Word of the Day 8.31.08

pe·nu·ri·ous (p-nr-s, -nyr-)

adj.

1. Unwilling to spend money; stingy.

2. Yielding little; barren: a penurious land.

3. Poverty-stricken; destitute.


[From Medieval Latin pnrisus, from Latin pnria, want.]


pe·nuri·ous·ly adv.

pe·nuri·ous·ness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

penurious

Adjective

Formal

1. niggardly with money

2. lacking money or means

Collins Essential English Dictionary 2nd Edition 2006 © HarperCollins Publishers 2004, 2006

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Adj.

1.

penurious – not having enough money to pay for necessities

poor – having little money or few possessions; “deplored the gap between rich and poor countries”; “the proverbial poor artist living in a garret”

2.

penurious – excessively unwilling to spend; “parsimonious thrift relieved by few generous impulses”; “lived in a most penurious manner–denying himself every indulgence”

stingy, ungenerous – unwilling to spend; “she practices economy without being stingy”; “an ungenerous response to the appeal for funds”

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2008 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

Posted on August 31, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 8.30.08

in·vei·gle (n-vgl, -v-)

tr.v. in·vei·gled, in·vei·gling, in·vei·gles

1. To win over by coaxing, flattery, or artful talk. See Synonyms at lure.

2. To obtain by cajolery: inveigled a free pass to museum.


[Middle English envegle, alteration of Old French aveugler, to blind, from aveugle, blind, from Vulgar Latin *aboculus : Latin ab-, away from; see ab-1 + Latin oculus, eye (probably loan-translation of Gaulish exsops : exs-, from + ops, eye); see okw- in Indo-European roots.]


in·veigle·ment n.

in·veigler n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Verb

1.

inveigle – influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering; “He palavered her into going along”

persuade – cause somebody to adopt a certain position, belief, or course of action; twist somebody’s arm; “You can’t persuade me to buy this ugly vase!”

soft-soap – persuade someone through flattery

browbeat, bully, swagger – discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner; intimidate

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2008 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

Posted on August 29, 2008 by admin

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