Sunday, October 21, 2012

vocabulary: fall list #9

abortive
bruit
contumelious
dictum
ensconce
iconoclastic
in medias res
internecine
maladroit
maudlin
modulate
portentous
prescience
quid pro quo
salubrious
saturnalian
touchstone
traumatic
vitiate
waggish

2 comments:

  1. Abortive: failing to produce the intended result
    Bruit: spread a report or rumor widely
    Contumelious: scornful and insulting behavior
    Dictum: a formal pronouncement from an authoritative source; a short statement that expresses a general truth or principle
    Ensconce: establish or settle
    Iconoclastic: characterized by attack on established beliefs or institutions
    In medias res: a narrative that begins somewhere in the middle of a story rather than the beginning
    Internecine: destructive to both sides in a conflict
    Maladroit: ineffective or bungling; clumsy
    Maudlin: self-pitying or tearfully sentimental, often through drunkenness
    Modulate: exert a modifying or controlling influence on
    Portentous: of or like a portent; done in a pompously or overly solemn manner
    Prescience: the power to foresee the future
    Quid pro quo: a favor or advantage granted in return for something
    Salubrious: health-giving, healthy; pleasant, not run-down
    Saturnalia: the ancient Roman festival of Saturn in December; an occasion of wild revelry
    Touchstone: a standard or criterion by which something is judged or recognized
    Traumatic: emotionally disturbing or distressing; relating to or causing psychological trauma
    Vitiate: spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of; destroy or impair the legal validity of.
    Waggish: humorous in a playful, mischievous, or facetious manner

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  2. i was wonderin' about Saturnalian... It is said not to be a word so is it Saturnalia or meaning "riotously merry"

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