Examples:
- The new professor was an imperious woman who considered herself to be quite important.
- The imperious dictator made laws that all citizens had to obey
- The diplomat asked his subordinates to leave with an imperious wave of his hand
- With his imperious manner, Marc can never be an effective manager.

Synonyms: arrogant, condescending, proud, self-righteous, vain, conceited, haughty

Antonyms: humble

SALUTATION (noun): 1. a gesture or phrase that is used to greet, welcome, or recognize somebody; 2. the expression of greetings, welcome, or recognition; 3. the greeting that begins a letter or email.

Examples:
-  I yelled goodbye and waved, but she did not return my salutation.
- A traditional American salutation is, “How are you.”
- He liked to end his emails with the salutation, “Cheers!”
- the speaker introduced the eveningʼs honored guest with a lavish
- The president began the discussion with a pleasant salutation to the distinguished assembly

Synonyms: greeting, salute, cheers, honor, citation, tribute, accolade

Examples:
- The TV host made a squalid attempt to save himself from public embarrassment.
- Volunteers in South Africa worked to improve the squalid conditions of the slums.
- The non-profit agency raised money for children who are living in squalor.
-  The politician made a squalid attempt to buy votes.

Synonyms: filthy, broken-down, crummy, seedy, shabby, wretched, degraded, nasty, sordid, immoral, undignified

Antonyms: clean, sanitary, sterile

Examples:
- Marc was appointed to a position for which I had little relish.
- Frank doesn’t relish telling Lisa that her car has been stolen.
- But when her car was found she was feeling better. Lisa ate her dinner with relish and even asked for seconds.
- I have no relish for getting up early in the morning
- The incident added relish to an otherwise dull weekend.

Synonyms: enjoyment, gusto, delight, pleasure, glee, enjoy, delight in, love, adore

Antonyms: dislike.

VORACIOUS (adjective): Consuming or eager to consume great amounts of food; ravenous.
Having or marked by an insatiable appetite for an activity or pursuit;
especially eager: unusually eager or enthusiastic about an activity
very hungry: desiring or consuming food in great quantities

Examples:
- Phil is a voracious eater who dives into his food.
- Lisa a voracious reader that pours through several books a month.
- Don’t we all love to see children with a voracious appetite for knowledge.

Synonyms: hungry, ravenous, insatiable, rapacious, greedy, eager, avid

Antonyms: satiated

Examples:
- Marc warned his students not to procrastinate on the assignment because it could not be done in one day.
- Lisa procrastinated all afternoon until it was too late to start painting the walls that day.
- Lisa didn’t finish the project because of procrastination; she simply waited too long to get started.

Synonyms: delay, postpone, stall, dawdle, put off, prolong

Antonyms: hurry, rush, speed

UNWITTING (adjective): 1. not aware; 2. not intentional, Not knowing; unaware: an unwitting subject in an experiment. Not intended; unintentional: an unwitting admission of guilt.

Examples:
- There’s no need to apologize; I realize it was an unwitting mistake and I don’t blame you at all.
- Lisa unwittingly helped her boss shred some files, which she had no idea contained sensitive information pertinent to the case against their firm.
- The two women claimed they were the unwitting victims of a drugs dealer who planted a large quantity of heroin in their luggage.

Synonyms: unaware, inadvertent, unknowing, unintentional, unplanned

Antonyms: knowing, aware

Examples:
- Lisa works out everyday in order to palliate stress.
- The medical article addressed the many ways to palliate the symptoms of the disease until a cure could be found.
- Joanne tried to palliate the pain she had caused her parents by sending an apology card.
- My mother tried to palliate the bleeding with a band-aid, until we could get to the hospital to have the cut stitched up.

Synonyms: extenuate, mitigate, excuse, abate, alleviate, diminish, ease, assuage

Antonyms: aggravate, worsen, exacerbate

TURGID (adjective): 1. pompous and overcomplicated: pompous, boring, and overcomplicated. 2. overflowing: swollen and overflowing

Examples:
- I could not sit through another minute of the actor’s long, turgid, and unnecessarily complicated acceptance speech.
- The doctor said grandpa’s turgid veins were caused by his diabetes.
- After his success in the stock market, Mike’s already turgid ego became even more inflated.
- There is a woman at my book club who loves to expatiate about her understanding of the book in a turgid manner.

Synonyms: bombastic, pompous, overblown, inflated, tumid, high-flown, puffed up, affected, pretentious.

Antonyms: reserved, humble, quiet

Examples:
- Frank’s insouciant attitude toward money and the importance of saving will surely land him in financial trouble.
- The insouciant housekeeper didn’t notice that the dog had gotten out.
- Sometimes, Lisa admired Frank’s youthful insouciance, but other times she thought he was too cavalier.
- The insouciant way in which John managed his employees caused people to slack off and disregard their responsibilities.

Synonyms: breezy, carefree, ignorant, easygoing, blithe, nonchalant, careless

Antonyms: concerned, burdened, troubled, worried, anxious

SYNTHESIS (noun):  the combination of ideas to form a theory or system :
1. result of combination: a new unified whole resulting from the combination of different ideas, influences, or objects
2. combining of various components into whole: the process of combining different ideas, influences, or objects into a new whole
3. chemistry formation of chemical compounds: the formation of compounds through one or more chemical reactions involving simpler substances

Examples:
- The synthesis of all the information we have gathered should provide us with a definitive theory.
- The synthesis of our various ideas created a truly unique marketing strategy for our client.
- Please synthesize the data in a concise report.
- The artist’s paintings are an interesting synthesis of abstraction and impressionism.

Synonyms: creation, combination, formation, mixture, compound, composition, union

Antonyms: separation, destruction

Synonyms: outcast, vagrant, abomination, derelict, renegade, undesirable, castoff, reject

Antonyms: insider

Examples:
- The president became a pariah after he asked for another tax increase, and people couldn’t wait to oust him from office.
- Phil mumbled: “Smokers are treated as pariahs these days.”
- Lisa’s constant lying caused her to become a pariah among her peers.

PREFACE = (noun, verb) (n.) an introduction at the beginning of a book; (v.) to begin with a preface or introduction before presenting your main point

Synonyms: (n.) introduction, foreword, prologue, (v.) introduce, begin, open

Antonyms: (n.) epilogue, postscript, addendum, closing, conclusion, (v.) close, conclude

Examples:
- Joanne loves Mark Twain’s books because they are immediately engaging, right from the preface.
- Phil didn’t preface the bad news with, “I don’t know how to tell you this but.”
- Please let me preface my response to your question by noting that I am not an expert in this area.

Synonyms: upbeat, optimistic, positive, hopeful, expectant, enthusiastic, cheerful

Antonyms: hopeless, pessimistic

Examples:
- The hotel trained its human resources staff to choose employees with sanguine personalities
- Some people expect the economy to continue to improve, but others are less sanguine.
- Stock traders remained sanguine despite reduced profit margins.
- John’s sanguine outlook on life, even during difficult times, kept him young and carefree.
- Sandy’s sanguine attitude won her many friends and admirers.

PRUDENT = (adjective) 1. having good sense and judgment; 2. being careful and sensible

Synonyms: careful, cautious, discreet, wise, sagacious, judicious, sensible, practical, discerning, guarded, mindful, tactful, thrifty, economical, watchful, circumspect

Antonyms: imprudent, foolish

Examples:
- Phil was quite prudent in his spending habits and always had plenty of savings in the bank.
- Marc’s decision was prudent and timely.
- It’s always prudent to read a contract properly before signing it.
- Lisa was always prudent when giving criticism, so as not to offend anyone.
- Joanne’s financial prudence was rewarded with growing investments.

Synonyms: remedy, repair, right, correct, adjust, amend, fix, mend, improve, revise

Antonyms: ruin, damage, worsen

Examples:
- Frank tried to glue the vase back together, but unfortunately, he couldn’t rectify the break.
- His top priority as the new president was to rectify his predecessor’s mistakes.
- If Lisa doesn’t make an attempt to rectify the problem, her neighbors will take her to court.
- The tense situation was rectified when Mary called everyone in the group to apologize for her mistakes.
IMPECUNIOUS = (adjective) poor and thus without the comforts of a wealthier life

Synonyms: poor, destitute, impoverished, penniless

Antonyms: rich

Examples:
- The prodigal son returned home impecunious and suffering from near starvation.
- Everyone was surprised to learn that Donald Trump married an impecunious woman who he met at a diner.
- Annie is a musical about a group of impecunious orphans who all dream of a better life.

Synonyms: favoritism, partiality

Antonyms: nonpartisanship

Examples:
- The Italian Mafia practiced nepotism as a way of keeping the “business” inside the family.
- The government discouraged nepotism and made sure that people were    hired and promoted based on merit, not because they are relatives of the president.
- When the company CEO gave a sought-after position to his son, many employees felt it was due to nepotism, rather than true merit.

IMBROGLIO = (noun: a complicated, sometimes emotionally charged, situation involving intrigue and misunderstanding, an extremely confused, complicated, or embarrassing situation : the Watergate imbroglio. An unwanted, difficult and confusing situation, full of trouble and problems.

Synonyms: predicament, tangle, snarl, dispute, mess

Examples:
- The imbroglio in the Middle East was caused by a lack of clear communication and fear.
- The company may not survive another legal imbroglio
- Land developers and environmentalists are always in some type of imbroglio over new construction plans.

Synonyms: occasional, infrequent, unconnected, scattered, uncommon, irregular

Antonyms: frequent, regular

Examples:
- The ambiguous economic report caused sporadic buying on wall street.
- The police’s sporadic attempts to sweep the drug pushers off the streets proved ineffective.
- The WTO meeting was disrupted by sporadic protests and riots.
- The weather man forecasted sporadic showers throughout the day.

RETORT = (noun, verb) (n.) a quick, witty response to a question; (v.) 1. to quickly respond to a question with a witty or insulting response; 2. to respond to someone’s argument

Synonyms: (n.) response, reply, comback, counterargument, (v.) reply, answer, respond, rebut, counter

Antonyms: question

Examples:
- When she said “Yeah, BABY!” he retorted, “That’s Mr. Baby to you.”
- “I am rubber and you are glue” is not a very good retort to criticism.
- After Lisa screamed at him, Marc’s retort was, “Please come back when you are ready to act like an adult and engage in a civilized discussion.”
- Sure, that’s a funny retort you just made, but you still haven’t answered my question.

Synonyms: drill, instill, impart, impress, imbue, condition, brainwash, indoctrinate, ingrain, influence

Antonyms: confuse

Examples:
- I inculcated obedience into my dog through consistent, positive reinforcement.
- Our football coach has worked hard to inculcate a team spirit in/into the players.
- The young mother was determined to inculcate good manners onto her son.
to cause someone to have (particular beliefs or values) by repeating them frequently
- The goal is to inculcate in students a tolerance for people of other religions and races.

FRET = (verb) to be anxious or disturbed about something–to worry

Synonyms: agonize, worry, chafe, stew, mope, brood

Examples:
- Don’t fret because worrying won’t help anything.
- Guitar players generally get calluses on their fingers from moving their fingers up and down the frets.
- By midnight Lisa was tired and fretful
- Joanna spent the day fretting about/over what she’d said to Nicky.

Synonyms: steep, soak, introduce, inspire, instill, saturate, fill, ingrain, permeate, pervade

Antonyms: drain, remove

Examples:
- The coach infused sportsmanship into the players.
- Adding anchovies will infuse a salty taste into the pizza.
- Lisa’s plan of going to the rock festival infused new life into our weekend.
- An infusion of $100 000 into the company is required.

PRODIGY (noun) = 1. a young person with exceptional gift or talent; 2. something amazing or extraordinary

Synonyms: genius, virtuoso, marvel, talent, wonder, phenomenon

Examples:
- Mozart was a musical prodigy who began writing concertos at the age of five, when other children were still playing in the sandbox.
- The father wanted his son to be a golf prodigy so badly, he dragged him to golf practice every day.
- The 16-year-old tennis prodigy is the youngest player ever to reach the Olympic finals.

Synonyms: inaction, slowness, laziness, sluggishness, lethargy,

Antonyms: activity,

Examples:
- Marc slothful ways caused him to be late again.
- When Frank’s girlfriend betrayed him, he turned into a sloth and hardly ever got off his couch.
- Today’s newspaper criticizes the government’s sloth in tackling environmental problems.

PARAMOUNT = foremost in importance or power

Synonyms: supreme, predominant, principal, primary,

Antonyms: unimportant, insignificant

Examples:
- Getting those contracts signed is paramount to our project; without them, we can’t even begin.
- It is of paramount importance that I fly out tomorrow to meet with the client, or we may lose this business.
- National security is a paramount issue in the Presidential campaign.

Synonyms: (n.) joke, parody, satire, skit, (v.) ridicule, make fun, satirize

Antonyms: documentary

Examples:
- No matter how good a leader he may be, there will always be comedians lampooning the President of the United states.
- The magazine that Liza is working for always includes a section that lampoons a popular movie.
- The magazine is famed for its merciless political lampoons.
LEVEE = 1. a natural or artificial embankment by a river, to contain flooding; 2. a river landing place

Synonyms: bank, embankment, lakefront, lakeshore, cliff, barrier, wharf, jetty, pier, dock

Examples:
- After the levee broke, more than 20% of the field was flooded.
- In order to make a natural fish habitat, the Fish and Wildlife Service had to destroy a part of the lake’s levee.
- Marc and Joanne we’re on a sailing trip. For the weekend they docked their sailboat alongside the levee.
- In the morning Marc decided to go for a swim, After his morning swim he cam ashore on the levee.

Synonyms: inclination, affinity, tendency, predisposition

Antonyms: disinclination, dislike

Examples:

John’s penchant for taking clients to expensive restaurants is costing our company too much money.
Frank has a penchant for showing up late to meetings, but I don’t think he realizes how inconsiderate that is.
Joanne has a penchant for drinking too much wine and acting silly at parties.

INTREPID = (adjective) extremely brave and showing no fear of dangerous situations, not vulnerable to fear or intimidation

Synonyms: fearless, undaunted, perseverant, persistent, brave, courageous, bold, daring, heroic

Antonyms: fearful, timid, cowardly

Examples:
Achilles was a brilliant and intrepid warrior.
After the market crash, only a handful of intrepid investors put money in tech-stocks.
Lisa is an intrepid journalist who often reported from deep in the war zone, but never seemed afraid for her life.

Synonyms: outdated, discarded, unfashionable, old-fashioned, archaic, extinct, unused, antiquated
Antonyms: current, modern, fresh, up-to-date

Examples:
- Horse-drawn wagons became obsolete once the car was invented.
- Although much of today’s communication and correspondence takes place online, the postal service is not quite obsolete.
- Mobile phone technology is developing so quickly that many customers are concerned about obsolescence.
- Typewriters have been rendered obsolete by computers.

FOSTER = (verb) 1. to nurture and rear a child, as a temporary guardian; 2. to encourage the development or interest of ideas or activities, to encourage the development or growth of (ideas or feelings)

Synonyms: cherish, nourish, harbor, raise, nurture, champion, encourage, advance, uphold, stimulate
Antonyms: squelch, discourage

Examples:
- We try to foster an environment of open communication within this department.
- He is fostering a plan to help turn this company around.
- Lisa’s niece was taken into care by the local council and placed with a foster family.
- My parents always tried to foster an interest in classical music in me.
- I try to foster an appreciation for classical music in my students.

