Vocabulary Set #2

debridement

noun (medicine)

the removal of damaged tissue or foreign objects from a wound

eschar

noun (medicine)

a dry, dark scab or falling away of dead skin, typically caused by a burn, or by the bite of a mite, or as a result of anthrax infection.

exudate

noun

1. (Medicine) a mass of cells and fluid that has seeped out of blood vessels or an organ, especially in inflammation.

2. (Botany) Entomology a substance secreted by a plant or insect.

derivatives

exudation

exudative

Types: serous (serum/clear fluid), sanguineous (bloody), serosanguineous (mixture of blood and serum), or purulent (pus)

also see transudate

imbroglio

noun (plural imbroglios)

an extremely confused, complicated, or embarrassing situation: the Watergate imbroglio.

• (archaic) a confused heap.

syn: complicated situation, complication, predicament, plight, trouble, entanglement, confusion, mess, quandary, dilemma

scrimshaw

verb [with object]

adorn (whalebone, ivory, shells, or other materials) with carved or colored designs: (scrimshawed as adjective): the scrimshawed jewelry and antique furniture on sale.

noun

scrimshawed ivory or shells

derivatives

scrimshander

scrim

noun

strong, coarse fabric, chiefly used for heavy-duty lining or upholstery.

• (in a theater) a piece of gauze cloth that appears opaque until lit from behind, used as a screen or backdrop: a plain scrim for backcloth and good lighting are all that are needed.

• a heatproof cloth put over film or television lamps to diffuse the light.

• North American English a thing that conceals or obscures something: a thin scrim of fog covered the island.

scrimmage

noun

1. a confused struggle or fight: there was a considerable scrimmage, with people anxious to obtain cabs.

2. American football the beginning of each down of play, with the ball placed on the ground between the offensive and defensive lines with its longest axis at right angles to the goal line: Michigan was called for pass interference in the first play from scrimmage.

• mainly American football a session in which teams practice by playing a simulated game.

verb [no object] mainly American football

engage in a simulated game: I recommended that we be able to scrimmage against other schools during the spring.

derivatives

scrimmager

scrimmaging

syn: fight, battle, struggle, tussle, brawl, fracas, rumpus

scrimp

verb [no object]

be thrifty or parsimonious; economize: I have scrimped and saved to give you a good education.

derivatives

scrimpy

syn: economize, skimp, be thrifty

foulard

noun

a thin, soft material of silk or silk and cotton, typically having a printed pattern.

• a tie or handkerchief made of foulard.

typically used for ties, neckties, handkerchiefs, headscarves, etc.Typically

types of islands and their traits

isle: an island OR peninsula; typically small (general term)

islet: a VERY SMALL island, usually rocky with little to no vegetation

atoll: a ring-shaped reef, island, or chain of islands formed of coral (almost always in the sea)

key/cay: a low bank of reef or coral, rock, or sand, typically level (imagine smaller a beached, lush island in the sea)

ait: a small island IN A RIVER (imagine Notre Dame’s ait)

holm: an islet, especially in a river or near a mainland (imagine off the coast)

skerry: a reef or rocky island (imagine Northern Canada)

archipelago: a group of islands

insular: relating to an island

proverbial

adjective

(of a word or phrase) referred to in a proverb or idiom: I'm going to stick out like the proverbial sore thumb.

• well known, especially so as to be stereotypical: the Welsh people, whose hospitality is proverbial.

derivatives

proverbiality

proverbially

proverb (a short pithy saying in general use, stating a general truth or piece of advice.)

syn: well-known, famous, famed, renowned, traditional

lacuna

noun (plural lacunae/lacunas)

an unfilled space or interval; a gap: the journal has filled a lacuna in Middle Eastern studies.

