Wordly Wise 3000, Book 9

Unit 17

Random House Webster’s Unabridged Electronic Dictionary © 1996

ab·ne·gate v.t., -gat·ed, -gat·ing.

1.to refuse or deny oneself (some rights, conveniences, etc.); reject; renounce.

2.to relinquish; give up.[1650–60; < L abneg€tus denied (ptp. of abneg€re). See AB-,

NEGATE]

an·cil·lar·y adj., n., pl. -lar·ies.

—adj.

1.subordinate; subsidiary.2.auxiliary; assisting.—n. 3.something that serves in an ancillary

capacity: Slides, records, and other ancillaries can be used with the basic textbook.

[1660–70; < L ancill(a) (see ANCILLA) + -ARY; cf. L ancill€ris having the status of a female slave, with -€ris -AR1]

bad·i·nage n., v., -naged, -nag·ing.

—n.

1.light, playful banter or raillery.

—v.t.

2.to banter with or tease (someone) playfully.

[1650–60; < F, equiv. to badin(er) to joke, trifle (v. deriv. of badin joker, banterer < OPr: fool; bad(ar) to gape (< VL bat€re; cf. BAY2) + -in < L -nus� -INE1) + -age -AGE]

be·di·zen v.t.

to dress or adorn in a showy, gaudy, or tasteless manner.

[1655–65; BE- + DIZEN]

ce·ler·i·ty n. swiftness; speed.[1480–90; earlier celerite < MF < L celerit€s, equiv. to celer

swift + -it€s -ITY]

77

cy·no·sure n.

1.something that strongly attracts attention by its brilliance, interest, etc.: the cynosure of all eyes.

2.something serving for guidance or direction.

[1590–1600; < L Cynosra� < Gk Kynósoura the constellation Ursa Minor, equiv. to kynós dog's (gen. of kýŽn) + ourá tail]

i·tin·er·ar·y n., pl. -ar·ies, adj.

1.a detailed plan for a journey, esp. a list of places to visit; plan of travel.

2.a line of travel; route.3.an account of a journey; record of travel.4.a book describing a route or routes of travel with

information helpful to travelers; guidebook for travelers.

—adj. 5.of or pertaining to travel or travel routes.6.Obs. itinerant.[1425–75; late ME < LL itiner€rium, n. use of neut. of itiner€rius of a

journey, equiv. to itiner- (s. of iter) journey (see ITER) + -€rius -ARY]

lis·some adj.

1.lithesome or lithe, esp. of body; supple; flexible.

2.agile, nimble, or active.Also, lisÆsom.[1790–1800; var. of LITHESOME]

mi·lieu n., pl. -lieus, Fr. -lieux (-lyŒÆ).

surroundings, esp. of a social or cultural nature: a snobbish milieu.

[1795–1805; < F, equiv. to mi (< L medius middle; see MEDIUM) + lieu LIEU]

ob·strep·er·ous adj.

1. resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly.

2. noisy, clamorous, or boisterous: obstreperous children.

[1590–1600; < L obstreperus clamorous, akin to obstrepere to make a noise at (ob- OB- + strepere to rattle); see -OUS]

par·a·gon n.

1. a model or pattern of excellence or of a particular excellence.

2. Print. a 20-point type.3. an unusually large, round pearl.—v.t. 4. to compare; parallel.5. to be a match for; rival.6. Obs. to surpass.7. Obs. to regard as a paragon.[1540–50; < MF < OIt paragone comparison, perh. < Gk parágŽn, prp.

of parágein to bring side by side]

per·qui·site n.

1. an incidental payment, benefit, privilege, or advantage over and above regular income, salary, or wages: Among the president's perquisites were free use of a company car and paid membership in a country club.

2. a gratuity or tip.

3. something demanded or due as a particular privilege: homage that was once the perquisite of royalty.

[1400–50; late ME < ML perqustum� � something acquired, n. use of neut. of L perqustus� � (ptp. of perqurere� to search everywhere for, inquire diligently). See PER-, INQUISITIVE]

1414

staid adj.

1.of settled or sedate character; not flighty or capricious.

2.fixed, settled, or permanent.

—v.

3.Archaic. a pt. and pp. of stay 1.[1535–45 for adj. use]

1515

sym·bi·o·sis n., pl. -ses (-sz). �1. Biol.

a. the living together of two dissimilar organisms, as in mutualism, commensalism, amensalism, or parasitism.

b. (formerly) mutualism (def. 1).2. Psychiatry. a relationship between two people in which each person is dependent upon and receives reinforcement, whether beneficial or detrimental, from the other.3. Psychoanal. the relationship between an infant and its mother in which the infant is dependent on the mother both physically and emotionally.4. any interdependent or mutually beneficial relationship between two persons, groups, etc.[1615–25; < Gk symbŽsis,� equiv. to sym- SYM- + biŽ (var. s. of bioûn to live) + -sis -SIS]

ty·ro n., pl. -ros.

a beginner in learning anything; novice.Also, tiro.

[1605–15; < L trŽ recruit]