Related Words

The Common People

Bourgeoisie, Great unwashed, Hoi polloi, Little people, Mob, Peons, Plebeians, Proles, Rank and file, Riffraff

Numskulls & Nincompoops

cretin, wit, half-wit, nitwit, twit, ninny, noodle, numskull, nincompoop, simpleton, dunce, gonzo, dumbass

Forms of Ridicule

satire, parody. Informal: spoof, take-off, send-up, caricature, lampoon, burlesque

Degrees of being drunk

mildly drunk

tipsy, silly, tight, woozy

drunk

inebriated, intoxicated, tanked, juiced, likkered up

very drunk

smashed, hammered, plastered, shitfaced, soused, sloshed, wasted, zonked, loaded, stinko

idioms

drunk as a lord, in his cups, feeling no pain, drunk as a skunk, three sheets to the wind

Words to Describe Fearful Recoil

• flinch — to draw away in anticipation of pain.
• shrink — to draw back as if trying to make one’s body smaller. One might shrink into the shadows in an attempt to become invisible.
• wince — One might wince from pain, real or anticipated.
• blench — It means “move suddenly, wince, or dodge.”
• cower — probably comes from a German word meaning “to lie in wait.” In current usage it conveys a cowardly or fearful movement.
• cringe — In Old English the word could mean “to fall dead in battle.” Now it has the less final meaning of “to draw back” or “move in a fearful manner.”
• grovel — This is a word to use when the action takes place close to the ground. It conveys the sense of demonstrating servility by dropping onto one’s knees, or even going face down. Figuratively it can be used of people too eager to please.
• quail — Although spelled the same as the name of the game bird, the verb to quail, “to lose courage, to shrink,” is not related. Its origin is uncertain. Words meaning “to be ill,” “to die,” and “to curdle” have been suggested. In current usage, quail means “to draw away in fear or weakness.”

Rebut, Refute, Deny

To deny a statement is simply that. If I say ‘all dogs are grey’, then if you deny or contradict that statement all you have to do is say: ‘No, they’re not.’

However, if you wanted to rebut my statement, you would have to provide a well thought out and reasoned argument that suggests that I might be wrong. This is used in debates, where speakers present evidence that supports a counter argument.

In order to refute my statement about dogs, you would have to prove it wrong, perhaps by showing me a dog of a different color.

How to Describe Gibberish

Double Dutch is another expression meaning “incomprehensible speech.” The “Dutch” refers to the idea that a foreign language is incomprehensible to one who hasn’t learned it. The “double” is an intensifier. “Double Dutch” is a language twice as difficult to understand as “plain ‘Dutch’”.

babble: probably an imitative word suggesting baby talk. I used to think it came from the story of the Tower of Babel, but apparently no etymological connection can be traced. The meaning “to repeat oneself incoherently” is known from about 1418.

balderdash: originally referred to a jumbled mix of liquors, for example milk and beer or beer and wine. In 1674 it meant “senseless jumble of words.”

baloney: warning: American slang!

bilge: “stupid talk or writing” The bilge is the “lowest internal part of a ship.” A lot of nasty stuff accumulates there.

blather: “nonsensical talk” May have come into English via Scots dialect from a Scandinavian word meaning “babble.”

bull: Most of us probably think of “bull” as short for “bullshit,” but bull with the meaning “trivial or false statements,” has been around since Middle English. The ME word probably derived from French boul meaning “false talk, fraud.” It may be connected to modern Icelandic bull meaning “nonsense.” Bullshit is American slang dating from 1915 with the meaning “eloquent and insincere rhetoric.”

bunk: warning: American slang!

drivel: “stupid or senseless talk.” This one comes from OE dreflian, “to dribble or run at the nose.”

eyewash: “blarney, humbug.” According to the OnlineEtymologyDictionary, this expression is chiefly British, is perhaps from the notion of “something intended to obscure or conceal facts or true motives.” But this, and expression my eye also may be the verbal equivalent of the wink that indicates one doesn’t believe what has been said (cf. Fr. mon oeil in same sense, accompanied by a knowing pointing of a finger to the eye).

gibberish: probably another imitative word suggesting the sound of chatter. Gibberish is totally unintelligible.

gobbledygook: “unclear, wordy jargon.” This is another word we owe to the sphere of politics. In another post I mentioned the eponym “maverick” that comes from the surname of rancher Samuel Maverick (1803-1870). The word gobbledygook was coined in 1944 by one of his grandsons, Texas representative Maury Maverick. In a memo dated March 30, 1944, he banned the use of “gobbledygook language” and threatened to shoot anyone who used the words activation or implementation. He said he based the word on the sound a turkey makes.

guff: “empty talk, nonsense.” This is another word of imitative origin, possibly based on puff.

hogwash: “worthless, false or ridiculous speech or writing.” Originally hogwash was slops fed to pigs. Then it came to mean “cheap liquor.” The meaning “inferior writing” dates from 1773.

jargon: The word entered English with the meaning “unintelligible talk, gibberish” in 1340. It derives from a French word meaning “a chattering of birds.” Now it can mean technical terminology associated with a specific occupation. Practitioners understand jargon, but to those not in the know, it’s gibberish.

