hanky-panky

[hak pak]
noun
Informal trickery or deception, orig. as used in tricks of illusion or sleight of hand, now esp. in
connection with shady dealings or illicit sexual activity
Origin of hanky-panky
altered uncertain or unknown; perhaps after (sleight of) hand ; from hocus-pocus

dalliance
noun
the act of dallying; flirting, toying, or trifling

inebriate
[in br t; for adj. & n., -it, -t]

transitive verb
inebriated, inebriating
1. to make drunk; intoxicate
2. to excite; exhilarate

Origin of inebriate

; from Classical Latin inebriatus, past participle of inebriare, to intoxicate ; from in-, intensive + ebriare,
to make drunk ; from ebrius, drunk

adjective
drunk; intoxicated
besotted, crapulent, crapulous, drunk, drunken, inebriated, intoxicated, sodden, tipsy. (Informal)
cockeyed, stewed. (Slang) blind

decorum
[di krm]
noun
1. Decorum is defined as appropriate, polite behavior in society.
An example of decorum is to show good table manners.

A little girl shows proper decorum.

dissipate
[dis pt]
verb
1. To dissipate is defined as to lessen or disappear, or to cause something to lessen or
disappear.
An example of dissipate is when rain starts to let up or goes away.
Origin of dissipate
Middle English dissipaten ; from Classical Latin dissipatus, past participle of dissipare,
to scatter ; from dis-, apart + supare, to throw ; from Indo-European base an unverified
form swep- from source Sanskrit svap, broom, Low German swabbeln, to swab

pogrom
[pgrm, -grm; p grm]
noun
1. The definition of a pogrom is an organized persecution and killing of a minority group.
An example of a pogrom was the Holocaust.

anathema
[ ath m]
noun
1. The definition of an anathema is a person or thing who is detested or hated.
Adolf Hitler is an example of an anathema.
Origin of anathema
Ecclesiastical Late Latin ; from Classical Greek thing devoted to evil; previously, anything
devoted ; from anatithenai, to dedicate ; from ana-, up + tithenai, to place: see do
adjective
1. greatly detested
2. viewed as accursed or damned
3. subjected to an ecclesiastical anathema

constellation
[k st lsh ]
noun
1. The definition of a constellation is a group of stars that create a pattern in the sky.

Facts About Constellations

o
o
o
o
o

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) met for the first time in 1922. They
picked the 88 constellations which we use today.
In 1930, the IAU set the boundaries for each constellation so that any object in the
sky is within one of these 88 constellations.
The brightest constellation is the Southern Cross (Crux).
The constellation with the most stars is the Water Snake (Hydra).
The names of the major constellations are:
o Andromeda - Princess of Ethiopia or the Chained Lady
o Cassiopeia - Queen of Ethiopia or Andromeda's Mother
o Cephus - King of Ethiopia or Andromeda's Father
o Cetus - The Sea Monster
o Corona Borealis - The Northern Crown
o Draco - The Dragon
o Eridanus - The River
o Hercules - Hercules (from mythology)
o Lyra - The Lyre
o Perseus - The Hero
Asterisms are smaller star patterns inside a constellation. Here is a list of
asterisms, the constellation where they are found, and the translation of the name:
o The Big Dipper - Ursa Major - The Greater Bear
o The Little Dipper - Ursa Minor - The Lesser Bear
o The Pleiades - Taurus - The Bull
o The Northern Cross - Cygnus - The Swan
o Orio s Belt - Orion - The Hunter

An example of a constellation is Ursa Major.

The constellation Ursa Major.

stipend
[stp d, -pe d]
noun
1. The definition of a stipend is a sum of money paid at regular intervals.
An example of a stipend is a small sum of money paid to a graduate teaching assistant by
the school to cover living expenses.
Origin of stipend
Middle English stipende ; from Classical Latin stipendium, tax, impost, tribute, contr. ;
from an unverified form stipipendum ; from stips, small coin or a contribution in small
coin (; from uncertain or unknown; perhaps ) + pendere, to hang, weigh out, pay: see
pendant

parlay
[prl, -l; for v., occas. pr l]
noun
1. The definition of a parlay is a series of bets in which the money you have won is used as the
stake for your next bet.

If you win $10, then bet that $10; then win $20 and bet the full $30 you have won so far,
this is an example of a parlay.
verb
1. To parlay is to take something you have or something you win and transform it into something
more valuable.

When you win $100 at the casino and you bet that $100 and end up winning thousands,
this is an example of when you parlay your winnings.

silver lining
noun
A hopeful or comforting prospect in the midst of difficulty.

Origin of silver lining

From the proverb Every cloud has a silver lining.

Every cloud has a silver lining - more shopping time!

Pursel tried to find a silver lining in his experiment gone wrong by claiming that the pig
was leaner.
Will they ever see the silver lining on the clouds that gathered over them?
Silver lining in a cloud.
Silver lining of every cloud.

defy
[d f, di-; also, for n., df]
verb
1. To defy is defined as to work against or resist something.

An example of to defy is to break a law by going on land that is posted with a no

trespassing sign.

I tried to defy them once.

Defy me, and you will suffer my wrath.
"He'd have to defy Death to keep a human alive in her domain," Rhyn said, considering.
The emotion she displayed seemed to defy duplicity.
Old enough to defy me every chance he had.

imitation
[imi t n]
adjective
1. The definition of an imitation is something that is made to look like something else.

An example of imitation is imitation crab in a crab louie salad.

noun
1. Imitation is defined as the act of copying, or a fake or copy of something.
1. An example of imitation is creating a room to look just like a room pictured in a
decorator magazine.
2. An example of imitation is fish pieces sold as crab.

