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dither n/v 1) A state of extreme haste and confusion. I was all in a dither over the dinner party for twelve that I was trying to put together with six hours notice. 2) To waver back and forth in furious hesitation. Well, Roscoe, we were going to give you the promotion, but you dithered back and forth for so long over whether to take it that we gave it to young Alex here.
epithet n A descriptive phrase usually attached to someone's name. "Alexander the Great," "Ivan the Terrible," and "Steen the Magnificent" are all well-known epithets for famous people.
flaunt v To show off one's assets, usually in a tasteless and offensive manner. After she got engaged to the billionaire, Gretta liked to flaunt her good fortune in front of us down at the Shop and Stop by waving her five carat diamond ring around.
flout
v
To
flagrantly disobey or disrespect society's laws or conventions. 1) Elmer
flouted the code of etiquette by belching loudly at the table and wiping his
mouth on the corner of the tablecloth. 2) April flouted the school rules
by not only skipping class but asking the principal if he wanted anything while
she was out.
implacable adj Firm,
unyielding, and stubborn. Not to be moved or swayed. Mohammed begged for his
brother's life, but the emperor remained implacable; the brother was executed.
restitution n
1) The act of restoring to the rightful
owner something that has been taken away, lost, or surrendered. 2) The act of
making good or compensating for loss, damage, or injury. After the insurance
company refused to pay Delbert's claim, he was forced to declare bankruptcy. But
a judge, deciding that Delbert had been wronged, ordered the company to pay full
restitution--plus a million dollars in punitive damages.
revulsion n Extreme disgust, the kind that would make one's stomach turn (think "revolt" or "revolve"). Though I was starving in the Turkish prison and would have eaten almost anything, I could not hide my revulsion at the thought of eating bread that was infested with maggots.
simile n A comparison (metaphor) using "like" or "as." Especially notable is the Homeric or epic simile found in epic poetry. Homer and Virgil were fond of using similes that drew comparisons between complex ideas and simple country activities.
smite v To strike with great power or force. To blaspheme the name of the Lord is to invite God to smite you with a thunderbolt. (Note the past tense is "smote" and the past participle is "smitten." "Smitten," however, is used in a much lighter sense. Six year old Danny was smitten with Shirley, and his friends teased him about being in love with her.
vanquish
v
To
defeat utterly. We have declared a war on terrorism, and we hope to totally
vanquish the enemy in the coming months and years.