The Big Book of Words You Should Know

by David Olsen

  The mugging shook Adam up so badly that he began taking KUNG FU lessons the next day, hoping to protect himself in the future.

  Kwanzaa (KWAHN-zuh), noun

  This Swahili word denotes a harvest festival celebrated, from December 26 to January 1, by some African Americans.

  Reggie’s family began to celebrate KWANZAA last year.

  largess (lar-ZHESS), noun

  Generously bestowed gifts. Largess (sometimes spelled largesse; can also refer to a generous nature.

  Her father’s LARGESS was the only thing standing between Barbara and bankruptcy.

  latent (LAY-tunt), adjective

  Existing and having the power to become visible or manifest, but for the time being remaining unseen or unknown.

  The virus remained LATENT in his system for some time, causing him unknowingly to infect those he came in close contact with.

  latke (LOT-kuh), noun

  A Jewish potato pancake, often eaten during Hanukkah.

  Mrs. Bloom always made her famous LATKES for the children during the holiday season.

  laureate (LORE-ee-ut), adjective and noun

  Honored as a result of achievements. As a noun, laureate refers to a person who has been singled out for a particular high honor or award.

  The group included a remarkable cross-section of accomplished scientists, some of whom were Nobel LAUREATES.

  lax (lacks), adjective

  Undisciplined, careless, or negligent.

  I was surprised by the LAX security at the armory.

  lay (lay), verb

  To set something down in a certain position; to place (an object) upon something. (See, for comparison, the entry for lie.)

  Unlike the verb “to lie,” the verb “to LAY” must take a direct object, as in “That script really laid an egg.”

  lead (led), noun

  A metal. Also, as a verb (pronounced leed), to take charge or guide. (See, for comparison, the entry for led.)

  Most service stations have stopped selling gasoline containing LEAD.

  led (led), verb

  The past tense of the verb “to lead.” (See, for comparison, the entry for lead.)

  To our great relief, Vernon LED us out of the forest without a compass.

  lesser (LESS-ur), adjective

  Smaller; littler. (See, for comparison, the entry for lessor.)

  Sometimes in life we must choose the LESSER of two evils.

  lethargic (luh-THAR-jik), adjective

  Sluggish; inactive to such a degree as to resemble sleep or unconsciousness. A lethargic person is difficult to rouse to action.

  After many long hours of work, Pat and Corey stared at each other, LETHARGIC but unable to accept the necessity of calling it a night.

  levitate (LEV-ih-tayt), verb

  To float, hover, or rise in the air, particularly as a result of supernatural or magical powers.

  The audience watched breathlessly as the magician seemed to make his assistant LEVITATE high above the stage.

  liberal (LIB-uh-rul), adjective

  Generous in giving; tolerant of different ideas and people; in politics, favoring democratic reform; progressive.

  According to the tourist guide, Mario’s was famous for its LIBERAL portions of lasagna, ravioli, and garlic bread.

  lie (lie), verb

  To recline; to rest. Also: to tell an untruth. Also: a falsehood. (See, for comparison, the entry for lay.)

  “I’m just LYING here doing nothing,” Rick LIED, pointing to the tiny microphone and motioning for Trudy to keep quiet.

  linchpin (LYNCH-pin), noun

  Specifically, a linchpin is a pin pushed through an axle to keep a wheel in place. In general, “linchpin” denotes someone or something essential to holding together a complicated situation, business, organization, etc.

  Once Mr. Crane, the LINCHPIN of the organization, retired, the business fell apart due to squabbling and infighting.

  lionize (LIE-uh-nize), verb

  To praise excessively; to idolize.

  For years young baseball fans LIONIZED Babe Ruth, whose many indiscretions were usually overlooked by the press.

  liqueur (li-KER), noun

  An alcoholic beverage flavored with fruit, nuts, seeds, spices, herbs, or a combination of these ingredients.

  After diner, the hostess gave us a choice of several exotic LIQUEURS; I chose Frangelico because I love the taste of hazelnuts.

  literal (LIT-uh-rul), adjective

  Meaning exactly what is said or written; not open to interpretation.

