SELECTED WORDS
Ubiquitous, seeming to be everywhere at once Ululate, howl or wail Unadulterated, with nothing added, pure Unarmed, without weapons Unceremonious, without ceremony, abrupt, rude Uncouth, lacking in manners or grace Unerring, consistently accurate Unflappable, hard to upset Unvarnished, not elaborated upon Uxorious, excessively fond of or dependent on one’s wife
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Faรงade, (false) outward appearance Faceless, anonymous Facile, superficial, showing real lack of thought Fairy tale, unbelievable story or explanation Fancy dress, party costume Fancy free, not in love Farrago jumbled mixture of things Fastidious, very fussy about details, easily disgusted Fear, distress or alarm caused by impending danger or pain; cause of this - feel anxiety about something, be afraid of something/ someone Felicity, happiness, appropriate expression of style Feminine, of a woman, having qualities traditionally regarded as suitable for, or typical of, a woman Fetid, stinking Fete, gala, bazaar Festoon, hang decorations in loops Fey, whimsically strange Filly, young female horse Flighty, frivolous and fickle Flimsy, not strong, thin, unconvincing Flocculent, like tuffs of wool Flotilla, small fleet Florid, with a red or flushed complexion Flout, deliberately disobey Foment, encourage or stir up Fond, tender, loving, unlikely to be realised Fractious, peevishly irritable Frenetic, uncontrollable, excited Frippery, useless ornamentation Frisson, shiver of fear or excitement Frowsty, stale or musty Frowsy, dirty or unkempt Fug, hot, stale atmosphere Funk, nervous or fearful state, avoid doing something through fear
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Kalashnikov, Russian-made automatic rifle Kaleidoscope, coloured glass reflected by mirrors so that various symmetrical patterns form Kid, tease or deceive Kinetic, relating to or caused by motion King, best or most important of its kind Kingpin, most important person on an organisation Kismet, fate or destiny
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Obdurate, hardhearted, stubborn Obfuscate, darken, make confusing Obloquy, verbal abuse, discredit Obscene, portraying sex offensively, disgusting Obsequious, to eager to please in order to be liked Obsolete, no longer in use Obstreperous, unruly, noisy Octogenarian, person aged between eighty and eighty nine Odium, widespread dislike Offing, area of sea visible from the shore, in the offing, likely to happen soon Old maid, elderly unmarried woman Ophidian, of the snake family Ornate, highly decorated, elaborate Ornithology, study of birds Orotund, of voice, resonant, of language, pompous Orrisroot, fragrant root used for perfume Ostentation, pretentious display Ostracize, exclude a person from a group Outbreak, sudden occurrence, (of something unpleasant) Outworks, secondary external defences of a fort Oviparous, producing young by laying eggs Ovoid, egg shape
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Saccharine, artificial sweetener, excessively sweet Sagacious, wise - sagacity Salacious, excessively concerned with sex Salient, prominent, noticeable, projecting part of a front line Sally, sudden brief attack by troops, witty remark-sallied, rush out Sedate, sober and decorous Sedentary, done sitting down, involving little exercise Seersucker, light cotton fabric with crinkled surface Seriatim, one after another Servile, too eager to obey Sexagenarian, between sixty and sixty nine years old Shebeen, place where alcoholic drink is sold illegally Sheen, glistening brightness on the surface Sheila, girl Shell shock Showy, gaudy, ostentatious Showdown, confrontation that settles a dispute Showmanship Shuttlecock, feathers Sibilant, hissing, consonant pronounced with a hissing sound Sic, used to indicate that an odd spelling or reading is fact accurate Side saddle, allowing woman riders to sit with both legs on the same side of the horse Simpering smile Simmer; be in a state of suppressed rage Simulate, make the pretence of, have the appearance of, imitate Sinuous, curving, lithe - sinuously Siren, dangerously alluring woman Sissy, weak or cowardly Sisterhood, group of women united by common aims Skein, flock of geese in flight Skip, pass over Skirt, border, avoid dealing with Slab, broad flat -beach Slight, small in quantity, not important Slink, sinuously, guiltily Sloven, habitually dirty or untidy person Snipe, make critical remarks about Snitch, informer Snivel, cry in a whining way SoignĂŠe, well groomed elegant Solecism, breach of etiquette Somnolent, drowsy Sordid, dirty, selfish, grasping Spasm, sudden burst of activity Spat, slight quarrel Spindrift, spray from the sea Spinster, unmarried woman Sternum, breast bone Stitch, thread, sharp pain, in stitches Stolid, showing little emotion or interest Strident, loud and harsh Stripling, youth Strut, swagger
