Word Meanings 2021-06-19 [13 Words]

1) 

capitulation
/kəpɪtjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/
Learn to pronounce
noun
the action of ceasing to resist an opponent or demand.
"she gave a sigh of capitulation"
Similar:
surrender
submission
yielding
giving in
succumbing
acquiescence
laying down of arms
fall
defeat
Opposite:
resistance
HISTORICAL
an agreement or set of conditions.

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2)

balk
/bɔːlk,bɔːk/

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verb: balk; 3rd person present: balks; past tense: balked; past participle: balked; gerund or present participle: balking; verb: baulk; 3rd person present: baulks; past tense: baulked; past participle: baulked; gerund or present participle: baulking
hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking.
"he balked at such a drastic solution"

Similar:
eschew
resist
refuse to
be unwilling to
draw the line at
be reluctant to
draw back from
flinch from
shrink from
shy from
recoil from
quail at
demur from
hesitate over
scruple to
take exception to
not like to
hate to
jib at
scorn
disdain
Opposite:
accept

#
thwart or hinder (a plan or person).
"he raised every objection he could to balk this plan"

Similar:
impede
obstruct
thwart
hinder
prevent
check
stop
curb
halt
bar
block
forestall
frustrate
stall
baffle
foil
defeat
beat
counteract
head off
Opposite:
assist
prevent a person or animal from having (something).
"a tiger balked of its prey"

ARCHAIC
miss or refuse (a chance or invitation).
"it's got to be done, so why balk it?"
(with reference to a horse) refuse or cause to refuse to go on.
"he balked, both forefeet thrust stiffly in front of him"

noun: balk; plural noun: balks; noun: baulk; plural noun: baulks
1.
a roughly squared timber beam.
"a balk of timber"
2.
the area on a billiard table between the balk line and the bottom cushion, within which in some circumstances a ball is protected from a direct stroke.
3.
BASEBALL
an unlawful action made by a pitcher that may deceive a base runner.
4.
a ridge left unploughed between furrows.
Origin

late Old English balc, from Old Norse bálkr ‘partition’. The original use was ‘unploughed ridge’, later ‘land left unploughed by mistake’, hence ‘blunder, omission’, giving rise to the verb use ‘miss (a chance)’. A late Middle English sense ‘obstacle’ gave rise to the verb senses ‘hesitate’ and ‘hinder’.

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3)

besiege
/bɪˈsiːdʒ/
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verb
verb: besiege; 3rd person present: besieges; past tense: besieged; past participle: besieged; gerund or present participle: besieging
surround (a place) with armed forces in order to capture it or force its surrender.
"the king marched north to besiege Berwick"
Similar:
lay siege to
beleaguer
blockade
surround
shut off
block off
invest
surround and harass.
"she spent the whole day besieged by newsmen"

Similar:
surround
mob
crowd round
swarm round
throng round
ring round
encircle
hem in
shut in
set upon
fall upon
oppress
torment
torture
rack
plague
afflict
harrow
beset
beleaguer
trouble
bedevil
cause suffering to
prey on
weigh heavily on
lie heavy on
gnaw at
nag at
haunt

be inundated by large numbers of requests or complaints.
"the television station was besieged with calls"

Similar:
overwhelm
inundate
deluge
flood
swamp
snow under
bombard

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4)

sloppy
/ˈslɒpi/

adjective: sloppy; comparative adjective: sloppier; superlative adjective: sloppiest

1.
careless and unsystematic; excessively casual.
"we gave away a goal through sloppy defending"

Similar:
careless
slapdash
slipshod
lackadaisical
disorganized
haphazard
unmethodical
unsystematic
hit-or-miss
untidy
messy
thoughtless
inattentive
heedless
hasty
hurried
thrown together
last-minute
cursory
perfunctory
negligent
neglectful
remiss
lax
slack
slovenly
amateurish
unprofessional
shambolic
all over the place
slap-happy
all over the shop

Opposite:
careful
meticulous

2.
(of a garment) casual and loose-fitting.
"she wore a sloppy sweater and jeans"

Similar:
baggy
loose-fitting
loose
generously cut
not tight
roomy
shapeless
sacklike
slack
oversized
ill-fitting
bagging
Opposite:
tight
tailored

3.
(of semi-fluid matter) containing too much liquid; watery.
"do not make the concrete too sloppy"

Similar:
runny
watery
thin
liquid
semi-liquid
mushy
soupy
wet
soggy
slushy
sludgy
slap
gloopy
Opposite:
dry
solid

4.
INFORMAL
(of literature or behaviour) weakly or foolishly sentimental.
"lovers of sloppy romance"
Similar:
sentimental
mawkish
over-sentimental
overemotional
cloying
sickly

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5)

mantlet
/ˈmantlɪt/

noun
plural noun: mantlets

1.
HISTORICAL
a woman's short, loose sleeveless cloak or shawl.

2.
a bulletproof screen on a military vehicle.

HISTORICAL
a movable shelter or screen used to protect soldiers.

Origin: late Middle English: from Old French mantelet, diminutive of mantel ‘mantle’.

