anachronism
(noun) someone or something that belongs in another place in time
Everything seemed normal except for the anachronism of the man riding a horse down the street. One country colonizing another country is an anachronism in today's global environment.
antecedent
(noun) something that precedes another thing, especially the cause of the second thing
Pronouns usually refer to antecedents.
debacle
(noun) a terrible failure
By most accounts, the war in Iraq has been a tremendous debacle.
exonerate
(verb) to absolve from blame, to prove innocent
I am confident that I will be fully exonerated if I'm given a fair trial.
lucid
(adjective) clear, clear headed
I am the most lucid right after a cup of coffee. His style of writing was very clear and lucid.
pernicious
(adjective) harmful, deadly
The current concentration of ownership of media has had a pernicious effect on democracy in the US.
wily
(adjective) sly, clever, cunning (usually deceitfully).
Many politicians employ teams of wily advisors to help them skirt the law.
adroit
Dexterous; deft.
In other words, we expect quite a lot from the "adroit" waiter from the point of view of active knowledge gathering and skillful orchestration of movements based on the current cognitive map -- representation of the world and management of the body. - Archive 2009-05-01
bogus
Not true; fake.
The politician's allegations against the prime minister were completely bogus.
impede
To retard or obstruct the progress of. See Synonyms at hinder1.
Does the R behind my name impede you from having a true debate? - Think Progress » Congressman: ‘I Fear…We Will Have Many More Muslims In The United States’
loathe
To hate, detest, revile.
Yeah you probably right, but the hypocrisy and deceit of the Republicans which Americans loathe is simply unmatched! - CNN Poll: Americans think Sanford should resign
revere
To regard with awe, deference, and devotion.
In his current column at Politico, the oh-so-funny Mike Allen asks: Do reporters 'revere' Senator Clinton? - Archive 2007-11-01
rudimentary
Being in the earliest stages of development; incipient.
They were introduced in rudimentary fashion in Second Edition and became a full-fledged system in Third Edition. - 4e PHB Readthrough – Chapter 5: Skills « Geek Related
skirmish
A minor or preliminary conflict or dispute: a skirmish over the rules before the debate began.
Interesting use of the word skirmish while troops are fighting this is what's going on in Washington as well. - CNN Transcript Feb 18, 2007
terse
Brief, concise, to the point.
Ms. Diallo's lawyers received what one of them called a "terse" letter Friday inviting her to meet with prosecutors at 3 p.m. to discuss what will happen in court Tuesday. - Strauss-Kahn Case May Be Dropped
trivial
Ordinary; commonplace.
Mr. Weinberg noted that the core inflation rate, which strips out volatile prices, is just 0.9 per cent on an annual basis, which he calls "trivial." - The Globe and Mail - Home RSS feed
verify
To prove the truth of by presentation of evidence or testimony; substantiate.
First, the word "verify" more accurately reflects the requirements placed on end users of endangered wood. - NPR Topics: News
anecdote
(noun) a short, interesting story
At the party Charles told some humorous anecdotes about his days in the military.
avert
(verb) turn aside, or away; as, to avert the eyes from an object; to ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of
We did everything we could to avert the disaster, but it was not enough.
candid
(adjective) straightforward, open and sincere, honest
I had a very candid discussion with Max about his drinking problem.
dialogue
(noun) conversation between 2 or more people.
The action in the movie was very exciting, but the dialogue was incredibly bad.
drastic
(adjective) extreme, severe
The doctor had to take drastic measures to save the patient's life
erratic
(adjective) irregular, unsteady, random; prone to unexpected changes
The man's erratic behavior made everybody on the flight nervous.
fortify
(verb)strengthen, reinforce
The government intended to fortify the levees surrounding New Orleans.
isolate
(verb) set apart or cut off from others, separate
The hospital isolated the patients with bird flu to help prevent an outbreak.
illuminate
(verb) shine light on something, light up something
The new street lights were not powerful enough to illuminate the street sufficiently.
urban
(adjective) related to or located in the city
People from urban areas have very different political views from people in rural areas.
accommodation
A room to stay in or other place to stay; the act of accommodation
When I go on business trips, the accommodations my company pays for are usually quite bad.
Google Wiktionary
affluent
Wealthy; having a large amount of money
Only the most affluent individuals can afford a Lamborghini.
Google Wiktionary
ajar
Slightly open or almost closed: said of a door.
found the door ajar, and I stood a moment gazing at the hateful man who claimed a right to rule me, body and soul. - Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Google Wiktionary
appropriate
Suitable; befitting; proper.
