A traveller, esepcially on foot,Sometimes the word wayfarer is used to describe someone who doesn’t simply go on a hike, but who always seems to be restless, especially a journeying literary character. Example >One of the great wayfarers of American folklore, Johnny Appleseed wandered across the country, always planting apple seeds >Even that home he left in early manhood and became a wayfarer , with nowhere to lay his head.

Chirality Chirality essentially means ‘mirror-image, non-superimposable molecules’, and to say that a molecule is chiral is to say that its mirror image (it must have one) is not the same as it self. At molecular level, chirality is a property of individual molecules, properly characterized as a molecule having two forms which is a molecule of identical composition but arranged in a non-super imposable mirror image configuration. Thalidomide tragedy Thalidomide was prescribed widely to pregnant

You want to read, record your voice and share it back to someone? If you are having a fear of failure (and if it is kind of abnormal fear), that’s kakorrhaphiophobia. It’s an abnormal, persistent, irrational fear of failure. In clinical cases, it’s debilitating: the fear of even the most subtle failure or defeat is so intense that it restricts a person from doing anything at all. Kakorrhaphiophobia is the most extreme version of what

Design thinking is a creative problem-solving strategy that’s designed to put you into the minds of the people you’re solving problems for. Thus design thinking process at its core is all about user-centered design. The user’s journey, motivations, and pain points are present in all steps of the process to create a tailored solution. Most design thinking boils down to 5 main phases: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test Empathize Empathy is crucial to the rest

>A wealthy person or company who spends their money in a risky way, often by making risky investments that can offer large rewards >Often someone who gambles with large amounts of money >Someone who spends their money on extravagances Many high stakes gambling games involve rolling dice, and high roller refers to winning numbers and large sums of money. These people are able to put up large sums of money without any promise of a

>To deceive someone >Prevent someone from discovering something by deceiving them >Fool someone into thinking well of them Example I’m not as dumb as you think; don’t try to pull the wool over my eyes Many financial advisers try to pull the wool over their client’s eyes and sell them what they don’t need.

>To divert attention from something that is bad >To change the topic from something that is more important to something that is not >To hide something >A small part (of something) controlling the big part >Circumstances where a larger group does things in order to satisfy a smaller group There is a popular saying which goes “a dog is smarter than its tail, but if the tail were smarter, then the tail would wag the

>Water >A joking way to refer to a glass of water The phrase is used in a joking fashion to refer to a glass of water. The reason for this is because in Biblical time the only thing that Adam would have had to drink was water. It is also referred to as Adam’s wine, particularly in Example It is blistering hot outside, I could really do with an iced cold glass of Adam’s ale

>To say that when a person tries to do something, it works out at the third attempt >Uses to inspire someone for third attempt, when already failed twice The phrase is associated with “Holy Trinity of Christianity” and this is to be believed that something that comes at number three always brings the fortune. Example The fellow finally managed to pass his exam. As they say, third time’s a charm He married twice before this

>Get what one deserves >Punishment or reward that is considered to be what the recipient deserved >What’s coming to you Example After the supervisor was suspended, many workers felt that he got his just deserts The criminals must always receive their just desserts

>A very small amount. >A tiny portion of something. It has been used in the New Testament of the Holy Bible in 1526 by William Tindale’s translation. It appears in Matthew 5:18 as ‘iott or one tytle’. In the King James Version in 1611, the phrase appears as it is seen today. ‘Jot’ is the anglicized version of the Greek alphabet ‘iota’ which means small quantity. Example I don’t want a jot or tittle of

>To be an easy target >To be in a vulnerable position to be attacked This phrase originated from the early days of hunting ducks. When the birds were in flight, they were much harder to kill. But when they are still, sitting on a lake, then it was easy for the hunters to target and kill them. So the phrase sitting ducks came to be used to refer to the state of being an easy

>Make someone work harder by asserting power or authority >Put a person under pressure to do a job or be obedient >Harshly push someone (usually your staff) to do more >Demand or bully someone to work harder, faster, or more efficiently This comes from the literal crack of a whip above the horse’s heads as they pulled wagons. The loud noise startles them to attention or makes them go faster. Example We’d better get some

