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Word Of The Day Archives - July 2007
Sunday, July 1, 2007
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| gaffe (n) |
social blunder |
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| Sentence: |
Our state's governor never recovered politically from his well-publicized gaffe during a speech five years ago. |
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| Similar Words: |
faux pas |
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Monday, July 2, 2007
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| versatile (adj) |
multi-functioning |
| versatility |
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| Sentence: |
The versatile young man excelled at all he tried. |
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| Similar Words: |
protean |
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Tuesday, July 3, 2007
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| caustic (adj) |
burning, stinging |
| causticity |
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| Sentence: |
The critic's unnecessarily caustic remark inflamed his opponents. |
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| Similar Words: |
trenchant, sarcastic |
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Wednesday, July 4, 2007
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| abstention (n) |
self-denial |
| abstain |
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| Sentence: |
Abstention from alcohol is mandatory for a designated driver. |
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| Similar Words: |
abstinence, forbearance |
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Thursday, July 5, 2007
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| illicit (adj) |
illegal |
| illicitness |
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| Sentence: |
The teenagers were engaged in illicit drinking at the party. |
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| Similar Words: |
forbidden, improper |
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Friday, July 6, 2007
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| jaded (adj) |
dulled, worn-out |
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| Sentence: |
To my jaded friend who had seen combat in two wars, deadly auto accidents were no concern. |
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| Similar Words: |
enervated, depleted |
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Saturday, July 7, 2007
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| gauche (adj) |
tactless |
| gaucherie |
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| Sentence: |
My rude brother was too gauche even to recognize that he had deeply offended the host. |
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| Similar Words: |
rude, boorish |
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Sunday, July 8, 2007
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| unrequited (adj) |
not reciprocated |
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| Sentence: |
It can take a long time for a teenage girl to get over her first unrequited love. |
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| Similar Words: |
unanswered |
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Monday, July 9, 2007
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| truculent (adj) |
violent, scathing |
| truculence |
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| Sentence: |
A truculent tirade against our project persuaded the county board to reject it. |
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| Similar Words: |
pugnacious |
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Tuesday, July 10, 2007
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| transcend (v) |
rise above |
| transcendent |
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| Sentence: |
The scholar transcended even his own strict standards of excellence |
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| Similar Words: |
surpass |
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Wednesday, July 11, 2007
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| proliferate (v) |
grow rapidly |
| proliferation |
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| Sentence: |
Most countries of the world hope that nuclear weapons will no longer proliferate around the globe. |
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| Similar Words: |
multiply |
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Thursday, July 12, 2007
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| fiat (n) |
command |
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| Sentence: |
The chief executive accomplished the corporate reorganization overnight by executive fiat. |
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| Similar Words: |
edict, order |
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Friday, July 13, 2007
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| coalesce (v) |
come together |
| coalition |
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| Sentence: |
The once-independent patriots coalesced into an effective army. |
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| Similar Words: |
gel, form |
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Saturday, July 14, 2007
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| reticent (adj) |
shy, quiet |
| reticence |
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| Sentence: |
I was reticent to divulge the information that had been given to me in confidence. |
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| Similar Words: |
timid, fearful |
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Sunday, July 15, 2007
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| forage (n) |
feed for animals |
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| Sentence: |
During the harsh winter, we distributed forage for the deer. |
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| Similar Words: |
fodder |
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Monday, July 16, 2007
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| provident (adj) |
economical |
| providence |
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| Sentence: |
If you were provident, you would be investing an individual retirement account. |
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| Similar Words: |
frugal |
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Tuesday, July 17, 2007
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| parsimonious (adj) |
excessively frugal |
| parsimony |
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| Sentence: |
Born in the depression, my mother was naturally parsimonious; she proudly displayed the first dollar she ever earned. |
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| Similar Words: |
cheap, stingy |
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Wednesday, July 18, 2007
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| reprieve (n) |
respite from punishment |
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| Sentence: |
The lawyer sought an eleventh-hour reprieve in his client's execution. |
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| Similar Words: |
suspension |
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Thursday, July 19, 2007
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| putrefy (v) |
rot |
| putrefaction |
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| Sentence: |
The animal carcass putrefied in the bright sun. |
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| Similar Words: |
decay |
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Friday, July 20, 2007
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| pastoral (adj) |
rural |
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| Sentence: |
The young artist painted pastoral scenes reminiscent of the masters. |
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| Similar Words: |
rustic, idyllic |
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Saturday, July 21, 2007
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| inferno (n) |
hellish place |
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| Sentence: |
The battle turned into an inferno of destruction. |
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| Similar Words: |
conflagration |
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Sunday, July 22, 2007
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| dexterous (adj) |
skilled with hands |
| dexterity |
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| Sentence: |
Do you think you are dexterous enough to build a ship in a bottle? |
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| Similar Words: |
adroit, nimble |
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Monday, July 23, 2007
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| embroil (v) |
involve |
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| Sentence: |
Did your cousin embroil you in his family feud? |
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| Similar Words: |
entangle |
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Tuesday, July 24, 2007
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| stolid (adj) |
emotionless |
| stolidness |
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| Sentence: |
The accused molester remained stolid through his whole trial. |
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| Similar Words: |
impassive |
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Wednesday, July 25, 2007
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| averse (adj) |
unwilling |
| aversion |
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| Sentence: |
Why are you averse to going to the movies tonight? |
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| Similar Words: |
disinclined, antipathetic |
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Thursday, July 26, 2007
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| forbear (v) |
hold back |
| forbearance |
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| Sentence: |
Because of the tough times, the bank decided to forbear in foreclosing on our farm. |
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| Similar Words: |
refrain |
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Friday, July 27, 2007
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| arbitrator (n) |
negotiator |
| arbitrate |
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| Sentence: |
Did the arbitrator work out a settlement between the feuding parties? |
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| Similar Words: |
mediator |
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Saturday, July 28, 2007
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| diligent (adj) |
persistent |
| diligence |
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| Sentence: |
Jack was hopelessly lazy, but his brother was exceptionally diligent. |
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| Similar Words: |
assiduous, attentive, sedulous |
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Sunday, July 29, 2007
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| distend (v) |
swell |
| distention |
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| Sentence: |
The pictures of the starving children with their distended bellies shocked the whole country. |
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| Similar Words: |
expand, bloat |
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Monday, July 30, 2007
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| countervail (v) |
use equal force against |
| countervailing |
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| Sentence: |
Countervailing tariffs are applied to offset foreign price advantages. |
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| Similar Words: |
offset |
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Tuesday, July 31, 2007
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| obdurate (adj) |
stubborn |
| obdurateness |
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| Sentence: |
Ever obdurate, the rigid instructor would not make even the slightest exception from his lifelong training methods. |
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| Similar Words: |
intransigent, obstinate, intractable |
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