Charles Harrington Elster - Verbal Advantage

awesome7d (Vietnam)
Year of Publish: 2000, Ongoing list
50 words 47 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. paraphrase
    express the same message in different words
    This can be done by simply paraphrasing what he/she just said, in your own words.
    The verb paraphrase means to sum something up or clarify a statement by rephrasing it.
  2. ostensible
    appearing as such but not necessarily so
    There is no hurry; no ostensible hurry, at any rate.
    When something is ostensible it appears to be the case but might not be.
  3. digress
    wander from a direct or straight course
    Don't digress when you give a lecture
    When a person digresses, they stray from the topic.
  4. uncanny
    surpassing the ordinary or normal
    Ms. Michelson is known for her uncanny ability to take over a space.
    If something is uncanny, it is so mysterious, strange, or unfamiliar that it seems supernatural.
  5. candor
    the quality of being honest and straightforward
    His candor is already winning points among military officials and industry executives alike.
    Candor usually means the quality of being open, honest, and sincere.
  6. morose
    showing a brooding ill humor
    He sat morose and unheeding, his hands clasping his stick, his sightless eyes staring at the fire.
    A morose person is sullen, gloomy, sad, glum, and depressed — not a happy camper.
  7. adept
    having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
    H7N9 is gradually becoming more adept at invading mammalian airways.
    a adept person who is highly skilled, very proficient or expert at something
  8. saturated
    unable to dissolve still more of a substance
    More likely, it means you never get connected because traffic channels are already saturated.
    Unable to hold or contain more; full; soaked thoroughly
  9. pragmatic
    concerning a theory of observable practical consequences
    But I believe there are some pragmatic ways to address this issue.
    The opposite of idealistic is pragmatic, a word that describes a philosophy of "doing what works best."
  10. congenial
    suitable to your needs
    Most are very congenial, reasonable and cooperative, while others have hidden agendas.
    A congenial person is easy to get along with
  11. capricious
    changeable
    He said the capricious nature of wood governed many artistic decisions.
    Capricious is an adjective to describe a person or thing that's impulsive and unpredictable,
  12. blatant
    without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
    How on earth are they allowed to get away with such blatant discrimination?
    Something blatant is very obvious and offensive.
  13. obligatory
    required by compulsion or convention
    General labor service has an obligatory character; but this does not mean at all that it represents violence done to the working class.
    Obligatory describes something you do because you have to, not because you want to.
  14. negligible
    so small as to be meaningless; insignificant
    The amount of interest you'll get on your savings is negligible, so you might as well spend your money.
    When something is meaningless or insignificant because it is so little, it's negligible.
  15. adamant
    impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, or reason
    The 43-year-old is adamant about making it home every night for dinner.
    If you stubbornly refuse to change your mind about something, you are adamant about it.
  16. sporadic
    recurring in scattered or unpredictable instances
    The mailman comes every day but the plumber visits are sporadic––he comes as needed.
    Sporadic is an adjective that you can use to refer to something that happens or appears often, but not constantly or regularly.
  17. vanguard
    the position of greatest importance or advancement
    In some cases, places or events became rallying points for vanguard activity.
    If you are in the vanguard, you're up front.
  18. concur
    be in agreement
    On some documents, the cardinal wrote by hand, “I concur.”
    To concur is to agree or approve of something.
  19. precociousness
    intelligence achieved far ahead of normal developmental schedules
    Such precociousness is apt to result in a purely negative character.
    Early development or maturity, especially in mental ability
  20. aloof
    distant, cold, or detached in manner
    These leaders would be peers, first among equals, accessible yet slightly aloof.
    That emotionally cold and detached fellow who keeps to himself
  21. creed
    any system of principles or beliefs
    Older folks give off a characteristic scent that's independent of race, creed, or diet.
    A creed can be a formal doctrine, or system of beliefs, for a church or religious group, or it can be a philosophy, or personal set of beliefs.
  22. tawdry
    tastelessly showy
    A: There's nothing tawdry about offering your wares on the street.
    Gaudy and cheap in nature or appearance
  23. peevish
    easily irritated or annoyed
    Bonded males get a bit peevish if their partner visits another potential mate, nipping her or performing threatening displays.
    When you're peevish, you're easily irritated and grumpy. Everything seems to get under your skin.
