The Big Book of Words You Should Know

by David Olsen

  Scrooge's SPECTRAL visitors take different forms, but each is interested in the same thing: the redemption of the old man’s heart.

  spiel (shpeel), noun

  A long, extravagant argument or speech designed to persuade.

  I let the salesman recite his SPIEL just to be polite, but the guy impressed me so much I ended up buying a vacuum cleaner.

  spinster (SPIN-ster), noun

  A single woman, especially a middle-aged one. Spinster usually carries negative connotations of unattractiveness and being past one’s prime; there is no parallel expression that carries the same sense about an unmarried man.

  Although Charles had expected a gathering of SPINSTERS at the club meeting, be was greeted at the door by none other than the starting quarterback for the local college football team.

  sporadic (spo-RAD-ik), adjective

  Irregular. That which occurs at unpredictable intervals is sporadic.

  SPORADIC gunfire echoed down the streets all night.

  spurn (spurn), verb

  To reject with disdain.

  Ginger had thought of trying to locate the child she had given up for adoption fifteen years before, but she was afraid he would SPURN her attempts to see him.

  squall (skwall), noun

  A sudden, violent burst of wind often accompanied by snow or rain.

  Although it wasn’t snowing all that hard, we had to delay our trip because the SQUALLS made visibility too poor for safe driving on the hill’s narrow roads.

  stalemate (STALE-mate), noun

  In chess, a condition in which neither side is in checkmate and the game cannot proceed because no legal move can be made; also, any situation in which progress, movement, or negotiation has becomes impossible.

  I thought I had beaten Joreth when I captured the knight he had left undefended, but he was such a strong player that he was able to maneuver a STALEMATE.

  stalwart (STOL-wert), adjective

  Firm of purpose; steadfast. Stalwart can also mean courageous.

  Because the flight had been delayed by more than ten hours, only the most STALWART fans stayed up to greet the rock group at the airport.

  stationary (STAY-shun-air-ee), adjective

  Unmoving; fixed in place. (See, for comparison, the entry for stationery.)

  Although the cart was designed to be wheeled freely, a set of clamps could be engaged that would allow it to serve as a STATIONARY post for nurses’ supplies.

  stationery (STAY-shun-air-ee), noun

  Writing paper. (See, for comparison, the entry for stationary.)

  Following her wedding, Amy had STATIONERY embossed with her married name.

  stereotype (STAIR-ee-o-type), noun and verb

  A commonly accepted notion that presents an oversimplified or inaccurate viewpoint (of a racial group’s behavior, for instance). As a verb, to stereotype someone is to assign him characteristics in keeping with a popular image of the group he belongs to, whether or not he possesses those characteristics.

  Most salespeople resent the STEREOTYPE of their profession as serpentine and ruthless.

  stoke (stoke), verb

  To poke or feed (a fire); to supply with fuel.

  My opponent’s remarks are meant to STOKE the fires of intolerance, not help us learn to live with one another.

  stucco (STUCK-oh), noun

  A plaster or cement wall finish.

  The real estate agent explained that STUCCO homes were very popular in this area of southern California.

  stupefy (STOO-puh-fie), verb

  To make numb with amazement; to stun into helplessness.

  The prospect of working until the morning hours left me STUPEFIED, but there was no alternative.

  subjective (sub-JEK-tiv), adjective

  Originating in one’s personal observation. To say that something is subjective is to say that it may be influenced by individual prejudice and represents only a particular person’s viewpoint.

  Mind you, this is only a SUBJECTIVE observation, but my feeling is that that restaurant serves the worst Chinese food in the city.

  sublime (suh-BLYME), adjective

  Grand or lofty. That which is splendid is sublime.

  Many people can make a pretty good pot of spaghetti; mine, however, is SUBLIME.

  subsequent (SUB-suh-kwunt), adjective

  After; following in time.

  The butler at first denied that he’ d had anything to do with the murder, but the SUBSEQUENT testimony of three witnesses eventually convinced him to confess.

  subservient (sub-SER-vee-unt), adjective

  Bending to the will of another. Someone who is subservient is servile.

