The Big Book of Words You Should Know

by David Olsen

  The author’s weak grasp of Greek history is demonstrated by several embarrassing ANACHRONISMS in the book’s very first chapter.

  ancillary (AN-se-lare-ree), adjective

  Secondary or subordinate; serving an auxiliary or supportive function. An ancillary role is a role that does not “command the spotlight,” but that may entail support duties of some importance.

  He took a great deal of pride in his work, even though the pay was poor and most of his duties were ANCILLARY to those of the regional director.

  anemic (uh-NEE-mik), adjective

  Of or pertaining to a medical condition in which one’s blood is deficient in red corpuscles; also, extraordinarily weak.

  I made a few ANEMIC efforts to get some work done last night, but I couldn’t really focus on the job at hand.

  annunciate (uh-NUN-see-ate), verb

  To proclaim or announce. Annunciate is a more formal, sometimes religiously oriented way to express the idea of proclaiming or announcing.

  The ANNUNCIATION of the Virgin Mary figures importantly in Catholicism.

  antediluvian (an-ti-de-LOO-vee-en), adjective

  Pertaining to the period prior to the Great Flood recounted in the Bible. Figuratively, antediluvian has come to mean woefully out-of-date or extremely old-fashioned.

  Rachel’s ideas are outmoded, but those in Paul’s report are practically ANTEDILUVIAN.

  aperitif (uh-pair-uh-TEEF), noun

  An alcoholic beverage consumed before a meal.

  The clock struck six o’clock and the guests at the dinner party were served APERITIFS.

  apoplectic (ap-uh-PLECK-tic), adjective

  An “apoplexy” is a stroke, but apoplectic often is used to describe an extremely agitated state of rage.

  Fred’s carelessness can make me so APOPLECTIC that I just want to stomp him into jelly.

  apotheosis (uh-POTH-ee-oh-sis), noun

  A perfect example; the epitome of a person, place, thing, etc. Also, apotheosis can mean something or someone elevated to god-like status.

  No, Bob, I can’t agree that death metal is the APOTHEOSIS of rock ‘n’ roll.

  appellation (ap-puh-LAY-shun), noun

  Title or name. An appelation is the formal name of something.

  I wish you would stop calling me Doctor; I have never gone by that APPELATION.

  apprise (uh-PRIZE), verb

  To notify; to cause to be aware of. (See, for comparison, the entry for appraise.)

  Have you been APPRISED of the most recent news from home?

  approbation (ap-ruh-BAY-shun), noun

  Official approval or commendation.

  Tim felt his boss’s APPROBATION was even better than a raise since she was usually so hard to please.

  apropos (ap-ruh-POE), adverb

  Opportunely; as an apt point. The structure is typically apropos of . . . , meaning “speaking of . . .” or “with regard to . . .” The word comes from the French for “to the purpose of . . .”

  APROPOS of our vacation, it occurs to me that we haven’t yet selected a hotel in Honolulu.

  aquiline (ACK-wuh-line), adjective

  Resembling an eagle or curving like an eagle’s beak.

  Neil wasn’t sure that it was a compliment when Julie described his features as AQUILINE.

  arbiter (AR-bi-ter), noun

  A person selected to judge or mediate an issue in dispute. An arbiter is the person assigned the power to make a final decision. A person selected to rule definitively on a salary dispute, for example, would be an arbiter.

  It is not my plan to ask an ARBITER to step in; I firmly believe you and I can settle this amicably between ourselves.

  arcane (are-CAIN), adjective

  Known only to a few; secret.

  It’s too bad, thought Yolanda, that my ARCANE knowledge isn’t earning me any extra money. Maybe I can get on a game show.

  archaic (ar-KAY-ik), adjective

  Relating to or resembling something from the past; antiquated.

  Grandma refused to use our washing machine to clean clothes, insisting instead on her ARCHAIC washboard and bucket.

  arrant (AIR-ant), adjective

  Typically used with a negative connotation, arrant means thorough, complete, through-and-through, without qualification, etc.

  Mindy considers Jack an ARRANT fool because he refuses to respond to her advances.

  askance (uh-SKANTS), adverb

  Sometimes used simply to denote the manner of looking obliquely at an object, person, or situation, askance often implies judgment or disapproval.

