12/23

stumble (noun)

    A fall, trip or substantial misstep.
    An error or blunder.
    A clumsy walk.

epithet (noun)

    A term used to characterize a person or thing.
    A term used as a descriptive substitute for the name or title of a person.
    An abusive or contemptuous word or phrase.

contemptuous (noun)

    Showing contempt; expressing disdain; showing a lack of respect.
        e.g.: I don't know that guy, but he just gave me a contemptuous look.

detour (noun)

    A diversion or deviation from one's original route.

deviation (noun)

    The act of deviating; a wandering from the way; variation from the common way, from an established rule, etc.; departure, as from the right course or the path of duty.
    The state or result of having deviated; a transgression; an act of sin; an error; an offense.

12/24

disclosure (noun)

    The act of revealing something.

obese (adjective)

    Extremely overweight, especially: weighing more than 20% (for men) or 25% (for women) over their ideal weight determined by height and build; or, having a body mass index over 30 kg/m2.

foster (adjective)

    Providing parental care to unrelated children.
    Receiving such care
    Related by such care

donor (noun)

    One who donates, typically, money.

elude (verb)

    To evade, or escape from someone or something, especially by using cunning or skill.
    To shake off a pursuer; to give someone the slip.
    To escape understanding of; to be incomprehensible to.

12/25

pigsty (noun)

    A shelter where pigs are kept.
    A dirty or very untidy place.

untidy (adjective)

    Sloppy.
        e.g.: I have never seen such an untidy bedroom!
    Disorganized.
        e.g.: His finances were in an untidy state when he died.

intransigent (adjective)

    Unwilling to compromise or moderate a position; unreasonable; irreconcilable; stubborn.
        e.g.: Don't waste your time trying to change his mind, he's completely intransigent.

reconcile (verb)

    To restore a friendly relationship; to bring back to harmony.
        e.g.: to reconcile people who have quarrelled
    To make things compatible or consistent.
        e.g.: to reconcile differences

naive (adjective)

    Lacking worldly experience, wisdom, or judgement; unsophisticated.
        e.g.: Surely you're not naive enough to believe adverts!

12/26

debris (noun)

    Rubble, wreckage, scattered remains of something destroyed.
    Litter and discarded refuse.  
    The ruins of a broken-down structure

hectic (adjective)

    Pertaining to bodily reactions characterised by flushed or dry skin.
        e.g.: hectic fever; a hectic patient
    Very busy with activity and confusion; feverish.
        e.g.: The city center is so hectic at 8 in the morning that I go to work an hour beforehand to avoid the crowds

feverish (adjective)

    In the state of having a fever, to have an elevated body temperature.
        e.g.: The illness made him feverish, so they applied cold compresses.
    filled with excess energy.
        e.g.: He worked with feverish excitement.

whack (noun)

    A blow, impact or slap.
    A share or portion.
    An attempt.

ponder (verb)

    To wonder, to think of deeply.
    To consider (something) carefully and thoroughly; to chew over, to mull over.
        e.g.: I have spent days pondering the meaning of life.

12/27

perplexed (adjective)

    Confused or puzzled.
    Bewildered.

bewildered (adjective)

    Baffled, confused, mystified, at a loss, or uncertain.
        e.g.: He was just standing there, turning this way and that, with a bewildered look on his face.

baffled (adjective)

    thoroughly confused, puzzled
    having baffles

haul (verb)

    To carry something; to transport something, with a connotation that the item is heavy or otherwise difficult to move.
    To pull or draw something heavy.
    To transport by drawing, as with horses or oxen.
        e.g.: to haul logs to a sawmill

vie (verb)

    To rival; to struggle for superiority; to contend; to compete eagerly so as to gain something.
        e.g.: Her suitors were all vying for her attention.
    To rival (something), etc.
    To do or produce in emulation, competition, or rivalry; to put in competition; to bandy.
    To stake; to wager.