Boardshorts are not appropriate attire for the office.
Google Wiktionary
arouse
To excite into action; stir or put in motion or exertion; awaken: as, to arouse attention; to arouse one from sleep; to arouse dormant faculties.
They would send agents and emissaries about the kingdom to arouse, and encourage, and assemble such Saxon forces as were yet to be found. - King Alfred of England
Google Wiktionary
augment
To add to; increase
I teach English in the evenings to augment my family's income.
Google Wiktionary
avarice
Excessive desire for wealth; extreme greed
Corruption is a product of avarice and thirst for power.
Google Wiktionary
barricade
To close off or block with a barricade.
The police set up a barricade to keep voters away from the polling stations.
Google Wiktionary
bewilder
To confuse or befuddle, especially with numerous conflicting situations, objects, or statements. See Synonyms at puzzle.
I am absolutely bewildered by the new tax forms. I have no idea how to fill them out.
Google Wiktionary
bitter
Difficult or distasteful to accept, admit, or bear: the bitter truth; bitter sorrow.
The coffee was too bitter for Max. He had to add a lot of sugar.
aberration
(n.) something that differs from the norm (In 1974, Poland won the World Cup, but the success turned out to be an aberration, and Poland have not won a World Cup since).
abhor
(v.) to hate, detest (Because he always wound up getting hit in the head when he tried to play cricket, Marcin began to abhor the sport).
acquiesce
(v.) to agree without protesting (Though Mr. Pospieszny wanted to stay outside and work in his garage, when his wife told him that he had better come in to dinner, he acquiesced to her demands.)
alacrity
(n.) eagerness, speed (For some reason, Simon loved to help his girlfriend whenever he could, so when his girlfriend asked him to set the table he did so with alacrity.)
amiable
(adj.) friendly (An amiable fellow, Neil got along with just about everyone.)
appease
(v.) to calm, satisfy (When Jerry cries, his mother gives him chocolate to appease him.)
arcane
(adj.) obscure, secret, known only by a few (The professor is an expert in arcane Kashubian literature.)
avarice
(n.) excessive greed (The banker’s avarice led him to amass an enormous personal fortune.)
brazen
(adj.) excessively bold, brash, clear and obvious (Critics condemned the writer’s brazen attempt to plagiarise Frankow-Czerwonko’s work.)
brusque
(adj.) short, abrupt, dismissive (Simon’s brusque manner sometimes offends his colleagues.)
cajole
(v.) to urge, coax (Magda's friends cajoled her into drinking too much.)
callous
(adj.) harsh, cold, unfeeling (The murderer’s callous lack of remorse shocked the jury.)
candor
(n.) honesty, frankness (We were surprised by the candor of the politician’s speech because she is usually rather evasive.)
chide
(v.) to voice disapproval (Hania chided Gregory for his vulgar habits and sloppy appearance.)
circumspect
(adj.) cautious (Though I promised Marta’s father I would bring her home promptly by midnight, it would have been more circumspect not to have specified a time.)
clandestine
(adj.) secret (Announcing to her boyfriend that she was going to the library, Maria actually went to meet George for a clandestine liaison.)
coerce
(v.) to make somebody do something by force or threat (The court decided that David Beckham did not have to honor the contract because he had been coerced into signing it.)
coherent
(adj.) logically consistent, intelligible (William could not figure out what Harold had seen because he was too distraught to deliver a coherent statement.)
complacency
(n.) self-satisfied ignorance of danger (Simon tried to shock his friends out of their complacency by painting a frightening picture of what might happen to them.)
confidant
(n.) a person entrusted with secrets (Shortly after we met, he became my chief confidant.)
connive
(v.) to plot, scheme (She connived to get me to give up my plans to start up a new business.)
cumulative
(adj.) increasing, building upon itself (The cumulative effect of hours spent using the World English website was a vast improvement in his vocabulary and general level of English.)
debase
(v.) to lower the quality or esteem of something (The large raise that he gave himself debased his motives for running the charity.)
decry
(v.) to criticize openly (Andrzej Lepper, the leader of the Polish Self Defence party decried the appaling state of Polish roads.)
deferential
(adj.) showing respect for another’s authority (Donata is always excessively deferential to any kind of authority figure.)
demure
(adj.) quiet, modest, reserved (Though everyone else at the party was dancing and going crazy, she remained demure.)