  Stan always became meek and SUBSERVIENT in his boss’s presence.

  subsistence (sub-SIST-unce), noun

  The means required to support one’s existence.

  Mr. Best, I’ve gone five years without a raise, and inflation has turned what was once a reasonable wage into a SUBSISTENCE-level compensation.

  subvert (sub-VUHRT), verb

  To undermine, corrupt, or overthrow.

  Sherry considers herself a rebel because she loves to SUBVERT society’s traditions.

  suffrage (SUFF-rudge), noun

  The right to vote.

  Today’s apathetic voters (or, more precisely, nonvoters) seem to have little appreciation of how hard previous generations had to fight for the principle of universal SUFFRAGE.

  sultry (SUL-tree), adjective

  Very hot and moist; characterized by heat. Also: likely to arouse passion or romance.

  I passed the SULTRY summer evenings in a beach chair with a margarita in hand, staring out at the expanse of tropical ocean.

  sundry (SUN-dree), adjective

  Various. Sundry can also mean “an unspecified number more than two.”

  SUNDRY inexpensive plastic items were spread out on a table at the front of the store.

  superdelegate (SOO-per-del-uh-get), noun

  An elected party official or a party leader chosen to a national political convention as an uncommitted delegate.

  The SUPERDELEGATE had to decide the winner of the hotly-contested primary.

  superfluous (soo-PER-floo-uss), adjective

  Unnecessary. That which exceeds what is essential is superfluous.

  The film’s long production number was eventually cut from the final version because test audiences felt it was SUPERFLUOUS to the main plot.

  superlative (soo-PER-luh-tiv), adjective

  To the highest possible degree. Something that is superlative is of surpassing quality or power.

  Boris’s SUPERLATIVE skills as a chess player are well known around campus.

  supplant (suh-PLANT), verb

  To replace with something—or someone—else.

  After Linda moved in, Roy found many of his most-treasured pieces of unique—some might say ugly—artwork SUPPLANTED with tasteful, traditional watercolors.

  surly (SUR-lee), adjective

  Sullen; gruff; morose.

  Shiela, in the SURLY mood that accompanies her every working morning since the divorce, barked that I had no right to ask her for the report that was due last week.

  surrogate (SUR-uh-gut), noun

  One who acts in the place of another. Surrogate is derived from a Latin verb meaning “to nominate in one’s place.”

  Although he was not related to Eric, Dean found himself acting as a SURROGATE brother to him.

  surveillance (sur-VAY-lunce), noun

  An instance of watching something closely, usually in a scrutinizing fashion.

  The police set up SURVEILLANCE in the house across the street from the escaped con’s girlfriend, as they were sure he would try to visit her.

  sustenance (SUS-tuh-nunce), noun

  Means of supporting life.

  After the bombing, the city’s hungry occupants wandered through nearby wooded areas in search of SUSTENANCE.

  swelter (SWEL-tur), verb

  To su
ffer from extreme heat.

  Jasmine and I found ourselves lost in the middle of the jungle, SWELTERING in the tropical heat.

  symmetry (SIM-ih-tree), noun

  The quality of showing complementary forms or aesthetically pleasing proportions. Symmetry is structural balance.

  The sculpture’s lack of SYMMETRY is unnerving to the casual observer, and that is exactly what the artist has in mind.

  symposium (sim-POSE-ee-um), noun

  A meeting for discussion; especially, a gathering of experts before an audience whose members may pose questions.

  The SYMPOSIUM was a disaster; both professors arrived an hour late, after most of the audience had given up and left.

  synchronize (SINK-ruh-nize), verb

  To cause something to take place at the exact same time (as another event); to cause to occur in unison.

  As this is an operation requiring the utmost accuracy from all team members, I suggest we SYNCHRONIZE watches now before beginning our assignments.

  synonym (SIN-uh-nim), noun

  A word with a meaning similar or identical to that of another word in a language.

  “Masculine” and “male” are SYNONYMS.

  synopsis (sih-NOP-sis), noun

  A summary. A synopsis is a brief recounting of the principal points of something.

