Learn English Vocabulary - via Word of the Day

Notch [ noch ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a V-shaped cut or angular indentation
2. a pass or narrow opening between mountains
3. to make a cut on an object
4. to score or keep tally of by making cuts on the surface of an objectUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Each of the notches on the butt of the sniper’s rifle represented a kill.

Importunate [ im-PAWR-chuh'-nit ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. being annoyingly persistent when soliciting
2. troublesome, pertinacious demands
3. annoying imploring or urgent pleadingUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :He was on his way to the office when he was accosted by an importunate insurance salesman.

Defrock [ dee-FROK ][ transitive verb ]MEANING :1. to unseat or deprive of ecclesiastical rank and privileges
2. to strip of a frock
3. to unseat or deprive of an honorary positionUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The bishop defrocked the travelling preacher as he did not restrict his discourses to strict eclectically principles.

Felicity [ fi-LIS-i-tee ][ noun ]MEANING :1. the state of being very happy or in bliss
2. a pleasing personality or an instance of skilful faculty
3. good fortuneUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :She was so much in love that her felicity was boundless.

Incur [ in-KUR ][ transitive verb ]MEANING :1. to come into something undesirable
2. to suffer the consequences of or become liable to through one's own actionsUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The villagers prayed and offered sacrifices so that they would not incur the wrath of their God.

Chaotic [ key-OT-ik ][ noun, adjective ]MEANING :1. in a totally confused, disordered or erratic state or condition
2. of or pertaining to the dynamics and theories of mathematical chaosUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :People in cities are used to a chaotic lifestyle.

Ostentatious [ os-ten-TEY-shuh’ s, -tuh’ n- ][ adjective ]MEANING :intended to be noticed by attracting and impressing othersUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Being a wealthy man, he could afford to lead an ostentatious life.

Transpire [ tran-spahyuhr ][ intransitive verb, transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (intr. v.) to occur; happen; take place.
2. (tr. v.) to emit or give off (waste matter, watery vapor, an odor, etc.)USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :He made a note of everything that transpired in the courtroom.

Ostracism [  OS-truh'-siz-uh'm  ][ noun ]MEANING :1. (n.) banishment
2. (n.) disgrace or exclusion from a group by popular vote
2. (n.) (ancient Greece) temporary banishment by means of popular voteUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The ostracism he faced at work because he belonged to a particular caste was, indeed, shameful.

Tantamount [ TAN-tuh'-mount ][ adjective ]MEANING :equivalent in force, significance or effectUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The strike was tantamount to a declaration of war.

Advocacy [ AD-vuh'-kuh'-see ][ noun ]MEANING :1. the act of arguing in favour of or of pleading for
2. the act of pleading or supporting
3. the work of an advocate or the professionUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The activist was famous for his advocacy of the fundamental rights of citizens.

Malign [  muh'-LAHYN  ][ adjective, transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (tr. v.) say wicked things about someone
2. (adj.) evil temperamentUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The journalist maligned the politician in his article that was to be published in the newspaper.

Parsimonious [ pahr-suh’-MOH-nee-uh’ s ][ adjective ]MEANING :frugal, stingy, sparing or miserlyUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The parsimonious merchant was wealthy.

Draconian [ drey-KOH-nee-uh'n, druh ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. harsh, rigorous or unusually severe
2. characteristic of or pertaining to Draco or his code of lawsUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The elders say that society has become too easy going and permissive now that the draconian laws have been repealed.

Accord [ uh-kawrd ][ noun, intransitive verb, transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (tr. v.) to make agreeable
2. (tr. v.) to bestow upon or to grant
3. (tr. v.) to cause to agree
4. (intr. v.) to be in harmony or in agreement
5.(n.) the state of being n harmony
6. (n.) the act of being in agreementUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The two countries had reached an accord on the exchange of prisoners of war.

Haggle [ HAG-uh'l ][ noun, intransitive verb, transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (tr. v.) to come to terms by petty bargaining
2. (tr. v.) to hack or cut in crude fashion
3. (intr. v.) to wrangle
5.(intr. v.) to bargain in a petty way
6. (n.) the act or instance of bargaining, wranglingUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :She would always haggle with the vegetable vendors over the price of the vegetables before buying anything.