deride
(v.) to laugh at mockingly, scorn (The native speaker often derided the other teacher’s accent.)
despot
(n.) one who has total power and rules brutally (The despot issued a death sentence for anyone who disobeyed his laws.)
diligent
(adj.) showing care in doing one’s work (The diligent researcher made sure to double check her measurements.)
elated
(adj.) overjoyed, thrilled (When he found out he had won the lottery, the postman was elated.)
eloquent
(adj.) expressive, articulate, moving (The best man gave such an eloquent speech that most guests were crying.)
embezzle
(v.) to steal money by falsifying records (The accountant was fired for embezzling €10,000 of the company’s funds.)
empathy
(n.) sensitivity to another’s feelings as if they were one’s own (I feel such empathy for my dog when she’s upset so am I!)
enmity
(n.) ill will, hatred, hostility (John and Scott have clearly not forgiven each other, because the enmity between them is obvious to anyone in their presence.)
erudite
(adj.) learned (My English teacher is such an erudite scholar that he has translated some of the most difficult and abstruse Old English poetry.)
extol
(v.) to praise, revere (Kamila extolled the virtues of a vegetarian diet to her meat-loving boyfriend.)
fabricate
(v.) to make up, invent (When I arrived an hour late to class, I fabricated some excuse about my car breaking down on the way to work.)
feral
(adj.) wild, savage (That beast looks so feral that I would fear being alone with it.)
flabbergasted
(adj.) astounded (Whenever I read an Agatha Christie mystery novel, I am always flabbergasted when I learn the identity of the murderer.)
forsake
(v.) to give up, renounce (I won't forsake my conservative principles.)
fractious
(adj.) troublesome or irritable (Although the child insisted he wasn’t tired, his fractious behaviour - especially his decision to crush his jam sandwiches all over the floor - convinced everyone present that it was time to put him to bed.)
furtive
(adj.) secretive, sly (Claudia’s placement of her drugs in her sock drawer was not as furtive as she thought, as the sock drawer is the first place most parents look.)
gluttony
(n.) overindulgence in food or drink (Helen’s fried chicken tastes so divine, I don’t know how anyone can call gluttony a sin.)
gratuitous
(adj.) uncalled for, unwarranted (Every evening the guy at the fish and chip shop gives me a gratuitous helping of vinegar.)
haughty
(adj.) disdainfully proud (The superstar’s haughty dismissal of her co-stars will backfire on her someday.)
hypocrisy
(n.) pretending to believe what one does not (Once the politician began passing legislation that contradicted his campaign promises, his hypocrisy became apparent.)
impeccable
(adj.) exemplary, flawless (If your grades were as impeccable as your brother’s, then you too would receive a car for a graduation present.)
impertinent
(adj.) rude, insolent (Most of your comments are so impertinent that I don’t wish to dignify them with an answer.)
implacable
(adj.) incapable of being appeased or mitigated (Watch out: once you shun Grandmother’s cooking, she is totally implacable.)
impudent
(adj.) casually rude, insolent, impertinent (The impudent young woman looked her teacher up and down and told him he was hot.)
incisive
(adj.) clear, sharp, direct (The discussion wasn’t going anywhere until her incisive comment allowed everyone to see what the true issues were.)
indolent
(adj.) lazy (Why should my indolent children, who can’t even pick themselves up off the sofa to pour their own juice, be rewarded with a trip to Burger King?)
inept
(adj.) not suitable or capable, unqualified (She proved how inept she was when she forgot two orders and spilled a pint of cider in a customer’s lap.)
infamy
(n.) notoriety, extreme ill repute (The infamy of his crime will not lessen as time passes.)
inhibit
(v.) to prevent, restrain, stop (When I told you I needed the car last night, I certainly never meant to inhibit you from going out.)
innate
(adj.) inborn, native, inherent (His incredible athletic talent is innate, he never trains, lifts weights, or practices.)
insatiable
(adj.) incapable of being satisfied (My insatiable appetite for blondes was a real problem on my recent holiday in Japan!)
insular
(adj.) separated and narrow-minded; tight-knit, closed off (Because of the sensitive nature of their jobs, those who work for MI5 must remain insular and generally only spend time with each other.)
intrepid
(adj.) brave in the face of danger (After scaling a live volcano prior to its eruption, the explorer was praised for his intrepid attitude.)
inveterate
(adj.) stubbornly established by habit (I’m the first to admit that I’m an inveterate cider drinker—I drink four pints a day.
