fabulous
adj 1: extremely pleasing;
ex) a fabulous vacation
syn: fab
2: based on or told of in traditional stories; lacking factual basis or historical validity;
ex) mythical centaurs; the fabulous unicorn
syn: mythic, mythical, mythologic, mythological
3: barely credible;
ex) the fabulous endurance of a marathon runner
absurd
adj 1: inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense;
ex) the absurd predicament of seeming to argue that virtue is highly desirable but intensely unpleasant- Walter Lippman
syn: unreasonable
2: completely devoid of wisdom or good sense;
ex) the absurd excuse that the dog ate his homework; ask a nonsensical question and get a nonsensical answer; a contribution so small as to be laughable; it is ludicrous to call a cottage a mansion; a preposterous attempt to turn back the pages of history; her conceited assumption of universal interest in her rather dull children was ridiculous
syn: derisory, laughable, ludicrous, nonsensical, preposterous, ridiculous
rational
adj 1: consistent with or based on or using reason;
ex) rational behavior; a process of rational inference; rational thought
ant: irrational
2: of or associated with or requiring the use of the mind; intellectual problems; the triumph of the rational over the animal side of man
syn: intellectual, noetic
3: (math) capable of being expressed as a quotient of integers; rational numbers
ant: irrational
4: having its source in or being guided by the intellect (distinguished from experience or emotion);
ex) a rational analysis
reasonable
adj 1: showing reason or sound judgment;
ex) a sensible choice; a sensible person
syn: sensible
ant: unreasonable
2: not excessive or extreme;
ex) a fairish income; reasonable prices
syn: fair, fairish
3: marked by sound judgment;
ex) sane nuclear policy
syn: sane
logical
adj 1: capable of or reflecting the capability for correct and valid reasoning;
ex) a logical mind
ant: illogical
2: in accordance with reason or logic;
ex) a logical conclusion
syn: legitimate
3: marked by an orderly, logical, and aesthetically consistent relation of parts;
ex) a logical argument; the orderly presentation
syn: consistent, ordered, orderly
4: based on known statements or events or conditions;
ex) rain was a logical expectation, given the time of year
5: capable of thinking and expressing yourself in a clear and consistent manner;
ex) a lucid thinker; she was more coherent than she had been just after the accident
syn: coherent, lucid
fad
n : an interest followed with exaggerated zeal: he always follows the latest fads; it was all the rage that season
syn: craze, furor, furore, cult, rage
fancy
adj : not plain; decorative or ornamented;
ex) fancy handwriting; fancy clothes
ant: plain
n 1: something many people believe that is false;
ex) they have the illusion that I am very wealthy
syn: illusion, fantasy, phantasy
2: fancy was held by Coleridge to be more casual and superficial than imagination
3: a predisposition to like something;
ex) he had a fondness for whiskey
syn: fondness, partiality
v 1: imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind;
ex) I can't see him on horseback! I can see what will happen; I can see a risk in this strategy
syn: visualize, envision, project, see, figure, picture, image
2: have a fancy or particular liking or desire for;
ex) She fancied a necklace that she had seen in the jeweler's window
syn: go for, take to
custom
adj : of clothing
syn: bespoke, bespoken, made-to-order, tailored, tailor-made
n 1: accepted or habitual practice
syn: usage, usance
2: a specific practice of long standing
syn: tradition
3: money collected under a tariff
syn: customs, customs duty, impost
4: habitual patronage
practice
n 1: a customary way of operation or behavior;
ex) it is their practice to give annual raises; they changed their dietary pattern
syn: pattern
2: systematic training by multiple repetitions;
ex) practice makes perfect
syn: exercise, drill, practice session
3: translating an idea into action;
ex) a hard theory to put into practice; differences between theory and praxis of communism
syn: praxis
4: the exercise of a profession;
ex) the practice of the law; I took over his practice when he retired
5: knowledge of how something is customarily done: it is not the local practice to wear shorts to dinner
v 1: learn by repetition
syn: drill, exercise, practise
2: avail oneself to;
ex) apply a principle; practice a religion; use care when going down the stairs; use your common sense; practice non-violent resistance
syn: apply, use
3: carry out or practice; as of jobs and professions: practice law
syn: practise, exercise, do
4: engage in a rehearsal (of)
syn: rehearse, practise
convention
n 1: a large formal assembly;
ex) political convention
2: something regarded as a normative example;
ex) the convention of not naming the main character; violence is the rule not the exception; his formula for impressing visitors
syn: normal, pattern, rule, formula
3: (diplomacy) an international agreement
4: orthodoxy as a consequence of being conventional
syn: conventionality, conventionalism
ant: unconventionality
5: the act of convening
syn: convening
faithless
adj : deliberately and abominably disloyal or likely to betray trust or confidence;
ex) the faithless Benedict Arnold; a lying traitorous insurrectionist
syn: traitorous, unfaithful
trustworthy
adj 1: worthy of trust or belief;
ex) a trustworthy report; an experienced and trustworthy traveling companion
syn: trusty
ant: untrustworthy
2: taking responsibility for one`s conduct and obligations; trustworthy public servants
unreliable
adj 1: liable to be erroneous or misleading;
ex) an undependable generalization
syn: undependable
2: not to be trusted
syn: undependable
3: not worthy of reliance or trust;
ex) in the early 1950s computers were large and expensive and unreliable; an undependable assistant
syn: undependable
ant: reliable, reliable
4: dangerously unstable and unpredictable;
ex) treacherous winding roads; an unreliable trestle
syn: treacherous
5: lacking a sense of responsibility
creditable
adj : worthy of often limited commendation;
ex) the student's effort on the essay--though not outstanding--was creditable
acceptable
adj 1: worthy of acceptance or satisfactory;
ex) acceptable levels of radiation; performances varied from acceptable to excellent
ant: unacceptable
2: (linguistics) judged to be in conformity with approved usage;
ex) acceptable English usage
syn: accepted
3: meeting requirements;
ex) the step makes a satisfactory seat
syn: satisfactory
4: adequate for the purpose;
ex) the water was acceptable for drinking
fallacy
n : a misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning
syn: false belief
reason
n 1: a rational motive for a belief or action;
ex) the reason that war was declared; the grounds for their declaration
syn: ground
2: an explanation of the cause of some phenomenon;
ex) the reason a steady state was never reached was that the back pressure built up too slowly
3: the capacity for rational thought or inference or discrimination;
ex) we are told that man is endowed with reason and capable of distinguishing good from evil
syn: understanding, intellect
4: the state of having good sense and sound judgment;
ex) his rationality may have been impaired; he had to rely less on reason than on rousing their emotions
syn: rationality, reasonableness
5: a justification for something existing or happening;
ex) he had no cause to complain; they had good reason to rejoice
syn: cause, grounds
6: a fact that logically justifies some premise or conclusion; there is reason to believe he is lying
v 1: decide by reasoning; draw or come to a conclusion;
ex) We reasoned that it was cheaper to rent than to buy a house
syn: reason out, conclude
