insouciant

insouciant (comparative more insouciant, superlative most insouciant)

more insouciant (comparative)
most insouciant (superlative)

From French insouciant, from in- (“not”, prefix) + souciant (“worrying”), 1828.

an insouciant gesture

"I am quite serious in saying that your loss must and would be felt; but I verily believe," added she, after a moment's hesitation, "that you are so insouciant yourself, that you cannot believe that every body else is not equally indifferent."

1834, [Theresa Lewis], chapter XII, in Countess of Morley [Frances Talbot Parker], editor, Dacre: A Novel. … In Three Volumes, volume II, London: Printed for Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green, & Longman, […], →OCLC, page 220:

It was there [Cadiz, Spain] that on Sunday I had seen the populace disport itself, and it was full of life then, gay and insouciant.

1905, William Somerset Maugham, chapter XXXVIII, in The Land of the Blessed Virgin: Sketches and Impressions in Andalusia, London: William Heinemann, →OCLC, page 215:

When we left the Marr house, he [Peter] had boldly said to Felicity, "May I see you home?" And Felicity, much to our amazement, had taken his arm and marched off with him. […] As for me, I was consumed by a secret and burning desire to ask the Story Girl if I might see her home; but I could not screw my courage to the sticking point. How I envied Peter his easy, insouciant manner!

1913 August, L[ucy] M[aud] Montgomery, “The Christmas Harp”, in The Golden Road, Boston, Mass.: The Page Company, published April 1926, →OCLC, pages 31–32:

[…] [Jack] Nicholson turned to an assistant, bummed a cigarette, flashed one of his wolfish, insouciant grins and said, "We all have our little secrets, Seany."

2004 April 26, Richard Schickel, “Sean Penn: Necessary Actor”, in Time, archived from the original on 2008-03-06:

As a fashion editor, I pay obsessive attention to my appearance. Even when I pretend to look insouciant, each look has been painfully considered. The right earrings, coordinating shoes, the careful symmetry of a well-balanced look — these are things that please me. The gym has crushed my sartorial ambitions.

2017 November 16, Jo Ellison, “Help: the gym has turned us into slobs”, in Financial Times:

Casually unconcerned; carefree, indifferent, nonchalant.

bezstarostný

casually unconcerned — see also carefree, nonchalant


insouciant

fr-adj

insouciant (feminine insouciante, masculine plural insouciants, feminine plural insouciantes)

insouciante (feminine)
insouciants (masculine plural)
insouciantes (feminine plural)


intense

en-adj

intense (comparative intenser or more intense, superlative intensest or most intense)

intenser (comparative)
more intense (comparative)
intensest (superlative)
most intense (superlative)

From Late Middle English intens, intense (“ardent, fervent; extreme, great, intense”), borrowed from Old French intense (modern French intense), or directly from its etymon Latin intēnsus (“strained, stretched tight; intense; attentive; violent; (rare) eager, intent”), the perfect passive participle of intendō (“to stretch out, strain”), from in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’) + tendō (“to extend, stretch”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tend- (“to extend, stretch”)).

der

intense study    intense thought

No mortall nature can endure either in the actions of Religion, or ſtudy of VViſdome, vvithout ſometime ſlackning the cords of intenſe thought and labour: […]

1645 March 14 (Gregorian calendar), John Milton, Tetrachordon: Expositions upon the Foure Chief Places in Scripture, which Treat of Mariage, or Nullities in Mariage. […], London: [s.n.], →OCLC, pages 8–9:

VVe found the Elector intenſe upon the ſtrengthening of his Army, […]

[1720], [Daniel Defoe], “Part I”, in Memoirs of a Cavalier: Or A Military Journal of the Wars in Germany, and the Wars in England; from the Year 1632, to the Year 1648. […], London: […] A. Bell […], J. Osborn […], W[illiam] Taylor […], and T. Warner […], →OCLC, page 50:

The ceremony began vvith the exhortation of the Father-Abbot, delivered vvith ſolemn energy; then the novice kneeling before him, made her profeſſion, for vvhich Vivaldi liſtened vvith intenſe attention, but it vvas delivered in ſuch lovv and trembling accents, that he could not aſcertain even the tone.

1797, Ann Radcliffe, chapter XI, in The Italian, or The Confessional of the Black Penitents. A Romance. […], volume I, London: […] T[homas] Cadell Jun. and W[illiam] Davies (successors to Mr. [Thomas] Cadell) […], →OCLC, pages 308–309:

I rose by candle-light, and consumed, in the intensest application, the hours which every other individual of our party wasted in enervating slumbers, from the hesternal dissipation or debauch.

1828, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter XX, in Pelham; or, The Adventures of a Gentleman. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 196:

That intense patriotism which is peculiar to the members of societies congregated within a narrow space was, in such circumstances, strongly developed.

1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter III, in The History of England from the Accession of James II, volume I, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, page 353:

[H]er voice gave intensest passion and longing to the words; […]

1882, Ouida [pseudonym; Maria Louise Ramé], chapter VII, in In Maremma […], volume I, London: Chatto & Windus, […], →OCLC, page 155:

Of all the questions which, throughout the centuries, have escaped from the lips of man, there is none which has been asked with such persistence, none which has possessed interest more perennial, than "Whence do I come? Whither shall I go?" Man's origin, man's hereafter, have ever been of intensest interest to man.

1886, Annie Besant, Life, Death, and Immortality, London: Freethought Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, page 3:

And the strange sensation became still stranger within her, intenser in its two constituent parts: intenser in pride, intenser in compassionate love—that of a mistress and a mother in one.

1894, Louis Couperus, chapter II, in A[lexander] Teixeira de Mattos, Ernest Dowson, transl., Majesty, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, →OCLC, section VI, page 103:

Of feelings, thoughts, etc.: strongly focused; ardent, deep, earnest, passionate.

kiihkeä

of feelings, thoughts, etc.: strongly focused — see also ardent, earnest, passionate

The artist was a small, intense man with piercing blue eyes.

Fair Æsthetic (suddenly, and in deepest tones, to Smith, who has just been introduced to take her in to Dinner). "Are you Intense?"

1879 June 14, [George du Maurier], “Refinements of Modern Speech”, in Punch, or The London Charivari, volume LXXVI, London: […] Bradbury, Agnew, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 270:

Of a person: very emotional or passionate.

kiihkeä

of a person: very emotional or passionate


irascible

en-adj

irascible (comparative more irascible, superlative most irascible)

more irascible (comparative)
most irascible (superlative)

From Middle English, from Old French irascible, from Late Latin īrāscibilis, from Latin īrāscī (“to be angry, enraged”) + -bilis.

The divine Plato, whose doctrines are not sufficiently attended to by philosophers of the present age, allows to every man three souls—one, immortal and rational, seated in the brain, that it may overlook and regulate the body—a second consisting of the surly and irascible passions, which like belligerent powers lie encamped around the heart[…]

1809, Diedrich Knickerbocker [pseudonym; Washington Irving], chapter II, in A History of New York, from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty. […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: Inskeep & Bradford, […], →OCLC, book III, page 132:

Like some poor devils ashore that happen to know an irascible great man, they make distant unobtrusive salutations to him in the street, lest if they pursued the acquaintance further, they might receive a summary thump for their presumption.

1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “The Affidavit”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 26:

I am naturally irascible, and if I could have shaken this negative gentleman vigorously, the relief would have been immense.

1863 May 22 – 1863 June 26, L[ouisa] M[ay] Alcott, “Obtaining Supplies”, in Hospital Sketches, Boston, Mass.: James Redpath, […], published August 1863, →OCLC, page 15:

[…] a never idle man of great physical strength and extremely irascible—did he not fling a badly baked plum pudding through the window upon Christmas Day?

1922, W[illiam] B[utler] Yeats, chapter XII, in The Trembling of the Veil, London: Privately printed for subscribers only by T[homas] Werner Laurie, Ltd., →OCLC, book I (Four Years 1887–1891), page 31:

Alan Greenspan was on an irascible roll last week, first dissing everyone who holds a fixed-rate mortgage — suckers! — and later picking on folks who collect Social Security: Get back to work, Grandma.

2004 February 29, Daniel Kadlec, “Why He’s Meanspan”, in Time, New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2013-06-30:

Easily provoked to outbursts of anger; irritable.


irascible

Borrowed from Late Latin īrāscibilis, from īrāscor (“grow angry”), from īra (“anger”).


libidinous

libidinous (comparative more libidinous, superlative most libidinous)

more libidinous (comparative)
most libidinous (superlative)

From Middle English libidinous, borrowed from Latin libīdinōsus.


mellow

mellow (comparative mellower or more mellow, superlative mellowest or most mellow)

mellower (comparative)
more mellow (comparative)
mellowest (superlative)
most mellow (superlative)

The adjective is derived from Late Middle English melowe, melwe (“ripe, mellow; juicy; sweet”) [and other forms]; further etymology uncertain, possibly:
* from an attributive use of melow, melowe, melewe, mele (“meal from ground grain or legumes; flour; kernel of barley or lentils”) [and other forms], from Old English melo, melu (“meal (edible part of a grain or pulse); flour”), from Proto-Germanic *melwą (“ground corn; meal; flour”), from Proto-Indo-European *melh₂- (“to crush; to grind”); or
* a variant of Middle English merow, merowe, meruw (“soft, tender; of a person: frail; of love: unstable, variable”) [and other forms], from Old English meru, mearu (“soft, tender; delicate, frail; callow”) [and other forms], from Proto-Germanic *marwaz (“soft, mellow; brittle, delicate”), from Proto-Indo-European *mer(w)- (“to rub; to pack”).
The noun and verb are both derived from the adjective. The etymology of noun sense 3 (“close friend; lover”) is unknown, but may also be derived from the adjective.
Cognates
* Dutch murw (“tender”)
* German mürbe (“soft, tender”)
* German Low German möör (“tender”)
* Old Norse mör (“tender; aching”) (Icelandic meyr (“tender”))
* Saterland Frisian muur (“tender”)
* West Frisian murf (“tender”)

nb...

mearewe, mearuw, mereuh, meru, meruwe, meruȝ, meruʒ, merwe, (Early Middle English) mearwe

inh

Nor autumn yet had bruſh'd from ev'ry ſpray, / With her chill hand, the mellow leaves away; […]

1792, [William] Cowper, “The Needless Alarm. A Tale.”, in The Speaker: Or, Miscellaneous Pieces, Selected from the Best English Writers, and Disposed under Proper Heads, with a View to Facilitate the Improvement of Youth in Reading and Speaking. […], new edition, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC, page 70:

(of leaves, seeds, plants, etc.) Mature; of crops: ready to be harvested; ripe.

The cauſe vvas mine, I might haue died for both: / My yeeres vvere mellow, his but young and greene, / My death vvere naturall, but his vvas forced.

c. 1587 (date written), [Thomas Kyd], The Spanish Tragedie: […] (Fourth Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for T[homas] Pauier, […], published 1602, →OCLC, Act I:

Lets ſee: no Maiſter Greene-wit is not yet / So mellow in yeares as he; […]

c. 1607–1610 (date written), Thomas Middleton; Thomas Dekker, The Roaring Girle. Or Moll Cut-purse. […], London: […] [Nicholas Okes] for Thomas Archer, […], published 1611, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

By Day or Night, / In florid Youth, or mellow Age, ſcarce fleets / One Hour without its Care!

