// It took almost an hour to coax [ˈkoʊks] the cat down from the tree.
// Our outdoor survival instructor taught us how to coax [ˈkoʊks] a fire to burn by blowing on it.coax
verb [ˈkoʊks]
To coax a person or animal is to influence or persuade them to do something by talking in a gentle and friendly way.
Coax can also be used when someone is working to bring about something desired with great perseverance and usually with considerable effort. English cowpoke
Many of the movie franchise’s most fervid [ˈfɜ˞vəd] fans camped outside of theaters for days leading up to the new installment’s opening night.fervid
adj [ˈfɜ˞vəd]
somewhat formal word
1) describing people or things that express, or are expressive of, strong feelings.
From the Latin verb fervēre, meaning “to boil” or “to glow,” as well as, by extension, “to seethe” or “to be roused.” English cowpoke
She enjoyed the deep discussions in her metaphysics class that helped her grok [ˈɡɹɑk] some of the main themes of Western philosophy.grok
verb [ˈɡɹɑk]
To grok something is to understand it both profoundly and intuitively.
Grok may be the only English word that derives from Martian. Yes, we do mean the language of the planet Mars. No, we're not getting spacey; we've just ventured into the realm of science fiction. Grok was introduced in Robert A. Heinlein's 1961 science fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land. English cowpoke
The organization's charter states that a quorum [ˈkwɔrəm] of at least seven board members must be present before any voting can take place.quorum
noun [ˈkwɔrəm]
Quorum refers to the smallest number of people who must be present at a meeting in order for official decisions to be made. Broadly speaking, quorum may refer to any select group.
minimums required described as a quorum. This word, which can be pluralized as quorums or quora, comes directly from the Latin word quorum, which translates as "of whom." English cowpoke
While her name was not attached to her books in her lifetime (she published anonymously), Jane Austen continues two centuries hence to be lionized [ˈlaɪəˌnaɪz] as one of the English language's greatest novelists.lionize
verb [ˈlaɪəˌnaɪz]
To lionize someone is to treat them as a person of great interest or importance.
humans have long projected qualities of bravery and regality upon the proverbial “king of the beasts.” It is precisely those and similar admirable qualities that led, in the 18th century, to lion being used for a person who is similarly well-regarded, especially after a long and distinguished career in a particular field, as in “lion of the Senate,” or “literary lion.” English cowpoke
// The neighborhood children made sure never to approach the abandoned mansion, which sat tenebrous [ˈtɛnəbɹəs] and foreboding at the top of the hill.
// A horror film seems incomplete without someone running through a tenebrous [ˈtɛnəbɹəs] forest or alley.tenebrous
adj [ˈtɛnəbɹəs]
formal word
1) synonym of gloomy.
2) describe dark, unlit places (as in “the tenebrous abyss”)
3) things that are difficult to understand (as in “a tenebrous tangle of lies”).
from the Latin noun tenebrae, meaning “darkness.” English cowpoke
The crowd was mesmerized [ˈmɛzmə˞ˌɹaɪz] by the flawlessly synchronous movements of the acrobats.mesmerize
verb [ˈmɛzmə˞ˌɹaɪz]
Mesmerize means "to hold the attention of someone entirely; to interest or amaze someone so much that nothing else is seen or noticed." The word is often used in the phrase "be mesmerized.
Experts can’t agree on whether Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815) was a quack or a genius, but all concede that the Swabian physician's name is the source of the word mesmerize. English cowpoke
It would be churlish [ˈtʃɜ˞lɪʃ] not to congratulate the winning team because we lost the match.churlish
adj [ˈtʃɜ˞lɪʃ]
At the zenith [ˈzinəθ] of her music career in the early 2000s, she released her best-selling album to date.zenith
noun [ˈzinəθ]
Zenith refers to the strongest or most successful period of time for a person or thing.
When you reach the zenith, you're at the top, the pinnacle, the summit, the peak.
Zenith developed from an Arabic phrase meaning "the way over one's head," and then traveled through Old Spanish, Medieval Latin, and Middle French before arriving in English.
Figuratively, nadir simply means "the lowest point." English cowpoke
As a child, Eli's favorite part of the High Holidays was the sounding of the shofar [ˈʃoʊˌfɑr].shofar [ˈʃoʊˌfɑr]
noun
A shofar is the horn of an animal (usually a ram) blown as a trumpet by the ancient Hebrews in battle and during religious observances. It is used in modern Judaism especially during Rosh Hashanah and at the end of Yom Kippur.
One of the shofar's original uses was to proclaim the Jubilee year (a year of emancipation of enslaved Jews and restoration of alienated lands to their former owners). Today, it is mainly used in synagogues during the High Holidays. English cowpoke
Though not so enchanting as the dawn chorus of early spring, Sasha looks forward to the fall, when the woods ring again with mellifluous [mɛˈlɪfləwəs] birdsong.mellifluous
adj [mɛˈlɪfləwəs]
in formal speech and writing
1) adj for describing things with a smooth, flowing sound.
