Words I Like
On January 23, 2021 in thoughts • 7 minutes readTable of Contents
- Helter-skelter
- Mendacious
- Philistinism
- Thespian
- Purloin
- Gauche
- Quiescent
- Patter
- Etoilated
- Bacchanalia
- Rivulets
- Lithe
- Scion
- Panoplia
- Riposte
- Pauper
- Chartreuse
- Eloquent
- Contrive
- Internecine
- Pageantry
- Frayed
- Penchant
- Erstwhile
- Vindicate
- Ascertain
- Prance
- Enthral
- Bamboozle
- Sham
- Disseminate
- Quagmire
- Affable
- Formidable
- Epistolary
- Stagnate
- Enthused
- Ensconced
- Blithely
- Crucible
- Hallowed
- Laconic
- Decree
- Obstinate
- Phlegmatic
- Abdurate
- Pertinacious
- Obliging
- Tantalising
- Trifecta
- Perturbed
Once upon a time in a quaint village nestled between helter-skelter hills and babbling rivulets, there lived a young thespian named Theo. Theo had a lithe and eloquent way of expressing himself that enchanted everyone in the village.
One day, a mysterious pauper arrived, claiming to have the secret to unlock a treasure hidden in the heart of the quagmire near the village. The villagers, initially perturbed by this stranger, soon found themselves caught in a web of mendacious tales about the treasure’s origin.
Undeterred, Theo, with his affable nature, decided to quiescently explore the quagmire. As he tiptoed through the muck, a bamboozling creature appeared, performing a comical prance. It turned out to be the guardian of the treasure, a gauche but friendly creature named Giggles.
Giggles shared stories of a magical bacchanalia that happened in the village years ago. Legend had it that during the pageantry, a mischievous imp managed to purloin a chartreuse potion, leading to a frayed bond between the villagers.
Determined to mend the bonds, Theo orchestrated an internecine party, inviting villagers to participate in a trifecta of games that encouraged unity. Giggles, with his obliging spirit, joined the revelry, adding a touch of formidable laughter.
Theo’s ascertain approach to resolve conflicts turned the village into a lively, enthused community. The once stagnant village transformed into a vibrant haven, where every epistolary message conveyed warmth, not deceit.
The patter of happy feet replaced the lithe silence, and the village, once lost in philistinism, became a beacon of creativity. The ensconced treasure turned out to be the joy of shared laughter, a sentiment more valuable than any material riches.
And so, in this hallowed village, the words of Theo and Giggles spread far and wide, breaking the shackles of phlegmatic discord. The once sham of a treasure hunt became a genuine celebration of friendship and togetherness. The end.
Helter-skelter
/ˈhɛltər ˈskɛltər/
noun
- in a confused and disorderly manner.
“people were running helter-skelter in all directions”
Mendacious
/mɛnˈdeɪʃəs/
adjective
- not telling the truth; lying.
“a mendacious politician”
Philistinism
/ˈfɪlɪstɪnɪzəm/
noun
- the rejection or disdain of intellectual or artistic values; anti-intellectualism.
“his philistinism prevented him from appreciating the artistic value of the paintings”
Thespian
/ˈθɛspiən/
adjective
- relating to drama and the theatre.
“thespian talents”
noun
- an actor or actress.
“an ageing thespian”
- relating to drama and the theater.
“thespian talents”
Purloin
/pəːˈlɔɪn/
verb
- steal (something)
“he must have managed to purloin a copy of the key”
Gauche
/ɡəʊʃ/
adjective
- lacking ease or grace; unsophisticated and socially awkward.
“his gauche manners made her feel uncomfortable”
Quiescent
/kwɪˈɛs(ə)nt/
adjective
- in a state or period of inactivity or dormancy.
“volcanoes can remain quiescent for centuries”
Patter
/ˈpatə/
noun
- rapid, continuous talk; chatter.
“the relentless patter of the rain”
Etoilated
/ˈiːtwəˌleɪtɪd/
adjective
- having the appearance of a star; radiating from a center.
“the etoilated pattern on the vase”
Bacchanalia
/ˌbækəˈneɪlɪə/
noun
- an ancient Roman festival in honor of Bacchus, celebrated with dancing, song, and revelry.
“the streets filled with the sounds of bacchanalia”
Rivulets
/ˈrɪvjʊlɪt/
noun
- a small stream of water or another liquid.
“sweat ran in rivulets down his back”
- a brownish European moth with white markings, occurring in rough grassland.
Lithe
/lʌɪð/
adjective
- (especially of a person’s body) thin, supple, and graceful.
“she lay gazing up at his tall, lithe figure”
Scion
/ˈsaɪən/
noun
- a young shoot or twig of a plant, especially one cut for grafting or rooting.
- a descendant of a notable family.
“The young entrepreneur, a scion of a wealthy business family, successfully launched his own startup.”
Panoplia
/pəˈnɒplɪə/
noun
- a complete or impressive collection of things.
- full ceremonial attire or paraphernalia, especially for a special occasion or event.
“The museum displayed a panoplia of ancient artifacts, showcasing the rich history of the civilization.”
Riposte
/rɪˈpɒst/
noun
- a quick, clever reply to an insult or criticism, typically one that is witty.