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Stultify, dull the mind of by boring routine Stumbling block, obstacle of difficulty Stumble across, find accidentally Stunt, anything spectacular used to gain publicity Succulent, juicy and delicious Sudorific, causing sweating Sullen, unwilling to talk or be sociable Sully, make dirty, ruin Sundae, ice cream topped with fruit Supercilious, showing arrogant pride or scorn Superfluous, more than is needed Superlative, outstanding quality Svelte, slim Swelter, be oppressed by heat Sybarite, lover of luxury Sycophant, person who uses flattery to win favour from people with power Sylph, imaginary being supposed to grace the air, slender woman Synonym, word with the same meaning as another Syrupy, excessive sentimentality
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X, indicating an error or a kiss
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Idyll, scene or time of peace and happiness Immolate, kill as a sacrifice Immutable, unchangeable Impassive, showing no emotion Imperious, used to being obeyed, domineering Incantation, ritual chanting of magic words or sounds Incense, make very angry Incense, substance that gives of a sweet perfume when burned Incessant, never stopping Inchoate, just begun and not yet properly developed Incorrigible, beyond reform Incubus, demon believed to have sex with sleeping woman, nightmare Inculcate, fix in someone’s mind by constant repetition Indelicate, embarrassing, tasteless - indelicacy Indomitable, too strong to be defeated or discouraged Inept, clumsy, lacking skill In extremis, in great difficulty, at the point of death Infantry, foot soldiers Infestation, overrun in unpleasantly large numbers Infinitesimal, extremely small Infirm, physically or mentally weak Ingénue, naïve young woman Insidious, subtle or unseen but dangerous Insurrection, rebellion Interminable, seemingly endless because boring Ingénue, naïve young woman Insidious,subtle or unseen but dangerous Insurrection, rebellion Intermittent, Occurring at intervals Internecine, mutually destructive Interspersed, scatters among Intimidate, subdue or influence by frightening Intolerable, more than can be endured Intransigent, refusing to change ones attitude Intrauterine, within the womb Intricate, involved or complicated Intrigue, make interested or curious, plot secretly Invertebrate, deep rooted, confined in a habit or practice, inveteracy Irascible, easily angered Iridescent, having shimmery changing colours like a rainbow Irreverence, lack of respect
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Abate, diminish in strength Aberration, deviation from what is normal Abeyance, state of not being in use Abort, terminate Abreast, side by side Abstemious, sparing in the consumption of food or alcohol Accolade, award, honour Accoutrements, clothing and equipment Accretion, gradual growth Accrue, increase gradually Accumulate, gather together in increasing quantity Acerbic, harsh or bitter Acquiesce, accept without complaining Acrid, pungent, bitter Acrimony, bitterness of speech or manner, acrimonious Addle, make rotten or muddled Adequate, not outstanding Adipose, fat or fatty Ad nauseam, to a boring or sickening extent Ado, fuss, trouble Adroit, quick and skilful Adversary, opponent or enemy Adverse, antagonistic or hostile, unfavourable Affront, insult Agglomerate, gather into a mass, a confused mass Alack, cry of grief or sorrow Allue, entice or attract Amalgamate, combine or unite Amaranth, imaginary flower that never fades, Ambergris, waxy substance secreted from the sperm whale, used to make perfume Amorphous, without distinct shape Amulet, something carried or worn as a charm against evil Anathema, detested person or thing Animus, hatred, animosity Antipathy, dislike, hostility Antirrhinum, two lipped flower of various colours Arcane, mysterious or secret Areola, small circular area like the coloured ring around the human nipple Arid, dry, uninteresting Aspersions, make derogatory remarks about Atrocity, wickedness act of cruelty Attenuate, weaken, to become thin Attrition, constant wearing down to weaken or destroy