Synonyms: erratic, changeable, fickle, volatile, unpredictable, fluctuating, temperamental, moody, lively, quick

Antonyms: constant, invariable, steady, stable, even

Examples:
- I wanted a mercurial thermometer but I got a digital one.
- The comedian relied on his mercurial wit, not rehearsed jokes, to entertain his audience.
- Lisa is a bit unpredictable with her mercurial mood swings.
- His mood is so mercurial that we never know how heʼs going to react to anything
NONCHALANT = (adjective) casual and unconcerned

Synonyms: casual, blasé, indifferent, unconcerned, unflappable, apathetic

Antonyms: worried, concerned

Examples:
- Surprisingly, when John was told he won the contest, he was very nonchalant, and didn’t seem that excited.
- Even though Marc was nervous when he asked her out, he tried to appear nonchalant about it.  
- Once on a safari we found 10 lions walking nonchalantly across an open field.

Synonyms:
welcoming, accommodating, cordial, generous, open, accessible, receptive

Antonyms:
inhospitable, hostile

Examples:
- Many plants grow in the region’s hospitable climate.
- It’s difficult to think of a less hospitable environment than the surface of the Moon.
- My aunt was extremely hospitable. When I showed up at her door with my friends, she invited us to stay for dinner

INFLUX = (noun)
1. a sudden or ongoing arrival of many things or of a lot of people; 2. an inward flow or movement

Synonyms:
inflow, inundation, flood

Antonyms:
outflow

Examples:
- The sudden influx of new clients meant lots of overtime for the employees.
- The publication had an influx of letters to the editor after it published the controversial story.
- Weâve had an influx of resumes in response to our job posting.
- South Africa is expecting an influx of several thousand refugees over the next few days.
- South Africa’s border patrol has been increased to curb the influx of illegal immigrants.

Synonyms:
forerunner, predecessor, originator, messenger, trailblazer, ancestor, founder, prototype

Antonyms:
follower

Examples:
- The precursor to SyncMyMail’s current network infrastructure was slow and bulky.
- Microsoft’s business model is much more streamlined and efficient, compared to its precursor.
- During a precursory inspection of the house, I failed to notice many or its problems.
- Biological research has often been a precursor to medical breakthroughs which benefit patients.

PROSAIC = (adjective)
without interest, variety, or imagination–dull

Synonyms:
boring, commonplace, ordinary, monotonous, insipid, mundane, simple, dull, vapid, banal

Antonyms:
exciting, fascinating, interesting, stimulating

Examples:
- Iâm surprised you enjoyed that book so much; I found it to be prosaic and unimaginative.
- John’s job is not as glamorous as it seems; he has many prosaic
responsibilities like filling out expense reports and other mundane
paperwork.

- Lisa’s summer job at the TV station dealt with the much more prosaic business of cleaning the floors


- Joanne gave me some prosaic advice on how to remove common stains from clothing

Synonyms:
healthy, strong, energetic, sturdy, solid, vigorous, hearty, rugged, full-bodied, flavorful, rude, rough

Antonyms:
frail, weak, feeble, tasteless

Examples:
- Some people say that the host of JustVocabulary is a handsome, robust young man.
- Shell has been enjoying robust growth for the past
three quarters.
- Iâm never fully awake until Iâve had a cup of robust, fresh-brewed cup of Joe.
- Some of his colleagues felt Marc could have defended himself more robustly.


If you do something robustly, you do it in a determined way:

REITERATE = (verb) to say, state, or perform again, sometimes with a wearying effect

Synonyms:
repeat, restate, recapitulate, rephrase, rehash

Examples:
- Even though Marc knew his students heard him the first time, he reiterated the importance of making our deadline.
- Let me reiterate the fact that our companyâs success is dependent on winning this account.
- Joanne reiterated that she had never seen him before.
- He reiterated his view that it was time to withdraw from Southeast Asia.

Synonyms:
equivocate, deceive, distort, evade, fabricate, falsify, mislead, stretch, misrepresent, lie

Antonyms:
tell the truth, be honest

Examples:
- Even under oath, George continued to prevaricate about what exactly had happened.
- I knew that when I confronted Lisa she would prevaricate about who started the rumor.
- The lawyer accused George of prevaricating even though he tried hard to look honest and candid.

RATIONALIZE = (verb) 1. to defend or make excuses for something; 2. apply reason or logic to something.
to give the reason for or cause of. to try to find reasons to explain your behaviour, decisions, etc:

Synonyms:
justify, excuse, reason, think, clarify, explain.

Antonyms:
complicate, puzzle, confuse

Examples:
- We rationalized the production system so that one operator could control all three machines.
- The recession is forcing the company to rationalize.
- Lisa didn’t understand how anyone could rationalize such an extravagant purchase.
- You can rationalize your way out of anything.
- Phil tried to rationalize George’s behavior, but it was completely illogical and unjustifiable.

OBVIATE = (verb) 1. to prevent or overcome a problem by anticipating the problem in advance; 2. to make something unnecessary, to remove a difficulty, especially so that action to deal with it becomes unnecessary

Synonyms:
remove, prevent, hinder, forestall, preclude, avert

Antonyms:
cause, allow

Examples:
- Your company should consider me for the position because I’m known for
obviating potential losses of revenue for firms like yours.
- Is there any way to obviate this potential crisis?
- Regular tooth-brushing should obviate the need for frequent trips to the dentist
- A peaceful solution would obviate the need to use military force.
- Addressing any potential problems before they occur will obviate the need for later crisis management.

PLUMB = (verb, adjective, adverb, noun)
(v.) 1. to measure the depth of something; 2. to fully understand
something; 3. to experience something to the fullest; 4. to make
something vertical; (adj.) 1. completely vertical;

Synonyms: (v.) measure, gauge, examine, probe,
fathom, explore, sound, (adj.) vertical, perpendicular, total,
complete, full, deep, utter, absolute, (adv.) vertically, exactly,
directly, fully, completely, (n.) weight, sinker

Antonyms:
(adj.) horizontal, imprecise, inexact, incomplete, (adv.) horizontally, indirectly

Examples:
- They plumbed the uncharted ocean floor near the islands to make sure it
was deep enough for the freighter to pass.
- When hanging a door, you need to make sure that it is both level and
plumb or it will not shut completely.
- I have to plumb the depths of my patience each time I hear Lisa’s annoying voice.
- I’m so sorry; I plumb forgot to attend your bacherlor’s party.

Synonyms:
slouch, loafer, laggard

Antonyms:
go-getter, dynamo

Examples:
- I was a sluggard all day Sunday and did nothing but lay around watching TV.
- Frank’s a sluggard who can’t hold down a steady job because he’s always missing work.
- On the weekends, Marc prefers to be a sluggard, since he works so hard during the week.
- John was fired because he was a sluggard who took too long to finish his tasks.

MOLLYCODDLE = (verb, noun)
(v.) to treat with extra care or indulgence; (n.) someone spoiled and overprotected, especially a boy, INFORMAL MAINLY DISAPPROVING to give someone too much care or protection. a person without strength of character

Synonyms:
(v.) spoil, pamper, coddle, baby, overprotect

Examples:
- If you mollycoddle your children they won’t grow up to be responsible, self-sufficient adults.
- Lisa was so mollycoddled as a child, she grew up to be a selfish adult.
- Joanne broke up with Phil because he was too much of a mollycoddle and
needed to talk to his mother every day.
- I can work independently, and I don’t need to be mollycoddled.

How important is email for you?

SyncMyMail.com offers Hosted Exchange, Hosted SharePoint and wireless services for your BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile or Symbian device (ActiveSync).
USE PROMO CODE JV001 TO GET FREE SETUP !
Go to http://www.syncmymail.com

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=517 0 00:01:01 SyncMyMail.com offers Hosted Exchange, Hosted SharePoint and wireless services for your BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile or Symbian device (ActiveSync). USE PROMO CODE JV001 TO GET FREE SETUP ! Go ... SyncMyMail.com offers Hosted Exchange, Hosted SharePoint and wireless services for your BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile or Symbian device (ActiveSync). USE PROMO CODE JV001 TO GET FREE SETUP ! Go to http://www.syncmymail.comSLUGGARD = (noun) a slothful, lazy person, somebody who avoids work or physical exertion ( archaic ) Synonyms: slouch, loafer, laggard Antonyms: go-getter, dynamo Examples:- I was a sluggard all day Sunday and did nothing but lay around watching TV. - Frank's a sluggard who can't hold down a steady job because he's always missing work. - On the weekends, Marc prefers to be a sluggard, since he works so hard during the week. - John was fired because he was a sluggard who took too long to finish his tasks. MOLLYCODDLE = (verb, noun) (v.) to treat with extra care or indulgence; (n.) someone spoiled and overprotected, especially a boy, INFORMAL MAINLY DISAPPROVING to give someone too much care or protection. a person without strength of character Synonyms: (v.) spoil, pamper, coddle, baby, overprotect Examples:- If you mollycoddle your children they won't grow up to be responsible, self-sufficient adults. - Lisa was so mollycoddled as a child, she grew up to be a selfish adult. - Joanne broke up with Phil because he was too much of a mollycoddle and needed to talk to his mother every day. - I can work independently, and I don't need to be mollycoddled. How important is email for you? SyncMyMail.com offers Hosted Exchange, Hosted SharePoint and wireless services for your BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile or Symbian device (ActiveSync). USE PROMO CODE JV001 TO GET FREE SETUP !Go to http://www.syncmymail.com podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=517http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV534_Sluggard_Mollycoddle.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/oDby5iS5NN4/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=518#comments Wed, 27 May 2009 03:23:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=437761# HAVEN = (noun) . safe place, refuge or shelter; 2. an ideal spot for something.

Synonyms:
refuge, shelter, sanctuary, haven, anchorage, port, marina

Examples:
- The new, beach-front hotel was a perfect haven for tourists.
- We hoped desperately to find a cave, as a haven from the blizzard
- South Africa was not a safe havens for refugees from Zimbabwe.
- As long as the UN soldiers were present, the city was regarded as a safe haven for the refugees.

PROVISIONAL =

1. under terms that have not been finalized; 2. for the time-being only

Synonyms:
conditional, temporary, transitional

Antonyms:
permanent, conclusive, concrete

Examples:
- After days of negotiations, the union finally reached a provisional agreement with management.
- Even though it was a provisional contract, Lisa was still happy to be hired by the school district.
- When John arrived for the conference he was provided with a provisional meeting agenda.
- Frank was provisionally accepted at Stanford.

Synonyms:
grow, increase, expand, broaden, intensify, become

Antonyms:
wane

Examples:
- I sat on the shore and watched the waves wax and wane.
- My friend started to wax philosophical after a couple glasses of wine.
- As the moon waxes toward its full state, it becomes rounder each day.
- Milton Friedman waxed eloquent on the subject of free enterprise.
- I am always captivated to see Carl Sagan waxed eloquent about the Cosmos. âThe Cosmos is all that has ever been, all that is, and all that ever will be.â

TREPIDATION =

a feeling of fear or dread about the future

Synonyms:
alarm, fear, agitation, perturbation, uneasiness, consternation, dread

Antonyms:
ease, calm

Examples:
- Francis’s trepidation about having to deliver a speech to the company board
was evident on her face as a small bead of sweat ran down her forehead.

- Bill’s trepidation about being fired seemed unwarranted, since he was a top performer for the company.
- It was John’s trepidation about flying that caused him to cancel her European vacation.
- I have some trepidation about starting a new job, but once I get past my fear, I’m sure everything will be fine.

Synonyms:
suspension, freeze, halt, pause, stop, standstill

Antonyms:
beginning, commencement, continuation

Examples:
- The Financial Director issued a spending moratorium until the company received a second round of funding.
- It’s been four years now since John self-imposed a moratorium on flying, and he still refuses to step foot in a plane.
- I am all in favor for a five-year worldwide moratorium on nuclear weapons testing.
- Norway is proposing a five-year moratorium on whale-hunting.

TEMPERATE = moderate or mild, not extreme, especially said of climate and behavior

Synonyms:
calm, agreeable, constant, mild, moderate, even-tempered, reasonable, steady, stable, dispassionate

Antonyms:
extreme, immoderate, severe, unrestrained, excessive

Examples:
- I moved from the Netherlands to Cape Town because of its temperate climate.
- Lisa describes herself as having a temperate personality, but most of
her friends think she is a little moody.
- It is not a bad idea to exercise temperance when drinking alcohol.
- Her response to the news was temperate, though I expected her to be more excited.

Synonyms:
supply, provide, furnish, equip, stock, store, transfer, inform, circulate

Antonyms:
hinder, impede, limit

Examples:
- The Italian government purveyed blankets and water to the earthquake victims.
- Lisa considered herself a purveyor of news and opinion.
- This company has purveyed clothing to the armed forces for generations.
- The president’s speech was intended to purvey a message of optimism.

RIVETING =
arousing and holding the attention of

Synonyms:
fascinating, enthralling, spellbinding, captivating

Antonyms:
boring, dull, uninteresting, common

Examples:
- I found the movie riveting and was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
- I was riveted to the television as news of the events unfolded.
- Marc’s lectures were less than riveting, and several students decided to drop the class.
- The maffia trial has riveted the nation.

Synonyms:
study of disease

Examples:
- Ask Angela about the disease that’s killing your roses; she specialized in plant pathology in college.
- Don’t believe him; he’s a pathological liar.
- I decided to specialize in pathology during my medical studies because I’m fascinated with finding cures for disease.

PROBITY = (noun) unquestionable integrity and honesty

Synonyms:
integrity, honor, honesty, goodness, morality, virtue, trustworthiness

Antonyms:
immorality, dishonesty

Examples:
- The president’s probity came into question during the scandal.
- Nuns live lives of honesty and moral probity.
- The company believed its management should be held to the highest standards of probity.
- I would never doubt Angela’s probity; any secret you tell her is safe.

Synonyms:
(v.) thwart, prevent, hinder, baffle, prohibit, frustrate, counter, balk, (n.) contrast, antithesis, background

Antonyms:
(v.) help, aid, expedite

Examples:
Lisa will not let negative people foil her plans for happiness.
Arnold became a hero the day he foiled the heist.
Marc’s plan to disrupt our slumber party was foiled when Joanne caught him with his squirt gun.

HARBOR = (n.) 1. a safe, protected area; 2. a port for ships; (v.) 1. to
provide shelter to a person or to a ship; 2. to hold in or think
privately about

Synonyms:
(n.) port, refuge, shelter, sanctuary, haven, anchorage, marina, (v.) shelter, hold, protect

Antonyms:
expose

Examples:
- The ships in the harbor were not affected by the stormy waves further out to sea.
- I hope Paul harbors no anger against me for my long delay in responding to his e-mail.
- I could tell that all of the ladies harbored a little animosity toward the prettiest girl at the party.

Synonyms:
weaken, damage, injure, deteriorate, reduce, lessen, diminish

Antonyms:
improve

Examples:
- Everyone knows that too much alcohol can impair a person’s driving ability.
- My uncle is hearing-impaired, but he is excellent at reading lips.
- Without glasses, his vision is seriously impaired.
- A strained wrist will dramatically impair your ability to play tennis.

OASIS = (noun)

1. a fertile spot in a desert or barren place; 2. a place of shelter or sanctuary

Synonyms:
refuge, sanctuary, haven

Antonyms:
prison

Examples:
- My weekly yoga class is an oasis away from my daily stress.
- Many weary travelers have stopped by the desert oasis to rest and have a drink of water.
- I don’t like to have parties because my home is my oasis away from the chaos of the world.

Synonyms: allegiance, faithfulness, loyalty,
devotedness, devotion, staunchness, adherence, constancy,

Antonyms:
infidelity, disloyalty, inaccuracy

Examples:
- In some cases, analog recordings are of higher fidelity than digital.
- It was Marc’s infidelity that ultimately ended their marriage.
- One of the things I admired most about Frank was his adoration and fidelity toward his wife.

