The Big Book of Words You Should Know Read online

  Extremely clear or clear-cut, resembling crystal.

  The docent’s CRYSTALLINE description of a springhouse was easily understood by the children.

  culminate (KUL-mih-nate), verb

  To climax or reach a high point. Something that culminates concludes or reaches its fulfillment.

  The seemingly endless series of Union victories CULMINATE in Lee’s surrender at Appomatox.

  cumbersome (KUM-ber-sum), adjective

  Hard to manage; awkward in handling due to bulk, weight, or extent.

  Something that is troublesome and unwieldy is cumbersome.

  The six-volume set is exhaustive, but rather CUMBERSOME; I prefer the abridged version.

  curvaceous (kurr-VAY-shuss), adjective

  Having shapely and voluptuous curves.

  In the five years since I last saw her, Brenda had blossomed from a beanpole tomboy into a CURVACEOUS young beauty.

  cusp (kusp), noun

  A point formed by the intersection of two curves.

  Just above the CUSP of the arch was a hook meant to hold a hanging plant.

  dabble (DAB-uhl), verb

  To work in something or concern oneself with something in an offhand manner.

  I always just thought I DABBLED in watercolors until the mayor saw one of my paintings and offered me a thousand dollars for it.

  dank (dank), adjective

  Damp and chilly. That which is unpleasantly cold and moist is dank.

  Inside the cold, DANK recesses of the cave, Fred felt suddenly and terrifyingly isolated.

  daub (dawb), verb

  To smear with a sticky substance; to paint a surface in a hurried fashion.

  I can see you’ve DAUBED a little black grease paint under your nose, Frank, but I’m afraid a good Groucho costume will require more than that.

  deadlock (DED-lok), noun

  An impasse resulting from two opposing and resistant forces.

  With one member absent due to illness, the council found itself facing a four-to-four DEADLOCK after nearly two days of debate on the measure.

  debonair (deb-uh-NAIR), adjective

  Suave: sophisticated and charming. Debonair derives from the French for “of good lineage.”

  Paul’s DEBONAIR manner never abandoned him, even at the most difficult moments.

  debug (dee-BUG), verb

  To remove errors from (a computer program).

  Although the initial programming work was complete, Aaron anticipated that the DEBUGGING process would be long and arduous.

  debutante (DEB-yoo-tont), noun

  A young woman making her debut into society; any unmarried young woman perceived to move in high social circles.

  Amanda and her friends scanned the newspaper’s society column for a review of their DEBUTANTE ball.

  decipher (dih-CIE-fur), verb

  To figure out or make sense of; to get the meaning of (particularly with relation to ancient or difficult writing).

  “If we can DECIPHER the symbols on these scrolls,” said the archaeologist, “I believe we’ ll know exactly where to look for the tomb.”

  decree (dih-KREE), noun

  An official order or announcement, especially from the government or another recognized authority, that settles a matter with finality; also, to issue such an order.

  The DECREE mandating integration of public schools set off one of the most bitterly divisive conflicts in the town’s history.

  deduce (di-DOOSE), verb

  To infer; to derive from evidence or assumption. Deduce can also mean to trace down, but the logical sense is much more widespread.

  Holmes looked around the garden and somehow DEDUCED that the killer was a man of middle age with thinning brown hair, approximately six feet tall.

  deem (deem), verb

  To judge; to regard or assess.

  For reasons the writer could not fathom, his boardroom scene, which contained no nudity or violence and only the mildest language, was DEEMED unsuitable for network broadcast.

  deescalate (dee-ES-kuh-late), verb

  To diminish in size, intensity, or extent. Deescalate is the opposite of escalate.

  The president’s decision to DEESCALATE the war won him considerable support on the nation’s college campuses.

  defer (dih-FUR), verb

  To delay or put off until another time; also, to yield with respect.

  With regard to the scheduling of our announcement, I DEFER to my friend the chairman.

  deference (DEF-er-ence), noun

  Due respect or submission to the ideas and/or judgment of another. Deference is the courtesy of yielding to a (presumably higher, senior, or more authoritative) entity.

