Read The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate Online
Authors: Eugene Ehrlich
Tags: #Language Arts & Disciplines, #General, #Reference, #Dictionaries
noisome
(NOY-s
e
m)
adjective
1. harmful.
2. offensive, disgusting.
3. noxious.
Obviously,
noisome
shares no meaning with
noise
or
noisy
, yet careless writers mistakenly use this adjective as a synonym for
noisy
. Remember that while
noisy
environments may be thought of as
noisome
, it is because they are often considered to be
harmful
or
offensive
. The two adjectives are not even remotely synonymous.
Related words:
noisomely
adverb
,
noisomeness
noun
.
nonpareil
(
NON
-p
e
-REEL)
adjective
1. without equal; peerless.
2. (
noun
) a person having no equal.
3. (
noun
) a chocolate candy decorated with sugar pellets.
nostrum
(NOS-tr
e
m)
noun
1. a quack remedy.
2. a patent medicine.
3. a panacea.
notorious
(noh-TOR-ee-
e
s)
adjective
well known, especially in an unfavorable way.
Many writers and speakers mistakenly use
famous
as an exact synonym for
notorious
, which is better thought of as a close synonym for
infamous
. Save
famous
for persons of enviable achievements and good reputations.
Infamous
persons are those having or deserving very bad reputations.
Related words:
notoriously
adverb
,
notoriousness
and
notoriety
(
NOH
-t
e
-R
I
-i-tee)
both nouns
.
noxious
(NOK-sh
e
s)
adjective
1. unpleasant; injurious to health.
2. corrupting, morally harmful; pernicious.
3. nocuous.
Related words:
noxiously
adverb
,
noxiousness
noun
.
nugatory
(NOO-g
e
-
TOR
-ee)
adjective
1. trifling, worthless; futile.
2. inoperative, ineffective, not valid.
nyctalopia
(
NIK
-t
e
l-OH-pee-
e
)
noun
night blindness.
Related word:
nyctalopic
(
NIK
-t
e
l-OP-ik)
adjective
.
obdurate
(OB-duu-rit)
adjective
1. stubborn, unyielding.
2. impenitent.
Related words:
obduracy
(OB-duu-r
e
-see) and
obdurateness
(OB-duu-rit-nis)
both nouns
,
obdurately
adverb
.
obeisance
(oh-BAY-s
e
ns)
noun
1. deference or homage.
2. a deep bow or curtsy.
Related words:
obeisant
adjective
,
obeisantly
adverb
.
objurgate
(OB-j
e
r-
GAYT
)
verb
denounce, upbraid harshly; revile.
Related words:
objurgation
(
OB
-j
e
r-GAY-sh
e
n) and
objurgator
(OB-j
e
r-
GAY
-t
e
r)
both nouns
,
objurgative
(
e
b-JUR-g
e
-tiv) and
objurgatory
(
e
b-JUR-g
e
-
TOR
-ee)
both adjectives
,
objurgatively
(
e
b-JUR-g
e
-tiv-lee) and
objurgatorily
(
e
b-JUR-g
e
-
TOR
-
e
-lee)
both adverbs
.
obloquy
(OB-l
e
-kwee)
noun, plural
obloquies
1. verbal censure or abuse; detraction.
2. discredit, disgrace, or bad reputation as a result of being badly spoken of.
obnubilate
(ob-NOO-b
e
-
LAYT
)
verb
cloud over; darken; obscure.
Related word:
obnubilation
(ob-
NOO
-b
e
-LAY-sh
e
n)
noun
.
obsecrate
(OB-si-
KRAYT
)
verb
1. plead, beseech.
2. supplicate in the name of something sacred.
Related word:
obsecration
(
OB
-si-KRAY-sh
e
n)
noun
.
obsequies
(OB-si-kweez)
plural noun, singular
obsequy
funeral rites; a funeral.
obsequious
(
e
b-SEE-kwee-
e
s)
adjective
obsessively or sickeningly respectful.
Related words:
obsequiously
adverb
,
obsequiousness
noun
.
obtrude
(
e
b-TROOD)
verb
1. force (oneself or one's ideas) on others.
2. thrust forth; push out.
Related words:
obtruder
and
obtrusion
(
e
b-TROO-zh
e
n)
both nouns
,
obtrusive
(
e
b-TROO-siv)
adjective
,
obtrusively
adverb
.
obviate
(OB-vee-
AYT
)
verb
1. make unnecessary.
2. neutralize (inconvenience, danger, etc.).
occlude
(
e
-KLOOD)
verb
1. close, obstruct, stop up.
2. shut in.
Related words:
occludent
adjective
,
occluder
and
occlusion
(
e
-KLOO-zh
e
n)
both nouns
.
ochlocracy
(ok-LOK-r
e
-see)
noun
mob rule.
Related words:
ochlocrat
(OK-l
e
-
KRAT
)
noun
,
ochlocratic
(
OK
-l
e
-KRAT-ik) and
ochlocratical
(
OK
-l
e
-KRAT-
e
-k
e
l)
both adjectives
,
ochlocratically
adverb
.
odalisque
(OHD-
e
l-isk)
noun
, also given as
odalisk
a female slave or concubine, especially in a harem.
odious
(OH-dee-
e
s)
adjective
hateful, detestable; disgusting, offensive, repugnant.
Odious
, influenced by its superficial resemblance to
odorous
, is frequently used mistakenly with the meaning of
ill-smelling
.
Speakers and writers who make this mistake open themselves to ridicule. Take care.
Related words:
odiously
adverb
,
odiousness
noun
.
oenophile
(EE-n
e
-
F
I
L
)
noun
a lover of wine, especially a wine connoisseur.
Related words:
oenophilia
(
EE
-n
e
-FIL-ee-
e
)
noun
,
oenophilic
(
EE
-n
e
-FIL-ik)
adjective
.
offal
(AW-f
e
l)
noun
1. the parts cut off as waste from a butchered animal.
2. carrion.
3. refuse or waste in general; dregs.
officious
(
e
-FISH-
e
s)
adjective
aggressively asserting one's authority; bossy.
Do not confuse
officious
with the well-known word
official
, even though some
officials
may be
officious
.
Related words:
officiously
adverb
,
officiousness
noun
.
oligarchy
(OL-i-
GAHR
-kee)
noun, plural
oligarchies
1. a form of government in which power is in the hands of a few people.
2. the group that holds this power.
3. a country governed this way.
Related words:
oligarch
(OL-i-
GAHRK
)
noun
,
oligarchic
(
OL
-i-GAHR-kik) and
oligarchical
both adjectives
,
oligarchically
adverb
.
operose
(OP-
e
-
ROHS
)
adjective
1. of work, requiring much effort; tedious, laborious.
2. of a person, industrious.
Related words:
operosely
adverb
,
operoseness
noun
.
opprobrious
(
e
-PROH-bree-
e
s)
adjective
1. of words etc., showing scorn or reproach.
2. abusive, vituperative.
Related words:
opprobriously
adverb
,
opprobriousness
and
opprobrium
(
e
-PROH-bree-
e
m)
both nouns
.
ordure
(OR-j
e
r)
noun
manure, dung, excrement.
Related word:
ordurous
(OR-j
e
r-
e
s)
adjective
.
orison
(OR-
e
-z
e
n)
noun
a prayer.
orotund
(OR-
e
-
TUND
)
adjective
1. with full voice, imposing, dignified.
2. pompous, pretentious.
Do not confuse
orotund
with
rotund
, which see.
Related word:
orotundity
(
OR
-
e
-TUN-di-tee)
noun
.
orthoepy
(or-THOH-
e
-pee)
noun
the study of correct pronunciation.