corroborate krbrt/ verb

confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding). "the witness had corroborated the boy's account of the attack"

synonyms: confirm, verify, endorse, ratify, authenticate, validate, certify nostrum nstrm/ noun nostrum; plural noun: nostrums

a medicine, esp. one that is not considered effective, prepared by an unqualified person. Political nostrums medicine, patent medicine, potion, elixir, panacea, cure-all, wonder drug, quack remedy;

complicity kmplisit/ noun 1. 1. the state of being involved with others in an illegal activity or wrongdoing. "They were accused of complicity in the attempt to overthrow the government"

synonyms: collusion, involvement, collaboration, connivance;

supplicate splikt/ verb ask or beg for something earnestly or humbly. "the plutocracy supplicated to be made peers" entreat, beg, plead with, implore, petition, appeal to, call on, urge, enjoin, importune, sue, ask, request;

deus ex machina ds eks mkn,-mak-/ noun noun: deus ex machina 1. 1. an unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation, esp. as a contrived plot device in a play or novel. Deus ex Machina is now the phrase used to describe any situation where something unexpected or implausible is brought in to the story line to resolve situations or disentangle a plot. forlorn frlrn,fr-/ adjective 1. pitifully sad and abandoned or lonely. "forlorn figures at bus stops" unhappy, sad, miserable, sorrowful, dejected, despondent, disconsolate, wretched, abject, down, downcast, dispirited, downhearted, crestfallen, depressed, melancholy, gloomy, glum, mournful, despairing, doleful, woebegone; benevolent bnevlnt/ adjective

1. 1. well meaning and kindly. "a benevolent smile" synonyms: kind, kindly, kindhearted, big-hearted, good-natured, good, benign, compassionate, caring, altruistic, humanitarian, philanthropic;

munificent m oonifsnt,m -/ adjective 1. 1. (of a gift or sum of money) larger or more generous than is usual or necessary. "a munificent gesture" synony generous, bountiful, openhanded, magnanimous, philanthropic,princely, handsome, lavis ms: h, liberal, charitable, big-hearted, beneficent; peach1 pCH/ noun informal an exceptionally good or attractive person or thing. "what a peach of a shot!" be as good as gold if a child is as good as gold, they behave very well The children were as good as gold today.

compassionate kmpaSHnt/ adjective 1. 1. feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others. synonyms: sympathetic, empathetic, understanding, caring, solicitous, sensitive,warm, loving; rebuff ribf/ verb 1. 1. reject (someone or something) in an abrupt or ungracious manner.

"I asked her to be my wife, and was rebuffed in no uncertain terms" synonyms: reject, turn down, spurn, refuse, decline, repudiate; noun 1. 1. an abrupt or ungracious refusal or rejection of an offer, request, or friendly gesture. "any attempt to win her friendship was met with rebuffs" synonyms: rejection, snub, slight, repulse;

brittle britl/ adjective 1. 1. hard but liable to break or shatter easily. "her bones became fragile and brittle" synonyms: breakable, fragile, delicate; grouchy grouCH/ adjective adjective: grouchy; comparative adjective: grouchier; superlative adjective: grouchiest 1. 1. irritable and bad-tempered; grumpy; complaining. "the old man grew sulky and grouchy" grumpy, cross, irritable, bad-tempered, crotchety, crabby, cantankerous, curmudgeonly, testy, tetchy, huffy, snappish, waspish, prickly;

grumpy grmp/ adjective 1. 1. bad-tempered and sulky. synonym bad-tempered, crabby, ill-tempered, short-tempered, crotchety, tetchy, s: testy, waspish, prickly, touchy, irritable, irascible, crusty, cantankerous,curmudgeonly, bearish, surly, ill-natured, churlish, ill-humored, peevish, pettish, cross, fractious, disagreeable, snappish;

turret trit/ noun 1. 1. a small tower on top of a larger tower or at the corner of a building or wall, typically of a castle. bulwark boolwrk/ noun 1. 1. a defensive wall. wall, rampart, fortification, parapet, stockade, palisade, barricade, embankment, earthwork cubicle k oobikl/ noun 1. 1. a small partitioned-off area of a room, for example one containing a bed in a dwelling or one containing a desk in an office. "each cubicle is equipped with a PC and printer, and there are two fax machines in the east alcove" brick and mortar Web definitions 1. Brick and mortar in its simplest usage describes the physical presence of a building or other structure. The term brick-and-mortar business is often used to refer to a company that possesses buildings, production facilities, or store for operations.

den den/ noun 1. 1. a wild animal's lair or habitation. synonyms: lair, set, earth, burrow, hole, dugout, covert, shelter, hiding place,hideout

warehouse noun we()rhous/ 1. 1. a large building where raw materials or manufactured goods may be stored before their export or distribution for sale. synonyms: depot, distribution center, storehouse, store, storeroom, depository,storage, entrept, stockroom

sty st/ noun 1. 1. a pigpen. mess hall noun 1. 1. a room or building where groups of people, esp. soldiers, eat together cajole kjl/ verb 1. 1. persuade someone to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery. "he hoped to cajole her into selling the house" synonyms: persuade, wheedle, coax, talk into, prevail on, sweet-talk, butter up, softsoap, seduce, inveigle cogent kjnt/ adjective 1. 1. (of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing. convincing, compelling, strong, forceful, powerful, potent, weighty , impactful, effective;

