Our habits are worn like garments on our personality.
- Dr. Max Maltz
2010-07-24
2010-06-05
2010-05-17
deliberate, feign, confabulate, relativistic
deliberate: v. To think carefully and often slowly, as about a choice to be made.
Some decisions are the result of logical deliberation.
feign: a. To give a false appearance of: feign sleep. b. To represent falsely; pretend to: feign
authorship of a novel. See synonyms at pretend.
We feign accuracy in mapping our feeling onto numbers or dollars.
confabulate:
1. To talk casually; chat.
2. Psychology. To replace fact with fantasy unconsciously in memory.
The ability to confabulate -- to tell stories smoothing over the rough edges of experience -- is part of being human.
relativistic: Of or relating to relativism.
One is the relativistic nature of money.
Some decisions are the result of logical deliberation.
feign: a. To give a false appearance of: feign sleep. b. To represent falsely; pretend to: feign
authorship of a novel. See synonyms at pretend.
We feign accuracy in mapping our feeling onto numbers or dollars.
confabulate:
1. To talk casually; chat.
2. Psychology. To replace fact with fantasy unconsciously in memory.
The ability to confabulate -- to tell stories smoothing over the rough edges of experience -- is part of being human.
relativistic: Of or relating to relativism.
One is the relativistic nature of money.
2010-05-15
deviant, venereal, ersatz, monstrous, gullible, hardy
deviant:
Differing from a norm or from the accepted standards of a society.
venereal:
a. Transmitted by sexual intercourse. b. Of or relating to a sexually transmitted disease.
perhaps I have an incurable venereal disease.
ersatz:
Being an imitation or a substitute, usually an inferior one; artificial: ersatz coffee made mostly of chicory.
Durham was on the sixteenth floor, but the building was hemmed in on all sides by ugly late-twenties office towers, blue and pink ersatz-marble monstrosities; no expensive harbor views here.
monstrous:
Shockingly hideous or frightful.
gullible:
Easily deceived or duped.
For someone who was ripping off gullible millionaires -- or even someone who merely sold them insurance -- Durham didn't seem to have much to show for it.
hardy:
Being in robust and sturdy good health.
It's not intrinsically hardier; it's just better protected by the ocean.
Differing from a norm or from the accepted standards of a society.
venereal:
a. Transmitted by sexual intercourse. b. Of or relating to a sexually transmitted disease.
perhaps I have an incurable venereal disease.
ersatz:
Being an imitation or a substitute, usually an inferior one; artificial: ersatz coffee made mostly of chicory.
Durham was on the sixteenth floor, but the building was hemmed in on all sides by ugly late-twenties office towers, blue and pink ersatz-marble monstrosities; no expensive harbor views here.
monstrous:
Shockingly hideous or frightful.
gullible:
Easily deceived or duped.
For someone who was ripping off gullible millionaires -- or even someone who merely sold them insurance -- Durham didn't seem to have much to show for it.
hardy:
Being in robust and sturdy good health.
It's not intrinsically hardier; it's just better protected by the ocean.
2010-05-14
2010-05-13
tenacious, unrepentant
tenacious: Holding or tending to hold persistently to something, such as a point of view.
Those hunches are amazingly tenacious.
unrepentant: Having or exhibiting no remorse.
When the matter was explained at length, many subjects remained unconvinced, uncertain, or unrepentant.
Those hunches are amazingly tenacious.
unrepentant: Having or exhibiting no remorse.
When the matter was explained at length, many subjects remained unconvinced, uncertain, or unrepentant.
2010-05-11
morbid, excrement, poignant, egregious, exert
morbid:
a. Of, relating to, or caused by disease; pathological or diseased. b. Psychologically unhealthy or unwholesome: "He suffered much from a morbid acuteness of the senses" (Edgar Allan Poe).
2. Characterized by preoccupation with unwholesome thoughts or feelings: read the account of the murder with a morbid interest.
3. Gruesome; grisly.
excrement:
Waste material, especially fecal matter, that is expelled from the body after digestion.
poignant:
a. Physically painful: "Keen, poignant agonies seemed to shoot from his neck downward" (Ambrose Bierce). b. Keenly distressing to the mind or feelings: poignant anxiety. c. Profoundly moving; touching: a poignant memory. See synonyms at moving.
egregious:
Conspicuously bad or offensive. See synonyms at flagrant.
conspicuous:
1. Easy to notice; obvious.
2. Attracting attention, as by being unusual or remarkable; noticeable. See synonyms at noticeable.
exert:
To put to use or effect; put forth: exerted all my strength to move the box.
a. Of, relating to, or caused by disease; pathological or diseased. b. Psychologically unhealthy or unwholesome: "He suffered much from a morbid acuteness of the senses" (Edgar Allan Poe).
