WORD INDEX

M.maneeshkumar
17MIS7172
S1
 Adjective
elegant, skillful, equivalent to a- a-5 + droit, dreit straight, just,
correct < Latin dīrēctus; see direct
expert or nimble in the use of the hands or body.

Adroit cleverly skillful, resourceful, or ingenious:

Origin of Adroit:
1645–55; < French, Old French:
an adroit debater
 [ad-ver-ser-ee]
noun, plural ad·ver·sar·ies.
a person, group, or force that opposes or attacks; opponent; enemy;
foe.
a person, group, etc., that is an opponent in a contest; contestant.
ADVERSARY the Adversary, the devil; Satan. \
Origin of adversary
1300–50; Middle English adversarie < Latin adversārius, equivalent
to advers(us ) (see adverse) + -ārius -ary; replacing Middle English
adversere < Anglo-French
In spite of the many disagreeements, the Obama administration, he
said, does not view Russia as “an adversary .”
  [uh-plom, uh-pluhm]
noun
imperturbable self-possession, poise, or assurance.
APLOMB the perpendicular, or vertical, position.
Origin of aplomb
First recorded in 1820–30, aplomb is from the French word à
plomb according to the plummet, i.e., straight up and down,
vertical position
Resolving moral dilemmas is her daily work, and she does it with
clarity and aplomb .
 [ap-ri-hen-siv]
adjective
uneasy or fearful about something that might happen:
apprehensive for the safety of the mountain climbers.
APPREHENSIVE quick to learn or understand.
perceptive; discerning (usually followed by of)
Origin of apprehensive
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Medieval Latin
word apprehēnsīvus. See apprehensible, -ive
At first, the couple is apprehensive , if not downright appalled.
 [ap-ti-tood, -tyood]
noun
capability; ability; innate or acquired capacity for something; talent:
readiness or quickness in learning; intelligence:
the state or quality of being apt; special fitness.
APTITUDE Origin of aptitude
1400–50; late Middle English (< Middle French ) < Late Latin
aptitūdō. See apt, -i-, -tude
But that won't do for the folks without the aptitude to enter the new
high-skilled fields.
 [uh-ten-tiv]
adjective
characterized by or giving attention; observant: .
thoughtful of others; considerate; polite; courteous:
an attentive audience
ATTENTIVE Origin of attentive
1375–1425; late Middle English ( Scots ) < Middle French; see attent,
-ive
She gave jewelry away, gifts, and was one of the most attentive ,
caring friends.
 [ban-ish]
verb (used with object)
to expel from or relegate to a country or place by authoritative
decree; condemn to exile:
to compel to depart; send, drive, or put away:

BANISH He was banished to Devil's Island.

Origin of banish
1275–1325; Middle English banisshen < Anglo-French, Old French
baniss-, long stem of banir < Frankish *bannjan to proclaim, akin to
ban1
She used electrolysis to banish the prickly hair from her delicate
face.
 [bar-i-keyd, bar-i-keyd]
noun
a defensive barrier hastily constructed, as in a street, to stop an
enemy.
any barrier that obstructs passage.
BARRICADE
Origin of barricade
1585–95; < French, equivalent to barrique barrel (< Gascon ) + -ade -
ade1; early barricades in Paris were often composed of barrels
A white police officer standing amid the crowd inside the barricade
got his laughs a moment later.
 [bluhf]
adjective, bluff·er, bluff·est.
good-naturedly direct, blunt, or frank; heartily outspoken:
presenting a bold and nearly perpendicular front, as a coastline:

BLUFF Nautical . (of the bow of a vessel) having a full, blunt form.
Origin of bluff1
1620–30; perhaps < Middle Low German blaff smooth, even, or <
Middle Dutch blaf broad, flat
Ten days later, when the dust had settled, MSF President Joanne Liu
called their bluff .
 [brak-ish]
adjective
having a slightly salty or briny flavor.
distasteful; unpleasant.

BRACKISH adjective
having a slightly salty or briny flavor.
distasteful; unpleasant.
A brackish breeze blew off the Black Sea, mixing with rotting
garbage, human sweat, cheap cleaning products, and undefined
fumes.
 [bran-dish]
verb (used with object)
to shake or wave, as a weapon; flourish:
Origin of brandish
BRANDISH 1275–1325; Middle English bra(u)ndisshen < Anglo-French, Middle
French brandiss- (long stem of brandir, derivative of brand sword <
Gmc).
Those who do nothing to end the slaughter are as complicit as those
who brandish their weapons.
 [kuh-moh-shuhn]
noun
violent or tumultuous motion; agitation; noisy disturbance:
political or social disturbance or upheaval; sedition; insurrection.

COMMOTION What's all the commotion in the hallway?

Origin of commotion
1520–30; < Latin commōtiōn- (stem of commōtiō ), equivalent to
commōt(us ) past participle of commovēre to commove + -iōn- -ion
Apparently she had heard the commotion and made her way down
from the third floor of the four-story townhouse.
 [kon-kok-shuhn, kuhn-]
noun
the act or process of concocting.
something concocted:
CONCOCTION Origin of concoction
1525–35; < Latin concoctiōn- (stem of concoctiō ) digestion,
equivalent to concoct(us ) (see concoct) + -iōn- -ion
The head banquet man at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New York City
started serving the concoction as a menu staple in 1938.
 [kuhn-spik-yoo-uhs]
adjective
easily seen or noticed; readily visible or observable:
attracting special attention, as by outstanding qualities or
eccentricities:
a conspicuous error.
CONSPICIOUS Origin of conspicuous
1535–45; < Latin conspicuus visible, conspicuous, equivalent to
conspic(ere ) (see conspectus) + -uus deverbal adj. suffix; cf.
contiguous, continuous, -ous
Origin of conspicuous
1535–45; < Latin conspicuus visible, conspicuous, equivalent to
conspic(ere ) (see conspectus) + -uus deverbal adj. suffix; cf.
contiguous, continuous, -ous
 [kuh n-tawr-shuh n]
noun
the act or process of contorting.
the state of being contorted.