  A full SYNOPSIS of the play’s plot would give away a delightful surprise ending, so I will not attempt one here.

  taboo (tuh-BOO), noun

  Anything deemed absolutely unacceptable or immoral by a social order. Also: forbidden or off-limits.

  Anthropologists have found that incest is a universal TABOO in human culture.

  tactile (TACK-tul), adjective

  Of or pertaining to the sense of touch.

  At this stage, your baby’s need for TACTILE stimulation is intense; she must be held, stroked, and cuddled regularly.

  talkathon (TALK-uh-thon), noun

  An extended speech or discourse, especially one featuring excessive posturing.

  I was told that this meeting was meant to explore the pros and cons of locating the waste site near our town, but I see we’ve moved toward a TALKATHON on the long-term benefits of the nuclear power industry.

  tam-o’-shanter (TAM-o-shan-ter), noun

  A floppy Scottish hat with a tight headband.

  Angus MacGregor, a man fiercely proud of his heritage, usually took the opportunity of a company picnic to don a kilt and TAM-O’-SHANTER and play his bagpipe.

  tandem (TAN-dum), adjective

  One after another. To walk in tandem is to walk in single file.

  We gave Mom and Dad a TANDEM bicycle for Christmas this year.

  tangible (TAN-juh-bull), adjective

  Real; touchable. That which exists corporeally is tangible.

  The prosecution has offered many theories and speculations, but no TANGIBLE evidence linking my client to the murder.

  taut (taut), adjective

  Tight; firm.

  This toy telephone will not work unless you pull the tin cans far enough apart to make the string TAUT.

  teem (team), verb

  To abound or swarm.

  I was nauseated by the sight of ants TEEMING all over a discarded hot dog bun.

  teetotaler (tee-TOE-tuh-ler), noun

  Someone who does not drink alcohol under any circumstances. Teetotaler was formed from the verb teetotal, coined during the Temperance movement of the nineteenth century.

  No wine for me, thanks; I’ve been a TEETOTALER since high school.

  telegenic (tell-uh-JEN-ic), adjective

  Likely to make a good appearance on television.

  When he’s not doing his newscast, he’s awkward and withdrawn, but once the camera is on, Lenny comes across as appealing, confident, and incredibly TELEGENIC.

  teleprompter (TEL-uh-promp-tur), noun

  An automated means of displaying lines to be read by actors. The teleprompter is a device used in place of cue cards.

  The show’s most amusing moment—the failure of the TELEPROMPTER that forced actors to improvise—had had nothing to do with its script.

  temper (TEM-per), verb

  To moderate or lessen the impact or harshness of something.

  Tom TEMPERED his harsh words with a warm smile.

  tempo (TEM-po), noun

  The speed or pace of something (particularly, of music).

  Our aerobics instructor will only play music with a fast TEMPO and a strong beat, although there are times, generally after a hard day at work, when I feel like introducing her to the wonders of Mantovani.

  tenacious (tuh-NAY-shuss), adjective

  Unyielding; stubborn. Someone who is tenacious is hard put to give up.

  Bill was a tough campaigner who put up a TENACIOUS fight for the nomination, but in the end he came up short.

  tentative (TEN-tuh-tiv), adjective

  Given to or showing hesitation; lacking in resolution or consistency.

  The parents were able to capture their child’s first TENTATIVE steps on videotape.

  tenure (TEN-yur), noun

  The holding of a post or property, especially with regard to status as a permanent employee. Tenure can also refer to the period such a post is held.

  After sixteen years in the department, Professor Milligan was finally granted TENURE.

  terse (turce), adjective

  Pithy; brief; concise.

  Although I tried to pump Jim for information about his new girlfriend, his TERSE answers were a polite way of letting me know it was none of my business.

  than (than or then), conjunctive

  A conjunction used to introduce the second element of an unequal comparison. (See, for comparison, the entry for then.)

  Bert is shorter THAN Velma is.

  then (then), adverb

  At that time. (See, for comparison, the entry for than.)

