【百帖笔记领勋章】My notes of tricky words

Dux

profiteer
Line breaks: prof|it|eer
Pronunciation: /prɒfɪˈtɪə    /

Definitions of profiteer
noun
a person who profiteers.
"a war profiteer"
synonyms: racketeer, exploiter, black marketeer, bloodsucker, vampire

verb
make or seek to make an excessive or unfair profit, especially illegally or in a black market.
"the profiteering of tabloid journalists"
synonyms: overcharge, racketeer, cheat someone, fleece someone, rip someone off, rob someone

"He was a man who would never have allowed his company, and his surname, to be associated in the public's mind with war-profiteering and political influence."

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divulge
Line breaks: di|vulge
Pronunciation: /dʌɪˈvʌldʒ    , dɪ-/

VERB
[WITH OBJECT]
Make known (private or sensitive information):
I am too much of a gentleman to divulge her age
It explains the kinds of tactics interrogators are likely to use to coerce you into confessing or divulging information.
I didn't know this, and I'm considering legal action against Beth for not divulging that information.
However, the health board has been criticised by anti-abortion campaigners for not divulging information about the case.

SYNONYMS
disclose, reveal, make known, tell, impart, communicate, pass on, publish, broadcast, proclaim, promulgate, declare;
expose, uncover, make public, go public with, bring into the open, give away, let slip, let drop, blurt out, leak, confess, betray, admit, come out with
[informal] spill the beans about, let the cat out of the bag about, let on about, tell all about, blow the lid off, squeal about

Origin
late Middle English (in the sense 'announce publicly'): from Latin divulgare, from di- 'widely' + vulgare 'publish' (from vulgus 'common people').

"But as you will learn from the history divulged in this book, the company will rest easy, as it does now, in the knowledge that this cycle has been repeated several times over the course of its existence, and nothing has been able to bring it down."

Dux

dogged
Line breaks: dog|ged
Pronunciation: /ˈdɒɡɪd    /

ADJECTIVE
Having or showing tenacity and grim persistence:
success required dogged determination

SYNONYMS
tenacious, determined, resolute, resolved, purposeful, persistent, persevering, pertinacious, relentless, intent, dead set, single-minded, focused, dedicated, committed, undeviating, unshakeable, unflagging, indefatigable, untiring, never-tiring, tireless, unfailing, unfaltering, unwavering, unyielding, unbending, immovable, obdurate, strong-willed, firm, steadfast, steady, staunch, stout-hearted
(archaic) laborious
(rare) perseverant, indurate


doggedly
ADVERB

doggedness
NOUN

Amazingly this word seems quite a formal word.

"Before there were pet presidents and vice presidents, campaign contributions and government contracts, union busting and sanction dodging, there was simply a man, fiercely struggling to escape poverty, doggedly pursuing his piece of America's manifest destiny."

Dux

silhouette
Line breaks: sil|hou|ette
Pronunciation: /ˌsɪlʊˈɛt    /

NOUN
1The dark shape and outline of someone or something visible in restricted light against a brighter background:
she paused to see its silhouette against the dimming sky
SYNONYMS
outline, contour(s), profile, delineation, form, shape, figure, shadow, features, lines, curves, configuration
View synonyms
1.1A representation of someone or something showing the shape and outline only, typically coloured in solid black:
we can always use a silhouette of Father Christmas

VERB
[WITH OBJECT] Back to top  
Cast or show (someone or something) as a dark shape and outline against a brighter background:
the castle was silhouetted against the sky

Origin
late 18th century: named (although the reason remains uncertain) after étienne de Silhouette (1709–67), French author and politician.

Phrases
in silhouette
Seen or placed as a silhouette:
the old windmill stood out in silhouette against the sky

Silhouetted against the golden moon, and growing larger every moment, was a large, strangely lop-sided creature, and it was flapping in Harry's direction. - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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metrosexual
Line breaks: metro|sexual
Pronunciation: /mɛtrəˈsɛkʃuəl    /

NOUN
informal
A heterosexual urban man who enjoys shopping, fashion, and similar interests traditionally associated with women or homosexual men.