  Mr. Pickney’s unyielding, LITERAL-minded interpretations of his supervisor’s directives left him very little flexibility in handling unanticipated crises in his department.

  loath (loath), adjective

  Unwilling; reluctant. (See, for comparison, the entry for loathe.)

  George wanted to go to the party, but his wife was LOATH to leave little Amy, who had the flu, with a sitter.

  loathe (loathe), verb

  To hate or detest. (See, for comparison, the entry for loath)

  My wife has always LOATHED the Three Stooges, a cultural lapse on her part that I am perfectly willing to forgive.

  lope (lope), noun and verb

  A long, galloping stride. As a verb: to move using such a stride.

  My horse was LOPING along at an easy pace until a car backfired suddenly, causing him to break into a terrified gallop.

  ludicrous (LOO-dih-kruss), adjective

  Absurd to the point of being laughable. Something that is obviously implausible or impractical could be considered ludicrous.

  Your proposal that I accept a 75 percent pay cut is LUDICROUS, Mr. Robinson.

  lurid (LOOR-id), adjective

  Gruesome or sensationalistic. Something likely to elicit horror, lust, shock, or disgust could be considered lurid.

  The LURID illustrations made it clear to Pamela that this was no children’s book she had bought.

  lustrous (LUS-truss), adjective

  Radiant; shining. Lustrous refers to that which possesses a sheen or glow. Lustrous can also mean “brilliant” in the sense of outstanding or exceptional.

  Gina’s LUSTROUS eyes shimmered in the candlelight.

  lyrical (LEER-ih-kull), adjective

  Musical; flowing; expressive.

  The LYRICAL quality of Ash’s poetry often masks a harsh, mournful world view.

  malady (MAL-uh-dee), noun

  An illness or unwholesome condition. A malady is a disorder or disease causing discomfort.

  Jason’s MALADY, if it had gone undiagnosed, could have taken his life.

  malevolent (muh-LEV-uh-lent), adjective

  Malicious. Someone who is unrepentantly and viciously ill-willed is malevolent.

  Glen cast a MALEVOLENT glance at his opponent.

  malice (MAL-iss), noun

  The desire to commit harmful or unfair acts. Someone who intends to commit an act known to be immoral, unlawful, or likely to cause harm shows malice.

  The defendant clearly showed MALICE in stating that he intended to kill Mrs. Powers.

  malignant (muh-LIG-nunt) adjective

  Posing a serious threat or harm. A malignant tumor can cause death.

  They had feared the growth would be found MALIGNANT, but it turned out to be benign.

  manatee (MAN-uh-tee), noun

  A large mammal reminiscent of a seal found in shallow waters off the coast of Florida.

  Unfortunately, the MANATEE has joined the ever-growing list of animals in danger of extinction.

  mandate (MAN-date), noun

  Authoritative command, endorsement, or instruction. A mandate is also an order issued by one court of law to another, lower court.

  Having received only 40 percent of the vote nationwide, President Lincoln could hardly claim a national MANDATE for his policies.

  mandolin (man-duh-LINN), noun

  An eight-stringed fretted instrument similar to a lute.

  Patrick c
alled the MANDOLIN player over to serenade the table while he asked Jeannie for her hand in marriage.

  maniacal (muh-NYE-uh-kull), adjective

  Insane. Also: overly emphatic or nervous. Maniacal is often used ironically to describe a person’s near-fanatical devotion to a certain pursuit.

  Chuck’s obsession with baseball statistics bordered on the MANIACAL.

  material (muh-TEER-ee-ul), noun

  Physical substance; essence; something from which things are or can be constituted. (See, for comparison, the entry for materiel.)

  With the right MATERIALS, Dave, we could build a treehouse out back.

  matriarch (MAY-tree-ark), noun

  A woman who presides over a family or group. A woman who holds the dominant position in an organization or family can be said to be the group’s matriarch.

  Millicent Bryant, MATRIARCH of the large Bryant family, made her customary speech at the reunion.

  matrix (MAY-trix), noun

  A place, situation, or object that acts as the point of origin or development for something else; a mold.

