The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate (32 page)

Related words:
practicability
(
PRAK
-ti-k
e
-BIL-i-tee) and
practicableness
(PRAK-ti-k
e
-b
e
l-nis)
both nouns
,
practicably
(PRAK-ti-k
e
-blee)
adverb
.

practical
(PRAK-ti-k
e
l)
adjective

1. involving activity as distinct from study or theory.

2. capable of being put to use; useful.

3. of people, clever at doing and making things.

4. virtual.

Writers and speakers, perhaps seduced by the fatal charm of an adjective less common compared with the perceived banality of an adjective encountered more often, slip into the trap of using
practicable
when they would be well advised to use
practical
. By doing so, they blur the important distinction between that which is
usable
,
practicable
, and that which is
useful
,
practical
. This happens particularly when writers and speakers are discussing plans, ideas, or the like. Thus, when they wish to say something is
useful
, the adjective of choice should be
practical
, perhaps ignoring the question of whether it can be accomplished. When, however, writers and speakers wish to say something is
feasible
or
usable
, that is,
able to be put into practice
, the adjective of choice should be
practicable
. Many things, many improvements, and the like may be said to be useful—
practical
—but how many useful ideas are also feasible—
practicable
? In trying to use the two adjectives correctly in your own writing and speech, it may be helpful to remember that many
practical
,
useful
, inventions may never see the light of day because they are not
practicable
,
feasible
or
usable
. In addition, many people may be characterized as
practical
,
clever at doing or making things
, but never as
practicable
.

Related words:
practicality
(
PRAK
-ti-KAL-i-tee) and
practicalness
(PRAK-ti-k
e
l-nis)
both nouns
,
practically
(PRAK-ti-k
e
-lee)
adverb
.

pragmatic
(prag-MAT-ik)
adjective
, also given as
pragmatical

treating things or making decisions from a practical point of view.

Related words:
pragmatism
(PRAG-m
e
-
TIZ
-
e
m),
pragmaticality
(prag-
MAT
-i-KAL-i-tee) and
pragmaticalness
(prag-MAT-i-k
e
l-nis)
all nouns
,
pragmatically
adverb
.

prate
(prayt) and
prattle
(PRAT-
e
l)
both verbs

1. talk too much; chatter.

2.
prattle
, chatter in a childish way.

Related words:
prater
(PRAY-t
e
r)
noun
,
pratingly
adverb
;
prattler
(PRAT-l
e
r)
noun
,
prattlingly
adverb
.

prattle
(PRAT-
e
l)
verb

See
prate

precipitate
(pri-SIP-i-tit)
adjective

1. headlong, violently hurried.

2. of a person or action, hasty, rash; sudden.

3. (
verb
) (pri-SIP-i-
TAYT
) cause to happen suddenly or soon.

Do not confuse the adjective
precipitate
with
precipitous
, which see.

Related words:
precipitately
(pri-SIP-i-tit-lee)
adverb
,
precipitateness
(pri-SIP-i-tit-nis) and
precipitator
(pri-SIP-i-
TAY
-t
e
r)
both nouns
,
precipitative
(pri-SIP-i-
TAY
-tiv)
adjective
.

precipitous
(pri-SIP-i-t
e
s)
adjective

1. dangerously steep.

2. like a precipice.

The adjectives
precipitous
and
precipitate
—along with the corresponding adverbs
precipitously
and
precipitately
—are used interchangeably by writers and speakers who should know better. So prevalent is this confusion that permissive lexicographers, as one might expect, label the adjectives as synonyms in at least one sense. Well educated writers and their editors reject this practice, as should you. Reserve
precipitous
and
precipitously
for sentences in which the desired meaning is
dangerously steep
or
steeply
. Reserve
precipitate
and
precipitately
for sentences intended to convey the meaning of
sudden
and
suddenly
. Thus, you might write “They stopped just short of going over the rim of the
precipitous
cliff,” and “They voted against making any
precipitate
decisions.” Your editors will love you.

Related words:
precipitously
adverb
,
precipitousness
noun
.

preclude
(pri-KLOOD)
verb

1. exclude the possibility of.

2. prevent, forestall; debar.

Related words:
precludable
and
preclusive
(pri-KLOO-siv)
both adjectives
,
preclusion
(pri-KLOO-zh
e
n)
noun
,
preclusively
adverb
.

preponderate
(pri-PON-d
e
-
RAYT
)
verb

surpass others in numbers, intensity, force, etc.

Related words:
preponderance
(pri-PON-d
e
r-
e
ns),
preponderation
(pri-
PON
-d
e
-RAY-sh
e
n), and
preponderancy
(pri-PON-d
e
-r
e
n-see)
all nouns
;
preponderant
(pri-PON-d
e
r-
e
nt)
adjective
,
preponderantly
adverb
.

presage
(PRES-ij)
noun

1. an omen, a portent, a foreboding.

2. (
verb
) portend, foreshadow, also pronounced pri-SAYJ.

Related words:
presageful
adjective
,
presagefully
adverb
,
presager
noun
.

prescience
(PRESH-
e
ns)
noun

1. foreknowledge.

2. foresight.

Related words:
prescient
adjective
,
presciently
adverb
.

presentiment
(pri-ZEN-t
e
-m
e
nt)
noun

a feeling that something is about to happen, especially something evil; a foreboding.

Related word:
presentimental
(pri-
ZEN
-t
e
-MEN-t
e
l)
adjective
.

primer
(PRIM-
e
r)
noun

1. an elementary textbook.

2. (PR
I
-m
e
r) a substance to prepare a surface for painting.

3. (PR
I
-m
e
r) a detonator for explosives.

This entry is supplied primarily (no pun intended) to call attention to the correct pronunciations for the noun
primer
in its three meanings.

primeval
(pr
I
-MEE-v
e
l)
adjective

1. of the earliest times of the world.

2. ancient.

3. primitive.

Related word:
primevally
adverb
.

probative
(PROH-b
e
-tiv) and
probatory
(PROH-b
e
-
TOR
-ee)
both adjectives

1. providing proof.

2. designed to test or try something.

probatory
(PROH-b
e
-
TOR
-ee)
adjective

See
probative
.

probity
(PROH-bi-tee)
noun

1. honesty; integrity.

2. moral excellence.

proclivity
(proh-KLIV-i-tee)
noun, plural
proclivities