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Vacillate Meaning:
- to sway from one side to the other.
- oscillate.
- to waver in mind; show indecision.
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Derivatives:
vacillatingly - adverb
vacillation - noun
vacillator - noun
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Vacillate Synonyms:
dither, falter, fluctuate, hesitate, hover, oscillate, pause, stagger, sway, swing, teeter, totter, vibrate waffle, waver, weave, wobble.
Vacillate Antonyms:
remain, stay.
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Use Vacillate in a sentence:
1. I try hard not to vacillate in my dedication to honesty so others will always trust me.
2. One tends to vacillate about what food is healthier, particularly when the health experts come up with a different opinion each day.
3. He vacillated between republican and monarchist sentiments.
4. Her parents vacillated between different approaches to discipline.
5. Every scientific effort opens up a number of potential pathways for future investigation; the individual must find ways of coping with the danger of vacillation and pseudo-growth.
6. Unable to decide on which restaurant to enter, she vacillated for hours before opting for Italian.
7. He honestly mistook his sensuality for romantic emotion, his vacillation for the artistic temperament, and his idleness for philosophic calm.
8. “Pick a direction and go with it instead of vacillating back & forth.”
9. “If you vacillate for ever and are unable to decide, you will not get very far.”
10. “Mom vacillates between shades of green for the kitchen cabinets.”
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Mnemonic:
Sounds like Oscillate; something which moves from one position to another position.
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Some more examples:
1. The customer held up the line as he vacillated between ordering chocolate chip or ice cream.
2. Gwen vacillated for weeks before she decided to accept our offer.
3. For most of my teaching career, I vacillated between knowing too little and knowing too much.
4. As Jane waited, she found herself vacillating between two modes of thought.
5. I have vacillating opinions concerning my future career.
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Friday, September 18, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Bellicose Meaning and Usage
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Bellicose Meaning:
adjective
- warlike in nature; aggressive; hostile.
- showing or having the impulse to be combative.
Bellicose Usage:
"bellicose young officers”
“a bellicose nation”
“bellicose criticism”
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Derivatives:
bellicosely - adverb
bellicosity - noun
bellicoseness - noun
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Bellicose Synonyms:
aggressive, antagonistic, battleful, belligerent, combative, contentious, defiant, destructive, disputant, hawkish, hostile, jingoistic, martial, militant, militaristic, offensive, provocative, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent, warlike, warmongering.
Bellicose Antonyms:
peaceful, pacific, placid, peaceable, submissive, conciliatory, mild.
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Use Bellicose in a sentence:
1. The bellicose guest would not be invited back again.
2. He expressed alarm about the government's increasingly bellicose statements.
3. Some nations are traditionally bellicose and are constantly at war with their neighbours.
4. My bellicose temper has gotten me into more fights than I would like to remember.
5. Because of her bellicose nature, she had a difficult time making friends.
6. Michael’s bellicose attitude got him into trouble.
7. Immediately after defeating one of his enemies, the bellicose chieftain declared war on another.
8. Mark was, in fact, in a bellicose vein.
9. Or will they sit out the fighting, despite their bellicose rhetoric, out of fear of choosing the wrong side?
10. We need to make clear to the American people that Bush's "bellicose" war policies are not only putting our military forces (and civilian "collateral damage") at grave risk, but are endangering our country's long-term national interests.
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Origin:
1432, from Latin bellicosus, from bellicus "of war," from bellum "war." Bellona was the name of the Roman goddess of war.
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Bellicose Meaning:
adjective
- warlike in nature; aggressive; hostile.
- showing or having the impulse to be combative.
Bellicose Usage:
"bellicose young officers”
“a bellicose nation”
“bellicose criticism”
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Derivatives:
bellicosely - adverb
bellicosity - noun
bellicoseness - noun
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Bellicose Synonyms:
aggressive, antagonistic, battleful, belligerent, combative, contentious, defiant, destructive, disputant, hawkish, hostile, jingoistic, martial, militant, militaristic, offensive, provocative, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent, warlike, warmongering.
Bellicose Antonyms:
peaceful, pacific, placid, peaceable, submissive, conciliatory, mild.
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Use Bellicose in a sentence:
1. The bellicose guest would not be invited back again.
2. He expressed alarm about the government's increasingly bellicose statements.
3. Some nations are traditionally bellicose and are constantly at war with their neighbours.
4. My bellicose temper has gotten me into more fights than I would like to remember.
5. Because of her bellicose nature, she had a difficult time making friends.
6. Michael’s bellicose attitude got him into trouble.
7. Immediately after defeating one of his enemies, the bellicose chieftain declared war on another.
8. Mark was, in fact, in a bellicose vein.
9. Or will they sit out the fighting, despite their bellicose rhetoric, out of fear of choosing the wrong side?
10. We need to make clear to the American people that Bush's "bellicose" war policies are not only putting our military forces (and civilian "collateral damage") at grave risk, but are endangering our country's long-term national interests.