  The art department was the MATRIX of all of the company’s great creative works.

  maverick (MAV-er-ik), noun

  Free and independent of outside association or contact. A maverick is an independent-minded person who resists the influence of a group. (The word referred originally to a horse or steer that escapes from a herd and runs alone.)

  Although Ryan portrayed himself as a MAVERICK, he owed favors to the same special interest groups his opponent did.

  mean (meen), noun

  In mathematics, an intermediate value or average of a series of figures. (See, for comparison, the entry for median.)

  The MEAN of the series (0, 3, 6, 7, 9) is five.

  median (MEE-dee-un), noun

  In mathematics, a middle number in a series of numbers. (See, for comparison, the entry for mean.)

  The MEDIAN of the series (0, 3, 6, 7, 9) is six.

  medley (MED-lee), noun

  A group of varying elements; a mixture; in music, a series of songs or melodies connected as one.

  Dinner at the club that night was especially tasty: chicken piccata, wild rice, and a MEDLEY of winter vegetables.

  melodious (muh-LOW-dee-us), adjective

  Pleasant or agreeable to the ear. Melodious refers to that which features a pleasing succession of sounds.

  The MELODIOUS tones of his mother’s voice always reminded Wayne of his childhood.

  melodrama (MELL-uh-drah-muh), noun

  A performance or script that exaggerates dramatic situations, making such situations laughable and unbelievable. The adjective form, which you may see, is “melodramatic.”

  Unless you want to endure constant MELODRAMA, Dave, don’t get involved with Shirley.

  memento (muh-MEN-toe), noun

  A souvenir.

  I took home a variety of sea shells as MEMENTOS of my beach vacation.

  memoir (MEM-wahr), noun

  A series of written reminiscences about people, places, and events composed by and from the point of view of someone with intimate knowledge of the details.

  The pretense extended even to the former president’s MEMOIRS, in which he repeated his assertion that he had no knowledge of how or why the crucial minutes were erased from the tape.

  menagerie (muh-NAZH-uh-ree), noun

  A group of wild animals collected for exhibition; any exotic grouping of people or elements.

  Wilma thought of her eccentric staff not so much as a group of artists, but as a strange MENAGERIE of very creative people who had to be approached with deference.

  menorah (muh-NORE-uh), noun

  A nine-branched candelabrum used during the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

  In our office we display both a Christmas tree and a brass MENORAH during the holiday season.

  mentor (MEN-tor), noun

  A counselor or teacher. In contemporary use, mentor usually refers to a senior figure (in business or politics, for instance) who aids the progress of a junior figure’s career.

  Bart respected and revered his MENTOR, but he knew the time had come to move on to another company.

  metamorphosis (met-uh-MORE-fuh-siss), noun

  A transformation, as by magic or other supernatural influence. Someone or something undergoing a change in form can be said to undergo a metamorphosis.

  Darryl’s friends viewed his entry into reactionary politics with some concern; because of his past history, they feared his METAMORPHOSIS into a militant.

  meteor (MEE-tee-or), noun

  Glowing matter from space, typically stone or metal, that passes through and lights up the sky; a shooting star.

  Apparently, the vast majority of reported UFOs turn out to be METEORS.

  millenium (muh-LEN-ee-um), noun

  A period of one thousand years. In Christian theology, the millenium is a thousand-year span during which Christ is to rule human affairs.

  The members of the small church prayed for the early arrival of the MILLENIUM.

  mimic (MIM-ik), verb

  To imitate (mannerisms or speech), usually in a playful or mocking way.

  Jerome, who could MIMIC Mr. Harris’s squeaky voice with great precision, never missed an opportunity to display his talents to the class when the instructor left the room.

  mince (mince), verb

  To chop into small pieces; figuratively, to use evasive or indirect language. Also: to walk affectedly, taking short steps.

  “Don’t MINCE words with me, Henry,” my boss growled; “ if you aren’t going to meet the deadline, tell me so.”

  misconstrue (mis-kun-STROO), verb

  To get the wrong idea; to misunderstand or misinterpret.

