Index of Word Meanings
1.
denigrate
verb
verb: denigrate; 3rd person present: denigrates; past tense: denigrated; past participle: denigrated; gerund or present participle: denigrating
criticize unfairly; disparage.
"doom and gloom merchants who denigrate their own country"
Similar:
disparage
belittle
diminish
deprecate
cast aspersions on
decry
criticize unfairly
attack
speak ill of
speak badly of
blacken the character of
blacken the name of
give someone a bad name
sully the reputation of
spread lies about
defame
slander
libel
calumniate
besmirch
run down
abuse
insult
slight
revile
malign
vilify
slur
bad-mouth
do a hatchet job on
pull to pieces
pull apart
sling mud at
throw mud at
drag through the mud
rubbish
slag off
have a go at
slate
asperse
derogate
vilipend
vituperate
Opposite:
extol
Origin
late Middle English (in the sense ‘blacken, make dark’): from Latin denigrat- ‘blackened’, from the verb denigrare, from de- ‘away, completely’ + nigrare (from niger ‘black’).
Use over time for: denigrate
---
2.
elephant under the rug
Usage. The term refers to a question, problem, solution, or controversial issue which is obvious to everyone who knows about the situation, but which is deliberately ignored because to do otherwise would cause great embarrassment, sadness, or arguments, or is simply taboo.
---
3.
wrought
adjective
1 : worked into shape by artistry or effort. carefully wrought essays.
2 : elaborately embellished
3 : ornamented.
---
4.
Intubation is a process where a healthcare provider inserts a tube through a person's mouth or nose, then down into their trachea (airway/windpipe). The tube keeps the trachea open so that air can get through. The tube can connect to a machine that delivers air or oxygen.
---
5.
abate
/əˈbeɪt/
verb
past tense: abated; past participle: abated
(of something unpleasant or severe) become less intense or widespread.
"the storm suddenly abated"
Similar:
subside
die down/away/out
drop off/away
lessen
ease (off)
let up
decrease
diminish
moderate
decline
fade
dwindle
slacken
recede
cool off
tail off
peter out
taper off
wane
ebb
relent
desist
weaken
become weaker
come to an end
remit
Opposite:
intensify
make (something) less intense.
"nothing abated his crusading zeal"
Law
reduce or remove (a nuisance).
"this action would not have been sufficient to abate the odour nuisance"
h
Similar:
decrease
lessen
diminish
reduce
lower
moderate
ease
soothe
relieve
dampen
calm
tone down
alleviate
mitigate
mollify
allay
assuage
palliate
temper
appease
attenuate
h
Opposite:
increase
Origin
Middle English (in the legal sense): from Old French abatre ‘to fell’, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + batre ‘to beat’ (from Latin battere, battuere ‘to beat’).
---
6.
recuperation
/rɪˌk(j)uːpəˈreɪʃn/
Filter definitions by topic
See definitions in:
all
mechanics
politics
noun
noun: recuperation
1.
recovery from illness or exertion.
"the human body has amazing powers of recuperation"
2.
the recovery or regaining of something lost or taken.
"the recuperation of traditional scholarship"
the action of a recuperator in imparting heat to incoming air or gaseous fuel from hot waste gases.
"further energy saving has been achieved by heat recuperation"
3.
a process whereby a radical social or political movement or idea is assimilated into mainstream culture, thus diminishing its subversive force.
"recuperation of social movements and rebellion will always happen"
---
7.
untenable
/ʌnˈtɛnəbl/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
adjective: untenable
(especially of a position or view) not able to be maintained or defended against attack or objection.
"this argument is clearly untenable"
h
Similar:
indefensible
undefendable
unarguable
insupportable
refutable
unsustainable
unjustified
unwarranted
unjustifiable
inadmissible
unsound
ill-founded
flimsy
weak
shaky
flawed
defective
faulty
implausible
specious
groundless
unfounded
baseless
invalid
absurd
illogical
irrational
preposterous
senseless
unacceptable
h
Opposite:
tenable
---
8.
assiduously
/əˈsɪdjʊəsli/
Learn to pronounce
adverb
adverb: assiduously
with great care and perseverance.
"leaders worked assiduously to hammer out an action plan"
---
9.
coda
/ˈkəʊdə/
Learn to pronounce
nounMusic
noun: coda; plural noun: codas
the concluding passage of a piece or movement, typically forming an addition to the basic structure.