  24. arduous
    characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion
    These private talks were, by all accounts, arduous and exhaustive.
    Use the adjective, arduous, to describe an activity that takes a lot of effort.
  25. personable
    pleasant in manner and appearance
    She was pretty, personable and, it turned out, smart and capable. Salon (Dec 25, 2012)
    If you're personable, you're friendly and get along well with other people.
  26. resolute
    characterized by quickness and firmness
    Since then, as rebels have made inroads across Syria, Iraq’s minority Sunnis have become increasingly resolute, Iraqi officials and Western diplomats say.
    Use the adjective resolute to describe a purposeful and determined person, someone who wants to do something very much, and won't let anything get in the way.
  27. supposition
    a hypothesis that is taken for granted
    “Yet this supposition has not been supported by evidence.”
    A supposition is a guess or a hypothesis.
  28. arbitrary
    based on or subject to individual discretion or preference
    The results seem to be arbitrary; some are removed, but others are left in place.
    Something that's arbitrary seems like it's chosen at random instead of following a consistent rule.
  29. monotonous
    tediously repetitious or lacking in variety
    It's rich territory, enlivened by Neilson's surreal humour, but after nearly two hours this stream of open-ended shorts becomes monotonous.
    Monotonous things are boring and repetitive.
  30. legacy
    a gift of personal property by will
    After decades in politics, David’s greatest legacy will be his infectious faithfulness.
    Use the word, legacy, for something handed down from one generation to the next.
  31. manifold
    many and varied; having many features or forms
    Symptoms are manifold and take up two pages on the Lyme Disease Association’s website. Scientific American (Apr 9, 2013)
  32. pliant
    capable of being shaped or bent or drawn out
    Mr. Dolié sang in a light, warm and pliant voice. New York Times (Jul 8, 2011)
    it can also describe something that is flexible, but less tangible.
  33. retort
    a quick reply to a question or remark
    “Your mom’s house,” Mr. Williams replied in a typical retort.
    A retort is a comeback or a quick and clever answer or remark.
  34. obstinate
    stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
    Of course, Obama was forced into such measures by an obstinate opposition.
    obstinate is most definitely negative because it implies a kind of hard-headed determination not to change your mind even when it might be best to rethink your position.
  35. lacerate
    deeply hurt the feelings of; distress
    One meditation called the Middle East "a land lacerated by injustice and violence".
  36. omnipotent
    having unlimited power
    Europe's once omnipotent banking lobby has been all but neutered by the scale of scandal.
  37. unscrupulous
    without principles
    “Some unscrupulous firms are making a profit by keeping customers in the dark.”
  38. Renaissance
    the revival of learning and culture
    His Sheffield quintet are leading the renaissance of British metal.
  39. genesis
    a coming into being
    Talking about the project's genesis, Mr. Mulhern cites a wide range of artistic influences.
  40. warrant
    formal and explicit approval
    When Parker missed a hearing last week, a warrant was issued. Seattle Times (Apr 27, 2013)
  41. cantankerous
    stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate
    As Allen points out, Italians are in a cantankerous mood these days.
  42. flippant
    showing an inappropriate lack of seriousness
    This option was, he said, not entirely flippant.
  43. subjugate
    make subservient; force to submit or subdue
    In the worst case, wives were frustrated and subjugated and husbands were domineering and entitled.
  44. wry
    humorously sarcastic or mocking
    Players wore wry smiles while taping bags of ice to aching elbows, knees and feet. Seattle Times (Mar 28, 2013)
  45. urbane
    showing a high degree of refinement
    The evening featured several excerpts from his urbane, finely wrought dances.
  46. jargon
    technical terminology characteristic of a particular subject
    Some jargon, like “hashtag,” stick around while others vanish as quickly an HD DVD. Forbes (Apr 25, 2013)
  47. prudent
    marked by sound judgment
    He remains committed to prudent spending and developing players.
  48. inviolable
    immune to attack; incapable of being tampered with
    It’s like being a family, sort of an inviolable thing.
  49. commodious
    large and roomy
    A plain, commodious, and substantial Meeting House was erected. Coleman, Thomas
  50. proximity
    the property of being close together
    Others do cross Earth’s orbit with varying degrees of proximity.
Created on Thu Apr 18 01:35:55 EDT 2013 (updated Sat Jun 01 04:22:14 EDT 2013)

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