mumbo jumbo: “unintelligible or incomprehensible language.” The term is supposed to derive from an African idol in the Niger region, but no likely source has been found. The meaning “big, empty talk” is documented from 1896.

piffle: “foolish or futile talk or ideas.” Probably an imitative word derived from a contemptuous blowing sound, or it could be a conflation of trifle and piddle.

poppycock: “senseless talk, nonsense.” This one sounds comical, but if you think about it, it’s as disgusting as bilge.

prattle: “idle or meaningless chatter.” This is another imitative word. The verb is prate.

tripe: “something of no value.” The literal meaning of tripe is the rubbery lining of the stomach of cattle or other ruminants, used as food. —Answers.com

twaddle: “silly talk.” The origin is unknown.

Words to Describe Degrees of Religiosity

religious — “dedicated to religious practice; observant practitioner of a particular religion.”

pious — in earlier writers, pious was used in a positive sense of loyalty to religion, family, and those things for which a person might be expected to feel reverence. Current usage tends to tinge the word with hypocrisy.

godly — pleasing to God. One speaks of a godly person or a godly life.

fervent — derives from a Latin word meaning “to boil” or “to be very hot.” A fervent person is one that feels very intensely about a subject. The subject does not need to be religious in nature. One can be a fervent Catholic, or a fervent environmentalist. Or both.

zealous— This adjective derives from the noun Zealot. The Zealots were fanatics who resorted to assassination and other acts of terrorism that eventually resulted in the destruction of the Temple and the expulsion of the Jews from Jerusalem. Zealous, therefore, can carry the sense of intense fanaticism that will stop at nothing to promote its cause.

devout — from the verb devote, “to set apart.” The word connotes a sense of consecration. A devout person practices religion from genuine feeling of reverence for the object of worship.

sanctimonious — It derives from the Latin word for “holy.” A sanctimonious life could be one that reflects good deeds and devout religious observance. In current usage, however, sanctimonious carries the sense of hypocrisy. Indeed, a common expression is “sanctimonious hypocrite.” A sanctimonious person is like the Pharisee who prays and gives alms in public so that everyone can admire him for it. A sanctimonious person is always reminding people of their shortcomings.

fanatic— A “fanatic” is out of control, at least as regards a particular subject. Winston Churchill defined a fanatic as “someone who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.”

The Difference Between e.g. and i.e.

Dangerous

perilous precarious, hazardous, risky, unsafe

Decide

determine, settle, choose, resolve

Fall

drop, descend, plunge, topple down, tumble

New

fresh, unique, original, unusual, novel, modern, current, recent

Awful

culpable, dreadful, terrible, poor, unpleasant, hideous, abominable, repulsive, grunge, sordid, rebarbative reprehensible, (see bad)

Definite

certain, sure, positive, determined, clear, distinct, obvious

Great

noteworthy, worthy, distinguished, remarkable, grand, considerable, powerful, much, mighty, resplendent, see beautiful

Thin

gaunt, slim, slender, lean, spare, skinny, slight, scrawny, voracious - ravenous - insatiable - emaciated - nourish - malnourished, skeletal

Gross

improper, rude, coarse, indecent, crude, vulgar, outrageous, egregious, flagrant, extreme, grievous, shameful, uncouth, obscene

Moody

temperamental, changeable, short-tempered, glum, morose, sullen, mopish, irritable, testy, peevish, fretful, spiteful, sulky, touchy

Happy

pleased, contented, satisfied, delighted, elated, joyful, cheerful, ecstatic, jubilant, gay, tickled, gratified, glad, blissful, overjoyed, shivoo, jamboree, fete, maffick, exultation, jaunty, jovially, genial, sanguine, gleefully, upbeat, blithesome - blithe, grateful, merry (see merrily), cheerful, elated / elation, euphoria, exhilaration, see excitement, with bated breath - agog, boisterous, tempestuous, exult, ebullient, abubble, craic, (see merrily)

Neat

clean, orderly, tidy, trim, dapper, natty, smart, elegant, well-organized, uper, desirable, spruce, shipshape, well-kept, shapely, immaculate, spotless

Mischievous

puckish, frolic / frolicsome, antic, impish, serenity?, puerile, airily, levity, verdant (?), prankish, playful, naughty, roguish, waggish, sportive, obnoxious - pester - importune - badger - peeve - rag

Sad

cheerless, somber, low-spirited, gloomy, doleful, forlorn, dismal, depressed, bereaved, frown, sulky, crossly, mournfully, sobbed, moaned, lamented (lamentation), lachrymose, grieve, bemoan, disconsolate

Angry

sullen, impassioned, displeased, offended, resentful, vexed, indignant, enraged, outraged, furious, livid

Confused

dazed, muddled, puzzled, to be beleaguered - beset?, perplexed, baffled, rattled, flustered, confounded - refute - rebut, abash, dumbfounded, bewildered, see surprised, befuddle, disconcert, flummox