woo woo/ verb

verb: woo; 3rd person present: woos; past tense: wooed; past participle: wooed; gerund or present participle: wooing 1. 1. try to gain the love of (someone, typically a woman), esp. with a view to marriage. "he wooed her with quotes from Shakespeare" synonyms: romantically pursue, pursue, chase (after); o seek the favor, support, or custom of. "pop stars are being wooed by film companies eager to sign them up" synonyms: seek, pursue, curry favor with, try to win, try to attract, try to cultivate

waste one's breath 1. 1. talk or give advice without effect. "I have better things to do than waste my breath arguing" sedentary sednter/ adjective 1. 1. (of a person) tending to spend much time seated; somewhat inactive. synonyms: sitting, seated, desk-bound, stationary; debilitating dibilittiNG/ adjective 1. 1. (of a disease or condition) making someone very weak and infirm. "debilitating back pain"

dissipate dispt/ verb 1. 1. disperse or scatter. "the cloud of smoke dissipated"

o

2. 2.

squander or fritter away (money, energy, or resources). "he had dissipated his entire fortune" synonyms: squander, fritter (away), misspend, waste, be prodigal with, spend recklessly/freely, spend like water;

incapacitate inkpasitt/ verb 1. 1. prevent from functioning in a normal way. "he was incapacitated by a heart attack" synonyms: disabled, debilitated, indisposed, unfit, impaired;

wane wn/ verb 1. 1. (of the moon) have a progressively smaller part of its visible surface illuminated, so that it appears to decrease in size. synonyms: decline, diminish, decrease, dwindle, shrink, tail off, ebb, fade (away),lessen, peter out, fall off, recede, slump, flag, weaken, give way, wither,crumble, evaporate, disintegrate, die out; atrophy atrf/ verb 1. 1. (of body tissue or an organ) waste away, typically due to the degeneration of cells, or become vestigial during evolution. "without exercise, the muscles will atrophy" synonyms: waste away, become emaciated, wither, shrivel (up), shrink; 2. 2. gradually decline in effectiveness or vigor due to underuse or neglect. "her artistic skills atrophied from lack of use"

a fly in the ointment 1. 1.

a minor irritation that spoils the success or enjoyment of something. Making a mountain out of a molehill over-reactive, histrionic behavior where a person makes too much of a minor issue

malady mald/ noun 1. 1. a disease or ailment. "an incurable malady" synony illness, sickness, disease, infection, ailment, disorder, complaint,indisposition, affliction ms: , infirmity, syndrome

To be in a pickle

to be in disagreeable position; to be in a condition of embarrassment, difficulty, or disorder.

out of the frying pan and into the fire leave one bad situation and get into a worse one

a pretty kettle of fish a mess

be under a cloud

be temporarily in a disgrace or trouble

eccentric iksentrik/ adjective 1. 1. (of a person or their behavior) unconventional and slightly strange. "my favorite aunt is very eccentric" synon unconventional, uncommon, abnormal, irregular, aberrant, anomalous,odd, queer, strange, yms: peculiar, weird, bizarre, outlandish, freakish,extraordinary;

feckless fekls/ adjective 1. 1. lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible. "a feckless mama's boy" synonyms: useless, worthless, incompetent, inept, good-for-nothing, ne'er-do-well; rapacious rpSHs/ adjective 1. 1. aggressively greedy or grasping. "rapacious landlords" synonyms: grasping, greedy, avaricious, acquisitive, covetous; churlish CHrliSH/ adjective 1. 1. rude in a mean-spirited and surly way. "it seems churlish to complain" rude, ill-mannered, ill-bred, discourteous, impolite, unmannerly, uncivil,unchivalrous; refractory rifraktr/ adjective formal

1. 1. stubborn or unmanageable. "his refractory pony" obstinate, stubborn, mulish, pigheaded, obdurate, headstrong, selfwilled, wayward, willful, perverse, contrary, recalcitrant, obstreperous,disobedient, difficult; unctuous NG(k)CHoos/ adjective 1. 1. (of a person) excessively or ingratiatingly flattering; oily. "he seemed anxious to please but not in an unctuous way" sycophantic, ingratiating, obsequious, fawning, servile, groveling,subservient, cringing, humble, hypocritical, insincere, gushing, effusive sanctimonious saNG(k)tmns/ adjective derogatory 1. 1. making a show of being morally superior to other people. "what happened to all the sanctimonious talk about putting his family first?" self-righteous, holier-thanthou, pious, pietistic, churchy, moralizing,preachy, smug, superior, priggish, hypocritical, insinc ere;

obstinate bstnit/ adjective 1. 1. stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so. stubborn, unyielding, inflexible, unbending, intransigent, intractable,obdurate, mulish, bullheade d, stubborn as a mule, pigheaded, self-willed, strongwilled, headstrong, willful, contrary, perverse, recalcitrant,refractory, uncooperative, unmanagea ble, stiff-necked, rigid,uncompromising, implacable, unrelenting, immovable, unshakable;

levity levt/

noun 1. 1. humor or frivolity, esp. the treatment of a serious matter with humor or in a manner lacking due respect. "as an attempt to introduce a note of levity, the words were a disastrous flop" lightheartedness, high spirits, vivacity, liveliness, cheerfulness,cheeriness, humor, gaiety, fun, jocularity, hilarity, frivol ity, amusement,mirth, laughter, merriment, glee, comedy, wit, wittiness, jollity, joviality

ostentatious stntSHs/ adjective 1. 1. characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice. "books that people buy and display ostentatiously but never actually finish" synony showy, pretentious, conspicuous, flamboyant, gaudy, brash, vulgar,loud, extravagant, fa ms: ncy, ornate, overelaborate; inimitable inimitbl/ adjective 1. 1. so good or unusual as to be impossible to copy; unique. "the inimitable ambience of Hawaii" incomparable, unparalleled, unrivaled, peerless, matchless, unequaled,unsurpassable, superlative , supreme, perfect, beyond compare,second to none, in a class of one's own; bigmouth bigmouTH/ noun 1. 1. informal an indiscreet or boastful person.

