Learn English Vocabulary - via Word of the Day

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Showing posts from October, 2015

Jibe

By Shamli Seth - October 31, 2015

Jibe [ jahyb ] [ noun, intransitive verb, transitive verb ] MEANING : 1. (intr.v.) to shift from side to side as a fore-and-aft sail when running before the wind 2. (intr.v.) to agree or accord 3. (tr.v.) to be the cause of such a shift 4. (n.) an act or instance of jibing USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The findings of the report did not jibe with the statements made by the parliamentary speaker.

Improvise

By Shamli Seth - October 30, 2015

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.

Expository

By Shamli Seth - October 29, 2015

Expository [ ik-SPOZ-i-tawr-ee ] [ adjective ] MEANING : 1. serving to explain 2. pertaining to a public show or exhibition 3. characteristic of being set forth USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : Despite the expository nature of the lecture, only a few students were able to understand.

Scrutinize

By Shamli Seth - October 28, 2015

Scrutinize [ SKROOT-n-ahyz ] [ intransitive verb, transitive verb ] MEANING : 1. (tr. v.) to examine in detail or observe careful 2. (tr. v.) to inspect critically or with attention to details 3. (intr. v.) to conduct a detailed examination of USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The lawyer told him not to sign until he had scrutinized the document.

Sacrilegious

By Shamli Seth - October 27, 2015

Sacrilegious [ sak-ruh'-LIJ- uh's ] [ adjective ] MEANING : 1. pertaining to or involving violation of anything sacred 2. guilty of blasphemy 3. contrary to what is held to be sacred USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : He outraged their religious sentiment by his sacrilegious behaviour.

Scion

By Shamli Seth - October 26, 2015

Scion [ SAHY-uh'n ] [ noun ] MEANING : 1. an heir or descendant 2. a twig containing buds for grafting or a shoot USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : He claims to be the scion of a mafia Don.

Genre

By Shamli Seth - October 25, 2015

Genre [ ZHAHN-ruh' ] [ noun, adjective ] MEANING : 1.(n.) a category of artistic work which has a particular form or technique 2. (n.) a particular type or style 3. (adj.) pertaining to a distinctive literary type USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : He was adjudged best author of the year in the genre of poems for children.

Eclectic

By Shamli Seth - October 24, 2015

Eclectic [ i-KLEK-tik ] [ adjective ] MEANING : 1. selecting from a variety of sources or styles 2. made up of a selection from different sources 3. adopting individual elements from a variety of sources USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : Being a fashion designer, he adopted an eclectic dress code that was popular with the youth.

Impartial

By Shamli Seth - October 23, 2015

Impartial [ im-PAHR-shuh'l ] [ adjective ] MEANING : 1. not partial 2. fair and just 3. unprejudiced or unbiased USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : After hearing the arguments of both parties the mediator said he had come to an impartial decision.

Gustatory

By Shamli Seth - October 22, 2015

Gustatory [ GUHS-tuh'-tawr-ee ] [ adjective ] MEANING : 1. pertaining to the sense of taste 2. relating to taste or tasting USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The aroma of spicy food was a gustatory stimulation for the hungry people.

Perennial

By Shamli Seth - October 21, 2015

Perennial [ puh’-REN-ee-uh’ l ] [ noun, adjective ] MEANING : 1. (adj.) existing throughout the year 2. (adj.) persisting for a very long time 3. (adj.) recurrent or perpetual 4. (n.) a plant that is perennial in nature 5. (n.) a recurrent phenomenon or thing USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The perennial tropical climate of Florida makes it an attractive destination for tourists from more temperate regions.

Embroil

By Shamli Seth - October 20, 2015

Embroil [ em-BROIL ] [ transitive verb ] MEANING : 1. to entangle or involve in contention 2. to bring into discord or conflict 3. to involve in argument or hostile actions USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The company was embroiled in a controversy regarding the bribery of customs officials and the under invoicing of imported machinery.

Mirth

By Shamli Seth - October 19, 2015

Mirth [ murth ] [ noun ] MEANING : gaiety, happiness or amusement USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : Her mirth on seeing his downfall became evident from the sadistic expression on her face.

Besmirch

By Shamli Seth - October 18, 2015

Besmirch [ bi-SMURCH ] [ transitive verb ] MEANING : 1. to dirty, soil or tarnish 2. to dishonour, stain or sully USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : His favourite tactics are to besmirch the name of his adversary.

Impassive

By Shamli Seth - October 17, 2015

Impassive [ im-PAS-iv ] [ adjective ] MEANING : 1. apathetic, expressionless or insensible 2. placid, serene or calm USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The Headmaster's impassive face did not reveal what punishment he had in store for the errant school boy.

