joyously unrestrained
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The piece opened with ebullient bursts of energy and color that scampered over harmonica drones played by one or more members.
—New York Times (May 10, 2010)
· eclectic
selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A former student of fine art, Mr Scruff's eclectic selections are accompanied by animations of the trademark "potato people" who humorously narrate his musical journey.
—The Guardian (Aug 13, 2011)
· edible
suitable for use as food
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Nevertheless, hunger increased so much that many ventured out into woods along the river seeking edible roots, and with some success.
—Spears, John R.
· edify
make understand
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Then Miss Fairbairn held one of her little discourses, with which now and then she endeavoured to edify her pupils.
—Warner, Susan
· efface
remove by or as if by rubbing or erasing
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Her rich beauty was wiped out as an acid-soaked sponge might efface a portrait.
—Terhune, Albert Payson
marked by high spirits or excitement
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
When he ran for president, Barack Obama's effervescent campaign was about hope, optimism, national unity, and, above all, the future.
—Newsweek (May 17, 2010)
radiating or as if radiating light
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Ere another year be passed, we hope to see its effulgent rays light up all the dark corners of our land.
—Cutter, Orlando P.
favoring social equality
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“We are living in an egalitarian society where everyone is equal,” he said.
—BusinessWeek (Dec 2, 2011)
characteristic of those having an inflated idea of their own importance
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I have lived an entirely egotistical life, for myself alone.
—The Guardian (Jan 3, 2011)
conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“His comments were so egregious, naturally advertisers will have doubts about being associated with Limbaugh’s brand of hate,” Mr. Boehlert said in an e-mail message.
—New York Times (Mar 5, 2012)
· elated
full of high-spirited delight
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Young Barry returned from his parting walk with his brother in high spirits, elated with hope, and better both in mind and body.
—Cobbold, Richard
· eloquent
expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But, so far as the best selection of words, the clearest style, the most coherent and convincing argument can constitute eloquence, Mill's speeches are eloquent.
—McCarthy, Justin
make clear and (more) comprehensible
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Improving the understanding of why tissues in bar-headed geese are so adept at taking up oxygen might elucidate human respiration as well.
—Scientific American (Nov 5, 2011)
· elude
escape, either physically or mentally
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Gregory Standifer was arrested at the scene after allegedly attempting to elude police by jumping out of a window, police said.
—Chicago Tribune (Sep 4, 2011)
· elusive
skillful at eluding capture
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They are an elusive lot and Don Ramon would soon wear out his troops hunting them in the bush.
—Bindloss, Harold
free from slavery or servitude
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The Civil War came to an end, leaving the slave not only emancipated but endowed with the full dignity of citizenship.
—Elliott, Maud Howe
make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
At Saks, reedy shapes and flared minis, and more vanguard looks like Marc Jacobs’s sports-inspired skirts embellished with a racing stripe, are projected best sellers.
—New York Times (Mar 21, 2012)
· embody
represent in bodily form
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He was a can-do optimist who, despite many years in the environs of Hollywood, identified with and embodied American values.
—New York Times (Jan 29, 2012)
of an organism prior to birth or hatching
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Human embryonic stem cells typically come from fertilized eggs.
—Scientific American (Nov 4, 2011)
· eminent
standing above others in quality or position
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The daring aviator was heartily congratulated again by the President and other eminent men who thronged about him.
—Galbreath, C. B. (Charles Burleigh)
· emphatic
forceful and definite in expression or action
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Miss Penny repeated my question in her loud, emphatic voice.
—Huxley, Aldous
derived from experiment and observation rather than theory
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"So far, no one has reported empirical evidence from real city-traffic data that the transition Kerner predicted actually occurs," Davis pointed out.
—US News (Oct 18, 2011)
· emulate
strive to equal or match, especially by imitating
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
People in the technology field described Mr. Jobs as someone they could only look up to — and try to emulate.
—New York Times (Oct 6, 2011)
· enamor
attract; cause to be enamored
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Not long ago I fell in love, But unreturned is my affection— The girl that I'm enamored of Pays little heed in my direction.
—Morley, Christopher
· encumber
hold back
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Two others were making slower progress for the reason that each was encumbered by supporting a disabled man.
—Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)
lovable especially in a childlike or naive way
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“They have goofy and lovable personalities that are incredibly endearing,” she said.
—New York Times (Nov 23, 2011)
· endeavor
attempt by employing effort
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A few men endeavored to win popularity by pursuing a few others, and thus far they have been conspicuous failures.
—Ingersoll, Robert Green
· endemic
of or relating to a disease (or anything resembling a disease) constantly present to greater or lesser extent in a particular locality
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
An endemic disease, due to local causes and spreading by intercommunication.
—Various
· enigma
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Tails are often an enigma; many creatures have them, but scientists know little about their function, particularly for extinct species.
—Science Magazine (Jan 4, 2012)
· enmity
a state of deep-seated ill-will
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He looked at the young man with enmity, while his face every day grew harder, more angry, and stern, like iron.
—Lathrop, George Parsons
· ennui
the feeling of being bored by something tedious
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“You are in the Land of Pleasure, and in yonder castle lives a horrid Giant called Ennui, who bores everybody he catches to death.”
—Taylor, Bert Leston
· enthrall
hold spellbound
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But despite the bottomless spate of new "Housewives" series that Bravo keeps trotting out, the "Real Housewives" franchise still fascinates and enthralls me.
—Salon (Oct 4, 2010)
· entice
provoke someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises or persuasion
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
My new acquisition, "Boy," insisted on being petted, and his winning and enticing ways are irresistible.
—Bird, Isabella L. (Isabella Lucy)
the branch of zoology that studies insects
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
From the department of entomology you expect to learn something about the troublesome insects, which are so universal an annoyance.
—Latham, A. W.
· entreat
ask for or request earnestly
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Let me go now, please," she entreated, her eyes unable to meet his any longer.
—Hope, Anthony
someone who organizes a business venture and assumes the risk for it
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mr. Boehner said it would be “good news for entrepreneurs and aspiring small businesspeople struggling to overcome government barriers to job creation.”
—New York Times (Apr 6, 2012)
determine the number or amount of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The houses in this street are not enumerated beyond forty-five, all told.
—Allbut, Robert
express or state clearly
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
On the second floor, kindergarten children stand together in a circle, clapping while learning how to enunciate different words.
—New York Times (Dec 31, 2011)
anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day in its winged form
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Such larger political structures as the tyrants of Syracuse built up by the subjugation of other cities were purely ephemeral, barely outliving their founders.
—Boak, Arthur Edward Romilly
· epiphany
a divine manifestation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But at least he's acting as the father of his child, and that, rather than any epiphany or miraculous transformation, is the point.
—Salon (Dec 21, 2010)
· epitome
a standard or typical example
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Ms. Netrebko, in particular, riveted all eyes and ears, the epitome of star-crossed glamour in her black bob and sick-rose-red cocktail dress.
—New York Times (Dec 26, 2010)
· epoch
a period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The best authorities put the climax of the last glacial epoch between twenty-five and thirty thousand years ago.
—Huntington, Ellsworth
of or relating to or featuring horseback riding
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
While some racehorses peak in their younger years and move on to breeding, equestrian horses tend to be older and require complex training.
—Seattle Times (Jan 20, 2012)
fair to all parties as dictated by reason and conscience
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I suggested, as a more equitable adjustment, an equal division of profits; and to that Mr. Gye at last agreed.
—Mapleson, James H.
be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Beaten in the open field, the church began to equivocate, to evade, and to give new meanings to inspired words.
—Ingersoll, Robert Green
kill in large numbers
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Some people are misusing poisonous chemicals in a desperate bid to eradicate the pests, federal officials said Thursday.
—New York Times (Sep 23, 2011)
· erode
become ground down or deteriorate
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi lost his absolute majority in the Italian parliament in a vote today on last year’s budget, further eroding his authority.
—BusinessWeek (Nov 8, 2011)
· erratic
liable to sudden unpredictable change
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The U.S. officials stressed that North Korea’s past behavior has been notoriously erratic, making predictions about its intentions difficult.
—Washington Post (Dec 19, 2011)
· erudite
having or showing profound knowledge
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In countless deft, darting, erudite essays, it has enabled him to explain the unexpected continuities and awkward breaks of literary history.
—The Guardian (Jul 4, 2010)
· eschew
avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Vegans eschew all animal products, including dairy and eggs, so their iodine sources may be few.