EXTROVERT =
a gregarious and uninhibited person who thrives and gets their energy from socializing

Synonyms:
character, sociable person

Antonyms:
introvert, loner

Examples:
- Cheerleading was the perfect outlet for Angela’s extroverted nature.
- If you want to be in sales, you have to be an extrovert and like being around people.
- His brother is shy and introverted, while he is much more of a social extrovert.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=525 0 00:01:01 FIDELITY = (noun) 1. faithfulness to vow, duties, obligations, or observances; 2. truthfulness and accuracy in reporting details or facts; 3. degree to which electronic engineering accurately ... FIDELITY = (noun) 1. faithfulness to vow, duties, obligations, or observances; 2. truthfulness and accuracy in reporting details or facts; 3. degree to which electronic engineering accurately reproduces the sound or image of its input signal Synonyms: allegiance, faithfulness, loyalty, devotedness, devotion, staunchness, adherence, constancy, Antonyms: infidelity, disloyalty, inaccuracy Examples:- In some cases, analog recordings are of higher fidelity than digital. - It was Marc's infidelity that ultimately ended their marriage. - One of the things I admired most about Frank was his adoration and fidelity toward his wife. EXTROVERT = a gregarious and uninhibited person who thrives and gets their energy from socializing Synonyms: character, sociable person Antonyms: introvert, loner Examples:- Cheerleading was the perfect outlet for Angela's extroverted nature. - If you want to be in sales, you have to be an extrovert and like being around people. - His brother is shy and introverted, while he is much more of a social extrovert. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=525http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV526_Fidelity_Extrovert.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/E2LQ6LQqeMw/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=526#comments Wed, 06 May 2009 03:11:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=437751# GALVANIZE = (verb)
1. to stimulate a person or group into action; 2. to stimulate a part
of the body with an electric shock; 3. to coat iron or steel with zinc
for protection from rust and corrosion

Synonyms:
rouse, stimulate, provoke, excite, coat, protect, charge

Antonyms:
quiet, still

Examples:
- The company SyncMyMail.com was galvanized to action when they found out their biggest
competitor was also making a bid for the job.
- The politician hoped his speech would galvanize those who were still undecided to vote for him.
- CPR is more effective when an AED machine is available to galvanize the heart.
- The prospect of guests always galvanizes Angela to start cleaning the house.

INELUCTABLE = describes something impossible to avoid or escape

Synonyms:
inescapable, unavoidable, inevitable, certain, destined, imminent

Antonyms:
avoidable, escapable, uncertain

Examples:
- Although Phoebe was sad about the break-up, she knew the ineluctable passage of time would heal her pain.
- The phrase “what goes up must come down” describes the ineluctable law of gravity.
- One often hears that the only things in life that are ineluctable are death and taxes.

Synonyms:
dull, drab, unremarkable, indistinguishable, uninteresting, common, ordinary, vague

Antonyms:
vivid, interesting, unique

Examples:
- It was my first job interview – so I chose to wear a fairly nondescript, black suit.

- The newspaper article was largely nondescript and gave only perfunctory information.
- Nobody remembered my friend John, I think it’s because he is such an ordinary, nondescript guy.

PERIPHERAL =
1. on the outer edges of something; 2. related to an issue, but not of major importance to it

Synonyms:
outer, marginal, borderline, exterior, side, irrelevant, minor, insignificant

Antonyms:
inner, central, significant

Examples:
- Bill has a tunnel vision and he can only see clearly when looking straight
ahead; he has lost his peripheral vision.
- Whenever John is watching his favorite TV show Lost, everything else is of peripheral interest.
- He’s planning on building a guest house on the periphery of his property.
- Let’s stop talking about peripheral subjects and let’s focus on the key issues instead.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=527 0 00:01:01 NONDESCRIPT = (adjective) lacking distinctive or interesting characteristics. dull, uninteresting, or without any distinguishing characteristics Synonyms: dull, drab, unremarkable, indistinguishable, uninteresting, common, ordinary, vague Antonyms NONDESCRIPT = (adjective) lacking distinctive or interesting characteristics. dull, uninteresting, or without any distinguishing characteristics Synonyms: dull, drab, unremarkable, indistinguishable, uninteresting, common, ordinary, vague Antonyms: vivid, interesting, unique Examples:- It was my first job interview - so I chose to wear a fairly nondescript, black suit. - The newspaper article was largely nondescript and gave only perfunctory information. - Nobody remembered my friend John, I think it's because he is such an ordinary, nondescript guy. PERIPHERAL = 1. on the outer edges of something; 2. related to an issue, but not of major importance to it Synonyms: outer, marginal, borderline, exterior, side, irrelevant, minor, insignificant Antonyms: inner, central, significant Examples:- Bill has a tunnel vision and he can only see clearly when looking straight ahead; he has lost his peripheral vision. - Whenever John is watching his favorite TV show Lost, everything else is of peripheral interest.- He's planning on building a guest house on the periphery of his property.- Let's stop talking about peripheral subjects and let's focus on the key issues instead. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=527http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV524_Nondescript_Peripheral.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/hUOWsA90okc/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=528#comments Sat, 02 May 2009 03:10:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=437749# PROSTRATE = (adj.) 1. lying down, often on one’s face, either out of respect and
submissiveness; 2. lying down in a horizontal position due to illness
or lack of energy; 3. physically exhausted or emotionally overwhelmed;
(v.) 1. to lie down or throw oneself on the ground, especially in a
worshipful manner; 2. to exhaust, either physically or emotionally

Synonyms:
(adj.) prone, flat, reclining, exhausted, spent, overwhelmed, (v.) grovel, bow, lay, exhaust, overcome

Antonyms:
(adj.) upright, standing

Examples:
- After a long day of yard work, I was prostrate on the couch for several hours.
- My sick grandma was prostrate in her hospital bed.
- When the emperor walked in, all of his servants fell down to the ground prostrate.
- She lay there prostrate and lifeless.

REDOLENT = 1. exuding a fragrance with qualities that remind you of something else; 2. suggesting or reminiscent of another time or place.
1. suggesting: suggestive or reminiscent of something
2. having particular smell: with a particular scent or odor
3. aromatic: with a strong pleasant aroma

Synonyms:
aromatic, odorous, fragrant, smelling, evocative, reminiscent, mindful

Examples:
- Angela’s perfume is redolent of our time together in Paris.
- The desert air is much more redolent after a rain.
- The studio of the yoga teacher was redolent with the smell of incense.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=528 0 00:01:01 PROSTRATE = (adj.) 1. lying down, often on one's face, either out of respect and submissiveness; 2. lying down in a horizontal position due to illness or ... PROSTRATE = (adj.) 1. lying down, often on one's face, either out of respect and submissiveness; 2. lying down in a horizontal position due to illness or lack of energy; 3. physically exhausted or emotionally overwhelmed; (v.) 1. to lie down or throw oneself on the ground, especially in a worshipful manner; 2. to exhaust, either physically or emotionally Synonyms: (adj.) prone, flat, reclining, exhausted, spent, overwhelmed, (v.) grovel, bow, lay, exhaust, overcome Antonyms: (adj.) upright, standing Examples:- After a long day of yard work, I was prostrate on the couch for several hours.- My sick grandma was prostrate in her hospital bed.- When the emperor walked in, all of his servants fell down to the ground prostrate. - She lay there prostrate and lifeless. REDOLENT = 1. exuding a fragrance with qualities that remind you of something else; 2. suggesting or reminiscent of another time or place. 1. suggesting: suggestive or reminiscent of something 2. having particular smell: with a particular scent or odor 3. aromatic: with a strong pleasant aroma Synonyms: aromatic, odorous, fragrant, smelling, evocative, reminiscent, mindful Examples:- Angela's perfume is redolent of our time together in Paris. - The desert air is much more redolent after a rain.- The studio of the yoga teacher was redolent with the smell of incense. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=528http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV523_Prostrate_Redolent.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/drjOGfa6J3k/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=529#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 03:04:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=437747# SACCHARINE = (adjective) 1 excessively sweet or sentimental. 2 too pleasant or charming, with too much feeling to be believed

Synonyms:
ingratiating, sweet, sugary, syrupy, sugar-coated, oversentimental, cloying

Antonyms:
sour, bitter

Examples:
- The actresses’ speech at the Oscars was so saccharine, I could hardly stomach it.
- My girlfriend loved the movie but I thought it was ruined by its saccharine-sweet ending.
- Frank was always very nice, but his sweetness sometimes bordered on saccharine.
- The movie was funny, but it had a saccharine ending in which everyone lives happily ever after

PREEN = (verb) 1 (of a bird) tidy and clean its feathers with its beak. 2 devote effort to making oneself look attractive. 3 (preen oneself) congratulate or pride oneself. 1. to dress or adorn oneself with great care; 2. what birds do when
they clean their feathers with their beaks; 3. what cats do when they
groom themselves; 4. to feel and/or act very self-satisfied and
self-congratulatory. to feel very proud or satisfied with yourself because of an action or quality:

Synonyms:
groom, primp, dress, adorn, spruce, gloat, self-congratulating

Examples:
- My boss thinks that people who preen themselves on a job well done are annoyingly self-satisfied and smug.
- My cat sat on the windowsill preening herself for hours.
- Bill sometimes preens himself on his ability to effectively deal with clients and co-workers.
- The girls preened all day in preparation for prom night.
- The government is publicly preening itself on the latest trade figures.

Synonyms:
restore, repair, overhaul, recondion, refit, renew, remodel, rejuvenate, revive

Antonyms:
age, destroy

Examples:
- Because of the financial crisis, Frank decided to sell his house so he renovated the outside of the house to make it more appealing to potential buyers.
- The building’s renovations are taking much longer than anticipated, but
it will be worth the effort in the long run.
- It took several years to renovate the old castle to its former beauty.
- Marc wanted to go to the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam but the museum was closed for renovation.

STATIC =
(adj.) 1. staying in one place; 2. not changing or moving; 3. referring
to static electricity, which is an excessive amount of positive and
negative charges on the surface of an object; (n.) 1. crackling noise
like that of a radio; 2. criticism or interference

Synonyms:
(adj.) changeless, motionless, immobile, stuck, unmoving, charged, (n.) noise, interference, criticism

Antonyms:
moving, changing

Examples:
- Joanne’s life has been so static the last couple of years, she really seems to be stuck in a rut.
- Because Lisa’s car’s antenna was broken, she could only receive static on her radio.
- The executive knew the company couldn’t afford to remain static.
- Cathy received a lot of static for the column she wrote for the magazine, but she stuck to her view and refused to write a retraction.

Synonyms:
acquire, buy, find, obtain, gather, accumulate, persuade, bring about, cause, effect

Antonyms:
lose, scatter, disperse

Examples:
- Fans were lined up for miles to procure an autograph from Bono.
- Lisa wanted to invite Bono to the charity event and Lisa somehow managed to procure his telephone number.
- When Frank couldn’t find a the Mac he wanted in the Apple store, he procured the new MacBookPro directly from the distributors.
- Joannes tries to procure a friendly environment in her workplace by
always leaving her office door open.

OSSIFY = 1. to be made into bone; 2. to become rigid and inflexible.

Synonyms:
harden, congeal, fossilize, stiffen, solidify, petrify

Antonyms:
soften, liquefy

Examples:
- Marc a creature-of-habit and he will never deviate from his ossified routine.
- Joanne’s dad died last week, when she the bad news, her face ossified and became emotionless.
- To create a perfect meringue, one needs to beat the egg whites until they ossify.

Synonyms:
(noun) genius, maestro, master, prodigy, (adjectvice) remarkable, outstanding, superior

Antonyms:
(noun) amateur, second-stringer, (adjective) average, common.

Examples:
- The world’s greatest pianist treated us to a virtuoso display of his abundant talent.
- It was a virtuoso ballet performance, for which the ballerina received a standing ovation.
- Because he practiced the magic trick for months, Phil had the technique of a virtuoso.
- The pianist Gustavo Romero is considered a virtuoso, and his talent is acclaimed throughout the world.

INEPT = 1. characterized by a lack of perceptiveness, judgment, or finesse; 2. generally incompetent; 3. unsuitable or out of place

Synonyms:
incompetent, foolish, ineffective, clumsy, awkward, unfit, inappropriate

Antonyms:
competent, adroit, effective, graceful, adept

Examples:
- Marc wondered why Phil was still employed at Deloitte, since he was totally
inept at record-keeping and several other key job duties.
- Due to Phil’s inept handling of the account, the client decided to look for a new accountant.
- When it comes to rugby, I have to admit that I’m pretty much inept.
- Marc was socially inept and uncomfortable in the presence of women.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=544 0 00:01:01 VIRTUOSO = (noun) a person who is very skilled at something, especially within the arts; (adjective) relating to or said of a virtuoso Synonyms: (noun) genius, ... VIRTUOSO = (noun) a person who is very skilled at something, especially within the arts; (adjective) relating to or said of a virtuoso Synonyms: (noun) genius, maestro, master, prodigy, (adjectvice) remarkable, outstanding, superior Antonyms: (noun) amateur, second-stringer, (adjective) average, common. Examples:- The world's greatest pianist treated us to a virtuoso display of his abundant talent.- It was a virtuoso ballet performance, for which the ballerina received a standing ovation. - Because he practiced the magic trick for months, Phil had the technique of a virtuoso.- The pianist Gustavo Romero is considered a virtuoso, and his talent is acclaimed throughout the world. INEPT = 1. characterized by a lack of perceptiveness, judgment, or finesse; 2. generally incompetent; 3. unsuitable or out of place Synonyms: incompetent, foolish, ineffective, clumsy, awkward, unfit, inappropriate Antonyms: competent, adroit, effective, graceful, adept Examples:- Marc wondered why Phil was still employed at Deloitte, since he was totally inept at record-keeping and several other key job duties. - Due to Phil's inept handling of the account, the client decided to look for a new accountant. - When it comes to rugby, I have to admit that I'm pretty much inept. - Marc was socially inept and uncomfortable in the presence of women. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=544http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV507_Virtuoso_Inept.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/uGo0FHgCtX8/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=545#comments Thu, 05 Mar 2009 11:12:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=422518# MALADROIT = inefficient or ineffective; clumsy.1. awkward or clumsy–not adroit or adept; 2. lacking tact and being insensitive in speech or behavior. Awkward in movement or unskilled in behaviour or action:

Synonyms:
inept, clumsy, awkward, inelegant, graceless, tactless

Antonyms:
adroit, adept, skillful, graceful

Examples:
- Phil’s maladroit behavior at the office party was just one of many reasons
why he was passed over for the promotion.
- Being a newcomer to soccer, Marc proved rather maladroit and missed every ball.
- Phil is not used to going to parties, so he is often maladroit in social situations.
- Bob’s maladroit dancing caused him to step on his partner’s feet several times.

