#57 maudlin ~ metamorphosis Flashcards
maudlin
/ˈmɔdlɪn/
adj. silly and overly sentimental
- The high school reunion grew more and more maudlin as the participants shared more and more memories.
- Magdalen had a maudlin concern for the worms in her yard; she would bang a gong before walking in the grass in order to give them a chance to get out of her way.
maverick
/ˈmævərɪk, ˈmævrɪk/
n. a nonconformist; a rebel
- The political scientist was an intellectual maverick; most of his theories had no followers except himself.
Maverick can also be an adjective.
- The maverick police officer got in trouble with the department for using illegal means to track down criminals.
maxim
/ˈmæksɪm/
n. a fundamental principle; an old saying
- We always tried to live our lives according to the maxim that it is better to give than to receive.
- No one in the entire world is entirely certain of the differences in meaning among the words, maxim, adage, proverb, and aphorism.
mediate
/ˈmidiˌeɪt/
v. to help settle differences
- The United Nations representative tried to mediate between the warring countries, but the soldiers just kept shooting at one another.
- Joe carried messages back and forth between the divorcing husband and wife in the hope of mediating their differences,
To mediate is to engage in mediation. When two opposing groups, such as a trade union and the management of a company, try to settle their differences through mediation, they call in a mediator to listen to their cases and to make an equitable decision.
mellifluous
/məˈlɪfluəs/
adj. sweetly flowing
Mellifluous comes from Greek words meaning, roughly, “honey flowing.” We use the word almost exclusively to describe voices, music, or sounds that flow sweetly, like honey.
- Melanie’s clarinet playing was mellifluous; the notes flowed smoothly and beautifully.
mendacious
/mɛnˈdeɪʃəs/
adj. lying; dishonest
Thieves are naturally mendacious. If you ask them what they are doing, they will automatically answer, “Nothing.”
- The jury saw through the mendacious witness and convicted the defendant.
To be mendacious is to engage in mendacity, or lying. I have no flaws, except occasional mendacity.
mendicant
/ˈmɛndɪkənt/
n. a beggar
- The presence of thousands of mendicants in every urban area is a sad commentary on our national priorities.
mentor
/ˈmɛntɔr, -tər/
n. a teacher, tutor, counselor, or coach; esp. in business, an experienced person who shows an inexperienced person the ropes
Mentor is too big a word to apply to just any teacher. A student might have many teachers but only one mentor - the person who taught him what was really important.
- Chris’s mentor in the pole vault was a former track star who used to hang out by the gym and give the students pointers.
- Young men and women in business often talk about the importance of having a mentor - usually an older person at the same company who takes an interest in them and helps them get ahead by showing them the ropes.
mercenary
/ˈmɜrsəˌnɛri/
n. a hired soldier; someone who will do anything for money
If an army can’t find enough volunteers or draftees, it will sometimes hire mercenaries. The magazine Soldier of Fortune is aimed at mercenaries and would-be mercenaries; it even runs classified advertisements by soldiers looking for someone to fight.
You don’t have to be a soldier to be a mercenary. Someone who does sth. strictly for the money is often called a mercenary.
- Our business contains a few dedicated workers and many, many mercenaries, who want to make a quick buck and then get out.
- Larry’s motives in writing the screenplay for the trashy movie were strictly mercenary - he needed the money.
Mercenary can also be used as an adjective.
mercurial
/mərˈkyʊəriəl/
adj. emotionally unpredictable; rapidly changing in mood
A person with a mercurial personality is one who changes rapidly and unpredictably between one mood and another.
- Mercurial Helen was crying one minute, laughing the next.
metamorphosis
/ˌmɛtəˈmɔrfəsɪs/
n. a magical change in form; a striking or sudden change
- When the magician passed his wand over Eileen’s head, she underwent a bizarre metamorphosis: She turned into a hamster.
- Damon’s metamorphosis from college student to Hollywood superstar was so sudden that it seemed a bit unreal.
To undergo a metamorphosis is to metamorphose.