>Very active or suddenly active >Rise quickly >A sudden burst of energy >Drinking (alcohol) heavily >A winning streak In short, this idiom can be used in many situations. It can refer to a burst or sudden rise to stock prices, for sports results, a sudden burst of activity (for these situations it seems to have positive connotations) and for heavy alcohol consumption. Example The price of gold has been on a tear recently. ‘Why is

>To understand that something is not completely true or right >Not take something too seriously >Accept, but with some reservations or skepticism >Don’t exactly believe something Example How so ever he tried to covince her, she did not belive and fixed her mind. So, he has to take it with a pinch of salt The reports painting a rosy scenario of the current economic condition are to be taken with a grain of salt I’ll

Rooster – Male chicken (adult) Coop – Enclosure / Cage where chicken are kept This term is popularized in the novel The white tiger by Aravind Adiga (Winner of 40th Man Booker Prize and one among those writers who got this award for their debut work). The Rooster Coop is a metaphor used in this novel for describing the oppression of poor people. Roosters in a coop at the market watch one another slaughtered one

A problem, situation, etc. that is difficult to deal with and causes a lot of disagreement The inference is that a hot potato is too hot to handle. It is derived from drop like a hot potato, meaning to abandon something as quickly as possible. Coined in the mid-nineteenth century, the full phrase has fallen somewhat out of fashion in recent decades, leaving us with just the overheated tuber at its heart. It also lends

>If you are in the doghouse, someone is annoyed with you because of something you have done >In a bad situation because someone is angry at one – in trouble >In a situation in which someone is angry at you for something you did or did not do: Example >I’ll be in the doghouse if I come into work late again this week. >You’ve been in the doghouse with Maria ever since you forgot her

Below mentioned are a few curious anecdotes San Marino, a small indpendent nation (61 Square Kilometers), situated in Europe and is fully landlocked in Italy. >Despite it’s small size, San Marino never lost to an invasion. The fortified dwelling was subjected to many invasions over the centuries, but always managed to maintain its sovereignty. Napoleonic troops arrived in the 18th century, they respected San Marino’s autonomy (and even offered it economic concessions), because it was

>Used to say that two people or things are very similar to each other Example >My brother and I are two peas in a pod. We both like the same things. >The twins are like two peas in a pod.

If you’ve ever completed a long run and felt like you could keep going a few more miles, you may have experienced a runner’s high. It is a short-lasting feeling of euphoria or bliss that occurs after exercise or running.. Euphoria is a sense of extreme joy or delight. In this case, it occurs after intense or lengthy exercise. Often, people who experience a runner’s high also report feeling less anxiety and pain immediately after

It a training exercise in the fictional Star Trek universe designed to test the character of Starfleet Academy cadets in a no-win scenario. The Kobayashi Maru test was first depicted in the opening scene of the film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. The test is named after the Kobayashi Maru, a stranded space vessel that plays a central role in the test.The notional primary goal of the exercise is to rescue the civilian

>Performing an action intentionally and pretending to either oneself or to the world that as an accident >As if by accident, but really by meaning Example >I hate this flower vase so much, some day I might drop it accidentally on purpose. >Despite being so brilliant, how did he failed. I suspect he flunked accidentally on purpose >She didn’t want to have any contact with him. So she deleted his phone number accidentally on purpose

>To get something fixed, it is required to make a noise to get attention >The one who complains gets their issues fixed >To get attention be loud and noticeable not quiet The phrase originates with the invention of the car and it being something that was adopted quickly by every household in America. When people were new to having them though, it was only when a wheel would squeak that it would be greased since

>To be extremely good, so that nothing is likely to be better >To be not very good and unlikely to improve >As good as is possible; impossible to improve upon. >Used when you are saying that a situation is not going to get any better. Example >People are asking themselves, is this as good as it gets? >This job is probably about as good as it gets >The past year has been very special —

>Put off confronting a difficult issue or making an important decision, typically on a continuing basis. >To avoid dealing with a problem >To postpone dealing with something in the hopes that it becomes someone else’s problem >To leave a complicated issue for some other day >To avoid or delay making an important decision, normally on a regular basis >To ignore a problem in the hope that it will go away >To reschedule a final action

A class action lawsuit is used when a number of people suffer the same or similar injuries as a result of the use of the same product or the same wrongful action. As many individual injuries are not worth enough to support a lawsuit, when they band together, the value of the lawsuit adds up. That’s when a class action makes sense. Also, filing as a class allows for the consolidation of attorneys, evidence, witnesses,

A toolkit is essentially a set of adaptable guidelines or suggestions to get something done. The contents differ depending on what the aim of the toolkit is. While toolkits have been around for decades, the accessibility of social media have brought them into the spotlight over the past few years. Often, it is a booklet or document created to explain a cause or issue. It identifies approaches to address the issue from the grassroots level.

