The Big Book of Words You Should Know

Over 3,000 Words Every Person Should be Able to Use (And a few that you probably shouldn't)

David Olsen, Michelle Bevilacqua, Justin Cord Hayes

• Publisher: Adams Media
• Year: 2008
• ISBN:
  9781440520778

Do you know what "quatrefoil" and "impolitic" mean? What about "halcyon" or "narcolepsy"?This book is a handy, easy-to-read reference guide to the proper parlance for any situation. In this book you will find: Words You Absolutely Should Know (covert, exonerate, perimeter); Words You Should Know But Probably Don't (dour, incendiary, scintilla); Words Most People Don't Know (schlimazel, thaumaturgy, epergne); Words You Should Know to Sound Overeducated (ad infinitum, nugatory, garrulity); Words You Probably Shouldn't Know (priapic, damnatory, labia majora); and more.Whether writing an essay, studying for a test, or trying to impress friends, family, and fellow cocktail party guests with their prolixity, you will achieve magniloquence, ebullience, and flights of rhetorical brilliance.

PART I
Words You Absolutely
Should Know

If you pride yourself as a good communicator, you absolutely must know the words in this section. If items on this list are unfamiliar to you, learn them immediately or risk being at an embarrassing loss for words!

abacus (AB-uh-kuss), noun

A device used to figure arithmetic equations by moving beads along rods.

Mrs. Danvers thought that the ABACUS, with its brightly colored beads, would entertain the first graders while illustrating the basic principles of addition and subtraction.

abdicate (AB-di-kate), verb

To formally give up a position or responsibility. To abdicate means to step down from a high government office or other powerful position. Originally, the word referred primarily to royalty.

The King, as we all know, ABDICATED rather than give up the woman he loved.

abet (uh-BET), verb

To encourage or assist a plan or activity. To abet is to entice or help, usually in a misdeed. An accomplice to a robbery abets the crime.

Though Michael did not participate in the actual kidnapping, he left himself open to charges of ABETTING the perpetrators by hiding them from the police.

abbreviated (uh-BREE-vee-ate-ud), adjective

Shortened.

Because the hour is late, I will limit myself to an ABBREVIATED version of my intended speech.

abduct (ub-DUCT), verb

To take a person away secretly and illegally, often by use of force; to kidnap.

My sister Ellen used to take such long showers that Dad would jokingly ask if she’ d been ABDUCTED by aliens.

abject (AB-ject), adjective

Reduced to a low state or condition; also, demonstrating hopelessness.

I gave up golf when I realized I was an ABJECT failure on the green.

abominate (uh-BOM-ih-nate), verb

To loathe or hate; to view with extreme hostility.

Miss Green ABOMINATED the notion of children working twelve-hour days, and sought legislation forbidding companies from hiring minor workers.

abrade (uh-BRADE), verb

To wear away or rub off; to wear down in spirit. To abrade is to erode or break down. Sandpaper abrades the surface of wood.

The campaign had hoped for a hard-hitting, informative television commercial, but the ad—widely perceived as negative and mean-spirited—served only to ABRADE voter support.

absolution (ab-suh-LOO-shun), noun

The condition of having been forgiven or freed of guilt.

To Myron’s dismay, the judge did not consider his having paid for the damage to the other party’s car sufficient ABSOLUTION for the crime of driving while intoxicated.

absolve (ah-ZOLV), verb

To formally pronounce guiltless or blameless. To absolve is to relieve of any responsibility for an actual or alleged misdeed. In the legal sense, absolution carries with it implication that the authorities no longer hold that the individual committed the misdeed.

The judge ABSOLVED the accused of any wrongdoing.

abstain (ub-STANE), verb

To refrain from; to refuse to partake in; to go without voluntarily.

Maria, who had ABSTAINED from eating meat while in high school, was persuaded to try a cheeseburger on her graduation night.

abstemious (ab-STEE-me-us), adjective

Consuming food and drink in moderation. Those who are abstemious restrict themselves to the bare necessities of life. In a larger sense, the word can refer to any austere or unassuming lifestyle.

Despite the hardships of his ABSTEMIOUS way of life, the monk radiated the confidence that comes with knowing one has chosen the correct path.

abstruse (ab-STROOCE), adjective

Complex and difficult to comprehend. Abstruse refers to something complex or specialized that requires special effort to grasp.

Scientists may understand Einstein’s theory of relativity, but for most laymen it remains an ABSTRUSE collection of surrealistic ideas.

abyss (uh-BISS), noun

An endless black void; an emptiness; a huge hole with no bottom.

After nine days of working on my term paper with no conclusion in sight, I felt more and more as if I were facing an ABYSS.

accentuate (ak-SEN-choo-ate), verb

To intensify or accent. To accentuate something is to emphasize or stress it.

To strengthen or heighten the effect of something is to accentuate it.

Brian’s new glasses ACCENTUATE his nose unflatteringly.

accept (ak-SEPT), verb

To take into possession. (See, for comparison, the listing for except.)

I’m happy to ACCEPT your invitation to dinner, Claude.

accolade (AK-uh-lade), noun

A mark of acknowledgment or expression of praise. Originally, an accolade was the ceremonial bestowal of knighthood upon a person, with a sword tapped on each shoulder. That which confers praise or honor is an accolade.

The firm’s president had hung on his office wall many plaques, citations, and ACCOLADES.

accord (ub-CORD), noun

A formal reaching of agreement. An accord is reached when a settlement or compromise of conflicting views occurs.

After a prolonged strike, when the issue of healthcare benefits was resolved, the representatives finally reached an ACCO...