1749, [Tobias George Smollett], The Regicide: Or, James the First, of Scotland. A Tragedy. […], London: […] [F]or the benefit of the author, →OCLC, Act V, scene iv, pages 69–70:

O! while they minister to thee, / Each vying with the other, / May Health return to mellow Age, / With Strength, her venturous brother; […]

1831, William Wordsworth, “Yarrow Revisited”, in Yarrow Revisited, and Other Poems, London: […] Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green, & Longman, […]; and Edward Moxon, […], published 1835, →OCLC, page 6:

But crispness was no longer Marilla's distinguishing characteristic. As Mrs. Lynde told her Thomas that night. "Marilla Cuthbert has got mellow. That's what."

1908 June, L[ucy] M[aud] Montgomery, “The Bend in the Road”, in Anne of Green Gables, Boston, Mass.: L[ouis] C[oues] Page & Company, published August 1909 (11th printing), →OCLC, page 426:

Senses relating to a person or their qualities.

Well-matured from age or experience; not impetuous or impulsive; calm, dignified, gentle.

สุขุม

well-matured from age or experience; not impetuous or impulsive — see also calm, dignified, gentle

(cheerful):

(relaxed):

In all thy humours, whether grave or mellow, / Thou'rt such a touchy, testy, pleasant fellow; / Hast so much wit, and mirth, and spleen about thee, / There is no living with thee, nor without thee.

1711 May 29 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], “FRIDAY, May 18, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 68; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 417:

The Baronet was when I saw him as merry and mellow an old bachelor as ever followed a hound; and the love he had once felt for one woman had spread itself over the whole sex; so that there was not a pretty face in the whole country round, but came in for a share.

1824, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “A Hunting Dinner”, in Tales of a Traveller, part 1 (Strange Stories. […]), Philadelphia, Pa.: H[enry] C[harles] Carey & I[saac] Lea, […], →OCLC, page 10:

I'm just mad about Saffron / A-Saffron's mad about me / I'm-a just mad about Saffron / She's just mad about me / They call me mellow yellow (quite rightly) / They call me mellow yellow (quite rightly) / They call me mellow yellow

1966 October 24, Donovan Phillips Leitch (lyrics and music), “Mellow Yellow”, in Mellow Yellow, performed by Donovan:

Cheerful, genial, jovial, merry; also, easygoing, laid-back, relaxed.


melodramatic

en-adj

melodramatic (comparative more melodramatic, superlative most melodramatic)

more melodramatic (comparative)
most melodramatic (superlative)

She wrote him a melodramatic letter, threatening to kill herself.

Dearest Eloise,— There is one little and perhaps insignificant French cake, which I feel certain would soon become a favourite in the cottage, more particularly amongst its juvenile inhabitants. It is the famed galette, the melodramatic food of the gamins, galopins, mechanics, and semi-artists of France.

1854, Alexis [Benoît] Soyer, A Shilling Cookery for the People: Embracing an Entirely New System of Plain Cookery and Domestic Economy, London, New York, N.Y.: George Routledge & Co., →OCLC, page 125:


neat

neat (comparative neater, superlative neatest)

neater (comparative)
neatest (superlative)

on the rocks

antonym(s) of “undiluted liquor or cocktail”

From Middle English nete, net, nette, from Anglo-Norman neit (“good, desirable, clean”), a variant of Old French net, nette (“clean, clear, pure”), from Latin nitidus (“gleaming”), derived from nitēre (“to shine”). Doublet of net and nitid. Cognate with German nett (“nice, kind”).

der

My room is neat because I tidied it this morning.  She has very neat hair.

Then his sallow face brightened, for the hall had been carefully furnished, and was very clean. ¶ There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls.

1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter II, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, →OCLC; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], [1933], →OCLC, page 0091:

A very neat old woman, still in her good outdoor coat and best beehive hat, was sitting at a polished mahogany table on whose surface there were several scored scratches so deep that a triangular piece of the veneer had come cleanly away,[…].

1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:

Clean, tidy; free from dirt or impurities.

The front room was neat and carefully arranged for the guests.

Having a simple elegance or style; clean, trim, tidy, tasteful.

կոկիկ

having a simple elegance or style; clean, trim, tidy, tasteful

Having the two protagonists meet in the last act was a particularly neat touch.

Well-executed or delivered; clever, skillful, precise.

изкусен

well-executed or delivered; clever, skilful, precise

Hey, neat convertible, man.

"You can tell that Rory has had this type of talent in him for some time now, and to see him putting it together is pretty neat to see."

2011 June 20, Phil Mickelson (being quoted), “US Open: Jack Nicklaus tips Rory McIlroy for greatness”, in BBC News:

(Canada, US, colloquial) Good, excellent, desirable; interesting; cool.


neat

artificial intelligence
artificial intelligence

(informal) An artificial intelligence researcher who believes that solutions should be elegant, clear and provably correct. Compare scruffy.


obstinate

en-adj

obstinate (comparative more obstinate, superlative most obstinate)

more obstinate (comparative)
most obstinate (superlative)

Inherited from Middle English obstinate, obstinat, from Latin obstinātus, past participle of obstinō (“set one's mind firmly upon, resolve”), from ob (“before”) + *stinare, from stare (“to stand”). Doublet of ostinato.

1925-29, Mahadev Desai (translator), M.K. Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Part IV, Chapter XXIX,
Now it happened that Kasturbai […] had again begun getting haemorrhage, and the malady seemed to be obstinate.

(of inanimate things) Not easily subdued or removed.

упори́т

(of inanimate things) not easily subdued or removed


outspoken

outspoken (comparative more outspoken, superlative most outspoken)

more outspoken (comparative)
most outspoken (superlative)

From outspeak, equivalent to out- + spoken.

an outspoken man

an outspoken rebuke

Transmission: An Alliance officer named Major Kyle has set up a small compound in the Hawking Eta cluster. He's attracted a number of followers. Mostly biotics.
Transmission: He's become an outspoken critic of the Alliance, and we believe he's mentally unstable. This could be trouble, Shepard.

2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Normandy SR-1:

Safdar constantly chews a betel nut derivative, which has a stimulant effect – a common habit among drivers in Pakistan. He is outspoken and talks a million miles a minute, his rapid hand movements expressing a range of emotions.

2017 April 6, Samira Shackle, “On the frontline with Karachi’s ambulance drivers”, in the Guardian:

The late Professor Pat White was an outspoken critic. In his 1986 book Forgotten Railways, he dismissed as smoke and mirrors the oft-used argument that 33% of rail routes carried only 1% of the traffic, as it ignores the fact that a third of the national road network also only carried 2% of cars and lorries. But unlike rail, road got away with it because no mention was made of how much it cost the taxpayer to keep them usable.

2023 March 8, Howard Johnston, “Was Marples the real railway wrecker?”, in RAIL, number 978, page 53:

Speaking, or spoken, freely, openly, or boldly; vocal; frank.

прям

speaking, or spoken, freely, openly, or boldly; vocal

mit seiner Meinung nicht hinter dem Berg haltend


phlegmatic

phlegmatic (comparative more phlegmatic, superlative most phlegmatic)

more phlegmatic (comparative)
most phlegmatic (superlative)

From Middle English fleumatik, flewmatik, flematik, fleumatyke, flewmatyk, from Old French fleumatique, from Latin phlegmaticus, from Ancient Greek φλεγματικός (phlegmatikós), from φλέγμα (phlégma). Spelling later altered to resemble the word's Latin and Greek roots, with modern pronunciation following this new spelling.

der

Calm and phlegmatic, with a clear eye, Mr. Fogg seemed a perfect type of that English composure which Angelica Kauffmann has so skilfully represented on canvas.

1873, Jules Verne, chapter 2, in Around the World in 80 Days, archived from the original on 2012-04-12:

2013, A.O. Scott, “How It Looks to Think: Watch Her,” Rev. of Hannah Arendt, dir. by Margarethe von Trotta, New York Times 29 May 2013: C1. Print.
Their friendship (immortalized in a splendid volume of letters that has clearly served as one of Ms. von Trotta's sources) is a fascinating study in cultural and temperamental contrast, an impulsive and witty American paired with a steady, phlegmatic German.

Not easily excited to action or passion; calm; sluggish.


profligate

en-adj

profligate (comparative more profligate, superlative most profligate)

more profligate (comparative)
most profligate (superlative)

/ˈpɹɒflɪɡət/

/ˈpɹɑːflɪɡət/

/ˈpɹɑːflɪɡeɪt/

From Latin prōflīgātus (“wretched, abandoned”), participle of prōflīgō (“strike down, cast down”), from pro (“forward”) + fligere (“to strike, dash”).

uder

Made prostitute and profligate the muse.

1685, John Dryden, To The Pious Memory of the Accomplish'd Young Lady Mrs. Anne Killigrew:

Time ſenſibly all things impairs; / Our fathers have been worſe than theirs; / And we than ours; next age will ſee / A race more profligate than we / (With all the pains we take) have ſkill enough to be.

a. 1686, Earl of Roscommon [i.e., Wentworth Dillon, 4th Earl of Roscommon], Samuel Johnson, “The Sixth Ode of the Third Book of Horace”, in The Works of the English Poets. With Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, […], volumes X (The Poems of Rochester, Roscommon, and Yalden), London: […] E. Cox; for C. Bathurst, […], published 1779, page 257, →OCLC:


proud

en-adj

proud (comparative prouder or more proud, superlative proudest or most proud)

prouder (comparative)
more proud (comparative)
proudest (superlative)
most proud (superlative)

From Middle English proud, prout, prut, from Old English prūd, prūt (“proud, arrogant, haughty”) (compare Old English prȳtung (“pride”); prȳde, prȳte (“pride”)), probably from Old French prod, prud (“brave, gallant”) (modern French preux), from Late Latin prōde (“useful”), derived from Latin prōdesse (“to be of value”); however, the Old English umlaut derivatives prȳte, prȳtian, etc. suggest the word may be older and possibly native. Compare Old Norse prýði (“ornament; gallantry, bravery”). See also pride.
Cognate with German Low German praud, Old Norse prúðr (“gallant, brave, magnificent, stately, handsome, fine”) (Icelandic prúður, Middle Swedish prudh, Danish prud).

فَخُور

gratified, feeling honoured, feeling satisfied

嬉しい

happy, usually used with a sense of honour

I am proud of Sivu’s schoolwork.

LETO: Thufir Hawat has served House Atreides three generations. He swears you are the finest student he has ever taught. Yueh, Gurney and Duncan say the same. Makes me feel very proud.
PAUL: I want you to be proud of me.

1984, 19:33 from the start, in Dune (Science Fiction), spoken by Leto Atreides and Paul Atreides, →OCLC:

Shepard: It's been a long journey, and no one's coming out without scars. But it all comes down to this moment.
Shepard: We win or lose it all in the next few minutes. Make me proud. Make yourselves proud.