>The tendency to perceive a connection or meaningful pattern between unrelated or random things (such as objects or ideas) >The human tendency to see connections and patterns that are not really there—gives rise to conspiracy theories. Note: The tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern is known as pereidolia Rorschach inkblot test where it this which is used to assess the personality and emotional functioning make use

>To die >To pass away >To stop living Its origin is unclear, though there are several theories. One common theory is of hanging, when a person standing on a bucket with a noose over the head kicks the bucket and hence, dies. There is no evidence to support this claim, and it appears rather implausible. Another, more plausible, theory refers to the archaic meaning of the word bucket, which used to mean beam in 16th

>Telling someone to stop talking or be quiet >Used to tell someone to be quiet or stop making so much noise: Example >The whole movie theater can hear you whispering so put a sock in it. >I wish someone would tell him to put a sock in it. >The children immediately put a sock in it when it is time for their father to come home.

>Frank and simple good-heartedness >A good-natured manner >Friendliness >Geniality. English speakers borrowed bonhomie from the French, where the word was created from bonhomme, which means “good-natured man” and is itself a composite of two other French words: bon, meaning “good,” and homme, meaning “man.” That French compound traces to two Latin terms, bonus (meaning “good”) and homo (meaning either “man” or “human being”). English speakers have warmly embraced bonhomie and its meaning, but we have

Are you trying to find just the right word for someone who’s very bad-tempered and grumpy? Curmudgeon (noun) might be just the word that you’re looking for! Dating back to at least the 16th century, this word has been used for a long time. Often referred to old people with bad temparament. Example >I don’t like my new boss … he is a real curmudgeon!” >Though I consider myself a cheery soul, this man made

In literature, ofen we came across cryptic sentence / expression / phrase which carry an impressive message. This is one such sentence from Animal Farm by George Orwell. Animal Farm is an allegorical novella by George Orwell and was published in 1945. This novella is all about metaphorical representation of governance. When pig got control of governance in a fictional country, he proposes seven commandments which were supposed to be quite appealing. The last commandments

This is a very useful word which means one’s sphere of operations or area of interest. In legal parlance, this means “the office or jurisdiction of a bailiff” but let’s concentrate of the other definition. The first half of the word bailiwick comes from the Middle English word for “bailiff,” in this case a term referring to a sheriff or chief officer of a town in medieval England, not the officer who assists today in

Polymath is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas. They are known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems. Example Leonardo Da Vinci Italian Renaissance painter, inventor, engineer, astronomer, anatomist, biologist, geologist, physicist, and architect Bertrand Russel British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, pacifist, and social critic. In 1950 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Omar Khayyam Persian poet, writer, astronomer, mathematician, physicist, and philosopher.

>To deceive someone >To hoodwink (trick) someone >Prevent someone from discovering something by deceiving them >Fool someone into thinking well of them Example >I’m not as dumb as you think; don’t try to pull the wool over my eyes. >Don’t try to pull the wool over his eyes. He’s too smart. >Some people think they can get away with anything. They always try to pull the wool over others’ eyes. >You can’t pull the wool

>Do not interfere into someone else’s matter >An informal phrase used for keeping people away from your affairs >To rudely ask others to stay out of our personal matters >Asking to respect the privacy of others >Mind your own business This came from 18th century, the time when a disease called smallpox was widespread. There were many people who died due to this deadly disease and the people who survived were left with scars and

>To be doing something that will definitely have a negative outcome >To be headed towards doom >To be headed towards certain failure Example The exam was up a blind alley for me this time because I just did not have the time to study after working two jobs. She is headed up a blind alley being in a relationship with him.