"the first movement ends with a fortissimo coda"
the concluding section of a dance, especially of a pas de deux or the finale of a ballet in which the dancers parade before the audience.
a concluding event, remark, or section.
"his new novel is a kind of coda to his previous books"
Origin
mid 18th century: Italian, from Latin cauda ‘tail’.
---
10.
inchoate
/ɪnˈkəʊət,ɪnˈkəʊeɪt,ˈɪnkəʊət,ˈɪnkəʊeɪt/
adjective
adjective: inchoate
1.
just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary.
"a still inchoate democracy"
confused or incoherent.
"inchoate proletarian protest"
2.
Law
(of an offence, such as incitement or conspiracy) anticipating or preparatory to a further criminal act.
Origin
mid 16th century: from Latin inchoatus, past participle of inchoare, variant of incohare ‘begin’.
---
11.
denigrate
/ˈdɛnɪɡreɪt/
Learn to pronounce
verb
verb: denigrate; 3rd person present: denigrates; past tense: denigrated; past participle: denigrated; gerund or present participle: denigrating
criticize unfairly; disparage.
"doom and gloom merchants who denigrate their own country"
h
Similar:
disparage
belittle
diminish
deprecate
cast aspersions on
decry
criticize unfairly
attack
speak ill of
speak badly of
blacken the character of
blacken the name of
give someone a bad name
sully the reputation of
spread lies about
defame
slander
libel
calumniate
besmirch
run down
abuse
insult
slight
revile
malign
vilify
slur
bad-mouth
do a hatchet job on
pull to pieces
pull apart
sling mud at
throw mud at
drag through the mud
rubbish
slag off
have a go at
slate
asperse
derogate
vilipend
vituperate
h
Opposite:
extol
Origin
late Middle English (in the sense ‘blacken, make dark’): from Latin denigrat- ‘blackened’, from the verb denigrare, from de- ‘away, completely’ + nigrare (from niger ‘black’).
---
12.
familial
/fəˈmɪlɪəl/
adjective
adjective: familial
relating to or occurring in a family or its members.
"familial relationships"
Origin
mid 19th century: from French, from Latin familia ‘family’.
---
13.
buttress
/ˈbʌtrɪs/
Learn to pronounce
noun
noun: buttress; plural noun: buttresses
1.
a structure of stone or brick built against a wall to strengthen or support it.
"the cathedral's massive buttresses"
h
Similar:
prop
support
abutment
shore
pier
reinforcement
stanchion
stay
strut
a projecting portion of a hill or mountain.
2.
a source of defence or support.
"she clung to her shrinking faith as a buttress against despair"
verb
verb: buttress; 3rd person present: buttresses; past tense: buttressed; past participle: buttressed; gerund or present participle: buttressing
1.
provide (a building or structure) with buttresses.
"we buttressed the wall as it was showing signs of cracking and collapse"
2.
increase the strength of or justification for; reinforce.
"authority was buttressed by religious belief"
h
Similar:
strengthen
reinforce
fortify
support
prop up
bolster up
shore up
underpin
cement
brace
uphold
confirm
defend
maintain
back up
buoy up
Origin
Middle English: from Old French (ars) bouterez ‘thrusting (arch)’, from boter ‘to strike or thrust’ (see butt1).
---
14.
allude
/əˈl(j)uːd/
Learn to pronounce
verb
past tense: alluded; past participle: alluded
suggest or call attention to indirectly; hint at.
"she had a way of alluding to Jean but never saying her name"
h
Similar:
refer to
suggest
hint at
imply
mention
touch on
mention in passing
mention en passant
speak briefly of
make an allusion to
cite
advert to
mention without discussing at length.
"we will allude briefly to the main points"
(of an artist or a work of art) recall (an earlier work or style) in such a way as to suggest a relationship with it.
"the photographs allude to Italian Baroque painting"
Origin
late 15th century (in the sense ‘hint at, suggest’): from Latin allus-, alludere, from ad- ‘towards’ + ludere ‘to play’.
Translate alluded to
Tip
Similar-sounding words
alluded is sometimes confused with eluded
---
15.
phylogenetically
/ˌfʌɪlə(ʊ)dʒɪˈnɛtɪkli/
adverbBiology
adverb: phylogenetically
in a way that relates to the evolutionary development and diversification of a species or group of organisms.
"phylogenetically related fish species"
---
16.
denizen
/ˈdɛnɪz(ə)n/
Learn to pronounce
noun
plural noun: denizens
formal•humorous
a person, animal, or plant that lives or is found in a particular place.
