ribald [ RIB-uh’ ld; spelling pron. RAHY-buh’ ld ]
[adjective]
MEANING:
- (adj.) lewd, indecent or vulgar
- (n.) a person who is vulgar, lewd or ribald
USAGE EXAMPLE 1:
He purchased a book comprising mainly of ribald jokes.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2:
There ensued ribald laughter from Conservatives on the backbenches around him.
gory [ GAWR-ee, GOHR-ee ]
[adjective]
MEANING:
- bloody or bloodstained
- sensational, unpleasant or bloodcurdling
- involving or marked by bloodshed
USAGE EXAMPLE 1:
The gory scenes in the movie were revolting.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2:
There is some sort of gory fascination with yoga competitions.
grapple [ GRAP-uh’ l ]
[noun,intransitive verb,transitive verb]
MEANING:
- (intr.v.) to hold or seize firmly
- (intr.v.) to struggle or try to overcome
- (tr.v.) to seize, grip or hold tightly and firmly
- (n.) a grapnel, hook or other similar instrument used to fasten an object to another
- (n.) a hand-to-hand fight or struggle
USAGE EXAMPLE 1:
He grappled, lost his footing and was hanging onto the ledge only with his finger tips.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2:
Zimbabwe’s new leaders are grappling with a massive humanitarian and economic crisis.
intransigent [ in-TRAN-si-juh’nt ]
[noun,adjective]
MEANING:
- (adj.) unbending
- (adj.) steadfast in one’s opinion
- (n.) a person who is adamant
USAGE EXAMPLE 1:
His intransigent ways made him very difficult to work with.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2:
Relations continued to deteriorate and the American resistance became more intransigent.
girth [ gurth ]
[noun,transitive verb]
MEANING:
- (n.) the circumference or the measure around a body
- (n.) the band that passes around the midriff of a horse to hold the saddle in place or anything that encircles
- (n.) bulk or size
- (tr. v.) to fasten with a strap or to girdle
USAGE EXAMPLE 1:
The girth of the wrestler’s chest was so huge that the largest jacket in the department store was too small to fit him.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2:
Renowned for its luxury leather goods, Gucci has long been inspired by the sporting glamour of the equestrian world, with design symbols like the horse-bit and web striped girth strap.
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