Amazing

incredible, unbelievable, improbable, fabulous, wonderful - wondrous, fantastic, astonishing, astounding, extraordinary, inconceivable, ineffable, see chimerical

Tasty

delicious, scrumptious, savoury, delectable, appetising, palatable, delightful, enjoyable, toothsome, mouth-watering

Hate

despise, loathe, detest, abhor, disfavor, dislike, disapprove, abominate, grudge, (see bad, awful)

Mark

label, tag, price, ticket, impress, effect, trace - vestige, imprint, stamp, brand, sign, note, heed, notice, designate

Have

hold, possess, own, contain, acquire, gain, maintain, believe, bear

Cause

ramifications, beget - engender, see instigate, consequences, repercussions, result in, It originated in/from…, It all started …, It has its origins/roots in …, It can be traced back / attributed to …, It stems from …

Help

aid, avail, assist, support - espouse, encourage, back, wait on, serve, relieve, succour, benefit, befriend, abet

Make

create, originate, invent, see beget, form, construct, design, fabricate, manufacture, produce, build, develop, do, effect, execute, compose, perform, accomplish, earn, gain, obtain, acquire, get

Destroy

ruin, demolish, raze, waste, eradicate, obliterate, exterminate, deracinate, root out, devour

Describe

see the reporting verbs above.

portray, characterise, picture, narrate, relate, recount, represent, report

Begin/start

set off, set about, open, launch, initiate, commence, inaugurate, originate, embarked, instigate, see goad, loose, bring about, the onset of something, ferment, stir up, incite, spark off, ignite, propel

Difference

disagreement, inequity, contrast, dissimilarity, incompatibility, discrepancy, far cry

Surprised

awestruck, agape, shocked, aghast, taken aback, stunned, alarmed, nonplussed, bepuzzle, overwhelmed, floored, speechless, flabbergasted, bedazzle / bedazzled, befool, caught off guard, dumbstruck, see confused, see beguile, suspense

Dark

shadowy, unlit, murky, gloomy, dim, dusky, shaded, sunless, black, dismal, sombre

Funny

humorous, amusing, droll, comic, comical, laughable, silly

Old

feeble, frail, ancient, weak, aged, used, worn, ramshackle, run-down, derelict, shabby, dingy, seedy?, dilapidated, ragged, faded, broken-down, former, old-fashioned, outmoded, passe, veteran, mature, venerable, primitive, traditional, archaic, conventional, customary, stale, musty, obsolete, extinct, poky, squalid, dismal, squalor

Hide

conceal, cover, mask, cloak, camouflage, screen, shroud, veil, disguise, conceal

Part

portion, apportion, allocate, share, piece, allot/allotment, section, fraction, fragment, impart, give

Secretly

clandestine, collude, conspire

Place

space, area, spot, plot, region, location, situation, position, residence, dwelling, set, site, station, status, state

Do

execute, enact, carry out, conclude, accomplish, conduct

Fair

just, impartial, unbiased, objective, unprejudiced, honest

Fly

soar, hover, flit, wing, flee, waft - see emanate, glide

Enjoy

appreciate, delight in, be pleased, indulge in - condone, luxuriate in, bask in, revel, relish, savour, like

Explain

elaborate, clarify, define, interpret, justify, account for, contemplate, elucidate, construe, adduce

End

stop, finish, terminate, close, halt, cessation, discontinuance, desuetude, obsolescence, lorn, extinct, moribund, senectitude, senile - doddering, in the sere and yellow - of advanced years, elderly, shrivelled, decrepitude, terminus, obsolete, passe, gadzookery, antiquated, draw on - come to the end, cease, stay, pause discontinue, conclude, quit

Hurry

trot, rush, run, speed, race, hasten, urge, accelerate, bustle, see fast

Disappointed

feel let down, disillusioned, disenchanted, gutted, crestfallen / crest-fallen

Hurt

damage, harm, injure, wound, distress, afflict, pain, scathe, harrow

Idea

thought, concept, conception, notion, understanding, apprehension, opinion, plan, view, belief

Love

adore, like, admire, esteem, fancy, care for, cherish, treasure, worship, appreciate, savour, carol

Important

necessary, vital, critical, indispensable, valuable, essential, significant, primary, principal, considerable, famous, crucial, distinguished, notable, well-known, to be of paramount importance, to be imperative that, momentous

Beautiful

pretty, lovely, handsome, attractive, gorgeous, dazzling, splendid, magnificent, comely, fair, ravishing, graceful, elegant, fine, exquisite, aesthetic, pleasing, shapely, delicate, stunning, glorious, heavenly, celestial, sublime, inimitable

Boring

dull, tiring, tiresome, uninteresting, slow, dumb, stupid, unimaginative, lifeless, dead, insensible, tedious, wearisome, listless, expressionless, plain, monotonous, humdrum, platitudinous, mundane, mediocre, bland, rigmarole, dreary, see blase - nonchalant - …, see jaded

Big

immense, enormous, huge, gigantic, vast, colossal, gargantuan, large, sizeable, grand, great, tall, substantial, mammoth, astronomical, ample, broad, expansive, spacious, tremendous, titanic, mountainous