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Vacant, unoccupied, without interest or understanding In vain, unsuccessfully Vamp, revamp Varlet, rascal Vaunt, describe or display boastfully Viscid, sticky Vociferous, characterised by noisy shouting Volute, spiral or twisting turn Voracious, craving great quantities of food, insatiably eager Vulpine, of or like a fox
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Taciturn, habitually uncommunicative Tack, short nail, long loose stitch, riding harness, vulgar and tasteless Tactics, directing military forces, plans Taint, spoil with a small amount of decay, contamination Tart, pie, bitter, promiscuous Tawdry, cheap or showy Teeter, wobble, move unsteadily Temperate, self restrained or moderate Tempest, violent or stormy Template, pattern used to cut shapes Tender, gentle, affectionate, offer to supply goods, currency Tenuous, slight or flimsy Terminus, final point, end of the line Terpsichorean, of dancing Thrall, state of another person being in the power of another Tingle Tinkle Tinsel, anything cheap or gaudy Tirade, long angry speech Titanic, huge Titbit, tasty piece of food Titivate, smarten up Titter, laugh in a suppressed way Torpid, sluggish, inactive Totter, be about to fall Transient, lasting only for a short time Transmogrify, change completely Trinket, small or worthless ornament Trollop, promiscuous or slovenly woman Trounce, defeat utterly Troupe, company of performers Tuck, stitch into folds, push into small space Tumble down, dilapidated Tumult, uproar or commotion Turbid, muddy, not clear Turpitude, depravity Tutu Twee, too sentimental, sweet Tweeter, loud speaker Twill, fabric woven to produce parallel ridges Twinkle, flickering brightness Tyro, novice or beginner
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Gaggle, disorderly crowd Gamine, slim boyish young woman Garish, crudely bright or colourful Garrulously, talkative Gaunt, lean and haggard, desolate, bleak Gimcrack, showy but cheap, shoddy Girth, measurement around something, band round a horse to hold the saddle in position. Gorgon, terrifying or repulsive woman Gregarious, fond of company, living in flocks or herds Grizzled, grey haired Groom, person who looks after horses, make or keep one’s appearance neat and tidy, Gymkhana, horse riding competition Gymnastics, exercises to develop strength and agility
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Quail, shrink back with fear Quaint, attractively unusual Quartermaster, military officer responsible for food, accommodation and equipment Queasy, having the feeling that one is about to vomit, uneasiness Quiescent, quiet, inactive, dormant Quinquennial, every five years, lasting five years Quisling, traitor who aids an occupying enemy force Quixotic, romantic and unrealistic Quorum, minimum number of people required to be present at a meeting before any transaction can take place Quotidian, daily, common place
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Dainty, delicate, elegant Darling, much loved, favourite Dalliance, flirtation Dandle, move a child up and down on one’s knee Dandy, man who is greatly concerned with the elegance of his appearance Dastardly, mean and cowardly Debacle, disastrous collapse or defeat Dear, beloved, costly Decimate, destroy or kill a large proportion of Declivity, downward slope, declivitous Décolleté (woman’s garment) having a low neckline Decorous, polite, calm and sensible in behaviour Deface, spoil the surface or appearance of Deficient, lacking something essential, inadequate in quality or quantity Deflower, deprive (a woman) of her virginity Delectable, very attractive Deleterious, harmful, injurious Demimonde, class of women considered to be outside of respectable society, because of promiscuity; group considered not wholly respectable Demure, quiet, reserved and rather shy Denude, remove the covering or protection from De rigueur, required by fashion Dewlap, loose fold of skin hanging under