TIPS for English (12): Words(I) (b)

VOCABULARY - PART (I)

Note: The vocabulary is based mostly on US English, however, in many cases; British English is used as well. The referred pronunciation is in British English; yet, in many cases, the US pronunciation is also mentioned.

Regarding pronunciation, I underline and have bold the letter that needs to be stressed.

The vocabulary section is abundant in this revision as it is easier to remember a word or phrase in context rather than out of context! I also added my ''witty'' remarks on the vocabulary and included more word pairs with resembling spelling and/or pronunciation (e.g., cab (vs.) cub).

If you have no time to read the vocabulary in full, you may read only the adjectives that will ornate your speech and writing.

In case you know the first three definitions (germane, pristine, and adamant) then your level of English language proficiency is high!

Germane (pronounced dʒəːˈmeɪn) = (adjective) relevant and essential to a subject under consideration, e.g., That is not germane to our theme.// e.g., If the health service is to make progress towards such a goal, many considerations are germane.// e.g., It deals with a subject inherently germane to every military officer, no matter the service.// e.g., His remarks could not have been more germane to the discussion ((**) for the last example).

Pristine (pronounced ˈprɪstiːn) = (adjective) in its original condition; unspoiled (''unspoilt'' in British English), e.g., Pristine copies of an early magazine./// e.g., Many of these shallower (adjective of shallow) coral reefs are in pristine condition.// e.g., The South Sandwich Islands are the most pristine environment on the planet./// Clean and fresh as if new; spotless, e.g., A pristine white shirt.// e.g., ‘The walls were clean, white and quite pristine.’ // e.g., Pristine new offices.// e.g., Washing machine for sale - only 1-month-old and in pristine condition ((**) for the last 2 examples).

Adamant = (pronounced ˈæd.ə.mənt) (adjective) refusing to be persuaded or to change one's mind. Synonym = unshakable (US English; unshakeable in British English).// e.g., They were adamant that they would not allow the council to carry out work on the house nor the family to take up residence.// e.g., He is adamant that he is not going to resign.// e.g., He is adamant that he will begin an indefinite hunger strike once he reaches the jail.// e.g.,  The Russians were adamant to give explanations if they are behind the murder attempt of the Russian ex-spy and his daughter (from the media)./// (mass noun) (archaic) A legendary rock or mineral to which many properties were attributed, formerly associated with diamond or lodestone (= a piece of magnetite or another naturally magnetized mineral, able to be used as a magnet).

Indulge (in) (pronounced ɪnˈdʌldʒ) = Indulge in = (verb; no object) Allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of; e.g., ‘I indulged in ice cream!’ // e.g., Simply indulging in whatever pleasures are close at hand will ultimately bring one unhappiness.// e.g., Animals do not indulge in the pleasures of eating the way that humans do (My comment: they also do not chew their food but swallow it!).// Indulge in = Become involved in an activity, typically one that is undesirable or disapproved of; e.g., ‘I don't indulge in idle (= pointless)  gossip.’ // e.g., The organizations indulging in this sinister (= giving the impression that something harmful or evil is happening or will happen) activity have had a free play as never before in the history of free India.// e.g., ‘By allowing yourself to indulge in these fears, he is already making your life hell.’ /// (informal) Allow oneself to enjoy a particular pleasure, especially that of alcohol; e.g., ‘I only indulge on special occasions.’ (My comment: here ‘on’ goes with ‘special occasions’ while usually indulge goes with ‘in’)./// e.g., ‘You may indulge and enjoy some forbidden pleasures but cannot deceive yourself for long.’ /// (verb with object) Satisfy or yield (= give way to arguments, demands, or pressure) freely to a desire or interest; e.g., She was able to indulge a growing passion for literature.// e.g., His luck in being an actor also gave him the chance to spend time indulging his interest in foreign policy and social activity./// (verb with object) Allow someone to enjoy something desired; e.g., ‘I love movies where the plot is just driven by dialogue, so this movie indulged me.’ // e.g., A luxury (pronounced ˈlʌk.ʃ(ə)r.i) service used to indulge the chief executive.

Freelance (pronounced ˈfriːlɑːns) = (adjective) Working for different companies at different times rather than being permanently employed by one company. Synonyms: self-employed, independent; e.g., A freelance journalist.// e.g., The online forum offers advice to freelancers, teleworkers, and companies looking for freelance staff ((**) for this example)./// (verb) Earn one's living as a freelance; e.g., ‘The rest of my income is earned by scraping together what I can from freelancing and speaking.’ /// (noun) A freelance worker; e.g., Casual staff, agency workers, freelances (= freelancers), and home workers were among those considered only to have ‘worker’ status rather than the more formal ‘employee’ status./// A medieval mercenary (pronounced ˈməːsɪn(ə)ri); e.g., The initial incursions (incursion = an invasion or attack, especially a sudden or brief one) into Ireland had been by marcher knights and other freelances from south Wales hired by the King of Leister./// (Adverb) Earning one's living as a freelance; e.g., ''I work freelance from home.''

Freelancer = (noun) A person who works freelance. See http://pas-wordpress-media.s3.amazonaws.com/content/uploads/2015/09/Freelance-Writer-1024x743.jpg   // e.g., It is also assumed here that, in contrast to permanent employees, freelancers cannot usually perform other tasks during the waiting period.// e.g., He started off his career working as a freelancer at a design firm.// e.g., The online forum offers advice to freelancers, teleworkers, and companies looking for freelance staff ((**) for the last 2 examples).

Incursion (not to be confused with ''excursion'') = (noun) An invasion or attack, especially a sudden or brief one; e.g., Incursions into enemy territory.// e.g., Border incursions.// e.g., When it became apparent that India was not going to attack, the cross-border incursions quickly rose again.// (figurative) e.g., Their successful incursion into the electronic media market.

Hue (pronounced hjuː) = (noun) (a degree of lightness, darkness, strength, etc. of) a color; e.g., The first colored nail polish - in a rose shade - with deeper hues to follow by 1930.// e.g., In the Caribbean waters there are fish of every hue.// e.g., Color experts discuss the appeal of color and different meanings behind hues, tones, and shades./// (literary) A different type or group, e.g., Politicians of all hues wish to get sleaze (= behave in an immoral, corrupt and sordid way) off the agenda so that they can discuss the real issues.// e.g., After all, it is a way of establishing a working relationship with people of all hues by the political parties./// (art) A color, or the particular degree of light or dark of a color; e.g., In the waters of the Caribbean there are fish of every hue ((^^) except the 1st and 3rd example).

Sleaze (pronounced sliːz) = (noun) Activities, especially business or political, of a low moral standard; e.g., The sleaze factor was the major reason for his electoral defeat./// (uncountable noun) e.g., Political/ corporate/ financial sleaze.// e.g., An article exposing more Wall Street sleaze./// (US English) A sleazebag (also called ''sleazeball''), i.e., a person who has low standards of honesty or morals; (*) e.g., Now the sleazeballs are in the majority, so they control the agenda./// (verb; no object, with adverbial) (informal) behave in an immoral, corrupt, or sordid (= morally wrong and shocking (*)) way; e.g., ''You're the last person who has to sleaze around bars.'' // e.g., ''This is the guy who was sleazing onto me at my recent house party'’.// e.g., They were seen as a bunch of sleazeballs and liars, and voted out.// e.g., (as modifier) The sleazeball pimps (pimp = a man who controls prostitutes and arranges clients for them, taking part of their earnings in return). 

Mercenary (pronounced ˈməːsɪn(ə)ri) (beware of the pronunciation!) (My comment: most kids know this word from battlefield computer games!) = (noun) A professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army; soldier of fortune; For a mercenary soldier See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Burnham_in_africa_close_up.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Dragonrouge2.jpg    // e.g., It is hard to believe that the country would hire foreign mercenaries for military and daily operations.// e.g., He had planned to seize power with the aid of a group of mercenaries./// A person primarily motivated by personal gain; e.g., Cricket's most infamous mercenary.// e.g., ''I enjoy being totally mercenary about supporting people I like in print.'' /// (adjective) (of a person or their behavior) (disapproving) Primarily concerned with making money at the expense of ethics; e.g., He's nothing but a mercenary little gold digger.// e.g., In this day and age, with so many mercenary lawyers around, talking libel and slander, you cannot even speak ill of the living without caution.

