The Vocabulary Thread

[Matthew Jones]

Vocabulary September 20th

Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Avidity - keen eagerness

Bellicose - favoring or inclined to start quarrels or wars

Billets - a brief letter

Cowslip - a common European primrose with fragrant yellow flowers

Diffident - hesitant in acting or speaking through lack of self-confidence

Source: Oxford English Dictionary:

Doff - to remove an item of clothing

Equanimity - calmness and composure, esp. in a difficult situation

Hackneyed - unoriginal and trite

Ignominious - deserving or causing public disgrace or shame

Magnanimity - generosity

Millstone - a heavy and inescapable responsibility

Ministrations - the provision of assistance or care

Modish - conforming to or following what is currently popular and fashionable

Prevaricate - to act or speak in an evasive way

Ribald - referring to sexual matters in an amusingly rude or irreverent way

Roseate - rose-colored

Sepsis - the presence in tissues of harmful bacteria and their toxins, typically through infection of a wound

Villanelle - a pastoral or lyrical poem of nineteen lines, with only two rhymes throughout, and some lines repeated

Vicissitude - a change of circumstance or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant

[Raiderz4Life]

I like ribald. Imma use that.

[BloodBrother]

curmudgeon

[Jvig43]

apriori( a priori) - Before experience
Facetious- sarcastic, not taking a serious matter seriously.

[Matthew Jones]

Assize – to assess

Astrolabe – an instrument used to make astronomical measurements

Blithe – showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper

Churl – a rude and mean-spirited person

Coy – making a pretense of shyness or modesty which is intended to be alluring

Debonair – confident, stylish, and charming

Deportment – a person’s behavior or manners

Jape – a practical joke; to say or do something in jest or mockery

Mendicant – a beggar

Outrider – a person in a motor vehicle or on horseback who goes in front of or beside a vehicle as an escort or guard

Privity – a relation between two parties that is recognized by law

Victuals – food or provisions

Wanton – deliberate and unprovoked; sexually immodest or promiscuous

[Matthew Jones]

Vocabulary October 9th

All definitions are from the Oxford Dictionary of English.

adroit - clever or skillful

apoplectic - overcome with anger; furious

balustrade - a railing supported by balusters

bleatings - characteristically weak, wavering cries

crocus - a small spring-flowering Eurasian plant of the iris family

debouch - emerge from a confined space into a wide, open area

dinghy - a small boat for recreation or racing

draught - a current of cool air in a room or other confined space

inveterate - having a particular habit, activity, or interest that is long-established and unlikely to change

poplar - a tall, fast-growing tree of north temperate regions

russet - reddish brown in colour

squill - a coastal Mediterranean plant of the lily family

Triton - a minor sea god usually represented as a man with a fish's tail and carrying a trident and shell-trumpet

[Caddy]

[SuperMcGee]

Adroit is one of my most disliked words. But maladroit is one of my favorites.

[eaglesalltheway]

Originally Posted by Caddy

I check in on this every once in a while. Mostly because the english language leaves a lot to be desired, so if I can be as accurate an descriptive in each of my words, it can usually help paint a better picture for the person I'm explaining it to.

[Caddy]

Originally Posted by eaglesalltheway

I check in on this every once in a while. Mostly because the english language leaves a lot to be desired, so if I can be as accurate an descriptive in each of my words, it can usually help paint a better picture for the person I'm explaining it to.

Using the word apoplectic helps nobody explain anything better. Same goes for most of these words. You would just sound like a pretentious asshole.

[eaglesalltheway]

If you go about it like a pretentious asshole, then yes, but there are ways to come off as well educated, while using your vocabulary, without sounding like a pretentious asshole. Its all in how you can make it relate-able to the people you are explaining it to. That being said, a few of these words you almost can't help but sounds pretentious, but there are plenty of words that have been brought up that aren't, and fit into conversations easily, as long as you aren't conversing with a neanderthal.