NUANCE =
1. a subtle difference, distinction or variation in something; 2. a subtle quality

Synonyms:
subtlety, suggestion, hint, trace, refinement

Examples:
- Lisa is allergic to strawberries, and even a nuance of strawberry flavor will cause her to have a reaction.
- If you don’t understand the nuances of the author’s language, you may not fully appreciate his book.
- The actress is so highly acclaimed because she is able to convey the slightest nuance of emotion with only her eyes.
- The painter has managed to capture every nuance of the woman’s expression.
- Linguists explore the nuances of language.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=545 0 00:01:01 MALADROIT = inefficient or ineffective; clumsy.1. awkward or clumsy--not adroit or adept; 2. lacking tact and being insensitive in speech or behavior. Awkward in movement ... MALADROIT = inefficient or ineffective; clumsy.1. awkward or clumsy--not adroit or adept; 2. lacking tact and being insensitive in speech or behavior. Awkward in movement or unskilled in behaviour or action: Synonyms: inept, clumsy, awkward, inelegant, graceless, tactless Antonyms: adroit, adept, skillful, graceful Examples:- Phil's maladroit behavior at the office party was just one of many reasons why he was passed over for the promotion. - Being a newcomer to soccer, Marc proved rather maladroit and missed every ball. - Phil is not used to going to parties, so he is often maladroit in social situations. - Bob's maladroit dancing caused him to step on his partner's feet several times. NUANCE = 1. a subtle difference, distinction or variation in something; 2. a subtle quality Synonyms: subtlety, suggestion, hint, trace, refinement Examples:- Lisa is allergic to strawberries, and even a nuance of strawberry flavor will cause her to have a reaction. - If you don't understand the nuances of the author's language, you may not fully appreciate his book. - The actress is so highly acclaimed because she is able to convey the slightest nuance of emotion with only her eyes.- The painter has managed to capture every nuance of the woman's expression.- Linguists explore the nuances of language. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=545http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV506_Maladroit_Nuance.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/T9ENs9HttRQ/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=546#comments Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:11:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=422516# IMPERTURBABLE =
not easily perturbed or upset–calm and steady, always staying calm and controlled, even in difficult situations that would cause anxiety to others. Staying calm and controlled despite problems or difficulties.

Synonyms:
calm, cool, even, unflappable, impassive

Antonyms:
agitated, upset, perturbed

Examples:
- Marc is really a patient teacher, as he seemed imperturbable despite his student’s constant complaining.
- Lisa always seemed imperturbable, even in the most stressful situations.
- Firefighters always have to remain imperturbable, even in the face of danger.
- He was imperturbable in a crisis.

LABYRINTH = 1. a complex network of pathways through which it is difficult to navigate; 2. something really intricate

Synonyms:
maze, coil, complexity, puzzle, problem, riddle, tangle

Antonyms:
simplicity, ease, clarity

Examples:
- With all the construction detours, she felt like she was driving through a labyrinth.
- The office cubicles were so close and dense they created a labyrinth,
which made it difficult for guests to find their way out of the
building.
- Navigating his crazy work and social schedule has become quite a labyrinth.
- The freeway system in Los Angeles can seem like a labyrinth to those who aren’t familiar with it.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=546 0 00:01:01 IMPERTURBABLE = not easily perturbed or upset--calm and steady, always staying calm and controlled, even in difficult situations that would cause anxiety to others. Staying ... IMPERTURBABLE = not easily perturbed or upset--calm and steady, always staying calm and controlled, even in difficult situations that would cause anxiety to others. Staying calm and controlled despite problems or difficulties. Synonyms: calm, cool, even, unflappable, impassive Antonyms: agitated, upset, perturbed Examples:- Marc is really a patient teacher, as he seemed imperturbable despite his student's constant complaining. - Lisa always seemed imperturbable, even in the most stressful situations.- Firefighters always have to remain imperturbable, even in the face of danger. - He was imperturbable in a crisis. LABYRINTH = 1. a complex network of pathways through which it is difficult to navigate; 2. something really intricate Synonyms: maze, coil, complexity, puzzle, problem, riddle, tangle Antonyms: simplicity, ease, clarity Examples:- With all the construction detours, she felt like she was driving through a labyrinth. - The office cubicles were so close and dense they created a labyrinth, which made it difficult for guests to find their way out of the building. - Navigating his crazy work and social schedule has become quite a labyrinth. - The freeway system in Los Angeles can seem like a labyrinth to those who aren't familiar with it. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=546http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV505_Imperturbable-Labyrinth.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/8_-xBPWcrAo/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=547#comments Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:10:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=422515# ELICIT =
1. to draw out; 2. to call forth, to obtain or produce something, especially information or a reaction

Synonyms:
educe, evoke, draw out, extract, exact, obtain

Antonyms:
suppress, cover, hide

Examples:
- Marc’s accouncement that his lessons were canceled for the day elicited applause from nearly all the students.
- Jim was giving Liz the silent treatment, and she could not elicit a
response from him to any of her questions.
- She tried to elicit sympathy by breaking down in tears during the meeting.
- Geert Wilders attack on the rights of immigrants elicited cries of outrage from some left-wing politicians.

FORTHRIGHT = Honest, direct, and not evasive in expressing one’s thoughts or feeling.

Synonyms:
direct, honest, sincere, straightforward, frank, candid

Antonyms:
indirect, dishonest, deceitful, insincere

Examples:
- When giving a performance review, Frank has to be forthright, so Frank often
provides his employees with constructive criticism.
- Marc’s forthright manner can be mistaken for rudeness.
- Lisa admires his forthright way of dealing with people.
- She’s pretty forthright about her opinions.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=547 0 00:01:01 ELICIT = 1. to draw out; 2. to call forth, to obtain or produce something, especially information or a reaction Synonyms: educe, evoke, draw out, extract, ... ELICIT = 1. to draw out; 2. to call forth, to obtain or produce something, especially information or a reaction Synonyms: educe, evoke, draw out, extract, exact, obtain Antonyms: suppress, cover, hide Examples: - Marc's accouncement that his lessons were canceled for the day elicited applause from nearly all the students. - Jim was giving Liz the silent treatment, and she could not elicit a response from him to any of her questions. - She tried to elicit sympathy by breaking down in tears during the meeting. - Geert Wilders attack on the rights of immigrants elicited cries of outrage from some left-wing politicians. FORTHRIGHT = Honest, direct, and not evasive in expressing one's thoughts or feeling. Synonyms: direct, honest, sincere, straightforward, frank, candid Antonyms: indirect, dishonest, deceitful, insincere Examples:- When giving a performance review, Frank has to be forthright, so Frank often provides his employees with constructive criticism. - Marc's forthright manner can be mistaken for rudeness.- Lisa admires his forthright way of dealing with people.- She's pretty forthright about her opinions. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=547http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV504_Elicit_Forthright.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/ycw_CESsl8w/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=548#comments Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:04:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=422514# PARADIGM = 1. a model or a representative example; 2. in science, a theoretical framework. 3. a very clear or typical example used as a model.

Synonyms:
model, example, pattern, archetype, prototype

Antonyms:
anomaly

Examples:
- Marc is a teacher and he kept the student’s essay as a paradigm for future students to emulate.
- The billionaire’s ruthless accumulation of wealth stands as a paradigm of greed in the business world .
- The move from Newtonian physics to Einstein’s relativism represented a
major paradigm shift in physics.
- In order to compete in today’s economy, many companies will require a paradigm shift in the way they do business.

OFFICIOUS = 1.meddlesome and interfering:characteristic of somebody who is eager to give unwanted help or advice. 2.unofficial or informal, especially in political or diplomatic dealings. 1. interfering and being in the way;

Synonyms:
meddlesome, interfering, intrusive, self-important, unofficial, informal, casual

Antonyms:
shy, helpful

Examples:
- The ministers met in an officious setting, keeping things casual, since it was Sunday.
- Lisa is really trying to impress her boss. Unfortunately, her boss thought Lisa was more officious than efficient.
- Joanne said she wanted to help Marc prepare the meal, but she just made an officious nuisance of herself.

Synonyms:
culpable, delinquent, heedless, negligent, slack, careless

Antonyms:
responsible, dutiful, diligent, attentive

Examples:
- Frank’s character is marked by carelessness. The other day Frank was remiss in not informing Marc about his Dad’s message.
- Lisa was remiss in the overuse of John’s credit card for recreational purposes.
- It was remiss of me not to pay my bills on time, and now I’m stuck with late payment fees.
- It was remiss of you to miss your deadline.
- You have been remiss in your duties.
- It was remiss of me to forget to give you the message.
- I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it.

POSTERITY =

Definition:
1. generations to come in the future; 2. all of a person’s descendants

Synonyms:
offspring, future generations, descendants, progeny

Antonyms:
ancestors

Examples:
- The President’s most fundamental duty is to create and preserve freedom
for us and our posterity.
- My grandma is documented all her philosophical ideas for posterity.
- These recollections of the war were recorded for posterity.
- The popular singer songwriter wrote his memoir for posterity.
- The museum guaranteed that every attempt is being made to ensure that Van Gogh’s paintings are preserved for posterity.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=549 0 00:01:01 REMISS = careless or negligent about an expected duty, not doing a duty well enough: Synonyms: culpable, delinquent, heedless, negligent, slack, careless Antonyms: responsible, dutiful, diligent, ... REMISS = careless or negligent about an expected duty, not doing a duty well enough: Synonyms: culpable, delinquent, heedless, negligent, slack, careless Antonyms: responsible, dutiful, diligent, attentive Examples:- Frank's character is marked by carelessness. The other day Frank was remiss in not informing Marc about his Dad's message. - Lisa was remiss in the overuse of John's credit card for recreational purposes. - It was remiss of me not to pay my bills on time, and now I'm stuck with late payment fees. - It was remiss of you to miss your deadline. - You have been remiss in your duties.- It was remiss of me to forget to give you the message.- I would be remiss if I didn't mention it. POSTERITY = Definition: 1. generations to come in the future; 2. all of a person's descendants Synonyms: offspring, future generations, descendants, progeny Antonyms: ancestors Examples:- The President's most fundamental duty is to create and preserve freedom for us and our posterity. - My grandma is documented all her philosophical ideas for posterity. - These recollections of the war were recorded for posterity. - The popular singer songwriter wrote his memoir for posterity.- The museum guaranteed that every attempt is being made to ensure that Van Gogh's paintings are preserved for posterity. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=549http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV502_Remiss_Posterity.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/Nd2grQXIM6Q/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=550#comments Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:48:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=407485# MUNDANE = 1. ordinary or commonplace; 2. relating to or of the world

Synonyms:
ordinary, commonplace, banal, everyday, dull, earthly

Antonyms:
unusual, rare, extraordinary, heavenly

Examples:
- Marc’s life consisted only of the same, mundane routing, until Marc started taking sailing lessons. Marc is now planning to sail around the world.
- Despite the fact that his office cubicle was rather mundane, Paul
enjoyed having his own semi-private space in which to work.
- Many people were shocked to hear that the lead singer rock and roll band actually lived a very mundane lifestyle, off stage.
- Mary doesn’t like to waste her time worrying about mundane affairs like
politics; she prefer to study religion and more spiritual matters.
- Mundane matters such as paying bills and shopping for food do not interest her.

EGOCENTRIC = selfish, self-centered, and concerned only with personal needs rather than the needs of others

Synonyms:
selfish, self-centered, egotistic

Antonyms:
selfless

Examples:
- At SyncMyMail.com we work like a team: that kind of egocentric attitude will not be accepted!
- Lisa was vain and egocentric, always putting herself first.
- The tycoon billionaire is so egocentric, he places his name on everything.
- Babies are entirely egocentric, concerned only with when they’ll next be fed.

Synonyms:
grand, deluxe, impressive, regal, rich, luxurious, plush, opulent, stately, imposing

Examples:
- The Karel V hotel is known for its palatial elegance.
- The palatial, 130-room mansion is the most expensive home in the city.
- I don’t need a palatial home in an exclusive neighborhood; a little
beach cottage is enough to make me happy.
- Martin recently bought a palatial new apartment in New York.

ODIOUS =
provoking hatred, contempt, or disgust

Synonyms:
hateful, contemptible, detestable, loathsome, vile, disgusting, repulsive, offensive

Antonyms:
lovable

Examples:
- The man committed an odious crime for which he should be severely punished.
- There are few things as odious to him as racism.
- The smell was odious, I couldn’t stand it.
- Marc made an odious and unforgivable insult

Synonyms:
gaudy, tacky, tasteless, tawdry, showy, flashy, flamboyant, ornate

Antonyms:
elegant, tasteful, muted, simple, plain, modest

Examples:
- Looking back at old photos, the woman laughed at the garish pink and
orange gown she had worn to her high school prom.
- Frank arrived in a garish, electric blue, 24-person limousine.
- Little Richard is known for wearing garish capes and clothes that make
him stick out, even in a crowd of celebrities.
- I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I had a pair of garish, neon green jeans in high school.
- Jeremy wore a pair of garish Bermuda shorts.
- The coffee shop, painted a garish pink, is a landmark in the neighborhood.
- the wedding guestÊs thick makeup was garish and unnecessary.

FACETIOUS = humerous in a sarcastic way. not serious about a serious subject, in an attempt to be amusing or to appear clever. not seriously meaning what you say, usually in an attempt to be humorous or to trick someone

Synonyms:
humorous, clever, sarcastic, ironic, witty, silly, jocose

Antonyms:
serious, matter-of-fact, lugubrious

Examples:
- Marc told me he didnât like the movie at all, so he must have been facetious when he recommended it to his friends.
- Lisa’s facetious remarks made it clear that she wasnât taking the meeting seriously.
- I make so much money that we never have to worry – I’m being facetious.
- Sometimes John makes jokes with such a serious expression on his face, I can’t tell whether he’s being serious or facetious.
- “We could spend all our income on health care,” she said facetiously.

Synonyms:
ignite, flame, blaze, light, flare, awaken, arouse, excite

Antonyms:
deaden, inhibit, extinguish

Examples:
- Al Gore made a movie to kindle awareness about global warming.
- Two years after their divorce, Mark tried to rekindle his relationship with his ex-wife.
- Traveling to the Galapagos islands as a teenager kindled my interest in become a marine biologist.
- Lisa’s imagination was kindled by the exciting stories her grandmother told her.

HIERARCHY = 1. an organization of a group of people or things, arranged
according to rank or importance; 2. the people who determine and run a
hierarchy ranking system, especially in the clergy

Synonyms:
ranking, order, level, regime, ministry, administration, office

Examples:
- Marc hopes to rise through the hierarchy quickly and become a manager at a young age.
- If you want to get a permit, you will have to appeal to the appropriate department in the hierarchy.
- My boss always said: if you put honesty first in your hierarchy of values, you can never go wrong in life.
- Some monkeys have a very complex social hierarchy.
- The Dutch politician rose quickly through the political hierarchy to become a minister.

Synonyms:
impenetrable, impermeable, resistant, unaffected, invulnerable, unmoved

Antonyms:
responsive, vulnerable, penetrable

Examples:
- Frank seemed impervious to pain as he hiked down Tablemountain with a sprained ankle.
- Marc seemed to be impervious to the criticism made against him and
continued with his same modus operendi.
- My thermal blanket forms an impervious shield from the cold and enables me to sleep warmly through the night.
- The CEO was impervious to the growing resentment among the staff.
- Granite is almost impervious to acid rain damage.

LEGACY = 1. money or property left through a will; 2. something handed down from one person or generation to another. 1.bequest made in will:money or property that is left to somebody in a will. 2.something from past:something that is handed down or remains from a previous generation or time.

Synonyms:
grant, bequest, gift, bestowal, heritage, inheritance

Examples:
- The company founders left a legacy of competitive spirit that lives on in this corporation.
- Since my old neighbour had no immediate family, he left a large legacy to his favorite charity.
- The Greeks have a rich legacy of philosophical works.
- The war has left a legacy of hatred.

Synonyms:
paleness

Antonyms:
tan, glow

Examples:
- Next to Marc’s tanned face, Joanne’s seemed pallid and unhealthy.
- Actually the deathly pallor of Joanne’s skin was frightening.
- We knew Joanne was sick as soon as we saw the pallor of her face.
- This is a pallid production of what should be a great ballet.

