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Permalink Reply by Donnie Ashok on October 16, 2011 at 7:49pm

16-10-2011

 

1. apposite

\AP-uh-zit\ , adjective;

 

Being of striking appropriateness and relevance; very applicable; apt.

Usage:
The author gives the diagramed example, which is decidedly humorous though not entirely apposite.

-- Alan Truscott, "Bridge", New York Times, September 18, 1995

Origin:

Apposite comes from Latin appositus, past participle of apponere, "to set or put near," from ad-, "to, toward" + ponere, "to put, to place."

 

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Permalink Reply by Donnie Ashok on October 16, 2011 at 7:51pm

16-10-2011

 

2. lacuna

 \luh-KYOO-nuh\ , noun;

plural lacunae \luh-KYOO-nee\ or lacunas

 

A blank space; a missing part; a gap.

Usage:

Like most other writers of his generation, he was a profoundly apolitical being, not from any lacuna in his education but as a matter of principle.

-- Walter Laqueur, "The Artist in Politics", New York Times, May 15, 1983

Origin:

Lacuna is from the Latin lacuna, "a cavity, a hollow," from lacus, "a hollow."

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Permalink Reply by Donnie Ashok on October 16, 2011 at 7:55pm

16-10-2011

3. prevaricate

 \prih-VAIR-uh-kayt\ , intransitive verb;

 

To depart from or evade the truth; to speak with equivocation.

Usage:

The leadership's perennial obsession with secrecy led it to prevaricate about the extent of the disease in the capital for five months.

-- Roderick Macfarquhar, "Unhealthy Politics", Newsweek International, May 12, 2003

Origin:

Prevaricate derives from the past participle of Latin praevaricari, "to pass in front of, or over, by straddling; to walk crookedly; to collude," from prae, "before, in front of" + varicare, "to straddle," fromvaricus, "straddling," from varus, "bent."

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Permalink Reply by Donnie Ashok on October 17, 2011 at 9:06pm

17-10-2011

 

1. frangible

 \FRAN-juh-buhl\ , adjective;

 

Capable of being broken; brittle; fragile; easily broken.

 

 

Usage:
She and her frangible heart.

 

Origin:

Frangible ultimately derives from Latin frangere, "to break."

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Permalink Reply by Donnie Ashok on October 17, 2011 at 9:10pm

17-10-2011

 

2. plenipotentiary

 \plen-uh-puh-TEN-shee-air-ee; -shuh-ree\ ,

adjective; 

Containing or conferring full power; invested with full power; as, "plenipotentiary license; plenipotentiary ministers."

noun:

A person invested with full power to transact any business; especially, an ambassador or diplomatic agent with full power to negotiate a treaty or to transact other business.

 

 

Usage:

At that time, Egypt was our protectorate, which meant the High Commissioner was the plenipotentiary of George V and carried independent authority.

-- David Freeman, One of Us

 

 

Origin:

Plenipotentiary derives from Latin plenus, "full" + potens, "powerful."

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Permalink Reply by Donnie Ashok on October 17, 2011 at 9:13pm

17-10-2011

 

3. evince

\ih-VIN(T)S\ , transitive verb;

 

To show in a clear manner; to manifest; to make evident; to bring to light.

 

 

Usage:

The study showed that girls were better prepared for class, had better attendance records, and evincedmore positive academic behavior overall.

-- Christina Hoff Sommers, The War Against Boys

 

 

Origin:

Evince is from Latin evincere, "to conquer entirely, to prevail over, to prove irresistibly," from e- (here used intensively) + vincere, "to conquer."

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Permalink Reply by Donnie Ashok on October 18, 2011 at 6:17pm

18-10-2011

 

1. machination

 \mack-uh-NAY-shuhn; mash-\ , noun;

 

The act of plotting.

 

A crafty scheme; a cunning design or plot intended to accomplish some usually evil end.

Usage:

George was telling me how India could have been richer than the States and Kingdom combined, but for the machinations of the evil politicians people voted to power.

Origin:

Machination derives from Latin machinatio, "a contrivance, a cunning device, a machination," frommachinari, "to contrive, to devise, especially to plot evil." It is related to machine, from Latin machina, "any artificial contrivance for performing work." To machinate is to devise a plot, or engage in plotting. One who machinates is a machinator.

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Permalink Reply by Donnie Ashok on October 18, 2011 at 6:20pm

18-10-2011

 

2. verboten

 \ver-BOHT-n\ , adjective;

 

Forbidden, as by law; prohibited.

Usage:

I'd observed several people taking photographs of these with their camera-phones, although a sign on a tripod just inside the door announced that all photography was verboten.

Origin:

Verboten is from German, past participle of verbieten, to forbid, from Middle High German, which derives from Old High German farbiotan.

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Permalink Reply by Donnie Ashok on October 18, 2011 at 6:22pm

18-10-2011

 

3. penchant

 \PEN-chunt\ , noun;

 

Inclination; decided taste; a strong liking.



Usage:

Field, in his personal comportment, maintained apenchant for austerity, a contempt for frivolity, and a "steely cold" disdain for any decision not based on fundamental business principles.

-- Roland Marchand, Creating the Corporate Soul

Origin:

Penchant comes from the present participle of French pencher, "to incline, to bend," from (assumed) Late Latin pendicare, "to lean," from Latin pendere, "to weigh."

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Permalink Reply by Donnie Ashok on October 19, 2011 at 9:08pm

19-10-2011

1. venal

\VEE-nuhl\ , adjective;

Capable of being bought or obtained for money or other valuable consideration; held for sale; salable; purchasable.

Capable of being corrupted.

Marked by or associated with bribery and corrupt dealings.

Usage:

Yes everything is venal in this world, however sometimes you need to make right bids.

Origin:

Venal comes from the Latin venalis, from venum, "sale." It is related to vendor and vending machine. Be careful not to confuse it with venial, "easily excused or forgiven."

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Permalink Reply by Donnie Ashok on October 19, 2011 at 9:11pm

19-10-2011

2. obviate

  \OB-vee-ayt\ , transitive verb;

To prevent by interception; to anticipate and dispose of or make unnecessary.

Usage:
M-36 the nuclear missile was designed only to obviate asteroids however devilish those may be.

On the positive side, a flood of cheap imports could help hold down inflation and obviate the need for higher interest rates.

-- Richard W. Stevenson and David E. Sanger, "Asian CrisisCould Wreak Havoc on Balance of Trade", New York Times, December 20, 1997

Origin:

Obviate derives from Latin obviare, "to meet or encounter," from ob viam, "placed or coming in the way" (ob, "in front of"; via, "way").

 

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Permalink Reply by Donnie Ashok on October 19, 2011 at 9:32pm

19-10-2011

 

3. mellifluous

  \muh-LIF-loo-us\ , adjective;

Flowing as with honey; smooth; flowing sweetly or smoothly; as, a mellifluous voice.


Usage:
George's mellifluous voice had such a soothing sensation that it felt like honey to me, and I would never forget those lines.

Origin:

Mellifluous comes from Latin mellifluus, from mel, (gen. mellis) "honey" + -fluus "flowing," from fluere "to flow."

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