• a missing portion in a book or manuscript

• (anatomy) a cavity or depression, especially in bone

derivatives

lacunal

lacunate

lacunose

lacunar

lacunary

remiss

adjective

lacking care or attention to duty; negligent: it would be very remiss of me not to pass on that information | they have been remiss in their duties.

derivatives

remissly

remissness

syn: negligent, neglectful, irresponsible, careless, lax, slack, slipshod, dilatory

idiosyncrasy

noun

a mode of behavior or way of thought peculiar to an individual: one of his little idiosyncrasies was always preferring to be in the car first.

• a distinctive or peculiar feature or characteristic of a place or thing: the idiosyncrasies of the prison system.

• Medicine an abnormal physical reaction by an individual to a food or drug.

derivatives:

idiosyncratically

idiosyncratic

syn: peculiarity, oddity, eccentricity, mannerism, quirk

verisimilitude

noun

the appearance of being true or real: its attention to detail gives the story verisimilitude.

derivatives

verisimilar

stochastic

adjective (technical)

randomly determined; having a random probability distribution or pattern that may be analyzed statistically but may not be predicted precisely.

derivatives

stochastically

verism

noun

extreme or strict naturalism in art or literature: the heartbreaking verism of her stories made each one prize-worthy in itself.

derivatives

verist

verismo

syn: true-to-life

benediction

noun

the utterance or bestowing of a blessing, especially at the end of a religious service: he said the benediction.

• (Benediction) a service in which the congregation is blessed with the Blessed Sacrament, held mainly in the Roman Catholic Church: she went with Maureen to Benediction.

• devout or formal invocation of blessedness: her arms outstretched in benediction.

• the state of being blessed: he eventually wins benediction.

derivatives

benedictional

benedictory

see Benedictus

syn: blessing, prayer, invocation, dedication, grace, thanks, or blessedness, beatitude, bliss, favor

doff

verb [with object]

remove (an item of clothing): he had doffed tie and jacket and rolled up his shirtsleeves.

• take off or raise (one's hat) as a greeting or token of respect: the manager doffed his hat to her.

syn: take off, remove, raise, lift, shed

ant: don

pettifog

verb (archaic)

quibble about petty points: they pettifogged on detail and fretted about moral hazard.

• practice legal deception or trickery: he will rather pettifog and turn common barrator than be out of employment.

derivatives

pettifoggery

syn: cavil, nitpick, carp

aesopica

the collective for Aesop’s fables, the storyteller and fabulist.

derivatives:

Aesopian

Aesop
Aesopic

malversation

noun (formal)

corrupt behavior in a position of trust, especially in public office: ineptitude and malversation were major factors in the trouncing of the group's candidates.

syn: malfeasance (dr: malfeasant)

dais

noun

a low platform for a lectern, seats of honor, or a throne.

syn: platform, stage, podium, rostrum, stand, grandstand, apron, soapbox

iconoclast

noun

1. a person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions: he was one of music's true iconoclasts.

2. a destroyer of images used in religious worship: the paintings were destroyed by the iconoclasts.

• historical a supporter of the 8th- and 9th-century movement in the Byzantine Church which sought to abolish the veneration of icons and other religious images: the reigning emperor is a fanatical iconoclast who sees the veneration of icons as idolatry.

• historical a Puritan of the 16th or 17th century: Puritan iconoclasts smashed the carved figures depicting the life of Mary.

derivatives:

iconoclasm

iconoclastically

iconoclastic

syn: critic, skeptic, questioner, maverick, dissident, nonconformist

codec

noun

a device or program that compresses data to enable faster transmission and decompresses received data.

solenoid

noun

a cylindrical coil of wire acting as a magnet when carrying electric current.

derivatives

solenoidal

syn: coil, spring, spiral, gyre

decoupage

noun

the art or craft of decorating objects with paper cut-outs.

related: decollage (opposite of collage)

impudent

adjective

not showing due respect for another person; impertinent: he could have strangled this impudent upstart.

derivatives

impudently

impudence

syn: impertinent, insolent, cheeky, audacious, brazen, rude

ways to say sideways

1. to, toward, or from the side: to the side, laterally, crabwise; athwart.