PARADOX = (noun)
1. a situation or statement which seems difficult to
understand because it contains two opposite facts or characteristics;
2. a statement or idea that contradicts itself; 3. a person who has
qualities that are contradictory; 4. something that conflicts with
common opinion or belief

Synonyms:
contradiction, inconsistency, incongruity, reversal, puzzle, dilemma, oxymoron

Antonyms:
consistency, congruity, coherence, agreement

Examples:
- It seems a paradox that exercise promotes energy, while remaining inactive drains it.
- It is a paradox that technology increases communication, yet can tend
to make people feel isolated.
- It seems paradoxical to me, but if you drink a cup of hot tea it seems to cool you down.
- The old paradox of fighting a war for peace.
- It’s a curious paradox that drinking a lot of water can often make you feel thirsty.

Synonyms:
nearsighted, short-sighted, narrow-minded, closed-minded

Antonyms:
provident

Examples:
- While baseball managers sometimes see less successful teams as being
capable of developing future talent, fans tend to be more myopic,
wanting to win now.
- The myopic child was reluctant to participate in school because she could not clearly see the blackboard.
- The Prime-Minister had a very myopic vision for the country, which neglected to address
future problems like Social Security and Health care.
- Joanne’s myopic and unimaginative thinking would never produce any great ideas.
- The Dutch government myopic refusal to act now will undoubtedly cause problems in the future. (unable to understand a situation or the way actions will affect it in the future:)

OSCILLATE = (verb) 1. to move from side to side; 2. to be undecided and waver back and forth about a decision or opinion. to move repeatedly from side to side or up and down between two points, or to vary between two feelings or opinions

Synonyms:
swing, undulate, sway, change, pendulate, waver, fluctuate, teeter, vacillate, alternate

Antonyms:
remain, stay, settle

Examples:
- Thanks to the oscillating fan in the office, my and my colleagues stayed cool.
- Lisa’s emotions oscillated between love and hate.
- The needle on the dial of the old car oscillated between ‘full’ and ‘empty’.
- Marc won’t oscillate on his decision; he’s going to stand firm.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=556 0 00:01:01 Go to: http://www.justvocabulary.com for more of these episodes and other mobile study tools! MYOPIC = (adjective) 1. being nearsighted--having myopia; 2. lacking foresight or understanding, ... Go to: http://www.justvocabulary.com for more of these episodes and other mobile study tools! MYOPIC = (adjective) 1. being nearsighted--having myopia; 2. lacking foresight or understanding, unable to understand a situation or the way actions will affect it in the future.MYOPIA = noun 1 short-sightedness. 2 lack of foresight or intellectual insight Synonyms: nearsighted, short-sighted, narrow-minded, closed-minded Antonyms: provident Examples:- While baseball managers sometimes see less successful teams as being capable of developing future talent, fans tend to be more myopic, wanting to win now.- The myopic child was reluctant to participate in school because she could not clearly see the blackboard.- The Prime-Minister had a very myopic vision for the country, which neglected to address future problems like Social Security and Health care.- Joanne's myopic and unimaginative thinking would never produce any great ideas. - The Dutch government myopic refusal to act now will undoubtedly cause problems in the future. (unable to understand a situation or the way actions will affect it in the future:) OSCILLATE = (verb) 1. to move from side to side; 2. to be undecided and waver back and forth about a decision or opinion. to move repeatedly from side to side or up and down between two points, or to vary between two feelings or opinions Synonyms: swing, undulate, sway, change, pendulate, waver, fluctuate, teeter, vacillate, alternate Antonyms: remain, stay, settle Examples:- Thanks to the oscillating fan in the office, my and my colleagues stayed cool. - Lisa's emotions oscillated between love and hate.- The needle on the dial of the old car oscillated between 'full' and 'empty'.- Marc won't oscillate on his decision; he's going to stand firm. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=556http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV495_Myopic_Oscillate.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/75PQgn-SEL8/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=557#comments Mon, 12 Jan 2009 07:31:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=403030# INSUBORDINATE =
(n.) a person who does not submit to authority or follow orders; (adj.) not submitting to authority, disobedient or rebellious:refusing to obey orders or submit to authority

Synonyms:
(adj.) defiant, disobedient, disorderly, rebellious, antagonistic, insurgent

Antonyms:
(adj.) subordinate, complaisant, harmonious, agreeable

Examples:
- Because the marine never followed his captain’s orders, he was considered an insubordinate.
- Joanne defended her insubordinate behavior by exposing corruption in high places
- When Lisa’s boss told him to file the report, she decided to be insubordinate and not follow the order.
- Military personnel who do not follow orders could be charged with insubordination.
- Mark had a life-long history of being insubordinate toward his
employers, and therefore, had a difficult time finding work when he was
fired.

LUSTROUS =
shining or gleaming

Synonyms:
shining, glowing, gleaming, bright, glossy, luminous, radiant, burnished, brilliant

Antonyms:
dull

Examples:
- My girlfriend has a conditioner that gives her hair a lustrous glow.
- Phoebe gave Joey an endearing smile and tossed her long, lustrous hair.
- Using our brand of furniture polish will give your tables a lustrous glow.
- The supporting actress gave a truly lustrous performance and stole the show from the star.
- Each night, Lisa brushed her long hair until it was soft and lustrous.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=557 0 00:01:01 INSUBORDINATE = (n.) a person who does not submit to authority or follow orders; (adj.) not submitting to authority, disobedient or rebellious:refusing to obey orders ... INSUBORDINATE = (n.) a person who does not submit to authority or follow orders; (adj.) not submitting to authority, disobedient or rebellious:refusing to obey orders or submit to authority Synonyms: (adj.) defiant, disobedient, disorderly, rebellious, antagonistic, insurgent Antonyms: (adj.) subordinate, complaisant, harmonious, agreeable Examples:- Because the marine never followed his captain's orders, he was considered an insubordinate. - Joanne defended her insubordinate behavior by exposing corruption in high places- When Lisa's boss told him to file the report, she decided to be insubordinate and not follow the order. - Military personnel who do not follow orders could be charged with insubordination.- Mark had a life-long history of being insubordinate toward his employers, and therefore, had a difficult time finding work when he was fired. LUSTROUS = shining or gleaming Synonyms: shining, glowing, gleaming, bright, glossy, luminous, radiant, burnished, brilliant Antonyms: dull Examples:- My girlfriend has a conditioner that gives her hair a lustrous glow.- Phoebe gave Joey an endearing smile and tossed her long, lustrous hair.- Using our brand of furniture polish will give your tables a lustrous glow.- The supporting actress gave a truly lustrous performance and stole the show from the star.- Each night, Lisa brushed her long hair until it was soft and lustrous. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=557http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV494_Insubordinat_Lustrous.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/wgiE0NQzbmI/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=559#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:30:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=403029# HOMAGE = something done to show respect and deference–a show of reverence

Synonyms:
honor, deference, reverence, adulation, loyalty, respect, admiration, allegiance, honor

Antonyms:
disrespect

Examples:
- In 2009 a lot of scientists will pay homage to Charles Darwin for his achievements in his field of research 200 years ago.
- Micheal paid homage to his ancestors by maintaining as many of his family’s traditions as he could.
- The actor was given a star on the Hollywood walk of fame in homage to
his celebrity and his many achievements.
- When Ronald Reagan died, thousands of people all over the world came to pay him homage.

IMPERTINENT =
1. brash, especially in showing disrespect to a superior or to someone
older; 2. not relevant, not pertinent to the discussion or issue at hand.

Synonyms: insolent, rude, impudent, impolite,
brash, brazen, audacious, irrelevant, extraneous, foreign, immaterial,
inapplicable, inapposite, irrelative

Antonyms:
pertinent, respectful, polite, relevant, applicable

Examples:
- Marc was impertinent when he asked if she was married.
- The impertinent little boy was bossing his babysitter around, telling
her where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do.
- Lisa even had the impertinence to lecture her boss on how to market the new product.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=559 0 00:01:01 HOMAGE = something done to show respect and deference--a show of reverence Synonyms: honor, deference, reverence, adulation, loyalty, respect, admiration, allegiance, honor Antonyms: disrespect Examples:- In 2009 a ... HOMAGE = something done to show respect and deference--a show of reverence Synonyms: honor, deference, reverence, adulation, loyalty, respect, admiration, allegiance, honor Antonyms: disrespect Examples:- In 2009 a lot of scientists will pay homage to Charles Darwin for his achievements in his field of research 200 years ago.- Micheal paid homage to his ancestors by maintaining as many of his family's traditions as he could.- The actor was given a star on the Hollywood walk of fame in homage to his celebrity and his many achievements.- When Ronald Reagan died, thousands of people all over the world came to pay him homage. IMPERTINENT = 1. brash, especially in showing disrespect to a superior or to someone older; 2. not relevant, not pertinent to the discussion or issue at hand. Synonyms: insolent, rude, impudent, impolite, brash, brazen, audacious, irrelevant, extraneous, foreign, immaterial, inapplicable, inapposite, irrelative Antonyms: pertinent, respectful, polite, relevant, applicable Examples:- Marc was impertinent when he asked if she was married.- The impertinent little boy was bossing his babysitter around, telling her where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do.- Lisa even had the impertinence to lecture her boss on how to market the new product. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=559http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV493_Homage_Impertinent.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/fgWRlVSLFlQ/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=560#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:29:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=403028# EXOTIC =1.strikingly different:strikingly unusual and often very colorful and exciting or suggesting distant countries and unfamiliar cultures. 2. from elsewhere:introduced from another place or region

Examples:
- Liz and I wanted to go somewhere exotic for my next vacation, so we chose Hawaii.
- Frank had a taste for exotic foods and he enjoyed eating at ethnic restaurants.
- Marc would like to have some exotic pets like snakes or tropical birds
- Lisa’s sister became a top model thanks to her exotic look.

Synonyms:
foreign, uncommon, unusual, tropical, curious, rare

Antonyms:
common, native

FLORID =
1. having an unhealthily glowing pink or red complexion; 2. elaborate and overly complicated in wording and general style

Examples:
- Lisa bought a florid, gilded mirror that took up most of the wall
- The prime minister gave a florid welcome speech to the visiting queen
- My fair skin became florid after a day of surfing in the ocean.
- My boss wants this presentation to get right to the point, so let’s remove all of the florid language and just say it like it is.

Synonyms:
ruddy, sanguine, reddish, rose, showy, flowery, flamboyant, ornate, embellished, overblown

Antonyms:
simple, uncomplicated

Synonyms:
irreverence, godlessness, sacrilege, blasphemy

Antonyms:
reverence, respect, devotion

Tips: Impiety is the negative of piety which comes
from Latin pietas, from pius, âdevout.â Add the negative im-, “not” to
piety, and impiety becomes disrespect of religion, or simply
disrespect. Sometimes impiety can refer to a lack of respect or
reverence for something other than religion. Impiety comes from the
same Latin origin as pious and impious. Impious is the adjective form
of impiety and is used to describe the actions of someone who is not
respectful of religion.

Examples:
- The church accused Galileo Galilei of impiety and had all his writings burned.
- Lisa’s impiety caused her to be ostracized by members of the church.
- My parents thought it was impious of me to wear ripped jeans and a dirty shirt to church.

MENDACIOUS = 1. likely to give false information or tell lies; 2. untrue, false, or intentionally misleading

Synonyms:
spurious, lying, dishonest, false, fallacious, duplicitous, deceitful, deceptive

Antonyms:
truthful, honest

Examples:
- The newspaper has the reputation of routinely publishing mendacious stories about celebrities.
- Some of Marc’s statements are misleading and some downright mendacious.
- Marc’s mendacity is astounding–he’ll lie about anything!
- Politicians are often accused of mendacity.
- Lisa’s mendacious story didn’t fool Frank.

Synonyms:
relevant, fitting, pertinent, applicable

Antonyms:
irrelevant, unsuitable

Examples:
As long as Martin’s ideas were germane to the business at hand, he was allowed to expound on them.
Attorneys’ comments must remain germane to the case being tried.
- Bill, what are you talking about? Your questions are not even germane to this conversation.
- That particular research isnât germane to this proposal; weâll have to find data thatâs more applicable.
- Lisa’s remarks could not have been more germane to the discussion.

HYBRID =
(n.) 1. something made of different parts or elements; 2. a plant
formed by cross breeding two different types of plants; 3. an animal
resulting from the breeding of two different species; 4. a word formed
from two different languages; 5. a car that runs on a combination of
two types of fuel such as gasoline and electricity; (adj.) 1. made up
of two elements; 2. bred from two different species. A hybrid is also anything that is a mixture of two or more things:

Synonyms:
crossbreed, cross, mix, compound, mixture, amalgam, combination, mongrel

Tips: An example of a hybrid animal is the mule,
which descends from the combination of the horse and the donkey. A
hybrid can be any two things combined together to form a new thing.

Examples:
- The architecture is a hybrid of classical and modern styles.
- The garden strawberry is a large-fruited hybrid.
- The band Linkin Park called their first album “Hybrid Theory” because it was a mix of rap and rock.
- Many of the plants in her garden are hybrids, which makes them not only
uniquely beautiful but also heartier than average.
- The hybrid car runs on both gas and electricity.

- Both of the ideas were so good that we decided to create a hybrid
solution incorporating both ideas.

Synonyms:
glorify, hail, exalt, acclaim, magnify, commend, praise

Antonyms:
condemn, criticize, decry, disparage

Tips: Extol is derived from the Latin extollere,
“to lift up.” Extol is a good, intellectual term to indicate high
priase. For example, “He has been extolling your virtues,” instead of
“He has said great things about you.”

Examples:
- The golfers extolled the benefits of membership at their country club.
- When her professor extolled her scientific prowess, Julie became convinced of her destiny with greatness.
- Frank extols the benefits of raw eggs in the morning to all his gym-buddies.
- His book extolling the benefits of vegetarianism sold thousands of copies.
- Janine is forever extolling the virtues of her children.
- Marc often extols the virtues of his students.
- The running mate’s campaign literature extolled his military record

FOOLHARDY =
bold or courageous without regard or awareness of danger

Synonyms:
bold, reckless, foolish, rash, heedless, impetuous, overconfident

Antonyms:
careful, prudent, cautious, sensible

Examples:
Frank made a foolhardy attempt to climb the tree to recover his kite.
- It was foolhardy of Marc to approach the dog without knowing whether it was friendly or not.
- Sailing the Atlantic in such a tiny boat wasn’t so much brave as foolhardy.
- It would be foolhardy to try and predict the outcome of the talks at this stage.
- I’m known for being careful, not foolhardy, in my decisions.
- Phil’s very lucky that his foolhardy actions haven’t caused him more trouble.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=563 0 00:01:01 EXTOL = to praise highly and lift someone or something up with great admiration. to praise somebody or something with great enthusiasm and admiration Synonyms: glorify, ... EXTOL = to praise highly and lift someone or something up with great admiration. to praise somebody or something with great enthusiasm and admiration Synonyms: glorify, hail, exalt, acclaim, magnify, commend, praise Antonyms: condemn, criticize, decry, disparage Tips: Extol is derived from the Latin extollere, "to lift up." Extol is a good, intellectual term to indicate high priase. For example, "He has been extolling your virtues," instead of "He has said great things about you." Examples:- The golfers extolled the benefits of membership at their country club.- When her professor extolled her scientific prowess, Julie became convinced of her destiny with greatness.- Frank extols the benefits of raw eggs in the morning to all his gym-buddies.- His book extolling the benefits of vegetarianism sold thousands of copies.- Janine is forever extolling the virtues of her children. - Marc often extols the virtues of his students.- The running mate's campaign literature extolled his military record FOOLHARDY = bold or courageous without regard or awareness of danger Synonyms: bold, reckless, foolish, rash, heedless, impetuous, overconfident Antonyms: careful, prudent, cautious, sensible Examples:Frank made a foolhardy attempt to climb the tree to recover his kite.- It was foolhardy of Marc to approach the dog without knowing whether it was friendly or not.- Sailing the Atlantic in such a tiny boat wasn't so much brave as foolhardy.- It would be foolhardy to try and predict the outcome of the talks at this stage.- I'm known for being careful, not foolhardy, in my decisions.- Phil's very lucky that his foolhardy actions haven't caused him more trouble. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=563http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV489_Extol_Foolhardy.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/6BevG4GNK8M/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=564#comments Sun, 21 Dec 2008 06:24:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=402684# PERSONABLE =
having a nice, polite, and pleasant appearance and personality

Synonyms:
attractive, friendly, charming, easygoing, likeable, sociable

Antonyms:
unattractive, unfriendly, unpleasant

Examples:
- Marc didn’t mind working late with Judy because she was so personable and easygoing.
- Frank was blessed with the most personable in-laws
- Lisa is intelligent, hard-working and personable.
- Many people liked the president’s personable style and down-home wit.
- It is often said that people who are more personable have an easier time finding a good job.

