Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

Mother Hen
A unique take on how economics can explain disparate everyday phenomena.
56 words 65 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. aficionado
    a serious devotee of some activity, genre, or performer
  2. algorithm
    a precise rule specifying how to solve some problem
  3. ambiguous
    having more than one possible meaning
  4. anomaly
    deviation from the normal or common order, form, or rule
  5. apocalyptic
    of or relating to a catastrophe
  6. bonhomie
    a disposition to be friendly and approachable
  7. cognizant
    having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization
  8. commensurate
    corresponding in size or degree or extent
  9. contrail
    an artificial cloud created by an aircraft
  10. conventional
    following accepted customs and proprieties
  11. convolute
    rolled longitudinally upon itself
  12. correlation
    a reciprocal connection between two or more things
  13. counterintuitive
    contrary to what common sense would suggest
  14. cudgel
    a club that is used as a weapon
  15. decrepit
    worn and broken down by hard use
  16. derive
    come from
  17. diametrically
    in a contrasting or opposing manner
  18. dissemination
    the act of dispersing or diffusing something
  19. divulge
    make known to the public information previously kept secret
  20. docility
    the trait of being agreeably submissive and manageable
  21. dormant
    inactive but capable of becoming active
  22. dynamic
    characterized by action or forcefulness of personality
  23. econometrics
    the application of mathematics and statistics to the study of economic and financial data
  24. entrenched
    dug in
  25. exacerbate
    make worse
  26. forensic
    used in the investigation of facts or evidence in court
  27. fraught
    filled with or attended with
  28. heyday
    the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
  29. illicit
    contrary to accepted morality or convention
  30. immutable
    not subject or susceptible to change or variation
  31. impregnable
    incapable of being attacked or tampered with
  32. impugn
    attack as false or wrong
  33. impunity
    exemption from punishment or loss
  34. inadvertent
    happening by chance or unexpectedly or unintentionally
  35. incentive
    a positive motivational influence
  36. intractable
    difficult to manage or mold
  37. intrinsically
    with respect to its inherent nature
  38. mayhem
    violent and needless disturbance
  39. mettle
    the courage to carry on
  40. microeconomics
    the study of how consumers and individual firms acquire and use resources
  41. nuance
    a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude
  42. obfuscation
    darkening or obscuring the sight of something
  43. paltry
    contemptibly small in amount or size
  44. panache
    distinctive and stylish elegance
  45. parlance
    a manner of speaking natural to a language's native speakers
  46. phenomenon
    any state or process known through the senses
  47. pragmatist
    an adherent of a theory of observable practical consequences
  48. precipitously
    abruptly; in a precipitous manner
  49. quintessential
    representing the perfect example of a class or quality
  50. repository
    a facility where things can be deposited for safekeeping
  51. robust
    sturdy and strong in form, constitution, or construction
  52. sacrosanct
    treated as if holy and kept free from violation or criticism
  53. self-effacement
    withdrawing into the background
  54. swath
    a path or strip (also figurative)
  55. taxonomical
    of or relating to taxonomy
  56. ubiquitous
    being present everywhere at once
Created on Sat Jul 17 20:36:09 EDT 2010 (updated Sat Jul 17 21:05:09 EDT 2010)

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