>No fuss or ceremony >No delay >With no more work >Without waiting any more >No time wasted before something happens >Right away or immediately Example >If we are all in agreement, let’s sign these papers without further ado >Without further ado, I’d like to introduce the new headmaster. >There was such a delay while everyone got seated that we had to start the meeting without further ado

>Melancholy mood accompanied by deep thought >Preoccupied >A moody daydream >Not paying attention or concentrating on the matter in hand >Intense, or deep absorption in own thoughts >A state of abstraction, absent-mindedness, or deep thought >Black mood >Gloomy meditations Example >Chloe was so engrossed in a brown study that she didn’t hear the doorbell. >He was so deep in a brown study on his way home that he missed his turning.

>Difficult to deal with or settle; perplexing; (of a person) of dubious character. Quisquous is a Scottish word that first came into use around the 17th century, its exact origins are uncertain. It could possibly originate from the Latin word “quisquis,” which means “whoever.” Quisquous characters have long been referred to as tricksters in mythology; the coyote (Indigenous cultures), the fox (East Asian cultures), Anansi (the spider god of West Africa), and Loki (Norse god)

>Spoil somebody’s chance of doing something. >Making a deed more difficult for someone >Secret or malicious attempt to not letting someone do what they can >Spoil someone’s chances of success This idiom originated in UK. The pitch used in the phrase is referred to as the place where a street performer stationed themselves or the site of a market trader’s stall. Queer’ has been used as a act that means ‘to spoil’ since the early

>Used in speech to show that one is exactly repeating someone else’s words >To use a phrase which has been coined by someone else but saying it in disbelief >To say something sarcastically >A popular way to use this phrase when communicating orally is to wriggle the index and middle fingers up and down reflecting the quote sign. It reflects that the person does not mean what he is saying but it is being said

>On the alert or lookout. >On vigilance >On being observant Qui vive is a french expression that has come into existence in English since the late 16th century. In literal terms, it means (long) live who? i.e on whose side are you? ‘In former times, such a provocation was issued by a sentry to someone coming towards his post so as to make sure which side their loyalty was’. Example >Their duty requires most of

>To perfection >Buoyantly and high class >Looking elegant, smart, or flashy >To a high degree >To a great extent Example >Everyone will be dressed to the nines, so we’d better look smart. >They were all done up to the nines, and there I was in my mother’s old gown.

>When a situation is certain to develop in a particular way because decisions have been taken that cannot be changed >A course of action has been finalized. >An unalterable decision has been reached, or step taken. Source: theidioms.com This expression comes from a Latin phrase (Alea iacta est) thought to have been said by Julius Caesar when he crossed the Rubicon river and became embroiled in civil war in 49 BCE. Example >From the moment

In this live programme, deliberation was hosted by Sri Anil Nambiar where in I was a panel member. The topic with contemporary relevance is titled as “Covid Vaccine – Ambiguities among people and way foreward” http://sajithnair.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/WhatsApp-Video-2021-01-12-at-1.06.25-PM-2.mp4 http://sajithnair.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/WhatsApp-Video-2021-01-12-at-1.06.25-PM-1.mp4 http://sajithnair.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/WhatsApp-Video-2021-01-12-at-1.06.25-PM.mp4

>To buy something (usually a motor vehicle) that doesn’t work well and is therefore worthless. >To purchase a vehicle that constantly gives problems or stops running after you drive it away. >Waste money by purchasing a car that is frequently faulty. Example >The car looked so new and shiny I had no way of knowing I was buying a lemon >We often try to save money by buying second-hand cars but little do we realise

>Aconfused group of real or imagined images that change quickly, one following the other as in a dream >A sequence of real or imaginary images like that seen in a dream >changing successions or combinations of fantastic, bizarre or imagined imagery >An optical illusion produced by a magic lantern or the like in which figures increase or diminish in size, pass into each other, dissolve, etc. Example >What happened next was a phantasmagoria of horror

>To think that things that are completely impossible might happen, rather than understanding how things really are. >A realm of fantasy or of whimsical (means, unusual, playful, and unpredictable, rather than serious and practical) or foolish behavior >An idealized, illusory domain of imagination Example >When referees make contentious decisions players are going to be upset, and anyone who thinks otherwise is living in cloud cuckoo land >Anyone who believes that the a fake activist will