2) can also be used to mean “filled with something (such as honey) that sweetens,” as in “mellifluous confections.”
2 Latin roots: the noun mel, meaning “honey,” and the verb fluere, meaning “to flow.”
mellifluous typically and figuratively describes sound
But mellifluous can also be used to describe edibles and potables, such as wine English cowpoke
// It's an elegant gown with a demure [dɪˈmjʊr] neckline.
// The girl greeted her parents' dinner party guests with a demure [dɪˈmjʊr] curtsy.demure
adj [dɪˈmjʊr]
When describing something observed, such as clothing or an attitude, demure means "not attracting or demanding a lot of attention," making it a synonym of reserved and modest.
When used to describe a person—it's usually applied to a girl or woman—it typically means "quiet and polite," but it can also describe someone who puts on a show of false modesty, making it a synonym of coy.
Whether a subtle whiff of campfire on a cool autumn breeze or the less-than-subtle lure of a pumpkin spice latte, the spicy, savory harbingers [ˈhɑrbəndʒə˞] of fall spark a shift in the food and wine we crave.harbinger
noun [ˈhɑrbəndʒə˞]
N for something that foreshadows, or gives an early indication of, something that will happen in the future.
When you consider the oldest, now-obsolete definitions of harbinger... The first is Butterbur himself: coming from the Anglo-French herberge, meaning “lodgings,”... Later on, harbinger was also used for a person sent ahead of a main party to seek lodgings. English cowpoke
“AI is fallible [ˈfæləbəl]. We see biased responses. ... This is because of how AI models are trained—in other words, it’s because of the data. Skewed data will lead to skewed results and misrepresentations.” — Kevin Collins, Forbes, 8 June 2023fallible
adj [ˈfæləbəl]
Fallible means “capable of making mistakes or being wrong.
descends from the Latin verb fallere, which means “to deceive.” Fallible has been used to describe the potential for error since at least the 15th century. Other descendants of fallere in English, all of which actually predate fallible, include fallacy (the earliest, now obsolete, meaning was “guile, trickery”), fault, false, and even fjail. Whoops, we mean fail. English cowpoke
The group has obtained an injunction [ɪnˈdʒəŋkʃən] to prevent the demolition of the building.injunction
noun [ɪnˈdʒəŋkʃən]
Injunction refers to an order from a court of law that says something must be done or must not be done.
from the Latin verb injungere (“to enjoin,” i.e., to issue an authoritative command or order), which in turn is based on jungere, meaning “to join”: it is joined as a jungere descendant by several words including junction, conjunction, enjoin, and join. English cowpoke
Every year the mayor gives a version of the same overblown, orotund [ˈɔrəˌtənd] speech, full of fancy promises they never seem to keep.orotund
adj [ˈɔrəˌtənd]
formal word - synonym of sonorous [ˈsɑnərəs]
1) adj for describing something—usually a voice—marked by fullness, strength, and clarity of sound.
2) Can also be used disapprovingly to mean "pompous" or "bombastic."
Shaping one’s mouth into an o-shape is pretty much a surefire way to produce an orotund or resonant sound, that is, one that is full, strong, and loud. Orotund comes from the Latin phrase ore rotundo, literally meaning "with ... English cowpoke
She was known as a bellwether [ˈbɛlˈwɛðɚ] of fashion because she was always one step ahead of the runways and magazines.bellwether
noun [ˈbɛlˈwɛðɚ]
Bellwether refers to someone or something that leads others or shows what will happen in the future—in other words, a leader or a trendsetter.
a word formed by a combination of the Middle English words belle (meaning “bell”) and wether (a noun that refers to a male sheep, and today specifically to a castrated male sheep). English cowpoke
It redounds [ɹɪˈdaʊnd] to his credit that he worked so hard to prevent this crisis.
It redounds [ɹɪˈdaʊnd] greatly to the advantages/disadvantages not only of the individual but of the country as a whole.redound
verb [ɹɪˈdaʊnd]
Redound is a formal word that when paired with to means “to have a particular result.” It is often used in one of two idioms: “It redounds to someone's credit/honor” is used to say that a person deserves credit/respect for having done something. “Redound to the advantage of” means “to benefit (someone or something).” //Redound is also sometimes used as a synonym of accrue and reflect.
Latin word for “wave,” unda (redundant, redound, undulate, surround, and wate... English cowpoke
Her recent expressions of concern about the community center closing are disingenuous [ˌdɪsɪnˈdʒɛnjəwəs] at best because she stands to benefit financially when the property is redeveloped.disingenuous
adj [ˌdɪsɪnˈdʒɛnjəwəs]
formal word
1) adj for things (e.g. speech or behavior) that give a false appearance of being honest or sincere.
Similarly, a person who is being disingenuous may seem sincere, but is in fact only pretending to be open and candid.
