The Words You Should Know to Sound Smart Read online

  cabotage (KAB-uh-tij), noun

  The right of a country to control all air traffic flying in its skies.

  After 9/11, CABOTAGE became a major concern of New York City and its mayor.

  cache (KASH), noun

  Something hidden or stored.

  Everyone was jealous when they learned of Moira’s CACHE of acceptances to the finest schools.

  caducous (kuh-DOO-kuss), adjective

  Transitory; short-lived; perishable.

  “Some thing, which I fancied was a part of me, falls off from me and leaves no scar. It was CADUCOUS.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson, American poet, essayist, and transcendentalist

  calumny (KAL-um-nee), noun

  The act of libel or slander; to besmirch a person’s reputation by spreading false statements and rumors.

  “CALUMNY will sear virtue itself.” –William Shakespeare

  cannonade (CAN-non-ayd), noun

  A continuous, relentless bombardment or effort.

  A CANNONADE of questioning greeted Eva’s statement that she was quitting the club’s tennis team.

  capacious (kuh-PAY-shus), adjective

  A huge open space; roomy; a large interior or room.

  All of our meetings take place in the golf club’s CAPACIOUS private auditorium.

  capitulation (kah-pih-chew-LAY-shun), noun

  The act of surrendering or giving up.

  Ross offered James no CAPITULATION during the confrontational lacrosse game.

  capricious (kah-PREE-shus), adjective

  Prone to quickly change one’s mind, decision, or course of action at the drop of a hat or on impulse.

  “I do not understand the CAPRICIOUS lewdness of the sleeping mind.” – John Cheever, American novelist

  captious (KAP-shuss), adjective

  A person who enjoys giving unsolicited advice; a nitpicker; a petty individual who takes pleasure in pointing out the flaws in and mistakes made by others, no matter how small.

  Audrey is a CAPTIOUS individual eager to show others how smart she is, often by belittling them.

  carouse (kuh-ROWZ), verb

  To engage in boisterous social activity.

  We CAROUSED until dawn at the annual New Year’s Eve party that the Weatherton’s hold on their yacht.

  castigate (KAS-tuh-gate), verb

  To scold or criticize harshly, with the objective of assigning blame and motivating the other person to correct their error.

  The bartender was CASTIGATED by his boss for serving alcohol to two teenage girls without checking their ID first.

  catharsis (kah-THAR-sis), noun

  The purging of the senses through tragic drama or through music; or, in general, a discharge of negative emotions.

  After losing matches at the club’s courts, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly always leads Celeste to CATHARSIS.

  caveat (KAV-ee-ott), noun

  A precaution or warning.

  Before Arthur applied to college, his sister offered him a CAVEAT: “Many of us do not consider Columbia to be a true Ivy League school.”

  chimera (kih-MER-ah), noun

  An object, place, event, or combination of things so strange, odd, and improbable that it logically should not exist in the real world—and yet, it does.

  “What a CHIMERA then is humankind. What a novelty! What a monster, what a chaos!” – Blaise Pascal, French philosopher

  chivalry (SHIV-ul-ree), noun

  Brave, kind, courteous, or gentlemanly behavior.

  “We hear much of CHIVALRY of men towards women; but … it vanishes like dew before the summer sun when one of us comes into competition with the manly sex.” – Martha Coston, American author

  cholers (KOH-lers), noun

  The mood of anger, irritability, grumpiness, or being short-tempered and impatient.

  When Franklin is in the grip of CHOLERS, even his closest friends avoid his table at the club.

  circuitous (sir-CUE-uh-tuss), adjective

  Extremely twisty and winding; indirect.

  Blanche called it a shortcut, but her CIRCUITOUS directions caused us to arrive very late at the debutante ball.

  circumlocution (sir-kum-low-CUE-shun), noun

  Language that is pompous, overly formal, wordy, and redundant.

  Grant used CIRCUMLOCUTION to suggest that he attended a prep school, but all of us know he is a product of public education.

  circumspect (SIR-kum-spekt), adjective

  Prudent, cautious, and well considered.

