The Big Book of Words You Should Know

by David Olsen

  panacea (pan-uh-SEE-uh), noun

  A cure-all; something with the ability to cure any illness or remedy any disorder.

  According to my eighty-four-year-old grandfather, chocolate is the PANACEA to any problem life may throw at you.

  pandemic (pan-DEM-ik), adjective

  Widespread. Something that is general, common, or all-encompassing could be said to be pandemic.

  We must begin to appeal not to universal fears, but to PANDEMIC human values.

  parable (PARE-uh-bull), noun

  A brief allegory or story meant to highlight an essential truth.

  Jesus’ PARABLE of the Prodigal Son is perhaps the most inspiring passage in the New Testament.

  paragon (PARE-uh-gone), noun

  A peerless model or pattern of perfection. A paragon, unlike a paradigm (within) is an absolute—and often a hypothetical—standard.

  Even if we could live our lives in accordance with the PARAGONS of right living, would we not still experience conflict and misunderstanding with others?

  paramount (PARE-uh-mount), adjective

  Supreme; superior; excellent

  It is of PARAMOUNT importance that we complete this project on time.

  paramour (PARE-uh-more), noun

  An illicit lover.

  Although the women in her circle made high-minded speeches about her morality, Mrs. Able knew full well that most of them had had a PARAMOUR at one time or another.

  parlay (PAHR-lay), verb

  To take something—such as talent or a small amount of money—and attempt to use it to gain great fortune or success.

  Jackson PARLAYED a talent for poker into a lucrative career.

  pastiche (pah-STEESH), noun

  A haphazard collection of items from various sources. Also, a piece of music, writing, or art made up mostly of material taken from existing sources.

  Some folks consider hip-hop music nothing but mindless PASTICHE, but I heartily disagree.

  pastoral (PAS-tur-ul), adjective

  Pertaining to life in the country. Pastoral also has religious connotations: a pastoral message is one to the clergy or people in a region from a bishop.

  To many critics, the novel’s PASTORAL setting jarred against its themes of urban angst.

  pathos (PAY-thos), noun

  A quality arousing or evoking pity or sorrow. To employ pathos is to act in a way meant to elicit tender sympathy from an observer.

  Chaplin’s development of PATHOS as a component of film comedy was one of his most significant achievements.

  patina (puh-TEE-nuh), noun

  A film or sheen that occurs naturally on an aged surface.

  In the antebellum mansion, I thought about the generations of hands that had left a PATINA on the banisters.

  pejorative (puh-JORE-uh-tiv), adjective

  Disparaging. That which downgrades or defames (usually a term or description) is pejorative.

  When I said Lynn was a typical Massachusetts driver, I didn’t mean that as a PEJORATIVE remark.

  penchant (PEN-chunt), noun

  A liking or inclination.

  Over dinner, Vicky, who had a PENCHANT for speaking her mind no matter what, asked the congressman what he thought his chances were of being imprisoned as a result of his recent indictment for embezzlement.

  penitent (PEN-ih-tunt), verb

  Feeling guilty or remorseful for wrongdoing. As a noun: a person who is penitent.

  Aaron made a token effort to apologize for his rude behavior, but it was evident to us all that he was not at all PENITENT.

  pensive (PEN-siv), adjective

  Thoughtful; having wistful or dreamy thoughts.

  My girlfriend was ready for a riotous night on the town, but I was feeling, PENSIVE, so we ended up going to a cafe and talking well into the night.

  perfunctory (purr-FUNK-tuh-ree), adjective

  Mundane; routine. Also: showing little care. Something done with little interest is a perfunctory act.

  Preoccupied, Tom went about his daily tasks with a PERFUNCTORY air.

  permeable (PURR-me-uh-bull), adjective

  Porous; capable of being permeated.

  “Only certain substances can pass through the PERMEABLE membrane,” Mrs. Adams explained to her class.

  pernicious (purr-NISH-uss), adjective

  Tending to cause insidious harm or injury. Pernicious can also mean “fatal or likely to cause death.”