the throats of dogs, cattle Diaphanous, fine and almost transparent Didactic, intended to instruct Dilettante, person whose interest in a subject is superficial rather than serious Dire, indicating disaster Disgorge, vomit, discharge Disfigure, spoil the appearance or shape of Dissonance, discordant combination of sounds, lack of agreement or consistency Doll, small model of a human being used as a toy Dour, sullen and unfriendly Dowager, widow possessing property or title obtained from her husband Dowdy, shabby, old fashioned Dowry, property bought by a woman to her husband at marriage Doyenne, senior member of a group or society Draconian, harsh or severe Dressing-down, severe scolding Dress rehearsal, last rehearsal of a play Dressage, training of a horse to perform manoeuvres in response to the rider’s body signals Droop, sag as from weakness Drubbing, utter defeat, as in contest Dryad, wood nymph Duenna, elderly woman acting as a chaperone to a young woman Duress, compulsion by use of force or threats
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Wallflower, at a dance, woman who remains seated for lack of a partner Wan, pale and sick looking Wane, decrease gradually in size and strength Wanton, dissolute pr immoral; without motive, unrestrained Waspish, bad tempered Wean, coax away from Weeds, widow’s morning clothes Whimsical, fanciful Whimper, cry in a soft whining voice Whine, peevish complaint Whinge, complain Whorl, ring of leaves or petals, one turn of a spiral Winsome, charming or winning Wizened, shrilled or wrinkled Wonky donkey Wrest, take by force, twist violently
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Pack, group of hunting animals Palomino, gold coloured horse with a white main and tail Pamper, treat someone with great indulgence Panoply, magnificent array Pargeting, ornamental plasterwork Parochial, narrow in outlook, provincial Paroxysm, uncontrollable outburst Parterre, formally patterned flower garden Pelmet, ornamental drapery Perfunctory, done only as a matter of routine, superficial Permutation, any of the ways a number of things can be arranged or combined Pernicious, wicked, extremely harmful, deadly Pernickety, fussy about details Persiflage, light frivolous talk or writing Pert, bright and cheeky Perturb, disturb greatly, alarm Periwig, peruse, wig Pester, annoy or nag continually Pestilential, annoying, troublesome, deadly Petite, small and dainty Pettifogging, over concerned with unimportant detail Pettish, fretful, irritable Petulant, childishly irritable Phalanx, phalanges, closely grouped mass of people Phantasm, unreal vision Phantasmagoria, shifting medley of dreamlike figures Pharisee, self righteous hypocrite Phenobarbitone, drug induced sleep or relaxation Philtre, magic drink supposed to arouse love in the person who drinks it Phosphorescence, faint glow in the dark Pianissimo, very quietly Picaresque, denoting a type of fiction in which the hero, a rogue, has a series of adventures Piccalilli, pickle of vegetables Piebald (horse) with irregular black and white markings Pigtail, plait of hair Pinafore, apron, dress with bib top Pinion, birds wing, immobilise by trying or holding their arms Pinking shears, scissors with a serrated edge Pip, star on a junior army officer’s shoulder showing rank Pirouette, a spinning turn balanced on the toes of one foot Placebo, sugar pill, given to an unsuspecting patient Placid, calm not easily excited Placket, opening at the top of a skirt Platitude, remark that is true, but not interesting or original Plenary, meeting attended by all members Pleonasm, use of more words than necessary Pluck, pull out the feathers, sound of the strings, courage Plumage, bird’s feathers Plume, feather, one worn as an ornament Polyandry, practice of having more than one husband at the same time