2. with one side facing forward: edgewise, sidewards, side first, edgewise, end on.

3. looking to the side: obliquely, indirectly, sidelong; covertly, furtively, surreptitiously, slyly; archaic askance.

adjective

1. directed or moving to, toward, or from the side: lateral, sideward, on the side, side to side.

2. done indirectly: a sideways look. oblique, indirect, sidelong, side; covert, furtive, surreptitious, sly.

muntin

noun (US English)

a bar or rigid supporting strip between adjacent panes of glass.

derivatives

muntined

praxis

noun (formal)

practice, as distinguished from theory: the gap between theory and praxis, text and world.

• accepted practice or custom: patterns of Christian praxis in church and society.

camber

verb

1. to curve upward in the middle

2. to arch slightly

noun

the slightly convex or arched shape of a road or other horizontal surface: the deck beams are curved for the camber of the deck.

• (British English) a tilt built into a road at a bend or curve, enabling vehicles to maintain speed.

• the slight sideways inclination of the front wheels of a motor vehicle: suspension changes include a wider front and rear track with increased negative camber for better cornering grip

• the extent of curvature of a section of an airfoil.

derivatives

cambered

penny dreadful

noun

a cheap, sensational comic or storybook: most popular published titles right now are penny dreadfuls.

machismo

noun

strong or masculine pride: they think that the key to getting the girl is machismo or chivalry…

syn: masculinity, macho, toughness, toxic masculinity, chauvinism, laddishness

chauvinism

noun

excessive or prejudiced support for one’s own cause or group, in particular male prejudice against women: we stand together to stamp out chauvinism and bigotry

• exaggerated or aggressive patriotism: there was very little national chauvinism during his presidential term.

derivatives:

chauvinistically

chauvinist

chauvinistic

syn: jingoism, excessive patriotism, sectarianism, or sexism, misogyny, machismo

vindication

noun

the action of clearing someone of blame or suspicion: I intend to work to ensure my full vindication.

• proof that someone or something is right, reasonable, or justified: her shoddy alibi was somehow considered vindication.

derivatives:

vindicate

vindicable

vindicatory

syn: exoneration, exculpation, substantiation

vindictive

adjective

having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge: she was vindictive in her criticism of the piece.

derivatives

vindictively

vindictiveness

syn: vengeful, revengeful, avenging, unforgiving, acrimonious

indite

verb (archaic)

write; compose: she indites the tale of our Lord.

syn: write, compose

rupestrian

adjective

(of art) done on rock or cave walls: the rupestrian depictions of hunters and animals…

misoneism

noun

a hatred, fear, or intolerance of innovation or change: there seems to be a lot of misoneism surrounding AI and LLMs as of late.

syn: Ludditism, neophobia

Luddite

noun

1. derogatory a person opposed to new technology or ways of working: a small-minded Luddite resisting progress | I'm not a Luddite, after all I work with the internet for my job.

2. historical a member of any of the bands of English workers who destroyed machinery, especially in cotton and woolen mills, that they believed was threatening their jobs (1811–16).

adjective

1. derogatory opposed to new technology or ways of working: this bill is really a Luddite approach to science | there'll still be plenty of Luddite customers like me who are yet to embrace the future.

2. historical denoting or relating to the 19th-century Luddites who destroyed machinery that they believed was threatening their jobs: the Luddite movement | the Luddite outbreaks of 1812.

derivatives

Luddism

Ludditism

philistine

noun

a person who is hostile or indifferent to culture and the arts, or who has no understanding of them: I am a complete philistine when it comes to paintings.

adjective

hostile or indifferent to culture and the arts: there were displays to inspire even the most philistine of visitors.

derivatives

philistinism

syn: lowbrow, materialist, bourgeois, boor, ignoramus, lout, oaf, barbarian, yahoo, vulgarian, or crass, tasteless, uncultured, uncultivated

addlebrained/addleheaded/addlepated

adjective

mentally muddled or lacking in common sense: she’s addlebrained when hungry, brilliant when full.