Origin
1990s: blend of metropolitan and heterosexual.

Note this is a noun.

Dux

philanthropy
Line breaks: phil|an|thropy
Pronunciation: /fɪˈlanθrəpi    /

NOUN
[MASS NOUN]
1The desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes:
he acquired a considerable fortune and was noted for his philanthropy

SYNONYMS
benevolence, generosity, humanitarianism, public-spiritedness, altruism, social conscience, social concern, charity, charitableness, brotherly love, fellow feeling, magnanimity, munificence, liberality, largesse, open-handedness, bountifulness, beneficence, benignity, unselfishness, selflessness, humanity, kindness, kind-heartedness, big-heartedness, compassion, humaneness;
patronage, sponsorship, backing, help
[historical] almsgiving
[literary] bounty, bounteousness

1.1 [COUNT NOUN] North American A philanthropic institution; a charity:
a philanthropy was incorporated to help oldsters obtain benefits like pension rights

Origin
early 17th century: via late Latin from Greek philanthrōpia, from philanthrōpos 'man-loving' (see philanthrope).

After high school, George enrolled at Houston's Rice Institute, which later became Rice University and the object of much of the Brown's philanthropy.

Dux

inscription
Line breaks: in|scrip|tion
Pronunciation: /ɪnˈskrɪpʃ(ə)n    /

NOUN
1A thing inscribed, as on a monument or in a book:
the inscription on her headstone

SYNONYMS
engraving, wording, writing, lettering, legend, epitaph, epigraph, etching, carving;
dedication, address, message;
signature, autograph

1.1 [MASS NOUN] The action of inscribing something:
the inscription of memorable utterances on durable materials

Origin
late middle english (denoting a short descriptive or dedicatory passage at the beginning of a book): from Latin inscriptio(n-), from the verb inscribere (see inscribe).

He enjoyed tremendous success in Colorado, graduating in 1922, with an inscription in his yearbook that read, "gains his power through his ability to make friends." It was a simple but powerful phrase that would foretell the roots of the Brown brothers' remarkable success.

Dux

cavernous
Line breaks: cav|ern|ous
Pronunciation: /ˈkavənəs    /

ADJECTIVE
1Like a cavern in size, shape, or atmosphere:
a dismal cavernous hall
1.1Giving the impression of vast, dark depths:
his cavernous eyes

SYNONYMS
vast, huge, large, immense, spacious, roomy, airy, commodious, capacious, voluminous, ample, rambling, extensive, high, deep;
hollow, gaping, yawning, unfathomable;
dark, gloomy, dismal, sepulchral

Origin
late middle english: from Old French caverneux or Latin cavernosus (from caverna 'cavern').

It was dangerous and difficult work, exploring cavernous underground mines for veins of copper.

Dux

convalesce
Line breaks: con|va|lesce
Pronunciation: /ˌkɒnvəˈlɛs    /

VERB
[NO OBJECT]
Recover one’s health and strength over a period of time after an illness or medical treatment:
he spent eight months convalescing after the stroke

Origin
late 15th century: from Latin convalescere, from con- 'altogether' + valescere 'grow strong' (from valere 'be well').

He was rescued 12 hours later, returning home to Texas to convalesce.

Dux

nascent
Line breaks: nas|cent
Pronunciation: /ˈnas(ə)nt    , ˈneɪ-/

ADJECTIVE
1(Especially of a process or organization) just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential:
the nascent space industry
1.1 Chemistry (Chiefly of hydrogen) freshly generated in a reactive form.

Origin
early 17th century: from Latin nascent- 'being born', from the verb nasci.

That was enough for Herman who offered George a job with his nascent road-building business for $100 a month.

Dux

onslaught
Line breaks: on|slaught
Pronunciation: /ˈɒnslɔːt    /

NOUN
1A fierce or destructive attack:
a series of onslaughts on the citadel
From time immemorial there have been friendly migrations and unfriendly onslaughts on the Kerala society, mostly through the sea.
Sabotage could range from pinprick attacks on individual weapons or machines to full-scale onslaughts on formed bodies of troops.
For 15 minutes they made repeated onslaughts on the Ardclough defence and looked particularly dangerous on the right wing where Timmy Comerford and David Slattery were on constant prowl.

