Vocabulary Bites (Part - 30) : Learn New Words Quickly

Bigamy

Definition:  the crime of marrying someone when you are still legally married to someone else
Usage:  She was quite surprised to learn that her husband was a bigamist.

Hackneyed

Definition:  used too often and therefore boring
Usage : The political campaign featured the same hackneyed examples of patriotic rhetoric.

Veto

Definition: 1) the right to refuse to allow something to be done, especially the right to stop a law from being passed or a decision from being made
2) an occasion when someone refuses to allow something to  be done
Usage : America used its veto powers to nullify the plan of UN

Ludicrous

Definition : unreasonable
Usage:  The comedian told a bunch of ludicrous jokes.

Detention

Definition : the state of being kept in a place, especially a prison, and prevented from leaving
2) the punishment of being kept at school for a time after other students have gone home
Usage : He got detention for being late to class

Conception

Definition:  the process of forming an idea or a plan
2) an understanding or a belief of what something is or what something should be
3) the process of an egg being fertilized inside a woman's body so that she becomes pregnant
Usage:  The plan was brilliant in its conception but failed because of lack of money.

Aureole

Definition : a circle of light ; A circle of light or radiance surrounding the head or body of a representation of a deity or holy person;
Usage:  The angel had an aureole of youth and health surrounding her

Conclave

Definition:  a meeting to discuss something in private; the people at this meeting
Usage : The conclave was necessary so their competitors didn't learn of their secrets.

Cognate

Definition : a word that has the same origin as another
2) related in some way and therefore similar
Usage: Spanish and French are cognate languages.

Circumlocution

Definition : using more words than are necessary, instead of speaking or writing in a clear, direct way
Usage: He is long-winded and prone to circumlocution in his public speeches.

Vanquish

Definition : to defeat someone completely in a competition, war, etc.
Usage : The knight will vanquish the dragon

Pandemonium

Definition:  a situation in which there is a lot of noise, activity, and confusion, especially because people are feeling angry or frightened
Usage:  The circus clown created pandemonium in the classroom when she acted like a seal

Celerity

Definition:  rapidity of motion or action
Usage: They moved with great celerity when they heard about the flood.

Dictum

Definition:  a statement that expresses something that people believe is always true or should be followed
Usage:  Doctor must follow the dictum of "First do no harm."

Squall

Definition:  a sudden violent wind, often during rain or snowstorms
Usage:  The crew of the small boat was not at all prepared when the squall hit so it got swamped.