Logan’s Lexicon

In a never ending qwest to master the English language, I have created a page (mainly for my reference), of must know vocab words.

a·bey·ance (-bns)
n.

  1. The condition of being temporarily set aside; suspension: held the plan in abeyance.
  2. Law. A condition of undetermined ownership, as of an estate that has not yet been assigned.

aes·thet·ic or es·thet·ic (s-thtk)
adj.

or (s-thtk)

  1. Relating to the philosophy or theories of aesthetics.
  2. Of or concerning the appreciation of beauty or good taste: the aesthetic faculties.
  3. Characterized by a heightened sensitivity to beauty.
  4. Artistic: The play was an aesthetic success.
  5. Informal. Conforming to accepted notions of good taste.

an·drog·y·nous (n-drj-ns)
adj.

  1. Biology. Having both female and male characteristics; hermaphroditic.
  2. Being neither distinguishably masculine nor feminine, as in dress, appearance, or behavior.

be·stir (b-stûr)
tr.v. be·stirred, be·stir·ring, be·stirs

To cause to become active; rouse: finally bestirred himself to look for work.

bloke (blk)
n. Chiefly British Slang

A fellow; a man.

bo·yar (b-yär, boir)
n.

A member of a class of higher Russian nobility that until the time of Peter I headed the civil and military administration of the country and participated in an early duma.

brood (brd)
n.

  1. The young of certain animals, especially a group of young birds or fowl hatched at one time and cared for by the same mother. See Synonyms at flock1.
  2. The children in one family.

ca·pit·u·late (k-pch-lt)
intr.v. ca·pit·u·lat·ed, ca·pit·u·lat·ing, ca·pit·u·lates

  1. To surrender under specified conditions; come to terms.
  2. To give up all resistance; acquiesce. See Synonyms at yield.

col·lo·qui·al (k-lkw-l)
adj.

  1. Characteristic of or appropriate to the spoken language or to writing that seeks the effect of speech; informal.
  2. Relating to conversation; conversational.

deus ex machina \DAY-uhs-eks-MAH-kuh-nuh; -nah; -MAK-uh-nuh\, noun:
1. In ancient Greek and Roman drama, a god introduced by means of a crane to unravel and resolve the plot.
2. Any active agent who appears unexpectedly to solve an apparently insoluble difficulty.

e·mote Audio pronunciation of ( P ) Pronunciation Key (-mt)
intr.v. e·mot·ed, e·mot·ing, e·motes

To express emotion, especially in an excessive or theatrical manner: “The more she emotes, the less he listens, and the less he listens, the more strident and emotive she becomes” (Maggie Scarf).

ex·on·er·ate (g-zn-rt)
tr.v. ex·on·er·at·ed, ex·on·er·at·ing, ex·on·er·ates

  1. To free from blame.
  2. To free from a responsibility, obligation, or task.

ideational

adj : being (or being of the nature of) a notion or concept; “a plan abstract and conceptional”; “to improve notional comprehension”; “a notional response to the question” [syn: conceptional, notional]

kantianism

\Kant”i*an*ism\, Kantism \Kant”ism\, n. The doctrine or theory of Kant; the Kantian philosophy.

in·vo·ca·tion (nv-kshn)
n.

  1. The act or an instance of invoking, especially an appeal to a higher power for assistance.
  2. A prayer or other formula used in invoking, as at the opening of a religious service.
    1. The act of conjuring up a spirit by incantation.
    2. An incantation used in conjuring.

n·ter·po·late (n-tûrp-lt)
v. in·ter·po·lat·ed, in·ter·po·lat·ing, in·ter·po·lates
v. tr.

  1. To insert or introduce between other elements or parts.
    1. To insert (material) into a text.
    2. To insert into a conversation. See Synonyms at introduce.
  3. To change or falsify (a text) by introducing new or incorrect material.
  4. Mathematics. To estimate a value of (a function or series) between two known values.

milieu \meel-YUH; meel-YOO\, noun;
plural milieus or milieux \-(z)\:
Environment; setting.

mol·li·fy (ml-f)
tr.v. mol·li·fied, mol·li·fy·ing, mol·li·fies

  1. To calm in temper or feeling; soothe. See Synonyms at pacify.
  2. To lessen in intensity; temper.
  3. To reduce the rigidity of; soften.

mo·rose (m-rs, mô-)
adj.

