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- adj. char·i·er, char·i·est
- 1. Very cautious; wary: was chary of the risks involved.
- 2. Not giving or expending freely; sparing: was chary of compliments
- intr.v. skulked, skulk·ing, skulks
- 1. To lie in hiding, as out of cowardice or bad conscience; lurk.
- 2. To move about stealthily.
- 3. To evade work or obligation; shirk.
- 1. Moving quickly and lightly; lively.
- 2. Restlessly active or nervous; restive.
- 3. Undependably variable; mercurial or fickle.
- 4. Shy; bashful.
- tr.v. os·tra·cized, os·tra·ciz·ing, os·tra·ciz·es
- 1. To exclude from a group. See Synonyms at blackball.
- 2. To banish by ostracism, as in ancient Greece
n.Enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance. See Synonyms at passion.
- 1. Applying to or covering all conditions or instances: a blanket insurance policy.
- 2. Applying to or covering all members of a class: blanket sanctions against human-rights violators.
- adj. 1. Characterized by ludicrous or incongruous distortion, as of appearance or manner.
- 2. Outlandish or bizarre, as in character or appearance. See Synonyms at fantastic.
- 3. Of, relating to, or being the grotesque style in art or a work executed in this style
- v.tr. To make clear or plain, especially by explanation; clarify.
- v.intr. To give an explanation that serves to clarify. See Synonyms at explain.
- When asked for details, he declined to elucidate further.
- <colored charts that really help to elucidate the points made in the text>
- 9. The degree to which a color is mixed with black or is decreasingly illuminated; gradation of darkness.
- 10. A slight difference or variation; a nuance: shades of meaning.
- 11. A small amount; a trace: detected a shade of bitterness in her remarks
- 1. The prevailing fashion, practice, or style: Hoop skirts were once the vogue.
- 2. Popular acceptance or favor; popularity: a party game no longer in vogue. See Synonyms at fashion.
- tr.v. 1. To keep afloat or aloft: a glider buoyed by air currents.
- 2.a. To maintain at a high level; support: "the persistent ... takeover speculation, which has buoyed up the shares of banks" (Financial Times).
- 2.b. To hearten or inspire; uplift: "buoyed up by the team spirit and the pride of the older generation back at home" (Judith Martin).
- 3. To mark with or as if with a buoy.
- adj. (e.g., from bending or illness)
- 1. Marked by the ability to recover readily, as from misfortune.
- 2. Capable of returning to an original shape or position, as after having been compressed. See Synonyms at flexible.
- intr.v. co·a·lesced, co·a·lesc·ing, co·a·lesc·es
- 1. To grow together; fuse.
- 2. To come together so as to form one whole; unite: The rebel units coalesced into one army to fight the invaders.See Synonyms at mix.
- tr.v. wreaked, wreak·ing, wreaks
- 1. To inflict (vengeance or punishment) upon a person.
- 2. To express or gratify (anger, malevolence, or resentment); vent.
- 3. To bring about; cause: wreak havoc.
- 4. Archaic To take vengeance for; avenge.
- 1. To go or extend in different directions from a common point; branch out.
- 2. To differ, as in opinion or manner.
- 3. To depart from a set course or norm; deviate. See Synonyms at swerve.
- 4. Mathematics To fail to approach a limit.
- v.tr.To cause (light rays, for example) to diverge; deflect.
- n. pl. hi·er·ar·chies
- 1. A body of persons having authority.
- 2.a. Categorization of a group of people according to ability or status.
- b. The group so categorized.
- 3. A series in which each element is graded or ranked: put honesty first in her hierarchy of values.
- 4.a. A body of clergy organized into successive ranks or grades with each level subordinate to the one above.
- b. Religious rule by a group of ranked clergy.
- 1. To be appropriate or suitable to: "It would not become me . . . to interfere with parties" (Jonathan Swift).
- 2. To show to advantage; look good with: The new suit becomes you.
- 1. A long, narrow, shallow trench made in the ground by a plow.