  I looked ASKANCE at Philip when he left the store without paying for his bubble gum.

  aspiration (ass-puh-RAY-shun), noun

  Goal; desire; something one wishes to achieve.

  Marco, whose ASPIRATION was to be a concert violinist, practiced his instrument at least eight hours a day.

  assay (UH-say), verb

  To test or examine; to check out.

  My insurance company would not settle my accident claim until an adjuster had ASSAYED the damage to the car.

  assiduously (uh-SID-joo-us-lee), adverb

  Constantly; unceasingly in effort; persistently. Someone who is diligent and persistent is assiduous. Someone who works unremittingly and attentively works assiduously.

  Karen worked ASSIDUOUSLY to complete her final project, but was still one day late.

  asunder (uh-SUN-dur), adjective

  Into pieces or parts; separated.

  The lightning bolt had torn the old hickory tree ASUNDER, and it now lay shattered and twisted in my grandparents’ yard.

  attenuate (a-TEN-you-ate), verb

  To spread thin; to cause a decrease in amount, value, power, severity.

  Jim’s strategy was to ATTENUATE the impact of Joan’s accusations of harassment by suggesting that she had somehow invited his overtures.

  augmentation (awg-men-TAY-shun), noun

  The process of increasing in extent, size, or scope. The broadening, extension, or increase of something is that thing’s augmentation.

  He had hoped to bring in enough money with the second job, but even this AUGMENTATION of his income was not enough for him to meet the payments.

  auspices (AWS-pis-uz), noun

  Support, encouragement, or patronage. Auspices is generally used with “under.”

  To operate under the auspices of an organization is to act with that organization’s encouragement or permission.

  The emergency food shipments were delivered under the AUSPICES of the United Nations.

  autonomous (aw-TAHN-uh-muss), adjective

  Being in charge of one’s own life; independent of other influences; self-governing.

  Peter had always struggled to remain AUTONOMOUS after leaving home, so it was no surprise to us that he chose to start his own business after graduation.

  aver (uh-VER), verb

  To assert the truthfulness of a statement.

  I can AVER that your boyfriend is, in fact, a horse’s butt.

  axiomatic (ak-see-uh-MATT-ick), adjective

  Something accepted to be self-evident.

  “You don’t have to tell me that life isn’t fair,” said Joan to her teenage son. “That’s just AXIOMATIC.”

  badinage (BAD-in-azh), noun

  Witty, playful banter.

  As their mutual attraction became clear, the BADINAGE between Mike and Sarah became increasingly suggestive.

  bailiwick (BAY-li-wick), noun

  Originally coined to describe an area controlled by a bailiff, the term bailiwick has come to mean any special domain.

  I was exasperated by that so-called “customer service agent” because all she would ever say in answer to my queries was, “That’s not my BAILIWICK.”

  balderdash (BALL-der-dash), noun

  Nonsense; a ridiculous idea or suggestion. To say an idea is balderdash is to dismiss it as senseless, idle, or worthless. Balderdash is used almost exclusively to describe writin
g or speech.

  He went as far as to suggest the works of Shakespeare had been written by Queen Elizabeth, as if further examination of that BALDERDASH would help his cause.

  banal (buh-NAHL), adjective

  Trite; unoriginal.

  Aaron always dismissed the insights of the other philosophers as BANAL, but I for one never heard him utter a single profound idea.

  bandy (BAN-dee), verb

  To exchange or pass back and forth. Trading words or blows is often referred to as bandying. To exchange witticisms or insults is to bandy them about.

  The two sides BANDIED threats and accusations for months, but it was clear that neither nation wanted war.

  baneful (BAYN-ful), adjective

  Extremely harmful, ruinous, or destructive. Bane is anything that spoils or destroys utterly; baneful, then, means deadly and likely to cause ruin. The word is often used for dramatic effect and so is likely to describe that which should be considered deadly.

  His BANEFUL influence on the younger man in the squad was the cause of all the misdeeds we are examining.

  basal (BAY-suhl), adjective

  Fundamental and basic.