CONTORTION a contorted position.

Origin of contortion
1605–15; < Latin contortiōn- (stem of contortiō ) a whirling around.
See contort, -ion
A smile is sometimes bewitching, in general vapid, often a
contortion .
 or dé·bris
[duh-bree, dey-bree or, esp. British, deb-ree]
noun
the remains of anything broken down or destroyed; ruins; rubble:
Geology . an accumulation of loose fragments of rock.
DEBRIS the debris of buildings after an air raid.
Origin of debris
1700–10; < French débris, Middle French debris, derivative of
debriser to break up (in pieces), Old French debrisier ( de- de- +
brisier to break; see bruise)
Strong currents and winds, however, mean any debris could be
drifting up to 31 miles a day eastward, away from the impact zone.
 [dih-fahy-uh ns]
noun
a daring or bold resistance to authority or to any opposing force.
defiance of danger; His refusal amounted to defiance.
a challenge to meet in combat or in a contest.
Defiance open disregard; contempt (often followed by of):
Origin of defiance
1250–1300; Middle English < Old French, equivalent to defi(er ) to
defy + -ance -ance
Another 10 slaves threw themselves overboard in a display of
defiance at the inhumanity.
 [deft]
adjective, deft·er, deft·est.
dexterous; nimble; skillful; clever:
DEFT deft hands; a deft mechanic.
Origin of deft
1175–1225; Middle English; variant of daft
This deft , delicately wrought story is Murakami at his best.
 [des-tuh-ney-shuh n]
noun
the place to which a person or thing travels or is sent:
the purpose for which something is destined.
Her destination was Rome.
DESTINATION Origin of destination
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin dēstinātiōn- (stem of dēstinātiō )
an establishing, purpose, equivalent to dēstināt(us ) (past participle
of dēstināre; see destine) + -iōn- -ion
He seemed to get a little turned around on the way but managed to
reach what might have been presumed to be his destination .
 [dih-min-ish]
verb (used with object)
to make or cause to seem smaller, less, less important, etc.; lessen;
reduce.
Architecture . to give (a column) a form tapering inward from
bottom to top.
DIMINISH Music . to make (an interval) smaller by a chromatic half step than
the corresponding perfect or minor interval.
Origin of diminish
1400–50; late Middle English; blend of diminuen (< Anglo-French
diminuer < Medieval Latin dīminuere for Latin dēminuere to make
smaller) and minishen minish
He exploited a physique that most would try desperately to diminish
 [dis-deyn, dih-steyn]
verb (used with object)
to look upon or treat with contempt; despise; scorn.
to think unworthy of notice, response, etc.; consider beneath
oneself:

DISDAIN to disdain replying to an insult.

Origin of disdain
1300–50; (v.) Middle English disdainen < Anglo-French de(s)deigner
(see dis-1, deign); (noun) Middle English disdeyn < Anglo-French
desdai(g)n, derivative of the verb
In a culture that worships celebrities while pretending to disdain
them, the Sony emails are catnip for the masses.
 [diz-muhl]
adjective
causing gloom or dejection; gloomy; dreary; cheerless; melancholy:
characterized by ineptness or lack of skill, competence,
effectiveness, imagination, or interest; pitiful:
Obsolete .
Our team played a dismal game.
DISMAL
Origin of dismal
1275–1325; Middle English dismale unlucky time, dismol day one of
two days in each month considered unlucky (hence later taken as
adj.) < Anglo-French dis mal < Medieval Latin diēs malī literally, evil
days

While it is sadly too late for Ms. Peña, there is hope beyond these
dismal facts.
 [dih-spel]
verb (used with object), dis·pelled, dis·pel·ling.
to drive off in various directions; disperse; dissipate:
to cause to vanish; alleviate:

DISPEL to dispel the dense fog.

Origin of dispel
1625–35; < Latin dispellere to drive asunder, equivalent to dis- dis-1 +
pellere to drive
The police themselves do little to dispel or discourage this lionized
portrayal.
 [doo-vey, dyoo-]
noun
a usually down-filled quilt, often with a removable cover; comforter.

DUVET Origin of duvet

1750–60; < French: down (plumage), Middle French, alteration of
dumet, derivative of Old French dum ≪ Old Norse dūnn down
I pulled my duvet up to my chin and felt the mattress shaping to my
body.
 [eevz-drop]
verb (used without object), eaves·dropped, eaves·drop·ping.
to listen secretly to a private conversation.
Origin of eavesdrop

EAVESDROP before 900; (noun) Middle English evesdrope, evesdripe, Old English
yfesdrype; as v., probably back formation from eavesdropper, late
Middle English evisdroppyr, apparently literally, one who stands on
the eavesdrop in order to listen to conversations inside the house;
see eave, drop, drip
Mixner would insert it via an IV and hold his friend until the drip was
completed.
 [ih-gree-juh s, -jee-uh s]
adjective
extraordinary in some bad way; glaring; flagrant:
an egregious mistake; an egregious liar.