- 2. A rut, groove, or narrow depression: snow drifting in furrows.
- 3. A deep wrinkle in the skin, as on the forehead.
- tr.v. di·lut·ed, di·lut·ing, di·lutes
- 1. To make thinner or less concentrated by adding a liquid such as water.
- 2. To lessen the force, strength, purity, or brilliance of, especially by admixture.
- 1. Great brilliance, as of performance or achievement.
- 2. Conspicuous success.
- 3. Great acclamation or applause
- adj. foolishly idealistic; extravagantly chivalrous
- 1. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; idealistic without regard to practicality.
- 2. Capricious; impulsive: "At worst his scruples must have been quixotic, not malicious" (Louis Auchincloss).
- 1. Future generations: "Everything he writes is consigned to posterity" (Joyce Carol Oates).
- 2. All of a person's descendants
- 1. An unbranded range animal, especially a calf that has become separated from its mother, traditionally considered the property of the first person who brands it.
- 2. One that refuses to abide by the dictates of or resists adherence to a group; a dissenter.
- 1. Damage, harm, or loss: took a long leave of absence without detriment to her career. See Synonyms atdisadvantage.
- 2. Something that causes damage, harm, or loss: Smoking is now considered a detriment to good health.
- adj. home·li·er, home·li·est
- 1. Not attractive or good-looking: a homely child.
- 2. Lacking elegance or refinement: homely furniture.
- 3. Of a simple or unpretentious nature; plain: homely truths.
- 4. Characteristic of the home or of home life: homely skills.
- 1. Untidy, as in dress or appearance.
- 2. Marked by negligence; slipshod. See Synonyms at sloppy.
- 1. A descendant or heir.
- 2. also ci·on (sn) A detached shoot or twig containing buds from a woody plant, used in grafting.
n.A person who withdraws from the world to live in seclusion and often in solitude.
- 1. To penetrate to the meaning or nature of; comprehend.
- 2. To determine the depth of; sound.
- <the pilot had to continually fathom the river, which drought conditions had lowered to unprecedented levels>
- Exceedingly harsh; very severe: a draconian legal code; draconian budget cuts.
- The editorial criticizes the draconian measures being taken to control the spread of the disease.
- adj. de·mur·er, de·mur·est
- 1. Modest and reserved in manner or behavior.
- 2. Affectedly shy, modest, or reserved. See Synonyms at shy
- She was wearing a demure gray suit.
- the demure charm of the cottage
- So even if you think you've moved past your reputation as The Rebel, two minutes after getting together with your more demure sister, you're likely to fall back into that hell-raiser role. —Jessica Mehalic, Cosmopolitan, August 2001
- n. pl. per·pe·tu·i·ties
- 1. The quality or condition of being perpetual: "The perpetuity of the Church was an article of faith" (Morris L. West).
- 2. Time without end; eternity
- in perpetuityFor an indefinite period of time; forever
- n.1. Accumulated facts, traditions, or beliefs about a particular subject. See Synonyms at knowledge.
- 2. Knowledge acquired through education or experience
- 1. Pleasantly pungent or tart in taste; spicy.
- 2.a. Appealingly provocative: a piquant wit.
- 2.b. Charming, interesting, or attractive: a piquant face.
- piquant vegetables seasoned with pepper
- He served the fish with a piquant sauce.
- a piquant bit of gossip
- adj. mischievous; playful
- Characteristic of or resembling a wag; jocular or witty.
- <a waggish disposition that often got him into trouble as a child>
- adj. heavenly or delightful
- 1. Greek Mythology Of or relating to Elysium.
- 2. Blissful; delightful : <the dream of retiring to a tropical isle and enjoying a life of elysian ease>
- 1.a. A homeless person, especially a forsaken or orphaned child.
- 1.b. An abandoned young animal.
- 2. Something found and unclaimed, as an object cast up by the sea.
- n. An instrument for measuring or testing.
- 1. To measure precisely.
- 2. To determine the capacity, volume, or contents of