2. Characterized by preoccupation with unwholesome thoughts or feelings: read the account of the murder with a morbid interest.
3. Gruesome; grisly.
excrement:
Waste material, especially fecal matter, that is expelled from the body after digestion.
poignant:
a. Physically painful: "Keen, poignant agonies seemed to shoot from his neck downward" (Ambrose Bierce). b. Keenly distressing to the mind or feelings: poignant anxiety. c. Profoundly moving; touching: a poignant memory. See synonyms at moving.
egregious:
Conspicuously bad or offensive. See synonyms at flagrant.
conspicuous:
1. Easy to notice; obvious.
2. Attracting attention, as by being unusual or remarkable; noticeable. See synonyms at noticeable.
exert:
To put to use or effect; put forth: exerted all my strength to move the box.
2010-05-08
craven, despicable, deplore, impasse
craven: Characterized by abject fear; cowardly.
abject:
1. Brought low in condition or status. See synonyms at mean2.
2. Being of the most contemptible kind: abject cowardice.
3. Being of the most miserable kind; wretched: abject poverty.
despicable: Deserving of contempt or scorn; vile.
deplore:
1. To feel or express strong disapproval of; condemn: "Somehow we had to master events, not simply deplore them" (Henry A. Kissinger).
2. To express sorrow or grief over.
3. To regret; bemoan.
impasse:
1. A road or passage having no exit; a cul-de-sac.
2. A situation that is so difficult that no progress can be made; a deadlock or a stalemate: reached an impasse in the negotiations.
I find Hatoyama's behavior craven and despicable, but I deplore even more the U.S. government's arrogance in forcing the Japanese to this deeply humiliating impasse.
abject:
1. Brought low in condition or status. See synonyms at mean2.
2. Being of the most contemptible kind: abject cowardice.
3. Being of the most miserable kind; wretched: abject poverty.
despicable: Deserving of contempt or scorn; vile.
deplore:
1. To feel or express strong disapproval of; condemn: "Somehow we had to master events, not simply deplore them" (Henry A. Kissinger).
2. To express sorrow or grief over.
3. To regret; bemoan.
impasse:
1. A road or passage having no exit; a cul-de-sac.
2. A situation that is so difficult that no progress can be made; a deadlock or a stalemate: reached an impasse in the negotiations.
I find Hatoyama's behavior craven and despicable, but I deplore even more the U.S. government's arrogance in forcing the Japanese to this deeply humiliating impasse.
2010-04-15
ultracrepidarian
One who speaks above his level of knowledge, experience or expertise. From Latin Ultra=above & beyond + crepis-idis=sole,keel.
2010-04-11
lucubrate
To write in a scholarly fashion; produce scholarship.
[Latin lucubrbre, l昱ubrat-, to work at night by lamplight.]
[Latin lucubrbre, l昱ubrat-, to work at night by lamplight.]
2010-04-10
seigniorage
Revenue or a profit taken from the minting of coins, usually the difference between the value of the bullion used and the face value of the coin.
2010-01-28
Smart.fm SAT verbal advanced, lesson 5
obviate: to effectively dispose of; to make unnecessary; avert, forestall, prevent
One of the advantages of having a bald head is that it obviates the need for a haircut.
decipher: to read or interpret; convert from a code; decrypt
It took a team of experts years to decipher the message on the scroll.
consternation: great fear or shock that makes one feel helpless or bewildered
bewildered: to confuse or befuddle, especially with numerous conflicting situations, objects or statements
They felt great consternation when they realized they were lost.
abate: to diminish in intensity, violence, amount; to subtract
They were relieved that the violent thunderstorm had finally abated.
forage: search for food or provisions
provisions: a stock of necessary supplies, especially food
Panda bears spend most of their time foraging for food.
duress: constraint by threat; imprisonment
Her father put her under great duress to apologize.
fissure: a long, narrow, deep cleft or crack
cleft: a crack, crevice, or split
These huge fissures in the glacier were attributed to the effects of global warming.
restitution: return to a former condition or situation
He was ordered to make restitution to the company he had stolen money from.
forlorn: without hope; desperate
She was deeply forlorn over the death of her husband.
conciliatory: tending to reconcile
The counselor encouraged the couple to adopt a more conciliatory approach.