  “The BASAL issue here,” Donny said, “ is what is right versus what is wrong!”

  belabor (bih-LAY-burr), verb

  To go over and over a position excessively, even to the point of absurdity. Also, belabor can mean “to attack verbally.”

  As usual, you’re making a jerk of yourself by BELABORING your point long after I’ve agreed with you.

  bellwether (BELL-weh-ther), noun

  A leader, or something that indicates future developments. This term often is used in business, to discuss business trends.

  We may have to change our plans. I’m afraid those dark clouds are a BELLWETHER of today’s weather shifts.

  bemoan (bih-MOAN), verb

  To regret passionately or to complain about an ill turn of events.

  Joel could not stop BEMOANING the fact that he was only three numbers off of the Powerball jackpot.

  besotted (bih-SOTT-ed), adjective

  To besot is to make stupid or dull, especially due to drink. But the most common use of this word is its adjective form, which describes someone who is drunk. Also, besotted can describe anyone who has been made foolish by anything, such as love, money, a drive for power, etc.

  I can’t hang out with Will anymore because he’s so ridiculously BESOTTED with Anna.

  bewail (bih-WAIL), verb

  To express deep sorrow or regret over something, usually by weeping.

  After his marriage ended, Chuck spent months BEWAILING his fate.

  bifurcate (BI-fur-kait), verb

  To divide one thing into two.

  The group seemed unified at first, but it soon BIFURCATED into two very disagreeable factions.

  bilateral (bye-LAT-er-uhl), adjective

  Involving or pertaining to both sides of something. A bilateral agreement is one that affects and is binding upon both parties.

  It is useless to try to settle such issues in our legislature; only a BILATERAL trade agreement will resolve our disputes with that nation.

  bisque (bisk), noun

  A thick and creamy soup made from meat, fish, or shellfish.

  Mom didn’t care what else was on the menu, as long as the restaurant offered lobster BISQUE.

  blather (BLATH-er), verb

  To gabble or talk ridiculously. Someone who blathers is prone to talk nonsense or discuss meaningless issues for extended periods.

  We tried to leave the party, but Mark insisted on BLATHERING endlessly to the hostess about his new car.

  boondoggle (BOON-dahg-uhl), noun

  Useless activity designed to make one look busy.

  In an effort to appear efficient, Sally filed and re-filed paperwork, but her boss caught on to her BOONDOGGLE.

  botanical (buh-TAN-ih-kull), adjective

  Of or pertaining to plant life. A botanical garden is one that features a wide variety of plant life. The word comes from the Greek botanikos, meaning “herb.”

  Martin’s BOTANICAL survey of rainforest plants required a series of trips to Borneo.

  bourgeois (BOO-zhwah), adjective or noun

  In its noun form, this French word was adopted by Karl Marx to describe members of the middle class who want to maintain the status quo. In both its adjective and noun form, bourgeois denotes a member of the middle class, and it often is used negatively.

  Dave is so BOURGEOIS he goes to a liquor store across town so his neighbors won’t know he drinks.

  braggadocio (brag-uh-DOCE-ee-oo), noun

  Bragging or meaningless boasting. Braggadocio can refer both to actual boasting or to a person who engages in it.

  It appears that the dire warnings we received some weeks back were nothing more than BRAGGADOCIO.

  bravado (bruh-VA-do), noun

  An open show of bravery. That which is characterized by a display of boldness shows bravado.

  The mayor’s swaggering attitude of BRAVADO was of little help when the town was finally attacked.

  bravura (bruh-VOOR-uh), adjective and noun

  An amazing or daring display of style, technique, or expertise; also, as a noun, a particularly difficult and showy passage in a piece of music requiring both technical proficiency and great energy on the part of the performer.

  Ron Liebman’s portrayal of attorney Roy Cohn was a BRAVURA performance, the kind that makes critics sit back in awe.

  brevity (BREV-ih-tee), noun

  Shortness. Someone who writes with brevity writes in a way that is terse and to the point.

  Paine’s argument was stated with such BREVITY and passion that within one short month of its publication it seemed every colonist was in favor of independence from Britain.

  brigand (BRIG-und), noun

  One who lives as a bandit, plundering riches.