retiring ritriNG/ adjective 1. 1. shy and fond of being on one's own.

"a retiring, acquiescent woman" synonyms shy, diffident, self: effacing, unassuming, unassertive, reserved,reticent, quiet, timid, modest, unpresumin g;

debonair debne()r/ adjective 1. 1. (of a man) confident, stylish, and charming. synonym suave, urbane, sophisticated, cultured, self-possessed, selfs: assured,confident, charming, gracious, courteous, gallant, chivalrous,gentlemanly, refin ed, polished, well-bred, genteel, dignified, courtly; uncouth nkooTH/ adjective 1. 1. (of a person or their appearance or behavior) lacking good manners, refinement, or grace. "he is unwashed, uncouth, and drunk most of the time" synonyms: uncivilized, uncultured, uncultivated, unrefined, unpolished,unsophisticated, bushleague, common, plebeian, low, rough, roughhewn, coarse, loutish, boorish, oafish, troglodyte; febrile febrl,fbrl/ adjective 1. 1. having or showing the symptoms of a fever. "a febrile illness" synonyms: feverish, hot, burning, flushed, sweating;

flippant flipnt/ adjective 1. 1. not showing a serious or respectful attitude. "a flippant remark" synonyms: frivolous, facetious, tongue-in-cheek; disrespectful, irreverent, cheeky,impudent, impertinent; informalflip, waggish condescend kndsend/ verb 1. 1. show feelings of superiority; be patronizing. "take care not to condescend to your reader" synonyms: patronize, talk down to, look down one's nose at, look down on, put down intransigent intransijnt,-zi-/ adjective 1. 1. unwilling or refusing to change one's views or to agree about something. syno uncompromising, inflexible, unbending, unyielding, diehard,unshakable, unwavering, resol nyms ute, rigid, unaccommodating,uncooperative, stubborn, obstinate, obdurate, pigheaded, singl : e-minded, iron-willed, stiff-necked fiasco fask/ noun 1. 1. a thing that is a complete failure, esp. in a ludicrous or humiliating way. "his plans turned into a fiasco" synonyms: failure, disaster, catastrophe, debacle, shambles, farce, mess, wreck; informal flop, washout, snafu

pan out phrasal verb of pan 1. 1. turn out well.

"Bob's idea hadn't panned out"

make good 1. 1. be successful. "a college friend who made good in Hollywood" synonyms: succeed, be successful, be a success, do well, get ahead, reach the top; prosper, flourish, thrive; informalmake it, make the grade, make a name for oneself, make one's mark, get somewhere, arrive disparate disprit,disparit/ adjective 1. 1. essentially different in kind; not allowing comparison. "they inhabit disparate worlds of thought" synonyms: contrasting, different, differing, dissimilar, unalike, poles apart; varying,various, diverse, diversified, heterogeneous, distinct, separate,divergent; literary divers anomalous nmls/ adjective 1. 1. deviating from what is standard, normal, or expected. "an anomalous situation" abnormal, atypical, irregular, aberrant, exceptional, freak, freakish, odd,bizarre, peculiar, unusua l, out of the ordinary; deviant, mutant; formal heteroclite for a change 1. 1. contrary to how things usually happen; for variety. "it's nice to be pampered for a change" disparity disparit/ noun 1. 1. a great difference.

"economic disparities between different regions of the country" discrepancy, inconsistency, imbalance; variance, variation, divergence,gap, gulf; difference, dissimilarity, contrast be a far cry from 1. 1. be very different from. "the hotel's royal suite is a far cry from the poverty of his home country" split hairs 1. 2. 1. make small and overfine distinctions. quibble, cavil, carp, niggle; informal nitpick; archaicpettifog "you missed the point because you were so busy splitting hairs" quibble, cavil, carp, niggle, chop logic; informal nitpick; archaic pettifog heterogeneous hetrjns/ adjective 1. 1. diverse in character or content. "a large and heterogeneous collection" diverse, varied, varying, variegated, miscellaneous, assorted, mixed,sundry, disparate, multifario us, different, differing, motley; informalhodgepodge, mixed-bag; literarydivers pastiche pastSH,p-/ noun 1. 1. an artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period. "the operetta is a pastiche of 18th century styles" synonyms: imitation, parody; informaltakeoff sporadic spradik/ adjective 1. 1. occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated. "sporadic fighting broke out" occasional, infrequent, irregular, periodic, scattered, patchy, isolated,odd; intermittent, spasmodi