One of the advantages of having a bald head is that it obviates the need for a haircut.
decipher: to read or interpret; convert from a code; decrypt
It took a team of experts years to decipher the message on the scroll.
consternation: great fear or shock that makes one feel helpless or bewildered
bewildered: to confuse or befuddle, especially with numerous conflicting situations, objects or statements
They felt great consternation when they realized they were lost.
abate: to diminish in intensity, violence, amount; to subtract
They were relieved that the violent thunderstorm had finally abated.
forage: search for food or provisions
provisions: a stock of necessary supplies, especially food
Panda bears spend most of their time foraging for food.
duress: constraint by threat; imprisonment
Her father put her under great duress to apologize.
fissure: a long, narrow, deep cleft or crack
cleft: a crack, crevice, or split
These huge fissures in the glacier were attributed to the effects of global warming.
restitution: return to a former condition or situation
He was ordered to make restitution to the company he had stolen money from.
forlorn: without hope; desperate
She was deeply forlorn over the death of her husband.
conciliatory: tending to reconcile
The counselor encouraged the couple to adopt a more conciliatory approach.
2010-01-27
Smart.fm SAT verbal advanced, lesson 4
inexorable: not to be moved by entreaty; unyielding; relentless
entreaty: an earnest request or petition; a plea
In the boxing ring, he was an inexorable opponent.
proliferate: to quickly reproduce or spread
Wildflowers proliferate in the meadow outside our home.
recalcitrant: stubbornly resistant to and defiant of authority, discipline or guidance
defy: to oppose or resist with boldness and assurance
The recalcitrant child refused to listen to his teacher.
treachery: perfidy, disloyalty, or treason
perfidy: deliberate breach of faith; calculated violation of trust
His treachery was eventually discovered.
grouse: complain; grumble
He frequently groused about his computer's poor performance.
waft: float, as on the wind
With a gentle puff, she sent the seeds wafting into the summer breeze.
caustic: corrosive; that which can destroy tissue by chemical action
Caustic substances should be safely stored in sealed containers.
pundit: actual or self-professed authority
The former journalist was now a political pundit on a cable television talk show.
exhort: urge
The energertic cheerleaders exhorted their team to win.
entreaty: an earnest request or petition; a plea
In the boxing ring, he was an inexorable opponent.
proliferate: to quickly reproduce or spread
Wildflowers proliferate in the meadow outside our home.
recalcitrant: stubbornly resistant to and defiant of authority, discipline or guidance
defy: to oppose or resist with boldness and assurance
The recalcitrant child refused to listen to his teacher.
treachery: perfidy, disloyalty, or treason
perfidy: deliberate breach of faith; calculated violation of trust
His treachery was eventually discovered.
grouse: complain; grumble
He frequently groused about his computer's poor performance.
waft: float, as on the wind
With a gentle puff, she sent the seeds wafting into the summer breeze.
caustic: corrosive; that which can destroy tissue by chemical action
Caustic substances should be safely stored in sealed containers.
pundit: actual or self-professed authority
The former journalist was now a political pundit on a cable television talk show.
exhort: urge
The energertic cheerleaders exhorted their team to win.
2010-01-24
Smart.fm SAT verbal advanced, lesson 3
recalcitrant: stubbornly resistant to and defiant of authority, discipline or guidance
The recalcitrant child refused to listen to his teacher.
inexorable: not to be moved by entreaty; unyielding; relentless
entreaty: an earnest request or petition; a plea
In the boxing ring, he was an inexorable opponent.
proliferate: to quickly reproduce or spread
Wildflowers proliferate in the meadow outside out home.
meadow: a tract of glassland, either in its natural state or used as pasture or for growing hay
pasture: glass or other vegetation eaten as food by grazing animals
tract: an expanse of land or water
treachery: perfidy, disloyalty, or treason
perfidy: deliberate breach of faith; calculated violation of trust; treachery
His treachery was eventually discovered.
grouse: complain; grumble
He frequently groused about his computer's poor performance.
occult: secret; esoteric
esoteric: intended for or understood by only a particular group
She takes her passion for the occult a little to seriously
waft: float, as on the wind
With a gentle puff, she sent the seeds wafting into the summer breeze.
puff: a short, forceful exhalation of breath
caustic: corrosive; that which can destroy tissue by chemical action
Caustic substances should be safely stored in sealed containers.
pundit: actual or self0professed authority
profess: to affirm openly
The former journalist was now a political pundit on a a cable television talk show.
exhort: urge
To urge by strong, often stirring argument, admonition, advice or appeal
admonition: mild, kind, yet earnest reproof
reprove: to voice or convey disapproval of
The energetic cheerleaders exhorted their team to win.
