July 11th, 2020

Question 1

Histrionic | adjective

Answer 1

Definition
1 : deliberately affected : overly dramatic or emotional : theatrical

2 : of or relating to actors, acting, or the theater

Did You Know?
The term histrionic developed from histrio, Latin for “actor.” Something that is histrionic tends to remind one of the high drama of stage and screen and is often stagy and over-the-top. It especially calls to mind the theatrical form known as the melodrama, where plot and physical action, not characterization, are emphasized. But something that is histrionic isn’t always overdone; the word can also simply refer to an actor or describe something related to the theater. In that sense, it becomes a synonym of thespian.

Question 2

Frisson | noun

Answer 2

Definition
: a brief moment of emotional excitement : shudder, thrill

Did You Know?
“I feel a shiver that’s not from the cold as the band and the crowd go charging through the final notes…. That frisson, that exultant moment….” That’s how writer Robert W. Stock characterized the culmination of a big piece at a concert in 1982. His use of the word shiver is apt given that frisson comes from the French word for “shiver.” Frisson traces to Old French friçon, which in turn derives from frictio, Latin for “friction.” What does friction—normally a heat generator—have to do with thrills and chills? Nothing, actually. The association came about because frictio (which derives from Latin fricare, meaning “to rub”) was once mistakenly taken to be a derivative of frigēre, which means “to be cold.”

Question 3

Parsimonious | adjective | par-suh-MOH-nee-us

Answer 3

Definition
1 : exhibiting or marked by thrift or economy; especially : frugal to the point of stinginess

2 : sparing, restrained

Did You Know?
English isn’t stingy when it comes to synonyms of parsimonious. Stingy, close, penurious, and miserly are a few terms that, like parsimonious, suggest an unwillingness to share with others. Stingy implies a marked lack of generosity, whereas close suggests keeping a tight grip on one’s money and possessions. Penurious implies frugality that gives an appearance of actual poverty, and miserly suggests avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding. Parsimonious usually suggests an extreme frugality that borders on stinginess.

Question 4

Indite | verb

Answer 4

Definition
1 : make up, compose

2 : to give literary or formal expression to

3 : to put down in writing

Did You Know?
Indite looks like a misspelling of its homophone indict, meaning “to charge with a crime,” and that’s no mere coincidence. Although the two verbs are distinct in current use, they are in fact related etymologically. Indite is the older of the two; it has been in the English language since the 1300s. Indict, which came about as an alteration of indite, appeared in the 16th century. Ultimately, both terms come from Latin indicere, meaning “to make known formally” or “to proclaim,” which in turn comes from in- plus dīcere, meaning “to talk, speak, or say.”

Question 5

chino | noun

Answer 5

: a usually khaki cotton or synthetic-fiber twill of the type used for military uniforms
2 chinos plural : an article of clothing made of chino

Question 6

grotty | adjective

Answer 6

chiefly British
: wretchedly shabby : of poor quality
also : FILTHY, GROSS

Question 7

velour |

noun

Answer 7

a material similar to velvet that has a soft surface, used for clothes and for covering furniture

Question 8

assiduous | adjective

Answer 8

: showing great care, attention, and effort : marked by careful unremitting attention or persistent application

Question 9

tchotchke | noun

Answer 9

: KNICKKNACK, TRINKET

Question 10

gilt | adjective

Answer 10

: gold or something that resembles gold laid on a surface
2 slang : MONEY
3 : superficial brilliance
“Gilded Age” Mark Twain - glittery, but superficial

Question 11

ingrate | noun

Answer 11

: an ungrateful person

Question 12

cyclopean | adjective

Answer 12

often capitalized : of, relating to, or characteristic of a Cyclops
2 : HUGE, MASSIVE
3 : of or relating to a style of stone construction marked typically by the use of large irregular blocks without mortar

Question 13

crapulent | adjective

Answer 13

archaic

: suffering from excessive eating or drinking

Question 14

steganography
/stɛɡəˈnɒɡrəfɪ/
 Learn to pronounce
noun
noun: steganography

Answer 14

the practice of concealing messages or information within other non-secret text or data.