(noun) someone or something that belongs in another place in time
Everything seemed normal except for the anachronism of the man riding a horse down the street. One country colonizing another country is an anachronism in today's global environment.
antecedent
(noun) something that precedes another thing, especially the cause of the second thing
Pronouns usually refer to antecedents.
debacle
(noun) a terrible failure
By most accounts, the war in Iraq has been a tremendous debacle.
exonerate
(verb) to absolve from blame, to prove innocent
I am confident that I will be fully exonerated if I'm given a fair trial.
lucid
(adjective) clear, clear headed
I am the most lucid right after a cup of coffee. His style of writing was very clear and lucid.
pernicious
(adjective) harmful, deadly
The current concentration of ownership of media has had a pernicious effect on democracy in the US.
wily
(adjective) sly, clever, cunning (usually deceitfully).
Many politicians employ teams of wily advisors to help them skirt the law.
adroit
Dexterous; deft.
In other words, we expect quite a lot from the "adroit" waiter from the point of view of active knowledge gathering and skillful orchestration of movements based on the current cognitive map -- representation of the world and management of the body. - Archive 2009-05-01
bogus
Not true; fake.
The politician's allegations against the prime minister were completely bogus.
impede
To retard or obstruct the progress of. See Synonyms at hinder1.
Does the R behind my name impede you from having a true debate? - Think Progress » Congressman: ‘I Fear…We Will Have Many More Muslims In The United States’
loathe
To hate, detest, revile.
Yeah you probably right, but the hypocrisy and deceit of the Republicans which Americans loathe is simply unmatched! - CNN Poll: Americans think Sanford should resign
revere
To regard with awe, deference, and devotion.
In his current column at Politico, the oh-so-funny Mike Allen asks: Do reporters 'revere' Senator Clinton? - Archive 2007-11-01
rudimentary
Being in the earliest stages of development; incipient.
They were introduced in rudimentary fashion in Second Edition and became a full-fledged system in Third Edition. - 4e PHB Readthrough – Chapter 5: Skills « Geek Related
skirmish
A minor or preliminary conflict or dispute: a skirmish over the rules before the debate began.
Interesting use of the word skirmish while troops are fighting this is what's going on in Washington as well. - CNN Transcript Feb 18, 2007
terse
Brief, concise, to the point.
Ms. Diallo's lawyers received what one of them called a "terse" letter Friday inviting her to meet with prosecutors at 3 p.m. to discuss what will happen in court Tuesday. - Strauss-Kahn Case May Be Dropped
trivial
Ordinary; commonplace.
Mr. Weinberg noted that the core inflation rate, which strips out volatile prices, is just 0.9 per cent on an annual basis, which he calls "trivial." - The Globe and Mail - Home RSS feed
verify
To prove the truth of by presentation of evidence or testimony; substantiate.
First, the word "verify" more accurately reflects the requirements placed on end users of endangered wood. - NPR Topics: News
anecdote
(noun) a short, interesting story
At the party Charles told some humorous anecdotes about his days in the military.
avert
(verb) turn aside, or away; as, to avert the eyes from an object; to ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of
We did everything we could to avert the disaster, but it was not enough.
candid
(adjective) straightforward, open and sincere, honest
I had a very candid discussion with Max about his drinking problem.
dialogue
(noun) conversation between 2 or more people.
The action in the movie was very exciting, but the dialogue was incredibly bad.
drastic
(adjective) extreme, severe
The doctor had to take drastic measures to save the patient's life
erratic
(adjective) irregular, unsteady, random; prone to unexpected changes
The man's erratic behavior made everybody on the flight nervous.
fortify
(verb)strengthen, reinforce
The government intended to fortify the levees surrounding New Orleans.
isolate
(verb) set apart or cut off from others, separate
The hospital isolated the patients with bird flu to help prevent an outbreak.
illuminate
(verb) shine light on something, light up something
The new street lights were not powerful enough to illuminate the street sufficiently.
urban
(adjective) related to or located in the city
People from urban areas have very different political views from people in rural areas.
accommodation
A room to stay in or other place to stay; the act of accommodation
When I go on business trips, the accommodations my company pays for are usually quite bad.
Google Wiktionary
affluent
Wealthy; having a large amount of money
Only the most affluent individuals can afford a Lamborghini.
Google Wiktionary
ajar
Slightly open or almost closed: said of a door.
found the door ajar, and I stood a moment gazing at the hateful man who claimed a right to rule me, body and soul. - Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Google Wiktionary
appropriate
Suitable; befitting; proper.