  “I smiled, / I waited, / I was CIRCUMSPECT; / O never, never, never write that I / missed life or loving.” – Hilda Doolittle, American poet and memoirist

  clandestine (klan-DES-tyne), adjective

  Refers to activities that are secret, covert, and perhaps not fully authorized or sanctioned.

  “Clandestine steps upon imagined stairs / Climb through the night, because his cuckoos call.” – Wallace Stevens, American poet

  clarion (KLAR-ee-uhn), adjective

  Clear and shrill, like sound.

  On the day classes began at his prep school, Paul groaned at the CLARION call of his morning alarm.

  cloying (KLOYE-ing), adjective

  Sickeningly sweet, sappy, or sentimental.

  “Minerva save us from the cloying syrup of coercive compassion!” – Camille Paglia, American author, feminist, and social critic

  codify (KAHD-uh-fye), verb

  To organize into a system of rules, codes, or principles; to make clear and coherent.

  Fiona set out to CODIFY the rules associated with her exclusive clique.

  cogent (KOH-gent), adjective

  A case or argument presented in a reasoned, well-thought-out, logical, compelling, and persuasive manner.

  Corey offered a very COGENT argument in favor of insider trading.

  cognizant (KOG-nih-sint), adjective

  Aware of the realities of a situation.

  Amanda is always COGNIZANT of her acquaintances’ pedigrees.

  cognoscente (kon-yuh-SHEN-tee), noun

  Person with superior knowledge or understanding of a particular field.

  As a result of my many years living in the Bordeaux region of France, I am very much a COGNOSCENTE of wine and winemaking.

  colloquial (kah-LOW-kwee-ul), adjective

  Informal, conversational, everyday language.

  “COLLOQUIAL poetry is to the real art as the barber’s wax dummy is to sculpture.” – Ezra Pound, American expatriate poet

  commodious (kah-MOW-dee-us), adjective

  Very spacious.

  Though COMMODIOUS, the Barrows’ Cape Cod home is austere and lacks charm.

  compendious (kuhm-PEN-dee-us), adjective

  Concise, succinct; to the point.

  Sheila is unable to tell COMPENDIOUS stories about her trips to the Riviera.

  complaisant (kuhm-PLAY-zuhnt), adjective

  Agreeable and eager to please.

  Eleanor is far too COMPLAISANT with common strangers.

  comport (kum-PORT), verb

  To conduct oneself; to behave in a particular way.

  Roger always embarrasses us because he seems to think his family name frees him to COMPORT himself foolishly.

  compunction (kuhm-PUHNGK-shun), noun

  Anxiety caused by regret for doing another harm.

  Thomas never feels COMPUNCTION for the bruises he leaves on the lacrosse field.

  compurgation (kom-purr-GAY-shun), noun

  A practice by which an accused person can be found not guilty if twelve or more people take an oath testifying to the validity of his claim of innocence.

  The Anglo-Saxon process of COMPURGATION is the basis of the modern American jury system.

  conciliatory (kon-SILL-ee-ah-tore-ee), adjective

  Actions or words meant to settle a dispute or resolve a conflict in a manner that leaves no hard feelings on either side.

  “If you are not very clever, you should be CONCILIATORY.” – Benjamin Disr
aeli, British statesmen and literary figure

  concomitant (KON-koh-mit-ant), noun

  Something that exists or occurs with something else.

  “Each action of the actor on the stage should be the visible CONCOMITANT of his thoughts.” – Sarah Bernhardt, nineteenth-century French actress and author

  concupiscence (kon-KYOO-pih-suhns), noun

  Unbridled lust in the extreme—horniness.

  “You’re talking to a young vampire, a fountain of CONCUPISCENCE.” – Mario Acevedo, American fantasy author

  confabulate (kuhn-FAB-yuh-late), verb

  To chat or converse informally.

  Jarod proceeded to CONFABULATE about the wines most recently added to the family cellar.

  consecrate (KON-seh-krayt), verb

  To declare something sacred, true, sacrosanct, or involuble.