The recalcitrant child refused to listen to his teacher.
inexorable: not to be moved by entreaty; unyielding; relentless
entreaty: an earnest request or petition; a plea
In the boxing ring, he was an inexorable opponent.
proliferate: to quickly reproduce or spread
Wildflowers proliferate in the meadow outside out home.
meadow: a tract of glassland, either in its natural state or used as pasture or for growing hay
pasture: glass or other vegetation eaten as food by grazing animals
tract: an expanse of land or water
treachery: perfidy, disloyalty, or treason
perfidy: deliberate breach of faith; calculated violation of trust; treachery
His treachery was eventually discovered.
grouse: complain; grumble
He frequently groused about his computer's poor performance.
occult: secret; esoteric
esoteric: intended for or understood by only a particular group
She takes her passion for the occult a little to seriously
waft: float, as on the wind
With a gentle puff, she sent the seeds wafting into the summer breeze.
puff: a short, forceful exhalation of breath
caustic: corrosive; that which can destroy tissue by chemical action
Caustic substances should be safely stored in sealed containers.
pundit: actual or self0professed authority
profess: to affirm openly
The former journalist was now a political pundit on a a cable television talk show.
exhort: urge
To urge by strong, often stirring argument, admonition, advice or appeal
admonition: mild, kind, yet earnest reproof
reprove: to voice or convey disapproval of
The energetic cheerleaders exhorted their team to win.
2010-01-24 smart.fm
incursion: a raid or invasion; the act of entering another's territory or domain
What was at first an incursion had become a lengthy occupation.
impeccable: without defect or error; flawless
requiem: a religious or musical service for the dead
intractable: difficult to manage or govern; stubborn
The businessman found himself struggling with an intractable situation.
seminal: of reproduction; germinal; originative
on AHDEL: highly influential in an original way; constituting or providing a basis for further development
The discovery of electricity was a seminal development in the history of science.
serene: calm, peaceful, tranquil
The newborn baby girl has a serene expression on her face.
din: loud confusing noise
It was hard to hear anything above the din of the crowd.
antidote: a remedy to counteract a poison
People can die from the bite of a black widow if the antidote is not given in time.
propriety: the quality of being proper; suitableness, appropriateness
The young manager felt that his assistant lacked a sense of propriety.
flout: show scorn or contempt
She makes great effort to flout society's rules.
What was at first an incursion had become a lengthy occupation.
impeccable: without defect or error; flawless
requiem: a religious or musical service for the dead
intractable: difficult to manage or govern; stubborn
The businessman found himself struggling with an intractable situation.
seminal: of reproduction; germinal; originative
on AHDEL: highly influential in an original way; constituting or providing a basis for further development
The discovery of electricity was a seminal development in the history of science.
serene: calm, peaceful, tranquil
The newborn baby girl has a serene expression on her face.
din: loud confusing noise
It was hard to hear anything above the din of the crowd.
antidote: a remedy to counteract a poison
People can die from the bite of a black widow if the antidote is not given in time.
propriety: the quality of being proper; suitableness, appropriateness
The young manager felt that his assistant lacked a sense of propriety.
flout: show scorn or contempt
She makes great effort to flout society's rules.
From 2010-01-18 episode of A Way with Words
get one's goat
condescending: Displaying a patronizingly superior attitude
smarmy: Hypocritcally, complacently, or effusively earnest
oily: Excessively suave in action or behavior; unctuous
rearing/raring to go
champing/chomping at the bit
cesspool: A covered hole or pit for receiving drainage or sewage, as from a house
condescending: Displaying a patronizingly superior attitude
smarmy: Hypocritcally, complacently, or effusively earnest
oily: Excessively suave in action or behavior; unctuous
rearing/raring to go
champing/chomping at the bit
cesspool: A covered hole or pit for receiving drainage or sewage, as from a house
2010-01-23
2010-01-11
stratigraphy
The study of rock strata, especially the distribution, deposition, and age of sedimentary rocks.
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