Limbo = (noun) (in some Christian beliefs) the supposed abode of the souls of unbaptized infants, and of the just who died before Christ's coming. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Follower_of_Jheronimus_Bosch_Christ_in_Limbo.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Chora_Anastasis1.jpg    and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Domenico_Beccafumi_018.jpg     // e.g., She wore a black bonnet to match her dress and gloves; to Jeremiah (pronounced ˌdʒɛrɪˈmʌɪə) she looked like an engraving (= a print made from an engraved plate, block, or another surface) he had once seen of a restless soul in limbo./// An uncertain period of awaiting a decision or resolution; an intermediate state or condition; e.g., The fate of the Contras (##) is now in limbo./// (verb) Perform the limbo; e.g., While listening to calypso music, many of those being entertained like to dance the limbo, a dance very popular among Grenadian Americans. 

(##) Note: Contras = a member of a guerrilla (= freedom fighter) force in Nicaragua that opposed the left-wing Sandinista government 1979 –1990 and was supported by the US for much of that time. It was officially disbanded in 1990, after the Sandinistas' electoral defeat.

Cuirass (pronounced kwɪˈras) = (noun) A piece of armor consisting of breastplate and backplate fastened together. See  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Cuirasse-1854-p1030165.jpg/170px-Cuirasse-1854-p1030165.jpg and   https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/G%C3%A9ricault_-_Portrait_de_carabinier_-_Louvre.jpg/1200px-G%C3%A9ricault_-_Portrait_de_carabinier_-_Louvre.jpg  // e.g., He turned his back to Hunter, showing his armor was a breastplate instead of a cuirass like Hunter wore./// Biphasic Cuirass Ventilator (BCV) = an artificial ventilator that encloses the body, leaving the limbs free, and forces air in and out of the lungs by changes in pressure. See https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRdP_Oj_JzauJcg1-gOyZMw3e4g3uuAzNHNXEzyyUjcQboLQ8_kQC7rdp1FSfgMFqobGqQadr1f0ZkC1oPE_GR4qUs8JQbwIuJgSq5G5Ng0qYXs6MphnuvQtBnfLDr_1ea65TJNojVp8U/s1600/AARC+06+Exhibit+Hall+012.jpg   // e.g., A cuirass ventilator, rocking bed, and pneumobelt are less commonly used./// Note: cuirass ventilators are rarely used.) in daily practice and are mainly used in patients with neuromuscular disorders such as polio that retain some residual muscular function. They are forms of negative pressure mechanical ventilators that are rather considered as obsolete (the 1st form was called ‘Iron Lung’ – it was invented in 1929 and was used in the Polio epidemic in the 1940’s saving many lives – See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Iron_Lung_ward-Rancho_Los_Amigos_Hospital.gif )  

Lodestone (pronounced ˈləʊd.stəʊn) = (noun) a piece of magnetite or another naturally magnetized mineral, able to be used as a magnet. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Lodestone_attracting_nails.png and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Magnetite_Lodestone.jpg  and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSTTTiAldwg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjXBXrjxb4Q  // (mass noun) A naturally magnetized mineral; magnetite./// A person or thing that is the focus of attention or attraction; e.g., The revolution in eastern Europe has robbed the state of its ideological lodestone.

Bonnet (pronounced ˈbɒnɪt) = (noun) A woman's or child's hat tied under the chin, typically with a brim framing the face. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/American_School%2C_Mrs._Willet_Seaman%2C_Jr..jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Magasin_f%C3%B6r_konst%2C_nyheter_och_moder_1838%2C_illustration_nr_24.jpg  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/Old_woman_in_sunbonnet_by_Doris_Ulmann.jpg  // e.g. ‘I began tying the bonnet ribbon  (= a long, narrow strip of material used to tie things together or as a decoration) under my chin as I made my way to her.’/// A protective cover or cap over a machine or object, in particular.// (UK English) The hinged metal canopy (= an ornamental cloth covering hung or held up over something, especially a throne or bed) covering the engine of a motor vehicle. For a protective bonnet cover of a car See  http://www.theslshop.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/300x/17f82f742ffe127f42dca9de82fb58b1/0/0/000.0886_mercedes-benz-classic-bonnet-protective-cover_01.jpg and https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1BS.HKpXXXXXkaXXXq6xXFXXXs/EMS-1-PC-120-150CM-HD-Hood-font-b-Decal-b-font-font-b-Car-b.jpg   /// e.g., Underneath the bonnet stretching out in front is Jaguar's lovely V8./// (sailing, historical) An additional canvas laced to the foot of a sail to catch more wind. For a jib (= a triangular staysail set forward of the forwardmost mast) bonnet See http://www.farreachvoyages.com/images/655_First_Sail_1_22_Jun_15.jpg  // e.g., ''For fine weather sailing one or two ‘bonnets’ are added to the foot of the sail; we sailed with one bonnet of 213 sq.ft. added to the main.'' /// War bonnet = The ceremonial feathered headdress of a North American Indian. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Unidentified_Plains_Cree_at_a_powwow_in_Fort_Qu%27Appelle%2C_Saskatchewan_%2818469335396%29.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/Native_American_PowWow_9488.jpg

Headgear = (mass noun) Hats, helmets, and other items worn on the head; e.g., It is advised that protective headgear and clothing be worn.// e.g., There were five men aboard the boat, still wearing wet suits, including headgear.

Stupendous (pronounced stjuːˈpɛndəs) (not to be confused with ‘stupid’!) = (adjective) Extremely impressive; e.g., A stupendous display of technique.// e.g., A stupendous building, built in thanksgiving for success in war.// e.g., The report finds that the cost of these disparities (disparity = a great difference) is stupendous.// e.g., He ran up stupendous debts through his extravagant (= lacking restraint in spending money or using resources) lifestyle.// e.g., ''Stupendous news! We've won $100,000 in the lottery!'' ((**) for the last 2 examples).

Slander = (noun) the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person's reputation; e.g., He regarded his comment as a slander on his good reputation ((**) (for this example).// e.g., He is suing the TV company for slander.// e.g., Libel (pronounced lʌɪb(ə)l) and slander laws are commonly used to punish unacceptable speech./// (countable noun) A false and malicious (= intended to harm or upset other people) spoken statement; e.g., Prominent Americans like Henry Ford spewed vile slanders about them.// e.g., The defendants are further entitled to know who allegedly uttered (= voiced) the slander, what was said and to whom.// e.g., The doctor is suing his partner for slander ((**) (for this example)./// (verb with object) Make a false and damaging statement about someone; e.g., They were accused of slandering the head of state.

Slanderous = (adjective) (of a spoken statement) false and malicious (= intended to harm or upset other people); e.g., A slanderous accusation/ allegation/ comment.// e.g., ''Until people can prove their slanderous accusations, I will not believe them'' ((**) for the first 2 examples).// e.g., ‘I’m not going to miss the mud-slinging, slanderous, nasty ads on the radio.’// e.g., Posting of slanderous, libelous (= containing or constituting a libel, i.e., a written defamation; pronounced ˈlʌɪb(ə)ləs), abusive or defamatory (pronounced dɪˈfamət(ə)ri) material is totally prohibited.

Vile (pronounced vʌɪl) (not to be confused with ‘bile’!) = (adjective) Extremely unpleasant; e.g., He has a vile mood/ temper.// e.g., Vile smells.///  Morally bad; wicked; e.g., As vile a rogue (= a dishonest or unprincipled man) as ever lived.// e.g., He responded with the vilest language imaginable ((**) (for the last example).

Libel (pronounced lʌɪb(ə)l) (beware of the pronunciation!) = (noun) a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation; a written defamation; e.g., He was found guilty of a libel on a London inspector of taxes.// e.g., The whole story was a vicious libel.// e.g., Angry at what the newspaper had printed, he sued for libel ((**) (for the previous 2 examples)./// (mass noun) The action or crime of publishing a libel; e.g., He sued two newspapers for libel.// e.g., He threatened to sue the magazine for libel ((**) (for this example)./// A false and typically malicious (= intended to harm or upset other people) statement about a person; e.g., ‘You have published outrageous libels against our client directly to persons whose opinion of our client is critical to their professional reputation and standing.’

