Word of the Day Archive for September 2009

inveigh - complain bitterly; speak against in an impassioned manner
supplicate - to seek or ask for earnestly and humbly
hoary - gray or white with age; ancient
intransigent - refusing to compromise; uncompromising; unreasonable
agog - highly excited, in eager desire; eager; astir, keen
fastidious - hard to please; giving careful attention to detail
edify - to instruct and improve, especially in moral, intellectual or religious knowledge
conflagration - a very large and damaging fire
friable - easily crumbled or broken, pulverized, or reduced to powder
ameliorate - to make or get better; to improve
obfuscate - to make obscure or unclear; to confuse; to darken
recalcitrant - stubbornly resistant to control or authority
fetid - having an offensive smell; stinking; malodorous
incipient - beginning to develop, or to appear
abstemious - sparing in consumption of esp. food and drink; temperate; abstinent
hirsute - covered with hair or bristles; shaggy
obloquy - condemnatory speech; disgrace resulting from public abuse
punctilious - careful attention to detail in forms of behavior and etiquette
capacious - able to contain a large capacity; roomy; spacious
lambaste - to beat severely; to scold or criticize severely
imprecation - the act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon anyone
inculcate - to teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions
privation - the act of depriving, or taking away
scintilla - the least particle; a tiny or scarcely detectable amount
obdurate - hardened in feelings or wrongdoing; hard-hearted; stubbornly wicked
nonpareil - having no equal or peerless
torpid - having lost motion, or the power of exertion and feeling
doyen - a senior member of a body or group
licentious - unrestrained by law or morality; lawless; immoral
intractable - not easily governed, managed or directed; obstinate; stubborn