Category: Today’s Word

Today’s Word

scathe

Definition: (noun) The act of damaging something or someone. Synonyms: damage, harm, hurt. Usage: It is true also that I did lay my hands upon …

hypersensitive

Definition: (adjective) Having an allergy or peculiar or excessive susceptibility (especially to a specific factor). Synonyms: allergic. Usage: I am hypersensitive to pollen and suffer …

embitter

Definition: (verb) Cause to be bitter or resentful. Synonyms: acerbate, envenom. Usage: He would not let this bad experience embitter him and resolved to maintain …

noli me tangere

noun: 1. Someone or something that must not be touched or interfered with. 2. A warning against touching or meddling. 3. Any of various plants …

adenoidal

Definition: (adjective) Sounding as if the nose were pinched. Synonyms: pinched, nasal. Usage: His voice has an adenoidal tone that I find quite irritating. Discuss

buckler

Definition: (noun) Armor carried on the arm to intercept blows. Synonyms: shield. Usage: As soon as he deflected his opponent's blow with his buckler, he …

hallelujah

interjection: Praise the Lord. noun: An expression of joy, relief, praise, etc.

disbelieve

Definition: (verb) Reject as false; refuse to accept. Synonyms: discredit. Usage: He was inclined to disbelieve her story, but she had several documents to support …

swindle

Definition: (verb) Deprive of by deceit. Synonyms: bunco, con, defraud, diddle, goldbrick, gyp, hornswoggle, mulct, nobble, rook, scam, short-change, victimize. Usage: He swindled investors out …

subtitle

Definition: (noun) Translation of foreign dialogue of a movie or TV program; usually displayed at the bottom of the screen. Synonyms: caption. Usage: Despite having …

remunerative

Definition: (adjective) For which money is paid. Synonyms: compensable, paying, salaried, stipendiary. Usage: I have worked as an unpaid intern for long enough and am …

pennyweighter

noun: One who steals jewelry, especially by substituting a fake for the real one.

mislay

Definition: (verb) Place (something) where one cannot find it again. Synonyms: misplace, lose. Usage: I seem to have mislaid my wallet; can you put this …

whoness

noun: The essence of a person.

misapply

Definition: (verb) Apply to a wrong thing or person; apply badly or incorrectly. Synonyms: misuse. Usage: Thus they misapply the sacred writings to defend practices …

pseudonymuncle

noun: An insignificant person writing under a pseudonym.

iridescent

Definition: (adjective) Having a play of lustrous rainbow colors. Synonyms: opalescent, pearlescent, nacreous. Usage: Soap bubbles are iridescent. Discuss

barbatulous

adjective: Having a small or sparse beard.

sprain

Definition: (verb) To injure (a joint) by a sudden twisting or wrenching of its ligaments. Synonyms: rick, wrench, twist, turn. Usage: I tripped in the …

gainful

Definition: (adjective) Yielding a fair profit. Synonyms: paying, paid. Usage: The lack of opportunities for gainful employment in the county after the lumber mill closed …

villainous

Definition: (adjective) Extremely wicked. Synonyms: nefarious. Usage: A villainous band of thieves targeted our neighborhood and in one night made off with 17 cars. Discuss

grunge

noun: 1. A type of rock music blending punk and heavy metal, marked by distorted guitars, raw vocals, and a deliberately unpolished sound. 2. A …

boorish

Definition: (adjective) Ill-mannered and coarse and contemptible in behavior or appearance. Synonyms: loutish, neanderthal, oafish, swinish. Usage: He was boorish and insensitive, and he made …

ad-lib

Definition: (adjective) Said or done without having been planned or written in advance. Synonyms: spontaneous, unwritten. Usage: The bride's father made a few ad-lib remarks …

ecotopia

noun: An ecologically ideal place.

spacearium

noun: A theater with a domed or concave screen on which space scenes are displayed.

festivity

Definition: (noun) Any joyous diversion. Synonyms: celebration. Usage: The whole town was filled with mirth and dance and festivity. Discuss

skid row

noun: An area where people down on their luck congregate, often struggling with poverty, addiction, or homelessness.

uncivil

Definition: (adjective) Lacking civility or good manners. Synonyms: rude. Usage: Dost think, because you have seen some great ladies rude and uncivil to persons below …

self-abasement

Definition: (noun) Degradation or humiliation of oneself, especially because of feelings of guilt or inferiority. Synonyms: self-mortification, penance. Usage: "Let them break my heart if …

effulgent

Definition: (adjective) Shining brilliantly; resplendent. Synonyms: radiant, refulgent, beamy, beaming. Usage: Hidden nooks and corners, unused to observation, suddenly gleam and blush in effulgent exposure,—like …

good-humored

Definition: (adjective) Disposed to please. Synonyms: amiable. Usage: He was generally a good-humored, sensible man; but if his temper was a little out…nobody liked to …

polystyle

adjective: Having multiple meanings.

espouse

Definition: (verb) Choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans. Synonyms: adopt, follow. Usage: The candidate espouses Republican ideals. Discuss

verisimilar

adjective: Having the appearance of truth or reality.