You’re lying down in the grass looking up when suddenly a pie comes floating in the sky! Cool! You’re probably just daydreaming or hallucinating. It’s a nice idea to think about though highly unlikely. That’s what this idiom is all about. Something nice but unlikely to happen. An empty wish Example >Turns out that the startup business she planned was just a pie in the sky >Their plans to revive the club after playing dirty

To be gullible, naïve, or unsophisticated. This chiefly rural idiom is often given as fall off the turnip truck but it is most often used in the past tense and preceded by ‘just’. It is often used in the negative as a way of expressing that a person is not foolish, naive, or gullible, as in “I didn’t just fall off the turnip truck, you know.” An equivalent expression is “I wasn’t born yesterday.” Example

>Happened for only one time and it won’t repeat. >A sudden spasmodic (means – irregular burst) effort that accomplishes nothing >One that appears promising but turns out to be disappointing or worthless >Someone or something whose success or popularity is short-lived. Example >Considering their dismal past record, the win in the last match seems to be a flash in the pan > With only one hit song, it was obvious that the young pop star

>A way of asking what someone else is thinking >A request to somebody who lost in consideration to share his or her thoughts. >Used for ​wanting to ​know what another ​person is ​thinking, usually because they have not spoken for a some time. Example >You have been away from group for a while, a penny for your thoughts >”You seem pretty serious. A penny for your thoughts >For several minutes they sat in silence, finally

When someone does a runner, he leaves a place in a hurry in order to avoid paying for something (like in a restaurant) or flees a difficult situation to escape punishment. It also means to flee or quickly leave a place, usually so as to get out of paying for something or to avoid trouble or the law. Like many British idioms, this particular idiom originates from one of Shakespeare’s popular plays, Anthony and Cleopatra.

> To stop a conflict and make peace > To stop an argument and become friends again This one dates back to the early times North America when the Puritans were in conflict with the Native Americans. When negotiating peace, the Native Americans would bury all their hatchets, knives, clubs, and tomahawks. Weapons literally were buried and made inaccessible. Example > After years of fighting over who should have gotten Dad’s money, my brothers finally

A moniker is a nickname or pet name for a person. People who are dating or friends often have monikers like “Sweetie”, “Honey” etc. Some monikers are shortened versions of your name, like “Ed” or “Eddie” for “Edward.” Athletes and other famous people have many monikers. Example >”Hoosier” is a common moniker for a resident of Indiana. > I think Happy is an appropriate moniker for someone who smiles so much.

If you’ve ever yelled out “Shotgun!” as you’ve approached a car, you already know what this one means. It’s the coveted front passenger seat of a vehicle, next to the driver. But the origin is a little less than lighthearted. In the Wild West era, the spot next to a stagecoach driver was for the guard who would be armed with a shotgun in order to ward off bandits. Example >Mom, Jake got to ride

> With strict , overbearing control that limits one’s independence or autonomy. > To control someone carefully and only allow them a small amount of freedom to do what they want. Example >She has been on a short leash with her husband ever since he gambled away their life’s savings at a poker match >My roommate is such a gossip I find it hard to on a short leash

In public, the aristocratic women of medieval times were obliged to appear in elegant hair-dos that were usually pulled up. The only time they would let their hair down was when they came home and relaxed. Hence this idiom means- “To relax or be at ease” Example >I can never manage to let my hair down at office events. >My roommate is such a gossip I find it hard to let my hair down in

>Marked by or exhibiting a fawning (Means – Display of exaggerated attention) attentiveness An obsequious person is more likely to be a follower than a leader. This word comes from the Latin root sequi, meaning “to follow.” (The other contributor is the prefix ob-, meaning “toward.”) “Sequi” is the source of a number of other English words, too, including “consequence” (a result that follows from an action), “sequel” (a novel, film, or TV show that

Scribe of wisdom – 142 Eggcorn An acorn is a pale oval nut that is the fruit of an oak tree. If you didn’t know how to spell the word “acorn,” then eggcorn is a logical and satisfying alternative. Eggcorns … are a particular type of language error. Though incorrect, eggcorns are often more satisfying or poetic than the correct word or expression. So, eggcorn is a word or phrase that is mistakenly used for