Question 15

vanity | noun

Answer 15

: inflated pride in oneself or one’s appearance : CONCEIT
2 : something that is vain, empty, or valueless
3a : DRESSING TABLE
b : a bathroom cabinet containing a sink and usually having a countertop
4 : the quality or fact of being vain
5 : a fashionable trifle or knickknack
6a : COMPACT entry 3 sense a
b : a small case or handbag for toilet articles used by women

Question 16

venal | adjective

venality | noun

Answer 16

: capable of being bought or obtained for money or other valuable consideration : PURCHASABLE
especially : open to corrupt influence and especially bribery : MERCENARY
a venal legislator
2 : originating in, characterized by, or associated with corrupt bribery

Question 17

coup de grâce | noun

Answer 17

: a death blow or death shot administered to end the suffering of one mortally wounded
2 : a decisive finishing blow, act, or event
The decision to cut funding is the coup de grâce to the governor’s proposal.

Question 18

louche | adjective

Answer 18

: not reputable or decent

Louche ultimately comes from the Latin word luscus, meaning “blind in one eye or “having poor sight.” This Latin term gave rise to the French louche, meaning “squinting” or “cross-eyed.” The French gave their term a figurative sense as well, taking that squinty look to mean “shady” or “devious.” English speakers didn’t see the need for the sight-impaired uses when they borrowed the term in the 19th century, but they kept the figurative one. The word is still quite visible today and is used to describe both people and places of questionable repute.

Question 19

rictus | noun

Answer 19

: the gape of a bird’s mouth
2a : the mouth orifice
b : a gaping grin or grimace

Question 20

Simian | noun

Answer 20

also : any of a suborder (Anthropoidea) of primates that includes monkeys, apes, and humans

Question 21

fetid | adjective

Answer 21

: having a heavy offensive smell

a fetid swamp

Question 22

élan | noun

Answer 22

: vigorous spirit or enthusiasm

Did You Know?
Once upon a time, English speakers did not have “élan” (the word, that is; that’s not to say we haven’t always had potential for vigorous spirit). We had, however, “elance,” a verb meaning “to hurl” that was used specifically for throwing lances and darts. “Elance” derived down the line from Middle French (s’)eslancer (“to rush or dash”), itself from lancer, meaning “to hurl.” With the decline of lance-throwing, we tossed out “elance” a century and half ago. Just about that time we found “élan,” a noun that traces to “(s’)eslancer.” We copied “élan” in form from the French, but we dispensed with the French sense of a literal “rush” or “dash,” retaining the sense of enthusiastic animation that we sometimes characterize as “dash.”

Question 23

trouper | noun

Answer 23

: a member of a troupe
especially : ACTOR
2 : a person who deals with and persists through difficulty or hardship without complaint
you’re a real trouper to wait so long

Question 24

demimonde | noun

Answer 24

: a distinct circle or world that is often an isolated part of a larger world
a night in the disco demimonde
especially : one having low reputation or prestige

Question 25

Jink | verb

Answer 25

Definition
: to move quickly or unexpectedly with sudden turns and shifts (as in dodging)

Did You Know?
Besides the fact that jink first appears in Scottish English, the exact origins of this shifty little word are unknown. What can be said with certainty is that the word has always expressed a quick or unexpected motion. For instance, in two poems from 1785, Robert Burns uses jink as a verb to indicate both the quick motion of a fiddler’s elbow and the sudden disappearance of a cheat around a corner. In the 20th century, the verb caught on with air force pilots and rugby players, who began using it to describe their elusive maneuvers to dodge opponents and enemies. Jink can also be used as a noun meaning “a quick evasive turn” or, in its plural form, “pranks.” The latter use was likely influenced by the term high jinks, which originally referred in the late 17th century to a Scottish drinking game and later came to refer to horseplay.

Question 26

Inculcate | verb

Answer 26

Definition
: to teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions

Did You Know?
Inculcate derives from the past participle of the Latin verb inculcare, meaning “to tread on.” In Latin, inculcare possesses both literal and figurative meanings, referring to either the act of walking over something or to that of impressing something upon the mind, often by way of steady repetition. It is the figurative sense that survives with inculcate, which was first used in English in the 16th century. Inculcare was formed in Latin by combining the prefix in- with calcare, meaning “to trample,” and ultimately derives from the noun calx, “heel.”

Question 27

Bowdlerize | verb

Answer 27

Definition
1 literature : to expurgate (something, such as a book) by omitting or modifying parts considered vulgar

2 : to modify by abridging, simplifying, or distorting in style or content

Did You Know?
Few editors have achieved the notoriety of Thomas Bowdler. He was trained as a physician, but when illness prevented him from practicing medicine, he turned to warning Europeans about unsanitary conditions at French watering places. Bowdler then carried his quest for purification to literature, and in 1818 he published his Family Shakspeare [sic], a work in which he promised that “those words and expressions are omitted which cannot with propriety be read aloud in a family.” The sanitized volume was popular with the public of the day, but literary critics denounced his modifications of the words of the Bard. Bowdler applied his literary eraser broadly, and within 11 years of his death in 1825 the word bowdlerize was being used to refer to expurgating books or other texts.