Malice (vs.) Malaise

Malice (pronounced ˈmalɪs) (beware of the pronunciation!) = (mass noun) The desire to harm someone; ill will; spitefulness (pronounced ˈspaɪt.fəl.nəs); e.g., ‘I bear (to accept, tolerate, or endure something, especially something unpleasant; pronounced beə(r) (*)) no malice towards anybody.’ // e.g., He said carefully, though the malice in his tone wasn't easy to hide.// e.g., There certainly wasn't any malice in his comments ((**) (for this example)./// (Law) Wrongful intention, especially as increasing the guilt of certain offenses; e.g., Even the doctrine of transferred malice can be used.// e.g., The privilege could nevertheless be defeated if actual malice was proved by the plaintiff (= a person who brings a case against another in a court of law).

Malaise (pronounced mælˈeɪz) (beware of the pronunciation!) = (mass noun) a general feeling of being ill or having no energy, or an uncomfortable feeling that something is wrong, especially with society, and that you cannot change the situation. Synonym = uneasiness. (My comment: malaise in medicine is a (subjective) symptom).// e.g., In the second scenario, a patient is suffering from fever, malaise, and a painful blistering rash after infection with smallpox (My comment: smallpox was eradicated in 1977). ((*) for the definition and the first 2 examples).// e.g., A general air of malaise./// (in singular) e.g., A society afflicted by a deep cultural malaise.///.// e.g., We were discussing the roots of the current economic malaise ((**) (for the last example).

Malicious (pronounced məˈlɪʃəs) = (adjective) Characterized by malice (pronounced ˈmalɪs); intended to harm or upset other people; e.g., Malicious destruction of property.// e.g., He was found guilty of malicious damage.// e.g., A hotbed of rumor and malicious chit-chat (= informal conversation about matters that are not important (*)).// e.g., The transmission of malicious software such as computer viruses.

Stamina (pronounced ˈstamɪnə) = (mass noun) The ability to sustain a prolonged physical or mental effort. Synonym = endurance.// e.g., Their secret is stamina rather than speed.// e.g., Although no special equipment is required for the climb, it takes stamina and determination.// e.g., The triathlon is a great test of stamina ((**) (for the last example).

Felicity = (noun) Intense happiness; e.g., Domestic felicity.// e.g., In this respect, they work as much in favor of happiness in this world as of felicity in the next! // e.g., The dubious (= doubtful) felicity of marriage ((^^^) for this example).// e.g., For such a person, felicity after death could be higher than felicity before death./// The ability to find the appropriate expression for one's thoughts; e.g., He exposed the kernel (= core) of the matter with his customary elegance and felicity (in his words).// e.g., Speech that pleased by its accuracy, felicity, and fluency.// e.g., ''I don’t usually interrupt questions, but I do like felicity of expression, which that clearly was not.'' /// (countable noun) A particularly effective feature of a work of literature or art; e.g., A book full of minor felicities.// e.g., In my childhood you'd get amazingly faithful BBC adaptations of classic books - several episodes to build a minor Victorian novel, recreating all its felicities. 

Solstice (pronounced ˈsɒlstɪs) (beware of the pronunciation!) = (noun) Either of the two times in the year, the summer solstice and the winter solstice, when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky at noon, marked by the longest and shortest days. For Northern Solstice See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Earth-lighting-summer-solstice_EN.png  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/South_season.jpg // For Southern Solstice See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Earth-lighting-winter-solstice_EN.png and  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/North_season.jpg  // e.g., The minimum length of shadow during a day is less in summer than in winter, and at the solstices, it changes from lengthening to shortening or vice versa (= with the main items in the preceding statement the other way around).

Akin (pronounced əˈkɪn) (beware of the pronunciation!) = (adjective) (predicative) Of similar character; e.g., Something akin to gratitude overwhelmed her.// e.g., Genius and madness are akin! // e.g., The ethics of healthcare professionals are now more akin to those of a good employee ((**) for this example).(My comment: they are, but as these are subjective, medicine needs directives regarding ethical matters).// e.g., They speak a language akin to French ((^^^) for this example)./// Related by blood; e.g., ''My parents were akin, probably half cousins.''

Boisterous (pronounced ˈbɔɪ.st(ə)r.əs) = (adjective) Noisy, energetic, and cheerful. For a boisterous dog (Doberman) See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfMPtRzgQno and (Bulldog) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu8vRHmKb2A  For boisterous badgers See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUq26cDKFug  For boisterous kids See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh4f9AYRCZY & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0FSFz6JZKk  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pVaq5FntwA // e.g., Boisterous children.// e.g., A boisterous game ((**) for the first 2 examples).// e.g., A group of boisterous lads (= young men, boys).// e.g., Their culture says it is OK to be boisterous, loud, and speak your mind. (My comment: such as in some Mediterranean countries)./// Noisy and not controlled; e.g., The audience burst into boisterous laughter ((*) for this definition and example)./// (of weather or water) wild or stormy. For boisterous winds creating waves See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ27QxB2QMI   // For a boisterous sea See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Bmlcn1Ta_s // e.g., The boisterous wind has lulled (= calmed).// e.g., On the other side of the railway stood the cemetery on a gradual rise looking out to the boisterous Tasman Sea.

Lull (pronounced lʌl) (beware of the pronunciation!) = (verb with object) Calm or send to sleep, typically with soothing sounds or movements; e.g., The rhythm of the boat lulled her to sleep.// e.g., The rustling (rustle = make a soft, muffled crackling sound like that caused by the movement of dry leaves or paper) leaves and calls of the night insects soon lulled her to sleep.// e.g., ''I closed my eyes and felt myself being slowly lulled to sleep.'' ///  Make someone feel deceptively secure or confident; e.g., The rarity of earthquakes there has lulled people into a false sense of security.// e.g., ''There are times I am lulled by familiarity, and I have spent time with people who are less than challenging.'' /// (verb; no object) (of noise or a storm) Abate or fall quiet; e.g., Conversation lulled for an hour.// e.g., The general conversation lulled rather after the Sergeant entered and began to eat mechanically./// (noun) A short interval (pronounced ˈɪn.tə.v(ə)l) of quiet or lack of activity; e.g., For two days there had been a lull in the fighting.// e.g., It's the longest lull in this investigation since he started striking about one month ago.

Lullaby (pronounced ˈlʌləbʌɪ)  (beware of the pronunciation!) = (noun) A quiet, gentle song sung to send a child to sleep. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Fran%C3%A7ois_Riss_Lullaby.jpg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7GpRUJHMGY  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmQYYTTTfcU  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow0lbyPkpnU    and    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0eASoAXTx0    // e.g., Participants learned the old lullabies and folk songs of their mothers and grandmothers joyfully and enthusiastically./// (verb) Sing to someone to get them to go to sleep; e.g. ''She lullabied us, she fed us.''

Abate (pronounced əˈbeɪt) = (verb; no object) (of something unpleasant or severe) become less intense or widespread; e.g., The storm/ wind/ rain has started to abate.// e.g., The fighting in the area shows no sign of abating ((**) for the first 2 examples).// e.g., A perfect late midsummer day - the cruel heat has abated./// (verb with object) Make something less intense; e.g., Nothing abated his crusading zeal (=passion).// e.g., He was convincing enough to persuade Wall Street, thus abating the nervousness of the market.// e.g., My desire for consumer goods has not abated ((**) for this example)./// (verb with object) (Law) Reduce or remove a nuisance (= source of annoyance); e.g., This action would not have been sufficient to abate the odor nuisance.// e.g., The Committee gave instructions to the electrical engineer to have the nuisance abated.

Nuisance (pronounced ˈnjuːs(ə)ns)  (beware of the pronunciation!) = (noun) A person or thing causing inconvenience or annoyance; source of annoyance; e.g., It's a nuisance having all those people clomping (clomp = walk with a heavy tread (= a manner or the sound of someone walking)) through the house.// e.g., ''I live in Beckenham in an area populated by many foxes that sometimes do make a nuisance of themselves!'' // e.g., ''I hope you're not going to make a nuisance of yourself.'' // (+ gerund (-ing verb)) e.g., ''It's such a nuisance having to rewrite those letters.'' /// (Law) An act which is harmful or offensive to the public or a member of it and for which there is a legal remedy; e.g., Private/ public nuisance.// e.g., Local residents claimed that the noise was causing a public nuisance ((^^^) for this example).// e.g., The courts tend to approach the question of the existence of a nuisance, whether public or private, as a question of fact.