OVERWROUGHT = 1. extremely upset, nervous, or agitated; 2. excessively elaborate or overly decorated.

Synonyms:
agitated, frantic, nervous, frenzied, hysterical, ornate, gaudy, rococo, flamboyant

Antonyms:
calm, relaxed, tranquil, simple

Tips: Overwrought is a more complicated way of
saying “agitated, frantic, nervous, frenzied, hysterical” or “ornate,
gaudy, rococo, and flamboyant.” Overwrought is not a commonly used
word, but it is commonly tested on the GRE exam.

Examples:
- Joanna was overwrought when her dogs got out of the apartment and were lost for several hours.
- After Caroline won the lottery, she decorated her home in such an overwrought manner, it was ghastly.
- Everyone in the office was overwrought with the thought that the company might go out of business.
- My friend was overwrought when her baby fell down the stairs.
- Maria was so tired and overwrought that she burst into tears.

- Marc was in an overwrought state/condition for weeks after the accident.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=564 0 00:01:01 PERSONABLE = having a nice, polite, and pleasant appearance and personality Synonyms: attractive, friendly, charming, easygoing, likeable, sociable Antonyms: unattractive, unfriendly, unpleasant Examples:- Marc didn't mind PERSONABLE = having a nice, polite, and pleasant appearance and personality Synonyms: attractive, friendly, charming, easygoing, likeable, sociable Antonyms: unattractive, unfriendly, unpleasant Examples:- Marc didn't mind working late with Judy because she was so personable and easygoing. - Frank was blessed with the most personable in-laws- Lisa is intelligent, hard-working and personable.- Many people liked the president's personable style and down-home wit.- It is often said that people who are more personable have an easier time finding a good job. OVERWROUGHT = 1. extremely upset, nervous, or agitated; 2. excessively elaborate or overly decorated. Synonyms: agitated, frantic, nervous, frenzied, hysterical, ornate, gaudy, rococo, flamboyant Antonyms: calm, relaxed, tranquil, simple Tips: Overwrought is a more complicated way of saying "agitated, frantic, nervous, frenzied, hysterical" or "ornate, gaudy, rococo, and flamboyant." Overwrought is not a commonly used word, but it is commonly tested on the GRE exam. Examples:- Joanna was overwrought when her dogs got out of the apartment and were lost for several hours.- After Caroline won the lottery, she decorated her home in such an overwrought manner, it was ghastly.- Everyone in the office was overwrought with the thought that the company might go out of business.- My friend was overwrought when her baby fell down the stairs.- Maria was so tired and overwrought that she burst into tears. - Marc was in an overwrought state/condition for weeks after the accident. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=564http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV488_Personable_Overwrought.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/Ud538KgIm2o/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=565#comments Fri, 19 Dec 2008 06:23:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=402682# SOLACE = noun comfort or consolation in a time of distress, sadness, grief, or disappointment;
2.the act of consoling or giving relief; (v.) to console or give
strength to someone. help and comfort when you are feeling sad or worried

Synonyms:
(n.) comfort, consolation, (v.) console, cheer, relieve, soothe, assuage

Antonyms:
(n.) grief, sadness, irritation, (v.) trouble, sadden, irritate

Examples:
- The tax rebate checks provided solace to many cash-strapped families.
- I find it helps to seek solace in the company of family and friends during times of crisis.
- The vacation house provides us great solace from our hectic lives.
- The two-week severance package provided little solace to the laid-off workers.
- When his wife left him, Frank found solace in the bottle. (drank alcohol)
- Music was a great solace to me during this period.
- Lisa found solace in her memories of her grandmother.

QUANTUM =
1. the smallest, indivisible unit of energy; 2. a measurable amount of something. quantity: a required quantity or amount, especially an amount of money paid in recompense4. particular amount: a portion or allotment

Synonyms:
smallest unit of measure

Antonyms:
largest unit of measure

Examples:
- In quantum physics, Einstein proposed that light is made up of discrete
particles and called one quantum of light a photon.
- Most people do not know what quantum physics is; it is simply the
physics of the the smallest units of matter, like atoms.
- It was a revolutionary generation of computers that was a quantum leap beyond anything on the market

- a share or portion : each man has only a quantum of compassion.
]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=565 0 00:01:01 SOLACE = noun comfort or consolation in a time of distress, sadness, grief, or disappointment; 2.the act of consoling or giving relief; (v.) to console or ... SOLACE = noun comfort or consolation in a time of distress, sadness, grief, or disappointment; 2.the act of consoling or giving relief; (v.) to console or give strength to someone. help and comfort when you are feeling sad or worried Synonyms: (n.) comfort, consolation, (v.) console, cheer, relieve, soothe, assuage Antonyms: (n.) grief, sadness, irritation, (v.) trouble, sadden, irritate Examples:- The tax rebate checks provided solace to many cash-strapped families. - I find it helps to seek solace in the company of family and friends during times of crisis. - The vacation house provides us great solace from our hectic lives. - The two-week severance package provided little solace to the laid-off workers.- When his wife left him, Frank found solace in the bottle. (drank alcohol)- Music was a great solace to me during this period.- Lisa found solace in her memories of her grandmother. QUANTUM = 1. the smallest, indivisible unit of energy; 2. a measurable amount of something. quantity: a required quantity or amount, especially an amount of money paid in recompense4. particular amount: a portion or allotment Synonyms: smallest unit of measure Antonyms: largest unit of measure Examples:- In quantum physics, Einstein proposed that light is made up of discrete particles and called one quantum of light a photon.- Most people do not know what quantum physics is; it is simply the physics of the the smallest units of matter, like atoms.- It was a revolutionary generation of computers that was a quantum leap beyond anything on the market - a share or portion : each man has only a quantum of compassion. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=565http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV487_Solace_Quantum.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/z2vVVUeIVp4/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=566#comments Mon, 15 Dec 2008 05:49:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=402307# MERCENARY = (adjective) motivated chiefly by the desire for gain. (noun) (pl. mercenaries) a professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army. 2. someone interested primarily in their own gain, especially financially; (adj.) greedy and interested in selfish gain

Synonyms:
(adj.) greedy, materialistic, selfish, avaricious

Antonyms:
(adj.) self-less, generous, unpaid

Examples:
- Phil has a mercenary urge to own the latest and most expensive item in home electronics.
- Marc doesn’t trust Frank’s motives — Marc thinks he is too mercenary.
- Someone with a mercenary attitude puts his own needs before others’.
- John was a mercenary who had fought for several nations.
- The rebel leaders employed mercenaries to fight for their cause.

EXPANSIVE = 1.covering a wide range, scope or area; 2. able to expand; 3. with
arms stretched out and open wide; 4. happy to talk to people in a
friendly way

Synonyms:
wide, broad, spacious, extensive, expanding, outstretched, outgoing, jovial, talkative

Antonyms:
condensed, contracted, restricted, quiet, reserved

Examples:
- Frank owns a beautiful house with a wide, expansive backyard.
- as the river nears the end of its long journey to the sea it becomes quite expansive
- Marc was in an expansive mood on the night of the party.
- My daughter ran to greet me with expansive arms.
- Phil becomes quite expansive when he drinks wine, in contrast to his usually reserved nature.
- The real-estate developer had an expansive plan for the inner-city project, which would completely renovate the area.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=566 0 00:01:01 MERCENARY = (adjective) motivated chiefly by the desire for gain. (noun) (pl. mercenaries) a professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army. 2. someone ... MERCENARY = (adjective) motivated chiefly by the desire for gain. (noun) (pl. mercenaries) a professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army. 2. someone interested primarily in their own gain, especially financially; (adj.) greedy and interested in selfish gain Synonyms: (adj.) greedy, materialistic, selfish, avaricious Antonyms: (adj.) self-less, generous, unpaid Examples:- Phil has a mercenary urge to own the latest and most expensive item in home electronics. - Marc doesn't trust Frank's motives -- Marc thinks he is too mercenary.- Someone with a mercenary attitude puts his own needs before others'. - John was a mercenary who had fought for several nations.- The rebel leaders employed mercenaries to fight for their cause. EXPANSIVE = 1.covering a wide range, scope or area; 2. able to expand; 3. with arms stretched out and open wide; 4. happy to talk to people in a friendly way Synonyms: wide, broad, spacious, extensive, expanding, outstretched, outgoing, jovial, talkative Antonyms: condensed, contracted, restricted, quiet, reserved Examples:- Frank owns a beautiful house with a wide, expansive backyard.- as the river nears the end of its long journey to the sea it becomes quite expansive- Marc was in an expansive mood on the night of the party.- My daughter ran to greet me with expansive arms.- Phil becomes quite expansive when he drinks wine, in contrast to his usually reserved nature.- The real-estate developer had an expansive plan for the inner-city project, which would completely renovate the area. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=566http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV486_Mercenary_Expansive.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/YErwad31Y7M/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=567#comments Sat, 13 Dec 2008 05:48:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=402306# HISTRIONIC = (adjective)
1. related to acting or actors–dramatic or theatrical; 2. melodramatic or affected, overly emotional and showy

Synonyms:
theatrical, dramatic, melodramatic, affected, sensational, insincere

Antonyms:
sincere, genuine

Examples:
- There’s no need to be so histrionic; this isn’t really that big a deal.
- Joanne has a penchant for histrionic temper fits with lots of throwing of dishes and door slamming
- Both lawyers indulged in courtroom histrionics.
- Marc gave a histrionic sigh and slumped in his chair.
- With a histrionic bow, she walked off the stage.
- Lisa is known for her histrionic outbursts, which occur whenever her
boyfriend is not paying attention to her.

IMMACULATE = (adjectives)
1. perfectly clean and spotless; 2. free from error; 3. without blame or fault

Synonyms:
clean, spotless, stainless, undefiled, pristine, perfect, flawless, faultless, blameless, pure

Antonyms:
dirty, stained, soiled, imperfect, flawed, impure

Examples:
- My aunt’s kitchen was always immaculate.
- He gave an immaculate performance as the aging hero.
- Frank somehow managed to keep the white carpet immaculate
- When Lisa arrived at the party, her white dress was immaculate, but
unfortunately, Marc spilled his drink over Lisa’s immaculate dress.

Synonyms: (v.) satiate, fill, satisfy, saturate, oversupply, flood, overflow, inundate, (n.) excess,
oversupply, surplus, overabundance

Antonyms:
(v.) empty, deprive, forestall, (n.) lack, shortage, deficiency

Examples:
- If we glut the market with oil, supply will be higher than demand and prices should fall.
- The glutton lived to eat instead of eating to live.
- The current glut of graduates means that many of them will not be able to find jobs.
- The glut of desserts at the buffet was enough to give anyone a stomach ache.
- Higher mortgage rates and over-building left some markets glutted with unsold houses.

LOATHE =
to hate someone or something, to dislike somebody or something intensely

Synonyms:
hate, abhor, detest

Antonyms:
tolerate, like, love, desire

Examples:
- Frank loathes the idea of having to go back to work tomorrow.
- Ever since their break-up, she loathes the site of him.
- Don’t take Frank out for sushi; he loathes fish!
- I loathe doing housework.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=568 0 00:01:01 GLUT = (verb)(glutted, glutting) 1. to fill, usually with food; 2. to flood the market with a product; (noun) a supply greater than what is ... GLUT = (verb)(glutted, glutting) 1. to fill, usually with food; 2. to flood the market with a product; (noun) a supply greater than what is needed Synonyms: (v.) satiate, fill, satisfy, saturate, oversupply, flood, overflow, inundate, (n.) excess, oversupply, surplus, overabundance Antonyms: (v.) empty, deprive, forestall, (n.) lack, shortage, deficiency Examples:- If we glut the market with oil, supply will be higher than demand and prices should fall. - The glutton lived to eat instead of eating to live. - The current glut of graduates means that many of them will not be able to find jobs.- The glut of desserts at the buffet was enough to give anyone a stomach ache. - Higher mortgage rates and over-building left some markets glutted with unsold houses. LOATHE = to hate someone or something, to dislike somebody or something intensely Synonyms: hate, abhor, detest Antonyms: tolerate, like, love, desire Examples:- Frank loathes the idea of having to go back to work tomorrow.- Ever since their break-up, she loathes the site of him.- Don't take Frank out for sushi; he loathes fish! - I loathe doing housework. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=568http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV484_Glut_Loathe.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/520nlJ1Xgo4/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=569#comments Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:19:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=402304# KUDOS = (noun) praise and honor received for an achievement.

Synonyms:
praise, recognition, credit, glory, award, appreciation, admiration, fame

Antonyms:
criticism

Examples:
- Marc should receive kudos for a job well done.
- Being an actor has a certain amount of kudos attached to it.
- Phil really deserves kudos for that great presentation.
- Lisa has received kudos and accolades for her work with several charity organizations.

MOLT = (verb) shed old feathers, hair, or skin, to make way for a new growth. To periodically lose or shed an outer covering of skin, hair, or feathers.

Synonyms:
shed

Antonyms:
grow

Examples:
- The young bird’s baby feathers molted as its adult feathers grew in.
- The deer’s winter fur molted in preparation for summer.
- a crab molts its shell as it grows larger, the snake molts its skin.
- My dead skin was molting from being overexposed to the sun.

Synonyms:
ease, simplify, expedite, enable, assist, advance

Antonyms:
complicate

Examples:
- Lisa wanted to meet the author, and Marc facilitated an introduction.
- Frank hopes to facilitate a dialogue between the two opposing factions.
- Phil was brought on to help facilitate communication between the different departments.
- The two factories were located on the same plot to facilitate the sharing of resources.
- I see my role as that of a facilitator, enabling other people to work in the way that suits them best.
- To facilitate learning, each class is no larger than 30 students

JIBE = (v.) 1. to agree with or conform to something; 2. in nautical
terminology, to shift a sail from one side of a vessel to the other;
(n.) an insulting remark intended to have a hurtful effect (also
spelled: gibe). if one statement or opinion jibes with another, it is similar to it

Synonyms:
(v.) agree, conform, accord, concur, (n.) insult, wisecrack, mockery, ridicule

Antonyms:
(v.) differ, disagree, clash, (n.) compliment

Tips: Jibe has taken on all three of those meanings.
For the meaning of “an insult or wisecrack,” jibe is also, and more
commonly, spelled with a “g”: gibe, and can also be used in the verb
form.

Examples:
– Marc’s sarcastic jibes during the trial got him removed from the courtroom.
- Lisa quit her job because her needs just didn’t jibe with the company’s policies.
- Before sailing on his own, Phil needed to learn how to tack and jibe.
- After awhile Joanne got used to Frank little jibes and she no longer was offended by them.
- Mary jibed constantly at the way Frank ran his business.
- Her description of the man didn’t jibe with what she told the police earlier.