  A PERNICIOUS plague spread through the village.

  perpetuate (purr-PETCH-oo-ate), verb

  To make everlasting; to prolong memory or use (of a thing). To perpetuate someone’s memory is to cause that person’s life to be recalled after his death.

  The rumor that I am resigning has been PERPETUATED by a number of sources, all completely unreliable.

  phalanx (FAY-lanks), noun

  From the Greek describing a military formation, a phalanx is a group of closely assembled people or animals, usually working together for a specific purpose, such as launching an attack.

  The geek tried not to show his fear in the hallway, as the PHALANX of jocks walked in his direction.

  phallic (FAL-ik), adjective

  Of or pertaining to the phallus or penis; reminiscent of a penis; also, by extension, reminiscent of the life-giving force of nature, as in ancient Dionysian festivals that made the phallus a central element.

  According to Freud, PHALLIC symbols (such as the sword of Unferth used by Beowulf) abound in both ancient and modern literature.

  pidgin (PIDJ-in), noun

  A type of language created by the interaction of two distinct languages, used to help people communicate across language barriers.

  We spoke PIDGIN to each other, and I finally was able to understand how to get to the nearest bathroom.

  piquant (pi-KONT), adjective

  Stimulating; provocative, particularly to the tastebuds; spicy.

  Normally, Mexican food is too hot for me, but Nancy’s salsa dip was just PIQUANT enough to be delightful.

  pique (peek), verb

  To injure a person’s pride and thereby engender harsh feelings. Someone who shows resentful irritation at a perceived slight can be said to be piqued.

  Marcia was PIQUED at not having been invited to the party.

  placate (PLAY-kate), verb

  To appease. Someone who concedes or yields in order to avoid another’s anger can be said to placate that person.

  Although the company was unable to raise wages, it did make an effort to PLACATE the union by extending the afternoon coffee break.

  plenary (PLEE-nuh-ree), adjective

  Describes something that is absolute and unqualified.

  Original FBI head, Edgar Hoover, did his best to give himself and his agency PLENARY powers.

  pliable (PLIE-uh-bull), adjective

  Able to be changed in shape, form, or inclination; capable of being directed or influenced.

  Gold, one of the world’s most valuable metals, is also one of the most PLIABLE.

  pneumatic (noo-MAT-ik), adjective

  Related to air or wind; using air or compressed gas as a force.

  It took Milton some time to master the controls of the huge PNEUMATIC drill, but eventually he got the hang of it and set about a gleeful, early-morning destruction of the pavement outside his absent neighbor’s home.

  pontiff (PON-tiff), noun

  A high or chief priest; usually, the pope.

  Although lately John Paul II has not made as many pilgrimages to foreign lands as he did in the late Seventies and early Eighties, the PONTIFF has made a special point of visiting one or two important cities per year.

  populism (POP-yuh-liz-um), noun

  A political movement that reaches out to “just plain folks,” rather than to social or cultural elites. Someone who espouses populism is called a populist. Sometimes populism is used negatively, to suggest that a political candidate is appealing to the worst side of human nature in an effort to get vot
es. For example, prior to the Civil Rights Era, populism often was equated with “continuing the status quo of segregation.”

  Opponents called the candidate a POPULIST, meaning it as an attack, but he accepted the word and turned it into one of the pillars of his successful campaign.

  porcine (PORE-sein), adjective

  Reminiscent of or pertaining to a pig; resembling a pig.

  Mike’s constant description of his heavyset blind date as “my PORCINE companion” may have had something to do with her early departure from the party.

  potable (POH-tuh-bull), adjective

  Drinkable. Something that can be drunk safely is potable.

  No amount of boiling could make the water from the stagnant lake POTABLE.

  precarious (pruh-KARE-ee-us), adjective

  Insecure. Something that is precarious is uncertain and subject to misfortune or collapse.

  The crisis has left our nation in a PRECARIOUS position.

  precipitous (pruh-SIP-uh-tuss), adjective

  Very steep, as a precipice; rushing away headlong.