  “It is regarded as normal to CONSECRATE virginity in general and to lust for its destruction in particular.” – Karl Kraus, Austrian writer

  consummate (KON-suh-mitt), adjective

  Complete or perfect; showing supreme skill.

  “[John F. Kennedy is] a new star with a tremendous national appeal, the skill of a CONSUMMATE showman.” – Russell Baker, American author

  contiguous (kon-TIG-yew-us), adjective

  Adjacent; sharing a common border; sitting next to one another in a row or sequence.

  The network extends to the forty-eight CONTIGUOUS states.

  contretemps (KON-truh-tahn), noun

  An inopportune occurrence with embarrassing results.

  “Pan had been amongst them …the little god Pan, who presides over social CONTRETEMPS and unsuccessful picnics.” – E. M. Forster, English novelist

  conundrum (kuh-NUN-drum), noun

  A difficult problem or situation that is not easily resolved.

  Knowing whether to attend MIT, Yale, or Harvard was quite a CONUNDRUM: MIT had the courses he wanted, but Harvard and Yale offered him full sports scholarships.

  convalescence (con-vah-LESS-sense), noun

  The time you spend recovering from—and getting back to full health—after an illness, during which the patient usually rests while being taken care of by others.

  “CONVALESCENCE is the part that makes the illness worthwhile.” – George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright

  convivial (kuhn-VIV-ee-ull), adjective

  Fond of feasting, drinking, and companionship.

  “One does not leave a CONVIVIAL party before closing time.” – Winston Churchill, British statesman and orator

  coquette (ko-KET), noun

  A woman who dresses promiscuously or flirts excessively to make men think she is sexually available when in fact she has no intention of sleeping with them.

  Marla doesn’t intend to play the COQUETTE at society balls, but her alluring looks attract other debutantes’ dates constantly.

  countenance (KOUN-tn-unts), noun

  A facial expression, either deliberate or unconscious, conveying the person’s mood, thoughts, or emotions.

  “We romped until the pans / Slid from the kitchen shelf; / My mother’s COUNTENANCE / Could not unfrown itself.” – Theodore Roethke, American poet

  coup (koo), noun

  When a person already in a position of power forcibly seizes control.

  Sophia took control of her father’s company while he was in the hospital, an act the investors considered a bit of a COUP.

  couture (kuh-TOUR), noun

  Clothing in the latest and most popular styles created by in-vogue fashion designers.

  If Alyssia does not have the latest COUTURE prior to its debut on Paris runways, she will not deign to consider wearing it.

  cull (KULL), verb

  To gather, amass, or collect.

  Consumer behavior data was CULLED from online surveys and focus groups.

  cynosure (SIN-uh-sure), noun

  A center of attention or attraction.

  “This lighthouse was the CYNOSURE of all eyes.” – Henry David Thoreau, American author and transcendentalist

  “Everything we shut our eyes

  to, everything we run away

  from, everything we deny,

  DENIGRATE or despise, serves

  to defeat us in the end.”

  Henry Miller, American author

  and painter

  D

  dalliance (DAL-ee-anss), noun

  A brief, casual flirtation with or interest in someone or something; the act of tarrying rather than proceeding swiftly and deliberately.

  Her DALLIANCE with the pool boy made her husband angry and jealous.

  dauntless (DAWNT-liss), adjective

  Fearless, intrepid, and bold.

  “For Thought has a pair of DAUNTLESS wings.” – Robert Frost, American poet

  debauchery (deh-BOW-chair-ee), noun

  Frequent indulgence in sensual pleasures.

  “The geniuses, the mad dreamers, those who speak of DEBAUCHERY in the spirit, they are the condemned of our times.” – Harlan Ellison, American author

  debilitate (dih-BILL-uh-tayt), verb

  To make weak or feeble.

  Several hours on the polo fields are enough to DEBILITATE even the most robust player.

  decimate (DESS-ih-mate), verb

  To reduce something greatly, to the point of wiping it out.

  “Every doctor will allow a colleague to DECIMATE a whole countryside sooner than violate the bond of professional etiquette by giving him away.” – George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright

  déclassé (day-klass-AY), adjective

  Of a fallen social position or inferior status.

