n. one who informs, animates, or inspires
E.g. All passengers get off and scramble over the mud, rocks and trees to get on the other bus and continue their journey, my informer explained.
n. violation of rule or regulation; breach; minor offence or petty crime
E.g. When Dennis Rodman butted heads with that referee, he committed a clear infraction of NBA rules.
v. act contrary to, as a law, right, or obligation; annul or hinder
E.g. I am disgusted at this decision by the government, to once again infringe on the rights of the people of the countryside!
v. enrage; make furious or mad with anger
E.g. Her big brother's teasing used to infuriate Margaret; no matter how hard she tried to keep her temper, he always got her goat.
n. act or process of infusing; introduction of a solution into person through vein for therapeutic purposes
E.g. The rookie quarterback brought an infusion of new life and vigor to the tired team.
n. lack of gratitude; forgetfulness of kindness or favors received
E.g. The person of ingratitude has a sad exit at last.
a. lacking pity or compassion; cruel and savage
E.g. Millions of turkeys are raised in inhumane, industrial settings.
a. having no adverse effect; harmless
E.g. An occasional glass of wine with dinner is relatively innocuous and should have no ill effect on you.
a. disposed to ask questions, especially in matters which do not concern the inquirer; given to examination, investigation, or research
E.g. Walter is described as an inquisitive thinker who loves reading, chess, bird watching, and other old-fashioned activities.
a. impenetrable; not readily understood; mysterious
E.g. Experienced poker players try to keep their expressions inscrutable, hiding their reactions to the cards behind a so-called "poker face."
a. lacking flavor or zest; not tasty; dull
E.g. Flat prose and flat ginger ale are equally insipid: both lack sparkle.
n. continual and persistent demands
E.g. He clashed frequently with insiders who regarded his management style and his policies as unacceptable, in particular, his insistence that bank help for poor nations be tied in future to their willingness to root out corruption.
a. instant; immediate; occurring with no delay
E.g. Well might the velocity of light be called instantaneous by the early observers.
v. goad or urge forward; provoke; incite
E.g. Rumors of police corruption led the mayor to instigate an investigation into the department's activities.
v. drop in; pour in drop by drop; impart gradually; infuse slowly; cause to be imbibed.
E.g. I wanted Janet to trust me so I could instill new habits into her life.
a. of a quantity not able to fulfill a need or requirement
E.g. Our clothing was insufficient to protect us from the severe cold.
a. not able to be perceived by senses, as touch; vague
E.g. The long-term intangible benefits of the Health Corps are immeasurable, but just as real.
v. make whole; combine; make into one unit
E.g. She tried to integrate all their activities into one program.
a. being or seeming to be without an end; endless; tedious; continual
E.g. Although his speech lasted for only twenty minutes, it seemed interminable to his bored audience.
a. periodic; on and off; stopping and starting at intervals
E.g. The outdoor wedding reception had to be moved indoors to avoid the intermittent showers that fell on and off all afternoon.
a. of or pertaining to animal's intestine, portion of the alimentary canal extending from the stomach to the anus
E.g. Boche had some kind of intestinal problem, so the vet gave him medicine.
a. fearless; indicating or springing from courage
E.g. For her intrepid conduct nursing the wounded during the war, Florence Nightingale was honored by Queen Victoria.
a. looking within oneself; thoughtful about oneself; studying or exhibiting one's own internal state
E.g. A renowned Tibetan lama pointed out that Westerners think people in the East tend to be more introspective and less concerned with material success.
v. make invalid; nullify; destroy
E.g. The relatives who received little or nothing sought to invalidate the will by claiming that the deceased had not been in his right mind when he had signed the document.
a. not able to be corrected or repaired
E.g. Any misdirected effort at manipulation or pressure may result in irreparable injury to the parts.
a. disrespectful; showing lack of due respect; not revering god
E.g. Sorry, that was irreverent if you considered skiing is about the least diverse sport, especially your living in a ski town.
a. unalterable; irreversible; impossible to retract or revoke
E.g. As Sue dropped the "Dear John" letter into the mailbox, she suddenly wanted to take it back, but she could not: her action was irrevocable.
v. supply land with water artificially; clean a wound with a fluid
E.g. How do you irrigate a wound in the wilderness setting?
v. talk rapidly, unintelligibly, or idly
E.g. Why does the fellow jabber away in French when I can't understand a word he says?
a. unevenly cut; having the texture of something so cut; having a rough quality
E.g. "Especially him," a Mask shouted, pointing at a man with a jagged red line on his chest.
n. language used by a special group; technical terminology; nonsensical or meaningless talk
E.g. The computer salesmen at the store used a jargon of their own that we simply couldn't follow.
n. short trip or excursion, usually for pleasure; short journey
E.g. He took a quick jaunt to Atlantic City.
a. gay in manner, appearance, or action; easy and carefree
E.g. In An American in Paris, Gene Kelly sang and danced his way through "Singing in the Rain" in a properly jaunty style.
v. throw overboard; eject from boat, submarine, aircraft, or spaceship
E.g. In order to enable the ship to ride safely through the storm, the captain had to jettison much of his cargo.
n. overwhelming, advancing force that crushes or seems to crush everything in its path
E.g. It doesn't assume that people need necessarily remain passive when confronted by what appears to be the juggernaut of history.
n. assemble without order or sense; confused multitude of things; chaos; mess; mixture
E.g. The finale was one big jumble of nonsense, just like the entire series was.
n. a Turkish open summer house or pavilion, supported by pillars; small structure, often open on one or more sides, used as a newsstand or booth
E.g. People seeking employment can visit any store's hiring kiosk.
n. small rounded hill or mound; top or crown of hill
E.g. Robert's grave is on a knoll in Samoa; to reach the grave site, you must climb uphill and walk a short distance along a marked path.
n. maze; complex structure of interconnecting passages
E.g. You know, Michelle, one thing contributing to this labyrinth is the nation's biggest private employer, Wal-Mart.
a. weeping or inclined to weep; tearful; showing sorrow
E.g. His voice has a lachrymose quality more appropriate to a funeral than a class reunion.