1.1An overwhelmingly large number of people or things:
in some parks the onslaught of cars and people far exceeds capacity

Origin
early 17th century (also in the form anslaight): from Middle Dutch aenslag, from aen 'on' + slag 'blow'. The change in the ending was due to association with (now obsolete) slaught 'slaughter'.

The growing demand for roads in Texas, bolstered by the onslaught of cheap automobiles in 1917, provided enough work for a small-time contractor like Herman Brown to feed his family.

Dux

inexorable
Line breaks: in|ex|or|able
Pronunciation: /ɪnˈɛks(ə)rəb(ə)l    /

ADJECTIVE
1Impossible to stop or prevent:
the seemingly inexorable march of new technology
1.1(Of a person) impossible to persuade; unrelenting:
the doctors were inexorable, and there was nothing to be done

SYNONYMS
intransigent, unbending, unyielding, inflexible, unswerving, unwavering, adamant, obdurate, determined, immovable, unshakeable, implacable, unappeasable, unpacifiable, unplacatable, unmollifiable, unforgiving, unsparing, uncompromising;
strict, severe, iron-handed, stringent, harsh, hard, tough, exacting, rigorous, draconian, cruel, ruthless, relentless, unrelenting, pitiless, merciless, remorseless
[rare] indurate

Origin
mid 16th century: from French, or from Latin inexorabilis, from in- 'not' + exorabilis (from exorare 'entreat').

The same inexorable force that drove E. H.'s oil well cementing business was driving the road-building business - the automobile.

Dux

finesse
Line breaks: fi|nesse
Pronunciation: /fɪˈnɛs /

NOUN
1 [MASS NOUN] Impressive delicacy and skill:
orchestral playing of great finesse
1.1Great subtlety and tact in handling or manipulating people or difficult situations:
clients want advice and action that calls for considerable finesse
2(In bridge and whist) an attempt to win a trick with a card that is not a certain winner, typically by playing it as the third card in a trick in the hope that any card that could beat it is in the hand of the opponent who has already played.

VERB
[WITH OBJECT]  
1Bring about or deal with (something) by using great delicacy and skill:
Karen spent ten months finessing the financing for the property
1.1chiefly North American Slyly attempt to avoid blame or censure when dealing with (a situation or problem):
despite the administration’s attempts to finesse its mishaps, the public remained wary

2(In bridge and whist) play (a card) in the hope of winning a trick with it because any card that could beat it is in the hand of the opponent who has already played.

Origin
late middle english (in the sense 'purity, delicacy'): from French, related to fine.

A tremendous amount of business acumen, political finesse, and relationship building was necessary as well - this was particularly true in 1920s' Texas.

The H.A. untangles a complex web of political power plays and deceptive deals - revealing how a company with the right connections can finesse its way to success.

Dux

revel
Line breaks: revel
Pronunciation: /ˈrɛv(ə)l    /

VERB (revels, revelling, revelled; US revels, reveling, reveled)
[NO OBJECT]
1Enjoy oneself in a lively and noisy way, especially with drinking and dancing:
(as noun revelling) a night of drunken revelling
1.1 (revel in) Gain great pleasure from (a situation):
Bill said he was secretly revelling in his new-found fame

NOUN
(revels) Back to top  
Lively and noisy enjoyment, especially with drinking and dancing:
late-night revels

Origin
late middle english: from Old French reveler 'rise up in rebellion', from Latin rebellare 'to rebel'.

He reveled in this environment of power, influence, and money and from the very beginning had no qualms about maneuvering within this world.

Dux

burgeon
Line breaks: bur|geon
Pronunciation: /ˈbəːdʒ(ə)n    /

VERB
[NO OBJECT] (often as adjective burgeoning)
1Begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish:
manufacturers are keen to cash in on the burgeoning demand
1.1 archaic or literary Put forth young shoots; bud.

Origin
middle english: from Old French bourgeonner 'put out buds', from borjon 'bud', based on late Latin burra 'wool'.

