The Big Book of Words You Should Know

by David Olsen

To cover thinly with gold; also, to make something appear more valuable or appealing than it actually is.

  Ross attempted to GILD his offer by promising not to lay off current employees for at least two years, but the board’s only question was whether he could match the $630 million figure put forth by the Stradbury group.

  glean (gleen), verb

  To collect; to gain bit by bit; to obtain one piece or morsel at a time.

  Although Mr. Willis never came out and said as much, his secretary was able to GLEAN that he would soon be retiring.

  glib (glib), adjective

  Articulate yet superficial; facile.

  I asked for an analysis of the construction of Shakespeare’s tragedies, but you have turned in a series of GLIB observations on the most famous speeches in the plays.

  globular (GLOB-yoo-lar), adjective

  Spherically shaped. Globular means, primarily, “in the shape of a globe.”

  The best word for “of worldwide interest or applicability” is global.

  Several GLOBULAR lampheads illuminated the room.

  gossamer (GOSS-uh-mer), adjective

  A delicate, floating film of cobwebs; also: thin and light, and therefore reminiscent of gossamer.

  Some mornings, the grass outside our house takes on a GOSSAMER veil.

  grandiloquence (gran-DIL-uh-kwence), noun

  Pompous speech or expression; bombast. Grandiloquence refers to an attitude of haughtiness, especially in one’s means of communication.

  I may not always employ the GRANDILOQUENCE my opponent does, but I believe I have a commonsense solution to the problem he has just outlined.

  graven (GRAY-vuhn), adjective

  Deeply impressed or firmly fixed, such as ideas, concepts, beliefs, etc.

  Although it is not necessarily common throughout the world, freedom of religion is a GRAVEN concept in the United States.

  grievous (GREE-vuss), adjective

  Grave; severe; causing or likely to cause grief.

  Failing to get a tuneup before driving to the shore turned out to be a GRIEVOUS error: I broke down in the middle of nowhere and had to pay a small fortune for a tow truck.

  guild (gild), noun

  A group of people dedicated to common interests or goals; an association of like-minded individuals.

  Although she knew it was only a first step, Andrea couldn’t help feeling that joining the Screen Actors GUILD meant she was on her way to becoming a star.

  guttural (GUTT-er-ul), adjective

  Harsh or raspy; reminiscent of deep sounds produced in the throat. Also: of or pertaining to the throat.

  The dog let out a low, GUTTURAL growl that was likely to give pause to whomever was standing on the other side of the door.

  haiku (HIE-koo), noun

  A Japanese form of poetry. A haiku has three lines of five, seven, and five syllables, and often evokes images from nature.

  Dean even tried his hand at poetry, composing several pleasant HAIKUS for the newsletter.

  hallow (HAL-low), verb

  To establish as holy. To hallow can also be to extend the highest possible honor toward something.

  This ancient burial ground, which is HALLOWED ground to many Native Americans, attracts a few too many tourists for my tastes.

  hapless (HAP-liss), adjective

  Luckless, unfortunate. A hapless person is unlucky.

  Oliver presented a rather HAPLESS figure during his first few days on the job, but he soon mastered his new responsibilities.

  heinous (HAY-nuss), adjective

  Evil; reprehensible. To say something is heinous is to say that it far exceeds the bounds of morality.

  Because of the HEINOUS nature of this crime, I am forced to pass a stern sentence.

  heliocentric (hee-lee-oh-SEN-trick), adjective

  Of or pertaining to the theory that the sun is the center of the solar system; having the sun at the center; also, seen as from the center of the sun.

  At the time Copernicus published his theory that our solar system is HELIOCENTRIC, the orthodox teaching was that the sun and all other planets revolved around the earth.

  heresy (HARE-uh-see), noun

  An instance of espousing religious beliefs contrary to a church doctrine.

  After having been suppressed centuries ago as HERESY, the newly discovered Gospel of Thomas has given scholars and lay readers valuable insights on the teachings of Jesus.

  heretic (HARE-uh-tic), noun

  A person who professes belief in a dogma or system of belief (especially a religion), but differs with a tenet of that system. Heretic is often used more loosely to describe a member of a group or organization who airs opinions that conflict with established principles or routines.

