Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Z

zeitgeist -- ambience, the spirit of time; the spirit characteristic of an age or generation

Y

X

W

wispy -- person wih small weak arms and legs

U

ubiquitous
usurper -- one who wrongfully seizes or holds the place of another
unctuous -- soap adi-kiyaa unrequited -- unreciprocated

V

verruca
visceral -- intenal organs, obtained thru in tuittion rather than reasoning
vestibule -- foyer

T

tepid -- lukewarm, lack of enthusiasm
terse --
trill -- the sound created when you pronounce the letter "r" witha rapid flutter of tongue against the palate
turncoat -- a disloyal person who betrays his cause, beliefs etc
tundra -- the plain in artic region which is mainly covered in ice

S

Segue -- proceed without interruption (especially while talking or singing)
Shenanigans -- mischiefs, deviltries, reckless behaviour, use of tricks usually to extract money
sidestep -- avoid, duck, dodge
sibilant --
Schmaltz
scrupulous -- honest, attention to detailrifle -- look thru someone else's belongings in search
shirking -- evade duty
skirted -- pass around
slalom
soliloquizing
Splutter
stone-walling -- stall
subsume -- include
subterfuge -- Something intended to misrepresent the true nature of an activity
subvent -- provide financial support
surfeit -- state of being more than full, oversupply, etc

R

rancour -- rancour
rapplle
raparations -- compensation for loss or injury
recalcitrant -- marked by stubborn resistance
rehash -- mere rework or an old copy
resignation -- surrender, acceptance of despair
resile -- pull out of an agreement
repeal -- cancel offically
riffing -- make a comment/ look through a book

P

parsimonious -- excessively thrifty
pie in the sky -- A promise of heaven in some vague future while suffering today.
placebos -- medicinal drug
placket -- A piece of cloth sewn under an opening (like your underwear pocket)
plastered -- very drunk
play on words -- NRI becoming Not required indians
plume
Prelude
propitiation -- The act of placating and overcoming distrust and animosity
Purgatory -- a temporary condition of torment or suffering
Putrid -- highly decomposed
Pinata -- Plaything stuffed with toys and candy, suspended from a height for blindfolded children to break

Q

quasi -- almost similar in resemblance
quiescence -- dormancy, state of restfulness

O

on the morrow
obeisance -- the act of obeying
orb -- spherical shaped object
oligarchy -- A political system governed by a few people
Ostensibly -- in appearance, not the fact
Ostentatious -- vulagr...showy

I

iconoclastic -- unorthodox; against traditional established views
inchoate -- imperfectly formed ("An inchoate idea")
indiscretions -- petty misdeed
indomitable
Ineffable -- cannot be described
infallible
infraction -- a crime less serious than a felony
ingratiating -- (adj) trying to gain favour through deliberate means
innocuous
insignia -- badge
insolvency -- lack of financial resources
impunity -- exempted from punishment
Ides - the 15th day of Mar, May, Jul or Oct or the 13th of any other month
interred -- placed in grave

N

nepotism

M

macabre -- inspiring horror
mea culpa -- acknowledgement of one's guilt (offered a mea culpa to the victim's family)
melding
moat -- ditch dug and filled with water
moribund -- being on the point of death; flag end
mottled -- patchy coloured
mound -- Structure consisting of an artificial heap or bank usually of earth or stones/ small natural hill
mulch -- layer of rotten vegetables spread to prvent soil erosion
myriad -- large number
microcosm -- a miniature model of something

L

layabout -- person who does no work
limbo
louse
laissez-faire -- Adj: with minimal government intervention in commerce
Noun: The doctrine that government should not interfere in commercial affairs

K

keister

J

jigoism

H

hocking
harbinger -- Something that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someone
hyperbole -- exaggeration
heretical -- dissident, departure from accepted beliefs or standards
hector -- be bossy towards
hedonism -- The pursuit of pleasure as a matter of ethical principle

G

gamy --
gantlet -- A glove with long sleeves
gazebo -- summerhouse
gentry -- aristrocracy
graft -- bribe

F

fervent -- characterized by intense emotion "A fervent desire to change society"
fervour -- feelings of great warmth and intensty
foibles -- idiosyncrasies
foolhardy -- defiant disregard for danger or consequences
forage -- look for food
fortitude
frugal
facsimile -- exact copy
furlough -- temporary leave or absence from military, grant leave
(The prisoner was granted furlough to meet his ailing mother)

E

efficacy -- capacity or power to produce the desired effect
encumbrance -- hindrance
ensconced -- fix firmly
excoriate -- express strong disapproval of
eviscerate
evocative

D

de jure -- opposite of de facto
debauchery
decal -- stickers on paper which can then be transferred to another surface
Deciduous and coniferous
de-facto --- lawfully or not (antonym -- de jure)
deference -- give in to , compliance
demagogue -- An orator who appeals to the passions and prejudices of his audience
demagoguery -- impassioned appeal,
demimonde -- class of woman not considered respectful becoz of her promiscuous behaviour
deprecation -- A prayer to avert or remove some evil or disaster, The act of expressing disapproval (especially of yourself)
desiccant -- substance that promotes drying, eg. CaO2 (Calcium Oxide)
depredation -- destructive actions
devolve -- Pass on or delegate to another
dole -- charity money received from government
draft dodger -- defector, illegally refusing to serve
deride -- speak in contempt of "He derided his students for not doing their homework"
derision -- the act of ridiculing someone
defenestration -- throw someone or something out the window
depredation -- acting of plundering and maraulding
debunk -- expose while ridiculing
dulcet -- pleasing to the ears (dulcet voice)
diatribe -- thunderous verbal attack
disenfranchise -- deprive of voting rights
dispense -- give or apply
divvied -- share in proportion/ give out one's portion or share

C

cabal -- Noun: A plot to carry out some illegal act
-- Verb: Engage in a conspiracy
carousing
catechism -- series of questions put forward to elicit someones views
catechist -- one who instructs during baptism
chicanery
clemency
cogent -- persuasive
cogitating -- Consider carefully and reflect upon
cohesive
cohort -- A band of warriors, group of people of the same age
comeuppance -- god or bad the deserved outcome
compunction -- remorse
conscientious
conscription -- compulsory military service
conspicuous
contraband
copious -- Plentiful
couturier -- one who designs clothes
cortege -- a funeral procession, The group of ppl following something or someone important
crenellation -- A rampart built around the top of a castle with regular gaps for firing arrows or guns
crick -crack -- the thing u do with ur fingers...cracking them wjen ur tired
cupidity -- craving for material benefits
curio
curdled -- milk curdles if you add lime to it ( change of liquid into solid mass)

B

Beachhead -- An initial accomplishment that opens the way for further developments