c, fitful, desultory, erratic, unpredictable; nonconsecutive baloney bln/ noun informal 1. 1. foolish or deceptive talk; nonsense. "typical salesman's baloney" camper kampr/ noun 1. 1. a person who spends a vacation in a tent or camp. 2. 2. a large motor vehicle with facilities for sleeping and cooking while camping. synonyms: recreational vehicle, RV, motor home; paucity psit/ noun 1. 1. the presence of something only in small or insufficient quantities or amounts; scarcity. "a paucity of information" scarcity, sparseness, sparsity, dearth, shortage, poverty, insufficiency,deficiency, lack, want

vacuous vak ws/ adjective 1. 1. having or showing a lack of thought or intelligence; mindless. "a vacuous smile" silly, inane, unintelligent, insipid, foolish, stupid, fatuous, idiotic,brainless, witless, vapid, vacant , empty-headed; informal dumb, moronic, brain-dead, fluffy, fluffball

wanting wntiNG,wnt-/ adjective 1. 1. lacking in a certain required or necessary quality. "they weren't wanting in confidence" synon yms: deficient, inadequate, lacking, insufficient, imperfect, unacceptable,unsatisfactory, flawed, faulty, defective, unsound, substandard, inferior,second-rate, poor, shoddy "the defenses were found wanting" without, lacking, deprived of, devoid of, bereft of, in need of, out of; deficient in, short on; informal minus

egregious igrjs/ adjective 1. 1. outstandingly bad; shocking. "egregious abuses of copyright" shocking, appalling, terrible, awful, horrendous, frightful, atrocious,abominable, abhorrent, outr ageous; monstrous, heinous, dire, unspeakable, shameful, unforgivable, intolerable, dreadful; formal grievous caustic kstik/ adjective 1. 1. able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action. "a caustic cleaner" corrosive, corroding, abrasive, mordant, acid 2. 2. sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way. "the players were making caustic comments about the refereeing" sarcastic, cutting, biting, mordant, sharp, bitter, scathing, derisive,sardonic, ironic, scornful, tren chant, acerbic, abrasive, vitriolic, acidulous nefarious nife()rs/ adjective 1. 1.

(typically of an action or activity) wicked or criminal. "the nefarious activities of the organized-crime syndicates" wicked, evil, sinful, iniquitous, egregious, heinous, atrocious, vile, foul,abominable, odious, depr aved, monstrous, fiendish, diabolical,unspeakable, despicable; villainous, criminal, corrupt, illegal, unlawful; dated dastardly

lurid loorid/ adjective 1. 1. very vivid in color, esp. so as to create an unpleasantly harsh or unnatural effect. "lurid food colorings" bright, brilliant, vivid, glaring, shocking, fluorescent, flaming, dazzling, intense; gaudy, loud, showy, bold, garish, tacky mortify mrtf/ verb past tense: mortified; past participle: mortified 1. 1. cause (someone) to feel embarrassed, ashamed, or humiliated. "she was mortified to see her wrinkles in the mirror" embarrass, humiliate, chagrin, discomfit, shame, abash, horrify, appall "I'd be mortified if my friends found out" connive knv/ verb 1. 1. secretly allow (something considered immoral, illegal, wrong, or harmful) to occur. "you have it in your power to connive at my escape" conspire, collude, collaborate, intrigue, be hand in glove, plot, scheme; informal be in cahoots

devious

dvs/ adjective 1. 1. showing a skillful use of underhanded tactics to achieve goals. "he's as devious as a politician needs to be" underhanded, deceitful, dishonest, dishonorable, unethical, unprincipled, immoral, unscrupulous, fraudulent, dubious, unfair, treacherous, duplicitous; crafty, cunning, calculating, artful, conniving, scheming, sly, wily; sneaky, furtive, secret, clandestine, surreptitious, covert, snide; informal crooked, shady, dirty, lowdown crumb krm/ noun 1. 1. a small fragment of bread, cake, or cracker.
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2. 2. informal an objectionable or contemptible person. "he's an absolute crumb" Rub The Wrong Way To annoy or irritate somebody. The saying refers to rubbing an animal/cats fur the wrong way, but means to piss somebody off. 1. I have to say, that president Dubya really rubs me the wrong way!

fell fel/ verb verb: fell; 3rd person present: fells; past tense: felled; past participle: felled; gerund or present participle: felling; verb: flat-fell 1. 1. cut down (a tree). synonyms: cut down, chop down, hack down, saw down, clear "all the dead sycamores had to be felled"

bummer bmr/ noun informal 1. 1. a thing that is annoying or disappointing. "the party was a real bummer"
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2. 2. a loafer or vagrant.

cheesy CHz/ adjective 1. 1. like cheese in taste, smell, or consistency. "a pungent, cheesy sauce" 2. 2. informal cheap, unpleasant, or blatantly inauthentic. "a big cheesy grin" synonyms: tacky, cheap, tawdry; trite; informalcorny, cornball "those cheesy jokes of hers" apprehensive aprihensiv/ adjective 1. 1. anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen. "he felt apprehensive about going home" anxious, worried, uneasy, nervous, concerned, agitated, tense, afraid,scared, frightened, fearful; unconscious nknSHs/ adjective 1. 1. not conscious. "the boy was beaten unconscious" synonyms: insensible, senseless, insentient, insensate, comatose, inert, knocked out, stunned; motionless, immobile, prostrate;

informalout cold, out like a light, out of it, down for the count, passed out, dead to the world

