Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Vocab #4

obsequious - adj. attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner;attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery

beatitude - noun one of the eight sayings of Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount; in Latin each saying 

begins with `beatus' (blessed); a state of supreme happiness

bete noire- a person or thing that someone dislikes very much 

bode - verb indicate by signs

dank - adj. unpleasantly cool and humid

ecumenical - adj. of worldwide scope or applicability; concerned with promoting unity among churches or religions

fervid - adj. extremely hot; characterized by intense emotion

fetid - adj. offensively malodorous

gargantuan - adj. of great mass; huge and bulky

heyday - noun the period of greatest prosperity or productivity

incubus - noun a male demon believed to lie on sleeping persons and to have sexual intercourse with sleeping 
women; someone who depresses or worries others; a situation resembling a terrifying dream

infrastructure - noun the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area; the basic structure or features of a system or organization

inveigle - verb influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering

kudos - noun an expression of approval and commendation

lagniappe - noun a small gift (especially one given by a merchant to a customer who makes a purchase)

prolix - adj. tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length

protege - noun a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protege's career

prototype - noun a standard or typical example

sycophant - noun a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage

tautology - noun useless repetition; (logic) a statement that is necessarily true

truckle - noun a low bed to be slid under a higher bed; verb yield to out of weakness; try to gain favor by cringing or flattering

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