  In DEFERENCE to my family’s wishes, I am not discussing this issue with the media.

  deficient (dih-FISH-unt), adjective

  Lacking.

  As a result of a diet DEFICIENT in calcium, Cathy’s fingernails were very thin and easily broken.

  deft (deft), adjective

  Skillful and quick in one’s movements or actions.

  The magician’s DEFT fingers seemed to make all manner of objects disappear and reappear.

  degenerate (di-JEN-er-it), adjective and noun

  Having regressed or descended to a lower state. As a noun, degenerate means a person who has declined to a point of immorality or low refinement.

  What began as an intellectually rigorous debate concluded as a DEGENERATE shouting match.

  deign (dane), verb

  To condescend; to lower oneself to a position or role considered unsuitable.

  Since Walter won that writing prize, he hasn’t DEIGNED to return any of my phone calls.

  delectable (de-LEK-tuh-bull), adjective

  Highly pleasing; enjoyable (especially of a food). Delectable is derived from the Latin root for “delightful.”

  The Thanksgiving table was crammed with DELECTABLE dishes, but they would not be eaten that night; the news from abroad had diminished everyone’s appetite.

  delete (duh-LEET), verb

  To leave out or omit.

  After a brief discussion with the principal, the members of the booster club decided to DELETE the section of their cheer that questioned the ancestry of the coach of the Brentwater football team.

  delusion (de-LOO-zhun), noun

  An accepted (but undetected) falsehood. To delude is to deceive or mislead; a delusion is an instance of that act.

  His DELUSIONS increased to such a point that rational discussion was impossible.

  demerit (dih-MARE-it), noun

  A mark resulting in a loss of privilege for an offender.

  Max received five DEMERITS from Mrs. Collins for his constant tardiness.

  demographics (dih-muh-GRAF-icks), noun

  The study of people’s lifestyles, habits, spending, etc., typically for the purpose of targeting products for—or culling votes from—these different sub-groups.

  The DEMOGRAPHICS suggested that the new flavor of juice would be a hit with young mothers.

  demure (di-MYOOR), adjective

  Modest; affecting a reserved and shy appearance. Someone whose behavior is (outwardly, at least) sober, retiring, or sedate is demure.

  Mr. Atkins found the Hallis twins DEMURE, and wondered at what they would say about him when he left.

  denounce (dih-NOWNTS), verb

  To criticize or speak out against someone or something.

  Joan DENOUNCED Walter for his sexist opinions.

  denunciation (de-nun-see-AY-shun), noun

  The act or example of denouncing. Denunciation is the act of accusing another (usually in a public forum) of some misdeed.

  Paul’s angry DENUNCIATION of his former company shocked even his friends.

  deplete (dih-PLEET), verb

  To use up completely; to exhaust.

  Once the coal deposits in the valley had been DEPLETED, the town of Harlenville, which had thrived for thirty years, virtually ceased to exist.

&nb
sp; deplorable (de-PLORE-uh-bull), adjective

  Extremely reproachful; worthy of censure. Something that is deplorable is wretched or grievous.

  Bill’s spelling was DEPLORABLE; all his friends told him it was hopeless to pursue a career as a proofreader.

  depreciation (dih-pree-shee-AY-shun), noun

  A decrease in value, quality, or power, particularly due to wear or age.

  Thanks to five years of DEPRECIATION, I couldn’t get more than $2,000 for that car if I took it back to the dealer now.

  derision (de-RIZH-un), noun

  Ridicule. Derision is formed from the verb “deride,” meaning “to belittle or make light of something or someone.”

  War seems imminent; our suggestions on finding a peaceful solution to this crisis have been met with DERISION from the other side.

  derring-do (DARE-ing-DOO), noun

  Heroic deeds; acts of bravery.

  Luke Skywalker’s challenges and feats of DERRING-DO are perhaps the most memorable elements of the Star Wars trilogy.

  designate (DEZ-ig-nate), verb

  To indicate; to point out or specify.

  The Walker sisters DESIGNATED the last Thursday of each month as their evening to leave their husbands at home and go out to dinner together.

  despondency (di-SPON-dun-see), noun

  Dejection; depression. Despondency is marked by a feeling that all hope is in vain.