"denizens of field and forest"
h
Similar:
inhabitant
resident
townsman
townswoman
native
local
occupier
occupant
dweller
local yokel
burgher
burgess
habitant
residentiary
oppidan
indweller
historical•British
a foreigner allowed certain rights in their adopted country.
Origin
late Middle English deynseyn, via Anglo-Norman French from Old French deinz ‘within’ (from Latin de ‘from’ + intus ‘within’) + -ein (from Latin -aneus ‘-aneous’). The change in the form of the word was due to association with citizen.
---
17.
putative
/ˈpjuːtətɪv/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
adjective: putative
generally considered or reputed to be.
"the putative author of the book"
h
Similar:
supposed
assumed
presumed
acknowledged
accepted
recognized
commonly believed
commonly regarded
presumptive
alleged
reputed
reported
rumoured
reputative
Origin
late Middle English: from Old French putatif, -ive or late Latin putativus, from Latin putat- ‘thought’, from the verb putare .
---
18.
jockey
/ˈdʒɒki/
Learn to pronounce
verb
gerund or present participle: jockeying
struggle by every available means to gain or achieve something.
"both men will be jockeying for the two top jobs"
h
Similar:
compete
contend
vie
struggle
fight
tussle
scramble
push
jostle
handle or manipulate (someone or something) in a skilful manner.
"he jockeyed his machine into a dive"
h
Similar:
manoeuvre
ease
edge
manipulate
work
steer
engineer
inveigle
insinuate
ingratiate
wheedle
coax
cajole
finagle
Origin
late 16th century: diminutive of Jock. Originally the name for an ordinary man, lad, or underling, the word came to mean ‘mounted courier’, hence the current sense (late 17th century). Another early use ‘horse-dealer’ (long a byword for dishonesty) probably gave rise to the verb sense ‘manipulate’, whereas the main verb sense probably relates to the behaviour of jockeys manoeuvring for an advantageous position during a race.
---
19.
startling
/ˈstɑːtəlɪŋ,ˈstɑːtlɪŋ/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
adjective: startling
very surprising, astonishing, or remarkable.
"he bore a startling likeness to their father"
h
Similar:
surprising
astonishing
amazing
unexpected
unforeseen
staggering
shocking
stunning
extraordinary
remarkable
dramatic
disturbing
unsettling
perturbing
disconcerting
disquieting
frightening
alarming
scary
h
Opposite:
predictable
ordinary
startle
/ˈstɑːtl/
Learn to pronounce
verb
gerund or present participle: startling
cause to feel sudden shock or alarm.
"a sudden sound in the doorway startled her"
h
Similar:
surprise
frighten
scare
alarm
give someone a shock
give someone a fright
give someone a jolt
make someone jump
perturb
unsettle
agitate
disturb
disconcert
disquiet
give someone a turn
flabbergast
h
Opposite:
put at ease
Origin
Old English steartlian ‘kick, struggle’, from the base of start. The early sense gave rise to ‘move quickly, caper’ (typically said of cattle), whence ‘cause to react with fear’ (late 16th century).
---
20.
baloney
/bəˈləʊni/
Learn to pronounce
nouninformal
noun: baloney; plural noun: baloneys
1.
foolish or deceptive talk; nonsense.
"I don't buy it—it's all a load of baloney"
2.
North American
variant of bologna.
---
21.
patsy
/ˈpatsi/
Learn to pronounce
nouninformal
noun: patsy; plural noun: patsies
a person who is easily taken advantage of, especially by being cheated or blamed for something.
"there is a mischievous sparkle in his eyes that suggests he is no patsy"
Origin
---
22.
toil
/tɔɪl/
Learn to pronounce
verb
verb: toil; 3rd person present: toils; past tense: toiled; past participle: toiled; gerund or present participle: toiling
work extremely hard or incessantly.
"we toiled away"
h
Similar:
work hard
labour
work one's fingers to the bone
work like a Trojan
work like a dog
work day and night
exert oneself
keep at it
grind away
slave away
grub away
plough away
plod away
slog away
peg away
beaver away
plug away
put one's back into something
work one's guts out
work one's socks off
knock oneself out
sweat blood
kill oneself
graft away
fag
bullock
drudge
travail
moil
View 2 vulgar slang words
h
Opposite:
rest
relax
laze
move slowly and with difficulty.