erudite

adjective

having or showing great knowledge or learning: Ken could turn any conversation into an erudite discussion | she was very erudite.

derivatives

erudition

eruditely

syn: learned, scholarly, knowledgable, lettered, wise

dowdy

adjective (dowdier, dowdiest)

(of a person or their clothes) unfashionable and without style in appearance (typically used of a woman): she could achieve the kind of casual chic that made every other woman around her look dowdy. 

derivatives

dowdily

dowdiness

syn: unfashionable, frumpish, frumpy, drab, dull, outmoded

ribald

adjective

referring to sexual matters in an amusingly coarse or irreverent way: a ribald comment | he was delighted at the ribald laughter that greeted his witticism.

derivatives

ribaldry

syn: bawdy, indecent, risque, rude, racy, broad, earthy, Rabelaisian

sea reach

noun

a straight section of a river right before it reaches the ocean: he kayaked past the sea reach and was lost.

types of boats

yawl

parrhesia

noun

candid speech, speaking freely: his parrhesia was why the people loved him.

syn: freedom of speech, honest speech

mizzen/mizzenmast

noun

1 (also mizzenmast) the mast aft of a ship's mainmast.

2 (also mizzensail) the lowest sail on a mizzenmast: [as modifier] : mizzen yard.

lenticular

adjective

1. shaped like a lentil, especially by being biconvex: when you look at it from an angle, a lenticular photo will display a different image than if you look at it straight-on.

2. relating to the lens of the eye.

see lenticular printing/images

riad/riyad

noun

a traditional Moroccan house or palace built around an open central courtyard or garden

• a type of traditional garden courtyard built in the middle of a Moroccan house

antecedent

noun

a thing or event that existed before or logically precedes another: some antecedents to the African novel might exist in Africa's oral traditions.

• (antecedents) a person's ancestors or family and social background: her early life and antecedents have been traced.

• (Grammar) a word, phrase, clause, or sentence to which another word (especially a following relative pronoun) refers.

• (Logic) the statement contained in the “if” clause of a conditional proposition.

• (Mathematics) the first term in a ratio.

adjective

preceding in time or order; previous or preexisting: the antecedent events that prompt you to break a diet.

• denoting a grammatical antecedent.

derivatives

antecedence

antecedently

anteceding

syn: ancestor, forefather, forebear; previous, earlier, preceding

note: antecedent and precedent are synonyms, but antecedent has the connotation of being directly sequential, usually directly before the event and usually impacting or causing it, while precedent is anything that happens before in time, not just right before.

anomie

noun

lack of the usual social or ethical standards in an individual or group: the theory that high-rise architecture leads to anomie in the residents.

• social instability resulting from a breakdown of standards and values

• personal unrest, alienation, and uncertainty that comes from a lack of purpose or ideals

derivatives

anomic

kismet

noun

destiny; fate: what chance did I stand against kismet?

syn: fate, destiny, fortune, providence, the stars, God’s will

hoodwink

verb

deceive or trick (someone): the CEO said in an interview he felt “hoodwinked by the Board,” and that his termination “came with horrible and unwarranted surprise.”

syn: deceive, trick, dupe, outwit, fool, delude, cheat, bluff, mislead

iniquity

noun (plural iniquities)

immoral or grossly unfair behavior: a den of iniquity | [count noun] : these historical iniquities are now under fresh scrutiny.

derivatives

iniquitous

iniquitously

inquitouness

syn: wickedness, sinfulness, immorality, impropriety, vice, evil, sin, criminality, crime, heinousness

droll

adjective

curious or unusual in a way that provokes dry amusement: his unique brand of droll self-mockery.

noun (archaic)

a jester or entertainer; a buffoon.

derivatives

drollery

drollness

drolly

syn: funny, humorous, amusing, comical

note: some people have used this word as a synonym for boring or dull, thought that is not its definition.

titular

adjective

1. holding or constituting a purely formal position or title without any real authority: the queen is titular head of the Church of England | a titular post.