Yearn (pronounced jəːn) (beware of the pronunciation!) = (verb; no object) to desire something strongly, especially something difficult or impossible to obtain (*); e.g., She yearned for a glimpse of him.// (with infinitive) e.g., They yearned to go home.// e.g., It is a significant day for a nation and a region in need of, and yearning for self-governance and an unshackling (unshackle = release from shackles, chains, or other physical restraints) from dictatorships and oppression.// e.g., Despite his great commercial success he still yearns for critical approval.// (+ to (full) infinitive) ''Sometimes I just yearn to be alone''  ((**) for the last 2 examples).

Longing (pronounced ˈlɒŋ.ɪŋ) (beware of the pronunciation!) (its meaning is not related to ‘long’) = (adjective) A yearning desire; a feeling of wanting something or someone very much ((*) for the second part of the definition); e.g., Mary felt a wistful longing for the old days./// (mass noun) e.g., A tale of love and longing.// e.g., They combine in her mind, and she feels intense longing.// e.g., Their university days are always recalled with nostalgic longing.

Wistful = (adjective) Having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing (= a yearning desire; pronounced ˈlɒŋ.ɪŋ); sad and thinking about something that is impossible or in the past  ((*) for the second part of the definition); e.g., A wistful smile.// e.g., Tom became wistful and in a surge of nostalgia (pronounced nɒˈstaldʒə) offered to show me around.// e.g. ''I thought about those days in Spain and grew wistful'' ((^^^) for this example).// e.g., ''I have a sort of wistful regret that policies of that kind were not fully understood or appreciated in this country at the time'' ((**) for the last example).

Nostalgia (pronounced nɒˈstaldʒə) (beware of the pronunciation!) = (noun) A sentimental (= of or prompted by feelings of tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia) longing (= a yearning desire; pronounced ˈlɒŋ.ɪŋ) or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations// a feeling of pleasure and also slight sadness when you think about things that happened in the past ((*) for the second part of the definition); e.g., ‘I was overcome with acute nostalgia for my days in university.’ // e.g., Many people feel nostalgia for their schooldays.// e.g., Hearing that song again filled him with nostalgia ((**) for the last 2 examples).

Halyard (pronounced ˈhaljəd) = (noun) A rope used for raising and lowering a sail, spar, flag, or yard on a sailing ship. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/US_Navy_070824-N-2893B-003_Chief_petty_officer_%28CPO%29_selectees_heave_around_on_the_halyard_to_raise_USS_Constitution%27s_mizzenmast_topsail_yard_while_underway.jpg/325px-thumbnail.jpg    and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Halyard.svg

Staple (My comment: I know when reading this word ‘stapled papers’ come to mind, but the word has other meanings as well!) = (noun) A piece of bent metal or wire pushed through something or clipped over it as a fastening, in particular. For an insulated (= protected by interposing material that prevents the loss of heat or the intrusion of sound) staple See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/U_Shape_Insulated_Staple_01.JPG  For staples on a paper See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Three_staples.jpg For staple strips used in staplers See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Drei_Klammerst%C3%A4be.jpg  For paper staples on a utility pole See  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Postegrampos.jpg    For staple pine wires See   https://3.imimg.com/data3/TL/FK/MY-266836/staple-wires-250x250.jpg    For surgical staples See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Cdm_hip_staples_376.jpg  //// A main or important element of something, especially of a diet; e.g., Bread, milk, and other staples.// e.g., Greek legend was the staple of classical tragedy.// e.g., Bread, an important staple, is often purchased rather than home-baked.///// The fiber of cotton or wool considered with regard to its length and degree of fineness. For staple (cotton) See https://saintkeat.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/cotton-staple.jpg   For staple (wool) See    https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Wool_staples.JPG/250px-Wool_staples.JPG   // e.g., He tested the lint (= short, fine fibers that separate from the surface of cloth or yarn, especially during processing) for staple length and strength.// e.g., Jackets made from long-staple Egyptian cotton./// (historical; often with a modifier) A center of trade, especially in a specified commodity (= a raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold, such as copper or coffee); e.g., Proposals were made for a wool staple at Pisa.// e.g., It is evident that the staple was primarily a fiscal (= of or relating to government revenue, especially taxes) organ of the crown, facilitating the collection of the royal customs./// (verb) Attach or secure with a staple or staples. For stapled papers, See  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Three_staples.jpg   // e.g., Dean stapled a batch (= a group of things or people dealt with at the same time or considered similar in type (*)  of papers together./// Sort or classify (wool, etc.) according to fiber; e.g., Environmentally friendly sheep's wool is stapled into the lateral groove for insulation (= protection)./// (adjective) Main or important, especially regarding consumption; e.g., The staple foods of the poor.// e.g., Violence is the staple diet of the video game generation./// (adjective) Most important in terms of trade or production; e.g., Rice was the staple crop grown in most villages.// e.g., Hexaploid common wheat is one of the most important staple crops globally.

Stapler = (noun) A device for fastening together sheets of paper with a staple or staples. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Leitz_stapler.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Booklet_stapler_rotate_1.jpg   // e.g., They also took paper, pens, pencils, staplers, white paper, and a box cutter. (My comment: we call all these, along with eraser and sharpener, stationery).

Pencil Sharpener = (noun) A device for sharpening a pencil by rotating a cutter around its point. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Sharpener_with_Pencil.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/KUM_Sharpener.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Flat_pencil_sharpener.jpg

Underhand (pronounced ˌʌn.dəˈhænd) (beware of the pronunciation!) (underhanded in North American English) = (adjective) (disapproving) Acting or done in a secret or dishonest way; e.g., Underhand dealings.// e.g., There is nothing covert or underhand about what has been going on here.// e.g., What really angered him was the dirty, underhand way they had tricked him ((**) for this example)./// Underhand bowling. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBSh7oo4iqM and  http://swansonquotes.com/wp-content/uploads/s04-ep13-seeyou2-1000x500.jpg   /// Another term for underarm = (UK English) (of a throw or stroke in sport) made with the arm or hand below shoulder level./// (as an adverb) e.g., ''I served underhand.'' /// With the palm of the hand upward or outward. (The opposite is called overhand). See (weightlifting) http://www.jasestuart.com/narrow-underhand-grip-lat-pulldown and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VhN4FMDyNA and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSG-0qIq9q8 // e.g., An underhand grip.

Bliss = (noun) Perfect happiness; great joy; e.g., He gave a sigh (= a long, deep, audible exhalation expressing sadness, relief, tiredness, or a similar feeling) of bliss.// e.g., Years of bottled up emotions spilled out in one brief moment of perfect bliss.// e.g., ''Lying on a sunny beach is my idea of sheer (= pure or complete) bliss.'' // e.g., Wedded (wed = get married to)/ domestic bliss ((**) for the previous 2 examples)./// A state of spiritual blessedness, typically that reached after death; e.g., The bliss of heaven.// e.g., The man who would conquer his contradictory feelings would reach bliss in the afterlife./// ''Bliss out" (or "be blissed out'') = (phrase) (informal) Reach a state of perfect happiness, oblivious (= not aware of or not concerned about what is happening around one) of everything else; e.g., Jim is just blissed out, always smiling.// (as an adjective) e.g., Blissed-out hippies.// e.g., There's plenty of delightful songwriting and blissed out guitar rock in this bedroom produced album.

Jamboree (pronounced dʒambəˈriː) (beware of the pronunciation!) = (noun) A large celebration or party, typically a lavish (= luxurious) and boisterous (= (of a person, event, or behavior) noisy, energetic, and cheerful; rowdy) one. See http://oregonjamboree.com/wp-content/uploads/Jamboree-Promo-Team-with-Danny-web.jpg and http://www.summitbsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/JMTthumb1.jpg and http://www.summitbsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Jambo-Volunteers-610x237.jpg   // e.g., The film industry's annual jamboree in Cannes (pronounced kæn).// e.g., The party is planning a year-long jamboree to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland's national poet./// A large rally of Scouts or Guides. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/20th_World_Scout_Jamboree_closing_ceremony.jpg  /// (school sports) When a number of school teams in the southeast US gather for a series of informal scrimmages at one site on a particular day ((*****) for this definition).