An environment in which a person encounters only beliefs or opinions that coincide with their own, especially in social media. Thus, an echo chamber is an environment where a person only encounters information or opinions that reflect and reinforce their own. Echo chambers can create misinformation and distort a person’s perspective so they have difficulty considering opposing viewpoints and discussing complicated topics. They’re fueled in part by confirmation bias, which is the tendency to favor

It is a stylistic device defined as a syntactic deviation, and interruption within a sentence from one structure to another. In this interruption, the expected sequence of grammar is absent. The grammatical flow of sentences is interrupted in order to begin more sentences. It is an unexpected discontinuity in the expression of ideas within a sentence, leading to a form of words in which there is logical incoherence of thought. It is a simple error,

>Without feeling >Revealing little emotion or sensibility Impassive stresses the absence of any external sign of emotion in action or facial expression Example Refusing to let the enemy see how deeply shaken he was by his capture, the prisoner kept his face impassive Her face remained impassive throughout the trial.

>To put into a state of perplexity and embarrassment >The state of being confused, embarrassed, or upset (Mostly when used as noun – discomfiture) There is one major difference between discomfit and discomfort, though, discomfit is used almost exclusively as a verb, while discomfort is much more commonly used as a noun than a verb. The words bearing similar meanings are Embarass implies some influence that impedes thought, speech, or action Rattle implies an agitation

>Shameless or brazen boldness >Insolent and shameless audacity >Extreme rudeness without any ability to understand that your behaviour is not acceptable to other people To the Romans, the shameless were “without forehead,” at least figuratively. Effrontery derives from Latin effrons, a word that combines the prefix ex- (meaning “out” or “without”) and “frons” (meaning “forehead” or “brow”). Example >He had the effrontery to insult the guest >He had the effrontery to address her with casual

>Pronounce not guilty of criminal charges >To clear from alleged fault or guilt There are several synonym for this word but they have got some definite difference. Here goes, a few examples. Exculpate implies a clearing from blame or fault often in a matter of small importance (Eg: exculpating himself from the charge of overenthusiasm) Absolve implies a release either from an obligation that binds the conscience or from the consequences of disobeying the law

If people accuse you of rambling from topic to topic in your speech or writing, they may say you have a discursive style — with changes in subject that are hard to follow. >Tending to depart from main point or cover a wide range of subjects >Digressing from subject to subject Example As the lecturer wandered from topic to topic, we wondered what if any point there was to his discursive remarks. I had not

A beneficial spot or position, especially for viewing something. “Coign” is an archaic spelling of “quoin,” the outside corner of a building or wall. Example My office affords me a fine coign of vantage, as I can watch everyone on the floor without them knowing. Their position gave them a panoramic coign of vantage

Something of negligible importance or value —used chiefly in negative constructions. It also means, A negligible amount. This phrase is most often heard as “that doesn’t amount to a hill of beans.” The underlying idea is that beans are so common that even a hill of them isn’t worth very much, if anything at all. Example His casual approaches with improper saltuations proved that he wasn’t a hill of beans to her. Often we organise

Feliz Navidad is a Spanish phrase meaning “Happy Christmas” or “Merry Christmas“. With its simple, heartfelt lyrics—the traditional Spanish Christmas/New Year greeting Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad (“Merry Christmas, a prosperous year and happiness”) followed by (in English) “I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart”—it has become a pop Christmas classic. In 1970 by Puerto Rican singer/songwriter José Feliciano has written and composed this song. Since there several

> Give hint or indication of something > Disclose partially or guardedly > Foreshadow (a future event) > Represent in outline > To give only the main facts and not the details about something, especially something that will happen in the future You might remember adumbrate better if you know that it developed from the Latin verb adumbrare, which in turn comes from “umbra,” the Latin word for “shadow.” To adumbrate then, is to offer

>To use the power that your position gives you over someone in order to make them do what you want >To use one’s high position in a society, organization, group, etc., to order someone to do something or to get special treatment or privileges Example He doesn’t have the authority to pull rank on me. I prefer to get things done in normal course unless the unwarranted delays force me to pull rank and get