2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Collector Base:

Feeling honoured (by something); feeling happy or satisfied about an event or fact; gratified.

That was not the proudest thing I did but I can’t deny it.

That makes one feel proud (of something one did)

It was a proud day when we finally won the championship.

Generating a sense of pride; being a cause for pride.

kunniakas

generating a sense of pride; being a cause for pride

(obsolete) Excited by sexual desire; specifically of a female animal: in heat.


provocative

Borrowed from Middle French provocatif, and its source, Late Latin provocativus, from Latin provocare.

She used by way of Provocative, to read the wanton Verses of her Paramour in the day time [...].

1723, Charles Walker, Memoirs of the Life of Sally Salisbury:

[A]nd that one great and all-important occasion and provocative of these beliefs was actually the rise of self-consciousness — that is, the coming of the mind to a more or less distinct awareness of itself and of its own operation, and the consequent development and growth of Individualism, and of the Self-centred attitude in human thought and action.

1920, Edward Carpenter, Pagan and Christian Creeds, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., page 165:

(obsolete) Something that provokes an appetite, especially a sexual appetite; an aphrodisiac.


respectful

en-adj

respectful (comparative more respectful, superlative most respectful)

more respectful (comparative)
most respectful (superlative)

1907, Marshall Broomhall (Editor), The Chinese Empire. A General & Missionary Survey/The Province of Kansu
On the whole, indifference rather than open hostility has been the attitude of the people towards the Gospel, but since 1900 there has been a more eager and respectful attention to the things taught.

It is of great importance that you act in a respectful manner towards the duke and duchess.

They used highly respectful language when conversing with the elders.

មានគារវៈ

miən kiərĕəʼvĕəʼ


sanguine

sanguine (comparative more sanguine, superlative most sanguine)

more sanguine (comparative)
most sanguine (superlative)

From Middle English sanguine, from Old French sanguin, ultimately from Latin sanguineus (“of blood”), from sanguis (“blood”), of uncertain origin, perhaps Proto-Indo-European *h₁sh₂-én-, from *h₁ésh₂r̥ (“blood”). Doublet of sanguineous.

a sanguine temper

I'm sanguine about the eventual success of the project.

Mrs. Weston was exceedingly disappointed—much more disappointed, in fact, than her husband, though her dependence on seeing the young man had been so much more sober: but a sanguine temper, though for ever expecting more good than occurs, does not always pay for its hopes by any proportionate depression. It soon flies over the present failure, and begins to hope again.

1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], chapter XVIII, in Emma: […], volume I, London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC, pages 306–307:

It was clear that Dr. Gwynne was not very sanguine as to the effects of his journey to Barchester, and not over anxious to interfere with the bishop.

1857, Anthony Trollope, “The Master and Tutor of Lazarus”, in Barchester Towers. […], copyright edition, volume II, Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, published 1859, →OCLC, page 101:

When the railway was opened on August 2, 1897, it was expected that Cruden Bay, on the Aberdeenshire coast, would develop into a popular holiday resort, but this sanguine forecast was never fully realised.

1949 May and June, “Notes and News: Closing of Boddam Branch”, in Railway Magazine, page 203:

The plan was not feasible, for making a ninety-degree turn would have been impossible without nickel-alloy swivels inserted in the small of every man's back, and Lieutenant Scheisskopf was not sanguine at all about obtaining that many nickel-alloy swivels from Quartermaster or enlisting the cooperation of the surgeons at the hospital.

1961 November 10, Joseph Heller, “McWatt”, in Catch-22 […], New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, →OCLC, page page:

Maybe it was hormones, or the immersion of parenting a newborn, or a new appreciation for what my body could do, but I felt surprisingly sanguine about my wobbly physical state.

2022 February 2, Charlotte Cowles, “Can ‘Body Neutrality’ Change the Way You Work Out?”, in The New York Times:

Anticipating the best; optimistic; confident; full of hope.


sanguine

en-noun

sanguine (countable and uncountable, plural sanguines)


sedulous

en-adj

sedulous (comparative more sedulous, superlative most sedulous)

more sedulous (comparative)
most sedulous (superlative)

/ˈsɛd͡ʒʊləs/

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-sedulous.wav

/ˈsɛd͡ʒələs/

From Latin sēdulus (“diligent, industrious, sedulous; solicitous; unremitting; zealous”) + English -ous. Sēdulus is probably derived from sēdulō (“diligently; carefully; purposely; zealously”) (possibly from sē- (prefix meaning ‘without’) + dolō (ablative singular of dolus (“deceit, deception; evil intent, malice”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *del- (“to count, reckon”))) + -us (suffix forming adjectives).

der

Since firſt this Subject for Heroic Song / Pleaſ'd me long chooſing, and beginning late; / Not ſedulous by Nature to indite / Warrs, hitherto the onely Argument / Heroic deem'd, [...]

1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 25–29:

His [Edward III of England's] parliament made frequent remonſtrances againſt this baſe oblivion of himſelf: the parliaments, at this time, were not as formerly, factions ready to oppreſs public liberty, but aſſemblies of wiſe and good men, ſedulous for common welfare, and of wiſdom equal to the rectitude of their intentions; [...]

1764, [Oliver Goldsmith], “Letter XIX”, in An History of England, in a Series of Letters from a Nobleman to His Son, London: Printed for J[ohn] Newbery, […], →OCLC, page 137; republished London: Printed for T. Carnan and F[rancis] Newbery, Jun. […], 1772, →OCLC, page 141:

She wondered what sort of herbs they were which the old man was so sedulous to gather.

1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, “Hester and Pearl”, in The Scarlet Letter, a Romance, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, →OCLC, page 212:

Leading the life I did, of the sedulous, strained nurse, I had to do something to keep myself fit.

1915, Ford Madox Hueffer [i.e., Ford Madox Ford], chapter I, in The Good Soldier […], Harmondsworth, Middlesex [London]: Penguin Books, published 1972 (1982 printing), →ISBN, part I, page 15:

The pretty setting and glittering ship and dashing staff and sedulous servants and solicitous fun-managers all want something from me, and it’s not just the price of my ticket—they’ve already got that.

1997, David Foster Wallace, “A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again”, in A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again: Essays and Arguments, Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN:

Of a person: diligent in application or pursuit; constant and persevering in business or in endeavours to effect a goal; steadily industrious.

усърден

of a person: diligent in application or pursuit

Now as there are many great wits to be condemned, who have neglected the increment of Arts, and the ſedulous purſuit of knowledge; ſo are there not a few very much to be pittied, whoſe induſtry being not attended with naturall parts, they have ſweat to little purpoſe, and rolled the ſtone in vain.

1650, Thomas Browne, “Of the Nearer and More Immediate Causes of Popular Errours, […]”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC, 1st book, page 14:

Miss [Elizabeth] Branwell's affectionate regard for her dead sister's [Maria Branwell's] children caused her to take deep interest in everything relating to them, their health, the comfort and cleanliness of their home, and the sedulous culture of their minds.

1886, Francis A. Leyland, “The Rev. Patrick Brontë”, in The Brontë Family: With Special Reference to Patrick Branwell Brontë [...] In Two Volumes, volume I, London: Hurst and Blackett, publishers, […], →OCLC, page 55:

He had much to learn about boys, and he learnt not by direct observation—for which he believed he was unfitted—but by sedulous imitation of the more experienced masters.

1907, E.M. Forster, The Longest Journey, Part II, XVII [Uniform ed., p. 169]

With the right equipment, an indoor grower could create a utopia for his plants, an artificial habitat more perfect than any in nature, and his happy, happy weeds would respond. These sedulous attentions would be wasted on male plants, which are worse than useless in sinsemilla production.

2001, Michael Pollan, “Desire: Intoxication/Plant: Marijuana”, in The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s-Eye View of the World, New York, N.Y.: Random House, →ISBN, page 135; republished New York, N.Y.: Random House, 2014, →ISBN:

The Scots have always been a fiercely independent people, but it surprised me how far this sedulous process of separation has gone already.

2010 March 9, Paul Routledge, “Scotland is turning into another country … loch, stock and barrel”, in Daily Mirror, London: Reach plc, →ISSN, →OCLC:

Of an activity: carried out with diligence.

прилежен

of an activity: carried out with diligence


self-reliant

en-adj

self-reliant (comparative more self-reliant, superlative most self-reliant)

more self-reliant (comparative)
most self-reliant (superlative)

The Constitution deliberately makes the President and the Congress competitors as well as partners. The Founding Fathers created an elaborate system of checks and balances to keep each partner self-reliant while still assuring their interdependence. No brief account can fully capture the complexity of this relationship, in which each partner contributes his own share of stubbornness, pride, hostility, warmth, suspicion, skill, and affection.

1971, Lyndon Johnson, “Bite the Bullet”, in The Vantage Point, Holt, Reinhart & Winston, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 438:

Reliant upon oneself; trusting to one's own powers or judgment.


shy

shy (comparative shier or shyer or more shy, superlative shiest or shyest or most shy)

shier (comparative)
shyer (comparative)
more shy (comparative)
shiest (superlative)
shyest (superlative)
most shy (superlative)

From Middle English shy (“shy”), from Old English sċēoh (“shy”), from Proto-West Germanic *skeuh (“shy, fearful”), from Proto-Germanic *skeuhaz (“shy, fearful”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian skjou (“shy”), Dutch schuw (“shy”), German scheu (“shy”), Danish sky (“shy”).
Etymology tree
Middle English shy
English shy

etymon

The horses of the army, and those of the royal stables, having been daily led before me, were no longer shy, but would come up to my very feet without starting.

1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, (please specify |part=I to IV):

He is very shy with strangers.

VVhat makes you ſo ſhy of late, my good Friend? There's no Body loves you better than I, nor has taken more Pains in your Affairs: […]

1712, Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym; John Arbuthnot], “An Account of the Conference between Mrs. Bull and Don Diego Dismallo”, in John Bull in His Senses: Being the Second Part of Law is a Bottomless-Pit. […], Edinburgh: […] James Watson, […], →OCLC, page 25:

Graham Norton: But the people coming up to you now, like the Americans, well, you know, the Americans, they're not shy, the Americans. / Maggie Smith: No. Well, no but I don't go anywhere where really they can get at me. It's usually in museums and art galleries and things, so that limits things. I keep away from there, and Harrod's I don't go near.

2015 October 30, The Graham Norton Show, season 18, episode 6:

Reserved; disinclined to familiar approach.


sly

en-adj

sly (comparative slier or slyer, superlative sliest or slyest)

slier (comparative)
slyer (comparative)
sliest (superlative)
slyest (superlative)

From Middle English sly, sley, sleigh, sleiȝ, from Old Norse slǿgr (“sly, cunning”, literally “capable of hitting or striking”), from Proto-Germanic *slōgiz (“lively, agile, cunning, sly, striking”), from Proto-Indo-European *slak- (“to hit, throw”). Cognate with Icelandic slægur (“crafty, sly”), Norwegian Nynorsk sløg (“sly”). Related to sleight, slay. In all likelihood, however, unrelated with Saterland Frisian slau (“sly, crafty”), Dutch sluw (“sly, cunning”), Low German slu (“sly, cunning”), German schlau (“clever, crafty”).

der

Artfully cunning; secretly mischievous; wily.

