The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate (24 page)

Kafkaesque
(
KAHF
-k
e
-ESK)
adjective

resembling, especially in nightmare quality, a state of affairs or a state of mind described by the writer Franz Kafka (1883-1924).

Related word:
Kafkaesquely
(
KAHF
-k
e
-ESK-lee)
adverb
.

kakemono
(
KAH
-ke-MOH-noh)
noun, plural
kakemonos
and
kakemono

a Japanese wall-hanging, usually painted on paper or silk and mounted on rollers.

karma
(KAHR-m
e
)
noun

1. fate, destiny.

2. in Buddhism and Hinduism, the sum of a person's actions in one of his successive states of existence, seen as affecting the person's present life or his fate in the next incarnation.

Related word:
karmic
(KAHR-mik)
adjective
.

kedgeree
(KEJ-
e
-
REE
)
noun

an East Indian dish made of rice, lentils, onions, eggs, etc.

kepi
(KAY-pee)
noun, plural
kepis

a French military cap with a flat circular top and a visor.

kermis
(KUR-mis)
noun
, also given as
kermess
and
kirmiss
, with the same pronunciations

1. in Holland and other Low Countries, an annual outdoor fair with much merrymaking.

2. a charity fair.

ketch
(kech)
noun

a small sailing vessel with foremast and mizzenmast.

kiosk
(KEE-osk)
noun

a light structure in a public place for use as a newsstand, refreshment stand, etc.

kismet
(KIZ-mit)
noun
, also given as
kismat
(KIZ-m
e
t)

fate; destiny.

kitsch
(kich)
noun

1. pretentiousness and lack of good taste in art.

2. an object of tawdry design.

Related word:
kitschy
adjective
.

knout
(nowt)
noun

a flogging whip with a lash of leather thongs formerly used in Russia as an instrument of punishment.

Related word:
knout
verb, punish with a knout
.

kyphosis
(k
I
-FOH-sis)
noun

an abnormal convex curvature of the spine.

Related word:
kyphotic
(k
I
-FOT-ik)
adjective
.

lachrymose
(LAK-r
e
-
MOHS
)
adjective

1. given to weeping.

2. tearful.

Related words:
lachrymosely
adverb
,
lachrymosity
(
LAK
-r
e
-MOS-i-tee)
noun
.

laconic
(l
e
-KON-ik)
adjective

1. not talkative; terse;

2. concise.

Related words:
laconically
adverb
,
laconicism
(l
e
-KON-
e
-
SIZ
-
e
m) and
laconism
(LAK-
e
-
NIZ
-
e
m)
both nouns
.

lacuna
(l
e
-KYOO-n
e
)
noun, plural
lacunae
(l
e
-KYOO-nee) and
lacunas

1. a gap.

2. something missing from a book or argument etc.

3. a hiatus.

Related words:
lacunal
(l
e
-KYOON-
e
l),
lacunar
(l
e
-KYOO-n
e
r),
lacunary
(l
e
-KYOON-
e
r-ee), and
lacunose
(l
e
-KYOO-nohs)
all adjectives
.

lambent
(LAM-b
e
nt)
adjective

1. of light or flame, playing on a surface without burning it; with soft radiance.

2. of eyes, sky, etc., softly radiant.

3. of wit etc., dealing lightly and gracefully with a subject, lightly brilliant.

Related words:
lambency
(LAM-b
e
n-see)
noun
,
lambently
adverb
.

languid
(LANG-gwid)
adjective

lacking vigor or vitality; feeble, apathetic.

Related words:
languidly
adverb
,
languidness
noun
.

languorous
(LANG-g
e
r-
e
s)
adjective

1. fatigued, lacking alertness; languid.

2. dull, listless, drooping.

3. of air, oppressively still.

Related words:
languorously
adverb
,
languor
and
languorousness
both nouns
.

lecher
(LECH-
e
r)
noun

1. a man given to unrestrained indulgence of sexual lust.

2. a lascivious man.

