamli Seth - January 23, 2014

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

Wanderlust

By Shamli Seth - January 22, 2014

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 travel USAGE 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

By Shamli Seth - January 19, 2014

Imperil [ im-PER-uh'l ] [ transitive verb ] MEANING : 1. to put at risk or endanger 2. to expose to danger USAGE 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

By Shamli Seth - January 18, 2014

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

Latent

By Shamli Seth - January 17, 2014

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

Rustic

By Shamli Seth - January 16, 2014

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 persons USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The rustic countryside was attractive.

Maul

By Shamli Seth - January 15, 2014

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 up USAGE 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

By Shamli Seth - January 14, 2014

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 inspiration USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : They often mused about the secrets of the universe.

Slaked

By Shamli Seth - January 13, 2014

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 curb USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : He slaked his thirst by drinking an entire bottle of cold water.

Dire

By Shamli Seth - January 12, 2014

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

Irate

By Shamli Seth - January 11, 2014

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

Improvise

By Shamli Seth - January 10, 2014

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 available USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The professor told the student that he should improvise instead of complaining the lack of proper equipment to conduct the experiment.

Shambles

By Shamli Seth - January 09, 2014

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 manner USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The entire house was left in a shambles after the police searched the place for concealed drugs.

Ominous

By Shamli Seth - January 08, 2014

Ominous [ OM-uh'-nuh's ] [ adjective ] MEANING : 1. foreboding, portentous or inauspicious 2. of or being a omen esp. one that is evil USAGE 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

By Shamli Seth - January 05, 2014

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 homesickness USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The old man talked about the carefree days of his childhood with nostalgia.

Odium

By Shamli Seth - January 04, 2014

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 action USAGE 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

By Shamli Seth - January 03, 2014

Supplant [ suh’-PLANT, -PLAHNT ] [ transitive verb ] MEANING : 1. to supersede or usurp one's place by trickery or plotting 2. to uproot, displace or substitute USAGE 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

By Shamli Seth - January 01, 2014

Exult [ ig-ZUHLT ] [ intransitive verb ] MEANING : 1. to rejoice with enthusiasm 2. to be jubilant or triumphant 3. to jump for joy USAGE 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!

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