  It took Cloris several weeks to emerge from the DESPONDENCY that accompanied her breakup.

  destitute (DESS-tih-tyoot), adjective

  Lacking something necessary; often refers to extreme poverty.

  The DESTITUTE family still managed to put something into the collection plate every Sunday.

  detain (dih-TANE), verb

  To delay; to keep from going on; to confine.

  The border police DETAINED the pair for two hours while they searched every inch of their vehicle for narcotics.

  deterrent (dih-TURR-ent), noun

  Something that prevents something from happening.

  My mom and dad’s presence at the condo acted as a DETERRENT to any hanky panky between me and my new girlfriend.

  detrimental (det-rih-MEN-tul), adjective

  Damaging or harmful in effect.

  Your husband’s cruel words to the children will prove DETRIMENTAL to his cause during the custody hearing.

  deviate (DEE-vee-ate), verb

  To turn away from or go off course; change course or direction. As a noun (DEE-vee-ut), a person who departs from the standard or norm.

  My daughter’s choice to wear cowboy boots with her wedding gown certainly DEVIATED from my standards of propriety, but there was no changing her mind.

  dexterity (dek-STARE-ih-tee), noun

  Adroitness; the quality of being skilled in using one’s hands and body.

  I couldn’t hit a jump-shot to save my life, but my speed, DEXTERITY, and passing ability made me a valuable member of the varsity basketball team.

  dexterous (DEK-ster-uss), adjective

  Skillful. Dexterous has its roots in the Latin for “right”—since that is the hand with which the majority of people are most skillful.

  Byron proved a DEXTEROUS carpenter, making few errors even in his earliest days as an apprentice.

  diagnostic (die-ug-NOSS-tik), adjective

  Of or pertaining to diagnosis. Something used in evaluating a person’s or thing’s condition can be said to be diagnostic in nature.

  The mechanic ran a DIAGNOSTIC computer test on the car.

  dialect (DIE-uh-lekt), noun

  The aspects of a language (grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary, for instance) particular to a geographic region.

  Armed with four years of high school Spanish, I set out confidently on my vacation to Madrid—only to find myself adrift in a sea of incomprehensible DIALECTS on my arrival.

  dicey (DIE-see), adjective

  Characterized by being risky, chancy, and of uncertain outcome.

  Jordan was filled with confidence about hiking the unexplored terrain, but I found the prospect pretty DICEY myself.

  diffuse (diff-YOOZ), verb

  To spread out and circulate through air, water, etc. As an adjective, the word is pronounced “diff-USE” and describes something that is scattered.

  Serious allergies and colds were traced to mold DIFFUSED by the faulty air conditioning system.

  dilapidated (di-LAP-ih-date), adjective

  To fall into disrepair. To dilapidate is to decay or break down.

  The DILAPIDATED barn swayed, heaved, and finally collapsed before Caitlyn’s eyes.

  dilute (die-LOOT), verb

  To make the strength of something, such as a mixture, weaker by adding additional objects, ingredients, compounds, etc. to it.

  Frederica never DILUTES her words. She’ ll tell you exactly how she feels.

  diminish (dih-MIN-ish), verb

  To cause to be smaller; to decrease in size or importance.

  In pointing out these problems, I don’t mean for a moment to DIMINISH the achievements of your department this year.

  din (din), noun or verb

  As a verb, “din” means to instill by constant repetition. As a noun, “din” is a noisy disturbance.

  I could barely hear the waiter above the DIN in the popular restaurant.

  diorama (di-uh-RA-mah), noun

  A small model of a scene featuring painted figures and backgrounds.

  Using a cardboard box, paint, and plaster of Paris, Frank helped his son construct a working DIORAMA of a corner store for a school art project.

  diplomacy (dih-PLO-muh-see), noun

  The conduct of relations among nations. Diplomacy can also refer to a tact among individuals that calls to mind the great discretion and sensitivity required of diplomats.