Bristling

By Shamli Seth - October 16, 2015

Bristling [ BRIS-uh'ling ] [ verb ] MEANING : 1. to become erect or stiff like bristles 2. to be aroused 3. to become irritated USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : He was bristling with rage after the manager of the department store refused to acknowledge his complaint.

Jade

By Shamli Seth - October 15, 2015

Jade [ jeyd ] [ noun, transitive verb ] MEANING : 1. (n.) a green-coloured, hard gemstone or its green colour 2. (n.) a woman of ill repute 3. (n.) a horse that's worn-out 4. (tr.v.) to wear out or cause to make something worn-out USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The statue was an antique carved from the finest jade.

Inane

By Shamli Seth - October 14, 2015

Inane [ i-NEYN ] [ adjective ] MEANING : 1. vacant, insubstantial or empty 2. silly, stupid or foolish USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The journalist's inane questions irritated the visiting Head of state.

Wistful

By Shamli Seth - October 13, 2015

Wistful [ WIST-fuh'l ] [ adjective ] MEANING : 1. characterized by longing or yearning 2. wishful thinking 3. pensive or forlorn USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : Because of the intense pressure of his work, he had a wistful desire to return to the happy and carefree days of his childhood.

Solemnity

By Shamli Seth - October 12, 2015

Solemnity [ suh'-LEM-ni-tee ] [ noun ] MEANING : 1. gravity or impressiveness 2. a formality that renders an act or document valid USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The fun and frolic of the celebration contrasted with the solemnity of the prayer service.

Catapult

By Shamli Seth - October 11, 2015

Catapult [ KAT-uh'-puhlt ] [ noun ] MEANING : 1. a slingshot 2. a mechanism used in medieval times to propel large stones or spears 3. a machine for launching aircraft at a speed sufficient for flight USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : They hunted quail with their catapults.

Untoward

By Shamli Seth - October 10, 2015

Untoward [ uhn-TAWRD, -TOHRD ] [ adjective ] MEANING : 1. unfavourable 2. out of the ordinary USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : He leads a charmed life, nothing untoward ever happens to him.

Alchemy

By Shamli Seth - October 09, 2015

Alchemy [ AL-kuh'-mee ] [ noun ] MEANING : 1. a medieval chemical science and speculative philosophy having as its aims, transmuting baser metals into gold, the discovery of a universal cure for disease and an elixir of longevity 2. any magical power or process by which a common substance can be transmuted into a substance of great value USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The art of alchemy was subtle and often misunderstood.

Corporeal

By Shamli Seth - October 08, 2015

Corporeal [ kawr-PAWR-ee-uh’ l, -POHR- ] [ adjective ] MEANING : 1. bodily or physical 2. material or not intangible USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : Corporeal punishment has been banned in schools.

Pensive

By Shamli Seth - October 07, 2015

Pensive [ PEN-siv ] [ adjective ] MEANING : thoughtful especially when sad or gloomy USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The traumatic incident made the boy pensive for many months.

Incinerate

By Shamli Seth - October 06, 2015

Incinerate [ in-SIN-uh'-reyt ] [ intransitive verb, transitive verb ] MEANING : 1. (tr. v.) to cause to be burnt to ash 2. (tr. v.) to cremate 3. (intr. v.) to burn completely USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The fire department was unable to control the blaze and by the following morning everything in the go-down was incinerated.

Abrasive

By Shamli Seth - October 05, 2015

Abrasive [ uh'-BREY-siv ] [ noun, adjective ] MEANING : 1. material used for grinding or polishing 2. causing wearing away by grinding 3. overly aggressive USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : He brought a shine to the dusty old cabinet by using an abrasive.

Unruly

By Shamli Seth - October 04, 2015

Unruly [ uhn-ROO-lee ] [ adjective ] MEANING : not submissive; difficult to discipline or control USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : A gang of unruly teenagers stoned the old woman’s cottage and broke all her windowpanes.

Implore

By Shamli Seth - October 03, 2015

Implore [ im-PLAWR ] [ intransitive verb, transitive verb ] MEANING : 1. (tr. v.) to beseech or beg urgently 2. (tr. v.) entreat or appeal to in prayer 3. (intr. v.) to make an earnest appeal USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : The condemned prisoners implored the King for mercy.

Vagabond

By Shamli Seth - October 02, 2015

Vagabond [ VAG-uh'-bond ] [ noun, adjective ] MEANING : 1. (n.) a person who travels from place to place and has no permanent home 2. a worthless or irresponsible person 3. (adj.) nomadic or wandering without settling anywhere USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : If you want to see the world travel in style, not like a vagabond.

Deference

By Shamli Seth - October 01, 2015

Deference [ DEF-er-uh'ns ] [ noun ] MEANING : 1. a respectful submission 2. yielding to the judgment 3. respectful regard USAGE EXAMPLE 1 : In deference to the wishes of the late founder of the company, 1% of the company's net profit was donated to charity.

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