2: present reasons and arguments
syn: argue
3: think logically;
ex) The children must learn to reason
theory
n 1: a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena;
ex) theories can incorporate facts and laws and tested hypotheses; true in fact and theory
2: a tentative theory about the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena;
ex) a scientific hypothesis that survives experimental testing becomes a scientific theory; he proposed a fresh theory of alkalis that later was accepted in chemical practices
syn: hypothesis, possibility
3: a belief that can guide behavior;
ex) the architect has a theory that more is less; they killed him on the theory that dead men tell no tales
quibbling
adj : quibbling over insignificant details;
ex) caviling pettifoggers and quiggling pleaders-Edmund Burke;
ex) her nagging and carping attack; thought her editor unnecessarily nitpicking; a pettifogging lawyer's mind; had no patience with quibbling critics
syn: caviling, carping, nitpicking, pettifogging
law
n 1: legal document setting forth rules governing a particular kind of activity;
ex) there is a law against kidnapping
2: the collection of rules imposed by authority;
ex) civilization presupposes respect for the law
syn: jurisprudence
3: a generalization that describes recurring facts or events in nature: the laws of thermodynamics
syn: law of nature
4: a rule or body of rules of conduct inherent in human nature and essential to or binding upon human society
syn: natural law
5: the learned profession that is mastered by graduate study in a law school and that is responsible for the judicial system;
ex) he studied law at Yale
syn: practice of law
6: the force of policemen and officers;
ex) the law came looking for him
syn: police, police force, constabulary
7: the branch of philosophy concerned with the law
syn: jurisprudence, legal philosophy
famed
adj : widely known and esteemed;
ex) a famous actor; a celebrated musician; a famed scientist; an illustrious judge; a notable historian; a renowned painter
syn: celebrated, far-famed, famous, illustrious, notable, noted, renowned
innominate
anonymous, hipbone
famous
adj : widely known and esteemed;
ex) a famous actor; a celebrated musician; a famed scientist; an illustrious judge; a notable historian; a renowned painter
syn: celebrated, famed, far-famed, illustrious, notable, noted, renowned
anonymous
adj 1: having no known name or identity or known source;
ex) anonymous authors; anonymous donors; an anonymous gift
ant: onymous
2: not known or lacking marked individuality;
ex) brown anonymous houses; anonymous bureaucrats in the Civil Service
nameless
adj : being or having an unknown or unnamed source;
ex) a poem by an unknown author; corporations responsible to nameless owners; an unnamed donor
syn: unidentified, unknown, unnamed
faraway
adj 1: very far away in space or time;
ex) faraway mountains; the faraway future; troops landing on far-off shores; far-off happier times
syn: far-off
2: far removed mentally;
ex) a faraway (or distant) look in her eyes
neighborhood
n 1: a surrounding or nearby region;
ex) the plane crashed in the vicinity of Asheville; it is a rugged locality; he always blames someone else in the immediate neighborhood
syn: vicinity, locality, neighbourhood
2: people living near one another;
ex) it is a friendly neighborhood; my neighborhood voted for Bush
syn: neighbourhood
3: the approximate amount of something (usually used prepositionally as in `in the region of');
ex) it was going to take in the region of two or three months to finish the job; the price is in the neighborhood of $100
syn: region
close to
adv : (of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct; lasted approximately an hour; in just about a minute; he's about 30 years old; I've had about all I can stand; we meet about once a month; some forty people came; weighs around a hundred pounds; roughly $3,000; holds 3 gallons, more or less; 20 or so people were at the party
syn: approximately, about, just about, some, roughly, more or less, around, or so
near
adj 1: not far distant in time or space or degree or circumstances; near neighbors; in the near future; they are near equals; his nearest approach to success; a very near thing; a near hit by the bomb; she was near tears; she was close to tears; had a close call
syn: close
ant: far
2: being on the left side;
ex) the near or nigh horse is the one on the left; the animal's left side is its near or nigh side
syn: near(a), nigh(a)
3: closely resembling the genuine article;
ex) near beer; a dress of near satin
4: giving or spending with reluctance;
ex) our cheeseparing administration; very close (or near) with his money; a penny-pinching miserly old man
syn: cheeseparing, close, penny-pinching
5: with or in a close or intimate relationship;
ex) a good friend; my sisters and brothers are near and dear
syn: dear, good
6: very close in resemblance;
ex) sketched in an approximate likeness; a near likeness
syn: approximate
7: (comparative of `close') indicating the one of two that is the shorter distance away;
ex) take the near street and ten turn right
syn: closer
adv 1: near in time or place or relationship;
ex) as the wedding day drew near; stood near the door; don't shoot until they come near; getting near to the true explanation; her mother is always near; The end draws nigh; the bullet didn't come close; don't get too close to the fire
syn: nigh, close
2: (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished;
ex) the job is (just) about done; the baby was almost asleep when the alarm sounded; we're almost finished; the car all but ran her down; he nearly fainted; talked for nigh onto 2 hours; the recording is well-nigh perfect; virtually all the parties signed the contract; (`near' is used informally for `nearly' as in I was near exhausted by the run; `most' is used informally for `almost' as in most everybody agrees)
syn: about, just about, almost, most, all but, nearly, nigh, virtually, well-nigh
v : move towards;
ex) We were approaching our destination; They are drawing near; The enemy army came nearer and nearer
syn: approach, come on, go up, draw near, draw close, come near
distant
adj 1: separated in space or time or coming from or going to a distance;
ex) the distant past; distant villages; the sound of distant traffic; a distant sound; a distant telephone call
ant: close
2: far apart in relevance or relationship;
ex) a distant cousin; a distant likeness
ant: close
3: remote in manner;
ex) stood apart with aloof dignity; a distant smile
syn: aloof
4: far distant in time;
ex) distant events; the remote past or future; a civilization ten centuries removed from modern times
syn: remote, removed
5: far distant in space;
ex) distant lands; remote stars; a remote outpost of civilization; a hideaway far removed from towns and cities
syn: remote, removed
fascinate
v 1: cause to be interested or curious
syn: intrigue
2: to render motionless, as with a fixed stare or by arousing terror or awe: The eye of the Ancient Mariner fascinated the wedding guest. Burton;
ex) The serpent fascinates its prey,..by the power of his eyes. Todd & Bowman
syn: transfix, grip, spellbind
3: attract; cause to be enamored;
ex) She captured all the men's hearts
syn: capture, enamour, trance, catch, becharm, enamor, captivate, beguile, charm, bewitch, entrance, enchant
repel
v 1: cause to move back by force or influence;
ex) repel the enemy; push back the urge to smoke; beat back the invaders
syn: drive, repulse, force back, push back, beat back
ant: attract
2: be repellent to; cause aversion in
syn: repulse
ant: attract
3: force or drive back;
ex) repel the attacker; fight off the onslaught; rebuff the attack
syn: repulse, fight off, rebuff, drive back
4: reject outright and bluntly
