Index of Word Meanings
1. hearken /ˈhɑːk(ə)n/ verb past tense: hearkened; past participle: hearkened ARCHAIC listen. "he refused to hearken to Tom's words of wisdom" --- 2. coda /ˈkəʊdə/ noun MUSIC 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’. --- 3. expediency /ɪkˈspiːdɪənsi,ɛkˈspiːdɪənsi/ noun noun: expediency; plural noun: expediencies the quality of being convenient and practical despite possibly being improper or immoral; convenience. "an act of political expediency" Similar: convenience advantage advantageousness usefulness utility --- 4. troupe /truːp/ noun noun: troupe; plural noun: troupes a group of dancers, actors, or other entertainers who tour to different venues. "a dance troupe" h Similar: group company band ensemble set cast Origin --- 5. primordial /prʌɪˈmɔːdɪəl/ adjective adjective: primordial existing at or from the beginning of time; primeval. "the primordial oceans" Similar: ancient earliest first prehistoric antediluvian antique primeval primitive primal autochthonous autochthonic primigenial Opposite: modern (especially of a feeling or state) basic and fundamental. "the primordial needs of the masses" h Similar: instinctive primitive basic primal primeval intuitive intuitional involuntary inborn innate inherent inbred natural congenital hereditary inherited in the blood ingrained Biology (of a cell, part, or tissue) in the earliest stage of development. "primordial germ cells" Origin late Middle English: from late Latin primordialis ‘first of all’, from primordius ‘original’ (see primordium). --- 6. stave /steɪv/ See definitions in: all building carpentry weapons music prosody noun noun: stave; plural noun: staves; noun: staff; plural noun: staffs 1. a vertical wooden post or plank in a building or other structure. any of the lengths of wood fixed side by side to make a barrel, bucket, or other container. a strong wooden stick or iron pole used as a weapon. 2. British•Music a set of five parallel lines on any one or between any adjacent two of which a note is written to indicate its pitch. 3. a verse or stanza of a poem. Phrases stave in break something by forcing it inwards or piercing it roughly. "the door was staved in" stave off avert or delay something bad or dangerous. "a reassuring presence can stave off a panic attack" Origin Middle English: back-formation from staves, archaic plural of staff1. Current senses of the verb date from the early 17th century. stave in phrasal verb of stave verb: stave break something by forcing it inwards or piercing it roughly. "the door was staved in" Similar: break in smash in put a hole in push in kick in cave in splinter shiver fracture stave off phrasal verb of stave verb: stave avert or delay something bad or dangerous. "a reassuring presence can stave off a panic attack" Similar: avert prevent avoid preclude rule out counter forestall --- 7. beaver 1 /ˈbiːvə/ See definitions in: all mammal clothing textiles scouting military history noun plural noun: beavers; plural noun: Beavers 1. a large semiaquatic broad-tailed rodent native to North America and northern Eurasia. It is noted for its habit of gnawing through trees to fell them in order to make dams. the soft light brown fur of the beaver. "long coats trimmed with light beaver" historical a hat made of felted beaver fur. noun: beaver hat; plural noun: beaver hats a heavy woollen cloth resembling felted beaver fur. noun: beaver cloth; plural noun: beaver cloths a very hard-working person. "Hopkins was a regular beaver where gardening was concerned" 2. a boy aged about 6 or 7 who is an affiliated member of the Scout Association. verbinformal 3rd person present: beavers work hard. "Bridget beavered away to keep things running smoothly" Origin Old English beofor, befor, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bever and German Biber, from an Indo-European root meaning ‘brown’. ... beaver 2 /ˈbiːvə/ noun plural noun: beavers the lower part of the face guard of a helmet in a suit of armour. The term is also used to refer to the upper part or visor, or to a single movable guard. Origin late 15th century: from Old French baviere ‘bib’, from baver ‘slaver’. ... beaver 3 /ˈbiːvə/ noun plural noun: beavers 1. vulgar slang•North American a woman's genitals or pubic area. 2. dated•informal a bearded man. Origin early 20th century: of unknown origin. --- 8. prosaic /prə(ʊ)ˈzeɪɪk/ adjective adjective: prosaic having or using the style or diction of prose as opposed to poetry; lacking imaginativeness or originality. "prosaic language can't convey the experience" Similar: unimaginative uninspired matter-of-fact dull dry humdrum mundane pedestrian heavy plodding lifeless dead spiritless lacklustre undistinguished stale jejune bland insipid vapid vacuous banal hackneyed trite literal factual unpoetic unemotional unsentimental clear