At each Toastmasters meeting, our club includes a
"word of the day" as part of its agenda. The purpose of
the Word of the Day is for all members to learn a new word, apply
it during the meeting, and hopefully retain it for future use.
This list is a compilation of all "words of the
day" in alpha order that have been used since our club began
meeting in August 2002. It is provided here so that members may
refresh their memories from time to time, or to be sure not to present
a word that has previously been used.
| accolade |
noun |
1) a mark of acknowledgement; an award
2) a ceremonial embrace; a ceremony marking the recognition
of special merit |
| adjure |
verb |
1) To put (one) to his/her oath; to impose an oath upon another; to bind under penalty of a curse.
2) To charge or entreat (anyone) solemnly or earnestly, as if under oath, or under penalty of a curse.
|
| affordance |
noun |
1) "...those properties of an object that neatly support the actions people intend to take with the object." (Nardi and O'Day Information Ecologies, 1999).
2) An intrinsic feature of an object, technology or anything which makes its function obvious. (Related to the definition of the verb "afford" which means "to give of what one has; to furnish, bestow, grant or yield." (OED, def. 5) |
| ardent |
adj. |
1) passionate: feeling passion, or felt passionately
2) enthusiastic: feeling/showing great enthusiasm or eagerness
3) glowing: shining/glowing brightly, with a fiery quality (literary) - [her ardent gaze] |
| assiduity |
noun |
great care and attention in doing something |
| augment |
verb |
add to, supplement, boost
increase: to grow, or to increase something
in number, amount, size, strength, or intensity |
| autotelic |
noun or adj. |
Pam: A person who decides to be happy no matter the situation; the quality of being that sort of person
OED: having or being an end or purpose in itself |
| blandish |
verb |
1) to coax with flattery; cajole
2) to act or speak in a flattering or coaxing manner |
| billet-doux |
noun |
a love letter |
| bristle/ bristling |
verb |
1) transitive and intransitive verb: have or set hair on end: to make the hair or fur stand upright in response to fear or anger, or to show such a response
2) intransitive verb: become offended by something: to react somewhat angrily or indignantly to something or somebody - (He bristled at the suggestion.)
3) intransitive verb: have large amount: to have an abundance of something -
(A mighty battleship bristling with guns). |
| catalyst |
noun |
1) a substance that causes or speeds a chemical reaction without
itself being affected
2) a person or thing that precipitates an event or change |
| chagrin |
noun |
A keen feelings of mental unease, of annoyance or embarrassment, caused
by failure, disappointment. |
| cogent |
adj. |
strong appeal to the intellect/powers of reasoning; convincing |
| complacent |
adj. |
1) self-satisfied
2) eager to please |
| confluence |
noun |
a flowing/coming together |
| cyberphobia |
n. |
fear of or anxiety about computing/technology; reluctance to engage with computers, esp. (in later use) the Internet. (adj. cyberphobic) |
| cyclic/cyclical |
adj. |
of, relating to, or characterized by cycles; recurring |
| Dénouement also denouement |
noun |
final revelation: a final part in which everything is made
clear and no questions or surprises remain (formal) |
| desultory |
adj. |
marked by lack of a definite plan/purpose; random; haphazard |
| adv. |
-ily - in a random/disconnected fashion |
| diffident |
adj. |
1) lacking self-confidence; distrustful of one's own powers; timid; bashful
2) characterized by modest reserve; unassertive |
| disambiguate |
verb |
To remove ambiguity from
|
| ego |
noun |
1) the self esp. as contrasted with another self or the world
2) (a) egotism; (b) self-esteem
3 ) the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic
theory that serves as the organized conscious mediator between
the person and reality, esp. by functioning both in the perceptions
of and adaptation to reality -- compare with id
and superego
|
| eminent |
adj. |
1) famous, distinguished
2) conspicuous, outstanding, obvious |
| en masse |
adv. |
in a group: as a body or in a group |
| equanimity |
noun |
pronounced: ee-kwuh-NIM-uh-tee; ek-wuh-....
Evenness of mind; calmness; composure; as "to bear misfortunes
with equanimity."
|
| eschew |
verb |
to keep away from; avoid |
| esprit de corps |
noun |
a common spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to
a cause among the members of the group |
| exasperate |
verb |
1. To make harsh or rugged; to add harshness to (language, sounds, etc.); to render (laws) more severe. Obs.
2.a. To increase the fierceness or violence of (a disease, pain, appetite, etc.).
2.b. To make more grievous or painful; to aggravate. Also, to represent as worse; to exaggerate, magnify. Obs.
3. To make more grievous or painful; to aggravate. Also, to represent as worse; to exaggerate, magnify.
Obs.
4. To irritate (a person); to provoke to anger; to enrage, incense.
5. To irritate physically; to render sore, chafe.
6.a. Of persons: To become enraged or incensed.
6.b. Of things: To become worse or more serious.
6.c. Of a disease, etc.: To increase in violence or severity. |
| euphoria |
noun |
a feeling of great happiness or well being; euphoric-adj.
|
| exigency |
noun |
The quality of being exigent
1a) Exigent character, pressing state (of circumstances, etc.)
1b) Urgent want; pressing necessity; an instance of this; in plural pressing needs, straits.