EGREGIOUS Archaic . distinguished or eminent.

Origin of egregious
1525–35; < Latin ēgregius preeminent, equivalent to ē- e-1 + greg-,
stem of grēx flock + -ius adj. suffix; see -ous
Perhaps one of the most egregious examples is the abuse of civil
asset forfeiture laws.
 [em-ber]
noun
a small live piece of coal, wood, etc., as in a dying fire.
embers, the smoldering remains of a fire. Origin of ember
EMBER before 1000; Middle English eemer, emeri, Old English ǣmerge,
ǣmyrie (cognate with Old Norse eimyrja, Old High German eimuria
), equivalent to ǣm- (cognate with Old Norse eimr steam) + -erge, -
yrie, akin to Old English ys(e)le ember, Latin ūrere to burn
Fire was actually carried in hollowed out branches in which an
ember was placed.
 [ih-murj]
verb (used without object), e·merged, e·merg·ing.
to come forth into view or notice, as from concealment or obscurity:
a ghost emerging from the grave; a ship emerging from the fog.

EMERGE to rise or come forth from or as if from water or other liquid.

to come up or arise, as a question or difficulty. Origin of emerge
1630–40; < Latin ēmergere to arise out of, equivalent to ē- e-1 +
mergere to dive, sink
With Big Eyes a lot of people, myself included, were glad to see you
emerge from the rabbit hole that is the CG world.
 [en-grohs]verb (used with object)
to occupy completely, as the mind or attention; absorb:
Their discussion engrossed his attention. She is engrossed in her
work.
to write or copy in a clear, attractive, large script or in a formal
manner, as a public document or record:
to engross a deed.
to acquire the whole of (a commodity), in order to control the
ENGROSS market; monopolize.
Origin of engross
1275–1325; Middle English engros(s)en to gather in large quantities,
draft (a will, etc.) in final form < Anglo-French engrosser, partly <
Medieval Latin ingrossāre to thicken, write large and thick ( Latin in-
in-2 + gross(us ) thick + -āre infinitive suffix); partly < Anglo-French,
Middle French en gros in quantity, wholesale < Latin in + grossus;
see gross
The novelty of the whole scene appeared for an instant to engross
her attention.
  [ig-zas-puh-rey-shuh n]
 noun
 an act or instance of exasperating; provocation.
 the state of being exasperated; irritation; extreme annoyance:
EXASPERATION  Her exasperation at being interrupted was understandable.
 Origin of exasperation
 1540–50; < Latin exasperātiōn- (stem of exasperātiō ) roughness,
bitterness. See exasperate, -ionNow,
 the exasperation on both sides is reaching a fever pitch.
  [ig-zil-uh-reyt]
 verb (used with object), ex·hil·a·rat·ed, ex·hil·a·rat·ing.
 to enliven; invigorate; stimulate:
 The cold weather exhilarated the walkers.
 to make cheerful or merry.
EXHILARATE  Origin of exhilarate
 1530–40; < Latin exhilarātus past participle of exhilarāre to
gladden, equivalent to ex- ex-1 + hilarāre to cheer (see hilarity);
see -ate
 You can open this volume to any page and find sentences that
surprise, cause laughter, exhilarate , and often do all three at once.
  [fawl-ter]
 verb (used without object)
 to hesitate or waver in action, purpose, intent, etc.; give way:
 Her courage did not falter at the prospect of hardship.
 to speak hesitatingly or brokenly.
FALTER
 to move unsteadily; stumble.
 Origin of falter
 1300–50; Middle English falteren, of obscure origin; perhaps akin
to Old Norse faltrast to bother with, be troubled with\
 Every one of those models began to falter within 30 years or so.
  [fawr-sahyt, fohr-]
 noun
 care or provision for the future; provident care; prudence.
 the act or power of foreseeing; prevision; prescience.
FORESIGHT  an act of looking forward.
 Origin of foresight
 First recorded in 1250–1300, foresight is from the Middle English
word forsight. See fore-, sight
 He also had the foresight to butter Stewart up to fare-thee-well.
  [fur-tiv]
 adjective
 taken, done, used, etc., surreptitiously or by stealth; secret:
 a furtive glance.

FURTIVE  sly; shifty:

 Origin of furtive
 1480–90; < Latin furtīvus, equivalent to furt(um ) theft (compare
fūr thief) + -īvus -ive
 He fancied himself a Marxist, lived in rooming houses under
aliases and was a furtive , nasty man
  [groo-uh-ling, groo-ling]
 adjective
 exhausting; very tiring; arduously severe:
 the grueling Boston marathon.
GRUELING
 Origin of grueling
 1850–55; slang gruel punishment (noun), punish (v.) + -ing2, -ing1
 It was a gruelling four years' struggle, but with success at the end
of it.
  [guhs-toh]
 noun, plural gus·toes.
 hearty or keen enjoyment, as in eating or drinking, or in action or
speech in general:
 to dance with gusto.
 individual taste or liking:
GUSTO  The boy is an imaginative charmer, with a gusto for storytelling.
 Archaic . artistic style or taste.
 Origin of gusto
 1620–30; < Italian < Latin gustus
 Of course, the young people on the progressive side of the hall
supported my cause with gusto .
  [hab-i-tey-shuhn]
 noun
 a place of residence; dwelling; abode.
 the act of inhabiting; occupancy by inhabitants.
 a colony or settlement; community:
 Each of the scattered habitations consisted of a small number of
HABITATION huts.
 Origin of habitation
 1325–75; Middle English ( h)abitacioun (< Anglo-French ) < Latin
habitātiōn- (stem of habitātiō ) a dwelling, equivalent to habitāt(us
) inhabited (past participle of habitāre; see habitat) + -iōn- -ion
 Nothing of the kind was ever seen before in the habitation of a
Quaker farmer.
  [hey-suhn]
 verb (used without object)
 to move or act with haste; proceed with haste; hurry:
 to hasten to a place.
HASTEN  to cause to hasten; accelerate:
 Origin of hasten
 First recorded in 1565–75;
 As I hasten to reassure these exasperated moms and dads, I had to
be in the office anyway.
  [hed-wey]
 noun
 forward movement; progress in a forward direction:
 The ship's headway was slowed by the storm.
 progress in general:
HEADWAY  headway in a career.
 rate of progress:
 Origin of headway1
 First recorded in 1700–10;
 He was performing the task during a royal visit to Headway , a
charity that helps people with brain injuries.
  [ig-nahyt]
 verb (used with object), ig·nit·ed, ig·nit·ing.
 to set on fire; kindle.
 Chemistry . to heat intensely; roast.
IGNITE  Origin of ignite
 1660–70; < Latin ignītus (past participle of ignīre to set on fire,
ignite), equivalent to ign(is ) fire + -ītus -ite2
 This regrettable action will, of course, ignite a racial gang war,
leaving a heap of bodies in its wake.
  verb ih-loo-muh-neyt; adjective, noun ih-loo-muh-nit, -neyt]
 verb (used with object), il·lu·mi·nat·ed, il·lu·mi·nat·ing.
 to supply or brighten with light; light up.
 to make lucid or clear; throw light on (a subject).
 to decorate with lights, as in celebration.

ILLUMINATE  noun
 Archaic . a person who is or affects to be specially enlightened.
 Origin of illuminate
 1400–50; late Middle English < Latin illūminātus (past participle of
illūmināre to light up, brighten).
 These numbers portend to illuminate society-threatening failures within
the current immigration enforcement system.
  [im-pen-ding]adjective
 about to happen; imminent:
 their impending marriage.
 imminently threatening or menacing:
IMPENDING  an impending storm.
 Archaic . Overhanging.
 Origin of impending
 First recorded in 1675–85;
 The director left then; he could see the impending catastrophe
  [im-peer-ee-uhs]
 adjective
 domineering in a haughty manner; dictatorial; overbearing:
 an imperious manner; an imperious person.
IMPERIOUS  urgent; imperative:
 Origin of imperious
 1535–45; < Latin imperiōsus commanding, tyrannical, equivalent
to imperi(um ) imperium + -ōsus -ous
 Imperious despot, insolent in strife, Lover of ruin, enemy of life!
  [jab-er]
 verb (used with or without object)
 to talk or utter rapidly, indistinctly, incoherently, or nonsensically;
chatter.
JABBER  Origin of jabber
 1490–1500; apparently imitative;
 Then a whole string of jabber and arm wavin', with some countin'
in the middle of it.
  [jahr-guh n, -gon]
 noun
 the language, especially the vocabulary, peculiar to a particular
trade, profession, or group:
 medical jargon.
 unintelligible or meaningless talk or writing; gibberish.
Jargon  any talk or writing that one does not understand.
 Origin of jargon1
 1300–50; Middle English jargoun < Middle French; Old French
jargon, gargun, derivative of an expressive base *garg-; see
gargle, gargoyle
 Next up, in the Mother of All Disasters trifecta, another deadly
piece of jargon : liquefaction.
  [jos-uh l]
 verb (used with object), jos·tled, jos·tling.
 to bump, push, shove, brush against, or elbow roughly or rudely.
 to drive or force by, or as if by, pushing or shoving:
 The crowd jostled him into the subway.
JOSTLE
 to exist in close contact or proximity with:
 Origin of jostle
 1350–1400; variant (in Middle English, variant spelling) of justle,
equivalent to just(en ) to joust + -le
 And working men may keep the wall, and jostle prince and peer.
  [juht]
 verb (used without object), jut·ted, jut·ting.
 to extend beyond the main body or line; project; protrude (often
followed by out ):
JUT  The narrow strip of land juts out into the bay.
 Origin of jut
 First recorded in 1555–65; variant of jet
 Nathalie sat in the jut of the room, her back to the row of
windows.
  [kin-dl]
 verb (used with object), kin·dled, kin·dling.
 to start (a fire); cause (a flame, blaze, etc.) to begin burning.
 to set fire to or ignite (fuel or any combustible matter).
KINDLE  to excite; stir up or set going; animate; rouse; inflame:
 Origin of kindle1
 1150–1200; Middle English kindlen < Old Norse kynda; compare
Old Norse kindill torch, candle
 He kindled their hopes of victory
  [nohl]
 noun
 a small, rounded hill or eminence; hillock.
 Origin of knoll1
KNOLL  before 900; Middle English cnol, Old English cnoll; cognate with
Norwegian knoll hillock; akin to Dutch knol turnip, Icelandic
knollur, German Knollen, Danish knold tuber
 The lower or " knoll " mounds were used as the sepulchres of the
dead.
  [lash]
 noun
 the flexible part of a whip; the section of cord or the like forming
the extremity of a whip.
 a swift stroke or blow, with a whip or the like, given as a
LASH punishment:
 Origin of LASH
 1960–65; l(ighter) a(board) sh(ip)
 And activists have used the semi-anonymity of social media to
lash out against the government.
  [loo-muh-nuhs]
 adjective
 radiating or reflecting light; shining; bright.
 lighted up or illuminated; well-lighted:
LUMINOUS  Origin of luminous
 First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Latin
word lūminōsus. See lumen, -ous
 There he claims he saw a luminous object change colors several
times then vanish into the night sky.
  [mal-ee-uh-buhl]
 adjective
 capable of being extended or shaped by hammering or by
pressure from rollers.
 adaptable or tractable:
MALLEABLE  Origin of malleable
 1350–1400; Middle English malliable < Medieval Latin malleābilis,
equivalent to malle(āre ) to hammer (derivative of Latin malleus
hammer) + -ābilis -able
 Even adults like to shoehorn their bottoms into a malleable rubber
swing and take a ride down memory lane.
  [muh-teer-ee-uh-lahyz]
 verb (used without object), ma·te·ri·al·ized, ma·te·ri·al·iz·ing.
 to come into perceptible existence; appear; become actual or real;
be realized or carried out:
MATERIALIZE  to assume material or bodily form; become corporeal:
 Origin of materialize
 First recorded in 1700–10; material + -ize
 Our plans never materialized.
  [mee-an-der]
 verb (used without object)
 to proceed by or take a winding or indirect course:
 to wander aimlessly; ramble:
Meander  Origin of meander
 1570–80; < Latin maeander < Greek maíandros a winding, special
use of Maíandros, the Menderes River, noted for its winding
course
 The stream meandered through the valley
  [muh-tik-yuh-luhs]
 adjective
 taking or showing extreme care about minute details; precise;
thorough:
 finicky; fussy:
METICULOUS
 Origin of meticulous
 1525–35; < Latin metīculōsus full of fear, fearful, equivalent to
metī- for metū- (stem of metus fear) + -culōsus, extracted from
perīculōsus perilous
 a meticulous craftsman; meticulous personal appearance.
  [mis-giv-ing]
 noun
 Often misgivings. a feeling of doubt, distrust, or apprehension.
MISGIVING  Origin of misgiving
 First recorded in 1595–1605; misgive + -ing1
 I have a misgiving that there is something dark at work here, Tom.
  [moh-men-tuh m]
 noun, plural mo·men·ta [moh-men-tuh] /moʊˈmɛn tə/,
mo·men·tums.
 force or speed of movement; impetus, as of a physical object or
course of events:
 The car gained momentum going downhill. Her career lost
momentum after two unsuccessful films.
 Also called linear momentum . Mechanics . a quantity expressing
MOMENTUM the motion of a body or system, equal to the product of the mass
of a body and its velocity, and for a system equal to the vector sum
of the products of mass and velocity of each particle in the system.
 Philosophy
 Origin of momentum
 1690–1700; < Latin mōmentum; see moment
 In conversation, her ideas emerge at a roiling boil that often takes
on a momentum of its own.
  [muh-not-n-uhs]
 adjective
 lacking in variety; tediously unvarying:
 the monotonous flat scenery.
 characterizing a sound continuing on one note.
MONOTONOUS  having very little inflection; limited to a narrow pitch range.
 Origin of monotonous
 From the Late Greek word monótonos, dating back to 1770–80.
See mono-, tone, -ous
 His monotonous music is, really, like the audio soundtrack to a k-
hole.
  [muhl-ti-tood, -tyood]noun
 a great number; host:
 a multitude of friends.
 a great number of people gathered together; crowd; throng.

