Feizi's Word Blog

While I try to make the most out of what I have, I feel the urge to expand my vocabulary. This is a gathering of words I pick up here and there everyday. I am aware that some of the words are terribly simple for most people. But since my vocabulary is embarrassingly small, these words are acutally new to me. The definitions are from www.dictionary.com.

Name:
Location: LA, California, United States

I used to want to ruin my eyes so I can wear glasses to look smart. Now I am an Asian girl in California with a Chinese accent. People automatically assume I am smart, which is pretty cool.

Friday, August 12, 2005

Alleviate (-lv-t)
tr.v. al·le·vi·at·ed, al·le·vi·at·ing, al·le·vi·ates
To make (pain, for example) more bearable: a drug that alleviates cold symptoms. See Synonyms at relieve.

Intricate(ntr-kt)
adj.
  1. Having many complexly arranged elements; elaborate. See Synonyms at elaborate.
  2. Solvable or comprehensible only with painstaking effort. See Synonyms at complex.

Painstaking (pnztkng)
adj.
Marked by or requiring great pains; very careful and diligent. See Synonyms at meticulous.
n.
Extremely careful and diligent work or effort.

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Relish (rlsh)
n.
  1. An appetite for something; a strong appreciation or liking: a relish for luxury.
    1. Hearty enjoyment; zest. See Synonyms at zest.
    2. Something that lends pleasure or zest.
    1. A spicy or savory condiment or appetizer, such as chutney or olives.
    2. A condiment of chopped sweet pickle.
  2. The flavor of a food, especially when appetizing. See Synonyms at taste.
  3. A trace or suggestion of a pleasurable quality.

v. rel·ished, rel·ish·ing, rel·ish·es
v. tr.
  1. To take keen or zestful pleasure in.
  2. To enjoy the flavor of.
  3. To give spice or flavor to.
v. intr.
To have a pleasing or distinctive taste.

syl·lo·gism (sl-jzm)
n.
  1. Logic. A form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion; for example, All humans are mortal, the major premise, I am a human, the minor premise, therefore, I am mortal, the conclusion.
  2. Reasoning from the general to the specific; deduction.
  3. A subtle or specious piece of reasoning.

ni·hil·ism (n-lzm, n-)
n.
  1. Philosophy.
    1. An extreme form of skepticism that denies all existence.
    2. A doctrine holding that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated.
  2. Rejection of all distinctions in moral or religious value and a willingness to repudiate all previous theories of morality or religious belief.
  3. The belief that destruction of existing political or social institutions is necessary for future improvement.
  4. also Nihilism A diffuse, revolutionary movement of mid 19th-century Russia that scorned authority and tradition and believed in reason, materialism, and radical change in society and government through terrorism and assassination.
  5. Psychiatry. A delusion, experienced in some mental disorders, that the world or one's mind, body, or self does not exist.

con·form·i·ty (kn-fôrm-t)
n. pl. con·form·i·ties
  1. Similarity in form or character; agreement: I acted in conformity with my principles.
  2. Action or behavior in correspondence with socially accepted standards, conventions, rules, or laws: conformity to university regulations.
  3. Geology. The relationship between adjacent layers of sedimentary rock.

pro·phet·ic (pr-ftk) also pro·phet·i·cal (--kl)
adj.
  1. Of, belonging to, or characteristic of a prophet or prophecy: prophetic books.
  2. Foretelling events as if by divine inspiration: casual words that proved prophetic.

a·vant-gardevänt-gärd, vänt-)
n.
A group active in the invention and application of new techniques in a given field, especially in the arts.
adj.
Of, relating to, or being part of an innovative group, especially one in the arts: avant-garde painters; an avant-garde theater piece.


neu·rot·ic (n-rtk, ny-)
adj.
  1. Of, relating to, or affected with a neurosis. No longer in scientific use.
  2. Informal. Overanxious: neurotic about punctuality.
n.
  1. A person suffering from a neurosis. No longer in scientific use.
  2. Informal. A person prone to excessive anxiety and emotional upset.

neu·roti·cal·ly adv.

neu·rot·ic (n-rtk, ny-)
adj. Of, relating to, derived from, or affected with a neurosis.

n. A person suffering from a neurosis.

ec·cen·tric (k-sntrk, k-)
adj.
  1. Departing from a recognized, conventional, or established norm or pattern. See Synonyms at strange.
  2. Deviating from a circular form or path, as in an elliptical orbit.
    1. Not situated at or in the geometric center.
    2. Having the axis located elsewhere than at the geometric center.
n.
  1. One that deviates markedly from an established norm, especially a person of odd or unconventional behavior.
  2. Physics. A disk or wheel having its axis of revolution displaced from its center so that it is capable of imparting reciprocating motion.

ec·cen·tric (k-sntrk, k-)
adj.

  1. Departing from a recognized, conventional, or established norm or pattern.
  2. Situated or proceeding away from the center.
n.
A person of odd or unconventional behavior.

eccen·trici·ty (ksn-trs-t) n.



non·sen·si·cal (nn-sns-kl)
adj.
  1. Lacking intelligible meaning: a nonsensical jumble of words.
  2. Foolish; absurd: nonsensical ideas.

non·sensi·cali·ty (-kl-t) or non·sensi·cal·ness (-kl-ns) n.
non·sensi·cal·ly adv.



de·rog·a·to·ry (d-rg-tôr, -tr)
adj.
  1. Disparaging; belittling: a derogatory comment.
  2. Tending to detract or diminish.
commendatory term: the opposite of derogatory term.