The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate (28 page)

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.