خَبِيث

artfully cunning; secretly mischievous; wily

(having a positive connotation) Dexterous in performing an action, so as to escape notice

потаен

dexterous in performing an action, so as to escape notice; nimble

a sly trick

Done with, and marked by, artful and dexterous secrecy; subtle

изкусен

done with, and marked by, artful and dexterous secrecy


stingy

en-adj

stingy (comparative stingier, superlative stingiest)

stingier (comparative)
stingiest (superlative)

Uncertain, possibly from stinge, a dialectal variation of sting (verb).

The realization of this joint oppression is like discovering that the stingy crusts of bread being held out by society have mold on them.

1985 April 13, Charles Henry Fuller, “Learning to Draw my Name”, in Gay Community News, page 8:

As the moon wheels around Earth every 28 days and shows us a progressively greater and then stingier slice of its sun-lightened face, the distance between the moon and Earth changes, too. At the nearest point along its egg-shaped orbit, its perigee, the moon may be 26,000 miles closer to us than it is at its far point.

2014 September 7, Natalie Angier, “The Moon comes around again [print version: Revisiting a moon that still has secrets to reveal: Supermoon revives interest in its violent origins and hidden face, International New York Times, 10 September 2014, p. 8]”, in The New York Times:


straightforward

straightforward (comparative more straightforward or straighterforward, superlative most straightforward or straightestforward)

more straightforward (comparative)
straighterforward (comparative)
most straightforward (superlative)
straightestforward (superlative)

A great deal of the uneasiness about Clinton reflects his propensity to dance away from straightforward yes or no answers to any character question.

1992 April 20, George J. Church, “Why Voters Don't Trust Clinton”, in Time, page 38:

(figurative) direct; forthright; frank; sincere

صَرِيح

not deviating; forthright; frank; sincere


strict

strict (comparative stricter or more strict, superlative strictest or most strict)

stricter (comparative)
more strict (comparative)
strictest (superlative)
most strict (superlative)

Borrowed from Latin strictus, past participle of stringere (“to draw tight, bind, contract”). Doublet of strait and stretto. See stringent, strain.

they are very strict in observing the Sabbath

No one, however, would have anything to do with him, as Mr. Keeson's orders in those respects were very strict ; he had often threatened any one of his employés with instant dismissal if he found him in company with one of these touts.

1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Hocussing of Cigarette”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020:

Governed or governing by exact rules; observing exact rules; severe; rigorous.


strict

fr-adj

strict (feminine stricte, masculine plural stricts, feminine plural strictes)

stricte (feminine)
stricts (masculine plural)
strictes (feminine plural)

Borrowed from Latin strictus, perfect participle of stringere (“to draw tight, bind, contract”). Doublet of étroit.


stuffy

en-adj

stuffy (comparative stuffier, superlative stuffiest)

stuffier (comparative)
stuffiest (superlative)


pliant

pliant (comparative more pliant, superlative most pliant)

more pliant (comparative)
most pliant (superlative)

From Middle English pliaunt, from Old French ploiant, present participle of ploiier (“to fold”).

I muſt haue wanton Poets, pleaſant wits,
Muſitians, that with touching of a ſtring
May draw the pliant king which way I pleaſe: […]

1594, Christopher Marlow[e], The Troublesome Raigne and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second, King of England: […], London: […] [R. Robinson] for William Iones […], →OCLC, [Act I], signature A3, recto:

[A]nd it is without all controuerſie, that learning doth make the minds of men gentle, generous, maniable, and pliant to gouernment; whereas Ignorance makes them churliſh, thwart, and mutinous; […]

1605, Francis Bacon, “The First Booke”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for Henrie Tomes, […], →OCLC, folio 11, recto:

Yet there was pleasant sadness that became
Meetly the gentle heart and pliant sense,
In that same idlesse—gazing on that brook

1839, William Gilmore Simms, “The Brooklet”, in Southern Passages and Pictures, New York: George Adlard, page 2:

[The king] had a pliant prime minister and a general who was telling him what he wanted to hear.

The person said one of the reasons the Chinese had been so pliant in development of a joint position on AI governance was that “playing nice” and acting as a “responsible partner” could help foster conversations about relaxation of US trade barriers later down the line.

2023 November 4, Madhumita Murgia, Anna Gross, Cristina Criddle, “Summit exposes tensions over AI development despite emollient Chinese tone”, in FT Weekend, page 12:

(figuratively) Easily influenced; tractable.


sycophantic

sycophantic (comparative more sycophantic, superlative most sycophantic)

more sycophantic (comparative)
most sycophantic (superlative)

when the princess’s former nanny Marion Crawford, “Crawfie”, published an entirely anodyne and sycophantic memoir in 1950, she was cast into outer darkness by the family.

September 8 2022, Stephen Bates, “Queen Elizabeth II obituary”, in The Guardian:

Excessively eager to please, especially for personal gain; obsequious, flattering.


tractable

tractable (comparative more tractable, superlative most tractable)

more tractable (comparative)
most tractable (superlative)

From Middle English tractable, tractabel, from Latin tractābilis (“that may be touched, handled, or managed”), from tractō (“take in hand, handle, manage”), frequentative of trahō (“draw”).

der

"Tess is queer." "But she's tractable at bottom. Leave her to me."

1891, Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, volume 1, London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., page 45:

(of people) Capable of being easily led, taught, or managed.


troll

Partly:
* from Middle English trol (“demon (?); sorcerer (?)”) [and other forms], from Old Norse trǫll (“conjurer, mage; witch”), from Proto-Germanic *truzlą (“supernatural being; demon, fiend; giant; monster”), probably from *trudaną (“to step on; to tread”) + *-ilą (suffix forming agent nouns); and
* borrowed from Norwegian Bokmål troll, Swedish troll, or Danish trold, from Old Norse trǫll (see above).
Doublet of droll and trow.
Cognates
* Danish fortrylle (“to bewitch”), trylle (“to conjure”)
* Icelandic tröll
* Middle High German trol, trolle (“spook, wraith; ogre, monster”)
* Norwegian fortrylle (“to bewitch”), trylle (“to conjure”)
* Swedish trolla (“to conjure”)

der

The solitary, lumbering trolls of Scandinavian mythology would sometimes be turned to stone by exposure to sunlight. Barack Obama is hoping that several measures announced on June 4th will have a similarly paralysing effect on their modern incarnation, the patent troll.

2013 June 8, “Obama goes troll-hunting: The president proposes a new round of intellectual-property reform”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8839, London: The Economist Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2022-10-16, page 55:

(derogatory, informal) A company, person, etc., that owns and legally enforces copyrights, patents, trademarks, or other intellectual property rights in an aggressive and opportunistic manner, often with no intention of commercially exploiting the subjects of the rights.

intellectual property
intellectual property

trolli

company, person, etc., that owns and legally enforces intellectual property rights in an aggressive and opportunistic manner


troll

en-verb

troll (third-person singular simple present trolls, present participle trolling, simple past and past participle trolled)

trolls (present singular third-person)
trolling (participle present)
trolled (participle past)
trolled (past)
troll (infinitive)

Spanish: trolear

The verb is derived from Late Middle English trollen, trolle (“to go about, wander; to move (something) to and fro, rock; to roll; to turn”) [and other forms], from Old French troller, trôler (“to run here and there; to walk aimlessly, ramble, stroll; (hunting) to wander about looking for game”) (modern French troller); further etymology uncertain, possibly related to Middle High German trollen (“to stroll”) (modern German trollen (“(informal) to move slowly, trundle; to push off, toddle off”)), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *truzlōną (“to lumber”), which is probably related to *trudaną (“to step on, tread”) (see further at etymology 1). Doublet of trull.
Verb sense 4.2.2 (“to fish using a line and bait or lures trailed behind a boat”) is possibly influenced by trail and/or trawl
The noun is probably derived from the verb. Noun sense 3 (“person who makes or posts inflammatory or insincere statements in an attempt to lure others into combative argument”) is possibly influenced by troll (etymology 1).
Cognates
* Middle Low German drullen (“to stroll”) (Low German trullen (“to troll”))

laulaa vuoroin

(transitive, intransitive) to sing the parts of (a catch, round, or similar song) in succession

laulella

to sing (a song) freely or in a carefree way, or loudly

tokaista

(transitive, intransitive) to say (something) lightly and quickly

kalastama

(transitive, intransitive) to fish in (a place) using a running fishing line

The actress was widely trolled online after accidentally revealing that she didn't know the names of the continents.

This is lazy outrage bait. But I am biting anyway, because while Time could have trolled readers by calling a ban for the word on "feminist" any time, the magazine is considering it in a year when the conversation about the meaning of the term is as rich as it has been in some time–even if some of that conversation is being conducted through mass culture.

2014 November 12, Alyssa Rosenberg, “Time Magazine’s silly proposal to ban the word "feminist"”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2014-11-13:

We like to troll, we like to go the night before one of their primaries, we just, we do a little trolling, it's called we do a little trolling.

2020 March 2, Donald Trump, President Trump Rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, via C-SPAN:

Cristiano Ronaldo's dislike of dessert has been trolled by a former teammate. ¶ Ben Foster proudly showed off his apple crumble, having joked that he was skipping dessert.

2021 September 22, Sam Cooper, “An old teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo's trolled his dislike of dessert by scoffing a giant pudding on his YouTube channel”, in Business Insider, New York, N.Y.: Insider Inc., →OCLC, archived from the original on 2024-04-07:

Taylor Swift, who could've been crowned the queen of pranks in the early years of her career, is finding out what it feels like to be on the other side of a little onstage trolling.

2024 March 11, Sammi Burke, “See One of Taylor Swift's Dancers Troll Her on Stage During '22'”, in Parade, New York, N.Y.: The Arena Group, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2024-04-07:

Senses relating to "fishing" for a reaction.

(by extension, colloquial) To prank, tease, or mess with someone in a lighthearted way.


truculent

en-adj

truculent (comparative more truculent, superlative most truculent)

more truculent (comparative)
most truculent (superlative)

First attested circa 1540, from Middle French, from Latin truculentus (“fierce, savage”), from trux (“fierce, wild”).

The truculent soldiers gave us a steely-eyed stare.

She really was a most charming girl, and might have passed for a captive fairy, whom that truculent Ogre, Old Barley, had pressed into his service.

1860 December – 1861 August, Charles Dickens, Great Expectations […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall, […], published October 1861, →OCLC:

His face was very truculent, grey and massive, with black cavernous nostrils and circled by a scanty white fur.

1904–1907 (date written), James Joyce, “The Sisters”, in Dubliners, London: Grant Richards, published June 1914, →OCLC, page 16:

In her turn, Helen Burns asked me to explain, and I proceeded forthwith to pour out, in my own way, the tale of my sufferings and resentments. Bitter and truculent when excited, I spoke as I felt, without reserve or softening.