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6)

rampart
/ˈrampɑːt/

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Architecture
Military History
Military

noun
plural noun: ramparts

a defensive wall of a castle or walled city, having a broad top with a walkway and typically a stone parapet.
"a castle with ramparts and a moat"
Similar:
defensive wall
embankment
earthwork
parapet
breastwork
battlement
stockade
palisade
bulwark
bastion
barbican
outwork
fortification
vallum
bartizan
circumvallation

a defensive or protective barrier.
"the open Pacific broke on the far-off ramparts of the reef"
verb
3rd person present: ramparts
fortify or surround with or as if with a rampart.
"the town's streets were ramparted with tall mounds of rubble"

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7)

turret
/ˈtʌrɪt/

noun
plural noun: turrets

a small tower on top of a larger tower or at the corner of a building or wall, typically of a castle.
"a castle with fairy-tale turrets"
a low armoured tower, typically one that revolves, for a gun and gunners in a ship, aircraft, fort, or tank.
a rotating holder for tools, especially on a lathe.

Origin: Middle English: from Old French tourete, diminutive of tour ‘tower’.

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8)

slay (1)
/sleɪ/

verb
past participle: slain
1.
ARCHAIC•LITERARY
kill (a person or animal) in a violent way.
"St George slew the dragon"

Similar:
kill
murder
put to death
do to death
put to the sword
butcher
cut down
cut to pieces
slaughter
massacre
shoot down
gun down
mow down
assassinate
execute
dispatch
destroy
eliminate
annihilate
exterminate
dispose of
wipe out
take out
bump off
do in
do for
rub out
top
wipe off the face of the earth
blow away
liquidate
stiff
waste
smoke
ice
off
killing
homicide
putting to death
execution
butchery
assassination
destruction
extermination
liquidation
mactation
NORTH AMERICAN
murder (someone).
"a man was slain with a shotgun"
Similar:
kill
murder
put to death
do to death
put to the sword
butcher
cut down
cut to pieces
slaughter
massacre
shoot down
gun down
mow down
assassinate
execute
dispatch
destroy
eliminate
annihilate
exterminate
dispose of
wipe out
take out
bump off
do in
do for
rub out
top
wipe off the face of the earth
blow away
liquidate
stiff
waste
smoke
ice
off
2.
INFORMAL
greatly impress or amuse (someone).
"you slay me, you really do"
Similar:
amuse greatly
convulse with mirth/laughter
entertain greatly
make someone laugh
make someone crack up
kill
knock dead
be the death of
wow
be a hit with
crease up
be extremely impressive, stylish, or successful.
"she slayed in a jumpsuit"
Origin

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9)

siege
/siːdʒ/

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Military
Police
Zoology
noun
noun: siege; plural noun: sieges

1.
a military operation in which enemy forces surround a town or building, cutting off essential supplies, with the aim of compelling those inside to surrender.
"Verdun had withstood a siege of ten weeks"
Similar:
blockade
beleaguerment
encirclement
investment
besiegement
Opposite:
relief
raising
an operation in which a police or other force surround a building and cut off supplies, with the aim of forcing an armed person to surrender.
"two cult members have died so far in the four-day siege"

2.
RARE
a group of herons.
"there is a siege of herons at the river"
Phrases
lay siege to
conduct a siege of (a place). "government forces laid siege to the building"
under siege
(of a place) undergoing a siege. "the fort had been under siege by guerrillas since June"

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10)

obstinate
/ˈɒbstɪnət/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
adjective: obstinate
stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so.
"her obstinate determination to pursue a career in radio"
Similar:
stubborn
headstrong
wilful
unyielding
inflexible
unbending
intransigent
intractable
obdurate
mulish
stubborn as a mule
pig-headed
bull-headed
self-willed
strong-minded
strong-willed
contrary
perverse
recalcitrant
refractory
uncooperative
unmanageable
cross-grained
stiff-necked
stiff
rigid
steely
iron-willed
uncompromising
implacable
relentless
unrelenting
unpersuadable
immovable
unmalleable
unshakeable
inexorable
with one's toes/feet dug in
persistent
persevering
tenacious
pertinacious
dogged
single-minded
adamant
firm
steadfast
determined
bloody-minded
bolshie
stroppy
balky
froward
contumacious
contrarious
indurate
Opposite:
compliant
amenable
tractable
(of an unwelcome situation) very difficult to change or overcome.
"the obstinate problem of unemployment"
Origin

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11)

bulwark
/ˈbʊlwək/
Learn to pronounce
noun
noun: bulwark; plural noun: bulwarks
1.
a defensive wall.
Similar:
wall
rampart
fortification
parapet
stockade
palisade
barricade
embankment
earthwork
breastwork
berm
vallum
circumvallation
a person or thing that acts as a defence.
"the security forces are a bulwark against the breakdown of society"
Similar:
protector
protection
guard
defence
defender
support
supporter
prop
buttress
mainstay
bastion
safeguard
stronghold
2.
an extension of a ship's sides above the level of the deck.
"the ships met, their crews lining the bulwarks"
Origin

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12)

covetous
/ˈkʌvɪtəs/

adjective

having or showing a great desire to possess something belonging to someone else.
"she fingered the linen with covetous hands"

Similar:
grasping
greedy
rapacious
insatiable
yearning
acquisitive
desirous
possessive
selfish
jealous
envious
green with envy
green
green-eyed
grudging
begrudging
grabby
Opposite:
satisfied
Origin

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13)

sagacity
/səˈɡasɪti/

noun
the quality of being sagacious.
"a man of great political sagacity"

Similar:
wisdom
(deep) insight
intelligence
understanding
judgement
acuity
astuteness

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