syn: rebuff, snub, brush off
5: fill with distaste;
ex) This fould language disgusts me
syn: disgust, revolt
disgust
n : strong feelings of dislike
v 1: fill with distaste;
ex) This fould language disgusts me
syn: revolt, repel
2: cause aversion in; offend the moral sense of
syn: revolt, nauseate, sicken, churn up
dislike
n 1: an inclination to withhold approval from some person or group
syn: disfavor, disfavour, disapproval
2: a feeling of aversion or antipathy;
ex) my dislike of him was instinctive
ant: liking
v : have or feel a dislike or distaste for;
ex) I really dislike this salesman
ant: like
bewitch
v 1: attract; cause to be enamored;
ex) She captured all the men's hearts
syn: capture, enamour, trance, catch, becharm, enamor, captivate, beguile, charm, fascinate, entrance, enchant
2: attract strongly, as if with a magnet;
ex) She magnetized the audience with her tricks
syn: magnetize, mesmerize, mesmerise, spellbind
3: cast a spell over someone or something; put a hex on someone or something
syn: hex, glamour, witch, enchant, jinx
feasible
adj : capable of being done with means at hand and circumstances as they are
syn: practicable, viable, workable
adv : in a practicable manner; so as to be feasible
syn: practicably
theoretical
adj 1: concerned primarily with theories or hypotheses rather than practical considerations;
ex) theoretical science
syn: theoretic
ant: empirical
2: concerned with theories rather than their practical applications;
ex) theoretical physics
ant: applied
3: based on specialized theory; a theoretical analysis
syn: abstract
impracticable
adj : not capable of being carried out or put into practice; refloating the sunken ship proved impracticable because of its fragility; a suggested reform that was unfeasible in the prevailing circumstances
syn: infeasible, unfeasible, unworkable
doable
adj : capable of existing or taking place or proving true; possible to do
syn: accomplishable, achievable, realizable
unworkable
adj : not capable of being carried out or put into practice; refloating the sunken ship proved impracticable because of its fragility; a suggested reform that was unfeasible in the prevailing circumstances
syn: impracticable, infeasible, unfeasible
feature
n 1: a prominent aspect of something: the map showed roads and other features; generosity is one of his best characteristics
syn: characteristic
2: the characteristics parts of a person's face: eyes and nose and mouth and chin;
ex) an expression of pleasure crossed his features; his lineaments were very regular
syn: lineament
3: the principal (full-length) film in a program at a movie theater;
ex) the feature tonight is `Casablanca'
syn: feature film
4: a special or prominent article in a newspaper or magazine; they ran a feature on retirement planning
syn: feature article
5: an article of merchandise that is displayed or advertised more than other articles
v 1: have as a feature;
ex) This restaurant features the most famous chefs in France
syn: have
ant: miss
2: wear or display in an ostentatious or proud manner;
ex) she was sporting a new hat
syn: sport, boast
soul
n 1: the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
syn: psyche
2: a human being;
ex) there was too much for one person to do
syn: person, individual, someone, somebody, mortal, human
3: deep feeling or emotion
syn: soulfulness
4: the human embodiment of something;
ex) the soul of honor
5: a secular form of gospel that was a major Black musical genre in the 1960s and 1970s;
ex) soul was politically significant during the Civil Rights movement
characteristic
adj : typical or distinctive;
ex) heard my friend's characteristic laugh; red and gold are the characteristic colors of autumn; stripes characteristic of the zebra
ant: uncharacteristic
n 1: a prominent aspect of something: the map showed roads and other features; generosity is one of his best characteristics
syn: feature
2: a distinguishing quality
3: the integer part (positive or negative) of the representation of a logarithm; in the expression log 643 = 2.808 the characteristic is 2
4: (electronics) any measurable property of a device measured under closely specified conditions
syn: device characteristic
mentality
n 1: a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations
syn: outlook, mindset, mind-set
2: mental ability;
ex) he's got plenty of brains but no common sense
syn: brain, brainpower, learning ability, mental capacity, wit
intelligence
n 1: the ability to comprehend; to understand and profit from experience
ant: stupidity
2: a unit responsible for gathering and interpreting information about an enemy
3: secret information about an enemy (or potential enemy);
ex) we sent out planes to gather intelligence on their radar coverage
4: new information about specific and timely events;
ex) they awaited news of the outcome
syn: news, tidings, word
5: the operation of gathering information about an enemy
syn: intelligence activity, intelligence operation
feminine
adj 1: associated with women and not with men;
ex) feminine intuition
ant: masculine
2: of grammatical gender
ant: neuter, masculine
3: befitting or characteristic of a woman especially a mature woman;
ex) womanly virtues of gentleness and compassion
syn: womanly
ant: unwomanly
4: (music or poetry) ending on an unaccented beat or syllable; a feminine ending
n : a gender that refers chiefly (but not exclusively) to females or to objects classified as female
female
adj 1: (biology) being the sex (of plant or animal) that produces fertilizable gametes (ova) from which offspring develop;
ex) a female heir; female holly trees bear the berries
ant: androgynous, male
2: characteristic of or peculiar to a woman;
ex) female sensitiveness; female suffrage
syn: distaff
3: for or composed of women or girls;
ex) the female lead in the play; a female chorus
n 1: an animal that produces gametes (ova) that can be fertilized by male gametes (spermatozoa)
ant: male
2: a person who belongs to the sex that can have babies
syn: female person
ant: male
manly
adj 1: possessing qualities befitting a man
syn: manful, manlike
ant: unmanly
2: characteristic of a man;
ex) a deep male voice; manly sports
syn: male, manful, manlike, virile
adv : in a manful manner; with qualities thought to befit a man; having said her say Peggy manfully shouldered her burden and prepared to break up yet another home
syn: manfully
ant: unmanfully
male
adj 1: (biology) being the sex (of plant or animal) that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that perform the fertilizing function in generation;
ex) a male infant; a male holly tree
ant: female, androgynous
2: for or composed of men or boys;
ex) the male lead; masculine attire
3: characteristic of a man;
ex) a deep male voice; manly sports
syn: manful, manlike, manly, virile
n 1: an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes (ova)
ant: female
2: a person who belongs to the sex that cannot have babies
syn: male person
ant: female
3: the capital of Maldives in the center of the islands
syn: Male
masculine
adj 1: of grammatical gender
ant: feminine, neuter
2: associated with men and not with women
ant: feminine
3: (music or poetry) ending on an accented beat or syllable;
ex) a masculine cadence; the masculine rhyme of `annoy, enjoy'
n : a gender that refers chiefly (but not exclusively) to males or to objects classified as male
ferocious
adj : marked by extreme and violent energy;
ex) a ferocious beating; fierce fighting; a furious battle
syn: fierce, furious, savage
savage
adj 1: (of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering;
ex) a barbarous crime; brutal beatings; cruel tortures; Stalin's roughshod treatment of the kulaks; a savage slap; vicious kicks
syn: barbarous, brutal, cruel, fell, roughshod, vicious
2: wild and menacing;