Clomp = (verb, no object, with adverbial of direction) Walk with a heavy tread (= a manner or the sound of someone walking). For a teen clomping See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4R4UQIz2Eo  For a horse clomping See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzimwI-KuhI   and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g66iGh5vu4 and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0CunxGuysQ  // e.g., He clomped down the steps.// e.g., ''I heard someone walk into the stable, boots clomping.'' // e.g., The horse walked toward him, his big hooves (plural of ''hoof'' = the hard part on the bottom of the feet of animals such as horses, sheep, and deer (*)) clomping on the stable floor./// (noun) The sound of a heavy tread; e.g., The clomp of booted feet.// e.g., And the steady clomp of the horse's hooves must be ringing in their ears.// e.g., ''As soon as I heard the clomp of combat boots behind me I knew I was in deep trouble.''

Batch vs. Butch

Batch (pronounced batʃ) = (noun) A quantity or consignment (= an amount of goods that is sent somewhere (*); pronounced kənˈsaɪn.mənt) of goods produced at one time; e.g., The cook brought in a fresh batch of homemade cupcakes.((**) for the first example).// e.g., A batch of bread/ cookies.// e.g., The company undertakes 15 separate quality control checks on every batch.// e.g., (as modifier) Batch production./// (informal) A number of things or people regarded as a group or set; e.g., A batch of loyalists and skeptics.// e.g., It’s always unpleasant when individuals who’ve worked on a second or third-rate film collect a batch of awards.// e.g., Australia collected a batch of free settlers before the gold rush./// (Computing) A group of records processed as a single unit, usually without input from a user.// e.g., (as modifier) This should be run as a batch program from the process directory./// (verb with object) Arrange things in sets or groups; e.g., ''I had nothing to do but batch the reports.''// e.g., This is where paper, cans and plastic bottles are sorted and batched for re-processing.// e.g., ''All of our final formulas are batched up here.'' // e.g., Here's a mechanism for batching them into a locked-and-loaded tool for firing them into the world.

Butch (pronounced bʊtʃ) (My  comment: the meaning is striking so I think you will not confuse it with ''batch''!)= (adjective) (informal) Having an appearance or other qualities of a type traditionally seen as masculine; e.g., A butch woman in a baseball cap.// e.g., Butch men and feisty (= (of a person, typically one who is relatively small or weak) lively, determined, and courageous) women.// e.g., ''There might be some butch firefighters on their way over!'' /// (noun) A mannish lesbian, often contrasted with a more feminine partner; e.g., Also masculine females and feminine males - including butches and gay males considered to be ''effeminate.''

Skullduggery (or skulduggery) (pronounced ˌskʌlˈdʌɡ.(ə)r.i) = (mass noun) Underhand, unscrupulous (= not honest or fair), or dishonest behavior or activities; e.g., A firm that investigates commercial skullduggery.// e.g., As exchanges become more of a presence in the market, the potential for skullduggery has never been greater.// e.g., They get into their positions by political skulduggery and by certain pressures that are put on them ((**) for the last example).

Breakage = (noun) The action of breaking something, or the fact of being broken; e.g., Some breakage of bone has occurred.// e.g., (countable noun) There had been three breakages in the overhead wires.

Premier vs. Premiere

Premier (pronounced ˈprem.i.ə(r) in British English and prɪˈmɪr in North American English) = (attributive) (adjective) First in importance, order, or position; leading; e.g., Germany’s premier rock band.// e.g.,  ‘Google’ remains the premier search engine.//// Of earliest creation; e.g., He holds the premier barony in the UK—created in 1269.// e.g., ‘I had purchased the premier issue of this book.’ /// (noun) A prime minister or other head of government; e.g.,  The Prime Minister will also discuss this with the Chinese premier during his forthcoming (= planned for or about to happen in the near future) visit to the UK.// e.g., Grantley Adams, the first premier of Barbados, became the Prime Minister of the Federation.// e.g., He also handed over a letter from Cambodian Prime Minister to the Thai premier.//// (in Australia and Canada) the chief minister of a government of a state or province; e.g., At present, the constitution limits the presidency - and the provincial premiers - to two terms of office.// e.g., A provincial premier has ready access to any number of learned advisors./// The Premier League = (proper noun) The top division of professional soccer in England and Wales; e.g., (as modifier) A Premier League team.

Premiere (pronounced ˈprem.i.eə(r) in British English and prɪˈmɪr in North American English) (My comment: I think the American pronunciation is more prevalent here) = (noun) The first performance of a musical or theatrical work or the first showing of a movie; e.g., ''Forgiveness'' was selected as one of the opening films and will screen its international premiere at the festival.// e.g., The world premiere of his new play./// (verb with object) Give the first performance of; e.g., His first stage play was premiered at the Royal National Theatre.// e.g.,  ‘Take a look at this rap video that we’re premiering March 2nd on MTV.’ //// (verb; no object) (of a musical or theatrical work or a film) has its first performance; e.g., The show premiered in New York this week.// e.g., The play premiered in Paris, then on to Seattle, Vienna, and Tokyo.

Yam = (noun) (US English) A sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas). See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Sweet_potatoes%2C_Padangpanjang.jpg   and  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/5aday_sweet_potato.jpg  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Ipomoea_batatas_006.JPG and (roasted) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Gungoguma_%28roasted_sweet_potatoes%29_2.jpg and (steamed) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Jjin-goguma.jpg // e.g., These days you can just about guarantee that any yams you see in your grocery store are really sweet potatoes. [Note: Although the soft, orange sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is often called a "yam" in parts of North America, the sweet potato is botanically very distinct from a true yam (Dioscorea genus) (mentioned below), which is native to Africa and Asia. To add to the confusion, a different crop plant, the oca  (Oxalis tuberosa), a species of wood sorrel), is called a "yam" in many parts of Polynesia, including New Zealand ((*****) for this Note)].//// The edible starchy tuber of a climbing plant, widely distributed in tropical and subtropical countries. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/%E0%B4%95%E0%B4%BE%E0%B4%9A%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%9A%E0%B4%BF%E0%B5%BD-%E0%B4%95%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%B4%E0%B4%99%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%99%E0%B5%8D.JPG and   https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Yam_with_numerous_protruding_fibers.jpg  ///  e.g., Trucks selling yams, widely used as a tonic, can be seen along the provincial highway in Nantou County./// The plant that yields the yam; e.g., Men clear the bush and plant the yams with the help of the women and the children./// (verb; no object) (Scottish, Irish) (of a cat) miaow; e.g., A cat slips up the driveway, yamming and trying to talk!

Revolving door = an entrance to a large building in which four partitions turn about a central axis. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Revolving_Door.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Revolvingdoors.ogv/220px--Revolvingdoors.ogv.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/TR-a.JPG

CEO vs. CO (acronyms; as ranks and titles)

CEO = (acronym) Chief Executive Officer; the highest-ranking person in a company or other institution, ultimately responsible for making managerial decisions.

CO = (acronym) Commanding Officer; the officer in command of a military unit; e.g., CO Dwight D. Eisenhower addresses American paratroopers before D-Day. See  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Eisenhower_d-day.jpg [My comment: in November 1942, Eisenhower was a ''planning officer'' in Washington, D.C. and became a full general in 1943 when he was appointed as the supreme commander of the Allied Forces and given the responsibility of leading the planned Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe (*****)].  // Contracting Officer (CO or KO) = (in the U.S. government)  a person who can bind the Federal Government of the US to a contract that is greater than the Micro-Purchase threshold. This is limited to the scope of authority delegated to the Contracting Officer by the head of the agency (*****).

APUSH (also known as AP U.S. History or AP United States History) (My comment: we commonly meet this abbreviation as a title of YouTube American history-related videos uploaded by American students) = (acronym) Advanced Placement United States History; a college-level course and examination offered by College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program (*****).

Metro (pronounced ˈmet.rəʊ) = (noun) A subway system in a city, especially in Paris; e.g., A good example of this is the map of an underground railway system or metro./// (adjective) Metropolitan; e.g., The Detroit metro area.// e.g., The metro section in today’s newspaper.// // (adjective) Relating to a large city and the area surrounding it; e.g., This guidebook includes a map of the Phoenix metro area ((*) for the last definition and the previous 2 examples).