  You should have known me back THEN!

  their (thare), pronoun

  Belonging to that group. (See, for comparison, the entries for there and they’re.)

  Many celebrities zealously guard THEIR privacy.

  therapeutic (thare-uh-PYOO-tik), adjective

  Having to do with cures for illness. That which is remedial is therapeutic.

  The problem is not physical illness, but stress; I think you will find that a weekend in the country will have a strong THERAPEUTIC effect.

  there (thare), adverb

  In that place. (See, for comparison, the entries for their and they’re.)

  Although I’ve always wanted to visit Barcelona, I’ve never found the time or money I needed to vacation THERE.

  they’re (thare), pronoun contraction

  They are. (See, for comparison, the entries for their and there.)

  Mom and Dad just told me that THEY’RE planning to renovate the dining room.

  threshold (THRESH-old), noun

  An entranceway; a piece of stone or wood positioned under a doorway; also, the beginning or initiation of anything.

  Those who were present for the final meeting agreed afterward that the countries had reached a new THRESHOLD in trade relations.

  throng (throng), noun

  A large crowd.

  As the desperate editor stood on the tenth-floor ledge, a THRONG of spectators gathered on the street below.

  tiered (teerd), adjective

  Constructed or arranged in layers or levels.

  In talking to bakeries about a wedding cake for my daughter, I was flabbergasted to learn that some of the elaborate TIERED cakes cost over a thousand dollars.

  tint (tint), noun and verb

  A color or a degree of a color; a slight variation in shade. As a verb: to add or alter color, generally in a subtle way.

  My mother was aghast when my sister Cassandra came back from her first semester at college with her golden-blonde-hair TINTED a pale orange.

  tirade (TIE-raid), noun

  An extended outburst of harsh talk. Someone wh
o delivers a tirade gives a lengthy, overblown speech.

  I did not come here to listen to a TIRADE about how inconsiderate my son is in class.

  titanic (tie-TAN-ic), adjective

  Of enormous strength, influence, or size.

  The TITANIC explosion in the movie’s final scene required several hundred pounds of dynamite and was filmed from eleven different angles.

  titillate (TIT-ih-late), verb

  To arouse or excite in a pleasing way. Something that titillates tickles one’s fancy.

  These stories about the sex lives of past presidents may be TITILLATING, but they wouldn’t have passed for hard news in my day.

  topical (TOP-ih-kuhl), adjective

  Having to do with issues of current or local interest.

  Glenda is always reading magazines so she can keep up with TOPICAL issues and have something to say when encountering new clients.

  torrential (to-REN-shul), adjective

  Reminiscent of or pertaining to severe storms. That which is intense or unyieldingly powerful is torrential.

  A TORRENTIAL rain kept the children inside all day.

  torrid (TORE-id), adjective

  Parching and burning, like desert heat, or ardent and passionate, like love.

  Their TORRID affair began when they met at a business convention.

  torte (tort), noun

  A cake made with eggs and very little flour. A torte has nothing to do with a tort (See within.)

  Mrs. Carrigan’s Linzer TORTES are the best I have ever tasted.

  totter (TOT-tur), verb

  To walk or move with unsteady steps; to sway at ground level.

  The sight of Mr. Bass TOTTERING home from another night at Mulvaney’s Pub was enough to make a teetotaler out of anyone.

  tousle (TAU-zul), verb

  To muss up or dishevel.

  Lynne admired the model’s TOUSLED hair, but she knew that what looked sexy on a long, elegant face like that would look like an accident with a blender on her.

  tout (towt), verb

  To publicize in a boastful, extravagant manner.

  The studio TOUTED its latest picture as “the greatest story ever told.”

  trajectory (truh-JEK-tuh-ree), noun

  The curving path followed by a projectile in flight.

  The bullet’s TRAJECTORY from the warehouse window would be completely consistent with the injury suffered by the victim, Your Honor.

  transgression (trans-GRESH-un), noun

  A violation of a rule. To break a law or guideline is to commit a transgression.