26/06/2007

Herd
–noun

1.	a number of animals kept, feeding, or traveling together; drove; flock: a herd of cattle; a herd of sheep; a herd of zebras.

2.	Sometimes Disparaging. a large group of people: The star was mobbed by a herd of autograph seekers.

3.	any large quantity: a herd of bicycles.

4.	the herd, the common people; masses; rabble: He had no opinions of his own, but simply followed the herd.

–verb (used without object)

5.	to unite or go in a herd; assemble or associate as a herd.

Sycamore

1.	Also called buttonwood. any of several North American plane trees, esp. Platanus occidentalis, having shallowly lobed ovate leaves, globular seed heads, and wood valued as timber.

2.	British. the sycamore maple.

3.	a tree, Ficus sycomorus, of the Near East, related to the common fig, bearing an edible fruit.

Sacristy
an apartment in or a building connected with a church or a religious house, in which the sacred vessels, vestments, etc., are kept.

Stray

1. 1. To move away from a group, deviate from the correct course, or go beyond established limits.
   2. To become lost.
2. To wander about without a destination or purpose; roam. See Synonyms at wander.
3. To follow a winding course; meander.
4. To deviate from a moral, proper, or right course; err.
5. To become diverted from a subject or train of thought; digress

Proprietor

1.	the owner of a business establishment, a hotel, etc.

2.	a person who has the exclusive right or title to something; an owner, as of real property.

3.	a group of proprietors; proprietary.

Haunted

1.	inhabited or frequented by ghosts: a haunted castle.

2.	preoccupied, as with an emotion, memory, or idea; obsessed: His haunted imagination gave him no peace.

3.	disturbed; distressed; worried: Haunted by doubt he again turned to law books on the subject.

13/06/07

Eloquent

1.	having or exercising the power of fluent, forceful, and appropriate speech: an eloquent orator.

2.	characterized by forceful and appropriate expression: an eloquent speech.

3.	movingly expressive: looks eloquent of disgust.

Egotism

1.	excessive and objectionable reference to oneself in conversation or writing; conceit; boastfulness.

2.	selfishness; self-centeredness; egoism.

Insolent
1.boldly rude or disrespectful; contemptuously impertinent; insulting: an insolent reply.

Inept

1.	without skill or aptitude for a particular task or assignment; maladroit: He is inept at mechanical tasks. She is inept at dealing with people.

2.	generally awkward or clumsy; haplessly incompetent.

3.	inappropriate; unsuitable; out of place.

4.	absurd or foolish: an inept remark.

Ludicrous
causing laughter because of absurdity; provoking or deserving derision; ridiculous; laughable: a ludicrous lack of efficiency.

Audacity

1.	boldness or daring, esp. with confident or arrogant disregard for personal safety, conventional thought, or other restrictions.

2.	effrontery or insolence; shameless boldness: His questioner's audacity shocked the lecturer.

3.	Usually, audacities. audacious acts or statements.

Contemplation

1.	the act of contemplating; thoughtful observation.

2.	full or deep consideration; reflection: religious contemplation.

3.	purpose or intention.

4.	prospect or expectation.

Obnoxious

1.	highly objectionable or offensive; odious: obnoxious behavior.

2.	annoying or objectionable due to being a showoff or attracting undue attention to oneself: an obnoxious little brat.

3.	Archaic. exposed or liable to harm, evil, or anything objectionable.

4.	Obsolete. liable to punishment or censure; reprehensible.

ascetic

1.	a person who dedicates his or her life to a pursuit of contemplative ideals and practices extreme self-denial or self-mortification for religious reasons.

2.	a person who leads an austerely simple life, esp. one who abstains from the normal pleasures of life or denies himself or herself material satisfaction.

3.	(in the early Christian church) a monk; hermit.

–adjective Also, as·cet·i·cal.

4.	pertaining to asceticism.

5.	rigorously abstinent; austere: an ascetic existence.

6.	exceedingly strict or severe in religious exercises or self-mortification.

12/06/07

Fragile

.	easily broken, shattered, or damaged; delicate; brittle; frail: a fragile ceramic container; a very fragile alliance.

2.	vulnerably delicate, as in appearance: She has a fragile beauty.

3.	lacking in substance or force; flimsy: a fragile excuse.