  Jean thought her imitation designer bag looked exactly like the real thing, but the other girls in her exclusive private school quickly ridiculed Jean—and her bag—for being DÉCLASSÉ.

  decorous (DEH-kore-us), adjective

  Behaving in a manner acceptable to polite society; having good taste and good manners.

  “Another week with these DECOROUS drones and I’ll jump out the window,” the young girl complained to her mother of her fellow debutantes.

  de facto (dee-FAK-toe), adjective

  Existing in fact.

  Although we eschew titles, Sasha clearly is the DE FACTO head of our arts-patronage club.

  deflation (dee-FLAY-shun), noun

  A weakened economy in which prices fall because of a decline in consumer spending.

  We were pleased to learn that DEFLATION has not harmed sales at Wempe’s on Fifth Avenue, our favorite purveyor of watches.

  defunct (dih-FUNKT), adjective

  An institution, object, etc., that has ceased to exist.

  “Practical men, who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influence, are usually the slaves of some DEFUNCT economist.” – John Maynard Keynes, British economist

  deification (DEE-if-ih-kay-shin), noun

  The process of making someone or something into—and worshipping them as—a god.

  “Poetry is the DEIFICATION of reality.” – Edith Sitwell, British poet

  deleterious (dell-ih-TEAR-ee-us), adjective

  Harmful; damaging.

  Smoking has been proven to have a DELETERIOUS effect on one’s health.

  delineate (dih-LINN-ee-ate), verb

  To use words to outline or describe with precision an object or person.

  With efficiency, Prescott DELINEATED plans for the new wing of his family’s Connecticut beach house.

  demagogue (DEM-ah-gog), noun

  A politician who owes his popularity largely to pandering to popular opinion and catering to the wishes of his constituency.

  “A DEMAGOGUE is a person with whom we disagree as to which gang should mismanage the country.” – Don Marquis, American journalist and humorist

  demiurge (DEM-ee-urj), noun

  A powerful creative force or a creative personality.

  After trying a few different professions, Jackson realized that h
is ability with artifice, combined with his family connections, would make him a marketing DEMIURGE.

  demotic (dih-MAH-tik), adjective

  Language used by ordinary people.

  Eileen always avoids the DEMOTIC because she does not want to be mistaken for someone from the middle class.

  demur (di-MURR), verb

  To make an objection on the grounds of scruples.

  “Assent, and you are sane; / DEMUR,—you’re straightway dangerous, / And handled with a chain.” – Emily Dickinson, American poet

  denigrate (DEN-ih-grayt), adjective

  Insulting; put down; demean; belittle.

  “Everything we shut our eyes to, everything we run away from, everything we deny, DENIGRATE or despise, serves to defeat us in the end.” – Henry Miller, American author and painter

  dénouement (day-new-MAH), noun

  The conclusion of a complex series of events.

  Marjorie was disappointed with the opera because she felt its DÉNOUEMENT left too many loose ends.

  deprecate (DEPP-rih-kate), verb

  To express severe disapproval of another’s actions.

  “Those who profess to favor freedom and yet DEPRECATE agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground.” – Frederick Douglass, American abolitionist and orator

  de rigueur (duh-rih-GUR), adjective

  Conforming to current standards of behavior, fashion, style, and etiquette.

  A two-carat diamond engagement ring that cost a young man a year’s salary was DE RIGUEUR for proposing to a girl in the 1950s.

  derivative (deh-RIV-uh-tiv), adjective

  Copied or adapted from others.

  “Only at his maximum does an individual surpass all his DERIVATIVE elements, and become purely himself.” – D. H. Lawrence, British author

  descant (des-KANT), verb

  To talk freely and without inhibition.

  Eloise is always more than willing to DESCANT concerning her past liaisons.

  descry (dih-SCRY), verb

  To make a discovery through careful examination.

  With barely more than a casual glance, Amanda was able to DESCRY that the handbag was a knockoff.

  desideratum (deh-sih-deh-RAH-tum), noun