  The prospect of learning to drive a standard shift in this city of PRECIPITOUS hills is an intimidating one.

  precept (PREE-sept), noun

  A rule, order, or principle that sets up a standard guide for conduct.

  I make it a personal PRECEPT never to ask my staff to do anything I would not be willing to do myself.

  precocious (pruh-KOE-shuss), adjective

  Pertaining to or reminiscent of one (particularly a child) who acts in a manner generally expected of an older person; ahead of fashions, times, or standards.

  Charlie’s PRECOCIOUS four-year-old, Willie, likes to walk into the den while we’re drinking beer and watching football games and ask whether we can’t think of a better way to spend our time.

  presentiment (prih-ZEN-tuh-ment), noun

  A feeling that something—especially something bad—is going to happen.

  The flight was uneventful, despite Clyde’s PRESENTIMENT that a mid-air disaster would occur.

  primer (PRIM-ur), noun

  A basic, grade-school textbook.

  For decades, the foundation of American schooling was the old-fashioned PRIMER, from which children studied subjects ranging from history to poetry to arithmetic.

  primordial (pry-MORE-dee-ul), adjective

  Original. Something that is primordial comes at the very first position in a sequence.

  Perhaps science can’t answer such PRIMORDIAL questions as “How did the universe begin?”

  promissory (PROM-uh-sore-ee), adjective

  Suggesting a promise.

  That night’s PROMISSORY kiss left James unable to get Samantha out of his mind until he saw her again.

  promontory (PROM-uhn-tore-ee), noun

  A piece of land that projects from a coastline or lowland, which typically offers spectacular views.

  I spent all the time during our vacation sitting out on the balcony of our inn, enjoying the views from my PROMONTORY perch.

  propagate (PROP-uh-gate), verb

  To cause to multiply by natural processes. Propagate is related to the word propaganda, which means “that (information) which is disseminated for public circulation by a person or party for advantage.”

  Darwin’s observations on the way species PROPAGATE and adapt were shocking to many readers.

  prosaic (pro-ZAY-ik), adjective

  Commonplace or workaday. Something that is unromantic or matter-of-fact is prosaic.

  Banks, whose PROSAIC outlook on life left little room for frivolity, was a stern father.

  proscribe (pro-SKRIBE), verb

  To prohibit. To proscribe is also to denounce as injurious.

  Any discussion of the fleet’s battle plan was PROSCRIBED under threat of imprisonment.

  proselytize (PROSS-uh-luh-tize), verb

  To attempt to convert to one’s own religious faith. Someone who proselytizes attempts (often overbearingly) to recruit others to his religion.

  It is not my intention to PROSELYTIZE, but rather to share some insights on my own experiences within the Jewish faith.

  protagonist (pro-TAG-uh-nist), noun

  The lead character in a story, play, novel, etc.

  I stopped reading the book because I found the PROTAGONIST so unbelievable.

  proxy (PROK-see), noun

  One given authority to act on behalf of another. Also, the permission one gives another to act in one’s place.

  As I didn’t want to reschedule my next vacation, I named Donna as my PROXY for the next stockholder’s meeting.

  pumice (PUM-iss), noun

  A lightweight volcanic rock used in powder form as a cleanser.

  For three hours I scrubbed the basin with the pink, gritty PUMICE the guard had supplied, but I could not remove the orange blotches.

  pungent (PUN-junt), adjective

  Powerful or sharp (typically used with regard to odors or tastes).

  That PUNGENT odor coming from the back of the refrigerator is what’s left of the lasagna Chris made three months ago.

  quantum (KWAHN-tuhm), noun

  From the Latin meaning “how great,” quantum is a share or portion; something that can be counted.

  Mike assumed that his bridges were burned, without assessing the QUANTUM of the changes he had brought about.

  quell (kwell), verb

  To subdue; to crush or extinguish; to overcome.

  The police sought to QUELL the rioters by using tear gas, but due to equipment malfunctions were unable to do so.

  rancor (RAN-kur), noun

  Intense ill-will; bitter resentment.