Quarry

1.	an excavation or pit, usually open to the air, from which building stone, slate, or the like, is obtained by cutting, blasting, etc.

2.	an abundant source or supply.

–verb (used with object)

3.	to obtain (stone) from or as if from a quarry.

4.	to make a quarry in.

insolence

1.	contemptuously rude or impertinent behavior or speech.

2.	the quality or condition of being insolent.

vicious

1.	addicted to or characterized by vice; grossly immoral; depraved; profligate: a vicious life.

2.	given or readily disposed to evil: a vicious criminal.

3.	reprehensible; blameworthy; wrong: a vicious deception.

4.	spiteful; malicious: vicious gossip; a vicious attack.

5.	unpleasantly severe: a vicious headache.

6.	characterized or marred by faults or defects; faulty; unsound: vicious reasoning.

7.	savage; ferocious: They all feared his vicious temper.

8.	(of an animal) having bad habits or a cruel or fierce disposition: a vicious bull.

9.	Archaic. morbid, foul, or noxious.

estrangement

1.	to turn away in feeling or affection; make unfriendly or hostile; alienate the affections of: Their quarrel estranged the two friends.

2.	to remove to or keep at a distance: The necessity for traveling on business has estranged him from his family.

3.	to divert from the original use or possessor.

Despise
to regard with contempt, distaste, disgust, or disdain; scorn; loathe.

Ferocious

1.	savagely fierce, as a wild beast, person, action, or aspect; violently cruel: a ferocious beating.

2.	extreme or intense: a ferocious thirst.

From News 11/06/07

dissident

adj.

Disagreeing, as in opinion or belief.

n.

One who disagrees; a dissenter.
agitate

1. To cause to move with violence or sudden force.

2. To upset; disturb: was agitated by the alarming news.

3. To arouse interest in (a cause, for example) by use of the written or spoken word; debate.
lenient
Inclined not to be harsh or strict; merciful, generous, or indulgent: lenient parents; lenient rules.

10/06/07

stupendous

1.	causing amazement; astounding; marvelous: stupendous news.

2.	amazingly large or great; immense: a stupendous mass of information.

countenance

1.	appearance, esp. the look or expression of the face: a sad countenance.

2.	the face; visage.

3.	calm facial expression; composure.

4.	approval or favor; encouragement; moral support.

5.	Obsolete. bearing; behavior.

–verb (used with object)

6.	to permit or tolerate: You should not have countenanced his rudeness.

7.	to approve, support, or encourage.

contemptuous
showing or expressing contempt or disdain; scornful.


Impervious –adjective

1.	not permitting penetration or passage; impenetrable: The coat is impervious to rain.

2.	incapable of being injured or impaired: impervious to wear and tear.

3.	incapable of being influenced, persuaded, or affected: impervious to reason; impervious to another's suffering.

Baffle

1.	to confuse, bewilder, or perplex: He was baffled by the technical language of the instructions.

2.	to frustrate or confound; thwart by creating confusion or bewilderment.

3.	to check or deflect the movement of (sound, light, fluids, etc.).

4.	to equip with a baffle or baffles.

5.	Obsolete. to cheat; trick.

–verb (used without object)

6.	to struggle ineffectually, as a ship in a gale.

–noun

7.	something that balks, checks, or deflects.

8.	an artificial obstruction for checking or deflecting the flow of gases (as in a boiler), sounds (as in the loudspeaker system of a radio or hi-fi set), light (as in a darkroom), etc.

9.	any boxlike enclosure or flat panel for mounting a loudspeaker.

Compulsion

1.	the act of compelling; constraint; coercion.

2.	the state or condition of being compelled.

3.	Psychology. a strong, usually irresistible impulse to perform an act, esp. one that is irrational or contrary to one's will.

Meticulous

1.	taking or showing extreme care about minute details; precise; thorough: a meticulous craftsman; meticulous personal appearance.

2.	finicky; fussy: meticulous adherence to technicalities.

Scrutiny

1.	a searching examination or investigation; minute inquiry.

2.	surveillance; close and continuous watching or guarding.

3.	a close and searching look.

Errand
n.

1. 1. A short trip taken to perform a specified task, usually for another.
   2. The purpose or object of such a trip: Your errand was to mail the letter.
   3. A mission; an embassy.
   4. An oral message that has been entrusted to one.
2. Archaic
   1. A mission; an embassy.
   2. An oral message that has been entrusted to one.
   