1847 October 16, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], chapter VI, in Jane Eyre. An Autobiography. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC, page 102:

Rokoff assumed a truculent air, attempting by bravado to show how little he feared Tarzan’s threats.

1913 June–December, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York, N.Y.: A[lexander] C[aldwell] McClurg, published March 1915, →OCLC:

She might pity herself, but he must not pity her. She did not want any quarrel; she blamed him for wanting one, but she could not help assuming a truculent attitude.

1877, David Magarshack, chapter 12, in Anna Karenina, part 6, translation of original by Leo Tolstoy:

If he came too close to a she with a young baby, the former would bare her great fighting fangs and growl ominously, and occasionally a truculent young bull would snarl a warning if Tarzan approached while the former was eating.

1914, Edgar Rice Burroughs, chapter 10, in The Beasts of Tarzan, Chicago, Ill.: A[lexander] C[aldwell] McClurg & Co., published March 1916, →OCLC:

It is an important source of the value of moral rights then that — speaking very generally — they dispose people with opposed interests to be reasonable rather than arrogant and truculent.

1992, Joel Feinberg, “The Social Importance of Moral Rights”, in Philosophical Perspectives, Ethics, page 195:

These bitches is getting truculent.

2013 February 11, Phil Bronstein, quoting SEAL Team Six Member, “The Man Who Killed Osama bin Laden... Is Screwed”, in Esquire Magazine:

Eager or quick to argue, fight or start a conflict.

войнствен

eager or quick to argue, fight or start a conflict

Voltaire is never either gross or truculent.

[…] or again, the first whispering of love, dainty and witty and tender, to the girl he served a few days ago with sateen, or a gallant rescue of generalised beauty in distress from truculent insult or ravening dog.

1896, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, chapter 10, in The Wheels of Chance: A Holiday Adventure, London: J[oseph] M[alaby] Dent and Co.; New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Co., →OCLC:

Cahusac appeared to be having it all his own way, and he raised his harsh, querulous voice so that all might hear his truculent denunciation.

1922, Rafael Sabatini, chapter XVI, in Captain Blood:

(of speech or writing) Violent; rude; scathing; savage; harsh.


supercilious

supercilious (comparative more supercilious, superlative most supercilious)

more supercilious (comparative)
most supercilious (superlative)

Learned borrowing from Latin superciliōsus (“haughty”).

lbor

[H]is ſupercilious glances grevv humbled, yea, his dazeling ſplendor (eclipſt in the ſetting [i.e., death] of his Maſter) becomes quickly darkned: […]

1638, Tho[mas] Herbert, Some Yeares Travels Into Divers Parts of Asia and Afrique. […], 2nd edition, London: […] R[ichard] Bi[sho]p for Iacob Blome and Richard Bishop, →OCLC, book II, page 206:

"I've tried to be a good man, sir, and do my duty honest, and if it wasn't for the supercilus^([sic]) kind of way in which father carried on last night - a sort of sniffing at me as it were, as though he hadn't no opinion of my references and testimonials - I should feel easy enough in my mind."

1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:

Now he was a sturdy, straw haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner.

1925, F[rancis] Scott Fitzgerald, chapter 1, in The Great Gatsby, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, published 1953, →ISBN, →OCLC:

Buffeted by criticism of his policy on Europe, battered by rebellion in the ranks over his bill to legalize same-sex marriage and wounded by the perception that he is supercilious, contemptuous and out of touch with mainstream Conservatism, Mr. Cameron earlier this week took the highly unusual step of sending a mass e-mail (or, as he called it, “a personal note”) to his party’s grass-roots members.

2013 May 23, Sarah Lyall, “British Leader’s Liberal Turn Sets Off a Rebellion in His Party”, in New York Times, retrieved 2013-05-29:

Arrogantly superior; showing contemptuous indifference; haughty.


haughty

en-adj

haughty (comparative haughtier, superlative haughtiest)

haughtier (comparative)
haughtiest (superlative)

From earlier hauty, haultic, with spelling change in imitation of English naughty and English high, from Middle English hautein, hautain (with -ein, -ain becoming -y through the form hautenesse standing for *hauteinnesse; see haughtiness), from Middle English haute (“self-important”), from Old French haut, hault (“high, lofty”), from Frankish *hauh, *hōh (“high, lofty, proud”) and Latin altus (“high, deep”).

How meek and shrunken did that haughty Tarmac become as it slunk by the wide circle of asphalt of the yellow sort, that was loosely strewn before the great iron gates of Lady Hall as a forerunner of the consideration that awaited the guests of Rupert, Earl of Kare, […].

1922, Michael Arlen, “3/1/1”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days:

Conveying in demeanour the assumption of superiority; disdainful, supercilious.

مُتَعَالٍ

disdainful, supercilious; in demeanour conveying the assumption of superiority


articulate

articulate (comparative more articulate, superlative most articulate)

more articulate (comparative)
most articulate (superlative)

Borrowed from Latin articulātus (“distinct, articulated, jointed”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more).

bor

She’s a bright, articulate young woman.

Speaking in a clear and effective manner.


proactive

en-adj

proactive (comparative more proactive, superlative most proactive)

more proactive (comparative)
most proactive (superlative)

From pro- + active; originally coined 1933 by Paul Whiteley and Gerald Blankfort in a psychology paper, used in technical sense. Used in a popular context and sense (courage, perseverance) in 1946 book Man’s Search for Meaning by neuropsychiatrist Viktor Emil Frankl, in the context of dealing with the Holocaust, as contrast with reactive.

We can deal with each problem as it pops up, or we can take a proactive stance and try to prevent future problems.

Staff are also proactive in approaching any passengers looking as though they need assistance, rather than waiting to be approached.

2019 December 4, Andy Coward, “Derby's crowning achievement”, in Rail, page 56:

Acting in advance to deal with an expected change or difficulty


caustic

caustic (comparative more caustic, superlative most caustic)

more caustic (comparative)
most caustic (superlative)

From the Latin causticus (“burning”), from Ancient Greek καυστικός (kaustikós, “burning”), from καυστός (kaustós, “burnt”) + -ικός (-ikós).

suffix

"How now!" said Scrooge, caustic and cold as ever.

1843, Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol:

The bargain was not concluded as easily as might have been expected though, for Scadder was caustic and ill-humoured, and cast much unnecessary opposition in the way

1843, Charles Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit:

Madame Beck esteemed me learned and blue; Miss Fanshawe, caustic, ironic, and cynical

The Secretary and the Assistant-Secretaries would say little caustic things about him to the senior clerks, and seemed somewhat to begrudge him his new honours.

1857, Anthony Trollope, The Three Clerks:

this set of worthies, who were only too prone to shut up their emotions with caustic words.

1886, Thomas Hardy, The Mayor of Casterbridge:

The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again;[…]. Our table in the dining-room became again the abode of scintillating wit and caustic repartee, Farrar bracing up to his old standard, and the demand for seats in the vicinity rose to an animated competition.

1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:

though he came too late / To join the martyrs, there was still a place / Among the tempters for a caustic tongue / / To test the resolution of the young / With tales of the small failings of the great

(of language, etc.) Sharp, bitter, cutting, biting, and sarcastic in a scathing way.


impolite

en-adj

impolite (comparative impoliter or more impolite, superlative impolitest or most impolite)

impoliter (comparative)
more impolite (comparative)
impolitest (superlative)
most impolite (superlative)

Learned borrowing from Latin impolītus. Equivalent to im- + polite.

Not polite; discourteous; not of polished manners; wanting in good manners.


boring

non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger

From Middle English boryng (“making a hole”); equivalent to bore + -ing.

It is common in urban areas that a great many borings exist from prior construction work.

1992, J. Patrick Powers, Construction dewatering: new methods and applications, page 191:

Coordinate term: sawdust (wood)

(usually in the plural) One of the fragments thrown up when something is bored or drilled.


boring

boring (comparative more boring, superlative most boring)

more boring (comparative)
most boring (superlative)

What a boring film that was! I almost fell asleep.

"We've had some moments in the spotlight, and there will be more to come. But boring is good when operating railways.

2023 February 8, Paul Stephen with Howard Smith, “Elizabeth Line: "It's not job done yet"”, in RAIL, number 976, page 35:

Causing boredom or tiredness; making you to feel tired and impatient.

I very boring. ― I am very bored.

(chiefly Manglish) Suffering from boredom; mildly annoyed and restless through having nothing to do.

[H]is remarkably blue eyes had the trick of boring concentration.

1963, Arthur Upfield, The Lake Frome Monster, London: Pan Books, published 1969, page 11:


nerdy

nerdy (comparative nerdier, superlative nerdiest)

nerdier (comparative)
nerdiest (superlative)

That guy is nerdy and weird.

(colloquial, derogatory, of a person) Being or like a nerd.


mischievous

mischievous (comparative more mischievous, superlative most mischievous)

more mischievous (comparative)
most mischievous (superlative)

From Middle English myschevous, mischevous, from Anglo-Norman meschevous, from Old French meschever, from mes- (“mis-”) + chever (“come to an end”) (from chef (“head”)). By surface analysis, mischief + -ous.

Matthew had a twin brother called Edward, who was always mischievous and badly behaved.

Troublesome, cheeky, badly behaved, impish.


spiteful

spiteful (comparative more spiteful or (rare) spitefuller, superlative most spiteful or (rare) spitefullest)

more spiteful (comparative)
spitefuller (comparative rare)
most spiteful (superlative)
spitefullest (rare superlative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-spiteful.wav

From Middle English spytefulle, equivalent to spite + -ful.

It's not like you killed someone
It's not like you drove a spiteful spear into his side
Talk to Jesus Christ as if he knows the reasons why
He did it all for you

2000, “Judith”, performed by A Perfect Circle:

Filled with, or showing, spite; having a desire to annoy or harm.


rigide

→ Turkish: rijit

Borrowed from Latin rigidus. Compare the inherited doublets roide and raide.


petulant

petulant (comparative more petulant, superlative most petulant)

more petulant (comparative)
most petulant (superlative)

From Middle French, from Latin petulāns, akin to petere.

Who hath not like cause to complain, and is not so troubled, that shall fall into the mouths of such men? for many are of so petulant a spleen

1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC:

(obsolete) Forward; pert; insolent; wanton.


paranoid

paranoid (comparative more paranoid, superlative most paranoid)

more paranoid (comparative)
most paranoid (superlative)

/ˈpæɹ.əˌnɔɪd/

/ˈpæɹ.əˌnɔɪd/

/ˈpɛɹ.əˌnɔɪd/

Of, related to, or suffering from clinical paranoia.

paranoic

of, related to, or suffering from paranoia

But can the people on TV see me or am I just paranoid?

1984, Rockwell (lyrics and music), “Somebody's Watching Me”:

People generally want to believe good news, and Max was so paranoid about germs that he'd really love to believe Plum Island was spewing antibiotics and vaccine into the air.