Sullenly melancholy; gloomy.

my·o·pi·a (m-p-)
n.

  1. A visual defect in which distant objects appear blurred because their images are focused in front of the retina rather than on it; nearsightedness. Also called short sight.
  2. Lack of discernment or long-range perspective in thinking or planning: “For Lorca, New York is a symbol of spiritual myopia” (Edwin Honig).

om·i·nous (m-ns)
adj.

  1. Menacing; threatening: ominous black clouds; ominous rumblings of discontent.
  2. Of or being an omen, especially an evil one.

pa·nache (p-nsh, -näsh)
n.

  1. Dash; verve.
  2. A bunch of feathers or a plume, especially on a helmet.

parlous \PAR-luhs\, adjective:
Attended with peril; fraught with danger; hazardous.

\PAR-luhs\, :Attended with peril; fraught with danger; hazardous.pen·chant (pnchnt)
n.

\PAR-luhs\, :Attended with peril; fraught with danger; hazardous. (pnchnt)

\PAR-luhs\, :Attended with peril; fraught with danger; hazardous. (pnchnt)

A definite liking; a strong inclination. See Synonyms at predilection.

poign·ant (poinynt)
adj.

    1. Physically painful: “Keen, poignant agonies seemed to shoot from his neck downward” (Ambrose Bierce).
    2. Keenly distressing to the mind or feelings: poignant anxiety.
    3. Profoundly moving; touching: a poignant memory. See Synonyms at moving.
  2. Piercing; incisive: poignant criticism.
    1. Neat, skillful, and to the point: poignant illustrations supplementing the text.
    2. Astute and pertinent; relevant: poignant suggestions.
  4. Agreeably intense or stimulating: poignant delight.
  5. Archaic.
    1. Sharp or sour to the taste; piquant.
    2. Sharp or pungent to the smell.

pro·pri·e·ty Audio pronunciation of ( P ) Pronunciation Key (pr-pr-t)
n. pl. pro·pri·e·ties

  1. The quality of being proper; appropriateness.
  2. Conformity to prevailing customs and usages.
  3. proprieties The usages and customs of polite society.

sapient \SAY-pee-uhnt\, adjective:
Wise; sage; discerning.

spoony \SPOO-nee\, adjective:
1. Foolish; silly; excessively sentimental.
2. Foolishly or sentimentally in love.

strap·hang·er (strphngr)
n.

  1. One who grips a hanging strap or similar device for support while riding as a passenger on a bus or subway.
  2. One who uses public transportation

sty·mie also sty·my (stm)
tr.v. sty·mied, (-md) sty·mie·ing, also sty·my·ing (-m-ng) sty·mies (-mz)

To thwart; stump: a problem in thermodynamics that stymied half the class.

n.

  1. An obstacle or obstruction.
  2. Sports. A situation in golf in which an opponent’s ball obstructs the line of play of one’s own ball on the putting green.
terra in·cog·ni·ta (nkg-nt, -kgn-t)
n. pl. terrae in·cog·ni·tae (nkg-nt, -kgn-t)

  1. An unknown land; an unexplored region: “a vast and virtually final terra incognita left to terrestrial explorers” (David F. Salisbury).
  2. A new or unexplored field of knowledge.

u·biq·ui·tous (y-bkw-ts)
adj.

Being or seeming to be everywhere at the same time; omnipresent: “plodded through the shadows fruitlessly like an ubiquitous spook” (Joseph Heller).
u·til·i·tar·i·an·ism (y-tl-târ--nzm)
n.

  1. The belief that the value of a thing or an action is determined by its utility.
  2. The ethical theory proposed by Jeremy Bentham and James Mill that all action should be directed toward achieving the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.
  3. The quality of being utilitarian: housing of bleak utilitarianism.

visage \VIZ-ij\, noun:
1. The face, countenance, or look of a person or an animal; — chiefly applied to the human face.
2. Look; appearance; aspect.