- a quick, retaliatory action or maneuver in fencing, especially a counterthrust.
“During the debate, the politician delivered a sharp riposte to his opponent’s criticism, leaving the audience impressed.”
Pauper
/ˈpɔːpə/
noun
- a very poor person.
- a person without any means of support; a destitute person.
“The novel depicted the struggles of a pauper trying to survive in the harsh realities of urban poverty.”
Chartreuse
/ʃɑːˈtruːz/
noun
- a color varying from a clear, brilliant yellow-green to a strong greenish yellow.
- a French liqueur made by Carthusian monks, especially in the form of Chartreuse verte and Chartreuse jaune, having a characteristic green or yellow color.
“The artist used vibrant shades of chartreuse to capture the essence of spring in the landscape painting.”
Eloquent
/ˈɛləkwənt/
adjective
- fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing.
- clearly expressing or indicating something.
“The professor delivered an eloquent lecture, captivating the students with his articulate and persuasive speaking style.”
Contrive
/kənˈtraɪv/
verb
- create or bring about (an object or a situation) by deliberate use of skill and artifice.
- manage to do something foolish or create an undesirable situation.
“In the mystery novel, the detective had to contrive a clever plan to unravel the complex series of events.”
Internecine
/ˌɪntəˈniːsʌɪn/
adjective
- destructive to both sides in a conflict
“the region’s history of savage internecine warfare”
- relating to conflict within a group
“the party shrank from the trauma of more internecine strife”
Pageantry
/ˈpadʒ(ə)ntri/
noun
- elaborate display or ceremony.
“the pageantry of George V’s jubilee”
Frayed
/freɪd/
adjective
- (of a fabric, rope, or cord) unravelled or worn at the edge
- (of a person’s nerves or temper) showing the effects of strain
Penchant
/ˈpɒ̃ʃɒ̃/
noun
- a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something
Erstwhile
/ˈəːstwʌɪl/
adjective
- former
adverb
- formerly
Vindicate
/ˈvɪndɪkeɪt/
- clear (someone) of blame or suspicion
- show or prove to be right, reasonable, or justified
Ascertain
/ˌasəˈteɪn/
verb
- find (something) out for certain; make sure of
Prance
/prɑːns/
verb
- (of a horse) move with high springy steps
- (of a person) walk or move around with ostentatious, exaggerated movements
Enthral
/ɪnˈθrɔːl,ɛnˈθrɔːl/
verb
- capture the fascinated attention of
Bamboozle
/bamˈbuːz(ə)l/
verb
- to deceive by underhanded methods
- to confuse, frustrate, or throw off thoroughly or completely
Sham
/ʃam/
noun
- a thing that is not what it is purported to be
adjective
- bogus; false
verb
- pretend to be or to be experiencing
- falsely present something as the truth
Disseminate
/dɪˈsɛmɪneɪt/
verb
- spread (something, especially information) widely
- spread throughout an organ or the body
Quagmire
/ˈkwaɡmʌɪə,ˈkwɒɡmʌɪə/
noun
- an awkward, complex, or hazardous situation
- a soft boggy area of land that gives way underfoot
Affable
/ˈafəb(ə)l/
adjective
- friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to
Formidable
/ˈfɔːmɪdəb(ə)l,fəˈmɪdəb(ə)l/
adjective
- inspiring fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, intense, or capable
Epistolary
/ɪˈpɪst(ə)ˌləri/
adjective
- (of a literary work) in the form of letters.
Stagnate
/staɡˈneɪt,ˈstaɡneɪt/
verb
- (of water or air) cease to flow or move; become stagnant.
- cease developing; become inactive or dull.
Enthused
/ɪnˈθjuːz,ɛnˈθjuːz/
verb
- express eager enjoyment, interest, or approval regarding something.
Ensconced
/ɪnˈskɒns,ɛnˈskɒns/
verb
- establish or settle (someone) in a comfortable, safe place.
Blithely
/ˈblʌɪðli/
adverb
- in a way that shows a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper.
Crucible
/ˈkruːsɪb(ə)l/
noun
- a ceramic or metal container in which metals or other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures.
Hallowed
/ˈhaləʊd/
adjective
- made holy; consecrated.
- greatly revered and honoured.
Laconic
/ləˈkɒnɪk/
adjective
- (of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words.
Decree
/dɪˈkriː/
noun
- an official order that has the force of law.
verb
- order (something) by decree.
Obstinate
/ˈɒbstɪnət/
adjective
-
stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so.
-
(of an unwelcome situation) very difficult to change or overcome.
Phlegmatic
/flɛɡˈmatɪk/
adjective
- (of a person) having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition.
Abdurate
/ˈɒbdjʊrət/
adjective
- stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or course of action.
Pertinacious
/ˌpəːtɪˈneɪʃəs/
adjective
- holding firmly to an opinion or a course of action.
Obliging
/əˈblʌɪdʒɪŋ/
adjective
- willing to do a service or kindness; helpful.
Tantalising
/ˈtantəlʌɪz/
verb
- torment or tease (someone) with the sight or promise of something that is unobtainable.
Trifecta
/trʌɪˈfɛktə/
noun
- a run of three wins or grand events.
Perturbed
/pəˈtəːbd/
adjective
- feeling anxiety or concern; unsettled.
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