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If you know a word that can be used regularly, add it in the comments below.
Specious. superficially plausible, but actually wrong. Misleading in appearance, especially misleadingly attractive.
“A specious argument.” “The music trade gives Golden Oldies a specious appearance of novelty. “Specious reasoning.”
Hyperbole. Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.
“I am so hungry I could eat a horse.” “I have a million things to do.” “I had to walk 15 miles to school in the snow, uphill.”
Heuristic. Enabling a person to discover or learn something for themselves.
Underwrite. Sign and accept liability under (an insurance policy), thus guaranteeing payment in case loss or damage occurs, or; Pledge to buy all the unsold shares in (an issue of new securities).
“A large portion of NPR’s revenue comes from dues and fees paid by our Member stations and underwriting from corporate sponsors.”
Status quo ante. Latin for “the way things were before.” In law, it refers to the objective of a temporary restraining order or a rescission in which the situation is restored to “the state in which previously” it existed.
“Nevertheless, so far the local populations seem to have come to terms with ISIS control and sometimes even support it. They do so especially in view of its ability to provide basic services, restore daily life to the status quo ante, and fill the administrative void that was created.”
Dust-up. A fight; a quarrel.
“You and Larry had a dust-up over Val?”
Franchise. an authorization granted by a government or company to an individual or group enabling them to carry out specified commercial activities, e.g., providing a broadcasting service or acting as an agent for a company’s products.
Hothouse. A heated building, typically made largely of glass, for rearing plants out of season or in a climate colder than is natural for them.
Concatenate. Link (things) together in a chain or series.
“I’ll never hire good people. I’ll never be able to concatenate 10 mediocre people to do what one great one can do. And you have to manage good people. And if I can only get 35 great ones, that’s it.”
Precipitous. An action done suddenly and without careful consideration.
“Take some precipitous action that causes the Kingdom to have to interrupt that. I’d like them to continue to make progress in the way we want them to.”
Nexus. A connection or series of connections linking two or more things.
“The nexus is great between housing and health care.”
Halcyon days. A period of peace and happiness, or: A fortnight of calm weather during the winter solstice.