insidious insids/ adjective 1. 1. proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects. "sexually transmitted diseases can be insidious and sometimes without symptoms" stealthy, subtle, surreptitious, cunning, crafty, treacherous, artful, sly,wily, shifty, underhanded, i ndirect; informalsneaky nettle netl/ noun 1. 1. a herbaceous plant that has jagged leaves covered with stinging hairs.
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verb 1. 1. irritate or annoy (someone). "I was nettled by Alene's tone of superiority" synonyms: irritate, annoy, irk, gall, vex, anger, exasperate, infuriate, provoke; interloper intrlpr,intrlpr/ noun 1. 1. a person who becomes involved in a place or situation where they are not wanted or are considered not to belong. synonyms: intruder, encroacher, trespasser, invader, infiltrator; uninvited guest; outsider, stranger, alien; informalgatecrasher, buttinsky "we were made to feel more like interlopers than vacationers" pesky

pesk/ adjective informal adjective: pesky; comparative adjective: peskier; superlative adjective: peskiest 1. 1. causing trouble; annoying. "pesky mosquitoes"

revile rivl/ verb 1. 1. criticize in an abusive or angrily insulting manner. "he was now reviled by the party that he had helped to lead" synonyms: criticize, censure, condemn, attack, inveigh against, rail against,castigate, lambaste, denounce; slander, libel, malign, vilify, abuse; informalknock, slam, pan, crucify, roast, tear into, badmouth, dis,pummel; formalexcoriate, calumniate

pique pk/ noun 1. 1. a feeling of irritation or resentment resulting from a slight, esp. to one's pride. "he left in a fit of pique" synonyms: irritation, annoyance, resentment, anger, displeasure, indignation,petulance, ill humor, vexation, exasperation, disgruntlement, discontent; offense, umbrage

disgruntled disgrntld/ adjective 1. 1. angry or dissatisfied. "judges receive letters from disgruntled members of the public" synonyms: dissatisfied, discontented, aggrieved, resentful, fed up, displeased,unhappy, disappointed, disaffected; angry, irate, annoyed, cross,exasperated, indignant, vexed, irritated, piqued, irked, put out, peeved,miffed, bummed, aggravated, hacked off, riled, peed off, PO'd, hot under

the collar, in a huff, cheesed off, shirty, sore, teed off, ticked off umbrage mbrij/ noun 1. 1. offense or annoyance. "she took umbrage at his remarks" synonyms: take offense, take exception, be aggrieved, be affronted, be annoyed,be angry, be indignant, be put out, be insulted, be hurt, be piqued, be resentful, be disgruntled, go into a huff, be miffed, have one's nose put out of joint, chafe

trite trt/ adjective 1. 1. (of a remark, opinion, or idea) overused and consequently of little import; lacking originality or freshness. "this point may now seem obvious and trite" synon banal, hackneyed, clichd, platitudinous, vapid, commonplace, stock,conventional, stere yms: otyped, overused, overdone, overworked, stale,worn out, timeworn, tired, hoary, hack, unimaginative, unoriginal,uninteresting, dull, uninvolvi ng; informal old hat, corny, cornball, cheesy, boilerplate prosaic przik/ adjective 1. 1. having the style or diction of prose; lacking poetic beauty. "prosaic language can't convey the experience" synonym ordinary, everyday, commonplace, conventional, straightforward,routine, run-of-the-

s:

mill, by-the-numbers, workaday; unimaginative,uninspired, uninspiring, matter-offact, dull, dry, dreary, tedious, boring,humdrum, mundane, uninvolving, pedestrian, ta me, plodding; bland,insipid, banal, trite, literal, factual, unpoetic, unemotional, unsentimental "a prosaic lecture that had us fighting to stay awake"

commonplace; unromantic. "the masses were too preoccupied by prosaic day-to-day concerns" synonyms: ordinary, everyday, commonplace, conventional, straightforward,routine, run-ofthe-mill, by-the-numbers, workaday; antonyms: interesting, imaginative, inspired

platitude platit( )ood/ noun 1. 1. a remark or statement, esp. one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful. "she began uttering liberal platitudes" synonyms: clich, truism, commonplace, banality, old chestnut, bromide, inanity, banal/trite/hackneyed/stock phrase "boring us with his platitudes" jejune jijoon/ adjective 1. 1. naive, simplistic, and superficial. "their entirely predictable and usually jejune opinions" 2. 2. (of ideas or writings) dry and uninteresting. "the poem seems to me rather jejune"

drudgery drjr/ noun 1. 1. hard, menial, or dull work. "domestic drudgery" synonyms: hard work, menial work, donkey work, toil, labor; chores

interminable intrmnbl/ adjective 1. 1. endless (often used hyperbolically). "we got bogged down in interminable discussions" synony (seemingly) endless, neverms: ending, unending, nonstop, everlasting,ceaseless, unceasing, incessant, constant, conti nual, uninterrupted,sustained; monotonous, tedious, long-winded, overlong, rambling

lackluster laklstr/ adjective 1. 1.