Related words:
lecherous
adjective
,
lecherously
adverb
,
lecherousness
and
lechery
(LECH-
e
-ree)
both nouns
.

lectern
(LEK-t
e
rn)
noun

a stand with a sloping top to hold a book or notes for a speaker or reader.

legerdemain
(
LEJ
-
e
r-d
e
-MAYN)
noun

1. sleight of hand, magic tricks.

2. sophistry; trickery.

Related word:
legerdemainist
(
LEJ
-
e
r-d
e
-MAYN-ist)
noun
.

lenity
(LEN-i-tee)
noun, plural
lenities

1. gentleness; mercifulness.

2. an act of mercy.

Related word:
lenitive
adjective
.

lese majesty
(LEEZ MAJ-
e
-stee), also given as
lèse-majesté
(les-mah-zh
e
s-TAY), as in French

1. an insult to a sovereign or ruler.

2. treason.

3. presumptuous behavior.

leviathan
(l
e
-V
I
-
e
-th
e
n)
noun

1. something of enormous size and power.

2. any huge sea creature.

libido
(li-BEE-doh)
noun, plural
libidos

emotional energy or urge, especially that associated with sexual desire.

Related words:
libidinal
(li-BID-
e
-n
e
l) and
libidinous
(li-BID-
e
n-
e
s)
both adjectives
,
libidinally
adverb
.

limpid
(LIM-pid)
adjective

of a liquid, the atmosphere, or literary style, clear; lucid; transparent.

Related words:
limpidity
(lim-PID-i-tee) and
limpidness
(LIM-pid-nis)
both nouns
,
limpidly
adverb
.

linchpin
(LINCH-
PIN
)
noun
, also given as
lynchpin

1. a person or thing that is vital to an organization, plan, etc.

2. a pin passed through the end of an axle to keep the wheel in position.

lissome
(LIS-
e
m)
adjective
, also given as
lissom

1. supple, flexible.

2. lithe, agile.

Related words:
lissomely
adverb
,
lissomeness
noun
.

littoral
(LIT-
e
r-
e
l)
adjective

1. of or pertaining to the shore.

2. (
noun
) the region lying along the shore.

loath
(lohth)
adjective

1. unwilling.

2. reluctant, disinclined.

Do not confuse
loath
with
loathe
, which see.

Related words:
loathly
adverb
,
loathness
noun
.

loathe
(loh
th
)
verb

feel great hatred and disgust for (a person or thing).

Loathe
, meaning
feel great hatred
, and
loath
, meaning
reluctant
, are easily confused, first because of their similar spellings, secondly because many speakers pronounce both words as loh
th
. To avoid this confusion, you are well advised to pronounce
loath
as lohth. Save loh
th
for
loathe
, and remember that one should be eager to love and
loath
to
loathe
.

Related words:
loather
(LOH
TH
-
e
r)
noun
,
loathsome
(LOH
TH
-s
e
m)
adjective
,
loathsomely
(LOH
TH
-s
e
m-lee)
adverb
.

locum tenens
(LOH-k
e
m TEN-inz),
plural
locum tenentes
(LOH-k
e
m t
e
-NEN-teez)

a temporary substitute, especially for a physician or a member of the clergy.

Related word:
locum-tenency
(
LOH
-k
e
m-TEN-
e
n-see)
noun
.

logomachy
(loh-GOM-
e
-kee)
noun, plural
logomachies

1. a dispute about words.

2. a meaningless battle of words.

Related words:
logomachic
(
LOH
-g
e
-MAK-ik) and
logomachical
both adjectives
,
logomachist
(loh-GOM-
e
-kist) and
logomach
(LOH-g
e
-
MAK
)
both nouns
.

lordosis
(lor-DOH-sis)
noun

an abnormal forward curvature of the spine.

Related word:
lordotic
(lor-DOT-ik)
adjective
.

louche
(loosh)
adjective

1. shifty; shady.

2. disreputable.

lour
(lowr) and
lower
(LOW-
e
r)
both verbs