ex) a ferocious dog
syn: feral
3: without civilizing influences;
ex) barbarian invaders; barbaric practices; a savage people; fighting is crude and uncivilized especially if the weapons are efficient-Margaret Meade;
ex) wild tribes
syn: barbarian, barbaric, uncivilized, uncivilised, wild
4: marked by extreme and violent energy;
ex) a ferocious beating; fierce fighting; a furious battle
syn: ferocious, fierce, furious
n 1: a member of an uncivilized people
syn: barbarian
2: a cruelly rapacious person
syn: beast, wolf, brute, wildcat
v 1: attack brutally and fiercely
2: criticize harshly or violently;
ex) The press savaged the new President
gentle
adj 1: soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe;
ex) a gentle reprimand; a vein of gentle irony; poked gentle fun at him
2: having or showing a kindly or tender nature;
ex) the gentle touch of her hand; her gentle manner was comforting; a gentle sensitive nature; gentle blue eyes
3: quiet and soothing;
ex) a gentle voice; a gentle nocturne
4: belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy;
ex) an aristocratic family; aristocratic Bostonians; aristocratic government; a blue family; blue blood; the blue-blooded aristocracy; of gentle blood; patrician landholders of the American South; aristocratic bearing; aristocratic features; patrician tastes
syn: aristocratic, aristocratical, blue, blue-blooded, patrician
5: easily handled or managed;
ex) a gentle old horse, docile and obedient
syn: docile
6: having little impact;
ex) an easy pat on the shoulder; gentle rain; a gentle breeze; a soft (or light) tapping at the window
syn: easy, soft
7: marked by moderate steepness;
ex) an easy climb; a gentle slope
syn: easy
v 1: cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of; She managed to mollify her angry boss
syn: pacify, lenify, conciliate, assuage, appease, mollify, placate, gruntle
2: give a title to someone; make someone a member of the nobility
syn: ennoble, entitle
3: stroke soothingly
meek
adj 1: humble in spirit or manner; suggesting retiring mildness or even cowed submissiveness;
ex) meek and self-effacing
syn: mild, modest
2: very docile;
ex) tame obedience; meek as a mouse- Langston Hughes
syn: tame
3: evidencing little spirit or courage; overly submissive or compliant;
ex) compliant and anxious to suit his opinions of those of others; a fine fiery blast against meek conformity- Orville Prescott;
ex) she looked meek but had the heart of a lion; was submissive and subservient
syn: compliant, spiritless
mild
adj 1: moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme;
ex) a mild winter storm; a mild fever; fortunately the pain was mild; a mild rebuke; mild criticism
ant: intense
2: humble in spirit or manner; suggesting retiring mildness or even cowed submissiveness;
ex) meek and self-effacing
syn: meek, modest
3: mild and pleasant;
ex) balmy days and nights; the climate was mild and conducive to life or growth
syn: balmy
fervent
adj 1: characterized by intense emotion;
ex) ardent love; an ardent lover; a burning enthusiasm; a fervent desire to change society; a fervent admirer; fiery oratory; an impassioned appeal; a torrid love affair
syn: ardent, burning(a), fervid, fiery, impassioned, perfervid, torrid
2: sincerely or intensely felt;
ex) a cordial regard for his visitor's comfort; a cordial abhorrence of waste; a fervent hope
syn: cordial
3: extremely hot;
ex) the fervent heat...merely communicated a genial warmth to their half-torpid systems- Nathaniel Hawthorne;
ex) set out...when the fervid heat subsides- Frances Trollope
syn: fervid
cool
adj 1: neither warm or very cold; giving relief from heat;
ex) a cool autumn day; a cool room; cool summer dresses; cool drinks; a cool breeze
ant: warm
2: marked by calm self-control (especially in trying circumstances); unemotional;
ex) play it cool; keep cool; stayed coolheaded in the crisis; the most nerveless winner in the history of the tournament
syn: coolheaded, nerveless
3: (color) inducing the impression of coolness; used especially of greens and blues and violets;
ex) cool greens and blues and violets
ant: warm
4: psychologically cool and unenthusiastic; unfriendly or unresponsive or showing dislike;
ex) relations were cool and polite; a cool reception; cool to the idea of higher taxes
ant: warm
5: (informal; of a number or sum) without exaggeration or qualification;
ex) a cool million bucks
6: (informal) fashionable and attractive at the time; often skilled or socially adept;
ex) he's a cool dude; that's cool; Mary's dress is really cool; it's not cool to arrive at a party too early
n 1: the quality of being cool: the cool of early morning
2: great coolness and composure under strain;
ex) keep your cool
syn: aplomb, assuredness, poise, sang-froid, self-possession
v 1: make cool or cooler;
ex) Chill the food
syn: chill, cool down
ant: heat
2: loose heat; The air cooled considerably after the thunderstorm
syn: chill, cool down
ant: heat
3: lose intensity;
ex) His enthusiasm cooled considerably
syn: cool off, cool down
passionless
adj 1: not passionate;
ex) passionless observation of human nature
ant: passionate
2: unmoved by feeling;
ex) he kept his emotionless objectivity and faith in the cause he served; this passionless girl was like an icicle in the sunshine-Margaret Deland
syn: emotionless
eager
adj 1: having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy;
ex) eager to learn; eager to travel abroad; eager for success; eager helpers; an eager look
ant: uneager
2: marked by active interest and enthusiasm;
ex) an avid sports fan; a great walker; an eager beaver
syn: avid, great, zealous
n : a high wave (often dangerous) caused by tidal flow (as by colliding tidal currents or in a narrow estuary)
syn: tidal bore, bore, eagre, aegir
bloodless
adj 1: destitute of blood or apparently so;
ex) the bloodless carcass of my Hector sold- John Dryden
syn: exsanguine, exsanguinous
2: free from blood or bloodshed;
ex) bloodless surgery; a bloodless coup
ant: bloody
3: without vigor or zest or energy;
ex) an insipit and bloodless young man
4: devoid of human emotion or feeling;
ex) charts of bloodless economic indicators
5: ash-colored or anemic looking from illness or emotion;
ex) a face turned ashen; the invalid's blanched cheeks; tried to speak with bloodless lips; a face livid with shock; lips...livid with the hue of death- Mary W. Shelley;
ex) lips white with terror; a face white with rage
syn: ashen, blanched, livid, white
fidelity
n 1: accuracy with which an electronic system reproduces the sound or image of its input signal
2: the quality of being faithful
syn: faithfulness
ant: infidelity, infidelity
betrayal
n 1: an act of deliberate betrayal
syn: treachery, treason, perfidy
2: the quality of aiding an enemy
treason
n 1: a crime that undermines the offender's government
syn: high treason, lese majesty
2: disloyalty by virtue of subversive behavior
syn: subversiveness, traitorousness
3: an act of deliberate betrayal
syn: treachery, betrayal, perfidy
treachery
n 1: betrayal of a trust
syn: perfidy, perfidiousness
2: an act of deliberate betrayal
syn: betrayal, treason, perfidy
devotion
n 1: feelings of ardent love;
ex) their devotion to each other was beautiful
syn: devotedness
2: commitment to some purpose;
ex) the devotion of his time and wealth to science
3: religious zeal; willingness to serve God
syn: idolatry, veneration
4: (usually plural) religious observance or prayers (usually spoken silently);
ex) he returned to his devotions
finite
adj 1: bounded or limited in magnitude or spatial or temporal extent
ant: infinite
2: (grammar) of verbs; relating to forms of the verb that are limited in time by a tense and (usually) show agreement with number and person
ant: infinite
unbounded