(informal) Exhibiting excessive fear, suspicion, or distrust.

paranoic

exhibiting extreme and irrational fear or distrust of others


paranoid

/ˈpæɹ.əˌnɔɪd/

/ˈpæɹ.əˌnɔɪd/

/ˈpɛɹ.əˌnɔɪd/


snarky

snarky (comparative snarkier, superlative snarkiest)

snarkier (comparative)
snarkiest (superlative)

From snark + -y; 1906, as “irritable”, from snark (“to snort”), by onomatopoeia (1866). Compare Low German snarken (“to snore”), North Frisian snarke, Swedish snarka. In the sense “sarcastic” popularized in the late 1990s.

'I hate you,' she said briefly, and Philip understood. 'I couldn't help it,' he said; 'I did want to do something by myself.' And Lucy understood. 'And besides,' he said, 'I was coming back for you. Don't be snarky about it, Lu.

1910, E. Nesbit, chapter 12, in The Magic City:

'E barks. "I'll do me work meself, yeh 'ear?" An' then 'e gits so snarky that I clear.

1918, C. J. Dennis, “Dad”, in Digger Smith:


offensive

offensive (comparative more offensive, superlative most offensive)

more offensive (comparative)
most offensive (superlative)

From Middle French offensif, from offendre + -if by analogy with défensif. Offendre is from Latin offendere (“to offend”); see offend.

Some people find pornography offensive.

An offensive smell.

A survey at Yale University had 63% of students wanting professors to issue “trigger warnings” before saying anything that some might find offensive or could cause painful emotions.

2016 September 12, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, “Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Political Incorrectness Is Just a Strategy”, in Time:

Causing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of disgust, anger, hatred, sadness, or indignation.


babillard

fr-adj

babillard (feminine babillarde, masculine plural babillards, feminine plural babillardes)

babillarde (feminine)
babillards (masculine plural)
babillardes (feminine plural)


generous

en-adj

generous (comparative more generous, superlative most generous)

more generous (comparative)
most generous (superlative)

/ˈd͡ʒɛn(ə)ɹəs/

From Middle French genereux, and its source, Latin generōsus (“of noble birth”), from genus (“race, stock”).

Thank you for your generous words.

Noble in behaviour or actions; principled, not petty; kind, magnanimous.


intrepid

intrepid (comparative more intrepid, superlative most intrepid)

more intrepid (comparative)
most intrepid (superlative)

From French intrépide, from Latin intrepidus, from in- (“not”) + trepidus (“anxious, nervous”).

Fewer than 70 years earlier, the intrepid James Cook in his ship Resolution had been the first explorer to cross the Antarctic Circle.

2000, Lennard Bickel, Shackleton's Forgotten Men: The Untold Tale of an Antarctic Tragedy:


unctuous

unctuous (comparative more unctuous, superlative most unctuous)

more unctuous (comparative)
most unctuous (superlative)

/ˈʌŋ(k)t͡ʃʊəs/

From Late Middle English unctuous [and other forms], borrowed from Medieval Latin ūnctuōsus (“greasy, oily, unctuous”), from Latin ūnctum (“ointment; rich banquet; rich savoury dish”) + -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of; overly’ forming adjectives from nouns). Ūnctum is a noun use of the perfect passive participle of unguō (“to anoint; to smear with oil, to grease or oil”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃engʷ- (“to anoint; to smear”).
Cognates
* Italian untuoso
* Old French onctües, unctueus, unctuose (modern French onctueux)
* Portuguese unctuoso
* Spanish untuoso

nb...

unctouus, unctuos, unctuose, unctuouse, unctuus, ungtuous

мазен

of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner

It is, of the one part, / A humide exhalation, vvhich vve call / Materia liquida, or the Vnctuous VVater; […]

1610 (first performance), Ben[jamin] Jonson, The Alchemist, London: […] Thomas Snodham, for Walter Burre, and are to be sold by Iohn Stepneth, […], published 1612, →OCLC, Act II, scene ii, signature E, verso:

[H]e ſeveral time obſerved, that cutting a Cheeſe in tvvo, vvhen they vvere any thing near the Equinoctial, that moſt part of it vvould be very dry and brittle, and ſeem'd as if it vvere ſpoil'd: VVhereas the Parts about the middle vvere ſo fat and ſoft, as if all the unctuous Parts that vvere vvanting in the dried Portion of the Cheeſe had retired thither, and vvas betvveen Cream and Cheeſe.

a. 1692 (date written), Robert Boyle, “Title XXI. Of the Operation of the Air on the Consistency of Animal Substances.”, in The General History of the Air, […], London: […] Awnsham and John Churchill, […], published 1692, →OCLC, page 202:

This tongue [of the pangolin] is round, extremely red, and covered vvith an unctuous and ſlimy liquor, vvhich gives it a ſhining hue. VVhen the pangolin, therefore, approaches an ant-hill, for theſe are the inſects on vvhich it chiefly feeds, it lies dovvn near it, concealing as much as poſſible the place of its retreat, and ſtretching out its long tongue among the ants, keeps it for ſome time quite immovable. Theſe little animals, allured by its appearance, and the unctuous ſubſtance vvith vvhich it is ſmeared, inſtantly gather upon it in great numbers; and vvhen the pangolin ſuppoſes a ſufficiency, it quickly vvithdravvs the tongue, and ſvvallovvs them at once.

1791, Oliver Goldsmith, “Of Quadrupeds Covered with Scales or Shells instead of Hair”, in An History of the Earth, and Animated Nature. […], new edition, volume VI, London: […] F[rancis] Wingrave, successor to Mr. [John] Nourse, […], →OCLC, page 115:

And unctuous meteors from spray to spray / Crept and flitted in broad noon-day / Unseen; […]

1820, Percy Bysshe Shelley, “The Sensitive Plant”, in Prometheus Unbound […], London: C[harles] and J[ames] Ollier […], →OCLC, part 3rd, page 170:

[H]e took off the lid of the iron pot and there rushed out a savoury smell, while the bubbling sound grew deeper and more rich, and an unctuous steam came floating out, hanging in a delicious mist above their heads— […]

1840 April – 1841 November, Charles Dickens, “Chapter the Eighteenth”, in The Old Curiosity Shop. A Tale. […], volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1841, →OCLC, page 187:

Dropping his spade, he thrust both hands in, and drew out handfuls of something that looked like ripe Windsor soap, or rich mottled old cheese; very unctuous and savory withal. You might easily dent it with your thumb; it is of a hue between yellow and ash color. And this, good friends, is ambergris, worth a gold guinea an ounce to any druggist.

1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “The Pequod Meets the Rose-Bud”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 455:

In a word, after being tried out, the crisp, shrivelled blubber, now called scraps or fritters, still contains considerable of its unctuous properties.

1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “The Try-works”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 470:

The kitchen is a lofty, spacious, and noble room, partitioned off round the fireplace, […] on either side of which is the omnipresent image of the Bear and Ragged Staff, three feet high, and excellently carved in oak, now black with time and unctuous kitchen-smoke.

1863, Nathaniel Hawthorne, “About Warwick”, in Our Old Home: A Series of English Sketches, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC, page 97:

(of a liquid, semisolid, or other substance) Having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment; greasy, oily.

Meates fatte and vnctuouſe, nouryſheth, and maketh ſoluble.

153[9], Thomas Elyot, “What Commoditie Happeneth by the Moderate Use of the Sayd Qualities of Meates and Drynkes”, in The Castel of Helth […], London: […] Thomæ Bertheleti […], →OCLC, book II, folio 18, verso:

I my ſelfe vvill haue / The beards of Barbels, ſeru'd, in ſtead of ſallades; / Oyld Muſhromes; and the ſvvelling vnctuous papps / Of a fat pregnant Sovv, nevvly cut off, / Dreſt vvith an exquiſite, and poynant ſauce; […]

1610 (first performance), Ben[jamin] Jonson, The Alchemist, London: […] Thomas Snodham, for Walter Burre, and are to be sold by Iohn Stepneth, […], published 1612, →OCLC, Act II, scene ii, signature [D3], recto:

[H]ow can these men not be corrupt, […] warming their Palace Kitchins, and from thence their unctuous, and epicurean paunches, with the almes of the blind, the lame, the impotent, the aged, the orfan, the widow, […]

1641 May, John Milton, Of Reformation Touching Church-Discipline in England: And the Cavvses that hitherto have Hindred it; republished as Will Taliaferro Hale, editor, Of Reformation Touching Church-Discipline in England (Yale Studies in English; LIV), New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1916, →OCLC, 2nd book, page 70:

And Pallas rear'd him; her ovvn unctuous fane / She made his habitation, vvhere vvith bulls / The youth of Athens, and vvith ſlaughter'd lambs / Her annual vvorſhip celebrate.

1791, Homer, “[The Iliad.] Book II.”, in W[illiam] Cowper, transl., The Iliad and Odyssey of Homer, Translated into Blank Verse, […], volume I, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC, page 52, lines 664–667:

There was something in the sound of the last word, which roused the unctuous boy. He jumped up: and the leaden eyes, which twinkled behind his mountainous cheeks, leered horribly upon the food as he unpacked it from the basket.

1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, “A Field-day and Bivouac—More New Friends; and an Invitation to the Country”, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1837, →OCLC, page 40:

High and low, they [English day-laborers] are of an unctuous texture. There is an adipocere in their constitution, as if they had oil for their mental wheels, and could perform vast amounts of work without damaging themselves.

1856, R[alph] W[aldo] Emerson, “Character”, in English Traits, Boston, Mass.: Phillips, Sampson, and Company, →OCLC, page 141:

Having fat or oil present; fatty, greasy, oily.

(figuratively) Of a person:
Complacent, self-satisfied, smug.

"No bankers' books, or cheque books, or bill, or such tokens of wealth rolling in from day to day?" said old Sol, looking wistfully at his nephew out of the fog that always seemed to hang about him, and laying an unctuous emphasis upon the words.

1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, “In which Some More First Appearances are Made on the Stage of These Adventures”, in Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC, page 27:

Then he thoroughly disliked the tone of Mr. Slope's letter; it was unctuous, false, and unwholesome, like the man.

1857, Anthony Trollope, “Mrs. Bold is Entertained by Dr. and Mrs. Grantly at Plumstead”, in Barchester Towers. […], copyright edition, volume II, Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, published 1859, →OCLC, page 23:

In superior circles, however, introduction becomes more elaborate, more flattering, more unctuous.

1919, Stephen Leacock, “The Art of Conversation”, in The Hohenzollerns in America and Other Impossibilities, London: John Lane, The Bodley Head; New York, N.Y.: John Lane Company, →OCLC, section I (How to Introduce Two People to One Another), page 172:

General Peckem roused himself after a moment with an unctuous and benignant smile.

1961 November 10, Joseph Heller, “Doc Daneeka”, in Catch-22 […], New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, →OCLC, page 32:

Profusely polite, especially in an insincere and unpleasant manner.