Boardshorts are not appropriate attire for the office.
Google Wiktionary
arouse
To excite into action; stir or put in motion or exertion; awaken: as, to arouse attention; to arouse one from sleep; to arouse dormant faculties.
They would send agents and emissaries about the kingdom to arouse, and encourage, and assemble such Saxon forces as were yet to be found. - King Alfred of England
Google Wiktionary
augment
To add to; increase
I teach English in the evenings to augment my family's income.
Google Wiktionary
avarice
Excessive desire for wealth; extreme greed
Corruption is a product of avarice and thirst for power.
Google Wiktionary
barricade
To close off or block with a barricade.
The police set up a barricade to keep voters away from the polling stations.
Google Wiktionary
bewilder
To confuse or befuddle, especially with numerous conflicting situations, objects, or statements. See Synonyms at puzzle.
I am absolutely bewildered by the new tax forms. I have no idea how to fill them out.
Google Wiktionary
bitter
Difficult or distasteful to accept, admit, or bear: the bitter truth; bitter sorrow.
The coffee was too bitter for Max. He had to add a lot of sugar.
aberration
(n.) something that differs from the norm (In 1974, Poland won the World Cup, but the success turned out to be an aberration, and Poland have not won a World Cup since).
abhor
(v.) to hate, detest (Because he always wound up getting hit in the head when he tried to play cricket, Marcin began to abhor the sport).
acquiesce
(v.) to agree without protesting (Though Mr. Pospieszny wanted to stay outside and work in his garage, when his wife told him that he had better come in to dinner, he acquiesced to her demands.)
alacrity
(n.) eagerness, speed (For some reason, Simon loved to help his girlfriend whenever he could, so when his girlfriend asked him to set the table he did so with alacrity.)
amiable
(adj.) friendly (An amiable fellow, Neil got along with just about everyone.)
appease
(v.) to calm, satisfy (When Jerry cries, his mother gives him chocolate to appease him.)
arcane
(adj.) obscure, secret, known only by a few (The professor is an expert in arcane Kashubian literature.)
avarice
(n.) excessive greed (The banker’s avarice led him to amass an enormous personal fortune.)
brazen
(adj.) excessively bold, brash, clear and obvious (Critics condemned the writer’s brazen attempt to plagiarise Frankow-Czerwonko’s work.)
brusque
(adj.) short, abrupt, dismissive (Simon’s brusque manner sometimes offends his colleagues.)
cajole
(v.) to urge, coax (Magda's friends cajoled her into drinking too much.)
callous
(adj.) harsh, cold, unfeeling (The murderer’s callous lack of remorse shocked the jury.)
candor
(n.) honesty, frankness (We were surprised by the candor of the politician’s speech because she is usually rather evasive.)
chide
(v.) to voice disapproval (Hania chided Gregory for his vulgar habits and sloppy appearance.)
circumspect
(adj.) cautious (Though I promised Marta’s father I would bring her home promptly by midnight, it would have been more circumspect not to have specified a time.)
clandestine
(adj.) secret (Announcing to her boyfriend that she was going to the library, Maria actually went to meet George for a clandestine liaison.)
coerce
(v.) to make somebody do something by force or threat (The court decided that David Beckham did not have to honor the contract because he had been coerced into signing it.)
coherent
(adj.) logically consistent, intelligible (William could not figure out what Harold had seen because he was too distraught to deliver a coherent statement.)
complacency
(n.) self-satisfied ignorance of danger (Simon tried to shock his friends out of their complacency by painting a frightening picture of what might happen to them.)
confidant
(n.) a person entrusted with secrets (Shortly after we met, he became my chief confidant.)
connive
(v.) to plot, scheme (She connived to get me to give up my plans to start up a new business.)
cumulative
(adj.) increasing, building upon itself (The cumulative effect of hours spent using the World English website was a vast improvement in his vocabulary and general level of English.)
debase
(v.) to lower the quality or esteem of something (The large raise that he gave himself debased his motives for running the charity.)
decry
(v.) to criticize openly (Andrzej Lepper, the leader of the Polish Self Defence party decried the appaling state of Polish roads.)
deferential
(adj.) showing respect for another’s authority (Donata is always excessively deferential to any kind of authority figure.)
demure
(adj.) quiet, modest, reserved (Though everyone else at the party was dancing and going crazy, she remained demure.)