Ordinarily (pronounced ˌɔː.d(ə)nˈer.ɪ.li) (beware of the pronunciation!) (My comment: some may pronounce it ˈɔːd(ə)ˌn(ə)rɪli. I guess it’s not wrong; however, I recommend you pronounce it ˌɔː.d(ə)nˈer.ɪ.li)  = (sentence adverb) Usually; most often; e.g., ‘Ordinarily, we send a reminder about a month before payment is required.’ // e.g., ''We ordinarily get paid on Friday'' (*).// e.g., The fixings that would ordinarily appear at a grand turkey dinner.// e.g., A person who is ordinarily resident in the UK./// (adverb) In a normal way; e.g., An effort to behave ordinarily.// e.g., ‘It started ordinarily enough with me standing outside my local convenience store, but there seemed to be something different about it.’

Factitious vs. Fictitious

Factitious = (adjective) Artificially created or developed; e.g., For decades, physicians have known about the so-called factitious disorder, better known in its severe form as Munchausen syndrome.// e.g., A largely factitious national identity.// e.g., The excitement was largely factitious and confined to the media.// e.g., It was then determined whether each episode was medically unexplained, explained, mixed in nature (evidence of both physical and psychological disorder) or factitious (not fictitious).// e.g., Those proposals and those negotiations may be malicious or factitious ((**) for the last 3 examples).

Fictitious = (adjective) Not real or true, being imaginary or having been fabricated;  false; e.g., He pleaded guilty to stealing thousands in taxpayer dollars by having a fictitious employee on his payroll.// e.g., Reports of a deal were dismissed as fictitious by the Minister.// e.g., Executives invented fictitious sales to justify amounts transferred offshore.// e.g., Many of the internet customers had been giving fictitious names and addresses.// e.g., She dismissed recent rumors about her private life as fictitious ((**) for the previous 3 examples).//// Occurring in or invented for fiction; e.g., This character could be fictitious, and yet the story would have had the same powerful message.// e.g.,  It’s crucial, nonetheless, to distinguish between fictitious creatures and real human beings.// e.g., Characters in this novel/ movie are entirely fictitious ((**) for the last example).

Hang-out (as a noun) = (noun) (informal) A place one lives in or frequently visits./// A favorite place for spending time; e.g., Shopping areas, schools, and colleges, hang-outs and eateries may be mushrooming.// e.g., A club notorious (= famous for something immoral or bad (*)) in the area as a hang-out for the criminally inclined.

Hang out (as a verb in North American English)= (intransitive verb) (US English) to protrude and droop// to live, reside; e.g., Folks will surely miss hanging out around the circular fireplace after carving through fresh powder all day.// e.g., The 33-year-old hung out with the US President, the Vice President, and his wife during the Invictus Games in Toronto today./// (transitive verb) to display outside as an announcement to the public —used chiefly in the phrase ‘hang out one’s shingle’ (***).

Out of bounds = (phrase) Outside the part of a sports field or court in which play is conducted. See  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imFifVzMfKU and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSXFvt5PsbE and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nERxBaCMOKo   // e.g., He hit his third shot out of bounds at the 17th (min)// e.g., ‘I see a kid get the ball out of bounds, come down the court going between his legs and behind his back repeatedly without reason.’ // e.g., Unfortunately, his shot hit the goal post and bounced out of bounds./// Outside the limits of where one is permitted to be; e.g., The fountain is out of bounds to all comers to the park.// e.g., ''Her kitchen was out of bounds to me at mealtimes!'' // e.g., None of them could watch anything because the day room was put out of bounds to them./// Beyond what is acceptable; e.g., Peter felt that this conversation was getting out of bounds.// e.g., ‘There's something fantastically liberating in the licence she gives you to laugh at subjects usually out of bounds.// e.g., ‘I don't think it's out of bounds to say that the last comment she made was very controversial.’

Entail (pronounced ɪnˈteɪl|) (beware of the pronunciation!) = (verb with object) Involve something as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence.// Synonym = necessitate.// e.g., This situation entails considerable risks.// e.g., The existence of the one necessarily entails the existence of the other.// e.g. Repairing the roof will entail spending a lot of money ((^^^) for this example)./// (Logic) Have as a logically necessary consequence; e.g., The last four predicates (predicate = something which is affirmed or denied concerning an argument of a proposition) are equivalent, so they entail the same predicates and are entailed by the same predicates.// e.g., What is entailed by a necessary fact is itself necessary.//// (Law) Limit the inheritance of property over a number of generations so that ownership remains within a particular family or group; e.g., Her father’s estate was entailed on a cousin.// e.g., Within the inalienability of entailed real property was concealed the conversion of Parliamentary seats into a cash value.// e.g., Fortunes then were large and permanent since they were entailed and in fact the younger branches of the family never married./// (noun) (Law) A limitation of the inheritance of property to certain heirs (heir = a person legally entitled to the property or rank of another on that person's death; pronounced eə(r)) over a number of generations; e.g., The damage being done in England by entails.// e.g., (mass noun) Landed property was governed by primogeniture (= the right of succession belonging to the firstborn child, especially the feudal rule by which the whole real estate of an intestate passed to the eldest son) and entail.// e.g., In Prussia, or Spain before 1836, perpetual (= occurring repeatedly; so frequent as to seem endless and uninterrupted) entails prevented the break-up of large estates./// A property bequeathed (bequeath = leave a personal estate or one's body to a person or other beneficiary by a will; pronounced bɪˈkwiːð) under an entail; e.g., The spinning mills (mill = a building equipped with machinery for grinding grain into flour) were not part of the entail.

Primogeniture (pronounced ˌpraɪ.məʊˈdʒen.ɪ.tʃər() (beware of the pronunciation!) = (noun) the right of succession belonging to the firstborn child, especially the feudal rule by which the whole real estate of an intestate passed to the eldest son; e.g., After the sin, the primogenitures lost their privilege of serving in the Holy Temple and it was given to the Levites.// e.g., It was from about the 17th century that male primogeniture became practically universal ((**) for this example)///.The right of succession belonging to the firstborn child, especially the feudal rule by which the whole real estate of an intestate passed to the eldest son; e.g.; Inheritance customs stress the right of primogeniture, which gives preference to the oldest brother.

Feat (pronounced  fiːt) = (noun) An achievement that requires great courage, skill, or strength; e.g., The new printing presses were considerable feats of engineering.// e.g., It is hard to imagine what other feats she could have achieved if her career not ended so suddenly.// e.g. The Eiffel tower is a remarkable feat of engineering.// e.g. He has performed remarkable feats of organization for the office ((^^^) for the last 2 examples).

Preposterous (pronounced prɪˈpɒst(ə)rəs) (beware of the pronunciation!) = (formal) (adjective) Contrary to reason or common sense – utterly (= completely or extremely; pronounced ˈʌt.əl.i) absurd (= (of an idea or suggestion) wildly unreasonable, illogical, or inappropriate; pronounced əbˈsɜːd) or ridiculous; e.g., A preposterous suggestion/ idea.// e.g., The only reason the idea seems so preposterous is that we refuse to live like them.// e.g., It was a preposterous idea, and no one took it seriously.// e.g., The idea of a cosmos (= the universe seen as a well-ordered whole) centered on our unique and privileged position in space-time became more and more preposterous ((**) for the last 4 examples) (My comment: almost all religions preach the anthropocentric rather than cosmocentric theory of universe!). 

Indignation (pronounced  ɪndɪɡˈneɪʃ(ə)n) = (noun) Anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment; e.g., The letter filled her with indignation.// e.g., They are described as women who rose in righteous anger and indignation when a man tried to tamper with (= interfere with something in order to cause damage or make unauthorized alterations) them.// e.g., ‘I remember getting up and feeling a mixture of self-pity and indignation.’ // e.g., When the news struck the world's media, outrage and indignation were universal.

Conflate = (verb with object) To combine 2 or more separate things, especially pieces of text, to form a whole (*)// combine (two or more sets of information, texts, ideas, etc.) into one; e.g., She conflated the 3 plays to produce a fresh new work ((**) for this example).// e.g., The urban crisis conflates a number of different economic, political, and social issues.// e.g., He conflates ideas associated with the French revolution with contemporary American life.// e.g., Gradually this notion (= a conception of or belief about something) of the election has been conflated with another, still a more dangerous idea.