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Origin:
1432, from Latin bellicosus, from bellicus "of war," from bellum "war." Bellona was the name of the Roman goddess of war.
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Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Commiserate Meaning and Usage
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Commiserate Meaning:
- to feel or express sorrow or pity for.
- sympathize with.
“commiserated over failure”
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Derivatives:
commiserable - adjective
commiseration - noun
commiserative - adjective
commiseratively - adverb
commiserator - noun
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Commiserate Synonyms:
ache, comfort, compassionate, condole, console, express sympathy for, feel for, feel sorry for, feel with, feel, grieve for, lament for, pity, sorrow with, sympathize, yearn.
Commiserate Antonyms:
be indifferent, turn away
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Use Commiserate in a sentence:
1. Her friends commiserated when Lisa had a breakup; she was totally upset over it.
2. Gwen could sincerely commiserate with Fred for losing all the files on his computer since the same thing had happened to her the previous year.
3. He found it difficult to commiserate with his sister for burning the roast because she was talking with her boyfriend for an hour on the telephone.
4. He commiserated with her predicament.
5. “We should commiserate our mutual ignorance”
6. They commiserated with him over the loss of his job.
7. So we can only commiserate with Mark, whose Vintage Car was stolen over the Weekend.
8. "It's a shame to have woken you up," said Sam, commiseratingly, stepping in.
9. After I lost the dance competition, my best friend came over to commiserate.
10. Ron and Hermione both gave Harry half-exasperated, half-commiserating looks.
11. Harry commiserated with his best friend when Ginny beat him to the Snitch, but secretly he was proud of her.
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Did you know?
Pitying someone is simply feeling sorry for their grief with a slight overtone of condescension.
Commiseration implies more equality, sharing their grief rather than feeling sorry for them.
Recently, I saw one of the websites having this as a usage of commiserate:
“Eastfield will embark on a lengthy tour in April and May to commiserate 10 years of their existence.”
WRONG USAGE…!!! The right word in this context would be to commemorate….
You would never commiserate somebody’s existence…!!!
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Some more examples:
1. Any commiseration wouldn’t give her respite…!!!
2. "I do not share your commiseration for that young man," said Mr. Bernard austerely.
3. Lina patted her friend’s back, commiserating.
4. The skipper's daughter was standing beside him, looking down commiseratingly.
5. Sam regarded his cousin with commiseration. Horrid things had been happening to him during the last few days.
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Commiserate Meaning:
- to feel or express sorrow or pity for.
- sympathize with.
“commiserated over failure”
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Derivatives:
commiserable - adjective
commiseration - noun
commiserative - adjective
commiseratively - adverb
commiserator - noun
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Commiserate Synonyms:
ache, comfort, compassionate, condole, console, express sympathy for, feel for, feel sorry for, feel with, feel, grieve for, lament for, pity, sorrow with, sympathize, yearn.
Commiserate Antonyms:
be indifferent, turn away
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Use Commiserate in a sentence:
1. Her friends commiserated when Lisa had a breakup; she was totally upset over it.
2. Gwen could sincerely commiserate with Fred for losing all the files on his computer since the same thing had happened to her the previous year.
3. He found it difficult to commiserate with his sister for burning the roast because she was talking with her boyfriend for an hour on the telephone.
4. He commiserated with her predicament.
5. “We should commiserate our mutual ignorance”
6. They commiserated with him over the loss of his job.
7. So we can only commiserate with Mark, whose Vintage Car was stolen over the Weekend.
8. "It's a shame to have woken you up," said Sam, commiseratingly, stepping in.
9. After I lost the dance competition, my best friend came over to commiserate.
10. Ron and Hermione both gave Harry half-exasperated, half-commiserating looks.
11. Harry commiserated with his best friend when Ginny beat him to the Snitch, but secretly he was proud of her.
..................................................................................................................................................................
Did you know?
Pitying someone is simply feeling sorry for their grief with a slight overtone of condescension.
Commiseration implies more equality, sharing their grief rather than feeling sorry for them.
Recently, I saw one of the websites having this as a usage of commiserate:
“Eastfield will embark on a lengthy tour in April and May to commiserate 10 years of their existence.”
WRONG USAGE…!!! The right word in this context would be to commemorate….
You would never commiserate somebody’s existence…!!!
..................................................................................................................................................................
Some more examples:
1. Any commiseration wouldn’t give her respite…!!!
2. "I do not share your commiseration for that young man," said Mr. Bernard austerely.
