Improving ones vocabulary.

[Shadow Man]

I have a fairly broad vocabulary, but am still often faced with unknown words, even in The Daily Mail and certainly adult reading material.

Can the mere mortals on here please provide some words they are proud to know the meaning of, which others, including myself, may need to consult a dictionary for.

As I am due to start a teaching job, I want to learn one new word a day.

A word, that is, I can use in polite society for everyday conversation. Not some chavism or medical term.

Thank you.

[daffy654]

Hyperbole=gross exaggeration
Exsanguination=to bleed to death

[weeal]

well, Im Scottish so you wouldnt find most of my 'proud' words in a dictionary lol

[neo.]

verbose

[dot.hawkes]

my mother 's favourite response when we used to dare to argue back to her was: 'Don;t be so obstreperous'

[Shadow Man]

That's a sore throat isn't it dotty?

[johnlambert]

succor
suc�cor (skr)
n.
1. Assistance in time of distress; relief.
2. One that affords assistance or relief.
tr.v. suc�cored, suc�cor�ing, suc�cors
To give assistance to in time of want, difficulty, or distress.

[Goodsoulette]

Apparently subsidiarity is so hard to define that if someone could have defined it properly, in a set amount of words they would have won something like 100,000 euros. In principle I understand it.

[society]

Reading a lot helps. I don't mean only the newspapers or magazines but books. I read books everyday and always have a dictionary at hand. Randomly open the dictionary and learn, memorise the meaning of a word or two.

[Shadow Man]

So in ten words Goody, what does it "roughly" mean?

[johnlambert]

Goodsoulette
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subsidiarity


Is that what you understood it to be?

[Goodsoulette]

government power controlled at the lowest possible level

[nutgoneflake]

Sisyphean - pointless, futile.

I love the sound of it, and the idea of it, but have never used it in a sentence! Derives from the legend of Sisyphus who had to roll a large rock up a hill, which then rolled back down again when he'd almost reached the top. Can't you just think of dozens of sisyphean tasks you've wasted your time on in the past??!!

[Shadow Man]

A fallen souflle only last week. One hour to prepare, one second to collapse!!!!

(PS I can not put an accent above the "e", and I bet you 50p some smart alec will do in the next hour)

[stewey]

Continuing the thread, and in logical continuity, I know the difference between 'continually' and 'continuously'. Any continuance upon that?.....................Jeez, I hope not:)

[daffy654]

Shadow Man...have you tried using the character map in your computer's system tools?

[johnlambert]

Souffl�

simple really, open a blank word document, type Souffle, press spellcheck and bingo 1x accent

[Shadow Man]

Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Yeah, of course!!!


(Where is it?)

[Shadow Man]

Oh Lambert that sounds too laborious for AB!!!!!

[daffy654]

start menu>accessories>system tools

[Goodsoulette]

Souffl�....Comme �a


http://french.about.com/library/bl-accents.htm