  > Experienced or realized through imaginative or sympathetic participation in the experience of another > Performed or suffered by one person as a substitute for another or to the benefit or advantage of another > Occurring in an unexpected or abnormal part of the body instead of the usual one The word vicarious derives from the Latin noun vicis, which means “change,” “alternation,” or “stead.” “Vicis” is also the source of the English prefix

> Expression of warm approval; praise (often given by a formal group) > An obsolete word used for “proof” Approbation is similar in meaning to “approval,” and it is also very close to “approval” etymologically. Both words trace back to the Latin verb approbare which means “to prove” or “to approve.” Example She looked for some sign of approbation from her parents, hoping her good grades would please them. The company has even received the

>Using or involving the use of a minimum of words >Concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious >Brief; effectively cut short; marked by use of few words Laconia was an ancient country in southern Greece, bordering on the Aegean and the Mediterranean seas. In current use, laconic means “terse” or “concise,” and thus recalls the Spartan tendency to use the fewest words possible. Example Many of the characters portrayed by Clint Eastwood are

  Modest and reserved in manner or behavior (typically used about women though there are no strict rule that it shall be only used that way) A demure person can be described as polite and a little shy. A demure outfit is a modest one. It may have derived from the Anglo-French verb demorer or demourer meaning to linger. Example She was demure and reserved, a nice modest girl whom any young man would be

When you say that someone’s story is credible, what you are suggesting is that it sounds believable. When you say that someone made a credible witness you are suggesting that he came across as someone worthy of trust. Credulous on the other hand, has a negative connotation. Credulity is a person’s willingness or ability to believe that a statement is true, especially on minimal or uncertain evidence. Credulity is not necessarily a belief in something

>Lacking in freshness or originality >A hackneyed phrase or idea has been said or used so often that it has become boring and has no meaning >If you describe something such as a saying or an image as hackneyed, you think it is no longer likely to interest, amuse or affect people because it has been used, seen, or heard many times before. Example > The hackneyed script has the effect of lending an unmerited

>Show of skill or deceitful cleverness, considered magical by naive observers >Skilful use of one’s hands when performing conjuring tricks. >A display of skill or adroitness (means cleverness or skill) In Middle French, folks who were clever enough to fool others with fast-fingered illusions were described as leger de main literally light of hand. English speakers condensed that phrase into a noun when they borrowed it in the 15th century and began using it as

>Avoid >Refuse to use or participate in >Stand aloof from >Deliberately avoid using >Abstain from. >To avoid habitually especially on moral or practical grounds Eschew derives from the Anglo-French verb eschiver and is akin to the Old High German verb sciuhen (means to frighten off) Example Hoping to present himself to his girlfriend as a totally reformed character, he tried to eschew all the vices, especially chewing tobacco and drinking alcohol. True vegetarians eschew food

>False statement maliciously made to injure another’s reputation >The act of uttering false charges or misrepresentations maliciously calculated to harm another’s reputation >Slander (Synonym) It is derived from the Latin word calumnia (meaning false accusation, false claim or trickery) which itself traces to the Latin verb calvi meaning to deceive. Example He could endure his financial failure, but he could not bear the calumny that his foes heaped upon him. He was the target of

>Difficult to please >Having complicated requirements >Excessively particular demanding about details >Very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail >Reflecting a meticulous, sensitive, or demanding attitude Fastidious is occasionally used as a compliment to describe someone whose attention to detail gives them good organizing abilities, but it is usually used as a disapproving term. There are several strange sounding synonyms for this word. A few examples are persnickety, fussbudgety, finicky and punctilious. Example He

> Still in existence, >Not destroyed, lost or extinct Example Although the book is out of print, some copies are still extant There are only three extant copies of the document.