Synonyms:
nonessential, irrelevant, immaterial, incidental, ancillary, external, exterior, foreign,

Antonyms:
relevant, inherent, germane, pertinent

Examples:
- Extraneous light in the camera spoiled the photo.
- Most of the information in Marc’s lecture notes seems to be extraneous.
- Lisa wanted a succinct summary of the conference with no extraneous information.

EFFACE = (verb) 1. to remove, blur, or completely eliminate, especially by rubbing
off or out; 2. to act in an inconspicuous or humble manner, especially
because of shyness or modesty.

Synonyms:
erase, annul, delete, expunge, cancel

Antonyms:
add, restore

Examples:
- Don’t be self-effacing if your compliments your hard work; simply
thank him and acknowledge his compliment.
- It’s better to accept a compliment gracefully, rather than make self-effacing remarks.

Synonyms:
thrifty, sparing, provident, economical, penny-pinching, conserving, prudent, scanty, meager, paltry

Antonyms:
prodigal, extravagant, wasteful, expensive, lavish

Examples:
- Marc’s frugal track record has led to a twenty-five percent decrease in frivolous spending.
- by being frugal, Lisa was able to stretch her monthly budget
- Frugality may be a road to riches.
- Phil has always been frugal with his money, and he never has any money problems.

FOMENT =
1. to cause trouble or stir up rebellion; 2. to promote growth or development; 3. to lessen pain by bathing in warm water

Synonyms:
stir up, promote, evoke, incite, instigate, abet

Antonyms:
repress, suppress, quell

Examples:
- I believe that the new technology will foment our industry and create positive change.
- John filed the law suit, not because he needed the money, but because
he wanted to foment trouble for his former contractor.
- Marc was afraid that his letter might foment more tension, so he didn’t send it.
- Lisa hoped that her impassioned speech would foment positive change in the community.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=572 0 00:01:01 FRUGAL = 1. tending to spend very little money; 2. small in expense or quantity Synonyms: thrifty, sparing, provident, economical, penny-pinching, conserving, prudent, scanty, meager, paltry ... FRUGAL = 1. tending to spend very little money; 2. small in expense or quantity Synonyms: thrifty, sparing, provident, economical, penny-pinching, conserving, prudent, scanty, meager, paltry Antonyms: prodigal, extravagant, wasteful, expensive, lavish Examples:- Marc's frugal track record has led to a twenty-five percent decrease in frivolous spending. - by being frugal, Lisa was able to stretch her monthly budget- Frugality may be a road to riches. - Phil has always been frugal with his money, and he never has any money problems. FOMENT = 1. to cause trouble or stir up rebellion; 2. to promote growth or development; 3. to lessen pain by bathing in warm water Synonyms: stir up, promote, evoke, incite, instigate, abet Antonyms: repress, suppress, quell Examples:- I believe that the new technology will foment our industry and create positive change.- John filed the law suit, not because he needed the money, but because he wanted to foment trouble for his former contractor.- Marc was afraid that his letter might foment more tension, so he didn't send it.- Lisa hoped that her impassioned speech would foment positive change in the community. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=572http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV480_Frugal_Foment.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/CwTFlYi_n5E/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=573#comments Sun, 30 Nov 2008 05:33:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=401926# MEANDER =
1. to move in a curving, twisting, or indirect route; follow a winding course. 2 wander in a leisurely or aimless way.

Synonyms:
wander, amble, stroll, roam, twist, bend, wind, curve, snake

Examples:
- Both of these rivers meander down to the ocean.
- I don’t have a definite plan for the afternoon in mind; I thought we might just meander around Table Mountain.
- On our trip, we spent a lot of time meandering about the countryside of Cape Town.
- The long, meandering driveway led to a beautiful wine estate.
- Movie critics complained that the film meanders along with no particular story line.

IMMINENT =
about to happen or likely to occur soon

Synonyms:
impending, threatening, menacing, looming, forthcoming, near, close

Antonyms:
far-off, unlikely, distant

Examples:
- I’m sorry to tell you that with the latest threat, you and your family
appear to be in imminent danger.
- The closing of the community center appears imminent despite the efforts of the citizens to save it.
- A rain storm was imminent.
- We were told the arrival of the storm was imminent.
- Everyone knew a fight was imminent when the group of striking workers came face-to-face with their replacements.

Synonyms:
acceptable, agreeable, appetizing, delicious, enjoyable, flavorful, yummy, tempting

Antonyms:
unsavory, unappetizing, unpalatable

Examples:
- Jeremy brought a very palatable wine
- Joanne added a dash of salt to help make the dish more palatable.
- Marc’s idea wasn’t very palatable to the parties involved.
- I’m afraid the members won’t find all these changes very palatable.
- The turkey remained in the oven for way too long, making it dry and unpalatable.

LATITUDE = 1.
freedom from restriction, 2. the position north or south of the equator measured from 0Â to 90Â

Synonyms:
freedom, liberty, leeway

Antonyms:
restriction, restraint, constraint

Examples:
- I allow my children considerable latitude in how they spend their free
time, as long as it’s not in front of the TV.
- At these latitudes the sun does not rise at all on winter days.
- I enjoy owning my own business because it affords me considerable latitude in how I spend my time.
- John gives his children so much latitude that they usually just run amok.
- The new laws gave the police more latitude in dealing with suspected criminals

Synonyms:
(v.) annoy, sting, irritate, tease, vex, bother, exasperate

Antonyms:
soothe

Examples:

- If you are going to go on the hike, watch out for stinging nettle.
- If Lisa continues to nettle Phil about every little thing, Phil will not invite Lisa for his birthday party.
- Lisa’s sharp remarks nettled Marc.
- It was bad enough that Frank lost the argument, but Marc’s self-satisfied smile really nettled Frank.

PHRASE: grasp the nettle
to take action immediately in order to deal with an unpleasant situation
- I’ve been putting off tackling the problem for too long and I think it’s time to grasp the nettle.

FALLACY = 1. a misconception or false belief; 2. an argument that does not work because of an error in logic or the error itself

Synonyms:
misconception, error, flaw, mistake, inconsistency, falsity, sophistry

Antonyms:
truth, verity

Examples:
- The adage that warns against swimming within twenty minutes of eating is a fallacy.
- The rumor that Marc is planning a trip around the world is a fallacy; he has no such plans at this time.
- Phil’s argument is based on fallacious reasoning.
- It is a common fallacy that women are worse drivers than men.

Synonyms:
so-called, honorary, titular, ostensible, small, insignificant, trifling

Antonyms:
important, real

Examples:
- Marc the nominal head of our college – the real work is done by his deputy.
- For a nominal fee Just Vocabulary offers the podcast advertisement free.
- When you pay $400 for an airline ticket, a ticketing fee of five dollars seems nominal

OPPORTUNE =
suitable for a purpose or occurring at the right time. happening at a time which is likely to give success or which is convenient

Synonyms:
appropriate, fitting, apt, auspicious, fortuitous, timely, fortunate

Antonyms:
inopportune

Examples:
- The family dinner was an opportune time for us to announce our engagement.
- Our morning meeting will provide an opportune time to discuss our strategic plan.
- Joanne is trying to find the most opportune time to ask her boss for a promotion.
- We had just cleaned the house, so it was an opportune time to have guests drop by to see us.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=576 0 00:01:01 NOMINAL = 1. being something in name only; 2. small or unimportant; 3. satisfactory or according to what was planned; 4. having to do with or being ... NOMINAL = 1. being something in name only; 2. small or unimportant; 3. satisfactory or according to what was planned; 4. having to do with or being a name; 5. having to do with or being a noun Synonyms: so-called, honorary, titular, ostensible, small, insignificant, trifling Antonyms: important, real Examples:- Marc the nominal head of our college - the real work is done by his deputy.- For a nominal fee Just Vocabulary offers the podcast advertisement free.- When you pay $400 for an airline ticket, a ticketing fee of five dollars seems nominal OPPORTUNE = suitable for a purpose or occurring at the right time. happening at a time which is likely to give success or which is convenient Synonyms: appropriate, fitting, apt, auspicious, fortuitous, timely, fortunate Antonyms: inopportune Examples:- The family dinner was an opportune time for us to announce our engagement. - Our morning meeting will provide an opportune time to discuss our strategic plan. - Joanne is trying to find the most opportune time to ask her boss for a promotion. - We had just cleaned the house, so it was an opportune time to have guests drop by to see us. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=576http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV476_Nominal_Opportune.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/MtUD5Mol_D0/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=577#comments Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:12:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=401469# IMMUTABLE = not changing or unable to be changed

Synonyms:
unchangeable, constant, unalterable, fixed, permanent, stable

Antonyms:
changeable, mutable

Examples:
- Once my parents make a decision, it is immutable and they never change their minds.
- Frank’s dad lived a long, hard life, and his views on the world are immutable at this point.
- Some people regard the rules of English grammar and punctuation as an
immutable, others view them as evolving.
- Phil despised his friends’ immutable attitude of superiority toward others.


INAUGURATE = to formally and officially put something new in place such as a
government official, a building, or a new procedure, often with a
special ceremony

Synonyms:
induct, install, ordain, commission, dedicate, launch, debut, begin, commence

Antonyms:
stop, end, terminate

Examples:
- The Mayor is going to inaugurate the new City Hall building today at noon.
- The change of government inaugurated a new era of economic prosperity.
- Representatives from every major media outlet were present at the
presidential inauguration.
- During the inauguration ceremony on the 20th of January, the US President always delivers an inaugural address.

Synonyms:
unsophisticated, uncouth, tactless, awkward, graceless, ill-mannered, uncultured, boorish

Antonyms:
sophisticated, polite, cultured, civilized

Examples:
- Joanne had grown from a gauche teenager to a self-assured young woman.
- Phil’s loud talking at the opera marked him as gauche and uncultured
- Marc’s gauche manners at the party can be explained by the fact that he
had several cocktails before he arrived.
- It was gauche to invite them just two days before the party.

HASTEN = verb 1 be quick to do something; move quickly. 2 cause to happen sooner than anticipated. 1. to speed up the progress of an activity; 2. to go somewhere or do something quickly and without delay

Synonyms:
speed, quicken, accelerate, hurry, expedite, rush, hustle

Antonyms:
slow, delay

Examples:
- It was an unfortunate decision and Marc hastened to say it had nothing to do with him.
- Officials acted in haste, without understanding the situation.
- We should hasten to get to the theater so we don’t miss the beginning of the movie.
- Cathy hastened to hide her bad report card before her parents got home.
- The loss of its largest client hastened the Bank’s bankruptcy.

Synonyms:
blackmail, bully, fleece, gouge, cheat, coerce, force, exact

Examples:
- The girl decided to extort the secret from Lisa by threatening to
make up and spread a damaging secret of her own.
- The criminal left for Mexico after successfully extorting money from the company Managing Director.
- Frank deeply regrets that he was a school bully who was used to extorting lunch money from other school kids.
- Marc can’t expect me to pay him to be quiet; that’s extortion.

FINESSE = â noun 1 refinement and delicacy. 2 subtle skill in handling or manipulating people or situations. 3 (in bridge) an attempt to win a trick with a card that is not a certain winner.
Verb 1 do in a subtle and delicate manner. 2 slyly attempt to avoid blame when dealing with (a situation). 3 play (a card) as a finesse.

Synonyms:
(n.) delicacy, savvy, discretion, diplomacy, adeptness, artfulness, skillfulness, grace, mastery, elegance

Antonyms:
clumsiness, indiscretion

Examples:
- Micheal Jackson had legendary finesse on the dance floor.
- Lisa had such social finesse, she was
able to quickly and easily solve any problem within the company.
- Mark and his friends found themselves in a sticky situation and looked for a way to finesse out of it.
- Frank did not want to stay to he tried to finesse his way out of the party

Synonyms:
(n.) advisor, supporter, guide, tutor, teacher, role model, coach, (v.) guide, advise, support

Examples:

- Frank mentors young talented pianists who need someone to look up to.

- Lisa asked her Dad’s Uncle to be her mentor and guide her on her way to becoming a professional writer.

- Marc couldn’t have achieved the success he has today without the help of his mentor.

DOGGEREL =
a verse of poetry or song that is uneven in measure and often poorly composed, usually for an intentional, comic effect

Synonyms:
verse, jingle

Examples:

- Lisa has the doggerel from the latest soda commercial stuck in her head.

- The doggerel in the middle of the show made the audience laugh.

- Frank’s feelings were hurt when Marc called his composition a doggerel.

Synonyms:
marsh, swamp, moor, mire, quagmire, bog

Antonyms:

Examples:
- The distracted driver had driven his car off the road and into a morass
- The morass of rules and regulations is delaying the start of the project.
- Sometimes I over-commit myself and end up lost in a morass of impossible deadlines.
- I am frustrated with the morass of bureaucracy that keeps me
waiting for a change in my visa status.

MELLIFLUOUS =
having a pleasing or rich sound, pleasant and soothing to listen to, and sweet or rich in tone

Synonyms:
melodious, musical, sweet, honeyed, resonant

Antonyms:
discordant

Examples:
- I love to listen to the mellifluous sound of YoYo-Ma’ cello
- The opera singer’s voice was rich and mellifluous.
- Frank Sinatra has become famous due to his deep, mellifluous voice.
- I was drawn to the mellifluous sound of a harp being played inside the church.

Synonyms:
novice, beginner, student, rookie, amateur, convert, proselyte

Antonyms:
veteran

Examples:
- When Karen married Jim, she became a Catholic neophyte.
- Undergraduate students are generally neophytes in their chosen majors and need guidance from experienced professors.
- The neophyte on the team surprised everyone when he scored the winning goal.
- I’m a neophyte when it comes to baking, so I’m a little nervous about how my first apple pie will turn out.

MURMUR = noun 1 a quietly spoken utterance. 2 . a subdued complaint. â verb 1 say something in a murmur.

Synonyms:
(n.) grumbling, complaint, lament, gripe, (v.) mumble, mutter

Examples:
- A murmur of complaint was heard from the audience when the sound system failed.
- The students murmured something under when Marc the teacher handed out their new homework assignment.
- Frank finished the job without a murmur
- My little daughter Jenny was so tired that she went to bed without a murmur for once.

Synonyms:
critical, scornful, derogatory, abusive, insulting, contemptible, offensive, scurrilous, infamous, disgraceful, shameful

Antonyms:
appreciative, complimentary, proud, worthy, reputable, honorable

Examples:
- The CEO had opprobrious words for his sales department after another weak month.
- Most people believe that cheating on your spouse is an opprobrious act.
- The way Lisa flaunts her wealth while others suffer, is opprobrious.
- Frank was embarrassed by his father’s opprobrious remarks

PHLEGMATIC =
1. having a calm temperament; 2. not readily showing emotion. unexcitable:generally unemotional and difficult to arouse

Synonyms:
aloof, cold, apathetic, stony, stoic, nonchalant, composed, impersonal, calm, unemotional, passive, languid

Antonyms:
animated, excited, emotional, passionate, spirited

Examples:
- As a footballer his great asset was his calm, phlegmatic manner.
- Lisa’s bright hair color would shock even the most phlegmatic person.
- He is a retired lawyer with a solid, phlegmatic manner.
- Joanne wished her boyfriend would be a little more open and animated, and a little less phlegmatic.

Synonyms:
(v.) snub, reject, repel, deny, refuse, spurn, (n.) snub, block, setback

Antonyms:
(v.) accept, approve

Examples:
- Lisa asked Frank for help, but Frank rebuffed her, saying he only helped his real friends.
- I asked Madonna to be my wife, and was rebuffed in no uncertain terms.
- Her rebuff stung, since my offer had been kind and sincere.

