Word of the Day 8.21.9

axiomatic

ax·i·o·mat·ic (ks--mtk) also ax·i·o·mat·i·cal (--kl)

adj.

Of, relating to, or resembling an axiom; self-evident: “It’s axiomatic in politics that voters won’t throw out a presidential incumbent unless they think his challenger will clean house” (Peter Grier).


axi·o·mati·cal·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Adj.

1.

axiomatic – evident without proof or argument; “an axiomatic truth”; “we hold these truths to be self-evident”

obvious – easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind; “obvious errors”

2.

axiomatic – containing aphorisms or maxims; “axiomatic wisdom”

3.

axiomatic – of or relating to or derived from axioms; “axiomatic physics”; “the postulational method was applied to geometry”- S.S.Stevens

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

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Posted on August 21, 2009 by admin

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Word of the Day 8.20.9

abnegate

ab·ne·gate (bn-gt)

tr.v. ab·ne·gat·ed, ab·ne·gat·ing, ab·ne·gates

1. To give up (rights or a claim, for example); renounce.

2. To deny (something) to oneself: The minister abnegated the luxuries of life.


[Latin abnegre, abnegt-, to refuse : ab-, away; see ab-1 + negre, to deny; see ne in Indo-European roots.]


abne·gator n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Verb

1.

abnegate – deny oneself (something); restrain, especially from indulging in some pleasure; “She denied herself wine and spirits”

deny, refuse – refuse to let have; “She denies me every pleasure”; “he denies her her weekly allowance”

curb, hold in, control, moderate, contain, check, hold – lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits; “moderate your alcohol intake”; “hold your tongue”; “hold your temper”; “control your anger”

2.

abnegate – surrender (power or a position); “The King abnegated his power to the ministers”

surrender, give up – give up or agree to forgo to the power or possession of another; “The last Taleban fighters finally surrendered”

3.

abnegate – deny or renounce; “They abnegated their gods”

deny – refuse to accept or believe; “He denied his fatal illness”

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

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Posted on August 20, 2009 by admin

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Word of the Day 8.19.9

Sybarite

Syb·a·rite (sb-rt)

n.

1. often sybarite A person devoted to pleasure and luxury; a voluptuary.

2. A native or inhabitant of Sybaris.


[Latin Sybarta, native of Sybaris, from Greek Subarts, from Subaris, Sybaris (from the notorious luxury of its inhabitants).]


syba·rit·ism (-r-tzm) n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Noun

1.

sybarite – a person addicted to luxury and pleasures of the senses

sensualist – a person who enjoys sensuality

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

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Posted on August 19, 2009 by admin

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Word of the Day 8.18.9

ostentatious

os·ten·ta·tious (stn-tshs, -tn-)

adj.

Characterized by or given to ostentation; pretentious. See Synonyms at showy.


osten·tatious·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Adj.

1.

ostentatious – intended to attract notice and impress others; “an ostentatious sable coat”

unostentatious, unpretending, unpretentious – not ostentatious; “his unostentatious office”; “unostentatious elegance”

2.

ostentatious – (of a display) tawdry or vulgar

tasteless – lacking aesthetic or social taste

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

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Posted on August 18, 2009 by admin

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Word of the Day 8.17.9

dichotomy

di·chot·o·my (d-kt-m)

n. pl. di·chot·o·mies

1. Division into two usually contradictory parts or opinions: “the dichotomy of the one and the many” (Louis Auchincloss).

2. Astronomy The phase of the moon, Mercury, or Venus when half of the disk is illuminated.

3. Botany Branching characterized by successive forking into two approximately equal divisions.


[Greek dikhotomi, from dikhotomos, divided in two : dikho-, dicho- + temnein, to cut; see tem- in Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Noun

1.

dichotomy – being twofold; a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses; “the dichotomy between eastern and western culture”

categorisation, categorization, classification – a group of people or things arranged by class or category

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

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Posted on August 17, 2009 by admin

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Word of the Day 8.16.9

palpable

pal·pa·ble (plp-bl)

adj.

1. Capable of being handled, touched, or felt; tangible: “Anger rushed out in a palpable wave through his arms and legs”(Herman Wouk).

2. Easily perceived; obvious: “There was a palpable sense of expectation in the court” (Nelson DeMille). See Synonyms at perceptible.

3. Medicine That can be felt by palpating: a palpable tumor.


[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin palpbilis, from Latin palpre, to touch gently; see pl- in Indo-European roots.]


palpa·bili·ty n.

palpa·bly adv.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Adj.