Furlough (pronounced ˈfəːləʊ ) = (mass noun) Leave of absence, especially that granted to a member of the services or a missionary; time off; e.g., A civil servant home on furlough.// e.g., (countable noun) A five-week furlough in New Zealand.// e.g., In 1980, a missionary couple from the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board was declared ‘personae non gratae’  (= (in diplomacy) a foreign person whose entering or remaining in a particular country is prohibited by that country's government (*****)) by the convention and letters were sent to Richmond requesting that they not return from their furlough.// e.g., Republic Pictures hoped to make a movie with Gene Autry while he was on furlough from the Army Air Corps./// (verb with object) (usually as adjective furloughed) (US English)  Grant leave of absence to; e.g., Furloughed workers.// e.g., Furloughed public sector staff bear the brunt (= full force) of the current impasse (= a situation in which no progress is possible, especially because of disagreement; a deadlock) in Washington as up to 800,000 go without pay (from the media).

Corps = (noun) a main subdivision of an armed force in the field, consisting of two or more divisions. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Latvian_platoon_at_Camp_Lejune.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/XVIII_Abn._Corps_headquarters%2C_2009.jpg // e.g., The 5th Army Corps.

(the) Brunt (pronounced brʌnt) = (noun) The worst part or chief impact of a specified action; e.g., Education will bear (= to accept, tolerate, or endure something, especially something unpleasant; pronounced beə(r) (*)) the brunt of the cuts.// e.g., The hotel’s casual staff were bearing the brunt of the loss in business with a reduction in their hours.// e.g., The poor of the world will have to bear the brunt of the resulting resource degradation (=  the condition or process of degrading or being degraded).// e.g., Pakistan was then, as today, a frontline state and bore (bear – bore – borne or (US English) born) the brunt of the economic and social impact of the conflict in Afghanistan.// e.g., Furloughed public sector staff bear the brunt of the current impasse (= a situation in which no progress is possible, especially because of disagreement; a deadlock) in Washington as up to 800,000 go without pay (from the media).

Quest = (noun) A long or arduous search for something; e.g., The quest for a reliable HIV vaccine has intensified.// e.g. Nothing will stop them in their quest for truth.// e.g. He went to India on a spiritual quest ((^^^) for the last 2 examples)./// (in medieval romance) an expedition made by a knight to accomplish a prescribed task; e.g., ‘So my idea is that we need these shining knights from the castle to journey forth on a quest.’ /// (verb; no object) Search for something; e.g., He was a real scientist, questing after truth.// e.g., In the early 1700s, French economist Cantillon expanded the definition to include those who quested for earnings where there was an element of uncertainty.// e.g., Ours is the world of love, questing to find the common links that bind all people./// (verb with object) (literary) Search for; seek out; e.g., They quest wisdom.// e.g., Only when beliefs conflict with personal experiences will most people start questing the truth of their beliefs.

Arduous (pronounced ˈɑː.dʒu.əs) = (adjective) Involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring; e.g., An arduous journey/ climb/ task ((^^^) for this example).// e.g., Artists say that getting their art shown in galleries is an arduous and difficult process.// e.g., This nonstop boat trip is just part of the arduous journey to bring help.// e.g., Before becoming a Mass (= the Christian Eucharist or Holy Communion, especially in the Roman Catholic Church)  server one had to learn the Latin responses and this was a long and arduous task.

Query (pronounced  ˈkwɪəri) (beware of the pronunciation) =  (noun) A question, often expressing doubt about something, especially one addressed to an official or organization; e.g., ‘If you have any queries please telephone our office.’ //  e.g., A spokeswoman said queries could not be answered until noon.// e.g. ‘If you have any queries about your treatment, the doctor will answer them’ ((^^^) for the last example).///  Used in writing or speaking to question the accuracy of a following statement or to introduce a question; e.g., ‘Query: what should I do about my legs in hot weather?’ // e.g., ‘Query: would my father have ever agreed to this? ‘ /// (Printing) A question mark (?)./// (computing) In general, the term query is commonly used to describe a question or request that is made by a user or another computer or device; e.g., when someone uses a search engine such as ‘Google,’ the text the user enters is considered the search query. Referring to a database or search, query is a field or option used to locate information within a database or another location. For instance, someone may query a database to find all related tables that match the state of ‘Utah’ in the USA. The database could then return all people logged in the database that live in Utah. (Reference (Retrieved: January 22 2019):  https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/q/query.htm     ) //// (reporting verb) Ask a question about something, especially in order to express one’s doubts about it or to check its validity or accuracy; e.g., (verb with clause) Many people queried whether any harm had been done.// e.g., (verb with object) ‘I rang the power company to query my bill.’ // e.g., (with direct speech) ‘Why not?’ she queried./// (verb with object) (US English) Put a question or questions to someone; e.g., When these officers were queried, they felt unhappy.// e.g., Sometimes a questionnaire can be used to query students.// e.g., Clinicians should query parents about eating behaviors when discussing dietary habits at well-child visits. (My comment: If they do so, they will be surprised at the ignorance of many parents who let their children eat junk food, a dietary (not ‘diet’) habit that has as a consequence the building up of plaque, leading later in adulthood to atherosclerosis (= hardening of the arteries)!)

Bear (= to accept, tolerate, or endure something, especially something unpleasant // to have or continue to have something// to hold or support something// to give birth to young, or (of a tree or plant) to give or produce fruit or flowers// to carry and move something to a place// to change direction slightly so that you are going in a particular direction; pronounced beə(r) (*) (beware of the pronunciation!))  – bore – borne or (in North American English) born; e.g., The strain must have been enormous but he bore (= to accept, tolerate, or endure something, especially something unpleasant) it well.// e.g., ''I can't bear being bored!'' (My comment: ‘bored’ (pronounced bɔːd) is an adjective!) // e.g., On display were boxing gloves that bore (= to have or continue to have something) Rocky Marciano's signature.// e.g., She had borne five children by the time she was 30.// e.g., The pear tree they planted has never borne fruit.// e.g., Infants were healthy with no known developmental delays and were born (US English) full-term with normal birth weights (*).

At stake = (phrase) If something that is valuable is at stake, it is in a situation where it might be lost; is at risk; e.g., Thousands of lives (not ‘lifes’) will be at stake if emergency aid does not arrive in the city soon (*).// e.g., People’s lives could be at stake.// e.g., ‘How do you decide the bottom line, when people's lives or the world economy, are at stake?’ // e.g., What is at stake is not just the fate of a failed technology company./// At issue or in question; e.g., The logical response is to give up, but there’s more at stake than logic.// e.g., There are many issues at stake here, not least those of equity and social justice.// e.g., There are several issues at stake here, but two stand out in particular.// e.g., However, there are more fundamental questions at stake, about the very meaning of right and wrong.

Grievance (pronounced ˈɡriːv(ə)ns) = (noun) A real or imagined wrong or other cause for complaint or protest, especially unfair treatment; e.g., Tom still harbors/ nurses a grievance against his employers for not promoting him (**).// e.g., A website which enabled staff to air their grievances.// e.g., Such movements aimed primarily to address (= to give attention to or deal with a matter or problem (*)) specific grievances.// A special committee has been appointed to handle prisoners’ grievance ((^^^) for this example) ///  An official statement of a complaint about something believed to be wrong or unfair; e.g., Three pilots have filed grievances against the company.// e.g., After years of what he considered to be unfair treatment, he filed a grievance with the University.// e.g., If a client feels he or she (don’t forget the gender-unbiased language!) has been treated unfairly, there is the option of filing a grievance./// A feeling of resentment (= bitter indignation (= anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment) at having been treated unfairly) over something believed to be wrong or unfair; e.g., She was nursing a grievance.// e.g., A feeling of grievance can be real even when the grievance itself is not! // e.g., Unfortunately, though, humans have a tendency to bear grudges (grudge = a persistent feeling of ill will or resentment resulting from a past insult or injury) and nurse grievances, even when the reasons for doing so are irrational.

