Day 45

30 words to learn

0 / 30 words learned

burnish

polish

BUHR-nihsh

to rub to a shine

censure

criticize severely

SEN-shur

to criticize severely

complaisance

willingness to comply

kum-PLAY-sunts

willingness to comply with the wishes of others

convex

curving outward

kon-VEKS

curving outward

cosmology

study of universe

koz-MOL-uh-jee

the scientific study of universe, its origin and development

crescendo

a steady increase

kruh-SHEHN-doh

a steady increase in force or intensity

cryptic

secretive

KRIP-tik

mysterious in meaning; secretive

dispassionate

impartial

dis-PASH-uh-nit

neutral; objective; impartial

dogma

a firmly held belief

DAWG-muh

a belief held by a group which others are expected to accept without argument

ensign

flag or badge

EN-sahyn

flag or badge

epistle

letter

ih-PIS-uhl

letter, especially a formal one

forte

specialty

FOHR-tay

strong point, something a person does well

lithe

flexible

lahyth

bending readily, flexible

maudlin

foolishly sentimental

MAWD-lihn

foolishly sentimental

maunder

to talk or move aimlessly

MAHN-dur

to talk or move aimlessly

meticulous

extremely careful

mih-TIHK-yuh-luhs

extremely careful and precise

noxious

harmful

NAHK-shus

harmful

obliterate

wipe out

uh-BLIT-uh-reyt

wipe out completely; destroy all traces of

ply

manipulate

plie

to use diligently; to engage

rapacious

voracious

ruh-PAY-shus

voracious; subsisting by the capture of living prey

recital

performance of music

ri-SAHYT-l

a public performance of music or poetry usually given by a person or small group

redeem

clear by payment

ri-DEEM

clear by payment; recover possession

sinuous

winding

SIN-yoo-us

winding or curving

slew

plenty

sloo

a large number or quantity

sobriety

soberness

suh-BRAHY-i-tee

the state of being sober

squander

use irresponsibly

SKWAHN-dur

to spend wastefully or use irresponsibly

steep (v.)

soak in water

steep

to saturate or completely soak

tangent

almost irrelevant

TAN-juhnt

going off the main subject

wan

pallid

wahn

pallid; lacking in effectiveness

zeal

enthusiasm

zeehl

enthusiasm, fervor