A woman wearing imitation eyelashes.

massacre
[mas kr]
noun
1. The definition of a massacre is the killing of a large number of people or animals at random and
without mercy.

An example of a massacre was the Holocaust.

snide
[ nd]
adjective
1. The definition of snide is someone or something rude, snobby, mocking, devious or
underhanded.
1. When you ask a question and someone says "duh, everyone knows that!," this is an
example of a snide remark.
2. A person who is constantly answering questions with "umm... stupid question," is an
example of a person who would be described as snide.

Origin of snide
origin, originally , counterfeit, bogus ; from thieves' slang, probably of Dutch dialect, dialectal or German
origin, originally ; from base of German schneiden, to cut, with reference to coin clipping and, later, to
cutting remarks

Related Forms:
snidely adverb snideness noun

Serene
[s rn]
adjective
1. The definition of serene is untroubled, or is the title for a high-ranking member of royalty.
1. An example of something serene is a calm day spent floating in a boat.
2. The sleeping cat is an example of something serene.
3. Referring to Queen Elizabeth as Her Serene Highness is an example of serene.

A serene moment.

tiresome
[trsm]
adjective
1. The definition of tiresome is something tedious, boring or exceedingly dull.

An example of tiresome is a staff meeting that lasts for 4 hours and that is really dull and
boring.

capybara
[kapi br]

noun
any of a family (Hydrochoeridae) of tailless, partially web-footed, South American rodents found in and
around lakes and streams: the largest extant rodent, reaching a length of over 1.2 m (c. 4 ft)

Origin of capybara
Portuguese capibara ; from Tup kapigwara, literally , one who eats grass

slobber
[slbr]

intransitive verb
1. to let saliva, food, etc. run from the mouth; slaver
2. to speak, write, etc. in a mawkish or maudlin way

Origin of slobber
Middle English sloberen, probably ; from or akin to Low German slubberen, to swig, lap: for IndoEuropean base see sloven

transitive verb
to wet, smear, or dribble on with saliva

noun
1. saliva, etc. running from the mouth

2. mawkish talk or writing

Related Forms:

slobberer

noun

slobbery

adjective

pretension
[pr ten n, pri-]
noun
1. Pretension is defined as a reason for something or a claim to something, or is something done to
impress others.

An example of pretension is when you act as if you are intellectually superior and have
more money than others around you.
verb
1. Pretension is to apply tension to something before a process or event.

An example of pretension is when a safety mechanism for tree climbing equipment

applies tension to the rope pulley before a fall.

extrude
[ek tr

d, ik-]

transitive verb
extruded, extruding
1. to push or force out; expel
2. to force (metal, plastic, etc.) through a die or very small holes to give it a certain shape

Origin of extrude
Classical Latin extrudere, to thrust out or forth ; from ex-, out + trudere, thrust

intransitive verb
to be extruded; esp., to protrude

Related Forms:
extruder extrusion

noun

stimulus
[-ls]
noun
1. Stimulus is something that causes a reaction, especially interest, excitement or energy.
1. An example of stimulus is a shiny object for a baby.
2. An example of stimulus is an influx of cash into the economy that is designed to help the
economy to gain momentum or energy.

noun
pl. stimuli
1. something that rouses or incites to action or increased action; incentive
2. Physiol., Psychol. any action or agent that causes or changes an activity in an organism, organ, or
part, as something that excites an end organ, starts a nerve impulse, activates a muscle, etc.

Origin of stimulus
Classical Latin a goad, sting, torment, pang, spur, incentive: see style

acclimate
[akl mt, klmt]
verb
1. To acclimate is to be comfortable with something new, such as a new temperature or a new
situation.

An example of acclimate is a student who begins to make friends and join clubs in his
new school.

troth
[tr t , tr t , trt ]

noun
1. faithfulness; loyalty
2. truth: chiefly in phrase , truly; indeed
3. one's pledged word; promise

Origin of troth
Middle English trouthe (see truth), with specialized form and amp; meaning

transitive verb
to pledge to marry

sine qua non

[ n kw nn, sin kw n n]
an essential condition, qualification, etc.; indispensable thing; absolute prerequisite

Origin of sine qua non

Classical Latin without which not

a priori
[ pr r, -r; -]
1. from cause to effect or from a generalization to particular instances; deductive or
deductively
2. based on theory, logic, fixed rules or forms, etc. instead of on experience or experiment
3. before examination or analysis
Origin of a priori
Classical Latin literally , from what precedes ; from a, ab, from + priori, ablative of prior: see
prior
adjective
1. Proceeding from a known or assumed cause to a necessarily related effect; deductive.

2. a. Derived by or designating the process of reasoning without reference to particular facts

or experience.
b. Knowable without appeal to particular experience.
3. Made before or without examination; not supported by factual study.
Origin of a priori
Medieval Latin prir : Latin , from + Latin prir, ablative of prior, former.

contaminate
[kn tam nt]
verb
1. The definition of contaminate is to infect, corrupt or make impure.

An example of contaminate is to accidentally place raw chicken on the counter and not
clean it up.

amnesia
[am n ]
noun
1. Amnesia is defined as when a person conveniently pretends to not remember something since
recalling it only works against them in some manner.

When a teenager tells their parents they will clean up their room, and when called on not
doing it they claim to not remember having said such a thing, it is an example of amnesia.
2. The definition of amnesia is a medical condition when a person loses his entire memory or part
of his memory; it is often caused by being extremely sick or having a brain injury.

An example of amnesia is when a person is in a car accident where they injured their
head, a d whe they wake up at the hospital they ca t remember who they are or
anything about their life.