adj : seemingly boundless in amount, number, degree, or especially extent;
ex) unbounded enthusiasm; children with boundless energy; a limitless supply of money
syn: boundless, limitless
incalculable
adj : not capable of being calculated
ant: calculable
infinite
adj 1: having no limits or boundaries in time or space or extent or magnitude;
ex) the infinite ingenuity of man; infinite wealth
ant: finite
2: (grammar) of verbs; having neither person nor number nor mood (as a participle or gerund or infinitive);
ex) infinite verb form
syn: non-finite
ant: finite
3: too numerous to be counted;
ex) incalculable riches; countless hours; an infinite number of reasons; innumerable difficulties; the multitudinous seas; myriad stars; untold thousands
syn: countless, innumerable, innumerous, myriad(a), multitudinous, numberless, uncounted, unnumberable, unnumbered, unnumerable
4: total and all-embracing
limited
adj 1: small in range or scope;
ex) limited war; a limited success; a limited circle of friends
ant: unlimited
2: subject to limits or subjected to limits
syn: circumscribed
3: including only a part
4: mediocre
syn: modified
5: not excessive
6: having a specific function or scope;
ex) a special (or specific) role in the mission
syn: special
7: not unlimited;
ex) a limited list of choices
first-rate
adj : (informal) of the highest quality;
ex) an ace reporter; a crack shot; a first-rate golfer; a super party; played top-notch tennis; an athlete in tiptop condition; she is absolutely tops
syn: ace, A-one, crack, super, tiptop, topnotch, tops(p)
adv : quite well;
ex) she doesn't feel first-rate today
lowest
adj 1: lowest in rank or importance;
ex) last prize; in last place
syn: last, last-place
2: minimal in magnitude;
ex) lowest wages; the least amount of fat allowed; the smallest amount
syn: least, smallest
3: at the bottom; lowest or last;
ex) the bottom price
syn: bottom
adv : in the lowest position; nearest the ground;
ex) the branch with the big peaches on it hung lowest
worst
adj : (superlative of `bad') most wanting in quality or value or condition;
ex) the worst player on the team; the worst weather of the year
ant: best
n 1: the least favorable outcome;
ex) the worst that could happen
2: the greatest damage or wickedness of which one is capable: the invaders did their worst; so pure of heart that his worst is another man's best
3: the weakest effort or poorest achievement one is capable of: it was the worst he had ever done on a test
ant: best
adv : to the highest degree of inferiority or badness;
ex) She suffered worst of all; schools were the worst hit by government spending cuts; the worst dressed person present
v : colloquial usage; defeat thoroughly;
ex) He mopped up the floor with his opponents
syn: pip, mop up, whip, rack up
prime
adj 1: first in rank or degree;
ex) an architect of premier rank; the prime minister
syn: premier(a), prime(a)
2: used of the first or originating agent;
ex) prime mover
syn: prime(a)
3: of superior grade;
ex) choice wines; prime beef; prize carnations; quality paper; select peaches
syn: choice, prime(a), prize, quality, select
4: (math) of or relating to or being an integer that cannot be factored into other integers;
ex) prime number
5: at the best stage;
ex) our manhood's prime vigor- Robert Browning
n 1: a number that has no factor but itself and 1
syn: prime quantity
2: the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
syn: flower, peak, heyday, bloom, blossom, efflorescence, flush
3: the second canonical hour; about 6 a.m.
4: the time of maturity when power and vigor are greatest
syn: prime of life
v 1: insert a primer into (a gun, mine, charge, etc.) preparatory to detonation or firing;
ex) prime a cannon; prime a mine
2: cover with a primer; apply a primer to
syn: ground, undercoat
3: fill with priming liquid;
ex) prime a car engine
inferior
adj 1: of or characteristic of low rank or importance
ant: superior
2: of low or inferior quality
ant: superior
3: inferior in rank or status;
ex) the junior faculty; a lowly corporal; petty officialdom; a subordinate functionary
syn: junior-grade, lower, lower-ranking, lowly, petty(a), secondary, subaltern, subordinate
4: (printing) written or printed below and to one side of another character
syn: subscript
ant: adscript, superscript
5: (astronomy) having an orbit between the sun and the Earth's orbit;
ex) Mercury and Venus are inferior planets
ant: superior
6: (anatomy) lower than a given reference point;
ex) inferior alveolar artery
7: falling short of some prescribed norm;
ex) substandard housing
syn: deficient, substandard
n 1: one of lesser rank or station or quality
ant: superior
2: a character or symbol set or printed or written beneath or slightly below and to the side of another character
syn: subscript
ant: superscript
flexible
adj 1: extended meanings; capable of change;
ex) a flexible character; flexible schedules
ant: inflexible
2: able to flex; able to bend easily;
ex) slim flexible birches
syn: flexile
ant: inflexible
3: able to adjust readily to different conditions;
ex) an adaptable person; a flexible personality; an elastic clause in a contract
syn: elastic, pliable, pliant
4: bends and snaps back readily without breaking
5: making or willing to make concessions;
ex) loneliness tore through him...whenever he thought of...even the compromising Louis du Tillet
syn: compromising, conciliatory
ant: uncompromising
rigid
adj 1: incapable of or resistant to bending;
ex) a rigid strip of metal; a table made of rigid plastic; a palace guardsman stiff as a poker
syn: stiff
2: incapable of compromise or flexibility
syn: strict
3: incapable of adapting or changing to meet circumstances;
ex) a rigid disciplinarian; an inflexible law; an unbending will to dominate
syn: inflexible, unbending
4: fixed and unmoving;
ex) with eyes set in a fixed glassy stare; his bearded face already has a set hollow look- Connor Cruise O'Brien;
ex) a face rigid with pain
syn: fixed, set
5: (aeronautics) designating an airship or dirigible having a form maintained by a stiff unyielding frame or structure
ant: nonrigid
limber
adj 1: (used of e.g. personality traits) readily adaptable;
ex) a supple mind; a limber imagination
syn: supple
2: (used of persons' bodies) capable of moving or bending freely
syn: supple
v : attach the limber, as to a cannon
syn: limber up
stiff
adj 1: lacking ease in bending; not limber;
ex) a stiff neck; stiff joints; stiff hairs
2: not moving or operating freely;
ex) a stiff hinge
3: powerful;
ex) a stiff current; a stiff breeze; a stiff drink
4: rigidly formal;
ex) a starchy manner; the letter was stiff and formal; his prose has a buckram quality
syn: starchy, buckram
5: hard to overcome or surmount;
ex) a stiff hike; a stiff exam; an uphill battle against a popular incumbant
syn: uphill
6: of a collar; standing up rather than folded down;
ex) an uncomfortable standup collar; a stiff collar
syn: stand-up
7: incapable of or resistant to bending;
ex) a rigid strip of metal; a table made of rigid plastic; a palace guardsman stiff as a poker
syn: rigid
8: slang for `drunk'
syn: besotted, blind drunk, blotto, crocked, fuddled, loaded, pie-eyed, pissed, pixilated, plastered, potty, slopped, sloshed, smashed, soaked, soused, sozzled, squiffy, tiddly, tiddley, tight, tipsy, wet
n 1: an ordinary man;
ex) a lucky stiff; a working stiff
2: the dead body of a human being
syn: cadaver, corpse, clay, remains
adv 1: extremely;
ex) bored stiff; frightened stiff
2: in a stiff manner;
ex) his hands lay stiffly
syn: stiffly
hard
adj 1: not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure;
ex) a difficult task; nesting places on the cliffs are difficult of access; difficult times; a difficult child; found himself in a difficult situation; why is it so hard for you to keep a secret?
