Learn English Vocabulary - via Word of the Day

wince [ wins ][ noun, intransitive verb ]MEANING :1. (intr.v.) to cringe, flinch or draw back
2. (n.) a start, flinch or recoilUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :He winced but accepted his punishment without a protest.

Saturnine [ SAT-er-nahyn ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. gloomy, taciturn, sardonic or sullen
2. having a temperament suggestive of one being born under the astrological influence of planet saturn
3. enduring lead poisoning or some disorder due the absorption of leadUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :His saturnine temperament does not bode well.

Vainglorious [ veyn-GLAWR-ee-uh's, -GLOHR- ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. boastful or marked by excessive vanity
2. proceeding from or filled with vaingloryUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :
His promise to the commissioner of more to come is not just a journalist's vainglorious bluster.

abate [ uh'-BEYT ][ intransitive verb, transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (tr.v.) to decrease, lessen or diminish
2. (tr.v.) to end, nullify or terminate
3. (intr.v.) to decrease or reduce in intensity
4. (intr.v.) to become voidUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The storm suddenly abated.

Abattoir [ AB-uh'-twahr, ab-uh'-TWAHR ][ noun ]MEANING :slaughterhouseUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Widespread closure of abattoirs has already disrupted the supply chain.

Aboriginal [ ab-uh'-RIJ-uh'-nl ][ noun, adjective ]MEANING :1. (adj.) indigenous or inhabiting or native from the beginning
2. (adj.) relating or pertaining to the aborigines
3. (n.) aborigineUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The aboriginal residents of the island were uncomfortable with the new settlement.

Somatic [ soh-MAT-ik, suh’- ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. bodily or physical
2. parietal or pertaining to the wall of the bodyUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Artificial Intelligence may identify explicit factors mediating the links between somatic and psychological symptoms.

Succour [ SUHK-er ][ noun, transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (n.) relief, comfort, aid or assistance
2. (n.) one who aids, comforts or relieves
3. (tr.v.) to help, aid or assistUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The wounded had little chance of succour.

shoal [ shohl ][ noun, adjective, transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (n.) the place where the river or sea is shallow
2. (adj.) shallow
3. (tr.v.) to cause to become shallowUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The lifeguard mentioned that the shoal was a safe place to swim.

apotheosis [ uh'-poth-ee-Oh-sis, ap-uh'-Thee-uh'-sis ][ noun ]MEANING :1. elevation or exaltation or deification to a divine stature
2. epitome, quintessence or glorified exampleUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Their love story became the apotheosis for generations to come.

Visage [ VIZ-ij ][ noun ]MEANING :1. facial expression or countenance
2. aspect or appearanceUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Her visage was impassive, almost lifeless.

Verisimilar [ ver-uh'-SIM-uh'-ler ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. having the appearance of truth
2. very likely or probableUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :His transgression was condoned as he had a verisimilar reason for having broken the rules.

Rapacious [ ruh’-PEY-shuh’ s ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. extremely greedy; ravenous
2. given to pillaging; predatory
3. to live or subsist on live preyUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Where this leaves the more rapacious companies remains to be seen.

microseism
Meaning:
A faint earth tremor caused by natural phenomena, such as wind.

Usage Example:
When one of these waves interacts with the sea bottom, it produces a small tremor, or microseism, that travels thousands of miles through the solid Earth at about 2.5 miles per second.

Rapine [ RAP-in, -ahyn ][ noun ]MEANING :the act of forcefully taking away someone else's property; pillageUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Plunder and rapine were a way of life in the bygone era.

Obeisance [ oh-BEY-suh’ ns, oh-BEE- ][ noun ]MEANING :a gesture of body movement that expresses homage, like a bowUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :They paid obeisance to the Prince.

pedant [ PED-nt ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a person who makes an excessive or inappropriate display of learning.
2. a person who overemphasizes rules or minor details.
3. a person who adheres rigidly to book knowledge without regard to common sense.USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The conference for Civil engineers held recently in Mumbai was attended by world renowned pedants.