lacking in vitality, force, or conviction; uninspired or uninspiring. "no excuses were made for the team's lackluster performance" syno uninspired, uninspiring, unimaginative, dull, humdrum, uninvolving,colorless, characterles nyms s, bland, dead, insipid, vapid, flat, dry, lifeless,tame, prosaic, spiritless, lusterless; : boring, monotonous, dreary,tedious; informalblah

drab drab/ adjective 1. 1. lacking brightness or interest; drearily dull. "the landscape was drab and gray" synonyms: colorless, gray, dull, washed out, muted, lackluster; dingy, dreary,dismal, cheerless, gloomy, somber "a drab interior" uninteresting, dull, boring, tedious, monotonous, dry, dreary; unexciting, unimaginative, uninspiring, insipid, lackluster, flat, stale,wishywashy, colorless; lame, tired, sterile, anemic, barren, tame; middle-of-the-road, run-of-themill, mediocre, nondescript,

banal

bnl,bnal,-nl/ adjective 1. 1. so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring. "songs with banal, repeated words" synon trite, hackneyed, clichd, platitudinous, vapid, commonplace, ordinary,common, stock, c yms: onventional, stereotyped, overused, overdone,overworked, stale, worn out, timeworn, tired, threadbare, hoary, hack,unimaginative, humdrum, hohum, unoriginal, uninteresting, dull,uninvolving, trivial; informal old hat, corny, cornball, played out; dated ime-store; raretruistic, bromidic

ennui nw/ noun 1. 1. a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement. synonyms: boredom, tedium, listlessness, lethargy, lassitude, languor, weariness,enervation; malaise, dissatisfaction, melancholy, depression, world-weariness, Weltschmerz

cut and dried

(of a situation) completely settled or decided. "the championship is not as cut and dried as everyone thinks" synonyms: definite, decided, settled, explicit, specific, precise, unambiguous, clear-

cut, unequivocal, black and white, hard and fast

sedulous sejls/ adjective 1. 1. (of a person or action) showing dedication and diligence. "he watched himself with the most sedulous care" synonym diligent, careful, meticulous, thorough, assiduous, attentive, industrious,conscientiou s: s, ultra-careful, punctilious, scrupulous, painstaking,minute, rigorous, particular

try one's hand at

attempt to do (something) for the first time, typically in order to find out if one is

good at it:a chance to try your hand at the ancient art of drystone walling exhort igzrt/ verb 1. 1. strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something. "the media have been exhorting people to turn out for the demonstration" synonyms: urge, encourage, call on, enjoin, charge, press; bid, appeal to, entreat,implore, beg; formaladjure; literarybeseech

tussle /tsl/

noun 1. 1. a vigorous struggle or scuffle, typically in order to obtain or achieve something. "there was a tussle for the ball" synonyms: scuffle, fight, struggle, skirmish, brawl, scrum, rough-and-tumble, free-forall, fracas, fray, rumpus, melee; informalspat, scrap, roughhouse,tug-of-war leave no stone unturned 1. 1. try every possible course of action in order to achieve something. Sink or swim fail or succeed entirely by one's own efforts.

six of one and half a dozen of the other 1. 1. used to convey that there is little real difference between two alternatives.

ill-informed [il-in-fawrmd] lacking adequate or proper knowledge or information, as in one particular su bject or in a variety ofsubjects: The public is ill-informed of the danger.

inadvertent indvrtnt/ adjective 1. 1. not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning. "many French leaders cannot accept at all that American dominance is inadvertent"

unintentional, unintended, accidental, unpremeditated, unplanned, innocent, uncalculated, unconscious, unthinking, unwitting, involuntary; careless, negligent

savvy sav/ informal noun 1. 1. shrewdness and practical knowledge, esp. in politics or business. "the financiers lacked the necessary political savvy" synony shrewdness, astuteness, sharpms: wittedness, sharpness, acuteness,acumen, acuity, intelligence, wit, canniness, common sense,discernment, insight, understanding, penetration, perception,perceptiveness, per spicacity, knowledge, sagacity; informalhorse sense, know-how, (street) smarts; rare sapience

know the ropes 1. 1. have experience of the appropriate procedures.

erudite er(y)dt/ adjective 1. 1. having or showing great knowledge or learning. synonyms: learned, scholarly, educated, knowledgeable, well-read, well-informed,intellectual; intelligent, clever, academic, literary;

bookish, highbrow, sophisticated, cerebral; informal brainy; dated lettered

imperceptible imprseptbl/ adjective 1. 1. impossible to perceive. "his head moved in an almost imperceptible nod" synonym unnoticeable, undetectable, indistinguishable, indiscernible, invisible, s: inaudible, inappreciable, impalpable, unobtrusive, inconspicuous,unseen; slight, small, tiny, minute, microscopic, infinitesimal, subtle,faint, fine, negligible, inco nsequential; indistinct, unclear, obscure, vague, indefinite, hard to make out

grasp grasp/ verb verb: grasp; 3rd person present: grasps; past tense: grasped; past participle:grasped; gerund or present participle: grasping a person's power or capacity to attain something. "he knew success was within his grasp" reach, scope, power, limits, range; sights

a person's understanding. "meanings that are beyond my grasp"

synonyms understanding, comprehension, perception, apprehension, awareness,grip, knowled : ge; mastery, command

put something down

record something in writing. "he's putting a few thoughts down on paper" synonyms: write down, note down, jot down, take down, set down; More 1. 2. suppress a rebellion, riot, or other disturbance by force. suppress, check, crush, quash, squash, quell, overthrow, stamp out,repress, subdue "they put down the rebellion"

