The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate (11 page)

cheat, defraud, trick.

Related words:
cozener
noun
,
cozeningly
adverb
.

crapulous
(KRAP-y
e
-l
e
s)
adjective

given to, characterized by, or suffering from gross excess in eating and drinking.

Related words:
crapulously
adverb
,
crapulousness
and
crapulosity
(
KRAP
-y
e
-LOS-i-tee)
both nouns
.

credible
(KRED-
e
-b
e
l)
adjective

1. of a person, believable or trustworthy.

2. of a threat or warning, convincing.

Related words:
credibility
and
credibleness
both nouns
,
credibly
adverb
.

creditable
(KRED-i-t
e
-b
e
l)
adjective

deserving or bringing credit, reputation, esteem, etc.

Do not confuse
creditable
with
credible
,
believable
, or
credulous
,
gullible
, both of which see.

Related words:
creditableness
and
creditability
(
KRED
-it-
e
-BIL-i-tee)
both nouns
,
creditably
adverb
.

credulous
(KREJ-
e
-l
e
s)
adjective

too ready to believe things, gullible.

Do not confuse
credulous
with
credible
or
creditable
, both of which see.

Related words:
credulity
(kr
e
-DOO-li-tee) and
credulousness
(KREJ-
e
-l
e
s-nis)
both nouns
,
credulously
adverb
.

crevasse
(kr
e
-VAS)
noun

a deep open crack, especially in the ice of a glacier.

Do not confuse
crevasse
with
crevice
, which means
a narrow opening or crack
.

criterion
(kr
I
-TEER-ee-
e
n)
noun, plural
criteria
(kr
I
-TEER-ee-
e
) and
criterions

1. a standard of judgment.

2. a principle for evaluating something.

When speakers or writers use
criteria
as a singular noun, they run counter to the practices of even the most permissive of lexicographers and the practices of all editors.
The criteria was considered
…STOP! A mistake has already been made. How did this error become so widespread in the speech and writing of the unskilled? Possibly because Latin plurals, for example,
criteria
and
errata
, lack the final letter
s
we are accustomed to in English plurals. But there may be more to it: Too many of us eagerly seize upon unfamiliar words and phrases, which somehow are thought to invest our thoughts with the appearance of learnedness. The result too often is that in doing so we make laughable errors and we appear unlearned. Remember that
criterion
is singular, and
criteria
is plural.

Related word:
criterial
(kri-TEER-ee-
e
l)
adjective
.

cunctation
(kungk-TAY-sh
e
n)
noun

1. delay.

2. tardiness.

Related words:
cunctatious
(kungk-TAY-sh
e
s) and
cunctatory
(KUNGK-t
e
-
TOR
-ee)
both nouns
,
cunctative
(KUNGK-t
e
-tiv)
adjective
.

cupidity
(kyoo-PID-i-tee)
noun

1. excessive desire to possess something.

2. greed; avarice.

Related word:
cupidinous
(kyoo-PID-i-n
e
s)
adjective
.

curmudgeon
(k
e
r-MUJ-
e
n)
noun

a bad-tempered, difficult person.

Related word:
curmudgeonly
adverb
.

cynosure
(SIN-
e
-
SHUUR
)
noun

a center of attraction or admiration.

Related word:
cynosural
(
SI
-n
e
-SHUUR-
e
l)
adjective
.

dander
(DAN-d
e
r)
noun

1. fighting spirit.

2. loose scales formed on the skin of certain animals and shed.

dandle
(DAN-d
e
l)
verb

dance (a child) in one's arms or on one's knees.

Related word:
dandler
(DAN-dl
e
r)
noun
.

dastard
(DAS-t
e
rd)
noun

a despicable coward.

Related words:
dastard
adjective
,
dastardliness
noun
,
dastardly
adjective
.

decant
(di-KANT)
verb

pour (wine etc.) gently from one container into another without disturbing the sediment.

Related words:
decanter
and
decantation
(
DEE
-kan-TAY-sh
e
n)
both nouns
.

decedent
(di-SEE-d
e
nt)
noun

a dead person.

décolletage
(
DAY
-kol-TAHZH)
noun
, also given as
decolletage
, with the same pronunciation

a low-cut neck of a dress, exposing the neck and shoulders of the wearer.

decorum
(di-KOR-
e
m)
noun

correctness and dignity of behavior.

decrescent
(di-KRES-
e
nt)
adjective

1. decreasing gradually.

2. waning, as the moon.

Related word:
decrescence
noun
.

defalcation
(
DEE
-fal-KAY-sh
e
n)
noun

misappropriation of funds; the sum misappropriated.

Related word:
defalcate
(di-FAL-kayt)
verb
.

defenestration
(dee-
FEN
-
e
-STRAY-sh
e
n)
noun

the act of throwing a thing or person out of a window.

definite
(DEF-
e
-nit)
adjective

clear and unmistakable; unambiguous.