• [attributive] (of a cleric) nominally appointed to serve a diocese, abbey, or other foundation no longer in existence, and typically in fact having authority in another capacity.

2. denoting a person or thing from whom or which the name of an artistic work or similar is taken: the work's titular song.

3. [attributive] denoting any of the parish churches in Rome to which cardinals are formally appointed: the priests of the titular churches.

syn: nominal, in title/name only, formal; eponymous, identifying

note: as in title.

eponymous

adjective

(of a person) giving their name to something: the eponymous hero of the novel.

• (of a thing) named after a particular person: he chronicles the launch of his eponymous fashion brand.

derivatives

eponymously

eponym

eponymy

palaver

noun

1. unnecessarily elaborate or complex procedure: there's a lot of palaver involved | since I've started the whole palaver, I may as well carry it forward | [in singular] : getting into each building was a bit of a palaver | what a palaver!.

• lengthy and unproductive discussion: an hour of aimless palaver | we get endless palaver, sometimes in blank verse.

2. mainly historical an improvised conference between two groups, typically those without a shared language or culture.

verb

talk unproductively and at length; prattle: it’s too hot for palavering.

syn: fuss, bother, commotion, rigmarole, folderol; or catter, gossip, prattle, prate, babble, blather

gamesmanship

noun

the art of winning games by using various ploys and tactics to gain a psychological advantage: the negotiations were primarily exercises in propaganda and gamesmenship.

derivatives

gamesman

comeuppance

noun

a punishment or fate that someone deserves: he got his comeuppance.

syn: just deserts, deserved fate, recompense

chimera

1. a fire-breathing female monster with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail.

   • any mythical animal with parts taken from various animals.

2. a thing that is hoped or wished for but in fact is illusory or impossible to achieve: the economic sovereignty you claim to defend is a chimera.

3. (Biology) an organism containing a mixture of genetically different tissues, formed by processes such as fusion of early embryos, grafting, or mutation: the sheeplike goat chimera.

syn: illusion, fantasy, delusion, dream, fancy

not to be confused with amalgam

homunculus

noun

a very small human or humanoid creature.

• historical a supposed microscopic but fully formed human being from which a fetus was formerly believed to develop.

zephyr

noun

1. (literary) a soft, gentle breeze: sweet zephyrs just stirred the woods with their breath.

• (Zephyr) a personification of the west wind.

2. historical a fine cotton gingham.

• a very light article of clothing.

perennial

adjective

lasting or existing for a long or apparently infinite time; enduring or continually recurring: his perennial distrust of the media | perennial manifestations of urban crisis.

• (of a plant) living for several years. Compare with annual,, biennial: tarragon is perennial.

• [attributive] (of a person) apparently permanently engaged in a specified role or way of life: he's a perennial student.

• (of a stream or spring) flowing throughout the year.

noun

a perennial plant: perennials will transform the garden in summer.

derivatives

perennate

perennation

perennially

syn: everlasting, perpetual, eternal, continuing

loll

verb

sit, lie, or stand in a lazy, relaxed way: the two girls lolled in their chairs.

• hang loosely; droop: he slumped against a tree trunk, his head lolling back | her tongue was lolling out between her teeth.

• [with object] stick out (one's tongue) so that it hangs loosely out of the mouth: the boy lolled out his tongue.

syn: lounge, sprawl, drape oneself; or hang down, hang, dangle

engender

verb

cause or give rise to (a feeling, situation, or condition): the issue engendered continuing controversy.

syn: cause, give rise to, bring about, lead to, produce

paucity

noun

the presence of something only in small or insufficient quantities or amounts; scarcity: a paucity of information.

syn: scarcity, sparseness, lack, dearth, shortage, rarity, poverty

glitterati

plural noun (informal)

the fashionable set of people engaged in show business or some other glamorous activity: the neighborhood has become a favorite haunt of the glitterati | the glitterati of the art world.