Indolent [ IN-dl-uh'nt ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. lazy or having a disposition to avoid exertion
2. causing little or no pain
3. relatively benignUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The indolent child would not take part in any of the games.

Annihilate [ uh'-NAHY-uh'-leyt ][ verb ]MEANING :to do away with something; destroy completelyUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The U.S. department of defence is building a new generation of high-tech weapons which will enable it to annihilate its enemies.

Phoenix [ FEE-niks ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a bird in Egyptian mythology that lived for 500 years and used to get consumed by fire and emerged from the ashes as a new phoenix
2. a symbol of immortality or of reborn idealism
3. a person or thing of great beauty or a paragonUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The company had risen like a phoenix from the ashes due to the determination of the management and the dedication of the workers.

Intractable [ in-TRAK-tuh'-buh'l ][ noun, adjective ]MEANING :1. (adj.) not easily manageable or controlled
2. (adj.) difficult to shape or work with
3. (adj.) not easily curable or difficult to treat
4. (n.) a headstrong personUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The inexperienced teacher was not able to cope with the class full of intractable children.

Cohorts [ KOH-hawrt ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a group of people or a company of soldiers
2. an associate
3. an accompliceUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The bandit and his cohorts were captured by the police.

Eccentric [ ik-SEN-trik, ek ][ noun, adjective ]MEANING :1. (adj.) odd or peculiar
2. (adj.) deviating from the recognized or conventional
3. (adj.) an axis or axle which is not situated in the centre or not having the same centre
4. (adj.) straying from a circular form (elliptic orbit)
5. (n.) a person who behaves in an unusual, peculiar, or odd way or has a peculiar set of beliefs
6. (n.) something that is odd, unusual or peculiarUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :His neighbours avoided him because of his eccentric behaviour.

Drab [ drab ][ noun, adjective ]MEANING :1. (adj.) cheerless or lacking in spirit
2. (adj.) dull or lacking brightness
3. (adj.) having a dreary or dull character
4. (n.) greyish or brownish in colourUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The drab room, he lived in, made him grumpy.

Pomposity [ pom-POS-i-tee ][ noun ]MEANING :1. the state of being lofty or pretentious
2. ceremonious and stately display of dignity
3. loftiness of language or behaviourUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :None of the villagers were impressed by the pomposity of the minister as he had not kept his election promises.

Malaise [ ma-LEYZ, -muh-; Fr. mA-LEZ ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a condition of general weakness
2. a vague feeling of uneasiness
3. a feeling of depression or discomfortUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The doctor said that the malaise could develop into pneumonia.

Imbecility [ im-buh'-SIL-i-tee ][ noun ]MEANING :1. stupidity or silliness
2. an instance of absurdity or incapability
3. foolishnessUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The staff at the shopping arcade complained about the imbecility of the new manager to the directors.

Elixir [ ih-LIK-ser ][ noun ]MEANING :1. an alchemic preparation believed to be capable of prolonging life; a sovereign remedy or universal cure
2. a procedure believed to be capable of transmuting base metals into gold
3. a sweetened aromatic solution of alcohol and water, serving as a syrup base for medicineUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The prince and his trusted servants set off for the enchanted forest in search of the elixir of eternal youth.

Futile [ FYOOT-l, FYOO-tahyl ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. unsuccessful or incapable of producing any result
2. frivolous or unimportant
3. ineffective or uselessUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :He was so securely bound that struggling seemed futile.

Oust [ oust ][ transitive verb ]MEANING :1. to force out or eject from a position
2. to supplant or take someone's place by force
3. to dispossess or evictUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The chairman could not be ousted as the shareholders gave him a vote of confidence.

Poignancy [ POIN-yuh'n-see, POIN-uh'n ][ noun ]MEANING :1. the state of being very touching or profoundly moving
2. an emotional moment or eventUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Many viewers were moved to tears by the poignancy of the soap opera.