Category: Word of the Day

Definition: (noun) Irrepressible liveliness and good spirit.

Synonyms: irrepressibility.

Usage: With his natural buoyancy of spirits, he began to hope again.

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Definition: (noun) The mark on the surface of the abdomen of mammals where the umbilical cord was attached during gestation.

Synonyms: bellybutton, omphalos, umbilicus.

Usage: The first-graders were awed by Tom’s navel, which protruded outward in classic “outie” fashion.

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Definition: (adjective) Tending to irritate.

Synonyms: repellant, repellent.

Usage: As the night wore on, the petulant man became increasingly rebarbative and prickly and spiteful.

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Definition: (verb) Put at a disadvantage; hinder, harm.

Synonyms: disadvantage.

Usage: These laws clearly disfavor the underprivileged and poor because they do not address the problem of child labor.

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Definition: (noun) A forward position seized by advancing troops in enemy territory as a foothold for further advance.

Synonyms: foothold.

Usage: The soldiers made a brave attempt to secure a bridgehead behind enemy lines.

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Definition: (adverb) By accident.

Synonyms: by chance, by luck.

Usage: Her true feelings were betrayed by a word haply spoken and immediately regretted.

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Definition: (adjective) Watchful; vigilant.

Synonyms: sleepless.

Usage: He was vigilant—a lidless watcher of the public weal—and took great care to make sure that all was well with his neighbors.

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Definition: (adjective) Not permitted or governed by law.

Synonyms: nonlegal.

Usage: The vigilantes believed they were simply dispensing an extralegal form of frontier justice.

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Definition: (verb) To bargain, as over the price of something; dicker.

Synonyms: chaffer, higgle, huckster.

Usage: He preferred to be overcharged than to haggle over such a trivial item.

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Definition: (adjective) Unrestrained, especially with regard to feelings.

Synonyms: extravagant, exuberant, excessive.

Usage: It may be all right, sir, but I have no overweening reliance on the faith of these marquesses, or marquis, as they call themselves.

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