  The BRIGANDS held up the stagecoach and terrified the passengers.

  brouhaha (BROO-ha-ha), noun

  An event that involves or invokes excitement, turmoil, or conflict.

  The BROUHAHA in the hotel lobby was the result of a rock star making his way from his limousine to the elevator.

  brusque (brusk), adjective

  Short; abrupt or curt in manner. A person who discusses things impatiently or with shortness is said to be brusque.

  Her BRUSQUE exterior put Tom off at first, but he later discussed many important issues with Ann in depth.

  burgeon (BURR-jin), verb

  To sprout, to grow, to blossom and flourish.

  The BURGEONING “green” movement may change the way people live their everyday lives.

  bygone (BYE-gone), adjective and noun

  Something gone by. A bygone occurrence is one that took place in the past. Used as a noun, a bygone refers to an event that took place long enough ago to be seen in the proper perspective, as in the phrase “Let bygones be bygones.”

  The inn calls to mind a BYGONE era of Southern hospitality.

  cadaverous (kuh-DAH-vuh-russ), adjective

  A cadaver is a dead body, so someone or something that is cadaverous is painfully thin and suggests death.

  Images of the CADAVEROUS survivors of Nazi concentration camps continue to haunt the world’s consciousness.

  calamitous (kuh-LAMM-ih-tuss), adjective

  Having extremely dire consequences that point toward a calamity.

  The stock market’s CALAMITOUS crash gave rise to a nationwide panic.

  capacious (kuh-PAY-shus), adjective

  Capable of holding a great deal of something. Something that is spacious or capable of encompassing a large quantity of an item can be said to be capacious.

  Don’t let his show of ignorance fool you; he has a CAPACIOUS memory and a strong eye for detail.

  carafe (kuh-RAFF), noun

  A wide-mouthed bottle for holding liquid.

  I would have been happy with a single glass of the house wine, but Billy, who
was in a generous mood, insisted we order a CARAFE of the expensive Chardonnay.

  cardinal (KAR-dih-nul), adjective

  Primarily important; vital; prominent. A cardinal sin is one of great seriousness. As a noun, cardinal can refer to a number of things or people regarded as primary or important, including a kind of high official in the Roman Catholic church.

  Whatever you do, remember the CARDINAL rule we have in this house about avoiding the subject of religion.

  carouse (kuh-ROWZ), verb

  To engage in boisterous social activity or to drink to excess.

  During his twenty-fifth high school reunion, Dave CAROUSED more in twenty-four hours than he had in the last ten years combined.

  catharsis (kuh-THAR-siss), noun

  To purify and rejuvenate the body and spirit by purging them of whatever is causing problems; to release tensions and achieve renewal by an outpouring of emotion.

  Jimmy’s therapist suggested that the young boy take up painting as a means of achieving a CATHARSIS after his father’s death.

  cavort (kuh-VORT), verb

  To caper about; to prance.

  Elwood and Riley were so happy to be released from the kennel that they spent half an hour CAVORTING wildly about on our lawn.

  celerity (suh-LAIR-ih-tee), noun

  Speed; swiftness of action or motion. Celerity comes from the same Latin root as accelerate.

  I will carry out your orders with CELERITY, sir.

  celestial (suh-LESS-chul), adjective

  Relating to the skies or the heavens.

  At first Sam thought that the CELESTIAL body he had picked up on his telescope was a spaceship, but it turned out to be a meteor.

  cerebral (suh-REEB-rul), adjective

  Appealing to or involving the human mind; characteristic of intellectual pursuits; also, pertaining to the brain.

  Bill’s lofty observations on the nature of existence are a little too CEREBRAL for a party like this; you’ d be better off inviting Charlie, who tells such funny stories.

  cessation (sess-SAY-shun), noun

  The act of drawing to a close. Cessation is the process of ceasing or reaching a point of abatement.

  Continued diplomatic effort may well bring about a CESSATION of hostilities.

  chanteuse (shan-TEUZ), noun

  A female singer, usually one who performs in nightclubs.

  Although he claimed to like the decor and the atmosphere of the club, we suspected that Elaine, the CHANTEUSE who performed there, was the real reason Jimmy kept going back.