The burgeoning needs for roads eventually drew B&R toward Houston, where George had first gone to college, and where road paving was now the hot new trend.

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clairvoyant
Line breaks: clair|voy|ant
Pronunciation: /klɛːˈvɔɪənt    /

NOUN
A person who claims to have a supernatural ability to perceive events in the future or beyond normal sensory contact:
she has had a message from a clairvoyant that her son is alive and well

ADJECTIVE
Having or exhibiting clairvoyance:
he didn’t tell me about it and I’m not clairvoyant

Origin
late 17th century (in the sense 'clear-sighted, perceptive'): from French, from clair 'clear' + voyant 'seeing' (from voir 'to see'). The current sense dates from the mid 19th century.

There were even clairvoyants who claimed they could sniff out oil, for the right price.

Dux

undeterred
Line breaks: un|deterred
Pronunciation: /ʌndɪˈtəːd    /

ADJECTIVE
Persevering with something despite setbacks:
he was undeterred by these disasters

from the word 'deter'

The Halliburtons seemed to have hit rock bottom. Still, Erle was undeterred. "At any other time and place, his self-confidence, radiating in fluent, cocky self assurance from his tiny frame, might have been insufferable. But in this feverish rush for fortune, time was of the essence, and nothing counted but success," says the historian Haley. - <Excerpt from The Halliburton Agenda, ditto for the few words above.>

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contraption
Line breaks: con|trap|tion
Pronunciation: /kənˈtrapʃ(ə)n    /

NOUN
A machine or device that appears strange or unnecessarily complicated, and often badly made or unsafe:
repairing stereos and making contraptions out of spare electronic bits

Origin
early 19th century: perhaps from contrive (on the pattern of pairs such as conceive, conception), by association with trap.

At first, the noisy, smelly contraptions were not taken seriously, often met with derisive shouts of "Get a horse!" from disgusted onlookers.

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wanderlust
Line breaks: wan|der|lust
Pronunciation: /ˈwɒndəlʌst    /

NOUN
[MASS NOUN]
A strong desire to travel:
a man consumed by wanderlust

Origin
early 20th century: from German Wanderlust.

After nine years of wanderlust and job-hopping, Erle Halliburton found the oil industry.

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wildcatter
Line breaks: wild|cat|ter
Pronunciation:   

NOUN
North American
A prospector who sinks exploratory oil wells.

If a prospector finds a new gold mine or the wildcatter brings in a rich oil well, the probability of other prospectors and wildcatters making equally valuable finds diminishes, however slightly.
Independents - the industry term for companies that have more capital and know-how than the typical wildcatter - can grow either by exploring and finding reserves or by buying a company that already has them.
An oil wildcatter raised by an oil wildcatter, he moved into the railroad business in the early 1980s and made billions by laying fiber-optic cable along his Southern Pacific Railroad track and purchasing Qwest Communications.

Wildcatters peppered the landscape of every oil discovery, randomly drilling every inch of the earth in a desperate attempt to strike it rich.

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endemic
Line breaks: en|dem|ic
Pronunciation: /ɛnˈdɛmɪk    /

ADJECTIVE
1(Of a disease or condition) regularly found among particular people or in a certain area:
complacency is endemic in industry today
1.1 [ATTRIBUTIVE] (Of an area) in which a particular disease is regularly found:
the persistence of infection on pastures in endemic areas
2(Of a plant or animal) native or restricted to a certain place:
a marsupial endemic to north-eastern Australia

NOUN
An endemic plant or animal:
there are three types of island endemics

Origin
mid 17th century (as a noun): from French endémique or modern Latin endemicus, from Greek endēmios 'native' (based on dēmos 'people').

The abuse of political influence is endemic to Brown & Root, a pathology that repeats itself decade after decade. And the story rarely changes.

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sophistry
Line breaks: soph|is|try
Pronunciation: /ˈsɒfɪstri    /

NOUN (plural sophistries)
[MASS NOUN]
1The use of clever but false arguments, especially with the intention of deceiving:
trying to argue that I had benefited in any way from the disaster was pure sophistry
1.1 [COUNT NOUN] A fallacious argument.