syn: difficult
ant: easy
2: metaphorically hard;
ex) a hard fate; took a hard look; a hard bargainer; a hard climb
ant: soft
3: not yielding to pressure or easily penetrated;
ex) hard as rock
ant: soft
4: very strong or vigorous;
ex) strong winds; a hard left to the chin; a knockout punch; a severe blow
syn: knockout, severe
5: characterized by toilsome effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort;
ex) worked their arduous way up the mining valley; a grueling campaign; hard labor; heavy work; heavy going; spent many laborious hours on the project; set a punishing pace
syn: arduous, backbreaking, grueling, gruelling, heavy, laborious, labourious, punishing, toilsome
6: of speech sounds
ant: soft
7: of a drinker or drinking; indulging intemperately;
ex) does a lot of hard drinking; a heavy drinker
syn: hard(a), heavy
8: having undergone fermentation;
ex) hard cider
syn: fermented
9: having a high alcoholic content;
ex) hard liquor
syn: strong
10: unfortunate or hard to bear;
ex) had hard luck; a tough break
syn: tough
11: dried out;
ex) hard dry rolls left over from the day before
adv 1: with effort or force or vigor;
ex) the team played hard; worked hard all day; pressed hard on the lever; hit the ball hard; slammed the door hard
2: with firmness;
ex) held hard to the railing
syn: firmly
3: earnestly or intently;
ex) thought hard about it; stared hard at the accused
4: causing great damage or hardship;
ex) industries hit hard by the depression; she was severely affected by the bank's failure
syn: severely
5: slowly and with difficulty;
ex) prejudices die hard
6: indulging excessively;
ex) he drank heavily
syn: heavily, intemperately
ant: lightly
7: into a solid condition;
ex) concrete that sets hard within a few hours
8: very near or close in space or time;
ex) it stands hard by the railroad tracks; they were hard on his heels; a strike followed hard upon the plant's opening
9: with pain or distress or bitterness;
ex) he took the rejection very hard
10: to the full extent possible; all the way;
ex) hard alee; the ship went hard astern; swung the wheel hard left
forbid
v 1: command against;
ex) I forbid you to call me late at night
syn: prohibit, interdict, proscribe, veto, disallow
ant: permit, permit
2: keep from happening of arising; have the effect of preventing;
ex) My sense of tact forbids an honest answer
syn: prevent, forestall, foreclose, preclude
embargo
n : a government order imposing a trade barrier
syn: trade embargo, trade stoppage
v : prevent commerce: The U.S. embargoes Lybia
approve
v 1: give sanction to;
ex) I approve of his educational policies
syn: ok, okay, sanction
ant: disapprove
2: judge to be right or commendable; think well of
ant: disapprove
recommend
v 1: push for something;
ex) The travel agent recommended strongly that we not travel on Thanksgiving Day
syn: urge, advocate
2: express a good opinion of
syn: commend
authorize
v : grant authorization or clearance for;
ex) Clear the manuscript for publication
syn: authorise, pass, clear
foretell
v 1: foreshadow or presage
syn: announce, annunciate, harbinger, herald
2: make a prediction about; tell in advance;
ex) Call the outcome of an election
syn: predict, prognosticate, call, forebode, anticipate, promise
3: indicate by signs;
ex) These signs bode bad news
syn: bode, portend, auspicate, prognosticate, omen, presage, betoken, foreshadow, augur, prefigure, forecast, predict
divine
adj 1: emanating from God;
ex) divine judgment; divine guidance; everything is black1 or white...satanic or godlyt-Saturday Rev.
syn: godly
2: resulting from divine providence;
ex) providential care; a providential visitation
syn: providential
3: being or having the nature of a god;
ex) the custom of killing the divine king upon any serious failure of his...powers-J.G.Frazier;
ex) the divine will; the divine capacity for love; 'Tis wise to learn; 'tis God-like to create-J.G.Saxe
syn: godlike
4: devoted to or in the service or worship of a deity;
ex) divine worship; divine liturgy
5: appropriate to or befitting a god;
ex) the divine strength of Achilles; a man of godlike sagacity; man must play God for he has acquired certain godlike powers-R.H.Roveref
syn: godlike
6: of such surpassing excellence as to suggest divine inspiration;
ex) her pies were simply divine; the divine Shakespeare; an elysian meal; an inspired performance
syn: elysian, inspired
n 1: the Judeo-Christian God
syn: Godhead, Lord, Creator, Maker, Divine, God Almighty, Almighty, Jehovah
2: a clergyman or other person in religious orders
syn: cleric, churchman, ecclesiastic
v 1: perceive intuitively or through some inexplicable perceptive powers
2: search by divining, as if with a rod, of underground water or metals
3: discover intuitively
confirm
v 1: establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts;
ex) his story confirmed my doubts; The evidence supports the defendant
syn: corroborate, sustain, substantiate, support, affirm
ant: negate
2: strengthen or make more firm;
ex) The witnesses confirmed the victim's account
syn: reassert
3: make more firm;
ex) Confirm thy soul in self-control!
4: as of a person to a position: The Senate confirmed the President's candidate for Secretary of Defense
5: administer confirmation to; a church rite
record
adj : best of its kind on record;
ex) in record time
syn: record(a)
n 1: anything (such as a document or a phonograph record or a photograph) providing permanent evidence of or information about past events;
ex) the film provided a valuable record of stage techniques
2: the number of wins versus losses and ties a team has had; at 9-0 they have the best record in their league
3: an extreme attainment; the best (or worst) performance ever attested (as in a sport);
ex) he tied the Olympic record; coffee production last year broke all previous records; Chicago set the homicide record
4: sound recording consisting of a disc with continuous grooves; formerly used to reproduce music by rotating while a phonograph needle tracked in the grooves
syn: phonograph record, phonograph recording, disk, disc, platter
5: the sum of recognized accomplishments;
ex) the lawyer has a good record
syn: track record
6: a list of crimes for which an accused person has been previously convicted;
ex) he ruled that the criminal record of the defendant could not be disclosed to the court; the prostitute had a record a mile long
syn: criminal record
7: a compilation of the known facts regarding something or someone;
ex) Al Smith used to say, `Let's look at the record'; his name is in all the recordbooks
syn: recordbook, book
8: a document that can serve as legal evidence of a transaction;
ex) they could find no record of the purchase
v 1: make a record of; set down in permanent form
syn: enter, put down
2: register electronically
syn: tape
ant: erase
3: indicate a certain reading; of gauges and instruments;
ex) The thermometer showed thirteen degrees below zero; The gauge read `empty'
syn: read, register, show
4: be aware of
syn: register
5: be a memorial to a person or an event;
ex) This sculpture commemorates the victims of the concentration camps
syn: commemorate, memorialize, immortalize, immortalise
recount
n : an additional (usually a second) count; especially of the votes in a close election
v 1: narrate or give a detailed account of;
ex) Tell what happened; The father told a story to his child
syn: tell, narrate, spin, recite
2: count again;
ex) We had to recount all the votes after an accusation of fraud was made
fortitude
n : strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity with courage
weakness
n 1: a flaw or weak point;
ex) he was quick to point out his wife's failings
syn: failing
2: powerlessness revealed by an inability to act;
ex) in spite of their weakness the group remains highly active
syn: helplessness, impuissance
3: the property of lacking physical or mental strength; liability to failure under pressure or stress or strain; his weakness increased as he became older; the weakness of the span was overlooked until it collapsed
ant: strength
4: the condition of being financially weak;
ex) the weakness of the dollar against the yen
ant: strength
5: a penchant for something even though it might not be good for you;