  His stand against the Agency’s involvement in Guatemala led some to brand Clint a HERETIC.

  hiatus (hie-AY-tuss), noun

  An interruption or break. A hiatus is an intermission or break in continuity.

  After a long HIATUS from the stage, Peter auditioned for a role in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

  hobgoblin (HOB-gob-lin), noun

  A goblin purported to engage in mischievous behavior.

  Ever since I read her those fairy stories the other night, my daughter has tried to convince me that a HOBGOBLIN is responsible for every piece of mischief she gets into.

  homily (HOM-uh-lee), noun

  A religious talk or speech, usually given to a congregation; a talk that expounds on religious themes.

  Father Graham’s HOMILY on the power of faith inspired Warren to go home and try to work through his problems with his wife.

  honorific (on-uh-RIFF-ick), adjective

  Describes an official or unofficial title or honor given to someone in order to show him or her respect.

  After he finally managed to land a marlin, we gave my father the HONORIFIC, “the old man,” a reference to Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea.

  hypothesis (hie-POTH-uh-suss), noun

  An educated guess; a proposition; an untested theory put forth to explain something.

  Our task was to test the instructor’s HYPOTHESIS that constant exposure to high-pitched sounds impedes the growth of plants.

  idiosyncrasy (ih-dee-oh-SINK-ruh-see), noun

  A behavioral quirk or eccentricity.

  One of my coworkers likes to engage in a brief round of calisthenics at the top of every hour, a harmless-enough IDIOSYNCRASY.

  idyllic (eye-DILL-ick), adjective

  Pleasing; peaceful; ideal.

  Our IDYLLIC honeymoon in the tropics was interrupted by a tropical hurricane.

  ignominious (ig-no-MIN-ee-uss), adjective

  Shameful or disgraceful. Ignominious is generally used to describe public humiliation or failure.

  Tyrone’s IGNOMINIOUS defeat in court persuaded him to settle his other lawsuits against the company.

  imbibe (im-BIBE), verb

  To drink. Imbibe is generally used to describe the drinking of alcoholic beverages, though it can also carry the meaning “to take in (an idea).”

  Donald once had a drinking problem, but now he no longer IMBIBES.

  imbue (im-BYOO), verb

  To saturate or flow throughout by absorption. Imbue is often used metaphorically to describe the transmission of an idea, feeling, or emotion.

  Bert’s philosophy was IMBUED with the ideas of John Stuart Mill.

  immutable (ih-MYOO-tih-bull), adjective

  Describes something that cannot be changed or something that is changeless.

  Mountains seem so IMMUTABLE that it amazes me to realize they actually do shift and change over the course of millions of years.

  imperious (im-PEER-ee-us), adjective

  Haughty. Also: urgent. Imperious is usually meant to convey a sense of dictatorial arrogance.

  Mrs. Banks rushed around the kitchen, issuing a series of IMPERIOUS commands to the cook.

  imperturbable (im-per-TUHR-buh-bull), adjective

 
Describes someone or something incapable of being agitated or disturbed.

  During the air turbulence, I felt calmer due to my father’s IMPERTURBABLE demeanor.

  imposition (im-puh-ZISH-un), noun

  An instance of inconvenience or the laying on of obligation; the act of causing another to take on a burden.

  I knew full well that our staying with Aunt Sadie for six months was an IMPOSITION, but while the house was being built we really had no other choice.

  impresario (im-pruh-SAHR-ee-o), noun

  A person who organizes or sponsors entertainment or cultural events (such as concerts and plays).

  Quentin’s career as an IMPRESARIO came to an abrupt halt when he lost all his investors’ money on a musical version of Marx’s Das Kapital.

  impunity (im-PYOO-nih-tee), noun

  Freedom from punishment or penalty. Impunity is sometimes confused with impugn (above), especially in its spelling.

  We cannot let such an act of naked aggression stand with IMPUNITY.

  inalienable (in-AY-lee-un-a-buhl), adjective

  Incapable of being taken away.

  Although I have always believed freedom of speech to be the INALIENABLE right of every American, I must admit that the diatribes of those who preach hate and violence against members of my race are awfully tough to stomach.

  inauspicious (in-oss-PISH-uss), adjective

  Accompanied by or predictive of ill luck; not favorable in portent.

