NEOPHYTE (neo·phyte \nee-uh-fahyt\) noun.
DEFINITION: a novice, one who has just begun doing something.
EXAMPLE: A common error among neophyte bullfighters was failing to realize that the bull hunts you, not the other way around.
Grandiloquent
GRANDILOQUENT (gran·dil·o·quent \gran-ˈdi-lə-kwənt\) adjective.
DEFINITION: a lofty or pompous style, especially in language.
EXAMPLE: There is a fine line between elegant prose and insufferable grandiloquence.
Abstemious
ABSTEMIOUS (ab·ste·mi·ous \ ab-ˈstē-mē-əs\) adjective.
DEFINITION: marked by restraint, especially in consumption of food or alcohol.
EXAMPLE: Much to the embarrassment of his dining companions, abstemious Gerard kept to free bread and water when he ate out with friends.
Gainsay
GAINSAY (gain·say \gān-ˈsā\) verb.
DEFINITION: to deny, dispute, or contradict.
EXAMPLE: He would constantly try to gainsay me, even though every point I made was backed up by facts.
Chicanery
CHICANERY (chi·ca·nery \shi -ˈkān-rē\) noun.
DEFINITION: the use of deception or subterfuge to achieve one's purpose.
EXAMPLE: Politics has always been filled with lies and chicanery.
Reprove
REPROVE (re·prove \ri-ˈprüv\), verb.
DEFINITION: to criticize or correct (in a gentle way).
EXAMPLE: Sensing the students’ regret, the headmaster reproved them for their tardiness and sent them on their way.
Cap-a-pie
CAP-A-PIE (cap–a–pie \ka-pə-‘pē\), adverb.
DEFINITION: from head to toe.
EXAMPLE: The little girl was dressed cap-a-pie as a princess – from her sparkling tiara to her ruby red slippers.
Degust
DEGUST (de·gust \dē-‘gəst\), verb.
DEFINITION: to taste or savour appreciatively.
EXAMPLE: The food critic took a careful bite, closing his eyes to fully degust the chef’s creation.
Plangent
PLANGENT (plan·gent \plan-jənt\), adjective.
DEFINITION: having a loud, mournful sound.
EXAMPLE: The veterans removed their hats and bowed their heads as the trumpeter played the first plangent notes of Taps.
Purfle
PURFLE (pur·fle verb \ˈpər-fəl\), verb.
DEFINITION: to ornament the border or edges of an object.
EXAMPLE: The craftsman purfled the edges of his hand-made cigar box with a mosaic of abalone shells, ebony and ivory.
Fleer
FLEER (fleer \ˈflir\), noun.
DEFINITION: a word or look of derision or mockery.
EXAMPLE: Caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar, the thief’s attempts to explain his actions were met with fleers from the police.
Inculcate
INCULCATE (in·cul·cate \in-ˈkəl-ˌkāt\), verb.
DEFINITION: to teach through repetition.
EXAMPLE: Months of daily repetition inculcated the multiplication tables into her mind.
Ruminate
RUMINATE (ru·mi·nate \ˈrü-mə-ˌnāt\), verb.
DEFINITION: to think deeply upon.
EXAMPLE: The scientist locked himself in his lab and spent the next four days ruminating about the problem.
Jink
JINK (jink \ˈjiŋk\), verb.
DEFINITION: to move quickly and unexpectedly, to dodge.
EXAMPLE: The champ jinked left to avoid the jab, then countered with a powerful uppercut to the ribs.
Inveigle
INVEIGLE (in·vei·gle \in-ˈvā-gəl\), verb.
DEFINITION: to persuade through flattery or deception.
EXAMPLE: “Of course, one as intelligent as your majesty would clearly choose the latter option,” inveighed the king’s shady counsellor.
Stroppy
STROPPY (strop·py \ˈsträ-pē\), adjective.
DEFINITION: ill-tempered, belligerent.
EXAMPLE: John McEnroe is known for his stroppy demeanor as well as his formidable tennis skills.
Mooncalf
MOONCALF (moon·calf \ˈmün-ˌkaf\), noun.
DEFINITION: a foolish person, a simpleton.
EXAMPLE: Billy strolled into the bandits’ saloon like an unsuspecting mooncalf, completely unaware of the evil swirling around him.
Kludge
KLUDGE (kludge \ˈklüj\), noun.
DEFINITION: a hastily assembled system of mismatched components.
EXAMPLE: The company’s IT system was a kludge of secondhand servers, ancient routers and salvaged hard drives.
Snollygoster
SNOLLYGOSTER (snol·ly·gos·ter \snŏl-ē-gŏs-tər\), noun.
DEFINITION: a shrewd but unscrupulous person.
EXAMPLE: That snollygoster of a politician allowed corporations to plunder the country’s natural resources in exchange for a hefty cut of the profits.
Pabulum
PABULUM (pab·u·lum \ˈpa-byə-ləm\), noun.
DEFINITION: simplistic speech, entertainment or writing.
EXAMPLE: With the world’s best books, art and music easily available, why do people still flock to pabulum like Honey Boo Boo?