tedious
adj. Tiresome by reason
of length or slowness.
Etymology:
Latin: tædium (weariness, disgust) +
-ous (filled with)
Related Form:
tedium
Synonyms:
boring, wearisome
Romeo & Juliet, III,ii: “…so tedious is this day
As is the night before some festival
To an impatient child that hath new robes
And may not wear them.”
The New York Times, 8/8/2008: “We are aware that this video is tedious, but it is
not meant to be fun. It is meant to limit our liability in the event of lawsuits.”
calamity
n. A grievous disaster, an event
or circumstance causing loss or
misery; a distressing misfortune.
Etymology:
Latin: calamite (damage, disaster)
Related Form:
calamitous
Synonyms:
tragedy, disaster
Romeo & Juliet, III,iii: “Affliction is enamour'd of thy parts,
And thou art wedded to calamity.”
The New York Times, 3/29/2008: “Many experts say the nation’s
hodgepodge of financial regulatory agencies failed to recognize
rampant excesses in mortgage lending until after they set off what is
now the worst financial calamity in decades.”
reconcile
v. 1. To reunite people or things in harmony.
2. To make discordant facts or statements
compatible with one another.
Etymology:
Latin: re- (back again) + conciliare (to combine)
Related Form:
reconciliation
Synonyms:
harmonize, restore, reunite
Romeo & Juliet, III,iii: “…till we can find a time
To blaze your marriage, reconcile your friends,
Beg pardon of the prince, and call thee back…”
The New York Times, 8/31/2008: “Isn’t a newspaper’s job to sift through rumors
and reconcile official accounts?”
fickle
adj. Of persons, their
attributes, or their feelings:
likely to change, unreliable.
Etymology:
Anglo-Saxon: fician (to deceive)
Synonyms:
capricious, inconstant
Romeo & Juliet, III,v: “O fortune, fortune! All men call thee fickle…”
The New York Times, 8/10/2007: “Consumer goods companies are using their
products’ packages as 3-D ads to grab shoppers’ fickle attention.”
inundate
v. 1. To flood with water.
2. To overwhelm.
Etymology:
Latin: in- (into) + undare (to flow)
Related Form:
inundation
Synonyms:
engulf, overrun
Romeo & Juliet, IV,i: “Her father counts it dangerous
That she doth give her sorrow so much sway,
And in his wisdom hastes our marriage,
To stop the inundation of her tears.”
The New York Times, 8/27/2008: “College students are inundated with new
situations and sometimes need advice from others.”
distraught
adj. Deeply agitated or troubled.
Etymology:
Past participle of verb distract from Latin:
dis- (divide, apart) + trahere (to drag)
Synonyms:
deranged, upset
Romeo & Juliet, IV,iii: “…if I wake, shall I not be distraught,
Environed with all these hideous fears?”
The New York Times, 8/24/2008: “…he became mute as a child for 10 years
because he was distraught at the death of his parents in a car crash.”
melancholy
adj. Characterized by, or
conducive to, sadness.
n. A mood, state, or episode of
sadness, dejection, or
introspection.
Etymology:
Greek: melano- (black) + koler (anger)
Synonyms:
despondent, woebegone
Romeo & Juliet, IV,v: “All things that we ordained festival,
Turn from their office to black funeral;
Our instruments to melancholy bells…”
The New York Times, 7/27/2008: “The choice is between Mirth and Melancholy.
Certainly, literary ears have always seemed more attuned to the nightingale’s
song than the lark’s.”
auspicious
adj. Conducive to success;
Giving promise of success
Etymology:
Latin: avis (bird) + specere (to observe) + -ous (characteristic of)
Related Form:
inauspicious
Synonyms:
advantageous, favorable, prosperous
Romeo & Juliet, V,iii: “And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars…”
The New York Times, 5/2/2008: “Many Chinese say that will change on
Aug. 8, 2008—an auspicious date by traditional reckoning because 8
is a lucky number—as the world focuses on the Olympics and China’s
undeniable accomplishments.”
detest
v. to hate or dislike intensely;
to abhor.
Etymology:
Latin: de- (down, against) + testari (to bear witness)
Related Form:
detestable
Synonyms:
abominate, despise
Romeo & Juliet, V.iii: “Thou detestable maw, thou womb of death”
The New York Times, 3/26/2008: “I detest war. It might not be the
worst thing to befall human beings, but it is wretched beyond all
description.”
ambiguous
adj. Capable of being understood
in two or more ways; not
clearly defined.
Etymology:
Latin: amb- (both ways) + agere (to drive)
Related Form:
ambiguity
Synonyms:
doubtful, questionable, indistinct, obscure
Romeo & Juliet, V,iii: “Seal up the mouth of outrage for a while,
Till we can clear these ambiguities.”
The New York Times, 3/15/2008: “…people who have more
ambiguous information about a product expect to be happier with
what they have bought than those who have more specific details.”