  Tom MISCONSTRUED Linda’s friendliness as flirting—until he met her boyfriend.

  mitigate (MIH-tih-gate), verb

  To moderate. To mitigate is to lessen in impact or degree, or to cause to become less intense or severe.

  The international situation had seemed tense until a number of MITIGATING factors—notably the overthrow of General Sanchez—came into play.

  modicum (MOD-ih-kuhm), noun

  A moderate or token amount.

  Paul always complains about actors who have transformed a MODICUM of talent into successful careers.

  modulate (MOJ-uh-late), verb

  To vary. In music, to modulate is to change from one key to another.

  The radio announcer began MODULATING his voice in order to counter criticisms that be spoke in a monotone.

  mollify (MOL-uh-fy), verb

  To allay (a person’s) anger. Mollify can also mean “to lessen the impact of.”

  The umpire’s attempts to MOLLIFY the two screaming managers with some risque humor were to no avail.

  monarchy (MON-ark-ee), noun

  Government by a single ruler claiming a hereditary right to sovereignty; an example or instance of perceived royal lineage.

  King George III’s troubled reign, highlighting the disadvantages of MONARCHY as a form of government, was characterized by civil unrest in the colonies, mental incapacity in the sovereign, and the usual pack of useless hangers-on at court.

  monogamy (muh-NOG-uh-mee), noun

  The practice of being faithful to a single married partner. The opposite of monogamy is polygamy.

  The priest reminded the couple that they should not get married without thoroughly examining their feelings toward maintaining a life of MONOGAMY.

  monotonous (muh-NOT-uh-nuss), adjective

  Failing to excite interest; boring, tedious, repetitive, and dull; literally, possessing only one tone or note.

  Mike admitted that screwing the caps on soda bottles on an assembly line was MONOTONOUS work, but he claimed it paid surprisingly well.

  mortify (MORE-tih-fy), verb

  To humiliate. To mortify is also to discipline (one’s body) through austerity or self-denial.

  Mrs. Jones’s mother was MORTIFIED at the though
t of her daughter attending the dance unescorted.

  mullah (MYOO-luh), noun

  An Islamic title of respect for one who teaches or is learned in sacred law.

  The MULLAH came to my son’s school and discussed the fundamentals of the Islamic faith.

  mundane (mun-DANE), adjective

  Ordinary or everyday. That which is common or pertains to the concerns of the workaday world is mundane.

  Everett’s concerns were MUNDANE enough: keep a roof over his head, track down the occasional meal.

  munitions (myoo-NISH-unz), noun

  The materials of war; weapons or ammunition.

  Neil felt his training with the army’s MUNITIONS unit put him in good standing for a position with the police department’s bomb squad.

  murky (MURR-key), adjective

  Unclear, obscure, and unsettling.

  I was afraid of what creatures might be hiding just below the surface of the MURKY river.

  narcotic (nahr-KAH-tick), noun

  Something that produces a soothing—especially a mind-numbing—effect.

  Her incessant bragging acted on me like a NARCOTIC.

  nautical (NAW-tih-kul), adjective

  Of the sea, ships, or sailors.

  Mr. Petty’s den is decorated in a NAUTICAL motif featuring wallpaper with anchors, paintings of colonial ships, and an authentic ship’s wheel hanging on the wall.

  nemesis (NEM-i-sis), noun

  An opponent motivated by revenge. A person’s nemesis is one who will stop at nothing to “settle a score.”

  Things looked bleak: Harold’s NEMESIS, Mike, was in charge of all hiring decisions.

  nepotism (NEP-uh-tiz-um), noun

  The practice of favoring relatives.

  The company practiced shameless NEPOTISM, regularly passing up qualified applicants and hiring the underqualified sons, daughters, and cousins of board members.

  nirvana (nir-VAW-nuh), noun

  A point or state of spiritual perfection. Nirvana has a number of theological definitions, but is usually understood to mean “a transcendent state beyond the concerns of existence.”

  Some of the monks had meditated and maintained complete silence for years in an attempt to achieve NIRVANA.

  nocturnal (nok-TUR-nal), adjective

  Pertaining to night. Activities that occur only at night are nocturnal.

  Owls are perhaps the best known species of NOCTURNAL birds.