Look

gaze, see, glance, watch, survey, study, seek, search for, peek, peep, glimpse, stare, contemplate, examine, gape, ogle, scrutinize, inspect, behold, observe, view, witness, perceive, spy, sight, discover, notice, recognise, peer, eye, gawk, peruse, explore, scowl at, leer - askance, squint, dart, behold, gawp, see frown

Brave

courageous, fearless, dauntless, intrepid, plucky - decisive, resolute, daring, heroic, valorous, audacious, bold, valiant, doughty, mettlesome, brash, impertinent, incogitant - folly?, rash - hasty, deliriously, imprudent, stout, as bold as brass, see adamant

Calm (see Lazy)

quiet, peaceful, still, tranquil, mild, serene - limpid?, smooth, composed, collected, unruffled, level-headed, unexcited, detached, aloof, lackadaisical, blase, lukewarm, benumb(?), tepid, jaded, nonchalant, unconcerned, insouciance, abstemious, slumberous, lassitude, remiss, languid, torporific sooth, mollify, placate, assuage, reassure - allay ((somebody’s) fear / concern / suspicion)

ant: spry, see senectitude

Kill (see Destroy)

slay, execute, assassinate, murder, destroy, cancel, abolish

Plan

plot, scheme, design, draw, map, diagram, procedure, arrangement, intention, device, contrivance, method, way, blueprint

Keep

hold, retain, withhold, preserve, maintain, sustain

Lazy (see Calm)

dilatory, tardy, indolent, slothful, idle, inactive, sluggish

Little

tiny, small, diminutive, miniscule, runt, miniature, puny - futile, exiguous, dinky, limited, microscopic, slight, petite, minute, belittle - downplay - depreciatory

Popular

well-liked, approved, accepted, favourite, celebrated, common, current

Good

excellent, fine, superior, wonderful, marvellous, apt, satisfactory, safe, advantageous, valid, salubrious, beneficial, splendid, great, noble, worthy, first-rate, top-notch, sterling, superb, edifying, see commendable - commendation, meritorious, meed?, laudable, lofty, gratifying

Get

acquire, obtain, secure, procure, provide, gain, fetch, find, score, accumulate, win, earn, catch, derive, collect, gather, glean, pick up, regain, amass, garner

Bad

atrocious, evil, immoral, wicked, corrupt, sinful, vice - vicious, depraved, rotten, contaminated, spoiled, tainted, harmful, injurious, unfavourable, defective, inferior, imperfect, substandard, faulty, improper, inappropriate, unsuitable, untenable, disagreeable, unpleasant, cross, nasty, unfriendly, horrible, outrageous, scandalous, infamous, see wrong, noxious, sinister, putrid, deplorable, heinous, nefarious (see behaviour), obnoxious, detestable, despicable, contemptible, foul, execrable, (see awful)

Interesting

compelling, gripping, fascinating, intriguing, captivating, sapid, engaging, keen, attractive, intriguing, provocative, though-provoking, challenging, inspiring, exciting, entertaining, engrossing, absorbing, enthralling, curious, appealing, beguile, riveting, exhilarating, thrilling

tantalise, seduce, tempt, bait, lure, allure, mesmerise, spellbind, enchanting, attracting, bewitching, entice (enticing), transfixed, preoccupied, to be infatuated with, besot?, ~rapt, engrossedr, enraptured, enthralled, riveted upon, see surprising

Bright

shining, shiny, brilliant, shimmering, vivid, colourful, luminous, incandescent, effulgent, sheen, lustrous - ant lacklustre - glisten, glint, sparkling, gleaming, coruscant, scintillating, glitter, twinkling, glimmer, radiant, glowing, blooming

intelligent, knowing, quick-witted, smart, intellectual, discerning,, perspicacious, omniscient, shrewd / shrewdly, astute, acute, acumen, sagacious, trenchant, pellucid, knowledgeable, cognisant, grok, (see think)

Want

long, strive, yearn, itch, aspire/aspirant , plod, wade, crave, hanker after/for, somebody’s penchant for something, see ardour

Predicament

quagmire, plight, quandary, predicament, flounder, precipice, abyss, dilemma, pickle, problem, spot, scrape, jam, chasm, the toils of something

Put

place, set, attach, establish, assign, keep, save, set aside, effect, achieve, do, build

Quiet

silent, still, soundless, mute, tranquil, peaceful, calm, restful

Right

correct, accurate, factual, true, good, just, honest, upright, lawful, moral, proper, suitable, apt, legal, fair, aright

True

veracity - verisimilar - verisimilitude, truthfulness, verity, sincerity, candour, honesty, accurate, right, proper, precise, exact, valid, genuine - bona fide, real, actual, trusty, steady, loyal, dependable, sincere, see staunch, see stalwart

Slow

unhurried, gradual, leisurely, late, behind, tedious, slack

Story

tale, myth, legend, fable, yarn, account, narrative, chronicle, epic, sage, anecdote, record, memoir

Strange

odd, peculiar, unusual, unfamiliar, uncommon, quirky, queer - qeer, weird, outlandish, curious, unique, exclusive, irregular, preposterous, see bad