Borough (pronounced ˈbʌrə) (beware of the pronunciation) = (noun) A town or district that is an administrative unit; e.g., ‘I know that the whole motorcycle community in the borough and the local clubs will share my enthusiasm.’ // e.g., Our plan would rely on a partnership, ideally including local businesses, the borough and parish (= (in the Christian Church) a small administrative district typically having its own church and a priest or pastor) council for a trial scheme.// e.g., The White is actually made up of four districts, or boroughs.///  Each of five divisions of New York City; e.g., The five boroughs that make up New York City account for more than 6% of US GDP (gross domestic product).// e.g., The US President Donald Trump is born in the Queens borough of New York City (NYC)./// (British English) A town (as distinct from a city) with a corporation and privileges granted by a royal charter; e.g., And every other borough in the county is to be asked if they want the new bus services.// e.g., Some boroughs and counties are quite repressive and others are very open./// (British English) (historical) A town sending representatives to Parliament; e.g., Kingston was one of England’s earliest parliamentary boroughs./// An administrative division of London; e.g., The action will mainly involve support staff in schools in around 13 of the 32 London boroughs.// e.g., Kingston London Borough Council is the local authority for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in Greater London, England ((*****) for this example)./// A municipal corporation in certain US states; e.g., Alpine was created as a Bergen County, N.J. borough April 8, 1903 from area taken from Harrington Township.///  (in Alaska) a district corresponding to a county elsewhere in the USA.

Charter (pronounced ˈtʃɑːtə) (My comment: I know that most of you know the meaning of this word as ‘the hiring of an aircraft, ship, or motor vehicle for a special purpose’ – I just refer to it for the other meanings!) = (noun) A written grant by the sovereign (= possessing supreme or ultimate power) or legislative (= having the power to make laws) power of a country, by which a body such as a borough, company, or university is created or its rights and privileges defined; e.g., The town received a charter from the Emperor.// e.g., The club was granted a charter in 1929 and by March 1936 sufficient funds had been raised to build a club hall in Newington Road on ground granted by the municipality.// e.g., In some places, though, a town charter must be granted by vote of the state legislature (= the legislative body of a country or state).// e.g., The 18 states where other institutions, such as universities and local governments, can grant charters have an average of 96 schools./// A written constitution or description of an organization’s functions; e.g., The impending (impend = be about to happen) review of the BBC’s Charter.// e.g., ‘First of all, we establish a charter under which the organization operates.’ // e.g., The U.S. State Department says they'll wait to see a full draft of the constitutional charter before responding./// (with a modifier) (in the UK) a written statement of the rights of a specified group of people; e.g., The standard set by the patient’s charter.// e.g., The Patient's Charter requires all patients to be treated with dignity and respect. (My comment: all these standards are good only when strictly implemented!)// e.g., But, he told them, the troop’s charter could be at stake (= at risk)./// A charter for = (British English) A policy or law regarded as enabling people to engage more easily in a specified undesirable activity; e.g., He described the act as a charter for vandals./// (mass noun) The hiring of an aircraft, ship, or motor vehicle for a special purpose; e.g., A plane on charter to a multinational company./// (countable noun) A ship or vehicle that is hired; e.g., At present, there are about 7 licensed sea-going passenger boats available for charter in Mayo, based as far apart as Achill and Killala./// (countable noun) A trip made by a ship or vehicle under hire; e.g., She liked to see the boat sparkling clean before each charter.///// (verb with object) (usually as adjective chartered) Grant a charter to a city, university, or other bodies; e.g., For most of the 19th century, corporations were chartered by acts of state legislatures.// e.g., The committee plan to go to Congress within the year to have the museum chartered.// e.g., Universities were chartered to award their own degrees and could within limits lay on whatever courses they liked./// Hire an aircraft, ship, or motor vehicle; e.g., She immediately chartered a plane to take her to London.

State Department = the United States Department of State (DOS); the federal executive department that advises the US President and conducts international relations. Equivalent to the foreign ministry of other countries, it was established in 1789 as the nation’s first executive department. The State Department's duties include implementing the foreign policy of the US, operating the nation’s diplomatic missions abroad, negotiating treaties (treaty = a formally concluded and ratified agreement between countries; pronounced ˈtriː.ti) and agreements with foreign entities, and representing the US at the United Nations (UN). It is led by the Secretary of State, a member of the Cabinet who is nominated by the US President and confirmed by the Senate (*****).

Secretary of State =  (in the US) The head of the State Department, responsible for foreign affairs./// (in Canada) A government minister responsible for a specific area within a department./// (in the UK) The head of a major government department; e.g., The Secretary of State for Defense.

Northern Lights ( Aurora Borealis) = a pattern of differently colored lights seen in the night sky in the most northern part of the world (*). See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Aurora_australis_ISS.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Aurora_Borealis_and_Australis_Poster.jpg  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Virmalised_17.03.15.jpg and https://xablaxablau.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/aurora-borealis-32-cool-wallpapers-hd.jpg

Annex (verb or noun) or Annexe (noun; UK English) [pronounced a) Verb = əˈnɛks. b) Noun = ˈanɛks] = a) (verb) (with object) (pronounced əˈnɛks) Add as an extra or subordinate part, especially to a document; e.g., The first ten amendments were annexed to the Constitution in 1791.// e.g., It is the Corporations Act 2001 of Western Australia, which is annexed to the submissions in reply.// e.g., For ready reference, a copy of this document is annexed as Schedule ‘A’ to these reasons./// Add territory to one's own territory by appropriation; e.g., The left bank of the Rhine was annexed by France in 1797.// The UK annexed this small island west of Scotland in 1955.// e.g., In the 4th century, Alexander the Great conquered nearly all of the Near East and Palestine was annexed to Egypt and fell under Greek control. (My comment: The contribution of Alexander the Great to world history was that he eliminated the Persian threat that was about to conquer Eastern Europe. Indeed, the Macedonians, after ‘conquering’ Greece, they led (not ‘leaded’) Greek coalition forces (in which the brave Spartans did not participate) and launched a military campaign against the Persians as a retaliation for their attack in Greece and especially the razing of the Acropolis (= a citadel or fortified part of an ancient Greek city, typically built on a hill; in ancient Athens it includes the notorious Parthenon temple) in Athens! Alexander did not only conquer Persia fulfilling his vengeance, but his troops reached India! However, the opinion that the incentive and achievement of his military campaign were to civilize West Asia is naïve. All wars and military attacks, including the Crusades, were characterized by bloodshed and plunder (= looting, pillaging)! Along with others, a negative side of Alexander was that he allowed the indigenous populations of the conquered Asia to worship him, often literally, like (not ‘as’) a God!)./// b) (noun) (pronounced ˈanɛks) A building joined to or associated with the main building, providing additional space or accommodation. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Pikkuparlamentti.jpg/1200px-Pikkuparlamentti.jpg and http://www.eiu.edu/grnhouse/thut/45-42r-A.jpg // e.g., The school’s one-storey (storey = one of the floors or levels in a building (*); story in North American English) wooden annex.// e.g., The hospital comprises three main structures - the annex building, atrium (= a large open central area in a public or commercial building, often with a glass roof, and sometimes containing plants and a pool (*)), and research center.// e.g., Valuable books are kept in an annexe to the main library ((^^^) for this example)./// An addition to a document; e.g., She said the risk streets were listed in an annex to the report.// e.g.,  The technical annex to the document is almost three times as long as the text it supports! // e.g., The Licence Committee considered other available evidence, including that derived from the five publications referred to in the attached annex.  

Annexation = (noun) The action of annexing something, especially territory; e.g., The annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938.// e.g., The Crimean (pronounced krʌɪˈmiːən) Peninsula was annexed from Ukraine by the Russian Federation in February–March 2014  ((*****) for this example).// e.g., The annexation of Eritrea by Ethiopia in 1962 started off a bitter 30-year war of independence.

Addendum (pronounced əˈdɛndəm) = (noun) an addition required to be made to a document by its author after its printing or publication (*****)// An item of additional material added at the end of a book or other publication. For an addendum to a will See (you need to open the file) https://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Addendum-to-Will // e.g., ‘Would it help matters if I published your addendum?’ // e.g., This section is little more than an addendum to the rest of the book and would not be missed.// e.g., This addendum accomplishes several rhetorical tasks at once.