օծ

of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy


heartless

en-adj

heartless (comparative more heartless, superlative most heartless)

more heartless (comparative)
most heartless (superlative)

From Middle English hertles, herteles, from Old English heortlēas (“without courage; listless”), equivalent to heart + -less.

inh

His heartless actions and cold manner left her saddened and feeling alone.

The world is a dangerous, violent place […] and the only true refuge from this heartless world is the family.

1982 August 14, Michael Bronski, “If You Hated The Book You'll Loathe The Movie”, in Gay Community News, volume 10, number 5, page 11:

Mr. Burns is similarly perfectly cast as a heartless capitalist willing to do anything for a quick buck, even if it means endangering the lives of those around him and Marge elegantly rounds out the main cast as a good, pure-hearted and overly indulgent woman who sees the big, good heart (literally and metaphorically) of a monstrous man-brute.

2012 April 29, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Treehouse of Horror III” (season 4, episode 5; originally aired 10/29/1992)”, in The A.V. Club:

Without feeling, emotion, or concern for others; uncaring; cruel.

Cecilia then, though almost heartless, resolved upon talking with Mr. Harrel himself […].

1782, Frances Burney, Cecilia, II.iii.7:

(obsolete) Without courage; fearful, cowardly.


addictive

en-adj

addictive (comparative more addictive, superlative most addictive)

more addictive (comparative)
most addictive (superlative)

First attested 1914. Addiction in modern sense is first attested 1906, in reference to opium. There is an isolated instance from 1779, with reference to tobacco.

These are addictive drugs.

Causing or tending to cause addiction; habit-forming.


sluggish

sluggish (comparative sluggisher or more sluggish, superlative sluggishest or most sluggish)

sluggisher (comparative)
more sluggish (comparative)
sluggishest (superlative)
most sluggish (superlative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Mélange a trois-sluggish.wav

Characteristic of a sluggard; dull; stupid; tame; simple.

hidas

characteristic of a sluggard; dull; stupid; tame; simple


slothful

slothful (comparative more slothful, superlative most slothful)

more slothful (comparative)
most slothful (superlative)

He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 18:9:

This Book will make a Travailer of thee, / If by its Counſel thou wilt ruled be; / It will direct thee to the Holy Land, / If thou wilt its Directions understand: / Yea, it will make the ſloathful, active be; / The Blind alſo, delightful things to ſee.

1678, John Bunyan, “The Author’s Apology for His Book”, in The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC:


innocent

innocent (comparative more innocent, superlative most innocent)

more innocent (comparative)
most innocent (superlative)

guilty

antonym(s) of “bearing no legal responsibility for a wrongful act”

From Middle English innocent, from Old French inocent, borrowed from Latin innocens (“harmless, inoffensive”), from in- (“not”) + nocēns, present participle of noceō (“to hurt”). Displaced native Old English unsċyldiġ.

بَرِيء

not legally responsible for a wrongful act

innocent goods carried to a belligerent nation

Not contraband; not subject to forfeiture.


innocent

fr-noun

innocent m (plural innocents, feminine innocente)

From Old French inocent, borrowed from Latin innocentem (“harmless, inoffensive”, from in- (“not”) + nocēns (present participle of noceō (“to hurt”))).

af

present participle of <i class="Latn mention" lang="la">noceō</i> (“to hurt”)


candid

en-adj

candid (comparative candider, superlative candidest)

candider (comparative)
candidest (superlative)

“I know you do; and it is that which makes the wonder. With your good sense, to be so honestly blind to the follies and nonsense of others! Affectation of candour is common enough;—one meets with it everywhere. But to be candid without ostentation or design—to take the good of everybody's character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad—belongs to you alone.[…]”

1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter IV, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume I, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 29:

My candid opinion was that it was all rubbish!

1871, A Journey to the Center of the Earth, translation of original by Jules Verne:

Sam Altman, the chief executive and co-founder of OpenAI, has been ousted from his own company after its board accused him of “being not consistently candid in his communications”.

2023 November 18, Blake Montgomery, Dani Anguiano, “OpenAI fires co-founder and CEO Sam Altman for allegedly lying to company board”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:


optimistic

optimistic (comparative more optimistic, superlative most optimistic)

more optimistic (comparative)
most optimistic (superlative)

in an optimistic mood

optimistic plans

took an optimistic view

Reference was made in the January-February issue to some of the optimistic railway titles of the past, such as the Manchester & Milford, and the Lancashire, Derbyshire & East Coast, neither of which got anywhere near the extremities indicated in their titles during their independent existence.

1944 November and December, “What's in a Name?”, in Railway Magazine, page 333:

Expecting the best in all possible ways.


frivolous

frivolous (comparative more frivolous, superlative most frivolous)

more frivolous (comparative)
most frivolous (superlative)

From Latin frīvolus (“silly, empty, trifling, frivolous, worthless”), with the ending modified to match -ous.

bor

There is no easy definition for the phrase 'frivolous lawsuit,' but I imagine any claim for damages where the injuries are minimal or where the basis for the defendant's liability is hard to believe, might qualify as frivolous.

1996 August 31, Paul F. Waldner, President-Elect, Houston Trial Lawyers Association, “Viewpoints”, in Houston Chronicle, archived from the original on 2005-04-16:

One of the major cost drivers in the delivery of health care are these junk and frivolous lawsuits.

(law, said of a lawsuit) Having no reasonable prospect of success because its claim is without merit, lacking a supporting legal or factual basis, while the filing party is, or should be, aware of this.


reckless

en-adj

reckless (comparative recklesser or more reckless, superlative recklessest or most reckless)

recklesser (comparative)
more reckless (comparative)
recklessest (superlative)
most reckless (superlative)

From Middle English rekles, reckeles, rekkeles, (also recheles), from Old English rēcelēas (“reckless, careless, negligent”), equivalent to reck + -less. Cognate with West Frisian roekeleas (“reckless”), Dutch roekeloos (“reckless”), German Low German ruuklos (“careless”), German ruchlos (“careless, notorious”).

inh

Careless or heedless; headstrong or rash.

مُتَهَوِّر

careless or heedless; headstrong or rash


poli

fr-adj

poli (feminine polie, masculine plural polis, feminine plural polies)

polie (feminine)
polis (masculine plural)
polies (feminine plural)


gallant

en-adj

gallant (comparative more gallant, superlative most gallant)

more gallant (comparative)
most gallant (superlative)

From Middle English galant, galaunt, from Old French galant (“courteous; dashing; brave”), present participle of galer (“to rejoice; make merry”), from gale (“pomp; show; festivity; mirth”); either from Frankish *wala (“good, well”), a variant form of *wela, from Proto-Germanic *wela (whence well), from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁- (“to choose, wish”); or alternatively from Frankish *gail (“merry; mirthful; proud; luxuriant”), from Proto-Germanic *gailaz (“merry; excited; luxurious”), related to Dutch geil (“horny; lascivious; salacious; lecherous”), German geil (“randy; horny; lecherous; wicked”), Old English gāl (“wanton; wicked; bad”).

der

Captain Edward Carlisle[…]felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze,[…]; he could not tell what this prisoner might do. He cursed the fate which had assigned such a duty, cursed especially that fate which forced a gallant soldier to meet so superb a woman as this under handicap so hard.

1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:


lovely

en-adj

lovely (comparative lovelier, superlative loveliest)

lovelier (comparative)
loveliest (superlative)

From Middle English lovely, luvelich, lufli, from Old English luflīċ, luflīc (“amiable, loving, lovable”), equivalent to love + -ly.

seal the title with a lovely kiss

c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:


cowardly

cowardly (comparative cowardlier or more cowardly, superlative cowardliest or most cowardly)

cowardlier (comparative)
more cowardly (comparative)
cowardliest (superlative)
most cowardly (superlative)

From Middle English *cowardly (adjective) and cowardly (adverb), equivalent to coward + -ly. Displaced native Old English earg.

The cowardly rascals that ran from the battle.

1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii]:

1780, Edmund Burke, speech at The Guildhall, in Bristol
The cowardly rashness of those who dare not look danger in the face.

Showing cowardice; lacking in courage; weakly fearful.


rambunctious

rambunctious (comparative more rambunctious, superlative most rambunctious)

more rambunctious (comparative)
most rambunctious (superlative)

A variant of rumbustious (“boisterous and unruly”).

The kids are being especially rambunctious today.

"Bad cess may attend you, where are you scampering to, you rambunctious"—but she could go no farther; the tears burst from her, and she gave way, without farther resistance, to an explosion of grief.

1852 November, O’Hara Family, “Clough Fionn; or, The Stone of Destiny”, in The Dublin University Magazine, a Literary and Political Journal, volume XL, number CCXXXIX, Dublin: James McGlashan, […]; London: W[illia]m S[omerville] Orr and Company, →OCLC, chapter XI, page 557, column 1:

"Not as you knows on, you rambunctious wool grower," said the indignant Yankee.

1856 October, “About These Books”, in J. Clement, editor, The Western Literary Messenger […], volume XXVII, number II, Buffalo, N.Y.: Thomas & Lathrops, […], →OCLC, page 64, column 1:

There was close by me a window, and, noiselessly as possible, I slid back a small piece, thereby rousing the light-sleeping mistress of the canary, who sharply requested it be closed again; [...] the other lady smiled despairingly, and signed me to obey, which I reluctantly did by closing the glass; but the shutter proved rumbunctious, and for no effort of mine would again move out of his groove; [...]

1862 January, “A Canal-boat Sketch”, in Duffy’s Hibernian Magazine. […], volume I (New Series), number 1, Dublin, London: James Duffy, […], →OCLC, page 92:

"I guess the governor'd be rambunxious, as usual, if I was to ask his permission," the dutiful son remarked; "but he's going away for a few days next week, and mother won't hinder me, I know."

1873 March, W[illia]m S. Walsh, “How We Watched the Grapes”, in J[ohn] T[ownsend] Trowbridge, Lucy Larcom, editors, Our Young Folks. An Illustrated Magazine for Boys and Girls, volume IX, number III, Boston, Mass.: James R[ipley] Osgood and Company, […], →OCLC, page 181:

It may sometimes appear that Canada is composed of nine complacent, cohesive English-speaking provinces and rambunctious Quebec. In fact, it is composed of ten provinces, each different and all occasionally rambunctious.

1979, “The Art of Government is the Art of Adjustment”, in Canada Today = Canada d’aujourd’hui, volume 10, number 4, Washington, D.C.: Canadian Embassy, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 2:

Eventually the two rambunctious wolves decided to race back towards the carcass, no doubt forgetting I was still there.

1990 March, L[ucyan] David Mech, “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?”, in Audubon, New York, N.Y.: National Audubon Society, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 82, column 2; reprinted in “Appendix 15. Article—Wolf Attacks on Humans”, in The Reintroduction of Gray Wolves to Yellowstone National Park and Central Idaho: Final Environmental Impact Statement, Helena, Mont.: Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, May 1994, →OCLC, pages 6-100:

Mrs. Tinkle, your son’s rambunctious behavior is quite common in children with unusually high intelligence levels.