  Who could have predicted that from such INAUSPICIOUS beginnings Grant would rise to command great armies and, eventually, lead his nation?

  incandescent (in-kan-DESS-unt), adjective

  Very bright and hot; brilliant, as light or fire. Also: masterly or dynamic, especially with regard to individual creativity.

  An INCANDESCENT lamp is one that emits light as a result of the glowing of a heated material, such as a tungsten filament.

  incendiary (in-SEN-dee-air-ee), adjective

  Flammable. Also, reminiscent of or pertaining to speech or action that is meant to inflame or arouse; deliberately provocative.

  Adam’s INCENDIARY remarks about my mother’s parentage resulted in a bloody nose for him and a night in jail for me.

  incipient (in-SIP-ee-unt), adjective

  Early in development; at a beginning stage.

  Attempting to stave off an INCIPIENT flu, Marsha consumed glass after glass of orange juice.

  incognito (in-cog-NEE-to), adjective

  Hidden or unknown. To intentionally change appearance in such a way as to make one’s real identity unknown is to go incognito.

  The novelist wore sunglasses in hopes of remaining INCOGNITO at restaurants, but he was still pestered by autograph hounds.

  incontrovertible (in-kahn-truh-VER-tuh-bull), adjective

  Not open to question; indisputable.

  The prosecution won the case after introducing INCONTROVERTIBLE evidence.

  incorrigible (in-KORE-ij-uh-bul), adjective

  (Apparently) incapable of being reformed. Incorrigible is often used in a lighthearted, ironic sense.

  Young Pete was an INCORRIGIBLE boy, forever getting into scrapes and causing mischief.

  indemnify (in-DEM-nih-fy), verb

  To protect from or provide compensation for damages. To indemnify is to shield against the loss, destruction, or damage of something.

  This policy INDEMNIFIES my house against fire, flood, and burglary.

  indigent (IN-dih-junt), adjective

  Lacking the essentials of life; impoverished.

  At the shelter, I came across many INDIGENT families who had fallen victim to the failing economy.

  indiscriminate (in-dih-SKRIM-uh-net), adjective

  Lacking clear judgment. Also describes someone or something haphazard and jumbled.

  The INDISCRIMINATE placement of books made it almost impossible to do any successful browsing in the bookshop.

  indolent (IN-duh-lnt), adjective

  Lazy, as a way of life. Someone who is indolent is inactive and unlikely to exert himself.

  Peter, an INDOLENT young man, spent his young days gazing out the window daydreaming.

  inertia (in-UR-shuh), noun

  Sluggishness; the quality of being inert. In physics, inertia is the tendency of an object to resist change (acceleration or change in direction, for instance) unless acted on by an outside force.

  It is not a lack of opportunity that has hampered you, Jackson, but simple INERTIA.

  infidel (IN-fih-del), noun

  A person who does not accede to a particular set of religious beliefs. An infidel is an unbeliever: the word is often used metaphorically to refer to those who are unpersuaded of the wisdom and/or righteousness of a position or principle.

  Because he failed to express the proper enthusiasm for Riley’s campaign proposal, Wilson was regarded as something of an INFIDEL.

  infuse (in-FYUZE), verb

  To fill; to penetrate as if by pouring or soaking.

  The dynamic commissioner INFUSED a new sense of pride into the beleaguered department.

  ingot (ING-gut), noun

  A piece of cast metal, usually in the form of a bar.

  Charlie’s job at the refinery was to inspect the INGOTS coming off conveyor belt number seven.

  innuendo (in-you-ENN-doe), noun

  A subtle intimation; an indirect insinuation.

  Through hints and INNUENDO her opponent managed to plant seeds of doubt about Governor Williams’s past.

  inoculate (ih-NOK-yoo-late), verb

  To facilitate the buildup of resistance to a disease by introducing a minuscule sample of its virus into the body. Inoculate derives from the Latin for “to graft onto.”

  Marie, normally frightened of injections, summoned up all her courage when it came time for the doctor to inoculate her against smallpox.

  insensate (in-SENS-ate), adjective

  Without human feeling, or lacking judgment and good sense.