Do not confuse
definite
with
definitive
, which see.

Related words:
definitely
adverb
,
definiteness
noun
.

definitive
(di-FIN-i-tiv)
adjective

1. of a book, report, author, etc., most authoritative.

2. finally fixing or settling something; conclusive.

Do not confuse
definitive
with
definite
, meaning
clear and unmistakable, unambiguous
. A
definitive
edition of a work is one that has authoritative status—it is considered the last word on a topic. The adjective
definite
cannot be used to modify “edition.” A
definitive
offer is one that is in final form and must be accepted or rejected without alteration of its terms. By contrast, a
definite
offer is one that is clearly stated. The mistaken use of
definitive
, meaning
most authoritative, conclusive
, instead of
definite
when the intended meaning is
unambiguous
may reflect a mind-set that leads some speakers and writers to employ words they regard as glamorous instead of staying with more common words they fully understand. Don't fall into this trap.

Related words:
definitively
adverb
,
definitiveness
noun
.

deflagrate
(DEF-l
e
-
GRAYT
)
verb

burn, especially suddenly and violently.

Related words:
deflagrable
(DEF-l
e
-gr
e
-b
e
l)
adjective
,
deflagrability
(
DEF
-l
e
-gr
e
-BIL-i-tee) and
deflagration
(
DEF
-l
e
-GRAY-sh
e
n)
both nouns
.

déjà vu
(
DAY
-zhah VOO)

1. a mistaken feeling of having experienced something that actually is encountered for the first time.

2. something tediously familiar.

deleterious
(
DEL
-i-TEER-ee-
e
s)
adjective

harmful to the body or mind; injurious.

Related words:
deleteriously
adverb
,
deleteriousness
noun
.

Delilah
(di-L
I
-l
e
)
noun

1. a seductive and treacherous woman; a wily temptress.

2. in the Old Testament, Samson's mistress, who betrayed him to the Philistines.

delusive
(di-LOO-siv)
adjective

deceptive, misleading, raising vain hopes.

Related words:
delusively
adverb
,
delusiveness
noun
.

demoniac
(di-MOH-nee-ak)
adjective
, also given as
demoniacal
(
DEE
-m
e
-N
I
-
e
-k
e
l)

1. of or like a demon.

2. possessed, as by an evil spirit.

3. frenzied, fiercely energetic.

4.
demoniac
(
noun
) a person possessed by an evil spirit.

Related word:
demoniacally
(
DEE
-m
e
-N
I
-ik-lee)
adverb
.

demotic
(di-MOT-ik)
adjective

1. of ordinary people.

2. popular.

demulcent
(di-MUL-s
e
nt)
noun

a soothing medicine.

Related word:
demulcent
adjective
.

denote
(di-NOHT)
verb

1. be the sign or symbol or name of.

2. indicate.

See
connote
.

Related words:
denotative
(DEE-noh-
TAY
-tiv) and
denotive
(di-NOH-tiv)
both adjectives
,
denotation
(
DEE
-noh-TAY-sh
e
n)
noun
, meaning
the explicit meaning of a word
, as distinct from its connotation.

denouement
(
DAY
-noo-MAHN)
noun
, also given as
dénouement
, with the same pronunciation.

1. the clearing up at the end of a play or story of the complications of the plot.

2. the outcome of a tangled sequence of events.

deprecate
(DEP-ri-
KAYT
)
verb

1. feel and express disapproval of.

2. try to turn aside (praise or blame) politely.

Do not confuse
deprecate
with
depreciate
, which see.

Related words:
deprecatingly
adverb
,
deprecation
(
DEP
-ri-KAY-sh
e
n) and
deprecator
(DEP-ri-
KAY
-t
e
r)
both nouns
,
deprecative
(DEP-ri-
KAY
-tiv) and
deprecatory
(DEP-ri-k
e
-
TOR
-ee)
both adjectives
.

depreciate
(di-PREE-shee-
AYT
)
verb

1. make or become lower in value.

2. disparage, belittle.

Careful writers do not use
depreciate
in its second sense,
disparage, belittle
. The confusion of
depreciate
with
deprecate
by many speakers and writers appears to reflect their familiarity with
depreciate
and their unfamiliarity with
deprecate
, which means
express disapproval of
. The two verbs are similar in spelling and fairly close in meaning—
belittle
may appear to be but one step removed from
express disapproval of
—and the more familiar word,
depreciate
, appears to be winning out. Indeed, descriptive dictionaries now treat the two words as synonyms. Careful speakers and writers, however, use both words appropriately. Prices
depreciate
; hostile critics
deprecate
. Modest people
deprecate
praise directed at them; nothing can
depreciate
deserved praise.