"she began to toil up the cliff path"
h
Similar:
struggle
move with difficulty
labour
trudge
tramp
traipse
slog
plod
trek
footslog
sweat
drag oneself
fight (one's way)
push
trog
yomp
schlep
noun
noun: toil; plural noun: toils
exhausting physical labour.
"a life of toil"
h
Similar:
hard work
toiling
labour
slaving
struggle
effort
exertion
application
industry
grind
slog
blood
sweat
and tears
drudgery
elbow grease
graft
(hard) yakka
travail
moil
Origin
---
23.
consign
/kənˈsʌɪn/
Learn to pronounce
verb
past tense: consigned; past participle: consigned
deliver (something) to a person's keeping.
"he consigned three paintings to Sotheby's"
h
Similar:
assign
allocate
place
put
entrust
grant
remit
hand down
bequeath
commend
send (goods) by a public carrier.
"the package was consigned by a famous sporting goods company"
h
Similar:
send
send off
dispatch
transmit
transfer
convey
post
mail
ship
put someone or something in (a place) in order to be rid of it or them.
"she consigned the letter to the waste-paper basket"
h
Similar:
send
deliver
hand over
give over
turn over
sentence
confine in
imprison in
incarcerate in
lock up in
jail in
detain in
intern in
immure in
put away
put behind bars
bang up
deposit
commit
banish
relegate
Origin
late Middle English (in the sense ‘mark with the sign of the cross’, especially at baptism or confirmation, as a sign of dedication to God): from French consigner or Latin consignare ‘mark with a seal’.
---
24.
sundry
/ˈsʌndri/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
adjective: sundry
of various kinds; several.
"prawn and garlic vol-au-vents and sundry other delicacies"
h
Similar:
various
varied
miscellaneous
assorted
mixed
diverse
diversified
motley
random
several
numerous
many
manifold
multifarious
multitudinous
legion
divers
farraginous
noun
plural noun: sundries; noun: sundry
1.
various items not important enough to be mentioned individually.
"a drugstore selling magazines, newspapers, and sundries"
2.
Australian•Cricket
a run scored other than from a hit with the bat, credited to the batting side rather than to a batter; an extra.
Origin
Old English syndrig ‘distinct, separate’; related to sunder.
---
25.
undercut
See definitions in:
all
commerce
geography
art
tennis
forestry
cooking
hairdressing
verb
verb: undercut; 3rd person present: undercuts; past tense: undercut; past participle: undercut; gerund or present participle: undercutting
/ˌʌndəˈkʌt/
1.
offer goods or services at a lower price than (a competitor).
"these industries have been undercut by more efficient foreign producers"
h
Similar:
charge less than
charge a lower price than
undersell
underbid
2.
cut or wear away the part below or under (something, especially a cliff).
"the base of the crag is undercut permitting walkers to pass behind the falling water"
cut away material to leave (a carved design) in relief.
3.
weaken; undermine.
"the chairman denied his authority was being undercut"
h
Similar:
undermine
weaken
impair
damage
sap
threaten
subvert
sabotage
ruin
disrupt
undo
destabilize
demolish
wreck
destroy
chip away
4.
Tennis
strike (a ball) with backspin so that it bounces high on landing.
noun
noun: undercut; plural noun: undercuts
/ˈʌndəkʌt/
1.
a space formed by the removal or absence of material from the lower part of something.
"there may be some bigger fish in the safety of the undercut"
North American
a notch cut in a tree trunk to guide its fall when felled.
2.
British
the underside of a sirloin of beef.
3.
a hairstyle in which the hair is shaved or cut very short on the sides or back of the head but left relatively long on top.
"she styled her short bob into an edgy undercut"
---
26.
menace
/ˈmɛnɪs/
Learn to pronounce
noun
noun: menace; plural noun: menaces
a person or thing that is likely to cause harm; a threat or danger.
"a new initiative aimed at beating the menace of drugs"
h
Similar:
danger
peril
risk
hazard
threat
jeopardy
a threatening quality or atmosphere.
"he spoke the words with a hint of menace"
h
Similar:
threat
ominousness
intimidation
warning
ill-omen
commination
British
threatening words or actions.
"a demand of money with menaces"
informal
a person or thing that causes trouble or annoyance.
verb
verb: menace; 3rd person present: menaces; past tense: menaced; past participle: menaced; gerund or present participle: menacing
be a threat or possible danger to.
