WORDS OF THE DAY

Hello friends,

This time I am posting a new blog related to increase the word power .so keep enjoying this words and use it in according to your manner . these all things are taken from the newspapers .

I. One morning, all of a sudden you would see tulips in full bloom all over the city, deftly planted the night before, and the next morning it would all be gone.

1. Used as an adverb, 'deftly' means quick and skillful or dexterous. Here the word means neatly skillful and quick in movements. For example- When an object is partially hidden, the brain deftly reconstructs it. Synonyms of the word are gracefully, cautiously, finely, sensitively, tactfully, softly etc. Antonyms are strongly, indelicately, etc.

 

II. 'Exhausted by the anthropocentric appropriation of plant life, especially to construct a moral narrative, I suddenly felt compelled to look up the fantasy literature that political parties have passed off as their manifesto es for the Lok Sabha election of 2014.'

2. ‘Anthropocentric' describes anything related to the belief that human beings are the most significant species in the universe. It could also be used to describe the assessment of the world through an exclusively human perspective. The noun form of the word is anthropocentrism, which can be used interchangeably with humanocentrism or ‘human supremacism'. Let us look at an example, "One of the first extended philosophical essays addressing environmental ethics, John Passmore's Man's Responsibility for Nature^] has been criticised by defenders of deep ecology because of its anthropocentrism."

 

III. 'Living in Bengal, it is impossible to escape plant iconography in political life - on walls, paper handouts, newspapers, and, as I discovered recently, the designs of sweets in mithai shops.'

3. ‘Iconography' is a noun that refers to the icons, i.e. images or symbols, related to something. In the given context, plant iconography refers to symbols related to plant life in political life, like BJP's lotus and Trinamool Congress Party's grass and flowers. Iconography could also mean iconology that is the study of icons or artistic symbolism.

 

IV. ‘He was imperial in attitude, treating Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra like an ignorant schoolgirl and questioning her credentials for interrogating BJP candidate Smriti Irani's status.'

4. As the word suggests, ‘imperial' is used to describe something related to an empire or an emperor. In the given context ‘imperial in attitude' is used to denote a regal attitude. Some interesting synonyms of the word are august, baronial and Homeric while apt antonyms of the word would be humble, unimposing and unimpressive.

 

V. ‘Amethi was Amethi because it was a Nehru-Gandhi borough.'

5. ‘Borough' refers to an administrative division. It could either be a village, town or part of a large city which has its own local government. Especially in the case of New York City, borough refers to one of the five main sections of the city. Borough should not be confused with a similar sounding word burrow, which as a noun refers to a hole or tunnel in which an animal lives. 

VI. Anju, a resplendent icon of the sport, confesses to having become "lazy" and "sloppy" too as far as athletics is concerned.

6. 'Resplendent' is an adjective which means very bright and attractive, shining brilliant or gleaming. The word is taken from Latin resplendent which means 'to shine brightly'. An example of the word is- The fields were resplendent with flowers. Synonyms of the word are splendid, glorious, dazzling, impressive, majestic, superb etc. Antonyms are poor, dark, dull, ugly, gloomy, bad, etc.

 

VII. But the issue of fixed tenure is a fig leaf - the core issue is whether to repudiate the seniority convention itself.

7. 'Repudiate' is a verb which means to refuse to accept or support something. It also means to reject with disapproval or condemnation. The word is derived from Latin repudiates which means 'to reject or refuse'. For instance- He has publicly repudiated the government's policies. Synonyms are contradict, deny, reject, negate, dis-affirm, etc. Antonyms include acknowledge, allow, admit, confirm, accept, approve, assert, etc.

 

VIII. After a high decibel campaigning which saw the contenders going for the jugular, the penultimate round of the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday will decide the fate of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, his cousin Varun Gandhi and Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma among others.

8. 'Decibel' is a noun which refers to a unit for measuring how loud a sound is. Here the word signifies degree of loudness or extremely loud sound. An example to show usage of the word is- The crowd decibels increased dramatically as the horses neared the finish line. Synonyms of the word are babel, blare, clangor, bluster, roar etc. Antonyms include quiet, silence, stillness, calm etc.

IX. On spinal deformities, he urged doctors not to ignore any radiological and cutaneous markers in children aged below 10 years.

9. Used as an adjective, 'cutaneous' means pertaining to, or affecting the skin. The word is derived from Latin cutis which refers to skin. For instance- When only the skin is involved, it is known as cutaneous diphtheria, and is likely to be a nontoxic strain. Synonyms of the word are cutaneal, dermal etc.

X. Mr. Ramanujan said with the decreased use of letters for communication, stamps are now confined to an esoteric club of philatelists.