   

resentment
–noun
the feeling of displeasure or indignation at some act, remark, person, etc., regarded as causing injury or insult.

Fury
–noun, plural -ries.

1.	unrestrained or violent anger, rage, passion, or the like: The gods unleashed their fury on the offending mortal.

2.	violence; vehemence; fierceness: the fury of a hurricane; a fury of creative energy.

3.

Furies, Classical Mythology. minor female divinities: the daughters of Gaea who punished crimes at the instigation of the victims: known to the Greeks as the Erinyes or Eumenides and to the Romans as the Furiae or Dirae. Originally there were an indefinite number, but were later restricted to Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone.

4.	a fierce and violent person, esp. a woman: She became a fury when she felt she was unjustly accused.

—Idiom

5.	like fury, Informal. violently; intensely: It rained like fury.

Blurt
To utter suddenly and impulsively: blurt a confession.

Elaborate

1.	worked out with great care and nicety of detail; executed with great minuteness: elaborate preparations; elaborate care.

2.	marked by intricate and often excessive detail; complicated.

–verb (used with object)

3.	to work out carefully or minutely; develop to perfection.

4.	to add details to; expand.

5.	to produce or develop by labor.

6.	Physiology. to convert (food, plasma, etc.) by means of chemical processes into a substance more suitable for use within the body.

–verb (used without object)

7.	to add details in writing, speaking, etc.; give additional or fuller treatment (usually fol. by on or upon): to elaborate upon a theme or an idea.

Conduit

1. A pipe or channel for conveying fluids, such as water.
2. A tube or duct for enclosing electric wires or cable.
3. A means by which something is transmitted: an arms dealer who served as a conduit for intelligence data.
4. Archaic A fountain.

assiduous

1.	constant; unremitting: assiduous reading.

2.	constant in application or effort; working diligently at a task; persevering; industrious; attentive: an assiduous student.

From fountainhead 7/06/07

pre·pos·ter·ous /prɪˈpɒstərəs, -trəs/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[pri-pos-ter-uhs, -truhs]
–adjective
completely contrary to nature, reason, or common sense; absurd; senseless; utterly foolish: a preposterous tale.

fen·es·tra·tion /ˌfɛnəˈstreɪʃən/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[fen-uh-strey-shuhn]

1.	the design and disposition of windows and other exterior openings of a building.

2.	Furniture. an ornamental motif having the form of a blind arcade or arch, as in medieval cabinetwork.

3.	Medicine/Medical, Surgery. a. a perforation in a structure. b. an operation to effect such an opening. c. Also called fenestration operation, Lempert operation. the creation of an artificial opening into the labyrinth of the ear to restore hearing loss from otosclerosis.

dif·fi·dent
adj.

1. Lacking or marked by a lack of self-confidence; shy and timid. See Synonyms at shy¹.

2. Reserved in manner.

flaunt
v. flaunt·ed, flaunt·ing, flaunts

v. tr.

1. To exhibit ostentatiously or shamelessly: flaunts his knowledge. See Synonyms at show.
2. Usage Problem To show contempt for; scorn.

v. intr.

1. To parade oneself ostentatiously; show oneself off.
2. To wave grandly: pennants flaunting in the wind.

ten·ant
n.

1. One that pays rent to use or occupy land, a building, or other property owned by another.
2. A dweller in a place; an occupant.
3. Law One who holds or possesses lands, tenements, or sometimes personal property by any kind of title.

sprout
v. sprout·ed, sprout·ing, sprouts

v. intr.

1. To begin to grow; give off shoots or buds.
2. To emerge and develop rapidly.

v. tr.
To cause to come forth and grow.

n.

1. Young plant growth, such as a bud or shoot.
2. Something resembling or suggestive of a sprout, as in rapid growth: "a tall blond sprout of a boy" (Anne Tyler).
3. sprouts
   1. The young shoots of plants such as alfalfa and soybean, usually eaten raw.
   2. Brussels sprouts.

an·te·room /ˈæntiˌrum, -ˌrʊm/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[an-tee-room, -room]

1.	a room that admits to a larger room.

2.	a waiting room.

swift
–adjective

1.	moving or capable of moving with great speed or velocity; fleet; rapid: a swift ship.