ex) he has a weakness for chocolate
adynamia
n : lack of strength or vigor esp from illness
firmness
n 1: the firmness and tone of healthy tissue: his muscle firmness
syn: soundness
2: the trait of being resolute; firmness of purpose;
ex) his resoluteness carried him through the battle; it was his unshakeable resolution to finish the work
syn: resoluteness, resolve, resolution
ant: irresoluteness
3: the property of being unyielding to the touch
4: the quality of being steady or securely and immovably fixed in place
syn: steadiness
ant: unsteadiness
asthenia
n : an abnormal loss of strength
syn: astheny
fractious
adj 1: stubbornly resistant to authority or control;
ex) a fractious animal that would not submit to the harness; a refractory child
syn: refractory
2: easily irritated or annoyed;
ex) an incorrigibly fractious young man; not the least nettlesome of his countrymen
syn: cranky, irritable, nettlesome, peevish, peckish, pettish, petulant, testy, tetchy, techy
3: unpredictably difficult in operation; likely to be troublesome;
ex) rockets were much too fractious to be tested near thigkly populated areas; fractious components of a communication system
obedient
adj : dutifully complying with the commands or instructions of those in authority;
ex) an obedient soldier; obedient children; a little man obedient to his wife; the obedient colonies...are heavily taxed; the refractory remain unburdened- Edmund Burke
ant: disobedient
grouch
n : a bad-tempered person
syn: grump, crank, churl, crosspatch
v : show one's unhappiness or critical attitude;
ex) He scolded about anything that he thought was wrong; We grumbled about the increased work load
syn: grumble, scold
docile
adj 1: willing to be taught or led or supervised or directed;
ex) the docile masses of an enslaved nation
ant: stubborn
2: ready and willing to be taught;
ex) docile pupils eager for instruction; teachable youngsters
syn: teachable
3: easily handled or managed;
ex) a gentle old horse, docile and obedient
fragile
adj 1: easily broken or damaged or destroyed;
ex) a kite too delicate to fly safely; fragile porcelain plates; fragile old bones; a frail craft
syn: delicate, frail
2: vulnerably delicate;
ex) she has the fragile beauty of youth
3: lacking solidity or strength;
ex) a flimsy table; flimsy construction; a fragile link with the past
syn: flimsy
adamant
adj : not capable of being swayed or diverted from a course; unsusceptible to persuasion;
ex) he is adamant in his refusal to change his mind; Cynthia was inexorable; she would have none of him- W.Churchill;
ex) an intransigent conservative opposed to every liberal tendancy
syn: adamantine, inexorable, intransigent
n : very hard native crystalline carbon valued as a gem
hard
adj 1: not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure;
ex) a difficult task; nesting places on the cliffs are difficult of access; difficult times; a difficult child; found himself in a difficult situation; why is it so hard for you to keep a secret?
syn: difficult
ant: easy
2: metaphorically hard;
ex) a hard fate; took a hard look; a hard bargainer; a hard climb
ant: soft
3: not yielding to pressure or easily penetrated;
ex) hard as rock
ant: soft
4: very strong or vigorous;
ex) strong winds; a hard left to the chin; a knockout punch; a severe blow
syn: knockout, severe
5: characterized by toilsome effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort;
ex) worked their arduous way up the mining valley; a grueling campaign; hard labor; heavy work; heavy going; spent many laborious hours on the project; set a punishing pace
syn: arduous, backbreaking, grueling, gruelling, heavy, laborious, labourious, punishing, toilsome
6: of speech sounds
ant: soft
7: of a drinker or drinking; indulging intemperately;
ex) does a lot of hard drinking; a heavy drinker
syn: hard(a), heavy
8: having undergone fermentation;
ex) hard cider
syn: fermented
9: having a high alcoholic content;
ex) hard liquor
syn: strong
10: unfortunate or hard to bear;
ex) had hard luck; a tough break
syn: tough
11: dried out;
ex) hard dry rolls left over from the day before
adv 1: with effort or force or vigor;
ex) the team played hard; worked hard all day; pressed hard on the lever; hit the ball hard; slammed the door hard
2: with firmness;
ex) held hard to the railing
syn: firmly
3: earnestly or intently;
ex) thought hard about it; stared hard at the accused
4: causing great damage or hardship;
ex) industries hit hard by the depression; she was severely affected by the bank's failure
syn: severely
5: slowly and with difficulty;
ex) prejudices die hard
6: indulging excessively;
ex) he drank heavily
syn: heavily, intemperately
ant: lightly
7: into a solid condition;
ex) concrete that sets hard within a few hours
8: very near or close in space or time;
ex) it stands hard by the railroad tracks; they were hard on his heels; a strike followed hard upon the plant's opening
9: with pain or distress or bitterness;
ex) he took the rejection very hard
10: to the full extent possible; all the way;
ex) hard alee; the ship went hard astern; swung the wheel hard left
flint
n 1: a hard kind of stone; a form of silica more opaque than chalcedony
2: a river in western Georgia that flows generally south to join the Chattahoochee River at the Florida border where they form the Apalachicola River
syn: Flint, Flint River
3: a city in southeast central Michigan near Detroit; automobile manufacturing
syn: Flint
brittle
adj 1: having little elasticity; hence easily cracked or fractured or snapped;
ex) brittle bones; glass is brittle; `brickle' and `brickly' are dialectal
syn: brickle, brickly
2: lacking warmth and generosity of spirit;
ex) a brittle and calculating woman
3: (of metal or glass) not annealed and consequently easily cracked or fractured
syn: unannealed
n : caramelized sugar cooled in thin sheets
syn: toffee, toffy
frantic
adj 1: excessively agitated; transported with rage or other violent emotion;
ex) frantic with anger and frustration; frenetic screams followed the accident; a frenzied look in his eye
syn: frenetic, phrenetic, frenzied
2: marked by uncontrolled excitement or emotion;
ex) a crowd of delirious baseball fans; something frantic in their gaiety; a mad whirl of pleasure
syn: delirious, excited, mad, unrestrained
subdued
adj 1: in a softened tone;
ex) hushed voices; muted trumpets; a subdued whisper; a quiet reprimand
syn: hushed, muted, quiet
2: restrained in style or quality;
ex) a little masterpiece of low-keyed eloquence
syn: low-key, low-keyed
3: overpowered and subjugated as by military force
ant: unsubdued
4: quieted and brought under control;
ex) children were subdued and silent
5: lacking in light; not bright or harsh;
ex) a dim light beside the bed; subdued lights and soft music
syn: dim
composed
adj 1: made up of individual elements;
ex) if perception is seen as composed of isolated sense data...
2: serenely self-possessed and free from agitation especially in times of stress;
ex) the performer seemed completely composed as she stepped onto the stage; I felt calm and more composed than I had in a long time
ant: discomposed
calm
adj 1: not agitated; without losing self-possession;
ex) spoke in a calm voice; remained calm throughout the uproar
syn: unagitated
2: characterized by absence of emotional agitation;
ex) calm acceptance of the inevitable; remained serene in the midst of turbulence; a serene expression on her face; she became more tranquil; tranquil life in the country
syn: serene, tranquil
3: (of weather) free from storm or wind;
ex) calm seas
ant: stormy
4: marked by freedom from agitation or excitement;
ex) the rioters gradually became calm and slowly dispersed
n : steadiness of mind under stress;
ex) he accepted their problems with composure and she with equanimity
syn: composure, calmness, equanimity
ant: discomposure
v 1: make calm or still;
ex) quiet the dragons of worry and fear
syn: calm down, quiet, tranquilize, tranquillize, tranquillise, quieten, lull, still
ant: agitate
2: make steady;
ex) steady your hands
syn: steady, becalm
3: become quiet or calm, esp. after a state of agitation; After the fight both men need to cool off. It took a while after the baby was born for things to settle down again.
