Sunday, January 23, 2011

profuse and vacuous

pro·fuse  (pr-fys, pr-)
adj.
1. Plentiful; copious.
2. Giving or given freely and abundantly; extravagant: were profuse in their compliments.

vac·u·ous  (vky-s)
adj.
1. Devoid of matter; empty.
2.
a. Lacking intelligence; stupid.
b. Devoid of substance or meaning; inane: a vacuous comment.
c. Devoid of expression; vacant: "The narrow, swinelike eyes were open, no more vacuous in death than they had been in life" (Nicholas Proffitt).
3. Lacking serious purpose or occupation; idle. See Synonyms at empty.

The Cabinet reshuffle last week led to profuse but mostly vacuous analysis on TV.

credence

cre·dence  (krdns)
n.
1. Acceptance as true or valid; belief. See Synonyms at belief.
2. Claim to acceptance; trustworthiness.
3. Recommendation; credentials: a letter of credence.
4. A small table or shelf for holding the bread, wine, and vessels of the Eucharist when they are not in use at the altar.

Cynics argue that environment has become a convenient stick to beat non-Congress led states; a view that gains credence when similar activities in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh are given kid-glove treatment! 

dither

dith·er  (dr)
n.
A state of indecisive agitation.
intr.v. dith·ered, dith·er·ing, dith·ers
To be nervously irresolute in acting or doing.

The only exception was the DMK's A Raja who was asked to resign on November 14 after more than a year of dithering by the PM during which time the telecom minister allegedly perpetrated independent India's biggest scam

Thursday, January 20, 2011

commensurate

com·men·su·rate
adj.
1. Of the same size, extent, or duration as another.
2. Corresponding in size or degree; proportionate: a salary commensurate with my performance.
3. Measurable by a common standard; commensurable.

China has emerged as a leading economic power next only in importance to the US. It is seeking to achieve a military capability commensurate with its economic strength, but its military capability cannot equal that of the US for many years to come.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

albatross

al·ba·tross Noun /ˈalbəˌtrôs/ /-ˌträs/ 

albatrosses plural
  1. A very large oceanic bird related to the shearwaters, with long narrow wings. Albatrosses, some species of which have wingspans greater than 10 feet (3.3 m), are found mainly in the southern oceans, with three kinds in the North Pacific
  2. A source of frustration or guilt; an encumbrance (in allusion to Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner)
    • an albatross of a marriage
Now Mr. Thomas is an albatross around the government's neck.

Monday, January 17, 2011

espouse

es·pouse 
tr.v. es·poused, es·pous·ing, es·pous·es
1.
a. To take in marriage; marry.
b. To give (a woman) in marriage.
2. To give one's loyalty or support to (a cause, for example); adopt.

India has espoused an economic growth model that targets rapid GDP growth with inclusive development.

nosedive

nose·dive  (nzdv)

n.

1. A very steep dive of an aircraft.

2. A sudden, swift drop or plunge: Stock prices took a nosedive.


bickering

bick·er  
intr.v. bick·ered, bick·er·ing, bick·ers
1. To engage in a petty, bad-tempered quarrel; squabble. See Synonyms at argue.
2. To flicker; quiver: "and bicker like a flame" (Robert Browning).

articulation

ar·tic·u·la·tion  (är-tky-lshn)
n.
1. The act of vocal expression; utterance or enunciation: an articulation of the group's sentiments.
2.
a. The act or manner of producing a speech sound.
b. A speech sound, especially a consonant.
3.
a. A jointing together or being jointed together.
b. The method or manner of jointing.
4. Anatomy
a. A fixed or movable joint between bones.
b. A movable joint between inflexible parts of the body of an animal, as the divisions of an appendage in arthropods.
5. Botany
a. A joint between two separable parts, as a leaf and a stem.
b. A node or a space on a stem between two nodes.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Efficacy


efficacy


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ef·fi·ca·cy  (f-k-s)
n.
Power or capacity to produce a desired effect; effectiveness.

The trials to test the efficacy of genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that cause dengue were conducted without much publicity in the Grand Cayman Island in the Caribbean Sea.