Words of the day
3/21 (Fri.)
1. primary[adj.]/ ˋpraɪ͵mɛrɪ /
Definition: earliest in time or order of development
most important; fundamental(基礎的)
Origin: early 15c., "of the first order," from Latin primarius "of the first rank, chief, principal, excellent," from primus "first" (see prime (adj.)).
Sentence: A primary cause of Tom’s failure is his laziness.
Part of speech: primarily [adv.]
2. accustomed[adj.]/ əˋkʌstəmd /
Definition: usual; habitual
Origin: late 15c., "made customary, habitual," past participle adjective from accustom (v.).
Sentence: These restaurants are also accustomed to accommodating the most demanding of guests.
Part of speech: accustom [v.]
3. diligent[adj.]/ ˋdɪlədʒənt /
Definition: showing care and effort (in what one does); hard-working
Origin: mid-14c., from Old French diligent (14c.), from Latin diligentem "attentive, assiduous".
Sentence: But it is not just the team of diligent employees that will make your stay so special.
Part of speech: diligence [n.]
4. spoil[v.]/ spɔɪl /
Definition: make (sth) useless, valueless or unsatisfactory; ruin
harm the character of (esp a child) by lack of discipline(紀律) or too much generosity(慷慨), attention, praise(讚美), etc
Origin: c.1300, "to strip (someone) of clothes, strip a slain enemy," from Old French espillier "to strip, plunder, pillage," from Latin spoliare "to strip, uncover, lay bare; strip of clothing, rob, plunder, pillage."
Sentence: What are you waiting for? Spoil yourself at the Burj Al Arab!
Part of speech: spoilage [n.]
5. accomplish[v.]/ əˋkɑmplɪʃ /
Definition: succeed in doing (sth); complete successfully; achieve
Origin: late 14c., from Old French acompliss-, present participle stem of acomplir "to fulfill, fill up, complete" (12c.)
Sentence: They have accomplished mission successfully.
Part of speech: accomplish [v.]
3/24(Mon.)
1. attempt[n.][v.]/ ə`tɛmpt /
Definition: make an effort to accomplish; try
Origin: [v.] late 14c., from Old French attempter (14c.), earlier atenter "to try, attempt, test," from Latin attemptare "to try".
[n.] 1530s, from attempt (v.).
Sentence: He has always loved moves and is motivated to use movies in an attempt to express his ideas.
Part of speech: attemptable [adj.]
2. characteristic[n.]/ ͵kærəktəˋrɪstɪk /
Definition: forming part of the character of a person or thing; typical
Origin: adjective and noun both first attested 1660s, from character + -istic on model of Greek kharakteristikos. Earlier in the adjectival sense was characteristical (1620s).
Sentence: However, do you know what they were like─their characteristics and behavior─before they became famous?
Part of speech: characterization [n.], characterful [adj.]
3. sincere[adj.]/ sɪnˋsɪr /
Definition: not pretended; genuine
only saying things one really means or believes; straightforward
Origin: 1530s, "pure, unmixed," from Middle French sincere (16c.), from Latin sincerus, of things, "whole, clean, pure, uninjured, unmixed," figuratively "sound, genuine, pure, true, candid, truthful," of uncertain origin.
Sentence: Henry was sincere about reconciling(和好) with his brother.
Part of speech: sincerely [adv.]
4.sociable[adj.]/ ˋsoʃəb! /
Definition: fond of the company of other people; friendly
Origin: 1550s, "enjoying the company of others," from Middle French sociable (16c.) and directly from Latin sociabilis "close, intimate, easily united," from sociare "to join, unite," from socius "companion, ally".
Sentence: No one got suspicious because he was quite sociable with everyone, and no one was being bothered by him.
Part of speech: sociability [n.]
5.worthwhile[adj.]/ ˋwɝθˋhwaɪl /
Definition: important, interesting or rewarding enough to justify the time, money or effort that is spent
Origin: by 1660s, worth while (one-word form from late 19c.), from worth (adj.) + while (n.). Phrase worth the while is attested from late 14c.
Sentence: He eventually went on to make some of the most successful and worthwhile movies ever, such as E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, and Catch Me If You Can.
Part of speech: worthy [adj.]
3/25(Tue.)
1. criterion [n.]/kraɪˋtɪrɪən /
Definition: standard by which sth is judged
Origin: 1660s, from Latinized form of Greek kriterion "means for judging, standard," from krites "judge," from PIE root *krei- (see crisis).
Sentence: What criteria do you use when judging the quality of a student' s work?
Part of speech: none
2. dismiss[v.]/dɪsˋmɪs /
Definition: remove sb from a position
send sb away
Origin: early 15c., from Latin dimissus, past participle of dimittere "send away, send different ways; break up, discharge; renounce, abandon," from dis- "apart, away" (see dis-) + mittere "send, let go" (see mission).