2.	coming, happening, or performed quickly or without delay: a swift decision.

3.	quick or prompt to act or respond: swift to jump to conclusions.

4.	Slang. quick to perceive or understand; smart; clever: You can't cheat him, he's too swift.

bulge /bʌldʒ/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[buhlj]
verb, bulged, bulg·ing. –noun

1.	a rounded projection, bend, or protruding part; protuberance; hump: a bulge in a wall.

2.	any sudden increase, as of numbers, sales, or prices: the bulge in profits.

3.	a rising in small waves on the surface of a body of water, caused by the action of a fish or fishes in pursuit of food underwater.

–verb (used without object)

4.	to swell or bend outward; be protuberant.

5.	to be filled to capacity: The box bulged with cookies.

–verb (used with object)

6.	to make protuberant; cause to swell.

im·per·ti·nent /ɪmˈpɜrtnənt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[im-pur-tn-uhnt]

Pronunciation –adjective

1.	intrusive or presumptuous, as persons or their actions; insolently rude; uncivil: a brash, impertinent youth.

2.	not pertinent or relevant; irrelevant: an impertinent detail.

3.	Archaic. inappropriate, incongruous, or absurd.

4.	Obsolete. (of persons) trivial, silly, or absurd.

se·ren·i·ty /səˈrɛnɪti/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[suh-ren-i-tee] P

1.	the state or quality of being serene, calm, or tranquil; sereneness.

2.	(usually initial capital letter) a title of honor, respect, or reverence, used in speaking of or to certain members of royalty (usually prec. by his, your, etc.).

el·o·quent /ˈɛləkwənt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[el-uh-kwuhnt]

1.	having or exercising the power of fluent, forceful, and appropriate speech: an eloquent orator.

2.	characterized by forceful and appropriate expression: an eloquent speech.

3.	movingly expressive: looks eloquent of disgust.

de·spond·ent /dɪˈspɒndənt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[di-spon-duhnt]
–adjective feeling or showing profound hopelessness, dejection, discouragement, or gloom: despondent about failing health.

pre·sump·tu·ous /prɪˈzʌmptʃuəs/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[pri-zuhmp-choo-uhs]
–adjective

1.	full of, characterized by, or showing presumption or readiness to presume in conduct or thought.

2.	unwarrantedly or impertinently bold; forward.

3.	Obsolete. presumptive.

im·preg·na·ble /ɪmˈprɛgnəbəl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[im-preg-nuh-buhl]

- Show IPA Pronunciation –adjective

1.	strong enough to resist or withstand attack; not to be taken by force, unconquerable: an impregnable fort.

2.	not to be overcome or overthrown: an impregnable argument.

ex·pro·pri·ate /ɛksˈproʊpriˌeɪt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[eks-proh-pree-eyt] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –verb (used with object), -at·ed, -at·ing.

1.	to take possession of, esp. for public use by the right of eminent domain, thus divesting the title of the private owner: The government expropriated the land for a recreation area.

2.	to dispossess (a person) of ownership: The revolutionary government expropriated the landowners from their estates.

3.	to take (something) from another's possession for one's own use: He expropriated my ideas for his own article.

prerogative
pre·rog·a·tive

n.

1. An exclusive right or privilege held by a person or group, especially a hereditary or official right. See Synonyms at right.

2. The exclusive right and power to command, decide, rule, or judge: the principal's prerogative to suspend a student.

3. A special quality that confers superiority.

adj.

Of, arising from, or exercising a prerogative.

Indignation
in·dig·na·tion /ˌɪndɪgˈneɪʃən/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[in-dig-ney-shuhn]
displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting, or base; righteous anger.

—Synonyms resentment, exasperation, wrath, ire, choler. See anger.

—Antonyms calm.

cliff
Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun a high steep face of a rock.

contemptuous

showing or expressing contempt or disdain; scornful
—Antonyms respectful.

—Synonyms disdainful, sneering, insolent, arrogant, supercilious, haughty.

mound

1.	a natural elevation of earth; a hillock or knoll.

2.	an artificial elevation of earth, as for a defense work or a dam or barrier; an embankment.

3.	a heap or raised mass: a mound of papers; a mound of hay.

4.	Baseball. the slightly raised ground from which the pitcher delivers the ball. Compare rubber (def. 13).

5.	an elevation formed of earth, sand, stones, etc., esp. over a grave or ruins.