—Reuters (Jan 17, 2012)
· esoteric
confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But researchers can get lost in their genius, drilling into ever more esoteric questions.
—Scientific American (Feb 7, 2012)
a history of a word
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Its “suggested” etymology or word origin is Latin serpens meaning “a snake” and French sortir meaning “come out of, to leave.”
—New York Times (May 17, 2010)
an inoffensive or indirect expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or too harsh
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It is an oddly polite term—a euphemism—that conceals varying degrees of fear, loathing, and admiration.
—New York Times (Mar 30, 2010)
· euphoria
a feeling of great (usually exaggerated) elation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Popular euphoria and joy at their leaders' departure has given way to frustration, grievance and fear.
—Reuters (Dec 22, 2011)
tending to vanish like vapor
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Time seems stopped but it is moving on, and every glimmer of light is evanescent, flitting.
—The Guardian (Apr 15, 2010)
· evasive
deliberately vague or ambiguous
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I anticipated finding them deceitful and evasive: furtive people, wandering in devious ways and disappearing into mysterious houses, at dead of night.
—Street, Julian
· evince
give expression to
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Together, the performers evince an easy, humorous energy, like affectionate but mischievous siblings.
—New York Times (Mar 16, 2012)
· evoke
call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Tropical fish tanks in restaurants, hospitals and homes evoke feelings of tranquility and beauty.
—Scientific American (Apr 6, 2012)
· evolve
undergo development or evolution
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In its 166+ year history, Scientific American has changed and evolved in different directions many times.
—Scientific American (Apr 2, 2012)
make worse
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Politicians have argued that further austerity will only exacerbate the country's economic death spiral by deepening its worse than expected recession.
—The Guardian (Feb 12, 2012)
· exalt
fill with sublime emotion
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But this woman's beauty was glorified by eyes that spoke of exalted thoughts, passionate longings, lofty emotions.
—Hocking, Joseph
· excavate
recover through digging
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
With many of Caligula's monuments destroyed after he was killed by his Praetorian guard at 28, archaeologists are eager to excavate for his remains.
—The Guardian (Jan 17, 2011)
express strong disapproval of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The landlord had another excoriating remark, which he might have flung at the young man and finished him up, but he magnanimously forbore.
—Bouton, John Bell
pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Stepan did not try to exculpate himself, and bore patiently his sentence which was three days in the punishment-cell, and after that solitary confinement.
—Tolstoy, Leo, graf
· execrate
curse or declare to be evil or anathema or threaten with divine punishment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Even the crimes of monsters, whom we execrate, are to be traced to madness and intoxication, more than to natural fierceness and wickedness.
—Lord, John
clarify by giving an example of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He brought up reality television — specifically, the garish sort of reality exemplified by Bravo’s “Real Housewives” steamroller.
—New York Times (Aug 27, 2011)
· exhort
force or impel in an indicated direction
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A proclamation was put up on shore, exhorting the people to keep quiet, attend to their avocations, and bring in presents as obedient subjects.
—Lindley, Augustus F.
relating to or dealing with existence (especially with human existence)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Jindal, by contrast, has treated the spill as an existential threat, saying repeatedly that what's at stake "is a way of life for us."
—Washington Post (May 18, 2010)
· exodus
a journey by a large group to escape from a hostile environment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It said the flight of Christians to other parts of Iraq and abroad has become "a slow but steady exodus".
—BBC (Dec 17, 2010)
pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“He was, if not exonerated, never proven guilty,” Elizabeth Hecht said in an interview on Thursday.
—New York Times (Feb 10, 2012)
greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Rents are exorbitant; but ordinary living and bad liquors are cheap.
—Whymper, Frederick
add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He then expatiated on his own miseries, which he detailed at full length.
—Manzoni, Alessandro
a person who is voluntarily absent from home or country
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She and Jack Hemingway, also known as Bumby, were toddlers at the time, living with their expatriate American parents in Paris.
—New York Times (Mar 31, 2012)
anticipating with confidence of fulfillment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Every plan had proved abortive, every expectation been disappointed.
—Headley, Joel Tyler
discharge (phlegm or sputum) from the lungs and out of the mouth
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
No, they don't care to go, expectorating the tobacco juice from their mouths into the fire at the same time.