Sentence: The teacher dismissed the class on time.
Part of speech: dismissal [n.]
3. extraterrestrial [n.]/ˏɛkstrətə`restrɪəl /
Definition: of or from outside the earth and its atmosphere
Origin: also extra-terrestrial, 1812, from extra- + terrestrial. As a noun from 1956.
Sentence: The universe is most likely filled with extraterrestrial life, just waiting to be discovered.
Part of speech: extraterritoriality [n.]治外法權
4. mainstream[n.]/ˋmen͵strim /
Definition: dominant trend, tendency,etc
Origin: also main-stream, main stream, "principal current of a river," 1660s, from main (adj.) + stream (n.).
Sentence: The mainstream belief was that humans would need to travel long distances to find out whether there were planets outside our own solar system.
Part of speech: none
5. fabric[n.]/ˋfæbrɪk /
Definition: type of cloth, esp one that is woven
Origin: late 15c., "building, thing made," from Middle French fabrique (14c.), from Latin fabrica "workshop," also "an art, trade
Sentence: These clothes are made of imported fabrics.
Part of speech: fabricate [v.]建造
3/26(Tue.)
1. fundamental[adj.]/͵fʌndəˋmɛnt! /
Definition: of or forming the basis or foundation of sth; essential
Origin: mid-15c., "primary, original, pertaining to a foundation," modeled on Late Latin fundamentalis "of the foundation," from Latin fundamentum "foundation" (see fundament).
Sentence: The fundamental cause of his success is his hard work .
Part of speech: fundament [n.]
2. literally[adv.]/ˋlɪtərəlɪ /
Definition: in a literal manner; exactly
Origin: 1530s, "in a literal sense," from literal + -ly (2).
Sentence: The city was literally destroyed.
Part of speech: none
3. overestimate[v.]/͵ovɚˋɛstə͵met /
Definition: estimate (sth) to be bigger, higher, better, etc
Origin: Under bad manners, as under graver faults, lies very commonly an overestimate of our special individuality, as distinguished from our generic humanity. [Oliver W. Holmes, "The Professor at the Breakfast Table," 1858]
Sentence: I overestimated the amount of milk we’d need for the weekend.
Part of speech: overestimated [n.]
4. planetarium[n.]/͵plænəˋtɛrɪəm /
Definition: device for representing the positions and movements of the planets and stars by projecting spots of light on a dome which represents the sky.
Origin: 1734, "orrery," Modern Latin, from Late Latin planeta (see planet) + Latin -arium "a place for."
Sentence: Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Rose Center’s Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
Part of speech: planetary [adj.]行星的
5.probe[n.]/prob /
Definition: thorough and careful investigation of sth
Origin: early 15c., "instrument for exploring wounds, etc.," also "an examination," from Medieval Latin proba "examination," in Late Latin "a test, proof," from Latin probare (see prove).
Sentence: Information about Venus obtained by Russian probes.
Part of speech: none
3/27(Thu.)
1. prompt[adj.]/ prɑmpt /
Definition: punctually準時地
Origin: early 15c., from Old French prompt and directly from Latin promptus "brought forth," hence "visible, apparent, evident," past participle of promere "to take or bring out or forth" (see prompt (v.)).
Sentence: He is prompt in paying his rent.
Part of speech: promotion [n.], promotional [adj.]
2. punch[v.]/pʌntʃ /
Definition: strike hard with the fist
Origin: "to thrust, push; jostle;" also, "prod, to drive (cattle, etc.) by poking and prodding," late 14c., from Old French ponchonner "to punch, prick, stamp," from ponchon "pointed tool, piercing weapon" (see punch (n.1)).
Sentence: I wanted to punch him for his betrayal.
Part of speech: punchy [adj.]
3. skepticism[n.]/ˋskɛptəsɪzəm /
Definition: doubt about the truth of something
Origin: also scepticism, 1640s, from skeptic + -ism. Specifically regarding Christian religion, from 1800.
Sentence: I began this project with a healthy dose of skepticism and as open a mind as possible.
Part of speech: skeptic [n.], skeptical [adj.]
4. vast[adj.]/ væst /
Definition: very large in area, size, quantity or degree; immense
Origin: 1570s, "being of great extent or size," from Middle French vaste, from Latin vastus "immense, extensive, huge," also "desolate, unoccupied, empty."
Sentence: It is a vast desert.
Part of speech: vastitude [n.]
5.layout[n.]/ˋle͵aʊt /
Definition: way in which the parts of sth are arranged according to a plan
Origin: also lay-out, "configuration, arrangement," 1852, from lay (v.) + out. Meaning "rough design of a printing job" is from 1910.
Sentence: Their house has a good layout.
Part of speech: none
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