word of the day: concubine

CONCUBINE, n [kŏng'kyə-bīn']

Meaning:
1. (in polygamous societies) a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife or wives
2. mistress

Example:
My half-sisters wore rose-colored tunics and so did their mothers, my father's concubines.

word of the day: HERMAPHRODITE

Hermaphrodite, n [hər-māf'rə-dīt']

Meaning:
one having both male and female sexual characteristics and organs; at birth an unambiguous assignment of male or female cannot be made

Synonyms:
androgyne; epicene; gynandromorph; intersex

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

# Feathers From A Thousand Li Away:
sulk:
unanimous:
chenille:
smudge:
concubine:
doom:
pavilion:
squaw:

# The Twenty-Six Malignant Gates:
replica:
scurry:
immediacy:
jaunty:
ruffle:
celestial:
cascade:
arpeggio:
petticoat:
gawker:
fiasco:
Alakazam:

# American Translation:
leprosy:
swoon:
shudder:
doily:

# Queen Mother Of The Western Skies:
impertinent:
teak:
rickshaw:
kowtow:
shun:
ravel:
wonderment:
insidious:
syndrome:
trinket:
reverentially:
jut:
orgy:
essence:

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck vocabulary

# pp. 1-16 --
mottled:
droned:
periscope:
lumbered:
imperiously:
hutch:
juncture:
skitter:
pantomime:
imperiously:
morosely:

# pp. 17-37 --
liniment:
cesspool:
ominously:
trace chains:
skinner:
grizzled:
graybacks:
swamper:
pugnacious:
brittle:
skinner:
douse:

# pp. 38-65 --
derision:
subdued:
kewpie doll:
subdue:
gnawing:
hoosegow:
reprehensible:

# pp. 66-83 --
spectacles:
indignation:
fawning:

# pp. 84-98 --
pulley:
sullenly:
manger:
snivel:
bewilder:

# pp. 99 to end --
haunches:
waggle:

Mini-Thesaurus for Adjectives

Adult	grown-up ~ mature ~ full-grown ~ ripe ~ fully developed
Alert	attentive ~ wide-awake ~ watchful ~ vigilant ~ aware ~ observant
Alive	living ~ animate ~ animated ~ vital ~ active ~ existing
Angry	cross ~ upset ~ fussy ~ grouchy ~ irritable ~ cranky ~ mad ~ furious ~ annoyed ~ irritated ~ aggravated ~ exasperated ~ incensed ~ enraged
Awful	terrible ~ horrible ~ dreadful ~ appalling ~ frightful ~ repulsive ~ offensive ~ disgusting
Bad	wicked ~ evil ~ sinful ~ vile ~ mischievous ~ sinister ~ harmful ~ destructive ~ pernicious ~ malevolent ~ malicious
Big	large ~ huge ~ enormous ~ vast ~ immerse ~ gigantic ~ colossal ~ tremendous ~ massive ~ titanic ~ mammoth ~ monumental
Boring	dull ~ uninteresting ~ tedious ~ monotonous ~ tiresome ~ blah ~ humdrum ~ wearisome ~ fatiguing
Brave	fearless ~ daring ~ defiant ~ bold ~ courageous ~ heroic ~ stalwart ~ intrepid ~ audacious ~ dauntless
Careful	painstaking ~ thorough ~ exact ~ cautions ~ prudent ~ watchful ~ vary ~ vigilant
Clumsy	awkward ~ ungainly ~ gawky ~ lumbering
Curious	inquisitive ~ interested ~ nosy ~ prying ~ spying ~ peeping ~ meddlesome
Dark	gloomy ~ dusky ~ dim ~ unlit
Deadly	fatal ~ mortal ~ lethal ~ malignant ~ virulent ~ killing
Delicious	tasty ~ appetizing ~ luscious ~ savory ~ palatable ~ delectable ~ scrumptious ~ yummy
Different	unlike ~ diverse ~ distinct ~ various
Dirty	filthy ~ grimy ~ soiled ~ dingy ~ unsanitary ~ polluted ~ grubby
Dishonest	lying ~ untruthful ~ untrustworthy ~ deceitful ~ crooked ~ devious ~ mendacious
Eager	enthusiastic ~ keen ~ avid ~ fervent ~ ardent ~ zealous
Easy	effortless ~ simple ~ uncomplicated
Enough	ample ~ sufficient ~ adequate ~ abundant ~ plenty
Fake	phony ~ false ~ artificial ~ imitation ~ bogus ~ counterfeit ~ pretended ~ feigned
Famous	noted ~ prominent ~ eminent ~ celebrated ~ illustrious ~ notorious
Fast	rapid ~ quick ~ swift ~ speedy ~ fleet ~ expeditious
Foolish	ridiculous ~ silly ~ absurd ~ senseless ~ inane ~ asinine ~ witless ~ fatuous
Funny	amusing ~ humorous ~ witty ~ hilarious ~ comical ~ ridiculous ~ jocular ~ whimsical
Good	fine ~ excellent ~ great ~ worthy ~ outstanding ~ admirable ~ respectable ~ splendid ~ superb ~ superior
Grand	magnificent ~ stately ~ majestic ~ splendid ~ impressive ~ dignified ~ palatial
Grateful	thankful ~ pleased ~ appreciative ~ indebted ~ obliged ~ beholden
Great	wonderful ~ amazing ~ terrific ~ superb ~ remarkable ~ splendid ~ marvelous ~ sensational ~ fabulous ~ spectacular ~ phenomenal
Heavy	weighty ~ ponderous ~ massive ~ hefty
Hot	sweltering ~ sultry ~ torrid ~ warm ~ lukewarm ~ tepid
Important	significant ~ substantial ~ consequential ~ crucial ~ critical ~ momentous ~ eventful ~ principal ~ chief ~ major ~ main
Jealous	envious ~ resentful ~ grudging ~ covetous ~ green-eyed
Lively	active ~ energetic ~ vigorous ~ animated ~ inexhaustible
Loud	noisy ~ deafening ~ clamorous ~ blatant ~ clangorous ~ riotous ~ earsplitting
Many	numerous ~ various ~ countless ~ innumerable ~ diverse ~ multitudinous
Mean	cruel ~ malicious ~ disagreeable ~ contemptible ~ despicable ~ ignominious ~ shameful
Nervous	restless ~ fidgety ~ edgy ~ uptight ~ apprehensive ~ tense ~ excitable ~ high-strung
Perfect	flawless ~ faultless ~ ideal ~ impeccable ~ matchless
Polite	courteous ~ well-mannered ~ gracious ~ civil ~ mannerly ~ considerate ~ respectful
Pretty	beautiful ~ lovely ~ handsome ~ gorgeous ~ attractive ~ exquisite ~ comely ~ fair ~ pleasing ~ stunning
Rich	wealthy ~ affluent ~ prosperous ~ well-to-do ~ loaded ~ moneyed ~ well-off
Rough	coarse ~ uneven ~ rugged ~ bumpy ~ craggy ~ jagged
Sad	unhappy ~ miserable ~ gloomy ~ depressed ~ melancholy ~ blue ~ downhearted ~ morose ~ dejected ~ dispirited ~ despondent
Shy	bashful ~ timid ~ meek ~ reserved ~ diffident ~ demure ~ reticent ~ retiring ~ humble ~ modest ~ sheepish
Smart	intelligent ~ clever ~ bright ~ wise ~ learned ~ adroit ~ brilliant ~ sharp ~ ingenious
Strange	odd ~ peculiar ~ unusual ~ funny weird ~ abnormal ~ bizarre ~ atypical
Strong	powerful ~ hardy ~ muscular ~ vigorous ~ mighty ~ herculean ~ hearty ~ brawny
Stubborn	obstinate ~ willful ~ headstrong ~ rigid ~ inflexible ~ intractable ~ bull-headed ~ contumacious
Thin	slender ~ slim ~ lean ~ slight ~ skinny ~ gaunt ~ lank ~ scrawny ~ emaciated
Tired	exhausted ~ weary ~ worn ~ worn out ~ sleepy ~ fatigued ~ haggard ~ enervated ~ drained ~ bushed ~ overworked ~ spent ~ wearied
Violent	vehement ~ intense ~ vicious ~ destructive ~ wild ~ brutal ~ barbarous ~ savage ~ fierce
Wet	moist ~ humid ~ clammy ~ dank ~ moistened ~ soaked ~ drenched ~ saturated ~ sodden ~ waterlogged ~ dripping
Wild	untamed ~ fierce ~ ferocious ~ savage ~ agitated ~ stormy ~ frenzied ~ turbulent ~ riotous ~ boisterous