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Polychromatic, many coloured Pomander (container) for mixture of sweet smelling petals, potpourri Pompom, decorative ball of tufted wool Ponderous, serious and dull, slow and clumsy Pontificate, state ones opinions as though they were the only correct ones Porcelain, fine china Porcine, of or like a pig Possum, pretend to be dead or asleep to deceive an opponent Posterior, buttocks, behind Postern, small back door or gate Pouffe, large solid cushion used as a seat Prance, walk with exaggerated bouncing steps Prattle, chatter in a childish way Prim, formal, proper prudish Prissy, prim, correct and easily shocked Pristine, clean, new and unused Procrustean, ruthlessly enforcing uniformity Prodigal, recklessly extravagant Prosaic, lacking imagination, dull Protean, constantly changing Prudent, cautious, discreet and sensible Prurient, excessively interested in sex Pucker, gather into wrinkles Puerile, silly and childish Puissant, powerful Pulchritude, beauty Pusillanimous, cowardly
SELECTED WORDS
Cack-handed, clumsy Cackle, laugh or chatter shrilly Cacophony, harsh discordant sound Cadaverous, deathly pale, gaunt Cajole, persuade by flattery Calamine, pink powder consisting chiefly of zinc oxide, used in skin lotions and ointments Calligraphy, art of beautiful handwriting Callisthenics, light keep fit exercises Callous, insensitive or heartless Calumniate, slander Camiknickers, knickers attached to a camisole Camphor, aromatic crystalline substance used medically and in moth balls Campion, white or pink wild flower CanapĂŠ, small piece of toast with savoury topping Candelabrum, large branched candle holder Candid, frank and outspoken Candied, preserved with sugar Candy-striped, having coloured stripes on a white background Cantankerous, bad tempered, quarrelsome Caparisoned, dressed in rich clothing Capon, castrated cock fowl fattened for eating Carmine, vivid red Carnage, slaughter Carnal, relating to he appetites and passions of the body Carpel, female reproductive organ of a flowering plant Carrion, dead and rotting flesh Cartography, cartographer, map making Caryatid, supporting column in the shape of a female figure Castrate, deprive of vigour or masculinity Caterwaul, wail, yowl Caveat, warning Ceilidh, informal social gathering for singing and dancing (Scottish) Chagrin, annoy and embarrass Charabanc, bus used for outings Charwoman/lady, woman employed as a cleaner Chatelaine, mistress of a large house or castle Chit, Pert young woman Chit-chat, chat or gossip Churlish, surely and rude Clammy, unpleasantly moist and sticky Cleave, cleft, split apart Coalesce, come together, merge Cochineal, scarlet dye obtained from a Mexican insect Cocksure, overconfident arrogant Confabulation, conversation Congregate, gathering together, as or in a crowd Connive, give assent to wrong doing by ignoring it Contralto, singer with lowest female voice Contumacy, obstinate, disobedience Contumely, scornful or insulting treatment Coquette, woman who flirts Corsage, small bouquet worn on bodice Cosset, pamper Coterie, exclusive group, clique Coven, meeting of witches Crone, witch like woman
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Crony, close friend Crude, tasteless or vulgar Cuckold, man whose wife has committed adultery Curmudgeon, bad tempered or mean person
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Macerate, soften by soaking Machismo, strong or exaggerated masculinity Macrocosm, the universe, any large complete system Madam, precocious or conceited young girl Maddening, irritating Maelstrom, great whirlpool, turmoil Maiden, young unmarried woman Majesty, supreme power Make up, invent, settle a quarrel, cosmetics, metal or physical constitution Makeweight, something unimportant added to make up a lack Maladroit, clumsy or awkward Malevolent, wishing evil to others Malleable, capable of being pressed into shape, easily influenced Malodorous, bad smelling Manpower, number of workers Mania, madness, extreme enthusiasm, Manicure, cosmetic care Manipulate, handle carefully, control cleverly Manoeuvre, military exercise, skilful movement Martial, of war Matinee, afternoon performance Matriarch, female head of a tribe, family Matricide, crime of killing ones mother Melee, noisy confused crowd Mellifluous, (sound) smooth and sweet Meretricious, superficially or garishly attractive but of no real value Miasma, unwholesome or foreboding atmosphere Military, of or for soldiers, armies or war Militia, trained citizens for use in emergency only Militate, have a strong influence or effect Misnomer, wrongly applied name Misogyny, hatred of women Movement, moving parts of a machine, group with a common aim, action or process Munitions, military stores