SYNONYMS
specious reasoning, the use of fallacious arguments, sophism, casuistry, quibbling, equivocation, fallaciousness

While the simple and direct Erle Halliburton chose to eschew the sophistry of lobbying and government contracting, Herman Brown had embraced the inner workings of the federal government.

Dux

consortium
Line breaks: con|sor|tium
Pronunciation: /kənˈsɔːtɪəm    /

NOUN (plural consortia /-tɪə, -ʃə/ or consortiums)
1An association, typically of several companies.
2 [MASS NOUN] Law The right of association and companionship with one’s husband or wife:
the amount awarded for loss of consortium must be included

Origin
early 19th century (in the sense 'partnership'): from Latin, from consors 'sharing, partner' (see consort).

The construction, done on a cost-plus basis, cost the federal government - the consortium of private industry that was so eager to have the pipeline built withdrew its financial commitment when it became clear the government would have to build the pipelines regardless of their involvement...

愚夫

Good one~~

yearshappy

Dux 发表于 12-10-2014 02:29
consortium
Line breaks: con|sor|tium
Pronunciation: /kənˈsɔːtɪəm     ...

It's absolutely great. You will have 100 tricky words at least by the end of the day.

Dux

purview
Line breaks: pur|view
Pronunciation: /ˈpəːvjuː /
Definition of purview in English:

NOUN
[IN SINGULAR] formal
1. The scope of the influence or concerns of something:
such a case might be within the purview of the legislation

1.1Range of experience or thought:
social taboos meant that little information was likely to come within the purview of women generally

Origin

late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French purveu 'foreseen', past participle of purveier (see purvey). Early use was as a legal term specifying the body of a statute following the words ‘be it enacted …’.

Tommy Corcoran said that James Forrestal, the undersecretary of the navy, "twisted a hell of a lot of tails" to keep the job the exclusive purview of "Lyndon's friends."

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lenient
Line breaks: le|ni|ent
Pronunciation: /ˈliːnɪənt    /

Definition of lenient in English:

ADJECTIVE
1. (Of a punishment or person in authority) more merciful or tolerant than expected:
in the view of the Court the sentence was too lenient
lenient magistrates

2. archaic Mild or soothing; emollient.

Origin
mid 17th century (in sense 2): from Latin lenient- 'soothing', from the verb lenire, from lenis 'mild, gentle'.

Dugger, who was far more lenient in reporting Johnson's compromised relationship with the Browns than Caro, clarified in his biography of Johnson "this was a most deceptive response..."

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aide
Line breaks: aide
Pronunciation: /eɪd/

Definition of aide in English:

NOUN
1. An assistant to an important person, especially a political leader:
a presidential aide

1.1 short for aide-de-camp.

"Information is provided to the businessman; perhaps an aide sees a bureaucrat."

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cadet
Line breaks: cadet
Pronunciation: /kəˈdɛt    /

Definition of cadet in English:

NOUN
1. A young trainee in the armed services or police force:
an air cadet
1.1 A boy or girl of 13-18 who undergoes voluntary army, navy, or air force training together with adventure training.
1.2 Australian A trainee or novice, especially a trainee journalist.

2 formal or archaic A younger son or daughter:
a cadet of the family of the Earls of Rosse
2.1 [USUALLY AS MODIFIER] A junior branch of a family:
a cadet branch of the family

Origin
early 17th century (in sense 2): from French, from Gascon dialect capdet, a diminutive based on Latin caput 'head'. The notion ‘little head’ or ‘inferior head’ gave rise to that of 'younger, junior'.

"The company had completed 60 percent of the base in just eight months, allowing for cadets to begin training at the base ahead of schedule."

Dux

covet
Line breaks: covet
Pronunciation:    /ˈkʌvɪt    /
Definition of covet in English:

VERB (covets, coveting, coveted)
[WITH OBJECT]
Yearn to possess (something, especially something belonging to another):
I covet one of their smart bags
(as adjective coveted) I gave up a coveted job, that of editor-in-chief

Origin
Middle English: from Old French cuveitier, based on Latin cupiditas (see cupidity).

"In January 1943, the company received a coveted award from the navy, ..."