3. Lina patted her friend’s back, commiserating.
4. The skipper's daughter was standing beside him, looking down commiseratingly.
5. Sam regarded his cousin with commiseration. Horrid things had been happening to him during the last few days.
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Thursday, September 3, 2009
Deleterious Meaning and Usage
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Deleterious Meaning:
adjective
- harmful or injurious
- harmful to living things; having a harmful effect; noxious
Deleterious Usage:
"deleterious chemical additives"
“the deleterious effects of smoking.”
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Use deleterious in a sentence:
1. Pollution has a deleterious effect on the environment.
2. Her wanton behaviour was deleterious to her children.
3. Deleterious fumes escaped from the overturned truck.
4. Some chemicals have deleterious effects on those who must handle them.
5. Month after month, reports mount of the deleterious effects of rising carbon levels. One recent study chronicled threats to coral and other marine organisms, another, a big upswing in major wildfires in the western U.S. that have resulted because of warming.
6. Petroleum and its products will continue to fetch escalating prices with new and deleterious effects on the world's economies and politics
7. Using steroids can be deleterious to your health.
8. Reducing the staff in order to cut costs will have deleterious consequences for production levels. One person can not handle printing, pulling, packing and shaping 500 orders each day.
9. The deleterious effects of smoking include having greater risk of heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.
10. The deleterious habit of grinding your teeth can be extremely detrimental to your dental health.
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Deleterious Synonyms:
adverse, bad, damaging, destroying, destructive, detrimental, evil, harmful, hurtful, ill, injurious, mischievous, negative, nocuous, pernicious, prejudicial, prejudicious, ruining, ruinous.
Deleterious Antonyms:
aiding, assisting, helpful, beneficial.
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Some more examples:
1. Too much sun has a deleterious effect on the skin.
2. Consumption of too much fast food can be detrimental to your health.
3. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the type of marking has any deleterious effects on juvenile fish.
4. Smoking cigarettes is deleterious to everyone’s health, not just the smoker’s.
5. An infestation of locusts can have a deleterious effect on a farmer’s crops.
6. Averroes, like most of the later Mohammedan philosophers, though a believer, was not rigidly orthodox. There was a sect of completely orthodox theologians, who objected to all philosophy as deleterious to the faith. One of these, named Algazel, wrote a book called Destruction of the Philosophers, pointing out that, since all necessary truth is in the Koran, there is no need of speculation independent of revelation. Averroes replied by a book called Destruction of the Destruction. – History of Western Philosophy, Bertrand Russell.
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Deleterious Meaning:
adjective
- harmful or injurious
- harmful to living things; having a harmful effect; noxious
Deleterious Usage:
"deleterious chemical additives"
“the deleterious effects of smoking.”
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Use deleterious in a sentence:
1. Pollution has a deleterious effect on the environment.
2. Her wanton behaviour was deleterious to her children.
3. Deleterious fumes escaped from the overturned truck.
4. Some chemicals have deleterious effects on those who must handle them.
5. Month after month, reports mount of the deleterious effects of rising carbon levels. One recent study chronicled threats to coral and other marine organisms, another, a big upswing in major wildfires in the western U.S. that have resulted because of warming.
6. Petroleum and its products will continue to fetch escalating prices with new and deleterious effects on the world's economies and politics
7. Using steroids can be deleterious to your health.
8. Reducing the staff in order to cut costs will have deleterious consequences for production levels. One person can not handle printing, pulling, packing and shaping 500 orders each day.
9. The deleterious effects of smoking include having greater risk of heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.
10. The deleterious habit of grinding your teeth can be extremely detrimental to your dental health.
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Deleterious Synonyms:
adverse, bad, damaging, destroying, destructive, detrimental, evil, harmful, hurtful, ill, injurious, mischievous, negative, nocuous, pernicious, prejudicial, prejudicious, ruining, ruinous.
Deleterious Antonyms:
aiding, assisting, helpful, beneficial.
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Some more examples:
1. Too much sun has a deleterious effect on the skin.
2. Consumption of too much fast food can be detrimental to your health.
3. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the type of marking has any deleterious effects on juvenile fish.
4. Smoking cigarettes is deleterious to everyone’s health, not just the smoker’s.
5. An infestation of locusts can have a deleterious effect on a farmer’s crops.
6. Averroes, like most of the later Mohammedan philosophers, though a believer, was not rigidly orthodox. There was a sect of completely orthodox theologians, who objected to all philosophy as deleterious to the faith. One of these, named Algazel, wrote a book called Destruction of the Philosophers, pointing out that, since all necessary truth is in the Koran, there is no need of speculation independent of revelation. Averroes replied by a book called Destruction of the Destruction. – History of Western Philosophy, Bertrand Russell.