Procedural Vocabulary Chart (adapted from Marco & Luzon, 1999)

Similarities
be similar to ~ be like ~ look like ~ resemble ~ approximate ~ approach ~ be identical with/to ~ be counterpart of ~ corresponding ~ match ~ be proportional to ~ a kind of ~ correspond to ~ be analogous to ~ be equivalent to ~ be equal to ~ be an equivalent of ~ be indistinguishable from ~ be synonymous with ~ be the same as ~ be considered ~ be interpreted as ~ be regarded as ~ be thought of as ~ share ~ be akin to ~ be comparable to

Difference
be different from ~ as opposed to ~ be dissimilar ~ be distinct from ~ be distinguished from ~ be opposite ~ be unlike ~ differ from

Inclusion
be a member of ~ be a kind of ~ be a type of ~ belong to ~ fall into ~ be divided/subdivided into ~ be equipped with ~ contain ~ encompass ~ be a case of ~ be a class of ~ be a form of ~ be a variant of ~ be composed of ~ be comprised of ~ be filled with ~ be formed by ~ be a piece of ~ be a fragment of ~ be exemplified by ~ as illustrated by ~ be represented by ~ be a component of ~ be an element of ~ be part of ~ be made from ~ be made up of ~ be a portion of ~ be characteristic of ~ be an example of ~ be a prototype of ~ be representative of ~ range from…to… ~ vary from…to… ~ be provided with ~ comprise ~ consist of ~ appear in

Exclusion
be absent from ~ be excluded from ~ to the exclusion of ~ be devoid of ~ be free of ~ lack ~ missing

Process relationship
arise from ~ be a derivative of ~ be a product of ~ be due to ~ become ~ transform into ~ come from ~ derive from ~ develop from ~ be produced by/from ~ originate from ~ give rise to ~ be the result of ~ result from ~ branch into ~ give way to ~ yield ~ are the result of ~ be converted to ~ evolve into

Function
act as ~ act to ~ behave like ~ function as ~ have a role in ~ play the role of ~ play a part in ~ provide ~ serve as ~ be useful for ~ be used for ~ be chosen as ~ employ as ~ is used to

Spatial relationships
be adjacent to ~ be arranged ~ be contained in ~ be coated with ~ be covered with ~ be distributed ~ be embedded in ~ be equidistant ~ be parallel to ~ be inserted into ~ be located ~ be placed ~ be positioned at ~ be separated ~ be surrounded by ~ extend ~ face ~ opposite ~ reside ~ surround

Physical characteristics
be…in length ~ in the form of ~ shape like ~ in shades of ~ measuring more than ~ (noun)-shaped

Quantity
a variety of ~ amounts of ~ number of ~ (cardinal number) parts of ~ a class of ~ a family of ~ a series of ~ a set of

Source: Marco, M., & Luzon, M. (1999). Procedural vocabulary: Lexical signaling of conceptual relations in discourse. Applied Linguistics, 20(1), 1-21.

Commute vs. Pardon

Commute

DEFINITION /kəˈmyut/ Pronunciation Key [kuh-myoot] v. To reduce a criminal penalty

CONTEXT Instead of going for a full-fledged pardon, President Bush commuted Scooter Libby’s sentence, leaving the fines and criminal record intact but keeping him out of prison.

USAGE Commutations often have qualifiers. Nixon reduced Jimmy Hoffa’s jail term in 1971, provided the Teamster didn’t run the union for 10 years.

Pardon

DEFINITION [pahr-dn] v: To completely forgive a crime

CONTEXT Clinton notoriously issued 140 pardons on his last day in office, including one to tax evader Marc Rich – whose lawyer at the time just happened to be Scooter Libby.

USAGE Bush’s father has given the fewest pardons since Franklin Pierce, but W. isn’t far behind, with 113 in two terms.