MULTITUDE  the state or character of being many; numerousness.

 Origin of multitude
 First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English word from Latin word
multitūdō. See multi-, -tude
 His most famous miracle was making a few loaves and fishes feed
a multitude
  [muhs-ter]
 verb (used with object)
 to assemble (troops, a ship's crew, etc.), as for battle, display,
inspection, orders, or discharge.
 to gather, summon, rouse (often followed by up):

MUSTER  He mustered all his courage.

 Origin of muster
 1250–1300; Middle English mostren (v.) < Old French mostrer <
Latin mōnstrāre to show, derivative of mōnstrum portent; see
monster
 Rising to retrieve it, I offer her what meager reassurance I can
muster .
  [nar-eyt, na-reyt]
 verb (used with object), nar·rat·ed, nar·rat·ing.
 to give an account or tell the story of (events, experiences, etc.).
to add a spoken commentary to (a film, television program, etc.):
 to narrate a slide show.
NARRATE  Origin of narrate
 1650–60; < Latin narrātus (past participle of narrāre to relate, tell,
say), equivalent to nār(us ) knowing, acquainted with (variant of
gnārus; see cognition) + -ātus -ate1
Eventually, Washington learned to narrate his way through his
demons
 [uhb-skyoor]
adjective, ob·scur·er, ob·scur·est.
(of meaning) not clear or plain; ambiguous, vague, or uncertain:
an obscure sentence in the contract.
OBSCURE not clear to the understanding; hard to perceive:
Origin of obscure
1350–1400; Middle English < Old French oscur, obscur < Latin
obscūrus dark
And too much of a focus on numbers can obscure strategic truths.
 [om-uh-nuh s]
adjective
portending evil or harm; foreboding; threatening; inauspicious:
an ominous bank of dark clouds.
indicating the nature of a future event, for good or evil; having the
significance of an omen; being a portent:
OMINOUS Origin of ominous
1580–90; < Latin ōminōsus portentous, equivalent to ōmin- (stem of
ōmen ) omen + -ōsus -ous
In the back of my mind I was wondering how much time we had
before there might be an ominous knock at the door.
 [out-lan-dish]
adjective
freakishly or grotesquely strange or odd, as appearance, dress,
objects, ideas, or practices; bizarre:
outlandish clothes; outlandish questions.
OUTLANDISH having a foreign appearance.
remote from civilized areas; out-of the-way:
Origin of outlandish
before 1000; Middle English; Old English ūtlendisc. See outland, -ish
The contradictions and outlandish claims are never challenged,
because drug education in China is virtually nonexistent.
 [per-sis-tuhnt, -zis-]
adjective
persisting, especially in spite of opposition, obstacles,
discouragement, etc.; persevering:
a most annoyingly persistent young man.
PERSISTENT lasting or enduring tenaciously:
Origin of persistent
1820–30; < Latin persistent- (stem of persistēns ), present participle
of persistere to persist; see -ent
The North Korean hackers have proven to be a persistent adversary,
if not the most skilled one.
 [pur-tn-uhnt]
adjective
pertaining or relating directly and significantly to the matter at
hand; relevant:
PERTINENT Origin of pertinent
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin pertinent- (stem of pertinēns ),
present participle of pertinēre to pertain; see -ent
The Dalai Lama regaled the crowd with stories, not all pertinent to
the subject at hand.
 [plen-tee-uh s]
adjective
plentiful; copious; abundant:
a plenteous supply of food.
yielding abundantly; fruitful:
PLENTOUS Origin of plenteous
1250–1300; Middle English plenteus (see plenty, -ous); replacing
Middle English plentivous < Old French plentivos, equivalent to
plentif abundant ( plent(e ) plenty + -if -ive) + -os -ous
For when has Desdemona shown high and plenteous wit or
invention?
 [puh-ten-shuh l]
adjective
possible, as opposed to actual:
the potential uses of nuclear energy.

POTENTIAL capable of being or becoming:

Origin of potential
1350–1400; Middle English potencial (< Old French ) < Late Latin
potentiālis. See potency
The eating disorder field remains divided over the potential efficacy
of such measures.
 [pres-uh-pis]
noun
a cliff with a vertical, nearly vertical, or overhanging face.
a situation of great peril:
PRECIPICE Origin of precipice
1590–1600; < Middle French < Latin praecipitium steep place,
equivalent to praecipit- (stem of praeceps ) steep, headlong ( prae-
pre- + -cipit-, combining form of caput head; see caput) + -ium -ium
They are always suspended over a precipice , dangling by a slender
thread that shows every sign of snapping.
 [pris-teen, pri-steen; especially British pris-tahyn]
adjective
having its original purity; uncorrupted or unsullied.
PRISTINE of or relating to the earliest period or state; primitive.
Origin of pristine
1525–35; < Latin pristinus early; akin to primus prime
The grand prize is a pristine white Fiat Panda 4X4 – with full options.
 [kwel]
verb (used with object)
to suppress; put an end to; extinguish:
The troops quelled the rebellion quickly.
to vanquish; subdue.
QUELL to quiet or allay (emotions, anxieties, etc.):
Origin of quell
