The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate (41 page)

Related words:
titivation
(
TIT
-
e
-VAY-sh
e
n) and
titivator
(TIT-
e
-
VAY
-t
e
r)
both nouns
.

titubation
(
TICH
-uu-BAY-sh
e
n)
noun

1. unsteadiness, especially as caused by a nervous disease.

2. staggering.

Related word:
titubant
(TICH-uu-b
e
nt)
adjective
.

tocsin
(TOK-sin)
noun

1. a signal of disaster.

2. a bell rung as an alarm.

tonsure
(TON-sh
e
r)
noun

1. the shaving of the top or all of the head of a person entering certain priesthoods or monastic orders.

2. the part of the head left bare after being shaved in this way.

Related word:
tonsure
verb
, meaning
subject to tonsure
.

toothsome
(TOOTH-s
e
m)
adjective

1. pleasant to eat; palatable.

2. attractive.

3. voluptuous.

Related words:
toothsomely
adverb
,
toothsomeness
noun
.

torpid
(TOR-pid)
adjective

sluggish and inactive; lethargic.

Related words:
torpidity
(tor-PID-i-tee),
torpidness
(TOR-pid-nis), and
torpor
(TOR-p
e
r)
all nouns
;
torpidly
adverb
.

tortuous
(TOR-choo-
e
s)
adjective

1. full of twists and turns.

2. of policy etc., not straightforward; devious; circuitous.

Do not confuse
tortuous
with
torturous
, which see.

Related words:
tortuosity
(
TOR
-choo-OS-i-tee) and
tortuousness
(TOR-choo-
e
s-nis)
both nouns
,
tortuously
adverb
.

torturous
(TOR-ch
e
r-
e
s)
adjective

involving or causing torture or suffering; excruciating.

It is doubtful whether
tortuous
will ever recover from the ever-growing misuse of
torturous
, meaning
excruciating
, when a context calls for
tortuous
, meaning
full of twists and turns
. So painful is this misuse to anyone who values clear expression that not even permissive lexicographers are willing to bless this corruption. The message is clear: Be good to your editor and hold fast on the distinction between
tortuous
and
torturous
. No matter how
tortuous
your path through life, remember that
twists and turns
cannot break your bones, but
torturous
treatment by an alert and sadistic editor can be
excruciating
.

Related word:
torturously
adverb
.

tractable
(TRAK-t
e
-b
e
l)
adjective

easy to manage or deal with; docile; manageable.

Related words:
tractability
(
TRAK
-t
e
-BIL-i-tee) and
tractableness
(TRAK-t
e
-b
e
l-nis)
both nouns
,
tractably
adverb
.

traduce
(tr
e
-DOOS)
verb

1. misrepresent.

2. slander; vilify.

Related words:
traducement
and
traducer
both nouns
,
traducingly
adverb
.

transcend
(tran-SEND)
verb

1. exceed in extent, degree, etc.; surpass.

2. excel.

3. go or be beyond the range of (human experience or belief or powers of description etc.).

Related words:
transcendence
(tran-SEN-d
e
ns) and
transcendency
both nouns
,
transcendingly
adverb
.

translucent
(trans-LOO-s
e
nt)
adjective

allowing light to pass through but not transparent.

Related words:
translucence
and
translucency
both nouns
,
translucently
adverb
.

transmute
(trans-MYOOT)
verb

cause to change in form or nature or substance; transform.

Related words:
transmutable
adjective
;
transmutability
(trans-
MYOOT
-
e
-BIL-i-tee),
transmutableness
(trans-MYOOT-
e
-b
e
l-nis), and
transmuter
all nouns
;
transmutably
adverb
.

transpire
(tran-SP
I
R)
verb

1. of information etc., be revealed, leak out, become known.

2. occur, take place, happen.

3. of plants, give off watery vapor from the surface of leaves etc.

Some writers do not use
transpire
in sense 2,
occur, happen
, given above. For example, they prefer to write “Something awful was about to happen” rather than “Something awful was about to transpire.” Surely there is something to be said in favor of using the simpler word
happen
in such sentences, but there is nothing wrong with using
transpire
in this sense, as it has been for at least two centuries. And your readers will readily understand
transpire
used this way. So this is a case of you pays your money and you takes your choice.

Related words:
transpirable
(tran-SP
I
R-
e
-b
e
l) and
transpiratory
(tran-SP
I
R-
e
-
TOR
-ee)
both adjectives
.

trencherman
(TREN-ch
e
r-m
e
n)
noun, plural
trenchermen

1. a person who eats heartily.

2. a heavy eater.

triage
(tree-AHZH)
noun

1. the assignment of degrees of urgency to decide the order of treatment of people injured in a battle or disaster etc.

2. a selection system.

Related word:
triage
adjective
, meaning
performing triage
.

troglodyte
(TROG-l
e
-
D
I
T
)
noun

1. a cave dweller in prehistoric times; a caveman.

2. a person living in seclusion.

3. a hermit.

Related words:
troglodytic
(
TROG
-l
e
-DIT-ik) and
troglodytical
both adjectives
,
troglodytism
(TROG-l
e
-d
I
-
TIZ
-
e
m)
noun
.

trollop
(TROL-
e
p)
noun

1. a promiscuous woman.

2. a prostitute; a slut.

Related word:
trollopy
adjective
.

trope
(trohp)
noun

the use of a word in other than its literal sense; a figure of speech.

truculent
(TRUK-y
e
-l
e
nt)
adjective

1. defiant and aggressive.

2. fierce, cruel.

3. pugnacious.

Related words:
truculence
and
truculency
both nouns
,
truculently
adverb
.

truism
(TROO-iz-
e
m)
noun

a self-evident, obvious truth; platitude.

Uninformed speakers and writers mistakenly use
truism
as a synonym for
truth
. As the definition above indicates, a
truism
, unlike
truth
, is seen as
self-evident, obvious
. Thus,
truism
is uncomplimentary, while
truth
surely is complimentary. So take care in keeping the two nouns distinct.