Take

hold, catch, seize, grasp, win, capture, acquire, pick, choose, select, prefer, remove, steal, lift, rob, engage, bewitch, purchase, buy, retract, recall, assume, occupy, consume

Trouble

distress, anguish, anxiety, worry, wretchedness, pain, danger, peril, disaster, grief, misfortune, difficulty, concern, pains, inconvenience, exertion, effort, see predicament

Annoy

exasperate, get my dander up, grates on my ear

Ugly

see hideous, frightful, frightening, shocking, horrible, unpleasant, monstrous, terrifying, gross, grisly, ghastly, horrid, unsightly, plain, homely, evil, see repulsive, repugnant, gruesome

Unhappy

miserable, uncomfortable, wretched, heart-broken, unfortunate, poor, downhearted, sorrowful, depressed, dejected, melancholy, glum, see gloomy, dismal, discouraged, see sad, see disappointed

Use

employ, utilize, exhaust, spend, expend, consume, exercise, dispose

Wrong

incorrect, inaccurate, mistaken, erroneous, improper, unsuitable, go awry

False

fake, fraudulent, counterfeit, spurious, untrue, unfounded, erroneous, deceptive, groundless, fallacious, hoax, con(-man), bogus, purloin, heist, delude, snide

Famous

household name, well-known, renowned, celebrated, famed, eminent, illustrious, distinguished, noted, notorious, celebrity

Fast

at the drop of a hat, dashing, fleet, quick, rapid, speedy, hasty, rash, instantaneous, evanescent, snappy, swiftly, lickety-split, posthaste, hastily, expeditiously, like a flash, flit, apace, see run, fly, hurry

Fat

stout, corpulent, fleshy, beefy, paunchy, plump, full, rotund, tubby, pudgy, chubby, chunky, stubby, burly, pinguid, oleaginous

Fear

fright, dread, terror, alarm, dismay, anxiety, scare, awe, trepidation, horror, panic, apprehension, vibe, foreboding, bespeak, harbinger, smell a rat, misgiving, doubt, presentiment, impending - imminent, menace, eerie, otherworldly, omen, ill-omen, awestruck, consternation, gloomy, menacing, eldritch, ghastly, horrendous, have a feeling in/at the pit of your stomach, browbeat, bully, intimidate, see subdue

Come to existence

flourish, pullulate, burgeon, proliferate, arise from, stem from, emerge (from), nascent, emanating / emanate, incipient, beginning, commence

Use

draw on

Tired

exhausted - exhausting, debilitate / debilitating, laborious, torment (-ed), weary

Scared

afraid, frightened, alarmed, terrified, panicked, fearful, unnerved, insecure, timid, shy, skittish, jumpy, disquieted, worried, vexed, troubled, disturbed, horrified, terrorized, shocked, petrified, haunted, timorous, shrinking, tremulous, stupefied, paralyzed, stunned, apprehensive, ovine

Show

display, exhibit, present, expose, note, point to, indicate, explain, reveal, prove, demonstrate

Think

suppose

reckon, deem, conjecture, suspect, presume, suppose, believe, assume, guess, I’ll wager, I’ll be bound, surmise, guess, sure, bet, venture, methinks, bethink, consider, see bright - perspicacious, see Reporting & Speaking verbs

thought process:

fathom, judge, reflect, mediate, pore over, mull over, talk over, contemplate, elaborate, deliberate, cerebrate, premeditate, gather, peruse, scrutinise, study, scrutinise, delve, pensive, circumspect

come up with, We have hit on a new idea for, His mind alighted in several possible answers, devise, conceive, contrive

Personal qualities

• adamant - unwavering - impregnable - intransigent - recalcitrant - tenacious/tenacity (perseverance - pursue - robust) - contumacious - obstinate - disobedient - relentless? - reluctant? - rambunctious - unflinching - staunch - flout - intractable - stubborn - stark - fortitude - inexorable? - sturdy. stalwart/allegiance - defiant - headstrong - indefatigable.

  Ant: falter/faltering - wishy-washy - irresolute / irresolution - pendulous - vacillate - qualm - not sure - ambivalent (see teeter on the brink of)

• frenzy - frenetic - impetuous - rabid - frantically munificent - largesse - lavish? fractious - bilious - petulant - querulous - cranky fastidious - squeamish - nitpicky - cantankerous - meticulous - see minute - thorough - diligent - assiduous - intently/intent (see bright above)

• Enemy:

  • bellicose - pugnacious - hostile - belligerent - slugfest - feuding - carnage - gory - pyrrhic - virulent - brawl - skirmish - bloodbath - (see argue) - squabble - scuffle - altercation - set-to
  • adversary
  • antagonist
  • belligerent
  • combatant
  • foe
  • mercenary
  • factuality
  • authenticity
  • certitude

• inveterate - avid ?