"Africa's elephants are still menaced by poaching"
h
Similar:
threaten
be a danger to
put at risk
jeopardize
imperil
loom over
bully
intimidate
issue threats to
frighten
scare
alarm
terrify
browbeat
cow
terrorize
threatening
ominous
black
thunderous
glowering
brooding
sinister
intimidating
frightening
terrifying
fearsome
mean-looking
alarming
forbidding
baleful
warning
minatory
minacious
looming
louring
in the wind
impending
brewing
dark
heavy
portentous
ugly
imminent
bodeful
h
Opposite:
friendly
auspicious
Origin
Middle English: via Old French from late Latin minacia, from Latin minax, minac- ‘threatening’, from minae ‘threats’.
---
27.
irascible
/ɪˈrasɪb(ə)l/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
adjective: irascible
having or showing a tendency to be easily angered.
"an irascible and difficult man"
h
Similar:
irritable
quick-tempered
short-tempered
bad-tempered
ill-tempered
hot-tempered
thin-skinned
snappy
snappish
tetchy
testy
touchy
edgy
crabby
waspish
dyspeptic
surly
cross
crusty
crabbed
grouchy
crotchety
cantankerous
curmudgeonly
ill-natured
ill-humoured
peevish
querulous
captious
fractious
bilious
narky
prickly
ratty
hot under the collar
iracund
iracundulous
---
28.
maladaptive
/ˌmaləˈdaptɪv/
Learn to pronounce
adjectivetechnical
adjective: maladaptive
not adjusting adequately or appropriately to the environment or situation.
"maladaptive coping strategies such as increasing consumption of alcohol"
---
29.
tribulation
/ˌtrɪbjʊˈleɪʃn/
Learn to pronounce
noun
plural noun: tribulations
a cause of great trouble or suffering.
"the tribulations of being a megastar"
a state of great trouble or suffering.
"his time of tribulation was just beginning"
h
Similar:
trouble
worry
anxiety
burden
cross to bear
affliction
ordeal
trial
adversity
hardship
tragedy
trauma
reverse
setback
blow
difficulty
problem
issue
misfortune
bad luck
stroke of bad luck
ill fortune
mishap
misadventure
suffering
distress
misery
wretchedness
unhappiness
sadness
heartache
woe
grief
pain
anguish
agony
hassle
travails
Origin
Middle English: via Old French from ecclesiastical Latin tribulatio(n-), from Latin tribulare ‘press, oppress’, from tribulum ‘threshing board (constructed of sharp points)’, based on terere ‘rub’.
---
30.
siege
/siː(d)ʒ/
Learn to pronounce
See definitions in:
all
military
police
zoology
noun
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"
h
Similar:
blockade
beleaguerment
encirclement
investment
besiegement
h
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"
Origin
---
31.
salient
/ˈseɪlɪənt/
See definitions in:
all
architecture
heraldry
surveying
military history
adjective
adjective: salient
1.
most noticeable or important.
"it succinctly covered all the salient points of the case"
h
Similar:
important
main
principal
major
chief
primary
notable
noteworthy
outstanding
arresting
conspicuous
striking
noticeable
obvious
remarkable
signal
prominent
pronounced
predominant
dominant
key
crucial
vital
essential
basic
staple
critical
pivotal
prime
central
focal
paramount
h
Opposite:
unimportant
inconspicuous
prominent; conspicuous.
"the salient object in my view"
2.
(of an angle) pointing outwards.
3.
Heraldry
(of an animal) standing on its hind legs with the forepaws raised, as if leaping.
noun
noun: salient; plural noun: salients
a piece of land or section of fortification that juts out to form an angle.
---
32.
piss off
phrasal verb of piss
1.
vulgar slang•British
go away (used to angrily dismiss someone).
h
Similar:
go away
depart
leave
take yourself off
take off
get out
get out of my sight
go
go your way
get going
get moving
move off
be off
set off
set out
start out
make a start
take your leave
decamp
duck out
take wing
walk out
walk off
absent yourself
be off with you!
shoo!
hit the road
fly
skedaddle
split
vamoose
scat
make yourself scarce
be on one's way
run along
beat it
get
get lost
push off
shove off
buzz off
clear off
skip off
pop off
go (and) jump in the lake
on your bike!
go and chase yourself!
get along
push along
get stuffed
sling your hook
hop it
hop the twig/stick
bog off
naff off
bug off
light out
haul off
haul ass
take a powder
hit the trail
take a hike
nick off
rack off
begone
avaunt
View 3 vulgar slang words
2.
vulgar slang