10. 'Esoteric' is an adjective which means intended for or understood by only a particular group or relating to that which is known by a restricted number of people. An example to illustrate the meaning of the word is- Some of their anthems can be a bit too intricate and esoteric for newcomers. Synonyms are deep, profound, abstruse, arcane etc. Antonyms include common, familiar, known, obvious etc. 

I. ‘For India, nuclear deterrence is defensive and a means to secure its sovereignty and security.'

1. ‘Deterrence' is a noun which means forestalling an event or an act from happening. However, it also has a more defined meaning when it comes to using the word in political or military context. As in the example provided above, it refers to the development of nuclear power for the reason that other countries would not launch an attack on India. Synonyms of the word are dissuasion, preclusion, obviation, etc.    

II. Assam has been embroiled in an ethnic conflagration for quite some    time now.

2. In the sentence cited above, ‘ethenic conflagration' refers to cultural/racial/religious conflict. So, clearly conflagration means war or conflict. Literally, ‘conflagration' refers to a large destructive fire that causes devastation. The word of latin origin is a combination of ‘co' (together) + flagrare (to blaze). You can learn this word by remembering that watching our national flag fly high in the air ignites our hearts with patriotic fire. Another example to display the usage of the word more conspicuously would be - the historic tavern burned to the ground in a horrible conflagration.  Another word from the root ‘flagrare' is ‘flagrant', which means obviously offensive or disgraceful, is derived from the Latin term in ‘flagrante delicto', which literally meant ‘with fire still blazing'. Figuratively, it is used describe a situation in which the criminal is caught red handed. For example, a flagrant abuse of human rights.  

III. Now, appointing a judge before May 16 to head the snoopgate probe panel will carry the imprint of a vindictive attitude by the UPA against its prime opponent, and is hence inappropriate.

3. ‘Vindictive' means vengeful. You can learn this word by remembering that it is ‘indicative' of ‘vengeance' or ‘revenge'. So, in the above cited sentence, ‘vindictive attitude' refers to the attitude that is disposed to seek revenge. A few synonyms of the word are - avenging, retaliatory; vengeful, revengeful, etc.

 

IV. Of late, the TNIC is being flooded with frivolous petitions.

4. 'Frivolous' is an adjective which means silly, inappropriate or not serious. The word is coined from Latin frivolous which means worthless. Here the word means lacking seriousness in petitions or trivial petitions. For instance- They were convinced that video games were frivolous at best, dangerous at worst. Synonyms of the word are unimportant, insignificant, petty, minor, pointless, trifling, peripheral. Antonyms include eventful, major, important, significant, momentous, vital.

V. The concepts of locus standi and cause of action have not been specified in the Act.

5. Used as a noun, 'locus standi' means the right of a party to appear and be heard before a court. It is a Latin word, which literally means place to stand. An example to describe the usage of the word- He should be clear in his mind about some fundamentals concerning his own locus standi in the whole deal.

 

VI. Thus she meticulously crafted her own diminutive sculptures that sprout on the wall.

6. Used as an adjective, 'diminutive' means extremely or unusually small. It is also used as a word or suffix to indicate that something is small. The word descends from Latin dēminuere which means "to lessen." Let us look at an example to understand the usage of the word- She was a diminutive figure beside her husband. Synonyms of the word are small, tiny, petite, little, midget etc. Antonyms of the word are big, grand, great, large, oversize etc.

VII. Nandan Nilekani, is attempting to make a foray into politics.

7. 'Foray' is a noun which means an initial attempt, especially outside your usual areas of competence. Here the word means an initial venture. For instance- We made a quick foray into town for some supplies. Synonyms are attack, invasion, inroad, incursion etc.

VIII. There is anecdotal evidence that many of the bank drafts accompanying the applications were sent by prospective fathers-in-law.

8. 'Anecdotal' is an adjective which means based on personal observation, or random investigations rather than systematic scientific evaluation. An example to explain the meaning of the word is- His evidence was not scholarly, but merely anecdotal. Synonyms include unreliable, unscientific etc. Scientific etc can be used as antonym of the word.

IX. Engineers have often been identified as technical geeks, socially maladroit but excelling at math and physics.

9. Used as an adjective, 'maladroit' means unskillful, tactless or clumsy. Here the word means without skill, especially in a way that annoys or offends people. For instance- Both parties are unhappy about the maladroit handling of the whole affair. Synonyms of the word are lumbering, unskillful, clumsy, inept, bumbling, awkward etc. Antonyms include adroit, capable, tactful etc.

X. The commission does not accept the insinuation of inaction or bias.

10. Used as a noun, 'insinuation' means an indirect or covert suggestion or hint, especially of a derogatory nature. It is an indirect, usually malicious, implication of something. The word is evolved from the Latin insinuation, which means "entrance through a narrow way.” Let us look at an example to understand the meaning of the word- He criticizes his opponents by insinuation rather than directly. Synonyms of the word are innuendo, imputation, allusion, ingratiation 
etc

I. This was followed by a slew of meetings to discuss the future strategy as well as iron out internal differences within the party.