syn: calm down, cool off, chill out, simmer down, settle down, cool it
4: cause to be calm or quiet;
ex) The patient must be sedated before the operation
syn: sedate, tranquilize, tranquillize, tranquillise
ant: stimulate
frenetic
adj : excessively agitated; transported with rage or other violent emotion;
ex) frantic with anger and frustration; frenetic screams followed the accident; a frenzied look in his eye
syn: frantic, phrenetic, frenzied
frugal
adj : avoiding waste;
ex) an economical meal; an economical shopper; a frugal farmer; a frugal lunch; a sparing father and a spending son; sparing in their use of heat and light; stinting in bestowing gifts; thrifty because they remember the great Depression; (`scotch' is used only informally)
syn: economical, scotch, sparing, stinting
luxurious
adj 1: furnishing gratification of the senses;
ex) an epicurean banquet; enjoyed a luxurious suite with a crystal chandelier and thick oriental rugs; Lucullus spent the remainder of his days in voluptuous magnificence; a chinchilla robe of sybaritic lavishness
syn: epicurean, sybaritic, voluptuary, voluptuous
2: rich and superior in quality;
ex) a princely sum; gilded dining rooms
syn: deluxe, gilded, opulent, princely, sumptuous
costly
adj 1: entailing great loss or sacrifice;
ex) a dearly-won victory
syn: dearly-won
2: having a high price;
ex) costly jewelry; high-priced merchandise; much too dear for my pocketbook; a pricey restaurant
syn: dear(p), high-priced, pricey, pricy
stingy
adj 1: not generous;
ex) she practices economy without being stingy; an ungenerous response to the appeal for funds
syn: ungenerous
ant: generous
2: selfishly unwilling to share with others
syn: ungenerous
experience
n 1: the accumulation of knowledge or skill that results from direct participation in events or activities;
ex) a man of experience; experience is the best teacher
ant: inexperience
2: the content of direct observation or participation in an event;
ex) he had a religious experience; he recalled the experience vividly
3: an event as apprehended;
ex) a surprising experience; that painful experience certainly got our attention
v 1: go or live through;
ex) We had many trials to go through; he saw action in Viet Nam
syn: undergo, see, go through
2: have firsthand knowledge of states, situations, emotions, or sensations;
ex) I know the feeling! have you ever known hunger?; I have lived a kind of hell when I was a drug addict; The holocaust survivors have lived a nightmare; I lived through two divorces
syn: know, live
3: of mental or physical states or experiences: get an idea; experience vertigo; get nauseous; undergo a strange sensation; The chemical undergoes a sudden change; The fluid undergoes shear; receive injuries; have a feeling
syn: receive, have, get, undergo
4: undergo an emotional sensation;
ex) She felt resentful; He felt regret
syn: feel
5: undergo;
ex) The stocks had a fast run-up
syn: have
frustrate
v 1: hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of;
ex) What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge; foil your opponent
syn: thwart, queer, spoil, scotch, foil, cross, baffle, bilk
2: annoy constantly
syn: torment, rag, bedevil, crucify, dun
3: hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
syn: spoil, thwart
cheer up
v 1: make cheerful
syn: cheer, jolly along, jolly up
2: become cheerful
syn: cheer, chirk up
ant: complain
defeat
n 1: an unsuccessful ending
syn: licking
ant: victory
2: the feeling that accompanies an experience of being thwarted in attaining your goals
syn: frustration
v 1: win a victory over;
ex) You must overcome all difficulties; defeat your enemies; He overcame his shyness; She conquered here fear of mice; He overcame his infirmity
syn: overcome
2: thwart the passage of;
ex) kill a motion
syn: kill, vote down, vote out
embolden
v : give encouragement to
syn: cheer, hearten, recreate
ant: dishearten
encourage
v 1: contribute to the progress or growth of;
ex) I am promoting the use of computers in the classroom
syn: promote, advance, boost, further
2: inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to
ant: discourage
3: spur on;
ex) His financial success encouraged him to look for a wife
fuel
n : a substance that can be burned to provide heat or power; more fuel is needed during the winter months; they developed alternative fuels for aircraft
syn: combustible, combustible material
v 1: provide with fuel; as of aircraft, ships, and cars
2: provide with fuel;
ex) Oil fires the furnace
syn: fire
3: take in fuel, as of a ship;
ex) The tanker fueled in Bahrain
4: stimulate;
ex) fuel the debate on creationism
inflame
v 1: cause inflammation in; of tissue or organs
2: arouse or excite feelings and passions;
ex) The ostentatious way of living of the rich ignites the hatred of the poor; The refugees' fate stirred up compassion around the world; Wake old feelings of hatred
syn: stir up, wake, ignite, heat, fire up
3: become inflamed; get sore; of tissue or organs
extinguish
v 1: put an end to; kill;
ex) The Nazis snuffed out the life of many Jewish children
syn: snuff out
2: put out, as of fires, flames, or lights;
ex) Too big to be extinguished at once, the forest fires at best could be contained; quench the flames
syn: quench
ant: ignite
3: extinguish by crushing;
ex) stub out your cigar
syn: stub out, crush out, press out
4: kill in large numbers;
ex) the plague wiped out an entire population
syn: eliminate, annihilate, eradicate, wipe out, decimate, carry off
suffocate
v 1: deprive of oxygen and prevent from breathing;
ex) Othello smothered Desdemona with a pillow; The child suffocated herself with a plastic bag that the parents had left on the floor
syn: smother, asphyxiate
2: impair the respiration of or obstruct the air passage of; The foul air was slowly suffocating the children
syn: asphyxiate, choke
3: suppress the development, creativity, or imagination of; His job suffocated him
4: be asphyxiated; die from lack of oxygen;
ex) The child suffocated under the pillow
5: feel uncomfortable for lack of fresh air;
ex) The room was hot and stuffy and we were suffocating
6: struggle for breath; have insufficient oxygen intake;
ex) he swallowed a fishbone and gagged
syn: gag, choke
choke
n 1: a coil of low resistance and high inductance used in electrical circuits to pass direct current and attenuate alternating current
syn: choke coil, choking coil
2: a valve that controls the flow of air into the carburetor of a gasoline engine
v 1: breathe with great difficulty, as when experiencing a strong emotion;
ex) She choked with emotion when she spoke about her deceased husband
2: be too tight; rub or press;
ex) This neckband is choking the cat
syn: gag, fret
3: wring the neck of;
ex) The man choked his opponent
syn: scrag
4: constrict (someone's) throat and keep from breathing
5: struggle for breath; have insufficient oxygen intake;
ex) he swallowed a fishbone and gagged
syn: gag, suffocate
6: fail to perform adequately due to tension or agitation;
ex) The team should have won hands down but choked, disappointing the coach and the audience
7: check or slow down the action or effect of;
ex) She choked her anger
8: become or cause to become obstructed;
ex) The leaves clog our drains in the Fall; The water pipe is backed up
syn: clog, choke off, clog up, back up, congest, foul
ant: unclog
9: impair the respiration of or obstruct the air passage of; The foul air was slowly suffocating the children
syn: suffocate, asphyxiate
10: die (colloquial);
ex) The old man finally kicked the bucket
syn: kick the bucket, buy the farm, conk, drop dead, pop off, croak, snuff it
11: reduce the air supply; of carburetors
syn: throttle
12: cause to retch or choke
syn: gag
첫댓글 Very Good~!!!