6.	a tumulus or other raised work of earth dating from a prehistoric or long-past period.

–verb (used with object)

7.	to form into a mound; heap up.

8.	to furnish with a mound of earth, as for a defense.

stout
–adjective

1.	bulky in figure; heavily built; corpulent; thickset; fat: She is getting too stout for her dresses.

2.	bold, brave, or dauntless: a stout heart; stout fellows.

3.	firm; stubborn; resolute: stout resistance.

4.	forceful; vigorous: a stout argument; a stout wind.

5.	strong of body; hearty; sturdy: stout seamen.

6.	having endurance or staying power, as a horse.

7.	strong in substance or body, as a beverage.

8.	strong and thick or heavy: a stout cudgel.

–noun

9.	a dark, sweet brew made of roasted malt and having a higher percentage of hops than porter.

10.	porter of extra strength.

11.	a stout person.

12.	a garment size designed for a stout man.

13.	a garment, as a suit or overcoat, in this size.

but·tress (bŭt'rĭs) n.

1. A structure, usually brick or stone, built against a wall for support or reinforcement.
2. Something resembling a buttress, as:
   1. The flared base of certain tree trunks.
   2. A horny growth on the heel of a horse's hoof.
3. Something that serves to support, prop, or reinforce: "The law is by its very nature a buttress of the status quo" (J. William Fulbright).

cor·set
n.

1. A close-fitting undergarment, often reinforced by stays, worn to support and shape the waistline, hips, and breasts.
2. A medieval outer garment, especially a laced jacket or bodice.

su·per·flu·ous /sʊˈpɜrfluəs/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[soo-pur-floo-uhs]
adjective

1.	being more than is sufficient or required; excessive.

2.	unnecessary or needless.

3.	Obsolete. possessing or spending more than enough or necessary; extravagant.

—Synonyms 1. extra; redundant.

a·ghast /əˈgæst, əˈgɑst/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[uh-gast, uh-gahst]
adjective
struck with overwhelming shock or amazement; filled with sudden fright or horror: They stood aghast at the sight of the plane crashing.

dic·tate /v. ˈdɪkteɪt, dɪkˈteɪt; n. ˈdɪkteɪt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[v. dik-teyt, dik-teyt; n. dik-teyt] verb, -tat·ed, -tat·ing, noun –verb (used with object)

1.	to say or read (something) aloud for another person to transcribe or for a machine to record: to dictate some letters to a secretary.

2.	to prescribe or lay down authoritatively or peremptorily; command unconditionally: to dictate peace terms to a conquered enemy.

–verb (used without object)

3.	to say or read aloud something to be written down by a person or recorded by a machine.

4.	to give orders.

–noun

5.	an authoritative order or command.

6.	a guiding or governing principle, requirement, etc.: to follow the dictates of one's conscience.

whim /ʰwɪm, wɪm/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciat[hwim, wim]

–noun

1.	an odd or capricious notion or desire; a sudden or freakish fancy: a sudden whim to take a midnight walk.

2.	capricious humor: to be swayed by whim.

—Synonyms 1. whimsy, vagary, caprice.

gab
Informal.

–verb (used without object)

1.	to talk or chat idly; chatter.

–noun

2.	idle talk; chatter.

—Synonyms 1. chitchat, gossip, visit; yak, rap, schmooze.

Endeavor
v. tr.
To attempt (fulfillment of a responsibility or an obligation, for example) by employment or expenditure of effort: endeavored to improve the quality of life in the inner city.

v. intr.
To work with a set or specified goal or purpose.

con·science /ˈkɒnʃəns/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[kon-shuhns] –noun

1.	the inner sense of what is right or wrong in one's conduct or motives, impelling one toward right action: to follow the dictates of conscience.

2.	the complex of ethical and moral principles that controls or inhibits the actions or thoughts of an individual.

3.	an inhibiting sense of what is prudent: I'd eat another piece of pie but my conscience would bother me.

4.	conscientiousness.

5.	Obsolete. consciousness; self-knowledge.

6.	Obsolete. strict and reverential observance.

—Idioms

7.	have something on one's conscience, to feel guilty about something, as an act that one considers wrong: She behaves as if she had something on her conscience.

8.	in all conscience, a. in all reason and fairness. b. certainly; assuredly.