1. 'Slew' is a noun which means large number of something. Here the word refers to large number of meetings. Let us look at an example to understand the usage of the word- He has written a slew of books. Synonyms of the word are abundance, heap, plenitude, plenty, pile, volume, stack, quantity etc. Antonyms include ace, bit, handful, little, speck, pinch, trace etc.

II. At the end of a gruelling general election and on the eve of counting of votes, Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath spoke to B. Muralidhar Reddy and Varghese K. George on a gamut of issues.

2. Used as a noun, 'gamut' means a range or series of related things. Here the word signifies complete range or scope of issues related to election. An illustrative example to explain the meaning of the word- She experienced the full gamut of human emotions. Synonyms of the word are range, scale, spectrum, spread, diapason, scope, extent, sweep, series, assortment etc. Extreme can be used as an antonym of the word.

 

III. The improved acreage attained under various crops when compared to 2012-13 financial year is primarily because the 2013-14 fiscal saw uniform distribution of rain across the district.

3. 'Acreage' is a noun which means area of land, typically used for agricultural or cultivation purposes measured in acres. For instance- A large portion of the park's acreage is forest. Synonyms are land area, plot, holding etc.

IV. ‘The ordinance was in itself politically and morally indefensible and Dr. Singh ended up being seen as the protector of the corrupt and Mr. Gandhi as the party's uncompromising crusader against corruption.' 

4. Crusader is one who is engaged in a crusade. Crusade is generally referred to as a vigorous concerted movement for a cause or against an abuse. Apt synonyms of crusader would be advocate, activist, champion and reformer. Crusade could also be a holy war and crusader would be someone engaged in a holy war. For example, "The Crusaders tried to recapture the holy land from the Muslims." In particular, the Crusades refer to a series of religiously-sanctioned military campaigns undertaken by European Christians in the 11^th, 12^th and 13^th centuries.
 
V. The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) was formed as a special territorial privilege under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution as in the Memorandum of Settlement of February 2003 between the Government of India, the Government of Assam and the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT).

5. In the above sentence, ‘memorandum' means a document recording the terms of a contract or other legal details. Another example to display the usage of the word would be - The government sent a detailed memorandum to the commission on employment policy.  The word ‘memorandum' or memo is also used to refer to an official note from one person to another in the same organization. For example - to write/send/circulate a memo. You can remember this word by understanding that important official notes are written because writing aids memory.
 
VI. A BJP government may revamp key ministries

6. ‘Revamp' means to make changes to the form of something, usually to improve its appearance. So, the above cited sentence talks about BJP government intending to change its key ministries for good.  In other words, if you revamp something, you replace/ renovate/remake it. Synonyms of the word are - renovate, refurbish, recondition, overhaul, update, renew, upgrade, remodel, redesign, rejig, remould, etc.
 
VII. Universal suffrage was the cornerstone of freedom for the Indian Constituent Assembly.

7.1. ‘Suffrage' means the right to vote in political elections. In the sentence cited above ‘universal suffrage' means the right of almost all adults to vote in political elections. You can learn this word by remembering that people in history suffered a lot to win suffrage or their right to vote. Synonyms of the word are - franchise, enfranchisement and ballot.

7.2 ‘Cornerstone' means an important quality or feature on which a particular thing depends or is based. The given sentence states that the right to vote by all formed the basis of freedom for the Indian Constituent Assembly. Synonyms of the word are - foundation, keystone, mainstay, linchpin, bedrock, base, key, core, backbone, anchor, etc.

VIII. ‘She alights from her car behind him and, as Dr. Singh turns to greet her, she walks past him without as much as acknowledging his presence.’

8. ‘Alight’ as a verb, means to step down from a vehicle, boat, etc. The given sentence is in reference to a video that has gone viral lately. The video shows Dr. Manmohan Singh waiting for Ms. Gandhi at some event. On her arrival, Mr. Singh turns to greet her, but she walks past him without greeting him. ‘Take off’ is an antonym of the word.

IX. ‘He has jettisoned his aggressive image displays a broad political outlook which will work wonders for him if he is able to exhibit more of it in testing times.’

9 .‘Jettison’, as a verb means to get rid of something. It also means to reject something, such as a plan, idea, etc. To drop something from a moving plane, ship, etc. is also called jettison. ‘Discard’, ‘junk’, ‘lay by’, ‘lose’, ‘pitch’, ‘reject’, ‘scrap’, ‘shed’, etc. are the synonyms of the word. As a noun, jettison means a voluntary sacrifice of cargo to lighten a ship's load in time of distress a voluntary sacrifice of cargo to lighten a ship's load in time of distress.