1.

palpable – capable of being perceived; especially capable of being handled or touched or felt; “a barely palpable dust”; “felt sudden anger in a palpable wave”; “the air was warm and close–palpable as cotton”; “a palpable lie”

perceptible – capable of being perceived by the mind or senses; “a perceptible limp”; “easily perceptible sounds”; “perceptible changes in behavior”

impalpable – imperceptible to the senses or the mind; “an impalpable cloud”; “impalpable shadows”; “impalpable distinctions”; “as impalpable as a dream”

2.

palpable – can be felt by palpation; “a palpable tumor”

medical specialty, medicine – the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques

perceptible – capable of being perceived by the mind or senses; “a perceptible limp”; “easily perceptible sounds”; “perceptible changes in behavior”

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

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Posted on August 16, 2009 by admin

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Word of the Day 8.15.9

amalgamate

a·mal·ga·mate (-mlg-mt)

v. a·mal·ga·mat·ed, a·mal·ga·mat·ing, a·mal·ga·mates

v.tr.

1. To combine into a unified or integrated whole; unite. See Synonyms at mix.

2. To mix or alloy (a metal) with mercury.

v.intr.

1. To become combined; unite.

2. To unite or blend with another metal.


a·malga·mative adj.

a·malga·mator n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Verb

1.

amalgamate – to bring or combine together or with something else; “resourcefully he mingled music and dance”

alter, change, modify – cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; “The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city”; “The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue”

aggregate, combine – gather in a mass, sum, or whole

concoct – make a concoction (of) by mixing

combine, compound – combine so as to form a whole; mix; “compound the ingredients”

blend, immingle, intermingle, intermix – combine into one; “blend the nuts and raisins together”; “he blends in with the crowd”; “We don’t intermingle much”

Adj.

1.

amalgamate – joined together into a whole; “United Industries”; “the amalgamated colleges constituted a university”; “a consolidated school”

united – characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity; “presented a united front”

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

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Posted on August 15, 2009 by admin

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Word of the Day 8.14.9

Disavowal

dis·a·vow (ds-vou)

tr.v. dis·a·vowed, dis·a·vow·ing, dis·a·vows

To disclaim knowledge of, responsibility for, or association with.


[Middle English disavowen, from Old French desavouer : des-, dis- + avouer, to avow; see avow.]


disa·vowa·ble adj.

disa·vowal n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Noun

1.

disavowal – denial of any connection with or knowledge of

denial – the act of refusing to comply (as with a request); “it resulted in a complete denial of his privileges”

abjuration, recantation, retraction – a disavowal or taking back of a previous assertion

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

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Posted on August 14, 2009 by admin

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Word of the Day 8.13.9

stripling

strip·ling (strplng)

n.

An adolescent youth.


[Middle English, possibly from strip, strip; see strip2.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Noun

1.

stripling – a juvenile between the onset of puberty and maturity

juvenile, juvenile person – a young person, not fully developed

chebab – a Palestinian juvenile 10-15 years old who fights against the Israelis

mod – a British teenager or young adult in the 1960s; noted for their clothes consciousness and opposition to the rockers

pachuco – a Mexican-American teenager who belongs to a neighborhood gang and who dresses in showy clothes

punk rocker, punk – a teenager or young adult who is a performer (or enthusiast) of punk rock and a member of the punk youth subculture

rocker – a teenager or young adult in the 1960s who wore leather jackets and rode motorcycles

young buck, young man – a teenager or a young adult male

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

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Posted on August 13, 2009 by admin

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Word of the Day 8.12.9

eminent

em·i·nent (m-nnt)

adj.

1. Of high rank, station, or quality; noteworthy: eminent members of the community.

2. Outstanding, as in character or performance; distinguished: an eminent historian. See Synonyms at noted.

3. Towering or standing out above others; prominent: an eminent peak.


[Middle English, from Latin minns, minent-, present participle of minre, to stand out : -, ex-, ex- + -minre, to jut out; see men-2 in Indo-European roots.]


emi·nent·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Adj.

1.

eminent – standing above others in quality or position; “people in high places”; “the high priest”; “eminent members of the community”

superior – of or characteristic of high rank or importance; “a superior ruler”

2.

eminent – of imposing height; especially standing out above others; “an eminent peak”; “lofty mountains”; “the soaring spires of the cathedral”; “towering icebergs”

high – (literal meaning) being at or having a relatively great or specific elevation or upward extension (sometimes used in combinations like `knee-high’); “a high mountain”; “high ceilings”; “high buildings”; “a high forehead”; “a high incline”; “a foot high”

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

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Posted on August 12, 2009 by admin

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