Question 28

noblesse oblige |

noun | noh-BLESS-uh-BLEEZH

Answer 28

Definition
: the obligation of honorable, generous, and responsible behavior associated with high rank or birth

Did You Know?
In French, noblesse oblige means literally “nobility obligates.” French speakers transformed the phrase into a noun, which English speakers picked up in the 19th century. Then, as now, noblesse oblige referred to the unwritten obligation of people from a noble ancestry to act honorably and generously to others. Later, by extension, it also came to refer to the obligation of anyone who is in a better position than others—due, for example, to high office or celebrity—to act respectably and responsibly.

Question 29

Mesmerize | verb

Answer 29

Definition
1 : to subject to mesmerism; also : hypnotize

2 : spellbind

Did You Know?
Experts can’t agree on whether Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815) was a quack or a genius, but all concede that the late 18th-century physician’s name is the source of the word mesmerize. In his day, Mesmer was the toast of Paris, where he enjoyed the support of notables including Queen Marie Antoinette. He treated patients with a force he termed animal magnetism. Many believe that what he actually used was what we now call hypnotism. Mesmer’s name was first applied to a technique for inducing hypnosis in 1784.

Question 30

pejorative |

adjective

Answer 30

Definition
: having negative connotations; especially : tending to disparage or belittle : depreciatory

Did You Know?
“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” Parents have given that good advice for years, but unfortunately many people haven’t heeded it. The word pejorative makes it clear that both English and Latin speakers have long known that disparaging words can make a bad situation worse. Pejorative derives from the Late Latin adjective pējōrātus, which in turn comes from the Latin verb pējōrāre, meaning “to make or become worse.” Although pejorative words have probably always been part of English, the adjective pejorative has only been found in English texts since the late 1880s. Before then, English speakers could rely on older synonyms of pejorative such as derogatory and uncomplimentary to describe disparaging words.

Question 31

risible |

adjective | RIZZ-uh-bul

Answer 31

Definition
1 a : capable of laughing

b : disposed to laugh

2 : arousing or provoking laughter; especially : laughable

3 : associated with, relating to, or used in laughter

Did You Know?
If someone makes a ridiculous remark about your risible muscles, they are not necessarily deriding your physique. Risible can also mean “associated with laughter,” so risible muscles can simply be the ones used for laughing. (You’ve also got a set of risorius muscles around your mouth that help you smile.) Next time you find something laughable, tip your hat to ridēre, the Latin verb meaning “to laugh” that gave us risible as well as ridiculous and deride.

Question 32

Demure | adjective | dih-MYOOR

Answer 32

Definition
1 : reserved, modest

2 : affectedly modest, reserved, or serious : coy

Did You Know?
In the nearly four centuries that demure has been in use, its meaning has only shifted slightly. While it began solely as a descriptive term for people of quiet modesty and sedate reserve—those who don’t draw attention to themselves, whether because of a shy nature or determined self-control—it came to be applied also to those whose modesty and reservation is more affectation than sincere expression. While demure sounds French and entered the language at a time when the native tongue of England was borrowing many French words from the Normans who gained control of the country after the Battle of Hastings in 1066, the etymological evidence requires that we exercise restraint: the word’s origin remains obscure.

Question 33

Grubstake | verb

Answer 33

Definition
: to provide with material assistance (such as a loan) for launching an enterprise or for a person in difficult circumstances

Did You Know?
Grubstake is a linguistic nugget that was dug up during the famous California Gold Rush, which began in 1848. Sometime between the first stampede and the early 1860s, when the gold-seekers headed off to Montana, prospectors combined grub (“food”) and stake, meaning “an interest or share in an undertaking.” At first grubstake was a noun, referring to any kind of loan or provisions that could be finagled to make an undertaking possible (with the agreement that the “grubstaker” would get a cut of any profits). By the 1870s, grubstake was also showing up as a verb meaning “to give someone a grubstake,” and, since at least 1900, shortly after the Klondike Gold Rush, it has been applied to other situations in which a generous benefactor comes through with the funds.