  Mike’s RANCOR toward his ex-wife was so intense that the mere mention of her name was sometimes enough to send him into a tirade.

  rapacious (ruh-PAY-shuss), adjective

  Given to plunder or the forcible overpowering of another. Rapacious is related to the word rape.

  The foe we face is a RAPACIOUS one who thinks nothing of overrunning the weak if it suits his purposes.

  rapport (rah-PORE), noun

  A trusting and peaceful mutual relationship.

  Although the Wilsons found their neighbors odd at first, the four soon developed a strong RAPPORT.

  rapprochement (rap-rosh-MAWN), noun

  The repairing of damaged relations. To bring about a rapprochement is to improve an existing rift between two parties.

  The process of RAPPROCHEMENT between the two countries was slow and laborious.

  rapture (RAP-chur), noun

  Ecstatic feeling. To experience rapture is to be carried into a realm of joy.

  Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, well played, is enough to send me into fits of RAPTURE.

  raze (raze), verb

  To flatten, level, or demolish.

  Despite our arguments that the building had significant historical value and should be restored, the planning board authorized its demolition; within a week of the meeting, it was RAZED.

  recalcitrant (ri-KAL-sih-trunt), adjective

  Resistant to authority. Someone who has difficulty working under any superior could be said to be recalcitrant.

  Boot camp is not the best place for RECALCITRANT behavior, Mr. Diamond.

  recant (rih-KANT), verb

  To disavow (a formerly held view). Historically, people considered religious heretics have been forced to recant unauthorized beliefs by church authorities.

  It was not until June that the Congressmen RECANTED and withdrew his support for the constitutional amendment.

  recession (rih-SESH-uhn), noun

  Generally speaking, the act of withdrawing. Economically speaking, a recession occurs when the gross domestic product declines for two or more quarters in a row.

  Pundits could not agree on whether or not the country’s poor economy was indicative of a RECESSION.

  rectitude (REK-ti-tood), noun

  Righteousness and moral virtue.

  Myra demonstrates an astounding a
mount of moral RECTITUDE for one so young.

  regimentation (rej-uh-men-TAY-shun), noun

  Discipline and uniformity of action and appearance, typical of the military.

  Fred passed the exit that would take him to his job, ripped off his tie and threw it out the window, and generally rebelled against the REGIMENTATION of his daily life.

  remuneration (rih-myoon-uh-RAY-shun), noun

  Something provided in exchange for goods or services; payment.

  Fred was quite comfortable with the general idea of working in the automotive industry; it was the low level of REMUNERATION he couldn’t get used to.

  renaissance (REN-uh-sonce), noun

  A rebirth or revival. Also (when capitalized) the period of artistic and cultural renewal in Europe that extended from, roughly, the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries; (when lower-case) a similar reawakening of dormant interests, spirits, or abilities.

  Leonardo Da Vinci is recognized by most historians as the preeminent scientific and artistic genius of the RENAISSANCE.

  replete (ri-PLEET), adjective

  Full. To say A is replete with B is to say A is supplied to the highest possible level with B.

  The market was REPLETE with everything the holiday shopper could have wanted.

  replicate (REP-li-kate), verb

  To reproduce (an event or action). Replicate can also mean “to bend back.”

  Dr. Yate believed he had made an important discovery, but he was unable to REPLICATE his experiment for the other scientists in his group.

  reprove (re-PROOV), verb

  To censure. Someone who corrects or finds fault reproves.

  REPROVING children can only go so far; you must set a good example for them, as well.

  repudiate (rih-PYOO-dee-ate), verb

  To disprove and thereby render obsolete. A theory that has been repudiated is one that is accepted as invalid.

  This survey totally REPUDIATES the findings Geraldson claims in his earlier paper; his model can no longer stand.

  requite (rih-KWYTE), verb

  To seek retribution or revenge for an actual or assumed wrong.

  You have wronged me for the last time! My thirst for revenge will not be REQUITED until you, too, are suffering!

  resolute (REZ-uh-loot), adjective

  Unyielding in determination. Someone who is firm of purpose is resolute.

  We remain RESOLUTE on the question of the hostages: they must be released without precondition.