—Various
a means to an end; not necessarily a principled or ethical one
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In his youth he had apparently settled the problem once for all; but the solution then found was scarcely more than a temporary expedient.
—Chinard, Gilbert
· expedite
process fast and efficiently
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
First-class customers generally have access to priority check-in and boarding, expedited baggage service and faster security lines at some airports.
—BusinessWeek (Aug 4, 2011)
money paid out; an amount spent
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Unless income also rises — which isn’t happening for many people now — higher fuel costs will eventually displace other expenditures.
—New York Times (Mar 3, 2012)
· expiate
make amends for
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Yes, I was so far guilty, and I make the confession in hopes that some portion of my errors may be expiated by repentance.
—Various
· explicit
precisely and clearly expressed or readily observable; leaving nothing to implication
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Just as medical researchers once uncovered the link between cigarettes and lung cancer, researchers are now making the explicit connection between air pollution and asthma.
—Time (Mar 29, 2012)
an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But this profit rested on intensive exploitation and domination: whole families worked in the mills, including children.
—Salon (Feb 17, 2011)
serving to expound or set forth
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Several characters are required to make long expository speeches in which the play's themes are clumsily disclosed."
—The Guardian (Feb 24, 2011)
the act of forcing out someone or something
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“She is very near expulsion, not suspension,” said the principal, gravely.
—Morrison, Gertrude W.
· expunge
remove by erasing or crossing out or as if by drawing a line
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
If he stays out of a trouble for a year the incident will be expunged from his record.
—Seattle Times (Aug 4, 2010)
delicately beautiful
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Constance lifted up her exquisite voice untiringly, weaving her magic spell about her eager listeners.
—Lester, Pauline
· extant
still in existence; not extinct or destroyed or lost
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She then wrote her last will, which is still extant, and consists of four pages, closely written, in a neat, firm hand.
—Goodrich, Samuel G. (Samuel Griswold)
with little or no preparation or forethought
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His friends sometimes held an extemporaneous concert in his room, without preparation, programme, or audience.
—Various
· extend
stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or extend between two points or beyond a certain point
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
One map showed a runway system extending across 140 square meters and including 12 underground burrows.
—Martin, Edwin P.
a mutually agreed delay in the date set for the completion of a job or payment of a debt
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Chalk River’s license expired last year, but it was given a single five-year extension; the Dutch reactor’s lifetime is less certain but also limited.
—New York Times (Feb 7, 2012)
destroy completely, as if down to the roots
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The last wolf was killed in Great Britain two hundred years ago, and the bear was extirpated from that island still earlier.
—Marsh, George P.
· extol
praise, glorify, or honor
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
How I praised the duck at that first dinner, and extolled Madame's skill in cookery!
—Warren, Arthur
· extort
obtain by coercion or intimidation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
An instrument of torture for the leg, formerly used to extort confessions, particularly in Scotland.
—Webster, Noah
not pertinent to the matter under consideration
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
As a general rule, he explained, rulings other than the one being honored had been removed as extraneous.
—Slate (Feb 22, 2012)
draw from specific cases for more general cases
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Earlier studies, extrapolating from recessions in the 1970s and 1980s, found larger effects.
—BusinessWeek (Feb 27, 2012)
release from entanglement of difficulty
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
There was a prickly pear on top, the thorns of which caught him so that at first he could not extricate himself.
—Reed, Helen Leah
not forming an essential part of a thing or arising or originating from the outside
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
There are no external or extrinsic influences—resulting from weariness or interruption.
—Hamilton, Clayton Meeker
(psychology) a person concerned more with practical realities than with inner thoughts and feelings
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The extrovert is the typical active; always leaning out of the window and setting up contacts with the outside world.
—Underhill, Evelyn
joyously unrestrained
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
All these prose works were marked by an exuberant, vivid, poetic, impassioned style.
—Lowell, James Russell
· exude
make apparent by one's mood or behavior
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Rizzo said many prospects exude outward confidence but lack it inwardly.
—New York Times (Mar 3, 2012)
· exult
feel extreme happiness or elation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Like a soldier going into battle, exulted and fired by a high and lofty purpose, his heart sang within him.
—Standish, Burt L.
become, get, go, turn