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Rabble, disorderly crowd Raceme, cluster of flowers along a central stem, like a fox glove Racket, noisy disturbance Raconteur, skilled storyteller Radiant, looking happy, shining Rancour, deep, bitter hate, rancorous Rank, smelly offensively strong The ranks, common soldier Rankle, continue to cause resentment and bitterness Rant, talk in a loud excited way Rapacious, greed or grasping Rapt, engrossed or spellbound Raptorial, predatory, of birds of prey Rasp, harsh, grating noise Razzmatazz, show activity Rear, back part of an army procession Recherche, of studied elegance Redolent, smelling strongly of Reek, smell strongly Refine, purify, improve Refulgent, shining, radiant Reflexology, foot massage as a therapy Refractory, unmanageable, rebellious Regiment, discipline, organise Rejuvenate, restore youth or vitality to Relic, something that has survived from the past Renascent, become active or vigorous again Rendition, performance Renegade person who deserts a cause Renounce, to give up (a habit, a title) Renovate, restore to good Repeater, firearm that may be charged many times without reloading Repel, be disgusting to Repercussion, indirect effect, often unpleasant Repertoire, stock of plays, songs Repine, fret or complain Replete, filled or gorged Replica, exact copy Reprieve, postpone the execution of a condemned person Repudiate, reject the authority or validity of, disown Repugnant, offensive or distasteful Repulse, drive (an army) back Repulsion, distaste or aversion Requiem, mass for the dead, music for this Resemble, be or look alike Resent, feel bitter Reshuffle, reorganisation Reside, dwell permanently Resilient, able to return to normal shape after stretching, recovering quickly after a shock Resplendent, brilliant or splendid, shining Restive, restless or impatient Restrain, hold someone back Restrict, confine Resurgence, rising again to vigour Retch, try to vomit
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Retinue, band of attendants Retouch, restore or improve Retroflex, bent or curved backwards Retrorocket, small engine used to slow a spacecraft Retrousse, (a nose) turned upwards Reveille, morning wake up call to waken soldiers Revelry, festivity Revere, be in awe and respect greatly Reverie, absent minded daydream Revile, be abusively scornful of Revue, theatrical entertainment with topical songs and sketches Revulsion, strong disgust Rhapsodize, speak with extravagant enthusiasm Rhea, S American three toed ostrich Rhinestone, imitation diamond Rib, tease or ridicule Ribald, mockingly rude or obscene Ricochet, rebound from a solid surface Ripple, flow or form into little waves Roll call, list of names Roughshod, ride roughshod - act with total disregard
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Nag, scold, old horse Naïve, innocent and credulous Naked, without clothes or covering the naked eye, Nanny, woman whose job it is to look after young children Nap, card game similar to whist Nape, back of neck Narcissism, abnormal love and admiration for oneself Nascent, starting to grow or develop Natal, of or relating to birth Natter, talk idly or chatter, chit chat, Neanderthal, of a type of primitive man that lived in Europe before 12 000 BC Necromancy, communication with the dead, sorcery Nectar, sweet liquid collected from flowers, drink of the gods Nee, indicating the maiden name of a married woman Needle Nefarious, wicked Neglect, take no care of Neophyte, beginner or novice Nest, place where birds lay eggs, set of things of graduated sizes designed to fit together Nestling, bird too young to leave the nest Noisome, smell, offensive, harmful or poisonous Nonagenarian, person aged between ninety and ninety nine Noncombatant, member of the armed forces who’s duties do not include fighting Nondescript, lacking outstanding features Nonentity, insignificant person or thing Nostrum, quack medicine, favourite remedy Notorious, well known for something bad Noxious, poisonous or harmless, extremely unpleasant Nuance, subtle difference in colour, meaning or tone Nubile, sexually attractive, old enough to get married Numismatist, coin collector Nuptial, relating to wedding Nursery, room where children sleep Nursing home, private hospital for old people Nutria, fur of the coypu, (beaver) Nymph, mythical spirit of nature, represented as a beautiful young woman Nymphet, sexually precocious young girl Nymphomaniac, woman with an abnormally intense sexual desire