• ardour - fervid - vehemently - fervent - fervour - fiery - aflame - zeal - see want
• pompous - turgid - highfalutin - florid - see mealy-mouthed
• salacious - whoorish - meretricious - sultry - minx - profligate - turpitude - lewd(-ness) - floosie - harlot - lewdness
• compassion - lenity - benevolence
• сupidity
• (see calm)

• cordially

• rotten apple

• loose cannon
• couch potato
• wet blanket
• big cheese
• tough cookie
• yes-man
• whizzkid
• busybody
• chatterbox
• dark horse
• old hand
• set in her ways
• black sheep

Behaviour

• comportment - aplomb - mien - conduct - demeanor - carriage
• meekly (see obsequiously)
• defamatory/defame - denigrate - malign - truckle - aspersion - libel - cast aspersion
• succumb - acquiesce - assent - avow - consent - concur - cede
• infamy - nefarious
• disdain - opprobrium - malevolent - schadenfreude - disparage - insolence - contemptuous - condescendingly - hubristic - scorn - conceited - bumptious - look down on
• snappishly - capricious - shenanigans
• imperious - omnipotent
• (see obsequiously)
• (see contrite)

Church

• absolution - shrive - penance - penitent - repentant - clergyman - sanctuary - contrite - shrine - consecrated - tabernacle - solitudinarian (see secluded)
• sepulchre - graveyard - cemetery
• creed - faith
• ecclesiastic

Colours

• smaragdine
• cerulean
• chatoyant
• carnation
• crimson
• mahogany
• sallow
• flaxen-haired
• florid
• scarlet
• navy
• fair-haired
• flaxen-haired
• hectic

Family - Wife - Husband

• connubial
• uxorious
• conjugal
• misogynistic
• trothplight
• matrimony
• paternal
• gravid
• betrothal
• progeny - offspring - kith and kin - crony
• paramour - mistress
• decathect
• kin
• wedlock / wed / newlywed
• celibate
• antecedents - ant posterity

Animals

• fox - vixen - vulpine
• cervine
• feline

Other 2

• pithy - jejune - bland
• disclaim - dismiss - disregard - neglect - discount

Job

• menial
• hireling
• peons

Court / Crime / Law

• litigation
• imputation
• subpoena
• incarceration
• internment
• injunction
• complicity
• Illicit
• petit theft - minor crime
• convicted
• acquitted
• conman
• arson
• burglary
• domestic abuse
• embezzlement
• felony
• forgery
• larceny
• manslaughter
• moral turpitude
• murder
• robbery
• stalking
• treason
• apostate
• traitor
• trespass - interloper
• receiving
• shenanigans

House, live

• housing
• habitat
• shack
• slum
• abode - sojourn - domicile - aerie - lodging - reside
• premises
• boroughs
• shack

Predictions

• with all likelihood
• is likely to - A global disaster may well have happened
• become a thing of the past
• the signs are
• to be…
  • due to + inf
  • bound to
  • destined to
  • on the verge of
  • teeter on the brink of
  • on the point of
  • about to
  • sure to:
  • set to:
• the days of … may be over
• prognosticate/prognosticator - foretell - forebode - foreshadow - herald - predict - betoken - presage - seer - clairvoyant - bespeak
• see impending
• 15 Terms for Those Who Tell the Future
  • augur
  • Cassandra
  • crystal gazer
  • doomsayer
  • fortune-teller
  • futurist
  • Jeremiah
  • oracle
  • palm reader/palmist
  • prophesier
  • prophet
  • sibyl
  • soothsayer

Estimates

• just under
• in the region of
• upwards of
• in the vicinity of

would-be - prospective - something-to-be

• Before they joined the course, the would-be spies were allowed to tell only…
• Tom meets his wife-to-be when he …
• for prospective gun owners

Describing graphs

• has increased dramatically
• risen sharply
• dropped alarmingly
• There has been a surge / a drop / an increase
• … have plummeted / soared / grown
• There has been a relative surge / decline / drop
• Number have rocketed / exploded / collapsed
• There has been a steady / sharp / gradual increase

Truth / lie / myths

• see true, see right
• conventional wisdom
• avowed - well-known - well-established
• disprove a myth / debunk a myth
• uncover the truth
• a commonly held perception / long-held perception
• fallacy - misconception - aberrant/aberration (?) - fallibility - see fallacious
• telltale
• He let it slip that they were planning to get married.
• Lynn gave the game away by laughing when Kim walked in
• Inadvertently perhaps, the BiE report lets the cat out of the bag.
• spill the beans
• bewray
• keep/stay schtum
• come clean
• set the record straight
• make a clean breast of it/things - admit
• abrogate - abjure - abolish - abdicate - rescind - recant - renounce - renege - change your mind - lie - perjure - repudiate
• confabulate
• canard - deceit - fable - falsehood - falsity - mendacity - misstatement - perjury
• ambiguity - equivocation (equivocal) - mealy-mouthed - prevarication - fudge

Relaxing

• let your hair down
• put my feet up
• have a breather
• respite - hiatus - repose

Opinions

• in my experience - in my opinion - from what I can gather - as far as I am concerned - to my knowledge
• if you want my honest opinion
• have an axe to grind
• impartial
• It if was up to me
• I’d sooner
• I’d just as soon … as …
• If I ever found myself in …
• This would be by far the best option
• Without a shadow of a doubt, I’d …
• Given the choice, …
• No way would I …