2) That which is needed or required; demands, needs, requirements. |
| expatiate |
verb |
1) To speak or write at length or in considerable detail
2) To move about freely; to wander |
| facetious |
adj. |
1) joking or jesting inappropriately; waggish
2) meant to be humorous or funny; not serious; witty
|
| facile |
adj. |
easily accomplished or attained |
| fecundity |
noun |
1) fruitful in offspring or vegetation; prolific
2) intellectually productive or inventive to a marked degree |
| feign |
verb |
pretend; invent something |
| frugal |
adj |
Karin: Thrifty. OED: Careful or sparing in the use of food, goods, etc.; economical. |
| fustigate |
verb |
pronounced: fústi gàyt - 1. to beat
somebody with a club ( archaic ) 2. chastise: to criticize severely |
| garnetiferous |
adj. |
having or yielding garnets |
| garrulous |
adj. |
1) talking too much: excessively or pointlessly talkative
2) wordy: using many or too many words |
| hellacious |
adj. |
1) very bad: extremely bad; unpleasant (informal)
2) very big: extremely large (slang) |
| id |
noun |
the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic
theory that is completely unconscious and is the source of psych
energy derived from instinctual needs and drives -- compare
with ego and superego |
| imminent |
adj. |
about to happen; likely to occur at any moment |
| indolent |
adj. |
pronounced: in de lent - 1. lazy: lethargic and not showing any interest or making any effort 2. Medicine - painless and slow to change: used to describe a disease or condition that is slow to develop or be healed, and causes no pain |
| laconic |
adj. |
Using or marked by the use of a minimum of words; brief and pithy; brusque. |
| laissez-faire |
noun |
1) an economic doctrine that opposes governmental regulation
of or interference in commerce beyond the minimum necessary
for a free-enterprise system to operate according to its own
economic laws
2) noninterference in the affairs of others
|
| lassitude |
noun |
1) a condition of weariness or debility: fatigue
2) a condition of listlessess
3) alternate - according to the comic strip "BC" dated 5/15/2004
- a young girl with attitude
|
| laudable |
adj. |
worthy of praise; commendable |
| malaprop |
noun |
humorous misuse |
| macedoine |
noun |
mas-i-DWAN - 1) a mixture of fruits/vegetables, often served as a salad 2) a medley |
| mercurial |
adj. |
mer-kyoor-i-al - 1) changing suddenly and often: a mercurial statement 2) lively and quick: a mercurial mind/wit |
| multifarious |
adj. |
having great diversity; variety |
| munificent |
adj. |
extremely liberal in giving; very generous |
| obsequious |
adj. |
marked by/exhibiting a fawning attentiveness; too eager to
please |
| obstreperous |
adj. |
1. Calmorous, noisy; vociferous. 2. Noisily or aggressively resisting control, advice, etc.;
turbulent, unruly; aggressive, argumentative, bad-tempered. |
| overworked |
adj. |
the feeling of being worked to excess |
| oxymoron |
noun |
a combination of contradictory or incongruous words (as cruel
kindness) |
| panache |
noun |
1) dashing style: a sense or display of spirited style and
self-confidence
2) helmet plume: a plume or tuft of feathers, especially on
a hat or helmet |
| pernicious |
adj. |
tending to cause death/serious injury, causing great harm; destructive |
| placate |
verb |
PLAY-kayt: to soothe/mollify, esp. by concessions: appease |
| plethora |
noun |
overabundance; excess |
|
poignant
(POY-nyunt)
|
adj. |
1) pungently pervasive
2a) 1 - painfully affecting the feelings: piercing 2 - deeply
affecting: touching (causing sadness/pity)
2b) designed to make an impression: cutting
3a) pleasurably stimulating
3b) being to the point: apt |
| predilection |
noun |
preh-duh-LEK-shun: an established preference for something |
| propitious |
adj. |
pre-pish'es: 1) presenting favorable circumstances; auspicious 2) kindly; gracious |
| prospective |
adj. |
likely to happen; expected
like to be become or be |
| regale |
verb |
1) to entertain sumptuously: feast with delicacies
2) to give pleasure or amusement to |
| rife |
adj. |
1) common/frequent in occurrence; widespread
2) abounding; full |
| risibility |
noun |
ability or disposition to laugh |
| savoir-faire |
noun |
the ability to say or do the right or graceful thing |
| strew |
verb |
1) to spread by scattering. 2) to cover by or as if by scattering something.
3) to become dispersed over as if scattered. 4) to spread abroad; disseminate |
| subserve |
verb |
1) to be subservient to
2) to be instrumental in furthering or assisting (a purpose, object, action, function, or condition); to promote or assist by supplying an instrument or means
The ribs subserve locomotion. |
| superego |
noun |
the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic
theory that is only partly conscious, represents internalization
of parental conscience and the rules of society, and functions
to reward and punish through a system of moral attitudes, conscience,
and a sense of guilt -- compare to ego and
id |
| swivet |
noun |
a state of extreme agitation
|
| tenacious |
adj. |
1) holding fast; characterized by keeping a firm hold
2) highly retentive: a tenacious memory
3) persistent, stubborn or obstinate
4) adhesive or sticky; viscous or glutinous
5) holding together cohesive; not easily pulled asunder; tough
|
| trenchant |
adj. |
tren'chent: 1) keen; sharp 2) vigorously effective & articulate 3a) sharply perceptive: penetrating b) clear-cut; distinct |
| ubiquitous |
adj. |
present everywhere at once, or seeming to be
|
| vapid |
adj. |
1) lacking taste or flavor or tang
2) lacking significance or liveliness or spirit or zest |
| vernal |
adj. |
VER-nul: 1) of, relating to, or occurring in the spring 2) fresh/new like the spring; also: youthful |
| voluble |
adj |
1a) easily rolling or turning: rotating
1b) having the power or habit of twining (~plant stem)
2) characterized by ready or rapid speech: glib, fluent; syn:
talkative
|
| vortex |
noun |
1) whirling mass: a whirling mass of something, especially
water or air, that draws everything near it toward its center
2) something overwhelming: a situation or feeling that seems
to swamp or engulf everything else |
| Xanadu |
noun |
an idyllic, exotic place of luxury |