Suffixes

Noun-Forming Suffixes

-age (process, state, rank) e.g., lineage
-ance (the condition of, act of) e.g., dominance
-ation (action, state of) e.g., demonstration
-dom (state, rank, condition) e.g., serfdom
-hood (state, rank, condision) e.g., parenthood
-ism (act, manner, doctrine) e.g., barbarism
-ist (doer, believer) e.g., monopolist
-ment (means, result, action) e.g., bedevilment
-ness (quality, state) e.g., pretentiousness
-tude (quality, state, result) e.g., fortitude

Adjective-Forming Suffixes

-able (able to) e.g., sociable
-en (made of) e.g., ashen
-ful (having qualities of) e.g., purposeful
-ish (suggesting) e.g., fiendish
-less (lacking) e.g., graceless
-like (like, similar) e.g., lifelike
-some (apt to, showing) e.g., loathsome
-ward (in the direction of) e.g., windward

Verb-Forming Suffixes

-ate (become, form, treat) e.g., designate
-en (cause to be) e.g., enlighten
-esce (become, continue) e.g., coalesce
-fy (make, cause to have) e.g., amplify
-ize (make, cause to be) e.g., dramatize

Onomatopoeic words

Onomatopoeic words are words that seem to sound like their meaning. The most obvious examples are verbs relating to the noises that animals make, e.g., cows moo and cats meow.

Certain combination or letters have particular sound associations in English.

• cl- (suggest something sharp and/or metallic)
  
  • click [make a short, sharp sound]
  • clang [make a loud ringing noise]
  • clash [make a loud, broken, confused sound]
  • clink [make the sound of small bits of metal/glass knocking together]

• gr- (suggest something unpleasant or miserable)
  
  • groan [to make a deep sound forced out by pain or despair]
  • grumble [to complain in a bad-tempered way]
  • grumpy [bad tempered or moody]
  • grunt [to make a low, rough sound like pigs do]
  • growl [to make a deep, threatening sound]

• sp- (have an association with water or other liquids or powders)
• splash [cause a liquid to fly up in the air in drops]
• spit [send liquid out from the mouth]
• splutter [make a series of spitting sounds]
• spray [send liquid thorough the air in a mist]
• sprinkle [scatter small drops]
• spurt [come out in a sudden burst]
• wh- (suggests the movement of air)
  
  • whistle [a high-pitched noise made through a small opening]
  • whirr [sound like a bird’s wings moving rapidly]
  • whiz [make the sound of something rushing through air]
  • wheeze [breathe noisily, especially with a whistling sound in the chest]
  • whip [long piece of rope or leather; or to hit with one of these]

• -ash (suggest something fast and violent)
• smash [break violently into small pieces]
• dash [move or be moved quickly or violently]
• crash [suddenly strike violently and noisily]
• mash [make soft or pulpy by beating or crushing]
• gash [a long, deep cut or wound]

• -ckle, -ggle, -zzle (suggest something light and repeated)
• trickle [flow slowly in a thin stream or in drops]
• crackle [make a series of short, sharp sounds]
• tinkle [make a series of light ringing sounds]
• giggle [laugh lightly]
• wriggle [move with quick, short twisting]
• sizzle [make a hissing sound like something cooking in fat]
• drizzle [small, fine rain]

Learning Vocabulary - general advice

What does knowing a new word mean?
It is not enough just to know the meaning of a word. You also need to know:

1. which words it is usually associated with
2. its grammatical characteristics
3. how it is pronounced

Try to learn new words in phrases, not in isolation.

• Write down adjectives and nouns that are often associated, e.g., classical music, flying saucer, common sense.
• Write down verbs and nouns that form expressions, e.g., to express an opinion; to take sides.
• Write down nouns in appropriate phrases, e.g., in touch with; a sense of humor.
• Write down words with their prepositions, e.g., at a loss for words; thanks to you.
• Note special grammatical characteristics of new words. For example, note irregular verbs, e.g., take, took, taken; uncountable nouns, e.g., luggage; or nouns that are used only in the plural, e.g., clothes.
  
• Note any special pronunciation problems of new words.