Word of the Day Archive for January 2010

canard - a false report or statement
cabal - a clique that seeks power usually through intrigue
effusive - extravagantly demonstrative
inveigle - to persuade by charm or flattery; to lure
encomium - a formal expression of warm or high praise
supplant - to take the place of
arcane - hidden; secret; obscure; esoteric
placate - to appease; to pacify
doughty - steadfastly resolute; brave; valiant; noble
sapient - wise; sage; discerning
encumbrance - a burden or impediment
hyperbole - extravagant exaggeration
bestow - to present as a gift
parlous - attended with peril; fraught with danger
gelid - extremely cold; frozen
disheveled - in loose disorder; unkempt
maladroit - clumsy; awkward; unskillful
voluble - marked by a ready flow of speech
clerisy - the well educated class or intellectual elite
diatribe - a bitter, abusive verbal attack or speech
logorrhea - pathologically excessive, incoherent talking
prevaricate - to evade the truth
germane - relevant or appropriate; fitting
primordial - having existed from the beginning
boodle - the whole collection, crowd, pack or lot
cede - to yield or surrender
ephemeral - short-lived; existing for a short time
reverie - a daydream or deep musing
inscrutable - difficult to understand; obscure
illustrious - possessing luster or brightness