  Owen’s INSENSATE behavior the morning after their tryst made Amy realize she’ d made a mistake in asking him to stay the night.

  insidious (in-SID-ee-uss), adjective

  Designed to entrap; happening or spreading harmfully but subtly; stealthily and seductively treacherous.

  Mark’s chess games were full of INSIDIOUS traps meant to lull his opponent into a sense of complacency.

  insinuate (in-SIN-you-ate), verb

  To hint at darkly; to suggest (typically, with negative connotations).

  I hope you don’t mean to INSINUATE that my husband is seeing another woman.

  insouciant (in-SOO-see-unt), adjective

  Calm and carefree; indifferent.

  Despite his dire surroundings, Herbert managed to remain INSOUCIANT and at ease.

  insular (IN-suh-ler), adjective

  Like an island . . . detached, standing alone. Typically, insular is used negatively, to suggest that someone has narrow-minded or provincial attitudes about politics, religion, ideas, etc.

  The candidate’s INSULAR views on diplomacy caused him to lose the election.

  integral (IN-tuh-grul), adjective

  Acting as a constituent and essential member of a whole. Integral also carries a number of technical and mathematical definitions not in common usage.

  Jane played an INTEGRAL role in the production’s success.

  intercession (in-ter-SESH-un), noun

  An instance of pleading in favor of another person or party. To intercede is to act or speak in someone’s behalf; intercession is mediation in a conflict in behalf of another.

  France’s INTERCESSION is credited by many with bringing the crisis to a peaceful conclusion.

  interlope (IN-tur-lope), verb

  To intrude; to interfere, meddle, or infringe.

  Eric resented his fraternity brothers’ attempts to INTERLOPE on his romantic evening with Sheena.

  interpolate (in-TUHR-puh-late), verb

  To introduce something foreign between
other parts, such as secretly adding one’s own ideas into a text.

  The speaker was interrupted by an audience member who felt the need to interpolate his views into the panel’s discussion.

  intersperse (in-tur-SPURSE), verb

  To scatter here and there; to distribute or place at intervals.

  INTERSPERSED throughout the studio audience were “clappers” whose sole purpose was to motivate the rest of the crowd into laughing and applauding for the show.

  intransigent (in-TRAN-si-junt), adjective

  Uncompromising; determined to remain beyond appeal or negotiation. Someone unyielding to any change is intransigent.

  The INTRANSIGENT union negotiator seemed fully prepared to see the talks collapse.

  inundate (IN-un-date), verb

  To flood. To inundate is to engulf as in a torrent or flood.

  The operator knew she would be INUNDATED with calls that day.

  inured (in-YOORD), verb

  Accustomed to (hardship or trial).

  After a few months, Melvin became INURED to the paper boy’s habit of tossing the New York Times into the furthest reaches of the front lawn’s tall hedges.

  inviolate (in-VIE-uh-let), adjective

  Solid and strong, incapable of being violated or injured.

  Even after five failed marriages, Jenny remained INVIOLATE in her belief that she would one day find true love.

  iridescent (ear-ih-DESS-unt), adjective

  Possessing rainbowlike colors. Iridescent can also mean “altering in hue when viewed from different angles or moved.”

  The IRIDESCENT light of the prism flooded Newton’s shuttered room.

  irresolute (ihr-REZ-uh-loot), adjective

  Doubtful, waffling, incapable of being firm and resolute.

  The candidate won the election because he was able to create the perception that his opponent was IRRESOLUTE about matters of national security.

  isthmus (ISS-mus), noun

  A narrow strip of land connecting two larger masses of land.

  The geologic evidence suggests that, long ago, an ISTHMUS linked Siberia and Alaska.

  itinerant (eye-TIN-er-unt), adjective

  Describes someone who, or something that, travels from place to place with a purpose.

  While I was between jobs, I worked as an ITINERANT farmer.

  jetsam (JET-sum), noun

  Material thrown overboard to lighten the load of a ship in danger.

  As the ship filled with seawater, Madame Fontaine pleaded with the sailor not to throw her trunk of clothes overboard with the rest of the JETSAM sinking beneath the wild waves.