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Labial, of the lips, pronounce with the lips Lackadaisical, lacking vitality and purpose, lazy and careless Lacklustre, lacking brilliance or vitality Lacuna, gap or missing part, especially in a document or series Lady, woman regarded as having characteristics of good rank Ladykiller, man who thinks that he is irresistible to young women Languid, lacking energy and enthusiasm Languor, oppressive stillness Lassitude, physical or mental weariness Latent, hidden and not yet discovered Lineament, facial feature Livery, distinctive dress Luxuriate, take self indulgent pleasure, flourish
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Jabbing, poke roughly Jabber, talk rapidly and incoherently Jackknife, go out of control so the trailer swings at a sharp angle tot the car Jamboree, large rally of scouts, large celebration Jangle, be upset or irritated, harsh ringing noise Jarring, jolt or shock Jardinière, ornamental plant pot Jejune, simple or naive, dull or boring Jell, congeal, assume a definite form Jenny, female ass Jeremiad, long lamenting complaint Jibbed, (of a horse) stopped and refusing to go on Jiggery-pokery, trickery or mischief Jocose, playful or humorous Jointure, property settled on a wife for her use after her husband’s death Joule, unit of work or energy Jowl, fatty flesh hanging from the lower jaw Jubilee, special anniversary Judder, vibrate violently Jujube, chewy sweet of flavoured gelatine Julep, sweet alcoholic drink Julienne, clear soup containing vegetables Junta, group of military officials holding power in a country Jut, stick out Juxtapose, put side by side
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Hackwork, dull repetitive work Hackles hairs or feathers on the back of the neck of some animals and birds, which are raised in anger. Hag-ridden, distressed or worried Hairpin bend, u shaped bend in the road Hair-raising, terrifying Hair splitting, making of petty distinctions Half cocked, fail because of inadequate preparation Halter, strap around a horse’s head with a rope to lead it with Halter neck, top or dress with a strap fastened at the back of the neck Have a hand in, be involved in Handler, person who controls an animal Harpy, cruel or grasping woman Harridan, shrewish (old) woman Harum-scarum, reckless (snare em - scare-em) Haunch, human hip or fleshy hindquarter of an animal Heinous, evil and shocking Heliotrope, light purple Hinterland, land lying behind a coast or near a city, especially a port Hirsute, hairy Homograph, word spelt the same as another or homonym Homophone, word with the same pronunciation as another Honeymoon, Hoyden, wild or boisterous girl, tomboy Hyperbole, deliberate, exaggeration for effect
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Eavesdrop, listen privately to a private conversation Ebullient, overflowing with enthusiasm and excitement Echelon, formation in which units follow one anther but are spaced out sideways to allow each a line of fire ahead Effeminate, (of a man) displaying characteristics thought to be typical of a woman Effervescent, lively and enthusiastic Effete, powerless, feeble Efflorescence, flowering Effusion, unrestrained outburst Egregious, outstandingly bad Emasculate, deprive from power Embellish, decorate, embroider Emblazon, decorate with bright colours Embroil, involve a person in problems Emend, remove errors from Emetic, causing vomiting Emollient, softening soothing Enervate, weaken, deprive of vigour Enfeeble, weaken Enmity, ill will, hatred Ennui, boredom, dissatisfaction Enormities, great wickedness, gross offence Ensnare, catch in as if in a snare Entropy, lack of organisation Equine, of or like a horse Equipoise, perfect balance Equestrian, of horses and riding Equivocal, ambiguous, deliberately misleading Errant, behaving in a manner considered to be unacceptable Esoteric, understood by only a small number of people with special knowledge Etiolate, become pale and weak, (botany) whiten through lack of sunlight Exacerbate, make pain/situation worse Execrable, of very poor quality Exiguous, scanty, meagre Expunge, delete, erase, blot out Extirpate, destroy utterly
Eleanor Vonne Brown Art after Parties 2 00 8
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