reprove riproov/ verb 1. 1. reprimand or censure (someone). "he was reproved for obscenity"

synonyms: reprimand, rebuke, reproach, scold, admonish, chastise, chide,upbraid, berate, take to task, rake/haul over the coals, criticize,censure; informal tell off, give someone a talking-to, dress down, give someone a dressingdown, give someone an earful, give someone a roasting, rap over the knuckles, slap someone's wrist; formal castigate invective invektiv/ noun 1. 1. insulting, abusive, or highly critical language. "he let out a stream of invective" synonyms: abuse, insults, expletives, swear words, swearing, curses, foul language, foul language, vituperation; denunciation, censure, vilification, revilement, reproach, castigation, recrimination; informal tongue-lashing, trash talk; formal obloquy, contumely

inveigh inv/ verb 1. 1. speak or write about (something) with great hostility. "nationalists inveighed against those who worked with the British" synonyms: fulminate against, declaim against, protest (against), rail against/at,rage at, remonstrate against;

denounce, censure, condemn, decry,criticize; disparage, denigrate, run down, abuse, vituperate, vilify,impugn; informalsound off about, blast, dis, slam

diatribe dtrb/ noun 1. 1. a forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone or something. "a diatribe against the Roman Catholic Church" synony tirade, harangue, onslaught, attack, polemic, denunciation, broadside,fulmination, con ms: demnation, censure, criticism; informal blast; literary philippic

tirade trd,trd/ noun 1. 1. a long, angry speech of criticism or accusation. "a tirade of abuse" synonyms: diatribe, harangue, rant, onslaught, attack, polemic, denunciation, broadside, fulmination, condemnation, censure, invective, criticism, tongue-lashing; blast; lecture; literary philippic

reprimand reprmand/ noun 1. 1. a rebuke, esp. an official one. synonyms: rebuke, reproof, admonishment, admonition, reproach, scolding,upbraiding, fingerwagging, censure; informal rap over the knuckles, slap on the wrist, dressing-down, talkingto, earful, roasting, tongue-lashing; formal castigation

Verb rebuke (someone), esp. officially. "officials were dismissed or reprimanded for poor work" synonyms: rebuke, admonish, chastise, chide, upbraid, reprove, reproach, scold,berate, take to task, lambaste, give someone a piece of one's mind,rake/haul over the coals, lecture, criticize, censure; informalcome down on, give someone a talking-to, tell off, dress down, give someone a dressing-down, give someone an earful, give someone a roasting, rap over the knuckles, rap, slap someone's wrist, bawl out, lay into, lace into, blast, give someone what for, chew out, ream out; formal castigate "was it really necessary to reprimand him in public?"

harangue hraNG/ noun

1. 1. a lengthy and aggressive speech. synonyms: tirade, diatribe, lecture, polemic, rant, fulmination, broadside, attack,onslaught; criticism, condemnation, censure, admonition, sermon; declamation, speech; informal blast; literary philippic "a ten-minute harangue" verb 1. 1. lecture (someone) at length in an aggressive and critical manner. "the kind of guy who harangued total strangers about PCB levels in whitefish" synonyms: rant at, hold forth to, lecture, shout at; berate, criticize, attack; informal sound off at, mouth off to

castigate kastgt/ verb formal 1. 1. reprimand (someone) severely. "he was castigated for not setting a good example" synonym reprimand, rebuke, admonish, chastise, chide, censure, upbraid,reprove, reproach, sco s: ld, berate, take to task, lambaste, give someone a piece of one's mind; informalrake/haul over the coals, tell off, give someone an earful, give someone a tongue-lashing, give someone a roasting, rap someone on the knuckles, slap

someone's wrist, dress down, bawl out, give someone hell, blow up at, lay into, blast, zing, have a go at, give someone what for, chew out, ream out; rare reprehend

admonish dmniSH/ verb 1. 1. warn or reprimand someone firmly. "she admonished me for appearing at breakfast unshaven" synonyms reprimand, rebuke, scold, reprove, reproach, upbraid, chastise, chide,berate, criticize, : take to task, read the riot act to, rake/haul over the coals; dress down, bawl out, rap over the knuckles, give someone hell; chew out; formal castigate; rare reprehend

deride dird/ verb 1. 1. express contempt for; ridicule. "critics derided the proposals as clumsy attempts to find a solution" synonyms: ridicule, mock, scoff at, jibe at, make fun of, poke fun at, laugh at, hold up to ridicule, pillory; disdain, disparage, denigrate, dismiss, slight; sneer at, scorn, insult; informal knock, pooh-pooh

disparage

disparij/ verb 1. 1. regard or represent as being of little worth. "he never missed an opportunity to disparage his competitors" synonyms: belittle, denigrate, deprecate, trivialize, make light of, undervalue,underrate, play down; ridicule, deride, mock, scorn, scoff at, sneer at; run down, defame, discredit, speak badly of, cast aspersions on,impugn, vilify, traduce, criticize, slur; informalpick holes in, knock, slam, pan, badmouth, dis, pooh-pooh; formal calumniate, derogate "they disparage Lawrence and his achievements" derogatory, deprecatory, denigratory, belittling; critical, scathing, negative, unfavorable, uncomplimentary, uncharitable; contemptuous, scornful, snide, disdainful; informalbitchy, catty; archaiccontumelious

exegesis eksijsis/ noun 1. 1. critical explanation or interpretation of a text, esp. of scripture. "the task of biblical exegesis" synonyms: interpretation, explanation, exposition, explication

call someone on the carpet

1. 1. informal severely reprimand someone. "she might have called the accused person on the carpet"

prognosticate prgnstkt/ verb 1. 1. foretell or prophesy (an event in the future). "the economists were prognosticating financial Armageddon" synonyms: forecast, predict, prophesy, foretell, foresee, forewarn of "economists were prognosticating financial Armageddon"

surmise verb srmz/ 1. 1. suppose that something is true without having evidence to confirm it. "he surmised that something must be wrong" synonyms: guess, conjecture, suspect, deduce, infer, conclude, theorize, speculate, divine; assume, presume, suppose, understand, gather, feel, sense, think, believe, imagine, fancy, reckon; formal opine