before 900; Middle English quellen, Old English cwellan to kill; akin
to Old Norse kvelja to torment, German quälen to vex; cf. Kill
This is where Schwarz comes in: to quell concerns, advise about
procedures, and follow up with loved ones.
 [noun rek-loos, ri-kloos; adjective ri-kloos, rek-loos]
noun
a person who lives in seclusion or apart from society, often for
religious meditation.
Also incluse. a religious voluntary immured in a cave, hut, or the like,
or one remaining within a cell for life.
RECLUSE Origin of recluse
1175–1225; Middle English < Old French reclus < Late Latin reclūsus,
past participle of reclūdere to shut up, equivalent to re- re- + -clūd-,
combining form of claudere to close + -tus past participle suffix, with
dt > s
He was not a recluse , however, as the documents and electronic
chips recovered by the SEALs from his lair revealed.
 [ri-koo-puh-reyt, -kyoo-]
verb (used without object), re·cu·per·at·ed, re·cu·per·at·ing.
to recover from sickness or exhaustion; regain health or strength.
to recover from financial loss.
Origin of recuperate
RECUPERATE 1535–45; < Latin recuperātus (past participle of recuperāre, variant
of reciperāre to recover), equivalent to re- re- + -ciper-, combining
form of *caper- (obscure derivative of capere to take) + -ātus -ate
It activates your parasympathetic nervous system and tells your
body to relax and recuperate .
 [ri-plen-ish]
verb (used with object)
to make full or complete again, as by supplying what is lacking, used
up, etc.:
to replenish one's stock of food.
to supply (a fire, stove, etc.) with fresh fuel.
REPLENISH to fill again or anew.
Origin of replenish
1300–50; Middle English replenisshen < Middle French repleniss-,
long stem of replenir to fill, Old French, equivalent to re- re- + plenir
to fill (derivative of plein < Latin plēnus full)
During each stop, Mooney takes a few days to recover from his time
at sea and replenish his body.
 [ri-puhg-nuhnt]
adjective
distasteful, objectionable, or offensive:
a repugnant smell.
making opposition; averse.
opposed or contrary, as in nature or character.
REPUGNANT Origin of repugnant
1350–1400; Middle English repugnaunt < Middle French < Latin
repugnant- (stem of repugnāns, present participle of repugnāre ),
equivalent to repugn(āre ) to repugn + -ant- -ant
It is disappointing and, frankly, frightening that Thompson walked
away from his repugnant Sea World excursion scot-free.
 [res-ti-too-shuhn, -tyoo-]
noun
reparation made by giving an equivalent or compensation for loss,
damage, or injury caused; indemnification.
the restoration of property or rights previously taken away,
conveyed, or surrendered.
RESTITUTION restoration to the former or original state or position.
Origin of restitution
1350–1400; Middle English restitucioun < Old French restitution,
restitucion < Latin restitūtiōn- (stem of restitūtiō ) a rebuilding,
restoration, equivalent to restitūt(us ) restitute + -iōn- -ion
In 1970, and again in 1980, restitution was back on the agenda, and
my mother and my aunt reclaimed paintings by Monet and Léger.
 [sab-uh-tahzh, sab-uh-tahzh]
noun
any underhand interference with production, work, etc., in a plant,
factory, etc., as by enemy agents during wartime or by employees
during a trade dispute.
SABOTAGE any undermining of a cause.
Origin of sabotage
1865–70; < French, equivalent to sabot(er ) to botch, orig., to strike,
shake up, harry, derivative of sabot sabot + -age -age
But was it necessary to try to sabotage her career and her book and
spend hours of our own lives trying to make her life hell?
 [skair-si-tee]
noun, plural scar·ci·ties.
insufficiency or shortness of supply; dearth.
rarity; infrequency.
SCARCITY
Origin of scarcity
1300–50; Middle English scarsete(e ) < Old North French escarsete.
See scarce, -ity
Perhaps, once in awhile, scarcity will breed rational thinking, too.
 [skur-ee, skuhr-ee]
verb (used without object), scur·ried, scur·ry·ing.
to go or move quickly or in haste.
SCURRY Origin of scurry
First recorded in 1800–10; extracted from hurry-scurry
The answer is not to browbeat the parties to scurry to the
negotiating table.
 [seer]
noun
a mark or scar made by searing.
Origin of sear
SEAR before 900; (adj.) Middle English sere, Old English sēar; cognate
with Dutch zoor; (v.) Middle English seren, Old English sēarian,
derivative of sēar
Add the venison to the pot and sear on all sides until golden brown,
about 20 minutes
 [suh-ren-i-tee]
noun, plural se·ren·i·ties for 2.
the state or quality of being serene, calm, or tranquil; sereneness.
( usually initial capital letter ) a title of honor, respect, or reverence,
used in speaking of or to certain members of royalty (usually
SERENITY preceded by his, your, etc.).
Origin of serenity
1400–50; late Middle English serenite < Latin serēnitās. See serene, -
ity
When I met him, on the eve of the first debate, he was dressed in a
natty gray suit and was the picture of serenity .
 [sluhmp]
verb (used without object)
to drop or fall heavily; collapse:
Suddenly she slumped to the floor.