plain unadorned unembellished unvarnished monotonous deadpan flat Opposite: imaginative inspired commonplace; unromantic. "the masses were too preoccupied by prosaic day-to-day concerns" h Similar: ordinary everyday usual common conventional straightforward routine humdrum commonplace run-of-the-mill workaday businesslike pedestrian tame mundane dull dreary tedious boring ho-hum uninspiring monotonous h Opposite: interesting Origin late 16th century (as a noun denoting a prose writer): from late Latin prosaicus, from Latin prosa ‘straightforward (discourse)’ (see prose). Current senses of the adjective date from the mid 18th century. --- 9. licentious /lʌɪˈsɛnʃəs/ adjective adjective: licentious 1. promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual matters. "the ruler's tyrannical and licentious behaviour" Similar: dissolute dissipated debauched degenerate salacious immoral wanton decadent depraved profligate impure sinful wicked corrupt indecent libertine lustful lecherous lascivious libidinous prurient lubricious lewd promiscuous unchaste carnal fleshly intemperate abandoned ribald risqué smutty dirty filthy coarse perverted horny raunchy naughty pervy randy concupiscent lickerish Opposite: moral virtuous 2. archaic disregarding accepted conventions, especially in grammar or literary style. Origin late Middle English: from Latin licentiosus, from licentia ‘freedom’. --- 10. begrudge /bɪˈɡrʌdʒ/ verb gerund or present participle: begrudging 1. envy (someone) the possession or enjoyment of (something). "she begrudged Martin his affluence" Similar: envy grudge resent be jealous of be envious of be resentful of 2. give reluctantly or resentfully. "nobody begrudges a single penny spent on health" Similar: resent feel aggrieved about feel bitter about be annoyed about be angry about be displeased about be resentful of grudge mind object to take exception to regret give unwillingly give reluctantly give resentfully give stintingly be dissatisfied with Translate begrudging to --- 11. vexed /ˈvɛkst/ adjective adjective: vexed 1. (of a problem or issue) difficult and much debated; problematic. "the vexed question of how much money the government is going to spend" Similar: disputed in dispute contested in contention contentious debated debatable open to debate open to question questionable at issue open to doubt controversial moot unresolved unsettled up in the air undecided yet to be decided undetermined unconcluded ongoing problematic problematical taxing knotty thorny ticklish delicate sticky dicey hairy iffy dodgy Opposite: undisputed resolved 2. annoyed, frustrated, or worried. "I'm very vexed with you!" Similar: annoyed irritated angry irate furious incensed inflamed enraged infuriated maddened fuming wrathful choleric exasperated piqued irked nettled ill-humoured hot-tempered testy cross in a bad mood in a temper in high dudgeon huffy in a huff put out fed up disgruntled displeased dissatisfied frustrated resentful upset perturbed fretted bothered troubled worried agitated harassed harried flustered distressed aggravated peeved miffed miffy mad riled hacked off peed off hot under the collar foaming at the mouth browned off cheesed off brassed off not best pleased narked eggy teed off ticked off sore steamed vex ireful snuffy wrath vulgar slang pissed off pissed Opposite: calm content --- 12. vex /vɛks/ verb past tense: vexed; past participle: vexed make (someone) feel annoyed, frustrated, or worried, especially with trivial matters. "the memory of the conversation still vexed him" Similar: annoy irritate infuriate anger incense inflame enrage irk chagrin exasperate madden pique provoke nettle disturb upset perturb discompose put out try try someone's patience get on someone's nerves bother trouble worry agitate harass harry fuss fluster ruffle hound rankle with nag torment pain distress tease frustrate chafe grate fret gall outrage displease offend disgust dissatisfy disquiet rub up the wrong way mither peeve aggravate miff bug bite eat hassle rile get to hack off make someone's blood boil make someone see red get someone's goat get someone's hackles up make someone's hackles rise get someone's back up get someone's dander up drive up the wall drive bananas needle be a pain in the neck ruffle someone's feathers get in someone's hair get under someone's skin give someone a hard time nark get on someone's wick give someone the hump wind up get across get up someone's nose tick off ride rankle gravel bum out vulgar slang piss off get on someone's tits Opposite: mollify appease West Indian be annoyed, irritated, or unhappy. "I wouldn't vex; it will be just great if whoever borrow the pump, just bring it back" archaic cause distress to. "thou shalt not vex a stranger" Origin late Middle English: from Old French vexer, from Latin vexare ‘shake, disturb’.