"I can only surmise that they're plotting against me" noun srmz,srmz/ 1. 1. a supposition that something may be true, even though there is no evidence to confirm it. "Charles was glad to have his surmise confirmed"

alacrity lakrit/ noun 1. 1. brisk and cheerful readiness. "she accepted the invitation with alacrity" synonyms: eagerness, willingness, readiness; enthusiasm, ardor, avidity, fervor,keenness; promptness, haste, swiftness, dispatch, speed predilection predlekSHn,prdl-/

noun 1. 1. a preference or special liking for something; a bias in favor of something. "my predilection for Asian food" synonyms liking, fondness, preference, partiality, taste, penchant, weakness, soft : spot, fancy, inclination, leaning, bias, propensity, bent, proclivity,predisposition, appe tite

infatuate infaCHoot/ verb past tense: infatuated; past participle: infatuated 1. 1. be inspired with an intense but short-lived passion or admiration for. "she is infatuated with a handsome police chief" synonyms: besotted with, in love with, head over heels about, obsessed with, taken with, lovesick for, moonstruck over; enamored of, attracted to, devoted to, captivated by, enthralled by, enchanted by, bewitched by, under the spell of; informal smitten with, sweet on, keen on, hot for, gone on,hung up on, mad about, crazy about, nuts about, stuck on, carrying a torch fo ardor rdr/ noun 1. 1. enthusiasm or passion. "they felt the stirrings of revolutionary ardor" synonyms: passion, fervor, zeal, vehemence, intensity, verve, fire, emotion; enthusiasm, eagerness, avidity, gusto, keenness, dedication

covetous kvts/

adjective 1. 1. having or showing a great desire to possess something, typically something belonging to someone else. "she fingered the linen with covetous hands" synonyms: grasping, greedy, acquisitive, desirous, possessive, envious, green with envy, greeneyed

rankle raNGkl/ verb 1. 1. archaic (of a wound or sore) continue to be painful; fester. 2. 2. (of a comment, event, or fact) cause annoyance or resentment that persists. "the casual manner of his dismissal still rankles"

the apple of one's eye 1. 1. a person of whom one is extremely fond and proud.

bibliophile biblfl/ noun 1. 1. a person who collects or has a great love of books. exhort igzrt/ verb 1. 1. strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something.

"the media have been exhorting people to turn out for the demonstration" synonyms: urge, encourage, call on, enjoin, charge, press; bid, appeal to, entreat, implore, beg; formal adjure; literary beseech

dilettante dilitnt,-tnt/ noun 1. 1. a person who cultivates an area of interest, such as the arts, without real commitment or knowledge. "a dilettante approach to science" synonyms: dabbler, amateur, nonprofessional, nonspecialist, layman, layperson "there is no room for the dilettante in this business" go to town 1. 1. informal do something thoroughly, enthusiastically, or extravagantly. "I thought I'd go to town on the redecoration"

lackadaisical lakdzikl/ adjective 1. 1. lacking enthusiasm and determination; carelessly lazy. "a lackadaisical defense left the Spurs adrift in the second half" synony lethargic, apathetic, listless, sluggish, spiritless, passionless; ms: careless,lazy, lax, unenthusiastic, halfhearted, lukewarm, indifferent,unconcerned, casu

al, offhand, blas, insouciant, relaxed; informallaid-back, easygoing, couldn't-care-less

privation prvSHn/ noun 1. 1. a state in which things that are essential for human well-being such as food and warmth are scarce or lacking. "years of rationing and privation" synonyms: deprivation, hardship, destitution, impoverishment, want, need,neediness, austerity

destitution destit( )ooSHn/ noun 1. 1. poverty so extreme that one lacks the means to provide for oneself. "the family faced eviction and destitution" bereft bireft/ 1. 1. archaic past participle of bereave. adjective 1. 1. deprived of or lacking something, esp. a nonmaterial asset. "her room was stark and bereft of color"

synonyms: deprived of, robbed of, stripped of, devoid of, bankrupt of; wanting, in need of, lacking, without; informal minus, sans, clean out of dearth drTH/ noun 1. 1. a scarcity or lack of something. "there is a dearth of evidence" synony lack, scarcity, shortage, shortfall, want, deficiency, insufficiency,inadequacy, paucity, sp ms: arseness, scantiness, rareness; absence

as a matter of fact1. in reality (used esp. to correct a falsehood or misunderstanding). "as a matter of fact, I was talking to him this afternoon" synonyms: actually, in (actual) fact, in point of fact, as it happens, really, believe it or not, in reality, in truth, to tell the truth