Ambitions & Success

• to have a burning desire to
• set her heart on becoming
• hog the limelight
• hit the big time
• to have a stroke of luck
• a one-hit wonder
• paid off
• to be a legend in her lifetime
• crave fame and fortune
• hander after fame
• be in the spotlight
• to be held in high esteem
• to be renowned for
• become an overnight success
• shoot to fame / shoot to stardom
• to be set on becoming
• see aspire

Comparative

Big difference:

• considerably
• infinitely
• decidedly
• significantly
• nowhere near: She is nowhere near as good as me at chess.
• nothing like: He is nothing like as obstinate as his brother.
• every bit as

Small difference:

• marginally

Other Phrases

• all but - almost completely
• it is time, it is high time she left her boyfriend, it is about time you found a job. Also see what if, suppose, would rather, would sooner, as if, as though.
• Why not give the world a piece of your mind?
• …and never drew rein until…, have/keep your beady eye(s) on somebody/something - kept an eye?
• He bid her adieu - said goodbye
• fair-haired boy, blue-eyed boy - the man or boy in a group who is most liked and approved of by someone in authority
• not by any manner of means - not at all
• for two pins I’d - old-fashioned used to say that you would like to do something to someone because they have annoyed you

Clothes

• cravat
• turtleneck
• tunic
• neckcloth
• waistcoat
• frock coat
• bowler hat
• broadcloth