2002 May 1, Jeffrey J. Rowland, Wigu Adventures, archived from the original on 2009-01-06:

She was placid, stately and Juno-esque, soft-toned in her trance utterances, but she could become powerful in her office, an imposing presence. Sometimes a rumbunctious, chaffing persona emerged and was a little over the top for genteel spinsters to tolerate.

2015, Molly Whittington-Egan, “Preface: Into the Cabinet”, in Mrs Guppy Takes a Flight: A Scandal of Victorian Spiritualism, [Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland]: Neil Wilson Publishing, →ISBN, page x:

She does the same thing as any parent worth their salt, and gets rambunctious youngsters engaged in daily drudgeries by refashioning the quotidian as adventure.

2018 December 12, Charles Bramesco, “A Spoonful of Nostalgia Helps the Calculated Mary Poppins Returns Go Down”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 2019-05-24:

The Turkish-American film-maker Ceyda Torun documented the rambunctious street cats of Istanbul in her award-winning 2017 documentary Kedi (“cat” in Turkish).

2023 October 3, Sirin Kale, “Purring, parasites and pure love: what exactly makes someone a cat person?”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

(chiefly US, informal) Boisterous, energetic, noisy, and difficult to control.

буен

boisterous, energetic, noisy, and difficult to control


docile

docile (comparative more docile, superlative most docile)

more docile (comparative)
most docile (superlative)

From Middle English docyle, from Middle French docile, from Latin docilis, from docēre (“teach”).
Compare Spanish dócil ("docile").

Such literature may well be anathema to those, who are too docile and petty for their own good.

Yielding to control or supervision, direction, or management.


docile

Near-synonym: obéissant


edgy

edgy (comparative edgier, superlative edgiest)

edgier (comparative)
edgiest (superlative)

From edge + -y. Compare German eckig (“angular, edgy”).

an edgy temper


cordial

cordial (comparative more cordial, superlative most cordial)

more cordial (comparative)
most cordial (superlative)

/ˈkɔɹ.d͡ʒəl/

Inherited from Middle English cordial, from Old French cordial, from Medieval Latin cordiālis (“of the heart”), from cor (“heart”).

der

I have a cordial dislike for arachnids.

He, on his side / Leaning half raised, with looks of cordial love / Hung over her enamoured.

1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

The relations between the Earl of Bellomont and Colonel Schuyler were formal, but not cordial from the first.

1885, George Washington Schuyler, Colonial New York: Philip Schuyler and His Family, C. Scribner's Sons:


cordial

fr-adj

cordial (feminine cordiale, masculine plural cordiaux, feminine plural cordiales)

cordiale (feminine)
cordiaux (masculine plural)
cordiales (feminine plural)


cordial

es-adj

cordial m or f (masculine and feminine plural cordiales)


killjoy

/ˈkɪlˌd͡ʒɔɪ/

From kill + joy, first attested in 1776.

“If you mean me, sir, I call you and every one else to the inspection of my professional life. As to Christian or unchristian, I repudiate your canting palavering Christianity; and as to the way in which I spend my income, it is not my principle to maintain thieves and cheat offspring of their due inheritance in order to support religion and set myself up as a saintly Killjoy....”

What kill-joy have we here? […] I feel it in my bones some rascal is come to Galing, one that bringeth ill hap in his pocket and a shadow athwart the sun on this our day of festival.

1922, E[ric] R[ücker] Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros, London: Jonathan Cape, page 7:

He stalked behind her simple narrative, a kill-joy parent, hasty, intolerant, keeping a special cane to enforce the authority of his sadistic God[.]

1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1965, →OCLC, page 123:

December 10 2005, Sam Murphy in The Guardian, A sober thought
Just in time for the party season, some old killjoys at the journal Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise have released their findings on the effects on muscle of prolonged heavy alcohol intake (six weeks is prolonged, apparently). The bad news is that it seems too much boozing puts all that effort in the gym to waste - in the study, alcohol prevented the usual resistance-training-induced muscle response that leads to increased size and strength.

(occasionally endearing, derogatory) A person who is anti-fun, or prevents others from having fun.


magnanimous

en-adj

magnanimous (comparative more magnanimous, superlative most magnanimous)

more magnanimous (comparative)
most magnanimous (superlative)

From Latin magnanimus, from magnus (“great”) + animus (“soul, mind”). Displaced native Old English miċelmōd (literally “big-minded”).

ncog

She is a theame of honour and renowne, / A ſpurre to valiant and magnanimous deeds, / Whoſe preſent courage may beate downe our foes, / And fame in time to come canonize us, […]

c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Famous Historie of Troylus and Cresseid. […] (First Quarto), London: […] G[eorge] Eld for R[ichard] Bonian and H[enry] Walley, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:

First, our friendship began at that early time when alone it is unalloyed and sincere; secondly"—and here, in spite of her vivacity, Marie's voice trembled—"you are associated with the only being in the world I ever really loved; and thirdly, I have behaved exceedingly ill to you, and, consequently, feel it quite magnanimous not to hate you, which is the established rule on such occasions.

1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXIV, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 206:

doolittle [sad but magnanimous] They played you off very cunning, Eliza, them two sportsmen.

1912 (date written), [George] Bernard Shaw, “Pygmalion”, in Androcles and the Lion, Overruled, Pygmalion, London: Constable and Company, published 1916, →OCLC, Act V, page 183:

I felt vaguely he was a sneak, and remained quite unmollified by advances on his side, which, in a boy's barbarous fashion, unless it suited me to be magnanimous, I haughtily ignored.


effusive

en-adj

effusive (comparative more effusive, superlative most effusive)

more effusive (comparative)
most effusive (superlative)

From the stem of Latin effundēre + -ive, from ex- (“out of”) + fundō (“pour”), 1660s.

Coordinate term: fulsome

effusive praise

All week I’ve found myself doing everything I can to distance myself in the crew’s eyes from the bovine herd I’m part of, to somehow unimplicate myself: I eschew cameras and sunglasses and pastel Caribbeanwear; I make a big deal of carrying my own cafeteria tray and am effusive in my thanks for the slightest service.

1997, David Foster Wallace, “A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again”, in A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again, Kindle edition, Little, Brown Book Group:

While he is reasonably effusive about inter-city travel, he is heavily disparaging of all types of stopping service, including those on otherwise busy main lines. His analysis is not entirely unsound, and he tackles some of the questions head on.

2023 March 8, Gareth Dennis, “The Reshaping of things to come...”, in RAIL, number 978, page 47:

Gushy; unrestrained, extravagant or excessive (in emotional expression).


noble

noble (comparative nobler or more noble, superlative noblest or most noble)

nobler (comparative)
more noble (comparative)
noblest (superlative)
most noble (superlative)

From Middle English, from Old French noble, from Latin nōbilis (“knowable, known, well-known, famous, celebrated, high-born, of noble birth, excellent”), from nōscere, gnōscere (“to know”).
False cognate of Arabic نبيل (nabīl). Displaced native Middle English athel, from Old English æþele.

der

(winemaking) Belonging to a class of grape cultivars traditionally considered most favorable for winemaking, usually encompassing the six: Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, and Riesling.


cuddly

en-adj

cuddly (comparative cuddlier, superlative cuddliest)

cuddlier (comparative)
cuddliest (superlative)

My girlfriend is very cuddly.


cloche

From Medieval Latin clocca, from Proto-Celtic *klokkos (see also Welsh cloch, Old Irish cloc), ultimately imitative. Related to Old English clucge, Low German Klock (“bell, clock”), German Glocke, Swedish klocka.

onomatopoeic

imitative


energetic

en-adj

energetic (comparative more energetic, superlative most energetic)

more energetic (comparative)
most energetic (superlative)

From New Latin energeticus (16th c.), or its source, Ancient Greek ἐνεργητικός (energētikós), from ἐνεργέω (energéō, “to be active”), from ἐνεργός (energós, “active”). By surface analysis, energy + -etic.

/ˌɛnɚˈd͡ʒɛtɪk/

/ˌɛnəˈdʒɛtɪk/

Those kids are so energetic: they want to run around playing all day.

They are even now insulted with all the arguments which have been used in favor of energetic governments, ever since the days of Pharaoh: but every one knew, long before our revolution, that an energetic government could be supported […]

1801, Abraham Bishop, An Oration on the Extent and Power of Political Delusion, page 38:

Characterised by force or vigour; full of energy; lively, vigorous, furious.


daredevil

Even as a youngster, Steven was a bit of a daredevil riding up homemade wooden ramps on his BMX.

A person who engages in very risky behavior, especially one who is motivated by a craving for excitement or attention.


daredevil

daredevil (comparative more daredevil, superlative most daredevil)

more daredevil (comparative)
most daredevil (superlative)

The climactic scene of “Rebel without a Cause” is the group of very daredevil teens playing chicken.

Not only do they glide gracefully with burdens on their heads, they bend to pick money that has been flung at them; dash across roads with cars zooming by and the most daredevil do all this with a child strapped to their back.

2012, Chibundu Onuzo, The Spider King’s Daughter, Faber and Faber (2013), page 27:


daredevil

en-verb

daredevil (third-person singular simple present daredevils, present participle daredevilling or (US) daredeviling, simple past and past participle daredevilled or (US) daredeviled)

daredevils (present singular third-person)
daredevilling (participle present)
daredeviling (US participle present)
daredevilled (participle past)
daredevilled (past)
daredeviled (US participle past)
daredeviled (US past)

(intransitive) To behave in a reckless, adventurous, or physically risky manner.


selfless

en-adj

selfless (comparative more selfless, superlative most selfless)

more selfless (comparative)
most selfless (superlative)

In a selfless act of gratitude for saving his mother's life, Peter committed to giving money to his local breast cancer charity each year for the rest of his life.

Because a certain degree of selfless behavior is essential to the smooth performance of any human group, selflessness run amok can crop up in political contexts.

2011 March 10, Natalie Angier, “The Pathological Altruist Gives Till Someone Hurts”, in The New York Times:

Having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself but for others; unselfish.

غَيْرِيّ

having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish


surly

surly (comparative surlier, superlative surliest)

surlier (comparative)
surliest (superlative)

16th-century alteration of sirly, from sir + -ly.

(obsolete) Lordly, arrogant, supercilious.

傲慢的

(obsolete) lordly, arrogant, supercilious


fort

Inherited from Old French fort, from Latin fortem (“strong”), from Old Latin forctis, fortis.

Alors on ferme les yeux, on a fort envie de quelque chose et on se l’offre.

So we close our eyes, we really fancy something and we're going to take it.


selfish

selfish (comparative more selfish or (proscribed) selfisher, superlative most selfish or (proscribed) selfishest)

more selfish (comparative)
selfisher (comparative proscribed)
most selfish (superlative)
selfishest (proscribed superlative)

From self + -ish. Compare Danish selvisk (“selfish”), Swedish självisk (“selfish”).

With that said, there is a perk to Xiao being a selfish DPS. He plays like Razor where he needs to be out in the field more than 90 percent of the time. Compared to Diluc, Xiao is more independent when it comes to dealing damage.

(video games) Of video game characters: relying on their own actions and capabilities to be effective in the game, rather than on other characters.