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Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Phlegmatic Meaning and Usage
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Phlegmatic Meaning:
adjective
- relating to phlegm
- having a calm, sluggish temperament
- unemotional
- not easily excited to action or display of emotion; apathetic
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Derivatives:
phlegmatical - adjective
phlegmatically – adverb
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Use phlegmatic in a sentence:
1. The playwright had hoped his story would take theatergoers on an emotional roller coaster, but on opening night they just sat there, stone-faced and phlegmatic.
2. He was phlegmatic as a child; rarely went outside to play.
3. The taxi driver, a phlegmatic man in middle age, showed no surprise at this request.
4. The phlegmatic boy was not even excited about the Halloween party invite he had received.
5. You actually sound quite phlegmatic about your own learning.
6. Even the normally phlegmatic John was grinning like a maniac.
7. He is a phlegmatic coach at courtside, but in the locker room he fires up his players, inspiring them to win.
8. The normally phlegmatic Alain was nearly crying in his excitement and dismay.
9. No sign of excitement came on Alex’s phlegmatic face.
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Phlegmatic Synonyms:
apathetic, calm, cold, collected, composed, controlled, cool, detached, dull, equanimous, frigid, heavy, impassive, imperturbable, inactive, incurious, indifferent, indolent, insensitive, lethargic, listless, lymphatic, moderate, passive, philosophical, placid, quiet, restrained, serene, sluggish, stoic, stoical, stolid, temperate, torpid, tranquil, unaffected, unanimated, uncaring, unconcerned, undemonstrative, undisturbed, unemotional, unenthusiastic, unfeeling, uninterested, uninvolved, unmoved, unperturbed, unresponsive, unruffled.
Phlegmatic Antonyms:
Emotional, effusive, vivacious, Passionate
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Some more examples:
1. Wilson is far too phlegmatic to be stirred by the fervor of the revolutionaries.
2. One has to learn to be phlegmatic about things going wrong at the office.
3. The housekeeper and her husband were both of that decent phlegmatic order of people, to whom one may at any time safely communicate a remarkable piece of news without incurring the danger of having one’s ears pierced by some shrill cry, and subsequently stunned by a torrent of wordy wonderment.
4. Daniel was phlegmatic in the way of a man who accepts all things, and accepts them in the spirit of cool bravery, with hazard of all he has at stake.
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Phlegmatic Meaning:
adjective
- relating to phlegm
- having a calm, sluggish temperament
- unemotional
- not easily excited to action or display of emotion; apathetic
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Derivatives:
phlegmatical - adjective
phlegmatically – adverb
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Use phlegmatic in a sentence:
1. The playwright had hoped his story would take theatergoers on an emotional roller coaster, but on opening night they just sat there, stone-faced and phlegmatic.
2. He was phlegmatic as a child; rarely went outside to play.
3. The taxi driver, a phlegmatic man in middle age, showed no surprise at this request.
4. The phlegmatic boy was not even excited about the Halloween party invite he had received.
5. You actually sound quite phlegmatic about your own learning.
6. Even the normally phlegmatic John was grinning like a maniac.
7. He is a phlegmatic coach at courtside, but in the locker room he fires up his players, inspiring them to win.
8. The normally phlegmatic Alain was nearly crying in his excitement and dismay.
9. No sign of excitement came on Alex’s phlegmatic face.
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Phlegmatic Synonyms:
apathetic, calm, cold, collected, composed, controlled, cool, detached, dull, equanimous, frigid, heavy, impassive, imperturbable, inactive, incurious, indifferent, indolent, insensitive, lethargic, listless, lymphatic, moderate, passive, philosophical, placid, quiet, restrained, serene, sluggish, stoic, stoical, stolid, temperate, torpid, tranquil, unaffected, unanimated, uncaring, unconcerned, undemonstrative, undisturbed, unemotional, unenthusiastic, unfeeling, uninterested, uninvolved, unmoved, unperturbed, unresponsive, unruffled.
Phlegmatic Antonyms:
Emotional, effusive, vivacious, Passionate
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Some more examples:
1. Wilson is far too phlegmatic to be stirred by the fervor of the revolutionaries.
2. One has to learn to be phlegmatic about things going wrong at the office.
3. The housekeeper and her husband were both of that decent phlegmatic order of people, to whom one may at any time safely communicate a remarkable piece of news without incurring the danger of having one’s ears pierced by some shrill cry, and subsequently stunned by a torrent of wordy wonderment.
4. Daniel was phlegmatic in the way of a man who accepts all things, and accepts them in the spirit of cool bravery, with hazard of all he has at stake.
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