  When DIPLOMACY fails, it is too often the young who pay the price of death on the battlefield.

  dirge (durj), noun

  A funeral song; a song of mourning.

  The DIRGE from Cymbeline, according to Professor Alpert, is the only worthwhile passage to be found in that seldom-produced Shakespeare play.

  disburse (dis-BURSE), verb

  To pay out; to expend.

  After meeting with the president, our comptroller was finally authorized to DISBURSE the funds.

  discombobulate (diss-kum-BOB-yoo-late), verb

  To confuse or throw into an awkward predicament. To say that someone is discombobulated is to say that he is utterly disconcerted.

  The frenzied pace of eight hours on the trading floor had left me utterly DISCOMBOBULATED.

  disconcerting (diss-kun-SERT-ing), adjective

  Ruffled; upset. That which upsets harmony or balance is disconcerting.

  Michelle’s escapades were quite DISCONCERTING to her parents.

  discreet (dis-KREET), adjective

  Displaying or possessing tact and restraint in behavior and speech.

  Mel felt his mother had been less than DISCREET in marrying Claude so soon after her first husband’s funeral, and that she could easily have waited six months or so rather than three weeks.

  discrepancy (dis-KREP-un-see), noun

  Inconsistency; an instance of disagreement or difference.

  John was the only one to notice the DISCREPANCY between the cash register receipts and the amount of money in the drawer.

  discretion (dis-KRESH-un), noun

  The ability or right to make decisions independently; also, the ability to be tactful and act with decorum.

  Tim’s use of profanity at the dinner party showed a startling lack of DISCRETION.

  disdain (diss-DANE), verb

  To treat with contempt; to dismiss haughtily. To disdain is to reject due to unworthiness.

  Mark DISDAINS Janet’s company; he cannot forgive her lapse at last September’s party.

  disgruntle (diss-GRUN-tull), verb

  To cause to become cross or discontented. To disgruntle is also to cause
to feel cheated.

  After years of mistreatment, the striking employees felt DISGRUNTLED.

  disparity (diss-PARE-ih-tee), noun

  The condition of being inequivalent or unequal. Disparity is inequality in age, measure, or extent.

  The DISPARITY between the two horses was obvious: one was a swaybacked old nag, the other a stunning thoroughbred.

  dispel (dis-PELL), verb

  To disperse; to drive away.

  After the rioters had been DISPELLED and the fires put out, an eerie quiet fell over the smoldering city streets.

  disperse (dis-PURSE), verb

  To cause to scatter or to break up.

  With a few angry words, the candidate DISPERSED the meeting and stormed off.

  disseminate (diss-SEM-ih-nate), verb

  To scatter across a broad spectrum; to spread far and wide. To disseminate is to promulgate (a message, for instance).

  In DISSEMINATING this information, Mr. Powers placed innumerable foreign operatives at grave risk.

  dissipate (DISS-ih-pate), verb

  To dispel by means of dispersal. To dissipate is also to vanish or cease.

  The rain DISSIPATED and the flood waters receded.

  dissonance (DISS-uh-nunce), noun

  A harsh or inharmonious combination, especially of sounds. Elements of a logical argument that are in conflict can also be said to be in dissonance.

  I could have no peace; the city’s DISSONANCE poured unceasingly into my apartment.

  divergence (di-VER-gence), noun

  The act or process of departing from a given course or pattern. That which extends in separate directions from a single point experiences a divergence.

  The DIVERGENCE in our opinions begins with the question of whether there can ever be a just war.

  divulge (dih-VULJ), verb

  To make public something that once was secret.

  Most information about John F. Kennedy’s extramarital inclinations was not DIVULGED until after the president’s death.

  DNA (dee enn ay), noun

  A molecule that carries genetic information in all life forms. The workings of DNA are central concerns of biology and genetics.

  The fantasy film E.T. led us to believe that space aliens, like humans, possess DNA, but it is safe to say that scientists are fairly skeptical about the whole subject.

  docile (DOSS-ul), adjective

  Easily taught. In addition, someone is docile if he is submissive and easily led.

  Susan was DOCILE in her younger days, but shows a real independent streak now.