deride
(v.) to laugh at mockingly, scorn (The native speaker often derided the other teacher’s accent.)
despot
(n.) one who has total power and rules brutally (The despot issued a death sentence for anyone who disobeyed his laws.)
diligent
(adj.) showing care in doing one’s work (The diligent researcher made sure to double check her measurements.)
elated
(adj.) overjoyed, thrilled (When he found out he had won the lottery, the postman was elated.)
eloquent
(adj.) expressive, articulate, moving (The best man gave such an eloquent speech that most guests were crying.)
embezzle
(v.) to steal money by falsifying records (The accountant was fired for embezzling €10,000 of the company’s funds.)
empathy
(n.) sensitivity to another’s feelings as if they were one’s own (I feel such empathy for my dog when she’s upset so am I!)
enmity
(n.) ill will, hatred, hostility (John and Scott have clearly not forgiven each other, because the enmity between them is obvious to anyone in their presence.)
erudite
(adj.) learned (My English teacher is such an erudite scholar that he has translated some of the most difficult and abstruse Old English poetry.)
extol
(v.) to praise, revere (Kamila extolled the virtues of a vegetarian diet to her meat-loving boyfriend.)
fabricate
(v.) to make up, invent (When I arrived an hour late to class, I fabricated some excuse about my car breaking down on the way to work.)
feral
(adj.) wild, savage (That beast looks so feral that I would fear being alone with it.)
flabbergasted
(adj.) astounded (Whenever I read an Agatha Christie mystery novel, I am always flabbergasted when I learn the identity of the murderer.)
forsake
(v.) to give up, renounce (I won't forsake my conservative principles.)
fractious
(adj.) troublesome or irritable (Although the child insisted he wasn’t tired, his fractious behaviour - especially his decision to crush his jam sandwiches all over the floor - convinced everyone present that it was time to put him to bed.)
furtive
(adj.) secretive, sly (Claudia’s placement of her drugs in her sock drawer was not as furtive as she thought, as the sock drawer is the first place most parents look.)
gluttony
(n.) overindulgence in food or drink (Helen’s fried chicken tastes so divine, I don’t know how anyone can call gluttony a sin.)
gratuitous
(adj.) uncalled for, unwarranted (Every evening the guy at the fish and chip shop gives me a gratuitous helping of vinegar.)
haughty
(adj.) disdainfully proud (The superstar’s haughty dismissal of her co-stars will backfire on her someday.)
hypocrisy
(n.) pretending to believe what one does not (Once the politician began passing legislation that contradicted his campaign promises, his hypocrisy became apparent.)
impeccable
(adj.) exemplary, flawless (If your grades were as impeccable as your brother’s, then you too would receive a car for a graduation present.)
impertinent
(adj.) rude, insolent (Most of your comments are so impertinent that I don’t wish to dignify them with an answer.)
implacable
(adj.) incapable of being appeased or mitigated (Watch out: once you shun Grandmother’s cooking, she is totally implacable.)
impudent
(adj.) casually rude, insolent, impertinent (The impudent young woman looked her teacher up and down and told him he was hot.)
incisive
(adj.) clear, sharp, direct (The discussion wasn’t going anywhere until her incisive comment allowed everyone to see what the true issues were.)
indolent
(adj.) lazy (Why should my indolent children, who can’t even pick themselves up off the sofa to pour their own juice, be rewarded with a trip to Burger King?)
inept
(adj.) not suitable or capable, unqualified (She proved how inept she was when she forgot two orders and spilled a pint of cider in a customer’s lap.)
infamy
(n.) notoriety, extreme ill repute (The infamy of his crime will not lessen as time passes.)
inhibit
(v.) to prevent, restrain, stop (When I told you I needed the car last night, I certainly never meant to inhibit you from going out.)
innate
(adj.) inborn, native, inherent (His incredible athletic talent is innate, he never trains, lifts weights, or practices.)
insatiable
(adj.) incapable of being satisfied (My insatiable appetite for blondes was a real problem on my recent holiday in Japan!)
insular
(adj.) separated and narrow-minded; tight-knit, closed off (Because of the sensitive nature of their jobs, those who work for MI5 must remain insular and generally only spend time with each other.)
intrepid
(adj.) brave in the face of danger (After scaling a live volcano prior to its eruption, the explorer was praised for his intrepid attitude.)
inveterate
(adj.) stubbornly established by habit (I’m the first to admit that I’m an inveterate cider drinker—I drink four pints a day.