The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate

by Eugene Ehrlich

Overview

Between TV talk shows, radio call-in programs, email and the Internet, spontaneous-talk media has skyrocketed in the '90s. People are interacting more frequently and more fervently than ever before, turning the English language into an indecipherable mess. Now, this unique and concise compendium presents the most confused and misused words in the language today -- words misused by careless speakers and writers everywhere. It defines, discerns and distinguishes the finer points of sense and meaning. Was it fortuitous or only fortunate? Are you trying to remember, or more fully recollect? Is he uninterested or disinterested? Is it healthful or healthy, regretful or regrettable, notorious or infamous? The answers to these and many more fascinating etymological questions can be found within the pages of this invaluable (or is it valuable?) reference.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061746796
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/16/2024
Series:	Highly Selective Reference
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Eugene Ehrlich wrote and edited numerous reference books on language, including the original Oxford American Dictionary and Amo, Amas, Amat and More.

Read an Excerpt

The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate A

abacus n. soroban

abandoned adj. cade, derelict, profligate

abate v. mitigate, palliate, quash

abdicate v. abjure, abnegate, demit

abject adj. craven, fawning, ignominious

able adj. habile

abnormal adj. heteroclite, preternatural

abnormality n. deuteropathy

abolish v. disestablish, extirpate

abominable adj. flagitious, odious

Abominable Snowman yeti

aborigine n. autochthon, indigenous inhabitant

abound v. exuberate

abridge v. attenuate, epitomize

abscond v. decamp

absent-minded adj.
distrait, distraite

absinth n. wormwood

absolute adj. 1. rank, unmitigated; 2. assoluta, inviolable,
peremptory

absolution, grant shrive

absorbent adj. bibulous

absorption n. immersion, prepossession

abstain v. eschew, forbear

abstention n. abstemiousness

abstract adj. noetic

abstract n. compendium, epitome

abstract v. prescind

abstruse adj. involuted, recondite

absurdity n. bˆtise

abundance n. cornucopia, plenitude, profligacy

abuse v. calumniate, castigate, rail, revile, traduce

abuse n. aspersion, billingsgate, calumniation, castigation, obloquy, opprobrium, traducement

academic adj.moot

accept v. stomach

accessible adj. pervious

accessory n. ancillary, appurtenance, parergon

accident n. allision, fortuity

accidental adj. adventitious, aleatory, fortuitous, serendipitous

acclaim n. ‚clat, kudos

accomplish v. compass, effectuate

accomplished adj. compleat, consummate

accomplishments n. res gestae

account n. hexaemeron

accrue v. redound

accumulation n. alimentation, hypertrophy

accusation n. gravamen, impeachment

accuse v. impeach, implead, inculpate, recriminate

accusing adj. accusatory, criminative

accustom v. acculturate, inure, wont

achievement n. capstone, tour de force

acknowledge v. avouch, homologate

acme n. apogee, ne plus ultra

acquiescence n. complaisance

acquit v. exculpate

acronym n. initialism

active adj. volitant

actor n. deuteragonist, onnagata, protagonist

actress n. ing‚nue, soubrette

actual adj. veridical

actuality n. entelechy

adage n. aphorism, apothegm

adapt v. indigenize, quadrate

adaptation n. rifacimento

added adj. postiche

addition n. 1. additament, adjunct, appendicle; 2. parogoge

additional adj. adscititious

address n. allocution, apostrophe, salutatory

address v. apostrophize

adherent n. ideologue, pr‚cisian

adhesive adj. viscid, viscoid, viscose

adjacent adj. limitrophe, vicinal

adjunct n. appanage

adjust v. collimate

administer v. adhibit

admirer n. votary

admit v. intromit

adoring adj. idolatrous, seraphic

adorn v. bedizen, emmarble, titivate

adornment n. frippery, garniture

adulation n. blandishment, fulsomeness, sycophancy

adulterated adj. adulterine

adulterer n. Ischys

adultery n. cuckoldry, fornication

advance n. anabasis

Advent n. Parousia

adventure n. emprise

adventurer n. filibuster, landloper

adviser n. consigliere, consultor

advisory adj. exhortatory, hortative, hortatory

advocate n. paladin, paraclete

affected adj. minikin, missish, niminy-piminy, pr‚cieuse, pr‚cieux, recherch‚

affected speech euphuism, periphrasis

affecting adj. connotative, emotive

affection n. coraz¢n, dotage, predilection

affirm v. asseverate, predicate

affix v. adhibit

affront n. lSse majest‚, lese majesty

afraid adj. disquieted, fearsome, pavid

afresh adv. de nouveau, de novo

after a death post obitum

after a meal postprandial

after a war postbellum

aftereffect n. sequela

afterlife n. futurity

aftermath n. rowen

after the fact ex post facto, post factum

after the Fall postlapsarian

after the Flood postdiluvian

agent n. comprador, ‚minence grise

agile adj. lissome, yare

agility n. alacrity, celerity, legerity

aging adj. senescent

agitate v. commove, discompose

agitated adj. corybantic, overwrought

agitator n. agent provocateur, incendiarist

agnosticism n. nescience

agrarian adj. agrestic, predial

agreeable adj. complaisant, consensual, consonant, conversable, ingratiating, sapid, sipid

aggressive adj. assaultive, officious

agricultural adj. geoponic, georgic

aide n. coadjutant

aimlessness n. circuity, fecklessness

air, stale fug

air hole spiracle

airs n. flubdub, hauteur, superciliousness

airy adj. ethereal, illusory

akin adj. cognate, consanguineous

alarm n. tocsin

alarmist n. Jeremiah

alchemist n. Paracelsus

alcoholic n. dipsomaniac, inebriate

alcove n. carrel, inglenook

alibi, person providing an compurgator

alien n. metic

alien adj. heterochthonous, peregrine

alignment n. syzygy

allegiance n. fealty

allied adj. connate, federate

alligator n. caiman

alluring adj. sirenic, toothsome

almond-shaped adj. amygdaline, amygdaloid

alms n. maundy money

aloofness n. froideur

alphabet n. christcross-row, Glagolitic, ogham

altar boy acolyte

altar cloth pall, pallium

alter v. bushel, jigger, sophisticate

altogether adv. holus-bolus

amalgamate v. commingle, conjoin

amalgamation n. conflation

ambassador n. chiaus, internuncio, nuncio, plenipotentiary

ambiguity, remove disambiguate

ambiguous adj. Delphic, equivocal, oracular

ambitious person arriviste

ambulance chasing barratry

ambush n./v. ambuscade

amenities n. suavities The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate. Copyright © by Eugene H. Ehrlich. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.