QUERULOUS = 1. tending to complain: inclined to complain or find fault2. whining: whining or complaining in tone

Synonyms:
petulant, grouchy, critical, irritable, whiny, peevish, grumbly

Antonyms:
cheerful, happy, good-natured

Examples:
- The querulous woman drove her boyfriend crazy with her constant nagging.
- My sister is a great nurse, even the most querulous patients failed to upset her.
- Lisa’s uncle became increasingly dissatisfied and querulous in his old age.
- Being around querulous people puts me in a bad mood.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=584 0 00:01:01 REBUFF = (v.) to reject or refuse sharply and with criticism; (n.) 1. a rude or curt rejection of an offer or advance; 2. a sudden ... REBUFF = (v.) to reject or refuse sharply and with criticism; (n.) 1. a rude or curt rejection of an offer or advance; 2. a sudden block or setback of progress, 1.reject or snub something:to reject or snub an offer, advance, or approach made by somebody Synonyms: (v.) snub, reject, repel, deny, refuse, spurn, (n.) snub, block, setback Antonyms: (v.) accept, approve Examples: - Lisa asked Frank for help, but Frank rebuffed her, saying he only helped his real friends. - I asked Madonna to be my wife, and was rebuffed in no uncertain terms.- Her rebuff stung, since my offer had been kind and sincere. QUERULOUS = 1. tending to complain: inclined to complain or find fault2. whining: whining or complaining in tone Synonyms: petulant, grouchy, critical, irritable, whiny, peevish, grumbly Antonyms: cheerful, happy, good-natured Examples:- The querulous woman drove her boyfriend crazy with her constant nagging. - My sister is a great nurse, even the most querulous patients failed to upset her.- Lisa's uncle became increasingly dissatisfied and querulous in his old age.- Being around querulous people puts me in a bad mood. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=584http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV468_Rebuff_Querulous.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/UJ_pUBsL050/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=585#comments Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:38:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=395279# OBTUSE = annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand.
1. slow to learn or understand; 2. lacking insight; 3. blunt or rounded, not sharp

Synonyms:
dim-witted, dull, dumb, ignorant, stupid, blunt

Antonyms:
acute, sharp, keen, intelligent

Examples:
- Lisa tried to learn how the application functions, but Frank thinks she’s too obtuse to ever learn how to use it.
- Marc wondered if the doctor was being deliberately obtuse.
- Joanne frustrated her mentor by pretending to be obtuse

OBEISANCE =
1. the act of obeying or behaving respectfully; 2. a show or sign of respect such as bowing, a gesture of respect or deference, e.g. a bow of the head

Synonyms:
respect, courtesy, bow, homage, deference, reverence

Antonyms:
disrespect

Examples:
- The servant bowed deeply in obeisance to the queen.
- Phil’s obeisance at the meeting seemed rather formal and unnecessary.
- Marc demands obeisance from all his students.

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=585 0 00:01:01 OBTUSE = annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand. 1. slow to learn or understand; 2. lacking insight; 3. blunt or rounded, not sharp Synonyms: dim-witted, ... OBTUSE = annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand. 1. slow to learn or understand; 2. lacking insight; 3. blunt or rounded, not sharp Synonyms: dim-witted, dull, dumb, ignorant, stupid, blunt Antonyms: acute, sharp, keen, intelligent Examples:- Lisa tried to learn how the application functions, but Frank thinks she's too obtuse to ever learn how to use it.- Marc wondered if the doctor was being deliberately obtuse. - Joanne frustrated her mentor by pretending to be obtuse OBEISANCE = 1. the act of obeying or behaving respectfully; 2. a show or sign of respect such as bowing, a gesture of respect or deference, e.g. a bow of the head Synonyms: respect, courtesy, bow, homage, deference, reverence Antonyms: disrespect Examples: - The servant bowed deeply in obeisance to the queen.- Phil's obeisance at the meeting seemed rather formal and unnecessary.- Marc demands obeisance from all his students. podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=585http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV467_Obtuse_Obeisance.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/dvzZNDzL-KA/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=586#comments Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:03:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=392362# DISSUADE =
to convince or persuade someone not to do something.

The most common usage of dissuade is, “to dissuade someone from doing something.” Dissuade is the opposite of persuade.

Examples:
- There was nothing anyone could do to dissuade Lisa from going on the dangerous trip.
- After a long talk, Marc was able to dissuade Joanne from marrying the man who had been unfaithful to her.
- It is often difficult to dissuade someone from a firmly held political viewpoint.
- The bad review did not dissuade me from seeing the movie.

Synonyms:
deter, discourage, divert

Antonyms:
persuade

ESCHEW = to intentionally avoid something, especially on moral or practical grounds. abstain from: to avoid doing or using something on principle or as a matter of course.

Examples:
- In an attempt at self-transformation, Phil strives to eschew mistakes he had made in the past.
- Ever since Frank stopped drinking alcohol, he has eschewed any party
where he knew drinks were being served.
- Bill decided to eschew his friend’s bachelor party, as I knew it would be wild, and his wife would not approve.

Synonyms:
avoid, evade, shun, abstain, forgo, renounce

Antonyms:
choose, embrace, indulge in

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=586 0 00:01:01 DISSUADE = to convince or persuade someone not to do something. The most common usage of dissuade is, "to dissuade someone from doing something." Dissuade is ... DISSUADE = to convince or persuade someone not to do something. The most common usage of dissuade is, "to dissuade someone from doing something." Dissuade is the opposite of persuade. Examples:- There was nothing anyone could do to dissuade Lisa from going on the dangerous trip. - After a long talk, Marc was able to dissuade Joanne from marrying the man who had been unfaithful to her. - It is often difficult to dissuade someone from a firmly held political viewpoint. - The bad review did not dissuade me from seeing the movie. Synonyms: deter, discourage, divert Antonyms: persuade ESCHEW = to intentionally avoid something, especially on moral or practical grounds. abstain from: to avoid doing or using something on principle or as a matter of course. Examples:- In an attempt at self-transformation, Phil strives to eschew mistakes he had made in the past. - Ever since Frank stopped drinking alcohol, he has eschewed any party where he knew drinks were being served. - Bill decided to eschew his friend's bachelor party, as I knew it would be wild, and his wife would not approve. Synonyms: avoid, evade, shun, abstain, forgo, renounce Antonyms: choose, embrace, indulge in podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=586http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV466_Dissuade-Eschew.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/OFjsjHMiO-M/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=587#comments Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:50:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=392357# EQUIVOCAL =
1. open to question or interpretation; 2. difficult to understand. An
equivocation is a statement which is deliberately vague or ambiguous.
And finally, to equivocate is to be deliberately ambiguous or unclear
in order to mislead or withhold information.

Examples:-
– Nothing enervates me like a car alarm that beeps all night.
- Elizabeth’s marathon debut was successful, but even more enervating than she had expected.
- Just the thought of speaking in public is enough to enervate me.
- The Lisa’s constant questions enervated Marc.

Synonyms:
ambiguous, dubious, questionable, uncertain, cryptic, confusing, unclear, ambivalent, suspicious

Antonyms:
clear, certain

Examples:
- Marc will vote for the new candidate who never tries to equivocate.
- Lisa’s father grew tired of Lisa equivocations and her ability to twist the truth.
- The equivocal trial results left the scientists bickering about how to interpret the outcome.
- Frank’s letter of resignation is unequivocal and leaves no doubt as to why he is leaving the company.

ENERVATE = to weaken somebody, either physically or mentally. to weaken somebody’s physical, mental, or moral vitality.

Examples:-
– Nothing enervates me like a car alarm that beeps all night.
- Elizabeth’s marathon debut was successful, but even more enervating than she had expected.
- Just the thought of speaking in public is enough to enervate me.
- The Lisa’s constant questions enervated Marc.

Synonyms:
tire, exhaust, fatigue, deplete, weaken, enfeeble

Antonyms:
strengthen, energize

Synonyms:
surviving, existent, undestroyed, remaining

Antonyms:
dead, departed, destroyed, extinct, gone

FLACCID =1. limp: soft, limp, or lacking firmness2. lacking vitality: lacking energy, enthusiasm, or competence,
lacking firmness or resilience.

Examples:
- The flaccid asparagus was not well received by the food critics.
- The manâs flaccid handshake did not make a good first impression.
- In business, it is considered totally unacceptable to have a flaccid handshake.
- The flaccid leadership campaign was causing concern.

Synonyms:
soft, weak, inelastic, slack, limp, flimsy, lax, droopy

Antonyms:
firm, tough, strong

Examples:
- Through the exemplary jail sentence for the 15 year old, the judge
hoped to curb violent behavior amongst other young gang members.

- Phil ran an exemplary project, which I want everyone to use as a model for future success.
- Frank saw action in the Marines, and his performance was exemplary.
- Marc’s tact was exemplary, especially considering the circumstances.

Synonyms: laudable, praiseworthy, quintessential,
worthy, emblematic, typical, illustrative, representative, cautionary,
dissuasive, monitory

Antonyms:
reprehensible, substandard, awful, atypical, anomalous

FACTION = 1. a self-seeking party or group (generally within a government) that
is the dissenting minority within a larger group; this clique of
partisans holds slightly different beliefs and interests than the rest
of the group;2. party strife and intrigue; 3. a literary work or film
that blends fiction into factual elements.

Examples:
- There were two major Roman political factions: the populares and the optimates.
- There is a faction in the Democratic party that supports tax cuts and strong defense.
- The president didn’t realize that there was a faction within the board
of directors, meeting to plan his removal.

Synonyms:
wing, caucus, coalition, group, schism, cell, conflict, discord, dissension, rebellion, strife

Antonyms:
entirety, total, whole, agreement, peace, unity

Synonyms:
pretentious, ostentatious, pompous, magnificent, regal, stately, impressive, grand, unrealistic, overblown, extravagant

Antonyms:
modest, simple, ordinary

DISCOURSE = (n.) 1. verbal communication; 2. formal, extended
expression of thought on a subject; (v.) to converse or discuss




Examples:

- Marc’s passionate political discourse caused a stir among the students.

- The discourse around the dinner table mainly surrounded Frank’s business plans.

- Lisa would like to engage Phil in discourse regarding plans for a company expansion.

Synonyms:
(n.) talk, dialogue, conversation, discussion, speech, lecture, thesis, (v.) discuss, communicate, convers

Examples:

- Some famous thinkers such Galileo were accused of
heresy in their own times because their new ideas contradicted the
church.

- Lisa thinks Marc is a heretic because Marc is not entirely convinced that Western medicine has all the answers.

- To hear that Frank changed from a Mac to a PC was heresy in the eyes of her loyal, Mac-using friends.
- Joanne committed the heresy of playing a Madonna song on a classical music station.
- Lisa’s belief that a split would be good for the party was regarded as heretical.

Synonyms:
dissent, iconoclasm, dissidence, nonconformity, revisionism, sacrilege

Antonyms:
orthodox

GAINSAY =
to say that something isn’t true, especially by contradicting another person.

Examples:

- It was very difficult to gainsay Marc’s claim

- I hear what you’re saying, but I must gainsay the premise of your argument.

- The test results are conclusive and there’s no gainsaying the validity of this study.
- The impact of the railroads cannot be gainsaid.

Synonyms:
oppose, deny, refute, disallow, dispute, question, impugn

Antonyms:
agree, allow, affirm

Examples:
- Upon receiving the award, Jim Tressel made an impromptu speech to his team.
- Part of the Obama and McCain debate is the impromptu question-and-answer session.
- My friend asked me to deliver a short, impromptu toast during the cocktail hour.
- Marc has an uncanny ability to deliver hilarious, impromptu speeches without any preparation or advanced notice.

Synonyms:
spontaneous, improvised, ad lib, ad hoc, unrehearsed, extemporaneous

Antonyms:
planned, rehearsed

GENIAL = 1. good-natured and kind; 2. mild, especially sunny and good for life or growth.

Examples:

- The genial sunshine and mild temperature was ideal for growing a variety of flowers and plants.

- Elisabeth was always a genial hostess, treating her guests with kindness and sincere attention.

- I really like listening to Robin Sharma because of his genial demeanor, which
always puts me at ease and makes me happy.

- He is a great person to have as a boss because of his genial manner.
- His geniality, reliability and ability made him a popular figure.

Synonyms:
pleasant, mild, amicable, amiable, kind, friendly, congenial, warm, favorable

Antonyms:
unfriendly, cold, hostile

Antonyms:
do-gooder

INANIMATE = adjective 1 not alive, especially not in the manner of animals and humans. 2 showing no sign of life; lifeless.

Examples:
- Lisa prefers to paint still life art and inanimate objects rather than people and animals.

- The audience for tonight’s show has proved to be a rather inanimate crowd.

- At first, the seal’s body looked inanimate, but when we noticed it was
still breathing we took the seal to the vet and she was resuscitated.

- In my last dream several of the inanimate objects in my bedroom came to life.

Synonyms:
nonliving, inorganic, dull, lifeless, inert, inactive

Antonyms:
living, lively, animated

]]> http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?feed=rss2&p=593 0 00:01:01 MISCREANT = (noun) someone who breaks the law or does wrong. adjective behaving badly or unlawfully.Examples:- The museum was vandalized by a group of miscreants ... MISCREANT = (noun) someone who breaks the law or does wrong. adjective behaving badly or unlawfully.Examples:- The museum was vandalized by a group of miscreants last night. - Many people were upset that the alleged miscreant was not found guilty. - I think we need tougher penalties to discourage miscreants.- Our neighborhood has been taken over by a pack of drug-dealing miscreants. Synonyms: villain, criminal, wrongdoer, scoundrel, knave, ruffian Antonyms: do-gooder INANIMATE = adjective 1 not alive, especially not in the manner of animals and humans. 2 showing no sign of life; lifeless.Examples:- Lisa prefers to paint still life art and inanimate objects rather than people and animals. - The audience for tonight's show has proved to be a rather inanimate crowd. - At first, the seal's body looked inanimate, but when we noticed it was still breathing we took the seal to the vet and she was resuscitated. - In my last dream several of the inanimate objects in my bedroom came to life. Synonyms: nonliving, inorganic, dull, lifeless, inert, inactive Antonyms: living, lively, animated podcasts Jan Folmer no No http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=593http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.libsyn.com/media/justvocabulary/JV459-Miscreant-Inanimate.mp3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JustVocabulary/~3/GE7Rk32WsSo/ http://www.justvocabulary.com/podcast/?p=594#comments Fri, 17 Oct 2008 05:04:00 +0000 justvocabulary http://www.justvocabulary.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=390976# LEVERAGE = noun: 1 the exertion of force by means of a lever. 2 the power to influence: political leverage. verb: 1. to provide or supplement with leverage; 2. to use leverage for one’s advantage; 3. to borrow money for investment.

Example:
- That company leveraged a very small investment into millions of dollars.
- Marc used a client’s review as leverage to ask for a raise.
- If the United Nations had more troops in the area, it would have greater leverage.
- The company is highly leveraged and struggling with interest payments.

Synonyms: (n.) advantage, effectiveness, power,
influence, clout, weight, force, support, pull, (v.) fund, borrow,
benefit, profit, supplement, invest

Antonyms:
(n.) disadvantage, hindrance, weakness

IRATE = (adjective) indicating anger:showing or typical of great anger

Examples:
- Her boss became irate when she cost the company its biggest client.
- His irate neighbors yelled at him for throwing such a loud party.
- I was irate that she had forgotten to give me the message, but I kept my anger inside.
- Shelly was irate with Jack for forgetting her birthday and didn’t speak to him for two weeks.

Synonyms:
angry, enraged, mad, furious, fuming, heated, annoyed

Antonyms:
calm, kind, pleased

ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from Latin iratus, from ira âanger.â