syn: A-list, society, elite, cafe society, haut monde, beau monde, patriciate, jet set, upper crust, aristocracy

literati

plural noun

well-educated people who are interested in literature.

gentility

noun

social superiority as demonstrated by genteel manners, behavior, or appearances: her grandmother’s pretensions to gentility.

syn: social superiority, respectability, refinement, preeminence, polish, decorousness

pretension

noun

1. (pretension to) a claim or assertion of a claim to something: we cannot tolerate pretension to infallibility | their pretensions to culture.

2. the use of affectation to impress; ostentatiousness: he spoke simply, without pretension.

verb

apply tension to (an object) during manufacture or prior to some other process: the safety system pretensions the seat belts.

• strengthen (reinforced concrete) by applying tension to the reinforcing rods before the concrete has set.

syn: aspiration, claim, assertion, or pretentiousness, affectation, affectedness, ostentation

maladaptive

adjective

not providing adequate or appropriate adjustment to the environment or situation: maladaptive coping strategies such as increasing consumption of alcohol.

fulcrum

noun (plural fulcra/fulcrums)

the point upon which a lever rests or is supported and on which it pivots.

• a thing that plays a central or essential role in activity, event, or situation: research is the fulcrum of the academic community.

syn: pivot, center, heart, hinge, hub, focal point, kingpin

lockstep

noun

a way of marching with each person as close as possible to the one in front: the trio marched in lockstep | hundreds of gaunt men, women, and children trudged lockstep into the building, heads low.

• close adherence to and emulation of another’s actions: they raised prices in lockstep with those of foreign competitors | her alibi was lockstep with her brothers.

• see also: goose step, military step

bêtise

noun

a foolish or ill-timed remark or action: talking during the father’s swing was a bêtise, and after she had done it, for the rest of the game, the father talked constantly during her swings.

• the state of being very stupid: her bêtise attitude towards sports turned him off.

syn: blunder, idiocy, insanity, folly, foppery, or imbecility, foolishness, stupidity

ipse dixit

noun

a dogmatic and unproven statement; an assertion without proof; dictum.

Latin for: “he said it himself”

dictum

noun (plural dicta, dictums)

a formal pronouncement from an authoritative source: the Gettysburg Address and all future dictums.

• • a short statement that expresses a general truth or principle: the old dictum “might makes right.”.

syn: pronouncement, proclamation, direction, injunction, assertion, or saying, maxim, axiom, proverb

ipseity

noun (rare)

individual identity; selfhood: being alone was when she felt true ipseity.

laissez-faire

noun

a policy or attitude of letting things take their own course, without interfering: a laissez-faire attitude to life.

• (Economics) abstention by governments from interfering in the workings of the free market: [as modifier] : laissez-faire capitalism.

derivatives

laissez-faireism

syn: lax, permissive, loose, noninterventionist, or free enterprise, private enterprise, free trade

calque

noun

loan translation (an expression adopted by one language from another in a more or less literally translated form.)

verb (be calqued on)

originate or fuction as a loan translation of: “it goes without saying” is calqued on French “cela va sans dire”.

coterminous

adjective

having the same boundaries or extent in space, time, or meaning: the southern frontier was coterminous with the French Congo colony | it seems anxiety is coterminous with depression.

prophylactic

adjective

intended to prevent disease: prophylactic measures.

noun

a medicine or course of action used to prevent disease: I took malaria prophylactics.

derivatives

prophylactically

prophylaxis

syn: preventive, preventative, precautionary, or precaution, safeguard

convalescent

adjective

(of a person) recovering from an illness or operation: a convalescent child.

• relating to convalescence: a convalescent home.

noun

a person who is recovering from an illness or operation: convalescents benefit from relaxation.

syn: recuperating, recovering

slovenly

adjective

(especially of a person or their appearance) messy and dirty: he was upbraided for his slovenly appearance.