SLUMP to assume a slouching, bowed, or bent position or posture:

Origin of slump
1670–80; orig., to sink into a bog or mud; perhaps imitative (cf.
Plump)
But if Pixar's going to slump , it's comforting that Disney is back to
its old tricks.
 [soh-shuh-buh l]
adjective
inclined to associate with or be in the company of others.
friendly or agreeable in company; companionable.

SOCIABLE characterized by agreeable companionship:

Origin of sociable
1545–55; < Latin sociābilis, equivalent to sociā(re ) to unite
(derivative of socius partner, comrade) + -bilis -ble
Sabrine was the outgoing, sociable type, and had many friends,
while Ziad was shy and a little more introverted.
 [som-ber]
adjective
gloomily dark; shadowy; dimly lighted:
a somber passageway.
dark and dull, as color, or as things in respect to color:
SOMBER Origin of somber
1750–60; < French sombre, Middle French, probably noun derivative
of *sombrer to make shady < Vulgar Latin *subumbrāre, equivalent
to Latin sub- sub- + umbrāre to cast a shadow, derivative of umbra
shade
It was both stylish and somber while being suitably grand for the
formality of the occasion.
 [spes-uh-muhn]
noun
a part or an individual taken as exemplifying a whole mass or
number; a typical animal, plant, mineral, part, etc.
(in medicine, microbiology, etc.) a sample of a substance or material
for examination or study:
SPECIMEN
Origin of specimen
1600–10; < Latin: mark, example, indication, sign, equivalent to
speci-, stem of specere to look, regard + -men noun suffix denoting
result or means
That gave participants an opportunity to try taxidermy without
skinning the specimen , which some people find hard to stomach.
 [stam-uh-nuh]
noun
strength of physical constitution; power to endure disease, fatigue,
privation, etc.
Origin of stamina