Facto expressions

• de facto
• de jure
• ipso facto
• ex post facto

Pleasant

• For food: dainty, tasty, scrumptious, savoury
• For sound: dulcet

Money

• send money - remit
• peculate - spendthrift

Other Synonyms

• multitudinous - plenitude - fulsome - effusive - prodigious - affluence (opulent?) - profuse - abundant - inordinate - undue - rife - overabundance, overflow - overmuch - over-plus - superfluity - surfeit - overkill - ample - surplus - excess - welter - a lot of - unconscionable - many - much - very - sore - exuberant - bristle
• calamitous - baleful - noxious - pernicious - deleterious - pestiferous
• stilted - mannered - histrionic - recondite - abstruse - sonorus - sesquipedalian - sibylline
• incendiary - igneous (?) - irascible
• ruminative - contemplative
• ubiquitous - pervasive
• garrulous - glib - voluble - loquacious - gregarious - talkative
• incontrovertible - inviolable - infallible - irrefragable - tenet - precept - premise
• pertinent - appropriate - germane - befit - behove - beseem - felicitous - aptly - expedient - featly - suitable - ant: inappropriate, infelicitous
• commodious - spacious
• succulent - luscious
• juggernaut - sockdolager
• evocative - reminiscent
• auspicious - propitious - conducive
• prolific - fecund
• taciturn - reticent - reverie
• jejune - irksome
• extort - elicit
• benightedness - nescience - illiteracy - gramarye
• kerfuffle - commotion - bustling - fuss - turmoil - tumult - clamour - brisk - mayhem - merrily - rough-and-tumble - hectic - obstreperous - raucous - noisy
• hamper - balk - hinder
• asperity - rigour
• craze - jump on the bandwagon
• vapid - inane
• wane - abate - allay (see calm)
• sumpsimus - iconoclastic - ant: mumpsimus
• nettle - vexing - irritate
• flair - knack
• shun - avoid - eschew
• potent - puissant
• blip - anomaly
• embellish - fallal - fudge the issue - bedeck - adorn - bejewel - deck out - bedizen
• salient - conspicuous - discernable - eminent - stand out - ledge - jut out - prognathous - protrude
• chagrin - doleful - shame - see deplorable
• opulent/opulence - sumptuous - affluent - exuberance
• damndest - utmost
• flaunt - splurge
• inundate - infest - deluge?
• sensitize - innervate
• regurgitate - burp - belch
• surreptitiously - artisanal - furtive? - dissemble - feign - malinger. artisan - craftsman.
• dexterity - legerdemain - sleight - adroit - maladroit (ant) - faculty for - aptitude for - propensity - nimble - agile - ruse - prowess
• intrinsic - extrinsic - inherited - trait - idiosyncrasy - indigenous - sui generis (?) - inalienable - lineament - congenital - inscape (?) - ingrained
• coalesce - cohesive - conflate - amalgamate - confluence - mingle - intermingle - intertwined - interdigitated
• ire - irate
• perpetuate - immortalise - atemporal
• dearth - scarce - meagre - paucity - scant - exiguous
• crevice - fissure
• nepotism - meritocracy - gerontocracy - kakistocracy
• correct - fix - redress - reimburse - reparation - improve - ameliorate - enhance - retaliate - face the music
• satiate - imbue
• digression - divagate - inconsequential - impertinent (?) - amiss
• florid - burgeoning
• circumspect - wary - considerate - discreet - conscientious - courteous - suave
• in bed - abed - ant: astir
• afar - afield
• afire - ablaze
• to be going on - happen - afoot
• askance - askew - oblique - aslant - aslope - athwart
• disparate - motley
• turn into - veer into
• abode - sojourn - domicile - aerie
• perfunctory - smattering - cursory - remiss - superficially - desultory - facile remark - ad hoc
• congregate - convene - muster
• divulge - unsheathe - divestiture
• parsimonious - frugal
• bane - plague
• frustrate - foil - derail - see confused
• show - evince - exhibit
• farewell - goodbye - valedictory - apopemptic
• shatter - smithereens - scrap - piece - sliver
• bequeath - testament
• stifle - trample - quell - subdue - clampdown - subjugate - curb
• moggy - feline
• invigorating - animated - spirited - inviting - lively - racy - vivacious
• tailored - custom - handcrafted - bespoke
• fate - destiny - kismet
• jab - impale
• permeable - pervious - infiltrate - percolate
• giddy - vertigo
• comprehensive - holistically
• doodle - scribble - scrawl
• jumble up - potpourri
• adage - saying - proverb
• miscreant - scoundrel
• dwindle - curtail - decrease - contract - abridge - cut
• bunglesome - cumbersome - burdensome - onerous
• environment - milieu
• rule - decree, edict
• unspoilt - pristine - intact
• worry - fret - fluster - ruffle - upset - see pain (as a verb)
• state - stipulate
• usually - customarily - as per usual
• agreement - covenant
• crowds - throngs
• middle - midst
• heed - take into account
• mysterious - enigmatic
• unfettered - unleash
• shrill - shriek - scrunch
• nurture - foster
• in regard to - in terms of
• embody - epitomise - reify - implement - enshrine - store - keep
• fortuitous - perchance - serendipity - lucky
• desolate - deserted - secluded - incommunicado - recluse - rusticate - rural - destitute/destitution/desolation - poor. lacking - wanting. do not have - be destitute of something
• condolence - commiseratingly / commiserate
• picturesque - scenic - vista
• make up - conjure something up - imagine - concoct
• turn of mind - mindset
• chimerical - impossible - infeasible
• botch - mess up - bungle - fail - debacle - folly - founder - fall short
• impress - dazzle
• a trifle - slightly
• surmounted - above
• indirect - vicarious
• geezer - chap - lad - cove - guy - man - pass (girl)
• tally with - corroborate - match - to be consistent with
• indelible - permanent - constant - indefinite - eternity - infinite
• copy - facsimile
• misty - bleary
• virago - crone
• to be full - gorge yourself (on something)
• unintentional - purposely - unwitting - deliberately - willfully - accidentally - incidentally - by chance - by accident
• incentive / incentivise - stir up - whip - abet - spark off - force - coerce - make - goad - see propel, instigate -
• adversity - vagary/vagaries - ills - whim
• sinewy - wiry
• inure somebody to something - get used to - endure?
• avert - prevent - ward off - forfend
• debacle - fail - mistake - folly
• basin - sink
• sprang to his feet - stand up
• sling - chuck - throw - fling - hurl
• whither - whence - thither
• rasp - creak - jangle
• paroxysm - effusion
• up to now - hitherto
• violate - infringe
• refrain - abstain - forbear
• “used to” when it is inconvenient - inure to
• droop - sag
• about - apropos of - regarding - concerning
• safe and sound - unscathed - intact
• encumber - impede - burden - make it more difficult
• cull - collate - aggregate - compile
• harsh - inclement
• be up-to-date - keep abreast of something
• wily - cunning
• allows - lends itself to
• do - commit - perpetrate
• have taste - smacks of

CV buzz words

Why say led when you can claim to have spearheaded, propelled, pioneered, orchestrated, officiated, optimized, instituted, inspired, headed, governed, enacted, directed, crafted, controlled, championed, built, or supervised.

Why say you developed something when you can use cultivated, advanced, evolved, fostered, amplified, promoted, expanded, actualized, refined, augmented, enriched, extended, magnified, or strengthened.

Why handle something when you can address, advance, alter, apply, centralize, compile, conduct, construct, coordinate, determine, execute, exhibit, formalize, govern, oversee, or establish it.

Expressions / Phrases

• Here in London we have lots of Government detectives and lots of private ones. When these fellows are at fault they come to me,
• I manage to put them on the right scent
• They have their knives into one another too - personal grudges.
• with the most minute exactness
• Hail a cab
• give vent to something
• grow up quickly out of necessity
• to defeat the ills brought about by
• “I will now cut one of these pills in two,” said Holmes, and drawing his penknife he suited the action to the word.
• by way of example
• resulted in an ingrained sense of the
• The sun was barely peeping through the clouds
• They were buzzards, the vultures of the west, whose coming is the forerunner of death.
• and were surrounded by crowds of the pilgrims — pale-faced meek-looking women, strong laughing children, and anxious earnest-eyed men.
• While our cab had been threading its way through a long succession of dingy streets and dreary by-ways.
• Puerile as such an exercise may seem, it sharpens the faculties.
• if only because - Media studies is regarded as a more exciting subject, if only because it’s new.
• make a killing - laughing all the way to the bank