• (especially of a person or action) careless; excessively casual: slovenly speech.

derivatives

sloven

slovenliness

syn: scruffy, untidy, messy, unkempt, or careless, slapdash, slipshod, disorganized, unsystematic

upbraided

verb

find fault with (someone); scold: he was upbraided for his tardiness.

syn: reprimand, rebuke, reproach, scold, admonish, chastise

tabula rasa

noun (tabula rasae)

an absence of preconceived ideas or predetermined goals; a clean slate: the new season gave the football team a tabula rasa from which to work.

• the human mind, especially at birth, viewed as having no innate ideas

syn: blank slate, blank canvas, palimpsest

latin for “scraped tablet,’ denoting a tablet with the writing erased

vise

noun

a metal tool with movable jaws that are used to hold an object firmly in place while work is done on it, typically attached to a workbench.

see “vise-like grip”

portcullis

noun

a strong, heavy grating that can be lowered down grooves on each side of a gateway to block it.

derivatives

portcullised

doldrums

plural noun (the doldrums)

1. a state or period of stagnation or depression: the mortgage market has been in the doldrums for three years | color catalogs will rid you of February doldrums.

2. an equatorial region of the Atlantic Ocean with calms, sudden storms, and light unpredictable winds: Hurricane Verity had been born in the doldrums.

syn: depression, melancholy, gloom, gloominess, glumness, downheartedness, dejection

phrases: in the doldrums

syn: inactive, quiet, slow, slack, sluggish, stagnant, static, inert

automatism

noun

the performance of actions without conscious thought or intention: diabetic patients who commit crimes while hypoglycemic may be able to plead automatism.

• an action performed unconsciously or involuntarily: automatisms occurred in all four epileptic syndromes.

• (Art) the avoidance of conscious intention in producing works of art, especially by using mechanical techniques or subconscious associations.

facile

adjective

1. (especially of a theory or argument) appearing neat and comprehensive only by ignoring the true complexities of an issue; superficial: facile generalizations.

• (of a person) having a superficial or simplistic knowledge or approach: a man of facile and shallow intellect.

2. (especially of success in sports) easily achieved; effortless: a facile victory | he was revealed to be a facile liar.

derivatives

facilely

facileness

syn: simplistic, superficial, oversimple, schematic, or effortless, easy, undemanding, unexacting

moor

noun (mainly British English)

a tract of open uncultivated upland; a heath: a little town in the moors.

• a tract of open land preserved for shooting: a grouse moor.

• (US English) a fen. (a low and marshy or frequently flooded area of land: 55 acres of fen | a flooded fen.)

verb

make fast (a boat) by attaching it by cable or rope to the shore or to an anchor: twenty or so fishing boats were moored to the pier.

• [no object] (of a boat) be made fast by mooring: we moored alongside a jetty.

syn: tie up, secure, make fast, fasten, anchor, berth, dock, or upland, moorland, heath, plateau

knickerbockers

noun

1. (see knickers) loose-fitting trousers gathered at the knee or calf.

• (British English) short underpants worn by women or girls.

2. a New Yorker.

• a descendant of the original Dutch settlers in New York.

derivatives:

knickerbockered

syn: underpants, briefs, drawers, tanga briefs, pants, camiknickers, bloomers, pantalettes

valise

noun

a small traveling bag or suitcase.

calcine

verb

reduce, oxidize, or desiccate by roasting or exposing to strong heat: we calcine the medicine so that we may better dissolve it.

derivatives

calcination

calcined

vegetal

adjective

relating to plants: a vegetal aroma.

nominalism

noun (philosophy)

the doctrine that universals or general ideas are mere names without any corresponding reality, and that only particular objects exist; properties, numbers, and sets are thought of as merely features of the way of considering the things that exist. Important in medieval scholastic thought, nominalism is associated particularly with William of Occam. Often contrasted with realism

derivatives

nominalist

nominalistic

(see nominal: existing in name only)