Daily Word List – 27th April 2018 Meaning, Pronunciation | Free PDF

Discomfit [ dis-KUHM-fit ]

[Noun, transitive verb]

MEANING:

1. (tr.v.) to confuse, embarrass or disconcert
2. (tr.v.) to frustrate or thwart another’s plans
3. (tr.v.) (Archaic) to defeat, conquer or rout
4. (n.) a defeat

USAGE EXAMPLE 1:

He was discomfited due to the difficult decision he had to make.

USAGE EXAMPLE 2:

Most discomfiting of all for the generals, Mr. Gul is now their commander-in-chief.

alcove [ AL-kohv ]

[noun]

MEANING:

1. A nook, niche or partly enclosed or recession section of a room
2. a summerhouse

USAGE EXAMPLE 1:

The wardrobe had been fitted into an alcove.

USAGE EXAMPLE 2:

The 100-year-old statue of St Methodius had been in an alcove on the outside of Exeter Cathedral.

arabesque [ ar-uh’-BESK ]

[noun, adjective]

MEANING:

1. (n.) a posture in ballet where the dancer bends forward with one arm and leg extended forward and the other arm and leg extended backwards
2. (n.) an ornate, complex design with intricate geometric, floral and foliate figures
3. (n.) a whimsical, fanciful musical piece esp. one for the piano
4. (adj.) elaborates or like or characterized by an arabesque

USAGE EXAMPLE 1:

The ballerina was asked to finish the ballet with an arabesque.

USAGE EXAMPLE 2:

The second album with the new guitar virtuoso Mick Taylor, Sticky Fingers absolutely soars with bricklayer-beat drums, arabesque leads and a tight rhythm and bass that holds it all together.

allure [ uh’LOOR ]

[Noun, intransitive verb, transitive verb]

MEANING:

1. (n.) the power to lure
2. (n.) enticement
3. (intr. v.) to be very attractive
4. (tr. v.) to use something desirable as bait to attract.

USAGE EXAMPLE 1:

He invested his life’s savings in gold bonds because of the allure of the yellow metal.

USAGE EXAMPLE 2:

There is a natural, joyful allure to this native Bolivian baroque and the school’s San Ignacio ensemble has become famous, travelling all over Latin America and Europe.

axiom [ AK-see-uh’m ]

[noun]

MEANING:

1. a maxim or universally accepted truth
2. a principle, rule or law that is established and universally accepted
3. a postulate or a proposition that is assumed to be true without proof for the purpose of studying the resulting consequences.

USAGE EXAMPLE 1:

A Russian mathematician devised three axioms that expound the theory of probability.

USAGE EXAMPLE 2:

Within baseball circles there is a common baseball axiom, ‘If pitchers weren’t so stupid, hitters would never get a hit.’

Download Free PDF – Advanced English WORD LIST

Sharing is caring!