STAMINA 1535–45; < Latin, plural of stāmen thread (see stamen); i.e., the life-
threads spun by the Fates
Origin of stamen
1640–50; < Latin stāmen warp in upright loom, thread, filament,
equivalent to stā(re ) to stand + -men noun suffix; akin to Greek
stḗmōn warp, Sanskrit sthāman place
Even as we cheer for her stamina , we shrink from her rapacity.
 [suhb-sahyd]
verb (used without object), sub·sid·ed, sub·sid·ing.
to sink to a low or lower level.
to become quiet, less active, or less violent; abate:
SUBSIDE Origin of subside
1640–50; < Latin subsīdere, equivalent to sub- sub- + sīdere to sit,
settle; akin to sedēre to be seated; see sit
As mourning time progressed and the emotional strain began to
subside , the black hues began to lighten.
 [swag-er]
noun
swaggering manner, conduct, or walk; ostentatious display of
arrogance and conceit.
SWAGGER Origin of swagger
First recorded in 1580–90; swag
He has given that profession a swagger that, let's face it, few other
professions have.
 [swawrm]
noun
a body of honeybees that emigrate from a hive and fly off together,
accompanied by a queen, to start a new colony.
a body of bees settled together, as in a hive.
SWARM Origin of swarm
before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English swearm; cognate
with German Schwarm swarm, Old Norse svarmr tumult; (v.) Middle
English swarmen, derivative of the noun
He was prepared to swarm the island—not directly, but through
Brooklyn.
 [tak-tik]
noun
a system or a detail of tactics.
a plan, procedure, or expedient for promoting a desired end or
result.
TACTIC Origin of tactic
1560–70; New Latin tacticus < Greek taktikós “fit for arranging or
ordering,” equivalent to tak- (base of tássein ( Attic táttein ) “to
arrange, put in order”) + -tikos -tic
But he added that the tactic ensured all “relevant” topics in the
world of politics were back to the world of Paul.
 [turs]
adjective, ters·er, ters·est.
neatly or effectively concise; brief and pithy, as language.
abruptly concise; curt; brusque.

TERSE Origin of terse

1595–1605; < Latin tersus, past participle of tergēre to rub off, wipe
off, clean, polish
It is a mighty tough slog, I will have to give them that, written in
terse and exclusive science-ese.
 [trans-loo-suhnt, tranz-]
adjective
permitting light to pass through but diffusing it so that persons,
objects, etc., on the opposite side are not clearly visible:
Frosted window glass is translucent but not transparent.
TRANSLUCENT easily understandable; lucid:
Origin of translucent
1590–1600; < Latin trānslūcent- (stem of trānslūcēns ), present
participle of trānslūcere to shine through. See trans-, lucent
Like thinner and translucent for summer and warmer for winter.
 [uhn-kan-ee]
adjective
having or seeming to have a supernatural or inexplicable basis;
beyond the ordinary or normal; extraordinary:
uncanny accuracy; an uncanny knack of foreseeing trouble.
UNCANNY mysterious; arousing superstitious fear or dread; uncomfortably
strange:
Origin of uncanny
First recorded in 1590–1600; un-1 + canny
Archaeologists have an uncanny ability to ignore the discomforts
and channel the time period and the people they're studying.
 [uhn-sahyt-lee]
adjective, un·sight·li·er, un·sight·li·est.
distasteful or unpleasant to look at:

UNSIGHTLY Origin of unsightly

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at un-
1, sightly
Most of us, I would venture to say, have tried to remedy these
unsightly problems.
 [vur-suh-tl or, esp. British, -tahyl]
adjective
capable of or adapted for turning easily from one to another of
various tasks, fields of endeavor, etc.:
a versatile writer.

VERSATILE having or capable of many uses:

Origin of versatile
1595–1605; < Latin versātilis revolving, many-sided, equivalent to
versāt(us ) (past participle of versāre, frequentative of vertere to
turn; see verse, -ate1) + -ilis -ile
Since Westlake was as prolific as he was versatile , this all took a
while.
 [vij-uh-luhnt]
adjective
keenly watchful to detect danger; wary:
a vigilant sentry.

VIGILANT ever awake and alert; sleeplessly watchful.

Origin of vigilant
1470–80; < Latin vigilant- (stem of vigilāns ), present participle of
vigilāre to be watchful. See vigil, -ant
Nervous fans can keep a vigilant eye on it via a webcam hosted on
the town website that offers 24-hour goat viewing.
 [vuhl-ner-uh-buh l]
adjective
capable of or susceptible to being wounded or hurt, as by a weapon:
a vulnerable part of the body.

VULNERABLE open to moral attack, criticism, temptation, etc.:

Origin of vulnerable
1595–1605; < Late Latin vulnerābilis, equivalent to Latin vulnerā(re )
to wound + -bilis -ble; see vulnerary
Social media forces us to not only be vulnerable for our partner but
for the whole world.
 [waft, wahft]
noun
a sound, odor, etc., faintly perceived:
a waft of perfume.

WAFT a wafting movement; light current or gust:

Origin of waft
1535–45; back formation from late Middle English waughter armed
escort vessel < Dutch or Low German wachter watchman; in some
senses confused with waff
One fragrant breath of thee is as a waft of the joys of my youth!
 [wey-ver]
noun
an act of wavering, fluttering, or vacillating.
WAVER Origin of waver1
1275–1325; Middle English (see wave, -er6); cognate with dialectal
German wabern to move about, Old Norse vafra to toddle
Once there was a waver in the line, such as precedes a rush.
 [weth -er]
noun
the state of the atmosphere with respect to wind, temperature,
cloudiness, moisture, pressure, etc.
a strong wind or storm or strong winds and storms collectively:
WEATHER
Origin of weather
before 900; Middle English (noun), Old English weder; cognate with
Dutch weder, German Wetter, Old Norse vethr
These days weather should never cause a commercial airliner to
crash.
 [zeel]
noun
fervor for a person, cause, or object; eager desire or endeavor;
enthusiastic diligence; ardor.
ZEAL Origin of zeal
1350–1400; Middle English zele < Late Latin zēlus < Greek zêlos
He implored me to do so with the zeal of someone who had just
found God, emphatically praising the article.