Agoraphobia [ ag-er-uh'-FOH-bee-uh' ][ noun ]MEANING :an abnormal fear of crowds, public places or open areasUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :People who suffer from agoraphobia require clinical intervention to live a full life.

Spry [ sprahy ][ adjective ]MEANING :nimble, vigorous, lively or activeUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The spry lamb jumped over the fence and disappeared behind the thicket.

Semblance [ SEM-bluh’ ns ][ noun ]MEANING :1. form or outward appearance
2. a copy, likeness or representation
3. modicum or traceUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :A semblance of order has to exist for things to run smoothly.

Mercenary [ MUR-suh'-ner-ee ][ noun, adjective ]MEANING :1. (adj.) serving only for money or other reward
2. (adj.) hired to serve or serving in a foreign army or guerrilla organization
3.(n.) a hireling or professional soldier engaged to serve in a foreign army
4. (n.) a soldier of fortuneUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :He had planned to seize power with the aid of a group of mercenaries.

Aplomb [ uh'-PLOM, uh'-PLUHM ][ noun ]MEANING :poise, confidence or self-assuranceUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :She made the presentation with aplomb.

Adumbrate [ a-DUHM-breyt, AD-uh'm-breyt ][ transitive verb ]MEANING :1. to sketch, partially disclose or outline
2. to foreshadow or intimate
3. to overshadow or obscureUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The detective adumbrated the life of the serial killer.

uncouth [ uhn-KOOTH ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. clumsy, outlandish or unmannerly
2. crude, boorish or undefined
3. strange, unusual or ungracefulUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :His uncouth behaviour was embarrassing.

undulate [ v. UHN-juh-leyt, uhn-dyuh'-, -duh'-;adj. UHN-juh-lit, -leyt, UHN-dyuh-, -duh- ][ adjective, intransitive verb, transitive verb ]MEANING :1. (intr.v.) to move in a wavy or rising-and-falling way of motion
2. (intr.v.) to have a wavy shape or form
3. (tr.v.) to cause to move in a wavy manner
4. (tr.v.) to give a wavelike shape or form to
5. (adj.) having a rippled or wavy form USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The rising breeze caused the people to cheer as the flag undulated and increased the morale of the troops.

Proletarian [ proh-li-TAIR-ee-uh'n ][ noun, adjective ]MEANING :1. (n.) a person belonging to the working class of society
2. (n.) the poorest class of people
3. (adj.) belonging to the working class of society
2. (adj.) pertaining to the poor or the lowest class of people in societyUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The businessmen have always looked down upon the proletarians.

Sophist [ SOF-ist ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a philosopher, thinker or scholar
2. one who is skilled at reasoning or arguing adroitly or speciously
3. a teacher or philosopher in ancient Greece who reasoned out or argued or speculated on theology, metaphysics, and the sciencesUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :She considered herself to be a sophist.

Megalomania [ meg-uh’-loh-MEY-nee-uh’ ][ noun ]MEANING :a mental ailment characterised by delusions of wealth, power or greatnessUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :It would probably be correct to arrive at the conclusion that most great men suffer from a sense of megalomania.

Indigent [ IN-di-juh ’nt ][ noun, adjective ]MEANING :1. (adj.) lacking or in need of basic needs; impoverished
2. (adj.) (archaic) lacking something that is most essential; deficient
3. (n.) one who is in need; a destituteUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The number of indigent people in our country is shocking and outrageous.

Phylum [ FAHY-luh'm  ][ noun ]MEANING :1. a primary division of the plant or animal kingdom
2. a large division of genetically related families of languages or linguistic stocks
3. a group of organisms ranking above a class and below a kingdom or the second-largest division of biological classificationUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The biology students were asked to examine the six organisms on the table and then identify the phylum to which each specimen belonged.

Punitive [ PYOO-ni-tiv  ][ adjective ]MEANING :1. inflicting punishment
2. punishingUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :Punitive action was taken against the errant secretary of the housing society.

Antagonism [ an-TAG-uh'-niz-uh'm ][ noun ]MEANING :1. an active opposition
2. hostility that results in active resistanceUSAGE EXAMPLE 1 :The lawyer cross-examined the witness in such a way that the witness was overcome with antagonism.