>Understood by few; mysterious or secret. A few words in English with similar meanings are Esoteric Which broadly means requiring or exhibiting knowledge that is restricted to a small group or difficult to understand or something which belong or understood to/by a small group Abstruse Difficult to comprehend Example He was the only person who understood all the arcane details of the agreement. This argument may seem arcane to those not closely involved in the

>Promptness in response >Cheerful readiness It is derived from the Latin word alacer, which means lively. It denotes physical quickness coupled with eagerness or enthusiasm. Allegro is another word derived from alacer which is used as a direction in music with the meaning at a brisk lively tempo. Example She accepted his invitation with alacrity Every Disney worker I spoke to knew the answer to my questions and responded with smiling alacrity

Prevaricate means >The fact of avoiding telling the truth or saying exactly what you think. >Speak or act in an evasive way. Lie is the blunt term, imputing (Means – Representing) dishonesty. lied about where he had been prevaricate softens the bluntness of lie by implying quibbling (means – the action of raising objections about a trivial matter) or confusing the issue. Equivocate which means use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or

>Expressing someone in an indirect way >The use of many words where fewer would do, especially in a deliberate attempt to be vague or evasive. >Evasion in speech >An indirect way of saying something, especially something unpleasant: It is derived from the Latin circum meaning around and locutio meaning speech. So it literally means roundabout speech. Example His admission came after years of circumlocution I’m trying to avoid circumlocutions in my writing

  Shades of meaning between cachet and panache are often confused. Cachet is more about prestige and panache is more about style Cachet is an indication of approved or superior status Panache is distinctive and stylish elegance Having high tea at Buckingham Palace can have a lot of cachet in your social circle, but the genteel (which means – characterized by exaggerated or affected politeness, refinement or respectability) way you sip your tea can have a

Well – this is a rare word to that denotes an inexprissible emotion. Though the defintion calls for a detailed narration and seems to be a bit obscure, for sure it is an emotion / feeling that might have come to mind of every human being at various stages of their life. Let’s imagine you have reached a particular stage in life (or even achieved certain milestones) and you have no explanation of regarding how

  In German words Zeit, means time and Geist means spirit or ghost.Scholars have long maintained that each era has a unique spirit, a nature or climate that sets it apart from all other epochs. In German, such a spirit is known as Zeitgeist. Some writers and artists assert that the true zeitgeist of an era cannot be known until it is over, and several have declared that only artists or philosophers can adequately explain

The French word which is widely used in English and it literally means “false step”, an expression describing not following the etiquette. Other meanings are, >Words or behaviour that are a social mistake or not polite >Something embarrassing that you say or do in a social situation >A slip or blunder in etiquette, manners, or conduct Example I made some remark about his family, and then realized I’d made a serious faux pas But the

Another French word widely used in English which means reason or justification for existence. Literally it means reason for being and is used to describe what gives meaning, justification or purpose of someone or something’s existence. Example Painting is her raison d’être As far as his materialistic possessions are concerned, he is a billionnaire but his family is his raison d’être

> A thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept it. > A thing accomplished and presumably irreversible This is derived from the same French word which means accomplished fact which can’t be reversed. Example The results were presented to shareholders as a fait accompli By the time we learned about the decision, it was already a fait accompli Trump has

>To be mentally unstable / crazy >Behave in a strange or silly manner This idiom doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t have to be ‘your’ rocker. It can be his, her, or theirs. The origin of this idiom is most likely a mechanical one. Within many machines, a rocker is a sort of regulator which helps control its performance. If this rocker slips or becomes misaligned, the machine will work incorrectly, if at all. Example I’m going

The fancy way of saying liquid courage , pot-valor is the perfect word to describe how imbibing a few ounces of something can make a very bad idea seem like something you should definitely do right now. Inshort, this is alcohol induced courage. Another term related to alcohol is dipsomania which means an uncontrollable craving for alcoholic liquors. Example Everyone got impressed with the way in which he debated with the policeman on duty but

> Uproot > To remove or separate from a native environment or culture > To remove the racial or ethnic characteristics or influences from Deracinate was borrowed into English in the late 16th century from Middle French and can be traced back to the Latin word radix meaning root. Although deracinate began life referring to literal plant roots, it quickly took on a second metaphorical meaning suggesting removal of anyone or anything from native roots

A sarcastic phrase said in response to outdated news. It is used humorously or ironically to suggest that a piece of supposed ‘news’ is in fact stale, or more broadly that a person who says something is simply stating the obvious or restating a well-worn or accepted truth. The expression is first recorded in 1798 , by which time Queen Anne had indeed been dead for 84 years. Example A – Do you know Covid